by C. D. Gorri
Part of his supernatural powers was being exceedingly fast. More so than any of his brothers. His enormous size did not deter him in the least. His wings pumped through the air and he let loose a stream of green fire as he flew furiously through the thickening clouds.
Snow was on the horizon, but he did not mid in the least. ‘Tis the season, after all. Dragons were not Christian, but they’d adapted to the times and had come to celebrate the holidays along with the normals.
Now that his brothers were mated, Castle Falk boasted a decorated Christmas tree year-round in the center hall. It was twelve feet tall, its roots in an enormous gilt pot. The thing even had its own gardener! He roared as he thought of his home and hoped with everything in him Melody would find it acceptable.
In the time it took for him to make arrangements and pack, he’d read the file Randall had sent him on his chosen. His Melody was an only child, her parents lived in Florida and were somewhat estranged from their only daughter. Their choice, and loss, in his opinion.
She’d been married before. A fact that made him want to tear the head off her ex-husband. The Coyote was an all-around loser and braggart. Perhaps, I shall have a bonfire with his name on it. The idea held merit.
Nikolai’s oblong scales glittered a brilliant green, like spring leaves on his underbelly, darkening to pine needles on his legs and back.
The winter sky was a blinding white, but as he inhaled, he realized the snow would be hours away. Perfect. He flapped harder, pushing himself to get home. At that moment, he’d look more like a green comet than anything else.
Normals would mistake him for a trick their eyes played for staring at the sky for too long. He didn’t worry about them. All his focus was on one thing. Claiming his mate.
He landed with a thud on the roof of Castle Falk a mere fifteen minutes later. Naked as the day he was born, he allowed his subconscious to scout the home, and found it empty as promised.
Nik grunted as he headed towards the stairs. He was truly thankful for his brothers and their mates. Blessed with his family, his clan, and now her. There was nothing they would not do for each other.
Nikolai showered quickly and dressed in a pair of blue jeans with a white button-down shirt. He wore his favorite black Aquatalia boots and headed for the main floor of the castle.
His phone beeped, and he noted his car and bag were headed back. Randall loaned him one of his associates, a Shifter who’d worked for the man for years. Nikolai trusted Randall’s assessment and didn’t spare it a second thought. After all, he had work to do.
Wooing his mate was everything in that moment. He’d never expected it to be so difficult. Especially with her being a Shifter too. But clearly, he’d messed up the night before and now he had to rectify the situation.
Nikolai was used to women fawning over him, but the only one who mattered had run! He could only imagine it was because he had failed somehow. Not physically. Not with her.
Actually, the opposite was quite true. He’d been starving for her. He licked, tasted, and savored every inch of her body. She’d moaned his name and opened for him like a flower in bloom. God, how he wanted her this very moment. His cock hardened in anticipation.
His Dragon snarled. The beast had wanted, no, he had demanded he mark her last night. But Nikolai had resisted. He did not want to take her like a rutting animal.
He’d planned on speaking to her about it, once he’d taken the edge off his incredible desire for her. Of course, that had taken all night long and, by morning, she was gone.
This was his only chance to clear things up, and he wasn’t about to ruin it. No, he was calling in the big guns! First, he texted Randall to see how things went on his end.
Next, he dialed Moonlight Blossoms, the best local florist around. He ordered one hundred long-stemmed, red roses, and told the proprietor, Ms. DeMarco, that he needed them to be the most romantic arrangement she’d ever created.
“For a special occasion then, Mr. Falk? Yes, of course, I can accommodate you,” she said and promised delivery within the next two hours.
Next, he got on the phone with ‘Iamo Bella, the best Italian food for twenty miles around and ordered a verifiable feast complete complimenting red and white wines and an array of artisan pastries made on the premise.
The owner, Giovanni, was more than happy to provide chaffing dishes and confirmed the delivery and set up would be handled in a timely and professional manner. Va bene!
