Ivormantis

by Alice Brown

  They came across a bench and Dominic escorted her over to sit down. “Oh my goodness, I am so ashamed of myself!” She sucked in a huge amount of air as she placed her hands on her heated cheeks. “I should have asked you about your back. Are you in pain? We can go back if you want…”

  Dominic stopped her there with a chuckle as he shook his head. “No, sweet thing, my back is not in any type of pain or discomfort. I owe you a huge thank you for what you did for me yesterday. I hated that it took so much out of you, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Because of you, I will be able to shift as of tomorrow, and that, my dear, is a very good thing,” he finished with a grin.

  “And why is that? Do you have an antsy dragon waiting to escape?”

  He chuckled before responding. “You have no idea. Ivormantis is hardheaded on the best of days. But when he has been locked up and cannot come out for an extended length of time, he becomes unbearable to live with.” He chuckled again and shook his head. “He just told me to tell you that he is not hardheaded and very eager to meet you.”

  Meldamiriel’s eyes got huge. “D…does he want to eat me?” If she didn’t have the complete look of horror in her eyes, he would have gladly informed her that both he and his dragon would love nothing better than to feast on her sweet pussy, but the timing was all wrong. He would have to win over her trust before that was ever to come into play.

  “No, love. He doesn’t eat people. Not elves, humans, or anyone else. I think someone told you a few too many fables when you were growing up.”

  “Umm, that would be Natasha’s doing,” she mumbled.

  “Hmm, interesting.” He was fairly certain Natasha had not told her friend yet that she had been gifted with a dragon of her own when she and Blain mated. This was something that occurred very rarely.

  “If I only bring him part of the way out in order for him to speak with you, but maintain my human body, would that help ease your fears?” Ivormantis was pulling on his chains, trying his best to break free to the surface. He desperately wanted to prove to their mate that she had nothing to worry about, that he loved her and would gladly stand and protect her against the world.

  Finally, after chewing her bottom lip for a moment in indecision, she nodded. Dominic allowed Ivormantis loose, but kept a tight hold on the chain.

  ‘Come through my eyes and a partial amount on the face, but that is all, Ivormantis. If we push her too far, she will run, and then we stand a good chance of losing her forever.’

  For once, his beast didn’t argue with him. He came through doing a partial shift to the face and eyes, but stopped there.

  Meldamiriel’s eyes got huge as the transformation took place, but she forced herself to stay seated and not jump back in fear. “Um, hi?” Her voice came out as no more than a squeak.

  “Hello, Meldamiriel, my little jewel,” Ivormantis greeted with a grin.

  “You know what my name stands for!” she stated in surprise.

  “Of course I do, sweets, you are our mate. I have made it a point to learn everything about you.” He cocked his head at her, which looked so weird. The head of a dragon on a body of a man. “I love your hair, such an unusual color, but beautiful just the same.”

  She glanced down at her straight white hair, the length going halfway down her back. The coloring alone marked her as an Omega Elf. She had always liked the color herself, just because it was unusual and different, until she was old enough to understand what all it meant. It was why it was so difficult to hide away from other supernatural beings. She even tried the awful smelling human hair dyes in an attempt to hide what she was, only to have her own pristine white hair be back in place less than a few hours later.

  Ivormantis watched her finger her hair with interest. “You do not like your hair, pretty mate?” His question was asked out of earnest, as if it was impossible for him to understand why she wouldn’t like her beautiful head of hair.

  She looked over to him and smiled. “I like it, I just don’t like the trouble that comes knocking at my door because of what it stands for.”

  “Oh, but, sweets, you won’t have to worry about fighting these beings by yourself ever again. Dominic is a powerful warrior and I can promise you that I will incinerate anyone who comes around causing you trouble.”

  She wrapped her arms around herself, getting chilled from not moving and sitting on the hard, cold bench. “I think I like that idea, Ivormantis.”

