Deceived by the Shifter

by Juniper Hart

  “You picked this place rather quickly. Have you wanted to do an event here for a while?” Nyle asked.

  Daisy faced him, her pale face bringing a smile to his features. “Yeah, actually,” she admitted. “I love the museum and the cost to host an event here typically exceeds the budget of most of our clients. I figured this might be one of my only opportunities to plan a gala here. It’s perfect, don’t you think?”

  “Obviously, I approve. I must admit, I’ve never been here before. Do you come here a lot?”

  “Not lately, but as a teenager, definitely. I know this place like the back of my hand.”

  “We’ll have to come back one day, and you can give me a tour,” he grinned, unable to resist himself.

  Her eyes widened and face reddened, turning her cheek from him to try and hide. Nyle’s hand dropped on top of hers, her skin in comparison to his was cool and baby soft. The moment their skin touched, it felt like jolts of static electricity soared up his arm and through his chest. It was magical, even to him, to feel the presence of his soulmate. He had heard people talk about the energy between mates his entire life, and their words never made sense until that moment. It was like he gravitated to her and never wanted to leave her presence. But Nyle knew better than to be forward with it. Daisy was human, so if she didn’t feel it, it would probably frighten her if he shared the intensity of his feelings with her. Honestly, he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to court her. With dragons, when you met your soulmate, that was that. Generally, they married quickly, getting to know one another once their bond was made official. This was going to be different. Nyle was going to have to get to know her first, which he was eager to do, even if he was impatient.

  “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable…” he said to her, his thumb making one stroke against the back of her hand.

  “You don’t make me uncomfortable,” Daisy said shyly.

  “Oh?” Nyle questioned, his white brow lifting. “You’re rather quiet, and you keep blushing.”

  He couldn’t help but prod a bit, needing to figure out how to make her open up and shift the relationship from professional to personal.

  She stammered for a moment, at a loss for words, “I… I… I don’t know.”

  Daisy’s eyes searched his face. It seemed she was trying to pull her thoughts together. His eyes stayed on hers, dying to know what was coming next. Could she really feel it too?

  After another moment of silence, Daisy spoke again, “It’s not uncomfortable but…” She turned her face away from him, looking to the wildflowers surrounding them.

  “But… what?” Nyle asked, his index finger and thumb catching her chin and turning it gently to make her look at him.

  Daisy answered, “Overwhelming.”

  His chest swelled at the word. So maybe she was feeling the connection? Maybe this would be an easier situation than he initially thought. He couldn’t help but smile.

  “I don’t mean to overwhelm you,” he said, still holding her chin. “Strangely enough, you overwhelm me as well.”

  “I do?” she asked, her eyes narrowing in confusion though her eyes gleamed with curiosity, but as quick as the gleam appeared, it dissipated, and she pulled her face away from his touch. “Are you teasing me or something?”

  “Not in the slightest,” he assured her, his fingers interlacing with hers as his hand remained on hers. She hadn’t pulled it away yet.

  “But… you’re a Flamme…” she let out in a hushed tone.

  “And?” he challenged. “Does that make it unbelievable for me to be captivated by a beautiful woman?”

  Daisy’s face sculpted into a look of disbelief.

  He let out a deep, husky chuckle. “This may surprise you, Miss Maddow, but even as president of the foundation, I don’t get involved with the events other than attending them. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a venue beforehand. This isn’t about business for me, and I’m sorry if that’s forward, but there’s something very… special about you. I think that you feel the same way I do.” As he continued, his fingers left hers and began trailing up her arm gradually. “Overwhelmed, electric, confused, excited…”

  “Nervous,” Daisy added, her eyes on his hand as it traveled her arm.

  He smiled warmly. “Yes, and nervous.”

  They locked eyes, the magnetism between the two at an all-time high. Nyle knew that she felt the same way he did. They were both shocked by the realization. No longer was it a theory, but a fact.

  “What’s happening?” she asked in a shaky voice, as if wanting to understand the tension between them.

