Tiny Treasure (Eternal Flames Maddox Book 4) Read online

  TINY TREASURE

  Eternal Flame: Maddox 4

  By

  Maggie Walsh

  And

  Cree Storm

  Tiny Treasure

  Eternal Flames: Maddox 4

  Timmy, a shy little gargoyle, has always felt like he isn't good enough. Wherever Timmy goes, disaster is sure to follow and his fellow gargoyle always pay the price. But one day, Timmy makes a big mistake by accidentally taking his king’s crown. So, Timmy runs away, afraid that his chimera will no longer want him. He also knows he must get the crown back to his King. So, Timmy hides it somewhere only he knows, but believes his king will find it.

  Then Timmy makes the ultimate mistake of using his powers accidentally against his mate upon meeting him, turning York, the dragon shifter, into a stone statue. As Timmy grieves over harming his mate, the men of Crystal and Maddox need to come together to not only save York, but also themselves. Fallon, their biggest enemy, knows that the gargoyle king’s crown is hidden in Crystal, and if he can find it before they do, he will use it to destroy them all.

  ©2017 Cree Storm and Maggie Walsh

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover by: JP Graphic Design

  Edited and Formatted by: Avril Stepowski

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  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  EPILOGUE

  Dedication

  Often, we dedicate our books to our readers, reviewers, families...however, this time I would like to personally say this one I want to dedicate to Maggie Walsh. You all know how fantastic an author she is, but I don't know how many of you know how wonderful of a person she is or how funny she can really be. I can be struggling with anything and Maggie is right there making me laugh and regain the energy to take that next step to continue my day or week or whatever. We talk for hours about our books...our families...our days. Thank you Maggie. You have made me a better author and person. I look forward to many more books with you and I look forward to many more years of friendship.

  CHAPTER 1

  Timmy sniffled and wiped the tears from his eyes as he sat in the corner, holding his nest of eggs, looking at his mate in stone form. "I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean to do this to you. I wish there was something I could do to put you back in your flesh form, but I can't."

  Truer words could never have been spoken as far as Timmy was concerned. His mate was so gorgeous. He was really big. Not as big as the dragon leader, but he was big, like six feet tall and a close to three hundred pounds of pure muscle. Considering Timmy was only four eleven and weighed maybe a quarter of what Yorkie did, well that was saying a lot. But, his mate’s hair was so pretty. Timmy remembered seeing the blond wavy locks and had wondered if it was as silky as it looked. However, now, it was as grey as Timmy's own. Damn, when he messed up, he really messed up.

  With a small hiccup and sniffle, Timmy rasped, "Nuzan told me that if I didn't have bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck. At the time, I just thought he was being mean. Now, I know he has to be right. Nothing ever turns out like I want it to."

  Timmy stood up and set his egg nest down gently. He was glad that the council allowed him to bring his babies with him. Timmy couldn't wait until they hatched. He had plans and dreams for them. He would feed and take care of them and take them to the park and teach them to fly. They would be his babies.

  "Hello."

  Timmy gasped, quickly looked down, and pressed himself as far into the corner as he could get, careful of his nest. "Are you here to kill me?"

  A young man only about two or three inches taller than Timmy's own four-foot eleven height stood at the cell doors. "No, I would never hurt you, Timmy, and neither will the council. They just don't know what to do with you right now."

  Timmy felt the tears start to trickle down his face again, whispering, "That's what King Suneth always said."

  "King Suneth? Who is he?" The little man asked.

  Shaking his head, Timmy softly replied, "I can't tell you."

  Hearing keys and then the cell door opening, the man walked in saying, "I'm Pascal. Do you mind if I join you for a while?"

  Timmy's head came up and his eyes widened in surprise. "You want to be near me?"

  "Of course, I do. Is there a reason I shouldn't?" Pascal asked.

  Timmy looked at Pascal and then towards his stone mate, then back at Pascal. "I don't want to accidently hurt you like I did my own mate."

  Pascal gave Timmy a sad smile. "I think I'll risk it."

  Timmy looked up at his mate and muttering, "I wish I could get closer to him. I know that he can't talk to me or hear me, but I would love to just be able to see his face."

  Pascal got an intense look on his face, then snapped his fingers. "Just give me a second and I'll be right back."

  Timmy stood there as Pascal ran out of his cell and seconds later he heard Pascal arguing with someone. "I don't care, help me with this, dang it."

  "You aren't even supposed to be in here," Another man argued.

  "Neil, either help me, or get out of my way," Pascal snapped.

  Something made a thud noise and then he heard a grunt, then the man Pascal called Neil yelled, "What the hell did you kick me for? That shit hurt."

