Tempest Reborn (Jane True) - By Nicole Peeler Page 0,7
hesitant fingers I took the phone from Caleb and raised it to my ear.
‘Yes?’
‘Jane?’
‘Yes, it’s me.’
‘Good. I heard what happened.’
I waited, having no idea what my former lover was going to say. When he spoke again, his voice was deep and serious.
‘I want to help.’
Chapter Three
Ryu, of course, looked fabulous. He was wearing a beautifully tailored button-up in a bright, jewel-like blue that made his gold-flecked hazel eyes glow. Not a hair was out of place, and his strong jaw had an artful smattering of stubble.
He was sitting across from me at the Pig Sty, the place where we’d had our first date. I’d wanted to meet Ryu in public, but alone, rather than back at Anyan’s with everyone listening. We had a lot to talk about, and I needed to understand his motivations.
I also needed to make sure he wasn’t working for someone else – namely, the Alfar – and was only interested in getting the champion back onside to kill Anyan.
‘You look great, Jane,’ he said, his eyes on mine.
I snorted indelicately. The fact was I looked a mess. My long black hair was completely out of control, my bangs hanging in my eyes. Said eyes were rimmed with almost purple bags of exhaustion, making my black gaze look like it came out of a pit. I also resembled someone who’d just come out of a coma, which in some ways I had. The creature’s intervention had meant I hadn’t gone completely bat-caca, but it had also meant I hadn’t slept or eaten for a few weeks.
‘I look like shit, Ryu,’ I told him, cutting to the chase. ‘I think my makeup is still somewhere in England, along with my underwear. We had to send a gwyllion over to my house to rescue me some clean clothes. I did shower, though. Just for you.’
‘Is your house still being watched?’
I nodded. After I’d shown myself to the media as a representative of some ‘helpful forces’ that would take care of the problem at hand – the problem at hand being a rampaging, motherfucking dragon – human authorities were naturally very interested in me.
‘Oh, yeah. Thanks for getting my dad and Griz and Tracy out, by the way.’
‘No problem, it was the least I could do.’
Our order came.
‘Tuna melt, ma’am,’ Amy said, winking at me as she set down my plate. I was heavily glamoured so as not to be recognized as Jane True, but our nahual waitress – a shapeshifter and an old friend of mine – could see through it.
‘Rare steak,’ she said, setting down Ryu’s food and walking away. I knew we’d see her back at Anyan’s that night.
Maybe I can have her bring another tuna melt, I thought as the smell of hot buttered bread, melted cheese, and a whiff of tuna fish rose to my nostrils, causing my mouth to water.
‘So, how are things back at the ranch?’ I asked, meaning the Alfar compound. After Morrigan had stabbed her husband, Orin, and run off with Jarl, Ryu and his nemesis, Nyx, had become co-leaders of our territory.
Ryu took a moment to gather his thoughts while I paid close attention to his every reaction. I had to try to figure out where he was politically in all of this mess.
‘They’re great, actually. Nyx, believe it or not, has turned out to be a wonderful leader. I guess she just needed some actual responsibility to propel her into maturity.’
I chewed a fry thoughtfully before swallowing. ‘Really? I find that hard to believe.’
‘I know. I did, too. But it’s true.’
‘And you? How are you doing with all that power?’
Ryu took a moment to answer. He pushed his food around on his plate, and he wiped his mouth with his napkin. He took a drink. Eventually, he looked up.
‘That’s why I’m here, Jane. I want to apologize.’
‘For what?’ I said cautiously. I had no idea where this conversation was going.
There was another awkward pause as Ryu struggled to find the best way to say whatever he had to say.
‘Because I haven’t thought about you at all,’ he said finally, looking chagrined.
‘Okay?’ I said questioningly, having no idea what he meant by that.
‘What I mean is that I really did think I loved you, Jane. I really did. I really meant what I said back in Boston.’
‘But?’
‘But,’ he said, ‘ever since I took over this position, I’ve been … I’ve been…’