Amber Dragon Trilogy: Book One

Chapter One:Chumara’s POV

I was bent down rummaging through the lower cabinet when the door chimed alerting me to a new arrival. Suddenly a warm feeling began to wash over me causing my skin to come alive. As the mouthwatering scent of caramel & vanilla floated in. Blaze, my dragon began to purr her approval of the yummy fragrance that had just filled my nose causing me to bump my head. I reach up rubbing the sore spot, “surely that is going to be a knot,” I thought to myself. Spotting the cinnamon, I was looking for, I grab it, standing up I ask Blaze what that feeling was and why she was suddenly awake. It was almost as if she was singing in my head, “Mate, Mate, My Mate,” as she starts to whisper “he is here for us” softly. I quickly sprinkle the cinnamon I had been looking for, on top of the latte I was making for Mrs. Rosie.

Confused as I handed off the latte, I flared my nostrils searching as I stole a glance, looking for the source of that alluring scent. I nearly froze forgetting what I was doing, forgetting where I was, as I caught a glimpse of a god standing behind Mrs. Rosie like a guardian angel. I hurriedly Thanked Mrs. Rosie seeing her off with my new farewell slogan, “Thank you for coming to Chumara’s where you find your sweetest dreams, I am Chumara, please come again.” I instantly link with my sisters, needing to speak with Storm for guidance over this overwhelming feeling, Blaze was fighting for control like I was in a dire situation. I turned toward the Olive-skinned Greek God and I am immediately overwhelmed looking into his deep emerald green eyes, I suddenly cannot talk to him, the need to run is getting stronger, I find my voice telling him, “We will be right with you sir.” As I turned & yelled through the link for Lili to take his order I made a hasty escape to the office where I screamed for Storm in the link.

Once in the office I rush to sit at my desk hitting my knee, as Blaze roars at me, “No Storm…, I want mate,” I roll my eyes ignoring her as I lean forward rubbing my knee, placing my head on the desk. “What is going on,” I hiss before, I began whining through the link. After a while Storm finally responds, “What do you want Mara, first you scream my name causing me to spill my coffee in my lap, by the way I now have third degree burns thanks for that, and now you’re the one crying,” I can almost hear her head shaking, there was a brief pause then her voice came through again. “What do you want?” Storm says, it feels as if her mind is distracted, I nervously but excitedly tell her; “I think I found him,” while also making a mental note to ask her what she was doing; storm’s focus was always us regardless of what she was doing and with the vibes I know I’m sensing she shouldn’t have taken that long to respond. “Him who,” Storm questions? Her voice sounding stern, “My mate,” I reply worried about what she was going to say next, she didn’t seem thrilled by the news. Storm could really be the ultimate kill joy at times.

Suddenly Lili yells in the link, “He wants your number,” sounding happier than I felt. Storm speaks then, “wait what? Who wants her number?,” I was starting to feel that Storm really was in another world usually she would have been demanding full names not asking about our conversation topic. I think for a split second before Lili squeals, “this beautiful man here in the bakery.” Storm asked sarcastically, “So some random gorgeous guy in the bakery is the one you think is your mate?” I respond by sending a simple giggle, “yes,” through the link as I lean in the chair to see if Lili was done serving Mr. tall, dark, and steamy, his order. I stand from the chair edging to the door to peak around the frame when I make eye contact with him, that warming feeling came back like a slow wave causing me to grab the edge of the door frame. He winks, flashing me a set of pearly whites as he gives me a flirty wave. I instantly feel like a silly schoolgirl blushing causing me to retreat into the office. I sigh sitting back in my chair closing my eyes, Lili links back in sounding rather mischievous, saying that she just gave the sexy mystery man my number. “You did what, Lili?” I shriek inward, Storm bust out laughing saying “well if he isn’t your mate then it should still be worth it with the way you two keep gushing over him, and Lili seems more thrilled than you feel at present,” there was a moment of silence then Storm chimed back in with, “enjoy, now I am going back to working on the new novel.”

I felt a tingling of fear coming from Storm, but before I could ask what was going on, I felt Storm sever the link. We were definitely going to have a conversation when I got home about her suspicious behavior. Out of nowhere Lili hisses, he is leaving, pulling me from my thoughts of interrogating Storm. I stood quickly remembering that I do not even know his name, yet I am throwing the words my mate around, Blaze hummed her approval of my acceptance. As I got up and headed to the door going to get the man’s name. When I rounded the corner, I froze at the counter unable to speak up and stop the man, as I was captivated by the sight of his tall muscular frame retreating away as he walks toward the door. He suddenly stops & pauses for a moment, Blaze hisses, “Chance,” but I calm her regrettably saying there is always tomorrow as I watch him then slowly walk on out rounding the side of the building. He was gone, but the warm feeling was still there and was starting to drive me crazy making it hard to focus back on my work.

