Green Mage, page 9
part #2 of Mackenzie Green Series
“I’m attending the Summit the day after tomorrow, and I want to know what I’m up against,” I answered. Lucan hadn’t specified that my attendance was a secret, he’d only wanted me to keep the fact that I was fake dating him under my hat, so I felt comfortable sharing the tidbit with her.
“Tell you what, you do your research, and I’ll talk to some people I know. We can have coffee or lunch after your first night and compare notes.” Bless her, and there was that hand of friendship again.
“Deal,” I said and wrote my number down on a sheet of paper. Her joy at my acceptance baffled me.
I spent the next hour flipping through tomes and ferreting out particulars. Constantly on the lookout for anyone, or anything attached to one of the Triad members who would have a reason for this treaty to fail. From news articles, I also made notes of anyone who voiced support for the Purity Movement. As a separatist group, they were high on my persons-who-required-more-investigation list. All the while though, I didn’t lose the genuine smile plastered on my face.
Despite its horrible start, today had turned out all right after all.
Chapter 10
Blue-eyed Menace: Change of plans. I have a meeting tomorrow night. Can you meet me tonight? Say seven? Dress semi-formal and look for me at a little place on the corner of Demra and Cussuth.
It was five o’clock now. If I rushed home, I’d be able to change and get there in time. I sent off a “sure”, then prepared to get ready for an evening out.
Every street in Dracos territory was named after a famous dragon. Demra and Cussuth were two of the oldest dragon shifters to survive the change and were considered paragons of what it was to be a dragon. Most cities that had a territory claimed by dragons had streets bearing their names. Thankfully, I knew where this particular intersection was, and it was only a block from Old City.
I tried talking to Brooke when I got home, only to have her yell at me to “go away”. I let her be for now.
Connor was in a deep conversation with Saber. He’d taken the addition of the cat to our household the best. Apparently, my familiar had won him over by being impressed with his work. He’d enquired if my brother could fashion him a harness that protected him while also having useful pockets to tuck things in. Only the Old God knew what the hell a cat needed pockets for, but Connor was intrigued by the idea.
When I told them of my change of plans, my new familiar took time away from designing his new armor to make sure I didn’t need backup.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? I can be an intimidating presence, make the dragon behave himself.” The feline’s tails lashed back and forth.
“No, I can handle Lucan. Besides, you seem to be having fun with Connor.” It was getting easier to use our newly formed bond to communicate mentally. “Though maybe contact me at some point. We should test the limits of this form of communication.” I could feel him mulling it over.
“A prudent idea. I will wait an hour then attempt contact. Your family, even the angry kitten, is very accepting for humans.” It was a statement of fact, but one that held a hint of confusion.
I walked over to where Saber was sitting next to Connor. My brother’s eyes twinkled. He was finding our silent conversation amusing. “You’re my familiar. That makes you family. No other questions needed.”
“She’s right. The fact that you’re cool just makes it easier,” Connor piped up. “Now about that breastplate, I was thinking…” I left the boys to their discussion.
With little in the way of formal clothing to choose from and not having much of a hand at makeup, I was ready to go in plenty of time.
Six forty-five, and I was waiting for Lucan. To my left was the restaurant, my right, a salon. The rest of the street held cute little boutiques. It was definitely not a place I’d ever come to on my own.
Ten minutes later, the hum of a motorcycle caught my attention. The headlights glowed as the bike and its owner turned the corner. Lucan parked in one of the designated spots.
I watched, partly shadowed and leaning against a wall as Lucan pulled his helmet off and, with one hand, reached up and tussled his sandy blond locks. I smirked at the unconscious act. Helmet hair looked good on no one.
Lucan looked around. I hesitated for a moment, taking a second to admire the cut of his blue shirt and the way his black jeans hugged his ass. I may not have known how I felt about Lucan as a person, but damn, he was nice to look at.
