Soul of the Dragon

by Natalie J. Damschroder

  He was braced for her put-down as she turned, and even had a response ready. But when she faced him, he couldn’t speak. He couldn’t breathe, and his heart thundered so fast and hard he couldn’t differentiate the beats.

  The dress wasn’t the only thing different about Alexa today. She wore her hair down. It was pulled back off her forehead by her sunglasses, and the makeup—yes, makeup—she’d put on gave her a new glow.

  But it was the baby in her arms that really hit him hard. She smiled, and Ryc had a fleeting instant of fantasy that her smile was delight at seeing her husband, and the baby was theirs. Fantasy was all it could ever be, of course. It was Cyrgyn’s fantasy, too.

  Ryc stepped closer and inhaled the scent of jasmine and baby powder. Before he could open his mouth, Alexa showed it was still her under all the female trappings.

  “How the hell do you find me, anyway?”

  Ryc quirked half a smile. “I just do.”

  Alexa glowered. “You say that a lot.” Ryc heard the hard tone of her voice, but could tell it was grudging. Underneath, she was glad to see him. That fact warmed the ice in his soul even as it scared him. He shouldn’t be here. But Cyrgyn had been convinced…

  He shut off his conscience and stepped forward. “Am I presentable enough to escort you to this?”

  Alexa scanned his black silk t-shirt and black dress pants. “Does it always have to be black?”

  Ryc shrugged. Black didn’t have to be matched. All these years, and he had never developed any fashion sense. Not that he’d ever cared.

  “Come on.” Alexa took him by the elbow and led him to a front pew. “I’m warning you, though, Marilee will have a field day with you.”

  Even if he hadn’t seen her before, Ryc would know immediately which one was Marilee by the delight that lit up her eyes when she saw Alexa holding his arm. She would have handed off the baby in her arms to the man next to her—Kurt Tucker, Ryc presumed—if the minister hadn’t required her attention at that moment. He’d have to leave before she could attack. People like her didn’t allow evasion, and he didn’t want to be rude to Alexa’s friends. He couldn’t hang around long, anyway. But he hadn’t been able to resist the time with Alexa.

  The ceremony began, and he watched her at the baptismal font, full of grace and beauty. Nothing of her profession or her quest showed on her face. All of her focus was on the babies, her friends, and the words of the minister.

  The ever-present longing grew in Ryc’s chest. He cursed silently. He should never have started this. The deception had seemed necessary considering the facts, and Cyrgyn had insisted Alexa needed protection. Neither had anticipated the passion that had flared between them. Ryc had known how he would feel, but had expected it to be easier to keep his needs contained in the face of Alexa’s commitment to Cyrgyn.

  They’d been wrong on so many counts. Ryc had no control when it came to Alexa. Cyrgyn was hurting his own cause by putting Ryc in Alexa’s path, because her obvious feelings for him clouded her judgment and weakened her motivation for success. Perhaps most important, however, was that Alexa clearly did not need Ryc’s help.

  He was preparing to leave with every intention of not returning when he heard it. A faint hiss, a sizzle, so low most wouldn’t even notice it. But he’d heard it before.

  He stood and turned in time to see the fireball racing up the aisle.

  * * *

  Alexa never knew what alerted her. The minister was just making the sign of the cross over the babies when something in her brain screamed of danger. She whirled. Tars stood at the back of the church. A small fireball was only feet away. Ryc stood at the end of his pew, but he must have been too late to do anything. The fireball was already past him by the time Alexa turned.

  She’d automatically scoped out the building when she’d entered and immediately snagged a coil of energy from the floor beneath the font. She flung out her hands and it flew up to meet the fireball, extinguishing it just two feet from the group at the font. She heard Marilee gasp in delayed reaction, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Kurt draw his gun. But she didn’t pay them any attention.

  Immediately behind the blocking water she threw another stream of energy, but Tars dodged and it splashed harmlessly against the back wall of the church. A wooden chair sitting next to the entrance flew up at Tars’ head, but he didn’t even look at it to make it splinter in midair and fall at his feet. The mage offered a sardonic smile, then spun and strode out the door.

