Playing With Fire

The voices drifted out on the night air, just loud enough to be audible as I crouched on the window ledge outside of the archimage Kostich's living room.

"... could guarantee that you were compensated for the loss, would that make a difference?"

It was a man's voice... a familiar man's voice, one that slid along my body like satin. I froze, frowning at the beige stone wall to which I clung. What on earth was Gabriel doing talking to Dr. Kostich? Why wasn't he seeing Cyrene home, as I had expected?

"The item that was stolen from me is irreplaceable," the mage answered. "No amount of money could compensate me for it."

"Is it safe to assume that you know the whereabouts of the thief Mei Ling?" a third voice asked, one that was unknown to me.

I risked peeking around the edge of the window. Gabriel sat with his back to me, calmly watching as Dr. Kostich paced back and forth across the room. I didn't see a third person at first, but suddenly, a silhouette moved in front of the window. I ducked to the side, flattening myself against the stone of the building. Although technically no one should be able to see me when I shadow walked at night, some beings were more perceptive than others, and until I knew whom I was dealing with, I felt it wiser not to take chances.

"No, I don't know where she is," Gabriel answered. "I know how to contact her, however. And I believe I can convince her to see the error of her ways."

I snorted to myself at that. Gabriel had a sad comeuppance due if he truly believed that he could control me simply because it turned out I was his mate.

"I find it rather peculiar that a dragon of your stature, a wyvern, should interest himself in the doings of a common thief," the nameless man said slowly. He had an English accent, but I was at a loss as to who he was, or how he was involved with Dr. Kostich.

"I interest myself in a great many things, thief taker," Gabriel said with calm assurance.

I froze at the words. Kostich had made good his threat and called in a thief taker, the Otherworld's version of bounty hunters. Thief takers were notorious for ignoring or disregarding laws in order to achieve their end goal. They were reputed to be intelligent, persistent, and very, very dangerous.

"Do you have some connection with Mei Ling?" the thief taker asked.

I wanted badly to lean forward so I could peer into the window and see who this man was-in order to stay far, far away from him-but every time I thought it was safe to do so, movement next to the window warned me off.

Gabriel's voice was smoothly noncommittal. "What connection could I possibly have?"

"That is the question, isn't it?"

"A question that has no pertinence, hence I do not feel obliged to answer it," Gabriel said.

"Methinks the dragon protests too much," the thief taker answered quickly.

Gabriel rose slowly from the chair. "If you are insinuating-"

"Enough!" Kostich interrupted, marching over to stand in front of Gabriel. He said, slowly, "I am torn with the need to have returned that which was stolen from me, and a hesitancy to involve someone else with an individual who clearly poses a danger. Although your kind are not under the umbrella of the L'au-dela, dragonkin have long been considered our friends. It is for this reason that I will refuse the temptation you offer, and instead warn you not to have anything further to do with Mei Ling."

"You do not need to fear for my safety," Gabriel replied with no attempt to hide the amusement in his voice. "Dragons are notoriously difficult to destroy, and I have no qualms acting as a go-between for you and Mei Ling."

The thief taker snorted.

"I must admit that I, too, am curious about why you are willing to do such a thing," Kostich said smoothly.

Gabriel turned his head just enough so I could see the dimple in one of his cheeks. "You have offered a generous reward. I'm sure your thief takers are"-his pause emphasized the stress he laid on the next word-"adequate, but you should not underestimate the interests dragons have in rewards of the nature you are offering."

My fingers tightened around the smooth stone of the casement as anger flared at the thought of him turning me over to Kostich in order to receive the benefaction. Was this, then, how he chose to achieve his goal of acquiring the dragon phylactery? Was he willing to betray me in order to gain it? I felt sick to my stomach at the thought, enough so that even my brain, when it pointed out that it wasn't terribly likely a wyvern would so endanger his mate, had a hard time discounting the idea.

"Adequate?" Amusement was rife in the thief taker's voice. The shadow that had blocked light from the window shifted, and I risked a quick peek to see that the man had moved off to the side, away from me.

