Dragons Prefer Blondes

by Candace Havens

  Since I was the one who had broken and entered, I put the gun away. Well, technically I didn’t break anything to get in.

  “I’m sorry for just walking in, but the back door was open, and I was curious.”

  He didn’t say anything but watched me carefully.

  “That’s dangerous, you know. Leaving the door unlocked,” I blabbered on, which was something I hardly ever, almost never, did. “I love architecture, and those gargoyles—well, I just had to see inside.”

  “My grandmother built the place when she came over from Ireland.” He held out a hand, “Cillian McMurphy, and this has been McMurphy’s Pub since 1892. Well,” he sighed, “it was.”

  I took his outstretched hand. “I’m Alex, Mr. McMurphy. I can tell, even in the dark, how beautiful it is. Why did you shut it down?”

  “I’m an old man, and when my wife and son died—” The sadness in his eyes said it all. “I didn’t have the heart to keep her open.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Nothing could be done. Cancer took him, only fifty-two years old. A parent should never outlive a child. His death broke my wife’s heart, and I lost her to a stroke last year. I closed down after her wake.”

  I didn’t know what it was about the man, but I had an extreme need to hug him, and I’m not really a huggy kind of girl. “I’m not sure what to say. I can’t imagine losing one of my sisters or my brother. They drive me crazy, but I couldn’t live without them. My dad died a few years ago, and that was tough.”

  Hell, it was more than tough. The nurturer of the family, he’d been the one to dispense the bandages when we were hurt and the advice when we were older and the hurts involved hearts. I still can’t think of him without tearing up. I sniffled. God, Alex, get it together.

  He waved a hand upward. “Would you like to see the upstairs?”

  I thought about the dragon outside. “I’ve imposed enough.”

  “Nonsense. Come keep a lonely old man company. Your package outside will be safe.”

  My head snapped around. “My package?”

  “The dragon in the trash bag by the back door.”

  I coughed. “I—uh. What?” No way could he know that thing outside was a dragon.

  “Don’t worry, lass. Your secret is safe with me. What’s your family name?”

  “Caruthers. But—”

  “Think about it, girl. McMurphy.”

  It took me a second, but then the name slapped me upside the head. “Are you related to Siobhan and Niamh?” They were Guardians who lived in Europe and were known to be awesome warriors.

  “They would be my nieces. All the magic of the family is in those two girls.”

  I smiled. “I believe you. They have fierce reputations.” The two sisters had most recently been responsible for keeping a Chimera raid in the middle of Paris from getting out of hand. “So it’s probably not a coincidence I was drawn to this place.”

  He shook his head. “It’s been a safe house for your kind since my grandmother opened it over a hundred years ago.”

  “The gargoyles were an invitation.”

  “Yes.”

  “And the dragon outside?”

  His eyebrows rose. “I didn’t have anything to do with that mess. From what I saw, he was most definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time. You have a way with that knife. There aren’t many people who could pierce a dragon hide the way you did.” He pointed toward my sheath.

  “It’s a really sharp knife.” He was right. Dragons had notoriously tough hides even in human form, but if you hit them in just the right spot . . .

  Laughing, he motioned with his hand. “Follow me.” He shuffled to a door at the base of the stairs and opened it. Shoving aside a metal grate, he led me into a small elevator. “Stairs aren’t made for old men.”

  Before I knew it, the elevator door opened into a hallway. Unlike the dusty downstairs, this area was well-kept and decorated in the art nouveau style which was popular back in the 1890s. The dark walls were lined with beautiful art and lit with tiny triangular sconces, and all the doorways were arched.

  “Wow.”

  “Must be like stepping into the past for you.”

  “It’s gorgeous,” I said in awe.

  He opened one of the three doors off the hallway. “We divided these up into apartments years ago. Each one has a bedroom, kitchen, and living area. Here’s mine.”

  Books lined shelves on every wall, with the occasional painting breaking up the space. A long sofa had been set in front of the bay window, where morning light must have been just perfect for reading.

