The Old Dragon of the Mountain's Christmas (Dragon Lords of Valdier #9) (4 page)

“Rest well, my friends, for I have been the most fortunate of all to have you as my companions. No warrior could ask for better friends than you have been for the broken boy that I was or the man I grew to be. Sleep, it is time for us to rest,” Christoff murmured before closing his eyes.

He could feel the mountain as it drew in a deep, calm breath before exhaling. He was surprised as he felt the pressure in the mountain exploding outward. He expected a flash of pain before death; instead, he was engulfed in a golden wave of warmth. A frown creased his brow before the tender touch of a hand brushed it away and he sank down into a silky abyss.

*.*.*

Aikaterina had remained behind after the dragonlings, Roam, and Alice’s parents had rescued them. She had been curious when the old dragon had turned away from the entrance. She had planned to give his symbiot a touch of her blood to regain its strength so that it could help Christoff escape, but hesitated as a new thought came to her.

While her species normally tried not to interfere with the circle of life, she found it increasingly difficult to stay away from them. She had followed the dragonlings and their friends on their journey. They had each captured a special place inside her with their innocent love. It wasn’t until she saw their gift of friendship and love that she knew she needed to help Christoff.

She had once again been torn when the entrance had caved in. It has been his symbiot’s quiet plea for mercy for it’s friend and companion that had sealed her decision. The flashes of the old dragon’s life had pierced her resolve. She remembered two other dragons, twin brothers who had felt the pull of the loneliness. It was in part her fault that they had never found their true mate. As her consciousness grew for this species, so did the understanding that she needed to help them if she could.

Floating down, she sat on the edge of the bed. Her gaze softened at Christoff’s calm acceptance of his death. Lifting an invisible hand, she soothed it over his brow, knowing what she had to do.

“Not yet, my warrior,” she softly whispered through his consciousness. “I hope you accept my Christmas gift to you.”

Edna Grey placed the box she had carried in from the shed down on the dining room table in the cabin that had once belonged to her friend, Abby Tanner. She had been shocked when the paperwork had arrived in the post from the attorney in Wyoming, giving her the cabin and surrounding land.

She knew deep down that she would always think of this as Abby’s mountain. She had been friends with Abby’s grandparents and had immediately been drawn to Abby when her mother had left her with them. Although she was in her mid-sixties, she knew she didn’t feel or act it; a fact that drove her own daughter crazy at times.

Her hair was a beautiful white-gray with strands of silver through it. Shelly had grumbled that no woman in their sixties should have hair that thick and glossy. Edna couldn’t help but smile as she remembered Shelly telling her about the problems Jack had after the last dinner they had attended with some of his friends. Supposedly, some of the men were asking Jack if Edna would be interested in going out with them. Edna had laughed when Shelly called to tell her about it. She seriously doubted that her son-in-law’s lawyer friends would be interested in dating her.

Still, she couldn’t help teasing her all too serious daughter. The memory of Shelly’s reaction was priceless when she reminded her daughter that she was still alive and could appreciate masculine company just as much as Shelly did with Jack.

The “Eew, mom!” had quickly shut her daughter up. Of course, Jack’s comment that if Shelly looked as good as her mom when she was her age had helped a little. Shelly had giggled and told him that he’d just have to wait to find out.

Edna chuckled when a curious nose pushed at her hand. Glancing down, she murmured to her Golden Retriever, Bo, to behave. Bo wagged his tail at her before sitting down to watch her.

“I think a little Christmas cheer will brighten the place up, what do you think?” Edna asked, pulling the small fiber optic Christmas tree out of the box to decorate the room until Jack and Shelly brought her a bigger one from town. “It’s not as big as the one we normally put up, but it will do until Jack and Shelly get here. I wanted something to brighten the place up.”

Bo barked and stood up, looking around for his green tennis ball. He scampered after it when it rolled across the hardwood floor. Edna laughed and decided that a Christmas tree needed Christmas music to go along with it. Walking over to where she had set up her old stereo system, she picked a classic from the pile of records and put it on.

She sang along with the songs as she worked to make the inside of the cabin look festive. She had decided to move into the cabin a few months ago when Jack, Shelly, and her granddaughter, Crystal, relocated from California to Shelby. As much as she loved her daughter, granddaughter, and son-in-law, she, Bo, and Gloria, her mule, were used to being on their own. Besides, the big house that she owned outside of town was nice, but it had become harder and harder to maintain by herself. She didn’t entertain the way she used to, not like when Hanson had been alive.

Two hours later, Edna stood back and admired the colorful tree sitting on the table in the corner and festive garland decorated with red berries and poinsettias that hung over the mantle of the fireplace. Additional knickknacks added to the decor, giving it the final touch that it needed. A shiver ran through Edna when she glanced outside and saw that it was beginning to cloud up. The weather forecast predicted snow up here in the mountains. She would need to make sure that Gloria had fresh bedding for the night.

