Dragon Seeker Part Two Read online

  “Yes. Just a little vertigo. Neko told me it could happen after…well, after our first few times. She said that all her senses were a little overwhelmed for a bit. I’m lucky that we’re here.” Her eyes scanned the landscape. “It’s so quiet, as you’ve said. At least I don’t have to deal with cars honking and people yelling while I lose my ability to walk straight.”

  “Yes, but there is a very real risk of a wobbly woman falling over the edge of a cliff.” Lyre was smiling, that sweet, biteable lower lip teasing her.

  “Don’t worry, Dragon man. I’ll stay away from the edge. And on the positive side, I will tell you this: my eyes are keener, and my sense of smell is stronger. And if I work very, very hard, I can even hear your heart beating.”

  “You can?”

  “Yes,” she told him, a smile flashing through her light eyes. “My ears, believe it or not, have improved. I can hear well enough for us both. And right now I hear that lovely heart of yours doing a ba-dum, ba-dum rhythm. Like a conga beat, only sexier.”

  “Then you know that it’s beating for you.” Lyre planted a kiss on the red hair coating the top of her head. “And you have taken that organ of mine over entirely, not to mention a certain other organ.”

  Trix chuckled.

  “At any rate,” Lyre continued, “I’ll make sure to be there to catch you if dizziness hits again. I don’t want to lose you, after everything we’ve been through.”

  “I know you don’t. Nor do I want to be lost.”

  “Right. Well, if you’re feeling a little better now, I suppose that I should remind you that you wanted to say something more to me, Miss Beatrix. That is, before your head began spiralling around like something suffering from a demonic possession. What was it?”

  Trix laughed. “Oh, yes. But I want to say the words out loud. Is that all right?” She straightened herself, facing him as she steadied her balance.

  He nodded, pulling away to read her lips, his hands ready to catch her should she go dizzy again.

  “It’s about you and Minach.”

  Lyre’s smile melted immediately into something close to a frown. “I thought we were done with that. What about us?”

  “I think you need to make up, now that…well, now that you and I have bonded. It’s time that you fixed your relationship.”

  “Minach doesn’t want to fix anything, despite my best efforts to do so. I’ve tried for decades,” said Lyre. “He’s unwilling to talk about it.”

  “Maybe so. Look, I’ll admit that I can’t pretend to know him at all. But I saw how he is—I saw what he was feeling. The pain in his eyes, his voice. He may be a grumpy fucker, but he loves you, Lyre. And he despises himself, but he shouldn’t. You and I should be grateful to him. He’s the whole reason I came here—to you. He’s the reason I had hope. He brought us together, purely because he wants you to be happy.”

  “I know he does,” Lyre’s voice told her. “But he will never be happy. Not unless he can find a way to forgive himself.”

  “Well, you can help him, I think. Now that he knows that you and I are together, that he didn’t actually ruin your life. I’m so sorry for everything you’ve been through. I’m sorry about your hearing. But you need to remember that Minach is, too.”

  “I’m not sorry,” he said, stroking her cheek. “Not anymore. And it sounds mad to say, but my hearing loss has made me grateful for so much. The only thing that upsets me is that it nearly kept me from you, sweet thing.” His voice was so lovely in her mind, so rich and warm. There was no question that he meant it; that he was a good enough man to forgive his brother anything and everything.

  “It kept you from having a relationship with your brother, too,” she said. “And that hurts him. More than you know, I think.”

  “I know,” he replied, letting out an audible sigh. “It’s so strange. For years I knew the sound of the ocean—of gulls crying out, waves against stone. Our parents’ voices, calling out to come in for meals. And I knew Minach’s laughter, too. It was the laughter of a happy boy, that would one day alter into the deep growl of a bitter man’s voice. But that was a voice that I’d never hear, other than on the rare instance that it’s made its way inside my head. And I do feel his pain, and I’ve tried to help to alleviate it. More than once I’ve tried to make peace with him, but he always pushes me away. Never lets me forgive him. He thinks it should have been him who suffered. I suppose he feels some form of survivor’s guilt.”

