Keeper of the Golden Dragon's Heart (The Cedar River Series)

by Murray, Gemma K.

  I’d been to Bowie’s on occasion, but I usually got only as far as the downstairs. Entering his bedroom made me feel as if I were invading his privacy. His bed was unmade. Because his mother taught me better than that, I made his bed for him. I noticed that even though it was a king size bed, the pillow on the other side of the bed was unused. For some reason, that reassured me. Picking out his underwear definitely fit into the uncomfortable category, but I did it anyway. I packed all of his requested items into three bags. Now to retrieve the laptop. Bowie had promised to call one of his deputies to let him know that I was on my way to get it.

  I walked into the station to find Callum sitting behind the desk.

  “Hey, beautiful! Bowie said you were coming by.” He pulled out a chair for me to sit down in. “Put your feet up for a little bit.”

  I dropped into the chair. “I don’t know who is going to push me over the edge first, Mama or Bowie.”

  Callum laughed as he tossed me a bottle of water. “Welcome home, kitten. You want to stir up some trouble tonight?”

  I looked him up and down. “Really? A sheriff’s deputy? Looking for some trouble?”

  He grinned that devilishly handsome grin, “I’m always up for trouble and, kitten, I think you might just be the brand of trouble we need tonight.” We made plans to meet up at home and we’d go from there with our evening.

  Bowie was chomping at the bit when I got home. “It’s about fucking time you got back!”

  I arched an eyebrow at him and held his laptop out of his reach. “Do you really want to cuss at me, Bowie Golden? I’m the one who is saving you, but I can put this downstairs where Mama can see it instead.” That nipped that mood in the bud.

  “I’m sorry. I’m just tired of being in bed already. Doctor won’t let me shift for another couple of days. I’m sorry, Ana.” I handed over the laptop and kissed his forehead.

  “Shifting is a bad idea right now. You’ve got a fever and the mercury is still working itself out of your system.” Bowie took hold of my hand and studied it, “Kitten, I haven’t said it lately, but thank you. You saved my life. I owe you everything.” He brought tears to my eyes with his sincerity.

  “Then catch those fucking bastards who are hurting these communities. The debt will be paid.”

  Tears filled his eyes, “The debt will never be paid, Anastasia. I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Bowie.”

  Chapter Eight- Ana

  Colin and Callum got home at the same time. I was curled up on my bed, my nose buried in a new romance novel. Colin poked his head in, “Whatcha doing, princess?”

  I tossed a pillow at him, “Nothing. Why? What’s up?”

  “C’mon,” he said as he coaxed me across the hall to his and Callum’s room. “Cal says you’re up for a little bit of fun tonight. There’s a bonfire on the beach, kind of a last hurrah for summer. There’s gonna be drinking, music and probably a little hooking up, you in?”

  “When have I ever said no to invite like that?”

  Callum came in and wrapped his arms around my waist. He hugged me tight, “You gonna party with us tonight?”

  “How soon do we leave?” I asked.

  We ate dinner with Mama and Papa. Then, I got changed. I found a pair of faded blue jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt to wear. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and ventured down to check on Bowie. He was sound asleep, which was good for me. The last thing I needed was Bowie questioning me.

  Mama and Papa were sitting on the sofa, watching television. “Where you off to, angel?” Papa asked.

  “There’s a beach party. I thought I’d go check it out.”

  “Are the twins going with you?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Okay, as long as you stick with them. I don’t need another kid in the hospital.”

  I kissed him and Mama good night. Grabbing my leather jacket off the coat rack, I went to wait for the boys on the porch. Callum and Colin came racing outside, jumping off the porch.

  “Ready?” Colin asked.

  Callum swung me up in his arms and tossed me inside Colin’s truck. I scooted over so that I was sitting between them. Colin waited until we were out of the driveway before he cranked up the radio. Nickelback was singing about ‘something in your mouth’ as we pulled onto the beach. The full moon danced out over the water. It seemed to hang so low that I could reach out and touch it. The bonfire was blazing and the music that was playing would only get louder and heavier as the night went on. We piled out of the truck. The wolf shifters were already howling at the moon. This was going to be a party to remember!

