by T. S. Ryder
"You really do love her." Pearl's voice was shocked as she stared at Braden, who continued to massage Jessica's back.
The dragon met the witch's eye. "Of course I do. And I will fight for her to my last breath."
"Don't talk about dying right now," Jessica moaned.
Braden kissed her shoulder. "I'm sorry. But it's true."
Pearl approached slowly, her brow furrowed. After a moment of silence, she nodded. "The witch you attacked is one of my students. I've been hearing rumors that you were defending another dragon after she attacked him for refusing her on the spring equinox. I'll have a little talk with her and get her to tell the truth. And…" She twisted her hands. "I'm sorry for what I did. I thought that…"
"You thought that I was going to steal our babies and leave Jessica." Braden's voice was carefully controlled.
"I did. And I'm sorry. Jessica, I hope you'll come back to university. You have great potential as a witch, and you need more training to get a good position."
Going back to school wasn't appealing, but now didn't seem like the time to make a decision. Not when she was in labor! "I'll think about it."
Jessica cried out as another contraction took her. They were so quick now; she didn't think it was possible for labor to set in so quickly. There was a sudden rush of fluid between her legs and she knew her water had broken.
"Get the doctor," she gasped as pressure built in her pelvis. "They're coming."
***
Erick and Stafford Clampett came into the world two healthy, screaming little boys. Within hours of their birth, smoke was puffing out of their nostrils, though Braden assured her that they wouldn’t start to breathe fire until their first shift. Both looked like their father—golden skin, black eyes—but they had Jessica's curls in their surprisingly thick hair.
When Jessica and the twins were released from the hospital two days later, she returned to the apartment to find it absolutely brimming with baby toys and diapers.
"The flock has been stopping by with gifts," Braden explained, shifting a giant bunny out of the way of the entrance. He carried both twins in their car seats. "They may have been a little over the top. Oh, and Pearl sent a message. She's going to buy us a house if we move back to the coven. I suppose it's her way of apologizing."
He didn't sound very forgiving, but Jessica only smiled as they waded through toys to the bedroom. "At least she got that witch who attacked Jacob to say what really happened. We have the option to move back if we want."
The witch rubbed her belly. It was soft again, and still ached a little from giving birth, but the magic really helped to speed up the healing process. It felt strange not to have her babies kicking from the inside anymore, but gazing at their sweet little faces made her beam.
"My flock wants me to come back, so maybe it's worth thinking about." Braden shrugged. He set the twins down and unbuckled Erick while Jessica took little Stafford to the crib.
Big Stafford was back in the coven, having gotten his job back from Pearl. There wasn't enough room for him in the apartment right now, anyway, and Jessica was grateful that he recognized that she and Braden needed some time to connect to the babies, just the four of them.
After the twins were in their cribs, Braden picked her up and settled her in bed. He kissed her gently. "So. I have something for you."
Jessica leaned forward eagerly as he produced something from his pocket. It was a ring with an emerald set into a gold band. The metal was a little scratched up, indicating that it was very old. As Braden slid it onto her finger–the third finger on her left hand–Jessica's heart sped up and a smile bloomed over her face.
"It was my mother's ring, given to her by my father. It was his mother's ring, too. I want you to wear it… and be my wife."
"Yes!" Jessica hardly let him finish before she blurted out her answer. "Yes, yes, yes!"
Braden looked taken aback by her enthusiasm but smiled. "I take it you're happy."
"Of course I am." She pulled him close and pressed a kiss to his lips. "This is what I've wanted my whole life. Now I finally have it. My dragon. My twins. My happily ever after."
*****
THE END
Bonus Book 4: The Shifter's Nanny
Description
Does this hot panther shifter need me to take care of his daughter or does he want my curves for another reason as well?
Rose Doctor needs a job. After years of emotional abuse by her ex-boyfriend, she’s broke and deeply scarred. So when a gorgeous shifter needs her help to take care of his infant daughter, she accepts.
Her new boss is hot as hell. But she’s not going to let her heart get the best of her. Not this time.
Devon was always a loner. He’s not looking for romance, much less a mate. All he needs is a nanny. Yes, she has curves in all the right places. But no, she’s here to look after his daughter, and that’s it.
But everything changes when Rose’s past catches up with her. Her ex-boyfriend is back and will stop at nothing to force her to take him back...
Will Devon do what it takes to protect Rose? Can he resist the primal urge that’s roared to life in him? And can Rose find it in herself and trust again?
Sometimes risking everything is the only way to find out…
Chapter One – Rose
Maybe I should have worn something a little more casual. After all, I'm interviewing to be a nanny, not a supernanny.
Rose self-consciously smoothed down the plum pencil skirt that she wore to all her interviews, glad she had at least matched her business suit with a fun frog-themed necklace and had kept her dyed autumn-red hair in loose waves around her face. It showed that she was fun as well as professional. At least, that's what she hoped it showed and didn't make her look crazy.
I look fantastic, she told herself to try to calm her churning gut. Anybody would be lucky to have me working with them.
