What could he be about to say?

  Her mind instantly started to work on overtime, and in what could have only been a maximum of three seconds she had already thought of many possible scenarios…

  He was actually married to Nora’s mom, and she was coming back… or, he didn’t want to commit right now and therefore last night had been fun but it wouldn’t be happening again… or, he felt as if things were becoming too complicated and he was going to have to fire her…

  Amelia’s heart was pounding out of her chest and she was wracked with nerves.

  When he finally reached over and took hold of her hands, she felt a rush of electricity rocket between them again and it made her calm. She looked into his eyes and saw a fire burning in them slowly and gently and it was as if she had been put into a trance. She was completely at ease and her nerves were vanishing.

  “I have a secret,” Dash said cautiously. “But after last night, and after all that I have been feeling with you, I need to tell you before we can truly go any further.”

  “Okay,” she said, urging him to continue.

  “This is going to feel like a lot,” he said. “But after our conversation last night about Misty Vale and all the legends that swirl around this town, I hope that is may make it a little easier to digest.”

  Amelia looked into his eyes and saw the fire burning brightly right in the center, as if it were a part of him. Her pulse thumped harder and she felt as if she were on the verge of understanding something. She thought of the way she was when he was around, as if they were already joined from the moment they had met.

  “I told you there were legends of vampires and fairies and men who could turn themselves into animals…” he said slowly.

  Amelia nodded, her eyes wide.

  “It isn’t myth or just legend,” he said. “They truly do exist… right here in Misty Vale. Throughout the entire world in fact… but here, we have a concentrated group of the paranormal… and well…” he took a deep breath and sighed. “I am part of it.”

  As soon as he had said it, she knew it was all coming together. Ideas were forming in her mind, and connections were being made. The heat that powered through him, the animalistic nature that seemed to take him over, the power and the poise he held at all times unless she and he were locked in a moment of lust. There was something else running through his veins, something so powerful she had yet to experience it… but she wanted to. She wanted to know it all.

  “I’m a dragon shifter Amelia,” Dash said, breaking her mad thoughts. “I can turn into a dragon.”

  She felt stunned into silence.

  A dragon shifter? She had never heard of one of those.

  Werewolves, yes… but a dragon?

  She seemed to lean back slightly, and she exhaled. She felt as if she had been holding her breath for an hour, and suddenly with the revelation of his words, it was as if she finally dared to again.

  A DRAGON SHIFTER.

  She paused and looked into his eyes. She could see he was searching her expression for an answer and she didn’t know what the hell to say.

  “The fire in your eyes, I’ve seen it…” was all she could manage. “And I feel the heat on you. Last night it went into me.”

  Dash nodded.

  “What did you do to me?” she asked, barely daring to hear the answer. Would she turn into a dragon now too? Or had he just given her some of his power?

  “I loved you,” he said. “Since the moment we set eyes on each other something powerful happened between us, you must have felt it?”

  “I did,” she said.

  She wasn’t afraid, but her mind was scrambled. This was a lot to take in, he was right about that one.

  “When my kind find the person that they are meant to be with, their fated and on true mate, something happens. It’s called imprinting.”

  Amelia was sure she had heard that term somewhere before, maybe in romance book she had read or on television, but she had never in her wildest dreams thought it was something that could be real. And yet, here she was experiencing it first-hand.

  “Our souls connected that day outside the B&B when you had just arrived in town,” he continued. “One look, one meet of our eyes, one brief touch, that was all it took, and it set something off. A chain of events that would be impossible to break or overcome.”

  “Wow…” she whispered, her mind was being blown, but it all made perfect sense. She had been able to feel his gaze on her ever since that moment outside when he had almost knocked her over, and she had thought about nothing but him since. He had come into her mind and dominated her thoughts, she had dreamt about it, longed for him, been brought closer to him by what seemed like fate. And now, she had given part of her body to him, and also her heart.

  “We are meant to be together,” Dash said. “But for us to truly be together, I wanted you to know what I was and why this was happening. It is a lot to take in… and for us to be together properly, for our bodies to be joined, it’s a big step.”

  She felt herself blush a little at the thought of her making love with a dragon. A man who had that beast hidden inside of him.

  “Are you dangerous?” she asked.

  “No,” he smiled. “Well, not to you.”

  She felt a wave of relief.

  “But I am powerful, and for me to claim you… when we are together on that level, it is a life changing experience, one that will seal us together for the rest of time.”

  She was so confused, and yet at the same time it was all making perfect sense. Her mind was blown, and this was not what she had been expecting when she had met Dash and come to Misty Vale, and yet she was being swept up in it and she was enjoying every second.

  “I’m your protector now,” Dash said as he squeezed her hand tightly in reassurance. “I’ll always know if you are in danger or any trouble, and I can be there in a heartbeat right by your side.”

  She smiled and looked deeply into his eyes.

  “This is all so… magic…” she said breathlessly.

  “It is,” he said. “But it is real… very, very real.”

