“Nope, it was a big hill, but not a mountain. In the summer I’ll take you over the mountains outside Wishing Moon Bay, then you’ll know what a real mountain is.” He went to a window and looked inside. “I’m going to check all round to see if I can get in without causing any damage.”
“Okay, I’ll go grab the packs.” She trudged back to the packs and bent down to pick them up. What she wouldn’t give for a nice soak in a hot bath. But an evening spent alone with Dario would be just as relaxing once they got a fire going.
“There’s a small window around the side that’s unlatched.” Dario came back to her and hooked his hand under her arm while grabbing the packs with the other. “If I give you a boost, you should be able to squeeze through and then open the door.”
“I have never broken into anywhere before. You are leading me astray, Dario.” She followed him around the side of the cabin. “You want me to squeeze through there?”
“The window is small but if you took off your coat and maybe your sweater, you would fit through it,” he assured her then grinned. “Believe me, I know your dimensions perfectly.”
“My dimensions?” She unzipped her coat and shrugged it off, immediately the cold chilled her arms and torso. “And my sweater?”
“I think so.” He helped her wrestle it off, then pulled the window open as wide as possible. “Ready?”
“Not really, but I don’t want to freeze out here, so I guess I have no choice.” She put her hands on the windowsill and bent her leg at the knee. Dario leaned down and grabbed her knee, boosting her up so her head and shoulders fit through the window.
With much wriggling, she made a very undignified entrance into the cabin. Sprawling across the floor, she pulled her knees up under her and crawled forward before standing up. At least Dario hadn’t witnessed the whole thing.
Dusting herself down, she headed for the cabin door. She needed her sweater and coat since the air inside the cabin was as cold as that outside. At least that meant the cabin was currently unoccupied and they should be able to spend an undisturbed night here.
“Come in.” She unlatched the door in the falling light and Dario entered, handing her back her sweater and coat.
“Good job. I’ll get a fire started.” He hurried past her and knelt by the hearth of the open fireplace. After a couple of minutes rummaging around, he grunted with satisfaction. “I’ll replace the wood we use before we leave tomorrow.”
“I think I saw a wood store around the side of the cabin. Do you want me to go get more wood now?”
“No, there’s plenty here for tonight. Why don’t you sort out some food and maybe see if there’s a kettle? We should eat something warm and drink plenty.” He glanced at her with some concern before he turned back to the fire.
“Okay, kettle. Where are you?” The light was fading fast as she went to the small kitchen area. Luckily there was a kettle sitting on top of a stove. All she needed now was water. “Shall I use the water we brought with us?”
“Yes, for now. We can check to see if there’s a well or a pump for fresh water in the morning. If there is, we can refill our water bottles, if not, there’s a freshwater stream on the border of Wishing Moon Bay, we have enough water until then.”
She filled the kettle and carried it to the fire, which Dario had coaxed into life. “Can we boil the kettle on the fire?”
“There’s a hook here.” He held out his hand for the kettle and showed her how to hook it over the fire. “I can probably get the stove going, too. But we should be able to manage with just the fire.”
“It feels very primitive.” She sat down next to him and handed him an energy bar. “Here’s the first course of our dinner. You must be starving.”
“Thanks. I was okay while we were traveling but now that we’ve stopped, my stomach is complaining about the lack of food.” He unwrapped the bar and took a bite. “Not bad.”
“Once the kettle is boiled, we can have coffee. I’ll find a pan and we can heat the rest of the food.” She held out her hands to the fire. “Oh, that feels good.”
“We should grab some blankets and sleep here. I’ll bank the fire up, so it keeps going most of the night.” He pointed to his pack. “There’s a flashlight in there. We should take a look around the cabin before it gets too dark.”
“Did you camp out with your brothers when you were younger?” She leaned against him sandwiched between the warmth of his body and the fire. Helena didn’t care if she moved again, it was so cozy here with Dario.
