by Chris Cannon
Her grandmother’s cell rang. Her eyes narrowed as she nodded along to whatever she was hearing. “I see. Yes. Yes, that would be best.” She hung up and sighed. “One of the guards will escort us to our SUVs and back to the house.”
“What’s wrong?” Bryn asked.
“The man you saw was one of the crew who has been working on this estate. He’s alive but unresponsive. They’ve sent for a Medic.”
That didn’t sound good. “Silver dragon-pires?” Bryn asked.
“We won’t know until after they’ve examined him,” her grandmother said, “but that would be my guess.”
“There’s no reason to wait for anyone to escort us to our cars,” Jaxon said. “I think we should leave so the guards can search the estate without us in their way.”
“You think someone could be hiding in the house?” Bryn asked.
“It’s logical. There are portions of the building that aren’t complete, so it would be easy to find a way inside. Speaking of which, since we flew down and came in the veranda door, the window to the rooftop stairs is probably still wide open.”
“We closed it,” Lillith said, “but we didn’t lock it.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Jaxon said.
“Not by yourself,” Bryn said. “No one goes anywhere alone.”
“I can take care of myself.” Jaxon stood and activated his elemental swords so that twin blades of ice shot from his hands.
“Yes, but we’re a team and there might be more than one of them.” She activated her bracelet so the sword of fire and ice shot from her right hand.
Her grandmother stood. “I’m pulling rank. Neither of you are going anywhere. I’ll alert the guards that the roof access is unlocked. They can take care of it. And to keep either of you from doing anything which requires weapons, we’ll leave now.” She pulled out her phone and explained the new developments to someone. Then she pointed at Jaxon and Bryn. “Put your swords away.”
“I’ll wait until we get to the car,” Bryn said. “Just in case someone sneaks up on us.”
“She’s not wrong,” Jaxon said. “Mother, let’s go.”
All four of them exited the dining room and made their way to the front door. Bryn went first, and Jaxon stayed by his mother’s side. They reached their rides without incident. Bryn released her sword. “You’ll call if you learn anything from your father?”
Jaxon nodded. “And you’ll do the same if your grandfather discovers anything?”
“Yes.” They climbed into the SUV and the driver took them home.
“Before spotting that poor man,” her grandmother said. “How were things going between you and Jaxon?”
“Pre-dragon-pire issues, we were doing good. I think the estate made him happy. It’s reassuring to know that no matter how strange things are we’ll have a wonderful place to live.”
Her grandmother nodded and there were tears in her eyes. “I wish Sara could have understood that.”
“We’re back to that catch-22 situation. If she had married Ferrin, I wouldn’t be here.”
“I know.” Her grandmother reached for Bryn’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “You are the best possible outcome from the biggest heartbreak of my life. Sometimes it’s hard to reconcile the two.”
…
Back at Sinclair Estate, Bryn went to her room and called Ivy.
“Hello, Bryn. What’s up?” Ivy said.
“How’d you know it was me?”
“Unlike your grandparents’ estate and the Institute, my house has this wonderful modern technology called Caller ID.”
Bryn laughed. “I miss that.” And then she told Ivy about her eventful day.
“You have a pool on your roof?” Ivy said.
“It’s pretty cool. I’ll make sure you and Clint have your own guest suite. But beyond that, what do you think Jaxon meant?”
“I think the house made him happy and he can see having a future there with you.”
“As a friend?” Bryn said.
“Or more,” Ivy said. “As long as dragon-pires don’t take over your house as their evil lair, I think you guys will be okay.”
“No dragon-pires allowed in the pool,” Clint called out in the background.
Bryn smiled. “Tell him he can paint that on a sign and I’ll hang it next to the pool.”
“All joking aside,” Ivy said. “That’s pretty ballsy that dragon-pires were roaming the estate.
“I know. And I’m sure my grandfather is working overtime trying to catch these jerks before the Christmas Ball. Last year was bad enough. If dragon-pires crash his party he’s going to be furious.”
