Swallowing Fire

by ERIN BEDFORD

  It took me a moment to realize what Raiden had just implied before my face heated. I couldn’t believe Raiden would say such a thing. The twins and Firestar looked at Jack as if trying to see beneath his clothing. The stoic dragon didn’t so much as flinch but simply crossed his arms over his chest, his face as hard as marble.

  “Nah, no way,” Fujin scoffed.

  After failing to find what he was looking for, Raijin turned his attention back to his younger brother and asked, “How do you know?”

  Raiden opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by Fujin. “No, I don’t want to know. Just the visual is bad enough.”

  They definitely had a different kind of relationship. I shook my head and couldn’t help but smile. Strange as it was, they had the close kind of relationship I wished I had with my own sibling.

  “Now, that we’ve decided who’s got the bigger ... ego.” Raiden glanced my way with a wink, making me roll my eyes, “what happened back home after we left?”

  Raijin pursed his lips together before sighing. “We dispatched the men who had come to take you out and then tried to fight our way to the courtyard.”

  “We wanted to clear a path for you to get out,” Fujin explained.

  “But the palace was swarming with men.” Raijin shook his head in confusion. “If they had been our own, we could have talked them down, made them see reason, but these were men who we’d never seen before.”

  “Did you figure out who they were?” Firestar asked, stepping closer to the twins. “Who’s helping your mother?”

  “His name’s Drac,” Fujin growled. “He’s a rich son of a bitch who lives on the eastern coast. Apparently, he is some distant cousin of my mother’s.”

  “And just as ruthless,” Raijin interjected with a scowl.

  Since our arrival, I had stayed on the outskirts of the group, not wanting to get between Raiden and his brothers. Now, though, I needed to hear this. If we were going to save their kingdom and rescue Lord Shen, we needed all the information we could get.

  “How many soldiers does he have?” Raiden asked, taking a seat on the edge of Fujin’s bed. “Do we have a chance?”

  Fujin and Raijin exchanged a look, one I knew very well. They didn’t want to say which meant it was bad, really bad.

  They must have decided beforehand to let Fujin tell us the bad news because he shifted on his bed and braced himself for an attack.

  “Just from what we saw at the palace,” Fujin met Raiden’s eyes, “thousands, maybe more.”

  Jack finally decided to put in his own opinion. “That doesn’t make sense. There weren’t that many when we escaped. There were maybe twenty or thirty men. I know, I fought them.” He glanced at the others for confirmation.

  “He’s right.” Firestar nodded. “They hadn’t even thought to protect the city wall. You can’t tell me they were all in the palace when we left.”

  “No,” Raijin answered with a shake of his head. “They showed up later.”

  “We got out of the palace and were on our way to meet you when we encountered them,” Fujin added, a haunted look in his eyes. “They came from the sky. We never saw them coming.”

  “That’s how we found out about Drac and his relation to our mother, as well as his men,” Raijin finished for his brother, too caught up by his own demons to say more.

  “Then how did you get away?” Raiden asked, placing his hand on Fujin’s hand. “Why aren’t you dead?”

  “Mother,” Fujin spat. “She wanted to teach us a lesson, and try to convince us to take her side. With blood and pain.”

  “But that’s where she made her vital mistake,” Raijin menaced. “We don’t respond well to threats, and it didn’t take long for their guards to be lax enough for us to escape.”

  “And now here you are,” I said with a sad sigh, wishing things could have been different. If only we had stayed behind with them, maybe they wouldn’t have been captured. We could have saved them all the pain they had endured.

  “Please don’t blame yourself, Maya,” Fujin’s expression softened which only made me wrap my arms around myself tighter. “It wasn’t your fault. We chose to stay behind.”

  “Exactly.” Raijin nodded. “Our mother must have been looking for just the opportunity to take over the kingdom. She’s always said our father was far too weak to rule and needed to show more power if he ever planned to gain respect from the other lords.”

  “And now you’ve not only lost your mother, but your father and kingdom as well.” I sighed and ran my hand over my face. “It seems no matter where I go, something bad follows. Maybe I should have stayed on Earth like I had originally planned.”

