by Lola Gabriel
“You brought pizza to a place like this?” he gawked. “There’s freaking caviar and champagne out there!”
“But are there delicious slices of cheese pizza with extra garlic?” Bryn asked. Damon let out a loud laugh then suddenly clapped a hand over his mouth, as if he worried that someone would catch them. “Damon,” she called him gently, “you can laugh, you know.”
She had forgotten she had the sadness now settling in her heart. They had been hidden and scared for so long that they were afraid to do something as common as laughing.
“I know,” Damon mumbled, uncovering his mouth. “It’s just so weird. Everything’s changed so much in the last six months.”
“Changed for the better or the worse?” Bryn asked, slipping onto the counter, her long, white skirts falling into a mass of crinoline and silk around her as she opened the box to retrieve their food.
“I’m not sure,” he confessed. “Sometimes I think the former; sometimes the latter.”
Bryn grinned ruefully. “I know what you mean. But you have to admit, it’s nice living without feeling like someone is chasing us all the time, isn’t it?”
Damon nodded vehemently, eating his first bite. With a mouthful of pizza, he asked, “Are you happy, Bryn?”
The question took Bryn by surprise, and she stared at Damon’s inquisitive face for a long moment, considering the answer. How could she not be happy? She had everything she’d ever dreamed of, everything she never thought she’d have. All three of her brothers had finally been issued a clean bill of health, though Jace’s lungs had been severely damaged from the excessive cold.
“They’ll never reclaim their powers again,” the Hollows doctor told them with certainty. “But he will live a long, healthy life.”
“Eternal life?” Bryn asked, unsure of what would be worse: an eternal life with no powers of any kind, or a mortal life where he would die, leaving Bryn to suffer the most devastating loss.
Dr. Barrows had laughed. “Now that, I cannot tell you,” he said, smiling. “That is for the gods to decide.”
That answer was the most terrifying of them all.
Dr. Barrows continued, “But, they have survived five thousand years thus far. I don’t think they will be leaving this Earth anytime soon.”
That answer gave Bryn a sense of relief.
Gregor, Artemis, and Jace moved into one of Keppler’s inns on the shore, although Wilder also set them up with a suite each in the palace, “Just in case you wish to stay,” he had said.
But they were mortals now. They wanted to bask in the sunshine and forget the life they had been given in the Hollows. They weren’t dragons anymore. They were red-blooded men.
Anyway, Wilder had set up the suites as a way to bridge peace between him and Bryn, too. He wanted her and Keppler back in the palace as a married couple, showing solidarity and peace among two dragon kingdoms which had once been at terrible war.
Word in the Trenches was that he was selling it as some political slogan about “love conquering battles.” Bryn didn’t heed it much from her end. It didn’t matter what Wilder was going on about; she was done with the Hollows.
She knew that Keppler still had business there, and she would occasionally join him. Mostly, though, she was happy staying in the Sunside, learning how to enjoy the simplest pleasures in life, like reading and fine wine.
Bryn had an overwhelming sense of guilt for the robberies she had committed. She realized how ridiculous it was to seek revenge on the descendants of the mortals who she thought had helped kill her parents. Keppler helped her anonymously return their stolen goods, at least the ones that were still in her possession. Additionally, she provided each family with a hefty sum of money for their troubles.
Chester and Alma were both locked up in the psych ward because of their incessant ramblings about dragons. They were no longer a threat.
“I am as happy as I’ve ever been,” Bryn answered sincerely, smiling at Damon. “Sometimes I worry that the other shoe will drop and I will find myself somewhere else, alone and without a soul who loves me.”
“Impossible.” She and Damon turned as the door opened and Keppler entered, looking dashing in his double-breasted tuxedo, brown hair swept away from his face.
“How do you know?” Bryn asked, slipping off the counter to embrace him. “Are you a fortune teller now?”
“No,” Keppler replied, winking playfully at Damon, who blushed and turned back to his pizza. “I just know that I loved you before I ever met you. So even if you were to wake up in that ridiculous place you just spoke about, I would love you, even if you don’t know it.”
