Chapter 6 #2
Cameron reached out and laid his hand on Alric’s right arm.
He tilted his head to the side, lowering it just enough that he could look directly into Alric’s eyes.
“You don’t actually believe that, do you?
” Cameron didn’t wait for his answer. He grabbed Alric’s hand and pulled him into the center of the square.
“Look around you. Do you really think if humans were glad dragons were gone, we’d be celebrating you like this?
I know the war stole from your family and friends, but I think you’ve let that suffering cloud your vision.
These people aren’t celebrating your death.
They are celebrating that you lived and soared above our heads with your beautiful wings sparkling in the sun. ”
Alric snorted. “Our wings do not sparkle.”
Cameron leaned in close, his nose bumping against Alric’s. “Fine. Glint. Gleam. Shimmer. Twinkle.”
“I will allow gleam.”
Cameron groaned, but it was with a smile. “Whatever. My point is that humans wouldn’t dress up as dragons and dance around like idiots if we were glad you were dead.”
“It’s been my experience that humans don’t need much of a reason to dress up and dance like idiots.”
“I should have known the king of the dragons would be a royal pain in the ass.”
Cameron tried to walk away, but Alric caught his hand, pulling him back in with enough force that Cameron’s chest bumped against his own.
“And what does that make you, my mage? Magically stubborn?” Alric teased.
For a moment, he was only aware of how close Cameron was.
His lips tilted in that teasing smirk were only inches from his own.
A hint of cologne drifted around them mixed with sweat and something Alric was sure was purely Cameron.
Combined with the scent of magic, like a storm unleashed, it was simply intoxicating.
And then Cameron’s hand in his. Cameron hadn’t tried to pull away.
Instead, he’d actually threaded his fingers with Alric’s, tightening their hold on each other.
“There is nothing magical about my stubbornness. I come by it naturally. My family has a long history of stubbornness.”
Alric chuckled. “I’m sure it has a long history of magic as well.”
Cameron stepped back and pointed a warning finger at him. “We’re not talking about that right now.” Cameron started to release his hand and walk away, but Alric tightened his fingers in Cameron’s, drawing the man’s dark eyes up to him.
“Thank you,” Alric said with a small bow of his head. “I always thought they’d be glad we were gone.”
“No. We’re just really glad you lived in the first place.” Cameron flashed him a tender smile and then shook his head as if trying to shed the seriousness of the moment. “But if you want to thank me, then you can thank me with some coffee. I didn’t have nearly enough caffeine to start my morning.”
“Your wish is my command,” Alric joked, directing them toward the nearest coffee and pastry vendor.
Cameron’s hand slid from his this time, and Alric found himself staring down at his own.
He swore his skin felt cold without Cameron’s touch, and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt cold like that.
He liked holding Cameron’s hand. It had fit just perfectly against his own.
He liked the slightly sweaty brush of his palm and the rough hints of callouses on the pads of his fingers.
It was a good hand. A hand that belonged in his.
His dragon rumbled an agreement, content with the contact like a cat would be in a sunny perch.
But he had no proof Cameron belonged to him. He could so easily belong to any other dragon, and he would not stand in the way of any of his people finding their mate.
The dragon side of his nature did not agree.
Alric mentally growled back a warning. He had to be careful. This was no time to let instincts make decisions.
Walking side by side, they headed deeper into the crowd.
Naturally, the stall serving coffee and pastries was the busiest. There wasn’t so much a line as a thick gathering of people at least three deep in front of the booth.
Alric frowned at the gathering. There was no sense in both of them wading into that mess.
He glanced around the area before his eyes lit on the perfect spot.
“If you’d like to sit, there’s an open bench over there,” Alric offered, motioning toward a quiet little niche away from the main gathering of people and booths. “I’m happy to get coffee and pastries for us both.”
“You sure? You know I was just joking about getting me coffee,” Cameron said.
“I find I could use something sweet. I didn’t eat enough breakfast.”
Cameron smiled at him, poking his arm. “Silly dragon.”
Alric didn’t need for him to know that he’d lost his appetite this morning because of this meeting. Too much was riding on him convincing Cameron that he was a mage and belonged with the Fire Clan.
