Destiny Kills

Chapter Eight

When the screaming abruptly stopped, I gathered what I could of the fallen groceries, shoving them in the other plastic bags until they, too, were threatening to break, then hurried on.

I couldn’t feel guilty over what I’d done. Not when I could remember what they’d done to me, and Egan, and my mom. Not to mention the little ones.

Did that give me the right to idly stand by and watch a man fall from a cliff when I could have easily saved him? Probably not.

But I still couldn’t get worked up about it. And if that made me a bad person, then so be it. I could live with that.

One of the plastic bags slapped heavily against my shin, and I tripped, going down hard, my knees hitting a rock and sending a shock of pain that reverberated right up to my brain. I cursed softly and sat there for a moment, catching my breath and trying to stop the instinctive need to get up and keep running.

I couldn’t afford to panic. Besides, what would it gain me other than more damn bruises?

I pushed to my feet and hobbled along the faint path. Eventually, the pain in my knees subsided. I found the fence and followed it to the left, finding the trees and the car. It was locked, so I deposited the bags and the laptop near the trunk, then shook my hands to get the blood circulating through my fingers as my gaze swept the night.

No sign of Trae.

No indication that anything or anyone was moving through the night.

I bit my lip and shifted my weight from one foot to the other, fighting the instinct—no, the need—to go back out there and see if he needed help.

But he was right when he’d said earlier that they weren’t looking for him. If I went out there, it would only make things worse.

Although my would-be captor had screamed as he’d fallen. Would the wind have snatched the sound away, or would those who’d come with him have heard it?

I didn’t know, and it was as frustrating as ever.

Needing to do something, I walked to the edge of the trees. This area near the cliff was higher than the house, so it provided a good vantage point from which to view the surrounds. There was no one moving down there. No dark shadow of a car. Nothing to indicate there was another soul breathing in the night besides me.

Yet that man hadn’t come from thin air. And he surely wouldn’t be alone. They never were. There was always one who hung back, armed and ready to take action if needed. . . .

Goose bumps ran across my skin and the hairs along the back of my neck stood on end. I swung around, saw a broad chest covered in a brown sweatshirt, then he was on me, grabbing me, his arm locking around my throat as he tried to raise a stinking white rag to my nose and mouth.

I twisted in his grip and bit his arm as hard as I could. The chloroform-soaked rag hit my neck and shoulder instead of my face, and instantly my skin began to burn. Pain surged, and a scream ripped up my throat. But I used the energy of that pain to bite harder, and my teeth drew blood, even through the material. My attacker hissed, but didn’t release me, so I stomped down on his toes.

He cursed and pushed me away. I staggered several steps before I caught my balance, then pivoted on one foot, my heel smashing him in the face as he lunged toward me. He went down hard and didn’t move.

I left him lying there and ran across to the trunk of the car, upending the plastic bags until I found the bottles of water. After untwisting the cap, I leaned forward and tipped the contents over my neck and shoulder, trying to stop the burning, trying to wash the foul stuff from my clothes. It took three bottles to ease the burning and a fourth before I felt totally safe.

“Jesus, Destiny, are you all right?”

The voice came out of the night, scaring the shit out of me. I jumped around, fist raised before I fully realized it was Trae, not another attacker.

He stopped abruptly and held up his hands. “Whoa. It’s me. You’re safe.”

“Sorry.” I lowered my hand with a grimace. “But those bastards have a habit of sneaking up on me.”

“Next time I’ll whistle ‘Dixie’ before I get within punching distance.” He glanced at the man on the ground, then back at me. “What happened to your neck?”

“They tried to chloroform me.” I grabbed another bottle but this time drank it. My mouth felt drier than the Sahara, and I very much suspected the cause was fear rather than a result of exertion.

But it wasn’t fear for myself. It was fear for my mom, fear for my dad. Fear that I wouldn’t be able to fulfill all the promises I’d made.

That in the end, I’d have to sacrifice one promise over another, one parent for the other. I needed to get the codes that would free my mom and the kids, but would the cost be not getting to Maine in time to see my dad and say good-bye? To tell him the love of his life was alive, and that she’d meet him on the forever plains? He had to know that before he died. Had to. Otherwise, when his soul answered the call of dawn’s rising, he’d be fated to haunt this reality, forever trying to ease the ache of his heart.

