by Lowe, Anna
Gemma took a deep breath, reminding herself it didn’t matter that Electra had wanted that from the beginning. The lion matriarch would soon realize she’d gotten more than she bargained for.
“Yes, yes. Such good news,” Electra gushed. “In fact, I have a gift for the happy couple. A lovely little estate in Kent. It comes with staff…stables…forty-four rooms.”
“Only forty-four?” Liam quipped.
“With an addition planned,” Electra added quickly.
Liam stroked his chin. “That doesn’t sound very cozy.”
Electra’s brow furrowed. “Cozy?”
Gemma nodded. “We prefer cozy.”
Electra looked mystified, but she powered on. “You will be granted a regular allowance. Appointments with Britain’s top fashion designers…”
Gemma held back her snort but not her words. “Very generous, but we already have a place to live. A nice little narrowboat on the canal.”
Never mind that she and Liam had agreed to move into his penthouse as soon as Valhalla’s owner returned. She couldn’t resist the tease.
Electra’s mouth wobbled in horror. “Good gracious. That will never do. Not for a Fire Maiden.”
“Oh, but it will. I promise you.” Gemma growled. “I will also manage my own finances.”
“My dear, I am only trying to make things easier for you.”
Gemma frowned. How gullible did the woman think she was?
Electra suddenly turned sweet as pie. “Being a Fire Maiden comes with great responsibility, you know.”
“Oh, I know. Just having to meet all those fashion designers…”
Sergio snorted, but Electra didn’t seem to catch the sarcasm.
“Exactly,” Electra agreed. “We’ll spare you the trouble of attending council meetings…”
She might as well have said, No reason to worry your pretty little head about complex issues.
“How considerate,” Gemma muttered. She opened her mouth, tempted to bait Electra for a while longer. But it was time to establish her position once and for all. She took a deep breath, because this was it. The foundation for a life free of the Guardians’ interference. Whatever control she gave away now, she might never regain.
You got this, Liam murmured.
“You’re very generous, indeed. However, my understanding of a Fire Maiden’s role is quite different.”
How different? Electra’s frozen features demanded.
“I have no need for a secretary, nor an estate.” And definitely no fashion designers, she nearly added. “I will continue to work toward serious issues.”
She winked at Liam. As it turned out, he had quite a fortune to draw from. Gareth had managed his father’s estate well. Not only that, but as a Fire Maiden, she was heiress to a vast fortune of her own. That meant she could devote herself to important causes full time. Like raising awareness of social injustices. Taking decisive action to stop the climate crisis. Bringing people together on a grassroots level to actually get things done.
“I will report to you regularly on my efforts…” Gemma continued.
Electra smiled that evil smile. Of course you will.
“…just as I expect you to report to me on shifter matters,” Gemma finished.
Electra frowned. I report to nobody.
Gemma mimicked the woman’s fake smile. “You know, to make some suggestions. We will be collaborating after all. There’s the Say No to Racism campaign, the Clean Air initiative, the Safer Parks Panel…”
“Safer what?” Electra blinked.
Ignoring her, Gemma turned to Liam. “What else was there?”
At first, Liam looked at her, startled. But she nodded, encouraging him to speak. He needed this — a chance to finally make peace with the Guardians.
“What else is there? Where do I begin?” He prowled forward, and Electra scuttled back. “You will never meddle with our personal business. Ever. You will not attempt to manipulate my mate. If you do…”
His eyes glowed, and Gemma saw sheer dragon fury burning beneath the surface.
“Suffice to say, you will regret it. You will never malign my parents again. Any of you,” he shouted, glaring at the entire hall.
Everyone shrank back as his words echoed from the oak rafters.
Gemma touched his arm. Whoa. Where had that come from?
Liam took her hand, and the angry glow turned to pure determination.
“Are you finished, Mr. Bennett?” Electra said after an awed minute of silence.
His eyes flared, and he strode right up to Electra, showing his full height.
