Chapter Five
Elouan had discovered the empty warehouse early in his Terran days and took pains to ensure it remained off-limits to anyone else. Amazing what a few “Hazardous Materials” signs could do. The few curious folks he had to run off wouldn’t be back soon. A few well-timed roars worked wonders.
He sat on an old wooden chair he’d found in an office area, staring at the nearly naked man before him. “You’re trying too hard. Close your eyes and look inward. Do you feel a presence?”
“I…think I feel…something.” Curtis’s hesitation didn’t instill confidence.
“Focus on the presence, get to know it, work with it. You have to be attuned to your dragon in order to shift.” Elouan tried to recall his own training and what he’d said to Daire and Anrai when they were learning to shift.
What his father had said to him. No. Going there would only bring pain. He’d avenge Father one day, but he’d have to get back to Adrakus first. That was the future. The here and now included a half-dragon who wanted desperately to shift.
Curtis closed his eyes. “I feel…I think I feel…” He opened his eyes. “Gone now. Are you sure I even have a dragon?”
“Last year you felt nothing. Now you feel something.”
Elouan’s dragon purred encouragement.
Elouan rose and placed a hand on Curtis’s shoulder, looking him directly in the eyes. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.” Especially if Curtis felt more inadequate each time.
“No, I want to. I just wish I wasn’t wasting your time.”
“You’re not wasting my time. You never waste my time. I want to ask you something though. Is this what you really want, or are you trying to make someone else happy? Fit in with friends or something.”
Curtis stepped back, out of Elouan’s reach. “No! I mean, I want this. It’s just so frustrating.”
“What say I treat you to pizza and we can find some movie to watch.” Elouan waggled his brows. “Something with hot guys would be nice.”
Curtis laughed, as Elouan had hoped. “Cute guys it is.” He dressed quickly, meeting Elouan at the door.
Elouan wrapped his arm around Curtis’s shoulders. “If you really want this, it’ll happen. And I’ll do everything I can to help you.” If only Elouan could work some kind of magic so Curtis could shift and fly, he’d gladly give half his hoard.
But while Elouan could easily feel his dragon, neither of them felt anything remotely dragony about Curtis. Not then, not during dinner, not while sitting side-by-side on the couch while watching hot guys in tight suits fight crime in an Avengers movie.
It didn’t matter to Elouan if Curtis ever shifted. Human, dragon, half-dragon. He was still Elouan’s friend.
The drudgery of work couldn’t keep Elouan from replaying the memory of Jules in the alley. He’d have waded in for anyone in need, but to round the corner and find the man he’d been admiring sent both him and his dragon into protective mode. How dare those four assholes attack Jules!
Jules had stood up for himself, but the alpha in Elouan wouldn’t stand for bullies. Nor for someone to walk home alone after such an encounter. The urge to go stalker drove Elouan and his dragon to pursue, to make sure the man stayed safe.
Maybe the man in question didn’t want or need Elouan’s help. Jules had his number. If he wanted to, he’d call or text.
Elouan’s latest act of futility had him checking his phone for the fifth time during lunch break.
Or was that the sixth? Still no text. Not that he really expected one, since Jules didn’t have a cellphone, but he could hope, couldn’t he?
He sat on his usual perch, watching the coffee shop and hoping not to be too obvious.
Ah, there. Jules settled at his normal table and ate whatever he’d bought.
Five days with no calls and no texts. Was he really not interested, or was not owning a phone the problem?
Daire would double over laughing at the prospect of Elouan pursuing someone instead of them pursuing him. Was this disappointment what others had felt when he’d rejected them? Well, they’d been after his title and position, not Elouan the man, or dragon.
Elouan wanted Jules, though he couldn’t really say why. Jules wasn’t like the self-assured lovers Elouan picked up and easily discarded, knowing he’d never truly be anything to them, nor they to him. Jules didn’t smile and make empty promises. He seemed as genuine a person as Elouan had ever met.
A text arrived from an unknown number the next Monday, as Elouan was settling in for another solitary high-rise meal.
It’s Jules on a borrowed phone. Meet me for lunch at the coffee shop?
Elouan swore he could’ve flown there, even in human form. He returned his sandwiches to his lunchbox and joined his coworkers, trudging toward the elevator, barely containing a grin.
“You’re actually going to join us mere mortals for lunch today?” Leon chided as Elouan took the elevator down to the ground level.
Elouan didn’t correct Leon’s “mere mortals” comment.
