city of dragons 02 - fire storm (7 page)

“Yeah, that sounds much better.” Felicity raised her eyebrows.

I had laid out three different dresses on the bed.

“Where did you get these?” said Felicity.

“I bought them,” I said.

“You bought three dresses for one event?”

“Well, they all looked good,” I said. “And I’ll probably wear the others at some point.”

“No, you won’t. How many formal events are you expecting to go to?”

I thought about it. “Oh, you’re right. I guess I don’t go to formal events anymore. It’s just that when I usually go shopping for dresses like this, I would buy more than one.”

“Back in Connecticut, you had a backlogged closet of ridiculously expensive dresses that you never wore,” Felicity said.

“Really?” I said. “Because I think I wore them.”

“No, because every time there was another party, you went shopping, and then you came back with five more dresses.”

“Not always,” I said. “Sometimes, the events would sneak up on me, and I wouldn’t have time to shop.”

“No,” she said. “That never happened.”

“Never?” I said.

She shook her head.

“So, you’re saying I should probably take two of these dresses back,” I said.

“Probably,” she said. “And if you’re hurting for places to spend that cash, I could help you find some here in the hotel.”

“Hey, I didn’t spend that much on these dresses,” I said. “I’m a business woman now. I’m good with money.”

“No, I know you are,” she said. She picked up one of the dresses off the bed and checked the tag, which was still on. “Huh,” she said. “This was only fifty bucks?”

“Yeah, there was a sale rack,” I said. “I shopped the sale rack.”

“Oh, Penny, you’ve changed so much,” she said, grinning. She set down the dress and gave me a hug.

“They aren’t designer or anything,” I said. “But no one’s going to be looking at me that close, so I figured these would be fine. I think they were for prom or something, but I picked out stuff with classic lines in dark colors, so I think—”

“You actually did really well,” she said. She picked the dress back up. “And I think I’m trying this one on.”

“What?” I said. “Where are you going to wear it?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe Jensen and I will get invited to a wedding or something.” She held it up and looked in the mirror.

“That one is my favorite,” I said.

She shook her head. “No, no, no. You need to wear the red one.”

“It’s burgundy,” I said, sweeping it up. “And it’s got a slit, so I don’t know if—”

“Try it on,” she said, sweeping out of the room. “I’m trying on this one.”

I tried on the burgundy dress, which did look good on me. It was only that I was afraid it was a little too much. It cut low in the back, baring a lot of skin, and I wasn’t sure I was bold enough to pull it off.

When Felicity came back in wearing the other dress, though, I had to admit that it looked amazing on her.

She twirled. “What do you think?”

“It looks great on you,” I said. “You should keep it.”

“I think I could dress it down with sandals and some wooden beads or something,” she said. “I could wear it out to dinner.”

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s simple.”

“But elegant,” she said, looking in the mirror. “I’ll pay you for it.”

“Don’t be stupid,” I said. “Why is everyone offering me money lately?”

“Who else is trying to pay you?”

“Oh, Melinda Irwin,” I said.

“What? When did you see her?”

I told her about Melinda and the other mothers coming by, how they wanted my help with the vampires at The Dungeon. “But if I interfere with that, then it messes up our case, because they might have killed Fletcher. So, I have to leave it alone.”

“Yeah,” said Felicity. “I can see that.”

“But if they really did kill Fletcher, then I can just see what a clusterfuck it would be if the police try to arrest those vampires. They’ll all end up compelled or magically glued to the floor. Those vamps drink dragon blood. They’re powerful.”

“Which is why it might be dangerous for you to go up against them.”

“I could do it,” I said.

“Last time, with Ace, you had help,” said Felicity. “Connor and I had magic from those talismans.”

“Yeah, I know,” I said. “But I don’t want to put you guys in danger again. That didn’t go as planned. I just wanted to scare those vampires.”

“Listen,” said Felicity. “I’ve been thinking. I really don’t like it, you and Jensen micromanaging me the way you are.”

“Oh, God, Felicity, we’re only doing it because we care—”

“Stop,” she said, holding up a hand. “Let me finish. Now, you said that the difference between us was that you could take care of yourself, right? Well, what if I could too?”

