Tangled in Tinsel Page 5

  “Please exit the dragon using the steps provided and thank you for flying Dragon Guard Airlines. We hope you’ll travel with us again real soon.” Simon chuckled. “And hopefully next time the ‘Pilot’ won’t try to give us all heart attacks.”

  “Amen,” Ginger groaned at the same time that Candy moaned, “Imma gonna toss me cookies.”

  Ignoring the commentary on his flying skills, Chance returned to his human form as soon as Simon’s feet hit the ground beside the longest talon on his right foot. Barreling through the forest, following the scent of his fire and the caterwauling of those he’d trapped, the emerald dragon slid to a stop beside a ring of smoldering leaves and grass, completely devoid of the two idiots who’d dared to touch his mate.

  Opening his senses wide, the Guardsman caught sight of the shining beacon of light connecting him to his mate. Holding his breath and praying for the best, Chance called out, “Belle? Bell, are you there?”

  Closing his eyes, focusing all his magic and that of his dragon’s on the bond he shared with his fairy, the Guardsman demanded, “Dammit Belle, answer me. Are you alright?”

  The words had barely floated out of his mind his sassy Christmas Fairy responded, “Oh yeah. It’s great here. Couldn’t be better. Thinkin’ about buying property.”

  So thankful to hear her voice, Chance blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Really? You’re okay?”

  Immediately regretting his question, but unable to stop the grin that crossed his face as Belle began to rant, the Guardsman was soon chuckling while his mate fumed, “Of course, I’m not okay, Dragon Breath. I’m tied up in recycled tinsel, all the blood is rushing to my head, and I’m being forced to listen to Cordelia’s version of ‘Over the River and Through the Woods to the Strip Club We Go’. Does that sound like fun to you?”

  “Name’s Chance, not Dragon Breath and, no, not at all. Just hold on, I’m on my way,” he quickly answered, working hard to keep the levity from his voice, but knowing he’d failed miserably as Belle added with a growl, “Good. Now Chance,” she emphasized his name, making his smile widen. “Stop laughing at me and wipe that smirk from your face, before I do something we’ll both regret.”

  “Is that a threat or a promise?” Chance teased, letting just a few of the images he had floating through his brain of the couple together pass from his mind to hers.

  Smiling at Belle’s surprised gasp, the Guardsman barked with laughter as his feisty mate quickly countered, “Oh, baby, after those visions, it’s a promise you can take to the bank.”

  Chapter Nine

  “I thought you weren’t into dragons,” Lizzie snorted, a knowing look on her face and mischief in her eyes. “From your expression, I know for sure it’s not sugar plums that are dancing in that crazy little brain of yours. I’m guessing it’s a naked dragon, with gorgeous emerald eyes, and you two are doing the Horizontal Mambo.”

  “Really? You want to talk about my love life now? And what in all the fairy dust in the world is the Horizontal Mambo?”

  “Well, we are just hangin’ around.” Lizzie giggled when Belle added, “Ba-da-cha. Nice comeback, Don Rickles.”

  “Come on, spill. I need something to take my mind off this throbbing headache. I seriously wish Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum would at least turn us right-side up.” Lizzie curled out her bottom lip to pout before going on, “And…you know darned good and well what the Horizontal Mambo is. Don’t play coy with me, Belle Angelica. I have been your friend way too long for your innocent act.” Blowing out a long breath, she added, “At least Cordelia has stopped singing, and Ellis has stopped leering at you. That guy makes my skin crawl, and he wouldn’t even give me a second look.”

  “Yeah, definite positives to this situation, but they don’t help me reach my spare bag of fairy dust, and your hands are still tied behind your back. We might as well be regular old humans for all we can do, and ya’ know how that pisses me off. I really hate being helpless.”

  “Who is Ellis?” Chance’s snarl made her smile.

  “A guy I used to date who just happens to be Cordelia’s husband. So, chill, Dragon Man, I only dated him for a week about a million years ago and I never even held his hand. I was young and rebellious. Wanted to piss off my parents, ya’ know what I mean? The fairy folk don’t take kindly to pure breeds spending time with half-breeds.”

  “Yeah, well, let’s keep it that way.”