It was the sweetest, oddest thing Bryn had ever heard, but it was typical of Keppler, filled with an honesty that filled her heart.
“I can see why you married him,” Damon chirped. “He’s got the lines.”
“He’s got a lot of things,” Bryn agreed, staring up into her husband’s eyes.
“Yeah, but she’s got the good food. Why didn’t you bring me something?” Keppler groaned. “Who did this menu?”
“Your pretentious brother,” Bryn reminded him, fully knowing his question had been rhetorical. “He insisted on hiring the wedding planner as a compromise...” She trailed off, not wanting to disclose too much in front of Damon, but her friend was in his own love affair with the food.
She and Keppler had finally relented to Wilder’s endless caterwauling after they had decided not to have the wedding at the palace. Bryn had never seen such a display in her life, but at the same time, she couldn’t help feeling endeared by the odd closeness Keppler and Wilder shared. It was a turbulent relationship, but what family didn’t have those?
This is my family now, Bryn thought. I have to set up staunch boundaries with them, but they are my family all the same.
“Aside from stealing your pizza, I also came to tell you that my drunken brothers and yours are about to start making speeches,” Keppler informed her, and Bryn chuckled, her eyes gleaming.
“Well, we don’t want to miss that, do we?”
“I could do without it,” Damon muttered, causing the couple to laugh.
“Are you ready, Princess Bryn?” Keppler asked, extending his arm toward her.
“I am, Your Highness,” she breathed, accepting it, her eyes still glued to his face.
Together, they stepped out of the coatroom, ready to face whatever was ahead of them as man and wife, rulers of the Hollows.
Bound to the Alpha
Hollow Earth Dragons
1
The smog from the Sunside had seeped into the depth of the Hollows, creating a smoky haze on the already musky underworld. A humidity touched every being in the depths, but while everyone else appeared to be suffering, Kennedy Solstice rather enjoyed the dampness. She had just started her shift at the bronze and pewter store, one of the highest end retailers in all of the Hollows.
“Dear gods,” Theo muttered. “It’s as if all the demons have simultaneously unleashed their massive fury upon us. What have I ever done to deserve such treatment? I’ve been a good soul; I’ve worked hard! Please, have mercy upon us!”
Kennedy couldn’t suppress her snicker. The salesman always had a flair for the dramatic, and it didn’t surprise Kennedy in the least that he was going full out that evening, throwing his head back and waving his hands as if he was on fire. She imagined the feeling of his clothes sticking to his skin was only fueling his thespian personality.
“It happens once in a while. You’re not going to perish,” Kennedy said, although even as she spoke, she wondered why she was bothering to placate the vampire. He was not one to be talked down with ease. In fact, he seemed happiest when he was hamming it up, whether there was an audience or not.
At that point of the night, it was only the two of them in the shop, the owner, Kennedy’s father Cameron, just having left them alone to contend with the evening rush. Under normal circumstances, that would have been nearly enough staff, but that night was special: it
was the night before Vlad’s Day, and Kennedy knew there would be an influx of forgetful spouses and significant others who would flood the store to buy pieces for the important people in their lives.
Such a stupid day. Commercialism at its finest.
Just like the Sunside, the Hollows had its share of holidays and special occasions, which the beings took with far too much seriousness for Kennedy’s liking. Each event cost a fortune and caused a reverence that should only have been saved for the truly worthy. But Kennedy had always been more of a realist than a romantic.
Vlad’s Day celebrated the Impaler, a holiday adopted from the Sunside to revere in what the Hollowers called “the greatest love story of all time.” To Kennedy, Vlad the Impaler was nothing more than a batshit crazy vampire who had spent too much time on the Sunside and stalked his witless mortal victims. But who was she to provide her two cents to the masses? No one wanted a love story ruined, no matter how factually inaccurate it was.
Anyway, it didn’t hurt her father’s thriving jewelry business, and Kennedy was nothing if not business-minded. One day, the stores both in the Hollows and on the Sunside would all be hers. She had already decided that she would remain in the Hollows to run that side of the company, despite there being a dozen stores above. Kennedy preferred her place below, even though her friends thought she was insane for not reaping the benefits of her standing.
