Bramble Burn

by Autumn Dawn

  Kjetil, seated across from her, grinned wolfishly. “You’re making me jealous, sweetheart, but you’re right, this is awesome.” He polished off a rack of ribs and most of the coleslaw, drinking a quart of root beer from the mason jars they were served in.

  She settled back against the bench seat. “Don’t tell the firemen, but these ribs are even better than F&R’s.”

  “I know. Bubba’s catered my sister’s wedding, and a fight broke out over the last ribs. Bubba doesn’t mess around.”

  Her smile faded as she became aware of his happy, warm expression. Alarm bells went off in her head. “I suppose I can forgive you for being a spy,” she said, trying to sound snooty.

  That took care of the soft look. “I don’t spy for anyone but pack,” he told her firmly. “And that’s not why I’m in Bramble Burn.”

  “Why are you?” She was curious if he’d be honest.

  “We want access to the woods and the hunt. Wolves like thrills, and Bramble Burn has plenty. Also, we feel manly if we have a little lady to protect.” He smirked.

  “Uh huh. You know I could kill you where you stand,” she said mildly, enjoying talking nonsense.

  “You’re so cute when you flirt.”

  She stiffened, alarmed. “I’m not flirting. Now’s not a good time for flirting.”

  “That’s a surprise. I thought you’d say you were too busy,” he teased.

  She drew a breath to brace for “the talk”. It was clear he hadn’t chatted with Faolán lately.

  He nudged her foot, getting her attention. “Hey. I know what Bramble Burn means to you. I get it. It makes you happy and lets you help people. I’m not going to interfere with that.” He paused to let her absorb that and smiled with pure mischief. “That won’t stop me from flirting with you. You could use a little romance.”

  She flushed. She didn’t want to talk about this. Faolán was supposed to prevent this, drat him! Didn’t the man understand how to spread gossip? “I can’t afford ‘a little romance.’ There are consequences.”

  “You can’t kiss?” he challenged lazily. “That’s pretty safe.”

  She shifted, extremely uncomfortable. “Look… it’s pretty clear we want different things. You’re okay dating whatever girl catches your eye, and it doesn’t break your heart when you’re done. I’m old fashioned. I get attached. I love deeply, and I would get hurt.”

  “You think I would hurt you.” His eyes narrowed, and he wasn’t lazy now.

  “I think I’d allow myself to be hurt by dating you. When I chose to see a man, it will be a courtship. I want the real deal.”

  “I see.” He was deadly serious now, and it was clear that he really understood. He wasn’t going to play anymore.

  It stung, but it was for the best. She wasn’t a shallow party girl who would be interested in a fling. She flagged the waitress and collected takeout boxes, avoiding Kjetil’s hard gaze. Awkward.

  See, if she were courting, this wouldn’t be a problem. It would be so much easier if the man approached her on her terms.

  She hurried out of the restaurant, feeling hunted as Kjetil strolled after her. She stowed her food in Twix’s saddlebags and looked up to judge the time…and encountered a dragon’s gaze. The green perched lazily on a single story brick store, observing her without a trace of stealth. He wanted her to know he was watching.

  A muscle shifted in her jaw as she met his gaze and mouthed “no”. She wasn’t going to lower her eyes like a demure rabbit.

  “So that’s what it is,” Kjetil murmured. “You want to be hunted.”

  She spun to him. “What?”

  He nodded at the dragon. “You’re not a typical human girl. Hunters don’t scare you; you like it.”

  Her jaw dropped. “What the garbage? What are you talking about?”

  He didn’t move, but the space between them shrank. “You were raised by a dragon; you like an alpha male. You won’t take a man seriously unless he shows his dominance.”

  She had trouble breathing. The way he was looking at her short circuited her brain. He was suddenly more, as if he’d decided to toss away a polite mask and reveal the hidden wolf. Had he spent a lifetime pretending to be something he wasn’t?

  He kissed her, gentle but hungry, shocking in his boldness. She squeaked and froze, unsure what to do. His hand roamed down her spine to the small of her back and she gasped, giving him deeper access. He cradled the back of her head, the better to ravish her mouth. Her muscles liquefied, melted. He smelled so good, and her head spun.

