Chapter Eight

Ayelet

Jerry came through. My former supervisor’s word had been the factor that pushed me over the top. So many applications for one opening—without him, I’d never have made it out of the heap. And, the cherry on top was they wanted me out there ASAP to pick up the reins of my department. Yes, it was a promotion as well to the level of my former supervisor. I would be over a half dozen staff members and working at that building walking distance from the beach. It was going to be a whole new life by the ocean.

With the need for speed, the company had even provided me with a furnished apartment for six months, meaning, all I had to do was pack up my personal items and catch a plane. It all happened so fast I barely had time to think. One moment, I was living with the herd and working out of the small office building in our area and the next, on a jet plane headed for San Diego. As I sipped from the plastic cup of Diet Coke, I allowed thoughts I’d tried to suppress to come to the fore.

Sure, I loved the ocean, and my gazelle was already picturing himself cantering along the beach, but under all of that was another motivation. One I had tried to keep myself from thinking about.

That one-night stand with a dragon. He was an alpha, and that in itself was unusual for me. Not that he’d been my first, but most of those I’d been attracted to had been of the omega persuasion. The dragon was magnificent and had been the best lover I’d ever had the pleasure of spending a night with. And since my return to New Mexico, I’d reminded myself over and over that it was no more than that. A night.

There had been a different kind of energy in our night. For the first time, I hadn’t walked away feeling bad or sad or empty. Rather, once I left Magnus, I did so with a sense of regret that he was not my mate. And never entirely forgot him.

Of course, he had also been a visitor to San Diego when we met, and he had long since returned to his life, maybe even found his fated by now. Whoever he ended up with was one lucky SOB. I wished him happiness. Of course.

Disembarking, I strode through the airport, picked up my luggage, and met the car agency representative outside the glass doors. Remarkably, the position came with a leased car as well. I would have to meet clients occasionally, but it wasn’t really the type of job you expect to get a car with. It was just getting better and better. I put the address into my GPS, although I did well remember the way, and headed over to see my workspace and say hello to my coworkers before going to my new apartment. So much to adjust to and yet I didn’t feel adrift or nervous at all. My gazelle was confident in our choice and our future.

More confident than me, but I was still very optimistic. Riding the elevator up to my floor, I tapped my foot in anticipation. While out here previously, I had met a number of people, but there would be faces new to me also. And, now I was in charge of several of them. That might be an adjustment.

Exiting the elevator, I approached the receptionist for the floor who greeted me as Mr. Hirsch and buzzed my assistant to come and show me to my office. Although I was not starting work until Monday, nobody seemed surprised to see me and I had to tell at least six people to still call me Ayelet. Jerry had always kept things on a first-name basis, and I liked the atmosphere he had created. Never any doubt who made the final decisions for the department, but also never any kind of barrier between him and the rest of us. His door was quite literally open nearly all the time, and we were welcome to come in anytime we needed his feedback or had a question. I’d even seen a few people dumping their personal problems in his lap.

My office was furnished with a desk, executive high-backed chair, two guest chairs, and even a small sofa and low table against the inner wall. Sandy’s desk sat right outside. The large window behind my desk overlooked the ocean, and I was soon taking the walk I had every day on my earlier visit down to greet the waves. Taking off my shoes and socks and rolling up my pant legs, I waded into the edge of the surf. The frothy retreating wave reminded me even more of my last trip and what had happened then.

The dragon.

Sometimes it was hard to remember that he was not my mate. We’d had such an incredible time together, not just the sex which absolutely had been stellar but talking. My gazelle butted me inside and wanted to see Magnus again, but he’d been a visitor to the area as well and for some reason, we had not even exchanged information. I had hoped he’d offer, but he had not, and I didn’t want to be pushy with another alpha. I should have been pushy…

But since meeting up with him was not going to happen unless Fate was remarkably kind and set us up for another chance encounter—and that was too much to ask—I decided to check out the club I’d heard several people mention when I was here before.

Animals.

The sun was setting over the Pacific, and since we were heading into the weekend and any popular club was going to be mobbed, I needed to get a move on, or I didn’t stand a chance of getting in. I did not, however, want to show up in my traveling clothes that probably reeked of recycled airplane air.

That meant a stop by my new home and changing into something in my roller bag. Most of my things were being shipped out on the company’s nickel, but they weren’t going to arrive for several days, so I’d make do. I took just a few minutes to look over my new digs before showering quickly and donning my favorite butt-hugging jeans and a soft polo shirt and heading for the club. Which was how I ended up arriving way earlier than just about anyone else. Back home, there were a lot of early to bed types, and so club life ended about eleven. It was not really even a club, more a bar with a small dance floor and live bands on the weekend.

But Animals here in the urban sprawl of San Diego, according to the guy ahead of me in line—one of three—didn’t really get going until later. They did point out that getting here at this time would have us inside the moment the doors opened, and I called that a win.

Unlike most shifter venues, the Animals chain was known for allowing all sorts of paranormal people into their clubs and even humans who could behave themselves. They permitted shifting inside, so long as nobody acted out or did anything like eat someone else in a bad way. Also, I’d heard that witches’ brooms had to be checked at the door due to an incident a while back that caused a lot of damage.

About a half hour after I arrived, the doors opened and I was able to enter. While we’d been waiting, the line had grown considerably, making me glad to have arrived so early. I got a table near the dance floor, was served a beverage, and settled in to people watch and relax. The crowd was more shifters than others, but I spotted a few fae and a vampire and some I couldn’t quite identify. In my old town, I’d never seen the variety of shifters who were already here, either. I liked San Diego more and more and had a feeling things were going to get interesting.

“Ayelet, is that you?”

My hand tightened on my cocktail. It couldn’t be. I set the glass down and turned, praying to the goddess that she and Fate had my back again… “Magnus.”

The dragon of my dreams.

“I can’t believe I found you here.” He beckoned to the empty chair next to mine. “Mind?”

“No not at all. Why…how?”

“I might ask the same,” he said, a low, sexy chuckle rolling over me. “Except I’m afraid it’s a dream and I’ll wake up to find myself in bed alone.”

A server came and took his order then returned with one of the night’s specials, a tall glass with a faint mist rising from it. Then we spent a few minutes catching up and shared the delightful news that we were both living here now.

“That’s amazing. Sounds a lot like Fate. Maybe we aren’t mates, but there is something here.”

“You should know that I don’t always have full control of my beast.” His cheeks reddened a little. “If that makes you want to avoid me, I get it.”

I waved off his comments. “Takes longer for some. But I don’t see that as a deal-breaker. Maybe we can work on it together?”

Magnus took a long drink and then faced me again. “So what do we do?”

“I don’t know long-term, but for tonight?” I stood up and held out my hand. “I spotted a hallway where we might find a little privacy.”