“So you don’t want to be a tattoo artist?”
“I don’t not want to be one. I’m pretty good. Honestly, I’m there because of the guys. They’re my best friends and they were there for me when I had…issues early in my life. Taran wanted to open the shop and this is my way of supporting him.”
That was cryptic. Before I could press for more, the timer went off for the rolls. “Come on, you can help set get the food on the table.”
Once we actually sat down to dinner, the conversation flowed much more easily. Or maybe it was the beer.
A fleeting thought occurs to me that it might be the distance at the table but I push that away. That’s my overactive imagination, I’m sure of it now. Bronaz is funny and charming and a little flirty when he talks with me so I chalk it up to first meeting jitters.
The beer gives way to the wine, which is a bad move for me if I get carried away. I’m such a sloppy drunk so I promise myself only two glasses.
“So are you originally from the Stelline territory?” All through our talks I notice that Bronaz rarely talks about himself. He asks engaging questions and I feel like I’ve spilled my entire life to him but he’s still this blank wall to me.
His gaze shutters and I feel his energy withdraw a little bit. “Yeah. On the coast about two hours north of here. Taran and I are from the same area.”
“And your family? Are they still there?”
“Yeah. They want to stay close to where my brother…close to my brother. My sister is planning on moving to the city. We had lunch the other day, when I met you.”
And that was it. Nothing about the rest of his family except one aborted comment about his brother. “Oh, that’s nice. To have at least some of your family close. Mine moved to Fairwyn territory where the humidity is lower and the air is dryer.”
“I hear the mountain climbing there is top rate,” Bronaz says as he stands to help me clear the table.
I pull the apple rhubarb pie from the refrigerator and he sets out the plates and forks.
“I’m not much for mountain climbing.”
“Oh?” he gets another beer and holds one up in question, which I decline. “Not enough time?”
“On call most days, actually.” I like to stay in close touch with my clients, ready to go to their side on a moment’s notice.
Bronaz tucks into the pie with a hearty appetite. That pleases me. I’d hate it if I screwed dinner up. “Do you ever take time off?” he asks.
“I steal it when I can. Like tonight.”
“This was really good,” and he waves his fork around. “I haven’t had a home cooked meal in forever.”
“You don’t cook?”
The expression on his face grows dark again. “Not any more.”
Finally, it’s just too much. I’m not sure what to make of this hot and cold running temperature with him. At one moment, he looks at me with this open, interested, engaged expression, the next he’s shuttered and closed off. It’s driving me batty.
“I appreciate that you came over, Bronaz. I really do because I wanted to get to know you better. But I can’t help feeling that you’re not exactly here, you know?” I spread my hands helplessly. “If it wasn’t a good time, we could have rescheduled. All you had to do was say something.”
The look on his face is surprise, then a little sadness. “Shit. Shit, no Kuras. That’s not it. I’m sorry.”
He pushes back from the table and scrubs at his face. With a jerk, he’s out of the chair and taking the plates to the sink. “I am a little preoccupied tonight.”
At least he didn’t lie about it. Or I’m hoping he’s not lying now. That’s not the sense I’m getting at least. I join him at the sink. “I could tell. Do you need to talk it out? I’m a really good listener.” I nudge him playfully. “I even have references.”
He laughs at that and the tense line of his shoulders relaxes. So he is telling the truth.
“I appreciate it but I don’t to bother you with this. It’s not your fight.”
Not my fight? Now I am intrigued. Did this have to do with his family or his brother, which he has hardly mentioned all night? “Maybe not, but you never know, I might be able to help. Even if it’s to be a sounding board. Everyone needs a sounding board.”
Bronaz searches my face, looking for something. It’s impossible to tell what since he’s been closed off almost all night. “I don’t know if you’ve heard about the muggings that have been targeting the mythical shifters?”
