The Last Slayer (26 page)

Was this the reason the dragonlords were so contemptuous of mankind? Because even I couldn’t help but be disgusted at all the childishly petulant demands that had been made in the past. A magical gift can’t be extracted by pestering the giver. Coerced magic is tainted magic, and the results are often less than pretty. It has to be given willingly or bargained for. But if I gave people their wishes in exchange for leaving me alone, there would always be more of them wanting me to fulfill their dreams. Six billion plus people in the world, and only one of me. Dealing with an endless line of supplicants was not how I’d envisioned my life.

Hunting would have made things bearable. But obviously that wasn’t an option anymore. This time I’d gotten lucky and Ramiel had been able to revive Mary. But what about next time? What if I accidentally did something that not even he could fix?

How much of my old life did I have to give up? It seemed like everything, even Valerie. The Triumvirate obviously didn’t care about collateral damage. To them, Valerie was all too expendable, and I didn’t want to put her in danger.

I sighed. Maybe when this was over, we could visit each other again. Actually never mind. She could visit me. I hoped our relationship would remain the same. I didn’t care about the difference in our statuses as mortal and demigod. She was still my sister, my best friend, somebody I could count on. And Jack…well, who knew how he would view my new circumstances? But I didn’t want him to treat me any differently now, even if it meant he’d drive me absolutely insane from time to time with his cryptic remarks.

As for Ramiel…

It was crazy the way he could still make my breath hitch. I reminded myself that he could only be trusted up to a point. He’d lied to me about Valerie’s poison, hadn’t he? But the protest seemed hollow even to my own ears—deep inside I knew I might have done the same if I’d been him.

***

Toshi greeted us at the landing. Ramiel maintained his usual lordly silence, and I merely nodded. The little fairy dragon clasped his foreclaws and did his best to suppress a squeak.

“Milady, welcome back to Besade! I’ve readied armor for you, but the blacksmith tells me you need a fitting.”

“What? Armor?” Every time I came to this place it was something.

“I presume…I mean, your ladyship plans to go to Eastvale, does she not? If so, you will need suitable armor.”

I glanced at Ramiel. “Am I supposed to
conquer
Eastvale?”

“It would be wise to be prepared for a skirmish,” Ramiel said. “I doubt Nathanael will allow you reach your dragonhold unopposed.”

Nathanael. Just the name sent a chill down my spine. “Why would he care whether I go to Eastvale or not?”

“Until you’re recognized as the Lady of Eastvale by your own dragonhold, you will have neither a seat of power nor an army of dragons to command.”

So I guess this meant I needed a champion with a chance of defeating Nathanael and his buddies. Or at least getting around them. And here I thought all I had to do was show up at Eastvale. So much for easier to claim a vacant hold than an occupied one.

On cue, Ramiel said, “Naturally, I shall lend you support.”

Naturally. I scrunched up my face and rubbed a hand over my eyes. It was hard for me to accept Ramiel’s help. One thing to work with him for Valerie’s sake, something else to do it for myself. But did I have a choice? “Okay. And…thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

Except that a slight frown creased his forehead, and it didn’t look like it was his pleasure. I had no idea why. Although I didn’t know the exact nature of his vow or how far it extended, I was sure it didn’t go beyond helping me claim my seat of power. Only a fool would swear to eternal indentured servitude, and Ramiel was anything but. Most supernaturals would be singing and dancing at the idea of being free of an obligation.

Still, the doubts wouldn’t go away. What was in it for him? It had to be more than keeping his vow, more than exacting revenge. There was something overzealous about the way he had reacted at Nahemah’s, and when he’d killed Nathanael’s wyrm.

At the same time, a large part of me was grateful for his support. Without him I would’ve been dead twice over by now. And I had to admit I was intrigued by the man—the demigod—himself. He was the only one who could turn my insides into molten fire. He challenged my old beliefs and standards. He’d never been selfish with power or Sex.

Toshi cleared his throat delicately. “If…uh…that is, if there’s nothing more to discuss, may I show you to your room, milady?”

His question startled me out of my reverie. Apparently it had been several moments. I looked at Ramiel, who still had the frown on his face. I turned to Toshi. “Sure.”