I am curious but more in awe of how handsome he was, he is tall but not in a lanky way, with silky shoulder length black hair he had tied back with a ribbon kind of like how they did in colonial times. Do not even get me started on the white streak in his hair, which matches the cleaner white line in his very full well maintain beard. I suddenly started wondering about his age; though I am starting to think I really won’t care when it comes down to it. Nibbling my lower lip, I shake my head trying not to think about how his beard would feel tracing against me. Lili notices my intense distracted energy and briefly asks “Are you ok sis?” I give her a rueful smile, saying, “yeah,” before we both went back to assisting the new customers coming in.

“We are not ok, ” Blaze roars at me, as I turn headed toward the back kitchen needing a second alone. I tell her I am fine as I brush off the naughty thoughts that were starting to make their home in my mind. Trying for a productive distraction I gather ingredients for another batch of lemon scones, which were really popular this morning. Blaze starts giving me flashes of the mystery man’s ass, in my head, she hisses, “that ass, my claws,” I gasp & drop the ingredients on the center island in the kitchen. Moaning softly, I grab the counter as my skin begins to tingle, thinking about the way his tight backside looked in that perfectly pressed Prada suit. “Why now of all times,” I thought biting the inside of my cheek, this was all to sudden; we have only been in town for a few months there is no way I am getting this lucky. I could feel my cheeks warming picturing the way his chest muscles filled out the front of his suit, as if it were custom tailored by the gods specially for him. I whispered to myself, “Lord, please let that man contact me!”, I don’t want to seem eager, but I know he is the man in my visions, and I want to take the chance.

I take a deep breath, trying my hardest to focus back on being in the bakery, I still had work to do, so I really need to get ahold of myself. An hour or so later Lili bounces in the kitchen as only she can, as I was finishing the scones and starting a red velvet bite mix. “Okay, sis I just finished cleaning up out front and it’s dying down, I think I’m going to head on to class,” She states as she begins gathering her things out of her locker to leave, I thank her before she goes telling her I will see her later at home. She gives me a hug before leaving out the back door where I hear her little bug struggle to crank before sputtering away. “She really needs to stop fighting Storm and just get a new one.”

I laugh softly to myself, clearing my mind of this morning’s events I busied myself baking and trying to come up with an idea for a new baked good. For the next few hours, I was left to my thoughts and my customers. It would have been bliss had I got more done, trying not to think of the piping hot cup of coffee that walked in this morning. When I had caught myself daydreaming of his delicious scent more times than I could count. I would quickly think of something else to make, but I guess you can only fight something for so long as I flared my nose suddenly smelling warm Carmel and vanilla out of nowhere. Humming and rolling my eyes back; I hang my head, “I am a baker damn it!” I hissed softly at myself. I bang my fist against the top of the island, nearly scattering the ingredients I gathered to work on my new French toast recipe during the momentary break I had till the brunch group came in. Then, as if she were storming the trenches Blaze purred, louder than I have ever heard her speak, “No spice compares,” completely breaking the last of my concentration.

I began searching for the right French baguette, trying to think of a subtle way to tell Blaze to keep quiet, when before I could respond to Blaze’s sudden outburst my phone started ringing. It was Lili, I read the caller id pulling my phone from my back pocket, clearing my throat I answer. “Hello dear sister,” I say, giving Blaze a mental shhhhh, I can feel her eyes roll before she retreated to the back of my mind. I could hear Lili laughing and talking about some assignment with a classmate; on the other end of the line, “Dang it!, Come on now,” “what do you need Lili, I am trying to work here?” I say sounding a little more annoyed than I actually felt. She speaks up through the laughter picking at me, “Lord, Mara are you frustrated already, I just gave him your number this morning, how impatient must you be?” Faster than I meant to, I snap back, “No! I am not frustrated just busy, some of us work for a living.” She suddenly gets quiet I thought I might have upset her for a moment when she speaks up again.

