Robin rubbed his hand over his forehead. “How is that possible?”
“These monsters have learned dark arts, allowing them to take on other forms.”
“What are you saying?”
“Before I tell you, I need to be certain you won’t repeat what you’re about to learn. We don’t want to cause a scare in the city.”
“I give you my word.”
“Very well. Dragons can take on human form.” When Robin blinked in surprise, Callaway leaned forward. “Be under no illusions that this makes them the same as humans. No matter what form they take, they remain vicious monsters.”
“How do you know this? Have you seen them change?”
“I met a man recently who was kidnapped by a dragon many years ago. He saw it happen.”
“So they are here in the city? Walking amongst us?”
“That’s what I’m saying, Jackson.”
“So what do we do?”
Callaway leaned back in his chair with a smile of satisfaction. “We kill them.”
“How? If they can hide themselves as humans, how do we recognize them?”
“They have a golden glow about them. And when they’re angry, their eyes burn with flames. If they are injured, they heal immediately.”
Robin dropped his gaze to the floor. There was an otherworldliness about Xavier, but he did not shine with a golden glow, nor was he so unrestrained as to allow his eyes to burn before a stranger. “How many have you killed since they arrived in the city?”
There was a silence, and Robin looked at Callaway to see his eyes tighten, a vein throbbing in his temple. “They are being cautious, hiding themselves away. We know the identity assumed by the dragon leader and are tracking him down even now, but the monsters are wily and do not give up the locations of their lairs easily. We suspect they are using human spies. Even so, I suggest you keep yourself armed in case you do come across the monsters. I will supply you with some wolfsbane which you can use against them.” Callaway crossed his arms. “Don’t be fooled by their appearance. We believe they are already killing, but people do not come forward, fearful for their lives. And hundreds have probably been enslaved by their blood.”
“Enslaved? How?”
“This boy know nothing,” one of the men sneered, but Callaway held up his hand to silence him.
“We all had to learn at some point. When a human drinks the blood of a dragon, that human is enslaved to their will. They will do or say whatever the dragon tells them. The dragons force humans to drink their blood, then bind them.”
Robin whistled. “Then we must stop them.”
“Yes.” Callaway opened a box on his desk and pulled out a small vial which he handed to Robin. “Be careful with this. You don’t want to poison yourself.”
Two days passed before Robin headed to Drake House, taking back alleys and side streets to escape anyone who might be following him. Xavier opened the door before he’d even knocked and quickly pulled him inside.
“You’ve seen Callaway again?” He led Robin to a table where Max was already seated, and a minute later they were joined by Aaron and Lleland.
“So you’re using the death of my father as your reason to hunt dragons,” Lleland said wryly.
“It worked for you, Uncle,” Robin said.
“It turned out it wasn’t a very good reason, after all.”
Robin shrugged. “Callaway seems to think it is. And he said he knows the identity of the dragon leader.”
Max and Aaron shared a look. “It would seem he’s tracked down the survivor,” Aaron said.
“Survivor?” said Xavier.
“The human who escaped after Jack was killed.”
“He knew who you were?”
“Only by name. But he saw Max many times, as well as the dragons in league with Jack.”
“So that’s how Callaway knows about dragon blood?” Robin asked.
“What did he say?”
“That dragon blood would enslave a human. Is that true?”
“It depends on the human,” Max said.
“So he’s right?” Robin said, surprised.
“No.” It was Aaron who spoke. “While it is true that the bond ties you to a more powerful creature, only a black dragon will use the bond to force a human to do things he wouldn’t choose to do.” He glanced at Lleland. “Black in heart, that is, not in color.”
“You’re a black dragon?” Robin asked his uncle.
Lleland smiled grimly. “I am.”
“But in rare cases, when the human has a weak mind and weak will, the bond can harm a human,” Aaron continued.
“So what’s the benefit of the bond?”
“It ensures the human’s loyalty to the dragon, and it gives him extra strength, greater healing abilities and a longer life.”
“So if Callaway has seen Jack’s human,” Xavier said, “we can assume he knows everything about us.” He pulled a ribbon of flame from his palm and twisted it idly.
“He didn’t recognize you as a dragon,” Robin pointed out, “even though he told me what to look for. In fact, he gave me this to use should I see a dragon in the street.” He pulled the vial of wolfsbane from his pocket. They all stared at the vial lying in Robin’s palm for a moment.
“I’m afraid that is not enough to do more than irritate us,” Lleland finally said.
“This won’t kill you?” Robin said.
“It will, if we let it. But we heal at amazing speeds, and we can cut out the infected flesh.”
Robin placed the vial on the table with a grimace.
“I say we just kill him,” Max said. “Robin can identify the hunters. We can kill them all.”
“We don’t know the extent of his plans,” Xavier said. “There may be more hunters we’re unaware of. Men who also know our secret. But more than that, we cannot kill them in cold blood.”
“This is a war,” Max said. “It wouldn’t be cold blood.”
