She couldn’t help looking up at him, shocked by the compliment. “What?”
“You’re gorgeous,” he said, looking nervous now. “I thought so the minute I met you. Hell, maybe it’s why I agreed to this. I can’t just see you as fae when you look at me with those eyes.”
“What eyes?” She kept her gaze connected with his.
“Those eyes,” he said, and she felt heat build between them before he looked away, breaking the tension. “Well, I won’t deny I’m attracted. Though, I promise to stay professional.” He set his fork down, fidgeting and running a hand through his hair. “Dammit, I’ve gone and made things weird.” He looked up at her. “It’s just sometimes I feel like there’s something between us, and I thought it should be brought out into the open. But maybe I’m imagining it…”
“No, there is something,” she said. “Beyond, you know, the tension of me being fae and you being a dragon.”
“Or whatever I am.”
“A dragon,” she said firmly.
He nodded, looking relieved that she didn’t make a big deal of it.
“But as you say, I’m looking to keep it professional,” she said. “I’m just glad we can be friends.”
“Yeah,” Ryder said after a short pause and some more fidgeting. “Friends.”
But as his eyes met hers and he took another bite of her glop, making her laugh as he tried not to grimace, she couldn’t help but think things were going to get a bit more complicated than that.
They went back to Kira’s apartment because it was closer.
Ryder was surprised by the place, both for how normal it seemed (small, neat, perfect size for one person and on the middle floor of a building overlooking the city) and how weirdly it was set up.
“You know the couch usually would go in front of the TV, right?” Ryder said as Kira let him in and did up the deadbolt behind her. “Where is the TV anyway?”
“It’s on the kitchen table,” she said, tilting her head nervously. “I thought humans would eat there, and they seem to like to watch TV when they eat.”
Ryder put his hands on his hips, surveying the place with some disgruntlement. Given how high tech and luxurious everything fae seemed to be, it was odd to see a fairy here in this small, humble space. Especially with things in odd places that made it clear Kira probably didn’t spend a lot of time here.
“Busy with work?” He followed her into the kitchen where he noted three coffeemakers and an obvious lack of a toaster. “You like coffee?”
“Yes!” Her eyes lit up. “I think it might be the best human invention so far.”
Ryder glanced at the counter. “But three coffeemakers? Is there a tranquilized elephant around here I should know about?”
Kira folded her arms and glared at him, looking adorable now that she’d taken off her jacket and was just in a silky blue shirt and skinny jeans. Her curls were slightly mussed from their adventure, but Ryder found himself wanting to reach his hand in and muss them further.
Good thing fairies couldn’t read minds.
She pouted. “You know, if you’re just going to make fun of my place, we don’t have to stay here.”
“No, no, I’ll stop,” he said. “I’m not teasing, honest. I promise. I just… Here, let me rearrange things, all right?”
“Fine, but keep the couch by the window. I like the view.” She frowned, and her gorgeous lips were so full and beautiful he almost lost himself. He wanted to go to her, kiss her in the moonlight.
Clearly, it had been a trying day because he was going insane.
“I’ll move the couch because I’m sleeping there tonight, and I won’t be able to sleep with the sun beaming in. But I can move it back when you want it by the window. And I’ll move the TV to the entertainment center because it’s not safe on that wobbly table. We can eat in here when we want to watch TV. And I’m moving the toaster too.” He pointed to where it was sitting on a table by the door. “That’s a fire hazard.”
Kira sighed. “But I like to grab my toast on the way out the door.” Her pout was so adorable he almost wanted to leave the toaster. But he had this odd need to protect everyone around him, so he couldn’t leave it as it was. It could be so easily knocked to the ground.
“I promise you’ll like it when I’m finished,” he said.
“In that case, thank you,” she said, looking at him nervously. He wished he knew why she looked at him that way sometimes, like she had stars in her eyes, but he refused to read her mind. He had enough to deal with in reality. He didn’t need to find trouble in people’s thoughts.
“No problem,” he said, getting to work.
“I’ll get us some wine for when you finish,” she said, moving into the kitchen.
He tried to stay out of her way as he bustled around, but the whole time, he couldn’t help but be aware of how close they were. How her place was so small that if they were in the room together, he could almost reach out and touch her.
And why would he be thinking of her like that? Why was there something in his heart that felt like… longing?
“I’m done,” he said, plopping on the couch when things had been rearranged to his satisfaction. At least it looked like a human lived there.
Kira came out of the kitchen, holding a bottle in one hand and a carton in the other. “Pick your poison.”
He grinned, nodding to the ice cream, trying not to chuckle as her eyes widened. “I prefer to stay alert.”
“Do dragons get drunk easily?” She grabbed a second carton and two spoons and sat down on the couch next to him. He took a carton from her and felt a little chill go up his spine, though they weren’t touching.
“No,” he said. “Not really.”
Damn, she was just so pretty, and it took real guts to do what she’d done. To leave everything behind for this. To help others. So the fact that he was incredibly attracted to her, plus his newfound respect, was a potent combo.
