V felt his woman before he saw her, it was like a beacon that called him and drew him closer with every step.

“There they are,” Attor said as he raised his hand and pointed to a checkered blanket, halfway up a small slope. The three of them seemed to be laughing and eating, a moment that radiated a carefree joy, a feeling he remembered but hadn’t shared in over a year. Not since the… giving himself a shake he chastised himself. V had actually brought him in on a job. Not a job related to clan security, but it was something and allowed him to keep his true agenda hidden.

V nodded and strode off toward them confidently.

“V?” Kylee’s head looked up as the shadows cast by the two men’s imposing size blocked the sun. “Didn’t know you were coming.” Opening her eyes wider as she looked at Payton. “I thought it was a girl only afternoon.”

“He just called…” Payton shrugged. “I can’t say no to this handsome mug.” She reached up and cupped his chin with her hand as V crouched behind her. The bristle of his short beard prickled against her palm. Placing a soft kiss on his lips as he positioned himself to sit behind her, it allowed her to lean back into his chest.

“Give me the phone next time, I have no hassle saying no,” she laughed.

V placed his hand to his heart and dropped his chin in fake shock “That hurts, Kyl’s. And here I was thinking you liked me.” He quivered his lips to add to the effect.

“Pffft,” Kylee scoffed. “Look, I guess I think you’re okay.” She shrugged. “I’ll keep you around… for Payton’s sake.”

“You’re so kind.” V laughed.

Kylee lowered her voice as she muttered, “Keep you in a dungeon with the aid of handcuffs, a cage, and a pee bucket.”

V turned his head. “I don’t need the bucket, I can use the drain. No splash back.” He winked as they both laughed. It was something V liked about Kylee the most, her ability to give and take the shit talk. It was a shame she wasn’t a dragon, she would make a great warrior.

“We found the girls, V,” Attor said impatiently, still standing slightly to the left of the blanket. “My willpower is running low.”

V laughed. “Go, get your tacos…” He hadn’t even said the last word before Attor was gone. “He’s a growing boy.”

Kylee snorted. “Any bigger and he’s going to burst.”

Taryn propped herself up from where she had been lying on the side. She had her bag squished into a makeshift pillow and had tuned out to the music being played. It seemed weird to be listening to Coldplay in Tokyo, but being surrounded by hot dogs, waffles and pizza were just as strange. Sliding her glasses off she looked to Payton’s boyfriend who had joined them. “Hi?” she questioned.

“I know, right!” Kylee laughed. “He’s always turning up uninvited. Such a rude prick.”

V scoffed at Kylee. “Good afternoon, Taryn, we just couldn’t resist the food.”

“Mmmm…” Taryn said. “Something does smell yum.”

“Yeah?” Kylee said. “Feeling a little better?”

“No… still feel nauseous, but that smell…” scrunching her nose up, “… makes me really hungry.”

“What food has you tempted?” V inquired with interest.

Payton triggered what she was smelling. “Wait…” she sat up, “… not here.”

“Huh?” Kylee asked, her face as confused as V’s with Payton’s sudden peak in anxiety about food smells.

Taryn was lost to the smell. “Lemon meringue pie…” She licked her lips, her eyes closing as she could almost taste the vibrant smell. “With loads of fresh cream.”

V’s head flicked around the semi-circle of trucks, scanning for the one that was creating such a unique scent. His eyes locked on Attor, coming back toward them, loaded with a tray of tacos with a grin so wide the Grand Canyon looked small in comparison. Not taking his eyes off his brother he asked, “Is there a truck that sells that pie here?”

“No,” Payton whispered. “I was going to talk in priv—”

“Man, that’s one crazy place.” Attor laughed as he sat in between V and Taryn. “I grabbed all they had and said I was coming back.” Looking at V, he laughed. “Not sharing, man, get your own.”

V lowered his eyes to look at Payton. “When?” his voice growled with concern.

Payton spoke through her closed teeth, “When I had a chance to get you alone.”

“It’s you!” Taryn slowly turned to look at Attor, beside her, he looked like a giant. Even being a reputable five feet seven inches, his massive size dwarfed her completely.

“Me?” Attor looked down at her. “What did I do now?”

“That smell, you’re making me hungry.” Taryn laughed as she threw out the comment haphazardly.

