by Ally Miller
Just as the knife was about to dig deep into my abdomen, a shot rang out. Chad collapsed, and I saw my brother standing in the doorway, holding the gun that just shot the man that was trying to harm the woman we loved. Richard immediately dropped to the ground where Aria lay in tears, his hands quickly covered in her blood.
I reached for the phone to dial 9-1-1, but then I heard the ambulance already approaching. Which one of us had won her didn’t matter anymore; I just needed her and that baby to live. If not for me, then for my brother. He would never recover from that, and I knew it. Were they going to be able to save them both?
I watched as they loaded her into the ambulance, covering her naked body up. Richard instantly told them about the baby, and I told him to be the one who rode with her; I would catch him there. Busted arm and all, I was going to drive there so my brother could be with that child that was growing inside her because something inside me was telling me it had to be his.
Chapter 10
***Aria***
I looked down at the ring on my finger, somehow untainted by the blood I had lost in the fight with Chad. By now, Aaron must have realized about the baby. The nurses and doctors in the hospital had been monitoring its life as well as mine for the past twenty-four hours. By some miracle, there had been no obvious damage to the baby, though I had a severe concussion and needed a partial transfusion. The only comfort I had in this event was the fact that Chad was gone. Even if he made it through recovery, he would be locked up and never allowed to lay his hands on somebody like that again.
Now that I was coming to, and the pain medicine was helping the ache in my skull, I knew that I had to talk to them about how we were going to handle this. My hands went to my stomach, and I rubbed the small bump that was there affectionately. One of their children was growing inside of me. We were going to be a family, whether traditional or not, and we needed to decide what that would look like. I couldn’t keep breaking hearts anymore. But I knew that I wasn't ready to give this ring back.
The door to my room opened, and in walked both men carrying bouquets of roses; blue and yellow. They smelled wonderful. I smiled at them both and waited for the door to close before I said anything.
"You both saved me," I told them, feeling nothing but grateful. "And you saved our baby." I looked down at my stomach happily. I could see tears in both their eyes. "I don’t want to give either of you up. I want to be a family, but that means I'm keeping this ring and marrying Richard. I need a partner to help raise this child, and I know that Richard loves me and this baby for all time." They were about to speak, but I stopped them. "I don’t want to know whose it is. I know it sounds crazy, but there are others who live this way, so just hear me out. What if Aaron was our third? We could live together and be our own little family, and if Aaron ever finds a woman he loves and wants this with, he is free to leave. Otherwise, I can still have you both, and you can both have me. I can be your wife." I looked at Richard who came to me and put his hand on my belly. "And I can be your lover." I looked at Aaron, and he nodded.
"I can live with that," Aaron said, and Richard nodded in agreement, overwhelmed by emotion. "So, when’s the wedding? I call best man." We laughed-cried at Aaron, loving just how he always made everyone feel better.
"I've always wanted a winter wedding," Richard admitted quietly, sitting down on the side of my hospital bed.
"It sounds perfect," I told him as he leaned down to kiss my forehead, and Aaron leaned over and kissed my cheek. What an adventure this life was going to be.
THE END
Bonus 16 of 30
The Princes of Draconia
Description
For the shifter MFM idea: Two male dragon shifters, Rowan and Griffin live in the land of Draconia, the capital of the dragon world, removed from the human world into another dimension in ancient history. Rowan is meant to be king, but first he needs to find the perfect mate. It has been a long time since a true female dragon shifter has come to be. They are often too powerful and too overwhelmed by it to survive, and so many of the dragon shifter men have married humans. Rowan lucks out when he finds Dahlia, a woman about to turn 21 and come of age. She has visions and shows signs of being a female dragon shifter but does not know it. The only problem is that she and Griffin have been dreaming of each other for years. They are in love before they even meet. They feel they will die without each other, but Griffin will not step on his best friend’s toes and become king himself. It is not something he wants or thinks is alright. But how will they deny their destinies together so that she can belong to Rowan?
