6.

 

“Something feels really weird about all this,” Max said, looking around the underground base they had been working hard to put together. “I know it’s probably what is necessary to keep all of the artifacts safe, but doesn’t it seem like it makes it more vulnerable to have them all in one spot?”

“I don’t know what else we are supposed to do about it,” Gavin said. “We need to make sure that whatever negativity has been lurking around here isn’t going to affect the safety of the sacred objects. We have a moral obligation to ensure their safety. I know it seems like a bad idea, but it’s probably worse to just leave them out in the open where anybody could grab them, right?”

“I suppose so,” Max said thoughtfully. “At least there will be some security. What do you think, Norris?”

Norris had barely been paying attention. All he could really think about was the car ride he had shared with Lisa that morning. He had been so pleasantly surprised to hear her voice on the other end of the phone when she had called to ask him to pick her up and take her to work.

That elation hadn’t even wavered after she had shut him down and more or less told him what a loser he was for coming on so strongly. She had practically told him off, letting him know she wasn’t interested in him at all and that he was being creepy by saying anything about their meeting being fated.

As amusing as it was, there was also some part of him that was deeply unhappy because of it. He wanted so badly to be able to call her his own. It seemed impossible, but there had to be a way to get her to come around.

Maybe if he explained the entire situation to her, she would be able to understand better. He knew it was important for the shifters to maintain their secrecy, but what if one of the sacred mates was on the line? Wouldn’t it be better to be honest with her and secure the union as opposed to deceiving her and not being as open and honest about the situation as possible?

Besides, some humans already had a prior knowledge basis about shifters existing in the world. Sure, most of them weren’t aware that there were any Dragon shifters per se, but wolf and bear shifters had been rumored among those out west further. Maybe it was about time he told her exactly what was going on. How would she be able to resent him for that? Especially, when she was part of something so significant herself without even realizing it.

“What?” Norris asked, looking up at Max, his eyes cloudy as he tried to figure out the best course of action to take with Lisa. “I don’t know. It’s good to have everything safe, right? At least security will give it all a chance to stay safe if there is some kind of altercation, right? The universe is full of people who are out to destroy the shifter magic that keeps us all alive and powerful. You never know who might be out there.”

The answer seemed to satisfy Max enough to drop the subject, and he nodded, turning back to Gavin.

“That’s probably true. It just really makes me nervous. What if it’s infiltrated and everything is taken at once? We will be at square one.”

“Well then, we can make another bunker,” Gavin said, sighing in exasperation. “You know that this took us a long time to build and secure the one we have already. But it’s not impossible to make another one.”

“Well, you are the mastermind at work here, Gavin,” Max said, giving the man’s shoulder a friendly punch. “I trust your judgment implicitly. I just want to make sure that if anything happens, we are not going to be completely screwed over. This is everything we have left of home, you know? It would be devastating to lose it all in one foul swoop.”

“I understand your concerns,” Gavin said. “But really, one base is all you need. If you make it secure enough, then it won’t matter. This is the place where you’re going to want to keep everything.”

“That’s the key there, though, isn’t it?” Max said. “I know you’re incredibly intelligent and all, but I just really don’t feel comfortable with the inferior technology from Earth to protect something this important. There really could never be enough security here for me to believe that everything is going to be okay and turn out safe and sound if our location is compromised.”

“But it really wouldn’t just be reliant on Earth’s technology. It’s a little bit insulting for you to imply that the only security here is just going to be the inferior technology of Earth,” Gavin said, his face setting in determination and frustration. “There will be round-the-clock surveillance. We will have Dragon shifters posted to stand guard twenty-four hours a day. We will take turns. Have different shifts. Norris has already volunteered to take the first week. Haven’t you, Norris?”

Again, Norris was lost in thought and had hardly been paying attention to the conversation. “What? Yeah, sure Gavin. Whatever you say.”

Gavin shook his head and sighed. He knew exactly what was on Norris’ mind, but he was staying true to his word and wasn’t going to bring it up in front of Max.

“Well, I guess it will do for now,” Max said. “At least until we have another base underway. To borrow a human phrase, I don’t want to keep all our eggs in one basket, you know?”

“Yes, Max. I understand. But this is all we have available for right now. It’s just going to have to do. I know it isn’t exactly as top of the line as what we might find back home, but at least we will know where everything is at all times and it won’t be lost in the clutter and confusion of the house or at the cabin.”

“Speaking of that,” Max said. “How is the tunnel system coming along? It’s really important that we have easy access to these things in case we should need them. We can’t just be flying around over Brookside in our Dragon forms in the event of an emergency. We have to be able to get here quickly, as dragons, in case something is going wrong.”

