Page 29 of The Mating Claim

Chapter 8

Drust’s mouthburned as if he kissed pure fire. Which was an apt description, he thought ruefully. Lacey was nothing short ofvolcanic.

She was also stubborn and secretive and not willing to tell him what he needed toknow.

Lacey had dodged his question again, and when he’d asked her boss to relieve her from her shift, he’d agreed. But it infuriatedLacey.

“I need the money, wizard. Thanks alot.”

Again, she was angry with him. But this time, he brooked no disobedience. Instead, he waved a hand and transported them both into herhouse.

Lacey put a hand to her mouth, looking nauseated. He helped her bend over, instructing her to take deep breaths to let it pass. When she straightened, she looked much better. Except stillfurious.

“I didn’t invite you into my home, wizard.” Lacey marched into the kitchen and flipped on the light. “I’d tell you to make yourself at home, except my house will probably be foreclosed next week, so don’t get toocomfortable.”

Drust noticed some of the furniture was gone, along with one good oil painting that had hung on the wall. He followed her into thekitchen.

“Your financial situation is truly that dire?” he quietlyasked.

Lacey braced both hands on the sink, looking ill again. “I put a hefty mortgage on this house with a balloon payment. The balloon was due two monthsago.”

“What is this balloon?” So much he didn’t know about the mortalworld.

Her hands trembled as she gripped the sink. “Something mortal banks put on a loan to make more money and take advantage of poor people like me with houses and little credit. It expands in the amount you owe until it explodes in your face, like a realballoon.”

Damnit, why had he not known about this? He was guardian of dragons, not only their judge, the wizard who was supposed to help them in their worst hour. When Lacey had told him last year she needed money, he thought it was for frivolous things. Not herhome.

It’s because I cannot get a read on her, unlike other dragons. He did not know why this wastrue.

Opening the refrigerator, alarm filled him. Little food was there, certainly not the red meat all dragons needed once a month to shift. A few cartons of plain yogurt, littlemore.

“Yogurt?” he asked, shutting the door. “You cannot survive on dairy products. Not unless you eat the cow aswell.”

She shrugged. “It fills my stomach. That and the noodles. I did have chicken lastnight.”

Well, he could take care of this. Drust waved a hand and a kitchen chair slid out. “Sit,” heordered.

As she scowled, he conjured a thick, raw steak, barely seared on the grill, on a plate, along with a tall glass of a nutrition drink he knew dragons needed when they were rundown.

“Sit,” herepeated.

“I thought you came here to find thebook.”

“Sit.”Tenacious!

“I am not a dog who performs on command. And I’m nothungry.”

Impatient, he waved another hand and she floated over to the chair and her body plopped down into it. Drust waved another hand and the chair pulled up to thetable.

What else? Oh, linens andsilverware.

He conjured fine sterling silverware, a steak knife, a blue tablecloth embroidered with gold and blue flowers, and a linen napkin. Lower lip jutting out, she glowered at theplate.

Taking the chair opposite her, he waited. In some things, he had all the patience in the world, especially when he knew the level of hunger Lacey mustfeel.

The savory smell of grilled steak filled the air, and even though he had no need of food, it tempted even his taste buds. Finally Lacey picked up fork and knife and sliced off a tiny piece. It was a morsel not even big enough to feed a mouse, but satisfaction filledhim.

After popping it into her mouth and chewing, she closed her eyes. And then she began sawing at the steak like a starving dragon, taking big chunks and gulping themdown.