Playing with Fire

The last I saw before Gabriel pulled me to our bedroom, Cyrene was still standing in the entryway, her lips pursed as Aisling smiled at her dragon.

‘‘To Paris?’’ Aisling asked.

‘‘To Paris,’’ Drake replied in a grim voice.

‘‘This is just like that wacky movie with the Black-adder guy, where they were all racing to find a treasure,’’ Jim said, its voice following us as we hurried down the hall. ‘‘Only with dragons, an ex-virgin doppelganger, and a really attractive Newfie. Bet people would pay big bucks to see this!’’

Chapter Twenty

‘‘I’m going to talk to Aisling for a few minutes,’’ I told Gabriel as we headed to our room to pack our things for the trip to Paris. ‘‘It’s just girl talk, nothing important.’’

He frowned as I went straight for the bag István had so recently brought me. I had taken only one or two things out of it, so it was easily repacked. ‘‘Girl talk? Are you injured in some intimate manner?’’ He put his hand on my belly as if to feel some sort of internal problem. ‘‘Has our mating been too rough?’’

‘‘No, it’s nothing at all like that.’’

‘‘May, I am a healer in addition to being your wyvern,’’ he said with a serious expression. ‘‘You must tell me if you are having any sort of physical problem, no matter how embarrassing you find it.’’

‘‘Honestly, it’s nothing-’’

‘‘Take off your clothes,’’ he said, nodding toward the bed. ‘‘I will examine you to make sure all is well.’’

‘‘Agathos daimon! I just want to have a little girl talk with Aisling, Gabriel! I don’t need a gynecological exam! Besides, if I take off my clothes and get on that bed, you’ll end up with yours off, too, and we’ll never get to Paris.’’

‘‘When’s the last time you had your period?’’ he asked, a frown furrowing his brow as he ignored the playful little nibble I gave the tip of his nose.

I went to the door and cast him a look fraught with dignity. ‘‘We are not having this conversation. And if you even think of following me, I will… I will… well, I’m not quite sure what I will do, but you can rest assured that it will not be pleasant. My bag is packed, by the way.’’

He didn’t say anything to that, but I felt his gaze on me as I headed down the hallway to knock on Aisling’s door.

I paused for a moment before Cyrene’s door, giving a quick tap before opening it. The room was empty. ‘‘Have you seen Cyrene?’’ I asked Pál as he hurried past me bearing two large suitcases.

‘‘A few minutes ago, yes. She said she had something to do, and left.’’

‘‘She left? What on earth…?’’ I pulled out my cell phone and punched in her number.

Drake left his room bearing another suitcase. Through the open door I could see Aisling gathering up a few books to tuck into a book bag.

Jim wandered out. ‘‘Funny time to call someone.’’

‘‘I’m trying to get hold of Cy.’’ I waited a few seconds before hanging up, a cold, clammy hand gripping my stomach. ‘‘Voice mail. She’s not answering. I have a horrible feeling I know where she is.’’

‘‘Where who is?’’ Aisling asked as she emerged from the room.

‘‘Cyrene. I think she went to tail Kostya. Silly, stupid… He won’t hurt her if he sees her, will he?’’ I asked Drake as he came upstairs again.

He paused to consider the question. ‘‘He has no cause to. The only reason he held a knife to her before was because he thought she was you, and he will not make that mistake again.’’

I relaxed slightly. ‘‘I don’t know why I’m worrying- she’s never followed anyone before. I’m sure Kostya will realize immediately that she’s shadowing him, and won’t waste any time shaking her. I just hope she has enough sense to go home rather than to try to follow us to Paris.’’

‘‘I have a friend in town who I’ll call to check on her if it’ll ease your mind,’’ Aisling said, turning back to her room. ‘‘Thanks, sweetie, that’s everything, I think. I’ll be down in just a minute.’’

Drake nodded and went downstairs. I followed Aisling into her bedroom, standing uneasily as she called a number and left a message.

‘‘Nora’s out right now, but I’ll try her again in a bit, all right?’’

‘‘Thank you. It’ll make me feel better knowing someone is keeping an eye out for Cy. Er…’’ I bit my lower lip. ‘‘Do you have a minute? I wanted to talk to you really quickly, without being overheard.’’

She looked mildly surprised but sat down on the end of the bed and nodded toward a chair. ‘‘Of course.’’

Jim ambled over, plopping itself down at her feet.

I glanced at the demon. ‘‘Er…’’

‘‘Jim, shoo,’’ Aisling said, correctly reading my thoughts.

‘‘What? I’m not doing anything!’’

‘‘You’re making May uncomfortable. Go see what the boys are doing.’’

‘‘Whatever it is, it won’t be nearly as interesting as this,’’ it answered.

‘‘Oh, it doesn’t matter, I guess,’’ I said with a tight smile. ‘‘Jim might have some helpful insights as well.’’

‘‘I’m all over helpful insights, sister,’’ it told me with an oddly endearing grin. ‘‘What’s the problem? You can tell Dr. Jim. Is it something in the romance department? Need some advice on how to handle Gabriel?’’

‘‘No, thank you-’’

‘‘Ah. Then it’s the sex, right? Fiery, animalistic, dragon sex too much for you?’’

It was difficult to keep from rolling my eyes. ‘‘Thank you, my sex life is not open to-’’

‘‘What’s the silver dragon element? Earth?’’ Jim’s face screwed up as it thought. ‘‘Oh, man, that means he’s gonna want to do it outdoors all the time. Buck naked in the wilderness. My advice is to take sunscreen and bug spray. And maybe a spatula or something to dig the sand out of your butt crack, in case he takes you to a beach.’’

‘‘Jim!’’ Aisling said, wrapping her hands around the demon’s muzzle. She shot me an apologetic look. ‘‘I’m so sorry. It knows better than to offer unwanted sexual advice.’’

‘‘Just trying to be helpful,’’ it said in a muffled voice.

‘‘Well, you’re not. And you can just be quiet unless you have something of importance to offer to the conversation,’’ Aisling told it as she released its muzzle. ‘‘Go on, May. Tell me what it is you want.’’

‘‘It’s about demon lords,’’ I said softly, glancing toward the open door. No one was visible, but I wanted to avoid Gabriel overhearing us.

‘‘Oh, that’s right-your twin said you were bound to one,’’ Aisling said, nodding. ‘‘Are you having a problem with… er… which one is it?’’

‘‘Magoth.’’

She thought for a moment, and then shook her head. ‘‘I don’t believe I’ve met him.’’

‘‘You’d remember if you did,’’ I said with a little laugh. ‘‘He’s very attractive.’’

‘‘If you like the smoldering, sensual, silent-movie-actor type,’’ Jim said with a sniff as it licked down the fur on one paw.

‘‘He looks like a smoldering, sensual actor?’’ Aisling looked somewhat startled.

‘‘He was a silent movie actor, but that was only a phase he was going through.’’

Aisling mentioned the name of a famous actor of the 1920s.

‘‘That was him. He was always a ham. But that’s not the issue. My problem is…’’ I checked the hallway quickly. It was empty. ‘‘Is there any way for someone to disobey a direct order you give? A demon, that is.’’

Aisling blinked a couple of times.

Jim’s mouth formed an O. ‘‘You’re gonna defy an order? You’re going to go dybbuk?’’

‘‘What’s dybbuk?’’ Aisling asked.

‘‘In terms of folklore, it’s a wandering soul that enters a living body,’’ I said slowly.