  “Oh, Maya.” Raiden stood from the bed and took my hands in his. “Like I’ve told you before, it’s not your fault. Even Firestar’s father being a total tool didn’t happen because you came back.”

  Firestar placed a hand on my shoulder with a small smile. “I think my people would definitely agree with Raiden. It’s only gotten better for them since you came through.”

  “But I didn’t get your father imprisoned,” I countered.

  “We’ll save my father, don’t worry.” Raiden wrapped his arms around me. I inhaled his scent, letting it soothe my worries. It didn’t seem right that he was the one comforting me rather than the other way around.

  “But how?” I protested. “Like your brother said, your mother has thousands at her beck and call, and we have a total of seven people against an army. It’d be suicide.”

  “Then you are going to need help.” Lord Fafnir stalked in the room as only a member of the royalty could. His son, Tyrell followed at his side as well as his wife, Ingrid.

  “Lord Fafnir,” Raiden said with a nod. “We would appreciate any help you could provide, but I fear from what I’ve seen of your little village, your numbers would not be enough to save our father.”

  “No offense taken,” - Lord Fafnir waved off Raiden’s comment, - “and you are correct. We do not have the men to make a difference against your mother, but we can get them.”

  “Where?” Firestar asked, his brow furrowing. “There’s not another village for miles.”

  Lord Fafnir smiled, patience in his eyes. “The winter games, of course.”

  Jack jolted, catching my eye. He didn’t seem very happy with Lord Fafnir’s suggestion, whatever it was he meant.

  “What about the winter games?” Raiden asked, and this time Jack was not silent.

  “Every year, we have a set of games. Three challenges to show an ice dragon’s prowess, strength, and wisdom.” Jack’s jaw tightened as he explained it. The thing was, from what he’d said, I couldn’t figure out why he was so upset about it, but now wasn’t the time to ask.

  “So, how are these games going to help us?” Fujin asked from his bed.

  “Because in two weeks’ time, some of the strongest men and women of the north will be headed here to participate.” Lord Fafnir smirked. “That will be your chance to build your army.”

  “But why would they fight for us?” Raijin’s suspicion was plain on his face. “Soldiers who fight because they are commanded to are less likely to succeed than soldiers who fight for a cause. While I don’t wish to spit on your gracious offer, I just don’t see how they will help us.”

  I had a hard time disagreeing with Raijin. We didn’t want soldiers who would run if it suited them, abandoning us to be slaughtered. If we had gold to pay them, that would have been something, but none of us had anything with us that would make a difference.

  Lord Fafnir laced his fingers in front of him as he approached us. “The thing you must understand is that our people were born to fight. Life in the north can become rather dull and uneventful when nobody wants to attack lest they freeze to death.” He had a wicked grin on his face that said how satisfied he was with his impenetrable kingdom. “I’m sure there will be many who would kill for the chance to get out of the north and fight for a cause other than who gets the last piece of the raspberry pie.”r />
  Fafnir’s son and wife laughed slightly at that, the only change in their faces since they arrived.

  “It seems we have little choice.” Raiden sighed, his arms tightening around me. I could tell how conflicted he was because I felt it too. I didn’t like asking for help from people we didn’t know, but we didn’t have much of choice. If we ever planned to have any hope of saving Lord Shen, we’d need all the help we could get. Hopefully, it didn’t come back to bite us in the ass.

  6

  Waiting for the games to begin was pure torture. It would be weeks before the other villages arrived and until then we had absolutely nothing to do but wait.

  I hated waiting.

  Lady Ingrid had offered me the use of her salon, a sitting room for ladies, to entertain myself but I’d declined, at first. After a few days of listening to the guys talk about fighting, I was ready to tear my hair out. I liked to train as much as the next dragon, but Earth had spoiled me. I needed variety.

  Hence why I now stood outside the salon, wringing my hands in front of me. I’d never been one to hang out with other women. Not unless we were trying to rip each other apart on the training field. Back on Earth, Bianca had been one of the only females I had gotten close to, but that’s because she was more interested in talking about herself than trying to find out all my secrets. Which I had plenty.

