But I never answered him. Rhett took hold of my wing and shifted the broken pieces. I roared as the world fell black.
Chapter Fifteen
Rhett
I didn’t speak to Seth as I pulled my tattered shirt off and balled it up for Brendan to use as a pillow. He twitched in his sleep and pulled his broken wing close to his body. I pressed my lips against the scaled skin willing the magic in his veins to hurry up and heal him. Dragons were strong. Even their omegas were a force to be reckoned with. While their powerful wings carried their body weight with ease the scales covering them weren’t as strong or impenetrable as the scales covering the rest of their body.
I kissed his forehead and strained to hear him over our mating link. He was silent and out cold again. A broken and chipped black scale lay next to my boot. I scooped it up and shoved it inside my pocket to search for others. Dragon lore spoke of scales being both powerful talismans and a way to curse, trap, or even kill the dragon it belonged to. I was sure Corden was dead and gone, but I wasn’t taking any chances.
After, I walked the cave and picked up the scale shards I checked on Brendan again. He was right. Standing too far away from him left a void in my stomach and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I stroked his hair and adjusted the shirt under his head.
“I’m sorry,” Seth said from his spot against the wall.
“You damn well should be,” I said without turning to look at him. “He could be pregnant, you know? He could be carrying my children right now. He’s my mate. Just thinking about him jumping in front of the trap you triggered makes me want to pound you into dust. You’re always doing this shit. You’re chasing after death without considering me or anyone else who might care about your ignorant hell-bent death chasing ass. I get it. I do. Stacy is dead. I miss her to. She was the closest thing I ever had to a sister. I get it. It’s not the same for you. I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now or at any given moment of the day, but I can’t chase after you anymore, brother. It was fine when it was just me your stunts put in danger. Now, it’s Brendan too. We met less than twenty-four hours ago, and he’s already broken a wing. You’re endangering him and our future family!”
Seth started towards the door and I let him go. It wasn’t like he could run off anywhere. The chopper keys were in my pocket and his boat was a bottomless paperweight. He stopped short of leaving the cave and faced me. I stood up and squared my shoulders. We had our fair share of fights over the years. First, as kids and then after Stacy died and he chose a life of drugs and theft.
“You really want to do this right now, brother?” I asked him. “Not only have my senses never been dulled by the bullshit you used, but my every muscle is full of whatever hormone is released when true-mates meet.”
“He did it to his damn self, brother,” he nodded at Brendan’s sleeping form. “He didn’t have to stop that boulder and he didn’t have to wreck my Frost-damned boat either!”
Seth is a fast bastard. He covered the distance between us and swung. I swerved, but his knuckles caught the outside of my eye socket. I swung before he could move and landed my fist in his stomach. The air swooshed out of him, but he wasn’t ready to give up. He charged, lunging like his angry inner beast. I rushed left and let him hit the ground. He found his feet within seconds and charged again. This time I was ready. I met him head on grabbing his shirt and shoving hard until he was against the cave wall.
“I miss her too! She was fucking family and pack! But she wouldn’t want you to be out here risking your balls for no fucking reason all the damn time! She loved you for reasons I don’t understand right now, but she did, damn it!”
I drew my fist back to punch him but stopped. Our fights fizzled out after Seth and Stacy met. She was a natural peacekeeper and hated when we fought. Eventually, we worked around whatever sibling rivalry we nursed for most of our lives.
Seth blinked with watery eyes. He pushed me hard and I let him leave the cave.
“Damn it,” I rubbed the socket around my eye. It stung like hell, but the skin was already knitting back together. Hopefully the bruise faded by the time Brendan woke up. He had enough on his plate without my ongoing family drama.
Chapter Sixteen
Brendan
My wing was stiff when I woke up. I stretched it gingerly marveling at the warm gentle fingers stroking my hair. Wincing, I tucked it back against my body. The bone was healed, but the pain would linger for a while.
“You awake, mate?” Rhett asked.
I nodded without opening my eyes. Seth sprung the trap because he was too impatient to wait on me. Sure, I wrecked his boat, but I spent centuries waiting on Rhett. He could hold up a damn minute while we worked things out. I wasn’t ready to deal with him.
“You don’t have to play possum. Seth is waiting with his boat. At least, I think that’s where he went,” Rhett grinned.
I blinked to see through the dim light of the cave. Rhett lay about a foot away from me with his long arm stretched out to stroke my hair.
“I don’t want to argue anymore. I’m too tired,” I said.
“Then let’s not argue,” he scooted closer.
“I’m too tired to. I know, I slept long enough, but it’s like I’m trying to process everyone I know is gone and catch up on years of history at the same time.”
“We don’t have to do anything. How’s your wing?” Rhett asked.
“Stiff, but better. Dragons are fast healers.”
Silence echoed around the cave. I took a deep breath and let Rhett’s scent wash over me. His scent changed slightly since the claiming vows. We each smelled a little more like the other. Now, everyone knew we were taken.
“I’m glad you claimed me. Now all the college boys will know you’re taken,” I laughed.
