6.

 

“What did you think, Rhett? Were there any potentials? Please tell me there were!”

Gavin’s enthusiasm put Rhett’s already sour mood into overdrive.

“Actually, there weren’t any potentials and everyone there was a pain in my ass. Everything about that thing was stupid. And I don’t know why but this stupid device doesn’t want to work again. I am getting so tired of this! I am wasting my time trying to find people when it’s clear my efforts are better used elsewhere.”

Gavin’s face fell, and he exchanged looks with Carter, who was sitting at the counter eating a bowl of cereal.

“Look, man, it isn’t hopeless. The potentials exist. And you will find your fated one when it comes time to, so why are you letting yourself get discouraged? It’s basically the main reason we are even here at this point. Keep your eye on the prize and everything will work out.”

“Easy for you to say, Carter,” Rhett grumbled, tossing the device onto the couch and leaning against it with a heavy sigh. “You and Max found your fated mates. Why is it that everyone else seems to be having a seriously hard time with it? It doesn’t seem fair or right, and you know it. And we are running out of time. I can feel the magic slipping. If they are fated to be our mates, then why is it taking so damn long?”

“Man, nothing about this situation is fair or right,” Carter said with a scoff. “I was on my way to be an Elder, but the Elders ended up deciding that the six of us were traitors. Criminals. They didn’t even give us a chance to defend ourselves. But trust me when I say, I have made the most of it. I wouldn’t have been able to find my fated one on Fiora. It wasn’t meant to happen that way. And you will end up being able to see the way that fate has led us to where we are meant to be.”

Rhett scowled. “Sure, man.”

Carter shrugged lightly and continued to eat his cereal, knowing better than to think that he was going to make a difference when it came to Rhett’s foul mood. All six of them had their share of ups and downs since they had been banished to Earth, so they had learned by then to leave well enough alone and only intervene if it was going to affect the rest of the group and their ability to get back to their home planet and be accepted as heroes rather than as criminals.

“You know it will take a lot for the Elders to allow us back home. Continuing the sacred bloodline and saving the planet is a pretty good way of ensuring that they do so, you know,” Gavin said, still looking intently at Rhett.

He had been the one trying to keep everybody together and working toward the ultimate goal of finding the potential Loni/Sun Dragon hybrids so that they could spawn the sacred children and continue to provide the world with the magic that allowed the shifter race to exist. Without these special children, Fiora and everyone affected by shifter magic, would lose everything that set them apart in the universe.

“I know, man. I just don’t see how that has recently become more my issue than anyone else’s. What makes you think that I am just going to waltz out there and use that stupid malfunctioning device to find my fated mate? It isn’t that simple. It never is.”

“Well, you are right about that much,” Carter said with a low snort.

Rhett sighed and chose not to pursue the thought that Carter’s comment had inspired within him. They had just learned that if they couldn’t say something nice, it was better to say nothing at all. Sometimes, honesty wasn’t the best policy and just started a bunch of needless conflict.

“Anyway, I have other things to do,” Rhett mumbled. “I didn’t pick up on anything good about the descendants, but the device did pick up something kind of strange. I’m not sure what’s going on there, but it was something bad. I’m not sure what or why, though. I am going to have to try to figure out what it meant.”

“Something bad?” Gavin asked, sitting up suddenly and frowning deeply. “Bad how?”

“I mean, there was a blip and the purple light flashed. But only for a second. I don’t even know who it was flashing on, the stupid thing decided to stop working properly after that.”

“You serious?” Gavin said, sighing heavily. “You didn’t try to figure it out?”

“Of course, I tried to figure it out! What do you take me for?” Rhett growled. He could feel the dragon within him raging. He had been eager for a fight. Especially after sensing the shit that was going on behind the scenes. Something bad. Someone bad. But being unable to figure out where or what was going on or why frustrated him.

But why would he want to fight with Gavin of all people? The guy was their greatest asset when it came to coexisting among the humans. They would have been entirely lost without him.

“I’m not in a great mood,” Rhett said, casting an agitated look toward the device on the couch. “Maybe someone else can mess with that stupid thing for a while. I am going to try to investigate and figure out what the hell I was dealing with back there.”

“Okay, I will take a look at it,” Gavin said, defeat present in his voice. He didn’t want to upset Rhett any more than he already was, that much was obvious.

Rhett grabbed his jacket and went out the door, letting it fall shut heavily behind himself. He needed some air. And really, he was restless. He hadn’t been able to get Mia out of his head since the moment he had laid eyes on her. It was especially disconcerting considering the fact that he had been worrying about whether or not the device had picked up on dangerous energy in the lodge where the speed dating event had been taking place. He was even more concerned after having to rescue Mia from one of the sketchiest looking guys in the place. Rhett had stared him down hard, unsure whether or not he was dealing with someone who was dangerous in a human way, or in another way entirely.