  I worried that the moment I stepped in the salon the women would bombard me with questions. Questions I wasn’t ready to answer.

  Ready to turn on my heel and run back to my room, I jumped in place as the door swung open. Lady Ingrid stood in the doorway with a bemused look on her face.

  “I thought I heard someone out here. Please come in.” She stepped aside and gestured for me to enter.

  Dropping my hands to my sides, I forced myself to smile though I was pretty sure it looked more like a grimace. I moved into the room and immediately felt like all their eyes were on me. There were at least a dozen other females in the room, and they were looking at me like I was a new toy they wanted to play with before discarding.

  “Everyone,” Lady Ingrid drew the attention of the room and placed a hand on my arm. “This is Maya. She’s Jack’s new mate.” A chorus of murmurs followed, but if anything, the level of interest in me had heightened.

  “Hello.” I gave an awkward wave. Several women nodded in my direction and others muttered their hellos, but no one got up to greet me.

  I stood in the middle of the room not sure what to do. Each of them seemed to be absorbed in their own activity. Some were even needle pointing. Gag me. Others were having tea. A shudder went through me as I remembered the last tea party I’d attended. That hadn’t ended well for anyone.

  “Maya, please come sit with me.” Lady Ingrid took me by the elbow and ushered me toward a seat. She sat in the empty one next to me and offered me a teacup. I almost declined but then decided I needed something to do with my hands.

  We sat there for a moment in silence. While most of the room’s occupants had gone back to their chatter, every once in a while, they glanced my way. Still, I was happy I wasn’t the only one in pants. There was a variety of attire in the salon. Hell, even Lady Ingrid had opted out of a dress today. One less thing to worry about.

  When neither of us said anything, I decided to break the ice. “You have a lovely home.” Not the most original, but a girl had to start somewhere.

  “Thank you,” Lady Ingrid said with a small smile. “I can’t tell you how overjoyed my husband and I are that Jack has brought you here. Even if under terrible circumstances.” She frowned before drinking from her cup.

  Taking a drink from my own, I realized it was real tea with caffeine and everything. Immediately, I set the tea to the side. Well, there went my distraction.

  “Don’t you like the tea?” Lady Ingrid asked, killing any chance I had at her not noticing. “I can ask for something else.”

  “Oh, no.” I shook my head. “It’s not the tea. Just I heard it’s not good to drink caffeine when you’re…”

  “Oh!” Lady Ingrid covered her mouth as realization dawned on her. “I’m so sorry, dear. I completely forgot, how inconsiderate of me.” She raised a hand, and a servant came over to her. “Please bring some herbal tea for Maya. Thank you.” The servant nodded before hurrying away.

  Shifting in my seat, I said, “You didn’t have to do that. I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”

  “Nonsense.” Lady Ingrid waved me off. “You are carrying my grandchild. The least I could do is make accommodations for you.”

  “You’re pregnant?” A woman to my side with wide eyes and her white hair cut short asked her hand on my arm.

  I nodded slightly. Not trusting myself not to put my foot in my mouth.

  “How wonderful,” she cried out and sighed dreamily. “Oh, I remember when I had my darling, Victor. It was the happiest day of my life.”

  “I’m surprised you remember,” another woman a few seats away snorted. “Aren’t you pushing three hundred and twelve?”

  “Why you cheeky–” the other woman started but was interrupted by Lady Ingrid.

  “Ladies. This is about the future generation, not you.” She shot them a sharp look before turning back to me. “So, tell me. How are you feeling? Any sickness yet?”

  I didn’t bother to try to explain that the child might not be Jack’s, I’d found some acceptance with them and didn’t want to kill my upward trajectory.

  “A bit.” I flushed as all eyes watched me. “I mean, I’ve been sick a few times and seem to be irritated a lot more than usual.”

  The ladies around me laughed together as if what I’d said was the funniest thing they had ever heard. If so, they needed a life.

