by Meg Ripley
Garrison’s mind rushed through the options. Flying might not have been the best one, but it could work. He doubted the net reached all the way to the bottom of the bay, even though it wasn’t as deep as the main part of the lake. They could go under, but he’d have to get Maren to stop provoking their enemies first. And that wasn’t likely.
The boats were practically on top of them now.
“Maren! Come on!” Garrison reached for her, but she slapped him off.
“Down!” She clutched the top of the net and drove herself down toward the bottom of the lake.
Garrison hesitated for only a moment. He trusted her. This was her lake. And he sure as hell wasn’t about to leave her behind her. He could feel the tough material of the net against his palms, pulling against him as he writhed downward into the increasing depths. The boat motors sputtered above them as the thick thump of the hulls colliding reverberated around them.
Maren gave one final yank of the net before she let it go and shot back toward the surface.
Cursing in his head, Garrison followed her. When his head broke the surface, he saw her as the monster that had made the legend. Her body curled up out of the water and over the bow of the boat, her teeth glistening in the moonlight as her wings made great spiraling tunnels of water through the air. A large man with gray hair stared up at her from the deck, the cigar falling out of his mouth and sizzling against the lake. Maren’s jaws snapped around his neck as she and her victim hurled off the other side of the boat.
Garrison heard shouting behind him. He turned to the second boat to see a familiar face with drooping glasses. Lance Briggs was trying to get control of the vessel, arguing with another man on board who was desperately waving a knife at the netting in the hopes of getting free.
This son of a bitch was responsible for the disaster. He’d told Garrison he was working on a tracking system to find Tahoe Tessie, and apparently it had worked. Angry beyond thinking, he rammed his side into the boat.
A gaping hole opened in the fiberglass and the bow of the boat instantly began taking in water. Lance was thrown off-balance, and he hit the water with a splash. Garrison knew Maren would never be safe if these people were around. The equipment Lance had used would be on its way to the bottom of Tahoe in a minute, never to be recovered, but that meant Lance could just rebuild it. Garrison thrust forward. Water and blood filled his mouth as he closed his jaws on the man’s back. The sharp snap was all he needed to let him know the job was finished.
The water had been dark already, but it had taken on a purplish tinge as blood seeped into it. Garrison searched desperately for Maren. What if that man had gotten her? What if she’d gotten caught in the net and the sinking boats were dragging her down? But no, there she was, swimming backwards from the wreckage, observing it all with shock.
Garrison swam out and touched his face to the side of hers. They turned their backs on the scene and headed toward the far shore. It was a long swim, and they didn’t take it nearly as quickly as they had when they’d been on their way to Emerald Bay. The fun of exploring an underwater tourist destination had faded quickly behind them, but the images of those evil men who were so determined to catch Maren were emblazoned on Garrison’s mind.
“Who was that man?” he finally asked her when they were about halfway across and there was no chance of anyone being around.
She swam on without answering, and he thought she might not say anything to him again. “Vince,” she finally said. “I don’t even know his last name. But he owns the Lakefront Hotel and Casino. I saw the tank he was building for me. He was going to capture me and put me on display.”
“Oh.” That explained what Lance Briggs was doing there. “I guess he was the guy with the big bucks. The other one fancied himself a scientist. He told me himself he was developing a new tracking system to catch you. I didn’t think much about it at the time because I didn’t even believe in Tahoe Tessie.” And now he was swimming right along next to her. “I don’t think they’ll be bothering you again.”
“No,” she said quietly. “I just wish it didn’t have to happen that way. The other incidents, the ones with the shifters, those were accidents. But this wasn’t. I did that on purpose. I guess I really am a monster when I have to be.”
“Whoa, hey, no.” Garrison strove forward a little in the water to get in front of her and make her look at him. “You’re not a monster. You were defending yourself. We both know what they were going to do to you, and I highly doubt any tank they might have built would be like a vacation home.”
“I’m not saying I regret it,” she snapped. “I’m sorry. I guess I do regret it a little bit, but it had to be done.”
“Yes,” he agreed, wanting her to know that he stood behind her a thousand percent on this. She’d been through so much already, and he didn’t want her to feel guilty. “It did.”
“And now I’m ready to just go home.”
9
“I’m glad you decided to come with me tonight.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t?” Maren smiled at Garrison from the passenger seat. “It’s your last night in town. I couldn’t just say no after everything you’ve done for me.” She wondered, as she had numerous times over the last twenty-four hours, if he actually understood just how much he’d done. This was a mission to him, something that his SOS Force had asked him to do. But it meant the entire world to Maren.
“I didn’t do that much,” he said, a tinge of color coming into his cheeks. He looked handsome this evening in a button-down shirt and sport coat, a more formal version of the shifter she’d come to know.
“You don’t think so?” She picked at the hem of her own dress. It was one she’d had for a long time, since she didn’t have much need for party clothes. But the silky red fabric still fit nicely, and the accent of rhinestones on the straps seemed like they’d be festive enough for the occasion.
