The Queen's Dance (Emerging Queens) (14 page)

Her eyes darted to a collection of stuffed animals in another chair. There was a blue Smooshie doll. Remy snatched it up even as she moved toward it.

“You give that back. It’s mine. I was planning on giving it to my child.”

“What are you yammering on about, Frieda? You and Louis never had any kids.”

She cradled her stomach again. “I may be too old to have a human child, but Rathin gave me his baby. It’s a boy. I just know it.”

“Frieda,” Remy said, handing her back the dragon doll. “Did Rathin leave you with any instructions on how to reach him? Did he tell you when to go to the hospital?”

She shook her head. “He said he had to go away for a bit, but he’d be back to see our son born.”

Remy blew out a sigh. “I’m going to have some dragons pick you up and take you somewhere safe.”

“No.” She shook her head. “I know all about how you studs are jealous of each other. You’re not going to steal me away from Rathin. I love him. And I love this child. If he tried to kill a Queen, she must have deserved it.”

Remy’s vision turned red. She couldn’t possibly believe that killing a Queen would be anything but a catastrophe to the dragon race. “Excuse me for a second.” He stormed outside and took several gulps of air. “Holy shit.” The BabyDragon drug really worked. Or at least Frieda thought it did.

When he got his breath back, Remy bit the bullet and called Reed.

“Why does my phone say you’re in Vermont instead of on my roof?” Reed snarled.

Remy ignored him. “Rathin was the one using my boat. He impregnated a middle-aged human. I’m with her now. She has a Smooshie.”

“I’ll be right there.”

“Bring your Queen.” He spoke fast before Reed hung up. “The woman’s going to freak if studs come for her. Rathin warned her about them trying to kidnap her.”

“Isn’t Margery with you? Can’t she talk some sense into this human?”

Remy sighed. “Margery is with Casimiro in Quebec.”

“Doesn’t she realize her life is in danger?” Reed shouted.

He wasn’t going down that road right now. “There’s more.”

Reed growled, “Tell me.”

“Another woman has gone missing. I’m willing to bet she’s pregnant, too. I don’t suppose Rathin ever came back to the compound?”

“No, but I’ll find him. Give me the human girl’s information.”

“You can talk to the chief of police about it when you get here.” Remy glanced up at the night sky, wondering how long it would take before word got out and they faced more than dragons. The human news could be just as lethal, and he couldn’t afford to scare Lisa any more than she already was.

“How did you manage to get out of my complex without me knowing?” Reed asked.

“Ask Carolyn on the way here.”

…

It was almost dawn by the time Carolyn won Frieda over. Remy wanted to jump into the lake and head on up to Margery, but Reed terrified Frieda so much that Remy promised to stay until she no longer felt threatened. It would have happened much sooner if Reed had the ability to tone down his attitude.

In the end, it was Frieda’s love for Agatha Christie books that bridged the gap between her and Carolyn. She agreed to be driven in a limousine to New York to have the dragon doctors look at her.

“For the good of our child,” she said as she was helped into the back of the car.

“I’ll see if I can get any drug residue off that damned Smooshie,” Reed said once she was inside. “If we can find out what’s in it, we’ll have a better chance of protecting the ones who took the drug. I’ll put Rathin under twenty-four-hour surveillance once he emerges. We’ll find the other woman, too.”

“Before it’s too late?” Dan asked, crossing his arms over his barrel chest.

“It depends on how far along she is. In Frieda’s case, we may still be able to save her life. But I’ll warn you. None of the human hosts have survived gestation. None of the dragon hatchlings did, either.”

“Nidhogg’s balls,” Remy said. “I need to find Margery.”

“You shouldn’t have left her.”

“I had no choice.”

“Did she order you from her sight?”

“Close enough.”

“Don’t harass him,” Carolyn piped up. “No one dreamed we’d have this much of a cluster fuck going on.”

Reed glowered at her.

“Oh, stick it,” she said. “Remy, we’ve got this from here. Let us know when you catch up with Casimiro and Margery.”

“Keep me informed about Frieda and Lisa. They’re my people. In my territory. I feel responsible.”

Reed gave him a curt nod. “In the future, however, I wish to be informed of any actions that violate my direct orders.”

“We are whims to the Queens’ commands.”

