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“What happened to the others?” I tried a different tact.
“There was only one that I know of, and I killed it. There wasn’t enough room for two of us in this world. That’s all I’ll say.”
That was a lot to take in. Christian and I just stared at each other for a while with wide eyes.
“Someone say something,” Caleb said gruffly, sounding as ill-at-ease as I’d ever heard him. “It’s Jillian’s turn. Christian, ask her something uncomfortable.”
Christian recovered. “So when you were gone for six months giving birth, were you like in labor the whole time?” he asked me.
I studied him. His tone was light, teasing, but I could tell he very much wanted to know the answer.
“I’ve answered more questions than anyone else,” I told him. “If this was just an excuse to grill me, you’re going to need to pay up. You know how this little song and dance goes.”
I was a dragon. Everyone knew it now. We were stubborn, we hoarded treasure, and we did not give out our secrets for free.
He pursed his lips. “I’ll find something you want. Something shiny and irresistible to you. You know I’m good for it. Now give me the goods.”
He was right. He’d proven himself, and so I figured why not tell him. “I don’t know how long I was in labor, but it wasn’t for six months. It was for a few days, but afterward I went into a sleep.”
“A sleep?”
“A trancelike sleep. We do it every so often, after time or trauma wears on us too much. When we wake up we feel… much better. It’s not just for our bodies, but for our minds. It helps us cope with the burden of being immortal.”
He grinned, and it was bloodthirsty. My favorite flavor of Christian. “Some of your kind are about to be a whole lot less immortal.”
I nodded grimly. “Hear, hear.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
NO MORE HOES
When Dom came back he was alone and carrying a white hotel robe.
“Did you kill Henri?” Christian asked, only half-joking.
“He’s settling in. And I’ve convinced him to rein in his temper around you, Jillian. He won’t step out of line again. He’s given his word.”
As he spoke he tossed the robe at me. I caught it. “Dom,” I said slowly, wondering how to ask for this favor. “Those paintings he mentioned—”
“I’m handling it,” he cut in but didn’t elaborate. I took him at his word and dropped it.
“I’m taking the afternoon off,” he shocked me by adding. I didn’t even know he could do that. An Arch’s job was never done and all that stuff.
“Jillian, come with me. You two, stay out of trouble.”
I stood and he took the robe from me, threw it around my shoulders, and stuffed my arms in it one at a time before tying it tightly.
I rolled my eyes but let him do it.
He took my hand and started walking. I followed and we were halfway across the property when I asked, “Where are we going?”
“To bed,” he said, and it was enough.
We passed by a dozen druids, and they all saw us holding hands, me barely dressed, and heading up to his rooms in the middle of the day.
“The rumor mill is going to lose it over this,” I said.
“I don’t care and I never have. Did you want to rage at me some more before we…” He trailed off, just looking at me, waiting to see if I had something to say.
