“Tarleton?” demanded Dolf’s coworker. “Did she say Tarleton?”
Dolf cut his eyes to the woman – Helena Tarleton – who nodded.
That was her name.
Not that Declan had waited for confirmation. He had barreled on, demanding, “How old is she? Young-ish? Mid-twenties, maybe? Looks like she could be vaguely related to me?”
“Yes, yes, and… maybe, I guess,” said Rudolf, hesitating on that last one only because the similarities between Declan and his unexpected guest weren’t immediately obvious.
Their coloring wasn’t anything alike and neither were their builds, save for the fact that they were both slim. Dolf thought that they might have vaguely similar facial features, ones that sat more prettily on Helena’s oval-shaped face, but he wasn’t certain.
For further confirmation – and to be certain that he wasn’t imagining things now that the idea had been suggested to him – Dolf continued, describing the woman to his absent coworker.
“White-blonde hair, almond shaped blue eyes, milky white skin, standing about five foot, three inches, and weighing –”
“Don’t you dare!” yelped the woman, waving her hands between them. “What are you, a carnival barker? You’ve got no business trying to guess my weight! Certainly not out loud or in front of me!”
On the other end of the phone line, Declan laughed.
“Sounds like she takes after my mother’s side of the family,” said Declan. “If she really is Helena Tarleton, then she’s my cousin on my mother’s side.”
“Here’s my driver’s license,” offered the woman; Helena, Declan supposed. She shoved the card under his nose, allowing Declan to glimpse her name and age, before she pulled it away again. The card went back into her purse.
“And if she’s really Helena Tarleton, then she probably is in some kind of horrible trouble,” continued Declan. “Don’t let her leave! I’ll catch the first flight back, so –”
“Don’t do that,” ordered Dolf, the words escaping him before he had thought them through. They still seemed right though. “You’ll be penalized for canceling all of your reservations. And it’ll ruin everyone’s fun. Plus, you’ve got that system to try out.”
“Well, I can’t just ignore her there!”
“I’ll take care of her,” promised Dolf, even though he knew that he would probably look back on this moment later and regret everything. He had been a good soldier, and he was an even better defender, but he was crap at dealing with people.
And if Helena Tarleton was anything, she was a person, a pretty one that made him say and do dumb things.
At nearly the same time, Declan said “Are you sure, Dolf? You don’t even know what kind of trouble she’s in.”
“Do you?” challenged Dolf.
“No, but I can guess. She probably had a falling out with her family.”
“There’s nothing to take care of,” offered Helena Tarleton from her place on the couch. “I just need a place to lay low for awhile.”
“She says that she just needs a place to hide out for awhile. Piece of cake.”
“Well, if you’re sure…”
“I’m sure.”
“Tell her that she can stay at my place as long as she likes,” ordered Declan. “And call me if you need me.”
“Will do,” promised Dolf. He grinned. “But we’ll try not to need you.”
Declan laughed.
“Be careful. If she’s really my cousin, then she’s a dragon, likely a lightning one. Between two feuding dragons is the about the absolute worst place to be.”
“Well, that’s good,” drawled Dolf. “My life’s just been too easy lately; too safe, too.”
Declan laughed again.
“Goodbye, Declan. Go have fun. Enjoy your days off.”
“Later, Dolf,” said Declan fondly. “And don’t forget: from now on, you’ve got to look up from time to time. Lightning dragons can fly.”
Dolf rolled his eyes. Hanging up on Declan, Rudolf Shaw eyed his new project. She eyed him back, although much more politely.
“So?” she asked at last, as if she hadn’t been eavesdropping the whole time. “What did he say?”
Dolf snorted, amused.
“That you’re probably his cousin,” said Dolf, just to see her reaction.
“Then this is my cousin’s apartment?” She actually glanced around again. “What’s his name?”
“You don’t know your own cousin’s name?” Declan demanded, frowning.
Maybe she wasn’t really Declan’s cousin. But con artists usually did their homework better.
