Theodore: Xavier’s Hatchlings ― Paranormal Dragon Shifter Romance

by Kathi S. Barton

  “Hello? Where the fuck are you? Come here right now and take me back.” She thought she’d prefer dead over whatever this was. “You fucking bastards. I’m not kidding. I want out of here.”

  No one came to her. Sandra knew she should have gotten more information. Like how long ten thousand years was. A calendar appeared on the floor. A clock as well. Now that she had a date and time, she wished she didn’t. Time, it seemed, was mocking her.

  “Christ, what am I going to do now?”

  ~*~

  Jamie sat on the lounger and soaked up some sun. It had rained all day yesterday, and she’d not been able to go out on her deck. The faeries had done such a wonderful job on the house that she had no memories of the place it had been before. It was the best thing that could have happened to her of late.

  “What’s up?” Sitting up just enough to make out the person that had spoken, Jamie invited Pem to join her. They’d been getting together at least once a day, on the phone or in person. Pem came up on the deck and sat down in one of her new chairs she’d purchased. “Oh, this is really nice. I might have to learn where you got it. It’s comfy.”

  “Thanks. What is wrong?” She asked her what she meant. “I mean, what is wrong? Something is up. You usually have something chipper to say to me, and today, you’re talking about lawn furniture. So, tell me what’s happened.”

  “My dad is out. He’s been released so he can get himself an attorney. I’m worried for Uncle Austin and Grandma. Not so much me. I’m with a dragon, but I still don’t want him to hurt me.” Jamie told her she didn’t want that either. “With Sandra out of their hair, they’re still tense, and it’s because of my family issues.”

  “Yeah, I know that too. I was told no less than five times that I’m not to let my guard down for any reason. That Patrick is coming.” Jamie watched her dearest friend. “I’ve also heard that Milo is coming back soon.”

  “Is he?” Pem turned and looked at her. “I thought he was going to be gone for a few more days. Theo will be happy. The two of them are close. Are you going to take the job working with him?”

  “I thought about it. For now, I’m going to get my shit together and sort of chill out. I go to the doctor tomorrow, and I’m excited about that. Also, I’ve been told by the bank that my estate money is now available to me. That family that you’re related to sure has a lot of pull.” Pem told her that they were more connected than even she knew about. “I’m going to see my sister tonight. Would you like to go with me? I know you don’t know her, but I’d be happy for the company.”

  “I’d love to do that.” Jamie looked out over her back yard when Pem did. “Can you believe this view? I mean, when you talked about this place, it never seemed like a place that I’d want to visit with you. But since you’ve gotten it just the way you want it, I think I could come here daily. How are you and Jangles working out?”

  “He’s perfect. Not a talker, though he can be when he thinks of something. I like the fact that he can run errands I don’t even know how to begin. Did I tell you that he was able to get my computer and Internet set up? I was going to do it, but he just moved in and did it. I think he’s liking that I’m being relaxed. I am too.” The two of them laughed, and she wondered more about Patrick. “What do you think your father is going to do to you, Pem? He’s broke, right?”

  “Yes. Grandma and I have been talking about that too. What he might do if he were to come around. With all of us being immortal, I don’t know what he thinks he can do by way of hurting us. Or, for that matter, what he thinks he can demand of us.” Jamie asked her if she thought he’d thought of that. “Likely no. I’d say he’s only thinking of what his needs are, and fuck everyone else around the place. But then, he’s always had it in his head that he’s the only person in the world that should be getting everything he wants.”

  “I saw your uncle the other day. Austin is looked better. I know he had a pretty rough time of it for a while, but he seems to be making great strides in winning over the people here.” Pem told her that he mostly worked the back kitchen of the pizza place, but he was having a wonderful time of it. “Who would have thought a man like him would go so low to be able to regroup and start over? I know it is because of his family that he’s trying so hard, but the man is like a new person from what he was when I met him that one time five or so years ago.”