“I’ve had a few students hit on me, but I never paid it any mind. I was too focused on finding you to worry about any of them.”
“How did you imagine our lives after we met?” I asked him.
He tilted his head in thought and I scooted closer to him. I wasn’t in the mood for sex but wanted to feel more of his warmth.
“I never thought about how I’d explain everything to the outside world. I guess I always thought we’d move into the house my parents left me and have a family.”
“That’s vague,” I laughed and reached out to touch his face.
“Maybe, but I had my heart set on you more than what came after.”
“Did you keep working in this possible future?” I asked him.
“I did. The world is at a crossroads right now. Groups are coming together. New ones are forming. But some people are still only looking out for themselves. Some shitty things have gone on here and even in the states. The human governments left behind a mess and we need to work together to put an end to it.”
“You know what you think of as the past wasn’t all sunshine and daisies, right? There were wars in my day too. I’m all for working together and stopping guys like Corden, but bad guys have always existed. They probably always will. For the love of Frost and Juda, Alpha, I live on an island that is magically coded to phase to different regions to keep eggs safe. You can fight for the world or you can fight for your own little piece of paradise.”
“True,” Rhett nodded.
He took my hand in his and entwined our fingers.
“But if you hide away in paradise you’re not prepared for when assholes show up. The best offense is a good defense, but that means keeping the area around the territory clear of threats. You have to chase off the bear before he finds the pups.”
“No bears on the island.”
“Maybe not, but what happens if they show up?” Rhett asked.
“I roast them?” I laughed and puffed smoke out of my nose.
Rhett shook his head and stole a kiss. His lips were warm and soft leaving me wanting more. There would be time for romping later. Now, we needed to get Seth home before he triggered a trap and got one of us killed.
I sat up and stretched out my arms and wings careful not to whack Rhett in the head with them.
“All better,” I grinned. “So, you can stop worrying now.”
My wing was still stiff, but I didn’t want him to worry about me. It was sweet, but if he worried about me it would take us longer to get Seth off the island. He didn’t want to stay here, and I wasn’t in the business of holding people hostage.
“It’s my job to worry about you,” he sat up grinning.
“No, it’s your job to love me. Worrying shouldn’t be part of it. I’m more okay now than I’ve been in a long time. Let’s go check on the ships.”
“Any more traps I should know about?”
“Just the one, but it has to be a Moonscale that presses the button.”
“The button?” Rhett asked.
“I’ll show you,” I stood up and held my hand out to him. “And the shirtless look suits you. Move to the island we can start our own private nudist colony.”
“Now that sounds like a plan,” he said and pulled me in for a long slow kiss.
“You know Seth is waiting, right?”
“Yeah. But he needs some time to cool down anyway,” Rhett said and thrust his hips forward giving me a feel of his hard cock.
“Okay, mating first, then we check on the ships,” I laughed as I leaned back against the cave wall.
***
The button didn’t glow as golden as it once had, but I found it easily enough. Using the hem of my shirt I wiped away the dust.
“See, this is the button,” I told Rhett.
“How does the button know if you’re a Moonscale or not?”
“It’s made from gold, dragon egg shards, and magic. It knows. Watch,” I pressed the button and the opening to leave the cave glowed golden. “It’s safe to pass through now.”
“You sure?” Rhett looked up at the ceiling.
“Positive,” I took his hand and pulled him out to the harbor.
Black and gray storm clouds hung close to the ground and brushed against the water. I squinted against the stormy light searching the horizon. Not one shipped remained.
“They left and didn’t leave us a ship,” my dragon sighed.
“Why can’t you just fly away if something happened?” Rhett asked.
“What about the eggs? What about the hatchlings? What about those of us who had mates who weren’t dragons? Sure, we could carry some of them on our backs, but sometimes the conditions aren’t great for flying. Also, everyone searches the skies for dragons. No one expects us to flee on ships. Besides, the ships hold a few surprises of their own.”
“Fair enough,” he squeezed my hand and pointed to the storm clouds. “Down there on the far end on the dock.”
“What?” I squinted trying to see what he pointed at.
Rhett led the way across the dock. The magic which held it upright stood the test of time. A breeze ruffled our hair and revealed the mast of a ship.
“How did you see that through the clouds?”
“I’ve spent my whole adult life looking for things most people don’t see,” Rhett smirked.
The metallic silver ship was still intact. Dragon metal forged from discarded scales and dragon’s fire lasted longer than some dragons lived. Leaning off the dock I ran my fingers across its smooth surface.
“Heir’s Nest,” I whispered the name of my carrier’s ship.
He commissioned it after my father died in battle. The metal was mainly comprised of his fallen mate’s scales as if he reached from beyond death to protect those he left behind.
“He can use this ship to get home, but he has to bring it back,” I whispered to Rhett. “I can’t give it away.”
“Let’s just fix his ship and he doesn’t even need to know this one is in here. I didn’t come here to take away your things.”
“I know,” I nodded. “It was my carrier’s ship.”
