by S. E. Smith
A Dragonlings’ Haunted Halloween:
Dragonlings of Valdier Book 1.2
By S. E. Smith
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my husband Steve for believing in me and being proud enough of me to give me the courage to follow my dream. I would also like to give a special thank you to my sister and best friend, Linda, who not only encouraged me to write, but who also read the manuscript. Also to my other friends who believe in me: Julie, Jackie, Lisa, Sally, Elizabeth (Beth) and Narelle. The girls that keep me going!
—S. E. Smith
IMPRINT: Science Fiction Romance
Science Fiction Romance
A Dragonlings’ Haunted Halloween: Dragonlings of Valdier Book 1.2
Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 2014 by S. E. Smith
First E-Book Published October 2014
Cover Design by Melody Simmons
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission from the author.
All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations are strictly coincidental.
Smashwords License Statement
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Synopsis
During one of her many excursions exploring the palace, Cara Truman discovers a vast underground chamber that turns out to be the perfect place for her next invention. Soon, her dream of building the ultimate playground for the Dragonlings is a reality.
When Abby laughingly mentions the new ‘playground’ looked like the perfect place to have a Halloween party, Cara goes into high gear to create the perfect Haunted House adventure for the babies. The fun kicks into high gear when the men discover what Cara has been up to and decide to ‘test’ the playground first!
Cara has no idea that her new project would create a sense of panic, wonder, or hilarious consequences in the palace when she unveils it. Discover what happens when another Earth holiday is unveiled, with the help from a couple of mischievous Goddesses, the symbiots, and Dragonlings in A Dragonlings’ Haunted Halloween.
Author’s Note:
For those who have not read the Dragon Lords of Valdier, here is a little background.
The Valdier are dragon shifters who have a golden symbiot, yes, symbiot, just the way I want them to be called as they are a character all themselves. The Valdier consist of three parts: the dragon, the man/woman, and their symbiot companion. They are
friends with the Curizan (a species able to harness the energy around them) and the Sarafin Warriors (a cat shifting species). The following is a character relationship for those new to the series:
Zoran Reykill, Leader of the Valdier mated to Abby Tanner: one son: Zohar
Mandra Reykill mated to Ariel Hamm: one son: Jabir
Kelan Reykill mated to Trisha Grove: one son: Bálint
Trelon Reykill mated to Cara Truman: twin daughters: Amber and Jade
Creon Reykill mated to Carmen Walker: twin daughters: Spring and Phoenix
Paul Grove true mate to Morian Reykill
Vox d’Rojah: King of the Sarafin Warriors mated to Riley St. Claire: son: Roam.
Ha’ven Ha’darra, Prince of the Curizan mated to Emma Watson: daughter: Alice.
Aikaterina: Unknown species; accepted as a Goddess to the Valdier, she is the oldest and most powerful of her kind.
Arilla and Arosa: Unknown species, still young for their kind, they are twins and thought to be Goddesses.
Chapter 1
Trelon’s dragon stirred deep inside of him. Its low groan echoed through him, pulling him awake. Unsure of what had woken him, he lay still with his eyes closed and let his senses take over. He was under attack.
Again, his dragon groaned, rolling over inside of him and burying its head. You get this time.
Coward, Trelon replied as the soft sound of a muffled giggle filled the air.
His lips twitched as he tried to act like he wasn't aware of what was about to happen. The covers of the bed tugged and moved for a brief second before it stopped. Another soft, muffled giggle escaped. At least he knew where one of his attackers was this time. Now, he needed to find out where the other one was hiding.
He rolled over onto his back and cracked his eyelids just enough to scan down the bed. The small lump under the covers moved stealthily toward him. From the giggle, it had to be Jade. Lifting the covers up so he could see her, he grinned when she froze.
“Caught you!” Trelon growled in triumph before his brow creased into a frown as he studied her. “What have you two gotten into this time? Where’s your sister?”
Jade gave him a mischievous grin, causing Trelon’s eyes to widen in suspicion. Alarm spread through him when she suddenly scurried up under the covers and he got a better look at her. Was that thread holding together deep cuts to her head, face and neck? And why was she turning green? Throwing the covers back, he barely had time to open his arms before she hit him in the chest with a low growl.
Symba, where are you? Jade is hurt, he called out in panic as he held her up above him so he could see the injuries better.
“Dada,” Jade squealed.
“Dada!” Amber yelled.
Trelon’s eyes widened even further when he saw Amber’s body falling through the air above him as she suddenly shifted over the bed. He barely had time to lay Jade next to him so he could catch the falling figure of his other daughter in his arms. He grunted and winced when her foot caught him in the crotch. He swore he was going to have to start wearing protective gear as the girls got older.
A muffled curse escaped him when he saw Amber’s face. Since when did she grow hair? On her face? He pulled back as she snapped her sharp teeth at him and growled fiercely. Now that, he was used to.
“Cara!” Trelon yelled as Jade, not to be out done, crawled onto his stomach and started bouncing up and down. “Cara! Help!”