By the time Bronaz finishes explaining what’s been going on, we’ve killed the six pack and the bottle of wine. Surprisingly, I’m still very clear headed. Everything that’s been going on and I hadn’t heard a peep about it. I’m floored.
I sit back on the couch next to him. His knee is up on the seat cushion again but this time he’s not sitting so far away. His knee brushes my thigh. I take that as a very positive sign that he’s starting to warm to me.
“I can’t believe that the police won’t do anything about the muggings.”
Bronaz shrugs. “What can they do? To them, it’s just run-of-the-mill muggings of citizens. It happens all the time. They take the reports and do the minimum to find who’s doing it. They know nothing about the victims being mythicals or that we’re being deliberately targeted. We’re on our own for this.”
“That’s just…horrible. And now they’ve kidnapped someone? What are they going to do with her?”
“No idea but her sister is frantic to get her back. All of us at the shop are doing everything we can to help find her.” Bronaz scrubs his fingers through his hair. “We’re running into walls no matter which way we turn.”
“Is there something I can do to help?” I hate seeing Bronaz so frustrated and this is a situation that clearly bothers him on a deep level. He hasn’t said anything but that haunted look is in his eyes again.
And just like that, the openness we had as he talked is gone and the wall is back up. I want to scream.
“No. I don’t think that’s a good idea, Kuras.”
“Why not? I’m good with people. I can talk to anyone and put them at ease.” Except my fated mate, apparently.
I push back my sour thoughts. Now is not the time to be a jerk.
“I don’t want to risk the safety of my fated mate. You have Austin you need to tend to. That’s a huge help right there. From what Nyve says, he was unprepared to be a father so he’ll need the guidance and support.”
I wanted to help doing more than that. I press my lips into a line. “Bronaz, seriously, I’ll be fine. I won’t go chasing off by myself. But you said it yourself, you guys are on your own. So let me help.”
Bronaz wants to resist and I don’t understand why. He says it’s because I’m his fated mate but I can just tell there’s something more.
I wish he would tell me.
After a deep breath, Bronaz nods. “Fine. I’ll let the guys know.”
It’s not a time to celebrate with a whoop and a shout, not with that look in Bronaz’ eyes, but I’m elated on the inside.
I just found my fated mate. I’m not about to let him do this without my support.
4
Bronaz
After I told Taran what I was planning with Goldie, he offered to cover me at the shop. Goldie and I agree to meet at the small cafe where we regularly go during our breaks. I’m trying to breathe through the tension that builds in my chest. Kuras is also going to be there. During our dinner, he was stubbornly insistent that he come and help.
Nothing I said dissuaded him.
The thought of Kuras coming with me is giving me pause for concern. We are dealing with some rough and nasty people. Putting Kuras in their sights as another person to terrorize makes me extremely uncomfortable. He’s my fated mate. I shouldn’t just allow him to fly around to put himself in harms way.
My inner dragon helpfully reminds me that neither Taran nor Nyve could stop their fated mates either.
Is that a fated mate trait? Or an omega
trait?
It’s frustrating, that’s what it is.
Kuras arrives first, dressed in plain jeans and a gray hoodie. It’s a great combination to be able to not call attention to himself. Not everyone knows how to do that, so I have to give him kudos for that.
As a mythical shifter in a world which doesn’t know about us, not standing out any more than necessary is one of the most useful skills.
“Hey,” he says with a bright smile, and my inner dragon helpfully reminds me of just how great he is not only as a person but as a fated mate. He’s attractive and smart, enthusiastic and compassionate. His offer to help someone he doesn’t know is generous.
I stand and kiss him on the cheek. My lips tingle when they touch his skin.
He gives me this curious look but before he says anything I hear my name. Goldie comes trotting up to us and throws her arms around me in a hug. “Oh my gods, Bronaz, thank you so much for helping.”
When she pulls away, she sticks out her hand to Kuras. “I’m Goldie! I work across the street from the guys.”
