Page 9 of Witch's Bells and Mistletoe

There is nothing pleasant at all in that grin, and I see the people ahead of me, closest to it, shiver violently as they wrap their arms around their torsos.

It is a bit odd. It is rare to see a fairy come so close to a town, though admittedly the park hosting the ice sculpture contest is set off the main road. The decoration among the sculptures is sparse. Enough to bring some cheer without overwhelming the beautiful cut blocks of ice. I still wouldn’t have expected to see a fairy, though. Especially not when there are so many people walking about.

I peer at it from beneath my lashes, not looking at it directly so that it will not notice that I can see it. My eyes follow the path, and I barely keep myself from startling visibly when I see a few more frost fairies slipping among the sculptures. I feel a prickle along my scalp and the back of my neck as I watch them covertly. Just how many are there? And why?

I know that Adeon notices them too, though he doesn’t look in their direction. The large bulk of his body is growing warmer by the moment, as if his dragon fire is stirring to life within him, and there is a tension running through him that I can feel through my fingertips resting on his arm. Nothing good will come of this, so I tug on his arm and direct his attention to the ice sculpture closest to us. He obliges with a warm smile in my direction, and I breathe a small sigh of relief when I feel his body temperature drop a little and some of the tension drains from his muscles.

Relieved, I tip my head to admire the ice sculpture and feel my cheeks warm with a faint blush when I notice the subject of the artwork.

A kiss under the mistletoe.

Delicately carved, the couple is dressed in an old-fashioned style that brings to mind A Christmas Carol as the gentleman holds the small plant above the gowned lady’s head and bends in for a kiss. She has her face angled away with a smile as if giggling. Although there is nothing indecent about the couple entwined around each other, I’m uncomfortably aware that drawing Adeon’s attention to it could make him believe I was sending a message that I didn’t intend.

Not that it’s entirely a bad idea… it’s just not very smart with Adeon. A dragon keeps and entirely possesses all that which he holds to him. It’s why I didn’t fall into bed with him when I discovered that he lit my fires in a way I had never quite experienced before, and why I’ve managed to avoid being seduced by him since then.

I can feel his eyes on me, but I tug him along to the next sculpture as if it were nothing. He hums thoughtfully deep in his chest as he follows, the sound making me tingle all over. Is he looking at my ass?

Damn. I wish I had thought to check how this coat was tailored first to make sure it showed my bottom off at its best. At my age, everything could use a little extra help, but then again I didn’t know that I would be running into Adeon. This trip wasn’t supposed to be a romantic interlude. While fantasizing about dalliances with other men have been more of a passing fancy indulged in when I’m frustrated with the dragon—such as I was doing just yesterday—in truth I’ve ceased trying to attract anyone. It’s impossible when no one else but this stupid dragon stirs my desire as of late.

I’m not sure if its due to chemistry alone or simply that being seen and appreciated is so damn sexy to me. Enough so that apparently that it’s worth the sacrifice of my sex life. If only the rest could be so simple. If only he weren’t a dragon who is looking for forever. If only I weren’t the head of a coven with too many who depend on me whom I must put first and without enough time to keep a man in my life happy.

This moment right now, walking arm in arm as if I have no responsibilities that demand nearly every waking hour, is a fantasy—a holiday. It’s not real life. But I can enjoy this moment and allow myself to pretend for a little while that we are like any other couple.

I lean into his arm and practically melt into him when he draws my arm in closer against his body and rests his hand over mine. His incredible heat rolls over me, and I barely resist the urge to rub my cheek against the arm of his jacket. I am close enough, however, that I clearly hear a strange sound rolling deep in his chest, and I blink in surprise.

Is he… purring? I hold my breath and listen closer. My lips twitch. No, not exactly a purr. No vocal cords can make that sound. It’s a thrum deep in his chest, rumbling with happy contentment as we walk. It’s strange because I don’t think I’ve ever heard him make that sound before. It’s hard to believe that it would be for me.

