They were too far away to hear any shouts or cries, but the sound of gunshots cracked across the water. Even though she knew that bullets couldn’t penetrate the dragon’s thick, tough hide, Pia twitched at every one.
Dragos reached the boat, slammed into the mast, took hold of it in both forepaws and snapped it in two. Small, faraway figures leaped into the water as he tore the boat to shreds with a savagery that took Pia’s breath. As the pieces sank under foaming waves, he rose to hover in the air and turn his attention to the men who swam away.
“Nobody threatens my family and lives.” The dragon’s deep voice rolled over the waves like thunder. “Nobody.”
He plummeted down.
Pia turned her attention to Liam’s wide-eyed, round little face. “Don’t look, my love,” she said gently. She put a hand over his eyes and turned away from the sight.
***
Liam was clingy when they got back to the house. Pia didn’t blame him. She felt clingy too. He whined and indicated he was hungry. Dragos pulled a roast chicken from the fridge and set it on the kitchen floor so he could eat. She and Dragos sat on the floor beside him, while Eva and Hugh stood in the doorway and watched.
He gorged until his belly was visibly distended. Then he climbed into Pia’s lap. She pored over every inch of his slender, white body to make sure he hadn’t been injured in any way, and she pressed careful fingers against his rib cage and legs. He didn’t evidence any sign of pain or discomfort. Instead he stretched under her touch, sighing with pleasure, and fell deeply, instantly asleep.
“The young are incredibly resilient,” Dragos murmured. He put a hand lightly on top of Liam’s head.
“For which I’m very grateful,” Pia said. “I wonder if he’s too young to remember what happened.”
His gold gaze flashed up to hers. “I hope he remembers everything. I hope it scared him. He’s got dangerous abilities, and he going to grow up in a world full of enemies. He has to learn discipline early and to not go off by himself.”
“That sounds so hard,” she whispered.
“It is hard, but I have faith in him,” Dragos said. “He may be small, but he’s already proven that he has a big soul. He can handle it. And in the meantime, we’ll put bars on his bedroom windows.”
“I want them installed before we get home.” She rubbed dry, tired eyes. The thought of him possibly getting loose outside the penthouse, so high off the ground, made her feel physically ill.
“They will be. I’ll make the call in a few minutes.”
“My lord.” Hugh spoke hesitantly.
Both Pia and Dragos turned to the other man who knelt in front of him. Hugh’s plain, bony face bore an anguished expression. As he opened his mouth to speak, Dragos told him in a weary voice, “Just don’t. It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t Eva’s fault.”
“If anything, it was our fault,” Pia said. “Liam’s evolving so fast, we haven’t seen in time all the implications of what that might mean. We have to start thinking faster and planning better.”
Hugh didn’t appear convinced, but at least he fell silent.
“Open up a bottle of wine,” Dragos told him. “We’ve all earned a drink.”
The other man’s expression lightened somewhat, and he rose to his feet.
Dragos turned to Pia. He asked telepathically, How are you doing?
I’m tired. She looked down at Liam and stroked his back. And so grateful. And you?
The same. He paused. Do you want to go home?
Her head came up. Hell, no. We are, by God, going to have our vacation. We had a really bad, bad day, but it’s over with now. They were dumb jerks, and I will not let them be that important. Unless, of course, you want to go home.
He smiled. Hell, no.
She suddenly remembered and said out loud, “There’s a motorboat floating around with a fortune in treasure on it.”
“And more sitting on the ocean floor,” Dragos added.
Hugh handed them each a glass of wine. Pia clinked her glass against Dragos. “You’ve got your work cut out for you tomorrow.”
Epilogue
Liam slept for a very long time. When he woke up, he was cuddled in bed with Mommy under warm, soft covers. As he lifted his head, she said, “Good morning, my love. Did you sleep well?”
He nodded and looked at the empty space in the bed.
“Daddy has gone to find the boat we lost, and to collect some treasure. You and I are going to spend the day on the beach. Does that sound good to you?”
He nodded again.
She dressed in shorts and a tank top and took him to the kitchen. He shapeshifted into his dragon form and she fed him a delicious breakfast of tender, sautéed pork tenderloin, which he gobbled up. He watched with interest as she ate her breakfast of cantaloupe and blueberries, until she noticed his attention and offered him bites of fruit. He gobbled that up too.