Blizzard Bound Ch 1.
Hello, my friends! Welcome to a hidden page on my website. You are the first to read the first chapter of Blizzard Bound, my contribution to the Christmas Kisses Zodiac Shifters short story collection. Here is chapter 1 featuring Danae and Aramond. Enjoy!
Aramond tightened his grip on the ax. A bead of perspiration ran over his brow, as much an indication of his frustration as his exertion. With a final heave, he brought the steel blade down. The tip connected with its target and the old stump broke apart, scattering wood chips into the air. One landed on his shoulder. He brushed it off, and the small shaving caught the moonlight as it slid to the ground.
He leaned the ax against the woodpile and evaluated his work. The stack of fresh-cut pine would heat Danae’s home for at a least a month. As he inhaled, pride from his accomplishment expanded deep inside, but the brief respite didn’t last. The frustration that brought him to the woodpile returned in an instant.
Tomorrow was the winter solstice, an important celebration for all Lemurian warriors. As a newly bonded male, he should provide a special gift to his mate, Danae, to honor his goddess Alora and his home planet of Lemuria, but he didn’t have a clue what to get her.
His gaze drew to the old house with its gabled roof and wrap-around porch. Victorian in style, the home, along with Danae’s tarot card and palm reading business, was an ideal cover for the safe house where rogue warriors obtained a meal and rested before returning to battle. Aramond spent most of his time patrolling the area around the home and along the Keep’s borders, protecting both from their enemy, the Gossum.
A growl burst from his throat, and the urge to shift rippled under his skin. His panther wanted free to roam the night and guard his territory.
The hinges on the front door squeaked. Mental note…oil that.
Danae emerged onto the large porch. Dressed in a tight sweater and a pair of blue jeans that hugged her generous hips, she carried herself with an air of authority. Beautiful beyond compare, her long, dark hair gleamed in the light and warmth reflected in her deep brown eyes.
Her current client, Amelia, joined his mate on the top step, her gray hair curling around her ears. With a gentleness Aramond knew so well, Danae tugged the older woman into a quick embrace. His chest expanded on a soft growl, love for his mate filling him.
An old Chevy Impala from an era gone by drove up the long driveway. The engine’s rumble matched the purr reverberating in Aramond’s chest, and a bout of respect for the owner trickled along his nerves. Jeremy, Amelia’s grandson, parked the car alongside the row of trimmed rosebushes, killed the engine, and emerged from the vehicle.
“Hey, Aramond.” Jeremy raised his hand, and light from the porch cast his profile in relief.
Despite the darkness, Aramond, with his panther night vision, noted the worry lines around the male’s eyes. He strode across the grass and extended his hand. “Hello, Jeremy. Nice to see you again.”
Jeremy gripped Aramond’s palm and shook his hand. “Amelia so loves to see Danae.”
“The feeling is mutual, I assure you. Danae adores her favorite patron.”
“Jeremy, come help an old lady.” Amelia raised her cane, and the polished wooden handle reflected the lamplight with an eerie glow.
Jeremy gave Aramond a chagrinned smile then bounded up the steps. Amelia wrapped her fingers in the crook of his arm.
“Thank you, so much, for a wonderful reading.” Amelia smiled, but a tiredness reflected in her eyes.
I wonder what the tarot cards said to her this time. The elderly lady wasn’t in good health and her time on Earth wasn’t long.
Danae trailed her fingers down Amelia’s arm and gripped her hand. “It’s always a pleasure to see you. Next week at the usual time?”
“Of course, my dear. As long as the forecasted snow melts by then.” Amelia’s attention drew to the dark sky. “Storm’s a brewing. We’re supposed to receive a couple of feet tonight. Ah, well. Jeremy, take me home.” Amelia offered her a quick nod then tightened her grip on her grandson’s arm.
Danae peered at Aramond. Anguish for the elder female reflected in her gaze, and he wanted to wipe away her pain, do whatever it took to make his mate smile again. He curled his hand into a fist, frustration coalescing into a tight ball in his stomach.
“See you inside?” Danae’s sweet voice teased his ears.
He nodded. “In a minute.”
Danae retreated into the house, closing the door on a soft squeak.
Amelia curled her finger at Aramond, encouraging him to approach.
Confusion swirled in his gut. He rarely talked to clients without Danae around. As he approached the porch, Amelia and Jeremy descended the stairs, meeting him halfway.
