by Ophelia Bell
Ignazio wasn’t sure how to feel about his friend’s sudden open camaraderie with Pomona. He hadn’t wanted to answer the question, anyway, because he’d have to tell her a bald-faced lie. There really were no other shifters for her. She was his, but he couldn’t very well admit that to her yet.
However, if she were going to be in his life forever once he could mate her, it was good for her to be friends with Bryer, too.
He relaxed as they continued to enjoy the dessert, imagining what their lives might be like in a few months. Gerri would find Bryer his mate, then Ignazio and Pomona could be together. He pictured them an inseparable foursome, not unlike how the Dragosland’s leader had lucked out with his mate. The dragon shifter who led their kind had been on the verge of death when his best friend’s human mate introduced him to her sister.
“Do you have any friends?” Ignazio blurted out before he could censor himself.
“Friends?” she asked, staring at him in surprise.
“I mean … on Earth. Surely you spent time with other females. A sister, perhaps?” He was floundering. Just because Vikter managed to conveniently discover his mate through family ties didn’t mean it would happen to him and Bryer.
“No,” Pomona said, frowning. “Well, I have had plenty of friends, but I’ve always been too serious about my job to build lasting friendships. It’s a flaw, really. I am pretty close to my brother, when we can find the time to get together—he’s like me; he takes his job very seriously.”
“Is he a chef, too?” Bryer asked, and Ignazio was grateful for the reprieve from his inane question.
“He’s a professional nature photographer. But I consider you two my friends. I mean, it’s only been a couple days. But we have an elephant in common now, so we can’t not be friends, right? At least that’s the only way I see being able to keep this job. Always be honest with each other. Deal?”
Her tone was almost pleading and Ignazio realized how much she truly loved her job.
“You have our word,” he said.
“And our tongues,” Bryer added with a smirk that turned into a full laugh when Pomona threw a bell fruit at his head.
Ignazio couldn’t help but laugh, his dragon filled with joyful energy at the sight of Pomona’s happiness. His connection to Bryer had plenty to do with it, too, and for the briefest moment he wished Pomona could have been his friend’s mate instead of his own. He hadn’t seen Bryer in such rare form—back to his pre-injury sense of humor—since before their final match.
It felt good—almost normal—as they settled into friendly conversation. Their banter went on into the evening until the dessert dishes were licked clean and Pomona excused herself with a sleepy yawn and a stretch. He stared after her as she left, wishing that he could fast forward to the night he got to accompany her to her bed for the first time, and never leave.
Chapter Seventeen
Bryer stood in the shadows at the edge of the party, wishing he were anywhere else but here. He watched Ignazio work the room like he’d done at the bar weeks ago, only this time, the females he was talking to were the pinnacle of shifter society. The cream of the crop. Only the most illustrious shifters attended parties held by King Alyx, after all.
He was hungry, but had no appetite for the array of food offered on the buffet tables that lined one long wall of the ballroom. Still, he had promised Pomona that he would eat and avoid drinking too much. After more than a month of eating her delicious meals and feeling stronger and healthier every day, he knew better than to ignore her requests.
The last several weeks had been all about pleasing her in every way he could, yet keeping his distance. The physical progress he’d made was the surest sign he’d made the right decision, even though what he really longed for was to make love to her—something that still seemed just slightly beyond his body’s abilities. Being in her presence day after day had taken its toll. After that second dessert she’d made with the Precious liqueur, his cock seemed to perk up at the end of each dinner, becoming a stiff, aching throb between his thighs, but the arousal never persisted once he made it back to his room to test his endurance. It was maddening, to say the least.
Scowling down at his half-finished drink, he sighed and set it aside, then turned to head toward the food.
The selection of aromatic morsels made his stomach growl, but otherwise, nothing piqued his interest. He held his small plate, feeling ridiculously indecisive.
