Chapter 10
Graham
Flying by wing took quite a bit longer than I’d estimated, and by the time I landed in Desmon’s courtyard, it was already dawn. My arms were numb from carrying her, and my wings felt like lead. But I couldn’t take a break, considering I’d made it sound like it would be a breeze.
Ah, the consequences of my pride.
Meera had fallen asleep in my arms early on in our trip, and she made the cutest snoring sounds.
I couldn’t believe I’d kissed her. And I couldn’t believe how much I’d enjoyed it.
And the worst part? I tried to dig up the guilty feelings by recalling Seraphina’s face and the desperation in her eyes as she pleaded with me to save her from marriage to her father’s friend.
And when that failed. I focused on the anger and betrayal instead, when I’d realized the duplicitous female had only been using me.
I reminded myself that caring about any member of the distaff would only be a weakness. But nothing worked. The image of the long-dead woman wouldn’t stay. It kept fading, being replaced by a certain snarky little female. A troublemaker brave enough to try to brain me with a lock.
It was infuriating.
“We’re here,” I said as I landed.
Meera stretched electrically against me before I let her down.
We were cornered immediately by a giant golem.
It loomed over us, a monstrous construct of clay and jagged stone. Its limbs were thick and heavy, and its chest bore the crude imprint of a sigil that glowed faintly. Its face was almost featureless, just two hollow pits dug into the clay where eyes should have been.
Unlike gargoyles, golems were shaped from earth, clay, and other inanimate material, given the semblance of life through magic.
They weren’t actually alive, though: consider it magical animation for a purpose.
Once their purpose was complete, they turned back into whatever they’d been made out of.
From my experience working with them over the centuries, they truly did not have any emotions or higher thinking.
They didn’t breathe, or eat, or sleep. And that made them ideal as guards. They couldn’t be distracted or paid off. They wanted nothing but to do their job. But they were also easier to outsmart because they lacked true autonomy and followed preset instructions.
This one recognized me, but not Meera. And they were programmed to stop anyone who made it through the gates and the magical wards. Meera wasn’t supposed to be here, and must’ve triggered the alarm. I really should have given Desmon or Seth a call before flying directly into the courtyard.
“Stay behind me,” I said, making myself as big as possible and spreading my wings to block her from the golem’s line of sight.
“What’s going on?” Meera whispered.
“It doesn’t recognize you. I’ll get Desmon to call it off.”
I reached for my phone, but before I could finish dialing, two fire ifrits popped into existence.
They looked to be made of flames and were almost demon-like in their upper bodies, but with big barrel chests and massive muscles.
Their lower bodies faded out into a swirl of smoke, and they floated just above the ground.
Flame and Blaze were relatively new to Desmon’s employ, having only been recently freed when Mateo had gone to rescue Eva from an evil wizard.
“Oh, it’s just you, Graham. I thought we had someone to toast,” said one of the brothers.
I didn’t know them well enough to tell them apart. To me they looked identical, probably because they were, physically anyway.
“I have a guest with me,” I explained.
Meera poked her head out from behind me, and the golem reacted immediately, taking a step toward her. One of the fire djinns immediately gave orders for the golem to step down.
“You can step out now, female,” he said. “The golem needs to record your face and aura so it knows not to attack you.”
Meera stepped out tentatively. “Record?”
“Yes,” he said. “The golem’s eyes are cameras, and everything it sees is sent back to the security room.”
“Why hello there, beautiful.” The other ifrit’s eyes lit up like embers, and he shot out a hand. “I’m Flame, and this is my brother Blaze. What’s your name?”
“Meera.” She eyed the offered hand, which looked like it was flickering with flames.
“We don’t actually burn, unless we want to.” He sent her a dazzling grin. “I’d never burn a beauty like you.”
Something sharp and unfamiliar tickled in my chest.
Meera tentatively took the offered hand, and when it didn’t burn her, shook it.
“Pleasure to meet you, Meera.” But Flame didn’t release her. Instead, he pulled her forward and gathered her into his arms, his eyes ablaze with interest. “When you are done with your visit, perhaps I can show you around the grounds.”
The tickle exploded into full-blown jealousy. It was irrational. Meera wasn’t mine, but my hand shot out before I could stop it, gripping her arm and yanking her back against me. A low growl rumbled from my throat.
Flame’s grin widened. “My, my. Possessive, aren’t we?” His gaze flicked to me, amused. “Aren’t you the Redrock who claims you have no interest in women?”
