Revealing the Dragons (Stonefire Dragons #2.5) (13 page)

Tristan kissed the top of her head. “Even when you wear underwear, I still love you.”

She shook her head against his chest. “You’re such a man, Tristan MacLeod.”

He leaned back to cup her cheek and stroke her skin with his thumb. “No, love, I’m a dragonman. Get used to it.”

Smiling, she looked at her mate with every ounce of love she possessed. “I don’t think I’d have it any other way.”

As Tristan gave her a slow, gentle kiss, Melanie knew every day would seem like a happy ending as long as she had her dragonman by her side.

Epilogue

Two Weeks Later

Melanie studied the crowd from her vantage point inside the guard’s shelter at the main gate to Stonefire. What had once been fifty people had turned into five hundred.

As much as she appreciated the support, the large groups of people showing up every day were making it difficult for anyone to enter the gates and she was expecting some very important guests in the next thirty minutes.

Tristan called out behind her, “Your daughter is awake and wants you.”

Mel forced her eyes from the window to Tristan, who was crouched over the playpen.

Annabel made a few baby coos and unintelligible chatter. Mel couldn’t resist her daughter’s one-sided conversations and walked over to her mate.

Tristan rubbed Mel’s back as she leaned over the playpen and smiled at her daughter. “Someone’s being chatty.” Reaching down, she scooped up her baby girl and settled her on her hip. “But let’s try not being too loud or your brother will be cranky. I’d rather your grandparents not have to deal with cranky pants straightaway.”

Annabel made a high-pitched squeal and Tristan chuckled. “I don’t think Anna wants to be told what to do.”

Mel shot her mate a suspicious look. “You’re encouraging her when I’m not around, aren’t you? She’s definitely going to be Daddy’s little girl.”

Tristan shrugged. “I need someone on my team when she’s older. I can’t have it always being three against one.”

Unable to keep the frown on her face, Melanie laughed. “Oh, I’m working on that. With the twins on my side, we can get rid of that crappy, battered chair in the living room. I swear I’ll have to pry your dead body out of it otherwise.”

Tristan grinned and the sight warmed Mel’s heart. Just as her mate opened his mouth, one of the guards entered from the side door. He looked to Melanie. “A silver sedan is approaching the gate.”

Mel whispered, “They’re here.”

As she moved to the window, her heart beat double-time. She had waited so long for this moment, to see her parents again. She only hoped her memories and dream matched the reality.

She was most afraid of how her brother would treat her. She and Oliver had been close before, but he might see her offering herself as a sacrifice as abandonment.

Tristan moved to her side, a sleepy Jack in his arms. “You video chat with them at least once every two weeks. How can you be nervous?”

She glanced up at Tristan. “You might be oblivious to social awkwardness, since silence is your best friend, but I’m not. Sometimes, video chatting isn’t enough.”

He frowned. “Stop fretting. I want my practical, logical mate back.”

The guard’s cell phone beeped. He looked at it and then at Mel and Tristan. “The car is at the gate. Follow me.”

They exited the guard’s security checkpoint and walked behind the stone and brick building. As they turned the corner, a silver sedan pulled to a stop.

Her heart thumped harder. The doors opened and her parents and brother disembarked the car. They looked around until they met Mel’s eyes.

Her mother yelled, “Melanie,” before rushing toward them. The next thing she knew, her mother had both her and Annabel in a warm hug.

Her mom whispered, “My baby. I’ve missed you.”

Melanie breathed in the lavender scent of her mother’s lotion and a sense of calm came over her. “I’ve missed you too, Mom.”

Mel’s mom pulled back and cupped her face. Then she looked to Tristan. “Come here.”

Before Tristan could move or say anything, her mom pulled him close into a hug. Mel smiled at the startled expression on her mate’s face.

Only when she heard her brother say, “Melanie,” did she look away.

Oliver was nearly a foot taller than the last time she’d seen him. While his brown hair and green eyes were the same, his face had lost most of its baby-ness. He even had a faint stubble on his chin. Her little brother was nearly a man.

Before she did something silly, such as cry, Melanie cocked an eyebrow and said, “Is that the way you greet your sister?”

Oliver cocked an eyebrow right back. “I was going to hug you, but now, I’m not sure since giving in to you easily always brings trouble.”

She laughed, walked over, and gave her brother a one-armed hug. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

She peered up and Oliver’s eyes glanced to her daughter. He said, “It’s still hard to believe I’m an uncle.”

Maneuvering Annabel, who merely stared up with big eyes at her uncle, Mel held her out. “Take her. I can already tell she likes you.”

Her brother’s eyes looked uncertain. “I don’t know anything about babies, Mel.”

“Pshaw, that doesn’t matter.” She wiggled Anna a little in the air. “Try it.”

Oliver gingerly wrapped Anna in his arms and her daughter smiled and kicked gently against Oliver’s stomach.

Mel nodded. “See, I told you, she likes you. Now, if you have the same effect on Jack, I might just have to borrow you once every few weeks.”

Oliver gave her a skeptical look. “I’m not sure if I should be afraid or not.”

Mel was about to tease her brother some more when their dad walked up. After Mel hugged him, she said, “I hope Mom didn’t drive you crazy on the way up.”

Her father chuckled. “I’ve been married to your mom for nearly thirty years. If she were going to drive me mental, she would’ve done it by now.”