I tried to spare him the reasons behind why the ship was special. Some folks didn’t understand the logic behind using the scales of fallen dragons in building. Not all dragon metal came from the fallen. Scales fell out or broke from living dragons too. Humans and most shifters leave a body behind when they walk through their door to the Other World. Dragons leave behind only their scales. Burying or burning them was wasteful and left our loved ones open to dark magic. No one wanted their scales used for nefarious purposes.
“I get it,” Rhett said. “I’ve gotten it for a long time. One of my favorite professors was a really old dragon. He left me a scale in his will.”
“I hope you kept it safe,” I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye as we walked onto the ship.
“I did,” he flashed me a sad smile.
“Did he know you were looking for me?” I asked him.
“I don’t think he did. I never told him, at least, but he knew I was searching for something. He was called by the past like I was.”
Everything was just as we left it on the ship. Food and supplies stored in the bottom. Then a level of bedrooms and play areas for children. An armory closet inside each room in case we were attacked. Cannons lined the deck of the ship cast and arrows set in their quivers ready to be lit before they were shot onto an enemy vessel.
The last room I went into was my carrier’s. He knew his way around a ship, and I learned at his side. We never went out of the island’s protective bubble, but there was plenty of sea to explore inside of it. On his desk, set a letter with my name scrawled out in emerald green ink.
“Barshi,” I whispered the warrior’s name. He acted as my god father after mine met his demise. “At least, you escaped.”
Rhett watched from the doorway as I sat down at the desk and carefully opened the envelope.
“Prince Brendan,
We have failed you and our beloved island. Corden is dead and gone. Washed out to sea, but the island bears his curse or perhaps it is our punishment for not believing you. I speak for all of us, the survivors and the dead, when I say I am sorry. It’s been three years since Corden died, but nothing has changed. Storms beat upon our backs and brows relentlessly. They will not allow crops to grow or buildings to be resurrected. We have argued on whether we should move you or not. Leaving you here to fend for yourself in your current state feels like leaving you behind to die.
We’ve brought in magi from the mainland. A few shamans came over on ships from the old world to examine you as well. They were bears. It was interesting, but they said nothing could save you. Well, perhaps not nothing. Your true-mate may be the only antidote for your curse. Unlike us, in your current state you do not require food, fresh water, or safety from the storm. Nothing harms you. Nothing changes you.
A vote was called. I voted to stay, my prince. To stay and guard you as we all vowed to do when your great great great grandfather brought us to this island, but I was outvoted. Shelby is expecting another clutch of eggs. I could stay against the vote, but that’s not fair to him or the hatchlings inside counting on me.
We leave the Heir’s Nest in hopes that if you wake on your own you may sail to join us. We leave in two groups towards the mainland and towards the old world. Our ship travels towards the old world. I think returning to our roots will aid us in finding a way to aid you. May Frost and Juda protect you and the descendants of your loins. You’re the last descendant of the heir of Moonscale Island.
Your shield and sword,
Bashi Moonscale.”
“He was my elder cousin,” I said looking up at Rhett.
“I’ve read about him. He was one of the first dragons to return to the states after the split between the Moonscales and Hemlocks.”
“Did he live a happy life?”
“He is the great grandfather of Clarence Moonscale. He’s the current leader of the Moonscales,” Rhett said.
“Good,” I nodded. “His eggs survived then. Has his door came?”
“Before my time even,” Rhett nodded.
“I need to lay down before we repair your brother
’s boat. As much as I hate being away from you, I need some time to myself,” I looked up at him.
“I understand. I’ll go find Seth. If you need anything don’t hesitate to call,” Rhett took my face in his hands.
“Thanks,” I smiled at him and blinked fast to keep more tears from falling. “Don’t worry the door to the harbor will remain open until I pass back through. I didn’t press the button on the other side to shut it.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” Rhett asked. “I hate leaving you alone like this.”
“Find your brother and let me find what I can of my family,” I said. “We can’t decide what our future holds until I make peace with the past that has become mine since waking up.”
“I understand,” Rhett flashed me a sad smile and kissed my forehead. “I’ll be close by if you need me.”
When I was sure Rhett was back inside of the cave I went above deck and roared until my throat burnt from the fire shooting out. Then I shifted and took to the skies. I hated flying through clouds. They sucked the warmth right out of you, but they also numbed the pain and grief that seared every part of my body. I cut through them using my fire to make a path. Torrents of rain broke free and poured onto the ship and water below. I flew in circles like a caged animal looking for a way to escape the pain that was now my reality.
Chapter Seventeen
Rhett
Walking off that ship without Brendan was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I understood his need for solitude to grieve, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. His pain echoed through our mating link, but I walked back to the island proper anyway.
“He’s safe. This process is natural,” my wolf assured me.
I wish I brought my brandy.
“Seth probably has some stashed on the boat.”
If it survived.
“There’s only one way to find out.”
If he mouths off to me, I’m going to slug him.
“I’ll eat him, but I think he’s calmed down. It never takes him long. He needs to find someone to love. A new mate or a pup or something. Maybe a cat.”
The Sleeping Omega Prince Page 8
