bedeviled & beyond 04 - bedeviled & belittled (7 page)

The one on the right flipped a wing in my direction and demanded something in its guttural tones. Glynus responded in kind, her elegant snout swinging back and forth in a negative head movement.

At least that I understood.

She puffed herself up, lifting her wings aggressively, and barked some more orders at the two guards.

They responded by flinging fire at us.

Glynus dropped ten feet in the air to avoid the flames. Apparently forgetting me. I suddenly found myself airborne, without a dragon between my thighs, and looking at a wall of flame.

I screamed as the fire touched my skin and then gasped as a hard, muscular arm snaked around my waist and yanked me backward, against an equally hard chest. I looked down and saw a thick, muscular thigh, clad in stretchy black material, and beneath it, red scales.

Somebody else was joyriding on a dragon. And from what I could see of him he was yummy. I tipped my head to try to get a glimpse of him, but the red moved restlessly beneath us and I almost slid off. My Settling sparked as a broad hand spread across my midsection, holding me firmly against his body.

A deep voice rumbled against my ear. “Sit still, woman.” Then he raised his voice and addressed the dragon guards. His words were unintelligible, spoken in the guttural dragon language, but the results were obvious. The two dragons dipped their snouts and lifted their wings, immediately clearing the cavern entrance.

Glynus suddenly surged up in front of us. Her beautiful eyes sparking with anger.
Return my dragon fighter to me immediately!

An impossibly deep rumble started under my ear and I realized it was laughter.
You’ve been careless with her, Princess. I was merely saving her from being toasted alive before crashing painfully to the rocks below.

One of Glynus’ thick legs slammed downward, as if she were stomping her foot. I recognized the movement. I’d seen it hundreds of times over the two years she lived with me.
If your stupid guards had not attacked I would not have had to take evasive maneuvers, Dragon Slayer.

I peaked an eyebrow. Dragon...Slayer? I was immediately jealous. His title sounded scarier than mine. I tried to crank around and look at him again and finally managed, though I was basically hanging over his arm and out into nothingness to accomplish it.

As I looked up at him, my rescuer looked down at me, grinning. “Hello, Dragon Fighter.” My Settling roared. I clenched my thighs together in self-defense and tried to force a disinterested look onto my face.

In my current state that amounted to wiping drool from my chin.

“Hello, Dragon Slayer.”

He grinned and I think I came on the spot. His mouth was wide, with a full, bite-able lower lip, and filled with perfect white teeth. His canines were slightly enlarged, like a Royal’s, and his eyes were gold, with black flecks. His skin was a deep golden color and his hair was midnight black, cut very short, military style.

The short hair emphasized a strong jaw and densely muscled neck.

A dusky stubble covered his cheeks and jaw. But it didn’t hide the dimples which made an appearance when he smiled.

“Are you all right?”

I blinked. “Huh?”

He lifted a hand to my forehead and frowned. “You’re burning up.”

“Tell me about it.” I murmured.

He frowned just as a stream of fire flashed past his head.

Oh yeah. Glynus.

Return her to me right this minute, halfling!

Well frunk me to Hades and back on a stick. Another halfling.

~SC~

You realize we’re swimming in pee, dodging turd sharks right now, Glynus?

She sighed in my mind.
Yes, mother halfling.

That Queen looks mighty pissed.

She does, yes.

What are you gonna do about it?

She glanced at me and smiled, showing several rows of scary looking teeth.
I was hoping you’d take it from here.

Just great! The dragon barges into the enemy camp making demands and flinging accusations around and then she wants me to clean up the resulting mess.

I glanced at the muscle-bound, incredibly yummy halfling who’d saved me from a fiery death and carried me into the Queen’s caverns on the back of his fiery red steed.

Okay, that might have been a little too much.

The fiery red steed was really a slimy lizard, but the incredibly yummy halfling part was right on the mark.

I forced my mouth closed and licked my lips, doing a drool check. I was glad nobody but me was aware of the series of mini-orgasms my body was flinging at me whenever I looked at...or smelled...or heard...or heard about...him.

