Page 12

CHAPTER 12

A ll the broken glass was cleaned up, the floors mopped, and the tables and chairs stacked away. Noah hoped they’d be allowed to reopen. In part because this was the only job he had. Without it, how would he buy food or fuel or anything? How many other people feared the same?

Nan had already called the city to report the damage and book an assessment. Businesses were being treated separately from the damaged homes. Nan’s biggest concern was whether the joint between the pub and the palace was watertight. The city seemed more concerned about the palace having a door directly into the pub.

With the cleaning done, Noah helped in the kitchen. He needed to stay busy so he couldn’t dwell on everything else. He made a list of all the pantry items that would remain. However, the food in the fridge and freezer needed to be re-homed. Either taken home or given to friends and family or donated.

The pub wasn’t going to be open for at least a week, so no one was going to be buying lunch or dinner or snacks. Supermarkets and hospitals, schools, and medical centers took priority over pubs. Which was fair enough.

Guess that meant he had plenty of time to go dragon hunting.

Did that pay well?

He doubted it.

Assuming he was still needed, and Silas wasn’t arranging better help from the vampires. He should be hoping for that, not daydreaming about finding the dragon and saving the day. That wasn’t who he was. No one turned to him for help. The fridge beeped at him while he stared at the meat. “What do you want me to give to the dragon?”

“Give him one of the Sunday roasts and a kilo of chops. Otherwise, we’ll be eating them for the next two weeks.”

“Not sure if there’s room in the fridge at home.”

“That too, and Maeve won’t want them. It’s too much for her…it’s a pity we can’t cook some of it up here and give it to people for free.”

“I’m sure some of the first responders would appreciate it. Not that it will all fit in the oven.” Not all at once, anyway. And once cooked, if it wasn’t eaten, it needed to be stored. If they lost power, everything was gone.

Nan shut the freezer door. “I’ll check with Mer. I don’t want a bunch of people turning up while the dragon is parked out the back—that seems like a bad idea that will end up with people getting eaten. I hope Silas returns soon since he’s the only one who can ask it to move.” She made some more notes on her pad of paper.

“Do you think vampires are like the movie vampires?”

She smiled. “That depends on if you’re talking horror movie vampires or teenage fantasy vampires.”

“Either. Like, what’s the truth? Can they turn into bats? Do they have fangs?”

Nan pushed the meat towards him. “Give the dragon a snack. Fill up the bucket with water and see if it wants a drink, too.”

Noah picked up the roast and chops.

“And don’t get too close. Don’t get eaten.”

“I’m not planning on it.”

“I know what you kids are like, always trying to take selfies while doing dumb shit.”

Noah grinned. “You did dumb shit when you were my age. You just don’t have photographic evidence.”

“And thank God for that.” Nan picked up her phone and shooed him out of the kitchen.

Noah propped open the back door. He hadn’t even stepped outside when the dragon lifted its head and clicked something at him. He assumed it was something like ‘snacks for me?’ as the dragon’s butt gave an excited little wiggle like he was an oversized cat.

“I have a nice piece of roast beef for you.” He glanced at the roast, then back at the dragon. “Which is going to be like eating a chicken nugget, given the size of you. And also some chops which will have a bit of crunch. I assume that you can eat bones… Who am I kidding? You can probably eat entire cows.”

And cows were much bigger than him. If the dragon wanted to eat him, he’d be gone in a bite.

For several seconds, he considered unwrapping the large chunk of raw beef and throwing it at the dragon, but that seemed rather rude.

The dragon chirped at him, claws flexing against the asphalt.

“I’m going to take the plastic wrap off and put the meat down a bit closer to you. But I’d really like it if you stayed where you are.” He was nervous talking now. “And you probably can’t understand me. I doubt anybody has taught you to sit and stay either…and if they tried it, you’d probably eat them.”

Should he stick the meat on the end of a broom handle and offer it to the dragon that way? Or was this one of those situations where it was best to not show any fear and pretend that he was cool with feeding lumps of meat to a large predator who was far too excited to see him, or at least the meat he was holding? He kept his gaze on the dragon as he unwrapped the meat, acknowledging that if the dragon were a lion, he would not be standing this close while holding raw meat.

This was kind of fucked up.

Yet exhilarating.

He was about to feed a fucking dragon. And despite what Nan had said, he was going to take a selfie.

Although recording it might be better.

He walked down the two steps, moving slowly and faking confidence while his heart raced fast enough that it had to be reaching unsafe levels and about to explode. When he was a meter away from the steps, he placed the roast on the ground and stepped back. He didn’t turn his back on the dragon, just walked backward until his heels hit the step.

The dragon didn’t move until he stood in the doorway.

It wriggled forward on its belly and gave the meat a sniff and then a lick, the whole time cooing and clicking. Noah wiped the blood off his hands on the dishcloth hanging out of his jeans and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

He hit record, videoing the dragon. Then he turned around so he was in the frame, and the dragon was behind him. On the screen, he watched as the dragon’s tongue curled around the meat and it swallowed the three-kilogram roast without taking a single bite.

