Crush Read online

  Beer wasn’t so bad, but Percivale wasn’t open to acquiring tickets to the event, so instead, the men and Echo sat on the wharf with binoculars under the guise of birdwatching. It fit. A little. With their magnificent feathered wings, dragons resembled a splice of bird and reptile. Their durable skin ran a wide gamut of colors from pearlescent silver to black opal and mimicked the texture of alligators when they reached maturity.

  Younger cubs and new adults sported softer hides, and those were the easiest to pierce with mortal weapons.

  One of the restaurants on Fisherman’s Wharf hosted the tasting in their outdoor patio area. People mingled and took seats at round tables while waiters came around with their first pours. A few guests stood at the railing and pointed at the sea lions basking in the early evening sunshine.

  “Our target’s at the back in the black and green polo.”

  “That’s Loki?”

  Nate’s brows skewed as he peered over at the lone man sitting at a rear table, beer glass in one hand, pretzel in the other. In his khaki slacks and company polo, he blended with any other San Franciscan at the wharf for a pleasant summer evening.

  “Sure is.”

  “He looks so…” Nate tried to find an appropriate word but came up blank. “Did Kay really send you up here to watch the man piss away his day with a couple of beers? This doesn’t tell us anything. He’s not even talking to anyone. No mischief. No spells. Nada.”

  “What did you expect? For him to bewitch the server for a free glass? We’ve only been here for five minutes.”

  “All I’m saying is, this is crap. Except for the rare few like Anansi, these guys haven’t done anything to merit a quick death in the last fifty years. Loki’s especially behaved according to the files. Apparently, I watched him in my last life, with nothing to report except the start of his new business venture.”

  He still found it disconcerting to see his signature on old reports. His handwriting hadn’t changed, the loops and lines of each word identical despite the name changing.

  A broad grin spread across Percivale’s face. “And that hasn’t changed. Kay sent me here to verify that’s the case, but as you can see, he’s a rehabilitated dragonman. Glad I’m not the only one who sees it, because he’s a tough one. The dragon sorcerers are like cockroaches. They never go down unless there’s a half dozen of us to stomp them.”

  “Yeah, well, with age comes power. If all mages were immortal the way Merlin is, I imagine we’d be living in a completely different world. Lucky for us, they reincarnate the same way we do.”

  “True enough. The smart ones, though, they do the same as us and store things away for their next life.”

  As the night passed with no examples of strange behavior, Nate grew disinterested in the job. His phone buzzed, alerting him to incoming texts in addition to the ones he blew off to avoid Astrid dragging him into deep conversation in his comrade’s company.

  His phone burned a hole in his pocket. Damn, he wanted to talk to her.

  “I think we can both agree this dragon isn’t a danger to anyone,” Percivale said. He lowered his binoculars and glanced to his right at Nate. “Aren’t you going to answer those?”

  Nate cleared his throat. “What if it’s only a show?”

  “A show for who, kid? He doesn’t know we’re here, and if he did, I don’t think he’d care.”

  “We can’t report that to Kay. He’d never accept it.”

  The older knight chuckled and rose from his seat. “Coming from me, he won’t have a choice. There are better dragons to fry, and we’re wasting our time.”

  They grabbed fresh coffee from a cafe on their way back to the car. Percivale started the engine, but he didn’t take the vehicle out of park.

  “What’s really on your mind, Nate? You were itching to get away, but you’ve been distracted and edgy since we arrived to monitor him.”

  Nate hesitated.

  “You can tell me. I’m not Kay. Hell, maybe I should have raised you this time around.”

  “You’re barely older than me,” Nate pointed out.

  “Old enough I could have done a better job. So what’s on your mind?”

  “The girl.”

  “You two getting close?” Percivale asked.

  “Yeah. I guess we are. Closer than I intended at first. It doesn’t feel right to keep her in the dark about it, but I can’t exactly open up and tell her I’m one of the guys responsible for her race dying out.”

  “You’ve never slain anyone who didn’t deserve it.”

  “So you tell me.”

