Chapter 13

Okay. Okay. Just take it easy and keep your wits about you.

He couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought about the possible consequences of exposing Kira to his curse. And going out into the middle of a forest, where literally anything could have happened, seemed especially irresponsible on his part.

At least he had a completely legitimate excuse not to drive, since his car was still being fixed. But Caleb wasn’t sure if that meant Kira’s car would suffer a mysterious breakdown now, since he was pretty certain he didn’t actually have to be driving the car for the curse to affect it.

He eyed the hood suspiciously as Kira guided the car along the mountain road back into town, but so far it didn’t look like it was about to burst into flames or anything like that.

“I’m sorry we ended up cutting things short,” he said after a moment. He didn’t want Kira to think he’d been put off from spending time with her, but he couldn’t really tell her about the curse and why he’d decided they needed to get out of the forest either. At least she’d readily agreed to get some lunch with him.

We were right to ask her. Ingesting sustenance together is an important human mating ritual,his dragon piped up. Caleb pursed his lips, trying not to roll his eyes. His dragon had to be the least helpful dating coach ever.

“Oh, it’s okay, I completely understand,” Kira said. “I’m just sorry I won’t be able to show you around tomorrow, since I have to work. Well, I mean, if you’re back in the park I can probably find a reason to show you a few things, if you don’t mind watching me work. I’ll have to deal with that broken branch, for one thing.”

There was nothing Caleb wanted to do more than tell her he’d be honored – there was pretty much nothing he’d rather do than help Kira with pretty much anything. But his anxiety about what the curse might do to put Kira in danger made him pause.

Will she think I don’t want to spend my time with her anymore?Caleb wondered – though he hoped Kira wouldn’t see it that way, rejecting her offer would be hard to make come across as anything else.

“I’d like that,” Caleb said cautiously. “Or if I decide to go off hiking on a different trail, I’d love to just come back and get lunch with you. I hope we can still spend some time together.”

From the pleased flush on Kira’s face and the smile she flashed at him, Caleb hoped he’d managed to find the right balance. He wasn’t rejecting her, he just didn’t want to put her in danger!

We should simply explain the situation to her,his dragon grumbled. All this subterfuge, all this pretense – it is not the dragon way.

Caleb had to agree with the dragon there, but still, he thought he probably needed just a bit more time to get to know Kira before springing the truth of who – and what – he really was on her. Not to mention the whole ‘curse’ thing. Ideally, he’d solve that issue before it ever had to come up in a conversation, though after what Kira had said today about the size of the park, Caleb had to admit his hopes weren’t high.

Still, I can’t give up. And I can take more time if I need to. It’s my only chance – I’m not about to let it go just because it might be difficult.

And now that he’d met his mate, his incentive to find the aurum whatever-it-was was higher than ever. It wasn’t just breaking the curse that was at stake now – it was his future happiness with his mate.

“Well, here we are!” Kira said as she pulled the car into a parking space outside a line of shops on Girdwood Springs’ small main street. “Eula’s has the best chili dogs you’ll ever experience. I hope you like that kind of food?”

Caleb nodded as he got out of the car. “I’ve got to be honest with you – I’ll kind of eat anything. I’m not really a gourmet or anything like that. There was a time I lived on ramen for about three weeks.”

Mainly because the curse set everything I tried to cook on fire – boiling water was my only option.

“Oh, believe me, I did that in college too,” Kira laughed. “Eula’s isn’t fancy, but it’s good, hearty food.”

“Sounds absolutely perfect,” Caleb said as he pushed open the diner’s door to let Kira go first.

He’d believed Kira of course when she’d said the food here was good, but Caleb hadn’t quite been prepared for just how delicious the smells that hit him as he stepped into the diner would be. With his dragon’s sense of smell, the scent of fresh French fries, cooking meat, baking bread, and rich herbs and spices was almost overwhelming.

“Wow,” he said, looking around. “My mouth’s watering already.”

Kira laughed. “You wait till you actually try the food!”

As she spoke, a large, tall woman in an apron appeared from the kitchen out the back, giving them both a broad grin, eyes darting back and forth between them. “Well, Ranger Dearborn! Just what’ve you found in the forest today?”

Kira laughed, but Caleb couldn’t help but notice her slight blush. “Just showing an out-of-towner around the park, Eula,” she said. “Eula, this is Caleb. Caleb, Eula.”

“Nice to meet you,” Caleb said, extending his hand.

“Oh, I won’t shake, young man.” Eula lifted a finger, waving it at him. “No offense – I’ve just been cutting up some slaw, so my hands are all carrot juicey. But I can tell just by looking you’ve got a nice firm one.”

