Dragon with the Girl Tattoo by Julia Mills
Chapter Four
“Okay,” Babs slowly reiterated. “Say that one more time.”
“I got up and left,” Tessa matter-of-factly stated. “It was crowded. Almost everybody there was a woman. And…”
“And?”
“Well, there was this one guy, but he just stared at me.” Fiddling with the hair that fallen over her shoulder Tess exhaled sharply. Didn’t smile. Didn’t move. Heck, I’m not sure he was even breathing. Maybe he was a display, some kind of advertising for beer.”
“Oh, come on,” Babs chuckled even as her eyes were still wide with shock. “HE had to be real. I know Janice and she doesn’t do advertising.”
“Okay, yeah, I knew he was real,” she grumbled. “I smiled. HE did nothing. I smiled again. He still did nothing. As a last-ditch effort, I crossed my legs and showed some skin, but he just stood there like a statue. I thought maybe I had dirt on my face, or a booger in my nose.”
Shaking her head, Babs chuckled, “You are something else, my girl. I like it.” Pausing for a second and adjusting her glasses that were now on top of her head, she asked, “Was he tall with dark hair and green eyes – the kind that make you swoon?”
“Yes.”
“And had a friend with shoulder-length blonde hair who looked like a god come to life?”
“Yeah, how did you know? Were you there, too?”
“No, I wasn’t but I had a feeling they would both be there. I know the blonde really well. His name is Kayne.” Taking a seat, she motioned towards the couch opposite where she was sitting. “He’s actually a Demi-God. The son of Lugh, but that’s not important. It’s the other one I’m interested in. He didn’t say anything at all? Didn’t even smile back?”
“Nope, not a thing.” Wondering how much she should say, Tessa blew out the breath she was holding and told the Babhdóir everything. “There was an instant attraction. Pandia and I both wanted to rub all over that long, tall drink of water with the emerald eyes and arms like pythons. We thought about brushing up against him just to stake our claim.”
“You should’ve.”
“I really might’ve if he’d so much as blinked,” Tessa admitted. “I scented that he was a Dragon right away and I wondered…” Stopping short, she giggled nervously.
“Oh, hell no. You can’t stop and blush like that and not tell me what you’re thinking.”
“Okay,” Tess groaned, forcing herself not to show how embarrassed she was. “I want to know if he burns hot and tastes like flames.”
“Well, you should’ve just asked.”
“Yeah, right, what if he laughed.”
“Then you laugh, too, Silly Girl.”
“Oh,” Tessa snorted. “I guess you’re right. No wonder you’re the Finder of Fated Love.”
“You know it,” Babs nodded. “But I really wanna kick that Dragon in the shins. Was there a woman behind the bar? About my age, with a ponytail, ordering people around?”
Laughing out loud, Tess nodded. “Oh yeah, she pelted him with a wet towel when he ignored what she was saying. I liked her a lot, even though I didn’t get to meet her
Barking with laughter, Babs slapped her knee. “Yep, that’s Janice. Love that woman to death. She’s raised her kids all by herself and reopened that bar after the death of her Mate.” Pointing her finger towards the Heavens, she added, “That Honey Badger’s good people.”
Wondering where all this was going and if by chance she’d met her Mate, Tessa was surprised when Babs stood up and headed for the door. “I have some calls to make. You get some sleep. Won’t be long till sunrise. We’ll get after this tomorrow evening.” Walking into the hall and turning right, she hollered, “Sweet Dreams.”
“You, too,” Tessa returned, getting up off the couch and heading upstairs.
Getting ready for bed, she couldn’t stop thinking about that sexy Dragon and more importantly, the way he’d looked at her. The heat in his eyes had been mesmerizing. She’d scented his arousal and knew he’d smelled hers by the way his nostrils flared, and his eyes slid shut.
Sliding into bed, she couldn’t help but imagine what it would feel like to have those muscular arms wrapped around her, or to kiss his amazing lips. Feeling the pull of the rising sun, she rolled onto her side and groaned, “And what did you do, Tessa? Go for a run. Nice move. Way to take charge. Have you lost your mind? How ya’ gonna find a man that way?”
Grumbling as she drifted farther and farther into the day sleep of her Vampire side, she was disgusted and disheartened. “When have you ever been shy?” Brushing the hair out of her face, irritated she’d forgotten to braid it, she grumbled, “Never. You do not have a shy bone in your body. Yes, you get embarrassed, but you’ve never been bashful. Next time - if there is a next time - you will walk right up to that hot-as-hell Dragon, introduce yourself, and kiss him right on the lips in front of God and everybody. Let him try standing still then.”
