by Livia Quinn
The humans didn't actually know the details, they just knew they'd been in danger and Jack had come through for them. He'd come through for her and her friends as well. Tempe would be happy never to experience another Para-moon.
She soaked up the sight of him, so sexy and confident that her fingers itched to touch him again. Remembering her first glimpse of him standing on his porch in nothing but a white pair of sweat shorts, shaving cream around that beautiful smile and droplets of water trailing down his chest, she sighed.
There'd been a spark between them from their first touch. Everything had disappeared and she'd taken a dreamlike flight into the stratosphere in Jack's F-18. That had happened every time they made love until he got his dragon wings and they took their first real flight together.
Jack spotted her sitting in the corner by the long lunch counter and his mouth curled up at the corner in an unapologetic smile. Gone were the days when she'd been his suspect, when he'd been either avoiding her or trying not to let anyone see his feelings. Now, he was all in.
He tossed his hat onto the bench opposite, made a signal to the waitress with a tilt of his hand for a cup of coffee and then leaned down with his hands on either side of her to plant a short but thorough kiss on her lips. She knew her smile was dreamy when he moved to sit down acknowledging some of the other patrons.
"How was your morning, sweetheart? You haven't been here long, have you?" He noticed her BLT sitting half eaten on the plate in front of her and his stomach growled. She looked down at his midsection and he grinned, "Are you done?"
She pushed the plate across to him. "Take the other half until they get your order ready. I'm sure you're hungry as usual." Dragons have a huge appetite. Sometimes they even turn to dumpster diving. She'd seen it with her own eyes.
She leaned her elbows on the table and waited for him to put away the other half of her sandwich. "I called my order in. I'm sorry I couldn't wait on you. Some of my deliveries caused me to run behind."
"Thanks." He reached for the sandwich and took a bite. "I'm not in a bind for time today. I have a couple calls to tend to after lunch but that's it." He swallowed, gave his order to the waitress and took a sip of his coffee.
Tempe tapped her fingers against her glass, waiting until he looked up to start with her news. "Marty showed up on my route this morning."
"Uh-oh," Jack said, frowning. "What's up?" Jack was referring to Marty's penchant for showing up when trouble was about to hit. He'd appeared as a Leprechaun back in February when River went missing thinking it was St. Patrick's Day. After that, creatures had crawled out of, well, wherever.
"I wish I knew. He showed up as a Newfoundland this time but before we could have a conversation he took off after a little hussy in pink. Still..." Tempe frowned thinking about her morning. "What happened right after that seems…"
"What?" Jack sat forward. Tempe couldn't tell if it was his dragon or the lawman coming out, or just the general protectiveness he'd displayed toward her lately.
"Relax. After Marty ran off I delivered a package to Jane Fortune."
He sat back as the waitress delivered his triple cheeseburger and fries. "Oh, Jane."
"Yep, your number one fan."
He grimaced. "I don't know about that. She likes to think of herself as an investigative reporter. I just sometimes throw her a not so subtle bone so she'll run with it and stay away from the real investigation."
"And she thinks you're giving her inside information." Tempe grinned.
He chuckled. "What's she up to now? I figured between her jobs as a Piggly Wiggly cashier, Tribune gossip, and 900-Psychic, she'd be too busy to cause any trouble."
"Don't forget the new column she's planning, Advice for the love-torn." Tempe sighed. "She needs to bone up on her public demeanor."
Jack looked interested, "What does that mean?"
Tempe cast her eyes toward Dick and leaned forward. "Jane accused me of going after Dick. She warned me to stay away from him."
Jack wiped his mouth with his napkin and sat back. "Is she smoking something?"
"Actually, he's acting kinda strange himself. He was nice to me, I mean, almost sweet—getting the door, instead of making sure it hit me. He offered to hold a package for me while I got the barcode. Then he wanted me to stay and give him advice about the gift he purchased for Jane."
Jack's eyebrows rose. "Sounds like they're smoking together. Must be love. You might want to run Marty down, not literally, and see if he has any ideas. You know, maybe the moon's colliding with a star or something." He tucked back into his fries. "What else did Jane say?"
She hesitated. "You're not going to like it." He groaned.
Jack was used to flying fast as a Navy pilot but ever since our first contact, with his first toe-dip into the supernatural world, the revelations had occurred faster than even he could handle. He'd adjusted but just because he'd become a dragon and knew some of his parental heritage didn't mean he was up on all things Paramortal, magical or weird. Destiny was jam-packed with weird. Jack had thought when he moved here that it was going to be less like Memphis, and more like Mayberry. Safe, mundane, normal—his favorite word. Not. Our little burb was more like Middle Earth.
Tempe took a deep breath. "Jane reminded me of an... interesting tidbit about the Samhain Nights festival this weekend."
"Oh?"
Just that. 'Oh.' He was leery of the rest. "Are you aware of any of the history behind Samhain?"
"Yeah," he winked. "It's also called Halloween. Costumes, candy, ghosts, goblins."
"That's the er … human version, celebrated on October 31st."
Jack shifted in his seat, but listened intently with a neutral expression. That didn't mean anything, Tempe knew from experience. He was a pro at hiding what he was thinking.