  Callum and Colin had already hooked up with a couple of girls and were headed further down the beach. I met up with some of the girls I had gone to school with. We hung out, laughing at the guys who were trying to outdo each other when it came to machismo.

  Cameron Smythe and his gang of dragonlings showed up. I wanted to crawl into a hole. There was no love lost between Cameron and me. I was with friends, determined to ignore the gang of assholes. Cameron was trying to get my attention, but I kept ignoring him. Finally, I had enough and excused myself from my circle of friends. I followed him a short way away from the fire.

  “What do you want?” I asked snottily.

  He shuffled his feet in the sand, “I wanted to say thanks for saving my brother,” he mumbled.

  “Oh,” I replied feeling a little guilty since this was the last thing I expected. “I didn’t really do anything.”

  “Mom and Dad really appreciate it, too. The doctor said that you were able to smell the change in Bowie’s scent and that’s what saved them. It means a lot to us. If you need anything, let us know.”

  “Yeah, well, just let me enjoy my life here. That’s all I ask, Cameron.”

  He smiled at me, “I guess it may actually pay to have a cat amongst us, huh?” I laughed as I walked away. Maybe things would improve around the dragon nest now.

  Connor Pierce was walking past me on the beach when he grabbed my hand and led me away from Cameron. Connor and I had dated for a short time between my junior and senior year of high school. Bowie catching us in the backseat of Connor’s car had brought that relationship to a screeching halt. Of course, it didn’t help that Bowie threatened him with bodily harm if Connor touched me again.

  “Where are we going, Connor?” I asked.

  “Away from Cameron Smythe,” he muttered as we kept walking. We found a spot to sit and got comfortable in the sand. We talked about life and what had been going on with both of us the last few years. One thing led to another and before I could register what was happening, we were kissing. He tasted like the whiskey he had always preferred so I stopped it before it got out of hand.

  “Connor, go back to Mindy or whoever you’re seeing these days. Your folks would be pissed if they knew you were making out with the ‘half-breed’.”

  Connor said, “I don’t care what they think, Ana. I just want to hold you for now.”

  I got up and started to walk away. “Go home and sleep it off, Connor. I’m tired of being your biggest regret.” Maybe I was getting too old for stuff like this. Whatever the reason I was ready to go home. When I reached Colin’s truck, Bowie was standing there leaning against the door of the muscle car he kept stored at the house. The black metallic paint glistened in the moonlight.

  “What’s the matter, kitten? No hellraising tonight?” he asked.

  “Nope. I guess the hellraiser has retired. Besides what fun is it when the sheriff is not around to arrest me.”

  Bowie chuckled, “Gods, I hope you haven’t retired. You were the most exciting thing that happened in this town. You kept me on my toes.”

  I laughed at him. “What are you doing out of bed? You’re supposed to be resting.”

  He looked at me funny as if he was weighing his words. “I was lonely. Besides, could you rest with Mama checking on you every hour? I needed some fresh air so I pulled the car out and decided I’d come to the beach. I heard ther
e was a party down here tonight.” He smiled at me.

  I was running my hands over the hood of the 1969 Camaro SS. Gods, this was a beautiful car!

  “Wanna get out of here, kitten? Feel the wind in your fur?” he asked as I admired the car.

  He knew how much I loved this car. This was the one thing I never touched without his permission. He treasured this car above all else. So, I know my eyes lit up. “Let’s go!” I said as I jumped inside.

  Bowie revved the engine and pealed out of the parking lot. He cranked up the radio and the night was ours for the taking. I was getting a glimpse of Bowie as he must have been in his teen years. I looked at him as he sang along with Billy Idol. I had never seen this side of Mr. Responsible. I liked this part that he kept hidden from most people. He had quite the bad boy locked up tight inside of him.

  We were on the outskirts of town when the blue and red lights lit up behind us. Bowie started laughing and pulled over.

  “License and registr-…oh, shit! How you doing, Bowie?” Bowie handed the paperwork over to his deputy, Adam, a puma from the Pierce Pride. Adam handed it back to him. “I’m not going to give you a ticket, Bowie. Hell, I don’t even know if I can give the sheriff a ticket.”

