by Aria Winter
My head is still spinning and a part of me wonders if I’m stuck in a fever dream.
Tall, white horns spiral up from his head. My gaze travels over his face. He has a proud, square jaw and masculine bone structure. A long, jagged scar cuts from just above his left brow to the top of his cheek, and I wonder how he didn’t lose his eye to this injury.
Instead of diminishing his beauty, the scar lends him a dangerous, masculine edge. Not that I should be thinking about that while he eyes me like I’m his next meal.
He’s taller than any human I’ve met and his shoulders are broad. His abdomen and chest are built with layers of rippling muscle. A strange, glowing pattern in the center of his chest draws my attention.
A soft laugh escapes me. I’m definitely dreaming. Dreaming of handsome alien dragon men in the desert—wow. That’s a first for me.
He cocks his head to the side curiously and opens his mouth as if to speak, but only a low rumble escapes him.
I reach up to touch his arm. “I—I don’t understand you,” I barely manage as my head swims. I blink my eyes open and closed.
A deafening boom splits the air and the alien dragon-man jerks away, releasing a feral roar as he spins toward John.
Recovered, John stands with the blaster pointed directly at the alien. “How do you like that, you monster?”
The alien snarls, baring two large rows of fangs as he levels him with a dark, dangerous glare before shifting back into a massive dragon. He sweeps his tail into John, sending him flying backward.
The dragon spins to face me, carefully scooping me up into his clawed hand. A whirlwind of dust swirls around us as he flaps his massive wings, lifting us into the sky. Unable to stay conscious any longer, I close my eyes and surrender to my fever dream.
Chapter 2
Raidyn
My mate! Mine!
The words ripple through me, suffusing body, mind, and soul as I take to the skies with my mate held firmly to my chest.
She is my fated one—my linaya. A glowing pattern swirls across the scales on my chest. There is no mistaking the fate mark. She is mine.
The fated bond is a gift from the Gods. As I look to my mate, I know I have been blessed for she is perfect in every way. With long silken hair the color of the sun’s golden rays, piercing blue eyes that remind me of deep blue oceans, and soft, pale skin, my linaya is the most beautiful female I have ever seen.
I beat my wings furiously as I head back to Wind Clan territory. I feel as though I cannot fly fast enough. My mate has been injured and she needs a Healer.
I glance down once more at my chest. The fate bond swirls with a soft glow across my scales, directly between my two hearts. When I saw the bright light that fell from the sky toward the desert several nights ago, something inside me told me to investigate. Now, I realize why.
The impulse was a sign from the Gods that I would find my fated one. I send a silent prayer to them, begging them to help her survive while I curse Varus—the Fire Clan Prince and my former friend—for trying to hide these females from my people.
I saw him with a female who looked like mine only a day ago. Except her hair was the color of flame and mine has hair the color of the golden sun in the sky. I recognized the fated bond mark on Varus’ chest as well, but he refused to tell me where he had found her.
This female appears to be of the same species as the one I saw with him. If he hadn’t hoarded the alien females all for his Clan, my mate could have already been under the protection of mine days ago. I send another message of thanks to the Gods above that I found her when I did.
That disgusting creature was attacking her, and I shudder to think what could have happened if I had arrived any later. I have never seen such a creature in the desert. He smelled decidedly male, but was enveloped in a strong stench of filth, as if he had not bathed in several days. With a thick layer of coarse, brown fur covering his head, jaw, and lining his two beady eyes, he was a vile sight to behold.
I curse Varus again for withholding the existence of my mate and her people. She could have been violated by that male before I reached her. Even as this thought crosses my mind, I wonder where the rest of her Clan is. Where did they come from?
The trail of fire that marked the sky several days ago must not have been a meteorite, but rather a falling ship or escape pod. How else could this female have landed here? She is not native to this world.
Varus claimed the female he carried was his mate and his actions confirmed this was truth. He fought me as if worried I might try to steal her away, when I only was curious about her species and origins. He was so enraged by my approach, he would not even listen as I tried to ask him questions.
The last I heard, Varus was promised to the Water Clan Princess, cementing an alliance between their two Clans.
My father reached out to their Clan as well, but Noralla’s parents rejected me offhand because of my scarred face.
I shouldn’t have been surprised, but the rejection stung, nonetheless. One would think I would be used to such treatment by now. No female will have me, even with the promise of a royal title, because of my scar.
As I hold my mate tightly to my chest, I can only hope she doesn’t feel the same. She did not look upon me with disgust when I first approached her. If anything, I noted a hint of curiosity and fascination in her expression when her sparkling blue eyes met mine.
Dipping my left wing, I turn and cross the border into Wind Clan territory. The desert beneath me gives way to green grass and tall trees. A thickly canopied forest scaling the mountains that loom in the distance.
My side aches, but I do my best to ignore the dull pain as we approach the castle. My mate’s health is paramount; I need to get her to a Healer as soon as possible.
But the raw throbbing pain is agonizing and gnaws at my strength; I can feel myself weakening. Whatever weapon that creature used, it was powerful enough to pierce my scales.
