by Milly Taiden
“Yeah, you don’t sound stressed at all,” said Axel, a fire dragon, passing by them. He stopped for a moment and glanced between Ice and Frost. “Where are you two off to?”
“Home.”
Axel raised his brows. “Alaska? Man, that’s far as hell. And cold, too. Why would you want to go up there now?”
“I need some peace and quiet,” Ice told him. “My dragon does, too.”
Frost grimaced. “I feel the same. It’s nice to have these jobs, but we’re not meant to be surrounded by so many people. We live in an area where our closest neighbor is several miles away. We’re not in town.”
“And we like it that way.”
“But it’s so…cold,” Axel complained.
Frost grinned. “We know. We’re ice dragons. We kind of like the cold.”
Ice nodded at Axel’s shocked face.
“I’ll never understand you ice folks,” Axel muttered.
“We’re older than you are, fire boy. How about you come and check out Alaska with us.”
Axel snorted. “Yeah, when hell freezes over, or my mother makes me. Until then, hell no.”
“Inviting Greta is a great idea.” Frost laughed. “Then you’d be forced to go.”
Axel glared at him as he marched away. “Don’t even joke.”
Ice thought about Axel. The fire dragon loved being single, but he was young. Meanwhile, he and Frost only found annoying non-mates that made their lives miserable. How was this fair?
“I sense your frustration, Ice. Be patient. Our mate is out there. We’ll find her when the time is right.”
Ice slammed his fist on his desk, pulling the attention of other agents from their work. “I’m old, Frost. Old and tired and I’m done waiting. If we don’t find our mate in the next six months, I’m going to sleep.”
Frost’s eyes filled with panic. “You can’t. This isn’t like you, Ice. You don’t quit.”
Too bad. He was fucking drained from ungrateful humans. Of not finding their mate. Of the noise of the city. Sleeping under the ice gave him peace. It soothed his dragon. “I’m doing it, Frost.”
“You know if you’re sleeping when our mate comes into the picture, I won’t be able to know who she is and you won’t either. We might lose our chance.”
What was the likelihood that if he went to sleep, their mate would pop up when she hadn’t for hundreds of years? Not likely.
“I’m not changing my mind.”
Frost squeezed his shoulder. “Let’s go home. You’ll feel better when you breathe clean air and don’t have to hear cars honking and people rushing to go nowhere.”
He sent an email to one of his partners to explain why they were leaving and told her that if she really needed them, she could reach them at home. Hopefully, she wouldn’t need them.
Going home wasn’t as simple as picking up and leaving. They had to ensure a neighbor would watch their plants and get their mail. Mrs. Pendlebury was a sweetheart and volunteered every time they went away for work or to Alaska. Ice was pretty sure she thought they were a gay couple, but he didn’t bother correcting her thinking.
It was easier for her to think them gay than for him to explain they were ancient dragons. Not only that, but they were looking for a mate to create a triad. A triad in which there was no sex between the men; they focused solely on their woman. Yeah, really simple.
Once all was arranged, they drove to their usual mountain to leave their car. There, they shifted and flew high, their shiny white and light blue scales blending in with the clouds, allowing them to fly without running into problems. It took several days before they got home, making their usual stops along the way, but they were happy to arrive at their new home.
For many years, their cabin had been small, dry, and cramped. It had never bothered either man since they didn’t spend much time there. When they thought about a mate staying there, they realized there was a problem. After speaking to their female coworkers, they realized they needed remodeling.
Instead of working with what was there, they decided to leave the cabin as a guest house. A brand new deluxe cabin was built with a woman’s unique likes in mind. They hired the best cabin builder in all Alaska. Got the best building materials they could find to withstand the harsh fifty-below or more weather.
With the help of their boss and coworkers, they’d turned the cabin into a woman’s dream. At least, that’s what they’d been told. State of the art Jacuzzi tubs in all rooms. Heated floors throughout. Solar panels to heat the house and the water. They’d even gone as far as funding the power plant in the nearest town, so they could all have power in the darkest days of winter.
There were blackout shades on all windows. Massive wall-sized fireplaces in most rooms and a chef’s kitchen created out of a cook’s wet dreams. Again, this was all what their coworkers had told them.
They’d even paid for a top of the line satellite system to keep them connected during the worst snow storms so their mate would never feel like she couldn’t speak to her friends or family. Now if only they could find the woman.
Ice didn’t know if a mate would like any of it, but he and Frost did love the sauna on the lower level next to the movie theater.
A large attached, heated garage housed their snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicle to help any humans who might be stranded during a storm. Only a handful of people, also shifters, knew they were dragons. They weren’t vocal about their identities and liked to keep a low profile.
“Home sweet home.” Frost sighed and carried his bag inside, sliding out of his snow boots and coat.
“It’s definitely nice to be back,” Ice said, looking around the inside of their home and loving how immaculate it was. “Jackie came by and cleaned, I see.”
“I emailed her that we were coming before we left. She filled the fridges, too.”
“Remind me to give her a bonus,” Ice said, removing his own boots and coat. He padded on the warm floor in his socks, straight to the kitchen and opened the fridge to pull out a beer. Downing it in two gulps, he exhaled and smiled. “Now it feels like I’m home.”