“The tunnels are in progress,” Gavin replied. “I know you have been out of the loop for a couple of weeks, but things are coming along well. We have to be really careful while constructing them. I have been researching a lot about the zoning laws and all the electrical grids and different things the humans keep underground here. It is fairly complicated, but I have faith that, before long, we are going to have everything set up and put in place exactly as it’s meant to be. Then it will be no more cause for concern. We have one makeshift tunnel underway already, as you’ve seen. But other routes are not completely ready yet.”

“That’s perfect. I know we have a few channels made already. But nothing ready that leads here, which is probably the most important place of all. I hope we can start getting to work on that soon.”

“It’s already in progress. I can have the men refuse jobs for the next few days and say we are going on holiday or something. A vacation. That will give them the time to start securing the tunnels for transportation’s sake. How does that sound?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear. Thanks, Gavin.”

Gavin nodded and sighed subtly. Norris glanced up at his friend, suddenly feeling a little bit concerned for him. He put in a lot of work and was always the go-to for anything of strategic or intellectual concern. It had to be a little bit overwhelming, even if it was his strength. But there was nothing to be done about it. Each of them were overwhelmed in their own right. Gavin was simply the brains of the operation and that had to be how things went, whether he liked it or not. Things would calm down eventually. Hopefully.

“Well,” Max said with a heavy sigh. “I’m going to get out of here for now. I will come back in a few days to check up on things. I have to make sure everything is going well. My daughter is about to start kindergarten. It’s all very overwhelming. I had no idea just how many hoops we would have to go through to get her registered. I’m honestly thinking about homeschooling. I don’t want her to be in the public education system with all of this negative energy of unknown origins floating around.”

“I think homeschooling really would be a good option,” Gavin said, nodding. “Then we could start teaching all of our children, the Golden children as the enemies may call them, the things that will truly matter to them in their lives, considering the complicated times we are living in. We aren’t going to have the academy available to them the way it was to us. We have to bring it to them. This would be a good excuse and opportunity.”

Max nodded thoughtfully and turned away, heading out toward the exit. “I think that might be what we do. All this is starting to make me really nervous. I want to protect my family first and foremost. And protect the magic that keeps us who we are. Shifters. That’s really the most important thing. After protecting our families, of course.”

Gavin and Norris were silent as Max made his way out, each of them lost in their own trains of thought. Norris couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if he were to have a child like Max’s. The sacred children were not fragile by any means, but they were very special. It was important to keep them safe and as far away from danger as possible.

And with all the negativity in the world right now, especially those actively seeking out the Golden children to destroy shifter magic, it almost seemed cruel to be on the lookout for his fated one only to bring another child who would ultimately be endangered into the world. Why couldn’t they be doing something like this on their own planet, where Dragon shifters were understood and respected and encouraged to grow? Why did it have to all happen in hiding like this?

But Norris’ faith in fate was unshakable. He was not going to start questioning it now, just because things were getting a little bit rough. Sure, he missed being at home, and he missed all the luxuries that had been awarded to them as part of the nobility, but he had to follow his intuition and assume everything was happening as it was for the purpose. And an important purpose at that.

Once Max had left, Gavin turned to Norris with a knowing look. “You really can’t stop thinking about that girl, can you?”

North looked down at his hands sheepishly and shrugged. “She isn’t just any girl, Gavin. She is my fated mate. You know that.”

“Yeah, that’s what you’ve been telling me. But did you get to use the device yet? I’m really curious to see if she is going to help us to bring our mission forward.”

“No, I only saw her for about half an hour to drop her off at work. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since. I wish I would have thought to bring the device with me. Then I would be able to throw it in your face that my intuition is better than yours.”

Norris laughed quietly, and Gavin joined him. “You know I only trust facts and statistics and calculations. Feelings are great, but they are just that. It is flawed and fallible to trust a feeling without any logical reason to do so. It really doesn’t make any sense to me,” Gavin said, shaking his head. “We are not computers or machines who are programmed to make the right calculations every single time. You know how it can be. Sometimes, there is just no telling what’s going to happen. Maybe we will fall for the wrong person. Maybe we can be confused and disillusioned and sometimes, even delusional. You never really know. That’s why I just want to know what the machine says about the girl you met.”

“While I understand your perspective perfectly, the machine has been known to be wrong as well,” Norris pointed out quickly. Gavin’s smile returned, and he shrugged halfheartedly. “Yeah, because of mechanical bugs to be worked out. You can’t really go into somebody’s mind and work out mechanical bugs that have caused an idea to take place. Especially, when it happens to be the wrong idea. People defend that. They think it means something even when it doesn’t. They will hold onto the poor excuse for an idea or opinion until they die, because they have in mind to do so. It just doesn’t make sense to me. I guess I’m far too logical for my own good. Maybe that’s why I haven’t found my fated mate yet.”

There was a small twinge of sadness in Gavin’s voice and Norris looked up sharply at his friend.

