14. Zuri
ZURI
Iwin the staredown, which is how Jalen ends up on the paper-covered exam bed first while I get comfortable on the second one. I make sure he sees my smirk.
The doctor who comes in is a dragon too. She has the same pointed ears Jalen has, silver hoops climbing one of them, and her locs are pinned up out of her face. She introduces herself as Dr. Ayanna from the ridge clan.
Jalen sneezes into a fistful of tissues from the counter and wipes the smoke off his lip.
Dr. Ayanna doesn’t flinch. “You have to be the strongest case I’ve gotten all week,” she says. “The others were mild.”
“Let’s just say this is what being nosy is getting me,” Jalen says.
“Ahh.” She pulls a penlight from her coat pocket. “Still living up to the messy name, huh, Jay?”
He shrugs. “Can you please forget about me and check on my mate? My dragon wants to burn something.”
He calls me his mate so easily now. I smooth the exam paper under my palms and pretend the word doesn’t do anything to me.
Dr. Ayanna sighs at him and strips off her gloves. She washes and dries her hands at the little sink, then snaps on a fresh pair.
Her gloved fingers are cool on my sore cheek as she tilts my face toward the light. She frowns at the bruise.
“It’s healing nicely,” she says, mostly to Jalen. “You know how bruising works on humans. It always looks worse before it gets better.”
The room has gotten warmer since she started touching my face. I don’t have to look at Jalen to know why.
She picks up one of those flat popsicle-stick things and has me open my mouth. I say ahh, which is about as dignified as it sounds.
“The cuts are already healing,” she says. “No stitches needed.” She slides the stick out of my mouth.
“I don’t like seeing her like this,” Jalen says.
The room goes warmer again.
Dr. Ayanna steps back and looks me over. Then she smirks, and her teeth come to the same points Jalen’s do.
“You know,” she says, “that bruise will heal a lot faster once you complete the mate bond.”
“Mate bond?” I ask.
“Humans like to call it hunching these days,” Jalen says.
I’m embarrassed in front of a whole doctor, and when I look to Jalen for help, he just smiles at me.
Ugh. Why does he have to be fine and infuriating at the same time?
Dr. Ayanna pats my knee. “That’s only a suggestion. The slower cure is rest. Ice on that cheek tonight, a warm compress tomorrow, and nothing but soft foods until those cuts close.”
Then she crosses to Jalen. “Take care of her. I smell a lot of confusion on her. She’s likely still processing the mate bond.”
Great. Even my confusion is public record in this town.
“I’m doing my best to make sure she’s comfortable,” Jalen says.
“Go into town and pick up some herbal tea,” she tells him. “It seems to be working for the allergy.”
Jalen drags a hand down his face. “Better make it a case. I handed my brother that container this morning.”
I bite down on my laugh.
“I’ve already called the shopping center,” Dr. Ayanna says. “They’re pulling the products until we can figure out what’s going on.” She tucks her penlight back in her coat. “Since you’re here, how about a favor for a favor?”
Jalen straightens up on his exam bed. “What?”
“That messy podcast of yours could do some good right now,” she says. “We know some of the product sold, but we’re having trouble tracking who bought it. A little whisper from your show and every shifter in the valley throws theirs out by sundown. My clan’s already on it.”
Jalen examines his nails like the request is nothing. The room gets warmer anyway.
I cut in, and both dragons look at me. “I’ll make sure it’s done.”
Dr. Ayanna smiles at me. “Thank you, Jalen’s mate.”
My ears go hot. “Just call me Zuri.”
We pull into the shopping center and park in front of Stanley’s Diner. I’m out of my seat with the engine still rumbling. The sidewalk is busy with townsfolk, and I can’t wait to be in the middle of them.
Behind me, Jalen mumbles, “Damn. Can’t even cater to her.”
I snort and ignore his fussing. He turns off the engine and climbs out.
“It’s nice,” I say. I mean the sidewalk, the shops, and the town noise all at once.
He grabs my hand and closes the passenger door behind me. Then he pulls me up onto the sidewalk.
There’s a HELP WANTED sign taped inside the diner window, sun-faded down to pink. Whoever they’re looking for, they’ve been looking a while.
“You hungry?” he asks, and he gets to the diner door first and holds it open.
I walk in looking around. The booths are worn red vinyl, a couple of them patched with silver tape, and the long counter has a glass pie case at one end. The whole place smells like coffee and griddle butter. A ceiling fan turns slow overhead.
