They emerged from the car and paused at the bottom of the granite steps leading up to the museum. Even with ample lighting, the front of the building loomed like a bad omen. It was going to be a long night. He could feel it already. Taking a resigned breath, Jared straightened his coat and tie. He held a hand out to let Zephyr go first. The answering grumble made him shake his head. Grinning, he followed in his friend’s wake.
ALEX TOOK A SIP OF HER CHAMPAGNE, skirting the upper level in the Hall of Ocean Life. She moved closer to the rail and rested her flute on the top of it, peering down at the Who’s Who of the tri-state area. In her line of work, she attended countless affairs like this, but never glimpsed the old world royalty rumored to be hosting this event. Scanning the crowd, Alex tried to pick out who the Royals might be. No one stood out. They all were the same to her: old, wealthy and, above all, fake.
A commotion at the Central Park West entrance to the hall had all eyes turning that direction. Alex’s gaze locked on the tall blonde walking through the doorway. She couldn’t believe her luck. Jared Bonatelli, the man who had consumed every iota of her workday, waltzed in like he owned the place. His laughter was swallowed up by the crowd surrounding him. The dark haired man with him was definitely annoyed. It figured, she called it the moment Gene handed her the folder; he was a spoiled, rich, handsome and egotistical jerk. He was most likely the cause of his companion’s scowl. Her first impressions of someone were never wrong.
Jared paused. The dark haired man spun toward him and spoke. Jared listened and began to laugh harder. His friend, seemingly disgusted with the whole exchange, gave Jared one last glare and stalked off toward the far exit, heading further into the Museum.
Jared watched Zephyr walk away. The man needed to lighten up. It wasn’t his fault they were suckered into attending, just dumb luck. It’d be better for them to relax, have a few drinks, and make an effort to enjoy the night. Well, if Zephyr wouldn’t make the effort, he’d make the sacrifice and do it.
He nodded a greeting to the Mayor and his wife. A waitress balancing a tray of flutes filled with Cristal passed them. Jared lifted a glass free. She continued by, with a simple curving of her lips, and slipped something in his pocket. He gave her a smirk and removed the paper from his pocket, placing it on her tray.
She stopped and pouted at him. “Can’t blame a girl for trying.”
“No, I can’t, but I’m not in the market for a woman who throws herself at me. I’m not that kind of guy.”
She laughed. “Mr. Bonatelli, that’s not what I’ve heard. I’ll have you know, I’m the best you’re going to get in this dried up crowd. Your loss.” She shrugged and inclined her head to Zephyr. He raised his glass in silent salute. With a swish of her hips, the waitress casually made her way through the crowd, slipping the note in an unsuspecting Senator’s pocket.
Jared narrowed his eyes at the vampire and took a swig from his glass. Leave it to Zephyr to try and get him laid tonight. A pressure built on the back of his neck, the feeling of being watched. Jared’s eyes roamed over the crowd, but no one seemed to be paying him any mind. Still, the feeling nagged at him. He scanned the upper level of the hall and the feeling vanished. How odd.
Alex stepped back, out of Jared’s gaze. She didn’t want him noticing her, not yet. She took another step out of sight and bumped into someone.
“Watch it, you useless cow!”
The voice behind her held nothing but venom. Alex cringed. This was so not good.
“I’m speaking to you. Weren’t you ever taught to face the person talking to you?”
Alex blinked. What in the world?
She pivoted to meet the woman behind her and came face to face with the coldest set of citrine colored eyes she had ever seen. The woman snarled. Alex’s apology died on her lips. Were those fangs? No, it couldn’t be.
“Are you dumb as well as deaf? Look at what you’ve done to my gown! It’s absolutely ruined. If this was the old country, I’d have your heart for dinner for this insult!” She waved her hands at her bodice, if one considered a sheer piece of ribbon barely covering her breasts a bodice. The cloth was thoroughly soaked.
Old country? Alex’s mouth went dry. She is one of the royals in attendance? It couldn’t be. “I’m so sorry. It was clumsy of me. Please let me take care of it.” She withdrew a business card from her clutch purse and tried to hand it to the blonde. The woman slapped it away.
