The Fireman Finds His Flame

by Heather Horrocks

  Ty didn’t dare take the chance. Not today. He’d hide the coat and fly back and tell them all that he hadn’t found the woman.

  And, two days from now, he’d make Mara the happiest woman on the planet — and his wife forever.

  Empty-handed, Ty flew back to the studio and landed in an empty back lot.

  He shifted and went to find the others.

  He called Mara’s phone. When she didn’t answer, he called Sheriff Winston. Sam answered with, “Where are you?”

  “Coming around to the office area of the studio.”

  “Good. Bianca Rossi invited us inside because your wife is inconsolable. Come on up.”

  Ty broke into a jog, desperate to find her. He came around the corner and up to the door, opening it and going inside. A pretty woman sat at the desk. “You must be the dragon.”

  He nodded.

  She pointed. “Elevator. They’re in Ms. Rossi’s private office.”

  He climbed into the elevator that seemed to shrink in on him as soon as he walked inside. The doors closed, and then a voice said, “Name, please.”

  “Tyberius Thrakos.”

  The elevator moved upward. When the door opened, he stepped out into a huge room, a combination conference room and family sitting area with offices off of the main room.

  Mara sat on one of the couches, Heather on one side of her, patting her back.

  Mara was crying, and Ty thought his heart would break at the sight.

  He moved toward her, nodding to Ms. Rossi.

  When he sat beside Mara, Heather stood by Quade.

  Ty touched Mara’s back gently — and she practically threw herself into his arms, sobbing.

  “Sweetheart, it’s going to be all right. We’ll find the woman. We’ll get your coat back.” He couldn’t admit to this crowd that he’d already gotten it and hidden it.

  “Does she need a sedative?” Ty asked.

  Ms. Rossi said, “I’ll call for one of our studio physicians and ask him.”

  “Thank you,” Ty said.

  Quade and Heather, Samuel and Amber, and Ms. Rossi stood or sat around them, all looking incredibly worried.

  Mara continued to sob, her heart apparently broken.

  He couldn’t do this. He had to go get the coat and return it to her. He should have already done it. What had he been thinking? Of course two days would make a difference to her.

  “I’ll go look again,” he said. “I’ll get the coat.”

  Ty looked over at the others. “Would you help her again?”

  Heather and Amber came to sit by her again.

  Ty gave Mara a hug and whispered, “I’ll bring you the coat, dearest. I promise.”

  And he stepped away from her without another word, climbed into the elevator, and made his way back to the back lot.

  What had he been thinking?

  Want a Ride Home?

  MARA LAY BACK AGAINST THE doctor’s examining table in the studio’s infirmary, staring at the ceiling. Thankfully, she’d managed to get ahold of herself, for the most part. Now she just felt numb.

  The doctor, an older man named Dr. Andrews, took her vital signs. “You seem healthy enough.”

  “My heart is broken,” she said dully.

  He looked at her. “I think perhaps a sedative is indeed in order for you. And I’ll ask people to keep a watch on you for a few days until you’re not feeling so ... sad.”

  She sighed. “I’ve lost my coat. It’s been over thirty years. I can’t feel it anymore.”

  He tipped his head. “What type of shifter are you?”

  “A Swan Maiden.”

  “Ahh.” He nodded. “I’m very sorry to hear about your loss, then.”

  How kind of him to recognize what she’d been through. Most people, even supernaturals, didn’t have a clue. “Thank you.”

  He squeezed her hand. “I’m going to go mix up something for you that will make you feel better, something for you to take to get you through the next few days at least. I want to see you again in two days.”

  She nodded and he left the room, the door closing behind him.

  Mara closed her eyes until she heard the door open again. “That was quick,” she said, opening her eyes, expecting to see Dr. Andrews.

  Only it wasn’t the doctor. It was a little old woman, maybe eighty years old, wrinkled, her hair gray.

  Mara didn’t recognize the wrinkled face — but she did the red dress.