The dragon didn’t move backwards, and this time, when it made noises, Noah was sure the dragon had asked him a question. Maybe it could smell the chops. He put his phone away and faced the dragon. “I’ll give you the chops in a moment. How about a drink first?”

He filled the bucket, but because the dragon hadn’t moved back, he had no choice but to put the bucket at the bottom of the stairs, which meant if the dragon came closer again, they’d have to leave via the front door, and the chances of getting the car were slim.

“Can you back up a bit?” Noah made a shooing motion with his free hand.

The dragon’s front feet pattered against the asphalt, but it didn’t move.

Shit.

Once again, he slowly went down the steps and placed the bucket of water on the ground. As predicted, the dragon moved closer.

It sniffed the water and started lapping it up as if it hadn’t drank in far too long. How long had it been sitting in the car park? A ten-liter bucket of water was probably not enough.

In the doorway, he unwrapped the chops, which got the dragon’s attention. There was no way he was putting the chops on the step.

He held one up, and the dragon stared at it.

Noah moved it from side to side, and the dragon followed the movement.

Maybe a dragon was like a big cat, and they could play a little game called ‘get the dragon to move away from the door’. He tossed the chop into the air, giving it a good arc. The dragon leaned to the side and snatched it out of the air. The next second, its focus was on Noah, ready for another flying chop.

He threw this one a little higher, forcing the dragon to back up a little. He kept repeating the process with each chop until the dragon was back in the corner, and Noah was standing right where he’d placed the roast. Noah placed the last two chops on the ground before walking backward to the door. He picked up the almost empty bucket of water on his way and took it inside to refill. When he came back out, the chops were gone, and the dragon was sitting in the corner, waiting.

“Ah…you figured out that if you sit in the corner, you get fed?” He placed the bucket on the feeding spot and took a step back. The dragon didn’t lunge forward; it waited for him to reach the stairs.

Several clicks came from behind him.

He startled and turned, fully expecting to see another dragon and his death to be imminent. He blinked and stared. Silas was almost unrecognizable.

Gone was the fur coat and green wellington boots. Now, he wore close-fitted dark brown pants and dark brown leather boots with a pale green shirt, topped off with a cream knee-length waistcoat embroidered with some kind of golden Celtic knotwork design down the front. He’d been pretty before, but now… Well, Noah wouldn’t have refused if Silas declared he wanted to eat Noah.

“The dragon thanks you for the food. He liked the crunchy things and will wait in that corner for food because he doesn’t enjoy the smell of fear while he’s eating.” Silas smiled at him.

This time, the rapid beat of his heart had nothing to do with being afraid of the dragon. “I’m glad he enjoyed the meat. I’m trying not to be afraid, but he’s the size of a bus, and I’m a snack.”

“You are a snack…” Silas considered him for several seconds with a smile on his lips and something that might have been heat in his hazel eyes. “But most things are to a dragon.”

Noah swallowed, not sure if they were talking about the dragon anymore. “Your meeting went well?”

Silas grimaced, and the warmth died. “Negotiations were made. There are mass casualties in the palace, and they are in mourning. They will not be helping to find the missing dragon. Instead, they asked me to assist in finding the vampires who used to live in this city.” He produced a rolled-up piece of paper. “I have a map of what it used to look like. I’m hoping you have a map of your city, and perhaps we can overlay the two and?—”

“We will need a second reference point to orient the maps on top of each other.”

“I am aware. I have flown over the city, so it shouldn’t be that hard.”

“Or you could take the dragon out for another?—”

“I’d rather not. Do you know how hard it is to remove the stink of dragon from your skin?”

“I don’t… You bathed and got a change of clothes in there?” Obviously, he had. Or he’d stolen them. But they fitted him too well to be stolen. He must’ve had time to try things on.

Silas shrugged. “It was part of the agreement.” He turned his hand holding the paper, revealing two neat punctures on his wrist. “When is the next full moon?”

Noah stared at the bite. A vampire bite. “They bit you?”

“A necessary part of the agreement. Vampires need blood, and the unblooded vampires will need food and water. The dead will need to be brought out and burned, as per our culture.”

“Um…how many dead are we talking about?”

Silas shrugged. “Twenty or so, apparently.”

“You can’t burn twenty bodies in the middle of the city.”

“I wasn’t planning on doing it in the middle of the city. I need to locate the temple.” He gave the map in his hand a small wave, as though locating the temple was the obvious solution.

Noah looked up at him, reminding himself that while Silas seemed human, except for the horns, he wasn’t. This wasn’t a culture clash; it was an entire world of expectations clashing. “Even if you find the temple, you’re going to need permission. You can’t just burn bodies. There’s a whole process.”

Silas’s eyebrows drew together. “They are dead. They will be wrapped and burned in the temple. That is the process.”

“Not here, it’s not.”

