Chapter 7 #2
He hadn’t yet released his brother’s wrist. The magic and power that Rylana had been thinking about earlier seemed to pulse from him. Of course, Zilek also had power and didn’t appear intimidated in the least by his scowling brother.
“No? You’ve only forbidden me from killing her, not from mating with her.”
“I forbid both,” Jildarin said promptly.
“How interesting.” Zilek didn’t stop smiling as he tilted his head toward Rylana. “Shouldn’t she have some say in this matter?”
“She doesn’t desire to mate with you,” Jildarin said with certainty.
“It’s true,” Rylana said. “But thank you for picking me up and taking me to your wine conclave. Are you ready to go?”
She pointed into the carriage, not wanting to risk Jildarin offending her ticket to getting in and questioning people tonight.
“Yes, I’m ready.” Zilek looked pointedly at Jildarin’s hand wrapped around his wrist, then stepped back.
Jildarin released him.
The dwarf coachman, who’d said nothing during this exchange, merely stood at the carriage door, holding it open for Zilek and Rylana. But Jildarin was the one to stride forward and climb inside.
“I’ve changed my mind,” he stated. “I will attend the wine meeting.”
Unfazed, Zilek said, “Guests have to bring an exquisite vintage for everyone to taste.”
Jildarin looked at him with exasperation, then spotted Zalani standing in the diner’s doorway, her hands against the frame as she watched. Gniknik and Rolf were carrying dishes and trays to patrons but could also be seen peering out under her arms as they passed—frequently—through the area.
“I’ll get something you can take.” Zalani headed for the kitchen.
Rylana, who handled all the ordering now, knew there weren’t any exquisite wines in the pantry but suspected Zilek already had something suitably pretentious that he planned to bring to the gathering.
“My brother keeps proclaiming he has no interest in mating while in this form,” Zilek remarked.
“He’s let me know about that too,” Rylana said.
“Has he? Hm.”
Rylana eyed him warily, tempted to hop in the carriage and sit beside Jildarin, but she would wait for Zalani to bring the wine.
“He’s been too busy with his new hobby—” Zilek waved at the diner, “—to summon interest in mating while in any form.”
“So I’ve observed.”
“And yet…” Zilek shifted his waving hand toward her.
“Yet what?”
“He lets you sleep in his lair.”
A lot of people had mentioned that, implying it was unusual, but Rylana didn’t know enough about dragon culture to be certain there was special significance. Jildarin hadn’t implied it was atypical, though he did grouse mightily if others entered his storeroom, especially after dark.
Did it mean something that Jildarin had stepped forward to ensure his brother hadn’t touched Rylana?
Or had he been protective only because she was his partner and Zilek had, in the recent past, mentioned killing her?
Of course, his objection tonight had been with Zilek mating with her.
Why would Jildarin care about that? Unless…
Rylana bit her lip. No, she didn’t believe Jildarin wanted to mate with her. He’d been clear on that matter. The word alas formed in her mind again.
“Does recreational mating interest you?” Zilek asked her.
“Not with you.”
“With others?”
“I… occasionally.”
“I see.” Zilek was smiling faintly when Zalani returned.
She offered a bottle of “unoaked” dry white wine to Rylana. Jildarin used it in his cream sauces, and it wouldn’t impress Zilek’s oenophile associates, especially given the price she’d paid for it, but she accepted it with a nod.
“Will you be all right finishing the dinner service without the chef?” Rylana asked her.
“He had everything started, from what I saw, or already complete. We’ll get by.
Have a good time.” Zalani grinned as she peered into the carriage, then also looked at Zilek, who was giving the dwarf instructions on the route to take.
Judging by the dwarf’s face, he knew the route perfectly well and didn’t need advice.
“I’m a little envious of you,” Zalani added.
“Going off in a carriage with two sexy dragons.”
“Do you want to take my place?” Rylana asked before remembering she had a mission tonight, one that she couldn’t foist off on someone else.
“I think they want you.” Zalani winked. “But I may allow myself a fantasy later.”
“You’re a much more adventurous soul than I am.”
“I’m not afraid to enjoy myself.” Zalani guided a couple of patrons, who’d stopped to look curiously at their group, into the diner.
Trusting the business was in good hands for the evening, Rylana climbed into the carriage.
Inside, two velvet-upholstered benches faced each other.
“You will sit beside me,” Jildarin informed her, having made room.
“Are you going to be pushy and order me around all night?” Though a surge of recalcitrance almost made Rylana choose the other bench, she didn’t want to sit next to Zilek. She shouldn’t encourage Jildarin’s bossy behavior, but her hips slid onto the bench next to him of their own accord.
“I must protect you from the presumptuous probing hands of my promiscuous brother,” Jildarin said.
“So, you’re going to be very pushy.”
“Only if he is.” Jildarin watched through narrowed eyes as Zilek settled onto the opposite bench.
Still wearing a smile, Zilek said, “It depends on what our female companion wants.”
He looked at Rylana and surprised her by winking.
A growl emanated from Jildarin’s chest. It sounded more like the growl of a dangerous predator—of a dragon—than a human. Zilek only winked at Rylana again before chuckling and gazing out the window.
Only then, as the carriage rolled into motion, did it occur to her that he might be offering to guide—or manipulate—Jildarin into realizing that he might want Rylana to be…
more than a business partner. Was there any way Jildarin could come to want that?
She didn’t know. He’d come to appreciate her—she had no doubt—and he was being protective of her, at least around his brother, but that didn’t necessarily mean he wanted her for himself.
Even if he did on some subconscious level desire that, she didn’t want to manipulate Jildarin.
And she didn’t want Zilek manipulating him either.
Still, as the carriage rounded a corner, jostling them, she found her shoulder pressed against Jildarin’s.
He didn’t shift away. If anything, he leaned closer, and she appreciated his warmth and the feel of the hard muscles under his chef’s coat.
She caught herself looking forward to attending the elven ballet with him the next night.
But first, she reminded herself, she had to get to the bottom of the landlord’s threat of eviction. That would be foremost on her mind tonight, not mating.