Light Dragons 01 - Love in the Time of Dragons

us, or we will face an eternity of destruction.”
    “You said earlier today that Baltic was unduly perpetuating the war, and now you insist that he continue to do so? You don’t make any sense, Kostya.”
    “There is a difference between trying to retake what is ours, and attempting to control the entire weyr.”
    “You know full well that Baltic has no desire to take over all the septs,” I said, disgusted with his stubborn refusal to admit the truth.
    “No?” He gave me a long look. “Ask yourself why he does not simply kill Constantine and bring the silver dragons back into the weyr.”
    “I will not argue about this anymore; we’ve both said everything there is to say.” I sighed. “My concern is for the immediate future. Are you sure you don’t wish to return with me? Surely peace would be worth trying to reason with Baltic again.”
    “He is past the point of listening to reason, and I will not have the last few black dragons slaughtered for no purpose. Ysolde—” He bit off what he was going to say, hesitating before finally saying, “You must be aware of what is in my heart. I loved Baltic as a brother, but I cannot let him destroy our world. Either he will stop, or I must stop him, by whatever means possible.”
    Fear gripped my stomach at the deadness in his eyes. “You would destroy us,” I said simply.
    “If that’s what it takes to stop him, yes.” Kostya took my hand and bowed over it. “You will be well enough to travel?”
    “Yes,” I said, the world suddenly bleak and lifeless.
    “What will you tell Baltic?”
    “The truth.” I met his gaze and carefully pulled my fingers from his. “I will tell him the truth.”

Chapter Eleven
    “G ood morning. Suzanne, isn’t it? I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m Tully Sullivan. I’ve come to fetch my son, Brom.”
    “I could not easily forget you, Ysolde,” the green dragon said as she smiled and stood aside so I could enter Drake’s house.
    I glanced down the street to where a sleek black BMW sat. It had been all I could do to keep Baltic in the car, having to swear to him that I wouldn’t go into the house by myself.
    “My car is double-parked, so I think I’ll just stay out here in case the police come,” I said, waving a vague hand toward Baltic’s car. “If you could just tell Brom to get his things together, I’ll take him out of your hair.”
    “He’s been no problem,” she said. “I’m sorry, but I must shut the door. Drake would have my hide if I were to leave the door open. He’s a bit crazy over security just now. Are you sure you don’t want to come inside?”
    “No, it’s no problem. I’ll just wait out here for Brom,” I said, leaning against the white stone railing.
    She gave me an odd look, but closed the door. Two minutes later, when I was trying to think how to broach a difficult subject with Baltic, the door opened. I straightened up, expecting to see my son, but instead a furry black demon in dog form marched out. “Heya, Solders! Oooh, sexy top, babe, very sexy top. I like how your boobies are kind of smooshed up over the neckline.”
    I looked down at the black stretch corset-style lace-up top I’d bought an hour earlier. My boobs did seem to be a bit more pronounced than was normal, but Baltic had expressed nothing but approval for my choice, going so far as snake his tongue down into the valley between my breasts. I put a stop to that, naturally . . . after an appropriate amount of time. “I just bought it at a small boutique this morning. It was on sale. Do you think it’s too risqué?”
    “No,” Jim said, eyeing my boobs with glee. “If you bend over, will you pop out?”
    I gave it a dirty look. “You are a demon. You aren’t supposed to even notice things like uplifted breasts.”
    It rolled its eyes. “I may be a demon, but I’m a boy demon, and I’d have to be stuck in the deepest, darkest, most heinous of all of Bael’s dungeon cells, suffering the worst torture imaginable, not to notice a fine pair of tatas when they passed by, and even then, I’d be thinking about them the whole time.”
    I mumbled something rude, turned to face the door, and did an experimental bow to make sure nothing untoward happened. “It’s fine; you can suck your tongue back in,” I told the demon when I turned around to face it.
    “You take all the fun out of ogling. Hey, what’s that on your left boob?”
    I glanced down and edged the neckline over to better cover the