Amazed, p.9
Amazed, page 9
Ashlynn carried him into the bathroom and let out a laugh when she caught sight of them both in the mirror. “We’re rather a mess, aren’t we?” She’d originally come in here to brush her hair, but on second thought, that would be a pointless endeavor. Her red hair was covered in ashes, as was the rest of her. What she really needed was a shower, but she wasn’t going to risk that with a baby dragon on the loose, so she settled for shaking out her hair, sprinkling ash all over the floor and countertop.
“Well, that didn’t exactly help much, did it?” She and the dragon were two of a kind at the moment, her hair as red and covered in soot as his body.
“All right, sweetie. Let’s go check at the front desk. Surely they’ll know if a family of dragons is staying here. We’ll find your parents in no time.”
* * *
Max and Glory walked up the sidewalk toward the hotel, a bunch of cougars and wolves at their backs.
Glory huffed out a breath.
Every Saturday it was the same thing. After checking on the progress of construction at Shenanigans I and indulging in a run through the woods, Max and Glory would head back to the hotel with a bunch of cougars and wolves at their back. Glory knew by tagging along, they hoped she would let them into the bar early, even though she’d told them time and again, Shenanigans II wouldn’t open until four o’clock. Did they listen though? Of course not.
She was rolling her eyes at the ridiculousness of shifters everywhere, when they stepped into chaos and came to a screeching halt.
The lobby was a mess. Leaves of some sort were everywhere, along with pieces of cardboard, and Phoenix was in her koala form rolling around in the midst of it all.
Phoenix looked as if she couldn’t decide whether she should play with the leaves or eat them and seemed to be on a mission to do both at once. Double-fisting leaves and shoving them into her mouth as quickly as she could, Phoenix jumped to her feet, ran in a circle and dived onto another pile of leaves.
Travis was grinning at his mate’s antics, Lily was laughing and Harry just looked confused.
Max stepped forward and Glory shot out her arm, grabbing his. “Don’t even think about it.” She glared over her shoulder at the other wolves and cougars. “That goes for you guys, too.”
It was a good thing she’d said something because the crazy cougars and wolves all looked like they were about to shed their human skin and join the fun.
Travis must have heard her because he made a beeline for them and snapped, “Those are Phoenix’s leaves. Well, and Lily’s. None of you yahoos can touch them.”
Glory raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think Lily’s going to be claiming those leaves anytime soon.”
Travis glanced over his shoulder and saw that his mate was now in a standoff with Lily, who had plopped down in the middle of a pile of leaves.
Phoenix jumped up and down and yelled at Lily in a series of yips.
“Hey, now. These boxes have my name on them,” Lily said.
Phoenix just jumped higher and yipped again.
Lily laughed. “Fine, fine. I’m just kidding. They’re all yours.” Her wings fluttered and she lifted into the air, coasting away from the pile of leaves.
With another happy yip, Phoenix dived forward and rolled around on the ground some more, tossing leaves left and right.
Into that chaos came the sound of boots thudding to the ground.
Travis, who had crouched down to speak to Phoenix, stood and faced the large group of warriors who suddenly filled the lobby.
“Has anyone seen a baby dragon?” the man in front asked.
At Glory’s side, Max let out a bark of laughter. “A dragon? What kind of drugs have you guys been smoking? There’s no such thing as dragons.”
Glory rolled her eyes. “Just like there were no such thing as witches, right?”
“Or fairies,” Lily chipped in.
“Whatever.” Max waved a hand. “Doesn’t matter though. I’m telling you. There’s no such thing as dragons.”
A woman stepped forward to stand beside the man who had originally spoken. “We don’t have time for this. Earth shifters are so narrow-minded.”
The original man nodded and turned to the group behind him. “Spread out and search the hotel. He could be anywhere by now.”
“Hold on a minute,” Harry said. “You can’t just go barging into guests’ rooms.”
The man whirled on Harry. “The hell we can’t! My child—”
“Is anyone missing a baby dragon?”