  He hadn’t prepared himself for such a direct question. It wasn’t like he could tell Daisy the truth immediately, because he didn’t want to her to think he was crazy. It would be something that he would eventually have to explain to her, but when the time was right.

  “I’m not sure, but I want to figure it out. Do you?” he asked.

  Daisy nodded slowly.

  He contemplated what to do next, but then he remembered his father’s words that morning.

  ‘Don’t miss your date tonight, Nylyrias. A driver will pick you up at the office at six o’clock’.

  His eyes found his watch, cursing mentally at the time. He had to get back to the office soon and go on that damn date. How was Nyle meant to go through with it after finding his true mate? It didn’t feel right at all, but he had to play along with his parents until he figured out what to do about Daisy being his human soulmate.

  “I have a meeting, but I don’t want to this to end yet. I want to get to know you. Would you like to come over to my place for a drink? At say, seven-thirty?”

  Daisy gave a small smile, pulling on his heart strings.

  “Okay, sure.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Nyle did his best not to have a miserable attitude, but it was hard when he was, in fact, miserable. He walked into the restaurant with a sullen expression on his face and glazed-over eyes. He just wanted to get the meeting over with and go to his penthouse where Daisy was meeting him in just an hour and a half. He was going to try and make the date as short as possible, while not doing anything too drastic that would upset his father. The end result would piss him off anyways, but Nyle figured it was best to play as carefully as possible for the time being.

  As the host took him to the reserved table, his eyes found two women waiting for him. Anger brewed in the pit of his stomach. One of them was his sister, Erasina, and there was no doubt in Nyle’s mind that she was there to spy on him. Were his parents really stooping so low? His eyes narrowed as he approached the table and sat down next to his sister.

  His eyes slid over to the woman sitting across from him. A Royal Dragon with ash-blonde hair in a perfectly sculpted bob, painted red lips, and a deep plunge dress, batted her long lashes at him. She was tall and had curves that could make a grown man whimper, her ivory skin seeming endless and welcoming.

  “Nylyrias, it is so wonderful to meet you,” a low and sweet voice said from across the table.

  Nyle had to admit, if he had met her that morning, things might have been a little different, but after meeting Daisy, the woman who sat across from him seemed more like a demon than a dragon.

  She extended a long, slender hand with acrylic black nails, “Mylora Firebloom.”

  Nyle gave her a bored look until she withdrew her hand, earning him an elbow in the ribs from his sister.

  With a huff, he replied, “Nice to meet you.”

  “The pleasure is mine,” Mylora purred.

  As a waiter passed, Nyle spoke up to get his attention. “Excuse me, can I get a scotch, please?”

  The waiter nodded and walked off to get his drink.

  “We have a bottle of wine,” his sister said, gesturing to the chilled bottle in the center of the table.

  “I’m not blind, Era,” Nyle said sternly.

  He hated that his family was bringing out the worst of him on a regular basis. Nyle wasn’t normally a complete jerk, but bei
ng forced into a marriage brought out his bad side.

  “So, Nyle, how was your day?” Mylora asked.

  God, he didn’t want to be there. “It was fine.”

  Erasina elbowed Nyle yet again, and whispered, “Give an actual effort, Nyle. I’m not here to just watch you blow off another date.”

  “Why are you here, then?” he snapped. “To be an accomplice to ruining my life?”

  “Don’t be dramatic, Nyle,” his sister warned.

  “Do you want to get married so someone who isn’t your soulmate?”

  “That isn’t what this is about.”

  “Oh, it isn’t? Then tell me, what is it about?”

  Before Erasina could open her mouth, a calm voice broke through the tension. “I’m sorry, Nyle. I don’t want it to be like that either. And while we may not be soulmates, maybe we can still fall in love and make the best of the situation.” Her hand reached over the table and placed itself on top of Nyle’s fist. “I think all this negative energy made us start off on the wrong foot. Can we restart?”

