“Uh…” Nate blinked and stared. His eyes went large, and he was seemingly overcome with fear, which was standard when meeting one of the world’s most renowned dragons.
“He won’t eat you,” Astrid assured Nate.
“No, I certainly will not. Humans are too stringy.”
“Sorry. Good to meet you, sir.” Nate extended his hand, but Thor grasped him by the arm and pulled him in for a manly backslap instead.
Her poor boyfriend was in for a culture shock. Everyone in the Drakenstone family, save for her father, greeted him with warm embraces and smiling welcomes. He stood in awe as Maximilian rose to his feet and approached him, secret servicemen in tow. One of them had the look of a fox, or even a wolf, with cunning eyes and alert features. He breathed in, nostrils flaring, bright blue eyes assessing the sailor in front of him.
Astrid hurried into her grandfather’s waiting arms and hugged him tight. “So glad to see you, Grandpa. Where’s Grandma?”
“She and Svetlana went to change the twins. They made the mistake of sneaking into Teo’s pudding, and it didn’t agree with them.”
Memories of her uncle’s kitchen nightmares made her wince in sympathy.
“But enough of that. Introduce me to this young man.”
Her poor boyfriend had lagged behind, an expression frozen on his face between a cordial smile and terror. Max’s arrival finished what Thor’s greeting began, and reality must have crashed down upon him. Nate was shaking.
Falling back a step to place her hand on his arm, she waited until the moment passed. Max didn’t press him or approach, accustomed to scaring humans with his sense of enormous presence alone.
Funny how Daddy didn’t terrify him this way, and he is the aggressive one.
“It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Mr. President,” Nate said in a rush, recovered from his staring incident.
“At last, I get to meet the young man who has occupied our Astrid’s time and kept her from us all. Though… have we met before?” Maximilian asked after a moment. “I find your face familiar.”
“I don’t believe so, sir.”
“Are you sure? I usually have a good memory for faces.”
A bead of sweat trickled down the side of Nate’s face. “You made a visit to the ship I was serving on about three years ago, the Bonhomme Richard, but I didn’t have the honor of meeting you personally.”
Max’s smile widened. “A fine ship. I think I recall now—you were standing watch when we came aboard.”
“Yeah.” Nate relaxed, the tension fading from his shoulders. Although weariness showed in his face, he flashed Astrid a reassuring smile. He was fine again.
“Come, Nate. Have a drink with us and share your tales of the sea. I am quite the boatsman myself, you know. Let me tell you about the time I battled the bull-headed serpent of the deep ocean.” Thor took Nate by the shoulder, giving him little choice, and steered him away toward the gazebo where the rest of the shifter men had gathered.
“Your boyfriend smells funny.”
Astrid turned at the voice and crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s not a nice thing to say about someone, Javier.”
The younger half-dragon shrugged. Despite standing as tall as Astrid, Javier still had a preteen’s body and youthful face. Years ago, their fathers had hoped to encourage a match between the two. Instead, he’d fulfilled the role of an irritating little brother until Brandt came along.
But the damage had been done, and when she aged to adulthood first, all chances of connecting the Drakenstone and Arcillanegro families through marriage was lost.
He’d make some woman happy one day. Astrid was sure of it. His tousled brown hair, swarthy skin, and green eyes would only be enhanced by his dragon blood. She’d yet to meet a homely dragon.
“It’s still true,” Javier insisted. “He smells like the shaman we have on the island.”
Astrid laughed. “Nate’s no mage, believe me.”
Javier shrugged again and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his cargo shorts. “Anyway, Aunt Chloe wants you inside for a second.”
“Oh, sure.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell him he stinks.”
“So nice of you.” She rolled her eyes and surrendered to the call of duty. Inside the manor, her mother set her to work chopping onions, potatoes, and a host of other fruits and vegetables for numerous side dishes and appetizers. Between food prep and observing Nate’s body language from the windows for signs of his close-quarters dragon meeting going awry, she remained busy.
