by Zoe Chant
And he’d make up for their absence today by letting the dogs cuddle with them in front of the fireplace once they got back from his surprise.
“Where are we going?” Angel asked curiously as he led her around the backside of the huge, sprawling mansion.
He’d asked Henrik for a good spot to take off and land, and he’d been reassured that not a single guest room faced this corner behind the wing where Henrik and his family lived.
“It’s a surprise.” He grinned at her. “As is this, I hope. It’s time I took you flying.”
There was no one nearby who could see him—not that humans could see mythological shifters, which made this easier. Still, he didn’t want to be forced to come up with an explanation for why he’d just vanished into thin air.
Jonathan took a deep breath. He could feel his dragon’s eagerness inside him.
He’d recharged his batteries somewhat—probably not enough for a drawn-out fight with a dire wolf. But enough that shifting and taking his mate on a short journey shouldn’t be a problem.
And it had been so long since his dragon had soared through the sky, wild and free...
He closed his eyes, focusing on the impatient dragon inside him. A moment later, a ripple of energy rushed through him, some of his human worries falling away as a deep, instinctive joy took over.
He parted his wings, the wind brushing against his scales like a caress. He was a dragon once more—and soon, the sky would be his again.
“Oh, my God,” Angel breathed, her hand in front of her mouth as she stared at him in awe. “I mean, I’ve seen you before, but—wow! You’re stunning.”
Jonathan went to his knees and spread out a wing in invitation.
With a wide smile covering her entire face, Angel took him up on it, climbing onto his back.
“Are you sure this is okay?” she asked.
Jonathan chuckled soundlessly. He spread his wings in answer, sending reassurance through the growing bond between them.
And then he lifted himself effortlessly into the air.
His strong wings carried them higher and higher until Snow Castle spread out beneath them. Angel whooped with joy, holding on to his neck, although he couldn’t feel any fear inside her.
“This is amazing! Look how tiny the lake looks from here!”
He spread his wings wider, soaring on the currents of cold air. He tasted the air with his tongue—there was a familiar, icy little spark, telling him that more snow was on its way.
Angel laughed in delight.
Far below, there were people skating on the frozen lake. Another group of children was having a snowball fight near the small castle built entirely from snow. And the pony-drawn sleigh was just leaving for the snow-covered hills, with a couple all wrapped up in warm blankets to enjoy a romantic ride.
His dragon wanted to roar for joy, to somersault in the air.
He was alive once more! He was awake, in his element—and he now had a mate to show off for.
But he didn’t want to scare Angel. And most importantly, despite the fast shifter healing, it would take them about an hour to fly to the place he hoped would be a suitable surprise for his mate.
Jonathan didn’t doubt that he’d make it there just fine. Still, after their recent experiences, perhaps he should save his newly regained strength, just in case. There was still the matter of his dragon’s heart jewel as well. There was a flaw in it now. A crack caused by his sleep in the ice.
And what would he do if he used his powers, but the jewel that focused his energy was destroyed by it?
But then, he didn’t expect the strange old mansion to house another dire wolf. At most, they might encounter mice in the abandoned house.
He began beating his wings again, rising a little higher and turning away from Snow Castle. Before them, the mountain spread, rugged rocks all covered by a gentle blanket of pristine snow.
The sun was shining. Below, the snow gleamed, reflecting the light. Later that day, clouds would return and bring yet more snow, or so the taste of the wind told him. But at least for their journey, they should have beautiful sunshine.
He stretched his body, loving the exercise. It had been far too long since his dragon had been free to fly.
Now that he was in the sky once more, his mate on his back, it suddenly seemed impossible that he’d chosen to sleep in the ice. How had he been able to turn his back on this?
The freedom of wind beneath his wings and cold air on his tongue was what he’d been born for.
He’d had his reasons, of course... But still.
There was no choice. No choice but the deal I made.
But if he’d left instead to begin a new life somewhere else, Vincent’s father would never have known. And he wouldn’t have missed out on ten years of his life.
But I might never have met Angel in that case...
He couldn’t change the past. But he could be grateful for what he had now.
And defend their happiness with everything within him.
They’d soon left Snow Castle behind. Jonathan turned gracefully around the mountaintop, changing their course to the west. Before him, further mountains stretched, eventually changing into gentle hills, all covered with heavy snow.
And there, somewhere in the distance, was the place he hoped Angel would like.
Not that it would make a difference if she hated it. It had just been a thought, after all. He’d live anywhere, as long as Angel was with him.
Anywhere that was out of the reach of Vincent’s father, of course...
“Wait!” Angel called out all of a sudden.
They were still soaring above the mountains, but now her hand nudged his neck.
“Can you go to the right for a moment? I think I just saw something weird...”
Jonathan tilted his wings and elegantly swerved.
A moment later, he saw what Angel must have discovered. A familiar mountainside was rising before them—and there, in the distance, stood a mansion, surrounded by snow.
It was the Mitchell mansion, the house that had been destroyed by the blizzard.
