I took a long sip of orange juice. “Cadock’s men? I asked before and he said no, but it couldn’t hurt to try again. We are desperate, after all.”
Reven rolled his eyes. “They’ll never say yes. I’d have better luck convincing the Assassin’s Guild to join us.”
“Do you think you could?” I asked.
He opened and closed his mouth, then scowled. “Maybe. They might do it if we paid them well.”
Jasin dragged a hand through his auburn hair. “Even if they all said yes, which is unlikely, it still won’t be enough.”
I glanced between my father and my mates, then spoke the idea that had been brewing in my head for some time. “We need to ask the elementals to help us.”
“The elementals?” Doran asked with a sharp laugh. “Why would they ever agree to that?”
“The elementals hate the Dragons and the shades, according to Enva,” I said. “They might be willing to side with us if we explain that we’re planning to defeat them.”
Jasin shook his head. “Just because you saved one elemental doesn’t mean they’ll fight beside us.”
I shrugged. “It can’t hurt to ask.”
“It can if they attack us.”
“He’s right, it’s a big risk,” Slade said. “Even asking them to help could be dangerous.”
“We have to try,” I said. “Humans think the elementals are our enemies. Elementals think the same of us. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There were times when our two kinds were at peace.”
“You think you can unite elementals and humans and erase hundreds of years of hatred and fear?” Reven asked.
“Not overnight, no. But this would be a good first step. I just want to talk to them. I know it’s dangerous, but we need them. I don’t think we can do this without their help.”
Auric drummed his fingers on the table with a thoughtful expression. “How would you even contact the elementals? There are different types of them spread across the world.”
“They have a capital, of sorts, past the Fire Realm,” Doran said. “There’s a council of leaders, one from each type of elemental. I could take you there.”
“Won’t they be suspicious if we show up with one of the Dragons we’re planning to replace?” I asked.
“So I’ll keep out of sight,” he said with a shrug.
“There’s another problem with this plan,” Auric said. “It’ll take a long time to visit all these different groups and try to convince them to help us.”
I glanced between everyone at the table, weighing the options, before saying, “We’ll have to split up. Slade will go to the Resistance, Auric will speak with his father, Reven will ask the Assassin’s Guild, and Jasin will try to convince the bandits. Doran and I will find the elementals.”
Jasin shook his head with a frown. “I don’t like the idea of splitting up.”
“Especially if it means none of us will be with you to protect you,” Slade said.
“I’ll keep her safe,” Doran said. “You have my word.”
“But can we trust your word?” Reven asked.
Doran’s eyes narrowed. “I would never do anything to harm my daughter. Surely you know that by now. Have I not done everything I said I would?”
“Forgive us for being cautious,” Auric said. “We’re just trying to make sure Kira stays safe.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, fighting off an oncoming headache, probably from the stress of this combined with the lack of sleep. “I know this plan isn’t ideal, but this is the only way. The longer we take, the longer the Dragons can prepare to stand against us. We have to recruit allies, and we have to do it quickly. We must split up, even if it puts all of us in danger.” My voice softened as I looked at each of them. “I’ll have Doran, and I can control all four elements now. You don’t need to worry about me.”
Slade reached for my hand. “We always will worry.”
“It’s settled then.” Doran pressed his palms on the table and stood. “But before we rush off to the four corners of the world, you each need more training first. Meet me in the courtyard in an hour.”
After he was gone, Reven fixed me with a dark look. “You know you can’t trust him.”
“I don’t trust him,” I said, remembering the Water God’s comments last night. “But he has kept his word so far, and he’s helped us a lot. We would never have found this temple without him. He might betray us in the end, but we’ll be prepared if he does.”
Slade rubbed his beard. “I have another idea. I’ve been wondering if it’s possible to imbue a weapon with all of our magic.”
“How would that work?” Jasin asked.
“I’m not sure, but it might be effective against Nysa once we’ve defeated her mates, or perhaps even against the Spirit Goddess.” Slade shrugged. “I’d like to try, but I’d need my forge.”
“We could plan to reconvene in your village,” Auric said.
The plan was set. Now we just had to find a way to pull it off.
22
Jasin
Doran waited for us in front of the temple, where he leaned against the large dragon statue. He stared at the fish swimming outside the dome and something in his expression reminded me of Kira. She often got lost in her thoughts too, especially when something was weighing heavily on her mind, which was often lately. Although after her night with Reven she was smiling a little easier, at least. A few days of peace and rest at the Water Temple would be good for her too, even if I was itching to get moving and take action.
Doran heard us approach and turned toward us. “Good, you’re all here.” He moved to stand before us and scrutinized us in turn. “If you’re going to fight the Dragons in a few weeks, you’ll need to be better prepared. Right now, you’re not even close to being ready. I’m amazed you’ve survived this long, honestly.”
“Great speech,” I mumbled. “I feel so inspired now.”
