How to Date a Dragon(52)

Just because he hadn’t seen Zina didn’t mean she hadn’t seen him. His skin had tingled several times when he was out on a job, battling blazes large and small. The sensation could have been a reminder that he was mortal now, but it seemed like more than that. Why hadn’t his warning sense kicked in when he was rescuing Bliss’s computer?

Maybe he was still fireproof but could be killed in other ways. Maybe Gaia was lying to him… but why? His uncle and mother had died within weeks of each other. It had made no sense at the time, but now it did. His mother had done nothing wrong, but the link between clans would explain why she became mortal as soon as her brother did. He died of a heart attack, and she had been in a car accident.

Just in case, he’d have to remember to listen to his chief from now on. The other guys relied on the chief to keep them safe, and now he should too. The last thing anyone needed was a firefighter’s funeral to attend. He had to find Zina and stop her. With Vulcan’s help, he might be able to pull it off.

Drake needed to get some sleep, but he couldn’t stop imagining all the possible scenarios. Unfortunately, he couldn’t come up with any in which Bliss would be safe and that the Council would approve. Her survival was completely up to him… and her.

He had to get her to understand. Perhaps in the morning she’d be thinking more clearly and would agree to go somewhere safe. But where? She’d refused to move back in with her parents and nixed the idea of living with one of her brothers’ families—and Claudia wasn’t open to guests. That left his place. But he’d had tingles when he returned to his studio apartment to change his clothes and pick up a fresh uniform, so he had to assume Zina knew where he lived. She had probably been watching him, so his place was out too.

There had to be someone. A maiden aunt who’d enjoy the company, perhaps? He’d explore that idea and others in the morning. If he could make her concentrate on her real business and forget about working at the bar, that might help. She had completed her designs and placed them in a safe-deposit box, hadn’t she?

Wait a minute…

What if he could get her to stay with Sadie? The woman was a psychic. She might be able to warn Bliss ahead of time if someone was coming after her.

Drake felt better. Just having an idea that might work helped.

He curled his arms around Bliss until she was snug, being careful not to wake her. She cuddled into him and sighed. At last his eyelids became heavy and his mind, well, lighter than it had been.

***

Drake sat across from Sadie, hoping the psychic would hear him out. He had ordered a White Russian and set the one-drink minimum on the table in front of her. If all else failed, he could simply ask her for a reading. Maybe the cards would provide some insight.

“I’m hoping you can do me a favor, Sadie.”

“You came bearing gifts, so I’ll see what I can do.” She lifted the White Russian in a mock toast and took a sip.

“Bliss is in danger.”

“I know.”

Wow. Either she really is psychic or Bliss had said something to her. He was fairly sure Bliss wouldn’t talk about dragons and such—especially when she had sworn not to. However, she still claimed to be questioning her own sanity.

“How much do you know?”

Sadie set down her drink and began shuffling her tarot cards. “I knew getting mixed up with you was going to bring her stress. I told her as much, but her heart chose you anyway.”

“Her heart?”

“Of course. Don’t tell me you think she’d go through all this for just anyone—or simply to be nice.”

He smiled. No. Bliss wouldn’t put up with anyone’s crap “just to be nice.” She would, on the other hand, tell another guy who’d put her through this to open his Hall-Snark card.

“I appreciate knowing that, but now I need to know how to keep her safe. I was thinking that maybe she could stay with you for a while. Perhaps you could use your psychic ability to give her a heads-up and keep her out of harm’s way.”

Sadie puffed out a breath.

“What’s wrong?” Drake asked.

“I live in a room the size of a closet.”

“Oh.” Damn it. On to plan B. “Maybe the tarot cards can give us another idea.”

She nodded. “I’m glad I don’t have to convince you of their value… or my abilities. That much is refreshing.”

“I’ve heard your accuracy is pretty amazing.”

She squared up the cards and laid the deck in front of him. “Cut it.”

He picked up about half the pile and set it to the side, then piled the other half on top. The whole time he was thinking of Bliss, so he figured he must be imparting some kind of positive energy into the cards.