* * *
Whoa. It was like she’d stepped into an eye candy convention. There were ginormous men everywhere. And they were all sizzling hot.
“Hold up. Is that a real dragon?” someone exclaimed, making Ashlynn worry that maybe she shouldn’t have just walked into the lobby with a baby dragon in her arms, even if the name of the hotel was Shenanigans.
A woman pushed through the group of hotties and rushed Ashlynn. “Aiden,” she cried.
“It is. It’s a freaking dragon!”
“Of course it is. When are you going to get it into your head that there are more beings in this world than you could possibly ever imagine?”
Ashlynn would have laughed at the man and woman sniping in the background if she weren’t so busy juggling the baby dragon as he lunged toward the couple rushing up to them.
The woman scooped him up and covered him in kisses. “You naughty dragon! We were so worried.” She looked at Ashlynn. “Thank you so much! Where was he?”
Ashlynn smiled. “Somehow he got into my room and found me napping. I woke to him sound asleep on my back.”
“That’s a first. He’s only ever fallen asleep for family.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t notice him sooner. I’d been driving all night and was exhausted when I checked in. I feel lucky I woke and noticed him when I did. I honestly could have slept another twelve hours.”
“We are in your debt,” the woman said. “My name is Mia and this is Jarlo.” She indicated the man standing behind her, whose arms were wrapped around her and the baby. “We’re Aiden’s parents. We were so worried when we discovered him missing.”
“It’s nice to meet you both. I’m Ashlynn.”
“Are you just passing through?”
Ashlynn shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
“Well, what brings you here? And is there anything we can do to help you? As Mia said, we’re forever in your debt and would welcome an opportunity to repay it.”
Making a split second decision, Ashlynn said, “A rumor led me here.”
* * *
Barely paying attention to the conversation his sister was having with the delicious-smelling earth-being, Zee inched closer and closer.
She smelled divine.
And she’d carried his nephew into the room without any problems.
Zee glanced at Aiden.
Yep. He was still sizzling.
How did she do that?
Was she an earth-dragon?
He sniffed at her discreetly.
She smelled like fire, but not quite like dragons.
Perhaps earth-dragons smelled different.
Though according to dragon lore, there were no more dragons living on the earth plain. They had all retreated to the dragon lands millennia before.
“What kind of rumor?” his sister asked.
The earth-being who scented of cinders said, “I heard there was a phoenix shifter in the area.”
Chapter Two
COLE LET OUT a bark of laughter when he heard why the pretty redhead had checked into the hotel. Now Pete would be absolutely unbearable.
Max must have been thinking the same thing because he growled, “Pete! I told you those social media posts were going to come back and bite us in the ass!”
“Hey, it wasn’t just me! Cole helped too.”
“Don’t blame this on me,” Cole protested. “I never once said phoenix.”
Pete rolled his eyes. “No, you just kept going on and on about unicorns.”
“So, is there a phoenix in the area or not?” Ashlynn asked.
“Of course not!” Max exclaimed.
“Yes, there is,” Pete insisted.
“Pete!”
“There is, Max! And you know it. She’s right there!” He pointed to Phoenix who was now napping in a giant pile of eucalyptus leaves, both paws full of them.
Ashlynn looked confused. “What are you talking about? She’s a koala.”
“Yep,” Pete agreed cheerfully.
“A koala named Phoenix,” Cole explained.
Ashlynn looked disappointed. “Oh. I was really hoping to meet one.”
“A phoenix?” Max scoffed. “You were seriously hoping to meet a phoenix?”
Ashlynn nodded.
“Great. This is all your fault!” He glared at Pete and Cole. “Thanks to you two, every idiot who believes in mythical shifters will be descending upon our town.”
“Um, hello?” Jarlo glanced around. “Mythical dragons right here.”
Ashlynn giggled. “Exactly. Which is why I was really hoping to meet a phoenix.”
“Oh, come on,” Max said. “Okay, fine, dragons, if only because there’s a miniature one proving they exist right in front of me. But a phoenix is just absurd. Who manages to combust and come back from that? No one, that’s who!”
