“Not unless you want to be grounded until your hundredth birthday.”
“But then I’d miss the homecoming dance, and prom!” Evangeline pouted.
“That’s why you shouldn’t incinerate or otherwise murder anyone,” Gabriel said sternly.
Evangeline went into a full snit, stamping her foot, and her eyes flashed red. Scales covered her face and sparks flew from her nostrils. “Did I ever tell you that you’re my least favorite uncle? Well, except for Calder.”
Evangeline glanced over at a handsome man who was standing by himself, drinking a beer. The man bore a startling resemblance to Gabriel. He looked so much like him that he had to be his twin.
“Every day and twice on Sunday,” Gabriel said with exaggerated patience.
“Well, now I’m going to make it four times on Sunday!” And with that not particularly terrifying threat, Evangeline flounced off.
Kelly glanced over at Calder again, and he caught her eye and held up his glass in a mock toast. Then he strolled over to them, much to Gabriel’s obvious annoyance. All the teenage girls standing under the tree giggled behind their hands and called out, “Hey, Calder!” He ignored them.
“Hello,” he said to Kelly. “Since no one else is likely to introduce us, I’m Calder. Apparently you’re going to marry my brother. I’m not sure if I should offer my congratulations or condolences.” Then he gave Gabriel a calculating glance. “No, I’m pretty sure which one it is.”
“Why wouldn’t anyone introduce us?” she asked, puzzled. “You’re Gabriel’s twin brother, aren’t you?”
Calder glanced at Gabriel with cold amusement. “I’m considered the black sheep of the family. You’ll have to get the details from Gabriel.”
Black sheep of the family? She looked at him speculatively. Gabriel’s father was still on probation, his mother had done a brief stint in prison for boosting a diamond necklace, most of Gabriel’s immediately family had either done time or were suspects in active cases…
What could Calder possibly have done that was even worse?
“Did you kill kittens and make them into earmuffs? Rob a widows and orphans fund?”
“Even worse, if you’re a Kingsley.” He reached out and plucked a long blonde wig hair from her shoulder. Then he smiled at her. “I heard how you impersonated Pandora. Well done.”
“Are you flirting with my bride-to-be?” Gabriel scowled at his brother.
“Why not?” Calder scoffed. “She could certainly do worse. Oh wait, she already has.”
Smoke billowed from Gabriel’s nostrils and scales covered his skin. His eyes turned red and his pupils narrowed to black, reptilian vertical slits.
Calder went red and scaly too. “Any time, brother,” he snapped, and black claws curved from his fingertips.
“How about now?” Gabriel growled. “It’s been a long time coming.”
“Gabriel, stop that at once! Not at the celebration party!” His mother laid a commanding hand on his arm. She glanced over at Kelly. “I need to introduce you two to someone. Come with me, now.” And she hustled them away without a backward glance at Calder.
“You two should eat,” she said, gesturing towards a banquet table. “I’ll just leave you two lovebirds alone.” And she wandered off again.
“She’s running interference,” Gabriel said. “She called me over before to warn me that Pandora and her family are here, and they are pissed.” He grinned at that. “She’s trying to keep them on the other side of the field.”
“Or you could just let Pandora come over here and, I don’t know, marry her. No? Fine. What did Calder do that is actually worse than thieving?” Kelly asked.
He grimaced. “I’m afraid it’s something we don’t talk about in this family,” he said.
She shrugged impatiently. She wasn’t investigating Calder for anything, so it wasn’t any of her business.
“Fine, here’s something that I do need to talk about. My sister Teresa got arrested at the fair a little while ago. I need to bail her out.”
Gabriel waved at Winthrop, who hurried over.
“Yes, sir, what do you need? An alibi, a getaway car?”
“Isn’t he hilarious?” Gabriel said to Kelly. “I don’t know what we’d do without him. I’d love to find out, though. Winthrop, Kelly’s sister Teresa needs bail posted.”
