Tangled in Tinsel

by Julia Mills

  Wiggling and squirming, trying to get her hand into her opposite pocket and get her other spare bag of fairy dust, Belle smiled as Chance’s voice rolled through her mind, “Stay still, mo fairy milis. This will all be over in a minute.”

  The words were still echoing in her mind and the smile still on her lips when all hell broke loose and everything literally when to hades in a stocking full of coal. Ellis clapped his hands. Cordelia snapped her fingers. Lizzie screamed, and Belle watched in horrified slow motion as whatever menacingly evil thing-a-ma-jig her rescuers had concocted was blown to smithereens in a cloud of noxious magic making bile rise in the Christmas Fairy’s throat.

  The gnomes flew backward. Mrs. Claus bounced off the ceiling. The man she knew from Chance’s thoughts was Simon, aka the silverback, was wound up tight in a vine of wilting poinsettias and Chance was mercilessly being shoved towards the jagged edges of what remained of the floor-to-ceiling window the others had only moments before come bursting through.

  Dropping Cordelia as he fought against the horrible magic Ellis bombarded him with, the heels of Chance’s boots dug into the floorboards as a low, ominous roar rose from his depths chest, flew from his lips and ratted the rafters. Bright white dragon magic burst to life. Glittering, shimmering scales, the deep emerald of the shamrock-covered hills of her ancestors’ homeland covered the backs of his hands and arms, slid from under his collar and covered his neck at the same time the pupils of his eyes elongated into that of his dragon.

  Talons grew from his fingertips. His chest, already broad and muscular, grew even larger, tearing through his shirt, revealing more of the opulent emerald scales as again his roar shook the walls of the cottage. Batting away Ellis’ magic as if it were no more than a gnat, Chance’s glare zeroed in on the couple who stood side-by-side hurdling every ounce of evil magic they could conjure at the partially transformed dragon before them.

  “Stand down, and you may just live to see another day,” Chance commanded, his voice a strong, gravelly bass, made even more gruff by the lengthening of his canines, as he slowly advanced.

  “You think we’re scared of you?” Ellis’ voice cracked, and Cordelia’s wavered, showcasing the fear hiding behind their false bravado as they spoke in unison.

  An all-too knowing grin spread across Belle’s dragon’s lips, revealing even more of his shiny white fangs as he smirked, “You think you two can best a Dragon King?”

  “And a silverback,” Simon growled, shredding the vines wrapped around him along with his T-shirt as he grew broader and taller. Short, black fur covered the front of his body while the silver-gray saddle-shaped pelt signifying him as the Leader of his Troop flowed across his shoulders and back.

  The two warriors, both apex predators in their own right, but just freakin’ scared when working together, advanced on the couple, forcing them back through the kitchen and straight out the back door. Unable to see what was going on, Belle struggled with the tinsel still holding her tight.

  “Son of a goblin’s ass,” she spat, unable to move anything but her head as the sounds of the battle outside grew.

  A flash of fire and the scent of burning pine wafted through the decimated cottage at the precise moment a flash of red and green magic flew from the opposite direction snapping the tinsel wrapped around both her and Lizzie. Crumbling to the floor, two heaps of flailing arms and legs, Belle was the first to untangle herself.

  Immediately getting to her knees, she grabbed the glittering rope still holding tight to her friend and yelled, “Scaoileadh an draíocht!”

  Flying away like yesterday’s trash the tinsel disappeared just as Ginger, Candy and Mrs. Claus once again appeared. Jumping to her feet with Lizzie by her side, Belle nodded to the gnomes, “Thanks, ladies. I owe ya’ one.”

  “Ye owe us nuttin,” Candy objected.

  “All we want is ta’ kick that goblin in the goolies…repeatedly,” Ginger added with an evil glint her eyes.

  “Less talkin’, more action,” Mrs. Claus yelled over her shoulder as she headed out the back.

  Running alongside Belle, Lizzie teased, “Damn girl, I’m glad Ellis is the only ex-boyfriend you have who isn’t human,” Before adding with a sincerity that touched Belle’s heart, “Thanks for saving my ass.”

  “No worries, that’s what besties are for.”

