“Call display says the phone belongs to Nyssa Macleod.”
“I’m stealing my sister’s cell phone because it works in New York while mine doesn’t. I’d like to pick up where we left off, Rhys Lewis, and I’ve come a long way for that very purpose. How soon will you be back?”
He sputtered. “You can’t expect me to come back to New York, just to seduce you...”
“Why not? I’ve come all the way from Scotland just to seduce you.” Nyssa laughed at that. Lila hoped Rhys didn’t have an issue with women who were direct. She always thought honesty was the best policy, plus it saved a lot of time. “I very seldom leave my research, you know, but this firestorm was the proverbial offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he acknowledged. “If it’s real.”
“You said that before. How could it possibly be faked?”
“By magick.” He spat the words, so they had a distrust of that in common. “I can’t talk to you about this now.”
“You’re suspicious,” Lila said. “What did she demand to let you return?”
He inhaled sharply. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“She was coming when we were on the beach. She was targeting us, maybe because of the firestorm. I got away. Did you?”
Rhys made a choking sound instead of answering.
“So, you’re afraid I was involved, that maybe I lured her closer. But then you went into Fae by your own choice.”
“Don’t talk about it!”
Lila had a thought. “Which happened first?”
“Look,” he said flatly. “I don’t know your plan or your motivation. I don’t trust you because of the timing of our meeting, and so I don’t trust this apparent firestorm. Why don’t you leave my restaurant and go back where you came from?”
Lila realized they were both inclined to be forthright. “That makes three things we have in common,” she said. “You speak your mind, just like I do. You distrust magick, just like I do. You hide your nature from humans, just like I do. For a phone date, I think it’s starting off well, don’t you?”
Rhys growled with an annoyance that he apparently couldn’t articulate.
Maybe the firestorm was messing with his sleep as much as it was with hers. She felt encouraged, even though it looked like their firestorm needed some healing before it could start. “Here’s some honesty for you. I had nothing to do with her appearance on that beach,” she said. “I thought maybe you’d summoned her.”
“I would never...”
“It was incredibly brave that you entered her realm with your friend and I admire that. I’m glad you got out of there.”
He inhaled sharply. “We have each other’s backs,” he said gruffly.
“That must be a wonderful thing,” Lila said, even though she didn’t know anything similar. She took care of the seals, but she wouldn’t have said that anyone she knew would risk their own welfare to defend her.
Rhys wasn’t talking but he hadn’t hung up.
Lila would take progress where she found it. “The menu is enormous,” she said, changing the subject. “What do you recommend?”
“Everything,” he said with conviction. “It wouldn’t be on the menu otherwise.”
“Good. At least I know where to collect on that guarantee. I hope to see you soon, Rhys Lewis. You know where to find me.” She ended the call and added his phone number to Nyssa’s contact list. She checked the time, wanting to track just how long it took him to call back, then picked up the menu.
“Seared tuna?” she asked Nyssa. “Or poached halibut?”
“I can’t decide between them either,” Nyssa admitted.
“You get one and I’ll get the other so we can share,” Lila suggested.
“I want dessert,” Nyssa said. “A reward for tracking down your elusive dragon.”
“I don’t think he’s that elusive, but I want dessert, too. It’s the first time we’ve been together in ages. Let’s celebrate.” They toasted each other just as Ryan brought the salads, then dug in.
Of course, it was delicious. Lila hadn’t expected anything less.
Rhys stared at his phone.
The selkie who might be his destined mate was in his restaurant. She’d used the house phone to let him know. And she’d come to consummate the firestorm. Part of him was thrilled and desperate to return to the city before she changed her mind. The other part of him was deeply suspicious. She’d traveled all the way from Scotland on a whim? She’d tracked him down to his restaurant?
He felt targeted. Stalked.
Again.
They’d finished dinner and cleaned up by the time she’d called, and Kristofer had lit a bonfire in his fire pit. The Pyr and their families in attendance were sitting around it, and Quinn’s boys were roasting marshmallows under Timmy’s supervision. The air was cold and the stars had come out. Rhys had been watching the sparks shoot from the fire into the sky before his phone rang and shook his world.
His phone still sizzled in his hand, like the firestorm had followed even an electronic connection between them. How much did Lila know about Fae? What were her alliances—or those of her kind?
Dr. Lila Isbister. Well, he had a name and a WiFi connection. A quick search turned up a c.v. with a picture, proof that the researcher was his selkie. He’d never forget those eyes and that alluring smile—in fact, he’d recognized her voice immediately, and not just because of her accent. His heart was pounding and he was filled with rare anticipation, even though she was miles away and the firestorm was still only a very faint glow.
He wanted so much for it to be genuine.
“Something wrong?” Alasdair asked, obviously having noticed the change in his expression. He inhaled and his eyes glittered a bit, as if he’d caught a whiff of the firestorm.
“A bit of a crisis at the restaurant,” Rhys said, disliking that he wasn’t sharing all of the truth. He knew that if he told his fellow Pyr that his destined mate was in New York, in his restaurant, they’d be determined to help. Rhys didn’t want to endanger them until he knew for sure that it was the real thing.
