No Such Thing as Dragons (Series Preview)

Saved by a Dragon (Book 1)

Prologue

Many Centuries Ago...

The world around me seemed like it had erupted in flames and smoke. Everywhere I looked was fire. Destruction. Death. The world was littered with bodies that had been ravaged. Torn open. Split apart.

The War of the Three Stones had been raging for what seemed like forever – but in reality, had been just over a year. But the war, being waged between three of the major Clans – Fire, Ice, and Sand – had ravaged our world of Chondelai.

And for what?

There had been very little gain for any of the Clans. Nobody had gained or lost territories. Nobody had pushed any of the Clans’ major houses into exile – or wiped them all out.

We'd been fighting, killing, and dying for over a year with no real gain.

I stood upon the ramparts of the castle, looking out at the land below. What had once been lush, green, beautiful land, was now scorched, and dying. Everything below seemed like it was on fire and through the smoke, I watched as the winged shapes of my brothers swooped and dove, cleaning up the last of the stragglers – the air around me vibrating with the deafening roar of dragons, and the pained screaming of men –bringing this skirmish to an end.

It had been a small force from the Sand Clan who'd tried to storm the castle. They were simply testing our defenses, seeing if this war of attrition had weakened us enough to justify sending a bigger force.

It was a tactic we'd all used. And to that point, all our defenses remained stout. Sooner or later though, one of the Clans was going to have to break if this damn war was ever going to end.

“Jyta, what are you doing up here? It's not safe.”

I turned and looked into the face of my best friend, Klont. He was a good man. A good soldier. I valued him above all others.

“Relax, brother,” I said. “The men are cleaning up the last of the Sands. I'm as safe here as I am anywhere.”

I turned and looked back out at the world below. I was the King of the Fire Clan and Commander of the Golden Legion – my clan's fiercest warriors. Klont was my second in command. My right hand. There was nobody in our entire army I would have rather gone to war with.

“A scout just returned,” he said. “The Sands are bringing in reinforcements. They'll be here any minute.”

I nodded and sighed. Clearly, we weren't done fighting for the day. “Gather the men,” I said. “Have them ready.”

“Right away.”

I watched Klont turn and walk away to round up the men. I turned and looked at the carnage on the field before me. Our once beautiful world, torn asunder by greed and unchecked ambition; I felt nothing but revulsion and disgust. Chondelai had been a beautiful place once. A paradise.

But we'd gone and destroyed the whole thing. Even when this war ended, I had no idea how long it would take the scars from our fighting to heal. Or if they ever would. More than that though, I had to wonder what kind of world Chondelai would be once the war was over. That, I supposed, depended upon who won.

I sensed the beast before I saw it. Looking up, I saw the massive dragon descending from the thick columns of smoke before me. The beast was right on top of me and getting lower. I was just about to shift into my own dragon form, ready to fight, when I noticed that the Sand dragon was alone.

If this was all the Sands had in the way of reinforcements, they were in a world of trouble.

I was curious. Curious as to why one of the Sands would choose to show up – alone. I held myself back from shifting, trying to quench the fire and lust for battle that burned through my veins.

The dragon descended, lowering itself onto the ramparts of the castle, and shifted into his human form. We stood about ten feet apart from one another, staring at each other in silence for several long moments.

“I'm not sure whether it's the height of bravery or the depth of foolishness for you to come here alone,” I said.

“I am Uldor,” he said. “Commander of the Scorpion Brigade and I do not come to fight. I come to have a conversation with you, your Majesty, nothing more.”

Uldor was tall, a head taller than me, and had long dark hair. With his broad shoulders, powerful arms and a thick, wide chest, he radiated power and strength. I wondered how I would fare against him in hand to hand combat. Wondered if I even stood a chance against him in our dragon forms.

Klont and half a dozen other warriors arrived on the ramparts, still armored, carrying spears and swords. I held my hand up to stop them from advancing.

“Lower your weapons,” I said.

My men did as they were told, but Klont stepped up beside me, sheathing his sword. He gave me a look that told me he wanted to say something, but he wisely held his tongue.

“What is it you want, Commander?” I asked. “Why do you come to my castle alone? Especially after your raiding party killed two of my men. Your raiders were wiped out, by the way.”

He sighed and looked to the ground, shaking his head. “They were instructed to relay my message,” he said. “I had heard they did not do that and acted on their own – which is why I am here of my own accord.”

“You Sands have killed a lot of our brothers and sisters,” Klont hissed. “Give me one reason why we should not strike you down where you stand.”

Uldor looked up and I saw the flash of anger and defiance in his eyes. “We've killed no less than you of the Fire Clan have,” he said. “War is a terrible, terrible thing that costs many lives. Far too many of them. But let us not compound that tragedy or dishonor our dead with hypocrisy.”

Klont looked to me but fell silent. I looked at the man before me, my curiosity only growing stronger. It was quite a risk for an enemy to show up uninvited – and alone. The fact that he was one of the Sand's key commanders only compounded that risk. It made me wonder what was his real agenda.

“Speak,” I said. “What is it you want?”

“I am taking the risk I am because some things are more important than our living or dying,” he said.

I smirked. “I can't think of anything more important to me than living, Uldor,” I said.

He eyed me carefully, his expression inscrutable. Unreadable. I found myself intensely curious about what the man was thinking.

“Is your life more important than the lives of all of the dragonborn living in Chondelai?”

I cocked my head and looked at him. “What are you talking about?”

“King Wotul,” he said. “He's gone mad. He's going to break our world if he is not stopped.”

I cocked my head and stared at the man, not sure what he was going on about. Wotul had been the one who'd started the war and had taken to killing the other dragonborn with such zeal. I knew his greed and lust for power were insatiable – but breaking the world?

“I don't even know what that means, Uldor,” I admitted.

The man looked at me with an urgency that bordered on madness himself. His entire body was tense – though not like he was about to strike. His madness was born of fear. But what could he possibly fear so badly?

“The Shongtal,” Uldor said, his voice low, intense. “He's speaking of releasing the Shongtal to aid him in his fight.”

I felt a knot form in my stomach and constrict painfully as he spoke. I looked to Klont who stared back at me with wide eyes, reflecting the fear I was sure were in my own.

“A – are you certain of this?” I asked.

Uldor nodded and then looked away, hesitant to speak for a moment. But then I saw his jaw tighten and his hands clench into fists at his sides.

“I know this because I accompanied my King to a meeting with Wotul,” he said. “An alliance was discussed for the purposes of defeating you.”

I chuckled and shook my head, though Klont tensed up beside me and placed his hand on the palm of his sword. I clapped him on the shoulder giving him a look of fierce pride.

“I shall take that as a badge of honor, Commander,” I said. “That the Ice and Sand Clans would need to marshal their forces together to defeat us. I think that speaks very well of my army – and its commanders.”

Klont gave me a grim smile, but I could see him puff up just a bit. It was indeed a mark of honor that we had stood against the attacks of our enemies and had repelled them all. That they would need to combine their forces to defeat us spoke very well of my soldiers.

But I had to let that moment of pride pass by quickly. There were more important – and more disastrous – questions to be answered yet.

“What of the Shongtal?” I asked. “How do they factor into this?”

“Wotul believes that he can harness their powers,” he said. “He believes that he can control them, bend them to his will. That he can augment his army with them.”

“That's madness,” I said. “Lunacy.”

“It's an act of desperation, my lord,” Uldor said. “Wotul knows he cannot win this war on his own.”

“A war of his creation,” I seethed.

Uldor nodded. “Be that as it may, if he does what he believes he can do, it will be the ruin of us all.”

“Madness,” I said again. “Nobody controls the Shongtal. Nobody. It's why we sealed them away in the first place, so long ago.”

Uldor nodded. “My King agrees with you, my lord,” he said. “It's why he is asking for your help. Wotul must be stopped before he can destroy Chondelai. Time is short and we must get to the Ice Castle before he can complete the ritual.”

I turned and looked at Klont – who looked every bit as suspicious as I felt. My guards stepped forward, tense and alert, keeping their eye on the man as Klont and I stepped away to speak.

“You realize this very well could be a trap,” Klont said. “He already said he was colluding with Wotul. This rush to get you onto a battlefield of their choosing? It stinks to me.”

I nodded. “The thought had crossed my mind, yes,” I said. “There are many questions yet unanswered.”

“You can't seriously be considering this?”

I sighed. “If I do not, and Wotul truly is going to release the Shongtal, we're all going to be dead anyway and Chondelai will be destroyed. You know this as well as I do.”

“My lord –”

I shook my head. “We cannot sit by and do nothing, Klont,” I said. “Not if the fate of Chondelai truly is at stake. I am going to lead the army. You are to stay here with a detachment. In case this goes – wrong – you are to assume the throne, Klont.”

He gripped my arm and looked at me earnestly. “No, my lord,” he said. “You are the rightful King of the Fire Clan. Our people need you. If this is to be done, it will be my honor to lead the army.”

I gave him a small smile. “It is my duty to our people to ensure that the Shongtal are never released upon this world. My duty,” I said. “And you are the best man I've ever known. I know that with you in charge, the Fire Clan will continue to live on and flourish.”

“Jyta, no,” he said. “You can't –”

I gripped his forearm and gave him a smile. “I can. I have decided,” he said. “Protect our people. That is your duty. And if I fail to return, sit the throne and lead us back to glory.”

He looked stricken as I stepped away and turned to Uldor. I looked around at the land one more time, reinforcing my decision. The world was on fire, but if the Shongtal were released, it would be so much worse. Klont had been but a child the last time they walked free, so he didn't remember who – and what – they were. Didn't remember how purely evil they were – and couldn't quite understand that, that kind of evil must never be allowed to be free.

I was young, but I was there. I remembered. And I vowed, on that day, that if I had to give my life to ensure it, the Shongtal would never see the light of day again.

~ooo000ooo~

I swooped in low, opening my jaws, and delivered a massive fireball straight to the gates of the Ice Castle. The wood and steel, weakened by the barrage of our combined forces – Fire and Sand – shattered. The gates exploded, sending shrapnel into the sky.

The way was open.

For having had such a depleted army, the Ice Clan had put up a fierce resistance. But they were overwhelmed by the combined strength we threw at them. With battles between dragonborn still raging in the sky, I landed before the ruined gate – half a dozen of my warriors behind me. Uldor and his small contingent landed twenty yards away and we all shifted back into our human forms.

Our supply dragons, backs loaded with massive packs, landed on the field of ice, allowing my men and I to armor ourselves and claim our weapons. We could not go into the depths of the castle in our dragon forms – we had to go in our human skins.

Armored and ready, our supply dragons lifted off and flew away to their place of cover to wait for us to need them again.

“Are you ready?” Uldor called out to me.

I nodded grimly. “Let us be done with this.”

Uldor and I led our men into the castle, all Clan loyalties temporarily set aside. If we were successful in defeating Wotul and keeping the Shongtal sealed within their prison, there was going to be much work to do to rebuild Chondelai.

I had spoken with the King of the Sands and he had assured me that once this was over and Wotul was deposed, we would work hard to restore Chondelai to its former splendor. That we would end the war and find a way back to the peace and harmony that had ruled our world for millennia. Then find a way to deal with the greed and unchecked aggression of those like Wotul.

But first, we needed to end the threat to our world. Decisively. For, if we failed in that endeavor, everything else was moot.

Perhaps it was a sign of just how depleted Wotul's forces were that we encountered very little resistance as we strode through the castle. In fact, we hadn't seen a single soldier after we'd set foot within the stone and ice walls.

Tapestries depicting great victories and scenes of battles hung upon the walls. I had never been inside the Ice Castle and found it to be quite a beautiful place. The ice blocks within the walls glowed with an inner light that shone blue. It was elegant without being overdone.

The Ice Castle emitted a soothing quality, its vibration within the air one of tranquility – which was so at odds with the reason we were there. The Fire Clan was known for its hot temper and intense passions. The Ice Clan was supposedly the Clan of intellect and reason, the Clan who were more deliberate and thoughtful.

Waging a destructive war for personal gain seemed so out of character for the King Wotul I'd known long ago. I had to wonder what it was that had driven him to the precipice we found ourselves standing upon. What had changed within him?

