Storm Born Page 0,105

a hand to help me rise. "I could arrange that if you wanted."

"And risk you wiping out half of your fair city? No thank you."

"Figured you'd appreciate that. It'll make your world domination easier. One less place to conquer."

"No. I need this place intact. I plan on keeping prisoners and exiled enemies here. Where exactly are we today?"

"Mere steps away from the best food of your life, if rumors are true."

He flashed me one of his trademark grins. "Pleasure before business? My, my, you never fail to astound me."

"Hell, wait'll you hear me identify every water source in the restaurant." That, at least, had been a good thing to come from Beltane. I could now feel cactuses, wells, and any other water source within a certain distance. I could even sense people now since the human body was supposed to be, what, 65 percent water? That meant no one could sneak up on me.

Inside and seated, Dorian found watching his surroundings far more fascinating than anything on the menu.

"Pick something for me," he said distractedly, watching a family leave with four small children in tow. He cocked his head curiously. "By the gods, do all those little ones belong to them?"

I glanced up. "Likely."

"And their mother looks pregnant again. Incredible. Back home, those people would be worshipped as fertility deities. A family with two children is remarkable enough."

The waitress returned. I ordered spinach-stuffed ravioli for me and some sort of spicy chicken for him.

"A lot of middle-and upper-class families actually go out of their way to only have two kids. And a lot of them don't even start until they're older than me."

"Baffling." He propped his elbow on the table, resting his chin in his hand. "A woman your age could have had that many children by now."

"Hey, I'm like twenty-six. I'm not that old. I don't even look my age."

"That's your father's blood. And I wasn't insulting your age - merely making an observation." He sighed. "I'd give up half my kingdom for just one child."

I smiled slyly. "And the chance to be the father of Storm King's grandson?"

"I'd be just as happy to father his granddaughter too. I'd be happy to father anyone's child."

"Then why don't you find some nice girl and do it?"

"Believe me, it hasn't been for lack of trying." His face held a rare seriousness, but the expression vanished as quickly as it came. "Ah, now there's a fetching young woman."

Following his gaze across the restaurant, I saw a tall blond woman exit the restroom. She was stuffed into a tiny spandex dress, her chest practically spilling out. I didn't have the heart to tell Dorian there was probably a lot of silicone in there. His eyes lingered on her, then his charm-alarm must have gone off for fear of neglecting me. He turned back around.

"Not that you don't look lovely today too."

"You don't have to pacify me." I laughed. "You're welcome to ogle other women."

Our late-afternoon meal proceeded nicely, and everything about it continued to enchant Dorian. The credit card I used to pay with at the end especially captivated him.

"It has information about me stored in it," I tried to explain. "That information lets the restaurant get money from me."

He picked up the returned card gingerly, turning it over and over in his fingers. "Intriguing. I imagine this has to do something with electricity? The blood of your culture?"

His wry tone made me smile. "Something like that."

It wasn't until we were on the mile and a half walk to Catalina State Park that things got a little tense.

"Heard from the kitsune lately?"

"He has a name," I snapped.

"Heard from Kiyo lately?"

"No."

"Really? He hasn't tried to contact you and beg for forgiveness?"

"No," I repeated between gritted teeth. Something about the way he said it made it sound like I'd been dealt a great insult.

"Odd. I think that's what I'd do if I'd offended my ladylove. Of course, I suppose when a man spends half his existence as an animal, you can't really expect him not to act like one."

I halted and turned on Dorian. "Stop it. Just stop it, okay? Stop trying to poison me against him."

"You don't need me to do what he's already done."

"Damn it, Dorian. I'm serious."

We started walking again, but it was me who brought up the subject again after several minutes of silence. "You knew. You knew Maiwenn was pregnant and didn't tell me."

"It wasn't my secret to tell. Besides, I got in trouble the last time I spoke badly