Theo nodded. “All the more reason we need to check on her. She could be talking to people right now.”
Calix closed his eyes. “Okay. You’re probably right. I just dread seeing her so soon. I was hoping to get some flowers and maybe take her to dinner again. This time I’ll pick a place where no waitress has a crush on me.”
Theo laughed. “Not happening in Magic, cousin. All the ladies like you. Dragons have to live with that kind of feminine attention. It never stops happening, not even after you mate.”
Calix shoved his hat back on over his shaggy Greek hair and headed out the door behind Theo. “Haven’t you ever just liked a woman?”
Theo nodded. “Yes. I liked her. I loved her. And then I mated her. That’s how it works. Better start wrapping your stubborn dragon head around the process because it seems to be happening to you.”
Cussing his denial under his breath, Calix followed his smart-ass cousin out the door.
Chapter Six
On one edge of town, Lena discovered an animal shelter that also seemed to function as an animal hospital. The owner was a nice woman named Lacey who showed her around and let her pet some of the animals. Lacey’s husband, Frost, turned out to be a real looker.
To go with his strange name, the man had intense eyes and a friendly smile that kind of reminded her of naked alien Mars’s. It was obvious even through his clothes how well built he was too. Magic sure seemed to have a lot of hot men in it.
Finding them hiding out here was like getting the best of Christmas presents. Calix was right at the top of the hunk list.
The animals Lacey cared for there were varied, but Lena was happy to see there were no foxes. She really wasn’t in the mood to see more of those. There was one young male husky who prowled his cage and huffed constantly. The dog’s actions made Lena laugh, probably because he reminded her of Calix. When she asked about the possibility of adopting him, both Lacey and Frost had laughed and said he was already owned.
Shrugging, Lena asked if they knew about any land that might be for sale or lease around the outskirts of Magic. That’s when all talking and smiling at her had instantly stopped. Apparently, Deputy Dawg had been correct about the townspeople not being open to strangers moving in.
Knowing she’d hit a dead end there, Lena had thanked them for the tour and gotten back into her van. Undaunted, she drove all around Magic. The only location she found that potentially met her needs was a swatch of barren desert with an abandoned house on it. The location was perfect, but it would be a shame to tear down the well-kept older house to build the dome.
She was driving back into town when she noticed a bunch of older kids picking on a younger one. Not liking bullies at all, Lena pulled over and climbed out.
“Hey!” she yelled in her teacher voice. The kids sprang apart, guilt on their faces. “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing.”
The denial had come from the one covered in all the mud and dirt and sweat. Lena looked at the others and narrowed her gaze. They all had muddy hands. “Why aren’t you all picking on someone your own size?”
“You don’t know anything. You’re just a stupid human,” one of the boys said before laughing.
Lena fisted her hands on her hips. “I’m a human who’s about to drag your bullying asses down to the sheriff’s office. Let’s see how cocky you are when you’re put into jail.”
That threat held some weight because the three bullies took off running like lightning bolts.
Lena looked down at the kid. He was scrubbing the mud from hands way too large for his small body. Now and again he’d look up and glare in the direction the bullies had fled.
She put her hand on his shoulder. “See those giant hands of yours? They remind me of a Dalmatian puppy. One day, you’re going to outgrow all those mudslingers. Bet they won’t dare pick on you then.”
“They don’t like me because I’m different,” the kid said flatly.
“We’re all different. This world would be pretty boring if we weren’t. What’s your name?” Lena asked.
“Nate.”
“Hi, Nate. I’m Lena. Can I give you a lift home?”
The kid sighed. “Guess you can take me back to my foster parents. They’re probably wondering why I didn’t come home from school already.”
Lena swallowed. Life was tough all over. She knew that. Who didn’t these days? Magic, New Mexico lost a bit of its previous shine as she studied the boy she’d rescued. “Come on, Nate. Let’s get you home. You can ride up front. The back seats all have naked alien cooties on them.”
Nate’s head turned to her. His eyes grew wide. “You’re the lady who found the missing aliens in the desert?”
