“Adolf? Maybe they went upstairs to the Balogs’ apartment. I can get engrossed in a book, but I’d have noticed if a couple of guys stepped over me to go outside.”
“Yeah, that must be it.”
Angie had been giving them their privacy, and Bliss just fell in love with her roommate a little bit.
“Not very well. They keep to themselves, and that’s fine by me. They’re kind of creepy.”
“Creepy, huh? Now my curiosity is piqued. Want to go upstairs with me?”
Angie’s jaw dropped. “You’re going up to the Balogs’ apartment?”
“Why not? I haven’t met the creep I can’t outrun.”
Angie giggled. It may have been a nervous giggle, but a moment later she jumped up. “I’m in.”
The girls tromped upstairs. Bliss heard music on the other side of the door. It sounded like an acoustic guitar and a violin harmonizing, and the melody had a Gipsy Kings quality.
When Bliss knocked, the music stopped. She and Angie waited for quite a while before she knocked again. Even after the second knock, no one came to the door.
She and Angie stared at each other. At last, Angie shrugged. “I guess no one’s going to answer the door.” She headed back down the stairs.
“That’s kind of rude, isn’t it?” Bliss whispered.
“I guess so, but it doesn’t surprise me. They’ve always kept to themselves.”
“Isn’t that what the neighbors of serial killers always say?” Bliss felt a shiver pass through her.
Drake and Vulcan shared one of the small tables in the bar. Robin dropped off their beers and, without a word, proceeded on to Sadie, who had one finger raised. Even Drake knew what she wanted.
He tried to focus his attention on Vulcan, even though getting back to Bliss occupied the back of his mind like a constant itch.
“Why Boston?” Drake asked.
Vulcan cocked his head. “What do you mean?”
“Why is the Supernatural Council located in Boston? I thought you guys hung out on Mount Olympus.”
“Oh, we do… sometimes. But Mother Nature likes it here.”
“Why? We have hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters, rainy springs and well, I guess there’s nothing wrong with fall.”
Vulcan smiled. “Ah, yes. Autumn in New England is perfection, but remember who you’re talking about. Mother Nature likes to view her handiwork and the seasons are all here.”
“But why Boston? Why not some mountaintop?”
“Boston is a modern city with an old soul. That’s what attracts paranormals to it, and wherever they are, we need to be.”
“I see. I moved here hoping to find others like myself. I had heard the city was highly populated with paranormal beings. Although I never found another dragon until Zina, and she came a long way, if I’m not mistaken.”
“Yes. How did she find you, anyway?”
“The Internet. I posted a personals ad on a dating website. I worded it so no one but a dragon would answer.”
“Really? What did it say?”
“I said I wanted a woman so hot she could breathe fire. Most women have such low self-esteem that a guy with high expectations like that would scare them off. Oh, and I said I was a fireproof five, so anyone on the fence wouldn’t want to bother.”
Vulcan laughed but sobered quickly. “Obviously Zina doesn’t have a self-esteem problem. She was treated like a princess all of her life—because she is a princess. We need a plan. Obviously this dragon won’t come willingly.”
Drake scratched his head. “Assuming I’m able to trick Zina into going to the Council, how will I know where to take her? I still don’t know where the Council is.”
“That’s where I come in. I’m afraid you can’t get there without a member of GAIA.”
“GAIA?”
“Yes, that’s what Mother Nature named the Council. Gods and Immortals Association. She said she liked the ‘ring’ of it. We all know she just wanted to name it after herself.” He rolled his eyes.
Drake suppressed a smile. “Okay. So, where will I find you when I need you?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll find you.”
Drake still didn’t see how this could possibly work. “How will you know when I’m ready?”
“Hmmm… good question. I don’t think you’d appreciate my spying on you constantly.”
“You got that right.”
“Let’s come up with a code word or phrase. Something you could yell, and when I hear that above the constant drone of earthbound creatures, I’ll come right away.”
“You can do that?”
Vulcan smirked. “I’m not a god for nuthin’.”
“Okay. Let me think of a code. How about, ‘Ow, ow, she’s killing me’?”
Vulcan raised his eyebrows. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. I was thinking more along the lines of, ‘What a beautiful day!’ Something like that.”
A couple at the next table, still soaked from the rain, shot twin glares in their direction.
Drake lowered his voice. “Yeah, right. And what if Mother Nature makes it rain or snow that day?”
“Fine. Think about it while I finish these fine hops.”
“I’ve got it. I’ll yell, ‘Taxi!’ She’ll think I’m calling a cab to take us wherever the hell I told her I’d take her.”
Vulcan smiled. “I’ll recognize your voice and I will be your taxi. You’re quite clever, Drake Cameron.”
“Gee, thanks.
“Aren’t you going to finish your drink?”
“No, getting back to Bliss is more important to me right now. She’s not the most patient woman who ever lived.”
“As you wish. I know something about impatient women.”
“I’ll bet you do.” Drake rose and pulled out his wallet. As he left the money to cover the tab and tip, he thought again about how Bliss and Mother Nature seemed to share certain personality traits. Maybe all women did. Maybe Gaia liked creating more than names in her honor.
The intercom buzzed and Bliss, now in sweatpants and her comfy oversized T-shirt, padded over to it. She pressed the “talk” button and asked, “Who the hell is it, and what do you want in the middle of the friggin’ night?”
When she pressed the “listen” button, Drake’s voice answered.
“Bliss, honey, I—”
“Save it.” She pushed the button to unlock the outside door and waited to hear his footfalls on the stairs.
Before he knocked, she threw open the door and crossed her arms. Trying to look frowny, she wasn’t quite ready to welcome him back. She knew she would eventually, but for now she wanted to pout.
“Where were you? Angie said you never passed her on the stairs, and she was sitting there the whole time. After about an hour, we went up to the Balogs’ apartment because we thought you might have been abducted by the creepy neighbors.”
“Uh—what did they say?”
“Nothing. They didn’t answer the door.” She thought she noticed a flash of relief before his expression returned to one of concern.