“Hey, don’t be too hard on yourself. It can be really tough out there to find the right person. And you have been so busy worrying about getting everybody else finding their happy endings that you haven’t even begun to focus on yourself. Once you do, I think you’re going to be the happiest of us all. And you’re going to see just what it feels like to trust your intuition for once as opposed to only thinking about logic and facts. Love doesn’t always make sense.”

Gavin shook his head sadly and looked back down at the mess of machinery in front of them.

“I’m not sure that is ever going to happen. But it’s okay either way. I don’t mind.”

He said the last part quickly as if to convince himself just as much as Norris. “Anyway, how did things go with the girl when you drove her to work? Did you get any more intuitions or feelings?” Gavin laughed. “I may not put much stock in those things, but it doesn’t mean I don’t believe they can happen. I’m more fascinated by them than disbelieving, because I don’t feel that I would ever be in a position to experience something like that. My mind is far too technical.”

“I think it’s going to happen for you one day,” Norris said with a slow nod. “And when it does, you’re going to probably think you’re crazy at first, but you will also end up being really happy.”

“Thanks,” Gavin said quietly, sitting down with a sigh. He cast a furtive look around the bunker. It still had a lot of work to be done, and Norris could practically hear the gears rolling to work as Gavin took it all in and made plans to address the things that needed changes made.

“You’re welcome. Of course. Anyway, things went okay. She doesn’t seem to like me very much, though.”

Gavin chuckled and shrugged lightly. “That seems to be kind of a common theme. Romance is never easy. You know that already. We watched all of those movies about it, remember? To research how the code of conduct of dating on Earth is?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know what to do about it. It feels really important that I convince her of the truth as soon as possible. It’s important. Not only for me, but for shifter magic in general. And maybe, it would improve her life too, to know that she has someone out there who is fated to care for her. Don’t you think so?”

“I never know what is going on in a woman’s head,” Gavin said. “Maybe that is why I focus so much on logic and things that have clear-cut and defined answers. I’m really not cut out for mind games or anything that isn’t really abiding by laws of an intellectual nature. Romance really isn’t my thing. That’s why I really haven’t minded leaving it to you guys. I’m not entirely convinced that I’m never going to find somebody.”

At this point, Gavin’s tone was not self-deprecating or self-pitying, but matter-of-fact. Maybe people like Gavin didn’t find purpose through relationships. Maybe his purpose was to help them along and make sure everything went according to plan. It was impossible to say, so instead of pushing the matter any further, Norris decided to change the train of thought.

“So, the device is working better now?” Norris asked, his eyes scanning over the rows of shelves that were lined with gadgets from his home planet. It was both comforting and distressing to be in this underground space with Gavin. It had been a long time since he had allowed himself to be surrounded so completely by the technologies from the world where he was from. It made him sorely miss being back home, though all at the same time, it filled him with a strange but almost imperceptible sense of resentment.

Why had they banished him? The group hadn’t done anything wrong. By now, it was certain to come to light that everything had been a conspiracy and there had truly not been any crime committed in his name or in the names of any of the other Dragon shifters that had been banished with him. They were all innocent.

So why was it that this was happening to them? Why couldn’t he just go home? Why was it that Gavin was so insistent that Earth really wasn’t all that terrible and they were home now? Norris was royalty. He belonged to his people. Not on some planet so far away from everything that he had been raised to know and love. This was never going to be his home. Never.

“Yes, the device works almost flawlessly at this point. I would hope, anyway. The real test will be if you use it on the woman that you are infatuated with and bring back the results. If it turns out that it is true, and we get positive results from the blood test, then I will know for sure that all the bugs have been worked out of the system.”

“So, it isn’t just that you are worried about my inferior sense of intuition. You also want to make sure your intellect has completely managed to work out all the kinks in the system for the device. I see how it is.”

Gavin’s lips curled at the corners in response to Norris’ teasing. “That may or may not have something to do with it, I will admit. I really need to make sure I haven’t lost my touch. I have been a little bit concerned. It’s hard being so limited in technological resources. A lot of the stuff down here has been preserved the best I can preserve it, but there is really something to be said for the lack of magic on this planet. It is honestly creating quite a bit of interference. I don’t know how much longer I will be able to work with these things without getting them recharged somehow.”

“Interference?” Norris asked, raising his brow in concern. These devices were supposed to help the Dragon shifters stay in touch with their roots so they weren’t completely helpless on Earth. What was going to happen if they stopped working?

“Yes, interference. There is something in the way. Blocking a lot of the transmitters. Many of these devices aren’t working the way they are meant to. It is disheartening,” Gavin said, looking with tenderness at the machines surrounding him. They were both like his toys and his best friends. It was sad to see him so concerned. And if Gavin was concerned, it meant Norris should be concerned too.

