Flight of Dragons(39)
“You’re crazy.” But his expression said otherwise.
“Dragons don’t lie, Eva.”
“They don’t exist.” This time, she hadn’t quite convinced herself as her mind wandered into dangerous territory. What if there were dragons walking amongst us? She shook her head.
“You’ve discovered amazing fossils of animals that lived thousands of years ago. Use your imagination. If you thought it was even remotely possible to see a dragon, would you?”
“Of course I would.” Whoa, there was no hesitation in her answer.
Balthazar nodded. “That’s good enough for me.”
“So now that’s out of the way.” She wrapped her hands around the mug. “What’s the story about your brother?”
“He wants me dead.”
Eva thought she hadn’t heard him correctly. “Excuse me?”
“Ti wants me dead.” His smile was gone.
“Hang on. Ti—like in the story I heard back at the hotel?”
“Yes.”
Someone cleared his throat, and she glanced up at the blond man, Thorsson. “My lord—”
“Thorsson, Eva needs to understand.” Balthazar played with a fork. “My brother fought me for the family inheritance. I almost lost, but my younger brother, Lancelot, who you met tonight, stepped in and chased my brother off.”
“He’s the blond man who was with you? I suppose he has a dragon name too?”
“Lancelot is his human name. Lan is his dragon.”
“Oh, come on, Balthazar, now you’re really shitting with me!”
“I’ll show you something tomorrow morning that will convince you.”
Eva had met archeologists who invented stories around their findings to the point of believing them, instead of dealing with facts. Maybe Balthazar really wanted to believe that dragons existed, and telling him about the Viking vase hadn’t helped matters. “All right, I’ll let you humor me. But in the meantime, you’re expecting your brother Ti to come here?”
“Any day now.”
That alarmed her. “Shouldn’t you call the police?”
“No authorities. I’ll take care of it with Lancelot’s and my security’s assistance.”
“Look, I don’t want to get caught up in the middle of a family dispute—”
“You already have, Eva. I’m sorry.”
***
He escorted her to a guest room upstairs. “I’m sure you must be exhausted. Tomorrow morning, I promise I’ll explain everything in more detail and show you what I’m talking about.”
She looked around the spare bedroom. Her carry-on sat beside a dresser, but she only had enough strength to strip off her clothes before falling head first into the soft down pillow. She closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.
Her eyes snapped open moments later. Thunderous banging echoed through the walls. She glanced at her watch and was surprised that she had slept for a couple of hours. Shouts seeped beneath her door.
Balthazar’s brother must be here. Eva threw on her jeans and sweatshirt, and then slowly opened the door. The pounding grew louder, and a piercing scream made her jump in fright. Balthazar.
She hurried down the stairs and paused at the bottom step to listen. Several voices originated from the kitchen at the back of the house, and she ran in that direction. Suddenly she stopped, blocked by Thorsson’s massive frame. “What are you doing here?”
“Didn’t you hear the screams? Is Balthazar okay?”
“Mr. Andal is fine.”
Another muffled scream caught her attention. “What the hell is going on?”
“There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
Eva caught sight of a couple of shadows in the darkened hallway behind the security guard. “I want to see Balthazar.”
Thorsson took a step forward. “No.”
“What Thorsson means is my brother is indisposed.” Lancelot stood behind the other man, his face in shadow.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“His wound. It causes him great pain sometimes. He’s having a bad time of it tonight.”
“Please, if there’s anything I can do—”
Lancelot stepped past the guard, his green eyes practically glowing in the dim light. “Thank you, but no. He should be fine in the morning.”
Eva wasn’t convinced, but all she could do was head upstairs. Balthazar’s screams haunted her before she fell into a restless sleep.
***
Dawn tinged the clear sky with hints of pink and orange when Balthazar slowly walked down the main staircase, bathed and freshly shaved. His night in the basement had been particularly brutal. Bal, his dragon, fought like a demon to be released, and it had taken all of his strength and wits to keep him under control. He didn’t know how much longer he could hold on before Bal broke through and killed them both. It didn’t matter what Balthazar told him—all Bal thought of was his impending freedom.