Draco, p.4
Draco, page 4
Draco cleared the dishes then led her to the couch. “Have a seat. Let’s talk for a minute.”
The fire crackled in the stone fireplace, casting flickers of light around the room. She pulled a red tartan cover over her legs as she sat on the couch, surprised at how comfortable she felt. “The dinner was amazing. Please thank Mara for me.”
Draco grabbed two wineglasses from the top of the wine rack and a bottle of red. He popped the cork and poured the glasses halfway to the top. He sat on the couch after passing her a glass.
She swirled the wine in her hand before taking a sip. The hint of chocolate and oak made her smile. “I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
Draco cocked his head to the side. “I’m sorry?”
She placed her wine on the side table. Careful to place it on a cork coaster. “Since I got in the car with you, nothing bad has happened. The drive. The dinner. And now the wine. This isn’t how my evenings usually pan out.”
Draco took a sip of his wine. “This area is warded for most spells. While it’s not completely infallible, I’m guessing the root of your issue is magical in nature.”
She pulled the blanket up so only her arms were above it. “I appreciate the fire. My heat is always on the fritz despite my landlord’s attempts to fix it. I’m afraid to ask him again.”
Draco eyes narrowed. “Why would you hesitate to have him fix a faulty heater?”
Jemma shrugged. “My landlord... well, every landlord I’ve had, thinks I’m a loon. I’m lucky if I last a year in a new place. I am one incident away from getting my next eviction. Things break in my apartment often.”
“I believe it, but moving around won’t fix the issue. It appears this spell is attached to you.”
She clasped her fingers together as her shoulders slumped. “Why would anyone do this to me? I don’t remember a time when I didn’t have bad luck, so what could I have done to offend somebody as a baby?”
Draco leaned over and placed his wine on the coffee table. “I talked to Legion about the nature of these incidents. After a consultation with Adara, she confirmed that a spell wouldn’t work for endless years. This is something more.”
She huffed. “Great.”
Draco leaned toward her, turning her chin towards him with his finger. “I will find out what plagues you and put a stop to it. I promise.”
Though his touch was light, the heat seared her blood and had her heart beating faster in her chest. She prayed he couldn’t detect the effect he had on her, but when his eyes flickered with fire, she suspected that wasn’t the case. Her body froze as his lips moved closer to hers.
CHAPTER 6
Draco gave her an opportunity to pull away while he prayed, she wouldn’t. Her eyes pulsed with power behind the emerald green. Her skin was like a porcelain doll with its pale creamy complexion. Though it was likely because she rarely went outside. Her pink lips parted slightly and her breath hitched as his mouth pressed against hers.
He expected the heat. His dragon moved beneath his skin, begging for release. He was thankful Jemma’s eyes were closed, so she didn’t see the blue scales form on his chest before receding. The beast within wanted nothing more than to meet its mate. He couldn’t begrudge his dragon for its enthusiasm, but Jemma was struggling to grasp the magical world. Let alone a winged serpent as large as the cabin they sat in.
He put everything he had into that kiss. Reassuring her in waves of warmth and security that there was nothing more important to him than her. Jemma’s life had been one disaster after another. Telling her what she meant to him wouldn’t work. He had to prove it.
First, he had to gain her trust. Judging by the things she had told him, that would not be an easy task. The cabin in the Colorado mountains was the only place she would be safe while they discerned the nature of the spell afflicting her. His thoughts scattered as she pressed closer, placing her small hands on his chest. He was so lost in the sensation; he completely missed the rise of her magic.
With her touching him, being next to him, her magic should have been a roar in his ears, but it was a whisper. Cole had said he couldn’t sense anything from Jemma, and now Draco understood why. Something shrouded her magic, even from him. Her magic reached for him, seeking to bind with his. A natural reaction to one’s mate, but something blocked the connection. An invisible shield that kept her budding magic locked away from his. The implications had him breaking the kiss.
Her eyes glowed with amber for several seconds before she got her breathing under control. “What was that?”
Draco took a calming breath. “That was your magic attempting to bind with mine. It’s a normal reaction, and one I wouldn’t allow until your twenty-third birthday, but something is wrong. I can explain it.”
“Wrong?”
“There is a shroud around your magic. I would call it a shield, but it feels more like a repellent.”
Her eyebrow arched. “I’m magical bug spray.”
Draco smirked. “Whatever it is, we will figure it out.”
She nibbled her lip. The innocent action had his entire body hardening. The next few days were going to be the hardest of his life. Even without the strange protection around Jemma’s magic, he had to wait until she turned twenty-three. It gave him time to woo her properly and get her accustomed to being in his presence.
She cleared her throat. “Are you going to show me the tablet?”
Draco leaned back into the couch. “Yes, but I was hoping you would answer a few questions for me.”
“Like what?”
“You gave me the impression you worked for the Dark Arts Gallery on several occasions. Did you deal with anyone in particular?”
She stared at him so long he was unsure she would answer. “I dealt with a man named Devlin until yesterday. Apparently, he passed away. I never met him.”
Draco nodded. “Who are you dealing with now?”