  Adam took a peek inside the car, “Hey, Ana! How’s it going?”

  “Good, Adam. Slow night, tonight?”

  He tipped his hat at me, “Yes, ma’am.”

  Bowie shook Adam’s hand, “Listen, keep an eye on the roads tonight. There’s a party down on Shifter Beach tonight. I’m sure there’s drinking going on. Don’t bust it down. It’s just a bunch of shifter kids blowing off some steam now that the tourists are gone. You may want to drive by in a couple of hours so that they can see you’re keeping an eye on things.”

  “Sure thing, Sheriff. You and Ana have a good night now.” I had managed to contain my laughter until Adam walked away.

  Bowie grinned at me, “Ready, princess?” And like a bat out of hell, we were flying off into the night.

  Chapter Nine- Ana

  I had to return to school to take my finals before Thanksgiving. Bowie was back at work and his own house. Life was back to normal or as close to normal as you can get when you live in a town of shifters. Bowie made me promise that there would be no hunting or working magick in the woods while I was gone.

  “You can wait two weeks, kitten,” he said as he dropped me off. This was the only way he’d allow me to go back. I agreed because I had seen the damage these people were causing. They had gone too far, but when they hurt someone who mattered to me, that was the last straw.

  Viv was glad to have me back even if it was only for two weeks.

  Brady drove up to get me the day before Thanksgiving. He’d left Colin in charge of the sporting goods store, and Callum was working at the sheriff’s office with Bowie. He was a little shocked to see that I had cut my hair, but he picked me up and spun me around, hugging me tight.

  “I’ve missed you, kitten. Life has been quiet in Cedar River without you these last couple of weeks. The twins have actually stayed out of trouble and showed up for work on time every day since you’ve been gone. I’m beginning to think you are a bad influence.” He held me at arm’s length and looked me over. His hazel green eyes caught things that normally would go unseen. “You need to hunt,” he said.

  I nodded, my short hair bobbing. Without any further word, he tossed my bags in the truck and began the journey back to Cedar River. We didn’t stop to see the boys or even Mama and Papa. Brady took me directly to the woods and waited for me to strip out of my clothes and shift. The puma was so relieved to be free to run. The smells that resided in the woods fueled my wild side. I ran hard and fast. The muscles in my legs were longing to be stretched. A rabbit darted out of the bushes, but I ignored it. My cat wanted something big to take down. The smell of deer was on the wind. A small herd stood on the edge of a meadow. My scent was downwind of them. There was an injured one. I could smell the blood. Probably a hunter shot it, and then refused to follow the trail to end its suffering. I began to stalk my prey. The herd scattered leaving a large doe. She was hurting badly. The stench of death filled my nostrils as I moved in for the kill. She struggled very little as I ended her life. The blood ran over my tongue, warm and thick. The metallic taste was what the puma had been craving. I had really been depriving her more than I thought. I ate until I could eat no more. I washed my face with my paws while Brady leaned against a cedar tree, watching and waiting. I slinked over to him when I was finished.

  “How you feeling, kitty? Better, I’d bet,” he said. I butted my head against his outstretched hand.

  He chuckled, “There’s a stream not too far from here if you want to go wash up.”

  The stream was icy cold, but it felt good. I felt alive. The puma washed herself and she shifted. I finished washing, making sure all of the blood was gone. Goosebumps littered my skin as I pulled on my jeans and shirt. Brady held out his goose down jacket for me. I put it on, absorbing his warmth. We walked in silence back to the truck.

  “Home or town?” he asked.

  “Home,” I answered. He simply nodded and turned the truck toward home…and Mama.

