"Very well," Mai said. "I will pay for my own dress, but you will take me for a very expensive dinner. And you will pay for that."
"Yes, ma'am," he said.
Griffen gestured to the waiter to pour more wine for Mai. He stayed with a single whisky, so he would be sober enough to drive home. If he lost another car, this time it would not be his fault. She lifted the glass to him behind the crystal candlesticks. He toasted her back.
"Thank you for joining me today," he said.
"A pleasure," she said, taking a sip. "How is the business? I have scarcely heard a word from you lately. Normally, you have many stories to tell. I think it is both amusing and ambitious the way you are bringing backroom poker to such high standards."
Griffen made a face at her. "That was one backhanded compliment," he said. "I haven't really wanted to tell anyone about the problems we've been having this week." He told her about the cheating scandal. "This man, an Asian-American guy I haven't seen before, was adamant that two of our regulars had held back a card and screwed up the game on purpose. The victims are very straight. I would trust either of them to hold on to a hundred thousand dollars for me and never think of even borrowing from it for themselves. No way they could have been cheating."
"You think he was responsible?"
"I hate to think so," Griffen admitted. "But there are ways to rig a game for other players. I could do it. It's tricky to set up, but it can be done. The whole thing was just a big pain in the ass. Everyone went away mad. Then, in another game, there was a woman--also Asian-American, now that I think about it--Jerome never saw her before, accused the dealer of stacking the deck. The dealer is furious. We had to talk him out of quitting. Another mess. And now I've got this guy who seems perfectly nice, but Jer doesn't like him. I sat in on a late-night game with him yesterday. I just don't feel what Jerome feels. Peter is just too nice. No one is that nice all the time except Mister Rogers. He even loses like a gentleman. Funny, but he's Asian, too."
Mai's internal antennae went up. She didn't like Jerome, who had her number but was not in a position to fight her, but the facts suggested an unseen concurrence of events that she did not like. Griffen picked up on her concerned expression and looked alarmed.
"I'm not picking on these people just because of their background," he insisted. "I'm just telling you about the trouble we've had this week. It's just a coincidence that they were all Asian-Americans."
"No, no." She waved away the suggestion. "I would never think that of you. No. That isn't what I thought at all."
Griffen was not stupid. He made the connection immediately. "You do think there's something in it. Can these three events have anything to do with the Eastern dragons? I thought they were letting me alone for a while."
"I do not know," Mai said honestly. Could there be something more than coincidence? She needed to find out. "I doubt it, Griffen. They did plan to leave you alone." Except for her machinations, of course.
"And on top of that, Harrison is still busting my ass over the murder," Griffen added woefully.
"Murder?"
He leaned close to the candles so the waitress couldn't hear. "One of my dealers was strangled. An Eastern dragon named Jesse Lee. He came over from their operation. He said he wasn't getting the advancements he deserved. He'd been with me for three months. I don't know what happened. Harrison has no leads and no witnesses, but he's sure I'm holding out on him."
Mai was outraged. An Eastern dragon, murdered? That meant someone from one of the families. Who else but they--or the George--would know how to kill a dragon? Her temper flared. The two candles between them responded. Their flames flared high. People turned to look. She controlled herself, and the flames shrank to normal size. She grabbed Griffen's hand. "Tell Harrison you will help him in any way."
"Of course I will," Griffen said. "Did you know Jesse?"
"No," she said. "But I should have."
They finished their dinner over trivial small talk. Mai was quiet and thoughtful as they drove back to the hotel.
"Should I come up?" Griffen asked, as he popped the trunk for the bell captain to retrieve Mai's red silk dress in its plastic bags.
"I think I will go up by myself," she said. She leaned over to kiss him. "Thank you for a lovely day."
"Thank you," he said, looking puzzled. Mai stalked to the elevator and punched the button for her floor. She had a lot of thinking to do.