“No. There is one more thing. Any children my mate and I decide to have will be ours to raise, free of your influence. Do I make myself clear?” He paused, then turned to the others. “Do I make myself clear?”
His roar thundered through the hall, and dozens of dumbstruck shifters nodded. Gemma nearly did too. Liam the warrior, she’d seen plenty of. Liam the jokester, too. But this was a whole new Liam. A leader. A future Guardian.
And just like that, she glimpsed a future she’d never considered. A bright one, with a newer, fairer Council.
Electra’s mouth opened and closed until she squeaked, “Of course. I would never dream of it.”
Liam glowered. You’d better not.
A ripple went through the crowd as they nodded in respect or murmured to each another — words along the lines of That Bennett boy came out all right, don’t you think?
“I think we’re done here,” Gemma said, reaching for Liam’s hand.
His eyes locked on hers and warmed. “I’d say we are.”
Gemma looked at Electra, then decided she didn’t need anyone’s permission to leave. Turning on her heel, she moved toward the door with Liam at her side. Sergio fell into step behind them, and everyone hurried out of their way. The moment Gemma frowned at the bear guards at the door, they uncrossed their axes and jumped aside. A minute later, she, Liam, and Sergio stepped into the fresh air.
She tipped her head back and took a deep breath, basking in the sunlight as they left Lionsgate Hall. Whew.
“You were brilliant,” Liam whispered, pulling her into a hug.
“No, you were brilliant.” Her voice was muffled by his shirt.
“Yes, I was.” He chuckled. “But only because of you.”
Beside them, Sergio sighed. “Amore.”
Gemma smiled into Liam’s shoulder. It really was amore. But, wait. Was there a note of longing in Sergio’s voice?
By the time she looked, the wolf shifter’s expression was inscrutable. Then he checked his watch, and she pulled away from Liam, remembering what else they had to face that day.
“How soon do you have to go?” she asked.
Too soon, Sergio’s bittersweet expression said. “My flight departs in a few hours.”
His eyes locked with Liam’s, and though neither spoke a word, so much passed between them. Memories…regrets…gratitude. Enduring a decade in one of the roughest, toughest military corps in the world had bonded them as closely as brothers, as had the events of the past few weeks.
“Are you sure?” Gemma whispered.
Sergio flashed a tight smile. “Not so sure. But it is time to go. Lisbon first, then Rome. Liam is not the only one with an ancestral home he has been neglecting.”
Gemma wondered what that might be. A villa in Tuscany? A palace in Venice?
“I hope their Guardians are a little friendlier than ours,” she said.
He snorted. “You’ll have to come visit and — how do you say it? Ah, yes. Whip their asses into shape.”
Liam chuckled. “She’s good at that.”
Gemma shook her head. It had been an intense morning, and she needed a break from heavy thoughts. So she hooked one elbow through Liam’s arm and the other through Sergio’s and led them down the street.
“I know a nice pub where we can enjoy a quiet goodbye lunch. After that, we can have dessert in a beautiful spot right by a canal.”
&nbs
p; Sergio laughed. “No dragons this time?”
“Just the good kind,” she assured him. Then she leaned her head on Liam’s shoulder and murmured, “Just the good kind.”
Epilogue
One month later…
Gemma exhaled slowly and took in the view. “This is great.”
Liam grinned at her over the remains of the candlelight dinner he’d set up on the penthouse terrace. “A little less stressed now?”
She laughed. Not only was she not stressed, she barely remembered what she’d done all day. That was the thing about coming home to Liam. The minute she saw him, her worries fell away, and her soul felt at peace. He’d bounded to the door the minute she’d walked in, too, looking like someone had turned on a light inside him.
He raised his wineglass. “To a successful day at the Towpath Task Force.”
She grinned and clinked her glass against his, letting the clear sound ring.
“To the Task Force, a cleaner canal, and the kids.”
