Ashes to Ashes Read online

  "This isn't quite how I envisioned our demise, Mike. I always figured it would be something less impressive than dragons." Alex closed his eyes against the smoke.

  A wet tongue touched his cheek and Alex jumped. "What the...." Mike stood over him, his form surrounded by a hazy orange glow. Mike barked, looking up at something over Alex's head. Alex shoved himself up into a sitting position and turned around. Somehow he was laying at the foot of the metal door that they'd come through what seemed like ages ago. Forcing himself to stand, Alex grabbed the latch for the deadbolt, the metal burning his hand as he touched it. The door swung open and he tumbled out into the clean air. Mike limped out after him, the tiny cage containing the emerald dragon in his mouth.

  Alex dug his cell phone out of his pocket. Small bubbles covered the screen and it refused to power up. Alex let it fall to the grass and closed his eyes. Just a quick nap....

  Chapter 8

  "You are an idiot."

  Alex opened his eyes at the sound of Jamie's voice. "Some days more than most," he said, his voice cracking.

  Jamie settled into a chair next to the bed. Alex wondered if she had been the one keeping watch over him while the Healers did their work. "You smell like a used ashtray."

  "Thanks. The rumor is that Mike and I have you to thank for finding us."

  Jamie shrugged. "Don did all the hard work."

  "But you asked him to Seek."

  "You would have done the same for me."

  "Still...," Alex said.

  "I haven't completely decided whether I forgive you for deceiving me."

  Alex tried to push himself up into a sitting position but only succeeded in inducing a coughing fit. "Come on, Jamie, I think I deserve a bit of a break. I did nearly get crispified by a dragon."

  "The Captain told me about the Fed...and that you turned in all the money."

  "You didn't really think I'd keep it, did you?"

  "For a second, I did. What was I supposed to think? You paid a grand for a pile of dusty, old feathers and didn't even bat an eye when some sleazy guy offers you an envelope of cash."

  "They were phoenix feathers," Alex said. "They're completely illegal, but several sects still use them in ritual magick. I couldn't stand the thought of leaving them there, but I couldn't afford the scene that writing him a ticket would have caused. I burnt them at Don's and Dustin's place that night. Trust me, my bank account will take a while to recover."

  "You still should have told me."

  "I intended to until I found out a Grimoire was involved." Alex chewed on his lower lip while he decided how much to say. "Bad things happen to people that get too close to the Grimoire of Malthus."

  A sadness clouded Jamie's eyes and Alex wondered how much the others had told her. He wouldn't put it past Don or Dustin to think they were doing him a favor by filling Jamie in on his background. "I expect coffee ready in the office every morning," Jamie said.

  "I can manage that."

  "And the fridge stocked with Diet Coke."

  Alex grimaced, he had no idea how she drank that foul stuff. "I can probably deal with that."

  "And a two hour lunch on Fridays."

  "You're pushing it there."

  "And I don't want to have to take call anytime Susan's working dispatch, that woman is a bad luck charm."

  "I have smoke inhalation and third degree burns, not a head injury."

  Jamie smiled, the gesture spreading all the way to her eyes for the first time in days. "I had to try."

  Alex smiled back at her. Maybe things would work out after all. "How pissed is Agent Mallory that I let Trey get away?"

  "Let's just say you're lucky that she'll have already left town before the Healers clear you to go back to work."

  * * *

  "Want help in?" Don asked.

  Alex studied the walkway leading to his house, it seemed a whole lot longer than usual. "I think I can manage."

  "Don't overdo it, Alex."

  "Seriously, I'm fine," Alex said, climbing down out of Don's truck. "I've got Mike."

  Don shook his head. "That's what I'm worried about. Dustin stocked the fridge so you shouldn't have to worry about food for a couple days."

  "He didn't have to...."

  "He wanted to. Shut up and be thankful.”

  “Tell him thanks for me then.” Alex turned towards the house and tried to take a deep breath in preparation for the trek, his lungs burning with the effort. He was getting too old for this crap. Maybe Mike would agree to a nice desk job, preferably near a beach….

  “Alex.” There was a note of reluctance in Don’s voice. “I’ve been meaning to tell you something, but haven’t found the right time.”

  Alex’s heart skipped a beat as he turned back to Don. His friend looked away, refusing to meet his eyes. “It’s about Sera…,” Don said.

  Alex felt a heaviness settle in his chest that had nothing to do with smoke. He’d known this day was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier. “Thanks, Don.”

  “Jamie will stop by in the morning. Get some rest.”

  Mike met him at the door, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth in a doggy grin and his tail thumping so hard against the wall that Alex feared it would break. A thick bandage was wrapped around Mike’s right hind limb, but it didn’t seem to bother him. “Good to see you too,” Alex said, pushing his way past his partner and into the house. “I see you’re back on all fours. Healers patch you up good?”

  Alex headed straight to the living room and pulled the cover off the cage. A pile of dark grey ash occupied the center. “Damn it, Seraphina. You’ve looked like crap for months and you couldn’t wait a few more days until I got home?” Alex opened the cage door and reached in, brushing at the ashes with his fingers. Something glittered amongst the grey. His heart racing, Alex pulled a perfect golden egg from the cage. Mike stretched his nose up to sniff at it.

  Alex pushed him away. “Don’t even think about it, you egg sucking dog.”

  Mike wrinkled his nose, showing his canines, but his wagging tail betrayed him.

  Alex made his way to the kitchen, slower than usual. Finding a clean dish towel, he formed it into a makeshift nest and cradled the egg inside. Mike put his front legs up on the counter, whining. Alex reached down and scratched his ears. “Any idea how long it takes a phoenix egg to hatch?”

  ###

  Thanks to all the animal control officers, who face worse things than dragons on a daily basis….

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  Other works by J. R. Burnett:

  Trapped by Light and Shadow

  Wolf Moon (Furred, Feathered, Fanged #1)

  Ashes to Ashes (Furred, Feathered, Fanged #2)

  Connect with J. R. Burnett online:

  E-mail: [email protected]

  Website: http://www.jrburnett.net

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