  “Wow, again.” This time I laughed. “You must love books.”

  “I don’t watch much of the telly, except for news and my sports, so the books keep me company.” He sounded a little melancholy.

  “My sister Claire would go nuts in here. She loves books.”

  “Please, have a seat.” He pointed to a set of chairs near the fireplace, which roared to life before my eyes.

  “Looks to me like your nieces aren’t the only ones with a little magic.”

  “I know enough to take care of that scratch.” He motioned to my arm.

  “No need to worry. I’ll handle it when I get home,” I told him.

  “Suit yourself. The tea tray is ready; I just need to add another cup and saucer.”

  While waiting, I perused the shelves. From what I could see, Mr. McMurphy loved philosophy. He had everything from Plotinus to Descartes and all points in between. There were also well-worn classics. A man who actually read Tol stoy and Jane Austen; that was pretty amazing. There were also books on magic. While I didn’t sense it in him, my guess was Mr. McMurphy was a mage.

  “You have quite a collection,” I said as he put the tray on the small table between two leather club chairs.

  “At one time, an entire floor of this building was a research library for Guardians and mages.” He picked up the tea and poured. His hand shook, but he didn’t spill a drop. “That was up on the fourth floor. When part of the family moved back to Europe after the last war, most of the collection went with them. I kept some of my favorites.”

  “You said Siobhan and Niamh had all the magic, but you’re a mage, too, aren’t you?”

  Pausing, he smiled. “Low level. Enough to help heal wounds when necessary and to mix a few spells and potions.” I had the feeling he was underselling his talents, but not to be deceitful. He was just self-effacing.

  “The club downstairs was a place for those fighting evil, Guardians and mages, along with a few neighborhood locals mixed in. Milk and three sugars?”

  How had he known about the three sugars? Probably a lucky guess, since strong tea always needed more sweetener. “Thank you.” I took the fragile cup with tiny purple flowers from him. Something told me it was vintage Noritake, but I didn’t want to be rude and glance at the bottom.

  “We’ve continued to mend wounds and shelter those in need through the years. When my wife died, I kept the apartments up in case someone needed to rest, but I didn’t have the energy to keep the pub running.”

  “I can understand that. I have several nightclubs and restaurants around the world. If I didn’t have an incredible staff, there’s no way I’d be able to do it all. And these days it seems like there’s always a crisis somewhere.”

  Fighting dragons had put a world of hurt on me when it came to my other businesses. I didn’t lie about having a great staff. If it weren’t for them, I’m not sure what I would have done the past few months.

  He smiled. “Yes. At first I felt guilty because I knew your kind and the mages needed a safe house. So I kept these rooms open for you to rest if necessary. The magic here is impenetrable. Evil cannot cross the threshold, and it will be that way long after I’m gone.”

  There was something so endearing about him, an innate kindness. “Do you have many visitors?”

  Shrugging, he put his cup on the table. “Once every few months or so a mage needs some help, but you’re
the first Guardian I’ve seen in a while. Recent troubles aside, you Guardians have made Earth a much safer place. I think your brother’s contributions have also helped. I’d like to meet him someday. That boy fascinates me. My nieces speak highly of his weapon designs.”

  This time I smiled. “So you’ve heard about the brilliant but obnoxious Bailey.”

  “Oh, yes. There are no mistakes, that boy was born to a family of Guardians for a reason. Whether you and your sisters realize it, his technology has made a world of difference in how the war will be fought.”

  I frowned. “You know about the darkness?”

  “Yes, much worse than it has ever been. It will work to invade Earth as well as the other worlds. For as long as I’ve been alive we’ve been battling it, but now—it will be a difficult time for all of us.” He yawned, and I remembered the lateness of the hour.

  I had so many more questions for him, but he’d already been more than kind. “Thank you so much for the tea.” I set the cup down on the tray. “But I’ve kept you too long. Let me wash these up, and I’ll get out of your hair.”

