"I hope you're right, silver dragon," he said. "But even if I end up in one of the nether hells, it's worth taking the chance."
Lisa gave him a slow nod. "This is not a trick, Malcolm. Go home."
"Please," Caleb muttered.
Malcolm ignored him. He stepped to the bright slit, the glow bathing his body in warm light, the wind stirring his long hair. The moment he realized it was real, a look of impossible joy crossed his face.
"Yes!" he shouted, balling his fists, and then he dove forward into the light.
* * *
Chapter Nineteen
The cold wind blew Saba's black hair every which way, and she shivered. The wind chimes danced and rang, and then, with a final icy blast, the wind died and the crack sealed. Malcolm was gone.
Tears sprang to Saba's eyes. She blinked rapidly to hold them back, worried that the others would see them. She could still feel the swirls of Malcolm's mark in her mind, but the connection was now very, very faint.
What was she crying for? Malcolm had invaded her life and tied her to her bed and forced her do things for him, for heaven's sake. And here she was, free of him and crying about it.
She felt Lisa's presence next to her, though Saba never heard her cross the apartment. Lisa put her hand on Saba's shoulder, comforting. "He'll be back," she said.
Lisa's dark eyes swam with silver sparks, and she exuded power, the silver magic evident in her. Saba could feel it rubbing against her own witch magic, the friction causing a tingling like static electricity. Lisa was saturated with power, and it was evident from the episode in the car that she really didn't know how to control it.
"You're confident." Saba wiped the moisture from her eyes with her thumb.
"Once he realizes he has a choice, that he's truly free, he'll feel differently."
Saba shrugged. "I don't know. I think he's had enough of this world and humans and Earth magic. And witches."
"A few weeks ago, I'd have agreed with you. But now he has a reason to keep this world safe from Donna and her schemes." She smiled. "He met you."
Saba's heart beat faster. She took the leather coat Lisa handed her, still full of Malcolm's warmth and his scent. "Are all silver dragons like Little Mary Sunshine?"
Lisa's smile became a grin. "I don't know. I don't know any other silver dragons."
Caleb's look toward Lisa was like a caress—the warrior dragon was far gone on her. "I think Lisa is right. He won't want Donna to kill Lisa and get hold of the dragon orb, because who knows what she'll do with it? She might destroy this world, she might use the magic to go after any world she wants."
Saba admitted he made sense even though his reasoning was less flattering to her. Malcolm wouldn't simply let Donna have her way, but she doubted that Malcolm would work with Lisa and Caleb. He would do things his own way, for his own reasons.
"While we're waiting…" Lisa began.
Saba snapped her attention back to her. Lisa was still smiling, but lights roved in her eyes, and Saba didn't quite like how Lisa was looking at her.
"While we're waiting, what?"
"There's a little matter of Caleb's true name."
Saba held up her hand, which shook a little. "I won't use it, I promise. I saw what it did to him when Donna first got us together. I'd never use it deliberately."
"Maybe not, but what if Donna compels you to help her?" Lisa touched her hand to Saba's forehead. "I'm going to try to remove your knowledge of it. Don't fight me."
Saba had no intention of fighting. She'd seen the awful power in Lisa, and she was not going to stir that up if she could help it.
Lisa spread her fingers across Saba's forehead and temple, her touch light. Saba didn't close her eyes, but continued staring at the silver lights burning in Lisa's brown eyes.
Some people are born lucky, she reflected, while others have to struggle and scramble for every scrap they get. Saba had grown tired of struggling and scrambling, knowing she could not be what her parents wanted, knowing they were disappointed in what she'd become. Then Donna had come along six months ago, telling her she could be a powerful witch and show everyone what she was made of. Her offer had dazzled Saba, and she'd willingly gone to learn what the woman could teach her. All she had to do was whatever Donna said, You're so weak, and you need me to make you strong…
A bright pain filled Saba's head, and she cried out. Lisa flinched and yanked her fingers from Saba's skin. Pain flared once through Saba's body, then receded, little by little, until it was no more than a faint headache.
