“I can do both.”
“It must be nice to have such an open schedule.”
“I do have more criminals to find, but you were unwilling to help me research their locations this week.”
“True. We’ll get back to it once we solve my more immediate problem.” I eyed the spot on the floor where Sindari had found the phone. “And find Dimitri.”
21
When my alarm buzzed at six, it took a Herculean effort of maturity not to hurl my phone across the room. It took a slightly less but still substantial effort not to hit the snooze button. But Willard had said she would be dropping Freysha off early, and I didn’t want to be drooling on my pillow when they walked in. Besides, I was meeting Mom for breakfast at eight, reporting to Weber’s at noon, and… was that Zav’s aura up on the rooftop?
What are you doing here so early? I asked silently, though it was possible he was snoozing and not monitoring my thoughts.
I slept here.
On my rooftop? In the rain?
Yes. I thought to return to the cave I have claimed on the outskirts of the city, but I wanted to be here when your esteemed guest arrives in case she requires anything.
My esteemed guest? Freysha?
Elven Princess Freysha.
I didn’t realize you held elven royalty in such high regard, especially since it was a princess who, ah, tried to take advantage of your ardor.
It is important that she find the accommodations acceptable so that she will instruct you as only another elf can. Then you will be an even more formidable warrior.
I sat up in my bed, feeling bad that he’d spent the night on the roof. And that he usually slept in a cave. Even if we weren’t mates in the physical sense of the word, it seemed like I should at least offer him my couch. But if he was that close every night, with his alluring dragon aura oozing down my very short hallway, would he end up staying on the couch? We’d both agreed that we shouldn’t have a physical relationship until I could protect myself, but as far as I knew, there weren’t any other dragons on Earth right now. Even his pesky sister wasn’t around. Would there truly be a danger to him if we hooked up?
You are silent, Zav commented. You do not agree?
I was thinking that I’m glad you care and want me to get good training, even if I’m pretty sure Freysha has low standards when it comes to accommodations. Her people live in trees, and she hangs out with Gondo. I don’t think goblins do laundry or wash their pits.
She is making do since she is a visitor to this world and has not revealed her status, but it is likely she is accustomed to some luxuries. If you had been inside the trees, you would know that elves have many amenities. They even have items similar to your heated water boxes. Flower petals float on the surface, so they can perfume themselves in natural scents.
I’ve got fizzy eucalyptus bath bombs under the sink. She can knock herself out.
The doorbell rang, and I cursed and scrambled out of bed. I’d intended to be wearing clothes and have my hair and teeth brushed when they showed up. At least my sweatpants and rumpled T-shirt weren’t scandalous. I had some sexy black teddies stuck in a bottom drawer, but as long as my mate was sleeping on the rooftop, there was little reason to dig them out.
Walking past the mirror revealed my hair—why had I slept with it in a braid?—doing an impersonation of a fizzy bath bomb. Fantastic.
I sensed Freysha before I got to the door, and a peek through the peephole revealed Willard in uniform carrying a canvas grocery bag with a colorful box tucked under one arm and… yes, she had her cat carrier with her. I’d hoped that had been a joke.
As I unlocked the deadbolts, Maggie meowed loudly and plaintively, doubtless already sensing Sindari’s scent in my apartment. How long had Willard said she would be gone for her training? Three days? Five? How long was that in cat-sitting years?
Bracing myself, I opened the door and smiled. “Hey, guys. Come on in.”
I extended a hand toward the interior, pleased that nothing was currently on the floor. It had been weeks since the last break-in. I doubted the magical community had forgotten about me, but maybe they’d collectively agreed to attack me in parking garages instead of at home.
“Hi, Val.” Freysha lifted a potted fern she was carrying and nodded toward the ceiling. “Did you know there’s a dragon on your roof?”
Freysha was going to be a perky morning person. I could already tell.
“Yeah, he likes to sleep on the deck chairs after he smashes them. It’s like a bed of nails. Good for the circulation.”
Her puzzled look suggested she didn’t know if I was joking. I didn’t know either.
“Thorvald.” Willard walked in after Freysha, looking me up and down from frizzy hair to bare feet. “Nice pajamas.”
“Before you mock me, remember that I’ve seen your Garfield slippers.”
“My niece gave me those.”