It was the way of his kind.

The way of my mother’s kind—even if the ceremonies prayed for the guidance of very different Gods.

I briefly closed my eyes against the sudden prickle of tears. I could do this. I just had to keep trying, keep believing.

“Chloroform?” Trae stepped closer and, with gentle fingers, brushed wet strands of hair away from my neck. “That looks more like an acid burn.”

“Chloroform does that to sea dragons. We’re hyper-sensitive to it.”

“But why would the scientists even use chloroform? There’s a lot of drugs on the market that are safer and work faster.”

“But they won’t work on us. Chloroform does. Something to do with our body makeup.” I offered him the water. “Were there any others?”

He nodded and took the drink. “Two of them. They split off, which is why I’m late getting back here. It was easier to take them out one by one but it took longer.”

“And what does ‘take out’ mean, exactly?”

“It means just that. Taking them out of the picture and making sure they can never hurt you—or anyone else—ever again.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It was bad enough that I had blood on my hands, but now he did, too.

“But if the bodies are found here—”

“They won’t be,” he cut in. “I flew them out to sea. And I seriously doubt anyone is going to report them missing. Not if what you’re saying about Marsten is true. He wouldn’t want any investigation happening that could shed serious light on what he’s doing.”

That was true. I glanced back at the man I’d knocked out. “And what about him?”

He hesitated. “What do you want me to do about him?”

“Leave him.”

“That could be a decision that comes back and bites you in the ass. We don’t know how many more are out there, remember.”

“I know, but killing in cold blood is different than killing in a fight. I just can’t—”

“Then we won’t.”

Relief slithered through me. “What about their car?”

“I drove it off the property and abandoned it several miles up the road. It’s wiped clean of prints.”

“Good.” I bent to pick up the scattered groceries. “At least we should be safe from them for a while.”

“Unless they’ve got another way of tracking you.”

I glanced at him sharply. “What do you mean?”

He shrugged. “You said yourself that you underwent a lot of examinations and operations. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that they’ve got another way of finding you.” He must have sensed the panic that was surging through me, because he smiled and added, “It’s unlikely, but we’ve still got to be aware of the possibility. We can’t afford to relax just yet, that’s all I’m saying.”

I blew out a breath, then nodded. He slammed the trunk back down, then walked around me and opened the passenger door. “Let’s get moving before that man awakens.”

“Good idea, Ninety-nine.”

He snorted. “Do I have breasts and dark hair?”

“No, but Ninety-nine was the smart one, remember? Although it probably wasn’t hard to be smarter than Maxwell Smart, if the show had been anything to go by.”

He laughed, slammed the door shut, then ran around to the driver’s side. The sudden brightness of the head-lights as the car started up had me blinking.

He drove cautiously through the trees, edged the car through a smashed section of fence, then we bumped our way along a barely-there track, moving through the dunes and grasses for what seemed like ages.

When we finally hit the road, Trae turned right and gunned the engine.

“Feels like we’re in the middle of nowhere,” I said.

“Basically, we are.” He didn’t offer up other information, though, asking instead, “How were you planning to get to Maine?”

“I haven’t even thought about it yet.”

“You haven’t got ID, so we won’t be able to take a flight.” He glanced at me. “I could fly you there. It would be quicker than driving.”

I shifted in the seat a little, my heart racing at the thought of being carried high and free. “Can an air dragon carry a full-grown human in flight?”

“Depends on the wingspan of the dragon, and the size of the human.” He glanced at me, devilment in his eyes. “You’re just lucky I happen to be one of the bigger ones.”

“So you keep boasting,” I said dryly. “But I’ve seen very little evidence of it so far.”

“Just waiting for the right time, sweetheart.”

I rolled my eyes at the endearment. “It’s a long flight from here to Maine. Even if you are one of the larger dragons, can you carry me for that long?”

“I honestly don’t know. If your weight does prove to be a problem, we’ll fly in short bursts.”

I wrinkled my nose. “It’s probably better if I swim. At least I wouldn’t have to worry about being dropped from a great height.”

