The Protector (Fire's Edge)

by Abigail Owen

  The scowl that dropped over the king’s face might have made a lesser man cower, but Levi was fighting for his family. He didn’t back down. “I can’t leave my mate and our orphaned boys that we are raising together.”

  He was prepared to beg his king for this. Go down on his knees if he had to. If that didn’t work, if Brand still insisted he needed Levi, then Levi was prepared to consciously and deliberately sever his tie and go rogue. No way was he leaving his family.

  Brand blinked. “Your mate?” he asked slowly.

  “Lyndi Chandali.”

  The king went stone still at that. “The fuck you say. Pytheios’s kin? Did I say balls? Brother, you have a death wish.” Then Brand glanced down, lips pursed as though considering. He took so long, Levi was readying himself to break every oath he’d sworn to his clan, break his code of honor.

  “I understand, though,” Brand finally said.

  He did? Levi didn’t dare let himself feel relief. Not until he was sure.

  The king raised his golden gaze, lips tipping in the nearest thing to a smile Levi had seen from the man, though the expression was more feral than kind. “I have a mate myself. I couldn’t leave her, either. Even if it meant losing everything to that red fucker who named himself High King.”

  “So I can stay?” Levi had to be sure.

  “You can stay. Though the gods only know that I need more men here. Men I can trust.”

  “Trust our team to do everything in our power to hold the colonies in your name.”

  Brand nodded, though suddenly he looked…dead on his feet, haggard with dark circles under his eyes. Not a good sign for the Kings’ War.

  Levi debated his next offer, but it felt too right not to do. “Our older boys are trained fighters. Only one of them is gold. The other two are white and green. But Attor, he’s a good…man. And a good fighter.”

  Brand crossed his arms, expression serious. “I’d be honored if you’d send him in your place. I’ll make him one of my personal guards. Keep an eye on him for you.”

  Levi blew out a sharp breath. “Thank you.”

  …

  Clean from a nice long shower after an even longer bout of sleeping, Lyndi dropped onto the bed to pull on her socks. Alone. Levi had been gone when she’d woken in the middle of the night, and again when she’d finally risen this morning.

  Her mate.

  That one incredible fact still felt surreal. Like she might wake any second in her bed at the orphan house to learn she was still unmated and Levi was still a distant part of her life.

  The entire trip back to this mountain had been full of discussions about how best to get ready for the fights that no doubt were coming. Because not every dragon shifter in the colonies would see their situation as defending the lives of those they helped enforce. Many would see them as traitors and rogues. It wouldn’t just be the Alliance or the Imoogi team they’d have to go up against.

  Even Vilsinn the cave troll, who had decided to come with them to the mountain headquarters, seemed fairly certain they were fucked.

  Lyndi’s mouth tipped in amusement at the memory of the rock creature riding on Levi’s back all the way here.

  Rivin, Keighan, and Hall might never let Levi live that one down.

  And Levi still had to leave. The knowledge of that had hung over her, weighed her down, with every stroke of her wings, and every second since they’d arrived home, she’d been waiting for him to announce the time had come. He’d be late obeying orders as it stood.

  The door pushed open and her mate entered. Damn those shoulders. She’d miss holding on to those while they were apart. Miss him. As though he’d take her heart with him, leaving a gaping hole inside her that nothing, maybe not even her boys, could fill in his absence.

  With a tired groan, Levi dropped beside her on the bed. At least his leg was mostly healed. She swung her legs up on the bed and snuggled into him, smiling as a big arm came around her to pull her even closer. Eyes closed, they lay there in pure contentment. Stealing every second of time together they could.

  “Where were you?” she asked.

  “Begging my king to let me stay here,” he said. Casually. Like this was no big deal.

  Lyndi jerked straight up, smacking her forehead into his in the process. He grunted, hand to his head, and grinned. “Ouch, woman.”

  She ignored him, too focused on what he’d just announced. “You what? What did he say? I can’t believe you did—”

  Levi pressed his lips to hers, silencing all her questions. Then pulled back and grinned. “I can stay.”

  Lyndi squeezed her eyes shut, not sure she could trust the elation sweeping through her, then opened them and reached out to pinch him.

  “Hey,” he yelped. “What was that for?”

