Griffen studied her covertly as he sank into the indicated seat. He always thought of her as “the coltish one,” and the image still held. While she wasn’t all that tall, there was a lean, all-legs look about her that made one wonder what she would be like when she grew up, yet also left one feeling they were glad to have met her at this stage in her development. The look was accented by her outfit. She was wearing short shorts, which made her legs seem even longer, and a bare-midriff T-shirt that accented the soft flatness of her stomach. Topped by a long, slender neck and a pixie mop of blond hair, she was not unattractive at all.
He caught himself and forced his mind back to the issue at hand.
“Are you okay, Tammy?” he said. “It’s not really any of my business, but you seem a little down.”
The changeling gave a sigh.
“I really screwed things up with that demo,” she said, not meeting his eyes. “All the others are really pissed at me. They say I’ve made our whole group look bad at our first conclave. I don’t know. Maybe they’re right.”
She took a long pull on her drink, giving Griffen a chance to grope for something to say.
“I don’t think anyone has come off as well as they would like to, including me,” he said. “Except, maybe watzername, the tattoo and bird lady. She would be a tough act to follow for anyone.”
“Tell me about it,” Tammy said with a bitter laugh. “I was only going to do my partial tree change, but it would have looked so lame after her showstopper I tried to juice it a little with glamour.”
“That’s understandable,” Griffen said, soothingly. “It’s only natural to try to make a good impression. I really don’t think it’s such a big thing. To tell the truth, I didn’t even know that shape-shifting was one of the abilities you changelings have.”
“It isn’t, really.” Tammy grimaced. “A few of us can, but it’s not part of the standard package. That was part of the game plan. You aren’t alone in not knowing what we can or can’t do, even though for most of them it’s because they really don’t care. We’re supposed to be secretive and evasive about our powers, then show off some that people don’t expect . . . like the shape-shifting. It’s supposed to make people take us more seriously, or at least pique their curiosity.”
“Well, it worked for me,” Griffen said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I, for one, am extremely curious about you.”
The changeling suddenly brightened as if someone had turned on a lightbulb inside her.
“Really?” she said. “You don’t know how much that means to me, Mr. . . . I mean, Griffen.”
She put a hand over his and pressed down hard, effectively pinning his hand in place.
“I mean, I’ve always wanted to meet a dragon, but since that first day . . . you’re nothing like what I expected.”
Every alarm in Griffen’s head was going off.
He had meant that he was curious about the changelings, but Tammy was obviously taking it personally. Moreover, her response was so enthusiastic there was no way he could see of correcting the impression without it sounding like a blunt rejection of her. Of course, he wasn’t all that disinterested in her.
“Um . . . Tammy . . .” he said.
“Oh, I know,” she interrupted. “I don’t expect you to feel the same way. Still, curiosity’s not a bad place to start.”
Still holding his hand, she shifted it from her shoulder to the middle of her chest.
Griffen was suddenly aware that there wasn’t a damn thing under that T-shirt except Tammy.
At that pivotal moment, Tail came into the bar with two of the other shape-shifters. Tammy saw him and let go of Griffen’s hand, recoiling as if she had been struck.
Too late.
Tail spotted them and approached their table with a huge smirk on his face.
“Well, now we know what it takes to get our moderator to spend time with you,” he declared in his gravelly voice. “Just phony up a demonstration, and you get his undivided attention.”
Griffen leaned back in his chair and stared levelly at the intruder.
“You know, Tail,” he said, “as moderator, I try real hard not to let my personal likes and dislikes show or affect how I conduct the conclave. Some people make it harder than others. For example, I was just telling Tammy here that I thought that your interrupting and embarrassing her during her demonstration was totally uncalled for and made you look worse than it did her.”
“Really?” Tail said, crossing his arms. “Well, I suppose it’s as good a line as any to try to get into someone’s pants. Is she gullible enough to believe you?”
Griffen waited several moments before answering.
“Tail,” he said finally, “is there any particular reason you’re trying to be offensive and pick a fight? I find it hard to believe this is your normal way of dealing with people.”