  “Well, you can’t blame him for that. I can’t even imagine what it must feel like to know that he hurt you so badly.”

  “I don’t blame him for any of it. If I’d been a perfectly behaved child, it would have been one thing. But I wasn’t. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time on the day when Alric attacked me. But the fact is that we were partners in crime, Minach and I. The accident could as easily have happened to him as to me.”

  “So talk to him. Tell him that. Now that we’re together, he can stop blaming himself for your loneliness. We can tell him that all is well. ”

  “Very well. I’ll talk to him,” Lyre told her, planting a soft kiss on her lips as his words pulsed through her. “I promise. If I’m to be happy, it’s only fair that he should too. Maybe it’ll finally get rid of that perma-scowl on his face.”

  “So, you’re saying you’re a sort of brotherly Botox.”

  “That I am,” his voice laughed in her mind. “Better than anti-ageing cream, I am. How’s this for a promise: I’ll speak to him when once we’ve found the Relic.”

  Trix’s face lit up as she looked into his eyes. “It’s a deal.”

  Back to the Heath

  It was early afternoon when Lyre shifted into his glacial Dragon form on the grass beside the cottage. Trix stood back, admiring his déor as he shook out a long mane of vertical scales. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, or if the Dragon actually looked happier than the last time she’d seen him.

  “Are you ready, my lovely Hunter?” the low, growling voice asked her when the shifter had had a chance to settle into his Dragon form.

  “So ready,” she replied, trotting over to leap onto his back.

  When she was firmly seated, Lyre lifted off into the air, his body soon camouflaged from below by a cover of clouds threatening to rain mist over the landscape. Trix leaned forward as she had the last time she’d ridden him, a hand tenderly stroking the scales on his neck.

  “Are you happy, my Beatrix?” he asked as he arced high into the sky.

  “So happy. Stupidly happy,” she said. “Like I’m in a dream, and I never wish to wake up.”

  “It’s no dream. At least, if it is, I’m in here, sharing it with you.”

  “Best dream ever, then.”

  For a time they flew in silence, the Hunter scanning the landscape and clouds that occasionally obscured her view, the Dragon aiming directly for the city of London. Without realizing it, Trix began to hum happily inside her mind as she looked down at England’s changing scenery beneath them, trying to recall the lyrics to a song.

  “What’s that you’re singing?” Lyre asked.

  “Oh, just a tune my mother used to belt out when she worked around the house. I can’t recall the words. But the music goes like this: da dum, daaaah dum dee dum dum.” Her voice rose and fell in a slow, lilting melody that reminded Lyre of Trix’s Scottish roots.

  “That’s lovely,” he told her, his tone inside her mind wistful, and for a moment Trix regretted being so inconsiderate. It seemed suddenly cruel to remind him that music was yet another aspect of life that he couldn’t access.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “You must miss music, and here I am, inflicting it on you as a grim reminder of what you’ve lost.”

  “No, please, keep inflicting it. I love your voice. I could live every day with you singing inside my mind.”

  “Then I’ll keep it up,” she said, and she began to hum again. A gift. She was giving him a gift, then. And she’d give anything to help him to fee
l as though he hadn’t missed out on all these years.

  After she’d finished the song, Lyre spoke again. “If it’s all right with you, we’ll head directly for Hampstead Heath. I’ve sent a message to Aegis and a couple of others to meet us there.”

  “A message? Like some kind of psychic Dragon thing?”

  “Yes. Well, no. A text. Very mystical, that. The magical power of the interwebs.”

  “Pfft,” said Trix, shaking her head. “Dragons texting one another like common schoolchildren. What is the world coming to?”

  “Even we Dragons have to move with the times. I’ll say this, though: it’s hard to type with our giant talons. Touch screens are a damned nightmare for our ilk.”

  Trix laughed out loud. “I’ll bet they are. But on the topic of our destination, could we make one stop first? I want to show you something.”

  “Oh? Yes, I suppose we could manage that,” he told her. “We’re a little ahead of schedule.”

