The restaurant was on Ireland Island, just a short drive away. After doing her best to tidy her appearance, Pia rolled down her window to let a blast of fresh, ocean-scented air clear her head. The streets were more narrow and winding than she was used to, but Dragos seemed completely comfortable driving on them. He reversed into a cramped parking space that she wasn’t sure she would have attempted.
Outside the car, he took her hand as they walked to the beachside restaurant, where music played over loudspeakers. The restaurant was open on the three sides that faced the water, and railings that ran the border all the way around except for the entrance. The fourth side, where the kitchen was located, was solid building. A bar lined the wall between the kitchen and the tables, and a dance floor was set to one side.
The place wasn’t fancy. It had wooden tables and concrete floors, but the bar was packed, and so was the dance floor, and the food smelled fabulous. People spilled out onto the beach, drinking and talking together in groups.
Pia studied the scene curiously as she followed Dragos to the bar. There was quite a mix of clientele. Some people were well dressed, but more than not wore jeans or shorts and T-shirts, and many appeared to have just come from the beach. A few looked downright rough, such as the pair of men lounged at the bar.
Space opened up beside them at the bar. Dragos approached.
The two men eyed Dragos speculatively and turned their attention to Pia where their gazes lingered. One of the men was human. He had a wiry build, a beaky face, and long, graying hair pulled back into a ponytail. He wore gold earrings, and he looked at her out of the corner of his eye.
The other man was Light Fae. He was bigger, younger and broader. He was almost as large as Dragos. He, too, had long hair pulled back in a ponytail, only his was blond and curling. He was deeply suntanned, and he wasn’t nearly as circumspect as his companion. He stared openly at her breasts and hips.
He thrust out with his hips as he said something to his companion in a language she had never heard before, and the other man laughed.
Their crudity was like a slap in the face. She ignored them, her expression turning stony, but Dragos didn’t.
Dragos’s immense body turned taut with sudden menace. He turned to face the bigger of the two men, slowly and deliberately, and he took a step forward until he stared down into the man’s eyes. He looked hard as granite, his gold eyes flat and deadly.
People around them fell silent, some animal instinct warning them of possible danger.
Pia’s breathing constricted. The other man stood his ground, with an arrogant, insolent stance. Although it was hard to believe, clearly the idiot didn’t have a clue either who he had ogled, or who he had engaged in a pissing contest. Had he been living under a rock?
She tugged at Dragos’s hand.
He ignored her. The tension between the two men ratcheted higher, hovering just on the edge of violence.
Pia wasn’t sure what happened next, but the other man’s stance changed. He shrugged, said something again in his strange language, and turned away to lean his elbows on the bar where he and his companion muttered together in low voices. Neither man glanced at Pia.
Dragos took a step back. She let go of the breath she had been holding. The crowd relaxed and conversation picked up.
She asked Dragos telepathically, Was that really necessary?
He looked at her. Yes.
She studied him with a frown. His expression and his body language had relaxed, but his molten gaze was still murderous. They’re just assholes, she said gently. Can you let it go, or do you want to go somewhere else for dinner?
If anything his expression turned angrier at the thought of leaving. Fuck, no. He paused and his eyebrows knit together. Unless you do.
She smiled up at him. Thank you for asking, but I’m fine.
He considered the crowded space, eyes narrowing. We can find somewhere else to wait for a table.
I told you, I’m fine. You already backed them down. They’re just two dumb jerks, and they’re probably drunk to boot. They’re not that important.
His expression lightened with approval. She wiggled around him, opposite the other men, and came up to the bar. Dragos came up behind her until his hard body pressed against her back. He slid an arm around her, and she felt totally surrounded, protected and at ease. She couldn’t have been safer if she had been locked in a secret vault at Fort Knox. She leaned her head back against his chest to smile at him and finally felt him relax a little. The other two men ignored them as if they were in another room.
The bartender came up to them. Pia ordered a Mai Tai while Dragos ordered scotch, and they put their name on the waiting list for a seat at one of the tables.
She raised her voice to be heard over the music. “So when do you want to start your search?”
“I thought I’d get going first thing tomorrow morning,” Dragos said. “Would you and Liam like to come with me for a little while?”
“I’d love to.” She sipped her drink. It was delicious. “If you don’t mind help, I thought I might check out museums and libraries to see if I can find any mention of the Sebille.”