“The Lord of Darkness has a band of loyal followers. Over generations, they’ve put their faith in a different prophecy,” he explained. “One that says their lord will awaken and battle once more with the forces of light to control the World of the Seven Stars. They believe he will be victorious this time, and anyone who helps him in this battle will be rewarded beyond their wildest dreams. Those who oppose him are doomed to pain and misery. They will become the slaves of his legion of followers.”
“They guard five sacred objects hidden in five different places in the kingdom, keeping them safe until their lord awakens. I believe I was given the power to shift into dragon form to help you find and destroy the first of these objects. The Flask of Fire.”
I nodded. He’d spoken of the flask before. “And you think you know where it is?”
He paused. Took a deep breath. “I believe it’s in a cavern deep in the caldera of the volcano.”
Our mountain range had only one active volcano, on the southern edge. According to our scientists, the last major eruption occurred thousands of years ago, but the caldera was ringed by a band of molten lava constantly rising to the surface. As it bubbled out, it cooled and hardened, raising the fiery summit higher and higher.
My shoulders slumped. “No one can get past that barrier.”
“No human can.”
Comprehension dawned. “Your dragon can fly over it!”
“Fly over it. Withstand the heat. Even walk on the lava, if need be. I’ll enter the caldera and find the flask. Bring it to you and together, we’ll destroy it.”
“How?”
He smiled. “Have you ever heard the old saying ‘fight fire with fire’?
Chapter Eighteen
Melisandre
On the fourth day, we trained in the morning, then he insisted we get some sleep, since we’d be leaving when night fell. Goddess knows, I needed the rest. My days had been spent learning to concentrate and focus the power I possessed. Then I’d be up half the night, my body buzzing with unspent energy.
My dragon lord taught me creative ways to harness that energy as well. I was an eager pupil. We spent endless hours in his huge bed in one of the private suites in the fortress.
Despite my lack of sleep over the last few days, my mind refused to rest. Once I knew he was sound asleep, I slipped out of bed, put on one of his old shirts, and wandered through the fortress.
Drayke had taken me on a short tour the first day. The place was a warren of passages heading off in several directions from a Great Hall behind the door to the temple. Each one led to a series of smaller rooms. One wing held the meeting room where he’d laid me on the table, a memory that still made me blush, as well as a vast library of ancient works, most of them completely unknown to me. Other passages held storage rooms, where provisions enough to feed an army for months were kept.
“How many people live here?” I asked him, amazed at the barrels and sacks piled high.
“At the moment, just you and me. So I can chase you around the halls naked to my heart’s content,” he answered, waggling his eyebrows. “But the Oracle has been preparing for this battle with the dark lord for a very long time. Stocking this place to withstand a siege.”
He showed me other passages lined with barracks, nurseries for children if entire families sought refuge, a kitchen wing large enough to prepare meals for a crowd. One passage led to a hot spring bubbling up from below, where we bathed each night. The room where we slept was in yet another wing, holding larger quarters designated for those who would lead the fight. Drayke said the Oracle had a suite of rooms to herself, reached by another secret door in the temple.
In the library, he’d shown me ancient scrolls that recounted the first battle with the dark lord, when our ancestors took refuge in the fortress. I imagined the dining hall filled with soldiers. Children unaware of the danger outside these walls, giggling as they scampered through the passages playing a game of tag. Women banding together as they kept vigil during the long nights when their men went off to fight.
I ended up back in the Great Hall. The room was originally a cavern created by nature in the heart of Mt. Jarazal. Stones to build the temple were cut from the interior, enlarging the space until it became an enormous high-ceilinged chamber. Over the centuries, the lower walls had been paneled, huge tapestries woven to warm and soften the upper walls, and thick rugs with colorful designs laid on the floor.
Above my head, narrow channels cut into the ceiling leading all the way to the surface allowed light and fresh air to flow in. The channels were wider than the shoulders of a grown man and I wondered if they had a second purpose as emergency escape routes.