“You’re the daughter of the Alpha—the only daughter!” Lizabeth cried. “If I were you, I’d be sampling every part of both worlds until I exploded with gluttony. There’s nothing your dad won’t give you; nowhere that’s off limits. The world is your oyster! Embrace it, heathen sister!”
But Kennedy had seen as much as she had wanted to see almost everywhere. It had become tedious, even; no matter where she went, the outcome was always the same. Boredom.
Kennedy knew she should be grateful. There was nothing in either world that she lacked or wanted for. If anything, she was considered a princess. Being the only daughter of the most powerful Alpha Lycan had its perks, after all—coupled with the fact that she was stunningly beautiful, a throwback combination of ancient northern Hollows fairness and angelic fairness.
Instinctively, she ran her hand through her long, shimmering mass of white-blonde hair and turned toward Theo, who flittered about, muttering to himself. Kennedy’s light emerald eyes narrowed as she watched him.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, his fussing annoying her more than usual.
“Reorganizing!” he bemoaned. “Who put the display like this?”
“My father.” The words were enough to stop Theo in his tracks, and after a prolonged moment, he put the necklace back where it had been.
“I see.”
Kennedy swallowed a smile. It was amusing to her that the mere thought of Cameron instilled unknown fear in the most casual of passersby.
If only they knew Daddy like I do. They see a fearsome leader. I know him as a pussycat.
Kennedy knew her father wouldn’t care how the shop was organized. He did little more than make an appearance each day to check the ledgers and ensure all was well with the employees before moving on to his other endeavors, like keeping the pack in line. Still, it was fun to toy with Theo. He didn’t need to know that the firebolts of hell wouldn’t unleash on his head if he moved a pewter necklace from one case to another.
I really need to find a hobby, Kennedy sighed to herself. Torturing Theo is just not what it used to be.
As if on cue to her thoughts, the bell chimed, and the door opened, bringing with it a blast of cool air from the palace entryway. A flash a gooseflesh exploded over Kennedy’s arms. Theo gasped loudly, and Kennedy shifted her head to see who had arrived.
“Your Highness!” Theo choked, stumbling around the side of the counter. Kennedy wondered if he was going to fall to his knees and grovel in front of the prince who had just walked in. A part of her hoped so. It would make for quite the entertainment. “Welcome to our humble shop!”
Kennedy shot Theo a baleful look. Their shop was neither humble nor “theirs.” But that was not the time to reprimand the long-time employee. Not that he would listen, anyway. He liked to think himself a part of the pack or a member of the Solstice family.
Gods, imagine what it would be like to have Theo as an uncle. Kennedy didn’t want her mind to go there at all and shifted her attention away. She focussed on the dragon prince wandering through the store, all but ignoring Theo’s shameless flirting. The salesman had more gall than anyone Kennedy had ever known.
Owen Parker, she thought, sighing silently. Welcome to our humble shop indeed.
To Kennedy, he was easily the most handsome of the five brothers, and not just because of his easy-going attractiveness. His most vivid feature was easily his piercing hazel eyes, which sometimes seemed green and sometimes gold, depending on the light in which she saw him. They were surprisingly dark-lashed, even though he donned an often-messy mop of uneven blonde curls over his finely-shaped skull.
Like the other princes, his face was chiseled regally, the lines and dips of his cheekbones high and noble, the jut of his chin strong and firm. He was also tall, well-formed, with a broad chest and massive arms that Kennedy had always wondered about. Surely his clothes had to be custom-fit. Even her own father didn’t have arms as big as Owen’s.
Why do dragons need such ripped arms?
No, there was more to it than just his appearance. Owen carried himself with an ease, a nonchalance both cocky and boyish. Kennedy couldn’t help being intrigued by his gait, the way he held himself. Anytime she had ever caught a glimpse of him, she found herself entranced by his aura. This occasion was no different, although her co-worker was making her starry-eyed admiration of him difficult with his fumbling.
