A Phoenix Is Forever

by Ashlyn Chase

  “You are one of a kind, you know that, LC?” Dawn burst out in giggles.

  “Yes, I’ve been told that many times.” Lynda grinned.

  “So what’s the next step?” Dawn asked.

  “The next step is you go on with your life and live happily ever after.”

  “But I still want to keep helping people. Using my psychic gifts.”

  Lynda reached for her hands. “I was hoping you would say that. In fact, I was pretty sure you would. And there’s something else…”

  “What?”

  “Not that you have to do this or anything, but the girls and I have been talking, and we’d like to offer you a position at Karma Cleaners.”

  “Really? Oh, but I have something to tell you too, Lynda.”

  “You’re moving to Puerto Rico?”

  “How did you…never mind.” She shook her head in disbelief. “So how am I supposed to work for Karma if I’m going to be living in PR?”

  “Um, we do have offices everywhere, you know.”

  “Wow! But I’m supposed to be working with Luca on his PI biz.”

  “You can do both. I’m sure you’ll find many candidates for karma cleaning with such a symbiotic situation. Oh, and one more thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “The job comes with a salary, expense account, and three-bedroom home on the outskirts of San Juan. Plenty of room for you—and your kids.” She winked.

  Dawn’s eyes filled with tears. “I can’t thank you enough, LC. You saved my life.”

  “Honey, I didn’t save your life. You did that all on your own. And I have to thank you. Your courage and tenacity have inspired me and everyone here. That party out there is for you, by the way.” Lynda tipped her head, gesturing to the door.

  “You’re kidding.”

  “Would I kid you?”

  They rose, and Lynda wrapped her in a big bear hug. “Come on. Let’s go back out there. Everyone wants to congratulate you.”

  Lynda handed Dawn a tissue, and she wiped her eyes. They walked arm in arm out the door and joined the fun.

  Much later, Dawn lay in bed next to Luca after a particularly long session of hot sex. “I can’t believe I’m a bona fide Karma Cleaner.”

  “I can.” Luca grinned. “You’re a natural. You’re gonna kick butt in Puerto Rico.”

  She lay her head on his chest. “Are you going to miss Boston and being a cop?”

  “Nope. Not for a second. Besides, most of my family is going to be living there, so it’ll be just like home, except with sunshine and palm trees.”

  “And don’t forget the noisy gatherings and your father joking and your mom cooking all the time.”

  “It’ll be awesome.”

  “I know it will.”

  “But we can always slip away if they get on our nerves.”

  “Hmm…and what would we slip away to do?”

  He flipped her over onto her back and proceeded to show her.

  * * *

  Three months later, in Puerto Rico…

  Dawn dropped her keys on the console beside the front door and kicked off her sandals. Padding into the kitchen, she opened the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of iced tea. She poured herself a tall glass and took a few much-needed sips to cool down. With a sigh, she pressed the cold glass to her forehead, then opened the fridge again in search of the leftover tapas from the night before.

  Two strong arms circled her waist from behind. “You’re out of luck,” a beloved male voice said softly.

  She sighed and leaned back against the muscular chest. “Ah, the fridge bandit has struck again. I guess I’ll have to get tougher on him next time.”

  “What do you plan on doing?”

  She turned in his arms and looked into those gorgeous blue eyes that never ceased to make her heart do backflips. His eyes looked even more blue against his tan. “I’ll have to think of a new punishment.”

  His eyebrows shot up, and a slow grin spread across his face. “Yeah?”

  “Oh yeah.”

  “What kind of punishment?”

  “Hmm…” She tapped her lips with the tip of her index finger. “This is going to take a bit of time.”

  “Well, we have about an hour before we have to leave.”

  “That should be more than enough time for what I have planned.”

  He leaned in and kissed her, and for a few moments, she was lost. Until her cell phone beeped. “Darn.”

  “Don’t get that.” He moved down her neck, nibbling as he went.