Sunlight streaming in from above onto the deep jewel-toned rugs made an intricate pattern on the floor, like that of a stained-glass window, and the silence gave it the feeling of a cathedral.
Unlike the rest of the fortress, where I could almost see the ghostly images of those from the past, the Great Hall filled me with a sense of peace. Deep in the womb of the mountain, I felt safe.
Smaller seating areas dotted here and there around the room gave it an intimate feel, despite its size. I sat down in one. I rarely had time to myself at the palace, and since we arrived here I’d spent every moment with Drayke, so the solitude was a luxury.
In a few hours, we’d be leaving this place. Gods only knew if we’d ever return. I’d be fighting for my people – and my life – with a half-man half-beast by my side. A being I thought existed only in mythology. I knew nothing of him, really, yet I was about to place my trust and the fate of my people in his hands.
I’d already given him my body. Allowed him, at times begged him, to take me in the most intimate, sometimes shameful, ways. His prowess, his caring, his mastery, introduced me to ecstasy I’d never dreamed of. I vividly recalled every peak he’d taken me to, the way the orgasms rocked my body, leaving me limp and sated.
There was no doubt he enjoyed me as well. I loved drawing those low growls from him as he came, knowing I’d made him give in to passion.
But now, as the hour drew near and I faced my own mortality, I took stock of my life. I’d had a happy childhood, mourned the loss of my father then felt both fear and exhilaration at becoming the sovereign leader of my kingdom. Though it had only been for a few days, I’d reveled in sexual pleasure beyond measure, been held and caressed by a strong, virile male. But had I ever experienced love?
Examining my feelings was foreign to me. I’d left childhood years ago, trading my carefree youth for the life of an heir to a throne. I went where I was told, did what was expected of me, accepted that my life would be one of responsibility and regimentation. When my father died, I discovered the crown was a far heavier burden than I’d ever dreamed. I became the caretaker of my people. Beloved by all, yet alone.
Happy or sad, in grief or in rare moments of pure happiness, I did what I had to do. As I would do tonight. Through it all, how I felt was not important. I locked my feelings away, and eventually I gave up thinking about them entirely.
How did I feel about the man who slumbered nearby? I loved what he did to my body. But sex aside, did I love him? Did he love me?
He was charming, intelligent, funny. Even in the darkest moments, he could make me laugh. He had honor and integrity, two qualities that earned my respect. And his sense of responsibility was equal to my own. Otherwise he’d never have signed on for this deadly mission.
I loved that he treated me like Melisandre the woman, not the queen. I could be myself with him. He listened to me without judgement and refused to let me shoulder the burden all by myself when the weight of all we faced became overwhelming.
“You’re not alone. I’ll be by your side. We’ll do our best,” he’d say, “and leave the outcome in the hands of the gods.” Then he’d shrug and give me a wry grin. “Let’s hope they’re not too busy drinking and fucking at the crucial moment to pay attention to us mere mortals!”
Did a
ll of that add up to love? I’d read the fairy tales that purported to be about the emotion. Star-crossed lovers, forsaking all others to be together despite insurmountable odds. The valiant stranger who appears at the last minute to save the damsel in distress or defeat the heartless bastard she’s been betrothed to and gain her hand in marriage. But what happened the next day? How is love expressed in the tiny, unimportant moments that make up a life? The fairy tales never answered those questions.
I did have one role model. My father. He loved my mother with all his heart. Though my memories of them together were faint, it showed when he opened the locket and looked at her face. I could see the warmth, the tenderness in the depths of his eyes.
I rose and padded back to our bedroom. Opened the door and stood at the side of the bed.
Drayke lay sprawled atop the covers, dead asleep. He had one hand tucked behind his head, and his face was at peace. He must have sensed my presence because he opened his eyes and smiled.
“How long have you been up?”
“Not long,” I lied.
