Griff suppressed a wry chuckle. Even though John had lived with him for almost a year now, the sea dragon’s unique perspective could still surprise him. “I meant, what happened with the trapped people,” he said patiently.
“Oh.” John shook his head, the golden charms braided into his long, indigo hair chiming against each other with the motion. “Yes, we saved them all. There were no serious injuries. We vanquished the flames easily, without great challenge to our skills.”
John sounded mildly disappointed. Then again, he’d once told Griff that the literal translation of “have a nice day” in his own language was “may you be sorely tested by worthy opponents,” which said an awful lot about sea dragons.
“And you?” John asked, a little hesitantly. “Did you too have a…productive day?”
John’s stoic, controlled face was hard to read for most people, but to Griff’s eagle eyes the sea dragon was an open book. John was worrying about making him feel inferior. After all, John’s job involved charging into infernos and saving lives. Griff, on the other hand, got to answer telephones.
Griff appreciated John’s tact, but for once it wasn’t a sore point to compare their respective days. “Fairly good,” Griff said casually. “Handled calls. Dispatched fire teams. Found my mate.”
John’s spatula clattered to the ground as the sea dragon spun round to stare at him.
“Funny story, actually.” Griff dropped his pretend-casual tone, unable to contain his broad grin. “She called the fire department, and-”
That was as far as he got, before all the air whooshed out of his lungs as John seized him in a bone-cracking hug. An excited torrent of sound like an entire woodwind section having a party burst from the sea dragon shifter’s mouth.
“Language, John!” Griff managed to gasp out. He was hardly a small man himself, but John had still managed to lift him clean off the ground. “I don’t speak sea dragon, remember?”
John reluctantly switched back to English, though he still half-sang his words with excitement. “But this is wonderful news, oath-brother! Where is she? Why have you not brought her back with you? Oh!” He abruptly set Griff back on his feet, a slight shadow crossing his overjoyed expression. “Of course, I understand. I will pack my hoard immediately.”
“Whoa!” Griff caught John’s arm as the sea dragon turned for the door. “Hang on, what do you mean, pack? You don’t have to go anywhere.”
John cocked his head to one side. “Surely you wish privacy for you and your mate?”
Griff’s blood heated at the thought of Hayley in his house. In his bed. “Oh, you have no idea how much I do wish that.” He couldn’t help letting out a wistful sigh. “Unfortunately, it’s not likely to be necessary.”
John blinked at him. “But…she is your mate. Will she not be moving into your territory immediately?”
“I’m flattered that you think I work that fast. But no, of course not. I only met her this afternoon, John!”
“But she is your mate,” John repeated, sounding utterly baffled. “You have met each other. How can you not have mated already?”
It was Griff’s turn to blink. “Is that how it works for your people? You meet your mate and immediately, ah, mate?”
“Of course,” John said, looking just as dumbfounded as Griff felt. “This is not how it works for you land shifters?”
“Alas, no. Though I have to admit, your way sounds rather appealing.” Griff shook his head, a little envious of John. It must be nice, living in a culture where everyone knew about shifters and their mates, and understood the overwhelming power of that instant bond. “It’s more complicated for us.”
John shook his head too. “Humans. I shall never understand you. Are you certain you are not over-thinking this, my oath-brother? As I recall, Dai and Chase consummated their respective unions with appropriate speed when they met their mates.”
Griff shot him a level look. “Are you seriously suggesting I take Chase as a role model in matters of romance? Or even Dai?” The two other firefighters were still the subject of much good-natured teasing down at the pub for the ridiculous problems they had caused themselves in the course of
pursuing their mates.
The corner of John’s mouth curled up. “Hmm. Perhaps not. But still-”
“There are complications,” Griff interrupted him. His overworked knee was threatening to give way at last. He sat down in one of the kitchen chairs, stretching his bad leg out with a wince. “Not all of them on my side, too. She has a wee son, you see.”
“So she is fertile,” John said approvingly as he turned to retrieve the forgotten plates of food. Sliding one in front of Griff, he sat down too, having some difficulty fitting his seven-foot tall bulk behind the table. “Why would that be a complication? Unless—oh.” His expression changed abruptly to understanding sorrow. “Oh, oath-brother. The father still lives? She is still joined?”
“Married, you mean? No, he’s not in the picture.” Griff suppressed a growl at the thought of Danny’s worthless so-called father. If I ever get my hands on him…
John was back to looking lost again. “Then…is she still in mourning for her former partner? A noble sentiment, of course, but surely joining with her one true mate would ease that grief?”
Griff leaned his elbows on the table, contemplating the sea dragon shifter across it. “This is one of those times when we’re having two entirely separate conversations, isn’t it?”
John let out a rich, rueful laugh. “It would indeed appear we have swum into a cultural misunderstanding.” He picked up his fork. “Perhaps you should explain how human women can apparently have children without fathers.”