I Dream of Dragons (Boston Dragons) (5 page)

They all expressed appropriate horror. Chloe shook her head emphatically. “We have no such problems.”

“Sneezing fire! Imagine!” Shannon said.

“Okay. I’m glad to hear that.”

“So…the rent?” Rory reminded him.

“Ah, yes. We could let you have both places for twenty-five hundred per month. Fifteen hundred for this one and a thousand for the smaller one downstairs.”

Rory almost swallowed an audible gulp, but he managed to keep his poker face on. He knew rents were high in Boston, but he hadn’t realized how high. And that was the best deal in the city?

“Ordinarily the larger one goes for that amount all by itself. You’d be getting a two-for-one deal,” Sly added.

“Then we’ll take it,” Rory said. He asked Chloe for his wallet. It was so fat that he couldn’t fit it in his back pocket anymore and had to keep it in her purse, along with two large envelopes of cash. They’d planned to find a nearby bank after they had an address.

Rory counted off five thousand, feeling like a millionaire. If it weren’t for having to sell off priceless artifacts at a tenth of their worth, he might have been a billionaire. “That should take care of two months up front.”

“Actually,” Sly said with an apologetic expression, “that will take care of the first month and the security deposit.” He shrugged. “It will serve as your last month’s rent if there are no damages.”

Were they being lied to? Was Sly really
sly?
They weren’t in a position to argue.

Rory stuck out his hand and they shook on it. In Ireland, the deal would have been done at that point, but Sly said, “Okay. Let’s go upstairs and fill out the paperwork. Hopefully my wife is finished showing the place downstairs, and you can meet her.”

* * *

Amber had just signed the contract when the door to the managers’ apartment opened. Along with the manager’s husband, in traipsed Rory, the unbelievably hot guy she’d met on the sidewalk, and his Irish sisters.

“Wow, small world,” she said.

Sly glanced back and forth between his little group and Amber. “You know each other?”

“We’ve met briefly,” Rory said and smiled. Amber’s heart fluttered.

Blond, willowy Morgaine rose. “I haven’t met your friends, Sly.”

“I was just bringing them up to introduce them to you. Morgaine, these fine folks are our new tenants, Rory, Chloe, and Shannon Arish. They’re taking
both
apartments 2B and 1B. So, we’re full up,” he said, glancing at his wife and Amber. “No more vacancies.”

Morgaine’s mouth dropped open. When she didn’t speak right away, Amber gestured to the papers in front of her. “I rented 1B. I think the ink just dried on my signed lease.”

“Drake recommended the Arishes,” Sly said.

“And Brandee recommended Amber,” Morgaine added.

Sly stared at his wife. The two managers did the oddest thing. First Morgaine folded her arms. Then Sly placed his hands on his hips. Then Morgaine began tapping her foot. It was as if they were having a completely silent argument.

What the…

Rory and his sisters glanced at each other, looking equally confused.

“But we paid…in cash,” Chloe said. She rubbed her fingers together, then glared at the check Amber had sitting on the table like it wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on.

Amber returned her gaze to the stalemate between the managers. Were they able to argue with their eyes? Did they solve all their problems with a staring contest?

Rory whispered to his sisters, “Do you think they’re telepathic?”

Chloe and Shannon shrugged.

That would be one explanation,
Amber thought.
One very
weird
explanation.

“Look. I’m sorry, but I got here first, and I can’t lose this apartment,” Amber said to Rory. “My whole building is being renovated and turned into condos. Everyone has been evicted.”

He cocked his head. “Well, I’m very sorry for your troubles, but I believe we have the right of it. We already paid first and last month’s rents on both apartments—in cash, as my sister mentioned.”

At that point, Sly withdrew quite a wad of hundred-dollar bills from his pocket and held it out to Morgaine. She took a step back and shook her head as if the money were on fire.

“This is the oddest spat I’ve ever witnessed,” Shannon muttered.

Chloe chuckled. “We’ve seen some outrageous disputes, but you’re right. This one’s downright peculiar.”

Morgaine leaned forward with her hands on her hips and stamped her foot.

Finally, Sly rose to his full height and said, “In this country, possession is nine-tenths of the law.”

Amber and Rory exchanged a look, and telepathy wasn’t needed to interpret what they were thinking. They both took off and charged down the stairs. Chloe and Shannon were right behind them.

“Grab 2B, Sisters. I’ll get the first floor,” Rory called over his shoulder.

Chloe almost knocked Amber over, then pushed her way into the partially open door of apartment 2B. Amber lost some precious time righting herself, and Rory almost passed her. She elbowed him in the ribs and regained her lead.

