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Dean had mobilized everyone he knew from his old life and more. With Amrita’s wealth, he could control everyone on the streets with promises of food, alcohol, and drugs.
I’d learned that they were also looking for a yellow and orange bird, a man of the description of the guise I’d used at the library, and a woman of Shelby’s description. There was no mention of Grayson or me from the encounter at The Witch’s Brew. Just to be safe, I’d made myself look like an older gentleman today, complete with salt-and-pepper hair. I did play the silver fox well.
We headed quickly back to the SUV. With an army of random weirdos on the street looking for her, I’d decided my bike didn’t offer enough protection. My bike was warded as well, which extended to the riders while on the vehicle, but there was nothing preventing a staged accident from flinging her right off the back. All it took was one desperate druggie running out in front of us.
“None of them look right,” Tansy said when we were safely inside the vehicle. “Why can’t we just call the dragon up and ask?”
“You want to call up a dragon and ask him about his hoard?” I gawked at her. “What are you, suicidal?” The museum was one thing; the rest of his hoard was another.
“People ask about things in a museum all the time. And you said you know him.”
“Yes. I’ve worked for him a few times. I’d call him a friend, almost, but it’s not like we’re buddies. He’s a lot closer to Gunnar, but it’s a big ask. And it might not be in this museum; it could be one of his favorites, in his home.”
“What if I ask for an audience? Not you, so you don’t strain your almost-friendship. I’m willing to face his wrath if he takes it the wrong way.”
“You will brave an angry dragon?” I almost wished she were less brave.
“The other choice is to live in a body I no longer own.”
Well, if she put it that way, it didn’t sound so crazy.
“I’ll absolve you of your duty of protecting me while in the dragon’s presence. How’s that?” she bargained.
“No.” It was my duty to protect her whether she wanted me to or not.
I wasn’t going to stand by and let her get chomped or toasted. I’d never forgive myself, although it wasn’t like I could do anything anyway. I was no match against a pissed-off dragon, and dragon fire was magical, which meant it could burn a demon to a crisp. I couldn’t just dematerialize and walk through it. I’d be useless, unable to protect her.
“What if I ask Shelby, and we go through his wife? If Shelby kept in touch with her.”
“Grayson wouldn’t—”
She rolled her eyes. “We haven’t even asked.”
I grumbled, “Fine. We’ll ask Shelby. And maybe Gunnar. But if they agree with me, then we look for another weapon. There must be more than one sword in the entire world capable of this.”
“Deal,” she said.
And we were on our way home.
Gunnar, the fucking imbecile, did not agree with me. We found him at the pool table in the common rec room, practicing his shot. The rec room was the only part of the shared area that was an eclectic mix of styles. It housed many of the oddities we’d collected over the years as a group.
I fumed as he offered to take her to see the dragon and plead her case.
“If Eamon is too chicken-shit to face the dragon, I’ll bring you,” Gunnar said with a grin, as he chalked his pool cue. “Did you know Eamon had a run-in with a dragon once and never got over it?”
I glared at him, silently promising him a fate worse than death. I did once have a run-in with a dragon, but I was plenty over it. The skirt I’d been chasing had been part of a dragon’s harem. It was the thrill that had lured me to her. What I didn’t know was that the chit and the dragon were in cahoots; they were trying to trap a demon to add to the dragon’s collection. Dragons didn’t just collect physical treasure; some collected souls too.
But that demon-collecting dragon was gone, and I was still here. So there; I was over it.
Pretending to ignore my stare, Gunnar struck the cue ball, putting a spin on it. It sent two balls home; a beautiful shot. The show-off.
“You will?” Tansy clapped her hands together, her eyes brightening. “Thank you.”
I loved how her excitement brightened the room but hated that it was directed at that confounded gargoyle.
“You don’t need to come along if you’re scared, Eamon.” The gargoyle was flirting with death. “You can handle the senator.”
I growled and stepped toward him. “You take the senator,” I said firmly. “I will take Tansy. She’s mine.”