“That’s right, Remy. Just throw me under the bus,” Carolyn said, changing to her dragon form.

“I wouldn’t do that to a poor unsuspecting bus,” he said and waved as she flew off.

“I’d better catch that,” Reed said, peering up at his mate’s fleeing form.

“Did you apologize?”

“I don’t have to answer… Yes.” Reed sighed. “She should have known I was angry at the situation and not her. But I told her that anyway, and things are back to normal. Or as normal as they get.”

“Good. She’s a nice Queen. And if you don’t take care of her, there will be a hundred other studs who will.”

Reed shifted to his full Celtic glory. “I’d like to see them try.” He bared his teeth at Remy and took to the sky.

“Never dull with you here, Champ.” Dan clamped a hand on his shoulder. “You find Lisa and help Frieda and things will die down.”

“Count on it,” Remy said. “Give me a ride to the wharf?”

“Only if I can leave the sirens off this time. The office has already fielded fifty complaints.”

Chapter Fourteen

Margery paced the roof of their hotel, trying to figure out their next step. She should have insisted on separate rooms, but Casimiro was adamant. He’d compromised by renting a suite with access to the rooftop gardens. At least they had separate bedrooms and her door locked.

“I don’t see why you’re putting off the inevitable,” he said, handing her a glass of champagne. “It’s not like we haven’t explored the secrets of each other’s bodies before. Only this time, we can have our adventure in the sky.”

“Yeah, I’m not feeling the whole voyeurism of doing it out in the open. Besides I still can’t shift.” Once their investigation at the docks proved to be a dud, they’d checked into the hotel. She tried to shift, and while she didn’t pass out, it took a good three hours to get back on her feet. She really should be sleeping, but it was almost dawn and her mind was too busy to relax.

“What’s this for?” She peered into the glass and sniffed suspiciously. Bubbles went up her nose, and she sneezed.

“We are celebrating our new life together.”

Margery poured her glass into the nearest plant. “I don’t have time for this.” She went back to the patio table where her new laptop was and again clicked through the files Reed gave her.

“It’s a dead end,
corazoncito
. The warehouse was stripped and cleaned while you were suffering in that terrible hold. Come, let me make it up to you. I promise you will be pampered and cherished for the rest of your life.”

She sighed and rubbed her temples. “Would you play for me?”

“Play?” Casimiro almost choked on his drink. “My guitar? Here?”

“Can’t perform without a large audience?” Margery smiled at him. “Stop trying so hard, Cas. I liked you better when you were just you instead of the great dragon singer legend, or whatever the hell they’re calling you now.”

“As my Queen commands.”

She started to relax when he sat down on a pile of cushions and began to strum his guitar. That was better than the champagne. He used to play in bed after they made love. As sexy as he was, she didn’t trust him with her heart again.

But she could still enjoy his music. She watched the emotions play across his face as he played a love ballad, his eyes hooded. Margery would have bet her last dollar that he wasn’t even aware she was on the roof with him anymore. It didn’t hurt.

And that’s when she realized she was truly over Casimiro.

She wished Remy were here; her lips still tingled from his kisses. There had to be a way they could figure out the sky dance thing. But first, she had to track down where those pills had come from. She was poring over Smythe’s holdings in Montreal and the rest of Quebec, wondering which ones would have a hidden pharmaceutical laboratory, when the door that led into their room burst open.

“Take the Queen. Kill the stud.”

Casimiro shifted into his dragon form, blocking the intruders from her sight.

Damn it, she hadn’t even gotten a good look at how many there were. After grabbing up the laptop, she ran to the far end of the roof. Now would be a good time to fly. She tried to shift, but as soon as her vision tinged red, Margery stopped. If she passed out now, she was as good as dead.

Casimiro was fighting like a demon with five other Chinese dragons trying to get by him to get to her. She stepped to the edge of the building and looked down. The fall wouldn’t kill her, not anymore. But she’d probably break every bone in her body. And there wasn’t any guarantee that she wouldn’t fall into the bad guys’ hands anyway. No, there was another way. She had to stop thinking like a dragon and remember that she was just as powerful when human.

The laptop placed at her feet, she got out her phone and took pictures. It automatically posted to Instagram, which fed into all her other social media accounts. She was a reporter. This was street journalism at its most raw—she was going to report the news as it was happening. Toggling on the microphone, Margery started talking. It would blog her words.