As she was rounding the bottom of the stairs, he vaulted over the railing and they both tried to charge into the vacant first-floor apartment at the same time. Getting stuck in the doorjamb for a moment, Amber and Rory were squashed into each other. At last, as if something went “pop,” they unceremoniously tumbled inside.

Righting themselves, they faced off and stared at each other. “I was here first,” Rory said, panting.

“Ha! You wish. I got my foot in first.”

A thin guy who must have been one of the other tenants rolled his bike through the inside door at that moment. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, nothin’…” Rory said.

“We’re trying to decide which of us got here first. We both want to be your neighbor, and apparently the managers rented to the two of us separately but at the same time.”

The guy leaned back and laughed. “Perfect. I’m Nathan, by the way.”

Rory didn’t take his eyes off Amber, but addressed the bicyclist. “I hear that possession is nine-tenths of the law here. Is that true?”

The guy was still chuckling. “Uh, yeah. I guess so. At least that’s what I’ve heard.”

“The manager said it aloud,” Amber said. “I figured whichever one of us got here first would be allowed to stay…even though
I
signed the lease.”

“But
I paid
in cash, and we shook on it,” Rory said. “Did you see which one of us entered the place first?”

“Nope,” Nathan said. “But there’s still a way you can let that rule work it out for you.”

“How?” they both asked at once.

“Well, since you both possess it now, whoever leaves first is giving up possession.”

They glared at each other, and then a smirk stole across Rory’s lips.

“Oh, you think you’ve got it, don’t you? Just because you have sisters who can go get you food and whatever else you need, huh?”

He grinned. “I imagine so, since they live just upstairs—and there are two of them.”

She was furious and felt her cheeks heat. Her purse was upstairs. Her cell phone was in her purse. If she could get someone to bring it to her, she could arrange to have her furniture moved in—and then let him try to prove the place was his. Ha!

Suddenly the bizarre offer from Mother Nature smacked her upside the head. That could be her secret weapon!
If I were a muse, I could go to the bathroom, pop over to the store, and come back with groceries.

Oh, right… She’d have a hard time explaining how she managed to buy groceries in the bathroom, and Mother Nature had that pesky law about not revealing the paranormal world.
Damn.

Still, something about having the powers of a muse sounded like it might work in her favor. But how could she contact Mother Nature? Maybe through Brandee or Bliss? How long would it be before one of them came to the paranormal club?

She might starve to death by then.

The important thing was not to let this arrogant Irishman think he’d won. She strolled off toward the bedroom. At least she could claim that and have her privacy…or maybe she should claim the bathroom. She almost burst out laughing.
Yup. Not having a place to pee would drive him out pretty quickly.

Amber made a sharp right turn and hurtled into the little room. “I claim the bathroom. Gotcha!” She quickly slammed and locked the door.

She heard Nathan the bicyclist laugh loudly and say, “Oh yes. You guys are going to be wicked fun neighbors.”

* * *

“Finn…Finn! Get off the floor,” Mrs. O’Malley yelled.

Finn Kelley felt a couple of strong hands grab him. It must have been the Burke brothers. They were farmers and smelled of cow dung. One on either side, they lifted Finn enough to drag his deadweight out the door of the pub and deposit him on the lush, green grass. Standing over him, they summed up his condition.

“He’s fluthered, all right,” one said.

“Twisted and sozzeled,” added the other.

“You’d be scuttered too, if your fiancée suddenly went missin’.” Finn’s best friend, Patrick, must have felt the need to defend his friend, although he had cautioned him about drinking a fourth glass of whiskey in so short a time—or was it his fifth?

“That Arish girl? The young one?” Mr. O’Malley asked. He must have followed them outside.

“That’s the one,” Pat said. “Shannon. They’ve been pre-engaged forever. Rather, they were.”

Finn rolled over and mumbled, “Shannon…Shannon, where are you?”

“She isn’t here,” the village doctor snapped. He must have followed them outside too. “And you won’t find her by passin’ out at O’Malley’s.”

Finn’s arm flopped over his eyes as if to block out the sun—but the sun wasn’t shining. More likely he wanted to block out the doctor’s logic.

“I wish the Irish had never invented whiskey,” Pat said.

Mr. O’Malley smirked. “The Irish didn’t invent it. God did. It was his way of keepin’ the Irish from takin’ over the world.”

“I’ll be headin’ back to me office,” the doctor said. “Tell Mr. Kelley here to take two aspirin and not to call me unless he really is dead—not just dead drunk.”

One of the farmers asked, “How can he call anyone if he’s dead?”

