"Mine's just across the hall." Her voice was soft and shy as she gestured to the door opposite mine. "If you need anything during the night or, you know, have to save my life again."
"Appreciate it." The words were thick in my throat. As she turned to leave, my gaze followed the gentle sway of her red hair, each strand catching the light like flames dancing toward the night.
She had an inner fire, a vibrant, untamed spirit that drew me in completely. It seemed to radiate from her, a subtle heat that softened her pale skin and deepened the verdant pools of her green eyes. Like a hearth in a cold room, she promised warmth and light, and watching her move, I felt the deep, undeniable pull of our bond, a recognition of something fierce and lovely.
"Wait, where's your luggage?" she asked suddenly, pausing at the top of the stairs with a furrowed brow.
"Ah, I have some things being delivered," I blurted,caught off guard. "I like to travel on my motorcycle, which doesn't carry bags well."
"Of course." Erin nodded, seemingly satisfied with the explanation. With another fleeting smile, she excused herself, leaving me alone with the thundering silence of my heartbeat.
As soon as the door clicked shut, I pulled out my phone from my pocket and typed out a frantic message to Aurelia.
Need you to send a box of clothes with a fake mail label to the Montgomery Inn in Stock Creek. Make it convincing.
I hit send with a twinge of guilt for involving her in this charade.
Aurelia: Do you care to explain why? Also, glad you're awake, brother.
I will when you get here.
That half-hearted explanation wouldn’t work with Aurelia. She’d demand nothing less than the truth from me. I didn’t want to go into via text.
When she learned exactly who Erin was to me, Aurelia’s maternal instincts would kick in. She'd want to ensure that everything, especially Erin's safety, was taken care of.
I set the phone down and moved to the window, peering out into the deepening twilight. The dragon inside me stirred. Erin was my mate, and though she didn't know it yet, I would do anything to keep her safe from the shadows that hunted her.
Tomorrow would bring its own challenges, but tonight, I had to trust in the bond that pulled me to her. For now, it was enough to stand sentinel over the quiet inn, guarding the woman who had unknowingly become my world.
The cool glass pane did little to quell the fire in my veins as I stood watch from my window perch. Outside, the blanket of night draped over Stock Creek, a deceptive peace settling on the quaint town. Streetlights cast their amber glow over the darkness. It was under this cloak of shadows that I waited for my sister to arrive.
My dragon stirred within, restless, yearning for the freedom of the skies and the fierce claim of a mate, but duty anchored me to this human form, to this vigil over Erin's safety. It was a battle of instincts, protector versus predator, both equally part of me.
I’d learned that duality early, a raw truth forged in the remote corner of the American wilderness, when Aurelia had been a little girl. The memory, sharp and visceral, pulled me back.
The cold bite of the fall wind bit deep as we’d walked through the familiar woods. Aurelia skipped ahead of me. At eight, she’d been a small, vibrant thing, gathering wild berries, her bright laughter echoing between the trees. Then I heard heavy snuffling, the rustle of dense undergrowth nearby. A black bear, its immense bulk moving with surprising stealth, drawn by the scent of berries Aurelia had spilled from her basket. In that instant, the dragon woke.
Protector versus predator, the dual nature I’d always balanced. But with Aurelia humming a little tune ahead of me, oblivious to the danger, the protector roared, silencing all else. The bear lumbered into view, dark fur shaggy, its head low, sniffing the ground before its gaze, heavy and assessing, lifted to us.
I’d tugged Aurelia behind the nearest tree, whispering, "Stay right there."
Terror had widened her large, golden eyes. I didn’t fully shift, but I let enough of the dragon seep through. My eyes narrowed, pupils elongating, a low, guttural rumble vibrated through my chest. The bear hesitated, then huffed, shifting its weight, sensing the inconsistency, the boy before it more dangerous than any creature it had encountered. With a final, frustrated huff, the bear turned and crashed back into the undergrowth, its retreat a surprisingly swift, heavy scramble for survival.
I turned to Aurelia, whose small face was pale, but hereyes, though still wide, now held a glimmer of awe instead of terror.
"Ashton," she whispered, her voice reedy but steady. "You scared it."
I managed a shaky smile, pulling her close. "Some things just need a firm reminder," I said, burying my face in her hair. I was a protector, yes, but also a predator, and I knew I would wield either, or both, to keep my little witch safe and now my mate, safe.
A pair of headlights pierced the night, pulled me from the memory, stopping in front of the inn. I didn't need enhanced sight to recognize the sleek silhouette of Aurelia's car. My heart thundered with the anticipation of seeing my sister after being asleep for the past ten years. I pushed off from the window, the floorboards creaking beneath my weight as I went downstairs.
Erin emerged from the back office, her curiosity piqued by the arrival of the unexpected guest. The scent of her—lavender and something uniquely Erin—filled my nostrils, igniting an inner turmoil that begged to be tamed.
"Everything okay?" she asked, green eyes searching mine with concern and intrigue.
"Perfect timing," I said with a grin. "It's my sister."
We reached the front door just as Aurelia stepped inside, her presence commanding, as always. Shemoved with an inherent grace, instantly striking, her porcelain skin looked luminous, and contrasted beautifully with the long, black hair framing her face. Her eyes, a mesmerizing blend of brown almost gold, glinted with an almost uncanny awareness. She held a box marked with shipping labels, an Oscar-worthy performance playing upon her lips.
