“You as well,” she said. “I’ll see you Wednesday.”
Bren left the boardroom. Bishop stared silently at her as they listened to him say his goodbyes to Willow. When the door to the office shut, Bishop skirted around the table and shut the boardroom door.
“What the hell, Kaida?”
She sighed and rubbed at her forehead. “I had no choice, my bear. The fox shifter was badly injured.”
“I’m not talking about that.” Bishop sat in the chair next to her with a heavy thud. “I’m talking about the fact that I can smell your lust for him. He’s a human, Kaida.”
“I am aware,” she said. “I can’t help it if my dragon is attracted to him. Just like you couldn’t help being attracted to Ava.”
“This is really bad,” Bishop said.
“It’s fine. I’m not going to act on it.”
“You can’t act on it,” Bishop said. “You’re a dragon. He’s a human. He has no idea that dragon shifters exist and if he were to find out…”
“He’s not going to find out.”
“How the hell did you get the council to agree to let him and his brother back on your lands?” Bishop asked.
“They didn’t. Cadmus overruled their decision,” Kaida said.
“What? Why?”
“I have no idea,” Kaida replied. “They’re only allowed in my cabin and the training circle. It won’t take long for me to train the two yearlings and then I’ll never see them again. It’ll be fine, Bishop.”
“Kaida,” Bishop took her hand, “listen, Bren’s father is -”
“I know who his father is,” Kaida said. “And so does the council. Javee had all of Bren’s personal information by the time I met with the council that night.”
“Man,” Bishop said, “we really need to convince Javee to work for us. She could give Kat a run for her money when it comes to digging up information on people.”
“Anyway, we are well aware that Bren’s father is the same Senator who’s been trying for years to have shifters tagged and branded like cattle.”
Bishop growled angrily. “Not to mention all the bills he’s tried to pass that would have vampires branded with ultraviolet light, witches banned from practicing magic of any kind, and the fae forced to wear iron bands around their wrists. He is a goddamn psychopath when it comes to the paranormal.”
“I know,” Kaida said. “But Bren doesn’t seem to share his views about the paranormal.”
“He doesn’t,” Bishop admitted. “He’s helped us out more than once with clients and…”
“And what?” Kaida said.
“He saved my life once.”
“What was that?” Kaida leaned forward and smiled teasingly at Bishop. “I didn’t quite hear what you said.”
He growled at her. “I said he saved my life once.”
“A human saving the life of the one of the strongest shifters I’ve ever known. Perhaps Bren is tougher than I thought,” Kaida said.
Bishop rolled his eyes. “My point is, he may not be like his father, but it’s too dangerous for you and the clan to be around him or his brother. If Senator Matthews found out there were dragons, what do you think would happen?”
“War,” Kaida said softly.
Bishop nodded, his face paling. “It’s not worth the risk, Kaida.”
“They won’t find out,” Kaida said. “They think we’re bear shifters, and the fox knows he has to keep our secret.”
“The fox knows that you’re dragons?” Bishop said.
“Yes. He’d read a children’s book that mentioned we smell like smoke. He guessed it fairly quickly.”
“Oh my God,” Bishop groaned before sitting back in his chair. “This is why you guys don’t go around shifters and humans, Kaida!”
“I couldn’t leave him and Tyler to be beaten by those boys, nor could I leave him to die in the forest. I had to take him to Gram,” Kaida said. “Besides, I had no idea that my dragon would lose her shit over a human or that Cadmus would go insane and overrule the council’s decision. Ever since Valen died, he…”
Bishop squeezed her hand. “He’s still struggling with Valen’s death?”
“Yes. He is so disconnected, my bear. From me, from the council… the whole clan. He still hasn’t chosen a replacement for the council. Drago grows more impatient with each day that passes.”
“Does he still think he will be the one Cadmus appoints?”
“Yes,” Kaida said. “Just like he believes I will someday be his mate.”
Bishop made a face. “God, I hate that guy. He’s such a douche.”
