How to Date a Dragon (23 page)

“No.”

“Of course not. Only spoiled children expect to get their own way all of the time. Which isn’t to say it’s not natural to want what you want… It’s just not okay to get revenge when things don’t go your way.”

Zina crossed her arms and looked like she was pouting.

Gaia paced back and forth, hands clasped behind her back, muttering, “What am I going to do with you?”

At last she stopped in front of Zina and pointed at her. “Because you have abused your fertility, I’m taking that away from you until you can handle it.”

“You can’t do that!” Zina screamed.

“Yes, I can. In fact, I can do a little more. Have fun in Siberia.” Mother Nature waved her hand in a wide arc, and Zina disappeared from sight.

***

Drake had finished putting out the dock fire and rested on the shore. Bliss was arguing with her family, but he didn’t know why. He figured he should probably stay out of the way… until he heard one of the male voices saying, “Hey, it happens all the time. Firemen like to play hero. He probably made us think he left when he ran off looking for a taxi, then his accomplice snuck back there and set the fire.”

“Then he ran back to save the day,” said the other brother.

“What are you, nuts?” Bliss was obviously getting agitated, but it was her family. She could handle them.

“I don’t know, Blissy. It makes a certain kind of sense,” Mrs. Russo said.

“No, it doesn’t! It doesn’t make any sense at all. Why would he make more work for himself?”

“It’s not logical, Sis. I think there’s a name for that type of thing, but I don’t know what it is. Some kind of mental disorder.”

“Are you saying he’s deranged? How dare you? He was in the station when most of those fires broke out, and then he risked his life to answer the calls. Don’t you think his buddies would notice if he was missing?”

Uh-oh. Bliss’s voice is loud enough to alert the media—in New York.

Drake rose and checked the area behind the arguing family. There stood the director and cameramen—with their little red lights indicating they were still filming.

Shit. Now what?

He strolled slowly toward the family. A noise like “pssst” from the corner of the house caught his attention. When he glanced over, he saw Vulcan in his white robe, waving him over.

Oh, great. He looks like Father Time, and of all the imperfect timing…
Drake altered his route, planning to ask Vulcan to change back into his street clothes. Then they’d need to come up with a reason for his presence so the family didn’t suspect Vulcan of being an accomplice. They had to figure out some way to fix this so Bliss didn’t have to defend them.

Unfortunately, as soon as Drake rounded the corner, he disappeared into the brightest white light he’d ever seen, and a moment later he found himself standing under a clear bubble.

“Oh, crap. Not again.”

Gaia strolled over to him. “I took care of your problem, and this is the thanks I get?”

Drake stared at the all-powerful woman who looked like an aging beauty queen. “You took care of… what problem?”

“Your dragon, Zina. She won’t be bothering you or this city anymore.”

Drake glanced at Vulcan. “Is this true?”

Vulcan nodded. “I wish you could have been here to see it.”

“Seriously, Vulcan?” Mother Nature cocked her head like she was talking to a foolish child. “If you want him to see what happened, just show him.”

“If you don’t mind…” Vulcan seemed reluctant. “You don’t usually like us to show anyone your reactions.”

“I’ll make an exception.”

Vulcan gave a slight bow, and then with extended arm and index finger, he drew a circle in the air. Appearing in the circle were tiny exact replicas of himself, Mother Nature, and Zina. He snapped his fingers, and the picture came to life.

Drake watched the whole interaction with alarming clarity.
The
whole
thing
really
was
my
fault. If only I had told Zina up front I wasn’t interested, maybe I’d still have had a couple broken ribs, but none of this would have happened to Bliss.

He brought his attention back to the movie playing in front of him. Mother Nature had punished the dragon for her crimes, and it sounded as if Zina wouldn’t be bothering him or Bliss again.

The picture stopped with only Gaia and Vulcan in the frame. Then the vision and circle dissipated as if it had never been there.

“You sent her to Siberia? And made her infertile?”

