Part 29 (1/2)
Sated and redressed, Grace tucked her gun in the waist of her jeans, filled her pockets with bullets and helped Darius gather the remaining vests. With that done, they squared off, facing each other. Neither moved.
”It's time to go,” he finally said.
”I'm ready,” she said with false confidence. She raised her chin, not removing her gaze from him, but daring him to contradict her.
He regarded her silently for an inexorable moment, his expression blank. ”You will remain here, Grace.”
She bit back a scowl. She'd known he would do this, but knowing didn't stop the anger, the hurt. ”Wrong,” she said. ”Alex is my brother, and I'll help find him.”
”Your safety comes first.”
”I'm safest with you.” Her eyes narrowed, showing him the first sign of her increasing ire. ”Besides, I'm your wife. Where you go, I go.”
”I'll return for you and bring back your brother.”
She gripped his s.h.i.+rt, tugging him close. ”I can help you, and we both know it.”
Pain flashed in his eyes, but was quickly overshadowed by determination. ”This is the only way. I must lead my dragons into war, and I will not allow my woman near battlegrounds.”
”What about the binding spell?” Ha! She watched him with almost smug expectation. ”I can't leave your presence.”
”The spell broke when the moon disappeared.”
Her shoulders dropped. She racked her brain, searching for anything, anything at all, that might change his mind. When the answer arose, she smiled slowly. ”Perhaps you're forgetting the Argonauts. That they had me followed.”
Arching a brow, he crossed his arms over his chest. ”What are you saying?”
”They could have me followed again. They could try to hurt me this time, instead of simply watching me.”
He stroked his jaw as he considered her words. ”You are right,” he admitted darkly.
She relaxed, thinking she finally convinced him of her point-until he next opened his mouth.
”I will simply lock you inside my palace.”
Her earlier scowl broke free, and she poked him in the chest. ”I like this macho thing you've got going on. I really do. But I won't stand for it.”
Without a word he clasped her wrist with one hand and held the handle of the suitcase with the other. The air around them began to swirl. Bright-colored sparks flickered like dying lightbulbs, then quickly sped past them. The temperature never changed, the wind never kicked up, but suddenly the cave closed around her.
Grace didn't have time to catch her bearings. Never breaking his momentum, Darius pulled her inside the mist. The moment she realized exactly where she was, she threw herself in his arms.
”I've got you,” he said.
His voice soothed her racing heartbeat. Only a minute or two pa.s.sed before Darius unhooked her hands from his neck, gave her a quick kiss and ushered her into another cave.
Not even slightly dizzy, she cataloged her newest surroundings. A man-Brand, she recalled-stood off to the side. He held a sword above his head, and there was a deadly gleam in his eyes as he stared at her. Before she could utter a protest, Grace found herself shoved behind Darius.
”Brand,” Darius barked.
At the sound of his voice, Brand's gaze finally flicked away from her. He glanced at Darius and relaxed. He even lowered his sword. ”Why does the woman still live?” he demanded.”Touch her and I will kill you.”
”She is from the surface,” he spat.
”She is my mate.”
”She is-”
”My mate,” he said firmly. ”Therefore, she is one of us.”
A childish part of Grace wanted to stick her tongue out at Brand. She hadn't forgotten that he'd once called her a wh.o.r.e.
Brand considered those words, and his fierce expression softened. He even grinned. ”Tell me what you learned.”
”Gather the others and meet me in the dining hall. I will tell you when I tell them.”
Brand nodded, and with a final glance in her direction, he rushed off.
”I am glad to be home,” Darius said. His strength had returned in its entirety the moment he'd stepped through the mist, and now he breathed deeply of its familiar essence. Familiar, yet so long ago experienced. Three hundred years, in fact. ”I need you to demonstrate the gun and vests to my warriors.”
She shook her head. ”Not unless you're willing to compromise with me.”
”I do not compromise.” His tone was as stern as his expression. ”Come.”
She glared at him the entire way to the dining hall. The dragon warriors were gathered around the table, standing with their arms locked behind their backs and their feet braced apart. When they spotted her, they each glanced to Brand who wore a smug, I- told-you-so frown. The youngest of the group offered her a smile, if you could call baring of teeth a smile. She waved nervously.
”Hi, again,” she said.
Darius squeezed her hand. ”Do not be scared,” he told her, then glanced pointedly at each man present. ”They will not muss a single hair on your head.”
In the next instant, questions were hurdled at Darius. ”Why did you take a human for your mate? When? What happened while you were gone? What happened to Javar?”
”Give him a minute,” Grace told them.
Darius smiled at her and tenderly kissed her lips.
Madox gasped. ”Did you see that?”
”I did. I saw,” Grayley said, awed.
”A human female has succeeded where we failed,” Renard said. ”She made Darius smile.”
”I've made him laugh, too,” she p.r.o.nounced.
Darius rolled his eyes. ”Show them what we have brought.”
Despite his failure to compromise, she did as he asked. His safety, and that of his people, came before her sensibilities. ”This is a Kevlar vest,” she explained, demonstrating how to maneuver the Velcro fasteners.”You must remain in human form to wear it,” Darius said. ”Your wings will be trapped by its wrappings. However, it will protect your chest against the enemies' weapons.”