Xavier half rose from the table and leaned towards Max, palms flat down. “Our ancestors were cursed because they killed humans needlessly. When you rip into human flesh, do you enjoy it? Does it give you satisfaction knowing that someone lost their life so you could live?” Max glanced at Aaron, but Xavier wasn’t finished. “What about our women? They are doubly cursed! Don’t you wish your sister could bear a child?” He stood up and took in the others. “As dragons, we seek redemption, not another curse. You think killing Callaway and his hunters is justified? Until we know with complete certainty, we must not act.”
“We’ve dealt with threats before,” Max snarled.
“We seek redemption, and the time is at hand. We will not risk angering the Creator now only to endure the curse for another millennium. And at this point we don’t know if Callaway is just talking, or really plans to destroy us all.”
“He gave Robin wolfsbane to use against us. I’d say that condemns him!”
“The evidence is pretty strong,” Xavier conceded. “But we need to face him in fair fight, or we could curse ourselves even further.”
“Aaron, do you agree?” demanded Max.
“Yes. Our people faced persecution once before, and they chose a path of revenge. We have resources available to us now that we didn’t then, and we will do this the right way.”
Max leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. “Very well. Then we need to know what Callaway’s planning.” He turned to Robin. “Do you think you can discover more?”
“There’s another meeting next week.”
Aaron nodded, then leaned forward and grabbed Robin’s shoulder, meeting his startled gaze. “Your uncle and cousin are both part of my clan, under my protection, and that extends to you as well. I consider you part of my family, Robin.”
“Thank you, Master Drake. I’m honored.”
Aaron dropped his hand and his eyes flicked for a moment to Xavier, before he rose and left the room. The others followed a moment later, leaving Robin alone with Xavier.
“So Calla
way wants you dead,” Robin said.
“So it would seem. But your help will prove invaluable.”
“One of your human spies,” Robin said with a snort. He ran a hand over his face. “I still have difficulty wrapping my head around the fact that my relatives are dragons.”
Xavier smirked. “No more than I can get my head around the fact that my relatives are humans.”
“Pfft! Well, this human could still thrash your dragon hide,” Robin said.
Xavier leaned forward as flames leapt into his eyes. “Ready to back that challenge up, human?”
“Absolutely,” Robin said. “Meet me at the club later tonight, and we’ll see who the real champion is.”
Chapter 16
Evelyn sat down at the desk in the parlor and dipped her quill into a pot of ink.
‘Dearest Juliana,’ she wrote, ‘the heat here is so intense, and I long to be back in the country. At least I now have the chance to escape the confines of the house. Darling Suzanna has been a godsend, and we go walking every day. Do you remember me mentioning X? Suzanna and I have run into him a few times since I last wrote. He really is the most beautiful man, with his silver hair and mesmerizing eyes! His cousin is also a well-proportioned male specimen, but there is something about X that makes him different – I’m not too sure what it is! He is quite a puzzle, and despite being friendly, remains distant. R is always friendly, though, and makes me laugh. How are you doing, dearest? I long to see you again. Write and tell me all the news from home.
Your beloved sister, E.’
She read the letter through, then folded it into a small square and sealed it with a glob of wax. She looked up as Suzanna came into the room. “Have you finished your letter, dear? Are you ready to go walking?”
“Yes. It looks like rain, so we should go while we can.”
They left the house a short while later and headed in the direction of the common. The clouds were growing darker, but the women managed a quick turn around the pond before heading home. They were nearly at the house when the first droplets of rain fell, and they ran the rest of the way, laughing. They were headed up to their chambers to dry off when Nan stopped Evelyn on the stairs.
“This arrived while you were out,” she said, handing Evelyn a letter. She smiled when she saw the handwriting, and tucking it into her gown, hurried to her chambers to read Juliana’s latest news. She dried herself off and pried open the seal.
‘Darling Evelyn,’ she read, ‘I had to write and warn you! Mother found your letters! She demanded I tell her the identities of X and R, and she’s determined to come to the city and discover what she can about them. She plans to leave at first light! I am so sorry, dear sister. I remain yours, J.’
The note dropped from her hand as Evelyn covered her face with her hands. How foolish to think Mother wouldn’t find her letters. But what was her purpose in traveling to the city? Evelyn had done nothing more than relate her observations about the men. There was a knock on her door.
“Evelyn? Is everything all right?”
Suzanna stepped into the room, and Evelyn hastily grabbed her letter and clutched it in her hand. As much as she loved Suzanna, she did not want to admit she had been writing about her brother.
“My sister has sent word that my mother is coming to visit.”
“She probably wants to ensure you’re doing well.”
“Yes, of course,” Evelyn quickly agreed.
“Are you going to change for supper?”
“Yes. I’ll see you downstairs.” Evelyn closed the door on her friend and changed into dry clothes. She tucked her letter away in her chest and taking a deep breath, headed down the stairs.
It rained all night, the drumming a monotonous backdrop to Evelyn’s restlessness. It finally stopped in the early hours, and the new day dawned clear and bright. Leaving the house and pursuing her favorite pastime seemed the perfect way to distract her mind.
“Do you mind if we go to the park so I can do some drawing?” Evelyn asked Suzanna.
“Of course not,” Suzanna replied. “Perhaps I can slip to the milliner while you’re occupied?”
