05 Dragon Blood: The Blade's Memory (17 page)

You keep me here
, she told him, forgetting to speak aloud—her lips were too busy for that.

He growled softly—there might have been a
good
in there, but it was hard to tell—and shifted atop her, his hands drifting to the buttons of her shirt. As close as they were, she felt everything he experienced. Knowing how much he wanted her took the fire kindling within her from a spark to a flame. She groaned into his mouth and fumbled with his buttons, wanting to run her hands over his muscular shoulders and down his sleek waist to cup his tight—

Ridge paused, his lips lifting an inch from hers.

“Mm?” Sardelle couldn’t manage anything more articulate, but she wanted to protest the parting. She had won the war with the buttons and ran her hands up the contoured lines of his arms to his shoulders, barely resisting the urge to dig her nails in and pull him back down to her. They had more clothing to remove, and she didn’t care if he had heard the return of one of his men or not.

“Nothing.” His lips lowered, attending to more than her mouth this time. She arched up toward him, eager for that attention. But Ridge pulled up again, his breathing heavy as he gazed down at her, lust mixing with an uncommon uncertainty that had just appeared. “Well.”

“What is it?” she breathed, though she wanted to tell him to return his mouth to what it had been doing.

“It’s just that I’d forgotten that we’re in my mom’s bed.” His face crinkled, and he whispered, “What if she and my dad… I mean they probably don’t because they’re old, but…”

Sardelle could have laughed at his expression, but she was too busy running her hands over his warm skin and trying to pull him lower again. “Old? Ridgewalker Zirkander, I promise I’m still going to want you between my legs even when we’re their age. Much as I want you right now.”

“So you think they
do
still do it?” He looked dubiously at the quilt.

“We can use the floor if it’ll make you feel better.” So long as they used something. She moved her hands around to his belt buckle, brushing him through his trousers, hoping to push any thoughts of his parents from his head.

He groaned, leaning into her hand. “No, no, not necessary.” His lips finally returned to hers, and he kissed her deep and hard. They broke only long enough to remove the rest of their clothing, but before Ridge settled atop her, he did pause one more time. “There is that pottery shed outside.”

“I hope you’re joking.” Sardelle imagined knocking over clay bowls and having tools falling from the walls of that tiny shack out there, bare butts being prodded with broken shards of ceramic…

“Uhm. Yes, of course.”

He returned to kissing her, caressing her enthusiastically, as if to apologize for his lapse. Still, she could tell that realizing where he was and what they meant to do here bothered him.

“Ridge,” she whispered, “we can go to the shed. I just want you. I don’t care where.”

He met her eyes, his hands stilling. “I love you.”

“Good.” She looped her arms around his shoulders. She was going to make him carry her if he was taking her naked body outside to reach this dubious love nest.

He obliged, practically leaping from the bed with her in his arms. That made her realize just how much he wanted her and how much this issue was frustrating him. She wrapped her legs around him, wondering what the neighbors would think if they saw a nude couple streaking across the yard. He reached the door, opening it slightly to peer out. Duck was still snoring on the couch, but Ridge paused.

“Did you hear the jingle of a horse’s reins?” he whispered.

Sardelle reached out with her senses… and slumped with disappointment. “Apex is back. I think Tolemek and Cas are coming down the highway too.”

Ridge closed the door. “No shed.”

“No,” she agreed, her body hot and frustrated.

I can delay them for a few minutes if you wish to commence with rutting.

Sardelle started to shake her head, but Ridge’s eyes widened, and she realized Jaxi must have shared the comment with both of them.

“Rutting?” he whispered.

“That’s what it’s called if you’re a sword with no moist, achy parts.”

“Would it be rude to reject her offer?”

“Terribly rude.” She leaned closer and nibbled at his earlobe. “And I’d be disappointed if we did. I’ve wanted you since you kissed my tears and said you’d try to change the world for me.” She let her feelings wash over him, so he would know she meant exactly what she said.

Ridge swallowed. “I never want to disappoint you.”

“Good.”

