CHAPTER EIGHT
The next day dawned bright and clear. Mellie was alone in bed, but she knew at once that she wasn’t alone in the apartment. Delicious breakfast smells were wafting down the hallway, and she could hear Peter’s heavy footsteps as he moved around in the kitchen.
The thought brought a smile to her face. He was making noise on purpose, so she would know he was here. He had to be. She’d lived in Grizzly Cove long enough to know how silent the guys who lived here were, as a matter of course.
She was just coming out of the bathroom and planned to go join Peter in the kitchen when her phone rang. It was the special tone that told her Nonna was on the other end of the line. She answered it eagerly, hoping there had been some progress on their dragon search. Sure enough, Nonna had called her friends in Italy and had some news to share.
“Rumors say there was a dragon in Venice for a while, but he moved on. One of my Venetian friends gave me the number for a priestess in the States who is mated to a werewolf with ties to a small Pack in the Canadian wilderness. It’s all very round-about, but she said to try this and call back if I don’t get anywhere. Between you and me, she doesn’t expect me to have to call back. Now, the question is, do I call the priestess or do you?” Nonna went on, not giving Mellie time to respond. “This is your quest, so it is best that you take it from here, I think.”
She proceeded to give Mellie the contact information and number.
“Now, go back to your bear. Tell him I expect to meet him soon.” Nonna hung up before Mellie had stopped stuttering. Nonna knew!
How embarrassing. Not that Mellie had spent the night with Peter, but that her grandmother—who had raised her with very high standards about who she let into her life and especially into her bed—had known. Mellie wondered if Urse was the recipient of Nonna’s teasing, too, or if that was reserved for the sister who was still single.
Either way, Mellie wasn’t about to waste any more time worrying about it right now. She had breakfast to eat and a dragon to track down. Both things she could accomplish with the help of the very scary, very potent, very lovable bear shifter, who was still waiting for her in the kitchen.
Peter heard when Mellie started moving around the other end of the apartment. He was content to give her some time to get herself together before they shared the meal he was preparing. Then, he heard her phone and listened to her side of the conversation. Good as his hearing was, he couldn’t make out the other end with Mellie and the phone so far away. Still, it sounded as if she was talking to her grandmother, which meant their hunt might begin anew today.
Mellie came into the kitchen, a look of triumph on her face. “Nonna and her contact in Italy came through,” she told Peter, coming right up to him to give him a delicious kiss hello before moving off toward the cooked bacon he had draining on a plate on the counter.
He followed, claiming her lips for a deeper kiss after she’d had her strip of crunchy bacon. There was nothing like bacon-flavored kisses from the woman he loved.
Yeah, that’s right. Loved. He’d come to terms with that concept in the middle of the night when his bear was making demands on his human half. Demands that they figure out a way to keep Mellie with them forever. Demands that made it clear the bear half wanted her in his den. For always.
The human half felt her in his heart and knew. Just like that. He loved her.
But humans were tricky. He wasn’t sure how to tell her without scaring her off. He couldn’t be sure—seeing as how she wasn’t a shifter—that she was on the same page. He’d have to be cautious and bide his time. He had to pick the right moment to tell her and hope she felt the same way.
He let the kiss end, unwilling to burn the first breakfast he’d ever made for his mate. He let her go with reluctance and turned back to the stove.
“What did your grandmother tell you?” Peter asked as he expertly flipped pancakes and plated eggs that were perfectly cooked—as long as you liked them well done.
When he turned back around, Mellie was holding up a slip of paper in one hand, waving it around with a happy grin. “She gave me the contact number for a priestess in the States. This priestess supposedly has ties to a small werewolf Pack out of Canada that might have news about the dragon.”
It all sounded a bit tenuous to Peter, but he didn’t say so. He didn’t want to banish the happy look on Mellie’s sweet face. Not when her grandmother had given her such hope.
“Do you want me to call?” he asked, unsure what she expected.
She seemed to think about it for a moment. “I think maybe I should call the priestess, but you should be on hand in case she needs to verify anything with a shifter. Then, if we get to the next step and get to talk to the werewolves, you should probably take the lead there.”