“I don’t want you to take care of it.” She sneered. “You couldn’t even afford one of my shoes. Get out of my sight. Out of this Museum. You are no longer welcome here.”
“But…”
The woman leaned in close, her eyes glowing. “I mean it, human. Leave.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder and stalked off. Two leather-clad men followed in her wake.
Alex stared after her. Well, that didn’t go well. How was she supposed to explain this one to Gene? By the way, I got a line on Bonatelli, but I had to abandon it. Why? Oh, only so I could avoid an international incident and keep my life. No biggie. Losing her lead and getting kicked out of the gala would endear her to her boss. Not.
“Don’t take it personally. Absinthe takes a lot of getting used to. She’s kind of like Hannah Montana with fangs and venom.” A deep voice murmured in her right ear.
Alex whirled around and met the most electrifying blue eyes she’d ever seen. She pinched the back of her hand to make sure she hadn’t passed out and was dreaming. The man’s photos did him no justice. Her jaw began working, but no words came out of her mouth. A goldfish had nothing on her. Truthfully, she did feel like a fish out of water surrounded by all the frilly and fancy people. Seeing him in the flesh only made matters worse.
Jared’s brows drew together. “Are you ok? You seem a little shaken up. Don’t let her get to you, being a bitch is an art form for her.”
She tried to find humor at his attempt to lighten the situation, but she was mesmerized by his eyes. Alex felt lightheaded, had to be the champagne on an empty stomach. Or it was the stress her boss planted on her shoulders. What a combination. She swayed back. A strong hand took hold of her elbow and an arm snaked around her waist, supporting her weight. She sagged against him and felt her legs being swept off the floor just before the world started to fade.
Six
ALEX SIGHED AND RELAXED INTO THE STRONG embrace. It had been a long time since anyone held her so protectively. The murmur of voices around her slowly let reality back in. Alex opened her eyes to find Jared watching her.
“If you wanted to get my attention, you’ve certainly found a way of doing it. Let’s find a more comfortable place for you to throw yourself at me, shall we?”
Alex wanted to tell him where he could put his comment and exactly how far he could shove it in said place, but all she could do was shake her head slowly. She tried to hide her face from the curious glances of the other guests Jared passed on the way out of the room and into a waiting elevator.
The doors closed, and she found her voice. “Put me down.”
“You can’t be serious? You’ll fall on your face.”
“I said, Put. Me. Down.”
“Your wish is my command.” He set her on her feet and stepped away.
Alex speed walked down the hall the moment the elevator doors opened, heading for the nearest exhibit. It didn’t matter which one, so long as she was away from him. Her footsteps echoed too loudly. She stopped dead in her tracks. No one else was on this floor but the two of them. He hadn’t moved and watched her from the doorway of the elevator, face impossible to read.
“What are you looking at?”
“You.”
“I can see that, but why?”
“I’m trying to figure out why a beautiful woman such as yourself is here all alone. If you hadn’t noticed, this isn’t a singles bar.”
Alex struggled not to grind her teeth. “Who said I was here alone? You took it upon yourself to manhandle me like a caveman. You didn’t bother to ask if I wanted help.”
Jared raised his hands in surrender. “Hey, if it was your goal to fall on your face in front of the elite of New York, I’m sorry for ruining your moment. I didn’t see anyone else running to help. Call me crazy, but I can’t stop myself from assisting a beautiful woman in distress.”
Her nerves stood on end. He stepped from the elevator toward her. Bonatelli moved with the slow grace of a lion stalking prey. Her heart jumped into her throat.
Alex’s eyes darted around the room, but her disobedient feet remained right where they were. Her ability to piss people off by glancing at them had gone one step too far. If he wanted to take her out, there was no one to stop him. No witnesses. It was an eerie echo of Gene’s article. Jared was a killer of things which went bump in the night. The likelihood of her getting away from him was next to nil.
Focusing on his hands, she knew without a doubt, that they could easily snap her neck. Instead of raising a hand to her, he walked past and through the next darkened doorway. Her shoulders relaxed, but she remained on guard, wishing she had thought to bring her pepper spray.