Ryder wasn’t sure how long he could stand to be just friends. He took a huge bite of ice cream so he didn’t have to think about it. Then he glanced to the left to look out the window she’d had the couch in front of.
He stood, walking over to get a better look at the view that must appeal so much to her. He heard her follow, her footsteps light on the padded carpet.
“I love this view. I love how different the night sky looks here. I love the buildings, imagining the little humans in them.” Kira let out a happy sigh, which Ryder felt all the way to his toes.
Damn, she was close enough to almost touch him. It was easier to ignore the fact that she was a beautiful, desirable, not to mention strong woman when they had automatons to fight and labs to explore.
It would be these down times, these quiet moments, that were difficult.
Especially when she kept sneaking shy, heated looks at him.
He reached out, unable to help himself, but just as his finger was about to graze her soft cheek, she stepped back, breaking the spell between them.
There was guilt in her eyes. And something more complex.
“We can’t. I mean, we shouldn’t. I shouldn’t.” She ran a hand through her hair. “I’m tired. I think I’m going to head to bed.”
She was right. They shouldn’t. They should just stay professional no matter how much she looked like she was dying for him to kiss her.
6
“Sorry, this will just be a minute longer,” Kira said, typing something and staring at the screen intensely.
They were in her office at the SRP because she had a few things to take care of before they headed out on their next hunt.
“No problem. Take your time,” Ryder replied, trying to not watch the minute expressions on her face as she focused on what she was doing.
Instead, he paced around the fairly cluttered area that was about the size of a normal bedroom. There were things littered over the small tables and chairs, and the two filing cabinets in the corner were half-open, papers and folders sticking out of them.
&
nbsp; “Been busy since coming to Earth?” Ryder asked, appraising small devices and doodads on a bench next to him, wondering what they were for.
“Since the day they gave me an office here, yup. Most of that stuff is just side projects. Pardon the mess.”
Ryder waved at the air. “Don’t bother. I actually like a space that looks used. Landon’s sort of a clean freak with our house. Makes things feel a bit empty sometimes.”
Kira peered over the top of her monitor, nodding thoughtfully. “I get that.”
They shared a look, maybe one that only lasted for a split second. But even in that moment, the computer screen’s glare reflecting the pink of her irises, the way her pretty hair was tied back in a low bun, the curve of her heart-shaped face made Ryder’s entire body go hot from the inside out.
Ryder cleared his throat, everything feeling dry and sweaty at the same time. “So this place, the SRP. I’ve heard of it from Ian. What is it exactly?”
“Give me a minute.” Kira clicked a few buttons, then hit a switch at the side of her computer, and it shut off. “There. Got everything uploaded to the mainframe, so we should be able to pinpoint our next few targets at least.”
“Great,” Ryder said. “As humans say, another day, another dollar. And by dollar, I mean light fae laboratory we can destroy.”
Kira smirked at that. “Yes, I suppose so. Shall we?” She motioned for the door, and Ryder opened it to let both of them into the gray-carpeted hall.
“Back to what you were asking earlier,” she said, talking animatedly and tugging her shoulder bag higher as she walked. “The SRP was founded as a sort of base of operations for helping shifters in the human world.”
“Any shifter?”
“Not exactly.” She was wearing a sleeveless blue shirt with black leggings, all of which hugged her curves.
Stop looking, he told himself.
“We do everything from helping wolves and bears who have been uprooted and need relocating to working with humans that have had run-ins with shifters to erasing memories as needed.” She sighed. “We also work hand in hand with the fae outreach program since the worlds are becoming more and more combined.”
Ryder listened thoughtfully as they strode down the hall, reaching an elevator and hitting the button to the lobby.
From the outside, the building had looked like another of a million human offices.
But inside, the scent of every type of shifter intermingled with the sight of towering, muscled people and human workers moving to and fro.
A bit hectic for Ryder’s tastes but interesting nonetheless.
“So what do you do here?” he asked, ever curious to know more about Kira.
The elevator hummed as it moved downward, and just the proximity of her body next to his made Ryder edgy.
Edgy because he wanted to touch her. Feel her. An odd pulling sensation he’d never known before in his life.
But he was probably just off in his head. Why would she be interested in him anyway?
“With all the fae activity Earth has had ever since the four princes arrived, there have been more and more attacks by chaos fae. Before me, the only radiant fae that could cleanse chaos infections was Chad’s mate, Isabella.”
“Oh yeah, that purple dragon who hosted Ian and his friends when they first arrived.”
“Yup. So anyway, I’ve been helping out with anything chaos related since coming here, as well as lending any expertise and knowledge I have to give us the edge in the fight for good.”
Ryder nodded. “Makes sense why they assigned you to me given the fact I’m practically a walking ball of chaos energy.”
Kira had another one of those unreadable expressions on her face for a split second, and he was about to finally ask what it meant when the elevator dinged and opened for them.
They walked out into a large lobby tiled with marble. There was a reception desk, and people were going this way and that, headed to the offices or toward the elevators. In the center of the floor, there was a giant insignia of a dragon, its wings open and curled around a sphere that looked like the pictures of Earth Ryder had seen.
Cheesy. But cute.