  “Read your own notes, kid.”

  “I have. I do all the time, but it’s still unfamiliar, like a damned dream or something. Hanging out with Astrid, it’s fun. Easy. I don’t want to give that up.”

  “No one is saying—”

  “You heard Kay. He was quite clear on the matter.”

  Percivale went quiet, lips pressed into a thin line. Nate recognized the look and let him think in silence.

  “Kay’s been a different man for a couple cycles now, a hothead when it comes to the Drakenstones, but he does raise a legitimate concern. If they’re replenishing their numbers by mating with humans, we need to know. I’m not saying the girl is a danger, but she could be something new. Unknown. We need to know what we’re dealing with.”

  “I don’t want to hurt her.”

  “Then don’t.”

  “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one lying to her.”

  The older slayer set his coffee aside in the drink holder and gave him a look. “So this is what your change of heart is about. Living in harmony with dragons. Letting the rest of them slide and letting bygones be bygones. I heard you’ve been chatting up a couple of the younger guys. Gawain seems to think that we can be friends with the dragons.”

  A surge of pride swelled in Nate’s chest. He grinned. “Maybe. Nothing says we can’t all form some kind of understanding. Settle a truce and agree to let the bitterness remain in the past where it belongs. It’ll lead to a happier future for everyone, you know?”

  “So you thought you’d try to campaign for peace, eh? Christ. You’ve got a crush on a dragon, and that’s why you’re all tore up over this. Look, Nate, I don’t know what kind of game you’re trying to pull, but Kay is going to figure out sooner or later that you’re not being completely honest with him.”

  “Don’t tell him.”

  Percivale shook his head. “Nah, I wouldn’t do that to you. I care about you too much for that, but I know what’s going to happen when he figures out you’re holding back intel.”

  “I’m not. All I have are hunches, but no proof. She hasn’t said or shown anything about herself that points to being magical at all.”

  “Give it time. What will you do if it turns out she’s some creature born from one of them and a human?” The older slayer raised his brows.

  “I don’t know.” Nate sighed and leaned back in his seat. Fretting, he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I honest to God don’t know.”

  ***

  Nate didn’t call her that week and paid no visits to the shop. She’d hoped to find him on Facebook, but his profile was strangely absent of any posts, not that he spent much time on social media to begin with.

  He didn’t share memes often, and the few posts he made usually related to mentoring at the Boys & Girls Club in L.A. where he visited his mom at her job.

  Still, he was quiet. Growing concerned, she sent a text message and received a clipped response hours later.

  “Maybe he’s busy on base?” Toni suggested. “I mean, are they even allowed to take cell phones on those ships?”

  “I dunno. He isn’t on a ship and doesn’t often speak about his work.”

  “Well, cell phones aren’t secure, girl. The man has to be busy. Text him again tonight and ask if he’s okay.”

  A few hours later, she did as Toni bid her and received a terse affirmative before Nate mirrored the question back to h
er.

  Nate: How are you doing?

  Astrid: I’m good now.

  Nate: I’m glad. Miss talking to you.

  She sagged in relief, before giving in to her curiosity and asking what he was doing.

  Nate: Secret stuff. Should be home soon.

  No matter how long she waited for the magic to fade, it never did. There was something indescribable about her attraction to Nate, and it became more concrete with each meeting.

  She looked forward to his goofy smiles, his humor, and the way he leaned against her store counter in his uniform. She hadn’t seen his dress whites again, but fondness branded the image into her memory. She couldn’t forget it.

  When she called her grandmother the next morning to see if she could use their beach house for a day, Ēostre offered it for the entire weekend instead, asking if she wanted company.

  “Um… not this time. I’m bringing a friend.”

  “Oh. A nice girls’ evening out? How fun. Well, there’s wine in the cabinet, so enjoy.”

  “A guy friend.”

  Ēostre said nothing at first. During the silence, Astrid’s heart pounded in an erratic jackhammer and the sound of it drowned out everything else. Sharing news about Nate made her nervous, like a wish she couldn’t voice if she wanted it to come true. The more people who knew about him, the more it would hurt when their relationship inevitably collapsed.

