by Lexi George
He pulled her close and gave her a hard kiss. “I trusted you. Now you must trust me. I know what I am about.”
I know something of dragons. The words echoed in her head. Had it only been five days ago he’d said them? So much had happened since then. So much had changed. She had changed. She loved him. The thought of losing him was unbearable.
“I do trust you,” she said. “But you don’t have a shield and I can—”
He ran out into the open. “To me, demon,” he shouted. “Come. Let us grapple on the field of death.”
Of all the idiotic, melodramatic—
Haggy turned on Conall and spat out a sheet of flame. The dragon’s roar swallowed Beck’s scream of terror. The fiery blast baked the spot where Conall stood, melting a bronze statue of Jeb Hannah, the town father.
No, please no, he couldn’t be dead. Not now, not when she’d found him. Not when she knew what it was to love him. Life without him yawned before her, a big, empty nothing. What would she do if he—
The smoke parted and she saw Conall. He was safe; he’d done the demon hunter thing and blipped out of the way.
Beck’s knees buckled and she sagged against a tree for support, lightheaded with relief. You just wait, Conall Dalvahni, she thought. When this was over, I’m going to put a bug in your ear you’ll never forget. Meredith’s bitchfests will seem like a heavenly choir of angels in comparison.
“Here I am, worm,” Conall said. “Come and get me, if you can.”
It was the Dalvahni version of shooting the dragon a bird, and it got the desired reaction. Haggy snarled and swung her barbed tail. The bony spike slammed into an oak, showering the park with deadly sharp pieces of wood. Conall plucked a long shard of oak from his shoulder and tossed it aside. The wound healed before the piece of wood hit the ground.
He sprang lightly aside as the furious dragon struck at him like a snake. Haggy’s jaws snapped on thin air. She hissed and lashed out with teeth, claws, and barbed tail, but Conall seemed to anticipate her every move, appearing and disappearing, and driving the beast mad with fury.
As she watched the battle, the frightened tattoo of Beck’s heart steadied to a slow, angry thump. Why, he’s enjoying himself, the big alpha jerk, she thought, furious with him. I’m having a heart attack, and he’s having FUN.
She could stay meekly behind a tree while he battled Hagilth the Horrible, or she could help. Maybe Conall knew something about dragons, but she had a few tricks of her own.
Keeping one eye on the battle, Beck crept closer to the river. She opened her senses and let the power of the river fill her, saturate her, build within her, steady and relentless, until she was near to bursting with it.
A flicker of movement drew her attention to the lookout. Tommy; he lumbered to his feet, his movements sluggish, as if the bullet holes in his worn body and the fight with Earl had sapped the last of his strength. Head down, he staggered toward the battle.
He was going to try to help Conall. Haggy would burn him to a crisp.
“No, Tommy, stay back,” she cried. “You’re too slow.”
The dragon heard Beck’s cry and turned, her horned head swinging like a lantern at the end of her long neck.
“Mine,” she said in a raspy voice like stone on stone. “I have you now, bitch.”
Beck met the dragon’s oozing gaze and time seemed to slow. She was falling, falling, into those dark wells of emptiness and hate. She watched, bemused, as Haggy thundered toward her like a golden Godzilla, knocking Tommy aside with a swipe of her tail. He flew through the air and landed several hundred feet away in a jumbled heap.
“Rebekah. Rebekah.”
Conall’s agonized shout penetrated the dragon’s spell, rousing Beck from her stupor. Haggy was almost on top of her. The dragon opened her jaws and vomited out a ball of flame.
Beck shifted into water and flowed out of the way. The heat from the dragon fire was withering, baking the concrete under Beck until she felt like an egg sizzling on a hot griddle. She cried out in pain and the river answered. A wall of water surged over the railing and washed over Beck, forming a watery shield between her and the dragon. She floated, safe, in the cool arms of the river.
Haggy roared in frustration and spewed flames at the liquid wall. Steam rose in billowing clouds. Through the hot haze, Beck saw Conall leap on the monster’s back and raise his sword. The sword flashed and Beck heard the solid swish of metal on meat. The dragon’s head hit the ground with a wet plop.
