He muttered a pithy and passionate curse. His father was out of control and he had not one clue how to deal with him. Manu paused at the front door of the house where’d he’d grown up and sucked in a deep breath to bolster his patience.
He strode inside. His brothers Tane and Kahurangi were in the kitchen with his father. The house was a mess with fast-food wrappers and beer cans strewn everywhere, discarded with no regard for cleanliness or hygiene. Given the squalor, it wouldn’t surprise Manu to spot mice or worse, rats.
“What are you doing here?” his father shouted. “You’re no longer welcome in my home.” Alcohol fumes wafted from him and his still-black hair hung in greasy strands around his gaunt face. His bloodshot eyes snapped with belligerence. The once crisp white shirt carried the dirt and the food spills of days and his black trousers hung on his bony hips. His father had lost weight and his posture and demeanor was that of a much older man, given the taniwha race aged more slowly than humans.
Manu forced his expression to blank and ignored his father’s taunts and insults. He’d had a lot of practice. Tane and Kahurangi offered him sympathetic glances but remained silent. They had no answers. He’d asked them for suggestions—a solution—months ago. If his father continued in this manner, he’d have no option but to pull out his sword.
“You murdered my mate.” Samuel stood, his balance unsteady. Dragons handled alcohol well, and it was difficult to get a good buzz. His father had hit the spirits hard.
“I used my sword,” Manu agreed.
Samuel blinked as if he hadn’t expected him to agree.
“For once, put yourself in my shoes. How would you have handled the situation? Tell me. Would you have let her murder Emma and Cassie? Innocent humans? Cassie didn’t have a clue about the taniwha race. Ma broke the rules first by showing herself to a human. Then, she compounded it by trying to kill them. She intended to kill Hone who’d done nothing wrong. Cassie was Hone’s mate. She wasn’t mine. Tell me, Samuel.” Manu purposely ignored their family ties and embraced his position as leader—something he hadn’t previously done with his father. A mistake he saw now. “Tell me what you would’ve done. I expect you to give me your action plan tomorrow morning. You can email it to me via our private message board or you can ring me. Your choice.”
He turned to his brothers, their expressions of approval lightening his mood. Pissed about his Ducati, he wanted to order his father to buy him a new bike, and clean both the place and his person but didn’t want to push his luck.
“Walk me out,” he requested his brothers.
Outside, his shoulders slumped briefly before he straightened.
“Will that work or am I wasting my breath?”
“Bro, you let rip with taniwha magic like Ma used to when she was pissed off. It rippled into the room. You haven’t done that before.” Tane beamed his approval, his beefy arms reaching around Manu in a man-hug before he stepped back.
Kahurangi lifted his brows and clapped Manu over the shoulder, his tattooed biceps rippling. “Impressive, bro.”
“I’m tired of the crap from the tribe,” Manu said. “I have other things to do with my time.” His gaze went to the remains of the shed. “I can’t believe Dad burned my Ducati. I loved that bike.”
“It’s insured. You can get another one with the insurance payout,” Kahurangi said.
“Will you take care of that for me?” Manu asked. “I’ve got somewhere to be.”
Tane cocked his head. “Something has changed with you.”
Manu shrugged. “I decided to direct the canoe instead of letting everyone paddle when they got the urge.”
“I don’t suppose you can use the hocus-pocus on Dad again and get him to clean his mess and stop inviting his mates around,” Kahurangi said.
“Have you guys sat him down and told him he’s behaving like a two-year-old?” Manu asked.
Tane shook his head. “We’ve been tiptoeing around him the same way you have.”
“It’s time we stop that,” Manu said. “Dad knows Ma was in the wrong.”
“He’ll never admit it,” Tane said. “But we were witnesses. What Ma did was unethical. As much as I loved her, she was showing signs of instability. We’d all seen it, but none of us wanted to call her on her behavior. It’s why the sword transferred to you, Manu.”
“Tane is right,” Kahurangi said. “Ma didn’t give you an option. Her mind snapped, and she became a liability.”
