by Gina Kincade
I looked to him and he raised his brow. “Good to know.”
“Now come,” Rae brought my attention back to her. “Let’s get you to the kingdom. Your family has been awaiting your arrival for many millennia.”
“What? My...my family?”
She smiled. “I speak the truth. Your family has been waiting patiently for you. Come, let’s go meet them. There is much to explain and to talk about.”
THE END
About the Author
Hailing from Burleson, Texas, and growing up in the country with big tractors and bonfire parties, I would daydream about far off lands, hoping to get inside their worlds one day. I can remember daydreaming about flying; not in a plane, but like an angel or a bird. I would occasionally write these thoughts in my journal, but never did much with them beyond that. I love spending time world building, as well as discovering new animal books with my daughter.
Where to Find More from Julie Morgan
www.juliemorganbooks.com/newsletter.html
www.facebook.com/juliemorganbook
www.twitter.com/juliemorganbook
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/julie-morgan
Follow the Symphony series with book two: Symphony of Power.
Also by Julie Morgan
Chronicles of the Fallen series:
Fallen
Redemption
Atonement
Culmination
Rapture, a short story
The Alchemy series:
Deadly Alchemy
Fatal Alchemy
Wicked Alchemy (coming soon!)
Special Ops series:
Delta Force
Sniper
Damon
by Elianne Adams
Warning: This story contains instances of mild voyeurism, exhibitionism, and a whole lot of sexiness. Enjoy.
Copyright@ÉlianneAdams 2017
Edited by Theresa Cole
Cover by Fantasia Frog Designs
Ava Garamond doesn’t want a mate—she needs one. If she doesn’t get herself, and her siblings, away from their father, they’ll all end up dead. Left with little choice after her pack turns their backs on them, she joins the Citadel, giving up her rights to choose her mate to ensure their safety.
Forced into finding a mate by a senile elder who holds way too much power, Damon McCrae enters the Citadel of the Chosen. His dragon wants more than a warm and willing body, it wants its fated, but time has run out. Leaving without a mate wasn’t an option. He’s resigned himself to a half-hearted mating, but when seeing a woman shoved to the ground has him seeing red, and his blood pumping hot in his veins, hope flares to life. Maybe finding a mate at the Citadel wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Chapter One
Ava Garamond took a deep breath as she stood in front of a heavy door with her hand up in the air, ready to knock. The intricate beauty and craftsmanship of the carved wood drew her gaze but did nothing to dispel the fear whipping through her. Every nerve ending sizzled as though lit by a torch, urging her to turn and run, but she couldn’t go back without a mate. Her shame was too deep. The embarrassment too severe. It was bad enough that not one male had given her a second glance as she’d come of age, or in the years that followed, but to have been offered up to a neighboring pack who had also snubbed her...it was more than she could bear.
She’d never thought herself better than she was. A simple girl living a simple life. She worked hard and provided what she could for her family, feeding and protecting her siblings when no one else would have. It wasn’t her fault that her mother had died or that her father had spiraled to the bottom of a bottle, grieving the loss of his mate in the weeks and months to follow. The fact that he took his grief out on her with violence should have led her pack to come to her rescue, not turn their backs on her.
So what if the manual labor she’d taken had left some dirt beneath her fingernails and her body too tired to socialize with other people her age. If any of those wolves had been worth anything at all, they would have seen past it. They would have seen her.
Doubt rose hard and swift inside her as it always did, robbing her of the thin resolve she had built. What if they weren’t the ones at fault? What if she was somehow lacking? She’d developed a decent figure working in the fields, and she’d been told a time or two—granted, only by well-meaning relatives—that she was pretty enough, yet no man had ever stopped to look at her, much less get to know her. Perhaps something about her turned men off.
Coming to the Citadel of the Chosen didn’t guarantee a mate. Ava knew that. She could lie in the arena for days. Her heart pounded at the possibility. Not just days—weeks, months even—and never be picked. She imagined the humiliation of putting herself on display over and over only to have to do it again the following day. She hung her head and dragged another lungful of air into her body. Glancing at the drawbridge she’d crossed to get to the exterior wall of the Citadel, she blew out a breath and rolled her shoulders, steeling her resolve. As much as she wanted to turn back, she couldn’t. If she didn’t find a suitable mate, she’d never be able to take the children and raise them outside of her father’s home.
The late morning sun beat onto her back as she raised her fist, then hesitated once more before knocking.
“Tomorrow’s registration closes at noon, lovey. Gather your courage and pound on that door now if you want to get in,” an older woman she’d guess to be in her early forties said as she stood next to her, scaring the crap out of her. Her long, flowing gown swayed in the breeze, and her hair, as white as snow, all but glowed.
Ava gasped and clutched her threadbare shift at her chest. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.”
