“How we met,” he said as he speared another bite. “Well, this was off the coast of Catalina, where . . .”
Once again, Bird got an intense image of Mikhail, so vivid she could almost hear his breathing. No, she wished she could hear his breathing. She longed for him to be sitting across from her instead of this perfectly nice, genuinely friendly man who was telling her a story she very much wanted to hear.
But she could not get past that persistent, worrying image of Mikhail breathing hard, his eyes a cold gray. Then she remembered how he had been able to think words into her mind. He’d said that mates could do that.
She tried thinking a question at him: Where are you?
But it felt like the words vanished into thin air. She shut her eyes and tried harder. Are you all right?
Her thoughts reached a polished steel wall and slid off.
Then she became aware that Joey’s voice had ceased. She opened her eyes, to see him sitting quietly, looking at her with concern.
“Bird? Are you quite all right? I’m getting the feeling you haven’t heard a word I said. And I know I’m not that bad at telling an exciting story about an air to ground assault on a vindictive kraken.” His slanted brows quirked, and he cocked his head to one side, suddenly looking very fox-like.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude. It’s just that I’m worried about Mikhail. I know I’m being silly, that just because we’ve spent the last couple days together—”
“Bird,” Joey said softly. “What is it you’re feeling, or hearing?”
“That’s just it, I can’t hear him. Yesterday, I could. I keep getting this image of him that I don’t quite like, and it makes me worried. But I realize I’m just—”
Joey raised a hand. “No ‘just.’ I realize this is all new
to you, but I take the mate bond absolutely seriously. You can’t reach him, you say?” He tapped his head. “Here?”
“No.” She breathed the word with overwhelming relief. “I can’t.”
Joey’s expressive face went blank. “He went back to the cave. But I know he called for reinforcement from one of the other Guardians . . .”
He paused, his eyes narrowing. Bird was going to ask what was wrong, but he shook his head.
“Mikhail knows them best,” Joey said under his breath, not firmly, but as if convincing himself. “There should be at least another high-ranking dragon with him, plus some backup behind him or her.”
He braced his hands on the table, his half-eaten meal forgotten. His gaze went distant, the friendly light brown glowing like molten gold. Bird looked down at the delicious food she’d been eating so mechanically, and couldn’t take another bite. Her insides churned with worry.
Joey’s gaze snapped to hers. “I think I’d better go check.”
“Please take me. Please. I know I can’t fight. I’ll try not to get in the way, but I have to know.”
Joey dipped his head in a nod. “Let’s go.”
His sporty car was fast. Bird did not like speed in ordinary circumstances, but she kept her hands clasped tight, her toes curled, mentally urging him on as he swerved smoothly between cars. At last they pulled up alongside the chained and padlocked opening to the old parking lot above the rusting rest station, with tufts of grass and weeds poking through the cement cracks. A steep, crumbling path marked the old stairway down to the beach level.
“Stay here,” Joey said, low-voiced. “I’ll come back to report before we decide anything.”
Bird managed a tight nod, though her neck felt as wobbly as a dashboard bobble doll. Joey’s dapper human self shimmered in sparkles of light. She caught a glimpse of plumed, curling tails, elegant and mesmerizing as they lashed in the air, then he was gone.
She stood alone as the sea breeze toyed with her hair. Below, the surf boomed and hissed.
Mikhail? she called mentally.
And got an answer: Stay with Joey, my love. Be safe.
Then nothing.
Her heart beat frantically in her throat as she began counting the seconds dragging by. If Joey didn’t return in two minutes, she’d . . . what? Call 911 and report a lava wyrm attack?
She nearly jumped out of her skin when Joey popped back into sight.