“It’ll take longer to swim.”

I knew that. And a sea dragon going through the Panama Canal—the only shortcut between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans—would be more than a little noticeable, so that was out, too.

“It’s still a better option.”

“You really think I’d drop you?” He looked offended that I’d even think that.

I grinned. “It’s more a matter of not wanting to tire you out before that ‘right moment’ gets here.”

“Ah, well, I guess I’ll have to accept that excuse, won’t I?” He glanced at me, and there was concern mixed with the amusement in his bright eyes. “Why don’t you catch some sleep? You’ve had a rough few days, and it’ll be at least an hour before we get to Florence.”

“I doubt that I’ll be able to.”

“Try.”

I tried. And surprisingly, I did.

The car door slamming closed woke me some time later. I stretched like a cat, then peered through the windshield. Trae had said he was getting a cheap motel, but the one sitting in front of us, with its white painted walls and slate gray roof, was surprisingly pretty. Especially with all the potted red and yellow flowers near each of the rooms. There weren’t many cars around, but given the chill that suggested winter was coming around fast, that wasn’t really surprising.

I glanced around as Trae came back, simply enjoying watching him walk. God, the confident—even arrogant—way that man moved was decidedly sexy.

He climbed into the car and tossed me a set of keys. “Room three,” he said, as he started the car.

“Are we staying here the whole night?”

“We got rid of the bug, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Unless, as he’d suggested, they had another means of tracking me. But if that were the case, then we wouldn’t be safe anywhere.

And I guess the only way we were going to find out one way or the other was to stop, giving them time to regroup and find us again. If they did, then we’d know.

He drove across the courtyard to a parking spot in front of one of the rooms. The headlights illuminated the large golden number sitting in the middle of the white painted door. We were close to the office and the entrance, meaning the headlights of any cars that drove in would shine directly through the window into our room. A good warning system, if we needed one.

He climbed out of the car, then walked around and opened my door. I couldn’t help grinning as I climbed out. “The thief is being a gentleman.”

He slid his hand under my elbow and guided me to the door. “Don’t mock it, or it won’t happen again.”

“Oh, I’m not mocking. Just surprised you’d bother.”

“Maybe I’m still worried about you.” He opened the door and ushered me through, then tossed the keys on the flowery spread covering the queen bed. “You want to make some coffee while I get the gear out of the car?”

I nodded and hunted around until I found the coffeemaker, and then the coffee. As it began to burble and spurt, Trae dumped the last of the bags and his laptop on the chair near the bed, then said, “I think I’ll get rid of this car and get a new one. That scientist you knocked out could remember the plate number. And the original owners would probably have noticed it missing by now.”

“Most people would notice the car is not where they parked it the night before,” I agreed dryly.

“It makes the life of a thief more hazardous, I tell you. And cops tend to get antsy when they discover you’re driving a stolen car.”

“Well, maybe that’s because it is against the law.”

“And yet it’s practically a national pastime.”

“Doesn’t make it right, my friend.”

“Depends on your definition of right, doesn’t it?” Amusement played about his mouth. “I should be back before dawn. You stay here and get some more rest.”

“You really have a thing about me being rested, don’t you?”

His sudden grin made my pulse jump about like a crazy thing. “Maybe I have an ulterior motive.”

“Oh, of that I have no doubt,” I said dryly. “The thief always has a plan, doesn’t he?”

“You can bet your life on it, sweetheart.” He glanced at his watch, then added, “Don’t unlock the door for anyone.”

“Except you.”

“I’ll have the key.”

“Oh. Okay.”

His gaze skimmed my body, then he muttered something and spun on his heel, walking out the door.

Leaving me smiling. The thief definitely wanted me as much as I wanted him.

God, was it only yesterday I was telling myself I had to show a little restraint to honor Egan’s memory?

It seemed restraint and me weren’t exactly on speaking terms right now. I closed my eyes and tried to picture Egan in my mind. But his image was blurred—like a photo in which the subject had moved.

And the image that remained looked an awful lot like Trae.

Egan, I’m sorry I’m not stronger. I’m sorry I can’t honor you as much as I had hoped.

