Dragos Takes A Holiday Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Look for these titles from Thea Harrison

  The Bermuda Triangle. Pirates. The Peanut. What could possibly go wrong?

  Dragos Cuelebre needs a vacation. So does Pia, his mate. When the First Family of the Wyr head to Bermuda for some much needed R&R, it's no ordinary undertaking - and no ordinary weekend in the sun. Between hunting for ancient treasure buried beneath the waves and keeping track of their son, Liam—a.k.a. Peanut, whose Wyr abilities are manifesting far ahead of schedule—it’s a miracle that Pia and Dragos can get any time together.

  They're determined to make the most of each moment, no matter who tries to get in their way.

  And did we mention pirates?

  For fans of DRAGON BOUND and LORD’S FALL, passion, playfulness, and adventure abound in this Elder Races novella.

  Dragos Takes a Holiday

  Copyright © 2013 by Teddy Harrison LLC

  ISBN 10: 0989972801

  ISBN 13: 978-0-9899728-0-2

  Edited by Sasha Knight

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced, scanned or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Dragos Takes a Holiday

  Thea Harrison

  Chapter One

  One evening after a particularly brutal day at work, Dragos leaned against the refrigerator and watched Pia cook dinner.

  They had personal chefs. They could order takeout from any restaurant in New York, but these days, more often than not, Pia chose to cook. Although she was a lifelong dedicated vegan, she had overcome her revulsion for handling meat for his sake. He loved to watch her pore over recipes with her tongue between her teeth, and he enjoyed every meal she cooked for him, which she often set in front of him with an air of triumph and relief.

  After preparing a sirloin roast with carrots and potatoes in one pan, she placed a strange-looking lump in a smaller, separate pan and set vegetables around that too.

  Dragos asked, “What on earth is that?”

  “It’s a vegan harvest roast.”

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry, lover, someone should have taught you this by now. The words ‘vegan’ and ‘roast’ do not go together in the same sentence.” He eyed the unappetizing lump with skepticism. “What’s it made of?”

  Pia glanced at him, amused. “Seitan, different kinds of flour, seeds, soy sauce, seasonings, sometimes nuts…”

  He lost interest after the first ingredient. “In other words, nothing edible.”

  “You might not think it’s edible, but I think it’s delicious.” She wiped her hands on a towel and gave him a cheerful grin. “You’re welcome to try it after it’s cooked.”

  He grinned back. “No thanks, I’ll pass.”

  His grin faded again almost immediately. He’d had a bitch of a day, but every workday was a bitch these days. It had started last year when Dragos had lost two of his seven sentinels to mating with women who lived outside the Wyr demesne.

  This year had not gone any easier. He had finally replaced Rune and Tiago with two new sentinels, but now all the older sentinels needed vacations. As Dragos’s First, Graydon had insisted on going last. By the time Graydon came back from his vacation, Dragos would have been operating short-staffed for more than a year.

  Dragos had a short temper at the best of times. Now he was liable to bite somebody’s head off if they looked at him funny.

  For now, he was glad the day was over. He leaned back against the kitchen counter, still wearing the suit he had put on for work at six thirty that morning.

  Liam had awakened from his nap, and Dragos held him against his shoulder. Even though the baby was three months old, he was growing at an inhumanly quick rate and exhibiting abilities far beyond most babies his age. At his last checkup, Pia’s physician, Dr. Medina, said he had grown twice the size of a three-month-old human baby.

  He could already sit up easily. A few days ago, he had gotten to his hands and knees and rocked. Soon he would be crawling, and he understood far more of what people said than most realized. He was the first ever dragon child, and he was so full of magic his small body glowed with it. Nobody knew what to expect from him, not even Dragos.

  Both father and son watched Pia move around the kitchen. She had used a hot iron and pinned up her hair so that it fell in loose, soft curls of pale gold. Dragos itched to sink his hands into the shining, luxurious mass.

  Post pregnancy, her body had returned to its slim runner’s build, except now her breasts and her hips were slightly fuller. After the first month or so of startled indecision, she had taken to wearing form fitting clothing that accentuated her new curves and drove Dragos wild.

  Tonight she wore a saucy red-and-white halter dress with a tucked-in waist and a flaring, knee-length skirt. Large strawberries splashed bright circles of red on the soft material, accented with a touch of green at the stem. She had painted her toes the same shade of cheerful red and walked around the kitchen barefoot, and Dragos wanted to eat her all up.

  Later, he promised himself. After they put Liam to bed, and the penthouse was shadowed and quiet, Dragos would carry Pia out to the terrace, lay her down on one of the cushioned lounge chairs underneath the stars, and feast on every inch of her delectable body. He would raise that sexy skirt of hers and ease her gorgeous legs apart…

  Liam fussed and knuckled his round little face. Dragos considered the baby with a frown. Normally Liam had a sunny disposition. It was unlike him to be so fussy. His silky tufts of white-blond hair wafted in the air around his head, and his dark violet eyes looked puffy and tired.