Chapter 1
Rowan of Draconia sits atop the highest mountain peak watching over what is to become his kingdom. He breathes in the fresh smell of the ocean below. This ancient kingdom is ruled by the dragon shifters of Rowan’s family line. He is ready to be king except for the most important aspect. Rowan needs a mate. A human female can be his for the asking, but Rowan wants a female dragon shifter. His hunt continues because such females are rare. The powers of shifting prove to be too much for most women and few complete the process.
Griffin, also in dragon form, flies to Rowan’s side. He informs Rowan, “There is a group of strangers approaching the southern mountain pass. All soldiers must be present to greet them in case of trouble. As the leader, you are needed.”
Rowan turns to look at the large red dragon that is Griffin and states, “There is no hurry. It will be hours before they arrive. Tell me friend, is there still a woman haunting your dreams? How I wish for one in mine.”
Griffin is reluctant to confide in the powerful tan and teal dragon at his side. His dreams of the beautiful, blonde female are becoming clearer and more dramatic. He is afraid of their meaning and doesn’t want Griffin to know of that fear, so he replies, “Women are the best dreams. I will always welcome sleeping with such beauty on my mind. Come, swim the ocean with me before we must answer the call of duty.”
The two magnificent dragons soar into the air and swoop down toward the shoreline. They dive into the ocean almost to the bottom, then back up to the sky These young shifters are the future of their kingdom.
Rowan and Griffin enter the city in human form. They join the other soldiers to greet the incoming strangers. The dragon shifters have few enemies, but the soldiers always greet strangers just in case. The group crosses the long bridge over the deep canyon that protects their capital. They see the strangers approaching and they sense that most are human.
Rowan greets the leading male with questions, “Do you bring trouble or goodness to our shores? Are we to be friends or foes?” The human male drops to his knees and replies, “We bring goodness and the hope of friendship. Our village is gone and we seek a new home. We are loyal to Draconia.” Rowan sees the truth in the man’s statement and Griffin nods in agreement. He, too, sees the truth.
A young woman steps up to help her elder rise to his feet and Griffin gasps. The blonde, blue-eyed woman is the one haunting his dreams. She, too, is astonished as she looks into Griffin’s eyes. They know each other instantly. Their gazes speak of love and a depth of understanding that no one else can ever share. Their dreams make them one.
Rowan, however, doesn’t notice the gasps. He is sensing something different in the woman. He feels an ancient power that underlies her human form. Is she a dragon shifter? Can it be possible? She is beautiful and appears to be strong. Rowan is drawn to the power within her.
The strangers cross the bridge into the capital. The townspeople greet the group with food and drink to nourish them after their long journey. Shelter is provided for each family. More permanent homes will be provided in the coming days.
Rowan takes the group’s leader to the ruling king. King Asher is curious about the destruction of the group’s village. He wants to know if there is a threat to the capital. Owen, the leader of the strangers, assures the king that his village was destroyed by nature’s wrath, not by enemies. Owen sadly adds, “Our land fell into the sea and only the smal
l group with me survived.” King Asher is saddened by the tale and gives the survivors asylum in the capital if they agree to work as true citizens. Owen agrees.
Griffin’s dream is more vivid than ever. He can feel the woman sharing the dream and learns her name is Dahlia. She, too, is astonished to find that the man in her dreams is real. Griffin and Dahlia are able to communicate through the dream and are learning much more about each other. Dahlia’s dreams make her feel different than anyone she knows and she wants an explanation. Griffin can’t give her one.
Dahlia is given the job of helping prepare food for the soldiers. She revolts, insisting on being a soldier herself. She is an excellent archer and earns her place as one of the few female soldiers. The power hidden within her is more and more evident to Rowan. He wants to question her about her powers, but when he overhears a conversation between Dahlia and another female about the dragon shifters, Rowan realizes that she is unaware of the powers she holds. Is she the rare female shifter he has been looking for? He continues watching for other signs.
