Butting In (2 page)

Drak was perplexed. “What gender do you have sex with?”

She leaned forward. “What part of
not interested in anyone
do you not understand?”

A man stumbled in, rubbing his head and grinning. He was wearing silken pajama bottoms that clung precariously to his hips and nothing else. His ears were pointed and glaringly obvious. He was fey.

“Good morning, brother. Did I hear someone mention sex?”

Drak growled at the other man. “Riox, this is Gera, my guest. Gera, this is my brother. He has been helping me with the spell work to create what I need.”

Riox bowed and lifted his dark head with a grin. The golden skin of his face was framed by the midnight of his hair. The long cascade was tied in a loose ponytail down his back.

His eyes were the strangest shade of purple leading into vivid blue before changing back again.

“Gera, I am delighted to meet you. Welcome to the Axion.”

“Thank you, Riox. Your brother has been most welcoming.”

He took a seat and waved his hand. A plate filled itself from the sideboard and floated over to him. He dug in with good appetite, and Drak kept up conversation.

“So, Riox, did you have fun last night?”

Riox smiled. “I had several bouts of fun last night. Nothing stuck, but I believe that the ladies have a better idea of what they are looking for.”

The intimation of sex was definitely in the air.

Drak winced. “Right. Well, Gera, what are you going to do today?”

She glanced down at her clothing. “I think I am going shopping. I need a better wardrobe, and it might put me in the mood for socializing.”

Gera sipped at her coffee.

“Riox can help you out. He has a definite eye for style.”

Gera looked to the man who was halfway through his meal. “No, thank you. I need to get used to doing things on my own.”

Riox shrugged and kept eating.

Gera didn’t blame him. She was the most average person she knew. Brown hair, brown eyes, pale lips and medium build. There was not one exotic bone in her body.

She sipped at her coffee until it was gone and Drak whisked it away. “Thank you for breakfast. I am going to find my way around.”

Drak smiled. “Feel free to come back and ask me if you have any questions.”

“I will. Good morning.”

Gera got to her feet and headed for the door. Her hand was out to open it when it swung open of its own accord. There might just be a little too much magic in the Axion.

The selection in the store was impressive. Gera gathered armloads of fabric and hauled it all to the changing rooms.

She was unimpressed with everything she put on. One dress after another didn’t do anything for her. She felt like ramming her head into the wall.

She put on another little black dress and stepped out of the change room to look at herself in the three mirrors.

She was turning from side to side and grimacing when a familiar and unwelcome reflection came up behind her. Riox.

“That dress doesn’t do anything for you.”

“You think?” She kept her face blank.

He scowled. “Are you always sarcastic?”

“Only when someone is pointing out the obvious.” She turned and tried to stomp past him. He blocked her.

“Show me what you have chosen. I think I can help.”

“If you have other things to do, please don’t hesitate.” She smiled politely and eased past him.

He put his hands on her waist and set her aside, going into her changing room and sending the clothing flying. He went through all of her selections in seconds.

He left her with two dresses that were exceedingly low. “I will be back in a moment. Put the heels on. It will help the fit.”

She wanted to yell at him, but she was facing his broad back as he strode into the shop.

Gera looked at the rich purple dress, and she stepped into the heels as instructed. The black dress came off over her head, and she had just pulled the purple one into place when the curtain was whisked open. She squeaked and smoothed the skirt of the dress.

Riox had an armload of dresses over one arm, and he frowned at the fit. “You need a different bra with that one. Hold on.”

She blinked.

He hung the dresses up on a peg and left her.

Gera was a little befuddled. She had shopped with her sisters, and this was similar to those experiences. She felt lost, confused and out of place.

It seemed that even at the Crossroads, nothing had changed.

Riox came back with several bras in a small range of sizes. When she examined them, they were all within a fair guess of her actual size.

“The manufacturers run a little small sometimes. Try them on and see what happens.”

