The Dragon Shifter’s Desire by Harmony Raines

Chapter One – Luna

“I have to go, Mom. I’ll see you this evening.” Luna planted a kiss on her mom’s cheek as she washed the dishes in the sink.

“Why are you leaving so early?” her mom asked.

“Because I’m trying to get on Chief Armstrong’s good side.” Luna mentally cursed herself as she hurried to the front door.

Too late. Saffron Fredrickson turned the full force of her ire in her daughter’s direction. “And why do you need to get on his good side?”

“Because he’s my boss.” Luna pulled the door open and stepped outside before she turned to face her mom.

“I know he’s your boss.” Saffron grabbed a towel off the counter and dried her hands as she followed Luna out of the house. “But why do you need to get on his good side?”

“Why do you think, Mom?” Luna glanced longingly at her truck. She should have just kept her mouth shut. But she was tired of being caught in the middle of her mom’s on-and-off relationship with Chief Colin Armstrong.

Which, at the moment, was firmly off.

“He knows that all he has to do is apologize and I’ll forgive him.” Saffron folded her arms across her body.

“And that’s exactly what he says about you.” Luna sighed heavily as her mom’s expression darkened. “And since neither of you is willing to do that, I am driving up to Sanshae Mountain View Hotel to question a guest about a robbery.”

“He’s sending you all the way to Sanshae Mountain View Hotel?” Saffron asked indignantly.

“Does he know what day it is?” Saffron’s face turned red with indignation.

“Of course he does. That is why I am going to Sanshae Mountain.” She unlocked her truck and dumped her pack on the driver’s seat.

“Do you want me to call him and ask him to send someone else?” Saffron padded toward the truck with bare feet.

“No, Mom.” Luna smoothed her hair back from her face. “I want you to figure out a way to work it out with him.”

Saffron wagged her finger at Luna. “I am not going to apologize.”

“And around and around we go.” Luna shook her head. “There has to be a way of working this out without either of you having to swallow your pride. Which seems to be so big, it gets stuck in your throat.”

“I’m sorry, Luna.” Saffron’s jaw tightened. “But this is on Colin.”

“Is it, Mom?” She got in the truck and closed the door.

“You think I was in the wrong?” Saffron placed her hand on the truck roof and leaned inside.

“I think you have both blown this out of proportion and now neither of you want to admit that you’ve acted like children.” Luna turned the key in the ignition. “I’ll see you later. If I leave early, I should be back in time.”

“And if you aren’t?” Saffron asked.

Luna shrugged. “This is my job, Mom. It has to come first.”

She put the truck in drive and left her mom staring after her. There was no time for an argument, not if she wanted to get back.

As she drove, she went over the details of the crime Chief Armstrong had sent her to investigate. Someone had broken into the safe, stolen some cash, and then assaulted the hotel owner as he made his escape. There was a very brief description of the male assailant and Luna was heading up there to see if there were any other witnesses who hadn’t come forward.

For whatever reason.

And she could think of a few. Sanshae Mountain View Hotel was a small hotel in a remote setting. Natalie Walsh, the owner, was known for her discretion and so the hotel attracted couples who wished their relationship to remain private.

Luna cast a sideways glance at the passenger seat and notes she’d taken which were attached to a clipboard. If Natalie had decided to report the crime, then Luna suspected the attack must have been bad.

Worse, perhaps, than she’d told Chief Armstrong.

Or the cash taken was a substantial amount. Something else that the chief hadn’t passed on to Luna.

She groaned and rubbed her hand over her face as she left the town of Wishing Moon Bay behind and took the road that followed the foot of the mountains for a couple of miles. From there she’d take a left turn and climb the narrow winding road across the lower slopes and then higher until she reached the Sanshae Mountain View Hotel, nestled in a sheltered valley with magnificent views of the higher peaks.

At least that’s what the website said. Over a quick breakfast this morning, Luna had checked out the hotel and Natalie online. She’d checked the hotel website and social media. Nothing jumped out at Luna, no aggrieved guests or disgruntled employees.

In fact, there was little about the hotel online. People who visited there liked to keep their trip private.

Which might make her job difficult. Guests wouldn’t want to speak to her. They wouldn’t want to give their names and other details. Not unless she promised to keep them private.