They pulled up in front of the banquet hall, where several other cars had already parked and dozens of shifters were heading toward the front double doors. “Not really. I might have facilitated a bit of diplomatic conversation, but I wouldn’t be comfortable taking more credit than that.”
“And what about letting me know there are other shifters in the area? That’s going to completely change my life. I don’t always feel the need for allies, but it’s nice to know there are some right in my backyard when I need them.” Maren had been surprised at how much she liked the other shifters, and she was grateful to accept when they’d extended her and Garrison an invitation to their holiday party.
He pulled over in the back corner of the lot and once again came around the passenger side to let her out. His hand reached for hers to help her out of the vehicle, and Maren was caught up once again in the warmth of his body, the smell of his cologne, and the smell of his skin beneath. She busied herself with straightening the skirt of her dress.
“I think it would’ve happened eventually.”
“What? Oh.” She’d been distracted enough that she’d already forgotten what they were talking about. “Maybe. Or I might just have continued thinking they were either humans or animals, but not both. It was very naïve of me to think that I was the only one.”
“As I told you before, you couldn’t help that.” He led her up to the front door and held it open for her to enter.
Maren sucked in a breath when she saw the hall. Two ladies sat at the front at a table covered with a white cloth, handing out name tags and glittery markers so that everyone would know each other. Garland and brilliant baubles were tucked in every corner, so that the large space looked like it had Christmas growing out of the very materials it was made of. The massive tree at the back of the hall rivaled even the one in the ski lodge, and it, too, was laden with tinsel, pearl strands, and ornaments of all shapes and sizes. A live band played old Christmas songs loudly but well, and the place was bustling with action as the shifters greeted each other.
“What do you think?” Garrison asked, handing her
a name tag. “When they said all three shifter groups were getting together for a party, I didn’t realize it was going to be this big. Is it too much?”
It was kind of him to think of her and what she might be comfortable with. That was one of the things she liked about him so much. He was always so considerate, watching her, gauging her reaction. Sometimes he fussed a bit too much, but after so many years of loneliness, she was more than happy to take it.
“Not at all. It’s wonderful. In fact, I’ve had fantasies of coming to parties just like this one.” They headed for the drink table, where Garrison handed her a mug of eggnog.
“Good. I thought it might be a bit too much after…” He rolled his hand through the air, not wanting to finish his sentence.
But she wanted him to. “Go ahead and say it. It’s already happened, and talking about it isn’t going to change it.”
“After getting rid of Vince.” He took a sip and made a face at his cup.
“That’s a very polite way of putting it.” It wasn’t as though the casino owner had simply been run out of business or even run out of town. She’d killed him, and she’d done it swiftly. That was more consideration than he would’ve given her if he had the chance.
Garrison shrugged. “You know what I mean. It’s just that you seemed upset about it afterwards.”
“Were you upset about killing his associate?” she challenged. She took a sip of her own eggnog and understood why he’d made a face at it. Someone had spiked it with far too much rum. She took another drink.
“Not at all,” he answered immediately. “I did what I had to do, because I knew what he would do if he made it. He’d never give up, especially since he knew for sure that the person he was looking for existed.” His face was hard, his body leaning a little bit closer as he reflected on it.
“It was similar for me. I just acted purely on instinct. It’s the kind of thing that’s gotten me in trouble here a bit lately, but this time there was no controlling it. I was angry that someone had gone to such lengths to find me, and I knew what that man would have done if he did. I just couldn’t let it happen.”
“I’m glad to see you’re dealing with it so well. It makes me feel a lot better about it all.” He gestured to the shiny floor in the middle of the hall where couples were beginning to pair off. “Would you like to dance?”
“I’d love to.” They set their drinks on a table, and Garrison took her by the hand. Every ounce of her blood flowed to that point of her body, every bit of it wanting to be close to him. When he found an open spot on the dance floor, he turned and pulled her in close. Maren stumbled slightly, surprised at the strength with which he’d hauled her towards himself, and she caught herself with a hand braced on his wide chest. Her breath caught in her throat as he arranged his hands on her and began swaying to the music. If she closed her eyes and laid her head on his chest, she could have just sunk right into him and never left.
She didn’t even know most of the songs the band played, and some of them were only vaguely familiar, but it didn’t matter. She didn’t need to know the words to enjoy swaying across the floor with Garrison, feeling the way his body led hers with ease. He was so comfortable, even if her heels weren’t, and she wondered how she’d managed to carry on for so long without him in her life.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as one song ended and someone stepped up to the mic to announce dinner would be served momentarily. “You keep sighing.”
“Oh, sorry. Just something I do when I’m thinking. It doesn’t mean anything.”
Garrison pulled out her chair before sitting down across from her. “May I ask what you’re thinking about?”
Her elbows resting on the table, Maren entwined her fingers under her chin and studied him. She’d only known him for a few days, but already that handsome face was imprinted on her mind. It was hard to tear her gaze away from those stunning green eyes, his hard jaw, and his soft mouth. His dark hair was always that perfect combination of neat and messy that few men could pull off, and she longed to run her fingers through it one more time.
