Firestorm Forever: A Dragonfire Novel (89 page)

Sloane inhaled sharply and gripped her hand more tightly. “I suppose, in the name of scientific discovery, it would be the only responsible thing to do.”

“It would!” Sam laughed and dug the keys from her pocket. She led him up the stairs to a little apartment, unlocked the door. She tugged him inside then backed him into the wall to kiss him. Sloane caught her close and deepened the kiss, loving that her passion was so honest. “Those dark-haired strangers,” she whispered when he finally lifted his head. She was flushed with pleasure. “I’ve got to remember to warn people against their seductive powers, deep secrets, and ability to change lives.”

“It’s only the Scorpio ones who can do that,” Sloane said.

“It’s only the
Pyr
Apothecaries who can do that,” Sam replied.

“There’s only one of those.”

Sam’s eyes lit with triumph. “And he’s all mine, forever.”

The only possible reply to that, in Sloane’s opinion, was a kiss that made further conversation impossible.

Epilogue

October 1, 2015

The
Pyr
gathered in Chicago, at the converted warehouse where Erik and Eileen lived. All of the mates had come as well, and the children, and the loft was filled with jubilant noise. The kitchen counters were covered with contributions to the pot-luck dinner and the wine was flowing. Sloane watched with pride as Sam mixed and mingled, her aversion to dragons banished now that Jorge and the
Slayers
were dead.

After they’d eaten and caught up on all of each other’s news, Erik tapped a spoon against his glass of wine. “We have a lot to celebrate tonight, but business to attend, as well. First of all, a warm welcome to Samantha and to Jacelyn.”

The
Pyr
and their mates cheered as the two women nodded and smiled. Jac was already rounding with her pregnancy, and Sloane was well aware that Sam was pregnant, too. The absence of the firestorm’s sparks told his fellows as much, too.

“I know we’re all looking forward to our flight tonight, but there are repairs to be done first,” Erik continued.

Sam came to Sloane’s side and put her hand in his. Even though the firestorm was satisfied, his desire for her wasn’t. He had a feeling he was going to be fascinated by her for the rest of his days and nights, and that suited him just fine.

“I think we should do this on the roof,” Quinn said to general agreement, then led the way. The entire group followed, Sam holding Sloane’s hand tightly.

Quinn was the first to shift shape, becoming a powerful dragon of sapphire and steel. He blew a plume of dragonfire into the night air, as if for the pure joy of it, and his oldest son Garrett mimicked his father’s move. He came to stand beside Quinn, his eyes bright as he offered Marco’s lost scale to his father. Quinn took it in his talons and began to heat it with his dragonfire.

As he did so, the other
Pyr
shifted shape, filling the air with a shimmer of pale blue light. Erik shifted next, becoming a pewter and ebony dragon. Donovan’s dragon scales were lapis lazuli and gold, and the large pearl in his repaired scale gleamed in the light of Quinn’s dragonfire. Delaney shifted to an emerald and copper dragon, then Niall became a dragon of amethyst and silver. Rafferty shifted to his opal and gold dragon form, and Brandon became a black dragon who looked to be lit with an inner orange fire.

Drake shifted to his dragon form, and his scales were so dark that they could have been made of black pearls or pieces of night sky. Lorenzo became a dragon with scales of three colors of gold with cabochon gems, and Lee had gold scales with red talons and a red belly. Thorolf became a massive dragon of diamond and platinum, as brilliant as the light of the moon. Marco became a dragon of deepest black, though Sloane thought a glimmer of blue-green danced over his scales. Sloane squeezed Sam’s hand then shifted shape himself, becoming a dragon of tourmaline and gold, his scales shading from green to purple and back again.

Jac stepped forward to offer a token to Quinn to repair Marco’s scale, which was white-hot. He couldn’t see what she offered, but Sam whispered to him. “It’s a pendant of Mom’s, a sterling rose.” There was pride in her voice, and Sloane was glad that the sisters had reconciled.

They’d make good neighbors.