He’d understand. I knew that. We were both sensual beings, but our lovemaking had always been a matter of need rather than desire. And at least now I understood why he had always seemed distant. His soul mate was dead, killed by his own father, and his heart had been shattered in the process.

Mine, however, had not.

And I wanted what he’d had so very briefly. Wanted what my parents had, even now, after all the years of being apart. And I knew, deep down, that it was here for the taking. If I was brave enough. Or maybe that should be if I was foolish enough. After all, my life right now wasn’t exactly sane.

I poured myself a coffee. After taking a sip, I grabbed a microwave meal from the bags, zapped it in the small microwave that was really the only cooking facility provided beyond the coffeemaker and small toaster, then sat down on the bed to watch TV.

An hour later, bored with the TV and growing tired of waiting for Trae, I stripped the covers back and climbed into bed. I was asleep within minutes of my head hitting the pillow.

When I woke, it was to the warmth of the sun streaming across my face and the heat of flesh pressed against my spine. His arm was slung casually over my hip, his fingertips lightly resting on my stomach. He wasn’t moving, and his breathing was soft, even. Asleep, even as I was suddenly, gloriously, awake.

I didn’t move, and as tempting as it was to press back against him, to stir him to life as I was stirring to life, I didn’t. Even a thief needed his sleep, and I had no idea how long he’d been out last night.

So I lay there, wrapped in the spicy, tangy scent of him, listening to him breathe and feeling the warm wash of his breath across one shoulder. My skin tingled, my body ached like crazy, and every little movement he made had shivers of delight flashing across my nerve endings.

Naturally, he slept for what seemed like forever.

In reality, it was probably only another hour or so. Certainly the light streaming into the room hadn’t journeyed very far up the wall as the sun began its daily track through the sky.

His waking was done in several brief, delicious moments that were filled with a combination of growing awareness and desire. The twitch of fingertips across my stomach. His growing erection, pressing ever more forcefully against my butt. The quickening of breath across my shoulder. The butterfly kiss of lips on the base of my neck.

“Morning, sweetheart,” he murmured, and hugged me closer, until his erection was snuggled firmly against my butt cheeks. “What a lovely way to wake up.”

And it’d be even more lovely if he actually got down to business. Good grief, couldn’t he sense I was just about bursting with wanting him?

I reached backward, lightly running a hand up and down his hip. “What time did you get in last night?”

I felt more than saw his shrug. “Fairly late. It took a while to find a new car. You were asleep when I came in, so I didn’t bother waking you.”

“Thanks. I think I needed the sleep.”

“Mmmm.”

His voice was as distracted as any woman could wish, and the thought warmed me almost as much as his touch. His lips found my neck, then my earlobe, kissing them lightly, and the warmth became a shiver of pure delight.

“Anything else you need?” he murmured, his breath washing heat into my ear.

“That depends on what’s on offer.” I let my hand dip past his hip, lightly caressing the heated hardness of his erection. A tremor ran through him, and I smiled. There would be no hesitation this morning, no stepping back from the brink.

“What do you want to be on offer?” His hand began to move across my stomach, his touch so light, so tender. Heat pooled under his fingertips, sending little flashes of desire shooting through every nerve ending. Lord, how I wanted this man’s touch. No, not just his touch, but his scent on my skin, his mouth on mine. His body in mine.

His spirit wrapped around mine.

“Everything,” I said, my voice little more than a tremor of air. “All that you have, and all that you’re willing to give.”

He chuckled softly. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Please.” And before I combusted in sheer frustration.

His touch began to slide slowly upward. When his thumb brushed the underside of a breast, my breath hitched, then became more rapid.

He began to caress, tease, and kiss my upper body and breasts. I closed my eyes, savoring the sensations flooding through every part of me. Loving his firm, hard body pressed against mine, the way he brushed my aching nipples with his thumbs. Enjoying the press of his erection against my hand as I stroked and cupped him. Savoring the rich scent of him, breathing it in deep, until it felt like his essence had flooded through every part of me. Becoming a part of me, in a way that went beyond mere pleasure.