  “Great. Head to Caffal Street when we get to London. It’s near Saint Sepulchre Church.”

  “Your wish is my command, my Lady.”

  Trix let out a giggle. My Lady. She could get awfully used to this.

  When they arrived a while later at the location she’d given him, Lyre landed in the road, temporarily causing a traffic jam accompanied by a cacophony of horn honks, not to mention a few raised eyebrows. Trix, settling her feet on the ground, watched as London’s population quickly turned away, ignoring the massive Dragon in their midst. And once he’d shifted into his human form, traffic patterns resumed as though nothing out of the ordinary had even occurred.

  “So strange how they go oblivious so quickly to your presence. I’ll never get used to that,” she said, leading him up the road a little ways.

  “It is odd, I know,” his voice answered as he looked around. “A spell cast by our kind. But it’s a fragile spell. And if the Forsaken have their way, the illusion will break. People will learn to associate my kind and yours with death, and fear will compel them to hunt us. I’ve no doubt that there are some who already think the Dragon shifters are behind the recent spate of murders.”

  “That’s the real reason we need to take the Forsaken down, isn’t it? To protect the balance between shifters and humans.”

  “It is. And we will find a way to do just that, once we have all the Relics in our possession.”

  Trix guided him to a door set in the façade of a grey stone walk-up, and extracted her keys to unlock it.

  “So, what is this place?” Lyre asked, a hand stroking the small of her back under her sword’s sheath as his voice caressed her mind.

  “My home,” she said, opening the door and stepping into a dark stairwell. “I wanted to show it to you.”

  “Oh?”

  As she made her way up the stairs, she sent him a mental explanation. “I’ve never brought a man here. Well, not a romantic interest, anyhow. I wanted you to be the first and only one.”

  “Is that right? I must say, I’m flattered.”

  She turned and grinned at him. “You should be,” she said aloud.

  At the top of the stairs she stopped, moving aside to let his massive form by. He padded through the space silently, examining everything around him. A small dining table all but filled her little kitchen, which opened out onto a diminutive living room. To the side of that lay her bedroom, its colourful linens slightly messy for lack of care.

  “Well, I think I know where we need to live on a permanent basis,” he told her as he continued the private tour and found an adjoining bathroom with a shower so small that he wouldn’t have fit inside its confining walls. “My house in the countryside is just a little larger. I think that perhaps it should be our primary residence.”

  “Is that so?” Trix pressed her fists to her hips in mock defiance as he turned to face her, noting a wide smile on her face. She was standing at the foot of her bed, delighted to have such a man in the space that had been her very solitary retreat for years.

  “Well, maybe not. I suppose I could be swayed, if…” he began, stepping forward to slip his hands around her waist. He leaned in and, pulling her hair away, kissed her neck gently once, twice. And then again, as Trix let out a sigh of pleasure. “Actually, I take it back. This place is quite nice,” Lyre’s mind conveyed to hers, his lips continuing their work even as the words came. “Quite nice indeed. Aside from the fact that I’d have to remove my legs and arms to use your shower. But who cares about personal hygiene? Let’s test the bed.”

  And with one swift movement he had her on her back, landing right on top of her katana’s sheath.

  “Sword!” she yelled, staring up into his face.

  “No,” he replied silently, reading the word on her lips. “I’m just happy to see you.”

  When Trix laughed he kissed her again, stealing the sound away. Something told the Hunter that they’d be a little late for their meeting. And she couldn’t possibly have cared less.

  * * *

  As they flew over Hampstead Heath two hours later, Trix’s eyes scanned the landscape for the lake that led to the Dragon Guild’s lair. She looked forward to seeing the others—Neko, Lumen and Aegis—now that she was a part of their world.

  But one thing occurred to her as they flew.

  “The lake,” she said. “Does it bother you to have to dive in, after…?”

  The Dragon’s voice rumbled inside her. “No,” he said. “I have no fear. Not anymore. Not of that, at any rate. I can’t lose my hearing twice, after all.”

  “I suppose that’s true,” she replied.