Once I’d ogled him enough that I wouldn’t make a fool of myself, I stepped out of the shadows and made my way over. Lucan’s blue eyes glowed with an ethereal light when he saw me. It sent a lace of heat down my spine.
My loose black pants billowed around me, giving the illusion of a skirt. My green blouse and black vest were just ornate enough for a semi-formal setting. Lucan quirked an eyebrow when he noticed my weapons sheathed to my waist. I gave him a bright smile in return. After all, the streets were dangerous for a woman all alone.
“Glad you could make it. Any trouble on your way? If I remember right, last time I met you in Dracos territory, I had to save you from a gang of miscreants.” Lucan’s eyes twinkled. By the Old God, he was teasing me.
Deciding to play along, I tapped my mouth. “I seem to remember doing just fine before you came along.” It was the truth. Lucan simply expedited the process with his empathic abilities.
I put my hands on my hips. “You know, at the time, I considered the possibility that you orchestrated the whole thing.” That got me an offended look. I gave a dismissive wave. “Yeah, yeah. I figured it out pretty quickly. Totally not your style.” I shifted gears. “Is this more background building?”
“Yes. This afternoon was a good start. If we’re going to sell this,” Lucan pointed between us, “we have to act the part.” I nodded and walked over to him.
“Then I should play the part,” I whispered before leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. I couldn’t help the smirk at the stunned look on Lucan’s face. Not that it lasted long.
It was my turn to have a bewildered look as he rose from his bike. I hadn’t realized how much my height advantage, while he sat, had bolstered my confidence.
In one graceful movement, Lucan was looming over me. I was pretty sure I had a deer in the headlights look. I felt frozen. He reached out and ran a finger down the side of my face. Heat curled in my belly, and a foreign emotion surged through me. I checked my shields. I’d layered them just under my skin. Lucan may have promised to keep his feelings to himself, but I was too paranoid to trust him right out the gate.
Oddly, he wasn’t projecting. My feelings were my own. Good to know. Now I needed to figure out what the odd fluttering in my stomach and the giddy feeling I got when he looked at me meant.
Lucan continued to stare into my eyes, a soft smile caressing his mouth. I shook my head, snapping out of whatever trance held me.
“We should head into the restaurant.” I went for playful, but it came out a little breathless.
Amusement radiated off the dragon. “Of course.” He offered me his arm. I debated the pros and cons of taking it. In the end, he was the client, so I took his arm.
The place was clearly tailored to higher-end clientele. The tables were draped in snow-white fabric, the silverware was actual silver, and the patrons were all dressed to the nines. Even the man who led us to our table was wearing a tuxedo. I felt underdressed, but when I looked at Lucan, we appeared to be matching. It was a statement, and one that would get us more attention than if I’d come wearing a ball gown.
I appreciated the fact that the maître d didn’t gawk, but he was the only one. Playing the part of the enchanted girlfriend, I ignored the nobles as they started whispering to one another furiously. Lucan’s arm bunched and tensed. His face may have said arrogantly superior, but his body was saying “fuck off.” I patted his arm soothingly.
Our table was tucked away in a shadowed corner. The lighting was strategic enough to see out, but the other customers would have difficulty seeing in.
I raised an eyebrow at the table choice and Lucan leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Let most of them wonder what we’re getting up to. The nosier ones will tip the waitstaff for some gossip. This way, we only have to act when our servers come by.”
Relief washed through me. I wasn’t going to have to keep up this act constantly. I wasn’t sure I could.
I moved to the chair with its back to the wall. Lucan’s eyebrow rose, but he didn’t hesitate to pull it out for me.
“Your server will be along shortly,” the man who’d escorted us said before walking back to the entrance. I let my blinding smile fall.
“By the Old God, if I have to do that for the whole Summit, I’m going to strain a muscle in my face.” I hoped my teasing smile allowed Lucan to join in on the joke.
He took the bait. “Don’t worry. You’ll be able to be less enchanted by then. The nobles will expect you to be more reserved.”