“Yes, we still do. When we’re all together in town, we’ll spend a couple of nights up in the mountains sleeping under the stars and cooking on a campfire. It brings us together and strengthens the bond between us.” He sighed and scrunched up his wrapper. “It’s easy to grow apart when you get older. We were super close when we were teenagers not long after we’d all mastered shifting.”
“I know what you mean. Penny and I have drifted apart the last few years. She got married and had Milo, they lived their own lives and I lived mine.” She snuggled down and rested her head on his thigh, her eyes heavy as she stared at the fire. “I like that we’ve reconnected. I don’t necessarily like the circumstances, but I’m looking forward to being a part of their lives again.”
“Why don’t you stay here while I go take a look around and gather what we need?” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.
“I was going to insist I help but I don’t know if I can move.” She stretched out her aching legs. “I wanted to make you dinner.”
“I’m the provider, the hunter-gatherer, you stay there and watch the fire.” He stroked her head and then got up in one fluid motion. Grabbing a couple of cushions from the sofa, he wedged them behind her back, propping her up.
Helena watched the flames flicker as she listened to Dario move around the cabin, fighting the urge to go to sleep. But the urge was too strong, and she rested her head on her hands, closing her eyes for a moment.
With Dario close, she was safe. Even out here in the middle of nowhere, he would protect her.
Always.
Chapter Twenty – Dario
“Thank you. For looking after me last night. And today.” Helena slipped her hand into his.
“You are welcome. I’ll always be there for you.” Dario squeezed her hand and smiled.
“And I’ll always be there for you. I might not be able to protect you in the same way you can protect me, but I can protect your heart.” She leaned on his shoulder and giggled nervously. “That sounded better in my head.”
“It sounds just about right to me.” He sighed, if the situation were different, he’d be content. After carrying Helena all morning, they had stopped for lunch, a mixture of granola bars, sandwiches made with the scant contents they’d found in Helena’s cupboards before they left her apartment, and some potato chips. After they’d eaten, Helena had walked for a couple of miles before Dario shifted and carried her to the borders of Wishing Moon Bay.
He’d moved at a faster pace, and Helena hadn’t complained even though her legs must be sore, and her muscles cramped. They both knew they had to get back to Wishing Moon Bay before dark, neither of them wanted to spend another night out in the wild.
Fresh snowfall was imminent and the chances of them finding another cabin to stay in overnight were slim out here in this part of the wilderness.
Helena needed to get back to Penny. She needed to know what Penny found and then figure out what happened to their father. His horse could sense the tension in their mate as she rode on his back. She was anxious, her emotions feeding into his horse as clearly as if they were one and the same.
“I could ride some more,” she told him as they crested the top of a hill.
“I wanted to be here by your side when you saw this view for the first time.” He jogged forward and pulled her along with him to the top of the hill.
“Wow, that is quite a view.” She shielded her eyes against the low sun.
“We’re on the oppo
site side of town to Logan’s cabin. From here you can see the entire bay and the islands beyond. If you go out past the islands, you would reach the landmass where the dragons live.” He stared out across the ocean, but even with his enhanced senses, he could not see the dragons.
“Dragons live out there?” Helena stared out to sea. “I know Ivan is a dragon shifter, but I thought they lived among you.”
“No!” He shook his head. “They are far too proud to live among the rest of us.”
“You’re not joking?” Her eyes widened. “So there’s a whole land filled with dragons with a superiority complex?”
“Yes, there is.” He turned a little to the right and pointed. “The moon will fill the sky tonight. It’s a wishing moon.”
“A wishing moon?” Helena asked following his gaze.
“Yes, when the moon is full, we call it a wishing moon. You can make a wish anytime you choose, but there’s more chance of the wish coming true if you make it on a wishing moon.”
“Then let’s get to town. I think I might like to make a wish tonight.” She dragged him forward, but he pulled her back. “What’s wrong?” Helena tensed and looked around. “Is there someone here?”
“There.” He pointed into the distance. Just above the tips of the trees, something was moving toward them.
