1303 The Dragonslayer (The 13th Floor) (2 page)

There was fear in her eyes, but her fire burned so bright. He almost smirked. There was no doubt she was the type to drive people mad with her tenacity.

“I’m not going to harm you.” Xan stood in before her, hands clasped in front of him. He no longer used the fake accent nor any act that he might be something other than he was.

“You choked me and tied me to a chair. Who knows what you did to me while I was unconscious? What happened to your accent?” Lois’ face screwed up. Her eyes darted back and forth across the room. “Did you clean?”

“I apologize, Miss King, but it was necessary. We couldn’t stay there any longer, and I didn’t think you’d willingly come with me.” He ignored her questions. “I do not wish to harm you, but I’m sure you understand the delicacy of my situation. I cannot allow you to reveal me to the world. And I will go to whatever lengths necessary to prevent that.”

“You tried to kill the Governor. More so, you assaulted and kidnapped me. Do you really think I’m going to let it go? What are you going to do? Kill me?” Lois stopped. The color drained from her face. “Oh.”

She screamed.

Xan raised his brows. She had an impressive set of lungs. He remained standing and let her have her moment. Her screams turned to shouts of “Fire!”

No one rushed to the door. The only response was some frantic activity in her pet’s cage.

“Dammit! Someone call 911!” Lois kicked at the chair.

“Your direct neighbors aren’t in right now. Your next nearest neighbor fell asleep with his earbuds in. If anyone else has taken notice, they’ll think it someone’s television or that it’s no longer an issue when they don’t see smoke. No one cares much about other people’s business these days.”

“Of course they do, or I’d be out of a job.” Lois huffed and kicked again.

“Let me rephrase that then: they don’t care about the everyday man. Or woman.” Xan added.

The dishwasher swished in the kitchen, and the anchor droned on about all the great work the Governor had done.

“Okay,” Lois said after a minute. She took a deep breath and let it out. She nodded once. “Okay. I don’t turn you in. Fine. Is that all you want to hear?”

“Yes, it is, but I don’t believe you.”

“Well, if you don’t believe me, that means you’re going to kill me anyway.” Her hands gripped the arms of the chair, fingers digging into the cushy material. “Just get on with it then.”

Xan didn’t believe she would keep her mouth shut, nor did he believe that she had given up. She was a survivor. That level of feistiness didn’t come from a person who lived a pampered life. He wondered what sort of life she had. What kind of woman lived alone with only a rodent as company? Not just any woman, but a beautiful and confident one.

“What are you staring at? Thinking how to kill me? Just do it fast. Drown me in cleaner and maybe someone will think a psychopathic maid did it.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “You misunderstand me. I don’t want to kill you.”

“A hit man who doesn’t want to kill. Yeah, I’m buying it.” Lois snorted.

“I’m not a hit man. Not in the way you’re thinking, and I don’t enjoy killing. I’d prefer it if we could work out something so we both can walk away from this tonight.” Before she could say anything, Xan held up a hand. “Hear me out. I’m willing to offer you something more newsworthy than the face of the assassin in exchange for your silence.”

“And what could be more newsworthy than that?” She crossed her legs, drawing his gaze to them. Xan swiftly diverted his attention back to her face.

“I know of several murders the Governor has committed. He supports underground crime and has billions of dollars stashed in secret accounts.”

“So you’re saying Randall Whittaker is really a mob boss?” Lois narrowed her eyes.

“No, not in those terms.” Xan shook his head.

“Money and crime, not so thrilling. Every politician has his hands dirty. But the murders? Do you have any proof?”

“You have my word.”

Lois blew out a puff of air that made her bangs flutter before settling in front of one eye. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t take you on your word. I need evidence.”

“My word is my honor.” Xan lifted his chin, but then nodded once. “All right. I can supply you with a list of his victims.”

“A list.” She pursed her lips and sighed. “I need hard evidence. Pictures, video, eyewitnesses, bodies. You have any of those?”

