It didn’t take long after that. Alan had a fine touch for the magic—unusual in such a young werewolf.
Outside, the rain soothed Asil’s burns as it washed away soot and the last vestige of Ivory Jim’s magic. Alan accompanied Asil to his car and opened the hatch for him.
Body safely stored, Asil faced Ruby, who had trailed out after them. The rain fell slower against her than it should have, clinging to her cheeks and neck in heavy droplets as if it loved the touch of her skin, too.
“I owe you dinner,” she said, her voice ragged. “Not tonight. I couldn’t…not tonight.”
He smiled, took her hand in one of his, and kissed it. “Not tonight,” he agreed. “But if you are willing, I would love a second date.”
Ours, said his wolf fiercely.
Patience, he counseled.
She stepped closer to him and leaned forward and kissed him. An exact match to the kiss he’d given her—except for thecool rush of her power flowing over him like a waterfall in the rain, mending the burns that were not mended already. It also washed away the pack magic that kept people from looking at him too closely.
On the porch, Peg giggled. “Naked. He’s naked out there and she’s kissing him.”
He did not mind being naked. He liked clothing, but he was beautiful when he was naked as well, especially since the blisters were no longer distorting his features.
Ruby pulled back, raised her chin, and said, “What are you doing on Saturday?”
Dear Asil,
Congratulations! One more date to go!
Dear Concerned Friends,
No.
Asil’s FifthDate
Scheherazade
I
Two minutes after Asil sent the email refusing to continue the game that had begun with blood and ended in more blood, his phone rang.
He checked the caller ID.
“No,” he told his Concerned Friend.
There was a pause on the other side. “You knew it was me?”
“Of course.” Asil allowed a certain amount of scorn to creep into his voice for the first two words. Then he sighed deeply. “My friend, I am certain there are a double handful of foolish puppies whom you have wrangled into helping with this. But there is no other person whose every action is an open invitation to Allah or any other Power to come out and play.”
“You don’t sound angry. I thought you’d be angry.”
“How can I be?” he said simply. He stretched out on the hotel sofa. “I have had the opportunity to affect others’ lives for good. The disasters that you create need someone as powerful and intelligent as I am to deal with them. I am, of course, happy to be of service.”
The pause that followed that statement made Asil smile.
“I’m glad you are thinking that way,” said his benefactor. “Because you need to go on this last date.”
“No,” said Asil peacefully, watching the rain pour down outside his seventh-floor window.
It had been a day and a half since his first date with Ruby. He was to take her out tomorrow. To that end, he’d engaged the penthouse suite of a boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Seattle. There were taller hotels in the area, but he liked this one. The walls were thick enough that he could not hear everything anyone did in the rooms next to him, and the cleaning staff mostly did their jobs. Also the sofa in this suite—where he’d stayed after he left the lioness at the zoo—was more comfortable than the one that he had at his own house. Something he intended to remedy.
“I think it is important.” His Concerned Friend sounded…concerned. “More important than the other dates.”
