Cimmerian Shade: A Limited Edition Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy Collection

by Kiki Howell

  Still engrossed in reading the messages and now taking delight in shooting the guys down without the slightest remorse, she didn’t realize she was no longer alone in the bedroom.

  “Hello, my dear, will Mac be back soon?”

  Heart in throat, beating at an insane beat, Bronwyn sat up stiff as a board in bed. The sheet falling away to reveal the top half of her body. Like Mac, the voice was smooth and deeper than average. Just inside the doorway, stood a tall woman full of elegance, grace, and danger. In comparison, Bronwyn immediately felt like a stocky stump, unable to flee in time if the woman decided to do her harm. Scrambling to cover up, her mind raced to respond.

  “Mac? Um, he’s, he’s...”

  “Never mind, my dear. I’ll reach out to him if he takes too long. Looks like I got here maybe a little too soon?” The woman had come into the room and was smiling. Her smile reminded Bronwyn of Mac’s.”

  “I’d don’t understand, how did you get in here? I thought—”

  “Oh, that. I have a key.” Continuing to eye Bronwyn in clear appraisal, the woman came closer still. “My, aren’t you a little thing. Cute as you can be.”

  She stood close enough for Bronwyn to see Mac’s same gray-blue eyes sparkling with interest. Then it made sense, she must be his sister. Her body still amped up on adrenaline to flee, the back of the headboard resisted against her pressing into it. The woman had yet to introduce herself but was clearly familiar with the layout of the house. Unfazed by Bronwyn’s state of undress, she came over to sit in the recliner Mac had brought closer to the bed last night.

  “So, pretty little woman, tell me more about you,” the woman said, sitting down and leaning in. Curiosity danced in the clear brilliance of those eyes that looked so much like Mac’s.

  Unable to concentrate on anything but making sure her life wasn’t in danger, Bronwyn’s reply came out with equal curiosity. “Who are you, Mac’s sister?”

  Laughter, bold and joyful burst out of the woman.

  “Oh, heavens no! Bless you, my child. Where are my manners? I was so excited when Mac mated that I rushed right over. No, I’m his mother, Elora Kelnar. Pleased to meet you.” The woman stuck out a hand to shake Bronwyn's tightly balled one. “You can call me Ellie or, if you’d like, Mom, like the rest of the kids do. I’m so happy to meet you.” The woman looked her over again, making Bronwyn even more aware of her nudeness under the sheet. “You’re a sight for sore eyes. I’ve been praying to the Goddess for you for some years now. My Mac, he’s always been my strong-willed, serious child as you might already know.” Bronwyn nodded, too stunned with how chatty the woman was to interrupt so she could put on some clothes. “Well, when my baby, his sister, found her mate a few years back, I was beside myself with worry. Mac is coming into his prime to start a family of his own and I couldn’t bear it if he hadn’t found his bond mate sooner than later. You’re smaller than I’d expected, but you’ve got the gift, so everything will be just fine.”

  “Gift? What are you referring to?” Bronwyn was too engrossed in that to pay attention to her surroundings. This would be the first thing she worked on as soon as she got some clothes on.

  “Mom! What the hell? Why are you in here bothering my mate?” Mac stood at the door, holding bags of Italian food from one of the restaurants in the area. The aroma reached out and commanded another long, loud growl from Bronwyn’s empty stomach. Both Mac and his mother turned to look at her. Like before, laughter followed.

  “Son, I see I got here right on time. You’ve had the young lady hold up in here without food? No wonder she looks so tiny and withdrawn.”

  “No, Mom, the withdrawn look is because of you. You’d have the same look if some stranger came busting into your bedroom while you were in bed nude, and sat down to talk like you were old friends. Just because you probably know more about her than she does, doesn’t mean you can act like your old friends. Do you even see how weird this is for my mate?”

  “I was only trying to meet your mate. Can’t a mother be excited when her first born joins with his mate?”

  Mac showed no mercy. “Ellie, I know you. Did you even introduce yourself before you came waltzing in here? And, must you sit so close to the bed like that? It looks like you’re trying to climb in on her.”

