Page 7 of The Black Dragon
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It was just a kiss.Right. Whom was shefooling?
Justin’s kiss left her deeply shaken. Not merely from the physical reaction, but the promise lingering on her lips. The tantalizing notion of freedom, adventure and everything she’dcraved.
Everything she feared aswell.
I want to break free, but there’s security here. The familiar.Ariel didn’t know if she possessed the courage to reach for herdreams.
Justin leaned forward. “Your life can be so much more, little bird. You have the power to change it.” He rattled his chains. “Free me and I’ll show you. I’ll take you to places you can only dream of, to heightsunimagined.”
He held outa hand as if offering the prize in his empty palm. Forbidden fruit. She licked her lips, leaned forward, drawn to the solemnness in his dark gaze, the temptation of seizing life and all it had tooffer.
Freedom for Justin – freedom forherself.
“I…can’t.” Her chest ached. “There’s another reason I have to remain untouched. Father told me if I lie with a man and lose my virginity,I’ll lose mymagick.”
A bitter laugh fled her. “I don’t have much power, but I will not surrender what little Ihave.”
Justin gave her an intent look. “Iunderstand.”
Of course he would – his magick had been stripped by her uncaring father. She reached out, and their fingers met. A tingle rushed through her. She didn’t know what chemistry bonded them, but Ariel didn’t trustit.
Sex wasout.
Magick was key to finding her way in the world. Handicapped and without job skills, she might find work by casting fortunes or using her powers to aid others. Ariel liked the latter idea. Maybe work as a nurse’s aide, using her special magick to soothe frightened Skin children in ahospital.
Footsteps thudded on the stone stairs. Ariel did not turn. Acute olfactorysenses warned her father approached, for the cloying scent of his cologne would alert even a Skin. Lately Leo had doused himself, trying to cover the metallic stench of working with crystals andpotions.
Ariel’s shoulders sagged. The moment, and all its sweet hope, winked out like an extinguished candleflame.
As if sensing her retreat, Justin’s hand dropped, the chain’s heavy weightseeming to drag him down aswell.
“What the hell are you doing in there with him?” her fatherbellowed.
Hobbling to the cell door, she faced Leo. Chin up. Noretreat.
Perhaps she lacked the courage to leave, but Justin’s kiss, and his respectful treatment had fueled herbravado.
“Conversing, Father. He’s lonely and locking him up down here, without sunlight or truesustenance necessary for dragons, is cruel. When will you releasehim?”
“Get out of there. Where’s your prosthetic?” Leodemanded.
“I was showing Justin my stump. If you are to use his magick to heal me, he should know why he suffers so,” she shotback.
Leo averted looking at her limb. He always did, she realized. He hated seeing her stump. It was why Justin’s treatment provedso refreshing. Honest. Justin did not shy away from herdeformity.
“Get out of there, Ariel. He doesn’t need to see you like that.” Leo’s voicesharpened.
Knowing her father’s limit was pressed, Ariel donned her prosthesis anddressed.
Leo headed for the wood table holding the instruments he used to practice magick. “Go upstairs and attend to yourstudies.”
For oncethe rare books of magick and history held no interest for her. Ariel joined Leo at thetable.
“Where’s Dell?” she asked. Her father’s assistant usually came to work at night. He preferred working in the lab in theevenings.
“He was out gathering crystals for me. He’ll be heresoon.”
