He scowls. “Don’t!”
“You started it.”
“I’ll stop.” He points at the chair across from him at the table. “Please.”
“Okay, a quick bite, and then I’d better get out there. I can’t watch for her from here. It doesn’t work like that.”
“I know, but fifteen minutes won’t make a difference.”
I take a seat. Oh my gosh, but it smells so good. My stomach rumbles. I haven’t eaten anything that didn’t come from a wrapper or a five-minute takeout joint since the shitty chicken salad at the hospital. I look longingly at the wine.
“It’s a vintage Pinot,” Lyre points out.
I shake my head. “I have to pass on the alcohol. I’m armed. I can’t shoot that harpy in the head until you’re done with her, but I might have to shoot her in both her legs to stop her from making an escape. That means I need to be able to aim. I need to have fast reflexes. I’m a bit of a cheap date, I’m afraid.”
He puts his knife and fork down and pours a glass of water from a jug on the table. There are lemon slices floating in the water. Too much of this, and I won’t want to go back to my lookout point. To that shitty motel with the scratchy towels and the lumpy mattress. Hey, at least it’s a roof. I literally don’t have the funds to stay there for too much longer, so I won’t complain. I just hope we catch the harpy soon, that’s all.
“Thanks,” I say as he puts the glass down in front of me. I stick my fork into one or two of the pasta pieces, scoop up some sauce, and put the bite into my mouth.
Then I squeeze my eyes shut and groan. This is probably the best pasta I have ever eaten. I lick my lips and open my eyes, still savoring the rich flavors.
Lyre is looking at me strangely. I’ve seen him look at me like that before. It was…it was when he saw me in his shirt. He liked what he saw. I think it might have been lust in his gaze then. I think it’s lust again now. He has this heated look in his eyes, which are focused on my mouth.
He blinks and then sips some wine. The moment is gone.
I take a bite of the garlic bread, and it crunches, my mouth filling with the taste of buttery goodness. I groan again; this time, I also do it to see if it affects him at all.
Nothing.
He doesn’t even look. I could have been wrong. I shouldn’t care. I’m not going there. This is too important, and I don’t trust Lyre. I don’t trust non-humans in general. It’s not personal. “This is delicious,” I say. “I didn’t see anyone deliver take-out.” I know it’s probably wrong of me, but I find it hard to believe that this man cooked this food. I mean, he’s a heart surgeon, and he looks like that. It wouldn’t be fair if you added ‘fantastic cook’ to the resumé as well.
He gives me a side-look stink-eye. “I can cook, you know.”
“I’m impressed.”
“My mom taught me everything I know, and I enjoy watching cooking shows.”
Cooking shows? I want to laugh and tease him, but I find it quite…sweet. A big, burly guy who enjoys watching cooking shows. A big, sexy man who enjoys cooking.
“I can cook too…sort of,” I blurt.
“Sort of?” He smiles. He has a great smile. His green eyes light up. The green is such an unusual color. They’re not that washed out green, that kind of brown but kind of green but kind of not. They’re a gorgeous emerald green. Bright and striking.
“I can cook anything that can be made in a baking tray or a large pot. I’m not an only child. There are six of us.”
His eyes widen. “Six…wow!”
“My brothers can all cook as well. We all had to chip in. I would have made a mac and cheese. I probably would have made too much.”
“Nothing wrong with a good mac and cheese.” He smiles again, taking another bite of his food, which reminds me that I need to eat. I take a forkful and put it in my mouth.
“So, five brothers…” He takes a sip of his wine.
I nod, chewing, and swallowing. “Yes, five older brothers.”
His mouth twitches, and his eyes glint with humor.
“What?” I ask.
He lifts a brow. “It would explain things.”
“What does that mean?” It’s my turn to give him the stink-eye.
“All good things, I assure you. At least, mostly good things.” He chuckles.
“Mostly?”
“Yep…you can hold your own. You have a fighting spirit. You can run fast. You’re a damn fine shot. I’m sure you could scale a wall, crawl through mud, and hold your own against most men.”
“All men, human or not,” I correct him.
