by Beverly Rae
(In retrospect, I had more guts than sense at the moment, but you can understand how I felt, right?)
Sabrina arched an eyebrow—or what I thought was an eyebrow—on one of her heads. “You? You’re going to kill me? A poor pitiful Earthling? I don’t think so.” She took a step forward, coming off the ramp and back onto the light path. “As a kind ruler, I’ll do you a favor and put you out of your misery.”
Thad slapped a palm over my mouth, stifling my angry retort. He whispered in my ear, “Have you never heard the expression live to fight another day?”
“You’ll thank me for letting you die before I send my army of dragons over your land, extinguishing all your pathetic lives.” With a wicked grin on both her faces, she lifted the Scepter of Fire and pointed the golden dragon head at us.
Whip Lashed!
“Oh, shit! Row, Chrissy, row.” Thad snatched up the oars and started rowing. I paused, unwilling, even in the face of certain death, to let her escape.
“Ow!”
Pain shot up my leg and I whirled on Thad. “What the hell?”
“I am not going to die in an ill-fated attempt to kill her.” He jabbed his hand toward the other set of oars. “Now row!”
Grumbling, I plopped down and took the oars. “Someone has to take her down. Earth is doomed if we don’t.” I knew I sounded like a second-rate actress in a third-rate sci-fi flick, but the truth is the truth no matter how corny it sounds.
Thad opened his mouth to argue but ended up choking on the wall of water that washed over us. Once I’d gotten the hair out of my eyes, I swiveled around and saw the only thing that could ever have made me happy.
Kaine, glorious and golden, flew in circles around Sabrina, lashing out with his claws and flaming her with his personal blowtorch. The alien tried to dodge his blows, but couldn’t. She was too awkward to keep up with the speeding dragon. But she wasn’t one to stay cowed for long.
Letting his flames scorch her and his claws rake her, Sabrina stood up and thrust out the Scepter of Fire. The base of the scepter flashed into flame, sending a golden-red streak up the staff toward the dragon’s head. The streak hit the golden tip and a dazzling light zapped outward, illuminating the dimming light of the evening.
Kaine roared, leaned backward in almost a sitting position, and lashed out with his tail. A fireball blazed past him, narrowly missing his head. He struck back and pounded Sabrina, hitting first one head then the other. She screeched, flinging her arms outward and clutched her heads in her hands.
The Scepter of Fire spun away, racing across the water with the speed of a missile. Kaine didn’t move, looking at Sabrina and then the scepter as though trying to decide what he should do. At last, he bellowed, flapped his wings in one powerful move and flew after the scepter. The scepter, however, splashed into the center of the lake before he could reach it. Kaine dove into the water after the scepter.
“Go, Kaine!” I jumped up in the boat, shouting with glee, nearly capsizing it before Thad wrestled me back to my seat.
“Are you trying to swamp us? We already took in enough water when Kaine came out of the lake.”
I grinned at him. “I would think as an actor that you’d appreciate a grand entrance.” Who could blame my happy hysterics? One minute I’d lost my love forever, and the next, he was kicking alien ass.
“I’d appreciate a grand exit more. Especially her grand exit.”
I followed his gaze to see Sabrina, shuffling into her ship like a pig being prodded into a pen. “Shouldn’t we try to stop her?”
“Like how? Hit her on the head with our oars? Think that’ll do it?”
Maybe if we each took a head? Yet I knew it was useless. Instead, I took heart in watching her ship soar into the air, growing smaller and smaller the farther she got away from us and our planet.
After a hurried trip back to the shore, Thad and I secured the boat and rushed over to Jenn. Conscious again, she sat up, rubbing her head and groaning. “Man, my shoulder and my head hurt like hell.”
“I thought you were dead.” I laughed, hugged her to me, then leaned away from her to study her arm. “Not that I’m not grateful, but how is it that your shoulder isn’t like totally obliterated?”
