Dragon Xmas Miracle

by Maia Starr

  “Amelia, you don’t need to see all this; it’s not good for you or the baby.” I tried once again to pull her away, but she planted her feet firmly on the ground and pulled against me. This woman was intent and strong, and she left no room for any doubt of it.

  “I’m fine, Kellan. I need to see this. I need to see what me staying here has done to this place. As long as I am here, you all will be in danger. You should have let me leave when I wanted to!” Before I could respond to her, she stomped away in the direction of the hut. I hugged Claire and told her I was sorry and that I was going to take care of the situation. When I got back to the hut, I found Amelia in a heap on the living room floor. I ran to her.

  I pulled Amelia in my lap and held her as she cried, blaming herself for what happened to Iris. I knew something had to be done about the wolves, but I didn’t know what I could do without her finding out my secret. I decided that once I calmed her, I would gather the men together and call an emergency meeting of the clans. I knew that some of them would be angry with me over her, but I didn’t care. We needed to do something about the wolves before someone else got hurt or killed.

  A few hours later, I made my way to the main building where all the village meetings were held. Most of the clans were in attendance. The only ones missing were Iris and Claire’s mates. I understood why they weren’t there and had assigned Daryus to fill them in once the meeting was over. Once everyone was in their seats, I took my place at the head of the table alongside the other clan leaders.

  “Today, an injustice was done to us. Iris was a shining star in our little community on this island, and she was wrongfully taken from us. We need to do something to ensure that doesn’t happen to anyone else. Does anyone have any ideas before I propose my own?”

  The men mumbled amongst themselves, and I couldn’t make out what they were saying. They kept looking at me out of the corners of their eyes and over each other’s shoulders, and I knew it wasn’t good. I waited patiently for them to talk things over and say what they needed to say. I knew everyone was angry and on edge and things might be said that weren’t really meant. After several minutes of chatting amongst one another, Shiloh was the first to speak up.

  “I have an idea, Kellan; why don’t you give that woman back to the wolf that you took her from? Since that’s the source of all our problems. That would be an instant way to alleviate them all!” I shook my head as they all shouted words of agreement and I knew I needed to keep control of the meeting before a riot of sorts broke out.

  “Quiet!” I yelled. “First of all, I did not take Amelia from him; she was running from him because he had been abusing her in multiple ways and he was chasing her when she had a car accident. I found her lying in a pool of her own blood down in a ravine as the wolves were about to finish her off. I couldn’t just sit there and let them kill her. The wolves need to be dealt with. If not because of this, then because of all the other women they’ve abused and killed. You all know it’s true. The only reason he is after Amelia now is because the night she left, she found out she was pregnant. He just wants to be able to turn the kid as mean and nasty as he is. I am sorry if you don’t agree with my choices, but I am not going to let that scum hurt her or anyone else. I am taking a trip to the mainland tomorrow if anyone wants to join me. I’ll be leaving at eight in the morning.”

  I tried to give others a chance to give their opinions and ideas, but no one else wanted to speak. I adjourned the meeting and headed back to the hut. I knew I had to explain to Amelia what tomorrow held for me and I knew she wouldn’t like it. I thought of her the entire way back to the hut. I finally knew how my father felt when he made the decision to go to war to protect our homeland while others relocated. That’s when the island was discovered. My father loved us all and our homeland, and he died doing his best to protect it. He sacrificed everything, and I knew I was willing to do the same for Amelia and her unborn child that I so badly wanted to claim.

  I wasn’t sure if I would make a good father, but I knew that the child deserved to have a father, especially since his biological one wasn’t good for anything except mayhem and torture. I didn’t know how Amelia would respond to the idea, and I didn’t think I’d bring it up yet, but it would be something we would need to discuss if things went the way I was hoping they would.

  I walked up the steps to the deck and found her sitting in the lounge chair with a cup of hot tea. I knew she wouldn’t like what had been decided at the meeting, but I knew she deserved to know what was going on. Just like she deserved to know what I was. I needed to stop being a pansy and tell her, but every time I thought about it, my tongue felt thick, and it was hard to swallow. She stood from her chair and went inside, and I followed her. She put her cup in the sink and turned to face me. She looked at me for a long moment and leaned against the counter.

