István rolled his eyes but, at the sound of Drake yelling, bolted up the stairs.

“Ouch,” Jim said from where it sat on a settee, calmly reading the paper. A crash reverberated through the house. “Did that sound to you like the noise a wyvern’s head makes when he’s slammed up against the wall? ’Cause that’s what it sounded like to me.”

“I told Gabriel to stay out of the way and let his mom deal with Aisling, but he insisted that he’s had more experience with dragons than she has. I just hope Drake calms down and realizes he’s trying to help.” I glanced at one of the security systems that scanned visitors at the front door, saw the green light that indicated the person was not armed, and punched in the code to unlock the door, flinging it open with a relieved, “Thank heavens you’re here. Aisling isn’t fully dilated, but Drake is going berserk—oh.”

The person standing on the steps wasn’t the midwife, wasn’t even a dragon for that matter.

“My interest is not with Aisling Grey today, fully dilated or not,” Dr. Kostich said, brushing past me into the house, followed by a man and a woman. “I told you that I would return just as soon as my apprentices could be summoned. This is Jack and Tully. We are here to make plans regarding the dragon you refer to as Baltic.”

“I’m sorry, but things are a little hectic right now. Perhaps you could come back later? Aisling has gone into labor, and everyone is running around making sure she’s comfortable.”

“I just told you my business was not with her,” Dr. Kostich answered, stripping off leather gloves and removing his heavy overcoat. “We will meet with the green and silver wyverns to discuss matters. I have exactly two hours I can give this subject.”

“Yes, but—”

He pinned me back with a look that had me wanting to shadow. “This is not a courtesy visit, Mei Ling, nor is your participation optional.”

I was aware of a subtle pressure to do as he bade, a pressure that would probably have sent a mortal running to do as he wanted without thinking twice about it. But I was not a mortal, nor was I about to let him run roughshod over everyone.

“Ooh, a demon. Can I pet it?” the man named Jack asked as he examined Jim.

“If you give me five bucks, I’ll let you rub my belly,” Jim said, rolling over onto its back.

Jack laughed and obliged.

I turned back to Dr. Kostich. “I’m sorry, but things are too disturbed right now to have this meeting. Aisling is in labor.”

“And, according to you, will probably be so for hours,” snapped Kostich, shouldering me aside and heading for the sitting room. “We could have this business done before she has need of her wyvern.”

I hesitated a second, wondering if we could deal with Kostich and get rid of him before Aisling gave birth. From what I knew of birthings, they weren’t fast or immediate.

He took my hesitation as acknowledgment, gesturing toward me as he went into the sitting room. “Let us be done with this business quickly.”

As he disappeared, I stared after him, wanting to give him the rough side of my tongue, but knowing it wouldn’t be a wise course.

“Arrogant, pushy mage,” I said under my breath.

The man named Jack evidently heard me.

“Archimage, actually. That’s the difference, you know,” he said, looking up from where he was squatting next to a gently moaning Jim, scratching the demon’s belly. “We lowly mages don’t get to push anyone around, but the second you become an archimage? Blammo! You’re da man.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude,” I muttered.

He stopped scratching Jim (over the demon’s protests) and strolled over to me, a friendly smile on his face. “No offense taken. I’ve never seen a real doppelganger before. You’re not what I expected.”

He was slightly taller than me, with short, bright red hair, and a heavy splattering of freckles.

“I have to admit that I’m having a bit of trouble with you, as well,” I said with a smile. “You are a mage, yes?”

“Would my apprentices be anything but mages?” Dr. Kostich asked from the doorway. He looked annoyed. “Is this a delay tactic?”

“No. I’ll get the others, although I make no guarantee that Drake will be willing to leave Aisling. Or Gabriel, for that matter.”

He grunted and returned to the room.

Jack’s smile changed to an outright grin. “He may seem a bit brusque, but he’s actually really concerned about this dragon mage.”

“I have no doubt he is.” I took his coat, and the one handed to me by the silent woman.

“Jack!” Kostich yelled from the room. “Bring me the satchel!”

Jack grabbed a leather case and waggled his eyebrows at me as he hurried off to do his master’s bidding.

“Hiya. I’m Jim,” the demon said, strolling over to sniff the woman. It looked puzzled for a moment. “You’re not a mage.”

“Yes, I am. Well, I’m an apprentice,” she said, giving Jim’s head a quick pat before turning to me. “Dr. Kostich said you were a dragon’s mate?”