At the end of a long corridor stood four armed and armored soldiers. Seeing us coming, the drew their swords and walked toward us. The soldiers who'd accompanied Uldor and I rushed past, the metallic sound of them drawing their own blades echoing in the empty corridor.

As the battle was engaged in front of us, I sensed the movement behind. Moving in unison, Uldor and I spun around, drawing our blades in one smooth motion. Four of Wotul's soldiers moved in, blades at the ready. Uldor and I separated, to give ourselves space to move as well as to split up the soldiers. Two followed him and two followed me.

I could see that they were young. Probably not very well trained yet. But I could see that maniacal zeal in their eyes that said they would lay down their life for their king in a heartbeat – which was about as much time as they had left in our world.

As the two soldiers rushed at me, I pointed at the torch on the wall and then at the soldier rushing at me, his sword raised high over his head. A fireball erupted from the torch, catching the soldier square in the chest, igniting him instantly. His sword fell to the stone floor with a clatter as the flames consumed his body, his agonized screams echoing up and down the corridor.

The second soldier, with an angry scream, brought his sword down in a murderous arc. I got my own blade up at the very last instant, barely avoiding having my skull split open, steel meeting steel with a high-pitched ring. The soldier foolishly tried to press his advantage, tried to drive the edge of his blade into my face – and left himself completely vulnerable to attack.

My breathing was labored and I gritted my teeth – the young dragonborn was strong – as I tried to fend off his attack. Using my free hand, I grabbed the long, curved dagger that hung at my belt and drove it upward, the point of my blade slicing through his armor like it was nothing. The young man's eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open – the strength in his sword arm vanishing instantly.

Blood streamed from his mouth, spilling upon my armor as his body grew limp, his lifeforce leaving him. I pushed his lifeless husk backwards, where he fell upon the burning corpse of his companion. I looked at the two bodies, said a silent word for each of them, and then turned at the sound of ringing steel.

Uldor had already dispatched one of the Ice warriors, his body lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. But the second soldier was proving more difficult. Blood streamed down Uldor's cheek from a gash that had been inflicted during the course of his fight.

The Ice warrior hacked and slashed, pressed his advantage, and had Uldor backing up, giving up ground. But he looked determined. Had that glint in his eye that marked him as a true warrior – he was enjoying the challenge this young dragonborn was giving him.

I considered stepping in and ending the fight, but knew that Uldor would see it as a sign of disrespect. He was a warrior. A fighter. If he was going to die, he wanted to do it with a blade in his hand or on the field of battle somewhere. He would not take kindly to my interfering with his fight.

Our other soldiers had concluded their skirmish and a quick count showed me that two Sand fighters had been lost as well as one of my own. They stood gathered around the steel doors, waiting for us. I could see they were enjoying the spectacle of Uldor and the Ice warrior locked in mortal combat.

The Ice soldier hacked at Uldor's blade again and again, driving the man to his knees. I feared that he was about to lose his fight when he looked up at me, shooting me a wink. A ruse, then. With the younger soldier continuing to wail on the blade Uldor kept above his head for protection, he slipped a dagger off his belt and drove it straight through the younger warrior's foot. The Ice warrior threw his head back and howled in pain, ceasing his attack.

Getting back to his feet, Uldor drove the point of his sword into the other man's throat, cutting off his screaming with a wet, gurgling sound. Blood came rushing out of the wound like a river and he fell to his knees before pitching forward onto his face, the pool of blood spreading out beneath him. It was over.

His breathing labored, Uldor looked at me and grinned. “Tough little bugger, that one.”

I nodded. “Well done,” I said. “You're a crafty fighter. I'll have to keep that in mind.”

He shrugged. “Hope you'll never have to use that bit of knowledge.”

“Me too.”

We strode up the corridor and our men pushed open the steel doors, leading us into a large, circular stone chamber. In the center stood one of the Dragon Doors – a magical doorway that connected Chondelai to another world, allowing us to move back and forth freely.

Though, I had never set foot into that other world in my lifetime – nor had anybody else I knew. They were antiquated and the feeling I got was that there was little of interest on the other side. Why the Doors had been constructed – or how – I never knew. They were just a relic. A historical artifact. A mystery from our past that would forever remain unsolved.

The doorway pulsed with bright, swirling colors, hovering several inches off the ground. Off to the side of the large chamber stood King Wotul within a circle of symbols that had been carved into the stone floor. On a table before him stood a box – the box. It was known as the Blychora and was the prison for the Shongtal.

“Wotul,” I intoned, my voice echoing around the stone chamber. “Cease what you are doing.”

He looked up at me, a predatory grin upon his face. “And why would I do that?” he asked. “Everything I want and desire is right here before me in the Blychora.”

“The destruction of our entire world is there in the Blychora.”

He shrugged. “Might it be the same thing?”

I took a step forward and froze in my tracks. My eyes widened and I felt my heart racing when I saw what lurked in the shadows behind the madman. There was no mistaking it. It's tall, slender frame, it looked like a shadow – a shadow with the substance of a man. Its silver eyes sparkled and glowed with an inner fire. And when it looked at me, I could feel the intense hatred coming off it like heat off a fire.

There was no question at all. It was one of the Shongtal.

It all made sense to me now. Why Wotul was acting so out of character. Why he'd waged a pointless war. With the Shongtal whispering poison into his ear, of course Wotul had gone mad.

But how? How had it escaped the Blychora?

“You are not yourself, my lord,” Uldor called, noticing what I had. “This – creature – is making you do things you would not normally do.”

Wotul shrugged. “Or perhaps it has helped me become who I was truly meant to be.”

The Shongtal looked at me, daring me to attack. Though they were shadow-men, they could be killed like any other man – so long as your blade was silver.

“Wotul, do not do this,” I said. “If you release the Shongtal, you are going to bring about the destruction of Chondelai. You know this.”

“Yes, that is the point,” he said. “For once Chondelai is destroyed, it can be rebuilt in my image. It can be built in a way that pleases me. And you will all serve me. You will all worship me and call me the Great King.”

I looked at Uldor and could see that he was tense. Nervous. Of course, he would have been a fool not to be. The Shongtal were nightmares. They were stories told to unruly children to keep them in line. But they were also very real. The stench of evil emanating from the shadow-man standing behind Wotul was powerful. Overwhelming.

“Do you really think the Shongtal are going to let that happen, Wotul?” I asked. “They nearly destroyed Chondelai once – what makes you think that by setting them free, you are going to have the chance to rebuild our world?”

“Because we want no part of your world any longer,” the Shongtal said. “Chondelai has run its course for us. There is nothing for us here any longer.”

“They will move on to another world,” Wotul said, glee in his voice. “And leave me this one to do with as I please. After they wipe out the rest of the Clans, of course.”

“You can't believe that, Wotul,” I said.

“Of course I do,” he replied.

Gripping my sword, I stepped toward him, Uldor at my side. But the Shongtal raised its hand and the carved symbols in the floor started to glow white. Then when we reached the edge of the circle, it was like we ran into a wall – a wall we could not see. I banged the hilt of my sword against the invisible barrier and it sounded solid enough – but there was nothing that could be seen with the naked eye.

Uldor and I exchanged a look, panic beginning to creep across both of our faces as the reality of the situation began to hit us. If we couldn't get to Wotul, we couldn't stop him. He was going to be free to release the Shongtal.

The dark creature seemed to intuit our thoughts as it stared at us, its silvery eyes sparkling in the darkness, and it laughed.

“Finish it,” the Shongtal said. “Finish the ritual. Free my brothers and sisters and this world will be yours for the taking, Wotul.”

Uldor and I banged on the invisible wall, shouting to Wotul, begging him to stop what he was doing. To consider the consequences of his actions. But he looked up at us, a fever in his eyes, and the lust for power and control etched into ever feature on his face.

Wotul began to chant in a tongue I did not recognize – it had to be the old tongue, a language that had long been dead. But he seemed to speak it like it was his native tongue – no doubt, a “gift” from the Shongtal.

His voice began to rise as a wind came out of nowhere, swirling around the chamber. The light from the markings on the ground glowed brighter, more intense. I squinted my eyes and stared through it, looking at the Shongtal and noticed that the light didn't seem to touch it. The creature remained blacker than midnight even though the light from its carvings on the ground were as bright as the sun at noon. And the Shongtal stared back at me – seemed to be staring through me – and it sent a chill to the very core of my being.

“It's opening!” Uldor shouted to be heard above the keening wind.

I shifted my attention to the Blychora and saw that it was shaking. Quivering. In the seams of the box, I could see it glowing. It glowed with the light of a star, bright and intense. The box seemed to be shaking and rattling harder on the table as Wotul's voice grew in volume and intensity.

As I watched, the lid of the Blychora didn't just open, it blew of its hinges. As the lid sailed upward, it seemed to disintegrate, falling back down to the ground as nothing more than a pile of dust. A moment later, a column of what looked like thick, black smoke, shot out of the open box. The cloud pooled at the ceiling of the chamber, swirling around like a thunderhead about to break and lash the world beneath it with lightning and rain.

And perhaps, we were about to face a storm. Perchance, Chondelai, as we knew it, was about to be wiped out of existence. As I continued looking at the cloud above our heads, I could feel the hatred and malevolence that radiated from it. It was a deep, ominous feeling that hovered over our heads and one that just made me feel – greasy. Slicked with a greasy sweat. Everything about that cloud just felt – off. Wrong. Evil.

After what seemed like an eternity, the column of darkness stopped coming out of the box and it all hovered above us, swirling like a maelstrom, flashes of red and white appearing like lightning behind the clouds. I looked to Wotul who stared at it admiringly, like it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life.

The Shongtal behind him stepped forward and though there was no expression on his blank face, it seemed amused by something.

“My brothers and sisters are free,” it said. “And we have you to thank for that, King Wotul. Great King.”

The sound of sarcasm in its voice was unmistakable – but Wotul didn't seem to hear it. Didn't seem to notice it. He was too engrossed in the swirling darkness above us. Something bad was about to happen – I just didn't know what.

“We leave Chondelai to your stewardship,” the creature said. “Make of it what you will. And do with its – people – as you see fit.”

Slowly, as if waking from a dream, Wotul looked at the Shongtal and cocked his head. “We have work to do yet,” he said. “You promised –”

“I promised you the world,” the creature laughed. “And so, it is yours. Enjoy your new world.”

One moment, the creature was there. The next, it had turned into a cloud of smoke and had shot up to join the swirling mass on the ceiling. Without warning, that swirling, malevolent mass of smoke shot forward and disappeared through the Dragon Door, gone to whatever world lay beyond.

Wotul fell to his knees, absolutely stricken. He looked at the Door as if he expected the Shongtal to come roaring back through to fulfill their promise to him – but deep down, knowing that it wasn't going to happen. He'd been double-crossed and he finally knew it.

With a body that was trembling and naked fear in his eyes, Wotul turned to us.

“Mercy,” he said softly, his eyes shining with tears. “I beg of you. I knew not –”

“You knew exactly what you were doing,” Uldor said.

I looked at the Doorway, wondering what was on the other side. Wondering what world the Shongtal had gone to pollute. To infect. And what the ramifications for us – for Chondelai – would be.

I turned back to Wotul and looked at him with undisguised contempt and disgust. I looked to Uldor and nodded.

“This ends now,” I said.

We both stepped forward as Wotul screamed in both rage and helplessness. Our blades pierced his body, snuffing out his life force in a wave of blood. I had no idea what was going to happen with the Shongtal loose, but our part seemed to be over. At least, for now.

Chapter One

Ozaryan

Twenty-Three Years Ago...

The night was dark and the storm outside was fierce. Lightning lit up the night sky and rain came down in sheets. It was an ominous night. A deadly night. Deadly, because I knew they were out there. They were coming, for me, for Jessica, and for our child. If I hadn’t killed that Shongtal out in the open in L.A., we could have still been there. Still been protected by the warding spell. There was no such protection here in Chicago.

Jessica's screams of agony were pure torment for me. She was in pain and there was nothing I could do about it. Running back to the bedroom, I stood in the open doorway as Jessica gritted her teeth and screamed again. Chelsea sat at the edge of the bed, watching Jessica, encouraging her, and doing everything she could to make my wife comfortable.