  “Now that you have met me and know I mean you no harm whatsoever, do you think maybe tomorrow night when Dominic can shift, I might fully meet you? I could even give you a short ride if you are comfortable enough with me. There is a beautiful waterfall only a couple of miles from here. You would be perfectly safe. I give you my word and Dominic’s as well,” he stopped and sighed. “I have to go back now. Dominic is pulling my chains. I hope to see you again tomorrow evening, my little jewel.”

  The following evening after dinner, Dominic and Meldamiriel walked out to the gardens arm in arm. Dominic was happy to see the change just a few short days had made in his mate. She was no longer afraid to be near him. No, now she felt comfortable enough to walk next to him, even out to the garden by herself with him. As they walked, her hand rested ever so gracefully on his arm.

  He walked them over to the same bench they had been sitting on the day before. “Sweetheart, I don’t have to change over while you are with me if it makes you nervous.”

  “No, Dominic, I want to meet Ivormantis. He seemed so nice yesterday and well…” she hesitated for just a moment. “I don’t have anything to worry about, do I?”

  He smiled down at her as he lightly caressed her cheek. “Of course you don’t, sweetheart. Ivormantis wants to meet you very badly. However, neither he nor I want to scare you. I was just concerned about you. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”

  She sat down on the bench and grinned up at him. “Well tell him I am excited to meet him, but I don’t know about taking any rides tonight. I think if we just stay here in the gardens, I’ll be okay.”

  Dominic took a couple of steps back and turned around, his rear facing her. “Sweets, I don’t want to startle you, but I have to undress in order to shift.”

  “Oh, ooh,” she replied as the full impact of his words hit her. “Would you like me to turn around and close my eyes?” she asked a bit bashfully.

  “No, not really, but you do what makes you comfortable.” He would love nothing better than to have his mate watch him as he undressed and preened for her, but if she wasn’t comfortable with him in the nude yet, he certainly wasn’t going to push it tonight.

  He stripped the shirt off over his head and then unbuttoned and pulled the zipper down on his jeans. He cast a look back over his shoulder at her and grinned. She had her eyes cast downward, but was sneaking peeks up through her eyelashes at him.

  “Baby, you don’t have to be shy around me. I am your mate, you know.”

  Her eyes flew up to meet his in surprise. “It’s just…just, you’re just so big, Dominic,” she whispered in awe, just as he turned around and let his pants hit the ground.

  “You say the sweetest things, mate.” He chuckled as he kicked off his shoes and finished taking off his pants. His dick was standing at full attention, large and waving hello to her. He heard her gulp and glanced over to see her staring at his engorged cock. “He won’t bite, baby,” he teased.

  Before she had time to gather up her thoughts, he took a step back, allowing Ivormantis full lead in breaking through the surface.

  One minute Meldamiriel was staring at his huge member, the next she was looking at the prettiest sight she had ever seen.

  Ivormantis was ivory in color, but with the moonlight hitting his scales, they seemed to take on an almost iridescent look to them.

  She was still staring at the beauty before her when she heard him speak. “Hello, my beautiful little jewel.”

  She only hesitated for a second. “Hel…hello, Ivormantis.” She smiled up at hi
m. “You’re beautiful.”

  “No, my love, you are an exquisite, rare jewel. I trust you are well this evening?”

  “Oh yes, very. Thank you.” His old world charm tickled her. To some extent, Dominic had that same quality. Escorting her out to the gardens, opening doors for her when they were inside the castle, and always taking the time to ask about her well-being.

  “May I touch you, Ivormantis? Would that be okay?” she asked a bit nervously. Just what did one do when they had a huge dragon sitting in front of them?

  “By all means, my beautiful mate. You may touch me anywhere you like.”

  She had just reached out and touched one of his scales, mesmerized in how smooth it was, when his voice came across agitated.

  “Mate, we have trouble coming our way. Get on top of my back, now! Hurry!”