“I won’t even notice you’re gone,” Evelyn said with a smile.
Evelyn was carrying her art case under her arm when the two women left the house a short while later and headed towards the common. The park was teeming with people, glad to see the sun after a day of rain. Children played in the bright morning sunshine while their mothers gossiped, and people hurried through the park on their way to work. A large weeping willow overhanging a placid stream provided a place of solitude, and Suzanna laid the blanket she had brought over the damp ground before helping Evelyn set up her art supplies. As Evelyn settled herself before her easel, Suzanna left to complete her own errands.
The long branches of the willow hung like a curtain around Evelyn, hiding her from prying eyes as she studied her surroundings, looking for the perfect composition. A warbler darted in and out of the reeds, and Evelyn pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and began to sketch. Everything faded into the background as she rapidly drew line after line, recreating the tranquil scene around her on the page.
Somewhere in her mind she registered that the air around her had suddenly grown warmer, but she paid it no attention as she drew the flowing water and tall spears of reeds. It was only when someone came to stand beside her that she drew her hand from the page with a jolt and looked up in surprise. Blue eyes, rimmed in gold, smiled down at her, and she gave a shaky laugh.
“You gave me quite a start, Master Xavier,” she said.
“I’m sorry. I’ve been watching you for a while, but you were so intent on what you were doing, you never even noticed!” He dropped to his haunches beside her and studied her picture. “Finally I get to see one of your pieces! You are very talented, Mistress.”
“Thank you. Do you draw?”
Xavier laughed. “No, my talents lie elsewhere.” He ran his fingers over hers with a light touch. “My fingers could not reproduce such beauty.”
Evelyn looked down at his fingers lingering on hers. His touch was soft and warm. He was watching her intently, and she drew in a breath as she met his gaze. The gold ring around his eyes seemed brighter than before, the blue more intense. Slowly, he lifted his hand to her cheek and stroked it with the tip of his finger.
“Your skin is so smooth,” he said, wonderment in his voice. He ran his hand to her neck, and slipped it around her nape and stroked her hair.
“Do you mind?” he asked softly.
“I, er …”
“I’ll stop if you do. It’s just – I wanted to know how your skin feels.”
He moved his hand back to her face, and slowly ran his fingers down to her mouth, his eyes following them. As he touched her lips, she opened her mouth slightly and something flared in his eyes. He brought his lips to hers and gently kissed her, just a light whisper. Evelyn knew she should pull away and send him packing, but his touch, soft and gentle, stoked something within her that she had never felt before, and she remained perfectly still, hoping the moment would never end.
Vaguely she registered the sound of footsteps, but it wasn’t until a loud gasp rang through the air that she pulled away and turned with horror to see the intruder.
“Evelyn! What are you doing? Who is this man?”
“Mother! What are you doing here?” She stumbled to her feet in dismay, shrugging off Xavier’s hand as he tried to help her.
“I came to the city to see how you are doing! I thought I would surprise you! Imagine my shock at finding you being ravished by some strange man!”
“Please, Madam, I can explain –” Xavier began, but Mother lifted her hand to cut him off.
“I don’t know who you are, but it is clear you were taking advantage of my daughter!”
“Really, Madam? One kiss?”
“You have compromised my daughter’s reputation, and she will be cast into the gutter because of your foul deeds!”
“Mother, ple
ase.” Evelyn looked around frantically. “Look, there’s no-one else around. No-one saw us. And as Master Xavier said, it was just one kiss!”
“Master Xavier, hmm? One of the men you’ve been writing to your sister about. I saw what happened, and I cannot allow it to pass unnoticed.”
“What are you saying, Mother? Surely you don’t mean to spread rumors about me.”
“Rumors? Really girl, don’t be so silly. I am talking about planning your wedding.”
“Wedding?” Evelyn gasped as Xavier’s eyes widened in shock. “What are you talking about? I have no plans to get married.”
“Ah,” Mother said with a satisfied grin, “but there is no choice for you but to marry this man, or risk your reputation landing in the gutter.”
“Please, Madam,” Xavier said, “you are making far too much of this. Mistress Ev–”
“Far too much of this?” Mother said, rounding on him. “I pity Evelyn, having to be married to one who clearly has no sense of responsibility – but she has made her bed, and now she must lie in it!”
“Evelyn?” Suzanna’s voice rang through the trees as she stumbled into the group. “What’s happening? Who is this?”
“My mother,” Evelyn said weakly. “Madam Talbot.”
“And who may you be?” Mother demanded.
“Suzanna, Madam. Evelyn’s companion.”
“I know very well who you are! Where were you? Your absence allowed this man to ravish my daughter.”
“Xavier?”
“So you know him! Are you in cahoots? Did you plan this rendezvous together? Colluding with him to ruin my daughter!”
“Xavier is my cousin, Madam, and I am certain he did no such thing!” Suzanna replied hotly.
“Well, there’s nothing for it now. Evelyn and this young man will be married posthaste!”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible, Madam,” Xavier said.
“Really? Are you already married? Do you have some poor women tucked away while you run around seducing innocents?”
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