“Nope.” He wasn’t ready to tell anyone about his hopes. What if Jules wasn’t there? It wasn’t like Elouan could call him, and he wasn’t on his lofty perch where he could watch for the guy to appear. In hindsight, perhaps his Jules-watching was creepy.
Leon, Earl, and a few other coworkers gathered around a trio of coolers and picnic tables while Elouan wandered off the site and down the sidewalk. He might even take his full lunch hour today.
His heartbeat and footsteps slowed as he reached the coffee shop and peered inside.
No Jules. He opened the door and went inside.
A guy had to eat. The display case held a few labeled sandwiches: ham and cheese on rye, turkey club, and a notice that read, “Ask about our gluten-free and vegan options.”
The turkey club looked promising until a glance at the pastries put sandwiches from Elouan’s mind. He had a few in his lunchbox, after all. Cinnamon rolls with a ribbon of white frosting, cranberry muffins, apple fritters, blueberry-filled doughnuts, and cheese Danishes made his mouth water.
The scent of coffee hung heavy in the air, with the ubiquitous aroma of pumpkin spice that always settled in this time of year, an artificial construct of fall.
“My favorite is the cheese Danish. Although I like apple fritters too.” The sweet voice from behind made Elouan’s day. His shoulders sagged in relief.
Both options sounded good. Elouan turned, not even fighting a pleased grin. “Jules! You made it.” Several sets of eyes shifted their way. “Am I talking too loud?”
Jules shifted his gaze around the room. “No, I think it’s more that you’re talking to me.
” He looked up, all blue eyes framed by nearly transparent lashes, plump lower lip trapped between his teeth.
Jules shifted his attention to the floor, an adorable flash of pink racing up his neck to his face. “You’re the hottest guy in here.”
“Hottest…” Whoever had stared turned away whenever Elouan made eye contact.
He might understand their fascination with an alpha if they were dragons, but these were humans.
No, he’d never lacked sexual partners in this world, but for all appearances, he was with Jules, and those random admirers could be disrespecting his mate.
Elouan took Jules’s hand without thinking. Wait. His mate?
“Wha…” Jules tried to ask.
“I don’t want them to think I’m available.”
“Oh.” Jules deflated.
Why? Oh! Would Jules think him too forward? “I don’t want them thinking you’re available either. I’d have held your hand the other night if I'd thought you’d let me, but under the circumstances….”
The storm clouds passed, the light returning to Jules’s eyes. Elouan couldn’t say if others still gawked, for he was focused solely on the man in front of him.
“What can I get you?” The barista’s impatient voice bordered on rude.
“What? Oh!” Elouan had been so captivated by Jules that he’d forgotten they were in line. “What’ll you have, Jules?”
“I’ll have the cheese Danish and a black coffee.” Jules told the barista.
Sounded good to Elouan. “I’ll have the same.”
Jules lifted a staying hand when Elouan produced his wallet. He murmured, “You don’t have to pay for me.”
Elouan regarded Jules sternly while removing bills from his wallet. “I believe I invited you out. I pay.” Actually, Jules did the inviting with his text, but still. Elouan had left the door open for such a meeting.
Someone farther back in the line must’ve heard, and hollered, “I don’t have the first ounce of pride. I’ll let you pay for mine if you want!” to which those standing around the man chuckled. No, not simply a man. With such acute hearing, he might be more.
Elouan took a whiff, trying to filter out the coffee and pastry scents, finally catching notes of something familiar. A beta dragon. The dragon inclined his head in acknowledgement, then winked.
The dragon whispered as Elouan passed by after paying for and retrieving his order, “You get tired of playing with humans, look me up.” He slipped a piece of paper into Elouan's hand. Elouan didn’t acknowledge the suggestion or the paper, which he discreetly tossed into the trash can with a growl at the disrespect shown to Jules.
He followed Jules out the door with a small white bag and coffee in hand to the table where he often spotted Jules sitting. How dare the man proposition Elouan with Jules there? Elouan inhaled deeply, exhaling tension along with the breath.
His dragon demanded he go back inside and confront the beta.
He’s too young to know better. Also, a beta raised in the human world probably knew little about dragon etiquette.
But Elouan had more important matters to deal with now, like not allowing anyone to interfere in this moment he’d wanted for so long—ever since he’d first glimpsed Jules at this very table.
He glanced at his empty girder where he’d often taken breaks, wondering what someone watching now might think, him with the gorgeous Jules..
Probably, “Lucky bastard.”
“What’cha thinking?” Jules asked from across their two-seater table.