“Is that a bird?” She leaned forward and squinted. “It’s a bird. A big bird.”
“It’s Ivan. I sent him a text to let him know we were close.” He slipped his arm around her waist. “This will cut a couple of hours or more off our journey.”
“We’re going to ride on the back of a dragon?” She swallowed hard. “What kind of crazy world have I found myself in?”
“The good kind of crazy. Most of the time at least.” Dario held her hand tightly, as they watched the dragon grow bigger as he drew closer. Helena’s heart rate increased, and she breathed rapidly but she stood her ground.
“Where’s he going to land?” she asked breathlessly as the air swirled around them with each downbeat of his wings.
“He can land right here. He’s very agile.” Dario watched his brother as he pushed his taloned feet forward and then flapped his wings backward to slow himself down. With more grace than should be possible for a creature so big, he landed effortlessly, and folded in his wings.
“How do we get on?” Helena dug her nails into Dario’s hand as he led her forward. Ivan didn’t shift, they could talk and catch up once they were back at the hotel.
Ivan lowered himself down toward the ground, his foreleg bent so they could clamber on. Dario hadn’t ridden on the dragon’s back for years, but the thrill was something he never forgot or got bored of.
“Follow me.” He let go of his mate’s hand for a moment and climbed onto the dragon’s forelimb before reaching for a horned spike on his back. Bending his knees, he sprang up onto the dragon’s back and slipped his leg over his scaly spine.
“You make it look easy.” Helena climbed onto Ivan’s forelimb, her actions tentative as if she were scared of hurting the dragon.
“He’s pretty tough.” Dario leaned down and held out his hand to his mate.
“I’m standing on his leg. It just feels wrong.” She patted the dragon’s scaly hide. “Sorry.”
The dragon turned around and surveyed her with his reptilian-like eyes that were still uniquely Ivan.
“He forgives you.” Dario beckoned to her. “Come on, I’ll pull you up.”
Helena slipped her hand into his and then scrambled onto Ivan’s back. “Okay, I’m on.”
The dragon crouched down and then sprang into the air, dropping down from the top of the hill with his wings outstretched. They glided silently toward town, the wind rushing at them, bringing the first flakes of new snow.
Dario’s heart danced with happiness. Here he was flying on the back of a dragon with his mate’s arms wrapped around his waist. Did life get any better?
Yet soon it was over, they were back at the hotel, standing in the parking lot with the two backpacks next to them as they watched Ivan shift from dragon to human.
“Thanks, Ivan.” Dario embraced his brother.
“You’re welcome. Plus, I figured Helena might appreciate riding on my back after spending hours on the back of that horse of yours.” He grinned and winked at Helena over Dario’s shoulder.
“Hey, Helena loves riding on my horse.” Dario let go of his brother and swung around to face his mate.
“I do. Although, I do appreciate the dragon’s speed. It’s good to be back here before nightfall.”
“She thinks you’re slow,” Ivan whispered theatrically.
“I did not say that.” Helena laughed and wagged her finger at Ivan. “I can see there is a rivalry between you all.”
“Always.” Ivan hugged Helena. “It’s good you’re here. Penny is going out of her mind waiting for you.”
“Where is she?” Helena asked.
“In Valerie’s apartment. They’ve brought more stuff down from the attic. Penny is convinced they might find more photos and maybe some answers.” He clamped his mouth shut as he locked eyes with Dario. “Come on. There might be time for you to get to the library tonight, too. It’s been hard for Penny to sit still and not go check out the news articles in the library archives. If you hadn’t gotten back today, I don’t think she could have waited any longer.”
“I’m glad she did.” They followed Ivan around the back of the hotel. Taking a left turn, they entered Valerie’s apartment by a private outside door rather than the one that led through the hotel.
“Penny said you met this Barry character.” Ivan’s eyes glowed as he turned to look over his shoulder, his jaw tense. “She told us what he said to you, Helena. If what he said is true, I am sorry. So very sorry. I believe Penny always held onto the hope that your father might still be alive.”
