“Ready?” he asked. A nod was her only response as she pulled at the loose clothing. As soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Zane lifted her off the ground into a hug. A laugh left her lips. Gerald watched Stella as her face relaxed and she calmed down. He only wished he had been the one to calm her down and not his brother.
“How are you this lovely morning?” Zane ushered her into the kitchen and Gerald followed close behind. Darius sat at the counter while Lillo and Kacie cooked breakfast. His middle brother nodded with a smile. Ideas of having breakfast with Stella every day calmed his dragon.
“I’m good, thank you.” Stella’s smile stayed in place, it didn’t reach her eyes as she took in the girls cooking. He wanted to know what thoughts were running through her head but didn’t ask.
“I’m Darius by the way. Sorry for waking you but breakfast would get cold if I let you two stay in bed all day.” Darius’ eyebrows bounced up and down. Gerald slapped his brother before taking a seat. Lillo turned toward Gerald with a bright smile on her face as she handed him a plate of food.
“Good morning.” Lillo giggled and turned toward Stella. The laughing stopped almost instantly. She nodded toward Stella, who returned the gesture. Gerald wondered what the hell he was going to do with Stella here. His dragon wanted her to stay while his human side hesitated on trusting the shedragon. Gerald’s original plans for the day were going to be all about checking in on the gold mine yet he needed to know about the Winter Solstice first.
“Darius, would you like to come with me to town?” Gerald asked, he wanted to break up the tension in the room. If Stella had lied about the Winter Solstice, he would need his brother there to help calm him down.
“Sure, what for?” Darius rolled off the counter and grabbed his food from Lillo.
“I need to talk to a few people, I figured you could join.” Gerald would talk to the coven in Yellowknife to figure out if Stella’s story was true. He needed to be certain and know if he could trust the new dragonet. If she had lied to him, there would be serious issues. His dragon trusted Stella but as a man he knew females could be just as sketchy as men.
“Sounds good. I’m just surprised…” Darius stopped talking and glanced at Stella who had taken a seat at the table. Her shoulders were squared while her gaze moved between the girls.
“Later,” Gerald said under his breath. Darius agreed but kept looking between Gerald and Stella. What the hell am I going to do? Should I let her go or make her my mate?
CHAPTER SIX
Stella
After Gerald and his brothers left, Stella felt out of place with the two women in the kitchen cleaning up. Lillo had nice long blonde hair which swayed as she moved. Stella didn’t like how friendly she had been with Gerald. Kacie had a few years on Lillo but she flirted with all three of the brothers. The two dragonets giggled and chatted to each other while they cleaned. Lillo kept glancing back at Stella.
Stella walked away to explore the house. The entire estate was massive, and she wondered if others lived near the main house or only for the three brothers. Her mind wondered to last night’s events. I won’t fully mate with you until we’re both ready. Gerald’s words were haunting her as she found two spare bedrooms, three living rooms and a game room. She climbed onto the pool table, and stared at the ceiling while listening around the house. Her stomach turned, but she didn’t want to go upstairs to lay down in Gerald’s bed. It didn’t feel right to be in his room without him.
The two women were still in the kitchen and Stella started to actually listen to them this time.
“Do you think she’ll stay longer than the last girl?” Lillo asked.
“I don’t know but Gerald looked at her different from the rest.”
“Different from me?” Lillo asked, a hint of jealousy lacing her voice.
“I’m sorry honey but yes. She is pretty but I don’t know if she’ll last.” Kacie’s soft voice held a bit of concern. Stella knew the concern wasn’t aimed toward her but all for Lillo.
“The other seven or so left within a week. I don’t see why this Stella is any different.”
“She is a dragon like us, Lillo. The other females were just humans trying to get money.” Kacie snapped back.
“I don’t want Gerald’s money. I just want him,” Lillo said. A dish slammed against something hard.
“Well if I heard the rumor right from Zane and Darius, she might be his mate. You can’t compete with that.” Kacie’s stern voice made Stella sit up.
“He didn’t bite her so there is still a chance he can come back to me.”
