by Zoe Chant
“So do you!”
Though it did look good on him. Her taste in fashion didn’t quite line up with Liana's, but there was one thing they had very much in common.
And that was an appreciation of ripped superheroes in tight shirts.
“Then what are we waiting for?” He opened the door for her, still grinning. “I'll let you choose.”
“Ooh.” Alyx gave him a considering look. Now that was an offer she couldn't resist.
She could already see him on a runway, in a crisp shirt and with a simple, elegant Armani suit jacket slung easily over his shoulder. Only she didn't think this small-town boutique would cater to her in that regard.
Still, from what she'd seen from the window, the selection was small but tasteful, everything chosen and displayed with a careful hand. This wasn’t Paris, but whoever ran this store had probably quite a few things in common with her. Like an appreciation for quality and a good eye for the latest trends.
“Braeden!” a woman exclaimed as soon as they entered. She was quite obviously pregnant and wore her blond hair in two long braids.
Impressed, Alyx saw that she'd escaped the greatest danger of maternity wear, which was that it was either horribly boring or overly cutesy.
Instead, the owner of the boutique wore a pair of stretchy, black pants in a simple cut, paired with a tunic of a slinky, soft fabric in a deep blue shade that made the azure of her eyes sparkle.
None of it was expensive designer wear, but it had obviously been chosen with great care, beautifully accessorized with silver bangles she wore on her arms and a deep blue nail polish that made Alyx sigh with longing for her collection at home.
I wonder if Wing Island has a nail salon...
After weeks in the fire dragon lair, her own nails were all but ruined.
Still, it's nothing that can't be fixed by some me-time. Maybe I can borrow some polish from Liana later on.
“Hi, Cara,” Braeden said, grinning. “How's the little bunny doing?”
Cara grimaced. “Keeping me awake all night with his kicks and somersaults. His dad still thinks it's a little fox, of course, but what does he know!”
“You're...” Alyx stared, wide-eyed. Dragons and werewolves were one thing, but bunnies?
“A bunny shifter!” The woman laughed. “Liana gave me that same look when she first met me. I know you humans have lots of stories about werewolves and none about bunny shifters, but we like it that way.”
“You're a bunny shifter—with a boutique?” Alyx suddenly realized why the sign over the door featured bunny ears.
Cara nodded enthusiastically. “You guys need anything? Let me know if you need help!”
“I love your shop,” Alyx said, unable to hold back her excitement. “I think it's the best thing I've seen all year. And that combination you're wearing is divine, just so you know!”
“You think so?” Cara beamed at her. “Thank you! You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find maternity wear you actually want to wear!”
“We both need a new set of clothes, actually.” Braeden produced a golden credit card from his pocket with a grin.
“Ooh, look at that.” Cara bumped his shoulder. “Our fire dragon has made it into the twenty-first century.”
“Liana helped me learn all about human treasures,” Braeden said proudly. “I still prefer gold to plastic, but I have to admit that humans have come up with quite a few useful things.”
“Mm-hmm,” Cara said and eyed him critically. “Like fashion.”
“Our greatest achievement,” Alyx agreed, and then found herself high-fived by the excitable bunny shifter.
For a moment, they grinned at each other as Braeden rolled his shoulders uncomfortably.
Alyx had definitely found her match in Cara, who kept untiringly bringing out more clothes for them to try. Now, for the first time, Alyx really felt back in her element. Back in power.
This was who she was—not the meek little servant she'd been forced to become.
“Perfect,” she decided when Braeden turned, wearing a pair of tight, black jeans.
He was also currently wearing a shirt striped gray and blue—the twentieth shirt he'd tried on for her without complaint. She gave him a critical look, then shook her head again.
“I almost prefer the Captain America shirt to that. Blue really isn't your color.”
He looked at her, humor in his eyes. “That's because red is.”
“Ah, an expert now, are we? And here I thought you knew nothing about human fashion trends—oh!”
It had taken a moment to remember that he was the master of fire.
He smirked, looking pleased when she shook her head at him.
“A red shirt is way too garish,” she said critically. “Also, attacking fire dragons will be able to pick you out right from the air!”
She’d never had to worry about the dangers of attacking fire dragons before in her career as a fashion reporter. Maybe she’d need a new column on that.
How to dress for a dragon attack. This summer’s Top Ten Picks for Surviving in Secret Lairs.
Then she looked him up and down again.
“We pretty much just went with black leather,” he said helpfully.
She had to admit, he would look good in a black leather jacket, stretching over those broad shoulders and rock-hard pecs.
“That’s why Steele’s never going to make it to New York Fashion Week,” she said, remembering the dusty, worn leather most of the fire dragon guards had dressed in. “Okay, we’ll try that leather jacket over there.”
Cara immediately beamed at her with obvious approval. Now all that was missing was a shirt.
While Cara fetched the jacket, Alyx went through the shirts once more.
The selection was small—but everything in Cara’s tiny boutique had been chosen with obvious care. Many of the items were in fact one of a kind, handmade by a swan shifter who’d settled on Wing Island a year ago, who dreamed of making it in the fashion industry one day. Right now, she sold her creations exclusively in Cara’s boutique and on Etsy.
