by Jane Godman
He ran a finger down her cheek, sending delicious heat shimmering along her nerve endings. “I wouldn’t say that.”
They had done this many times. When it mattered most, Beast was a formidable team. Onstage, they all came together as a unique entity, but their main strength was as a fighting force. This was what they did best. When one of their group was threatened, they closed ranks and worked together to protect that person.
They were shifters who lived in the human realm, and their responsibilities straddled two worlds. When they dealt with a problem that could draw the attention of mortals, particularly of law enforcement, they had to tread carefully, not only for their own sake. If their cover was blown, if the world became aware that the stories, movies and legends were more than hype, and that shifters lived among them, nothing would ever be the same again.
It was a fine line they always walked. On the whole, the supernatural world was a quiet one, but that could change in an instant. Passions ran deep and centuries-old conflicts could be reignited with a look or a word. Battle lines would be redrawn and shifters who believed they were living out their lives in peace might suddenly find themselves renewing ancient loyalties. With no immortal peacekeeping force, shifters had to find their own protection. For Beast, that meant relying on each other. And that suited Torque just fine.
Diablo, Dev and Finglas stayed at street level, taking turns to patrol the lobby and the sidewalk outside the building. Although their opponent was unknown to them, with their quick, shifter reflexes and heightened perceptiveness, they would notice anything unusual before the building’s security guards did. Torque, Khan and Ged stayed in the apartment. Sarange was there, as well, but her focus was on the baby.
“What if this arsonist doesn’t approach the building?” Ged asked. “What if he tries a different method this time? Some sort of remote control device, even a bomb?”
“He won’t.” Hollie’s voice was calm, her expression resolute. “That’s not his style. He gets up close.”
Torque, who was seated next to her on the sofa, spoke quietly so only she could hear. “And the reason you can say that with such confidence is one of those things we need to talk about.”
She turned her head, and he drank in the purity of her features. “No more secrets.”
Could he do that? Tell a mortal woman everything? Would those clear green eyes still look at him with such trust once she knew it all? He would soon know.
A muffled cry over the baby monitor brought Sarange to her feet. “She’s usually hungry at this time of night.”
“Can I come with you?” Hollie asked. “I’d love to meet her.”
“Of course, but be prepared to duck.” When Hollie looked confused, Sarange explained. “Karina’s eating habits are still hit and miss.”
When the two women had left the room, Khan took Hollie’s place. His expression was serious. “Do I want to hear this?” Torque asked.
“I’m your friend...”
Torque leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. “Whenever a conversation starts with those words it means I don’t want to hear it.”
“I just want to know you’ve thought this through. I mean, the whole dragon-mortal thing.”
Torque knew Khan only had his interests at heart. He was saying exactly what Torque had just been thinking. But Torque didn’t want to hear the words spoken out loud any more than he wanted them inside his head. He didn’t want anything to come between him and Hollie, even if it made sense.
“You thought Sarange was mortal when you first met her,” Torque said.
“That’s not true. I always knew Sarange was a werewolf. She was the one who didn’t know it.” Khan placed a hand on his shoulder. “Take my advice. Stay away from mortals.” As Torque got to his feet, he raised his brows. “Where are you going?”
“See that?” Torque pointed to the glass door that led to the roof terrace. “I’m going to put myself on the other side. That way I don’t have to hear your advice.” He knew he was being unfair. He also knew it didn’t matter how far away from Khan he got. He would still have to listen to the same doubts playing inside his own head.
Once he was outside, he sat on a bench that gave the sensation of soaring out over the rooftops. The height and the fresh air soothed him, but he craved a wilder setting. City living didn’t appease his inner dragon. He ached for soaring mountains, swooping valleys, wild rivers and tumbling waterfalls.
“Care for some company?”
He looked up to see Sarange standing in the open doorway. One of the most famous and beautiful women in the world was dressed in baggy sweatpants and a faded, off-the-shoulder top. Torque decided against telling her that she had something that looked like oatmeal in her long, dark hair.
He scooted along the bench to make room for her. “Where’s the baby?”
“With Ged.” It afforded everyone in the band endless fascination that the giant were-bear and the tiny half wolf, half tiger got along so well.
“Did your husband send you to talk sense to me?”
“I thought we were friends. Does it matter why I’m here?”
He huffed out a breath. “I guess not.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes. “Khan thinks I should forget her because she’s mortal.” Torque wanted to be strong and silent, but the temptation to talk about Hollie was overwhelming.
“Khan’s a cat. They’re not known for giving good advice. Too self-absorbed.” They shared a smile. “But if you want her in your life, you have to tell her.”
“How can I do that?” The anguish in his voice matched the misery that tore at his heart every time he contemplated telling Hollie the truth. Because he knew that, once he did, he faced the prospect of watching her walk away.
“It won’t be easy, but you’ll find the words. And maybe simple is best.”
“You mean I should say ‘I’m a dragon’ rather than ‘I’m a winged, fire-breathing, mythical beast of legend’?”