Rafferty joined them then, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath of the evening air. “Again, I feel like a firestorm has sparked,” he said, then gave Rhys an intent look. “You were glowing while on that call.”
“Just angry,” Rhys said with a smile. “I hate when things happen at the restaurant and I’m not there to sort them out.”
Rafferty’s eyes narrowed slightly and Rhys knew the older Pyr wasn’t convinced.
“I’ll see if I can fix it over the phone,” Rhys said before Rafferty could ask more questions. He walked into the dark pasture and called Lila, well aware that both Alasdair and Rafferty were watching him. He walked further, and resolved to keep his voice very low in the hope that they wouldn’t be able to overhear.
It was a long shot.
Lila answered on the first ring. “I like a man with resolve,” she said lightly. “And I love that you can cook. This salad is fantastic, everything in perfect balance. Kudos to you and your team.”
Rhys felt his reserve melting under a bit of flattery. “Thank you.”
“Although,” she said with a sensual sigh. “I was looking forward to collecting on that guarantee.”
Rhys had to close his eyes as a tide of desire swept through him. That voice. She could read the phone book to him and he’d be enthralled. “What did you order for a main?”
“Why?”
“Because I can tell a lot about someone by their menu choices.”
She laughed. “Just as I can tell a lot about you by this restaurant.”
“Like what?”
“It’s organized. Even in your absence, the staff know exactly what to do when. That also means you’re a fair boss and a good one, with reasonable expectations, and also that they’re well compensated. They do as you want even when you’re not here. It’s clean, really clean, and very welcoming. Everythin
g has its place, which tells me that you’re orderly, and the dishes are both attractive and delicious. They’re nutritionally balanced, too. That means you appreciate what’s around you and make the most of each ingredient. I suspect that means you pay close attentions to the details, and I find that a very good trait in the bedroom. How am I doing so far?”
Rhys felt a stab of heat at her mention of the bedroom. “It would sound vain if I said you were doing well.”
“You might be humble but you don’t have a lack of confidence.”
“I know how things should be.”
“You have a strong affinity to the earth,” she said, startling him with the accuracy of her guess. “Shown by your pragmatism and practicality, your focus on sensation, your ability to make this restaurant seem like a safe haven. I’ll bet people linger over their desserts and coffees, reluctant to have to face the real world again.”
Rhys didn’t know what to say because it was true.
“And fire, because there’s passion in this place, in both details and the little bit of unexpected in each dish. You’re nurturing and protective, which seems like an excellent trait for a dragon shifter, probably noble, too.”
“Don’t say that out loud,” he warned again. “We stay hidden. We have a Covenant.”
“And you like to follow the rules,” she continued. “What’s the Covenant?”
“A pledge we take, to not reveal ourselves in both forms to any humans outside our immediate circle.”
“Does a destined mate count?
“A real one does.”
“And that’s the root of the problem, isn’t it? You’re not sure of my objectives, even though the sex is going to be amazing—provided we ever get to it. When are you coming back to the city? I’m not sure I can stand this much longer.”
She mused for a minute as Rhys kept silent, his gut clenching at her easy manner. She knew too much.
“What did she demand of you in exchange for your release?”
Rhys’ heart stopped for a second. “Nothing. We escaped,” he admitted tightly.
“Then that’s not the issue. Is it me?” she asked, her tone indicating that she wouldn’t be surprised or offended if that was the case. “Am I breaking the rules? Is it your role to swoop down and carry me off as your prize? Are you having a problem with me seeking you out instead of the other way around? Because I should warn you that I’m not very good at being a damsel in distress.”
“That’s not it. The firestorm is supposed to be a sign that one of my kind has met his destined mate, which is the woman who can bear his child when the firestorm is consummated.” He heard her think about that.
“There will be a child?”
“Always.”
“Always,” she echoed.
Rhys continued. “Many of my friends believe that mate is also his perfect partner, and that her skills complement his.”
“If you’re worried about custody, don’t be. If there’s a child, it’s all yours.”
He was stunned by her attitude. “Excuse me?”
“I’m not a very maternal type. I work a lot and my nurturing energies are maxed out already. No time in my life for kids.” She dropped her voice to chide him. “There’s nothing wrong with admitting our strengths and weaknesses, Rhys. I believe in honesty.”
He nodded once, her words adding to his suspicions. “Okay, I’ll be honest in return.”
“Please do.”
“I had my doubts that this was a real firestorm and now I know for sure. You can’t possibly be the mate for me.”
“Why don’t you come back to the city and we’ll find out?”
“It’s a long drive and it’s already late.”
“That’s an excuse,” she charged. “Be honest, Rhys.”
“I don’t think that a woman who would surrender a child so easily could possibly be my destined mate,” he said, surprising himself with the confession. “I want a family.”
“I don’t,” she said. “I came for sex. I don’t see any problem with our having different long-term objectives.”
“I do. There isn’t going to be any sex.”
“Are you afraid?” she asked in a wicked whisper. “That doesn’t sound like a dragon choice.”
“Don’t say that!”
