Dallin looked over at Jo, still held down by the apparatus that light fairies used to suck the magic out of other fairies, grateful she seemed unharmed even if she wasn’t able to move.
To keep her safe, Dallin would tear this guy’s face off his skull. He’d—
Another hit to Dallin’s unguarded face sent his brain jostling in his head just as he felt air as the chaos fae threw him again. He tumbled over the floor, unbothered by the concrete as he tried to push up off the ground, to no avail.
Stupid wounded arm.
“You’ll regret having ever crossed paths with Nerroth, hybrid.”
“Who’s Nerroth again?” Dallin replied, intentionally obtuse. A kick to the side sent him rolling again.
Ouch.
“There were others like you. Cocky, stupid dragons. They killed my brother, Nerrenth.” Nerroth’s eyes narrowed as he stared Dallin down. “So when I heard of a program that made… creatures like you, I contacted the light fae who had run the program and sought out their expertise.”
A powerful chaos prince in league with rogue light fae. Just peachy.
“Expertise in what?” Dallin scoffed. “Fixing your ugly face?”
Nerroth ignored him. “When I heard about your prowess, your power, a dragon that could singlehandedly stand up to fae without even using his dragon form, I knew I had found my challenge. You see…” He flexed a hand, gazing at his palm. “Your friends found a way to make me immune to every known dragon power using the samples they’d collected over centuries. Samples they used to create you.”
“I thought I buried those fuckers under a hundred feet of stone,” Dallin muttered. He tried to call for his dragon powers, but they were spent.
Nerroth stared down at Dallin as if appraising dirt. “Your masters created you, the ultimate dragon. One that could fight fae. So I became the ultimate fae, capable of killing any dragon. And now that I know this world is full of dragons, I can’t wait to exact my revenge on every. Last. One.”
That didn’t sound good.
But even more urgent in Dallin’s mind was Jo.
He had to save her no matter what he was.
But what could he do now? No dragon power left. No fae had shown up yet.
Dallin hadn’t expected things to go to hell the moment he left her side. He’d thought Ryder and Landon would be more than enough protection for what Dallin had faced while protecting Jo so far.
He should have assigned a fairy to her, but since Ryder and Landon could transform, he’d thought that would be fine too.
He’d been naive, though.
And now Dallin would be satisfied to just wipe the smug grin off Nerroth’s face and get Jo the fuck out of there.
“The ultimate dragon? Truly a disappointment.” Magic crackled in the air around Nerrenth as he lifted his wand, preparing another, probably fatal, blow.
“Don’t let him talk to you like that, Dallin. You’re wonderful,” Jo called out, piquing Dallin’s attention. She was watching him, her brown eyes full of determination, a tiny baker caught up in a conflict that spanned worlds now, still fighting to the last. “You’re not the ultimate anything. Fae. Dragon. Whatever. You’re just you, and you’re wonderful. And I love you.”
Her eyes meeting his sent a shock through him, a renewed strength to fight.
But what could he do?
“Don’t worry about the beacon,” Nerroth said, smirking. “I’ll find a creative use for her now that my allies are dead. We’ll have fun together. I promise.”
Nerroth grinned. The energy around his wand intensified. Any moment now, it would all be over for Dallin.
The right kind of monster.
Aegis’s words rang through Dallin’s head, and for once, he thought of the face of his torturer for the first time in so long.
The ice fae who had pumped his own blood into Dallin.
The memories Dallin kept furthest from his mind.
The reminder that he really was part fae, though it felt like fire to touch that part of him.
But he didn’t care what he was made of or how it happened anymore.
He just wanted to protect his love.
“My mate…” Dallin muttered, pushing himself up to one knee as he felt an odd humming in the air around him. “My… my…”
There was a word on the tip of his tongue, the fringe of his brain, the border of his soul. What was it?
Something suddenly cracked inside Dallin, and the humming sound became the overwhelming feeling of rushing cold water through his veins.
Energy and vitality surged inside him as Dallin rose to both feet. He felt an odd sensation emanate from his back and watched Nerroth’s eyes widen as glowing teal shapes emerged in the corners of his vision.
Wings that glowed like a teal aurora borealis, undulating like northern lights in the shape of huge, opened dragon wings.
“What… what is this?” Nerroth said, arm shaking as he held his wand out.
Dallin felt his body change as he grew slightly taller, eye to eye now with the chaos fae. Armor appeared, teal and shining and covering his entire body.
His true form.
Dallin, confused yet somehow naturally knowing what to do, reached behind him, and a wand appeared in his hand, long and staff-like, glowing with teal fire and topped with emerald crystals.
He knew what to do now. Knew what fae usually did. Unbidden, the words every fae prince used before a soul bond battle almost escaped from his mouth.
“I’m fighting for my…” He looked at Jo. “For my soul bond.”
Her eyes glowed with happiness, and a faint pink glow emanated around her.
He turned back to Nerroth, pointing his wand. “Release her or die.”
Even though he wasn’t watching Jo, he could feel the thrum of their connection—their bond, he supposed—growing as love and devotion poured into his soul, past walls he had kept up for so long.
