Chapter 3

The minutes felt like hours as she mixed drinks for customers and cringed at one lame Valentine proposal after another.

“I’m good.” “No thanks.”

“No, I can’t sit on your lap while you drink that.”

“No, I don’t want to see your Cupid’s arrow.”

“I bet I can change your mind. Come here, sugar, I got a long, hard Valentine just for you.”

Fred looked over at Prince Charming. The two hundred eighty-pound stranger was barely able to hold his head up. She inhaled. Hmm, a drunken normal. Just what she needed.

She focused all her attention on the stranger. Her eyes looked into his without flinching. Most normals didn’t like to be confronted by supernaturals even though they had no idea what they were. It was a sixth sense of sorts. They recognized danger even if they didn’t know why they were afraid.

She turned her steel gray eyes on him and gave him a hard look. No teasing smile or light banter. A cold look was usually enough to scare normals straight.

“You a fucking tease or what?”

“Listen up, buddy, you are cut off. Walk out of the bar now before I call the bouncer,” Fred had no patience for that kind of behavior. In the mood she was in, it was all she could do not to let her Wolf out a little to scare the crap out of him.

“I got what you need, baby, right here. A little pushin’ and you’ll be good as new,” short, fat, and sweaty reached over and grabbed Fred’s arm.

“Move your hand, before you lose it,” Fred’s voice had just a hint of a growl in it.

The guy seemed to get the message. Grrr. There was always one in the crowd. Can’t handle his liquor. Got all grabby and stuff. She dealt with customers like him every now and again.

The sound of a pleasant masculine laugh filled her ears. Fred turned her head to the right, her blonde ponytail swung behind her. A pair of eyes that shimmered like gold in the dimly lit bar stared at her. Her pulse tripled and Fred felt her mouth hang open. Whoa.

“You handle yourself admirably,” the man stood up from his seat and walked over to her.

He looked formidable. Hard as he was handsome. His smiling face like something out of a book on ancient heroes or demi-gods. Her stomach clenched and Fred sucked in a breath. Holy crap.

“Hey, uh, excuse me I forgot my drink,” the guy with the hands tried to reach in front of the stranger with the golden eyes, but he was stopped with a hard look from Fred’s new friend.

“No, I believe you have had enough. Leave. Now,” one look at the stranger and the drunk guy left without another word.

“Thanks, but you really didn’t need to do that. I had it under control,” Fred leaned forward to get a better look at her would be knight-in-shining-armor. Damn, but he did look like a knight.

The man was drop-dead gorgeous. More attractive than anyone she had ever seen, and that was saying something. She was used to men with larger-than-life personalities and amazing looks. After all, she was living in the heart of Werewolf country. And boy, were they a good-looking bunch. But this guy. He looked as if he was carved from marble.

She wasn’t exactly a fan of the classics, but the only thought she had when staring at this man, was that he had the face of Adonis. Beautiful. Perfection. Masculine, yes, but beautiful, nonetheless. She wanted to reach out and touch him. To see if he was real.

He had impossibly dark hair. The color of midnight or what she pictured midnight would be in the darkest part of the universe. So dark, Fred imagined she could get lost in it.

It was cut short on his neck but hung well over his perfect forehead. Thick, straight locks reached all the way down to his chin in the front. It was glossy, and slightly windblown. She itched to reach out and touch it.

He had a strong, straight nose. Never been broken. Full, dusky colored lips that complemented his olive-toned skin. Maybe he had Spanish blood? He could just as easily be Italian or Greek. It didn’t matter to her other than the fact that she was curious about him.

He stood up and moved to a stool closer to her. Oh my. Were those black leather pants? He wore them with a black button-down shirt that was open at his throat. She watched his pulse throb steadily at the base of his neck and was shocked at the strong urge to put her lips just there.

She shook her head and pasted on her friendly bartender smile. Fred appreciated the whole pirate meets rocker look. It was seriously hot. Not to mention the rippling muscles and long limbs. He was a feast for the eyes. Panty-dropping gorgeous.

She wouldn’t mind getting lost with him for a few hours. She realized she was staring and cleared her throat. He smiled at her, seeming to notice and maybe even enjoy her temporary embarrassment.

Damn, he is seriously gorgeous. She liked the way his lower lip jutted out slightly farther than the top one when he smiled. And ooh that smile.

His lips parted to reveal bright white teeth. She appreciated good dental hygiene. It was a Werewolf thing. But it was his eyes that struck her the most. They were unlike anything she’d ever seen.

Ambers and golds swirling around like something out of the cosmos. He had entire galaxies swimming in his eyes. Her heart raced inside her chest.

Fred was dazzled.

“Well, are you here as a special Valentine’s Day gift from the Fates or am I just lucky?” She decided to go with humor.

It’s not like she was going to trust her instincts. Not after Josh. Fred was simply unlucky at love. And didn’t she just swear off men for good? She was going to ignore that nagging little voice inside her head telling her to go for it. Quiet, you are off men, but that doesn’t mean you can’t tend bar and maybe get a tip out of the guy.

“I’m sorry?” The handsome stranger didn’t seem to get her humor, so she tossed some heart shaped glitter in the air.

“It’s Valentine’s Day. You know? The hearts, Cupid, anyway it was a lame joke. I am staying Valentine-less this year. So, what can I get you?”

“Valentine-less? That seems a shame for one as lovely as you are, but if I may have a moment please, if you will?” His voice was nothing more than a rumble in the noisy bar.

It struck a chord deep inside of her. Her stomach muscles clenched. Were her palms getting sweaty? Oh, no you don’t. No butterflies brought on by good-looking men.