“No.” He never had need of such things. He wasn’t going to blackmail the Governor or turn him into the authorities. Once he knew the dragon’s identity, it was his duty to kill him. And he’d failed. His jaw clenched.

“So I just take your word that Whittaker is a murderer and keep your secret without revealing my source? No one’s going to believe it. I’ve never liked the guy, but the people love him. I’d be hunted down and burned at the stake.” Lois tapped her fingers. “You’re still the bigger story. Care to try again, big guy?”

The anchor announced the Governor would be making his speech in a minute. Xan perched on the edge of her coffee table. “Okay. This speech. My proof to you that he’s not what he seems. He’s going to address me directly and offer a challenge. Subtly, but it will still be there.”

“What?” She snorted. “Why would he do such a thing? He’ll just tell everyone he’s fine, assure them he isn’t going to start talking about more gun control, and his popularity rating will go through the roof.”

“Listen to him as he talks. He’s more a killer than I am, and he takes pleasure in it.” Xan wished he could say more. Once upon a time, his kind were heroes. When they told people there was a dragon in their midst, no one doubted them. Now if he uttered the word dragon, he’d never be believed and he’d have to kill her as she laughed at him. “You work with words. Have you ever paid attention to what he says? What he
really
says.”

Lois frowned and turned her attention to the screen as Whittaker walked up to a podium. A thin red line ran along his cheek. Straight and perfect. Just like his suit and reassuring smile. And the American flag that was positioned behind him.

Applause broke out. The Governor paused, taking a moment to bask in it, and then held up his hands. “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for all your support. As you can see, I’m unharmed. Merely a scratch.” He chuckled and everyone laughed with him as if on cue.

It was easy for a dragon to mesmerize humans. He was disguised as a handsome man. Distinguished and well spoken. A little gray in his black hair to give the appearance of experience. Not that Xan could tell from seeing Whittaker on television, but he could see through the glamor in person. If only the world could see the monster they had elected to lead them.

“I apologize the fundraiser was so rudely interrupted. I’ll be donating an additional $100,000 to Riley’s Children’s Hospital. Instead of making a big fuss about what happened tonight, I would love to see everyone using their resources to help raise money for the amazing research the hospital is doing. The children are our future.”

More applause and a few questions shouted out. Whittaker held up a hand again and ignored the reporters.

“As for the individual who tried to kill me tonight.” The Governor’s gaze drilled into the camera. If Xan didn’t know better, he would’ve sworn the monster was looking directly at him. “You have failed.” His mouth quirked up with smarmy pleasure. “Try again. God will protect me as he always does. The authorities will hunt you down and find you. You will be brought to justice. I have complete faith in our system. In fact, they might be at your door right now.”

“That wasn’t subtle at all.” Lois slipped under the cord and jumped out to hide behind the chair. Xan gritted his teeth. His attention had been so focused on the television, he hadn’t seen she’d wiggled out from his restraints.

He stood as there was a knock on the front door. Lois screamed for help, and the door exploded inward.

CHAPTER 3

No thought was needed. Xan let years of training take over. Two men burst into the condo. Both with shaved heads, dressed in suits, and wearing sunglasses. No weapons. Just their inhuman hands.

Dragonkin.

It was the fluid way they moved and the fact one had smashed a door down with one hit without breaking a sweat.

Kill the monsters. Protect the innocent.

The innocent who just threw a shoe at the back of his head.

“That’s him! He kidnapped me! He was going to kill me! He tried to kill the Governor!”

They didn’t need her report. The dragonkin would know him for what he was as he knew them.

Xan dodged a punch from the first one and ducked, driving his fist into his gut. The dragonkin slammed a fist down on Xan’s shoulder, knocking him to one knee, and kicked him back against the far wall. Not waiting to get his breath back, Xan pulled a dagger from his jacket. The edge glinted with the reflection from the TV.