This was not going to be an easy job. No wonder Chief Armstrong had given it to her.

There was little she could do about the case on the long drive. Instead, she rolled down the window and enjoyed the fresh mountain air. She loved it up here, the peace and serenity soothed her. Maybe she’d come and stay up here for a few days when she had some time off work.

Not that she could afford to stay in the Sanshae Mountain View Hotel, but then hotels weren’t really her thing. Luna preferred to sleep under the stars.

The rest of the trip was spent planning a mini-vacation in the mountains. There was a trail that headed deep into the mountains that was rarely walked by anyone on two feet. It had been a few years since she’d been up there, perhaps now was a good time to revisit old haunts.

While she was away, her mom and the chief might come to their senses and work things out.

Luna was tired of being stuck in the middle of their relationship. Couldn’t they see they belonged together?

Luna slowed her truck as she climbed the last stretch of road to the hotel. The views certainly were spectacular. She followed the road, which ended in the small parking lot in front of the hotel. This was the end of the road.

After parking the truck, she climbed out and stretched her arms above her head. She would kill for a coffee and something to eat, the sandwiches she’d eaten on the way had taken the edge off her appetite, but her stomach craved more.

She’d packed a Thermos of coffee and some more food, but she wanted to save them for the return trip. If the weather turned and she got stuck on the mountain for the night, she’d need her supplies.

Luna grabbed her clipboard from the front seat, she was here on police business. That didn’t stop her from eyeing up the hotel restaurant as she strolled toward the hotel. The smells coming from the kitchen made her mouth water.

Checking her watch, she entered the main reception area of the hotel. It was cozy, with a log fire burning in a stone hearth and a reception desk to one side. The lighting in the lobby was good and Luna noted a security camera discreetly hidden behind a potted plant on a shelf behind the desk.

Discretion only went so far, it seemed.

“Hello, Luna.” Wendy, a middle-aged woman with black hair and blue eyes, came around the reception desk to meet her.

“Hi, Wendy. How are you?” They’d known each other in high school. Not that they were great friends, at thirteen Wendy had discovered Gothic poetry and dyed her hair black. Luna had to hand it to Wendy, she’d stayed true to her love of all things Gothic even when she met and married a dentist and had three wonderful children.

“I’m good.” Her smile faltered and she glanced around before she hugged Luna. “At least as good as can be expected.”

“How is Natalie?” Luna asked quietly.

Wendy put her finger to her lips and drew Luna toward the reception desk. “She’s in her apartment. She doesn’t want the guests to see her. She’s got a black eye and a swollen cheek.” Wendy’s eyes, heavily rimmed with black eyeliner, were misted with tears. “You know how much this place means to her. If this gets out, it might ruin the business.”

“I understand,” Luna nodded.

“I knew you would. That’s why I insisted Chief Armstrong send you.” Wendy smiled proudly.

“You asked the chief to send me?” Luna hid her surprise.

“I did. I know you’re discreet.” She gnawed on her lower lip. “Natalie doesn’t know I called the police.”

“Oh.” Luna’s hand tightened around the clipboard. That explained the lack of details.

“But when you see Natalie’s bruises, you’ll see why I couldn’t let this go unreported.” Wendy took hold of Luna’s hand and held it to her chest. “Please persuade her to make a statement. The person who did this could strike again.”

“I’ll do my best, Wendy.” Luna pointed toward a door marked private. “Shall I see myself through to her apartment?”

“Yes.” Wendy hurried over to the door which had a security keypad next to it and typed in the code. “I hope she forgives me for calling you.”

“I’ll try not to bring your name into it,” Luna assured her as she pulled the door open. “But if she asks directly...”

Wendy nodded. “I understand.”

“You did the right thing,” Luna assured Wendy.

“I just don’t want to get fired. The hotel is all about discretion.” Wendy sighed and went back to her position behind the desk. As the door closed behind Luna, she noticed a couple of guests exiting the elevator. Perhaps she should have parked her truck around the back of the hotel. Word would soon get around that the police were here.

Luna hurried down the corridor. The doors on the left led to a couple of storerooms, while the door on the right led to Natalie’s private apartment. Luna had visited the hotel a couple of times in the past, once when a guest thought he’d had his wallet stolen but had simply misplaced it and once when a couple of guests argued, resulting in one of them wandering off into the night.