“Is there any way to fix that?” Norris asked.

“Not that I can think of, except in putting them back where they belong. I fear it is a sign that the magic keeping the shifter blood lines healthy is waning. We are losing more potentially sacred Lonis than we are gaining, and without that magic in the fabric of the universe, it is really starting to take a toll. Especially, somewhere like Earth. The sun on our planet provides a lot of our strength, but Earth’s sun doesn’t really work the same way…”

“Isn’t a sun just a sun?” Norris asked, though he had a knot in his stomach. He knew there was more to it than that.

“No, there is far more to it than that,” Gavin said, echoing his thought exactly. “There is a reason humans have a hard time believing in magic, even when it is right in front of them. It has a lot to do with the sun and the way things are structured. It will always be different here because the sun carries light with it, but not vision. What is light without sight?”

Norris was quiet as he considered this. It went a bit beyond him. He had been trained in many other ways, but Gavin was the one who understood the nature of magic the best out of all of them. That was probably why he had been put in charge of so many things.

“So, it’s the sun that’s breaking the machines?” Norris asked, suddenly feeling very dumb and childish with his simple questions.

“There is a lot to it, really, and not a lot of solutions. The most feasible is one that is also the least feasible.”

“What?”

Gavin sighed. “I wish there was a way to take them back to Fiora, even if just for a few moments. I think being deprived of the magic of our planet’s atmosphere is having negative effects on the metals the machines are made of. They are…rusting…I guess. For lack of a better term. There is something about this planet that is really destructive to some of the primary elements they are made up of.”

“We need more of the sacred children,” Norris said softly, the urgency of convincing Lisa of her place as his fated mate coming back. He had to help her understand. It was for the good of everyone. And if there was so little magic in the universe that even these simple machines were affected by it, wouldn’t it only be a matter of time before they lost their shifter powers completely? Especially, if the negative energy readings Gavin had been picking up on meant the sun children were being targeted even more aggressively now.

“We need to eliminate the threat of evil that is plaguing them and that made this bunker necessary in the first place,” Gavin countered. “I’m going to start investigating; I have a few points of interest already scouted out. I have a feeling that we are going to find a whole slew of bad guys out there sometime soon. We just have to stay alert. Make sure to keep an eye out. If anything seems strange or suspicious, it probably is.”

“All right, Gavin. You got it.”

Gavin nodded, seemingly relieved by the acknowledgment of his efforts. The poor guy was seriously overworked. Maybe instead of simply taking Lisa out on a date, Norris would take out a bunch of the other Dragon shifters to the new club. Anything that had to do with dragons had to be good, right? Something about this event stirred something within him and made him feel as if there was some sort of mystical element to it, even though the club probably belonged to some oblivious human. Why not include the others in as well? It was going to be fun. It was going to be nice to be able to surprise them with a night out and set everything up so that they could just relax together for once. There had to be a way.

Norris grinned at Gavin with his new plan fresh in his mind, very pleased with himself about the idea of allowing Gavin a chance to relax. Everybody was finding happiness left and right, but Gavin seemed to be the only one left out. Maybe this would help him take his mind off things. And if nothing else, it would be fun to see what it was like to get the guy a little drunk.

“All right, well, I’m going to get out of here,” Norris said, his mind wandering back to Lisa. He had to find a way to get her to see him again. Maybe he had actually laid things on far too thick. Maybe it was bad that he had told her to believe in fate. But truth be told, he didn’t regret it, and if it was a mistake, he knew the universe would help them to sort things out eventually. It would have to.

 

7.

 

“You don’t believe in fate, and yet, here you are.”

The silky rumble of Norris’ voice suddenly shocked Lisa’s senses and she turned around, lowering the arm she had been using in an effort to hail a taxi cab. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she gazed out in disbelief at the ridiculously attractive man coming toward her.

“Norris? What are you doing here?”

It seemed a silly question. She was leaving the mall and still didn’t have a car yet. Clearly, he had been shopping. She had been doing the same. Fortunately, she had been paid her first check for her training period and could afford to grab a cab.

“I was just in the neighborhood,” Norris said, smiling broadly at her. He was holding a ridiculously large drink from the movie theater in the mall and smiled at her, showing her its contents. Pure coke syrup. What the hell?

“Well, it’s a good thing you’re here,” Lisa murmured, trying to slow the racing of her heart from the surprise of his pleasant, masculine voice. “Your insurance company still hasn’t given me any transportation to work with. Maybe you should give them a call.”

Norris frowned, then looked at her hand. “That’s not right. I will call them again. You were going to take a cab home?”

“Yes,” Lisa said quietly. “I have no other options. But I had to come here to get a new pair of shoes for work now that I was able to cash my check.”