  “To make sure we’re both not dreaming.” Then she threw her arms around him, burying her face in his neck and trying not to cry in his presence for the third time in a short while. She hadn’t been a crier until recently. “Thank the gods.”

  “Thank Brand Astarot finding his own mate and turning into a giant softie,” Levi said, laughter tumbling through his words.

  Then he sobered, pulling back. “There’s more, though.”

  Quickly he told her about the rest of the call. Including Attor.

  “You really do have a death wish,” she grumbled at the end of it, scrunching up her face. He’d taken a huge risk.

  Serious eyes studied her face. “I know I should have discussed Attor with you first—”

  “No.” She shook her head. “You did the right thing. As much as I’ll worry about him, he’ll be so proud to go in your stead. But when Drake and Finn find out the risk you took talking to Brand about all that without asking…” She widened her eyes and shook her head. “I might have to defend your honor, my love.”

  Levi huffed a laugh that actually sounded like relief to her ears, and Lyndi leaned forward, kissing him with all her heart, their relief poured into every press, every sweep against each other.

  “I get to keep you here,” she whispered against his lips, her hands digging into his shirt as though she could keep him there by force. Was this happening? “Thank the gods and the fates.”

  “And a mate who would dare anything for you,” Levi murmured, smiling into her kisses, and her heart thumped hard at that knowledge. At the feel of how much he meant those words through the connection now binding them.

  Suddenly, he stilled. “What was that?” Levi mumbled, breath ruffling her hair.

  “What was what?”

  He lifted his head, and she caught his frown of concentration.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Shhh…” He waved a brusque hand at her.

  Lyndi raised her eyebrows at that, but otherwise stayed silent.

  “It’s a…” Levi’s eyes widened, and an emotion flashed across his features too fast for her to recognize. Not fear exactly but something damn close to it.

  “Gods above.” Suddenly, he popped up to all fours only to lean over and put his head to her belly.

  “What on earth are you—”

  He jerked up to face her again. “That time we made love in my cabin and I said I wanted to put a baby in your belly. You said yes in the heat of the moment, but did you mean it? Did you wish for a baby, too?”

  A…what? Her mind scattered like dry leaves in a windstorm.

  “Lyndi?” He gripped her by the shoulders, face intent. “Did you? Because I did. I know I did, but I thought I was safe because conceiving wasn’t possible.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “Min eneste…I can hear a heartbeat.”

  She shoved at his head, disappointment clawing up her throat, leaving her raw on the inside. “Yeah. I have a heart you know.”

  “No—” His eyes lit up, glowing a molten gold, pure adulation
lighting his eyes to a glitter, a look that sent her stomach tumbling over itself.

  “A second heartbeat,” he said. “Higher. Faster.”

  Lyndi’s brain went to pure fuzz, not processing what he was saying.

  “Lyndi. You’re pregnant.”

  Lyndi stared at her mate. Not comprehending the words coming from his mouth.

  “Do you hear me? I said you’re—”

  “But I can’t be. I’m sterile.”

  Levi shook his head. “I don’t understand, either, but we’re fated mates. That brand on your neck and the bond linking us says so.” A slow grin stretched his face, happiness so pure it set off fireworks of answering joy inside her to see. “It seems nothing is impossible these days.”

  The phoenix had returned. More than one. Mates’ signs were changing. Why not female-borns’ sterility as well?

  “Oh my gods.” Her hands whipped up to her mouth as reality started to sink in. “Are you sure? Listen again.”

  With frantic hands, she pushed his head back down to her belly.

  He stayed there a minute, holding her hips. Then nodded, his silky hair brushing her hands. “I’m sure.”

  “Do you think this is what Vilsinn’s Seeress meant?” she asked. “I thought it was about a female-born mating, but maybe it’s about having a baby?”

  “I hope it’s both. That you’re the first for both,” Levi said. At her urging, he crawled up to wrap her in his arms. “We’re going to have a baby, Lyndi.”

  She burrowed into him, trying to wrap her mind around the miracles. So many coming at her in the wake of tragedy and uncertainty. Mated. Truly mated and she’d never have to be afraid he’d leave her when he found his mate. All that and he could stay here with her. Yes, hard times were coming their way, but they’d be ready together. And now a baby.

