Page 26

Everything Kai knew about sex, she’d learned it from Aodh.

How to receive pleasure and how to give it.

But she wasn’t a fool and knew her knowledge was limited.

She’d seen a few movies in the archive room, nothing too salacious, but enough that she understood there was more to it even with the earth-shattering things they had done.

Shaking away the images of Ninki and Aodh, which would do nothing but drag her down into darkness, Kai placed her focus on Morlie.

~YH~

Aodh went back up to his suites. It was as he figured, Tana had finished cleaning off the dining room table where Kai had taken her meal. His attendant now headed toward the door.

“Mckenna. I didn’t expect you back.” The wyrm female smiled at him. “Is there anything that you need?”

“Yes. Answers.”

She tipped her head to the side and stared at him. “To what question?”

“Kai’s things.”

“Ah. The clothing that was not fit for rags.” Tana shook her head and made a scoffing sound in her throat. “Someone should be burned to a crisp to have allowed her to wear such garments. I’m sure the one in the healing chamber isn’t better off.”

“No,” Aodh confirmed. “Did you see to it yourself?”

“No. Ninki carried the things to the burn yard with the rest of the daily garbage.”

Damn . It was what Aodh had known, but hearing the hurt in Kai’s voice and the pain in her beautiful eyes, he had hoped. Believing perhaps there had still been a chance. But apparently not. Dragging a hand through his hair, he growled. “I assumed that.”

“Her outerwear. I’d originally given it over but returned for it before it was scorched. The jacket I laundered. It was worn, but it seemed to be part of the charm.” Tana said.

He eyed her. “Where is it?”

“In my room. A few of the patches were hanging by a thread. I wanted to repair it.”

Thank the Great Spirit . “Bring it to me.”

“Yes, Mckenna.” She started forward.

“One more thing.” Aodh waited until the older female turned back to him. When she did, he continued, “Kai will take her evening meal in the antechamber where her sister rests.”

Tana nodded. “I will see it.”

After Aodh nodded, the attendant shifted the tray to one hand and opened the heavy door with the other.

Once she was gone, Aodh went to the sliding glass door. He needed to get to his office and take care of things. Out on the ledge, his feet half off, he inhaled and glanced around at those moving about—his thunder.

Aodh felt torn asunder. His concern for Kai was intense, and his need to be like his father and be a strong, dependable leader was ripping him in half.

Soon, he’d have to decide and force his dragon’s hand. He knew his dragon cared for the thunder, and his beast could not neglect the responsibility as the God of Fire.

He’d seen how Kai had retreated into herself while he’d been away. Her declaration about staying with Morlie had a lot to do with her worry over her sister, but part of it he knew was her erecting a wall, placing a distance between them.

It won’t work, little flame.

Despite the responsibility for the thunder, now that he’d tasted her sweetness and sank deep into her tight wetness, he craved it and her more than his next ball of fire. He’d have her.

In total agreement, his cock twitched and thickened.

He’d give her this night only.

Exhaling, he shifted and took off toward his office building.

~YH~

She jerked awake. Kai couldn’t believe she’d fallen asleep.

The last thing she remembered was reminiscing aloud to Morlie, going through their childhood memories with their parents.

Recounting the beauty of their mother’s voice, how Morlie’s vocal ability was just as velvety, even at a young age, and how Morlie and their mother would joyfully perform for Kai and their dad—neither of whom could carry a single note.

During game nights, they would wear out the few Lena Horne records her mother brought while fleeing the catastrophes.

Kai missed those moments and wondered if her sister would ever sing again.

Kai wasn’t sure if her sister could hear her, but talking helped Kai and made her feel like she was doing something. Tana had brought her food, and Kai had only taken a few bites, not having an appetite.

She stared through the glass at her sister’s still form. Happy Birthday, Morlie .

Throughout the day, she repeated those words to her sister. It was the second birthday that Morlie was too sick to celebrate it. Kai vowed to herself it would be the last.

A year from now, she could see them doing something special to celebrate her sister’s twentieth year, her health, and their new life.

Taking in Morlie’s unmoved form, it seemed nothing had changed until Kai noticed all the smoke in the room was gone.

“Morlie.” Kai started to sit up, and she heard a soft thump of something hitting the floor.

She glanced down and realized that there was a blanket covering her body.

Shocked, Kai figured Tana’s silent efficiency had brought it to her.

Recalling something had fallen, she sat up and glanced past her bent knees.

Not believing her eyes, Kai leaned down and picked up the drab-green fabric.

Holding it up, she became overjoyed at seeing her father’s jacket.

What? How?

Aodh had said her things were burned. She assumed the jacket was gone with everything else.

Pulling it into her chest, she held it. Envisioned, her father was there with her, and she was hugging him, not just the article of clothing. “Dad, I promised you and Mom I’d care for Morlie. I won’t let you down.”

She sniffed back the tears that burned her eyes. The jacket smelled good and looked clean. What? Who? Tana.

She’d have to thank Tana for cleaning and repairing it.

Kai didn’t miss that the patches had new stitching around them.

A few of the holes had been closed, while other rips remained.

It made her smile. She had memories in each snag.

Smiling, she started to check the pocket when she became aware of something else. What had awakened her?

Heat throbbed in her body. It could only mean one thing.

She turned to the door, expecting to see Aodh standing there.

When she didn’t see him by the entrance, she started to shake it off until she glanced in the other direction.

There he sat. She saw him in the corner of the room behind her, yet off to the side.

Just like when she’d awakened in his suites and found him staring at her in the chair next to the bed, he was doing it again. Settled back in another chair, he rested his head against the wall, but Aodh’s turquoise-opal gaze remained fixed on her.

“Aodh.” She licked her lips. Instead of questioning his presence, she said, “The smoke is gone now.”

