“Me?” I looked at him, but when he refused to stop staring moodily out the window, I put my hand on his thigh. That startled him enough into glancing at me. “Are you saying that if I wasn’t around, you’d go to your apartment by yourself even though it wasn’t safe?”

“I am not afraid of the red dragons,” he said stiffly, although he put his hand on mine and caressed the back of my fingers.

“So you’re doing this just to protect me?” I shook my head, turned my hand over, and twined my fingers around his. It was an oddly intimate gesture, but I marked that down to the fascination I had with men’s hands. Kostya’s were almost perfect, with long, sensitive fingers that reminded me of my harpist mother’s hands. Like hers, Kostya’s were those of an artist. “That is so incredibly touching… and annoying at the same time. Oh, don’t get that look on your face—I meant it as a compliment. I do appreciate that you are sacrificing your peace of mind, and possibly a tooth or two if your brother gets to you, because you have this idea that you have to protect me, but I assure you that I’m no slouch when it comes to self-defense. I’ve had training, you know. My dad insisted that both Bee and I know how to take down a boyfriend who goes over the line. And then there’s this.” I nodded toward the ring on my left hand.

“It is for that object we are going to Drake’s home. He has many security measures in place because of his children, and it is that which I count on to keep you safe when the red dragons attack.”

“When?”

“Yes.” His jaw tightened and he looked away, but his fingers gripped mine with a strength that was almost painful. “They will not be content to allow the ring to exist so close to dragons. Asmodeus covets it above all else.”

“Holy jalapeños,” I said softly, rubbing my thumb over the back of his hand. “But, Kostya, even if we get Drake to agree to us staying with them, and although I don’t know him at all, he doesn’t seem to be any too happy to see you. Yeah, I know it’s the curse, but still—even if he agreed to that, we can’t endanger children.”

“What children? Drake’s?”

I nodded. “You seem to be pretty confident that the red dragons are going to track us down and try to attack. If we’re in Drake’s house with his kids, then we’d be putting them in grave danger. I can’t imagine any parent would want that, and I certainly wouldn’t risk the chance that they’d be harmed.”

“The children aren’t in Paris.”

“They aren’t?” I nudged him when he didn’t answer the obvious question. “Where are they?”

“Safe. Drake would not risk the lives of his children any more than he would risk Aisling.” A funny little twist came to his mouth, not quite a smile, but still indicating amusement. “He does not like for others to know that she is far more powerful than she appears, but he has always been proud of her abilities.”

I thought of making a comment about it running in the family but decided that there was no need to goad him, not when he was opening up to me. Instead I snuggled into his side, my body sending up a cheer of happiness when, without thinking, he put his arm around me and pulled me closer.

“We will be safe at Drake’s house. I admit the curse will make things… difficult… but it is the only answer for the situation. We must have an interpreter, though.”

“What? Why?”

“Because we will not be able to speak to them.”

“We could use Jim,” I said, indicating the dog.

“No. Demons are unreliable at best, especially one who has forgotten loyalties and relationships. Rene, are you available?”

“Eh?” Rene, who had been having a conversation with Jim about restaurants and the best way to prepare a steak, turned to look back at us, sending the taxi hurtling straight into an intersection despite a red light. Horns blared, tires screeched, and the sound of crumpling metal and breaking glass followed as Rene, with a casual flip of his wrist, straightened our path and sailed through the intersection. “Am I available for what?”

“Interpreting.”

“Ah, that.” His gaze in the reflection of the mirror considered me for a moment or two before answering. “Yes, that is possible. You understand that I am a bachelor for the next week—my wife, she has taken the little ones to Spain so that they may paddle in the water. I told her that we have water in France, but pfft. She insists. So I will be available for one week only, and after that, my family will return, and my time shall not be my own.”

“I don’t understand why you think I won’t be able to talk to Aisling. I did just fine in Sweden. She said the only people who couldn’t talk to each other were dragons and their mates—Oh!” I slid him a glance. He was back to looking stoically martyred. I reviewed our conversations of the past five hours, decided he’d had about as much soul-searching as was going to benefit him, and said nothing.

But I was confident that if Kostya would just get with the program and stop trying to reject me, all would be well… which just goes to show you how misplaced confidence can bring down even the best intentions.

Twelve

My confidence was short-lived, but it was Kostya’s plan to stay at his brother’s house that gave me pause. The taxi stopped in front of one of those expensive houses that sits in fashionable areas of Paris, taking up at least half a block and costing the earth. Just stopping in front of it made me feel very aware that my clothes were wrinkled and less than fresh, that my hair hadn’t been combed in several hours, and that I was nowhere near comfortable with the sort of affluence required to maintain that home.

“Are you sure this is going to be safe?” I asked Kostya when we emerged from the taxi. Rene had gone to the door and was chatting with a woman who answered it before being invited in. She didn’t even glance our way.

I examined the front of the house. It didn’t look any different from the other houses on the street—surely the little black wrought-iron railing in the front wasn’t going to keep murderous demonic dragons out? Not if they could burn down my family home so easily.

“Yes. It would take a concerted effort to bring down Drake’s house again,” Kostya answered, his eyes narrowed.