He nods once. “It could not have been easy growing up with five older brothers.”
“It wasn’t, but it was also great.” I smile. “I wouldn’t change it for the world.” Then I remember what he said. “You said my having had all older brothers led to mostly good things about me…mostly. Care to expand on that?”
He throws me a half-smile. “You have a fighting spirit.”
“You named that as a positive.”
“It is.” He picks up a piece of garlic bread. “It can also be damned annoying.”
I laugh.
Lyre’s smile widens, then he takes a bite of the bread. I eat more of the pasta. We stay silent for a few minutes, enjoying the food.
“How long are you going to keep watching me?” he asks.
“Watching for the harpy, you mean?” I say around a small bite of food.
“You know what I mean.”
“As long as it takes. I told you it might take days, and it could take weeks. I don’t think it’ll be that long, though.” Please, Lord, I don’t have the funds for weeks. I’m worried Andy might not last that long. I swallow down a piece of pasta, my chest feeling tight.
“How can you be sure?”
“In all the documentation I found on harpies, they talked about them having a hunger. Of their hunger being powerful. They likened groups of harpies to locusts. I’m telling you, Lyre, you still have something she needs or wants. Since she already took your power, I have no idea what it is she’s after. I’m sure she’ll be back. Her hunger will drive her out. I will watch out for her…and therefore trail you for as long as it takes.”
“What if it’s months?”
I shake my head. “It won’t be that long.”
“So you’ll keep following me to work? Being my shadow?” He sighs like he hates the idea. I guess I can’t blame him.
“Look, I know I’m annoying…that being followed can be annoying. I’m sure you want to get on with your life, but—”
“You’re right, you’re seriously annoying.” He smiles. But I’m not sure if he’s teasing or if he really means it. “Thing is, I need my power back. You can follow me, use my bathroom, eat my food, for as long as you need to. I’m grateful for your help, Morgan.” He reaches over and touches my arm for a second.
I feel warmed inside by the compliment. I don’t like how good it’s making me feel. “I’m doing this for my partner,” I say, setting the record straight. “If that means helping you in the process, then I’m glad,” I have to add because I mean it.
“How is Andy?”
I feel everything tighten. “No change.” I shake my head. “I only hope she turns up soon so that I can make her pay. I hope I’m not too late. I feel like I have to make things right before he...” I can’t say ‘dies’. I still have this crazy notion that killing Lilith will save Andy, but it’s just that…crazy. “It’s all my fault he’s lying there.” I stop talking and shove some food in my mouth instead, even though I’m no longer hungry. I’ve also said too much.
“It’s not your fault.”
“Oh, but it is. It really is.”
“You’re not responsible for the actions of others.” He shakes his head.
“It was my stupid actions that got Andy hurt. I trusted her. I let her into my life. I was wrong.”
“Who…the harpy?” He frowns.
I nod. “Yes, Lilith. I have mention
ed that I know her. I know her personally. I thought she was a friend. I knew she wasn’t human. I found out what she was…” I shake my head. “I chose not to listen to anything anyone said. I chose to be her friend anyway. I don’t know why.”
“She has a way about her,” he says. “In the short time I knew her, she got under my skin in a way that’s never happened before.”
I feel something I don’t like – jealousy. I think it’s more because I hate Lilith rather than because I feel anything for Lyre. “That’s because she’s freakishly beautiful. I don’t think I’ve seen men fall over themselves more for a woman. Then again, she isn’t human.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. Careful…” he touches his chest, “you’ll hurt my feelings.”
“In my experience, most non-humans are trouble…sorry.”
“And you have a lot of experience?”
I shrug. I’m not going there.
“So what did Lilith do? What was this betrayal?”
“She set Andy and me up. We walked straight into an ambush. Only because I insisted we could trust Lilith. I was so gung-ho on obtaining information on a herd of centaurs…I walked us straight into a nest of the things. Lilith had assured me that they were long gone. They were still there and waiting for us.”
“Centaurs, as in half horse, half man?”
“Yes.” I nod. “They’re shifters. They can take on human form or half horse form. They’re evil creatures; their diet consists of grass and human flesh. Ideally, the heart should still be beating when consumed. You never knew about centaurs?”