  “I have to. It could be Gran.”

  “She’s fine. She’s at Mom and Dad’s.”

  “I know, but she told me she was bringing her new friend, and she wanted my help picking out an outfit.”

  Luca sighed and stepped back. “You know, this whole living happily ever after on an island with our families isn’t as carefree as I thought it would be.”

  Dawn grinned as she reached for her phone and answered. “Hi, Gran.”

  “Honey, it’s down to two outfits, and I can’t decide between the yellow-flowered print dress or my turquoise skirt and the white peasant blouse.”

  “I love that dress. I think it’s a winner.”

  “Thanks so much, sweetie. I hope Diego likes it too.”

  “I’m sure he will. And I can’t wait to meet him.”

  “Oh, he can’t wait to meet everyone too. Gabriella said Antonio has a whole list of questions that he’s going to grill him with.”

  Dawn chuckled. “If there is anything I know about the Fierro family, it’s that they look after their own.”

  “They do indeed. But I’m sure Diego is up to the task, being a retired San Juan firefighter and all.”

  “I’m sure it’s going to be a lively night.”

  Annette chuckled as they said their goodbyes.

  “I don’t know what Mom and Dad will do if Annette marries Diego,” Luca said, picking up Dawn’s glass and taking a sip. “They love having her living with them.”

  “Well, I’ve never seen Gran so happy in my life. She never had a chance really. This is completely new for her, and she’s loving being courted by a gentleman. She wants to take it slow and appreciate it.”

  “Annette deserves all the happiness in the world.” Luca wrapped his arms back around Dawn and kissed the tip of her nose. “And so do you.”

  “Well, I’ve got my knight in shining armor already. What more could I ask for?”

  Annette was living with Gabriella and Antonio outside the city and had met Diego at a seniors’ center in downtown San Juan. Antonio used to drive her there, but now her sweetie picked her up.

  They’d been dating for the past month, and Annette was over the moon. Dawn was so happy for her grandmother. She was equally happy for her mom, Lissie, who was set for early parole. Her mom had become a model inmate and had a job lined up in Boston after she got out. She would be living in a halfway house and helping to counsel former drug addicts. Dawn was proud of her mom. She hoped that one day, Lissie could move to Puerto Rico too, but baby steps. Her mom had her own path to follow.

  “I’ve got some news about our PI biz,” Luca said.

  “Oh? What’s up?”

  “Well, while you were working your karmic magic with your new client at Karma Cleaners, I got a phone call from the Foundation Against Human Trafficking. They want us to look into another case. A ring that’s kidnapping girls from Haiti and bringing them here then to Miami.”

  Dawn shook her head. “That’s horrible.”

  “I want to get these bastards.”

  “We will. We caught everyone who hid Mandy, didn’t we?”

  “We did at that.”

  Dawn was so proud of Luca. Since he’d decided to quit the police force and set up his own private investigation b
usiness, they’d been working with nonprofit groups who partnered with law enforcement to find missing children and women who were victims of violent crime. He was still using techniques he’d learned in college while majoring in criminal justice.

  So far, between Dawn’s visions and Luca’s phoenix abilities, they had located five girls. It wasn’t huge money, but they didn’t have to worry. Her salary from Karma Cleaners was more than enough, and Dawn’s life couldn’t be more fulfilling.

  She spent half her day at the new location of Karma Cleaners in downtown San Juan and then the evenings working with Luca. Sometimes weekends too. But she didn’t mind. As long as they were together, she was happy.

  And if she couldn’t get around to shopping or cooking, Gabriella and Annette made sure their fridge was always stocked and they knew they were always welcome to a meal and a visit. Between those two mother hens and Antonio’s new wine-making business, the elders were happy too.

  After so many years of being alone with only her grandmother, Dawn was lapping up all the attention from the big family around her. She adored Luca’s family, the noisiness, the laughter, the camaraderie. Luca shook his head at her when she told him that. But his eyes sparkled with joy just the same.