  She whimpered when he raised his head, but her eyes were too dilated to follow his movements.

  He looked at the dragon and smiled.

  The dragon showed his teeth. The hunt wasn’t over yet.

  It took an effort to regain her balance. Kjetil steadied her until she managed to jerk away and stare at him accusingly. “Yes?”

  “You!”

  “Oh, yes,” he purred. “And you want more.”

  She tried to tell him off, but the words tangled. He’d overloaded her system, and all she could do was shake.

  His expression softened. “You need a moment. Was that your first kiss? I mean, other than the boy on the playground.”

  She growled at him and lunged for her saddle. It was harder than it usually was, and his steading hand on her butt didn’t help. She swatted at him and wheeled Twix, ready to run him down.

  Kjetil chuckled and stepped lightly behind the hitching post. “Careful, you’ll feel bad later if you murder me.”

  Juniper made an inarticulate sound of rage and charged off, giving Twix his head. The Black Adder jumped a pair of Harleys, thrilled with the speed. Scenery blurred as he sped faster than any horse could run, weaving in and out of traffic with glee. If she’d been thinking clearly, she never would have given him his head, but the need to do something consumed her. She couldn’t get the kiss out of her head. She was going to relive it, marinate in the memory.

  He’d kissed her, kissed her, kissed her.

  They were both sweaty when Twix charged into the park, trotting up to her tree. She was so angry, she gave the park a cursory glance and striped Twix’s tack off, leaving him to walk and cool off on his own, something she’d never trust a horse to do. The tree would let him in when Twix was ready.

  She stomped inside, slamming the door. To distract herself, she took care of chores, smacking things with more force than necessary. Stupid wolf. Thought she wanted an alpha, did he? What was his problem?

  Her heart skipped at the memory of his kiss, and she groaned. Remembered heat made her miserable. It couldn’t have been as good as she remembered.

  Maybe the news would distract her. She turned the TV on and stared hard at the screen, almost hoping for a disaster.

  She got her wish. Appalled, she stared as pictures of the inside of her tree paraded across the news. Her brother had been busy.

  Her phone rang. She picked it up and told her mother, “I’m going to kill him.”

  “Now, don’t overreact. I’m sure there’s a good explanation.”

  “Kill him,” Juniper ground out. There was nothing Justin could say to make this okay. He’d violated her privacy, knowing how she’d feel. “Dead, Mom.”

  “It’s not that bad. At least your house was clean,” her mother soothed.

  Juniper stared at the phone, wondering if it malfunctioned. Surely she hadn’t heard right.

  “Look, it was wrong of him. He shouldn’t have done that. I’ll talk to him. Juniper?”

  Juniper was choking on her rage and couldn’t answer.

  Her mother took a breath. “Don’t hold it against him, honey. He’s your brother.”

  “He’s a selfish scumbag. He’s always been a scumbag and he always will be. I’m through with him.” Her mother tried to interrupt, but Juniper had enough. Finally, it was too much. “Don’t send him here. Don’t tell him I forgive him, because you’ll be lying. If I see his face, I’ll bind him in a tree so tight he’ll never break free
.”

  “Juniper! You don’t mean that,” her mother protested.

  “You have some thinking to do,” Juniper said, and hung up. She ignored it when her mother called back, running her hands through her hair.

  Bramble Burn might not kill her, but family might.

  Chapter 8

  Her anger still smoldered the next morning. Juniper made coffee and pulled out a thermos, prepared to make a lunch. She was going to plant a tree. She had to do something to burn off her rage. The way she felt, she almost welcomed an attack; she’d obliterate anything that ticked her off.

  Something flashed outside her window, landing with a thump. Juniper stiffed as she listened for clues, then grabbed her staff as she raced to the window. A small dragon the size of a minivan back winged as she settled on the lawn, tearing savagely at a fresh carcass. Her wings were hot pink, her paler scales glittering with iridescence. Her horns had come in since Juniper had last seen her, gleaming ivory on her brow.

  Juniper swore and stomped outside to glare at the beast. “That better not be somebody’s goat.”

  The dragon licked the blood from her chops. “It’s not. See?” She held up the severed head in one clawed paw, revealing armadillo scales and mad red eyes.