“How may I assist you, Your Highness?” Theo continued, and Kennedy resisted the urge to slap him, thereby delivering some sense into him. If she had suspected it would work, she would have smacked him a long time ago.
“Good evening,” Owen said, darting his eyes over the glass, his brow furrowing. “I’m not sure of what I’m looking for. Something special but not overstated.”
“Oh!” Theo exclaimed. “We have a wide selection, as you can see!”
Kennedy could tell that she was going to lose the sale to her overbearing counterpart, but she let it happen, content to be an observer in that instance. The mugginess of the air and the warmth of Owen’s natural glow put her in a trance-like state from her spot near the back room. He hadn’t seemed to see her standing there, and it suited her just fine. She was glad to watch unobserved.
“Did you have a piece in mind? A necklace? An engagement ring perhaps?” Theo asked, standing close to the prince, who still seemed oblivious to anything but where his eyes were set. Inexplicably, Kennedy felt a spark of jealousy at the mentioning of engagement rings. Indeed, who was he buying for? She hadn’t heard about Owen dating anyone new in quite a while, but that didn’t mean she was in the loop.
Just like everyone else, Kennedy heard the gossip surrounding the princes, though she was hardly one to read the gossip rags. She suddenly wished she had picked up the latest edition.
Stupid, she cursed herself. Acting like a teenager obsessed with a star or something.
Almost as if he had heard her thoughts, Owen’s head jerked up, and his eyes rested on Kennedy’s, their gazes a clash of golds, greens, and browns. To say Kennedy felt sparks erupting between them seemed so cliché, but she could think of no other way to describe it. She felt hot, electrified, like there was an invisible current flowing between them.
“Hello.”
Even the simple greeting permeated her bones, and Kennedy realized that, for the decades she’d been alive, this was the first time any of the princes had spoken directly to her.
It’s a Dear Diary moment, she thought wryly, sure she was blushing crimson. She really was acting immature.
“Hello,” Kennedy said. Thankfully, her voice held not a trace of the gidd
iness she was feeling below the surface, and she neared Owen with an air of grace and culture.
Through her peripheral vision, she saw Theo scowl slightly, as if she was his competitor both professionally and romantically. Of course, she was neither.
“Maybe you can help me,” Owen drawled, stalking closer to her. Kennedy felt unfamiliarly tongue-tied as she searched for the words to say, but nothing immediately came. Instead, she just nodded, ignoring Theo’s grunt of frustration. She was sure Owen heard it, too, though the prince made no comment. “I’m looking for something a young girl can treasure for centuries to come,” he explained, and Kennedy felt a burst of relief, knowing that he wasn’t searching out a gift for a lover.
“I see,” she finally managed. “What does she like?” It seemed like such a vapid question, but it was all Kennedy could manage under pressure.
“If I knew that, I wouldn’t be looking for help,” Owen commented wryly, mirroring Kennedy’s thoughts. There was no sarcasm to his tone, only a slight self-deprecation that made Kennedy like him more somehow. She idly wondered if he had truly read her mind.
“Well,” she said, “let’s see what we have.” Kennedy wandered around to meet him on the other side of the counter and relished the sensation of his nearness.
“Excuse me,” Theo huffed as more patrons entered the store. “I can see I’m not needed here.”
Owen didn’t acknowledge him at all, but Kennedy shot him a half-smirk. It hadn’t been her intention to undercut him, yet she couldn’t help feeling victorious nonetheless.
“There are some charm bracelets here,” Kennedy pointed out. “They’re big with the under-fifty crowd. Some girls like to collect the charms of the immortal insignias as a symbol of unity.”
She wasn’t sure why she’d mentioned it except to feel out Owen’s take on global harmony. It had never been entirely clear in the recent years how the dragons felt about everyone working together. Gone were the days of ruling and oppression, the times having changed substantially since the ancient war arenas. While there was still an uneasy truce that seemed to exist among the immortals, who could say what the dragons plotted? Once upon a time, they had been ruthless in taking what was theirs.