How to Date a Dragon

Chapter 16

“I’ll take it from here, Angie.” Drake stood next to Bliss and draped an arm over her shoulder.

Angie looked unsure about leaving and backed toward the door slowly. “Should I… call anyone?”

Bliss slipped her arm around Drake’s waist and seemed to relax. “I’m perfectly all right, Angie. Really.”

“Oookay. If you say so.”

“We both do,” Drake said.

Angie bit her bottom lip and didn’t look convinced, but she finally reached the door and turned the handle. “I’ll just go and do… something.”

“Laundry?” Bliss asked cheerfully.

“Yeah. Laundry. That’s where I was headed. I’ll see you later.”

“Hold on,” Drake said. After a brief hesitation he added, “I might need you.”

“Oh? Oh, yeah. I guess you might.”

“Could you wait in your room for a few minutes?”

“With the door closed,” Bliss said.

“Sure.” Angie gave her a funny look as she scooted around her.

For God’s sake, even if I was off my rocker, that wouldn’t be contagious.

As soon as Angie’s door closed, Drake and Bliss stared at each other.

“Poor Angie,” Bliss whispered, then sat on the couch. “What did she tell you?”

“Not much. Just that she thought you were losing your mind.”

“Is that all?”

Drake settled next to her and leaned in for a kiss. Bliss met him halfway. When their lips parted, they weren’t alone anymore.

“Vulcan,” she blustered in a loud whisper. “Will you ever learn to knock?”

“Sorry.” He disappeared.

A moment later, a knock seemed to come from the air in front of them.

Bliss rolled her eyes. “Oh, for the love of—”

“Vulcan, buddy,” Drake said, “come in.”

The god appeared in front of them again. Drake couldn’t help being amused by how easily Bliss ordered the god around and how he obeyed. She probably still didn’t know he was a god. To her, he was part of a TV-show race, and that’s how he and Vulcan wanted it to stay.

Bliss folded her arms. “What are you doing here?”

“You called me, remember?”

“Oh. That was so long ago, I’d forgotten. Where were you?”

Vulcan strolled around the living room, looking at the pictures on the walls and the books in the bookshelves. “I was engaged in a conversation with someone I couldn’t simply run out on.”

Ah, Drake thought. Mother Nature, most likely.

“Did you locate Zina?” Bliss asked.

“No.” Vulcan addressed Drake. “Did she locate you?”

“No. I made myself plenty visible too. Hung out right in front of the bar.”

Bliss rubbed his arm. “So that’s how Angie found you so fast.”

“Yeah. Why did she think you had lost your marbles?”

Bliss blew her bangs out of her eyes and hesitated. At last, she admitted. “She read my diary.”

“You keep a diary?” Drake asked.

“Not really. It’s just a little notepad I use when I get ideas for cards. This was the first time I actually used it as a diary.”

Vulcan raised an eyebrow. “And what did she read?”

Bliss grimaced. “Look, I needed to talk about all the craziness of late, but I couldn’t. I swore I’d never tell anyone, um… other things existed, and certainly not that I had one of them for a boyfriend. But after Drake’s little confession the other night, I was a bit unsettled.”

Drake rubbed her back. “That’s putting it mildly.”

Vulcan paced with his hands clasped behind his back. “I understand, but how did your roommate discover it?”

“She went into my room to see if I had any laundry she could do for me. She’s always trying to be the perfect roommate—unfortunately. I think she misses the close friendship she had with her old roomie and wants us to become just as tight.”

“She seems to be quite considerate,” Drake said. “I don’t see that as unfortunate. Well, except in this case.”

“True. I tried to tell her it was all a dream and I’d jotted it down before I forgot the details. I figured she’d think I was going to tell you later so we could laugh about it.”

Drake took her hand. “That was smart. Why didn’t she believe you?”

“Because in the diary, I said I wished it was a dream, but it wasn’t. So, now she thinks I’m crazy.”

“Hmmm…” Vulcan seemed deep in thought. Hopefully he had an idea that could undo the damage. “Drake. You should tell Anthony about this.”

Bliss shot to her feet. “Anthony? Why should he tell my boss? Do you want to get me fired?”

“Not at all. I think he might be able to help.”

Drake rose and held Bliss’s shoulders. “He knows how to hypnotize people. He could make Angie forget the whole thing.”

Bliss raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

“Yeah. Just one problem… He never arrives before seven and Angie’s shift will start a couple hours before that. Do you think she could keep quiet about it until he gets there?”

Bliss sighed. “Probably not. I sure wouldn’t.”

“Who would you tell?” Drake asked.

“Claudia. But she’s my friend. That’s how I got the job. Maybe Angie could be convinced to avoid worrying her and go straight to Anthony.”

Drake thought it over and realized it was risky, but it might work. “If I could convince her to talk to the big boss privately in his office, she’d be right there so he can… do his thing. I can call him first and explain.”