Toshi put me in my old room, endless mirrors and more fresh-cut flowers. Their scent damped the hammers in my head until I felt calm. Not a speck of dust was anywhere in the chamber. Toshi prepared a bath and sent in a couple of fairy dragons to assist me, but I dismissed them. I wanted to be alone.

I stripped and submerged myself in the bath. The water adjusted its temperature to suit me. Magic does have its advantages. Still, this place wasn’t home.

Maybe the longer I stayed here, the more comfortable I’d get, until this world felt more like home than my old condo. Or was that even possible?

I sighed and leaned back in the tub, my head supported on the rim. The mirror on the ceiling reflected my new face—Leh’s face with my own blue eyes.

I wondered if I could sing like Leh, and the pretty face frowned. Probably not. My voice hadn’t changed, and if I’d had that ability she wouldn’t have given me the vials of her voice. Maybe they could be used to visit her again after I got my own dragonhold. I thought I’d like that. Maybe I’d learn how to control my desire for Ramiel and learn to accept the new me.

I stepped out of the tub, dried, and put on a silk robe. Then I lay on my stomach on the bed and spent some time gazing at nothing.

My heart beat slowly, heavily. Another confrontation with Nathanael. This time it was going to be a real all-out battle, no hiding behind illusion like in the Mystic Forest. Ramiel wouldn’t be having armor made for me otherwise, and this time Leh wouldn’t be there to shield me. I’d have a new champion in Ramiel, and as much as I trusted he’d protect me, as silly as it might sound, given his enormous power…I was scared he might get hurt. It didn’t sit well. My job was—had been—to protect. The idea that I’d be watching Ramiel plunge himself into the thick of battle for me—against three other equally powerful dragonlords—well, it was kind of thrilling on one level, but just seemed wrong on another.

I didn’t want to be responsible for getting him hurt. Or worse, getting his remaining wing ripped out. There were three of them, only two of us. But I knew I could never do it alone.

Furthermore, I’d studied the history of dragons, but not their warfare. Was it elaborate and ritualized, like a medieval joust? Or just a free-for-all killing spree? Maybe things had changed, and the old texts wouldn’t have provided me with anything useful anyway. Look at how human warfare had evolved over the years. I hoped it wasn’t going to be some power push like the one between Nathanael and Leh. I wasn’t strong enough yet for a battle like that.

Suddenly a very large and very solid male body was pressing down on me. For a split instant I thought it was Ramiel, but a low and chocolaty voice close to my head said, “Mmmm. Ramiel didn’t tell me I had a present.”

Something like that would have normally galvanized me into the kind of action that ends up with demon heads rolling all over the floor. But his tone held dark promises of the most decadent sensual nights a woman could ever dream of. It left my nipples hard and created a sweet ache between my legs, and suddenly I could barely keep myself from whimpering.

I started to struggle…halfheartedly. Whoever was there smelled like spice and a pure concatenation of masculinity, the kind that turns women into simpering play-toys. My mind was telling me to dislodge the body, but somehow my hormones were reveling too much to allow me to actually make much progress in doing it. I knew trouble when it was lying on me.

“Get
off,”
I managed to say forcefully. Score one for Team Me. “Who the hell are you?”

“Oh, feisty!” His warm breath tickled my ear, making me shiver…and not from fear. The soft purr made me flush and wriggle. I could feel hard heavy muscles moving over mine as I squirmed. An urge to surrender, let him do whatever he felt like doing, welled up inside.

It occurred to me that I wasn’t acting rationally. Hunters receive training in resisting the supernatural lure, of course, and I’d aced mine. The only demon who’d been able to turn me into putty despite my good intentions was Ramiel. Now there seemed to be another.

The erection that was resting imperiously between my ass cheeks saved me from myself. I wasn’t going to be some demon’s plaything, no matter what. Not if I wanted to face myself in the morning. I twisted, trying to throw him off me. All that accomplished was to allow a hand to slip under my torso, where it decided to cup and lightly squeeze one of my newly minted breasts. It was simultaneously infuriating and exciting. Oh my god, I had to be sick. I should be thinking about ways to castrate him, not getting damp.

“Get
off
me.” It came out as a long sigh.

