The two were smiling at each other, so Kristine figured this was just good-natured teasing between a couple who obviously loved each other very much. Knowing Jayce had grown up with their example, and was growing up all over again seeing his parents still in love, gave her hope. It also gave her pause.
“Perhaps I should come back in a few days.” She mentally counted out how many days it would take before she could have a fairly reasonable conversation with him. Maybe a couple of weeks before he even reached the mental age of eight.
“We understand,” Antonio said.
Jayce flew to the board and pecked the wordNO.
“Now, Jayce,” Gabriella said. “You know the nice lady has to go home and take care of things there.”
Jayce hung his head and slowly walked over to the wordYES. He pecked it, albeit reluctantly.
Gabriella smiled. “Good boy.”
Kristine figured it was time to leave. She downed the rest of her ice water and asked to use the bathroom before the long walk back to the B and B.
After she left, she raked her fingers through her hair. A couple of strands got caught in her ruby ring, and she inadvertently yanked them out. The sting faded as she worked the red strands loose and tossed them to the wind. She was sure the sting of this visit would fade quickly too.
* * *
“Have a seat. I’ll tell you what I know. There was this rogue family of dragons in the Caribbean…” Drake knew Amy and Kristine were desperate for news of more dragons. They had the B and B to themselves since Conlan, Rory, and Amber were in Ireland for a few hours. Drake had promised to tell Kristine and Amy the story of how many of the older dragons, including his mother and uncle, managed to get sick and die.
“She who shall not be named, for fear she’ll hear me and show up, removed all dragons’ immortality for a while. She was trying to stop these Caribbean dragons from exposing themselves to humans. The two younger ones were spoiled rotten and had no intention of obeying the rules.”
Drake shuddered as he remembered the silver-marked dragon who had decided he would be her mate whether he liked it or not. She was bat-shit crazy, and his true love Bliss was in mortal danger.
“Apparently, the brats’ mother saw this coming and had a voodoo priestess reinforce her children’s immortality so it could not be removed.”
“Even by she who shall not be named?” Kristine asked.
“Especially by her.” Drake sighed. “Unfortunately, all the other dragons on earth were vulnerable during that time. My mother developed cancer. My uncle died of a heart attack in a Long Island jail.”
Amy and Kristine stared at each other with wide eyes. Amy reached for Kristine’s hand and held it tightly. “So the two of us were vulnerable during that fiasco?”
“Indeed you were.”
Kristine blanched. “When was this? Recently?”
“Yeah. A couple of years ago.”
The women stared at each other again. Something silent but meaningful was going on. Probably the shock of their mortality—even if it was temporary.
“I imagine you’re thinking about Kristine fighting fires without her immortality. I hope you were wearing your breathing apparatus whenever you entered a smoke-filled building.”
“Of course,” Kristine said.
Drake smiled. “Then you should be all right.”
“I feel fine. Mom? Did you have any weird symptoms, that is, when you weren’t acting?”
“I can’t think of any.”
“Whew. I guess we made it through that time okay,” Kristine said.
“So what happened to the Caribbean dragons?” Amy asked.
Drake groaned. “Well, I have to give credit where it’s due. She who shall not be named sent her to Siberia with strict instructions that she was never to return or there would be hell to pay.”
At that moment, a small whirlwind began in the center of the living room, and Gaia stepped out of it. She flicked her fingers, and the swirling air dissipated.