“Why don’t you let me take you to dinner. Then I will take you home,” Norris said, his silver eyes peering playfully at her from behind the straw of his huge drink. “You look like you could use a good meal. I’m sure things have been hard on you.”

Lisa sighed inwardly. He really didn’t know the half of it, though it was nice to hear him acknowledge that much at least.

“That depends on where you’re going,” she finally said. Why refuse a free meal? He was right. Things had been really tough lately. She had only been paid for her training period this week, and it was going to take a while before things really got rolling.

“Lady’s choice,” Norris said graciously, taking her by the elbow to lead her gently to the parking lot of the mall, where his car was parked not even twenty feet away. It gave her a strange sensation. Fate? Was it even possible?

No, that was silly. It couldn’t possibly be anything like that. That was ridiculous.

“There’s a good place around the corner,” Lisa said, unable to resist the man’s gentle guidance. She had been secretly longing to see him again. There was something about him that drew her in. If his mannerisms were insincere then it was probably just his looks, but she couldn’t help but think that maybe there was something more to him than what she had been fearing.

But still, she had to be on her guard. She wasn’t going to let anything serious happen. She couldn’t have any actual feelings for him. He was probably just trying to play her, so he wouldn’t have to deal with a lawsuit against his stupid moving company.

“Oh, are you talking about Jimmy’s? I love it there.”

Lisa was surprised that a man who dressed like Norris would be able to eat at such an under sung restaurant in his fancy clothes, but when she turned to study his silver eyes, she could tell he was being genuine. How strange…

“I am, actually. It sounds really good right now. Are you paying?”

Normally, she wouldn’t be so forward, but the last thing she needed was to sit down to a nice meal and find that she couldn’t even afford it. Not only would it be embarrassing, but it would irritate her to no end to have a guy like Norris swooping in to make her think she was being treated only to run off if he sensed she didn’t have any romantic interest in him whatsoever. Hopefully, he already knew that, but if he wanted to delude himself with talk of fate, who was she to stop him?

“Of course,” Norris said, stopping mid stride to look down at her with a look that clearly read she was ridiculous for suggesting otherwise. “And afterward, we are going to the rental agency and getting a car for you to use until the insurance company straightens things out.”

A wave of relief flooded Lisa and she inhaled deeply. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have this guy around after all. At least not today. Just because he was being kind to her now didn’t mean she owed him, either. Hopefully, he knew that. And if he was simply doing these things because he believed it was going to help him stay safe from persecution, he had another thing coming. She could ruin his business in a heartbeat and be set for life.

But when she looked at him, humming quietly to himself in his snug, expensive suit, sipping at his coke syrup, a strange wave of compassion nearly brought her to tears. Why did she want to hurt this man so much? Maybe he was genuinely a nice person who just wanted to make her feel better about her bad situation. What if she had him all wrong? There was no way of knowing.

All she could do was remain on the alert. He had been pretty overbearing in the car when he had driven her to work. It had unnerved her enough to try to convince Tammy to pick her up for work during the following week, so she could get a ride without having to rely on him, despite the fact that it meant she had to wait outside the building for three hours before it opened.

If nothing else, at least this way she didn’t have to worry about losing her job. She wasn’t going to take any unnecessary risks. It was very important to her to be able to maintain her career. It was something she felt she had waited her entire life for, and nobody, especially not some cocky crazy person, was going to change that.

Regardless, it was going to be very helpful to be able to rely on some form of transportation until things were straightened out. Lisa really didn’t know what to expect when it came to the insurance companies, but she knew she was tired of being screwed over and if she did end up pursuing a lawsuit, she was definitely going to bring this up in court.

“They have the best buns,” Norris said suddenly.

Lisa looked at him in surprise and confusion. “Buns?”

“Yes, buns. Their buns are amazing. I wish I could just buy a whole bag of them and take them home with me. Then I would never need to come here again.”

Norris had pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and was looking at her expectantly. What in the world was the deal with this man? Drinking coke syrup and eating buns? Why?

“Do you have some sort of disorder or something?” Lisa blurted, clapping her mouth shut quickly as soon as the words spilled out. That was probably the rudest thing she ever said to somebody, and he looked at her in confusion as he considered the question.

“No, I don’t think so. I’m just a normal guy.”

But the way he said it didn’t sound entirely convincing, not even to himself. Normal guy? What normal guy referred to himself as a normal guy? There was definitely something going on here. And she was going to get to the bottom of it.

“If you say so,” Lisa said, shaking her head slowly.

Norris smiled. “Actually, there is something I wanted to talk to you about, but I’m going to wait until we have food in us before I drop that bombshell.”

Oh no. Bombshell? Why did she feel like this was probably going to be some horrible and defining moment in the relationship? But she was like a deer in headlights and couldn’t run away. Not when the restaurant was so close she could smell the food wafting from the open doorway. No, she was going to have to wait. She would just have to hope he didn’t turn out to be some kind of creep.

