Hanish: House of Storms (Dragon Guardians Book 6) Read online

  Hanish

  House of Storms-Dragon Guardians

  Scarlett Grove

  Contents

  FREE BOOKS

  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

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Also by Scarlett Grove

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  Chapter 1

  Captain Hanish of the House of Storms held his crying son in his arms. Sweat from exertion formed on his brow. The windows outside his new home were dark, but it would soon be morning. Hanish tried to soothe Tor, but nothing seemed to work. The child was inconsolable, and Hanish was at his wit’s end.

  He had been looking for a nanny ever since they had moved into the mansion weeks ago, but he hadn’t found anyone fit to take care of his son. Most of the people he’d interviewed were nitwits, and he wouldn’t trust them with his child if they were the last nannies on earth. Others seemed far too nosy to be trusted in his home.

  As an alien dragon who had slept in a stasis pot for a million years, Hanish had a lot of secrets. He needed someone he could trust to be discreet, and he simply hadn’t found anyone yet. The technical officer from the House of Flames suggested he put advertisements in international registries. There had been a few possibilities, but so far, none had worked out.

  Hanish paced the room, cupping the back of his son’s head as the dragonkin wailed. “Everything is going to be okay, Tor. We will find someone to take care of you soon.”

  Since Hanish and his crew had awakened from stasis, they’d been living with the fire dragons of the House of Flames. Before the Storms found their house, Everly, Captain Kian’s mate, had taken care of Tor. But now that the House of Storms had a home, Hanish was left to take care of his son by himself.

  “Is he awake again?” Raiden groaned, stepping into the nursery.

  “Yes. He’s teething, and he’s not so happy.”

  Raiden scratched his behind. “I can’t sleep with all of this racket.”

  “None of us can sleep,” Hanish snapped. His son was his top priority, but not being able to sleep had made him frustrated and hot tempered.

  “Haven’t you found any applicants in the international listings that Cato suggested?”

  Hanish bounced his son in an attempt to soothe him. “No. I haven’t found anyone.”

  “Well, I hope you can find someone soon because I can’t take this much longer.”

  Hanish grumbled. “My son needs someone who is skilled with children. Until we find the right person, we’re all going to suffer. But no one as much as the baby.”

  Raiden yawned. “Didn’t you read anything about children before you agreed to donate your seed to the Dragoness Prime?”

  “No, I did not. I was busy planning our escape from Dragonia.”

  “Of course, Captain. I didn’t mean to suggest—”

  “Just go back to bed.” Hanish yawned. “We’ll discuss this in the morning.” He went downstairs with Tor in his arms and rifled through the refrigerator, looking for something that would relieve the baby’s sore teeth. He’d read that ice could sometimes help with the pain. Hanish rubbed a cold rag on his son’s gums, and the child finally seemed to calm down. Then Hanish fed him a bottle of dragonkin formula before taking him back upstairs and finally settling him down to sleep.

  He stood over his son’s crib, staring down at the child, the love of his life. “I’m sorry I haven’t found anyone to take care of you yet, Tor,” Hanish whispered in a rare moment of vulnerability. “But whoever I bring into this house to care for you has to be the best. Until then, you’re stuck with me.” He stepped out of his son’s room and turned off the lights. Back in his own master suite, Hanish collapsed on top of the covers and fell into a deep slumber.

  He woke with a snort, drool running down his cheek. As he blinked into awareness, Hanish swung his feet over the side of the bed then trudged over to the human contraption called a computer.

  He clicked over to the nanny website where he had posted his Help Wanted ad and checked to see if anyone had replied yet. There were a few college-age girls with little experience who said they would be more than willing to travel to America to be his son’s caregiver. He groaned, feeling as though he would never find the right person.

  When he was thoroughly discouraged, he rose from his computer desk and went downstairs. Zephyr and Raiden were sitting around the island, drinking coffee. He poured his own cup and sat to savor the strong black brew.

  “Any luck with the nanny search?” Zephyr asked.

  Hanish shook his head. “Nothing new to report.”

  “Yuki and I have theorized we could create a robot nanny for you,” Zephyr suggested. “We have the parts.”

  “I do not want a robot caring for my son any more than an inexperienced twit.”

  “It’s illogical to continue having so many sleepless nights.”

  “It’s not illogical to want the best for my son,” Hanish countered.

  “I agree with you on that count, Captain, but I assure you we could create you something that would be beyond excellent.”

