Never Deal with Dragons (21 page)

“I missed you.” The words came from my throat on a gasp, as Trian’s deft hands parted my robe and cupped my breasts.

His breath was moist on my skin when he laughed. “I can tell. And I’ve missed you too.” Calloused fingers brushed my nipples lightly, causing the sensitive peaks to harden even further. His lips began to follow, and I groaned.

“Ah, you’ve got to stop that.”

“Why?” He moved his lips to the side of my neck, tracing a warm path up before he nibbled at the spot just behind my earlobe.

Sometimes it sucked when the guy already knew all your hot buttons.

I grinned. “Because I’ll never manage to get your clothes off at this rate.”

He laughed, the vibration sending shivers along my bare skin. “I can live with that.” My robe was gone, tossed to the floor who knows when. His lips moved south. I couldn’t let them reach their destination. If I did, I’d likely lose the small amount of brain function I still possessed.

I smiled. Sometimes it helped to already know all the guy’s hot buttons.

I placed my hand on Trian’s leg, just above his knee. His muscles were hard and unyielding, his body displaying every inch of the strength and discipline required to lead an army of humans and dragons alike. It was his turn to moan as I slid my hand up his thigh, closer and closer to the hard length of flesh just behind his zipper.

His breath came out on a groan. “On second thought, it is a little hot in here.” He cupped my rear and mock-tossed me into the center of the mattress before shrugging out of the shirt I’d almost managed to unbutton completely. The last fastener yielded to its fate and flew across the room, landing somewhere behind the desk tucked into the corner. Trian wasted no time removing his remaining clothing, and soon his lean, hard body was tucked intimately against mine.

His voice whispered against my ear. “Now this is what I missed most.”

It was my turn to laugh. “Typical male.” But he was right. This is what we’d been dancing around for weeks.

Trian lay still for several moments, allowing me a moment to simply relearn the feel of my body against its counterpart. Rock solid muscle against the soft give of flesh, calloused fingers twined with paint-tipped nails, the rough scrape of stubble on his chin rubbing against the thin skin of my face: every spot on my body seemed to exult in the foreignness of its opposite.

I ran my hand along the broad expanse of his back, dipping lower to caress the slight swell of hip and rear. Just as I had a year ago, I marveled at his perfection, at the amount of sheer power wrapped in such a pretty package.

I sat up to trace the rest of his skin, the pads of my fingers running across a wealth of scars, both old and new. I touched the pale white skin just under his ribcage, the one he told me was from a bicycle accident when he was seven.

“Claw mark. From my early combat training.” He smiled. “You weren’t the only one to get a few bumps and bruises from old Plob.”

I moved to the spot just above his belly button.

“Sword. Got that chasing down one of Relobu’s more aggressive offenders. I should’ve known better than to take my eyes off the bastard. He stuck me while I was talking to one of my guards.” His lips quirked into a very male smile. “His scar is bigger.”

I reached up to the thin line near his right eye. “Now that one I really did get trying to fly off the roof. The only difference was, I didn’t try it with only a cape.”

He grasped my hand and moved it to his chest, just over the center of his heart. He waited until my gaze locked with his.

“This one I got a year ago. I was stupid and thought running was a better option than talking.” Still holding tight to my hand, Trian used his other hand to tuck a stray curl behind my ear.

“It hurt worse than all the others. I’ll be careful not to repeat that mistake.”

My vision went blurry with tears. I leaned up and kissed him hard on the lips. “You make sure of it.”

“Oh trust me, I will.” He gathered me up, rolling until my back was flat against the bed. And with those words, he slid our bodies together in one smooth stroke.

The feel of him was incredible. I gasped. “Oh, wow. Did I mention I missed you?”

Trian was out of breath when he answered. “I believe you might have said something of the sort.”

“Well, if I didn’t, I should have.” I tilted my hips, a silent invitation.

Trian accepted. He began to move, and soon we were both gripping each other tightly, riding out the twin waves of lust and love.

Chapter Sixteen

I stepped into the crowded conference hall of the hotel and gawked at the sight before me. The room had been transformed into the gaudiest of courtrooms, studded with banners and golden flags galore. Even with no notice, Lady Adelaida knew how to set a stage.

At the request of that same lady, hotel management had erected a large platform where the dragon council would sit, presiding over the trial of Lord Lin Hian-puo. The rest of the space was filled with a hodgepodge of chairs and dragon perches, ensuring an excellent view for anyone in attendance.

I scanned the crush of guests. Even with Carol’s excellent wardrobe choices, I still felt underdressed compared to some. The ladies were clad in all-out evening wear, and I spotted more than a few of the gentlemen dressed in black-and-white tuxedos, some complete with full tails and top hats.

The dragons were likewise turned out, sporting an eclectic mix of dragon armor and elegant silk capes with matching tea hats that would rival those at a royal wedding, if the British monarchy still existed. The excitement in the room was palpable. Both dragons and humans wandered around the enormous hall, chatting and laughing like old friends as they waited for the trial to start. Translators buzzed around the space like bees, trying to keep up with the constant demand.

