Ember's Kiss
She’d brought a sleeveless black dress that always made her feel confident. It was fitted through the waist and flared around her knees. She slipped on a pair of black sandals and wound up her hair. She wore a pair of jet and silver earrings that had been her grandmother’s, and put her mother’s pendant inside the dress. Only the chain was visible. A stroke of lipstick across her lips, Marco’s crystal in her evening bag, and she was ready to go.
She eyed her reflection in the mirror. Here went nothing.
Maureen came into the room and must have misinterpreted Liz’s expression, because she laughed. “It won’t be so bad,” she chided, then produced a vivid pink hibiscus bloom. “For you,” she said with a smile, and tucked it behind Liz’s ear. “Left side means you’re single,” she whispered. “Now go on and have fun.”
“You probably think I should have a drink right away.”
“Can’t hurt,” Maureen said, heading for the bathroom. “I’ll be there in ten, and your wineglass had better be half-empty.” She shook a finger at Liz from the threshold to the bathroom. “If I find you in a corner, I’ll introduce you to the most boring man in the room and you’ll be stuck with him for hours.”
Liz laughed, knowing Maureen would be good to her word. “There’s a threat.”
“Negative enforcement,” Maureen said cheerfully, and shut the bathroom door. “Works every time.”
Liz tugged the lanyard with her name tag over her head and headed out, as ready for war as she could be.
The party was exactly as Liz had expected. This was her world and she should have found comfort in it.
Instead, she was jittery.
Several of the visiting scientists had apparently miscalculated the effect of alcohol on their jet-lagged constitutions. This was providing entertainment. The sober ones wanted to talk about work, and Liz wondered which one of them was the boring man Maureen had threatened to introduce her to. There seemed to be a number of candidates.
She could see the auras of everyone in the room, which was less disconcerting than it had been the night before. She was getting used to seeing them again and using the information they provided. The auras were all mellow hums of blue and green with the occasional shimmer of gold or pink.
Except for the one woman in the corner. She was Asian and dressed in a tight-fitting red Chinese dress. Her heels had to be five inches tall and they were as shiny and red as a candy apple. Her lipstick matched her shoes perfectly. She looked completely incongruous, and although people glanced surreptitiously at her, no one spoke to her. She didn’t initiate any conversations herself, either, just stood against the wall and sipped what looked like a glass of juice.
She had no aura.
And she was watching Liz as hungrily as a hawk.
She had to be some kind of supernatural being. Was she a Pyr? Weren’t the Pyr all men? Liz wasn’t sure. Maybe some other kind of being had been attracted to her firestorm—or her powers. She kept her distance from the woman, resolved to letting her make the first move.
There was a lot of conversation about the earthquake that morning and an exchange of stories from those who had experienced it and those who had arrived after it was over. Everyone had a story of disrupted plans to tell, but no one had been injured. There was also excitement over the volcanic eruption in the Ko‘olau range earlier that day. A prominent scientist had been interviewed on the news and had speculated about a rogue vent being opened by the earthquake. This theory was hotly discussed.
No one, interestingly, blamed dragons, dragon shape shifters, or an infuriated goddess named Pele. Certainly no one talked about Firedaughters. Liz knew she should have been relieved by that. Instead, she felt as if the other scientists were missing the point.
“Dr. Barrett!” a plump woman exclaimed as she evidently read Liz’s name tag. She offered her hand. “What a pleasure to meet you. I’m Hazel Wentworth.”
Liz shook Dr. Wentworth’s hand with enthusiasm, knowing her by reputation. “Yes, of course. You’re at UC, aren’t you?” This could be the opportunity she sought. She was sure that Dr. Wentworth was on the advisory panel that reviewed applications to do research at the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
Hazel nodded. “Yes, and we’re very excited about your findings with regards to coral disease and the emergence of tumors on certain species.”
“I was intrigued by the research I saw linking specific algae species with the emergence of coral disease,” Liz said, mentioning the name of the marine biologist responsible for that research.