She laughed riotously, while Kira got even pinker, and Caleb watched them both, bemused. Eula was clearly a character.

“But anyway, I didn’t come out here to steal the show with my jokes,” Eula said, going to a sink to wash her hands. “I came out to find out what you fine young folks want to eat. Unless you’re happy to go with the chef’s specials.”

“Last time I let you give me the chef’s specials the food never stopped, and I had to take half of it home with me in a doggie bag,” Kira said. “We just want a bit of lunch! We’re not trying to feed an army!”

Privately, Caleb thought he probably could eat enough to feed an army right now, especially if the food tasted as good as it smelled, but he thought he should probably just stick to a normal amount of food.

“Well, suit yourself.” Eula shrugged. “What’ll it be?”

“I’m happy to go on your recommendation,” Caleb told Kira. “I trust your judgment.”

“All right then,” Kira said, raising a hand to tap her index finger against her lower lip – completely adorably, Caleb couldn’t help but think. “Well, Eula, in that case we’ll get two chili dogs with full toppings, onion rings on the side with… hmm, coleslaw, fried okra, and corn on the cob. Oh, and two pickles.” She turned to Caleb. “Uh, is that too much food? I just always want to get everything when I’m here.”

“Not even slightly,” Caleb told her with a smile. “In fact, add a side of fries to that. Oh, and I’ll get a root beer too.”

“Oh, make that two!” Kira added.

“Coming right up,” Eula said, grinning at them both, before she bustled back out to the kitchen.

The chili dogs and sides lived up to their reputation – and smell – when they arrived ten minutes later. After he bit through the light, crunchy outsides, the insides of the fried okra melted on Caleb’s tongue. The fries and onion rings were still sizzling from the fryer, and the pickles were crisp and tangy. And the chili dogs themselves really were the best that Caleb had ever tasted – spicy, cheesy, and loaded with onion, mustard, ground beef and jalape?os.

“Wow. That was… amazingly good,” Caleb said, as he cleaned up the last of the chili dog toppings with the last of his bread roll. “Clearly I’ve been missing out all these years when I said I didn’t care about food.”

“Oh man, yeah,” Kira laughed. She dipped a fry in some melted cheese that had stuck to her plate before popping it in her mouth. “If I wasn’t completely sure I’d die of a heart attack within three weeks I’d eat here every day. It’s tempting, even then.”

“I’m with you on that.” Caleb leaned back in his chair, feeling full and satisfied. Even his dragon, for once in its life, seemed completely sated.

A feast fit for our mate,it purred, its glowing eyes half-closed. We have provided our mate with nourishment. She knows now that we can provide.

Well, we ate a diner meal, but sure,Caleb told it. Right now, he was just happy the dragon seemed satisfied and not inclined to give him any more unhelpful advice, or roar so loudly he couldn’t hear himself think.

For about one second, anyway.

As soon as Caleb let himself think the dragon wasn’t going to cause him any trouble, its head shot up, eyes blazing, smoke rising from its jaws. All its senses had suddenly gone on high alert.

What is it?he asked, only to notice that Kira too had gone from smiling to scowling as she looked over his shoulder, out to where cars were parked outside.

“Oh, no,” she muttered, as Caleb whipped his head around, trying to see what had upset Kira and gotten his dragon so worked up. The only thing he could see, however, was a shiny black car pulling up outside, right next to Kira’s Range Rover.

“What is it?” he asked, turning back to her. He wanted to reach across the table and taker her hands in his, but he didn’t know if she’d welcome the gesture.

“It’s those slimeballs from Tongle Heit,” Kira muttered, shaking her head. “I thought they’d left town, since the cops came and told them to stop ignoring me telling them to stop trampling all over the park. Seems like I was wrong.”

Caleb glanced over his shoulder again. There were two well-dressed men and one woman stepping out of the sleek, black car now – clearly slick corporate types. Caleb had never met anyone from the main branches of the Tongle or Heit clans so he had no idea if these ones were particularly important members, but the way they were dressed and the way his dragon was reacting to them – with smoke and fire and growling – told him they had to be important.

They are the ones who want to take our mate’s habitat from her,his dragon snarled. We must not allow it! We must teach them what it means to threaten our mate, or her happiness!

As much as Caleb wanted to agree with his dragon in this instance, he also knew that it was hardly a good idea just now. They were in public, and on someone else’s property. Not to mention he didn’t think Kira would be especially impressed with him starting trouble, especially if she was trying to stay on the right side of the law.