Flushing, the woman shook her head.
“There was… a falling out in the Tarleton family, and my mother’s twin left. Declan Tarleton –”
“Declan da Luz,” corrected Dolf.
“Declan da Luz,” repeated Helena obligingly, “is the son of my mother’s twin.”
Dolf inclined his head.
“Is this all you have?” he asked, sweeping a finger along the length of her. “What you’re wearing and the stuff by the door?”
He was impressed that she’d chosen to travel so light.
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go move your stuff to my apartment and –”
“Your apartment?” interrupted Helena Tarleton. “Why would I move my things there? I have a perfect right to stay in my own cousin’s apartment!”
“You didn’t even know that I wasn’t your cousin!” fired back Dolf, making the woman scowl. She did even that prettily.
Annoyed, Dolf scowled right back at her.
Declan had said that she could stay at his place while he was out of town, but the idea of leaving her there – unsupervised and with a free run of Declan’s den while Declan was away – made the fine hairs at the back of Dolf’s neck prickle to attention. If it had been his place, it would have made Dolf crazy to know that someone was rattling around his territory while he was away. Just thinking about it made him uncomfortable.
The only alternative, however, wasn’t any easier on those fine hairs.
Neither of Dolf’s options sat well with him.
Me and my big mouth, thought Dolf unhappily, wishing that he had bitten his tongue and stayed silent when Declan had started talking about coming home to deal with this – to deal with her. He should have left Declan’s family business to Declan.
It was probably too late to call Declan back and tell him that he had changed his mind.
I can do this. It’ll just be for a few days, thought Dolf, giving himself a pep talk. But the next time that someone breaks into Declan’s apartment, I’m going to send someone else to check it out. Let them have an unexpected houseguest.
Some of the other Defenders – ones like Buck, Connor, and Declan himself – were much more social. They probably would have enjoyed having a stranger as an unexpected houseguest.
Dolf simply wasn’t one of those guys. Nevertheless, he forged ahead. He had promised Declan that he would, after all.
“It’ll be safer for you to stay with me until Declan gets back to town” said Dolf, “especially since the building’s electrical system seems to be fried.”
Interestingly, the woman flushed pink at that, and Dolf caught the faintest whiff of an intriguing scent underneath all of her artificial ones.
Guilt, Dolf decided, although he didn’t know what she had to feel guilty about regarding the building’s wiring. Lightning strikes and electrical surges happened. Although it had been an awfully clear day, and come to think of it, there hadn’t been any thunder…
“And as there’s no connection between you and I, no one will think to look for you there,” added Dolf, pushing those thoughts away for another time.
The woman didn’t bother to ask why anyone would be looking for her, something that Dolf tucked away for future consideration. Apparently, she thought that people really might be searching for her.
Instead, she asked “For how long? Would I be staying with you, I mean?”
“It’ll only be a few days,” said Rudolf sharply, bristling.
He didn’t like people in his space! He had felt very generous offering to let her stay with him anyway, and there she was throwing it back in his face.
This is the last time I’ll ever invite anyone home again! Dolf decided grumpily.
Across from him, the woman’s body language softened.
“Thank you for having me,” she said, a note of formality creeping into her voice.
“Don’t mention it.”
Really. Just thinking about what he was about to do was enough to make Dolf want to break out in hives. He hated sharing his personal space!
“After we get your stuff down to my place, we’ll take Declan’s key back to the office,” said Dolf, moving on. “Then we’ll get you settled in at my place.”
“Well, let’s get started then!” said Helena cheerfully. Rising, the woman swiftly closed the distance between them. Holding out her hand to him, she said “I’m Helena Tarleton, although having said that I realize you already knew it.”
Bemused, Dolf carefully took her pale hand in his larger one. He was promptly rewarded with a zing for his troubles. Lightning leaped between their palms, little frissons of static electricity that made her yelp and him yank his hand back.