“Nothing’s as good as what she cooks,” Ignazio said, coming up beside him. Bryer’s friend let out a sigh and picked up a meaty glazed rib and set it on his own plate, along with a few other things. “These aren’t bad, though.” He stacked several skewers of spiced meat on Bryer’s plate. “And don’t forget your veggies …” He added a couple little stuffed peppers that were crafted to look like freshly hatched dragon eggs.
Bryer stared at the food in horror. “Brother … I don’t know …”
Ignazio laughed. “Macabre, isn’t it? They’re stuffed with cheese and grains—no dragon babies were harmed to make them. Now, come on … there are some females I want to introduce you to.”
Bryer balked. “Shouldn’t you be more worried about finding your own mate?”
“The bet isn’t any fun if you don’t at least offer some healthy competition,” Ignazio said. “Besides, you could at least act like you care about it. I don’t know what’s wrong—you’ve been doing better. We’re in sync during practice, you seem almost back to normal. Why is this so difficult? Women love you.”
Reluctantly, Bryer let his friend lead the way across the room. He would go through the motions and meet the females, even though he knew none of them would be the one. He hurriedly popped one of the disturbing dragon-egg bites into his mouth, needing something in his empty stomach to help settle his nerves as long as he was going to forego any alcohol.
The females Ignazio introduced him to were all beautiful, well-bred women, but none of them were for him. After a few moments of polite conversation, he excused himself to go refill his empty plate.
Ignazio caught up with him halfway to the buffet. “Man, could you at least try to look like you want a mate? Sometimes it takes time to recognize her … more than five minutes of conversation, anyway.”
“No. It doesn’t,” Bryer said, letting out an exasperated breath. “Not when a shifter is in sync with his animal. Vikter’s situation was unusual, and you know that. He was near the end of his time limit to find a mate and had all but lost his connection with his dragon. You and I are in our primes and more in tune with our animals than most shifters ever hope to be.”
“There are other women …” Ignazio said.
“Not here,” Bryer said, cutting his friend off. He looked Ignazio in the eyes as he made a broad gesture at the ballroom. “I can look around this entire room and tell you that not a single fucking female in here is mine. Maybe yours is here, though, so why don’t you go find her and let me enjoy the party? I’ll go find Alyx and Karel and we can talk arena battle tactics—it would be a more productive use of my time.”
He skirted around Ignazio, leaving his friend scowling after him as he headed back to the food. He filled his plate with more of the dragon eggs and then scanned the room until he found what he was looking for.
On the sunny veranda beyond an open set of doors, the shifter king stood with his head of security and two lovely, curvaceous women. As Bryer made his way closer, the chocolate-skinned beauty on Alyx’s arm saw him. Her eyes lit up and she said something in Alyx’s ear that made the other three turn and look at him.
He gave them all a little wave.
“Welcome, Bryer,” Alyx said, extending a hand in greeting when Bryer joined them. “Have you met my mate, Isabella? Isabella, this is Bryer Vargas, half of the most unbeatable arena duo in Nova Aurora history.”
“I haven’t had the pleasure yet,” he said, smiling at the bright-ey
ed human woman.
“Please, call me Bella,” she said, gripping his hand and squeezing it. “And this is Liv, Karel’s mate. She’s from Earth, like me.” She nodded to the female who was snuggled against Karel’s side, her dark hair sporting colorful purple tips.
Bryer nodded in greeting to the other female as he popped another morsel of food into his mouth.
“Speaking of Earth girls, how is Pomona doing?” Bella asked. “Liv and I met her when Gerri escorted her to Nova Aurora. Is she really as good a chef as Gerri says?”
Bryer’s mood instantly perked up. He smiled broadly and nodded. “She is incredible. No offense to your chef, Alyx, but nothing I’ve tasted today is as good as what Pomona makes.”
“I see the diet’s helped,” Karel said, glancing down at Bryer’s right hip. “You got rid of the cane … and no more limp. Does that mean the Hot Wings team is competing next season, or should we find a new team to put our money on? I’ve been watching the progress of the Triple Talons. The trio is younger and rough around the edges, but they have the potential to be as hard to beat as you and your partner.”
