Dragon Heat 1 - Dead Sexy Dragon (10 page)

taking Hector under his wing, so to speak, might have

saved his friend’s life. “I wasn’t sure whether I wanted

another claviger. I haven’t had one in such a long time.”

“Do the other Brothers have them?” Cora started

gathering up their dirty dishes, so he rose to help her.

“Some do. It’s one of the traditions falling by the

wayside. Now that we have the benefit of technology, we

don’t really need someone standing outside our cells

keeping guard.”

“So the death of a human woman started your war but

you relied on humans for protection in your weakest

times?”

Stig smiled. “Our fight isn’t with all humans. We’re just

concerned with descendants of the original family.

They’re the only ones who can wield the swords that can

slay us.”

“Swords?”

“Yes. We’re incredibly strong and impervious to most

other weapons. At one time, there were nearly fifty of

them. We’ve found and destroyed all but seven. We know

a handful of other swords were melted down to make

other weapons. My time in Afghanistan and Iraq actually

allowed me to hunt down two swords and some useful

first-person accounts of battles between dragons and

Knights that had been lost to history.”

“A gun won’t hurt you?”

“Not in dragon form, no. In this human form?” He ran a

hand down his chest. “I can be severely wounded but

that’s about it.”

With a pensive expression on her face, Cora rinsed off

the plates. “You know the story of St. George that they

teach in Sunday school?”

“I’m somewhat familiar with it.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be a smart-ass.”

He laughed. “What about it, Cora?”

“Was he one of the descendants?”

“He was,” Stig confirmed. “The sword he used,

Ascalon, is still missing. It’s the first sword and the most

powerful and dangerous.”

“Um, speaking of dangerous things, what about me?”

Stig frowned. “You?”

“I’m human, Stig. Is that…is it a problem?”

He wanted to lie but couldn’t. He couldn’t keep any

more secrets between them. “It might be.”

“Might be?”

“When I swore my oath to the Brotherhood, I also

swore to stay away from human women. Other dragons

have taken human brides but never the Brothers.”

“So we—”

“Are fine,” Stig said firmly. “We’ll figure it out, Cora.”

She looked like she wanted to argue with him but

didn’t. On the way back to the table, she dragged her

fingers across the basement door. “Without a claviger,

you’re all alone, Stig. What if something goes wrong down

there? You’d be stuck until morning.” Concern clouded

her eyes. “Do you have some kind of backup plan when

you’re in the chains?” She chewed her lower lip. “Maybe

I could be your claviger.”

Stig’s heart soared at her suggestion but he let her down

easily. “I’m touched you’d offer but I don’t think it’s the

right job for you.”

“I just want you to be safe, Stig.”

“I am, Cora. Always. And anyway I have other ideas

about a certain position you might be right for.”

“Oh?”

“Later,” he said, and kissed her forehead. “Come out to

the workshop with me. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

“All right.”

Stig took her hand and led her outside. He gave her a

tour of the shop and explained how the various saws,

drills, and planes worked. She soaked up the information

like a sponge. Her eyes lit up as she explored her creative

side with a piece of scrap wood and a jigsaw. He left her

to her own devices and picked up where he’d left off on

his current project.

Cora appeared at his worktable some time later. He

sensed she wanted to help and decided she could be

trusted with the sanding and some of the more simple cuts.

It had been so long since he’d shared his workspace with

anyone. He found he enjoyed her company immensely.

Teaching her various woodworking techniques and tricks

proved to be even more fun. She approached learning with

such gusto.

Hours passed as they worked side by side. It was a

little before five when Cora glanced at his watch and

exclaimed at the late hour. They discovered they were

both starving, so they cleaned up their workspaces and

headed back into the house. After a quick shared shower

—and a little frisky play—they made their way to the

kitchen. Side by side, they started a simple dinner of pasta

and salad.

As Cora stood at the island slicing the crisp veggies,

Stig noticed she rolled her shoulders and made an annoyed

face. Had she hurt herself out in the workshop? Some of

those pieces of wood were bulky and difficult to

maneuver. “You pull something?”

She shook her head. “I think it’s the tag in my T-shirt.

Sometimes they irritate my skin.” Cora reached back and

tried to scratch the offending area. “It itches something

fierce.”

“Let me see.” Stig put down his slotted spoon and

crossed to her side. She presented her back for his

inspection. He lifted the thin cotton tee out of the way for a

better look.

The bottom dropped out of his stomach. His mouth went

dry and his head spun. He blinked a few times to try to

reconcile what was right there in front of his eyes.

Scales. Bright orange with black edges formed a

diamond-shaped pattern between her shoulder blades.

Cora was actually growing
scales
.

“What’s wrong?” Trepidation colored her voice. Had

she sensed his fear? Had she experienced the quiver of

panic piercing his belly? With the uncertainty of the depth

of the bond they’d forged last night, he couldn’t be sure.

Had she been a dragon, she’d feel everything he felt but

she wasn’t a dragon.

At least not yet.

There was no other way to say it. “You’re growing

scales, Cora.”

Chapter Six

WHAT?” The knife fell from her hand and clattered onto

the butcher block. Cora tried to touch her back but

couldn’t get her fingers into the right position. She silently

cursed her decision to give up on yoga all those years ago.

Flexibility would have been a plus right about now.

Desperate to see the scales, she rushed out of the

kitchen and took the stairs two at a time, using the banister

for balance. She skidded into the bathroom and ripped off

her shirt. Craning her neck to see over her shoulder, Cora

screamed at the horror reflected in the mirror.

