Dreaming of Dragons T. A. Chase

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.“There‟s nothing wrong,” he mumbled, as he dropped down into his chair andswung his feet up on his desk.Monica laughed and settled into the chair across from him.“Right.That‟s whyyou‟ve been stomping around all day, bitching at everyone, and staring daggers intoDr.Von Offerman.”His cheeks warmed and he ducked his head.“I am not.”“Did you and Kael have a fight this morning before you came in?”God, he didn‟t want to talk about this with Monica.He scrubbed his hand over hisface and shook his head.“No.I‟m just having a bad day, Monica.Everyone‟s entitled to one once in awhile.”Dreaming of Dragons21She smiled.“Sure, but I get the feeling it has more to with Doctor Von Offermanspending so much time with Kael than you having a bad day.”Hugh laid his head on his desk.“I‟m an idiot, I know that, Monica.You don‟t haveto point that out to me.” He gestured to several files somewhere in front of him.“Takethese to Sergeant Stevenson.He‟ll need those lists to figure out what to request from themilitary.”He heard the thud of her feet as she stood and the scrape of the paper when shepicked the files up.The door opened, but he didn‟t hear her leave.“I don‟t think I‟ve ever seen you jealous.”The amusement in her voice made him cringe.“Just go, Monica.”She chuckled and left.As soon as the click of the door alerted him that she was gone, he jumped to hisfeet and locked the door.He flung himself on the couch against the wall and closed hiseyes.“Mordred, I need to talk to you.”Opening his eyes, Hugh stared up at the star-studded night sky.Trees swayed inthe breeze.He was no longer in his office, but the clearing where he‟d met Mordred andGeorge all those months ago.Movement to his left caught his attention, and he turnedhis head to see Mordred standing there.He approached the elf.Hugh didn‟t flinchaway as Mordred reached out to caress his rough jaw.“What do you want, Hugh?”Hugh stared up into the black, fathomless eyes of Mordred and told himself hewas crazy for coming to talk to the elf.The insufferable creature had never had amoment of self-doubt or jealousy in all his thousands of years of life.Mordred must have sensed his hesitation because the blond elf took Hugh‟s handand led him to where a blanket appeared on the ground in the middle of the clearing.He dragged his feet, thinking this was the worst idea he‟d ever had.“I‟ve changed my mind.I‟ll just go back to my office and continue to embarrassmyself in front of everyone.”“Nonsense.It must be important for you to have called me here.” Mordred‟s smilewas self-deprecating.“I know I‟m not your favorite person in the world.”“That‟s not true,” he protested.“I like you.”“You like me well enough.” Mordred shrugged.“You get along much better withGeorge, and who wouldn‟t, really? I mean, he‟s perfect.”The hint of anger in Mordred‟s voice caught Hugh‟s ear.Maybe things weren‟t allrainbows and butterflies in Mordred‟s world.22T.A.Chase“It‟s not that I like George better than you.I‟m more comfortable with him becausewe‟re both warriors and I‟ve worked with him.I‟ve never spent time one-on-one withyou.” He blushed at how suggestive that statement came out.“What‟s sad is that we‟ll never find out how well we suit.” Mordred leered at him.“Like you would ever cheat on George.” He joined Mordred on the blanket.“You‟re right.I‟d never want to hurt Saint George,” Mordred mumbled.Hugh punched Mordred in the arm.“What the hell is wrong with you?”Mordred glanced away and shrugged.“I guess I‟m not in a good mood.”He studied the elf for a moment, deciding it probably wasn‟t any of his business.“Why is it so different here? Back home, it‟s raining and daytime.” He waved ahand up at the clear night sky.Shifting around, Mordred laughed.“What‟s the point of creating a paradise ifyou‟re subjected to rain or snow? It‟s never too hot or too cold.Everything is so blastedperfect in the Realm.It‟s enough to make me ill.”Hugh grunted and flopped back to lie flat on the ground.“Quit it.Your mood isdepressing enough to make a clown cry.”Mordred visibly shuddered, shaking off whatever foul mood he carried.When heleaned on his elbow and looked down at Hugh, his dark eyes gleamed with mischiefand interest.“Now that I‟ve stopped being such a self-absorbed whiny snot for at least a fewminutes, tell me why you brought me here.”Hugh closed his eyes.“I didn‟t think I could.I thought Kael was the one whocould get in touch with you.”He was avoiding the question, but being here and talking to Mordred made himfeel silly.He‟d never had bouts of jealousy or low self-esteem.And no matter howcrabby Mordred was, Hugh doubted the elf ever questioned his place in George‟sworld.“As your connection with Kael grows stronger, you‟ll be able to call us anytime.”A golden glow emanated from the hand Mordred held up.Hugh watched it poolin Mordred‟s palm before trickling down his arm to flow toward Hugh.His musclestensed, and he wanted to avoid being touched by the light, but running fromuncomfortable situations wasn‟t in him, so he froze.“Don‟t worry,” Mordred whispered.“It won‟t hurt.It feels good actually.”Warmth raced up his leg from where the thread wrapped around his ankle.Hegasped as the light ran up his thigh, over his groin, and sank into his chest.“This is what the connection looks like.It runs from George and me through Kaelto you.It enables both of you to call us and we must obey.”“Like a compulsion or a geas?” He didn‟t like the sound of that.Dreaming of Dragons23“In a way.A geas can be used in several different ways, good or bad, dependingon who cast the spell.” Mordred shrugged.“It would seem like our fair goddess tied ustogether for some reason we‟ll never really understand, I‟m sure.”“Why would she do that?”Rolling over on his back, Mordred stared up at the sky.“I don‟t know.Most of thetime, she does what she wants, and the rest of us deal with the fallout.”Hugh nodded.After serving in the military and the intelligence branch, heunderstood what Mordred meant.“Why me?”The expression Mordred shot him was confused [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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