“That’s right. I’m May. Gabriel, the silver wyvern, is my mate.”

She examined me curiously for a few seconds before excusing herself with a slight smile. “I’m sorry. I’m being intolerably rude, aren’t I? It’s just that I’ve never seen a wyvern’s mate. I expected you to be . . . bigger.”

“Unlike Jack, you look just how I expect a mage to look,” I said with a little smile of my own.

“How’s that?” she asked, her eyebrows rising slightly. She was a tall woman, tall and willowy, with long, straight ash blond hair, eyes so dark they were almost black, and a narrow, delicate-boned face. There was something comfortable about her, a sense of ease and warmth that reminded me of the pleasure found in returning home after a long trip.

“Well . . . I hope this doesn’t sound rude, but it’s been my experience that mages are always very reserved, keeping to their own. They’re very controlled, as well. And extremely mysterious, like they are holding tight to any number of secrets, and that pleases them.”

Her smile grew a few degrees warmer. “That is a very apt description of mages, but I’m afraid that I am a much duller creature than that. I am not a very successful apprentice, you see. Dr. Kostich hopes that the experience to be gained by helping with this mysterious dragon will go far to further my education.”

“I’m sure it will.” I nodded toward the sitting room. “If you want to go in there, I’ll go see if I can get the others, although honestly, this would be better done another time.”

“According to Dr. Kostich, there is no time left,” Tully said, gliding toward the door. I watched her for a moment, startled by the word as it popped into my mind. She didn’t just walk; she glided, her movements so graceful they were almost dreamlike.

“May,” Jim said, nudging my hand with its wet nose.

“Why do I have a feeling that’s a truer statement than I’d like?” I asked myself as I made a beeline for the stairs.

“Because it is true,” Jim said, following me.

I glanced down at it. “What do you mean?”

“That Tully person isn’t a mage.”

“She said she was.”

“Yeah, well, she lied. Or no . . .” The demon’s face twisted into an abstracted expression. “Not lied. Just wasn’t speaking the truth.”

“What’s the difference?” I asked as we headed down the hall toward Aisling’s room. I froze for a moment when I saw who was stretched out on the floor, Tipene hovering over him, before I bolted the last few steps. “István! I asked you to stop Drake from killing Gabriel. How badly is he hurt?”

“Not seriously,” the love of my life answered, his lip split, and his right eye swollen shut. “Drake was a little upset when Aisling had a particularly hard contraction. Savian tried to intervene.”

“I think I’m dead,” Savian moaned from where he lay on the floor of the bathroom next to Catalina’s room.

“I’d hate to see what Drake would do when he’s really upset,” I said, gently touching Gabriel’s face. “You would insist on being in there.”

“My head is killing me.” Savian hauled himself up to a sitting position, his hand gingerly feeling his face. He touched a tender spot, wobbled for a moment, then fell backwards onto the bath mat. “Ow.”

Gabriel grimaced as Tipene applied a bit of salve to his lip and eye. “I have delivered more dragons than my mother. Her experience is mostly with mortals, but Drake did not feel that mattered. He preferred her to me.”

“Seriously, I think I’m dead. Could one of you nice healers come and heal my broken head?”

“I think, my love, that in this you should have heeded your mother,” I said, gently kissing his nose when Tipene had finished with him.

He gave me a lopsided smile. “I’m willing to concede that point. Is the midwife here?”

“I’m a ghost, aren’t I? I died and now you all can’t hear me, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life haunting this bathroom with a headache that would drop an elephant. Hello,” Savian said as Jim wandered over and peered down into the thief taker’s face. “Are you an angel?”

“Ex-sprite, now a demon. Ash isn’t going to like you bleeding all over her bathroom. You gonna clean all your brains and gunk up? Someone could slip on them and hurt himself.”

“My brains,” Savian whimpered, and I took pity on him.

“No midwife as yet, although she’s expected momentarily. Tipene, would you?” I asked, nodding toward the prostrate Savian.

Savian greeted him with soft little coos of relief.

“I’m sure your mother will do just fine with Aisling,” I told Gabriel as I helped him to his feet. “Unfortunately, the person at the door was Dr. Kostich.”

Gabriel’s smile slipped. “Don’t tell me he’s here to discuss the situation with Baltic?”

“Yes. Do you think Drake will be willing to leave Aisling?”

