Read Open Flame (Dragon's Fate) for Free Online

envoyer thé. ”
    “ Oui, monsieur. ”
    A sleeping woman in his arms, and tea being sent up. That seemed normal enough.
    Madoc carried Fina up the four flights of curved staircase to his rooms. He opened the ornate wooden door and strode in. The sitting room led to the canopied bed that sat before four large arched windows. He placed her on the blue-and-yellow silk coverlet and removed her satchel from his arm, allowing it to land with a thud on the floor. Grasping the dark blue blanket that lay at the foot of the bed, he pulled the wool up and over her body. He walked to the small fireplace that sat on the opposite side of the bed. Fresh wood lay over kindling. “Ild.” The wood glowed and sparked. Heat burst into the room as flames danced for him. He closed his eyes. Let her live.
    He turned to the floor-to-ceiling windows and the view of La Seine. She was here. She was safe. He would make all this right, and if she died, he would spend the next sixty years caring for her family.
    The sun peeked through the gray clouds. He stared out onto the city. The dark gray devoured the sun. Rain poured from the sky. Tourists in boats that navigated the river hurried to the banks and shelter.
    The scene represented his soul.
    Once in control, his nature now tumbled by winds of change. Everyone would flee him if they knew he could be so careless, so violent.
    A dark bird landed on the marble ballast outside his window. A raven. The bird stuck its beak up at him. Green eyes glowed. Their gazes touched, and the bird flapped large gray wings and flew up, then bent back in a circle, heading straight toward the window.
    A caw of green light spewed from its beak.
    Closer.
    Closer.
    The wings flapped up, halting the bird before it hit the window. Madoc’s eyes widened, and his heart leapt into his throat. He stepped back and wheeled about.
    She sat on the edge of the bed, watching him. An explosion of brown hair fell in tangles over her shoulders. Her blue eyes slowly blinked as if she woke from a long slumber.
    The hells. His body heated, and the ticks slowed. He froze time and her in it.
    She lived. How could that be?
    He walked to the bed and stared at her. His bite had not killed her. She sat before him, her eyes wide open like the stormy sea. Her nose… He could ask her about her nose. His throat tightened, and he swallowed hard. He had found his mate. His heart leapt, and a huge smile danced in his soul. He laughed out loud.
    Her face scrunched, and she tore from the time freeze. He had not let time slip. Of course he couldn’t freeze her. She was Zir. His lips twitched as he held in another burst of giddy laughter and the urge to dance around the room. His soul lifted as if it was the very first time he’d frozen a human. No, this was so much more.
    “Stop doing whatever black magic you are doing to me!” she spat out with fury. “Where am I?” She pushed to her feet and with haste removed herself to the sitting room of his suite. Their gazes met and locked.
    She could not have placed more distance between them in this room. She threw a bucket of water on his flames. He wanted to hug her, and she wanted to flee. Of course she did. He inhaled, trying to calm his nerves. Before she accepted this, he needed to tell her all.
    “Fina. You are at my suite.”
    “You presume to bring me here? I did not give you my name, so do not use it. And you…you bit me. I want nothing to do with you and whatever you are.” She ran for the door.
    Madoc reached her the instant her hand hit the doorknob. He pressed the hard wood closed. “Miss, there is much I need to tell you. I will not let you leave this room until I have said my piece.”
    “You will not let me? How will you stop me?” She revolved toward him and lifted her knee, slamming the bony barb into his manhood.
    Pain sliced though his body, and he leaned more heavily on the door. Flashes burst behind his eyes, and he inhaled a breath, trying to regain control.
    She reeled from