Pushing the smoking shreds of her shirt away from her arm, she plucked a strange silvery material underneath. “Special Protector Body Armor. Never fight demons or aliens without it.” She glanced around, noted the missing Sabrina, and struggled to her feet with both Thad and I arguing for her to take it easy. “What happened?”
Thad and I took turns giving her an abbreviated version of the events after she’d had her lights turned off.
“Are you serious? I missed all that?”
“Oh, right. Like you don’t have enough excitement in your life. Seriously, Jenn, learn to let others have some of the fun.”
“Naw. Protectors are selfish that way.”
Kaine, empty-handed—empty-clawed?—landed next to me and shifted back to human form. I quickly handed him what remained of his slacks, which barely concealed his package. A little pride zipped through me. Yep, that’s my hunky-junky man. I ran my hands over his body, checking the areas that I thought might match up with the wounds I’d seen on his dragon form. Only angry red welts remained. “You’re okay? But how?” I touched one of the welts, making him wince.
“We dragons are an indomitable sort. Thankfully Sabrina didn’t know how to use the scepter to its full potential. Otherwise, I’ve be dragon dust.”
Dust? Like demon dust? I shook my head. “Do not mention dust to me ever again.”
Kaine gave me a quizzical look but thought better than to question me. Instead, he pivoted back to the lake, a frown marring his handsome face. “I should keep searching.”
“No luck, huh?” I knew I should’ve worried about such a powerful weapon resting at the bottom of the lake, but I was too happy. My friends and my hubby were all safe, and for the most part, sound. What more could a girl ask for? The last thing I wanted was for Kaine be out of my sight again.
“No, it’s useless. I can’t see anything at the bottom.”
“You’re tired. Can’t you get another dragon to search? Haven’t you done your share?” And then some?
He sighed, fatigue etched in the lines on his face. “I’ll have one of the water dragons search for it. They’re better under water and trustworthy. If they find it, they can form a guard to watch over it.”
“But guard it for how long?” I couldn’t help but wonder if the dragons should destroy the scepter, if possible, or let Jenn have it for the Society to protect. But I didn’t want to voice my opinion. Yeah, I know. It was a first.
“For as long as the world needs us to. We can’t let the Scepter of Fire fall into enemy hands again.”
“Ain’t that the truth.”
“Which is why the scepter must be turned over to the Society.”
Kaine growled at Jenn, who snarled in return.
Great. Thanksgivings were going to be problem with these two at the same table. But I figured that was a problem for later. Right now, I was too happy that those two were all right. I couldn’t help it. I gave Kaine a big hug. “Let’s go home, okay?”
He pulled me close and pressed his lips to my cheek. “Yes, let’s.”
Jenn dragged Thad along with her and headed toward the car. “While these two sit in the front seat, let’s you and me talk. I need an informant among the leprechauns. Not to mention a loan. You know, from that pot of gold you have.”
I laughed, hooked my arm in Kaine’s and followed our friends back to our car.
“I still can’t believe it.”
“What?” I slipped into bed, grateful to have my husband safely home with me. Remembering the black smoke pouring from him sent a cold shiver along my spine.
“That Jenn offered us jobs as Protectors.” He blew out a breath, answered the beeping of his cell phone and texted Fitz a response. “Leave us alone or I’ll let the mice feed on you for a change.”
I smothered a grin. He’d finally put Fitz in her place, making her understand that I was his wife and going to remain his wife, with or without a baby. Although it had been Kaine’s idea to have her leave him to search for Sabrina, she’d shown a big dose of remorse for not adequately protecting him and had even started treating me with a little respect. “What’s so unbelievable about our becoming Protectors? After all, I’m used to dealing with weird stuff. And you… Well, you’re you. Now that I know these things—these beings—are real, I can help the Society sort the real from the fake.” I lovingly touched the tattoo on his neck. “And you can help bridge the gap of misunderstanding between humans and dragons.”
“The gap of misunderstanding?” Kaine whipped out his tongue to lick the end of my nose. “You sound like you’re making a speech.”