  Meldamiriel gasped as he quickly laid his head on the ground, to make it easier for her to climb up on. She scurried up on to the back of his neck as fast as she could, his claw helping to support her journey upwards. Once she was settled, straddled over the base of his neck, Ivormantis rose up to sit back on his hunches and faced the forest line at the back of the garden. Her heart was pounding like powerful thunder in her chest as her wide blue eyes scanned the forest line. Who, or what, was out there?

  There was a deep rumble from inside Ivormantis’ throat as he stood a little higher and expanded his massive and gorgeous wings.

  “They’re coming,” his deep voice rumbled.

  “Who?” Meldamiriel had no more than whispered her inquiry when she heard a twig snap, the sound seeming louder in the still of the night.

  She could have sworn her heart stopped beating entirely as she clung to Ivormantis’ neck for dear life. Paralyzing fear gripped her hard, choking the very breath out of her body. At first, she could barely see some of the brush swaying slightly. Was it due to the light breeze that kept whispering gently by or was it yet another unknown enemy coming for her? Then the trees stilled, the air suddenly seemed stagnant, the stillness lending an eerie feeling a few seconds before a band of blood hungry, blade slashing, fang baring, and snarling vampires came rushing forward. The look in their bloodshot eyes told her they were ready to fight to the death for what they wanted: her.

  Ivormantis easily lifted off the ground and into the air, his primary concern was to keep Meldamiriel safe. As expected, several of the vampires threw their blades high in the air at him, but he was more agile than they had anticipated and could dodge each sharp blade easily.

  “Whatever you do, my mate, do not let go of me,” Ivormantis growled deeply before he took a rapid plunge down toward their enemy, opening his massive jaw and letting loose a breath of fiery hell in front of them.

  She sucked in a deep breath as she watched as the frontline of the vampires were caught in the way of her dragon protector’s rage, their clothing catching fire, their hair singeing, and their flesh blistering in the extreme heat of Ivormantis’ fire breath. The creatures’ cries were those of the lost souls trapped in hell’s eternity of suffering, no mercy at all within sight. Their human flesh burned off quickly, leaving behind still moving corpses of flaming bones and muscles as they continued moving forward toward them.

  “Look away, mate, you need not see any of this tonight,” Ivormantis whispered back to her.

  The large, pissed-off dragon allowed his body to sail back down to the ground, landing on his front claws with such force the earth actually trembled around them, resembling a minor earthquake. It was enough to cause several of the vampires to lose their balance momentarily. They stumbled and tripped, their supernatural speed powerless to protect them from the unexpected unstable ground.

  At first, Meldamiriel was unable to tear her frightened eyes away from the scene that lay before her. Nothing but death, torture, hatred, greed, and ultimate suffering surrounded her. Even in the midst of all this, she was unable to hide her eyes. She watched Ivormantis bite the head off an approaching vampire, before turning his head slightly to snatch up another. This one he tossed up in the air, as if using him for a play toy. As the body started sailing back down to earth, he blew a direct stream of fire, immediately charcoaling the vampire. The big dragon waited for the remains as they fell freely to the earth, opened its wide jaws, caught it, and swallowed it whole. Feeling her stomach lurch, Meldamiriel grasped his neck a little tighter and buried her face into the smoothness of his scales.

  Ivormantis’ temper was boiling over. How dare these blood thirsty creatures come after his mate, again? He blew out another long breath of fire, putting a bit more force behind this one and watched as several of the vamps fell to the ground, their bodies jerking this way and that before the fire consumed them whole. There was one though that caught his interest. He was a scrawny one and looked quite familiar. Ivormantis cocked his head to the side and thought back for a moment.

  ‘Isn’t that the same piece of trash you and Blain thought would be worthwhile to leave alive?’ Ivormantis questioned his human half.

  ‘Yes, so kill the bastard! Just leave one of these scums alive. I want answers this time,’ Dominic growled back, watching everything that was happening from behind his dragon’s eyes.

