But that minor detail aside, he couldn’t exist without no matter. He’d come to love her and for him - she was his life - his forever. She’d filled a hole inside of him and should she not survive, that hollow spot would grow, rot and erode until nothing of him remained.
“Should I summon someone, My Lord?” Samuel asked softly.
Suddenly inspiration smacked Jaxen like a bolt of lightning. His head snapped up and he knew his eyes had illuminated even without Samuel visibly cringing. His need to protect his mate, primal as it was, had risen to the surface and nothing could stop him from doing just that.
“Summon Elandra,” Jaxen ordered. Samuel nodded curtly and hurried to the chamber doors. Jaxen brought both of Olivia’s hands to his forehead and bent his head for one last request. Should Elandra fail, they were both doomed.
Chapter Ten
Dream-walking was both an exact science and a delicate approach. Jaxen had his faction’s priestess summoned with the intent of sending himself into Olivia’s dreams where he could plead with her face-to-face. At least by doing that, he’d given them both a chance.
Jaxen deeply inhaled the incense and let his mind fill with visions of Olivia. Her wild auburn curls fanning his pillow, her face alight with happiness and wonder. He even recalled the sound of his name on her lips as they’d made love. He felt his body lighten and then float.
After a few moments, he opened his eyes and studied his surroundings. He wasn’t surprised to find himself on an obstacle course designed for soldiers-in-training. However, instead of young men and women running the gauntlets, one lone figure struggled to beat each deterrent. She wore a heather gray sweat suit, her wild hair tamed in a ponytail and her face was red as blood. Her chest heaved heavily as she jumped one mud hole and then crashed to the ground to crawl under a low barb-wire fence.
“Olivia,” he called gently and stilled when she rose to face him. Her face was covered in smatterings of blood, sweat and - he imagined - tears. She pulled her sleeves upward and advanced on him with an angry glint in her eye.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded. “Isn’t it enough you’ve taken over my life, now you want my dreams as well?”
Jaxen reached out and took her hands in his, holding firm when she tried to pull away.
“If you don’t submit to what’s happening to you, you will die,” he stated matter-of-factly. “And if you die, I die.”
Her eyebrows drew together in confusion.
“Why would you die?” she asked, suddenly more emotional than he’d ever seen her. The woman from within broke through the tough, soldier exterior and he realized just how amazing she was. She was everything he’d ever wanted in his mate.
Perhaps he’d gone about this all wrong. Having the President merely order her to marry him might have been the fallacious approach after all.
“I bound my life essence to yours during our ceremony,” he explained softly and took another step closer to her. He offered her his open palm and smiled when she tentatively placed her own hand in his. “So, if you die, I will too.”
“Why?” she asked, her voice sounding small and broken. “Why would you do such a thing knowing I might not survive the mating? Is it a tradition, did you have to?”
“No,” Jax answered simply. “No, it’s not tradition, and no one forced me to. I wanted to.” He tugged her hand and brought her body against his, wrapping his arms around her waist. She placed her palms on his chest and pushed him back just far enough so that they could look into eat other’s eyes.
Why would such a magnificent being risk his life for a nobody like her? She’d fought all her life to be taken seriously, to be stronger, faster, smarter than all the boys. She’d never been dainty and feminine like most girls. She’d never fit in anywhere. But from the moment she met Jaxen, she felt like she’d finally found home. Of course the whole mating business had seemed like utter nonsense, but the more she’d listened to Samuel as he’d told of the dragons’ history, the more she allowed herself to embrace the strange, new world. Somewhere up her ancestral line a dragon had taken a human mate, creating a line of hybrids. So, she’d thought that maybe her life had a higher purpose after all. Maybe all her time in the military had served as training for her real destiny. It had certainly honed her into a lethal killing machine. But as she completed the mating ceremony and began her metamorphosis, she’d quickly realized she was nowhere near strong enough.
But now, in learning that if she succumbed to that black abyss of nothing, she’d also condemn Jaxen to the same fate, she knew she had to fight. She to fight harder and not just for her. She had to fight and save the man she’d fallen in love with.
Her mind made up, she tilted her head back and looked up at him.
“Tell me what I need to do,” she asked. “I’ll do it. I’ll do anything to keep you safe.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Jax’s body faded into empty air and Olivia found herself tumbling headfirst down a virtual rabbit hole. The world around her spun wildly, air kicking up in turbulent gusts. It was so strong it pulled her hair free of the ponytail, leaving the thick tresses to whip around face. Her insides ignited and pulled taunt. Her first instinct was to fight, but she forced herself to relax, both in body and mind.
The gale-force wind lifted her body off the ground, tossing it about like a limp rag doll and all the while Olivia let the wind do what it willed. The warmth within her spread from her core to encompass every particle of her being. When the scalding hotness reached her throat, she opened her mouth to scream and stared in shock as fire spewed forth instead.
She had breathed fire.
She only had a moment to revel in the surprise before the winding funnel sucked her inside and she surrendered to the darkness.
