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HAILEY

"Okay, so there we were, knee-deep in chocolate, when—" The tale of our misadventures was cut short by an insistent knock at the front door.

"Seriously?" Kendra threw her hands up.

"If that's Luci coming to gloat, I swear I'll blast him into another reality—like the sticky one we just left."

Adalinda, who'd been watching us with regal amusement, suddenly stilled. Her sharp gaze fixed on me, and she cocked her head as if listening to something beyond human hearing. "I don't know who is on the other side of that door," she said, "but it's a dragon."

All at once the group scattered around my living room mirrored the tension. Luke stopped mid-ramble about his latest charm mishap, hands still raised in animated illustration. Goldie, who was curled up in her cat form beside Luke on the couch, lifted her head and peered suspiciously at the door. Izora, cradling Courage the chihuahua we found on a bounty hunt, exchanged a long look with Ransom.

"What is it?" Kendra finally asked, her hand drifting toward the hidden blade I knew she kept strapped to her thigh like a paranoid Mary Poppins.

"A dragon," Adalinda answered. "Male. But that's...it should be impossible."

Zara bounced excitedly next to Nash and Grim. "Another dragon? Like a shifter?"

"There are no others," Adalinda snapped, but confusion laced the certainty.

Adalinda had woken up from her hibernation to find all her dragons dead. She had told me that she couldn’t sense any more on earth. It was one of the reasons she turned Jax and me. Flint was the last dragon hatchling and there wouldn’t be any more unless Adalinda started having dragon babies. Or she could just create more dragons since she was the dragon queen with the ability to do so. I’m not sure why she hadn’t.

The knock sounded again, an oddly polite rhythm for a supposedly extinct creature. I pushed to my feet with an eye roll. "Well, let's not keep impossible waiting."

Jax gripped my elbow, his touch light but meaningful. We locked gazes and through our bond, his protectiveness flowed over me. "Careful."

I rose to my toes and kissed him softly on the lips. “Always.”

"Oh please," Izora drawled. "Between the magical firepower and pointy objects in this room, I almost pity anything that tries to start something." Her tiny dog yipped as if in agreement.

I threw open the door with my best customer service smile that usually made skips nervous. It slipped right off my face as I took in our visitor.

His skin held the deep burnished tone of polished copper, seeming to hold its own inner light even in the grey afternoon. His angular features belonged on an ancient coin or a modern runway. He wore a simple gray knit sweater and slacks that were a shade darker. But his eyes were obsidian dark and glinting. He held my gaze with a weight that pressed the air from my lungs. Dragon. Something deep in my soul seemed to whisper the word.

"You gonna let him in, or just start a staring contest?" Ransom called dryly.

Color rushed up my neck, but I stepped aside. Otherworldly or not, no need to leave him on the doorstep like a misdelivered package. "Please, come in."

He inclined his head, movements liquid grace as he crossed the threshold. The room fell silent as everyone took their own assessing look. Goldie sneezed, whiskers twitching.

When the man spoke, his voice was rich and faintly accented with something I couldn't place.

"I am Ketsul, though most simply call me Kit these days."

Adalinda stepped forward, wariness and wonder warring across her face.

"How are you here? What are you?"

A smile tugged his mouth, kind and just a touch sad.

"Always so direct, my old friend. It's been a long time." He swept the room with an appraising gaze, settling back on her. "Perhaps we could sit? I'm afraid there is much to discuss."

We settled awkwardly around him in the living room.

Claudia perched on the couch arm next to Paige.

Howard was cross-legged on the floor, in front of Kendra who sat in one of the armchairs.

Even Janice left off her glaring to lean in, sensing something momentous.

Kit stood in the center, utterly still yet somehow thrumming with leashed energy.

"I am Quetzalcoatl," he began without preamble.

"An old god of a land far south of here. Adalinda," he turned to her, "long ago, I granted you power, intending to make you my chosen witch. But something in you, some indomitable will, took that magic and made it your own."

She stared, lips parted in a soft 'oh'.

Jax reached over to grip her hand and she squeezed back reflexively.

"Huh," I blurted, "so that's two major species created by accident then?" I winced as Jax shot me a look. Apparently, I'd never quite mastered that brain-to-mouth filter.

But Kit chuckled, unoffended. "Indeed. Though I would say my 'accident' turned out a bit better than some others." He slid a sly glance at Izora.

However, Izora was “accidentally” turned over ten thousand years ago. She’d been a Scandinavian Princess when a goddess named Rhiannon cursed Izora when attempting to give her powers in hopes of creating her own magical race. The spell went wrong and turned Izora into the first vampire. Rhiannon tried to correct her mistake and tried to kill Izora, but Rhiannon couldn’t because Izora was immortal.

So, Rhiannon perfected her spell and created a new race of witches. Every few generations or so a witch was born that had the power to desiccate the Initial or any vampire. Rhiannon was the same goddess Kendra got her powers from.

"Hey!" She glared, offense somewhat undermined by the wriggling Chihuahua attempting to lick her ear. "We were purposeful, thank you very much. Strategic even."

"Hmm yes," he mused, "all that strategy certainly shows in your unrivaled subtlety and cooperative natures."

Ransom disguised a snort as a cough. I bit the inside of my cheek, determined not to grin. Teasing Izora was a bit like poking a tiger, but I had to admit, I liked Kit's style.