Which, given the fact that she was birthing our child, wasn't easy.

And Jessica was having a hard time with this birth. Unions that produced offspring between Dragonborn and humans were extremely rare. Human bodies were not equipped to deal with birthing a Dragonborn child.

Noticing me standing in the doorway, Chelsea gave Jessica's hand a squeeze before coming out to join me in the hallway. She was a talented doctor and one of Jessica's closest friends. I trusted her with my wife's life.

And when she looked at me, her face grim, I felt my heart stutter. Felt the knot in my stomach grow tighter. She closed the door to give us a little bit of privacy.

“How is she?” I asked.

Chelsea shook her head. “Not well,” she replied. “She's in agony. Birthing this child is taking a severe toll on her. We really need to get her to a hospital, Ozy. I don’t have the equipment here to deal with this.”

I sighed and shook my head. Getting her to a hospital was out of the question. Humans were a curious and intelligent species that had a way of asking questions and learning things they shouldn't. It was why we usually used midwives as opposed to going to hospitals. It was part of my mandate as Warden, to ensure the secrecy of my kind. Nobody was to know we existed. Nobody was to know that our charge was to protect them.

And most especially, nobody was to know what it was we were sworn to protect them from. What it was my kind had unleashed upon their world.

“We can't, Chels,” I said. “I'm afraid to move her. I'm afraid it would kill her.”

She nodded. “It's possible,” she said. “But not moving her and forcing her to give birth here might do the job too.”

I paced the short hallway, fear twisting my insides. Stay here and she might die. Move her, and she might also die. I was damned if I did and damned if I didn't. And it was complicated even further by what I knew was out there. What was coming for us.

I gritted my teeth. At least here, I could stand and fight. And maybe, if I got lucky, I could win the day and save us all. But to do that, I was going to need help. A lot of help.

“Listen, Chels,” I said. “There is a lot going on that you don't understand. And I don't have the time to explain it all to you, so I'm going to need you to trust me. When this is all over, I promise I'll explain everything. But right now, I just need you to listen and do as I say. Our very lives depend on it.”

Chelsea looked at me with wide eyes and the color blanching from her face. But to her credit, she simply clenched her jaw and nodded. This wasn't her fight and she could have chosen to walk away, but she hadn't. And for that, I admired her. Not to mention, couldn't thank her enough.

I outlined my plan and her role in it. She remained silent and listened – though I knew she had a million questions she wanted to ask. Her eyes grew wide when I returned from our bedroom with my sword in hand. I handed her an ornately carved dagger, its curved blade glinting in the dim light of the hallway, the ruby in the eye of the dragon's head handle, seeming to pulse with an inner light.

She held the weapon and looked at it – then at me.

“A silver blade is the only weapon that will kill them,” I said.

“You’re not talking about-?” Chelsea asked, a slight tremor in her voice.

My smile was grim and tight. “The Shongtal,” I said. “They are coming for my child.”

I gave her an apologetic smile. “Sorry,” I said. “I know it will be hard for you to face these creatures again, but it is essential that my child stay safe, no matter what. Are you clear on the plan? Understand what it is I am asking you to do?”

She nodded. “Yes,” she said. “Though, I have to admit – I'm a little freaked out here.”

“I understand,” I said. “But right now, we need to stay focused. They will be here soon and – we need to be ready.”

Jessica let out a scream that was pure agony. Chelsea looked at me for a moment longer, before turning and running into the bedroom to attend to her. I glanced at my watch as a blast of thunder sounded like it was tearing the sky open.

All things considered, the Shongtal couldn't have picked a worse night to attack me. As part of the Lightning Clan, I could harness and use the power of the storm to my benefit. And I intended to do just that. But knowing that I would have the power of the storm on my side, they seemed to be waiting until the peak of their power – midnight.

The Shongtal were creatures of the night. I'd fought thousands of them over the years. There seemed to be a never-ending supply of them in the human world. It was why we Wardens were here in the first place. It was our mistake that had inflicted this upon the world of man. And it was our sacred duty to protect them from it.

I walked to the window and looked out at the street below. Standing there, in the rain, beneath the street light was a man. Tall and thin – gaunt and sickly looking really – he stood across the street from our apartment looking up at the window.

He was Shongtal, there was no question about it. And he was waiting for midnight – as well as reinforcements very likely – before making a move. I looked at my watch and saw that we still had a couple of hours yet – assuming I was right about the timing.

I stood at the window, thinking about everything that had happened. I remembered that when Jessica told me she was pregnant, I freaked out. Then when she told me there was no way she was going to give the baby up, I freaked out a little bit more. I'd done all the research I could about human-Dragonborn offspring but there wasn’t much to go on. I'd told Jessica – everything – and let her make the decision.

Besides knowing how difficult it was going to be, she chose to keep our child. It was a part of us. A physical manifestation of our love, she'd said.

Over the next few months, I started to grow excited about the prospect of our having a child together. About being a family. The life of a Warden could be a very lonely affair. Sure, there was no shortage of women who wanted to sleep with me, but I wanted more than that. Craved it. Wanted the companionship that came from a solid, stable relationship.

I found it – and even more than I'd ever dared hope for – in Jessica.

As the months of Jessica's pregnancy wore on, I'd done a lot of research about our offspring, curious about what a Dragonborn/human hybrid would be like. But it was during the course of that research that I'd discovered a nugget of information that chilled me to the core.

It was just a little slice of our lore, but it had caught my attention in a big way. And had terrified me.

The Shongtal had long been trying to find a way to close the doors between Chondelai and the world of man. They wanted this world for their own. Wanted to be free to ravage and pillage as they saw fit. They sought to keep the Dragonborn from interfering with their plans for this world.

I wasn't sure what their plans were, but knowing the Shongtal like I did, I knew it wouldn't be good for humanity.

According to the lore, because a child born of a union between Dragonborn and human had a foot in both worlds, that child was special. Unique. It could be used to slam the Dragon Doors forever. All it required was the blood and life force of the child.

And there was no way in hell I was going to let that happen.

Jessica's screams echoed throughout our small apartment at the same time a tremendous clap of thunder shook the building. But then she fell silent and I felt my heart jump into my throat. Turning from the window, I rushed down the hallway and threw the bedroom door open, trying to prepare myself for the worst.

But when I walked into the bedroom, I found Chelsea sitting on the edge of the bed, a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. For sitting upright in the bed, looking exhausted and in pain, was Jessica – a small wrapped bundle in her arms.

Jessica looked up at me, her smile almost too big for her face, and tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Is – that –” I started to ask.

Jessica nodded. “Say hello to your daughter,” she said, her voice weak and raspy.

I stepped forward and looked at the small girl in Jessica's arms. She handed my daughter to me and I held her close to my chest, marveling at her beauty. She had her mother's eyes and delicate features. There was honestly, almost no physical trace of me in the baby. But that didn't bother me in the least – our little girl was sheer perfection as far as I was concerned.

I sat down next to Jessica and handed the baby back to her. We sat there, side-by-side, just staring at this wonderful little blessing. Our child. A child I feared I would never get to see grow up. Not with what was coming for us. I was tough, a strong fighter, but I didn't know what the Shongtal had in store for us. Or how many there would be. I'd tried to summon reinforcements, but so far, had heard nothing in response.

I closed my eyes, holding back my own tears, and said a silent word, begging for help to arrive in time to save us.

When I heard the clock in the living room chime though, I knew time had run out. It was midnight. The time of night when their power was the greatest. I looked to Jessica and Chelsea, both looked absolutely terrified – not that I blamed them in the least.

“It's time,” I said. “You both know what to do, yes?”

They looked at me and nodded, both growing paler by the second. I leaned down and kissed my child on the forehead, relishing the feel of her soft skin upon my lips. And when I looked into Jessica's eyes, I saw the love for me burning hotter than the sun. I leaned forward and kissed her, trying to put every ounce of my love for her behind it.

I stood up, adrenaline shooting through my body and setting my every nerve ending on fire when I heard the pounding on the door. They were there.

I walked out of the room, picking up my sword as I made my way down the hall, my tension growing with every step. I stood in the middle of the living room as the pounding on the door continued.

“Ozaryan,” came a voice from the other side of the door. “We know the child is in there. Give it to us and we will spare your life.”

I closed my eyes and opened myself to the power of the storm outside. A booming crash of thunder shook the building and I felt my power growing as I absorbed the storm's energy.

“Ozaryan” came the voice again. “Last chance. Give us the child or we come in and take it.”

Gripping my sword tight, I summoned the power of the storm that was building inside of me. Lighting erupted from my fingertips, the windows in the room shattering and the front door exploding outward.

Knowing there was but one way to kill a Shongtal, I stepped to the ruined doorway to look for the creature to put an end to it. It was already rising from the smoldering ruin of wood. Moving swiftly, I lanced out with my sword, the tip of my blade slicing through the body of the man it was inhabiting. It screamed with a fury that rivaled the storm outside, but red light burst from its eyes as the demon inside the body died.

It was then that I noticed half a dozen more standing on the steps leading up to my door, waiting as if they'd expected what I'd done. I backed into my apartment, sword at the ready. Six to one – not great odds, but I had to play the hand I was dealt.

“Come on then,” I said. “Let's finish this.”

“Anxious to die, Warden?”

A tall, thin woman stepped through the doorway, a predatory smirk upon her face. She was followed by five men of varying heights and weights – the Shongtal apparently weren't picky when it came to picking the bodies they took control of. I supposed it didn't matter. Their power didn't come from the bodies, it came from them. They were infused with a demonic power that was frightening in its capacity for destruction.

“I'm feeling magnanimous tonight, Warden,” the woman said. “So, I'll give you one more opportunity. Give us the child and we'll be on our way. Nobody needs to die here tonight.”

She turned and looked back at the body of the man I'd run through and smirked.

“Well – nobody else, anyway,” she said.

With my free hand, I summoned as much energy as I could and flicked my wrist, sending two silver throwing stars at the men to her right. Both hit home, sinking deep into the flesh of the creatures. Both screamed and clutched their heads, but the damage was done. Red light burst from their eyes and they fell to the ground, as dead as the man in the hallway.

The woman looked at me and sighed, shaking her head. “It did not have to be this way, Warden.”

That left four of them. Still not great odds, but better than before. To nullify the advantage they had – as well as to prevent any of them from slipping down the hallway behind me – I stationed myself just inside the archway that led to the bedroom where Jessica was.

If they wanted her, they were going to have to go through me. A task that I'd just made a little more difficult by forcing them to fight me one-on-one.

They rushed at me, but because of the narrowness of the hallway, they had no choice but to wait their turn to get a shot at me. The first man stepped forward, a heavy broadsword in his hand. He raised it and brought it down in a murderous arc that surely would have split my head wide open. But I danced backward, just out of reach, and the edge of his blade buried itself in the wooden floor.

Before he was able to rip it free, I stepped forward and drove the point of my blade into the man's throat. His eyes opened wide and he opened his mouth to scream, but all that came out was a wet, gurgling sound. The red light erupted from his eyes as the demon inside of him died. I pulled my sword free and stepped back, allowing the body to slump to the floor.

“This is entertaining, but it's all for nothing, Warden,” the woman called to me. “I will only summon more of my warriors.”

“Then summon them,” I said. “I can do this all night.”

The man before me moved aside and I wasn't able to react in time. A knife shot out of the darkness of the living room, burying itself up to the hilt in my side. I grunted in pain as the blade tore through my flesh. I felt warm blood rolling down my body and then felt that something was wrong. My skin burned and there was a strange sensation coursing through my body.

“In case you wondered,” the woman said. “The blade of that dagger was coated in a rare poison. It's deadly to the Dragonborn. Or so I'm told. You'll have to tell me if that's true or not.”

“W – where did you get it?” I gasped.

It had been only moments, but I was already feeling lightheaded, my vision starting to blur and grow fuzzy around the edges. I tried to shift into my dragon form – an act of sheer desperation – but found that I couldn't. Whatever the poison was, it had me locked in my human skin.

“Doesn't matter where I got it,” she said. “It only matters that it's effective. And judging by the amount of sweat pouring off you, I'd say it is.”