“I don’t understand,” I said.

“I want to learn how to use magic,” she said. “You gave me this talisman for protection, but it only does so much on its own. If I knew how to use it, I could do more.”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah, that’s true.”

“Okay, then,” she said. “So, will you teach me?”

“Um…” I took a deep breath. “I could try, I guess.”

“Good,” she said. “And if I can take care of myself, you’ll stop being my babysitter?”

“Felicity…”

“Come on,” she said.

I sighed. I nodded. “Okay, fine.”

She smiled. She looked me over. “Oh, this dress is awesome.”

“It’s too much,” I said. “I think I should try on the black one.”

Felicity shrugged. “Okay, try it on, but this one looks hard to top for me. And I think Lachlan would like it too.” She winked.

CHAPTER SIX

I wore the black one.

Because I didn’t want to be flashy at all. I wanted to blend in, to be wallpaper who asked questions. I didn’t want to be recognized right away, even though I’d be mixing it up with my former peers.

And whatever was going on with Lachlan and me, I didn’t feel like it was wise to exacerbate it by wearing a sexy dress or doing anything that might distract him or make him think unclearly.

I was sure that Lachlan could handle it if I wore a sexy dress, and it wasn’t as if I thought so highly of my own appearance that I thought the burgundy dress would make him lose his mind or something, but I still felt more comfortable this way.

Maybe it was the specter of Alastair hanging over me.

I remembered once, I had been positively exhausted after a party, but I’d been wearing this dress that I had picked out specifically for him, because I knew it was the kind of thing that he liked.

It was rare that I was too tired for sex with Alastair, because the dragon-mating bond made me some kind of crazy horny freak. But I had been wiped out that night. I’d had too much to drink as well, and I had the spins.

And he just wouldn’t take no for an answer.

I shoved the memory from my mind.

Fuck Alastair. Fuck him for ruining everything, for making me crazy and paranoid and damaged. In that moment, I only wanted to cry.

“Hey,” said a voice.

I turned to see Connor coming into the lobby. He was wearing his uniform because he was about to start his shift. “Hi,” I said.

“You all right?”

I squared my shoulders, forcing a smile. “I’m fine.”

“You’re nervous, aren’t you?” he said. “About going back to see all those people you left behind.”

I shook my head. “I’m fine. I’m just having trouble with these earrings.” I held them up. They were dangly, and they didn’t have back clasps, just long hook-shaped wires that went into my ears. I always had trouble getting them in.

“Let me try,” said Connor, holding out a hand.

“I doubt that’s going to go better,” I said.

“I know a trick,” he said. “I learned it from this guy I dated who was a drag queen.” He disappeared for a moment and then came back with some Vaseline.

“Connor—”

“What?” he said. “Everything goes in better with a little lube.”

I shut my eyes. “Oh, God, the images you have just put in my mind.”

He laughed, taking one of the earrings from me. He coated the wire with a bit of Vaseline and then handed it back to me.

I attempted to put it in, and it slid right through the hole in my ear. “Wow, that worked.”

“Told you. Lube,” said Connor, holding out his hand for the other earring.

“Stop
saying
that,” I said.

He just giggled.

Once I had both of the earrings in, I surveyed myself in the mirror. The earrings looked nice.
I
looked nice, I had to admit. I hadn’t gotten dressed up and pretty for a long time. It felt strange to me now, even though it was something I used to do all the time.

“I think it would be totally normal to be nervous,” said Connor.

I turned back to him. “Yeah?” I whispered.

The door to the lobby opened, and Lachlan came in. He was wearing a suit, just like always, but he had on a dark dress shirt and tie. The look wasn’t exactly monochromatic. There were slight changes in color, but overall, it was very chic and sleek. He eyed me, taking me in. A smile crept over his face.

“Hi,” I said.

“You look nice,” he said. “You clean up good, Penny Caspian.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I said, lifting my chin. Why did I feel like I was in the middle of a sparring session? My pulse started to pick up speed. Maybe going to this party had been a bad idea.