“Yes, he’s done excellent work,” Hazel agreed with enthusiasm. “But your tentative link between pollution and the susceptibility of certain species to genetic mutation as a result of exposure opens an exciting new realm of possibilities in ensuring the welfare of the reef.”
They entered an enthusiastic and technical discussion, exactly the chat Liz had hoped to have. She could only halfway attend the conversation, though, because her sense of being watched was so very strong. Each time she glanced over her shoulder, that Chinese woman’s gaze was locked upon her.
And her smile was unfriendly.
The only person Liz knew without an aura was Chen, and that was because he wasn’t a person—he was a Slayer and a dragon shifter. Could this be Chen? The hair was practically standing up on the back of Liz’s neck with her awareness of the woman’s steady gaze. When Maureen arrived and nodded approval at her nearly empty glass, Liz decided she couldn’t stand it anymore.
She had to know.
If it was Chen, the Slayer was targeting her.
If there was going to be a fight, Liz wanted to get it over with. She wasn’t going to be stalked, threatened, and distracted. She wanted to save Brandon and get back to the business of being in love.
She exchanged cards with Hazel and promised to send her several of her as-yet-published papers. Hazel expressed her pleasure in their conversation, suggesting that they would have to have a longer chat before the symposium ended.
“Perhaps you might like to visit the reserve,” Hazel said. “Even if there isn’t time for you to make a trip yourself, I could have samples collected and sent to you.”
“That would be wonderful!” Liz thanked the other biologist, not even trying to hide her pleasure.
Then she excused herself.
The room where the party was being held had sliding doors along one exterior wall, and they were open to the velvety perfection of the night. It was hard to believe that there had been an earthquake and even a small volcanic eruption when the ocean looked so tranquil and the breeze was filled with the scents of flowers.
Liz put down her empty wineglass and stepped out into the night.
The Chinese woman followed her, her heels clicking on the patio stones.
Liz reasoned that she might as well get out of sight of the party. None of these people could help her. They could only get injured if the woman was Chen—and she knew that Chen wouldn’t care if they were hurt. Her professional reputation wouldn’t be enhanced by whatever she had to do, either. She kicked off her shoes and headed for the beach. On the way, she tugged out Marco’s crystal and discarded her purse.
Liz hoped like hell she could use this thing, because the woman was right behind her. She was going to need all the help she could get.
Brandon flew as quickly as he could across the island. He didn’t like being so visible, but he didn’t have a choice. His main concern was getting to Liz before either of the Slayers did.
That they could travel instantly through space and manifest elsewhere didn’t put time on his side.
Brandon was descending toward Kane‘ohe Bay when he saw the vivid flash of orange light on Coconut Island’s far side.
Dragonfire!
He feared the worst and landed quickly. He shifted to human form and raced toward the flames, hoping to keep the element of surprise on his side. He came around the ocean side of the island and stayed in the shadows. A building had been flattened during the
earthquake and there was no sign of anyone around the debris at night. The light flashed again and Brandon ran forward, not knowing what he’d find.
He heard Liz call out. She shouted a string of words that sounded like an incantation, and suddenly it seemed that the shadows all around him were filled with life. They appeared to have become an army of dark shapes instead of simply shadows. Were those eyes he glimpsed in the darkness? Brandon didn’t have time to look closely.
He rounded the last bit of shrubbery and saw Chen in flight in his dragon form. His scales were almost luminous against the night, so red and shiny that they could have been made of lacquer. The gold on his scales and horns flashed as his claws slashed through the night toward the woman standing with one hand outstretched.
His Liz looked very small before the furious airborne dragon, and when Chen breathed fire, she was silhouetted against the orange flames. She didn’t flinch, though, and she didn’t back away. She also wasn’t burned.
She shouted again, and the shadows surged around and past Brandon. He was in the midst of a tumult, surrounded by a thousand voices and brushed by even more shadowy figures. They clustered around Liz, and Brandon recognized that she had summoned them.