Who would have believed a possible death penalty would serve to unite the two races? I wondered whether Lord Relobu had noticed. I sincerely hoped he had not. Although his goals were pure, his methods were sometimes a bit bloodier than I preferred. I wouldn’t put it past the dragon lord to do anything necessary to keep the relationships growing—including scheduled gladiator matches.

The mood of the guests struck me as more appropriate for a garden party than a panel for justice. I half expected to see waiters meandering through the crowds with trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres
.
I couldn’t decide whether to be glad or disturbed that everyone seemed to be getting along so well.

“Well, hello, dearest Myrna. Strange that we would meet again under such...extreme circumstances.”

I turned to see one of my new reptilian guards stepping between me and a very angry Hian-puo in dragon form. He must have entered while I was taking in the crowd. Here was the part of the day I’d been dreading.

“Can I assume that Liam was the general more inclined to help you?” Hian-puo asked, referring to the brown dragon who was good friends with Rime.

I didn’t answer. They’d somehow managed to keep the identity of the dragon who’d turned on Hian-puo a secret. That was good news. Hopefully the poor dragon wouldn’t suffer the same experience as Rime—or worse.

Trian had warned me that Hian-puo would be here, but nothing could have prepared my nerves to face the Chinese lord. Hian-puo stood before me, in dragon form and unfettered. He wore a gold breastplate studded with colored jewels, and appeared ready to enjoy the festive atmosphere.

But party or no, he could easily kill me with a quick flick of his enormous claw. Especially as my guard seemed to be the only one in the room who recognized the dragon as the one shortly to be on trial. The rest of the room’s occupants continued their interactions, without a clue that a half-crazed killer stood only feet away.

I hid my hands behind my back so he wouldn’t see them tremble. “Lord Hian-puo. I’d say it was nice to see you again, but considering our last meeting, I’m afraid my greeting wouldn’t sound sincere. Neither would my apology, if you were expecting one.”

I don’t know what had caused me to actually bait the dragon—my stupidity never ceases to amaze me—but the dragon lord hissed and lunged at my face, knocking my guard to the floor with awesome speed. Just when I expected the pain of my bowels being ripped open, Hian-puo halted his advance, and I felt a warm hand touch my back. Trian stood beside me, his thin silver blade denting Hian-puo’s leathery hide just below the dragon’s neck.

Trian’s voice was harsh. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Attacking an honored guest of Lord Relobu at a public function will get you killed even faster than this trial.”

“Step out of the way, mongrel. This is none of your concern.”

Trian’s hand curled around my hip. He looked down at my face, keeping his sword poised over Hian-puo’s heart, but deliberately ignoring the angry dragon lord. “Are you okay?”

I heaved out a breath. “Yeah. Thanks.” My guard had regained his footing and now gripped Hian-puo’s right claw, forcing the dragon lord to stop his forward movement or get his arm twisted off. I nodded to the guard, silently thanking him for serving as an added barrier between the furious dragon and me.

Hian-puo must have realized he was outnumbered, because he stepped back and shook off the guard’s hold. He made a minute adjustment to his breastplate, which had listed to the right during the fracas, and then addressed Trian.

“I’d be very careful, Mr. Chobardan. Sometimes, the things we hold most dear end up...broken.” The dragon lord looked to me, making it obvious I was the “dear,” before turning and walking through the open space made by the hushed crowd.

I shivered at his words, knowing full well that I didn’t stand a chance against him alone.

Trian met my eyes. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t think he’d be so rash as to confront you here. If you’d like, I can speak to Lord Relobu. He’ll likely allow you to testify tomorrow if you’re not feeling up to it. We can postpone the trial.”

“No. I want it over with.” I was tired of jumping at shadows, and of being trailed by a full squadron of dragons armed with more steel than I’d need to rebuild the Empire State Building. The faster this was finished, the faster I could move on.

Trian sheathed his sword, and cupped my face in his hands. The action was likely for the benefit of our rapt audience, but I reveled in the feel of his warm grip. “Promise me you won’t leave the courtroom without me.”

“I promise.” Because I could see Trian was just as worried as me, I gave him a quick kiss on the nose. “So you really can hide a sword under a tuxedo, huh?”

He grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “I can hide a lot more than that.”

I laughed. “After this fiasco is over, I expect to see proof.” It was always funny to me how the very serious Trian had no problems making horrible jokes.

Trian leaned down and kissed me for real this time. “I’ll be glad to provide it.” His words sent a thrill through me, my body remembering last night’s encounter. I could feel myself blush.

And now what we were providing was one more show for the crowd. Today was a regular soap opera. With kissing, and dragons. Super-hot, tuxedo-clad dragons hiding...things under their jackets.

Trian grinned. “Oh, what I wouldn’t give to know what’s running through your head right now.”

His words made me blush even more, and he laughed. Then his head came up.

I followed his gaze. Lady Adelaida had entered the room, her canary-yellow scales paired with a gorgeous drape of green silk. “Looks like you’re officially on the clock.” I nudged him toward the dragon queen. “Go on, I’ll be fine.”

He looked at me, worry clouding his eyes. “I’m not sure what her schedule is today, but I know she has meetings late into the night. I can’t tell you when I’ll be off.”