“His name is Movar.” She shivered as if recalling an unpleasant memory.
“But your dealings were via the Internet or phone?”
“I have never met a client before, but Movar convinced me to meet him at the gallery. It was a mistake, but I needed the money.”
Draco rubbed his chest. Of all the darks that could have replaced Devlin, why did it have to be Movar?
Jemma’s eyes narrowed on his. “You know him, don’t you?”
“Movar is a dark dragon.”
Her eyes narrowed. “A dark dragon is one that has forsaken his clan. He loses the color of his youth and his ability to find a mate.”
Draco sucked in a breath. “How did you know that?”
She shook her head. “Since I met you, I’ve had this trickle of information about dragons and druids. I can’t explain it.”
“I have never heard of such a thing, but Mara will check with Adara.”
“The druid?”
“The temple itself,” Draco said.
She frowned. “I’m not sure I understand?”
“The druid who cast her magic into the world to save us after the druid bomb annihilated the dragons and druids alike. The temple now takes her form to honor that sacrifice.”
“The temple is a living thing? Why don’t I possess this information, but I know about dark dragons?”
“I don’t understand the nature of this skill so I can’t answer you,” Draco said, but he had every intention of finding out about the power she possessed. It seemed like an omnipotent type of knowledge, but she didn’t know about the war.
She nodded. “Will you tell me about Movar? It’s obvious you know him.”
“I knew him when he was a member of our clan. He had a twin brother named Rolan. They were silvers. The color of their scales was the envy of most and rivaled only by Legion himself. The three of us were inseparable growing up.”
“What color is Legion?”
The gaps in her knowledge were strange. Perhaps her power was limited since she was yet to emerge. “He is a gold as leader of the clan.”
She nodded. “Yes, the leader of the dragons is always a gold. I hadn’t put that together. What happened to Movar and Rolan? Why did they turn dark?”
“Rolan never turned. He was the kindest and bravest of the silvers. He was betrayed by a druid. One who had turned dark. She siphoned his magic and slayed him. He was too young to protect himself. We were only teenagers by your standards. Movar was inconsolable. Losing a dragon is bad enough, but losing a twin is like losing part of your soul. This was just before the war. I have avoided finding Movar, because the thought of killing him...” He couldn’t finish the sentence. The Druid who betrayed Rolan ruined both his and Movar’s life.
She put her hand on his. The small gesture, meant as a comfort, sent heat racing through his blood. “I’m sorry about your friends. Losing the people you love is always hard. I can’t imagine them turning away from you, like a dark dragon does. They don’t realize how lucky they are to have family.”
It was the bitterness in her voice that caught Draco’s attention. “How did your parents die?”
“They died in a hiking accident. They were walking too close to a cliff after a heavy rainfall and it gave way. They plummeted to their deaths. It took two weeks to recover the bodies.”
“I’m sorry, Jemma.”
She shrugged. “It was a long time ago. Now that I know about spells and magic, I can’t help but wonder if I caused their deaths.”
Draco growled. “Why would you say such a thing?”
“This thing with me isn’t limited to food, money and jobs. I told you about my landlords, but it’s worse with personal relationships.”
He pursed his lips together to stop the grumble of his dragon at the thought of her with another man. He had no right to judge her for her actions prior to meeting him. “You had a relationship end badly?”
She explained about Kevin and how their three-month relationship was wonderful until she kissed him. She felt nothing, which silently Draco was pleased about. Then she explained the beating she took at Kevin’s hands, and that he looked genuinely shocked at his behavior after. He suspected she was right. Something or someone was ensuring that she was alone.
“Had you not believed these actions were out of character for Kevin, I would have hunted him down and ended his life. But I believe you when you say he was influenced. Did he ever contact you again?”
“No. He never text or called, but he did wire ten thousand dollars to my bank account. I would have told him not too had I known ahead of time.”
Draco sighed. “The money disappeared.”
“That one was an insurance fraud, or so the bank told me.”
Draco nodded. “There were no other incidents with people?”
She glanced down, and he knew the answer. “Jemma?”
“Just Lucy.”
“Who is she?”
Jemma took her hand from Draco’s. “She was my best friend until a month after my parents died.”
“What happened to her?”
Jemma grabbed her wineglass from the side table. “She didn’t die or anything.”
“That isn’t what I asked you.”
“I was a mess after my parents died. I was at her house constantly that first month and I think it was too much for her,” she said, before taking a sip of her wine.
“You were practically a child and recently orphaned. It’s understandable that you would turn to your friend for support. What happened to end the friendship?”
Jemma’s cheeks dusted with red. “Her mother’s jewelry went missing. When her parents questioned us about it, she broke down crying and confessed that I had taken it. I was removed from their home and put in foster care that night, but not before I was charged.”
Draco’s entire body tensed. He understood these were the actions of a young adolescent girl, but to allow her best friend to be charged with a crime she didn’t commit a month after her parents’ death was inconceivable. “Did she truly believe you took them?”
Jemma was quiet for a long time.
“Jemma?” Draco asked.