Mel’s mom shouted, “I heard that, Mr. Hall.”

Her dad merely grinned at her mom. Looking back and forth between her parents, a sense of home and belonging came over her. Not even ten years apart would ever change that feeling.

Tristan and her mom joined the little group. Her mom already had Jack in a protective cuddle. She wouldn’t be giving up her grandson anytime soon.

Tristan placed a hand on Mel’s back and she leaned against him. Her parents glanced at each other. Their looks were filled with love and understanding, as if they were remembering their own first years of marriage.

Oliver, however, focused more on the baby in his arms, probably because he was still unused to the idea of his sister having a husband.

Mel’s mother was the one to break the silence. “As much as I love the Lake District, how about we go to your home and have some tea? You two both look exhausted and could use the rest.”

Mel rolled her eyes. “You just want time to play with your grandbabies.”

“Maybe,” her mother simply stated.

Mel’s dad shook his head. “Right, then how about we get moving. We only have a week here and I want to make every second count.”

Tristan rubbed Mel’s back as he answered, “If it’s okay with you, James, we’ll lead the way.”

Mel’s dad bobbed his head and Tristan gave Mel a gentle push. She stood her ground and whispered, “Shouldn’t we walk beside them?”

Tristan leaned down. “Give them a few minutes to gawk at the dragons overhead. Otherwise, they’ll feel obligated to chat with you the whole way.”

Mel glanced over her shoulder. Her parents each had a baby in their arms, with Oliver walking between them. As a dragon cried overhead, her brother looked up with fascination.

Turning back around, Melanie harrumphed. “Sometimes you’re too perceptive, Tristan MacLeod.”

“I’m a teacher, remember? If I didn’t pay attention, my classes would devolve into chaos.”

The image of ten seven-year-olds running around screaming while Tristan looked on brought a smile to her face. “I somehow doubt that’ll happen. One growl would whip them back into shape.”

A beat of silence passed before her mate murmured, “You did it, Melanie. Because of you, your parents are here, dragons have a chance at freedom, and our children may have an easier future. You’re bloody amazing.”

She smiled. “I know.”

Tristan barked out a laugh. “So much for modesty.”

“I’m just being honest. And you know what? I wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without you, Tristan.”

Tristan stopped them and turned her face. “We’ll always do everything together. No matter what happens, I love you.”

“And I love you, Tristan. Now, kiss me.”

“In front of your parents?”

“Now you’re being modest?”

The corner of his mouth ticked up. “Oh, what the hell.”

He moved down to kiss her. Despite the comment from her brother of, “I really don’t need to see you kissing anyone, Mel,” she leaned into her mate’s kiss.

As his tongue stroked hers, Melanie knew that no matter what happened, with the love of her mate, her children, and her family, she could face anything. She wouldn’t allow anyone to take away her happily ever after.

*~*~*~*

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Finn and Arabella’s story is next!
Healed by the Dragon: Part One
will be available on March 19, 2015. Turn the page to learn how to receive an alert when it’s ready and for glimpses of my other works.

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After reading my dragon-shifter series, maybe you’d like to check out the first book in my Asylums for Magical Threats paranormal romance series,
Blaze of Secrets.
Also, I’ll share the synopsis of
Healed by the Dragon: Part One.
Turn the page for a look into my other works.

With Gratitude,

Jessie Donovan

Healed by the Dragon: Part One

(Stonefire Dragons Story Arc #3)

Arabella MacLeod was tortured by dragon hunters a decade ago. Ever since, her clan coddled and tip-toed around her, most especially her older brother. Desperate for a chance at freedom, she volunteers to foster with the Scottish dragon-shifter clan. She’s determined to stay clear of the charming Scottish leader, but not only does he keep crossing her path, her dragon is drawn to him. 
Finlay Stewart hasn’t been able to forget the scarred dragonwoman he met at Stonefire six months ago. When the same female agrees to be fostered with his clan, Finn pursues her. Balancing his clan duties with his need to see Arabella isn’t easy, especially with the existing rift in the clan, but he’s determined to try. Arabella’s inner strength draws him like no other female before. 
Will Arabella trust Finn with her past? Or, will the rift in his clan tear them apart? 

———————————

Healed by the Dragon: Part One
will be availabe on March 19, 2015.
Sign up for my newsletter at jessiedonovan.com to receive an alert when it’s out
!

Check out an excerpt from
Blaze of Secrets
(Asylums for Magical Threats #1):

Chapter One

First-born
Feiru
children are dangerous. At the age of magical maturity they will permanently move into compounds established for both their and the public’s protection. These compounds will be known as the Asylums for Magical Threats (hereafter abbreviated as “AMT”).

—Addendum, Article III of the
Feiru
Five Laws, July 1953

Present Day

Jaxton Ward kept his gaze focused on the nearing mountain ledge ahead of him. If he looked down at the chasm below his feet, he might feel sick, and since his current mission was quite possibly the most important one of his life, he needed to focus all of his energy on succeeding.

After all, if things went according to plan, Jaxton would finally see his brother again.

He and his team of three men were balanced on a sheet of rock five thousand feet in the air. To a human, it would look like they were flying. However, any
Feiru
would know they were traveling via elemental wind magic.

Darius, the elemental wind first-born on his team, guided them the final few feet to the mountain ledge. As soon as the sheet of rock touched solid ground, Jaxton and his team moved into position.