Gaia crossed her arms. “Yes, and I took away her fire and flight. Why? Do you disapprove?”

Drake let out a sigh of relief. “No. I approve wholeheartedly.”

“Good. I like you, Drake. You’re not like some dragons who think they’re above the laws of nature. I’m giving you back your immortality.”

He placed a hand over his heart. “Thank you. I couldn’t be more grateful, but…”

Mother Nature raised her eyebrows. “But? There’s a but?”

“I–I have a mortal girlfriend. Actually, I plan to make her my wife, and I can’t see going through eternity without her.”

Gaia smiled. “Good to know. Because I actually have a favor to ask of you.”

Uh-oh. It’s never good when a deity wants a favor.
“What is it?”

“Your girlfriend…” Mother Nature began.

“Bliss? You want Bliss?”

Gaia rolled her eyes. “Everyone wants bliss, stupid. I just want to know more about your girlfriend.”

“Well, for starters, her name is Bliss.”

Mother Nature burst out laughing. “Oops. Who’d have thought… well, never mind. What kind of person is she?”

“Honest, loyal, she’s one of the bravest women I know. She’s been under incredible pressure and didn’t crumble once. She even saw my alternate form and didn’t faint or run.”

“She saw you as a dragon?”

“Yes. She didn’t believe me and I really needed her to. I wouldn’t have been able to warn her about Zina if she didn’t take me seriously. If something happened to her because I hadn’t warned her properly, I’d never forgive myself.”

Mother Nature clasped her hands behind her back and started to pace again. “So, she doesn’t believe in things she hasn’t seen with her own eyes?”

“I don’t know about that,” Vulcan interjected. “She seemed to accept my help without protesting my nonexistence.”

Gaia narrowed her eyes at him. “Cute.” She pointed to a spot on the floor until a small sofa and armchair appeared.

“Have a seat, Drake. I think your Bliss might be just the kind of woman I’m looking for.”

Crap.
Drake lowered himself onto the couch slowly. He sat on the edge in case he needed to jump up and run.
Run
where?
That was a good question, and hopefully he wouldn’t need to answer it.

“Relax, dragon. I’m not going to do anything to your human… that is, if she doesn’t want me to…”

“Can we make this conversation a little less ambiguous?” Drake asked bravely. He didn’t want to upset the goddess, but she was upsetting the heck out of him.

“Here’s the thing… I need a few new muses. The world’s population has grown and evolved over the centuries. Some of my current muses are complaining that they can’t handle all the challenges, especially when it comes to new technology. Your girl seems pretty savvy and modern. Isn’t she?”

Drake nodded slowly. “She is.”

“Do you think she’d make a good muse?”

Drake couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Bliss… a muse? “That would make her immortal. Wouldn’t it?”

“Yes. I know you didn’t want to go on alone after she died, but are you worried about being with the same woman for eternity?”

“Not at all. I’d love to be with Bliss forever. She never fails to surprise me. I doubt very much I’d ever get bored.”

“Good. Then I don’t see any reason not to make the offer. Do you?”

Drake wished he had more time to think about it, but inevitably this would be Bliss’s decision, not his. “I can’t think of anything. She’ll tell you if she’s not up for it.”

“Good. So now that we have that cleared up, go back to your nice, normal life, and I’ll contact her.”

“You might want to wait a few days. She’s in the middle of a big competition right now, and her focus needs to be in one place.”

“And you think me making her a minor goddess might be a distraction?”

“Just a bit.”

“Fine. I’ll wait. But not long.”

Bliss nervously chewed on her fingernail, a nasty habit she thought she’d beaten, but the competition was bringing out the worst in everyone. Candy, one of the other finalists, was twirling her hair, and Dick, the third, was tapping the tabletop. If he didn’t stop it, Bliss was going to strangle him.

“What’s taking so long?” the other female finalist asked in her soft, little girl voice.

No
wonder
she
designs
inspirational
cards.

