“There are so many boxes here. I assumed Dad had sold them all. And wood. This will keep me going while I search for another job.”
“Or it could provide you with the opportunity to do what you love,” Manu said. “I told you you’re welcome to use a corner of my workshop.”
“I’ll consider it. So much has happened since I left Piha. Losing my job might be perfect timing so I can focus on the changes and adapting.”
Manu stood and chucked her under the chin, his tender expression doing things to her insides. “Great attitude, sweetheart.”
Her taniwha gave a little coo of contentment, thankfully quietly so Jessalyn’s embarrassment never spiked, but she kind of echoed the sentiment. Be still my heart.
Ten minutes later, on their arrival at the warehouse, Jessalyn examined the boxes more carefully. Nothing stood out as unusual.
“Zilch in the clue department,” she said once the boxes were stacked near her tools.
“All right. Let’s head back to the house.” He came to a sudden halt. “Had an idea. Wait there.”
He returned and once he sat behind the driver’s wheel, handed her a watch. No, not a watch. It had buttons of different colors.
“Hopefully, this won’t be too big for you and it will work with your European blood. This will be an excellent test. I made them for Hone and my brothers. Strap it on one wrist and I’ll explain the controls.”
Interest and curiosity had her studying the gadget while she strapped it on her wrist. “Is this one of your stealth units?”
“It is.”
She’d already observed how close-mouthed he was with her and others unrelated to him when it came to this invention. She felt… Honored. Excited, too.
“This blue button will make you invisible. The red button will turn you visible again and the middle button is a boost button that aids camouflage in different circumstances.”
“Got it,” she said. “When will we use this?”
“I suspect Danny followed us last night. It’s no secret where I live. He could’ve asked my father and his cronies or tracked your phone. I’ll ask Dad if he saw Danny. It will give me a chance to check on him. Click the blue button now.”
Jessalyn followed his instructions and didn’t think the gadget had worked. She could see herself and everything appeared normal. “It didn’t work.”
“Yes.” His voice throbbed with satisfaction. “I can’t see you, but I can sense your presence. Others won’t see you.”
“You truly can’t see me?”
“No.”
“How long have you been working on this?”
“Since I was eighteen. Being a taniwha in an increasingly busy world is difficult. Other shapeshifters face the same problems, and I wanted to make our lives easier.” He sighed as he drove away from his warehouse. “The problem is my stealth gadget will tempt the criminal element. Humans and shapeshifters alike.”
“Hmm,” Jessalyn said, picturing the mayhem created by invisible thieves. “You could keep a tight control and rent units to vetted taniwha or other shapeshifters. Man, I can’t believe there are other shifters.”
“You believe me?” Manu’s voice held humor.
“A month ago, I didn’t believe in dragons. Other shifters aren’t a far stretch. What do we have? Werewolves? Vampires?”
“There’s a small vampire clique in Auckland. The South Island has more shifters because there are more open spaces. Mostly feline shapeshifters and a few wolves.”
“Huh. Well, there you go. Back to your stealth units. Instead of selling them outright and losing control, rent them and make a kill switch. If you learn of any problems, you could render them useless. Maybe an anti-tamper switch too. You don’t want anyone pulling them apart and stealing your secrets. If they start to pull them apart, you’d need to know.”
“I’d considered the tampering angle already, but a control to disable the stealth unit remotely. That makes sense with a rental unit.”
“Manu. Manu! You’ve missed the turn.”
“What?”
This glimpse of his absent professor mode, another side of him intrigued her. Mentally, he was in his warehouse, busy tinkering with his gadget. “You’d better let me drive.”
“What?” He shook his head, alertness returning to his brown eyes.
“You zoned out and missed the turn.”
“Crap. Sorry.” He waited for the traffic to clear and did a U-turn.
“If you intend to do that again, I will get behind the wheel.”
He took his gaze off the road for a sec, his eyes turning golden and giving her a peek of his dragon.
