Sentinel of Darkness

by Katie Reus

  And he was absolutely beautiful. His wings were a waterfall of colors, mostly blue and silver, with subtle lavender undertones, creating a visual feast. His body was more silver than anything, his scales glittering, and the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. God, she wanted to see him in the air, soaring.

  She stared for a long moment, drinking in all of his beautiful colors. “Will you stretch out your wings?” she whispered.

  She was pretty sure he could understand her when he was in dragon form, and as he let out a little huff of breath and did as she asked, she grinned. Holy crap, he was stunning.

  “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” There was no way to deny his beauty, his raw power.

  He let out another little huff and flapped his wings a couple times, fanning her with a gentle breeze. Then he stood up and strutted around the yard, as if he was actually showing off for her.

  Still watching, she sat down on the porch and reached for the bag. Later she would sketch him, but she was starving and she didn’t want to pause and go grab a pad and pencil. She quickly peeked inside the bag and let out a little moan when she saw tons of pastries, including cannolis, her favorite. Someone must have dropped it off because she didn’t think Dagen would have left her to go get them.

  She put the bag down and looked at him again. He was now just sitting there, watching her, his dragon eyes the same shades of blue and silver. And even though he was an apex predator and pretty much at the top of the food chain, she didn’t feel threatened. Still, it was a little disconcerting to be staring at a freaking dragon in her backyard. “Did you bring these?”

  He shook his head.

  “I’m going to grab some plates and coffee for us. I’ll be right back.” She hurried inside and grabbed everything, putting it on a tray. At the last minute she grabbed an apron. He would have to shift back to human form to eat and drink and she doubted he wanted to sit there in the buff. She wouldn’t mind seeing him, but she had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on her food if he was completely naked. It had been hard enough last night in the kitchen when he’d just been shirtless.

  By the time she stepped outside, all she saw was a shimmer of light and sparks filling the air and then he was standing there in human form. Every gorgeous inch of him. And he was so very naked.

  Averting her gaze, she set the tray down on the ground by the short set of stairs. She didn’t have any furniture out here and made a mental note to remedy that. The spring weather was gorgeous, with the sun barely up and a light breeze rolling over them. Without looking at him, she held out the apron. “This should cover your junk.”

  He laughed so loudly she felt it straight to her bones. It was adorable and infectious. And when she turned back, he’d already slipped the apron that said kiss the chef over his body. He was so much taller than her—and bigger—that the end barely covered the important stuff but thankfully it did.

  “Shifters aren’t shy about nudity,” he said, sitting down at the top of the stairs.

  “Yeah, I’ve gathered that. Who brought breakfast?”

  “Arya. She wanted to check on you.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. She’s Conall’s mother, which I think you already know. And she’s sort of like a mother to the whole clan. Well, she and her sister Alma are. She checks on anyone she cares about.”

  That was sweet. “Arya’s mated, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Have you and she ever…” Keva felt weird asking, but at this point, she wasn’t holding anything back.

  He frowned as he dug into the bag and then froze. “What? No! No, never. Dragon shifters mate for life. They don’t cheat. Ever.”

  He said it with such intensity, she believed him. “I wasn’t trying to insult you—or her. I just saw the way she was with you outside my store that one day. And you guys seemed so close.”

  “Shifters are big on touch in general. I’ve never slept with anyone in our clan. And for the record, I haven’t had many bed partners.”

  After what he’d told her, she understood and felt bad for even asking him about Arya now. “I wouldn’t care if you had. And if we’re being honest, I haven’t been with anyone since…” She didn’t even want to say his name. The thought of making herself vulnerable to anyone—it had been too hard. She hadn’t been in a relationship since Randall, and one-night stands were definitely out of the question. She wasn’t going to let herself be vulnerable with a stranger.

