Catching Dragos by Gail Koger

Twelve
    The Renaissance Festival’s sixteenth-century village marketplace buzzed with
    activity. Workers were setting up the performers’ tents and food booths. Several men in
    chain mail practiced sword fighting.
    Lucky for us, the event didn’t open until next week. Coming up with a rational
    explanation for fire-breathing dragons would be a bitch.
    I drove the motor home down a rutted road and parked behind the jousting arena.
    “Do I have time for a shower?”
    “Please. The stench is unbearable.” Grams plucked Xero from my lap.
    “Who you?”
    “I’m your grandmother.”
    Xero sniffed Grams and wagged her tail. “You family.”
    “Yes, I am.”
    Serafina huffed. “So am I.” She reached over to pet Xero and snatched her hand
    back when my sweetie snapped at her.
    “No like you.”
    “Smart demon,” Fabian muttered.
    I growled, “She’s not a demon.”
    “Mariah, she’s a Zanskin,” Grams said, flashing me a mental picture of a ten-foot-
    tall furry white demon with some dangerous-looking horns.
    “Xero doesn’t look anything like that,” I protested.
    “Most Zanskin resemble small fluffy dogs until threatened, then they transform
    into vicious fighters.”
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    “Oh, but she’s just a baby.”
    Grams beamed proudly. “Who has bonded with you and Fabian. She’s your
    familiar.”
    “A slayer team hasn’t had a familiar in over a hundred years. The demons won’t
    know what hit them,” Fabian said happily.
    A familiar? Whoa. It was starting to sink in that my days as the Judge were over.
    My dad was going to be pissed. Things were changing so fast it made my head spin. I
    needed some alone time to work everything out. “I’m going to take a shower.”
    A worried frown creased Fabian’s forehead. “It’ll be okay, tesoro.”
    Would it? I shut the bathroom door and leaned against it. Dragons? Never in a
    million years did I think I would be going up against them. I could deal with cheating
    husbands, thieves, and drug lords and not break a sweat. But this? Scared the crap out
    of me.
    Peeling off my stiff and crunchy costume, I climbed into the shower and turned
    the water on. I held my face up to the spray, letting it wash away the blood and demon
    guts. It was pure bliss.
    The water rose to my ankles. I looked down and grimaced. The entrails were
    blocking the drain. “ Dicitur moss .” Poof. They were gone.
    The bathroom door opened and Fabian stepped in. “Mind if I join you?”
    “Not at all.” Some mind-blowing sex was just what I needed.
    In record time, Fabian stripped.
    I eyed his muscular chest and flat abdomen. I wanted to lick every inch of Fabian’s
    yummy twelve-pack. His erect penis jutted over heavy testicles. Mr. Happy was ready
    to play.
    Fabian’s gaze lingered on my breasts.
    Yep. They were among my best assets. I could always count on the girls
    distracting my prey long enough for me to zap ‘em.
    94|GAIL KOGER
    “Which quarry did this?” Fabian touched the long jagged scar on my hip.
    “A tiger.” I laughed at his you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me expression. “A drug
    kingpin sicced his pet Bengal on me.”
    Horror filled Fabian’s eyes. “You’re the one that took down Herrera the Butcher?”
    “That’s me. He’s doing life in a rather nasty Brazilian prison.”
    “How did you get into Herrera’s compound?’ He placed a kiss on the thick red
    flesh.
    “As a dominatrix. He liked being whipped.” I cradled Fabian’s bristled jaw with
    the palm of my hand. “You into bondage, sugar?”
    “Only if I get to tie you up.” Fabian settled his lips over mine, and with slow
    exquisite care he kissed me.
    Xero asked curiously, “What you doing?”
    “Ah. Well. We’re kissing.”
    “What kissing?”
    Fabian sighed. “It’s how humans show affection.”
    “What ‘fection?”
    “Ask your grandmother,” Fabian growled.
    “Me ask.”
    “The kid is definitely putting a damper on our sex life.”
    “A little training will fix