The Dragon Finds Forever (Nocturne Falls Book 7)

by Kristen Painter

  Gertrude was the ghost who lived in Pandora and Cole’s attic. She was also the former owner of the house and, besides being a witch, also apparently a bit of a hoarder. Van nodded. “Good. We will need all the help we can get.”

  A new chime sounded, the one that indicated the doorman was calling. Van went to the panel by the door and pressed the button to answer. “Yes?”

  “Your guest, Monalisa Devlin, is here.”

  Van rolled his eyes. Sometimes this building was too strict. But relief flooded him. Monalisa was back. “She is allowed up anytime. No need to call.”

  “Yes, sir,” the doorman responded.

  Van opened the door so he could see her when she got off the elevator. He leaned against the doorframe to wait, but looked at his guests. “Are you hungry?”

  Nick nodded. “Always.”

  The women nodded too.

  “Then we will go eat lunch when Monalisa is ready. I know a place.” He knew many places, actually, and all of them would willingly make room for him and his guests, even without a reservation. It was one of the perks of being a celebrity in this town, at least among the supernatural crowd, but he’d gladly leave it behind for life in Nocturne Falls with the woman who made his world right.

  The elevator dinged, and that woman walked out.

  She exhaled, then offered him a weak smile. “It’s good to be back.”

  Van went to her side and took her bag, instantly concerned. “Was there trouble? Did he try to stop you?”

  “No.” She slipped her arms around him and leaned in. “It’s just good to be back here with you.”

  He wrapped his free arm around her. “It is very good to have you back.” He kissed the top of her head. “Pandora, Nick, and Willa have arrived. They are hungry, so I thought we would go eat. Okay with you?”

  “Okay with me.”

  Late lunch turned into early dinner, and with all five of them together, they lingered over the meal. It was a chance to eat, drink, and make merry with friends, something Van hadn’t done much of in his life.

  And every time he looked at Monalisa, she was smiling or laughing, and for that, he was grateful. The presence of Willa and Pandora seemed to lighten her mood significantly. It made him think that her transition to life in Nocturne Falls would be an easy one. That pleased him. Her happiness, after so many years of unhappiness, was important.

  After dinner, they went back to Van’s and lounged around in the big outdoor area, taking advantage of the stunning view despite the cold. The men gravitated to the balcony railing, and the women settled into the plush seating by the fireplace—and the fire that Van had started for them.

  While he and Nick talked about the possibility of taking a quick night flight, the women shared the pictures they’d been taking all night and indulged in the rest of the chocolates from Delaney’s.

  All of a sudden, Pandora, who’d been taking more selfies and pictures of the group than anyone else, called out to the men. “Come over here. I need to ask you guys a question.”

  Nick and Van joined the ladies.

  Van stood behind Monalisa, his hands on her shoulders. “What is it?”

  She turned her phone around to show them a picture. “Look at the guy in the background having dinner with that gorgeous woman.”

  Van shook his head. “What about him?”

  But Nick looked closer. “Is that Julian Ellingham?”

  Pandora nodded. “I think it is. How do you like that? Someone should warn that poor woman she’s about to get her heartbroken.”

  Van squinted. “Let me see the picture again?”

  Pandora held it in his direction.

  He snorted. “Julian’s the one who should be warned. That woman is Desdemona Valentine. She’s an entertainer in town and a bit of a man-eater. Literally. She’s a vampire. An old one.”

  Monalisa tipped her head back to look at him. “I love her show. I’ve seen it three times. But I had no idea she was actually a vampire. Makes sense, though, considering some of the stunts in that production.” Then her eyes narrowed. “Have you seen her show? It’s very sexy.”

  Van almost smiled at the jealous bite to her words. “I have never seen it.”

  Monalisa’s mouth quirked up. “And yet you know so much about her…”

  “She lives in this building. That is how I know her. That, and her billboards are everywhere in this town. I am more of a Will-o’-the-Wisp man, myself.” He bent to give her a quick kiss, then straightened. “I don’t want to end the party, but I have to train early, so I am saying good night.”