Lena chuckled. Apparently, she was famous here. She just wished it hadn’t been over something stupid. “Yes. That would be me. I’m a natural rescuer.”
“Which is why you stopped to help me,” Nate said as he climbed into the front passenger’s seat.
When they were both in the van and buckled up, Lena turned to Nate. “What did that bully mean when he said I was a human like it was a bad word?”
“Well, you are a human, or mostly one. Right?”
Lena chuckled. “Guess mostly human fits when you say it like that. Yeah, that’s me alright. Mostly a human. One day I’m going to turn into something big and intimidating. People will run when they see me coming.”
Nate nodded. “I believe you because everyone is afraid of dragons.”
Lena immediately thought about Calix teasing her about being a dragon and smiled. “Good thing I’m not afraid of dragons then. Some of my best friends are dragons.”
“That must be why you’re so brave,” Nate said.
Laughing at Nate’s logic, Lena put the car into gear and drove the boy home.
Topper popped into Abigail’s yard. The bear shifter charged out on the porch within seconds.
“Thank the Goddess. I’m so glad you’re here,” Abigail said.
“Is Nate alright?” Topper asked.
“The boy’s fine, but I think there’s something you need to know.”
Topper nodded. “Was it the hyena kids again? Their parents have got to teach them manners or start homeschooling those little meanies.”
“You got that right. Nate told me those hyena triplets were picking on him again. They covered the kid in mud and were planning worse I imagine. Some human woman in a van came along and stopped them. Nate said she threatened to haul them down to the sheriff’s office and they ran away.”
Topper crossed her arms. “Good for her. I’m guessing the threat scared them off since Nate got home okay.”
“Woman was nice enough to bring him home too. I got a good whiff of her. She was human alright, but you know how the boy is. Whatever it was they used on him in that lab made him a seer of all things strange. I never know what he’s going to end up saying to me. That’s why I called you.”
Topper felt the hairs on the back of neck rise to attention. Nate was never wrong about what he saw—never. Goddess only knew what power he’d have when he got to be full grown. They weren’t even sure what kind of shifter he was going to be. She’d asked the Fates, but they’d refused to tell her. “What did Nate say about the woman?”
Abigail glanced over her shoulder to make sure Nate wasn’t in hearing range before turning back to whisper to Topper. “The boy said the woman was turning into a dragon. I told him I didn’t believe that was possible. He shrugged and walked away. You know what that means.”
Nodding, Topper looked at the door. “Tell Nate I said thanks for the warning. I’ll check her out and let you know what’s going on. Like you, I doubt that could really be happening, but I believe Nate is sensing some sort of change coming. Did the woman give you her name?”
“Are you kidding? The woman was a talker.” Abigail laughed. “She said she was Dr. Lena Verglas and that she was a professor at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. She asked me if I knew of any barren land for sale
or lease around Magic because she wants to build some kind of bio-dome here. Most humans are nuts but some come across crazier than others. She was in the latter category. Maybe the boy thought she was becoming a dragon because she was so pushy.”
Chuckling at Abigail’s description, Topper waved her hand and disappeared.
Chapter Seven
Calix locked the last cell of the fighting hyena parents. They’d had to separate them when they brought them in. He turned to Theo. “Now what?”
Theo sighed. “I’m going to go round up their heinous triplets and put them in a third cell for safe keeping. Abigail called and said they attacked Nate again. When that kid grows up, I hope he shifts into something enormous and scary.”
“Who’s Nate?”
“He’s the kid I told you about—the one Topper brought here when he was two.” Theo turned to glare when the hyenas started cackling in their cells. “Shut your traps. I haven’t roasted anything in a long damn time, but for you two, I’ll make an exception. I’d be doing the entire town of Magic a big favor by wiping out you two and your little bully kids.”
“You’re the mighty dragon sheriff. You’re supposed to protect lower shifters like us,” the hyena father said.
