Free Artistic Vision by Dana Marie Bell

begun asking questions about the Gray Court. Whether they’d made similar inquiries about alternate clans within the White she didn’t know, but found it an interesting development nonetheless. Most of the Malcontents seemed to be young, below a hundred years old and, surprisingly, each and every one appeared to defer to Tristan.
    Fascinating.
    Tristan finished up his business and waved away the posse of young Sidhe. He headed for her table with a smile. “Hello again.”
    She gave him her most flirtatious smile. “Hello to you too, handsome.” She waved toward the empty seat across from her. “Care to join me?”
    Behind her Etienne fidgeted on his pleather stool, their signal that he was aware the target had been hooked. Now all she had to do was reel him in.
    She leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm, and studied him. He was gorgeous, she had to give him that, but he held none of the hot fire Shane did. This man would burn with cold flames much like his cousin Duncan did until someone came and warmed him from the outside. “We never did introduce ourselves.” She lifted her head and held out her hand. “Akane Russo.” They’d agreed she wouldn’t lie to him. If he’d seen her on that video he’d know who she was anyway.  
    He hesitated a moment before holding out his hand. Perhaps he hadn’t seen her after all. “Tristan Malmayne.” He gave her a puzzled frown. “May I ask why a Blade would still be in Nebraska?”
    She grinned. “My partner is living here now, so I’m back for a visit.”
    There was a flicker of something in his eyes that she didn’t quite catch before it was gone. “I see.”
    The star in her iris widened as Akane opened her inner sight. She could see the power swirling around him and realized he was much older than he looked. Conflict swirled around him, some dark, some light, mingling at the center into gray. Figures danced within the mist, writhing and gesturing, anger and confusion rampant. “Jaden Blackthorn. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.”
    He leaned back in his chair, his expression closed. “You did roll me last night, didn’t you?”
    Crap. She put her palm to her chest. “Do I look like a Sidhe?” She allowed a brief puff of smoke to exit her nostrils, enough that he caught it but not enough to get in trouble with the very human wait staff.  
    His lips slowly curved up in a smile. “A dragon. I can’t remember the last time I met one of you.” His genuine delight dotted the gloomy mist around him with a happy silver and gold glitter. Some of the darkness around him receded, a figure of a man with glowing red eyes shoved out of the picture. “I’m going to make a wild guess and say your temperament is fiery?” She tried to focus on him while Tristan spoke, but the image faded too quickly for her to latch on to it.  
    “Good guess.” She studied the figures around him, noting faces, expressions, anything that might help protect the Dunnes.
    He thanked the waitress for refilling his coffee cup and waited until she’d gone. “You seem different than the woman I saw on the video feed.”  
    “That was business.” She ran one finger down the back of his hand and batted her lashes. “This is pleasure.”
    He relaxed a bit more but she could sense the tension still in him. “Nice to know you find my company a pleasure.”
    She took a deep breath and prepared to lure her little fishy in. “Want to go some place private? Somewhere we can…talk?” She licked her lips, smiling when his gaze glued itself to her mouth.  
    “I’d love to, but unfortunately I have other plans.” He took hold of her hand. “However, if you would be willing to join me for dinner, I’d be more than willing to discuss…talking…further.” He pressed a kiss to her knuckles, an open invitation clear in his eyes.
    Akane suppressed a shiver. She didn’t like his lips on her skin, the way his finger caressed her palm before letting her go. “It’s a date.”
    She