Chapter Eleven
Jax stared in open-mouthed wonder as Olivia’s body levitated off the bed. He’d hurried to cover her with a sheet and watched in amazement as a swift wind swept into the bedroom and caressed her in its fold. He reached out and took one of her limp hands, relieved when her skin was cool to the touch. He lightly traced his lips across her forehead and smiled. Her fever was gone. He wasn’t sure what he’d done to convince her, but he was glad he’d done it.
She’d live - forever - at his side, as his Queen and mate. All they had to do now was allow her body to ascend into its rightful state.
He saw the orangish-red light spring to life within her womb and watched in rapture as it quickly spread throughout her body, filling her veins with the fire of her ancestors. No elements could successfully interbreed, but considering she was a human/dragon hybrid, this was new territory for all of them.
Her head whipped back and golden light spewed from her open mouth, filling the room in a searing red-hot heat.
Once the blast of heat subsided, Olivia’s body slowly lowered back to the bed, her hair now a flaming red, curls spread across the sheets under her. The wind had caused the sheet to wrap itself around her long, voluptuous body in a toga-style dress. When she opened her eyes, Jaxen inhaled sharply as he stared into those now emerald green orbs. She was absolutely breathtaking.
“How do you feel?” he asked softly.
Olivia raised herself to sit cross-legged and arranged the sheet to cover her a little better. Jaxen’s question echoed wildly in her ears and she realized all her senses had changed dramatically. She saw clearer, heard better, even her skin was more sensitized. If her future were half as exciting as these new sensations rolling around inside of her, Jax was in for a very long and unexpected marriage.
“I’m starving,” she announced and smiled.
THE END
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Arranged Bride
Chapter One
Axel popped the clutch and revved the throttle on his 2016 Harley Davidson Softtail Deluxe. He’d only acquired
her a few weeks ago and this was the first time he’d gotten to really ride her. Hard Candy custom Electric blue painted ghost dragons adorned the gas tank and fenders. With a High output twin cam 103B engine, chrome glittered everywhere the sun hit it.
Although he had more money than he could very possibly spend, he tended to stick with the things he liked, hence the HD bike. Sure there were more expensive, flashier rides out there, but this one sang to him from the moment he’d laid eyes on her.
The twin exhaust pipes roared in response to his demand for more speed and he couldn’t help but smile in pure sexual ecstasy. The wind rushing through his hair felt like velvety silk washing over him in cool waves. Of course with Air being his element, it caressed him like a lover in the throes of passion.
He leaned with the bike as man and machine raced around curve after curve on the old asphalt highway. On his way home after attending the mating ceremony of Prince Jaxen Monroe, leader of the Earth Elementals, his skin crawled in revulsion over the mere thought of taking a mate.
No matter how much the High Council demanded it of him, he flat out refused to be ordered or bullied into doing something he neither wanted nor needed. He’d reigned as ruler and Prince of the Air Elementals for neigh on four centuries now and the last thing he needed was some pampered female under foot.
Women required entirely too much attention for this liking. Sure, he took his pleasure when he wanted, but then he waved an adios and boogied for the hills. He hadn’t missed the shy glances the bride and groom passed back and forth; Axel knew they’d both accepted the orders out of duty, but neither of them had been pleased.
He let off the throttle as he neared the wrought-iron gate surrounding his estate and turned onto the paved driveway. He lifted a hand, with middle finger extended to the guard and shot the scowling man a cheeky grin as he eased through the now-open gates. He wasn’t a fool, he knew the majority of his subjects frowned on his rough demeanor, in all honesty, he didn’t give two shits what they thought of him, long as they followed orders and saw to their duties, they could dislike him all they wanted. He had made his Fraction’s people one of the wealthiest, if not the wealthiest with his expanding business holdings over the years. They now controlled the majority of the dragon-affiliated manufacturing industries generating billions of dollars in revenue each year. He had given them riches, he wasn’t obligated to coddle them too.
When he rounded the curve that led to the spacious garage, he frowned upon seeing a familiar stretch Humvee limo parked just outside.
“What the fuck are they doing here?” he mumbled to himself and parked his bike just beside the limo. He’d have Fredrick move it for him later. Right now he had some ass chewing to see to.
He entered the estate through the kitchen door, peeling off his black leather gloves as he moved stealthily through the dining room. He headed upstairs, directly to his office, where he knew his uninvited guests were waiting. Coming up on the open door, he smiled at his accurate prediction as he observed two Elders of the High Council sitting in the plush chairs before his fireplace.
Even though it was rather chilly in the large, open room, he neglected to summon Fredrick to light the flames. His butler knew better than to entertain unwanted guests and Axel’s moods nearly always meant no visitor was welcome.
He hated politics, especially Faction and Elemental politics. They bored him to tears.
“What the hell do you two want?” he demanded harshly and flopped into the leather desk chair situated behind his large, glass desk. Manners dictated that he show respect by bowing and offering them anything they required to be comfortable. He’d rather chew broken glass. In human form.