“Well calm down, don’t chirp at me I have awesome news, you won’t believe what I found out.” she pauses briefly then says, “Sorry I am going to make this quick, you know I had to tell you as soon as I heard, cause all publicity is good publicity; you know that big time developer who lives up the really long, winding road to south of George’s farm?” I answer, “yea the one that swings into town once fall hits and disappears after the first spring shower.” I get my milk wash together, musing, about how renaissance the man sounded. “Well, he is in town and was seen with a Chumara’s coffee cup, talking about how delicious it was,” Lili shrieked on the other end of the phone causing me to drop my bowl on the counter. “Really,” I loudly whispered wiping up the spill, “That really is big news, if someone popular starts coming in, wait, you don’t think that was him, this morning you gave my number to?” I question myself more so than Lili. When she squeals, “Yes, I do, no one else in this town wears Prada,” she proceeds to talk to someone else on the other end before saying, “But love you chewy, got to run, teach just walked in and she doesn’t look happy,” she hangs up. I listen to the silence on the other end for a moment stunned before I put my phone away in my pocket, “there is no way that was him,” I shake my head thinking.

Just then, Blaze wakes up again and begins purring, “our mate is fancy.” I was so not ready to deal with Blaze right after talking to Lili, and the hormonal dragon was just wanting more chaos. So, instead of debating with her I just hush her back to sleep agreeing with her and finish my recipe. At the end of the day, I was doing my normal cleanup, a getting the last bit of customers their orders and shutting things down. When I figured, I would start counting out my drawer, these three months have definitely been successful since I talked storm into staying in Marseille. As I Say bye to the last customer locking myself inside and head behind the register, I look up from what I was doing at the front window, and see a hooded person standing there in all black. I smiled waving letting them know I could open the door for them, but the figure just slowly laid something on the ground outside and walked away. I shake my head, well isn’t that just creepy, I thought before finishing my count. I grab my bag and keys from the back office heading for the door as I turned out the lights and lock up. Stepping back, I inhale deeply, fighting a tear as a sense of peace washed over me, “finally” I say looking up at my name on the front window next to my old school open and closed sign placing my keys in my pocket. “No more running and maybe a new beginning.”

I grin & sigh thinking of this morning’s sexy sighting; I squeeze my phone in my pocket, please let Blaze be right that I have found my mate, I thought. I close my eyes and turn around to head to my car when the breeze blew a strong smell of disinfectant, I froze, and my eyes shot open as I began looking around remembering the hooded stranger. They did place something on the ground I thought as I look down at the ground in front of the window, a frisson of fear races up my spine instantly. There on the ground laid a single black rose, I quickly spit fire burning it to ash instantly, glancing around hoping no one saw me. I straighten the edge of my coat then rush to my car taking in my surroundings like Storm taught us as children, I get in the car, pulling my keys from my pocket, hands shaking as I start the car and lock the doors. I grip the stirring wheel, knuckles going white as I quickly mind link Storm telling her I am coming home, and we need to talk hoping she could feel the fear laced in my message.

“This is not good, I thought to myself, it’s too soon, there is no way he found us this quickly.” “He’s a goon, we can take him,” Blaze growls almost ready for a fight. I sped home nearly missing what I thought was a rouge mountain lion and wondering why there is an animal like that around here. I completely forgot to shut off my car as I pull in the driveway placing the car in park, I tumble out of the vehicle rushing inside. I start yelling for Storm as I burst through the front door. I make my way to the kitchen ripping my coat off throwing it on the island, all of the sudden I hear my car ignition shut off. I began pacing in front of the stove when a few moments later, Storm walks into the kitchen, dropping my keys on the island next to my coat. She pulls out a stool and sits on it. I began to fidget running my fingers through my hair, she places her hands together sternly and asks, “Why did you leave your car like that outside?” The authority in her voice making me look shamefully at her. I say, “Storm, it was a black rose,” almost yelling at her but then I let out a long breath as if I had been holding it for hours. Fear filled her eyes but not her voice as she grabs my hand softly, soothing, and calming me, she says “Mara, look I am sure it’s not him, we have only been in town for three months now, if it was him do you think it would have taken him this long to make his presence known or even sent someone after us?”

Gathering her writings that my coat scattered, she tells me, “Now go get some rest, Lili will be home soon and I honestly just think you are overwhelmed; I mean, you believe you might have very well just met your mate for peat sakes, just try to forget that conniving asshole, besides, I am hungry and it’s your turn to make dinner.” She says as she turns to leave suddenly, Lili burst in the house yelling “Steak” from the front door. I can hear her feet running up the stairs, I shake my head and simply accept what Storm was saying because it does make sense. Huffing I put on my apron and pull out the meat, Blaze starts humming in approval at tonight’s dinner selection.