“Thanks. Do me a favor?”
“What do you need?” Kahurangi asked without hesitation.
“Circulate amongst the tribe. I want the gossip that’s not reaching me. Keep your ears open for anything Waaka-related.”
“Are you worried about a war with the taniwha from the north?” Tane asked.
“Our tribe has been in turmoil since I took over,” Manu said bluntly. “It would be an ideal time for Nelson Waaka to make a move while we’re fighting amongst ourselves.” He didn’t mention Jessalyn and his fears she might be a spy. “Where did Dad get the idea to set the shed on fire?”
“Probably listened to the news. Haven’t you heard rumors of an arsonist in Auckland?” Kahurangi asked. “Dad has been drinking so much I doubt his idea was original.”
Perhaps he should try his taniwha moves on Jessalyn and see if her dragon would listen and accept him as her leader. He muttered a curse. That should’ve been his first course of action. Too busy thinking with his dick.
“Manu?” Tane broke into his reverie.
Manu blinked and found both his brothers staring at him, their expressions odd. “What?”
“Where did you go?” Kahurangi asked, always the nosy one.
“None of your business,” Manu retorted.
“You’re more upbeat than you have been,” Tane said. “Something has happened.”
“Nope,” Manu denied. “More of the same, but my pity-party was getting old.” He checked his watch. “I have to go. Call me if you have problems with Dad.” With that, he jogged to his truck and was soon on his way to the inner city.
* * * * *
Jessalyn chopped vegetables, washed and stacked dishes, and carried out the other tasks assigned to her by Chef. The mindless work allowed her thoughts to skip to Manu Taniwha. The taniwha was a mystical beast from Maori mythology and the perfect surname for the man who prowled and gave off predator vibes. Yet the weird thing was he hadn’t truly scared her. Contrarily, he’d given her the illusion of safety, and she’d slept better than she had in days.
And the fire thing. He’d taken her breathing fire in his stride, which struck her as odd. He’d shaken her so much with his overpowering masculinity, her brain had become sluggish. Not great behavior.
She forced her mind to other matters such as where she would stay tonight. No money. The fire thing. She sighed. She’d have to sleep rough again. There was no other alternative.
She glanced up and caught the door opening by itself. A slew of goosebumps slid across her forearms, and she paused in stacking the dishwasher. The door shut again, and she shook her head.
“Jessalyn!” Will, the bar manager, stomped into the kitchen. “We’re slammed out there. Can you come and clear plates from the tables?”
Jessalyn glanced at the scowling chef.
“Can’t one of your guys do it?” Chef demanded.
“We’re short-staffed. One barman didn’t turn up for work and there are two cruise ships in port today.”
“We’re short-staffed too,” Chef stated, leading with his chin, but he jerked his head at Jessalyn. “Fifteen minutes then come back. We’ll have dishes backing up by then.”
Jessalyn welcomed the chance of a breather from the steamy kitchen. Out in the bar, customers stood in clusters. She cleared a table and assured the customer who claimed it that she’d be back to wipe up the spills.
Her nostrils quivered under the assault of many strong scents. Maybe it was hot outside, but the bombarding fragrances forced her to breathe through her mouth. Accu
stomed to waitressing since she’d done several stints at the café in Piha, she cleared tables, wiped tabletops, and ducked around stinky customers. By the time the state of the bar satisfied the bar manager, half an hour had elapsed.
“Where have you been?” Chef roared on spotting her. “I said fifteen minutes. Peel these and chop them in julienne. We’re running short of vegetables.”
The younger of the kitchen helpers sent her a faint grimace of commiseration. He was busy preparing more salads while Chef allowed Elsa, who had been there forever, to cook steaks and grill fish and chicken.
Jessalyn got to work on the carrots. Feeling the weight of a stare, she glanced up. No one was paying any attention to her, too busy with their tasks and worried at facing the wrath of Chef to waste time gawking at her. Shrugging, she continued preparing carrots.
