“Drake, my darling, my love, what is it you’re not telling me?”
He bit his lip and looked to Vulcan as if distressed. Vulcan raised his hands, palms up. “Don’t look at me. You’re the one who made that stupid promise.”
“Stupid?” Bliss was indignant that this whatever he was would call total honesty in a relationship “stupid.” It made him seem less like an angel. Maybe he was some kind of demon, but why would Drake call him a friend?
“No one is saying honesty is stupid, honey. It’s just that some things require the right timing or circumstances.”
“And some things are on a need-to-know basis,” Vulcan added.
Obviously, she didn’t need to know whatever they were trying so hard not to say. Bliss bit out the word, “Fine,” between clenched teeth, then grabbed her overnight bag and stomped off to the bathroom.
Chapter 15
When Bliss shut the door a little firmly, Vulcan looked at Drake and shrugged. “I’ll never understand women.”
“What’s so hard to understand? She knows we’re hiding something and deliberately keeping her in the dark. Considering it may have to do with a crazy she-dragon who wants to kill her, I think she has a valid point.”
“But you cannot tell her about the Council. Mother Nature’s adamant about that.”
“I know. I wasn’t planning to do that anytime soon.”
“Is that how you keep your promise to Mother Nature and also manage total honesty with Bliss? I’ll tell her… but some other time? Like on her deathbed?”
Thinking about Bliss dying brought him up short. Yes, some day he would lose her. The Council, on the other hand…
Drake sank to the floor with his face in his hands. “What can I do to end this? If you can’t find Zina, I doubt I can.”
“I think she’ll find you. I just need to keep Bliss out of the way.”
He sighed. “Yes, I know. It’s for her own safety, but I’d like to tell her what I’m planning to do if I find Zina.”
Vulcan raised an eyebrow. “And what would that be?”
“Just that I’d turn her over to you. I don’t have any idea what you’ll do with her after that, and if you don’t tell me, I won’t have to lie about it.”
Vulcan paused and tapped his lip. “I think that might work.” Then he started to laugh.
“What’s funny?”
“Man, you really screwed yourself with that total honesty promise. There are so many things you should not tell a woman like her.”
“What do you mean… like her?”
“A woman with a temper.”
The bathroom door flew open and Bliss stood there, looking fabulous. She had changed into some tight jeans and a super-soft-looking light blue sweater. Her hair was still a mess, but with a hairbrush in her hand, she looked as if she was planning to remedy that—or beat him with it.
“You look gorgeous.” Drake got up and strolled over to her. No raised hairbrush. That’s a good sign.
She started to smile, then quickly pasted on a frown. “Is it safe to come out now? Are you two finished planning your super-secret strategy?”
“There’s not much in the way of strategy, hon. If I see Zina, I’ll call Vulcan and he’ll take it from there.”
She stuck a hand on her hip. “That’s it?”
“Well, yeah. Keeping it simple seems best.”
“You aren’t planning to lure her somewhere?”
Drake shrugged. “Like where? And how would we do that? We don’t even know where she is.”
Bliss turned to Vulcan. “Have you checked the warehouse?”
“Several times,” Vulcan said. “She doesn’t seem to be staying there.”
Bliss blew out a deep breath. “So that’s it, then? You just have to wait until she finds Drake?”
“Pretty much.” Drake rubbed her back and hoped she’d let the subject drop. But this was Bliss, and she wasn’t about to let anything drop.
“How will you keep in touch with each other?”
“We have a code. If I yell a particular word, Vulcan will hear it and find me.”
“What word?”
“Taxi.”
“That’s weird. Vulcans can find people from miles away? I never saw Spock do that.”
Vulcan sighed. “I’m not that kind of Vulcan.” He rose and wandered toward the front door. “But, yes, I can find people most of the time. The way I found you in that warehouse bathroom.” He tapped the side of his nose.
Whatever that meant… Did he smell her? She wrinkled her nose but finally stopped questioning Vulcan. Instead, she put her arms around Drake and said, “Well, I guess I’m going out for breakfast with Vulcan and planning my day from there. Will you call just to let us know you’re okay at some point?”