by Sadie Sears
“This isn’t as fancy as your usual meals,” I commented, peeking at the pot of chili.
“Ah, I’m learning from the young chef the appeal of comfort food,” Cam replied. “Shae insisted this is a cold day food.”
Shae cleared her throat. “We bought enough stuff that you can customize your own bowls if you’d prefer. I like my chili on top of corn chips, or you can melt cheese on it, or add sour cream. It’s all really good.”
“Is it a Mexican-style chili?” Ben asked, poking at it.
“It’s a Southern thing, actually.” Shae poured some corn chips into her bowl and started spooning chili on it. “I was looking up good chili recipes a while ago and came across a recipe from a restaurant that makes it just like this. They don’t have any of their restaurants near here, but it looked so good that I wanted to try it. Cameron helped me.”
She dolloped sour cream on top, then sprinkled it with shredded cheese and chopped green onions. Ben looked suspicious, and even Cameron looked unsure, but they followed her lead. Having lived in the South for a while, I knew good chili and didn’t hesitate to dig in.
“Oh, wow.” Damini’s eyes widened and she scooped up another bite. “Shae, this really is delicious.”
“And very easy to make,” Shae added. “I’ll send you the recipe if you want.”
“Absolutely, please do! Maybe you two can come by a few times a week to give us some lessons, as well,” she replied. “Otherwise, it’ll be a toss-up between frozen meals or take-out.”
Damini was right, it was really good food. The satisfying crunch in the savory chili was a good call. I didn’t even bother with the side salad, but I got a second helping of that corn chip chili. The chatter at the table revolved around the food for the first bit, then suddenly shifted gears.
“So, Damini, what are you going to do now?” Shae asked. “You are staying, right?”
She nodded and wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I’m not entirely sure yet. I mean, yes, I’m staying; I just don’t know for sure what direction to take. I studied journalism in college, and that’s really what I’d like to do, but I left before I got my degree.”
Cam paused and glanced at her. “Ah, would you like me to set up a meeting at the Spruce Gazette? I’m sure they’d be happy for the help.”
“I actually talked to Belle a while back and I got that impression as well.” Damini tapped her fork on her salad bowl. “For now, I’m just going to take it one day at a time and see what happens. Maybe I’ll go back and see her again after the craziness of the holidays.”
“I don’t really think it’ll make a difference,” Dom said, pointing his fork at her. “The mysterious supernatural occurrences that they investigate happen all the year round.”
Sophie huffed, flipping her blonde curls over her shoulder. “Hopefully less so now that I’ve got that spell put back to rights, but it only covers around the town. Who knows what happens in those mountains or out around the lake?”
Damini spun her fork in her hand nervously. “Sophie, Shae, can I ask what it was like, you know, going from human to dragon?”
“Oh, honey, the entire world spins on its head.” Sophie chuckled, her kaleidoscope eyes sparkling. “Starting your first report so soon?”
Her cheeks flushed and she smiled. “Just trying to get all the information I can. Vince explained about being a destined mate, and it’s a really big decision, so I’m just fact-gathering, I guess.”
“Let me tell you”—Sophie leaned in and whispered loudly— “take your time learning to fly. Shae and Zoe nearly took out the house a minute after they received theirs.”
The entire table burst out laughing and reminiscing that eventful Thanksgiving evening. That was such a proud day for our clan, inducting two new young members into our family. It helped that they got along so well with us already, especially me. Everyone could joke all they wanted about me being the youngest, but my youth had given me an advantage the rest of them didn’t have in that regard.
“So, does it hurt?” Damini asked. “The bite, I mean.”
Shae shook her head. “Aunt Gretta gave us something that numbed our arms, so we didn’t really feel anything but pressure. Then, like Mom said, the world spun, and everything became so clear.”
“And then they took off and nearly destroyed the backyard, the house, and all the decorations,” Ben laughed.
Sophie’s cheeks reddened and she glanced at Cam. “It happens a little differently with mates. We can talk about it more later, where there aren’t small, impressionable ears.”
“Mom, I’m almost thirteen,” Shae whined. “I’m practically an adult now.”
“Well, when you become fully an adult, then we can talk about it again, Shady bear.” Sophie reached over and tapped her on the nose.
Shae leaned back and wrinkled her nose but moved her attention back to Damini. “Did you always want to be a reporter?”
“An investigative journalist, actually.” Damini grinned and shrugged. “I love the idea of going after stories and learning the truth, and then getting that truth out there for people to find.”
“Might be worth knowing how to protect yourself, if that’s the case,” Dom told her. “There are a lot of crazies out there. I can give you some lessons sometime, if you’re interested. Leath and I just started working with Lila not too long ago.”
Damini’s eyes lit up and I couldn’t help but smile. There was more than one reason to learn to defend herself, but I think the idea of some kind of female bonding added to the appeal. She nodded vigorously.
“That would be immensely helpful. Thank you.” Her eyes moved around the whole table. “Thank all of you so much for everything you’ve done, for taking me in like one of your own. All of you feel more like family than my own family ever did.”