Just like she had been pushed around by store matrons, she was bullied by an elf in a button-down shirt and khakis. Gera reacted the same way. She did what he said. She yanked the curtain closed and hoped that he didn’t turn it into a peep show.

The purple dress did fit better with a new bra, and the little centre studded with gemstones looked like it had been designed to be shown. It probably had.

“Come out and take a look.”

She slowly peeped around the curtain and quickly made a dash for the mirrors. She would never have thought that the dress would look anything but awkward on her, but this one made her legs appear longer, her cleavage deeper and her neck more graceful.

“Excellent. Now, try the other ones.” Riox leaned against the wall next to her cubicle and munched an apple.

It was humiliating to have him picking out clothing for her, but he was definitely good at it.

Ninety minutes later, she was exhausted and she had an armload of clothing that flattered her. It was too bad that she wanted to cut it down to four dresses and two bras.

Riox was shocked. “Why aren’t you taking them all?”

“Because my family is paying for this and these dresses are expensive. If I make it through this week without finding anyone, I will buy something new, and then, I will do it again.”

Riox frowned. “Why not now?”

“Because if I don’t need them, they don’t fit my life.” Gera sighed. “I am preparing to be sent home as unmatchable.”

“You haven’t even gotten to meet anyone.”

She hauled her items to the clerk. “I don’t need to. They say your beast knows when it meets its mate, and mine seems to be on vacation.”

Riox blinked. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. I am going to give it a try anyway.” She smiled at him.

He blinked and stepped back. “Right. Of course. Good luck. Have a great day.”

He was babbling as he left the store.

The shifter behind the counter shrugged. “Fey can be a little mercurial.”

She nodded her head. “So I am learning.”

“Did you need shoes for these?”

She sighed and grumbled. “Probably.”

With slumped shoulders, she returned to the change rooms and grabbed the evening and the day heels.

She stalked back to the clerk and handed them over.

He grinned. “You are really hating this, aren’t you?”

“I am woefully unprepared for this. It is like I have been tossed into a pool before I get the swimming lessons.”

“Well, if you are at the Crossed Star this evening, save me a dance. I can help you swim.” He winked.

“Thank you...”

“Andy.”

She smiled shyly. “Thank you, Andy.”

He put her purchases into a fabric bag, and she quickly swiped her charm over the payment plate. She grabbed the bag, smiled again and left the store.

It took all of her nerve to walk back to the Axion and go up to her room.

She took the dresses out, hung them up in the wardrobe and stared at them. She was really doing this. She was going to try to obtain a mate.

She looked at one of the day dresses and reached out, but then, she pulled her hand back. She needed to spend some time in her other skin, and from what Teal had told her during her check-in, there was a field to do just that.

She brushed at her skin before she changed in the cabana. When she left the shelter, she was her mountain goat self and ready to run.

Her muscles moved smoothly, and she smelled clover. Her hooves picked daintily through the grasses, and she snuck up on the clover with all the stealth she could muster. It wasn’t much. She had never had a talent for stealth.

She bounced, she bounded, she nibbled, and when she was sure there was no one watching, she rolled onto her back and wiggled with her legs in the air. It lacked dignity but that was her all over. Gera was just a practical being with simple wants and needs. Involving a man was going to make things exponentially more complicated.

When her belly warmed under the sun, she rolled to lounge on her side. Her horns didn’t have nerves, but the bone plate did a great job of warming her brain. When she was toasty all over, she got to her feet and scampered back to the cabana where her clothing was safe and sound.

She stared up at the cotton dress hanging in what was supposed to be an inviolate space. That wasn’t hers, but she had tried it on that morning. The shoes were familiar as well.

When she saw the glittering bra, she knew that there was a fey she wanted to head butt in the worst way.

The panties that matched the bra were short of rhinestones, and she thanked her lucky stars. She got dressed, muttering the whole time.

When she was decent, she stalked out of the cabana and headed to the Axion.

Drak greeted her and smiled in appreciation at her appearance.

“Where is Riox?”

“He is in the library. Why?”