  "Next time, I'll kick you so hard you will only be able to think about having sex, because it will be months until you're able to perform the act again. Now, get out of my way. Timmy is not going to hurt me or anyone else. All he wants is to be closer to his mate," Pascal argued.

  "We only have his word that York is his mate, Pascal. Right now, York is a pi
geon’s toilet because of him," Neil argued.

  Pascal made a noise that sounded almost like a pig snort. "He didn't do it on purpose, Neil. Rune said that it happens whenever he's really scared or highly emotional about something."

  "I'm not going near him, Pascal. The only thing I want stiff, is a drink, or my dick when I'm getting laid," Neil argued.

  Timmy hung his head. Neil sounded like everyone else that Timmy had ever known―afraid. Well, everyone but King Suneth and Rune. They didn't fear Timmy, but with what he had done to each of them, Timmy wouldn't doubt that both men hated him by now.

  "Neil, Rune said that when it's about to happen, Timmy's eyes get red. All you have to do is let Timmy know, and he will look away. Now, please help me. I can't move it on my own and he wants to be closer to his mate," Pascal practically begged.

  Timmy looked towards York, saying in awe, "He's actually wanting to help me, York."

  Neil gave a grunt, then replied, "Fine, but if Wyndingo gives me cooking detail for the next month, you're my sous chef."

  "Agreed, now come on," Pascal immediately replied. Then yelled out, "Dallas, can you grab me the to go boxes from Twixie’s, please."

  "Ah man, what did you get from there?" Neil asked enthusiastically.

  "I didn't know what Timmy would like, so I got the roast beef sandwich and a chicken salad sandwich," Pascal answered walking down the hall.

  Neil practically whined, "Roast beef? The one with the red peppers, Swiss cheese──"

  "And homemade horseradish sauce. Yes. And do you really believe that I wouldn't bring one for you, Neil? Everyone knows they are your favorite," Pascal said making a grunting and panting noise.

  "Dude, move. I'll get this, you just get the door. Consider it payback for the sandwich," Neil said, sounding happy.

  Timmy heard a squeaky sound coming back towards his cell. Not wanting to be in the way or scare the other man any more than he was, Timmy went back to the corner of his cell.

  Pascal walked in with a large man with sandy blond hair. "Thanks, Neil, I think we can get it from here."

  Shaking his head, Neil replied, "No, I don't want to take a chance that you might shatter my best friend. So, just tell me where you want it."

  "Can you turn it and put it against the wall?" Pascal asked.

  Neil never answered, nor did he look in Timmy's direction as he placed the large table looking device where Pascal wanted it and started for the cell door. Just as he was exiting, Neil stopped. "If anything happens to Pascal, I will kill you. Do you understand me, little creature?"

  Timmy felt his breath catch in fear and his body began to shake. Pascal rushed to him and did something Timmy didn't remember anyone, other than his mother, doing. Pascal hugged him, whispering, "It's okay, Timmy. Your eyes are getting red because you're scared. You need to take some deep breaths and calm down. Neil isn't going to do anything. He's just worried about a friend. You've done that before, right? I mean, we all worry about our friends and family."

  "I don't know. I never had any friends," Timmy whispered getting himself under control.

  "Never had any friends? Timmy, everyone has friends," Pascal gasped.

  Shaking his head, Timmy replied, "Not me. People either hate me or fear me, but no one actually ever befriended me."

  "What about Rune? He's your friend. He has been fighting with the council ever since they brought you here," Pascal argued lightly.

  Shaking his head, Timmy replied, "Rune said that it wasn't safe to be his friend and so he would look out for me, but couldn't do more than that."

  A look crossed from Pascal's face to Neil's but before either man could say anything, another large, darker skinned man showed up, carrying two Styrofoam boxes. Pascal took them saying, "Thanks, Dallas."

  "No problem, Pas. I still can't believe that the council agreed to let you in here," Dallas mumbled.

  Pascal snorted, "They didn't have much of a choice after Dain, Kerrick, and Rune threatened legal action against them for false imprisonment."

  Dallas gritted his teeth. "He turned York into a fucking statue, Pas. I think that might be a bit of a crime."

  Shaking his head, Pas ask, "What crime is that, Dallas? Everyone that was in that room agreed that Timmy's actions were not purposeful."

  "He killed a member of our clutch!" Dallas snapped.

  Timmy sniffled and his vision clouded with unshed tears as he looked to York. Did he kill his mate? Was there nothing left of his mate anymore? Timmy had to have hope that fate would not be so cruel as to bring his very soul to him only to have Timmy destroy that gift by just a look.

  "Even Ryder agreed we can't declare York dead. Rune and his mates said they are working on a possible cure as we speak. Now, you two need to go. Your food is in the break room down the hall. I want to have lunch and get to know my new friend," Pascal said with a bit more force in his voice.