  He stood, a bit unsteady at first, and I almost reached out to him. A proud man, he flashed me a look that said to back off, but in a kind way. “You’ll do no such thing, and you’ve been wonderful company to an old man.” Moving to the window, he glanced out. “All clear.”

  “What do you mean?” I stood and stretched. The scratch on my ribs where the dragon had clawed me ached like a mother, but I’d survive.

  Waving a hand, he turned toward me. “The snow, dear. It’s finally slowing down. Going to be a beautiful morning.”

  “Well, thank you again for the tea and for the tour of this beautiful place. I think I would have been interested even if the gargoyles hadn’t invited me.”

  “You come back to visit anytime, and let your family know that they are always welcome at McMurphy’s.”

  “I will.” I still had a strong urge to hug him, but I held out my hand instead. His grip was strong, and he winked at me. I bet he’d been something back in the day.

  “Now, you be careful, young Guardian. Times are tricky.” He shuffled toward the door.

  “That they are, Mr. McMurphy. I can find my way out. Why don’t you go ahead and get some rest.” I cleared my throat. “I’ll make sure the door is locked behind me.”

  I heard him chuckle.

  He turned, and there was a twinkle in his eye. “Well, that’ll save these old bones a trip, so I appreciate it. Till we meet again.” He tipped his head to me.

  I waved good-bye.

  At the back door, I took one last look around. Man, I’d really like to get my hands on this place. I made sure the door was locked and then slammed it shut. On the other side it took me a moment to realize something was wrong. I looked to the right and left, my senses on guard.

  “Ah, hell.”

  Nothing was there.

  I mean, like nothing.

  Dude, where’s my dragon?

  CHAPTER 3

  After surveying the surrounding area, I realized someone must have taken the monster. Great. I prayed it hadn’t been the paparazzi. The wealthy Caruthers sisters were popular fodder for the tabloids. It usually worked to our advantage, because no one ever suspected we were actually Guardians who protected Earth.

  But at times the cameras and reporters could be invasive. They dug through our trash, interviewed people who called themselves a “close friend,” and chased us around the world.

  I sighed. “Where did it go?” He’d been one dead dragon, and there was no way he’d left of his own volition. There were no footsteps or tracks to follow.

  Crap. I made a run around the entire building and up and down the block but saw nothing. I thought about going back inside to see if the old man had seen anything, but I didn’t want to bother him. Besides, he knew about the dragon and would have said something.

  I did the only thing I could. I glanced around to make sure no one was around. Then, slapping the two crescent moon-shaped tattoos on my wrists together, I teleported to the control room at the Caruthers headquarters.

  “Where the hell have you been?” Jake, the head of security, raged. The guy was a marine at one time and had worked for the CIA and FBI. I’d never seen him break a sweat over any situation before, let alone yell. And trust me when I say we Caruthers sisters get in a lot of situations. “You were off the damn grid for almost half an hour.” A hottie in a suit, he had short black hair, mussed as if he’d been running his hand through it in frustration.

  Though I refused to admit it to anyone, the man intrigued me. I’d been attracted to him for ages, but I was too afraid of screwing things up to sleep with him. When he wasn’t yelling at me, he’d become a great friend, and I needed those a lot more than a bed buddy.

  “Hi to you, too. What do you mean I was off the grid?” I pulled the knife I’d used to slay the dragon and put it on the steel table.

  The control room was where the security gang kept an eye out for visitors from other worlds and helped us track them. They also kept tabs on us, thanks to a new GPS and ear comm my brother, Bailey, devised last week. He’d been kidnapped the month before and decided we needed a better way to keep track of everyone.

  “Well, one minute you were there with a dead dragon. The next you disappeared. Ten minutes later a large contingent of your fiery friends descended, had to be at least twenty of them, picked up your dead guy, and left. No sign of you.”

  I scrunched up my face. “Oh.”

  “Oh?” If I hadn’t known him well, I might have worried he’d strangle me. “That’s all you can say?”

