Chapter 14
Marcella spent the day immersed in books and good company. She had always believed that she didn't work well with others, but it turned out that it depended on who she was working with.
Bridget had a bright and curious mind, and Cosimo never discounted an idea, no matter how far-fetched. It was refreshing to be able to talk out some of her questions and theories. Maybe she had needed another set of eyes on her project.
Academics were cagey at the best of times, and Marcella hadn't wanted to share her family's legacy with anyone. Like all powerful women in history, too much of Caterina's legacy had been tarnished already.
Marcella barely noticed the time passing, and when Cosimo asked her to stay for dinner, she didn't want to refuse.
Back in Florence, the villa smelled of delicious cooking as soon as they stepped through the portal and back into the lounge room.
"I don't think I'm going to get over the novelty of that," she commented, watching the portal close in on itself. Cosimo picked up the token and slipped it into his pocket.
"The magic is ridiculously tricky, but Valentine seems to have developed a knack for it. I can't say it isn't handy. Go with Bridget. I'm going to check in with the boys," he said and ducked up a set of stairs.
Bridget gestured at Marcella. "Let's go see what Bas is cooking."
"Is he okay?" she asked, pointing where Cosimo had disappeared.
"Oh, yeah. He just doesn't trust that the boys haven't gotten themselves into some kind of trouble while we were away today.
He needs to check in that everyone is still alive and has all their limbs," Bridget explained with an easy laugh.
"It's been a bit of a crazy year with the dragons waking up properly, and Cosimo's one makes his big daddy patriarch tendencies worse than usual. "
Bridget pushed open the door to the kitchen and took a moment to admire her man. Marcella couldn't blame her.
Bas, like the rest of the Greatdrakes, was tall and handsome and completely at ease in his power. It hung around them all like fine capes.
Marcella was getting used to the feel of so much magic in the room, but it was utterly different from her own.
Bas looked up, saw Bridget, and his face broke into a smile so dazzling that even Marcella blushed. He had definitely gotten that smile from his father.
"Hey, baby, how was your day?" he asked, pulling Bridget into a hug and giving her a kiss. It was so easy, so relaxed that Marcella felt a pang of longing.
Had her marriage ever been so affectionate? Maybe in the beginning, when Carlo still thought he could get whatever he wanted out of her. He used to withhold his affection to punish her to the point she never knew if she was going to get a hug or a shove.
Breathe. You haven't had to deal with that shit in a long time now, she reminded herself.
"Can I help with dinner?" Marcella asked. She needed to do something other than dredge up bad memories.
"Sure, that would be great," Bas replied.
Bridget kissed him again. "Have fun. My brain is cooked, and I need to go and lie on the floor and stare at the ceiling for a bit."
"I'll nudge you when food is ready," Bas replied. He dug into one of the kitchen drawers and pulled out a clean apron. "Here. I don't want you getting food on yourself."
"Grazie. That's so sweet of you," Marcella said, tying it on. "Now, what can I help with?"
"First things first. You have had a long day." Bas poured her a glass of wine and handed it to her before filling his own.
"Salute." Marcella lifted her glass and tapped it against his. She had a sip and smiled. "You have good taste in wine."
"No. My dad does. I grew up on only the good stuff because he loves wine, especially from the Veneto.
I think that's my grandmother's good influence that we are all now benefitting from," Bas replied and picked up a wooden spoon.
"I want you to taste this ragu and tell me what's missing.
I've never cooked with wild boar before, but I found this recipe and wanted to try it.
I can't put my finger on what's wrong with it. "
Marcella accepted the spoon with the dark reddish-brown sauce on it. She tasted it and thought for a moment. "You have been slow cooking this all day to get the meat tender, yes?"
Bas nodded. "It's been on for about five hours."
"You need more garlic and herbs. The slow cooking has leeched their flavor out too much."
"I used a ridiculous amount of garlic. I didn't think of it."