  “Tell me about your new client,” Luca said, pulling her onto their balcony and sitting down on their comfy chaise.

  She sighed and relaxed against him. She would never get tired of the view of the Atlantic Ocean. It truly was paradise.

  Luca’s brothers had been hard at work helping to rebuild the devastated areas of the island after the hurricanes. Luca and Dawn often took part in volunteer fundraisers and events to help the hardest-hit communities. Luca donated his labor anytime he was free to do so.

  Meanwhile, Antonio’s wine-making business was taking off, and part of the profits were donated to hurricane relief charities.

  “She’s struggling, but I know I can help her. Former prostitute and a single mom to the cutest boy. She’s determined to change her karma. She wants to go back to school and study nursing. I’m so lucky to have Lynda helping me. She spends more time here than back in Boston.”

  “Lynda adores you and wants you to do well.”

  “I got an email from Jack and Mandy this afternoon. They’re doing great in Rhode Island, and Mandy has a wonderful therapist who’s helping her get over her mom’s death.”

  “That’s good…” Luca paused.

  “What’s wrong?” She leaned back and looked up at his pensive face.

  “I’m so lucky. So lucky I met you, Dawn.”

  Dawn’s eyes filled with tears, but she didn’t care. She’d spent too many years keeping her emotions inside, and now she cried easily but laughed just as easily—and far more often.

  Luca tightened his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “You made me realize what I could do. If I hadn’t met you that day in front of the Christian Science Center, who knows what would have happened?”

  “You’d still be pining over Lisa and getting tased by Sergeant Asshole?”

  Luca let out a mock groan. “Oh god, that would have been torture.”

  “Do you think your dad knows what Karma did with Butts?”

  “If he knows, he didn’t mention it to me. Whatever she had planned for Butts was well deserved. I hear she can be very creative with her punishments.”

  From the open glass doors, they could hear a cell phone buzzing.

  “Is that mine or yours?”

  “Who knows? Who cares?” He grinned.

  “I think we might have about half an hour before we have to get to your mom’s.”

  “Hmm… What do you have percolating in that smart, sexy brain of yours?”

  “Oh, just that I still have to punish you for eating the last of the sausage and pepper tapas.”

  “Oh yeah? What have you decided to do to me?”

  “I’ll race you to the shower and you’ll find out.”

  “Deal.”

  They got up at the same time and ran, laughing, flinging off their clothes as they went. They ended up being late for dinner and had to listen to a lecture from Antonio, but they didn’t mind. It was worth it.

  For more Ashlyn Chase check out

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  from Ashlyn Chase’s Boston Dragons series!

  Thunk.

  “What the hell?” Rory picked himself up off the floor beside his bed, rubbing his sore hip. Three little men dressed in green stood by his bedroom door. One of them looked angry, and one of them was trying not to snigger. The other seemed like a neutral party with his hands in his pockets.

  “Rory Arish, you’re being charged with theft,” the angry one said.

  Rory blinked and stared at the little men. “Theft, is it? What is it I’m accused of stealin’?”

  “Me gold. All of it.”

  Rory scratched his head. “Lucky, is it?” he asked, trying to put names to their faces.

  “If you’re talkin’ about me name, it’s Clancy. Lucky is me brother.” The man with his hands in his pockets withdrew one and waved at Rory. “If you’re talkin’ about your day, I’d say this is the unluckiest of your whole long life.”

  The red-haired man who’d been trying not to laugh moved his hand, uncovering his short, red beard. “Nobody steals from leprechauns and gets away with it—no matter how big you are.”

  Rory sighed. “There’s been some kind of misunderstandin’. I haven’t stolen anyone’s gold—or anythin’ else for that matter. Do you see anythin’ worth stealin’ here?” He spread his arms wide and swiveled, indicating the whole sparsely furnished room.

  He and his sisters had moved from the crumbling castle on the cliffs to the caretakers’ cottage a few years ago. The Arishes hadn’t changed much, leaving the cottage about the same as when the caretakers had lived and died there.