  “I don’t doubt that, old friend, but I would prefer a flesh-and-blood caregiver for my child. Since his mother is not available, and neither are any Dragonian nannies, I will have to settle for a human. And if I must have a human care for my child, then it will be the best human nanny that ever walked the face of the earth. Mark my words—I will find such a creature, and I will find her soon.”

  Chapter 2

  JoJo Morris looked down at the children she’d been charged with since the day of their births, and tears gathered in the corners of her eye. She blinked them away, refusing to let the shock and disappointment affect her
emotionally.

  “I’m sorry we can’t take you, JoJo,” her employer, Marjorie Whitmore, said. “But it can’t be helped. Since Bedford and I are getting divorced, I can no longer afford your salary.”

  “It’s perfectly understandable, ma’am,” JoJo said.

  These things happened all the time, and being emotional about it wouldn’t help her, the children, or Mrs. Whitmore. She had plenty of savings and excellent references. Her future was not in danger, and new employment was all but assured.

  “We are going to miss you so much,” little Richard Whitmore said. He hugged JoJo around the waist, as did his younger sister, Camilla.

  The sight of the children expressing their genuine affection made the tears that were threatening slide down JoJo’s face. She sniffled them back and drew a starched white handkerchief from her pocket to wipe them away.

  “I will miss you as well, children.” She kneeled down to their height. “You have been a part of my life for so long. I almost feel as if you’re my own family. And I will never forget the time we spent together. But I know that your mother will take excellent care of you and that your futures will be happy ones. Now run along and pack your things. Be good, children, and listen to your mother. We will say our goodbyes this afternoon.”

  The children scurried off into the hall, leaving JoJo and Marjorie in private.

  “Thank you so much for understanding,” Marjorie Whitmore said.

  “I wish there were something I could do to help,” JoJo said. “Possibly reduce my salary until you get on your feet?”

  “I wouldn’t hear of it, JoJo. The children love you so much, and so do I, but I can’t ask you to take less than you’re worth. I’m sure someone will hire you right away.”

  “I understand, Marjorie.”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if you had new employment by the time you get to London. You are one of the most sought-after nannies in the country. We were lucky to have you for so long.”

  Mrs. Whitmore might have been slightly exaggerating, but JoJo knew that it was essentially the truth. JoJo Morris had gone to the best schools and had a PhD in child psychology and in early childhood development. She had worked for some of the most prestigious families and institutions in all of England but had been with the Whitmores seven years. Mr. Whitmore was an industrialist banker and had recently left Mrs. Whitmore for a much younger woman. Due to an unscrupulous and unethical prenuptial agreement, he was leaving Mrs. Whitmore with almost nothing.

  It saddened JoJo beyond belief, but there was nothing she could do. The family had been paying her ten thousand pounds a month to care for their children, and now Mrs. Whitmore would have to live on that much money alone. She could only afford to pay JoJo a tiny fraction of that, and they all knew that wouldn’t last.

  In an uncharacteristic moment of emotion, JoJo leaned in, gave the crying Mrs. Whitmore a hug, and rubbed her back briefly before stepping away and straightening her suit jacket. “Right then. It’s time I pack my bags and start looking for a new situation. It has been quite a journey raising the children together. Like I told them, I will never forget you. I will appreciate the time we spent together for the rest of my life.”

  Mrs. Whitmore sniffled and dabbed at her eyes. “Thank you, JoJo. That means so very much to me. The children and I feel exactly the same about you.”

  JoJo nodded and left the room. She hated seeing Mrs. Whitmore in tears, but she completely understood the woman’s sentiments. However, there was nothing left to do except pack her bags. What needed to be said had been said, and now it was time to move on to the next chapter of her life.

  She walked into her tidy, organized space, pulled out her suitcase, and began to pack her things. She would be staying with her great-aunt Mary in between jobs but hoped the next one would come soon. At thirty-five years old, JoJo had accomplished most of her goals. Going back to live with a relative was never ideal. Although she got along wonderfully with her great-aunt, JoJo didn’t want to put her out for too long. When she had her clothing packed, she quickly posted her résumé on the nanny service website and went downstairs to say her goodbyes to the children.

  “Goodbye, Nanny JoJo.” Richard hugged her tightly around the waist.

  “Goodbye, Nanny JoJo,” Camilla said.