Those were like magic words to my ears. I shuddered as my dragon moved under my skin. Cam’s eyes landed on me while the rest continued talking around us. He smirked as if he could sense the direction my thoughts had gone. I couldn’t help it.
I wanted my mate, and I wanted her right then, our audience be damned. I’d promised to be patient only a few hours ago but hearing her talk about my family as hers and asking questions about becoming a dragon were wearing that thin already. She was practically begging to be claimed, marked, turned, right there on the dinner table. I wanted to start my forever with her.
And with those thoughts circulating, I’d almost missed her next question.
“So, if I take the bite and become a dragon,” she began, “what kind of dragon would I be?”
17
Damini
Humming, I finished patting the serum into my face and sat on the edge of the bed. My heart was fuller than it had ever been.
Ever.
I hadn’t even been this happy in North Carolina. Back then, I wasn’t really free of my parents. I always had the threat of them coming in and controlling things in the back of my mind.
Working through the hurt they’d left me with would take time, but the freedom that came with that pain made it all worth it. It had only been a week and already a stress I hadn’t realized had burdened me had lifted from my shoulders.
My phone beeped on the bed beside me. When I finished rubbing the product in my face, I picked it up and looked. It was great not feeling like I had to rush and check it because there might be some fire I had to put out at one of the companies.
The noise was an email from the corporate header. I clicked it and chuckled as I read it.
“What’s funny?” Vince asked after walking out of the bathroom in a cloud of steam. We’d taken a shower together, having quite a bit of fun before actually washing. I’d finished first.
“My parents,” I said, holding out my phone. He raised his eyebrows but didn’t take it, so I explained. “They emailed to confirm they received my official resignation that I mailed a couple of days ago. They also confirmed that effective immediately they’ll be cutting off my allowance.”
&nb
sp; Vince shrugged. “You don’t need it.”
I didn’t like the idea that he’d take care of me. “How much did you pay for me?” I asked.
He laughed. “Nothing. Don’t you recall that Cam can turn lead into gold? I’m sure I told you that at some point or another.”
I had known that, but still, it wasn’t my gold. Still, at least it wasn’t a big deal to them. He plopped down on the bed beside me and pulled me back into his arms.
“I thought we were going to get up and do something productive today,” I said as I snuggled deeper into his arms. “This is all we’ve done for a week.”
He growled deep in his throat, a message from his beastly side. “This is all I want to do.”
I snorted. “Yeah, but if you are so hellfire bent on taking care of me, don’t we both need to see about earning some money?”
He snorted. “Nah. We’ll steal it.”
Even though I knew he was joking, I gave him a startled look.
“I’m kidding!” he exclaimed. “I wouldn’t steal it. I’d embezzle it.”
And we kept laughing. As we’d laughed and loved and all that mushy, lovey-dovey stuff all week.
“I do want to see about that job at the paper,” I said.
“That’s a great idea. I think a job like that would make you happy.” He kissed the top of my head. “That’s all I want. For you to be happy.”
My insecurity reared its ugly head. “Maybe I need more journalism experience before going for it,” I said uncertainly. “I might look into some online classes or maybe blogging in the new year.”
Vince stared at me. “If that’ll make you happy, but you don’t have to ask for a lot of pay. Maybe you could intern for her to get your experience.”
That wasn’t a bad idea. I could choose what direction I wanted to go, and Vince would support me however I decided to roll with it. That was the best part.
“So, are you going to be saving damsels in distress as a part of your agency work?” I asked, surprised that I felt a little jealous at the thought of him helping other women.
He caught the little green monster in my voice. “Maybe. But you have absolutely nothing to worry about. You’re the only damsel I’m thinking about.”
When I opened my mouth to tease him, my phone rang on the bed beside us. It was my generic ringtone, but still, my gut twisted with worry that it was my parents, calling to give me a hard time.
“Hello?” I said tentatively into the phone.
“Hey, girl!” Jessica chirped. “How are you?”
I sighed in relief and slumped against Vince. “Hey, Jess. I’m really good, actually.”
“Oh? Tell me.”
Vince wiggled out from under me. “I’ll let you gab,” he said after kissing me on the forehead again.
I relaxed on the bed. “Well, you sure missed it. If you’d stayed in town one more day, you would’ve seen it all.” I launched into an explanation of everything that had happened, and Jessica made the appropriate noises, shock about the money, squealing in excitement when I told her about Vince rescuing me, sighing when I explained all we’d done this week was be affectionate.
“I’m so happy for you,” she said in a sincere and warm voice. “I know what it’s like to get out from under strict parents’ thumbs. It’s the best feeling. And listen, I talked to Belle. You need to call her.”
I sighed and rolled my eyes even though she couldn’t see it. “Fine. I’ll call her and at least discuss it with her.”
“Good. And I’ll be in town soon. You know even if I didn’t want to, my parents would insist.”
She could understand my parents somewhat. But hers were more overprotective than controlling. It was a small difference, but it made a difference.
After I hung up, I dressed and made my way downstairs. Vince had all the ornaments we’d purchased out on the sofa and the tree had been waiting for us all week. “Wanna decorate?” he asked.
