ICE DRAGON’S HOLIDAYS

BY AVA WARD

A Royal Dragon Shifters of Morocco CHRISTMAS NOVELLA

CHAPTER THREE – DINNER

Layla was all smiles as she watched everyone pass dishes around her dining table, exclaiming at everything. Though people praised her spread, she passed all compliments on to Adrian, who beamed as he tried to be modest. 

She’d wound up at the side of the long table between Dusk and Adrian, with Luke, Rikyava, and her human friends opposite. Rhennic, Rake, and Arron created a close-knit group at the end of the table, and Rhennic roared with laughter as Arron said something funny, passing the green beans. 

As everyone’s plates filled, Reginald rose with effortless grace from where he’d naturally settled at the head of the table. He unfurled his Siren magics in a wave as he raised his eggnog, quieting the table.

“I’d like to make a toast.” Reginald said as he surveyed those gathered. “Winter Solstice—or Christmas as we celebrate tonight rather than Yule in the Twilight Realm—is a time of reflection on the past year and looking ahead to the next. One of the most challenging and rewarding years of my life has been this past year. Meeting Layla and joining the Bind has changed everything. I sum it up like this: I have a family at last. Looking at you all, I see beloved faces. Because of Layla, I feel like I belong in the world now—I fit. We have all come together tonight to celebrate this belonging. And I am glad to help welcome her into her new house—and hope it brings centuries of joy.”

“This house probably won’t last centuries, but thank you.” Layla beamed as she raised her glass. “Love you.”

“I love you too, Layla Price.” Reginald beamed back, before glancing at Luke beside him. “Would you like to say anything?”

“Sure.” Pushing up from the table, Luke lifted his glass as he held Rikyava’s hand, giving a toast that was short and thankful without a trace of his Storm Dragon anger. 

Rikyava and Layla’s human friends went next, followed by a tremendously thoughtful speech from Rhennic, a sweet Buddhist prayer from Rake, and a ribald joke from Arron that made everyone crack up. It was suddenly Dusk’s turn, and as he rose, he beamed down at Layla, twining her fingers in his before gazing around with a cheeky eyebrow lift.

“You were all naughty this year.” Dusk said as chuckles erupted around the table. “But Santa still came. I, however, appreciate your naughtiness and am all set to encourage far more in the coming year. But really, you are the best adopted family a man could wish for. That’s all, because I’m eager to get to the food. And the desserts, which I made far too many of. You’re next, Layla.” Dusk lifted his eyebrows at her and sat. “Toast?”

“Sure.” Rising, she glanced around the table, feeling love so full in her heart as Adrian stroked her low back and Dusk kept his fingers twined in hers. It was almost perfect, though Layla had a momentary melancholy Fury was not there. She had other beloved friends at the Paris Hotel and elsewhere now, thanks to her new Dragon life, but these were her core group.

It made Layla’s heart clench as a lovely orange-bourbon scent flooded from her. 

“I’m just… so grateful for all of you.” She said as she watched each of them. “I’m grateful I have a human life still, plus my new Dragon one. I’m thankful those worlds are blending, and that I don’t have to give anyone up. So, here’s to a fabulously human-Twilight Christmas. There is no place I’d rather be. My home is here; right here with all of you. And it’s awesome.”

“Totally.” Dusk’s eyes shone at Layla’s speech as everyone spoke up in agreement. As she glanced at Adrian, he rose, lifting his glass for the last toast. 

“I feel like I know all of you,” Adrian said as he gazed around. “Yet there’s so much more to learn. Like Reginald, this is the first time I’ve had a sense of family. I had a wonderful mother and Layla’s mother was like a beloved aunt; obviously, Dusk has been a pain in my ass all my life, and I love my Moroccan clan. But now… I’m grateful for all of you. And that’s the real reason I overdid it on the meal. Enjoy, and I hope this good food brings you all as much joy as you bring me.”

Suddenly, there was nothing left to say; making eye contact, Layla’s friends and lovers clinked glasses as they half-rose from their seats. As they drank, Layla felt a deep wave of Rake’s amazing energy flood them—heightening every color, smell, and taste of their amazing meal. As everyone laughed, digging into their food with gusto at the way Rake’s magic elevated them, Layla grinned hugely as a feeling of blessing moved through her. The meal was amazing, and Layla kissed Adrian in thanks before she sampled Dusk’s delights and kissed him, too.

It was almost perfect.

“Luke, how’s your new house up on Capitol Hill?” Adrian opened the conversation around the table. 

“Dude, it’s awesome, dawg!” Rikyava said with a mouthful of turkey before Luke could. “It’s this ginormous early 1900s thing that had been all divided up into apartments, awful. Luke’s restoring it to its original format—fucking cool details, all that. I’m truly in awe at what he can do, though the whole place kinda looks like a wrecking ball hit it right now.”