"Ow," Saba said, scowling. "What the hell was that?"
Lisa bit her lip. "She's imbedded the knowledge of Caleb's name too deep inside you. You're still bound to her. I'm willing to bet Grizelda is, too."
Saba hugged Malcolm's coat to her, trying to take comfort in it. "I am not bound to her. Malcolm took that away, didn't he?"
Lisa looked troubled, which didn't make Saba feel any better. "I'm sorry, Saba. I think the only way you'll get away from her completely is if Donna dies. Or you do."
"Terrific." She eyed Caleb and Lisa, wondering if the pair of them would be desperate enough to kill her in order to free Caleb from a witch who knew his name. Caleb was a warrior dragon, and she'd seen the way he'd hefted that sword. As for Lisa—who knew what she could do? Saba didn't have near enough power or experience with magic to stand up to either one of them.
"Don't worry," Lisa began.
Her words cut off in midsentence. Saba felt the sudden dark bite of Malcolm's presence, and then he was there, six feet six inches of naked muscle stepping through the bright light of the portal.
Malcolm strode past Lisa and a scowling Caleb and gently took his leather coat from Saba. He touched her forehead. "This one's mine," he said. "You two will leave her alone."
"How did you know he'd come back?" Caleb asked.
Lisa lay in bed with him, his body curled around hers, his arm heavy on her abdomen. She shifted to snuggle closer to him. "I just knew."
"Can you read his mind?"
He sounded troubled. Lisa turned her head on the pillow and kissed the tip of his nose. "Not really. I can sense his thoughts… no, I can sense what his thoughts are like, if not the actual words or visions. He was so afraid he'd be stuck here forever, and he'd do anything to get away. Now that he knows he can leave, that he's not bound here any more, he can think about what he really wants."
"I know what I really want." Caleb nuzzled her.
"What's that?" she asked, pretending innocence.
"Me being on you. And in you."
She kissed the corner of his mouth, lingering when he licked the pad of her lip. "That can be arranged."
"But not yet."
"Why not?" Lisa's heart gave a strange beat.
"As humans like to say, can we talk?"
"Talk about what?" But she knew what he wanted to say.
"About you being a silver dragon, and me being a warrior who knows only how to kill and mate and sleep."
"And protect and give a home to gems longing for the mountains and make friends with a lonely woman like me. Donna sent you to watch me; you didn't have to be nice about it."
He pressed a kiss to her hair. "I liked you."
"I liked you, too."
If she admitted it, her affection for him had gone far deeper from the start. She'd never believed their relationship could go past friendship, because after all he was a dragon, but she'd looked forward to coming home and talking to him and laughing with him and kissing him on the nose before she went to bed. A person could love another person without it being sexual.
Of course once he'd become a gorgeous, tight-bodied godlike man, physical love had been added to the mix.
"What about now?" he asked, voice quiet.
"I still like you." She raised up on her elbow, rubbing her palm over his chest. "And I want to be with you. That hasn't changed."
"Maybe you do, Lisa. But what about the dragon inside you? What does she want?"
"I don't know. But I don't want to go on without you, Caleb. I can't. I like you in my life."
"We might not have a choice. No one can break free of a dragon mark, but you have. You've broken away from me."
Lisa reached for the strands of thought that had bound her to Caleb from the first day she'd seen him, the music that lingered in the back of her mind at all times. She could no longer feel it.
In panic, she reached for it. "No. Come back to me."
"I can't mark you anymore, Lisa. I tried."
"But I want you to."
He shook his head and rolled on top of her, his warm weight and bare chest against hers. "Maybe you should find out what the silver dragon wants. If it isn't me, then I'll go."
Her eyes filled. "I don't want you to go. You're my best friend."
"I've never had a best friend before. But you have a purpose here, something to do, guarding the orb. Maybe you can do it better when I'm not here to distract you."