  The old woman was wearing the same red dress as the young woman who’d stolen her coat!

  Wary, Mara pushed herself up. “How did you get in here?”

  “I have a part in the movie they’re making, so I have a card to get in.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Please.” The women clasped her hands together in supplication. “Please return my coat.”

  Mara stared at her in horror. “I don’t have the coat. You stole it all those years ago and I haven’t worn it or touched it since. I haven’t even felt it lately.”

  “A warlock put a spell on it,” the woman admitted. “Please give it back. I don’t want to die.”

  Mara wished the doctor would come back in — or the sheriff — though she wasn’t afraid of this frail old woman. Not really. What frightened her was that her coat was missing. Again.

  “I don’t have the coat,” she repeated. “I haven’t seen it or held it for thirty years.”

  “He took it. The dragon.”

  She’d just seen Ty, ten minutes ago, and he hadn’t had the coat. What was this woman babbling about? “He doesn’t have it, either.”

  “He took it from me. Almost an hour ago. Do you see how I’ve aged in just an hour? I must have it back.”

  She looked at the woman’s face and saw all the wrinkles that hadn’t been there earlier. “You truly don’t have it?”

  The woman cried out, motioning to her own face, “Do you think I would look like this if I still wore it? I tell you the dragon took it.”

  Mara’s heart went cold within her chest. Ty had the coat? He’d lied to her about having it? She’d thought her heart was breaking before, but now it truly did split in twain.

  The man she’d married, her husband, had taken her coat. Would he keep it now to make sure she stayed married to him? Was he like her sisters’ husbands?

  “No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “He wouldn’t do that.”

  The woman clutched her arm. “I must have it back or I will die.”

  “Then we will both die, for I don’t have it.”

  The woman looked stricken. “You truly don’t have it? He said he was bringing it to you.”

  “He lied.” Mara’s voice was flat.

  The woman stumbled back toward the door, then reached into her purse. “If I am to die, then you will go with me. Neither of us will wear the swan coat again.”

  Then she raised a gun and fired it, striking Mara in the chest.

  Ty arrived to find the studio in pandemonium.

  An ambulance with lights rotating was coming up the road.

  The sheriff was putting a little old lady into the back of his squad car, though she was feebly yelling, “I have a part in a movie! You can’t do this to me! Give me back my coat.”

  Coat?

  Shocked, he recognized the red dress. This was the woman he’d taken the coat from?

  Samuel caught sight of him and yelled, “Mara’s been shot,” and pointed to the building.

  His heart pounding, Ty took off running, holding the feather coat in his hands.

  The same guard stood at the door and let him pass. “In the infirmary. They’re trying to resuscitate her.”

  He had to get her coat on her. Then she would heal and be all right. He raced into the infirmary to see Mara lying limply on the examining table.

  Dr. Andrews looked up at him and shook his head.

  “She’s gone?” Ty asked hoarsely.

  “I’m afraid so. The shot was directly to the heart.”

  �
�No!” Ty rushed forward. Gently, carefully, he lifted her up. “Help me get this coat on her.”

  “It’s too late, Ty,” Dr. Andrews said.

  “I still have to do it. I have to give the coat back to her. She went without it for thirty years.” The least he could do was let her die as a full Swan Maiden.

  Ben worked her arm into one sleeve, then they shifted and Ty put her other arm in.

  As soon as it was on, the feathers became fully visible.

  Ty sat on the doctor’s stool and rolled up next to her, holding her in his arms. “I’m so sorry, baby. I should have brought the coat to you right away. I failed you.”

  She lay, cold and still in his arms. He caressed her face and his heart broke. His Heartfire, his Flame, was dead. Because of his stupid choice.

  And he couldn’t bring her back. Death was forever.

  She coughed — and he jerked. Death wasn’t forever in this town.

  Ben said, “What the—?”