I was dying. There really was no other way around it. I felt my body growing weaker with each passing second. Knowing that I was about to die, I wanted to see Jessica one last time. I stumbled back to the bedroom door, barely strong enough to hold onto my sword. When I got to the doorway, I threw it open, stepping inside clumsily, and then closed and locked the door behind me.

The Shongtal were in no hurry – they knew they'd won.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, swaying and unsteady. Jessica looked at me with tears in her eyes. She knew what was about to happen.

“I – I'm sorry,” I said. “I tried to protect you and I failed.”

She laid her hand against my cheek and through her tear stained face, gave me a small smile. “You did not fail, my love,” she said softly. “And if this is how it has to be, at least we'll be together at the end.”

Her strength and courage, even in the face of her own looming death, set a fire in my belly. I may not have much longer in this world, but I was going to make the Shongtal pay. I leaned forward and kissed Jessica, knowing it would be the very last time our lips met.

Standing up, I waited. The Shongtal were gathered on the other side of the door. More had come and they crowded into the hallway beyond the door. I could feel their dark malevolence growing and multiplying.

But I had a surprise for them.

Using as much strength as I could muster, I raised my arms, summoning the lightning outside. I spoke a few words of an incantation I knew and outside, the thunder boomed with the intensity of a cannon. It was what came next though, that brought a smile to my face.

I closed my eyes and I could sense the bolt of lightning as it shot out of the clouds overhead, streaking for the apartment. It came through the blown-out windows and straight down the hallway – incinerating the bodies of the Shongtal standing outside my door. At least, some of them. And judging by the intensely agonized screaming I heard coming from the hallway, that bolt of lighting had done damage to a good number of them.

It wouldn't kill them, but it would ruin the bodies they'd stolen enough that they have to go and find another.

The bedroom door burst inward and the woman stood there, clearly unamused. Half of her face was scorched and the smell of burnt flesh accompanied her. Three or four of her minions crowded into the room behind her.

I looked to Jessica and found that rather then terror, her face was set in an expression of grim determination and resolve. She clutched the swaddled bundle to her chest protectively, as if she was daring any of the Shongtal to take it from her.

And when one of the woman's minions reached for Jessica, she buried her silver dagger into his chest. The demon screamed and fell dead upon the bed, the red light in its eyes fading to nothingness. The woman looked at Jessica and then at me, slightly annoyed, slightly amused.

“Your woman is feisty,” she said. “I like that. But it's time to end this game.”

She turned and in one smooth motion, drew and hurled a dagger that hit Jessica in the forehead with a loud thump, the blade burying itself deep. I watched in horror as Jessica – the love of my life – slumped backward on the bed, her eyes rolled back, her mouth hanging open. She was dead. Gone. Forever.

I screamed out and using the last of my strength, raised my sword as the woman grabbed hold of the bundle in Jessica's arms. Two of her minions stepped forward and drove their swords into my midsection. Their steel hissed as it entered my body and I groaned in agony. I used the life force within me to charge myself, sending a bolt of electricity up through the swords, electrocuting both of the Shongtal fighters. They screamed and flew backwards, hitting the floor with a thud.

The woman though, howled in rage as she realized that she'd been duped. The bundle she'd taken from Jessica contained nothing more than another blanket. I smiled wide, knowing that my child was out of her reach, gone with Chelsea just as I'd instructed.

I'd failed in my duty to protect Jessica, but at least I'd managed to protect my child – and protect the world I'd sworn to serve by denying the Shongtal. It was the one thing I took comfort in as I felt my life force ebbing.

The last thing I saw was the woman turn to me, rage flashing through her eyes as she approached, the light in the room glinting off the edge of her blade.

Chapter Two

Astrid

Present Day...

I set the alarm and exited my shop, locking the door behind me before closing and locking the gate . You could never be too careful, after all. Though a bookstore wasn't the likeliest of targets for would-be thieves, you just never knew.

My bookstore – The Attic – had been open for a little over a year now, and it was doing pretty well. It encouraged me – and made me happier than I could say – that people still seemed to love the written word. Books were my life. Always had been. Within the pages of a good book, I could lose myself for hours, traveling to faraway worlds, meeting brave and dashing strangers, and having grand adventures.

Basically, within the pages of a book, I found lives that were everything my own life was not.

But that was okay. I was fine with it, actually. I preferred my quiet little life. I had my bookstore, an apartment I loved, and a small circle of good friends. That was all I really needed to be happy. Some found me cold or aloof, but the truth of the matter was that I just didn't care to be around people all that much. I never had, really.

“Hey, Astrid,” Pete called as I stepped into the shop.

“Hey yourself,” I said, giving him a smile.

Pete's shop was part of my regular routine. On Friday nights, I always popped into Pete's deli to grab a sandwich and some supplies before I hunkered down at home for the night with a movie or a good book – oftentimes both, as I read late into the night.

Pete made the most amazing subs I'd ever had and I always look forward to Friday nights.

“The usual Friday night special?” Pete asked.

“You know it.”

“Comin' right up.”

Pete was a tall, gregarious Italian man with salt and pepper colored hair and a midsection as big as his heart. He was a good man who routinely fed the homeless when they stopped in and made all his customers feel welcome, more like family than customers. It was no wonder he'd been in business in this neighborhood for more than twenty-five years.

My Friday night special was Pete's special toasted meatball sub. The bread he used was perfect – a little crusty on the outside, yet soft in the middle. His sauce – oh, the sauce on his meatballs was magical – a near orgasmic experience, truth be told. Besides he topped it off with some wonderfully ooey-gooey, mozzarella cheese.

I could feel my mouth watering while I waited for him to finish up with my sandwich. I could hardly wait to get home so I could tear into it.

While he worked on my dinner, I grabbed a bag of Cheeto Puffs – because I was apparently, still a child who enjoyed such things – and a few bottles of soda to get me through the night. Yeah, not the healthiest of meals, but what did I care? I wasn't trying to impress anybody.

Pete finished assembling the sandwich and popped it into the oven to be toasted. After that, he came over and leaned on the counter in front of me, smiling broadly.

“Can I ask you something, Astrid?”

“Fire away.”

“Don't take this the wrong way or nothin', but why don't you have a boyfriend?” he asked. “You're young, successful, beautiful. You should be out on the town on a Friday night instead of sittin' here lookin' at my old, ugly mug.”

I leaned over the counter and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. “Your mug is just fine,” I said. “And you're not that old.”

“Old enough to be your old man.”

I shrugged. “Fifty is the new thirty, they say.”

Pete laughed. “They say a lot,” he said. “But stop changing the subject. You deserve to be happy, Astrid.”

“I am happy,” I replied. “You have no idea just how crazy happy your meatball sub makes me.”

“Woman cannot live by meatball sub alone, you know.”

“That's very true,” I said. “Which is why I only get one on Friday nights.”

Pete laughed and shook his head. In truth, he was something of a father figure to me. The trouble with that was, he sometimes acted like a father. Over the last year, I'd gotten to know him pretty well and liked him enormously. With having my own parents long dead and no other family that I knew of, I had pretty much been on my own for quite a while.

Which could help explain my avoidance of people, relationships and general social awkwardness.

Pete continued to look at me, his question still hanging in the air between us. I knew he wasn't going to give me a pass and would probably withhold my sub until I answered him.

I sighed. “I don't know why I don't have a boyfriend,” I said. “I guess guys just aren't that into me.”

“I see you every day, Astrid,” he said. “You come to work, stay there all day, then go home. You never go out. How is a boy supposed to meet you when you never put yourself out there?”

He had a point – not that I was going to give him the satisfaction of telling him so.

“I've just had a lot going on, I guess,” I said. “I mean, I'm still trying to get my bookstore off the ground and –”

Pete chuckled. “You do a good business over there,” he said. “Try again.”

I giggled. “Why is it so important to you that I have a boyfriend?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Because you're like a daughter to me, Astrid,” he said, his voice taking on an uncharacteristically solemn tone. “You really are. And sometimes, I can see that you're sad or lonely – I can see it in your eyes. It's not often, and never for long, but sometimes, I see it all the same.”

I sighed and looked away. Pete was a kind, friendly man who was quick with a joke and a smile. I'd seen him play armchair psychiatrist with any number of his regulars. He was a keen observer of human nature, and though he was a gregarious man, quick with a joke and a smile, he was also a shoulder to cry on and somebody who dispensed good advice.

Pete just cared about people and never liked to see anybody hurting.

Still, it was uncomfortable to have him put his powers of observation on me. To have him carve up my emotional defenses and tear down walls I'd spent so long building was as unexpected as it was discomforting. I knew it was because he cared for me and wanted the best for me, but it was still unnerving for me to be on his proverbial therapy couch – especially since I'd never asked to be there to begin with.

“I've just never really been very good with people, Pete.”

“Because you never give 'em a chance.”

“Probably because I'm not very good and don't know how,” I said and grinned. “It's a vicious cycle.”

“Why don't you do what kids your age these days do and meet somebody online?”

I laughed. “With my luck, I'd meet the lovechild of Charles Manson and Ted Bundy.”

He shrugged. “My oldest girl, Carla, met somebody online and they worked out,” he said. “They been married a few years now.”

Honestly, the only thing that scared me more than meeting somebody in person was meeting them online. You just never knew for sure, who was on the other side of that computer screen. But it seemed important to Pete that I try, so I nodded my agreement.

“Maybe I'll give it a shot,” I said.

He looked at me and arched his eyebrow. “You mean that? Or are you telling me that just to get me off your back?”

I laughed – mostly because he was right about me agreeing just to get him of my back. But at the same time, I didn't want to lie to him.

“I'll try, Pete,” I said. “I can't promise anything other than that. But I'll try.”

“That's all I can ask,” he said, smiling broadly.

He turned and pulled my sub out of the oven, wrapping it up tight to preserve the warmth. Throwing all of my things into a bag, he pushed it across the counter to me. I pulled out some money, waiting for him to ring me up, but he looked at me and shook his head.

“It's on the house tonight, Astrid.”

I smiled back. “That's sweet, but I can't do that, Pete. I can't accept that.”

“You're gonna have to,” he said and shrugged. “I'll take you signing up for one of those computer dating sites as payment for your sub tonight.”

“You really don't have to –”

“No, but I want to,” he said. “So, take your food and get on outta here.”

I looked at him for a long moment before giving him a grateful smile. “Thank you, Pete,” I said. “You're the best.”

“Yeah, don't I know it,” he laughed.

I laughed as I slipped a twenty out of my wallet and threw it into his tip jar. Quickly grabbing my bag, I moved quickly to the door before he could stop me and make me take it back.

“Thanks, Pete,” I called over my shoulder. “I'll see you soon!”

Chapter Three

I'd just gotten into my pajamas and settled in on the couch. The TV was on in the background and I had my laptop sitting across my lap. Because I'd promised him, I had my browser open to one of the more popular dating sites. I perused some of the online profiles, wanting to at least get the lay of the land before I took the plunge – if I took the plunge. I was still a little undecided. If nothing else, I figured I could just tell Pete that I hadn't had any bites if he asked – which he probably would.

There were thousands of people out there looking for love. Millions, maybe. But I didn't really think I'd have anything in common with any of them. I'd always felt different from other people. Like an outsider. I'd never felt like I belonged anywhere. It had been that way since I was a kid.

So yeah, how was I supposed to suddenly make it in the dating scene feeling like that?

Feeling self-conscious, I closed my laptop and giggled to myself as I set my laptop on the coffee table. I'd deal with it later. Right then, all I wanted was to dig into my sub and indulge in some mindless television. I pulled up Netflix, called up the show I was currently binging on and set it to play.

The aroma of the sub was saturating the air around me and made me realize how hungry I was. I threw a blanket over my feet, set my plate in my lap, popped a cheese puff into my mouth and crunched away happily as my show started.

Then my phone rang.

I looked at the phone, resisting the urge to throw it across the room – or you know, just turn it off for the night. Nonetheless when I looked at the caller ID, I saw that it was Piper, my best friend. I loved Piper, but the last thing I wanted in that moment was some long drawn out conversation about her love life – she and her boyfriend had been on-again/off-again for a couple of years now. It seemed like every other week, Brad had done some terrible thing – which, to be fair, he usually had.