"No." She clung to him. "I'm not giving you up that easily."
He captured her wrists in his hands, pinning them above her head. "I haven't gone yet," he said. "And I'm going to enjoy every minute of you while I'm still here."
He began to make love to her with slow heat, and she closed her eyes, wanting the pleasure though her sorrow cut through it. Caleb slid his hand between them, swirling his fingers over her mound until she was fiery hot, the added friction spiraling her into climax. She gasped and groaned, trying and failing to be quiet. Caleb didn't bother. He shouted as he drove into her, harder and faster, his thrusts almost brutal.
Lisa sent out gleaming threads of her own thoughts, seeking his golden music. Strands of silver wrapped his body, connecting with the gold that shimmered together, binding them at least for a time.
"Yes," he said, smiling. "Thank you."
Donna lay down on the metal floor, changing her body to be long and sensuous and beautiful. The incubus liked that better, even though he would serve Donna no matter what she looked like. But it was nice to reward one's slaves on occasion.
The incubus glowed with sexual energy, its white hair nearly incandescent.
"What did you find out?" she asked, stripping off her shirt then her skirt.
"The black dragon is free," the incubus said. He dropped to one knee, his muscular body rippling in a satisfying way. "He returned to Dragonspace."
"Damn. Well, one less obstacle in the way."
The incubus shook his head. It reached for Donna's camisole and tugged it off, then caught Donna's lush, winsome breasts in his hands. "He came back."
"Did he?" Donna asked in surprise. "Why?"
"I don't know. I could not hear everything they said."
"He is a black dragon. He will have plenty of motives of his own, but the trouble is, you can never tell what they are. Is he going to help them, or help himself? Black dragons are selfish creatures, ultimately."
"Let me kill him," the incubus begged.
"Not until I'm finished." She grabbed the incubus's hand and dragged it between her legs. "There. Yes." She closed her eyes, letting the creature's expertise relax her and fill her with ecstasy. Why these modern Wicca abstained from using incubi was beyond her. Not only did the demons infuse her with power, but they were damn good at sex and never grew tired. What human male could offer that? "When I am finished, I'll let you play with him. He will not be able to fight back."
The incubus smiled. "I would like that."
"Good." Donna pulled his head down to her and kissed him. A flicker of his power entered her mouth, and she swallowed it.
But she wanted more. She turned her head and called into the shadows. "Come. I summon you."
After a moment, she heard the tread of bare feet, and another man, similar to the first incubus, entered the light. He had white hair, but a streak of black ran back from a widow's peak down to blend with his white locks. Faint scales around his hairline showed he was demon, but he was as beautiful as the most beautiful human male she'd ever seen. The first incubus eyed him curiously even as he continued to stroke Donna.
"I brought him to replace your brother. I hope you'll get along."
The new incubus knelt next to the first one. They looked each other over, from faces to sculpted chests to cocks that stood out full and erect. The first incubus touched the black streak in the second's white hair. The second bent his head and kissed the first full on the lips.
Heat stirred between Donna's legs. As she watched, the incubi began to explore each other fully, licking each other's mouths and faces, using hands to learn each other's bodies. Delight spiraled through her, and she pressed her own fingers against her opening. There was nothing quite so satisfying as watching two attractive males exciting each other.
"Good," she whispered. They began to explore each other's genitals, stroking and moaning, hands expert. "Good," she repeated. "Now me."
They knew what she wanted. Before long, she was rocking in ecstasy, screaming as they moved in perfect rhythm within her. The incubi keened and moaned. She dragged their power deep within her, every stroke making her stronger.
The stupid little witches who had abandoned her had no idea of the power of demons and how satisfying it was. Maybe she'd be nice and let one of the incubi take young Saba and teach her a thing or two. Grizelda had fought off the gift that Donna had offered and run away. Foolish girl.
After the incubi spilled their seed, Donna wriggled away from them and laid down to rest her body and absorb the power she'd taken. They waited, breathing hard, erections still full, and then, to her great joy, they fell to the floor and started taking each other.
