by Eve Langlais
I won’t let that happen. He’d fight.
I might not have science, but I have magic. He reached out to tickle the edge of the magical river. Enough power to do what he needed. He gathered the tools for his spell.
And then was pretty sure he cast it wrong because, instead of detecting and showing him where Elspeth was, it brought the woman to him.
Chapter Twelve
Holding onto Babsy, perched on the sliver of a seat at the back of the bike—which Babette had apparently borrowed on the fly, AKA stole—Elspeth didn’t have much time to think about Luc. Too much squealing in delight and yelling, “Faster!” as she hung on to Babette while they took tight corners and raced down straight stretches.
Elspeth did not have the time to process how Luc made her feel—emotionally. Her girly parts, however, felt very wet and tingly.
At least she wasn’t alone in her attraction. His rather large erection had proven that. That kind of massive growth should be looked at. She’d volunteer.
For his health, of course.
When the bike slowed to a stop, she was ready to ask Babsy to turn around when she realized they’d not arrived at their hotel, but the airport.
“What are we doing here?” she asked.
“Time to go home.”
“Home? I can’t go home yet. I need to help Luc.” Help him with his grief. Help him adjust to this world. Help him out of his pants.
“Luc can help himself.”
“What of our luggage?”
“We’ll buy new stuff,” Babette replied. “We have to hurry. I have orders from your mother and the king to bring you home.”
“How kind of them both to care. But—”
Babette interrupted Elspeth. “They miss you.”
“They do?” Elspeth’s expression brightened. “I miss them, too. But really, if Mother wants to see me, I could just video call her. The king, too.”
“A call isn’t like a hug in person.”
“True.” She could tell Babette was coming over to the hugging side. “But what of our mission?”
“You heard the Emerald cow, nothing to see.”
Elspeth chewed her lower lip because she heard the lie. Did her bestie hide something from her? “You’re still pining for Joanna, aren’t you?”
“What? No.” Babette acted startled, but Elspeth knew it was an act.
She patted her bestie’s knee. “Don’t worry. You’ll find someone else. Someone who isn’t married or a homicidal despot intent on ruling the world.” Babsy’s last girlfriend now lived in some alternate dimension with a huge tentacled monster.
Which, for some reason, made her think of Luc. Earlier, she’d collapsed in sadness because of his story. Now that she’d had time to recover, she found strength in it. Purpose. He might not realize it yet, but he needed her. Needed her to show him how to be happy again.
I have a mission. Which was why, when they boarded the plane, she excused herself right away to go to the washroom—and kept on going out the door before it closed.
She ran back into the airport and then out to the area with all the taxis, only to realize she’d misplaced her wallet. On the plane.
“Oh fiddlesticks.” How would she get back to Luc?
She could always change shapes and fly, but this close to the airport, she’d probably get into trouble. The king had sent out a memo about them interfering with airplane flight routes.
She’d have to get farther away before she attempted it. Given walking was considered healthy, she set off with a jaunty step. A car pulled up alongside her. The window rolled down, and a very handsome man peered out at her.
“Can I give you a ride?” he asked.
The kindness of strangers never failed to delight. “That would be epic,” she exclaimed. “How nice of you to offer.”
She went to grab the door handle, only to pause as someone shrieked, “Elspeth Mary Canard, don’t you dare get in that car!”
Oddly enough, that sounded just like her mama. A quick whirl showed Babette stalking down the sidewalk. She didn’t seem to be enjoying the energizing walk, judging by her scowl.
Turning back to her Good Samaritan, she offered an apologetic smile. “Oops. I see my friend. I guess I won’t need a ride, after all.”
For a moment, she could have sworn the driver’s eyes turned red and, amidst the swirl of cologne, a hint of something else appeared. Something familiar…
He sped off just as Babette reached her, hands planted on her hips.
“What is wrong with you? We are supposed to be on a plane flying home.”
“I told you, I have unfinished business here.”
“Yes. Yes. You told me. Luc needs you. Blah. Blah.” Babette rolled her eyes. A lot of people exercised their orbs in that way around Elspeth.
“This isn’t just about Luc. It’s also about the missing girls.”
“What missing girls? The humans?”
Elspeth shook her head. “Nope. The dragon ones. Joanna lied to us.”
“I knew it!” Followed by a crowed, “Told you so.”
“And I should have believed you. Especially since it must have been hard to accuse her given your attraction.”
Babette’s lips flattened. The reminder of her impossible lust still hard to handle. “What made you change your mind?”
It was Elspeth’s turn to exercise her eyeballs. “Because I had a vision, of course.”
“A vision.” Babette repeated this slowly. Probably to ensure that she remembered it forever.
“Yes. A vision.” Elspeth began to walk back in the direction of the airport and the taxis idling by the curb. “I get them all the time, sometimes in my dreams.”
“Dreams aren’t real.”
“Mine are. I know the future.” Several versions, as a matter of fact. Which could get confusing, especially when she assumed certain things had come to pass. A certain election came to mind.
“You dream of the future?”
“Mostly. Sometimes the past.”
“How come I’m just hearing this now?” Babette asked, her expression quite skeptical.