Why Piper didn't just dump him and move on to somebody who would treat her right was beyond me. Though, she certainly wasn't in a place where she could hear advice like that. No, she loved him – or the sex was really just that mind-blowingly good like she said – so she let him hang around, mistreating and generally, being a sexist ass to her.

I hated the guy. Thought he was all wrong for her in every conceivable way. But, I had to remind myself that it wasn't my life, my relationship, and Piper was my friend. All I could do was be there for her.

Even if that meant putting off that mind-blowingly good sub I'd been so looking forward to.

With a sigh, I set my plate down and picked up my phone, connecting the call and holding it to my ear.

“Hey, Piper,” I said.

“Did you make sure to wipe the Cheeto dust off your hand before answering your phone?”

I giggled. “Shut up.”

I looked at my hand and saw that in fact, I had not. Greasy cheese stuff was smeared all over the phone. I just shook my head. I'd clean it up later.

“Oh please,” she teased. “Tell me you're not sitting there watching Game of Thrones, eating Pete's meatball sub and cheese puffs. Tell me. I dare ya.”

“What if I told you that wasn't true?” I asked. “Maybe I have a guy over.”

“Right, honey, I know you,” Piper said. “It's Friday night and I know the only meat you've got in your mouth is in that sandwich Pete made.”

I giggled in spite of myself. Piper could be crude at times, but she was the funniest person I knew. The trouble with having friends was that they knew you too well sometimes. They knew your habits, your quirks, and yeah, your usual routines.

“So, did you call just to harass me?” I asked.

“Actually, no. That's just a nifty benefit,” she said. “I called to tell you to put down the sub and get dressed – we're going out.”

“Piper, hon,” I said. “I just got home, it's been a long day –”

“Yeah, and you're looking forward to getting yourself off watching Jon Snow,” she said. “I get it. But you can do that tomorrow. Tonight, we're celebrating.”

“Oh yeah? And what are we celebrating?”

“We are celebrating the rumor I heard that I am going to make junior partner in my firm,” she almost squealed. “Can you believe it?”

“Wow, Piper – congratulations,” I said. “That's really amazing and awesome. I'm so proud of you.”

“Thanks, hon,” she said. “So, let's go out, get tanked, and find us some men to help us commemorate this night the right way.”

“Uh oh, you and Brad having trouble again?” I asked.

She sighed. “Let's not talk about him tonight,” she said. “Tonight's all about fun and indulging our hedonistic tendencies.”

“Yeah, I'm not really sure I have any of those.”

She giggled. “Oh, they're in there,” she said. “We just need to find a way to let 'em out.”

“I don't know, Pip,” I said, using my nickname for her. “I just –”

“Oh, come on, Astrid,” she said, a pouting tone in her voice. “I rarely bug you to come out with me. I know you prefer being a hermit. But this is an important day for me. And there is nobody I'd rather celebrate it with than my very best friend in the whole, wide world.”

Oh, she knew how to shoot straight for the heart. As a lawyer, Piper was tasked with playing on the emotions of the jury members to achieve the best result for her client. And she was very, very good at her job.

I sighed. “Okay. I just don't want to be out all night.”

“You're such a shut in,” she said. “I worry about you, hon. We're going to have fun tonight. I'll be by in an hour to dress you.”

“Dress me?”

“Oh yeah,” she said. “You're so not wearing jeans and a frumpy old sweater tonight.”

“Hey, my sweaters aren't frumpy.”

“Don't eat that sub. We're going to a place for dinner. See you soon,” she said and disconnected the call before I could say anything else.

I sighed and looked at my sub longingly. All I wanted was to curl up on my couch, stuff my face with that amazing delicacy, and spend the rest of the night watching – well – Jon Snow. Yeah, she'd been right about that. She knew me too well.

Well, if she wasn't going to be there for an hour, I had a little time yet. So, I made a compromise with myself. I would eat half the sub – and all the cheese puffs, of course – and watched my forty-five-minute program. That would still leave me enough time to grab a quick shower before Piper even got there – especially since she was usually running ten to fifteen minutes late anyway.

I wasn't looking forward to the evening, but I had to support my friend. So, I figured I'd suck it up and deal with going out for just one night.

Chapter Four

Quint

The night was dark and the cloud cover overhead obscured the moonlight, making it even darker. I knew they were out there, but they were doing a good job of hiding themselves. The Shongtal were nothing, if not clever.

I was a Warden for the area and was responsible for protecting the humans in my district. It was an honor and my sacred duty. Something I took very seriously. It helped that I had a deep, vested hatred for the Shongtal and took the utmost pleasure in killing them. They were responsible for the deaths not just of my people, but of my family.

That was why I'd trained so hard to become a Warden. I wanted to be where they were. The Shongtal rarely came into Chondelai anymore. I could count but a handful of times. Yet, every time they did venture in, death, destruction, and chaos followed soon after. Which was how I lost my entire family. I was young, but I remember it like it was yesterday.

So, I'd worked hard to become a Warden in order to spend my days hunting and killing them. That was my purpose and that was my life – more or less.

Despite how it sounded, I wasn't without my fun, lively side. Being in the world of man meant that I could also enjoy life a bit. I could enjoy the world around me. And I did just that. Every chance I got, I tasted the sweet nectar of this world. The lives of Wardens were notoriously short and I intended to make every day I had count for something. I intended to enjoy the hell out of the time I had.

But tonight was all about work. The Shongtal were up to something. Something big, judging by the whispers and the rumors I'd heard on the wind. I had no idea what it was, but I needed to find out. If there was something big going down in my territory, I wanted to know about it. I wanted to stop it and to slaughter everybody involved.

I crouched down on the roof of the warehouse, staring through the darkness at the building across the street. I didn't see anybody moving about, but I knew they were there all the same. Letting my wings unfurl, I silently lifted off the rooftop I was on and glided over to the other building. I needed to get a closer look.

I landed silently and quickly tucked my wings away. Looking around, I found a skylight that had busted out windows, overlooking the interior of the warehouse. I moved over to it and peered over the edge. The light inside was dim, but there was enough for me to see by.

Down in the center of the warehouse were four Shongtal demons. They'd taken on human bodies – two men and two women – which made them easier for me to see. But it also meant that to destroy the demons, I'd need to kill the human host. Not that there really was all that much left of the person once they'd been inhabited by a Shongtal. The demon ate away at their life force when they took over their bodies, leaving nothing more than a walking, talking, empty husk. When it got to that point, the Shongtal would vacate the body, leaving a shattered victim behind, moving on to claim another host.

That was how they fed on the humans – they ate away at their life force, draining everything inside that made people live and function. That made them human. I had to tell myself that there was no other way when I was forced to kill one of the hosts. That the person I was killing wasn't really a person any longer anyway.

I didn't like doing it, I respected humanity, but I also had a job to do. And I was very good at my job.

I edged out a little further, trying to catch what they were saying. Thankfully, my senses were heightened, so it wasn't too difficult to hear them – especially given that they weren't taking great pains to be quiet about it. They had no clue I was there. Which was perfect.

“I'm telling you, she is here in the city,” the first man said.

The second man, tall with dark skin and broad shoulders ran a hand over his bald head. “Are you certain of this?” he asked. “Our people have been looking for this child for quite some time. She is the key to everything.”

“I know that,” said the first man again. “And I am certain.”

“How?” asked the first woman. “How can you be so certain?”

“The child we seek gives off a certain – resonance,” he said. “There is an aura about her. A certain scent. Once you catch it, it's unforgettable. And I was there that night she was born. The night she vanished. I remember it all too well.”

“And where did you see this woman?” the tall, dark man asked.

“On the street,” he said. “It was a chance encounter. Completely random. I take that as a sign that our time is coming. That our time is near.”

They all stood in silence contemplation for a moment, giving me a chance to process what I was hearing. I had no idea what they were talking about. A child who was the key to everything? Obviously, this woman – whoever she was – was a key figure in whatever they were cooking up, in this big “thing” that was supposed to happen. Which meant, I needed to find her.

Unfortunately, they were pretty vague about who this woman was, where they'd seen her – or anything of substance really. Which meant, I was going to need to ask a few tough questions of the one who'd seen her on the street. Which meant, I needed to get down in there to do the asking.

I grinned as I stood up and jumped down through the broken window, drawing the silver sword strapped to my back and letting my wings slow my descent. I landed softly and already had my sword in motion before the Shongtal could even react. Red light flared from the eyes of two of them and their dead husks hit the floor.

Spinning around, I threw my sword up just in time to block the downward arc of the tall, dark man's blade. Our steel rang out against each other, echoing around the empty warehouse.

“You don't belong here, Warden,” he grunted.

“No, it's you that don't belong here, demon.”

The other man – the man I wanted to talk to – waded in with his blade at the ready. I needed him alive, so while still engaged with the first man, I lashed out with my foot, catching him under the chin. The man's head snapped backward and he fell to the ground like a limp pile of laundry.

He was getting to his feet again and I knew I needed to end things with the dark man quickly. Taking on two of them at a time wasn't the problem. I just wanted to make sure the man I wanted to question remained alive.

I summoned the heat within me and felt it building. Being of the Fire Clan, I had a few fun weapons at my disposal. The Shongtal realized what I was – a moment too late, as it turned out. I opened my mouth and launched a column of fire directly into the face of the husk the demon was wearing. Stepping back and dropping his sword, the Shongtal grabbed at his face, which was burning out of control. I stepped forward with my sword at the ready, about to finish the deed when he threw his head back and opened his mouth wide. I watched as a column of thick, black smoke poured out of the husk and shot off through the air like a malevolent spirit – which it was. That one had escaped and would no doubt report back to his boss, but I couldn't worry about that at the moment. I had more pressing concerns.

The empty husk fell to the ground in a heap, its head and face still engulfed in flames. A grisly sight, no question. But I couldn't allow myself the luxury of dwelling on it. I spun around and found the other man already rushing at me, the blade of his dagger coming straight for my throat.

I allowed him to get close and then used my sword to knock his blade to the side and drove my elbow straight into the nose of his husk. I heard that distinct snapping sound as something broke and the blood began to flow straight down his face.

Stunned – but only a bit – the husk turned to look at me, looking ready to continue the fight. I lashed out with my foot and swept his legs out from under him, putting him on his ass. One of the benefits of being more than three centuries old was that I'd had time to master many disciplines in the martial arts. It was something I thought should be required of any Warden, but I wasn't the one making those decisions.

Though keenly aware I could be killed at any moment, I was also not afraid of death – and knew that my training made me pretty tough to kill.

The husk was starting to rise again, so I kicked it in the face, knocking it back down flat on its back – and then kicked the dagger out of its hand. It went spinning off into the darkness of the warehouse with a clatter. Standing over him, I rested the point of my blade on its chest, applying a small amount of pressure – just enough to get its attention.

“I have some questions for you,” I said.

“I've got nothin' for you, Warden,” it sneered.

“No?”

With a flick of my wrist, I sliced open the creature's cheek. Blood flowed and there was the distinctive sound and smell of burning flesh. The Shongtal had no tolerance for silver whatsoever. The creature screamed and writhed in agony beneath me.

“Nothing?” I asked. “Come on now, it's a few harmless questions. And after that, I'll let you go.”

The creature wearing the man's face shot me a look of pure, intense hatred. “I know you, Warden,” it said. “You've got quite the reputation. I already know you're not gonna let me go, so why should I tell you anything?”

I smirked at him. “Never believe half of what you hear,” I said. “Goodness, you Shongtal are all gossip and rumors, aren't you? A regular sewing circle.”

“Screw you.”

“Look, I only need a couple of questions answered,” I said. “You do that, and on my honor as a Warden, I will let you go.”

Honestly, letting him go wouldn't impact me very much. My reputation was true – I never left any Shongtal I came across alive. And they feared me because of it. It was in my best interest to continue building on that hard-earned reputation. But at the same time, letting one go wasn't going to cost me anything at all. Plus, if he gave me some information I could use, it would actually be to my benefit.

The creature looked at me skeptically, his eyes narrowed, his gaze baleful. The Shongtal were all about selfishness and self-preservation. They didn't want to die anymore than anybody else did. Which gave me the upper hand.