She took a deep breath before she knocked on the front door. Her pep-talk wasn't helping the butterflies in her stomach at all, but then she hadn't thought it would. This was her first job interview in nearly five years. She didn’t know what to expect anymore.
The door opened, revealing her potential employer. The first thing that struck her about him was the suspicious squint in his silver-grey eyes. They swept up and down her, and she got the feeling that if he didn't like what he saw, she wouldn’t even get the interview. She tried to stand a little straighter, unconsciously sucking in her gut to try to make herself look thinner. Not that it was possible… her ex-boyfriend was always fond of telling her how she needed to trim down for him, and she'd only gained weight since she left him.
"Hello." She stuck out her hand. "I'm Rose Doctor, here to interview for the position of nanny."
"Devon McGullicuddy," the man replied. He didn't shake her hand. "We'll sit out here for the interview."
Rose nodded. She thought it was strange that he wanted to interview her at his home but was relieved she wasn't going to have to insist on not setting foot into his house just yet. She wanted to get to know him a little better first. They sat on a couple of chairs set out on the covered porch.
"Miss Doctor," Devon started, setting down. "Before we start, you are aware of my heritage, yes?"
Rose's gaze swept down his strongly muscled body. What did he mean by that? His ethnic heritage? If he came from money? Did he have some sort of famous ancestor? His bronzed skin spoke to a more temperate climate, but what was she supposed to guess?
"Er…"
"I'm a shifter," Devon clarified.
Heat rushed to her cheeks. "Oh! Yes, yes I understand that. And the baby is a shifter as well, yes?"
He nodded. "She is, yes. She won't start shifting until she's a little older, though, so you don't have to worry about knowing how to care for a kitten."
"A kitten. So what are you?"
What did I ask him that for?
Rose bit her lower lip, ducking her head. She hated it when people walked up to her and asked her
that question. Her Eurasian heritage was something she was proud of, but for some reason, people thought that they ought to be privy to her heritage. It annoyed her to no end–and here she was asking the same question!
"I'm sorry," she blurted. "That's none of my business."
Devon grunted. If Rose's heart sunk any lower, it'd be on her feet. This was exactly the kind of disaster she was worried about on her first new job interview. Social awkwardness combined with five years of emotional abuse from someone she loved was not a good combination.
"I suppose if you are going to work for me, it is something you ought to know… I'm a Panther." Devon folded his arms and scowled at her.
If she wasn't so desperate for a job, she would have run right then. Not because of his alternate form, but because of his expression. She didn't need any more short-tempered men in her life, and from the look on his face, Devon looked like somebody who always wanted things done his way and fast.
"I read your resume. You just graduated college with a degree in early childhood education. Why are you looking to be a nanny instead of working at a school or a daycare?"
Good. It was a question she was prepared for. Rose took a deep breath and raised her head again, meeting the shifter's eye. "I would ideally like to be a teacher, but there are no openings in the city right now, and I really need a job. I have student loans to pay off, I need a new car, and I haven't worked in five years. I love kids, and I need something that will help me feel like I'm making a difference. That I'm helping somebody."
"Why haven't you worked in five years?"
"Um… school, mostly," Rose lied, looking at her feet again.
She wasn't going to tell this perfect stranger that her ex didn't want her working… He wanted her to stay home and keep the house clean and make sure a meal was ready as soon as he got home from work.
And if it wasn't, there was hell to pay. That was why it took her five years to complete a two-year program. She had to plan her school schedule around taking care of Percy.
Devon jumped to his feet. At first Rose flinched, thinking that he was going to order her away, but he ran into the house without a word. Rose stayed where she was, frozen in shock. Was that his way of ending the interview? But moments later she heard a wailing baby, and her shoulders relaxed. It wasn't her, it was his daughter that had made him leave so abruptly.
"There, there, Jamie. What's wrong?" The gruff tones Devon had been using on her have completely melted away to a voice that was like buttery caramel.
Something shivered from Rose's stomach, working its way up and down her limbs just hearing that voice. She stood and peeked into the doorway. Devon stood in the middle of a modestly decorated living room, gently rocking a blanket that was messily tucked around a flailing baby.
Rose stepped into the room, not wanting to assume Devon was helpless, but the baby's crying tugged at her heartstrings. She couldn’t just leave. "Do you mind? I'm not so great with words, but I can show you how well I work with babies."
A fierce glare answered her, but at another, louder wail, Devon's gaze softened. He handed the baby to Rose–reluctantly, she thought–and hovered at her shoulder as she checked baby Jamie's diaper. She frowned. The diaper was dry, but it was put on backward.
"She wants to eat. When did you last feed her?"
"At 11:02," Devon replied promptly. "The books say babies need to be fed every two hours. She shouldn’t be hungry for another hour."
Rose nodded. "She's probably just tired then and wants something to suck on for comfort. Do you have a pacifier?"
"The books say pacifiers can ruin children's teeth."
"She doesn't have any teeth yet," Rose reminded him gently. She knelt on the floor and unwrapped Jamie before burritoing her up tightly. The baby still cried, until she was snuggled up against Rose's chest as she bounced and swayed from side to side.