  “That is marvelous news, sweetheart. Is he a nice boy? In that case, I’ll be sure to tell your father and grandfather you’re having a nice evening in with the girls in front of the home entertainment system. It’ll keep them from playing the busybody and checking into your affairs.”

  Astrid exhaled in relief. “Thank you.”

  “Now tell me about him. What’s he like? Is he hot?”

  “Grandma!”

  “It’s a legitimate question.”

  It was, so after she’d confirmed Nate’s attractive qualities, they chatted for another hour before she hung up and phoned the man to make her offer.

  While twisting a blonde curl around her finger, she waited for him to answer. The moment the call connected, she blurted, “So I was headed up to Carlsbad this weekend and wondered if you want to come with me.”

  “Huh?” came the tired voice on the other end in a drowsy slur. “This weekend? Sounds great.”

  “Really? I mean, great. My grandparents keep a beach house up there, and I usually keep an eye on it for them. Pop in sometimes. There’s a grill, too. We could bring steaks and stuff. Have a relaxing day watching the water from the deck.”

  “Sure. I’ll look forward to it. Supposed to be clear, too.”

  Her keen hearing picked up the sound of mattress springs creaking beneath the weight of a moving body. Suddenly, the lethargic voice made sense. She glanced at her stylish, ornate grandfather clock, an antique from her grandmother’s hoard. It read eleven twenty. “Did I wake you? I’m sorry. You were probably on duty last night or something.”

  “No, no, it’s fine. I kinda overslept.” After a pause, he added, “I can’t think of anything better to wake up to than the sound of your voice anyway.”

  “Flattery will get you everywhere.” Chuckling, she relaxed on the stool. “Right. So I’ll do some shopping, and if there’s anything specific you want, feel free to bring it or send me a text.”

  “Sure thing, baby girl. Talk later?”

  “Yeah. Get some more rest.”

  The rest of the week flew by on gilded wings. Before she knew it, Saturday had arrived, and they were en route to her grandparents’ beach house in his Jeep. Nate claimed he couldn’t fold himself into her tiny hybrid car.

  “It’s that one,” Astrid said.

  Her family had built great memories in the beach house her grandmother had purchased a few years ago. Now she and Max vacationed in it occasionally, but they’d given her keys and all of the security codes. After instructing Nate to park in the vacant garage, she leaped out and deactivated the home security alarm. The light changed from red to green, and the gentle, prolonged beep ended.

  “Grandparents into surfing?” He gestured to the four boards hung over a shelf loaded with beach toys.

  “You’d be surprised. Plus, they let the whole family use the place. So, um, make yourself at home.”

  Nate approached with a duffel bag over his shoulder. He’d brought steaks and board shorts for the beach. “Big family?”

  “Yeah. Mom, Dad, and my little brother. And an aunt and uncle who are younger than me.”

  His brows shot up.

  “My grandma remarried later in life, and she’s one of those ladies who… you know.” She cleared her throat. “So, uh, they had twins. Cutest things ever. Then there’s my aunt and her family.”

  “You’re much younger than I thought if your grandmother is still having kids. Are you sure I’m not robbing the cradle?”

  “I told you, I’m twenty-five, you ass, unless this is your way of telling me you’re fifty.”

  He grinned. “I’m definitely not fifty. So… I hope you have a swimsuit beneath that dress. I’m tossing you in whether you have one or not.”

  “I brought one with me, and it’s adorable, so please wait until I’ve put it on first before tossing me anywhere.”

  Astrid stuck her tongue out at him.

  Over an hour passed before they settled with their belongings unpacked. He prepared the grill while she mixed slushie piña coladas.

  They were all alone in absolute privacy without a store or friends between them, and he hadn’t touched her once. Not a single embrace, and she began to wonder if he found her attractive at all. Meanwhile, she often had to resist the urge to tackle him and rip off his clothes.