“Don’t I know it.” Kaida stood and leaned down to press a kiss against Bishop’s forehead. “It was good to see you, my bear. I’ll see you Saturday, all right?”
“Yeah. Be careful with the cop. Will you?”
“I will,” she said.
“Don’t sleep with him,” Bishop said with a grimace.
“I don’t plan on it.”
Chapter Seven
“Tyler? Where are you?” Bren stepped into his father’s apartment. He shut the door and headed down the hallway toward the kitchen.
He glanced in, groaning inwardly when he saw his father leaning against the granite covered island. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hello, Bren.” His father took a sip of wine before studying the tablet in front of him. “What are you doing here?”
“Picking up Tyler.”
His father continued to look at the tablet. “How’s work?”
“Fine. How’s yours? Get any closer to your goal of branding shifters like beef?”
His father’s head snapped up and he stared coldly at Bren. “Watch your mouth with me, Bren. You might think you’re better than me, but you’re still my son and you will respect me.”
Bren held his father’s gaze. He had stopped being afraid of his father a long time ago. “Respect is earned, not just given.”
His father shook his head. “Everything I’ve done for you and you’re still a spoiled brat. You’re exactly like your mother. Do you know that? Ungrateful and unhappy with everything you’re given.”
Before Bren could spit out a retort, Tyler joined them in the kitchen. He was wearing track pants and an Iron Man t-shirt, and he grabbed an apple from the bowl on the island. “Later, Dad.”
“Before you go,” his father’s voice turned greasy, “I need a favour.”
“What?” Bren said.
“There’s a charity luncheon coming up. I’d like you to attend with me and Tyler.”
“Why?”
“Because I want my family with me.”
Bren snorted. “More like you want the press to see you with your family.”
“It’s for a good cause, Bren. Just once you could think of someone other than yourself.”
Bren glanced at Tyler. The teenager rolled his eyes and then twisted his body so his father couldn’t see and made a wanking off motion.
Bren hid his grin. “What’s the charity?”
His father paused. “It’s raising funds for HAPI.”
“No,” Bren said. “I’m not going.”
Humans Against Paranormal Influence, or HAPI for short, was an anti-paranormal group that he’d had more than a few run-ins with over his career as a detective. The group had been investigated a few times for brutality toward shifters. He’d never been assigned directly to a case, but he’d seen what happened with the cases that actually made it to court. They were almost always thrown out. Bren wasn’t so naïve to think it was because the group was innocent rather than because of corruption in their legal system.
“Bren -”
“I’m not going, I said.” He made his voice ice cold. “I don’t feel the same way about the paranormal as you do. Stop pretending that I do.”
His father grunted angrily. Tyler glanced at Bren before saying, “I’m not going to it either.”
“Like hell you’re not,” his father said.
“If Bren doesn’t have to go, I don’t ei
ther,” Tyler said.
“You’re living under my roof and you’ll do exactly what I tell you,” his father replied. “You’re going to the charity luncheon, Tyler.”
“Whatever,” Tyler muttered. “Can we go, Bren?”
“Yes.” Bren clapped his hand on his brother’s shoulder, massaging the tension from it as they walked out of the kitchen.
* * *
“This is gonna be great, Corey,” Ty said.
“Right.” The fox shifter stared out the window and Bren watched him in the rear-view mirror.
“If you don’t want to do this, Corey, you don’t have to.”
“He wants to,” Tyler said.
“It can be intimidating to learn how to fight, Ty,” Bren said. “Not everyone wants to learn.”
Tyler twisted in his seat to study Corey. “You’re not nervous, are you?”
“No,” Corey said.
Bren had heard more convincing denials from guys he’d busted for breaking and entering while they were literally in the middle of breaking and entering.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” he repeated to Corey.
The fox shifter smiled faintly at him. “Yeah, I know.”
“You’re all healed up though, right?” Tyler said. “Nothing hurts anymore?”
“No, I’m good.”