  Pandora stood. “That’s a good idea. I want to dig into that book Gertrude gave me. And do some shopping tomorrow. That takes energy.”

  The rest of them agreed, and they all headed for bed. Monalisa walked with Van to their side of the condo. He kissed her good night at her bedroom door, then went to his own room.

  He stared out the windows at the city below and thought about the fight to come. Not the one in the ring, but the one with Padraig Devlin.

  If getting physical with the man wasn’t enough to make him give Monalisa the coin she needed, Van wasn’t sure what their next step would be.

  The man liked gold. Van had a lot of that. Maybe he could trade his hoard for her freedom. He nodded at that idea.

  Better to have the woman who made him feel like the richest man in the world than to be alone with his riches.

  Monalisa got up early enough to see Van before he went to get his first round of training in. She wanted to kiss him and tell him she loved him as much as she could before their time ran out. She knew he thought he would be able to convince her father to turn over the coin, but she knew her father better than Van did. And he was a very stubborn man.

  With Van off to the gym, she went into the kitchen to get coffee started for their guests. She smiled. Their guests. Like this was her home too. But then, in a way it was. At least, until she had no other choice. Van had made it clear he wanted her with him as long as possible.

  Willa, Nick, and Pandora wandered out a few minutes after the scent of brewing coffee began filling the space.

  Pandora was in her pajamas and robe and clutching a small, leather-bound book with a tattered cover and yellowed pages. Her hair was piled on her head in a messy bun, and her lids were still heavy with sleep. She settled into a chair at the counter and blinked a few times like the morning light was hard on her eyes.

  Monalisa started filling mugs with coffee. She set the first one in front of Pandora. “Hard to sleep in a strange bed?”

  “No, I slept okay. I was up late reading this book. Lots of interesting stuff, but nothing yet on how to get you free from your father. But I’m not done with it either.” She wrapped her hands around the mug and inhaled. “This should do it, though. Cream and sugar?”

  “Coming up.” Monalisa set both on the counter, then brought coffee to Nick and Willa as well.

  “Very kind of you,” Willa said. “But you don’t have to wait on us.”

  “I’m happy to.” Monalisa filled a cup for herself. “You all came out here to support Van, and I think that’s just awesome.”

  “He’s a good guy,” Nick said.

  “That, he is.” She leaned against the counter by the coffeemaker. “And speaking of Van, he left a bunch of menus from local restaurants for you guys to look at. He said they all have great breakfasts, and they’re all less than ten minutes away. As soon as he gets back from the gym and showers, we’ll head out to eat.”

  Nick stood. “Why don’t you let Willa and I handle breakfast? Unless you guys want to go out because the cupboard is bare.”

  “No,” Monalisa said. “The kitchen is well stocked. But are you sure you want to cook on your little getaway?”

  Willa nodded. “We’ve got this.” She patted Nick’s arm. “He makes great pancakes. And I can take care of the rest. You go do whatever you want to, and Pandora can read the rest of her book. Breakfast is handled.”

  Monalisa looked
at Pandora and smiled. “What do you think?”

  Pandora picked up her book and her coffee and slid out of her seat. “You don’t have to tell me twice. I’ll be in the living room. The indoor one.” She shuffled off, calling over her shoulder, “I want fruit in my pancakes.”

  Nick looked at Monalisa. “Do you guys have any fruit?”

  “There was fruit salad with breakfast yesterday. There should be blueberries or strawberries left in the fridge.”

  “Perfect,” he said.

  Van joined them shortly, looking as sweaty as he had the morning before. “What’s happening? I smell food. I thought we were going out.”

  Monalisa smiled at him. “Nope. Willa and Nick are graciously making breakfast for everyone.”

  “Very nice.” He nodded at them. “Thank you.”

  “No problem, man,” Nick answered.

