Master of Dragons by Angela Knight Page A

species to render itself extinct.”
    Nineva grimaced. “Gee, and I was hoping we were the only ones with that tendency.”
    â€œâ€™Fraid not. Anyway, the Fae want to prevent those kinds of extinctions. They travel from planet to planet creating champions among every intelligent race they encounter. The champions’ job is to guide their people to adulthood.”
    â€œWhy don’t the Fae just appear to people and say, ‘Don’t do stupid stuff ’?”
    â€œApparently they tried that. Didn’t work. They decided the best thing to do is give other species the tools to survive and leave the rest up to them.”
    Nineva thought through the implications as she studied the grail statue. “So Merlin’s cup made Arthur and his people immortal. Probably enabled them to work magic, too, right?” Normal humans couldn’t use mystical forces, because the physics wouldn’t allow it. You couldn’t work spells on Mortal Earth unless you drew on the Mageverse to do it.
    â€œIt’s a little more complicated than that.”
    She gave him a dry smile. “Why does that not surprise me? Okay, I’ll bite. How?”
    â€œThe women can work spells, as you say. And they’re pretty damned powerful. We call ’em Majae.”
    â€œSo what about the men?”
    He cleared his throat. “Actually, they’re vampires.”

FIVE
    â€œVampires?” Nineva stared at him in amazement. He seemed perfectly serious. “You mean, as in undead, blood-sucking demons?”
    â€œWhat part of ‘ninety-nine percent of the legends is bullshit’ didn’t you get?”
    â€œYou didn’t say anything about vampires, for God’s sake. Why would Merlin make them vamps?”
    â€œBecause Merlin was a vampire. His species evolved that way. It’s…”
    â€œâ€˜â€¦A little complicated.’ Yeah, I get that.” She shook her head. “If I didn’t know you were the dragon knight, I’d think you were jerking my chain.”
    Kel’s cobalt brows rose. “‘ The dragon knight’?”
    â€œThat story’ll take longer than yours.”
    He contemplated that, then shook his head reluctantly. “Then it’ll have to wait. Arthur told me to report in when I got you here, and we’ve taken too much time as it is. Let’s go.” His long leather coat swinging with every stride, he headed up the corridor.
    Nineva admired the width of his shoulders a moment before hurrying in his wake. He had a fluid, catlike stride that made her silently curse his enveloping coat. She’d have really loved to see his ass.
    Hello? Dragon.
    Dragon I’m supposed to seduce .
    Well, there was that. Nineva contemplated the seduction issue a moment, doubtful. She’d never tried to seduce anyone; she’d generally been the seducee. None of her amorous experiences had been particularly memorable anyway, having been more a product of loneliness than real desire. There’d been times she’d have done anything to connect with someone, even if that someone had been a bouncer, biker, or horny businessman. Two affairs and one dubious one-night stand didn’t make for much of a sexual track record. Or bedroom skill, either.
    She sighed.
    Kel looked back over his shoulder at her. “Problem?”
    â€œJust contemplating my shortcomings.”
    He gave her a teasing smile. “That shouldn’t take long—it’s got to be a brief list.”
    Her spirits lifted at the warmth in his gaze, and she smiled back. “I guess gallantry is part of the whole Knight of the Round Table gig.”
    â€œYep.” His gaze warmed further. “But so’s honesty.”
    â€œOh, you’re good .”
    Now his grin went downright suggestive. “So I’m told.”
    Before she could come up with another conversational volley, he pushed open a massive wooden door and stood back to