There was a nip in the air as Ellie came out onto the porch of the cabin that she and Jack shared. The spectrum of light was changing as the season moved from summer to fall, bathing the forest in gold, even as the leaves turned red and yellow as well. Autumn was here, and more than ever, Ellie was excited about her favorite time of year.
Jack-o-lanterns and the crackle of dry leaves underfoot. Pumpkin pie and hot chocolate. That first chilly day, when she would pull out her favorite leather jacket and those boots she loved so much. Wood smoke in the air, and the promise of snuggling with Jack under a fuzzy blanket on the couch. Ellie loved autumn, but even more so at the compound. Whether it was long walks through the woods or flying overhead, every day brought new joy. Halloween wasn’t far off, and that was the date she and Jack had set for their wedding. She cradled her mug of steaming coffee and looked out over the still-quiet compound, the sun just breaking over the mountains.
During the past month, Ellie had invested in the clan, paying for a satellite dish and creating a website for all the artisans that lived and worked within the community. As expected, the interest in the enclave had been enormous. Their biggest problem was distribution, and Ellie was looking for a suitable warehouse that would allow them to receive goods and make deliveries. The demand for the hand-crafted products grew every day. With Billy Bob’s help, John Turner began producing YouTube videos demonstrating his survival skills and had monetized his channel. He was going to hold his first workshop in the spring.
Ellie had taken advantage of the community’s move toward the modern age and had started her own blog on looking fabulous on the cheap. It had been a slow start, but regular posts were building a following, much as the clan website was creating.
Every dollar earned went back into the clan resources. Jack sometimes teased her about creating her own kingdom, and in a way, he was right. Helena had been thrilled at the idea of developing a real school for the children, and with Ellie’s money, they’d been able to buy the needed books and curriculums to get started. As the community wealth grew, further plans were discussed for improving the road into the compound and building rental cabins.
As much as possible, they used clan money to increase the clan’s growing financial stability. Jack’s boss, Ryker, had suggested Ellie form a corporation for the clan, which would eventually allow it to pay dividends to all the members. Big dreams to be sure, and not just a little financial risk, but she believed in the clan’s ability to become self-sufficient. So much so, she became one of the principle investors, but to her surprise, Prince Byron and several of his friends invested as well.
“My dear.” The Prince’s smile had been lethally charming. “Dragons can smell a good deal a mile away. As a matter of fact, if your shifter holiday packages are as successful as I think they’ll be, you’ll have to come to Coreldon and create a resort there, too.”
The temptation to take her newly acquired wealth and dump it all into the building of her dream community was strong. Jack had cautioned her against that as they discussed Ellie’s plans one night in bed.
“These are a proud people, sweetheart. They don’t want handouts. And they’ve been living under Seth’s rule for a long time. We’re throwing a lot of changes at them as it is. If we let things build naturally out of the money they earn themselves, not only will everyone have the confidence to move on to bigger plans, but it won’t come as such a culture-shock.”
“How’d you get to be so smart?” Ellie had pressed her ear to Jack’s chest as they laid in bed together. She loved listening to the steady thud of his heartbeat as she rested against him.
“I know how they’d react because it was such a rude awakening for me when I left the compound and struck out on my own. If it hadn’t have been for Ryker…”
Ellie had developed a great fondness for Jack’s enigmatic boss, who only went by a single name—like Cher or Bono—and had taken Jack in off the street and given him a home and a purpose when he’d needed one most. Jack shared with her some of the stories from that time in his life, making even the worst of situations sound amusing, almost fun. Of the firm’s business, Ellie knew very little, except that Redclaw seemed to be an agency that shifters could turn to in times of trouble. Ryker struck Ellie as a lonely man, though he never said anything to support that impression. Perhaps it was because Jack’s other teammates seemed mostly to have other people in their lives. Ryker never spoke of anyone else.
The alacrity with which Jack’s co-workers had accepted a standing invitation to come to the compound where they could shift without fear of being observed, and the frequency with which various members of Jack’s team showed up, had given Ellie the idea of starting a shifter-friendly campground. That, and the sheer joy she felt whenever she and Jack shifted into their alternate forms, reveling in the freedom of flying or running through the forest.