  JoJo hugged them both one last time. Then she gave Mrs. Whitmore another embrace. “Be good, children.” She stepped out the door with her bag in one hand and her umbrella in the other. JoJo marched to the curb, stepped into the waiting cab, and was quickly off down the street to start her new life.

  An hour later, the cab pulled up to her great-aunt’s flat in London. The moment she stepped out of the taxi, her phone pinged. The cab driver pulled her bag from the trunk while JoJo checked the message on her phone. It seemed she already had multiple offers for employment since leaving the Whitmore mansion. A smile crossed her face as she paid the driver.

  Her heeled boots clicked on the pavement as she charged up the steps to her great-aunt’s flat. On the second floor of the building, she found her great-aunt Mary waiting. The old woman was tooling about in a housecoat and immediately offered JoJo a cup of tea when she walked in the front door.

  “I would love a cup of tea,” JoJo said, stepping inside. Mary’s home hadn’t changed a bit since JoJo’s childhood. The walls were lined with old photographs and ancient paintings. The house smelled of cinnamon and wood polish. House plants lined the windows, and stately solid, old furniture filled the room. They took a seat in the sitting room while Mary poured JoJo’s tea and added two lumps of sugar and a dollop of cream.

  JoJo accepted the Dutch blue china cup and saucer with a smile. “You remember just how I like my tea.”

  “I remember a great many things about my favorite great-niece,” Mary said, sitting across from her in an overstuffed armchair. “Tell me what your plans are for the future, dear.” Mary took a sip of her own tea.

  “I have several job offers already,” JoJo informed her.

  “Are they from good English families?”

  “I haven’t checked yet, but I’ve received five offers since leaving the Whitmore estate.”

  Mary nodded her approval. “Why don’t you check them now?”

  “I think I will.” JoJo pulled her smartphone from her purse and opened the nanny website. She placed a finger on the screen and began to scroll through the offers. “I have an offer from the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall.”

  “Oh, royalty,” Great-Aunt Mary said.

  “And an offer from a billionaire who lives on a vineyard in the south of France.”

  “Ah, the south of France would be quite nice.”

  “And from a sheik in Saudi Arabia,” JoJo continued.

  “Exotic.”

  “And here’s someone who describes himself as a ship captain who lives outside Seattle, Washington, in America.”

  “A ship captain?”

  “That’s what it says.”

  “Military or a cruise ship?” Mary asked.

  “It doesn’t say.”

  “That’s an interesting offer. Can they pay your salary?”

  “I’ve been clear about my income requirements,” she said.

  “I think you should take the job in the south of France.” Mary sipped her tea. “Such lovely weather.”

  “The ship captain has offered to double my salary,” JoJo said, opening up the offer page and reading further.

  “Double your salary?”

  “Indeed,” JoJo said. “The fact is interesting, isn’t it? And he only has one child—a son who is six months old.”

  “He must be awfully desperate for help. Does the child have health problems?”

  “He mentions the child is teething.”

  Mary laughed. “A teething six-month-old?”

  “He lives with several other men that he says are his crew. I suppose as a ship captain, that could be expected.” JoJo snickered as she continued reading. “I’m guessing none of them knows anything about children.
He does seem awfully desperate to find someone to help him.” Then JoJo opened a picture of the child. He was cradled by the most devastatingly handsome man she had ever seen in her life. JoJo held the image up for her great-aunt. “This is him.”

  “The baby or the man?”

  “I think both,” JoJo said.

  “Well, he’s quite the looker, isn’t he?” Mary asked.

  “Indeed, he is,” JoJo replied, examining Captain Hanish.

  “What are you going to do, dear?”

  “It does seem an awfully odd situation. Why are all of these men living together in one house?”

  “Maybe they’re military, and they have a bond of brotherhood. Those types of things are quite common, aren’t they?”

  “A bit.” But JoJo thought some of them would have married or have lives of their own. Or maybe they were married, and they all lived together in one house. “There are many questions, but I’m intrigued. I’m going to send him a message and ask for more information.”

  “Well, I’m glad things are progressing well for you, my dear, not that I wouldn’t want you to stay here longer. But I know how stir crazy you can be, always needing to be busy. Never able to relax.”

  “I can relax.”

  Mary laughed. “I would like to see the day. When you were a child, you would spend your entire summer rearranging and alphabetizing my library.”

  “That’s what I do for fun,” JoJo said. “I like to organize and to be tidy. I find it relaxing. There’s nothing wrong with that.”