Crush

by Vivienne Savage

  Nate leaned against the tiled wall and let the water careen over his shoulders. All of his life, Kay had smothered him with stories and tales of his heroics as Sir Galahad, raising Nate to meet an inescapable destiny.

  Deceiving Astrid hadn’t made him a hero; he felt like the monster.

  Maybe the circumstances would change once he had a recollection of his “true self,” but if hating Astrid was part of becoming Sir Galahad, he didn’t want it. He’d happily live in ignorance as merely Nate.

  Maybe he could.

  The grim thought of leaving the Knights of Merlin sobered him, and he exited the shower soon after to find a towel awaiting him by the sink.

  They’d never allow it.

  Once he’d dried and exited the bath with the towel wrapped around his waist, he found Astrid setting the round, glass-topped table in the cozy kitchen nook. Vanilla bean scones and steaming coffee perfumed the air with their rich, sweet scents. Somehow, she’d known he liked his coffee with excess sugar. He enjoyed a sip before seeking his clothes.

  “Where’s my stuff?”

  An adjacent grandfather clock told him it was nearing noon.

  “In the washer. How do you like your eggs?”

  “You don’t have to cook for me, Astrid.”

  “I know. But I want to. Have a seat.”

  “I’m wearing a towel.”

  “I won’t tell if you won’t.”

  While she fried eggs and bacon, he sipped his coffee and helped himself to the plate of scones on the table. The conversation came easily over a casual brunch without lulls and awkward silences. He felt no pressing need to excuse himself from her home.

  “What are your plans this week?” she asked him while loading his clothes into the dryer.

  Nate chugged the rest of his coffee then shrugged. “Hell if I know.”

  Astrid nudged him in the shoulder. “Don’t you have to catch up on work at the base or something?”

  “Huh? Yeah, I’m sure there’ll be piles of it waiting for me. I’ll have to spoil Echo to make up for being away all weekend, too. Aside from that, I don’t know.”

  He didn’t have much of a social life aside from the occasional Saturday outing with friends. Military life and exercise filled his days; he devoted the rest of his free time to the knighthood.

  While his thoughts wandered, the dragoness slid into his lap and wrapped both arms around his shoulders. He gazed up at her, snapped back to the present. “I’m guessing you aren’t asking for the hell of it.”

  Astrid beamed at first, but the large smile was short lived, defeated by apparent uncertainty. “I wasn’t. I kinda…” Her blue eyes shifted to the side, and a shy rush of color spread pink over her face. “If you’re busy—”

  The words came out before Nate could gain control of his impulses. “I’ll make time,” he interrupted, “no matter how busy I am this week. Just give me a call and I’ll try to peel away from what I’m doing. In fact, there’s a fireworks show over at Point Loma on the base tomorrow. It’s bound to be crowded, but where isn’t? Want to join me?”

  Astrid’s expression brightened. “I’ve seen their fireworks from a distance.”

  “Maria paid for a premium tailgating spot, and I’m supposed to be bringing brats for the grill. No idea which bands are playing, but the music is usually pretty good.”

  “You don’t think they’d mind me crashing their party?”

  “Nah, my friends liked you. Bring some drinks to share and they’ll welcome you with open arms.”

  “Sound fun. I’d love to go with you.”

  “Perfect. I’ll pick you up from your shop around five, and we can head over.”

  Hours later, when Nate left her company with cat hair on his jeans and Astrid’s scent against his skin, he wondered if he could ever forgive himself for what he had to do.

  By evening, he was prepared to face Kay and Bedivere’s fury. The few members of the knighthood currently present in California awaited him at the stone table, while the others connected via a conference call organized over the computer.

  Stoic faces watched him enter, Gawain the only one among them with a smile. Nate was the last to sit at the table, and the pervasive odor of flavored tobacco surrounded him, accompanied by strong coffee.

  “I hope all of this time hasn’t been wasted and you have something to show for your long absence,” Kay said to him.

  “As do I,” Bedivere said. “So many weeks and not one iota of useful information gleaned.”