“I don’t know, Candy. Why don’t you go ask?” Dick had earned his name during the competition. Every reality show seems to have one.

“Well, whatever happens”—Candy reached out to grasp the hands of the other finalists—“it’s been a privilege, y’all.”

Dick yanked his hand away.

She giggled. “Why, bless your heart. You must be more nervous than you look.”

The door to the windowless room in the New York TV station opened, and Judith poked her head in.

“Is everyone ready?”

Candy clapped her hands rapidly. “Oh, goody! This is it.”

Dick rolled his eyes. “Are you kidding? We’ve been ready for hours.”

“Sorry. The judges wanted to meet your families.”

Bliss leaped up. “Our families are here?”

“Of course. It’s part of the show and the viewers love it. They want to see the winner’s family react with pride. Unfortunately, we had to tell a few of them how to do that.”

Bliss pinched the bridge of her nose. “Probably mine. I didn’t invite them for a reason.”

“Your family seems to be behaving themselves, Bliss. Don’t be too hard on them for speaking their minds. Families show their love and support in different ways. It’s obvious your parents are thrilled for you.”

Bliss slapped the side of her head. “Oh, no. My boyfriend is coming and doesn’t know how angry they are with him. He’ll be walking into an ambush.”

“They’re still angry that he disappeared? I thought it was obvious why he left.”

Dick leaned forward. “This sounds interesting. What happened?”

Bliss tried to wave the incident off like it was nothing. “Oh, they were just being their usual overly talkative selves and they accidentally insulted him.”

“Really? What did they say?”

She turned on Dick and spat out, “Nothing. Forget it!”

He rubbed his hands together. “It doesn’t sound like nothing to me. Better get those cameras rolling, Judith.”

“Shit. At this stage of the show, it’s not the kind of thing we want happening. Bliss, maybe you should come out here and explain…”

“What is
he
doing here?” a male voice cried out.

Oh, crap. Too late.
Bliss rose and dashed from the room into the hallway, which was clogged with people.

Some of them stepped back and cleared a path so she could see what was going on.
Yup. Just as I thought.

Drake stood still while her father poked him in the chest. “You’re not good enough for my daughter. If you want to be part of this family, you have to know how to stand and defend yourself.”

Wow, that’s for sure.
“Dad!” Bliss elbowed her way to her father. “Leave my boyfriend alone.”

“But he ran away. One little insult and he was gone.” Romeo Russo was using his hands to talk in grand gestures destined to whack someone in the face.

“I wasn’t insulted,” Drake said.

Bliss reached him and whispered in his ear. “Yes, you were. It was the only way to explain your disappearance.”

“I’ve got this, honey.” Drake put his arm around her shoulder and addressed her parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Russo. I’m sure you must know how unnerving it can be to meet your future bride’s family, and then when you think they dislike you for some reason—”

“Bride?” Mrs. Russo’s hand covered her heart.

“Now, wait just a—”

Mrs. Russo’s other hand covered her husband’s mouth. “Blissy, did you know about this?”

Bliss stared at Drake’s face, looking for a clue. He seemed perfectly calm and happy. Then he winked at her.

What
is
he
up
to?
“Uh, no, Mom, I didn’t.”

“I wasn’t planning on doing this until after the winner’s announced, but maybe you should know that win or lose, I want you in my life, Bliss.”

The hallway fell silent and all eyes were on her. She tried to whisper in his ear so they wouldn’t be overheard. “Are you sure? Even with the amount of insanity in my family?”

Drake chuckled. “I’m sure. And your family’s insanity isn’t that bad.”

They smiled at each other until Mrs. Russo burst out with, “Say something, Bliss!”

“Like what? I don’t think he proposed. He just said he wanted me in his life. I want him in mine too.”

“Even if your father doesn’t approve?” Mr. Russo asked and crossed his arms over his big barrel chest.

Bliss rolled her eyes. “Even if my father posted attack ads in the
Boston
Globe
.” She palmed Drake’s cheek and kissed him.