Nineteen
At 3:43 Sunday morning, the door to the luxury suite slammed open. Jordan Ma leaped to his feet. All night long, he had felt a questing power seeking him, so he did not undress or go to bed. He had sat still in the leather armchair in the darkened sitting room, waiting. Whoever it was grew closer and closer over the course of the hours. At last, he recognized that the seeker had firmed his location. Target acquired and locked, he thought. It would be useful to know whether a friend or foe sought him, but it was simpler to wait and find out. He was not without defenses. It was unlikely to be Griffen McCandles, who was far stronger than he, but unschooled, and anyone else in the city was a manageable threat.
A small, slim figure stood silhouetted by the hall lights in the rectangle of the door frame. She stalked in. No dragon of her blood needed lights to locate him, just as he did not require them to see and identify her.
"Well, well, Mai," he said. "Welcome, Princess-who-is-not."
She did not startle. The slamming-open of the door was for effect, not to surprise. She knew he would be alert.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded. In the dark, he saw not the human lineaments of her face but a flickering mask of power that would identify her no matter what shape she wore.
"Since ten o'clock, I have been waiting for you," he said.
"No! I mean, what are you doing in New Orleans?"
"The concerns of the elders are my concerns," Jordan said. "As they should have been yours."
"They are my concerns!" Mai said. The conversation was not going as she intended it to. She tightened her hands into fists. She had crossed paths with Jordan Ma before, several times. He was insufferable and proud, but clever. He had gone to a lot of trouble to make the elders think that he was more valuable than he was. She did not want him interfering in her mission. She must take control of the situation and keep it.
It had taken her hours to scan the city and find him. Of course, he occupied a luxury suite in a fancy hotel. To her annoyance, it was not far from her own hotel. He was aware of her search. She knew that would be likely. She hated that he seemed amused by her.
"What do you want?" he asked, sounding almost bored. "I would like to go to bed, soon. Not with you, of course."
"Are you responsible for the death of an Eastern dragon? One of our own kind?"
"I assume you mean the traitor to our cause," Jordan said. The shadow of his face was drawn into an expression of scorn. "Jesse Lee was warned."
"He was a child! He had promise."
"But not for us. Once he removed himself from the clan, he was on his own, a ronin, as the Japanese humans call it. He knew the risks. He chose his fate."
"But why kill him? His desertion was months ago."
"I did not kill him," Jordan said. She could not tell from the shadow of his face if he was lying. He was too good a poker player. "You must ask those who performed the deed. I would see to it that they are well rewarded." He smirked. "You do not care about others. I assume he meant something to Griffen McCandles."
"I do care what became of this child!" Mai exclaimed. Jordan waved away her protest. He treated her as if she did not matter. She resented it. "Why are you here?" she repeated. "What are you doing invading poker games?"
"Do you have any authority to ask?"
"Don't you know who I am?"
"If you must ask me that, then you must know I do not care," Jordan said, with a supercilious smile her claws itched to tear off his jaws.
"Then enlighten me. You will enjoy dangling that little bit of knowledge that you posses
s."
"The elders are tired of waiting for you to perform the task for which you were sent. You have been making excuses all this time. They are displeased."
"My arrangements are intricate," Mai said. "They want influence over Griffen McCandles. I cannot engineer that in a crude fashion. He is not a fool. He will rebel against blunt force."
Jordan flipped a hand. "The Lee sprout died very easily. It would be as simple to dispose of McCandles if he does not comply."
Mai felt panic rising in her belly. He would not think of trying to kill Griffen? "But the elders want him alive. They have a purpose for him. I am here to steer him to that purpose."
"You are not acting swiftly enough. They think that you have become soft. You prove their thesis, as you are upset over the death of a mere card dealer. You are becoming attached to the subject of your maneuverings. Instead, McCandles has power over you. The elders have warned you before, but you have shown no signs that you heed them. It is time for others to step in. You have become ineffective."
Ineffective? Mai felt her tail grow behind her. Her claws emerged, smooth and sharp as a machete. Mai leaped for Jordan, claws out. She raked her talons across his chest. They ripped open his jacket and shirt, and drew tiny lines of blood.
