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  Dragon Xmas Miracle

  (A Paranormal Romance Xmas Story)

  Maia Starr

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Weredragons Of Tuviso (Sneak Peak)

  Other Books In This Series

  Other Books By Maia Starr

  About the Author

  Exclusive Prequel Offer

  Chapter One

  Amelia

  I ran to my car and tried not to make much noise. The gravel poked at my feet through the fuzzy house slippers I wore. I opened the car door slowly and watched the house to make sure no lights came on. I had been tricked into going with a man who turned out to be a wolf shifter and hadn’t been allowed to leave. The beginning of my nightmares. Once I saw those two pink lines on the test, I knew I had to get away from there somehow. It didn’t matter what the extent I went to were because I knew one damn thing for certain: I wasn’t about to raise an innocent child under the influence of vile wolf shifters. Sure, I had no clue how to parent a baby as a single mother, but I knew anything would be better than risking having it where I was.

  I was a kid when it all began. Only sixteen when the wolves took over. Their escapades had thinned out the female population, and regardless of the outcome, I remained a person who trusted others far more than I ever should have. So, naturally, when Danny asked me to go with him back to his place, it never occurred to me that he might be a wolf. Had I asked enough questions, I might not have been put in this position, but blame it on my youthful gullibility: I fell hook, line, and sinker. I slowly eased the car door closed, holding my breath as I prayed that nobody had heard me. I slid the key into the ignition and turned it over quickly, speeding down the driveway as fast as I could. I made the highway and peeked in the rearview and was surprised to see the coast totally clear. The only worries I had now were cops and speed traps. With my pedal to the metal, I knew I would be breaking speed limits for a while before I felt safe enough to slow the hell down. A shift of lights behind me caused my heart to seize up in my chest. Crap! I knew instantly that it was him behind me, but laying my foot harder on the gas pedal,

  I willed the car to keep moving. Come on, come on! I thought. I knew I couldn’t let him catch up to me. I couldn’t go back there, especially not now. I’d be dead once the baby was born and he would steal my child to raise as a beast. I was determined to get away and find somewhere to hide and enjoy Christmas. Some semblance of normalcy, and I damned well deserved it. I kept going until I crossed the border from North Carolina into South Carolina and stopped at the first hotel I came to: Cedar Pointe Inn. It had been a while since I saw the headlights behind me, but my fears of him finding me had dwindled at this point since there hadn’t been any lights since I took the exit. I walked to the lobby and hit the bell, waiting for someone to check me in.

  “Hello?” a thin elderly man said coming from out of the back office. “Do you have a reservation?” he asked. I shook my head. I hoped I had enough money for a room.

  “No, no reservations. How much is a room?” I asked.

  “Sixty-five dollars a night. You need a single or a double?” he asked.

  “Just a single,” I muttered, pulling out the loose three twenties I had and a crumpled up ten-dollar bill. It was going to be a hard ride, but five bucks was enough for a burger still, wasn’t it?

  “Alright, here ya go.” He handed me a crisp five-dollar bill and a card key, “Room 231. It’s on the second floor,” he added. I smiled and thanked the man as I exited the lobby. A hot shower was the first thing on my mind, and then I’d spend that last five bucks. “’Scuse me,” I said at the door, “Are there any cheap fast food joints around here?”

  “Yeah, we got a Burger King a block down on the right.”

  “Thanks,” I said, allowing the door to shut behind me. I walked up the stairs and looked down at the car. That would be the only indication of my presence, and I wondered if I shouldn’t park it behind the motel, just in case. I jogged up the stairs and unlocked the door to walk in the room. As soon as I stepped over the threshold, a sense of relief washed over my entire body, and I shuddered in response. I flopped on the bed and kicked my slippers off. Those weren’t going to last much longer and already were sopping wet from walking through the parking lot and up the stairs. I glanced at myself in the mirror and shook my head. I looked the part of a morning-sick pregnant woman.

  “Think it’s about time for that shower,” I remarked, standing up and pulling my shirt over my head. My pajama bottoms were quickly shimmied off, and I kicked them toward the dresser as I walked toward the bathroom. It was an average motel room, and the price reflected that. It was clean and smelled decent but had the remnant odor of cigarette smoke lingering from previous occupants. I wondered if he had given me a smoking room and stuck up my nose.

  “Never has bothered me before.” But then again, I had never been pregnant before either. I was going to need a lot of things. Shoes were at the top of the list and complaints about a smelly motel weren’t going to matter in a couple of hours anyway.

  I regretted that I’d ever trusted Danny. He had taken my shoes and burned them, so he could keep me from running. I remember his exact quote the day he did it.