  “Move your arse, dragon,” the angry one said. “March me to my gold!”

  “I will not march anywhere,” Rory said. “Especially when I don’t know where your feckin’ gold is.”

  Clancy balled his fists.

  The gleeful one muttered, “Oh, that did it.”

  “Be quiet, Shamus,” Clancy snapped. Then he focused his attention on Rory again. “Mr. Arish, I’m trying to be reasonable, but I’m not a patient man. Now, admit what you did and rectify the situation, or we’ll be forced to end the treaty between our people.”

  Clad only in their nightgowns, Rory’s sisters appeared in the doorway behind the little people. Well…behind and over them. Even at five foot five or six, the girls were easily twice the size of a leprechaun.

  “What’s goin’ on here?” his sister Chloe mumbled as she rubbed the sleep out of her green eyes.

  “Apparently I’m bein’ accused of a crime I did not commit,” Rory said.

  His youngest sister, Shannon, piped up. “Crime? What crime?”

  Clancy whirled on the girls. “Mayhaps one of you took me gold. We don’t know if it was your brother or not, but it had to be the work of a dragon. Who else would have the strength to move it?”

  Rory rubbed his forehead. “Now wait a minute. Me sisters didn’t steal anythin’ either.”

  Clancy pointed a finger at Rory. “Then you admit it! It was you!”

  “I admit nothin’.” Rory’s annoyance was growing now. Fine, wake me up. Accuse me of something I didn’t do. But don’t go pointin’ fingers at me sisters!

  “It could have been any one of you…or all of you colludin’ together. The punishment will be meted out to each and every one until somebody confesses.”

  “Punishment?” Chloe laughed. “I’d like to see you try.”

  Oh shite. That was probably the worst thing she could have said, but leave it to
Chloe to poke the beast. Even though they came in pint-sized packages, leprechauns possessed powerful magic. Either Chloe didn’t remember the treaty because it was signed when she was so young, or she didn’t believe the leprechauns held the power to protect or expose her and her family. But how else could their castle in the cliffs have remained hidden from humans for all these centuries?

  It’s true that the bulk of it was built underground with entrances in the cliff’s caves, but there was one turret, like a large rook on a chess board, in plain view. It was for the few humans brave enough to live near dragons, plus the royals had posted a sentry there to see anyone coming by land.

  Clancy narrowed his eyes at the three of them. Finally he said, “You leave me no choice! You will march to the cliffs—now. If one of you doesn’t confess to the crime before you get there, I will cast you into the ocean and ban you from ever setting foot in Ireland again! In fact, you’ll be banned from all of the United Kingdom!”

  “Ha!” Chloe said. “Nobody’s goin’ anywhere.”

  * * *

  Moments later, dragons Rory, Shannon, and Chloe Arish bobbed on a raft just off the western shore of County Kerry, Ireland. They had been marched, against their will, to the edge of the cliff, and then magically transported to the raft. Rory, head of his clan, shook his fist at the little bastards dancing and laughing on the cliff above them, right next to his clan’s, now fully exposed, ancient castle.

  “You can’t do this! Our people have coexisted for centuries. You’re violatin’ the treaty signed by our ancestors,” he roared.

  Shamus, the most gleeful of the three redheaded leprechauns, yelled back, “We don’t know who signed it. We weren’t there. Maybe the dragons forged our ancestors’ signatures.”

  “Why would they do that?” Chloe yelled. “We were protectin’ each other. Your people with your magic and our clan with our might.”

  “Ha! Look who’s high and mighty now,” Shamus called back.

  “This is the same as murder!” Chloe yelled. “You know damn well this raft won’t make it across the ocean. And look what you’re doin’ to me poor sister.” She pointed to Shannon, who was lying prostrate on the lashed logs, sobbing. The bastards hadn’t even let her say good-bye to Finn, her intended.