  Sliding to a stop, unable to believe her eyes, the Christmas Fairy watched as fire shot from the tips of Chance’s talons, attacked the ugly, gray bubble of enchantment Ellis and Cordelia were hiding within, slowly eating away at the only thing stopping him from exacting his revenge. Her eyes shot in the opposite direction as Simon, now a huge, full-grown silverback appeared out of the thick, overgrowth of evergreen, to stand at the ready to grab the maleficent couple when their last refuge was torn asunder.

  Running to Simon’s side, Lizzie snapped her fingers, making her wand instantaneously appear in her hand. Using the shining silver baton, she blasted the backside of the mystical shield, her smile growing as the silverback looked at her with a whole lot more than appreciation in his dark, brown eyes.

  Belle’s eyes shot back to her dragon shocked to see Candy and Ginger at his right with Mrs. Claus to his left. One commanding step after another, Chance moved closer to Ellis and Cordelia, determination and the thirst for vengeance burning in the depths of his glowing eyes.

  His flames grew brighter. The acrid scent of smoldering black magic filled the air. Streams of silver, gold, green and red magic joined his dragon’s fire, but still repugnant magic of the despicable duo held fast.

  Nearly smacking herself in the head as she remembered her dust, Belle mumbled, “Get it together, Girlie,” as she pulled the remaining satin pouch from her pocket and dumped the enchanted sparkles into her hand.

  Running towards the murky mass of black magic, ignoring the screams of her mate and her friends, the Christmas Fairy threw the entire handful of fairy dust directly into the steady stream of Chance’s fire, bellowing “Be gone, you stupid frikkin’ asshats!”

  Blue, red, orange and white, the flames flew in every direction.

  Fiery balls of fairy magic exploded from the flares, dive-bombing the evil magic, eating away at Ellis and Cordelia’s last line of defense.

  Lightning bolts shot from the sky.

  The ground beneath Belle’s feet shook with fury.

  Then just as if a switch had been flipped, all the air was sucked from the atmosphere and absolute, deafening silence filled the forest.

  Frozen in time, unable to move, Belle could only watch in a satisfied kind of horror as a glowing silver mushroom cloud erupted before her as the vile couple’s bubble exploded like some old, expired, ill-planned bomb. Fascinated by the show, the Christmas Fairy wished she could clap and cheer as Ellis and Cordelia were thrown so high into the air that she could no longer see them, followed by a cloud of nasty magic that mixed with the clouds and dissolved into the ether.

  Looking through the smoke and mist, Belle’s eyes met Chance’s. Her heart skipped a beat, and a shiver ran down her spine as he winked and chuckled, “Oh hell yeah, you’re a keeper for sure.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “I am having the damnedest time getting over the fact that not only are Santa and Mrs. Claus real people, but there are also flying reindeer and a magical sleigh that just knows how to get to every house in the entire world in one night.”

  “And don’t forget all the elves,” a chuckle that seemed to brighten the entire forest boomed as the real, honest-to-the-Universe Santa walked into view. “They’ll never forgive you if you don’t mention them.”

  Heading straight for his wife and getting on one knee, the jolly old elf produced a square, red, velvet box from under his jacket and smiled as he handed her the gift. Looking between her husband and his present, Mrs. Claus finally gave in and smiled before opening the box with a gasp.

  With happy tears filling her eyes, she beamed, “Oh, Kris, I…well, I just don’t know what to say. It’s absolutely
gorgeous.”

  Standing, old St. Nick took the box from his wife’s hand, removed the most beautiful and biggest diamond ring Chance had ever seen and as he slipped it onto his wife’s finger grinned, “To you, Jessica Kringle, I give the moon…” Taking out a glittering necklace of diamonds, he continued as he walked behind her, “And the stars.” Clasping the necklace, he turned his wife around and with a serenity that even made the Dragon King, Daffyd sigh, Santa Claus added, “And I’d give you the world, if it were mine to give.”

  As the couple kissed, Chance looked around at everyone who’d helped him save his mate, and although his twin wasn’t present, had to admit that it had been a pretty damn good day. Turning to Belle as she sniffed, catching her wiping her eyes, the emerald dragon decided to take a chance. Scooping his fairy up from where she sat, the Guardsman held her close as he raced deeper into the forest.

