by Renee Carr
He stopped at a shopping mall in the area known for extravagance and purchased a suit that would set others back their whole annual salary. Although polite, Nathan did not compromise on what he wanted. He was very clear about his expectations and it took three shops before he found one that could meet his vision of the outfit he wanted.
“It’s going to be very expensive...” the tailor said, when he finally tallied up the list of alterations that he would rush to do before the evening.
“Money is no issue,” Nathan said, with a shrug.
“Of course, sir,” the tailor said, and wrote him a bill for the final amount. Nathan barely glanced at it and nodded.
“You’ll have it ready by 6:00 pm?” he asked, and the tailor nodded.
“Wonderful,” Nathan answered. “I’ll pick it up then.”
“Can you...put a deposit, sir?” asked the tailor, shakily. Nathan had a feeling that he had been scammed before.
“Yes,” he replied. “Or the whole amount, right now. But I need it exactly by 6 pm.”
“Yes,” the tailor confirmed again.
“Excellent,“ Nathan said, tiring of the conversation. He had doubts that it would actually be ready, though, and he already had picked out two backup plans when he returned, just in case. However, to his surprise, the suit was done, exactly to his liking.
“Excellent,” Nathan said, leaving a large tip at the machine. The tailor looked delighted.
“Are you going out somewhere special, sir?” he asked.
“Nowhere special, Nathan replied. “Just around.”
“Well, have a good night,” he said.
He treated himself to an expensive dinner, dining alone in a corner that had a lakeside view. He made sure to have at least three drinks, wanting to feel loose and happy by the time he got to the club that Devon had recommended.
It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy being King, because he did. It was simply that he just wanted a break from the daily life that he was born into.
As soon as he got to the club, he knew that it was exactly the type of place that he wanted to go. It was dark, but clearly popular, with enough people and faces that he was just another patron. He mentioned Devon’s name at the door and they immediately escorted him to the side, where there was a small theatre set up. There was a stage at the front, and a few people setting up for some sort of musical act.
In the section behind the ropes, he felt like he had the perfect vantage point. He could see the stage perfectly, and the waitress kept a good supply of drinks flowing without interrupting the atmosphere. Dragons had a higher tolerance than most humans, and so he only felt the effects of a light drinking session by the time the night was coming to a close. The last singer took the stage and he was considering leaving, having had a relaxing, anonymous night.
But the second the female singer took the stage, he felt like he couldn’t leave his seat. She was exquisite, with long red hair and legs that went on for days.
However, as she sang, he felt something stir in his soul that he had never felt before. She approached him, waving a rose and he felt like his brain was moving underwater.
Nathan tried to muster the strength to think logically.
Had he drank too much? Was she just the most beautiful woman he had ever seen?
Or was there something else?
The second she reached out to touch his hand, reaching the climax of her song, he felt like his entire soul was on fire. He couldn’t breathe; he couldn’t move. At the same time, he had never been happier in his entire life.
She finished her song to the crowd roaring their applause, and let go of his hand. Both of them locked gazes, unmoving.
“I’m Ivy,” she said at last. “Are you having a good night?”
“I’m Nathan,” he managed, like a teenager on a first date. “And I would like to take you to dinner.”
He had no idea why he offered that. He had already had dinner, for one. And second, it was far past dinner time. Most of the restaurants in the city would be closed by the time they got out of the bar. He didn’t break her gaze, or move a muscle, watching her green eyes flicker in the dim lighting.
“Why not?” she managed, oblivious to the crowd behind her. “Shall we?”
That startled him, and he was not a man who was easily startled. He had been to several singing engagements before, and usually, performers wanted to take their bow and change their clothes before headed out anywhere. Ivy, however, simply put the microphone she had been using down on the table in front of him and waited for his answer.
“As the lady wishes,” he replied, rising. “So long as you don’t have another engagement tonight? I would not want to take you away from your adoring fans.”
Ivy turned back to the crowd, who had mostly finished applauding her, and then shrugged.
“No one seems to be eager to throw business cards at me,” she said. “So, no need for me to stay. Let me just grab my paycheck.”
“You can if you wish,” he said. “But you won’t need any money when you spend time with me.”
“Uh,” Ivy raised an eyebrow at that, their spell broken. “Sorry, I don’t know you. I’m happy to eat dinner with you, but I’ll be paying my own way.”
Normally, that kind of attitude turned him off. He wasn’t used to others telling him what to do, and especially in a tone that was anything less than polite. But he didn’t want to walk out of this place without her. He needed to find out exactly why he felt so attracted to her.
“As you wish,” he said, and she headed to the bar, clearly demanding her take of the tickets that night. He watched her as she went and watched the way people reacted to her. They either got out of her way or stood in it, staring at her as if she had the power to remove their ability to move.
“What did you mean?” he asked her when she returned to him. “When you spoke about business cards?”
“Oh,” she said, shoving the bills into a small pocket in her skirt. “This is a place where performers get scouted.”
