“I told him to expect us about eleven thirty. I’ll buy the Bollinger before I pick you up at eleven.” He hesitated. “What happens if the date goes badly?”
“Tao,” Ilianna said, voice sarcastic, “she’s meeting a sexy man. How can the date go badly?”
Tao shrugged and glanced at me. I smiled at the concern in his eyes. “I’ll grab a cab and meet you outside the club.”
He nodded, then glanced at his watch as the doorbell rang. “Right on time,” he said as he headed for the door.
Ilianna looked at me. “I actually think this is all overkill. I really don’t think they’re watching us anymore.”
“It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“I guess. It’s just—” She frowned, then shrugged. “I have this feeling they’re smart enough to realize we’re on to them, and change their plan of attack.”
“Well, until we know what the new plan is, we’re better off playing it safe.”
I glanced around as Rocky and Kiera entered. Both of them did something of a double take, Kiera’s mouth dropping in an O as her gaze skimmed me. “It’s like looking in a mirror,” she said, shrugging off her coat and kicking off her shoes. “How weird is that?”
“Totally,” I agreed. “Thanks for doing this.”
Rocky tossed Tao his car keys and coat, then strolled across the room to kiss my cheek. “It’s really no hardship when the basketball finals are on, you have the biggest TV screen ever made, and there’s a fridge filled with beer.”
“God, basketball,” Ilianna groaned, her gaze meeting mine as she crossed her arms. “The things I suffer for you two.”
I grinned. “I promise I’ll bring back ice cream.”
“Then I shall suffer in silence.” Her quick grin faded a little. “Be careful out there, won’t you?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Is that a general be careful, or an I-see-nasty-stuff-ahead be careful?”
“General.” She frowned. “I think.”
Tao rolled his eyes. “Ris, let’s move, or she’ll be here all night deciding.”
I pulled on Kiera’s coat and swapped shoes, then shoved mine into a large bag that also held my purse and a change of clothes for when we investigated the Phoenix club. Then, with Tao’s hand warming my back and lightly guiding me, we headed out.
As we drove off in Rocky’s beat-up SUV, I flipped down the vanity mirror and checked the road behind us. No cars discreetly pulled out to follow us from a distance. The ruse had apparently worked.
Even so, I didn’t change my features until we were five minutes away from Wintergreen. This change was always the easier one. The burn of energy filled the car with heat as it reshaped my features.
“God, that is a stomach-churning sight,” Tao commented, glancing at me once I was done.
“You don’t have to look.” My arms trembled as I shucked off Keira’s coat and changed into my own shoes. Then I pulled some lipstick out of my purse and tilted the mirror so I could quickly redo my lips.
“It’s sort of hard not to.” He shuddered. “At least our shift magic has the decency to hide the process.”
“Just as well, considering it’s a whole-body change, not just a facial one.” My stomach fluttered as he began to slow down, and I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. It had been a while since I’d had a proper date, and I really did hope this was just that. That it was nothing more than a coincidence that he happened to walk past as those men attacked us.
I undid the seat belt, then leaned across and kissed Tao’s cheek. “Have fun at the club. I’ll meet you around the corner at eleven.”
He touched my cheek lightly. “To echo Ilianna, be careful.”
I smiled and climbed out. Once he’d pulled away, I took another deep breath that didn’t do a damn thing to settle the butterflies in my stomach, then turned and walked into Wintergreen. The restaurant was small and intimate in feel. A big open fire dominated one wall, and the exposed bricks on either side were lined with aging photographs of Melbourne. Old wooden tables and plush leather chairs were scattered throughout the rest of the room, with plenty of space between each setting. Candles flickered warmly in the middle of the tables; the only other light came from the low glow of the electric wall sconces.
My gaze swept the shadows, then halted as I saw him. He was at a table in the far corner sipping a glass of wine, but suddenly looked up, as if he’d felt the weight of my gaze. The slow smile that stretched his lips sent the butterflies flopping.
I didn’t even notice the maître d’ approaching, and jumped a little as he said, “May I help you?”
“I’m with that gentlemen over there,” I said softly, nodding in Lucian’s direction.