• • • • •

When Sardelle finished bathing and changing into a dirt-free and relatively unwrinkled dress, she eased out of the bedroom and heard voices drifting out of the kitchen. Ridge, Tolemek, Apex, and Cas were discussing how to get Kaika. Sardelle had come up with a plan while she had been scrubbing herself in the small bathroom tub, but she went to check on Duck before heading into the kitchen. She felt slightly ashamed that she had forgotten all about her patient while she and Ridge had been…

Doing unmentionable things to his mom’s door?
Jaxi suggested.

Even if those unmentionable things had been slightly awkward, especially after being interrupted a couple of times, Sardelle couldn’t help but grin.
Yes.

You should feel more ashamed that the rest of his troops had to spend a half hour chasing a spooked horse all over the neighborhood. I really didn’t think your rutting would be so lengthy when I volunteered to cause a distraction.

Sardelle’s grin widened.
Neither did I.

The poor horse is exhausted.

I’ll bring him some carrots later.

I’m also confused as to how it’s not acceptable to have sex in one’s mother’s bed but having sex elsewhere in her bedroom is perfectly fine.
If a sword could have eyebrows, Jaxi would have been raising hers. Archly.

You would understand if you had lived long enough to think of your parents as sexual beings.

Ew, that’s disgusting. Here I do you a favor, and you put disturbing images into my mind.

I apologize.

Given the size of your smirk, I don’t believe you’re sincere.

No?
Sardelle asked.
That’s odd.

She touched Duck’s shoulder and started to check his wounds, but his eyes fluttered open. A lurch of guilt filled Sardelle at the thought that he might have been awake during the door abuse.

I muffled all the noise you were making
, Jaxi said.
I was afraid it would scare off the rest of the horses, and I didn’t want to make pirate boy’s day any worse. He was already grumpy.

Oh. Thank you. Have you noticed if Cas is treating him any differently than usual?

I haven’t seen any smooching if that’s what you’re asking. Not that I watch for these things. I’m not a pervert.

You always seem rather knowledgeable about what Ridge and I are doing.

That’s because you’re my handler. I don’t
want
to see these things, trust me.

Sardelle wasn’t positive she believed Jaxi, but she let the matter drop. “How are you doing, Duck?”

He shrugged his shoulders and shifted about experimentally. “Better than I expected, ma’am. Did you, ah, magic me?”

“I removed two bullets and cleaned and sealed the wounds. You’ll be sore for several days, and I’d keep my movements ginger if I were you, but you should be fine after that.”

“That was a yes, right?”

Sardelle braced herself for another rejection of magic. She and Duck had been getting along reasonably well since they had vomited together in the Cofah base, but she wouldn’t be surprised if he still regarded her skills with wariness. “Yes.”

“Uhm, thanks then. I was reckoning I would die when I was riding back. Just figured I had to warn the colonel first.”

Sardelle let out a relieved breath. “You’re welcome.” She was tempted to ask if she could poke into his thoughts and try to see exactly what he had witnessed in regard to those women, but she doubted he was ready for that. Besides, Duck wouldn’t likely want to relive being shot. Touching another person’s mind was intimate, too, and she preferred to save that sharing for Ridge.

She patted Duck on the shoulder. “You should get some more rest. Your body worked hard to heal you, so you’ll be tired for a while.”

“I’m trying, ma’am. I woke up because I was having a dream that I was suffocating.” Duck wiped his mouth. “It turns out a cat was sleeping on my face.”

“It’s probably time to feed them again.”

“Could be.”

Sardelle gave Duck another pat, then headed for the kitchen. She should have been tired, too, since she had only slept for a couple hours on the floor, but she felt refreshed after her bath. And her exercise session.

Gag.

She knocked softly before entering, not wanting to intrude on secret military plans. Of course, Tolemek was in there, so they shouldn’t object to her presence. The men shouldn’t, anyway. Sardelle didn’t know what she would say to Cas.

Ridge was leaning against a counter close to the door, and he wriggled his fingers in invitation. His drawing and Cas’s sword scabbard lay on the table in the center of the room. Cas and Tolemek stood on opposite sides of the table. Apex sat on a counter in the corner, his shoulders hunched and his face tense as he stared at the items. An unexpected reaction. Had they been talking about the sword and how it might be affecting Cas? Sardelle hadn’t shared that hypothesis with anyone yet, but maybe Ridge had sensed her suspicion when she had been relaying her story.

