A Dragon for December (Wiccan-Were-Bear Book 11) Read Online Free PDF Page B

second time.
    “I think it harkens back to ancient times,
when the word serpent was more inclusive. The shifters in my
nest look like me, although we differ in the color of our scales –
some are red, some black, some metallic, some green like me. In
other parts of the world, there are nests where the dragons look
more like walking crocodiles, and there are actual snake
shifters.”
    He rubbed at his hair with a towel and then
secured the towel around his waist. She wrapped her towel around
her and followed him into the bedroom, where clothes had been laid
on the bed.
    “Oh, are these for me?” Deci asked as she
looked down at the leggings and top.
    “Gen is very intuitive,” Tosh said.
    “And sweet,” Deci said, smiling. “Do you
think he heard us when we were driving each other crazy in the
shower?”
    He smiled. “Probably. The whole house
probably heard us.”
    She blushed and laughed. “I think they know
we like each other, huh?”
    He wrapped a lock of her lovely white-blonde
hair around his finger and gave it a gentle tug. “Very much
so.”
    As they dressed, he told her about the mating
and coronation ceremonies that would take place one after the
other.
    “There will be a small group of females who
will help you get ready for the ceremony. You have to wear your
hair a certain way and wear a special gown, which will be
green.”
    “Why not white?” she asked, arching a
brow.
    “Because my dragon’s scales are green. I’ll
be waiting for you in our sacred grove, which is where all our
ceremonies take place. It’s in the center of our territory. Because
your family won’t be here to escort you, we’ll find a suitable
escort.”
    “Like Alli?”
    He hummed. “Normally it’s a male family
member.”
    “Your uncle,” she said.
    Tosh frowned. He wasn’t sure if he wanted his
uncle to be anywhere near Deci. “I was thinking about Gen,
actually. He’s not related by blood, but he’s like a member of my
family.”
    “You don’t like your uncle?”
    “It’s not that. I’m unsure he’ll be happy
that I’ve found you. He was encouraging me to step down to find my
truemate and suggested someone could take over the nest while I was
gone.”
    “Then wouldn’t he be glad that you don’t have
to leave now?”
    He shook his head. “I’m honestly not
sure.”
    She frowned. “Does he have a claim to the
throne?”
    “Not at all. In our nest, the kingship passes
from father to son. The son remains a prince until he finds a
mate.”
    She hummed. “Gen will be perfect. What’s the
ceremony like?”
    “The mating ceremony will be presided over by
Bao, and the coronation by Quon. They are both elders of the nest.
The whole nest will be in the grove to witness the ceremonies. When
we’ve accepted our rightful place as king and queen, there will be
a party in the backyard of the mansion that will last until
dawn.”
    “So we don’t get to get naughty until
dawn?”
    He grinned. “We’ll sneak off after we’ve
greeted everyone.”
    “Good. Why does the crowning ceremony have to
be within two days of us meeting?”
    “I’m not sure. You can call it a weird dragon
ritual.”
    She snorted a laugh. “Do you have a lot of
those things?”
    “It depends on what you think a lot is.”
    He opened the bedroom door, and they walked
out together. Tosh could think of nothing that pleased him more
than walking out of the bedroom with his mate by his side. He felt
like he’d been alone for such a long time, and now he had Deci.
Yesterday he’d taken flight from his balcony as a single male, and
this morning he had his mate’s hand twined with his. He’d found
happiness with the sexiest polar bear around.
    They entered the kitchen, and Gen said, “Good
morning, sire and mistress.” He bowed, and Deci smiled in awe.
    Tosh said, “Gen, this is December Merricks.
Sweetheart, this is Gen.”
    Gen held the chair for Deci, and she sat
down. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
    “And you,