  Juniper crossed her arms. She could ask if their parents knew where Gilly was, but she could tell by Gilly’s casual performance that Indris had no clue…yet. When he figured it out, there would be trouble.

  Suddenly tired, Juniper rubbed the back of her neck. She didn’t need this. “I’m going to have some coffee.” She left the door open and heated up leftover sausage to go with her eggs and toast. She was nearly finished when Gilly joined her, looking more tentative than a dragon ought to be. Her leathers were ivory and pink, but she set a pack on the ground, probably filled with black clothes. Gilly hated her coloring and liked to dress like a proper tormented teen. When she wasn’t planning on shape shifting, she often wore a gauzy scarf over her pink neck scales and painted her pretty ivory nails wild colors. Covering the scales on the back of her hands wasn’t an option, though. The predator in her hated wearing gloves.

  Juniper slid over a cup of tea and the honey jar.

  “Thanks.” Gilly fixed her tea, glancing warily at her sister. Her eyes were bronze and bright like mirrors, a sign of high emotion, and her copper hair gleamed with health. “I’m a dragon, you know. It’s no big deal.”

  Juniper raised a brow.

  “Yeah, older dragons, I know. I was careful. I’m not a moron.”

  Juniper glanced at her phone on the counter.

  “Indris won’t blame you. He’s fair.”

  “What about Mom?”

  “She’ll worry, but she’ll get over it.” Her words were dismissive, but there was a touch of guilt there. Their mother lost control of Gilly years ago, as one would expect of a dragon. Gilly might have a human mother, but dragon children took after their dragon parent in longevity and temperament.

  Juniper sighed. She wouldn’t wish a fifteen-year-old dragon teen on anyone. “In that case, you should make the call. I’m not happy with Mom right now.”

  Gilly’s eyes lit. “I saw the news. Mom was really upset.”

  Juniper gave her a sour look. She didn’t want to talk about it. “I suppose I’ll have to make you your own bunk and introduce you to the neighbors so they don’t shoot you.”

  “Thanks, sis!” Gilly hugged her. “I’ve missed you.”

  “Yeah, me too.” The words were gruff, but she was glad to see her. Her sister might drive her crazy, but Juniper understood her, and they’d always been close.

  Needless to say, adding a room and a half bath for Gilly took a while, and Gilly insisted on the full tour, excited by the “glamourous” Bramble. She’d seen the Iron Oak on TV and thought it was the coolest thing she’d ever seen.

  Their mother wasn’t excited by Gilly’s defection, but reluctantly agreed that since it was summer, Gilly could visit her sister. They were going to have a talk when Indris came home, she promised sternly.

  Grigori’s family greeted Gilly with cautious enthusiasm. Juniper kept a stern eye on the older boys, emphasizing the fact that Gilly’s dragon father might visit at any time. Indris didn’t need to clean a shotgun to make his point, and Gilly wasn’t above tormenting human boys. Her father would never let her marry one, so she took her frustration out on them, flirting until Indris stepped in and put a stop to it. It was the only way she had to get back at Indris, and one of the many things that drove Juniper nuts, so she kept their neighborly visit short.

  She also warned Gilly about Verbreaker. “If you see a green dragon around, don’t flirt with him. He’s looking for a mate, and if he sees you, he might decide to stake a claim until you come of age. You know what Indris will think about that.”

  Gilly looked sour. “Ha! I don’t think he’ll let me marry a dragon, either. He won’t even introduce me to our family.” The rejection was one of the reasons why Gilly acted up so much. “He says it’s for my protection, but won’t explain why. I think he’s got a family on the side.” It wasn’t the first time she’d said it, and Juniper wondered, too. It would explain the frequent absences and the lack of other dragons in their village.

  “Whatever. As long as you remember, I’m not Mom, and I’m not Indris. You came to me, so don’t make me regret it. I will squish you and let the boys learn by example.”

  “Getting savage in your old age, huh?” Gilly said with a smirk.

  Juniper pointed to the boar tree in answer.

  “Wicked,” Gilly said with appreciation. “This place is going to be so much fun!”

