Chapter 24
Desmon
The compass needle pointed southwest. So that is where we went.
We stopped in Las Vegas first. Vegas was the domain of another dragon known as Lady Luck, and I brought a gem as an offering in return for safe passage through her territory. She was happy to accept the gift, but it was clear that she pitied me for being bound to a lowly human.
She didn’t even ask to meet my mate, which was probably for the best. I didn’t want Carly around any other dragons but me. No dragon was to be trusted, male or female.
The compass continued to point southwest, but we spent a few days in Las Vegas since we were “on a trip celebrating our engagement.” We did all the touristy things and stayed at the Cosmopolitan. I gambled a little, if only for show, winning some and losing more, and took my future bride to the best restaurants the city had to offer. That part I quite enjoyed. I did appreciate good food.
Carly wore the compass around her neck. Because of the magic on it, Seth hadn’t been able to actually transform it into a ring, but he was able to make it look like one to anyone else. I’d even asked Sybil, a strong witch who sometimes worked for me, what she saw, and she described a ring with a large diamond, ringed with rubies.
Our security detail for the trip were two demons—Seth’s partner Liam and Eamon, the only non-gargoyle part owner of Redrock Protective Services. The two demons couldn’t stand each other.
Like Liam, Eamon had once been trapped and bound to a wizard, handed down through the paternal line. He couldn’t understand how any freed demon would ever choose to stay with and, god forbid, love a wizard. He’d steadfastly refused to meet Seth out of principle. Eamon didn’t care if Seth was no longer a part of the WEC.
“Once a wizard, always a wizard,” Eamon had said sourly.
And of course that had Liam all offended and standing up for his lover.
I told Liam and Eamon they didn’t need to like each other, but if Carly was hurt during this trip, I’d bind the two of them together forever, so they’d better not let their disagreement hinder their work. That had solved much of the bickering.
We ended our stay in Vegas with a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon, even though I could have shown Carly that same view simply by flying over it with her in my arms. But I was told it was something couples did. It looked pretty much the same as the last time I saw it, nothing special, just a big crack in the ground, but Carly had enjoyed it, so it was worth it on that score alone.
The Grand Canyon had been where I’d found one of the other treasures. Its proximity to Vegas meant I was pretty sure the next one wouldn’t be here, but I thought we might as well check anyway. We had such a great time I almost wished I was here with Carly just for fun, instead of chasing after yet another artifact.
After Vegas, we continued to L.A. but the compass continued to point unwaveringly southwest. It didn’t once adjust its position as we went about town, which meant we still weren’t close.
We stayed in L.A. for a few days, again playing the role of a couple very much in love. That had been easy. Everything was easy with Carly. Her zest for life showed in all that she did. She faced every experience with wide-eyed curiosity, sometimes making me forget why we were even here.
I’d amassed untold wealth in my centuries of living, but it paled compared to the soul-deep satisfaction of seeing her smile. It was like every grin and every laugh was a treasure, just for me. I wanted to find and collect every last one.
After L.A. I called my pilot and told him to fly us to Hawaii, glad that our “engagement celebration trip” wasn’t over. Carly and I now lounged in a hot spring on the island of Maui. Liam and Eamon, who were still not close to being on speaking terms, soaked nearby. I didn’t see why they couldn’t enjoy some mineral-rich water while they were working. A Blanket of Silence surrounded us, keeping our conversations private.
She held the compass in her hands in front of us, half in the water. According to the needle, the artifact we sought still lay to the southwest.
“How much farther can we go?” Carly asked. “I mean, the Hawaiian Islands are already in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.”
“There may be smaller islands. The artifact could be on any one of them, or even in the ocean. But it might start to look a little suspicious if we keep going in a straight line.”
“What if we made a pit stop somewhere off the line to triangulate?” she suggested, leaning close into me. “Get a better idea of where this thing really is. I’ve been enjoying our ‘vacation’, but we haven’t gotten any closer to that artifact.”
“I’ve been enjoying my time with you too, but that’s a good idea,” I said, cupping her cheeks. “And I know just the place.”
It was time to show my little mate my hoard. I was excited to see her reaction to it. I’d never revealed it to anyone before. I’d displayed some of the pieces at the museum, of course, but up till now, I was the only soul who’d stepped into my cave and exited…alive, that is.
“Yeah?” She leaned into my palm, closing her eyes.
“Yes. Somewhere very special.”
I bent to nuzzle my nose into her hair, the auburn strands almost glowing with fire. Despite having only spent a week together, our scents were starting to mingle, and she smelled like me. It was glorious.
“We’re going somewhere no one else has ever been.”
“Where?”
“You’ll see.”
An hour and a half later, we were back at the resort and inside our luxury villa.
I drew the blinds closed before double checking the wards placed around the two-story dwelling. As much as I would have loved to carry her there by air in my dragon form, I was also damned fucking sure that we were currently being watched. There was only one safe way to get to my hoard: by portal.
I rubbed the ring on my right pinky vigorously, polishing the already gleaming emerald-cut ruby. The spell on it had been cast a long time ago by a wizard who had then promptly had his memory wiped. The spell only responded to me, and the magic had to be recharged every half-century or so. It opened a portal directly to my cave. The portal wasn’t trackable and was unique in that it never left a trace of magic.
I uttered the words to trigger the spell, and a portal appeared in the middle of the room. Unlike the ones that connected to my library, this one showed the inside of my cave. A pile of gold coins gleamed on the right, a dozen racks of priceless weapons stood on the left, and straight ahead were several crowns that had gone missing through history, some belonging to human kings, and others to monster rulers.
Carly’s sharp gasp was precisely what I was listening for. I hoped that meant she was impressed.
I took her by the hand and, for the very first time in my centuries of existence, escorted a living being into my most precious and private place.
I gave her a quick tour, showing her the main chamber as well as the dozen or so smaller ones that held more specialized collections. Magical tomes. Staves and wands. Talismans and amulets. I had one chamber containing nothing but musical instruments.
She walked through the rooms, her eyes bright and curious, asking questions which I was more than happy to answer. She was careful not to touch anything; I figured it must be because of her talent. It must be jarring to have items show her visions and feelings all the time. And these were most definitely the type of artifacts that would have had much to say.
At the end of the tour, I brought her to the chamber with my nest. I’d spread out the softest, silkiest sheets and blankets I owned, overlapping many of them to cover the giant nest. But we’d get to all that soon. First, I took her over to the ornate wardrobe.
“Open it,” I said, eager to see her reaction. “See what’s inside.”