Theo glared. “You’re making me choose the whole town over the five of you. Sorry, Bubba Bigmouth, but wicked troublemakers aren’t wanted anywhere. As far I can tell, all you’ve ever done here in magic is make trouble. I’m surprised Topper hasn’t come calling and turned the lot of you into mice or toads. I may suggest it to her. It sure would make both mine and Nate’s lives a lot easier for a few decades.”
Calix grinned when the mention of Topper shut both of the hyena parents up. He’d never personally seen Topper turn anyone into anything yet, but he’d seen her do a lot of other things that kept him from doubting she could. The witch’s power was strong, and everyone knew it.
Theo pointed at the door. “Calix, why are you still here? Go find your new girlfriend and see if she’s okay. Don’t let anything distract you this time.”
“Hey, it was you who made me go after the hyenas. And Lena’s not my girlfriend, Theo. She’s my…” Calix drifted off when Theo’s mouth twisted into an evil smirk. “Shut up. I’ll find her. But I promise you, Lena is not turning into a dragon, so don’t go telling anyone else that crazy-ass story.”
Theo chuckled as Calix puffed smoke from his nostrils before stomping back outside.
Lena popped into a small café and checked her watch. It was four o’clock in the afternoon—too late for lunch and too early for dinner. Maybe coffee and a piece of pie would keep her going.
She’d come up empty-handed on her search so far, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Everyone she’d talked to had pleaded ignorance or just made some quick excuse and dodged the conversation. She was coming around to believing Deputy Dawg knew what he was talking about when he’d warned her that Magic didn’t want any outsiders putting down roots.
“Black coffee and a big piece of cherry pie,” she said to her smiling waitress. She grinned when Calix walked through the door. She pointed to him. “Make that a double order. The deputy will be joining me.”
“Calix likes apple better than cherry. Is that okay?”
“Fine by me,” Lena said, smiling and waving when Calix finally saw her.
The waitress hurried off, and a second later Calix slid into the opposite side of her booth.
“Any new naked aliens show up today?” Lena asked with a chuckle. She smiled when he smirked. “Just teasing. I ordered you coffee and pie. The waitress said you liked apple, so she’s bringing you that. You are one popular guy in this town.”
“You ordered me food again?” Calix asked, stunned once more.
Lena sputtered at his surprise. “Women feed men all the time. Didn’t your mother ever feed you?”
“Not since I was a child,” Calix answered. “Thank you for ordering me food. I could use someone like you in my life. Will you marry me?”
Laughing, Lena thanked the waitress for her coffee. “No. Like you, I’m enjoying my single life too much. Though I will say that you greatly improved it last night.”
Calix snorted at her teasing and dropped his gaze to his coffee. He knew Theo had been worried for nothing—the idiot. “I broke up a fighting set of parents today. Theo’s out picking up their kids. The whole family is going to spend the night in jail. That’s how my day went.”
Lena reached out and patted his hand. “That’s tough stuff, Deputy Dawg. I rescued a small boy from a set of bullies today and took him home. Magic may not be as friendly as I thought it was. Maybe I should come work for the sheriff’s office too. Think your cousin would make me a deputy?”
“Maybe. Theo’s all about powerful women.”
Lena lifted a brow. “How do you feel about them?”
Calix waited until the pie hit the table. He grinned when he saw his piece was way bigger than Lena’s. “I’m used to women spoiling me. It’s hard not to turn into a sexist. I have to fight it every day.”
Lena smirked at the difference in their slices of pie. “Well, after last night I can see why women spoil you. I can’t even be mad. I’d be giving you a big old slice myself if I’d been serving.”
“It’s not about that. I don’t sleep around,” Calix said flatly. “And I don’t flirt very often. Theo says I’m too picky.”
“Don’t be pretending you don’t know what I’m talking about. With moves like yours, you could find a dozen women willing to feed you.”
Calix stopping eating pie and looked up at her. “I don’t want other women, Lena. I want back inside you.”