  Dagen was silent for a moment as he pulled the cannolis out and put them on a plate for her. “I just want you to know that even with everything going on, my attraction to you has not changed. I know I said I could be just friends. And I do want to be friends. But I want more. I don’t want to lie to you about it.” He watched her carefully as he spoke, truth in every single word.

  She let out a sigh. She wasn’t sure how to respond to that because she wasn’t even sure what she wanted anymore. Before him, she’d been so certain. “Look, I don’t know what I’m capable of, relationship-wise. And I don’t want to lead you on. Right now I’m offering what I can. And that is my friendship.”

  “Okay.” Smiling, he handed her the plate.

  Okay, then. She’d thought he might push and was glad when he didn’t. It was definitely time for a subject change. “Oh, the baby shower is this afternoon. Am I still able to go?”

  “Of course. I’ll escort you there. You’ll be safer on dragon territory anyway. And if I thought you would do it, I’d suggest living on our land for a while, but—”

  She was already shaking her head. “I’m not leaving my house. My workshop is here. Everything I own is here. I can’t let a few wolves take that from me.”

  “I figured you’d say no. But the offer is there.”

  This dragon was seriously wonderful. She wondered how the heck she was going to resist him if they kept spending time together.

  Chapter 10

  “I swear to God if anyone sets something on fire during this baby shower, I’m going to start punching dicks,” a female snarled from somewhere.

  “Stay away from me!” a male shouted back.

  Dagen wasn’t sure who said that as he and Keva stepped inside Arya and Dragos Senior’s giant home, but next to Dagen, she started giggling. “Dick-punching? I have a feeling this isn’t like a normal baby shower?” she whispered.

  “I have no idea. I’ve never been to a baby shower before.” But Drake’s mate wanted to have one and she’d invited a bunch of her former packmates from Biloxi so this would be wolves and dragons. Maybe even some hybrids, because her former pack had a handful of half-wolf, half-vampire, demon, and a bunch of other stuff he wasn’t really sure of. He’d heard the word demigod thrown around too, so maybe one of those as well.

  Before they’d taken two steps inside, Arya appeared out of nowhere wearing tactical gear and strapped down with weapons—which seemed odd for a baby shower—and smiled at the two of them. “You guys are right on time. Right now everyone is just getting drinks and mingling in the living room, kitchen, out back and…I think there are a few wolves in our game room. Apparently we’re supposed to start playing games soon. But no one is allowed to set anything on fire.” She rolled her eyes once and took the gift bags from the two of them.

  Keva sort of stared in horror and Dagen smothered a laugh. She definitely had a lot to learn about dragons and wolves. Because both species seriously liked to set stuff on fire. At least dragons had an excuse. Wolves were just crazy, in his opinion.

  “I’ll make sure not to burn anything,” Keva said, her smile a little nervous.

  Arya let out a loud laugh and wrapped her arm around Keva’s shoulders. “I really like you, little human. And you’re not the only human here so I hope that puts you at ease.”

  “Sure.” Keva shot Dagen a look he couldn’t decipher as Arya dragged her away.

  Dagen wasn’t letting his mate-to-be out of his sight though, so he followed after the two women down a hallw
ay.

  “My two sisters-in-law really love your jewelry,” Arya said to Keva. “They’re telling everyone who will listen how talented you are. They were the two women who were with me the other day. And those bitches are so picky, so if they like it, everyone knows your stuff is good.”

  “Thank you.” The scent that rolled off Keva was pure pleasure, though she did shoot him a curious glance over her shoulder as they stepped into a huge kitchen.

  There was food everywhere. Literally, covering every surface. Tiers of cupcakes, petit fours, cakes, and that was just the baked goods. Made sense, since shifters ate a lot, but holy shit this was the most food he’d ever seen in one place. It was like they’d tried to cram in as much as possible. And succeeded.

  “If you’re hungry, just grab a plate. We’re not doing anything formal. Shifters eat when they’re hungry, otherwise we tend to get cranky. Oh, and there’s a bunch of food out on the patio as well. My mate is grilling. Victoria and Drake are on the back porch too—because my daughter-in-law is not allowed to do anything other than sit there.”

