by Zoe Chant
Griff nodded. "I know some shifters in the police. If I drop a few hints that he was involved in the fire last night, we might even be able to get him brought in. What was the name again?"
"Bertram Russell," Virginia supplied, tearing off her note and handing it to Chase. "But be careful. His family's rich enough to buy him out of trouble, and powerful enough to cause trouble. They own Russell Development Group, you see."
Chase whistled. "RDG? That isn't small potatoes. No wonder he trumped your hoard, Dai."
"Thanks for bringing that up," Dai muttered, as his inner dragon snarled at the memory. "But it does bring me to the final part of my plan." He took a deep breath, his dragon's shame at having been forced to submit amplifying his own shame at having to ask for this sort of help.
"Commander," Dai said, not quite able to meet Ash's eyes. "This isn't like our usual rogue dragons, the ones I can freely fight. He challenged me in accordance with dragon custom. And..." His throat clenched on the words, but he forced them out. "He won."
"It wasn't a fair fight," Virginia said, and some small part of Dai's anguish was eased by her defense of him. She folded her arms over her chest, scowling. "His family just bought him a lot of trinkets, and he flat-out stole the rest from archaeological sites. It shouldn't give him any power over you, Dai."
"Unfortunately, by dragon law, it does," Ash said quietly. He considered Dai in silence for a moment, his expression unreadable. "You know that my freedom to intervene is tightly constrained."
"Bertram attacked a mundane and committed arson in the process," Dai said. "Doesn't that put him into your domain?"
Ash steepled his fingers. "In the heat of the moment, yes," he said. Dai couldn't tell whether the pun was deliberate. He'd never quite been able to decide whether or not the Commander had a sense of humor. "But the event has passed, and there does not appear to be immediate threat. I cannot trespass into the jurisdiction of the dragons."
Virginia was looking from Dai to Ash, trying to follow what was going on. "So you can't do anything about Bertram?"
Ash shook his head slowly. "Not while he keeps the peace. If he physically attacks you again, however, it will be a different matter. Let us hope it does not come to that." He looked at Dai. "But it if does, I shall be there."
"We all will," rumbled John, to general murmurs of assent.
"Is there anything in particular you need of me?" Hugh asked Dai.
Dai shook his head. "Not at the moment."
"Wait, yes there is!" Virginia interrupted, sitting up straighter. She poked Dai in the arm, glowering at him. "Or have you forgotten the enormous hole in your shoulder?"
"It's nothing," Dai said hastily, as Commander Ash raised an eyebrow in his direction. "She's exaggerating. I'm fine, honestly."
Hugh sighed. "One day," he said, addressing the ceiling, "one, just one of my colleagues might finally grasp the subtle distinction between stoicism and stupidity." He rose gracefully from his chair, taking a sealed packet out of his inside jacket pocket. Ripping it open, he extracted a pair of surgical gloves, pulling them onto his hands. "Let me see it, then."
Dai pulled his T-shirt over his head, and was more than a little pleased by Virginia's soft, involuntary intake of breath. He turned his back on Hugh so that the paramedic could peel back the bandages.
"Mm," Hugh said. Dai winced as the paramedic's gloved fingers lightly probed the wound. "For your future reference, Dai, 'fine' is an appropriate descriptor when one does not have a severe puncture in the supraspinatus muscle." There was a rustle as Hugh pulled off one of his gloves. "Now hold still."
Dai felt the paramedic's palm brush his skin—but only for the briefest moment. Hugh snatched his hand back with a bitten-off curse.
"Something wrong?" Dai asked, twisting round in concern. Hugh had shown discomfort when healing him before, but never as vehemently.
"Just caught by surprise," Hugh said through gritted teeth. He was gripping his wrist as if he'd put his hand down on a hot stove. His pained gaze flicked briefly to Virginia. "Though I should have guessed." Clenching his jaw, he placed his palm back over Dai's wound. "Now hold still."
A familiar warmth spread through Dai's muscles as Hugh did...whatever it was he did. Despite their years working together, Dai still had no idea how Hugh's talent worked, or even what type of shifter he was. Still, however mysterious it was, it was certainly effective. In less than a minute, the dull, painful throb of the fresh wound had faded to nothing more than a slight twinge.