“Yes.” He didn’t even glance at the encased chamber.

She worked her arms into the cherished jacket, then shifted the blanket off and onto one of the chair’s arms. “I’d like to go in now.” She stood.

“As I figured you would.” He rose, and his large form took up most of the room.

Kai sucked in a breath as she observed him in his standard apparel of boots, thigh-hugging pants, and a vest that showcased his breathtaking markings.

Would there ever come a time when the sight of him did not send heatwaves through her body?

When she wouldn’t be impressed by the commanding way he filled a space?

Doubtful. Aodh was too impressive. And now that she knew what his mouth-watering body could do, she would never grow tired of being around him.

If she weren’t careful, she’d find herself scaling his tall form and begging him to carry her to his bed and keep her there for an uncountable amount of days.

Shaking herself and patting an imaginary hand along the wall she had worked hard to erect between them, hoping to keep her distance until she and Morlie could hit Splitsville, she straightened her back.

“Open the door,” she demanded.

A single brow arched slow and high, the expression proof that he’d be damned if anyone dared to question him, let alone a puny human order him around.

When Kai thought he would roar and growl at her that ‘the God of Fire’ a.k.a. the ‘Dragon King’ cannot be ordered around, one side of Aodh’s mouth quirked in a half smile.

Damn. That expression alone caused the arches of Kai’s feet to tingle and heat to spiral up her legs and into her sex. She clenched her thighs and inhaled quickly to shut down the moan that started in her belly and headed toward her throat.

“The door is open, little flame.”

She ignored the rough, sensuous delivery of the nickname, determined not to allow her desire for Aodh to chip at her barrier. Quickly, she turned toward the thick glass door. As he stated, it was open all the way. How did I miss that?

Aodh , her body whispered.

Her mind chose to disregard the confession of her weak body as she rushed forward. “Morlie!”

As she raced to the bed, calling out to her sister, Kai arrived beside her and saw that Morlie’s eyes were still closed. “What’s wrong with her? Why hasn’t she awakened if she is better?”

“Give it time. Keep talking to her.” His heat greeted her before he stepped up beside her. “Remember, besides Morlie being sick, she was in a deep sleep as her body healed.”

Kai nodded. Grasping her sister’s limp but warm hand, she rubbed up and down her arm. “Morlie, I’m here. Wake up.”

Aodh remained silent, a stalwart figure next to her.

She appreciated his quiet strength as she tried not to let all her worries and doubts about her sister creep in.

Kai lifted a hand, caressed Morlie’s forehead, and pushed back the unkempt strands from around her face.

Over the years, Kai had become used to the dry, cracked, and brittle texture of her sister’s skin.

Morlie’s body had fought through sickness. She expected that.

Kai snatched her hand back in surprise. Accustomed to the papery feel of death, first with her parents, then with Morlie. But this...

“How—?”

As if understanding her shock, he responded, “It is the deatch glan heyl . The pure smoke heals everything.”

“Oh.” Kai touched her again, laying a hand on her cheek, prepared this time for the difference. “Morlie, open your eyes. Please,” she pleaded.

One blink, two blinks, Morlie’s chest rose high as she inhaled, and then her eyes greeted Kai. When Morlie exhaled, a small burst of smoke came out of her mouth as she spoke. “Sissy?”

“Yes. I’m here.” Kai was concerned about the smoke, but not more than she was excited to see her same gold-brown eyes reflected at her. She leaned over her, cupped her hands around her sister’s, and squeezed. “How do you feel?”

Morlie’s lids slid closed again. “Where am I?” This time, only a wisp of smoke came out.

“You’re safe. And getting better. That’s all that matters right now.

” Kai wasn’t sure how she would explain all that had transpired to her sister while Morlie was ill.

Hell, Kai barely started comprehending it herself over the last few days.

And still, she had a pile of unanswered questions.

Kai glanced over her shoulder at the large man standing toward the foot of the bed, assessing their interaction.

“Why does smoke keep coming out? Is it going to be a problem?”

She thought about what she knew of smoke inhalation and how dangerous it could be. She worried that Morlie may be better now, but in the long term, her sister may develop black lung disease or emphysema.

Intense opal eyes shifted directly on her. “It is fine. Part of how she was healed but will go away.”

“Kai? I’m tired—” Morlie’s yawn was big, cutting off her words.

If any more smoke came out, she couldn’t see it. That gave her some relief.

“It’s okay. Your body needs the rest.” She stroked her sister’s hair.

“It is not rest that she needs from the illness. But, normal sleep, now,” Aodh declared.

“Then can she do it someplace other than here?” Kai didn’t have much experience with medical facilities, and there weren’t any in the Dispatch.

There were doctors in the district who made house calls.

The only time she’d been to the medical clinic on the outskirts of Consumer Providence was to try and get help for Morlie.

She saw where that got her. Still staying in this chamber now that Morlie had awakened sent cold chills over her skin.

“It’s possible. I’ve already set that up.”

Shocked, Kai straightened and looked at him. “You did?”

“I am the Mckenna. It is my job to anticipate the needs of my people.”

“But we aren’t your people.” Her heart thumped hard in her chest. Kai lifted her chin, metaphorically patting that wall in place.

Aodh’s brow arched, and he held her gaze for a long moment.

Apprehensive, she expected him to argue with her about his supposed claim on her. But if Aodh did, she had her rebuttal thought, practiced, and prepared to toss it at him.

Instead, his only comment was, “You all are under my protection.”

She gave a short nod. Okay, maybe this Dragon King understood where they stood. “When can we go to this place you prepared?”

“Now.” Aodh strutted along the other side of the bed, then scooped Morlie up with ease. Similar to the way he’d done when he’d removed Morlie from the truck. “Follow me.”