Night Critters (Collection) (21 page)

Staci nodded, not wanting to shriek above the wind and thunder. Instead, she pointed in the general direction of the poorest manufacturing district. Anyone who lived there was the most destitute. She'd been there several times when her mother drove to pick up some waif Social Services had identified as needing foster care, and knew the area well enough to scope it for victims from the air. “Then we're off to Hell's Half Acre. Stay in human form if you can. They'll be scared of your Foo Dog form.” She stepped on the platform and caught the next gust that would take her above the city.

Jiao leapt into the air after her and quickly caught up to her. He held out his hand and shouted above the wind. A particularly loud clap of thunder drowned out his words, but his meaning was clear enough. If they held hands, the storm would not separate them. Since he was heavier because of the pack and his greater size, he would be an anchor point.

Staci took the offered hand and clasped them together hand-to-wrist. His strong grip hurt slightly, but better a little pain than a long cold trip to the ground if a downdraft caught her. His determined gaze met hers, and they set off to fly above the gale as much as possible.

As soon as she judged they'd crossed into Hell's Half Acre, Staci led Jiao down to the roof of a tall warehouse to reconnoiter. The flooding was so bad it rose several feet in surging waves, enough to sweep a walker off his feet. The area had never flooded before, and the amount of water was astonishing.

From their position, they had a relatively clear view of several blocks, and Jiao quickly pointed to their first flood victims. A woman clung to a baby and a small boy on the roof of their home, cowering every time the lightning struck.

Jiao launched himself from the roof before Staci could warn him. The treacherous winds funneled to hurricane force between the structures. He struggled through the first corridor, but the blast from the second sent him careening violently into a large hemlock at the center of what probably had been a small park. The water swirled violently below, promising a wet, cold death from drowning to anyone who attempted to swim. Jiao's mouth opened, and his roar of pain bellowed out above the storm's howl.

Staci waited for an abatement of the winds and took off. The risk was huge. At the end of the first corridor of winds was a massive brick and glass building, a relic of the late twentieth century. If she slammed into that, it would only be a question of how she died—shredded on broken glass, or drowning in the flood below. Once safely ensconced on a ledge, with her back to another building to protect her from the main force of the wind, she looked for Jiao.

The Foo Dog man climbed to the topmost branches that would bear his weight, and once again dove into the air. This time, he made it to the rooftop and covered the sobbing woman and children with his wings as a makeshift shelter from the storm.

Perversely, Staci envied the woman her position inside Jiao's wings. However, she didn't have time to wonder at the ball of heated jealousy in the pit of her stomach that screamed “Mine!” The wind died for a moment, and Staci took the opportunity to join them on the roof, where Jiao clung to a small vent stack as his only means of support.

The small blond boy peeped from between Jiao's wings and shouted, “Mommy! See? Two angels to help us!” He darted out and jumped into Staci's arms.

Jiao chuckled and let the young, drenched mother check on her son's safety. “Yes, we are angels of mercy today. Will you permit us to take you to a place where you can get warm and dry?"

The woman gulped back her sobs and nodded. The baby, seeming to sense their rescue was at hand, also stopped crying and put a thumb in its pink mouth.

Staci cuddled the child with the pointed ears of the Fair Folk, while checking him for injuries surreptitiously. Other than a bruise on his forehead, the little elf was fine. “Yes, Peanut. Would you like to go flying with me?"

"Yes, ma'am! Then we can find my Daddy. He went to work today, so he's okay.” The little boy's fey eyes proclaimed his gift of foresight. “He's waiting for us in the big white building with the red cross on the side."

Jiao met Staci's gaze. “You know this place?"

Staci nodded and secured the boy in her arms. “Yup. ECC Central. All we have to do is get them to the checkpoint. They'll see the family is reunited.” She grinned down at her little passenger. “So, will you tell us when the wind dies again, so we can fly safely?"

The elf child nodded. “Get ready. Hold Mommy tight, Mr. Angel. Here it comes.” He counted on his fingers. “Now!"

Just as the little mite predicted, the howling wind died, and the silence deafened Staci's ears far more than the thunder. She launched skyward, praying for enough lift to find space above the buffeting gale. The incandescent red beacon from the rescue units was easy to spot.

