Mai’s eyes fell on Valerie directly. She stopped and stared, and comprehension dawned in her eyes. For an instant, her composure softened, then she turned back to Nathaniel and, if anything, her anger was magnified. Griffen thought he should interfere before someone got hurt.
“I take it you two know each other?” Griffen said.
“You might say that,” Nathaniel said.
“I know more than he wants you to know,” Mai said, then addressed Nathaniel. “How’s Malinda?”
It was Griffen’s turn to stiffen.
“That was unnecessary, and probably very unwise.” Nathaniel sighed. “But since you ask, Mother is fine.”
“What is going on here!?”
Valerie slammed her hand into the table. The fork, forgotten, buried itself into the surface and permanently imbedded a bit of crab cake into the wood. Nathaniel reached out and rested a hand on hers, talking a bit more quickly, though very soothingly.
“Nothing, my dear. A jealous and very ex-associate who wants to ruin an otherwise fine evening.”
“Stop that,” Mai said, looking at Valerie. “Stop it right now or I swear I’ll kill you like I should have last time.”
“Oh, really, there is no need to be so melodramatic,” Nathaniel said.
“I am not quite sure what you two have between you. But if you are doing anything to my sister at this moment, I will do worse than anything Mai can think of.”
All attention went to Griffen as he spoke. His voice was both cold and hot at once, and he seemed to swell with anger. His hand, which had been resting lightly on Mai’s waist, had begun to show the first signs of scales. Nathaniel very, very carefully let go of Valerie’s hand, and leaned back in his chair again.
“Very well, then it is over,” Nathaniel said. “You understand, of course, Mr. McCandles, this will change the game between yours and mine. Though not immediately.”
“I’m not sure which of you three I am supposed to be angry at just now. So someone just answer my question.” Valerie’s hand clenched and Mai sighed.
“I suppose this is not the place. Well, time for an age-old escape. Valerie, let’s head to the ladies’ room. Lover, don’t kill the twip in public. We’ll be right back.”
Valerie let herself be led away, and the two men stared at each other for a long moment. Griffen bristled, rage and suspicion rolling in his blood. Nathaniel merely looked slightly put out, which irritated Griffen more and more. Nathaniel was the first to speak.
“Yes, Malinda is my mother. However, this was not about you and your little empire. My sole interest at this point was your sister. The whole thing with the animal people was a diversion to hold your attention while I courted her. We had a vague idea of trying to lure her into joining our family.”
“Of course, you left her completely free to make up her own mind. Not influencing her in any way.”
“Of course not.” Nathaniel laughed, and Griffen almost broke his nose right there. “That is not how these things are handled. I did what came naturally to me. It is not my fault that your sister was all but unprotected.”
“No, but that is no longer the case. I think you should be leaving now.”
“Ah, quite so.”
Nathaniel rose, leaving money on the table for the check, and headed out the door. Griffen stared after him, still reining in his own impulses.
It was a good ten minutes before Mai and Valerie emerged. Valerie was red with fury, and stalked right past Griffen without a word. Mai and he exchanged a glance and followed after her.
It was clear that Valerie’s path was taking her back to the complex where her and Griffen’s apartments lay. So, Mai and Griffen felt a bit more at ease hanging back some and giving her some space. As they approached the complex, the first thing Griffen noticed was that Valerie had left the gate open wide, maybe with a few new dings in it from being slammed much too hard, he thought. The door to Valerie’s apartment was half-open, and the crashing from inside left no doubt that she was still in.
Griffen and Mai exchanged another glance, and she took a step back to lean against the nearest wall. He nodded, and proceeded forward alone. At the door he pushed his head in slightly and knocked lightly. Valerie was bent over and digging for something in her closet.
“Val?”
She swung around, half-surprised, but mostly just still very angry. The shotgun in her hand finally came clear of whatever obstructions she had been clearing from the closet. It swung around with her.
“Jesus!”
Griffen yelled and ducked back out the door, but no gunshot rang out. He tentatively stuck his head back in the door, but Valerie was already coming out, pushing past him and heading toward the gate again.
New Orleans may be laid back in some respects, but a very pissed off woman holding a very large shotgun stalking through the streets was bound to attract attention.
Mai stepped between Valerie and the gate, standing straight and radiating outward calm. Valerie stopped in front of her, eyes narrowing. Griffen made a fast decision and stepped next to his sister, grabbing her hand tightly in his. The muzzle of the gun was pointed more or less safely at a patch of empty ground for the moment.
“Val, you have to stop and think,” he said.
“Too busy. I’ll save that for later, Big Brother.”
Her voice was oddly detached, and not like his sister at all. Griffen half wondered if it was some sort of backlash from the glamour breaking. He also fought the urge to glance at Mai, wondering if she had triggered this somehow. He quickly dismissed that idea, though; she was the one standing between Valerie and the gate after all.
“Valerie, this isn’t the way. Killing isn’t going to solve a damn thing,” he said.
“How about kneecapping?” she said.
“Little harsh for the crime, don’t you think?”
“No! No, I don’t!”
She whirled to face Griffen fully, and in a gesture of her anger hurled the gun away from her. It hit and chipped a brick under the impact. Thankfully it again did not go off. Though maybe, just maybe, the barrel was slightly bent now. She yelled into his face.
“How can you say that Griffen! That bastard completely invaded my mind, my personality! What punishment could ever be equal to that!?”
“Probably none can, so any you try is just going to leave you unfulfilled and unsatisfied,” Griffen said.
“Yeah, well, I’m feeling pretty damn hollow right now! So I won’t be any worse off.”
“You would be and you know it. Not only inside, but think of the trouble. Forget that this scumbag has family, dangerous family. You could wind up in jail, Sis. If you were lucky, it would be for one night for toting that damned gun around. If you succeeded, a damn sight longer.”
“So what am I supposed to do!?”
“Act like a dragon,” Mai said, and stepped forward.
Both McCandles looked at her. She took a step past them and found herself a seat in the open courtyard. With a passing glance at each other, brother and sister followed. Griffen gently but firmly took Valerie’s arm and helped her sit. She glared at him for a moment, but was grateful for the seat. Adrenaline and rage had made her muscles tense and unsteady.
“You do not slay a dragon by killing it,” Mai said. “Especially not one like Nathaniel who has many relatives who would avenge him. You are a dragon, you have the time, the ability, and the cunning to wait and plot. You find when he is most vulnerable and take from him what he took from you.”
“Take what?” Valerie said softly.
“Power.”