“Let me get the stew to simmering and we’ll take Gloria for a walk up to the meadow for some exercise before it snows,” Edna told Bo.

The Golden Retriever briefly looked up from the bone he was chewing on before returning his attention to it. The ever-present tennis ball lying by his left paw. Edna shook her head, thankful that Bo had outgrown his puppy stage early and at five years old, he was an absolute doll.

Twenty minutes later, Edna was bundled up for the cold. She had broken down and put on a pair of thermals under her faded jeans and added a sweater over the two shirts she was wearing. Sliding her feet into a pair of waterproof hiking boots, she grabbed her jacket, scarf and wool cap off the peg by the door. Whistling for Bo, she braced herself for the frigid burst of air.

“Let’s go, boy,” she called, stepping back so Bo could go first. “I have to tell you, if you need to go out again tonight, you might just be going on your own.”

Bo stopped at the bottom of the steps and dropped his ball so he could bark at her before picking it up again and racing toward the small stable and corral where Gloria now lived. Edna wasn’t far behind him. She laughed and scolded Bo for getting under her feet when she tried to open the gate. Gloria, the old mule, lifted her head and watched for a moment before lowering her head back down to the ground again.

Edna walked over to the stable. She opened the sliding door and hooked it. She had debated whether she wanted to take Bo and Gloria for a walk first or prepare Gloria’s stall. In the end, she decided she better place the fresh hay, water, and grain down first or she might not want to afterwards if it got too cold.

“Well, I have to say, it is certainly feeling like Christmas,” Edna said to the mule and dog when they stuck their heads in the doorway and watched her. “I need to teach you two how to do this. I think you both are enjoying watching me work far too much.”

Laughter filled the air when both animals backed out of the doorway and returned to the paddock. Shaking her head, Edna picked up the pitchfork and began spreading the straw. She sang as she worked.

Even after all these years, she still had her voice. She, Hanson, and Abby’s grandparents had worked in the entertainment business for decades before retiring. Hanson had been in film while she had been in music. They had met at a premiere party for one of Hanson’s movies and fallen in love at first sight. They had married six months after they met and had a wonderful forty years together before he passed away from a sudden heart attack five years ago.

Edna sighed as she finished spreading the straw. Replacing the pitchfork where it belonged, she picked up the two buckets she would need for the food and water. In a matter of minutes, Gloria’s bed was ready for the night.

Edna grabbed the lead rope from the hook by the door and stepped out. She had already put Gloria’s blanket on her earlier when the weather started to turn colder. Gloria trotted over to her when she saw the rope, knowing that meant they were going for a walk. Edna laughed again when Gloria nudged her gently with her head. She had nursed Gloria when she was barely a few hours old after her mother rejected her. Now, Gloria acted more like Bo than she did a mule.

“Well, at least you behave yourself with me,” Edna said out loud. “Let’s go up to the meadow and wish Abby a Happy Holiday. I’m sure she is sharing the holiday wherever she is. She always did love it. Who knows, maybe she’ll send me one of her alien men as a present.”

Gloria nibbled on the rope while Bo barked excitedly before picking up his tennis ball and racing for the path leading up to the high meadow. Edna couldn’t believe it had been almost three years since Abby left Earth to go to another world – an alien world filled with amazing and frightening things.

She had known deep in her heart that Abby hadn’t died at the hands of the derange Sheriff who turned out to be a serial killer. If she had any doubts, they dissolved when she received the letter from Paul Grove’s friend and attorney, Chad Morrison. Chad had explained that Abby had sent back papers giving Edna the property she owned on the mountain.

Edna sighed as she walked along the path. She gazed around her at the forest. Some of the trees had lost all their leaves while others would remain green. Jack, Shelly, and Crystal had come up the week before with more boxes and stayed the weekend to help her clear the path and do some minor repairs on the barn and outside workshop.

Edna paused when she heard Bo’s frantic barking coming from up ahead. For a moment she felt a sense of déjà vu sweep over her. Shaking her head at the crazy thought, she pulled on Gloria’s lead rope.

“Come on, girl. Let’s go see what Bo has discovered this time. I hope it isn’t a bear that has decided to stay up for Santa,” Edna chuckled. “I can just see it now. He’ll probably be wearing one of those silly Santa hats, hoping for a pot of hon…ey. Oh, my!”

Edna’s voice died as she jerked to a stop at the entrance to the meadow. Her eyes were glued to where Bo was barking and sniffing. Instead of a Santa cap wearing bear, there was a golden capsule and if she had to make a guess, she bet there was an alien inside.

“Oh, boy!” Edna whispered, dropping Gloria’s lead rope. “I guess I should be careful what I ask for.”

Edna drew in a deep breath as she approached the golden ship. She had seen one similar to it only once before, when Zoran, Abby’s mate, had brought her up to the meadow to assure her that he would never harm her young friend. This one might be smaller, but it was made of the same material.

