Kelos: Spring (Shifter Seasons Book 4) Read online

  She also could not wait to see the look on Margie’s and the children’s faces when they saw Fabian. Amber had called Margie this morning and told her there was no news, but they were working on it. However, she hadn’t called again to say they were on their way home with Fabian.

  Kelos slowed, his control incredible as he hovered above the small clearing from where they had set off only a couple of days ago. Then he dropped, his large talons splayed as he landed gently on the ground. The dragon rocked forward but kept his balance as he compensated for the two people on his back before tucking his wings into his sides and crouching down.

  “This is our stop.” Amber tapped Fabian on the shoulder and then slid her leg behind her. With her hands flat against the dragon’s shoulder, she slid down to land on his foreleg before jumping to the ground. “Come on.”

  She beckoned to Fabian who stared down at her for a moment before copying her moves. Clumsily he landed on the ground next to her, his hands outstretched as he reached out to grab hold of her arm. Amber gripped his upper arms and stopped him from face-planting on the forest floor. He’d survived Ostabell, there was no way Amber was going to let her brother injure himself now.

  “That was wild.” Fabian righted himself and a grin spread across his face. “I just rode on the back of a dragon.”

  “You only just realized that?” Amber asked with a laugh as her brother turned around to look at the huge fire-breathing beast.

  “I was too terrified when I was on his back to let my brain compute.” He tapped the side of his head. “But now…” The dragon lowered his head and puffed smoke at Fabian. “Thanks. For the ride.”

  He reached out his hand and touched the dragon who slowly began to fade from the world.

  “Incredible, isn’t he?” Amber waited expectantly for her man to appear in place of the dragon.

  “He is.” Fabian glanced sideways at his sister. “He risked a lot for me. For you.”

  “He did.” Amber nodded. “You’re all part of his family now. He wants to protect us all.”

  “As a man, I should say I can take care of myself…” Fabian paused. “But as a husband and a father, I am eternally grateful.”

  “You are welcome.” Kelos stood before them and Amber rushed forward into his open arms.

  “It’s good to be home.” Her lips skimmed his. “Shall we go and reunite Fabian and his family?”

  “Yes.” Kelos kept his arm around her shoulders as they ducked under the trees and made their way down the trail to the cabin.

  As they neared the cabin, the door opened, and the silhouette of a man was framed by the light from the kitchen.

  “I’m glad Joey was here for them,” Amber told Kelos. “If only we could find him a mate.”

  Kelos tightened his arm around her shoulders. “I wish he could know what it’s like to finally find his soul mate.”

  “I know I’ve found mine,” Fabian stated as he rushed forward.

  Margie appeared behind Joey, who stood to the side when Fabian ran toward his wife. “Fabian? Is that you?” She took a faltering step forward and stopped, peering into the darkness.

  “Margie!” Fabian ran across the back yard. “I’m here.”

  Kelos grinned broadly and glanced down at Amber. “A happy ending.”

  “For now, at least.” Amber’s eyes glittered with tears. “Let’s hope for Fabian’s sake that Ostabell leaves the family alone now.”

  “There’s no point in him pursuing Fabian. The guy is going to jail for murder.” Kelos stopped walking and looked down at her. “And if he does cause trouble, I would be happy to carry him off into the mountains and deposit him where he would never be found again.”

  Amber’s eyes widened. “Murder?”

  Kelos chuckled. “No, I would deposit him safely on the ground. But the chances of him getting out alive would be slim. But if he did, he would be a changed man. A brush with death often gives a person a new perspective on life.”

  “And love.” Amber nodded toward Margie and Fabian who had been joined by Lauren and Elliot. “I think this will make them stronger.”

  “You’re back.” Joey sauntered over to them, his hands thrust in his pockets.

  “We are.” Kelos clapped his friend on the back. “Thank you for watching over Margie and the kids.”

  Joey shrugged. “I enjoyed it. We finished your porch and began ripping out the rotted timber on the back wall of the cabin.”

  “Are you okay?” Amber asked.

  “Yeah.” He glanced over his shoulder at Fabian and his family. “The last couple of days have just shown me how much I’d love a family of my own.” He held up his hands. “Not that I have been inappropriate in any way with Margie. I would prefer a woman who is a little less high maintenance.”

  Amber laughed. “And I am certain you will find her.”

  “I’m going to get going.” Joey thumbed toward the house. “I’ll grab my stuff. And we’ll catch up tomorrow. I’d like to hear the full story.”

  “Thanks, Joey.” Amber sighed and leaned into Kelos as Lauren and Elliot broke free of their mom and dad and rushed toward Joey.

  “You’re going?” Elliot asked.

  “I am. I’ll come back in a couple of days and we’ll take that hike into the mountains,” Joey told them as he reached the house. “Be good.”

  “We will,” Lauren called before she turned around and went back to her dad.

  “We need to find that man a mate,” Amber said sadly.

  “It’s not that easy,” Kelos reminded her. “Believe me, I’ve waited for a very long time.”

  “And was I worth the wait?” Amber asked as she flung her arms around Kelos’s neck.

  “Every single second.” He lowered his head and kissed her.

  The dragon shifter had finally found the woman of his dreams. But Amber was more than a dream. This was their reality and they would share it together. Forever.

  Epilogue

  “That’s the last nail.” Kelos twirled his hammer in the air and caught it before inserting it into his tool belt.

  “Just in time.” Amber put her hands on her hips as she surveyed the finished cabin.

