by Julia Mills
Cupcake Kisses
&
Dragon Dreams
Dragon Guard #29
by
Julia Mills
There Are No Coincidences.
The Universe Does Not Make Mistakes.
Fate Will Not Be Denied.
Copyright © 2018 Julia Mills
All Rights Reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictional manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
NOTICE: This is an adult erotic paranormal romance with love scenes and mature situations. It is only intended for adult readers over the age of 18.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Edited by Lisa Miller with Angel Editing Services
Proofed by Tammy Payne with Book Nook Nuts
Cover by Linda Boulanger with Tell Tale Book Covers
Beta Read by Linda Levy
Formatted by Charlene Bauer with Wickedly Bold Creations
DEDICATION
Dare to Dream! Find the Strength to Act! Never Look Back!
Thank you, God.
To my girls, Liz and Em, I Love You. Every day, every way, always.
To all who have been touched by cancer, I send you my love, hugs and prayers. Only together, supporting one another in any way that we can, will we ever defeat this silent killer. Stay strong, Warriors. Soar on Dragon wings.
Story of Hope
When the ladies in this set asked me to be a part of their amazing group, I was so very honored then when the decision was made to send the proceeds to the American Cancer Society, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Every day 4,600 people are diagnosed with some form of this deadly disease for which there is no cure.
Now, as most of you know, I’m not a big numbers person. I mean, come on, I write about dragons and vamps, wolves and big cats – fantasy is my thang. I love escaping to another world, getting lost in the words, leaving reality behind, and I have my mom, Barbara Lake to thank for that. Her love of reading and writing poetry inspires me every single day of my life.
Not only did she teach me and my children right from wrong, to be kind, to be loving, to share, and to help when and where I can, but she also made sure I knew how to make the best Texas sheet cake in the whole wide world, and how to put on make-up without looking like a clown, while instilling in all of us a love for reading. God, my dad, my brother, her grandkids and I were always the center of her world. An absolutely amazing nurse practitioner, who gave her heart and soul to her patients, my mom never said no to anyone.
Wife, mom, caregiver, grandmother they were only a few of her titles and she put her heart and soul into each and every one, even when at the very young age of sixty-eight she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma – an aggressive form of cancer that attacks healthy plasma cells. In my mom’s case, it used her blood to assault her bones. Now, here is the part where her faith, her knowledge and her strength really kicked in.
Instead of shutting herself away and waiting she die, my mom fought with every fiber of her being. She continued to work. Continued to heal. Continued to be an amazing mom and the most fabulous grandmother ever to my girls.
Fighting as hard as she could, my mom, my friend, the woman I owe everything to, never gave up, never saw anything but hope, and in the end only thought of her family. Cancer is a dirty bastard. I am sorry for the harsh words, but it’s true.
We read books together. We laughed. We cried. We did it all. And when this effing asshole disease took my mom from us, we all knew heaven had gained a very special angel.
This horrible disease sneaks in like a thief in the night, attacks our loved ones, and robs us of so very many beautiful people every single day. To be blunt, I effing hate it and that is why this project, the words I wrote, and the characters I created are not only for her, but for every single person who in one way or another is impacted by the bloody tyrant, cancer.
I hope you float away on soft waves of the ocean, soar on dragon wings, and laugh you heinie off as you read Cupcake Kisses and Dragon Dreams. Be safe. Read lots. And, please, Dare to Dream. We are the answer. We are the hope. I love each and every one of you so very much!
Enjoy every day. Hug the ones you love. Smile lots.
Your sassy, southern storyteller, with a mouth like a sailor, and a lotta love for each and every one of you,
XOXO Julia
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
Story of Hope
Grams’ Famous Red Velvet Cupcakes
About Julia
Also by Julia Mills
Chapter One
“That’s all for me today. And, Remember, always add a little magic to your recipes with X’s and O’s. See y’all next time on Kalliope’s Kupcake Kitchen. Bye for now.”
“And…Cut. Great job, Kallie, another winner.”
“Thanks, Jack. You’re the best,” she smiled, giving her cameraman a wink as she took off her mic, untied her apron and slipped out of her signature four-inch, red heels. Heading towards her dressing room, the Witch-turned-TV-cooking-show-host thanked everyone who helped make her show a success by announcing, “Thank y’all so much! There’s about a hundred-and-fifty-two salted caramel, devil’s food cupcakes on the shelves and in my ‘magic’ ovens, have at it. They’re awesome with two gallons of nice cold milk in the fridge.”
“Thank you, Kalliope,” came the chorus of gratitude. She loved her crew. They were the best. It was a shame not a damn one of the good-looking guys she was surrounded by nearly every day of her life make her nose tingle and her heart go pitter-pat, but they were all good people, and that’s what mattered most.
Grabbing an everything bagel and a banana from the luncheon table, Kallie turned to head to her dressing room and ran right into her producer, who also happened to be one of her very best friends, Jesse James, no relation to the outlaw, or so he always said. “Now, how am I ever gonna be your best bride’s man if your breath smells like onions and garlic? You do know men don’t get into kissing stanky lips, right?”