“It does look like it would fit,” Ridge said, glancing at Tolemek. “That was a big box. And that’s a big sword.”

“I couldn’t see the symbols that closely in the dark,” Tolemek said.

“We’re debating whether this sword does indeed belong under Therrik’s bed,” Ridge told Sardelle.

“If I saw the box, I could tell you for certain.”

“You can come along next time we infiltrate his house. That was a big bed. Ought to be room for three under it, don’t you think, Tee?”

Tolemek gave him a flat stare.

Sardelle walked forward for a better look at the runes. They were definitely Middle Dragon Script. Maybe
Early
Dragon Script. She could be looking at a sword that was more than three thousand years old.

Kasandral doesn’t look his age, Jaxi.

Magic can keep you young. Reduces the wrinkles around your hilt.

Sardelle stretched a finger toward the scabbard, thinking she recognized the symbol for mountain. She—

A blast of heat zapped her. Sardelle jerked her hand back. She had barely touched the scabbard, but it was as if she had stuck her finger in molten lava. She stared down at a welt already rising.

I don’t think he likes you.

No kidding.
She was glad she hadn’t tried to pick up the sword by the hilt back in the pyramid.

Yeah, I wouldn’t touch the blade if I were you.

Thanks for the warning.

Sardelle glanced around to see if anyone had noticed her reaction, but everyone was looking at Ridge.

“I was thinking it’s time for a more direct approach,” he said, his earlier humor gone. “Apex didn’t find anyone from the squadron. Supposedly Crash refused to go on Therrik’s mission, but nobody’s seen him. He was marked down as AWOL.” Ridge shook his head. “I need to figure out a way to get everyone back to the hangar. End their idiotic quest and get them prepared to deal with whatever dragon-blood-powered weapons the Cofah are planning to fling at us this year.”

“I was thinking about that,” Sardelle said.

Ridge tilted his head. “You were?”

“It sounds like you need to report in and find a way to work with—or around—Therrik. But there’s suspicion on you now, because of me.”

Ridge opened his mouth, but Sardelle held up a hand so he would let her continue. She didn’t need sympathy now.

“But you’re about to escape my controlling clutches.” Sardelle wriggled her fingers. “That’s what you tell anyone who asks. Pretend I’m gone and you don’t know where I went, or say you sent me away. You can blame what happened with Therrik on me, but claim that you’re back to normal now.”

“You want me to blame my reckless impulsiveness on you?” Ridge had been frowning through everything she had said, and he didn’t stop now. “I would have had to meet you twenty years ago.”

“Whatever it takes to regain any trust you might have loss. Then you can figure out what’s going on from within instead of hiding under beds and spying.”

“I’m surprised you told her about the bed, Zirkander,” Tolemek muttered and glanced at Cas. Had he not shared that news with her?

“Don’t worry, big fellow. She’s not jealous of our new relationship.”

Tolemek’s glare was even flatter this time.

“I
had
been thinking of turning myself in,” Ridge said. “Er, reporting in. I’m not actually sure which of those things it will end up being. Or at what rank I’ll find myself in the end, if I have any rank left at all. Either way, I figure I’ll report in, then go to the castle and try to get Kaika released. I thought I’d say it was my plan to start with. Since I outrank her, they ought to believe that.”

Sardelle grimaced. “I can get Kaika out. It’s my fault she was captured.” She avoided looking at Cas. “Since they know I’m around now, there’s no need for me to hold back. I can find a way to her. I’m certain of it.”

Really? This should prove interesting.

You may get to melt some holes through walls this time.

Lucky me.

“It wasn’t your fault, Sardelle,” Ridge said.

“But I think I can retrieve her without you needing to admit to having anything to do with the infiltration.”

“Lieutenant Ahn was there, and Kaika was last seen working with my squadron. I doubt anyone is going to believe I didn’t know about this.”

“I don’t know, Zirkander,” Tolemek said. “Half of your squad is AWOL. It’s gotten trendy. Maybe your superiors will believe that nobody listens to you anymore and that you don’t know about anything.”