Then Mk’Rai beat his wings and leaped into the air. The ceiling of the office was already gone, but there was another floor above that. He smashed through it, knocking walls and floor away, until he hit the roof of the house. In a blast of fire and draconic might, he burst through, up into the evening sky, with Ephraim still clutched in his massive fist.
He beat his wings twice and flew out of my sight. I had no idea where he was going or what he would do next. But I was overcome with relief that he was gone.
Thirty-one
A n hour later, I was sitting in the briefing room at Order HQ, still fairly shook. The adrenaline had left my body, and I was trying hard not to freak out over everything that had happened.
Ash and Erin sat at the table with me. She’d picked me up at the site, roaring up in a black, nondescript car and yelling, “Get in!” It was very action-movie.
Now, the two of them sat with grim looks on their faces and not saying anything. Ash had a laptop open and tapped in commands periodically. He was across me, so I couldn’t see what he was doing.
Director Scott cruised in a minute later, looking stressed and worried. I didn’t need anyone to tell me things had gone eight kinds of sideways. I’d been there, after all. But I did wonder just how effed up they were.
“I believe we have the story contained,” Scott said. “The news is reporting our version of events.”
“And what is exactly is that?” I asked.
“Gas explosion,” Ash remarked without looking up from his computer.
“Gas explosion?” I said, my voice incredulous. “How the hell did you make them believe it was a gas explosion?”
“We have our ways,” Scott said. “We’re still working on modifying the memories of all the guests.”
I shook my head. I supposed it was logical that a secret society of magical creatures had powers to change people’s memories. Still, the whole thing was a little too outlandish for me to fully accept. Maybe I was just used to things going wrong. Speaking of which . . .
“Would someone like to tell me exactly what the hell happened while I was down in the vault?” I asked.
Scott sighed. He had the look of a man who was trying to think about six different things at once and failing.
“Captain Silverman made an error in judgment,” Scott said.
Erin snorted. I couldn’t tell if it was in derision or if she just thought Scott was making the understatement of the year.
“What did he do?” I asked.
“Captain Silverman was armed with an enchanted belt,” Scott said. “When the magic is activated, the belt becomes stiff and sharp.”
“Essentially, it’s a concealed sword,” Erin said. “Luckily, the security didn’t recognize it when you guys were searched.”
“And just why would he be carrying such a thing?” I asked.
“Captain Silverman brought it as a precaution against your inability to work the decharmer. He worried that, since you had struggled with the decharmer in training, something might go wrong while you were trying to procure the Jeweled Dagger of Constantinople. He therefore wanted a backup plan to kill Mk’Rai.”
“And just how the hell did he get away with that?”
“I authorized it,” Scott said.
“What!”
“It seemed prudent to have a failsafe in the unlikely event you were unable to perform the task yourself,” Scott said.
I shook my head. Those idiots.
“So what exactly, did Big Brother do?” I asked.
“When you revealed that the vault was a trap, that the dagger was not there,” the director went on, “Captain Silverman believed that Mk’Rai knew we would be attempting an assassination and therefore thought he had to act immediately.”
Oh, that dumb bastard. I could just about predict word-for-word what Scott would say next.
“He surreptitiously removed his belt, activated the magic, and attacked the dragon.”
“It didn’t go well,” Ash said.
“I’m so surprised,” I said, laying the sarcasm on thick.
“He managed to get a blow in,” Ash said, “but Mk’Rai saw it coming. Instead of beheading him like Ephraim had intended, he got Mk’Rai in the upper arm just below the shoulder.”
I winced involuntarily. That had to have hurt.
“That high up, he hit bone,” Scott said, resuming the narrative. “It resulted in a deep cut but not mortal damage.
“But Mk’Rai panicked. Realizing he was under attack and that Captain Silverman had wounded him—”
“He transformed into a full-on dragon, trashing the house and scaring the guests,” I finished, shaking my head.
“You got it,” Erin said.
“So, we were planning to assassinate this dragon because he was pushing the limits of The Veil, and Ephraim fucked it up so badly, he straight-up tore The Veil to pieces like it was a wet Kleenex.”
No one said anything, but Erin smirked at my metaphor. I appreciated that. A joke should always get a response.
“Tell me something,” I said. “I know Big Bro had a hard-on to show me up and do the job himself, but why would he attempt something this stupid?”
“Captain Silverman believed that the setup meant his life was in imminent danger from the dragon himself,” Scott said, his tone scolding.
“But that’s bullshit,” I said. “Stormy the Sex-Demon told me Mk’Rai didn’t know a damned thing about it.”
“What?” Scott whispered.
“D’Krisch Mk’Rai was a patsy,” I said. “He didn’t know any of this was happening. She and whoever she is working for knew you didn’t like him and were looking for a chance to take him out. They also knew the N’Chai Toroth finds her powers by conquering a dragon.
“So they dangled Mk’Rai in front of you to get me into your fold and to send me against the dragon, figuring you’d want the Chosen One under your control.”
“How do you know anything about the N’Chai Toroth or The Prophecies?” Scott said, glaring at Ash and Erin.
“Stormy told me!” I practically shouted.