Frost laughed. “Moron.” He slipped past Ice in the kitchen. “I’m going to heat up dinner.”
A beep came from Ice’s phone informing him a message came in. “Well, shit. I’ll check my emails.” Ice headed down the hall to the back of the cabin. Their home located at the top of a mountain gave them the most amazing views of the land and the skies. Their office was made up of four-inch thick glass panes, specially designed to keep the heat in while giving unobstructed views of the land.
He sat at one of two identical desks, his sight line down the frozen river and snow-capped trees. After booting up his system, he opened his work email, just to ensure what came in was nothing they had to answer before starting their time off.
Sure enough, an urgent email sat in his inbox. He double-clicked, frustration mounting at the fact he hadn’t been there ten minutes and already he was being stopped from enjoying his time away.
It was from Geraldine Wilder. Fuck. He’d forgotten to reply to her last email. She asked him to call her urgently. Without a second’s hesitation, he called her.
“It’s about time you called,” Gerri told him in a serious tone. “You’d think you boys weren’t interested in finding a mate.”
He sat up and froze. “Did you find us a mate?”
“That’s a work in progress,” she said evasively. “I have a job for you. It will allow you to work from home and keep my mind from being preoccupied so I can focus on finding you both a mate.”
“What kind of job?”
“I have a friend whose daughter is visiting Alaska. She’s looking for a friend. Her mother and I are a bit worried about her safety and would ask you to keep an eye on her. Meet her casually somewhere. You’re locals, so offer to help her look for her friend. And keep her out of trouble while she finds her friend. She should be visiting the local diner tomorrow. So you can start there.”
“That’s
all?” He grunted, trying not to growl.
“Yes. You’ll be able to work from home.” He narrowed his eyes at that line. Work from home. Not really. But working in their area was better than being asked to return to the city. He would quit if that was the case. Gerri was a favorite among the shifter partners in the company. She’d helped quite a few of them find their mates. There was no way he could say no.
“I emailed you her file. Read it. Find her. Keep her safe. And don’t worry about your mate. That’s coming for you.”
He read the file, then opened the professional headshot of the woman they’d be meeting at the Antler Diner in the morning. She had unruly curly hair that landed past her shoulders, in waves of auburn. Full pink lips tilted in a small grin. Her light brown eyes were full of laughter when she was clearly trying to be serious.
She had peachy, flawless skin that looked very healthy and well taken care of. Her dress in the photo matched her eyes. Then he saw her name. Raven Casino. He frowned. Why did that sound familiar?
4
Raven zipped her parka and put on everything her mother had bought for her. The sudden memory of when she’d gone skiing with her parents as a kid surfaced. She’d been so bundled up, she could barely see anything much less ski. It was like being a seven-year-old all over again. Gloves, hat, scarf, and everything a person could need to keep warm in Alaska.
Leaving the small plane, the wind caught her. It was bitingly cold. She sucked a deep breath and snuggled deeper into her parka.
She’d gone against her mother’s wishes to go in the family jet. Why waste so much gasoline to take only her to Alaska? Instead, she didn’t argue when her mother insisted on getting her first-class seats. Unfortunately, that last connecting flight to Antler was not one that had first class.
“Ms. Casino?” She squinted into the wind and noticed a man standing by the stairs of the plane wearing a sheriff’s uniform.
“Yes. You are?”
“I’m Sheriff White Hawk. We got word from Casino Worldwide that you were coming to check out our small town for a possible cabin retreat?”
She grinned. Her mother was such a good liar. Small, boutique hotels were her mother’s passion, but there was no way she’d build a cabin retreat in Antler, Alaska.
“Yes, sir. My friend is up here for her job as well. I’ll be staying with her.”
The sheriff raised his brows. His green eyes focused on hers. “Who would that be?”
“Juliet Taylor. She works for the National Snow and Ice Data Center.”
The sheriff looked away and walked toward the suitcases set up. “Which is your bag?”
“The blue hardcase.”
He picked up her bag. She’d carried everything known to man, unsure if she’d need it or not, or if she’d be able to get something if she got sick or needed snacks.
“Do you know Juliet?” she asked as they headed toward a parked SUV with the words Sheriff Department on the side.
“I met her when she first got here. A few people came along with her. She stayed and they left after a few days.”
She noticed he didn’t seem interested in talking about Juliet. “Have you seen her since?”
“Not recently,” he replied, opening the SUV door and helping her in. “I’ll put your bag in the back and drive you to your friend’s. She’s staying a short distance from town and you can get around easily on a snowmobile if you need to.”
She nodded, and he shut her door. While he came around, she wondered what could have happened to Juliet. Not hearing from her an additional three days had caused her to panic and get on a plane to Alaska. Her gut told her Juliet was in trouble and needed her. There was no way in hell she wouldn’t help her friend.
“How do you plan on getting inside?” the sheriff asked once they reached the cabin.
She turned to the sheriff. “I have a key.”
When she’d offered to check on Juliet for the data center, they’d been happy not to spend the money sending another person out there, so they sent her a key to the site and gave her permission to look everywhere for Juliet in hopes she was just having communication issues.