  Alexa ran down the aisle at Ryc’s side, cursing the heels she wore but not allowing them to slow her down. She heard Kurt’s footsteps behind them and the murmurs and cries of the congregation.

  They paused on the steps and watched a BMW roadster streak down the street.

  “Shit!” Alexa turned on Kurt. “You said he was in Scotland!”

  Kurt looked confused before his eyebrows went up. “That was Suinn?” He frowned down the street, then looked back at Alexa. His frown grew darker. “He was here to attack you?”

  Alexa backed off, realizing what could have happened if she hadn’t been able to block the fireball. “Unfortunately, yes. If I had had any idea he’d come here, Kurt, I wouldn’t have. I swear, I’d never endanger Marilee or the babies.”

  Kurt’s anger eased perceptibly. “I know you wouldn’t.” He holstered his weapon, then slung an arm over Alexa’s shoulders and eyed Ryc. “You wanna fill me in?”

  “Not at the moment.” She knew she wouldn’t get away with that for long, so she introduced him to Ryc. “He’s kind of my self-named protector.”

  Kurt and Ryc shook hands. “The chair. You?” Kurt jerked his head toward Alexa. “Or her?”

  Alexa did not want to discuss magic, so she grabbed both their arms. “Let’s go check on the babies.”

  They strode together up the aisle, Alexa aware of the incongruous image they made. Ryc and Kurt vied for the Most Dangerous label, both dressed in black and wearing their tough-guy attitudes. She, between them in a pure white fluttery dress, wearing the same attitude. They probably looked like avengers in some movie. She felt like they should be striding in slow motion.

  She could feel the weight of all eyes watching them pass, but few people had even gotten up, everything had happened so fast. At the altar, Marilee stood serenely, holding two sleeping babies. Next to her, the minister looked like something had lodged in his throat.

  Ryc moved to the side aisle where he could watch both the main and side doors. Alexa and Kurt climbed the steps.

  “Are you all right?” Kurt murmured to his wife, who nodded and rested her head briefly on his shoulder.

  “I prefer it when you don’t bring your work along,” she scolded mildly, but didn’t look angry, only relieved that they’d all come back okay.

  Alexa soothed the minister, apologizing and praising him for his bravery. It seemed to work. He swallowed hard and straightened, then concluded the service as if nothing had happened.

  Guests milled about after the dismissal, some murmuring in groups about the excitement, others crowding around the babies to say how well they had done.

  Alexa followed Ryc to the side hall and stepped out with him.

  “It was a test, wasn’t it?” she said.

  Ryc nodded. “An obvious one. I’d say we learned as much as he did.”

  “And can expect more.” She looked over her shoulder. “I’m going to have to make my excuses and stay away. I can’t let the Tuckers be involved in this.” Kurt was already watching her, and she didn’t think he was going to let it drop. Not now.

  “Alexa.” Ryc’s fingers closed around her elbow. “I have to go. I wasn’t going to return to you, but now I have to.”

  She snorted a laugh. “What do you mean, you have to? I can handle this.” But her chest ached, easing only when he shook his head.

  “I can’t allow you to. I believe you can,” he hastened to add, no doubt due to the redness of her face at his statement. “Cyrgyn wouldn’t want you to handle this alo
ne. He will rarely be able to be by your side. Someone should be. Don’t argue.” He pressed a finger to her lips and the urge to do just that drained away. She should make him stay away, but she didn’t know how, and deep down—hell, all over—she didn’t want to.

  Apparently satisfied, Ryc nodded once, then headed out the side door.

  “He’s not sticking around?”

  Alexa didn’t look at Kurt behind her. She was too busy watching Ryc’s behind. “He couldn’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “You know better than to ask that,” she chided.

  “So he’s an operative?”

  Alexa glanced back into the church, but no one was near. “I don’t know what he is,” she sighed, leaning against the wall. “I just know he keeps showing up.”

  “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

  “No.”

  Kurt leaned against the wall on the other side of the doorway, mirroring her pose. Except with his arms and ankles crossed, he seemed a lot less moveable than she felt.