When six came around, Jessalyn’s shoulders were sore from hefting heavy pots and clearing tables. The bar manager had commandeered her several times throughout the day.
She’d decided to find another park where she could sleep in privacy without other homeless people around. That might mean leaving the central city again, but she couldn’t afford to let anyone catch her lighting fires. She headed for the restroom and washed her face. She changed her uniform shirt for a lighter T-shirt and made a mental plan to find somewhere to do her laundry.
Her hand hit the wooden box at the bottom of her daypack, and she couldn’t resist opening it to gaze at the pendant nestled within. She stared at it, the sight relaxing her. Her forefinger stroked over the whorls of the koru. A vibration passed from the pendant and up her forearm. Startled, she jerked her hand away and gawked at the glowing pendant.
Voices outside had her snapping the wooden box shut and stuffing it out of sight. She hefted the daypack over one shoulder and left the pub via the employee entrance. Her entire body hummed and her mind darted to Manu. She swallowed, honesty urging her to admit to herself she found the man fascinating.
“Jessalyn.”
Her head jerked up, and wariness clenched her muscles tight. “What are you doing here?”
“I thought I’d save you the train fare and pick you up since I was already in town.”
“How did you know where to find me?”
“It wasn’t difficult,” Manu said and, to her frustration, didn’t explain further.
Jessalyn planted her feet on the pavement. “I don’t want to come with you.”
“It’s safer.” His gaze drilled right through her, his expression saying everything she didn’t want to hear.
“I’d be foolish to trust a stranger.”
“I didn’t call the cops last night. Come. I went shopping this morning. I have plenty of food.”
Something in his voice throbbed, and she found herself moving toward him. It was the strangest sensation. She forced her legs to plant again, and her mind buzzed as if in protest. A tiny voice shouted inside her head. Go!
“Jessalyn.” The no-nonsense tone of a man who expected obedience.
And damn if she didn’t start walking again, trotting after him like a well-behaved pet.
6 – The Truth About Dragons
To Manu’s relief, she followed him without making a scene and he led her past the row of moored luxury launches. He halted at the Kapiti ice cream shop. “Want an ice cream?”
From memory, eating often had helped with the control of his dragon. If he read Jessalyn correctly, she was short on funds and therefore not eating as she should.
“I’ll have one cone with chocolate, salted caramel, and almonds and one with…” He turned expectantly toward Jessalyn who was studying the ice cream with avid interest.
“Nothing for me,” she said. “I can’t afford—”
Her gaze had gone to the gingernut side of the cabinet. “French vanilla,” he said in a verbal prod. He’d bet French vanilla was the last flavor she wanted.
“Gingernut,” she blurted before the woman behind the counter could roll the vanilla ice cream.
Manu smiled with quiet satisfaction and handed over a twenty-dollar note once the woman had rolled them an ice cream each.
“Let’s go,” Manu said. “With all the traffic cones and diversions everywhere, I decided to park in the Wynyard Quarter.”
She licked her cone with obvious enjoyment. “Oh. I’ve wanted to explore this way but I never have enough time during a half-hour break.”
“Well, now is your chance. This bridge is mechanical and a few times a day, they close it to pedestrians, lift the center, and allow the boats to leave or return into this part of the harbor. There are lots of restaurants over here.” Manu continued in his guise of a travel guide. “See the rail tracks? They used to have a tram in use during the weekends. My friends recommend the restaurants in this area.” Manu finished his ice cream, amused at himself. He hadn’t talked half this much in the last six months, and he was steering close to prattle.
He steered Jessalyn in the direction of the car park while sneaking surreptitious glances in her direction. She wasn’t his normal type. Whenever he dated—nah, fucked fit better, if he wanted honesty—he chose petite women. His brother Kahurangi swore he had a thing for blondes, but Manu considered himself an equal opportunity man with hair color. He preferred women who didn’t douse themselves in artificial scents, ones who bore genuine smiles, and those who flirted and weren’t shy about going after what they wanted.