Peter nodded. “It is a good plan. When do you want to do this?”
“Well, the priestess is on the east coast, so it’s not too early to call her right now,” Mellie offered. From the way she was hopping about, she was clearly too excited to wait. Peter shut down the stove and put all the food on the table before turning to her.
“Let’s do this. Breakfast can wait for a few more minutes.” His reward was her beaming smile.
She pulled out her phone and quickly began dialing. This time, with her standing no more than five feet away, he could hear everything. The phone rang, and the call was picked up on the other end. A woman said hello.
“Hi, is this Deena?” Mellie waited for the affirmative response before going on. “I’m Amelia Ricoletti. My grandmother got your number from a friend of hers in Italy. We are strega.”
“Strega?” the woman on the other end repeated. “Why would a strega be calling me?”
Peter noticed that the woman seemed to know exactly what the word meant.
“It’s somewhat complicated, but we need some information. Let me explain our situation, and then, perhaps you’ll understand.” Mellie told the woman about moving to Grizzly Cove and the sea monster problem she was trying to solve.
Mellie talked about the old grimoire and the need for dragon’s blood. What she didn’t mention was the bear population in Grizzly Cove. At least, she didn’t say as much as she could have. Peter was pleased that Mellie shared only those secrets that were hers to share, holding back information that might prove dangerous to the others in town.
“My nonna said her contact thought that the dragon had moved to Canada and that you had some connection with a werewolf Pack up there. I’m really hoping that you might be able to put me in touch with the wolves so that I can pursue this lead,” Mellie went on. “I give you my word of honor that I intend only to help in the fight against evil. I have no desire to harm the dragon, only ask him if he will aid me in my quest. If he refuses, I cannot and will not try to coerce him.”
Silence fell as Mellie stopped speaking. Then, finally, the woman spoke. “I’ve heard a little bit about Grizzly Cove. I know it’s not common knowledge, and I would not spread rumors, but if the town is as I suspect, I’d need to talk to one of the…um…natives. The Canadians wouldn’t welcome me introducing a strega into their midst, but if it’s one of their own—or someone like them—I think it’ll be easier. Plus, I’d like corroboration of your story before we go any further, no offense intended.”
“None taken,” Mellie said immediately. “I know this is all coming at you out of left field, and I respect your caution. I do have a friend here with me that might be able to set your mind more at ease. At the very least, he could put you in touch with someone who could vouch for me and my story. Would you like to talk to him?”
Receiving an affirmative answer, Mellie handed the phone to Peter. The priestess was cautious. Good. These were dangerous times they were all living in, and it paid to be cautious.
“Hello,” Peter said, hoping his accent wasn’t too thick for the woman to understand. “I am Peter Zilakov. I own the butcher shop and am also a part-time deputy,” he told the priestess.
“I’m Deena.” Immediately, Peter felt the woman’s magic reaching through the phone to touch his. There was no doubt in his mind that this woman served the Goddess. Her power was pure and sparkling against his.
“It is an honor to make your acquaintance, milady,” Peter told her. “Your power is…” Peter was almost lost for words, the energy was so pure. “It is almost divine, one might say,” he told her honestly.
“You can feel that?” Deena sounded surprised.
“I’m a bear,” he said, shrugging. “Some of us are more sensitive than others. And among shifters, we are some of the more magical.”
“So I’ve heard, though I’ve never met one of your kind before. My mate is a wolf,” she added, almost shyly.
“You are newly mated,” Peter guessed. “Congratulations to you both.”
“Thank you.” Deena hesitated for a moment. “Would you mind talking to my mate? Perhaps you have friends in common or some other way to establish who you are. Unfortunately, I don’t get out much and don’t have a lot of friends in magical circles, though I’ve always heard most strega are good guys.”
“I would be pleased to talk with your mate. As you can probably tell from my accent, I have been around the world a time or two and know a lot of people and places. I’m sure we can find some way of identifying exactly who we are, and I applaud your caution.”