Mrs. Russo tried to put her arm around her husband’s considerable waist and laid her head on his shoulder. “I’d say that no matter what happens in a few minutes, Bliss won the biggest prize of all. Love.”

Mr. Russo humphed. “There was a time when a girl had to have her father’s permission.”

Bliss broke the lip-lock to give her father an annoyed glare. “Yeah, and there was a time when you’d have had to pay him in goats to take me.”

Mr. Russo sighed. “Fine. How many goats would you like, Drake?”

“No goats. Just your beautiful daughter.” He swept a stray lock of hair behind Bliss’s ear and kissed it. “Does that mean you approve?”

“And start World War III with my wife if I don’t?”

Romeo Russo extended his hand and Drake shook it.

Just then, Judith reappeared and clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “It’s time to take your seats.”

The double doors to the auditorium opened, and as people filed through, the hallway emptied. Drake dropped Bliss’s hand and said, “Lead the way, honey.”

“I have to sit up on stage, but I’ll find you in the audience.”

“I’ll sit with your folks.”

Bliss chuckled. “You’re a glutton for punishment, aren’t you?”

***

Five hours of film later, the three finalists all sat on the edge of their seats. The jumbotrons set up on either side of the stage were used to showcase their work for a large audience. The giant screens made something as small as a greeting card or as flexible as an animated, online card look great.

Bliss had to admit the competitors’ designs were fantastic. Some of them. And some of hers were home runs too. It was really anybody’s contest.

At last the judges returned from their backstage deliberations and presented Judith with an envelope.

This
is
it. Either fifty grand in my hand or back to the drawing board.

She thought about how she and Drake might use the money. A down payment on a house, maybe? A magazine ad campaign to kick-start her business? There were no stipulations on how the money was to be spent. Bliss had previously only thought about winning it to pay off a small mountain of debt and maybe lengthen the vacation the winner got as part of the prize. She needed a long one.

Judith waved the envelope. “Now, which of our terrific designers is going to win? Will it be Dick for his rock-and-roll lyrics? Or Candy for her inspirational poetry? Or Bliss for her sense of humor?”

The audience began chanting, “Bliss, Bliss, Bliss…”

Judith opened the envelope and smiled at the contents. When she held up her hand, the audience quieted. “I have a check here in the amount of fifty thousand dollars, and it’s made out to…”

She paused so long Bliss thought half the audience might pass out from holding their collective breaths.

“Bliss Russo for Hall-Snark Cards!”

The roar of applause and shock to her system drowned out any thoughts that might have been going through her head. Bliss rose and walked woodenly toward Judith. Before she reached her, she remembered to smile and echoed Judith’s giant grin with one of her own.

When the applause finally died down, Judith clasped her shoulder. “Now, before I can give this to you, Bliss. I’m afraid there’s a stipulation.”

There
is? What the heck could that be?

“The judges heard about your wonderful news and want to be invited to the wedding.”

Another roar of applause began but died out when Bliss muttered, “Um… we haven’t even discussed the details yet.”

“Well, we have. As you know, the winner also receives a vacation. We’d like to throw you a destination wedding in…” Again the pause was far too long. Then confetti fell from the rafters and Judith shouted, “Hawaii! Congratulations.”

Bliss almost groaned aloud. She searched the audience and saw cameras focused on her parents’ proud faces. Her mother was openly crying, and her father’s beaming eyes seemed to be a bit watery too.

But where was Drake? The seat next to them was empty.

Oh, no.

“She’s speechless, folks. Go on,” Judith said as she gave Bliss a shove. “Go share this moment with your family.”

Bliss trotted down the side stairs, and cameras followed her up the aisle to her parents’ seats. They jumped up and each gave her long hugs and kisses. At last she saw Drake. He had just reentered the room through the double doors at the back.

He smiled when he saw her and jogged down the aisle. “What did I miss?”

Mr. Russo slapped himself on the forehead. “Oh, for the love of God.”

