The Dragon and the Singer

by Renee Carr

  “Oh,” Ivy looked thoroughly surprised and turned to Sarah, who was seated behind them. “Hello.”

  “Hello,” Sarah said, slipping into the voice Nathan remembered her using when she greeted the thousands of diplomats who came through the palace. “I was in the area for work and Nathan suggested we both attend the show. He spoke nothing but good things.”

  “He hasn’t seen this show,” Ivy replied. “But the music is nice, at least.”

  “You have other colleagues performing then?” Nathan asked.

  “Yeah, it’s sort of a...variety show of Broadway hits,” she said. “Not my favorite, but hey, it’s a gig and there’s a lot of press coverage. So the ...annoyances outweigh the benefits. I really should get back though,” she picked up the coffee that the barista handed her. “I’ll see you there?”

  “And perhaps after?” he asked her, hopefully. They had traded messages about another late-night dinner, but nothing was confirmed.

  “Yes, and a stiff drink,” she answered, with a grin. “Just the three of us?”

  “The two of you,” Sarah spoke up. “I’m afraid I'll have an early night.”

  “Well, thanks for coming,” Ivy said, raising her coffee in a silent toast. “I hope that you like it.”

  “I’m sure I will,” Sarah said, and Ivy turned back to Nathan. Once their gazes locked, both of them felt frozen again.

  “Break a leg,” Nathan said. “That’s what people say, isn’t it?”

  “Sometimes,” she said, and their hands brushed. “Bye.”

  It seemed to take a great amount of effort for her to tear herself away from him, but she eventually did. Once she was gone, Nathan sank onto the chair opposite Sarah with a grin on his face.

  “Oh, my,” Sarah said, with a small smile. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to tell.”

  His eyes flickered over to her.

  “You can tell?”

  “You are in love with her, without a doubt,” Sarah replied. “And she is certainly not the type of woman you have ....cast interest on in the past.”

  “You see my problem?” he asked her. “She is blunt and strong-willed, and she is not afraid to speak her mind. As for her outfit...that is more conservative than the last time we were together.”

  “I see what you perceive is a problem,” she replied.

  “You don’t think it’s a problem?” he asked her, in shock.

  “Maybe she thinks your buttoned-up attire and formal words are a problem,” Sarah said. “But she is just as enchanted as you are. She obviously doesn’t know who you are, though.”

  “No,” Nathan said. “She doesn’t know. And if I tell her and she rejects the feelings.... It’s a whole other problem.”

  “It’s worth it,” Sarah said, sadly. “Living without your fated mate is a reality I would wish on no one.”

  “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “It hadn’t occurred to me how...difficult this might be for you.”

  “Seeing you look at her,” Sarah said. “It reminds me of how he used to look at me. It’s enough for a moment of happiness again.”

  “Let me get your coffee,” he said, standing up as he remembered their original purpose. “And when you are ready, we’ll go.”

  Chapter 7

  Ivy had been having a horrible week. Her flight to New York had been a nightmare, delayed several times and then canceled and rebooked for one with three connections, which she thought was ridiculous. She was pretty sure by the time she had landed that she had flown twice the distance that she needed to.

  It didn’t help that the other guest stars in the show were some of the worst people she had ever worked with. She knew she could be a bit difficult at times, but these people were some of the most selfish and demanding people she had ever met.

  None of that mattered, though, the second she saw Nathan. She felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and the sun was shining only for her. There wasn’t a thing that could go wrong.

  Ivy even found herself ignoring the emails that were coming through her phone, in favor of waiting impatiently for her turn to go on stage and lay eyes on him again. Normally, she was completely focused on her career, but having Nathan less than twenty feet away made her focus only on his smile.

  He was sitting in the front row, with his sister in law beside him. Ivy had been surprised that he brought a guest, and she wondered briefly if he wasn’t telling the truth about his relationship to the pretty woman that sat beside him. She wasn’t normally a jealous person, especially about someone she wasn’t in a relationship with. They were just friends, she kept telling herself.

  Friends who needed to be beside each other desperately and couldn’t breathe without the other one.

  Ivy was used to flowers being thrown at her when she bowed, but this time, one of the bouquets caught her eye. Tied to the stem was exactly was she looked for in the past three shows, and it set her heart afire.

  There was a white business card, edged with orange, and a yellow fire logo. It was a business card from Inferno Talent, which was one of the top talent management agencies for singers.

  She kept her composure, picking it up and bowing one last time before going backstage. She could hear the crowd still roaring, and she knew technically, she should go out for an encore. However, she was more interested in tearing apart the bouquet to get to the card.

  Please call me on Monday. We would be interested in representing you.

  She immediately took a photograph and texted it to Nathan, knowing that he should still be watching the show. He responded almost immediately, though.

  This is the one you wanted?

  I want to call him right now, she said. Can it be Monday yet?

  We’ll celebrate, he promised her. See you soon.

  She grinned, sending him a smiley face.

  “Is that your boyfriend?” one of the other performers asked, passing by on her way to the stage. “The one in the first row?”

  “No,” Ivy said, after a moment. “Just a friend.”