  “I was distracted by this old building I found.”

  He closed his eyes, and I think he might have been counting to ten. “Exploring architecture doesn’t take you off the grid.”

  I shrugged. “Yeah, well, I think it’s protected by really powerful magic. I imagine that’s why you couldn’t see me. See, there was this old guy—”

  He closed his eyes again.

  “Why are you so upset? We go off the grid all the time when we travel to other worlds.”

  He opened those steely grays and gave me a look that would have wilted bamboo. “I thought you were dead.” The words came out in a harsh whisper.

  “Me? I’m kind of tough to kill. You should know that by now.” I’d grown up training to be a warrior, and death was part of what we did. I wasn’t as afraid of it as most folks were, which was probably a good thing, since I faced it on a daily basis. “I still don’t understand why you’re so freaked.”

  “Insane,” he growled. “You and your sisters. Can’t understand why someone might be worried that you’re dead.” He threw his hands up in the air. “Guardians. Why the hell did I sign up for this?” He stomped toward the door but turned before he left. “You need to find out where those dragons were hiding. They didn’t come through any of the portals. They were already on Earth. Just like you, one minute they were there, and the next they were gone with your package. My guess is they have some kind of lair there in Montreal.” He scowled and left.

  Pulling out a rag, I cleaned the dragon blood off the knife. “Someone is Mr. Cranky Pants tonight. Jeez, it’s not like I was gone that long.”

  I heard someone chuckle. “Are you talking to yourself again, Al?” Claire, my baby sister, leaned against the door. Her surfer-girl blonde locks were pulled into pigtails, making her look even younger than her twenty-one years. Except for her eyes. Those deep azure orbs revealed an old soul. A documentary filmmaker, she was the Guardian responsible for dealing with water-related beings from sea nymphs to creatures that would put the Loch Ness monster to shame.

  “Well, I was talking to Mr. Bossy Man.” I leaned my head on the window that separated the weapons room from the control center where the security personnel and tracking computers were set up. Jake still scowled but was immersed in a conversation with one of the guys. “For some reason he’s mad because I disappeared for a bit.”

 
; Claire grinned as she picked up the bowie knife from the table and cleaned it again. She can be a bit obsessive-compulsive sometimes. Then again, I was the queen of just-good-enough, so we made a great team. “Yeah, well, he was upset enough to call Mom. I just texted her and told her you were back.”

  “Great. Now she’s going to be mad at me for causing trouble.” My mother loved us, but she took Guardian responsibilities very seriously. Even if I explained about Mr. McMurphy, she wouldn’t understand. There was no pleasing the woman. After our father died a few years ago, she’d devoted herself to protecting our world. She was a powerful mage, and she held a high position on the council, which helped to keep peace throughout the universe. With the invasive darkness causing havoc everywhere, she and the council were always busy these days. And she didn’t like being interrupted.

  “Jake was worried.” Claire looked over my shoulder to where he stood. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s crushing on you.”

  I snorted. “Please. Jake’s a friggin’ robot. No. He lost one of us off the grid. It’s his job to make sure he knows where we are at all times. Trust me, that’s all it was.”

  “I don’t know. He was pretty frantic there, especially the last ten minutes or so. He blamed the guys in control and ripped them all a new one. So where were you?”

  I told her about Mr. McMurphy.

  “Very cool. I’d love to see those books.” Claire was every bit as brilliant as Bailey. His talent was designing wicked weapons to help us do our job. Claire, on the other hand, was a research whiz and a talented problem solver. She had a way of seeing the big picture like no one I’d ever met.

  “Well, maybe you can come back with me later today or tonight. Jake seems to think there might be a lair, and I’d like you to meet Mr. McMurphy. There’s something special about him, and I don’t like the idea of him being there alone, especially with dragons all over the place.”

  “We’re still on the tiger shark shoot, but I can take off day after tomorrow to help out. In fact”—she glanced at her watch—“I better get back. It’s almost time to rig up for our night shoot. Text me if you need me.”