Scientist Dragon's Assistant (Irish Dragon Shifter Brothers Book 9)

by Brittany White

  “I’m from a little town in Oregon,” Eli said. He didn’t want to give the exact location yet. “I’m a doctor, and I’m here for a medical conference specializing in genetics. We’ve been working on some pretty specialized projects, and I’m hoping to get some input from my colleagues.” The guy was still staring straight ahead. Maybe talking about work wasn’t the way to go. Maybe he needed to relate to him as a dragon shifter and not a human.

  “I haven’t been to this part of Ireland,” Eli said. “I’ve heard from some other shifters that the Cliffs of Moher are some of the most beautiful in the world.” He picked up a menu and examined it. “I’d like to go check them out. Have you been?”

  Owen finally made eye contact with Eli. Owen’s eyes were a sharp, icy blue. “Yes, I’ve been there.”

  Eli couldn’t detect an accent of any kind. He was really curious about where Owen had grown up. “Did you shift and fly?”

  “No, I broke off from a tour group and went to see the ocean. I stayed human.”

  Eli was tired of this game. He wasn’t good at it, and he was no spy. That much was obvious. “Are you from the States?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you live in a clan?”

  “Sometimes.”

  Good Lord, this guy was a lot of effort. “Me, too,” Eli said. “During the week, I live in Portland with all humans. But on the weekends, I go back to my clan and stay with them.”

  “How big is your clan?” Owen asked.

  Finally. A little interest from him. “It’s pretty big. We have hundreds of members. Most of them stick around and live on the coast. A few have moved off, but the clan really likes us to stick around.”

  Owen huffed. “Yeah, I know. Mine’s the same.”

  “Is yours large, too?”

  “No, it’s small. That’s why I left.”

  “I know of a shifter who’s searching for other clans, but I don’t think she knows about yours.”

  “That’s deliberate. The Elders of my clan don’t want it known.”

  “I can keep it to myself, then.”

  “Please do. And I’m not really from the States. I lied about that. I’m from Canada, Newfoundland specifically. I joined the military right after I graduated from university. I’d always wanted to be a part of the Royal Canadian Airforce. After I finished my commitment with them, I became a commercial pilot.”

  “So, that pissed your clan off?” Eli asked.

  “Very much. No one ever leaves. Not even to work nearby, like you do.”

  “But you fly all over the world.”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you go home for visits?”

  “No,” Owen said with a growl. The ‘I’m not welcome there’ was implied.

  “I’m sorry,” Eli said. Being away from their clan was a difficult thing for dragon shifters. Eli enjoyed his time in Portland, but he was always grateful to return home on the weekends. He couldn’t imagine being permanently separated from them.

  Eli’s clan was traditional sometimes, and they would prefer all of their members stay in Cape Meares and never stray. But some had left, like Eli’s cousin who worked for NASA. And Jackson’s cousin Garrett, who was a rock star in Las Vegas. The clan elders grumbled about their absence, but they would never kick them out—the clan was their home. All at once, Eli felt the need to thank his clan elders for their understanding.

  Owen shrugged. “I get it. I chose to leave. They have a rule: if you leave, don’t come back. I left.”

  “That must be painful.”

  Owen looked away. “It was a long time ago.”

  No wonder he was so odd. A dragon shifter was always bereft when he or she was deprived of his or her clan. Eli had heard all about the Portuguese dragon shifters who lived in Galway and were part of Niall and Nora’s small clan. Both of the Portuguese shifters had been separated from their clans, and both had suffered terribly during the five years they were alone.

  Another shifter, one of the females who lived in Texas, had lost her clan when she was only ten and had been raised by vampires, and those vampires had encouraged her to pretend to be human. She was the one he’d mentioned to Owen. She’d spent the last few years searching the world over to find any shifters who’d been accidentally abandoned like she had been. She didn’t want anyone else to feel so cut off from the dragon shifter part of themselves.

