Chaos Burning by Lauren Dane Read Free Book Online Page A

nails painted tangerine. “See? They’re like leg warmers only for your arms. Wrist warmers, they’re called. My mother makes them for me.”
    Another shot and then one more and the food arrived. She didn’t appear any worse for wear, but she was small. He didn’t want to take any chances with her getting sick. That and he hated it when women puked.
    “Man I’m going to have to run a few extra miles tomorrow,”Lark said as she loaded her plate. “I usually just run in my neighborhood back home but I don’t think I can here.”
    “There’s a track on the fifteenth floor of the building our old place is in.” Meriel snagged an egg roll. “Use your key in the elevator and it’ll let you out there. Full gym too.”
    “Oh, good to know, thanks. Someone told me Green Lake was a good place to run too. Is that so? The potential for shame if I punk out is better in public.” She winked.
    “You can use my land if you like. Park in my driveway and if I’m not there, head east around the house and you’ll get to my gardens. Follow the main path a quarter of a mile or so and you’ll get to the trail. It’s still the forest, but if you stick to the path it’s been manicured well for running.”
    “Really? Thanks. I love to run outside. Do you run, you know, as your other self? Here on this side?”
    “Yes, when I can.”
    “I’ve never seen a fully shifted Lycian. If you, well, you know, if you want to run with me, I’d be fine with that too.”
    “All right. But not if you’re one of those people who are up at five.”
    She poured them another round of shots. “I am serious about many things. One of them is sleep. I’m a night person. I’m far happier to be in bed at three and up at ten or eleven. The best stuff happens after dark.”
    He looked her over carefully. She was tipsy, yes, but so was he. She wasn’t drunk though.
    “Are you using magick to outdrink me? Not fair, little pixie. Not fair at all.”
    Her eyes widened and she frowned. “I did not! I don’t need to use magick to outdrink anyone. It’s just something about me. I can drink most anyone under the table. I have a fast metabolism.”
    Duly chastened, he leaned back and tried not to smirk.
    “Little pixie? Hmm.” She took another shot.
    “He’s nineteen feet tall, I guess everyone’s little compared to him.” Meriel sent him a wink. “I should have warned you about Lark’s hollow leg. She can eat and eat and eat and not gain a single pound. It’s annoying.”
    “It’s a gift.” Lark shrugged.
    They sat and drank for a while, eating and talking about all things unrelated to work.
    “Simon, that woman at the bar is totally eye-fucking you. If you’ll admit defeat, you can get over there and take her up on her offer.”
    “You’re incorrigible.” He mock frowned at her. He’d seen the woman Lark meant. Had seen her earlier when Gage had pointed her out as well. It wasn’t that he didn’t find that level of confidence in going after what one wanted attractive. But the woman at the bar wasn’t his type.
    “I’m told this, yes. But I promise not to cockblock you or anything.”
    Groaning, he shook his head. “Good to know. It’s a fine quality in a friend. I can, however, land my own ladies. And I never admit defeat.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Doesn’t change reality. I want to dance.” Standing, she stretched before bending at the waist and gathering her hair, which she twisted into a messy knot. “Anyone want to join me?”
    “You’re going out front?”
    “Too gothy in here for me. I love to listen to industrial, but it’s not as easy to dance to as the stuff you’re playing out there.”
    “I know the owners. I can suggest something else to the DJ, you know.” Simon didn’t want her out there. It was safer back where they were. He’d have been just as concerned about any of his male friends, of course. But she was small. It brought his protective instincts out.
    “You’d do that for me?”
    “I’m