  Ty pulled back and Mara coughed again. “The coat! It’s bringing her back!”

  Incredible joy filled him. She was alive!

  He hugged her close and she wrapped her arms about him.

  “I love you so much, Mara. I’m so sorry. I only meant to keep the coat for two days so I could romance you into staying.”

  She struggled to sit up and he let her go. She ran her fingers down the feathers on the coat and a sound of relief fled her lips as she finally, after thirty years, was reunited with the feathers of her swan.

  Dr. Andrews moved forward. “You can’t go yet, Mara. You’ve been shot.”

  She pulled back the feathers to show that the wound had healed. That quickly.

  “Wow,” the doctor said. “You’re good to go.”

  Mara smiled a radiant smile, which faded as she turned to Ty. “You lied to me,” she said accusingly.

  “I’m sorry.” He had no excuses to give. He had lied to her. “I can only hope you’ll forgive me. I will promise you that I will never lie to you again. Ever.”

  She slipped off the examining table, her feet touching the floor. The doctor reached out a hand to steady her, and she took it, briefly. “Thank you, Dr. Andrews.”

  “I didn’t do much. Your dragon is the one who saved your life.”

  She turned to Ty. “Thank you, Tyberius Thrakos.”

  “You’re welcome, Mara Thrakos.”

  “I think you might work on getting our marriage annulled after I leave.” And she started moving through the building toward the front door.

  Ty followed her, panicked. “Mara, please, just let me talk to you for a minute.”

  She walked outside and blinked against the sun. In the light, her feathers nearly glowed. She was radiant.

  He caught up with her and took her hand. “Mara, please. I love you. Please give me another chance.”

  She turned to him, then. “I can’t stay with you, Ty. We can’t be together. I don’t trust you to not keep the coat again to keep me with you.”

  “If I could change anything in my very long life — that would be it.”

  “I need to go now.”

  In that moment, Ty knew he couldn’t keep her here. Not by force or coercion or trickery. He had to let her leave. He let go of Mara’s hand and took a step back. “If you need to go, then go. I love you and I’m letting you go. I also hope you come back to me some day. Be happy, my love.”

  She looked surprised. “Goodbye.”

  Then, in a blur of light, the woman disappeared and a beautiful white swan appeared in her place. Then the swan turned to face the breeze, running while flapping her wings — and took to the air. Gracefully she rose, without a backward glance. She was headed in the direction of the lake, though he didn’t know if she’d stop there or keep going until she was far, far away from Moonchuckle Bay — and him.

  His heart felt as if it were cracking in half, and he was tempted to leap into the air after her and give chase. He could fly far faster and farther than she could. She couldn’t escape the dragon if he unleashed it.

  He shook his head. He had to let her go, even though he’d never wanted anyone so much in his entire life. He’d been an idiot to hide the coat for even an hour. He’d lost her anyway.

  Quade put a hand on his shoulder. “Sorry, dude.”

  “Yeah.” Ty nodded. “Thanks.”

  “Want a ride home?”

  Ty watched as Mara flew out of sight, and nodded again. Home was wherever Mara was, but Quade couldn’t take him there. “Yeah.”

  The Swans-and-the-Bees Talk

  MARA FLAPPED HER WINGS AND glided with the wind currents.

  She was whole again!

  She had her coat!

  Joy filled her with every wing stroke.

  She called out into the sky.

  The sensations had been gone for so long. The wind on her face, under her wings, ruffling her feathers. The strength of her strong wings as she stretched them up and down, let them glide on the currents.

  She’d thought she’d never feel them again.

  She had her coat back! Finally!

  Now she could go home to her family, whole and — not happy, but at least sane.

  She’d never be happy without Tyberius Thrakos. Without her husband.

  The man who’d lied to her about her coat.

  But then he’d gone straight home to bring it back to her when she’d been crying. So maybe he hadn’t been planning to keep it for more than a couple of days.

  She didn’t know.

