Luck of the Dragon (Entangled Covet) (21 page)

“No.” Jane said the word with such certainty that Lucy knew she was a no longer a guest in anyone’s eyes. She was a prisoner playing dress up. “You’re to act the part of his mate during the ceremony so that he is not seen as weak by the visiting families.”

“Why would he been seen as weak?” Lucy pulled off her clothing and folded it neatly on the bed.

“He’ll likely die because of you.” Jane said the words with such vehemence that Lucy paused. “
Dead
is pretty damn weak.”

“Dead?”

“Alec is very old. If the other families knew that he hadn’t found a
real
mate to save his dragon form, the ceremony would be nothing but blood challenge after blood challenge for the throne.”

“He would die?”

“Yes.” Jane seemed absolute. “Take off your underwear, too.”

Lucy’s skin went cold. “Could I have some privacy?”

“No.”

Lucy unfastened her bra and stepped out of her panties. She set them on the bedspread with a shaky hand. “I’m sorry, Jane. Truly sorry. I didn’t realize. I didn’t believe Alec.”

“You’ve ruined everything.” Jane picked up the sari cloth and snapped it in the air. She spread the fabric wide, and in three twisting moves, she wrapped the cloth around Lucy’s body and secured it at the shoulder with a garnet pin.

Lucy stood still.

Jane shook her head but said nothing, not giving an inch of forgiveness.

“Remember the grand opening?” Lucy tried to meet her eyes, but Jane looked over her shoulder. “When you told me that it’s useless to try to control others.”

Jane frowned. “Yes.”

“You were right. I thought I could save my brother, but in the end, he always does what he wants.”

Lucy sat on the bed and shook her head. She had wasted so much time trying to corral Joey. No matter what she did, he was going to buck at the buzzer. It was what he loved. And she was nothing more than a silly rodeo clown, racing around the dirt with props, trying to safeguard his joyride.

“Please tell Alec that I want to talk to him.” Lucy looked beseechingly at Jane.

“I don’t carry your messages.” Jane pointed at the bed. “Fix your hair and put on the rest of your jewelry. Someone will come for you when it’s time.” She slammed the door when she exited the room. The silence in her wake was broken only by Lucy’s rapid breathing.

Lucy’s bare feet sank into the plush carpet like quicksand. On the bed, the diamond jewelry clustered in a pile. Lucy picked the pieces up and nearly dropped them as an icy rush pulsed through her skin.

In front of the mirror, she set the jewels down and examined her face. Her strained features were at least familiar. She finger-combed her hair into order and used her rubber band to make a messy looking bun, and then put on the diamond headband. The pulse of the jewels spread down her neck, pleasant and warm, like the sure stroke of fingers coated with hot oil.

Curiously, she fastened the jeweled belt around her waist and put on the necklace and dangling earrings. The magical tendrils spread just under the surface of her skin with tingly projections, making her feel more aware, as if someone had just given her the right prescription glasses.

In the mirror, the silken material of the exotic sari hugged her hips and the jewels sparkled. The black surgical stitches in her shoulder marred the picture somewhat, but who hadn’t survived a little pain?

She could do this. She could convince Alec to at least listen to what had happened…listen to how she wound up acting the thieving fool.

The door opened. Alec stood in the door frame. “It’s time.” He wore a black tunic and pants, and his feet were bare. He face was a mask of inscrutableness, and he seemed to lean away from her, toward the hallway.

Lucy hurried to him. “Alec, please listen to me.” She reached out a hand to touch him, but he froze her with a withering stare.

“If you want your brother released, you’ll act like we are a happily mated pair.” He turned on his heel and strode toward the elevator.

Lucy caught up to him, jogging on her bare feet to keep pace. “How can I do that if you won’t even look at me?”

“You’re good at acting. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Alec punched the elevator button and the doors slid open with a metal sigh. He stepped in and held the door while she followed.

“You said that you wanted me
forever
—”

“Not anymore.” Alec watched the lights for the changing floors.

Lucy stared at her painted silver toes. “Is it true that you’ll lose your dragon form and die without the mating bond?”

“You don’t need to play act when we’re alone.” The elevator clicked open and Alec stepped forward.