Ashlynn grinned. “No, you’re absolutely right. It’s a ridiculous idea. I should have known better.”
“Damn straight,” Max grunted.
* * *
Ashlynn was thoroughly entertained by these shifters.
The koala with the unlikely name of Phoenix, who’d fallen asleep right in the middle of the lobby in a giant pile of eucalyptus leaves.
Cole and Pete, the ones responsible for the journey that had brought her to this town by posting their theories about mythical shifters on social media.
And of course, Max, so utterly convinced such mythical creatures could not exist, even when standing in the midst of dragons.
And speaking of dragons, holy hotness, and not just because of their inner fire!
They were all gorgeous specimens of masculinity, especially the one creeping closer and closer. She tried ignoring him, but that became more and more difficult the closer he came.
When he inhaled deeply right next to her ear, she couldn’t contain herself any longer. “Dude. Seriously. What’s your deal?”
He offered a sheepish grin. “You smell like dragons, but not.”
“Probably because she was carrying Aiden,” Mia said.
“No. That’s not it.”
Ashlynn grinned at him.
“Well, she’s covered in ashes,” Jarlo suggested. “I’m sure that’s little Aiden’s fault as well. Sorry about that.”
“Oh, it was fine,” Ashlynn assured him. “I’m used to it.”
“No,” the dragon at her side said impatiently. “That’s not it either.” He held out his hand to her. “Zee.”
“Z? Like the initial?”
“Z, double E.” He apparently got tired of waiting for her to take his hand because he reached out and grabbed one of hers and cradled it between both of his. “And you are Ashlynn.”
She shivered at the deep rumble of his voice, the rough calluses of his hands cradling hers. She quickly pulled her hand away and stepped back. “Yes, I am. Nice to meet you, Zee.”
“Hold on a minute,” Pete exclaimed. “You’re a phoenix, aren’t you?”
Before Ashlynn could reply, Max reached over and slapped him upside the head.
“Hey!” Pete cried.
“Don’t be an idiot,” Max said. “There’s no such thing as mythical shifters!”
Jarlo rolled his eyes. “Again. Dragons!”
“Exactly! Besides, it makes perfect sense,” Pete said. “She smells like a dragon, but isn’t one, and her name is Ashlynn. Get it?”
Max groaned.
Ashlynn grinned. “I’m sorry, Pete, but I can’t possibly be a phoenix shifter if they don’t even exist.” She paused a moment, then added, “Right, Max?”
The woman standing at Max’s side let out a bark of laughter. “Don’t mind this idiot, Ashlynn. He just has a really hard time accepting that wolves aren’t the biggest and baddest creatures around. I’m Glory, by the way, sadly mated to this close-minded fool.”
“Hey now! Just because I don’t believe any creature could possibly rise from ashes doesn’t make me a fool! In fact, I’m pretty sure it means I’m the only logical and sensible one in this mating.” He glowered at Glory, who rolled her eyes at Ashlynn.
Ashlynn chuckled. “It’s really nice to meet you, Glory.”
“You too. I’ve never met a phoenix before.”
Max groaned and Ashlynn laughed, then jumped when Zee sniffed her hair again. How in the world had he gotten so close again without her noticing?
“You definitely smell like fire,” he rumbled. “Cinders.” He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “Ashes and—” his eyes flew open and for a split second, she could see his inner fire right there in his eyes, flames racing across them. He blinked and they were gone. “Sugar.”
Ashlynn raised an eyebrow. “Sugar?”
“Sugar and fire,” he agreed.
Before Ashlynn could respond, another dragon shoved Zee out of the way and took his place, capturing her hand between his. “Hello, Ashlynn.” He leaned forward and inhaled. “Zee is right. You smell delicious.”
Ashlynn shivered a bit. This guy was incredibly good-looking, though maybe not quite as delectable as Zee.
“My name is Fireliel. It is wonderful to meet you. It would be an honor if you would allow me to take you to dinner sometime.”