I nodded eagerly. “I do. Can I?”
He bowed his head to me and held out a box of tree lights. “I defer to your expertise.”
With a snort, I got started. Vince hovered, handing me strands of lights and helping straighten them. It took three strands to cover the large tree.
Even with the box of mixed bulbs I’d bought, I didn’t think we’d have enough to fill out the tree. But that was a part of the fun, filling it in more and more over the years. I opened the box of mixed bulbs with the intention of spreading them out all over the tree before placing our four special ornaments in focal areas.
I pulled the first bulb out and stared at the little circle that was meant for an ornament hook. “Did you get hooks?” I asked and glanced at Vince.
He shook his head. “Whoops.”
Dejected, I sank onto the couch. “Let’s run to town and get some,” Vince suggested.
Somehow, I was far more disappointed than I should’ve been that I had to wait another hour or so to decorate. “Okay.” I tried to perk up.
Vince snapped his fingers. “Wait!” he cried and leaped over the coffee table toward the hallway. His footsteps thundered through the house as he raced upstairs, and from the sound of it, he went into the second bedroom, which was now his library and our office.
With the sound of a herd of elephants coming down the stairs, Vince reappeared a few moments later holding a small box.
He opened it and took something out, then moved his fingers around the object before holding it up.
A paperclip, that he’d bent outwards so now it looked just like a cheap ornament hook.
I jumped up and squealed in delight. “You’re amazing!” I smacked a big, wet kiss to his lips and took the hook.
We decorated the tree, Vince making hooks while I hung and arranged, then rearranged the small number of ornaments to give it the fullest look possible.
Then, I remembered I’d purchased a scarf downtown last week. I did my own bounding upstairs but managed to do it without sounding like a pack of wild water buffalo coming back down.
I arranged the scarf artfully up and down one side of the tree, angled so it didn’t look lopsided, and stood back. It looked great but meant I had to rearrange the ornaments again.
“You know,” he mused as he eyed the tree. “I’ve got some ribbon.”
I gaped at him. “Why?”
With a sheepish grin, he held up one finger. “I have two preteen dragons that are always around. I bought them craft supplies. Sue me.”
He did the whole elephant stomping up and down the stairs thing again and returned quickly with a couple of rolls of ribbon—red, gold, and white.
“Oh, Vince, it’s perfect!” I snatched it up and grabbed my phone to google ribbon on trees for inspiration.
An hour later, we had a beautifully decorated tree, and nobody would notice that we didn’t have many ornaments. “I love it,” I whispered as Vince plugged it in. Even though it wasn’t dark outside, it was dim enough with the living room light off that I got the effect. “It’s perfect.”
This was amazing. I’d never had the opportunity to create my own future, but I knew exactly what I wanted it to look like now. Long, free, and full of Vince.
He wrapped his arms around me. “It is perfect. Like you. Like us.”
“Vince?” I said with his arms around me and the perfect moment hanging in the air. “Will you make me a dragon?”
He froze, stiffening behind me. “Seriously?” he whispered against my hair.
“Yes,” I said firmly. I knew exactly what I wanted.
Vince scooped me into his arms and turned toward the stairs. “Damini, nothing would give me greater joy.” He moved quickly, but I slapped his chest and laughed.
“Not right now,” I said. “You nerd.”
Vince froze and looked at me. “No?”
“No. Put me down. I wanna look at my tree some more.”
He carried me back to the couch and set me down there. “Yes, ma’am. Whatever you want, from now on.”
1
8
Vince
Christmas morning came with a sense of excitement. We’d planned out almost the entire day, and Damini had insisted it also be the day she took my bite. I was almost too excited to worry about presents; I just wanted to scoop her up and fly her straight to our evening destination.
She rolled over in bed beside me, her sleepy smile making me want to just stay in bed with her instead. “Good morning, love. Merry Christmas.”
“Mmm, is it?” She stretched her arms over her head, then latched them around mine. “Five more minutes.”
I pulled her leg up over my hip and pressed into her. “We need a shower before we head over, and they might start without us if we don’t hurry.”
Damini peeked one brown eye open. “Breakfast?”
“I guarantee Cameron and Shae already have it cooked and waiting.” I shifted forward and kissed her. “Up and at ’em, lazybones.”
With a smack on her ass, I rolled away and out of bed before she could retaliate. She cried out with mock indignation and chased me into the bathroom, where she forced me to my knees in the shower to make it up to her. Well, maybe she didn’t have to force me.
After we showered and dressed, we loaded all the presents under our tree into a box and drove into town. Spruce was mostly empty, aside from a snowplow and the occasional passerby, presumably also on their way to a family function. We rode straight down Main until we turned into the driveway of Cam’s old mansion, just before the main road vanished into the surrounding forest. Damini’s eyes widened as she took in the place.
“Huh.”
I peeked over at her as I drove around the house. “What’s that?”
“When you said Cameron lived in a mansion, I didn’t expect it to be so…”
“Creepy?”
She smacked at my arm. “I wasn’t going to use that word out loud.”
