‘‘I see.’’ I wondered what all this had to do with me.
‘‘The few existing black dragons who survived-how many, sweetie?’’ she interrupted herself to ask Drake.
‘‘Less than ten,’’ he answered, his hand stroking gently on her back.
‘‘The few existing black dragons who survived went into hiding, Drake’s brother Kostya included. Because he’d sworn to uphold Baltic’s plan to bring the silver dragons back into the fold, you see.’’
I didn’t see, but I wasn’t about to slow down the information dump.
‘‘So, long story short-’’
‘‘There isn’t anything short about your stories,’’ Jim muttered.
‘‘Long story short,’’ Aisling repeated in a louder voice, ‘‘Baltic was killed by Kostya, but it was too late-the damage had been done and the sept was destroyed. Kostya went to ground. Later he was kidnapped and held prisoner, although no one seems to know by whom. Drake found him and we rescued him a couple of months ago.’’
Unbidden, my gaze went to Gabriel. He took a long pull on his drink, then strolled across the room, setting his glass down on the table next to me. His face was shuttered and absolutely expressionless as he looked down on me.
‘‘I take it that this Kostya is making your life hell?’’ I asked him, dread building within me. I began to see what it was he wanted me for.
‘‘That would be an understatement,’’ he said, turning to look out into the darkness.
I set down my own glass carefully lest I end up snapping the thin stem. ‘‘I think I should tell you all that I am not a hit man. I will not kill anyone, let alone a dragon.’’
‘‘Oh, we don’t want you to kill Kostya! He’s Drake’s brother, no matter how annoying he may be,’’ Aisling said quickly. ‘‘It’s the phylactery. We want you to steal it back from him.’’
‘‘What phylactery?’’ I asked, my heart sinking. Why was it that people saw me only for my talent, and never for who I truly was?
‘‘Kostya took a phylactery from me. He intends on using it against the silver dragons in an attempt to annex them,’’ Drake said.
‘‘I see,’’ I said again.
‘‘You’re Mei Ling, the cat burglar everyone is talking about,’’ Aisling said, her face worried. ‘‘You can get the phylactery back for us, can’t you?’’
I lifted my hand in a vague gesture, unsure of what I wanted to say. With the intention of stalling for a few seconds, I snatched up my glass instead, but the moment the wine hit my tongue, I realized I’d taken Gabriel’s glass instead. It was as if I was drinking liquid hellfire.
‘‘Agathos daimon!’’ I yelped, dropping the glass and jumping to my feet as flames burst out around my feet.
‘‘Not me,’’ Aisling said when Drake looked at her. ‘‘That fire isn’t mine.’’
Gabriel spun around, his eyes glowing with a sudden light as he watched me stamp out the flames that licked my toes.
‘‘Holy cow,’’ Aisling said, watching me with openmouthed amazement. ‘‘Did she just drink what I think she did?’’
Gabriel picked the glass up off the floor, running his finger around the now-empty glass, tasting the remnants with an indescribable look as I put out the last of the flames. ‘‘Yes.’’
‘‘Oh, man, two in one year?’’ Jim asked, an odd expression on its face. ‘‘What’re the odds?’’
‘‘I’m sorry about the rug,’’ I told Aisling, grabbing a couple of napkins to try to soak up the spilled wine. ‘‘I must have grabbed the wrong glass. That’s a heck of a drink. What is it?’’
I could still taste the heady beverage on my lips, a spicy mix that had a hint of cloves and cinnamon, and a heavy red wine that was blended with something indefinable.
‘‘It’s called dragon’s blood,’’ Gabriel answered, his eyes glittering brightly as he took a step nearer to me. ‘‘Would you like more?’’
The man in black who was sitting behind me jumped up and said something in a language I didn’t recognize.
Gabriel ignored him, watching me with close attention that left me feeling somewhat flustered. ‘‘Um… sure. That would be nice.’’
No one spoke a word as Gabriel took a dusty bottle out from behind the bar, pouring out a glass of wine.
‘‘Thank you,’’ I said, accepting it, uncomfortable with the way everyone was watching me so closely. With nothing else to do, I took a sip of the drink. I was ready for it this time, but even so, the drink roared through me, setting my blood afire with its heat.
‘‘Would you mind if I tried a quick experiment?’’ Gabriel asked, breaking the silence.
‘‘I suppose not,’’ I said, looking around nervously. Everyone in the room, everyone from the demon dog on down to the two people who sat behind me, watched me with an intensity that made my palms sweat. What on earth was wrong with them all?
‘‘Good.’’ Gabriel held out his hand for me. I accepted it, but rather than releasing me as I expected, he pulled me into an embrace, his body hard against mine as he suddenly kissed me.
I stiffened for a moment, unsure of what I should do. My first instinct was to shadow and break his grip on me, but the feeling of his mouth on mine had a curiously numbing effect on my brain. I couldn’t seem to think as his tongue licked the corner of my mouth, urging my lips to part. Without conscious thought, they did so, allowing him entrance. He tasted like the drink, spicy, but with a faint woodsy note that I found very pleasing. His tongue twined around mine for a moment, then suddenly, I was filled with fire-his fire! Instinctively, I shadowed, but the fire still filled me, overspilling to spiral around me, its intensity building and building until finally, it burst out of me and spun back around him. It was an exhilarating feeling, one that left me both stunned and incredibly aroused.
‘‘Holy cow!’’ I heard Aisling exclaim. ‘‘She’s OK! She’s… she’s…’’
‘‘A wyvern’s mate,’’ Drake said, a note of wonder in his voice.
Their words sank into my head as I put both hands on Gabriel’s chest, shoving back hard enough to separate us. I stared up at him, my brain still lost between confusion and a rising passion.
His eyes positively glowed, like lightning trapped in a crystal sphere. ‘‘No mate shall be born to any members until a black dragon is accepted as wyvern,’’ he said.
‘‘Pardon?’’ I asked, trying to pull my wits together.
His arms tightened as I tried to move out of his embrace. ‘‘It’s a curse. Our sept was cursed by Baltic. Until the day when a black dragon is accepted as a wyvern, no mate will be born to any of its members.’’ His lips curved into a smile, and I found myself watching his mouth, remembering just how delicious he tasted.
Suddenly Gabriel whooped, and scooped me up in his arms, spinning us around in a circle. ‘‘But you’re a doppelganger, May! You weren’t born!’’
‘‘I’m not quite… I don’t understand-’’ I stammered, confused as to what on earth he was so excited about.
‘‘Good lord,’’ Aisling said, getting to her feet, a huge smile on her face as she hurried over to hug me despite the fact that I was still being held by Gabriel. ‘‘You’re a wyvern’s mate! Gabriel’s mate! I never thought I’d see the day!’’
‘‘Gabriel’s…’’ The sentence dribbled off as I looked with astonishment at the man who was beaming at me.
His dimples deepened, his eyes alight with a wicked glint that made me feel like I was drinking dragon’s blood again. ‘‘A mate at long last. My mate.’’
Oh, gods! Now what was I going to do?
Chapter Six
‘‘Mate-’’
‘‘Will you please not call me that?’’ I interrupted, backing away from the silver-eyed dragon who could kiss all semblance of wits right out of my head.