"That will have to do," Hugh said, sounding dissatisfied. He stepped back, taking out a small packet of disinfectant wipes and starting to clean his hands. "Please try not to injure yourself more seriously, for my sake."
Virginia touched Dai's shoulder herself, sending a very different sort of warmth spreading through his body. "It's almost completely healed." She turned to Hugh, her eyes wide with wonder. "What are—"
"Gentlemen, you have your tasks," Ash interrupted, rising. Chairs scraped as the rest of the team reflexively stood up as well, Dai included. "Let us all be about them." His penetrating eyes rested on Dai for a moment longer than was comfortable. "And Daifydd, see that you do not neglect yours." With a small nod to Virginia, he left.
"What did he mean by that?" Virginia asked Dai, as the others filed out after Ash.
Guilt coiled in Dai's gut. He knew exactly what Ash had meant. But Virginia was looking so happy, at last reassured that everything would be well...he couldn't bear to snuff out the light in her face so soon.
"My job is to look after you," he said, hating himself for yet another half-truth. "We still have to get through today. I'm not leaving your side."
"Well." Virginia's gaze dropped to his bare torso, and her soft lips curled in a wicked smile. "I'm sure we'll think of something to do."
Chapter Eleven
When I said we'd have to find something to do, Virginia thought, sea-smoothed pebbles shifting under her feet as she trudged after Dai, I didn't exactly mean a trip to the seaside.
At any other time, Virginia would have enjoyed the walk along the promenade. She hadn't spent much time in the city itself over the past few weeks, being far too busy hiking the nearby countryside looking for Brithelm's burial site. The sea front was well worth a visit, with the faded grandeur of the old Victorian buildings making a stately backdrop to the cheerfully kitsch stalls and fairground rides that lined the pebbled beach. And, unfortunately, Dai seemed hell-bent on a long, leisurely stroll.
If someone had told me a few days ago that I was going to be given a personal tour of Brighton's top tourist attractions by an incredibly attractive man, I wouldn't have believed them.
Virginia sighed. She watched the play of muscles in Dai's upper arm as he gestured at the pier, only half-listening to his lecture about its history. The breeze blowing in from the grey-green sea rippled the fabric of his T-shirt, flattening it against the hard planes of his chest.
And if they'd told me that I wouldn't be having a good time, I would have laughed in their face.
The problem was, Dai didn't seem to be enjoying himself either. His stride was just a little too quick, constantly hurrying her along, while his continual monologue never gave her a chance to get a word in edgewise. Virginia had a sinking feeling that Dai was taking her on this walk not because he wanted to share his city with her...but because he didn't want to be alone in private together.
After Dai's fire crew had offered their help in thwarting Bertram, Virginia had felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She'd even dared to start thinking beyond the next few days. In the cozy pub, with Dai at her side, she'd felt so at home that she'd had a brief, crazy, shining daydream that maybe this could be the start of something more.
If they stopped Bertram from destroying the site and she got funding for a proper dig, she could be based in Brighton for months to come. Years, even, if the site was as significant as she suspected. She and Dai could get to know each other properly. And if she played
her cards right, she might be able to use the academic renown from this find to get her dream job at the British Museum. And if she did that...maybe she and Dai could have a future together.
Sure, there were a lot of ifs there, but for a moment it had all seemed so possible. And then she'd tried to take Dai's hand, and he'd jumped for the door as fast as if she'd tried to taser him. Since then, Virginia had tried a couple of times to casually touch his arm, but he'd always evaded her, not-quite-casually moving away in order to point out an interesting building, charming view, or (in one case) a passing seagull. For whatever reason, he very definitely wanted to keep his distance.
Virginia forced herself to look away from Dai's strong profile. There was no point tormenting herself with memories of running her hands through that red-gold hair, or the feel of those lips on hers.
Last night didn't necessarily mean anything. We were both high on adrenaline and stress hormones. It was just post-traumatic comfort-sex, that's all.
She stared down at the beach, scuffing the sea-worn pebbles with the toe of her boot.
