Gina was a family woman, a perfect match for them. And how he wanted to explore their relationship but there was so much to do, so many wishes to fulfill before they could be together.
He’d have to wait patiently for after Christmas, wait for her to spend the holidays with her family, and then hope she would return to him.
This was one wish, one gift Santa couldn’t fulfill. No matter how good Dash had been throughout the year.
He slowed his speed, circling around and around as he tried to locate Gina’s brother. Dash had purposely directed Andy to a secluded spot an hour outside of the city. It was the only place where he could safely land, hopefully unseen. As he dropped out of the sky, he was certain he’d gotten this right since he couldn’t locate anyone. Not even Andy. Perhaps he’d been delayed in traffic and hadn’t arrived yet. It has nearly eleven thirty, they didn’t have too much time to spare.
His feet touched the ground and he slowed the sleigh to a stop, immediately he shifted and went to Gina. “He’s not here, I can’t sense him for a couple of miles or more. Can you call him?”
“Sure.” She tapped her phone screen and dialed the number. “Hi, Andy. Where are you?”
Gina held the phone out in front of her with it on speakerphone Dash could hear both sides of the conversation. “The hotel was busy, it took me a while to check out. Then I had to get a cab.”
“You’re coming in a cab?” Gina asked.
“How else am I supposed to get there?” he asked sharply. “Sorry... This is all a bit...strange.”
“I know.”
“I still don’t understand how you’re going to get me home.” He lowered his voice. “Why am I meeting you in the middle of nowhere? The cab driver wanted money upfront because he said there’s nothing out there and the snow will make things difficult.”
“I have a plan. Don’t worry.”
“Okay. I trust you.”
“How far away are you?” Gina locked eyes with Dash, this was all taking too long.
“I’m about half an hour away. If the roads aren’t blocked.” He paused and whispered, “My driver isn’t happy.”
“We can go closer,” Dash said quickly. “Are they driving along Forest Road?”
“Who is that with you?” Andy asked suspiciously.
“Dash, he’s the one who’s going to get you home. So just answer the question, we’re on a tight deadline.”
“Are we driving along Forest Road?” Andy’s voice was muffled as he asked the driver. “Yes.”
“Okay, we’ll try to come to you. Just keep driving.” Dash rubbed his hand over his chin and looked around, searching for the presence of any other person. There was no one.
Gina ended the call and got out of the sleigh. “What’s the plan?”
“I’m going to pull the sleigh to the road. The snow should be deep enough there for me to pull it along the ground.”
“We might be seen.”
“I can use my shifter senses to keep a lookout for anyone coming toward us from any direction. And even if we are seen, they’ll just think it’s a reindeer pulling a sleigh. It’s not uncommon. In other countries.” He grinned, trying to ease the worry on his mate’s face. “We’ve come this far.”
“Okay.” She checked the time on her phone. “Midnight approaches.”
“It does, but we’re at a point of no return. I don’t think your brother will forgive either of us if he drives all this way in a cab and we abandon him.” Dash kissed her cheek. “This is going to be a bumpy ride, so hold on tight.”
He ran to the front of the sleigh and shifted before picking up the harness. Pulling the sleigh forward, he headed toward the road, the terrain difficult as trees crowded in on them. After a couple of dead ends where he’d had to backtrack, he finally made it to the road and set off at a trot.
The sleigh slid along behind him, his feet splayed as he left footprints in the snow. The ache in his muscles deepened but he focused on the road ahead and on making sure there was no one close enough to see them. Snow fell through the overhanging branches above their heads. It was like a winter wonderland, the world serene, sounds muffled as he pulled the sleigh with his mate tucked up warm and cozy. Dash relaxed and as the tension left his shoulders, the ache in his muscles lessened. His fear of something happening to Gina as they flew here had affected him more than he’d thought. At least their return journey was shorter.
Up ahead. His reindeer warned. Someone is coming this way.
Two people in a car. Was this Andy in his cab?
He swung his head around to look at Gina and snorted. She stood up and leaned forward on the front of the sleigh. “What is it?”