That night, I had a passion filled dream, well more erotic than passion, it was strange however, it felt more real than any dream I have had before. The next morning, I woke up needing a cold shower as my dream replayed itself with all the things, I wanted tall, dark, and steamy to do to me and with me for that matter. As I lay in the bed fighting the urge to play with the new toy I had in my bedside table. “I really needed to hire someone to open” I moan to myself, suddenly Storm doing her weird morning yell outside helped to put enough ice on the fire that was building. I roll my eyes slowly getting out of bed. I walk over to the window throwing it open, I yell at Storm to shut the hell up, she simply flips me the finger never looking up from her meditation spot next to the pond. I close the window laughing, guess it’s time to get ready. I quickly shower and get dressed, writing a note for Trilla that reads: “she could enjoy the teacher workday” before heading to the bakery.

On the way into town, I spotted a group of protesters angrily waving signs outside the fence of this new mall, they are putting up a few stops from the bakery. I began slowing looking at my watch I figured, I got time to kill for a little gossip, it was a small town, and a mall was something big even for me, “it might bring in some new customers,” I giggle with optimism. I park the car far from the spot the protesters had made camp and step out walking over to a few strays that were still making their signs. When I got close I could see it was a few of the local college kids that I have seen Trilla with, I wave as they look up at me, first you could tell they did not recognize me but the smallest one of the group, spoke up. “It’s Lili sister, hey,” the little lady stood and gave me a hug, “Are you and Trilla here to protest the land clearing too?,” she asked with glee, stepping back looking around for what I knew was my sister. “Sadly, No Sam, Trilla is at home more than likely sleeping in and I’m just passing through, being nosey” I say, looking at the hunk walking up with the police to the entrance of the fence. Sam looks to where my attention was and sneers “oh please don’t drool, Ms. Stone, he is just as unavailable as the developer that flew in the other day.” I look down at the girl as she went back to her sign making and sighed. “Look, Its Chumara for the future and I think I’m ok on the lumber jack,” I say shrugging my shoulders “I was more curious as to why this many protesters are here for a new mall construction.” Sam laughs and says, “well they are building on sacred land, and you know how people can be about that.” I look back at the man watching him give orders, there was something pulling about him, but it only reminded me of Storm when she was giving orders for some reason. I talked with Sam for a few more minutes looking on at the contractors before saying my leave and heading to the bakery.

As I arrive, I admittingly think about the black rose, shaking my head and getting Blaze’s rage under control. I get out my car looking around the outside of the bakery. Seeing that it was all clear I go inside through the backdoor, Blaze hollers muffins, as I grab my apron and get ready to open up, I smile turning on all the lights as I make my way through the store to open up. I say “Alexa, play today’s hits” wanting something to help me wake up just a little, the smell of muffins was in the air when the front door chimed.

Suddenly I froze closing my eyes slowly images of my mate flashed wild in my head Blaze purrs, “he is here” and you can imagine she was right as I rounded the corner in a hurry to see the mystery man strut up to the counter carrying that delicious smell of warm vanilla & caramel with him, completely overruling my blueberry muffins I had in the oven. I almost lost it remembering my dream last night, if I would have known he was coming in again this morning I would have had Lili here with me to help keep my composure. He looks over the fresh display before flashing the biggest smile I ever saw, my way. I take a deep breath gathering my sanity. He looks at me and says, “The bakery smells very sultry and enticing this morning.”

Oh My God! I scream in my head, warning Blaze to behave, just before I greet him and say “Good morning, sir, how are you today? What can I get for you?” he looks at me, almost lustfully lost and says “mmmm, Yes,” he pauses, for a moment then he shakes his head coming back to the present and continues. “Can I have a banana nut muffin & a large caramel latte please,” “Yes sir coming right up,” I tell him. Turning my back to make his latte, I take several deep breaths to calm my nerves which were screaming. I get his muffin together and hand it to him, he casually leans on the counter playing with the muffin box and asks, “Are you new in town?” I pause for a moment making his latte and say “Yes, no, maybe! Why are you asking?”

I glance over my shoulder as I grab the lid for his latte and notice he is staring at my ass. He bites his lip before he replies, “simply curious because I haven’t seen you around here before.” I look back at him with a smile, “Me, or my ass,” he pauses knowing I caught him looking, “All of you,” he answers slowly, while biting his lower lip again looking me up and down. I smile and try not to blush as I squeal internally with excitement about his obvious interest in me when Blaze suddenly purrs, “What’s mates name?” Reminding me, I still do not know his name, I turn around & hand him the latte as I respond, “Yea, you wouldn’t have, we move around a lot to be honest; I pause biting the inside of my lip steading myself as I ask, “But on another note, honey, your name is?” he tilts his head and gives me a sexy smile, “Well gorgeous, my name is Ambrose, and I am the CEO of White’s Development. We are the ones who thought putting up a mall outside of town would be a clever idea. Ambrose then asks curiously letting out a low growl as he spoke, “Think I can call or text you sometime?”