“How? Won’t he wonder why I was writing crazy stuff in my journal?”

Damn. How do I tell her Anthony knows about me? I sure can’t tell her that Anthony is a vamp and knows about everyone who frequents his paranormal bar. He decided to go with partial honesty. He’d stop short of blowing the identities of the other patrons. It wasn’t his right to reveal that information anyway.

“Bliss, honey, Anthony is aware of my secret.”

“He is? And he’s okay with you hanging out in his bar?”

“Yes. He’s… um… very understanding.”

Bliss was silent for a few moments and appeared to be mulling it over. “I guess it could work. I still don’t understand why you told Anthony. I thought other than Zina and Vulcan, I was the only one who knew.”

Drake gave her a charming smile. “You’re one of a very select few.”

“Huh. Well, whatever. How do we proceed?”

“I suggest you and Vulcan leave so I can talk to Angie alone.”

“Where will you say I went? To the booby hatch?”

He chuckled. “No, but it wouldn’t hurt to say you made a doctor’s appointment, just to get checked out.”

“Great. She’ll think I went to see a shrink about a dragon.”

“Or that you decided to get a blood test to make sure there wasn’t some kind of physical cause.”

She jammed her hands on her hips. “I’m not admitting there’s something wrong with me when there isn’t.”

Frustrated, he said, “Fine. I’ll say you had a dentist appointment.”

Bliss dropped her hands by her sides. “I guess that’ll do.” She faced Vulcan and said, “Okay. Shall we go get root canals?”

“Not me, thanks. My teeth are just fine.”

“Then let’s go get some ice cream with sticky caramel sauce and make some cavities.”

Bliss stayed out of the way until it was time for her work shift. By the time she’d run upstairs to change into her uniform, Angie was already gone. Perfect. I didn’t want to answer any more of her questions anyway.

When she arrived at the bar, she gave Angie a jaunty wave, but her roommate just ducked behind the bar and grabbed a rag. Then she proceeded to polish the bar with unnecessary force.

Uh-oh. That doesn’t look good. Rather than worry about what Angie was thinking, Bliss simply glanced around at the customers to see who might be thirsty.

She went about her usual duties until Anthony arrived and entered the office. A few moments later, Claudia exited wearing her spring coat and carrying her purse. Bliss wanted to talk to her friend, but she left the bar so quickly, she must have had an errand to run.

Sadie caught Bliss’s eye and waved her over.

“Hi, Sadie. Let me guess, you want a White Russian?”

“Later, dear. Right now I want to warn you about something I just saw in a vision.”

Bliss wanted to plant her hand on her hip and say, “Really?” in a blasé tone, but she knew making fun of the psychic’s “gift” would be frowned upon. Instead, she asked, “What did you uh… see?”

“Someone with malicious intent is coming.”

Bliss glanced behind her. “Who? Where?”

“I wish I knew more. All I can say is the energy is disturbed. Someone with a great deal of rage is nearby.”

Bliss sighed. “Nifty.”

Sadie lowered her voice. “I don’t think there’s anything you can do to intervene. I just wanted you girls to be aware of it, so you can take cover if things start to fly.”

The hair on the back of Bliss’s neck stood up. “Fly? What’s going to fly?”

“Again, I’m sorry. I wish I could be more specific.”

“You said ‘girls.’ Did you talk to Angie?” Bliss glanced over her shoulder and caught Angie staring at them, then she quickly returned to wiping down the bar. Malcolm, the other bartender, entered through the back door and Angie looked relieved.

“Yes. Both you and Angie were in my vision. Not Robin or Wendy. Just you two.”

“Again… nifty. So something is going to happen. We can’t stop it. All we can do is duck for cover. Is that it?”

“That’s about it.”

Bliss glanced over at the bar again and noticed Angie heading to Anthony’s office. Malcolm was behind the bar, so it looked as if she’d been waiting for him to relieve her.

“Did you ask Angie to tell Anthony about this danger?”

“No. She might have decided to do it on her own, though. Angie’s been here a long time. She might feel a little more protective of the bar than you do.”

Bliss didn’t like the implication that she didn’t care about the bar. It provided her with a much-needed part-time job and a place to live. She was about to say so when Sadie glanced at the front door as it was opening, and a horrified expression flitted across her face. It was only there for the briefest of seconds, then she schooled her features and began shuffling her cards.

Bliss cast a glance over her shoulder to see what had upset her. A pretty blond in a red dress waltzed in, smiled, and waved to a few of the regulars. She looked harmless enough.

“Who’s that?” Bliss asked.

Sadie didn’t look up. She mumbled, “Ruxandra. Anthony’s old girlfriend.”

“Sheesh. You looked like you’d seen the devil himself walk in.”

“I’m not sure you’re wrong. She’s trouble.”