  Nyle thought about leaving right then, not wanting to deal with it. After all, he had a good excuse to end it so soon with his little sister playing chaperone, but it was still a while before Daisy was meant to meet him, and he might as well have made it look like he was trying to go along with it.

  “Fine,” he said under his breath.

  The waiter returned with his scotch, and Nyle downed a gulp. It was going to be a dreadful hour.

  ***

  Mylora rattled on the entire time, as though she were trying to fit her entire life story into one dinner. He didn’t bother to pay attention; his eyes fixated on his food the whole time. The woman was as fake as plastic, with the depth of a puddle. Nyle wasn’t interested in her—or the charade she was putting on—in the slightest. As soon as their plates were cleared, Nyle requested the check.

  “Oh, couldn’t we hang around a bit longer? Maybe get some desserts and drinks?” Mylora pouted at him.

  “I have somewhere to be,” Nyle said plainly, his fingers drumming against the table out of habit until the waiter returned with the check.

  He placed money, including a hefty tip, inside the black check presenter and gave it back to the waiter.

  “I see,” she frowned. “Well, when do you think we can see each other again? Do you have anything going on tomorrow?”

  “I do have something going on,” was all Nyle said, standing from his chair. “It was nice to meet you.” He nodded at her and then looked to his sister, “I’ll see you later, Era.”

  He hoped it would serve as a subtle hint to Mylora that he didn’t want to pursue the arrangement. Leaving it at that, Nyle walked away from the table.

  The moment he stepped outside the restaurant, his mind focused on seeing Daisy. It wasn’t as if he were anxious, knowing things were bound to work out if they truly were soulmates, but he was jittery from excitement. Since the moment they parted ways, he could feel the absence of her energy, and his body craved it. Getting into the town car, he ordered the driver to go to his apartment, looking down at his watch for the time. Shit. That had taken longer than expected; seven-thirty was only a couple minutes away.

  Pulling out his phone, Nyle scrolled to Daisy’s contact, having swapped numbers before he left for dinner.

  Hey, Daisy. Sorry, running a few minutes late. Be there shortly.

  ***

  Daisy let out a sigh. She was waiting in the lobby of his high-end building. He had promised to meet her promptly at seven-thirty, but she arrived a few minutes early. It was a nervous habit of hers to arrive to appointments five minutes before the scheduled time. She hated being late.

  She typed her reply. It’s okay. See you in a few minutes.

  She leaned back against the plush gray couch, looking down at her outfit. Daisy had decided on a blush pink, short-sleeved dress that fell mid-thigh. The matching ballet slipper flats put the finishing touch on her outfit. Even though she looked nice, she felt underdressed.

  Daisy lied to herself to make her feel better, thinking that it was ‘just drinks’ when it was far from it. It was hard for her to wrap her head around Nyle feeling the same connection she felt. The feeling was almost chemical, or dare she say spiritual. It was indescribable and ludicrous all at once. How could there be such a connection when she knew very little about him? But that’s what the date was all about; getting to know each other, trying to make sense of the insane attraction.

  Lost in her thoughts, Daisy was pulled back to the present moment when the doors to the lobby opened. Already, she could sense it was him, the same sort of electricity hung in the air between her and man walking towards her. Nyle sauntered over with a smile on his face, the sensation of his presence getting stronger and stronger with every step.

  “Sorry to have kept you waiting. Dinner ran a little late,” he apologized as he fished his keys from his pocket.

  “It’s all right. Did your meeting go well, at least?” she asked sweetly.

  He shrugged as he walked Daisy to the elevator and used his fob to open the elevator. “It went about as well as I anticipated it to go.”

  After arriving on the penthouse level, they walked down the hallway. Nyle unlocked the door and gestured for her to step inside. With a shy smile, she walked into his home. She wasn’t sure why it impressed her so much since she knew the empire his family owned, but she was once again in awe. It was a two-story apartment, with a metal staircase off to the side of the room. The hallway from the second story overlooked the main floor. The furniture was modern and minimalist, everything in shades of gray and cream, and the entire left wall of the room was glass, giving a pristine and breathtaking view of the bustling urban jungle surrounding them. Sliding glass doors led to a terrace, complete with a private pool and lounge chairs.