  Pia opened the convection-oven door, set in the two roast pans and glanced at Liam too. “I think he’s already teething. He’s had a tough couple of days. He keeps wanting to nurse, and today he’s been fussing and rubbing his face. When I coaxed him to open his mouth earlier, I could see white lines at his gums.”

  “Good.” Dragos patted Liam’s diapered bottom gently. “A dragon needs a healthy set of teeth.”

  Pia widened her eyes at him and grinned. “Yes, of course he needs them, but he’s only three months old!”

  He shrugged. “He’s got quite a bit of growing to do, and he’s going to need a lot of meat. It’s possible his dragon form will end up as big as mine.”

  “He’s not developing so much as he’s exploding into reality.” Pia shook his head. “I guess he’s creating his own definition of normal. We just have to figure out a way to keep up with him.”

  Dragos smiled at her over the baby’s head. “We defeated the Dark Fae King. We can cope with one precocious child.”

  “You always sound so confident.” She walked over to the stainless-steel island where a bottle of red wine stood alongside two wineglasses. Dragos noted with pleasure that she had opened one of his favorites, a Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac that had once in Versailles been dubbed “the King’s wine.”

  “That’s because I am confident.”

  “No doubt you’re right.” She concentrated on pouring the
rich ruby liquid into the glasses. “I think his bunny is in the living room. It might make him feel better. Would you mind getting it?”

  “Of course.” He took the baby down the hall.

  Liam’s bunny was one of those things Dragos didn’t understand. The stuffed toy was floppy, super soft and had big, dark eyes. Liam adored it, although Dragos wasn’t quite sure why. In real life, a bunny that size would barely make an appetizer.

  His iPhone buzzed in his suit pocket. He checked it. Graydon’s name lit up the display. He could leave a message. Dragos pressed the ignore button as he scanned the living room. Most of the spacious area lay in shadows, but a few accent lights remained on. Liam’s bunny lay on one end of the couch. As he strode over to it, a flash of gold caught his eye.

  He turned, his attention sharpening.

  The flash of gold came from the front jacket of a hardcover book. It sat atop a pile of several books on one of the end tables. Absently, Dragos scooped up the soft toy and presented it to Liam. Liam snatched at the bunny and hugged it while he laid his head on Dragos’s chest. Dragos cupped the back of the baby’s soft head, cuddling him, as he strolled over to get a proper look at the cover.

  The book was lavishly decorated in rich, eye-catching colors. A treasure chest sat on a bronze background, underneath the title Missing Treasures of the Seventeenth Century. Old, gold doubloons spilled out of the open lid.

  Dragos flipped open the book. It was from the public library. He read the inside of the jacket. The narrative focused on several European ships that had gone missing on voyages of exploration.

  Pia walked into the living room carrying two glasses of wine. He said, “I don’t know why you keep going to the library instead of buying any book that you want.”

  “Because going to the library is an experience.” Pia set his glass on the end table and curled up at one end of the couch. “It’s a fun outing away from the Tower, Liam enjoys story time and the other babies, and I like supporting the library.”

  While she talked, he made a mental note to write a large check for the public library system. If Pia and Liam enjoyed going, he would make sure the library could provide them with anything they wanted.

  “Why don’t I have this book?” He owned several books about treasure in his own personal library, but he knew he didn’t have this one. He would have remembered the flashy gold cover.

  “You’ve been pretty busy. It came out last November.”

  “Mm.”

  He set it aside and picked up the next one, a large, trade-sized paperback entitled The Lost Elders. This one was decorated with a heavy, glossed cover. He flipped it over to scan the blurb on the back.

  “I don’t have this one either.” He frowned.

  “I think that one came out in March. I’ve skimmed all your books about treasure, and they made me curious, so I only checked out books that you don’t already have.” Pia sipped her wine. “Didn’t you say that you used to hunt for lost treasure?”

  “Yes, I did. Of course, I had a lot more free time in those days.” He hefted the paperback in one hand as his gaze went unfocused. “I remember when this happened.”

  “Really?”

  “It was early in the fifteenth century. Isabeau, the Light Fae Queen in Ireland, and her younger twin sister, Tatiana, had been feuding for several years. Tatiana sent the ship Sebille to scout for a new land where she could settle with her followers. The ship was rumored to have been loaded with gold and all kinds of treasure, so that the captain could negotiate with indigenous people for land rights.”

  “Tatiana… Do you mean the Light Fae Queen in Los Angeles?” Pia asked.

  “Yes.” He set the book down and settled beside her on the couch. Liam had started to chew on one of the bunny’s floppy ears. “Eventually she settled in southern California, but the Sebille disappeared completely, and people have been looking for it ever since. Some even said that Isabeau caught wind of the expedition and sabotaged it, but I doubt that. From everything I’ve heard, Isabeau wanted to get rid of Tatiana as much as Tatiana wanted to leave.”

  Pia slid close to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Warmth filled him, and he put an arm around her as she rubbed Liam’s back. “What do you suppose happened to the Sebille?”