I figured I should protect my teammates. Ash especially had gone out of his way to tell me things he thought I should know, and Erin had been nothing but nice, even after I’d dislocated her shoulder.
“The original plan had been to lock me in the vault and gas me, knocking me out for delivery to whoever she’s working for,” I explained. “When I escaped that little surprise, she sat there, unveiling their sinister master plan like she was some sort of James Bond villain.
“Mk’Rai didn’t know about any of this. Stormy stole the vault code from him. She snuck downstairs, removed the dagger, and left the door open for me to get in. When I unlocked the case with the decharmer, it set off the trap that shut the vault doors and triggered the gas. I was lucky to get out of there.
“But the dragon had no idea she’d done any of that, and he had no clue I was down in his vault. Big Brother Asshole didn’t need to do shit. D’Krisch Mk’Rai doesn’t know you’ve found the N’Chai Toroth or that he was supposed to die to activate my powers. But because Captain Sliverdick went rogue on the mission, the dragon now thinks The Order has had it with him and is going to kill him.”
Director Scott sighed. I could see from his face that things were worse than he’d imagined.
“There’s more,” I said.
“Great,” Erin commented.
“Before he took off for parts unknown, the dragon telepathically implanted a vision in my head,” I said. “He plans to torture Ephraim to get all The Order’s secrets he can from him. Then he’s going to take revenge on everyone here, maybe the whole Order itself. I couldn’t exactly tell. Either way, you’re fucked, and you have Jealous Big Brother to thank for it.”
“By Auberon,” Scott swore. “Well, that changes the situation immensely.”
“How’s that?” I asked.
“We’ll have to mount a rescue effort immediately,” Scott said.
�
��Yeah, well, good luck with that,” I said.
“What do you mean?” Scott asked.
“I’m out,” I said. “I did what you asked me to do; Ephraim fucked it up. I’m done.”
“Sassy, you can’t quit,” Ash said, looking up from his computer.
“Watch me,” I said.
“Ms. Kincaide, the particulars of the mission have not changed,” Scott said. “We need someone who can slay a dragon. That’s still you.”
My jaw fell open. Was he seriously expecting me to continue working for them after this?
“No, the plan was for me to assassinate a dragon disgused as a man, so he wouldn’t have all his powers. That’s not going to be the case if I confront him wherever he’s gone. Assuming he can even be found.”
“Oh, we know where he is,” Ash said. “He’s gone back to his lair in Jamaica.”
“Jamaica!” I shouted.
“Yes, he flew with Ephraim to the airport in Memphis. From there, he got aboard one of his private jets. It just left three minutes ago, bound for Kingston.”
“Makes sense,” Erin said.
“No, it doesn’t,” I protested.
“Wounded and scared, Mk’Rai will naturally retreat to his central lair,” Scott said.
My jaw was hanging open again. They could not seriously think I was going to do this.
“I am not going to Jamaica to slay a dragon!” I said.
“Ms. Kincaide, I don’t think you fully appreciate the gravity of the situation,” Scott said.
“I don’t think you fully appreciate how little I care,” I shot back. “I have a life! It has nothing to do with dragons and wizards and demons aside from the one time a week I play D&D and what I sell at my job.
“Speaking of which, I have work in the morning. I cannot jet off to Jamaica.”
My phone buzzed on the table next to me. I glanced down and saw it was a text from Felicia.
“Sassy, your life is still in danger,” Ash said.
“No, it isn’t,” I retorted. “Y’all thought Mk’Rai hired The Guild of the Blade to kill me before I could assassinate him. Not only did that turn out to be totally false, they tried three times and failed, so the contract is void. I can walk out of this building right now and be done with this whole thing.”
“That’s not true, Ms. Kincaide,” Scott said. “Mk’Rai may not have hired the Guild, but someone did, and it is because they think you’re the N’Chai Toroth.”
I opened Felicia’s message: Please tell me you’re okay. I saw the news.
“Gee, I wonder who gave them that idea?” I said to Scott. “And it doesn’t matter. According to your stupid prophecy, I’m supposed to slay a dragon to get my powers. If I don’t do it, the powers never come online, and there is no reason for anyone to want me dead.”
I’m fine, I texted back. Tell you all about it as soon as I get out of here.
“Sassy, listen,” Ash said. “Your logic is unsound on two very major points. First, whoever wanted you dead set this up well in advance. If Stormy was telling the truth, they knew who you were and manufactured the whole assassination plot to draw you out. They also hired the Guild to assassinate you. That means they were covering their bases. Either you’d be murdered before you could fulfill your destiny, or they’d get you while you were on the mission.”
Damn. Those were good points. If whoever was after me wanted me dead before I could activate my powers, whatever they were, they certainly had tried pretty damned hard to make it happen.
“Secondly, if we do not rescue Ephraim, D’Krisch Mk’Rai will torture him for his secrets. Ephraim will eventually tell the dragon who you are and why you were there. Since Ephraim doesn’t know that Mk’Rai was being set up too, he’ll assume the dragon was in on this all along. That will color what he confesses.