“You’ll find a way. And if she loves you, she’ll love all of you.” She grinned. “Even the scales.”
“My scales are my best feature, furry girl. And, by the way, you have baby food in your hair.”
She patted his cheek. “Talk to her.”
“That’s the plan.”
* * *
Hollie was drawn back again to the bedroom window with its view over the city. He was out there somewhere. She knew it. The Incinerator would not have left town. Even if he wasn’t planning an attack on this building, he would be drawn close by Torque’s presence. Probably hers, too. She had been involved in the profile they had produced on him. Profiling wasn’t her area of expertise, but she knew the classic traits of an arsonist by heart. Usually white male, unstable childhood, above average intelligence but poor academic performance, inability to form stable relationships, possible mental illness. And the biggest one of all...fascination with fire.
The profiler had been cautious about the Incinerator. “The information available suggests the arsonist is a man, but the deciding factor about gender will be motive.” Unhelpful. “If the perpetrator is driven by excitement, vandalism or money, then it’s a man. If the motive is revenge or extremism, the chances that you are looking for a woman will increase considerably.”
In other words, until they could figure out the motive, the shadowy figure would remain unclear.
This time, when Torque opened the door, she heard him and turned her head. He remained where he was for a moment or two, just watching her face. Then he crossed the room until he was standing beside her. They looked out at the view together.
Although it was long past midnight, the tiredness that had gripped her when they first arrived here was gone. In its place was a tingling excitement.
“It’s time to tell me your secret, Hollie Brown.”
She took a deep breath. “My real name is Holli
e Brennan. I’m an FBI fire investigator.”
His lips quirked into a grin. “That’s it?”
“I thought it was pretty explosive.” The irony of the word wasn’t lost on her and she returned the smile. “I’m guessing you have something better?”
His expression immediately became serious. “I’m not sure you’re ready for this.”
Hollie shook her head. “That’s not how it works. We had an agreement. You don’t get to back down just because you think your secret is too big for me to handle.”
He was silent for a moment or two, staring down at her with a look she couldn’t fathom. The opal depths of his eyes glowed brighter than she’d ever seen them before. When his lips parted, she was no longer sure she really did want to hear what he had to say. Wasn’t sure she wanted to know the truth about the man the world called Torque.
“Very well. You want to know how I can walk through fire without getting burned?” His eyes darkened, their depths becoming haunted. “The answer is easy, but it’s one you’ll have to open your mind to understand.”
Torque was an entertainer, but Hollie had the strangest feeling none of this was for show. It wasn’t a big buildup. He was steadying his nerves as much as he was preparing her.
She placed her hand on his arm, feeling the heat of his flesh warming her fingertips. “Tell me, Torque.”
“I’m a dragon.”
That was unexpected. She frowned, trying to assess his meaning. “Is it a club? A society? I’m not sure I’m following you...”
He gripped her forearms, holding her steady and drawing her closer. “Hollie, I’m a shape-shifter. I’m part human, part dragon.”
That was the moment her dream ended. It had been too good to be true. She had always feared that the man she had fallen in love with from afar couldn’t really be everything she had believed him to be, and now she was finding out he wasn’t.
Torque was crazy.
As she made a move to pull away from him, Torque slid his hands up her arms to her shoulders, and she shuddered. How could her body betray her this way? Thinking he was deranged as she did now, how could his touch still send that thrill through her?
“I can’t do this.” She said it with genuine regret. No matter what his problems were, she cared about him. And he had saved her life. Was that all part of this delusion? Had he been wearing some sort of protection so he could pretend he was a fireproof beast? She followed that thought a step further.
Oh, Torque. Are you the Incinerator, after all? Her heart was starting to race with fear now as she gazed up at him. Why had she never noticed the way his eyes could glow with inner fire?
“I can prove it.”
“Torque, don’t put yourself through this. Don’t put us through it.” All she wanted to do now was walk away, leave this situation while there was some dignity left. For both of them.
“You talked about the concert in Marseilles. The one where the wolves stormed the stage?”
She nodded, fascinated at the way he was staying so calm about this. As if he truly believed it.
“It wasn’t special effects, Hollie. They weren’t wolves. They were werewolves.”
She broke free of his grasp and headed for the door.
“Watch that concert again with me now.”
She paused with her fingertips touching the door handle. It wasn’t special effects. She had never tired of watching the film footage of that concert. Like everyone else, she had pored over those incredible scenes, had devoured the comments from technology geeks about how it had been achieved. Just how had Khan changed into a tiger right in front of an audience of thousands? How had Diablo been playing his drums one second and become a prowling black panther the next? And Torque...what the hell kind of digital genius had come up with an effect that had him casting aside his guitar, pounding across the stage and taking flight, unfurling giant wings as he ran. Because...
She turned to face him, her back pressed against the door as the blood drained from her face. “You turned into a dragon.”
