Dreamwalker (Stormwalker #5)(44)

I pulled him down for a kiss on the lips, but Mick kept it brief. He knew that if he kissed me deeply, he’d give in and stay, at least long enough for a brief round of lovemaking.

While I wouldn’t mind that, Mick stood up, gave me another dragon smile, and departed.

As soon as he closed the door, I was up and hauling myself into my clothes. I quickly tied my hair back, pulled on chaps and a leather jacket, snatched up my helmet and gloves, and tore out of the room.

I’d kept an eye on which way Mick had gone, and in a brief time, I was on my motorcycle, following.





Chapter Fifteen

I spied Mick’s big bike on the highway that led south. I hung back, using a glam spell—which Mick had taught me—to keep him from noting me behind him.

In this way I followed him from the lake and up into the mountains, to a remote area far from any town.

Mick took a narrow dirt road that led out from the woods into a giant clearing. I stayed back under the trees, knowing I wasn’t good enough to glam Mick too close or out under the moonlit sky.

The clearing was a defacement from fire or over-logging. Stumps were everywhere as were scattered dead trees, gnarled and twisted like goblins under the white light.

Mick left his motorcycle near one of the dead trees and hiked out into a more open part of the clearing. He stripped off his gloves and tucked them into his jacket pocket, then stared up at the stars, waiting.

I killed the engine on my bike, parked it as quietly as I could, and swung off. Wind stirred the woods around me and whispered through the clearing. The dead trees sighed like lost souls.

I saw the reason, in a few moments, for Mick choosing a clearing. The debris on the open ground started to move as though stirred by a coming storm. There was a storm on the horizon, I’d seen as I’d ridden, thick clouds full of lightning and hail, but that wasn’t what disturbed the peacefulness here.

A sudden warm downdraft sent shredded bark and leaves to dancing. The trees, dead and alive, groaned with it.

A black nightmare of a beast plunged downward toward Mick, claws extended. I smothered a yelp and gathered the storm’s energy, ready to blast it.

Janet in this time had never seen a dragon before. She had no idea dragons existed or that her lover was one. Not something that had ever been at the front of my mind. Cute dragons and unicorn toys had been completely absent from the house where I’d grown up. Grandmother had known all about dragons—Firewalkers—and knew they weren’t the cuddly plush toys sold in discount chains.

Which made me wonder distractedly—were unicorns real too? And if so, what kind of horrible monsters were they?

A flash of my future life came to me as the dragon landed. I’d seen this particular one before—black as soot, with an aura as smoky. He beat his wings once more, then he swerved, landed on the other side of the giant clearing, and disappeared behind a black mist.

When the mist cleared, Drake walked across the clearing toward Mick, as tall and arrogant as ever. Dragons aged very slowly, and Drake hadn’t changed at all.

I gathered a bit of the storm to me. I wasn’t as adept at containing my magic at this age as I learned to be later, but Mick had already taught me to draw on my earth-magic background to do small spells. I clumsily but effectively tossed a bit of magic at Mick and Drake, enabling me to hear them across the clearing.

Drake’s voice came to me as though I’d switched on a radio. “—were not your instructions. The Dragon Council made clear—”

“The Dragon Council can kiss my ass,” Mick growled. “They sent me because no one else was brave enough to face her. Or they were too lazy to get out of their caves. Good thing. She could wipe the floor with all of you.”

“Exactly.” Drake sounded as stuffy as ever. “Which makes me wonder why you disobeyed a direct order to kill her.”

Mick barked a laugh. “First, she’s a hell of a lot prettier than any of you. More interesting too. Second, she’s not evil.”

“That’s not for you to judge. She bears the taint of the Beneath goddess the dragons took so much trouble to shut away. She must not be allowed to release that goddess.”

“She won’t,” Mick said with conviction. “She’s an extraordinary woman, with a kindness and generosity I’ve found in very few. I’ve definitely never found it in dragons.”

Drake made a scoffing noise. “She’s seduced you.”

“No, I seduced her.” Mick took a menacing step toward Drake. “I did my best to take away everything that is innocent in her, to find out if her gentle heart was only naiveté. I’ve had her every way I could invent, and she’s hungry for it. But you know what? She’s still innocent. And loving.” Mick shook his head, his voice going soft. “I never dreamed she would be so loving. She gives her heart as she gives her body. She amazes me every day.”