She nodded. “Merry Christmas, Garryck and Ryder.”
He pulled his hand away and she missed the soothing warmth immediately. She curled the money in her sweaty hand.
“Think about it,” Garryck said softly. His gaze lingered on hers. In that moment, she was nineteen again, desirable and wanted.
Ryder cleared his throat and she turned her attention to him. He scooped up her hand and lowered his head to it. His blond hair swung forward and tickled her. When the heat of his breath caressed her skin, desire shot through her like a live wire. Then his mouth brushed against her briefly. Oh, so very briefly. “Have a good holiday, sweetheart.”
She nodded and pursed her lips. If she opened them, God only knew what kind of sounds and words might fall out. She couldn't let them know what she felt, but every time they left, a part of her seemed to tear away inside. They left without another word.
As soon as they cleared the wide eaves on the building, they transitioned to their dragon forms. They were magnificent… majestic, powerful and awe-inspiring. She smiled softly as a sinful thought circled her mind. She couldn't count how many times she'd wished they would be naked when they transformed, like the shifters were in the books she read.
They didn't look back.
When they took flight, the air in the store changed. The oppressive, soul-crushing atmosphere jumped on her like a rabid dog. She couldn't stay here. It was time to close for the night. She hit the “cash” button on the register to finish the sale. The drawer popped open—
She screamed and dropped the money. A fuzzy, bloody and decidedly dead mouse lay across the ten-dollar bills. It hadn't died in there… someone had placed it there. She clutched at her throat and gasped for air.
With a roar, Garryck and Ryder burst into the store. She didn't even acknowledge them. Her eyes were glued to the furry corpse.
“Holly, what's the matter—?” Ryder jumped the counter and grabbed her by the shoulders. He pulled her roughly to his chest and she let him. His scent, a mix of spices and sandalwood, flowed over her and soothed her. She shuddered in his arms.
Then Garryck came into the little space too. He cursed. “Is that a mouse?”
He lifted the carcass by its tail and removed it from her till. Its stomach had been sliced open and its insides were dangling out. One of the bills was stuck to the exposed intestines. Queasiness rolled over her. Garryck tossed the bill and the tiny body in the trash.
“I'll give you a new ten,” he said.
Ryder rubbed her back. “It's okay,” he said against her hair.
God, she was shaking. She shouldn't be this upset because of a mere mouse. Her father always kept traps around the house and the store. She'd disposed of more than a few unfortunate critters in her lifetime.
But then, her reaction wasn't about the poor rodent, but the shock that someone would do this to her.
“It didn't get caught in there,” Garryck said.
She could have told him that, but her brain and her mouth weren't working properly yet. Garryck ducked his head close to the till and inhaled.
“When was your last sale before us?” Ryder asked.
She tried to think. “I think yours was the first time I needed the cash tray all day. Everyone else used credit cards and I don't open the till for those. I slide the receipts through the slot.” Her words tumbled out in a breathless rush.
“Let's get you out of here,” Garryck said. He brushed the side of her cheek with his fingers. “I'll take out the garbage. Ryder will help you close up.”
His partner nodded.
Holly agreed. She'd closed the shop by herself for years, but she didn't want to tonight.
She retrieved the festive sign she'd printed that morning. The cheerful candy cane border and the curly font announcing that the store would be closed until January third didn't seem appropriate now. Tomorrow she'd laugh at herself for being so worked up about a prank… but she wasn't there yet.
She affixed the sign to the front window. Then she took the cash and receipts, and tucked them away in the back room safe. She'd deal with those later. It wasn't as though she had far to walk to get back here. It was less than a hundred steps from her house. Right now, she wanted to get out of there. She pulled on her parka. When she returned to the front, Ryder flicked off the neon “Open” sign and turned off the lights.
It was only five o'clock, but the sky was as dark as midnight with only the parking lot light to pierce the inky shadows. Ryder held the door for her and she scurried outside. They waited while she locked up. Garryck had gathered the groceries he'd dropped when she screamed. Now he faced the parking lot with his hands on his hips, as though he was ready to take on anything that might show up next.
Fat snowflakes were now dropping from the heavens like cotton balls. She breathed in deeply. Bitterly cold air rushed into her lungs. At least the biting winter air was better than the reek of mouse guts.
She trudged to the house. The men flanked her. None of them said a word, but that didn't stop Holly from replaying their earlier conversation.
If you change your mind, our invitation will still be open. Always.
As she neared her cabin, something caught her eye. What the—?
Her jaw dropped as she read the message. Anger and indignation ripped through her. The words “Dragon Whore” were spray painted across her front window in black and orange. How dare they? When had that happened? It hadn't been there this morning. She sorted through the customers who'd been in that day, but she couldn't imagine any of them doing this. But she'd never have suspected one of them would do the mouse thing either.
Garryck cursed. Ryder's hand was at her back again. His heat didn't penetrate her parka, but the weight of his touch soothed her.
“Is this from today too?”
She nodded, but kept walking. “It's nothing, just a bit of paint.”
At least they took the hint and dropped the subject.