  Ah, maybe that explained all the weapons. Arya had been a little crazy and overprotective since the announcement that Victoria was pregnant.

  “Okay, sounds good,” Keva said.

  Arya spoke with them for another couple minutes before she got a text message. After reading it, she turned to Dagen. “You picked a good one. Don’t fuck it up,” she said before leaving the room.

  “So…she’s pretty intense?” Keva said, picking up a plate.

  “Oh yeah. And her sisters-in-law are even more terrifying. I don’t even know how old they are.” Keva was his mate and had proved that she would keep the existence of supernaturals a secret, so he was going to open up to her more.

  Her eyes widened but she didn’t say anything as she put a petit four on her plate. “Fair warning, I’m pretty much eating only baked goods today. I’m stressed about Richard and this is how I cope. Also, this is a lot of food, right? Like, I’ve never seen this much food except at the grocery store—and it’s more spread out there.”

  “You’re about to get a lesson on shifter parties today. Though since this is a baby shower it should be fairly tame.”

  “Is it wrong that I hope someone sets something on fire? And that I get to see someone get punched in the dick?”

  “I can make it happen.”

  Keva started giggling again as she snagged a cupcake. “As long as no one gets hurt and you’re not the one getting punched.” She laughed again and he savored the sound.

  He wanted to roll around in that laugh and wrap himself up in it. Hell, he wanted to wrap himself up in her. She’d taken the existence of shifters incredibly well, and though there was a bit of unease rolling off her, there was no fear—even though she was in a house full of the most lethal predators on the planet. After what she’d been through at the hands of a shifter, he was impressed.

  “I’ll be by your side the whole day,” he murmured.

  “Good.” He heard the relief in her voice as she stepped closer to him. “Aren’t you hungry?”

  Oh, he was hungry all right, but he didn’t think she wanted to hear what he was hungry for right now. Instead he simply nodded and picked up a plate himself when all he wanted to do was cage her up against the nearest surface and kiss her senseless.

  Chapter 11

  Victoria stretched out on the chaise outside, enjoying watching her new clanmates and former packmates—though they’d always be her family—interact. Because no matter what dragons said, they were just as nutty as wolves.

  “Well, looks like Dagen is officially off the market,” Greer said as she sat down. The tall, gorgeous dragon shifter who Victoria had gotten to know in the last few years had a glass of champagne in one hand and a cupcake in the other. At six feet tall, she was about standard height for a dragon female. And like most of the dragons, she looked like a freaking supermodel.

  “Honey, I don’t think he was ever on the market.”

  “Isn’t that the truth,” Greer murmured. “I’m glad he found someone, and I like the little human.” Greer was a healer and the term “little” wasn’t meant to be insulting.

  Victoria had learned that after coming to live here. Her mate’s parents called her little sometimes and she was five feet ten. And now two new ancient aunts of her husband also called her little—and tried to baby her. “Me too.” Victoria kept her voice as low as Greer’s, which wasn’t hard considering the level of noise happening right now. Pretty much everyone in the clan was here, and a lot of her former pack. As the healers of the clan, she and Greer were also the acting sounding boards/therapists for their clanmates. And though Dagen hadn’t confided much in her, he’d made it clear that he sometimes struggled with social interactions.

  “He seems different somehow, and I can’t put my finger on it.” Greer tapped a colorful nail against her mouth as she watched Dagen and Keva talking and laughing together.

  “He’s not as aloof.” Because he’d never been cold, even if it could have been construed that way. “And he’s in über-protective mode. I saw him growl at Dragos when he got too close to her. Freaking Dragos.” Her long-mated—with three grown-ass children—father-in-law, who was so beyond smitten with his mate. But mates-to-be could act completely nuts before they locked down their significant other. Especially males.

  “Aww man, I missed it! Hey, you need anything?” Greer asked.