  “Anything you need, I will give to you. Your purpose is to be barefoot and pregnant. You have no reason to leave, and therefore no use for these.” A wicked chuckle had emitted from him when he burnt my shoes, and as odd as it was, it was like burning them was the mark of the loss of my freedom. If I went anywhere, my feet would pay for it, and without healthy feet, I wasn’t going to make it anywhere. At least that was Danny’s thought process. Little did he know I would have run across a barren wasteland of molten lava barefoot if it meant getting away from him. I was exhausted from running, but the thought of bathing myself was more tempting than falling asleep in my soiled clothes. I crossed into the shower and stepped in, the water washing over my shoulders and face as I leaned into the wall. I had forgotten how nice a shower felt, how relaxing and inviting it could be to just sit in the water and enjoy the sensations it caused my body. It didn’t take long for me to feel calm enough to crawl out of the shower and curl up in the bed. Within moments, my tired eyelids fell closed, and I was sleeping as soundly as a baby. Safe. At least for a little while.

  I woke to the sun peeking through the drapes, and I jumped up as panic spread through me. God, I forgot to move the car! I wondered if Danny and his lackeys had found me. I looked out the window but saw that it looked quiet in the parking lot, so I headed to the lobby to check out. Hopefully, they have a continental breakfast. I smiled walking into the breakfast room and noticed the items on the counter but as my eyes ran over the menu, my stomach suddenly lurched, and I felt like I might spew if I put anything in my mouth. I bought a sprite out of the machine and made my way to the car. Time to go. As I passed by the front desk, the woman working motioned me over and took my hand. I felt the money hit my hand as she slid her hand out of mine. “I’ve been in your shoes, honey. Ta
ke this and get you some shoes and clothes. Get you some prenatal vitamins for that baby. I saw how you reacted to the breakfast. I’ve had two kids; I know what you’re feeling. I wish you well, darlin’.”

  I stood there in shock, holding a one-hundred-dollar bill in my hand. Why? She had given me more money than the room itself had cost, and I felt overwhelmed with gratitude. My eyes filled with tears as I thanked her with a hug before leaving. I made my way to the interstate. There was no time to waste, and I wanted to put as much distance between Danny and I as I possibly could. The more miles, the better. I was sure that by now he knew I was pregnant. In my haste, I had forgotten the test on the bathroom counter. There’s no possible way he overlooked that. Especially when it came to scent signature.

  I turned my nose up at the thought and pushed my foot harder on the gas. Get away and just don’t stop. Just keep going. The truth was, I knew he’d stop at nothing to find me, but I couldn’t wait around to let him find me either. I drove deeper into South Carolina. How far could a person go in one day? I was about to push it and find out. I had to protect myself and my baby at all costs. I stopped once I’d been on the road a few hours and bought a new outfit, shoes and prenatal vitamins just like I told the lady I would. Something about her request had to be honored, and the vitamins weren’t really that much. I got back on the road and drove a few more hours before stopping to get something to eat. I didn’t quite understand it but eating later in the day seemed to sit better with my stomach and made driving easier. I ate quickly and got back on the road, not wanting to waste much time. Who knew how much of a lead I actually had on him or where he might turn up next. But, fate decided that the weather would take a turn for the worst and the sky opened up to dump a heavy downpour. My wipers blasted across the windshield clearing raindrops and smearing the water back across the glass. It made visibility damn near impossible. Panic entered my chest when I saw the rise of headlights breaking the horizon behind me. Instantly, I knew who it was. Danny, no! I let out a scream as I pushed the pedal all the way to the floor and frantically began changing lanes. Get away, faster, faster! I felt like the paranoid rabbit with the wolf quite literally in pursuit. Jesus, why wouldn’t he just give it the hell up?

  The rain started to come down harder as I sped away from him. He made it hard for me to get away as he flawlessly changed lanes when I did and stayed right behind me. I almost felt like he was enjoying intimidating me. I knew I had to do something to get away from him or he was going to catch me. I couldn’t let that happen. I would not let that happen! I saw an exit ahead, and without thinking, I jerked the car into the other lane. I hadn’t noticed the car coming up beside me in the other lane, and that car clipped me as I slid over. The car turned sideways, and that’s when the other car smashed into the passenger side of mine and pushed me down the road a bit. I realized it was one of Danny’s pack members, and I turned the wheel to the right, and it caused the car to break free of the other car and go down the road normally again.

  I tried once again to switch lanes to take the upcoming exit, but once again the other car was there, only this time, when he hit me, my car flipped several times. I heard the glass shatter as all the windows broke, and I shielded my stomach as the car turned over and over. I hoped the baby would be okay. I felt the car start to roll downhill, and I tried to brace myself, but I couldn’t hold onto anything. Thankfully, the airbags had deployed, so my head wasn’t getting slammed too hard. The car finally came to rest on its top at the bottom of the ravine, and I tried to undo the seatbelt. I pushed the button down and pulled on the belt. The more I tried, the more stuck it felt.

  I had gotten the seatbelt broke free and had landed on the roof of the car when I heard voices and footsteps coming closer. I tried to stay conscious, but I faded in and out several times. Before I faded out completely, I heard what sounded like wing flutters and the growling of wolves. I tried to hold my eyes open, so I could see what was happening, but as I heard the roar of something unfamiliar, I faded out completely.

