by Kelsey Soliz
On top of that, the people here are really wonderful. Without even knowing them, you have agreed to give them back the one thing that makes them different from everyone else on this planet. Being a dragon is everything to these people, it’s their identity. You could see in their faces how important this is to them when they learned who they were talking to. You matter, Isla. You’re not only agreeing to grow our child and give your body up to do so, but you’re also gifting our people with something no one else can. There are a million reasons to celebrate you, and I love that I’m one of the people by your sides with the right to do so.”
And then came the tears again. “I understand. I would love to be able to spend some time when this is all over meeting people, I don’t want to be some untouchable royal that the people only get to see from a distance. I want these people to be friends of mine, this is my home now. You’ve given me a home, Lander. What all of you have brought into my life is pretty huge. I’ve never felt so included before or had such a sense of belonging. I might be homesick occasionally for my quiet life in the country, but I can’t deny that my soul longs to be next to you guys all the time. You are my home now.”
We kissed for a few minutes, enjoying each other’s presence. Funny how normal it felt to make out with this stunning creature whom I hadn’t even known existed a few months ago. The mate bond was pulling us together. Making it to feel like we had been together always. It was like finding out half my heart was now outside my body.
We eventually got up and made our way back to where Declan, Atticus, and Maalik were waiting. It was kind of amusing to see them playing cards and lounging in robes amidst such a monumental ceremony.
When we opened the door they all immediately dropped their distractions and found their way to my side. I knew the time was on us to finally cement our soul bonding and I was nervous for what it would entail exactly. Up until now, everything we had had to go through was pretty tame and had actually relaxed me a lot. It was definitely pretty deep into the night at this point, and since I had gotten pretty little sleep all week I was really starting to feel tired.
Seven
The guys helped me down hallway, letting me lean on them as we walked towards the final element of the ceremony. In the next cave we came across we found their fathers waiting next to a stone table in the middle of the room. We approached and gentle smiles made their way onto their faces but I cringed a little when I noticed that behind them there was an ornate dagger. Flashbacks to that night where I was bound and nearly forced into mate bond with Jasper made me start panicking, and suddenly I couldn’t breathe.
Logically I knew that I was safe, that the men surrounding me were mine, but trauma was a bitch. That night in the woods had been the most traumatic I’d experienced, and I started gagging at the memory of Jasper’s hands all over me and the sickening crunch of ribs as he barraged me with his feet.
I fell to my hands and knees, gasping for breath as I tried to claw my way out of a full-scale panic attack. I felt hands on my back trying to soothe me, but my mind was blocking out their voices. I could feel the vibrations coming from their vocal chords but if they were actually trying to communicate something with me then I was completely ignorant.
I rolled into a ball, trying to protect myself from the unseen threat. I remembered being paralyzed and touched against my will, I remembered the sickly-sweet wine he made me drink and the way his pants tented as he assaulted me. Everything about that night was awful. But awful was too tame of a word. I know that people had experienced worse things, but for me, in what should be a happy moment, I was pissed that Jasper’s memory was overshadowing it.
Somebody picked me up and started rocking me gently, Declan if I was going by scents. When I felt bodies on every side of me and their individual scents finally hit me, I started focusing on slowing down my breathing so I could pull myself out of the panic-induced haze. Eventually I felt my heart stop trying to beat its way out of my chest, and then finally my limbs were able to unfurl themselves.
I looked around at the faces all around me and felt embarrassed that I had reacted so drastically. I sank further into Declan and allowed him to soothe me for a moment.
“What happened Isla? What set that off? Do you not want to bind yourselves to us? If you’re not ready we can wait.”
“No, it’s nothing like that.” I swallowed, giving myself a chance to form words. “I definitely want this. This is going to sound stupid. I saw the knife on the table and it just instantly brought back flashbacks from that night when…”
I let my voice trail off, unable to give that man power by vocalizing his name.
“Ah, I’m sorry for that dear. If we’d have known that you’d react in such a way, we would have taken precautions.”
“It’s not your fault Andre, I hate the fact that…he…tried to cement a mate bond with me and that it is tarnishing something so beautiful.” I looked around the circle, meeting the eyes of each of my mates. “Everything so far has been perfect, I have no reason to think that this would harm me or be distasteful, it was a pure chemical reaction, nothing more. I really do want this.”
“We believe you, and if we could go back and rip that monster apart again, we would. I hate that he is tainting this too, but do you think we can overcome that together and make our own future? Do you want to talk about it? Would that help? How did he try and secure the bond?” I looked into Lander’s ocean-blue eyes and found myself calming further.
“It’s fine, I’d rather you know everything. H-h-he, well I had been bound to the bed by Adyson and so first he had to rectify that, didin’t he? He had a box knife, he cut through the ductape on my sides, uncaring as to the fact that he went beyond the tape. But you all saw that damage. He used the knife on his palm, but when I lunged and kicked the knife away from him in a weak attempt to save myself, he just grabbed the rock he had soaked his blood into and dug it into my side where there was already free-flowing blood.”