"As fascinating as this supernatural history lesson is," Luke cut in, "can we get to the part about why you're in Hailey's living room? Last I checked, dragons weren't exactly thick on the ground." He waved a hand around.

"Present epic exceptions noted."

Kit nodded, humor fading.

"Indeed, that is the heart of it. I may not walk this realm often, but I do look in on my children, my dragons, from time to time. And when I checked of late, I found only emptiness. Death. All but a treasured few, extinguished."

His gaze landed on me and Jax, Adalinda, and Flint, who had entered the living room and flew over to me, landing my feet.

I scooped him and held him close.

Unexpected emotion choked my throat.

The silence stretched, heavy and hurting.

Kit finally spoke again, quieter.

"I came to find answers. To determine what could destroy creatures of such strength and resilience, my finest legacies. And to avenge their deaths." His hands clenched once before relaxing.

"But I have found nothing. No signs, and no trails to track. It's as if they were wiped from existence."

"I'm so sorry," Cleo offered, leaning into Nash and linking her fingers with Grim’s.

Kit reached into his pocket and withdrew two golden dagger sheaths with intricate designs twining their lengths.

Jewels winked in mesmerizing patterns, colors shifting and blending in a way that made my magic-attuned eyes ache.

They seemed to hum, power shivering along my skin like the first lick of lightning before a storm.

Adalinda gasped.

"I know those," she whispered.

"I held the daggers once, long ago. Stole them from a foolish human who had no comprehension of their meaning." Her fingers drifted out as if to touch, then pulled back.

"But the blades themselves were stolen from me as I slept. I never found them again." Anger and bewilderment flickered in her eyes.

Kit extended the sheaths to her, gleaming against his dark skin.

"Whoever stole them from you, used them to kill the dragons. I had hoped that with the sheaths, I could find the blades, but alas, even their magic has limits."

"Well damn," Kendra poked my ankle with her boot, "sounds like a job for the Bond Girls."

Kit glanced between us, confused.

"The what?"

I couldn't help grinning. "It's what we call ourselves. Professional skip tracers, with a side of supernatural bounty hunting. If there's a person - or object - out there to be found, we'll sniff it out." Pride warmed my chest, familiar and grounding. This, at least, I understood.

Understanding dawned in his dark eyes. "Ah. You have your own coterie of powerful women." His smile flashed, brief and blinding. "No wonder it feels like fate, my path crossing here. And I see why Adalinda chose you to turn into a dragon."

He squared his shoulders, fixing his attention back on Adalinda. "The daggers are the only items capable of slaying dragons. They both hold the power to pierce even your nigh-impenetrable hides, but one of them can nullify magic." Sorrow and old rage threaded his voice. "I have done what I can to trace them to no avail. And my time here wanes."

"Wait, what?" Ollie looked up from the truly remarkable paper plane he'd been fashioning. One of the wings drooped sadly. "Why wouldn't you stay? We could help!"

Kit sighed, deep and resonant. "We gods cannot remain long in the mortal realms. It taxes us, in ways I couldn't begin to explain. Even now, I feel the pull to return." He spread elegant hands in a mix of apology and frustration.

"But what about Lucifer?" Paige tilted her head, frowning. "He's basically set up camp."

A huff of laughter, more wry than amused. "Different rules for different divinities. This is his game board, so to speak."

As if to punctuate his point, his form flickered, misty one moment and solid the next. The air around him shimmered, smelling sharp like the heart of a lightning strike.

"I must go," he spoke quickly, dark eyes finding mine. "I don't know why, but I feel it's right to leave this quest in your hands. Perhaps it's the magic between us," he nodded to Adalinda, "or just a tug of intuition. But I ask you, Hailey Whitfield, will you and your Bond Girls seek my daggers and the truth behind my children's deaths?"

My thoughts spun, excitement and trepidation a tilt-a-whirl behind my ribs. But as I met his gaze, so ancient and urgently hopeful, I felt the decision lock into place. My chin dipped once, firm. "We will," I promised. "You have my word."

"Wait," Cleo called as he started to fade, body more mist than matter. "How will we find you again? To return what we find or ask for aid?"

The barest hint of a smirk curled his lips. "You have a god on speed dial," he noted, flicking fingers toward Izora. "She can show you how to reach me. And you, little dragon star," he locked eyes with Flint, "know that you can always find your way to me, should the need arise."

Bye, Unca Kit , Flint said telepathically. We get stabby things!

Kit's laughter lingered even as his form dissipated completely, leaving only the faintest hint of petrichor and crackling energy behind.

"Well," Luke broke the ringing silence, "those murder daggers aren't going to find themselves." He stood, hands propped on his hips, determination warring with barely restrained glee on his face.

Adalinda met my eyes, a mix of uncertainty and steel in her gaze. I quirked a brow back, aiming for my cockiest head tilt. "Oh, we'll get them all right. And we'll figure out who or what decided to go dragon hunting." My smile sharpened, magic starting to stir in my veins. "Then we'll show them why that was a really bad idea."

Jax reached out, fingers twining with mine. The cool kiss of his skin against mine eased the tangled heat in my chest. "As one," he said quietly, just for me.

"As one," I echoed, squeezing his hand. Then we started planning.