“What do you want to know?” the creature hissed at me.

“Who is the woman you were talking about earlier?” I asked. “What is she the key to?”

The creature laughed. “You really think I'm going to tell you that?”

I shrugged. “Thought I'd ask. Seems a shame for you to die when you can give me a little something and live.”

“I give you something and I end up dead anyway,” it said. “Does it matter whether it's by your hand or that of my King?”

I shrugged. “That's your decision to make,” I said. “But I have a feeling you'd stand a better chance with your own kind than you do with me.”

“You don't know the King,” it said.

“Not personally, no,” I said. “But I hope to make its acquaintance one day. Because when I do, I'm planning on killing it.”

The creature laughed, a dry, raspy sound. “So arrogant,” it said. “So cocky. Did it ever occur to you that you are the one who is going to die?”

“I wake up every day and think it could be my last,” I said. “And if it is, so be it. But I'm not going to live my life fearing it. So, who's the girl?”

“Nobody you know.”

“Probably not,” I said. “Humor me anyway.”

The creature stared at me but remained silent. I pressed the point of my sword down a little harder, encouraging him to speak. The creature grimaced and grunted in pain as the silver began to burn its flesh.

“Who's the girl?” I asked.

“I don't know who she is,” it shouted, its voice echoing around the warehouse. “I just happened to run into her.”

The creature was breathing heavily and looking at me with wild eyes. The silver was having the desired effect, causing it an inordinate amount of pain – which only made me smile.

“And where did you just happen to run into her?”

“On the street!” it shouted. “I already said that. Are you stupid?”

I smirked at him. “Which street, moron?”

The creature grimaced again, groaning in pain. “Fluker,” it hissed through gritted teeth. “Fluker Street.”

I thought about it for a second and recalled that Fluker was in an older neighborhood. It had had a lot of small shops and artsy stores – sort of a hipster paradise.

“Was she just passing through?” I asked. “Did she work there?”

“I don't know, man!” the creature shouted. “I just saw her on the street. She wasn't carryin' any bags or nothin'. Now, get that sword out of my chest!”

“One more question,” I said and the creature moaned in agony as the silver continued to burn its skin. “What did she look like?”

Its eyes were wild with pain and it looked so stressed out that if it had been human anymore, I might have feared it having a heart attack or a stroke. But it wasn't, so I didn't let up on the pressure on my blade.

“Red hair,” it hissed. “Short. White skin. Curvy.”

Not much to go on, but I doubted that the creature had much more to give. I was pretty experienced when it came to interrogation and could tell reasonably well when somebody was more or less tapped out. It wasn't much, but at least it was something.

I took a step back and picked up my sword, keeping it handy – just in case.

“Go,” I said. “I appreciate the cooperation.”

Rubbing its chest with one hand and holding its wounded cheek with the other, the creature slowly got to its feet, keeping a wary eye on me.

“Y – you're letting me go?” it asked.

“I gave you my word on my honor as a Warden,” I said. “See, unlike you lot, I'm a man of my word. So, go. Just know that the next time I run into you, I'm going to kill you. Unless, that is, you have some more juicy little bits of information for me.”

Having informants was always useful. It was rare that I could flip one of the Shongtal, but it wasn't unheard of. I'd had a few Shongtal informants before – not that they ever lasted very long. Once they were compromised – and discovered – they died pretty terrible deaths at the hands of their brethren. But if I could land another one, all the better for me.

The creature looked at me, visibly surprised that I was holding true to my word. Honesty among the Shongtal was a rare commodity indeed.

“This is how trust is built,” I said. “We can have a mutually beneficial relationship. You feed me information, you keep breathing. I'd say that's a win-win, wouldn't you?”

Without answering me, the creature turned and ran off into the darkness of the warehouse. The door banging open and hitting the wall echoed all around me, announcing its departure. I shrugged. I knew I'd run into it again and when I did, it would either feed me information or it would die. Over the years, I'd found that it got a little easier for them each time they gave me a little intel.

I'd just have to wait and see whether or not, this one would come back to me. Until then, I had a mysterious redhead on Fluker Street to ferret out.

Chapter Five

Astrid

“This dress is too tight,” I complained. “And the skirt is way too short.”

I sat in the passenger seat of Piper's BMW, trying to pull the hem of the skirt down while also trying to pull the top up to cover more of my breasts. She'd brought along a couple of outfits, hair products, and enough makeup to paint up every woman in a brothel.

When she was done, I'd looked at myself in the mirror and felt like the world's biggest fraud. Of course, the phrase that had immediately come to mind was “putting lipstick on a pig.” But I didn't say that in front of Piper – mainly because I didn't want to have to endure another of her self-help pep talks. I loved her to death, but that was definitely something I could have lived without.

“Please,” Piper said. “You look smokin' hot, Astrid.”

Smokin' hot was about the last thing I felt like in that moment. I wasn't stick thin like Piper. I wasn't the typical blonde, blue eyed, Southern California beach bunny that we were famous for. I was short, had full breast and hips, brown eyes, and pale skin. About my best – and only – asset was my long, red hair. Men seemed to like that well enough.

“Do you really think I'd take you out to a posh, trendy place like Heat if you weren't looking tip-top?” Piper asked. “I mean, I do have a reputation to uphold and all.”

She laughed, but I knew there was a little bit of truth behind her words. Not to say that she was shallow, but ever since she started working for a high-profile defense firm, Piper had become a little more image conscious than she used to be.

Not that I blamed her. She was often in the public eye and had to uphold a certain standard. Which meant that if I wanted to hang out with her – at least in public – I too, had to uphold that standard. Which was why I didn't often go out on the town with her. She was a lot better at looking hot and presentable than I was.

I remembered though, our days in college. All those nights spent in sweat pants and t-shirts, eating ice cream in front of the TV or at the coffee house. Unlike Piper, I didn't really know what I wanted to do with my life. She was focused and determined – she was going to be a lawyer. And to her credit, she powered through school and had done just that. And was apparently doing quite well.

I, on the other hand, was more or less directionless. Just sort of ambling by. I'd gotten my degree in Library Sciences and figured that with my love of books, it was just sort of a natural progression. But after a few years of working in a library, I realized that I was bored.

So, I'd used the inheritance my parents had left me to open my bookstore. And I had to admit, though stressful at times, I was enjoying it a lot more. I finally felt like things were right in my life. That the puzzle pieces had finally fallen into place and that I was where I needed to be.

I looked over at Piper and was struck, as always, how beautiful and confident she was. I was about the exact opposite of her, and it made our friendship all the more remarkable to me. We'd been thrown together in a dorm room and were more or less opposites in every way. We had few things in common, but I admired her for her dedication and laser-like focus to her education. In a lot of ways, that part of her rubbed off on me.

What had never rubbed off on me though, was her nature as a social butterfly. She was never short of men chasing after her and there were more than a few times I'd had to pretend to be asleep while she and her flavor of the evening screwed away in our dorm room.

But somehow, despite all our differences, we'd forged an ironclad friendship. We got each other in way nobody else did and we'd found that those differences actually complemented one another.

As we liked to say, she was the peanut butter to my jelly and I was the cheese to her macaroni.

“So, what is this place, anyway?” I asked. “Heat, was it?”

She looked at me like I'd lost my mind. Or was just an uncultured heathen – which, I admittedly was.

“Heat is only the trendiest, hottest spot in town,” she said. “It's where the A-List goes to be seen.”

“Well – is it like a restaurant?” I asked. “A night club?”

“Both,” she said. “It's one of LA's premier restaurants and it also has an accessible nightclub called Fire.”

“Heat and Fire,” I said. “I'm sensing a theme here.”

Piper laughed and shook her head. “We really need to get you out more often,” she said. “Show you that there is more to the world than just – books.”

“Hey, I happen to like my books,” I said. “Books never let me down. Never break my heart. The written word is magic.”

“Okay, that was a really nice way of me saying that I really need to get you laid,” she said. “And laid well.”

I laughed and shook my head. Piper was an uninhibited woman, and although I admired her for it, I knew that it wasn't the way I wanted to be. Or at least, the way I thought I could be. I just wasn't anywhere near as outgoing as she was.

We pulled up to a restaurant that looked – incredible. When I imagined places the LA elite went, this probably covered it. We pulled to the valet stand and our doors were opened for us. A long red carpet led from the curb to the front of the restaurant. Though the lighting outside was dim, there were torches on the columns that lined the walkway to the front door. Dense foliage stood behind the columns, giving it an almost jungle feel to the exterior of the place.

The doors were opened for us and we stepped inside. The interior of the restaurant was somewhat dark and foreboding. I knew they were there because there was an ambient glow about the place, but I didn't see a single light fixture anywhere. Instead, torches hung on all of the walls, there were multiple fire pits inside the restaurant, giving off more light than heat.

Black and a deep shade of red were the dominant colors in the restaurant, and there were several tall glass cases filled with lush, jungle-like foliage scattered throughout the dining area. The interior was a little warmer than I would have liked, but overall, it was pretty pleasant inside.

I had to admit, it was gorgeous. It felt like an edgy, hip, place. And as I scanned the faces of the other patrons – not easy to do with how dim the lighting was, I saw several faces I recognized. Actors. People I'd seen in television shows or movies. I was floored by the Hollywood royalty I saw having dinner.

I pointed to a man in a dark suit. “Is that –?”

“Yes,” Piper said, grabbing my hand and putting it back down at my side. “It is. Don't point and stare.”

I was a little stung by her tone. She'd obviously forgotten that this was her world and I was just passing through it. I didn't operate in this space and wasn't used to the rules and niceties it entailed. But I could understand her not wanting me to embarrass her – or make some celebrity uncomfortable – by freaking out when I saw them.

Still, she could have been a little less sharp and grabby with me.

We were taken to our table and as we wound our way through the dining room, I couldn't help but notice the number of celebrities that were having dinner. Nor could I help but notice that a few of the men in the restaurant were eyeing me up and down as I walked by their table. The scrutiny I was getting made me feel keenly uncomfortable. The shortness of the skirt and the fact that my breasts felt like they were about to explode out of my top only deepened that feeling of discomfort.

This was most definitely not my world.

We were seated at the table and Piper leaned forward conspiratorially, a gleam in her eye. “Did you see how many guys were checking you out when we walked through?”

“I think they were checking you out, Pip.”

She shook her head. “Oh no, I caught two or three looking at your ass,” she grinned. “And one of them just so happened to be somebody I know you had the hots for back in college. Or at least, you said you did after that one movie.”

I giggled and felt my cheeks flaring with heat. “Shut up.”

She shrugged. “It's true,” she said. “I saw it. You could have just about any man in this restaurant take you home tonight.”

“I'm going home with you, Pip.”

She grinned again. “That's fine, but I'm not putting out.”

I reached across the table and smacked her hand playfully. Honestly, it felt good to be with Piper, laughing and having a good time. It was a little bit flattering to think that some of the men in the restaurant had been checking me out.

I'd buried it in a deep, dark place a long time ago, but that want to be desired was still within me. I wanted to feel sexy. Wanted to be somebody's object of longing and lust. I pretended that I didn't and preferred my own company. And for the most part I did. But truth be told, there was a small sliver inside of me that wanted to be wanted. I'd just managed to lie to myself about it for so long that even I believed it.

I looked at the menu and was completely lost. And when I looked at the prices, I thought I was going to throw up. Business at the bookstore was good, but it wasn't that good. Piper snatched my menu out of my hand.

“My treat,” she said. “And worry not, I'll order us something good.”

“My life is in your hands,” I said.

The waitress came by and Piper ordered a bottle of wine and an appetizer with a fancy sounding name I'd never heard of to start. When the waitress came back, she opened a bottle of white wine, let Piper taste it, and when she nodded, poured us both a glass.

“I'll be back in a moment with your appetizer,” she said before turning and disappearing.

I raised my glass and looked at my friend. “Congratulations to you, Pip,” I said. “I'm so proud of you and know that your star is only going to shine brighter. I love you.”

She smiled at me and her eyes shone with tears. It melted my heart because Piper was usually so controlled with her emotions. She held herself tightly in check and rarely cried. Frankly, I couldn't think of the last time I'd seen her in tears.

