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  “Let’s fly!” the fairy declared. She incinerated the final steel bar just as I heard footsteps pounding up the stairs. Ardan.

  The fairy zipped through the open window and I was right behind her, running in an awkward T-rex kind of way. I was just ready to leap from the open sill, hoping I would fit my fat dragon ass through, when I felt a yank on the tip of my wing.

  I screeched, looking back. Ardan had popped into my cage and was trying to hold me. Heat flared to life in my belly and I knew that if he did something to my wing, and I couldn’t fly, I was dead.

  Without thought I roared, showering the druid in dragon fire, scorching the tip of my own wing in the process. Once I felt the pressure on my wing lift, I leapt. The stone sides of the open window cracked as I pushed my weight through it, smashing my head against the top of the arch, but I shoved past the pain and resistance and then I was falling.

  Oh shit. I forgot how to fly!

  With a frantic whine, I flapped my wings upward towards the tiny butterfly of a fairy waiting for me. The tip of my wing was sore from my own fire but seemed to be flying fine. Looking down, I could see Ardan and a few of his men below, ready with harpoon guns. Oh hell no. Never again with those things. I flapped, higher and higher until I was next to the fairy, who darted forward away from the water and towards a forest area.

  “Get to the forest and I can offer you invisibility!” she shrieked, and I barely heard her tiny words over the roaring winds and shouting druids.

  I risked a glance behind me and wished I hadn’t. Ardan was waving his hands in the air and a cyclone was brewing before him. Coming right for me. Shit! He could create tornadoes!

  Of course he could.

  ‘What’s happening? Are you out?’ Logan’s voice was laced with anxiety.

  ‘Yes. You didn’t tell me a four-inch-tall fairy was coming to rescue me!’ I shouted while the fairy dove into the tree line. I came after her just as the tornado crossed the grassy hill after us. What a shit-show. This was going to be impossible to get away from. Ardan was too powerful.

  ‘Just follow her directions and meet us at the airport,’ he told me.

  Sure. Easy. I’ll just ditch this tornado and this freaking teleporting druid and hop a cab to the airport.

  ‘Kay…’ I told my mate. I didn’t want to worry him, and I didn’t need the distraction right now. There was nothing he could do for me up in the air.

  I was about to ask the fairy what was next, because Ardan had blinked out of sight and was probably in these woods controlling his tornado, when she shot me with an arrow! This time, it was a pink flaming arrow. It stuck into my neck and I gasped, expecting to plummet to the ground or something. It didn’t hurt, just felt like an acupuncture needle or something.

  She grinned, looking pleased with herself. “You’re invisible now!” she shrilled.

  Say what? I was going to have to take her word for it, because I could still see my wings flapping in my peripherals. I made it to the tree line and followed her lead on where to go. I had no idea where we were.

  Why didn’t she make me invisible before we left? I wondered. I mean, I was grateful, but it would have helped our escape. I couldn’t ask her in my dragon form, so I just kept flying, hoping I was in fact invisible, and that Ardan wasn’t fixing to shove that tornado right into me and shear off my wings.

  “I can’t control invisibility magic without my trees.” She gestured below us, as if reading my thoughts.

  Oh, right. Of course. She needed her trees.

  Isaac sure did have some weird friends, but she’d saved my ass from getting chopped into dragon sushi, so I didn’t care what peculiarities she had.

  My wings were tired already. Flying my big ass dragon body was akin to running, and I was not a runner. The fairy was swooping lower into the tree line, and I risked a glance behind me to see the tornado had fizzled out and there was no sign of Ardan. Thank God for small favors.

  Please let that douchebag be lost in these woods.

  My tiny flying partner lowered into a small meadow where there was a black Jeep-looking off road-type of vehicle waiting for us. The top was open and it looked like there was no one inside. The tree line had ended, and with it, I was guessing, her ability to keep me cloaked. I lowered my awkward dragon body into the meadow, skimming a few trees with my large wingspan. When I landed on my taloned claws I looked down and took inventory of my bundle of clothes. Damn! I’d lost my bra somewhere in the flight.