He looked into the distance. There was no sign of headlights or the car engine. She couldn’t see the car coming toward them. Dash looked up at the trees overhead. They were thinning, he hadn’t been aware of it since the snowfall made visibility low. Making a quick decision, he turned toward the trees and headed undercover. He didn’t need to go far.
“What are we doing?” Gina climbed out of the sleigh and ran to the reindeer, but Dash had already shifted back to his human form.
“Someone is coming. It might be your brother. We should go and wait on the road.” He hooked his hand under her elbow, and they ran for the road, the snow settling on their clothes as they waited for the car to approach.
“I see headlights.” She huddled close to him, her body covered in so many clothes that he couldn’t feel the heat of her body. “It’s a taxi.” She lifted her hand and waved.
“They’re slowing down.” This must be Gina’s brother. Once the cab had turned around and left the scene, he could pull the sleigh back out onto the road and fly to their destination.
As long as he doesn’t freak out about flying reindeer pulling a sleigh, his reindeer said drily. Gina took the news well, but Andy might not. What if he refused to get on board?
One thing at a time. Dash wasn’t sure what they’d do if Andy refused to fly with them. Surely no matter how freaked out he was at shifters and flying reindeer, he’d want to get home to his family at all costs.
“Hi.” Gina stepped forward as the car slowed and then stopped. After a moment, the rear door opened and a man with similar facial features to Gina got out.
“What’s going on?” The interior light of the car lit his face enough for Dash to read his expression. “We’re in the middle of nowhere and you have no car and no other means of transportation. Is this a joke?”
“No, no joke.” Gina waddled forward. “Do you have any luggage?”
“It’s in the trunk.” He stepped back, his foot slipping on the wet snow. “Why are you dressed like that?”
“Because it’s cold.” She linked arms with him. “Let’s grab your bags and then the taxi can go.”
“I’m not sure I want him to go until I know exactly how we’re getting out of here.” Distrust filled his voice. “What is going on, Gina? Who is that man?”
“That man is named Dash and he’s come to take you home. All you have to do is trust me.” She popped the trunk and lifted the bags out. Dash stayed out of the way, not wanting to cause a problem with the man he hoped to one day call brother-in-law.
“I trust you but you’re asking me to trust a man I don’t know. A man who might have brainwashed you to lure me out here into the middle of nowhere.”
She punched her brother lightly on the arm. “You have been watching too much TV. Now, pay the cab and tell him to leave.”
Andy rubbed his arm as he went to the taxi driver’s window and paid the fare. “No, I’ll be fine here. They have a snowmobile in the trees. Yes, I’ll be fine. Thank you.”
While he paid for the cab, Dash helped Gina carry the luggage into the trees. “And you’re sure he’s not going to freak out?”
“I have no idea. But he’s my brother so somehow I’ll make it okay.” She dropped the bags by the side of the sleigh. “I promise.” She kissed his cheek. “And since I’m your mate, I can’t bre
ak my promise.”
He chuckled as he shone the flashlight into the sleigh. “It’s going to be a tight squeeze.”
“Will the added weight make it harder to pull?” Gina asked as she went back to the road. “Come on, Andy.”
“Not once we’re in the air.” He kept his head down, not wanting her to see the concern on his face. The added weight of Andy and his luggage would make taking off a whole lot harder. But he’d find the strength.
“What the hell is that?” Andy asked as he stumbled through the trees to join them.
“A sleigh.”
“I can see it’s a sleigh, but how are we supposed to go anywhere in it?” He dragged his hands through his hair. “Are we going to pull it? This is going to ruin my shoes.”
“We are going to sit in the sleigh and Dash is going to pull it.” She ushered her brother into the back of the sleigh, but he resisted.
“Dash is going to pull us where?” He shook his head. “What’s wrong with you, Gina? This is crazy.” He pulled off his glove and touched the back of his hand to her forehead. “Do you have a fever? Hit your head?”
