Page 23 of Witch's Bells and Mistletoe

It’s good thinking. The temperature of the hotel is going to drop quickly now that there is no power and night is upon us. The windowpanes rattle with the force of the wind, and outside there is nothing but darkness except for the whirling snowflakes outside, only just barely visible from the light of the hearth. A man stands by the door stomping the snow off his boots, though his hat and jacket are still weighed down by powder. He looks up and tries for a reassuring smile, but it falls flat.

“Just a little storm, folks. Nothing to worry about.” He removes his glove and offers his hand to a well-dressed gentleman that I recognize in passing. I believe he has a room in one of the suites on the top floor. “On behalf of myself and all the staff here at The Grand Williams, I’m terribly sorry for any inconvenience. Rest assured my staff will be sorting everything out.” He produces a card and presses it into the gentleman’s hand. “I’m Archie Williams, the current owner of the hotel. Please feel free to get contact me or anyone on staff if there’s anything at all we can do to make your visit more comfortable.”

He handed out a couple more cards to his obviously wealthier patrons and ignored the rest of us completely, other than granting us all seemingly charming smile. At my side Adeon snorts softly, not the least bit impressed, but it’s enough to make Mr. Williams’ turn toward him and to linger with a trace of shock before he clears his throat and looks away.

“What’s going on with the power?” one of the guests demands, breaking the silence.

Although his cheeks are already ruddy from the cold, they seem to darken a little further with embarrassment as he obligingly faces the guest. “As I said, just a storm. We get blizzards from time to time on the mountain. The storm wasn’t caught on the forecast, which makes this a bit of rotten luck, but don’t worry. We have a generator connected to the heating system and the kitchen, so there will still be hot food and plenty of warmth in the hotel.”

Until the fairies work out a way to kill that too, I mentally add.

I exchange a worried glance with Adeon, and my dragon grunts dourly before straightening to his full height.

“And what are you planning to do about the problem with the fairies?” he charges, his deep voice ringing loudly through the lobby.

Mr. Williams freezes and his mouth tightens, and he turns his head just enough to glare coldly at Adeon.

“I do believe that all further discussions regarding our current situation are best left until we are all gathered in the ballroom where everyone can be privy to the information,” he replies in a brittle voice.

Adeon’s mouth curves in a cold smirk, and on the farther end of the crowd I see a near identical expression on Elis’s face as the males appear to relish the hotelier’s obvious discomfort. For all that we haven’t seen much of Elis while we practically camped out in our room, I’m almost surprised to see that he’s still here with everything that’s going on. As if feeling my eyes on him, his head turns toward me and his smile fades. There is a contemplative look on his face that tells me nothing before his wings hung up slightly around him and he turns to head toward the ballroom with the other guests following after Mr. Williams, leaving us alone in the lobby.

My dragon’s head turns as he watches his cousin leave, and a deep sigh rattles heavily from within his chest so that I’m moved to lay on hand on the broad muscles there out of a need to comfort him. His hand covers mine absently.

“I do not think Elis is going to come around to accepting you,” he grumbles.

I give his chest an affectionate pat and smile sympathetically up at him. “Probably not. And if he does it won’t be because we pressure him into it. He’s going to have to work that shit out when he’s ready—if he ever is.” I peer up Adeon. “Does it make a difference if he can’t?”

Adeon shakes his head and looks down at me, any worry I felt disappearing at the warm smile that suddenly lights his face. “Not in the least. My kin mean much to me for all that we hardly feel the need to see each other, but you are everything, Katherine. You are all I truly need.”

A pleased blush heats my skin, and I continue to gently pet his chest, marveling at the feel of scales beneath his shirt. “I’m beginning to feel the same. I love my coven—my family—but if being with you required living in some remote mountain somewhere, I think I’d be okay with that now. So long as I had a way to see Fran regularly,” I admit, and I let out a shaky laugh as I lift my eyes to meet his gaze. “As hard as that is for even me to believe. Gods, the timing for this is all wrong—it’s hardly a romantic setting—but somehow all those fears that have helped me manage to keep my distance never quite stopped me from falling in love with you bit by bit. I just had to see it. I love you, Adeon.”

His eyes crinkle with a smile, and he takes my hand in his. “Nothing is more romantic than hearing these words fall from your lips. We could be out there in the blizzard, and it would still be everything for me. But it’s even better that it’s here beneath the bells and mistletoe,” he says with upward tilt of his head, directing my attention to the springs hanging above us, “so that I can in good conscience do this despite the urgency of the situation.”

His mouth captures mine, his tongue stroking deep into my mouth as I instinctively open for him and breathe in the sweet taste of dragon fire. It curls off his tongue as he plunders my mouth. I eagerly drink in the gift as my tongue slides against him. I’m clinging to him, but it only makes him rumble enthusiastically as I practically melt into him. When he finally releases me, I’m breathless and my lips tingle with what feels like tiny sparks coming off them with every breath. I’m captivated though by the fire-touched green eyes staring down longingly at me. I feel that longing down to my very soul. Not just lust but a need to be joined forever in every way.

Perhaps it is finally time to become my dragon’s mate.

I pause, testing how the idea makes me feel and am satisfied when it sends a thrill of anticipation through me. There’s no reluctance or worry overshadowing it. I feel secure in my love for Adeon and in the love that he has for me. I tremble with the force of the emotion rising through me but startle when the phone in my hand suddenly buzzes and alerts me of a new message with its clear tones.

I cough a little in embarrassment, reminded that we have people waiting on us, but when I glance at the text message from management alerting me to the fact that they are ready to proceed, I’m relieved to see the email I’ve been waiting for. I open it quickly, skimming over the missive as I take Adeon’s hand and head toward the ballroom.

It’s time.

Chapter 18

KATHERINE

The ballroom is packed. With those among the town residents who managed to get out to the hotel before the blizzard hit and all the guests and hotel staff packed into it, the room is very full. I learn that not only did the power go out in town but also that the blizzard didn’t begin until a few hours later. If I required anything else to convince me that the power outage was fairy manufactured, that would definitely be enough. The strangeness of it is commented on in a hum of gossip along with speculations about the freak storm that appeared out of nowhere.

My gaze slides over to Mr. Williams, who has been trying unsuccessfully to calm everyone down with his pitiful explanations. His expression turns dark when his eyes fall on me, however. It’s a good thing I never cared much about the opinions of men. I return his regard with a cool smile as I ascend to the small stage.

The conversation immediately dies down as I do, and Mr. Williams moves off to one of the chairs off to the side where he impatiently takes a seat. I look out over the crowd and feel a little nervous. I’m accustomed to speaking in front of my coven but this is entirely different. Adeon takes his place behind me as he’s so often done in the past and I immediately relax, drawing upon his strength. I wet my lips and give everyone gathered a reassuring smile.

“I’m sure many of you who are local know, or at least suspect, why you’ve been asked here. I’ve seen the work you’ve done in an attempt to protect your homes and this hotel from the consequences of Mr. Williams’ actions.”

Several of the older members of the community nod knowingly in response, and the hotelier in question sputters angrily as he starts to rise to his feet. He stops, however, when a gentleman to his left speaks to him in a low voice that I can’t hear, and then takes his seat once more though he continues to glare at me. Not intimidated in the least by him, I turn my attention back to the crowd.

“You’ve done admirably well, but I’m sad to say that it is not enough.” My eyes trail over the guests and the younger members of the community who stare at me in confusion. “For those who don’t know, or perhaps have heard but didn’t believe, I must regretfully inform you of the events that have put everyone in danger and has caused the town’s missing teenage girls, the sudden power outage and the storm.”

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