Large, orange, diamond-shaped scales looked to be

spreading across her shoulder. The skin surrounding the

scaly patch was red and irritated. How long before her

entire back was covered in the leathery hide?

“Calm down.” Stig’s voice carried his fear and

uncertainty even as he tried to help her.

“Calm down?” Cora shrieked in panic. “There’s no

calming down, Stig. I am freaking the fuck out right now. I

have scales on my back!”

He took a step forward and engulfed her in his embrace.

She collapsed against his solid chest and held tight. His

heart raced, the thumping pulse beating wildly against her

ear. The fact that he was also scared terrified her.

“What’s happening to me, Stig?”

“I don’t know,” he reluctantly admitted. With a heavy

sigh, he released her and put a little distance between

them. He rubbed his face the way he did when he was

upset and uncertain. “I never thought something like this

would happen to you. Had I known, I never would have let

you stay last night.”

Cora’s thoughts shifted to the prior evening. She

remembered his discomfort at her presence and the way he

kept trying to get her to leave. She’d flirted with danger

and this was the consequence.

“It never crossed my mind that mating with a mortal

woman during the phase would cause her to change.”

Worry lines creased his face. He grimaced and kneaded

his temples. “God, Cora, I am so sorry.”

Her stomach knotted and her worst fear took hold. “Am

I going to die?”

Her voice was barely a whisper but it got Stig’s

attention. “No!” He rushed to haul her close again.

“You’re not going to die but you’re going to change. It’s

happened to clavigers throughout the ages. They start to

show dragon signs during a mating watch and eventually

make the transformation.” He grew quiet for a moment. “It

never occurred to me they made the change because of

love.”

Soon she’d sprout wings, a tail, and talons to go with

the scales. What would happen to her old life? Would she

live forever? What if something happened to Stig? She’d

seen the scars on his body. The work he did with the

Brotherhood was dangerous. What if he was killed by one

of those Knights? The idea of facing an eternity as a

dragon without Stig at her side sent her into a panic.

Her mind raced with questions. She loved Stig, of that

she was absolutely sure, but the thought of becoming a

dragon terrified her. What else would happen to her body?

If she became immortal, would she lose the ability to have

children? Her heart sank at the thought. She’d always

wanted to have lots and lots of chubby little babies.

And no doubt she’d be forced to leave behind her

friends. She’d seen Stig’s mementos. All those different

places and different faces. He never stayed anyplace very

long. She supposed people became suspicious when he

failed to age. The same would happen to her.

Panic took an even stronger hold. She fought to breathe.

Her throat tightened. Sweat poured from her skin. She

couldn’t see straight.

“Cora!” Stig took hold of her shoulders and gave her a

firm shake.

Through teary eyes, she met his pained gaze. She gulped

and shook her head. “I don’t think I can do this.”

His expression crumpled into one of agony and sadness.

Her heart broke at the sight. She wanted to say everything

was going to be okay, that becoming a dragon was just

fabulous, but she couldn’t lie to Stig, especially about

something this important.

“I’m not ready for eternity, Stig.” She spoke so softly

the words barely registered in her own ears. By the way

Stig’s jaw clenched, Cora knew he’d heard her very

clearly.

“Then you need to go. Now.” There was no anger or

hostility in his voice. It was even and almost void of

emotion. “I’ll make the change soon and you can’t be here.

My dragon will never let you leave. Go to the hotel in

town. I’ll send someone for you, someone who can help

you with this.”

Cora’s stomach lurched. This was it. It was all over.

She swallowed hard and nodded. “All right.”

There was no time to pack. The sun already dipped

along the horizon. Cora threw some things into her

backpack and grabbed her purse. She couldn’t meet Stig’s

wounded gaze as she passed him in the hallway. His

familiar scent ignited something so primal in her core. She

fought the urge to throw down her things and launch

herself at him.

Walking out of the house was one of the hardest things

she’d ever done, almost as hard as burying her brother and

grandmother within weeks of one another. She tossed her

things into the backseat of her car and then lingered behind

her open driver’s side door. Her gaze moved to Stig, who

stood on the porch, arms crossed, face hard as stone. She

desperately wanted to feel the warmth of his embrace one

last time but she couldn’t tempt fate. If he held her again,

she might never leave his side.

With a gut-wrenching sob, Cora slid into the driver’s

seat and slammed her door. She turned the ignition and

buckled her seat belt. By the time she looked up, Stig had

already disappeared into his house. He was probably

running down the basement stairs as she backed out of the

driveway and headed for the main road. The thought of

Stig spending yet another night alone in the cold, dank cell

made her positively sick.

Cora stomped the gas. She had to put as much distance

between Stig and herself as quickly as possible. The

knowledge she’d hurt Stig soured her belly. The guilt and

shame were almost too much to bear. That she’d allowed

fear to rule her actions was disheartening.

The longer Cora drove, the more she regretted her

decision. She desperately loved Stig, loved him so much it

hurt. Yet what was she doing? She was racing at

breakneck speed away from the man who had given her the

security for which she’d yearned for so long.

She spotted a highway sign. She was halfway to town.

The prospect of spending a night alone in a hotel made her

feel so empty. She wanted to be with Stig. She needed to

be with him.

“What the fuck am I doing?” Cora’s foot lifted off the

gas pedal. The car slowed a bit as she realized the full

ramifications of her choices. If she kept driving, if she

spent the night in town, the bond she shared with Stig

would shatter. There would be no second chance.

She hit the brakes and brought the car down to a