  I woke to the sun shining in my face and the sound of the breeze moving through the trees. I sat up slowly and groaned from the soreness. I appeared to be in a hut of some sort; my clothes had been removed and a white nightgown took their place. I jumped out of bed, groaning at the pain it caused. I searched frantically for my things and found them in a chair across from the bed. I quickly dressed and took my vitamin. As I dropped the bottle back in my bag, there was a knock on the door. I opened the door to find a tall, rugged-looking man standing on the porch.

  “Can I help you, sir?” I smiled as I tried not to let my fear show. He raked his hand through his tousled blond hair. I felt nervous but not knowing where I was; I decided to be sociable.

  “Hello, ma’am, my name is Kellan. I found you on the road last night. I, um think you may have had a car accident. Your car was pretty roughed up. I brought you here so that you could rest. I hope you had a nice sleep. Is there anything I can get for you?” I smiled and stepped aside so he could come inside.

  “I am fine, thanks.” I shifted and looked around the room nervously. “Is this your home?” I didn’t know what to say but figured showing some gratitude might go a long way and added, “I really appreciate your help. Thank you so much.”

  My eyes never moved from his the entire time we talked. I watched his mouth as he spoke, and thoughts of kissing his perfect lips fluttered through my head. I scolded myself for having such thoughts, but it continued happening as he talked. His ocean blue eyes sparkled when he smiled, and my heart melted every time. I thanked him again for his help and told him that I would leave as soon as I could figure out what happened to my car. He looked sad, and I didn’t know if it was because I wanted to leave or because of what he needed to tell me.

  “You are more than welcome. I mean, I couldn’t just leave you there,” he trailed his words. “Although, I’m afraid you won’t be able to go anywhere with that car. It is totaled. You are lucky you got out of it with minor scrapes and bruises. I was a little worried you might have some internal damage,” he added. “If you do not want to stay here in my hut with me, I can arrange for you to stay with someone else.” I was shocked that he thought I didn’t want to stay. I had no idea where I was, but it was nicer than anywhere I had ever been. I knew I had to let him know the reason why I ran, but I didn’t want him to know about the baby. If I told him about the baby, he might not want me to stay. Most guys didn’t want to take care of another dude’s kid as far as I knew. He continued talking, and I realized I had been standing, staring at him for longer than I should have without saying a word.

  “I am running from a wolf shifter that kidnapped me. I managed to get away, but he found me, and that is why I wrecked my car last night.” I blurted it out before I knew what hit me and watched Kellan’s face to gauge his reaction as I spoke. I was surprised to see concern spread across his face. He shook his head as he spoke.

  “No, if you’ve got that sort of trouble, the best thing for you to do is to stay here. I will protect you to the best of my ability.” He spoke with such sincerity, I believed he would do it.

  “Well, I guess I could stay here. I have no place to be, anyway.” The smile that stretched across his face warmed my heart. This handsome young man might very well be the Christmas miracle I had hoped for.

  Kellan brought me to the table and we had a lovely breakfast. Afterward, he gave me a brief tour of his hut, and I found it to be more luxurious than I first anticipated. Lavish even. By the time we finished the tour, it was time for lunch, and my stomach was already growling with hunger. I watched him as he prepared the food and couldn’t take my eyes off him as we ate. He was the most beautiful man I had laid eyes on, and even though I still didn’t know where I was, being with him put me to ease and I didn’t care.

  Chapter Two

  Kellan

  I watched her as she ate her lunch but didn’t want to give her the creeper vibe, so I did my best to seem like I wasn’t staring. I was. How
could I not be? She was the most beautiful woman I had seen. Her hair was the perfect shade of raven black and hung to her waist with a flowing cascade that framed her sun-kissed face. And her smile was like radiating pearls, decadent and enchanting. She was a masterpiece of a woman, and I felt blessed to have her eating in my hut, and I knew I had to do whatever it took to keep her safe. I just wasn’t sure I should tell her what I was. With everything she had confessed about the wolf shifters, I wasn’t sure how she would take it. It couldn’t have been an easy thing being kept by those beasts, and I knew that our kind wouldn’t be much easier. It just didn’t seem like the right time to admit to that secret.

  The island I had brought her to was Dragon Island—aptly named because it is occupied by dragons. Occupied by myself and other dragon shifters, all male and in need of a mate. I can’t say that I didn’t have an ulterior motive for picking her up, because I did, but when I saw the wolves had surrounded her lifeless body, I knew I had to step in. I was thankful that she was still alive and only knocked unconscious by the impact of the crash. I needed a mate, and when I saw her, I hoped she’d become mine.

  I watched her mouth as she talked and smiled and imagined what it would feel like to kiss her perfect lips and feel them against mine. Unwelcomed fantasies filled my mind, but how could they not? She was the picture of beauty, and I scolded myself for having thoughts like that because I had only just met her. Though deep down, I knew there was something special about her. Fate had crossed our paths, and that had to count for something, right? I knew I was going to have to hide her from the rest of the clan or I would become enemy number one. Females were scarce because of the wolves and their violent escapades, and whenever an unclaimed female was made known to the clan, there was always a fight to claim her. I knew she would elicit the same response and I worried about the outcome that might have on her. Especially after the wolves.