Part of her was so terrified of the possibilities that it screamed at her to take her eyes off the dragon and scan their surroundings, or to ask Joshua to intervene in some way or other.
Another part of her didn’t care one bit. It was filled with exhilaration, as if she were the dragon that reveled in its short-lived freedom and wanted to soar and spit flames.
The dragon—was she imagining things or was it growing by the second?—flew around the room, keeping close to the ceiling. It sidled to the middle and inspected the chandelier, obviously fascinated with the way its flames were reflected in the glass. The longer the dragon was out and enjoying itself, the less did Felicia feel the fear she was supposed to hang on to. When the dragon glided to a bookshelf and let its glowing eyes wander over the many colorful spines, an image flickered inside her head. Burning books, a bright yellow blaze emanating comfortable heat.
“No!”
She was on her feet, one hand stretched out toward the dragon across the room.
Focus, focus! She had to welcome the fear back and make it understand that this appealing image was exactly what they didn’t want, what they had to prevent at all cost.
Ah, but the fire. It was so enticing, it promised joy and an increase of power.
No, she couldn’t. She mustn’t!
With who knew what strength and determination, she called out wordlessly to the dragon, summoning it back into herself, trembling with terror. For an infinitely stretching second, the fiery shape’s eyes fought a staring match with hers. Finally, when she was so afraid that she was sure she’d start shouting any moment, the dragon huffed and sped in her direction with missile speed. Before she knew it, her body convulsed, her vision went dim momentarily, and she could feel the fire core back inside her.
Safe.
Her feet collapsed under her, and she would have landed heavily on her butt and probably hit her head against the shelf if two hard, cold, strong arms hadn’t shot out to catch her. She was pulled into a hug that stifled the heat and tremors of fear and sighs of disappointment inside her with an icy blanket of calm. One of his hands tucked her head under his chin and against his wintry chest while the other rubbed up and down her spine like the night before, in a soothing gesture.
Felicia was drained of energy and will and logical thought. While she was gradually coming to, dull pain erupted behind her forehead. Why did this little giving in, these minutes of fire bliss and letting what was inside her out, cause her such fatigue? It wasn’t fair. And she clearly wasn’t in control yet, though somehow she had been able to avoid another fire.
Movement shook her awake to the fact that he was getting up with his arms still wrapped around her, a mantle of cold spread over them. It was unnerving and calming at the same time.
“Let’s get you to your desk so you can drink some water. It’ll be fine. You’ll be fine. You did well, I’m impressed.”
She suppressed a groan. He had no idea about the battle she had fought and nearly lost. The dragon inside her was sulking, and right now, she didn’t know whether she was glad she had prevented the fire. Something told her that if she had given in to the urge, she have might have felt…more satisfied and more herself than now.
Although it was the hardest thing to do at the time, she pried herself loose from his embrace and straightened up, ignoring the throbbing in her temples and walking toward the front room, once again scared they might be caught. She poured herself a cup of coffee from the flask that she always kept inside her bag, relishing every hot and bitter gulp of it. Who needed water if you had a miracle weapon like coffee at hand?
Only after she had finished her cup did she turn around to face Joshua, who was standing nearby with an ever watchful glance and a slight frown as though he was trying to figure out a mysterious problem.
“Well, are you happy with your little experiment?”
She bit her tongue. Where did the hateful tone and accusation come from?
His frown intensified, although the next moment, his face was completely blank and hard and cold again.
“Maybe.”
He strode to a nearby shelf, randomly picked two books and laid them on her desk. When he spoke, his voice was devoid of emotion, which hurt her more than it should have.
“I’ll borrow these. Register them and I’ll be on my way and leave you to your life.”
Mechanically, she did her job while she tried to wrap her head around the sudden change in his demeanor… and in hers.
After he had stuffed the books into his bag and slung it over his shoulder, he glanced into her eyes and averted his gaze.
“I want to let you know I’ll be off again. I’m probably coming back in two days.”
Despite herself, she blurted out, “But, why?”
He half grinned at her, but his voice was cool.
“I do have a job. You keep forgetting that.”
She bristled. She would not let him know that her heart ached and her mind panicked at the knowledge of being without him.
“Sure, James Bond. Have fun with your adventures and saving the world. Wouldn’t want to keep those damsels in distress waiting too long.”
In a flash, he was in her face, bending down and leaning so close that his icy peppermint breath fluffed up a curl on her forehead.
“You are my only damsel in distress,” he said, his tone intense and filled with an emotion she couldn’t place. He pressed a quick, hard kiss to her lips and stormed off, leaving her staring after his retreating back.
She didn’t know much at the moment, with the state she was in, but she did know one thing: She was going to miss him. Dammit!
Chapter 12