The priestess relinquished her phone to her mate and what followed was a detailed conversation where Peter and the other man—a werewolf named Josh—finally established mutual friends who would vouch for them. They ended the call so Josh could check his contacts about Peter, with the agreement to call back once more trust had been established.
In the meantime, Peter and Mellie ate the breakfast he had prepared. When Mellie’s phone rang again, Peter answered it. Sure enough, it was the werewolf. Josh gave Peter a phone number and a name, then cautioned him to be careful before hanging up.
Peter looked at Mellie in triumph. They were one step closer.
The call to the werewolf Pack’s Alpha was a little trickier. Even with the introduction from Josh, who turned out to be the Alpha’s grandson, the Canadian werewolf leader was very leery of imparting any information. It took a while, but eventually, Peter was able to establish a rapport with the Canadian Alpha.
“There is a newcomer in the area,” Tom Mahigan, the cagey Canadian Alpha, finally admitted, about ten minutes into the phone call. “A big Russian fellow. He came to see me when he moved in down the ridge. A courtesy call. Sounded a lot like you do, and his power was… Well, it was kind of…immense, is the only word I can think of. He wasn’t any kind of shifter I’ve ever come across before, but he had our energy. He didn’t read like fey or mage. He was a shifter all the way.”
“He could be the one we’re looking for,” Peter told the wolf Alpha.
“I can go out to see him and ask if he’ll speak to you, but I can’t promise anything. It’ll be up to him.”
Peter had hoped for more but understood the Alpha’s position. “Just tell him about our leviathan problem and the fact that his input would be minimal. We’re not asking him to fight the thing, just to help out with a potion to drive it from our shores.”
“What about the long-term solution?” Tom asked. “Someone’s going to have to fight the thing eventually.”
“We’re already working on that,” Peter informed him. “Many of us in town have connections in the military, especially in the secret units populated by our kind. We’ve already got specialists on the way, but they have to fulfill their commitments to Uncle Sam first. We’ve been assured that, as soon as they’re free, their next stop is here to help with our sea monster problem.”
“You believe these military shifters will be able to handle it?” Tom sounded skeptical.
“They aren’t shifters,” Peter revealed, figuring how much he could say without risking operational security. “They’re specialists, though, who, we’ve been assured, are the best men for the job.”
“Well, I suppose you know what you’re doing. Personally, my Pack has seen both the good and bad side of dealing with mages. I hope you’re sure about the ones you’re working with.” Tom sounded strange, and Peter sensed a story there but was unwilling to pry.
“The strega I’m working with has been vetted at the highest levels and has family ties to our town,” Peter assured the other man. “Bears aren’t easily fooled by those with magic, since we have so much of our own. We also have a shaman in residence who keeps an eye on all the magic here. Plus, the strega sisters have already proven their commitment to the town and to ridding us of the leviathan and protecting our people.”
“Then, you’re luckier than we were when a mage came to our Pack. The damage caused by just one mage took twenty years to rectify.” The Alpha’s tone had gone bleak. “We’re only just starting to get over it. And we’re still hunting the mage. If you ever hear word of a man named Mathias Bolivar, you steer clear and give me a call.” The wolf’s tone brooked no argument, but Peter wasn’t going to decline the wolf’s request in any case. One good turn deserved another.
“I’ve never heard the name before, but I won’t forget. I’ll ask around a bit, and if I hear anything, I’ll be sure to pass it along,” Peter promised the other man.
“Much obliged,” Tom said, his tone going back to something a bit friendlier. “I’ll be in touch soon about the newcomer. If he agrees to talk to you, you’ll hear directly from him. If not, I’ll call and let you know.”
“Thanks,” Peter said, glad the fellow was being reasonable.
Peter ended the call and turned to Mellie, who was watching him with impatient eyes.
“Well?” she prodded.
“He’s going to talk to a newcomer to his area this afternoon. If the man is willing to talk to us, he’ll call us direct. If not, the wolf Alpha will call and let us know.”
“So, either way, we’re waiting for a call,” Mellie summed up. “I think I’ll go stir crazy if I have to wait all day for the phone to ring.”