Taking a huge bite of her bagel and furrowing her brow, Kalliope grumped around a mouth full of food, “I’m doomed to be an old Witch, sitting in her rocking chair, listening to her cats purr and her bats coo.”
“Oh my, Lordy.” Jesse gave an over exaggerated gasp, slapping one hand over his heart and the back of the other on his brow as he imitated Scarlett O’Hara to a tee, southern accent and all. “There’s someone out there for you, Honey Child. You just need to try a little harder.”
Laughing despite her got-no-boyfriend blues, Kallie teased, “If I put myself out there anymore, I might as well run through the streets in my birthday suit screaming, ‘Cute girl needs a man. Please call 555-Help-A-Witch-Get-Laid.”
“Maybe not your birthday suit, but I could have the Wardrobe Department whip you up something low in the front and short in the back.”
Swatting Jesse’s arm, Kalliope frowned, “No way,
Jess. I’ve seen your idea of sexy. Remember last year’s Halloween party?”
“Hey,” the flamboyant producer called after her as the sassy Witch headed to her dressing room. “I was Cher, and Jeffrey was Madonna. I can’t help it if half my heinie was out. We were just being true to the costumes.”
“What little of them there was,” Kalliope teased over her shoulder as she walked across the threshold and threw her apron in the white wicker hamper to her right. “My momma and Grams would haunt me for the rest of my life if I wore anything that showed that much boob and butt.”
“Yeah, but I bet you’d find a man.”
“So you keep tellin’ me,” she groaned, taking a seat in front of her makeup mirror and looking for the wipes to take off her makeup. “And then there’s Meredith.” Kallie rolled her eyes. “She just keeps saying, ‘Bump into a guy at the Coffee House. It always works in the movies’.” Swiveling around as she swiped at her eyes, Kallie added, “Of course, the one time I tried, I ended up with Chocky-Wocky-Doodah Frappuccino all over the front of my favorite butter-colored linen dress.”
“Oh, for the shame of it all.” Jesse did his usual wiggly finger wave as he read from his clipboard. “Let me talk to Jeffrey. We can have a little impromptu soirée with all the single, straight guys we know.”
“All three of them?”
“Now, that is just so wrong. Just because I am young, gay and fabulous with an amazing life partner does not mean I don’t still keep up with all my friends.” He tried to act affronted but ended up smiling as he went on, “Okay, you might be right, but there’s you, Meredith, and Daphne and…ummm…well, there’s Jack, Jorge, Charlie, and Sam.”
“The cameraman, boom operator, sound guy and prop director of my show.” Kallie turned back towards her mirror. “See what I mean? I’m on my own. If I get any older, my Coven is gonna start animating the mannequins at Saks to put in the passenger seat of my car, so I can ride in the carpool lane.” Wagging her finger at the reflection of her friend in the mirror, she grumbled, “Sally Mae even has a boyfriend. Sally-freakin’-Mae with her crazy red hair, braces at eighty-two and stuck-in-the-80’s wardrobe. I swear I heard the over two-hundred crowd starting a pool on how long it would take me to find a man and the opening bid was a hundred-and-fifty-years old.”
Getting up and crossing the room, Jesse patted her shoulder as he reassured, “Don’t listen to the Merry Widowed Witches Club. You know they’ve all been married at least six times and each husband disappeared under ‘unexplained circumstances’.” Jesse even gave her his famous air quotes along with a kiss on the cheek and a shoulder hug. “The right guy for you is out there for you. I just know it. You’re gorgeous, funny, smart, witty and can cook anything under the sun.”
“And don’t forget, I’m the only one in the whole wide world who has Grams’ famous red velvet cupcake recipe.”
Standing to his full height, the outrageous, lovable man Kalliope had known since she saved his butt from a group of nasty bullying trolls on the playground when they were seven, gave her his jazz hands as he sang, “And there you have it. Whip those up for your Valentine’s show and you’ll have the men lined up around the block.”
“You think so?” Kalliope smiled, catching some of Jesse’s excitement. “Maybe I’ll fill them with white chocolate ganache and bright red candy hearts. Jazz ‘em up a bit.”
“Not those nasty cinnamon hearts, right?” Jesse curled up his nose as his eyes got really big.
“Of course not, Goofball. Those are way too strong for red velvet.” Getting out of her chair and slipping her feet into her pink flip flops, Kallie went on, “I’m gonna make them from scratch with just a touch of cherries and a whole lotta love.”
“Sounds perfect, Lovebug, and don’t forget the cream cheese frosting,” Jesse trilled, kissing her once on each cheek before walking into the hall and calling over his shoulder, “Make extra. You know how the crew loves your treats.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. And you’re gonna steal at least a dozen.” Kallie teased.
“You know it, Sugarplum,” came Jesse’s chuckled reply from somewhere down the hall.
Putting the straps of her red patent bag on her shoulder, she headed towards the parking lot stopping to talk to her fans who were waiting outside the backstage door and signing copies of her newest cookbook. Smiling from ear-to-ear, happy as a clam at all the wonderful people who watched her show and gave her such amazing support, Kalliope nearly floated across the hot asphalt lot.
