Releasing the Dragon Read online

  And a good kisser too—don’t forget that, whispered a little voice in her head. It was true, her lips were still tingling from the passionate kiss he’d given her earlier and her body throbbed when she thought about it. It didn’t help that the skimpy silver outfit she’d taken from the Pairing Puppet barely covered anything and she felt half-naked and exposed. For the first time, she considered how embarrassing it was going to be to let Dru see her dressed like this.

  Too bad—should have thought of that earlier, whispered the same little voice. You’re stuck now. Besides, he’ll probably be so angry you stowed away in the first place, he’ll barely notice what you’re wearing.

  She heard the door to the shuttle open and close and then two deep male voices were talking. One of them was obviously Dru’s but the other was unfamiliar. It had a soft, hissing sibilance that sent a cold chill down her spine for some reason. The voices were getting louder and she realized that was because Dru and the other man were getting closer. They were both speaking in some alien language, though, so she had no idea what either one of them were saying—but their tone sounded civilized enough.

  Just two aliens making small talk—nothing to see here, ho-hum.

  Then Dru’s voice seemed to be coming from right over her head and Annie took a deep breath, her body tensing. Here we go—he’s about to open the compartment and see me! Oh God, I hope he’s not too angry. I hope—

  But just then the hatch of the storage compartment swung upward and a strange, smoky light filled the air. With it came a feeling of dread so strong, Annie could barely breathe. When she looked up, she saw a black oval face that seemed to be made of smoke or shadow with no features on it—none at all—bending over her.

  What the hell? What is that thing?

  Then a pair of burning, yellow eyes opened in the black, smoky oval and looked directly down into hers.

  Annie felt her heart lurch in her chest.

  Oh God—what had she gotten herself into?

  “I’m surprised you’re here to greet me in person, Slo’vv,” Dru remarked, surveying the Shade being who ruled the Maw Cluster with an iron claw dubiously.

  An iron claw might be the wrong terminology, though, since Slo’vv could have a hundred claws if he wanted to—though all would be made of the strange, shadow-smoke which comprised his physical being. His torso and head remained pretty much the same—a long, slender column of shadow topped with a black oval. But his limbs—however many he chose to have at any one time—appeared and disappeared at will, manifesting from any part of his body—including his head—and then dissipating again when he had no more use for them.

  He manifested one now, a long, black shadow arm growing from the center of his chest where his heart would be if he was in any way humanoid—which he was not. He reached for Dru, who took the limb in a warrior’s clasp without flinching, despite the deadly cold of the Shade being’s touch. Like all those of his kind, Slo’vv carried a lingering sense of dread with him at all times so when he touched the other male, Dru had the sense that something was going to go horribly wrong.

  Annie’s in danger…my Drake will get loose and wreak havoc, shaming me and ruining my career…somewhere back home my parents are dying and I am not there to help them…I have somehow contracted an incurable disease which will kill me very soon and I will die in agony…

  These and a hundred other dark and awful thoughts and fears rushed through his mind like a cabal of evil shadows as he clasped the smoky, ice-cold arm Slo’vv offered him. Dru was ready for these thoughts and fears, however. He did not—as he had seen some who touched Slo’vv do—jerk back in horror and disgust and run away as quickly as he could. He simply centered himself and sent calming messages to his Drake—who didn’t like the Shade being one damn bit.

  All is well…all is well…all is well…be calm, all is well.

  At last Slo’vv withdrew his arm—it melted like a black icicle in the sun, leaving Dru holding nothing but empty air. The intense feeling of dread lessened too, becoming only a dull ache in the back of his brain instead of the sharp, irrational fear he’d had while he and Slo’vv touched. There was no way to get away from the dread completely while in the Shade being’s presence, but it was a hell of a lot better when he wasn’t making physical contact with you, Dru thought grimly.

  “I am pleassed to ssee you again my friend.” Slo’vv’s voice was like the wind through a haunted tree in the dead of night. Dru had seen females faint and males go pale at the sound of those ghostly tones but he himself kept his face carefully blank—though not as blank as his host, who didn’t manifest facial features except when feeling strong emotion. Or at least, that was what Dru believed from observing him.

  “I’m pleased to see you too,” he said, heading around his ship towards the storage area. “But are you really meeting all the ships that come to the Shadow Palace personally now?”

  He spoke the Shadow Tongue with ease, though the words tasted cold in his mouth. As with all Kindred, he had an innate ability to pick up any language in a very short time and Slo’vv’s native tongue was no exception. It was another trait which endeared him to the ruler of the Maw Cluster. Aside from himself, almost no one spoke the cold, whispery Shadow Tongue besides Slo’vv, who enjoyed conversing in his own dialect though he was perfectly understandable in Standard, which most beings spoke outside their home planets.

  “I wasss bored,” Slo’vv admitted in his whispery, hissing voice. “And bessidess, my friend, you alwayss bring me the besst pressents.”

  Ah, so that was what he was after. Dru was glad he’d thought to stock some exotic finds from the other worlds he’d visited recently. He had a Z’Nth light cube, an everything plant, a wonder-nut from Yorkii which housed the tiniest known canine in the universe, and several other things that should keep the Shade being entertained.

  Which was a good thing because a bored Slo’vv was a dangerous Slo’vv.

  “Well, let me see what I have,” he remarked, opening the storage compartment. “I think I’ve brought you something you’ll really like this time. It’s—”

  The words died on his lips as the Pairing Puppet was revealed. No—not the puppet, he realized—it was Annie. And she was staring up at Slo’vv with a terrified expression in her big brown eyes.

  The ruler of the Maw Cluster was staring right back as well—Dru saw with horror that he had manifested eyes in his black, oval shadow face—a sure sign of intense interest.

  “My, my, Drugair,” he hissed, a mouth with red lips and sharp, white teeth forming below the glaring yellow eyes. “You really have outdone yoursself thiss time. She iss exquisite.”

  Thirteen

  “Who…what…w-who is th-that?” Annie’s teeth were chattering, though with fear or cold, Dru couldn’t tell which. He only knew the female he cared for was here, where she didn’t belong, and Slo’vv was looking at her as though she was the next course in a feast.

  He wanted to shake Annie and demand what in the Seven Hells she was doing here but he had to deal with the ruler of the Maw Cluster first.

  “Oh no-no—I’m afraid this one is not a present,” he said quickly in the Shadow Tongue. “This is the x’aan-chow I brought as my companion. She was simply…having a nap back here while I piloted the ship.”

  “And why can sshe not be mine?” Slo’vv hissed, the red-lipped mouth he had manifested turning down at the corners. “I find her enchanting—what are the speckless on her sskin? I have never sseen ssuch colorations.”

  “They are called Goddess kisses,” Dru explained. “They mark her as sacred to her people and render her too delicate to withstand, ah, any kind of fright or abuse. See how she trembles before you, Slo’vv—she could not live through your attentions.”

  “A pity…” Slo’vv manifested a hand from the side of his head, where an ear might grow on a humanoid, and reached out with one long finger to stroke Annie’s pale cheek.

  “No!” Even as Annie flinched away from the seeking shade-finger,