She clinked her glass against mine. “I love you too, Astrid,” she said. “I've never had a better friend and I never will. And I just love you so damn much.”

The waitress returned and set a plate down that had some sort of food concoction sitting in the middle of it. The only thing recognizable to me though, were the shrimp.

“Let's dig in,” Piper said.

I was a little hesitant about trying it – I tended to stick with things I liked and knew were good. Change had never been my friend. But when I did, my mouth exploded with flavor. I chewed and felt my eyes roll back into my head as I savored it. It truly was one of the best things I'd ever tasted before in my life. It might have even been close to Pete's sub in terms of sheer gastrointestinal bliss.

“Good, right?” Piper asked.

“Amazing,” I replied. “Just amazing.”

The waitress came back again and Piper gave her our dinner orders. When she left, we continued digging into the appetizer. After a while, we got so deep into our conversation that I forgot completely about how self-conscious I felt in that dress. It was great catching up with her. Given how much she worked – as well as my penchant for avoiding human contact – I didn't get to spend a lot of time with her. So, some real quality time with her filled up places in my heart I'd forgotten even existed.

I loved Piper and knew that when she pushed me to do things like this, to step outside my comfort zone, it was because she loved me and because she wanted to see me happy.

I didn't even know how long we'd been sitting there talking, but when I looked up, our dinner plates were being cleared and our bottle of wine had been drained. I was feeling a little flushed – wine did that to me – but thankfully, not lightheaded or tipsy.

I was sad though, that our meal was coming to an end because I wasn't sure when I would get to see her again, let alone spend a good few hours with her – especially now that she was going to be made junior partner in her firm.

“So, don't look or anything,” she said. “But, there's this guy who's been eyeballing you really hard for the last ten minutes or so.”

I had to physically restrain myself from looking all around to see who she was talking about. It was a natural reaction when somebody told you not to look – you looked! But trying to avoid embarrassing her, I managed to play it cool.

“Who is it?” I asked, flashing her a grin. “You recognize him? Is he a movie star?”

“He could be,” she said. “The guy is hot and looks like he has an amazing body.”

“How do you know he's not staring at you?”

She gave me a smile. “Hon, I know when somebody's staring at me. I've been at this game long enough,” she said. “And he is most definitely scopin' you out.”

“What does he look like?”

“Tall. Short dark hair, dreamy black eyes,” she said. “Great body. Built like a linebacker. Very fashionable. Probably filthy rich. Very likely, amazing in bed.”

“What's a linebacker?”

She cocked her head at me and laughed. “That kind of description and that's what you come back with? That's the takeaway there?”

“I like words,” I replied, grinning. “I like learning new ones.”

“It's a football player. I think he's the throwy ball guy or something, I don't know. I'm not a football person,” she said. “My point though, is the guy is fit and rocked up – and he looks like he wants to have you for dessert.”

“Can I look?” I asked.

“Over your right shoulder,” she said. “Just a casual glance, though. Don't look too needy or too crazy. Just try to give him your best look of indifference.”

“Why would I do that?”

“That's how you play the game, hon,” she said.

I laughed and shook my head. A look of indifference wouldn't be too difficult. Most people saw me as cold, aloof, and indifferent anyway. I cleared my throat and rolled my shoulders, dramatically loosening up and making Piper laugh – which was the point.

I turned my head and looked behind me. Standing at the bar holding a tumbler of something was a man that looked exactly like how Piper had described him – and yet, he was so much more than that. He was a beautiful man. A really, really beautiful man. And as I looked at him – and he looked straight back at me – I felt my heart start to race and my stomach begin to lurch. He raised his glass to me and tipped me a wink, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

I quickly turned back around and stared at Piper wide-eyed. “Oh, my God,” I said. “He's gorgeous. And he was totally staring at me.”

“I told you,” she said. “I totally think you should go over there and talk to him.”

“I can't,” I said. “There's no way I could ever do something so – bold.”

“We need to break you out of your shell, missy,” she said. “Why not start here?”

“So not ready,” I said. “I'm a shut-in, remember?”

Her eyes lit up and her smile widened. Something was happening behind me and I was afraid to turn around to see what it was.

“Never mind about going over there to talk to him,” she said.

“Good,” I let out a long breath.

“He's coming over here,” she replied.

I felt my stomach drop into my shoes. “What? Are you serious?”

“Oh yeah,” she said. “This is going to be magical.”

My skin suddenly felt clammy, my stomach was in knots, and I wasn't sure if I was going to throw up or not. Yeah, this was going to be magical alright.

Chapter Six

Quint

I couldn't take my eyes off her from the moment I saw her. There was something about her that was – intoxicating. She and her friend were having dinner and I didn't want to interrupt – as tempting as it was. So, I figured that I'd wait until they were done with their meals and then go introduce myself to the mysteriously compelling woman.

“Andrea,” I called to the waitress. “Can you come over here for a minute?”

The waitress who'd been serving the woman and her friend made her way over to me and flashed me a demure little smile. I knew she had a crush on me and as tempting as it was to take advantage of that sometimes, I wouldn't let myself give in to it. Leading her on that way – though, I figured she'd be incredible in bed – wasn't the right thing to do.

I knew I could be a jerk in some ways, but I always did try to do the right thing. I believed in my code and part of it was to be a good, honorable man.

“What can I do for ya, boss?” she asked in a way that carried a not-so-subtle double meaning.

“When table thirty-three is done eating, let me know, okay?” I asked. “I'd like to have dessert sent over.”

She looked back at the table and then turned to me, the disappointment in her eyes plain as day.

“Yeah, sure thing,” she said, her voice subdued.

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” I said. “You're doing a great job, by the way. Thank you for all of your hard, diligent work.”

She looked like she wanted to say something, but instead, she plastered on a smile that was obviously phony and nodded.

“Anything for you,” she said and gave me a wink before turning away.

She was nothing, if not persistent. I had to give her that. I busied myself with other tasks that needed to be done as I waited, but always kept my eye on the two women. When it looked like they were finishing up, I headed over to the bar. Leaning against it, I had my bartender Mike pour me a scotch.

“Here ya go, boss,” he said as he slid me a tumbler.

“Thank you.”

I took a sip, relishing the feel of the burn as it slid down my throat. I looked at Mike who was grinning like a kid who had a secret and was dying to share.

“What?” I asked.

“I see you got your eye on table thirty-three,” he said. “That blonde – she's smokin'. Gonna take a run at that?”

The crude way the younger generation today said things was sometimes – off-putting. But, I had to remind myself they were of a different generation. Or rather, I was from a different generation. A very, very different generation. I still believed in being polite and courteous. I didn't “take a run” at a woman, I simply tried to get to know her.

Yes, I had been known to give in to my carnal desires every now and then – I was after all, a member of the Fire Clan and our passions were known to run extremely hot. But I was always respectful and never overstepped my bounds. I most certainly never referred to a lady the way kids today seemed all too comfortable doing.

But – this world belonged to them. To their generation. I was merely a visitor, in the bigger picture.

“The blonde is very attractive, no question,” I said. “But what do you think about the redhead?”

Mike looked over, cocked his head, and then shrugged. “She's okay, I guess. Cute. A little too thick for my tastes though,” he said. “Nothing like that blonde though. That one's a total hottie.”

I smiled. “Thank you, Mike.”

He gave me a curious look, but then smiled and walked away to tend to his other customers at the bar. It was curious to me that I could feel so compelled by this woman and yet Mike, a warm blooded human man, thought she was “okay.” Or maybe, “cute.”

But then, kids his age had fickle tastes. Perhaps being much older, my tastes didn't stray to the stereotypical Southern California girl. I didn't know what it was, but the redhead drew me like I don't believe I'd ever been drawn before. She was magnetic.

I watched as their table was cleared and when Andrea was bringing out the dessert, I made my way over. The blonde watched me coming and looked entirely amused, while the redhead sat ramrod straight, looking pointedly in the other direction, looking entirely uncomfortable.

I stood before their table just as Andrea arrived with one of Chef Maurizio's special desserts – this one looked like a large molten chocolate cake of some sort. I wasn't really that up to date with his menu. I trusted his judgment and knew he was one of the premier chefs in the city – which meant I gave him wide latitude in creating Heat's menu.

And hey, it seemed to be working out pretty well so far.

“Good evening,” I said.

“Hello,” the blonde replied and then pointed at the dessert. “We didn't order this though.”

“I took the liberty of having it sent over,” I said. “To thank you for joining us this evening.”

A playful smile tugged at the corners of the blonde's mouth while the redhead was doing everything she could to avoid looking up at me. Her cheeks were bright red though, and she was fidgeting with her napkin – she was nervous.

“Oh, well thank you very much,” the blonde said. “Are you the manager or something?”

I gave her a small smile. “Owner, actually,” I said. “This is my place.”

The blonde looked at me, clearly impressed. The redhead though, was still staring at the top of the table and hadn't said a word.

“I have to say, your restaurant fully lived up to its reputation,” the blonde said.

“Thank you,” I said and extended my hand. “My name is Quint.”

The blonde shook my hand, her grip firm, confident. Very well dressed, not afraid to make direct eye contact, and spoke with an authoritative tone. If I had to guess, I'd have said that she was probably a lawyer.

“I'm Piper,” she said. “And this is my best friend, Astrid.”

The redhead jumped as if she'd been goosed – though, more likely, she'd been kicked under the table by Piper. She looked up at me and offered me a weak smile.

“Hi,” she said. “I'm Astrid.”

I took her hand and bent down, placing a soft kiss upon it. The color in her cheeks flared – it was a shade of red I was sure wasn't found in nature. But it was absolutely adorable on her. She looked though, like she wished she were anywhere but at that table. I knew I should have walked away and not added to her discomfort, but there was something keeping me there. Something beyond compelling and I was absolutely rooted to my spot by it.

“Why don't you join us, Quint?” Piper said, motioning to an empty chair.

I gave her a thankful little smile and sat down. An awkward silence descended over the table for a moment as we all exchanged brief looks. I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat.

“So – this is your first time here?” I asked, simply to fill the void.

“Yeah, we're celebrating tonight,” Piper said.

“Oh? And what are we celebrating?”

“I'm being promoted at work,” she said. “I made junior partner in my firm.”

“Excellent,” I replied. “Congratulations. Truth be told, I kinda knew you were a lawyer.”

She cocked her head and looked at me. “Did you now? How so?”

I shrugged. “In this business, you meet a lot of different people,” I said. “You get to know certain things about them, about how they carry themselves. You sort of develop a sixth sense about these kinds of things.”

“Sixth sense, huh?” she raised an eyebrow. “Well then, Mr. Psychic, can you tell me what my dear friend Astrid does for a living?”

Truth be told, I couldn't tell a lot of things about Astrid – like why she had this hold on me that she did. There was a connection there and in the few furtive glances she stole at me, I could tell that she felt it too. But I thought it best to not be too forward with her. I didn't want to spook her off until I had some answers.

I rubbed my chin. “Honestly, she's a tough one to figure out,” I said. “What is it you do for a living, Astrid?”

She looked up at me and then back down at the table again quickly. “I – I own a bookstore.”

“Oh really?” I said. “That's excellent. I happen to be a bit of a reader myself.”

She looked up at me – finally – without looking away a split second later. But the look in her eyes told me she was skeptical about my claim to be a reader. I gave her a big smile, daring her to test me.

“And what's the last book you read?” she asked.

I shrugged. “I'm partial to the classics, but I'll admit to enjoying a bit of brain candy now and then,” I admitted. “The last book I read though, was Crime and Punishment.”

“Not exactly brain candy,” Astrid said.

“No, but before that, I indulged in Stephen King's, IT,” I said. “I'm a fan of things that go bump in the night.”

For the first time since I'd sat down, I got a smile out of her. And that smile lit up her face. It made her even more beautiful than I'd first thought. Mike was an idiot if he thought she was “just okay.” This woman was drop dead gorgeous.

“Science fiction and fantasy mostly,” she said. “I love the pure escapism.”

I nodded. “That, I can understand completely.”