“Were you hoping to be scouted?” he asked.
“Aren’t we all?” she replied. “It doesn’t matter, I have five more nights here. Let’s go, I'm starving.”
Once outside the bar, he felt like his head was a little clearer. The night air was cold, and he was happy to be able to close his jacket.
“Are you cold?” he asked, as a gust of wind blew down the street.
“I’m alright for now,” she said, looking down the street. “There’s a great burrito place just down the street, if you are hungry for that?”
“No,” he said. “We’re going to have a proper dinner. There must be a place.”
She raised an eyebrow at him as he whipped out his phone, typing in a few search queries.
“Ah-ha,” he said, after a moment. “The Lolitia is still serving dinner, until two am.”
“You are high-brow,” she said, but let him lead the way. Ivy seemed completely at ease with her surroundings, despite the cold air, and the stares she was getting from people around her. “What is it you do to have such hoity-toity tastes? Are you some sort of oil lord?”
“Ha,” he answered. “Not quite.”
“You’re not some sort of high-class criminal, are you?” she asked. “Because if you are, I’d like to collect your reward money.”
“I’m not that either,” he assured her. “I was just born into money.”
“Oh,” she said, although she sounded slightly disappointed at that answer. “Do you work?”
“In the family business,” he said. “What about you? All you do is sing?”
“That’s it,” she said. “Although not always here. That’s just this week.”
“An entrepreneur,” he said, as they rounded the corner to the Lolita restaurant. It was attached to a five-star hotel that he had stayed at more than once, and he knew the quality would be up to his standard.
Ivy, however, stood out like a sore thumb. The dining room was mostly empty, but the woman th
at were there were in expensive business suits or ball gowns. With her short skirt and plunging top, Nathan knew that the whispers were not good ones. He didn’t need to use his dragon hearing to know the words that were passing through their lips were nasty.
“Wow,” Ivy said, looking around. “This place is snobbier than I remembered.”
“You’ve been here before?” he asked.
“Once or twice,” she said. “Talent agents like to meet here, usually just for lunch to feel you out.”
Nathan requested a table for two, and slipped the maitre d’ a few folded bills to get them a good one. Ivy saw at least a hundred dollars trade hands as they were escorted to a table in the center of the room, where he pulled out her chair.
“You’re a gentleman,” she said, as she sat. He shrugged.
“There are certain rules in society that I expect everyone to follow,” he said. “But even if they don’t follow them, I will.”
“You’re an odd one, eh?” she asked, with a smile, as he sat across from her. “You’re clearly not from here.”
“Just a pleasure trip,” he said. “I like to take them every once in a while.”
“I know what you mean,” she answered. “Sometimes you just don’t want to think about your day to day life.”
“That’s it,” he said, as he leaned in. He wanted to take her hand again, and he couldn’t understand why. “And I happen to like life here in the city.”
“Well,” she said. ‘There’s always lots to do. There are a million shows to go to, at least. That’s kind of a problem actually.”
“How so?” he asked and she shrugged.
“Competition,” she replied. “Everyone thinks that they can be a singer and they come here to try and prove it.”
“You seem to be doing rather well for yourself if you are making a living for it.”
“For three years, I felt like I’m this close to getting scouted and getting a record deal,” she said. “But every time I get close, something happens.”
His face contorted in confusion.
“Like what?”
“Nothing specific,” she said. “Just...something happens, right when everything seems perfect. You ever feel like that?”
“Yes,” he replied. “I know the feeling.”
She met his eyes, looking up from the menu.
“I get the feeling you do,” she said, after a few minutes. “Are you running from something?”
That question took him by surprise.
“Why do you say that?” he asked.
“I get feelings,” she said. “About people, every once in a while.”
“I’m here now,” he said at last. “So let’s enjoy the rest of the night. What’s your favorite wine?”
“Uh...” she took a quick look at the wine menu. “Whatever. Something red is fine.”
When the waiter came back, he ordered for both of them, which made Ivy sputter.
“Excuse me,” she said, as the waiter turned away. “I want a Caesar salad, please, not a chicken whatever word he just said.”
The waiter looked confused, and Nathan waved his hand, dismissing him.
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” he said. “I’ve just been here before, and it’s a good choice.”
“It might be,” she said. “But it wasn’t my choice.”
“I apologize,” he said, although it bothered him that she had been so brazen about it. Still, he moved on to another topic, and the conversation seemed to flow again. “How did you feel your show went?”
“I think it went as well as can be expected,” she said. “Given that they were throwing flowers instead of business cards.”
“What is your goal?” he asked. “You want to get a record deal?”
“I just want to be paid properly for my work,” she answered. “And yes, I want to be famous. Because I’ve worked hard for it.”
“Not because the lure of being in the public eye attracts you?” he half teased her. She shrugged.
“I could take it or leave it. It isn’t that I mind either way. It’s about the music. There are so many people who are in this business for the wrong reason.”
“I assumed that everyone who wanted to be in the public eye wanted it for the wrong reasons,” he answered.