“Don’t be a smart ass.” I snuggled against him again and took a sniff of his scent. No wonder he always had such a unique aroma. Eau de Dragon scent.
“So? What do you think about it? Want to protect the world from the bad guys like Jenn does?”
A few weeks ago I would’ve laughed at the question. Now, however, I got a thrill at the idea of learning to fight the villainous supernatural creeps of the world. I could even picture myself striking down a ghoul with a well-placed kick. “Ya know what? I think I would.”
Kaine shifted so he could see my face. “Are you serious?”
I eyed him in return. “Are you?”
“I think I am.”
“Me too.” I pecked him on the cheek. “But I’d like to get something else done before we go to Protector School, or whatever they call it.”
“Oh? And what would that be?”
I wrestled him on top of me, laughing at his surprised expression. “First, I’d like to get busy making an heir for my husband.”
He inhaled and studied my face. In fact, he studied it so long, I started getting nervous. “Chrissy-doll, you know I love you, right?”
Relief flooded through me. “Sure I do. But I can’t be responsible for the demise of your kind, so let’s make a baby, you fiery stud. Besides, if having a dragon child keeps you alive and protects me from a terminal illness, then it’s a win-won situation.”
He kissed me then, sweet and soft, full of tenderness. “You mean win-win. But I need to know. Are you having my child only for the sake of the dragons? Or for my sake? Or perhaps even for yourself? Whatever the reason, I want you to know that having a child with you is second only to the pure delight I have when we make love.”
“How about if I want a child for all the right reasons?” I searched his eyes, hoping to convince him of my desire to get pregnant.
“You should know something first.”
Uh-oh. What now? And why is there always a catch? “Okay, tell me.”
“When a human woman is impregnated with a dragon’s child, she changes.”
I frowned at him, wanting him to get on with the full explanation. “You mean besides the immunity against disease? But I thought you said the birth would be a human birth. So wouldn’t that mean the woman would still be human?”
“Yes, both mother and child are human at the child’s birth.”
“Then how does she change?”
“She changes inwardly, not outwardly. She becomes dragon. As the child grows and becomes dragon, so will the mother. Chrissy-doll, you will become dragon.”
I gasped, then immediately regretted it. I could see from his expression that he’d misunderstood my reaction. “No, no, Kaine. You’ve got it wrong. I like the idea.”
“You do?”
“Sure. Because if I have your child, I’ll be able to live a long time like you, and breathe fire and fly, right?”
“Well, dragons do more than those things, but yes, you would.”
I nipped at his chin. “Ooh, sounds like a plan to me. Ya better get busy, dude, and knock me up. I’ve got a yen to soar among the clouds and not as a passenger.”
Kaine laughed, his eyes morphing from gorgeous green to sparkling gold. “With pleasure.” He slid his hands to cup my bare breasts and, placing his head between them, lustfully growled against me. I felt the wetness between my legs, and wondered not for the first time how the simple act of his touch and breath against my skin could thrill me so much. Slipping to my side, he ran his fingers through my hair and skimmed his other hand past the patch of hair to finger his way into my folds.
“Chrissy-doll.”
The way he said my name sent delighted tremors through me. Of course those tremors were nothing compared to the ones he created by rubbing his index finger over my clit. I ached for the need of him, not only between my legs, but in my heart. I pulled him closer, crushing my mouth to his.
How I loved his mouth on me. I loved the way he managed to play with one part of my body while giving full attention to another part. The man could definitely multitask.
Soon, however, he broke away from the kiss, nearly wrenching my soul out along with it. He redeemed himself, however, by dropping down to kiss me again. This time in a hotter, wetter part of me. I gasped and gripped his hair, determined to keep him in place for a while. Sucking and licking me, he blew a breath against my throbbing nub, sending me over the edge into my first, and definitely not my last, orgasm.
“Oh, yes! Keep it up, Kaine. Oh, man, I love what you do with your tongue.” Every man should have the tongue of a dragon so every woman could experience this ecstasy. Screw the old saying “my castle for a horse”. I’d trade my castle for a dragon, this dragon, any day. I bit my lip to keep from giggling at the thought. “Kaine, make me come again.”