Reven smirked beside me, while Doran shot me a sharp look before continuing. “Today we’re going to focus on opposing elements. Each element has a direct opposite—fire and water, earth and air, life and death. As I mentioned before, this is how we imprisoned the Gods, using the element they were weakest against. You’ll be strongest when fighting someone with opposing magic, whether it’s a Dragon or an elemental, but you’ll also be at your weakest. I want you to pair up—Reven with Jasin, Auric with Slade—and practice blocking each other’s magical attacks.”
“And me?” Kira asked.
“You and I will start your water magic training today.”
Reven and I moved to the other side of the courtyard, both of us wearing matching scowls. Maybe we were supposed to be opposites, but sometimes I thought I had more in common with him than I did with the others. I hadn’t liked the guy at first, but now we had an unspoken understanding. And we both seemed to feel the same way about Doran.
“I should be the one training her in water,” Reven growled, once we were out of earshot.
I snorted. “Now that her perfect father is here, she doesn’t need us for that anymore.”
We took up positions facing each other and summoned our magic. I threw a ball of fire at Reven, but he met it with a blast of water and they both sizzled out.
“She’s going to be heartbroken when his true colors emerge,” I said, as Reven threw shards of ice my way. I put up a wall of fire to block them, melting them before they could hit me.
“And we’ll be there to comfort her.”
“Unless we’re all split up.” My jaw clenched as I formed a sword made entirely of fire and lunged at him. I hated this plan we’d come up with. Leaving her alone with Doran was a bad idea, but she wouldn’t listen to reason about it.
Reven formed a shield of water and blocked me, then let the water reform into two daggers, which he threw at me. I knocked one away, but the other grazed my arm, making me flinch.
I rubbed the small cut, which burned with cold. “Nice one.”
Reven nodded at my compliment
. “The Assassin’s Guild headquarters are on the way to the Fire Realm and not far from here. I can take care of business there quickly and then follow Kira and Doran from a distance. If I feel anything through the bond, I’ll be able to get to Kira fast.”
“That would make me feel a lot better about this plan. Do you think he’ll try something?”
“No, but I like to be prepared for anything.”
“Me too. And even if he isn’t a threat to her, the elementals could be.”
“Exactly.”
Doran walked over to us while we shot more fire and water at each other. “How are you both doing with this?”
“Fine,” Reven said.
“I will say, I’m impressed,” Doran said. “The two of you haven’t known each other long, but you don’t seem to hate each other. Sark and I…” His face twisted. “Let’s just say it took a long time before we could work together.”
“That isn’t a problem for us,” Reven said.
“No, and not for Slade and Auric either it seems.”
“We’re a team,” I said, puffing up my chest a little. “Brothers united with a shared cause—protecting and loving Kira. Whatever personal issues we had with each other, we’ve managed to get past them.”
“So I’ve seen.” Doran rubbed his chin, his eyes thoughtful. “Nysa’s mates and I can barely stand to be in the same room as each other. We’ve never been very good at working as a team, and the bond chafes at us after all these years. Blocking the other Dragons out was the only way I could stay sane. But things are different with all of you—and that’s how you’ll defeat the other Dragons.”
I couldn’t imagine hating Kira’s other mates like that. Sure, we’d had our differences at first. We’d gotten into fights. We’d questioned each other’s loyalties. But in the end, we’d united under our shared love of Kira and our common purpose of defeating the Dragons. All I had to do was reach for the bond with Kira and I felt her mates there too. Auric was the strongest, like a sunny breeze brushing against my mind, and I’d started to feel Slade’s cool, stony presence recently. Now that Reven had bonded with Kira there was a new awareness too, a tiny cool flicker that I knew would quickly grow into more.
Doran spent a few minutes showing us how to imprison the other person with our element, and then Reven practiced encasing me in ice, sometimes just my feet so I couldn’t dodge his attacks, and sometimes my entire body. I did the same with Reven, surrounding him with flames, and at one point making him yelp. Across the courtyard, Slade and Auric were practicing similar tactics with their own magic. I had a feeling we’d need some healing from Kira after this was all over.
“I think that’s enough for now,” Doran called out, sometime later. “We’re going to practice again over the next few days, using different combinations, until you’re used to fighting every kind of magic. Slade, I want you to also spend some time practicing your flying. You’re almost there, and we need you to be ready before we depart. Reven, you should do that too. And all of you should work on building your bonds with Kira and each other. That will be the key to winning against the other Dragons.”
With that, he dismissed us and went back into the Temple. A grin spread across my face, despite my weariness and pain in all the places Reven had hit me. I knew exactly how I wanted to work on strengthening our bonds. And I had a feeling the other guys wouldn’t mind either.
23
Kira
As I prepared for bed after a long day of training with Doran, I heard a knock. I opened my door and found Jasin, Auric, and Reven standing outside, each one so handsome it made my pulse race.
Jasin leaned against the doorway and gave me a sinful smile. “I thought you could use some company tonight, so I invited the others. Doran did tell us to work on building our bond, after all.”
“Yes, he did.” Excitement fluttered inside my stomach as I gestured for them to come inside. Memories of the last time the four of us shared an evening together came rushing back, and I could only hope for another night like that. “I was about to take a bath. You should all join me.”
“I invited Slade too,” Jasin said, as they stepped inside.