Within five minutes, Jamie had dropped off to sleep again. Rose smiled as the little body became utterly relaxed in her arms. She smiled up at Devon, who looked so surprised it was actually comical. He smiled at her and nodded.
"Can you start tomorrow?"
Rose jolted in surprise. "You want to hire me?"
"Yes."
"Oh." A wide smile broke over Rose's face. Maybe the interview didn't get off to a great start, but at least things were looking up! A job would really help her find her feet again. She nodded. "Yeah, I can start tomorrow."
"Good. I'm a veterinarian and I've been away from the practice for too long already. My boss is getting antsy about it. Now, I need your cell phone number… do you have all emergency personnel, fire department, 911, police, etc. in your phone directory?"
Rose shook her head.
"If you're going to watch after my daughter, you need that. And you have infant CPR training, so we're okay with that. And I have Nanny cams around the house. That's something I thought you should know."
Rose frowned. She didn't like the idea of him being able to watch her without her knowing about it. But he did tell her about the cams, so he wasn't looking to sneakily spy on her.
"Oh!" Devon nodded and headed for the kitchen. "I'll show you how to make a bottle. I don't want you microwaving it. In fact, I'd prefer you not to use the microwave at all. Or cell phones around Jamie, so if you have any calls you have to make, please use the landline unless it's in a case of emergency."
"You can calm down, you know." Rose shifted the baby into one arm and laid her free hand on Devon's arm. "She's going to be fine with me. I promise."
Devon stared at her hand on his arm. Rose suddenly realized how strong the muscles beneath her fingertips were. He was like a god, carved to perfection from the hand of an artist. Her heart rate spiked and a rush of heat rose to her face. She coughed and stepped away.
"Where is her crib?"
"Upstairs in the bedroom." Devon's head cocked to one side. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
Rose tensed. She narrowed her eyes at her new employer while backing away from him. "If I'm going to work for you, I'll be taking care of Jamie. I'm not here as your… playmate."
He held his hands up in the air. "I'm sorry. That was inappropriate of me. But I'm glad to hear you are so forceful about the issue. I've heard of women taking care of single men's children in the hopes of getting married… especially where shifters are concerned."
"And you asked if I had a boyfriend in the hopes that I did?"
"Yes. There is a lot of romanticism about us in the media, and… I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. This is a strictly professional relationship, for Jamie's sake. Nothing else."
"Oh." Rose let out a sigh of relief. It would be a lie to say she wasn't attracted to this man, but at this point, she wanted nothing to do with romance. "Good. Now… why don't I put the baby down, and you can tell me her routine and everything else I need to know?"
Devon smiled at her. "Yeah. That sounds good."
Chapter Two – Devon
Maybe he should have run a background check on her. Devon hovered behind Rose as she demonstrated yet again that she knew how to change a diaper expertly. The truth was that she clearly knew more about taking care of infants than he did, but that wasn't surprising. According to her résumé, she had experience in babysitting since she was twelve years old.
Devon couldn't remember holding a baby until he got Jamie.
He patted his pocket, self-conscious about the weight of the phone he was no longer used to carrying. "You have the office number and my personal cell phone number in your cell phone?"
"Yes. And they're tacked up by the landline just in case, along with all the emergency numbers for this area." Rose picked up the teddy bear she had just diapered and propped it on her hip. "Devon. We are going to be fine. You have plenty of formula and filtered water and sterilized glass bottles, and I have sworn an oath not to wash her diapers in regular laundry soap."
"Or use those disposable ones," Devon added. "Who knows what—?"
Rose shook her
head and grasped his hand. An amused smile played over her lips. "You know, as sweet as it is to see you so concerned about your daughter, there is such a thing as being overprotective. She will be fine. Babies have been born for a few billion years now. They're designed to be babies."
Infant mortality rates have always been high, too. He gulped in a deep breath. Maybe it was too early to go back to work. But his paternity leave was over, so he didn't have much of a choice. If he had owned the clinic he worked at… but he didn't, and his boss, while understanding, was short-staffed as it was. Devon needed to be there.
Still, he hesitated. He hadn't been separated from Jamie since she was first placed into his arms. "Maybe it would be a good idea for you to memorize—"
"You're going to be late."
Devon let out a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. I have to go. You have the minivan in case you need to drive anywhere."
"Yes." Rose's amber-brown eyes twinkled. "She'll be fine. I promise."
With a reluctant nod, Devon moved back to the swing where Jamie was sleeping. He kissed her gently before tearing himself away. Nerves churned in his stomach all the way to the veterinary clinic he worked at on the opposite side of the city. As soon as he was parked in his reserved spot, he pulled out his phone and pulled up the app connecting him to the nanny cam he had installed.
A blanket was laid out over the floor, and Rose was gently putting Jamie down on it on her belly. Devon felt his shoulders unstitching. The pediatrician said that 'tummy time' was necessary to develop strong neck muscles. Rose did know what she was doing.
"Now, how about we read a story?" Rose laid down perpendicular to Jamie and put a novel between them. "You're never too young for Harry Potter, are you?"
Devon smiled. He closed the app and called her. "Everything is good there still?"
