by Jada Cox
I groan and pull her back down for a kiss before sighing and nodding. I follow her to a decent-sized bathroom tucked in the corner of the room where we wash up. I smile when I notice a bar of my soap lying there and hold it up to her. She blushes but says nothing. My dragon huffs in happiness, curling back in its corner and falling into a contented sleep.
One we’re cleaned up, she walks over to her dresser, where she pulls out a pair of my sweatpants and a shirt. I quirk an eyebrow at her, but she just shrugs. “Leaving you was hard enough, so I took some of your things to be surrounded by your scent.”
I smile. My dragon rumbles, and I lift her downturned face to kiss her firmly. “Don’t ever apologize for wanting to be surrounded by my scent.”
She laughs before pulling away and ushering me out of the room and down the stairs. We enter the tiny kitchen to find Adelmo and Vittorio already sitting at the six-seater table with the woman from earlier.
“Momma Yari,” Rosana says warmly as she crosses to hug the woman.
I smile at the sight and pull out a chair to sit beside Rosana. Once we’re all settled, Yari nods as if coming to a decision.
“There is much to discuss,” she says sagely. “As you’re probably already aware,” she begins slowly, watching Adelmo carefully, “we are a community of gifted individuals.”
Adelmo nods. “I’ve been looking into human culture and had found hints of mage-craft and other magics, but it seems to be written off as myth.”
“Yes … that is actually something that the gifted community has encouraged,” Yari replies.
“Why?” I ask, surprised. “Why would anyone want to write off their true nature as a myth?”
Yari takes a deep breath, then blows it out with a cringe before answering. “Persecution, really,” she says simply, staring at our confused faces for a moment before elaborating. “Long ago, the gifted community worked alongside mortals, living and going about our lives. As leadership changed over time, however, rulers became … jealous, I suppose, of our gifts. They led hunts, massacring the gifted population. We went into hiding and sequestered ourselves in communities filled with immortals. As time went by, the mortals forgot about us and relegated our legacies to myth and bedtime stories.”
“That’s fascinating,” Adelmo says, leaning forward eagerly. “So what sort of gifts do your ‘gifted’ possess?”
Yari smiles kindly at him before answering. “There are many, too many to name really, but in our community, in particular, we have mages, lesser fae, and … shifters.”
Adelmo sucks in a breath, opening and closing his mouth.
“What kind of shifters?” asks Vittorio.
Yari grins. “All sorts, but we pride ourselves on being the birthplace of the last spirit dragon,” she says, inclining her head towards Rosana, who dips her head in embarrassment.
I suck in a breath. “Rosana?”
Yari smiles. “Yes, but she wasn’t aware of that fact until she came back here … Unfortunately, due to the Samael situation, her parents placed a binding on her, so she was without memories of her heritage, and her gifts were barred from her …”
I stare at Rosana, shocked by the revelation that there are dragons on Earth and that Rosana is one of them. “How? Did dragons come here from the stars?” I ask.
Yari laughs at my question, making me feel like a child again. “No, child … The dragons in the stars come from Earth.”
I frown. “I don’t understand.”
She smiles kindly at me and takes a sip from the cup in front of her. “I told you about how immortals were persecuted, correct?” We all nod; that much we’d understood. “Well, what I didn’t tell you all is how the immortals reacted …” She takes a deep breath before continuing. “The majority of us encouraged the mortals to allow us to fade into obscurity. A few of us fought them, attempting to rule the mortals … those ones failed. Others fled the planet entirely, using their magic to fuel technology beyond our current widespread understanding … Those who fled settled on different planets, segregating themselves based on their …” she pauses, searching for a word, “background, I suppose. Most of those who fled were fae and shifters. Dragons, in particular, had success, establishing themselves in an entire inhabitable solar system, with each dragon lineage terraforming their own perfect oasis.”
My brothers and I look at each other in shock. Yari’s words completely change our understanding of not only this new home of ours but of ourselves as well.
“So that’s how Gino and Rosana were able to establish a mate-bond,” Adelmo says slowly.
