Page 28 of The Mating Frenzy
The flirtatious charm always worked for him in the past. Not with Ella, who started to turnaway.
“Way to ruin it, cat,” Xaviersaid.
Ella turned back. With the blare of noise in the bar, no ordinary person should have heard the Crystal Wizard’s mutter. But she was no ordinary person. Kieran wondered if Ella was aware of her senses growingsharpened.
“Are you really his friends?” she asked thewizards.
“It depends on how much money he owes you,” Gideondrawled.
Ella smiled, and suddenly Kieran was jealous. He wanted to be the one to coax a smile to herface.
“Ella, quit wasting time,” a male voiceboomed.
She scurried away. Kieran scowled as he looked at the male–a thickset man in his early fifties standing at the doorway. Ella’s boss,maybe.
Xavier leaned forward, his mouth a think slash. “I’ll give you a boost, cat, and give her a mental nudge to accept you. You’ll need it. If I have to wait for her to come to you willingly, the polar ice caps willmelt.”
“I don’t need help. And I will not force her. She will come to me willingly. She must, if we are to worktogether.”
His gaze narrowed at Xavier. “Instead of wasting your powers on influencing her, tell me the places where you and Ciara visited so I can expedite the search for thecrystal.”
“The scrolls she will translate will aid you,” Xavier toldhim.
He listened intently as the wizard relayed the beach in Florida where they had walked, the hotel they had stayed at, even the chairs where they’d sat. Kieran mentally logged each detail for later use. His memory had served him well in the past, in fighting battles and defeatingenemies.
Ella brought their food and hurried off again. Kieran ate his steak, while the wizards barely touchedtheirs.
“Uh oh,” Gideonmuttered.
And then he glanced at the bar and saw something that made his bloodboil.
At a table, a balding, middle-aged man talked with Ella, who was clearly uncomfortable. Then he clapped a hand on herbottom.
Her luscious, apple-rounded bottom. She jerked away, her face red, and then hurriedoff.
How dare that worm touch her with suchdisrespect?
Claws emerged from his fingertips. Kieran hissed and dragged them across the smooth wooden table surface, scarringit.
Gideon flicked a finger and a tendril of stinging energy seared his hand. “Ow.” he jerkedback.
“That is not the way to handle it, my friend,” the Crimson Wizard warned. “I understand your frustration, but you cannot use your claws inpublic.”
So they wanted him to act like a Skin. Fine. Kieran slid out from the booth, walked over to the leering male who had dared to touch Ella without permission. Or touch her atall.
He stood before the male, who slurped his beer. “What?” the mansnapped.
“Do not disrespect women,” he said calmly.See? I can leash my temper? I havecontrol.
The man blustered and pushed back his seat, standing eye to eye with Kieran. “Who the hell are you to tell me what todo?”
“The waitress is not a piece of meat. She is a woman and deserves your respect. Now are you going to apologize to her forgroping?”
“Make me,” the manjeered.
“Fine,” Kieran said, and he punched him, sending the man toppling to the floor. Blood dotted his knuckles. Split the man’s lip.Good.
Xavier dumped a wad of cash on the table, and then he and Gideon tore over. They grabbed his arms, steering him out of the bar as the man’s friends started afterhim.