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could do so, a tremendous blast shook the house, the force of it so great I could feel the entire structure shake.

I shadowed out of sheer instinct, following Gabriel as he spun around and raced down the stairs. Behind me I could hear Drake’s bellowed question, but I paid that little mind as I leaped down the last couple of steps into the entrance hall.

Another percussion blast shook the house, the shock wave of which caused painful pressure on my ears. “Agathos daimon! What is it?” I asked as I deshadowed.

The three people standing staring at the front door slowly turned to face us. Tipene and Maata skidded to a stop behind us.

“We’re too late,” Dr. Kostich said, his face utterly blank. “He’s here.”

A third blast hit the house. I covered my ears, biting back a cry of pain.

Drake and his bodyguards jumped over the balustrade from the floor above, landing as light on their feet as cats. “Damn him,” Drake snarled, punching a few buttons on the security-system panel. “He would pick now to do this. István, put out the call to the others that we will need them. Pál, ready the lair. I’ll take Aisling down to it. He can bring the house down around our ears, but she’ll be safe in there. Kostich, what are you doing here?”

“Trying to prevent disaster, but I fear I am too late.” He eyed us all for a moment, then spoke quickly. “We will do what we can to aid you. Jack, see to the seals on the ground floor. Tully, you take the upstairs rooms. Do not forget to set traps at any entrance point, no matter how insignificant it might seem.”

Jack hurried off to do as he was bidden. Tully hesitated a second. “I don’t know that my traps and seals are strong enough to stop a dragon, master.”

“They don’t have to stop them. They just have to alert us to any breach. Go now. I, myself, will see to strengthening the front door, since that appears to be where the focus of his attack is being made.”

Kostich suited action to word, his hands flying in intricate patterns as he wove a net made of arcane magic across the front door.

Drake watched him for a moment before deciding it was adequate. He turned to us. “Gabriel?”

“This is my fight as much as yours,” Gabriel answered, pulling out the shadow sword. “More so, since it concerns my mate. We will form the frontline defense.”

“Oh man, it’s Baltic?” Jim had managed to make it down the stairs without being heard, something not common for the hefty dog. “He’s got a hell of a sense of timing.”

I left them planning their defense to hurry over to Jim.

“What are you doing here? Go back and protect Aisling,” I ordered it.

“She wanted to know what was going on. And she threatened to castrate me because I’m male, and that somehow makes me to blame for the pain.”

“Well, go back and help Kaawa get her ready to move,” I said, shooing it.

“I’m a dog,” it said in an exasperated voice. “No opposable thumbs, remember?”

“You’re right.” I narrowed my eyes at it for a moment, pushed past my limit on patience. “Effrijim, by the power granted to me by your demon lord, I command you to take human form. Clothed human form.”

“Oh, man . . . ,” it said, its voice a whine that trailed off as its body shifted form into that of a black-haired, black-eyed man of bulky build in jeans and a T-shirt. It looked down at itself. “How’m I ever going to tell Cecile about this?”

“You can go back to your normal form just as soon as we take care of this situation,” I said quickly, shoving it toward the stairs. “Go help Kaawa and Aisling. And don’t scare her.”

“Like she’s not gonna freak when she sees me come marching in without my fabulous form?” Jim trudged up the stairs, loosening the belt of its pants as it climbed. “I just bet you—aw, damn! I was right! This form totally sucks in the package department!”

“GO!” I yelled, pointing at the top of the stairs.

A fourth blast rocked the house, this time accompanied by the sound of glass tinkling in one of the back rooms.

Nora appeared at the top of the stairs, her eyes wide as she stared behind her. “I’m not quite sure. . . . Was that Jim?”

“Yes. Is Aisling all right?” I asked as Drake came over to us.

“She’s fine, just concerned about what’s going on.”

“I’m taking her to the lair,” Drake said, moving past us at a speed that was most definitely not human. “Nora, you and René will stay with her?”

“Of course. René is with her now, trying to distract her. Let me get some things to make her more comfortable. . . .”

Nora ran after Drake, the two of them heading upstairs, as Tipene and Maata scattered, assumably to check the windows.

Kostya suddenly emerged from the basement, tucking his shirt into his pants, his hair slicked back and wet. Cyrene was on his heels, her hair likewise wet, her clothing just as disarranged.

“What’s going on?” Kostya asked. “We heard an explosion.”