My mate stirs softly in my clawed hand and my mouth drifts open when I realize I can sense her thoughts. They are muddled and slow at first as the fog begins to lift from her consciousness. She opens her eyes and releases a terrified scream.
“You are safe,” I reassure her.
She freezes, then cautiously speaks. “Are you… talking to me?”
Despite my wound, a low chuckle rumbles deep in my chest. “Who else would I be talking to besides my fated mate? None but she could hear my thoughts as you do.”
Surprise bursts through her mind and it occurs to me that perhaps mental communication between mates is not normal for her people. We are of different species, after all, and I did not truly consider the ramifications before now.
My suspicions are confirmed a moment later when she asks, “Fated mate?”
“Yes, you are mine,” I tell her. “You are my linaya—my fated one—and I am yours.”
Chapter 3
Skye
“Yes, you are mine,” he tells me. “You are my linaya—my fated one—and I am yours.” His words are firm and absolute.
Fear fills me as I try to turn in his grasp but realize I can’t move. Cold air whips my hair around me. I peek from the cage of his massive, clawed hand and my jaw drops as I spot his wings, fully extended like enormous sails in the wind.
I can’t believe I was abducted by a dragon.
An involuntary scream rips from my throat and I grip him tightly. “Don’t drop me!”
His body rumbles in what I assume is a laugh, quickly followed by his deep voice. “You are mine. I promise I will not drop you.”
His? The memory of his sharp fangs flashes through my mind and panic snakes through my veins. He says I’m his, but what does that mean? Am I his slave? If so, I’d rather die fighting than live in a cage.
My gaze drifts over his massive, scaled form. Despite my fear, I beat at his hand because I have to do something. I’m not going quietly to whatever fate he has planned for me. “Put me down! Now!”
“You want me to drop
you?” he asks incredulously. “When you just asked me not to? You would never survive a fall from this height. No,” he huffs. “I will not let you go. It is not safe. You do not have any wings.”
I open my mouth to argue but forget the words as I scan the ground rushing by below and realize just how high up we are. Lush green forests blanket the earth and winding rivers cut through the landscape. When I cast my gaze ahead, I gasp in wonder. Floating rock formations hang in the sky, like an image straight out of a fairytale. These islands suspended in the air are nothing short of breathtakingly beautiful.
They are covered in massive evergreen trees, reminiscent of the extinct sequoias on Earth. A waterfall drops off the side of the closest island, forming a pool on a smaller floating island below. Many are home to strange buildings made of intricately carved stone. Most of the floating masses of rock are connected by a thick mass of cables, covered in thick, winding green vines.
Several other dragons fly nearby, their scales various shades of white and gray. If I wasn’t so terrified, I’d be overwhelmed by all this beauty. A fantastical landscape made of the vivid imaginings of an ethereal dream.
“You do not need to be afraid. I have you, my mate. I will care for you now,” the dragon rumbles above me in low, deep tones.
“I’m not your mate,” I protest. “You need to take me back to where you found me.”
“You are mine,” he growls in response, sending a small shiver of fear down my spine. “I will not take you back to that place. It is dangerous.”
He’s stronger than me and I realize I’m not going to win any arguments here. So, I’ll just have to bide my time before I escape.
“You are wingless,” he hisses. “You would be injured if you tried to escape. The fall from the city alone would most certainly kill you.”
I still as panic joins the fright I feel. “You can read my thoughts?”
“Of course,” he huffs. “I am your fated mate and you are mine.”
Indignation burns through me. “I’m not yours. I don’t belong to anyone.”
“You are mine and I am yours. We are fated,” he grumbles. “The Gods have ordained it. You are my linaya.”
Before I can answer, he banks in a slow circle around a large courtyard below. My eyes widen when I notice a castle ahead. Light-gray and white stone walls are topped with triangular, peaked, dark-gray roofing. The architecture is reminiscent of images I’ve seen of ancient East Asian structures on Earth, and yet, this castle is unique to this strange world.
As soon as we touch down on the ground and he releases his grip, I run. I don’t know where I’m going, but any distance from him is a win. A strong cord wraps around my waist, lifting me off the ground and yanking me back.
I scream and struggle against the rope only to look down and find that it’s his tail. Digging my nails into his scales, I grit my teeth in frustration. They’re hard as stone; I’m not even making a dent. He sets me down gently and relinquishes his hold on me. In a blink, he transforms back into a man.
A very naked dragon man.
I crane my neck to scan his impossibly tall form while he studies me in return. When he opens his mouth to speak, only a rumbling growl escapes his lips.
“Where are we?”
He growls a string of syllables and I stare him down with a frown. “What are you saying? Why can’t I understand you?”
He reaches for me and I bat his hand away, mildly shocked at my own bravado in the face of this hulking alien. I’m not about to go down easily. He thinks I’m his mate, and as my eyes drift down his massive form, I don’t think I want to know exactly what that entails.
Covered from head to toe in light gray scales, thick ropes of corded muscle define his arms and legs. A long, whip-like tail curls behind him. Dark gray leathery wings spread out behind him. With broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, I can’t see an ounce of fat on him. Sharp, black claws tip his five-fingered hands and toes. He has long, silken white hair that goes just past his shoulders. With a proud jaw, full lips, and aristocratic features, he looks like a marble sculpture of masculine perfection laced with a hint of lethal grace.