Drifting off to sleep as she felt the first rays of the sun touch the mountains just beyond her window, she murmured, “Yep, I’m gonna kiss that Dragon. Then I’ll know for sure. No use beating around the bush. Get that shit outta the way right up front.”
Waking to what she could only assume was a buzz saw coming towards her neck, Tessa sat straight up in bed and looked for who to kill first. Finding no one in her room but having to cover her incredibly sensitive ears to keep them from bleeding, the Vaepanther threw her feet over the side of the bed and padded towards the window.
Slowly opening the blackout curtains, she was surprised to find the gardens empty. Looking farther towards the mountains, she still found no cause for the obnoxious noise. Promising herself she would go find the person responsible and kill him where he stood just as soon as she brushed her teeth and combed her hair, Tessa sighed, “At least it’s dark out. Won’t have to get out the umbrella, dark glasses, and gloves. Not sure anyone out here in the sticks would appreciate my Jackie O. look.”
After brushing her teeth and hair and throwing on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, she padded out of her room, following the most irritating sound on the face of the earth to the kitchen. There, she found not only a high-speed blender trying to beat its way into her brain, but also a small, stout, fair-skinned woman with freckles, red hair, and an infectious smile.
Yelling over the awful racket, the newcomer, a Woodland Sprite from her scent and way older than the early twenties she appeared, exclaimed, “Hey! You must be Tessa. I’m Patricia, but everybody calls me Patty. I’m Babs’ sort-of-niece.” Nodding at the blended since her hands her busy pushing buttons and holding the lid, she asked, “Want some? I can add some of the red stuff.” Winking, she added, “After I get a glass.”
“Sort-of niece? What does that mean?” Letting the first question that popped into her brain run right out of her mouth, Tess quickly covered with, “I’ve never heard of a sort-of-niece.”
“Good job there, Ace,” Pandia laughed out loud. “You did pretty good considering you wanted to unplug that torture device better known as a blender and beat her over the head with the cord.”
“Hush it up, Pandy. This one’s strong, she might be able to hear you.”
“Nope, We’re good.”
Ignoring her still chattering alter ego, Tess listened as Patty chuckled, “Oh! Yeah? I guess it is something we made up.” Finally turning off the blender, she went on, “Babs and my mom have been friends since they were kids back on the Isle of Skye. When mom goes off on one of her walk-abouts, Babs comes to this tiny part of the world so we can hang out.”
Suddenly interested, Tessa sat down at the table. “So, have you ever asked Babs to find your Mate?”
Shaking her head, the Sprite poured a glass of what looked and smelled like a fruit smoothie before lifting the pitcher and asking again, “You want some?” Pointing over her shoulder, she added, “There’s B-positive in the fridge. Aunt B said it’s your favorite.”
Nodding, impressed that the Babhdóir remembered her favorite type of blood, Tessa listened as Patty went on to answer her question while retrieving a small, covered pitcher of blood from the fridge. “Not yet,” the Sprite giggled. “She says I have to wait a few more years. I guess she and mom have already discussed it and my older siblings have to be Mated before Aunt B can fix me up.”
No sooner had the Sprite finished speaking than she gave the blender another quick whirl, poured a tall glass of smoothie for Tessa, sat it on the table and joined the Vaepanther. “So, what about you? Looking for a hunka-hunka-burning love?”
Almost spitting her first mouthful of smoothie across the table, Tessa laughed out loud, “I hadn’t thought about it that way, but yeah, I guess so.”
“Met anybody yet?” Patty’s eyes got big as she bent over her drink and sucked the pink-colored liquid through the straw.
Sighing, Tessa did the same in order to give herself a minute to think then just let it roll. “I think I did, but for some stupid reason I…well, I chickened out.” Her voice got louder, and she clenched her fist on the table. “For the first time in my whole stupid long life, I chickened out. I ran off like a big old fraidy cat, and I’m pissed at myself.”
“My mom would say that means he’s the One.” Sitting back in her seat, Patty grinned. “My sister, Jeannie, would say he’s got y’all tied up in your silk panties.” Waggling her eyebrows, the Sprite probed, “Does he? Did he make you all hot and bothered?”
Snickering just thinking of the tall, handsome Dragon with a smile that set her heart to racing, Tessa nodded, “He really does.”
Slapping her hand on the table, Patty jumped up from her seat and ran around the table. Grabbing Tessa’s hand, she tugged and squealed, “Then get up! Come on! Let’s get back to that bar and find that man.”
Grabbing her drink as Patty literally pulled her from her chair, Tessa, suddenly excited by the prospect of seeing the handsome Dragon again, giggled, “Yeah, let’s do it!” Then under her breath added, “And this time, I’m not leaving without my kiss.”