Plus, the curse means banana peels would probably start manifesting out of nowhere, making me trip up at the worst possible moment,Caleb thought ruefully.

He wondered if it would be better simply to make himself scarce, but at that moment the man leading the other two up the steps looked up, his eyes catching Caleb’s through the window of the diner, and a smile – wide, toothy, and gleeful – spread across his face.

Well, too late for that,Caleb thought grimly. Whoever this guy was, his dragon had clearly sensed Caleb’s. He’d just have to hope he wasn’t the talkative type.

“Well, well, Ranger Dearborn,” the man said as he strolled into the shop, followed by his two lackeys. Caleb’s dragon snarled within him, but even it couldn’t help but be impressed by the sheer amount of wealth dripping off this man, from the gold watch on his wrist to the expensive suit he wore. It was simply in a dragon’s nature to notice these things – after all, in the past, the hierarchy of dragon clans had been decided by the size of their hoards.

“What do you want now, Mr. Heit?” Kira asked, her voice prickly. “I’m pretty sure I’ve made my position clear to you, and you’ve been told you’re not supposed to be in the park until everything’s been settled.”

The man – Mr. Heit, apparently, so he really must have been an important dragon – looked back and forth between Kira and Caleb. Caleb’s dragon, having recovered itself from its initial instinct to be impressed, was growling now, smoke pouring from its jaws.

Tell him to stay away from our mate and her habitat,it snapped. Tell him he’s not welcome here. Tell him we will enforce it if necessary!

Before he could stop himself, Caleb found his mouth opening to do just that, before he quickly snapped it shut again.

“Is there something I can help you with?” he asked coolly instead – of course, his own clan’s power and prestige couldn’t match the Heit Clan’s, but he was still a dragon.

Mr. Heit glanced at him, his smile still in place.

“Oh no, I just happened to see Ranger Dearborn’s car parked outside, and I thought I’d swing by to see if she’d reconsidered my generous offer. I wasn’t aware that she’d brought in… outside help.”

“I haven’t,” Kira snapped, before Caleb could say anything, or hint to Heit that Kira hadn’t asked him for help, and didn’t even know they were dragons.

“No amount of money is going to make me drop it. I’ll fight you every step of the way,” Kira continued, her voice rising. “You can’t buy me off – it’s just not going to happen. So get back in your sleazemobile and get out of here.”

“Now, now, there’s no need to be so rude,” Heit chided her. “It was an offer made in good faith. I just wanted to make your life easier. You can’t blame me for that. In fact, if you’ll drop this silly legal challenge, I’ll even consider doubling it. We’re going to get the land anyway, so you may as well get something out of it.”

“She’s already told you she’s not interested,” Caleb said, his voice even. At this moment, he didn’t care how much richer and more powerful the Heit Clan was. All he cared about right now was making sure Kira didn’t have to deal with this clown for even a moment longer. “I think it’d be best if you left.”

Heit seemed amused by his words, flashing a grin – but his eyes were cold and deadly. “Oh – and who are you?” he asked, looking Caleb up and down. “I don’t think I recognize you. To whom do you belong, exactly?”

“Caleb Tanner,” Caleb said. He didn’t think Heit would be at all impressed by his name – his clan didn’t amass money, after all – but telling him might stop him from asking something it might be awkward to have to explain to Kira just now.

“Ahh, Tanner,” Heit said, as if that placed him. “Quaint! Very quaint – tell me again, what is it that’s in your family’s hoa—”

“Film,” Caleb said firmly, before Heit could get the word out completely. It wasn’t that he wanted to hide the truth from Kira, but he wanted to be able to tell her in his own time, on his own terms. He’d find the right moment, but it wasn’t now, in the middle of an awkward scene in a diner.

“Ah – yes. I remember now.” Heit smiled, shark-like, once again. “And can I enquire about why exactly you’ve come here to help Ranger Dearborn? What is it exactly you hope to achieve?”

“He didn’t come here to help me,” Kira said, shooting Caleb a confused look. “He’s a visitor I was showing around the park. What are you two talking about?”

“I’m just here on a trip, I didn’t know anything about what was happening with the forest,” Caleb told Heit, hoping that would be an end to that line of questioning. He knew he’d have some explaining to do to Kira now, but perhaps that was for the best. Yes, he wanted to tell her in his own time, but perhaps having Heit apparently speaking in riddles would make it easier to bring the topic up – certainly, it would mean he could be honest about what he was really looking for in the woods, which meant maybe he could get Kira’s help, which meant the curse would be broken quicker, which meant he’d be able to help her.

