Page 5 of Witch's Bells and Mistletoe

I wince reflexively at his criticism and cast a glance in Katherine’s direction. There’s a look of avid curiosity on my female’s face, which allows some of the tension to recede from me. I don’t want her to think that I’ve been trying to hide anything from her. Gods know that she’s seen me in my true form before, but I’ve always been careful to appear no stronger and no more threatening than anyone else within the coven house.

Her head tips toward me, and she meets my gaze frankly, her brown eyes pinning me to my spot. “Yes, why do you go around looking like a human if you don’t have to?” She gives me a perplexed look. “I can’t even imagine why you would give up your true appearance for a human one.”

Elis chuckles darkly, but I give him a sharp look before turning to Katherine. “What Elis is showing you isn’t our true form either. You have seen me in my true form. A dragon’s true form is a dragon. It just didn’t take us long to realize that, as humans developed and began to enjoy certain comforts and pleasures, we were better to adjust our appearance to make our own lives more comfortable with a bit of magic, like enjoying a decent cup of tea. This,” I wave a hand toward my cousin, “takes the least effort. We merely reduce our size and adopt a basic human shape while keeping much of our nature still on the surface, just slightly reshaped.”

“Except the wings,” Elis mutters as he picks up his wine glass and takes a sip of his chardonnay. “Tails and horns we very well keep, but wings are a damn nuisance unless you immediately need them to get around.”

I incline my head in agreement. Perhaps the only subject I can say for the moment that I will agree with my cousin on. Wings tend to get in the way more often than not when it comes to everyday activities.

A tiny frown mars Katherine’s brow. “You still haven’t explained why you bother going through the effort of looking human and deceiving everyone.”

“This should be good,” Elis chuckles again, and I glare hotly at him for a brief moment.

“It’s not intended as deception,” I grit through my teeth as I fantasize about punching my cousin’s teeth down his damn throat with the way he is grinning at me now. As I am determined to ignore him, I meet my female’s eyes. “Not too long ago, any dragon among humans would look the way that I do. Not only so that we hide safely in plain sight from those who may wish to try and harm us, but also because humans tend to be quite fearful of anything that looks different than expected. It is only recently that your species has become more accepting, and that is the only reason why this one is running around like that,” I point out, hooking a thumb in my cousin’s direction. I snort at the pained look he gives me. “Last time we met at a public venue, he looked as human as I do.”

“Low blow, cousin,” he grumbles before tipping his glass and swallowing another mouthful of wine. “I was merely sensibly in hiding like the rest of the supernatural beings out there.”

I shrug, not the least bit concerned if that jab has wounded his pride, and reach for Katherine’s hand. “It’s just habit and wanting to keep your family—coven—at ease so that they are not constantly reminded that there is a dragon around.”

She takes a sip of wine and regards me quietly for a long moment, and I wonder just how far we’ve been set back due to my cousin’s big mouth. I’m not prepared to be surprised by the casual shrug she gives and the soft sound of her laughter.

“Well, it’s hardly a state secret that you’re a dragon. It’s not like you are fooling anyone into believing you are human by wearing our appearance.” She wrinkles her nose thoughtfully. “And really it’s just unnecessary. We have vampires walking around the coven—I don’t think anyone would struggle seeing you adopt a more draconic appearance.”

I look at her skeptically, but little by little I allow the magic to withdraw to my most comfortable state. It hums beneath my skin, but rather than a constant itch that I can’t get rid of, the magic has a familiar, pleasant feel to it. The solid bony plating beneath my skin along my shoulders, chest and upper back is a comfortable weight, as are the thicker, larger scales that push up from the skin there. In this form, they are less like true scales and more like scutes of a crocodile set down in a whorling pattern. The horns that push up from my brow are weighty as well, but they make me feel secure, unmovable and powerful in ways that more fragile human bone structures and flesh do not. I shift in my seat and tug down the back of my pants just enough so that my tail has room to shoot out, the long length curling around my ankle. My body feels adequately like the primal force of nature and weapon that it is. All the while, my Katherine’s eyes get impossibly wider as she watches the transformation come over me.

“Does this truly not unsettle you?” I demand, gesturing to my face.

Surprise registers on her face, and then is quickly followed by annoyance. “Of course not. I already told you that it wouldn’t. Personally, I prefer you like this.” She squints at me and gives me a sharp nod of approval. “It fits you.”

I release my held breath and glance over at my cousin to grin triumphantly at him, but my smile wilts as I see the way his eyes are narrowed suspiciously at my female.

“Well, you have your answer,” I bark impatiently, drawing his attention back to me. “Now are you going to give me your information or not?”

His lips thin, but he nods and sets down his wine glass. “Very well. I’m afraid it’s not much, but it could still be helpful. I tracked down an old uncle. A brother or cousin of some such to Aegalthea. He wasn’t of much help, naturally, but he seemed to recall a curious detail about the jewel that I’m afraid will hinder your search more than help it. But it’s best to be prepared, I suppose,” he adds grimly.

Casting another mistrustful look at Katherine, he leans forward. “Dragon jewels, as you know, have a keeper. It forms a blood bond with the keeper as we’ve all been told, and that is why it remains with the keeper. Apparently there is more to it than that. That blood bond makes it so that only the keeper is sensitive to its magic. According to this male, you wouldn’t be able to locate the jewel on whim just by sniffing out dragon magic.”

“It certainly hasn’t worked,” Katherine agrees softly, and Elis snorts in agreement.

I frown, not entirely surprised but also frustrated with this news. “Anything else? Did he mention by chance what it looks like?”

“Ah, that’s the real kick in the balls,” Elis chuckles. “Apparently every so often when it is passed to a new keeper, it can adopt a new form better suited to the needs of the keeper. So a human witch who gets their hands on it,” he sneers with a pointed look at Katherine, “and accidentally creates a keeper bond of blood with the jewel following the death of Aegalthea probably tainted it in more ways than one if it adapted itself to be suitable for humans.”

I slowly sit back in my chair, every muscle in my body protesting the movement as I consider my cousin wearily. “Now what?”

Katherine looks at me in surprise. “What do you mean ‘now what?’ When I return home, I will simply have to help you look. If it’s something bound to my family’s blood, then it must be there somewhere. If what Elis says is true, then as the head of the coven and the head of the family, I should be able to feel its magic.

I am moved by the offer. “You would do that and take time away from your other duties to help my clan?”

She gives me a regal nod, but her brown eyes light with a warmth that makes my soul sing. I want to scoop her up into my arms, but my cousin ruins the moment as usual when he stands and grunts in acknowledgment.

“Very well, witch. Be sure to update Adeon on your progress, and I will check in from time to time with my cousin. Hopefully we can soon put this entire mess behind us,” he grumbles as he picks up his bag sitting beside his chair. “I’m sorry that we couldn’t make this more of a social visit, but I should be getting some rest for the morning. It is a long flight back home. I trust that you are leaving tomorrow, cousin, so I will wish you a safe flight back to the city.”

His question is distracted, as if he is merely voicing his expectations and waiting for me to confirm. A cool smile pulls at my lips, and I remain silent until he looks up at me questioningly.

“Actually, no, cousin,” I take considerable pleasure in correcting him. “I will be remaining here with Katherine to show her some of the sights I’ve promised her while waiting for you to arrive.”

He frowns and straightens. “You must be joking. You can’t mean to remain here alone with a… witch,” he hisses.

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