  “Well? How did the meeting go? What’s going to happen?” I could tell she was worried, and I knew she blamed herself. I blamed myself, and I regretted not killing him when I had the chance. “The meeting went well, and things were decided, but I know you’re not going to like what we decided. I am not even sure I should tell you.”

  She folded her arms across her chest, and I laughed at the indignant look that flashed across her face. She picked up a roll of paper towels off the counter, and I ducked as it flew over my head. That made me laugh harder, and by the time I calmed myself, she was frightfully angry.

  “Okay, okay, I’ll tell you, but you have to promise me you won’t be angry or flip out on me. Just remember, Amelia, it needs to be done so we’ll all be safe.” Once she promised she wouldn’t get angry, she sat down at the table and reached her hand across the table and placed it over my hand. Her touch was warm and comforting. I realized it was something that I would miss once she found out my little secret.

  “I decided that I am going to the mainland to do something about our little wolf issue and several of the guys are going with me. We are leaving at eight in the morning, and I am not sure when we’ll be back. I do know that we will be back though, so you don’t have to worry.”

  I watched her face as she realized what I was saying, and I could tell she wanted to be angry and go crazy. I was surprised she stayed in control of herself for as long as she did, but it finally got to her, and she let loose with a tirade that my mother would’ve been proud of.

  “I know I promised you I wouldn’t be angry with you or flip out on you, but Kellan, I can’t help it. I know what Danny and his guys are like and you and your friends won’t stand a chance. They’ll have you killed before you have a chance to defend yourselves. Please don’t do this!” I watched as her eyes filled with tears and I knew at that moment that she cared for me. Whether or not she cared for me the same way I cared about her, at least she cared about me in some way.

  I stood from the table and pulled her into my arms and hugged her tight. I knew she was worried about what was going to happen the next day, and quite frankly, I was worried about it too. I hoped I could get far enough on the mainland that I wouldn’t be seen before I needed to shift but I knew that they had been looting our sheds right on the tip of the mainland. If I had to shift there, Amelia would be able to see it, and that would be the end of my secret and the end of us most likely.

  I held her for a long time until she pulled back from me. I thought she was going to pull away completely, so I loosened my grip on her waist and pulled back from her, but she surprised me and pulled me back to her, kissing me hard on the lips. I was in such shock it took me a minute to respond to her. My lips finally responded and kissed her back as my arms tightened around her waist. My hands ran the length of her back as she deepened the kiss. Just as things were heating up and my body had started to respond, she pulled back.

  “I hope tomorrow goes well for you, Kellan. I want you to come home to us.” My heart swelled at her words. She wanted me to come back to her. I knew I had to do my best to stay safe and keep everyone else safe as well. She kissed me again before going t
o her room. She closed the door behind her and I watched as the sliver of light shining from under the door went out. I made my way to my bed after I locked the doors and turned out the lights. I laid in bed unable to fall asleep, and I thought about the events of the past several days. I never thought that trying to do the right thing for someone would cause so much trouble for me and everyone else on the island, but I also knew that I would do it all over again. I drifted off to sleep with Amelia on my mind.

  I woke up with Amelia next to me, her belly round and hard. I nuzzled her neck as I rubbed her belly and felt the baby kick my hand. As I laid there enjoying the time with my wife and unborn child, I heard scratching at the door. I got up to see what had made the noise when a howl pierced the air. At that moment, Amelia screamed as her water broke all over the bed. She screamed again with the start of a contraction, and I knew I needed to get her to the island clinic as soon as I possibly could.

  I ran to the side of the bed and kissed her hard and deep. “I am going to lock you in this room while I go take care of this. Do not leave this room no matter what you hear; I’ll be back for you when they’re gone, and I’ll get you to the clinic. I love you, Amelia.”

