by J. E. Cluney
“I have good news! Won’t lie, it’s actually quite mind-blowing,” Walter said with a grin, and my heart skipped a few beats at how excited he was.
Perhaps Joseph had died? Was that even possible?
“I saw what happened with your mate, Oliver, and decided to do my own digging on this legend. I made it my mission to find someone from the time there was last an ancestor who had the beast awaken,” Walter said quickly.
“You found one?” I gasped out, and the way his eyes twinkled was a sure answer before he nodded quickly.
“I struggled, but I managed to go back further than I’ve ever gone. I knew the risks, but I also knew we needed something to help. Perhaps me being a warlock is what stopped me from being harmed by going so far back. I honestly didn’t think it was possible,” he said with a disbelieving shake of his head before he continued. “I found a Viking ancestor of his. It took time to sort out languages, as I don’t speak Old Norse, but I found a translator. He spoke of dragon shifters, true shifters capable of taking on the form of a dragon,” Walter exclaimed. “I never would’ve thought it was possible.”
“Ollie can turn into a dragon?” I gaped at him. No. He had to be lying. That was crazy.
But his excitement said otherwise. And the scaly skin…the talons…it lined up.
Ollie was a fucking dragon.
Holy hell.
“I managed to find out a lot, which they will learn once you leave this void, so I’ll tell you everything. First and foremost, what you must understand is that they are a primal form. When they first take the form, it is much too powerful for their human shifter side. The human side of them will shut off, falling into a deep sleep and having blackouts as the dragon adjusts and properly wakes up with a few shifts. The shifts can be extremely painful and sometimes will fail. As I believe happened today,” Walter said, his words rushing forth.
“Wait, I didn’t feel his pain for his last blackout,” I interjected.
“It’s possible the dragon put him into a sleep before the shift even started, thus protecting him from the pain,” Walter shot back.
A dragon. I was still struggling to believe that as Walter moved on.
“Apparently before the Vikings, true shifters almost all had the ability, but they became hunted and stopped shifting into dragons, so they lost the special ability. Over time, they forgot they even had it, as the ancestors thought keeping them from knowing their true potential would protect them. It did, but they lost who they truly were,” Walter said with a sigh before smiling and shaking his head. “I still can’t believe it. They really exist. Anyway, this Viking told me that dragons have hoards. Various rare items from jewels to relics that they find valuable. I wasn’t sure how this mattered, but then he told me that there are some relics that once existed that could summon forth any other object. I spoke with Mabel, and she was able to foresee that Oliver has access to a hoard with one such item. We think this hoard was something that was left behind long ago, possibly by another true shifter who started the dragon shift.
“Very few ever complete it, as they need to know what this other side is and accept it. The Viking has watched his descendants throughout time and has seen many begin the shift but get too scared by the blackouts that they fight this deep power. The dragon then falls dormant again. They may never even know what was happening to them and will forever have blank moments in their memories.
“Those who are in a dragon bloodline will gain knowledge of the various hoards of their entire lineage once they accept their true dragon side,” Walter said, practically bubbling and bouncing with excitement and hope.
“So, Ollie can find this hoard of his lineage when he shifts, use the item, and summon forth the dagger?” I murmured, amazed by everything I was learning.
“Only Ollie can use the relic. Apparently, these old relics relied on a magic only the dragons had. It was how they found the rarest of items for their hoard,” he added quickly.
“Great! That’s the answer then,” I whispered, relief washing through me.
We finally had an answer.
An unbelievable, insane answer, but an answer.
A goddamn dragon.
Far out.
“I Remember seeing something in the sky the night of his blackout,” I said softly, recalling the thing Lucas and I had seen. Had that been Ollie as a dragon?
My banshee side had reacted to it. Had she known the beast was my mate?
“Yes, I do think that was him too,” Walter said, nodding firmly.
“Thank you, Walter. This is extremely helpful. I’ll let them all know right away,” I said gratefully.
Now we finally had a way to solve everything.
It all fell on Ollie.
14
Ollie.
We all waited patiently for Allison’s black eyes to return to normal after I explained everything to my dad. He was weirded out by this ghost living inside my mate, but he was trying to wrap his head around it.
The black depths of Allison’s eyes receded, and she sighed, giving us a smile.
“You will not believe what I just found out,” she said quickly.
I dove into her mind, seeing her conversation with Walter.
As I replayed her visit to the void, my limbs began to tremble.
A dragon.
That was what he’d said.
I drew in a shaky breath as I moved to lean on the railing by my dad, unable to comprehend it.
“What is it?” my father asked gently.
I opened my mouth, but the overwhelming knowledge had me lost for words.
“A fucking dragon?!” Skip exclaimed.
“A dragon?” My father frowned as he glanced between us, hoping someone would fill him in.
Skip shared what we’d learned, and Allison jumped in to add things, like the information on the Vikings, the hoards, and my blackouts.
I just stared at the stone ground beneath me, going over it in my head.
I could turn into an honest-to-God dragon.
I shook my head, managing a soft scoff.