At least they would be in a public place if she had to make a quick exit.

But as she studied Norris’ handsome face, she felt another twinge of strange guilt. Why was she so suspicious of him? Was it because she didn’t trust her own instincts about this man? It was absurd of her to be so wrapped up and consumed in an attraction like this.

As much as she hated to admit it to herself, she almost wanted to believe him about fate bringing them together. Almost. Who wouldn’t want to think that a man this good looking and generous was genuinely interested in them? That fate had brought them together for a purpose greater than themselves? That maybe, somehow, for some reason, everything that had happened had happened for a reason. And they were meant to be. The attraction was legitimate and had a good foundation.

But that sort of thinking was dangerous. And he had probably planted the thought purposely as a manipulation tactic. Fated attractions? Soul mates?

No, he was probably just trying to stay on her good side. It was nothing more than that. It couldn’t be. The idea of fate was stupid and silly, and nobody would ever tell her he was making sense. In fact, they would be telling her to run in the opposite direction and never look back. Only speak to him through her lawyer. That was what she should be doing. All of this was ridiculous.

The real question was, why was she trusting him enough to actually go with him into this restaurant? What had compelled her to believe that if she got in the car with him again, she would be able to get out safely? Those were the real questions here. What was this ridiculous but innate trust she had placed in him?

Nothing about it seemed valid upon a closer examination. And yet, there she was. She was there and there was nothing that would change the fact that she had put herself into another strange situation with this stupidly attractive man. What was she going to do about that? How was she going to justify this to herself when she got home that evening and was forced to face the music?

And yet, her heart thudded involuntarily when Norris held the door open for her and smiled broadly, waiting for her to step inside. He had the most impeccable and gentlemanly mannerisms she had ever seen in a man. He was practiced, she was sure of it. Was that the sign of a serial womanizer? Or was she reading far too deeply into all of this?

“Thanks,” she mumbled, ducking into the restaurant and quickly locating her favorite table.

“Oh, you chose my favorite spot to sit,” Norris said, grinning and gesturing toward the window. “I love how you can see the skyline over there, just beyond the trees. Isn’t it beautiful?”

Why was this man seemingly so perfect? Some of it had to be an act. Men like this didn’t just fall out of the sky and tell you straight up that they were a gift from the universe. That was ridiculous. How could she ever trust someone who thought that way? Especially, after seeing firsthand just how strange he could be. He was seriously attractive, distractingly so, but that didn’t make him a good match for her. He would never really qualify as an option. Not unless she knew what kind of person he really was.

“Yeah, I like it too,” Lisa said quietly, willing her whirlwind of emotions away. “So, is the only thing you like to eat here buns?”

Norris shrugged. “I like bread a lot. Most things leave a weird taste in my mouth. Is that what you meant by a disorder?”

Lisa pursed her lips and shrugged, guilty for her quick words, picking up her menu and pretending to scan it very seriously, although every time she came in here she ordered the exact same thing. It was her favorite. “Sure.”

“Well, it’s nothing that really impacts my life too seriously. A lot of people think I have a strange palate, but I don’t really think it means there is anything in particular wrong with my appetite. In fact, I would guess that’s to be expected when you’re raised the way I was.”

Lisa looked up sharply, caught in the intense silver rays of Norris’ eyes. “And just exactly how were you raised?” she asked. The question had been burning on her mind for quite a while now. He was so peculiar. There had to be a reason for it.

“I was not raised in Brookside. In fact, I really am not from around here. I am not a local. Maybe that comes as a surprise to you, but most people seem to be able to tell for some reason or another. Which I guess is fine,” Norris laughed uncomfortably. Apparently, standing out bothered him, though he didn’t want to say as much. “I don’t really have to fit in. In fact, I shouldn’t. This is not my home. And I think it is okay for everyone to know and understand that about me. Maybe then they would be more understanding of the fact that I am not going to do things the same way everybody else does.”

“Where were you raised?” Lisa asked, unable to hold back her curiosity.

Norris was about to answer when he was interrupted by a friendly, bubbly waitress who took their orders and then disappeared quickly. Lisa had nearly forgotten the topic of conversation until Norris caught her eye again and said, with his face completely deadpan, “I’m from another planet.”

“Another planet?” Lisa let out a soft, abrupt laugh. That was a good one. “No, really. Where were you born?”

“No, really. I am not from Earth. This is not my home. Actually, I’m not even a human.”

Norris was gazing at her seriously, his silver eyes unrelenting.

“Well, that explains a lot,” Lisa said with a laugh, her discomfort reaching a whole new level. “So, you are new to the planet then. An alien.”

What. The. Hell.

“No, I’m not a little green man or anything. Actually, I’m a Dragon shifter.”