I chuckled at that. “I’m not sure if I’m a good enough actor to play reserved and smitten at the same time. Do you know any other eye candy I can shadow? Pick up some tips?”
I’d timed my comment perfectly. Lucan had just taken a large sip of water and was now choking on it. My shoulders shook with contained laughter as a female server came running over. She fussed over Lucan, patting his damp chest dry with a cloth napkin. He tried to wave her away, but she wasn’t taking the hint. It set me off again.
Finally, the sputtering died and he was able to shoo the server off. Blue eyes glowed as Lucan glared at me, but his tone was light. “Can’t you hold any semblance of an adult conversation? Please tell me you’re housebroken.” By the Old God, Lucan is playing with me… I think. The wisp of power he let leak wasn’t strong enough for me to tell.
I took a sip of water. “Of course, I’m housebroken, but I make no guarantees if the vampires are wearing leather pants.” I was proud of the comeback and could feel my eyes crinkle with mirth. What was it about this man that drove me to throw away years of hard-earned professionalism?
Lucan’s eyes narrowed and glowered at the mention of the vampires. I thought maybe I’d gone too far, that the reminder of the troubles his Clan faced was too dark for this evening. Backtracking, I cut him off. “Lucan, this isn’t my first bodyguard contract.” I emphasized my words by making a show of scanning the room. “It’s also not the first contract that’s required me to be dangerous arm candy. I promise to behave when we're around others. But I’ll be me when we're alone.” His glower abated some.
“Fine,” he said. I rolled my eyes.
I took another sip of water. “Okay, let’s hammer out some of the details. What’s our story? You’ve never taken a plus one before. Why now?” Let’s start with the easy questions.
Lucan’s arrogant smirk was back. “You’ve been checking up on me.” I resisted the urge to hit him.
“Of course, I have. The more I know, the better I can keep you safe. Plus,” I shrugged my shoulder, “I was curious.”
His smile didn’t waver. “You’re right. I usually go stag. I would have this time, too, if the Dragon Head hadn’t ordered me to bring someone.” Lucan gave a humorless laugh. “I even got a list of potential women—all socialites and unsuited to protect a fly, let alone the Triad. With you, I kill two birds with one stone.” Right, protection and sticking it to the stuffy match-making bastards. A frown marred Lucan’s face. Someone doesn’t appreciate meddling.
“I’m happy I could help.” I tried for cheery, but I couldn’t mask the sad tint in my voice. He’d admitted earlier that I was the final stop on his list. It sucked being a last resort. I tried to cover the slip before Lucan noticed.
“With our cover story, we should keep as much to the truth as possible,” Lucan said. “We met a few months ago when one of your cases intersected with mine, and we hit it off.”
I almost snickered at the ‘hit it off’ comment. Lucan had tried to throttle me multiple times during our first couple of meetings. It was a completely different context than the one he wanted to sell.
“We started seeing each other, and now are taking the next step.”
“What about if people ask about us being mates?” This was a big lynchpin in our charade, one that we could fake, but we needed to be on the same page about.
“You’re not a shifter, so they won’t expect you to feel much. I will tell them that I feel something, but I’m not sure if it’s the bond yet. It happens sometimes with powerful shifters. The bond is so faint, it can be missed. In my situation, most shifters would investigate until it was clear the bond wasn’t present. No one will find it amiss.”
I nodded. I could work with that.
That settled, I moved on to the next item on my checklist. “I took some time today to brush up on the Triad, and I’ll look into the Vampire Council members tomorrow. You don’t happen to have a list of who else is being invited, do you?” I refused to look at Lucan, still battling with the unwanted feelings coursing through me.
I could feel Lucan’s eyes boring into me as he answered. “I’ll send it to the guild tomorrow morning, along with the information I have on the potential threats.” I nodded.
A moment of awkward silence, then I felt a light brush against my mind. “Saber, is that you?” I tried to reach out and connect with the cat. I felt another brush, but no words came through. I wondered how far he was, had he left the house yet? Even if this was just from home, it was still an impressive distance if you thought about it.