“It’s Thursday, June 18, around four a.m. It’s a good thing I’m not sleeping, because as you can see, the
Maison du Dragonne
Hotel has a lapse in security. Five studs are fighting triple-platinum recording artist Casimiro and not getting any closer to kidnapping the dragon Queen he’s protecting.” She took a deep breath. So much for being incognito. “My name is Margery Cooper. I’m a dragon Queen, and I’m in trouble. Send help to the rooftop. My protector can only last so long being outnumbered.”

“Stop her. Get that phone,” one of the commandos snarled.

“Come get some, big guy,” she said. “I’ll hurl myself off the roof, and anyone on Twitter right now will blame you for the crime. Unless you tell me who hired you?”

“I didn’t sign up for Queen killing, Kent.” One of the dragons disengaged from Casimiro and jumped off the roof, flying away.

“That’s one down. Anyone else want to get smart?” Margery looked up at the beating of wings filling the night air. Celtic dragons blocked out the moon as they bore down on the roof. “Of course, these could be more bad guys. Hey, Cas? Five Celtics incoming. Get the Chinese dragon that just took off,” she shouted at the flyers. “We need to know who hired him.”

One of the Celtics took off after the fleeing dragon.

“I think they’re on our side, Cas.”

“Stop helping me,” he gritted out. “Run back into the hotel.”

“You guys are blocking the doorway.” But Margery picked up the laptop and shot a quick video of the Celtics before darting through the plants and hopping over chairs. The doorway back into the hotel was indeed blocked by writhing snakelike bodies. Only they were being suppressed by Casimiro.

She waited for the right moment. Just as the Celtics shook the roof when they landed their bulk, Margery darted through the opening. One of the Chinese dragons tried to snake his tail around her as she passed by him, but only managed to knock her over. Keeping her grip on her laptop, just barely, Margery went down hard on her knees. She was back up and through the door in an instant. After throwing all her gear into her backpack, she left the suite.

Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, she made it down ten flights before staggering into the next floor’s hallway. Leaning against the wall, she jammed on the down button, hoping that if she was being chased, the studs wouldn’t know what floor she got off on. No doubt they were watching the lobby, though. She headed to the hotel’s gym and breathed a sigh of relief when she made it to the women’s locker room without incident. She’d be safe for a few moments. Locked in a bathroom stall, she took out her laptop to see what havoc she’d managed to wreak on social media.

Margery was impressed. She’d caused a riot. With all the dragon watchers en route, if not already here, and the tons of studs on the roof, she just might be able to slip out into the crowd. And then what?

What if the Cult of Humanity had goons waiting for her outside? Margery closed her eyes and leaned her head on the cool metal of the stall wall. She could always sleep here. Wait for Remy to come rescue her.

Damn it, she was a dragon Queen.

What kind of Queen cowered in the potty?

She needed out of Canada, but she didn’t want to go back to Reed.

She watched the madness on social media for a while longer, adding to the confusion by typing in fake updates. She was in a limo racing away from the scene. She was still on the roof, fighting for her life. She was playing goalie at Bell Centre for the Canadiens.

Getting a little restless, Margery checked her email. There was one from her sister, Carla.
Oh, right, I should have called her.
She reached to click open the email that had the subject line “Hi,” but then paused. What could they possibly say to each other? She was probably asking for money. Margery sighed. That was unfair. Carla was the only family she had left—she refused to even consider her druggie mother as family anymore—the least she could do was read it. If all she wanted was money, she’d see if she could send her some on the condition that it was a onetime thing.

Opening the email, expecting the worst, her inner editor translated Carla’s annoying text speak. Seriously, Margery felt she was on
Wheel of Fortune
trying to read this thing. “
I’d like to buy a vowel, Alex.
”

Margie
,
it started. She hated that nickname.

I hope your
(spelled like that)
feeling good as a Queen. I was wondering what it was like?

Margery snorted. “It’s a laugh a minute.”

Things aren’t so good here. Still living with Dad. He’s still got a temper.

Yeah, tigers didn’t change their stripes. Neither did misogynistic old rednecks. “Get out,” she said to the screen.