Jiao, with his heavier burden, followed Staci's lead to shelter and safety. No sooner had they touched down than the little boy squirmed out of Staci's arms and ran to Jiao. Once the little tyke had assured himself his mother was on her feet and the baby was fine, he grabbed Jiao's hand. “Don't worry. You will be forgiven.” With that enigmatic statement, he took his mother's hand and led her to the waiting ECC officials.

Staci put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to one side. She stared for a moment at their former passengers. Once they were safely on the ground, the wind had renewed its icy blast. “What the heck was that about? Did you do something wrong, Jiao?"

The big man hung his head. “Yes, I did. This storm is my fault. When I cursed you with one day of bad luck, apparently I caused a wide-ranging effect that generated this storm. My shame is great. I have confessed my crime and asked to be relieved of my post.” His words slurred like a drunken man's after a three-day binge. Strangely, he wasn't shivering, and he seemed unable to rise from his kneeling position. After two attempts to stand, he fell over on his side.

Staci knelt beside him. His skin was icy to the touch, much worse than her own. “Jiao! What's wrong?"

His answer was a sleepy mumble. “Everything. I am alone and incomplete."

Staci's heart broke at the loneliness and sorrow in his tone. She shook his shoulder. Then the memory of her studies about the Foo Dog's metabolism and habits rushed to the fore. Sometimes Foo Dogs mated with dragons, and Jiao had wings. Most Foo Dogs did not. “Jiao! Stay with me. Was one of your parents a dragon? Speak to me, damn it!"

Jiao roused and struggled to keep his eyes open. “My honored mother was an Imperial Dragon."

Staci didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Part of her wanted to hit him for cursing her and her city with bad luck, and the rest of her wanted to cuddle him and tell him it would be okay. Fortunately, she took door number two, but couldn't resist a reprimand. “I always knew Murphy had a face, and you're it, buddy. Right now, though, it looks like you're beating yourself up sufficiently to pay for your curse. I want to see you live long enough to enjoy the consequences."

She hit him on his shoulder and felt her knuckles hit stone. “Don't you dare turn to stone! Don't you dare! Everyone has a weakness. Your kryptonite just happens to be cold."

Jiao couldn't answer. His face was turning gray, and she could see his body shifting to that of the winged stone dog statue. His sweatshirt and blue jeans ripped as his body expanded and hardened. If she didn't do something quickly, he'd be trapped as his statue form. Somehow, she knew he would not be able to return to human form without help.

Even though she trembled with fear and cold, Staci cracked her knuckles. She'd never attempted to perform the elemental magic of the Michael Nephylum her mother commanded with ease. In desperation, she laid her hands on his chest and visualized as her mother had tried to teach her. As a teenager, she'd failed because she had not seen the point of learning to master a fire sword. Now she had a very good reason—to save a life. A tiny spark was all she got. “Damn it! Volcanoes!"

Even envisioning Mt. Vesuvius failed to do more than warm her hands. Staci cursed fluently.

Jiao's jeans ripped more, revealing a cock a porn star would envy. It had to be at least nine inches in length and nearly as thick as her wrist. “His Excellency” took on a whole new meaning.

Despite the danger of losing Jiao, her treacherous mind descended into the gutter and built a condo there. For a few heartbeats, she visualized jumping on that magnificent specimen for a wild ride. Her hands erupted in flames. “Wouldn't you know? I get hornier than a three-peckered billy goat, and I flame on? Figures."

Jiao moaned, and the area around her hands returned to flesh and bone. In fact, the pink area spread to his nipples, now visible through the shreds of his shirt. His delicious-looking nipples, as a matter of fact.

"Go with the flow, I always say.” Staci leaned down and nibbled on the delectable brown morsel. She could feel her body temperature rise, as if she had a fever, and her pussy clenched with need. Steam hissed off her body.

Jiao took a deep breath, his whole chest area now a healthy shade of pink. The gray receded with every passing moment. “Staci... please... people..."

His begging made her hornier. The grass surrounding them crackled and turned as brown as if it were under the searing heat of a summer day. Any second, she'd incandesce or finish ripping his jeans from his body and fuck him in front of every rescue team in the city.