And that was exactly what she’d been thinking about. Her time with Garrison had been so incredible, she kept waiting to wake up. None of this could have possibly been real. She’d hit her head on the underside of a dock or had somehow eaten something poisonous, because things like this just didn’t happen in real life. Any moment now, she’d drag her eyelids open, groan as she sat up in bed, and find that the world was just the same as it had been a week ago.
“Nothing,” she finally answered.
He gave her a slow nod, one that said he didn’t believe her but he’d accept her answer for now, since a waiter was heading toward their table with two steaming plates of pork loin.
They spent the next half hour eating and chatting idly, and Maren found herself being lulled into a sleepy happiness that centered on this holiday party never ending. She loved the way she felt in her dress, and even more so, she loved the way Garrison’s hand felt on it when he touched her hip as they danced. The food was remarkably good, and she assured Brad and Tracy when they stopped by their table that they were having a great time. The world was a brightly colored carousel, and she was drifting along on it with the cinnamon-scented breeze playing in her hair.
That spinning motion only continued when they pushed their plates away and Garrison whisked her back out onto the dance floor. He was a giant who held her so tenderly, someone who understood her in a way that no one else ever could.
“Garrison?” she said, her mouth functioning without her permission.
“Hmm?” The rumble in his chest told her he was falling under the spell of the party just like she was.
“Do you think there are any others in the world like us?” She had to lean up to his ear to speak over the noise of the band, dangerously close to where his heartbeat throbbed just under the surface of his skin. There was something about this man that made him different from everyone else. She didn’t think it was purely the fact that he was a dragon. It was something else and something more. She knew what it was, just as she’d known from the first moment she’d sensed him in the lake. But that didn’t mean she wanted to admit it to herself, not when she knew this was the finale of their time together.
His chest moved against her as he breathed, thinking. “I don’t really know. If you’d asked me that a week ago, I would have said no. I would have reasoned that if I hadn’t found any of them yet, then they must not be around any longer. But you’ve proved me wrong on that count. Don’t tell anyone, but this is one time when I don’t mind being wrong.” The corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled.
She pushed up so that she was on the balls of her feet, their lips pressing together with desperation. If she’d caught him off-guard, he gave no indication. His arm tightened around her waist, encircling her so that he crushed her against him, and his other hand came up to cradle the back of her head as he deepened the kiss.
Maren’s eyes closed, and she was lost in a world where nothing existed except for his touch against her, his muscled body supporting her, holding her, cradling her, yet pushing her to be more than she ever thought she could. They were no longer dancing, simply standing there holding onto each other and to time.
But then the music ended. She slipped slowly down from his grasp, her body chilly where it missed his touch. His fingers lingered on the nape of her neck, and as she looked up and saw her own emotions reflected in his eyes, she thought she might cry.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so very much for coming out tonight. It’s been a great party, and I think we all needed an excuse to celebrate.” It was Brad standing behind the mic now, smiling broadly. “We’ve got some more snow coming down, so please be safe out there on the roads. Thank you, goodnight, and Merry Christmas!”
The shifters applauded as he stepped down. Couples picked up their coats, emptied the last bit of punch or eggnog from their cups, and filtered toward the door. Waiters stacked plates and cups in plastic
bus tubs and chatted with each other about what they’d do when their shift was over. The band packed their instruments and carried them out the back door.
Maren wanted to run to all of them and tell them to stop, to ask them to spare just another hour of their lives so the party could go on. But of course, that wasn’t reality. She allowed Garrison to slip her jacket over her shoulders and tuck her hand in the crook of his elbow like some gentleman from a by-gone day as they stepped out into the parking lot, where big fluffs of snow drifted down from the sky.
His footsteps slowed as they neared his rental car. “Maren, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
They approached the passenger side, but when he didn’t reach for the door handle, she turned to look up at him. His face was solemn and contemplative, a darker look than she’d seen, despite everything else they’d been through. “What is it?”
Snowflakes clung to his hair, a steep contrast to his dark locks. His hand still rested on her hip, and he rubbed his thumb against the fabric of her dress. “I think we both know that this past week wasn’t what either one of us expected. Even if we hadn’t worked with the other shifters to fix your territory problems, and even if we hadn’t almost been captured, it still would’ve changed my life. Like I said in there, I didn’t think there were any other dragons in the world. Now, I know that there’s not just another dragon, but a very special one. My mate.” He lifted his hand to graze the backs of his fingers down her cheek.
“That’s very sweet of you,” she choked out. Maren wasn’t sure what was coming, but the waves of emotions that constantly flowed through her system were making her dizzy.
“No, it’s honest,” he corrected. “I’m not saying any of that to butter you up, and I wouldn’t want you to think it’s some sort of line. I’m absolutely crazy about you, Maren, enough so that I’d run straight up the mountain and shout it from the top if I thought it would make any difference.” He took both of her hands in his and let out a sharp sigh, frustrated with himself. “What I’m trying to say—what I’m trying to ask—is if you’ll come back to Washington with me.”