Griffin searches out Dahlia in order to discuss their shared dream, but she hides in fear. The dreams and visions she is experiencing frighten her, and since Griffin is a part of them she feels it is best to stay away from him for now. Dahlia is determined to find friends in Draconia and no longer be an outcast. She wishes to stop the dreams and visions of Griffin and their future.
Chapter 2
Rowan seeks out Griffin. He needs to confide in his best friend. Rowan tells Griffin of the powers he feels from within Dahlia. He goes on to say, “I see in her strength that is beyond any other woman and a lot of human men. Her aim with an arrow is perfect every time. She understands the ways of our people that must be explained to others. The power within her calls out to me. Do you think she is a shifter? Can you feel her power?”
Griffin is alarmed that Rowan is interested in Dahlia. He loves the Dahlia of his dreams and wants her as his mate. He is hoping that she will lose her fear and give in to the love they share. Griffin is careful to reply, “She is powerful, yes. Her aim is true. I am aware that she dreams as I do, but I have not felt a power from within her. I do not know if she is a shifter or just a gifted human.” Griffin is sure that her fear proves that if she is a shifter, she does not know it.
Rowan dismisses Griffin, shifts into dragon form and flies to his mountaintop hideaway to watch and think. He can see Dahlia below, training younger soldiers in the art of archery. Her powerful body glistens in the sunlight, giving off just a hint of scales. Rowan feels his excitement grow. The signs that Dahlia is a female dragon shifter are becoming unmistakable. She must be nearing her 21st birthday, her coming of age. Rowan sees Griffin quietly approaching Dahlia from behind. Maybe Griffin is going in search of the answers to Rowan’s questions.
Griffin slowly walks up behind Dahlia and touches her shoulder gently. The lightning strike that sizzles through both their bodies causes Dahlia to jump away. She knows it is Griffin before she turns around. His touch is so familiar even though they have never touched in person. Dahlia is standing on a ledge by the ocean and cannot run and hide. She must face her fear and the man she loves. How odd and frightening it is to love someone you have never met. But gazing into Griffin’s blue eyes is calming Dahlia’s fear. The love in those eyes is overpowering. Dahlia follows Griffin when he gestures toward a rock grouping by the ocean.
Rowan is frustrated to see Griffin and Dahlia disappear behind the rocks. A ledge overhang completely hides them from his sight. Rowan decides to return to the city and ask Owen about Dahlia.
Griffin and Dahlia take seats upon the rocks and stare at one another. Neither knows what to say. Finally, Dahlia breaks the silence saying, “You are just as my dreams show you to be. You change a little as each year passes. I guess I was seeing you grow into a man. Are we meant to be together? Is this what my dreams mean?”
Griffin smiles and replies, “You are more beautiful than my dreams. I have known you for many years. You began sharing my dreams only a few years ago. Yes, we are meant to be together. I love you now and have for much of my life. I rejoiced when you became aware of me in your dreams. I felt you trying to cut me out of the dream last night. Please don’t. I need to share every moment and every breath with you, even in sleep.”
Dahlia explains, “I love you too. It frightens me, yet I could not stop the dream we share. If I stop it, I feel I will die. I need you to survive. I did not know that you dreamed of me before I joined you. How long did you watch undetected?”
Griffin admits to dreaming of Dahlia since she was about 10. He blushes as he tells her he felt guilty for dreaming of a child and feeling such a great love. As Dahlia grew, his guilt disappeared and love grew stronger. Dahlia explains that she ran away after their first shared dream. She was only 13 and feared she had become possessed by evil. The pair laughs at the crazy imaginings of their youth. The dreams are now a blessing.
Rowan finds Owen at the blacksmith’s workshop. Owen is assigned here to forge weapons for the soldiers. Rowen suggests that Owen be allowed to take a break. The blacksmith concedes to the future king and Owen joins Rowen for a brew. Rowan asks many questions about Dahlia. He discovers that she is an orphan. She was found by a shipwreck on the shore of Owen’s village. Owen and his wife took her in and raised her as their own, though Dahlia had needed little help. By age five, she was an expert archer and a better hunter than Owen’s sons. She became a warrior by the time she turned twelve. Owen continues by saying, “My wife and sons are now gone. Dahlia is my heir and my protector. She is odd and at times I do not understand her actions or the things I see in her eyes, but she is loyal and I trust her with my life.” Rowan walks away, contemplating where Dahlia may have come from.