My jaw drops when I don’t see the normal male anatomy below his waist. Instead, a long slit splits the scales of his crotch. I tear my gaze away from his form and meet his ice-blue eyes with all the confidence I can muster as he moves toward me.
Spreading my feet in a defensive stance, I raise my fists, readying to fight.
Dark blood drips down his side, pooling beside his left foot. I hadn’t noticed it before, but now that I have, the memory of John shooting him with the blaster rushes through my mind.
He grips my forearm. Before I can hit his hand away, he speaks, “I must get you to the Healer and make sure you’re all right.”
I’m so thrown off-guard by his words that I nearly stumble back. Instead, I meet his concerned eyes. “Me?” I ask incredulously. “You’re the one bleeding.”
“My injuries can wait,” he says. “Yours are more important.”
Chapter 4
Raidyn
My hearts clench as I stare down at my mate. She is strange in appearance, but beautiful nonetheless. How many times have I dreamed of finding my fated one? I can hardly believe she is standing before me. My gaze darts briefly to the castle behind her. I cannot wait to show her around our home.
She is smaller than a Drakarian female and lacks any sort of natural defenses from what I can see. With blunt claws, flat white teeth, smooth pale flesh instead of scales, she appears defenseless indeed. My protective instincts flare brightly as I look at her. And I want nothing more than to tug her to my side and fold my wing around her form, holding her close and keeping her safe from any and all danger.
Her blue eyes burn with fire. She may be smaller than the females of my species, but she is fierce and brave. When she struck me earlier, my chest swelled with pride. She does not seem to fear me anymore.
This is good. I will prove to her that I am a worthy mate.
Her gaze travels up and down my form appraisingly, lingering on the slit of my mating pouch. Perhaps she is already eager to claim me. But even as I think this, her eyes snap up to meet mine, traveling across my face and pausing at my scar. Does she find me appealing or hideous like most females of my race because of this disfigurement?
Flaring my nostrils, I scent the air. The acrid fear that covered her when I first rescued her from the offensive male in the desert has disappeared. Instead, I detect a delicate fragrance, unique and entirely hers.
I extend my wings to my side so that she may continue to appraise me, hoping she’ll find me worthy to be her mate. The movement causes sharp pain to shoot through my side, but I force myself to remain still. I dare not show weakness to her. No female wants a male who is not strong enough to protect her and her fledglings.
I grit my teeth against the pain, reminding myself that my injury will eventually heal, whereas I might never recover from her rejection.
I move toward her, but she steps away, backing into the glass wall at the entrance of the palace. I place my palms on the glass on either side of her head and lean in, skimming the tip of my nose from her temple to her jaw and the curve of her neck. Gently rubbing my horns against her head, I inhale deeply of her rich and intoxicating scent.
She quivers slightly and I pull back, dismayed when her scent turns sour with fear. “What is wrong? I saved you. Why are you still afraid?”
She stares up at me silently, clenching her jaw. A tear slips down her cheek, but she quickly wipes it away as she holds my gaze.
When I reach out to cup her face, she jerks away.
“What is wrong?” I repeat.
She frowns. “Why can’t I understand you?”
I blink, then grip her chin firmly in one hand to hold her still as I feel behind her ears, checking to see if her translator chip has been damaged. When I do not find one, I regard her curiously.
“You have lost your translator chip, but do not w
orry. I will make sure the Healer fits you with one, my mate. I will take care of you and protect you. My vow.”
Chapter 5
Skye
“Why can I suddenly understand you?”
An irresistibly handsome smile curves his mouth. “This is how my people communicate with our fated mates—through touch.” He pauses to take my hand. His scales are soft as silk and warm against my skin as he gently traces his thumb across my knuckles. “And since you lack a translator chip, this is the only way for you to understand me. In my draka form, I can hear your thoughts, as well.”
“Your…draka form?”
“My larger form when I shift. The one that I carried you in.”
I’m too stunned to pull away. My mind still struggling to process that he can shift forms into a real-life dragon.
He stares down at me in concern. “You need not fear me. I would sooner end my own life than hurt you. My vow.”
“I…” I hesitate, unsure of how to answer. I want to believe him, but I have to ask. “What are you planning to do with me?”
He cocks his head to the side as if he finds my question strange. “Take care of you, of course.”
I’m not sure how to respond to that, but at least I have more reassurance that he doesn’t plan to harm me. “Why did you take me from my people?”
“That creature was part of your species?” he asks incredulously.
It takes me a moment to realize he’s talking about John. “Yes.”
He looks indignant. “But he attacked you.”
“I—” I’m about to protest, but he’s right. John did attack me. I shudder inwardly at the memory. I thought John was my friend, but it seems I was wrong.
“I guess I should thank you for saving me,” I finally answer.
“You are my mate. I will allow no other to touch you.” He growls menacingly. “He is lucky that I did not tear him apart for trying to harm my mate.”