“Conall?” Resuming human shape, Beck looked around. Conall rode the dragon’s headless body. Haggy collapsed beneath him and disintegrated into dust.
Conall strode over and caught Beck in a crushing embrace. “You are soaked,” he said roughly. “The dragon’s breath—Are you hurt?”
“Just singed a little around the edges.” She buried her face against his wide chest, heedless of the drying blood. “Your shoulder—I saw you get holed by a piece of wood.”
“Oh, that. ’Twas nothing.”
“Good.” She put her hands on his chest and shoved him. “What the hell were you thinking, taking on a dragon? Are you insane?”
“I?” Conall shouted back at her. His dark eyes blazed with anger. “When I said make for the river, I meant for you to take shelter there, not throw yourself in front of the beast.” He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “By the gods, Rebekah, I thought you were dead.”
“Welcome to my world. I thought you were toast.”
“I was in no danger. This was not my first dragon fight.”
“Yeah? Well, it was for damn sure my first. You scared me out of my wits.”
He snatched her back in his arms and ran his hands over her, as though to assure himself she was alive. “Impetuous little fool. Will you never learn to obey?”
“Doesn’t seem likely.” The shock was wearing off and Beck had the shakes. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on. He was safe. He was alive, and so was she. “Will you?”
“I give commands. I do not take them.”
“No, really? I hadn’t noticed. Guess it’s safe to say neither one of us will be making any promises to obey when we take the vows.”
Conall’s hands stilled. “What vows?”
“The wedding vows. You are going to marry me, aren’t you?”
“Is this what humans call a proposal?”
“Yep. So, what’s it going to be, yes or no?”
“That depends.” Conall gave her a smile that made her heart go flippity flop. “Do you love me?”
“What do you think?”
“I do not know what to think.” Cupping her bottom in his hands, he tugged her close. “As I lay dying, I swore you my eternal devotion. In response to my passionate avowal, you stuck your hands in my chest.”
“To save your life. From now on, when you leave the house, you’re wearing full body armor.”
“I thank you for saving my life, milady.” Conall tilted her chin and looked into her eyes, his gaze hungry. “Still, I would have the words.” Bending his head, he brushed his lips against hers. “Say the words, my love. I need to hear them.”
Beck had meant to make him suffer just a little bit longer, to even the score for giving her the scare of her life—twice in one day. But, when it got right down to it, the guy was hard to resist. Make that impossible. Not only was he gorgeous and badass, he was looking at her like she was the most beautiful, precious thing on earth.
And to top it off, he had the remarkable good sense to fall in love with her. Who could say no to a guy like that?
“I love you,” Beck said, relenting.
“Again,” Conall murmured. Lowering his head, he brushed his mouth against hers. “Say it again.”
“I love you, Conall Dalvahni, with my all heart. And I don’t care what anybody has to say about it. Kith or kin, or the gods themselves—I’ll fight the whole stinking Dalvahni army, if I have to, to be with you. Satisfied?”
“Yes,” Conall said, and gave he
r a scorching kiss that melted her insides and made her brain go loopy.
“I am sure this is all very gratifying, Captain,” a deep voice said, “but the human authorities will be here anon. Of a certainty, they will have questions.”
Conall lifted his head, ending the kiss. Duncan stood a few feet from them, surveying the ruined park.
“I trust you to rectify matters,” Conall said, keeping Beck safely tucked against his side.
“As you command,” Duncan said. He pointed to a crumpled heap on the ground. “What about him? ’Twould appear he is beyond help.”
Beck saw Tommy and ran over to him. Conall grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back.
“Not too close, Rebekah,” he said. “He is in extremis. He might not recognize you.”
Tommy looked even worse up close, bloated and brownish green. Getting knocked around by a dragon hadn’t helped matters. From the odd angle of his limbs, Beck was pretty sure both of his arms and legs were broken.
“Don’t come no closer.” Tommy’s voice was slurred. “I’m a hot scrambled mess.”