  I held her hand as she breathed through another contraction and once it was gone, I ran to the door. She told me she loved me as I locked her inside our bedroom and I hoped I could get her to the hospital on time. The scratching at the door had gotten harder and more demanding, and I could hear low growls coming from all around the hut. I notified Daryus of what was happening with our secret system that only those who lived on the island knew about and hoped he arrived in time.

  I made my way to the front door, cautiously peeking out the window. I grabbed the piece of wood that was by the door and flung the door open. I swung the piece of wood at the first person I saw and nailed one of Danny’s friends in the head, sending him off the deck. He landed in a heap almost underneath the deck. I heard footsteps coming at me from behind and turned in time to see another pack mate of Danny’s coming for me. I swung the wood with all my might and sent him flying over the edge of the deck. I watched for Danny and his other friends, but they had disappeared. I ran back into the hut to check on Amelia, and I made sure the room was securely locked before I ran back outside.

  As I ran back outside, I noticed three of the pack mates standing by the deck in wolf form, but I didn’t recognize any of them to be Danny. I knew I was going to have to shift, but I didn’t want to as Amelia still didn’t know my secret. The wolves slowly approached the steps, and as they started to step up, I shifted and flew over their heads. I heard them yelp in fear as I flew past them and hoped they followed me away from the hut. I was pleased to see it worked and when they followed me a good distance from the hut, I swooped down and grabbed one of the wolves with my long talons. I flew high into the air as the wolf yelped and howled in fright. When I reached a considerable distance, I let go of the wolf and watched as he fell hundreds of feet to the ground. He landed in an unmoving heap as the other wolves ran to him. When they realized he was dead, they howled into the sky.

  I was about to make another swoop and reach for another wolf when I heard a blood-curdling scream from the hut and what I thought to be a baby cry. I flapped my wings as fast as they could fly and hoped I would get there in time to help her. I landed in the sand and ran to the hut. When I got there, I found Danny in wolf form walking down the deck steps, baby in his mouth, still bloody with the umbilical cord still attached. I ran into the hut to find a trail of blood and the bedroom door broke open. Amelia laid in the bed covered in blood and had been ripped open and the baby torn from her. Her eyes were open and unfocused. Her skin was turning blue under the streaks of blood. I knew she was gone, and I could feel my heart breaking and my stomach wanted to heave. I fell to my knees beside the bloody bed and grabbed her hand as I let out a bone-chilling scream.

  I screamed as I jumped awake, panting from the nightmare that had assaulted my mind. I ran down the hall and cracked Amelia’s door open just to make sure she was okay. I saw her asleep in her bed, and I heaved a sigh of relief as I closed her door. I made my way to the kitchen and started the coffee pot as I looked at the clock. It was after seven, and I knew the guys would be here soon. As the coffee pot made the coffee, I cooked Amelia breakfast and put it in the microwave for when she woke up. I drank my coffee and left her a note and told her where she could find her food and promised I’d come back to her.

  I made my way to the meeting spot and waited for the others to get there. I knew what we were doing was dangerous, but I also knew it had to be done; Iris deserved justice and so did Amelia. The wolves had run rampant far too long. I knew taking out this pack wouldn’t do much to stop the others, but maybe it would be a warning to them. After the others arrived, we undressed and prepared to shift, tying rolled-up clothes to our ankles, so we could dress once we shifted back. Once we were ready, we shifted and took off toward the mainland, watching the water for signs of their boats.

  Once we reached the mainland, we checked our storage containers and noticed they hadn’t been looted again. We took off again and hunted them using their scents. We’d been flying for about an hour when I caught a scent I recognized. It was Danny. As his smell flooded my nose, my mind went back to the nightmare I’d had, and anger coursed through me. I turned in the direction the scent led me, and the others followed. We flew until the smell intensified and mingled with other scents. I recognized them to be some of the other pack mates, and finally, their cabin came into view. As we neared the cabin, I let out an ear-piercing dragon roar and watched as they came running out of the cabin. We swooped down, shifting as we landed, and threw our shorts on quickly. The wolves had run for the cover of the trees, but we were catching up to them. By the time we reached the tree line, they had started climbing the trees. I wondered how we were going to get them down as I tried to grab a limb a few feet over my head. I knew to get to them I was going to have to shift back into my dragon, but the trees were too close for me to fly.