I’d thought that it would be good somehow. That being in a pretty dress would be like armor, and that I’d be back in my element, and I’d be untouchable. But the truth was that I felt like a fish out of water, and it only reminded me of the woman I used to be. That woman had been vulnerable—to Alastair, to her own fears—and I was stronger now. I suddenly felt as if I was moving backwards.

I looked back at Connor, almost as if he could save me.

But Connor was just checking out Lachlan.

Lachlan was still staring at me.

Yeah, I was glad I’d worn the black dress. “We should go,” I said, hurrying past him. “We’ll be late.”

“Isn’t late good at events like this?” Lachlan drawled, catching me by the arm. He stopped my movement.

Now we were close. He was touching me, and I was looking up at his face—his prominent cheekbones and his piercing eyes. My breath hitched.

He grinned at me, looking relaxed and casual.

I tensed. I’d seen him use this very tactic against the people he interrogated, getting them to drop their guard and do what he wanted them to do. I didn’t understand how this had happened. How was it that I was on edge, and he was so calm?

“If we’re too early, we’ll be conspicuous, right?” he murmured.

“We’re not going to be early,” I said, but my voice was barely there, as if it had been stripped away from me.

“I wouldn’t think the younger dragon set would get there until the party was well underway.” His voice was practically a purr, and he was so close that I could smell him.

“It is,” I managed. “It started two hours ago.” I tried to move away from him, but he was still holding my arm.

He nodded once, slowly. “You planned to arrive late. Told me to be here later.”

I nodded. “Let go of me,” I whispered.

He licked his lips. He didn’t let go.

“Get a room, guys,” said Connor.

Lachlan smirked, turning to Connor. “Nice to see you, Mr. Beckett.”

“You too, Detective,” said Connor, winking.

Lachlan laughed. “Well, then, Penny, let’s go.” His hand moved from my arm to the small of my back, and he propelled me towards the door, which he opened with his other hand. He gestured with his head.

I walked through the door ahead of him.

He followed me.

I hesitated, looking back at him.

He caught up, hands on my body again. His fingers skimmed my waist. His mouth at my ear. “You look beautiful,” he breathed.

I shut my eyes.

He pointed. “Car’s there.” Then he was walking away from me, loping off toward the car as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

I, on the other hand, couldn’t stop the pounding of my heart.

* * *

“Everyone liked Fletcher,” said Anya Sheffield, a dragon who couldn’t have been much older than twenty-two. She kept fiddling with the stirrer in her drink and running her teeth over her bottom lip.

Lachlan was inches from her, leaning across her table, staring into her eyes as if she was the most important thing on earth. “Everyone? Was this guy a saint or something?” he said, raising his eyebrows.

Anya giggled. “Oh, God, no. He had a real problem with drugs.”

Lachlan had been doing this all night. I hung back and watched while he let girls flirt with him, and asked them questions about Fletcher.

I wasn’t jealous.

It wasn’t as if he had any actual interest in girls like Anya. And I was noticing subtle differences between the way he manipulated people and the way he interacted with me. This was an act, and he was genuine with me. So, it wasn’t jealousy I was feeling. It was…

Well, I was annoyed that he was so proficient at this.

My expectations for the evening had been turned on their head. I had expected that this would be my time to shine, because I would know the ins and outs of the culture here, and that I’d take the lead and Lachlan would follow.

But Lachlan wasn’t really a follower.

He wasn’t exactly a leader, either.

He was more… a loner.

“Speed, right?” said Lachlan.

Anya bit down on her lower lip. “Maybe speed. But mostly smack, I think. Last party I saw him at? It was his parents’ anniversary, and he was out of it. Just sprawled out on one of the couches, his tie loosened, his eyes half-closed. He was like rubbing one of the couch cushions.” She shook her head. “That’s not speed, right?”

“Heroin.” Lachlan sat back in his chair, moving away from Anya. He looked up at me. “Is that a typical party drug amongst dragons?”

“No,” I said. “I don’t think so.”

He turned back to Anya. “You ever do it?” He made it sound like it would be perfectly all right with him if she wanted to admit it.