  Van used the end of the towel around his neck to wipe the sweat off his face. “I will shower fast.”

  “You’ve got a little time,” Willa said. “We haven’t even cracked an egg yet.”

  “Okay. But I still need to shower.”

  Monalisa opened her mouth to agree, but Pandora came running in, looking very much awake.

  “You guys!” She shook the little book at them. “I think I found it.”

  “What?” Van asked.

  “How to get Monalisa free.” She put the book on the counter and opened it, pointing to a passage. “Right here it says, A child of a leprechaun will be subject to their father’s will until the day they are bequeathed a coin from his pot of gold—”

  “That much I know,” Monalisa said.

  Pandora lifted a finger. “Wait, there’s more. Or until the father-child bond is broken by another bonding. Only a true bond of the heart has proven worthy of this task, and few are achieved due to the children so often being sequestered in order to make love matches impossible. A false marriage will do neither party any good.”

  Pandora looked up from the book, eyes bright and wide, and stared directly at Van. “You have to marry her.”

  Then she looked at Monalisa. “But it won’t work unless you love him. Do you? I know you guys haven’t known each other for very long, but maybe a little?”

  Monalisa put her hand to her heart. Could it really be this simple? “I do love him.”

  “And I her,” Van said. “But can it be this easy?”

  “You read my mind,” Monalisa said.

  Pandora’s brows shot up. “I don’t think falling in love and getting married is easy. That’s why it’s the only other way to break this bond. And it has to be real, or it’s not going to work.”

  “Explains why my father has done his best to keep me away from men all my life.”

  Willa tipped her head. “But he sent you to Van’s house. That was essentially putting you into immediate contact with a man.”

  “Yes,” Monalisa agreed. “But he’s always told me how awful the fighters are, always painted this picture of them as angry men just looking for trouble, wanting to control their women and fight at every opportunity. Because of that, I had a pretty strong prejudice against guys like Van.”

  She looked at him, marveling at how fast he’d changed her mind. “Then I met Van, and he was nothing like that. The exact opposite, really.”

  Van shrugged. “I am very lovable.”

  Pandora laughed. “Yeah, you are.” She chucked him playfully on the arm. “So? What’s the deal?”

  Van’s gaze settled on Monalisa as his expression turned hopeful. “I will do whatever Monalisa wants to do.”

  She took a breath. They were all looking at her, all waiting for her answer. She’d never made a decision this big before. Never had the chance, really. Her hands were shaking, and her mouth suddenly went dry. She licked her lips and found her voice as she gazed into the eyes of the man she had no trouble picturing herself with for eternity. “Ivan Tsvetkov, will you marry me?”

  “Da,” he said with a wink. “But not before I shower.”

  After taking the fastest shower of his life, Van stood in his robe, staring into his closet and trying to decide which suit was nice enough to get married in.

  Married.

  He grinned, giddy that the answer to Monalisa’s problem was such a boon for him. Oh, her father would not like it all, but once it was done, it was done. She would be free of that man and able to live her own life.

  With Van.

  He thought of a thousand different jewels in his hoard that he wanted to give her, but that couldn’t happen until they were back in Nocturne Falls. He had no ring for her. That bothered him. Maybe he would take a trip to a jewelry store before they went to the chapel. They would need rings, after all.

  Harlan’s voice sounded from the hall. “Ivan, you decent?”

  “Yes. Come in.”

  The gargoyle walked in. “Are you really getting married?”

  Van nodded. “As soon as we can.”

  “Wow.” Harlan shook his head. “That’s great. I’m really happy for you.”

  “Then why do you look so miserable?”

  He smiled weakly. “You’re leaving the business, aren’t you?”

  “I am. But it is time.”

  “I’m just…” He sighed. “I’m going to miss working for you. You’ve been a great boss. And friend. You helped me out when no one else would.”

  “You could always move to Nocturne Falls.”

  Harlan’s head came up. “You mean you still want me to work for you?”