“You’ll be more comfortable in here.”
“Like I’d go anywhere with you.”
“You already have.”
“Not by choice.”
When she made no move to follow him, Jared appeared hurt, and placed a hand over his heart. “Hey, I’m being perfectly honest here. Nothing is going to harm you, least of all me. Lord knows I have enough women throwing themselves at me. To tell you the truth, it creeps me out.”
“And I should believe you, why? I don’t even know you.”
“Don’t you?” His brow rose. “Come on, I promise I don’t bite. That’s better than you’ll get from some of the guests downstairs. I only bite if it’s consensual.”
Her eyes grew wide. The reaction brought a twitch of amusement to Jared’s lips. He winked and vanished through the doorway.
Against her better judgment, or maybe it was the inquisitive reporter in her, Alex followed. Jared held the curtain back for her. Once she passed inside, he let it fall back into place. Darkness engulfed them. The room, even in the dark, felt warm and inviting, protecting her from the ills of the world.
No place had been a comfort zone for her, especially none of the foster homes she’d been dumped into. Those had been the worst. The foster parents, if that’s what one wanted to call them, made things look great when Social Services came for a visit. On the surface, it all appeared hunky dory. But when they left, all hell broke loose, drinking, drugs, and the ever popular prostitution. Her foster homes were like going to the circus, only no kid should have to be exposed to this particular one. So Alex got out as fast as she could and made her own way in the world.
“Hang on, I’ll be right back.” Jared’s footsteps trailed away from her.
Light filled the room seconds later, making Alex’s mouth hang open. Just a few feet in front of her stood the most realistic model of a dragon she’d ever laid eyes on. It was ten feet tall and three times that in length. Its silvery green wings spread out to an amazing fifteen-foot wingspan. The dragon appeared poised and ready to take off at any moment. She reached out and touched it. Scales. Those were real scales; nothing else could duplicate the sensation. Their iridescence flowed like water over the dragon’s entire body, giving it the appearance that it was a living breathing animal. It defied all logic. She gazed into the extremely realistic yellow eyes of a creature that shouldn’t exist. She knew in her heart this was no model, but it had to be an illusion.
Jared stepped around the partition covering the electrical box and paused to watch her wonder at the sight of the dragon in silence. He’d never brought anyone to this floor before. No one knew it existed. Well, no one except the Conservatorship and the kingdom they served. This woman was the first outsider to set foot here. He couldn’t explain why he needed to show her.
“He’s a beauty, isn’t he?”
“He? How do you know it’s a he? It’s only a model.”
He stepped forward and stood by her side, staring at the magnificent beast. “He’s no model. He was once a living, breathing being just like we are. I was one of the ones who brought him here. His name was Ariban, and he lived not too far from where we are now.”
She let out a short laugh. “You don’t expect me to believe that, do you? There’s no such thing as dragons.”
“I can assure you there is. He was the oldest and most loyal of his kind, a dying breed. Humans killed him out of fear. Now the others are forced to hide. They only venture out when there is a new moon. “
Alex was skeptical. “How can I believe what you say? I don’t even know who you are.”
Jared chuckled. “Oh really? I was sure everyone knew who I was, judging by the reception I got.”
He took her hand in his and bowed over it. “The name is Jared Bonatelli. I am humbly at your service.”
Alex laughed at his antics. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Bonateli. I’m Alexandra Toscano.”
“Well, Miss Toscano, it is Miss not Mrs., correct?” At her nod, he continued. “I am equally pleased. Call me Jared. My father is Mr. Bonatelli, not me.”
She frowned. “I don’t understand. It’s only a proper way to say your name, after all. I can honestly say, from what I’ve heard and read, you’ve earned it.”
His eyes narrowed. “I thought you’d never heard of me?”
“I…I meant…The newspaper. You’ve been in the paper.”
Considerably amused by her back peddling, Jared laughed. “It’s ok, I was teasing. I knew what you meant. Yes, I’m my father’s son, but I’ve never felt the title was mine.”