This must be her power.
A heartbeat later, he saw that it was only part of what she could do. Her figure was suddenly illuminated, outlined by brilliant orange flames. No, she became a flame. She was in the middle of the fire, part of it, feeding it and commanding it.
She looked like a fire goddess come to life. Brandon was amazed. He could still see her silhouetted inside the column of fire, but her figure was all black and orange. Firelight and shadow. Sparks flew into the night from her.
Chen lunged at her, talons extended. Brandon recovered from his shock and leapt forward, shifting shape on the way.
Liz flung up her hand and the flame that surrounded her extended into the sky in a flurry of sparks. It coalesced into a rope of fire. It was like a blazing lasso that she cast toward the attacking Chen. Chen screamed as the circle of flame closed around him, and Brandon heard the hiss of his scales being scorched. The Slayer roared in pain and slashed at the fiery rope without success.
It was a spell, a powerful one.
This was how she knew about binding spells. She could cast them.
The shadows, meanwhile, encircled Chen, smothering him, blinding him. Chen raged and thrashed, but that burning rope wound around him over and over again, until he was trussed tightly with a cord of fire. Brandon thought he deserved everything he was getting.
Chen tipped back his head and raged dragonfire. Brandon was just as shocked as the Slayer when his flames joined with the column of fire from Liz, defecting to the other side and giving her more power.
Brandon was awed by his mate all over again.
The Slayer screamed in anguish, thrashing within his burning prison. He turned his radiant gaze upon Liz, his anger tangible. “How dare you?” he demanded.
“I could ask you the same thing.” Liz held up a crystal in her left hand, pointing it as the enraged Slayer. “Release Brandon from your spell,” she commanded.
“Never!” Chen roared.
A bolt of blue-green light shot from the end of the crystal, searing Chen in the chest. What was that thing? Brandon had never seen a crystal used like a laser before.
Meanwhile, the Slayer arched his back in pain, emitting a low hiss of fury. Then his tail thrashed and his eyes shone with anger. Brandon heard music and conversation from the other side of the island and had to assume that a party was keeping anyone from coming to investigate.
A bolt of lightning fired from the sky, and Brandon feared it had somehow been summoned by Chen. When it illuminated a protective cocoon that surrounded Liz, then sliced through it with white heat, he knew he was right. Liz screamed in pain and fell to her knees when the lightning bolt struck her. Brandon smelled charring flesh and cinders. The burning rope shone like embers from a bonfire.
He raced toward Liz, fearing the worst.
But when the light faded, both Chen and Liz were gone.
So were the moving shadows.
He glanced around the empty beach, knowing his eyes hadn’t deceived him. Chen must have spontaneously manifested elsewhere, dragging Liz with him. Either the binding spell had provided enough of a link or Chen had snatched her during that bright flash of light. Brandon guessed that Chen would surely retaliate for her entrapment of him.
But how?
And where?
Brandon saw lightning flash on the horizon, far out to sea, and guessed. There was a storm gathering, one that hadn’t been there before. It wasn’t natural and it hadn’t developed over time. No, the weather pattern was being manipulated, and he guessed it was being affected by Chen.
Brandon feared then that Chen would extinguish Liz’s fire spells by drowning her.
He had to get to her in time.
Chapter 11
Liz nearly fainted when the lightning struck her. She felt her mother’s pendant take the hit, and the melting silver burned against her skin. She fell backward from the Slayer’s assault, and her hold over her fire spell wavered for just an instant.
The fire rope slipped.
It was all the opportunity Chen needed.
He wriggled free and seized her, his claw tightening around her. Liz had time to see the evil gleaming in his reptile eye and to glance down his dark gullet when he laughed. Then there was a flash of light and the beach of Coconut Island disappeared.
She was surrounded by a gray fog, one that made her feel nauseated. Chen’s tight grip around her abdomen didn’t help. She guessed that nothing good was going to happen to her, and knew she needed to keep hold of the crystal.