  Maybe her man was the polite, old-fashioned kind of fellow. Chivalrous, like some modern-day knight in shining armor. An officer gentleman. She jumped to several outlandish conclusions before wondering if he scorned sex before marriage. Could she wait?

  She’d waited twenty-five years. What were a few months or even years more?

  “Those steaks look good,” she told him as she set a tray of veggies besides the grill and offered him a frosty beverage. “Medium is great for me.”

  “I’m glad you agree, because that’s what I do. Anything more is a ruined steak, and less is a slab of raw meat.”

  Astrid chuckled and arranged an array of veggies onto the grill. She’d brought asparagus, zucchini spears, and portobello mushrooms. Lots of veggies for a dragon.

  While sipping his drink, he slouched back in the patio chair with sun shades in place over his green eyes. She hated them. His eyes were too pretty to be shielded. “So when do I get to see this swimsuit of yours?” he asked.

  “After we eat.”

  She stretched out alongside him on the adjacent lounger. In her cutoff shorts and thin camisole, she felt sexy and desirable. Would he agree? Without a bra worn beneath it, the cool breeze tightened her nipples.

  “So now that you know about my family, what about yours? Any brothers or sisters? Ridiculously young aunts and uncles?”

  “Half-siblings. Mom and Dad split when I was younger, so he has a kid with his new wife. I have about a thousand cousins on Mom’s side of the family too.” He finally glanced at her, and his double take stirred a sense of accomplishment in Astrid.

  She smiled smugly behind her glass and sipped again. “Divorce?” she guessed. “That’s rough. My mom’s parents weren’t together, and her dad raised her pretty much from the time she was old enough to say she wanted to go live with him. I never met her mom. As for my dad…” She trailed off, gaze wandering toward the beach as she tried to figure out what to say. “His dad died when he was young, and his mom was a real mess afterward. It took her a long time to get over her husband, but she found a great guy in Max.” Max was a name used by hundreds of men, so she figured it was safe. “He’s great to her and a kickass grandfather.”

  “Sounds like your parents and grandparents are happy now at least, and that’s wh
at counts the most, right? It’s great that your grandmother was able to move on. So, do they know you invited a random stranger out to their place for the weekend? Day,” he corrected because nothing had been uttered about the weekend, technically. As far as he knew, they were leaving after dinner.

  Unless she changed their plans.

  “Of course, they do,” Astrid half-fibbed. “When I asked if this weekend was okay for me to come up, I said I was bringing a guy along. Don’t worry, no one’s going to bust in and roast you for being here,” she teased.

  “I’ve dated girls with serious parents before. I don’t need a dad and a granddad coming down on me,” he joked back.

  A cool, salt-scented breeze blew in from over the ocean, the surf only a few yards away from where they sat overlooking the sandy beachside. She’d never seen Nate in a complete state of relaxation before. He was a workaholic, always doing something on base.

  “Did you have to take off work?” she asked suddenly. “Do you have the entire weekend?”

  “I had Sunday off, but I was supposed to pull duty today. Don’t worry. I have a friend covering me. Next week, I’ll cover for him, and we’ll be even.”

  She winced. “Sorry. I know it was short notice, but I...” Couldn't wait to see you again, she finished in her head while pushing her food around on her plate.

  “No, it’s cool. We do it all the time whenever something pops up on a duty day.”

  “So, I have something to tell you. Something you need to know before we go any further, I mean, if you want to go anywhere with this.” She gestured with a free hand from herself to him and back again. “Because, truthfully, I really like you, Nate, and I want to keep meeting you.”

  His confident grin faded, dimmed by the shift in mood. “I like you, too, and I’m happy to be here. Honest. What’s wrong?” His smile dropped away completely, and a look came to his eye. Guarded and closed.

  What was he hiding from her?

  “My last name isn’t Ellis. Not really. That’s my mom’s maiden name. My legal name is Drakenstone. Astrid Drakenstone.”

  Her memorable, unique name was one of a kind, and everyone knew it even if they didn’t care about his movies. Her father was Saul Drakenstone, the billionaire movie tycoon. Dragon. Son of their country’s first lady.