I bet it happens to him all the time. He must rescue a lot of women, from both fires and dragons. No doubt loads of them get overly attached to him. He's a good guy, he must always try to shake them off without hurting their feelings too much.
Well, she wasn't going to cling to him like some stupid damsel in distress, weeping and begging him to love her. She had her pride. Virginia straightened her back, ruthlessly crushing down her disappointment.
I'm about to announce the biggest find since the Sutton Hoo treasure hoard. I don't have time to moon after some firefighter-slash-dragon-hunter, no matter how hot he is. Or sweet, or brave, or kind, or...
A rumble of thunder broke her rather unhelpful train of thought. The sky was darkening with ominous black clouds, rolling in from the sea so quickly that it looked like a cheap special effect.
"Huh," said Virginia, interrupting Dai's monologue about coastal erosion. She shielded her eyes as the wind picked up. All along the beach, people were hurriedly folding deckchairs and packing up picnics. "That storm sure is coming in fast."
"Ah," said Dai, looking up. "John." He seized her hand, and all of Virginia's determination not to let herself fall for him went up in smoke at the heat of his touch. "Run!"
"Why—" Virginia started—and then the rain came.
It was as if someone had scooped up half the sea in a bucket and tipped it out over the city. The raindrops came down so hard and fast they stung like hail. She staggered under the impact, pebbles shifting and rattling under her feet.
Without even a grunt of effort, Dai scooped her up in his arms, hunching over her in a futile attempt to protect her from the downpour. Virginia clung to his neck as Dai sprinted up the beach toward the promenade. The steps up to the top were thronged with people trying to get off the beach; rather than try to force his way through, Dai found shelter at the base of the wall, under one of the high vaulted brick arches.
"Best to wait for a moment for the rush to die down," he said, his breath warm in Virginia's ear. He lowered her to her feet, though his arms still kept her pressed against him, his broad back sheltering her from the worst of the storm. He let out a short, rueful laugh. "I should have brought an umbrella."
"I'm not sure it would have helped." Virginia laughed too, giddy from their wild dash through the storm. "Bertram's goons certainly won't be able to work through this."
She was soaked to the skin. She nestled against Dai's muscular body, his closeness warming her to the core. Despite the heat radiating from him, he trembled a little as he held her, as if he himself felt chilled. His breathing was deep and even, but against her cheek she could feel his heart hammering in his broad chest.
Virginia leaned back a little, tilting her head to meet his eyes, and found them wide and dark, the irises a thin green band around his dilated pupils. Emboldened by the suppressed fire in his gaze, Virginia reached up to brush his wet hair back from his forehead, her fingertips continuing down to trace the line of his cheekbone. His breath hitched. He caught her hand in his, pressing her palm to the side of his face, his eyes closing as if to better concentrate on the feel of her skin on his.
"Virginia," he breathed.
The rain made a silver curtain across the archway, enclosing them in their own private world. She captured his face between her hands, drawing him down for a long, deep kiss. Fire shot through her blood as his arms tightened around her, his tongue exploring her mouth with hungry desire.
Virginia drew back a little, breaking the kiss, though she kept hold of his head. "Why were you pushing me away this afternoon?"
Dai let out his breath in a long sigh. "Because I've been very, very stupid." He leaned his forehead against hers, eyes still closed. "And I'm terrified that you're going to run away when you find that out."
"I'm not going anywhere. Not if you don't want me to." Virginia slipped her hands down, lacing her fingers behind the back of his neck. "So yes, you have been stupid."
"No, that's not it." Dai raised his head, opening his eyes at last. His jaw set, as if he was bracing himself to face something. "I mean, I haven't told you something about myself. Something very important."
Virginia raised her eyebrows. "You mean, that you've been deliberately vague about your 'shifter ancestry' because you didn't want me to figure out just how much of a dragon you really are?" She couldn't help laughing at his utterly floored expression. "Dai, I figured that out a long time ago."
He gaped at her, his mouth working as if he was having trouble finding words. "When?" he said at last.