Well...unless they noticed the vibrating and slavering.

Step forward, halfling.

I blinked and looked at the Slayer. He jerked his head toward the enormous dragon crouching at the back of the cavern.

I widened my eyes in a “Who me?” look and he chuckled, flipping a hand toward the queen again. Sighing internally, I stepped forward.
You owe me big time for this, Glynus.

I know.

I moved to a spot just outside the swing-span of the queen’s spiked tail and dropped to one knee, bowing my head.
Your Highness. Thank you for allowing us to come before you.

The dragon inclined her elegant head slightly. Her massive wings fluttered once, the only sign of her irritation.
And I am thanked for my hospitality with accusations and hostility.

I glanced briefly at Glynus.
She is young, Your Majesty, and very worried about her parents. I beg you forgive her for her harshness.

The dragon turned long, opal colored eyes toward my young friend and her lip curled slightly.
She is just like her mother, that one. All prickly and aggressive. It is a shame.

I bit my metaphorical tongue and blocked my mind to Glynus. The last thing I needed at that point was for her to distract me with her rantings.
Her parents have been missing for several days now, Majesty. Have you seen them?

The Queen nodded again.
They came to me three days ago. We spoke of what happened to my heir and they informed me they had nothing to do with it. I found them very convincing.

Then you believed them?

They created doubt in my mind. Enough doubt that I chose not to engage them in war at this time. I am still gathering information and assessing my options.

I felt as if I was conversing with the CEO of a multi-planet corporation.
Do you have any ideas about who else might have wanted your heir dead, Majesty?

There are some in my queendom who cherish the throne. Even now they plot to kill me. My Slayer protects the throne.

I barely resisted reminding her that her sexy Slayer hadn’t done much to save her daughter but, glancing quickly at the Slayer in question, I couldn’t quite bring myself to tarnish his rep with his queen.
I’d like to question your subjects. See if we can figure out who might have had something to do with your daughter’s death.

The Queen cocked her head at me, narrowing her gorgeous, opal eyes.
Why do you concern yourself in my affairs, halfling?

Because whoever it was might have had something to do with the disappearance of the Black Queen and her mate.

Queen Persuis thought about my suggestion for a long moment and then inclined her snout.
You will work closely with my Slayer. He will guide you.

I gulped.
Um, how closely?

Her startling eyes sparked with humor.
He will not leave your side while you are here. It is non-negotiable.

“Frunkin’ wonderful.” I murmured.

You’re toast, mother halfling.
Glynus offered helpfully.

I sighed.
You’re tellin’ me?

What’s the deal with the other halfling?
We were on our way to another cavern, where Persuis had said we could stay during our time in her Queendom. I was trying really hard not to notice the really hot way the Slayer’s firm, round buttocks flexed as he strode confidently along before us. I’d already spent several minutes not noticing how well he filled out his tight pants in the front.

The Red Queen was jealous when she learned my mother had sent me to you. So she brought her own Slayer to her caverns and put him in charge of Plinthe.

The young dragon who was killed?

Glynus frowned in my mind.
Yes.

Has anybody looked at him for a suspect?

Nay. I do not think so. He has the Queen wrapped.

I nodded.
He does have a certain charm doesn’t he?

Glynus snorted, the flames from her nostrils barely missing a nearby tapestry. One of the Queen’s human servants leapt to the side to avoid being toasted. I grinned. Living among dragons certainly had its liabilities.
He’s frunkin’ hot, that one is, mother halfling.

I frowned at her.
That’s five coins in the swear jar, Glynus.

Yes, ma’am.
Her tone of voice was meek but she didn’t look in the least penitent.
But not a penny for the lie jar.

Sighing, I found my traitorous gaze consuming the Slayer’s yummy backside again.
No, it certainly wasn’t a lie, Glynus.

CHAPTER FIVE

Slayed and Flayed

In searching for the missing queen, our Lady finds a friend,

Though he’s a little much for her, and may drive her ’round the bend.