Bliss snorted. If that was the “vision” Sadie had talked about, there was nothing to worry about. Bliss hadn’t met a blond she couldn’t best in a battle of wits.

A customer in the next booth held up one finger.

“Well, I’d better get to work, Sadie. Thanks for the heads-up.”

She nodded but didn’t take her eyes off the cards.

Bliss happily waited on the other customers and headed to the bar to give Malcolm her order. She noticed the blond was missing. Perhaps she had come to see Anthony and was in his office. She was fairly sure Angie was still in there too.

Suddenly she heard shouting coming from inside the office. Even though the words were muffled, she could make out a shrill female voice. Angie raced out of there like her heels were on fire. She ducked down the back hall as if headed to the ladies’ room, but instead Bliss heard the back door burst open.

Tory and Kurt were on their feet and moving toward Anthony’s office. One of them clicked the door closed and leaned against it.

What the hell is happening?

At that moment, a fist smashed through the office door. Bliss saw a series of rings on the delicate fingers and deduced it must belong to the infamous Ruxandra. But how did she shatter a solid oak door? She must have hit it with adrenaline force.

The fist withdrew, but now with a hole in the door, everyone could hear what was being said. Well, everyone except Phil, who was hard of hearing. Regardless, he was riveted to the scene like everyone else.

“Calm down, Ruxandra,” Anthony demanded.

“Why? Because I frightened your little chit?”

“It’s not what you thought.”

“Are you kidding? I’d have to be blind to miss the two of you gazing into each other’s eyes. I should have known it was Angie all along.”

“There’s nothing going on between me and Angie.”

“Liar!”

At the sound of items smashing, Tory opened the door and rushed in with Kurt right behind him. Phil moseyed over and stood just outside the office.

Bliss looked to Sadie for direction. If this was what she foresaw, maybe she knew where things were headed. The woman was spreading her cards out in front of her and flipping a few of them over.

Now? She’s doing a reading now? Bliss was on her own. She stood on a chair and announced, “Patrons, I think it might be a good idea to leave and come back later.”

A few tourists got up and moved toward the front door, but one guy she’d seen a few times swiveled his stool toward her and said, “No way. We haven’t seen a good bar fight in months.”

“Months?” She walked up to Sadie and planted her hand on the table right over her cards. “Did he say this happens every few months?”

Sadie sighed. “Any time Ruxandra perceives a threat to her relationship with Anthony.”

“What relationship? I thought you said she was an old girlfriend… as in ex?”

Sadie rolled her eyes. “I’m afraid she and Anthony have different opinions on where they stand.”

Bliss covered her eyes with her order pad. “Oh, for the love of…”

The door burst open with Tory and Kurt holding the kicking, screaming blond by each of her arms and carrying her toward the back door. Bliss wanted to shout, Not that way! That’s where Angie went, but thought better of it.

If the woman thought she could catch up with Angie, she’d probably hunt her down and… Oh crap. The blond was making threats that involved Angie’s exsanguination. Bliss shuddered for her roommate.

Phil led the procession to the back door, and Bliss moved carefully so she could see what was happening but still duck behind the bar if she needed to. As soon as Phil opened the door, he stepped into the alley and looked both ways. “She’s safe,” he said, and walked back into the bar.

The two men holding Ruxandra swung her back and forth, chanting, “And a one, and a two, and a threee…” On three they launched her into the air and slammed the door behind her.

“Oh. My. God.” Bliss jogged to the bar. “Malcolm, aren’t you going to call the cops?”

Anthony rushed out of his office. “Do not call the police.”

Malcolm held up one hand. “I know the drill. You’ll handle it.”

The sound of pounding on the back door ensued, accompanied by more of Ruxandra’s high-pitched shouting. The guys held the emergency exit bar shut against a number of heavy pulls. At one point, Bliss heard a loud crack and was afraid the door had come off its hinges.

Anthony groaned and stared at the door. The two guys gave him sympathetic smiles, nodded to each other, then opened the door and rushed out. More of Ruxandra’s threats could be heard, but they were aimed at the guys. Thankfully, a few moments later the volume began to fade. It sounded as if the three of them were moving farther away.

Anthony returned to his office and slammed the door shut. Bliss could see him through the hole, pacing.

“Bliss, dear?” Sadie waved her over.

She approached the psychic half expecting a “See? I told you so,” but instead the older woman just smiled at her and said, “I think I’ll have that White Russian now.”

The fire station was experiencing a welcomed lull. The guys seemed relaxed. Kelly and Benjamin were watching TV. Bruno was on the computer. Drake pretended to read. He couldn’t concentrate on anything except what Zina might be up to next.

He had to call Bliss to make sure she was all right. Her shift was almost over, and he’d vowed to wait until it was. He checked his phone for the umpteenth time and finally it showed the time as eleven o’clock. He hit the speed-dial number for Bliss. Number three. He refused to make her number two, and the station had to be number one.