“Oh… then I must be interrupting something,” Heit said, affecting shock and looking over his shoulder at his two minions, who smirked at him. “I’m terribly sorry, it wasn’t my intention to crash the party. I’ll be on my way now then – but please, Ranger Dearborn, it’s not too late. I wouldn’t want anyone to feel like they’d been hard done by, and my offer stands right up until the day the woodland leaves the trust. But after that, you get nothing, and we get the land anyway. Think about it.”

Heit grinned over his shoulder as he walked away, raising his eyebrows sleazily at Caleb as he went. Caleb glowered at him – he couldn’t help it. His dragon was at the forefront of his senses, eyes glowing with rage.

He cannot be allowed to speak that way to our mate! Chase him down, and challenge him to a dragon duel!

You know I can’t do that,Caleb told it – though in this moment, he really, really wanted to. Dragons don’t do that kind of thing anymore. And even if they did, I’m not about to cause that many problems for myself, or for Kira. I wouldn’t dare fight a duel until the curse is broken anyway. I’d trip over my own feet.

“Bastard,” Kira muttered, drawing Caleb’s attention back to her at once. And his dragon’s, too – the sight of her downturned, furious face made it forget, at least for now, about the idea of running off and challenging Heit to a duel. Right now, it was clear Kira needed him.

“Yeah, well… you won’t get any argument from me on that score,” Caleb agreed. “What a sleaze.”

“He keeps making that same offer, as if he thinks if he just waves enough money under my nose I’ll give up protecting the park,” Kira said, shaking her head. There were angry tears in her eyes. “But since he does keep making it, it makes me hope he knows on some level that we’ll have a good case if we challenge the sale of the land. It’d just be a hell of a lot easier if we had that will – it’d be open and shut then. Heit wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. As it is, we don’t have any choice but to go through a lengthy, expensive court process, and as generous as people have been, we can’t hope to collect enough money to pay for our legal costs if Heit decides to draw things out.”

“Then I guess what we need to do is find that will,” Caleb said.

“Easier said than done,” Kira countered him, sighing. She lifted a hand, scrubbing her eyes. Unable to help himself, Caleb reached across the table, laying his hand comfortingly on her arm. Kira looked down at it in mild surprise for a moment, but then she seemed to relax into the touch, letting out another long, slow sigh.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to be negative,” she said. “But believe me – I’ve combed the county archives as much as I can. There’re some restricted sections you can only get on request, but the clerk there told me the will was stored in the building that went up in smoke. They seem pretty sure of it.”

Hmmm.

Caleb narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t a suspicious dragon by nature, but this all seemed just a little too convenient. “An important document like that – surely there had to be at least one copy made.”

Kira bit her lip, shaking her head. “Maybe. But no one seems to think so – and so, if it does exist, finding it seems like it’d be a one in a million chance.”

Nodding, Caleb tightened his fingers on her arm slightly. “But it’s still a chance, right?”

Kira blinked at him, frowning just a little. “Yeah. It’s still a chance.”

Pulling in a deep breath, Caleb sat back in his chair. If he just had his dragon’s luck – the luck he was supposed to have been born with – this wouldn’t be an issue. Many a time his father or mother had returned from a buying trip to Europe or South America, talking about how all they’d needed to do to find a valuable canister of film amongst countless stacks was to run their fingers lightly over the shelves: wherever their fingers stopped would, inevitably, be exactly what they were looking for.

Caleb wondered if it might also be the same for copies of wills – sure, his family didn’t hoard old documents, but given how important this was to his mate, surely his dragon’s luck would kick in?

Well,he thought, there’s only one way to find out.I’ll just have to hurry up and get this curse broken. Not just for my sake, but for Kira’s.

But it seemed to him that trying to find the golden artifact in the vastness of the park was worse than looking for a needle in a haystack, especially with a handicap like his. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack on a moonless night in a field full of haystacks and you weren’t actually sure which one the needle was even in.

If only you had someone to help you,his dragon crooned softly, smoke rising gently from its jaws. Someone who knew the park like the back of her hand, for instance.

I already asked, and Kira said she didn’t know about any buried treasure,Caleb told it – he already felt a bit silly for having asked her about it in the first place. But… maybe you have a point.

It’d be better at least to have two people looking than one – but how on Earth was Caleb going to explain the situation to her? He doubted that Kira would believe it if he told her why he was really snooping around the park.

She is our mate. She knows instinctively that she can trust us.

Maybe so,Caleb thought, watching Kira’s face as she looked down at where his fingers still rested on her arm. I guess I can only hope.