Firestorm Forever: A Dragonfire Novel (20 page)

“Patients?” Drake asked.

“Corpses,” Niall clarified.

Rox was exuberant. “Toad only knows about them vaguely, but Neo took me to Seaview Hospital once.”

“Mr. Subway.”

“Mr. Tunnel. We only went once because it wasn’t urban enough for him, but I remember how to get in.”

Niall gave a hoot and pulled Rox down for a quick triumphant kiss.

Drake averted his gaze and scanned their comfortable abode. A city like Manhattan wasn’t his choice of a place to live, but there was a feeling within these walls, an intimacy of home and affection. They were a team, Niall and Rox, and worked together not only to help the
Pyr
, but to raise their sons and to ensure each other’s happiness.

What would give Veronica happiness? Drake had no idea. He didn’t even know how she had earned a living these past four years. He knew almost nothing about her, except that he found her alluring and the firestorm had identified her as his mate.

Drake frowned and wondered for the first time whether the firestorm’s spark might not be enough to secure his future with Veronica.

The truth was that she would have no future unless he saved her from Jorge. “We must go this night,” he said tersely. “Those who made the film will talk, or be encouraged to do so, and others like this Toad will seek out the place in curiosity. We must retrieve Veronica now to ensure the safety of all.”

“Exactly,” Niall said, rising to his feet.

“No, no,” Drake said. “You must defend your mate and sons. I will go with Theo and some of the Dragon Legion, leaving others here to ensure that Jorge does not retaliate against you. We must outwit him and surprise him in order to defeat him.”

“I didn’t realize you knew Jorge that well,” Rox said, and Drake turned to her with cool confidence born of experience.

“I do not, but he is a viper, and they are all the same.”

He did understand vipers, because he had tracked them, studied them and learned their deepest desires. He would defeat this one, using his knowledge against Jorge, using his experience and intuition to find the
Slayer
’s weakness.

And then, once Veronica was safe, he would use those same skills to woo her.

The firestorm did not lie.

The
Pyr
thought of Jorge as a
Slayer
, but he was acting like a viper.

With that realization, Drake understood. He spun slowly, scanning the various displays as the details all made sense.

“He
wants
us to come,” he whispered and felt Niall straighten. “It’s too easy because it’s a taunt. He took Veronica to this place of comfort because he intended to beguile her. He has failed in that and means to undermine her resistance. He let those humans live so that this clue to his location would be revealed.”

“But why?” Niall asked.

“I will guess that he intends to slaughter me before my mate to dishearten her.”

“Then you’ll stay away,” Rox said, getting to her feet in turn. “You’ll ignore the taunt.”

Drake turned his gaze upon her and when she took a step back, he knew she saw the avidity of the dragon in his expression. Hunting and destroying vipers was what he did, and the stakes were higher than they had ever been before.

“On the contrary,” he said softly. “We will do as he desires. If we fail to take the bait, it is the way of the viper to sharpen the hook.” Drake surveyed the details again, reviewing all the vipers he had destroyed, seeking the one telling clue in this one’s scheme. “He taunts us, which means he has prepared a trap. He will know his temporary lair far better than we can, and there will be snares to ensure his triumph.”

“You have a plan,” Niall said, his gaze assessing.

Drake nodded. “He hopes to draw us into his lair because he knows it, but we shall draw him out. The surprise will even the odds.” He nodded at Niall. “That might be enough.”

“And if it isn’t?” Rox asked.

“Then I will be killed in the defense of my mate and son, and the
Pyr
will assume the responsibility of raising them.” Drake smiled thinly. “But I do not intend to die just yet.”

* * *

Ronnie was terrified that she’d inadvertently reveal her dream of the
Pyr
Dreamwalker to Jorge. He watched her so closely she was almost certain that he couldn’t be fooled.

But she had to try.

The next night when she was collected for a visit to his apartment, she counted the number of steps she took. That might help Niall and Drake to find her. She tried to keep track of the turns they took as well, committing them to memory as well as she was able.

She knew when she arrived at Jorge’s apartment because the air was warm.

When her blindfold was removed, though, Jorge was standing right in front of her. Ronnie’s heart leapt for her throat and he smiled, as if she might make a nice snack. “You’re nervous,” he said, his voice low with suspicion. “Why?”

“I’m not nervous at all.”

His eyes narrowed. It was interesting that she found it impossible to forget that Jorge could shift shape to become a dragon, yet she had struggled to accept the same truth about Drake. “Your heart is beating more quickly than usual.”

Ronnie rolled her eyes. “Probably because my stomach is off,” she lied. Inwardly, she marveled that she was giving him attitude, but she wasn’t the woman she’d been when she met Mark. Ronnie realized with surprise that she was more accustomed to making choices, being in control, and dealing with the consequences.

Jorge couldn’t hide the gleam of satisfaction that lit his eyes, or maybe he didn’t try. “The food doesn’t suit you?”

“Maybe I picked up something.”

He practically smirked. “Yes, maybe you have.” Ronnie wished these dragons would stop making references to her being pregnant. It wasn’t even possible for her to have conceived this quickly!

“I’m not pregnant,” she insisted.

“Don’t you want a son?”

“No, not particularly.”

Jorge smiled. “Then this provides the perfect solution. You’ll bear the child and I’ll keep him.” She regarded him warily, distrusting how he smiled. “You do know that the
Pyr
just use human women as breeders, don’t you? Either Drake will take the child and abandon you or I will, and trust me, I’ll put him to much better use.”

“That’s disgusting,” Ronnie murmured, hoping she wasn’t pregnant.

Even though being so would let her live nine months more, which might give her more opportunities to be rescued. Surely Drake and his fellow
Pyr
wouldn’t bother to rescue her just to abandon her after the child was born.

If there even
was
a child. Ronnie’s stomach churned.