“This one,” Alyx said as soon as her eyes fell on a light gray shirt with a bold red stripe running across it. It was at once sporty and eye-catching.
Striking but simple and elegant—exactly how she liked it.
And exactly how she’d always liked her men. Except that nothing about Braeden was simple.
But that was what made him so fascinating. Like a mystery, or a puzzle only she could solve. All the while knowing what was really at the heart of him: the warmth pulsing through the strange golden bond between them even now. Fire that was life instead of destruction.
“Hey. Everything all right?” Cara waved a hand in front of her face.
Embarrassed, Alyx realized that for a moment, she’d spaced out completely, all wrapped up in how damn right this connection between them felt.
Now that’s something no man’s ever done to me before.
“Sorry. I was just admiring your collection.”
Cara smirked. “I know exactly what you were admiring there. Don’t worry—we all know what it’s like when you feel the mate bond for the first time.”
Alyx leaned in to whisper into Cara’s ear. “Does it get less intense over time?”
“Oh, darling.” Cara laughed into her face. “You’re only just starting out. I’m almost jealous. Getting to connect—to really connect—for the first time is an incredible experience.”
“You’ve been through it too, huh?” Alyx gave Cara a weak smile.
She’d always thought of herself as strong and in charge. But it was impossible to take charge of this sizzling electricity between them.
It would be like herding lightning. Like trying to stop wildfire.
And this was one fire even the master of fire himself couldn’t control.
Somehow that made her feel better.
“What are you two whispering about?” Braeden asked suspiciously.
Alyx grinned when she mo
ved back and tossed the shirt with the red stripe at him.
“Wouldn’t you like to know. Try that one on for me?”
“You better not be giving her weird ideas about dragon shifters. Just for the record—we don’t sleep on piles of gold.”
“Oh,” Alyx said nonchalantly, her mouth suddenly dry as she watched him pull off his shirt, his abs flexing in the sunlight that fell in through the window. “Don’t worry. I already know that you appreciate a sturdy bed.”
Cara didn’t succeed in stifling her giggles.
“Better hurry up, you two,” the bunny shifter said. “I think someone’s eager to formalize the mate bond. Not that I blame you. I was just the same.”
Alyx swallowed as she watched the new shirt stretch over Braeden’s broad chest.
Definitely the right choice.
The outfit was simple, somewhere between casual and elegant. And the sudden splash of red gave it style without being garish.
Braeden looked like an ancient warrior king who’d time-traveled to the runways of New York Fashion Week.
Which was just how she liked it.
“Nice,” Cara said with obvious appreciation. “You have an eye for this. Let me know if you ever want to move into Shifter Couture.”
“Is there a market for that?” Alyx asked, suddenly overcome by professional curiosity.
Was there perhaps an entire world of style and fashion and trends she’d missed out on?
“We’ve got houses and holidays and matchmaking services all for shifters.” Cara shrugged. “Why shouldn’t we have a shifter fashion community? At least that’s what Celia—our swan shifter—and I are thinking. She’s been hoping to start up a small fashion community just for shifters—but she knows more about designing than marketing.”
“I happen to know a bit about that part of the business,” Alyx said, her head suddenly filling with possibilities. “And I’d love to meet your friend, if she’s interested in some networking.”
“Oh, she’d love that.”
“Ahem,” Braeden interjected.
When Alyx turned, chagrined, she saw that he was grinning at her.
“I love listening to you two plan,” he said, “but don’t forget you wanted to pick out new clothes as well.”
“Oh, right!” Alyx really didn’t want to wear her old clothes ever again. The stink of smoke would never leave them.
Maybe she should burn them, and with them, all the horrible memories of being trapped underground.
“That shirt,” she said, pointing straight at the gorgeous, slinky shirt she’d seen in the window. “And pants. And we also need to pick up underwear and socks and—”
“And swim wear,” Braeden said in encouragement. “And anything else you want. Let me use my human treasure to make up for how Steele treated you.”
Alyx grinned. That was an invitation she didn’t need to hear twice.
A man who was content to let her go wild when she found herself in her element was pretty rare. She didn’t mind people who just didn’t care as much about fashion as she did. That was only fair, after all. She didn’t care much about football results or fishing or the yoga classes Jen from her office kept inviting her to.
Which didn’t mean that she thought people interested in those things were beneath her. But for some reason, most men she’d dated so far had thought that loving fashion was silly and made her shallow.
Not Braeden, though. Braeden seemed like he genuinely just enjoyed spending time with her. Just like she’d happily go to a football game with him, if that was what he wanted, and have a good time there because she was with him.
Half an hour later, they left the shop in high spirits, Braeden carrying three large bags and an amused smile on his face as he watched her say goodbye to her new friend Cara.
“What are you smiling at?” she asked him, teasingly poking his ribs.
He didn’t even flinch. To be fair, all her fingers had encountered was rock-hard muscle.
“Oh, nothing,” he said innocently. “Just thinking about how you humans are nothing like what I was taught.”
“So? What are we like, then?” She raised her eyebrow at him.