  The wolves weren’t in sight, so Juniper promised introductions later and took Gilly to see the mall and the grocery store. She had no worries about Gilly roaming town alone; she had wings, and she was a dragon after all. More importantly, Juniper wasn’t stupid enough to try to contain her. At best, she could be there if Gilly needed her.

  “You’re going to need a job,” Juniper said.

  Gilly blinked. “What?”

  “I’m not rich, you know. I’ve got a house, but you eat and you’ll want stuff. Besides, you’ll be bored with nothing to do all day.”

  “I can help you. You have stuff to kill around here, right?”

  Juniper rolled her eyes. “Oddly enough, I have lots of people willing to kill stuff, and Grigori is my odd jobs guy. His mom cooks for me and his sisters clean my house, so that’s spoken for.” They were passing a pet store, enjoying the sunshine and salt pretzels. Juniper had to admit it was nice to take a day off.

  “Oh, look at the kittens! You need a pet,” Gilly said, stopping to coo at the kittens in the window. “Aren’t they sweet? Let’s go in.”

  “I don’t need a pet. I have Twix, remember? He’d eat a kitten.” He had a thing for barn cats, and she’d never been able to keep him in a stable without kitties disappearing.

  Gilly pretended to pout. “But they’re so cute.”

  “Hardly a mouthful,” Juniper said in her best orc voice. She started walking. “I want to grab some stuff from the store. If you want, you can meet me…” She trailed off as she caught sight of Verbreaker striding toward her. “Well, look who’s out for a stroll.”

  Verbreaker smiled, just another charming predator enjoying the sun. “Ms. Baily. What a lovey and completely chance meeting.”

  She laughed, surprised by his humor. “I bet. This is my sister, Gilly Hsstat. Gilly, this is Lord Verbreaker, the Skylord’s son. Gilly is visiting me for a little while.”

  Verbreaker looked Gilly over, but didn’t comment when Gilly didn’t acknowledge him as protocol demanded. His voice deepened as he said, “I see.”

  Juniper frowned at her sister, but nodded toward the mall. “I was on an errand, but you’re welcome to walk with me if you wish. Gilly…” she looked toward Gilly and saw her sister crossing the street. She raised her brows. It was an astonishingly rude gesture, even for a teen dragon. “I guess she has somewhere else to be.”
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  He fell in beside her, causing pedestrians to give them extra space. “She is younger than you.”

  “Yes. I love her, but sometimes,” she made a choking gesture. “Maybe everyone is that way with their siblings, or maybe I don’t understand dragons.” She sent him a challenging look.

  His eyes glinted with sly humor. “I think you understand us very well. Male dragons, anyway.”

  “Verbreaker…”

  “You may call me Breaker.”

  “Okay. Why are you here?”

  “Perhaps I’m curious about you.”

  “Why?”

  “Why not? You’re an attractive woman of great power with connections to a dragon family. That’s worth a closer look.”

  “Consider my head turned. You didn’t try to broker a deal at the conference.”

  His teeth flashed. “We don’t need a deal.”

  Flashing teeth were a bad thing in a dragon, but so was cowering. She took a discreet breath to enhance her calm and asked, “What do you need?”

  His expression was positively wicked.

  “I walked right into that one, didn’t I?” she said ruefully. “You need The Speech, don’t you?”

  “The one about how you’re too busy now? I saw how that worked with the wolf. Why don’t you try it on me?”

  Her eyes narrowed. He couldn’t have heard them, but he would have done his research, and dragons were clever. Thankfully, they’d reached the stable, so she used the excuse of fetching Twix to ignore him. All the while she combed her brain, frantically trying to divine his purpose. Other than the obvious, what did he want? Dragons always had an agenda.

  She led Twix out of the stable and mounted up, using the superior height to her advantage. “It was an interesting visit, Breaker. Goodbye.” She wheeled away, aware that she was fleeing, but the alternative seemed worse.

  “Black Adders are one of the rarest beasts of old Gwyllon,” Breaker said, forcing her to halt. “They choose their riders. Perhaps you could learn from him.”

  Adrenaline hit her system, and she took a deep breath to contain her fury. “Are you styling yourself my rider, dragon?” She spat the word like a curse, wishing she could run him through.