  She nodded and let him come closer to her, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up against his chest. Knowing that he had a dragon beneath his skin, lurking somewhere and ready to break free was as exciting as it was terrifying. But she knew she could handle it. Dash was right, this was something bigger than fear or excitement. Their bond and their connection were out of this world, it was something neither of them could have predicted and neither of them could now deny.

  She looked up into his eyes and saw the glint of fire there, the special part of him that made him oh so very different, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He leaned in and kissed her, and knowing what he was now, she felt herself give herself over to him truly. Their kiss felt deeper and more passionate, as if now that the secret had been told, they would be able to move forward without apprehension or fear.

  She felt as if she knew the true him, the real him, and it made her even more unable to understand how and why Nora’s mother had walked out on them. But it was clear that he could never have had a connection like this with her. This was something that only happened once in a lifetime.

  When their kiss ended, she smiled and they just held each other, standing there in the middle of the kitchen, embraced, and falling completely in love.

  It had been the most unexpected development in their relationship for her, and yet it was one that was so right. For her, she had always had an open mind and she knew she was the right person to move forward and take this in her stride.

  Dash, her dragon… she felt like the luckiest woman in the world.

  Chapter 12

  The golf resort was busy later that day as Dash, Amelia and Nora stepped inside.

  It was a hive of activity, one that Dash was very proud of and that he and his family had spent a lot of money, time and passion making something special for Misty Vale. He watched as Amelia took it all in, he knew that this place was something else, and it was an impressive feeling as you first walked through the door.

  Dash showed them all through to the club room and they took a table overlooking the green. Some golfers were still out there in the distance with their carts and caddy’s, and Dash felt the urge himself to head out and hit the fairway, but that would have to wait. He had much more important things to attend to. Amelia for one.

  “Kids club is opening in five minutes,” Dash said as he looked at his watch. “Why don’t we let Amelia sit here and I take you over?”

  “Are you sure?” Amelia asked.

  He could see that she looked a little worried, as if she thought she should be the one running around after Nora, and while she was still the nanny, Dash wanted her to know that he didn’t want her to feel that way. He was her father and he wanted them to just be there together as a three as well.

  Dash winked at her and took Nora’s hand as he walked out of the club room and toward the entrance of Kid’s Club. He looked back over his shoulder as he went and looked at Amelia as she stared out at the green and he felt a real surge of adoration for her. It felt so good to have her here at one of the main hubs of his life, where his family and business collided on such a grand level.

  Once Nora was safely dropped off to spend the next couple of hours playing, crafting and doing sports, Dash made his way back to Amelia and found her sitting almost exactly like she hadn’t moved a muscle, in a trance, looking out over part of the green.

  “I’ve never played golf,” she said as he sat back down, letting her concentration be broken. “How far does the course go?”

  “It goes on for miles,” Dash smiled. “It’s so big, out in every direction, but when you walk around the full course it’s a damned good days exercise,” he laughed.

  “The view is so stunning too, with the mountains in the background,” she smiled. “Really spectacular.”

  “When we made the decision to develop this section of land, that was one of the main things we wanted to make sure we kept, the incredible view from right here,” he said as he pointed his finger down on the table. “We knew this clubhouse had to be extra special, with the open aspects and all the glass.”

  “It certainly has the wow factor,” she smiled.

  “I just wish everyone in town appreciated it,” he said.

  “What do you mean? How could they not?” Amelia cocked her head to the side.

  Dash leaned in a little across the table and lowered his voice. There were plenty of people in the club room both dining and socializing, but he wanted to make sure he wasn’t heard in any way.

  “Well, with regards to what I told you earlier, with the legends…”

  Amelia nodded.

  “There aren’t just dragons, vampires and fairies…” he said. “There’s also a bear family, and over the years I guess things between my pack and theirs haven’t always been peaceful.”

  “Oh really?” Amelia asked, her eyebrows going up high. “Tell me more.”

  Dash smiled and laughed.

  “The bears are not very much like us,” he continued. “They don’t go in for all this kind of thing. Their businesses haven’t been as lucrative as ours, shall we say, and I think they believe part of the reason for that is because of something that happened a long, long time ago. Back in the first years of the town being founded.”

  “And they’re still bothered?” Amelia asked with confusion.

  “This is a small town,” Dash said with a shrug. “And we have two very different types of animal here… I mean, bears and dragons…”

  Amelia nodded, it was clear she hadn’t really thought of the full implications.

  “At the moment, things are peaceful enough, but I don’t know… I feel as if something may be brewing. As if it would only take one small thing to set off a war.”

  “Jesus,” she looked worried, and Dash felt the need to reassure her…

  “I mean, this is just the way things are. I guess a bit like two gangs who don’t often see eye to eye, but like I say, we tend to keep out of each other’s way, and then we can all coexist without too much trouble.”

  Amelia nodded. He could tell that she understood.

  “And what about these vampires and fairies?” she asked excitedly. “Do I need to be looking over my shoulder at night? Avoiding certain places after dark? I mean a vampire sounds pretty scary!”

