Okay, apparently we had some fucking morons in here after all.
A vampire broke away from a group near the buffet. He kept shouting as he got closer to us, hands waving around while he drew attention. “Warren Chalms.” I heard Jacob mutter. “He’s just come out of solitary for threatening those women.”
Oh, he was definitely a moron. Before anyone could stop me, I stalked across toward him, ready to meet him face to face. Threatening women was not okay with me.
I heard some groans and laughter from behind, but I didn’t wait around for more. He swung at me as soon as I was within reaching distance, but I’d been fighting for most of my life, and it was second nature to simply side-step his fist. Swinging myself around, I kicked him straight in the face hard enough that I heard his teeth rattle. Warren went down, smacking his head on a table that was nearby. He got up just as fast, vampires were strong and quick, and he was going to be ready to kill me.
Fangs out, he lunged forward and grabbed a handful of my hair while he tried to wrench my throat back to bite me. My elbow crashed into his nose, splintering it and sending blood spurting everywhere. Dammit, I hated when I got blood on my clothes. That meant I had to go shopping again to replace this top. I hated shopping as much as bloody clothes.
Before he could recover, I ripped my hair free and kicked him hard in the gut. When he was on the ground, I dropped both of my knees into his face. My wolf surged forward and I let her strength infuse me. My next punch knocked him out cold, his ugly head lolling to the side.
Rising slowly, I wiggled my shoulders and stretched myself out. It had been a while since I’d had a good old-fashioned fight. A few more vampire closed in on me.
“Don’t even think about it.” Braxton’s words sounded almost lazy, but there was an immediate six feet of space around me.
“Cocky dragon.” I grinned at him, showing all of my teeth. “I had it handled.”
His eyes did that midnight blue thing again, followed by gold, and then all I could think about was this morning. His body over mine.
Fuck.
This was out of control, what sort of pheromones did dragons have? Neither of us moved, both waiting for the other to make the first move. I was all amped up from the fight and from my hormones, so that gave me an extra slice of attitude. And I was already pretty headstrong.
I wasn’t about to break the eye contact, but I did notice Jacob shove Maximus forward. “Move her or we’ll be here all day,” he muttered.
Maximus bared his fangs at his brother “Fuck, no. Are you kidding me?” He shot back. “No one touches Jessa babe when she’s like this.”
I had taught them well.
“How about a compromise?” Braxton had all of my attention. I crossed my arms and tilted my head to the side.
“Listening . . .”
“We meet in the middle.”
A grin was trying to break out across my pursed lips, and I fought against it, but I couldn’t stop. “Fine, I can agree to those terms.”
He took the first step, which I knew cost him dearly, but he did it for me. That was how I knew Braxton loved me more than anything—he could literally fight instinct for me. And I would do the same for him.
I ran then because . . . screw meeting in the middle.
His arms wrapped around me as I leapt at him, and my legs closed around his waist as our bodies slammed together. His lips were on mine in the same heartbeat, and then I forgot about the rest of the world.
It was true what they said: the cockier the dragon, the harder they fall. It was the same for wolves. Guess we could just be cocky bastards together.
I was pretty okay with that.
About the Author
Jaymin Eve is the USA Today bestseller of over 25 fantasy and romance novels. She lives in Australia with her husband, two daughters, and a couple of crazy pets.
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Pre-order House of Darken - Secret Keepers #1
Secret Keepers Series Book One: House of Darken Book Two: House of Imperial (1st July 2018) Book Three: House of Leights (1st August 2018) Book Four: House of Royale (1st September 2018)
Curse of the Gods Series (Reverse Harem Fantasy) Book One: Trickery Book Two: Persuasion Book Three: Seduction Book Four: Strength (2018)
NYC Mecca Series (Complete - UF series) Book One: Queen Heir Book Two: Queen Alpha Book Three: Queen Fae Book Four: Queen Mecca A Walker Saga (Complete - YA Fantasy) Book One: First World Book Two: Spurn Book Three: Crais
Book Four: Regali
Book Five: Nephilius Book Six: Dronish
Book Seven: Earth
Supernatural Prison Trilogy (Complete - UF series) Book One: Dragon Marked Book Two: Dragon Mystics Book Three: Dragon Mated Supernatural Prison Stories Broken Compass Magical Compass
Louis (2018)
Hive Trilogy (Complete UF/PNR series) Book One: Ash Book Two: Anarchy
Book Three: Annihilate
Sinclair Stories (Standalone Contemporary Romance) Songbird
Tricky Bond
A Holly Woods Files Short
Emma Hart
A short story featuring Noelle and Drake from the Holly Woods Files - and a missing parrot.
Copyright ? 2018 by Emma Hart All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
One
“Noella!” The scream of my name accompanies the sharp slam of my front door. “Noella! I need-a you!”
Oh, God.
Nothing good ever came of those words from Nonna.
“What do you want?” I ask, stirring the cake mixture.
My third attempt. After all this time, I should really know that I cannot bake, and I really should have taken my mom up on her offer of making the twins’ first birthday cake.
At this rate, my poor babies weren’t going to have a cake.
Not that they deserve one. I wasn’t over the poop party my darling son threw this morning.
Nonna stills in the doorway. “Noella? Are-a you-a baking?”
“No, Nonna. I’m stirring thin air.”
“Your-a attitude-a stinks.”
“So does you running into my house. How did you get a key?”
Nonna sniffs, but otherwise declines to answer as she shuffles across to the table where I’m working. The chair screeches against the floor as she pulls it out and takes a seat. “I am-a in-a crisis. I do-a not-a need a key.”
I don’t like the sound of that. And it doesn’t answer the question of how she got the key—something Drake and I have been fighting for the last six months.
“All right, Nonna. I’ll bite.” I put the bowl and spoon down and wipe my hands on my apron.
That’s right. I’m wearing an apron.
I’m a real adult now, don’t you know?
“What’s your crisis?” I ask her, leaning against the table.
Her lower lip juts out, and oh, God—she’s going to cry. “It-a is-a Gio.”
Has the little rat died?
Is that cruel?
Maybe a bit. Damn, but I hate that bird.
“What did he do now? Drake already told you we won’t talk to him about stealing underwear when he’s let out of his cage.” I fold my arms over my chest. “I mean it. I did it once behind his back, but I won’t do it again.”
“Nooooo!” She covers her face with her hands. “He is-a missing!”
I raised an eyebrow. “He’s missing? Did you check the attic?”
“Noella! I am-a serious! Gio is-a gone!” She waggled one wrinkled finger at me. “Start-a being serious!”
You couldn’t pay me to be serious about that damn parrot.
“How do you know he’s gone?” I can try to care, I suppose. “Have you checked the house? And Dad’s new shed?”
“Si, si, si,” she wails, clutching dramatically at her chest.
Give me strength. Someone. Anyone.
“He is-a gone!” She continues, whipping a handkerchief out of her sleeve and dabbing at her eyes.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was laying this on thick. Really, really thick.