  Ignoring Mac and turning her attention back to Bronwyn, his mother said, “I blame myself for his lack of home training. I let him have too much freedom as the oldest.” Still looking at Bronwyn but clearly directing her next words to her son, she added, “I may have been excited and didn’t introduce myself right up front, but we were having a lovely conversation before you burst in here like I was going to scare her.”

  “You did, look at her. She’s trembling, and her back is pressed so far into the headboard, the bed is shaking from the force. Mom, come on now let up. I know you flew here too. Didn’t see the car. Are you trying to embarrass me in front of my mate?”

  “No, of course not. What kind of mother do you think I am? So, what, if I got so excited I flew. Trust me, when you two have Dragonlings, I’m going to remind you of this very conversation. That reminds me,” She turned her attention back to Bronwyn, “I do hope your joining was blessed of the Goddess. I could stand to have some grandbaby Dragons.” Rising up and coming closer, Ellie started sniffing the air around Bronwyn.

  What was this lady doing?

  “Mom, quit smelling Bronwyn to see if she’s pregnant. Go back downstairs. Give us time to eat and freshen up." Bronwyn could see the woman's head shaking no ever so tipping her hand that she refused to leave, as Mac continued. "We’ll be down there to visit with you in say an hour.”

  “An hour? No, Mac, you will not try to sneak a quickie in while I wait for you to release the pretty little thing from your thirst. Yes, I sense it all over you.”

  “Ellie, you’re trying my patience. Don’t make me get Dad to come get you.”

  “You wouldn’t dare, you little ingrate. I should have never started nursing you. Your cockiness grows with each passing year. For the umpteenth time, call me Mom or Mother.” Again, she turned back to Bronwyn, this time picking up Bronwyn’s hand into her own and caressing it. “Dear, please pardon my son, he doesn’t have the good manners to give us a proper introduction. You already know my name,” Ellie looked back over to Mac and frowned, then back to her, Ellie said, “What is your name?”

  “Bronwyn Scott.”

  “Oh, what a beautiful name. It fits you wonderfully. If only your mother could be here to see how lovely you’ve become.”

  “Mom! That’s it, out.” Mac rushed over, crossing the large area of the room to grab his mother by the arm and yank.

  “Mac, where are your shoes? I swear you act more like your barbarian father with each passing day.”

  “Mom, out,” he said, pushing her with a gentle but firm shove toward the door. “Go find something to do out in the garden. We’ll be down to meet with you in an hour.” Closing and locking the door behind his protesting mother, Mac turned back to face Bronwyn and said, “I’m so very sorry. I should have known she’d be one of the first to know when we mated.”

  Still enduring the aftershocks of Tsunami Ellie, Bronwyn found she could only blink has her mind tried to regain normal capacity attempting to process what had just happened.

  “I know, my love. My mother is a true force of nature. She’s a high-ranking member of the Dragon governing council. I thought she’d still be at her office in Washington, D.C. since they’re in session. Else, I would have warned you of her possible appearance.” He paused to look at her. “Bronwyn, are you able to speak? Say something.”

  Words didn’t immediately come when she made the first attempt. A few more tries and she managed to get out, “Powerful.”

  “Yeah, she’s a top-ranking official in our Dragon and shifter government.”

  “No, Mac, I mean powerful as a Dragon. When she came into the room, I could feel her power. Instinct had me feeling like prey for the first time in my life. I was afraid
of your mother.”

  “Oh, I see.” He scratched his head in thought. “To me, she’s my overbearing mother, but I guess to someone who’s never met a Dragon of royal lineage it might be different.”

  “What does that even mean? I’ve been in here alone with a powerful Dragon who happens to be your mother and all I could think of was that she might kill and eat me.”

  “Nonsense, my mother is darn near a vegetarian.”

  “Mac, it doesn’t matter. She scares me.”

  “She’s harmless. You see how easy it was for me to get her out of here.”

  “You’re her son. She birthed you.”

  “Ellie likes you too much to do anything to you.”