  “Jealous?” Belle couldn’t help but chuckle. She could feel Chance’s emotions through their ever-growing mating bond, and had to admit, it felt pretty damn good to know just the mention of another guy made him all surly and impersonating the green-eyed monster.

  “Yes.” His answer was bold and brash and set the Christmas Fairy’s heart a twitter.

  “Good. Now hurry up.”

  “Aye, aye, mo chroí.”

  Cutting off the mental communication with her mate, ginning that he’s called her his heart, Belle shook her head to hide her smile as Lizzie accused, “You’re talking to him again, aren’t you? I can tell from that shit-eatin’ grin on your face and the twinkle in your eye. There’s no use to try and deny it.” Winking, despite their situation, the witch’s tone softened as she teased, “You’re in lurve, and you don’t even know him.”

  “I am most certainly not in love,” Belle huffed. “Maybe a little bit of lust, a touch flattered that he fancies me, but there’s no way I’m in love. Like you said, I don’t even know the guy.” She paused then quickly added, “And he’s a dragon for Tink’s sake, not even in the zip code as a fairy.”

  “Yeah, a hot, hunky, fire-breathing dreamboat of a dragon, who’s got you all tied up in your wings, my friend.”

  “Whatever,” Belle scoffed. “He’s here and on his way to help, and for most that would be a big deal. But, you know I can’t stand all that damsel-in-distress bullshit. So…”

  “So, we’re gonna find our own way to escape. You’re gonna kick Ellis’ ass, and your boy-toy can save the reindeer and the sleigh, but only if he gets here before you do it yourself.”

  “Awe, isn’t that sweet? You know me so well.”

  “Yeah, and I also know what happens when you have a plan.” Lizzie rolled her eyes, stopping as she looked up at the hook her feet where her feet were secured. “We end up in a mess bigger and infinitely more dangerous than where we started.”

  “Oh, ye of little faith. At least this time we’re not depending on my mom to save us.”

  “True,” Lizzie snorted. “That never ends well for either of us.”

  “If I could just reach…” Belle couldn’t finish her sentence as Ellis and Cordelia popped into view, singing some really messed up version of Jingle Bells.

  “Oh, look dearest, Belle and her little playmate are still hanging out.”

  Ellis’ sneer made Belle see red, almost as much as his pun, forcing her to threaten, “Just wait til I get outta this frikkin’ tinsel. I swear to Morgan la Fey, I’m gonna see you locked up in Tipperary for what you’ve done. The Goddess knows why you aren’t there now. You always have been, and always will be a rotten piece of work.”

  Stepping forward and waving a crooked, nearly rotted piece of elderberry wood that he called a wand, Ellis spat, “Teacht chun cinn,” a second before Belle was flipped upright and flew across the room, the tip of her nose nearly touching Ellis’. “What did you say? What was that again?”

  She barely saw the flick of his wand before the tinsel around her neck began to tighten. Struggling to breathe as she worked to get her right hand into her pocket and grab a bit of fairy dust, Belle’s vision began to blur as she gasped for air.

  “Stop! Stop right now!” Lizzie’s wail was cut off as Cordelia flicked her fingers and sighed, “Shut up, Witch.”

  Belle could only imagine what the crazed Caroling Angel had done to her best friend, but unfortunately had problems of her own to contend with as her bastard ex continued to tighten the garland around her neck. Touching the satin bag holding her dust and w
ishing she hadn’t forgotten her wand, the tip of her fingers touched the enchanted powder just as Ellis tsked, “Now, now, we’ll have none of that and the pouch with her fairy dust flew through the air, landing at the bastard’s feet.”

  Grabbing her face with his spindly fingers, his jagged nails cutting into her cheek, the abomination spat, “I tried to be nice. To be hospitable. To be a good host. But, as usual, you took advantage of my kindness. And for that, you and your little friend shall pay.”

  “W-W-Whatev-v-er,” Belle stammered, barely able to remain conscious from lack of oxygen. “Y-Y-You…alw-w-ways…always w-w-were a…b-bb-lowhard.”

  Squeezing tighter, cutting deeper into her throat at Ellis’ mystical command, the tinsel sliced through her skin. Lifting his free hand, the abomination ran his index finger through the blood dripping off her chin, looked lovingly at the bright red hemoglobin painting his digit and then, with an evil smirk donning his lips, stuck the finger into his mouth while making grotesque sucking noises and horrible moans.