She started slow. "It's also a time when we study the Dark Mysteries, honor the dead..." Jack's eyes narrowed. "... give blessings for the crops. Bonfires (bone fires they were called in the old days) are built as offerings for a plentiful harvest and healthy livestock for the New Year."
He was listening now, so she continued. "We mark people's names on stones and throw them into the fires lit for unity and then ashes are cast over the harvested fields as a blessing. While the Halloween festival is going on at the fairgrounds, the real celebration and remembrances are happening at the cemetery."
"Sounds…creepy."
"It's really not. There are no undead horsemen or bog bodies or human sacrifices like in the past. Don't worry."
His mouth fell open for a second, then he said, "Oh, right. I won't worry."
He wouldn't like her next bit of news either.
"There's something else?" His steely-eyed look was reminiscent of their early relationship as copy and suspect.
She squirmed. He knew her so well. Clearing her throat, she said, "Well, you know there's a full moon..."
His jaw clenched and he leaned back against his seat. "The moon again. And an eclipse. You'll be happy to know I've already prepared for the uptick in crime."
"Oh, well, good. But um…" she took a breath. At least he hadn't panicked. Jack had proven to be steady and capable in times of crisis even when he'd really wanted to take his daughter and leave the craziness and danger behind.
While most of the Paramortals had been incapacitated, Jack had fought creatures who flew, crawled or slithered into Destiny with one thing on their collective mind, to destroy the supernaturals in their way; and if humans died—oh well.
Tempe said, "You remember the Para-moon?"
His breath huffed out. "How could I forget?" Had his voice cracked? "It's a little early for another Para-moon though, isn't it?"
It had been four hundred years between the last two Para-moons but there was no astronomical schedule, only, apparently, a magical one. No one could predict when the next Chaos would happen, not Aurora and certainly not Jane.
"It's probably early, but this is different. Samhain is a 'spirit night', a magical period when tim
e and space buckles and the veil between the worlds is thinnest, making it easy to cross."
"What worlds? And who'd be crossing?" His analytical mind was tuning into the possible law enforcement ramifications already.
"I guess you could say it's a little like a Chaos." He winced and she hurried on, "But at least no Paramortals will lose their power like they did before. Trust me, it'll be a piece of cake."
"Tempe, I love you, but coming from you that doesn't give me the warm fuzzies."
"Well, you have a couple days to research, reconnoiter or whatever it is you law enforcement types do to keep citizens safe. Now, tell me why we're here. Was it really just a spontaneous lunch invitation, driven solely by your ever-present wish to be near me?" She fluttered her eyelashes. Inwardly, she couldn't help but be a little worried.
His eyes crinkled at the edges, elongating. After the Chaos, Jack had changed into a beautiful crystal dragon and there was a sparkling brilliance right now in those silver green depths. He reached for her hand. "One of these days I hope you won't get that worried look on your face when I say something that's meant to engender curiosity. And I do want to be near you."
She smiled and squeezed his hand back. "I'm waiting."
He laughed. "I'd like for us to start a tradition, what some people refer to as date night, starting tonight. I've made reservations at Mystiq's for dinner." Mystiq was the owner of Campbell Green on the north shore of the lake, her restaurant the premier destination in the area for fine food and ambience.
"Jack, that's so romantic."
He gave a self-deprecating smile and shrugged. "I can't take full credit. You know Jordie…she's been on a campaign to make sure I don't let you get away."
"I'm not going anywhere," Tempe said with certainty. She curled her fingers into his and shook her head.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I'll never forget seeing you that day on your doorstep, with your arm around a woman half your age."
"My daughter," he chuckled. "You thought I was a cradle robber."
"More like a degenerate. Luckily, I met Jordie soon after and that was cleared up." But not before a bunch of other misunderstandings, like whether she'd been guilty of murder, B&E, and miscellaneous small crimes.
"I figured tonight would be best since the first of the month might be busy for both of us. I'm on call as usual, but I promise you, unless a shmoo invasion or full Chaos hits, we have a date. Our reservation is at 7:30. Mystiq is saving us a great table overlooking the lake, and they have a band." Her eyes widened. "Hey, I know my way around the dance floor."
"Well, I don't, but—"
"Sweetheart, just holding you in my arms and swaying to some slow music sounds like a prelude to heaven."
"Huh. That silver tongue again." She leaned over and kissed him. "But now I know you came by it honest." She winked.
Two older ladies passing by them sighed and one whispered, "Young love. It brings back so many memories."
Her friend nodded and a voice from across the aisle said, "She's nice, too. Always willing to help a friend."
Tempe's eyes widened. Still leaning across their table Tempe and Jack glanced in Dick's direction. "See what I mean?" Tempe whispered.
"Yeah, I do." Jack grinned, "But you have to admit it's an improvement." Jack frowned when he noticed several faces turned in their direction, all men. And their eyes, to a man, were all on Tempe. It was time to leave. He rose and held his hand out to her. "You need to get back to your route, don't you?"
Tempe let Jack pull her to her feet. "Yes. By the way, I met Jordie's science teacher this morning." She studied him closely for a reaction, prickles of green creeping up her neck.