Malcolm came out of the spare bedroom in Lisa's apartment in a T-shirt and underwear and headed for the kitchen, still thirsty from his journey to and from Dragonspace. It was also a relief to escape the irritating groans coming from Lisa's bedroom.
Saba lay on the sofa under a pile of blankets, her black hair tousled on the linen pillowcase. He'd offered to let her sleep with him in the Murphy bed since Lisa had no intention of letting either of them go home, but Saba had flushed and said she'd make do with the sofa.
Now that he'd regained more of his dragon powers, Malcolm could see fairly well in the dark and kept the light off so he wouldn't disturb her. The air in the refrigerator felt cool to his lightly clad body, the sport bottle of water still more soothing inside his hand. He drank the water, wetting his throat, and softly closed the refrigerator door.
The beauty of being a dragon again, of soaring through space with the wind under his wings had been incredible. His territory was still there, untouched—a dragon's power over his lands did not diminish until he was long dead. Malcolm had refreshed his power, and then spent time simply reveling in being a dragon. The strength and magic flowed through him once more, and he'd wept.
Black dragon tears had much magic. He'd lifted a few from the ground where they'd dropped and brought them back to this space, sliding them into his coat pocket when he'd taken the coat from Saba.
Lisa had known he'd come back. He'd seen it in her triumphant smile when he'd emerged, human once more. But he knew what was at stake—Donna filling herself with magic strong enough to kill a silver dragon and getting her hands on the powerful dragon orb was not a scenario he wanted. She might get big ideas about making her way to Dragonspace and torturing and killing a black dragon for the fun of it. She was dangerous and needed to be stopped.
He did not want to admit the tug he felt to the small woman on the sofa. The thought of her facing Donna, even with Lisa to back her up, chilled his blood. If he took care of the Donna problem, he could leave Saba behind without worry.
Saba stirred as if sensing him and lifted her head. "Malcolm?" she whispered.
He moved softly to the sofa, sitting down at her feet. He took another drink of water, letting the liquid soothe his throat. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"I wasn't asleep."
He cocked a glance at Lisa's bedroom door. "They are keeping
you awake, too?"
Saba smiled wistfully. "At least someone's having fun."
Malcolm set the bottle on the coffee table and laid his hand on her thigh. "Would you like to be pleasured?"
The look in her eyes said yes, but she flicked her gaze away. "Is that why you came back?"
"I came back to stop Donna."
"No other reason?"
He knew she wanted him to say he'd returned for her. He moved his thumb across her thigh, feeling the slim muscle beneath the blankets. "When I return to Dragonspace, I want to know you are safe. You won't be until Donna is dead."
She smiled again, but the smile did not reach her eyes. "So no sacrificing your dragon life for the sake of humanity?"
"No."
"What's it like?" Saba pulled the covers to her chin and rested her head on her folded arm. "Being a dragon, I mean, in Dragonspace? Did you find everything changed when you went back?"
He continued to massage, feeling her relax under his touch. "I found everything much the same. Eight centuries is not that long in dragon terms. To answer your question, it was glorious. To fly again, to taste the skies, to feel the beauty of the plains. I love it so much."
He could not keep the longing catch from his voice. He needed to breathe the air of Dragonspace the same way people needed their hearts to keep beating.
"I'm sorry you were trapped here," she said. "It was cruel."
He liked the way her hair wisped against her forehead and how her eyes, almond-shaped, were so dark they almost pulled him into them. "It is not your fault. Those witches were dead hundreds of years ago."
"But they were humans, like me. And witches, like me."
Malcolm moved his touch to her abdomen. "I saw many things and learned much while I was here. I find it strange that humans blame themselves for things people in ages past did. They wallow in guilt or expend energy assigning blame. Dragons forget and move on."
She gave him an "Oh, really?" look. "If that were true, you would not have come back."
"This is a different situation."
Dragon Heat Page 22
