Chapter Ten
For the first time since she had been taken as the dragon’s pet, Aria left Vyktor’s room without his knowledge or permission. After several hours of ignoring her while she sulked, he was fast asleep in bed. She was sure of that. She had tested it by waving her hands over his face, pretending to touch his treasured items, and finally, simply by sneaking out.
It was with no small amount of trepidation that she approached the general known as Eldor. She had to ask several dragons where the man was first, none of whom encouraged her in her mission.
“You don’t want to find Eldor,” the last one told her. “He is in a terrible temper, and he does not have any fondness for humans.”
“But I need to talk to him. It’s important.” She tried not to blush furiously, knowing that this man, like all the others, had seen her in the most intimate of situations. Chained and fucked and…
“He’s up there,” the dragon informed her. “Be careful.”
Aria crept up the winding staircase the dragon had pointed toward. It led to a cold office space, in which the dragon Eldor was looming in his cloak.
He was not a fan of hers, she knew that, but this had to be discussed. She wished more than anything that she had some clothes on. She had gotten used to being naked around Vyktor, but this dragon gave her the chills. He looked at her with a cold sort of anger and hunger she did not trust.
“Uhm, hello?” She tried for a smile and waved her fingers in a sort of placating fashion.
“What do you want, human? Where is your master?” He snapped the questions roughly at her.
“I want to help,” she said, getting straight to the point. “I know you’re trying to get a truce. If you give me a message, I will pass it onto command. I just need you to take me down to a vaguely civilized area somewhere in California. I can take it from there.”
“You wish to help us?” Eldor cocked his head to the side, his dark eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Why?”
“I want to end this war,” Aria said. “Helping you helps ending the war.”
“And you want to escape your master’s clutches, I bet. What assurance do I have that you will do as you say? If I set you free, there is nothing to stop you simply running away without delivering the message at all.”
“I don’t want to run away,” Aria said, feeling strangely embarrassed before this old dragon and his piercing gaze. “I want to help end this.”
“Even though it will mean losing your master.”
“I was a pilot,” she said. “I know what sacrifice is. I risked my life every day I flew. This is just my heart. Besides, I can always come back, can’t I?”
Eldor let out a snort. He didn’t believe her. He was talking to her the way a cat person might address a talking dog, with disdain, but inescapable interest.
“I do not trust you, human. But it seems to me that I do not have any choice but to trust you,” he said. “I take it your master does not know you are here talking to me.”
“He told me he wouldn’t consider my plan,” she said. “But it’s the only way this can work. You have to send me. And you have to do it quickly.” She could feel tears pricking her eyes as she did her best to keep a stoic, brave front. She didn’t want to leave Vyktor, and she hated that she was going to have to leave this way, without so much as a goodbye.
“Return to your master’s rooms,” Eldor said. “I will send for him and tell him that there is a matter which requires his urgent attention. You will then be flown to your leaders. Do not speak a word about this to him. He will not take kindly to this idea.”
“Oh, I know,” Aria said. “I know.”
* * *
She sneaked back into the room, where Vyktor was still sleeping. She looked down at him for a long moment, wondering if she could really do this. She was going to miss him. A lot. And he was going to be so very, very angry with her. She took a deep breath, almost losing her resolve. Before she could, she leaned down and woke him up with a kiss to his hard, masculine cheek.
“Hello, pet,” he smiled up at her, opening his eyes. “In a better mood now?”
“Yes,” she said, lying down next to him to rest her head upon his chest. This would be the last time she would ever feel his body beneath hers. The last time his warmth would comfort and reassure her. God. She could feel tears coming to her eyes already. How was she going to do this? How was she going to…
“Vyktor!” Eldor walked into the room without knocking. “There’s a disturbance on the north face of the mountain. Take a unit and inspect it!”
“Of course,” Vyktor said, immediately rising to action. “Do you think the humans have found our base?”
“They may have done,” Eldor lied. Aria was struck by how smoothly he did it. Untruth flowed from his tongue as easily as truth. It sent a little shiver up her spine watching him effectively betray Vyktor. But it was for a good cause. It was to end the war.
“See you soon, pet,” Vyktor said, dropping a kiss on her head.
“Yeah,” Aria replied, blinking back the tears that threatened to give everything away. “Bye.”