Silver lined the blade. Dragons gained immunity to it as they aged, but dragonkin lacked that advantage.

The dragonkin charged as his brother rounded the chair toward Lois. Her babbling about how horribly she’d been treated was cut off as he grabbed her around the throat.

These monsters were careless. Perhaps the Governor didn’t train them like he might’ve hundreds of years ago. But what modern mortal could beat a creature with supernatural strength and healing after all? The old dragon had gotten lazy.

Xan rammed the knife into the dragonkin’s abdomen and jerked it upward. Just silver in his bloodstream would be enough to kill him, but Xan wanted him dead fast. Black blood gushed forth, steaming and hot against his flesh. He hissed as it reddened his flesh with burns.

The body dropped with a wet thud to the floor. Xan ran at the second dragonkin who tossed Lois into the kitchen like a used tissue.

The dragonkin twisted and backhanded Xan. Xan’s momentum sent him sideways into the chair. The beast was on him before Xan righted himself, taking hold of Xan’s head and squeezing. The pain was excruciating, but it wouldn’t hurt as much as the blade he drove into his enemy’s side.

A monstrous scream threatened to pop his eardrums. The dragonkin flailed and fell to the floor in a shuddering heap. Blood soaked fast into the rug as if it were a creature feeding.

Xan shook his head, focusing on his thoughts and forcing down the pain. Breathe in and out. The dragonkin were dead, but once they didn’t return or report in, there would be others.

He needed to leave the condo. Leave town. Go home and plan what he was going to do next. Xan couldn’t let it go. The Governor had to die and only Xan could kill him. Would the dragon expect him to attack again sooner rather than later?

“The blood. They weren’t human. Oh my God.” Lois rasped, voice catching with the last exclamation. She remained on her knees in the kitchen, staring out into her ruined living room. Her hands clenched her skirt.

He needed to go, but he couldn’t leave her behind. His brows furrowed. Taking in another deep breath and letting go with a slow exhale, he wiped his knife on the body of the dragonkin beside him before sheathing it. He didn’t worry about the bodies. The Governor would hide the evidence of his bastard blood.

“Miss King.” His body filled the frame of the kitchen entrance way. “I need you to collect a few of your things in a bag. Quickly. We need to be gone before any more arrive.”

“There are more of them? Who are they?
What
are they?” Lois didn’t move from her spot on the tiled floor.

“They work for the Governor. That’s all you need to know right now.” Xan stepped forward and offered her a hand. His clean hand.

“What? No way. I’m not going anywhere with you.” She scooted back into the corner by the cupboards. Her arms wrapped around herself. “I’m staying here. The cops will offer me protection. They’ll see whatever is lying in there and I’ll have the whole goddamn army protecting me.”

“No. What you’ll get are men paid by the Governor, and if you’re lucky, they’ll make your death quick.” He thrust his hand toward her again.

“Why should I believe you?” Lois pushed herself up and tossed back her hair. She stood awkwardly for a few seconds with only one shoe before kicking it off. “You’re going to kill me, remember?”

Xan didn’t need a reminder. He’d hoped the dragonkin would be enough evidence for her. Her death wasn’t one he wanted on his hands, but he didn’t have anything on him that could prove to her the truth of things.

He didn’t have anything, but perhaps his slain enemies might.

Turning, he left the kitchen and carefully went through the pockets of the dragonkin nearest to him. Finding his wallet, he withdrew it and flipped it open. The beast’s ID was no surprise. Xan tossed it into the kitchen to Lois.

“Indiana State Police.”

Xan moved to the other body and found a wallet containing similar identification. State Governors were protected by that state’s Highway Patrol, and in Indiana, it was the state police. Who else would the dragon want to protect him? If he became president, he’d have his dragonkin made Secret Service members.

The second dragonkin also had a cell. It was on and unlocked. Tapping the screen, a list came up. Nine names and addresses. Most related to some television station or newspaper. Members of the media like Lois.