“I’m sorry. If you have a problem… I mean, if you’re a fire starter and you want help, maybe I can find—”
“No, that’s not it at all.” Fat tears rolled down her soft cheeks. “Please, let me explain…”
He paused. There was no real harm in letting her talk. After all, she wouldn’t set a fire in front of him. Her behavior had him baffled. An explanation might not change anything, but he’d sure like to hear it.
“Please?”
“All right.”
“Come inside. I’ll get you a cup of tea.”
He followed her inside and appraised the damage as she went to the kitchen. Scorch marks on the hardwood. That would have to be sanded and restained. It looked as if some drapes had caught fire and the trim around the window would need to be replaced. Other than that, it was her own furniture that looked and smelled like it had been set on fire and put out.
Jules sat on the only chair that looked relatively unscathed. “Don’t make any tea for me. I have a bottle of water.” His ever-present plastic bottle carried salt water with him wherever he went. Something she ought to do.
She poked her head out. “Oh. I guess I won’t bother, then.”
“You can go ahead and make some for yourself. Don’t let me stop you.”
She smiled and said, “I’ll be just a minute.”
As soon as she disappeared again, he rose and softly stole to the kitchen entrance and peeked around the corner. She held a cup of water in her hand and dropped a tea bag in it. Then she blew on the cup andfire came out of her mouth!
“What the hell?” Jules strode toward her but stayed out of blow torch reach.
Her body froze in fear, but her eyes were wild. “Oh, no. What did you see?”
“What do you think I saw? Look, lady. I came in here for an explanation, and I want it more than ever now. I just saw you heat that cup of tea with your breath like a fire-breathing…”
She smiled innocently and shrugged.
He reeled back as reality hit him. “You’re a dragon?”
She nodded. Then she lowered her head in shame. “I—I have a certain condition. There’s something I need on a regular basis, and if I don’t get it, I have the tendency to sneeze—and fire comes out. I…”
She glanced up at him, then must have decided not to continue. He realized he must be wearing a very stern look. He could feel his brows bunched together and knew he was frowning. Her tears returned and his heart ached for her.
“Look, if it’s something I can help you find, like medicine, just say the word. There’s a pharmacy right down the street.”
She shook her head, then covered her eyes with her hands.
“Hey, let’s not have any more of that. There’s no need to be embarrassed. Tell me what I can do to help.”
She looked up and hoped shimmered in her dark eyes. “You’re so understanding. I thought you’d call me a freak and have the cops take me away.”
“You’d be surprised how understanding I can be. Now, why don’t you tell me more about this thing you need. What is it?”
She hesitated for a good long time. Finally, she hung her head and muttered what sounded like the word, “Sex.”
“What did you say?”
“Didn’t you hear me?”
“It sounded like you said, ‘sex’.”
“I did. I need sex to stop sneezing.”
After a few moments, he realized he had been staring at her. “Oh.” He scratched his head. “Well, I might be able to help with that…”