The roof patio was filled with human-formed dragons in exotic clothing, in the same style as hers and Alec’s. Above the courtyard, full-sized dragons flew in circles, like planes circling a runway. Some were brown and gray with colorful flourishes at their tails and eyes, others were vibrant hues of reds, blues, greens, and yellows. They flew toward each other in the air and then fell in a tangled mass before flying apart above the rooftop.

“Holy Mary, Joseph, and Peter…” Lucy huddled inside the elevator wall, and the cool intractableness of steel chilled her back. Her head spun and her heart pounded in her chest. This was more than theatrics. If she had had any lingering doubts about the beasts, they were gone now. This was for
real.

Alec glanced at her and extended an open hand. “Let’s go.”

Lucy swallowed and stepped forward, but her legs shook so badly that she stumbled. Alec caught her elbow and brought her close to his side. His strength and familiar heat anchored her rattled nerves.

As they stepped forward, the human-formed dragons bowed to the floor. The flying dragons landed on the roof with soft thuds, changed into their human forms, and bowed to the ground.

Alec led her through the throng to a stage on the left side of the patio. At the edge of the stage, the lovelorn doctor nodded at her in recognition. Alec helped her up the steps and settled her on a seat at the back, next to Leo and the five men from the casino opening.

“It is expected that you sit with my lieutenants,” Alec said by way of introduction. The six men looked straight ahead and did not greet her or meet her curious glances. Leo sat to her right, and a man who looked like the Canadian MMA fighter Georges St. Pierre sat to her left. In the next seat hulked a swarthy bodybuilder crossed with a computer geek, and on the other side of Leo was a man who looked like he might be Native American. The remaining lieutenants were dark-haired, but too far away for her to make out their features.

Walking to a microphone, Alec smiled at the five hundred or so human-formed dragons. His demeanor immediately changed to that of welcoming host. “You may rise.” He swept an open palm over the crowd, and the assembly rose in a brightly colored wave.

The wind whipped against the side of the casino, reminding Lucy of the height, and her peril. The dragons stood at attention, silent and still, not fidgeting or making a sound. One hundred feet away, at the edge of the crowd, an iron cage sat in a corner. Joey stood inside, his hands wrapped around the bars. Lucy’s stomach clutched, and she rose to go to him, but then forced herself back down.

Alec first—then Joey—she reminded herself.

Joey appeared interested but otherwise unperturbed by the bizarre happenings. He was probably safer in the cage, anyway. He gave her a cocky smile and raised a glass with a dark drink to her. Looked like he even managed to finally get his Jack and Coke.

“I’m pleased that we have every family, from every fold in the world, represented here tonight,” Alec began. “For some of you, this is your first bonding ceremony. For others, such a night has come and gone before.” Alec thumped his right fist over his heart and every dragon followed his action.

Lucy brought her fist to her chest, and five hundred sets of eyes watched her mimic Alec’s gesture. She felt like an imposter, but she kept her chin up and managed a regal smile.

The dragons were striking to look at, all fine-featured and fit. Faces from the Far East stood together on the right, while others with the darker skin of southern climates grouped in the middle.

In the back, the pale hair and visage of the people of the north gathered together. Lucy saw Lil standing with the northerners and tried to catch her eye, but Lil only watched Alec. To the right of the stage, dragons with the hodgepodge features of North American immigrants watched, and so on.

Around the world in one fell glance.

“Our numbers have fallen, and our successful bondings have been too few,” Alec continued. “We have lost too many good dragons for a lack of a mate.” The crowd shuffled and exchanged quiet words. “No more. I offer sanctuary to any dragon who wishes to stay at the Crown Jewel. The seven towers around us have been built to house the dragon folds from the seven continents. You need only follow the ancient code and honor your pledge of fidelity to me to stay.”

“Jer’ol. Jer’ol. Jer’ol.” The dragons intoned as if on cue.

A shiver went up Lucy’s spine. The crowd spoke as though there were puppeteered by marionette strings. Their chant was indeed cultish and definitely creepy. Lucy searched for emotion on the faces in front of the stage but saw none.

“We have let our differences divide us into petty quarrels,” Alec said. “No more. We are united. There will be no more fighting.” The dragons looked right and left at their brethren, but did not comment. “I wish you success in fostering the next generation. We’re few today, but this time next year, we will be many.”

