CHAPTER TWENTY
Tem
Tem and Astrid sat on the hotel bed watching the news. His hands were clenched as he saw how Abalon spun what happened at Tem’s estate, or rather, his former estate. That house and land wasn’t his anymore. He regretted that. He loved the place and had looked forward to settling there again.
“He made you responsible for everything,” said Astrid bitterly.
“Of course he would,” said Tem. “I made things easy for him. The humans in the UK are mobilizing for dragon hunts and the rest of the world is being whipped into a frenzy over our supposed crimes. It won’t take long for Rhea to strike back, especially if any dragon is harmed.”
Tem hated how it had all turned out. Innocent men were dead and Abalon still held a position of power he never should have had. And now he and Astrid were not just fugitives in their own country, but world-wide fugitives. Their pictures littered the newsfeeds and social media platforms.
Astrid stared out of the hotel window.
"I've always wanted to visit Paris with the man I loved," she said wistfully.
Tem put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.
"Paris is for lovers," he said.
"Are we?" she said. "Lovers?"
It struck Tem that he had not said those words to Astrid. He could make excuses. Everything happened too fast, their meeting, their mating, the impossible situation they were embroiled in. But Astrid didn't deserve excuses. She saved his life and not just when she unlocked his chains in Hawthorne prison.
"Are you sorry," he asked, "for meeting me?"
"Oh no!" she said quickly. "Yes, things have turned out poorly, and they don't look like they are going to get any better in the foreseeable future. But I'd rather be with you during the worst time of my life than anyone else in the best."
"That," he said, "sounds a bit dotty."
She gave a rueful half laugh. "I suppose. But it's as if I've been looking for you all my life. I know it sounds incredible, but I feel like you have been calling to me each day of my life."
"Now that really does sound dotty!"
Astrid picked up a pillow and hit him on the head.
"Hey!" he said laughing. "Watch it. You are a danger with that thing."
"The only thing dangerous here is you, Tem Rawlins. Big. Bad. Dragon."
She leaned in and gave him a searing kiss. Her juicy lips pressed into his and he put his arms around her waist and flipped her to her back. He claimed her mouth, as the world fell away and it was only the two of them, here, now.
"You are so beautiful," he said as he peppered her neck and breasts with kisses. “So very sexy."
She squirmed beneath him and he smelled her arousal at his touch.
"Astrid," he said seriously looking deeply into her eyes.
"Yes, Tem."
"I have to say this. I want there to be no doubt for whatever happens in the future."
Concern filled her lovely eyes.
"Yes, Tem?"
"I love you. Now, and forever."
She smiled brightly. "Oh, is that all?" she said in a teasing voice.
"Yes," he growled. "That is all. There isn't anything else."
"Well, good. Because I love you too."
He descended on her again with many kisses up and down her body, growing hard with her writhing and moaning underneath him. How he wanted this woman.
But before they could really get started, there was a knock on the door.
"Don't answer it," said Astrid.
"We can't let Calvin stand in the hall while we take our pleasure."
She giggled. "Sometimes you say things in the most formal way."
"Hah, you should have heard me in Elizabethan England. Now that was a time when people fell over themselves to speak the Queen's English in the most interesting ways."
"Just how old are you, Templeton Rawlins?"
The knock at the door became more urgent.
"A dragon never tells," he said with a wink as he pushed up from the bed. Astrid stood too.
He checked the peephole and confirmed Calvin stood at the door. When he opened it, Calvin swept in carrying a number of bags. Astrid took a number of them from his hands and set them on the small table by the window.
"You owe me big time," said Calvin. "That gold dealer was a thief! Took a twenty percent commission for converting the gold to cash."
Tem rummaged through the bags.
"You've got enough gold, old man, to buy and sell anyone."
"You still owe me," grumbled Calvin.
Tem smiled at Astrid as he dug his hand in one bag with delicious smells. "Don't ever try to separate a dragon from his gold. For all he complains, I will be paying him back big time from my own hoard."
"And mind that you do." said Calvin crankily.
"Sushi, Calvin?"
"We are in Japan. It's all over the place."
"I don't mind. I love sushi. I just hope you got a lot of it."
"There's not enough sushi in the world to fill your dragon belly, but I did purchase enough to feed twelve humans."
"That should be enough for now."
"Here," said Calvin slinging a backpack to the chair. "There's a hundred thousand American dollars there, spendable almost anywhere."
"Almost?"
"Not popular in certain countries, but I doubt you'll be going to any of them."
"How much is that in pounds?" asked Astrid.
"82,000 give or take."
"That's just to get us situated," said Tem. "When things die down, I'll contact some of my banks and get what we need."
"Won't the authorities be looking out for that?" asked Astrid.
"Where I bank, the authorities don't care."
"The perks," said Calvin, "of doing business with people for centuries instead of years. Here," he said, tossing a box to Tem and then to Astrid. "You can go red," he said to Tem. Astrid I got you black. I hope that works."
Tem turned over the box of hair color. "You think this is necessary?"
"Yes, you shouldn't make new passports using your old pictures."
"But Tem can fly us anywhere we need to go," said Astrid.
"You'll need some sort of identification wherever you are."
"Okay," said Tem. "We'll take care of this."
"Here is the address of the man who will make the passports and IDs for you. He's expecting you anytime this afternoon."
"Sure, thanks, Calvin."
"Then I better get going. Rhea will start getting suspicious if I stay away too long."
"You don't have to do that," said Tem. "You can stay with us. It's a risk to go back to her palace."
"Someone has to keep an eye on Rhea and right now she thinks I'm one hundred percent loyal."
"I still don't understand why Abalon didn't tell the press about you," said Astrid.
"He'll make me into a monster when he wants to. Right now he wants to keep the conduit open to his mother. And that means me not falling into the hands of the authorities."
Astrid threw her arms around Calvin's neck and Tem had to restrain a growl. She just didn't know what it did to him to see her touch another male.
Hush, you, Astrid sent. It's just a friendly hug.
"Take care, Calvin, and keep in touch."
“You keep your head down and take care of that woman” Calvin said to Tem over Astrid’s shoulder.
“You can be sure I will.”
Tem shook Calvin’s hand and the door clicked shut behind him.
"So," said Astrid. "Here we are."
“Yes, here we are.”
“On the run,” said Astrid.
"With sushi," said Tem.
"Uh huh." She took one from the package and held it out to Tem.
"I can get used to you feeding me," said Tem with a sly smile.
"Hah," she said and pulled it away playfully.
"Hey," complained Tem.
‘Okay, okay,” she laughed and held it out to him. “After this though, there is going to be dessert.”
“What’s dessert?”
“You,” she said with a wicked smile.
The End