“Oh, Tommy,” Beck said, aching for him.
Conall put his arm around Beck’s shoulders. “You saved our lives,” he said. “Rebekah and I are in your debt.”
“Then find me that zombie maker.” Tommy closed his eyes and let his chin drop to his chest. “I’m done with this shit.”
“I’ll find him.” Beck swallowed. “You have my word.”
“Be at ease, my love,” Conall said in a low voice. “He is here.”
Evan moved across the park like a sleepwalker.
“You killed her?” he asked hoarsely. “Hagilth is dead?”
“Yes,” Conall said.
“I’m free.” Evan stared at his hands. The tattoos were gone. “After all this time, I’m finally free. I don’t believe it.”
Tommy lifted his head, his gaze unseeing. “That him, Beck? That the Maker?”
“It’s him, Tommy.”
“He going to let me go?”
“Oh, yeah,” Beck said, giving Evan a challenging look. “He’ll let you go. Or else.”
Tommy sighed. “That’s good. Make sure they send me home. Promise me, Beck.”
“I promise.”
“Tell Annie—” Tommy’s rich drawl faltered. “Tell her I’m sorry. Tell her I chased her away because—” He shook his head. “Because—”
“I know,” Beck said, fighting back tears. “I’ll tell her. I’ll make sure she understands.”
Tommy nodded. “Good. I’m ready now.”
Evan raised his hand.
“Good-bye, Tommy,” Beck said. “We won’t forget you.”
But Tommy was already gone.
Beck wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. There was nothing more she could do for Tommy, except make sure he got home.
“Take Tommy to the bar,” she said to Evan.
“No way. He smells.”
Beck slapped him, hard. “He smells because you did this to him, asshole. We are not leaving him here. It could take the police months to identify him.”
Evan rubbed his red cheek. “That’s no way to treat family, Cookie.”
“You’re kith and you may be kin,” Beck said, “but you’re not family.”
Something like hurt flickered across Evan’s face and vanished. “Message received, loud and clear.”
“Good,” Beck said.
She meant it, didn’t she? Evan wasn’t her family, not really. She didn’t trust him and she didn’t owe him anything.
Then why did she feel so low and mean?
“I will take care of Tommy,” Conall said. “Go and find the children.”
She shot him an annoyed look. “Is that an order or a request?”
“A request, naturally,” Conall said. He fixed Evan with a cold stare. “Your brother and I have things to discuss.”
Evan’s expression grew wary. “What kind of things?”
“The location of the portal in Hannah, for one,” Conall said. The ground froze and cracked, and frost crept up Evan’s boots. “Where is it?”
Evan swore and jumped back. “Okay, okay. You know that pasture on the edge of town, the one with the big oak covered in Spanish moss?”
“No,” Conall said. “You will show it to me.”
Beck left them discussing it and went to look for Annie and the twins. She found them huddled behind her truck.
“It’s all right, the bad man is gone.” She knelt and took the cowering children in her arms. “And he’s not coming back.”
“H-he’s dead?” Jay asked. “Did the dragon get him?”
Darlene wiped her nose and scowled at him. “There’s no such thing as dragons, Bubba. Mama’s gonna whup your behind for telling fibs.”
“You tell on Jay, and I’ll tell your mama you said a bad word,” Annie said.
Darlene’s face reddened. “I never did. You made that up.”
“Prove it,” Annie said.
“No one’s going to tell on anyone,” Beck said firmly. “Everybody in the truck. We’re going home.”
“What about Killer?” Jay’s mouth trembled. “We can’t leave him here.”
Crap, she’d forgotten about the lizard.
Jay read the answer in her expression. His mouth trembled. “He’s dead, isn’t he, Becky?”
“I’m afraid so, Jay. I’m sorry.”
“It’s your fault, Bubba,” Darlene said. “You shouldn’t have brought your dumb old lizard to the park.”
Annie jumped to Jay’s defense, and she and Darlene started arguing again. Beck was in the process of wrangling the squabbling kids into the truck, when the old Ford screeched up.