Her hand shook when she opened the front door. She'd taken to locking the cabin in the last few weeks, but even that wasn't foolproof security. Thankfully, everything appeared to be in its proper place. She kicked the snow from her boots and stepped inside the small mudroom. The men shuffled in behind her. She didn't stop there, though. She stomped to her living room and pulled the curtains closed, hiding the horrible words.
She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to hunt the pranksters down. If she figured out who was doing this, she'd—
Ah, hell, she had no idea what she'd do.
But none of the things that crossed her mind were going to help right now.
She peered around her home. It didn't feel like the safe haven it should have. The hateful words only accentuated her discomfort. So much of the small cabin reminded her of her parents. Now that she lived here alone, she could make it different, but she’d resisted the urge to put her touch on the place. The minute she started to change things to suit her style would mean she'd resigned herself to this life.
Day in and day out of running the convenience store was not what she'd dreamed of when she was growing up. She'd gone to community college with big dreams. She hadn't known exactly what she wanted to do, like some of her classmates. She'd just wanted to try everything. She'd only been there a year when her father insisted she return home because her mother was having trouble with her heart. She'd met Garryck and Ryder her first week back. And even then she had believed she would have it all: the excitement, love, passion…
Garryck locked gazes with her. “Why don't you come back with us? Tonight? Right now?”
She stared at them.
“Say yes,” Ryder said.
Maybe she should go. Even if things were purely platonic between them, it'd still be better to be with them than sit here and wait for something else to happen. A flutter of hope spiraled through her. Could this be her chance to make things right with her two dragons?
Excitement rushed over her. She'd never done anything spontaneous. She'd lived a ste
ady and predictable life. And what had that gotten her? Nothing. It was time to do something outlandish. Her neighbors already thought she was a dragon lover. It wasn't as if spending her holiday with dragons would do anything more to damage her reputation.
For the first time since she'd stolen her first kisses with them all those years ago, anticipation sizzled over her.
“Yes, okay.” She smiled. “But only if you are sure.”
Ryder's eyes twinkled as he grinned at you. “100 percent. Now grab some clothes and let's get out of here.”
“Have a seat,” she said, “I'll just be a minute.”
She trailed her fingers over her parents’ photo as she walked down the hallway. They wouldn't have approved. Was she doing the right thing? She bit her lip. What if the dragons had other women living with them? She'd heard rumors about the Dragon's Tears drug addicts and how they'd do anything for a dragon shifter sugar daddy. As much as she knew she was just friends with Garryck and Ryder at this point, she didn't want to see them with other women.
That would really, really suck.
Merry fucking Christmas to her.
God. What was the matter with her? She was sabotaging everything before anything even began. She marched to her bedroom before she changed her mind.
Was it too presumptuous to pack her one set of lacy underwear? What did dragons wear at home for the holidays? Were they casual or formal? Should she include her two dresses and her only pair of high heels? Or sweaters and jeans? Should she bring gifts for them? Would that be more or less weird than arriving empty-handed? What could she possibly give them?
She entered her bedroom, the same small room she'd occupied since she was a little girl. She should have moved into the master by now, but it didn't feel right. That was her parents’ room.
She dug through her closet. Her clothes were all terribly practical and bland. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd put on makeup and dressed up for an occasion. She pulled out a few options. Her favorite was the long-sleeved blue T-shirt. She always thought it was the same color as her eyes, and one of her regulars had once mentioned it looked nice on her.
But it wasn't sexy. She should find something more attractive.
She was burrowing through her drawers when she heard a vehicle outside. A sense of obligation settled on her shoulders. As long as she was home, she should help whoever had arrived. It was the story of her life.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
“What was that?” Garryck asked.
Her dragons were at her heels when she pulled open the door. A dark colored pickup truck was speeding away. Snow whirled behind it, obscuring the details of the make and model. A handful of broken eggs was sliding down her frost-covered door.
“Oh for f—” Holly cut off her curse before she said it. Her mother had always said swearing wasn't ladylike.
Garryck and Ryder surged forward, but she blocked them.
“Stop,” she said and held up her hands. “Let them go.”
The men growled. Their nostrils were flared and they looked ready to rip the egg-tosser to shreds. Cold air twisted through the door.
“It's only eggs. If you go after them, it'll delay our departure. We have to leave before the blizzard really hits.”
They growled in unison, but stepped back. Thank God. She glanced one last time at the eggs. She should try to clean off the shells and raw egg before they were frozen in place for the rest of the winter, but there were other more important things to do.
“Thank you.” She wasn't sure if she was thanking them for stepping down or for rushing to defend her. Maybe both.
She slammed the door, then rushed back to her bedroom and threw a few T-shirts, jeans and undies into a bag. Then, on impulse, she shoved in a dress, the one that still fit comfortably, and her heels. She stopped in the bathroom for a few toiletries, then she was done.
“I'm ready,” she said breathlessly when she returned to the living room.
Both men moved at her words. Within a few minutes, they were back outside and the house was locked. Her pulse galloped through her veins. Her shitty day had taken a turn. This was frigging awesome.
“I'll carry you,” Garryck said.