“I don’t think he much cares,” the other one said. “We should be gettin’ back. It looks like rain is comin’.”

“But a rainy day is the perfect day to spend at the pub.”

Finn briefly opened one eye to check for dark clouds.

“Right you are,” Mr. O’Malley said. He wrapped his arms around the brothers’ broad shoulders, and all three ambled back into the pub.

Patrick squatted beside Finn and pried his eyes open again. “Get up.”

“Leave me be.”

Patrick rose and leaned against the rustic building. “I hope you’ll be soberin’ up soon. I can’t keep the garda from tossin’ you in jail if they’ve a mind to.”

Finn pushed himself up to a sitting position, then slumped over. “Why?” he asked for the hundredth time. “Why would she leave me without a word? If they went on holiday, she’d have told me in advance.”

And for the hundredth time, Patrick answered, “I don’t know, Finn. It’s a mystery.”

Finn took a deep breath and leaned back on his hands. “Somethin’s not right.” Focused on the heavens, he called out, “I’ve been prayin’ for a sign.” Then more quietly, he added, “If God knows where she is, he ain’t talkin’.”

“I’m sure wherever she is, she’ll be callin’ you when she can.”

“
If
she can.” Finn put his head in his hands and began to shake. Tears burned the back of his eyes.

“None of that, now. C’mon. The Irish ignore everything they can’t drink or punch.”

“I wish I knew who to punch,” Finn said. “Lord knows the drink ain’t workin’.”

Rory leaned against the bathroom door of apartment 1B and crossed his arms. “You can stay in there as long as you want, darlin’. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

“You will when you need the facilities,” she called out.

She didn’t need to raise her voice. His dragon senses were a little sharper than a human’s—even when he was in human form.

She thinks she has me beat. Well, let’s see if I can have a little fun with her first.
“I have a nice sink here in the kitchen. Don’t think I won’t use it.”

She gasped. “You wouldn’t!”

“Oh, but I would. You see, this apartment belongs to me, and I can do anythin’ I darn well please in it.”

“Gross,” she exclaimed.

The lock clicked and the door opened, but only a crack. “I can’t let you ruin
my
apartment. Why don’t we call the bathroom neutral territory?”

“I guess we could do that.” He smiled and winked at her. “For now.”

She opened the door slowly. “Let’s add the kitchen to that list.”

“Why not? I don’t suppose either of us likes our food raw.” His breath could whip up a nice barbecue, but he couldn’t tell her that.

She slipped out of the bathroom, then made a quick right turn and dashed into the bedroom. She shot him a grin of satisfaction. “I claim the
only
bedroom.”

He shrugged. “Fine by me. I have the whole living room, which appears to be the bigger area.”

Her lush lips compressed into a hard line, and her pretty hazel-green eyes narrowed.

A knock sounded at the apartment door, followed by Morgaine’s voice. “Amber…are you in there?”

“Damn,” Amber muttered under her breath. Without leaving the bedroom, she yelled, “Yes. I’m here. Come on in.”

The front door opened slowly. Both managers walked in. Sly strode over and stood by Rory. Morgaine carried a handbag to Amber.

“Are you two talking this out?” Morgaine asked as she handed Amber her purse.

Amber looked relieved. “Thanks.” She reached into it and withdrew her cell phone.

Now she can call in reinforcements
. Speaking of which, where were his siblings?

Rory tried to appear nonchalant. “We’re workin’ on it. You wouldn’t happen to know where me sisters are, would you?”

“Chloe signed their lease, then said they were going shopping,” Morgaine replied.

“They said they’d get a few things for you,” Sly added. “I told them where the grocery store is, as well as where to buy a futon. Since they’re on foot, I imagine they’ll have to have that delivered. If you two don’t work this out, you could spend an uncomfortable night or two on the floor.”

“So let me get this straight,” Amber said. “My signature on the lease means nothing? You’re going to let this big oaf stay in my apartment until one of us gives up and leaves?”

“Or until your check clears,” Morgaine said. “Neither of us are lawyers, and we were hoping you’d have resolved this on your own.”

Amber stared at Rory. “Oh, it’ll clear. Are you sure you want your sisters buying furniture for this place?”

“I’m a man of simple tastes. A futon and small milk crate are all I need to sit, eat, and sleep.”

Amber sighed. “Well, at least you won’t have much to carry when you move
out
.”

“I’m not movin’. And from the looks of it, you’ll be the one sleepin’ on the floor. Unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless you want to share me futon.” He waggled his eyebrows.

She slammed the bedroom door, and a click said she’d locked it.

Sly and Morgaine faced each other and began another staring contest. Rory stepped a few feet away, cleared his throat, and waited to get their attention…and waited some more while they continued to stare at each other.