“A moment? How about a drink instead?” She tried a bit of harmless flirtation as a distraction, but all she wanted to do was reach across the bar and touch her lips to his. Whoa girl. Slow down now.

“Well, I have this ale, but I am afraid it is not to my liking.”

She eyed the mug of beer in his hand. It was nothing special. An over-produced brand that the country as a whole enjoyed, but a real connoisseur avoided. He struck her as someone with finer tastes than that.

“Maybe you’d like a stronger drink? We happen to have some really good local whiskey, ever heard of Bite?” She ignored the urge to touch him and started prepping her workstation for his drink instead. Idle hands and all that.

“No, I have not. Would you pour some for me?” his voice was deep and pleasant.

The small smile that played at the corner of his mouth was sexy and inviting. Fred wondered if that smile was for her. She noticed a few other women slide up to the bar, hoping he’d notice them. When he didn’t, Fred let go of the breath she didn’t know she was holding. Uh oh. He’s just a customer. You have no claim on him.

“That’s my job. I pour the drinks. So, how do you want it?” Fred bit her lip and eyed him from behind the bar. That came out all wrong. Or maybe not. More lemons, life?

“I will leave the choice to you, sweet lady,” he seemed intrigued by the way she bit her lip.

His gold eyes followed the movement. Fred turned abruptly, breaking the sudden tension between them. She needed to keep it light and simple, ignore the little sensation in the back of her mind that was telling her this man was different. Special somehow.

“Well, we, uh, have a few different flavors. Vanilla, cherry, and their latest, cinnamon, but that one is a bit spicy.”

“I like spicy.”

“Do you? Well then, how about I mix you something special?” Okay. Now she was flirting.

“Again, the choice is up to you.” He seemed to be studying her as she moved.

There was the subtlest smile on his mouth, but none of the shameless flirting she’d witnessed from other customers. He was different. Everything about him seemed to set her nerves on fire. She was aware of him in ways she’d never imagined she could be with anyone. Especially a stranger. It is just a fluke. A Valentine-induced misconception. There is nothing special here, Fred. Just make the drink.

“So, you like it spicy, let’s see if you can handle this. I made this little concoction during our Spicy New Year’s Eve Party. I call it Dragon Bite,” Fred took the bottle of Cinnamon Fire Bite down from the shelf.

“That is an interesting and fortuitous name for a drink,” the gorgeous stranger smiled and leaned his elbows on the bar. There was nothing subtle about his grin now, this was a thousand-watt grin that threatened to knock her off her feet.

“Yeah, I always liked dragons when I was a kid so, anyway,” her voice trailed off as his smile grew even brighter, if possible.

Just get the drink, Fred. She wasn’t bad for a part-time mixologist. The drink had gone over well with those who dared to try it. She gathered some of the fresh ingredients she stored behind the bar and got to work.

She quickly measured three shots of Bite, poured in half a bottle of ginger beer, one slice of lemon, one slice of lime, one slice of fresh jalapeno, some freshly grated ginger, then for the finale, she donned a pair of rubber gloves and got out a black glass vial.

“What is that there, in the vial?”

“This? It’s ghost pepper oil, just a tiny drop mind you, I wouldn’t want to kill you.”

“Ha. That would be difficult indeed for such a dainty flower as you.”

She eyed him over the dropper and added an extra-long squeeze. Dainty flower? Take that you conceited-. Oh shit. Before she could take back the drink, he had the glass raised to his lips. Fred froze. Her insides tightened. What did she just do? Mike would kill her.

“Hey look, I think I put too much. Let me make another,” she turned but it was too late, he had the drink in his hand, “Oh, my God. Are you okay?”

The stranger tossed back the entire glass in one gulp. He bowed his head and slammed the glass upside down on the table. There wasn’t a drop left.

Oh shit. Fred’s concern only grew as he remained in that position for a full thirty seconds, during which Fred suffered several minor heart attacks. Would Mike fire her if she killed a customer?

His hand gripped the bar as he continued his perfect imitation of a statue. Fred tried to wait it out, but she just couldn’t. She reached out a hand and touched his. Sparks of electricity raced up her arm at the contact, but she was too concerned to pay it any mind.

“Hey, you need some water or something? Buddy? Pal? You okay?”

Bright gold eyes met hers and she almost jumped out of her skin. Those were not human eyes. She inhaled, but whatever this guy was she had never encountered anything like him before. Magic. Beast. Man.

“My lady, my name is Callius Falk and that was the best refreshment I’ve ever had the pleasure of imbibing and that really is saying something.” His voice was deep and pleasant. There was a sexy rumble to it, an intensely masculine quality that made her want to just crawl in his lap and beg him to talk to her.

She pulled her hand back and ignored her need to go to him, to touch him. Instead, she went into concerned bartender mode. She needed to find out just what was going on with this guy.

He was not just a customer. Definitely not a normal. His eyes glowed gold and something non-human had peeked out at her for the briefest of flashes. Whatever he was, he was powerful and new to her. Maybe he was using some kind of magic on her? She needed to be careful.

“You’re okay. Want some water?”

“I shall have another.”

“Another?”

“Yes, please, another, what did you call it, ah yes, Dragon Bite.”

“Oookay,” Fred mixed another drink and placed it before him. As she turned to move his long fingers brushed against hers sending a thousand little nerve endings into a frenzy. She pulled her hand back quickly.

“Come, lady, talk with me. Will you? Now?”

“Uh, I’m working right now, but can you wait here a moment?”

“As you command.”

A thousand different thoughts entered Fred’s mind at once. But every single one of them left her brain when he touched her hand and asked her to go talk to him. Her skin burned where he touched her. In a good way. But first things, first. Fred needed to find out who, or rather, what, this man really was.