She'd never been this close to them when they'd transformed. It was wild. Their arms and legs bent and twisted. They grew larger as their features shifted to dragon proportions. Their bodies elongated and their clothing faded away. Their tails and wings were the last to form. When Garryck swished his tail through the falling snow, she grinned.
He was stunning, and so was Ryder. Every other person she'd ever met would be scared silly right now, but she wasn't. These weren't brutal, savage beasts… they were her amazing dragons. Their skin or hide or whatever it was called shimmered in the pale light. She wanted to touch them, feel their scales under her fingers and learn everything about them. She hoped she'd have another opportunity to do that.
“Let's go.”
Ryder picked up their groceries from earlier, while Garryck walked around her until her back was to him. She wound the strap to her bag around her arm and nodded. He gathered her against him, wrapping his massive arms around her body. His heat surrounded her.
She leaned against him, giving herself to him. Trusting him with her body… her life.
His chest rumbled, and in that sound was satisfaction. His giant wings pushed at the air, once, twice… then they were leaving the earth. She gasped as her home and store got smaller as they rose to the heavens.
TWO
Laughter erupted through Holly. She had always wondered what it would be like to fly with them. Her dreams were coming true.
Well, in a twisted sort of way.
She could have done without the threats and the mouse.
“Show me your fire.” She didn't hide her excitement. She didn't want to. She might not get this opportunity again.
She'd seen them shoot dragon fire through the night skies for years. The heavens would light up like her own personal fireworks display. And now she wanted to see what they saw, to do it all.
Ryder shot ahead of them. Suddenly brilliant blue light flashed through the heavens. The air sizzled. Heat blasted over her. The bright blaze made the clouds glow and the snowflakes evaporate.
“Woo hoo,” she shouted. This was freedom and joy.
Garryck spiraled them through the air. She screamed, laughed and clung to him. Then his white flames blasted in front of her. It was as blinding as lightning.
“You two are amazing,” she said. Her cheeks hurt from her grinning and they'd only been airborne for a few minutes.
A loud cracking noise fractured the air.
Was that a gunshot?
To her left, Ryder rolled. The groceries fell from his grasp, then an unwavering line of faint blue dragon fire streamed through the sky as he plummeted to the earth. She screamed. Garryck's white flames skewered the darkness as he dove after his partner. Then Ryder disappeared into the trees.
Garryck roared as he flew low over the treetops. She twisted in his grasp.
“Go back,” she said. “We have to go back for him—”
Then her little home came into view. He dropped to the ground, and gently placed her beside her cabin. She clutched at him.
“No, take me with you,” she said. “We have to—”
He looked at her for one long moment. Then, with one big whoosh of his wings, he left her. She stared after him. Her mouth was hanging open in disbelief. She understood he was trying to protect her, but seriously… what the hell?
Ryder was going to need her. She dropped her bag and ran for the house. After three fumbling attempts, she finally got the door unlocked. She grabbed the shotgun she kept at the front door. At least her father had deigned her worthy enough to learn the basics of using a weapon. She checked the chambers. She had not fired her gun since she'd last loaded it, but she needed to make sure it was ready. Too many things were going sideways today.
She seized more shells from the shelf in the cl
oset and shoved them into her pocket. Her father would have reprimanded her if he'd seen her acting so recklessly for a dragon, so it was good he wasn't there.
She pumped the slide backwards. She was ready. Her heart felt twisted and bloated in her chest. She had to get to them.
No, first, she needed to get a knife…
When she was finally seated on her snowmobile and maneuvering through the forest, questions and worries whirled through her head. Had he survived the fall? Was she too late? No, she couldn't be. He had to be alive.
She had recognized where Ryder had fallen. All she had to do was get there in the storm without getting turned around. She glanced at the compass she'd nabbed on her way out the door. Northwest. She ached to go faster, but the risk was too great. The last thing she needed was an accident.
Tears welled in her eyes and froze to her eyelashes.
Damn it. This was her fault. If she hadn't asked them to show her their fire, no one would have seen them flying overhead.
She had to make this right.
— — —
Some bastard had shot him.
Ryder writhed on the snowy forest floor, willing the agony to stop, but it didn't. Garryck, who had returned without Holly, was in human form, and poked at the gaping hole in his side. Ryder jolted back on a curse. His head whacked against a tree trunk. Fresh pain knifed through him. Sonofabitch. His dragon form was too big to be wedged between dense trees, but he couldn't transition when all he could think about was how much he hurt.
“Damn it,” Garryck said as he stood and put his hands on his hips. “There are shot pellets everywhere and your wing is a mess.”
His partner didn't sugarcoat bad news. Ryder growled and closed his eyes. How the hell was he going to get back to Montrose if he couldn't fly? And who knew if the humans who'd shot him would track them down to finish him off? People were fucking crazy.
“You can't transition, can you?”
Garryck was just as crazy as the humans if he thought that was going to happen right now. The look Ryder gave him said as much.
“Thought I'd ask.” He shrugged.
Sugar, Spice, and Shifters: A Touch of Holiday Magic Page 58