  I was frustrated that we couldn’t get to them and was about to shift again to climb the tree when a brilliant idea popped into my head. I motioned the others to exit the tree line, and they looked confused as we did so. Once we were free from the trees, we huddled in a circle, and I told them to follow my lead. I undressed and tied the clothes back to my ankle. I shifted and flew high above the trees as the others followed. I swooped low enough to see the group of trees the wolves had climbed, and I blew fire into the tops of those trees.

  I watched as the fire consumed the tops of the trees and made its way down the trees. It spilled over into neighboring trees, and I felt guilty for starting a forest fire. The others followed and did the same thing as they flew past. Satisfied with what we had done, we flew toward home as the piercing screams of the wolves echoed through the morning sky.

  Chapter Six

  Amelia

  I had woken up to an empty house, and fear immediately gripped me. I hoped with everything I had that Kellan would come back to me and ask me to stay forever. I knew I shouldn’t feel the things I felt for him, but I was drawn to him. His kindness and heart were amazing things, and I knew he was what I needed. I knew if anyone could keep the baby and me safe from Danny and his crazy pack of mutts, it was Kellan. I didn’t know how he was going to do it, but I knew that he could.

  I made my way to the kitchen and found coffee on and a note that said breakfast was in the microwave. I opened the door to find a plate of eggs and bacon, and I closed the door to heat it. While the food was being heated, I poured a cup of coffee and took a long sip, savoring the flavor. I knew I shouldn’t have coffee because of the baby, but it was the only cup I was going to drink. I ate slowly and hoped that nothing would upset the baby. I didn’t want to end up losing the little food I had been able to ingest. I had inherited the family trait of horrible morning sickness during pregnancy. It was something my mother had warned me about shortly after I got my first period.

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p; I finished my breakfast and cleaned up the mess, and once that was finished, I headed for the shower. I showered and dressed, then went to the porch to soak up some sun. I hadn’t been there very long when Claire walked up and sat beside me. She told me she knew I wasn’t to blame for what happened to her sister and she told me I was invited to come to her funeral that was to be held the next day.

  I thanked her for inviting me and assured her I would be there. She hugged me, then headed for her shop. They had been busy cleaning and repainting it since the murder, and I wondered how she could stand to work there after such a thing. I decided to walk over and see if she needed any help. I knew Kellan wouldn’t be back for a while if he came home at all and I needed to take my mind off his absence. Claire graciously accepted my help and handed me a paint brush. By the time we finished it, I had paint from head to toe. I knew when I got back to the hut, I was going to need another shower, and I hoped that Kellan was back so that he might join me.

  I scolded myself for such a thought and pushed it from my mind. I knew it was wrong of me to think of him in that way, but I couldn’t help it. I had grown so close with him in the short time I’d been in his home and my feelings for him and changed considerably. I blushed at the thoughts I was having and turned from Claire so that she couldn’t see my face. I helped clean the brushes, and once everything was clean, I made my way back to the hut. I took my shoes off at the door so I didn’t track sand inside and noticed that Kellan still wasn’t back. I made my way to the shower and locked the bathroom door before I got in.

  I let the warm water cascade over my body as I thought of Kellan and wondered if he was still alive. I imagined Danny and his pack of idiots tearing Kellan and the others to bits, and I shook the image from my mind. I couldn’t think about that happening; it was too painful. My thoughts turned back to Kellan, and I pictured his perfect lips kissing me as my hands roamed my body. Just as I was about to pleasure myself, there was a knock at the front door. I shut the water off and dried off as best I could before I grabbed my robe. I ran to the door as the banging continued. I peeked out the window to see Claire on the porch. I opened the door to find her hysterical and rambling about a fire.