by Vella Day
She actually blushed. “I was, but then I met someone. Would you two join us? I’d love for you to meet Will.”
“Absolutely.” Magnolia’s curiosity was piqued.
The hostess motioned they follow Acacia. “I’ll have someone bring more settings.”
“You don’t seem particularly happy,” Josh telepathed.
“I would say more like confused.”
“Maybe this man is her mate.”
She turned toward him. “You think?”
“Fate might have been busy.”
“That would be fantastic.”
Once at the table, they sat across from each other, and Magnolia couldn’t help but notice the glow on her sister’s face. Nor could she ignore the way this man, who was a bear shifter, was looking at Acacia—with love!
“This is Will King,” Acacia said. “He and his partner, Lucas Deland, have their own company, King and Deland Home Automation over on Hilltop and River Run.”
“Nice to meet you.” She shook his hand.
Josh held out his. “Josh Gerrard. I’m the arson investigator in town.”
“What is going on?” Acacia telepathed to Magnolia.
Having telepathed with Josh all day, she almost forgot she could communicate with her sisters that way too. “There is no need for secrecy. Josh and I are mates,” Magnolia said out loud.
Magnolia hadn’t expected the scream of joy. Next thing she knew, Acacia was hugging her. “Tell me everything and leave nothing out. Then I’ll tell you all about Will and me. We’re mates too.”
“You’ve mated? Oh my goddess, I can’t believe it.”
Acacia looked over at Will and then back at her. “I can’t tell you how happy this makes me. I thought you’d be upset that I had a mate.”
“If I hadn’t found Josh, I might have been.” She chuckled.
“I’m glad you did. Tell us how you two met,” Acacia said.
Still in a daze over learning Acacia had found a mate too, Magnolia started with the fire and how Josh had saved her.
“Our workshop burned?” Acacia asked.
“Yes, but Josh found a service who came and cleaned up. You won’t even be able to tell.”
“That was lucky. Then what happened?”
She detailed about how Josh had carried her to safety. “After the cleanup crew arrived, they told us we had to leave the house for a while because of the fumes, so we flew to a county fair in Hearndon, which was so much fun.”
“You actually left the province?”
Her sister had a right to be surprised. “Yes, my little sister, and I even went on a Ferris wheel.”
“I must be in an alternate reality.” Acacia laughed. “I want to hear more.”
“I returned home only to find my telekinesis powers had gone a bit haywire. I was so scared that I called Josh.”
She would tell her sister about Josh being the water dragon and the god of water when they weren’t out in public.
“What could he do?”
“He helped calm me down.” If she mentioned the bottle spell, it would create too many questions. Telling her sister she was able to shift would be a topic for another day too. “Enough about us. I want to hear your story.”
Both Will and Acacia told the rather funny story about her camping experience, including her chance encounter with a bear and a snake.
Will chuckled. “I can’t believe what a terrible camper your sister is. She never should have been in the woods.”
“It wasn’t like I could die or anything,” Acacia said with a flirtatious tone.
“True, but at the time, I didn’t know that. Anyway, because a rainstorm flooded her tent, Acacia moved over to the drier campsite Lucas and I were at. And from there, things progressed, shall we say.”
Hearing about her sister’s sexual exploits, especially when Magnolia was with Josh, would only make her want to drag her mate back to bed. “I get the picture. So where have you been staying?”
“I stayed with Dalia last night, but I plan to stay at Will’s place tonight. He has a whole floor in the same building where their business is located.” Acacia looked away.
“What is it?” Magnolia asked, suspecting Acacia was about to announce something she wouldn’t like.
“Now please don’t get mad, but we plan to live there permanently. I’ll still be at work every day like always, and I will do whatever is needed whenever the Guardians require our assistance.”
Josh placed a hand on Magnolia’s. “That will actually help, because I plan to stay at the house too—at least until we find a better solution. Now there will only be three women and me to share two bathrooms.”
“See?” Will said. “That is exactly what I said.”
Acacia grinned, leaned her head against her mate’s shoulder, and looked up adoringly at him. “You’re right. As always.”
“Will, what have you done with my sister?” Magnolia asked.
They both laughed. “We fell in love.”
“I have to admit that feeling is an amazing one.”
Acacia sobered. “I feel bad for Poppy and Primrose. When they return and find we both have mates, they’re going to feel so alone.”
She had worried about that. “I know.”
The waiter stopped by for drink orders. “How about a bottle of Campovino?” Josh asked.
Acacia smiled. “Totally. I think we should celebrate finding our new mates.”
Even though this celebration was in part about them mating, it was also about Magnolia’s ability to shift, but it was better to keep that achievement to herself for now. She wanted to ask Acacia if she could shift since Will was a shifter, but if she hadn’t been able to, Magnolia didn’t want to embarrass her.
The four of them chatted as if they had been best friends for ages. Will asked about some of Josh’s toughest cases, and Josh wanted to understand the scope of Will’s business.
When the waiter popped off the bottle top, bubbles flowed. He poured four glasses. Will lifted his glass, and they all tapped his. “To long and fulfilling lives,” Will said.