He patted the bed beside him. “Come here. I’ll cuddle you. You close your eyes and let go of everything. The worry, the fear, the uncertainty. Gods only know what tomorrow will bring. All we can be sure of is where we are right now, Meli. Let’s take this moment the Goddess has given us and live it to the fullest.”
Meli. No one had called me by a pet name since Papa died. I liked the sound of it.
He held his arms out, his eyes filled with warmth and tenderness. I forgot about tomorrow. Put all the fairy tales out of my mind and slid into the bed of a man who loved me.
Chapter Nineteen
Drayke
She nestled in my arms but it was clear my lady had no intention of sleeping. Always willing to accommodate, I moved my hand down to tease her pussy.
But she shook her head then took my face in her hands and kissed me. Not a kiss of raw hunger. It was a different kind of passion, one she’d never shown in the past. In truth, one that was new to me as well. Her kiss held tenderness.
I gave up being master and let my queen guide me. We took it slow. Wordlessly savoring every touch, exploring each other’s bodies and finding new erogenous zones. I learned I could start in the palm of her hand and kiss up the inside of her arm and she’d shiver with arousal. As for Meli, she teased and sucked my nipples until I too discovered an invisible wire carrying a current from there to my cock.
By the time I rolled on top of her, we were both red hot. But I slid in slowly, staring into her eyes the whole time. Stopping to kiss her again and again.
I loved the way her eyes glazed over, the way the muscles of her pussy squeezed around me like a hot, wet velvet glove. Finally neither of us could hold back any longer. We fucked with dark intensity, as if this was our last time. Both knowing it might well be.
I could tell she was nearing the peak. Her breathing quickened, and she dug her nails into my back.
“Yes, come for me now. Come for me, Meli.”
She climaxed instantly. Her pussy clenched, muscles spasming around my cock in rhythmic contractions. And as she did, she cried out “I love you, Drayke.”
For the first time in my life, I surrendered. Lost myself and became one with her in that moment. Gave up my iron control and let her take me to a place I’d never been. To the edge of the void – and beyond. Two souls as one, soaring to the stars.
Chapter Twenty
Drayke
Once again, I flew under cover of night, Melisandre astride my back.
I was sure the followers of the dark lord would not leave the flask unguarded. They probably had sentries hidden all around the mountain. Though I doubted they’d expect an airborne attack, I couldn’t risk them letting loose a volley of arrows at seeing my dragon winging through the sky in daylight.
I wasn’t afraid for myself. My iridescent scales were a coat of armor. But if my queen was killed, all would come to an end. Our quest, our battle against the forces of evil – the fate of our kingdom rested in the hands of the woman I carried.
I could see the caldera from miles away. My dragon flew straight to it, drawn by the glowing ring of lava like a starving beast drawn to the scent of a succulent lamb. We flew high over the rim, circled it once. Twice.
I spied a place where long ago the volcano had spewed out huge boulders, dropping them on the mountainside and forming a barrier to lava flows. Melisandre would be safe from danger there, whether the source be human born or the forces of nature. I landed and knelt, folding my wings so she could slide off my back.
She stroked my snout, whispering, “May the Goddess keep you safe.”
I took off again, flying low enough the heat of the molten lava threatened to singe my wings. I felt an unexpected surge of raw power and realized my altered self was feeding off the energy of fire pouring from the earth. Circling the caldera twice as I’d done made my beast stronger. Harder to control.
I summoned my human will and forced my dragon to keep going, swooping down over the blistering hot ground to the heart of the caldera. There, on an altar of glowing rock, stood a flask. I wondered how it could withstand the intense heat without melting or being incinerated, but as I drew closer, I saw the reason.
The flask was fashioned from dragon scales.
My beast let out a fearsome roar, and I felt the anger welling up inside me, hot as flame. One of my kind had been sacrificed to make it. The dark lord knew dragon scales could contain the fire within the beast, and he used them to imprison the element. Hold it captive to be tapped by him.
I reached out with one claw to snatch it from its perch and heard a voice, deep and sonorous.