Finally, the crowd reacted. They raised their hands and clapped together in rhythmic applause, eerie for its controlled, non-spontaneous sound. Lucy clutched the armrest and shifted on her seat.

Leo, Alec’s square-jawed, Thor-like lieutenant gave her a frown. “Steady there, Luciana.”

“What do the different clothing colors mean?” Lucy leaned toward Leo.

Leo stopped clapping and spoke into her ear. “There are four different kinds of dragons.” He pointed to the crowd. “Everyone’s ceremonial clothing color matches their dragon forms. Over there are the storm dragons, from the west. They are yellows and browns.”

Leo gestured to his own red tunic and pants with an orange belt. “I am a fire dragon from the south. We wear reds and oranges.”

“What about the blues?” Lucy asked.

“Water dragons, from the east.” Leo pointed to a white and green clad group on the right. “And those are the ice dragons from the north. Only Alec may wear black, because black is all of the colors put together.”

“Why are my clothes red?”

“Alec was from the south before he was King. It seemed fitting to acknowledge his origins with his mate’s colors.”

“So much custom and pageantry…” Lucy looked over the crowd. You didn’t have to be a dragon to feel their pulsing anticipation. Their building excitement was contagious.

“The festivities will begin with the traditional dance.” Alec quieted the crowd with his words. “Please line up by fold and gender. You will adhere to the ancient code when identifying your mate. Anyone disrespecting my house will be banished for the rest of the ceremony.”

A hushed murmur went through the crowd before they silenced themselves. Lucy could tell by their rigid postures that no one wanted to risk banishment. The crowd was as eager as a sprinter in the blocks.

“Tonight is about the next generation.” Alec opened his hands to the air and smiled. “We’ll begin when the moon is directly overhead.” Cheering broke out and the people began to mingle.

Alec’s lieutenants rose in unison and approached him at the microphone.

Lucy watched the reverential way they addressed Alec. A combination of pride and longing clogged her chest. She swallowed and dropped her chin to hide the rush of sadness that swamped her.

“How are you feeling?” The doctor sat in the vacant seat beside her. He wore brown clothing with a yellow sash.

“Okay,” Lucy said with a shaky smile. “You did a good job. My shoulder doesn’t hurt too much.”

The doctor patted her hand. “It has been decided that you and your brother will be mind-wiped when the festivities are over.” He spoke softly in her ear so that nobody could overhear his words. “I wanted to let you know that you don’t need to be afraid. It’s not painful.”

“Mind-wiped?” Lucy mouthed the unfamiliar words.

“The Animi will remove your memories of your time with us. We cannot allow humans to know that a dragon colony lives among them.” He smiled as if his words were not alarming. “They would come after us.”

“I won’t remember any of this? Not even Alec?”

“You can talk to the Animi, but I don’t think so.” The doctor seemed to sense her distress. “I’m sorry things have not worked out differently.”

“Me too.” The lump in Lucy’s throat swelled. When she looked at the doctor’s face, it blurred with her tears. “I don’t want to forget Alec.” She forced the words through stiff lips.

“Everything will be fine.” The doctor patted her hand again. “I took your advice on my phone ring.”

Lucy stared at Alec, trying to communicate her sorrow and longing. Alec glanced over his lieutenant’s heads and met her gaze, much as he had the night she first saw him, but this time his returned stare was flat. He was so
done
with her that he would wipe himself from her mind.

The doctor waited for her to respond.

“What did you say?” she asked.

He pushed a button on his cell phone, and Bruce Springsteen’s voice crooned through tinny phone speakers:
Tell me now baby is he good to you, can he do to you the things that I do—ah ha—I can take you higher. Ohh, Ohhh, Ohhh, I’m on Fire.

“Nice choice.” Despite her sadness, Lucy managed a smile at his pleased face.

“Wish me the ‘luck of the dragon.’”

“Luck of the dragon.” She meant it. He had been kind to her. She was sorry she wouldn’t remember him, either.

The doctor stood and jumped from the stage with surprising grace. Lucy was alone, surrounded by a flurry of colorful people, but still utterly alone. The full moon sat at half-mast in the dark sky, stars glittered in familiar Orion and Big Dipper patterns, but everything was different now.