The Hellhound's Un-Christmas Miracle - Zoe Chant Page 0,78
this shift, and I don’t want to introduce myself to your friends in my birthday suit…*
He tried to keep his feelings under control, but a tendril slithered out along the mate bond.
Sheena paused. *Wait, you’re seriously worried about this, aren’t you? What’s wrong?* She yanked on the mate bond, and Fleance had a sudden vision of her pulling it up to her eyes and inspecting it. *Tell me what’s the matter, and I’ll—*
A booming echo replaced her voice in his mind, all he could hear of what was her hellsheep no doubt making terrible threats. The opposite of what he needed. He hurried out of the car.
*Cole, Ruby,* he called warningly. *I’m over here!*
*It’s cool, I see you!* Cole yelled back, flying in the wrong direction. *In the woods!*
*No, I’m back here, on the—* On the road. His brain seized. Was he really about to ask two shifted dragonlings to meet him on the main road into town? What if one of Pine Valley’s human residents drove past?
Before he could unfreeze, Ruby barreled into Cole in midair and they both dropped down through the canopy. A shriek cut through the air. Fleance broke through his fears and ran.
His hellhound bristled beneath his skin, half desperate to break out and run faster towards Sheena and the dragonlings, half cringing with guilt and misery with the knowledge that that would make him seem like more of a threat.
Ahead of him, branches cracked. Smoke billowed. Shrill dragonling voices shrieked and roared. He burst through into the clearing that his pack sense told him was where Sheena was, expecting the worst, and found—
Sheena laughing in delight. Smoke puffed out of her mouth. *You’re a lot smaller than I thought dragons would be,* she said to Cole, who was standing in front of her, jaw hanging open. *And YOU’RE even smaller!* she added, craning her neck to look at the tiny bright-red dragon clinging to her back.
*You’re not Flea,* Cole said, shrinking down.
Sheena laughed. *No, I’m Sheena! I’m a hellsheep shifter! What’s your name?*
*Umm…* Cole murmured, but Ruby jumped up, wings spread wide and tail whipping back and forth. Fleance’s chest relaxed. Sure, Cole had gone suddenly shy, but he wasn’t freaking out. Maybe this wasn’t going to be a disaster after all.
*CAN BREAV FIRE!* Ruby crowed, and demonstrated.
Or maybe it still was, he thought, as a nearby bush caught fire.
*WOW! WHAT A POWERFUL DRAGON!* Sheena boomed. *Er, I mean, oh dear! That’s very cool but very unsafe, too! Fleance!*
Fleance ran over as she tried to stomp out the fire.
*Flea!* Cole piped up happily. *I thought I saw you but it was this lady instead!*
“What are you two doing this far down the mountain?” Fleance asked, half-distracted as he helped Sheena stamp on the flames.
*Um…* Cole said again, twiddling his foreclaws innocently.
*Oh, sh—sheesh. Fleance, this isn’t working!* Sheena’s voice was tight. *Look!*
She stomped on a burning branch—and it caught fire more.
*It’s my hellsheep!* Sheena all but wailed. *It thinks this is FUN!*
*BIG FIRE!* Ruby chirped, and belched out another fireball from her seat on Sheena’s back. Sheena spun round and made the fire bigger as she tried to squash it.
*Oh, come ON, hellsheep!* she yelled.
A shadow passed over the clearing and the hairs on the back of Fleance’s neck stood on end.
*Some help here, Fleance!* Sheena called out, half-laughing. He barely heard her. *Oh, sh—*
Oh no, Fleance’s hellhound muttered. Fleance was already tense; now he felt like his bones were about to crack under the strain. What?
They’re here…
*More dragons!* Sheena squeaked. *More… bigger dragons! Oh, God, Fleance, I hope no one but you heard that.*
The whole Heartwell clan was there. Cole’s parents: Opal, with her shining iridescent scales, and Hank, who was classic dragon green. Jasper Heartwell, Opal’s brother and Ruby’s father, had scales the same multitude of colors as his gemstone namesake, shimmering oranges and reds and browns. The three dragons folded their wings and landed, twining their long, sinuous bodies between the trees without disturbing a single branch.
*Hey, kiddos,* Jasper said, and Ruby trilled with excitement. She leaped off Sheena’s back and flapped towards her dad, who caught her in one clawed hand. *Having fun, firecracker? Who are your new friends?*
Movement at the corner of Fleance’s eye made him twitch around. He put a warning hand on Sheena’s hellsheep’s shoulder.
Shadows were pouring through the trees. They resolved into three hellhounds. Rhys was wiry and thin, Manu pure tank, and Caine was all alpha, twice the size of the others. Fleance’s pack—except not anymore.