“Oh, we’ll be ready,” Bryer said, hoping he wasn’t lying. He hadn’t needed his cane in a few weeks, but the injury still hurt at the most inconvenient moments during practice sessions. Mondaro seemed convinced that it was his spirit that still carried the pain, but had been his usual cryptic self when offering remedies.
“So, you like her?” Bella interjected, looking at him with unusual intensity.
“Ah …” he said, caught off guard by the directness of the question.
“Bella,” Alyx cautioned. “He didn’t come over to talk about his chef.”
“I’m just curious,” Bella said, shrugging at Alyx. “Every human woman Gerri brings winds up mated to an amazing shifter. I thought …” She gave Bryer a smile. “If it happened to me and Alyx, it might happen to you and Pomona. Or maybe it’s your partner? Oh! Maybe both of you! Does your partner like her as much as you do?”
“Bella …” Alyx said in a low, warning tone. “He would know if she’s his mate. She’s been there for more than a month. I knew you were mine the second I laid eyes on you.”
“It’s all right,” Bryer said, recovering. “Ignazio and I are equally enamored of Pomona’s skills in the kitchen. She’s a wonderful chef and very professional. Truly a keeper … at least as long as Nessa’s okay with sharing her kitchen when her cubs are old enough for her to come back. You’ll get a chance to find out how phenomenal she is soon. She’s been working on some special dishes for the party.”
“Ah, yes. The party of the season,” Karel said. Turning to Liv, he explained, “Bryer and his partner throw the best party at the end of every summer. Everyone who is anyone will be there.” Turning back to Bryer, he added, “Speaking of mates, though, how is the bet going? I’m guessing even if one of you found your mate, you’d hold off announcing who won until the official reveal during the party, right? I have a little wager riding on this, I admit. You two really upped the stakes this year.”
Bryer wished he had a drink. At least that would give him something to do to cover up his discomfort. He gave Karel a cagey smile. “I won’t divulge any secrets. The world will just have to wait a little longer to find out who the winner is.”
But now that he’d been reminded of how interested the public was, he desperately wanted his cock to work again so he could officially make Pomona his. Bet or no bet, people were paying attention. He glanced around the room, looking for Ignazio and hoping his friend hadn’t somehow managed to actually find his mate among the women attending this party.
“Oh! Look who it is!” Bella said, bouncing with excitement.
Bryer followed her gaze and was startled by the sudden rush of air when the two females brushed past him, aiming for Ignazio, who appeared to be escorting an older, platinum-haired female shifter. He blinked, wondering for a moment whether his friend had found his mate. The woman was striking for her age. In fact, she looked out of their league entirely—like she’d eat them alive. Her deep golden eyes settled on him, a sly half-smile twitching at one corner of her mouth like the cat who’d caught the canary.
Alyx let out a soft curse and Bryer raised an eyebrow. Alyx gave him a sheepish look. “That’s Gerri Wilder. She loves to remind me how much I needed her help, and I’d rather not hear it today.”
“A lot of shifters are in her debt,” Karel said. “I owe her, too. But if she’s helping your partner, my money’s in trouble.”
Bryer’s gaze shot to the dark-haired security captain. “You put your money on me?”
Karel shrugged. “Longer odds means a bigger payout.”
“Fuck. No pressure, huh?” he said, then laughed.
Bella and her friend were busy greeting the woman with warm hugs while Ignazio observed. Bryer gave his friend a questioning look.
When the girls moved back to the sides of their mates, Ignazio said, “This is Gerri Wilder, the matchmaker …”
Before Ignazio could continue, Gerri stepped forward, offering her hand to Bryer. He took it and bowed his head, pressing his lips to her knuckles.
“Oh, you are quite the gentleman. Do all the females fall for that trick? How many is it now? Well past double digits, by my count.”