Kuras untangles his hand from his hoodie pocket and takes it. “I’m Kuras, a friend. Bronaz told me what was happening with your sister and I’m so sorry. I wanted to come along and help in any way I can.”
“That’s so nice of you,” she says in her consistent effervescent way. “I’m not sure what the game plan is but I figure we can just wing it and see what the Universe brings to us.”
They both look at me as if they think I have the answer. I almost laugh out loud. “Let’s try to retrace her steps from the day she disappeared.” I pull the chair out to sit at one of the patio tables and they both follow suit.
We put in coffee orders and wait for the waiter to disappear before I continue. “So,” I say, sipping at my coffee. “Do you know what she was doing that day?”
Goldie props her elbow on the table and rests her chin in her palm. Her pinky finger pulls at her lower lip while she’s lost in thought. After a stretch of quiet, “I know she had work. I don’t think her gardening club met that day. I’d have to check my phone and pick up the pattern of when they meet.”
“Alright. So we’ll head over to where she works and talk to her coworkers first.” A glance at my watch shows we should have plenty of time to do that before lunch. “Where is that?”
“The Raven’s Moon.”
Kuras snaps his fingers. “I’ve heard of it. It’s the art supply store down on Superior. Just off Shadowdawn Boulevard, right?”
I think I know that area well enough to find it. “That’s the place where you can get specialty craft spells.”
“Well, not everyone knows about that,” Goldie says with a small smile. “But yes, that’s the place. She works as a clerk there.”
It follows—since Goldie is a talented artist, Rayne might be one, too. “Then we go there first. See what they know.”
Goldie huffs out a breath, the puff fluffing up her bangs. “Anything beats sitting around fretting about it.”
We finish up our coffee and hail a cab to get us to The Raven’s Moon. It’s located four stores down from the corner of Shadowdawn and Superior, just like Kuras said it was, tucked between a shoe repair store and a vintage vinyl record store. I make a mental note to tell Sako about this place if he doesn’t know about it already.
On the surface, it looks to be very much like any upscale art store that can be found around the city. Art displays on the walls reminds me of Nosko’s gallery. Even prints of Annika’s art are displayed. It reminds me of how closed our mythical shifter community can really be at times.
The door jingles merrily as we step in and the counter clerk looks up. “Welcome to Raven’s—Goldie! Oh my gods, how are you? How are your folks doing?” She circles around the counter and rushes to pull Goldie in a fierce hug. The clerk’s pink bangs flop across her forehead and into her eyes, giving her the appearance of wearing a patch. Two silver rings are fitted in her lip and several line down the shell of one ear. Every finger is graced with a ring, some small and tasteful, others large and glittery.
“Neeta, hi. Yeah, everyone’s just trying to hold it together right now.” Goldie looks like such a little girl at times, with her bashful lips and large eyes. “Is Marigold in?”
“Sure, she’s in the back. Let me go get her.” Neeta disappears through the doorway behind the counter.
“Marigold is the manager,” Goldie tells us.
Moments later, an older lady appears, her face filled with sadness as she looks at Goldie. She’s not as tall as Neeta and very grandmotherly in build. Still, there’s a timelessness to her appearance, so it’s hard to gauge her age. “Goldie, darling, come here.”
The moment her arms fold around Goldie it’s clear she’s used to being the mother hen type.
Kuras and I exchange a small smile.
Since Goldie knows these two better than I do, I stand back and let Goldie ask all the questions. She’s surprisingly insightful when she talks to them, getting what precious little information is available.
No, to Marigold’s knowledge, Rayne has no enemies. No one lurked outside. She never complained about someone following her or giving her the creeps. Rayne simply came in, did her job and went home. The routine never changed until she went missing.
Goldie says her goodbyes and we leave.
At the corner, we pause to figure out our next move.
After swiping through her phone, Goldie pulls up the address of the gardening group that Rayne goes to twice a week.
“Is it even worth going to talk to them?” Goldie taps her phone against her lip in thought. “She didn’t have the meeting the night she disappeared.”