“What’s your poison tonight?”

Ronnie glanced up and Jorge’s smile widened. He had a lot of teeth. “Excuse me?”

“Which game shall we play?”

“Monopoly,” she said on a whim.

“My favorite,” Jorge agreed easily. “There’s nothing like owning the best real estate to put me in a good mood.”

He succeeded in that with alarming speed. He bought every property he could and in no time had two sides of the board under his control. He built steadily, chortling like a kid whenever Ronnie had to pay up for landing on one of his properties. She might have let him win, just because she wanted to see what a better mood looked like for Jorge, but he suddenly slid four properties, with their houses across the board to her.

“So you have a chance,” he said with a smile. “I like a little challenge.” He rolled the dice and bought Park Place.

“So,” he asked, his tone oddly conversational. “I suppose you just met Drake during your firestorm.”

Ronnie eyed her opponent. “Why do you suppose that?”

“It’s usually how it works, from what I understand.”

“Haven’t you ever had a firestorm?”

Jorge laughed shortly. “Not in the cards for me, I’m afraid.” He put a hand on his chest. “I have to make do with self-admiration.”

Slayers
didn’t have firestorms, then. That was good to know. It followed that even if Ronnie hadn’t seen Drake wounded and bleeding red blood, she could have been sure he was
Pyr
, just because they’d had a firestorm.

That meant he was one of the good dragons.

“You seem to get by,” she dared to say and Jorge laughed, as if surprised.

“So, you met at the first spark of the firestorm, and its heat so overwhelmed you with a burning desire that you consummated it immediately.” There was mockery in his tone. “I have to tell you that it’s not a special story, not for the
Pyr
.”

“Actually, Drake and I met years ago.” Ronnie didn’t know why she told him that, because he was obviously fishing for information, but his attitude irked her into telling him more than she should have done.

“Really? Now, that
is
different.” Jorge applauded lightly. “Kudos to you for keeping the story fresh. Did he ravish you then, and just come back for more?”

Ronnie bristled at his mocking tone. “Drake was a perfect gentleman when we first met. I’d been thinking of him ever since.”

“Interesting.” Those blue eyes gleamed with hunger. “How did you meet?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Maybe not, but we dragons do love our little secrets.” Jorge winced. “Humans don’t always think they’re so little, though.” He lifted a hand. “Maybe it’s better that you had your night of passion then were separated. Otherwise, you might have learned something that you found…unpalatable.”

“Drake has never lied to me.”

“Oh, then he told you when you first met that he was
Pyr
and a dragon shifter?”

Ronnie couldn’t hold Jorge’s gaze. “Of course not.”

Her opponent leaned over the board. “And did he tell you that satisfying the firestorm would leave you pregnant?”

Ronnie concentrated on rolling the dice.

“Yes, they do tend to omit that detail, in the heat of the moment, so to speak,” Jorge murmured. “Of course, you’ve been a single mother for years…”

“I am
not
a single mother,” Ronnie snapped, having confronted that particular conclusion more than enough times in recent years. “I’m a
widow
with a son.”

Jorge shrugged. “But you still have to do everything, don’t you? Whatever the history, all jobs fall to you when you’re the only one parenting. I’m sure you aren’t thrilled at the prospect of doing it all alone again.” He winced. “At your age.”

“I’m still young enough to take care of a baby,” Ronnie retorted. “And there’s nothing saying that Drake would have left me alone anyway, especially if you hadn’t sent those other dragons to interfere.”

Jorge used his get-out-of-jail free card. “I guess you’ll never know,” he said, as if rueful when Ronnie knew he couldn’t be. “Even though he abandoned his first wife and son. I suppose that history doesn’t
always
repeat itself.”

“Cassandra and Theo died.” Ronnie defended Drake, even as she wondered. Could there be truth in Jorge’s story?

“Of course, they did! Everyone dies sooner or later. Well, mortals and
Pyr
do anyway. The thing is, he walked away from them, doing his duty to the
Pyr
, and never returned.” Jorge met Ronnie’s gaze, feigning innocence. “Or did he forget to tell you that part, too?”

She dropped her gaze again. It couldn’t be true. Drake would be a responsible father, and she knew he had loved Cassandra. He hadn’t told her so, of course, but she’d seen his grief.

Jorge tsk-tsked. “These
Pyr
and their secrets. Come on, tell me, how
did
you meet? Drake isn’t exactly a social animal.”

“You’re so determined to paint him in a bad light, but I know better,” Ronnie said, losing her temper a bit. “Drake helped to find out what had happened to my husband, when he went missing and no one would tell me a thing. It’s because of Drake that we even knew what had happened to Mark. For that, I will be eternally grateful to Drake and his men.”

Jorge sat back to consider her. “Well, that does sound laudable.” He pursed his lips and averted his gaze. “Unless, of course, he really didn’t have to look.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That you are an attractive woman, Ronnie, and that Drake has been without the pleasure of a woman’s company for a long time. Much longer than you realize.” Jorge seemed to savoring a private joke, but Ronnie glared at him.

“By his own choice. That’s honorable.”

“But still.” Jorge smiled and Ronnie trusted him even less than usual, which wasn’t much at all. “If no one could find your husband, how did Drake find him? And was this Mark dead before or
after
Drake found him?”

Ronnie leapt to her feet. “How dare you make such an insinuation!”

“I’m just asking,” Jorge said mildly. “Because you don’t really know, do you?”

Ronnie tipped the Monopoly board so that all of the pieces scattered, then strode to the door of the apartment. “I’d like to go back to my room, please. The company is lacking a certain charm.”

Jorge shrugged and gestured to his minions, then started to pick the pieces from the floor and pack them away. He moved methodically, as if he had all the time in the world, and Ronnie knew he was satisfied with himself.