Dragon Wish (9 page)

“In what manner do you speak?”

“Heat, lust…passion.”

“Is that so terrible?” His voice had deepened.

She sighed. “For me, yes. I don’t want to feel those

emotions. I wanted the vision to end. Desiring you doesn’t fit

into the picture.”

“Desire is not bad.” He brushed the back of his hand over

her cheek.

She studied him for a moment. All she had to do was

agree, wrap her arms around his neck and pull him to her.

He wanted her. Probably in the same intense fashion as she

did him. She closed her eyes, savoring the gentle touch. “No,

but I promised myself I wouldn’t ever leave my heart open to

anyone again. That includes casual affairs. I won’t take a

chance of having another baby. I wasn’t able to see the

danger to Mandy. Even with my special sight, I couldn’t save

her.”

There, she’d said the words out loud. The very ones which

ran through her mind every day like a constant cyclone,

ripping and tearing her apart. Did he understand how she

felt with the loss of his child? Had he held his baby against

his breast while listening to each quiet breath? She had

carried and given birth to Mandy, had watched her grow into

a vibrant little girl. In the end, she’d buried her, leaving her

with nothing but sorrow filled memories

“Will your ability save our child?” He slid his hand away

from her cheek to place his palm over her flat belly. She felt a

slight flutter in her abdomen.

She inhaled his scent. Powerful, intoxicating, she wanted

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to roll over and face him. It’d be so easy to reach up and

cover his beautiful lips with hers. She bit the inside of her

cheek, fighting the desire threatening to overcome her.

Once she had her need for this man shut behind a mental

lock, she faced him. Her voice stayed strong as she said the

words she dreaded speaking to him. “I don’t want your

child.”

His eyes widened. The only sign of his reaction. He

nodded once. “It is for the best. You are human, I am not.

The dragon blood in my veins will overpower yours and you

may die.”

Seren held her gaze steady with his. “What do you

mean?”

“Dragon and human blood must be magically fused so the

combination of the two will not overpower one or the other.”

“Sounds like oil and vinegar before you shake it.”

He shrugged. “Once the blood is fused, the risks of the

child destroying you are lessened.”

“That’s good to know. I don’t want to die, especially not

here.”

A smile flittered across his lips. “Try not to worry. I swore

I would keep you safe. Did I not tell you this when I found

you?”

She wanted to kiss him, to feel the warmth of his mouth

on hers and the slick length of his tongue while he thrust

inside her body, sending her over the edge. Steeling her

mind, she responded in a cool tone, wanting to drive him

away so she could gather her resolve alone. “I don’t need you

to protect me, just find a way for me to go home.”

He eased back. With each passing second, the chasm

between them widened. He took a deep breath, his chest

expanding under the gray cloth. “Very well, I will find a way

to fulfill your desire.”

They were strangers to each other, yet he’d saved her.

Even now, he seemed to want to help her escape from this

world. “What happens if this child you claim I carry

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threatens my life? What will you do? Will you chose me or

the baby?”

He didn’t hesitate with his answer. “I will bring you to the

mystic healer myself to take my child from your body before

I allow you to die.”

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Surprised, Seren studied him. She hadn’t expected him to

choose her. He stood and walked to the door. He glanced at

her with his hand on the knob before he left. She stared at

the door for a long time, unable to form a solid thought with

him gone.

With a sigh, she faced the window. A drac flew nearer to

the ship. This close, she saw the difference between it and

the herons. Feathers hadn’t reflected the light. No, it was the

pearl colored scales covering the beast. Instead of an

elongated yellow or black beak, its narrow snout ended in a

point. Long incisors overlapped its lips.

For a moment, the young dragon appeared to look at her

with its slit-pupil, amber eyes. She sat up, unable to turn

away while the beast, its wings moving up and down in a

hypnotic rhythm, drew next to the window. Warmth

increased in her abdomen. The fluttering she felt while

Paladin was with her increased. The drac’s wing brushed

against the pane, it opened its mouth and emitted a low

mewl.

Intense warmth erupted in her womb. She froze, unsure

of what was happening to her. But pain soon raced through

her body, eliciting a cry from her. She fell off the window

seat, trying to draw in a breath. Confused, unsure what was

happening, she fought against the rise of panic. She forced

movement to her lethargic limbs to escape from the area

around the window. The heat increased inside her body, so

strong it seemed like it was going to engulf her. The drac

cried out once more and her torment overcame her. She

writhed in agony on the wooden floor.

* * * *

with white tips, churned below him. He closed his eyes,

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inhaling the salty air. Four more days would see them in

Dene. If the weather held. If Seren lived.

Her skin seemed paler to him and her body more fragile.

This strange woman suffered because of him. He had planted

his seed in her, now the effects of the pregnancy were

occurring too fast.

A flock of dracs appeared in the left side of his line of

vision, distracting him. He counted six.

Calis’ heavy step approached from behind. His first

mate’s words confirmed what he suspected. “They’re

gathering. Too many sighted too close together. What do ye

make of it?”

Paladin watched several more dracs cross the ship’s path.