Yari nods. “We’ve had many beings from these planets being drawn back to Earth in recent decades. Our best guess is that the magic of the magical species is fading because of their separation, and Earth is drawing them home to replenish the fading energies … The loss of our magic makes us more vulnerable to fatal wounds and accidents and also weakens our native gifts. As the strength of the energies within a community fade, children are born sickly, mates are unable to establish bond-links, elemental abilities fizzle out, control of gifts lapses, and much more … It’s a sad decline.”
We look at each other grimly and nod. “Faustino,” I whisper sadly.
“You seem to know a lot, Yari,” says Vittorio. “How is that?”
She smiles sympathetically at him. “I am what’s known as the Keeper of Histories … For the last millennia, my duty has been to research, record, and maintain records of all gifted histories. Because of this, I’ve learned much. I have taken it upon myself to help those in need.”
“How about the mate-bond?” Adelmo asks. “What are the requirements for establishing it?”
“For dragons, in particular, both parties must have dragon blood,” Yari says. “A certain level of attunement with the elements is required—which is why only when Rosana’s binding was removed, her mate-bond with Gino activated.”
“So what you’re telling me,” Rosana says cautiously, “is that I’m not the only dragon in this room, am I?”
Yari looks at her balefully. “You already knew that, child.”
Rosana grimaces and nods. “Yes … I saw Vittorio and Adelmo shift from dragon to human the day I found the note and left …” I glare at my brothers for not having been more careful. “Their dragons look very different than mine, though. At least from what I remember,” she adds thoughtfully.
Yari nods. “That makes sense … they are from one of the interstellar tribes, after all. Each tribe evolved to best adapt to their environment. The water dragons on Earth are a little less muscular than those of Nethuns. And the spirit dragons of Earth are a little more agile than those of Scintilla.”
Rosana looks at me from the corner of her eye. “It would have been nice to know more about the man I was with prior to establishing an unbreakable bond with him.”
“Rosana …”, I begin, my heart starting to pound in my chest. “I …”
But she cuts me off before I can apologize or come up with an excuse. “No, Gino. I understand,” she says kindly. “I’ve heard all about your brother, the king, and all of that … Kalino doesn’t exactly check to see if there’s anyone around before making his rather enlightening calls to Syria.”
I glare at Kalino for his complete carelessness, but Rosana just laughs. I shake my head and smile at her. “All of this, and yet still, you love me …”
She reaches over to grab my hand. “Of course,” she says simply.
“So, what happens next?” I ask her, staring into her eyes. “You’ll come home with us, right? With that gang out of the way, there’s no reason for you not to.”
She chews on her lip and looks away. “I’d love to ... but I need to learn to control my powers before I hurt someone or shift in public,” she says carefully.
“We can help you with those things,” I counter.
“You should go with your mate, child,” says Yari kindly. “I can come to visit you if you need help with anything that is outside of the brothers’ expertise
…”
Rosana visibly swallows and nods her head, but when I touch her shoulder, she cringes.
“Rosana,” I say quietly, “do you not want to go back with us?”
Vittorio clearly his throat loudly. “Why don’t we go outside to give you two some privacy?”
I shoot him a grateful look, and my brothers and Yari leave the kitchen and head outside to give us some privacy.
Rosana takes a deep breath and lets out a frustrated sigh before speaking. “It’s not that I don’t want to go back with you, Gino …” she pauses. “It’s just … All of this,” she gestures around us, “it’s new and different, and it fucking terrifies me, Gino.” Tears start rolling down her face. “I don’t know what to do. I can’t control these.” She stares at her hands, which have started glowing. “Damn powers!” She shakes her hands as if trying to fling the glow off.
A smile forces its way onto my lips. She frowns at me, her face slowly stretching into a smile before she starts laughing, the rich sound filling my heart with joy. She wipes tears from her eyes, clutching at her stomach with her other hand.