Sickened by what I was overhearing, I slipped past the two windows, moving beyond the room. Everyone had settled down to sleep; even the night birds were muted as I crept down the ledge to a darkened window. Wards had been etched into the glass, but they were the wrong type of ward to keep me out. That gave my spirits a short-lived boost-evidently no one had seen me long enough to guess my origins, which made it all that much easier for me to simply ignore the arcane magical traps Dr. Kostich had laid around the window.

The study was dark except for a dim light set high in the case I'd broken into earlier. I kept myself shadowed as I moved carefully around the furniture, which I could dimly make out, heading for the corner where I remembered seeing the surveillance camera. I stopped underneath it, listening intently.

From the room next to me, I could hear the low rumble of masculine voices. Damn that Gabriel, he was probably telling Dr. Kostich just what he wanted for his benefaction. I thinned my lips and thought of what I'd like to say to him at that moment, reluctantly setting that aside to deal with the problem before me. From the inner pocket of the bodice, I pulled out a small, flattened disk of silver-backed utility tape, using it to cover the camera's lens before heading for the case. I also withdrew the quintessence, my fingers caressing the invisible edges of its case, a strange yearning suddenly possessing me. I wanted to feel its glory again, to revel in its beauty, to absorb all that it had to give me. Why should I give it back to Dr. Kostich when the man clearly didn't know its true value?

I'm ashamed to say that for five seconds, I considered the possibility of keeping the quintessence for myself. It was tempting... but I sighed as I carefully opened the case, placing the unseen box onto the shelf where I had originally found it.

"I may be a thief," I said softly as I closed the case, watching with mild amusement as the arcane symbols of protection drawn across the front resealed themselves as if they'd never been disturbed. "But I don't have to be a dishonest thief."

Righteousness filling my heart, I turned to leave, but was unable to move.

"What the..." My feet appeared to be rooted to the ground, stuck to the rug as if by some industrial-strength glue. I peered down at my feet, horror crawling up my arms as I realized there was a pattern woven into the rug upon which I stood... a pattern that was not arcana based, as was all the other magic the mage had used. This was something older than that, something with an elemental basis that held me in place just as firmly as if I'd been bolted to the ground.

Panic filled me as I shadowed, hoping against hope it would break the bond of the spell that held me to the ground. I struggled, squirming against it, twisting one of my feet in an attempt to break free. The spell wasn't meant to hold someone who could shadow walk, allowing my foot to slowly gain freedom. I had just wrestled one foot out of the binding when the door suddenly opened, the figure of a man looming up in its place.

"Perhaps you wouldn't mind showing me where it was taken from? I have a curiosity about these sorts of things," Gabriel said, flipping a switch near the door that turned on a standing lamp. I froze, my heart racing as I realized the direness of my situation: I was directly next to the case, one foot stuck to the floor, unable to free myself. The light was near the door, but it illuminated the room enough to allow someone to see me even if I could move. I was trapped good and proper.

"That's an odd sort of thing to be curious about," the thief taker said in an aside to no one.

Gabriel ignored him, as did Kostich.

"I don't see what good that will do," the latter said as he entered the room behind Gabriel.

"I've found that there are some things that you least expect which can provide the most enlightenment." Gabriel strolled toward me, his silver eyes flickering over me impersonally before sliding away, leaving me wondering for a moment if the room was dark enough that he couldn't see me. If he hadn't, he surely would as soon as he was closer. But if he had... My poor, confused brain had no time to work on the puzzle that Gabriel presented. Before I could move so much as a finger, he was directly in front of me, so close his arm brushed me as he turned to face Dr. Kostich and the thief taker.

"You have some lovely things here. That fertility statue is Irish, is it not?" Gabriel asked, gesturing toward the case, his body blocking my sight of the two men.

Which meant that Dr. Kostich and the thief taker couldn't see me, either.

"Welsh, I believe." Kostich's voice held an edge of irritation that Gabriel seemed to ignore.

"Indeed. And this is the case? I see there is one shelf empty. Would that be where the item was stolen from?"

"Yes. Now that your curiosity is satisfied, perhaps you wouldn't mind leaving? It is late," Dr. Kostich said abruptly.

"I see you have used arcane runes for protection," Gabriel said, ignoring his comment. "Very wise. Few beings would not be affected by them."

