10.

 

“Hey, I recognize you!”

Rhett paused in confusion as he walked out of the fast food restaurant, holding a takeout bag of buns slathered with random condiments, and turned around. He had been snooping around the area where the speed dating event had happened and smiled in recognition when he saw the fireman he had encountered not long ago.

“Oh, hi,” Rhett said. “Jackson, right?”

“The one and only,” he said, flashing a charming smile at Rhett. “How has it been going, man?”

“Oh, you know…not bad.”

Rhett’s mind turned suddenly and unintentionally back to Mia and he let out a small sigh.

“Oh no. Don’t tell me. There’s a girl, isn’t there?” Jackson grinned and stretched his arms behind his head. “Only a woman can make a guy sigh like that.”

Rhett smiled despite himself. “Yeah, there’s a woman. I don’t really know what to do about it, but that really isn’t what I should be focusing on right now.”

“Well, what is it that you should be focusing on right now?”

Rhett considered this thoughtfully and then shook his head. He couldn’t confide in this human about the dangers that were present in the universe seeking to destroy the sacred Loni/Shifter hybrid energies that kept shifter magic alive. There was no way he would ever be able to understand. Especially a man like Jackson who was involved in things like police investigations and government work. The man would probably have Rhett committed if he tried to tell him the truth about what he was working on.

But Rhett still couldn’t help but like the guy. It had been a while since he had spoken to anybody outside the small circle of dragon shifters he had been banished with. And Jackson seemed friendly enough. Why not open up to him? At least a little bit…

“Work. I have a lot of projects for work that need my attention, and I don’t see how I will ever be able to focus on all of them if I am not able to get my mind off this girl…”

Jackson laughed and shook his head. “Bitten by the love bug, huh?”

Rhett blinked. “Love bug?”

“You know…you like her. Don’t you?”

Jackson led Rhett to an outdoor patio table outside the restaurant and sat down, offering him a seat. “I’m on lunch so we can talk about it a bit if you’d like. Getting things off your chest might help you to get some work done. You never know.”

Rhett considered this. He hadn’t been able to talk to any of the other dragon shifters about his feelings. He knew they would all overreact to his interest in a human, especially knowing that time was running out for his kind and if he wasn’t able to contribute to the procreation of the sacred species, all shifter magic, as they knew it, could cease to exist.

No, they would never be understanding of his temptation to turn his back on his destiny and settle down with a mere human. But maybe he would be able to talk about it with someone who didn’t have the same perspective as his comrades had. Someone who understood how confusing it was in the human dating world, trying to navigate Earth’s tempestuous emotional waters in search of a fated mate you might never even find.

“Okay,” Rhett said, sitting down across from Jackson. “I guess we can talk for a few minutes.”

“Couldn’t hurt,” Jackson agreed. “So, tell me about her. What’s she like? What do you like about her? Is she pretty?”

Jackson raised his brow suggestively and grinned, digging into his own bag of food. Rhett considered the questions and sighed as his mind began to formulate answers.

“Her name is Mia. She is very intelligent. Kind of sharp. Has an edge to her. But a good edge. I like that she can hold her own but that I can still kind of…protect her. But…” Rhett trailed off and sighed, then dipped into the bag in front of him for a condiment infused bun.

“But what?” Jackson asked gently, urging Rhett on with his story.

“I have other obligations. I have someone I am supposed to be waiting for. Holding out for. But I don’t even think I will be able to choose between them should the time come. It is really very confusing.”

“Someone you are supposed to be waiting for? You mean like an arranged marriage?”

Rhett froze, then nodded quickly. “I am not from around here. I am European.”

He didn’t know whether or not this would explain away something that seemed such a strange concept to Jackson, but he hoped it would help. He hated lying, and being forced to interact with humans often meant that he had to do just that. It was difficult for him, morally speaking, and even more difficult for him when he had to try to keep track of all the different things he had made up.

“Yeah, that makes sense. You do seem kinda funny.”

Rhett looked up at Jackson sharply. “Funny?”

The fireman shrugged with a cordial laugh. “Just different from the normal guys you see around these parts. So, do you want my opinion on this matter or do you just need to vent?”

Rhett accepted this and shrugged in return. “I think you could give me an opinion if you wanted to, it couldn’t hurt anything.”

“Great!” Jackson said brightly. “I think that it seems kind of dumb to sacrifice a relationship with someone you already really like and value for someone you have never even met. How do you know that you would be any happier with this other girl than you would be with the one you are already involved with? Doesn’t make a whole hell of a lot of sense to me. Forget that other girl, you don’t even know whether or not you like her. Just stick with what you know, man. That’s what I would do, anyway.”

Rhett sighed. “If only it were that simple.”

“Look, I get that you have your reasons for wanting to deal with the arranged marriage and shit. There is bound to be a way for you to work around that, though, if that’s what you want to do. You look like a smart, strong guy. You are going to be able to do whatever it is you set your mind to. You don’t have to answer to anyone. This is your life. Yours. Maybe your family or whoever expects you to love a certain way, but that doesn’t have to be the way it is. You make your destiny. Not them. Just remember that.”

Rhett gazed at Jackson, a strange sense of relief filling his chest. He hadn’t even allowed himself to consider the possibility that he might be able to make a choice that made him happy. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a disaster after all.

But there was a nagging feeling in his chest that reminded him about the urgency of his planet’s plight. He couldn’t just abandon his mission for a selfish purpose, could he? This was an agonizing decision. He had always known he was meant for a beautiful woman of a similar descent. Why would he settle for being with just an average human? It would be like taking a step backward rather than taking a step forward.

But how could he explain something like that to Jackson?

He opened his mouth to try, but before any words could come out, a shrill beeping sounded, and he looked over at Jackson, confused. It almost sounded the way the device for seeking out potential descendants sounded, but it was in a pitch that only other dragon shifters like himself could tune in to.

“Oh, sorry man. Hold that thought. It’s my pager.”

Jackson fumbled in his pocket for his pager and his jaw tightened.

“Is something wrong?”

“Yeah,” Jackson said, hurrying to his feet. “Sorry, I have to go.”

“It’s all right,” Rhett said, standing as well. His eyes followed his new friend as he hurried out to his car, but when he tried to turn the engine, nothing happened.

“Shit!” Jackson exclaimed.

“What’s wrong with it?” Rhett asked, approaching the machine cautiously. He had always been curious about the way cars worked and had done a lot of research on the topic. He loved figuring out how to make things function.

“I don’t know, I have been having issues with it all week. Man, I really need to get to the station. They are short-staffed and there is an emergency.”

“Hold on,” Rhett said, lifting the hood of the car. He took a quick scan of the engine, finally setting his eyes on the likely culprit.

With a few quick adjustments and no tools required – his hands were unbelievably strong - he shut the hood.

“Try it now,” Rhett said, looking at the car curiously. He knew it should work.

“Holy shit,” Jackson said when the engine roared to life. “I really owe you one, man.”

Rhett smiled. “Just go help people and pay it forward.”

“I won’t forget this,” Jackson said, his eyes twinkling as he pulled away.

Rhett watched him go, fidgeting as his mind was brought back to the task at hand. There was darkness in this area. And he had to try to find out where it was before it started to affect the woman he cared for most, whether he was supposed to care for her or not.