  Humming in satisfaction, the bastard sighed, “I feel stronger already. I can only imagine what will happen if I drink all your blood.”

  With her vision now a tiny point of light, Belle refused to let Ellis win as she whispered, “I-I-I’ll s-s-see…y-y-you…dead.”

  “You first, my dear,” Ellis smirked, licking up the side of her face as everything went black.

  Chapter Ten

  “She should be right here.” Chance looked right, then left, then spun around facing Simon. “This spot right here.” He pointed at the ground beneath his feet with so much gusto it felt like his arm was a few inches longer than when he started. “This is where the trail ends.”

  “And ye are a Guardsman?” Ginger scoffed, flipping her long, red ponytail over her tiny shoulder. “Even I kin tell that them bogeys took our Belle thata way.” She pointed towards the East.

  “No, yer wrong, Gingie, as usual.” Candy swatted at her sister as she corrected, “Them whats took our girl went to the West. I kin smell the taint of that blasted abomination. Ellis, from here.”

  “Hush,” Chance snapped, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end as the taint of stale fruitcake and rancid hot-buttered rum invaded his senses. “Go, go, go,” he hissed, scooping both the gnomes up and racing to take cover behind a huge, overgrown patch of holly, with Simon and Mrs. Claus on his heels.

  “Put me down you brute!” Ginger’s small fists beat on one side of his chest while the pointed toes of Candy’s shoes battered his thighs.

  Immediately planting their feet on the ground as soon as he knew they couldn’t be seen, Chance knelt down, slapped his hands over their mouths and through gritted teeth growled, “ Do not bite me, and shut the hell up.” Leaning forward he whispered, “Cordelia is coming,” with a backward nod of his head.

  Their eyes grew to the size of small saucers as both of the gnomes frantically nodded in agreement. Pulling his hands from their mouths, the Guardsman spun on his toes and inched forward. Taking his spot next to Simon who was peering through the tangled mess of knotty twigs and gnarled leaves he asked, “See anything?” Directly into the silverback’s mind.

  “See for yourself. I think you were right.”

  Watching closely as the Caroler Angel and Belle’s ex, came strolling up hand-in-hand, stopping near an overgrown stump still decorated with the faded remnants of a Christmas long past, Chance held his breath when the couple whispered something in Latin. The air filled with the foul stench of rotted wood and burnt evergreen. Sparks of olive green and blood-red popped and crackled on his skin like a swarm of mosquitos searching for a taste.

  Cordelia let go of her husband’s hand, raised her arms in the air, said the same foreign phrase, only a little louder and with more gusto the second time, and poof! a rundown cottage appeared. It was easy to see that once upon a time the little house had been very nice, but in its present condition Chance had to wonder if it could withstand even the wispiest of winds.

  Brittle boughs of what used to be evergreen limbs but were now kindling and in some cases toothpicks, hung in bits and pieces from the gutters. Faded tinsel and drab green cords with broken and missing lights dangled from what was left of a railing around a crumbling and rotted front porch.

  A brisk breeze blew through the forest, rustling the withering decorations and bringing with it the arousing scent of peppermint, pine, and gingerbread. “I knew she was here,” Chance gruffly whispered, watching as Cordelia and Ellis entered the shack.

  “I never doubted you for a second, my boy,” Mrs. Claus patted his shoulder.

  “I’m glad ye found her, but if ye e’er carry me like a football again, I’ll fer sure be turning you into a slug,” Ginger grumbled as Candy added, “And I’ll be givin’ ye warts.”

  Ignoring the gnomes and nodding to Mrs. Claus, Chance ordered, “Stay here with the girls, Simon. I’m gonna get a better look at the back. If there’s another way in, we can come at them from both sides and get Belle and Lizzie out, before we dispose of Ellis and Cordelia.”

  “Good plan. Be safe,” Simon quickly responded, his eyes trained on the cottage.

  Standing up, Chance ran as fast as his feet would carry him, using every ounce of the enhanced speed he’d been given by the Universe. Racing around the perimeter of the shack, he slid to a stop behind a gnarled, tangled bramble not fifty feet from a boarded-up back door, Belle’s scent and the snarl of his dragon pushing him to act without regard to his own safety.