Before Ashlynn could respond to the invitation, Zee plowed into Fireliel, shoving him halfway across the room and storming after him.
A third dragon slid into their place. “Ashlynn,” he said. “I am Markos.”
* * *
Damn his brothers!
They saw he was interested in Ashlynn and just had to torture him.
By the time Zee plowed into Liel a second time, the stupid dragon was laughing like a loon.
“Peace, brother, peace,” he crowed, even as he grappled Zee back. “You’ll never win your delectable Ashlynn this way.” He grinned and stared over Zee’s shoulder.
Zee whirled around and saw that in the time he’d left Ashlynn’s side, she’d been surrounded by the rest of his brothers.
Bastards!
He lunged forward, but Liel flung an arm around his neck and dragged him back in a chokehold. “Peace, brother. If you go in there like a rampaging dragon, you’ll never win her hand.”
Zee snarled and jerked away from his brother. He shook out his arms, stretched his neck and stalked across the lobby. “Calm,” he muttered to himself, ignoring Liel who trotted after him, grinning like a fool.
Zee shoved his way into the horde surrounding Ashlynn, tossed two brothers to the side, bumped another out of the way and snatched Ashlynn up into his arms.
“Hey!” she cried out, grabbing hold of his shoulders.
He grinned into her gorgeous, green eyes. “Hold tight.”
He whirled and raced down the hallway toward the stairwell. There was no way he was going to wait on that damn elevator. It had been twenty years since his family had stayed in this hotel, but he was pretty sure some things never changed.
He raced up the stairs, pausing at each landing to open a door and stick his head out. It wasn’t until he reached the third floor’s landing that he caught the fading scent of both his nephew and his beautiful Ashlynn.
With a grin, he bounded out onto the floor and followed the scents to one specific hotel room door.
* * *
“Key?” The dragon holding her in his arms grinned down at her as he rumbled the word.
Ashlynn had no idea what to do.
He’d taken her straight to her room! How had he even known this was where she was staying? She wanted to ask, but was afraid she already knew the answer.
He’d probably just followed her scent.
Damn shifters. Which meant he probably knew she found him to be utterly sexy and his caveman tactics had only turned her on.
No point in pretending outrage when this shifter’s nose would tell him the truth.
She sighed and extracted the key from her pocket.
With a grin, he accepted it, opened the door and walked inside.
He stopped and stared at the piles of ashes where the bed should be. “Damn. Guess we need a new room, huh?”
He kicked the door shut behind them and headed for the small sitting area on the other side of the room.
He plopped down in the middle of the loveseat and settled her onto his lap.
“So. Ashlynn.” The way he said her name made tingles race up and down her spine. “Tell me everything.”
Chapter Three
ASHLYNN RAISED AN eyebrow and stared at him. “Everything’s kind of . . . a lot.”
That was a good point. “Okay, then. Half today and half tomorrow.”
She laughed. “Fine. You start.”
“Fair. Okay. So I’m a dragon.”
“Yes?”
“I love to fly and set things on fire.”
She made a face.
“Not in a bad way though,” he assured her.
“Hmm.”
“I mean, fire doesn’t really destroy things in the dragon realm, you know? We build our homes fireproof and also our furniture. And our clothes. Oh, and definitely our sex toys.”
Ashlynn rolled her eyes. “Well, things on earth aren’t exactly fireproof. So you need to control your dragon nature while here. Also, do you really think we’re at a stage in our relationship to be talking about sex toys?”
He grinned and waggled his eyebrows. “Hey, you just admitted we’re in a relationship. So, I think so, yes.”
She laughed again. “You’re incorrigible.”
Then, before he could stop her, she hopped off his lap.
He reached for her, but she darted away.
Damn!
“Now wait a minute. That’s not right. We haven’t even covered two percent, let alone half. And you’re still at zero percent.”
She grinned and pointed at him. “That’s fine. You stay there and I’ll sit over here.” She grabbed a chair and pulled it away from the small dining table next to the tiny kitchenette.