  ‘As you wish.’ Ivormantis wasted little time in destroying all the vampires in his path. There were still a good number of vamps attempting to get near him. He killed numerous by either stepping on them with his huge clawed feet that immediately crushed them into the ground or by swinging his claws out to damage them, prior to eating them. Nasty bunch. Couldn’t they at least taste good? Once he made it to the one he was after, he stopped in front of the pathetic creature, glaring at him. “I gave you a chance to live, you should have taken it.” The vampire never had a chance to respond before Ivormantis clamped his mouth down over his head, eating him as well.

  A howl suddenly pierced through the night’s calm air. Ivormantis picked his head up, looking to the forest line for this new danger. There were only a few vampires alive at the moment and all of them were injured, posing no immediate threat. There was one moaning pathetically and currently trapped under his claw, his leg broken from the dragon’s weight coming down on it. He heard Meldamiriel whimper in fear behind his neck as he prepared himself for another attack as they watched the forest line shift and move, the sounds of animal grunts and heavy breathing traveling to their ears.

  “Calm yourself, love, everything will be alright. No one will harm you. I won’t let them,” Ivormantis said, forcing his voice to be light and trouble free for her benefit, in hopes that it would reassure her that she was truly safe with him.

  A short moment later, a single white wolf stepped calmly through the forest’s trees and out into the open. At first, its eyes scanned the scene laid out before him. It then looked up to the dragon. It sat perfectly still and cocked his head while watching the scaly creature.

  “If you have come for a fight, dog, bring it on. But know this. You will not live to tell about it,” Ivormantis call out to the creature.

  The wolf stood and started a slow and cautious approach, shifting from a white werewolf into a naked human as he got closer. Oh wonderful. I have a shifter dog prancing before me with no clothes on. Doesn’t the dumb dog know my mate is sitting on top of my neck? Meldamiriel! Ivormantis turned his body slightly to shield Meldamiriel’s sight away from the wolf.

  “We do not wish to fight against you, but with you,” the wolf stated, standing a few feet before him.

  Ivormantis lowered his head down to look the other man in the eye. “You and who?”

  The man threw his head back and let out a howl. Almost immediately, other wolves began to answer and slowly emerge from the trees. Within minutes, a hundred wolves stood staring at the large dragon with a woman sitting on top of him. Ivormantis looked to the leader for an explanation.

  “We wish to help you protect the Omega Elf. She means a lot to my people. She is a good omen to us and we will fight to the death to keep her safe and out of the bloodsuckers’ gras
p.”

  “How did you know of the vampires in the first place?”

  “Vampires tend to try to avoid us if at all possible. Our scouts found them cutting through the back half of our land. We knew with that many, they were up to no good, so we decided to see what we could do to help.”

  “And you didn’t think to step in during the fight?” Ivormantis knew he was beginning to get flip with this dog, but since Dominic hadn’t stopped him, he figured he wasn’t doing too bad. Besides, it seemed that dragon nor human could make up their mind on whether or not they liked the guy, yet.

  The wolf shifter man raised his hands in front of him. “I will admit, we are the ones that chased them into these gardens to begin with, but we had no idea that you two were here. We just wanted to flush them out into the open. Besides, lizard man,” he stated with a grin as he looked around at the carnage, “looks like you did well handling a small band of vampires on your own. We would have stepped in if need be.”

  Ivormantis narrowed his eyes and growled deeply.

  The wolf laughed. “The name is Edmond, Alpha of the Skogafoss pack.”

  “The waterfall?”

  “Skogafoss offers a peaceful home for us. Our pack is hidden out of human eye sight.”

  Ivormantis leaned back, thinking a moment as to decide whether to trust the fur ball or not.

  “Ivormantis, I don’t feel so good,” Meldamiriel spoke quietly, her skin turning clammy against his scales.

  “Okay, my jewel. Everything is going to be just fine. Allow me to assist you down so I may shift back. Then we shall take you inside,” Ivormantis purred to his mate as he moved his head to assist her. He stopped before reaching her and turned his head back to address the shifter. “Follow me and take this leech in with us, I want him for questioning.” He lightly kicked the vampire that had been trapped under his claw toward Edmond.