“What about all the cartoon mugs in your cupboard?”
“Mm.”
Maggie yowled loudly. I already anticipated complaints from the neighbors.
“You’re coming back soon, right?” I asked as Freysha peered around curiously at everything. “Because I’m not entirely sure pets are allowed in this building.”
“You have a tiger,” Willard said.
“He doesn’t sleep here.”
“His fur is all over your couch.”
“He sits on it when I do my yoga videos.” I waved to the television set where I’d been working my way through the course Mary had given me. She’d reluctantly agreed, after I’d almost gotten her favorite yoga studio blown up, that home videos were best for me.
“He watches?” Willard set the grocery bag—it turned out to be full of cat food—on the kitchen counter and the colorful box on the coffee table. It was a giant LEGO castle appropriate for, according to the front, ages seven to twelve.
“I summon him to stand guard in case bad guys want to take advantage of me being wrapped up in a pretzel on the floor with my legs behind my head.”
“I’d think your dragon would be more likely to take advantage of that.” It wasn’t until Willard flashed a wicked grin that I realized that was a sex joke.
“It’s hard for him to do that from the roof.”
“You should invite him down sometime.”
“I see you’re still trying to play matchmaker.”
“I haven’t been to a good wedding in ages.”
“Are the LEGOs for Freysha or Maggie?” I asked as Freysha wandered into the bathroom to look around. I hoped she didn’t bring the plunger out and ask what it was for. If she was spending her days in Willard’s office, she ought to know about human bathrooms.
“Freysha and Gondo.”
“Gondo? He’s not here, is he?” I hadn’t sensed any goblins in the hallway, but I also hadn’t tried to find any.
“Not now, but I’m sure he’ll be by. They’re practically twinsies.”
“You told him where I live?”
“I hate to break it to you, Thorvald, but the entire magical community knows where you live.”
“It’s definitely time to move.”
Maggie yowled. Freysha hurried out sans plunger and rested her hand on the door of the cat carrier.
“She’s distressed because the apartment smells of predators.” After a pause, Freysha added, “A specific predator that she’s familiar with. I wouldn’t think a mundane animal could sense a dragon from afar, but…”
“It’s not Zav. She hates my magical tiger, Sindari. Have you met him?”
“I have not.” Freysha opened the door to the cat carrier.
Willard blurted a startled curse and lunged to make sure the door to the hallway was fully closed. “She’s an escape artist. That balcony door isn’t open, is it? Or any windows without screens?”
“No,” I said. “Even if all my enemies know where I live, I don’t leave the entrances open in invitation.”
Despite Willard’s warning, Maggie did not try to escape. The brown-and-tan Siamese mix climbed out of her carrier and into Freysha’s arms, and the yowls faded into soft mews of uncertainty. Freysha stroked her and murmured elven words. As Maggie settled, the mews also faded, and soon her tail swished against Freysha’s arms, the movements appearing more contented than disturbed.
“I am letting her know I will protect her from the tiger,” Freysha said.
“She speaks elven?” I asked.
“We communicate telepathically. Most animals do not have languages as complex as ours, but they have thoughts that are easy to understand with practice.” Freysha smiled at me. “You can learn to do this too, Val.”
“Read Maggie’s mind? Let’s make that Lesson Two.” Or two hundred. I already had a good idea what Maggie was ranting about when she yowled. “And prioritize protecting my mind from being taken over by dragons.”
“Certainly.”
A car honked in the street outside, and Willard glanced at her watch. She crooked a finger and led me into the kitchen. Since it was open to the living/dining room, it wasn’t truly private, but Freysha was busy crooning to the cat.
“There was another vampire attack last night,” Willard said.
“Am I investigating it or not?” I thought of my full day’s schedule.
“You’re not officially on the case, but…” Willard spread her hand in a way that implied she wanted me to look into it. “A janitor that was working late was attacked.”
“By a vampire in a ski mask?”
“Someone in a ski mask who tried to bite his neck. That’s what he reported. He was cleaning for a dance studio up near Haller Lake. One of the instructors who was working late is missing.”
“Haller Lake?” A chill went through me. “That’s by Northgate.”
“Yes. So?”
“My mom is staying up there.” I dug out my phone and plugged in the address of her hotel. “It’s just a few blocks from a dance studio.” I showed Willard the map.