  “Nah, I’m gonna get up and stretch my legs, make the rounds for a bit. And I don’t need help standing, so I swear to God, if you try to help, I’ll be the one punching dicks.”

  “I don’t have a dick.”

  “Fine. I’ll punch your…boob.” She shoved up from the seat, laughing at the absurdity of what she’d said. “Or your ovary. Whatever.”

  Greer howled as she stood back, letting Victoria get up on her own. She was close to popping this baby out and she was all belly. Which meant her back ached pretty much nonstop. It didn’t matter that she was a shifter, being pregnant was still uncomfortable. The only saving grace she could think of was that shifter pregnancies were shorter than humans, and of course that soon she’d be a mother. That was the most exciting thing of all.

  By the time she’d stood fully, Arya, Mira and Prima were in front of her. Dang it, she was going to kill her mate. He was supposed to be here to run interference. “What’s up, ladies?” she asked dryly.

  “What do you need?” Arya asked, standing at attention as if she was in the military, a general ready to lead her army into battle.

  “Ah, nothing. Just going to walk around and say hello to everyone.” And probably pee for the fiftieth time so far today. “They are here for my shower, after all.”

  “Well—”

  “If you suggest something stupid, like you’ll carry me around or whatever insanity you can come up with, I will lose my mind. Straight up, lose it. What is wrong with the three of you? I know for a fact you were still battling when you were pregnant—with all your kids.”

  Arya lifted a shoulder, looking completely unapologetic. “This is true, but after losing my Drake for so long I can’t help my overprotectiveness. I simply want to make sure you’re okay.”

  Victoria’s gaze narrowed even as guilt sliced through her. Arya had lost her son—Victoria’s mate—for over fifteen hundred years, believing him dead, when he’d been sent to Hell by a traitorous male who was now dead. She couldn’t tell if Arya was being serious or playing her—the female was a brilliant tactician. “Fine, you get a pass. But you two,” she said, looking at the tall, beautiful twins, “don’t.”

  The two females looked affronted, both sniffing haughtily. But Victoria was having none of it. She was tired, super pregnant and cranky. She’d always thought she’d be serene and chill during pregnancy. She was a healer, after all. And maybe she would have been if it wasn’t for all these overbearing nut jobs surrounding her.

  “We have done nothing wrong,” Mira said.

  “Hmm.
Okay. By the way, I heard that some big bear shifter was looking for you,” Victoria murmured, not bothering to hide her smugness.

  Mira went completely still in a way that gave away she was a supernatural as her dragon peered out at Victoria. “How do you know that?”

  “A little birdie told me. I heard it through the grapevine. And you can figure out on your own who I heard it from.”

  “Oh, Vega or Gabriel, yes?” she asked.

  Victoria shrugged, but then pointed toward where a group of wolf shifters, including Vega and Gabriel, were playing volleyball—in animal form.

  It was definitely going to be one of those kinds of parties—and Victoria wouldn’t have it any other way.

  Chapter 12

  Dagen stepped inside an office on the bottom floor of the house, hating that he had to leave Keva for even a moment. But his Alpha wanted to talk to him about the whole wolf situation. He was surprised to find Conall’s brother Drake there as well. “Hey,” he said. “Everything okay?”

  Drake simply nodded. “Yes. I want to help with hunting down the wolves bothering Keva. I like the human jeweler. And she was very kind to me when I first arrived. I don’t like what’s happening.” Dagen only realized he was growling when Drake snorted softly. “Your reaction is illogical. I’m happily mated and expecting my first child. This is my baby shower you’re at. I am not a threat to you.”

  “I know.” He sighed. “I’m not used to feeling so possessive and, well, insane. Does it lessen once you’re mated?” Not that he and Keva were remotely at that point in their relationship. God, maybe they never would be. He couldn’t even fathom that. His dragon clawed against his insides at the thought, outright rejecting it.