  “Shift. We must leave quickly,” she told me, while her tiny eyes scanned the woods behind me.

  I did as she asked. She hadn’t led me astray yet, although I had to admit I wasn’t jazzed about going back to my human form. Without my staff I felt so … weak. At least my dragon could breathe fire and fly away. My bones cracked and shrank, and once I was fully shifted I looked up to see her gazing at my naked body.

  Awkward.

  “How tall are you?” she asked.

  What the hell? She was high, I decided.

  “Five-eight,” I told her as I scrambled into my clothes, going braless. I felt so naked without my staff. I couldn’t believe it was gone, reduced to ash. What the heck was I going to do about that?

  “Ohh that’s tall,” she cooed, lustily raking her eyes over my body.

  I was dressed, so I nodded and pointed to the car. “You, er, want me to drive?”

  She rolled her tiny eyes. “Obviously. It’s my boyfriend’s car, so be careful with it!”

  I froze. Boyfriend? She just said boyfriend, like a human boyfriend? Nope, I didn’t want to know. I just jumped inside and thanked my lucky stars that my high school boyfriend had taught me how to drive a stick shift on his Mustang.

  I threw the car into first gear, grinding the clutch a little, and then took off down the dirt road that led to the meadow we were in. After two minutes, we came upon a cobblestone road, with nothing but rolling hills in sight. I followed that road for another few minutes, and then was brought to a main road where my winged friend told me to go left. After driving on the wrong side for a few seconds and hearing her shriek, I figured out that I was supposed to drive on the left side of the road and not the right one. Oops.

  We drove through farmland, which opened up to a village that turned into a bustling city, all within twenty minutes. It was kind of crazy how quickly we went from the middle of nowhere to full-on four-story apartment buildings and a market.

  ‘We just landed,’ Logan told me anxiously. ‘Are you okay?’

  I could see the signs for the airport up ahead. ‘I’m fine. We’re five minutes from you.’

  My eyes kept flicking to the rearview mirror; I continued scenting the air—anything that would tell me if Ardan was on our trail. I didn’t think so. I hadn’t shifted and if he were on my trail, he most certainly would have popped into the car with his magic. Right?

  We reached the airport.

  “Private plane entrance!” the fairy beside me shrieked. She’d been flying this entire time, not sitting on the seat like a normal per—okay she wasn’t a person so that made sense. I followed the sign for the small side entrance that led to the private plane hangar. The second we turned the corner, a sob ripped from my throat. I didn’t think I’d get all emotional, but seeing Logan, Isaac, Eva, Danny and Keegan all standing there at the gate waiting for me gutted me open. This was my family and I’d almost died without them. I brought the car to a halt and pulled the e-break. Jumping out, I was barely two steps across the street when Logan closed the distance and scooped me into his arms. His hard body crashed against mine and tears leaked from my eyes. His woodsy scent overwhelmed me as I inhaled deeply.

  “I’m never letting you out of my sight again. I’m so sorry,” he said gruffly.

  So much emotion was roiling through me I couldn’t speak.

  The fairy cleared her throat behind me. “The matter of my payment?”

  Logan released me. The pack was staring at the four-inch-tall hovering fae creature.

&
nbsp; I smiled at her. “Yes. Pay this woman whatever she wants. She saved my life,” I told the group.

  Isaac cleared his throat nervously and made a face he only made when I did something stupid or he was uncomfortable. I looked to the fairy, who was grinning ear to ear.

  “Isaac,” she piped. “You know what I require. It has to be a molar! You know that.”

  My face fell. Did she … did she just say molar?

  The good druid rubbed the back of his neck nervously as my mate stepped closer to him. “What’s the payment, Isaac?” Logan’s voice could cut glass.

  The fairy growled suddenly and darted into Logan’s face. “I was promised payment for saving your skyborn. Don’t fuck with me!” She pulled her bow and the arrow glowed blue.

  Oh shit. Blue made things disappear. Forever.

  Logan looked amused, but he didn’t know what this little thing was capable of.

