“Let’s set up a date to go shopping for Christmas ornaments,” her mom said. “Because the only thing we have access to here is a tree.”
“I’d love that.” Bryn’s throat grew tight. “I know it’s stupid, but I don’t want to leave you guys. I’m afraid you might disappear again.”
“We’re not going anywhere, but why don’t we walk you to the gate,” her dad said.
Bryn took a breath and blew it out. “No. You should probably stay here. I don’t want to tear up at the gate.”
Her mom shook her head. “I recognize those Blue genes, and it’s frightening.”
“Tell me about it.” Bryn gave them another quick hug and then left.
Once they were in the SUV, Ivy started talking rapid fire. “Dragon-pires have been reported in Dragon’s Bluff. A student was approached behind one of the stores. He was buying a Christmas gift so he was by himself. He managed to get away, but he said the attacker was a Green female. He didn’t see her face because she wore a mask.”
She hated letting them believe the Silvers were Green, but she’d promised Jaxon she wouldn’t share. There had to be a way around this situation. “I’m really beginning to hate these dragon-pires,” Bryn said. “Why can’t they be happy as they are?”
“I don’t know,” Ivy said. “Not to mention the fact that this is total crap because it’s almost Christmas.”
“They don’t seem to be in the holiday spirit,” Clint said.
Once they were back on campus Bryn invited Clint and Ivy up to her room. When they were seated on the couch, she paced back and forth.
“What’s going on?” Ivy asked.
Bryn stopped pacing and turned to them. “Here’s the deal. I know something I can’t share because I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone, but I don’t want to keep it from you guys.”
“Interesting.” Clint leaned forward. “You can’t tell us, but what if we guessed?”
That gave her some wiggle room. “I can live with that. Here’s your clue. If the dragon-pires were hybrids, what kind do you think they’d be?”
“They have to be part Green, right?” Ivy said.
“That’s a good guess,” Bryn said.
“Green-Red, Green-Black, Green-Orange?” Clint said.
“Green-Blue,” Ivy said.
Bryn nodded.
“Oh my God,” Ivy said. “The brains of a Green with the drive and desire to rule of a Blue? That makes so much sense in a crazy sort of way.”
Bryn collapsed in the chair. “It was making me crazy not telling you guys.”
“What about Garret?” Clint said. “He should know about this.”
“You can’t tell him,” Bryn said. “And you can’t ask him to guess. I promised Jaxon I wouldn’t tell.”
“I’m glad you’re hanging onto your rebel roots,” Clint said.
Once her friends left, she called Jaxon, partly out of guilt. “Did you hear about dragon-pires in Dragon’s Bluff?”
“I did, which means you won’t be going back there anytime soon.”
“Excuse me?”
He sighed. “Let me rephrase that. We shouldn’t go to Dragon’s Bluff until they find whoever is attacking students.”
“I still don’t like it but saying it that way doesn’t make me want to shoot a fireball at your head.”
“Right.” Jaxon snorted. “I’ll remember that. Good night, Bryn.”
“Good night.”
Bryn hung up the phone. How would this news affect Dragon’s Bluff? The no-loitering issue had already changed how people behaved in town. Now that there were evil Silver dragon-pires running around, what would that do?
Chapter Twenty-Six
Sunday morning, Bryn woke up with a sense of excitement. She ran to look out her terrace window, and there was snow. Glorious, fat, fluffy snowflakes swirled through the air. And she needed to get right out there because nothing was more exciting than soaring through icy air.
Rationally, she knew that the first snow excited Blue dragons beyond a normal level. She didn’t even care about breakfast or coffee right now. She just wanted to play outside. Dressing in jeans and a sweater, she grabbed her phone and dialed Jaxon’s room.
It rang and rang. Where was he? She shouldn’t go out alone. Not that a ton of other dragons wouldn’t be out and about, but she was trying to do the right thing.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Bryn hung up the phone, ran to her front door, and yanked it open. Jaxon stood there with a huge grin on his face. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out into the hallway. “Thank goodness you’re awake.”
Anticipation ramped up inside of her. “We’re going outside, right?”
“Of course we are.” They dashed down the stairs along with most of the other students. Everyone was talking and laughing and acting completely out of character for Blues. It was wonderful.
Once they made it outside, Jaxon released Bryn’s hand. They both shifted into dragon form. Bryn focused to make sure all her scales were Blue. Since Jaxon didn’t say anything she figured she’d succeeded. He shot up into the air, and she followed him. Blue dragons filled the sky…no one was racing or trying to nudge each other out of the way…everyone just flew in figure eights or slow spirals or soared in the sheer joy of flight.
The snowflakes slid against her scales, invigorating her senses. She wanted to fly higher, go farther, dive faster. Bryn stayed near Jaxon and he seemed to be keeping an eye on her, too, which was kind of nice. After a while, dragons from other Clans joined them. Clint and Ivy approached Bryn.
“We thought we’d find you out here,” Clint said.
“The only thing that could keep you from your coffee would be the first snow,” Ivy said.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Bryn, inhaled the cold, metallic air.
“It’s pretty cool,” Ivy said.
“I’m glad it happened on a weekend instead of a school day like last year,” Bryn said. Last year she’d flown with Valmont before going to class. Was Valmont out playing in the snow with Megan? Maybe. That thought didn’t bother her as much as it would have a month ago.
Jaxon flew over to where they were treading air. “I’m hoping you’re just being social rather that telling Bryn she has to go somewhere to investigate crazy Silver dragon-pires.”
“No dragon-pire information to report,” Clint said.
“And I have no desire to investigate anything,” Bryn said. Her stomach growled. “Although I might want to take a break for breakfast before I fly some more.”
Jaxon looked disappointed. “Fly with me for awhile longer and then we can go have breakfast with your friends.”
He’d never asked her to spend time with him just to have fun. “Okay.”
“Come find us when you’re done,” Ivy said. She and Clint took off, flying in another direction.
“Let’s go.” Jaxon shot off straight up in the air.
She laughed and followed along until he slowed, hung in the air for a moment and then effortlessly did a backward dive which turned into a spiral toward the ground. She imitated his maneuver but knew she didn’t look quite as graceful…okay probably not half as graceful as he did but still, it was fun.
Jaxon leveled out as he came toward the ground then shot off into the air again. She was torn between following him and wanting to watch him. Seeing him so at ease and happy was a rare thing. Maybe after he’d had awhile to get past what had happened with Rhianna he could be like this all the time? How much nicer would her life be if he actually liked her and wanted to spend time with her? She shook herself. Rather than focus on the future, she decided to concentrate on having fun in the moment.
After several more spiraling dives, Jaxon flew up next to her and said, “Ready, set, go.” And then he shot off.
“Hey.” Bryn laughed. “That’s cheating.” She flapped her wings, pushing down with force in an attempt to gain on him. She caught up with his tail.
He glanced back and flicked his tail at her. She briefly considered biting him, as a joke, but that might be weird, so she focused on powering her wings up and down, arcing up above him, and then diving right past his snout and taking the lead.
He roared, and frost hit her flank. She twisted around midair and blasted him with snow.