“Fire,” Quinn commanded, and both he and Marco breathed dragonfire on the scale. It shimmered like heat glare above asphalt in summer, as if so hot it might vaporize. Quinn pressed the silver pendant into it then looked at Jac.

“Earth,” she said. To Sloane’s surprise, she had tugged on a padded glove and pushed the scale into place on Marco’s chest along with Quinn. Marco tipped his head back and gritted his teeth, then breathed a torrent of dragonfire into the night sky.

“Water,” Quinn said and Jac lifted one of her tears of sympathy with a fingertip. Sloane heard it hiss as she dropped it on the scale.

“Air,” Quinn said. Marco dropped his chin and breathed on his own scale. Sloane glimpsed another crackle of darkfire, then realized that Jac still had possession of the crystal. She gave it to Marco, who lifted her into his embrace. The new scale cooled quickly on his chest, returning to the same color as the others. The silver rose shone like the trophy it was as Marco stepped back into the
Pyr
circle.

“We’re up,” Sam said, not hesitant in the least.

“Anything that doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” Sloane said, still sensing how Marco’s repair burned.

“I want your armor repaired,” Sam said firmly. “Even if there aren’t
Slayers
around.”

“Fair enough,” Quinn said, his eyes twinkling as Garrett handed him Sloane’s scale. The Smith took a deep breath then exhaled a brilliant torrent of dragonfire on the scale. Sloane could smell its heat and saw smoke rise from it.

He wasn’t surprised that she had a token for his scale repair, but he was surprised to see what it was. She’d been mysterious and as soon as he glimpsed the item on her palm, Sloane knew why. It was the gold necklace with the charm of the Space Needle that Nathaniel had bought for her on his last visit to Jacelyn. “Are you sure?” he whispered, knowing how she treasured it.

“I know where I want it to be,” Sam said firmly. There were tears in her eyes. “And I think Nathaniel would love this solution.”

Jac was blinking back her own tears and the sisters exchanged a look.

Quinn took the necklace with care, arranging it on the scale so it encircled the single charm. He lifted his gaze to Sam, as if for her approval.

“Make a spiral of the chain,” she said. “One that goes the right way.”

“Sunwise,” Quinn said and moved the chain with his talon.

Sam smiled up at Sloane. “So, it draws energy into the heart of the Apothecary, whenever he needs it.”

Sloane’s heart thundered at both the sentiment and Sam embracing new ways of thinking about the world. Quinn worked on the scale until he was satisfied with it, then heated it again. Sloane stepped forward and reared back, baring the empty spot on his chest to the Smith.

“Fire,” Quinn said, holding out the scale to Sloane. They both exhaled enough fire that their view of the scale was lost. Quinn’s eyes brightened as the Apothecary’s dragonfire touched his claw and Sloane recalled how dragonfire healed the Smith.

“I am forged anew,” Quinn murmured, then nodded to Sam. She tugged on the same padded glove Jac had used. “Earth,” Quinn said and they pushed as one, him guiding the scale to its location and Sam pressing it home. Its heat seared Sloane’s skin, sending pain through his body, but cleansing the spot as well.

“Air!” Quinn commanded, and Sam blew upon the scale even as Sloane caught his own breath after the stabbing pain.

“Water,” Quinn concluded and Sloane bowed his head, allowing Sam to lift the tear from his own cheek and place it on the repaired scale. He heard the hiss of it evaporating and sighed with relief as the scale cooled. It was hardening in place, just as it should, and Sloane smiled that his armor was complete again. He smiled down at Sam, his heart thundering fit to burst, but there was no time to celebrate now.

* * *

Ronnie stood with her new son in her arms and her older son standing on her left, with Drake at her right. She felt Timmy’s awe that he was in the company of the
Pyr
and felt a measure of wonder herself. She felt honored to have been welcomed into this group, as if she’d joined a large and loving family. They had each other’s backs, all the time, no matter the challenge, and Ronnie knew she’d only become closer to them over the coming years.

She loved Drake with all her heart, and then some. She’d always believed that deeds spoke louder than words, and Drake’s actions had proven him to be the man she’d been waiting for. He’d already been wonderful with Timmy and she knew they’d build a wonderful future together.