When his caress moved down to that warm, wet part of me that was aching to feel the full length of him, part of me wanted to shout in sheer relief. But I was too busy simply enjoying to waste air like that. He caressed me, toyed with me, until my body was slick with sweat and aching with desire. When he finally slid a finger into me, I could only gasp in pleasure. My inner muscles pulsed around one finger, then two, and the sensation of him delving in and out was incredible. I pushed back against him, riding his hand with increasing urgency, until the low-down trembling bloomed, spreading across my skin like wildfire. But before the orgasm could crest, he pulled away, simply kissing my shoulder, caressing my breasts, until the tremors eased. Then he started again.

This time, when he finally pressed his thumb against my clit, my groan of pleasure could probably be heard in the next room. As he stroked me, caressed me, he let his other fingers slide through my slickness, until he was teasing me inside and out. My whole body shook as pleasure mounted, and my breathing became little more than short, sharp gasps. As the tremors of orgasm began to mount a second time, he finally shifted over me. His flesh was as slick as mine, his body trembling with the effort of control.

But I didn’t want control. I wanted him.

I wrapped my legs around his hips, trying to force him closer, desperate to feel him inside. When only the tip of him slid in, I whimpered, wanting—needing—so much more.

He chuckled softly, then said in a voice that was all smoky desire, “Patience, sweetheart.”

“Patience be damned,” I panted, arching up to meet him.

He didn’t pull away, and the sensation of him sliding so deep had me groaning.

It was a sound he swallowed in a kiss that was fierce and possessive, and so damn hot it felt like I was going to explode.

Only then did he begin to thrust, his movements deep and long. I groaned again, a rich sound of gratification he echoed. His movements became harder, faster, until it felt like he was trying to claim my entire body. But this was more than just a physical act—more than just a meeting of bodies. In this one perfect moment of unity, our spirits soared around each other, until it felt like his soul was trying to claim mine as fiercely as his body. I went there willingly, wanting the possession, needing it. Needing him. Now. Forever.

The rich ache grew, spreading like wildfire, becoming a kaleidoscope of sensations that washed through every single part of my body, building gloriously until I could barely even breathe. Then the shuddering truly took hold and I gasped, grabbing his shoulders, holding him closer, thrusting him deeper.

As the orgasm raked me, he came, his roar echoing through my ears as I twitched and moaned in sheer pleasure, until even that faded and all that was left was an amazing sense of peace and contentment.

He leaned his sweaty forehead against mine for a moment, blowing out a breath that washed warm air across my face, then slid to one side and gathered me close.

It was a nice sensation, being held so tenderly.

But it was also scary. Not just because I barely even knew this man, but because I now knew, without a doubt, that this was more than mere lust. This was the real deal.

And the timing absolutely sucked.

I closed my eyes against the sudden rush of fear and panic. Damn it, why would fate do this to me? Why throw my future in my face when my present was so full of danger? I might have ditched the tracker, but until I freed my mom and the kids, the scientists would remain a dark specter on my horizon. A specter that had proven more than ready to kill.

And I didn’t want to have to pray for Trae’s soul in the predawn morning as I had Egan’s.

“You okay?” Trae said softly.

I shoved the fears aside and forced a smile. “Yeah. Just a little mind-blown.”

“That was pretty amazing, wasn’t it?”

“Totally.”

After a bit more snuggling, he added, “We really can’t stay here like this.”

“I know.” But I didn’t move, wanting to delay that moment and enjoy the warmth of his body wrapped around mine just a little bit longer. “What time are we going to the house?”

He pulled away a little, and air swirled in between us, cooling the sweat still dotting my skin.

“The agent’s meeting us at ten. Which gives us about an hour.”

I frowned, and twisted around to look at him. “Agent? How can we possibly raid the safe if we have a real estate agent dogging our every move?”

“Because she won’t be dogging our heels. I’ll arrange a little distraction, then you’ll keep the old girl occupied while I find and raid the safe.”

“Will that work?”

I couldn’t help the doubt in my voice, and he smiled. “It has in the past.”

“You raid homes in broad daylight?”

“Best time. People are less watchful during the day.”

“And it’s more of an adrenaline rush, undoubtedly.”

His smile grew. “Undoubtedly. You want first shower? I’ll make coffee.”