  But Owen had been an adult, and he’d left his clan willingly. There probably wasn’t much Eli could do about that.

  “It’s still an unpleasant situation.”

  Owen nodded. “Your clan doesn’t mind if you leave?”

  “They would prefer it if all of us stayed, but they understand. They’ve had to make a few adjustments over the years. Two years ago, my friend’s cousin married a human, and that caused a few ripples.”

  Owen’s jaw dropped. “Your friend’s cousin married a human? That was allowed?”

  “Yes. There was never any discussion of forbidding it. They accepted it and moved on. They just had to grapple with the fact that the happy couple is going to stay in Nevada and not move home.”

  Owen cracked his knuckles. “I’m having a hard time imagining a clan could be that understanding. Or that they’d allow a human to even know they existed.”

  “She’s a member of our clan now,” Eli said. Eli checked the time on his phone. He really needed to get back to the hotel. He wanted to get back to Ava. “I have to go.” He pulled one of his cards from his wallet. “Please stay in contact.”

  Owen pointed at his phone. “I don’t carry business cards. There’s no point, as a pilot. But I’ll give you my number.”

  Eli was shocked. Getting Owen’s cellphone number was more than he’d expected, but he pushed his phone over and watched as Owen tapped the keys, entering his information.

  He held out his hand, and Owen gripped it. “It was nice to meet you. Call me anytime. I’ll be here for a few days, and then I’ll be back in Oregon.”

  “Thank you,” Owen said quietly.

  10

  Ava

  As Ava had said, she’d been to Ireland plenty of times before. But being in Ireland with Eli was far better than the trips she’d taken in the past.

  So far, the trip felt romantic, even if Eli was her boss and not her boyfriend. To her dismay, she’d fallen asleep as soon as they arrived at the hotel, and Eli had left her a handwritten note telling her that he was going out. He didn’t owe her an explanation, but his thoughtfulness made her smile.

  She’d asked to open the doors to their adjoining rooms, and he’d agreed. Then, they just never closed them.

  Despite the horribly weird emotional strain she’d endured after they slept together, they had once again reached a friendly camaraderie that was almost like it had been before the charity gala. Neither of them had spoken of it at all.

  One day at the lab, she had been afraid that Eli would bring it up, but then she’d launched into a series of questions about the conference and the moment had passed.

  Now, they were on their way to have dinner with Eli’s friend Nora and her husband Niall. They were a married couple who lived in Galway. Niall was a professor, and Nora was about to finish up her degree at the university.

  “How do you know Nora?” Ava asked Eli as they walked down the street. The evening was nice. The wind had died down and they were close together as they made their way toward the restaurant.

  Eli froze for just a second. Then, he recovered. “She’s a family friend,” he said. “I met her through my best friend, Jackson.”

  He’d mentioned Jackson before, but he’d never been odd about it. Ava wondered if maybe Nora was an ex-girlfriend or someone he’d dated. Jealousy surged in Ava’s chest, which was ridiculous, and she knew it. She had no claim on Eli. Each time he’d tried to talk to her immediately after they slept together, she’d rebuffed him.

  It hadn’t taken long for him to quit trying and only talk to her about work topics.

  She refused to let herself
be someone who manipulated her boss through sex. She’d seen it happen at the university. She’d watched other teachers’ assistants sleep with their supervising professors, and then she’d watched all of their lives fall apart. She wasn’t going to be the one to create lurid gossip for someone else to spread.

  But now they’d reached a pleasant equilibrium. She hoped they could maintain it. Staying in the same hotel, especially with adjoining rooms, probably wasn’t their brightest idea. But she didn’t have the willpower to stay away from him, especially now that they’d gotten back to some form of normalcy.

  They reached the restaurant, and a couple stood outside the door waiting on them. The woman was small, and her face lit up when she saw Eli. The man towered over her. Even though they weren’t related, the man looked a whole lot like Eli. He was more handsome than most, and he was the same height and broad with well-defined muscles.