“No, I’m perfectly well and perfectly sane. You just have to trust me.” She stepped into the sleigh and grabbed hold of his coat. “And we don’t have much time. Not if we’re going to get you home and leave enough time for us to get the sleigh back to Wishing Moon Bay before dawn.”
“Gina, there’s no way we’ll get home before dawn. The planes are all grounded. There’s no way.” He pulled away from his sister and rounded on Dash. “I don’t know what kind of tale you’ve been spinning but you need to leave my sister alone.”
“It’s not a tale.” Gina got out of the sleigh and grabbed hold of Andy. “Dash is going to show you something and you will believe it and then you’ll get in the sleigh and promise me you won’t tell anyone what you’ve seen.”
“Is this a top-secret government experiment?” His eyes widened. “Some classified vehicle?”
“Let’s go with that.” She patted her brother’s chest and pointed at the sleigh. “Take a seat.”
“Do I have to sign a confidentiality agreement?”
“No, they’ll know if the secret gets out that it’s you who told.” Gina winked at Dash. “Shall we go?”
Her mate nodded and went to the front of the sleigh. As soon as they were seated, he shifted and picked up the harness. The sound of Andy freaking out filled the air, the sound muted by the falling snow. Heaving on the harness, Dash pulled the laden sleigh forward, back onto the road. Following the tracks they’d made earlier, the runners slid easily across the snow giving Dash enough momentum to lift the sleigh into the air and begin the journey home.
It was past midnight, but if he flew hard and straight, they might just make it back to Wishing Moon Bay before dawn.
Chapter Twelve – Gina
“You’re telling me that you’re going to spend the rest of your life with a guy who can shift into a reindeer. A reindeer that can fly at Christmas.” Andy was in shock. Gina couldn’t blame him but there was no way her brother was going to talk her out of following her dreams and her dreams were bound up with Dash.
“Yes. We’re mates. Like I told you.”
“You mean like he told you. Along with some story about Santa being real.” Andy couldn’t get his head around the idea. He wanted her to give him her car keys so that he could go and pick up her car when the snow stopped so that she didn’t ever go to Wishing Moon Bay again. Brainwashed was the word he’d used.
“You are riding in a sleigh pulled by a flying reindeer, but you have a problem with Santa being real?” Gina was losing her patience with her brother. Her Christmas spirit was waning and if she didn’t love Andy so much and want him to be with his family at Christmas, she’d tell Dash to turn the sleigh around and take him back to the forest.
“I have a problem with the guy telling you that you’re meant to be together forever as if you don’t have a choice.”
“I do have a choice. And I’ve made my choice,” she said hotly, even though her face was freezing cold.
“You’ve known the guy for less than two days,” Andy told her.
“Love at first sight. When you married Lynette, you stood in front of everyone at the reception and said it was love at first sight. Were you lying?”
“No,” he replied quickly. “But that doesn’t mean I asked Lynette to spend the rest of her life with me on our first date. What do you even know about the guy?”
“Everything I need to know. Sometimes you have to take a chance on love. On life. That’s what I’m doing.” She slipped her arm through his as they huddled together in the sleigh. Andy was wrapped in several layers of clothes but his teeth chattered as the journey drew near to an end. “I want your support, Andy, but I don’t need your permission. This feels right. In my heart, I knew the moment I saw him that we shared a connection. When Dash explained about shifters, it just clarified what I already felt.”
“I know you don’t need my permission.” He paused. “I just want you to be happy, Gina, that’s all. You’ve had your heart broken before. I’ve picked the pieces up and watched you cry. If I’m guilty of anything, it’s being an overprotective brother and I don’t think that is a crime.”
“It’s not and I love you for it. But this is what I want.” She kissed his cheek as Dash started their descent through the clouds. He planned to land on the outskirts of the town where Andy lived. From there Andy would call a cab to come and pick him up and take him home.
“Lynette is going to be so surprised when I get home.” He looked over the side of the sleigh at the twinkling lights below. They were only just visible through the cloud cover. “She won’t believe any of this.”