  When he was sure they were far enough from prying eyes, Chance set Belle’s feet on the ground and looked deep into her stunning blue eyes. It was at that very moment, the most perfect moment he’d ever experienced, that a part of his soul, one he hadn’t known was missing until he met the miraculous woman before him, slid into place. He was whole, happy, and simply unwilling to let the magical moment pass.

  Getting on one knee, just as Kris Kringle had done, Chance took the ring out of his pocket. Glancing down he had to smile the exact copy of his grandmother’s ring that his grandfather had commissioned from their Clan’s jeweler the day he and Nowell were born to ensure that both twins would have the very special ring to give each of their mates. Gently taking Belle’s hand in his, the Guardsman slid the ring onto her finger and once again looked into the depths of her eyes.

  “I know we really don’t know each other, haven’t even had a real date,” he swallowed hard, ignoring his jangled nerves and summoning his strength. “But, I know in my heart and in my soul that you are the one for me. That the Universe made us to be the two halves of the same whole. You are the light of my soul and the beat of my heart.” He paused, taking just an extra second to admire the strong, independent and sexy-as-hell fairy before him before continuing, “I would be the luckiest, happiest, and most blessed dragon who ever lived if you would do me the esteemed honor of being my mate, Belle Angelica Silvers.”

  Precious seconds ticked by. Sweat trickled down his spine. His heart beat like a bass drum, and all the while he prayed to every deity he’d ever heard of that she would say yes.

  Refusing to read her thoughts. Needing to know she wanted him as much as he wanted her, the Guardsman was just about to faint dead away when Ginger and Candy burst through the trees, giggling and chattering so fast he couldn’t make out a word they were saying, but did recognize the ring of holly leaves they held between them.

  Stopping beside Chance, the sister’s trilled in unison, “A course she’s gonna be yer mate. Cannae you see the stars in her eyes?”

  Looking up at Belle, they added, “Now ben yer arse down here and let us put the crown on yer head, wee girlie.”

  Astonished, Chance stood staring as Belle knelt down to let the gnomes place the ring of holly atop her head, before grinning up at him as she asked, “Are you sure, Candy? Ginger? I thought you said he was a blasted dragon and not good enough for me.”

  “Aye, we did,” Ginger proudly announced, giving Chance a sly wink.

  “But twas afore we saw how much he cares for ye, Girlie,” Candy added, kissing Belle on the cheek.

  Smiling so bright it brought tears to his eyes, his fairy looked right into his eyes as she beamed, “I don’t care how long we’ve known each other, no other man has ever cared enough to open a door for me, much less risk his hide to save mine.” Stepping closer and getting up on her toes, Belle wrapped her free hand around his neck and pulled his lips to hers. Giving him the sweetest of kisses, a mere whisper of an embrace, his Christmas Fairy whispered directly into his mind, “There is nothing more in the whole wide world that I want to be than your mate, Chance Nichols.”

  Snaking his arm around her waist and pulling her closer, needing to deepen their kiss more than he needed his next breath, Chance groaned, and Belle snickered as in unison the gnomes swatted his legs, screeching, “Stop that crap. There’ll be time for yer hanky-panky after yer properly mated.”

  Stepping back, Belle looked down at her finger before returning her gaze to him. “The ring is beautiful, but it’s just too much. It has to be a family heirloom. Something that should be in a museum.”

  “Yes and no,” Chance snickered, hurrying to explain as Belle’s furrowed her brow. “It is an exact replica of my grandmother’s ring. The same ring that every Nichols’ matriarch has worn since the beginning of time. I was born a twin and my grandfather wanted us both to be able to give a ring to our mate. So, instead of chopping something so valuable into two pieces, he had a second one made. My brother, Nowell, has the original and I have this one.”

  “The day my grandmother ascended into the Heavens just moments after my grandfather, her mate, she made us both promise to have the woman whom the Universe had made just for us wear the rings.” Slipping his hand under hers, he lifted it to his lips, placing a kiss just above the large emerald before explaining, “Because you see, not only is this something unique and special, it also explains where we, the Nichols and the Emerald Dragons, come from and who we are as dragons.