“I didn’t know you were into restoration, Luke.” Dusk raised his eyebrows as Layla did the same. This was news she had never known about Luke.

“My grandfather taught me a lot before he died, actually.” Luke was sad now, his original house up on Capitol Hill gifted to him by his deceased grandfather. It was an empty lot now after Hunter destroyed it, waiting for development. “I was always so busy and broke, I could never do the house justice. Now, thanks to you Adrian, Layla, and my very nice pay from the Twilight Hospital system, I can afford to buy something with good bones and truly make it shine.”

“It’s a fucking mansion, Layla.” Arron said from the end of the table with a knowing grin. “I mean, your house is cabin-chic, but Luke’s house is going to be splendiferous. We’re doing Christmas there next year.”

“Done.” Layla laughed as she glanced at her human friends. “But it won’t be the same without us all living together anymore.”

“Living together was fine,” Arron laughed back, “but my penthouse apartment on the Hill is way better for man-friends. Celia’s living in an artsy loft two streets down, so chica and I get together for lunch, right?”

“Right! I have so much space to do my paintings and installations now, Layla. You need to come see it!” Celia nodded, pushing her chunky glasses up her button nose. “That place is so big, I’m going to convert part into a gallery. Since I’ve been able to be so wildly creative, I’ve actually sold a ton of pieces. Weirdly, the Mermaids of Seattle love my stuff and have bought a bunch for their coastal restaurants. Word is spreading, and I’m selling to Mermaids in L.A., London, and Tokyo. So cool. I love the Twilight Realm, and I’m planning to go down to Sydney to talk with restaurateurs there and do custom pieces.”

“That’s amazing!” Layla said, loving that her friends had connections now in the Twilight Realm, given travel documents by the Intercessoria to pass back and forth between Realms. “Charlie, what about you?”

“I got a bigger boat after selling my last one.” Charlie grinned almost sheepishly as he curried his Adonis-blond curls back from his face. “It’s a seaworthy yacht. Fury and I talked before he left on his jaunt, and I got the mariner’s bug. I want to travel around the world.”

“Charlie called me asking about Siren modifications for his boat so it’ll be strong in the worst weather, Layla, and travel further with less fuel.” Reginald chimed in as he ate, glancing at Charlie. “I’ve insisted he take mariner’s lessons with a local master, a Pacific Northwest Siren named Lana Moore. How’s that going, by the way?” He glanced at Charlie.

“Lana and I sort of… got together?” Charlie blushed to the roots of his hair now as he combed it back again in a tic, grinning. “She had Siren-stuff to do for Yule, so she couldn’t come tonight, but I guess we’re sort of… together? Anyhow, she’s coming with me around the world once spring comes and the water warms up. She likes my bod, she’s cool, and we both dig pot and the water. So there’s that.”

“You have a Siren girlfriend?!” Layla grinned, setting her fork down. “Charlie!”

“Yeah, why was I not informed of this immediately?” Arron said from down the table.

“I guess someone’s been extra naughty this year.” Dusk winked. “Extra presents for you.”

“It’s a big deal to date a Siren woman.” Reginald pinned Charlie with his gaze now, though a smile quirked his lips. “Female Sirens are rare and hold a tremendous amount of power, so they can afford to be choosy. She chose you over countless Siren males, probably vying for her attention. No matter how long it lasts, dating a Siren woman is a tremendous honor.”

“Yeah, no pressure, Aldo.” Rhennic snorted. “Congratulations, Charlie. That’s fantastic.”

“Thanks!” Charlie beamed in his affable way, him and Rhennic clearly on the same page with the amount of joy they held inside them on the regular.

“Speaking of power.” Luke eyeballed Layla from across the table as he ate a forkful of stuffing. “How the hell are you controlling your Dragon’s power here from spilling out all over the surrounding houses, Layla? I felt some kind of barrier when we came in the front gate. It was like a totally normal human house one moment, then bursting with Dragon-energy the moment I got through. I need that for my place. Rikyava and I can’t… you know… without provoking storms at the moment.”

“I had the Intercessoria work their magic on the house when I moved in.” Layla smiled, pleased Luke and Rikyava were still such a good thing. “Call Heathren and he’ll set it up, insulation separation. They don’t charge for it; it’s a normal charm they do when a Twilight Lineage person has an exception to live in the human world. I’m surprised Heathren hasn’t contacted you already about it?”

“He’s apparently tied up with something right now.” Luke frowned as he took another bite. “I’ve tried calling him and Insinio both, but they’re AWOL. Some Fallen Archangel issue, apparently, though the Intercessoria desk jockey prats I spoke to wouldn’t comment.”