“Come closer, Aramond,” Amelia beckoned.
He took a step forward until her sweet, overpowering perfume washed over him. A tickle started at the back of his throat, and he bit back a cough. “What can I do for you?”
She wrapped her fingers around his arm, her grasp tighter than he’d thought possible given her age. “Do you have a Christmas present for Danae?”
He swallowed hard. Lemurians didn’t celebrate the human tradition of Christmas, but the Christian holiday was close to the winter solstice. He ran his hand through his hair and hedged. “Not yet.”
“Oh, good.” A spark lit up her eyes. “I have a suggestion, if you want to hear it.”
He inhaled, his heartbeat picking up speed. “Yes, please. I’m at a loss.”
“I noticed her tarot cards are a bit frayed at the ends. Perhaps a new deck would be a good gift.”
Aramond’s breath caught in his throat. “That’s an excellent idea.” Before she could say another word, he tugged her forward and wrapped her in his embrace, careful not to injure her.
“You’re very welcome. The Book Nook in Port Townsend has a beautiful gilded deck. I’m sure she’d love it.” She gripped his hand and placed something thin and papery in his palm.
Two twenty dollar bills gleamed in the moonlight. “I can’t take these.” He pushed the money toward her, but she held up her hand.
“Consider that payment for the wood you cut and delivered to my place last week. It’s the least I could do.” Her smile lit up her eyes.
Aramond swallowed, unable to speak. As a warrior, he didn’t have much human money, and the cash would allow him to purchase the perfect set of tarot cards for Danae. The only problem, he’d have to run all the way to Port Townsend and leave Danae unprotected. His gut twisted.
Jeremy tugged his grandmother toward the car. “Grandma, we should go. You shouldn’t tire yourself—”
She whacked him on the thigh with her cane, but took a step forward. “All right, sonny boy. I’m coming.”
Jeremy raised an eyebrow. “Hey, Aramond, if I don’t see you in the next few days, Merry Christmas.”
Aramond nodded, grateful for Amelia’s gift. “You, too. May the winter season bring you much joy and happiness.”
As Jeremy helped Amelia into the classic Chevy, Aramond glanced through the old Victorian’s picture window. The home’s interior light silhouetted Danae’s beautiful hourglass figure. Warmth, along with a deep-seated conviction, swelled Aramond’s chest. Snow or no snow, he’d find his mate the best gilded tarot cards Port Townsend had to offer.
He leaned the ax against the woodpile and evaluated his work. The stack of fresh-cut pine would heat Danae’s home for at a least a month. As he inhaled, pride from his accomplishment expanded deep inside, but the brief respite didn’t last. The frustration that brought him to the woodpile returned in an instant.
Tomorrow was the winter solstice, an important celebration for all Lemurian warriors. As a newly bonded male, he should provide a special gift to his mate, Danae, to honor his goddess Alora and his home planet of Lemuria, but he didn’t have a clue what to get her.
His gaze drew to the old house with its gabled roof and wrap-around porch. Victorian in style, the home, along with Danae’s tarot card and palm reading business, was an ideal cover for the safe house where rogue warriors obtained a meal and rested before returning to battle. Aramond spent most of his time patrolling the area around the home and along the Keep’s borders, protecting both from their enemy, the Gossum.
A growl burst from his throat, and the urge to shift rippled under his skin. His panther wanted free to roam the night and guard his territory.
The hinges on the front door squeaked. Mental note…oil that.
Danae emerged onto the large porch. Dressed in a tight sweater and a pair of blue jeans that hugged her generous hips, she carried herself with an air of authority. Beautiful beyond compare, her long, dark hair gleamed in the light and warmth reflected in her deep brown eyes.
Her current client, Amelia, joined his mate on the top step, her gray hair curling around her ears. With a gentleness Aramond knew so well, Danae tugged the older woman into a quick embrace. His chest expanded on a soft growl, love for his mate filling him.
An old Chevy Impala from an era gone by drove up the long driveway. The engine’s rumble matched the purr reverberating in Aramond’s chest, and a bout of respect for the owner trickled along his nerves. Jeremy, Amelia’s grandson, parked the car alongside the row of trimmed rosebushes, killed the engine, and emerged from the vehicle.
“Hey, Aramond.” Jeremy raised his hand, and light from the porch cast his profile in relief.