Stella couldn’t keep listening to them debate the topic. She ran to the bathroom and hurled most of her breakfast. You’re a damn fool! You should have known there were others. When she realized she gave up her virginity to a player, she vomited again. A loud bang sounded from the front of the house making Stella jump.
“Where is she?” Another woman yelled through the house. Stella stood in horror before washing her face. She opened the door and walked slowly toward the new female voice. An older woman with long black hair spoke with Zane and turned when Stella entered the room.
“Oh, you’re very pretty.” The woman moved toward her and pulled Stella into a sudden hug. “My dear, you’re not in trouble. Stop shaking.” The woman kissed Stella’s head and leaned back. The dark brown eyes watching Stella reminded her of Gerald.
“Are you Gerald’s mother?” Stella’s empty stomach tightened. The older woman reminded her of her own mother bringing back some of the pain.
“Yes, my name is Anish but you can call me Ann.” Anish smiled at her. Her warm hug brought her some peace and settled her down a tiny bit.
“Mom, you should probably let her go.” Zane cleared his throat and smiled at Stella.
“Oh, sorry. I’m just excited to finally see Gerald found his mate.” Anish released her hug and moved back. Stella didn’t like the lump forming in her throat. She adjusted her shirt to cover her shoulders, Gerald’s mark didn’t rest on her skin so technically speaking she wasn’t his mate.
“It’s nice to meet you, Anish.” Stella licked her lips and attempted to calm her racing heart. She doesn’t know I’m not his mate, she might think I’m some horrible person.
“Ann, Stella. Call me Ann.” She turned to look at her son, “Zane dear, could you go grab the bags from my car.” She waved her hand toward the door.
“Yes, Mom.” Zane shook his head and walked out the front door.
“Is everything okay?” Ann asked right after the door closed. Those brown eyes watched her closely.
“Yes.” Stella didn’t want to lie to the woman who looked like she could kick her ass then bake cookies.
“Don’t lie to me.” Ann’s eyes narrowed on Stella. She shook her head then added, “Don’t you listen to the Lillo girl. She’s had a crush on Gerald since they were dragonlings.”
“I…” Stella couldn’t manage another lie. “He didn’t mark me.” She pulled on the shirt exposing her shoulders enough to show there were no marks.
“Gerald Lukrith Baudin.” Ann growled as Zane opened the door with his arms full of shopping bags.
“Who’s in trouble now?” Zane stopped dead in his tracks a hint of fear crossed his blue eyes.
“Your brother. Set them there.” Ann pointed to the couch. Zane relaxed and completed his task.
“Don’t you worry my dear. He’s just as stubborn as his father. Took my late husband a week to realize I had feelings for him too.” Ann shook her head and moved to her youngest son. Zane patted Stella’s shoulder before returning to the car again.
“Come here, Stella.” Ann barked out. Stella jumped and moved to her side as quick as she could. Clothes of all different colors filled each bag to the brim.
“I do hope Zane is smarter than Gerald and guessed your size correctly.” Ann pulled out a bright pink shirt with a smile and pressed the fabric against Stella’s chest.
“It seems right but I can’t take these
.” Stella counted ten bags till Zane moved in with another seven or eight bags with shoes.
“Yes, you will. I never take no. So, get it through your head now.” Ann glared at her. She reminded Stella of her mother and how overly pushy she had been.
“Thank you.” Stella slipped out. Ann pulled her into another hug. Stella hoped deep down Zane and Ann were right about Gerald having feelings for her. You better hope for your sake because it might kill us both if he doesn’t. She hated how her inner dragon was right.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Gerald
Gerald turned into the small town of Yellowknife. His mind kept wandering back to Stella while Darius typed away on his phone. Her soft lips and nice ass were perfection. Gerald found a hidden gem in the shedragon. His dragon liked his little treasure and didn’t want to share.
“Mom just met Stella.” Darius chuckled as he returned his gaze to his phone. “She is mad at you.”