She blinked back a few tears, amazed that everything had worked out so well.

There was a brief rumble of old-speak, and Ronnie guessed that someone had given a command. Probably Erik. The
Pyr
stepped forward in unison, each one placing his left claw on the shoulder of the dragon beside him and his right claw over his heart.

Erik nodded and they spoke in unison.

She listened to Drake’s low tones, feeling his voice create a vibration deep within her.

“I, Drake, do solemnly pledge not to willfully reveal the truth of my shape-shifting abilities to humans. I understand that individuals may know me in dragon form or in human form, but I swear that I shall not permit humans to know me in both forms, to allow them to witness my shifting between forms without appropriate assessment of risk. I understand also that there will be humans who come to know me in both forms over the course of my life—I pledge not to reveal myself without due consideration, to beguile those who inadvertently witness my abilities, and to supply the names of those humans whom I have entrusted with my truth to the leader of the
Pyr
, Erik Sorensson.”

Before the
Pyr
moved, Marco reached back to his mate, Jac. She placed the darkfire crystal in his hand, and Ronnie noticed that the blue-green flame trapped within it was burning brightly. Its light illuminated the faces of the
Pyr
when Marco held the stone into the middle of the circle, giving them a majestic air.

“And so the time comes for the darkfire to be unharnessed again,” Marco said. “And its light to be spread throughout the world to the point of disappearing from view.” He bowed his head in the direction of the crystal with a kind of reverence. “We give our thanks to the Great Wyvern for Her wisdom and for the power of the darkfire. Like every spark that springs from Her, this one must return to its source, as its task is completed.”

He cracked the crystal in half, like he was breaking an egg. For a moment the blue-green light of the darkfire hovered in the air, like a glowing orb. Then it leapt across the circle, creating a brilliant arc of light and landing on the black and white ring that Rafferty wore. That
Pyr
jumped as if shocked, but the darkfire sparked to his chest. It struck his repaired scale, illuminating it with its strange glow for a moment.

The darkfire jumped again, sparking on Donovan’s chest where he stood beside Rafferty and making his repaired scale glow brilliantly. The next jump happened more quickly, then the darkfire moved with increasing speed. It set Quinn’s scale alight, then Delaney’s, Niall’s, Drake’s. When the darkfire touched Drake’s repaired scale, Ronnie felt it like a blow to her own heart and caught her breath just as Drake did. She felt a heat slide through her, a warmth that was as beguiling as the firestorm.

It made her think about celebrating,
Pyr
-style.

The darkfire continued around the circle, touching Brandon’s scale, then Brandt’s, Thorolf’s and Lorenzo’s. Finally it leapt to Erik’s repaired scale in a blaze of light. Those repaired scales all burned brilliantly in unison, crackling as if touched by the firestorm again, but this time the light was blue-green. The scales glowed more and more brilliantly, and Ronnie felt her own heart heating so it felt like it might burst. She could see the reaction of the other mates and their
Pyr
and felt a powerful sense of communion with all them.

Then the darkfire was extinguished, disappearing so abruptly that she wasn’t the only one to catch her breath.

“Thanks to the darkfire,” Sloane said huskily. “These firestorms burn forever.”

The
Pyr
bowed their heads in thanks then the air was filled with shimmering blue light. They shifted shape, taking their human forms, each and every one of them turning to embrace his mate and sons. Ronnie found herself caught up against Drake’s chest and closed her eyes at the magnitude of the gift he had brought to her.

“One more obligation,” Drake murmured to her, his gaze warm.

“One more celebration of a world without
Slayers
,” she agreed.

“A world safe for our sons.” Drake ruffled Timmy’s hair and the boy grinned.

“I can’t wait for the fireworks,” he said. “Zoë said her dad’s shows are awesome.”

“But this one will be extra special,” Drake said just as Erik raised his voice.

“It is time,” he announced. The
Pyr
shifted back to their dragon forms, taking flight in pairs. Ronnie liked how they flew in formation, as if they’d drilled for this moment.