“Black with two sugars,” Cameron said and then wandered in the direction of the bench Alric had pointed out. “I’ll save you a seat.”
He could feel the smile on his lips as he stepped up to the gathering of customers. Alric was not one to just randomly smile. At least not since he’d been a very young dragon, but he couldn’t help it when he was around Cameron. He probably looked a little ridiculous. Maybe even besotted.
The smell of coffee and sugar drifted to his nose, drawing his attention from his thoughts to the stall. He wasn’t nearly tall enough to see over the crowd, but a pair of chalkboard menus displayed an array of pastries for sale.
Verdammt! He’d forgotten to ask what Cameron would like to eat. He could clearly recall everything Cameron had ordered the first day of the festival, but it had been such a vast array of things he couldn’t even guess at what Cameron might be in the mood for now. It was safer to just ask.
Stepping out of the gathering, he turned toward the bench only to find it empty. Cameron wasn’t anywhere in the area. Alric’s heart skipped a beat as he jogged over to the shaded area to make sure Cameron wasn’t hidden behind another tree or other festival goers. But he wasn’t.
The skip of his heart turned into a full-fledged run as he turned in place, his eyes skimming over hundreds of smiling faces in search of Cameron’s. He wouldn’t have left. No. He hadn’t run. There was no reason. They’d been laughing and joking.
And Cameron wouldn’t run. When he’d been upset, he’d faced Alric down, shouting at him and making demands.
But if he hadn’t run, did that mean he’d been taken? Why? And by whom? Did someone else know he was a mage? Was it just random luck that he’d been grabbed by some horrible human thief?
Alric rushed back into the crowd and shouted Cameron’s name, hoping that maybe he’d just walked over to a nearby stall to see the vendor’s wares, not expecting Alric to return so quickly.
But there was still no sign of him. Alric cursed himself.
He knew Cameron had his number, Baldewin had reported that, but he’d failed to give him Cameron’s number in return. And Alric needed it right now.
Palming his phone, Alric immediately called Baldewin while he still searched the immediate area.
“ Is he still grumpy over yesterday ?” Baldewin said by way of greeting.
“Cameron’s gone,” Alric blurted. “Tell me you are here at the festival.”
“ We are. We’re a few blocks away from you. Wanted to give you some space .” His tone was immediately serious, ready to jump into a battle for Alric.
“Get here. I can’t find him. And call him, I don’t have his number.” Alric hurried toward the bench he’d pointed out only minutes ago. It was the last direction he’d seen Cameron walking in.
“ I will. Do you think he went back to his hotel ?”
“No, but send someone there just in case if he doesn’t pick up. I—” Alric stopped. He thought he’d heard something out of place. An awkward scrape of shoe on pavement. He strained, listening, wishing he could stop his own pounding heart.
“ No !” It was Cameron. He knew the man’s voice. He sounded desperate, fighting something. The muffled shout came from down the block in the direction of a narrow alleyway.
“He’s in trouble. I’m heading toward the back of the supermarket. Find me!” Alric commanded as he took off running. He ended the call and shoved his phone back into his pocket. His old friend always had his back, and he would do it because Alric needed him. Cameron needed him.
Racing through the crowd, dodging people strolling idly along with children, Alric thought only of reaching Cameron. He never should have taken his eyes off the man. Never should have let even a foot of space come between them.
His skin itched and burned. His dragon wanted out.
Wanted to climb over these buildings and shove cars out of his way until he found the bastards who dared to lay hands on his Cameron.
His mage. Cameron said people celebrated that dragons existed, but if any harm came to the mage, he would remind them why humans feared dragons for so long.
As he reached the mouth of the alley, Alric saw a flash of…
something—light, color—at the entrance to a connecting alleyway.
It was so very brief that he wasn’t sure.
Magic was in the air, too, the biting and acrid tang of it.
But there were more sounds of a scuffle and then Cameron’s frantic voice.
He couldn’t make out the words, but he didn’t need to.
Running down the narrow alley on the uneven cobblestones, Alric slid at the entrance of a new alley and spotted Cameron being forced down the narrow space by three men, toward a white van with the side door open.
A fourth man stood in the opening with a black balaclava covering all but his eyes, urging his companions to hurry.
“Release him!” Alric roared as he charged down the alley.