Lena barely swallowed the cherry in her mouth without choking. When the woman behind the counter and their waitress both froze and stared at them, her face went nova. Heat suffused her and seemed to race to every cell. The same thing happened last night—only this time it was without the sex. The man was hell on her hormones.
“Blunt much?” Lena asked in a strangled whisper.
“Guess so—since I made you blush,” Calix whispered back.
Sighing, Lena forced herself to take another bite before talking to him again. She sipped her coffee and finally met his gaze. “I guess I want the same thing. Not feeling real proud of myself for admitting it though. I don’t want you thinking I’m easy.”
“How about I buy you dinner first? That’s what you did for me. You didn’t think I was easy, did you?”
Lena broke off a piece of crust and threw it at his grinning face. “Make sure you add a big bottle of wine to the dinner tab. By the time it’s gone, I won’t care one way or the other what either of us think.”
Calix reached over and played with her fingertips resting on the table. “I like you, Lena Verglas. In fact, it could be more than like.”
Lena let him play with her fingers, but she pointed her empty fork at him with the other hand. “No, Deputy Dawg. We are not going there. I’ve got a job in Albuquerque, and you have to protect this town. I’m not driving all the way to Magic, New Mexico every damn weekend just to get some ‘I’m-your-dragon’ nookie. Regardless of how outstanding you are in bed, that’s not happening.”
Calix’s mouth twisted at the very real irony of her words. “How about I use my wings and fly up to Albuquerque to see you instead?”
“Idiot—the closest airport is two hours from here. It’s only a five-hour drive to Magic. By the time you drove to the airport and flew, it’d take twice as long. You’re not making any sense.”
“Flying makes all kinds of sense to a dragon,” Calix said with a wide grin.
Lena rolled her eyes. “Let’s stick to reality in this discussion. I like you too, but I don’t think we got anything to look forward to long term. That doesn’t mean I won’t take every night with you I can get while I’m here. You’re a pretty nice guy.”
“Glad you think so,” Calix said, feeling his dragon careening in joy under his skin.
Shrugging, Lena fixed her gaze on her plate.
“Looks like I won’t be staying long anyway. I think you were right about the people in this town. No one will talk to me. I’m going to get the map out tomorrow and look at some other towns. It’s a shame though. Magic is perfect. If I was here for a couple years doing my research, who knows what might happen between us?”
Leaving? She might be leaving in a couple days? That didn’t seem right to Calix. He wasn’t done with her. “You haven’t talked to Topper, have you?”
“No. I never found the woman,” Lena reported.
“Stay until Thursday,” Calix ordered, desperate to find a way to delay her leaving. “Topper will be in town for sure then. Plus, you don't want to miss the full moon.”
Lena sipped her coffee. “I think it’s sweet that you want me to stay.”
“I’ll see if I can get tomorrow off and maybe we can spend it together.”
Both Lena’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you suggesting a date?”
Calix frowned. Was he? “Yeah. Guess I am asking you out. I want to sleep with you too. Like you, I want every moment I can get until you have to leave.”
Lena smiled and fanned her face. Was it the coffee or the man across from her heating her up? “You got me all hot and bothered, Calix. My answer is yes to all of it. I’m going to be pissed though if you ruin me for all other guys. I want my life to go on even when you’re not in it.”
Calix smiled as his dragon went ape-shit inside him. “I make no promises. In fact, you might want to go take a nap for a few hours. I don’t plan on letting you sleep much tonight,” he told her, happy when Lena’s face flushed red again.
The spell was broken when the guy bussing the booth behind Calix dropped the whole tub of dishes he’d just gathered up.
“I’m not buying you any more food until you learn not to embarrass every living soul around us,” Lena said while laughing.
“Guess I’ll start behaving then. I wouldn’t want to starve.” Laughing along with her, Calix stood and put his hat back on his head, tipping it to Lena. “I’ll be by the inn to pick you up at seven. Don’t change out of that cute dress. Just add a sweater if you’re cold. We’ll walk to dinner.”
Topper's Magical Christmas: My Crazy Alien Romance, Book 4 (Magic, New Mexico 40) Page 6