  Taking a deep breath, he exhaled, letting all the anxiety and rage flow from his body. He’d seen in Belle’s mind that she’d only severed their communication for fear that her captors would be able to track him as well, but the dragon had skills his little mate had yet to discover.

  Pulling from Dafydd’s magic, Chance wrapped his words in a bubble of magical silence as he called to his fairy.

  “Belle.”

  Waiting for a few seconds, his unease rising with the pounding of his heart, the Guardsman repeated, “Belle?” Then added, “Belle, talk to me.”

  Pushing more of Dafydd’s pure, white dragon magic through the bond he shared with his fairy, Chance willed her to answer as his requests became demands and he barked, “Dammit, Belle. Answer me. I’m about to come in there dragon a blazin’, and I can’t tell where you are.”

  “Just go,” Daffyd commanded. “Once we break the barrier of the dirty magic, we’ll know where she is.”

  “Not if they use her and Lizzie as shields. I have no idea how powerful a fairy/goblin is, but if it’s even close to the crap Cordelia can summon up, I’m not willing to take that chance with Belle’s life.”

  “So, yer just goin’ ta leave her in there?” Candy burst into Chance’s mind, closely followed by Ginger shrieking, “Get yer arse in there, ya daft lizard. Our Belle needs a savin’.”

  Shaking with fury, wondering how the gnomes highjacked his mental conversation with the Dragon King while trying to block everyone our and focus on Belle, the Guardsman’s lungs caught fire. Struggling to breathe, agony radiated from his neck, his vision blurred and as he gagged and sputtered, Chance dropped to his knees.

  Scratching at his neck, fighting to release the invisible garrote threatening his very life, a wave of dragon magic washed over the Guardsman, a split-second before the noose was magically untied. Inhaling deeply, filling his lungs with much-needed oxygen, a vision of Belle, her face bright red as she fought to breathe flashed wildly in his mind.

  Realizing it was his fairy who was suffocating and seeing by whose hand she suffered, Chance jumped to his feet, flying over the brambles like an Olympic hurdler. Roaring, “Belle,” as he crashed through the boards covering the back door, the emerald dragon landed with a loud roar right in front of a shocked and frightened Cordelia.

  Wrapping his hand around the crazy Carolers neck and lifting her feet from the floor, Chance squeezed as tight as he could, watching her struggle to get free as he snarled at her husband. “Stand down
, Ellis, or by Santa’s beard, I swear I’ll snap your wife’s neck.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Sweet, beautiful life-affirming air whooshed over Belle’s lips, down her raspy throat, filling her lungs with oxygen as her eyes popped open and she blinked furiously trying to clear her vision. Shaking her head and blinking again, sure she was still unconscious, the Christmas Fairy could not believe her eyes. There, standing between her and Ellis was Chance, holding Cordelia by the neck and looking like a fierce warrior as he roared, “What’s it gonna be, Asshat?”

  I should feel bad for Cordelia. Should be telling Chance to put her down, but I just can’t help thinking she’s getting what she deserves and…I have a great view of his butt…

  “Stop gawking at your mate’s ass and untie my hands,” Lizzie whispered through gritted teeth. “I owe Ellis a swift kick to the ba…”

  Whatever the witch was about to say was obliterated by the cacophony of screaming gnomes, shattering glass, splintering wood, the roar of a huge mountain of a man with short black hair, and Mrs. Claus shrieking as she brandished an oversized candy cane like it was a tommy gun.

  “Let our Belle go,” Ginger demanded, pointing at Ellis’ knee as bright green sparks shot from her the tip of her index finger.

  At the same time, Candy wailed, “Unhand our girl, ye horrible beastie,” with red sparkles bursting from her hands and threatening the half-goblin’s opposite knee.

  Not to be left out was the man who stood at least seven-feet tall, with hands that had transformed into that of a silverback gorilla and whose teeth had elongated into huge canines making his already deep voice low and grumbly as he bellowed, “Let the girls go, and I’ll spare your life.”

  Last but not least, and thankfully waiting until she was the only one talking, Mrs. Claus shoved the tip of her candy cane under Ellis’ chin, leaned forward until her face was mere inches from his, and threatened, “You know better you insolent brat. Release the girls and take your punishment like a man.”