“Amen,” the three of them replied in unison.
Now, all Magnolia had to worry about, was telling Poppy and Primrose how much her life and Acacia’s life had changed.
Chapter Thirteen
Nine days later
“I’m nervous,” Magnolia said, as she polished off the rest of her tea. They’d spent a wonderful evening last night watching a late night movie and then indulging in hot passionate sex. Each time they were together, the sparks became more intense.
“I’m sure Poppy will understand,” Josh said. “It’s not like you had any control over Fate bringing the two of us together.”
“That’s true.”
“From everything you’ve told me about her, she’ll be happy for you.
“I hope so. She is the most outgoing of the four of us,” Magnolia said.
Josh stiffened. “I sense another dragon. Are you expecting someone?”
“Just Poppy. She said she’d be returning around now, but she definitely doesn’t have a dragon signature. Maybe the cab driver is one.”
Earlier this afternoon, Magnolia had spoken at length with Acacia about Josh being the water dragon as well as the god of water. It was why they believed she had been able to shift. Acacia however had not been so lucky.
Magnolia rushed to the back door and opened it, though a cab would have dropped off her sister in front. Okay, it wasn’t a taxi driver at all. Rather it was a dragon with green scales interspersed with navy blues ones. He landed in the back with Poppy in his grasp. Being overly protective of her siblings, Magnolia normally would have feared something bad had happened, but Poppy was not giving off any distress signals.
Both she and Josh stepped outside and headed to the new arrivals. Poppy waved, rushed up to Magnolia, and gave her a hug.
“I’ve missed you,” Poppy gushed. “I can’t wait to tell you what happened.” She glanced at Josh and then back at Ma
gnolia with a sly smile on her face. “Ah, is there something you need to tell me first?”
“I do, but first let’s meet your handsome stranger.” Magnolia couldn’t believe it. Fate must have granted Poppy a mate too. The tall, dark dragon shifter approached, carrying two suitcases, one of which was Poppy’s.
He set them down, and stuck out his hand. “I’m Slade LaMont. You must be Magnolia.”
“I am.”
Josh introduced himself. “Why don’t you guys come in? I know Magnolia has a ton of questions.”
“Who is he?” Poppy asked Magnolia.
She didn’t understand why both of her sisters acted so shocked that she would be with a man. It didn’t mean he had to be her mate. He just was. “Josh is my mate,” she said out loud, wanting Slade to hear too.
A furtive glance passed between Poppy and Slade. It was the same kind of look Acacia had given Will. “Well, I’ll be. I’m thrilled for you. Slade and I are mates too!”
Magnolia might have been more surprised had she not been convinced Fate was bestowing the greatest gift on her and her sisters.
For the next hour, Poppy explained how Slade had come into the diner where she worked and how the rest was fated to be. He owned a construction company in Plux, but he understood that Poppy needed to be here. “I think we’ve worked things out—or at least I hope we have.”
“What do you mean?” Magnolia asked.
“I’m going to open a branch of my company in Edendale.”
When Magnolia had first learned about his extensive holdings in Plux, she worried Poppy would want to live there. “That’s fantastic. I hear a but coming though.”
“We’re hoping you’ll have no problem if Slade builds the two of us our own home on the lot behind the house.”
Magnolia couldn’t help but grin. “That would be wonderful!” She looked over at Josh. “If—and that’s a big if—Primrose comes back from vacation and says she has a mate, then we really need to regroup.”
“I would love to build a home for her too!” Slade said.
What a lovely man. “That would be awesome. In the meantime, why don’t you two stay here, and I’ll move into Josh’s place?” She faced him and clasped his hand. “Assuming that’s all right with you.”
“That would make my day,” he telepathed. “I so need some privacy.”
She laughed, forgetting that Poppy and Slade had no idea the reason why.
“Hello?” came a voice from down the hallway.
She and Acacia jumped up. “It’s Primrose.”
Please, Fate. I hope you didn’t forget her.
When Primrose entered the living room with a broad shouldered, dark haired human whose grin lit up his face, Magnolia wanted to burst.
She rushed up to Primrose. “I can’t believe it. You’re home, and let me guess, you brought your mate.”
As expected, her mouth dropped open. “How did you know?” she asked. Only then did she look around. “Poppy, you’re back, and you both have guests who are…”
“Our mates.”
Chaos descended as both she and Poppy pummeled Primrose with questions.
Josh stood. “I know it’s a bit early, but I think this calls for a glass of wine.”
“Wonderful. I’m calling Acacia. She needs to be here.”
When she called her sister and told her all four of them had mates, Acacia couldn’t have been more enthusiastic. “I’ll see if Will can leave work early. We’ll be there soon.”
After only one glass of wine, Acacia and Will showed up. Once more, they each detailed how they’d met.
Josh looked over at Rafe. “If you’re looking for a job in search and rescue, I can put in a good word with the fire department.”
Rafe grinned. “That would be terrific. As much as I love the snow, I think I can get used to this warmer weather. Hiking has always been a passion of mine.”
“You said you found your long lost twin sister?” Magnolia asked.
