“It’s a failing of the species. Want to go for a walk to…” I checked Willard’s directions. “Second Street? The thief left her van there.”
“I will walk with you.” He hoovered the last of the chicken cubes and opted for incinerating the bag and skewers instead of throwing them away. At least my dragon wasn’t a litterbug. “But it is dark. Soon we will mate.”
He rose to his feet, giving me a sultry look that reminded me that food always made him horny. Even if it didn’t have a similar effect on me, that look and having his aura crackling around me did. The memory of him sliding his hand along my bare thigh in the bridal shop came to mind, fingers leaving trails of heat that flashed along my nerves. If Amber and the seamstress hadn’t been there…
Zav leaned in, and I made myself lift a hand to his chest to stop him from kissing me—and whatever else he had on his mind.
“We will,” I said, taking my gaze from his lips, “but let’s find our thief first, okay?”
The rumble that came from his throat might have been reluctant agreement or a growl of anticipation. It sent a shiver through me and made me wish this thief problem would disappear, and that Zav and I could go home and do what engaged people were supposed to do at night.
A buzz came from my phone, Dimitri’s reply.
I patted Zav and started walking as I read it. As soon as we finished this task, Zav and I could go home.
I’m setting up an Etsy store to sell my dragon door knockers online, his text read.
I see you’ve been traumatized by my enemies.
I haven’t seen her. There was a police officer who came by earlier, but it was a guy.
Are we in trouble?
Nin had pointed out that selling door ornaments that shot flames at intruders was possibly of questionable legality. Though I wasn’t sure if the police handled yard-art regulations enforcement.
I don’t know, Dimitri replied. He came in, looked around for a while, and left without asking anything.
How weird did the shop look when he came in?
You mean how many ogres, goblins, and trolls were hanging out slurping coffee?
Yeah.
Well, it’s always busy, and that’s our clientele.
So as weird as usual. We reached the intersection and turned down Second Street. The top of a white van was visible above the cars parked along the street.
Pretty much. He was pure human, as far as I could tell, so it’s surprising that he found us. The glamor Inga and I put outside doesn’t exactly camouflage the building, but it’s supposed to make it so normal people don’t notice it.
Let’s hope the psychic next door hasn’t reported you for being associated with gangs of vampires again.
She came in for coffee the other morning and waved to Gondo. I don’t think she’s a nemesis anymore.
Gondo charmed her?
I gather the goblin-fuel brew did. Everyone is a fan. You should try it.
People try to kill me on a daily basis. I don’t need anything else that jolts my heart.
I stopped in front of the van. “Do you sense anything magical about it?”
I didn’t, but Zav’s senses were far superior to mine.
“I do not. Nobody is within, and the inside is hollow.”
“It’s a cargo van.” I opened one of the unlocked doors and found it as empty as promised. “I wonder if she chose it because it was the easiest thing on the lot to steal, or if she needed it to carry around her loot. Or large artifacts such as portal generators and boxes that try to suck you into another dimension.”
Zav gazed blandly at me. “You have not fully apprised me of your encounters with this individual.”
I filled him in while I poked into the door pockets and glove compartment, hoping to chance across a brochure or a notepad with a to-do list of nefarious plans. Alas, I found only a map of Seattle, with nothing circled or highlighted.
“If she’d only come to question Nin—or Nin’s assistant—then she wouldn’t have unloaded the van, right? Maybe she’s got a hotel room or bolt hole somewhere around here.”
Zav tilted his head. “I sense… your enchanter acquaintance with the gnomish blood in the area, as well as two people with perhaps one-quarter elven blood. Two trolls are in a bar. An orc is fishing off one of the piers to the west. Those are the only beings with magical blood that I sense in the area.”
“I think she has a cloaking charm or something similar.”
“Inconvenient.”
“Especially when the bad guys have them.”
I gazed thoughtfully at the buildings up and down the block. “She’s half-dwarf, so she’ll be stronger than typical, but she still wouldn’t want to tote her cargo miles, right?” I pulled up the map on my phone to see what was nearby. “Logically, she would have parked somewhat close to wherever she’s staying, especially if she didn’t know we would be able to track down her van. What’s around here? Pub, bar and grill, a bunch of restaurants, billiards…”
“I am uncertain what types of establishments humans prefer for bolt holes. This means hiding place, yes?”
“Yes. The Cadillac Hotel is nearby.” I lifted my head. “Why does that sound familiar?”
“A Cadillac is a type of human conveyance.”
I smiled and patted his arm. “Don’t worry, Zav. You’ll get to excel when it’s time to fight.”
“Are you teasing me?”
“A little bit.”
“We have discussed that it is inappropriate for humans to tease dragons.”
“We’ve also discussed how atypical and special I am.” I leaned into him and kissed him, forgetting that he was in his postprandial lust phase.
He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against his chest, and made me completely forget what I’d found, what I’d been searching for, and why I’d been searching.
You are atypical. I like this. His hand slid into my jacket and under my shirt as his magic ran hot along my nerves.
You must also like it when I tease you then. I leaned into him, letting my own hands explore. We were in the middle of the sidewalk, with people exiting the nearby bar, but so far, nobody had hooted at us. An enemy might sneak up on us, but it was hard to be afraid of such possibilities when being embraced by a dragon. Surely, even the sword-coveting thief wouldn’t dare approach my ferocious mate.
It is inappropriate. The queen would insist I punish you until you learn proper respect for dragons.
Can’t we just have sex instead?
Yes. Now? His finger tugged at the waistband of my jeans.
Not in the middle of the street.
“Get a room!” someone called.
I’d expected that, and I made myself break the kiss, more than a little breathless, and pat Zav on the chest.
He looked toward the heckler, and his eyes flared with violet light.
“Don’t incinerate anyone, please. Willard won’t help with the wedding if you slay Earth citizens.”
“They must learn to be respectful of dragons.”
“Incineration will make that happen?”
“I might incinerate only his clothes. And his body hair. His face is covered in it, and it is not trimmed. Odious vermin.”
I clasped Zav’s hand and pointed him in the other direction. “Let’s check the Cadillac Hotel. Maybe she’s staying there.”