Mercy Burns (Myth and Magic 2)

“Not really.” She paused. “But I think they did most of their business through some sort of club. I heard it mentioned a few times. Decadent, or something like that.”

Which jelled nicely with what the draman had already told us.

“And you can’t tell us more than that?” Damon asked.

“I wish I could,” Coral said. “Now, if you have no further questions, then I really need to go.”

“Angus called your family before he was killed,” I said. “They won’t be far away.”

She closed her eyes and whispered, “Then at least I’ll have someone with me when his soul moves on.”

Unlike Rainey, I thought, with tears suddenly in my eyes. I blinked them away, but the pain would not be so easily pushed aside this time. I hugged my knees close to my chest and tried to ignore the ache.

“I wouldn’t suggest hanging around long after dawn,” Damon commented. “These men appear to be cleaning up loose ends, and they will come looking for you.”

“Oh, have no fear of that. I’ll be heading home, and away from these shores.” She tucked a strand of multicolored hair behind her ears and gave us a wan smile. “Thank you again for what you’ve done. And for what you tried to do.”

She pushed to her feet. The sea reacted to her movement, the gentle waves suddenly splashing upward, reaching for her with foamy fingers, like a lover reaching for his mate after a long absence.

I glanced up at her. “Coral, don’t kill them.”

Her bright gaze met mine, then she nodded once and dived into the water.

Relief spun through me. Though she could do what she wanted to those men and I’d be none the wiser, something suggested that she’d keep her word.

“Those men do not deserve your pity,” Damon said, rising to his feet and brushing dust from his rear.

I followed the movement of his hands, admiring the way his jeans clung to the curve of his butt.

“What you’ve done to them is probably worse than death, Damon.” God, the mere thought of someone stealing my fire had my stomach churning. “How would you like to live like that? Knowing that the very thing that made you what you are had been snatched away?”

“They deserved the punishment.”

“Maybe, but they don’t deserve death on top of it.”

He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable, then shook his head. “After all those scars, you can still live up to your name? I think that makes you truly unique.”

“Yeah,” I said dryly. “So unique you’re going to report me to the council and make them deal with me, and everyone like me. Meaning little old unique me will probably end up just like those men on the boat.”

“The council isn’t likely to steal the fire of every draman capable of it. But if the dragon gene is overriding the human one, we need to be aware of it.”

“Because we wouldn’t want all those half-breeds diluting the glorious bloodlines, now would we?”

“I have never said that,” he said, with more than a little exasperation in his tone, “so I’d appreciate it if you’d stop making statements like that.”

It was oddly satisfying to discover that Death could be annoyed, and I couldn’t help the smirk as I said, “So, what’s next?”

“Next, Miss Most Irritating, we find somewhere to stay for the night. It’s been a long day, and I need some sleep.”

The sudden twinkle in his dark gaze suggested sleep was the last thing he had on his mind right now, and the thought made my stomach clench with excitement. He reached down and offered me a hand. His fingers were warm against mine, his grip like steel and yet somehow gentle as he pulled me upright.

“We can’t walk into a hotel looking like something the cat’s thrown up,” I commented, halfheartedly trying to tug my fingers from his and not succeeding.

“I never said anything about staying in a hotel.” He turned around and tugged me alongside him. “There are plenty of vacation homes around, and at this time of year they’re not likely to be occupied. We’ll just pick one and help ourselves to the amenities.”

“And hope the cops don’t wander along to arrest our asses.” I didn’t actually expect an answer to that, and I didn’t get one. Normal dragons had an easy disregard for human law at the best of times, and Damon was far from normal. “How does one become a muerte?”

He raised an eyebrow, the beginnings of a smile teasing the corner of his mouth. “You do like asking the unexpected, don’t you?”