“God that man was a sick fuck. You’re safe here, Isla. You know we wouldn’t do anything to harm you, right?”
“I do, like I said it wasn’t a reaction to any of you. Just an unfortunate trigger. Help me up Maalik? I want to know how it feels to have your souls mixed with mine.”
Maalik pulled me to my feet and hugged me, further dispelling the negative energy that was already escaping my body. I took a few more calming breaths, relaxed into the warmth emanating from Atticus’ palm on my back and twisted around to find their fathers had resumed their prior positions. They looked worried over my spell but sympathetic. And they were showing me love. It felt nice to have so many people on my side now.
“Isla, if you wish to continue and finalize the bond between you and your mates, we are going to need to you to please step forward and remove the stones you wear on your neck.”
I did as they asked, now feeling much steadier on my feet. King Elias took the four stones and straightened out their chains, laying them all on the table in front of him in neat rows. He looked at Declan and he silently stepped forward, grabbing my hand and pulling it onto the table below one of the necklaces.
“Isla, you have tied yourself to your mates in front of our kingdom. You have gone through all the steps asked of you so far, showing your mates that you can care for them and can accept theirs in return. After this next step is complete, we will need to work quickly so that the magic works through all of you. It does require blood to activate the magic, but very little.
I know this knife looks foreboding but it will truly hardly be used. We take this process very seriously and the bonding of souls is a time-honored tradition. We will prick the pad of your finger and wet each of these stones, and then all it takes is one singular drop per stone. Once the stones are all ready, I will then turn to my sons and do the same. They will then each collect a stone and at our signal they will allow their blood to mix with yours within the pores of the stone.
All the stones will then be put into Isla’s palm, and the rest
of you will cover her palm with one of your own. We will use the rope up here to bind your hands together as you repeat the binding vows. We would ask that you all close your eyes once they are completed, and to allow your inner beast to rise to the surface to acknowledge this bond.
Isla, be prepared that this might spurn your dragon into being. These caves are this big for a reason. If you feel like the shift is about to happen, it’s okay to relax into it. Our sons are practiced enough to control theirs and will guide you through it. It’s been awhile since we have had a non-shifted dragon to bind and given that you’ve already shown the ability for foresight we wouldn’t be surprised if the dormant magic in these caves manifested in some unusual way. Does every one of you wish to proceed?”
Everyone vocalized a ‘yes’ and then Andre was asking for my palm. Having Declan’s hands on my lower back was reassuring, and when the knife pierced into the fourth finger on my left hand, the one with the vein running to my heart, I relaxed further as the knife was wiped clean and set down. It really hadn’t hurt, but I could see blood welling up. Andre carefully brought the stones, one by one, to my finger and let it soak up blood as he incanted in a language I couldn’t discern under his breath.
I could feel magic stirring in the air around us as the words left his lips, and each time a rock was wetted and replaced onto the stone table my hair began to dance a little in the air that felt very much alive. Next my husbands flipped their palms up and allowed Andre to release their blood as Elias picked up the rocks that I could tell were a perfect match to the stone walls of this very room, and pressed them gently to each hand.
They continued on as explained until all of the rocks sat within my grasp and all of our hands were wrapped together in intricate knots that spoke of practiced ease. I let my eyes roam around each of my men, their eyes glued to me as their fathers asked us to repeat the vows after them.
“Under the eyes of the leaders of our shifter nation, I proclaim that you are the mate fated to my soul.
With the magic imbued in these rocks that once found their home within these walls, I freely offer up my blood to meet with yours so that my soul may taste yours.
I have come prepared to leave here with more than just my own soul residing in my body and welcome the addition.
It is my ardent hope to accept you, as you are, as all that you are, to be mine.
I vow to respect you as I respect myself. To love you as I love myself.
With these words, and with the intention in my heart, my dragon and I acknowledge that we longer belong solely to ourselves.
I understand this bond shall not be broken by any, and I vow to not use it to harm anyone.
I vow to lead this kingdom with a true heart, putting the needs of our people first.
I acknowledge the gift I have been given in finding you and wish to spend my days, however numbered they be, in your presence and with your affections.
Heart of my heart, I bind myself to thee in every way possible. Ancient magic, please accept our sacrifice. We humbly ask that you heed our wishes.”
At first, nothing happened, but as the air grew denser the torches on the wall all began to flicker and then died out completely. Because I was still physically tied to each of my mates, I knew I was safe and amidst the density in the air I recalled I was supposed to shut my eyes and allow my dragon to acknowledge the bond.
Where our palms were connected, I felt tingles of pleasant electricity travelling up my arms. We all gasped to some degree as it worked its way around our circle, then the chains that had spent the past weeks being forged in my chest suddenly burst forth and linked up with each other. My bones began to vibrate slightly as my mind pulled in an intangible energy, and then I felt consciousness that didn’t belong to me enter into my mind.