Obeying my wish, he stood up and plunged into me, pleasing me in the power behind the thrust. Taking my face in his hands, he feathered sweet kisses over my cheeks, my eyelids, my lips. “Chrissy-doll, look at me.”
I obeyed and found him staring at me, an urgency in his eyes. He called to me, asking me with his burning gaze to match his rhythm and equal his passion. I entwined my legs around him, moving with him, giving him everything I had. Squeezing, I clinched the muscles of my cave around his shaft, wanting everything I could get from him. Sweet sweat ran down his chest, and I couldn’t help but lick one of the rivulets running down his toned abs.
“Kaine, we’re doing it.”
He laughed and kept pounding me, driving me inch by inch closer to the headboard. “I know. Hopefully you didn’t just now notice, which, by the way, would be a major blow to my ego.”
I tweaked his nipple and my big strong dragon yelped. “I’m not talking about having sex.”
“Good. Because I’d much rather be having sex than talking about it.”
I tried to tweak his nipple again, but he clamped a hand over it. “I’m trying to say something very serious. But if you don’t want to hear it, then I’ll just hush up and screw your brains out.”
“Oh, ho. I’m not going to fall into that trap. If I say just hush up and screw me, then I’ll get blasted for my insensitivity.” Panting with his effort, Kaine sent me an exasperated look. “Still, okay, I’ll bite.” He arched an eyebrow. “And I really will bite if you want me to. What are you talking about?”
I grabbed his forearms and tugged his face closer to mine. “We’re making a baby.”
He froze in mid-motion to gape at me. “Uh, yes. You didn’t realize that when we started?”
When he still hadn’t resumed his motions, I wiggled my hips, getting him back into drive. “No, you don’t understand.”
“This wouldn’t be the first time.” He dropped onto his elbows, his hard thrusts gone, replaced by a slower, more loving moves. He kissed the rounded corner of my shoulder.
I captured his face in my hands and kissed him, pouring all my feelings into that one sweet kiss. “Don’t you get it? I can feel it happening. We’re making our baby right now.”
“But how can you know that? Are you sure?”
Is that a tear I see in his eye? I swallowed, his emotion overwhelming my own. “Trust me. I do
n’t know how I know, but I do.”
“Then we’ll always remember this night as the night our son—”
“Or our daughter.” I grinned at his surprised expression.
“—or our daughter came into being.” He kissed me tenderly on the cheek. “I love you, Chrissy-doll.” Kaine tensed, closed his eyes and cried out, heralding the climax sweeping over him. I arched against him, tugging him closer, wanting us to stay like this forever. My own release echoed his.
After the shudders were over, we lay unmoving for several minutes, both savoring this incredible moment in our lives.
“Kaine?”
“Yes, my love?”
Blissfully happy, I snuggled into his arms. “Let’s have lots of kids.”
“Seriously? Are you sure?”
For a moment, the old fear threatened to squash my new dream. Then I looked into his eyes and found the strength, the trust to push it away once and for all. “Absolutely.”
He chuckled, held me to him. I smiled, and although I now knew that the things that go bump in the night actually were real, I felt completely safe wrapped in my dragon’s arms.
Banged Anyone With Fangs Lately?
“Are we ready? This is the first time I’ve tried a conference call via my computer.” I studied the monitor and waited for the picture in the upper-left corner to grow clearer. “Jenn? Skye? Can you hear me?”
Jenn waved from the upper-right-hand corner of the screen. “We’re good to go, C. I’ve got you and Skye on my screen.”
My childhood friend Skye Redding wiggled her fingers at her. “Me too. It’s nice to meet you, Jenn, even if it is remotely.”
“You, too, Skye.” Jenn beamed from hundreds of miles away in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “C, you look great. Better than usual even.”
I tried to keep a grin from my face and failed. “Thanks. I’ve got some news and thought I’d let you both in on it at the same time.”