“Why am I in trouble?” Gerald turned toward his brother. They were heading toward the local witch Elder, Chloe Lyco. The older woman had a way of making Gerald uncomfortable just sitting in her dark leather chair.
“You didn’t bite Stella. But I’m on your side, we don’t need mates.” Darius punched Gerald in the arm. A low growl left Gerald’s lips before he could hold it back. Darius had made it clear he wouldn’t mate but giving his brother a hard time for not mating had always been fair game.
“I want a mate but I’m not sure Stella is ready,” Gerald spoke through his teeth.
“You’re a fucking idiot. She kept staring at you the whole time we were at breakfast. At least when you weren’t staring at her.” Darius shook his head. Gerald parked the truck in front of Chloe’s house, an old cottage style home on the outside but completely modern inside. “But on a serious note, can we really trust her?”
“That’s why we’re here. If she told me the truth about the Winter Solstice, then I’m inclined to believe the rest of her story.”
“I can feel her alpha side so be careful. She might bring more baggage than she’s worth.” Darius stopped talking when Gerald turned toward him. Gerald’s dragon surged forward trying to protect Stella.
“Behave.” Gerald barked out the order before sliding out of the truck. A woman with a blonde pixie cut bounced out of the house.
“Hello, welcome.” She smiled at Gerald and turned toward Darius, her eyes seemed to sparkle as she took in his brother.
“Chloe is expecting you.” She motioned for them to enter. Gerald took the lead and moved into the cottage. His dragon paced inside Gerald’s head as the power of the witches washed over him.
“I think last night was a success,” Chloe said over the phone. “Miss Alia, don’t hesitate to call. I know your mother didn’t know me very well but I’m still your great aunt.” Chloe motioned for them to sit in the large couch. If anyone else had tried to pull that, Gerald would put them in their place but he knew better than to piss off a strong elder witch.
“Of course, give the little one a kiss from me.” A smile touched Chloe’s lips. “Till next time.” Chloe set the phone down and moved to her leather seat across from Gerald. He wondered who Alia was and why they were talking about last night. Maybe Stella had been telling the truth.
“What brings you gentlemen here today?” Chloe’s smile vanished and replaced with her business mode. He always like that quality in others.
“First off, thank you for seeing us on short notice. Second, I heard something I would like to confirm with you.” Gerald’s dragon pacing increased in the back of his mind.
“What is that?” Chloe raised an eyebrow.
“On the Winter and Summer Solstice, do witches cast a spell for dragons to fly freely without hunters seeing?” Gerald studied the older witch closely. The woman laughed, wrinkles covered her face showing her true age. Gerald took a minute to keep the shock from taking over his features.
“Oh goddess, I did need a good laugh. Yes, dear boy. Every Winter and Summer Solstice we chant for the dragons. It’s been this way for generations.” While Chole laughed, the lines in her face deepened showing off her true age.
“Why are you laughing?” Darius asked.
“I thought something bad happened with the chant last night. I didn’t know your clan didn’t know about it.” Chloe sighed and finally stopped laughing. So, Stella did tell the truth! Gerald’s dragon hated the doubt he placed on her but as the alpha he had to be cautious.
“Can you explain how it works?” Gerald adjusted in his seat as relief settled his tense shoulders. Stella hadn’t lied to him. Then why are you holding back from her? Gerald pushed his dragon down so he could focus. If he could freely let out his dragon more without fear would be nice.
“Of course.” Chloe called out for the woman who had greeted them. The female brought over a book which seemed extremely old with a torn binding and loose pages. Chloe flipped a few pages and tapped the page.
“It started off with the formation of The Devil Hunters. The bastards knew about magical beings and thought humans were pure so they have been trying to get rid of anyone with supernatural abilities. One night, they attacked a coven in the south and a clan of dragons came to their rescue. One of the coven members had mated with a dragon who convinced the alpha to intervene. The two leaders made a deal, dragons protect the witches and we chant twice a year so you can fly without fear of being seen. We’re already stronger on these nights so the collective power helps to really protect dragons.”