  The woman let go of her husband’s hand. “Eli,” she said. “It’s so good to see you.”

  She flung her arms around Eli’s neck. Her eyes closed as if she was relieved. His arms came up to fit around her, and he patted her back.

  Once again, jealousy burned bright in Ava’s chest. She crossed her arms, but she fought hard to keep a scowl off her face. They were awfully familiar with each other. She snuck a look over at Niall, but he was looking on fondly. Maybe she was losing her mind.

  Finally, Nora pulled away from Eli, and she turned her attention toward Ava. “You must be Ava. It’s so nice to meet you.” She hugged Ava, too, as if they were old friends. Instantly, the jealousy evaporated, and Ava hugged her back. It was weird, but she felt Nora’s sincerity. Nora really was glad to meet her, and she was reassuring Ava that she would never be interested in Eli as more than a friend.

  Ava wasn’t sure how she knew Nora felt that way, but Ava was certain of it.

  Minutes later, they were all seated and the waiter brought them a bottle of merlot. Ava had two glasses right away, and the conversation flowed easily among them.

  As the waiter brought their desserts, chocolate creme brulee, Niall picked up his spoon and looked right at Eli.

  “How’s the hobby coming along?” Niall asked. “Any weird signals lately?”

  Ava picked up her own spoon and looked at her boss, intrigued. She had no idea what they were talking about. Eli had never mentioned a hobby to her. “Signals?”

  Eli looked a little sheepish. “I do a little star-gazing when I have time.”

  Nora finished her own dessert and stole a bite from her husband’s. “Star-gazing? He makes it sound casual. He’s got a full astronomy lab set up at his house.”

  Ava was struck by how little she knew about her boss. “Are you alien-hunting?”

  He ducked his head. “Maybe a little.”

  She put her hand on his arm. She was genuinely curious, and she didn’t want to tease him too much. And Niall was an academic. She knew he’d be interested as well. “I think we all want to hear about it.” She smiled. “Will you tell us?”

  He put down his spoon and started describing the equipment he kept at his house in Cape Meares.

  She blinked. Nora was right. Eli’s setup would hardly qualify as a hobby. “So, you’ve found something?”

  “I’ve been getting a signal for the last few weeks.” He began to tell them about the signals and the equipment he used to monitor them. As he spoke, he grew animated, far more animated than he was when he spoke about genetics.

  She watched him talk, captivated by his obvious passion for the topic. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t known this about him. He must keep this side of himself locked down tight. And it was sexy as hell. She already had a thing for smart guys, and she was insanely attracted to Eli. Now, seeing him in his element, a low stirring of arousal swirled in her belly.

  “You know, we have a lab over at the university,” Niall said. “You’re welcome to use it.”

  Eli couldn’t hide his excitement. “Really? Now?”

  “Of course. We can all go.”

  Eli’s head whipped to the side. He looked right at her, then he hesitated. He chuckled. “I don’t want to make everyone go hang out in a lab.”

  Nora smiled. “We love being at the university. And I’d like to learn more about your research.”

  Niall nodded. “Me, too. I might be a geography professor, but I always want more knowledge.”

  Ava chimed in. “I agree.”

  “If you’re all sure,” he said. They finished off their dessert and their wine, and Niall drove them all to the lab.

  In the backseat, Ava wanted to scoot closer to Eli, but restrained herself. She also wanted to take his hand, but she kept herself from doing that, too.

  “If you want to go back to the hotel, we can make a stop there.”

  She frowned. Did he not want her there? “I want to see the lab.”

  “Okay. Great,” he said. But his voice was strained.

  “What’s going on? You can tell me.”

  He looked away from her first and then turned his head toward her. His handsome face was illuminated by the dim streetlights. “I’m not accustomed to anyone wanting to know about my experiments.”

  “Your family gives you a hard time?”

