“Isn’t it hard?” She approached the large mass and rose on tiptoe to glance inside.
“With my body heat, it softens.”
She clenched her fists and glanced at the precious necklace hanging from his neck.
His gaze followed hers, and he fingered it. “I wouldn’t melt this for my bed. I have a place for special things.” He crooked a finger at her to come closer.
Like a good little human, she raced into his arms. Honestly, after that kind of sex, what woman wouldn’t?
He ran a possessive hand along her waist to her ass. “I’ve always liked fairy fashion.”
“I thought you preferred me naked.”
Wicked longing sparked in his eyes as his gazed darted to meet hers. “I do.”
“Then I wouldn’t be able to do this.” She made her breasts chime.
His nostrils flared and a growl rumbled in his chest.
Before he could melt the bra off her body, she raced away toward an exit on the other side of his bed. On fleet bare feet, she padded into the room and came to another full halt.
Ishi was a step behind her and slammed into her body. “Hey.” Catching her in his strong arms, he kept her from doing a nosedive off the ledge of a low cliff.
Her heart did a jig. She stared at the room below them, at the pile of gems and precious metals, pieces of art sitting on display stands, weapons hanging on the wall. She exhaled, not realizing she’d been holding her breath. “The treasure room, I suppose?”
He chuckled. “Yes.”
“Wow.”
They descended along a narrow stairway. “This is my hoard. I don’t let just anyone in here.”
“I’m honored.”
“You should be.” He took her by the hand. “I know every piece in my collections. This area in the far back is where I keep my more dangerous and powerful items.”
“Like the saji.”
“No. The saji doesn’t require much magic, which is why it will work in this realm.”
She glanced at the area he pointed toward. “There’s not much stuff back there.”
“Not anymore. Wizards and witches used to create such unbelievable works. Things that could bring the dead to life, swords that could kill angels, even some items that could feed whole nations.” He shook his head, sadness shadowed his eyes. “Those days are long gone. I don’t know of anyone who could wield that kind of power anymore. Just a few items scattered through Outremer remain.”
“Probably in other dragons’ hoards.” She patted his shoulder and pretended to care. She wasn’t a dragon and didn’t give a rat’s ass about gold, but he did. His hoard meant something to him, so she’d do her best to learn to care.
“Excellent point, Sandra. They probably are in others’ hoards.” He tapped his chin. “It’s been a long while since I raided one.” He returned to the front of his treasure room, where odd objects lay discarded against the wall. Kneeling, he sorted through it until he held a pewter colored spoon. He rose and placed it in her hand. “This is a saji.”
Her eyes went wide as she stared at it. “A spoon?”
“A magical spoon.”
Running her finger along the cold metal, she sensed nothing special. She shot him a look. Was he playing another trick?
He cupped her hands with his. “I forget how magic-deaf humans are. I can sense it pulsing in your hands.”
She closed her eyes and held her breath. Pouring all her concentration into her palms, she felt…she felt…nothing. “I’ll have to take your word for it. How does it work?”
“It heals the sick. Feed them with this spoon and they’ll become better.”
“That’s it?”
He nodded.
“No chanting, pentagrams, or sacrifices?”
“Nope. Items like this carry their own magic so it doesn’t need to be channeled, but you can only use it one time before it has to be returned to Outremer for recharging.”
“I only have to feed her with this?” Tears made her eyes swim and she blinked them away.
“Who–” He paused as if hearing something. “Stay hidden in here.” Then he vanished.
Chapter 11
Scanning the gateroom as soon as he arrived, Ishi spotted five squat creatures racing through the gate. Unlike goblins, these figures wore spiked helms and sturdy armor. They came to a sudden halt at the sight of him.
The leader gave him a brown-toothed bearded grin. Swinging his axe in a lazy arc, he prowled forward. “Cover the exits. This one’s mine.” He spoke to his comrades in their gravelly language.
Ishi gnashed his flat human-like teeth. Dwarves. Finally, something with fighting skills. He thumped his chest with a double fisted beat. Bring it on. Shifting to dragon form, he laughed as their eyes grew wide at his transformation. Really? The hill of bones at the gate entrance on the Outremer side still wasn’t enough of a hint?
Calling forth lava from the streams that flowed through the room, he snapped them like whips.
The intruders scattered, but there was no cover to be had. Using his control over stone, Ishi had smoothed the area ages ago. However, the dwarves’ gear didn’t melt or catch flame when touched.
Damn them and their metal magic. Lava wasn’t effective enough on these well-armored enemies. Only their skin burned, and even that didn’t deter this tough lot.
With the coordination of a well-trained unit, one distracted him by attacking him head-on as the others jumped him from behind.
Dropping his control over the liquid stone, he rolled across the floor, squashing a hard armored assailant, and unsheathed his sword from its place on the wall. In unison with his sharp tail, he parried their assault. The heavy weapon would have been cumbersome for most large species, but he was Ishi, Gatekeeper of the East. Swinging low to the ground, he cut a dwarf in half. The spray of blood arced over his remaining companions.
“What do you want in this realm?” Ishi shouted at them. Dwarves rarely crossed into Inverness. They valued gold and gems…
He set his clawed feet firmly on the ground at the realization of what they were truly after and drew upon the lava flowing throughout the mountain. No one would get his treasure. He’d melt it first. They couldn’t escape. The fools would bring further confirmation of his existence and next thing he’d know, his den would be infested with the metal-clad vermin. Touching his hoard, stealing it down to their mines, and melting his delicate gold and shiny silver for their own crafts.
Currents of lava increased in flow into the gateroom as his vision narrowed on the dwarves. He’d erupt the fucking volcano before they laid one pudgy finger on his stuff.
Sending his power deep into the Earth, he called to the liquid stone. He’d flood his treasure room if they got past his defenses. The mountain groaned, unbalancing one dwarf to pinwheel his arms and then topple over onto the ground.
Ishi impaled him through his stomach with the tip of his tail.
The other two stopped mid-swing and met each other’s gaze, then raced for escape, leaping toward the gate.
With a twist of his torso, he blocked their way using his tail once more, skewered dwarf still on it and all. Blood dripped from their dead companion.
“Ishi?” A soft voice called out behind him.
He spun around, ankle deep in dwarven menace.
Sandra peeked around the doorway, a vulnerable target.
His heart bronco-ed as he placed himself between her and the intruders. “Get out of here!” he shouted at her. Pain lanced into his shoulder. The sharp burn arched down his arm. He glanced back at an axe embedded above his wing. The little snot just missed, either by bad aim or his dumb luck.
The volcano rumbled again since he was still connected to the core, except now he remembered something more precious than gold stood not far from him. Destroying his den would kill Sandra.