Butting In

by Zenina Masters

  The moment that she left her room, she could see the difference in the Axion. Instead of being bland and generic, the building had taken on a fairy-tale theme. Gera stepped down a curved, twisted, crystal-banistered stairway. It was the kind of stairway that should star in every movie where someone was waiting for their true love to find them.

  Gera smiled at Drak, and he inclined his gleaming head toward her.

  “You look lovely, Gera.”

  “You look much better, Drak. Have Teal and Tony been in to see the changes?”

  “How did you know?”

  She tapped the side of her nose. “Shifter magic smells different.”

  He sighed. “Yes. I have three bookings for this week. They have begun to recommend me. Riox was right to tell me about the glamour. No one thought it through.”

  “Will you get in trouble for dropping it?”

  “I doubt it. The council just wanted to avoid dazzling the shifters without any thought to how their own magic would react to the blanking of mine.”

  “Or how arrogant it is to think that our magic is any less powerful than yours. We may burn fast, but we pack quite the punch.”

  He winced. “Yes, or that. Are you heading to the Crossed Star?”

  “I am.”

  “Excellent. Have a lovely evening.”

  He bowed low, and she bobbed a quick curtsey before she left to meet her fate.

  The path to the bar was more intimidating at night and alone.

  She entered the bar, and immediately, her instinct was to blend in with her surroundings. The problem was that her clothing was not conducive to blending.

  With no other option, she straightened her shoulders and walked over to the bar.

  “Hello again, Chuck.”

  “Hello, Gera, was it?”

  She nodded. His serpentine eyes were surprisingly warm as he smiled.

  “What can I get for you?”

  “Something that looks very alcoholic but isn’t... very?” She rocked on her shoes and rolled her weight to the outside of her feet.

  He laughed. “I will work something out.”

  Gera smiled, and she waited as he got different types of juice, some liquor bottles and some ice and began to shake them all together.

  When the mixture was frothy, he poured it into a tall glass and put a wedge of pineapple as well as a teeny umbrella in it.

  “There you go. I am calling it the Tropical Pirate. Let me know if you like it.”

  He slipped a straw into the drink and slid it over to her.

  With Chuck watching her, she sipped at it and smiled. It tasted like a tipsy summer afternoon in the tropics.

  “I like it. Where is the pirate part?”

  “If you drink too much, it will steal your legs.” He winked and headed off to the other side of the bar to attend to some incoming guests.

  She sipped slowly at the drink and looked around. Freshly minted couples took most of the booths.

  Gera found one and tucked herself in. It was next to the dance floor, so she had an excellent view of the dancers.

  She watched the grace with which the fey moved around the dance floor with their partners and tried to guess which of them were with their mate and which were trying each other on for size.

  She was halfway through her drink when a man came up to her.

  “Would you care to join me for a spin around the floor?”

  Gera sucked down the last half of her cocktail, and she scooted out of the booth without flashing too much thigh. She could tell she had succeeded, because her soon-to-be dance partner made eye contact again.

  He offered her his hand, and she stepped in close as the music started. His hand pressed her lower back, and they started to shift around the dance floor.

  To Gera’s surprise, she was a better dancer than he was. His footwork was heavy and deliberate. She was managing to move lightly as his hand shifted lower on her back, and she grabbed his fingers and pulled them back to above her hips.

  When the music was over, the reason to stand next to him was over, and she turned to go back to find a seat.

  Another man asked her for a dance, and there was no logic to refusing him. Grimly, she turned back to the dance floor and prepared to guard her butt and her toes.

  It was the beginning of a very long night.

  Gera finally managed to slink away from the crowd on the dance floor, and she crept up to the bar.

  Spike saw her coming and pulled out a bottle of water. “You look like you need this.”

  Gera edged herself onto a bar stool and drank the water in one long, thirsty session.

  “Can I get you anything else?”

  “Another bottle of water and Chuck made me something he called a Tropical Pirate. Could you make one of those?”

  Spike looked around and found a recipe box with index cards in it. She flicked around and finally fished out what she was looking for. “Got it!”

  Chuck was busy on the other side of the bar, so Spike got to work.

  Gera didn’t know what was in the drink, but the recipe had been right on the money. It tasted the same as the first one.

  She nursed the drink and kept her back to the men who were milling around in search of their mates. She had already gone through eight of them, four had asked her for another couple of dances, but there was no spark on her side of the embrace.

  Spike finished her round and lifted the empty water bottle. With a smile, she tapped the bottle with her fingertip and water swirled into it.

  Spike handed it over. “Here you go. A little fey magic can do wonders to glassware.”

  “This is water?”

  “Yes. Drawn from the air. We had an elemental in a few months ago, and she enchanted a few dozen bottles for us. We wash them when empty and make sure that they don’t collide in the dishwasher. They have been working out very well.”

  Gera enjoyed the moment of normal discussion of a new kitchen gadget. She and her sisters often discussed that exact kind of thing.

  She continued to hide at the bar as she drank her cocktail.