Jessalyn Brown was none of these things. The woman was tall, and those who were uncharitable might call her chubby. While she carried extra weight, once she shifted, she’d burn through the calories, her fat becoming muscle. She had long black hair and a cautious nature, which given the circumstances, he didn’t blame her for. She didn’t trust him, and he admitted her lack of faith irked him. Stupid male pride.
Once they settled in his truck and were driving toward Onehunga, he started asking questions.
“When did this firebug thing start?”
Jessalyn shot him a quick glance, her eyes wide with panic. “What?” She pressed her lips together and stared straight through the windshield.
“I can’t help you without details and background.” He needed Leader Manu to appear, but Manu the man craved Jessalyn’s trust and honesty.
“A while ago,” she said after a lengthy silence.
“Before you arrived in Auckland?”
“I’ve always been in Auckland.”
Manu sighed. “All right. Let’s try this. What happens physically right before you breathe fire?”
“My stomach churns, and I get a pain between my shoulder blades that’s almost like indigestion. Heat—it works up my throat until I have to open my mouth and release it.”
“Interesting.”
“Not what I’d call it,” Jessalyn snapped. “I’m too scared to go to a doctor. I’m not stupid. A doctor wouldn’t believe me, and then when he had proof of the fire bursting from me like some mythical dragon, he’d lock me up. The authorities would become involved, and they’d throw away the key.” Her anger and fear throbbed in the truck’s cab.
Manu sympathized with her. This unexpected arrival of a heritage she was unaware of must be confusing and terrifying. A part of him wanted to tell her, but there were gaps in his information. Thanks to his day of snooping, he had more knowledge.
“Do you have brothers or sisters?” he asked.
“No, I’m an only child. My mother died when I was two.”
She never hesitated in her reply, and heartened, he continued in this vein.
“I have three brothers, all younger than me. Your father never remarried?”
“No. It was just the two of us. H-he died recently.” She rushed out her final words, her voice thick and choked.
“I’m sorry.” Manu reached over and clasped her fingers briefly, giving a comforting squeeze before returning his hand to the steering wheel. That was his probable answer to why she’d come to Auckland. “What was your favorite thing to do when you were a kid? Did you play with do
lls and have tea parties?”
Her snort had him scanning her in surprise. “My dad was great. He bought me dolls, but I upset my friends’ mothers when I started a trend for restyling my Barbie. I turned mine into an explorer and cut her hair.”
Amusement flooded Manu on hearing the laughter in her voice. It was much better than the repressed tears.
“In my defense, I thought my doll’s hair would grow back since mine kept growing. That’s what I told my friends.”
Manu chuckled. “I take it their mothers disabused them of this.”
“Yeah, Dad received at least five phone calls from irate parents. He had to explain my doll’s hair wouldn’t grow back.”
“Did you cry?”
“No, I liked my doll better in her explorer disguise. My best friend at school was a boy. Danny had toy trucks, and my doll and I had more fun playing with the trucks and going on adventures in the bush than we did at tea parties. As you can probably tell, I turned into a tomboy.”
“What did your father think of that?”
“He went with my preferences, although to be fair he steered me to more feminine activities. I did ballet and learned how to cook. I can sew and knit if I really have to, but I preferred woodwork. My father was a trained carpenter although his real passion was making furniture. What did you do as a kid?”
“I grew up with lots of playmates. I had my three brothers and numerous cousins and friends. We played outside a lot and once we got older, we did team sports. Rugby during the winter and softball or cricket during the summer. We swam and learned to paddle canoes.”
“Can you cook?”
“I can,” Manu said. “Once I got older, I enjoyed the sciences. Cooking is simple chemistry. It’s easy if you follow the steps.”
“A lot of cooking is instinctive.”
“Still chemistry,” he stated as he pulled up at his warehouse. He used a remote to open the gate and drove through. Since he expected Jack and Hone to visit later, he left the entrance open. “You know how the elements will react together so you move on to the next step without too much extra thought.”
Black Moon Dragon Page 7