“Man,” Tyler twisted back around in his seat and resumed playing some game on his phone, “I would kill to have healing powers. My hand is still a little sore.”
He glanced at Bren. “Don’t tell Kaida I said that. It’s not too sore for training.”
Bren took a quick look at Tyler’s hand. “You sure about that?”
“Yeah. It’s not swollen or anything. Just still tender.”
“So, Jeff and his friends haven’t tried anything before or after school?” Bren said.
Tyler grunted. “Yeah, I already told you that. Jeff talked some shit to me in the locker room before PE yesterday, but considering his face still looked like roadkill, it was kind of funny. Wasn’t it, Corey?”
“A little,” Corey said.
“I wonder what he and his asshole friends told their parents about why they came home busted up so bad?” Tyler said.
“Language,” Bren said.
Tyler rolled his eyes. “Okay, Mom. Asshole is, like, barely a curse. Anyway, they haven’t tried anything yet, but I know they’re gonna.”
“He hasn’t said anything to your other classmates about you and Corey dating?” Bren asked.
“No,” Corey said. “It’s weird.”
“It is weird, but me and Corey decided we don’t care if he tells the school. Right?” Tyler’s gaze met Corey’s in the rear-view mirror.
Corey smiled. “That’s right.”
“Anyway, he hasn’t said anything about Corey being a shifter or about us dating. He and his friends are telling the other kids that they got into a fight with some college frat boys over some hot girls who wanted to date Jeff and his friends.” Tyler rolled his eyes. “Like college girls would have anything to do with those idiots.”
He glanced again at Corey. “I wanted to tell them the truth – that they got their asses kicked by a woman, but Corey said I shouldn’t.”
“No, you definitely shouldn’t,” Bren said. “If parents or teachers find out, then most likely authorities will want to speak to Kaida, and she and her clan want to be left alone. Don’t say anything to anyone, Tyler.”
“I won’t,” Tyler said. “I said I wanted to – not that I was gonna.”
They were turning onto the road off the highway that led to Kaida’s place and Tyler crammed his phone into his pocket. His body was vibrating with excitement and while Bren wanted to tell him to relax, he didn’t. He was vibrating a little himself.
Yeah, but from lust not excitement.
He ignored his inner voice. His desire to see Kaida had only grown over the last couple of days. Seeing her on Monday had been a happy surprise and he wondered if Kaida being there was what made Bishop so agreeable to helping him.
Probably. The bear shifter still thought he had a thing for Ava. Probably always would.
When you and Kaida start dating, he’ll figure it out.
Bren took a right onto the dirt road leading to the clan’s cabins. He was getting ahead of himself. Sure, he planned on asking Kaida out tonight, but that hardly qualified as them dating.
If she even says yes.
She would. He wasn’t blind, and he’d caught the occasional look she’d given his mouth and his crotch. She was interested in him, and he’d be an idiot not to ask her out.
The cabins came into view and he drove to Kaida’s and parked in front of it. Tyler was hopping out of the SUV before Bren had even shut it off. Corey followed more slowly. The door to Kaida’s cabin opened and Bren caught his breath.
She was wearing tight yoga pants and a long t-shirt, and her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail. She looked sexy as hell and he pulled at the crotch of his jeans. The constant semi he sported whenever he was around Kaida was starting to get annoying.
He stepped out of the SUV and locked it before meeting Kaida and the boys in front of her cabin. “Hey,” he said.
“Hello.” She smiled briefly at him before turning her attention to the boys. Just that brief smile was enough to send a bolt of awareness to his dick. “You guys ready?”
“We totally are,” Tyler said enthusiastically. “Right, Corey?”
“Yeah, we’re ready,” Corey said.
“Good.” Kaida started toward a narrow path that ran through the woods beyond her cabin. “Follow me.”
* * *
“Try again,” Kaida said.