“My people will not be buried in the ground. If that is the process you are referring to.”

“We also cremate people, but there’s a place for that.”

Silas pressed his lips together. “Then I will need to speak to someone in charge.”

“Have you noticed the chaos everywhere?” Noah flung his hand out. “I’m pretty sure our dead are being refrigerated?—”

“Refrigerated?”

“Kept cold until such time they can be identified and processed.” Noah glanced back at the dragon. Some dead vampires were not going to be at the top of anyone’s list. “I can help you find the missing dragon, but I don’t know anything about dealing with dead bodies or who to talk to. My aunt will be able to help you—she’s a cop”

Silas put his finger beneath Noah’s chin and lifted, forcing him to look up at him. It was such a small, gentle move, Noah could’ve resisted or stepped back or even jerked his head away, but he didn’t.

He did, however, resist the urge to lick his lower lip.

His body betrayed him, heat sliding through his veins and making him hungry for more. More of what, he wasn’t sure, but he knew he smelled of something very different from fear. He hoped the dragon didn’t do him in.

From the curve on Silas’ lips, the dragon didn’t need to say anything.

Noah swallowed, but didn’t pull away.

“You are being most helpful. And it will be rewarded.” Silas said in a low voice that rippled straight through him and lodged in his balls.

His dick throbbed, hard and aching.

Silas was definitely a sex demon. That was the only logical explanation.

“When is the next full moon?” Silas repeated his earlier question.

“In about a week. Why, do you have a deadline?”

“No, but I will need to make a progress report. And I need to negotiate with your grandmother for the use of the bar. Then we will search for the dragon. Can your friends meet us here? Do they have cars?”

“They do, but they may not be able to leave their streets. I’ll find out.”

Silas’ thumb brushed over his chin before releasing him.

Noah drew in a breath. No man had ever affected him like that. It was much easier to admit that he was attracted to Silas now that he wore something stylish, even though it clearly wasn’t human. No, the incubus appeared to have walked off the set of a fantasy movie.

“You do that, and I will talk to Linda about the vampire palace and the other issues.” Silas sighed, and his gaze drifted to something in the distance.

Noah wanted it back on him. Instead, Silas looked as though the weight of a destroyed world had crushed him. No smile curved his lips, and his hazel eyes were haunted, not glinting with gold.

Noah needed to help, even if all he did was move a few small rocks so Silas could breathe. “We’ll sort it out. I’m sure the humans in charge will be grateful for any support; they’ll be glad someone is stepping up to be the voice of your people.”

But even as he said it, he didn’t know if it was true. He’d listened to the news as he cleaned up, and some of it was awful. In some places, humans were actively hunting the monsters . And the mythological beings were retaliating. The dragons burning human buildings. Storms taking out bridges and causing landslides.

The head of the European Union had declared a state of emergency while also stating that the mythological beings were not to be hunted—they were to be treated as refugees. A civil war against people who had arrived against their will would only make it harder to rebuild. The cost of repairing the global damage was estimated in the trillions. Some people praised the decision because it set out guidelines while others decried it. Plenty of people ranted about being forced to live alongside them, fearing what vampires and werewolves and others would do.

At least one human cult, convinced the end of days had arrived, had committed mass suicide.

Insurance companies called the collapse an act of god, even though it was man-made and the scientists had taken responsibility, and they were refusing all claims.

Everything was a mess.

And this was his world. He was supposed to know what to do. Meanwhile, the mythological beings had to adapt to a new world with new rules and expectations.

Silas glanced at him. “I know you want that to be true. But I have seen city-states rise and fall. I have seen earthquakes and wars and everything in between. Disaster does not bring out the best in people.”

“Not in everyone, but in enough. My aunt says that if a few people start helping, others will join in. The humans are herd animals and will follow a leader.”

Silas nodded. “Most people, of any kind, are looking for a leader in times of trouble.”

“Adults are always looking for a more qualified adult.”

Silas frowned.

“It’s a human joke. No one wants to be the adultiest adult in the room because it puts you in charge.” Oh, shit, he’d fed the dragon. Did that now make him the most qualified human when it came to dragons? That wasn’t good.

Silas said something in another language and nodded. “You don’t want to be the last fisher on the fishing boat because you’re the only one left to sacrifice to the mermaids.”

Noah felt his eyebrows lift and was unable to stop them from crawling toward his hairline. “What?”

“Your fishers no longer sacrifice to the mermaids, do they?”

“No,” he said slowly, not sure where this was going or if he wanted an explanation. “Because we don’t have mermaids…or at least I don’t think we do. And if we did, they weren’t bothering anyone.”

Silas snorted. “Mermaids always bother people, and they always expect an offering so they don’t sink boats and cause storms. Which is why, if you are the last fisherman on the boat, you must do what is needed to save your city.” He sighed dramatically, and his shoulders sagged. “I am the last fisherman and the adultiest person here. I guess I should be grateful I don’t need to throw myself into the sea for the mermaids to eat.”