“The Power of Fire.”
Flames shot from the mouth of the flask, and my dragon breathed them in.
“The power of fire lives within you. Fills you. It’s magnificent. Unimaginable. You possess the power of fire – and the power of flight as well. Untethered by the laws of nature others are chained to. Soaring into the heavens.”
My dragon was spellbound by the voice. It seemed to come from all around at once. Flames burst anew from the mouth of the flask, and once again he breathed them in.
“But there are other powers in the Universe. Human powers. What if you could possess them as well? Be almighty as both dragon and man?”
The flask disappeared, and I saw myself on the throne, man and beast as one, with the splendors of the kingdom laid out at my feet.
“The power to rule. Yours. Yours,” said the voice. “If you follow me. Swear allegiance, and you shall have it all.”
The image changed, and my anger turned to lust as a dozen naked women surrounded the throne, each one wearing the collar of a slave. One did a backbend, feet planted wide apart to display her dripping wet pussy. Another knelt and took my cock in her mouth. Two more began kissing and fondling each other while I watched.
Behind them, a long column of male slaves approached, two by two. Some carried casks brimming with jewels, Others were laden with bars of gold. Greed joined lust, both raging to be satisfied.
“Yours,” whispered the voice. “The gold. The jewels. The slaves. All yours. Bring me the flask. All this and more will be yours.”
With a roar, my dragon seized the flask. Gripping it tight in his claws, he flapped his wings and soared into the night sky. Fear gripped me. My control of the beast within had always been fragile. I felt my human will slipping away as he grew stronger, fed by the flames – and the seductive promises of the Lord of Darkness.
Chapter Twenty-One
Melisandre
I heard them before I saw them. A band of soldiers coming my way, making their nightly rounds.
I glanced around wildly, looking for a crevice where I could hide. Enormous boulders had held back rivers of lava over the centuries, creating the small clearing where Drayke left me. But those same flows built a seamless wall around the boulders. My refuge had become a cage. If the sentries did a
thorough search of the area, they’d find me. The only way out was to climb up and over, where I’d certainly be seen. Or fly, the way my dragon lord did.
One man, taller than the others, suddenly poked his head above the barrier.
“Intruder! Intruder!”
The cry rang out, taken up by other voices down the mountainside.
He clambered over and drew his sword. No man in my kingdom who called himself a man would pull out his weapon to face a mere woman. As he advanced, twirling it menacingly, I realized in the starlight, dressed as I was in leather pants and a man’s shirt, with my hair pulled back, he took me for a male.
He was huge, easily a head taller than I. Beefy shoulders, bulging biceps. Dressed in dark trousers and shirt, topped by a sleeveless tunic decorated with an insignia that glowed deep red. How stupid, Pieter would have said. He’s vain enough to wear a symbol of his rank that allows his enemies to see him coming, day or night.
Despite his size, thanks to the training by my royal guard, I wasn’t afraid to battle him sword against sword. But all I had was my knife. I drew it and moved into the center of the clearing where I had room to maneuver. A lesson from Pieter – don’t let the enemy pin you against a wall.
He gave an ugly laugh. “Is that your weapon, little man?” He circled me, beckoning with one hand. “Come here then, and show me what you can do with it.”
I ran straight at him before his mocking laughter died away. Ducked under his upraised sword arm, slashed out, and darted away. He looked down in disbelief at the blood oozing from his side then let out a roar.
He charged at me, swinging the sword back and forth as though hacking his way through the jungle with a machete. All brawn. No finesse. Find your opponent’s weakness, Pieter taught me. Use it against him, and he will defeat himself. The man may have been big, but he was both vain and slow. I backed away, letting him think he had me cowed. When he came close enough for me to see the triumph in his eyes, I dropped to the ground and rolled under the sword, slashing the Achilles tendon of his right ankle. By the time he reacted, I was back on my feet, halfway across the ring.
Fire Born_a Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance Page 9