Never in a million years could I have even dreamed of such a thing. Sure, when my grandfather had told me of the legend, I’d entertained the thought, but it was nothing more than a farfetched idea.
I pressed against the cool stone railing, digging my fingers into it and focusing on the chill beneath my skin.
Everything fell on me. I had to find this relic so we could recover the dagger.
At least I finally knew how.
“So Ollie can turn into a dragon?” my father murmured in disbelief, his face shocked.
“Seems that way,” Lucas said softly, shaking his head at the realization.
“Can all true shifters do it?” he asked quickly.
“From what Walter explained, no. It lies dormant in the lineage and rarely awakens,” Marcus said as he folded his arms, his jaw set. “But this is how we deal with Joseph.”
“Right, Ollie shifts, and then he finds the hoard. We hand the dagger over to the area Enforcer, and all’s well that ends well,” my father said, nodding quickly.
“Well, we’re not sure if Allison needs to use the dagger or not. That was never made clear,” Skip said.
“I don’t think so. It’s just the dagger that needs to be used on him,” Marcus said with a shake of his head.
“So how do I shift into it willingly?” I asked quietly, and all eyes fell on me.
“Wouldn’t it be like any other shift?” Skip questioned.
“Doubt it, being something primal and super powerful,” Lucas mused as he held his chin in thought.
“Worth trying though. See if it’s as simple as just knowing what you’re becoming,” my father said hopefully.
“Did Walter say if he was dangerous?” Marcus asked, and we all turned to him.
“What do you mean?” Allison asked with a frown, her sweet doe eyes stressed by the question.
“He said that it’s powerful enough that his human side falls a
sleep. So we’re essentially dealing with a wild dragon with no human brain, aren’t we?” he said as he glanced around at us.
Fuck.
“Yeah. That could be a problem,” Skip agreed.
“We have to risk it. We need that dagger,” Allison said firmly as she jutted her chin out.
I reached out to her, taking her hand in mine.
“I won’t risk hurting you,” I stated, the mere thought making my chest tighten and a shiver course through me.
I would not risk her for anything.
“That’s not your choice to make,” she said as she turned to me, her eyes fiery and determined.
I just shook my head sadly.
“Lucas will be there. He can portal us away if needed. Or he could even portal you away,” she added.
I sighed, hating how logical she was being. She was right though. We had ways of dealing with it.
“We need to do this before more people die,” my father said. “It could be risky, but it’s even more risky if we don’t try.”
I knew they were right. This was far bigger than just me.
“Well, we should go to Bob’s to try to shift. It’s away from people and probably safest,” Lucas said, and we all nodded in agreement.
“I’ll portal us there, and the car. Maybe give him a call first?” Lucas suggested, and my dad nodded as he pulled out his phone.
“He’s going to be blown away by this,” my father muttered.
I sighed as I pulled Allison against my chest, nuzzling the top of her head and drawing in her sweet fragrance to calm me.
I hated how everything rested on my shoulders, but as long as I had her by my side, I could do it.
“You’ve got this,” she murmured as she hugged me tight before pulling back to smile up at me. “You can do it.”
I smiled back at her, grateful for her firm belief in me. How I’d been blessed to find my true mate was beyond me, but I was eternally grateful.
She smiled wider, hearing my affectionate thoughts as she leaned up to kiss me softly.
I just hoped her belief in me wasn’t misplaced.
My grandfather greeted us, looking quite stunned as we stepped through the portal before his house.
“So we finally know what the beast is in the legend,” he said as he strode over and placed both hands on my shoulders. “To think my own grandson has awakened such a creature within him. It’s unbelievable,” he said softly, his weary hazel eyes searching mine. “But no one was better chosen to bear such a gift.”
I thanked him as he pulled me into a tight hug before he spied my father.
“It’s been some time, Craig,” he said, smiling softly as he released me and held out a hand.
My father shook it with a small smile. “It really has been. I’ve missed you.”
“Right back at you,” my grandfather choked out as he tugged my dad into an embrace. “I wish I could see you more.”
“I know,” my father said as he clung to his dad.
I pursed my lips at the tender moment, hating how it was my own mother that had caused the fracture in my family.
But it wasn’t all on her. My father was the one who’d allowed it. I didn’t care about the old ways and tradition. Now that I had my own true mate and knew what real love and happiness was, I wanted it for everyone.
“Well, let’s not waste any time. I know this is urgent,” Bob said, his voice cracking a little as he slapped my dad’s back and pulled back. Even in the shadows of the night, I could see the slight glint of tears in my grandfather’s eyes.
The front porch had a few lights on, but we stood off to the side of the house as everyone turned to me.
“Right here?” I asked, a chill coursing through me as I realized it really was time.
“As good a place as any,” Lucas stated.
My gaze fell to Allison as she stood before me with a tender smile. She looked so sure of me, completely at ease.
Her calmness rubbed off onto me, and I drew in a steadying breath as I tugged my shirt off.
Time to get this show on the road.