  “Every day, he’s different.” Pem leaned back on her chair and closed her eyes.

  It was then that Jamie looked out over her back yard. The glint of something startled her. No one was allowed access to her yard as far as she knew. Not saying anything to Pem, she reached out to Jangles.

  See what that might be for me. Will you? After pointing to the area, she knew that whatever it had been had moved. The glint of something shiny was closer now. Jangles. Go and find one of the dragons for me. I think we’re about to have some trouble.

  The shot to her house had Jamie pulling Pem down off her chair and to the decking. The two of them hid behind the hot tub that had been delivered just yesterday while she tried her best to get her bearings. Even before she could explain to Theo what was going on when he reached out to her, Pem was jerked from where they were, and Patrick had a gun to her head. Jamie pulled her own gun out from behind her, where it was stuck in her pants, and pointed it at the man.

  “Where is the money, Pem? I know you have it all.” He was pulling Pem away from Jamie as he spoke. “Get me the money, or I’m going to kill you both.”

  “I don’t have any money.” Pem looked at her. I’m an immortal—the same as you are. Nothing can hurt me, Jamie. Remember that?

  She did remember that but had no idea what she was saying. It wasn’t until one of the dragons landed in the yard that it occurred to her what her friend was saying. She asked her where she should shoot.

  It won’t matter. But he can’t get away with me. Your house would suffer badly when the dragons kill him, I think.

  The big dragon was making his way toward them, his body as red as the blood that was making its way down Pem’s cheek from the gun being rammed into her skin. Patrick started yelling about money and blood. Before she could lose her house to dragon fire, Jamie fired twice.

  The first bullet hit Pem in the shoulder. Jamie knew for a fact that it wouldn’t kill her, even if she wasn’t immortal. The second shot hit Patrick right between the eyes. As he fell back, he fired once, and the bullet went wild.

  The dragon stopped moving, and she was glad for it. Dizzy now, she fell back into one of the chairs she’d only just gotten put together instead of sitting. Finn asked her several times if she was all right before she leaned over and puked in the grass beyond her decking. Looking up, she saw that Pem was being looked at and that Theo was standing close to her.

  “Are you really a red dragon?” Finn said he was. “Would you have burnt my house if you’d hit Patrick?”

  “Yes. More than likely. I would have rebuilt for you, but he would have been just as dead and gone. Are you all right, Jamie?” She said she thought she was. “You’ve been shot. Did you know that? The bullet entered your head. Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “I didn’t know.” Putting her fingers to her forehead, she felt the tender wound there. As she was trying to figure out if she was hurting, the bullet fell into her hand, and she stared at it. Holding it out to Finn, she asked him if that was natural to have it fall out like that.

  “I have no idea. I’d say it is, but who the fuck knows? If you’re really all right, I’m going to see to Pem now. You just sit here until I can get my own heart to stop pounding. And I’d let Pem hold you as much as she wants. She’s freaked out.” She nodded and stopped when it hurt. “Theo, can you see to Jamie now? She needs Pem too after I make sure she’s going to be fine.”

  Pem hugged her several times before she finally let her go. There was blood on them both, but neither of them seemed too terribly conc
erned about it. Jamie asked her friend if she was all right.

  “I am now. I thought for sure that you were going to die when I saw where that bullet went. The fucker shot you after he was dead.” Jamie couldn’t help it; she laughed. “I don’t think that’s the least bit funny, Jamie. You could have been killed.”

  “You were the one that told me that we were immortal and to shoot.” She said she had no idea that Patrick would shoot after she’d shot him. “Must have been a muscle contraction that had him firing. It happens sometimes.”

  “It happens sometimes. Just like that, you’re all right with him shooting you after he was dead.” Jamie shrugged and watched Pem. “You’re taking this very well, you know. I’m worried that you’re going to be a basket case later.”

