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Her statement seemed to set both Colby and Hutch back on their heels. “Are you certain?” asked Hutch.
“Yes, only a small flight—perhaps three or four—but the Master has been talking about recruiting others. He seems to think the Phantom Fire…”
“No way,” said Hutch, “way too much honor, and besides, the League tortured one of their own.”
“We’re hoping,” said Colby, “that will be enough to make them leave their neutral high horse and join us. I know several of the Fire are inclined to join us, but others—including their leader, Falkor—want to cleave to their old ways of remaining neutral.”
“The Master is thinking he has enough gold to persuade them to join him.”
“Why would he think they’d join him over us?” asked Hutch.
Nora smirked. “Because the Master is a very old, very powerful dragon-shifter.”
“Holy shit,” said Hutch.
“And then some,” said Colby, “but it makes some sense, especially if he wants to flip everything on its head. Well, that gets my mind reeling: Will, Morty, and Ellis could all be our mole, and the puppet master behind the Shadow League is an ancient dragon. We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
“Indeed, we do. I think Nora and I will head up to bed.”
“That’s probably best. Nora, anything you need?”
“A retractable knife and a small baggie of blood or a reasonable facsimile.”
“I’ll see that you have it in the morning. Your room is up the stairs and to the right. End of the hall, double doors. I had them put you in one of the suites. You are welcome here for as long as you like.”
“What about your people? After I kill him?” asked Nora.
“I would trust any of my people with his life; he’ll be safe with us here at Windsong. But until you get back, we want to make sure no one knows he’s alive.”
She and Hutch made their way up the stairs and into their room. The room was enormous and had a commanding view of the ocean. Nora walked straight through the room and opened the set of French doors; then stepped out onto the balcony, inhaling deeply as the wind off the ocean whipped her hair around.
“This is the one thing I miss about living in Boston.”
“Then when this is over, we’ll find some place overlooking the sea.”
She shook her head, turned to face him, and leaned back against the wall. “No. It is far more convenient for us to live over the bakery.”
“It is, but we’ll figure out something. I do want to upgrade the apartment and put in some inside stairs.”
She nodded and turned back to the sea. “I’ll be fine, you know.”
“I know, but that knowledge brings little comfort,” he said, moving behind her and wrapping his arms around her.
Nora leaned back. “Until the Master and the League are stopped, not one of us will be safe. If I can hasten the Master’s fall, then we’ll all be safer sooner.”
Hutch took a deep breath. “I have to know Nora, if it comes to it…”
“If it comes to it, I’ll kill him. I don’t care if he’s a dragon. I’ve done a lot of research about that. I think some part of me always knew it would come down to this, and I’m ready. I’ve always been ready. If the choice is him or us, I choose us with no regrets.”
“Us. No regrets. I love you. Come to bed,” he said, taking her hand and leading her back inside.
She leaned against him as he pulled her into his arms. “I love you, too. No matter what happens, we will get through it, and we will have our destiny together.”
Slowly, almost reverently, they undressed each other until finally they were naked in one another’s arms. Tilting her head back, he looked down at her before lowering his head and taking her mouth with his. His lips teased hers as his tongue slipped inside. The cool evening breeze played against her skin, cooling it as his lips blazed a fiery trail down her throat and across her shoulders. Her nipples puckered and he brought his hands up to palm and cup her breasts before strumming their taut peaks.
Hutch trailed kisses along her shoulders—licking and nipping as he did so, dropping to his knees. He tongued and sucked her nipples, making them draw tighter and fanning the flames of her desire. Her head fell back, thrusting her chest at his mouth as he continued to lave affection on them. His hands moved down her spine until he had the cheeks of her ass in his hands, squeezing them gently.
“You’re mine,” he whispered as his teeth closed around one nipple and he bit down gently.
