Spark's Love Story
Laini
“Oh, it’s her!” My heart lifts as Spark yips and leaps into the air to circle the ivory-hued dragonfox female I saw him with at the Harvest Party.
“She’s very pretty,” Rom says, a sweet grin moving over his handsome mouth.
I want to kiss that mouth and so I do. His lips claim mine and his hand smooths down my back to cup my bottom.
“I think we should give her a name,” I say breathily.
Rom hums against my throat. “Will she stay with us, do you think?”
Us. I’ll never stop adoring the sound of that. After our mating ceremony, I invited Rom to live with Spark and me. He still works in the tower, but now the new hire lives in the apartment there.
“I don’t know,” I say. “I want Spark to be happy.”
I release Rom and crouch so I’m eye-level with the dragonfoxes. They curl up in the fresh snow, their tales entwined—one orange and one white. New snowflakes swirl down to catch in their large, furry ears. They study me with their slitted dragon eyes.
“Eh, Sparkleton, does your new friend want to live with us for a while or will you be visitng her more often in the forest?”
Spark lifts his head and blinks his eyes at me, then he nudges the female with his nose. She raises her snout and lets out a small jet of fire.
Rom makes a sound of surprise.
“Ooo.” That isn’t going to be as easy to control inside. “Can she keep a lid on that kind of flame inside, Spark?”
“Do they understand you?” Rom asks.
The dragonfoxes shake the snow from their pelts, run past us, and then push through the front door.
I shrug and follow. “I guess we’re about to find out.”
Spark must comprehend some of what I said unless their relocation to my sitting area is just a concidence. The two fly around my hearth area, chasing one another until they’ve knocked over a candle holder and a side table.
“Watch it, now!” I wave at them and then notice Rom’s raised eyebrow. “Yeah, I don’t think this is working.”
He shrugs. “Maybe they’ll calm down in a minute.”
Spark shoots toward the hearth and rolls into the glowing coals of my banked fire. He coos happily, then flies back out, blasting a stream of fire that hits the tassels on my chair pillow.
“No!” I rush to grab the pillow.
Rom opens the front door, and I zip past to toss the flaming pillow into the snow. It hisses when it hits and I turn to face Spark and his lady with my hands on my hips. The dragonfoxes are flying side by side beside Rom. They have the decency to at least look a little ashamed of their behavior.
“All right,” I say. “I’m afraid you’ll have to take this lovely little affair to the woods, my friend.”
Rom eyes Spark and grins. “It worked well for us.” He turns and winks at me.
My body warms at the memory of our time in the forest. “It’s where you met, after all, Spark. That’s okay, right? Because—”
Fire flickers along the rug behind Rom’s boots.
“Look out!” I blast past them all and stamp on the flames. “We have to stop them! My loom!”
Smoke chokes me and Rom joins in on the stomping.
“You could have simply asked me for a visit, Laini,” Tully says behind us.
I whirl only to see her pouring out a green vial. Sparkling red juice of some sort bleeds into the air, then shifts up and down like… “Is that potion sniffing?”
“Aye, it is. Fire finder. It’s so tough to make, but you’re worth it.” Tully winks at me.
The potion flings itself on the fire and smothers it. Smoke rises from the destroyed rug and dances around the dragonfoxes hovering above.
“I think you two might need to save your loving for the out of doors,” Tully says to them.
Rom chuckles. “I’m just glad you were nearby, Tully.”
She curtseys to him and smiles at me. “I’ll have to seach high and low for more of the herb I use in that potion. I might need a hot drink before I head out. Care to join me?”
I gesture toward the kitchen. “Did you want tea?”
“Oh no,” she says, “I’m thinking mulled wine at the Goat and Dragon.”
Spark flies into my arms and sets his cool snout against the underside of my jaw. I run a hand down his head and side.
“Aw, buddy. I’m glad you’re happy. You understand about taking your lady friend outside, right?”
He huffs into my hair and I pray it doesn’t catch on fire, too. His little tongue darts out and wets the end of my nose, then both dragonfoxes fly away toward Rustion’s lands where they met.
“What are you going to call her?” Rom asks.
We walk with Tully through the light layer of snow, toward the tavern.
“I don’t know. Have any ideas, either of you?” I ask.
“Rugbane?” Tully says, giggling at herself.
Rom snorts. “It’s accurate anyway.”
“How about Moonpetal,” I say, adding an edge to my tone and giving Tully a good glare.
“I can feel that scowl through my cloak, Laini dear. Very well done for such a nice person.”
I laugh then—it’s impossible to stay mad at her. I hope someday she finds her own happily ever after just like Spark and I have.