“Watch the road! You can’t see me, so don’t look.”
“Bossy wee thing.”
“Not so much of the little.”
He laughed, a joyous sound that had her own lips curving. “A bet,” he suggested. “If I drive to Papakura without mishap, I win oral sex from you.”
“Interesting, but I’d like to point out you drive safely most days. What do I get if you lose?”
“Oral sex from me.”
No way was that a losing bet. Both ways, she won. If she lost and drove him crazy enough, she’d get some for sure. “To clarify, if you drive home without going into your head, I get to touch dragon dick.”
Manu’s brows rose. “Put that way, it sounds kinky.”
Jessalyn pondered the matter for a split second. “I’m fine with kinky.”
“The full moon is closer. How are you feeling?”
“Actually, so much has happened today, my mind has kept busy. My stomach is fine. No burning sensation.”
“You’re eating more and the sex probably helped too.”
“And we’re back to sex,” she teased.
“You’re an attractive woman. I enjoy your company, even when we’re not doing the sex thing.”
She cackled, “I’m fluttering my eyelashes. You can’t see, but I thought you should know. My taniwha is purring.”
“So is mine,” Manu said drily. “And my cock is hard.”
They approached Manu’s driveway and several older men loitered near the mailbox. The instant they spotted Manu, they started yelling.
Manu slowed and lowered his window. The shouts rose a decibel. “Stand out of the way, and I’ll come back to speak with you.” Manu’s powerful voice, backed by his taniwha, silenced the men.
Jessalyn caught the flickers of surprise.
Manu used the remote to open his garage and drove inside. He lowered the door and released a loud exhalation. “I should’ve done that earlier instead of avoiding them.”
“I’ll start dinner,” Jessalyn said.
Manu strode to the side door before halting. He turned back. “I won the bet. Later,” he said before he disappeared outside.
Manu strode toward his father, understanding his parent’s frustrations and depression better now that Jess had entered his life. The problem of what to tell his father… How much detail did he give?
Bare basics, he decided.
He dipped his head in a show of deference since these elders were all experienced warriors.
“Will you do it?” his father asked with a trace of eagerness.
“No, I refuse to execute you,” Manu said. “Wait!” He lifted his hand and pushed taniwha power to enforce the order. “I need to tell you something. Nelson Waaka called this morning. He insists I return one of his tribe to him.”
He had their attention now since no one had any liking for the Waaka tribe. Nelson’s father had played a huge part in the fight for the relic, during the last unrest. His behavior had caused resentment and outright anarchy amongst the taniwha tribes before Nelson took over.
“Who does he want? The girl who was staying here?” his father asked.
Manu ignored that. “Have you seen a young Maori guy in his twenties loitering around here?”
“I talked to a kid. Danny was his name,” Frank Hohepa, one of his father’s oldest friends, said. “He told me he
was visiting a relation.”
“Cousin to the Waakas,” Manu said. “He’s here to cause trouble and I suspect it’s related to the relic.”
“But the relic went into the sea when the woman guardian drowned,” his father said. “What was her name?”
“Humarie Brown,” Manu said. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but can you pass the word to your families and friends? I need everyone to watch and note anything unusual. We’ve always allowed taniwha from other tribes free access to the Auckland region, so pay attention to visitors, especially if they ask questions.”
Auckland, as the biggest city in New Zealand, was important for trade. It wasn’t unusual to sense other taniwha but as long as they didn’t create trouble, visitors traveled freely through their tribal boundaries.
“I intend to call a tribal meeting soon, and I should have more information by then.” Manu paused, waiting for arguments, but not one elder offered one. “If you see Danny again, snap his photo and pass that around too. He’s not to be trusted.”
“What about this girl? What has she got to do with the relic?” his father asked.
“She is Humarie Brown’s daughter,” Manu said. “A half-caste.”