"Trust me, it needs more. Always more," she insisted. Bas followed her advice, grated garlic cloves into the sauce, stirred it, and tried it again. "Damn, you were right."
"Told you. That's the problem with slow cooking. You always need to at least double any herbs you might need," Marcella replied.
They fell into easy conversation as Bas put her to work, chopping ingredients for a salad. He was easy to chat to, and Marcella found herself telling him all about the day, including the incident with the statue of Minerva.
"Oof. Dad would have hated that," Bas commented.
"What makes you say that?" she asked. She hadn't told him about Cosimo's reaction, but somehow, he knew.
"Dad probably hasn't told you that he hasn't shifted into his dragon yet," Bas continued, pulling out punnets of berries from the fridge.
"He hasn't mentioned that."
"He's the only one of us that hasn't." Bas washed the fruit carefully, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"That means his dragon is awake, and it's volatile.
Not dangerous to you in any way, but the dragon has a way of taking over during moments of emotion.
Like you saw at dinner when it threatened you. "
Marcella nodded and cradled her wine. "And you are sharing this with me, why? And would he be okay with it?"
"Probably not," Bas snorted. "Dad is being stubborn about shifting. The boys and I are planning on taking him out tomorrow to try to help him with it. It's going to start driving him crazy if he doesn't do it soon."
"And you said it's not dangerous?"
"Not dangerous to you," he stressed. "His dragon likes you.
It watches you. It's hyper protective of you.
It would have gone crazy today when you fainted.
If Dad managed to hold it together, it's only because his control is so good.
It might not be as good if we have to go and see your shitty ex, however. "
Marcella reached for another bundle of small tomatoes to chop. "What do you mean? Cosimo seems like the least aggressive person I've ever met."
"He's not inclined to use violence to solve problems, but his dragon isn't as diplomatic.
It wants to protect you. Your ex will have to be really careful not to piss him off if he wants to keep all his limbs functioning.
Don't be fooled into thinking Cosimo is all gentleman.
He's got a darker side and isn't afraid to use it," Bas explained and topped up both their wines.
"He would be mad at me for telling you all of this, but I feel like you need to know. "
"I don't know why his dragon side feels that way toward me. We really are just friends," Marcella said, tipping the tomatoes into a bowl.
Bas glanced sideways at her. "That's all?
Because he hasn't let another woman in the house like this since Mom.
What's between you guys is your business, but I'm telling you right now, I know my dad.
He's in denial about his dragon and how lonely he is.
I know that he likes you, and not all of his thoughts are the kind you would have about friends. "
Marcella bit her bottom lip. She didn't look at Bas as she admitted, "Not all of my thoughts are either, but the timing is not good. We need to find your auntie, and then maybe after we do, I might ask him out."
"He's bad at noticing when someone is interested in him. Maybe just kiss him instead of asking him out," Bas replied and laughed softly. "Honestly, I think he just needs someone to kiss him senseless to get him out of this idea he has that he has to be alone forever."
"Sometimes being alone is easier. No, I lie. It's always easier. I haven't regretted staying single since my marriage," Marcella said, feeling awkward about the whole conversation.
"Easier, but not always better. Dragons aren't meant to be alone. Dad is just scared to try again," Bas replied.
"I understand that too," Marcella said and looked around the kitchen. "What's next? How about I cook the pappardelle, and you tell me all about the astral plane?"
Marcella needed to stop talking about Cosimo.
Enough had happened that day to leave her confused about him and her reactions to him.
It would be good for him to get out with his boys tomorrow and give her a day away from him.
She would read her new Zosimos book and do her best not to think of the sexy magician who had given it to her.
Dinner ended up being a boisterous and drawn-out affair. Marcella listened to the adventures that Apollo, Lachlan, Reeve, and Charlotte had in the city and offered a few suggestions to add to their list.
She got the impression that both the Greatdrakes boys were trying to get their mates to have a break.
Charlotte had been working on healing magic and had her hands full with the survivors of the attack on the dragon city in Faerie.