“Did he come in here with my clothing?”

“Oh, your street clothes? Yes. They are being cleaned.”

She smiled tightly. “Excuse me.”

Her heels tapped on the floor as she marched to the library with purpose. When she threw the door open, Riox was standing next to a bookshelf with a leather-bound book in his hands, naked.

“Damn it!”

Drak was laughing from the entryway, and Gera had had enough for now. She turned and left the bed and breakfast with her cheeks on fire. She needed a milkshake.

Gera was on her third milkshake when Riox came in.

She couldn’t look at him without seeing the complete expanse of his golden skin, so she focused on her strawberry milkshake. It was extremely good, but the moment she realized she was slowly sucking on the straw, she had to stop because Riox was standing in front of her.

“I must apologize for the moment in the library. My brother and I have a ritual when there is a chance to humiliate one of us. It will not happen again.” Riox sat across from her.

Gera bit her lip and flicked a glance at him. “You were not the one humiliated.”

“Drak caught on to that, and he is deeply apologetic. Sibling rivalry got the better of him. It will not happen again.”

Gera nodded. “Right. I think I am just going to spend as little time there as possible.”

Riox sighed. “I am really sorry. Did seeing me naked really scar you for life?”

She blushed. “Not really. I mean, it was just a bit of a surprise considering that I was about to head butt you into the next century.”

“Why?” He looked innocent, his strange eyes swirled.

“Because you stole my clothes.”

“These suit you.”

“These aren’t mine. I didn’t buy them.”

He shrugged. “They look good on you, so I bought them for you.”

She clapped a hand across her eyes. “That is not really appropriate in my situation.”

“Why not? I thought you would enjoy presents from a suitor.”

Gera dropped her hand and stared at him in shock. “What?”

He grinned. “I intend to try and win your hand.”

She sat back. “Thank god.”

That reaction surprised him. “What?”

“I thought you wanted the rest of me. As long as you buy me dinner, my hand is at your disposal. Temporarily at least.”

To her amusement, Riox blushed.

She finished her milkshake and slurped around the bottom of the glass until she had gotten every drop.

When it was finished, the waitress came by and said, “Can I get you another?”

“Do you have any that are an unholy combination of ice cream and a candy bar?”

The waitress saluted and pivoted as she headed back to the kitchen.

Riox looked at the lineup of empty glasses. “You must really enjoy milkshakes.”

“Milkshakes for lunch was how me and my sisters coped with feeling blue.”

“Why are you feeling blue?”

“I am out of my depth here. I have watched my sisters in their courtships.” She muttered, “Sometimes in more detail than I would like.”

Gera wrinkled her nose. “It just never seemed like something I could do.”

“Why not?”

“Didn’t Drak tell you? Well, if he didn’t, let’s just say that my beast has never demanded a mate.” She twisted her lips and figured that it was the best description she could manage.

He sat back and smiled. “Well, that is my good luck then. I have minimal interest in your beast.”

She fought the urge to applaud when her new milkshake arrived.

The waitress’s brows rose in shock when Riox smiled and said, “I will try one of those.”

Gera stared at him in surprise. “You don’t look like the crushed-candy-bar type.”

“Don’t let this urbane exterior fool you. I enjoy a good sugar rush now and then.”

She dipped her straw into the whipped cream and used it to spoon the white fluff up. She smiled slowly. “Me too.”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

When his milkshake arrived, he tried it, and his smile was genuine. “This is surprisingly good.”

“There are entire restaurant chains that focus on milkshakes. You should really try them.”

Riox nodded, and then, he looked up at her. “What do you do in the human world?”

“I work on a farm.”

He appeared delighted. “A farm? What kind?”

“We grow herbs and edible plants without pesticides and sell them to tea companies around the world. Also herbalists, mages and some plain old humans.”

“That sounds fascinating.”

She smirked. “We play chicken with Mother Nature, guessing that she won’t rain, burn or starve our crops before we can harvest them.”