Page 21 of The Dragon With A Girl Tattoo
I thought of the dragon demigod, and smiled ruefully at Deni’s image in my phone as I snuggled back into the pillows of a surprisingly comfortable bed.“I don’t think they are, no.Don’t worry about me—these people want me to do something for them, so they aren’t going to let anyone nab me.”
At least, not until I’d sprung the dragon lord’s son.I pushed aside the thought that they might not eliminate Candy and Andy from my life, clinging to the fact that I had an agreement with the First Dragon.
“OK, but will they understand that we have to perform tomorrow?You did see that we made it through to the next bracket?We’re only three wins away from taking the big money!Skye says we should have no problem so long as you keep up the effects.None of the other bands’ glamours are as good as yours.”
I smiled at her obvious excitement and spent a few minutes talking about the contest before promising her I’d be back for the afternoon set.
Just as I was about to get up so I could peel off my clothes, someone knocked at my door.
“Christian had your things brought from the hotel,” Allie said, handing me my bag.“I hope you don’t mind—personally, I would have asked you if you wanted your things rather than just taking them, but you know how men are.Regardless, I hope you’ll be comfortable.”She glanced around the room, clearly worried I wouldn’t like the digs.
“I’m sure this is the worst sort of ungrateful, but honestly, I’m so tired, I could sleep on the floor, so a comfortable bed with a down duvet is heaven.And thank you for my clothes.”
She toddled off shortly thereafter, and I crawled into bed, my body feeling like I’d been run through a particularly prickly hedge a few times.To my surprise, I fell asleep almost immediately, and woke up only when I had an uncomfortable feeling I was being watched.
I opened my eyes to find three children standing at the foot of the bed.
“Hrn?”I asked, shoving my hair off my face, immediately pulling on a glamour to hide my true appearance.“Who are you?What are you doing here?Do you belong to the vampires?”
“We’re Dark Ones,” the boy said.He looked to be about thirteen or fourteen, while the two girls were obviously twins, and a few years younger.
The girls nodded.
“Papa said you were dangerous and that we weren’t to go near you,” the boy continued.“But the twins insisted, so I came with them to make sure they didn’t bother you.”
I pulled myself up to a sitting position, making sure the tee I slept in hadn’t ridden up.“And I appreciate that fact, although I’d argue that coming into my room to watch me sleep like something out of a creepy Japanese horror movie isn’t the most restful of thoughts.”
They all grinned.I was about to reply when I heard raised voices from somewhere nearby, and the sound of running feet on the passage outside my room.
I sighed to myself.“I suspect your absence has been noted.”
“Yeah,” the boy said, giving his sisters a very pointed look.“That’s Papa yelling.”
“That’s Papa,” one of the girls agreed.
“Yelling,” the second one said.Then they both whirled and dashed to the door, pausing to bellow, “We’re here, Papa!The siren lady is awake now.”
“I am so sorry,” Allie said, appearing in the doorway, sending a potent glare at her kids before herding them out.“I am mortified that a guest in my home would have to put up with such naughty children.Jakob, you know better!As should your sisters.Your father and I forbade you to disturb Becket.”
“I made sure they didn’t bother her,” the boy protested as his mother more or less shoved him out of the room, just as Christian appeared in the doorway.
If I thought Allie had a glare for her kids, it was nothing compared to him.His eyes damned near glowed silver at the children, his jaw working a few times before he glanced in to me.
“The dragons are waiting for you.Drake’s plane is ready to fly to Paris as soon as you have breakfasted.”
It was an obvious hint to get moving, and knowing I had no way out but to comply, I nodded and, after spending a minute reassuring Allie that I wasn’t in the least bit traumatized by her kids watching me sleep, managed to get a fast shower and make it downstairs fifteen minutes later.
“We flew the kids home last night,” Aisling said almost a half hour later as we boarded a sleek-looking private jet at a nearby airport.“Drake was having a hissy fit about the demons being around, and the possibility that some dragons might be working with them, so we thought it better to tuck them away at our Paris house.”
“I do not hiss, either in fit form or in a general sense,” Drake said as he took a seat next to Aisling.I said nothing when the other dragons filed in after him.I figured they had to be there to protect me in case Candy and Andy figured out where I was.
Christian leaned in through the door and said, “I have contacted a Guardian who is a Beloved.She is on her way here to ensure that no demons blight the castle.If you have need of me in Paris, let me know.I can be there quickly via a portal service.”
Drake and the other male dragons all nodded at him.
I stopped Christian before he left.“I hate to ask for a favor, but my bandmates will be at the festival to check out the competition.Can you make sure they’re OK?I don’t think Candy or Andy would bother them, but—”
“They will come to no harm,” he answered, glancing at his watch.“I have spoken to the festival organizers, and they pushed your performance from afternoon to the last slot in the evening.That should give you time to release the dragon and return.”
