by Zoe Chant
The balcony quickly came closer. It was decorated with bright lights, although the lights suddenly turned off as they approached. Inside, the party seemed to have just started. After the children singing carols, a DJ had taken over as planned.
And to the first notes of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Raul flew directly into view of the large windows.
At first, no one saw him. Then a first child turned around, dreamily staring out of the window while clutching a giant cookie.
The next second, the little girl’s eyes grew wide.
Through the window, Raul couldn’t hear her call out. But a heartbeat later, all of her siblings had their faces pressed against the windows, staring with shock that transformed into such perfect, innocent delight that Raul had to force himself to hold completely still.
They were not staring at him, after all. He was invisible. Today, Dylan and their Santa were at the center of attention.
More faces appeared at the window. Raul studied one after the other, until finally, he found little precocious Janice and her friend, who’d cried when she’d told him that Santa wasn’t real.
They both had their faces pressed against the windows, the tiny boy’s eyes almost comically wide, while Janice’s eyes were narrowed. But if she was looking for hidden strings holding the sleigh afloat, she’d be disappointed.
Grinning silently to himself, Raul landed the sleigh, ignoring their audience now that he’d achieved what he’d hoped for.
Their Santa stepped out of the sleigh, carrying the bags with presents, and dragged them one after the other to a door at the end of the balcony. There, he handed them quickly over to a hidden helper—Mrs. Henderson, who’d been one of the few to known about their plan, and who’d turned off the outside lights for their approach.
Should any curious children try and find the gifts, they’d be in for a disappointment.
Mrs. Henderson had promised to stash them all away in a cabinet used for cleaning utensils. And then, once the Christmas Eve party was over and all children were in bed, they’d carry them down together and place them under the huge Christmas tree in the hall.
It’s a perfect plan, Raul thought proudly once more, looking over to the windows where now the first adults had joined the entranced faces of the children.
And there—there was Claire, staring up at him with utter amazement.
I love you, he heard her amused voice through their bond. I can’t believe you got Dylan to agree to that.
Hastily, their Santa climbed on board once more.
“Ho ho ho,” Tom chuckled and loosened the reins, and Dylan obediently lifted his head high, his nose still shining brightly. He reared up, and then Raul beat his wings again.
As easy as that, they soared—and now the hum of excitement from inside was so loud that Raul could even hear it through the closed windows.
I love you. Happy Christmas Eve, he said silently to Claire.
Happy Christmas Eve, she returned, the bond humming with her delight. But don’t think this gets you out of the party.
Save a dance for me, he sent back as he soared.
And up there in the sky, where only Santa and his reindeer could hear, Raul parted his jaw, his dragon merrily humming You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why... Santa Claus is coming to town.
***
It wasn’t until one day later, late in the evening when the final diners had left the restaurant’s Christmas dinner, that Claire and Raul had time to sit down together. It was dark outside, and the castle had gone beautifully quiet as families had retired to their own rooms to spend the evening together.
“Merry Christmas,” Raul said quietly and pulled Claire into his arms, kissing her slowly and unhurriedly, the way he’d ached to do all day.
Claire sighed against his lips, all soft and warm. She looked tired, but her eyes were gleaming with that special glow they had whenever she looked at him.
“You’ve got tomorrow off, right?” he asked. “Mrs. Henderson will be around to deal with any emergencies?”
Claire nodded. “I plan to sleep in and take a long, hot bath with a book. And the rest of the day is for you.”
Raul’s smile widened. “In that case—do you mind if I kidnap you? Right here, right now?”
Claire laughed softly, already looking more awake. “Kidnap? What do you have in mind?”
“I want to take you flying,” he said mysteriously. “And I want to show you something. If you’re tired, you can sleep on my back. I’d never let you fall.”
“Fly? On a dragon?” Claire breathed, eyes going wide. Then she beamed. “I thought you’d never ask!”
Fifteen minutes later, they were in the sky. Claire was sitting on his back, wrapped in a warm coat, even though his dragon’s natural heat would keep her comfortable no matter how high he took her.
At first, her arms had been tight around his neck as she clung to him—but already a few minutes later, she’d let go and straightened, whooping as she looked out at the mountains falling away beneath them.
“This is incredible!” she shouted, and then laughed when he beat his wings and soared even higher.
A moment later, they broke through the clouds. Above them, the stars were shining brilliantly, the Milky Way a distant stream of glittering diamonds in the darkness of the night.
It will take about two hours, Raul said through the bond. So if you get tired, try to nap a little. You’re safe here on my back.
In response, she ran her hand over the scales that lined his neck.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she said, her voice hushed with awe. “It’s too beautiful. I want to remember this until the end of my life. The night. The sky. Nothing but my Christmas dragon and the stars.”
Raul sent back a wave of his love.
Every Christmas will be like this from now on. The two of us, together, forever.
Somewhere to their left, a star fell. Claire’s hand smoothed along his neck once more.