“That’s why we have the alliance to this day,” Darius said while sounding confused. Gerald didn’t quite understand it. It had been years since dragons were called to help the witches and they still kept their end of the deal.
“Correct. Witches all over the world keep the same pact with the few dragons left.” Chloe gave a half smile. A wave of relief washed over him hearing the confirmation. Even an Elder witch wouldn’t dare lie to the alpha dragon.
“I don’t want to be rude but I have a few things I need to attend to.” Chloe stood tall. Gerald and Darius followed suit and said their goodbyes. The same female showed them out and paid extra attention to Darius.
“I think you have an admirer.” Gerald chuckled once they were in the car.
“Shove it.” Darius shook his head. They settled in for the long and grueling drive home.
Gerald’s phone buzzed, and he pulled it out to see Harry’s contact come up. Harry ran the gold mine while Gerald was away.
“What’s up?”
“I found out why we were losing money. A woman in accounting had given herself and her boyfriend bonuses.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? How long has this been going on?”
“For about four months. They were fired today and I’m about to go talk to legal about other stuff. For now, enjoy the holidays.”
“I will be calling right after the New Years and will expect an answer from legal.” Gerald growled. He wanted all of his focus on Stella for the next week, so he would let Harry take care of business.
“Sounds good.”
“I want safe guards implemented yesterday to prevent this.” Gerald rolled his shoulders.
“Done. Happy holidays.” Harry ended the call and Gerald filled Darius in on what happened. Anger raced up his spine hearing that someone stole from him. Yet his mind started wondering toward Stella again.
His dragon couldn’t wait to see Stella. We should fuck her and then bite her. Images of her beautiful naked body filled his mind, which turned into naughty fantasies. Steal
CHAPTER EIGHT
Stella
“Thank you for staying with us ma’am. Just leave your key in the room and we will collect it there.” The clerk gave Stella a fake smile right before returning to his work. Stella nodded and walked up toward her room, her feet heavier than before.
“What if he doesn’t see me more than a piece of ass?” Her voice cracked at the end. Bile rose to her throat for the second time in the day. Stella walked to her
room and plopped her ass on the bed. She glanced around the room, paper bags and Internet printouts littered the floor and filled the trash cans.
Stella had to leave the house before she heard anymore speculation about herself. The rumor of her being mated to Gerald spread quickly which in turn started the other horrible rumors. Gold digger and spy were the top two speculations. Her hands moved through her hair. A small squeal of anger flew from her lips. Every inch of her body screamed in protest of being away from Gerald. Her brain continued to replay the nasty comments of his clan.
She thanked the goddess above for Zane let her borrow the truck, so she could get back to her hotel. A chill ran up Stella’s spine at the memory of how Ann had been watching her.
“I should just leave him be. Pack up and go home.” A part of her heart broke saying the words out loud. She pulled her family’s blanket over her as tears fell from her face. She couldn’t believe she was falling for a man after only knowing him for a day. Stop it, you’re a strong dragon! After a few deep breaths, she packed her stuff.
“Do I leave or stay?” Stella asked herself. “If I go home now, I will have no one. Nothing…” She rubbed her throat. A tap on the door made her glance at the clock. She had two more hours till she had to be out.
When she opened the door, the odd sensation of someone watching them filtered through her system. Her eyes scanned the area but didn’t see much. The cheap motel rested in a crappy area so she didn’t expect much for privacy.
“Did you need more towels Miss?” A young man asked. A pendant with the hunter symbol swung from his neck making Stella instantly on alert. Her dragon stood inside her mind ready to do a partial shift if needed. Stella swallowed and thanked the stars humans couldn’t scent her fear.
“No, thank you. I’ve actually just checked out.” Stella smiled at the hunter. He adjusted the towels in his arms and Stella caught a glimpse of the hunter’s symbol tattooed on his arm. From what Stella remembered, they only received this ink if they killed a supernatural being. Fear of him attacking at any moment in broad day light worried her. She would be forced to fight in her human form without help unless she gained privacy. Even if she did a partial shift, it would break her secret out to the world.
Gerald Page 3