Winthrop nodded, his expression resigned. “Of course. Sounds like she’ll fit right in here.” He spoke with a faintly British accent, which was common for both dragons and their servants. Most of them had originated in Great Britain, and they tended to retain their accents and their traditions down through the generations.
As they talked, Gabriel led Kelly towards the table his mother had pointed out to them.
“Actually, unlike you guys, Teresa is not a criminal,” Kelly said. A nagging, whining, goody-two-shoes, sure, but definitely not a criminal. Teresa had been voted “Class Snitch” back in ninth grade – and had thought her classmates meant it as a compliment.
“She was unfairly arrested,” Kelly continued, sinking down into the chair. “She didn’t do anything wrong.” Teresa never did anything wrong – the constipated little twit.
“Exactly like us,” Gabriel said, gesturing at her to take a seat when they reached the table. “Unfairly maligned. Arrested for crimes she didn’t commit. She could practically be a Kingsley. Isn’t that right, Winthrop?”
“Does the situation call for me to lie, sir, or to tell the truth?” Winthrop heaved a sigh and his expression was doleful; he was sort of like a human basset hound.
“Well, she does regularly work with law enforcement, so I’ll let you use your best judgement,” Gabriel said cheerfully. He sat next to Kelly, grabbed a goblet, and held it up. “Mead! Pour me mead!” he shouted, and a maidservant hurried over to oblige him, pouring from a big pitcher.
Winthrop looked at Kelly. “The Kingsleys are paragons of virtue,” he said without cracking a smile. “And now, I will see to bailing out your sister.” He bowed to Gabriel and walked off.
After the banquet, everyone tried to crowd around Kelly and pepper her with questions, but Gabriel apparently took pity on her. Or maybe he needed a break from the crowd too.
“Not now! My bride-to-be and I would like to get to know each other a little better, if you know what I mean!” he yelled, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her towards the castle.
The crowd responded with whoops and whistles and appreciative catcalls.
“I really hate you right now,” Kelly muttered, blushing furiously.
Gabriel had a huge smirk on his face as he hustled her across the broad lawn and into the castle, through an enormous reception room with several chandeliers, down various carpeted hallways, up a flight of stairs, and finally into his huge bedroom. Kelly was out of breath by the time they got there.
“Goodness, I’ll never be able to find my way to the front door. I’d get lost in here without a map,” Kelly said in a silly, girlish voice that worked on most men. It didn’t work on Gabriel.
“Nice try,” he mocked her. “You undoubtedly already know the basic layout of the castle and memorized every single doorway, stairwell and window on your way up here.”
She scowled at him. “Fine, jerkface. So where will I be sleeping for now?” She put a special emphasis on the for now part of the sentence.
Gabriel’s room had a four-poster bed that could have comfortably fitted a dozen people, but Gabriel gestured at a door across the enormous room.
“Well, as long as you want to pretend that you’re not marrying me, you can have that suite of rooms. Although of course you are always welcome to my bed…pardon me, our bed. You’ll end up there eventually.”
She snorted. “Your continued delusions are kind of scary; you should probably see someone for that. Anyway. What about my sister?”
“I had Teresa bailed out, and Winthrop is driving her up here,” he said. “She’ll arrive shortly. Apparently she’s been expressing herself quite vociferousl
y about her general hatred of dragons, the state of Nevada, you, and your highly unorthodox methods of investigation which were, and I quote, ‘only ever going to end in disaster’.”
“Yep, that sounds about right.” Kelly sighed. “Poor Winthrop.”
Gabriel laughed heartily at that. “Oh, I’m sure he’s not just commiserating with her, he’s egging her on. Do you want a chance to shower and freshen up? I’ll give you a tour of the castle later.”
A tour. Hmm. She had an advantage that he didn’t know about when it came to finding gems that were enhanced with mystical power – such as the Dragonsblood Ruby. It was why she had such a high recovery rate, and why Allied still employed her, despite their disapproval of her maverick methods.
“That would be all right,” she said cautiously. She didn’t want to sound too eager and tip him off to how much she wanted to tour the castle.