Forever, she said in his mind.
He was a little faster than he had expected. It only took a little more than an hour and a half until he saw a strangely familiar mountain range jutting up through the clouds from below.
A sudden unease washed through him. Maybe it had all been a terrible idea. Maybe there was nothing left to show Claire.
Or maybe everything would be falling apart, empty, soulless ruins, and she’d hate it...
“Is something wrong?” Claire asked.
Raul took a deep breath, brushing away the fear that had spilled through the bond.
We’re almost there, he said instead. Now hold on, we’re landing!
Despite his words, he sunk gracefully, taking to care to make certain that Claire was comfortable even at the steep descent.
A first mountaintop rose before him. It was covered with ice and snow—the sight still familiar, even after so many years.
He opened his jaw for a voiceless laugh—and then, just because he could, he sent a flame of dragon fire to singe across the ice.
For a moment, the icy flanks of the mountain range reflected the red light, the mountains around them glowing in shades of red, orange and pink. Then the flame went out, and he soared past the mountain, along a pass that no human had ever used.
He followed it for a few minutes, until suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a new mountain rose before them.
He raced towards it, then swerved to the left. After ten seconds, he swerved to the right. For another heartbeat, they were surrounded by stark mountain walls covered in glistening ice, so close that they nearly brushed the tips of his wings.
Then a valley opened up before them, and there, a little to the right, another mountain rose, its ice-covered top hidden in the clouds.
It had been so very long, but Raul’s body still remembered every nook and cranny of the valley and the mountains. Joy spread through his body—until he realized at last that something was different.
The mountain val
ley below them was silent.
With a frown, he dove towards it. Surely they could not all be gone...?
Then, one by one, little dots of light appeared out of the darkness. He kept descending, until at last, he could make out streets and buildings.
There were lights on in some of the houses. People were still living here. The town hadn’t died.
His dragon roared in joy, releasing another burst of flame.
Below them, more lights turned on. Still, what had once been a lively town now didn’t seem to hold more than forty, fifty scattered houses. Many houses remained dark as he flew across them, gardens overgrown, fences that hadn’t seen paint in a decade, windows broken.
“Raul? Where are we?” Claire asked from his back.
Raul hesitated a long moment, mournfully eying the dying town beneath him. Then he took a deep breath and raised his head.
Home.
He swallowed his dragon’s anger and grief at what had happened to the town his family had always protected. Life in a mountain town wasn’t easy these days. He’d always known that it didn’t look good for them.
Still, seeing it with his own eyes was worse.
He should have been here. He should have helped, somehow—even though he’d lost his own home along with his family’s hoard.
Then he shook off the grief. Regret wouldn’t change anything about what had happened.
Alistair and his terrible attack was the past. Claire was the future. With his mate and with his hoard, he had the power to change what had happened here.
If the people still trust me...
He exhaled another arc of fire. The ice and snow around them reflected the light, so that for a moment, the valley came alive, lit by the warm light of dragon fire.
And in that light, the mansion rose before them.
It stood on a ledge above the town, built into the side of the mountain that rose majestically above it. In his childhood, he’d thought of it as a castle. It had been built by his great-grandfather, and it had thick walls of sturdy stone, generous gardens with fountains, and most importantly, a large tower on which a dragon could easily land.
He’d thought that there was no place more beautiful.
Right now, his former home looked sad and small, dwarfed by the mountain behind it.
It was completely dark. There was no light in any of the windows. The formerly white walls of the mansion were a dirty gray and probably hadn’t seen a paintbrush in over a decade. Some of the windows in the tower were broken, and when he soared over the house to see the gardens, they were completely overgrown.
On his back, Claire was silent, and Raul felt some of his happiness deflate.
It was a terrible idea, he thought as he carefully landed in the garden near the house. He should have known that nothing of his childhood was left. This was no place for his mate or his children. This was a graveyard of the past. He should have buried it, together with his past...
“Is this where you grew up?” Claire asked softly, after she’d climbed from his back.
Raul shifted back.
“Yes,” he said, then hesitated. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you here. I guess I just hoped it would... look better.”
Together, they walked through the garden until they reached the yard. It was covered in weeds. It was still too dark to see much, but after a moment, Raul found a dead branch and lit its tip with a small touch of dragon fire.
When he raised his torch, the empty windows reflected the light.
“There are hot springs in the mountain behind the house. We even had pools filled with hot, mineral water in the basement. Perhaps that’s why a family of fire dragons chose to settle down in the mountains long ago. It was lovely here in the summer. There are wild flowers blooming in the entire valley. The sun warms the mountains. You can walk for hours and explore. And when it grows cold in winter, we children would play in the hot springs every day.”
“It sounds lovely,” Claire said.
Raul laughed bitterly. “But that’s all gone, thanks to Alistair, and I can’t get it back. Sorry, I didn’t want to ruin your Christmas...”
“I think it’s still lovely,” Claire said firmly.