The bastard actually chuckled. “Now why would I do that?” He rested his cheek on mine, salaciously intimate, and his hips moved slightly, creating a delicious friction where I least and most wanted it. My back arched, and as my head came up I could see our reflections in a mirror. Black eyes regarded me with an absolute focus. He was the exact opposite of Ramiel: a bronzed and languid woodland godling, utterly unconcerned with anything except his own desire. I went hot and cold all at once, my body tingling and flushing in places it shouldn’t. My own pupils had dilated to the point that there was barely any blue around them.

No, no, no. He’s an intruder. A demon!

I twisted my head sharply and snapped my teeth, trying for his cheek.

He avoided me easily. “Love, you play rough.”

“I’ll show you rough!” Except that my traitorous mind flashed an image of the two of us doing things—
rough
things—that were illegal in at least fifteen states, and my skin had grown unbelievably sensitive. Even the silk of the robe felt like it was abrading me.

“Alexandros!” The voice was blessedly familiar, but now it held an edge sharp enough to cut.

The male weight disappeared immediately, bringing me equal parts relief and disappointment. I sat up just quickly enough to see Ramiel hurl Alexandros against a wall, the action reflected thousands of times into infinity. I decided I’d never seen a more wonderful act of violence, and pressed my thighs together. Maybe there really was something to the whole caveman-protecting-his-woman thing.

Surrounded by a thousand falling shards of mirror, Alexandros twisted and landed on his feet, unfazed and apparently unhurt. Black silk billowed and settled around his broad shoulders. The V of his shirt showed golden skin sprinkled with onyx hair. Dark leather breeches hugged his hips perfectly and did nothing to hide a full-blown erection. I couldn’t help noting that it was rather impressive, and the fact that I was the reason for it made me want to squirm. Smooth rich undercurrents of magic poured from him in waves, and I craved it the way an addict going through withdrawal might.

Ramiel’s eyes narrowed slightly and suddenly his magic was wrapping around me, thick bands of nerve-crackling power and pleasure that whipsawed me against what I was feeling from Alexandros. Every nerve in my body felt supercharged and I had to bite my lower lip to stop myself from begging.

“What’s the problem? She
is
in my room,” Alexandros said, gesturing around himself. “Isn’t she a present for me?”

“Your
room?” Ramiel looked from one of us to the other, then took action like the ruler he was. “Toshi!”

I called on every hunter discipline I knew to distance myself from the inferno I was feeling inside. When that wasn’t enough I mentally recited a quelling spell, trying to direct the effects inward. My heartstone amplified the magic, and I focused to control its power. I wasn’t sure what the consequences would be if I failed. But after a moment I was finally able to reestablish a modicum of rationality and let the magic subside.

Alexandros was saying, “A girl with an ass like that… It’s rude to tease.”

Ramiel’s sword shot out of his hand, and he leveled it at the other man. “Have a care.”

“Oh, pish. You can’t kill me. Your underling sent me an invitation.”

Toshi appeared. “My lord.” He noticed Alexandros and squeaked. “Your Majesty!”

Your
Majesty?

“Well. At least somebody still remembers his manners.”

Toshi quickly apprehended the situation. The poor fairy dragon started shaking, and his distress further cooled my arousal. “Ah…I thought to give His Majesty a different room, but hadn’t decided yet which would be most suitable for His Radiance.” He looked around. “Diamonds are more suitable for a lady…” It was almost a question.

“Hang the diamonds, I need the mirrors!” Alexandros said.

“Sounds like incubus talk to me.” I was tired of not knowing anything. Who the hell was this guy? He wasn’t a dragonlord. His aura felt different from the others I’d met so far. But it was far stronger than any creature of nightmare I’d ever faced.

Alexandros gave me a killer wink. “Not just any incubus, my dear.”

I scrambled to my feet, putting the bed between us. What I was thinking couldn’t be right. “You’re
the
Alexandros? The incubus king?”

He smiled, and it hit me like a fine whisky, smoky and intoxicating. “At your service.” There was a rather unnecessary emphasis on the last word.

His sexual aura oozed pure bad-boy. I finally truly understood the dilemma my clients faced, the one I’d always scoffed at, and I was at once embarrassed and humbled. I was a trained hunter, exceptionally good at my job, and I probably wasn’t even mortal anymore. Yet I’d nearly succumbed to Alexandros’s allure. Sure he was a king and all…and unbelievably sexy…but…