  As she’d told Eli earlier, her family gave her a hard time, too. She understood. They still didn’t understand why she wouldn’t join the law firm. At least once a month, she got a text telling her it wasn’t too late to take the LSAT and go to law school.

  “Not my family.”

  This was like pulling teeth. “Friends?” Then it hit her. He must be talking about women. Romantic partners. “Oh. You mean people you’ve dated. Relationships.”

  “Yes.”

  “She didn’t like your hobby? How is monitoring activity in space a problem? It’s not like you were hurting anyone.”

  “She said I was obsessed.”

  “Well, yeah. You’re a scientist. Comes with the territory.”

  “Not everyone feels that way. She wasn’t the only one. It’s happened three times now.”

  “Well, then. You just need to date people who have obsessions of their own.”

  He grinned down at her. “I’m sure you’re right,” he said, and then they were at the university.

  Ava watched Eli as he looked around the lab. It was a very nice setup. He skimmed his hand over the top of one of the monitors and then sat down at one of the computers. “Let me log into my work station at home.”

  Then, he began to explain what he was doing to the three of them, and he showed them the map of the Arctic Circle where the strange signals were originating from. Niall and Nora were both fascinated and asked a series of questions. They began to chatter to each other, and Ava stepped closer to Eli. “Why aren’t you an astrophysicist?”

  He looked at her in surprise. “What?”

  She gestured toward the monitor that was showing the readouts. “You clearly love this. I know you’re dedicated to genetics—you’re the most committed scientist I know. But I’ve never seen you this enthusiastic about DNA.” She put her hand on his shoulder, happy when he didn’t pull away. “So, why didn’t you go into this field?”

  He let his arms drop to his sides. “Several reasons. So much of the study is theoretical. There’s so much potential, but at the end of the day, it just doesn’t make as big a difference in people’s lives. Genetics has some very real, very tangible results. I see them every day.”

  That was true. They did see results. And they were the frequent recipients of heartfelt letters and photos from families who’d been impacted—in a good way—by their research. What Eli did with his time made a difference, a big one. “That’s very generous of you.”

  He tipped his head back and looked at her. “And I like genetics. It’s just not as exciting as space.”

  “I suppose you’re right. Gene sequencing can’t really compare to aliens.”

  “Well, I haven’t found an alien yet,” he said.

  “Maybe that’s
next.”

  He stood up and recalibrated the sensors again. “Maybe.” He sighed. “Sadly, we have to get going. I’ve got some work to do before tomorrow.”

  She put her hand on his arm. “Hey.”

  “Yes?”

  “Thank you. For dedicating your life to genetics. I’m glad you did it.”

  He muttered a thank you and turned away, but not before she saw the faint blush on his cheeks.

  11

  Eli

  The first day of the conference went off without a hitch. As the keynote speaker, Eli was busy, and when he wasn’t on stage, he was being pulled in a hundred different directions.

  His introductory speech had highlighted his latest work on cellular therapies, and everyone had questions. He did his best to answer them all, and although it wasn’t her official role, Ava stepped up and acted like a personal assistant, helping him get everyone’s contact information and making sure they had a viable way to get in touch with him later.

  She was nearly as good at answering questions as he was, and once someone had dominated his time for too long, she’d shuffle them away and make sure she got their questions answered.

  Having Ava there with him made all the difference. Unlike his past assistants, she was just as into the conference as he was and almost as knowledgeable as he was. Her delight at being part of the scientific community in this way was palpable.

  Finally, well over an hour after most people had moved on to the catered lunch, Ava was still chatting with a scientist from Denmark.

  Eli was just about to interrupt them and make sure she had time to eat, but then a group of four men approached him.

  Each one was impeccably dressed in a suit and tie, and they claimed they were investors from Norway who were interested in drug research and development. Having investors at a conference wasn’t unheard of, especially if pharmaceuticals were involved. But this group of men was different.