“Then just tell her you got a flight home after all.” Gina sighed. “Perhaps when the weather breaks you guys can come and visit and she can see Dash shift for herself.”
Andy shook his head. “We’ll come to visit if you choose to stay in Wishing Moon Bay. But I think it’s best if this stays our secret. Lynette likes to believe in what she can see and touch, and then there’s Scott. If he knows about shifters, he’s bound to talk about it at school. The other kids will think he’s a liar and he doesn’t need that kind of trouble.” Her brother was adamant, and it was his decision, one she would respect in the same way he needed to respect her decision.
“Okay, that’s your choice.” She hugged him and kissed his cheek as they cleared the town and headed for a dark, deserted area. No streetlights illuminated the roads and there weren’t any houses for a couple of miles in either direction. “Merry Christmas, Andy.”
“Merry Christmas,” Andy called back to her as the snow flew in his face and he coughed and covered his mouth as they came down to land.
Gina got out of the sleigh as soon as they’d stopped moving. They were late and if Dash was going to make it back to Wishing Moon Bay before dawn they needed to leave now.
“Are you both okay?” Dash shifted back into his human form and hurried over to them. “The road is about half a mile in that direction.”
“You couldn’t fly any closer?” Andy complained as Gina passed the bags to him.
“You’re still complaining?” Gina asked.
“Can’t you pull the sleigh along the ground?” Andy looked at Dash for the first time.
“We need to get back to town before dawn. Wishing Moon Bay is two hours in that direction. There’s not much time.”
“Why don’t you stay here for the day and fly back tonight?” Andy asked. “You’re welcome to spend the day at my house.”
“I have to get back. Today is Christmas Eve,” Dash explained.
“Right and tonight you have to pull the sleigh with Santa and deliver all the gifts.” He gave a wry smile.
“Andy, don’t be an ass,” Gina warned. “Dash has gone to a lot of trouble to make sure you get to spend the holidays with your family.”
“I’m sorry.” Andy thrust out his hand to Dash. “Thank you.
”
“You’re welcome,” Dash replied brusquely.
“Okay, we need to go.” Gina hugged her brother and then reached into the sleigh for the rest of his bags. “Merry Christmas and I’ll give you my gifts when I see you next. I was worried they would make the sleigh too heavy, so I left them back at Dash’s cabin.”
“You could always give them to Dash to deliver tonight.” Andy grinned as he rolled his eyes.
“Can I do that?” Gina asked.
“Sure, I’ll take them and make sure they are put on the sleigh.” He caught hold of her arm and pulled her to one side. “I need to go.”
“I was just saying goodbye to Andy.”
“If you want to stay and spend Christmas with your family, I’ll understand. I’m going to be gone all evening.”
“I know, but you’ll be back in the morning. And I have to catch up on my beauty sleep.”
“You will always look beautiful to me.” He cupped her cheek in his hand and kissed her lips.
“Oh, get a room.” Andy hauled his bags away from the sleigh. “And I thought you two had to be going. Dawn and all that.”
“We do.” Gina brushed her lips against her mate’s. “But there’s always time for more kissing.”
“I’ll get ready to leave.” Dash nodded to Andy. “Merry Christmas to you and your family.”
“And you, Dash. Look after my sister.”
“I will.” Dash cast a glance in Gina’s direction, hot enough to melt the fallen snow piled up around them.
“Okay, I’m willing to give the guy a chance. But the whole Santa thing?” Andy held up his hands to his sister as she shot him a deadly look. “Okay, I’m sorry. I’ll drop it.”
“I will see you soon. Text me to let me know you got home safely.” She climbed back onto the sleigh. “I wish I could come to say hello, but we need to go, and you deserve Christmas alone with your family. They’ve missed you.” She waved as Dash shifted into his reindeer and took off into the sky, leaving her brother on the ground, the snow falling all around him, covering the reindeer tracks.
Gina huddled under a blanket as the snow settled on her before they climbed above the clouds. The moon had nearly slipped over the horizon and the stars were fading. Dawn was close and they needed to hurry.
Dashing Home for Chrstmas Page 8