He took moments longer than she to transform. With longer arms and legs, he had the advantage of reach. He paused as she struck again, then wrapped her in his limbs. She struggled in his grasp. He bent his jaws to the back of her neck. One bite, and she would be eliminated as a nuisance. But she snaked her head back, and breathed.
Fire did not destroy a dragon as it did a lesser mortal, but it hurt. Jordan's muscles contracted. He squeezed. Mai gasped. He was not as powerful as she, but he was strong. He crushed her in his grasp. Her head snaked wildly on its long neck. She bit at him again and again.
"Ow!" he bellowed. He snapped back, and she bit his flickering tongue. Jordan lost his focus. What a dirty fighter the little female was! He dropped forward, still holding her. The floor boomed under their combined weight. Furniture went flying.
"Oof!" Mai grunted. She had landed on her back. She scrabbled at his belly with all four legs until he spread his wings and lifted off her just to get away. He fled to the bedroom, heading for the full-length glass doors that led to the balcony. She gathered herself and sprang.
She crushed his wings to his back. He fell to the floor again. Mai bared her sharp teeth and went for the nape of his neck. Jordan twisted in her grasp. Suddenly, she lost hold of him. She found herself flying through the air. Glass splintered as she crashed into the long mirror on the wall. Mai recovered in the time it took her to fall to the floor. Jordan had the French doors open and stood on the wrought-iron balustrade, ready to spring into space. She shot forward on all fours, and fastened herself around his ankles. He toppled backward and twisted to bite her. Mai slapped his head sideways and hissed at him.
"Is that all you have?" she asked. "Tell me your purpose here! Tell me!"
Jordan's eyes blazed. He snapped at her nose. Mai recoiled in pain. Now she wanted to kill him. She dug her talons into his side.
Jordan bellowed. He clamped his teeth on her shoulder. They rolled on the floor.
The delicate sound of a wind chime tinkled in Mai's ear. Jordan's glowing eyes dampened for a moment. Mai realized it was his cell phone ringing. He used Gilbert and Sullivan's "Three Little Maids from School" as a ring tone? What a wimp! She knocked his chin upward with the top of her head and bit his throat.
With difficulty, he turned on his belly and tried to crawl toward the bedside table. Mai hung on to him, clawing and biting. He must not reach it. He would not reach it. He was no match for her!
The telephone tittered on through the verse and on into the chorus. Abruptly, the noise stopped. Jordan halted and dropped to his belly. Mai was almost thrown off. He took advantage of her loss of balance to snake a claw up and grab the joint of her wing. He yanked downward. Wings were delicate and prone to breakage. Mai had to follow where hers went. Jordan flipped her over so her throat faced up.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over both of them, blocking the light from the window.
"Jordan, you didn't answer your phone. . . ."
Jordan looked up.
A woman, a plump, short one with curly hair, stood on the edge of the balcony. Mai rolled back on her flexible spine, kicked Jordan in the face, tumbled across the room, and came up on her feet.
The woman on the balcony was a dragon, too. It took her much longer than Jordan to change shape. Mai went on guard against both of them. So, this must be the woman Griffen had complained about. She was much younger and clumsier than Jordan. She was no challenge to one such as Mai. Mai could finish them both off!
She edged sideways. The newcomer was fresh and full of energy. Mai must disable her first. The young woman bared her claws. Mai brandished hers in response. Jordan sidestepped so he was just out of sight behind the tip of Mai's wing. She spun to face him. As she did, the other woman sprang. Mai was borne to her knees. She clamped her claws on the newcomer's leg and dug in.