“In there, you looked just like a dragon shifter taking inventory of his hoard.” He gave her an unapologetic grin. “You handle silk and rayon and denim the way we do gold and silver and pearls. When I grew up, I was taught all humans were cold, unfeeling monsters who killed dragons. But in fact, we’re just the same. I like this world a lot better than the one I was taught about.”
“Well, I also like you better than the dragon you used to be. At least, I assume I wouldn’t like past you.” She smiled at him to show she didn't mind his past.
He clearly had a lot of feelings about being a fire dragon. And so had other shifters.
But she’d seen the real him. Even if he was the only good fire dragon in the entire world, that didn’t change the fact that he was a good man.
“Believe me, you wouldn’t,” he said, wincing. “I nearly killed Naomi once—the storm dragon’s mate.”
“But you’ve made up for it by now,” she pointed out. “Liana obviously likes you a lot. Timothy seemed really happy to see that you made it back alive. And they told me that you saved Autumn’s life.”
“But I didn’t destroy Steele.” Braeden raised his head, staring up into the sky as if he feared that the fire dragon would suddenly dive down. “And I know that I have to. The fire chose me. It happened for a reason. He needs to be stopped—and I’m the only one who can do it.”
“Perhaps,” she said, hating the thought of Braeden putting himself into danger.
The worst thing was that she knew that he was right. She’d seen what Steele was capable of. Who else could stand against him?
“Anyway, there’s no need to ruin this day with Steele.” He nodded towards a cluster of small shops before them. “Maybe the chimera will come up with a better plan. For now—how do you feel about ice cream?”
Chapter Twelve: Braeden
Liana called the man who ran the small ice cream parlor a hipster cat shifter.
Braeden still hadn’t figured out what exactly that meant. But he knew that he liked the man, despite his hyperactivity.
Jordan the cat shifter was tall and slim, with a red beard and dark-rimmed glasses. All the ice cream in his shop was handmade, the cream delivered directly from a nearby farm on the mainland. All ingredients were organically sourced and fair trade, a board in his shop proudly proclaimed.
Braeden had once asked Jordan what exactly that meant, and an hour later, his head had been hurting when Jordan was still lecturing him about some strange magic called genetic engineering.
Braeden had no intention of ever asking again, but Jordan’s ice cream was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted in his life, and that was all that mattered.
Every day, Jordan prepared only a small handful of flavors, the selection changing every day. Which was a good reason to come back every day.
Maybe, once he’d taken out Steele, he and Alyx could spend a week-long holiday on Wing Island. Alyx could get used to the shifter world, they could visit Timothy and Liana every day—and for once, Braeden would be able to test all the daily ice cream flavors.
And that was only the start. He hadn’t even introduced Alyx to the incredible donuts served by Chameleon Coffee yet.
“Vegan avocado black sesame? Hell, yes,” Alyx breathed, staring at a weird green concoction with bits of black in it.
“Are you sure?” Braeden asked, studying it carefully. It looked—colorful. He'd give it that.
“I love interesting food.” Without pause, she pointed straight at another tub of ice cream that looked like simple, delicious, creamy chocolate. “And the bacon dark chocolate.”
“Bacon... chocolate?”
Alyx grinned at him. “Don’t worry. You get to take the boring flavors. That way we can try all of them.”
“I won’t let you steal my banana if it turns out that
bacon chocolate is as disgusting as it sounds,” he warned her playfully.
“So speaks someone who’s never tried to combine bacon and chocolate before,” Jordan said, proudly beaming at Alyx, who’d clearly proved herself in his eyes.
He handed her a cone with a scoop each of the weird vegan avocado and the bacon chocolate. Braeden, in turn, got a cone with a scoop of the simple but delicious banana ice cream and a scoop of strawberry basil—which also sounded weird.
But when he tried it, it tasted like sweet, juicy strawberries picked straight from the field, with a hint of something fresh and green.
“That’s why it’s such a great combination,” Alyx said enthusiastically when they sat down on a bench in the sun outside. “See, I knew you’d be able to taste it! The hint of the herbal basil brings out the sweetness of the strawberries. It doesn’t clash, it just gently underlines it!”
Braeden laughed. “It just tastes like strawberries. Like really delicious strawberries.”
“I guess we won’t have you report on the latest ice cream trends anytime soon.” Alyx grinned at him, then held out her cone in invitation.
Skeptically, Braeden tried the weird avocado concoction first.
It tasted—weird. Green and weird. Green and creamy and weird.
“I like the, uh. The sesame aftertaste?” he tried.
Alyx shook her head in mock disappointment. “It’s all right. You can just say that you don’t like it.”
Next, Braeden took a careful lick of the dark chocolate bacon scoop.
He’d expected something a lot more awful than the avocado ice cream. Instead, he found himself staring at Alyx wide-eyed as the rich chocolate melted on his tongue, mixing with a hint of salty goodness from the bacon.
“That’s... that’s actually delicious!” He licked his lips, then leaned forward for another taste.
It was still just as good.
“Wow! I didn’t expect that.”
Pleased, Alyx snatched her cone out of his reach again. “I warned you! I’m not going to share.”
Braeden grinned at her. “That’s all right. Maybe I’ll go with something weird tomorrow, just to make you happy.”