“I’m tasked with delivering her to Desmon. She’s under my protection until then.”
We stared each other down, the air between us crackling with tension.
“Hate to break up the pissing contest,” Blaze drawled, stepping between us, “but according to the golem, he’s detecting two auras coming from her.”
Two auras? How was that possible?
“The egg!” Meera exclaimed. “It’s detecting the egg.”
“You’re the egg lady!” Blaze exclaimed.
I decided I could tell the two apart after all. Blaze was the one I didn’t want to punch in the face.
“Yeah, that’s why I brought her here.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so earlier? Let’s get you inside.”
We made our way toward the large three-story mansion, and I kept my body between Meera and Flame.
The little female’s eyes were wide as she took in the estate, her reaction barely contained.
I followed her gaze, seeing the place through fresh eyes.
Desmon’s estate was lush and impossibly green.
The formal French gardens we walked through were meticulously maintained, every hedge and flowerbed perfectly trimmed, but I knew there was also a wooded area in the back and a stream.
Instead of heading to the front entrance, Flame and Blaze led us through a side door into a drawing room that screamed opulence.
Marble floors gleamed underfoot, and a crystal chandelier cast a warm glow over the space.
A baby grand piano sat in one corner, surrounded by plush leather armchairs, while a richly upholstered sofa dominated the opposite side of the room.
This was one of the rooms Desmon used to take guests.
But the two ifrits continued leading us through the hallways and up the grand staircase to the library, where Desmon preferred to have more private meetings.
The scent of aged paper and polished wood filled the air as we stepped inside.
Elaborately carved wooden shelves stretched from floor to ceiling, filled with leather-bound books, their spines worn with time.
A chandelier cast a golden light over the room, pooling around a massive fireplace where two plush armchairs sat waiting.
“Desmon didn’t know you were arriving, so it might be a few minutes.
But you know the drill: make yourself at home.
” Flame’s grin turned downright predatory as he locked eyes with Meera.
“And if this grumpy gargoyle starts boring you to tears, you just come find me. Wave at any of the cameras, and I’ll come running. ”
I lunged to grab him, but the bastard vanished in a puff of smoke, and all I did was singe my hand.
“I thought you said I wasn’t your type.” Meera smirked.
“You’re not. That kiss was a mistake. It’s not happening again. I’m just protective because it’s my job.” I regretted the words the moment they spilled from my lips, but it was too late to take them back.
“Must be a tough job, being an asshole.”
She pretended I wasn’t in the room as she went around reading the book titles.
The awkward silence in the library was thick enough to choke on, so when Desmon finally sauntered in, I could’ve hugged him.
He was in a burgundy velvet robe, his hair still tousled, clearly having been woken up earlier than expected by our arrival.
His sharp gaze landed on Meera, assessing her with the same intensity he used to size up potential threats.
“Desmon,” I said, getting straight to business. “This is Meera. She’s the egg lady. And Meera… Desmon, the Dragon of Darlington.”
Desmon nodded, his expression reserved. “Meera. I trust you’ve kept it safe. I do not see the protective case I provided.”
Meera hesitated, hugging the egg tighter to her chest. She was trying to act casual, but I noticed the rigid set of her shoulders. She’d never met a dragon before, not even in human form. She swallowed hard, then forced a smile. “We had to leave the case in the SUV.”
“I see. Well, let’s have a look at it.”
Meera didn’t offer up the backpack. “What are you going to do with it? I’ve read about dragons destroying their siblings’ eggs to remove a rival. You’re not going to harm it, are you?”
She had guts to question a dragon. Was she brave? Or reckless? But then, she hadn’t struck me as the type to back down for much. Back in the day, they would’ve called her a willful woman, and it wouldn’t have been a compliment. But I found I rather liked it.
Back then, women often had to rely on guile and subterfuge to get what they wanted. And I already knew that type of woman was not for me.
Desmon raised an amused brow. “No, human. I’m not worried about it being a future rival.”
As if on cue, the library door swung open and Carly stepped inside, her wild mop of auburn hair threatening to escape from the messy bun atop her head.
She had a pair of fuzzy slippers on, but unlike Desmon, she’d taken the time to put on some real clothes.
Her dress boasted sunflowers and was bright and cheery, a perfect contrast to Desmon’s serious demeanor.
She looked like the girl next door, rather than a dragon’s fated mate.
“What did I miss?”