Suddenly she was just above the surface of the sea. It was raining hard, and lightning flashed from the clouds overhead. Liz had time to notice that there was darkness and water on all sides before she was plunged into the dark water.
Chen dove deep, dragging her down toward the bottom of the ocean. Liz knew she was doomed if he released her there.
If he released her at all.
She instinctively held her breath. Chen was swimming deeper with alarming speed. Liz summoned a strength she hadn’t known she possessed and jammed the point of the crystal into Chen’s eye.
He roared, the sound swallowed by the sea, and flung her aside.
She saw the flash of his malicious smile and knew he thought that she’d never make it to the surface. Chen shifted shape in a brilliant shimmer of blue light, becoming a red salamander that almost glowed against the darkness of the ocean. He swam away, diving down to the ocean floor, his form swallowed by the darkness.
Liz didn’t have the time or the ability to chase Chen. Instead, she fixed her gaze skyward and began to move to the surface with powerful, steady strokes. She was a strong swimmer and as long as she didn’t panic, she was sure she could make it. She exhaled gradually and slowly, determined to survive.
Brandon flew right into the storm. He circled the surface of the water, searching for some clue to where Liz might be. He flew low over the choppy surface, breathing deeply, seeking her scent.
When he caught a whiff of her, he nearly hooted in delight.
Instead he took a deep breath and dove into the dark water. Once again, his dragon powers felt good. He was stronger in dragon form. He could hold his breath longer and swim farther. And his keen dragon vision allowed him to spy Liz in a black dress in the inky, dark water just beneath him.
He swam toward her and snatched her up. She took one look at him, and then her eyes closed. A feeble trail of bubbles came from her nostrils. He’d reached her just in time. Brandon surged for the surface with her in his grasp. When he emerged from the water with a gasping breath, he shifted shape. He had learned years before how to tread water and give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and he was glad of it now.
The storm was already passing, as sure a sign as could be that it was unnatural. It took only a few breaths fr
om him for Liz to begin choking. He held her as she coughed up the seawater, her body ensuring its own survival even when she wasn’t fully conscious. The sea calmed around him, and he felt his exhaustion.
Never mind the salt water in his wounds.
Relief left him numb. He felt his exhaustion from the trials of the day and knew he needed a moment’s respite before he headed for dry land. Brandon caught Liz against his chest and rolled to his back, floating on the surface of the sea. It was a long way back to the island.
He just needed to restore his strength. Liz had passed out but she was breathing, her hand curled on his chest. At least they were out of the storm. The dark clouds were blowing away to the east, taking the lightning with them. The sky was dark overhead and filled with stars, the ocean a dark murmur around them. Brandon watched the moon rise and assessed the distance to the island.
It was really far.
Liz was cold. He had to get her out of the water so she was warm and safe. He summoned every vestige of strength left in him and shifted shape. He took flight, carrying his precious burden, and made steady progress toward the shore.
Brandon thought he was hallucinating when he saw a tourmaline dragon descending out of the sky toward him. He had never been so glad to see a dragon in his life. The scent told him the new arrival’s identity.
Just when they needed an Apothecary.
“Is she all right?” Sloane asked, his concern clear.
“No, but she’s alive.” Brandon held Liz closely, trying to warm her with his body. “She was struck by lightning,” he added. “Chen’s lightning.”
“There’s something unusual about your mate.”
“I know.” Brandon had to tell him the rest aloud because he needed practice with his old-speak. Now he felt motivated to do it. “She trapped Chen with a rope of fire. It was some kind of spell. I think she weakened him with it. And he was angry enough to summon the lightning.”
Sloane looked at Liz with amazement.
“Not only that,” Brandon said. “She used this crystal as a weapon. It shot out a blue-green light, like a laser.” He realized that Sloane was helping him, too. By encouraging him to talk, the Apothecary helped Brandon forget his own exhaustion. To his relief, the island was growing steadily closer.