  Nate rubbed his face with the heel of his hand. “I gave fair warning. If you don’t trust me to get the job done, you should have sent Pelleus at the start,” he spat out.

  “Hey, guys, chill with this arguing. We’re all on the same side here,” Lancelot said.

  Nate shot him an appreciative look.

  “He’s right. Let’s give him a chance to explain himself,” Percivale said.

  Kay grunted. “Fine. The floor is yours, Nathaniel. Consider us your eager audience.”

  Asshole, Nate thought while claiming his seat. He cleared his throat and launched into a vague summary of his time with Astrid, excluding acts of intimacy and tenderness between them.

  “She revealed her true family name to me this weekend, but I can’t verify whether she’s a hybrid between our species yet. She wasn’t that forthcoming with information,” he lied.

  “I see. But her trust in you has grown. Excellent. We may be able to use that to our advantage after all if it places you in a position to assassinate Emberthorn or Drakenstone,” Gareth said.

  Nate loathed the arrogant bastard, but he kept his thoughts on the matter to himself. Biting his tongue, he glanced away and took control of the projector.

  “Back to the subject at hand. I may not have determined her species status, but I have learned that dragons possess magical abilities on par with the witches. You were right when you guessed that Emberthorn’s miraculous recovery wasn’t typical of their kind. Dragons are tough, but that explosion should have ripped his gut to shreds,” Nate said. “It’s healing magic.”

  Kay leaned forward eagerly. “Are they all capable of healing?”

  Nate shook his head. “That I don’t know, but we have an admission from her that Drakenstone was able to extend the life of a common feline for years beyond its lifespan by healing it.”

  “Christ,” Bedivere said. “What else were you able to discover?”

  “Further confirmation that there’s a shifter also living at the Drakenstone compound. Their chauffeur is a bear, and likely the one responsible for the ass-beating she dealt Lancelot. She hasn’t said much about his wife, but I know she’s a paranormal entity of some kind since she’s been with Saul Drakenstone’s family for ages. Astrid is careful about what she says to me.” Nate waited on the edge of his seat.

  Aside from Lancelot muttering under his breath, no one challenged his observation.

  “Excellent work, Galahad,” Kay praised. “I see it now, the resolve you were always known for.”

  “Funny, I don’t feel any different.”

  Bleoberis rubbed his chin. “I see it as well. Soon, perhaps.”

  “They’re right,” Lancelot agreed. “I see it, too.”

  Nate stiffened. He’d never used his powers to harm a creature in his recent life, but like the rest of them, the ability was there.

  Would he awaken one day beside Astrid to perceive her as the enemy? He hoped to God he never saw her as anything but his girl.

  Kay’s smug smile widened. “When you take down this dragon, you’ll remember who you are. You’ll have your purpose again, son. Exactly as I’ve assured you.”

  “Do you have your next meeting set?” Percivale asked to bring the subject back on track.

  “I do. She’s joining me for the Fourth of July on base tomorrow. As for her being a dragon, I’m not entirely convinced. If she is a dragon, she’s incredibly docile, as I’ve said before. Harmless. She’s shown no signs of aggression toward me.”

/>   Kay ignored his praise of Astrid. “Good, good. Get more information. Ingratiate yourself into her family home. I expect updates in a month.”

  “I don’t think it’s necessary. These dragons aren’t hurting anyone. Maybe it’s time we open talks with Emberthorn or one of the other ancients for peace.”

  “Peace?” The word hissed out between Kay’s clenched teeth. Blood rushed to his face, turning his cheeks purple with sudden and intense fury. The man was going to give himself a stroke. “We do not make peace with dragons. We slay them. One day, you’ll remember that.”

  “Times have changed. We’ve changed. Hell, even the dragons are able to change. Don’t you think it’s time to stop fighting?” Percivale cut in.

  Around the table, a couple of the knights nodded in agreement. Others remained stony-faced.

  “He’s right,” Gawain said. “If dragons can run charities instead of hoarding gold, we gotta evolve and change our ways, too.”