She raised an eyebrow.
“How do you know?”
“I...have seen it from time to time,” he responded, as their food came.
Nathan was able to do almost anything he put his mind to. But his one failing, especially when there was a lot going on, was eating enough to run his heavy Dragon fueled body. He got caught up in the talking, and thinking, and trying to figure out exactly why this woman was so attractive to him. By the time the restaurant was closing, he found himself with a mostly full plate.
Ivy didn’t say a word when the waiter took the plate away and presented a cheque instead. She reached for it, but Nathan swiped it out of her hand.
“No,” he said. “I invited you, and I am going to pay.”
“And I told you that I was going to pay my own way,” Ivy said, giving him a steely gaze. The two of them were at a standoff. He could tell that she wasn’t someone who gave up easily, but he wasn’t about to walk away from the situation either.
“How about we make a deal?” he said.
“What kind of deal?” she asked.
“I will pay this time,” he said. “But you will choose the activity for next time.”
He had no intention of letting her pay the next time either, but he wanted to know that there was going to be a next time.
“Rock climbing,” she said and he raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“I’m sorry?” he said.
“I haven’t been rock climbing in ages,” she said. “And I used to go all the time. But the person I used to go with quit this city and ran away. To be an accountant or something.”
“Oh, how dreary,” he answered. And she grinned.
“Exactly,” she said. ‘You get it.”
“I understand that you find it dreary,” he said. “And I find that quite fascinating.”
“You talk like you’re from a different time,” she said and he shrugged.
“Perhaps I am,” he said, as he paid the bill and stood up.
“Are you a vampire?” she asked, with a grin. “Is this like one of those bad movies?”
“Don’t be silly,” he said. “Vampires aren’t real.”
He was telling the truth in that regard, but he still felt like he was lying to her. Ivy simply laughed, as they headed out into the night. The temperature had dropped significantly, and he took off his jacket, offering it to her.
“What?” she asked. “Are you embarrassed by me?”
“I can see the goose flesh on your arms,” he said. “And we’ve only been outside three seconds.”
“Fair enough,” she said. “I’m actually just up the street from here, so I should probably turn in.”
Despite the fact that she said that, neither of them moved.
“But I can go rock climbing tomorrow if you don’t feel that’s too fast?” she asked. He felt comfort in the fact that she didn’t want to leave him as much as he didn’t want to leave her.
“Of course, you probably have something to do,” she added when he didn’t answer. He shook himself out of the daze that he seemed to have fallen into.
“No,” he said. “I can afford another day here before I leave.”
“You’re leaving?” she asked. “That’s a short trip.”
“Well, you don’t know how long I’ve been here.”
“I have an idea,” she said. “Given the way you strolled in with a freshly made suit and threw back half a bottle. You just got here, and you wanted to celebrate. Or run from something. Whatever.”
“I...” he started, but she held up her hand.
“You don’t actually have to tell me,” she said. “That’s the rule with me. No judgment. So tomorrow works?”
“It does work,” h
e said. “Why don’t you give me your number and we can arrange in the morning?”
“Are you going to be ok getting to wherever you are going?” she asked, as she pulled out her phone. He grinned.
“Do you take me for a lightweight?”
’’I’ll be impressed if you’re not at least feeling good,” she said.
“Perhaps I’m superhuman,” he replied, as they switched phones and entered each other’s details in.
“So am I,” she said. “At least, that’s what they say, given my schedule. I’ll text you where I usually go.”
Still, neither of them moved. Eventually, Nathan realized that she was shivering, and tried to take a step back.
“You can bring the jacket then,” he said. “Or you can keep it.”
“I just might,” she pulled it closer to her. “Thanks for dinner.”
“I’ll see you soon,” he said. Under normal circumstances, he would have kissed her, and perhaps would have seen if it led to more. However, something felt different about this young woman.
Ivy clearly felt the same way, given how she kept her hands at her side, watching his deep eyes.
“See you soon,” she echoed. He would have normally walked her to her place, but she seemed to want to go by herself, given the way she took off down the street. She was like no one he had ever met before.
Nathan waited until she was out of sight before heading down the street himself, back to his hotel for the night.
As soon as he checked his phone, he saw there were half a million messages that he ignored. With a sigh, he opened the first one.
We arrested three suspects in the werewolf-dragon feud. They are being held in Knorpp's dungeon, currently awaiting trial.
He replied to that one right away, cc’ing Cory on it just in case.
If there is a hair beyond reasonable suspicion that they did this, you will put them to eternal slumber immediately.
John lost his mind and eventually his life over this feud. I will not be the King to restart it. Confirm that you have received this immediately.
It was entirely true, but he needed to remind his brothers to not take this situation lightly. They had spent years living in harmony with the other supernatural creatures. They were younger, and they did not remember the struggles that John had gone through, both with this feud and with the weight of the crown. Nathan remembered though, and while he swore to never be a King like John was, he was also determined to not let his brother’s death be in vain.