  Chapter Ten- Bowie

  I stood outside my parents’ kitchen window watching her. Annie was stirring something on the stove, her curvy backside to me. Had she gotten more curves in the last two weeks? I don’t remember her being that voluptuous. My mouth watered at the sight of her. My dragon approved of these new feelings. She had cut her silky blondish brown hair, but it framed her face in a way that only emphasized her beauty. She turned to talk to Callum, a smile stretched across her face, her green cat eyes dancing with mischief. She let go of the spoon just as Callum picked her up and spun her around. Her laugh brightened the room. I could have stayed there all night watching her interact with my brothers. I took a deep breath, pasted a smile on my face, and opened the door. Smells of roasting meat and Mama’s twelve layered chocolate cake filled the kitchen. Annie was laughing when she turned to face me. The smile was frozen on her face.

  “Bowie,” was all she said before launching herself into my arms. She wrapped her legs around my waist and hugged me. I held her tight and inhaled deeply. For some reason, her scent was always of green forest and running water. To me, she smelled like home. I kissed her cheek, aware that I wanted to do more, but knowing my family, our family, was watching.

  “How have you been?” I asked, setting her back on her feet and tucking my hands in the back pockets of my jeans.

  “Good. Really busy studying. How’s the law enforcement in our sleepy little town?” she asked.

  “There are hunters up here in the woods. Brady probably told you, but I want you to be sure to take one of us with you when you go hunting. Most of the hunters Brady has been taking out are careful about what they shoot at, but there are always a couple that get a little trigger-happy. They’ll shoot at anything that moves.”

  Annie said, “Brady didn’t say anything today, but I’ll be careful.”

  I took her by the shoulders, “Careful isn’t good enough, kitten. One of us goes with you or you don’t go. We still haven’t got the poachers that are out there. We’re working day and night trying to find them, but they are hiding out somewhere in the woods. DNR called me today to let me know that two of their tagged pumas are missing. They found the collars but that was all.” Fear crossed her face. I know losing her dad to hunters at such a young age affected her. “We’ll keep you safe, Annie. I promise.” I said just as Mama called everyone to dinner, breaking the tension that filled the air between us.

  Dinner was always a loud affair in our family. Mama sat at one end, smiling. Dad sat at the other end, watching Mama. Us kids? Well, we just teased and joked back and forth. Mama and Dad would add corrections to the various versions of our childhood memories when it was needed. After dinner, we all helped clear the table. We took our cake and coffee to the living room to talk some more. Dad turned on the football game to watch, the vol
ume down low. We were all talking over each other, laughing.

  Annie, however, was curled up in a ball with her head against the back of the couch. With a smile on her face, she was sound asleep. Mama got up to cover her up with a quilt and kissed the top of her head. It wasn’t long after that that the twins and Brady went to bed. Mama and Dad took each other’s hands and made their way to their bedroom, leaving me alone in the living room.

  “You staying the night tonight, son?” Mama asked.

  “Yeah, I think I will.” I was pretending to watch the news, but with everyone gone I could turn my attention in the direction I’d been avoiding all night. Gods, she was beautiful. Since I’d been shot, the man’s feelings and the dragon’s feelings towards Ana had merged. The dragon had always held a fascination with her and the man wanted to protect her from the bad in the world. Now, those feelings were all mixed up together. I was determined to explore these new feelings while I had the opportunity.

  Chapter Eleven- Ana

  I missed being at school, but I poured all of my energy into my online classes. Papa was so proud that I was doing well in school and I wanted to keep making him proud. I’d caused that man more than a few of the gray hairs that littered his red gold hair. He and Mama took me in and loved me, not because they had to, but because they wanted to. I wanted to make sure they understood how much I appreciated that.

  Brady began taking me out for pizza once a week. Brady had never been one to casually date, so he usually took me or his brothers with him when he wanted to go out. One week, I’d been studying hard and there was a new movie that he wanted to see. The theater was busy. As we stood in line, I heard my name called. When I turned, I saw Lance Smythe making his way across the lobby of the movie theater. Fuck was the only thought that came to my mind. I was not in the mood for trouble tonight. Brady was stunned, “What the hell does he want?” I shrugged as I stepped over to talk to Lance. I had to admit he had grown into a beautiful man. His black hair was cut short, military-style, and his eyes were the deep blue color of the lake on a clear day. His body had filled out nicely, too. A second look at my childhood tormentor made the woman sit up and notice. The cat was a bit indifferent.