Light Dragons 01 - Love in the Time of Dragons

his answering scowl promised retribution at the earliest opportunity. But in the end, he managed to say to Drake, “Your appearance is much as I remember it from the last time I saw you.”
    “Now that didn’t hur—”
    “The last time you tried to kill me, that is,” Baltic interrupted. “When you ran me through with a long sword, and tried to decapitate me with a battle-ax. I believe you also shot a few crossbow bolts into my legs in an attempt to break the bones.”
    Silence filled the hall again. Drake studiously picked a piece of nonexistent lint off his sleeve.
    “And if I’m not mistaken, you had a dagger or two that you used on my spleen.”
    Aisling stared at her husband, who was now blithely examining a painting on the wall.
    “Not to mention the grappling hook that you creatively used by sinking it deep into my—”
    “That’s your idea of a welcome, is it?” I asked, stopping Baltic before he could make me sick to my stomach.
    He shrugged. “I didn’t mention the two morning stars he used to try to bash out my brains. I could have, but I knew you would prefer to keep things on a social level.”
    “I think that’s one for our team,” Jim said, nodding its approval.
    Aisling transferred her gaze to it. “Hello! You’re my demon! You’re on our team, not theirs!”
    “Soldie kidnapped me. That means I’m on her team until she lets me go. Right, guys?”
    “Why do I suspect that the only reason you want to be on my team is because I have a kitchen full of canapés?” I asked it.
    “A demon has to have priorities.”
    “Jim, heel,” Aisling said wearily.
    “Oh, fine!” I stopped the demon as it was about to obey. “Just go right ahead and ruin all of my plans! You aren’t supposed to be here yet. Jim is supposed to be hidden away! I try to have a nice sárkány , but no, everyone has to ruin it.”
    “Hello,” May said, popping up behind the two red-haired bodyguards who had taken up positions behind Drake. She slipped between them, looking around with interest. “Are we late?”

Chapter Seventeen
    “W hy does Dr. Kostich have his shirt off?”
    “I’m checking for broken ribs,” the mage answered May, looking up. “Is the healer here? I will need witnesses to the assault charges I will be laying against these dragons.”
    “Yes, he’s here. Gabriel?”
    The two guards moved aside to allow Gabriel’s entrance.
    “Good afternoon, Ysolde.” His eyes flickered to Baltic, narrowing on him.
    The air positively bristled with electricity. I scooted in front of Baltic, so my back was against his chest. “No fighting. I’m tired of fighting. People who fight will not get any lemon sorbet. If you insist on ignoring me, I will turn you into a banana. Got that?”
    “Oh, man!” Jim complained behind us. “Way to ruin a good sárkány .”
    Gabriel looked startled. “A banana?”
    “Her magic is off. Dr. Kostich did something to her,” Aisling told him.
    “Interdict,” Dr. Kostich snapped, still feeling his ribs. “The fat dragon and she will pay for this.”
    “He is not fat!” I yelled. “He’s just big- boned! Look!” I yanked the tail of Baltic’s shirt out of his pants, pulling it up to expose his belly. “See? Classic six-pack!”
    “Oooh, very nice,” Aisling said, admiring Baltic’s lovely ripple of muscles.
    He rolled his eyes and tucked his shirt back into his pants.
    Drake set fire to Aisling’s feet.
    “I was just looking,” she told him. “I’m allowed to look.”
    Drake’s eyes were shiny emeralds. Pissed-off shiny emeralds. “No, you’re not.”
    “Look, you’re in enough trouble already, Mr. Having Foursome Orgies in Medieval France.”
    “It’s all that lemon sorbet you’re feeding him, no doubt,” Dr. Kostich said to me, pulling up his pant leg to look at his shin. “Very fattening. Well, you won’t have any of that while you’re suffering for eternity in the Akasha, so you might as well enjoy it one last time.”
    “Lemon sorbet? I love lemon sorbet,” a light, airy voice said, followed by the arrival of May’s twin, Cyrene. “Where’s the sorbet?”
    Kostya was on her heels, a fact Baltic didn’t realize until the black wyvern entered the house.
    “Traitor!” Baltic suddenly roared, shoving me aside, shifting into dragon form again. I tripped over Jim and fell onto the bottom stair, my head hitting the chair leg where it lay.
    “Baltic!” Kostya screamed in reply, and he too changed. Everyone scooted to the