  “I won’t be. He’s gone now, and we’re both all right. No more stress. All right?” Pem looked over to where Patrick’s body still lay. “No. Don’t look at him. Don’t feel sorry that he’s dead. Move on and up, Pem, the way we need to. You helped me save our lives, and I’ll never forget that. Thank you.”

  “You saved my life too.” Pem hugged her tightly and looked into her face. “I can never thank you enough for pulling me away from being shot. Grandma will be so happy he’s gone. I think Uncle Austin will as well.”

  Theo smiled at her. “I thank you as well. When Jangles came to us when we were in the barn, I thought for sure I was going to get to take him out. Thank you for saving the day, Jamie. I owe you as well.”

  After Patrick’s body was taken away, she sat where she was. The pack was going to put him on their land and let him be eaten by the scavengers. There were policemen on the force that were part of the pack, and in a few days, probably more like a month, they were going to have someone call in that they’d found his body. By then, she’d bet his skull would have found itself in some deep hole or in an animal’s den. Patrick would be considered a suicide. All would be well.

  “Come and have dinner with us.” She stared up at George, the only brother she was talking to very much. “I’ll even pay. Think of it as a way to pay you back for killing a monster.”

  “You think you buying me a steak dinner will be enough payment for killing Patrick?” George asked her if she thought so as well. “Yes. I guess I do. And dinner sounds wonderful. Just not steak. Not yet. I need something less bloody for now.”

  He was still laughing as they loaded up in his car. Dover was going with them, as was Hadley. They were good guys to be around, and she found herself laughing more than not. These people were going to be all right to be around, she thought. All right, indeed.

  Chapter 10

  George and Theo were at the airport when the plane landed. They’d gotten breakfast together, then had gone to a craft store to pick up some things to make some embarrassing signs to welcome their brother home. Sure, he’d only been gone for a few days, but the three of them were closer than the rest of them. As soon as Theo saw his brother, the signs were discarded, and he and George rushed to their brother.

  “What’s happened?” Milo told them to just get him home. “Sure. But you’re going to tell us why you look as if you’ve lost everything. Did someone hurt you, Milo? Where are they? Are they still here at the airport?”

  Theo was looking around and missed that his brother had stopped moving. Going back to him, he told him he was sorry. George was asking him again what they needed to help him with. Milo said he just wanted to go home. That he was exhausted.

  He must have been. No sooner had they gotten his luggage from the jet and Milo into the car than he was sound asleep. They’d planned to spend the day with him, getting lunch with him and hooking up sometime during the day with Jamie, in order to see if the two of them were mates. But this seemed serious enough that Theo debated telling his mom.

  I know he’s tired. Theo hadn’t been so relieved to hear his mom’s voice as he was in that second. I spoke to him on the plane. The poor boy has been working double shifts for us in getting some information, and he’s worn out. Nothing more, just exhausted.

  I’ve never seen him like this before. For that matter, anyone. She said she’d told him to rest up, but he was stubborn. Yes. I wonder who he might have gotten that from?

  Not me. Theo laughed and told George what Mom had said. He thought that Milo was stubborn, but Mom was ten times worse. Anyway. If you’re finished insulting your mother, I’d like for you to get him home and into his bed. Anything you were planning with him can wait until he can enjoy it more. Also, it might be a good time to take Jamie over to see him. While he’s out. It might be sneaky, but you’d have an answer. I want one, too, as a matter of fact.

  He didn’t feel good about that, but his mom was right. They’d all know and could move on to the next phase, whatever that would be. Theo did think that Milo could use a mate, if for no other reason than for him to get laid. Also, she’d be there to make sure he didn’t overwork himself like Milo tended to do.

  Stopping by Jamie’s house seemed to be the best course of action. While he didn’t want to wake Milo to have him sniff her, George had pointed out that if she were his mate, she could take him into her home instead of them taking him across town to his own. Where someone would have to be there all the time.

  “I can tell you don’t have a mate.” George asked him what that was supposed to mean. “You wouldn’t dream of saying something that selfish to your own mate.”