  “You have a beautiful home,” Daisy said as her eyes still scanned the expanse of his apartment.

  “Thank you. It’s actually my home away from home,” he told her, closing the door behind him before moving across the living area.

  “You don’t live here full-time?” Daisy blinked, unable to believe that he would live anywhere else.

  “Well, I’ve stayed here quite a bit lately, but my primary home is the family estate outside the city.” Nyle then disappeared for a moment before returning with a bottle of red wine and two stemless wine glasses. “Come have a seat,” he called to her, sitting on a couch facing the glass wall.

  Daisy paced over, sitting next to him as he poured them each a glass.

  Handing her one, Nyle held his in the air, “Cheers.”

  Daisy let out a nervous laugh before clinking her glass to his. “Cheers.”

  They both took sips of the wine. Daisy was amazed by the taste. It was sweet and smooth, and she couldn’t even taste a hint of alcohol. Delicious cherries, sugary plums, and hints of citrus tantalized her taste buds. She took another sip before resting the cool glass against her lap, her gaze landing on Nyle, butterflies returning to her stomach.

  “Tell me a little about yourself,” he said.

  She swirled her wine around, watching the burgundy legs trail down the glass.

  “What do you want to know?” she asked meekly, unsure of where to begin.

  “Everything.”

  That’s so helpful, she thought sarcastically. “Uh, well… I’m twenty-two. I live on my own. My two best friends are my mom and my Aunt Chanel. She’s the one who got me the job at Winslow Events. And… uh… I don’t know. I live kind of a boring life,” Daisy said nervously, looking back up to him.

  His gaze was intense, but not uncomfortable. She had the urge to look away, but at the same time, she didn’t want his eyes off her.

  “I don’t believe that for a moment,” Nyle said, shaking his head. “Your boredom comes from modesty, which is beautiful. Not many can claim that trait.” His arm stretched across the back of the couch.

  “I don’t know about that… but, what about you? Tell me about yours
elf,” Daisy challenged him, wanting to show him how difficult it was to respond to such a vague question.

  His eyes widened with fright, smile dropping into a straight line and his body tensing slightly. “Touché,” he grumbled. “Well, I’m twenty-five. My parents are Thalydias and Asalei Flamme. I’ve lived in this city my entire life, and my family has been here for generations. I have three younger sisters, all of which hate me and love me about the same amount. I went to a private college in New York and got a bachelor’s degree in war studies, which is useless at a company like my family’s,” he let out a chuckle and gave a shrug. “I don’t work that much, though. So, it’s all right.”

  “War studies?” Daisy repeated, her brow furrowed a bit. “That’s an interesting field of study.”

  Nyle looked at her from the corner of his eye as he took a sip of wine. Lowering his glass, he cleared his throat, “The subject has always fascinated me. I knew it would be useless, but I have always planned to work for my family’s business, no matter what I studied. I couldn’t bear the thought of dragging myself through four years of business school. I would rather study something that kept my attention.” He let out a sigh, swirling his glass before taking another sip. “What about you? Did you go to school?”

  Daisy shrugged. “I tried it. I went to a state school for about two years, but I had a hard time deciding what to study.”

  “Didn’t find anything that interested you?” he questioned.

  “Just the opposite. I found everything too interesting. One day I wanted to be a psychologist, the next a historian or an author, or even an architect. I couldn’t choose just one. Honestly, I could have gone to school forever, as stupid as that sounds, but, of course, I couldn’t afford to do that. So, I dropped out until I figured out what I really wanted to do. That’s when my aunt put in a good word for me with her boss at Winslow Events. Just been doing this ever since.”

  Nyle gave a warm smile, which confused her given what she had just said.