Despite the darkness, Aramond, with his panther night vision, noted the worry lines around the male’s eyes. He strode across the grass and extended his hand. “Hello, Jeremy. Nice to see you again.”
Jeremy gripped Aramond’s palm and shook his hand. “Amelia so loves to see Danae.”
“The feeling is mutual, I assure you. Danae adores her favorite patron.”
“Jeremy, come help an old lady.” Amelia raised her cane, and the polished wooden handle reflected the lamplight with an eerie glow.
Jeremy gave Aramond a chagrinned smile then bounded up the steps. Amelia wrapped her fingers in the crook of his arm.
“Thank you, so much, for a wonderful reading.” Amelia smiled, but a tiredness reflected in her eyes.
I wonder what the tarot cards said to her this time. The elderly lady wasn’t in good health and her time on Earth wasn’t long.
Danae trailed her fingers down Amelia’s arm and gripped her hand. “It’s always a pleasure to see you. Next week at the usual time?”
“Of course, my dear. As long as the forecasted snow melts by then.” Amelia’s attention drew to the dark sky. “Storm’s a brewing. We’re supposed to receive a couple of feet tonight. Ah, well. Jeremy, take me home.” Amelia offered her a quick nod then tightened her grip on her grandson’s arm.
Danae peered at Aramond. Anguish for the elder female reflected in her gaze, and he wanted to wipe away her pain, do whatever it took to make his mate smile again. He curled his hand into a fist, frustration coalescing into a tight ball in his stomach.
“See you inside?” Danae’s sweet voice teased his ears.
He nodded. “In a minute.”
Danae retreated into the house, closing the door on a soft squeak.
Amelia curled her finger at Aramond, encouraging him to approach.
Confusion swirled in his gut. He rarely talked to clients without Danae around. As he approached the porch, Amelia and Jeremy descended the stairs, meeting him halfway.
“Come closer, Aramond,” Amelia beckoned.
He took a step forward until her sweet, overpowering perfume washed over him. A tickle started at the back of his throat, and he bit back a cough. “What can I do for you?”
She wrapped her fingers around his arm, her grasp tighter than he’d thought possible given her age. “Do you have a Christmas present for Danae?”
He swallowed hard. Lemurians didn’t celebrate the human tradition of Christmas, but the Christian holiday was close to the winter solstice. He ran his hand through his hair and hedged. “Not yet.”
“Oh, good.” A spark lit up her eyes. “I have a suggestion, if you want to hear it.”
He inhaled, his heartbeat picking up speed. “Yes, please. I’m at a loss.”
“I noticed her tarot cards are a bit frayed at the ends. Perhaps a new deck would be a good gift.”
Aramond’s breath caught in his throat. “That’s an excellent idea.” Before she could say another word, he tugged her forward and wrapped her in his embrace, careful not to injure her.
“You’re very welcome. The Book Nook in Port Townsend has a beautiful gilded deck. I’m sure she’d love it.” She gripped his hand and placed something thin and papery in his palm.
Two twenty dollar bills gleamed in the moonlight. “I can’t take these.” He pushed the money toward her, but she held up her hand.
“Consider that payment for the wood you cut and delivered to my place last week. It’s the least I could do.” Her smile lit up her eyes.
Aramond swallowed, unable to speak. As a warrior, he didn’t have much human money, and the cash would allow him to purchase the perfect set of tarot cards for Danae. The only problem, he’d have to run all the way to Port Townsend and leave Danae unprotected. His gut twisted.
Jeremy tugged his grandmother toward the car. “Grandma, we should go. You shouldn’t tire yourself—”
She whacked him on the thigh with her cane, but took a step forward. “All right, sonny boy. I’m coming.”
Jeremy raised an eyebrow. “Hey, Aramond, if I don’t see you in the next few days, Merry Christmas.”
Aramond nodded, grateful for Amelia’s gift. “You, too. May the winter season bring you much joy and happiness.”
As Jeremy helped Amelia into the classic Chevy, Aramond glanced through the old Victorian’s picture window. The home’s interior light silhouetted Danae’s beautiful hourglass figure. Warmth, along with a deep-seated conviction, swelled Aramond’s chest. Snow or no snow, he’d find his mate the best gilded tarot cards Port Townsend had to offer.
Can't wait to read more? Perfect! Christmas Kisses featuring Blizzard Bound releases December 17th. Look for an upcoming newsletter with a link to the free book.
Hugs! Rosalie
Hugs! Rosalie