If it was true that he was dangerous in a way that was connected to the descendants, that meant that it was possible that Mia, or any of the other hapless women that were at the speed dating event, might be in danger. Maybe the device had been malfunctioning and he hadn’t been picking up on potentials at all because it had simply been acting up again?

But the idea of Mia or any of the others being descendants was laughable. She was quite a negative person, even for a human. She had been really rather disagreeable. So, maybe there really wasn’t anything strange going on at all and she simply attracted agitated drunks to her because her energy was so sour. Maybe there was no negative energy at all. Another thought that popped into his head was that perhaps she was the negativity that he had picked up on. Maybe that would explain his fixation.

But no, he knew that wasn’t it. His dragon senses hadn’t been tuned enough in the moment to figure out who or what it was that had tripped up the device, but he was fairly certain that, if anybody was the culprit, it was one of the men that had been attending the event. If not the man that had attempted to harass Mia, then someone.

He wished he had gotten the chance to go after the guy, but he had gotten so distracted when he saw the picture of Mia’s daughter that when the man disappeared, he hadn’t been able to pick up on his trail. The alcohol seemed to mask his scent. Rhett would just have to get his hand on a list of names of the people attending so he could investigate them. Right?

He climbed into the car Gavin had bought him to use. He was almost sure she had been as drawn to him as he was to her.

Still, it couldn’t be. There was no way a relationship between them could work. The others would encourage him to date more to hone his skills and continue to bring them ever closer to their goal of preventing the extinction of the sacred bloodline that kept shifter magic alive. And of course, it made sense for him to do so. If he could perfect the art of human courtship, when it came time for him to actually encounter his fated mate, he would be more than prepared enough to cut the process as short as possible so that they could move on to the next goal.

He wasn’t sure how to get his hands on such a list, unfortunately, and decided, instead, to rely on his dragon senses. He had done his best to get a grasp of everybody at the event, but without the scans available in the device it was somewhat futile. He would go back to the area and investigate. Maybe if it wasn’t a person there, it was something about the place.

Rhett drove through town, his thoughts, once again, wandering back to the human. She was beautiful, he had to give her that much. And sweet and kind. He hadn’t known what to do when they had told him to choose his favorite female. Of course, he had chosen her. None of the other women there had compared. Even if they were potential descendants he didn’t know about, he still found himself more interested in the damn human than he was in any of the others.

Ugh, and those eyes of hers. They really got him going. He had a feeling he would find himself dreaming about those eyes of hers if he wasn’t careful. She was ridiculously beautiful for someone who was born on this dingy planet with so little love or magic present in the atmosphere. How had any of the humans managed for so long in this place? He had to try finding something good about it or he was just going to end up driving himself crazy.

Rhett pulled over and parked a few blocks away from the lodge. It was getting really late now. Dark. It seemed as good a time as any to begin exploring the area and getting himself acclimated. Maybe there was something going on that he should know about. There were always groups of no good heretics out there who wanted nothing more than to destroy the Loni descendants and prevent them from being able to reproduce. After all, a Loni hybrid and a full-blooded Sun Dragon would create the most powerful race in all the universe as far as Rhett was concerned. And those children would grow and love to the fullest, providing light throughout every dimension imaginable.

“Hey bro, I don’t think you can park there. It’s too close to the fire station. You could get a serious fine.”

“What?”

Rhett was startled out of his thoughts by the friendly but strong sounding voice of a human man, standing back on the sidewalk and smoking a cigarette.

“Over there,” the man said, nodding to the firehouse. “That truck is obstructing the way for the fire engine. If it had to make a sharp turn left, you, my friend, would be in the way of us being able to save lives. You know what I mean? Now, I’m off duty so I’m not going to do anything about it, and you look like a nice enough guy. Maybe a little oblivious, but not meaning any harm. So maybe just park up the road a bit so nobody bothers you and costs you a bunch of money. Nobody needs that, you know.”

“Oh…right,” Rhett said. “Thanks. And sorry about that. I didn’t realize.”

“Nah, it’s cool,” the man said, taking a deep puff off his cigarette. “I just don’t want you to get into any trouble. You look concerned enough. I know what it’s like to have a bad day, and even if you weren’t having one, this could easily tip it over the edge and create a negative situation.”

Rhett grinned, climbing back into his truck. He looked at the man from outside his rolled down window. “I suppose that’s true,” he said. “But at the same time, I try very hard not to let outside events disrupt my inner peace. What I am struggling with is something that can’t be helped. It is a problem I will have until it is solved. And so, it will bother me until then. Getting reprimanded over something like this, though? Well, it would be a silly learning experience, but it wouldn’t affect my mood. Much. I think.”