  Andy appeared next to her and asked, “Would you like to dance?”

  Gera slipped off her perch, wavered a little and smiled. “That sounds nice.”

  He extended his arm, and she wrapped her hands around it, leaning on him a little as they walked the few metres to the dance floor.

  She was laughing as they started to dance and collided a little.

  Andy grinned at her. “Have you had something to drink?”

  She nodded vigorously. “Spike makes stronger drinks than Chuck does.”

  They were swaying gently to the music.

  “Are you having a good time meeting new people?”

  She smiled and sighed happily. “I am. I don’t normally get out much.”

  “It only shows a little.” Andy twirled her.

  She shrieked and clapped a hand over her mouth when she slammed against him. “That was fun.”

  She was holding herself up using his shoulders, and he didn’t seem to mind. “You are a good dancer.”

  “Thank you. I practice when I can.”

  “I don’t. I am just really good at walking on tippy toes. I can walk a straight line anywhere, any time and any terrain.”

  He leaned in to whisper. “I can chew my way through a two by four in under a minute.”

  For some reason, she found it hilarious. She could see in his eyes that he was enjoying himself, but there was no heat to him. This was just a fun night out.

  When hands pried her away from him, she frowned. “Hey. I was busy laughing.”

  She was turned, and Riox held her against him. “Hello, little Gera.”

  She poked him in the chest with two fingers. “You were rude to Andy. Apologize.”

  He looked down at her in surprise and then over to her previous partner. “I apologize, Andy. I misread the situation.”

  “
She is a lightweight. Make sure you take care of her tonight.”

  She frowned. “I am right here, guys. There is music, but I amn’t dancing. Is that a word? Amn’t? Am not? Yeah, am not dancing.”

  She looked from one to the other. “I want to be dancing.”

  Riox nodded to the other man and started to move to the music. Those that had stopped to watch their little grouping resumed their own partnerships.

  Riox looked at her. “I am sorry I am late, but Drak needed some help at the Axion.”

  “I danced with lots of people.” She smiled brightly. “And they danced with me. It was fun.”

  “Are you in the mood for fun tonight?” He stroked one hand down her back. She grabbed it and put it back in the safe zone.

  “Not that kind of fun. I just want to dance and enjoy myself without worrying about what happens next.” She smiled and swayed with him.

  The next round of music had a swing-dance tempo, and Riox raised a brow. “Would you care to dance to this?”

  “If not with you, then someone else.”

  He stepped back, took her hands and they were off. Halfway through the jumping and spinning, she felt the electrical charge of his hands against hers.

  Her skin sprang to life, tingling and registering every touch, every slide and even the wind between them as they parted and returned with energy.

  Looking at the elf with the pretty eyes, her mind registered that he was the one she was looking for, but her mountain goat was on the fence. Sure, he was light on his feet, but was that enough for her?

  As he twirled her and then pulled her against him, she admitted that being light on his feet was enough of a start.

  She was sweating lightly when the music ended, and she held onto his shoulders as they shifted from side to side in a rhythm much slower than the one playing through the sound system.

  Riox smiled at her, and his pretty eyes shifted colour faster. “You are a very good dancer.”

  She smirked. “My kind are light on our feet.”

  “So, what is your exact species?”

  “I am a mountain goat. My mom is a normal goat, so I have her colouring, but my dad is a standard mountain goat, and I got the soul of one of those beasts.”

  She smiled and swayed with him. “What are you?”

  He blinked in surprise. “What?”

  “There are different types of fey. What is yours?”

  His cheeks coloured a little, and his blush was as charming as the rest of him. “My kind are described as love talkers. In times past, we would seduce our lovers with the sound of our voice, leaving them pining for us until they died.”

  She had one reflex. “Ew.”

  His shoulders shook. “Now that everyone knows of the fey, it is not necessary to seduce from the shadows anymore. I am much more direct.”

  The music changed, and he raised his eyebrows. “Shall we go again?”

  “If you think you have the stamina, by all means.” She grinned, and they changed their grip; she spun out and back, and they were off again.

  It was a lot of fun to take her dance skills out for a spin, and as long as she had him for a partner, she wasn’t going to stop.

  Chapter Five

  Sweating and getting quite a few admiring looks, Gera left the dance floor and stalked through the folk gathered at the Crossed Star.

  Reality had thudded down on her when an elegant and sleek young woman had rubbed up against Riox and reminded him that he promised her a dance. Gera knew when she was outclassed in the seductive arena, and she had smiled politely before heading for the door.

  Her instinct had been to shift out her horns and head butt the woman into the next week, but instead, she walked out and didn’t hurt anyone.

  She hadn’t realized that fighting her instincts would make her so angry.

  Her mood must have communicated itself to those around her, because while folks had stared at her while she made her exit, no one had spoken to her.

  Instead of heading back to the Axion, she made a direct line to the shifter’s meadow but looked for the oldest strand of trees she could find. She needed something that could take a hit.