She was pretty sure the Dragonsblood was hidden somewhere on the premises. There hadn’t been even a whisper of the gem being put up for sale. The theory was that the Kingsleys were holding on to it for now because it was too hot to pawn, and she was pretty sure that they’d want to keep a gem of that value close to them, where there was less chance that it would be found. So there was still an excellent chance that it was being held on the property right here.
She pictured the wrinkled face of Madonna Rossi, the elderly matriarch of the Rossi family. She had worn the Dragonsblood Ruby for her wedding, and so had her daughter, and she prayed that her granddaughter would be able to do the same. Tears had shimmered in her eyes as she’d talked about the loss of their treasured family heirloom.
Fine. She’d go along with this ridiculous charade for now, and she’d use the opportunity to look for the jewel.
There was a loud knock on the door, and Gabriel went to answer it. Three maids marched in – and two of them were carrying her suitcases. One of them handed something to Gabriel, and the other two went and deposited her suitcases on the floor.
“How did you get my stuff?” she asked once the maids had left.
“I know this valley pretty well. Called around to find out what hotel you were staying at, and had my men go get your belongings.”
“The hotel just let your men take my stuff?” she squawked indignantly.
“Well, my family is pretty well known around here.”
“Yes, as thieves!” she protested.
“Of luggage?” He raised an eyebrow skeptically.
She put her hands on her hips. “So, you admit that you are a thief, just not of cheap stuff.”
He glanced towards her suitcases. “Oh, now, don’t put yourself down. Your stuff isn’t cheap – it’s very nice.”
“Thanks, I usually buy stuff at consignment stores,” she said, then glared at him. “Don’t change the subject! What we’re discussing here is your criminal behavior. You and your whole family.”
“My family may have had some minor scrapes with the law in the past, but we’re strictly legit now,” he said, giving her a wide-eyed, innocent look. “I’m sure you know how successful our jewelry design business is. Oh, and I believe this is yours.”
He tossed her the stolen velvet drawstring purse, and she felt relief rushing through her. On the one hand, her cell phone would be in there, which sucked, because she’d have to call the office soon. But on the other hand…if she could just get the truthstone pressed against Gabriel’s flesh, this whole trip might be a lot shorter than he’d expected.
She headed to her suite and slammed the door shut. She quickly rummaged through the bag…and her heart sank. Cell-phone: check. Wallet: check. Truthstone…gone.
Chapter Five
She heard footsteps pounding towards her, and then Gabriel swung the door open.
“Oh, were you looking for this?” he called out. He was holding up the truthstone – and he’d put on a glove so it wouldn’t touch his skin. That sneaky bastard.
“Give me that!” she yelled, reaching for it.
He held it up over her head. It was a big, beautiful chunk of brown crystal that glittered with gold flecks. Quite distinctive looking. And apparently Gabriel had recognized it for what it was, damn the luck.
She jumped and tried to get it, but he was a good ten inches taller than her.
“I don’t think dragonkind wants to see this kind of stone in the hands of a human,” he said, with a maddeningly smug smile. “And isn’t it technically illegal to for you to use this stone without a court order?”
She flushed self-consciously at that. “It’s a gray area,” she muttered. If she’d forced him to admit what he’d done with the Dragonsblood Ruby, her quasi-legal use of the truthstone would have been overlooked.
“Hmm,” he mused. “For someone who sees things as so black and white, you’re suddenly okay with a gray area?”
“I was doing it for the greater good,” she said defiantly.
“That’s a slippery slope, babe.” Then he looked her over thoughtfully. “Interesting that you’re able to use a truthstone, though. Not everybody could.”
“Interesting that you know what one is. They’re quite rare.” She narrowed her eyes at him.
“Yes, well, given that my family are dragons and we’re in the jewelry business, we make it a practice to study any gems that might have power over our species. And you’re trying to change the subject. You have powers.”
She shrugged. No point in denying it now. “Yes, I do have powers,” she said. “I’m a gem empath.” That meant she could sense those special jewels that had latent powers, and manipulate and amplify them.
