by Ophelia Bell
The lovely older shifter stood when she entered the visitor lounge behind Javin, and Astra narrowed her eyes. She looked benign enough, but she had a calculating look that Astra wasn’t sure if she could trust.
“You must be Midnight Star. I’m Gerri Wilder. It is lovely to finally meet you.” Rather than simply hold out a hand, Gerri strode straight up to Astra and enveloped her in a warm embrace that caught her off guard. Astra’s eyes widened, then her breath hitched and she hugged the woman back, too surprised by the greeting to react any other way.
“How are you feeling, dear?” Gerri said when she pulled away, giving Astra a look of deep concern. She led Astra to a chair and urged her to sit, taking the seat next to her. “I’ve been following these awful attacks for some time. I know it’s no consolation, but I am grateful your injury was far from fatal.”
“Me too,” Astra said, baffled by the concern, though she probably shouldn’t have been surprised. Still, Gerri’s solicitous nature put her at ease in a way neither of her doctors’ had. “I’m doing as well as can be expected I guess. Thank you for asking.”
Her skin prickled and she glanced up, realizing there was another set of eyes watching her. A beefy, tawny-haired shifter stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets. Astra frowned. “Do I know you?” she asked.
“I hope not,” he said with a gruff chuckle. “Er, that is to say, no, we’ve never met. I’m Simon Irons. Retired champion.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You seem familiar, but I guess if you’re retired, you were before my time.”
He swallowed and glanced at the floor, shrugging.
Astra’s mouth quirked. His shyness was endearing. “It can’t have been that long ago though, can it? You still look strong enough to compete.”
Looks could be deceiving, but this was a man who clearly trained hard. His strong shoulders bulged against the stretchy material of his shirt that clung to his tapered torso. The man had muscles on top of muscles and while he lacked the clean, lithe grace Javin possessed, he made up for it in sheer power.
“That’s behind me, I’m sad to say,” he said, flicking his gaze up to her, then looking at Gerri.
“Are you hiring Gerri too?” she asked, for the first time intrigued about what this matchmaker could offer. Perhaps she’d enjoy being paired with a retired champion like Simon. Someone who was done with the arena, but who could still appreciate the work that went into a career with the league. At the very least, she might enjoy the search if she got to sample the goods along the way.
When Simon cleared his throat she jerked her gaze back to his face, realizing she’d gotten a little lost in thought while imagining him naked. Then Javin clapped Simon on the shoulder and said, “You should remember him. His partner was the one who was responsible for Bryer’s injury a couple years ago.”
Simon blanched, his face going pale. A sick chill settled in Astra’s belly. She’d actually been attracted to this bastard?
“You’re one of them.” She didn’t try to hide the bitter edge to her voice and was gratified by the pain that crossed his features. He didn’t deserve any peace for what he’d done.
“It’s more complicated than that, Astra.”
“Don’t fucking talk to me,” she snapped, then turned to Gerri. “I’m sorry, you’ve wasted your time coming here. I don’t want a mate. I’ll find some other way to heal.”
Gerri held up a hand. “Wait, Astra. I think I can still help all three of you if you give me a moment. I’ve gathered from my conversation with Simon, and from simple observation, that neither of you are in the right place for a mate right now, am I wrong?” She shifted her gaze between each of them.
“I can’t speak for the others, but it’s the last thing I want,” Astra said.
“But there is something all three of you have in common, that you desire more than mates. More than anything. If I may be so bold as to guess,” she went on, “you want to get to the bottom of this drug’s existence. You are a victim of the toxin, Simon here is afflicted with an addiction to the drug itself that he wants nothing more than to rid himself of, and Javin wishes to help the both of you heal from it.”
Astra shot a confused gaze at Simon. Gerri’s tender look at the other shifter made her wonder what he’d said to garner any sympathy from the older woman. He’d broken league rules in the worst way, had been banned as a result. Technically, he shouldn’t even be allowed into this medical center. Yet Javin seemed friendly with him too. None of this made any sense.
“Am I wrong, Astra?” Gerri asked.
Astra tore her eyes from Simon, swallowing. “No. Are you saying you can help us figure this out? You know how to find the source of the drug?”
“That’s why I made the trip. I wish I’d come earlier because I’ve had information for a few weeks that may have helped prevent your situation, but there really is no way to predict how events will unfold, and I prefer not to betray my clients’ secrets if at all possible. Either way, I felt this information was best conveyed in person.
“I’ve had multiple clients over the past year who were affected by this drug in some fashion. My talents have been limited to helping with the damage they incurred on the inside. But for the first time I think I have a way to help with the bigger problem. If you three are willing to work together to get to the bottom of this, I will tell you more.”
Javin sat and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “It sounds like you have a plan all figured out. Care to share?”
Astra’s skin prickled with excitement, and despite her earlier aversion to Simon, her attention drifted back to him as he settled into a seat across from her. He met her eyes, clenched his jaw as if it hurt him to look at her, then darted his gaze away again.
Astra’s lips twitched. Maybe she’d been too big a bitch to him. She didn’t even know his story. All she knew was what the media had reported, that he’d sold out his partner to avoid going to jail.