Nikolai looked around the dining room and sighed. Flowers, dinner, wine, what was he missing? Music! He’d designed the Castle Falk’s entire inner brain to be fully functional to the brothers and their mates.
It was a verifiable smart castle. What technology couldn’t provide, Dragon magic did. As it was, the castle boasted an extremely advanced security system. But he was not concerned with their safety at the moment.
He touched a panel discreetly located behind an eighteenth-century Florentine ebony chest that his brother had acquired at auction recently. The screen lit up and he searched through his options.
From that panel, and similar ones distributed throughout the house, he had the ability to control lighting, temperature, entertainment, appliances, vehicles, phones, and many other features. The same type system with more personal preferences and additional securities were installed in each of the brothers’ private quarters as well.
He punched in a few commands and within seconds the marble fireplace along the far wall roared to life. Next, the overhead lights dimmed and changed in color to a warm, romantic tone that would also allow them to see and enjoy their dinner. Finally, he chose the music, hoping his mate would appreciate the classical beauty of Puccini over dinner.
CHAPTER 10
Melody sighed as she pulled the company car into the long, winding driveway of the client’s home. Holy shit! Her eyes opened wide as she took in the size of the structure in front of her. Was that a castle?
Sure enough. It was a real-life castle sitting right there on the Jersey shore! Four turrets, or castle towers, rose up against the darkening skies. Snowflakes began to fall, and she shivered inside of her thin coat.
It was astounding! The castle walls appeared to be made out of solid stone bricks. They glowed silver and gray, enhanced by discreetly placed security and landscaping lights.
She noted the cobblestone pathway and the towering evergreens that lined the property. The trees in front of the castle were draped with thousands of white twinkle lights. Huge red bows sat atop them.
Christmas was weeks away, but the scene was set. Like a wonderland. The outer perimeter seemed to blend with the pine barrens on one side while standing out against the ocean landscape on the other. Truly beautiful!
She sighed, it was as if she were stepping into the pages of her favorite fairytale. All she needed was her handsome prince. You already found him, her Coyote whined, but you ran out on him!
Oh shush! She told her animal. Her Coyote had been morose and moody all day. What could she say? She’d gone without a man for a while. Mate? Nah. She was mistaken.
Maybe her poor Coyote was confused? Sex did not equal love and mating. Even if she was out of touch with her Shifter sensibilities from lack of a band to run with, surely, he would’ve known.
It didn’t matter anyway. Melody had no time to think about Nikolai Falk and the amazing evening they’d shared. She’d been called to go off and help a high-profile client. She had no choice in the matter.
“Now Melody, as a management accountant, your job is to compare and contrast data to determine whether specific projects are profitable for us and whatever company you are sent to work on,” Mrs. Grayson had said to her as if she’d forgotten her role.
Melody knew her job and she did it well. She utilized comprehensive analysis to calculate when the company should hire/fire, continue a project, make acquisitions, sell off property, any number of important decisions.
Her job was high-pressure, but she had always enjoyed it. Melody had a keen
mind and was excellent with numbers and projections. Her personable nature made it easy for her to work with other departments. They usually felt threatened by people in her position, as she had the power to essentially shut them down.
But Melody had a real knack for working with other departments. She wanted to make sure her firm was simply betting on the right horse. In fact, if she believed in the project, she would help point out pitfalls, so they could be fixed before she made her final decision.
Which was why she supposed she’d been chosen to help this special client. It’s something different at least, she thought. Things at the bank had felt stale lately.
She was in a rut. A change of scenery was nice. Hey, maybe she’d even get headhunted by this guy! She could get used to living by the beach.
Melody straightened her shoulders and smoothed down the knee length, velvety dress she wore over ankle high boots. The dress was another purchase from Skin Deep. The soft velvet covered her skin in a loose dress that hugged her curves when she walked. The neckline was rounded, but modest, and the sage green color flattered her honey hair.