  “Okay,” she relented. “Not now.”

  “I can accept that. Marilee insists you come back to the house, anyway. We can talk after the party.”

  Alarm swept over Alexa. “I can’t go back with you. What if he returns?”

  “He won’t. He learned what he needed to this time. He’ll wait until you’re less alert for his next test.”

  Alexa didn’t bother to ask how he thought he knew that. He’d been doing this a lot of years and knew how to read the enemy. She allowed him to nudge her from the side hall into the church and back out the front door. She figured she’d go along until she got in her car, then take off as far away as she could get.

  She hadn’t counted on Marilee. Alexa had fastened her seatbelt and started her car when the passenger door opened and her friend dropped into the seat.

  “Thanks for the lift,” she said breathlessly, tucking her dress around her and pulling the door closed. “I really need a break from the kids.” When Alexa didn’t go anywhere, didn’t move or look away from Marilee, the other woman stopped fussing with her hair and huffed. “What, you think we don’t know you? You’re feeling misplaced guilt for that…whatever it was”—she waved a hand dismissively—“and now you think you need to go away. Well, I happen to think the opposite.”

  “Marilee, I can’t endanger you. Not any more than I already have. You have the babies—”

  “And Kurt assures me we’ll all be safe. You know he wouldn’t do that if it wasn’t true. He doesn’t think this guy will come back today.”

  Alexa sighed and shifted into gear. “He will come back, though, so I’m not staying. I’ll come to the party, but that’s it.”

  “Bullshit, that’s it!” Marilee pressed the button to put her window down. “You’re not leaving without some explanation. Beginning with that hunk in black.” She looked into the side mirror. “Are we being followed?”

  Alexa had been watching carefully for just that, and had taken extra turns, doubling back on her trail. None of the cars behind her remained there. They could still be tailed by a team, but she’d keep watching. “Not now. But don’t worry. I can lose a tail in my sleep.”

  Marilee chuckled and settled against the leather bucket seat. “Nice car. Took some bucks.”

  “You know I always rent something fast.”

  “Just in case,” they said in unison, then laughed.

  “So, tell me about Tall, Dark, and Gorgeous,” Marilee urged. “We have at least ten minutes.”

  “The story doesn’t start with him,” Alexa evaded. “And it would take longer than ten minutes.”

  “So where does it start?”

  Alexa checked the mirror again. No one was behind them at all, odd but not impossible in D.C. on Sunday. “When I was about three. Or a thousand years ago, whichever you choose.”

  “Ooh, I love a good legend.” Marilee rubbed her hands together. “What’s the story?”

  Swinging right on a yellow light, Alexa checked behind them again, and all the cross streets. They were still okay. “No legend. There’s a curse, though.”

  “Even better. Come onnnnnn,” she whined. But Alexa saw with relief the Tuckers’ house two blocks ahead. She had to park that far away, as the street was clogged with cars.

  “How many people did you invite, anyway?” She climbed out of the car. Marilee quickly did the same.

  “Just family and a few friends. Don’t think you’re off the hook,” she called, trying to keep up with Alexa, who was halfway down the block before Marilee crossed the street. “You’re not going anywhere until you tell all!”

  Alexa knew Marilee’s tenacity, and Kurt’s persuasiveness was potent enough on its own. She wouldn’t hold out long against them, especially once they turned on the “slighted friend” act, as they undoubtedly would. She planned to be long gone by then.

  Plastering on a smile, she headed for the door.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Alexa decided to avoid Marilee and Kurt as much as possible. It wasn’t hard in the crowd they’d invited. As soon as she walked in the door she was accosted by Marilee’s mother.

  “Alexa, darling!” The woman held out her arms and barely gave Alexa a kiss on the cheek. Alexa ignored her elegant suit and upswept silver-toned hairdo and hugged her.

  “Ruth, you look stunning, as usual.”

  “Why, thank you, dear.” She gave Alexa a once-over. “It’s so nice to see you in a dress. But where is your beau, dear?”

  Alexa feigned confusion. “Beau? I don’t have a beau.”