“She’s just confirmed what we already figured out,” Simon said. “The drug comes from Earth. But you know more, don’t you, Gerri? Can you help us pinpoint where to go?”
The older shifter said, “I can, but I need an assurance from you first. This operation will require the skills of all three of you to work. My contact is a client who is in similar straits, who sought me out several weeks ago to find a mate, though what he desires most is tied to the drug, the same as you. To get to the bottom of this, I need you to agree to work together. I can’t tell you more, except that you need to trust me that this is the best way to get what you need.”
“Who is this person? Another champion?” Astra asked.
“Not exactly, but he is the only person who can help. If you agree to this, I’ll set up a meeting on Earth in a few days’ time.”
“If you’re just a matchmaker, why are you interested in doing this?” Simon asked.
Gerri gave him a sly smile. “Who told you I was just a matchmaker?”
10
Astra
The trip to Earth had both exhausted and invigorated Astra. Traveling with two men she was only barely on speaking terms with was the exhausting part. Every so often, she’d receive a glimmer of awareness from her dragon. Just enough to remind her she wasn’t hopeless yet, but to highlight how off her game she was. But with those glimmers came the most acute pangs of longing—double what she remembered feeling with Javin during the encounters they’d had over the years before Talon had been killed.
When they subsided, she was left with an even darker despair. She hated the fact that she was actually grateful for the damaged link to her dragon for once. She couldn’t let herself get distracted by these two men. She needed to focus on this mission Gerri was sending them on. While Astra may not be completely in sync with her animal, she was still a highly trained champion, and they were traveling to Earth. Even in her weakened state, Gerri had assured her she was still far more powerful a creature than any of Earth’s shifters and more than capable of carrying out whatever tasks would be
required for this mission.
Because that’s exactly what it was starting to feel like, which was the exhilarating part. She was done feeling helpless and weak, and Gerri had been instrumental in restoring her hope and sense of purpose. She needed to be able to fight, to find the source of this drug that had killed her brother. She didn’t really give a crap whether Javin or Simon had equally valid reasons for going—she would have gladly gone alone given the opportunity—but Gerri had insisted that it be all three of them.
The Nova Aurora Arena League had agreed to finance their trip after a brief call from Javin to the league’s board to explain he had a lead. The league didn’t have a huge presence on Earth, but it kept a few houses as bases of operation near the city when officials traveled to the other planet on scouting trips. It was rare, but the occasional Earth shifter showed signs of athletic prowess on the level of some of the native Nova Aurora shifters, and the league wasn’t about to waste the opportunity to capitalize on that.
Astra had no idea what to expect though. Everything on Earth was vastly different from Nova Aurora, from the scents to the colors of the sky and trees to the vehicle she found herself riding in shortly after arriving through the gate from the wormhole they’d traveled through. The limousine was comfortable and spacious, unlike the little speedy two-seater transports most residents of Nova Aurora owned.
The strange landscape passed by in a blur and she stared out the window, marveling at all the green.
“It’s different, I’ll say that,” Simon said, his good-natured comment a pleasant rumble at her side. Her skin tingled and she shifted closer to the window, irritated by her reaction to him every time he spoke to her.
“How long do you think we’ll be here?” she asked, directing her question at Javin, who sat across the way from her, sipping an icy drink.
“Hopefully not long. If we can find the source, we can shut down production and ensure the stuff is no longer being shipped to our planet. That will take some investigating, of course, but hopefully this person Gerri is introducing us to has connections and can help with that side of things. I also want to make sure we get an ample supply of the stuff to formulate a counteragent from. One that will actually work for both of you.”
As they drove down the main street of a small town, residents stared and pointed, and Astra shifted back into the shadows, stretching out her legs. She winced when her thigh twinged, but when Javin reached for his medical bag, she waved him off.
“It’s fine. I’ll let you know if anything feels wrong.” She gave him a halfhearted smile, silently wishing things could be different. That he would see her as someone other than Talon’s little sister or a patient he had to fix.
He pressed his lips into a tight line but nodded and sat back, picking up his drink again.
“It’s only been a few days,” Simon said.
Astra stared at him in confusion. “A few days for what?”
“Since you were injured. I know it feels hopeless now but we’ll fix this and you’ll be back in the arena before you know it. You’ll look back and it’ll be like any other injury you’ve had to heal from. They all make you feel like your career could be over. There’s always that worry, but when you get your dragon back, you’ll heal up good as new. You’ll see.”
She gave him a tight smile. “I hope so,” she said, then watched him thoughtfully. “You’ve been out this entire time, haven’t you? That must be hard.”
Simon’s gaze grew distant as he stared out the window and sighed. “This definitely wasn’t part of my career plan. I fucked up, letting Gunther get into my head about winning at all costs.”
“Would you come back if you could?” she asked.
“In a heartbeat. But I don’t think it’s in the cards for me. You have a chance still, and I’m just glad I get to be a part of making sure you get your career back. Mine is probably a lost cause.”