  “Yeah, I’ve had a friend like that,” the girl said.

  “What happened?” Ivy asked.

  “I married him,” she said. “And then we drove each other crazy and divorced each other.”

  “Thanks for the positivity,” Ivy replied. “But we just met a week ago, so I think I’m safe from that.”

  The girl shrugged.

  “I know a good divorce lawyer, whenever you are ready.” She headed on stage, and Ivy shook her head. She couldn’t wait to get out of there and back to Nathan.

  “If you want my opinion,” a stagehand spoke up. She was pretty sure his name was James. Since seeing him on the dating app, she realized they worked together. They had spoken a few times before, and Ivy actually didn’t find him as annoying as the rest of them. He had been one of the more helpful stagehands, and he seemed to go out of her way to make sure that she was content, both on and off stage. “I don’t think you should go anywhere near a man like Nathan.”

  “What?” she replied. “Why not?”

  “Men like that, they have other agendas,” James said. “And whatever it is, it’s not because he’s content with who you are and wants to live in harmony with you.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” Ivy answered. “Every relationship is like that. People want other people to change.”

  “Yeah but...he’s just not your type.”

  “What do you know about my type?” Ivy raised an eyebrow.

  “You need someone less...rigid,” he answered. “More rebellious.”

  “Do I?” Ivy answered.

  “Hey, I’m not going to tell you what to do,” he answered, holding up his hands. Ivy replied with a smile and went out to find Nathan.

  He was waiting at the stage door as soon as she changed, and she threw herself into his arms.

  “That was brilliant,” he said, as he hugged her. “Absolutely brilliant.”

  “As long as you enjoyed it,” she said, as she gazed int
o his eyes. “And I got the card, so it’s worth it.”

  “Perhaps I shall lose you to fame and fortune now,” he said, and she grinned.

  “Maybe,” she replied. “But you promised me a celebration.”

  “That I did,” he said. “With one rule.”

  “A rule?” she asked. “What kind of rule?”

  “Neither of us talks about work tonight,” he said. “We should just...enjoy each other’s company.”

  He met her eyes and he seemed quite serious about this proposal. Ivy thought that his eyes seemed so deep and soulful, and there was so much wisdom in them. She wanted to know everything about him, from the moment he was born to the journey that got him in front of her today.

  She had a feeling that he could read her the phone book and she could listen for hours.

  She also had thoughts that made her blush, and she was pretty open in most areas. She wanted to rip him out of his clothes, tear off the buttons on his shirt, and see what he looked like underneath all of that.

  She tried to keep her next sentence as steady as possible, even though the filthy thoughts were running through her head.

  “Considering I have literally no idea what you do for work, I think I can manage that,” she said, their faces just inches apart. “Where are we headed?”

  “Closest bar?” he asked, and she took his arm. “Sarah has turned in for the night, so we are on our own.”

  “Lead the way, trusty steed,” she teased.

  “Here,” he offered, as they got closer to the stage door, taking off his suit jacket and handing it to her. She was confused. It was cold outside, but if they were headed where she thought they were, it was a two-minute walk.

  “I’m fine,” she said and he paused. She raised an eyebrow. “What, are you embarrassed by me or something?”

  “Perhaps I don’t want the whole bar looking at you,” he said. “It’s exhausting, trying to keep your attention on me.”

  She knew that she could take that comment the wrong way easily, but she had a feeling that he didn’t mean it in a way that was meant to wound her.

  “I wouldn’t worry about it,” she said.

  “Are you sure?” he asked and she grinned.

  “Nathan, don’t be so old fashioned,” she said. “Women can go out with skin showing and it’s not going to attract every eye in the bar.”

  “At least take my arm,” he said and she was happy to do that.

  “Now, I remember,” she said. “Last time we were out, you had quite a few drinks.”

  “Is that what you think?” he said, as they walked. “Are you sure you’re not cold?”

  “I’m fine,” she said. “And yes, I think you were a bit drunk.”

  “Maybe that’s why I keep coming back,” he answered.

  “Because you were drunk?”

  “Because I can relax around you,” he said and she met his eyes as they walked into the bar.

  Every single man in the bar, and a few of the women turned to stare at her, which made Nathan raise an eyebrow.

  “Whatever,” she said. “They are probably wondering what I’m doing with such a buttoned-up businessman.”

  “Who should you be out with?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “Someone with baggy jeans and a tank top.”

  “Not a chance,” he answered and she laughed, looking around at the crowded bar.

  “Do you want to eat?” she asked him.

  “Not particularly,” he replied. “I—-” He stopped talking, looking for the right words to explain that not only did his food have to be specific, he often needed to be in control of it. He could rarely explain to others, even in the Dragon Kingdom, that he needed to be in complete control of his food to feel at ease. If his body failed, if his mind failed, like John’s did, he would lose everything.

  “Hey,” she said, giving his arm a little squeeze. “It’s fine. We’ll just drink then.”