“Bo, come here, boy,” Edna called out in a soft voice as she walked closer to the gold creature. “You’re scaring it.”

Bo released a whine and laid down next to the shimmering ship. Edna wasn’t sure if it really qualified to be called a space ship. It looked barely large enough to hold one of the warriors, much less transport him anywhere. In fact, the closer she got to it, the more it looked like a type of coffin or one of those escape capsules from an alien movie set.

“It’s okay, darling,” Edna murmured in a soothing tone. “Bo didn’t mean to upset you. You just startled him, that’s all. I’ve seen one of you before. Zoran Reykill has a ship just like you. Do you know him?”

A smile curved Edna’s lips when the creature shimmered and swirled, as if excited to hear Zoran’s name. Pulling off her gloves, she tucked them in the pocket of her jacket before she reached out to touch the glowing surface. She hesitated just inches from it as a sudden wave of uncertainty swept through her. What if it wasn’t friendly? What if she was misunderstanding the swirls as excitement, when in reality it was trying to warn her to stay away from it?

The decision whether or not to touch the creature was taken out of her hands when Gloria came up behind her and nudged her in the back, knocking her forward. Edna gasped as her hands splayed across the smooth surface. It took a moment for her to realize that she could see through the top. Her gaze remained frozen on the breathtaking man lying peacefully inside.

“Is he… alive?” Edna asked in a barely audible voice.

At first, she had been afraid to ask her question out loud for fear of discovering that the man was dead. Warmth filled her and an image of the man sleeping washed through her. Her hands curled against the silky smooth surface as she resisted the urge to touch him.

She started when she felt her hands sink into the surface of the ship. Frighten, she pulled them out and stepped back several steps. Raising a trembling hand to her face, she stopped when she saw the dancing threads of gold moving up her arms.

Edna giggled when the head of a tiny dragon appeared at the end of one of the threads and the long length shifted into a dragon’s body and tail. It rubbed its head against her arm before winding around her wrists to form a bracelet. Shaking her head, she knew right then that it would never hurt her.

Stepping forward again, she stared down at the relaxed face of the man. He wasn’t young like Zoran, but he was still breathtakingly handsome with silver strands running through his black hair. Her eyes widened when several flakes of white landed on the clear surface. It was only then that she realized it had begun to snow.

Glancing over at Gloria, she wondered what she should do. The golden creature was resting on the ground. If she could get it to move, she could take it back down to the cabin. There was no way she could leave it or the man out in the freezing cold. Turning back to the ship, she touched it.

“Can you understand me?” She asked in a soft voice.

Warmth filled her and she could see in her mind that it did. Breathing out a relieved sigh, she focused on trying to picture the cabin. She felt the ship shudder.

“It will be alright,” Edna reassured it. “I just need to get you and your friend down to the cabin. There is a storm coming tonight and it’s supposed to dump several feet of snow. You’ll both freeze to death if you stay out here.”

The creature shimmered and swirled again. Edna rested her hand on it and tried to think of the best way to get the capsule down the path to the cabin. Her first thought was the skid, but she’d never be able to lift the man onto it. What she really needed was a type of wagon.

Edna jerked back again when the creature shivered, then began to shift. A soft, amused laugh escaped her when four small wheels suddenly appeared just as Edna envisioned the type of wagon she would need. Shaking her head, she stepped behind the capsule and pushed on it. She was amazed at how easy it rolled. Calling for Gloria and Bo, Edna turned the golden wagon toward the path and began the slow journey back to the cabin.

“I really hope I know what the hell I’m doing because I’ll be damned if he hasn’t kicked my libido back into bloody drive by just lying there!” She whispered in exasperation as she glanced down at the male’s face again.

*.*.*

It took a while, but Edna was able to get all five of them back to the cabin. She breathed a sigh of thanks that she had told Jack to hold off on removing the ramp Abby’s grandfather had installed for her grandmother. It had come in handy during the move and she hadn’t wanted to remove it until she felt confident she was through.

She had quickly tucked Gloria in for the night before closing the door to the stable and turning out all but one small heat lamp inside. Next, she opened the door to the cabin, sending another thank you to her old friend for enlarging the front door as well. Once inside, she shut the door and made sure that the pellet stove was on before she started a fire in the fireplace.

Removing her coat and hat, she blew on her numb fingers to warm them as she walked around the capsule now sitting on the rug in the living room. Stopping on the side, she gazed down at it with a frown. She reached out and touch the edge of the top, wondering how on earth she was going to open the damn thing.

“I could use a little help here,” she murmured to the golden creature. “I’m not sure how I’m supposed to open it.”

As if by magic, the top melted downward. Edna was caught off guard and started to fall forward. A loud gasp escaped her when a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her and pulled her down onto the man’s massive chest. Jerking her head up, she stared in fascination at the glittering gold eyes that were now wide awake.