“Tell you what,” Peter said, rising from the table and taking their empty dishes to the sink. “Is your sister coming in this morning to open the store?”
“Yeah, today’s her day to open,” Mellie told him. “But she won’t be here for another hour. As you know, we don’t open that early.”
“That’s good. We can go for a walk, then. Get your mind off waiting. You’ll have your phone with you in case they call, but it didn’t sound to me like we’d be hearing back for a few hours.” Peter rinsed the plates and put them in the dishwasher as if he’d done so a million times before.
He’d certainly made himself at home in her apartment, but Mellie didn’t mind at all. She liked the way he’d pitched in and wasn’t walking on eggshells. It made the whole morning-after thing a lot easier to deal with. His matter-of-factness eased her nerves in a way she hadn’t expected but valued greatly.
“Go get your coat. I’ll finish up here, and then, we’ll get out and clear our heads,” he encouraged her.
“I’ll just leave a note for Urse, so she doesn’t worry about where I am,” Mellie said decisively as she rose from the table and helped a bit by bringing another dish to him at the sink. She rose up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “Thank you,” she told him, trying to convey the depth of feeling over all that he’d done for her.
Words were inadequate, but he seemed to understand. He paused, turning to her and bending slightly to kiss her lips. “You’re welcome,” he replied in an intimate tone that wasn’t as sexy as it was understanding. Although…everything Peter did was sexy.
Mellie toddled off to get her coat, a bit in a daze from the lingering kiss and the rapid-fire events of the morning. Their search for a dragon had just kicked into high gear, and they might have a positive answer within a few hours. Mellie hadn’t expected such fast movement after so many months of struggle trying to brew the perfect protective potion.
Peter’s idea of getting out for a while was a really good one. Though Mellie was a homebody by nature, she enjoyed the occasional walk along the beach. She hadn’t done that in far too long—first, because it had been dangerous to be down near the water until Urse had done her magic, and second, because Mellie didn’t like walking alone. Before, she’d always had Urse with her if she wanted to do something, but Urse was married now. Going alone just emphasized to Mellie that she couldn’t really call on Urse anymore for the casual sister activities that they’d taken for granted before.
No, now, there was always John to consider. He was a possessive, protective bear shifter, and to be fair, they were still in their honeymoon phase. Mellie knew Urse didn’t like to be away from John any more than he liked being parted from his new mate. They both did their jobs, but any free time was spent together. They’d done their best to do things with Mellie, including a standing dinner invitation that Mellie took them up on at least once a week, but it just wasn’t the same.
Mellie was used to being with Urse all the time. Now, the apartment was very empty without her sister in it. And walks along the now-safe beach by herself? No, thanks.
Walking with Peter at her side, though… That was different. In fact, it made Mellie feel like a new woman. Happy. Joyful. Cherished.
That last one was something that being with her sister certainly didn’t evoke. Mellie smiled as she slid her arm through Peter’s as they walked slowly together down the early-morning beach. The sun was still low enough on the horizon to make her squint a bit. It was going to be a sunny day, for a change.
“Getting used to overcast all the time was one of the hardest things about moving here,” Mellie told Peter, making small talk as they walked down the quiet beach. “I like rain, though, so I got used to it.”
“This region is known for the constant rain and clouds, but the temperatures are very mild, so I see it as a trade off,” Peter told her.
“What’s it like where you grew up?” she asked, snuggling close to his side.
“Cold,” he replied with a hint of humor. “Most of the time,” he clarified. “But it’s a beautiful place, Kamchatka. Rugged and few people. Many bears. Many shifters of different kinds. Lots of nature and the magic it makes.”
“Sounds beautiful,” she said, and they walked along farther down the beach.
About ten minutes later, Mellie’s phone rang, and she jumped, fumbling in her pocket for the device. Surely, the werewolf hadn’t found the dragon that quickly? Mellie looked at the screen, and all the tension drained out of her.
“It’s my sister,” she told Peter, punching the button to answer the call. “Hi, Urse. Did you get my note?”
“I got it,” her sister replied, sounding very suspicious. “Where are you?”