  “Of course you do. That delectable man from the church. The one in black.”

  Great. Another reason why she shouldn’t have come here. Of course the people from the church would be curious about the incident. It wasn’t any better that Ruth was more interested in Ryc than Tars or the magic.

  “He’s not my beau, Ruth. He’s just a colleague.”

  “You work with him?”

  “In a manner of speaking.” Alexa moved slowly toward the bar. She needed fortification. Ruth, of course, kept pace with her all the way across the room.

  “Some people think that isn’t an intelligent thing to do,” the woman said, “but I happen to think it’s quite efficient. Where else will you meet men if not through work?”

  Alexa accepted the vodka she’d ordered and searched the room for something, anything, to get Ruth on a different track. Marilee was an only child, and she’d gotten married way too easily. No nagging necessary. Now she’d finally supplied the grandchildren, and Ruth seemed to have focused on Alexa as her next project.

  “We’re not dating, Ruth. He’s just someone I’m working with.”

  “Well, he seems quite capable. I mean, look at the way he handled that man at the church.”

  For the first time, Alexa wondered if Ruth was delusional. Not only was she oblivious to the ramifications of what had happened today, she completely ignored Alexa’s part in the defense.

  Finally, she spotted her salvation. “Oh, look! Luke’s crying. I bet he wants his grandma.”

  Ruth was off like a shot.

  Alexa soon found that her surrogate mother wasn’t the only delusional one in the crowd. She knew quite a few of the guests, both Marilee’s relatives that she’d met on various holidays during college and Kurt’s colleagues, many of whom were also hers. Though several mentioned the attack, none inquired about the “weirdness” of it.

  “Was it one of your enemies, or Kurt’s?” a couple of FBI agents asked, chuckling as if it were a great joke.

  “I’d like to get my hands on that weapon of his,” said an FBI scientist who was a weaponry expert. Alexa wasn’t surprised that he was intrigued by the “flamethrower” rather than her “dousing” counterattack. Flames were more macho.

  Several women asked about the hunk in black. Not a single one commented on the chair said hunk had sent flying.

  Either movies and TV had caused people to be too inoculated against the fanta
stic, or they saw what they expected to see. Whatever the reason, Alexa couldn’t complain.

  She exited the French doors off the dining room, craving fresh air after a half hour of close quarters and grasping acquaintances. Only a couple of other guests were out there, and she sighed in relief that she didn’t know them.

  She spotted a wide wooden swing in the corner of the yard, a new addition since her last visit. It was in the shade and faced the house, so she headed to it. Halfway there she was jerked to a stop by an arm around her throat.

  Reacting by instinct, she stepped back to regain her balance, braced, and tossed the man over her shoulder. Instead of landing on his back, however, he flipped all the way and landed on his feet, then spun to face her, laughing.

  “Rock!” She wanted to press a hand to her heart, vibrating as it was with adrenaline, but couldn’t show any kind of “female weakness” to her boss. Ex-boss. She stuck her hands on her hips instead. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  Rock Davis shrugged. “Keeping you on your toes so you won’t be out of practice when you come back.”

  Alexa rolled her eyes and strode past him to the swing, where she dropped onto it and pushed it into violent motion. “I’m not coming back, Rock.”

  Without jarring the swing or interrupting its timing, he eased himself onto it and settled back. “Oh? Then what do you plan to do with your life after this personal job is done?”

  Good question. She’d been concentrating so hard on the outcome, she hadn’t considered the aftermath.

  “It depends on how it ends,” she told him.

  “That guy in the church? He part of this whole quest?” He made a “big picture” motion with his hands, then folded his arms.

  “You were there? I didn’t see you.”

  “I arrived late. Was in the back. Would have tackled the guy if I hadn’t been on the other side of the building. Or if I’d anticipated it.”

  “None of us anticipated it.”

  “What are you into, Alexa?” He gave her the “concerned big brother” look.

  “I’d like to know the same thing,” said Kurt on his way across the lawn toward them. He leaned on the support post with his hands in his pockets, but he was in alert mode, ready for another attack, if it came. Despite his assertion that it wouldn’t come today.