The sky had started to darken, and it was only four in the afternoon. “Is it usually dark this early?”
“We have several weeks where we have very little sunlight, so this is a normal day for the folks here at Antler.” He got out of the Jeep and pulled her bag out, passing her the handle. “I hope to see you around. The diner in town is pretty good. They make great pancakes.”
She watched him jump in his Jeep and leave quickly, not concerned about whether she made it inside safely or not. What kind of freaking sheriff did that?
Shaking her head, she dragged her bag to the company house steps, hauled it up each one, and then grunted her way to the front door. Keys out, she opened the door and rushed inside.
“Juliet?” she called out. “Juliet, it’s me! Raven!”
Nothing. Not even a hint of noise. She couldn’t even hear the wind outside. The glass panes on the cabin must’ve been thick. She took off most of what she had on, starting with her coat and gloves, noticing the temperature inside the cabin had to be in the high 70s and almost perfect. Once she was in only her fleece-lined leggings and sweater, she continued walking around.
Calling out to Juliet yielded no results. She didn’t know what was going on, but Juliet wasn’t in the cabin. In the kitchen, she found food labeled by the date in plastic containers. She opened one and took a whiff, then leaned her head away. That one had clearly gone bad. It was dated for a week ago. The standing freezer next to it was full of more pre-packed and labeled meals. Juliet was so organized.
She continued past the kitchen to the bedrooms and found the one with Juliet’s belongings. It was clean and tidy with a single photo of herself and Juliet at a beach in Bora Bora. They were smiling and happy. God, she hoped her friend was okay. A knot formed in her throat and fear expanded in her chest, choking her with its force.
“I’m going to find you,” she promised the Juliet in the photo. “I won’t leave here without you.”
She continued walking around until she’d gotten acquainted with every room of the cabin. She went back to Juliet’s bedroom and looked for her laptop but didn’t find it. Inside her desk was a notebook with handwritten notes. There was the location of the iceberg she’d been studying, which she’d dubbed Big Thick. Ha. Juliet was adorable.
There was an attached garage that housed a snowmobile and a Jeep with studded tires and chains, something she’d read about and knew was a necessity for the snow and ice. There were also several pairs of skis and ski gear.
She headed for the office she’d seen downstairs. The first thing she noticed was the chaos in the room. Papers and maps spread on every flat surface. Printed sheets with numbers that looked like lab results. She even found a couple cotton balls that were a deep purple. She had no idea what any of the mess was.
Moving to the modem boxes, she saw they were all plugged in and had flashing lights. Looked good to her, not that she was a tech guru by any means. A big board with the WIFI code made her life so much easier. She logged on and had immediate service.
There was no reason Juliet couldn’t have replied to her emails. There was something else wrong. She took that moment to email her parents to let them know she was okay. The last thing she needed was for them to send the Marines looking for her.
Her cellphone rang right away.
“Hi, Mom.” She sat on a recliner by a window to watch flurries fall.
“Baby, are you okay? Do you need me to send the jet to get you?”
“Mom, I’m fine. I told you I’m not coming home until I find Juliet. She’s up here and she’s in trouble because she hasn’t been home in several days.”
There was a short silence. “Have you considered that maybe she met a man and is just spending a few days getting jiggy with it?”
“Mom!” She laughed so hard she almost dropped her phone. Her mother had never used those
words before.
“What? It’s true. People do have sex, love. I mean, most people do. I don’t think you have in way too long, though.”
“Mom, let’s just stop right there. If she’s with a man, she’d have emailed me to tell me she’d be offline or something. Not just go M I A.”
“All I’m saying is that you need to think about all possibilities. It might not even be that big of a deal.”
She knew, though. Raven knew something bad was going on and Juliet was in trouble. “Okay, I just wanted you to know I’m fine.”
“I hear the end of the call coming, so I’ll remind you to put butter in your coffee or hot chocolate along with the MCT oil powders you took. I don’t want you to lose muscle, sweetie. And find a local restaurant. It’s the best way to ask people questions.”
“Got it, Mom. Butter in hot chocolate and a restaurant. Love you and Dad. Tell him I said hi.”
“Bye, baby, stay safe!”
They ended the call and she sighed. What would cause Juliet to disappear? And how could the sheriff treat the whole thing like it was no big deal? A woman was missing in his town. Something was happening in Antler and she was going to find out what. But first, she needed some sleep. She’d check out the town diner in the morning.
5
Raven parked the Jeep in the diner’s lot, grateful for the pre-programmed directions in the vehicle’s GPS, Marge’s Diner being at the top of the list. The place looked brand new on the outside. Clean and shiny with new parking lot.
She walked inside and was greeted with silence and stares from the locals.
“Hello,” a woman greeted her behind a counter. “Breakfast?”
“Yes, please.”
The woman motioned to the booths. “Go ahead and have a seat, sweetheart. I’ll be over in moment.”
She picked the only empty booth and sat, knowing all eyes were still on her. The inside looked recently remodeled. Updated style with cool colors and modern flair. Not what she expected in a hole in the ground town like Antler.