  On one of the video conference screens, Sir Lucan shook his head. “No. You’re both too young to remember how it once was between us. The only good dragon is a dead dragon,” the elderly knight said. “You don’t recall the wails of mourning mothers after the despicable wyrm Fafnir razed a village to the ground. The tormented screams of men caught in dragon’s breath who weren’t fortunate enough for a quick death. Their pleas for mercy from our Maker, because the pain is indescribable.”

  Nate and Gawain quieted.

  He didn’t have a riposte.

  “Can you do the assignment or not?” Kay demanded. “Should I have Pelleus fly to America?”

  “No,” Nate gritted between his teeth. “Fine. But no more stunts. You hear me? You let me do this my way.”

  “Agreed.”

  Nate eyed his father, wary of his easy acceptance, but decided not to question it. He had the man’s word, in front of everyone. It was more than he’d expected and enough to reassure him of Astrid’s safety.

  For now. In the meantime, before their next meeting, he’d resume his covert attempts to sway the rest of the knighthood to his favor. One man at a time, he could win them over to the side of peace.

  Chapter 7

  The months of July and August melted away, passing in casual dates and evenings in. Whether they spent time alone in her apartment or with mutual friends, Astrid cherished every second with Nate. Toni and Maria hit it off, much to Astrid’s pleasure. After a time, her friends and his became their friends.

  The final hurdle involved her family, and after enduring weeks of her dad asking about her new boyfriend, she decided the time had come to introduce everyone.

  To save Nate the expense the long drive would cost him in gas, Astrid claimed financial responsibility for the drive. She had forced him to fold his body into her passenger seat without realizing he was too tall for the compact car. Every time she stole a glance at him, she giggled at the exaggerated dirty look he aimed back.

  “Okay, so your legs are longer than I thought. We’re almost there, though.”

  “I feel like we’ve been in this car for years,” he mumbled. “Which isn’t a bad idea. I’m not sure if years would be enough time to prepare for this.”

  “For the fiftieth time, babe, relax. My family is going to love you.”

  “Families are never okay with the strange dude boning their daughter, okay? Especially dads. He’s going to eat me.”

  “Look, we’ve been dating for, like, three months now.” Two wonderful months where they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. She’d lost count of how many times they’d joked about buying stock in condoms. “Meeting my family is a cakewalk.”

  “Oh yeah, sure. Cake. Dragons and cake.”

  Astrid chuckled and ran a hand through her hair, tucking it back behind her ear. “Almost there.”

  The private road wound another five miles through the hills, stretches of light forest and green fields rolling past after a generous rain. She slowed as they approached an intimidating gate featuring a wrought iron dragon. It opened upon their arrival.

  “Geez, he sure likes his privacy, doesn’t he?”

  “Wouldn’t you? And not only because he’s a dragon. Before all that came out, he’d get people trying to push screenplays at him, or wanting to complain about whichever movie recently didn’t meet their expectations. Not to mention paparazzi and that sort of thing.”

  “Yeah, okay, I can see that. Fans get crazy. The press, too, I guess. So should I not mention any of his movies I’ve seen?”

  “You can mention them. He’s a sucker for praise. Just, uh, don’t overdo it.”

  “Right. No ass-kissing the father for brownie points.”

  His anxious voice made her laugh, but she reached over and gave his leg a comforting squeeze. “There it is. Home.”

  “Holy crap. Your dad’s estate is built into the rock. It’s like a… a damned mountain stronghold.”

  Nate’s eyes bugged out of his head. He leaned forward in his seat to stare, his discomfort in the cramped space forgotten.

  Astrid grinned.

  The front of the manor was all glass and steel, but equipped with a state-of-the-art security system with impenetrable panels that slid into place once the defensive system was activated. They hadn’t needed to use it yet, but her father claimed it was for their safety if dragonslayers ever came to them.

  He wanted his wife and children to remain safe.

  Before they even parked, the front door opened and her parents stepped out. Nate sucked in a sharp breath.

  “Your dad is huge.”