Once in her little red convertible VW bug, Kalliope couldn’t help but think about all the other ways she could make Grams’ Famous Red Velvet Cupcakes even more special. Her viewers were expecting fantastic, and that was exactly what she planned to give them. By the time she got home, she had it all figured out. Her usually cheery attitude was back and she was rarin’ to go. Baking was her form of stress relief, always had been and probably always would be.
And I’ve got the curves to show it…
She loved creating, decorating, just everything associated with messing about in the kitchen and best of all, it reminded her of her Grams, the coolest, hippest, greatest grandma in the world. Kallie thought of all the hours they’d spent in the kitchen, singing, laughing and making the best treats ever. No one topped their creativity or their flavors. People came from miles around when Grams put out the word she was having a Bake Sale. All the proceeds went to the Witches Welfare Fund. She even took orders for holidays, birthdays and anniversaries and never had a complaint.
Throwing open the front door, she yelled to her roommates, “Daphne! Trish! I’ve got an idea for my Valentine’s show and I need your help.”
Popping into the kitchen before she’d even put her purse down, her two best girlfriends smiled wickedly, each waving a wooden spoon in the air as they chirped in unison, “We’re in, as long as we can lick the bowl.”
Now, I just pray they don’t burn down the house…
Chapter Two
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Maddox, the most cantankerous Guardsman, who’d rightfully been dubbed the Mad Dragon hundreds of years ago, grumped.
“What’s wrong wit’ me? Is that whit ye jest asked?” Murdock glowered at one of his oldest friends. “Ye knoow damn good and well whit’s wrong wit’ me. I hate bein’ out tae water. Ah want tae go home. Ah need tae keep searchin’ fur Atticus.” He stopped, all thoughts centering on his older brother, one of the famed Enforcers, attacked by wizards over a century ago and as far as Murdock was concerned, sitting somewhere at the bottom of the sea. He knew no one believed him when he said he’d heard the voice of his brother…well, no one but Atticus’ son, Brannoc. The lad had also felt his father’s call after all those years of grieving his death.
Shaking off his frustration, Murdock added, “But a promise tis a promise and I woon’t let ye lot down.”
“And for that we are grateful, Dock” Pearce, the most laid-back Guardsman Murdock had ever met, nodded after using the nickname Murdock hadn’t heard in decades. “But if it’s at your own detriment, I know for a fact Kayne and Drago would tell you to head back to the sea.”
“Aye, but Ah made a commitment.” He tried to smile. “So, let’s git this shite figured oout and then Ah kin take a swim.”
Maddox’s grumbles were followed by a quick, “Sorry, for snapping,” which forced a true smile to cross Murdock’s face as he teased, “Oh me Heavens, was that an apology from none other than the Mad Dragon?” Barking out a laugh, he added, “Havin’ a mate has truly soothed the savage beast.”
“Ha – Ha – Ha,” Maddox mocked. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”
As the group erupted in laughter, Murdock had to admit, if only to himself, that he’d missed the comradery of his brethren. Protecting the sea from all enemies of the Dragons was a lonely job, but one he took seriously. It hadn’t always been easy being one of the few two-natured Dragons to survive, but being able to transform into a Water Dragon as well as a Fire had saved his
hide more times than he could remember.
Focusing back on his still chuckling brethren, Murdock joked, “Doxie, ye knoow ye’ve always been a belligerent ol’ bastard, dinnae deny it. But now that ye have that lovely Witch by yer side, we all see your soft underbelly.”
“Whatever,” the Mad Dragon huffed, turning back to the maps on the table. Slapping the palm of his hand on the hard wood, Maddox added, “Y’all should focus more on your work and less on my love life, ya’ hear? This damned volcano isn’t called Devil’s Kiss for no reason. We have to make sure our boys don’t get lost while looking for the others.”
“Aye, aye, Captain,” Pearce snickered with a mock salute, just as Brannoc and his cute little mate, Annie, a bear shifter with a heart of gold, walked into the Grand Hall.
Turning towards his nephew, Murdock kissed Annie on the cheek before wrapping Brannoc into a hug complete with a slap on the back. Taking a step back, the older Dragon shook his head and chuckled, “Damn it all, if ye aren’t the spittin’ image of yer da.”
Grinning, the younger Guardsman winked, “Handsome runs in the family.”
“Oh, my Goddess,” Annie scoffed, elbowing her mate. “Now there’s two Deóireach male egos to contend with. I think I need to sit down for overload of BS.” Looking at the other Guardsmen, she added, “Don’t y’all think it’s getting’ a little deep in here?”
Ignoring what she said, her mate advised, “You need to sit down anyway.”
Murdock watched Brannoc guide a very pregnant Annie towards the first available chair, proud of the care his nephew was taking of not only his mate but his twins that were due any day. “I can feel those babies tumbling and kicking in your belly,” the proud poppa grinned as he rubbed his mate’s swollen stomach.