With a roar so loud it momentarily deafened her, Jiao leapt to his feet, gathered her in his arms, and took off for the embassy at supersonic speed. Staci gasped and wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling that huge cock bump and nudge her pussy through her jeans with every wing beat. Sure, she could have struggled free and flown on her own, but she didn't want to leave Jiao's arms. “Does this mean I'm going to get laid for saving your life?"

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Geez, Jiao was strong. Staci hunkered under his body to minimize slipstream drag and drew her wings in as tightly as she could. She was still feverishly hot, in more ways than one, and used the reason of keeping herself horny to warm them both. She nibbled on any of his flesh exposed by the remains of his tee shirt. Yeah, so it was a flimsy justification. At that point, Staci didn't care.

The winds were less fierce, so Jiao's rumbling purr vibrated both her eardrums and her whole body. Yum! The man was a giant vibrator. If dragons purred, that is. “I am glad you're so willing to seek the clouds and rain with me."

Staci frowned for a moment, but kept right on enjoying a tasty brown nipple she'd nuzzled aside the shreds of his tee shirt to find. Clouds and rain? Must be a fancy Chinese expression for sex, since she doubted the phrase meant the storm. Still, the logical part of her brain barked warning that she was compromising her article and career and thereby his chances of getting aid to his country. Sex for a story was what her competitors would say if they learned about tonight. Not true, but whoever said lies needed more than circumstantial evidence? She'd have to find another way to help Jiao's cause after today. A half-assed plan formed. One that would allow her to enjoy the moment, and Staci resolved to do so. She'd make it right later.

Jiao landed on his balcony perch and threw open the doors one-handed. The carpeting was thicker, and the scent of incense wafted to her nose. Clearly, this wasn't Jiao's office. It looked like a private living room, with doors leading to more rooms of a large, luxurious suite. His grip on her heated body loosened. “I ask once more. Are you sure you wish this?"

Staci took the hint and unwrapped her legs reluctantly from his waist. Her feet descended into carpeting so thickly layered, she almost stumbled, but got her balance by hanging on to his waist. She looked up and studied his serious face. “Yeah, I'm sure. We'll deal with the consequences tomorrow, okay?"

"True. There will be much to answer for. I am willing to do so, but not now.” His jade eyes were sad for a moment, and then he blinked once. Lust replaced sorrow, and he smiled slowly. “You have done much for me, and I have only answered your kindness with anger. I wish to redeem my honor in your eyes.” He sighed once. “Will you trust me when I say I wish only for your pleasure?"

She cocked her head to one side. “Only if you understand I am out for your pleasure, too."

He nodded. “We have flown together, but not as mates. Today would be a bad choice to do a mating sky dance. We will assume this once the wooing and winning in the sky has already happened?"

The question held such intensity, Staci blinked in confusion. No, she had no interest in fighting the wind and cold. Then, realization dawned. Dragons, according to legend, mated on the wing, at least at first. Maybe Foo Dogs did, too, if they had the power of flight. Staci allowed a slow, sensual smile to light her face. “Oh, yeah, babe. One of these bright sunny days, you might just have to chase me to the stratosphere. I love a good hunt and seek in the clouds."

He roared with laughter and yanked her to him. “Wooing and winning may happen for as long as we both desire.” He bent down until his lips were so close to hers, his breath tickled her cheek. “And I desire much."

"Me, too.” Staci closed the distance and locked lips with Jiao. The first kiss was no fluke. She was already hot, both literally and figuratively, and his kiss made her melt like chocolate in the sun.

No plain old lip rub and then tongue tonsillectomy for him. He nibbled her bottom lip until it was as sensitive as her wet and swollen sex below.

The wetness he generated in her pussy had no effect on the fire he called up elsewhere. Staci wasn't sure if she heard the carpet sizzle, or if that was her brain frying all its circuits.

Jiao's left arm reached around to capture her and pull her tighter into his embrace. His right hand crept up her back until it reached the neckline of her shirt. With one savage pull, her shirt was a tattered rag on the floor. Her jeans fared no better.

Not that Staci cared one bit about the damn clothes, but what was grain for the goose fed the gander, too. She tugged on the remains of his tee shirt until his chest was exposed. Not that he wore much more than rags, anyway. The jeans and tee were fit only for the recycler. His huge cock lay between them like a barrier, and occasionally bumped her lower belly as if it were requesting entry.