  I put up my hand. “Calm down! You’ll get your payment. You saved my life. It’s only fair.”

  She stared at Logan one second longer, lowered her arrow, and glanced at Isaac.

  He reluctantly pulled out a freakishly large pair of pliers.

  Logan’s eyes widened. “You knew!”

  Isaac looked to the floor. “You never would have agreed. It’s just one tooth and then we can go home. It will grow back.”

  Home. Isaac’s land, and our little house above the waterfall were our home now. I wanted that so badly. If Logan’s arm could grow back then surely my tooth would.

  “Take mine,” Logan growled. “You’re not touching her.”

  The fairy looked offended. “I’m not a man!”

  We all looked confused until Eva stepped forward, a look of fascination on her face. “Rumor is that a female fairy can … consume the tooth of a female skyborn and it will give her a body shape and size identical to that female skyborn for over a decade before she returns to her small form.”

  The fairy nodded. “That’s right, and I’ve been small for too long. I don’t fancy having a penis, so it’s got to be her tooth.”

  My brain was still stuck on the word consume. She was going to eat my tooth? A shudder ran through me. This sweet thing wasn’t sweet at all. No wonder she’d complimented my teeth when she first saw me.

  Casey, Lynn, Nadine and the baby, they were all back home…

  “Just do it. I want to get the hell out of here,” I barked at Isaac.

  He nodded, stepping forward.

  “Wait!” Logan shouted. He looked to Danny and Eva. “Can’t you numb her or something?”

  “Not much, but it will help a little.” Eva stepped forward, and laid a yellow gauze of magic over my face. Suddenly, my lips went slack and I just knew in a moment there would be drool there.

  “Open up,” Isaac instructed. My hand clamped down on Logan’s. Danny slipped behind me and I opened my mouth while the fairy zoomed into view.

  “I want that one!” she said, pointing greedily to my back left molar as if it were in some way superior to my other teeth.

  Isaac’s big pliers-filled hand came into view and I felt the cool metal, working its way to the back of my mouth. I looked at Logan, who looked away, down at the ground. There was a metallic click and then pain exploded in my jaw. A drool-filled gargling wail cut from my throat and then I blacked out.

  Chapter 2

  “You were supposed to give her a pain spell!” Logan roared.

  “The spell is for mild pain,” I heard Eva retaliate. “It broke when Isaac ripped her tooth from her jaw.”

  I moaned, opening my eyes. “Mmm fine,” I slurred. My jaw was swollen and raw. I could taste blood and I noticed then that my head was lying in someone’s lap. When I looked up, Danny’s gorgeous face swam into view.

  He stroked my forehead. “Hello, love.”

  I smiled, but then winced because that hurt. “I mithed you,” I said over the swelling. Danny and Nadine had become my closest friends through all of this.

  He grinned. “I missed you too. But I’m really glad you didn’t have to see that bitch gobbling up your tooth like she hadn’t eaten in years, and then growing five feet right before my eyes. I’m going to have nightmares forever.”

  I jerked upright, the throbbing pain in my mouth increasing, and looked around. The Jeep was gone. She was gone.

  “She really ate it?” I asked. My shifter healing was already kicking in so my jaw didn’t hurt as much, wasn’t so swollen.

  Danny shivered. “Like it was a two-thousand-dollar truffle.”

  Oh God. Nasty. “She’s tall now?” My mind couldn’t process that.

  Danny leaned forward. “Not just tall. She … looked like you. Not in the face but she had that grouping of freckles by your collarbone.” He motioned to my chest.

  My hand flew to my collarbone. “Are mine still there?” I asked, panicked. Maybe she took them, freaking body snatcher!

  Eva smiled. “Of course they are still there. She only replicated your body type. Nothing else.”

  This … woman was going to walk around in my body for the next decade. How disturbing. It hit me then. She was the tooth fairy. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  “Alright,” Keegan barked as Logan hauled me up to a full standing position. “We’ve paid the fairy, we’ve retrieved Sloane. Let’s get the hell out of here!”

  “You okay?” my mate asked, his fingers tenderly stroked my sensitive jaw.