  Could a heart burst with happiness and terror at the same time?

  Because hers was trying to do just that.

  “I love you, min eneste.”

  “I adore you,” she murmured. Then lifted her head to kiss him softly. “Thank you for waiting for me.”

  Levi grinned. That lopsided, perfect grin. “You were worth every agonizing second.”

  Epilogue

  Rune stared at the messages scrolling across his pager in rapid succession. Primitive technology, but effective when everyone else in the world was using cell phones and internet. Those trying to track his ass down would have a harder time with this. It’d worked so far at least.

  Fuck me.

  If this was to be believed, his former team had just screwed themselves.

  The Alaz team destroyed, and the Huracáns getting ready to build an army and go to war over the Americas dragon shifters, siding with the gold, blue, and black kings. And…recruiting?

  He stared at the one word, a band of excitement hitting a wave of dread.

  He was going to be called upon soon. Decades ago, when he’d discovered the way mates were being used politically, he’d known a fight would be coming. A fight to take down those in power. Because anyone who’d dare use such a sacred thing in their society for political gain had to be truly evil. That meant the Mating Council, the Alliance were probably in on it, the kings. Fuck if he hadn’t been right. And the fight was coming now.

  A hushed beeping went off on one of the monitors in the room. A sensor scanning the mountain around them. Probably a damn goat or some other animal native to the area. With a sigh, he turned off his pager and stuffed it in a pocket of his utility pants, then pushed back from the desk and rolled to the screen showing the sensor that had been tripped. With a couple of keystrokes, he brought up the camera situated there.

  And froze.

  “What in the seven hells?” He looked closer, but that didn’t change the image.

  A woman was climbing his mountain. With a system of ropes and what appeared to be more gear than she should be able to handle given her petite size, but that didn’t make it not real.

  Awareness tightened in his belly as he took in grainy details of a gamine face with large eyes, blue maybe, made more piquant by the short cut of her dark hair. Like a human-sized pixie just entered his domain. But her look of total determination was what had him staring harder, his dragon giving a low rumble of approval.

  As he watched, she glanced up and stilled. Could she see the camera hidden among the rocks? After staring directly into it, almost as though she was looking right at him, she spoke. Except the camera wasn’t set up for sound, so he couldn’t hear her voice.

  But he didn’t need to. He could read her lips just fine.

  “I’m looking for Rune Abaddon.”

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  Acknowledgments

  No matter what is going on in my life, I get to do what I love surrounded by the people I love—a blessing that I thank God for every single day. Writing and publishing a book doesn’t happen without the support and help from a host of incredible people.

  To my fantastic, equally dragon-obsessed readers (especially my Awesome Nerds Facebook fan group!), thanks for going on these journeys with me, for your kindness, your support, and generally being awesome. Levi and Lyndi’s story started way back in the prequel story, The Mate. I could see so clearly their need for each other, but I had to write 4 other stories (7 if you count the Inferno Rising stories) before we could get here. I hope you fell in love with these characters and their story as much as I did. If you have a free sec, please think about leaving a review. Also, I love to connect with my readers, so I hope you’ll drop a line and say “Howdy” on any of my social media accounts!

  To my editor, Heather Howland…sharing a brain with you rocks!

  To my Entangled family…best team in the business!

  To my agent, Evan Marshall…thanks for the journey!

  To my author sisters/brothers and friends…you are the people I feel most myself with, and you inspire me every single day.

  To my support team of beta readers, critique partners, writing buddies, reviewers, friends, and family (you know who you are), thank you, thank you, thank you.

  Finally, to my own partner in life and our awesome kids…I don’t know how it’s possible, but I love you more every day.

  About the Author

  Award-winning paranormal romance author Abigail Owen grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She loves to write witty, feisty heroines, sexy heroes who deserve them, and a cast of lovable characters to surround them (and maybe get their own stories). She currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own personal hero, her husband, and their two children, who are growing up way too fast.

  Don’t miss the Fire’s Edge series…

  The Mate

  The Boss

  The Rookie

  The Enforcer

  Also by Abigail Owen…

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  The Blood King

  The Warrior King

  The Demigod Complex

  Shift Out Of Luck

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  Try As I Smite

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