“We keep to ourselves.”
“I suppose that is true of the dragons.”
“We do go onto the dragon lands from time to time. My mom is still part of the main Weyr – dragon group.” He takes a sip of his wine. I can see that his mind is working. “We’ve never been fully accepted by the dragon shifters. We’re loners.”
“Because you’re only half shifter?” I take a bite of my bread. My meal is nearly done, but I want to know more about Lyre.
He nods. “We don’t fit in.”
“There are more of you.” He wouldn’t say ‘we’ if it was just him.
I see him close up. His lips press together, and his jaw tightens. Yes, there are definitely more of his kind. I wish I knew something about demigods.
Instead of pushing for more information, I place my knife and fork on the mostly empty plate. “Thank you for the food.” I take a drink of water. “I’d better head back out there.”
“You’ll let me know if you see anything?”
“Of course.” I nod.
“You’ll text so that I know you’re okay?” Genuine concern radiates from him.
I nod again. “Absolutely.” I shouldn’t be doing this without a partner. It’s dangerous. What choice do I have?
“You have a key to the door, use it, I’m heading to bed early.” He yawns behind his hand. “It’s been a long day.”
“I will. I’ll stay until eleven, and then I’ll head to the motel for some shut-eye. I’ll be back bright and early.” That’s how I’ve been running this operation. I stay an hour or two after Lyre goes to bed, and I’m back an hour before he wakes up in the morning. Unfortunately, he’s an early riser, so I’m here before the birds start tweeting. I hold back a yawn.
“Maybe you…” He pushes out a breath. “Do you want to crash in my spare room? I don’t like the idea of you driving up and down. It’s not safe.”
I laugh. I can’t help it. “I can take care of myself. I have my guns and my knife and my hands.” I hold them up. I’m not staying here…with him. That would be…it would be inappropriate.
“Guns…plural.” He has this humorous glint in his eyes. “Even after I broke your Glock?”
I smile. He has a good memory. “Yes, plural.”
He looks surprised. “You’re badass, Morgan.”
I can’t help but smile at the compliment. “Exactly. I’ll be just fine. I’ll catch the harpy for you. Dinner was great.”
“I’ll make you breakfast in the morning.”
I shake my head. “You’re going to turn me soft. Keep the blinds closed and the curtains drawn.”
“I will,” he says.
I walk to the stairs and start going down.
“Just coffee, then,” he yells after my retreating back.
“I can’t say no to coffee,” I respond. I don’t raise my voice. I know he will hear me. I check through the front windows first, careful not to alert anyone outside. Then I head to the back and do the same there. When I’m fairly sure all is clear, I go out of the rear door and onto the beach. I don’t immediately head back to my lookout spot. I pull out my phone and dial a number I haven’t called in a while.
“Morgan,” Tom answers; there is an urgency in his voice. “You finally returned my calls.”
“Hi, Tom,” I say.
“Where the hell are you? Please tell me your calling means you’ve come to your senses and are coming back.”
“Not until I have her.”
“If you come back now, I might still be able to save your job,” he pushes.
“I don’t care about the job. I don’t care about anything but making this right.” Tom starts to say something, but I talk over him.
“I don’t have too much time,” I say. “I’m calling for information.”
“You’re suspended…about to be fired, I can’t give you anything. I can’t!”
“I’m calling you, Tom, not the Order. Not my boss. You!”
There is a long pause. I can hear him breathing, as well as some background noises. Otherwise, I might think he dropped the call. “Okay,” he finally says. “What do you need?”
“Have you ever heard of a dragon demigod?”
“A what?”
I thought so. I like Lyre. I want to trust him. I need to know more about him in order to do that. “A dragon demigod,” I repeat. Tom has been a part of the Order for years. He’s seen it all.
“Why? What’s happening?”
“Please just answer the question. I’m not with the Order, but I do need to know what you know about this species.”
“Sounds like a hybrid, and I know those exist.” I can hear he’s thinking it through. “I’ve never heard of that particular hybrid.”
Damn!