“Once D’Krisch Mk’Rai realizes you are the N’Chai Toroth and he knows why you were sent to kill him, he will view you as a threat. He will therefore move to have you killed.
“There isn’t any choice, Sassy. You have to kill Mk’Rai before he comes after you.”
Hot anger exploded in my heart. These assholes had made a ton of assumptions without consulting me. They’d laid a trap for their stupid dragon, and now it had caught me instead. I wanted to throttle someone.
My phone chimed again. Where are you? Felicia texted.
“That’s fantastic,” I said, letting my fury be known. “You people messed with my life without my permission, and now I’m fucked.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Kincaide,” Scott said.
“Sorry? What the hell am I supposed to do with sorry? My life is upside down because of you. I want it back! And there’s no way for me to get it! I ought to kick all your asses and then tell Mk’Rai where to find you so he can finish the job!”
Scott looked worried I would actually do that. Good. Let him sweat.
“Sassy,” Ash said, “it isn’t fair. You’re right. None of this is your fault.
“But it doesn’t matter. You’re stuck in the situation now. You have to deal with it.”
“Or it will deal with you,” Erin added.
I sighed heavily. I really wanted a drink.
“I have work tomorrow,” I said. “I can’t miss it. I’m the only person scheduled besides the owner. I can’t go dragon-slaying before then.”
“Ms. Kincaide, I don’t think you appreciate the seriousness of this!” Scott roared. “We don’t have even one second to lose.”
“God damn you people!” I shouted. “If I somehow survive this bullshit, I’m going to lose my job!”
“Sassy—” Ash began.
“No, fuck you, Ash,” I said. “You know I want out of this. What the hell am I supposed to do if I get fired?”
“Just call in sick, Sassy,” Erin said. “Text your boss tonight and tell him you’re throwing up. People always believe that. They don’t want you to come in and puke all over them. It’s psychology.”
I wanted to rip her face off, but she was smiling. Damn, Erin and I really did have the same sense of humor.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll text him tonight to call off.
“But I have I to go home to get my katana. I’m not fighting a dragon with one of those shitty Celtic blades you guys use.
“And then I’m done! Do you understand?”
“Perfectly,” Scott said. “I’ll arrange for a car to run you home and back. But you need to be swift. The clock is against us.”
I rolled my eyes. I really wanted to punch him out. When I got back, I might just do it.
I grabbed my phone and left the conference room.
I’m on my way home, I texted Felicia.
God damn it. I felt like Lando Calrissian in “Empire”: “This deal is getting worse all the time.”
Thirty-two
I arrived home tired and in need of both a hot shower and a tall glass of vodka. I didn’t have time for either. An Order goon was downstairs with the motor running. I fit the key into my lock and turned.
“Sassy!” someone shouted as I pushed open the door.
Felicia came scrambling down the hall, a look of desperate worry locked onto her face. She followed me in and hugged me tight enough to practically squeeze the life out of me and knock me over. I kicked the door shut and returned the embrace. I felt terrible about how we’d left things this morning. The fact that she was glad to see me and grateful I was alive was a tremendous relief.
The next thing I knew, Felicia was kissing me. Her lips were soft and wet. They kissed passionately, lovingly, told me how sorry Felicia was about the fight and how much she loved me.
I gave in. After having nearly been killed, seeing a real dragon, and having his horrible plan for revenge forced into my brain, I needed love. I needed Felicia. I snaked my hand around her waist to pull her against me, put my other hand on the back of her head. I needed her near me. I needed all her love.
Felicia’s body responded to my overture. She wrapped one leg around mine and groun
d her groin against me. Desire erupted between my legs. Felicia grabbed one breast and squeezed, pinching my nipple between her fingers. I gasped in ecstasy.
Maybe I could show you what it’s like to be the sub, Stormy’s voice echoed in my brain. Maybe what you really need is someone to take that control from you, force you to submit, force you to take the pleasure.
My eyes popped open wide. The memory of that horrible woman and what she became seized control of my thoughts. All the lust drained from my body. Terror shot up in its place.
I released Felicia and put a hand to the one feeling me up. Then I gently but firmly pulled it away and gave it back to her. I stepped back.
“What’s wrong?” Felicia asked, breathless.
“I . . . I’m sorry, Felicia, I can’t do that right now.”
She stood back, curiosity, worry, and a hint of anger racing across her face. She pulled her hair aside and tucked it behind her ear.
“Is it Ash?” she asked.
I was almost relieved to hear her say that. It was such a simple accusation, one that didn’t begin to stab at the truth.
“No,” I said. “No, I promise you, nothing happened between Ash and I. Not last night, not today, not tonight.”
“Then what?”
I sighed. Damn. She wasn’t going to let this go.
“Felicia, the mission went horribly wrong. Bad things happened to me.”
“Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry,” she said. “I was just so relieved you weren’t hurt, I was only thinking of myself. Tell me what happened.”
God bless, Felicia. She really was one of those perfect people you could count on for anything.
“I don’t have much time,” I said. “I have to change and grab my katana. The dragon escaped to Jamaica, and we have to go after him.”
“What!”
“I know,” I said. “It’s crazy, and it’s bullshit. Come on, you can help me get dressed.”
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