“I hope Nate likes apple pie,” Chloe muttered. “Your father had me make three this time.”
“I think Nate likes any pie,” Astrid replied, chuckling. “He likes sweets.”
“A man after my own heart,” her Aunt Marcy said. “I love him already. He and Teo should get along well.”
“And Grandpa. I dunno, he might give them a run for their money. I saw Nate put down a ton of cheesecake during a party. No idea where he keeps it all.”
Svetlana came up beside Astrid and poked her in the ribs, her fingers cold. Astrid leaped and spilled flour over the counter.
“Jerk!”
“Heh, heh. You have such thin skin for a dragon. Why don’t you take a break and enjoy the party?”
“I will, I will. Did you go over and meet Nate yet?”
Svetlana’s dark hair fell into her face as she shook her head, revealing streaks of blue, purple, green, and pink in the underlayers. “No, not yet, but I got a glimpse of him in passing. He’s cuter in person than his picture,” she replied in a soft voice. “I like his freckles. They make his face a little boyish, but... whew, his body is all man.”
Astrid swatted her. “That was awful, and you should feel ashamed.”
“He kinda smells strange though.”
Astrid frowned. “He smells fine to me.”
“I mean, it isn’t a bad smell or anything… is he a witch? Maybe he has one in his fam.”
That was two of her relatives to point out an unusual scent clinging to her boyfriend. Had she never noticed it, too overwhelmed by the intensity of their attraction to take in the full package?
“No idea. I guess he could and not even know about it. He wouldn’t be the first to be clueless about magical beings in his ancestry.”
“True enough,” Svetlana agreed. “Come on, let’s get out of here before I raid the pies and your mom kills me.”
“I heard that,” Chloe called from across the kitchen.
Arm in arm, the two women abandoned the kitchen for the backyard.
“Where’s Aunt Mahasti and Uncle Leiv? Why didn’t they come?” Astrid questioned.
“Meh. They went to visit Dad’s relatives in Moscow. I wasn’t in the mood for it and stayed behind to see you guys instead.”
“I’m glad you did. You need to come down to San Diego and visit me sometime soon.”
“And intrude on you and your sailor?”
“Oh come on, it’s not like we’re living together.”
“Yet.” Svetlana teased. “So, what’s it like?”
“What’s what like?”
“You know.” Svetlana glanced around their immediate vicinity, as if afraid one of the other adults would appear and overhear them. Or worse, Saul. Her cousin leaned closer and whispered, “Tell me about the sex.”
“It’s not like the dirty movies we used to sneak in your dad’s cabin when they weren’t home.”
“What about the books?”
Astrid giggled. “Maybe a little like those. I mean, he makes me feel like I’m in a romance novel sometimes. He’s so sweet, and he calls me at random times to ask how I’m doing and if I need anything when he’s at the store, even though he’s the one working at the big naval base.”
“You’re so lucky.”
“What about you? No boys chasing you at the university?”
Svetlana shrugged. “No one interesting. There was this one international student, but he turned out to be a real
jerk. He was dating four girls, not including me, all at once. So I dumped him.”
“Ugh. Good for you.”
“Speaking of guys, Yasmin’s pissed you never remember to call.”
Nate wandered over, having escaped from one of Thor’s long-winded tales of battle and valor. Astrid thought he was handling himself well, all things considered. He hadn’t panicked when a magical portal brought Watatsumi into the yard, which was a huge tick in his favor. She’d caught her father’s surprised glance. He’d almost looked impressed at Nate’s composure after the initial rockiness.
“Having fun?”
“I will never look at The Avengers the same way again. That man has fought giants and everything else.”
“Don’t let him fool you. He was beside himself with glee when he found out who was portraying him in the films.” Svetlana laughed and held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Svetlana.”
“Oh, hey, yeah. Astrid said you two grew up together.”
“We’re kind of like sisters, only about five years apart. Except she has scales and I have fur.”