“I have heard of demigods,” he adds.
“Oh, okay. Tell me more,” I say.
“Yep, before your time. Ran into a couple fifteen years ago…might be more.”
“And?” I chew on my bottom lip.
“It was a long time ago. There were so few cases.”
“You must have something for me.” I try not to sound desperate. “What are they like?”
“They can go both ways. There were cases where we exterminated, and cases where we left alone. It’s been a while, Morgan. Have you run into a hybrid?”
At least I know that demigods exist. Hybrids exist, as well. So, for me, him being a dragon demigod is highly likely. I just don’t know how his type of hybrid species is wired. Lyre doesn’t strike me as the type that needs exterminating, but I can’t let down my guard, since you never know.
“If you’ve found one of these hybrids, you need to call it in officially. Let us handle it,” he says. “Better yet, come back and let’s get you cleared so that you can go—”
“No!” I say. “I’m not coming back until I finish this.”
“You’re throwing away everything, Morgan. Andy wouldn’t want this.”
My heart squeezes tight. My chest actually hurts. “I need to go, Tom. Thanks for your help.”
“I managed to get some info for you on harpies, that’s why I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. Well, one of the reasons.”
“You should have left me a message.” I try not to sound frustrated.
“I don’t like leaving messages. I’m a one-on-one person, you know that.”
It’s true, I do. I make a noise of agreement.
&n
bsp; “I ran into a buddy of mine, he used to be a Seeker, retired a couple of years back. He said he encountered a harpy back in the day.”
“Really?” I feel my chest expand and contract; my heart is galloping in my chest. “What did he say?”
“Just that they can be persuasive. He said…” He sighs. “I’m trying to think of the word he used. Um….” He pauses for a few beats, and I want to pull my hair out. “Seductress or temptress…I think it was one of those. Said they’re really good. Good enough to make men stupid. When I tried to get more from him, he clammed up.” He takes a breath. “I get the distinct impression he may have fallen victim. He said that women were far less vulnerable, so that’s good as far as you’re concerned. You never know, though,” he quickly adds sounding animated. “You need to be really careful, Morgan. Don’t approach this hybrid either.”
Too late for that!
“Don’t trust it,” he adds. “Let us—”
“Thanks for all the help,” I say. “I need to go, Tom. Bye.” I end the call, pulling in a deep breath. Is he right? Am I being a fool? No! I just need to be careful. I need to stay on my guard. I’m glad I managed to convince Lyre to let me stay. Especially after what Tom told me about the harpy, who is coming back. I slowly make my way back to my lookout point. All is quiet, but it’s not going to last. I’ll bet good money on that. I’ll bet money I don’t even have, that’s how sure I am.
11
Two days later…
Lyre
I’m trying really hard not to look at Morgan. I included her on the hospital’s employees list as one of my staff members. There was no other option if she’s going to be on-site every day. Other than security, no one else knows about my new ‘employee’.
She’s wearing a blond wig, which looks freakishly real. I must say, I prefer her short, black hair even though she could rock any style. Her clothing hasn’t changed since I met her. It’s either black or navy slacks with a plain shirt and a loose-fitting jacket. I know she wears the jacket to conceal her weapon. Morgan does a good job of blending into the background. Louise didn’t even recognize her earlier.
I can’t stop looking her way because all she’s had is a coffee and its lunchtime. She refused breakfast this morning, taking a banana. I finish my salad. It’s the same chicken salad Morgan complained about last week, and she was right, the chicken is dry. I don’t feel satisfied. I head back to the counter and buy two chocolate bars. I also get a soda and a sandwich to go. I put one of the chocolates in my pocket and place the rest on her table as I walk by. I don’t think anyone noticed. Then I head down the hall. I still have twenty minutes of my lunch break and decide to check in on Shannon, since she just had her baby. Night texted me to say that he is visiting her right now. I’m so thankful that the birth went smoothly, especially since my powers are still AWOL. I try not to glower. I go up a flight of stairs and down another hall. I don’t have to look to know that Morgan is behind me, following at a discreet distance.
Lord of Life (The Dragon Demigods Book 4) Page 10