Surprised, Raul raised his head.
“It’s got charm.” Claire took the torch from his hand and strode forward, lifting it to take a look at the balconies with their wrought iron railings.
“Charm,” she repeated. “A lot of it. And from the looks of it, good bones. Hot springs in the basement and the mountain nearby, a lovely garden that admittedly needs the attention of a gardener or three, lots of paint and—let’s face it, we’d probably have to do a complete overhaul of all the rooms. Wallpaper, fixtures, wiring, plumbing... It would be a lot of work.”
“It would be,” Raul said carefully, barely able to believe his ears. “But...?”
“But I think it would be worth it.” Claire turned around, the dragon fire illuminating her face. Her eyes were determined, even though he now felt her amusement through the bond. “If that’s what you’re wondering. That is why you brought me here, isn’t it?”
Raul smiled helplessly. “It was a mad idea,” he admitted. “I didn’t even know if this place still existed. And I know that it’s not a fancy five-star hotel in Dubai, or the latest hipster resort in Iceland, but—”
“No but,” Claire said firmly. “I never wanted Dubai or Iceland! I wanted places with charm, run by people who genuinely care about making their guests happy. I love my job, but I love it because I can see that I make a difference. I can deal with not having weekends off or working over the holidays—but only if I feel like I’m valued. I’m not going to do it for a group of shareholders who couldn’t care less about what sort of vacation the children are having, as long as the numbers are right. I’m done with that. I want a place with personality.”
“Well—this place has history. And charm, as you claim,” Raul said, helplessly in love with the way her eyes shone
She was so brave and determined. Claire had always followed her dreams—while he’d nearly given up on his own dreams. But no longer. His mate would have her dream, he’d make sure of that.
“No,” Claire said, holding out the torch towards him like an offer, eyes gleaming at him. “Our dream. Our mountain resort. With hot springs to cure weary bones and gorgeous trails for hikers. Spa treatments, maybe, and a little restaurant that buys produce from the local farmers down in the town.”
Raul stuck the torch down into the snow. Then he took hold of Claire’s hands. When he drew her in for another kiss, it began to snow again—heavy, fluffy flakes of white that kept falling out of the sky, just as he remembered from his childhood.
“There’s nothing in the world I want more,” he said softly, and then he kissed her until she sighed. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” she replied, wrapping her arms around him.
With a grin, he pulled her up into his arms.
“Now—do you want to see the inside?”
Epilogue: Claire
Bells were still ringing in the town down in the valley as Raul pulled Claire up into his arms, giving her a proud smile.
Her fire dragon wore a black suit today, his shoulders already lightly dusted with snow once more.
Her own white dress was made of multiple layers of white silk that kept her surprisingly warm, even with her mate’s dragon heat to warm her. She was wrapped in a white fur that had belonged to Raul’s great-grandmother. On her arm, the golden bracelet of their mating gleamed. She wore little flowers made of diamonds in her hair—and on her finger, a new diamond shone.
When Raul carried her over the threshold, they were greeted with cheers. Inside, the house was warm. It was heated not only by the new heating system they’d installed in the past year, but also by the natural heat of the hot springs beneath the mansion.
They’d made good progress with their renovations. If everything kept going according to plan, they’d open for the first guest
s in late spring.
But this year, they’d have a calm Christmas just to themselves.
Hopefully, it would be the last calm Christmas for many years. Claire couldn’t wait to see what sort of adventures would await her as the mother of a tiny dragonet—but whatever was waiting for them, she knew it would be worth all the sleepless nights coming up.
You all right? Raul asked through the bond.
Claire nodded in reply. She’d only successfully tested a week ago, and so far, they hadn’t shared the news with anyone. Fortunately, even though her breasts felt rather sore these days, she hadn’t been suffering from morning sickness so far.
Which was for the best, because after months of looking at pictures of wedding cakes, not even her little dragonet was going to ruin her enjoyment of the six tier cake in the form of a giant snowflake.
All around them, flashes went off and phones were held up high as everyone tried to get the best snapshot.
Giggling, Claire held on to Raul’s strong arms. It was good to be the center of attention for once—for all that she loved organizing events, this time, so many of their friends and family and people from the town had helped out that Claire was looking forward to what was promising to be the best day of her life.
Another flash went off, and then, at last, Raul relented and let her down.
Flushed and filled with happiness that seemed to bubble out of her, she walked into one of the rooms they’d already finished renovating. It was large enough for a big reception—hopefully, one day they’d be able to host weddings for their guests as well.
But today, the large hall with its lovingly restored decorations of gilt was decorated in their wedding colors: white and red, snow and fire. They had red roses and white candles on the tables, and real snow kept falling in ever heavier flakes outside.
“One moment,” Raul said, before they’d even made it to their table.
Claire watched, shocked, as Raul went down onto one knee.
“You can’t ask her after you’ve married her, you idiot,” Dylan called out among the laughter of their friends.