She looked professional enough for a home or castle visit, she supposed. She smiled when she stood before the large mahogany door. There was even a mini-portcullis mail slot of all things!
She rang the bell before she noticed the note taped to the frame. Come inside. I’m expecting you. Melody frowned but just shrugged her shoulders. The guy was obviously rich, busy, and probably eccentric as all hell.
Good thing she was a Coyote Shifter and could hold her own. Anyone got fresh with her, and she’d take off a finger or too. Shifter justice was hard and swift. Damn straight! Grrr.
Melody grabbed her big-girl panties and hurried inside. The lights were dim, yet inviting, and music was coming from further inside. Something smelled delicious. Her stomach rumbled loudly, and she covered her stomach with her hand. Damn, why hadn’t she eaten all day?
Oh well. She was human. Sort of. And she was hungry. She smelled food, so obviously her business associate realized it was dinner time.
Damn. Was that pasta? Ooh, and sausage with sautéed broccoli rabe? Her supernaturally enhanced sense of smell was working overtime determining the food she scented from the other room.
There was something else underneath it all too. A piney, woodsy scent that she couldn’t quite place. Her Coyote was distracting her. The animal was yipping and doing cartwheels in her mind’s eye.
Okay, okay, little miss impatient Coyote, we’re gonna eat soon, and then maybe a run. Now quit that racket! A growl and bark were her answer. Go figure.
“Hello?” Melody called out. She walked further inside and gasped.
Her fingers ran across the back of an elegant dining room chair while she took in the beautifully laid table. A crimson clothe was set with exquisite flatware and gold utensils. Linen napkins were folded like little bouquets and champagne chilled in a bucket off to the side.
An enormous arrangement of blood red roses sat in the center. Her eyes widened as she mentally calculated how many were stuffed into the gorgeous vase. Holy cow!
She gasped and blinked, looking all around her. The highly polished ebony furniture was stunning against the white marble floors with the gold and metallic black veins running through it.
She knew she was gaping like a child. Melody closed her mouth and bit her lip. Everything looked sleek and expensive, but she wasn’t put off in the least. Underneath the opulence, was taste and warmth.
Yes, I could be very much at home here, she thought. Melody indulged in her daydream for another moment before going through her purse to find her cell. She must have gotten mixed up. The man who lived here clearly had something other than business in mind. Not with her of course. She was a total stranger. Whoever this was intended for, she was some lucky girl.
Her eyes kept going back to the roses. They were gorgeous! The deep, crimson petals looked superb against the lush, mossy looking green foliage. So beautiful!
She did not recognize the names of the accent stems and leaves, but she appreciated their beauty. She’d always been partial to green.
Melody sighed as she scrolled through the confirmation email Mrs. Grayson had sent her. Hmm. She had the correct date, but maybe Mrs. Grayson had it wrong?
She cleared her throat and moved to back out of the elegant dining room. Tingling sensations shot up her spine. She’d hoped to at least have dinner, but she’d stop somewhere on the drive back home. The drive would be at least two hours in Saturday night traffic. And it was snowing. Ugh.
“Hello, sweet,” a deep, familiar voice reached her ears and she spun to find herself face to face with the man who’d rocked her world just a few hours ago.
“What? Who? How?”
He was even more striking than she recalled. His silky dark hair was brushed away from his face. All of the hard lines and angles on brilliant display, making him appear even more handsome. He was larger than life.
Six and a half feet of long, lean, hard male. Yum. His body was corded with long ropes of muscle visible through his blue jeans and white shirt. But what struck her the most was his pale green eyes.
They seemed to light up when they looked at her, glowing darker when his Dragon peaked through. Wow. She’d lost the ability to speak for a moment. When she did come around to her senses, she found she was actually speechless.
“Um, Niko? What is this?”
“This is dinner, and these,” he said plucking a single red rose from the vase and using it to brush the side of her face, “are for you, my Melody.”