"Ow!" the woman howled. She hopped back. Mai was already moving. She ducked between Jordan's legs, then swatted the backs of his knees with her tail. He fell forward. She leaped onto his back and wrapped her arm around his neck. She bore down on his throat, hoping to render him unconscious. He stood up, lifting her bodily. The other woman rushed in to help. Mai turned into a miniature whirlwind, striking and clawing at both of them. They struck out at her in return. She ducked, protecting her eyes from a backward blow by Jordan, only to have her ear and wing chewed by the female. Slowly, gradually, she felt herself being shoved backward. Light flooded over her shoulder until she could see their outline on the floor. They were in front of the window. Jordan bent his head and chomped each of her wrists in turn. The other female grabbed her around the waist, spun, and dropped her out the window.
Mai shrieked as the wind flew upward around her. She spread her injured wings, fluttering desperately. The narrow thread of Royal Street grew wider and wider. At last, she managed to open them and catch the air in their sails a split second before she landed on the street. She hung in the air, catching her breath. Two drunks tottering along the sidewalk gawked at her. They pointed and laughed. Furiously, she exhaled a stream of fire at them and fled upward. They backed up, but they were still laughing.
Funny, am I? Mai fumed, soaring up into the clouds. The frigid upper atmosphere would help to cool off her temper. Ineffective? I will see about that!
She flew back to her hotel and landed on the roof, where there were no security cameras. The exercise of a small thread of power caused the heavy fire door to open. She stalked down two flights of stairs to her suite. The door of the room refused to slam. She was frustrated enough to scream, but she did not want hotel security coming to the door in the predawn.
Her own cell phone was in the bottom of her handbag. She dumped the contents of the purse on the bed and pawed through it until she came up with the tiny silver handset. Only then did she restore herself to human appearance. She swiped at her messy hair in the bedroom mirror while waiting for the other end to answer.
"Honored elder, I am glad to find you in," she said.
"Where else would I be at this hour?" the peevish male voice quavered at the other end. "To what do I owe the honor of a call, Mai?"
"I have just spoken to Jordan Ma," she said.
"Ah. Is he still alive?"
"For now," Mai said. "Honored father, why is he here?"
"Why do you think that he is there?"
It was just like the elder one to turn her back with a question.
"He says I am too slow to fulfill your wishes."
"And have you fulfilled them?"
"Well, no! I have told you my plans. You have to remove Jordan Ma and his associates! He will spoil everything! Give me the power to halt him."
"And are you ready to move on your own plans that we have discussed?"
She was torn a
s to what to say. Elder Father would know if she was lying.
"No," she said, frustrated but unwilling to burst out in protests. Elder Father would find it disrespectful. "I have a few arrangements that need to fall into place before I can move. It will take a few more months, but Griffen McCandles will be in my control after that."
"But we elders wish to move now, over the course of weeks, not months. Can you say that you will be ready soon enough that we must call back the hounds we have put on the trail?"
"I need more time," she said tightly.
"It is too late to allow you to go your own way alone," Elder Father said. "Griffen McCandles will become a threat to our operation sooner than you will be ready. Jordan Ma will at the least hinder him, if not destroy his power base completely. He will do what you have been unable, or unwilling, to do."
"But what is he doing?" Mai demanded. She paced back and forth in her dressing room.
"You do not need to know that. His plans do not cross yours in any way. Do not fear. We will leave you in place. We will need you to continue, particularly if Jordan's scheme does not work. Will you cooperate? Must we question your loyalty? It sounds as if you are experiencing a fit of pique. Or is it something deeper? Do you choose to turn your loyalty to the young dragon instead of your clan?"
Mai was torn. She cared about Griffen the person. She admired his idealism. He always felt that benefit could be found for all. The other part of her, that which served the Eastern dragons, could not condone such an outlook. It knew that, like any commodity, power was limited, and that one must take whatever one could so one was not left without. She could not say for certain that he wouldn't become a threat to her later on. The potential he represented had too many variables for the future. She felt lost and alone. And angry.
"So you condone Jordan's actions?"
"We sanctioned them," Elder Father said. "You still have the support of your family in your aims. Should you accomplish them first, we will cause Jordan Ma and his three colleagues to withdraw."
Dragons Deal Page 16