A loud yelp escaped him when Jade landed lower at the same time as Amber successfully bit down on his ear. He didn’t stand a chance when they doubled up on him, which was always. The beautiful laughter of his mate echoed in the room a moment before his lower extremities were rescued from further harm.
The moment Jade was safely tucked in Cara’s arms, he wrapped his arms around Amber’s wiggling body and rolled. The move made her squeal loudly in his ear. The thought that he didn’t really need to hear out of that ear anymore swept through his mind for a brief moment before he buried his nose in her neck and nibbled.
A muffled laugh escaped him when she squealed again. Pulling back, he gazed down at her with a puzzled expression. His mouth automatically opened when she reached up to it. He nibbled absent-mindedly on her tiny fingers as her furry face stared up at him with adoring eyes.
“You look like a miniature Vox,” he said with a frown. “How did that happen?”
“She’s a Werewolf,” Cara chuckled, sitting on the bed and releasing Jade.
“What happened to Jade?” Trelon asked in concern as she climbed up on his back and hung her green head over his shoulder.
“She’s Jadenstein,” Cara teased
. “I’m working on costumes for them. I was able to create a program that will show them what they would look like dressed as different things. They both went nuts when they saw the pictures of a Werewolf and Frankenstein. I’ll show it to you later.”
Trelon pushed up as Amber rolled and stuck her butt in his face. A moment later, both girls were crawling over his back. Fortunately for him, Cara had taken Amber’s place.
His eyes darkened with desire as she wiggled her body under his. He pressed up far enough for her to straighten out. The movement drew squeals of delight from Amber and Jade. They were now kicking their heels into his sides and yelling ‘horsey’ at the top of their voices.
Symba, a little help would be appreciated, he called out to his symbiot. I’m under attack again.
A sigh of relief escaped him when Symba’s huge, golden figure trotted into the bedroom. The girls, seeing their favorite playmate, scrambled off of his back. He grunted when he felt a knee in the center of his back.
He watched as Symba divided, catching each hyperactive toddler as they tumbled head first off the bed. Within seconds, twin golden ‘ponies’, complete with saddle, reins, and seat belt pranced out of the room.
“I love you,” Cara whispered, watching Trelon’s face soften as he watched the twins. “You are an amazing father.”
Trelon’s eyes turned back to his little mate. His gaze softened at the look of wonder and love in her eyes. He lowered his body, caging her under him. He pressed a tender kiss to her lips.
“You are the one who is amazing,” he replied in a husky voice. “You have given me so much.”
His eyes closed for a moment as she ran her hands up his chest and over his shoulders before burying them in his hair. A low groan escaped him when she gently caressed his lips. Pressing down, he deepened the kiss for several long seconds before he pulled back with a curse.
“I will be glad when it is safe to sleep without wearing clothing again,” he grumbled.
“After what happened the last time you didn’t, I think it might be a while,” Cara giggled as she ran her fingers over his cheeks.
“That is true,” he chuckled before burying his face in her neck as he remembered Amber and Jade’s delighted cry when they thought he had a new ‘play toy’ for them. He had fallen out of bed trying to get away from their inquisitive reach. After that, he had started wearing loose-fitting training pants to bed. “So, why are you making our daughters look like strange beasts.
Cara caressed the back of his neck and shoulders as she rubbed her cheek against his. A sigh of happiness escaped her at his quick response to her touch. Perhaps they could talk Symba into keeping the girls occupied for a few extra minutes.
“We’ll need a little longer than a few minutes,” he muttered as he pressed his swollen cock against her. “I’ll see if Abby or Ariel can watch them for a little while.”
Cara shook her head. “I’m supposed to be meeting up with them later to plan the Halloween party,” she murmured in a distracted voice. “Symba is good with them. They’ve already eaten. They just want to play now.”
“You can explain what Halloween is afterwards, then,” he muttered, rolling onto his side and pushing his pants down. “You have two seconds to get your clothes off.”
Cara laughed as she sat up and yanked her shirt over her head. “You’re on,” she said.
Chapter 2
Trelon stretched his arms over his head and rotated from side to side as he worked out the stiffness after their final training session. A grin curved his lips as he looked at Mandra’s prone figure lying on the mat in the large exercise room. Creon sat on the mat next to his older brother with his head bowed, breathing deeply to calm his body. Zoran and Kelan sat on a bench to the side with their heads back against the wall.
“I think I’ve found out what Cara and the women have been up to,” he announced with a superior grin.
That comment got all four of his brothers’ attention. Mandra suddenly sat up in interest. Creon’s eyes popped open, while Zoran and Kelan both glared at him with keen interest. The grin on his lips grew.
They had all been trying to figure out what was going on over the last few months. It was like the women were determined to complete some huge conspiracy with the way they had been sneaking around. Amber and Jade’s appearance had been the first break in trying to figure out what they were up to. He had finally gotten another hint out of Cara – something called Halloween. The last clue had come when he had attached a tracking device to Cara as she was getting dressed after they made love this morning.