I tossed off the covers and got out of bed. As I walked toward the bathroom, the daylight caressed my skin as warmly as Trae had minutes before. Part of me wanted to go back to his arms, to taste more of what he had to offer.

But time wasn’t something I had a lot of, and dallying in bed when I needed to be elsewhere would be nothing short of foolishness.

And I’d been foolish enough recently. But not, I thought, this morning. Whatever else happened, at least I had that moment to take with me.

I took a long, hot shower, and when I finally stepped out, I felt a muted echo of the vitality I felt every time I stepped out of the sea.

Unfortunately, this time there was no yummy man within eyesight to warm my skin to even greater levels and set my pulse rate soaring. But he was near—and the clink of a spoon against china and the delicious aroma of coffee invading the air suggested he hadn’t been idle while I’d drenched myself under the hot water.

I dried off quickly, then wrapped the towel around my body and headed out.

He looked up as I entered the main room, his cool blue gaze sweeping the length of me before coming back to rest on mine. He held out the mug of coffee and said, “I’ve made some toast, or there’s some cereal if you want it.”

I accepted the coffee and took a sip. Its taste was more bitter than I liked, but compared to the muck the scientists used to give us, anything short of mud would have tasted divine. And as the thought ran through my mind, an image rose. A cherub-cheeked man with a cheerful smile and blue eyes bringing us coffee. The same cherub-cheeked man holding a gun to Egan’s forehead. The cold light in his eyes as he threatened to press the trigger unless I dropped the gun I was holding. The splatter of his brains across the wall as I fired the weapon rather than release it.

“Destiny?”

I blinked, but the image of the blood and bone and brain matter seeping down the wall remained frozen in my thoughts, and suddenly I was shaking in cold and horror.

A hand grabbed mine and pried the coffee cup from my fingers. Then his arms engulfed me, pulling me close. And it felt good, safe, and gradually the shaking and the image subsided.

“What just happened?” he said, after a while.

I took a deep, shuddery breath, then said, “You remember asking me when we first met if I’d killed someone?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I have.”

“We both have, Destiny. But with good reasons, I’m sure.”

“You mean you’ve killed someone other than those men at the house?” I pulled back, and let my gaze search his. Darkness lay below the brightness. Darkness and old anger. “I thought you said that you hadn’t?”

“I never actually answered the question.” He shrugged. “I didn’t want to scare you off.”

I laughed. “After almost running me over?”

He raised a hand and placed it over his heart. “I swear, the only reason that almost happened was your beauty. It had me entranced.”

I snorted. “This from the man who called me less than appealing?”

“Well, that was true at the time, too.”

“You have such a charming way with compliments.” I picked up my coffee and took a sip. My hands were still a little shaky, but nowhere near as bad as they had been. “Tell me about the other person you killed.”

The amusement died from his eyes. “Egan and I went after the men my father contracted to kill Sila.”

“So he didn’t actually do the deed himself?”

“No. But the intent was there, which was why Egan arranged for the ring to be stolen.”

“And that was the last time you saw him?”

He nodded. “He knew he had to disappear for a while, because our father would not stop until the ring was found and the thief was caught and killed.”

“So your father didn’t know Egan was behind the ring’s theft?”

“No. He thought he was pissed off and sulking. He’d been away from the clique for over a week when it was snatched.”

“Who did Egan hire to snatch the ring?”

“A will-o’-the-wisp.”

I blinked. “He hired a malevolent spirit?”

“They aren’t spirits, and they certainly aren’t malevolent. More mischievous. They’ve gotten something of a bad rap over the years.”

“The habit of leading travelers to their doom will do that.”

He laughed. The warm sound sent delicious shivers down my spine. “Just like air dragons consuming virgins and sea dragons attacking boats have given us a bad name?”

He had a point. “So how did he go about hiring this will-o’-the-wisp?”

“I’ve actually known her for a while—we protected each other’s backs while learning the trade together, and she owed me a favor.” He shrugged. “She made sure she was briefly seen, so that no suspicion could fall on Egan or me.”

“Then if no suspicion fell on you or Egan, why is your father basically blackmailing you into finding the ring?”