Elder Coffer, the youngest of the duo scoffed and turned to glare at Axel. The other man, Elder Jewel merely quirked the corner of his lip. Axel didn’t miss the small tendril of smoke that snaked from the Elder’s nostril, nor did he appreciate the sudden whoosh as the logs within the fireplace sudden ignited. He’d forgotten that Jewel was a fire dragon or the outburst would’ve been expected.
“So crude,” Coffer sneered. “It’s no wonder why you’ve never taken a mate. No woman within her right mind would be able to stand your disgusting personality or absolute lack of charm. You’re a disgrace to dragon-kind.”
“And so I’ll repeat myself out of courtesy,” Axel drawled and sprang to his feet to approach the two dragons. “But this time I’ll make sure you understand my hillbilly language.” He moved to stand before the roaring fire, placing his back to the flames, he let his inner dragon near the surface just enough so that his eyes flared with anger. He felt the heat move throughout his body, every molecule rushing straight toward his irises. He smirked with satisfaction when the two men inhaled collectively at his display.
Going one step further, he shucked his leather bomber jacket, revealing his multitude of tattoos peeking out from the areas his white tee-shirt didn’t manage to cover. He focused just enough energy and then diverted it to the tribal drawings on both biceps, the phoenix circling his neck and the thick, Texas Rattlesnake cuffing his right wrist. He felt the heat from all four spots and knew they raised from his skin as if they were living, breathing things.
Losing one’s temper in the presence of an Elder was an act punishable by death. But hell, Axel liked living on the edge, it was one attribute that made him one helluva leader among his kind. He showed no mercy; not even to those who had both the power and strength to obliterate him.
“What the fuck do you want?” he repeated, a bit more forcefully.
Jewel narrowed his eyes speculatively and then turned his attention to Coffer.
“I think it’s high time we teach this youngling some manners,” he mused and then slid his gaze back to Axel. “You, Prince Axel of the Air Elementals, are hereby betrothed to Michelle Bastrop, fellow Air dragon.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Axel demanded and clenched his fists to keep from grabbing the snotty Elder and wiping his pristine wood floors with the beast’s carcass. “It’s forbidden for the Elder’s to directly interfere in faction politics. It’s bad enough you bunch of assholes got together and decided the Four needed to take mates, now you’re going to choose mine for me?” he snarled.
Coffer stood, buttoned his formal dress jacket and straightened his tie with a mock smile spreading across his face.
“She is the only Air Elemental in existence,” he informed snidely. “And thank the Elements she was raised by the Fire Faction, at least she’ll have manners. Who knows, maybe the young thing will manage to teach you a thing or two.”
“Damned politicians,” Axel snarled as he watched to two men stroll from his office as if they were royalty instead of him. “Damn them to hell.”
Chapter Two
Michelle Bastrop sulked on the balcony of her London flat. Not even the beautiful view of the park below managed to cheer her up. She’d spent all two hundred years of her life fighting to be taken seriously when all her guardians wanted to do was shower her with attention and affection. They treated her like a princess and although she’d enjoyed the lavish care as a child, adolescent and young teenager, she tired of it long ago.
She understood she was the last surviving female Air Elemental dragon, but she didn’t understand why that made her so precious that she should be treated like a porcelain doll and never allowed to simply live. Like Rapunzel, she’d lived in her spacious, lavishly decorated flat and rarely ventured far beyond a five-mile radius.
Now, she just learned she was betrothed to the Air Prince and expected to pack everything she wanted before traveling to America where she’ll first meet him and then marry him. She’d never so much as had a boyfriend and here she was being thrust off on a man she’d heard horror stories about all her life.
Leader of her faction, Axel Ashwind was fierce, crude and had a damn-the-world attitude. How he’d managed to hold his title still surprised her. But according to the two Elders who’d just paid her a visit, the man more than held the power to k
eep his title and the whole of the Council was more than a little afraid of him.
Elder Caroleena had voiced her displeasure of the union but the other Elder, Seraphina had simply told Michelle that she’d do her duty to the faction and complete the mating ritual with no objection or she’d find herself exiled and sentenced to death.
“So either I marry a monster, or I die, boy what a choice,” Michelle murmured and closed her eyes as the tears formed. Quickly on the tail of such an unwanted emotional outburst, she summoned anger to fill the void fear left behind. She hadn’t endured years upon years of training to let some male version of a spoiled brat ruin her life.
She’d never balked at a challenge, she wasn’t about to start now.
She allowed herself a few hours of desperate self-pity but then set about packing. Of course, the only things she truly owned where her clothing and a few precious mementos that belonged to her parents. They weren’t much, just a few porcelain knick-knacks of her mother’s and an old smoking pipe and leather bound bible of her father’s. All her furniture and flat furnishings belonged to her Fire guardians, so they would remain in her beloved home.
When the Elders came back to collect her for her trip to the States, she took her suitcase and with her head held high, she left behind the only home she’d ever known.
She remained quiet and contemplative throughout the long flight. She let her mind wander and dream over what her new life would be like. Arranged matings were not unheard of and since she was the last remaining female, she knew her freedom was short lived. But she’d never dreamed she’d be shipped off to marry the Prince like some outdated mail-order bride.
Bearly Desire: A Bear Shifter Romance Page 10