Where before I could securely feel only my hand being pressed into my mates’, I now had the eerie sensation from all of their hands doing the same thing. It was a little uncomfortable to be feeling such a simple touch so deeply. As that sensation grew, it was as if I could feel wisps of magic traversing through my veins. Everywhere it licked, my body came alive. My whole body, blood, sinews, everything, felt charged and electric.
I reached out to my dragon, trying to get a feel for where she stood. I couldn’t sense her in the normal capacity that I was used to. Instead of feeling her in a compartment where she was merely observing what I was doing, she now seemed to be wound into my every cell. I felt warmth rush into me from my mates and I was intrigued to see that I could sense each one of their essences rushing into me. I could feel each color that matched up to their dragon, could feel them rushing through me along with the multitude of other things rampaging through my body.
I felt them caressing my nervous system, swirling around my brain and encircling my vital organs. They wove into a rope of four colors, encased in a deep amethyst lining. Until now I hadn’t been able to discern the color of my dragon but now it was as clear as day.
She was definitely stirring, not battling with me for control per se, but unfurling her wings and reaching out to her mates. The binding around our wrists snapped off as she moved around them, greeting them and rejoicing in them. I opened my eyes to look around me and it took me a minute to figure out why all I was met with was shocked stares.
Not only had she easily broken through the rope that had been around our hands, but I was now several feet above the ground, with massive amethyst wings slicing through the air behind me. Funny, I hadn’t felt them appear. I looked behind me in awe, the gorgeous, rich purples in swirling patterns and tipped in silver.
“How are you doing that Isla? I have never seen anyone sustain a half shift like that, that should be impossible!”
I turned around to face my family, shaking my head because I had no idea how I was doing it.
“She…I don’t know. It’s all her.”
Even the Kings seemed to be astonished by my dragon showing off. I told you she was going to be dramatic.
“And she’s purple? When was the last time you saw a purple dragon Dad? With silver nonetheless?”
“I’ve never seen it. I’ve read about one or two since our country was founded, always associated with dragons that wielded incredible power. Purple is the color of royalty, after all.”
“Do you think you can get the rest of her to emerge Isla? If it will help you, maintain eye contact with me. I can have my dragon guide you through the shift if you’d like.”
I met with King Elias’ eyes, clearly where Lander got his unreal blue color. I watched, mesmerized as his irises began to glow a little bit, felt my dragon pulling against me and trying to shake free. I threw my head back and relaxed my arms, allowing her to take the spotlight. My fingertips started to needle, then my feet. I felt a sense of calm overtake me as I leaned into the feelings brewing but my dragon seemed to be done with her show.
All of that showboating, in front of the kings no less, and she seemed to look at me and say, ‘well that was fun but I’m going to take a nap now.’ My body slowly lowered to the ground and the wings that had been sitting behind me seconds before disappeared into nothing. My body absorbed them, the magic from the transformation making me feel high.
I stood on my own two feet but I didn’t necessarily feel tired. My body felt loopy though for sure. My spine was tingling, near the edge of pain from where the wings had broken through. I looked to my mates and they looked to each other, then to their fathers, but no one really seemed to know what to say. I could sense their confusion through our new bond, trying to figure out how I was controlling myself so well.
“Um, Isla?”
I looked towards Atticus, my sweet one. His hand was running through his hair kind of frenzied like, as if he just wasn’t sure what else his hand should be doing. “Yeah? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. Nothing, apparently. Are you feeling okay? First shifts are usually explosive and painful, that was incredibly controlled and stopped halfway through…”
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�Yeah, I think my dragon is a bit of a diva. She was happy that I bound myself to you all finally and wanted to show herself I think. This is weird. She’s just me, right? So why does it feel like she has a completely different personality and conscience?”
“Well, she is you in some ways, but she’s also her own entity in others. Kind of like another soul mate, I guess is a good way to put it. Human you and dragon you usually are a bit different from each other. I just can’t figure out how you are able to communicate with her already or how you’re not, I don’t know, reeling from what just happened?”
“You have as many answers as I do. I can just tell you that she came out to say hi, wanted to show you all she was pleased with the bond, but then she basically told me she wanted to take a nap. Having her close to the surface all day while we walked through the ceremony seemed to wear her out. Is everyone okay? Why are you all standing so far away from me?”
And they were. Newly bonded or not, they were all far enough away that even if I had been in dragon form, I’d have to get closer to reach them. Seemed like they were just waiting on permission to move closer though. Where were my big scary dragon men?
“This is just weird as shit. With the visions you’ve had though and how easily you slipped into our lives, not to mention you dreaming of me and Lander dreaming of you, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that your first shift, or first non-shift? I don’t know. I shouldn’t be so surprised that it didn’t follow conventions. I can sense your power, you’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?” I looked towards Maalik, needing reassurance that I hadn’t somehow done something to upset them.
“Of course it is, you’re just incredible.” Maalik kissed me then, pulling me in for a bear hug. “Nothing about you is typical. And this bond feels good. Definitely worth the wait.”