  And when the lake came into view, she felt Lyre’s building excitement, almost joy, as his Dragon form aimed squarely for the centre of the shimmering pool. He dove in, a torpedo breaking the water’s surface, and Trix wrapped her arms around his neck, shutting her eyes and bracing for the impact. But as with the last time they’d penetrated the water, she felt almost nothing. And when her eyes opened again they were gliding through the massive underground passageway that would lead them to a cobblestone landing pad. Trix was entirely dry, as was every last one of the Dragon’s scales.

  As they landed she looked around at the large chamber surrounding them. The place looked different from the last time she’d been here, somehow. The first time she’d seen it, it had blown her mind, this magical, underground lair inhabited by the Kindred. And this time it was just as overwhelming, but for another reason. It felt like a second home now. She’d become a part of this mythical universe, and not just because of some alliance quickly crafted between Dragon shifters and the Syndicate, but because she and Lyre were one now. The last time she’d come, she’d been another person, a Hunter who had developed what seemed like a harmless crush on a Dragon shifter.

  Now he was her mate. And she felt like a full-fledged woman. She’d aged decades, but only in the best possible way. She’d gained wisdom and experience without having had to live the long years to earn either.

  Smells were more vivid to her now, and the Guild’s hiding place under the Heath was no exception. Inhaling, she all but tasted the sweet, musty dampness of the subterranean world. The lovely, alluring musk of the Dragon shifters. And even in the dark of the long, stone-lined tunnels, her now keen eyes could make out each indentation, each detail of the rocks that made up the walls. Her nose, her sense of touch, and even her ears had improved immensely, in spite of Lyre’s concerns.

  Dizziness was still an issue, as though a sexual hangover had become a permanent fixture inside her head. But it would pass, just as it had for Neko. It was only a matter of patience. And it was worth every second of vertigo to feel so empowered.

  Taking her hand in his, Lyre led her silently to the Guild Hall, where only a few were gathered: Aegis and Lumen, as well as Neko. Trix was disappointed to find that Tryst was nowhere to be seen, as she’d wanted to find some way to thank her for what she’d done.

  “Is my brother still recovering at home?” Lyre signed to Lumen when they’d w
alked in.

  “He is,” Lumen replied. He was seated at the head of the massive wooden table at the centre of the Hall, and the others took their seats near him. “He’s improved quite a lot in the last day or two.” The words were accompanied by a broad smile, filled with a meaning far deeper than their sound conveyed. So, Lumen knew what had happened. Yes, of course he did.

  “Well, I’m happy to hear it. And I’m glad you came, Aegis,” Lyre told his old friend, his fingers moving in a rapid series of shapes that Trix couldn’t quite decipher. But he quickly filled her in on what he was saying, sending his words silently to her. “I suppose I should tell you all a thing or two about why I wanted to have this meeting.”

  Trix looked around as she pulled up a chair, noting the knowing expression on Neko’s face. Her fellow Hunter looked pleased, as though she too knew what had transpired between Lyre and herself. Trix couldn’t help but smile in return, as though to say, “That’s right. I spent the last two days in bed learning just how big a Dragon shifter’s cock is, and just how many orgasms a woman can have without passing out.”

  But her thoughts were interrupted by Lumen’s voice.

  “Have you conveyed the verse to Beatrix?” he was asking Lyre.

  The other shifter nodded.

  “Well, we know what that means,” Lumen chuckled.

  “That we do,” said Aegis, the blond-haired Dragon shifter who always seemed to be having slightly too good a time. The first time she’d met him, Trix had immediately liked him, though he’d struck her more as a roll-in-the-hay sort of fellow than a terribly serious one.

  “They’ve enjoyed a little rumpy-pumpy,” Aegis said, proving her theory in one quick verbal display. “A little of the ol’ Naughty Vicar. Engaged in a serious Snog-fest. Made the beast with two backs. Played with their bangers and mash…all right, I’m done for now.” The shifter let out a deep laugh, delighted for his old friend. He and Lyre had spent many an hour sitting at tables in pubs, feeling a little sorry for themselves in their mutual loneliness.