Page 7 of Witch's Bells and Mistletoe

I can’t quite restrain it completely, however, when I imagine the horrified look on Fran’s face if she heard me say such a thing. I’m afraid that I’m not the ideal mother that my quiet, sweet little girl would have preferred. Even now, despite my best intentions, I tend to embarrass her when I don’t mean to. I do try not to be overbearing but I had to learn early to speak loudly and make bold moves if I wanted to be heard and get things done. It hasn’t always made me popular, but I do regret that it often causes a rift between me and my only child. Even my coven, though they respect me and depend on me to lead the way, never seem entirely at ease around me.

It is disappointing and hurts more than I will ever admit to anyone. I simply paste a smile on my face as if it doesn’t bother me that they cut conversations short or hurry away if they see me heading in their direction.

Being the head of the coven is a thankless job. It’s no wonder Fran hates the idea of taking over her birthright.

My chin quivers and I sniff a bit as I blink rapidly while search for a calm center to regain that perfect mask of control. I’m refuse to ruin my makeup now that I’m finally ready to go. Adeon is waiting, and that reminder brings a timorous smile back to my face.

Adeon is the only person in quite a few years who has actively sought me out because he wants to be in my company and not because he thinks that I can do something for him or because he feels he has to. In fact, he even seems to enjoy my company and is the only one who never seems particularly ruffled by anything I do or say. Just the opposite, most of the time it simply amuses him.

And he wants to take me to the village and spend the holiday with me.

A warm, giddy feeling rises into my chest, and I giggle like a schoolgirl as I pull on my boots. Donning my cream knit hat and sheepskin jacket, I hurry out of my room and down the stairs, foregoing the elevators completely in my excitement.

I recognize Adeon’s broad back immediately, the long red tail and the proud sweep of horns will take some getting used to but it somehow makes him appear larger than life and thrills a part of me that purrs with interest. As if sensing me behind him, he turns toward the stairs, a broad grin breaking over his face which has become more distinguished and fascinating with the smattering of red scales along his brow, cheeks, and neck. The elegant crown of small horns from the larger ones is all masculine dragon in his prime, and I squeeze my thighs together a little as I descend.

Gods! Who would ever think that it would take some scales and horns to get my motor running at high gear? I’m absolutely breathless when I arrive at his side, and I can feel a blush rising into my cheeks as his appreciative gaze sweeps over me. It is only Elis’s rude cough that informs me that I somehow missed the fact that the other male was even there. I don’t feel quite so bad because it’s obvious that even Adeon forgot his cousin was nearby judging by his sudden pained grimace.

I pat his thick arm and chuckle softly in commiseration as Elis makes another impatient sound.

“About time. We should hurry this along if we want to be back before sundown. It’s cold enough with the sun shining, and if I have to subject myself to that, the least we can do is return before the temperatures dip,” he grumbles as he fastens up his coat. Fastening the last button, he peers out the large window and a look of distaste crosses his face. “Dreadful season.”

“You are free to stay here, cousin, if it’s such a terrible inconvenience,” Adeon replies dryly. “I can assure you that Katherine and I will be just fine.”

I cross my fingers against my thigh childishly, but by the gods I hope he decides to remain behind. Naturally I’m never the lucky one.

Elis shakes his head with a grim chuckle. “Nice try, cousin, but you won’t be getting rid of me that easily.”

“Damn,” I mutter under my breath.

I clearly have once again misjudged dragon hearing because the male beside me laughs as Elis’s dark scales go blistering coal red.

Oops.

I give him an apologetic smile—or the best facsimile of one that he’s going to get from me. “So sorry.”

“Don’t apologize to him, love,” Adeon rumbles as he tucks my hand into the crook of his arm as if this were a legitimate romantic date and he were my suitor. “Elis has thick enough scales—he can take it especially since he was less than polite to you last night.” He gives his cousin a meaningful look before smiling down at me once again. “Now let’s get going before Elis bursts something. The cool air may do him some good,” he adds with a chuckle.

Biting back a smile, I give Elis a cautious glance as we walk past him. Yes, there is no budding friendship on the horizon as far as I can see.

Not my problem.

“Yes, let’s,” I agree loudly as I hug Adeon’s arm closer to me and shout back over my shoulder. “Come on and don’t pout, Elis. I will spring for a cocoa for you, complete with sprinkles to take your mind off the weather and present company.”

I don’t even bother holding back my giggle as the dragon responds with a deep growl that goes silent when Adeon’s deeper snarl cuts him off. Ah, dragons. A little holiday cheer is in order.

Chapter 6

ADEON

My female is glorious. A vision of beauty and a feast of the senses, I covet every minute she’s at my side as the bus takes us down the mountain a short way to the village. I could have flown us over just as easily—easier really—and had planned on doing that before Elis decided to be an utter prick. Leaving him sitting wedged between humans in the seat behind us with his tail wrapped miserably around his legs and in his lap is a juvenile revenge, but I enjoy every minute of it as my female nestles close to me. I simply ignore his grumbling as I breathe in my female’s sweet scent and enjoy the warmth of her body pressed close to mine within the confines of the small seat.

She doesn’t even seem to object to my murmured apology about the lack of room when I wrap my tail around her hip, giving the remaining length the excess room to curl down the side of her legs. The space for my horns is a more difficult matter, and I’m forced to sit at a somewhat awkward position to accommodate them. I could solve the problem by glamouring them away, but I don’t want to, not when she is openly admiring these true parts of me.

Truthfully, if I weren’t so certain that Elis values his hide, I would’ve already concluded that my cousin must have a death wish with the way he’s baiting me. There’s only so much of his rudeness toward Katherine that I will take.

Not that my female isn’t capable of putting him in his place well enough on her own. She has more than aptly demonstrated that she doesn’t need my help to do so when she’s had enough, but I am offended by his behavior all the same. Perhaps more so with the cutting remarks he made last night upon leaving my room still fresh in my mind.

As much as he toys with human females, Elis seems incapable of imagining that I don’t care if my mate is a dragon. I’m not obsessed with keeping bloodlines pure as some among our clan are. I’ve studied enough of our ancestry to know that was a lost cause generations ago and no amount of selective breeding will drown out the “taint” of human blood. According to legend, it was by breeding with humans with magic in their blood that we harnessed the ability of taking on a different form. I can’t imagine a soft human witch being eager to breed with us in our true form, but I’ve long recognized that those humans who harness and learn to wield the power within their blood are a formidable sort. But this is not something that is brought up with my cousin or other purists among the various dragon clans and is only whispered about in the oldest lore for those who explore it.

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