He stood up again and released her hand. “I’m not sure what you mean …”
Gerri’s eyes sparkled wickedly. “The little wager you and your friend have every year. Every summer, you two share your number. The entire world knows how many females you have bedded. Except I’m sure you don’t restrict the fun to the summer, do you? The females might love the idea of becoming a notch on your bedpost—one of dozens, even. What makes you think that any of them want you or your partner for anything more than that? Women do have standards.”
Bryer’s blood heated and he gritted his teeth. “I wasn’t asking for your help finding a mate. Neither was my partner.” He turned a stony gaze to Ignazio, who looked just as shocked by Gerri’s dressing down as he was.
Gerri regarded him coolly for a long moment, then seemed to come to some decision. “I wasn’t offering my help—it would be unfair for me to influence the outcome of your bet. But let me offer you a word of advice. When you find her, don’t do what half the fools who come to me do. Don’t hide the truth, and for the love of god, don’t wait to tell her.”
Bryer blinked at her, confused by the sudden shift in her demeanor. She’d gone from sharp-tongued spitfire to firm yet gentle maternal figure. The spark in her eyes told him the spitfire was definitely still in there, though. He was grateful when she turned that golden gaze to Alyx, who seemed to shrink in response.
His skin prickled as the weight of her words sunk in. Was he being a complete fool by not telling Pomona how he felt? But how could he when his masculinity was in question? What he really needed to do right now was get Ignazio to stop trying to help, which he was sure had been his friend’s intention by bringing the woman over in the first place.
Nodding politely to Karel and the others, he grabbed Ignazio by the arm and steered his friend down the steps that led off the veranda and into the garden below, where the crowd was sparse.
In a low voice, he said, “I don’t know why you feel the need, but you can stop playing wingman. The whole point of this bet is for one of us to win it, remember? Why won’t you act like it after complaining about my failure to provide any competition?”
“Brother, if you can explain what the big fucking deal is, I’ll lay off, but we’ve generated a lot of interest in the bet this year—more than usual. You don’t want to disappoint our fans, do you?”
“Fuck the fans,” he whispered, then glanced around to make sure nobody who might actually be a fan was within earshot. He shut his eyes, deciding part of the truth might help, even if he was unwilling to share all of it. “I’m just not … ready to find her yet, okay? Physically.”
>
“What do you mean? You’re kicking my ass during training every damn day lately. You’re doing fine.”
With a sigh, he shook his head. “Most of my body is great. Not the parts I need to actually follow through with … fuck, do I need to say it?”
Ignazio crossed his arms and raised both eyebrows. “Yeah, I think you kind of do.”
He scrubbed his hands over his face and stared at the sky, trying to gather the courage to admit his affliction. Looking at Ignazio again, he said, “The damage to my hip and groin went pretty deep, but the poison itself went even deeper … it spread.” He looked down his torso and cupped himself between the legs. “I can’t …”
“Fuck …” Ignazio breathed.
“Yeah, that pretty well sums it up.” Bryer let out a shaky laugh. “So I appreciate the well-intentioned help, but it wouldn’t do me any good if I found her.”
Ignazio studied him with pursed lips. “There’s got to be a way to fix it. Maybe finding your mate is the key to … I don’t know … to waking up your dick. We should at least try.”
“You know what? Just forget it. I don’t need your help! You’re wasting your time trying to find me a mate when you should be finding your own. Go back and beg Gerri for her help. I don’t care. I’m a lost cause anyway.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“Dammit, will you lay off? Why …” He trailed off, looking at Ignazio and narrowing his eyes. “None of this makes sense for you. This … magnanimity … you are usually all about winning, all about getting the girl. There’s no way in hell you’d let go of this bet so easily, unless …”
Ignazio tensed and glanced away with a little shake of his head. “I don’t know what you’re thinking …”
Bryer’s throat tightened, his skin growing hot with rage. “You fucker. You found her, didn’t you? That’s the only explanation. You already know who your mate is, but you’re holding back. For what? Out of some misplaced pity? I don’t fucking need your fucking pity, all right?”