One elder tut-tutted, the reaction much as Manu had expected. Given Jessalyn’s European blood, they’d ignore the possibilities. They’d underestimate her, which was what the Waaka family had done. Their loss. His bloody huge gain.
His father leaned closer and sniffed him. “You’re fucking her.”
Manu bit back his instinctive protest. “It’s almost the full moon,” he countered. “I needed a woman.” Crap, the wrong thing to say around his father.
“I don’t have a woman,” his father snarled. “Your fault.”
“What would you have had me do? Could you have lived with yourself if Mum had murdered innocents? Jack and Emma. Hell, Emma has just had twins. Hone and Cassie. Ma intended to kill them all. If I hadn’t stopped her, what might she have done next? She’d lost her mind, Dad. Admit the truth instead of giving me a hard time. It’s difficult enough dealing with the situation and my guilt, but the truth is I had no other option. I’d do the same again. Tane and Kahurangi understand my actions. You were there and witnessed the same as us. Ma injured Emma, and she still bears the scars.”
His father’s face fell as if he was conceding the point. “I thought June was getting better.”
“You knew she’d become dangerous?”
“I’d talked to her, told her I thought Hone and Cassie were mates. I thought she’d agreed.”
“You knew,” Manu repeated.
His father’s shoulders slumped. “June’s grandmother suffered from delusions. June seemed fine until we met Cassie. She became obsessed with growing our family. Grandchildren.”
“You should have told us. The sword sensed her instability. That’s why it deserted her and embraced me. Damn it, Dad. You should have shared this with us. Tane, Kahurangi and I might have been able to help.”
“I’m sorry, son.” Chastised, his father seemed smaller, weaker.
“Dad, if there is a problem, you must tell me. That goes for all of you. If you have problems within your family, share them with me. As your leader, I’m here to help. We’re stronger together. That’s what makes us a tribe and enables us to survive in these modern times. That is the reason I’m telling you about the Waaka family. If trouble comes to town, we must work as a team. Speak to your families tonight. I’ll post on our private bulletin board. Tell everyone to go online and check for details. Any questions?”
“No,” Frank said. “We’ll pass the word.”
His father turned away with the others.
“Dad, wait. Can I have a private word before you leave?”
“Are you all right for the full moon?” Manu ignored the weirdness in discussing his father’s sex life, but this was one area where he could help.
“I have a widow friend. We assist each other when necessary.”
Manu forced himself to keep his gaze on his father instead of succumbing to embarrassment and a schoolboy foot shuffle. “If you don’t choose to do that, I can lend you one of my stealth units. That way you can fly in dragon form.”
“Your invention really works?”
“It does, Dad.”
“Thank you, son,” Samuel said, his gaze flitting and never settling. “Hinemoa and I are happy enough with our arrangement.”
“Good. That’s good,” Manu said. “Call if you need anything. Tane or Kahurangi, if it’s easier for you.”
His father walked away without another word, and Manu watched him leave with his friends. After a quick scan of the street, he stilled and let his senses fly. Nothing.
Satisfied, Manu jogged up the path, eager to rejoin his mate.
“How did it go?” Jessalyn called. “I didn’t hear yelling. Not after our arrival.”
Manu grinned at the spoon that lifted in the air and stirred a pot. Jess had forgotten to make herself visible again. He’d done that a time or two when distracted by improvements or a brainwave for an invention. “No, he and his friends listened for once. I think…” He trailed off, wondering if he should share his inner thoughts. No! Jess was his mate. She mightn’t realize it but he and his taniwha held not a shred of doubt. “Neither my father nor I dealt well with the aftermath of Mum’s death. Me having to kill her, I mean. Now, after talking to Dad, I think he’s struggling with the same guilt. We both wonder if we could’ve done things differently.”
The spoon turned in his direction and a meaty sauce dripped onto the counter.
“Oops.” A dishcloth wiped away the spill. “Could you have gone down a different path?”
“No, not at the time.”