“On the beach, taking a walk,” Mellie replied, sticking to the truth.
“With Peter? Mellie, what’s going on with you two?” Urse asked flat out, and Mellie stuttered.
Then, her phone beeped in her ear. She looked at the screen quickly and got back to her sister.
“I’m getting another call. I’ll talk to you later. This could be really important.” Without even waiting for her sister to say goodbye, Mellie hung up on her and connected the other call. It was from Canada. “Hello?”
“Amelia Ricoletti?” came the gruff voice of the werewolf Alpha.
“Yes. Alpha Mahigan?” Mellie looked up at Peter, her eyes going wide.
“You’re in luck, young lady,” the werewolf told her. “I ran into the Russian at the general store and took him aside to tell him about your call. He won’t speak to you, but he wants the information for the Alpha in your area. He’s a cautious fellow.”
“Oh.” Mellie felt a bit disappointed but still hopeful. “Let me give the phone to Peter. He can get you what you need.” She held the phone against her chest and spoke to Peter. “He wants—”
“I heard,” Peter told her gently and held his hand out for the phone. She relinquished it to him, grateful for shifter hearing that she didn’t have to repeat everything.
Peter moved a short way off and exchanged words with the werewolf Alpha, reciting information for the other man before ending the call. He walked the short distance back to her and handed her the phone.
“We should talk to John,” he told her with a slight frown. “I’m not sure if the dragon really will call John, or if this is some kind of delaying tactic, but he needs to know either way.”
“I’ll call Urse back. She’ll know where John is,” Mellie said, already punching the screen on her phone. “He doesn’t always go right in to the office. Sometimes, he hangs around the store with my sister for a bit, or goes to check on some of the outliers. Either way, Urse is the fastest way to find him.”
Urse picked up the phone in a bit of a temper at having been cut off before, but Mellie didn’t have time to waste placating her sister. “Where’s John?” Mellie asked over her sister’s annoyance.
“Why?” Urse immediately shut down the mini-tirade about being hung up on and switched tacks. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, but we need to talk to him right away,” Mellie told her sister.
“We?” Urse’s voice took on a suspicious tone. “You’re with Peter, aren’t you?”
Mellie sighed. “Yeah. I am. But that doesn’t change the fact that we need to find John.”
“No, you don’t,” Urse said, amusement in her voice now. “He’s here. He’s fixing that leaky sink in the downstairs bathroom.”
“Good,” Mellie said with relief. “Don’t let him leave. We’re coming right back.”
Mellie hung up on her sister for the second time that day and pocketed her phone as she turned back toward the direction of the bookstore. She glanced up at Peter to fill him in, but he was smiling.
“I heard,” he told her as they took off at a much brisker pace than that which they’d set out with on the way to this spot. They were about halfway around the cove, but Mellie was confident John would stay put at the store until they got there.
John was understanding and even encouraging when he heard what Peter and Mellie had been up to. Urse gave Mellie a knowing look but didn’t tease her as badly as Mellie had feared, even after Peter and John left. Peter had to see to his grandmother before opening his store, and John always had mayor stuff to do.
The bookshop was busier than usual, with a shipment having been delivered two days ago. Everyone in town knew when the deliveries were made, since the truck came through only rarely. They were polite enough to give the sisters time to sort everything out, but then, those who had special ordered particular volumes would show up, looking for their books.
Urse stayed for most of the afternoon, the sisters sharing a quick lunch Urse picked up at the bakery down the street, while they continued to sort through the big boxes of stock that had been delivered for the store. Thankfully, Urse laid off the teasing, and Mellie was able to keep her delicious memories of the night before to herself for a while. She didn’t exactly daydream, but Urse caught her staring into space at least once, though she didn’t make a big fuss over it, for which Mellie was grateful.
Peter called after Urse left for the night to say he would try to stop by during his patrol, but he was working the night shift on his part-time gig as a deputy sheriff. She knew he wouldn’t be able to stay long. The duty of protecting the cove and its residents was something he took very seriously, but it would be good to at least say hello and maybe share a cup of coffee on his break. Mellie told him she’d be waiting.