Having been on the receiving end of that quite often, Elspeth never took offense but rather celebrated the fact that her friend didn’t take things at face value but questioned. Everyone should be so bright and inquisitive.
“Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. Mama says I shouldn’t speak of it.” From a young age, Mama had whispered, “Never tell anyone about the dreams. They won’t understand. Hoard those secrets.” It was why Mama said she needed the drugs.
“Your mother knows?”
“As well as the doctors. Although they think I’m cured. I stopped telling them when stuff was going to happen. I did feel bad though when Dr. Gump got puked on that day in the cafeteria.” Elspeth, knowing it was coming, had sat in the far corner with her green Jell-O.
“If you’re seeing things, shouldn’t you be in some temple or something? Isn’t that where the fortune tellers go?” Babette asked.
“Do you think I could be a gypsy fortune teller? Those hoop earrings are really awesome. Although I’ve never tried to dye my hair dark.” Elspeth grabbed a curl and yanked it taut. “How would it look?”
“How about we forget the hair for a minute and go back to the dreams you have of missing dragons. What makes you think they’re real?”
“Not real so much as possibilities. I see many paths the future can take.” The branches were many and, oddly enough, converged with some acts only being small blips in the road. “Some futures have more divergences than others.”
“What you’re saying is the future is not set in stone. Cool,” Babette replied.
“Why aren’t you more surprised?” Elspeth asked. Then immediately answered her own question. “My mother told you I was special.”
“Actually, Aunt Klarice told me to ignore anything weird you do.”
“I am not weird.”
“You have to admit, you have quirks.”
Elspeth
tossed her head. “I am unique. Did you know I can gnaw through braided rope in under three minutes?”
“A better question is, why would you do that, and why the fuck would you want to time it?”
“Why not?”
“More like, why me?” Babette grumbled. “Let’s get back to the missing girls. The ones you’re so worried about. Who are they?”
“Anyone and everyone.”
“Are you trying to talk like a temple priestess? Plain English, please.”
“What I mean to say is that the only real commonality between the missing people is their sex. All women. However, the ages vary.” Elsie closed her eyes as she tried to remember the vague dream from the night before.
“You said they were dragons.”
“And humans. The humans he tends to feed on right away. The dragons he prefers to savor.” Elsie swayed in place, the vision finally replaying, but this time, she controlled the pace of it. The talent of the Yellow. Not to fight or kill or burn, but to see the truth. History as it happened.
It drove some people mad.
Her mother was determined to ensure it didn’t happen to Elspeth. Hence all the hospital visits. Mama hoped to find a chemical and psychological balance to help her hold on to her sanity.
It worked. Elspeth didn’t need as many pills now to maintain her happy, as long as she abstained from alcohol. It undid all her training.
“Have you had any visions about me?”
Not one she cared to share. Elspeth intended to make sure that vision didn’t come to pass.
What of your promise to Mama not to meddle?
That didn’t count with friends. She wouldn’t let Babette get hurt. And she needed Luc to ensure that happened.
At least with Elspeth having admitted her secret, Babette didn’t argue much when Elspeth said they were going back to see him.
Her heart fluttered in her chest as the taxi approached his home. Wondering how he would react when he saw her.
Most people groaned and then pasted false smiles. Crazy Elspeth, who said the oddest things, who saw the good in the world. No one could handle it.
Until Luc. She would have never believed a man like him would even notice a girl like her. However, she’d seen it in a few visions of the future, their bodies entwined. Flesh to flesh. Joined as if one.
She couldn’t wait.
Entering his house, not bothering to knock—let Alfred have a break—she went to the library, knowing she’d find Luc there. Yet he didn’t even lift his head to acknowledge her.
He seemed much more intent on his map.
Which was why she snuck up on him.
Chapter Thirteen
“Where is she?” Luc stared at the map. Quite uselessly, he might add, since nothing on it meant a damned thing to him.
But what else could he do when his location spell had failed?
Am I doing it wrong?
Luc had never performed a locating spell before. His access to materials in the cell had proven rather sparse. Therefore, his current knowledge on how to execute it was by memory alone, which could be, admittedly, faulty.
There existed a multitude of ways he might have bungled it, and he had nothing to use as a reference. He’d fled Hell too quickly. I should have brought some of the spell books with me. However, in his haste to avoid being trapped, he’d fled without supplies.
Staring at the mess on the table, he had to wonder where he’d failed. Didn’t matter. He’d have to start over. Only one problem. He’d already used the last strand of hair he could find. A bright yellow one he’d found in his bed.
A place she’d surprised him.
The woman constantly stunned him, first by being the first dragon he didn’t actively hate. On the contrary, he rather liked her. He also needed her. His cock nodded in agreement.
He frowned.
He needed her for practical reasons.
His cock again agreed.
Apparently, they’d have to chat. He’d make his cock spit out why he was being a traitor. But only after he’d found Elspeth.
“Where are you?” he muttered under his breath.
“Right here!”
The declaration from behind startled him. He didn’t even think. Just whirled and held up his hand. Staving off an attack.