For some reason I had yet to fathom, Gabriel was providing me with cover. I didn't stop to wonder at that, just struggled to free my bound foot.

"Is there a point to this catechism?" Kostich asked, all signs of politeness thrown by the wayside.

Gabriel's cheek curved as he smiled. "I am a dragon. We are all very interested in security methods when it comes to treasure. I have not had the opportunity to try arcane magic to guard my own lair, but I can see from your spells and runes that it is something I should consider. Although I must admit I dislike relying upon one type of magic only, preferring the security that multiple types offer."

"Nor would I be so foolish. If you were to take a step five inches to the right, you would find yourself held tight in a binding earth element."

"Clever," the thief taker murmured. "Very clever."

"Earth element? You are an alchemist, then?" Gabriel asked, shifting his weight slightly, I assumed to block me a little better.

"I am interested in it, yes."

"Ah. And can I assume that the item which was taken from you was of an alchemical nature?"

Kostich's voice left no doubt that he was irritated. "A Liquor of Hepatis was stolen from me, as well as another element."

My foot was almost free. I twisted it with a strength that made my muscles cry out, dropping to my knees as Gabriel suddenly leaned toward the case to peer into it.

"I could have sworn I'd seen something... but now it's gone. Must have been a trick of the light."

I peered around Gabriel's hip. All I could see was Dr. Kostich frowning at him for a moment before the latter ran over to the case, his hands gesturing quickly as he undid the binding element. I almost fell over at the sudden release of my foot.

"What... it's here! The quintessence is here!"

Dr. Kostich's hands came into view from where I crouched. He cradled an object invisible to all sight but that of the most peripheral nature. He flipped open the lid for a moment, filling the room with that brilliant warm glow. "But how... I was sure it was gone. No, it was gone, stolen. I know it was."

"What is it?" Gabriel asked as Kostich closed the lid again.

"Quintessence," Dr. Kostich answered in a distracted way as he frowned at the case. "It is that which is invaluable. I don't see how I could have overlooked it..."

"Very confusing, indeed," the thief taker said.

I ground my teeth at the smugness in the man's voice. I still hadn't gotten a look at him, but I didn't dare try to get an unobstructed view of him lest he see me, as well.

"Perhaps in the confusion over the theft of the other object, it escaped notice," Gabriel said.

"No. I would not have done that. It was not on the shelf."

"But it is now," Gabriel pointed out in his smooth, silky voice. "And since you now possess it, perhaps you would reconsider your actions with regard to Mei Ling?"

"I know I searched the case... hmm? Oh. No," Dr. Kostich said slowly as he replaced the quintessence, redrawing the binding element on the ground. I had moved a couple of steps away, keeping Gabriel between me and the two men, praying that the former and the dim light would continue to keep me hidden. "She must be caught. She has robbed too many people in the L'au-dela."

Gabriel clearly wasn't happy with that, but I realized there was little he could say without attracting too much attention from both men.

"And now I must insist that you be on your way," the mage said just as I was trying to get a peek at the two men. I ducked down behind Gabriel's broad shoulders, holding my breath. "I have a great many things to do before the sun rises."

Gabriel smiled and gestured toward the door. "After you."

Dr. Kostich hesitated, but moved toward the door.

The thief taker evidently still stood in front of the cabinet, but he, too, left after a moment's pregnant silence. Gabriel followed. As they went through the door, he paused long enough to turn off the light, shooting me an unreadable look as he did so. "I am sure you will be able to rest knowing that your precious things are safe from any further theft."

I made a face at such an obvious warning, waiting until he turned off the light and closed the door before hurrying toward the window.

There was no denying that Gabriel had saved my butt from a very unpleasant situation. But everyone knew that dragons never did anything without expecting to be compensated. Just what was Gabriel going to demand as payment?

That thought worried me all the way back to my hotel.

Cyrene was nearly asleep when I tapped on her door.

"You all right?" I asked when she opened it.

"Yes." Her shoulders slumped as she crawled back into bed, leaving me standing awkwardly.

Everything about her twanged at my conscience, from her dejected, downturned mouth to the way she wouldn't meet my eye.

"How does your neck feel?" I asked.