In an odd twist of fate, only humans – some very few, special humans – had the ability to sense and manipulate those gems that were imbued with mystic powers. And only dragons were affected by power gems. Kelly believed that it was a balance of nature kind of thing – dragons were already so incredibly powerful, maybe nature had tipped the scales back in humans’ favor a little bit.
“Well, that explains a lot,” Gabriel said. “Good to know. Want a job working for my family? We could use a good gem empath.”
“No, it’s illegal for a gem empath to work for dragons, and you know it. I want my truthstone back. Give it to me or else.”
“Or else?” He quirked one perfect brow and waited for her threat.
She glared at him and tried to look intimidating, which was hard to do to a man who was almost a foot taller than her and who could turn into a giant fire-breathing beast. “Or I’ll turn you in for stealing it.”
“Really?” He raised an eyebrow. “Even though you were going to use it for illegal purposes?”
Damn it. He had her there.
“I’ll just go put this somewhere safe while you freshen up and change; I think the festival organizers need their Fair Maiden costume back.”
“Did you know about this all along?” she asked. “Those ladies who grabbed me and dragged me to the stage…I saw them up here at the party. They work for you, don’t they? You know everyone in the valley…the hotel must have notified you when I checked in this morning. You set up that person to steal my purse, didn’t you?”
“Moi?”
“Hey, he tried to punch my sister!” Kelly said furiously. She glared at Gabriel, fists clenched. She wasn’t above socking a dragon right in his perfect kisser. “She may be a snarky, annoying bitch – okay, she definitely is – but punching her is going way too far!”
“If I had employed someone to mug you, I might also have encouraged him to throw a fake punch at your sister in order to start a fight and ensure that the centurions took them both into custody. But this is all pure speculation.”
“How did you even know I’d be coming to town?”
He smiled and blinked his eyes at her, giving a fake impression of wide-eyed innocence. “Who, me?”
“Stop that,” she said, wincing. “That is not a good look for you.”
“Nonsense,” he said with a wink. “Everything’s a good look for me.” And he strolled out of the room.
Bastard. Unfortunately, he was right. It was impossible for that man to look ugly.
She glowered after him as he left. He’d just walked off with her most useful tool – and one that would be incredibly hard to replace.
The truthstone gems only existed in Alforia, a small country in northern Africa. If she couldn’t get that back from him, she would have to go to that tiny mine, trekking through about fifty miles of jungle, pay a fortune for the right to enter the mine and hunt for the vein where the gems were… Damn him.
And truthstones weren’t easy to work with, either. They required special handling to unlock their powers. It wouldn’t be easy to get a new one to work for her. It would take weeks or months to get the gem attuned to her vibrations.
Cursing under her breath, she went to take a shower and change.
* * * * *
As soon as the truthstone was locked away safely, Gabriel headed down the hall towards the elevator that led to the south tower. Once he’d reached the top, he stepped out – and saw his brother walking towards him. Gabriel felt a wave of red-hot anger rush through his veins.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded.
“I came to visit Alexandra. As a member of this family, I have that right.” Calder glanced down the hallway at a large metal door.
“You’re a member in name only.” Gabriel glowered at him. “It’s your fault she’s still here.”
Calder snorted. “Keep telling yourself that. By the way, congratulations on your lovely new bride-to-be. You could have gotten rid of her, of course, but then you’d have been stuck with Pandora. So I assume you picked her because she’s the lesser of two evils?”
Rage roared through Gabriel. He knew Calder was spoiling for a fight, provoking him on purpose… Well, if he wanted a fight, he’d get one.
“How dare you?” he shouted, and he let out a blast of flame that enveloped his brother from head to toe and burned the clothes right off him. Calder responded with an answering blast, and Gabriel felt the air around him go warm and his hair started to singe. A human would have been instantly reduced to a blackened skeleton, but a dragon could withstand another dragon’s fire for a short time.
Bride Of The Dragon Page 3