"Oh, round about the time Bertram started playing dominance games. The strength of your dragon side became pretty obvious." She tilted her head at him. "Does it come from your mother or your father?"
"Father," Dai said weakly. He stared at her. "It doesn't bother you? Really?"
Virginia shrugged. "Well, it would if you were a dragon like Bertram." She might have wondered if he was actually a full dragon, but Bertram's barbed insults about 'not being a proper dragon' had made it very clear that Dai wasn't a shifter. "But you aren't."
"My bloodline isn't even related to his," Dai said, with great finality. "I can promise you, I am nothing like Bertram."
"So." Virginia relaxed against him. "This is me, not running away."
She glanced up at him, a little shyly. He was looking at her as if she was some long-lost, priceless artifact that he'd just unexpectedly pulled out of the ground. The heat in his eyes made her stomach flutter. "What happens now?"
Dai stepped back, taking her hand. "Now," he said firmly, "we get extremely wet. There's something at my house I want to show you."
Laughing, Virginia let him pull her out into the rain. The feel of his strong fingers interlaced through hers was enough to warm her whole body. She felt light with relief, as if only Dai's firm grip kept her from floating away into the clouds.
How could he have thought I'd be frightened if I found out he's half-dragon? As he said, he's not like Bertram, after all.
He's not a dragon shifter.
Chapter Twelve
Dai felt oddly shy as he led Virginia up the stairs to his bedroom. He rarely had visitors to his house—his dragon's possessive instincts meant he couldn't relax with anyone else in his private space. Now, however, his inner dragon was coiling itself into eager, anxious knots, desperate to see if their territory would please their mate.
"Oh!" Virginia exclaimed in surprise as they entered the bedroom.
Dai's anxiety eased as she looked approvingly around the light, airy room. Dai's house was small, but he'd converted the entire top floor into one big open space, lit by large skylights set above the bed.
"This is nice," Virginia said. To his amusement, she went straight to the floor-to-ceiling bookcases along one wall, being careful not to drip on the leather-bound volumes as she read their spines. "Vintage atlases and travelogues?"
"They're not particularly valuable, but I like the
m. Most dragons have some sort of personal collection. My father loved science fiction B-movie posters." His mouth quirked in bittersweet nostalgia. "My mother always claimed to hate them, but she still has them all on display."
He took her hand. "But I wanted to show you something else."
Virginia's eyes sparkled as he drew her over to the bed. "I was hoping you—"
Dai put his thumb on the fingerprint sensor hidden in the headboard. With a click and hiss of pneumatics, glass-topped steel drawers slid out from under the bed, display lights switching on.
"...did," Virginia finished weakly. Glittering reflections from the hoard sparkled over her stunned face. "Okay. I have to admit, that wasn't quite what I was expecting."
"Dragons like to sleep on their treasures, so I had the safe built into the bed. It's a bit more comfortable than a literal pile of gold." Dai fidgeted, trying to gauge Virginia's expression as she knelt to inspect his treasures. "Do you like it? I know it's not much, but—"
"Not much?" Virginia cast him a half-amused, half-shocked glance over her shoulder. "If this is what a dragon considers not much, I'm terrified to think of what Bertram's hoard must be like."
She laid a careful finger on the bulletproof glass, over the exquisitely-worked gold torc that took pride of place at the heart of his collection. "Is that what I think it is?"
"The torc of Prince Dafydd ap Llewelyn, yes. A distant ancestor." Dai swallowed, his mouth dry. "Would you...wear it?"
"Oh, no, no, I couldn't." Virginia recoiled, looking as guilty as a child caught eying up a forbidden cake. "An artifact like that shouldn't be handled too much. It should be in a museum, not under a bed!"
Dai had been afraid she'd say something like that. "I know. But...I couldn't give up any of the hoard. It's more than just my dragon's possessiveness, though that's a factor of course." He spread his hands. "These are family heirlooms, collected by generations of my ancestors. They're part of my heritage. Part of who I am."
Virginia bit her lip. "Well...it's not like you personally stole artifacts, like Bertram. And you can't help your dragon instincts." A slow smile crept back onto her face as she shot a sideways look at the torc. "Can I really touch it?"