I turned away from everyone as I removed the rest of my clothing, and I closed my eyes as I focused on shifting. I thought about dragons, and how I was one of a kind, capable of such a wondrous transformation.
My heart skipped a beat as I worried about my ability to remain awake.
I didn’t want to black out again. I hated not being in control, and the thought of being such a powerful, terrifying beast scared me.
What if I hurt someone?
‘We won’t let that happen,’ Lucas said firmly in my mind.
‘Trust yourself. Everything will be okay,’ Allison reassured me.
I nodded as I let out a breath I’d been holding.
We had no choice.
I needed to do this, even if it meant losing control and being asleep.
I had to trust my mate and the guys, that they’d handle anything.
I gritted my teeth as I felt my inner magic surge deep inside, swirling with a fiery energy.
I could do this.
I had to.
15
Ollie’s skin rippled, and he groaned as his skin began to peel off, scales forming beneath it.
I winced as he collapsed, wrapping his arms around himself as he whimpered.
The pain I sensed from him made me shudder, and a part of me wanted to tell him to stop.
I didn’t want him in pain.
He fell to the ground, convulsing as his body began to crack and shift, but just as quickly as it had started, it ended.
He gasped in ragged breaths as he stared up at the sky, and I shared a concerned glance with Lucas.
Why had the shift stopped?
“It’s not working,” Ollie groaned out as he sat up. “It started, but I felt it withdraw.”
I quivered as Walter’s voice rose up in my mind, and all my mates looked to me in confusion.
‘Apologies for the intrusion, but I’ve been learning more about this void. The Viking I spoke with did mention that the shift could become difficult if the shifter learned of the ability and tried to force it. However, he explained to me a magic that was once used to assist. If you would permit me too, I could channel my magic through you to assist Oliver,’ Walter said, his voice ringing around in my mind.
‘Channel your magic? How?’ Lucas demanded to know.
‘I am bound to Allison through her void, and I’ve learned that this could be possible. It can come in handy if she ever needs warlock magic desperately but you are not around,’ Walter answered.
I stared at Lucas before flicking my gaze around my men.
It was worth a shot.
Marcus nodded, although Lucas looked unconvinced as I turned back to face Ollie fully.
I sighed, opening myself up as I felt Walter reach through my void.
A swirling, powerful magic channeled through me, and I gasped as a beam of green magic shot from my hand and swirled around Ollie.
Ollie cried out as he fell to the ground once more, writhing as his body cracked and shifted, his skin melting off as scales protruded.
I closed my eyes, grimacing and wishing I could take away his pain as he howled and clawed at the earth.
Marcus wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me backwards, and I peeked out to see just what was happening.
Ollie’s body had partially shifted, and he was growing quickly in size as his body continued to morph.
He rolled onto all fours, an animalistic sound escaping him as two mounds began to move and protrude from his shoulder blades.
I watched in utter shock as the leathery, golden wings formed, stretching and growing as his skin was fully replaced by golden scales.
Horns snaked out from his forehead as his face elongated and a snout grew, and the whip-like tail lashed around as he struggled to remain on all fours.
The minutes ticked by as we all remained silent, only the sounds of Ollie’s transformation splitting the air with
sickening cracks.
“Ollie,” I murmured as the golden dragon finally stood before us, its chest heaving as it bowed in on itself.
At the sound of my voice, it’s burning red eyes shot open, reminding me of the days he was cursed as a cat. I took a step back as he unfurled his body, standing tall as he turned to face me, towering over us all with ease.
His eyes were the size of my whole hand, and those fiery red orbs were focused solely on me as his nostrils flared.
The golden, hard horns were smooth from this view, but I dared not look away from his gaze.
His wings outstretched, and I fought the urge to back away at the sight of how giant he truly was.
With his wings now raised, showing off their fine, leathery flaps, he was easily as tall as a house.
I could feel my other mates wanting to grab me and run, unsure just how Ollie was going to react.
I reached out to him, flinching when I made no contact.
The Ollie I knew was gone, trapped deep inside this beast, asleep.
The dragon bared its teeth, and I quivered as it let out a blood-curdling roar that shook the earth beneath us.
“Portal, now!” Marcus barked at Lucas.
I yanked out of Marcus’ grip as my banshee surged to the surface, crying out for my mate before me as the dragon lowered its head, a deep rumble emanating from its chest.
His mouth was slightly ajar, showing rows of razor-sharp teeth, and the faint fiery glow was building up deep inside his throat.
I knew I needed to move, that flames were only seconds from spewing from his jaws, but my banshee urged me on as I lurched forward, despite the mental protests of my mates.
Marcus had his arms around my waist, but my banshee side stopped him from flitting me away, immobilizing him.
“Come back to me,” I whispered as I held out my hand, feeling the blue skull burn to life on my palm.
The dragon closed its mouth, gazing at me curiously as it lowered its head more.
No one said a word as they waited to see what would happen, all tense and ready to act on a second’s notice.
I released Marcus, apologizing mentally for allowing my banshee to seize him like that.