After dinner that night, Bryn sat in the dining room with her grandparents, wondering how to bring up the topic of visiting her parents to decorate their tree.
“What’s on your mind, Bryn?” her grandfather asked.
“I guess I need to work on my poker face.” Maybe she should wait and bring this up when her grandfather wasn’t around. It’s not like he didn’t know she went to visit them. “I planned to visit my parents and help them decorate their tree. When I was in school I had friends drive out there with me so I wouldn’t be alone. Is it okay if one of your drivers takes me out there, or do I need someone else to go with me?”
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t leave the estate until we’re sure that the dragon-pires are no longer in the vicinity. The man you spotted earlier still hasn’t regained consciousness. The Medics aren’t sure if he will.”
“That’s awful.” Bryn had assumed he’d have the same experience she did. Not fun, but she’d made a full recovery. “Unlike the past victims, myself included, these dragon-pires don’t care about leaving their victims alive?”
“At the moment we don’t know the answer to that question, but I’d assume you’re right. I have a dozen men searching the building site and the grounds all around Sinclair Estate. Once we’ve determined it’s safe to travel, we’ll send an extra guard with you when you wish to visit your parents, but that may not happen for awhile.”
“I understand. What I don’t understand is why anyone wants to suck the life force from another dragon.”
“I’m sure Jaxon told you the conspirators we captured were Green-Blue hybrids. When you combine genius with an unfulfilled desire to rule, the result is an unhealthy obsession for power.”
“True. I hate that everyone thinks the dragon-pires are Green. Garret is not happy about that.”
“Once we’ve apprehended the guilty parties, the truth will come out,” her grandfather said.
“On to a happier topic, have you seen the reports on Garret’s prosthetic wings and braces? He’s done some amazing things.”
“He is a brilliant young man. I’d be willing to fund anything he wants to pursue in the future. A lot of Greens just theorize, but he creates functional prototypes. That’s impressive.”
This was a far cry from the man who used to think that injured dragons should stay out of sight because they reflected poorly on the Clan. She was proud of him. Saying that would earn her no end of grief, though, so she kept her thoughts to herself. Although she did chalk it up as a personal accomplishment. He never would have considered funding Garret’s prosthetics if she hadn’t asked.
Before she went to bed that night she called Jaxon.
“I guess you didn’t hear anything about the investigation,” she said.
“No,” Jaxon said, “but I have a question. If we hadn’t gone up on the roof and seen that man would he have died?”
“I don’t know. Why?”
“It’s one thing to steal someone’s life force, knowing they’ll recover with medical help. It’s another thing to drain someone and leave them to die. Both are crazy, but one is more disturbing than the other.”
“When I was attacked, I don’t think they meant for me to die. They could’ve dumped me somewhere no one would find me, but they didn’t. Maybe the guy today was the same way. They knew it was a construction site and that someone wou
ld find him.”
“I think you might be overly optimistic,” Jaxon said.
After hanging up with Jaxon, Bryn called her parents and explained what was going on. They agreed that she should stay put. “Don’t worry about the tree,” her mom said. “We’ll just string some popcorn to put on it this year.”
“The dragon-pires are messing up my holiday plans,” Bryn said, attempting to make a joke.
“At least we were able to bake cookies,” her mom said. “And after the holidays we’ll go shopping for ornaments on sale so we’ll be set for next year.”
“Sounds good.” She hung up after talking to her dad for a few minutes and making him promise that neither of them would go anywhere by themselves. It did strike her as ironic that her mom still planned to bargain shop for ornaments when Bryn hadn’t blinked at the price for Jaxon’s gift. Funny how quickly she’d grown used to having cash in her bank account. Not that she planned on becoming an Olympic-level shopper, but knowing there was money if she needed it gave her great peace of mind. Maybe she could siphon some of it off into an account for her parents, because she hated to think of them having to pinch every penny.