She turned toward him at the sound of hopelessness in his voice. “The league council has reinstated champions before, you know. The year Talon started competing there was a shifter who went a little rogue during a trio match. His teammates reported him and he was kicked out for unsportsmanlike behavior. It turned out he had a rare, genetic mental disorder. He got help, and when he proved to the league council he was better, they let him back in.”
“I remember him. The difference was that he didn’t break any laws. Nobody died.”
“Don’t give up. That’s all I’m saying.” She glanced at Javin, perplexed by his deep frown. He seemed deep in thought but wasn’t sharing, as usual.
“Do you have any idea why Gerri wants all three of us?” she asked. Javin’s expression softened and he shook his head.
“Not a clue. I imagine I’m on the list because of my medical background. As for the two of you, I suppose it remains to be seen. Looks like we’re almost at the house, so let’s settle in for the night and talk more tomorrow.”
The car turned off the road and crunched over gravel for several minutes, taking them deeper into a forest of those strange green trees. Astra’s home on Nova Aurora was in a similar forest, but the trees there had purple leaves, so this would take some getting used to. Good thing Astra liked the color green. Finally they came to a stop and the driver got out, opening the doors for them.
Astra stepped out and gasped at the gorgeous, sprawling house they’d arrived at. It reminded her a bit of Bryer and Ignazio’s place on the lake, only this one was about half the size, with a wide, wraparound porch and high windows that went up three stories. At the top sat a railing and a sturdy platform that jutted out several feet over the slope of the roof. This place was definitely designed with dragon shifters in mind.
Her heart sank though. Without her connection to her dragon, shifting had become practically impossible. When would she get to fly again?
A portly, gray-haired woman came to the top of the porch steps and waved. “Hi there! My name’s Stella. You must be Astra! And let me guess . . .” She eyed the guys and pointed at each in turn. “Javin and Simon, right?”
“In the flesh,” Simon said, reaching out to shake her hand.
“Wonderful! Welcome to the Northlight House. I’ve got the kitchen stocked, the beds made up, and the closets all filled with appropriate clothing in your sizes. I want you all to feel at home while you’re on Earth, so eating and dressing the part is important. I’ll be serving dinner in an hour. That should give you time to settle in and unwind. Come, come. Follow me to your rooms!”
They paused in the foyer of the house as the driver and another man carried in their bags and headed up the stairs. They didn’t have much luggage since they’d been told Earth-appropriate clothing would be provided, so Astra had only packed the bare essentials: her toiletries, her training gear, and her favorite pajamas. She’d never been to Earth, but her glance out the window on the way through the town hadn’t shown her anything outrageous at least.
“That should be the last of it,” the driver said, pausing at the front door and touching the brim of his hat. “I’ll be in the carriage house if you need to head into town for anything. Just ask.” He shot a beaming smile at Stella before dipping to kiss her on the cheek as he headed out the door.
Stella’s eyelids fluttered and her cheeks went pink. “Don’t mind Bruce. He’s an old softie. Let me show you to your rooms then.”
Astra smiled to herself as she followed Stella upstairs. They headed down a hallway into one room with a large four-poster bed in rich brown wood and a balcony that looked out over the purple twilight descending over the forest that surrounded them.
“This is your room, Javin,” Stella said. “Bruce thought you might like the view from this side best.” She pushed open the french doors that led to the balcony and beckoned. The three of them followed. “Such a lovely view, isn’t it?” She exhaled a deep sigh.
“It’s gorgeous,” Javin said.
Stella raised a finger. “And if you wish for a late-night run, you have private access.” She waddl
ed over to the edge and flipped a light switch, illuminating a set of steps that descended down to the ground.
They parted ways with Javin, Stella leading them farther down the hall to another room. “And here’s your room, Simon.” The room was similarly appointed as the first, with sturdy furniture and a wide balcony, but it lacked ground access.
“No escape route for me, huh?” Simon teased.
Stella scoffed and waved her hand. “No, but you do have easy access to the kitchen.” Her brown eyes sparkled as she led them back out and opened the next door down the hall. A narrow stairwell led both up and down, and from the floor below wafted the delicious scent of roasted meat.
Astra laughed at the look of utter adoration Simon gave the woman.
“I think Bruce may have a rival,” Astra said.
Stella chuckled. “Oh, sweetie, no one can replace my Bruce. Come, your room is next. Simon, you can head down but I warn you, the chef might put you to work.”
Simon’s head was already disappearing down the stairwell. “It’ll be worth it!” he called back.
Rather than returning to the hallway, Stella began to climb higher.
“Is our supper safe?” Astra joked.
“Oh, there’s more than enough. When I heard we’d be hosting a dragon, I made sure to stock up. The kitchen’s equipped with a full walk-in cooler and a full-time chef. You’re not the first champions we’ve had as guests, you know. The chef is also fully trained and consults regularly with Pomona Maurin on recipes. Chances are, he’ll put Simon to work out in the garden instead of letting him get underfoot. You are in very good hands, I promise.”
“Pomona’s recipes?” Astra asked. “I love her recipes. She and Nessa Baxter are friends of mine.” Any regrets she had about missing her chance to be a houseguest at the Hot Wings mansion disappeared.