“I don’t pretend to understand taniwha ways but from what you’ve told me, your mother wasn’t in her right mind. You and your brothers tried to reason with her.”
“We did.”
“That’s your answer. Remember her with respect for the good things she did for you, your family, and tribe. If you and your father dwell on your guilt, you’ll destroy any chance of a happy future. My father… That’s what I’m trying to do.”
“When did you get so smart?”
“I’ve always been intelligent. That’s part of the reason Danny argued with me. He and his friends hated it when I did things better than them. Carving, for instance, and martial arts.”
“I might’ve been cranky if a woman beat me at things in my masculine domain.”
“Pfft!”
He hid his amusement. “What’s for dinner?”
“Spaghetti bolognese. The sauce will improve if it sits for half an hour. Want to sit on the deck with a beer?”
“We could do that,” he agreed. “Or you could pay me for losing your bet.”
“Sex?”
“Yeah. I’ve been thinking about getting my hands on you again for most of the day.”
“Really? You hid your desire well.”
The spoon stirred the sauce and the light showing the element was in use, flicked off. The spoon bashed against the inside of the pot and traveled to the sink.
“I’d hate to give you an opportunity to tell anyone I welshed on a crazy bet.” Her voice held humor and perhaps a hint of lust.
“Uh, Jess?”
“Hmmm?”
He experienced a tug at the waistband of his jeans and his telltale groan almost escaped. “Please push the red button on the stealth unit. The visual is as much a turn on as the act.”
“Oh! I forgot. Everything seems normal and the unit flexes with my wrist. It’s too big though. You should design ladies’ sizes.”
“I’ll start work on that at the first opportunity. Red button, Jess.”
She popped into view and her mischievous expression drew his stare. Jess held out her hand, and dumbly, he entwined their fingers. She appeared happy, and the emotion simmered in him too. Sex—great sex was the perfect way to celebrate.
Hand-in-hand, they walked into his bedroom
.
“I haven’t done this much,” Jess said.
“It would give me great pleasure to talk you through my preferences.” Manu laughed, admitting the truth. “I enjoy acting bossy in bed.”
“Do tell. What do I do first?”
Manu walked to the far side of the bed where a thick mat covered the varnished floorboards. “We’re gonna play a little game called using the five senses.” He laughed when she wrinkled her nose. “A great time will be had by all.”
“Promises. Promises.” She fluttered her lashes, her brown eyes more golden than usual.
“Unzip my jeans and pull out my cock,” he ordered.
Her eyes widened a fraction and those lashes of hers lowered, screening her gaze. Manu waited, anticipation thrumming through his veins. Her gaze was on his groin now, and it burned like a physical touch. Her feminine hand intrigued him. The tremble. The scar on her thumb. Compared to most women, her hands were battered, yet he loved her calluses—the faint roughness—stroking his bare skin.
The button on his jeans popped open. His zipper rasped down, guided by her right hand. Mesmerized, he watched as she tugged his boxer-briefs and set the elastic band beneath his balls. She moved without haste, her leisurely speed ramping up—hell—everything. His expectation. His excitement. His erection.
Her gaze lifted and connected with his.
“Use your hands to explore my cock. My balls too. Keep your touches light but with enough pressure not to make me squirm.”
Interest flared in her. “Are you ticklish?”
“Now is not the time to discover this,” he stated, his tone final.
Her lips hitched up into a sexy curve, one that tempted him to greater mischief.
“No. You lost the bet. Pay up.”
“Yes, master.”
Every muscle in his body clenched at her sultry tone and tightened again when she yanked his clothing down his legs.
“Widen your stance,” she murmured.
Before he could protest he was the one in charge, she kissed his inner thigh, her lips petal soft against his skin. She nuzzled his pubic hair, which was minimal due to his grooming routine. Her lips and tongue fired the tiny nerves in his other thigh, her sensual assault more arousing than any sexual act of the past.
Black Moon Dragon Page 18