“Think of how many shifters are out there, living in cities with no real way to connect with the earth and sky.” It had been another evening when the two of them talked about the future, with Ellie snuggled up against Jack as they sat after dark in front of a campfire, small embers rising up from the flames into the night. It had been a crisp, cold evening, and the stars overhead had been breathtaking. Her hand had warmed in Jack’s grasp, and her heart had been nigh to bursting with simple happiness and contentment. “People would book cabins years in advance. We just have to figure out a way to advertise it to the right audience, so that everyone who comes feels comfortable shifting.”
“We could tell everyone it’s a colony of nude artists, and we require special screening. It’s practically true.”
She’d pinched him then, and their discussion had gotten side-tracked with a tickle battle that turned into a passionate romp there in the leaves. Just thinking about it brought a smile to her face this morning.
Ellie closed her eyes and breathed in the rich aroma of coffee, taking in as well the scent of sweet earth and frosty grass. When she opened her eyes again, it was to see the first signs of activity within the compound. A curl of smoke rose from Helena’s chimney, and Lucinda had come out on her porch with a box, taking down the newest batch of suncatchers and packing them carefully within.
Ellie had never been so happy in her entire life.
Her only regret was in deciding not to participate in Nightingale after all. She’d tried to explain her choice to both Henry and Susan, but because she couldn’t tell them exactly why it would be wrong for her to compete, she wasn’t sure either one of them really understood. Susan eventually accepted that Jack had swept Ellie off her feet as a potential excuse. Henry had been unexpectedly upset over her decision, but once he realized she was truly happy, he came around. Ellie hadn’t yet figured out how to set him up with his own pie-making company without revealing the source of her wealth, but someday she would.
Though she’d given up on the competition, she hadn’t given up on music. She’d consoled herself by starting a folk band with Gus and a few of the other clan members. They taught her the old mountain songs. Her voice lent itself to the melancholy, bittersweet melodies. As Helena had said, her singing was meant to tell stories. Gus arranged for them to sing at a few of the local bars and clubs. Though Ellie reined her abilities in as much as possible, she’d never really know if their solid fan base was somehow magically influenced by her ‘dragon powers.’ Jack assured her the real magic was simply the way she sang with her whole heart. Next summer she planned to hold a music festival at the compound, and hoped it would become an annual event. It wasn’t quite the same as competing on a national program, but at least she was able to sing.
And then there was Jack.
He was enough to make up for any other disappointments. She didn’t know how she’d gotten so lucky.
These days, Ellie woke as soon as the first streaks of dawn lit the sky. Gone were the nights where she binge-watched TV until the wee hours because going to bed meant getting up, going to a colorless, joyless job where she worked until her back ached, and then she went home to bed, only to do the same thing all over again the next day. Henry and Susan had made it bearable, some days even fun, but it was never what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.
Not that she had much free time now, but she had so many things she looked forward to doing, it was a delight to greet the day. With a contented little sigh, she took her coffee back into the borrowed cabin.
Like the rest of the place, the kitchen was small, but neat and clean, thanks to Ellie’s efforts. A plate of newly-made blueberry muffins sat cooling by the stove. The coffeemaker bubbled and steamed as fresh coffee dripped into the carafe. Ellie was surprised that Jack wasn’t up yet, driven by the delicious smells wafting outward.
Poor baby. She knew he was tired. He was still working for Redclaw for the time being, sometimes staying at Ellie’s old apartment rather than make the drive back and forth each night. He’d grumbled more than once it was a pity he wasn’t a flying shifter, so the commute wouldn’t be a big deal. The first time Ellie had flown in to surprise him with an overnight visit, he’d been suitably appreciative. The risk she’d taken had obviously turned him on, the logistics of landing in the park and walking to her apartment made somewhat easier by the fact she’d had shifter clothes made for her by Coreldon’s finest tailors. Having to wait until after dark to fly into the city wasn’t very convenient, so she usually drove down in the afternoon if Jack was staying in the city more than a day or two. Unless he was on an out-of-town case, every weekend Jack came back to the compound to work on their dream cabin. With the help of the other builders in the clan, he hoped to have their new place ready before winter. The clan members had enthusiastically lent their efforts to building their leader’s new home, working on it even when Jack wasn’t available.