She continued as if he hadn’t spoken, but Rhys hadn’t expected otherwise. She seemed to like breaking rules, which was more proof that they didn’t belong together. “What’s the worst case scenario? We have a wonderful night, it’s not a real firestorm, I go home, and you keep waiting for your destined mate. Or we have a wonderful night, it is a real firestorm, there’s a child, I go home and nine months from now, you take custody of your child. Neither sounds very dire, Rhys.”
But that wasn’t the worst case scenario. The worst possibility was Rhys was deceived by a fake firestorm, just as Kristofer had been, and that he could imperil his fellow Pyr. Before he could decide whether he wanted to confide that in Lila, she made a little coo of delight.
“Score on the poached halibut,” she said with pleasure and Rhys felt a surge of pride. “What a beautiful presentation.” It was one of their signature dishes and he was particularly proud of it. “Oh!” she said with enthusiasm. “Oh! This is fabulous, possibly the best ever. What did you do to the beans?”
Rhys smiled. “I’ll never tell.”
She laughed, a seductive sound that almost made him forget his reservations. “Maybe I’ll have to work it out of you,” she threatened. “I’ve been known to be very persuasive.”
“About beans?”
“About learning anything I really want to know. Charming even.”
Someone laughed at that, a woman. Maybe Lila was with a friend.
Rhys frowned as he heard the waiter’s voice. “Something special for you from Chef, miss.” It was Ryan.
“Are you trying to get me drunk before you get here?” Lila asked Rhys, so it must have been a drink. “Oh, that is sweet.” Maybe a cocktail.
“It’s called a Firestorm,” Ryan explained. “I didn’t even know we served them here.”
They didn’t serve a cocktail called the Firestorm. “Where did that come from?” Rhys demanded.
“The bar, silly,” Lila said and audibly sipped.
“The secret menu,” that other woman said, laughter in her voice.
“Maybe,” Ryan conceded with a laugh.
“It’s powerful but so delicious. Wow.” Lila audibly took another drink. “Maybe you’re mad, bad and dangerous to know, Rhys Lewis.”
“That was someone else,” her companion said. “Let me taste it since we’re sharing.”
“But I didn’t order anything for you,” Rhys protested. He had a sense that things were slipping from his control and he didn’t like it one bit. He wanted to be back in his restaurant immediately. He was too far away and something was going wrong.
Too bad he couldn’t spontaneously manifest elsewhere, as Rafferty could.
“Of course, you did,” Lila argued. “No need to be shy since Ryan already spilled the truth. Give it back, Nyssa!”
The other woman laughed. “It’s irresistible.”
“Just like my dragon shifter,” Lila said.
“Don’t say that!” Rhys complained, his voice rising in frustration.
“Oh, Ryan’s gone. Don’t worry,” Lila chided and sipped again. “Looks like the firestorm is a multi-faceted adventure.” Her words slurred and Rhys’ attention sharpened. “This is really strong,” she said, each word obviously requiring an effort to enunciate. “You are trying to get me wasted.”
“We don’t have a drink called a Firestorm,” Rhys repeated, just as he heard the phone clatter to the table. It might have even fallen to the floor. He heard running feet, then the call was ended.
What had just happened?
He called back but was immediately directed to the voice mail of Nyssa Macleod. He recognized her voice as that of Lila’s companion. He left a message, having no confidence that his cal
l would be returned, then called again.
A man answered, a man with a deep voice that gave him shivers.
“I have your mate,” he said, speaking with precision and authority. “I will trade her for the gem of the hoard. No more and no less.”
Rhys was horrified. “But who are you? Where are you?”
“You have one solar day, beginning now,” the man said instead of answering Rhys’ questions.
Rhys heard a crushing sound, then the line went dead. He called again, and once more was directed to voice mail. He called the restaurant and asked to speak to Ryan. “What happened to the woman with the Scottish accent?” he asked, hearing his own desperation. “You brought her a drink.”
“You sent her a drink.”
“I did not!”
“Justin said you called and ordered it. It was really something. Even the guy at the bar commented on how impressive it was, all orange and red.” His tone turned accusing. “If we’re going to serve it, it should be on the menu. I could have sold six of them while taking it to her table.”
“It’s not on the menu because we don’t serve it. I don’t even know what was in it.”
“How can that be?” Ryan asked.
“What happened to her?” Rhys demanded.
“She got sick,” Ryan said. “Her friend was helping her and then the guy from the bar came to help. He said he’d take them both home.” He paused. “It was kind of weird. And Justin kept repeating whatever the guy said.”
Chills ran down Rhys’ spine. His bartender had been beguiled. “What did this guy look like?” he asked.
“Tall. Good looking in an intense kind of way. Well-dressed. Hey, I’ve got mains to serve,” Ryan said as the bell rang from the kitchen. Rhys could hear that the restaurant was busy. “There’s got to be an image on the security camera, though.”
“Ask Alexandra to send it to me as soon as she can,” Rhys ordered, referring to the hostess who had been working for him the longest of any of the staff and was absolutely reliable. “Tell Justin I want to talk to him. And get those mains out before they’re cold.”
“Yes, sir. Hope you’re having a good break, sir.”
Dragon's Heart (The DragonFate Novels Book 3) Page 5