  “And, stop calling her by her name. Call her Mom like she asked you too.” Bronwyn was growing more agitated by the second.

  “Baby,” he said, calling her that for the first time. “Why are you so upset? Did she do something to you before I got here?”

  “No, nothing but come in, take a seat and start talking like we were long lost, friends.”

  “That would be her way—if she likes you.” He looked at Bronwyn, narrowing his eyes. “Bronwyn,”

  “Hmm?”

  “Think back. When you first saw my mother did you see her or her Dragon form?”

  Bronwyn took a moment to think, mentally retracing her thoughts. Her body involuntarily flinched. Too fast to comprehend with her eyes, but Bronwyn had seen his mother as a Dragon first.

  Nodding, she confirmed it. “Yes, it was so quick that it didn’t register with my conscious, but I was scared the entire time, no matter what she said.”

  “Interesting, my mother isn’t going to do anything to you, I can assure you of that.”

  “How can you be so sure? She could be putting on that she likes me for your benefit.”

  “No, I heard her before I made it to the door, she likes you. I can tell she’s fascinated by you as well. Plus, she never touches people she doesn’t like. Let’s get you fed, bathed and then we can go down and see what the woman knows.”

  “Why do you treat your mother like that?”

  “Like what?”

  “With disrespect. I don’t like it. Please, honor her. If you didn’t have her around, you’d understand how much you seem to be taking her love for you for granted. I can’t tell you how much I’d give to know my mother for one more day.” Then Ellie’s words came back to her. “Hey, you heard what your mother said. I think she may know something about my mother or my past.” Hope blooming, she dared to go there. “Mac, do you think it would be okay to ask her what she might know about my past?”

  He ran a hand through his hair and began to pace before answering. “Dear one, do you really want to bond with your mother-in-law over discovering your past? What if she discovers something sensitive? That would be something you’d never be able to undo.”

  “I don’t care. If she can help me find out who my mother is and if I have siblings, I’d be so grateful.”

  “Would you stop being afraid of her as well?”

  Bronwyn had to slow down on that one. “We’ll have to see. As long as she doesn’t keep throwing off those predatory vibes, I might be inclined to come around.”

  He laughed. “That’s all I can ask.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  BRONWYN

  “You’re willing to help me find out about my past? Yes, thank you!” Bronwyn was too excited to slow down.

  “Of course, my dear. It’s not every day I gain a magical daughter of your lineage.”

  “Wait, go back. Mom, I swear, if you don’t stop making references to stuff only you know about, I’m going to scream.”

  Bronwyn gave Mac a look to behave and respect his mother. He got the hint. “Mom, I apologize. Bronwyn says I’m disrespectful to you. Please tell her this is our relationship and has been since I can remember?”

  Looking at Bronwyn, the beautiful woman gave her a wink and said, “It’s because I dropped him on his head a few too many times. When he refused to behave like the sweet little Dragonling I always wanted, his father and I gave up. This is what we got. Ornery as the day is long, but a Dragon son who makes us proud every day he breathes. Yes, I let him get away with murder, but look at that face. Isn’t he adorable?”

  Bronwyn laughed so hard she snorted. She was warming up to his mother. Yes, the woman held more power than she’d ever encountered but appeared to be genuine in her affection toward her. It was evident she loved her son fiercely too.

  “Gah, Mom go back and explain what you mean about Bronwyn having a magical lineage. She smells human, doesn’t she?”

  “Mac, this is why I begged you to study your magical history classes harder. Can’t you tell that’s a spell? Bronwyn does have a bit of human in her, but she’s a Brownie-Fairy heritage. The fact that you mated with a Brownie-Fairy speaks to how pure and good your heart is. When they are centered and in their power, both Brownies and Fairies are excellent discerners of soul and spirit. If the confidence is there, they see the true nature of everyone. I think it’s part of their defense mechanism to ward off from dangers—you know being about to see who is evil, insane, dangerous and the like? Isn’t that right, Bronwyn?”

  “Huh, what? I don’t think I have any of those gifts.”