  And, for the moment, as she flew, she didn’t want to think about it.

  She just wanted to fly and forget everything else.

  Ty couldn’t stay in his house. He’d taken to the air, throwing fire around and roaring, which had made the tourists cheer.

  Finally, he’d gone back home and climbed in his vehicle, and driven over to Walter’s.

  His friend opened the door and shook his head. “What’s up?”

  Ty walked past him. “I let her go, just like you told me to.”

  “You did?” Walter looked at him, incredulous. “I didn’t think you’d ever do it.”

  They settled themselves on the enclosed back porch and stared at the night sky and Ty told him everything that had happened, from lunch at Private, to seeing the young woman in Mara’s coat, to following her to the studio, to getting the coat — and then hiding it — to Mara getting shot and dying, and to him putting the coat on her and her coming back to life. And leaving him.

  Walter nodded. “You let her go.”

  “I found my Flame — and then let her go. Dragons aren’t supposed to lose their Flames.”

  “I’m sorry, Ty. I really am.”

  “Maybe I’ll hibernate now.”

  “Just go head the SOC office.”

  “I think I’m going to put your name in for that job.”

  “Oh, heavens, no. Don’t do that. What would I do there?” The look of horror on his face would have been comical at any other time.

  “You’re one of the most knowledgeable men I know.”

  Walter crossed his arms. “You just want to punish me because misery loves company.”

  They sat in silence for a long time.

  “Look up, my friend,” Walter said, amusement in his voice.

  “I don’t need some kind of motivational speech. I’m hurting, and you’re giving me platitudes?”

  He reached over and lightly smacked Ty on the back of his head. “You’re an idiot. Look up. In the sky.”

  Ty raised his head and heard a honking sound. A swan honking sound.

  His eyes widened and he jumped up, scanning the sky.

  A beautiful, regal white swan was flying straight toward him, dropping fast!

  He put up his arms to catch her just as she slammed into his chest, knocking him off his feet. They rolled, and he kept the swan safe in his arms.

  And then he held a woman in his arms, a woman in a feather coat.

  “You came back!” he said, hi
s heart full of joy.

  “While I was flying around, I had some epiphanies.”

  “You came back!” he repeated.

  She smiled and put her hands on his cheeks. “I’m in love with you, you big stupid lout. And I realized I can trust you. You let me go free — and when you did, I realized I could only be free when I was with the man I loved. I’m back. You’re stuck with me. Swans mate for life.”

  “So do dragons,” he whispered. And then he kissed her.

  Behind them, Walter laughed. “Get a room.” Then his friend walked back into his house.

  Ty stood and helped up Mara. “For once, Walter’s right. Let’s go home.”

  Mara was ravenous after her long flight, so Ty cooked her up some dinner.

  As he manned the stove, she told him of her flight. “I flew for the first hour or two just enjoying flying again. That’s all I could think about. But then I was angry with you for lying to me.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said again.

  “I forgive you,” she said. “I worked through it because I realized that you did bring the coat back to me after you saw how broken I was. So I believe you that you were only going to keep it for two days to romance me.”

  He looked over at her.

  She smiled at him. “So start romancing, big guy.”

  A slow grin spread across his face. “Yes, ma’am, Princess.”

  He brought her a plate of food and she ate it thoughtfully, downing two glasses of water along with it.

  Afterward, she sat back. “Thanks. I haven’t flown for so long that I forgot how much energy it expends and how thirsty I get.” She lifted her arms. “And my wings got tired. I haven’t been lifting weights enough to stay in shape.”

  “We’ll have to change that,” he said and sat beside her.

  “So what happened to the old lady who shot me?”

  “The sheriff called me to inform me that all that’s left of her is some dust in the jail cell. Apparently she would have died long before reaching the age of ninety-five.”

  She shook her head. “I almost feel sorry for her, but then ... maybe not so much.”

  “Dust to dust.” He shrugged. “She got what was coming to her.”