She tried not to swoon, really, she did, but what was a girl to do? Who was she kidding?
Melody had every intention of caving to any and all persuasion. She took the rose and breathed in the light fragrance. Another night, maybe two?
Her chest squeezed. She was falling for this big man. Hard and fast. Could she give him another night without losing her heart entirely?
“Is this from La Boheme?” She asked gesturing towards the music in the air.
“Yes! I hope you like Puccini?”
“I do, but Nikolai, what is this? Are you the client I am supposed to work for?”
“Yes and no, I mean I needed to talk to you, Melody, and this seemed the best way.”
Anger and outrage made her tremble. Who the hell did this guy think he was messing with her job? She wasn’t about to let anyone handle her that way!
“So, you arranged all this for a booty call? You must be out of your mind!”
“Booty call? No, Melody, look, I need to talk to you, but I understand your drive was long. Why don’t we have some dinner. Please?”
His tone was so repentant she couldn’t help but soften. He did go through all the trouble and she was starving. But as soon as she was sated, she’d get to the bottom of this.
One thing she knew, Melody hated games! Especially ones where she was nothing more than a pawn. Please, at least be honest with me, she silently entreated.
“Fine. But only because I am hungry.”
“Excellent. I had the restaurant set up a little bit of everything family style. We can serve ourselves if you like or I can serve you? Is red okay?”
“Yes, and I can serve myself. I don’t mind,” she sat down across from him while he poured red wine in two glasses.
He lifted the covers off of several dishes and she smiled widely. He really had ordered a little bit of everything. There was all manner of antipasti, multiple small dishes with fresh vegetables, two kinds of pastas, and a variety of meat dishes. It looked amazing and smelled even better!
She sighed over her choices and moaned in delight at the way the fresh ingredients seemed to burst on her tongue. Being a Shifter, Melody loved food, but she’d always been career minded. Cooking was not one of her talents though she did have a passion for eating. Obviously.
She wiped her mouth with her napkin and sipped her wine. Nikolai lifted a forkful of chicken to his mouth but stopped when she swallowed her si
p. His eyes glittered at her, and she licked her lips under his intense stare.
“How’s the chicken?” She asked breathlessly.
He was watching her as if he’d rather be eating her. Oh my. Yes please.
OMG. I’m a total slut for this guy, she grimaced. Melody swallowed again and broke eye contact. Her chest was heaving, just from looking at him.
“I don’t know how the chicken is Melody.”
“What?”
“I said, I don’t know how the chicken is. I can’t recall how anything tastes. Anything other than you that is. And I want more,” he growled the last bit and heat pooled in her belly.
Melody dropped her fork. Her limbs went limp. Holy shit. She needed air if she was going to get through this meal unscathed, but apparently, he wasn’t done yet.
“You want to know why you’re here? Why I called in every favor owed to me to make this happen?” He motioned to the room and between them.
She nodded, and his eyes flashed with determination and possession. Melody felt her body slicken in anticipation. Oh my.
“Why am-” her voice cracked. She cleared her throat before trying again, “Why am I here, Nikolai?”
“For one reason. You. Are. Mine.”
“You can’t just say things like that,” she shook her head and looked down. Doubt and distrust creeping through her veins.
“I’ve been down this road before, Niko, I can’t just drop everything for a man who is looking for some kind of minor amusement-”
“Look at me, baby, I want you. You, Melody Casper, are my fated mate. Can’t you feel it?”
“I, thought, I mean, are you sure?” Doubt faded, and hope filled her spirit. Shifters knew instinctively when someone was destined for them and she’d hoped to meet her soulmate for most of her life.
She messed up with Thomas. Let her own lack of confidence push her into deciding. But she wasn’t that scared little girl any longer.
Melody Casper was a woman. Failed marriage behind her and destined for a life unfulfilled as a workaholic. Unless she took a leap of faith now.