Panting lightly, a huge grin on his face, Tyler ran full speed at Corey and grabbed for him. The smaller boy turned his body at the last moment, socking his hip into Tyler’s body and wrapping his hands around Tyler’s biceps. Tyler sailed into the air, landing with a thud on his back in the soft sand that had been put down in a thick layer in the circular clearing.
“Good,” Kaida said. “The easiest way to get a larger opponent down is to use his size against him.”
Tyler popped up to his feet with the energy and grace of youth that Bren envied, and held his fist out to Corey. The fox shifter bumped it and the two teenagers grinned at each other. They were both covered in sand, Tyler had a small rip in his shirt, and Corey’s hair was sticking up, but they looked very pleased with themselves.
“Okay, what’s next?” Tyler asked.
“That’s enough for tonight,” Bren called from his spot on the sidelines. “It’s getting late.”
“We’ve only learned a couple things and it’s barely eight,” Tyler said.
“You’ve got homework to finish, school in the morning, and,” Bren glanced at the darkening sky, “it’ll be dark soon.”
Tyler glanced at Kaida who nodded. “Your brother is right.”
He sighed. “Fine. When’s our next training session?”
“How about Friday night?” Kaida turned to Bren. “Unless you have plans?”
He grinned at her. “Nope, no plans. I’ll bring the boys by around six again?”
A pink tinge covered her cheeks. “Sure.”
“Sweet.” Tyler took Corey’s hand.
Bren followed Kaida down the narrow path that led back to the cabins. He was very aware of how amazing her ass looked in her pants as Tyler and Corey kept up a steady stream of chatter behind them.
When they were back at the cabins, Bren unlocked the SUV. “Get in, guys. I want to talk to Kaida for a minute.”
“Bye, Kaida. Thank you,” Tyler said as he climbed into the passenger seat.
“Thanks.” Corey smiled tentatively at Kaida and slid into the back seat.
When the doors were shut, Bren turned to Kaida. “Thanks again, I really appreciate you helping them.”
“You’re welcome, human.” Kaida’s gaze flicked to his mouth before she looked away. “What is it you wanted to talk to me a
bout?”
Here goes nothing.
“Would you like to go out to dinner with me tomorrow night?”
Kaida’s body stiffened and she took a step back. Her gaze landed on his lips again and then slid away. “I can’t.”
“Because you’re busy or because you’re not interested?” Bren said.
She hesitated. “I’m not interested.”
Disappointment flooded his body. He’d been certain that Kaida was into him. “Okay. I’ll see you Friday night with the boys.”
She stared at a spot somewhere over his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Bren. It’s not that I, I mean -”
“It’s fine,” he said. “You’re not required to explain your decision. I’ll see you Friday, all right?”
She nodded before finally looking at him. Was that regret in her eyes?
“I’m sorry,” she said again.
“Don’t be,” he said. “See you Friday.”
He climbed into the SUV, forcing himself to smile and wave at Kaida as he pulled away. She was staring at him and it was no comfort to him that she looked miserable. He’d fucked up. Seen something that wasn’t there, obviously, and now Kaida felt bad and he looked like a fool.
She wants you.
He wanted to bang his hand on the steering wheel in frustration. Kaida didn’t want him, she literally just told him she wasn’t interested.
“Dude,” Tyler said.
“What?”
“Sorry the hot bear shifter turned you down for a date.”
Bren jerked and Tyler grabbed the dashboard when the SUV swerved on the narrow dirt road.
“Were you two eavesdropping on my conversation?” Bren said.
“No,” Corey said quickly. “We weren’t.”
“It wasn’t hard to tell you like Kaida,” Tyler said. “It’s never hard to tell when you like a girl. It’s, like,” he motioned to his face, “written all over you.”
Bren didn’t reply and Tyler reached over and punched him lightly on the thigh. “I swear we weren’t eavesdropping. I figured when you said you wanted to talk to her that you were going to ask her out. You did, right?”
“Yeah,” Bren turned off the dirt road and headed toward the highway.
“And she turned you down.”
The Dragon's Mate (Shifters Series Book 7) Page 8