  Watching the wonder grow in her eyes, along with the love he could feel blooming within her heart, Chance continued, “The eight sides of the Asscher cut emerald sitting in the center signifies the eight emerald dragons who formed the original Emerald Dragon Clan - Oileán Iathghlas na hÉireann Dragon. The ten pearls, five on either side of the emerald, sitting atop each of the five golden rings of the setting, stand for the ten Oileán Iathghlas na hÉireann Queens, who showed favor upon King Arthur’s Knights, giving them the use of their magic even before we were dragon shifters.”

  The tears he had felt her holding back streamed down Belle’s beautiful face as she looked up at him and then down at her ring. Breathing deeply then slowly letting it out, it took a few minutes for his sassy mate to regain control, but when she did, his very own Christmas Fairy nodded and winked.

  Chance’s heart skipped a beat and Dafydd roared in celebration at the adoration they not only saw, but felt coming from the woman the Universe had made for them. The Guardsman felt whole, complete, energized, like he could handle whatever Fate had to throw at him as long as his magical, mystical, amazing Christmas Fairy was by his side. When she spoke, he could feel the power of their combined emotions and had no option but to do as his heart demanded and pull her close.

  “Thank you so very much, Chance. I admit that I was less than thrilled to find out my mate was a dragon, but boy-oh-boy I couldn’t have been more wrong.” Placing her hands on either side of his face, she laid her forehead to his and added, “You, my fiery, flaming Dragon Man, are better than peppermint candy, figgy pudding with whipped cream and fresh-baked fruitcake all rolled into one…and you are all mine.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “So, you already had a fight, and you’re not even mated yet?”

  “It wasn’t a fight, per say.” Belle turned towards her friend, putting her hand on her hip right the same time that Lizzie rolled her eyes and shook her head. Wanting to clarify the situation the Christmas Fairy continued, “It was more of a discussion that might have had…”

  “…raised voices, you pacing back and forth while throwing her hands in the air like a raving loon and trying to prove you were right above all else.”

  “Okay, maybe, but I was trying to make a point. I didn’t think we should have the dragon mating ceremony without Chance’s twin.” She took a step closer to her best friend and added with a purse of her lips, “So, there, Smartypants, I was thinkin’ of my mate, not just fighting for the sake of fighting.”

  Nodding, her grin growing into a full-blown smile, Lizzie chuckled, “Okay, I’ll buy it, this time. But why then are
you and your hunky dragon flying off to Lullymore to be mated tonight? Why not just do them both at the same time.”

  Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Belle scooched as close to Lizzie as she could get, looked back over her shoulder at the door and only when she was sure no one was near, whispered, “Because Ginger and Candy won’t leave us alone.” She paused and looked at the door again before going on, “I mean not even for a minute. Can you believe they followed Chance in here, to my room, to be sure we weren’t ‘kanoodling’?” She made finger quotes to be sure her friend understood the dire severity of the situation. “It’s like they think I’m still a virgin, or that my wings will fall off if he does any more than kiss me on the cheek.”

  Overcome with the need to pace, nervous energy racing through her veins, Belle hopped to her feet and walked around her bed. “I swear I’m about to tear the clothes right off his back, Lizzie. It’s terrible.”

  Stopping mid-stride when her best friend burst out laughing, the Christmas Fairy couldn’t help but laugh along as Lizzie blurted out, “Oh my Goddess, that dragon’s gotcha all tied up in your knickers, doesn’t he? I never thought I’d see the day.”

  Falling face first onto her bed as her bestie fell backward, the girls laughed until tears ran down their cheeks. Taking a deep breath, Belle added, “You don’t know the half of it.” She lifted her head and looked at her friend. “Girl, you just wait. While I’m gone, I swear I’m gonna sick the girls on you and that big, bad gorilla of yours.”

  Sitting straight up and spinning on her behind, Lizzie’s expression immediately turned sour. Sadly shaking her head, the witch sighed, “There’s nothing to sick them on. Simon hasn’t called, texted, even sent a damned smoke signal since we left Cordelia’s.”

  “Well, we’ll just see about that,” Belle snapped, pulling her phone from her pocket and started to text Simon.