  “Oh, dear.” Lady Ingrid patted my hand. “Just you wait. This is only the beginning. Those mood swings will get even worse.” She paused for a moment and then her lips broke out into a broad smile. “But at least, you have three strapping men to take care of some of those more intense ones instead of just one.”

  A chorus of swoons followed Lady Ingrid’s words though I wasn’t a hundred percent sure what she was talking about. Having three guys to irritate you didn’t seem like a good thing to me.

  Seeming to notice my confusion, the lady next to me leaned in close. “She means when you start to need more attention in the bedroom.”

  My eyes widened. Lady Ingrid seemed like such a prim and proper woman. Not someone who discussed sex with her girlfriends. It seemed I had misjudged her.

  “Tell me,” the same woman started, “The big one, what’s his name.”

  “Firestar,” I provided.

  “Is he proportionate in all areas?”

  It took me a second to figure out what she was asking before my face heated. Was she seriously asking me how big Firestar’s dick was? From the eager look on her face and the way everyone else seemed to lean in to hear my answer, I’d have to say yes. Yes, she was.

  Not believing I was having this conversation, I answered, “Yes.”

  The women tittered about me, each gushing about their own lovers. While weird, I found the women’s company to be comforting. If I closed my eyes, I could almost imagine myself back on earth just chatting with Bianca as she recounted her wild sexcapades.

  A knock on the salon’s door drew everyone’s conversations to a halt. Raiden’s dark head peaked in, and the women began to whisper amongst themselves. Not bothered by the attention he was getting Raiden entered the room and smiled.

  “Good afternoon, ladies.” His brilliant smile caused more than one of the women to blush, and I forced myself not to roll my eyes. The flirt.

  Searching me out, Raiden came to a stop in front of me. Turning to Lady Ingrid briefly, he said, “I hope you don’t mind if I whisk my mate away for a little while. I promise to bring her back in one piece.”

  “Oh no. Go ahead, whisk away.” Lady Ingrid smiled behind her cup.

  With Lady Ingrid’s permission granted, Raiden took my hand and brought m
e to my feet. I could still feel the eyes of all the women on us even after we were back in the hallway.

  I let Raiden lead me away for a few minutes before pulling him to a stop. “What was so important you needed to whisk me away?” I smirked at the wording. Really, I wasn’t some damsel in distress.

  Not seeming to care who saw, Raiden backed me up against the wall of the hallway and pressed his lips to mine. Mouth devouring mine, I gripped his shirt in fear I’d melt into a puddle on the floor.

  After my panties were good and soaked, Raiden ripped his mouth away from mine with a hot look. “That’s what.”

  He grabbed my hand once more and started down the hallway, our pace increased from before. This time though, I was in as much of a hurry as he was. Each step caused a delightful friction between my thighs and I was almost crying by the time we reached our rooms.

  “Your room or mine?” Raiden asked. When I shook my head, he shoved my bedroom door open. “Yours it is.”

  I’d barely gotten in the room before Raiden was on me again. He grabbed my hips and pulled me tightly against him, the hard evidence of his arousal pressed into my stomach. I ground against him without thinking causing him to growl.

  “I’ve been thinking of getting you naked all day,” Raiden admitted, his hands cupping my butt.

  “Oh yeah?” I gasped. “All that talk of swords and blood make you hot and bothered?”

  Raiden snorted. “No, the way you ate that whipped cream confection this morning did it. You really know how to tease.”

  I frowned. He couldn’t possibly be talking about the whipped cream from this morning’s breakfast. I’d had a crepe filled with fruit that had been to die for. Apparently, I had been so engrossed in my food I hadn’t noticed anyone watching me.

  “I assure you if I had been teasing I hadn’t meant to be.” I paused and groaned as he had my shirt over my head and my breasts in his palms within seconds. “But I think I should more often now.”

  With a fierce growl, Raiden jerked his shirt over his head before backing me up toward the bed. Hooking his fingers into my pants, he pulled them over my hips before nudging me onto the bed. It took him a moment longer to take my boots off before he relieved me completely of my clothes. His clothing went next leaving him utterly bare.