She’d spent the afternoon working on one of the community projects she loved, and it had gone brilliantly. Organizing canal cleanups was easy, but she’d gone a step further by recruiting student volunteers from two schools that were worlds apart. Privileged kids from a prep school had worked side by side with immigrant children from a low-income area, tackling an environmental problem and breaking cultural barriers at the same time.
“It was so nice watching them get to know each other,” she said.
“No one got pushed into the canal?”
“Thankfully, no. No younger version of Liam there today.”
He chuckled. “I’m sure there are worse.”
“Maybe I need to enlist the Guardians for the next canal cleanup,” she joked. “Or not.”
He burst out laughing. “They could use a little cross-species team building.”
“That, they could.”
She snuggled her foot against his. “Someday, I might actually try that, although I find it hard to picture Electra holding a garbage bag for, say, a unicorn. But for now…” She exhaled and leaned back. “I’ll take it one step at a time.”
For the next few minutes, they sat quietly, mulling over the view. Late spring was giving way to summer, which meant they could sit out on the terrace and enjoy the sunset. Valhalla’s owner had returned to London, and Gemma was slowly settling into the penthouse. The place definitely had its pluses. Higher ceilings. More space. And the views… Hyde Park stretched before her like a green carpet, and the bustle of London felt far, far away.
“It’s amazing how quiet it is up on the ninth floor.”
Liam grinned. “Speaking of which, I have more planned for tonight.”
“More than this?” She gestured over the plates, candles, and white tablecloth. Liam seemed to have a different little surprise for her every day.
He came around behind her and gestured at the view from over her shoulder. “That’s next.”
She tilted her head. “What’s next?”
“Even better views and even quieter heights. You and I are going flying.”
Her pulse skipped. When she’d first come home, all she’d wanted was to wind down after a busy day. But being with Liam had renewed her energy, and her dragon side was burning to be set loose.
Before she got carried away with the thought, though, she looked around warily. “Knowing my landing style, we’d better clean up first.”
Liam squeezed her shoulders. “I’ll clean up. You sit. And don’t knock your landing technique. It’s great.”
“I land like an albatross.”
She’d taken to flying from her first day as a dragon, and landing on the castle roof hadn’t been a problem. Landing in confined spaces was another matter. It had been easy enough on the towpath by the canal. But the first time she’d tried landing at the penthouse, she’d knocked over everything on the terrace — the table, chairs, potted plants…
“It may not be elegant — yet,” Liam called over his shoulder as he carried away the dishes. “But who cares? It’s our house. We make the rules.”
She closed her eyes, smiling. How lucky was she to have such a supportive mate? Liam had spent most of the day investigating leads on where the Lombardis might head next, as much for the Guardians as for his own peace of mind. Yet he had taken the time to treat her to a lovely dinner — and now, he was ready to see her through another flight.
She smiled. She needed the practice — and it would probably help Liam too. So she stood and helped clear away dinner then pushed aside that pesky table and the chairs, just in case. Finally, she stood at the edge of the terrace with Liam, looking down.
“It’s funny. When I bought this place, I thought Hyde Park would make a good lion prowling ground,” he mused. “But it’s great for flying too.”
“Maybe deep down, you knew about your dragon side.”
He shrugged. “Maybe it’s destiny. Either way, I’m ready. How about you?”
She nodded and slowly stripped. No sense in shredding perfectly good clothes. Her pulse skipped, partly in anticipation of flying and partly from the cheap thrill of checking out Liam in the buff. No matter how much time she spent in bed with her mate — and, yes, they had logged plenty of hours there, putting all that shifter energy to good use — her blood still heated at the sight of his perfect ass…shoulders…abs…
Liam cocked an eyebrow, and she blushed. Caught ogling yet again. But, heck. He was peeking at her in the same way.
Liam chuckled. “This is always the hardest part.”
“What is?”
“To go flying instead of taking you straight to bed.”
She waggled a finger. “Mr. Bennett, you have a dirty mind.”