Lucan had noticed my glazed look but didn’t comment. I felt bad and didn’t want the dinner to shift into some uneasy silence, partially because it wouldn’t help us sell this charade, but also because I was genuinely curious about the man across from me. Moments passed in silence as I wracked my brain trying to come up with a conversation that we could both get into. Something to ease the tension. Lucan must have been thinking along the same lines because he beat me to the punch.
“Curtis told me you have a side business selling plants. What’s involved in that?” His eyes shone with genuine interest.
“I cultivate rare herbs. Ones that don’t do well unless babied. I have a select clientele that I sell them to. It’s cheaper for them to get it from me than having to ship them in from outside the city.” He nodded for me to continue.
“I also have a few clients who love exotic plants. They provide me with seeds, and I cultivate the plants to survive in this climate.” I still thought fondly of Arthur Connelly and his wife.
“Why do you work at the guild if you could make a living selling plants?” There was genuine curiosity in his tone.
“It took time to build up my clients, and even then, I’m super picky in who I sell too.” I paused as our food arrived. When the waiter left, after seeing me making goo-goo eyes at Lucan, I continued. “My plants are more of a reward thing than a money thing,” I confessed. “I would outright give them away if my clients would take it, but most of them are more stubborn than I am.” I smiled. “Everyone I sell to has, in the past, done something for me without expecting anything in return.”
Lucan smiled. “It’s more about you letting them know their aid was appreciated. I understand that, but why continue at the guild if you could break off?”
He bit his tongue, and I could only imagine the “more respectable” he wanted to tag on. I didn’t take offense, I was beginning to see that, where the guilds were concerned, Lucan had a giant blind spot. It was too soon to pry about his loathing for mercenaries, but maybe we’d get to that point before the end of the Summit.
“Honestly, I like being able to help people. Curtis is way pickier than most guilds, and he tries to supply us with gigs that appeal to who we are as individuals.” I didn’t mention the fact that I felt like I owed Curtis. He’d taken me in at my worst and had given me a hand in getting back on my feet.
I could see Lucan thinking about what I said. Good.
Enjoying the easy flow of conversation, I asked, “What would your dream future hold, Lucan?”
He thought hard for a moment before responding. “A small house, a mate who was my partner in all things, a family, everyone I loved safe.” He looked at me. “You?”
I smiled. My idealistic future was something I had dreamed about often. “Lots of land, some really old trees, my family close by, and a huge garden with every flower imaginable.”
“No partner?” There was a probing nature to his question.
I gave him a rueful smile. “I’m not sure. I don’t trust easy. I may not be able to give that much of myself to someone else.” Lucan raised an eyebrow at that but didn’t comment.
We ate in silence for a time, but it was a comfortable silence. When the food was gone and dessert devoured, Lucan placed enough money down to cover the check, and I took his arm to be ‘escorted’ out.
“Do you need a lift home?” His voice rumbled in his chest as we stood next to his motorcycle.
“I’m a big girl. I can walk home in the dark. Thanks for the offer, though.” I could see a smile twitch in the corner of his mouth.
“That’s right, big bad mercenary.” There was a twinkle in his eye. My heart swelled.
“Damn straight.” I rocked back on my heels. Lucan took out his leather jacket. After sliding his arms in, he mounted the bike. Conscious of appearances, I leaned over, intending to give him a chase peck on the cheek.
At the last moment, the bastard moved.
My lips connected with his and fire ignited within me. Lucan kept the kiss soft, but his restraint only fueled the heat within me. Without thought, I reached out a hand and cupped his face, holding him at just the right angle. His chest vibrated with a deep primal rumble. One of his hands moved to my hip, his thumb running lazy circles on the bone. I broke the kiss and rested my forehead against his. Our breaths came out in pants. What the hell!
Instinct took over, and I ran.
Chapter 11
My sprint lasted two blocks.