  “Don’t you, my dear? You were able to see my Dragon side before you saw me upstairs. Something tells me you know who your customers are before they do.”

  Bronwyn found herself nodding in agreement to what the woman said. “But, that just means I have good instincts and hunches.”

  “You keep telling yourself that, dear, if it makes you feel better.” To her son, Ellie said, “For her to join with you means your Dragon has been proving your desire to her for a very long time.” To Bronwyn, she said, “How long did my son’s Dragon come to you in dreams before you two met?”

  “How did you know he did that? He didn’t even realize it when we talked about his Dragon.”

  “He’s a male Dragon, they don’t pay attention to much besides treasures, mate thirst, and winning.”

  “You know your son then,” Bronwyn said loud to speak over Mac’s protests to the contrary.

  Ellie reached out to grab Bronwyn’s hand again. The woman was affectionate like her son. Bronwyn scooted closer to her on the sofa and clasped her hand. Gone was the fear to be replaced with a maternal warmth.

  “Yes, my daughter, please accept me. I mean you no harm. You are part of my family, and I will protect you with the fierceness I would like any of my other children. I count you as my daughter.”

  A tear clung to Bronwyn’s eyelash for dear life. “I believe you,” she said, squeezing Ellie’s hand.

  “Then can I at least get you to call me Mom?”

  Mac spoke up, “Bad form Ellie. You can’t try to weasel the mom out of my mate like that.”

  “Behave, why don’t you, male child of mine!” The room laughed again. “My darling new daughter, you can call me whatever you like, no pressure.” With a wink of whimsy, she said, “Now, let me get to the stuff you want to know.”

  Bronwyn sat up, giving her full attention to the woman.

  “First, I have a bit of sad news. It’s what you want to know most about.”

  Bronwyn took in a breath and nodded for Ellie to continue.

  “Both your parents are deceased. Your father had died before you were born and your mother died soon after childbirth. Unfortunately, she fell on hard times after your father passed and tried to deliver you herself alone. They were good people, trying to live in peace.” Giving Bronwyn a moment to let this sink in, Ellie grew quiet.

  “Please, did they have any other children before me?” The desperation of that last hope bounded forward with how urgent Bronwyn asked for the information.

  With a nod of understanding Ellie said, “No my dear, you were the only child of your mother and father. You should know that your mother named you as her last gift before dying. Your name means blessed. As a Brownie, she wa
s always working for others. Her heritage was that work should be rewarded with gifts. To be named blessed meant that you’d always receive great gifts.” She continued as the tears began to flow freely down Bronwyn’s face. “Your father was a fairy. His life was spent helping humans become better. In your own life, you have a perfect balance between your parents. I saw your van in the driveway. That would be the perfect profession for a Brownie-Fairy. Your father placed the spell that you appear to be fully human on you while you were still in the womb. He wanted to protect you from those who would try to capture and enslave you for their selfish interests.” Looking over at her son, Ellie said, “I now know and understand what you were out doing. You did good son. Always protect her, she’s a unique and precious treasure indeed.”

  “Wait, I’m lost. What are you talking about?” Bronwyn said, looking back and forth between mother and son.

  “She’s referring to the fact that Scott has Troll blood. He’s a bully by nature. When I went to see him, we came to an understanding. He’s never to contact you again, try to do anything to your reputation, or sue you.”

  “How do you know he’ll keep his word? You didn’t do anything to harm him, did you?” Bronwyn didn’t want Mac to go to jail over her.

  “Didn’t have to. Dragons don’t usually have to resort to violence to get our points across. He saw the error of his ways quickly.”

  Ellie interjected, “Not sure what this Scott guy did, but if he was able to get Bronwyn to work for him, he had a strong deception spell working. Do you think he knew what Bronwyn is?”

  “Nah, he might have Troll lineage, but he appeared to be as clueless as I was about her.”

  “Yes, but still, protect our darling Bronwyn here just in case he gets a clue. Brownies and Fairies are highly sought after by those who would exploit them. She’s a double whammy, running around the city offering her services. I’m going to come right out and say it, that’s asking for trouble.”