She gave a little twitch of her shoulder as she pulled the blankets up. "Fine. It doesn't hurt."

"You don't look happy," I said, miserable.

"I'm not." Her eyes lifted to meet mine for a moment, hurt mingling with accusation in them. "You lied to me."

"Yes, I did. And I'm sorry, but..." I let my hands fall and walked over to the window, twitching the curtains aside to look out on the sleepy town. The sun would be up in a few hours, heralding the dawn of yet another day. "It just seemed so much easier that way. Do you remember in the 1960s, when you kept bringing men to my house and urging me to jump into bed with them?"

"Everyone was doing it then," she said, her mouth tight. "I just wanted you to be happy. You seemed so lonely then. You still do."

"I appreciate the thought now as I did then, but rampant sex with anything bearing the appropriate equipment and a libido to match has never been-and alas, never will be-my idea of a path to happiness."

"But why didn't you just tell me that?" she implored, slapping her hand down on the bed. "You should have just told me that you didn't want me to try to set you up with someone. When I think of all the trouble I went to finding men for you... and later women... I could just cry, Mayling, I really could."

"Cy!" I said, spinning around. "I did tell you. Repeatedly. But every time I brought up the subject, you started screaming and ran away."

She blinked at me in stupefied disbelief. "I did? Mayling, I've never once screamed and ran away when you talked to me about men, or the lack of them, in your life."

"No, not men, man. As in one man. The one man who is the reason why I can't have casual relationships with anyone, man or woman, not that my tastes are anything but traditional in that line."

I knew the moment she understood what I was talking about. Her face turned cold and hard, her eyelids drooped down, shadowing her eyes as she turned her head from me. "I don't want to talk about it."

I was silent for a few moments, sharing in her pain. "It doesn't matter," I said finally, moving toward the door.

"Mayling, wait..."

I turned. Her eyes were bright with tears now, her face flushed.

"It does matter. And you're right, I have avoided... that subject... but what happened to me has nothing to do with you."

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm here. I think it has something to do with me."

"No," she said sharply, her color deepening as she bit her lower lip. "You're right, you always are, and I see now that I'm partially responsible for you feeling you couldn't be open with me. But that's all over. We can talk about it."

I raised my hand and let it fall with a sense of futility. "I don't see that any good will come of talking about what's past. What's done is done, and there's nothing we can do to change it."

"But, Mayling, you don't see," she said, scooting out of the bed, taking my hand and giving it a little squeeze. "Just because I was... I had... because Magoth..."

"You were enthralled, about to be made consort," I said, finishing the sentence she was so clearly unable to say for herself.

"Yes. And because of that, you were created, not that I've regretted that at all. You're like the sister I never had."

I couldn't help but smile. Sometimes I wondered what she would have been like if she hadn't given up her common sense.

Her expression turned dark, her gaze dropping as she added in a lower tone, "And... people died."

"It's over, Cy."

"No," she said stubbornly, shaking her head. "I have to say it. Because Magoth enthralled me... because I had given in to him, he made me kill my lover."

I watched as she wrapped her arms around herself, sinking onto the edge of the bed. I hated for her to indulge in emotional flagellation, but she needed to understand once and for all just what sort of situation I was in.

"But that doesn't have anything to do with you," she said after a few moments of silent weeping.

I handed her a box of tissues from the nightstand.

"My downfall, my sins, are not reflected on you, you know that. And just because you work for Magoth doesn't mean he'll try-"

"He already has," I interrupted.

Her eyes grew large as she looked up to me in horror.

"No, he hasn't succeeded yet; I've managed to keep my wits about me despite his seductions. But it's been a very close thing the last couple of times, Cy, and to be perfectly frank, I don't know that I'll be able to withstand the next one."

Her mouth formed a perfect O.

I nodded. "So you see why it is that I can't get involved with any man. The minute Magoth pulls me into his thrall, he'll use me to destroy a challenger to his domination... and that means any lover, any boyfriend, any husband, would be doomed."

"Oh, my poor Mayling, my poor, innocent Mayling." Huge tears rolled down her cheeks. "But... this evening... the wyvern..."

"Picked the wrong woman to have a future with," I said, my face placid despite the fact that my soul was weeping tears of the purest sorrow.