  Timmy gasped. "Friend?"

  Nodding, Pascal looked at him and smiled. "Yes, I'm new around here myself so, some new friends would be nice. Come on and sit with me on the scissor lift and let's get to know each other."

  Timmy followed Pascal to the contraption as the two dragons left the cell, but didn't close the door. He was a bit nervous that one of them might change their mind, shift, and eat him for lunch, but Pascal patted the table and said, "Come on, Timmy. I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

  Sitting where Pascal indicated, he jerked a bit when Pascal pressed a button and the thing began to raise in the air. He didn't stop until they were almost to York's head.

  Pascal asked, "Do you want roast beef or chicken salad?"

  "I have no idea what you're talking about," Timmy replied really getting a close look at his mate fully in the face for the first time.

  "Sandwiches, Timmy. Which do you want?" Pascal asked.

  Shrugging, Timmy replied, "I've never had either so you can choose for me."

  "You've never had a roast beef or chicken salad sandwich?" Pascal asked in awe.

  "I've never had a sandwich. I've had no money to buy them. I've been living off of what I catch when I shift," Timmy replied absently.

  Pascal snorted, "I can relate to that. Not that we ate road kill, but our animals are more prey than predator, so we mostly ate what we could out of trash cans, unless Toby could bring us something else."

  Timmy scooted back and got to his feet, immediately making his way to York. His mate's eyes were wide and his mouth was open. Shock was clearly the last feeling he had before being turned to stone by Timmy. Timmy just wished he understood if it was because he knew they were mates, or because he somehow understood his body was changing to granite.

  "Timmy, I know you want to visit with York, but I really think you should eat something," Pascal said as he opened the boxes. "You take the roast beef. Your first sandwich should be the best, and Twixie’s has the best food in Crystal."

  Shaking his head, Timmy whispered, "Thank you, Pascal, but I'm not really hungry."

  "Hey, let me tell you something. Since coming to Maddox, and even when I was in Crystal, I've seen a lot of mates, and every one of them make sure that their mate has plenty of sex, eats, and is happy. Now, that last part could be because of the sex, but I could be wrong. Since York isn't able to do that for you at the moment, I will do it for him until he can. Now, sit down," Pascal said firmly.

  Timmy went back and sat down, saying, "I'll try to eat, but I'm not having sex with you. I have a mate and he might be a block of granite right now, but he is still my mate."

  Pascal snickered, "I don't want to have sex with you either, Timmy. Honestly, there’s someone else I'm interested in." His face saddened, when he said, "He doesn't even know I'm alive."

  "Is he your mate?" Timmy asked taking a small nibble of his sandwich.

  "I think so. I honestly haven't gotten close enough to know for sure, and when we've been in the same room together there's always a bunch of people, but when I see him from afar, I feel like there are butterflies flitt
ering inside me and all I want to do is smile. Well, that and lick him from his toes to his forehead," Pascal replied with a far off dreamy look.

  "I feel like that even though I am looking at York in stone. I still feel that funny tickle in my belly and when I realize that I may never hear him speak or laugh and maybe never get to see him smile, I hope that they order my death."

  "Don't talk like that, Timmy. York will be brought back to you and this will be something you can laugh about for eternity," Pascal replied nibbling his sandwich.

  Sighing, Timmy whispered, "I pray you're right, Pascal. To tell you the truth, I don't care if we could never have sex, I just want him to return to his own skin, wrap his arms around me, and tell me that he forgives me."

  "Eat," Pascal said when Timmy sat there just staring at his sandwich.

  Timmy took a real bite and was surprised at the flavors that coated his tongue. "Oh my gosh, this is good."

  Pascal laughed. "I know, right?"

  "Where is this Twixie’s place? I would like to get the recipe for this," Timmy said as he finished off his sandwich.

  Pascal laughed. "It's in the next town over, called Crystal."

  "I was there once, a long time ago. I don't recall it," Timmy said as he nibbled his fries.

  "I wasn't here before it was Twixie’s, but Twix said he had been a server there when it was owned by a bad guy named Levi," Pascal replied.

  Timmy nodded and looked at York, muttering, "I remember seeing it. It was the day my life changed forever. The day I lost my chimera."

  CHAPTER 2

  "What do you mean, the day your life changed forever?" Pascal asked.

  Shaking his head Timmy sighed, "It doesn't matter."

  Pascal finished his meal, then pushed the box aside, asking, "Timmy, what are you?"

  Shaking his head, Timmy replied, "Rune says never to tell."

  "I can understand that. If your anything like my brothers and I, people might want to hurt you. However, in Maddox and Crystal, we are safe. I'm a Santorini fox," Pascal said with a wide smile.