  Dragos thought back. “There were rumors that it sank off the southeastern coast of North America. I wonder if this book goes into more detail.”

  She lifted her head. “You mean it might have gotten lost somewhere around the Bermuda Triangle?”

  “It’s possible, although back then it wasn’t called the Bermuda Triangle.” Unwilling to reach for his glass and disturb either Pia or Liam, he took a sip from her wineglass and handed it back to her. “It was called the Devil’s Triangle, and still is sometimes. The area wasn’t very well understood at the time the ship went missing.”

  “I didn’t know it was that well understood now.”

  He gave into temptation and sank his hand into her soft, luxuriant hair. “It’s unpredictable, which is not quite the same thing. There’s a tangle of crossover passageways all over the area. The routes loop around and over each other, and the shifting ocean currents make most of them virtually impossible to map, although some old legends say that pirates found passageways to Other lands where they lived in secret hideouts.”

  She shuddered. “You could get caught up in one of those passageways and get lost forever.”

  “Yes, theoretically, and it’s possible that the Sebille did just that.” He tilted his head and buried his face in her hair, which was soft like silk and scented with her floral shampoo. “But it’s also not likely, either, because they would have needed to stumble onto the exact path of the crossover passageway. If ships stick to the established shipping lanes, they’re safe enough. Probably the Sebille sank.”

  “Have you been to Bermuda?” She walked her fingers across his chest.

  “No, I’ve only flown over it several times.”

  “Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Caribbean—I’ve never been anywhere like that. I bet they’re beautiful.” She sounded wistful.

  His phone buzzed, and they both sighed. He pulled the phone out of his jacket pocket and checked the display. It was Graydon again. Dragos gritted his teeth. “How long before we eat?”

  They had come to a mutual decision several months ago. Dragos would not take any business or sentinel calls during dinner. Pia told him, “We’ve got at least a half an hour. You have time to take the call.”

  He kissed her forehead, handed Liam over to her, and stood to walk down the hallway as he answered his phone.

  “Sorry to bother you.” Graydon always apologized when he called after work hours.

  “Never mind, what is it?” Dragos asked.

  After listening to a few sentences, he switched direction and walked back into the living room. He met Pia’s gaze. “Would you mind keeping dinner warm for me? I’ll be as quick as I can.”

  She nodded, looking unsurprised. “Of course.”

  He strode out and didn’t make it back until after midnight.

  When he finally returned home, the penthouse lay in deep shadow, except for the kitchen, where a light burned over the stove. Pia had left a note on the counter. Your supper plate is in the fridge. Microwave for three minutes. Love you.

  He smiled. She had never lost patience, no matter how challenging this last year had become. He opened the fridge to locate his supper. She had plated the roast-beef meal beautifully and even garnished it with sprig of parsley.

  Too hungry to wait while the food heated, he ate it cold, standing at the counter. Looking forward to sliding between cool silk sheets, he walked down the hall to the heart of the place, the large bedroom he shared with Pia.

  She had left another light on, her bedside lamp. Wearing dark blue cotton shorts and a thin, matching T-shirt with spaghetti straps, she had tucked her legs underneath the covers and sprawled across the bed on her stomach, fast asleep. The pile of library books lay strewn around her like
abandoned toys. The fingers of her right hand curled around The Lost Elders.

  Moving gently so he didn’t wake her, he stacked the library books on her nightstand. As he leaned to pick up The Lost Elders, the sound of Liam crying came over the baby monitor.

  Pia stirred. “Unh.”

  “Stay where you are,” Dragos whispered. “I’ll take care of him.”

  “You sure?” Her voice was sleep blurred. “You’ve had such a long day.”

  “I’m positive.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Everything is fine. Go back to sleep.”

  He pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder, pulled the bedcovers up and tucked them around her. Still carrying the book, he walked into the nursery.

  The mellow glow from a nightlight lit the room. In the crib, Liam had come up on his hands and knees but sank back a bit, so that he sat like a frog as he cried. Dragos set the book on the side table by the rocking chair and gathered up the baby.

  “What is this?” He kept his voice soft and gentle. “Life is not nearly half as tragic as you think it is.”

  Liam shuddered and hiccupped, blinking up at Dragos with violet eyes that swam with tears. He embodied innocence, his energy so bright, shining and new, and Dragos loved him with a ferocity he had never felt about anything or anyone before, except for Pia.

  “Now, what’s wrong?” Dragos asked. “Is it your mouth?”

  The baby nodded, and his soft face crumpled.

  He nestled Liam against his chest. “I’ll make it better.”

  He walked to the large rocking chair, sat and whispered a beguilement until Liam’s small body relaxed. The baby sucked his thumb for a while and fell asleep as Dragos rocked him.

  Peace settled around Dragos like a warm blanket. He was tired, and he wanted to go to bed. He wanted to block out the rest of the world and make love to Pia. But this quiet, intimate time with his son was too perfect, and it would pass all too soon. He would not be too quick to turn away from moments like this.