And from the windows, a strange light was shining.
“The insurance said their expert won’t make it here until tomorrow, because of all the snow,” Angel said. “And there’s no one else who has any business being there... It’s destroyed, anyway. What would they want there?”
Jonathan narrowed his eyes. His sight was better than that of any eagle—and Angel was right.
Someone was inside the half-destroyed house. And it wasn’t the expert sent by the insurance, because there was no car parked nearby.
Not that a car would have even made it close. Not with the snow piled up like this, after the blizzard and the additional snow of the past few days.
For a moment, Jonathan hesitated. What if someone had broken into the mansion, hoping that the famous Hollywood couple kept valuable paintings or jewelry there? He couldn’t expose his mate to even more danger.
On the other hand, it wouldn’t hurt to take a closer look.
If thieves had broken in, they wouldn’t be able to spot him and Angel, as long as he remained shifted into his dragon. They could take a quick look, and if someone had decided to loot the house, they’d simply turn back to Snow Castle and alert the police.
Jonathan dived. Cold air filled his lungs as he parted his jaws, tasting the wind for any hint of who might have broken in.
But the wind was coming from the wrong direction. It had picked up—much earlier than he had expected. It carried the scent of tiny ice crystals forming, which told him that it would start snowing very soon.
Hopefully, they’d be on their way to his surprise before that happened.
For all he knew, it could simply be a ranger checking up on the place—or maybe the expert had made it across the mountain sooner than expected after all. Perhaps he’d hiked to the mansion, leaving his car behind on the road further down.
There were lots of explanations for why Jonath
an could see a light moving from window to window even now.
Still, it didn’t change the fact that something felt off about this...
Chapter Seventeen: Angel
Angel clung to Jonathan’s back as the magnificent ice dragon soared over the house. Jonathan didn’t make a single sound, and Angel forced herself to keep silent as well.
She didn’t want to alert whoever was down there to their presence. And it wasn’t like Jonathan could answer her questions anyway in his current form.
Jonathan swerved, circling over the house again. Still no sign of the intruder.
Then, as if he’d come to a sudden decision, Jonathan tilted his wings. He slowed down even further until he could silently land behind the mansion.
None of the lighted windows faced in their direction. Even so, Angel felt her heart speed up when she scrambled down his back.
A second later, Jonathan shifted. It was a relief to see him back in his human form, although she was glad that his powerful wings could carry them away quickly, if it was necessary.
But nothing was as comforting and reassuring as the sight of his strong arms and the sound of his voice.
“We should probably go back and call someone,” he said softly. “But I’m afraid they might be gone by the time I can return with Henrik. Something feels off about all of this. Especially after the dire wolf.”
“This time, it’s not my fault someone broke in,” she murmured. “I think you’re right. This was never about me at all.”
Jonathan’s jaw tightened. “I don’t want to go in there. Not when you don’t even have a weapon.”
“I’ve got a dragon.” She smiled at him, touched by his concern, but also amused. What burglar would dare to threaten a dragon? “Anyway, if we sneak around and catch a glimpse of them through one of the windows, we might figure out what the hell is going on with this house and the dire wolf.”
Jonathan hesitated for a moment, but then he nodded tersely. “If it is the dire wolf, we’re leaving immediately. I won’t endanger you. But if it’s just a burglar...”
“If it’s just a burglar or maybe paparazzi after scandalous secrets, you could put the fear of a lifetime into them if you shift.” Angel bit back a soft giggle. “I’d love to see them try to explain that to the police.”
“Once we know what’s going on, we leave and contact the police. Let human authorities deal with all of this,” he said, even though she saw a smile tug on his own lips. “Let’s not draw any attention to us. Remember, I’m trying to hide.”
“All right. Let’s just be spies today.” She took hold of his hand, tugging him towards the corner of the house.
It did feel exciting—she felt a bit like James Bond, ducking beneath windows as they sneaked along the side of the house.
The snow made crunching noises beneath their boots. Angel could feel her heart beating in her throat.
She tried to move as silently as possible, grateful for Jonathan’s reassuring presence behind her. With a dragon as back-up, she was safer out here than James Bond would ever be.
Still, she’d never done anything like this in her life. Who’d have thought that the cushy dog-sitting job would not only lead to pursuit by a dire wolf and falling in love with a dragon shifter, but also getting to feel like an international spy?
When they finally made it close to the windows on the front of the house, everything was still silent. Whoever was inside hadn’t spotted them. In fact, she couldn’t hear any sounds from inside now.
Is that a good sign? Maybe we’re too late and they’ve already left...
She turned around to give Jonathan a questioning look, who nodded at her. Taking a deep breath, she pressed herself against the wall. Then she slowly rose from her crouch, until she could peer in through the window.
At first, she couldn’t see anything but a disappointingly empty room.
Jonathan crept past her to peek in through the other corner of the window. He looked disappointed as well when it turned out that they hadn’t surprised a thief in the act.
And then, a moment later, Angel realized what was wrong.