My eyebrows darted up. “Did you? That was kind, but I doubt he’ll join us.”
He shrugged. “You never know. I think he’ll surprise you.”
“This bed is enormous,” Auric said, pushing his hand on it. “We’ll definitely have to take advantage of this later.”
“This bath is too,” Reven said from the other room.
“A suite built for a Dragon and her mates,” I said, as I followed Reven’s voice.
Jasin dipped his hand in the bath. “Oh yes, this is definitely my favorite temple.”
My men quickly removed their clothes and I took in Auric’s tall frame, Jasin’s abundance of muscles, and Reven’s toned physique. Each one of them was already hard and ready for me, and at that moment I knew I was the luckiest woman in the world.
They stepped into the pool, which Jasin had heated to the perfect temperature to soothe away any aches and pains from today’s lessons. I dropped my robe, baring myself before them, and they gazed up at me as I slipped into the bath beside them. My men wasted no time in circling me, their eyes hungry, their intentions clear. Jasin’s mouth found mine first, his lips warm against mine, before Reven dragged my face toward him to kiss me next. Auric’s arms circled me from behind, and I turned my head to taste his lips too. Their naked, wet bodies surrounded me, sliding against my bare skin, and desire raced through my veins.
The three of us had done this before, but now it was different because I could sense Reven through the bond. With every touch and kiss, his presence in my mind grew stronger. I no longer had to wonder if he loved me or if he would ever open up—he had given himself to me completely last night, and all my doubts about him had vanished.
I heard footsteps and looked up to see Slade standing on the edge of the bath. “You’re here,” I whispered.
Slade shrugged. “Jasin invited me.”
“Told you,” Jasin said with a wink.
“And you’re okay with this?” I asked.
“The idea of sharing you doesn’t bother me anymore, not like it did.” Slade tugged off his shirt and tossed it aside, revealing that dark, muscular chest that just begged to be touched. “I’d like to try.”
“Really?” I asked, my heart skipping a beat in anticipation.
He slid down his trousers and stepped into the bath. He was already hard as steel, which made me think he might be telling the truth. “I want to do whatever makes you happy, and I can tell this does. I admit, I’m a little curious too.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him to show how much this meant to me. “We’ll go slow and you don’t have to do anything you don’t want.”
He chuckled softly, his voice low and delicious. “I can handle it.”
He leaned back against the edge of the bath, spreading his arms wide. I nestled up against him, kissing his bearded neck, running my hands along his shoulders and his strong chest, down to his hard cock. I took it in hand, enjoying the way it filled up my palm, as I kissed him again.
But I couldn’t neglect my other mates either. I turned and faced them, but Slade’s arms wrapped around me, pulling my behind up against his hips. He held me against him, his cock nestled between my cheeks, his hands on my breasts. I leaned back on his chest and turned my head to kiss him, while the other men watched us with rapt expressions.
They moved forward through the water, drawing closer to me as if they couldn’t resist. Jasin and Auric took up position on either side of me, kissing my shoulders, my neck, and the curves of my breasts, while I rested against Slade’s chest. Reven claimed the middle, and he dipped under the water with a filthy expression that made my breath catch. He spread my legs wide, and then his mouth moved between my thighs, his tongue darting out to flick against me. I cried out and wove my fingers in his black hair under the water. He stayed down there, licking and suck
ing on me without coming up for air, using the fact that he could breathe underwater to my advantage. With each touch of his mouth and stroke of his tongue I came apart more and more, while Jasin and Auric took turns claiming my lips and Slade’s strong body held me in place.
But it wasn’t enough. I dragged Reven up out of the water and captured his mouth with mine, greedy for more of him. His hard body pressed against me, pinning me between him and Slade. I wrapped my hand around his behind and pulled his hips against me. His cock slid easily inside me, exactly where it belonged, and he let out a low, sensual groan.
Auric and Jasin moved to the sides of the bath to watch, while Reven began to pump into me. He grabbed onto my hips to get better leverage, while Slade’s hands cupped my breasts and pinched my nipples. Every time Reven thrust into me he pushed me back against Slade, who grunted as his cock rubbed between my cheeks. I wanted him inside me too, but wasn’t sure Slade was ready for that level of sharing yet. He was already doing so much more than I ever thought he would. I turned my head and studied his face, observing the hunger in his eyes, before his lush lips came down on mine again.
Slade dipped a hand between me and Reven, finding my clit and stroking it. The water surged around us and I clutched Reven’s shoulders with one hand and touched Slade’s face with the other, letting them control my body completely. I never felt more cherished than when I was squeezed between two of my mates, and I sensed their passion and love through the bond like a warm glow in my chest. The orgasm crested over me like a wave and swept Reven along with it, making him groan and push deeper inside me with his release. He rested his head against my shoulder, his arms wrapped around me, while Slade held both of us steady.
I kissed Reven slowly, then turned my head to kiss Slade next. “Was that all right?”
“More than all right,” Slade said. “I want to watch you with all of them.”
Ride The Wave: Her Elemental Dragons Book Four Page 10