Kira let out a breath as she stepped forward, looking up at him. “You’re not just a ball of chaos energy. The whole point of chaos is that it makes people lose control, whereas I’ve never gotten the slightest bad feeling from you.”
Granted, she’d only known him all of three days. But Ryder couldn’t help grinning a bit at her compliment, even against his better judgment.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” he replied sincerely, following her as she headed for the front desk.
“Anytime.” She smiled back as they reached the desk, which was manned by a middle-aged woman who wore glasses. Next to her, a burly wolf shifter with a shiny badge watched people coming and going through the doors.
“Hey, Kira, off to thwart some more baddies?” the spectacled woman asked, speaking low as if sharing some secret.
Kira laughed. “Nope, just trying to do my part.”
Dawn then glanced up at Ryder, and her slow, heated appraisal of him, from head to toe, made him a bit uneasy.
It was one of the reasons he’d liked the solace of the cottage. No humans checking him out.
Though, for some reason, he didn’t mind when a certain fairy did it.
Kira pulled an envelope out of her bag and plopped it on the desk. “Could you make sure Chad gets this? He never checks his emails, and he wanted updates on this project.”
“Sure thing,” Dawn said, taking it and putting it in a little pile behind her.
“Also, I know he’s back in the kingdom of darkness, but if Tanner ever shows up, can you give him this? I have no clue what it is, and he’s the most tech-savvy of the princes.” She pulled a little brown box that rattled with something inside it and set it down too.
“Can do,” Dawn said.
As she took the box and went to place it in a cabinet at the other side of the reception area, Ryder leaned in to whisper in Kira’s ear,
“Damn, are you the boss here or something?”
She swatted the air near him, and he moved back. “That tickles. And no, I don’t think of myself that way. We’re all just working together for an important cause.”
Ryder turned to face the front door, propping his elbows on the desk as he watched people come and go. “Right. Cooperation is good.”
A sudden hush fell over the lobby as a tall man with bright-white hair strode in, looking around snidely. He was flanked by two burly men in suits and sunglasses that smelled like bears, who followed him closely.
“That’s the light fae who turned himself in this morning,” Dawn whispered from behind them. “Looks like maybe we’ll finally have a new fae on our side. Won’t that be nice?”
Based on the look of this guy and the way Ryder got the chills just watching him, he had his doubts.
Even more ominous was the way Kira seemed to freeze beside him, and Ryder immediately leaned closer to her, feeling strangely overprotective like he had in the lab.
“What, an old co-worker of yours or something?” Ryder muttered, trying to dispel the tension. After all, this man had willingly given himself up to the authorities. He was probably some rogue that wanted amnesty.
“Yes,” Kira said, breath hushed.
Ryder’s entire body tightened on edge. Just the shift in her voice, the way he could see her hands clench at her sides, made Ryder want to whisk her away.
The light fae finished his appraisal of the lobby, and his gaze moved to Ryder. His irises were dark gray, and Ryder stared back as the fae watched with an expression of one who’s sizing up a pile of dirt.
Typical light fae.
It wasn’t until the fae’s head tilted to the side, settling on Kira, that his eyes widened with an eerie, opportunistic excitement.
“Oh no, I think—” Kira’s mouth parted, but her words were cut off.
Everything happened in a matter of second
s.
The fae’s hands shot out to his sides, shoving the guards next to him so hard they flew backward onto the floor, ten feet behind. Then he reached behind his back, drawing a long white staff with his magic.
And pointing it directly at Kira.
“Die, traitor!”
“Wand! Everyone down!” Ryder heard someone shout behind him.
“Call security!” another voice yelled.
But Ryder was already moving, everything going around him in slow motion, the voices near him seemingly underwater as he stepped in front of Kira.
He didn’t even think. Just reacted.
With blinding speed, Ryder felt his shift overtake him, green scales that shone like beetle shell covering him from head to toe. From his back, green flames shot up and out, the outline of dragon wings showing through the green tendrils of his fae wings. At the same time, he drew his own wand, knowing instinctively that the quickest—and perhaps only—way to win this was with magic.
Even if it meant showing Kira exactly what he was.
The light fae went wide-eyed with shock as if he’d never seen anything quite like this.
He probably hadn’t. No one had.
“Surrender or die, fairy.” Ryder’s voice boomed through the halls, deeper and warped-sounding, the chaos in him roiling as purple and green-black energy crackled at the tip of his wand, ready to obliterate the person who’d dared threaten his Kira.
The fae, whose countenance had turned from shock to horrified stupefaction, dropped his staff to the ground, falling to one knee as he shuddered.
“Mercy, please. I surrender.” He bowed his head, raising his hands in defeat.
Ryder had to restrain his disgust at how quickly the evil bastard was willing to beg for his own life when he’d intended to kill someone a moment earlier.
Ryder’s fingers twitched on his wand, ready to kill at a moment’s notice.
But the danger was gone. Kira was safe.
And as the stunned silence in the room turned to murmurs of curiosity and disgust, Ryder suddenly felt all eyes on him.
Dragon Redeemed (Reclaimed Dragons Book 2) Page 4