They had found the guest the next morning asleep under a rocky outcrop. Neither of the call-outs had resulted in any charges being made against a guest, exactly how Natalie wanted. Luna wasn’t sure if today’s trip would be a waste of time for the same reason.

Luna stopped outside of the apartment door and raised her hand to knock. She needed to handle this very tactfully if she wanted Natalie to make a formal statement.

If she didn’t, Luna would have to talk it over with Chief Armstrong. Whether Natalie made this official or not, a crime had been committed.

Luna rapped on the door and waited for an answer. None came.

She knocked again and leaned forward. “Natalie. It’s Luna Fredrickson.”

“Luna?” Natalie whispered back. “What are you doing here?”

“Chief Armstrong got a call. I’ve come to check if everything is all right,” Luna replied.

“Everything is fine,” Natalie croaked before she cleared her throat. “It’s fine.”

“Can you open the door and let me see you, please?” Luna asked gently.

“I’m fine,” Natalie repeated.

“Natalie. Please. I want to make sure you’re okay. If you were beaten, you might need a doctor.” A muffled sob wrenched at Luna, and she placed her hand on the door, willing Natalie to open it. “Please.”

“I don’t want to make a statement.” Natalie opened the door a crack and peered out.

“Can I come in? I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Luna, this is going to hurt the hotel’s reputation,” Natalie said. “If my guests see the police, they might get twitchy.”

“The sooner you open the door and talk to me, the sooner I’ll be out of here.” Luna put her hand on the door and applied a little pressure.

“Okay.” Natalie opened the door, turned her back on Luna, and walked down the hallway to the small kitchen.

Luna closed the door behind her and followed. “What happened? I heard someone attacked you and stole money from the safe.”

“And who told you that? Wendy?” Natalie kept her back to Luna as she reached for two cups and filled them with fresh coffee from the pot.

“It doesn’t matter who reported the assault and robbery.” Luna pulled out a chair and sat down at the breakfast bar. The kitchen was small, serviceable but nothing more. Natalie lived and breathed the hotel, she probably spent little time here and by the looks of the sparkling clean stove, she hardly cooked here either.

“Here.” Natalie’s hair slid across her face, hiding her bruises as she put the coffee cup down on the table in front of Luna.

But Luna was well trained and as she tilted her head to the right, she got a good enough look at Natalie’s face to know she’d been savagely attacked. “Natalie.” She reached up and brushed Natalie’s hair back. “You should go see a doctor.”

Natalie covered her face with her hand and sobbed. “I don’t want to. I have too much to do here.”

“Are there any other injuries?” Luna asked.

Natalie took a shuddering breath, her hand resting on the belt securing her robe. “My ribs. And my arm.”

“Do you think your ribs are broken?” Luna asked.

“No,” she whispered.

“Did you get a good look at who did this to you?” Luna stood up and pulled the other chair out before helping Natalie sit down.

“No.” She blew the air out of her cheeks. “But he’s on the security camera.”

“Can I look?”

“I have it on my phone.” She dug her hand in the pocket of her robe, which was covered in pretty flowers. It looked too summery, too bright and light to conceal bruises from an attack. Natalie placed the phone down on the counter and pressed play on a video.

The screen showed the hotel office, the camera angle took in the doorway, a desk, and a safe. Luna stared at the image for a few moments, nothing moved. She didn’t shift her gaze as she waited.

Natalie looked away as the door opened and a man stepped inside, immediately closing the door behind him. He stood still, scanning the office before he went around the desk to the safe. Hunkering down, he carefully turned the dial, right and then left. With his ear pressed against the safe door, he seemed to be listening for the clicks as the tumblers fell into place.

He looked up suddenly as the safe door opened. Luna tapped the screen and leaned closer. “His eyes.”

“They’re orange,” Natalie whispered. “Like flames. Like the devil.”

“I don’t think the devil hurt you, Natalie.” She tapped the screen and let the rest of the video play.

“Then who was it?”

“I think you were attacked by a dragon shifter.” Luna’s temper flared as the man attacked Natalie. She was going to find this jerk and nail his balls to the wall.