“Two months later I was hocking some items at the pawnshop. I always wore overlarge hoodies by this time, and she didn’t recognize me. I watched her pawn her mother’s diamond earrings.”
Draco hissed, unable to contain his anger. “Did you confront her?”
Jemma nodded. “I asked her how she could do that to me, but she said I was pathetic and she was done with my crying all the time. She said if I told anyone she would tell them I gave her the jewelry and threatened her into pawning it. My entire life was collapsing around me, I was confident everyone would believe her.”
“What happened next?”
CHAPTER 7
Jemma pulled the blanket closer to her while holding her glass. The room was warm and despite the tough nature of their conversation she felt a safety and closeness she hadn’t experienced since prior to her parents’ death. The firelight flickered, catching the power behind Draco’s eyes. She had no idea what was happening to her but there was no doubt she needed help. As heart-wrenching as the loss of Lucy’s friendship was, it had taught her a valuable lesson. Trust no one. She learned the hard way that a genuine smile and good looks could end in disaster.
Still, Draco was a dragon and possessed magic. He appeared immune to the magical affliction that plagued her. Did she dare trust that another would share her burden, or at least help her find a solution? It was a question she’d never thought she’d contemplate again.
She took a sip of wine. “I was charged and given community service. I did my time and finished school. Due to my record, I couldn’t get into a group home. That’s why I was given a stipend to live on my own.”
Draco’s jaw twitched. “And Lucy’s role in the theft was never discovered?”
“Not that one. A few years later I heard she was arrested for stealing from one of her mother’s clients. She was working for her mother’s company. Diane was a wedding planner. Stealing from a bride-to-be was bad for business. Lucy was arrested and her mother’s business never recovered from the bad publicity. Diane ended up filing for bankruptcy and Lucy’s parents were divorced a few years later.”
“It seems like fate stepped in to rectify that wrong.”
She shook her head. “I admit I wasn’t upset when I read about her arrest in the paper, but her mother losing her business and her husband within a few years of her daughter’s actions, how can that be fair? Diane was always good to me. I don’t blame her for believing her daughter. Lucy had always been honest before that. I was stunned by her actions at the time. Now, I can’t help but wonder if my circumstances rubbed off on her. This thing with me has proven to affect other people.”
“It is possible.”
She drained the remainder of the wine. The sweet taste burned down her throat and warmed her blood. She couldn’t remember a time when she was so warm. Comfortable. “This is the first time in a long time, that I’ve been in a room with someone for more than an hour and not had an... incident.”
Draco ran a finger down her cheek before tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. “Whatever the nature of this spell, I am immune. I suspect the druids and dragons will be as well.”
Jemma put her empty glass on the side table. “I hope so.”
Draco put his hand on hers. “Do you happen to know why Movar wants this tablet?”
“He said it has an inscription. It’s some sort of map to locate a pendant hidden by a dark druid. I assumed it was superstition or a misunderstanding of the truth, but now I am not so sure,” Jemma said,
Draco rubbed his chin. “The tablet does have an inscription, but we believed it was something else. Access to an alternate realm. One created by magic. What is the significance of this amulet?”
“I don’t know. Movar said that amulet has a spell engraved on the back. A lost mage spell and the amulet itself is an artifact created by the dark druid.”
Draco stood. Power crackled in her mind as he reached out with his. Legion.
Yes, Draco. Legion relied telepathically.
Movar has assumed Devlin’s role at the Dart Arts Gallery. He commissioned Jemma to acquire the Tablet of Cireda. He told her it is the key to finding Cireda’s amulet. I believed that amulet lost to the ages. Was I mistaken?
Adara thought the amulet was destroyed. No dragon or druid has sensed its power since Cireda’s death. If the darks got their hands on that amulet, it would be disastrous.
Draco frowned. Why? What does the amulet do?
It has the power to bind a druid’s power. She would still possess it, but it would be shielded from her. The darks could drink from a druid, use her and breed her, but she would not be able to defend herself.
That is unheard of. Who would do such a thing?
Legion was quiet, causing Jemma to hold her breath. She hadn’t meant to listen in on their conversation, but her mind tuned into their frequency before she could stop it. Cireda was the mother of the dark one.
The druid that turned on her own?
Yes. It was before the war and we were children, but my father told me to be wary of the dark power.
We need to retrieve this amulet before Movar does.
Agreed. Jemma is it your intention to help us? Legion asked.
Jemma pursed her lips. She felt like a child with her hand in the cookie jar. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you knew I was listening. Power of the dragons and all that.
What do you know of my power, Jemma? His tone was conversational, but she felt a weight in her chest.
You are the dragon leader. The source of their power. You alone bind them together. If a gold falls without his successor, the power of dragon leader will be lost. Her voice held an echo. An undertone of another. She recited the words as they rolled through her mind.
Secular knowledge is a trait only bestowed by the temple. You have never visited the Temple of Knowledge. How did you recall its wisdom?
Jemma swallowed hard. I have no idea. This knowledge as you call it, has only started rolling in since meeting Draco. But it isn’t perfect. I seem to be missing large chunks of pertinent information.