At last he cleared his throat loudly, and they finally looked at him. He waved them over.

They glanced at each other, then followed him.

“Are you two telepathic?” he whispered.

Sly smiled. “You picked up on that, huh?”

“I didn’t know if you had some weird nonverbal way to settle an argument. Maybe if you let me in on your concerns, I can shed some light on me and mine.”

Morgaine’s posture relaxed. “I suppose we should hear you out.
Both
of you. An informed decision usually results in a better outcome, and right now I’m not happy with the outcome we’re getting.”

Sly put his arm around her waist. “That makes two of us. We never fight.”

She smiled at him, and eventually they kissed. Just a peck.

“So, what are your concerns, Morgaine?”

She lowered her voice. “I know you’re dragons, and we want to help our fellow paranormals, but we had a bad experience with a dragon living here before.”

Rory nodded. “Sly mentioned that. We don’t sneeze fire. We have no allergies that I know of, and we have complete control over our powers.”

“Are you sure? I was told that if a dragon didn’t ‘blow off steam’ sexually from time to time, he or she could shift inadvertently.”

Rory laughed. “Sounds like a pickup line. No. Me sisters and I have powerful dragon magic. It allows us to shift quickly, but only when necessary. We prefer our human forms anyway.”

“Why do you want to live here?” Sly asked.

“Drake and Bliss seemed to think it was perfect for us. I believe they’re right. It’s para-friendly, and the neighborhood is safe for me sisters.”

“Can you afford it?” Morgaine asked point-blank.

Rory laughed. “For as long as we live, and that’s a long, long time.”

“How do you get along with others?”

“Quite well, ordinarily. We Irish tend to be charmin’ and friendly.”

She nodded. “Good.”

“Then you’re satisfied? I can stay here?”

She held up her palm to halt his assumption. “Not yet. We need to talk to the other party. Remember?”

His hope faded. “Of course.” He gestured toward the bedroom with a sweep of his hand.

Both of the managers approached the door and knocked.

“Who is it?” Amber called out.

“The managers,” Sly answered.

She opened the door a crack. “Have you come to a decision?”

Ah! She can’t hear through doors. That means she’s probably not supernatural, which is a point in me favor.

“We have not. May we come in and talk to you?” Morgaine said.

“Does a certain stubborn Irishman have to come in with you?”

“Not yet,” Morgaine said. “We’d like to talk to you both individually first.”

Amber stepped back and opened the door wider.

As soon as the managers were inside, she gave Rory an arrogant smile and closed the door in his face.

He was tempted to shift. His hearing was even better in his dragon form. He chuckled to himself as he pictured her expression when she came nose to snout with a full-sized dragon in her living room. She’d probably run, screaming.

Sly was speaking, but Rory could tell the vampire was trying to keep his voice low. Still, Rory was able to pick up the gist of the conversation. Why did she want to live here? Would her references check out? Had she ever been late with her rent? And,
if
she wound up with the apartment, could she get along with other tenants? All the normal questions a landlord with two potential renters would ask.

There was no question hinting about her being paranormal, which meant they didn’t know if she was.

Finally the managers emerged and Amber closed the door, but she didn’t lock it this time. That could be an oversight or a sign of confidence. Either way, he was sure he could convince her to leave.

Before either Sly or Morgaine spoke, a knock at the door indicated visitors. Rory strode to the door and opened it to reveal his grinning sisters. They held a futon laden with grocery bags and they hadn’t even broken a sweat.

“Ah,” he said. “How lucky am I to have such a
strong
and loyal family?”

Sly smiled. “Let me help you with that.”

“No need. We’ve got it,” Chloe said. “Where do you want this, Brother?”

“Me thinks right in front of the fireplace would be nice. Don’t you?” he asked Morgaine.

She nodded. “You can only burn candles in the fireplace though.”

“A pity. But I always abide by the rules.” He turned to his sisters. “You didn’t happen to purchase any candles, did you?”

They set down the futon in front of the fireplace and Shannon grunted. “We were thinkin’ you might like to eat and sleep, so we got you a bed, food, and cutlery.”

Chloe snorted. “I suppose you wanted a complete set of silver and bone china for twelve, but we didn’t get those either.”

He held up his hands. “You’ve got the right of it. I only need the basics for now.”

“I can bring you a few candles,” Morgaine said and smiled.

“Thank you!” Rory didn’t mean to sound so surprised.

The bedroom door opened. Amber glanced at the cozy setup and the girls carrying bags of groceries to the kitchen.

