‘‘Or he could be operating for purposes of his own,’’ Drake said.
Gabriel nodded.
‘‘What if it turns out that he’s working for a dragon after all?’’ I had to ask.
Gabriel pulled me tighter against him. ‘‘Then we will deal with that situation, too. But of first importance is the phylactery. It is the only thing I can use to barter for the release of my guards. I must have it.’’
‘‘Agreed,’’ Drake said, hesitating a moment. ‘‘He will in all likelihood be expecting such a move, you know.’’
Gabriel didn’t answer, but the smile that curled his lips left me shivering again… this time with cold.
Chapter Sixteen
‘‘Alone at last,’’ Gabriel said in his best dramatic voice, his dimples at odds with the lascivious grin he was giving me as he closed the door and leaned against it.
I stopped admiring the room and eyed him slowly. Although Drake seemed to wear the color of his sept frequently-mostly in his shirts-Gabriel wasn’t clad in silver. Instead he wore a pair of faded jeans and a scarlet shirt, opened just enough to show a beaded necklace from which hung a silver version of his sept emblem. He was the sexiest man I’d ever seen, and I was just a fraction of a second from leaping upon him when there was a knock at the door. It opened, bumping against him.
‘‘I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you were there,’’ Aisling said when Gabriel moved away enough for the door to open completely. She smiled happily at us both. ‘‘I just wanted to check that everything was all right. There’s a bathroom attached, in case you didn’t know, just through the door opposite.’’
‘‘Thank you. I’m sure we’ll have no problem finding it,’’ I said, trying not to drool on Gabriel.
She bustled into the room, tweaking the cover on the bed before going over to a large antique wardrobe. ‘‘There should be some extra blankets in here, if you get chilly. Oh, and everything’s been fireproofed, so you guys can… well… I’m sure I don’t need to explain it.’’
‘‘Everything is lovely,’’ I said, feeling awkward. Gabriel ignored Aisling to watch me with the intensity of a panther about to pounce. It just about blared his intention to indulge in wild, unbridled lovemaking, and although I had every intention of fulfilling that thought, it was a bit embarrassing to have everyone know it.
Drake suddenly appeared, herding his wife out of the room and down the hall with an apologetic glance at Gabriel. ‘‘Kincsem, you should have been in bed an hour ago. You will tire yourself.’’
‘‘I’m pregnant, not an imbecile, Drake! It’s quite obvious they want to be alone, but I just wanted to make sure they had everything first. There’s nothing more annoying than being caught short during the middle, if you know what I mean…’’ Aisling’s voice drifted down the hall after her.
Gabriel sighed, closed the door, and leaned against it in a repeat of his earlier action. His eyes blazed with blatant promise as he examined me thoroughly. ‘‘Alone at-’’
The door thumped open again, hitting him hard enough that it sent him staggering forward a few steps. He whirled and glared at the black dog that stood in the doorway.
‘‘Heya. Cy just showed up, May. Thought you’d want to know since you were worried and all. I think Aisling’s putting her in the room down the hall. You want to see her before you and Gabe go off to Boinksville?’’
I hesitated, feeling that I should make sure Cyrene was all right.
‘‘Is she harmed in any way?’’ Gabriel asked before I could answer.
Jim pursed its lips and shook its head. ‘‘Nope. Said she came close to flooding the place before they let her go, but she’s fine. István told her there was a pool in the basement, and she was headed that way when I left her.’’
‘‘Then we will see her in the morning,’’ Gabriel said firmly, pushing the demon none too gently out the door.
‘‘Suit yourselves, although she said she had something to tell May. If you need help shifting the furniture so you can do it in dragon form, just give me a yell-’’
The door slammed shut in its face.
‘‘Just tryin’ to be helpful!’’ it yelled.
Gabriel growled at the door for a moment before turning back to face me.
I decided such a show of restraint deserved a reward. I pulled off my shirt and pants, allowing my hands to run sensually down my ribs and hips.
Gabriel’s eyes widened, the pupils almost nonexistent as he gazed upon my exposed flesh. He swallowed a couple of times, his voice thick when he spoke. ‘‘Alone-’’
‘‘We bring your luggage,’’ someone said behind him. Gabriel leaped out of the way to avoid being whacked on the back yet again as István kicked open the door, depositing my bags from Gabriel’s house. I didn’t have time to snatch up a shirt before Gabriel was in front of me, blocking István’s view.
István’s eyebrows rose at the sight of my clothing on the chair. ‘‘Oh. Sorry. The door locks, you know.’’
‘‘I will be sure to see that it’s used,’’ Gabriel answered.
István surprised me with a grin, and then he was gone. Gabriel locked the door, counted to ten, then sighed when no one knocked on it. ‘‘Shall we try this again?’’
‘‘I don’t know-it’s taking on the feel of a scene from a Marx Brothers’ movie, don’t you think?’’
His smile warmed me to the tips of my naked toes, but it was his gaze that left me feeling as if I was burning. ‘‘You are so delicious, I don’t know where to begin.’’ His gaze moved along my exposed skin.
I laughed, propping my foot up on the chair and nodding toward the knife I wore at my ankle. ‘‘Why don’t you start by helping me out of this?’’
He looked at my leg. He looked at my breasts, straining to get out of my bra in a manner hitherto unbeknownst to me. He went back to my bare leg, with a brief stop at my hips and belly.
‘‘No?’’ I asked, amused, aroused, and slightly confused by his hesitation.
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he shook his head. ‘‘I want you,’’ he finally said, his voice sounding somewhat strangled.
‘‘I can see you do,’’ I said, glancing toward the bulgy front of his pants.
‘‘I mean I really want you. I need you. Right now.’’
‘‘Well, I don’t see a problem with that, unless Cyrene has suddenly developed a skill for lock picking,’’ I said, unbuckling the knife sheath.
I stood up, wondering what on earth was keeping him from all the pouncing I could have sworn he was going to do the second we were alone, and decided to give him a little encouragement. I unhooked the front of my bra and let it fall to the floor.
Gabriel swore in what I assumed was his native language, his eyes huge.
I watched him closely for a moment. He was as stiff as a board, only the liquid silver of his gaze as it leaped from my breasts to my legs and back again offering a sign he was still actually alive. He’d even stopped breathing.
I shucked my underwear and stood in what I hoped was an attractive pose that wouldn’t let him see quite how large my backside was.
A strange gurgling noise emerged from him, but nothing else.
‘‘Am I doing something wrong here?’’ I finally asked, raising my hands and letting them fall in frustration. ‘‘You don’t want me naked?’’
A little whimper escaped his lips. He swallowed again, his hands tightening to fists at his side. ‘‘I can’t think of anything I want more at this moment, including the phylactery, Kostya’s head on a platter, and peace in the weyr.’’
‘‘Then why are you standing over there, making odd little noises of unhappiness, while I’m standing here feeling extremely insecure, exposed, and like I need to go on an immediate diet to lose at least ten pounds?’’
He closed his eyes for a moment, his face twisted in pain. ‘‘I may be a dragon, but I am not an animal, Mayling. You clearly wish to arouse me by performing this… incredible… striptease, and I will stand here and allow you to proceed if it kills me. Which it very likely may do.’’