I risk a peek up at him as we wind our way among the ice sculptures. His green eyes turn to me and the corner of his mouth hitches, the dark auburn beard and mustache bracketing it rising. I consider arching my eyebrows at him with my usual cool mask and pretend that I’m only holding onto him for convenience so not to slip. That is my normal response to his flirtation, but for once I just want to embrace the fantasy and I return his smile. His eyebrows shoot up and his smile widens, but he looks away as we stop in front of another ice sculpture. His head tips back as he admires it, giving me an excellent view of his features in profile.

I still can’t get used to how different he looks this way. There is a powerfulness to him like this that is so easy to overlook when he was wearing his glamour. And I love his horns. I never imagined I would find horns attractive, but on him, they absolutely are.

I pause by his side and tear my eyes away in an attempt to admire the sculpture as well, but I have to admit that I’m only partially paying attention. There are clever little scenes and all sorts of Christmas pageantry in addition to more fanciful and seasonal images. And of course, among them are all manner of woodland critters carved out of ice. Mercifully, Elis doesn’t ruin the moment. He glances back at us from time to time with disapproval, he but stays well ahead of us as if trying to forget that he’s with us as he flirts with the young woman who caught his attention. She laughs, and I wonder how the hell that asshole can shift gears to be charming enough to keep her at his side when we leave the ice sculpture park and set back out onto the main road.

At that point, however, my little fantasy dies a quick death because they rejoin us and this young, bubbly woman who introduces herself as Melissa. She is beautiful, carefree, and young—and entirely stupid to be making doe eyes at Elis as far as I’m concerned. I don’t begrudge her that. That used to be me, after all—sadly especially the dumb part—but I love seeing the vibrancy and freedom in young women coming into their own walks of life. Unfortunately, she is also a reminder of how quickly time has passed me by. I’m old enough to be her mother, and by the time we collect our hot chocolate I’m suddenly feeling very silly clinging to Adeon like a fresh-faced girl with her beau. I feel my spirits wilt a little and attempt to extricate myself from Adeon only to find that I’m caught.

“What are you doing?” I hiss, casting an embarrassed glance over at Melissa.

“Enjoying the company of the finest lady in the village,” he answers with a sly grin. Elis snorts and then coughs a muffled apology when Adeon gives him a sharp look. Grunting with satisfaction, Adeon’s expression warms as he beams down at me once more. “I would be foolish to lose such a fine treasure,” he rumbles.

A pleased warmth fills me, but I startle as Melissa coos loudly at our side.

“Aww, that’s adorable! Would you look at that, Elis. Isn’t that sweet? You never know, that could be us in thirty or forty years.”

I nearly choke. Just how old does this girl think I am? Or more importantly, how old is she? My brow furrows very slightly as I look over at her suspiciously, making sure to keep my expression pleasant to not give away my thoughts. She cuddles Elis with a broad grin, and to my surprise he smiles indulgently. I clear my throat, attracting her attention again.

“Are you from around these parts, Melissa?” I inquire politely.

She nods eagerly. “Actually, yes. I don’t get to spend much time here since I started going to school at the state university this fall, but I’m thrilled to be home for the holidays.”

I smile and nod. A freshman. Lovely.

“I’m sure you both will have a wonderful time,” I murmur. “I’m so pleased that you decided to join us while we do some shopping.”

“Oh, absolutely! I love to shop, and I never get tired of seeing the way they do up the decorations every year.” She squeezes Elis’s arm with an excited squeal that makes Adeon wince faintly. She takes a sip of her hot chocolate and glances around. “So which direction should we go first? Oh, I know! You can’t go wrong with jewelry. We have one of the best silver smiths in the state who uses some of the ore and gemstones produced from the local mines in the region. All the tourists go gaga for it. It makes the perfect gift to take home to families, or to buy for friends for the holidays,” she says sweetly.

“Uh, sure,” I reply, taken a little off guard. I catch Elis’s pained expression and hold back a smile at his reluctance before giving the girl an encouraging smile. “Since you know the best places, please, lead the way.”

“Oooh! I’d be delighted. All right. Just this way!” she exclaims, dragging Elis off with her.

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