Then I pause. There’s a gargoyle statue sitting next to the jukebox, wings folded, big as a refrigerator.
“That’s just my buddy Soren,” Jalen says. “Probably looking out for Devon. He guards the dishwasher during the day.”
He waves at Soren. Then he takes my hand and pulls me toward the counter.
“Wait.” I look back over my shoulder. “He’s real?”
“The stone will give out by sundown,” Jalen says. “He’ll find us.”
I sit down at the counter, and my brain goes to mush somewhere between the door and the stool. I’m in a town full of supernaturals. I slept in a dragon’s bed last night, and a gargoyle is over there listening to everything we say.
Jalen settles onto the stool beside me and fills the quiet with small talk. He ranks Andy’s pies for me and points out the best booth for eavesdropping.
A waitress comes over with a pot of coffee and a name tag that reads SHELLY. “What are y’all having?”
“I’ll have eggs and grits,” I say. Doctor’s orders are doctor’s orders.
Behind the cook station, a big cook is working the flat-top with a serious frown. That must be Lamar. I cough instead of laughing.
Then the cook looks up and spots Jalen. He slams his spatula down and shoves through the swinging doors. He plants himself behind the counter right across from us. He crosses his arms and glares.
He’s big through the shoulders, with a kitchen towel draped on one side and flour down the front of his apron. His beard line is squared off sharp, and his name tag, sure enough, reads LAMAR.
Jalen keeps reading his menu and doesn’t give him one glance.
I wrap both hands around my mug and get comfortable.
“I know you aren’t coming in here for a fucking statement,” Lamar says.
Jalen snorts and turns a menu page.
I duck behind my mug to hide my face. I’m enjoying the show, and I’m curious besides. Journalists catch hell for telling the truth, and I want to see how he wears it. Truth cost me plenty in my old life.
Jalen closes his menu. “Your tin can of a truck rolling through Shadow Wolf Creek is statement enough for me.” He finally looks up at Lamar.
“Still making passes at women who don’t belong to you?
Here’s a tip. Go to Shadow Bar. The shifters scoop up the fated ones quick, so you can be sure whatever’s left isn’t taken. ”
“You and your shitty podcast,” Lamar says.
Jalen sneezes. Smoke shoots out of his nose and both ear points.
“Ohhh.” Shelly points her pen at him. “I heard about the shifters. You been messing with that soap, huh?”
Jalen turns to her slow. “I don’t need to do a podcast at all. Looks like the whole town knows already.”
Shelly sets her pad down and fills a mug with hot water. She spoons in dried herbs from a mason jar by the register and drops a honey stick in after. She slides the mug over to him.
“Oh no,” she says. “The ones who only come down for weekly stocking for their villages don’t.”
Jalen wraps one hand around the mug. Then he puts his focus back on Lamar. When he speaks again, it’s the podcast voice. I heard it this morning through his speakers, and it’s scarier in person.
“Lamar. I know what you left on Miss Odette’s porch in February, and I know why her husband let you live.
I know Sable folded your truck over one church smile at his mate’s window, and you walked in here today wearing that same smile.
So go easy on my podcast, buddy. My files on you are thicker than Andy’s menu, and slow news weeks happen to the best of us. ”
Lamar stands there. Then he unfolds his arms and pushes back through the swinging doors without one word.
“Damn,” I say. “I’m sure he deserved it, but that was kind of harsh.”
Jalen groans and rubs the bridge of his nose. “My dragon is a bit grumpy.”
I sip the lemon water Shelly dropped off with my coffee. “Don’t ever let me get you that mad.”
His face softens. “I would never, Zuri.”
I don’t answer. Men have made me softer promises than that and lied. He can probably smell exactly how much of it I believe. He frowns at whatever the answer is, but he says nothing.
Then he picks up his tea and takes a slow sip. “You’re wrong, Zuri.”
I stare at him. I didn’t say one word out loud. He answered me anyway.
“I can read your mood in your scent. You don’t believe me.” He sets the mug down. “You’re wrong, and I’ll prove it.”
All my life I’ve kept my business behind my face, and it worked on everyone. It’s not working on him. I don’t know whether that terrifies me or relieves me, and whichever it is, he’s getting a noseful of it right now.
He looks away first. It might be the politest thing anyone’s ever done for me. My neck goes warm anyway.
Then he’s done being serious. He turns to Shelly. “Where’s Andy, anyway?”
“Took the day off,” she says, topping off my coffee.
Jalen sips his tea. “Mmhmm.”
I bet there’s a whole episode inside that mmhmm.