“What?! What have they been up to? Abby hasn’t let even a hint escape, no matter how much I tried to persuade her to tell me. She just keeps saying it is a surprise,” Zoran demanded, standing up.
“It is called Halloween,” Trelon said in triumph.
“Halloween?” Mandra and Kelan muttered.
“What the hell is that?” Creon growled with a frown.
“Is it like the Easter, only different, I think,” Trelon said. “That is all she would say. I know that she had turned Jade into something called a ‘Jadenstein’ and Amber into something called a ‘Werewolf’. Personally, I thought Amber looked like an ugly Vox, but I wasn’t about to tell Cara that! I was horny and didn’t want to make her mad.”
Mandra lay back down on the mat with a grunt. “That really tells us a lot, Trelon,” he muttered, sarcastically. “Kelan, can you ask Paul what a Halloween is?”
Kelan shook his head. “No, he and Dola have gone away on a ‘retreat’. They will not be back for another week,” he replied with disappointment.
“So, how are we going to find out what this Halloween is?” Zoran asked in a disgruntled voice.
“I planted a tracking device on Cara,” Trelon answered in a low voice, looking around suspiciously in case someone overheard him. “She’d kill me if she knew I did it, but I was desperate! All this secrecy has been driving me crazy.”
“You mean us,” Creon replied with a grimace. “I swear, trying to follow Carmen is impossible. She caught me every time I tried and my damn symbiot wasn’t any help.”
Kelan’s brief bark of laughter echoed in the room. “Carmen! You should try tracking Trisha. I swear, if she tagged me one more time I was going to….” He paused before a grin spread across his face. “Never mind, I liked the last time she tagged me.”
Mandra rolled his eyes before closing them. “So, where did the tracking device show you she went?” He asked in a gruff voice.
“Under the palace,” Trelon replied.
“Under….,” Zoran repeated in surprise. “The only thing under the palace is the old dungeons.”
“That’s what I thought, but I swear it looked like she went even further down,” Trelon replied, folding his arms across his chest.
Zoran frowned and rubbed his jaw as he thought. “I remember a long time ago going down there with father, but that was centuries ago.”
“What were you doing down there?” Trelon asked.
Zoran shrugged. “Just exploring,” he replied. “Father was telling me about the history of the palace. I was more interested in the old dungeons. I do vaguely remember a large, wooden set of doors. I asked father about it, but don’t remember what he said. I had found an old dagger and was more interested in it.”
“You’re as much help as Trelon,” Mandra muttered, opening his eyes just enough to shoot Zoran a glare.
“Where is she now?” Creon asked as he rolled to his feet.
Trelon grinned as the others, including Mandra, stood up as well. He walked over to where he had dropped the receiver and picked it up. He glanced over his shoulder as Creon moved closer so he could see the screen.
“She’s down there now,” he replied.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Mandra scowled. “I want to know what this ‘Halloween’ is. If it is anything like the Easter, that means more eggs. I’ve been thinking about what the younglings did the last time and I think we’ve got a chance to
beat them if we work together.”
“Are you still sore about Jabir hiding and getting all the eggs?” Kelan laughed.
“No, my son was brilliant in his strategy,” Mandra boasted, drawing smothered chuckles from his brothers. “Besides, don’t you want to find out what the women are doing and see if there are going to be more good things to eat?” Mandra asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Of course! I had a lot of fun, especially watching Vox get his ass kicked by Bálint and Roam,” Kelan said as he grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head. “Trelon, I think it is time to discover what our mates have been up to.”
*.*.*
“What do you think of this, Abby?” Trisha called out as she finished the last touches to the spider webs that she had fashioned through the fake trees in the cemetery. “You don’t think this is going to be too scary for the kids, do you?”
Abby looked up from the crystal ball that she was working on. She ran a critical eye over the small cemetery where Trisha and Ariel were working. Her eyes softened as she watched as Zohar crawled onto the top of one of the headstones in his dragon form. She had to admit, Cara had outdone herself this time. The trees and other special effects Cara and her ‘crew’ of workmen had created, along with the roller coaster ride was incredible.
“I love it,” Abby said as she bit her lip, trying not to laugh as Phoenix nipped at one of the spiders as it moved. “I don’t think it will be too much. We can leave the lights on, but if you ask me, I think they will have a blast if Phoenix doesn’t eat all the spiders first.”
Trisha looked over to where Abby was looking and had to choke back a laugh when Phoenix turned to look at her with one of the spiders hanging by its leg out of her mouth. Phoenix looked bashfully at Trisha and gently replaced the spider back on the web at her Aunt’s raised eyebrow.
When Cara had shown her and the other women the huge underground cavern with its beautiful arched corridors, flowing fresh water spring-fed river, and crystal lit ceilings that looked like stars, they had all fallen in love with it. Cara’s excitement of turning it into the ultimate indoor playground for the kids had ignited all their imaginations. The first few weeks had been hilarious. Some of their designs had been pretty outrageous. They had finally decided on one that would be easy to integrate the different holidays into, especially after the success of the Easter egg hunt.