“Hey, I’m sorry. I couldn’t hold it any longer.”

“My future son-in-law will probably disappear from his own Hawaiian wedding.”

“What?”

“Never mind, Drake.” Bliss placed the check in his hand. “We won!”

“You did?”

“
We
did! This couldn’t have happened without you.”

He picked her up, whooped, and whirled her around in a wide arc. “That’s fantastic. But I didn’t do anything, honey. It was all you. Your hard work and talent.”

“No. You just saved my life. That’s all.”

He shrugged one shoulder. “All in a day’s work.” He whispered in her ear, “Speaking of work, there’s a job offer I need to talk to you about when we’re alone.”

Bliss glanced all around at the cameras and the swell of people coming closer to offer congratulations.

“That may have to wait a while. Can you give me a hint?”

He laughed. “No hints. You’ll just have to wait.”

Hmmm… Bliss was intrigued and could hardly wait to hear what her cryptic boyfriend had in mind, but by then, she was being embraced and jostled by one person after another, including her fellow finalists.

Candy hugged her and said sweetly, “I knew you’d win. Your cards are so funny.”

When Dick hugged her, he said, “I’m just glad the little sweetie pie didn’t win. Her cards give me cavities.”

***

A couple days later, the hoopla had finally died down and Bliss returned from New York by train. Transporting all her stuff was much easier without air travel’s inconvenience of weight restrictions, luggage searches, and pat downs that made her feel like a criminal.

This time when she arrived “home,” she wasn’t quite sure where to go. Her parents’ house?
Ugh.
Drake’s tiny place?
It
may
be
cozy, but at least it’s calm.

She called Drake at the fire station. After she chatted briefly with Mike Kelly, he put Drake on the phone. It was so good to hear his voice. She took a chance and said, “Hi, honey, I’m home.”

“Great! I’m off soon. Where are you? Winthrop?”

Bliss snorted. “No. I’m still at South Station. I’m not sure where to go from here. My mother will make a big deal out of everything. The neighbors want to come over and congratulate me on the win my parents weren’t supposed to tell people about yet.”

Drake chuckled. “When does it air?”

“Not until next week. That gives me about a week of relative peace. I don’t want to squander it.”

“Come to my place.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

“Terrific. I’ll come and get you.”

“Aren’t you at work?”

“Yeah, but my shift is almost over. The guys can cover for me for a little while.”

“No. I don’t want to take you away from your job, and I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”

“Are you sure?”

“What… that I can take care of myself?”

He chuckled. “No. I’m completely sure of that. I meant are you sure you don’t want me to come and get you? I have something to tell you, and we’ll need complete privacy.”

“Oh yeah? I have something to say to you in private too—or rather, my body does.”

“I like the sound of that. So, I’ll see you at my place soon?”

“Can’t wait.”

“Me neither.”

They hung up and she hailed a cab. She’d had no time to think for so long. First there was the fire, then Zina, then the other fire, then the competition… It was good to have a little breathing room.

Drake had said Zina was no longer a problem, but he said he’d explain later. His evasive tone left her uneasy, despite assurances that the she-dragon was really out of the picture.

Don’t waste your time thinking about her, she told herself. You have much better things to focus on.

One of those things was Drake’s sort-of proposal. He said he wanted her in his life. That didn’t mean marriage. Bliss didn’t dare ask for clarification with her mother standing there. If he’d meant simply living together, Malinda Russo would have had a fit and her father—good God. Who knew what Romeo Russo would have blurted out?

The judges would have looked like fools too. Why did they have to turn her vacation into a wedding? And why, oh why, did it have to be Hawaii? It was beautiful and everything, but the air travel from Boston was brutal. She had been hoping for the Caribbean or Europe.

Ah, well. It was probably too late to do anything about what the show would air. That didn’t mean she and Drake couldn’t just turn her prize back into a vacation and quietly ask her mother to put away the guest list for a few years.