“Oh, Gino,” she says, gasping for breath between giggles, “I haven’t laughed, or smiled, or felt this … free … since this whole thing started. I’ve been in this haze of darkness since I left, and I hate feeling like this … But at the same time, I don’t want to hurt anyone … What if I can’t control my powers? What if I accidentally blow up the house? How can I go back and be around Yelena? I’m a danger.”
I gently rub her back. “It’s OK, love. You’re a dragon! That, in and of itself, is amazing. You’re this powerful, beautiful, fiery dragoness. We can help you. I promise you that. We’ve all been there. Every whelp blows something up at one point or another. You belong with us. You won’t hurt yourself or us; I won’t let you.” She nods, and I hold my arms out to her. She buries her head in my chest and inhales deeply. “Will you please come home with us?”
She nods again, and I let out a relieved sigh.
“Have you shifted yet?” I ask her tentatively. She shakes her head. “We should practice … the more comfortable you are with your dragon, the easier your magic will be to control. We can start now if you want.”
She looks at me for a long time, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out what’s going on her head. “OK,” she then says with a decisive nod.
I take her hand and help her stand, then lead her outside and toward the willow tree. She smiles at me as we walk, swinging our hands. Once we reach the tree, I gently pull Rosana to a stop and turn her to face me. I place my hands on her shoulders.
“How does this work?” she asks hesitantly.
“It’s nothing to worry about. We’re going to start with breathing. It’s easier to control a shift when relaxed. Do you trust me?” I ask her, and she nods. “I need to hear you say it, Rosana.”
She smiles. “I trust you, Gino. Always.”
“Good. Now, this might be a little frightening for you, but as long as you trust me, everything will be just fine. First, I need you to match your breathing to mine.” I breathe in and out, matching my breathing to her rapid rate before slowing it down to a steady, even rhythm. Her breathing evens out, matching mine, her pulse slowing to a relaxed pace. I smile at the sight of her closed eyes, reveling in the trust she has placed in me.
“That’s good, Rosana,” I say soothingly. “Now keep your eyes closed and focus on quieting your mind. Slow down your thoughts until you can reach through them and sweep them aside.” Her face begins to relax more, the smile sliding off it, a peaceful, neutral expression taking its place. “Once your mind is free of clutter, I need you to go deeper into your mind. Go to the darkest corner of your mind, the one where you keep your secrets … your fears … Nothing can harm you, so do not fear them … Nothing can touch you, so do not shy away …” Her breathing deepens, almost as if she’s fallen asleep, and energy begins to hum around us. I smile at her quick progress before continuing to guide her.
“Now, somewhere among those secrets, there is a cage. Find it. Look inside that cage, and find the beast within it. Find your dragoness …” I wait a moment before speaking again. “Have you found her?” I ask.
“Yes …” she says quietly.
“Good … Now look into her eyes, see her. Look upon her strength … Admire her scales, and wings, and claws … See them as yours, for they are …” I pause, giving her a moment to face her beast. “Now, I want you to reach out a hand … don’t be shy … don’t be scared … don’t be timid. Reach out, and place your hand upon her snout. Stroke her scaly hide. Feel her horns and her strength. Accept them as your own.” I watch a smile lifting her lips. I enjoy the feeling of her flesh vibrating with raw energy. I slowly remove my hands from her shoulders and step back, careful not to disturb the air or interrupt her conversation with her dragon.
“Now I want you to look into her eyes again while feeling her … Hear her. Speak to her. What is she saying?”
“She wants to bond …” Rosana whispers.
“Yes … and do you?”
“Yes,” she says.
“Tell her. Accept her as yours.” She nods as the air around her begins to vibrate more, the hair on my arms standing from the pure energy. Her magic caresses my skin, and I admire the power within my mate. “Now let go. Allow her strength to wash over you. Take a step back from her cage and open it to release her into you. Integrate her and find a balance.”
The sight of the change overtaking her is magnificent. Her body vibrates violently as her skin folds in on itself, shimmering, pearlescent silver scales laced with violet replacing it. Her hands and feet enlarge, her nails sprouting crimson-colored claws. Her face elongates into a fanged snout, her maw filled with fist-sized, fanged teeth. Horns arch up from the ridges of her eyebrows, along her spine, and down to the tip of her magnificent tail. Slowly, leathery wings push up from along her spine, folding out and up, flexing above and behind her as her tail swishes back and forth. The total transformation takes her a little over a minute.
