Daughter Of The Dragon Princess(25)

He sounded so hopeful that Lily reached over and pinched him on the arm. "There. Did that do any good?"

"No," Cole said morosely. "I guess I'm just going to have to become a  believer." He shook his head. "Fucking dragons. What next? Fucking  fairies, no doubt." He glanced at Lily. "Sorry." Then he gave Mal a  suspicious glance. "Do fairies exist?"         

     



 

Mal lips curled into a smile. "I don't know. I've never met a fairy, but  I have met other things that don't belong in your world. I think  perhaps the portals aren't just gateways between your world and ours,  but between many other worlds, and that the creatures of your legends  are just visitors here. So you might yet meet your fairies."

"Great, just great." Cole said. "I don't get it. If you belong in the  other world, what are you doing here? Why aren't you wherever it is that  archway leads to?"

"Ankesh," Mal said. "I suppose you've earned the right to understand  what you're involved in." He repeated the story he'd told Lily the night  before. Cole listened through to the end without speaking.

"So," he said. "This Cara sent Lily here through time. Is that something you dragons do a lot of?"

"Never. It's beyond our magic. I believe she had help from the Goddess."

"Right, the Goddess."

"In our language, she's known as ‘the Creator,' but it translates better  as ‘Goddess' in yours. I think from what Cara said before she died that  the Goddess had contacted her."

"And so there's a whole load of you dragons stuck here just waiting to  get home? And you've been waiting what, two thousand years?" He  shrugged. "Is that any harder to believe than dragons?" He turned to  Lily. "And you, Princess, how are you taking all this? Are you a  believer?"

"I have to be. With what I've seen, I can't not believe. And let me tell you, I tried very hard."

"So what now? The pair of you open this portal and you all go home? Happy ever after, just like a fucking fairy tale."

"Not quite," Mal said. "There are a few complications."

"And they are?"

Mal stood up and paced the kitchen for a few minutes, then turned back  to face them. "I'm supposed to hand over Lily to my King. He'll take her  as his mate, and together they will open the portal."

"Your king?" He gave Mal a look of disbelief. "That's this Vortigen guy,  in your story. The piece of shit who drove his last mate to suicide.  You'd do that to Lily?" He glanced at Lily, then reached across the  table and took her hand. "You okay with this?" He shook his head and  answered for her. "Of course you aren't. Don't worry, Princess. I'm on  your side. This guy's not going to hand you over to any megalomaniac  monster while I'm around."

Lily heard a soft growl from behind her. She glanced up. Mal was staring at the point where Cole's hand held hers.

"Let go of her," he snarled.

Cole stood up and glanced across at Mal. His eyes widened at what he saw  in the other man's face. He'd dropped her hand when Mal spoke, but he  didn't back away.

"Why the fuck do you care?" he said softly. "You're planning to give her  away anyway. So, better get used to some other man touching her,  buddy."

Lily glanced between the two men. Cole stood his ground and Mal was  smoldering, tiny sparks shooting from his fingertips. She smiled at  Cole. "Thank you," she said. "But there's no need to worry. Mal's not  going to hand me over to anyone." Cole continued to look skeptical. "Are  you, Mal?"

***

Mal shook himself. He couldn't believe how close he had come to losing  it there. Lily sat gazing up at him, concern clear in her green eyes.

"Mal?" she asked.

He forced himself to relax, eased the tension out of each muscle. Well,  that had told him one thing-even if he'd wanted to, he couldn't hand  Lily over to another man. He'd probably spontaneously combust, taking  the whole world with him. "No. I'm not handing her over to anyone. Lily  is mine."

Cole searched his face, and then relaxed. "Not very politically correct.  But good enough." He sank back into his chair and picked up his coffee,  took a sip, and made a face. He got up, poured it away, and poured  himself a fresh cup. "Hate cold coffee," he muttered. "Right, then, what  happens now?"

"Lily and I will open the portal for my people, and we'll all go home."

"And Vortigen will be happy about this."

"I'm not going to lie to either of you. It will be dangerous. Many of  our race have"-he paused as if searching for the right word- "mellowed  during our time among humans. Vortigen hasn't. If anything, he's become  more intractable. But we'll find a way. We have to."         

     



 

"I guess you can't just take Lily away to this Ankesh place, forget  about all the rest, and just leave them here." Mal stared at him. "No, I  guess not." He sighed. "So what can I do to help?"

"Your presence at any meeting with Vortigen would enrage him. In his  eyes, it would be further proof of my weakness and unsuitability. It's  best if you return to London, but maybe you can help us out before you  go. I want to lay low for a while." Like forever. "At least until we're  sure the sorcerers have left the area. I also want time to prepare Lily,  but we need supplies, clothes and food. Could you get them for us  before you leave?"

"Sure, no problem. I'll do that this morning. But I do have one more question before I go."

Cole sounded almost nervous. Mal had never known him to show fear  before; it was one of the things that had drawn him to the detective.  "And that is?"

"This dragon's blood; can I expect any side effects?"

"There may be," he said cautiously.

"And are you going to tell me what they are?"

"Sure you wouldn't just like a nice surprise now and then?"

"I don't like surprises. And I'm not sure ‘nice' is the word you were  looking for there. Come on, Mal-I can take it." He paused. "I think."

Mal shrugged. "You'll be stronger. You probably already are. You'll heal  faster. Not as fast as last night, but faster than a normal human  would-you're pretty hard to kill now. You'll live longer. I'm not sure  how long; I've never given my blood to a human before, but the aging  process will be slowed."

"That all sounds good so far. What am I missing?"

Lily snickered, and Mal glanced at her warningly. Cole caught the look.  "Right," he said, "I'm not leaving this room until you tell me the bit  that I'm not going to like."

Mal sighed. "You have to do what I say."

"You're kidding, right?"

Mal shook his head. But probably a demonstration would be the only way to convince him. "Stand on one leg," he ordered.

Cole stood on one leg. "Fuck this," he growled. "You have to reverse this shit."

"Sorry, no can do. But on the bright side, with any luck, we'll be back  on another world soon. I won't be around to tell you what to do. And put  your foot down. You look like a dickhead."

Cole put his foot down. "I'm out of here. I'm going to get my stuff. You  have five minutes to do a shopping list, and then I'm leaving." He  strode from the room.

Lily stood up.

"Where are you going?" Mal asked.

"To find a pen and paper. I need things. I need underwear."

Mal smiled. "No you don't." He pulled her to him and ran a hand down her  back, under the shirt. It dipped down inside the waistband of her jeans  to stroke the warm, naked skin of her bottom. "I like you like this."  She melted against him, pressing her hips against his groin and he  hardened against her. Then she pulled away.

"And chocolate," she said. "If you want me to get ready to fight a horde  of angry dragons, then I need underwear and chocolate. Otherwise it's  all off."

Mal released her reluctantly, his eyes not leaving her until she was out  of sight. He sank down into the chair. He had to think, make some sort  of plan. But maybe most of all, he had to pray. He had no expectation  that Tannith would listen to his prayers, but he knew she was involved  in this somewhere. He just didn't understand how.

It was ten minutes later when they watched Cole drive out of the gates.  Mal slid his arm around Lily, pulled her against him, and kissed her.

"We have at least two hours until he gets back," he murmured against her  lips. "Let's go to bed." She nodded and he lifted her in his arms and  carried her cradled against his chest into the house and up the stairs.

***

"Tell me about dragons," Lily said a long time later when they lay  replete among the crumpled sheets. She was sated, languorous, but not  sleepy. She'd caught glimpses during their lovemaking of scales and  wings and she knew she was seeing his dragon form, feeling the  exultation of flying free.