“That you are correct. Have you heard any rumors coming

from Xelerdin? Has Rylen caused more havoc to the

neighboring realms?”

One young dragon glided up from the side of the ship,

hawked at him, and then swung to meet the others. The

drac’s word, not a true language, but understood by all who

carried dragon’s blood in their veins slapped him in the face.

Sire.

He started to step forward, but stopped. His younger

brother, Rylen, was King. Bask, the guardian wizard to the

great white dragon, Lior, swore he had informed all of their

blood the news of Paladin’s abdication. Did the drac not

know? Had he never received the news? Or had it refused his

brother’s right to the throne? If so, was it alone or were there

others like this one?

“Ye should never have denied yer rightful place.” Calis

pointed toward another large flock following the same path

of the first. “They gather for certain. Looks like war is

coming, and I don’t see anyone but ye able to stop it.”

Paladin angled a look at his friend. “What has my brother

done?”

Calis shifted from one foot to the other for a moment

before he blurted, “He’s widened his borders. A great deal

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from the word I received in Gilliesport. Didn’t want to tell ye,

what with yer recent loss and all.”

Paladin closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. Why did Rylen

desire more than what he already possessed? What was his

purpose in expanding the White Dragon realm? Was it

domination over the weak or annihilation of the lesser

rulers? Paladin tried to understand, but no answer came to

him.

Battling to control the anger growing inside, he pivoted

toward the door leading below. He must do something, but

what? How should he stop his brother? The timing was off.

He had sworn to help Seren. He fully intended to keep his

word.

When he neared the door, it slammed open. Seren fell

onto the deck in a tangle of blanket and slender limbs.

Shocked, fear overpowered all else, he leapt forward. He

wrapped his arms around her. Her skin burned like she was

on fire from the inside out. The rancid smell of illness rose

from her skin. Underneath the odor, the sharp scent of

dragon increased. Grabbing her against his chest, he

whispered spells to protect her internal organs, veins, and

brain, hoping to block his child’s dragon fire which raged

within her. He hurried to his room. Calis’ footstep rang out

behind him.

Without looking at the other man, Paladin ordered,

“Bring freeze water. Buckets of it. Now, before we lose her!”

Boots thudded on the wooden floor behind him while

Calis shouted orders. Paladin ignored the distraction as he

laid Seren on the bed. The blanket dampened. It soaked up

the body fluids escaping from her pores. He tugged the

covers from around her waist and placed his palms against

her abdomen. He concentrated, drawing the growing heat

through his hands. Her stomach muscles contracted. He

hoped the child would pass. Only then would Seren have a

better chance of survival.

A fluttering started under his palms. His eyes widened.

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The babe, his son, shifted and worked to cool his own blood.

Paladin, amazed at the strength coming from the babe,

worked harder to help.

Calis settled his large hand on Paladin’s shoulder.

“Ready, Captain. I’ve got all we have here on board ready.

Talen also works using an icy spell to make more. Switched

course too. We’re heading for the nearest town to restock,

just in case.”

Paladin stood and lifted Seren then swung around to his

bathing tub. Calis passed him to grab the first bucket filled

with more icy water. Chunks of ice floated in the slush.

Paladin lowered Seren, still wrapped in the blanket, into the

tub.

He took the bucket’s handle from Calis, and poured the

thick liquid onto Seren’s abdomen. She screamed, jerking,

fighting in her semiconscious state. Her cries tore at him. He

caused her pain, her tears.

As the minutes flew by, the crew refilled the empty

buckets until a constant stream raced between his quarters

and storage area. Vaguely, the thud of running boots

registered as he worked over Seren. He drained the tub and

started all over again. He helped her swallow cold water

while Calis kept the tub filled. Each time Paladin touched her

abdomen, he hoped it had cooled, but the heat remained. She

twisted under his palm, trying to escape his touch.

The day turned to darkness. Tremors trailed up and down

his spine. He’d experienced worry in his lifetime, but nothing

like this. The only outcome he saw was her death. Nothing he

did worked. He couldn’t see how she would pull through this.

The freeze water melted on the first touch to the skin over

her abdomen. Her body rejected the cold. What else could he

do? Paladin rubbed a hand over his face. He’d never been so

helpless before. The cool liquids she took in passed from her

pores. It just wasn’t working.

Stubborn, he refused to give up. Long into the rising, his

mind and body exhausted, he worked nonstop on her,

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hoping, yet at the same time, he waited for her death. He

continued to pull the heat from her through his touch while

Calis poured the frozen liquid over her.

On the second rising, the ship docked. At the thud of the

gangplank connecting to a dock, he glanced at Calis. His first

mate’s haggard gaze met his. Paladin, his back aching,

nodded and said, “Send word to find a local mage.”

Calis looked at the suffering woman. He nodded and

departed. Paladin knelt next to the tub, leaning over the

brim. His hands, blue from the cold liquid, touched Seren

once more. His skin turned pink under the heat. A hopeless

sob escaped as he removed his hand. She was going to die

because of him. His selfish need to have her put her in this

situation. He’d never forgive himself for this. He lifted her