“Sorry,” gasped Helena. “I’m so sorry! I’ve never had that happen before!”
She looked mortified.
“No harm done,” said Dolf. Reaching out, he gently took her hand again, and this time there was no trouble. “I’m Rudolf Shaw.”
Gingerly, he shook hands with her. Helena Tarleton’s hand was as delicate as the rest of her, and Dolf had the irrational fear that if he squeezed too hard, her hand might shatter in his. Dolf couldn’t believe that this woman could actually transform into a dragon.
Dutifully she said “It’s nice to meet you,” and gave his hand a little pump. A tiny squeeze on his part, and their hands parted.
At the door, Dolf took command of her trunk, while she carried a much smaller suitcase with one hand, and her purse with the other.
On their way downstairs, nothing hopped out from around any of the corners to attack them. Nor did an enraged lightning dragon swoop down from the sky to fry him.
So far, so good, thought Dolf, hoping that this favor would remain so easy. He had the terrible feeling that it wouldn’t, though. They never did.
Chapter 05 – Helena
Getting her trunk to the bus stop had been an exercise in misery. It had wheels, but just getting the thing downstairs and into the backseat of her cute little sports car had been a gut buster.
It was with a sense of awe and envy that Helena watched as Rudolf Shaw easily muscled her trunk out of her cousin’s apartment and down the stairs to his own. He was so strong!
I guess those muscles aren’t just for show, thought Helena admiringly.
Frankly, there was a lot to admire about Rudolf Shaw.
He was tall with a barrel chest, dark hair, and a strong jaw line. Built along strong, clean lines, his skin was tanned from a life lived outside, and his big hands were callused.
When Rudolf Shaw had lifted up Helena’s trunk, the long muscles in his forearms had corded in a way that had made Helena flush hotly. He was just so wonderfully strong! And so casual about it!
It was every guilty daydream that she had ever had about the gardener, except somehow better, probably because he didn’t live in fear of Grandfather or his displeasure. This man didn’t even know that her grandfather existed, except in the most theoretical sense that everyone had to come from somewhere.
Perhaps he wouldn’t mind if I – Helena began to think, and then roughly severed the thought before it could be fully formed.
This strong, handsome man was her cousin’s dear friend. He was only helping her as a favor to her mysterious cousin. There was absolutely no way that he was going to let her touch all his muscles, preferably while wet.
It was a pity though. They were quite lovely.
Helena barely got a glimpse of his place – just enough to see that it was laid out along more or less the same lines as her cousin’s place, though the furnishings were entirely different – before Rudolf hustled her outside again and locked the door.
In the parking lot, Helena got her first glimpse of his vehicle.
It was utterly dismaying.
Rudolf Shaw drove a big, black SUV, an older model but well kept and quite high off the ground. Whoever had designed this SUV hadn’t done so with the idea of a woman in a short skirt in mind. Getting in or out of it without flashing the entire parking lot would be quite a challenge.
One that you shall rise to meet, thought Helena. You defied Grandfather and ran away from home. You can do this too!
She wasn’t going to be defeated by a mere car!
Her gumption mustered, Helena opened her door, took a deep breath to steady her nerves, and then flung herself up toward her seat in her best impression of an Olympic gymnast.
She… mostly managed to hit the seat, and possibly without flashing too many people.
And if I didn’t, I probably won’t have to see any of these people ever again, thought Helena, trying to comfort herself.
It was poor comfort at best.
Rudolf Shaw, thankfully, was already around on the other side of the vehicle and thus had missed her inglorious first attempt at seating herself in his unreasonably enormous vehicle. It was for the best. Helena couldn’t think of any way that he could have made the transition easier. Flashing him would only have made things more awkward for her in the long run, especially given the way that she felt about his muscles.
Helena was in her seat, her seatbelt in place and door safely slammed shut behind her, when Rudolf Shaw slung himself up into the driver’s seat with enviable ease. In a matter of moments, he had his seatbelt on, the car started, and the radio tuned.
