Smolder (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #29)(80)

“Yes, perhaps after centuries he doesn’t wish to be called simply Dragon, for that is what Drakon means in Greek.”

“Vampires are allowed to name themselves,” Jean-Claude said.

“Or maybe since the Dragon is still alive, he doesn’t want to offend her by naming himself something so similar,” Jake said.

“No one would want to challenge her by accident or on purpose,” Jean-Claude said.

“Okay, then we’ll call him Deimos for now,” I said. “How do we kill him?”

“We find his physical body and behead it,” Jake said.

“When you say ‘body,’ do you mean him in human form, or the original snaky dragon form?” I asked.

“His twin brother was slain in his dragon form, but he had no other form, so it may be that we would need Deimos to be in that form to slay him, but in truth I do not know. He was never heard from again so I thought him long dead along with anyone or anything that could be called dragon save for the council members and the beasts that modern science classes as dragons.”

“Is there anyone else who might know more about this dragon vamp?” I asked.

“I will see if anyone else among us knows more,” he said, and I knew he meant among the Harlequin.

I started to lean in against Wicked. I looked at Richard, who was fighting not to frown at us. “Why aren’t you exhausted?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ma petite, may I ask the favor that you lean against Richard and see if more of your energy returns since he is more closely linked to you through me?”

I frowned at him, but I sat up and started to move away from Wicked. He didn’t try and hold me in place, just moved so Richard could put his arm on the back of the seat. I gave Wicked a soft kiss before I moved away. It earned me a smile and that made it worth it. Then I moved to the other side of the seat to lean into Richard. I stayed stiff and couldn’t relax, because he didn’t understand me, and . . . But the minute I had enough of him touching me it was like his body was a warm blanket and a cup of hot coffee, and just what I needed. Damn it.

“May I hold you?” Richard asked.

“You are holding me.” And even to me it sounded grumpy.

“May I wrap my arm around you?”

I took in a deep breath and let it out slow. “Yes.”

His arm curved over my shoulders, and I fit under his arm better. It felt good, but I was still fighting to relax when Nathaniel said, “It’s okay to touch him back, Anita; he’s cute, not my cup of tea, but let yourself touch him back. Bare skin contact helps renew us.”

“Thank you, Nathaniel,” Richard said.

“You’re welcome.”

They were playing nice, so I let myself slide my hand underneath the dress shirt to touch his stomach. His skin was so warm and smooth, and . . . it felt good. I pressed my bare leg against his and that was even better. “I feel like I’m injured almost, like if I could sleep between two of the wereanimals that I carry inside me I’d heal.”

“We could have one of the mystic Harlequin search you both for magical bindings,” Jake said. The Harlequin had finally felt safe enough to bring the few human servants left to them. The Mother of All Darkness had killed most of them as a test to prove they were powerful enough to be one of her chosen warriors, but some had been magically gifted enough that they’d been spared as too valuable to waste. There weren’t many of them, but the few left were magic with a capital M. They could work energy and clear a chakra so fast they’d have been the envy of any modern Reiki master or light worker.

“I do not think that is what is wrong, but it is good to have people skilled enough to look for such things,” Jean-Claude said.

“What do you think is wrong?” I asked as I snuggled up against as much of Richard’s bare skin as I could find and hated that it felt so good.

“All the energy we raised tonight went to me to defeat Deimos; you did not keep any for yourself.”

“It’s my job to be your battery.”

“It is, ma petite, but your ardeur is like blood for me, without it you are empty.”

Richard hugged me a little closer and said, “Will you get mad if I say I volunteer?”

“Yes,” I said.

“I would feel better if Anita fed on someone not tied so closely to her and Jean-Claude metaphysically,” Jake said.

“You said that before, something about us saving our energy for the next fight,” I said, but my voice had that edge of almost sleep. Richard was so warm, and the hum of his energy felt like home to my wolf and me. I hated that he still felt that good in my arms; even his skin smelled good, which was usually my cue that I was still in love with someone. When I’d fallen out of love their skin smelled bitter. I’d never noticed it until I had beasts inside me, so maybe it was a shapeshifter thing.

“Rest, ma petite, there will be no feeding of the ardeur until we are safe within the walls of the Circus. There will be time enough later to decide on partners to donate to our cause.” His voice was so soothing. It made me struggle to open my eyes.

“Are you making me sleep?”

“Non, I wished you to be able to rest and recoup your energy, for we may need it sooner than the ardeur can be fed.”

That made sense, but somehow I felt traitorous cuddling with Richard when Nathaniel was so close. He read my mind, or guessed, because he said, “It’s all right that it feels good to rest in Richard’s arura. You all used a lot of wolf energy tonight.”