Page 41 of Red Dragon’s Flame

Finally, finally, they drew apart. “Wow,” she breathed. “Is sex actually better than that?”

That made him laugh again. “Infinitely.”

“Wow.” She couldn’t imagine anything being better.

“And no, you’re not going to find that out tonight. You’ve been through enough. And you need to sleep, if only so you can make good decisions.”

She really was tired. Exhaustion was creeping over her limbs again. “I wish you wouldn’t go.” Her gaze crept toward the windows, tall latticed ones with many panes and flimsy-looking latches that anyone could fly up to and smash through.

Mikah seemed to follow her train of thought. “They’re not out there,” he said quietly.

“I know.” But she couldn’t get the image out of her mind.

“How about I sing you to sleep?”

“I didn’t know dragons could sing.”

“I can. Here. Watch this.”

He picked up a small abstract sculpture off the nightstand, made of a strange purplish metal. Then he leaned back against the headboard and started to sing.

The song was in a strange language, its impossibly low notes sounding like they came from deep underground, where precious metal gleamed inside the earth, where hidden caves sparkled with crystals, where strange creatures lurked.

Then the song changed. It became soothing and protective—stone made into high walls, thick and strong, protection against enemies. The sculpture morphed and changed shape in his hands, seeming to answer the music, turning into a dragon crouched over a sleeping figure, sheltering it with his wings.

Another running series of notes, and the statue began to glow softly.

And then one more verse, strangely intimate even though she didn’t understand the words. A tendril of magic stretched out from the sculpture and touched her chest, right over her heart. A feeling of warmth spread through her.

A few more notes, and the song ended.

“That was beautiful,” she breathed. “The song, and the statue. And it’s still glowing!”

“I made you a night light,” Mikah said. “And I keyed it to me, so if you need me, all you have to do is call my name while it’s nearby, and I’ll hear you.”

“And you’ll come?”

He looked down at her with that heart-stopping smile. “I came the last time, didn’t I?”

He had. She’d sent him a message out of desperation, and against all odds, he came just in time. Like a real hero.

She smiled back. “You weren’t wearing the loincloth, though. It was disappointing.”

“I’ll remember that for next time.”

She took her night light from him and put it down by her pillow, so she could touch it whenever she wanted. He began another song, and this one soothed her to sleep.

Chapter 19

Mikah fell asleep next to Devon, and woke shortly after dawn feeling stiff and cold. He also had a crick in his neck from still being propped against the headboard.

Devon lay snuggled up next to him, one hand clutching her dragon night light and the other flung across his belly.

She looked delicate and helpless, and even though he knew she wasn’t, his heart still clenched at the thought of her facing the Allohim all alone.

They had to figure out what those fuckers wanted, and stop them. Very gently, he brushed her hair back from her face. It still wanted to cling to his fingers, which made him smile. She stirred briefly, but didn’t wake up.

He wanted to lie there all day, just soaking in the scent and feel of her.