“The only one who will taste death is you, abomination,” Nerroth said just as he pointed his wand again.
Dallin’s energy heated to a breathtaking chill in his veins as he focused it into the wand, his wings retracting for a moment. A teal beam of light shot forward, almost deafening, and hit Nerroth in the chest.
He flew backward, screeching in anger as he tumbled to the floor. He curled in on himself as his wand disappeared and black blood pooled on the floor.
Dallin stepped forward, ready to end this.
“I read the report. Your file, emerald hybrid,” he said between groans, glaring up at him, wide-eyed. “You were supposed to be mostly dragon, only traces of fae. They didn’t tell me you were an ice fairy.” He tried to push himself back with one arm.
“I didn’t think I could be fae either. I hated the idea I could share any part with the monsters that made me. But I don’t really care what brought me here to this moment or who I am as long as I can protect her.” He glanced over at her, eager to end this and get her home safely. “Maybe what kept me alive through all the torture, all the experiments, was this part of me waiting to meet my soul bond, waiting to break free.”
Jo’s eyes were wide with shock, but then a tearful smile moved over her face, and Dallin hoped that meant that everything would be all right between them despite everything that had happened.
Damn, he’d been in love with her since the second he’d seen her on that doorstep.
“No dragon deserves mercy,” Nerroth said weakly, badly wounded already. “I’ll never stop hunting you or your kind. I will have my revenge…”
“Not with me around, you won’t.” With that, Dallin pointed his wand, shooting one more blast of icy energy, and Nerroth was engulfed, screaming, in a blaze of blue and green light that, when it disappeared, left only a black smudge on the ground where the powerful chaos fae had once been.
Dallin put his wand away, still in a daze that he had one, let alone used it. But he couldn’t hate that part of himself anymore. He was just thankful for the power that had given him the strengt
h to save Jo as he walked over to the table and broke the restraints easily.
He pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly even though his armor was probably uncomfortable against her skin. He couldn’t help holding her, checking her over with his hands, murmuring reassurances.
Then he realized he hadn’t even said anything to her yet and stepped back.
“Are you okay?” He held her hands as he stepped back to study her.
She was still glowing slightly, just a faint pink tinge around her, which was probably her fae self partially manifesting, but to Dallin, she couldn’t have looked any more beautiful.
Just because she was his and she was okay.
“Dallin.” She looked up at him.
“Jo,” he said, clasping her hands tightly as he tried to think how to explain. How to apologize for leaving her in this position in the first place. “I’m so sorry. I do love you. I—I was so stupid, and if you could ever forgive me, I promise to do better. To work on my fae side, to be kinder, to—”
“I forgive you. Just kiss me, you silly dragon,” she said, and the stone on her hand glowed.
Dallin felt his body moving without doing it himself and realized that a small part of his power must be in the emerald ring he’d given her.
The one the oracle had made.
He was just glad it protected her.
And that his mate still saw him as the dragon he always would be.
He slid his lips over hers, relieved for everything to just be okay.
When she pulled back, she smiled, and he felt the command release.
So he reached his arm around her waist to pull her in and kiss her in earnest, grateful that his mate, his soul bond, had the kindest heart he’d ever known.
He was just sinking into the kiss, entwining them together as pink and blue energy swirled around them, when the back wall exploded and caved in, and Dallin threw his body around Jo to protect her from debris.
Luckily, it didn’t reach them.
He looked up to see Ian stepping through in full fae form, looking like a glowing white angel with his staff-like wand already out.
The other three fae princes stood behind him.
“What the fuck?” That was Brett, the ice fae, as he walked forward, taking in Dallin’s appearance. “Holy shit, you are a fairy.”
Flynn, a red-haired fire fae, stepped up beside Brett. “Damn, I didn’t picture that.”
Tanner, a dark-haired fae formerly known as commander of darkness, scented the air. “Chaos. Powerful chaos. You defeated it?”
Dallin nodded. “They are becoming immune to dragon powers. We will have to be more careful.”
Tanner nodded, looking around the lab at the spots on the ground that were the only reminder that fae had ever been there.
Dallin focused, bringing his wings back inside, pushing his power down.
But he couldn’t seem to transform back into a human. And with the way the fae were marveling as they gathered around him, he really wanted to.
He still felt like an abomination with his odd armor and his hybrid wings.
Jo reached up to touch his face, soothing him as she cupped his cheek. “Hey. Look at me. Whenever you’re lost, whenever you wonder who you are and whether you’re worth it, just look at me. You’ll see it in my eyes. You’re everything.”
Warmth filled Dallin, and everyone in the room went silent as he kissed Jo once again.
He felt himself relax, felt his magic abate inside him until he knew he was back in his normal human form again.
Ready to be his dragon.
Ian rubbed the back of his head. “You should get your mate home. We’re going to document some things for the oracle.”
“Yeah,” Flynn said, grinning at Dallin. “You two have some more ‘bonding’ to do.”
Dallin raised a fist, ready to fight the next person who said anything remotely dirty in front of his mate, but Jo just laughed and pulled down his hand.
