Firewalkers here,” Grandmother said, casting a warning glance at Drake.
“You love us, Ruby.” Mick stepped to my grandmother and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
I waited for her to smack him with her cane, but Grandmother only humphed and didn’t move as he pulled away.
“Don’t be stupid,” she said. “You I can tolerate. That Colby is a different story. And I’m not so enamored of you.” She lifted the cane and pointed it at Drake.
Drake looked offended to be lumped into the same category as Colby, and I sensed his ire rise. I stepped in front of him. “If you even think about flaming my grandmother, I’m going to have to take you out.”
Drake’s irritation grew. “I have no intention of flaming anyone. The fact that Ruby Begay’s earthbound, shaman blood is in your veins is one reason the dragons have allowed you to live.”
Mick was another. They’d have to go through him to get to me, and they knew it.
“You can move, Janet,” Grandmother said. “I can defend myself against Firewalkers just fine.”
Like hell I would let Drake and my grandmother battle it out in my kitchen. I waved my hands, herding Drake toward the door. “Lobby. Now.”
Drake gave me a cold look but turned and stalked to the door. He was making it clear that he left the kitchen because he chose, not because I’d ordered him to.
Colby lay stretched out on one of the sofas in the empty lobby, watched over by Jamison’s statue. He was snoring. I moved to him and nudged the hand that dangled to the floor.
“Not exactly what I intended as decor,” I said when he snorted and opened his eyes.
“Hey, Janet.” Colby clasped my hand and held it fast. “Want to keep me company down here? Oh look, it’s Micky and Drakey, come to take away all the fun.”
Mick gave him a tolerant glance. Drake’s lip curled. “What is that doing here?”
I forestalled him. “My hotel—my friends. We can talk in my office if you want privacy.”
Drake’s brow furrowed. “Privacy for what?”
“To tell me what you and Mick were meeting in secret about. I have learned not to let dragons get away with hiding what they’re up to.”
Mick’s warm expression deserted him, his eyes reverting to dragon black. He sent Drake a warning look—obviously he did not want Drake spilling the details to me.
Drake equally as obviously saw no reason to keep it quiet. “We were discussing the question of your mortality, Stormwalker. The brief moment of the human lifespan versus the longer one of a dragon. This is an important point to consider when a dragon takes a human mate. He’ll live hundreds of years while you, Janet, die and fade to dust.”
Chapter Thirteen
One thing about Drake—he could boil down an issue to its very essence.
Colby sat up, his eyes widening. “Yeah, that’s a very good point. Watcha gonna do, Micky?”
Drake continued. “Mick was consulting me, and the Dragon Council, about ways to shorten his own lifespan to match Janet’s.”
“What?” I froze, going tight with astonishment. When my breath came back to me, I swung on Mick. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Mick’s eyes glittered with anger but he didn’t look in the least bit ashamed. “It is one possibility. I have been researching many avenues. I consulted the Dragon Council and their records about that one.”
My chest constricted as I spoke. “Mick, why the hell would you want to shorten your lifespan? That’s crazy!”
“’Cause he doesn’t want to live without you,” Colby broke in. “Isn’t it obvious? It’s easy to shorten your lifespan, though, Micky. Just dive into a live volcano and don’t come out.”
“That might not actually kill a dragon,” Drake said. “We’re born in volcanoes after all …”
“It was a joke, you dickhead,” Colby rumbled.
I ignored them to plant myself in front of Mick. “This stops now. I agreed to marry you, be your mate, whatever you want to call it. We enjoy what time we have together. What comes, comes. That’s what everyone does.”
Mick wore his stubborn look, which meant blank and intractable.
Drake continued when Mick remained silent. “Human lifespans can be lengthened, for instance. You, Janet, have so much uncertain magic in you that you naturally might live as long as Mick. However, tampering with that magic, as in a spell to extend your life, has a slight chance of killing you.”
“You see?” I said. “So no more talk about messing with lifespans. Cheese and rice, Mick.”
Mick still did not look at