Jack shrugged. "Ms. Testerman, right? I've met her a couple times. Jordie wants you to go to the next teacher's meeting by the way."
Tempe gave him a thumbs-up. "Count on it." Satisfied that Miranda had so far been unsuccessful in gaining Jack's attentions, except professionally, she let him walk her outside to her truck.
"If anything comes up, text me," Tempe said.
He tipped his hat and said, "I love you. See you at the house later."
Tempe's spirits were light as she steered back onto Clubhouse Drive.
Chapter 7
He'd see if his news made a dent in that stony expression.
On his way to a remote location where he could shift into his dragon and fly to Fierce Winds Isle, Jack took a call from a food truck owner who was having trouble with his city councilwoman. The frustrated owner complained, "She says I don't conform to city standards. I can't friggin' brick my truck. Can you talk to her for me?"
The matter was resolved easily when Jack found out the location of the food truck was outside the city limits. The councilwoman backed down immediately. "I told the other councilmen he was outside the city."
Jack had seen the minutes of the council meeting and she'd been the one to force the others to listen to her objections. They'd merely been going on her erroneous information.
"Please contact the owner and make sure he knows it's no longer an issue. You'd think the council would be more helpful to new businesses in town instead of doing everything they can to make things more difficult. Think of the taxes and fees you'd be getting instead."
"Yes, sir. I agree completely," she said adamantly.
Right.
The Isle lay below him, an island only attached to the northern coast of the lake by a tiny strip of land. Anyone flying over in a plane would see a wooded uninhabitable island but Jack could see the beach that stretched the length of the east side and with his exceptional eye sight, he clearly saw the rock entrance to the Moat of Morpheus. He made one more pass noting the beings below then shifted out of his dragon to land on the beach. His reflective crystalline scales made him virtually invisible in certain lighting and he surprised the two variants standing outside the tunnel. Ignoring their reactions, he asked, "Have you seen River Pomeroy?"
One of them pointed to the entrance of the tunnel. The other, a misshapen blob of a creature with stumpy limbs slithered away, not wanting to attract the attention of a dragon. Jack was almost used to the idea that he was at the top of the food chain—not literally, because he couldn't imagine having to eat this filthy creature. However, he didn't mind the intimidation factor. He had his lawman's badge as a human and the dragon in the supernatural world. Worked for him.
He walked into the spacious tavern and spotted River leaning on the counter in his usual spot. Some customers got up and left, some just moved away from the bar.
"Was it something I said?" Jack asked, trying to get a smile out of River. It didn't work. It was a damn good thing Tempe couldn't see River right now. If Jack hadn't known he was six years younger than his sister he might have mistaken River for a much older relative. He studied the big djinn for several long moments. Sure, he looked better than the "near death" state Jack found him in when they'd rescued him from the cabin six months earlier. At six-foot-six he was massively built, like Dutch, and his copper skin glowed, but the stark despair in his eyes worried Jack. River reminded him of some of the men who'd come away from a battle shell-shocked and hopeless.
What could be wrong? Supposedly, he was healed from the poison that Paige used on him months back. Jack understood why Tempe was worried.
"River." He'd see if his news made a dent in that stony expression.
The djinn raised his glass. Jack suspected River's habit of hanging out here and drinking was akin to a former smoker holding onto an unlit cigarette. A way to fill a void. A distraction—from what?
Before his kidnapping, River Pomeroy had been a successful contractor. He'd been good at it and from everything Jack had witnessed he was happy in the work and yet, after he returned from wherever Dutch had taken him to heal, he'd shut his business down and started hanging out here, where some of the most dangerous supernaturals could be found.
"How'd you find me?" River asked scowling.
Jack huffed and shook his head. "It
wasn't difficult. There are only three watering holes in Destiny and, apparently, you've sworn off the Wasted Turtle since your poisoning. For a Djinn, you're pretty predictable, you know. Do you want to talk about whatever's bothering you?"
River looked into his glass instead of at Jack. "Don't you have actual lawbreakers to arrest somewhere?"
Jack's eyes narrowed. River was anxious to get rid of him. Well, tough. They had important family business to discuss. "Think of this as a chat between brothers. Unless you don't care about Tempe anymore."
River's glass hit the bar with a slap. "What's wrong with Tempe?" His response had been quick, his voice booming like his father's, making the other customers back away.
Finally, a reaction. Jack said, "Tempe's worried about you and right now, that could complicate things."
River frowned. "Why don't you just come out with it, Lang? What's wrong with my sister? She having trouble with her lightning bolts? Wind power on the fritz?"
Jack's brow arched as he assessed River's reaction. He was putting up a good sarcastic front but he and Tempe shared a strong bond, and Jack hadn't missed the drain of color from his copper cheeks earlier. So, he went for shock. It was mean, but he was irritated and getting tired of this game of dodge. If the man didn't start acting like a brother, Jack might have to bring out his dragon. Surely a dragon could take a djinn...
He leaned on the bar and waited River out. When he finally looked up, Jack said, "She's pregnant."
Chapter 8
You’d do it wouldn’t you—abandon your kid?