“I am a dragon.” This time, when he said those words, everything about him was different. His stance was proud, his voice was a low rumble originating deep in his powerful chest and the fire in his eyes became a blaze.
Despite every instinct screaming out to the contrary, she believed him. More than that, she wanted to bow before him, to honor him. It was clear that Torque wasn’t just any dragon.
“I can’t...” As her knees started to give way, he was at her side, scooping her up with one arm beneath her thighs and the other around her waist. Hollie raised a hand to touch his cheek. “It’s true.”
Torque placed her on the bed. “Let’s watch that film.”
“I don’t need proof.” Even though everything she knew about her world had just been thrown off course, his word was enough.
Torque’s lips quirked upward into a smile and he lifted her hand to his lips. “Thank you. But I want you to see me.”
His gaze ignited tiny fires along her flesh.
“To know me. I can’t shift here in the city. Not without triggering a major incident. That film will show you the other half of who I am.”
Even though he came and sat next to her, there was at least two feet of mattress between them. Torque reached into a drawer of the bedside table and withdrew an electronic tablet. When he’d connected to the internet and found the clip he wanted, he held the device out to Hollie.
She didn’t take it. Instead, she closed the distance between them, colliding with his hard, warm body. “You said we’d do this together.”
His indrawn breath reverberated through her. “Okay.”
Hollie could feel his determination and something more. Tilting her head, she viewed his profile. The hard planes of his features were more obvious from this angle and she could see the tension in his jaw, the tightness around his eyes. Was he scared? Afraid of what she would think when she watched this film? Hollie had seen it before, of course, but she would be seeing now with a new awareness.
She couldn’t make him any promises about her reaction. Sitting on a bed with a dragon...she hoped she would continue to see the man she knew. But this was so far outside anything she had ever experienced, her thoughts were in a whirl. All she knew was that no matter what happened next, her life had just changed completely. “Let’s do this.”
He nodded, swiping the screen to start playing the film. The concert had been filmed as part of a documentary about Beast, but the incident had also been captured on dozens of cell phones. It began with five figures plowing their way through the audience to the front of the arena and leaping onto the stage. The men landed in a crouch and simultaneously shifted into wolf form. Crouching low at the far edge of the stage, they bared their teeth at the band members.
Beast was playing up a storm. Behind the members, the LED screens were like a giant art installation showing their signature three-sixes logo, roaring flames and the snarling jaws of various wild beasts. Believing the invasion to be part of the show, the already excited crowd went into a renewed frenzy. The band’s symbolic sign of the beast was being made throughout the stadium as howls of appreciation rent the air.
Onstage, everything went from stillness to action. Adding to the sense of theater, Beast turned as a group to face the werewolves who had invaded their performance space. Khan, leading the advance, had a bring-it-on snarl on his face as he moved forward with muscle-bound stealth.
In the blink of an eye the stage erupted. The werewolves sprang from their crouching position as a series of incredible transformations took place. Khan’s clothing burst apart. Beneath it rippled brilliant orange fur slashed across with diagonal stripes, each as thick, black and straight as a hand-drawn charcoal line. In Khan’s place a giant tiger covered the distance across the stage in one bound, his lips drawn back in a snarl that revealed huge white fangs.
At the same time, Diablo disappeared and, in his place, a muscular black panther was prowling the space before joining the tiger as an unlikely ally. Finally, Dev cast aside his guitar, shifting stealthily as a ghost into a huge snow leopard, sharp and white in contrast to the blur of color around him, before throwing himself into the fray. Landing on the back of one of the startled wolves, the mighty creature lowered his head and used its lethal fangs to tear a chunk of flesh from its victim’s neck.
The crowd, still convinced they were watching a series of awesome special effects, continued to cheer and howl. At the side of the stage, Ged could be seen gesturing wildly to the security team at the side of the stage. He wasn’t fast enough...
Striding across the stage, Torque raised his hands and unleashed a series of explosions in his path. As he walked, he grew in stature until he towered over everything around him. Even on the screen, Hollie could see his eyes were bright red, the color filling the entire surface. The pupils had become vertical black slits. As he blinked, both top and bottom lids moved in time to meet each other.
As Torque broke into a run, his clothes tore from his body. His arm and leg muscles thickened, and he dropped onto all fours, giant claws the size of a mechanical digger churning up the surface of the stage. His skin was replaced by shimmering scales that reflected the neon colors of the strobe lighting. Giant wings unfurled, and a spiked tail flicked out before he opened his mouth to shoot a stream of blue-white flame in the direction of the wolves. Transfixed, Hollie watched as Torque became a stunning, fearsome dragon. He rose and hovered, his wingspan covering the entire stage.
Then the stage lights went out, black screens came down and a film of Beast playing one of its biggest hits was projected onto it.
Hollie sat very still, unsure what to do with all the emotion coursing through her. Dragons were creatures of magic and mystery. They had captivated her when she was a child, but she had put aside that fascination as she grew older. Except in her dreams. Now she knew dragons were real...and there was one sitting right next to her.