Svetlana had inherited the best of both parents, but she was a chimera with no discernible racial lineage. At a glance, she could be almost any ethnicity, and she liked it, playing up her ambiguity whenever possible. Thick lines of kohl edged her honey-colored eyes, and golden bronzer dusted her cheeks. She loved colorful eyeshadow, favoring jewel colors and bold shades. One day, she’d made her eyelids resemble a cosmic nebula.
The best memories of sleepovers at Leiv and Mahasti’s cabin had been their girls’ nights in front of the television with all of the makeup owned between their two mothers piled on the table. They’d watch horror movies, eat greasy food, splurge on ice cream, and give each other ridiculous makeovers. While her mother enjoyed subdued, natural looks, it was from Aunt Mahasti that Astrid inherited her love of bold colors, a love presented in her art as much as her makeup.
“Err…”
Svetlana grinned. She crossed her arms, and Astrid was jealous of her biceps. Genes had built her cousin like a kickboxer. “She didn’t tell you?”
“I wasn’t going to out you, you brat.” Astrid bumped her hip into her friend’s then swapped over to Nate’s side. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in close.
“I wouldn’t have minded. Unlike the rest of these big, bad beasties, I’m a bear shifter. Not as cool as a dragon, I know, but a lot less conspicuous out in the woods.”
“It’s crazy wrapping my head around it all,” Nate admitted.
“From what I can see, you’re doing a helluva job.” Svetlana gave him a dimpled smile. “Have any brothers?”
“He’s ten.”
“Damn.”
By evening, Astrid couldn’t stuff another bite of food into her mouth and neither could Nate. After a few games of cards and rounds of charades with her family, they retired to separate rooms—whether she was an adult or not, she didn’t trust her hands to remain chaste, and she wasn’t comfortable having sex with her parents only a few bedrooms down the hall.
A restless half hour passed in her room. Astrid had showered and tossed on her nightgown but couldn’t sleep without saying goodnight. She shrugged into the matching robe and crept to his door. Maybe he had become as aware of her as she was of him, because it opened before her knuckles struck the wood.
“Whoa. Hey.”
Her eyes traveled over his white T-shirt and Incredible Hulk pajama bottoms with a grin. “Busted you escaping. Where ya going?”
“To say goodnight to you.”
Goodnight became a kiss, which transitioned to both of his hands cupping her bottom. Without panties beneath her nightgown, only two layers of silk separated Nate’s palms from her bare skin. He was her addiction, and one night of voluntary chastity was going to kill her when all she could think about was luring him back to her room.
“Damn. If I wasn’t worried about trying your dad’s patience…”
“Yeah. I know.”
“Mm. It’ll just make things better when we’re back at your place.”
But never his apartment. For all the time they’d dated, Nate danced around the topic whenever she brought up visiting him and Echo.
Did he have something to hide?
No, Astrid convinced herself. This was Nate, an honest and dependable man who accepted her, claws, scales, and all. She brushed aside the crazy accusations swirling through her thoughts and gazed into his green eyes.
Nate had never lied to her, and somehow, he’d weathered a storm of dragons instead of tucking tail and running for the California hills. He’d survived her crazy, bigger-than-life family. Better still, they’d liked him.
She had no idea how long she could resist the urge to brand him with her mark and bind their souls together. Soon, she hoped. She’d sit him down, tell him everything, and hope his heart yearned as deeply for her as she needed him.
Chapter 8
Cool, damp sand squished between Nate’s toes and warm sunshine radiated against his back. Echo charged down the beach after the ball he’d thrown, kicking up water as she happily bounced through the waves washing up on the shore.
The day at the dog park and quasi-beach should have been perfect, but grim thoughts weighed on his mind. The leaders of the brotherhood planned to take action against the Drakenstone clan, and he wasn’t sure he could stall them any longer.
“Three months with the beast is long enough,” Kay had told him the previous afternoon, delivering a clap to Nate’s shoulder reminiscent of a proud father. “You’ve done what no other dragonslayer could.”
All his life, he’d wanted praise from Kay, and when it came, it invoked a sense of failure instead of accomplishment.