The man on the sidewalk scoffed, but in a friendly way, and gave a nod. “Good philosophy. Hope you can live up to it.”

“Gonna try,” Rhett said, turning the engine and heading up the road a short way. When he was sure he had found a safe parking space, he headed back in the direction he had come from. The man was still there, finishing up his cigarette and glancing at his watch.

“Oh, hey,” he said absently, looking from his watch face to the road. “I’m just waiting on my ex-wife. She wanted to pick me up today, so we could go to our daughter’s recital together.”

“What kind of recital?” Rhett asked. He had learned that it was always wise to ask questions, especially when encountering a friendly human who was willing to talk. There was no better way to learn about the world than from someone who lived in it and was willing to teach you whatever they could possibly have to offer.

“A dance recital. It’s kind of a big deal. At least, in a small place like this. She has been practicing all summer and this is one of the big events. I guess she has been excited to see the two of us together again.”

Rhett eyed the man. “You and your ex-wife aren’t together anymore,” he stated out loud, more to himself than to the man speaking. It seemed so strange to him that humans were so unlikely to stay together over the course of time. He wanted to understand just what drove them to making poor matches and then ultimately betraying the ones they had devoted themselves to and pledged loyalty toward.

What could possibly drive two people so deeply in love, at one time, apart? On his planet, it was unheard of. He knew that it was possible for humans to have fated mates just as easily as it happened for his kind, so why didn’t they hold out the hope of finding them and appreciate them more once they did?

“No, thank goodness,” the man said with a short laugh. “She and I didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of issues and it ended up getting in the way of our marriage. I mean, we still love each other, but we make better friends than we do partners. Does that make sense?”

Rhett stared blankly at the man before finally nodding. He expected that another human would believe that he made sense. It wouldn’t make much difference whether or not Rhett could understand personally. He would have to try to fit in to this strange planet.

“Oh, you don’t need to lie to me,” the man said with a deep chuckle. “I don’t expect everyone to get our situation. The best thing for us is to just be on good terms. We are co-parenting my daughter, Melody, so it makes more sense for us to be on the same page. My name is Jackson, by the way. Jackson Davis. I work here as a fire marshal.”

He extended his hand, inviting Rhett to shake it, and Rhett took it quickly, giving it a firm pump. He was actually one of the first human males he had been able to stand since arriving on Earth. It was nice to be treated well by someone rather than ostracized just because he was still trying to get used to the strange planet and its customs.

“I’m Rhett. Rhett Gregory.”

“Nice to meet you, man.”

Jackson stubbed his cigarette out and tossed it into the trashcan on the corner of the sidewalk before turning back to Rhett. “You ever been married?”

“No,” Rhett said. “I am dating, though.”

Actively dating, he sighed to himself. He had been instructed to follow up on any leads he might have that could get him more experience on the dating field. So, if one of the women tried to contact him, he was supposed to follow up on it. He was supposed to get good at dating so that he wouldn’t pass by his opportunity to woo his fated mate once and for all. It was a ridiculous position he found himself in, but an important one, whether he liked it or not.

“Well, dating can be nice. But confusing.”

“I don’t really understand it,” Rhett admitted. “I assumed that I would date just a few women and then I would find the one I am fated to be with and that would be that. But there is so much more to it. So many other women that get in the way. I guess it will be good to be practiced for when my fated one comes along.”

“You believe in all that soulmate crap?” Jackson asked, smiling at Rhett. His tone was kind, and his eyes sparked curiously.

“I believe there is someone out there meant for me and I am meant for her. We just haven’t found each other yet.”

Jackson nodded slowly. “Well, it isn’t the craziest thing I have ever heard. And trust me, you get some doozies when you are a fire fighter.”

“I’m sure,” Rhett said, nodding thoughtfully. “Anyway, I don’t think that there’s anything crazy at all about it. I think that anybody could have a fated mate that they are truly capable of loving for the rest of their lives. It can be hard to find them but once you do, you shouldn’t let them go.”

“Well, that is a nice way to look at it,” Jackson said, nodding at Rhett. “I wish it was easier to find the one you are meant to be with, if that’s the case. In fact, if that’s the way it is, why make it so hard to find? Why not make it easier to get through the bullshit and find the one that can make you happy?”

Rhett paused for a moment as he considered this. “I guess it’s because if it was that simple, maybe you wouldn’t appreciate everything you had to do to get there and love each other the same way. I’m not sure. Plus, it’s a learning experience. All the things that are most worthwhile, you end up having to work for and earn. You have to earn the right to take care of someone else. I guess maybe that’s why it can be so tough. But I am willing to wait it out.”