Why am I even telling you this?
He never talked this much about himself with a stranger, let alone a woman. Most of the women he met wanted to land him as a rich husband, something he wanted no part in. However, Alexandra was the opposite. She seemed to want no part of him. For some odd reason, it made him want to gain her approval.
“But you are his son. It’s your birthright.” Alex found her gaze once again drawn to his eyes. They were so blue in this light, they seemed to glow. It must have been a play of the lighting because the mirage dimmed as soon as she noticed.
When he clammed up, emptiness filled her chest. It was her nature to pry at things. She was a reporter. She knew the lengths to go to get a story, feelings never entered into the equation. Even so, there was something sad and lonely in his eyes.
She understood all too well what he was talking about. In her foster homes, a kid wasn’t special. You were nobody, and no one wanted you. If you wanted to get out, you had to work for it. Thing is, she worked hard, and still no one wanted her. She was cursed to be lonely. Ever the optimist, Alex liked to believe there was someone for her somewhere out there. She just had to find him.
When her memories faded, Alex blinked and glanced away uncomfortably. “Sorry, sometimes my mind wanders. A hazard of an overactive imagination I guess. So” She had to change the subject. Chit chatting about her past was not what she wanted to do in her time with Jared. His past, however, was an entirely different story.
“How many of these creatures are in existence? Keep in mind the jury is still out on whether or not I believe you.”
Jared motioned toward a bench. Still focused on the dragon, she sat down. He dropped next to her, and Alex’s heart did a back flip or what a back flip must feel like. She scooted to the edge of the bench and kept her eyes on the beast in front of them.
Jared chuckled. “Ariban was the oldest. I was told he fathered quite a few, but when all is said and done, there are just fewer than twenty dragons throughout the world. They are a dying breed and a truly beautiful one.” Jared shook his head. “Think about it. They have been forced into hiding because of human fear and the inability of the dragon to accept how their world has evolved. They were used to ruling the sky. Now they hide in caves most of the time, only able to fly in complete darkness. Even then they have to be careful. God forbid they f
ly into the path of a jet or even worse, get shot down as a UFO.”
Jared closed his eyes and leaned his head on the wall behind them. “Dragons were never a danger to humans. We are more threatening to them and their existence, just like we’re the ultimate threat to ours.”
Alex wanted to argue, but there was no point. He was right. All through history, humans were the proven cause of world altering fiascos. If not for war, hundreds of thousands of lives would not have been lost. The human race was solely to blame for the destruction of the environment, probably another reason why these magnificent beasts were on the verge of extinction.
Wait a second. Alex stopped and glanced at Jared. She was starting to believe this insanity of his. No wonder the guy had successfully avoided the marriage train. Between Gene’s wild story and what she was witnessing first hand, she could honestly say Jared Bonatelli was certifiably off his rocker. He had to be. Now, he was sucking her into his little fantasy world. Funny thing was, it didn’t bother her. Everyone needed something to believe in, why not dragons?
They sat in silence. When Alex finally glanced at her watch, she was surprised at the time. When had it gotten so late? She had notes to make on the night, among other assignments she had left from the morning. Alex didn’t want to come to this event, but Gene insisted. All in all, it wasn’t a bad night. She’d even been enjoying herself for the first time in months. She had to give kudos to Jared for proving her wrong, something she never was. Well, almost never.
She faced him. His eyes were still closed. Oh God, he fell asleep. Alex was far from good company given her bad day.
“No, I’m not asleep, just thinking. And your company is far from lacking, Sweetness.”
Alex froze. “Did you read my mind?”
Jared opened one eye and watched her through heavy lids. “Nope, I felt the air stir next to me and figured you were checking to see if I was asleep. Even so, I’ll share a little secret with you. I rarely sleep. One of my little quirks, I guess. I’m more of a doer than a sleeper, always have been.”
“I think we should rejoin the party, or what’s left of it. Your absence will be noticed. I, on the other hand, well let’s just say the only one gunning for me was what’s her name.”
Beyond The Sun Page 4