“Let’s go home,” she said.
“Damn, that was one big fairy,” Dallin heard Brett say as he picked Jo up in his arms and carried her through the hole in the wall.
But he didn’t care what anyone thought anymore. He didn’t care about his past or about vengeance.
All he cared about was Jo, and as he set her down and walked away so he could transform into his dragon, he promised himself he would never forget what was important.
Their love. Their bond.
He closed his eyes and transformed.
27
Jo hadn’t thought there could be anything more beautiful than Dallin in his fae form, but she knew she was wrong as she looked up at his sparkling giant dragon form.
He was absolutely stunning.
His back, tail, and wings were studded with emerald crystals that shone in the sun, and his scales were a sparkling blue-green that seemed to change color as he shifted.
She almost couldn’t believe what she was seeing despite everything else she’d seen so far.
The scale of him, larger than a house, was almost more than she could handle.
His wings were unfurling, sparkling in the sun, and his head turned to look down at her.
There in those eyes, even though they were an icy blue color instead of the usual ocean blue, was Dallin, and her heart relaxed despite the awe of him.
She walked forward, clasping her hands together nervously. “I don’t know what to do next.”
He lowered his head. “Get on.”
Her eyes widened. “Won’t someone see us?”
“I will cloak when we’re in the air. But I wanted to show you my dragon.”
She blushed. “He’s beautiful. You’re beautiful. Dragon. Fae. I don’t care. I just love you.”
“I love you too,” he said, his voice echoing slightly from his huge body.
No matter what form he was in, she could feel their souls drawn together, bonded as though they’d been born to be that way.
Together.
She was still touched by what he said about his past. By him coming to terms with it to save her.
She took a step forward, then another, and then Dallin reached forward with one clawed foot and gently picked her up and set her on his back.
“Hold on tight,” he said as her hands gripped two emerald crystals that made perfect handles.
When he took off, her stomach dropped, but then as he soared into the clouds and flew forward smoothly, sunlight all around them, she felt her heart soar as well.
She was safe. He was here.
She felt that odd, warm pink energy flowing inside her and knew that soon, she would manifest.
But she hoped this Dallin, the one who had accepted the fae in himself, wouldn’t mind that.
He dipped in and out of clouds, making her laugh, and then disappeared beneath her, making her gasp and fear falling.
But she could still feel him beneath her, so this must be what he meant by being cloaked.
All too soon, the ride was over and Dallin was landing in an abandoned lot, still invisible.
He set her down and transformed, then came over immediately to pick her up again.
She’d never get tired of his possessiveness.
He carried her the several blocks to her house, growling at anyone who tried to approach.
As he set her down and they walked up to her doorstep, she felt herself get nervous again. The last time they’d been here and talked…
He put a hand on the door, pushing it open once she unlocked it. “Let’s get you lying down.”
She flushed, wondering what he meant by that. Despite being tired, her body hungered for him. To confirm that he was still hers. To seal the bond between them.
He gently ushered her to the comfiest chair and insisted she sit in it while he paced in front of her, trying to decide what to say.
“Dallin,” she said. “I don’t… hold anything against you for this morning.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Even if you forgive me
, I still need to explain. I tried last night to take my fae form because everyone was saying I would need to. I couldn’t, and I felt so broken and—”
She sighed because she didn’t need to know any of this to love him. “I told you I forgive you. Don’t make me use my ring on you again.”
He sighed, a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at the ring on her finger. “Right. I guess I better stay in line.”
She turned it on her finger thoughtfully. “Well, I guess I can follow the example of a certain dragon and not use it unless I have to. But seriously, Dallin. It scared me when you left. Devastated me. But when I was in that lab, I already understood. Being treated like an object. Like something without a soul or rights. It would wear you down until you felt like nothing. God, I was barely in that lab at all. You lived like that.” Tears bit at her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
He came forward, stroking her tears back gently. “Don’t cry, love. I can’t stand it.”
She nodded. “I just… You’ve had it so hard. And anyway, you came back. That’s what matters.”
“So you still want me?” he asked, rubbing the back of his head.
“Oh, you silly—” She stood up, throwing her arms around his neck as she felt something burst out of her back, and warmth surged through her as she kissed him. She pulled back, breathless. “Of course I want you. So much you don’t even know.”
He stepped back to look at her, and she took the opportunity to look over her shoulder.
Behind her were large, fiery pink wings, reaching up in soft tendrils.
“Radiant fae,” he said. “Beautiful.”
She raised her eyes to his. “So you don’t hate me?”
He pulled her in again. “How could I hate you? You’re everything to me. I’m never leaving your side again.”
She sank in against him, finally allowing herself to relax.
They were home. They were safe.
“Dallin?” She looked up at him.
“Yes?”
“I… Mating, soul bonding. How does that happen? The dragons had mentioned some things…”
He sighed, rubbing his stubble. “For dragons, we have sex without protection, and as long as our mate has seen us, that seems to seal mating. For fae… it’s more complicated. The two have to come together as one.”
Dragon Released (Reclaimed Dragons Book 1) Page 20