…
By the time the Christmas Ball rolled around Bryn was keyed up with anticipation. Sure there would still be Blues who wouldn’t like her, but she wouldn’t be by herself this year…she’d be with Jaxon. She wouldn’t have to sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else mix and mingle and dance. Last year that had totally sucked.
Neither Ferrin nor her grandfather had found out any new information about the dragon-pires, which meant she’d been housebound. For tonight she wanted to forget about Quintessence-sucking Green-Blue hybrid whack jobs and focus on having fun. Or, at least, the Blue version of fun.
She checked herself out in the mirror. The black toga-style dress flattered her curves and made her feel attractive. That was important, since she’d be surrounded by golden-skinned blonds all night. She’d fixed her hair in a half up, half down style with a French twist in the back secured by a diamond hairpin. She hadn’t known what it was when her grandmother had showed it to her. It was the size of a pencil and the diamond was where the eraser would be. There was a matching cap the same size on the bottom of the pencil which sported its own diamond.
All she’d had to do was twist her hair and thread the pin through. After capping the end, it stayed in place. With her new hairdo, dress, and subtle makeup, she felt like she could hold her own against Jaxon. She might be as pretty as he was tonight. That was a first.
She met up with her grandmother in the foyer where they’d soon be greeting guests. Her grandmother wore a dress which looked like it was made from blue ice crystals.
“Very pretty,” Bryn said.
“Thank you.” Her grandmother smiled. “You look wonderful. Jaxon isn’t going to know what hit him.”
Bryn rolled her eyes. “Right.” But secretly she hoped Jaxon would give her a genuine compliment.
“Our guests should be arriving soon,” her grandmother said.
Bryn peered into the ballroom where silver and gold trees lined the walls. The tables were draped with navy linens which featured alternating silver and gold napkin rings. An orchestra warmed up on the stage in the corner. “It’s even more beautiful than last year.”
“Thank you. We’ve changed the schedule a bit this year. We won’t be relocating to the small ballroom to hand out gifts. We’ll have the gifts delivered to our tables.”
Since the small ballroom had been the scene of the attack last year that made sense. “I think that’s a wonderful idea.”
Her grandfather came toward them with a huge smile on his face. He kept walking until he reached his wife and took her hands in his. “You look amazing.”
Her grandmother’s cheeks turned pink. “Thank you, Ephram. You look rather dashing yourself.”
What is that about?
He released his wife’s hands and looked at Bryn. “You look lovely. Remember to keep Jaxon on his toes tonight.”
“I will.” Not that she knew what he meant, but he was in such a good mood she didn’t want to do anything to change that.
“I believe our guests are here.” He stood on her other side and they greeted everyone as they came in. It was a strange Blue tradition where you thanked people for coming as they entered the room in a slow orderly line. When Jaxon appeared, looking runway-worthy in a classic black tuxedo, he just stared at her like he was confused, rather than responding with the expected, “Thank you for inviting us.”
“What?” He rarely missed a step in the social dance.
“Your hair,” was all he said before he moved on to shake hands with her grandfather.
Her grandmother gave her a sly grin before greeting the next person. Huh? Had she just rendered Jaxon speechless? That was quite the feat.
When they were done greeting everyone, Bryn headed to their table up front, hoping to find a glass of water. Sitting down sounded good, too. Her heels were gorgeous, but they weren’t the most comfortable shoes she’d ever worn.
She sat next to where her grandmother would be seated and wasn’t surprised when Lillith joined her with Asher. However, his outfit did surprise her.
“Is that poor baby wearing a tuxedo?” Bryn asked.
Lillith ran her finger along the tiny jacket lapel. “It’s a onesie tailored to look like a tuxedo. I think they did an amazing job.”
“Very convincing.” She was glad to know Asher was comfortable. The fact that he was making little baby snuffling sounds as he slept assured her his outfit must be baby-friendly.