  A four-inch fairy just ate my tooth and now was going to see her boyfriend and do God knows what with my body…

  “I’m fine.”

  I was going to shove that knowledge into my deep dark place and try to forget about it.

  Danny shot the alpha with a glare. Well, it didn’t look like they were doing any better, but he stood too, and then we were on our way, walking to a small private plane that must have cost a fortune to book last-minute.

  As we made our way up into small aircraft, Logan reached out to pull me up and I saw the fresh tattoo on his arm.

  “No!” I shouted while I looked at the small bear head right next to the little red beard.

  Ruben…

  I suspected he might have been badly injured … but dead? God … grief tore into me as I thought of another member of our pack fallen. Logan winced and pulled me up while hot tears ran down my cheeks. “You didn’t tell me!” I shouted. Probably smart considering I was trying to stay alive, but still. Poor Ruben … he died protecting me.

  Keegan cleared his throat, coming to stand behind me. “It’s my fault. It was my idea to split you and Logan up. I thought sending you with only one shifter would be cleaner and faster, that you wouldn’t attract attention without a big security detail. I didn’t suspect the druids to be right on top of us.” His voice cracked for a second and I knew he was taking this hard. These shifters were his to protect.

  Steven and Ardan had caused nothing but pain in our lives. I wanted them both dead!

  “We need to take out Ardan. I’m sick of this!” I growled, as a stewardess came over the intercom and asked us to sit down and buckle up.

  Isaac, barefoot and holding one of his staffs, nodded. “But your earth wand has been destroyed.”

  Oh yeah. That. And Griddish was dead, so there were no more elves left to make me another one.

  I shrugged. “Maybe we can defeat him without my staff…”

  Isaac shook his head. “You’ll tear yourself in two. Even now your magic is torn.”

  Logan stiffened next to me. “Is she going to be okay?”

  Isaac looked at me for a long time. Too long. “I hope so. We need a new anchor for her magic.”

  No shit, Sherlock. “Well, Griddish is dead, so we’re screwed, right? Unless you have any other ‘friends’ I should know about,” I asked him, a bit bitterly.

  Maybe he was hiding a whole network of magical creatures.

  Isaac just grinned. “I do have a few more special friends, but none that can help us with this problem.”

  Danny ra
ised his hand like he was in kindergarten class.

  “What?” I asked the sorcerer.

  He winced. “Forgive me, but … didn’t you say your mom had a special necklace.”

  I frowned, my eyebrows drawing together. “Yeah, she did.”

  Isaac jumped up. “Yes! We need your mother’s necklace. Her power is so similar to yours, I’m sure it would work.”

  Eva nodded her head as if she agreed with this asinine plan.

  Umm, were they forgetting something?

  My mouth popped open. “Please tell me you are not suggesting I dig up my MOTHER’S BODY!” I shouted, to hopefully knock some sense into them.

  Danny clutched his chest dramatically. “God no! Logan and Keegan will do it.” He waved his hand in their general direction.

  Keegan scoffed, reeling his head back, but Isaac was nodding, his eyes alight as if this was the best plan ever. “Yes. This necklace is exactly what we need. Tell the pilot to go to Arizona.”

  Oh. My. God. I was going to need sooo much therapy by the time this whole adventure was over.

  After we landed, I bought some flowers to put on my mother’s grave.

  The boys bought shovels.

  I knew she wasn’t in the grave we were about to defile. That was just bones, a body that once housed her soul. But still … disturbing her resting place was causing me anxiety, bringing back all the old memories of her. She would have wanted me to have her necklace. I just never imagined getting it this way. It was so important to her. I’d wanted her to be laid to rest with it, but the universe had other plans.

  We rented a big SUV and laid low, driving around town until nightfall. Outside the locked cemetery gates in Tempe, Arizona, I looked around, my tongue exploring the gaping hole in the back of my mouth where my tooth had once been, while Eva did some magic to the lock on the gate. Tempe was the town my mom and I had lived in, that she’d taught in. Even from where we stood I could see the lights of the ASU stadium. A game must be have been playing.