“Oh. You’re moving in? Well, don’t get too comfortable, because I just called a moving company to pack my apartment and bring
all
my things here.”

“And how are they supposed to get into your old apartment?” Chloe asked. “It’s not like we’re about to help you turn out our brother so you can leave.”

“I called my neighbor, Candy. She has an emergency key to my apartment and said she’d let the movers in.”

Everyone focused on the managers, who’d been silently observing the whole time.

At last, Morgaine said, “Since we can’t seem to come to a decision, we’re going to let the other tenants weigh in. Are you both agreeable to meeting them?”

“Absolutely,” Rory said. He hoped there were a lot of female tenants he could use his Irish charisma on…even though the only woman he wanted to charm at the moment was the one least interested in his existence.

* * *

Finn Kelley sat at a card table across from a gypsy inside a colorful tent.

I must be mad.
Truth be told, he’d consult the devil himself to get a clue to Shannon’s whereabouts. The doctor was right, drinking didn’t solve the problem. As soon as Finn had sobered up, he’d known that.

“You’re missing someone,” the gypsy woman said. “A young woman, I see.”

Finn leaned forward, hoping to get a glimpse of whatever was in the seer’s crystal ball. “Where is she?”

The gypsy stared into the crystal and her brows furrowed. “Hmmm…”

She leaned forward and seemed to be straining to see something. A full minute passed. At last she shut her eyes, leaned back, and rubbed her temples.

“What’s wrong?”

“That knowledge is blocked.”

“Blocked? What do you mean?”

“I mean that bit of information is shrouded—being kept secret by someone or some
thing
. An entity… And trying to get to it is hurting my head.”

Finn narrowed his eyes. “Is this a ploy for more money? Will another dozen euros find a way through that block?”

Her back stiffened. “As much as I’d like more money to offset the pain I just suffered, I am not a fraud. I am telling you that someone or something is not allowing me to see more.”

“I don’t understand.”

She sighed. “It must be powerful magic. Now, don’t roll your eyes…”

He hadn’t.

“I don’t know what you’ve heard of the ancient little people, but I’d say the block must come from someone or something like that.”

Finn rolled his eyes—he couldn’t help it this time. “I’m Irish. Of course I’ve heard the legends of leprechauns, fairies, and the like.”

“They are not legends. Or as my people say, ‘Legends come from somewhere.’ They tend to be ancient truths.”

If this woman wasn’t a fraud, he’d eat his hat, but on the off chance she wasn’t full of shite… “Fine. Let’s say the little people are hidin’ her somewhere. How do I find them?”

“Ah, now that’s the trick. You’ll have to find someone who doesn’t want to be found.”

Here it is… I’ll need to pay her a hundred euros and go to some far-off location while she conveniently disappears.

“Fortunately, I know a bit of magic has upset the area recently. I’d say they’re a lot closer than you might think.”

“Close, huh? How close?”

“Right here in Ballyhoo. An ancient castle has appeared out of nowhere. It’s built into the cliffs off Braydon Road.”

Now she had his attention. Shannon’s cottage was on Braydon Road’s dead end. It was too much of a coincidence. Perhaps magic was responsible for her disappearance—
if
magic of that kind existed.

“I’m surprised I haven’t heard about an ancient castle appearin’. It seems like the kind of news that would spread through a small village in minutes.”

“That’s what the villagers get for shutting out us travelers. We see things, yet you turn us away from your pubs. If we’re not welcome, why should we tell the ‘good’ people of Ballyhoo what’s happening right under their noses?” She emphasized the word “good” as if she were spitting it. “They’d never believe us anyway.”

She had a point, but why hadn’t he seen a castle when he went looking for Shannon at her home? He’d been riding his bike and looking down to be sure he didn’t fall over a wagon wheel rut. He could have missed the castle—especially if it was tucked into a cliff.

He rose and reached into his back pocket. “How much do I owe you?”

“How much did I say it cost at the beginning?”

“Thirty euros. But I already paid it.”

“Then our business is finished.”

He was surprised but not unhappy. “Is there anythin’ else you can tell me? Like, is she all right?”

“I’ve told you all I know.”

* * *

Finn rode his bicycle along the familiar tire ruts in the dirt road. For once, the weather was agreeable, allowing him to wear short sleeves and no slicker. Perhaps the cloaked hood he’d worn to keep the rain off his face had prevented him from seeing a castle before. He shook his head. Unlikely.

If there was a full-size castle near the Arish cottage, and not one made out of sand, he’d eat his derby hat.

When he rode into view of the cottage, he caught sight of a projection rising from the side of the cliff.
Funny, I don’t think I’ve seen that before.