As Rudolf eased his vehicle away from the curb, Helena said, “Thank you for doing this. I know it’s not for me, but I’m grateful all the same.”
“Don’t mention it,” said Rudolf shortly. He didn’t even bother to glance in her general direction.
Helena wished that he would. Rudolf Shaw had the most shockingly blue eyes that she had ever seen. They were even paler than Helena’s own eyes and harder too. When he looked at her, it was like being pricked by a pair of icicles.
Helena found it oddly refreshing.
“So how do you know my cousin?” asked Helena, when what she really wanted to ask was why he had a key to her cousin’s apartment.
“We’re workmates,” said Rudolf. “We both work for Dial A Defender.”
Helena waited a moment, but when no more details seemed to be forth coming, she asked “What’s that?”
“It’s a personal security company. We mostly handle high end stuff, but occasionally we take on pro bono protection cases.”
“Protection? Like the mob?” inquired Helena, her heart quailing in her chest. What had she gotten herself into? And just what sort of person did that make her cousin Declan?
Rudolf barked a laugh.
“More like from the mob,” he said, and Helena relaxed.
“Truly?”
“Yeah.” Rudolf finally slanted a look her way, amusement making his eyes even lovelier than she had remembered them being. “Why? What did you think I meant?”
“Nothing important,” said Helena quickly. She felt embarrassed by her suspicious mind. “You live in the same building as my cousin. That makes you neighbors as well then, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah, I suppose it does.”
Helena waited, but that was it.
Rudolf Shaw, it seemed, was a man of few words.
Gamely, Helena tried again to get a conversation going.
“Does your firm own that entire apartment complex? Does everyone who lives there work for Dial A Defender?”
If so, that would be a lot of Defenders.
“No, our firm has offices in a dozen or so citi
es, but none of them are that big,” said Rudolf. “A bunch of us live there because the rent is reasonable, the internet is free, and the facilities are nice. And you get half off that month’s rent if someone that you referred takes an apartment in the complex.”
Helena filed that tidbit of information away. As someone who now had to watch her expenditures, it sounded like a good deal. It was too bad that the only people that she knew in town both already lived there.
“That must be quite convenient.”
“Yeah, the location’s good too.”
That hadn’t been what Helena meant, though it was still good to know.
“You must all be quite good friends,” persisted Helena. Bravely, she thought. Conversing with Rudolf was proving to be more difficult than she had anticipated. “To work together and then go home to be good neighbors to each other too, I mean. Not many people like each other well enough to spend that much time together.”
At that, Rudolf was quiet even longer than usual.
Finally, he said “I hadn’t really thought of it that way, but I suppose it’s true.”
Helena blinked. Had he not realized that he had so many good friends then?
“So how long will I be staying with you?” asked Helena, deliberately changing the subject.
“A week or so, I think,” said Rudolf vaguely.
“Is my cousin out of town on business?”
“Pleasure.” Rudolf hesitated a moment, then added, “He and some of the guys are using their roll over vacation days to take in Las Vegas.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Helena, excited. “They’re going to see the shows?”
“The casinos, I think.”
“Oh,” said Helena again, and even she could hear how disappointed she sounded. “Well, that’s probably fun too.”
Rudolf smiled. “Not much of a gambler, are you?”
“No,” Helena admitted reluctantly. She didn’t want to be seen as a stick in the mud or, worse, offend.
“Neither am I.”
Relieved, Helena smiled at Rudolf.
“That makes us two peas in a pod, doesn’t it?” she said cheerfully, and next to her, Rudolf nodded.
Rudolf and Declan’s apartment complex was arranged as six buildings set in a semicircle around a seventh building. That seventh building housed the main office and, presumably, some shared facilities. The buildings seemed about equidistant apart; each with parking ringed around three of its four sides. The fourth side was for pedestrians only.
The Wyvern's Defender Dire Wolf Page 5