Griffin joins the soldiers for the evening meal. He hears a young soldier mention Dahlia and pauses to listen. When the soldier crudely explains what he wants to do with Dahlia, Griffin attacks. His strength is far beyond the young soldier’s and Rowan must interfere before the soldier is killed. Rowan shifts and drags a changing Griffin outside the city. The dragons engage in a battle for supremacy. Their roars and body slams shake the capital until Griffin’s anger is spent. Shifting back to human form, they fall to the ground in exhaustion.
Rowan breathlessly asks, “What the hell was that all about? Have you gone crazy? You attacked a fellow soldier. That could be considered treason!”
Griffin sits up, pushes his hair from his bruised face and declares, “It is not treason to defend your woman from profane intentions. He blatantly announced to everyone the things he wanted to do to her in private. I cannot allow anyone to disparage my love.”
Rowan is confused when he asks, “What woman? He wants to defile the woman in your dreams? I do not understand. I am the only one who knows of your dreams.”
Griffin defiantly announces, “My woman is real. She is here. Dahlia is my woman and no one will be allowed to speak profanely of her. She, too, dreams with me. We are in love and cannot be parted.”
Rowan is shocked and angered. Dahlia is meant to be his queen. Griffin must let her go. She is the female dragon shifter Rowan is looking for.
Chapter 3
Rowan angrily informs Griffin, “Dahlia cannot be yours. She is to be my queen. As the future king, I will take her as my bride. She is the only female dragon shifter to enter our realm in centuries. I will have her!”
Griffin’s growl is heard throughout the mountains, “Dahlia is mine! If you touch her, I will kill you. She is connected to me and we will die if parted. Do not test me.” Griffin stalks off, leaving Rowan stewing and defiant.
Dahlia runs to Griffin’s side as he enters the city. She is worried that he may be hurt. Griffin assures her that he is fine, pulls her to him and kisses her. He is staking his claim and daring anyone to challenge him, including Rowan who enters the city just in time to see the kiss. The kiss sends shivers down Dahlia’s spine and causes a deep rift between Rowan and Griffin.
The soldier
s watch in shock and confusion. Will they be required to take sides, choosing either their future king or his second in command? This is an impossible situation. The soldiers need to stay united for the kingdom to survive. Rowan and Griffin are best friends and have been all their lives. A woman must not come between them. She must be stricken from the city. The soldiers rise up to oust Dahlia and send her out to sea.
Griffin quickly puts Dahlia behind him. He shifts along with Rowan and they stand between the mob of soldiers and Dahlia. Soldiers begin to shift and prepare for a battle. Before the war can begin, King Asher flies in. He lands his huge black dragon’s body in the middle of the standoff, causing the soldiers to fall back and shift into human form. His mighty wings push the groups far apart as he roars, “My kingdom will not become a battleground. My people will not destroy each other. I am the reigning king and thus the only one allowed to oust anyone from Draconia. Dahlia is a loyal subject and under my protection. She isn’t to be touched. As for Rowan and Griffin, I demand that they come to my chambers for a private discussion. Everyone else, go back to your duties! Peace will stay in my kingdom.”
The great black dragon rises into the sky followed by Griffin, the red dragon, and Rowan, the tan and teal dragon. Dahlia begins to back away from the other soldiers in fear for her safety. A soldier’s voice rings out, “Have no fear. You will come to no harm. King Asher is your protector and none will challenge his orders. You are one of us and we apologize for our childish behavior. Come back and eat.” Dahlia is cautious, but returns to the group.
King Asher faces down Rowan and Griffin, “Explain yourselves. I will not tolerate fighting among my soldiers. There are many women among us, so why fight over this one?”