Toby jumped out, looking half-wild. “It’s gone, Becky. The son of a bitch burned it down.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The bar,” Toby said. “Grease fire. Earl Skinner broke in through a window, turned the deep fat fryer on high, and left it. Junior saw the whole thing. It’s gone. All of it.”
Beck blinked at him in shock. The column of dark smoke and the agitated wail of the fire trucks had been the bar?
“I don’t believe it.” She sagged against the side of the truck. “What about the alarm system and Conall’s protective spells?”
“Earl got around them somehow,” Toby said. “He’s good at breaking into things. That’s his talent.”
Correction: was his talent. Earl had broken into Trey’s safe and into the bar, and he’d opened the djeval flaskke and released Haggy. Bet that was one jar Pandora Earl wished he’d never opened.
“You wait until I get my hands on him,” Toby fumed. “I’ll make him wish he was never born.”
“Earl’s dead,” Beck said.
“What?” Toby said. “How?”
Jay stuck his head out the truck door. “I think the dragon ate him.”
“Bub-bah,” Darlene wailed. “There’s no such thing as dragons. I’m telling Mom.”
The bickering erupted once more. Good grief, it was The Song That Never Ends.
Beck shut the truck door, muting the noise. “Stop back by Brenda and Jason’s and we’ll talk about things over supper. There’s a ton of food left.”
Toby looked slightly cheered at the prospect of leftovers. “You talking turkey and dressing?”
“Yep.”
“Giblet gravy and rice?”
“Yep,” Beck said. “Plenty of that, too.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Toby turned his head as a car sped past. “There goes that brother of yours. Reckon what he’s up to?”
“No telling.”
What would Evan do now that he was free? Where would he go? Would she ever see him again? Probably not; not after the way she’d left things. Did she even want to?
Too many questions with no answers; she’d think about it later.
“Does Verbena know about the bar?” she asked Toby.
“Yeah, she and Hank drove up right after I got there.
She was hopping mad at Earl, ’cause her new clothes got burned up.”
“Tell her not to worry,” Beck said. “We’ll get her some more clothes. Tell Verbena she can stay at my house tonight. Ask her to feed Mr. Cat for me.”
“Sure,” Toby said. “I’ll take her there myself. I’ve got a key.”
Conall and Duncan were putting the finishing touches on the cleanup when the police arrived. Officer Dan Curtis got out of his patrol car and strolled up to them. Beck recognized him from the paper.
“Old Man Willis called the station with some crazy story about a dragon in the park.” The officer shook his head. “That old geezer must be smoking wacky weed in his pipe.” He gave Beck a squinty eyed look. “I smell smoke. You folks been grilling? That’s a fire hazard. There’s a drought, you know.”
“We haven’t been grilling,” Beck said. “We brought the kids to play in the park.”
“Huh,” Officer Curtis said, looking around.
A few moments ago, the park had been a smoking ruin. There was a circle of dead grass where Haggy had died. Beck would be surprised if anything ever grew there again. One of the swing sets was upside down, a slide was wilted and crooked from Haggy’s furnace breath, and the monkey bars looked wrong. Apparently, the Dalvahni info bank was a bit sketchy when it came to playground equipment.
“You probably smell the smoke from the fire,” Beck said. “I heard the sirens earlier.”
“Yeah, could be,” Officer Curtis said. “Dispatch said somebody torched that bar on the river. Beck’s, I think was the name.” He adjusted his hat. “Never been there m’self. Heard tell it was rough—a real dive. You know the place?”
“Yeah, I know it.”
That “dive” had been her childhood home and her livelihood. Later, she would grieve about it and worry what to do next. But, right now, she was too numb.
“That right?” Officer Curtis said, with a touch of censure. “Well, you won’t be going there no more. The fire trucks got lost trying to find the place. By the time they got there, the building was gone.” He turned back for his car. “Park closes in half an hour. Don’t hang around too long. The boogedy woogedies come out after dark.”
Chapter Thirty-nine