“Let’s try there anyway,” Kuras says. “If for no other reason than to rule out anything they may have seen as well. I’d hate to overlook something.”
I have to agree with Kuras. “I think that’s a sound plan.”
The gardening group isn’t much help at all. They report the same thing that Rayne’s manager had. She seemed in good spirits, there was nothing that seemed to distract her. No notice of unusual activity or suspicious people hanging around. When we leave, Goldie is quiet and withdrawn.
“Hey,” I nudge her gently before putting my arm around her. “Rayne’s tough. We’ll find her, I promise that to you, Goldie.” It’s a promise I know I shouldn’t make. None of us should make it. There’s no way to know if we’ll find her in time before these people do something monstrous to her.
I have to keep my spirits up for Goldie’s and Rayne’s sake. I didn’t have the chance at optimism with my brother. Now he’s gone and everything that I could have tried is dead ash on my tongue. I will not allow someone else to lose their sibling.
Kuras is standing close and he leans into me. “Hey, this isn’t over yet, you two. We’ve just scratched the surface of what we can do to find more information.”
I close my eyes and draw a deep cleansing breath in. Until Kuras said something, I didn’t realize my own mood was starting down a dark path along with Goldie’s. “He’s right. We’ve eliminated two places, which means something out of the ordinary happened.”
“I’m not sure what else we can do,” Goldie says with a resigned sigh. “I am out of ideas.”
A glance at Kuras puts my mind on a different track. “Kuras, could you call Austin and tell him we need to talk to Ronnie?”
That has Kuras’ attention. “Oh? Will this require a bus or a car?”
“We’ll need a car. I’ll handle that.
Kuras has his phone out. “Where is he meeting us?”
“The shop. I have an idea.”
5
Kuras
After being used to calm, peace and quiet in my work, the noise of the shop is a bit jarring to my ears. I’m not sure how anyone gets anything done with the noise level. Thankfully, Taran’s office is quieter once we can shut the door.
Austin’s friend, Ronnie, sits down at the desk and opens his laptop. “So what am I looking for exactly?
”
Goldie hands Ronnie her phone with Rayne’s phone number pulled up. “Can you find her phone?”
“Give me some time,” he glances back at us, “and room to work. This shouldn’t take long.”
Something tells me this involves illegal activity. “Is this illegal?” I ask, suspecting the answer.
Ronnie flashes a mischievous smile. “Only if I’m caught.”
“That’s what I thought. How about I go out and get some coffee. Anyone?”
Goldie shakes her head and sits down in the chair in the corner. Ronnie lifts his hand. “One cream, two sugars.”
I glance at Bronaz and he shakes his head. “I’ll come with you.”
We leave the two in the office and weave our way through the busy shop to the front. Bronaz pours the coffee and hands me a cup. I don’t put anything in it, blowing across the top to cool it before taking a sip. “Do I want to know what Ronnie’s doing back there?”
Bronaz looks in the direction of the office and shakes his head. “It’ll be okay, Kuras,” he assures me. “Ronnie does this sort of thing for a living. While it’s probably not strictly legal, it’s not like he’s stealing identities. He’s looking for where Rayne’s phone is active. If we can get a general area of where her phone is, it could lead us to her.”
I consider that. I never considered myself a law breaker and I really didn’t want to go to jail but Bronaz is so confident everything is fine, I will trust his judgment. “I always thought that was stuff of science fiction and cop television shows. Apparently, it’s a real thing.”
“Austin can do some of it, too, but Ronnie is the best. We’ve been really lucky to know him. He’s helped so much.”
In a way, I’m a little jealous. It sounds like Bronaz likes and respects Ronnie and I feel a little like an outsider in his life.
I suppose I am. I have to remember that this is new for us both and it will take time. I’ve never had any experience with fated mates, so I’m not sure how it’s supposed to go.
Alpha Dragon_Bronaz Page 3