“We both did. At least a small part of us did. I suppose it’s natural, although as the years went by, we questioned why he’d never tried to find us. But then we explained it away by believing that our mother hid us very well or that she’d asked him to leave us alone and he’d obeyed her wish.” She gave a low laugh. “The number of times we’ve gone around and around in circles trying to reason out why we never met him, or Mom never told us about him.”
“There are photos.” Ivan closed the door behind them. “He and your mom look happy.”
Helena covered her mouth and hiccupped as she swallowed down a sob. “I can’t wait to see them. And yet I’m scared.”
“Helena?” Penny came out of Valerie’s living room and ran toward her sister. “You’re back. Thank you, Dario. Thank you, Ivan.”
“It’s good to be back...home.” Helena hugged Penny as Dario exchanged a worried glance with Ivan. Later, after Penny and Helena had shared their news, he planned on talking to all his brothers, they needed to be ready for anything that might threaten the two women. They had to be ready for Barry’s next move.
Whether that is inside or outside of Wishing Moon Bay, his horse confirmed.
“Come and look at what we found in the attic. Milo got bored looking through clothes. He was looking for old toys in the farthest corners of the attic when he found a box full of old photos.” Penny pulled Helena toward the living room.
“One day we should go through all of the stuff in the attic and see if there’s anything useful or valuable up there,” Ivan murmured to Dario.
“Or dangerous?” Dario arched an eyebrow at his brother.
“Exactly.” Ivan and Dario followed Penny and Helena.
“This is Mom and Dad?” Helena stared at the photo in her left hand, the fingers of her right hand caressing the earrings she wore. The same earrings Barry had recognized.
“Yes, Milo saw the earrings and came to show me. But there’s no mistaking this is Mom. You have the same eyes.” Penny twirled her finger. “Turn it over.”
“Oliver and Amanda Olsen outside Sweet Creations.” Helena looked up. “They owned a candy store?”
>
“Yes.” Valerie came into the room with Logan at her shoulder, carrying a tray of coffee and cookies. “I was talking to Jeremy earlier, his family has lived here their whole lives. He said he can remember your parents. Your father used to make magic sweets and candy.”
“Magic sweets?” Helena asked. “Dad had magic?”
“No,” Penny answered quickly. “Mom and Dad used to buy the spells from the local witches and blend them with sugar and natural flavorings.”
“Jeremy said his favorite was a gobstopper that made your voice come out funny. Some would make your voice high-pitched, some would make you croak like a frog. The kids used to buy them and have hours of fun.” Valerie smiled, her eyes filled with tears. “He said your parents were well-loved.”
“Does he know what happened to them?” Helena asked. “Wait, does he remember us?”
Valerie glanced at Penny. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. I wanted to wait until you were both here together.”
“Tell us what?” Penny folded her arms across her body. “What do you know?”
“Jeremy couldn’t remember too many details, he was only six or seven at the time. But he does remember the shop closing and his mom told him your father had been…” Valerie hesitated, her expression filled with pain.
“Barry told me Dad was dead,” Helena said quietly. “He was murdered.”
“Murdered?” Penny put her hands to her mouth. “No.”
“That’s what Barry told me.” Helena looked at Valerie for confirmation.
“Yes, that’s what Jeremy’s mom told him.” Valerie brushed her hand over her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
“What else did Jeremy say?” Penny asked, her face a mask as she held in her emotions.
“Not much really. He doesn’t remember either of you, but you would have been very young, and children don’t always take notice of these things.”
“So Barry was right.” Helena cupped her face in her hands. “Does Jeremy know who did it?”
“No, he called his mom, but she said no one was ever charged as far as she can remember but it’s all a bit hazy since it was so long ago.” Valerie went to Penny and hugged her. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away.”
The Horse Shifter's Mate: A Wishing Moon Bay Shifter Romance (The Bond of Brothers Book 2) Page 15