I looked around and flagged down Andrea. She trudged over to the table, that artificial smile back on her face, though in her eyes, I could see a smoldering anger and disappointment. She looked at both Piper and Astrid with barely veiled contempt. But she managed to hold herself in check – barely.

“We're celebrating here tonight, Andrea,” I said. “Can you please bring us a bottle of that special dessert wine? The one in the cabinet in my office?”

She gave me a tight smile and nodded. “Of course.”

She turned and walked away without another word. Piper looked at me and raised her eyebrows.

“Is it me or did it just get colder in here?” she asked.

I sighed. “I apologize,” I said. “Andrea is good at her job and a sweet girl. But she's got some rather – inappropriate – ideas about her place in my life.”

“So, you're just leading her on?” Astrid asked.

I looked at her and she bit her bottom lip, quickly averting her gaze. Frankly, I was offended by the accusation. But I held my temper in check. There was no need for me to get upset over an off the cuff remark like that.

“Actually, no,” I said. “I've laid out very clear boundaries with her. With my entire staff. I've been very clear about what is appropriate and what is not. Andrea is just a young girl with a crush. Nothing more.”

“I – I'm sorry,” Astrid said. “I didn't mean to say –”

“You'll have to forgive her,” Piper jumped in. “She doesn't get out much and is a bit lacking in the social graces department.”

We all shared a bit of a laugh, but I could see that Astrid still seemed stiff. Embarrassed.

“So, how long has your bookstore been open?” I asked.

“A little over a year now,” she said. “It's actually doing a lot better than I'd anticipated.”

“That's wonderful to hear,” I said. “It pleases me to know that hum – that people – still value the written word.”

“I deal with words all day long,” Piper said. “I'll just watch the movies, thanks.”

I gave her a small smile. “But books are always so much richer.”

“I keep telling her that,” Astrid said.

Andrea arrived and set the bottle down along with three glasses. She cast another look at the two women before departing without another word.

“You really should try Chef Maurizio's dessert,” I said. “I'm not sure what he whipped up for you, but I can already vouch for it. The man is a wizard in the kitchen.”

“Thank you,” Astrid said. “You're being very kind.”

I shrugged. “Just doing my best to provide excellent customer service.”

They both picked up a spoon and dug into the dessert. Warm white chocolate flowed out of a dark chocolate cake that had been drizzled with what looked like a strawberry glaze and white chocolate shavings. It looked really good and I made a mental note to have Maurizio make me one.

“Oh, my God,” Piper said. “This might be the best thing I've ever tasted.”

I grinned. “I told you he was a wizard.”

I poured three glasses of the dessert wine I'd had brought out. It was a special vintage you'd never find on a menu anywhere. At least, not in the world of man. It was a wine from Chondelai. Every once in a while, I indulged in a glass or two and enjoyed a little taste of home. Because my duties kept me here, I didn't often travel back to my homeland and I sometimes missed it.

I handed each of the women a glass and then picked up my own. “A toast,” I said. “To new career opportunities – congratulations, Piper.”

She smiled and nodded at me. I cut my eyes over to Astrid and gave her a gentle smile.

“And, to new friends,” I said. “I'm very glad the two of you came in tonight.”

“To new friends,” Piper said.

“To new friends,” Astrid repeated – though much more quietly.

We clinked our glasses together and took a sip. I let it roll down my tongue, savoring the essence of the wine. Astrid and Piper's eyes grew wide and they made noises of delight every bit as much as they had when eating Maurizio's cake.

“This is amazing,” Piper said. “What is it?”

“It's a special vintage,” I said, staring into the dark red fluid in my glass. “From my homeland.”

“Where are you from?” Astrid asked, her eyes locked onto mine.

I gave her a small smile. “A long way from here,” I said. “Are you both from here originally?”

“Yeah,” Piper said. “Native girls.”

“Born and raised.”

“This wine really is amazing,” Piper said. “I've never tasted anything like it before.”

I shrugged. “It's a rare vintage,” I said. “I'm pleased you like it.”

Over the next few hours – and another bottle of wine – the three of us had a great conversation full of fun and laughs. Even Astrid loosened up quite a bit and allowed me to get to know her a little more. And yet, I still couldn't figure out what it was about her that compelled me. What drew me to her.

Eventually though, it was time for them to go. I stood up with them and when Piper dug into her purse for her wallet, I put my hand on her arm gently and gave her a warm smile.

“It's on me,” I said.

She shook her head, “Oh no, we couldn't possibly –”

“Call it my way of saying congratulations on the promotion,” I smiled. “And to thank you both for a wonderful evening.”

“Thank you, Quint,” she said. “That's very kind of you.”

“Yes, thank you,” Astrid said, her voice growing softer again. “That's incredibly generous.”

“Think nothing of it,” I said. “I appreciate you two letting me crash your night out.”

“Well, I'd at least like to leave a tip,” Piper said.

She pulled out her wallet and dropped a hundred-dollar bill down on the table.

“Andrea will be most appreciative,” I said. “Please, let me walk you out.”

I strolled with the both of them out of the restaurant and back to the valet station. There was a strange sensation in my stomach, knowing I was about to say goodbye. Part of me was afraid that I was never going to see Astrid again – was never going to unravel the mystery she presented to me. And part of it, I feared, was nervousness. It was an odd feeling – one I never had. Not even when going into battle.

I took Piper's claim ticket and handed it to the valet, passing him a twenty as a tip so Piper wouldn't have to. She gave me a sweet smile and thanked me. We all stood in an awkward silence again and I noticed that Piper had drifted off a couple of feet, standing away from us. It was as if she was trying to give us a little space and giving me a subtle signal to ask Astrid out. Again, that fluttering in my stomach came on, confounding me.

I cleared my throat. “Astrid,” I said. “I was wondering if perhaps, you would allow me the pleasure of taking you to dinner one night. Maybe some place other than here.”

I gave her a soft, but genuine smile. She looked at me with wide eyes and I watched the expressions on her face shift from shock to fear and back again. It occurred to me that she, for whatever reason, wasn't used to receiving attention from a man. Though, it honestly baffled me. I would have thought a woman like Astrid would be drowning in invitations out from men.

“I – I don't know,” she stammered. “I mean, I appreciate it but –”

The valet arrived with Piper's car and I looked at Astrid feeling something akin to shock. I wasn't used to being turned down. I honestly couldn't recall the last time a woman declined an invitation to dinner from me. It was surprising and yet – intriguing. It was a new experience.

Of course, I was going to have to change her mind.

I fished a card out of my pocket and presented it to her. “Please,” I said. “If you change your mind –”

Piper snatched the card out of my hand and flashed me a mischievous grin. “Trust me, Quint,” she said. “Astrid would love to see you again. I'll make sure she calls you. Thank you for a wonderful evening.”

“Y – yes, thank you,” Astrid murmured.

I laughed and shook my head. It had been a wonderful night full of intrigue and surprises. And as I watched Piper usher Astrid to her car, getting her into the passenger's seat before hustling around to the driver's side, I still felt that invisible pull to the mysterious redhead. She watched me from her seat, her eyes still full of wonder – and questions.

Piper waved at me as she drove off, leaving me standing there smiling. I wondered what was going through Astrid's mind as she looked at me. Wondered what she was feeling.

I had a million questions and I was looking forward to getting answers to them all.

Chapter Seven

Astrid

I woke up the next morning feeling a little fuzzy in the head, but overall, not too bad. Which was something, given how much wine I'd had the night before. I wasn't normally a drinker, so it seemed like even the smallest amounts could turn me inside out. But I had to admit, that dessert wine Quint had served us had been pretty amazing and I'd had more than I probably should have.

Thinking about the night before brought me to the inescapable thought of Quint. Yeah, that hadn't been awkward or anything.

I looked at the business card sitting on the counter in wonder. Things like that didn't happen to me. Quint looked like he had stepped out of the pages of a fitness or fashion magazine. He was tall, incredibly well built, and with his dark hair and unusually green eyes.

Men like that did not hit on me. Ever. And they most certainly didn't ask me out on a date. Guys like that usually went for Piper – and with good reason. She was gorgeous and with her tight, toned body, she could have been a lingerie model herself. I wasn't anything like her.

But the way he'd looked at me – it ignited fires deep within me I hadn't felt burning in ages.

I shook my head. No, I couldn't let myself get caught up in that. Men like Quint were usually after one thing – conquests. He probably saw me as a challenge because I wasn't throwing my panties at him like that snooty little waitress who'd served us.

I looked at the clock and groaned. The one bad thing about being a business owner – you never got weekends off. I crawled out of bed and hopped into the shower. I let the hot water sluice away all the cobwebs in my head and let myself soak in the near scalding water until my skin was bright red.

Getting out of the shower, I toweled off and got ready to head into the bookstore. Locking up my apartment, I made the short walk to work, stopping at the nearby Starbucks to grab a drink on my way. When I came out of the coffee house though, I stopped. Standing directly across the street from me was a man in a dark gray suit. Even from where I was standing, I could see that it was ragged and torn. His hair was disheveled and he looked dirty.

He was obviously homeless. But that wasn't what sent a tendril of ice slithering up my spine. It was the fact that he was just standing there, still as a statue, staring at me. Feeling a presence to my right, I turned and found another man standing about twenty feet away, staring at me just like the homeless man across the street was. This man though, didn't look homeless. He was neatly dressed in jeans and a button down shirt. He had ebony skin, a shaved head, a neatly trimmed goatee, and looked to be in terrific shape. But he too, was standing statue still, just staring at me.

It was a creepy feeling and one that had me edging closer to a panic attack.

I considered going back into the coffee house, but opted against it. Instead, I turned and hurried down the street to my bookstore. I unlocked the doors as quickly as I could, getting inside, closing and locking the door behind me again. When I turned and looked out the front windows, both men were standing across the street, staring at me. The blank expressions on their faces was creepy – and made me think they'd been possessed or something.

I shook my head. Too many horror books and movies in my day.

Still, the way they stared at me, the way they'd followed me, and that blank expression on their faces was beyond creepy. I ran over to the counter and tossed my purse down, fishing my phone out of it. When I turned back to the window as I punched in the number for 911, I froze in place again. Both of the men were gone. Gone as if they'd never been there in the first place.

Looking up and down the street, I didn't see either one of them. It was like they'd evaporated or something. But that didn't necessarily make me feel any better. Canceling the call, I held on to my phone and slowly unlocked the door. Stepping outside, I looked up and down the street again, half expecting one of the men to materialize in front of me.

But there was nothing. Nothing at all.

If it had just been the homeless guy, that would have been one thing. I could have chalked it up to his eccentricities. But to have two of them – and quite obviously, two of them from very different socioeconomic backgrounds – staring at me with the same dead-eyed, vacant expression – it was unnerving, to say the least.

I jumped and let out a small scream of fright when my phone rang in my hand. Feeling the adrenaline coursing through my body, I raised my trembling hand and looked at the caller ID.

It was Piper. Even though I wasn't close to being sure that I was safe, just seeing her name pop up on my phone still flooded me with a powerful sense of relief. I walked back into the shop, making sure to close the door again, and picked up the call.

“You are so going out with that man,” she said by way of greeting.

“Well, good morning to you too,” I said.

She paused a moment. “You okay?” she asked. “You sound stressed.”

I looked out the windows again and still saw nobody – the coast seemed to be clear. I told her what happened anyway, and she sounded horrified.

“You called the cops, right?” she asked.

“I was going to, but then the creepers were gone and I guess, I didn't see the point of it. I'm sure they've got better things to do than hunt down phantom stalkers,” I said and laughed nervously.

“Yeah, like planting evidence and framing people,” she said. “At least, if you listen to my clients.”

I laughed again and this time, it felt a little more normal and a little less forced. Piper had always been able to talk me down from any ledge and make me feel better when things were going sideways. It was something I loved about her.

“Maybe you should call them though,” she said. “Just in case. Maybe they can send out a few more patrols and keep an eye on the area.”

“Yeah, you might have a point,” I said. “I'll do that.”

“Great. You should absolutely do that,” she said. “Now, back to my original point in calling – you are going out with Quint.”

I laughed and shook my head. “I haven't decided yet.”

“That's okay,” she said. “I decided for you. And you're going out with Quint.”

“Why is it that important to you?”