“I know. But as I just told V I don’t share, and he’s my brother. So, you, as nice as you seem, haven’t got a chance in hell of touching my tacos.”

“Keep the tacos, I want the pie.” She laughed.

“What pie?” Attor’s head tilted.

V groaned, he had put the puzzles pieces together a few moments ago, now he was just waiting for the penny to drop for his brother. Fate? He said to himself. You are one crazy bitch.

Taryn looked at his tray. “Mmm….” She shrugged. “You must have brought back the smell with you.”

“Wait…” Attor froze.

Fuck, here we go, V said to himself.

“I smell like…” Attor’s voice was shaky. “Pie?”

Taryn paused, her brows creased as she tried to work out exactly where the smell was emanating from. Tilting her head, she leaned a little closer to this very large mountain of man muscle and sniffed. Once… twice… “Shit!”

“What?” Attor exclaimed, his voice pitched with a sudden twang of terror.

“It’s you,” Taryn laughed. “Whatever that cologne is, it’s intensely addictive. I didn’t know they made male scents like that.”

“All I can smell is tacos…” Kylee chirped up. “In case anyone gives a fuck.”

“Attor…” V started to say, but stopped as Attor held up his palm.

“What kind of pie?” he asked quietly. Be savory. Be savory. Be a fat greasy peppered steak and onion pie, with a pea mash. Be savory. Be savory, Attor chanted his thoughts to himself silently as he awaited an answer.

“Huh?” Taryn snagged her attention back to Attor. “What? Oh… what smell?” She frowned with a laugh. “One would think you knew what cologne you were wearing.”

“Humor me…” he snapped. Attor saw the fleeting look of hurt that flashed across the woman’s face as his words were more aggressive than he had meant. Closing his eyes, he took a beat to regain his composure. “If you would please humor me…” Attor’s words were soft and melodic. “What smell do I have?”

Taryn paused for a moment, sizing up this strange man and his demands. She took a breath and said, “To me, it’s an incredible lemon smell, like a fresh lemon meringue tart my grandmother used to make. They lived on a farm, and she would make this tart from her own personal lemon tree. They were huge and very juicy. After it was baked, she would sit it on the kitchen window pane to cool down, and the smell would make me come running from down the paddocks.” Taryn memories of her childhood made her mouth turn upward with a smile.

“Oh, shit,” Attor said.

Ding, ding, ding, V said to himself. We have a winner. He looked at his brother and smiled, placing a hand on the middle of his back. He leaned in and said, “Remember when you laughed at me, and my fate-filled moment?” Attor nodded to the question. V added, “Welcome to the club, brother.” He laughed as he wrapped his arms around Payton. Placing a kiss on the top of her head. Having fate find you a match is certainly a shocking revelation, but looking back, he wouldn’t change a thing. “Fate is a wise and wonderful thing. Even if at times, you question its sanity.”

“All this talk about food has made me hungry for more.” Kylee stood up. “I’m heading for the Waffle-Inn truck. Anyone want to come?” She looked pointedly at Taryn.

Nodding, Taryn stood up. “Sure, maybe they will have a lemon curd one.”

“Breathe, Attor.” Payton laughed as she poked him in the leg,

Attor exhaled a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Fuuuck,” he whispered.

“Yeah, I had the same response when this one…” V looked at Payton, “… did the same. Can’t change fate, though.”

“But… I don’t have time for this…” Attor looked at V with terror creeping across his face. I have a secret hunt to plan. I have birds to kill. I don’t have time for a... for a… mate, he said to himself.

V laughed. “I think your advice to me at the time of my encounter was ‘Fate doesn’t give a shit what time it is, just that it is… time.’ I thought it was harsh at the time, but now as I say it back to you, it seems totally logical.” V laughed again.

“I think I just lost my appetite.” Attor placed his taco tray on the blanket. “I… I think I’m just going to head off.” Nodding, he stood up. “Yeah, I will head home… home.”

V watched his dazed brother stand and leave.

“Should you go after him?” Payton asked, her face was full of concern.

“And waste these tacos?” V laughed. “Not a chance in hell, he just needs some space. I’ll catch up with him later.” V grinned as he lifted the first of many free tacos to his mouth. “Life is good, baby…” And between mouthfuls, V repeated, “Life is very, very, good.”