  When she found a suitable oak, she stripped to the skin and shifted into her goat. She backed up a few feet, tipped forward for momentum, got up on her hind legs and brought her body weight down on the oak via her forehead.

  The crack of the wood was satisfying, so she shook her head, backed up and did it again.

  It took three more impacts before the frustration she felt was gone.

  She sighed and walked back to her clothing, changing back to human and getting dressed.

  She hiked back to the Axion in a very calm mood. She felt more like herself again.

  The Axion had taken up a new appearance since she had left. The subtlety was gone, and now, a fanciful crystalline castle was her home away from home.

  Her heels clicked on the glittering steps, and Drak opened the door for her. “Gera, you look tired.”

  She sighed. “It has been a very long night. I will see you tomorrow.” She smiled tiredly and headed up to bed. It had been a very long day.

  The beautiful staircase lifted her spirits, floating candles lit the hallways and her bedroom had been transformed from serviceable but elegant into a fantasy come to life. Her bed was now a four-poster with an organically carved set of posts. Filmy silk curtains fluttered on all sides. It would be a beautiful place to hide, and she could not resist the safety that it promised.

  After a quick shower, she crawled between the silk sheets, exhausted and back in control. She planned to stay there as long as she could.

  * * * *

  Drak scowled at his brother when Riox finally made his way back to the Axion.

  “Riox, you mentioned that you were interested in Gera.”

  Riox frowned and put his hands defensively on his hips. “I am. Why?”

  “Because she arrived here two hours ago, and she was even more shut down than she had been when she left. What happened?”

  Riox cocked his head. “I promised a few of the ladies a dance tonight, and I keep my promises.”

  Drak winced. “Were you with Gera when the ladies came to collect?”

  “Yes. She excused herself and left. Is there a problem?”

  Drak pinched the bridge of his nose. “At least you came back alone.”

  “Drak, I don’t see the problem. I had some fun with the other ladies, but I am still focused on Gera.”

  “Riox, how would she know that?” He sighed.

  Drak saw understanding dawning in his eyes. He felt it necessary to hammer the idea home. “The shifters have been coming here to find mates. If the connection is broken or interfered with, they simply seek another. They do not try to make a bad fit work. They move on.”

  “And my dancing with other women?”

  “If you didn’t explain that it was a previous promise, she would have taken it as rejection. She does not have the confidence in you to fight for your attentions, nor should she have to.”

  Riox’s normally proud face suddenly looked unsure. “Did I completely fuck it up?”

  “Thankfully, you came home alone. I would suggest you go to the library and look up the mating behaviours of her beast. That is who you must appeal to.”

  Drak had high hopes for his brother. Over the centuries, he had tried to fill a well of loneliness with the women who rushed into his arms. None of them wanted him; they were beguiled by what he was. Riox needed someone who wanted him, not his magic.

  Riox nodded and headed for the library.

  Drak sighed. Yes, he would soon have the guests that he needed, but if he could find someone for his brother, it would prove that his skills as a matchmaker were not just his imagination. Over the centuries, he had found mates for dozens of his own people and some humans. This was a whole new playing field, and the best part was that everyone here was unattached. There would be no is
sue of running into existing spouses when he found the perfect match for man or woman.

  Riox and Gera pulsed in a matching pattern, but they moved at different frequencies. Gera squashed the energy she produced behind social strictures and a shy demeanour. She needed someone to stand by her so she could unfurl her self-confidence and become the force of nature that lurked under the surface.

  Riox needed someone who wanted him for him. If he was going to undo his blunder, work would be involved, and Drak was going to do what he could to get those two together. Having Gera as a sister-in-law would definitely be a fun thing.

  Gera would be a stabilizing influence for Riox. Despite his success in every business he turned his hand to, Riox needed someone who simply wanted him for him. His soul cried out for it, but that call had never been answered.

  Drak closed his eyes at the image of the frustrated Gera slamming her head against an oak. The sound had echoed over the meadow, and he had watched, concerned, as she continued to fight against her impulses over and over.

  It was not information that Riox needed. Guilt would not be the way into Gera’s heart. He had to win her trust and go from there. There were some things that Drak could not do for his brother. Betraying a private moment was one of those things.

  * * * *

  Hiding in her room wasn’t an option. She wanted to, she really did, but she needed to get out and do something.

  Gera got up, brushed her hair out and got dressed. Her wardrobe had expanded exponentially, but she stuck with one of the dresses she had chosen for herself.

  She slipped on her shoes, put on some lip gloss and headed down for breakfast.

  There was just something about walking down that staircase that lifted her spirits.

  Drak was in the dining room, and he rose to his feet with a smile. “Good morning, Gera. You are looking well.”

  “Thank you, Drak.”

  “Coffee?”

  “Please.” She settled at the table, and a cup of coffee poured itself in front of her with the additions she had put in the day before.

  “Did you eat yesterday?” Drak flicked his fingers toward the sideboard, and a plate did the round of all the dishes that uncovered themselves at its approach.