“Yes. She’s looking for a job in Edendale, so we can be together.”
The love in the room filled her. Magnolia sighed. “I have to say I’ve never been happier. Having my sisters with me, and each of you having a mate, is beyond my wildest dreams. Being the oldest, Fate gave me the best mate though.”
The sisters denied her allegation in unison.
“Hey. Think about it. Josh is, after all, a god.”
Josh’s face turned red. He cleared his throat. “I want to apologize for turning your rather uptight sister into a wild woman.”
They all laughed. “For that we will be eternally grateful,” Poppy said.
“Hey, hey,” Magnolia replied laughing.
Sometime around midnight, Primrose and Rafe headed off to bed, while Acacia and Will returned to his loft.
“How about I pack, and then we can teleport to your place?” Magnolia telepathed.
“You read my mind.”
She stood. “We’re going to head out to Josh’s place now.”
“Thanks for doing that. Until the house is built, the fewer people scrambling to get ready in the morning, the better.”
Magnolia hugged Poppy. “I am so happy for you.”
“It’s not like you have a slouch yourself.”
“That is the truth.”
“All this talk of being alone has me horny,” Josh telepathed.
Magnolia tried not to let on where her thoughts had just jumped. “See you in the morning,” she told her sisters.
After another round of goodbyes, Magnolia grabbed enough items to tide her over for a few days. Josh gathered what he’d brought over. “Ready?” she asked.
“More than you can ever know.”
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I hope you enjoyed Magnolia and Josh’s story. Next up is Consumed By Flames, book 6 of Hidden Realms of Silver Lake. It is Greer and Blake’s story.
Here is the first chapter:
“You’re free to go, Mr. Masters,” Detective Caspian said as he unlocked the cell door and motioned Blake Masters out.
Thank goddess he was free. Blake never wanted to step foot in another jail cell again. He swung around to face the detective. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled to be out of here, but may I ask why you’re letting me go without a trial?”
He had been accused of kidnapping a woman who worked at SinCas jewelers. They’d even shown him the security footage of him injecting Greer with something and then carrying her lifeless body to a warehouse where he’d promptly passed out. Clearly, he was guilty. The problem was that he remembered none of it.
“We needed some time to investigate not only the kidnapping but the murder in the warehouse. The evidence points to the fact that you were not of, shall we say, sound mind at the time. Greer Caspian vouches that you didn’t kill the man who came into the warehouse.”
Greer was a Caspian? He had no idea. He was surprised her family hadn’t dumped him in a deep hole and forgotten about him. “I’m thankful for that. To be honest I thought Greer would want my head on a platter.”
“Both she and I are well aware of the dark entity and what he is capable of. After examining the marks on the warehouse body, it was evident that this entity killed the man. Greer told me about the multiple marks on your body, so we are sure you were not responsible for drugging my cousin. The dark entity made you do the things you did.”
The relief nearly weakened his knees. “Good to know.”
From what little Greer and her family had told him, this entity killed all of its others victims. Blake might never know how he survived. “Thank you. Where is this entity now?”
“He’s dead, thanks to Angelique Carson and Thane Sinclair.”
From his tone, that was all the information Blake was going to get. “I’m glad.”
“So are we. Your girlfriend, Crystal Willows
, is waiting in the lobby for you.”
The expected rush of excitement didn’t come. That was strange. “Thanks for calling her.”
“Of course.”
When Blake walked into the lobby, Crystal was seated with her hands knotted in front of her. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot as if she’d been crying, and her shoulders drooped, but she still looked beautiful to him.
Crystal looked up, smiled, and then raced toward him. She threw herself in his arms.
“Are you okay? I still don’t understand why they arrested you.”
Once he was escorted to the station, Blake had been allowed one phone call, and that call had been to his lawyer buddy, Steve. He’d asked him to call Crystal about the arrest but not to give too many details. She’d only worry more.
“We probably shouldn’t be discussing this in the station,” Blake said. “Let’s get out of here, and I’ll tell you everything. First though, I need to shower. Being in a cell for two days was gross.”
Crystal threaded her arm through his. “I can’t imagine what you went through, but I’m glad everything worked out.”
“Yeah, me too.” Though those two days in jail had given him time to think, and Crystal wasn’t going to like what he had to say.
Blake had met Crystal when she came to work as a teller in the bank he managed, and he was instantly taken by her sweet nature. Because she was a tiny, take charge brunette with a killer body, he’d asked her out the first week. She accepted, and the rest became history.
Being a dragon shifter, he should have waited for his mate, but after ninety years, he was tired of being on edge, always wondering if she’d ever appear. It got to the point where he wasn’t sure if mates even existed—at least he wasn’t sure until he met Greer. Too bad he didn’t meet her under the best of circumstances—him kidnapping her and all. Now, she might not give him a chance to see if they had a future.
When he’d been almost mortally wounded, Greer had helped heal him. That was when his whole body came to life for the first time.
It was possible that because Mange had taken over his body that it had tainted his response to her though. He’d been hoping that when he saw Crystal again his old feelings of love would surface. But they hadn’t. Shit.