“Go get the ball, Echo!” He hurled the tennis ball down the sand. Once she’d clenched her prize between her jaws, the German shepherd shot across the sand to return to him.
She didn’t slow, and instead, barreled past him with another target in mind.
“Traitor,” Nate muttered.
Echo dropped her ball in Astrid’s lap and lowered to her haunches, completely ignoring him.
“Silly dog. Who’s a good girl, hmm?” Astrid set her phone aside so she could reach out and rub the dog’s head and ears between her hands.
“Who you texting? With all of the smiling you were doing, do I need to pretend to be jealous?”
She laughed at him. “It was my mom, and trust me, I smile more when there’s a message from you.”
He dropped down beside her on the blanket and leaned over her lap to give Echo’s head a scratch. “I have a bad feeling about this. Did it involve me?”
“Yeah. She said to tell you not to make any plans for Halloween.”
“That’s forever away.”
“Fifty-two days.”
Nate blinked at her. “Really? Let me guess, you’re one of those people who counts down the seconds to Christmas.”
She pushed at his shoulder. “No, that’s Mom’s shtick. And the reason she doesn’t want you to make any plans is that she wants us to come up for the company party. Dad plans it out way in advance, and it’s the best time ever. He gets the studio all set up with special effects and everything.”
“Sounds fun. Guess this means I passed muster, huh?”
“Mom loves you.”
“And your dad?”
“He didn’t eat you. I call that approval.”
“The rest of your family?”
“Grandma and Grandpa think you’re awesome. Thor was thoroughly impressed with your tolerance for alcohol. You better be careful there, or he’ll challenge you to a real drink-off, and we won’t see each other for a week.” She laughed and ducked her head. “Everyone liked you.”
“I liked them, too.” And his fondness for them had become his key dilemma. He liked them. The enemy. Once he’d stopped thinking of the friendly gang as dragons, he’d come to know them as people. He watched them play with their young children, helped cook on the grill while sharing stor
ies, and discussed sports the same way he would have with any of his friends on the ship. Or his fellow knights in the brotherhood.
“I did have a question, if you don’t mind, about something that came up last weekend during the cookout,” Astrid hedged.
“Yeah, shoot.”
“It’s about you.”
“Whatever it is, I didn’t do it.” He held up both hands and grinned, but inside his stomach knotted.
“No, nothing like that. It’s just something Javier noticed. He said you smelled like magic.”
Shit! The smile dropped off his face. “Javier’s the kid your folks wanted you to hook up with, right? Maybe he’s jealous.”
“I thought so, too, until Svetlana said the same thing later.”
If Maximilian and Ēostre had recognized him, they chose not to out him for reasons beyond his understanding. He’d been positive the water dragon had seen through the charade.
“What are you asking, Astrid? If I’m a shifter or something?”
“No. Baby, I know you’d have told me if you were. I just wondered if there might be a chance you had a witch or something in your family tree.” She toyed with the frayed hem of her cutoffs. “I smell it too now. It’s… it reminds me of mint. Fresh mint leaves and ozone. It tingles if I really breathe you in.”
Nate tried to cover his discomfort with a chuckle. “So witches smell like a bundle of leaves?”
“Not always. Anyway, I was just curious. Whatever it is, I like it. It smells nice.”
He couldn’t lie to her face and dropped eye contact, focusing on the sandwiches they’d brought along in their basket instead. “I guess it’s possible. I have this one aunt who everyone says is a little off.”
“Oh, okay.” The spark in Astrid’s eyes dimmed, and her smile vanished. “Hey, let’s grab ice cream on the way back,” she said in an abrupt change of topic. “I know the best little shop near here. One of those hidden gems no one wants to share.”
She knew. She knew he’d lied.
“Sounds good. We still on for a movie when I get back next week?”
“Of course.” Astrid smiled up at him. “We can make it dinner and a movie too if you like. I figure you’d want to grab some real food after a week living on ship grub.”
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