“No, I have an irresistible mate. Let’s get moving before I lose my resolve.”
Gemma was tempted to suggest bed first and flying later, but Liam was right. She shuffled closer to the edge of the balcony, then took a deep breath and backed up, giving herself space to shift. Ready?
Ready, an inner voice growled.
She closed her eyes, focusing on the sensations her dragon side sent through her mind. How cramped the beast felt after a day on the ground, and how liberating it would feel to fly. Picturing cool wind flowing over her wings, she held her arms wide. Then she inhaled deeply, picturing the view changing to that from a bird’s eye.
Dragon’s-eye view. Her inner beast chuckled.
The more she wiggled her fingers, the more the webbing between them stretched. The more deeply she inhaled, the more her nostrils flared. Her skin rippled and twitched as leathery dragon hide emerged. Her toes curled, and the nails became sharp, pointy claws.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and, wow. She was a dragon. A huge, golden dragon — the color of royalty.
Of course, her dragon huffed.
She nearly rolled her eyes. She’d been ignorant of so much for so long. Now she was a dragon — and a pretty formidable one, at that.
Foot-long flames spouted from her nostrils as her dragon showed off.
Watch it, she muttered.
If there was one thing she’d learned about shifting, it was to conceal her animal side from the human world.
They’ll just think we’ve turned the barbecue up high, Liam said.
She turned, and there he was, looking as dashing in dragon form as in his human body. His skin was a yellowish, mustard color — a darker shade of his lion hide — and his eyes were the same goldish-green hue, glowing and sparkling as he took her in.
Like I said, the world’s most beautiful mate.
When she snorted, sparks crackled from her nostrils, and she chastised her dragon. Would you cut that out?
I will if you quit gawking and finally let me fly.
She steeled her nerves and snipped back. I will gawk as long as I like, and you will do as you’re told.
Liam had emphasized the importance of controlling her animal side, and he was right. If she gave the beast an inch, it would take over, and she mi
ght find herself spitting fire over the London skyline. Fun as that sounded, it just wouldn’t do.
Her dragon side muttered under its breath, but Gemma refused to give in.
Ready? Liam asked, spreading his wings.
With a nod, she mimicked him.
Set… Liam crouched, extending his tail.
Gemma bent her legs, relishing the power coursing through her body.
Go!
A tiny push was all it took to leave the terrace and — wheee! — she sailed through the air. The wind flowed under her wings, giving her lift, and she glided silently over Hyde Park. First, she swooped over the Rose Garden, taking in the neat, circular pattern. Then, with a slight tilt of her wings, she curved over the still waters of the Serpentine. When Liam beat his wings once and banked right, she followed.
Where are you heading?
Just a little detour, he murmured.
Gemma looked around, studying the network of streets and squares below. That dark patch was Regent’s Park, and beyond it, the sweeping lawn of Primrose Hill. And over there…
Her heart squeezed a little when she realized where Liam was heading. To the canal, lined with narrowboats in neat rows. They both dipped and peered down until Valhalla’s dark hull came into view.
That one? Liam pointed with one claw.
That’s her, Gemma sighed. She could tell by the flowerpots on the deck.
A single light glowed from the cabin, and Gemma pictured herself there a few weeks earlier, wondering about the cute, crazy man who insisted on protecting her. Her life had changed so much since then. And now that Valhalla’s owner had returned, that chapter was behind her for good. Still, she would cherish the memories forever.
Even that annoyingly low ceiling, Liam chuckled, reading her mind.
Her mind filled with heated images of the time they’d spent making love in the bunk.
It was cozy, she insisted.
Liam chuckled. In all honesty, she found the penthouse cozy too, and even the castle in Wales. Cozy came from decor, and above all, from good company. With Liam around, she could call any place home.
She beat her wings, gaining altitude. Even with an ancient spell in place, concealing them from human eyes, she felt a little safer higher up.