“Because I need the information he holds, as I said before.” He shrugged. “Tell about the man you killed. What did he do?”

“He gave us coffee.”

He laughed, but the amusement touching his lips faded as his gaze searched mine. “Seriously?”

I nodded. “He was one of the men responsible for bringing us food and coffee. He was on the evening shift.”

“And the coffee was so bad that you had to shoot him?”

His words were light, but his gaze was not. He was studying me, judging me, as so many had judged me over the years. Only Egan had really seen beneath the surface, and yet even Egan had never really known the true me.

Sometimes I wondered if even I could make that claim. Because after years of hiding things I could do, pretending to be what I wasn’t, the line between who I was and who I wasn’t had begun to blur.

“I shot him because he was holding a gun to Egan’s head and threatening to kill him.” I hesitated, and dredged up a smile from somewhere. “Though, trust me, the coffee there seriously sucked.”

“Where did this happen?”

I rubbed my free hand across my eyes. “At the loch. Just after we’d started the fire.”

“So you shooting the man was what set off the alarm?”

I shook my head. “The fire set off the alarm. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. We ran after I shot him, but by then it was almost too late, because the fire had spread faster than we’d expected.”

“Until Egan controlled it enough to get you out.”

Again I nodded. “I didn’t know you dragons could do that when in human form.” Certainly I’d never seen Dad do it, but then, he was always too aware of the need to appear human to everyone who lived around us. Even when we were safe at home, he rarely played with the fires that were his heritage. Yet, at the same time, he’d always made sure that I knew—and could control—every skill that came with me being a sea dragon.

Of course, I was only half sea dragon, so it was entirely possible I might have inherited some skills from my father. Certainly I warmed with the sun, whereas most sea dragons remained a little cool. But I’d never been able to raise fire, and had never attained an air dragon’s shape.

Not that I’d ever really tried, because for as long as I could remember, Dad had discouraged such explorations. Better to be a sea dragon, he’d once said, than to be one of the hunted and the butchered. He’d never really explained that remark, but I’d figured it was connected to the horrible scars on his body. They’d always frightened me enough not to explore the other half of my nature.

“Full air dragons can control fire in either form, as long as there’s a slither of daylight around.” Trae’s smile was thin, filled with an amusement that was cold and hateful. “It’s me that shouldn’t be able to do it.”

“If they’re so worried about draman inheriting dragon skills, why don’t they simply stop mating with humans? I mean, if they want to run under human radar, it’s a bit stupid having humans around the cliques anyway, isn’t it?”

“Someone has to do the menial work,” he said dryly. “You don’t think the oh-so-superior ones are going to lift a finger to clean something, do you?”

I raised my eyebrows at the sarcasm. “Egan wasn’t like that.”

“Most of the younger generation aren’t. It’s the older ones.”

“So can all draman change shape and create fire?”

He shook his head. “No. My sister, for instance, can’t shift shape, but she can control fire—and she can control it at night, which is something even full bloods can’t do.”

“So her being a draman has its advantages, in some ways.”

“Yeah. Although she was mighty pissed off when she discovered she couldn’t shift shape like I could.”

“I can imagine.” I glanced at the time, then said, “We really need to get moving if we’re to make that appointment this morning.”

He glanced at the clock himself, then said, “You want to pack everything up once you’ve eaten? I’ll go shower.”

I watched him walk into the bathroom, admiring not only the burned gold and silver swirl of his dragon stain, but the strength of his shoulders, the V of his back to his hips, then I sighed and pushed the lusty thoughts away.

Not only did I have a dad to see, but I had kids and a mom depending on me to get them out of hell. Lusty thoughts were not going to achieve either aim.

I packed up most of the breakfast stuff, then munched on some cereal, using the tiny cartons of milk in the room’s bar fridge. Outside, the sunshine was giving way to clouds, as the storm I’d sensed coming last night began to roll in.

I was halfway through my breakfast when a car pulled up at reception and a man got out. His clothes had seen better days and his left arm was wrapped in bandages. The driver sported a huge shiner, and even from this distance, looked a little worse for wear. There was a third man in the rear seat, but I couldn’t really see him.

I didn’t need to.

These weren’t strangers.

They were our remaining hunters.