They were looking right into the generous living room, which was comfortably furnished. Against the wall, there stood the soft, white leather sofas. Above it hung the paintings she remembered, landscapes and pictures of dogs. Most hung askew but hadn’t been completely destroyed by the blizzard.
But in front of the large couch, where before, a fluffy carpet had covered almost the entire floor, the dark wood beneath was now visible.
Most of the carpet had been pulled away—and there, at the center of the room, loomed a dark square.
Angel felt her heart speed up.
All this time she’d been house-sitting, and she’d never realized that there was an entrance to a secret room hidden right in front of her...
Don’t be silly. That’s probably just the basement. And I bet it’s just the guy sent by the insurance who’s checking for water damage.
Still, she couldn’t shake the thought that something more sinister was going on.
What if it wasn’t a simple basement? What if the Mitchells had a safe hidden down there where they kept jewels or a stash of gold?
When she turned to look at Jonathan, he was tense as well. Carefully, she moved closer, until she was able to whisper into his ear.
“Do you want to go in?”
Jonathan hesitated. She could see that he was torn. A part of him wanted to explore the mystery before them—but another part of him was worried about her.
Which was sweet. And it wasn’t like she wasn’t scared—but after everything that had happened, she had a right to know what was really going on here. After all, she’d already spent way too much time feeling like the destruction of the house was all her fault.
After the dire wolf and the blizzard, it was just too much of a coincidence to have a burglary happening, too.
“I’ll wait here if I have to,” she said, “but I want to know what’s going on.”
She really didn’t want to wait out here on her own, but at least she’d have a good view through the window.
“Of course, if we both go in, you can keep an eye on me,” she added.
Jonathan took a deep breath. Then he nodded reluctantly. “You’ll stay behind me. Promise?”
“Promise!”
She didn’t want to face a dire wolf on her own anyway. She was more than happy to let Jonathan’s dragon handle any crazed shifters they might encounter.
But she needed to know what was going on.
They couldn’t hear any suspicious sounds when they silently made their way in. The door had been open—but she couldn’t remember whether the storm had destroyed the lock.
It might have been the storm...
Inside the corridor, everything seemed normal at a first glance.
Well, as normal as a house half destroyed by a blizzard and a fire could look.
The part they were moving through had fortunately been spared by the fire. Nevertheless, everything still stank of smoke. She barely managed to suppress a sneeze just in time.
Jonathan was looking around with a strange expression as well, as if he was sniffing the air. Maybe it was a shifter thing. Although she didn’t think he’d have any luck catching the scent of their burglar. Everything was overpowered by the heavy, acrid smell of smoke, charred wood and burned plastic.
Jonathan’s hand brushed her arm. She gave him a small nod. Before them was the door that opened to the living room.
And that door stood open as well.
Jonathan waited for a long moment. Angel couldn’t hear any sounds but those of her racing heartbeat.
At last, slowly, he moved into the room. Angel followed just as slowly, concentrating on keeping her steps as light as possible.
The living room was empty too. But the carpet was rolled to the side, and the trapdoor was still open. In the minute or two it had taken them to make their way in, nothing had changed.
Very
carefully, Jonathan made his way to the yawning rectangle of darkness in the floor. He peered into it while Angel waited, but once again there was no movement or sound.
Maybe they’d been too late. Maybe the burglar had broken in yesterday, and all they’d find was an empty basement...
Jonathan was still hesitating, his eyes on the small ladder she could now see leading down into the darkness. A moment later, he turned his head to look at her, and she gave him an encouraging nod.
After all the strange things that had happened around this house, she really wanted to know what the big secret was.
Jonathan’s brows drew together as if he wanted to argue with her, but after a moment, he tilted his head in acquiescence.
She smiled, sending a wave of affection through the bond.
She had a dragon of her own with her. She felt safer than she’d have felt in the company of an entire SWAT team.
Jonathan leaned over the dark opening, then climbed down with easy, confident movements. Angel followed a little slower, her heart still hammering in her chest.
It wasn’t fully dark down here, she now saw in relief. There was a light in the distance, dim and yellow, coming from behind a corner.
Before them spread an empty corridor of simple, rough concrete.
Jonathan still in the front, they sneaked through it, listening for any suspicious noises ahead. She still couldn’t hear a sound.
And then Jonathan made it to where the corridor turned a corner.
Wait, he mouthed, the dim light illuminating his pale hair.
Angel really didn’t want to be left behind in a dark underground corridor—but she knew that Jonathan would never abandon her here.
She nodded again. Then, for a moment, it was just the gloom and her thundering heart.
Through the mate bond, she could feel Jonathan’s presence, warm and reassuring.
She smiled, feeling his love fill her own heart, relaxing a little. This was new—and it was beautiful. Even when she was alone, she’d never, ever be lonely again. A part of him would always be with her.
And then she felt a sudden shock and confusion race through the bond between them. At the same moment, she heard the most unexpected sound. A sound she’d have recognized anywhere after the past few weeks.