Though technically Seth could have stayed on with the clan, the members had held a tribunal and voted him out. As soon as he had healed enough to travel, he left. Jolene had left as well, but not with Seth. Though no one made her leave, she’d spoken of a sister near Atlanta and a desire to make a change, to move into a large city. No one had seemed particularly sorry to see her go. Ellie had pitied her a little, and said as much to Jack, who’d told Ellie she was too soft-hearted.
“Especially for a dragon-shifter. Are you sure you’re a dragon? I think maybe you’re a pussy cat instead.”
Ellie had demonstrated just what kind of shifter she was by chasing Jack around their cabin, threatening to burn his eyebrows off.
By all rights, Seth’s cabin now belonged to Jack, but neither he nor Ellie could bear the thought of living there. They’d gutted the interior and remodeled it, turning it into a school room by day and a community meeting room by night.
In the meantime, the snug little cabin she and Jack were living in now would do for the two of them. And at some point, it would make an ideal rental property. It was efficient, with a creative use of limited space, much like the captain’s quarters on a ship.
Ellie placed a couple of still-warm muffins on a plate and carried them along with a fresh mug of coffee past the living room and into the bedroom at the back of the cabin. She set the food and drink on the nightstand and eased onto the mattress beside Jack, one hip on the bed, on foot still on the floor. Facedown on the bed, he presented an admirable view. One arm was flung over his head and the other dangled off the side of the mattress. The quilt was tangled around him, exposing one rounded ass cheek and leg, while the other side was covered. A shaft of rosy sunlight came through the window and landed on that tight butt cheek, which just begged to be nipped. Long days of working shirtless in the sun had browned Jack, and just looking at that golden expanse of skin made her fingers itch to touch him. Nothing delighted her more than stroking his lean muscles, and she was sorely tempted to press hot little kisses to the back of his neck and shoulders, to turn him over and possessively rub her nipples against his chest. She longed to feel the drag of day-old stubble against her skin as he kissed her throat. She shivered a little at the thought.
She was insatiable when it came to Jack. If she rolled him over, she’d be greeted by his morning wood. She couldn’t decide what she would like more: guiding herself down onto his shaft to ride him to completion or treating him to a morning blow job. Either one would have her moaning with pleasure.
It was as though she’d been starving her entire life but had never realized how hungry she’d been until she met Jack.
The slight buzzing sound that greeted her only made her smile. Yep, he still snored.
His nostrils flared and his nose twitched a little. Ah, he’d smelled the coffee. Her smile grew wider as she watched him stretch luxuriously, rolling within the sheets to open his eyes.
“Mmmm. That smells fabulous.”
“Blueberry muffins and coffee.”
“I meant you.” He caught her by the arm and tugged her in for a sleepy-eyed kiss. She caught his lower lip in her teeth, pulling on it gently, only to release it and kiss him again.
“Your food will get cold.” She made as though to move away.
“Let it.” With a growl, he pulled her down on top of him.
Ellie went willingly. Coffee could be re-heated.
Later, it was Ellie’s turn to stretch languorously, even as she made a mental note to pick up more sewing supplies and buttons the next time she went to town. Jack was awfully hard on her shirts. In danger of dozing off, she opened her eyes when she felt the mattress give with a shift in weight. At first she thought Jack was helping himself to a muffin, but he’d opened the drawer to the nightstand instead.
“I got you an early wedding present.”
The expectant look in his eyes worried her just a little. Despite his earlier joking about the advantages of being engaged to a wealthy woman, she’d been completely unprepared for just how much money she had now, and she didn’t want the inequality of their incomes to ever come between them. As it was, there had been some tense moments when her grandfather had insisted on paying for the wedding—and assumed it would take place in Coreldon. It had taken all her powers of persuasion to make her grandfather see that it would be difficult for the clan to attend a Coreldon wedding, not to mention it would raise eyebrows among the citizens there, and she might be recognized as the long-lost princess. It took promising to honeymoon in the city of her birth to reach an acceptable compromise. The wedding would be at the compound, but fit for a Gyrfalcon princess.