“Strange.” Layla frowned, wondering what the Fallen Archangel duo Heathren Merkami and Insinio Brandfort had gotten themselves into this time. “In any case, call the Intercessoria back. Tell them you have an exception from Heathren to live in the human realm. They’ll come do the home insulation right away.”

“Thanks. I’ll do that.” Luke smiled now.

“Probably sooner than later.” Adrian lifted an eyebrow at Luke. “The Intercessoria isn’t lenient when Dragon-magics affect humans, since we’re one of the strongest magical Lineages. If you’re just manifesting storms once in a while, they overlook it, since storms here in Seattle are fairly common. But if it gets noticeable… they’ll come knocking. Regardless if you’re on a first-name basis with our Fallen Archangel associates.”

“Noted. I’ll look into it first thing tomorrow.” Though Luke was brisk, it amazed Layla to see that he was merely grateful for Adrian’s advice today rather than pissy about it. As she had another bite of turkey and cranberries, amazement filled her at how both Adrian and Luke had changed. She was about to speak when Rikyava leaned in.

“Does this barrier around Layla’s house allow shifting? I mean, if space permits.”

“It does.” Adrian nodded with a glance to Layla, as this was news to her also about her new property and the magical wards Adrian had taken care of. “We can shift on the property with no one seeing it from the street or the neighboring houses or the sky—the barrier simply obscures us as if the yard is empty. If you shifted in the house and blew off the roof, it would be harder to disguise. But the barrier hides any normal demonstration of magic. It blocks sound also, so you’ll be able to roar all you want after it goes up.”

“Convenient.” Rikyava winked, though Luke blushed furiously as he looked like he wanted to crawl under the table. 

“Weather magic is different, though.” Rhennic gave Luke and Rikyava a warning look. “A lot of Storm Dragons live in the human world, but they live in places like Kansas where a sudden thunderstorm or tornado are commonplace, so it disguises outbursts. Barriers like the one on Layla’s house can dampen most of your magic from being felt, but if you’re powerful enough to really change the weather—which you are, Luke—you should put extra effort into it if one manifests. If it looks like a thunderstorm cell swept in over the entire city, the Intercessoria won’t come knocking. But if it’s just over your house, again and again… bad news.”

“I don’t know if I can manifest a thunderstorm over the entire city.” Luke paled now as he stared at Rhennic. “Jesus, that would be immense.”

“I’ll teach you how without losing too much energy.” Rhennic smiled more kindly now as Luke watched his Storm Dragon King. “We could even practice this afternoon after dinner.”

“Ooh!” Celia perked up as she listened to the conversation, pushing her artsy glasses up her nose. “Could you make it snow? ‘Cause you know, a white Christmas in Seattle would be pretty awesome. We are soooo far from that.”

Blinking at her, Rhennic took a deep breath. Frowning, he glanced at Adrian, then Reginald. “I’m not sure. Creating snow is an Ice Dragon talent, not a Storm Dragon one. My mother used to manifest snow storms as cover for strikes, but she was unique among Storm Dragons. I’m only able to make lightning storms, which can come with hail, but not snow’s refinement. Reginald, Adrian? Can either of you make snow?”

“I cannot.” Reginald shook his head. “Siren-magic has little dominion over the solid forms of water. We can make some ice over lakes and rivers, but snow involves far more weather-magic.”

“Snow is beyond me.” Adrian shook his head as well. “I’ve never seen magic used that way, and I’m not Bound to an Ice Dragon, so I’ve never felt it. I can really only copy a certain magic if I’ve felt it once or twice.”

“Hold up.” Dusk blinked as a strangely alert thoughtfulness came over him. “Layla is half Ice Dragon from her father Ruslan. If any of us could manifest some snow, it would be her. Layla, have you tried?”

“I haven’t.” She blinked now, having forgotten snow-making was a talent she might possess. “I mean, I haven’t really experimented with my Ice Dragon side. We don’t have an Ice Dragon in the Bind.”

“You are our Ice Dragon in the Bind.” Reginald chimed in now with a thoughtful look. “If Rhennic could make a storm to form significant cloud mass, I could move the seas to raise water up into the air, and Adrian could use his winds to drop the ambient temperature—and you provided Ice Dragon concentration, Layla—we might just be able to do it. It would be far easier with Fury’s raw power in the mix, but I think even without him, we could try to have a white Christmas. Would you like to?”

As Layla set her fork down, she smiled. Around the table, people had finished eating and were launching into Dusk’s plates of sweets as they gave eager grins. Snow was a rare thing in Seattle, and a white Christmas would be special. Even though her heart dipped at Fury’s absence, it also brightened to think about even trying to make her beloved city white for Christmas.

With a nod, Layla smiled. 

“Let’s do it. Let’s go see if we can make it snow for Christmas.”

Copyright 2023 Dragonlight Publishing LLC. No portion of this text may be copied or distributed without written permission of the author.

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