  It was turning into the perfect night. It was, however, only two drinks in, when he felt like something was wrong. It wasn’t anything wrong with her, she was perfect. But he started to feel something sinking in his chest, and she could see it on his face.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “It’s just...I’m sorry,” he pulled out his phone and dialed the number of Sarah’s hotel room. When Sarah married John, in a sacred Dragon ceremony that connected her to the rest of their family, he became aware of some of her thoughts. Something deep in Dragon magic forged a bond between their bloodline, and even now, despite the fact that John had been gone, he was still connected to her. “Come on, pick up.”

  “Is something wrong?” she asked him and he gritted his teeth.

  “I’m sorry. It’s just Sarah didn’t look very well when she turned in for the night. And now I feel like...”

  “Like doom and gloom?” Ivy asked. “I know what you’re talking about. Sometimes you just get this feeling.”

  She watched his face go from worried to pale as he tried the number time and time again.

  “Do we need to go?” she asked. “Is this serious?”

  “I think so,” he said. “It’s not...she’s not very well, in general.”

  “I noticed that,” Ivy said and Nathan reacted in surprise.

  “You did?”

  “She has a port, right?” Ivy asked. “A friend of mine had one when she had cancer. She needed IVs all the time. I recognized the top of it on her chest.”

  Nathan didn’t quite want to give away what exactly was wrong with Sarah, so he said nothing, instead hanging up the phone and calling for the bill.

  “She normally is good about answering,” he said. “Or calling for help.”

  “Is her husband your brother, who passed?” Ivy picked up on the issue right away.

  “Yes,” Nathan said. “So I feel responsible if something happens.”

  “Yeah, I get that,” Ivy said. “Hey! WAITER!”

  She raised her voice above the din of the bar, which made everyone stare at them more. Nathan felt a mix of embarrassment and pride as she finally got the waiter’s attention. He came over with the bill, which Nathan dropped a large bill onto without even thinking.

  “That’s too much,” Ivy protested. “And...”

  “I really don’t care right now,” he said, putting his wallet back in his pocket. “I’m sorry, my dear, but...”

  “Woah, you’re not going anywhere without me,” she said. “You two aren’t from here. If you need a doctor or something, you need my help.”

  He pulled her out of the bar, knowing that if they needed a doctor, this would be the moment of truth. If she really was his fated mate, she was going to have to find out sooner or later that he wasn’t entirely human. This wasn’t exactly the way he wanted to tell her, but he didn’t feel like he had a choice.

  Sarah didn’t answer the knock on her door, nor did she answer him kicking the door and screaming her name. The hotel hallway was empty, and Ivy was sure someone was going to call security.

  Frustrated, Nathan let them both into his adjoining suite and went for the adjoining door. It too was locked, but Nathan had absolutely no misgivings about the flimsy lock.

  “Stand back,” he said, about to burst in.

  “WAIT!,” Ivy cried, before he broke it down. She knew it was an emergency, but her mind was clearer than his at the moment. She bent down for a second, fiddling with the manual lock and the door clicked open. “Just try things first, before violence.”

  If it had been another moment, he might have said something in thanks. But with the door open, he flew through the room.

  It was exactly as he feared. Sarah was lying on the bed, on her side. She was breathing, but her eyes were half open and she wasn’t responsive. From what he could see from the mess surrounding her, she had tried to hook up her own Dragon fire IV, something she normally could do, and something had gone wrong.

  He put a hand to her neck to feel her pulse, and found it irregular. Her life forc
e was weak, but it wasn’t flickering, which would have put them in more danger.

  Ivy pulled out her phone, and Nathan turned to her.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, as he rolled Sarah back onto her back.

  “Calling 9-1-1,” she said, and he reached to take the phone from her.

  “Don’t,” he said and she gaped at him.

  “Why not?”

  “Because I can fix this,” he said. “I think.”

  “Nathan, she needs help!” Ivy cried.

  “I know,” he said. “And I can give her the help she needs. But you need to back up.”

  “Why?” Ivy couldn’t make any sense of what he was saying. “I’m calling 9-1-1.”

  “You’re not,” he snapped. “Stand. Back. Now.”

  Chapter 8

  He had only done this transfer of magic once before, and it was with John, near the end of his life. The transfer of magic from one Dragon to another was possible, and it wasn’t dangerous, but it was difficult. If he could figure out how to do it, Sarah would be alright.

  “Nathan, what are you doing?” Ivy demanded.

  “I just need to focus,” he said, closing his eyes. He could see the last time that he did this, with John’s body on the bed, and Sarah hovering worriedly at the edge, not royal enough to protect her husband from the demons that came through his mind.

  Nathan wondered if John would have succumbed knowing that Sarah would need this much help in a few years.

  He felt the magic flow through his veins and felt the connection with hers. It was just as strong as the spilled IV, but he pushed past what would be the normal threshold, forcing her to take more Dragon magic than human blood. It would push her into a transformation, which he knew would give her relief for a while, at least.

  He could feel Ivy hovering behind him and he knew that this would be the moment she either stayed with him or ran for the highlands.

  And if she did, he was going to have to figure out what he was going to do with a human who knew about Dragons because of his own admission.

  Sarah was slightly resistant to his magic flow, but eventually, she accepted it with no issues. He pushed harder than he should of, worried that she was fading.