“We thought at first it was just really fabulous sex, but then we noticed the towels were coming off the shelf next to the sauna, and we realized something else was going on,” Cyrene said, hurriedly buttoning her blouse. “It’s Fiat, isn’t it? He’s come to steal me now that he knows I’m really and truly Kostya’s mate! I just knew he would.”

Kostya froze for a moment. “It’s not Fiat. It’s Baltic,” he said, his voice filled with anger.

“Oh, him,” Cyrene said, frowning. “He doesn’t seem to want to steal me. What does he want now?”

Everyone looked at me.

I sighed. “Me, I’m afraid. Or, rather, the shard.”

“Not just one shard,” Gabriel corrected. “All of them. He waited until all the shards were brought together before attacking.”

“He wants the dragon heart,” Kostya said softly, and there was so much blackness in his voice, I shivered and moved closer to Gabriel.

Instantly, his arm was warm around me, offering both comfort and protection. “I will not let him harm you, little bird.”

“I know,” I said, smiling up at him. “I have every confidence that we’ll be able to repel him as we’ve done before, but, Gabriel, this has to stop.”

“It will stop. It will stop now,” Kostya said, striding out of the hall to Drake’s study. He returned a moment later with a couple of long swords in his hands, sending Cyrene a querying glance. “I assume you don’t know how to use this?”

“You assume wrong,” she said, obviously taking him by surprise, as she held out her hand for the sword. “All the sisters of Hydriades are versed in swordplay. We had a retreat seven or so hundred years ago, after some crusaders got a little frisky with our members, and we all learned how to use long swords, short swords, flails, and halberds. I did the optional course on throwing axes and culverins, but I much prefer a nice Glock to the latter.”

Kostya stared at her for a moment before shaking his head and taking up a stance at the front door, the barrage from outside having momentarily stopped. “Stay in the back, Cyrene, and protect yourself. You will not be battling mortal crusaders this time.”

“You will cease speaking of me as if I am a hindrance,” she said, straightening up to her full height, indignation causing her back to stiffen. “I have protected myself for centuries before you were born, dragon. Besides, I have demon lord powers now. I can use those, too.”

Kostya rolled his eyes and turned his attention back on the front door.

“You know, Drake would probably be happy for an extra hand to protect Aisling,” I said thoughtfully, wanting to get her out of the immediate battle area. Despite the truth in her statement, I worried over the thought of her trying out newfound powers without supervision. “She and Nora would be able to give you advice about Magoth’s powers, too.”

Cyrene thought about that for a moment, obviously cherishing a mental vision of herself as a female Saint George ready to slay a dragon. “But then I wouldn’t be able to help Kostie.”

“Kostie will have us to help him,” I said, fighting a smile. “This is not a moment for thoughts of glory, Cyrene. Aisling is in a very vulnerable state and Drake’s dragons will be stretched rather thin.”

She nodded. “You’re right. Poor Aisling. I will go and defend her and her baby. No one will get past me. Maybe Nora can tell me how to summon up all of Magoth’s legions? I bet I could order them to help protect her, too.”

I had a horrible moment where I envisioned the house full of demons running amok under Cy’s command, but realized that there was no way Nora would ever let Cyrene summon anything. “Thanks, Cy. We’ll hold down the fort here.”

“Viva la black dragons,” she called out, blowing Kostya a kiss before heading for the kitchen and the stairs down into the underground lair.

Savian staggered down the stairs, listing to starboard and weaving somewhat, but relatively hale and hearty as he joined us.

“You don’t think she’ll really summon demons, do you?” Kostya asked me, looking momentarily unsure.

“Oh, she’ll want to, but no one will tell her how, and Cy doesn’t have a clue about how to do it on her own. I’m beginning to think she’s the ideal person for Magoth’s powers. She’ll never use them.”

He nodded and turned back to the door.

“Where are your supermodels?” I asked, suddenly realizing what was missing.

“My what?”

“Your female guards.”

He looked nonplussed. “They . . . er . . . Cyrene thought they would be better suited to duty elsewhere.”

“Ah.” I bit my lower lip to keep from laughing. I had no doubt that one of the first things Cy would do was to get rid of his harem.

But before I could say anything, before Kostya could turn back to the door, before so much as a second passed, the entire front entryway of the house exploded, sending us flying backwards in a barrage of glass, wood, plaster, and metal.