I shook my head. ‘‘I didn’t hear anything about a dragon being imprisoned in Abaddon.’’

‘‘Well, crap,’’ Aisling said, looking at her husband. ‘‘You don’t think she could be dead?’’

‘‘I do not know,’’ Drake answered slowly. ‘‘It may be that she has yet to return from Abaddon, but that no one has stepped forward to claim her position. She ruled the red dragons for more than a millennium and would have seen to it that any competition within the sept was eliminated before it became dangerous.’’

‘‘It will be interesting to see who shows up at the sárkány,’’ Gabriel agreed, standing and holding out his hand for me. ‘‘We will see you there. But first, I promised May I would take her shopping.’’

I smiled and thanked Aisling again for the loan of her clothes.

‘‘Oh, no problem; nothing fits me now but bed-sheets anyway,’’ she said, tugging at an oversized shirt. ‘‘I’ll see you two at the sárkány, later. I’m looking forward to having another mate there!’’

‘‘Er . . . about that,’’ Drake said slowly as we exited the room.

Gabriel paused and nodded at the porcelain vase at the opposite end of the room. ‘‘You might want to take that out before you tell her,’’ he said brightly. ‘‘It looks valuable.’’

‘‘Before you tell me what?’’ I heard Aisling ask. Gabriel quietly closed the door and took my hand to lead me down the hall.

We made it to the front door before we heard the sound of a raised voice, followed shortly by that of porcelain crashing against a hard surface.

‘‘I did warn him,’’ Gabriel said, shaking his head.

‘‘You’re a healer,’’ I said as he tried to pull me out the door and into the Parisian sunshine. ‘‘Shouldn’t you go and see if Drake’s all right?’’

‘‘There is no treasure that could tempt me into the same room as Aisling right now,’’ he answered, kissing the tip of my nose before trotting down the front stairs to where Tipene was leaning against a car.

I followed him, wondering what it was Aisling could do to instill such respect . . . and whether someday I would be able to command the same.

Chapter Six

Shopping with Gabriel was a slightly stressful experience—not because it was an activity we hadn’t done together before, but because he was footing the bill, which meant for the first time in my life I was able to shop without considering a budget, a fact that seemed to amuse him.

‘‘I realize that you have been forced to rely on Magoth for your source of income in the mortal world,’’ he said as he sent the upscale Parisian store saleswoman staggering off to the cash register with her arms piled high with clothing, ‘‘but surely your twin has had centuries to build her personal resources. Did she not share them with you?’’

‘‘Cyrene may be more than a thousand years old, but that doesn’t mean she’s managed to save anything. In fact, it’s usually the opposite—she hits me up for spending money. I’m lucky that she lives rent-free in an apartment owned by a fellow naiad; otherwise, I’d probably have her living with me in my little flat,’’ I answered, touching with reverent fingers a lovely silky, nearly transparent midnight gauze blouse embedded with tiny little glittering crystals that sparkled like stars on an ebony sky. The price tag was that of a small used car. I moved on.

Gabriel picked up the blouse, pursed his lips as he eyed his fingers, visible through the sheer material, glanced briefly but speculatively at my breasts, then tossed the blouse onto the mound of clothing at the register. ‘‘I am not wealthy by dragon standards, but I can say in all sincerity that I can support both you and your twin without too much of a strain.’’

I took the blouse back and put it on the rack, giving Gabriel a level look as I did so. ‘‘I appreciate the fact that you’re willing to help out Cyrene, but that’s not necessary. Magoth does pay me, even if it’s just barely a living wage. I may have been created some eighty-odd years ago, but I am modern enough to take pride in the fact that I can support myself and Cy, if I have to.’’

‘‘But you do not have to,’’ Gabriel said, reclaiming the blouse and shoving it into the saleswoman’s hands.

‘‘No, and while I’m grateful that you are generous enough to wish me to live in comfort, I do want to pull my own weight. Or as much as I can, given the fact that Magoth is my employer.’’ I reached for the blouse, but the saleswoman had evidently been watching us, for she hurriedly rang it up, accompanying the process with a defiant toss of her head.

I looked at Gabriel. He grinned. My knees immediately responded by threatening to give way under me. ‘‘The only reason I’m allowing you to buy me these things is because everything I own is back in London, and it would take too long to have Cyrene send them here.’’

‘‘You are allowing me to buy you these things because you are my mate, and it is only right and fitting that you are garbed in clothing appropriate to your position,’’ he corrected. ‘‘Not to mention that it gives me pleasure to provide you with them. Perhaps you should have two of that see-through one.’’

‘‘No!’’ I said quickly, then sighed with mock resignation as he laughed. I placed my hand on his chest so I could feel his heartbeat. My fingernails burst into flame. ‘‘Fine, then. Force me to accept an entire wardrobe full of expensive and gorgeous clothing the likes of which I have never had. Go on, twist my arm.’’

He laughed again, a velvety sound that seemed to curl around me, stroking my skin in a wholly arousing manner. An answering light of interest shone within his eyes, and I think he would have pulled me into an embrace right there in front of everyone, but just then my phone rang, breaking the spell.

‘‘Oh, good, it’s Cyrene,’’ I said, glancing at the caller ID number. ‘‘I wondered when she would get back to me. Cy? Yes, it’s me, and I’m out.’’

Gabriel looked for a moment like he wanted to say something but just gave a little head shake and moved off to pay for the clothing.