Bryn sipped her water and glanced around the room at the color-coded crowd. She wouldn’t let it bother her. Over the summer, she’d grown used to it, but since she’d been at school she’d become accustomed to fitting in, rather than standing out. Not that it mattered. This was her grandparents’ house and she had more right than any of these people to be here. And she’d just keep telling herself that until she believed it.
“Where’s Jaxon?” Lillith asked.
“Probably talking to his friends,” Bryn said.
“He should have come for you before he wandered off,” Lillith said.
Oh. She hadn’t realized that. “Should I be insulted?” Bryn asked in a joking manner.
“Of course not,” Lillith said. “As long as he comes to greet you soon, it’s acceptable.”
Huh. Bryn leaned in. “I trust you, so please don’t make fun of me. I’ve never worn my hair like this and my dress is slit a little higher than I’m comfortable with. Can I carry this off?”
“Oh.” Lillith looked like she understood and it made her sad. “Bryn, your hair is amazing, and the dress fits perfectly. Don’t doubt yourself. And if I may offer some advice…don’t look for your self worth in a man’s compliments. Westgates aren’t good at compliments. It took me awhile to figure that out with Ferrin. I don’t want you stressing over the same thing.”
Bryn was once again struck by her life’s odd similarity to Lillith’s. “Thank you. That’s probably some of the best advice I’ve received about dealing with a Westgate.”
“I did work to make sure Jaxon is more considerate than his father.”
“And I appreciate that.”
Bryn’s grandmother came to the table and sat down. Her smile slipped a bit. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes,” Bryn said. “We were just bonding over having to deal with Westgates.”
“All men have their issues,” her grandmother said. “You should go find Jaxon and mingle.”
“If I could spot him, I would,” Bryn said.
“Isn’t that him by the orchestra?” her grandmother said.
Bryn peered across the room. “Probably, but I’m not chasing after him tonight. If he wants to spend time with me he knows where I am.”
“I see your point.”
“If he doesn’t come over soon I’m going to put him on diaper duty tomorrow,” Lillith said.
Bryn lau
ghed. “Thank you for having my back.”
“We women have to stick together,” Lillith said.
“Speak of the devil,” Bryn’s grandmother said.
Bryn glanced in the direction her grandmother had indicated. Jaxon came toward her with his friend Quentin. When they reached the table, he barely looked at her, but he said, “Bryn, do you want to mingle with us?”
“Sure.” What the heck was his problem? Thank goodness Lillith had reassured her about her hair and dress because Jaxon was putting off a strange vibe.
She followed him and Quentin to a group of students she’d met at school but never interacted with much. The boys congregated together, talking about cars. The girls talked jewelry. Bryn plastered a smile on her face. Why in the hell had she thought tonight might be fun?
“Bryn,” one of the girls said. “Where did you find your hair pin?”
“My grandmother gave it to me. I think it belonged to her great aunt.”
“Is it a Vanleigh?” the girl asked.
Now that she thought about it, there had been a V carved into the side of the pin just like the bracelet her grandfather had given her last Christmas, which meant it was a one-of-kind-special-order piece. “I believe it is.”
“It’s amazing,” another girl said.
“Thank you.”
The orchestra started to play a song at full volume which was the signal that they should return to their tables so her grandfather could thank them all for coming, which technically he’d done at the door and she’d probably never understand these Blue social norms, but at least this year she knew what to expect. That was a huge relief.
She joined Lillith and her grandmother. Lillith stood and moved over a seat.
“I did shower today,” Bryn said.
Lillith chuckled. “Jaxon will want to sit next to you.”
The irritating male in question joined them and did sit next to her, but he sipped his water and stared off into space rather than looking at her. She leaned in and said, “Fair warning, I’m close enough to kick you under the table if you don’t stop acting like you’d rather be anywhere but near me, and I’m wearing really pointy shoes.”
He looked at her like she was insane. “What are you talking about?”