  “What the hell does that mean?” Theo told him. “Oh. Well, I suppose I was being selfish, and it was a little sexist of me to want to pawn our brother off on a woman. I didn’t think of it as it being her duty, but I did want to have him well cared for. I guess I need to work on that, being a better male when it comes to what I think a woman should be doing.”

  “You don’t have to if you want to have the shit knocked out of you by your mate.” George asked him if he thought his mate would be a ball cruncher. “Have you met any of the Manning women, George? I mean, there isn’t a timid one in the bunch. That goes for our mates too. I’d not want to take on any of them. And work very hard in keeping on their good side. Related or not, I think they’d find a way to have me fall from a great height and let me lay there until I healed.”

  They pulled into the driveway of Jamie’s home. It was something, this home that she’d just had updated. It was larger than his by a great deal, and even Finn’s home was small by comparison. She was sitting on the front porch, rocking in what appeared to be like one of the swings his parents had at their home when he’d been younger.

  “I think I might have run off Jangles. He was here for a little while this morning but decided I’m going to have to find me something to do.” Jamie laughed. “I’ve been getting my recertification to work in the new hospital. What are you guys up to?”

  “We’ve brought Milo over to see if he’s your mate.” Theo looked at George and wondered if the guy would ever find a way to ease into a conversation. He was entirely too blunt and honest right from the start. “Mom said you might be able to tell, and then we’d all know.”

  “You’re not getting on my good side, George.” He asked her why not. “Because this isn’t how I wanted to start my day off. I was going to take a walk. Then maybe go into town and have some lunch. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a meal out on my own before. Now you two show up with my potential mate and fucking ruin my day.”

  “I’m sorry, Jamie.” She looked over at Theo as he told George to get back in his car. “I don’t know what we were thinking. Milo is going to rest up for a little while, and he’ll see you when he sees you. I’m sorry.”

  “How does this work?” Theo asked her if she wanted to see too. “I do. I don’t know what it might mean for me, or him for that matter, but I’d like to know. Since you’re here already. Will he wake up if I’m his mate?”

  “Honestly? I haven’t any idea. Mom didn’t give us any details when we spoke to her about it. She ju
st said to come by and see if you might be his mate. You don’t have to do this.” She told him she knew that. “All right. I guess you’d have to do the sniffing thing. I know you hate that, but I really don’t have any other idea on how we need to check.”

  Leaning into the back seat where Milo was sleeping, she stood up. The look on her face was pure confusion. When she didn’t say anything, he didn’t either. However, George didn’t have the filter that he would hopefully get when he found his own mate.

  “Are you?” She looked at his brother, then looked at him. “You’re teasing us, aren’t you? That’s good that you can have a sense of humor about this. I know that when my mate comes along, I’m going to dazzle her—”

  “Hush.” George snapped his mouth closed with an audible click. Jamie looked at Theo before she spoke again. “He smells funny. I don’t know what it is, but it’s like he’s ill. I haven’t any idea why, but he smells of old blood.”

  “Old blood or iron?” She asked if there was a difference in the smells. “I don’t know the answer to that, but Milo isn’t a dragon. I didn’t think iron would kill him any more than it would any of us, but if you smell it, that’s something we need to have checked out. I’m going to call Winnie here. She’s the protector, and she might be able to help with what it is you’re detecting on him.”

  Winnie appeared just as he finished telling her what was going on. She asked him a couple of questions that he didn’t know the answer to. He and George were told to take Milo into the house, and Theo was surprised when Jamie was all right with that. She enjoyed her alone time more than any person he knew.

  “I smell iron too. Not a great deal of it, but he’s sick with it. I doubt that he’d die from it, but it has affected him.” She put her hand on his belly then up around his chest. “It’s here. Surrounding his heart. After I take it out, I’m going to leave here to make sure I find the person responsible for this. All right? That means you’ll have to wait for questions from me. If you have any, now would be the time to tell me.”