Several rings later, she picked up and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Did I interrupt your cleanup duties?”

“Not really. We don’t actually do a lot after closing. I understand there’s a cleaning crew that comes in around midnight.”

Ah, yes… the “cleaning crew” consisting of two house brownies. “Nice gig. So, where are you now?”

“Just on my way out the door.”

“Is anyone with you?” He may have asked too quickly, but he had to know she was taking his appeal for an escort seriously.

After a brief hesitation she said, “Yeah. Anthony’s right here. Do you want to talk to him?”

He let out a deep breath and said, “No. I’m just glad you have a bodyguard.”

She was quiet again for a few moments.

“Bliss?”

“I’m here. Drake, are we going to have to do this much longer?”

“It depends on Zina.”

“Any sightings?”

“No, and that makes me nervous.”

He heard her thanking Anthony and assumed she must be inside her apartment. A moment after he heard the door click, Bliss began whispering frantically.

“Oh my God, you wouldn’t believe the insane night I’ve had.”

“Why? What happened?” Shit, and here I thought I might be able to relax for five minutes.

“Anthony’s old girlfriend showed up.”

“Ruxandra?”

“Yeah. That’s what Sadie called her—although she didn’t actually talk to her. Well, Angie was in the office with Anthony, and this blond bombshell went off like a, well, a bomb!”

Drake dropped his head in his hand. “Oh, crap. I’ve heard about her legendary jealous fits, although I’ve never seen one. Please tell me Angie’s all right.”

“She took off but never came back. Hang on… let me check her room.”

Drake waited an anxious moment.

“Nope. She’s not here.”

Crap. “Did Ruxandra go after her?”

“If so, Angie got a good head start.”

That didn’t help ease Drake’s worry for the young bartender. Ruxandra was a vampire. She could smell her and outrun her.

“Wait. I just got a text.”

“Is it from her?” Drake mentally crossed his fingers.

“Yeah. She says she’s staying with a friend tonight. Not to worry. She’s safe.”

“Whew. I’m glad to hear that.”

Bliss put on her sexy voice and said, “That means I’m all alone tonight. Care to come over and get my cat out of a tree?”

He lowered his voice. “I’d love to, but I don’t dare leave the guys, just in case.”

“Well, maybe I’ll use my newfound privacy to take a long bubble bath or something.”

“Mmm… I’ll picture that as I’m falling asleep. Maybe I can join you in an erotic dream or two.”

She sighed. “I guess that will have to do.”

Zina couldn’t believe her lucky break. The back door to the bar was almost off its hinges. One good tug and she’d be inside.

She grabbed the metal handle and yanked. Surprised, she stumbled back a few inches when the whole door came off in her hand. Stifling a maniacal laugh, she glanced around the alley to make sure no one had heard the noise—no need to add more suspicion if she laughed out loud.

Fortunately, no one appeared out of the shadows, and no lights came on upstairs. Almost too easy. She set the door aside and strolled into the bar. No need to rush. Why not savor the moment?

She flipped up the hinged section of the bar top and perused the various bottles of liquor. There was a nice selection of top-shelf spirits, as one would expect in a bar on classy Beacon Hill.

One scotch on the rocks, please. On second thought, hold the ice. I’m going to need a nice hot mouth soon. She grinned and poured herself a tumbler of scotch, then poured the rest of the bottle over the bar. What fun!

She took a swig of her scotch, letting the liquid burn her throat—in a good way. She shook her head hard and chuckled her approval. Nice stuff, but that empty bottle looks lonely.

Zina set bottle after bottle on the bar, opening each one. She threw the caps and corks on the floor. No need to be neat when the whole place was going to be ash in a few minutes. When she’d finished her scotch, she was giddy. She staggered out to the main floor and grabbed two bottles at a time—one in each hand.

Wobbling from one table to another, she drank and poured, drank and poured. Soon the entire contents of the now-empty top shelf coated every surface. And just for good measure, she splashed quite a bit on the walls, too.

“Time for my grand exit,” she muttered.

Standing in the corridor that led to the back door, she removed her shoes and stayed on the only dry spot. Zina quickly stripped off her clothing and shifted into her dragon form. Gripping her clothes in her talons, not wanting to leave a single clue behind, she took a giant step backward toward the door—or more accurately, the hole in the building that used to be the door.

She inhaled deeply and leaned forward as she blew out a column of fire about twenty feet long. The room erupted in flames. She waited just long enough to be sure the sprinklers in the ceiling were as woefully inadequate as she’d expected.

With a giggle of glee, she took off into the night and waited atop one of the buildings high on the hill so she could watch the place go up in flames. She’d have to use her imagination to picture Drake as he tried in vain to save her nemesis, but the mental image was worth a thousand laughs.