As he spoke the words, Rhett couldn’t help but wonder how true they were. After all, he had nearly lost his dedication when he met Mia. She wasn’t a descendant. She wasn’t even a potential. And yet, he was consumed with her. She hadn’t left his thoughts since they had met. And it was more than obvious that she wasn’t his fated one. How could she be? She was nothing but a human.

“Looks like my ex-wife is here,” Jackson said as a large white car pulled up beside them. “It was good meeting you, man. I would love to hear more about your thoughts on this. Give me a call sometime.”

Jackson pulled out a card and handed it to Rhett, who quickly pocketed it and shook his hand again. “Sounds great.”

“See you later,” Jackson said, climbing into the car with his ex-wife. Rhett studied her curiously, wondering what it was that had led someone as seemingly down to earth as Jackson to sway him into believing that she was meant to be with him and that they should spawn a life into the world.

But the car sped away before too long, leaving Rhett standing there with the distinct thought of Mia circling his head. Maybe it was easier than one might think to fall into the trap of believing that someone who wasn’t good for you at all might actually end up being someone you could spend the rest of your life with. It could happen to anyone. Because, frankly, human women were confusing and the signals they gave off could apparently drive men crazy. If Jackson’s attraction to his ex-wife was anything like Rhett’s attraction to Mia, then no, it would be far too difficult for him to refuse such a thing. Especially without the knowledge and willpower of a dragon shifter.

Poor Jackson.

Rhett forced the thoughts away and looked down at his watch, thinking deeply about the strange incident at the lodge and hoping he would be able to seek out some resolution from it. If it turned out that Mia and the others were in danger, he would have to eliminate the threat as soon as possible.

Rhett prowled around the area, his hackles raising as he investigated the neighborhood, shrouded in darkness and mystery. He could sense something strange being off but there was nothing that he could sense was out of place. What was he doing there? What was going on?

A sudden buzz caused him to startle and Rhett scowled, shoving his hand into his pocket and pulling out his phone. “Yeah?” he answered irritably, expecting it to be Gavin.

“Mr. Gregory! I am so glad I was able to get a hold of you at this hour. This is Andrea Smalls, from the speed dating service. I know it is probably a bit soon for you to decide on your perfect match, but you have had quite a number of women interested in you.”

Rhett grunted in response, his eyes darting around the darkened alleyway he was walking through, hoping to sense some kind of danger. But there was nothing.

“I couldn’t help but notice, though, there was only one woman you were interested in, Rhett.”

Rhett paused, a small flush heating his cheeks. Why had Gavin made him do that stupid speed dating event anyway? Now, he was all embarrassed and awkward.

“Did you know that one of the women who was interested in you is the only person you showed an interest in?”

Rhett frowned. “Really?”

She hadn’t seemed all that impressed with him by the end of the night. He had realized his error pretty quickly, but by then, it was already too late and she was off flirting it up with other men who were better at being human than he was.

“Yes,” Andrea said. “And if you would like, we can set up a private date between the two of you at a prime and romantic location. I know that whether this turns out to be something special or not, most people are more upset at themselves for not taking the chance to find out.”

Rhett let out a deep sigh and emerged from the alley, still checking for any signs of danger. His eyes rested on the lodge down the street, over the hill, and he remembered the intense connection he had felt when Mia had taken the photograph from him. She had dropped it before she had left, and he hadn’t known what else to do.

“I don’t know…”

“Mr. Gregory, with all due respect, there really is no point in you having spent all this money on our service only to refuse the possibility of connecting with the woman that seemed a good fit for you. Part of our fee was in arranging this gettogether. It will be all-expenses paid and you are guaranteed to have a good time, whether with each other or not. It will be worth your while. I promise.”

Rhett groaned inwardly. He knew that the others wanted him to experience the event in its entirety. And that he still had a lot to learn about dating before he met his perfect match. While Mia might not have been dragon shifter blood or a Loni hybrid, she was still the only person he had an interest in talking to. And if he had to be stuck practicing dating with anyone, it might as well be with someone interesting, right?

“Fine. I guess,” Rhett finally answered. “Whatever.”

“Great! We will be in touch with you about the details as soon as we confirm with Mia.”

“Wait. She hasn’t even confirmed yet?”

Rhett snorted. That was a joke. They would probably have a hell of a time getting her to agree to something like this. Why even call him about it in the first place?

“Well, not yet, but she will. I am sure of it! Just leave the matchmaking to us, Mr. Gregory. We will make sure that everything is taken care of!”

“All right,” Rhett said with a low sigh. “Whatever you say.”

“Great! Have an amazing night, Mr. Gregory! We will be in touch soon!”

“Great,” Rett mumbled. “Looking forward to that.”

His sarcasm seemed to be lost on the cheerful woman and she hung up, leaving Rhett alone in the street, his mind suddenly off the potential dangers and completely consumed with Mia.