Lachlan was training new hunters when he wasn't sent off on dangerous missions to far-flung places to hunt monsters.
Reeve and Apollo had been doing their best to force the Ironwoods not to think about work.
Yelena and Valentine's adventures were leading them wherever Yelena wanted to go, from markets to archives in the university to crypts beneath cathedrals.
Marcella was wise enough not to ask how they were getting access to such places. Rules seemed to be for other people.
By the time they were finishing up their limoncello and gelato, Marcella was ready to climb into bed. When Cosimo suggested they portal her back to her apartment, she didn't refuse.
After saying all the good night formalities, Marcella followed Cosimo through a portal and into the small street behind her building.
"Let me walk you to your door," Cosimo said, collapsing the portal and retrieving the token. "Are you sure you don't want me to hang onto that Minerva statue?"
Marcella gripped the tote. "Nice try, but she's staying with me."
"I'm allowed to be concerned," Cosimo said as they walked around the corner.
"And I am allowed to do what I like," she replied, patting his arm. "I will be careful… What is that?" Marcella stopped walking and tentatively touched the side of the building. "What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything," Cosimo replied with a small smile. "Valentine, however, did this."
He brushed his fingers to the wall just above her hand. Scarlet and silver light flared from his touch, and Marcella stumbled back into him as lines and sigils and shifting designs were made visible for a moment.
"How... What..." she stammered.
"Wards. He and Yelena came and put them up today.
I told you we would keep your ex and his mother from bothering you," Cosimo said.
His hand was still above her head, and she was trapped between him and the wall.
His eyes were the bloody purple color that signaled his dragon was close.
Marcella's mouth went dry, unable to form a response.
"Thank you," she managed to whisper after a long moment. She cleared her throat. "I appreciate the help."
"Of course," he replied, not moving.
Marcella remembered Bas's advice about kissing Cosimo and wished she hadn't.
"You know, if today were a date, I would probably kiss you right now," she admitted.
"And I would probably let you." His dragon eyes went hot. "But today was not a date."
"It wasn't, but if it was, it would have been the best one I've had," she said, brushing a loose curl behind her ear. She hated how nervous he made her and how much she wanted to climb up into his arms at the same time.
"Even with all the chaotic family?" Cosimo asked with a soft laugh that slid over her skin. "It's not much of a date if you have to cook your own food."
"I don't know, Bas was good to talk to. He made me think and decide on some important things," Marcella said, wanting to run her fingers through his silver and black hair.
"Such as?" Cosimo asked.
"That would be telling," she teased lightly. She dared to look up at him. "But just so you know, before all this is over, I am going to kiss you."
"Is that right? And what have I done to deserve that? Don't tell me, you have found a book in the library you really want."
Marcella laughed. "I have found about fifty books I want, but that is not the reason."
"Than what..."
"You will just have to wait and find out, dragon," she said and slipped out from under his arm for her own sanity. She opened the door to her building. "A domani, Cosimo."
"Sogni d'oro, tesoro," he replied, his voice the deep growl of the beast within.
Marcella finger-waved at him through the glass of the door and hurried upstairs. She shut the door and leaned back against it, the breath whooshing out of her body.
Madonna mia! She didn't think she could resist Cosimo Greatdrakes for much longer. It was a shame that the knowledge it could end badly wasn't enough to stop her from flirting recklessly with him.
She really did love a bad idea, and she was starting to think kissing Cosimo was going to be worth being burned by him in the long run.
Marcella was still smiling to herself when her phone buzzed.
She dug it out of her bag, hoping it was Cosimo.
Her smile faded when she saw the message from 'Carlo the Stronzo': My mother remembers the woman you are searching for.
She will only give the information to you if you come to Forli to get it.
Two days. The Red Carnation at 6 p.m. If you are not there, you will get nothing.
Marcella read the message again before letting out a tired sigh, "Bitch."
It didn't say to come by herself, and the thought of turning up with six dragons made her smile come back.
I'll be there, she replied, but she wasn't going to be alone.