  Dash smiled and shook his head.

  “The vampire we have here is one of the good guys… but his brother… well, he wasn’t. He spent some time terrorizing a town a couple of hundred miles from here called Bridge Hollow. But we won’t get into that.”

  “And the fairy?” she asked.

  “The fairy…” Dash thought for a moment. “Well, I don’t know a whole lot about her. There is only one as far as I know, and it’s the lady who runs the magic shop on Main Street.”

  “A magic shop?” Amelia sat forward with an excited look. “I don’t think I’ve seen that place yet.”

  “Oh, it’s there, you just need to know where to look,” Dash winked. “I think she fronts it as a quirky gift store… but once you’re inside, there is magic to be found.”

  He said it ominously and with fun, and Amelia laughed.

  “She’s been here for over a hundred years,” he said. “And she’s barely aged. She only looks to be in her early forties now.”

  “Wow,” Amelia said. “That is incredible.”

  “I told you Misty Vale was full of secrets and surprises,” Dash smiled.

  “I’m starting to truly understand that,” she agreed.

  He reached over and took hold of her hand, and at the exact same time he noticed over her shoulder that Striker and Zane, two of his fellow dragon brothers, had walked in.

  “Well,” Dash smiled. “Two of my brothers have just arrived and I would love for you to meet them.”

  He had told them little about Amelia, but he knew that they would both be able to tell that he had imprinted on her and that she was his. He had let them know he was hiring a nanny to look after their niece Nora, but he knew his brothers, and the second they saw Amelia and the way Dash was with her, they were going to know that she was something special.

  He wondered how they would respond to the revelation, and he felt quite excited by it.

  “Brother,” Zane said as he approached the table and held out his arm and hand.

  Dash rose to his feet and the pair gripped their fists together and then came in for an embrace.

  “My brother,” Dash said.

  He greeted Striker too, and then he stood back and watched as their eyes travelled down to Amelia before they went straight back up to Dash.

  “And who is this?” Striker asked with a warm smile.

  Amelia looked nervous, and Dash had to admit it would likely be a lot for her to take in. She had learned a lot today, and suddenly she was being thrown into the deep end with three powerful dragon brothers.

  “Hello,” she smiled, as she held out her hand. “I’m Amelia.”

  Dash was impressed, she could certainly hold her own and not look phased. She was continuing to surprise him and surpass expectations.

  Striker smiled and shook her hand and when his skin connected with hers, Dash instantly saw the look of understanding and recognition spread out across his face. He could sense from touching Amelia’s skin that she had been imprinted on. That she was taken, and Striker looked at Dash with wide eyes and smiled.

  “Amelia,” he said, still holding Dash’s stare. “It is an absolute pleasure to meet you.”

  Dash felt proud, and as if he had something over them now. Both Striker and Zane had yet to find their other halves, they were still waiting for a lightning bolt to strike them and for their lives to be changed. Even if neither of them would admit it.

  “Amelia,” Zane said as he reached out and shook her hand.

  Zane’s eyes flicked up instantly to meet Dash’s and he smirked.

  “Well, well, well…” he said. “I wasn’t expecting any of this today.”

  “You know me,” Dash said. “I’m full of surprises.”

  He watched Amelia shift uncomfortably in her seat, as if she didn’t understand what was happening and it brought him back into the moment with her. Of course, she was going to be confused, and he didn’t want her to feel weird about it.

  “Why don’t you join us,” Dash said. “Nora is in Kid’s Club and we were just about to have a drink.”

  “Well we would,” Striker said. “But really we have a lot going on, we hoped we would find you here and be able to catch you quick.”

  “Okay,” Dash said, his nerves momentarily rising. He could tell that something was wrong, and he wanted to know immediately. He looked down at Amelia to check that she was doing okay, but she looked calm and at ease, eagerly listening to what was about to be said.

  “These bikers that have been spotted around town,” Striker began. “We did some digging and we’ve found out who they are. They’re from further west, a group called the Forsaken Riders. It looks like they’ve come to town with an interest in the Oktoberfest that is happening in a few weeks’ time.”

  Now this was interesting.

  Dash cocked his head to the side and listened.

  “We don’t know yet what they’re planning, if anything at all, but obviously a gang sniffing around our town isn’t something we want to ignore. I think it’s best that we stay on top of the situation.”

  Dash nodded.

  “Most certainly,” he said. “Do we know what they’re doing here so far?”

  “No,” Zane said, interjecting. “But I have reason to believe that they have been spotted with some of the bears. As if maybe they know them already or they are just getting to know them now.”

  “The bears organize the Oktoberfest,” Dash said. “Could it be business related?”

  “Sure,” Striker said with a shrug. “But do we really want a gang coming into our town and starting up business alliances with the bears?”

  This was a predicament, they didn’t want the bears gaining any beneficial business deals over them, it just wouldn’t be good for the dragons in any way. They needed to get a handle on all of this and fast.