  Van couldn’t commit to that yet. “I mean there is life beyond Las Vegas. Nocturne Falls is a good town. With good people. And there is opportunity. Nick, my friend who is here, he is a gargoyle too. He works for the town. Maybe you could do the same thing.”

  Harlan looked skeptical. “Really?”

  “Go talk to him.”

  Finally, a real smile. “Okay, I will. But don’t you want some help?”

  Van snorted. “I can pick out my own clothes.”

  “No, I mean with the wedding stuff. You should really make a reservation at whichever chapel you’re going to use. Plus, you need to get your license from the courthouse, and won’t you want something afterwards, a dinner or a party or something?”

  “I did not think about all that.” He gestured toward the front of the condo. “Yes, we want help. Tell Monalisa. Do whatever she wants.”

  “You got it, boss.” He headed out.

  Realizing that they might not be getting married as quickly as Van had thought, he threw on a T-shirt and jeans before going back to the kitchen. Delicious smells filled his house, causing his stomach to growl on the way. “I hope we’re eating soon.”

  “We are,” Nick answered, looking over his shoulder from his station at the cooktop.

  Harlan, Monalisa, and Pandora were at the dining table, phones out. Harlan was making notes on a legal pad.

  Monalisa looked up at him. “Hiya, fiancé.”

  He grinned. “Hiya.”

  “We’re getting hitched at four o’clock this afternoon. Harlan took the first reservation they had. You good with that?”

  “I am great with that.”

  “Good. Also, I want to get a dress.” She bit her lip. “Is that silly? I know it doesn’t really matter what we wear, but…” She shrugged.

  He shook his head, a little overwhelmed by the joy filling him. “This is your wedding—”

  “Our wedding,” she corrected him.

  “Our wedding. Nothing you want to do is silly if it makes you happy. And you only get married once, right? So do it the way you want to do it.”

  “Okay,” she said softly. A smile lit her face. “Good.”

  Pleased that she was pleased, he turned his attention to his sparring partner. “Harlan.”

  The gargoyle looked up. “Yes?”

  “You have my cards. Whatever she wants. Whatever it takes. Make sure the stores know that.”

  “You got it, boss.” Then he got a slightly terrified look on hi
s face. “Wait. You want me to go dress shopping with them?”

  Van rolled his eyes. “No, I want you to call the shops they are going to and tell them to call you when it’s time to pay. You will be with me getting a tux. You cannot be best man without one. Because if Monalisa is getting a dress, we are getting tuxes.”

  A broad grin bent his mouth. “Best man? Thanks, boss, that’s awesome. Okay, I can do that.” He picked up his phone and got to work.

  Van went into the kitchen where Nick and Willa were cooking up a storm. He was happy to see porterhouses on the grill. He glanced at Nick. “Looks good. I guess Harlan told you I like steak when I’m training?”

  “Actually, Monalisa did.” He flipped a large blueberry pancake from the griddle onto a tall stack. “And I think they’re about done.”

  “Good. I will set the table. One of my few domestic skills.” He got plates out of the cabinet.

  Willa laughed. “You’re about to be a married man, you better learn a few more.” She lifted slices of bacon onto a serving platter. “Gotta keep your woman happy.”

  “Happy wife, happy life,” Nick said.

  Pandora snorted. “I think you have to have a wife before you can say that, Nick.”

  “Hey,” he responded. “We’re getting there.”

  Van enjoyed the bantering going on. He started laying out plates on the table at the unoccupied end.

  Pandora leaned back to see Nick better. “Then put a ring on it, already.”

  Nick looked over at her, then looked at Willa. “Want to make it a double ceremony?”

  Willa dropped the spatula she was holding. “What?”

  Right there in the kitchen, Nick got down on one knee. “Willa Iscove, will you marry me right here and now?”

  She stared at him, as did the rest of them. “You’re crazy.”

  Nick grinned. “Is that a yes?”

  She glanced over her shoulder at Monalisa. “I don’t want to take away from your special day.”