Lisa fell silent as she studied Norris, her face distorted in an effort to try and figure out whether he was being genuine. She looked away finally, after noting that Norris’ expression hadn’t changed a bit. It was becoming clear he believed the things he was saying to her, and as much as she hoped he wasn’t being serious, Lisa had the uncomfortable feeling that he was.

“A Dragon shifter? Really? I’ve never heard of that.”

“Yes. I can change into a Dragon.”

Lisa did her best to keep her expression even and stared at Norris silently. Okay, so this man was bat shit crazy. She should have known. As soon as he started talking about fate, she should have known to get as far away from him as possible. This was insane. She was in danger every time she spoke to this man. Who knew what he might be capable of?

And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to get up and pull away from his gaze. He looked so sincere that it nearly made her want to hold and protect him. Or, more ridiculously, believe him.

But to believe him would make her crazy, too. And that thought made her panic. Why was it that crazy people didn’t realize they were crazy? And it became everybody else’s problem while they lived in a little delusional world and happily went on with their lives, fully believing they were whatever their delusions said they were? Why was Norris’ crazy now her problem? None of this seemed fair.

And it wasn’t until this point that she realized that maybe she had been counting on his declarations of fate to possibly ring true. She wasn’t just afraid. There was some small, secret hope buried deep within her that now felt outrageously disappointed.

“I’m not surprised that you have never heard of a Dragon shifter,” Norris said, his tone and disposition as friendly as ever. “We are not very common, even in the grander scheme of the universe. Especially not somewhere like Earth. This is not a very sustainable environment for my kind.”

“Your kind…I mean, no, we don’t have a lot of Dragon habitats,” Lisa said, unable to keep the sharp bite out of her voice. She couldn’t believe her luck lately. How did things always manage to go from bad to worse?

“I know you are probably a little bit surprised, but if you have any questions, you can tell me whatever is on your mind. I will be receptive and try to help you understand as best as I can.”

Norris beamed and took one of the sugar packets on the table. He opened it and poured it into his mouth, then smiled as he chewed. Lisa gaped at him, overwhelmed by the sheer absurdity of it all.

“Did you forget to take your medication or something today?” Lisa asked, her face ashen as she studied the handsome man across from her. Why was it that so many ridiculous men were attracted to her? It could never just be a nice, sweet normal guy. There was always something. An addiction, a bad personality, entitlement…But this one really topped them all. A Dragon shifter? Really? That was genuinely insane.

“I don’t take any medications,” Norris said, quirking his brow in confusion. “Actually, where I come from, I’m considered one of the most well-adjusted and healthy shifters. I am quite a notorious man out there. My family is nobility. They are not supposed to dabble with any chemical substances that might change the structure of who we are on a fundamental level. It’s forbidden.”

“Maybe that’s the problem,” Lisa said, wishing she wasn’t in a booth so she could push her seat back and somehow find herself further away from Norris. Wow. She really had not been expecting this one. When he had said bombshell, he hadn’t been kidding.

“That really isn’t the problem at all. But the problem is that nobody ever seems to be able to accept reality at face value. And I’m sure this is information that is going to take some time to adjust to. But I’m patient. And I’m willing to take all the time you need,” Norris said, his voice gentle and soothing. Almost condescending. “Don’t worry, I know this is difficult, but it’s going to be okay. You’re going to see, soon enough, that my words ring true.”

“I think the only thing that is going to ring true to me is the fact that you are completely out of your mind,” Lisa said, laughing and shaking her head. She wished she hadn’t already ordered. It was too late now, she felt committed. Especially, since her stomach was growling seriously at the thought of getting her food and she really needed the rental car.

And honestly, part of her really wished it was safe to be romantically interested in Norris. “No offense, but you knew this was going to throw me for a loop. Maybe it is something that will require a bit of time for me to think on.”

There was also a small, tiny fraction of her mind that was entertaining the possibility that maybe…possibly… he was telling the truth. She had heard stories all her life about the Wolf and the Bear shifters out west. Why was a Dragon shifter any different?

No, she couldn’t try and rationalize all of this. Of course, it was different. Because it was absolute and utter bullshit. It was insane. She couldn’t just let some delusional guy waltz her around Brookside and expect her to accept his delusions like this. He had told her she was his fated soulmate person and then went on to say that, in reality, he was some weird scaly monster with wings. All of this was absurd, and she didn’t have to stay here and take it.

And yet, she just couldn’t bring herself to walk away, no matter how ridiculous it seemed. What was it about this guy that drew her in so much? Why couldn’t she just walk away? Did she have low self-esteem or something? Or was she just listening to a strange part of herself that she usually ignored? A part of her that liked to remain silent? Was it even trustworthy if that were the case?