  “You’re tall, too.”

  “Yeah, but his arms are like tree trunks. I think he can seriously snap me in half without the rawr and the grrr shifting.”

  His nervous humor coaxed another round of giggles from her. She put the car in park, switched off the engine, and leaned over to plant a kiss on his cheek. “C’mon, big guy. You can do this.”

  She slipped out and ran over to her mom, greeting her with a tight hug and kiss. Her father wrapped one of his brawny arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

  “Welcome home, cub.”

  “I swear you are prettier every time I see you, sweetheart. I love your hair.”

  Astrid rolled her eyes. “You’re just saying that because you get to deal with a messy toddler all day. Speaking of, where is Brandt?”

  “He crashed on the couch in the solar. He was all excited you were coming home. He ran around collecting your favorite things, then passed out about twenty minutes ago with Toot under his arm.”

  “Aww. He’s still playing with him?”

  “Your brother loves that elephant.”

  Saul cleared his throat. “Our visitor?”

  “Mom, Daddy, this is Nate.”

  At the prompting, Nate stepped up and offered his hand toward her father without missing a beat. After an elbow to the ribs from Chloe, Saul reluctantly took his hand for a wordless shake.

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Drakenstone. Thank you for having me over for Labor Day. Astrid’s been gushing about your amazing barbecue for weeks.”

  “I have not,” she muttered, cheeks hot.

  “I’m pretty sure you mentioned copious amounts of beef and pork at least thirty times.”

  “And to think we once worried she’d be a vegetarian.” Her perpetually friendly and engaging mother stepped forward and hugged him like a member of the family. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Nate. Astrid gushes about you, too.”

  “Mom.”

  Chloe released him and stepped back to flash her daughter a big grin. “I can see why you do. He’s polite and handsome. And he hasn’t run from your father’s glare yet. Saul, you promised to be nice.”

  Astrid breathed a sigh of relief. One down, three to go. If her mother liked him, there was a great chance her grandmother would as well. And once Nate won the two of them over, Grandpa Max and her father wouldn’t be far behind them.

  “Hello,” Saul grumbled.

/>   “An honor to meet you, sir.”

  “Please come in,” Saul continued after another nudge from his wife. “The long drive must have been tiresome.”

  Chloe stepped between them and linked her arms through theirs, leading the way inside. Saul followed. Astrid cast a smile at her father over her shoulder, as well as a pleading look.

  Saul never liked any of her boyfriends, but he’d shown more kindness to Nate in a few minutes of silence than any of the men before him, too. That had to count for something. He’d growled at the firefighter she dated and chosen to speak in an ethereal, reverberating boom like an angry god hurling down rules set in stone.

  Literally. His theatrical side showed when he did everything but hand the man a tablet of Thou Shall Nots. Her father rarely used magic, but when he did, it was always to her detriment or embarrassment.

  After a brief overview of the estate, including directions to and from the many bathrooms and points of exit from the home, Chloe released them to the veranda to find her early-arrival relatives divided between groups mingling beneath the gazebo and playing volleyball in the sandpit.

  “Your family get-togethers are substantially less awkward than mine. No one’s drunk yet. Or swearing.”

  “Give my Uncle Teo and Dad some time.”

  “Oh.” His smile didn’t waver. “Should I have worn my flame-retardant suit?”

  “Nah, Uncle Teo exhales acid fog, so he isn’t quite as free with his dragon breath as Daddy once he’s had a few… dozen.”

  Nate shuddered. “I hope you’re exaggerating.”

  “I am.” She closed her fingers around his arm and raised to tiptoe, elongating her body against his side. “I promise, no matter what, you are 100 percent safe here from my family.”

  As she led him toward the gazebo, her uncle called out, “So this is the seaman in our Astrid’s life.”

  A large, heavy hand dropped to Nate’s shoulder from behind.

  “Nate, meet Thor, my Great Uncle.”

  Thor chuckled and stroked a hand down his beard. “You will never know how much I appreciate that term and that everyone recognizes the magnitude of my greatness.”