“Never wear clothes,” she murmured. “I’ll call you Big Daddy all you want. And it will be well deserved.”
He bit back a smile. “Do you know how beautiful you are? Do you have any idea how crazy I am for you?”
“Crazy, yes,” she said, and gave him a self-conscious shrug. “I don’t know about beautiful. I’ve got this quirky appendage, don’t forget.”
“Beautiful,” he said again. “You’re the bestest-looking government experiment ever.”
She laughed, slapping a hand over her mouth. “Oh, that poor kid.”
“He has a bright future,” Eddie told her, and meant it. “Let’s eat and get you some new clothes.”
“Yo,” she said, holding up her clawed right hand. “I know this is San Francisco, but people here have to have some limits for strange, right? Maybe we should shop online.”
“Please. If you show off all that dragon, the tourists will love you, and the locals will give you an award for cool.”
“They’ll think it’s some makeup job?”
Eddie smiled, feeling lighter and more unburdened than he had in had years. “Let’s go find out.”
Lyssa growled at him and went to explore his closet. He followed, and found her digging through his long-sleeved shirts.
“Take anything,” he said.
“I will,” she replied, pulling a soft, battered, long-sleeved shirt off the hanger. It was black, like a lot of his clothes.
Before she slipped on his shirt, he couldn’t help but reach out and stroke his finger down her smooth back. Lyssa shivered, giving him a half smile that was warm and knowing. His erection was instant, and throbbing.
“I can’t believe it,” he said. “I want you again. Right now.”
She laughed. “Do you have any jeans I can borrow?”
“They’ll be huge on you.”
“I like wearing your things.” Lyssa bent over to dig through his folded pants.
He either needed to touch himself or find his way inside her body. “You’re doing this on purpose.”
“I’m wet for you,” she said bluntly. “Of course I am.”
His breath exhaled in a rush, and he reached for her hips. Lyssa leaned forward, bracing her hands on the wall and looking over her shoulder with glowing golden eyes.
“I’ve always wondered,” she said, “what it would feel like to be taken from behind.”
“God,” he said, and showed her.
His cell phone rang several times, but he was too busy exhausting himself — and Lyssa — to even think about answering. It wasn’t until after a fairly vigorous shower that he finally checked his messages.
All of them were from Roland.
“What is it?” asked Lyssa, rubbing a towel through her hair.
“My boss,” said Eddie, reluctantly. “He wants us to come over. Are you comfortable with that?”
“More than you are, I think.”
Eddie smiled, grim. “Yeah.”
Lyssa dressed in his jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. She had to wear a belt and roll up the legs, but she still managed to look cute, even with a winter scarf wrapped around her neck and gloves on her hands.
His apartment was within walking distance to the office. Lyssa ventured outside with hesitation, touching the scarf, checking her gloves.
“I feel like I’m in a different world,” she told him. “I know that sounds stupid, but I’m a creature of certain habits. I’ve had to be. I familiarized myself with every city I lived in. I studied the people, how to behave. .”
“You feel out of place here.”
“More than usual,” she admitted. “Off-balance. Part of that is you, though. It feels strange. . being with someone. I’m so used to doing everything on my own.”
Eddie hesitated. “Do you feel stifled?”
“No.” Lyssa smiled. “No. I’m thinking about what to illustrate for my next job assignment.”
He ducked his head, pleased — and tucked her hand in his.
It was early evening, and the sun was setting. Scattered clouds covered the darkening sky, and seagulls cried. Eddie bought Lyssa hot chocolate, and he sipped coffee as they walked. It felt natural to have her beside him. As right as anything he had ever experienced. It made him feel. . like a normal man.
Scattered memories filled him, flashes of his childhood, his life on the streets. He thought about the cage, and the fire that had wracked him so deeply he had expected his life would never be his again to control.
Out of control. Fighting for control. Stifling his life for control. That described so much of how he had existed.
But with Lyssa. . he could just be.
“I think Estefan might have mentioned Dirk & Steele,” she said, when they reached the building and he undid the locks on the narrow front door. “But I wasn’t really paying attention, and it was just in passing. All I can remember is an impression of his voice saying the name.”
“He knew enough to contact us.”
Lyssa forced a sad smile. “Yeah.”
During the elevator ride up to the top floor, she began to fidget. Eddie felt the same. He wasn’t looking forward to seeing Roland.
But it was Long Nu who greeted them when the elevator doors opened.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The first shape-shifter Lyssa had ever met, besides her father, was an old woman with sharp teeth and a sharper heart. Nothing soft inside her. No compassion for anyone who strayed past a certain line.
A line her father had crossed in marrying her mother.
A line, said the old woman, with a price.
Exile, for starters. And one day, perhaps, death.
The threat of death was a bluff, she realized later.
Long Nu would not have dared cross Lyssa’s mother.
Even dragons were scared of the dark.
The old shape-shifter had not changed at all. Same wrinkles, same coiffed hair, old, knowing eyes, and a half smile that was cold as ice.
“You,” Lyssa said.
Long Nu drew in a deep breath. A man appeared at the end of the hall, big in the shoulders and tall. He had a craggy face, and brown hair that needed a cut. He smelled like the inside of a liquor cabinet, but his eyes were sharp with intelligence.
Roland, she thought. Eddie’s boss.
Lyssa had wanted to make a good impression, but with Long Nu present. . she gave up on that plan. Things were going to get ugly.
“Is there a problem?” Roland asked gruffly, striding toward them.
“I don’t know,” Eddie said, watching Long Nu. “Is there?”
“Yes,” replied Lyssa, stepping off the elevator, taking some small pleasure in making the dragon-woman back up. “We’ve got a problem.”
“I’m here,” Long Nu said stiffly. “I’m facing you.”
Lyssa slapped her. Right hand. With all her strength.
“Fuck,” said Roland, while Eddie let out a muffled sound of surprise.
Long Nu did not go down, but almost. Holding her face, she stared at Lyssa with contempt — but also a hint of fear. “Is that all?”
Rage flowed. Pounding, throbbing, fury. The dragon inside Lyssa unfurled its wings, and a terrible ache raced down her right arm. Her vision faded into a golden haze.
“Don’t tempt me,” she whispered. . and, finally, Long Nu averted her eyes. Lyssa stepped closer. “Show me your hands.”
“Hey,” snapped Roland. “What the hell is this?”
“Lyssa,” murmured Eddie.
“I want to make sure she’s not holding a weapon,” she told the men, her gaze never leaving Long Nu. “Do it.”