I take in the sight of the spirit dragon before me. She’s more muscular than most water dragons, myself included. Her form is built for long flights and swooping down from the air to capture prey rather than cutting through waves. She turns to look at me with brilliant, multihued eyes, their depths sparkling with greens, yellows, and browns that fade out to blue and purple before flashing back, almost as if they can’t decide on what color to be. She’s magnificent.
“You’re beautiful,” I say, carefully tracing her mate mark with my hands, reveling in the feel of her warm, smooth scales beneath my fingers. She rumbles in amusement, jumping slightly at the sound and looking around. I laugh. “That was you, love. You make dragon-sized sounds in this form.” She chortles some more before shaking her head and looking at me balefully. “You want to change back?” I ask, patiently. She nods her head eagerly, earning another laugh from me.
“To change back, recall yourself in your human skin. See your hair, your legs, your skin, and pull them over you like a pair of clothes.” She closes her eyes in concentration and slowly shrinks down to her human size, her scales receding beneath her skin. I smile as I watch her surprisingly smooth transition, revealing her gloriously naked body before me. I watch her heatedly, and she blushes furiously at the sight of her bare skin. I don’t hesitate as I stalk towards her and reach down to tuck her hair behind her ears, revealing her gloriously bare breasts. I’m about to reach down to touch them when she backs away, out of my range.
“No,” she says. “I haven’t seen your dragon yet.”
I chuckle and close my eyes to transform.
Chapter 19 - Rosana
Gino’s clothes rip apart as he falls forward onto his hands and knees, his body slowly stretching and elongating. His features become sharper, his body all angles and strength. He finishes transforming in seconds, a feat that seemed to take me minutes. I walk around him and inspect every inch of his draconic hide. I run my fingers along h
is thighs and touch the spikes on his tail as I step over the large, swishing appendage. I enjoy the silky strength of his dragon, the smoothness of his scales, and the beauty of his form.
I take a step back to get a full view of his magnificence. His dark scales glisten deep blue in the dying light of the setting sun. Swirls of lighter blues and flashes of crimson-like reds cover his body, his scales looking like flowing water with bits of churning blood. His long, serpentine body reminds me of the Chinese dragon statues seen in museums, the main difference between the figures in the statues and Gino being his huge, fibrous wings. Spikes jut out from his back at intervals, following his spine to the tip of his tail. Crown-like horns grace his head. He prances around to show off his sleek, serpentine form, and I smile at him. As he settles down, I approach him once more, rubbing my hands up and down his hide before grinning up at him and crossing to what was his right shoulder. I run my hands over the mate mark there and kiss the scaled skin. I feel him shiver, his scales reminding me of an angry cat as they stand on end. I step forward and scurry up onto his back, the feel of his scales on my bare skin causing me to shiver. He rumbles and shivers again, and I realize that I’m probably enjoying his discomfort a little too much. I grin and slide down, stepping back so he can pull the energy back over himself and return to his human form.
“Rosana,” he growls out, stalking towards me as he finishes shifting. I laugh and place my hand on my hip to tempt him. He lungs for me, but I spin away from him and run to the pond. He gives chase. “Get back here, woman,” he chuckles.
“Make me!” I shout over my shoulder and dance away. I feel him gaining on me and dodge to the right, squealing when I feel his strong arms come around my waist and lift me up. He runs his lips along my neck and gently bites my mate mark before kissing away the sting. I shiver and let him carry me, closing my eyes at the feel of his strength along my back, his shaft prodding my ass. I moan. SPLASH. I open my eyes and splutter as water fills my mouth. I glare at Gino incredulously. The bastard threw me in the pond! He backs up and runs forward, jumping in beside me and creating a massive splash. When he surfaces and wipes the water out of his eyes, I dunk him back under the still rippling water.