The Dragon Slayer showed us to a cozy, little cavern at the center of the Queendom. By the time we got there I realized I’d have to keep him close while in the caverns. I’d never find my way back out of the maze of passageways without him.

A human servant was waiting for us when we arrived at the appointed spot. She took my bag and bowed low to Glynus, speaking in the dragons’ brusque tongue.

What did she say?

I have been invited to tea.

Tea? Dragons do tea?

Glynus sighed in my mind.
We’re not uncivilized, mother halfling.

I snorted, drawing the notice of our yummy tour guide. “Is there a problem, dragon fighter?”

I was visualizing giant tea cups held in claws and enormous frosted tea cakes made of small animals. I grinned. “Glynus is going to tea.”

Glynus frowned at me.

“Have you ever seen a dragon tea?”

I shook my head.

Slayer shuddered, wiping the smile right off my face. “Trust me, you don’t ever want to see one.

My gaze swung to Glynus and she huffed, flinging smoke rings into the air.

When she’d left the cavern I turned to the delectable dragon Slayer. “I guess it’s just you and me then.” My happy place clenched at the thought.

He nodded, “You want to question the reds?”

No, I want to throw you to the ground and do the hip hop on your be bop.
“Yes.”

“Where do you want to start?”

“Anyone who saw the king and queen leave that day. The guards on the perimeter maybe?”

He frowned thoughtfully. “That makes sense. You want to know if they saw anything out of the ordinary as they were leaving, such as being joined by someone in their flight?”

“Right.”

He nodded. “We’ll start at the guard’s quarters.” He glanced at me. “Maybe you should let me interview the guards by myself.”

I bristled. “Why in Hades would I do that?”

He cast an appreciative gaze over me, scanning me from head to toe. Heat flared everywhere his hungry, gold gaze touched. My Settling blazed into life and I found myself envisioning his glorious body naked and covering mine. Soft lips trailing down my throat, opening to pull an aching nipple into the heated cave of his mouth. Hot, calloused fingers sliding up my sides, cupping breasts heavy with desire. His solid thighs settled between mine, a thick, hard...

“Hello?”

I blinked, and discovered, to my extreme embarrassment, that I was staring at the nicely rounded package at the juncture of those muscular thighs. I licked my lips and forced my gaze to lift. His smile was smug. “Are you okay?”

My answering laugh sounded sick and uncertain, even to me. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”

His smile widened slowly, his gaze never leaving mine. “This is going to be fun.”

I frowned, turning toward the opening to the cavern. “Yeah. Whatever.” But as I stomped into the dimly lit passageway ahead of him, dragging my dignity like discarded toilet paper on my shoe, I couldn’t help thinking that he was right. Spending hour upon hour with the yummy dragon Slayer at my side was going to be a truly stimulating experience.

I soaked my panties on that thought and all but came on the spot. He joined me in the passageway, dropping a superheated hand at the small of my back and giving me a gentle nudge. “This way.”

My sexual core throbbed and cried. My breath locked into my lungs. I felt a moment of sheer panic. Holy bent gargoyle toes! Being around the Slayer was going to be complete agony. I’d be lucky to survive with my soul intact.

~SC~

The smell hit me first. The sounds were almost as bad. Unfortunately we’d arrived at feeding time.

We’d travelled nearly an hour through the maze of caverns before coming to the guard’s quarters. As we neared, the dragon Slayer turned to me and grinned. “Last chance. You can stay here and let me question them.”

I frowned. What was his deal? How bad could it be? I flicked a hand for him to continue on and dropped in behind him. I wasn’t stupid. If it was going to be dangerous I’d let them take him out first, giving me time to pull out some smack down of my own.

I’d mourn the loss of his fine ass...ets later.

I followed him through a large, arched entrance and into an enormous cavern. On the far wall a thirty foot high waterfall splashed pleasantly into a small pool of water, whose surface bobbed with something that looked like body parts.