“I’m not out of my mind,” Norris reassured her. “I’m not out of anything. Except my home planet. And I miss it terribly. It would be nice to have a friend. Or somebody that I can talk to about home. I want to be able to be myself and be honest. I’m sick of hiding. I know the others are going to be angry at me for revealing my secret you, but if they understood my predicament, I believe they will forgive me in time.”

“There are others?” Lisa asked, her blue eyes now wide as she took in the peculiarly attractive features of the man across from her. He seemed sad, as if he genuinely believed he was an outcast on Earth from another planet. And that made her sad too.

“Yes, there are others. I consider them my brothers, though we are not related on our home planet. It’s just that we are most like family as anyone ever could be on Earth. We have the same values, and the same way of life. We were raised the same way. The same lifestyle. It’s hard to find people like us on Earth. This place is so violent. It’s quite distressing, really.”

“Brookside really isn’t all that bad, Norris. There are many places on Earth that are far, far worse,” Lisa said, studying Norris as her mind struggled to comprehend all he had just told her. He genuinely believed he lived among a group of other Dragon shifters. What was it, a cult? And he thought he was royalty. All of this was ridiculous. Why was she still trying to engage in conversation with him? All the burgers and rental cars in the world wouldn’t make up for it if she found herself so deeply entangled with a crazy person that she couldn’t get back out.

“Please don’t call me Norris, I hate that name. It isn’t the name I was given at birth. And I do not want to go by it any more than I have to.”

“You don’t want me to call you Norris?” Lisa asked. Her mind wandered back to the first impression she had had of his name not fitting his body. Why was it that everything seemed to be stacking in favor of his theory rather than the clear fact of the matter being that he was absolutely insane?

“No, I do not want you to call me Norris. I told you. That isn’t my name. I want you of all people to call me by my real name.”

“And what is your real name?” Lisa asked, almost afraid to encourage him to entertain further delusions about his Dragon shifter ancestry. And yet, she was very curious to see whether or not the name he gave her fit him better than Norris did. What if it felt more proper?

“My name is Vash. That is the name I want to go by. I do not want to be called Norris. At least not with you. You are the one I believe I was fated to meet and spend my life with. I want you to know me by my true name.”

Lisa shook her head in disbelief. Somehow, the name Vash suited him far better than the name Norris did, but that didn’t prove anything. Maybe neither of them liked the name Norris.

“I really wish you would stop talking about me being fated to spend my life with you. It’s kind of imposing. That is something people decide together. It isn’t something that you just tell someone and expect them to do it.”

“Oh, I have no expectations of you. I just have expectations of what the universe expects from me. And what it wants for me. It wants the same for you as well.”

“And what is that?” Lisa asked, studying Norris quietly from behind the glass of water she had ordered.

“It wants us to be happy and serve our purpose. It wants us to have greater meaning in our lives, both with each other and in the family that we may create together.”

Lisa held her hands up. “Whoa. Now you’re talking about having kids? This is moving way too fast. I know so little about you. What I do know, I have to admit, I am not very impressed by. Yeah, you look really good, but I really can’t fathom anything coming of this. Especially, not knowing anything about you. It just doesn’t seem right. Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you?”

“Of course,” Norris said, another handsome smile creeping across his face. “I’m not just going to throw you over my shoulder and drag you home with me like some kind of a caveman. I’m going to let you adjust to the idea. I know it is kind of a lot to take in. If I were in your position, I would probably think I am insane. But, as it stands, I am neither insane nor are you the type to judge me too deeply for telling you the truth. In fact, I have a strong sense that you are going to respect me more for it and it is only going to enhance our relationship in the future.”

Lisa shook her head again in disbelief. He didn’t think she was judging him? If he could hear her thoughts, he would probably be very, very insulted.

And yet, there really was some aspect within her that wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. She wanted to believe what he was saying, and she wanted to be happy with him. Even if it seemed ridiculous and impossible, and it only served to make her feel as if he was insane. No matter what happened between them, there was now an undying curiosity to find out more about this man and whatever she could find out about his claims.

“Here is your food!”

Lisa was startled out of her thoughts by the cheerful voice of the optimistic waitress and soon, the usual was placed in front of her. She gazed at it quietly as she considered everything that had just happened and then sighed heavily, looking back up at Norris. When she did, she had to smile. He had been given a plate full of buns and some various dipping sauces. She hadn’t even heard him order. She had been so lost in thought.

“Well then, now that that is out of the way, let us enjoy this meal!”

Norris beamed and held up a piece of bread in the air as if to toast with it. Lisa smiled and shook her head, lifting a bite from her fork and following Norris’ lead, participating reluctantly in the toast. Whatever was going on, she was going to just have to try and roll with it. Whether she liked it or not, she was interested in this man, and whether they were romantically fated or not, here they were. All she could do was try to stay objective. She didn’t see any other option.