Something pulsed out from him, a wave of force. A power of some kind that sent Elspeth and Babette sliding back to the door, giving him some space.
Too late. Her scent lingered, and he barked, “How did you get in here?”
He really needed to invest in some guards. He wasn’t used to people unexpectedly coming to see him.
But didn’t you want to find her?
Yes. But he’d have preferred not to have possibly squeaked like a rodent when it happened.
Alfred peered around the edge of the office door and asked, “Is the master in need of my services?”
“Not anymore. My uninvited guests have already found their way inside.”
“What—” Alfred stopped midsentence to utter his own squeak of surprise as Elspeth’s arms snaked around his staid servant.
The man’s feet left the floor as Elspeth lifted him for a squeeze. “Alfred.”
“Miss Elspeth. How delightful to see you again.” The dry tone didn’t sound very excited.
“Aw, shucks. Thanks.” She swung Alfred around, hugging him tightly. “You are just too adorable when you pretend to be a butler.”
“Because he is a butler,” Babette remarked.
“No way. He’s much too nice to be a stuffy butler, aren’t you, Alfie?”
Elsie beamed at him, and Alfred, obviously terrified for his life, replied, “Miss Elspeth is too kind to an old man.”
“You’re too adorable. I think we should keep him, Babsy.”
“Hoarding people is forbidden,” Babette replied. “We had this discussion a few days ago, remember?”
Elspeth pouted. “I remember, all eleven times. And just so you know, there was one vision where you let me keep him.”
“Not today, Elsie. Now put the nice man down.”
“But I have more hugs to give.” Elspeth pulled him closer, and Alfred’s face achieved an interesting shade of mauve.
I should rescue him by offering to take his place. Get close to her. Hold her. Touch her. Strip…
Um, perhaps he shouldn’t offer himself.
“Drop him. Now,” Babette barked.
“Fine.” Elspeth set Alfred down. He shot her an indignant look before exiting the room more quickly than usual.
“Why are you here?” Luc asked, casually flipping over the notes he’d made on the spell he’d been casting—and slightly modifying each time.
“Because blondie over here says we needed to talk to you.” Babette jerked her thumb at Elspeth. “So, here we are.” She leaned against a table covered in something Alfred called a kom-pewter. It had a screen like the television, yet Alfred could give it commands and have it obey by showing him knowledge.
According to his servant, all humans had access to this all-knowing entity known as Internet and its servant, Google.
It made Luc’s task of ruling the world somewhat more daunting until he realized if he killed Internet, then he’d solve his biggest problem.
According to Alfred, Internet had tentacles around the world. He’d need an imp, or something along those lines that was electrical-based to fry it. But those weren’t easy to find. The governments kept that magical science locked up.
He turned his gaze to Elspeth as she approached to lean over his map. “Whatcha lookin’ for?”
Emasculate himself and admit the truth? Not today. He’d been learning some things from the television and Alfred, too. He needed to be tougher. Less transparent. Not easy, given his upbringing.
But the more he lied, the better he got. “Just plotting my first takeover.”
“How many boroughs is that? Three, four? Piece of cake.” Elspeth leaned lower, enough that the neckline to her top sagged. He caught a glimps
e of swelling breasts.
He averted his gaze, cheeks flushed hot. “Why are you here?”
“Can’t a girl want to come see her new friend?”
The word flummoxed him even as it warmed his blood further. “We are not friends.”
“You’re such a tease.” Somehow, Elspeth managed to sidle around the table until she stood close enough to give him a punch in the arm.
“Why are you hitting me?”
“It’s called a love tap, you pussy. Don’t be so weird.” Babette drew closer. “If you two are done flirting, I have some questions for the weird guy with the bowl of blood in his library. Whose blood is it anyway?”
Not knowing if his blood was valuable on this plane, especially to dragons, he lied. Twice in one day. Look at him getting humanized to fit in.
“It’s from an avian creature we are eating for dinner. With mashed potatoes.” Lovely fluffy things. Delicious with dollops of butter.
Elspeth clapped her hands. “Why, thank you.”
Startled, he asked, “For what?”
“Inviting us to dinner. We would be delighted to accept.”
“But when…” He paused, going over his words. “How…?”
Babette uttered a loud snort. “Don’t argue, dude, just go with the flow.”
“See, Babette. I told you we had to come here. Otherwise, we would have eaten another meal in a restaurant.”
“But I like being served,” Babette grumbled. “There’re no dishes.”
“Alfred will serve.” The words cementing their invitation. He would have frowned, except Elspeth looked exceptionally pleased. “Was there a reason you were here, other than for nourishment?”
Elspeth shook her blonde curls. “Nope. I’m good. Just happy to hang with you.”
“I can’t believe you’re going to make me do it,” Babette grumbled.
“Do what?” Elspeth asked.
“You know what I have to do.”
“No, I…” Elspeth’s face turned dreamy for a moment, her eyes out of focus, her lips parted. A single crease marred her brow. “You didn’t come here because I asked, and you didn’t get off the plane for me.” Elspeth’s gaze narrowed in on Babette. “You came to ask him questions about the missing women.”