Can’t afford to move out. I’ve got a boyfriend. He says he’s going to take me away from all this. But they do that, right? I’m thinking of going with him even if we haven’t known each other that long. He’s got a corporate job, and he drives a flashy car. He even said he might be able to get me an entry-level job where he works. I’m not sure I’d be any good at it, though.

Margery blinked back tears. She hadn’t spoken with her sister in about a year. So much had happened to her since then that Margery had forgotten that Carla was genuinely a good kid.

I’d like to come and see you. What’s it like to fly?

She wished she could remember every detail and let her sister know. Instead she wrote her back a quick email.

Hi, Squirt,

(Margery could also use hated nicknames),

This Queen gig is a game changer. I don’t have much time, but yeah, let’s get together. I’ve got your phone number, and as soon as things settle down here, we can work something out. I think you should take a chance on the new job and your boyfriend. It can’t be worse than living with Joe, right? Take care. And when I see you again, I’ll take you flying.

I hope.

She sent the email before she could overthink it or have second thoughts. The next email was from her editor, wondering what in Sam Hill was going on. So Margery filled her in about her suspicions about Smythe being behind the attacks on her. He’d scrubbed his warehouses squeaky-clean, but he must have had a security team watching—there was no way the dragon hit squad could have found them otherwise. Margery hoped they were monitoring social media. Let Smythe wonder how much she knew and let him be afraid. She was going to blow the whistle on every last flipping dragon who was involved with the BabyDragon drug.

An IM popped up.

You’re a Queen now? Me, too.

“Bella,” Margery breathed. It was either Bella, her missing source about BabyDragon, or someone pretending to be her. She recognized the avatar.

Where are you?
Margery typed back.
Where have you been? I’m so glad you’re not dead.

The last message she’d received from the prostitute begged her to drop the story and said she was pregnant and happy with a dragon stud. But that was a few weeks before the Queens were released from their curse. If Bella had shifted into a dragon, that might be enough to save her and her child. Unless the drug was more lethal than they imagined.

I’m safe, which is more than I can say for you
, Bella typed back.

Are you still pregnant?
Margery held her breath while she waited for Bella to answer.

Yes. We’re doing fine. I’m going to send you some help. Where are you?

Margery bit her lip. Should she trust her?

I owe you
, Bella typed.
You helped me when I was down. Now it’s my turn. Where are you?

Saint-
Jean-sur-Richelieu
, Margery typed. It was accurate, yet vague enough that she wouldn’t have to worry about goons busting down the bathroom stall.

Where?

How are you going to help me?
Margery answered instead.

My consort has a plane fueling up now to take you anywhere you want to go. I can send a car to take you to the airport. Everyone will be expecting you to shift. You can disguise yourself as a human.

Margery sighed. If she could just shift she could fly herself.

What type of dragon are you?
Margery asked.

I’m a sky dragon
, Bella said.

“Me, too,” Margery whispered. There were so many things they should talk about.

And I was already pregnant when I shifted. The baby is fine, though.

Who’s the lucky father?
Margery couldn’t help probing. Bella had taken the BabyDragon drug. If she told her who gave it to her, she’d have another lead.

His name is Lane. He’s a sky dragon, too. Isn’t that perfect? It was like we were destined to be together.

Margery rolled her eyes. If Bella hadn’t shifted, the stud would have gladly sacrificed her life for the baby she was carrying. Still, she needed to play nice long enough to get the information out of her. Bella was her best lead, and besides, she couldn’t stay here on the toilet until things died down—her legs were starting to go numb.
I’ll meet your driver by the Chambly Canal. How will I know it’s safe?

He’ll be on the bike path with my little dog. It’s a white bichon frise.

Where are you?
Margery typed.

Bella hesitated. Maybe she was wondering whether or not to trust Margery as well.
Rome
, she finally typed back.

Margery made a decision.
Can I bring my consort and protector and come visit you?

There was a long delay, and for a moment Margery thought she lost her, but then Bella came back with,
Yes. I can’t wait to see you.

Margery copied the conversation and emailed it to Reed at the embassy. Sure, she didn’t want to involve the big jerk, but if her instincts were wrong and this was a trap, she would need the cavalry coming to her rescue. She cc’d Casimiro on it also. She hoped he was still alive and could meet her at the rendezvous point.