  “Did you doubt me?” Kelos swung around and caught her in his arms.

  “Not for a second.” She tilted her head back and cupped his face in her hands. “I love you, Kelos. Nearly as much as I love this house.”

  He chuckled and his hand slipped down to cover her belly. “I love you more than anything.”

  She sighed. “I suppose I do love you more than anything, too. Although, that might change once this little one arrives.”

  “I can take it,” he said lightly as his lips brushed hers.

  As his hands caressed her body through her thin cotton dress, she longed to take hold of his hand and drag him upstairs, past the newly decorated living room, and into the bedroom they shared. But they had guests due to arrive at any moment for their official house finishing party.

  “We should get ready for our guests.” Amber was in no hurry to leave his arms.

  “We should.” He brushed her hair back from her shoulder and lowered his head to kiss her neck. “But you are just too tempting.”

  “Later.” She kissed his cheek and pulled away from him, catching hold of his hands and pulling him after her. “This is the first time Joanna is visiting us and I’d like to make a good impression. If she hadn’t helped us…”

  “Okay, I get it.” Kelos kissed her cheek. “I’m sure glad she did help us out. Otherwise, this house would still be unfinished, and we would still be sleeping on the sofa.”

  “Was that so bad?” Amber teased.

  “Not bad at all,” Kelos mused. “I remember one particularly pleasurable evening…”

  “Not in front of the baby.” Amber placed her hands over her belly as they reached the kitchen door.

  However, before they went inside, Kelos raised his head, alert to an approaching car. Not that Amber could hear it herself, but she’d lea
rned to read her mate’s actions.

  “Who is it?” she asked.

  “Martha and Hex.” A small smile spread across his face. “And the baby.”

  “They’re early.” Amber glanced nervously toward the kitchen door. “It’s a good thing I have most of the food ready.”

  “Come on, let’s go and meet them.” Kelos inclined his head toward the front of the house.

  “You just want to see the baby.” Amber smothered a smile. She’d never met a man who was quite so broody. Her love for him grew a little more as he half turned and winked at her.

  “I need to get in some practice for when our little one is born.” Kelos hesitated and turned to face her. “You are sure you aren’t overdoing it today with the party?”

  “I’m sure,” she told him. “Anyway, I thought we were going to tell everyone about the baby today.”

  “We are.” His eyes lit up with anticipation. “I can’t wait.”

  “Hello!” Martha called as the car stopped outside the cabin.

  “Hi there.” Kelos and Amber went around the side of the house.

  “Martha insisted on coming early,” Hex told them and received an eyeroll from his wife.

  “That’s because we have something to ask you.” Martha opened the rear passenger door and reached inside. When she straightened up, she held baby Evangeline in her arms.

  “You do?” Kelos asked as he was drawn to the small baby who was no more than a couple of weeks old.

  “Yes, we do, and we wanted to ask you both while we were alone.” Martha kissed Evangeline on the forehead. “We wanted to ask you…” Her cheeks flushed pink as she hesitated.

  “You can ask us anything,” Kelos told Martha gently.

  “We wanted to ask you if you would be Evangeline’s godparents. We’ve asked Beck and Mac, but we also wanted someone outside of the family and you seemed to be the perfect choice.” Martha shook her head. “Of course, we would not be offended if you say no.”

  “We’d be honored.” Kelos glanced at Amber, checking that he was saying the right thing since he was answering for both of them.

  “We would be honored,” Amber confirmed. She hadn’t had a chance to get to know Martha as well as she’d have liked, but since their children would be born close together, Amber intended to rectify that.

  “And we have some news of our own…” Kelos glanced at his mate once more. They had agreed to make an announcement once everyone was here, but it seemed appropriate to tell Hex and Martha.

  Martha grinned broadly. “I think I can guess but tell us anyway.”

  “We are pregnant.” Kelos almost burst at the seams with pride.

  “Congratulations.” Hex hugged Amber and then Kelos.

  “This is so exciting,” Martha squealed and kissed them both on the cheek while she held her baby in her arms. “It’s all worked out for you, dragon.”

  “It has,” he agreed.

  “I think it’s all worked out for all of us,” Amber said but then she frowned. “Except for Joey.”

  “That man needs a mate,” Hex agreed. “Although, until that happens, we are going to make use of his offer to babysit.”

  “You’ll have to get in line, from what Margie says,” Amber joked. “Joey takes Lauren and Elliot out over the mountains, teaching them about the world around them.”

  “How are they settling down in Bear Creek?” Martha asked as they walked around to the back yard where tables and chairs were set out for the guests.

  “They love it here,” Amber admitted. She’d had reservations when her brother decided to move here but they had embraced the town and bought a house of their own that needed work. Margie, it seemed, had found her calling and was planning on setting up an interior design business once their own home was finished.

  “Who wouldn’t?” Kelos asked.

  “Does that mean you are here to stay?” Hex asked. “No more wandering off to explore the world?”

  “For now,” Kelos confirmed. “Until our children are old enough to ride on their father’s back.”

  “Children?” Martha asked. “So, there’ll be more than one little dragon shifter?”

  “We hope so,” Amber confirmed. “But we’re going to leave that up to fate.”

  “But the world needs more dragons,” Kelos said.

  “I could not agree more.” Amber sighed in contentment as she imagined their children exploring the mountains on the back of a dragon.

  This was their world, this was their home, and this was where they belonged.

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