“It’s not a problem.”

“If it’s too late, I’ll come pick you up for breakfast.”

“Sounds good. And don’t worry. This guy,” I pointed at my guard, “will take good care of me until you’re back.”

Trian gave my guard a look of warning before joining his charge, leaving me standing by myself like a lovesick fool.

The description wasn’t so far off the mark.

I spotted Carol near the back of the hall. Her arms were wrapped protectively around her waist, and she stared longingly at something just over my shoulder. Worried that yesterday’s dragonback flight had made her sick, I started toward her, but before I could reach my friend, a loud roar filled the hall.

It was Lord Relobu calling the meeting to order. One by one, the members of the dragon council joined in the shout, until my ears were ringing so much I was afraid I’d never hear anything else.

Relobu addressed the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, dragons and dragonettes, we ask that you please be seated. For the trial, the proceedings will be conducted in dragonspeak.

“For those of you not blessed with the talent, in-ear translators will be provided. Please see my official near the back of the room.” A human male repeated Lord Relobu’s words in English and Chinese, and gestured to the door.

I twisted my head to find Richard distributing tiny headpieces to the human guests, smiling like a politician.

I looked back to Carol. She wasn’t happy, and I was pretty sure Richard was to blame. Unfortunately, a man approached and asked to show me to the area reserved for those providing testimony. I waved off his offer of a translator, and headed for my chair. I didn’t have time to speak to either half of the couple.

I took my seat and watched as Hian-puo made his way slowly toward the defendant’s table, his posture as straight and proud as if he were the finale in a grand parade. I rolled my eyes.

The arrogance of the dragon was unbelievable. I pretended the chill of fear I’d experienced from the hate in his eyes was due to the air conditioning. But who was I kidding? Half the room was filled with cold-blooded reptiles. If anything, the heaters were on. It felt like a sauna in here.

Good thing I wasn’t nervous in front of crowds. My body would likely shut down with the stress of public speaking coupled with the fear of public disembowelment. I put a hand over my churning stomach and took my eyes off Hian-puo.

Trian stood just to the left of the elevated Lady Adelaida as she joined the council, his eyes flicking over the crowd as the room grew quiet.

Lord Relobu continued. “For those of you unfamiliar with dragon procedure, you will find us slightly less formal in our proceedings than the human courts. But make no mistake, our ruling will be final, and anyone who wishes to challenge our decision will be challenging the whole of the dragon council. We will not allow it.”

Lord Relobu mounted his perch, ceding the floor to an equally old dragon whose clouded gray scales hadn’t aged nearly as well as Relobu’s green armor. The older dragon stood and introduced himself as Dragon Lord of Australia and New Zealand before shuffling back to his seat. The remainder of the dragon council identified themselves in the same manner, until each member had been presented to the audience.

A bailiff, also of the reptilian persuasion, stood and read the formal charges levied against Hian-puo, the most serious being the attack and captivity of Lord Relobu’s team of dragons bound for Shui-Tech.

The lawyers were next. The defense attorney was a dragon from Hian-puo’s territory, obviously, but I was surprised to learn that the prosecutor hailed from South America. I’m not sure why, but I’d assumed Lord Relobu would be supplying the representative.

“Vitor Neceron came highly recommended from several dragon lords. He’s the best we’ve got.” Richard had taken the seat beside me, and whispered as the lawyers completed their opening remarks.

“Zhou,” Richard pointed to the defense counsel, “belongs to Hian-puo. He’s the only one willing to take on Hian-puo’s defense. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s been forced into service.”

I was betting on the latter. Zhou slumped on his perch beside Hian-puo, looking like he’d just lost his entire family. Maybe he had. Hian-puo wasn’t known for his generous spirit, and I wouldn’t put it past him to conscript the dragon’s help with a bit of negative persuasion.

“Vitor is going to try and call you to the stand first, and have me fill in any other details after.” He touched my knee. “I forgot to ask. Are you wearing the biosensor?”

Startled, I turned to meet his eyes. “No. Was I supposed to?”

Richard shook his head. “I was just curious.” He leaned closer to whisper in my ear. “It’s not a big deal. But I don’t think he can take much more torture. I’d avoid mentioning how it’s been malfunctioning.” Richard gestured behind us. I turned to see Lord Relobu’s scientist, looking just as sick as he had the last time I’d seen him, slumped in a chair with his head hanging between his knees as if he expected to vomit at any second.

I snickered. “Poor guy. That would be like heaping more embarrassment on top of the already huge pile of humiliation he’s wearing. I imagine I can give my testimony without talking about the weird readings from the biosensor. We found the machine without his help anyway. I’ll make sure and mention his assistance with the schematics was a big help. Maybe they’ll promote him, and he won’t have to fly dragonback anymore.”

Richard laughed and patted my knee. “I’m sure he’d appreciate it.”

I nodded, and looked to Trian. He gave me a small smile of reassurance before returning his attention to the crowd.

Vitor stood and addressed the council. “We ask that Miss Myrna Banks present herself for questioning.”

I murmured to Richard under my breath before I stood. “Here goes nothing.”

I took a deep breath, and climbed the stairs of the podium.

“I’m ready.”