Then there had been the matter of the engagement ring. Once again, her grandfather intervened, offering Ellie an enormous and extremely gaudy diamond cluster that was a family heirloom. Ellie had been relieved when Jack had put his foot down with a surly snarl, pointing out that regardless if he could afford something befitting a Gyrfalcon, it was customary for the groom to provide the ring.
Fortunately, Helena had stepped up with her grandmother’s engagement ring, a Marquise-cut garnet, whose quiet inner flame appealed to Ellie. Which was a good thing, because ugly as the Gyrfalcon ring had been, the sight of the diamonds themselves had awakened a lust for gemstones Ellie hadn’t known she possessed. According to her grandfather, somewhere in Coreldon was a vault with her name on it, and it contained some of the most stunning jewels in the known world.
But valuable gems had little practical use in the community, and besides, she had everything she needed right here.
“Jack, you didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Don’t look at me like that.” He held out a plain manila envelope. “I didn’t rob any banks or empty my own account, if that’s what’s got you concerned. I did a guy a favor once and he wanted to return it. Go on. Take it.” He waggled the envelope at her.
She took it from him. There was no writing on the outside. She unwound the red string from the clasps holding the envelope shut and opened it. Inside was a folded sheet of paper. She withdrew the sheet and opened it.
“This is a lease.” Ellie frowned as she read the paper, suddenly gasping when she realized what it said. “Jack! This grants me access to a sound studio. You rented me a studio?”
“Not exactly. The studio is on loan, free and clear, for you to record a CD. Comes complete with a producer and a professional mixer, too. I know how hard it was for you to give up—”
He never got to finish his sentence because Ellie squealed and threw her arms around him, pinning him to the bed with kisses. “I can’t believe you did this! Roger Zeni has produced some big names. This is huge. You’re amazing.”
Ellie certainly could have bought studio time with an excellent producer, but there was no way as an unknown she would have been able hire someone with Zeni’s reputation.
Jack wrapped his arms around Ellie and pulled her in close, kissing the top of her head. “Hey, he was happy to do it. I had him watch a video of you singing and he was sold.”
Ellie’s smile faded. “Wait, how is this different from my auditioning for Nightingale?”
“For one thing, it’s not a competition. For another, the vast majority of people who hear you sing will be listening to a recording. You may have the voice of an angel, but your dragon-shifter abilities won’t come through on a soundtrack. If you hit the big time—and I have no doubt you will—you won’t be able to do any live shows. Not on a big scale.”
She nodded. Just last week, Congress had proposed another bill calling for shifter registrations, and the President indicated he would sign it if it passed. In the past, whenever such legislation had been sponsored, it somehow always died before coming to a vote. These days, however, anti-shifter sentiment was growing. Now, more than ever, shifters felt compelled to hide their true identities. It didn’t help either, that Jack had discovered Ellie’s parents had initially turned to human friends to help them stay hidden from their enemies, but it was those same friends who’d betrayed them, presumably out of fear when they discovered the true nature of Ellie’s relatives.
After seventy years of progressive change toward shifter acceptance, it now seemed as though the government was trying to take things back to the 1950s.
But she wasn’t going to let fears for the future diminish her joy right now. “How did I get so lucky? You’re the best thing in my life, you know.”
She could feel the rumble of Jack’s amusement beneath her as she laid her head on his chest. “That works both ways, babe.”
“I don’t see how. You taught me how to be myself—my true self. You gave me a family and a place where I truly belong. You taught me how to fly, and gave me a leopard. I think you got the short end of this deal.”
Jack smoothed his hand down her back and cupped her bottom, giving it a little squeeze. “That’s because you don’t see yourself as I see you. In you, I got this beautiful, sexy woman who’s also one of the bravest and most compassionate people I know. You’re funny and kind, smart and wise—those two aren’t the same things, you know. You gave me back my family again, and taught me that if you really love something or someone, it’s worth fighting for. You gave meaning to my life.”
He rolled her suddenly onto her back, so that he could smile down at her, his grass-green eyes alight with love and laughter. “You might have gotten a leopard, but I got a dragon.” He punctuated his statement with a kiss. “A dragon-princess.” He kissed her again. “Ain’t nobody got a better deal than that.”