“It’s quite alright. But you’d best get a move on. There’s a bit of a lineup, so there’s no time to waste.” The woman’s pale blue eyes shone bright—too bright to be human. Considering the height of the sun in the sky, she couldn’t be a vampire. A shifter then? Maybe. Alien? Possibly. One way or the other, the woman’s words snapped Ava into action. If she was going to do it, she didn’t want to waste a single day. Besides, where would she go to wait for the following day’s registration? The carriage she’d hired—the only mode of transportation the Citadel allowed on its grounds—was miles away by now.
“Thank you. I guess I’m just a little nervous,” Ava said as she took a fortifying breath.
“Think nothing of it. I was once standing where you are. Scared. Alone. Things will work out. You’ll see.” With that, the woman was gone, leaving nothing but a thin blue mist in her wake. Alien then.
She’d heard rumors that witch magic operated the gate, and the only way inside was to present yourself and be found suitable. If the door remained closed, you were out of luck. Maybe she should have asked the carriage to wait. What if she was denied entrance to the Citadel?
Shoving the negative thoughts aside, she lifted her hand and rapped at the heavy door before she could start another mental berating.
A soft hum teased her ears, and the ghost of an invisible touch against her face had her gasping, but then the heavy door swung slowly inward. As far as she could tell, there was no one pulling it.
Inside, bustling with activity, a large, well-manicured courtyard lay with a water fountain gracing its center. Off to the right, a long line of women stood waiting for processing. She took a couple of steps toward the end of the line, but then a huge form flew overhead, blocking the sun, sending shivers skittering over her flesh. A dragon. She’d never seen one in real life. Of course, she knew they existed, but there were none anywhere near her pack.
The beast blew out a plume of fire and smoke as it flew away again. It had all but disappeared in the sky when it performed a dive of sorts and flew back, dipping lower—closer.
“Come, Millicent, you’ll not make the registration. Why must you always be so tardy?” shouted a woman in a shrill voice from behind her. In the next moment, Ava was shoved hard and sent sprawling to the ground as they bustled past. Th
ankfully, she landed on the soft grass beside her and not on the cobbled stone path they stood on. So much for the gate denying entrance to those unworthy.
The dragon came closer still, the wind from its multicolored wings blowing Ava’s hair around her face. It opened its jaws wide, and for a terrifying moment, Ava thought she would be its lunch, but it tipped its head back and roared before flying off again to land somewhere beyond the castle walls.
When Ava found her feet again, the door behind her had closed. She made her way to the back of the line, biting her tongue against saying anything to the woman who had so rudely plowed through her. She glanced at her watch. Eleven thirty. That left half an hour to spare. The procession moved forward by one and she glanced at her watch again. Six more people in line before her. By the time the one who had made it to the front was done, another eight minutes had passed. The woman was taken to an archway to the right, leading her into heaven only knew what awaited them all.
Dread filled Ava, making her stomach churn. She wasn’t going to make it past the courtyard before noon. Surely, the Citadel Priestesses wouldn’t admit people only to turn them away again.
Ava resisted looking at her watch until two other women had walked through the archway. Ten more minutes. Tears stung at her eyelids. She’d come such a long way only to be too late for admission.
“Let us through,” the rude female from before shoved her way to the front of the line, mowing down yet another woman. “I’m Eleanor Peaman, and this is my daughter, Millicent. I demand admittance before these people.” Disdain dripped from every word, proving how little she thought of them all.
Ava went to the woman sprawled on the ground and helped her up. “I beg your pardon, but you just knocked this lady right off her feet,” she said, her voice loud enough to garner the attention of everyone, including the Citadel Priestess who had been speaking to the rightful next person in line.
“Whatever. It doesn’t matter,” the rude woman said, her face pinched in a disgusted look as she let her gaze travel over Ava.
“It most certainly does matter. That was uncalled for, and not to mention rude. You owe this woman an apology. I’m certain if you had pressing matters to speak to the Priestess about, a simple excuse me would have sufficed to get you there.” Ava wouldn’t tolerate bullying for her siblings, and she wouldn’t tolerate it for the woman next to her who now had blood dripping from her elbow and knee.
Rather than engage her further, the woman turned her back. Next to her, red-faced, the nasty woman’s daughter just sneered at them before doing the same.
Ava huffed and pulled a kerchief from her handbag. “Sorry you had to go through that. She knocked me over a few minutes ago, too. I’m Ava,” she said as she dabbed at the woman’s elbow.
“Bonnie. Bonnie Leland. Thanks for standing up for me.” The girl who had to be right around the same age as her gave her a watery smile.
“No need to thank me. It’s just right.”
A man no taller than her five-foot-five came rushing across the lawn, his chest heaving. “You, and you,” he indicated, pointing first to Ava, then to Bonnie. He looked over the remaining two women, one of which was the daughter of the one still arguing with the Priestess. He pointed to the other single woman, leaving Millicent and her mother out. “And you. I’m Edmond. Come with me. We must hurry.”
Another man, equally slight, rushed to the table and whispered into the Priestess’s ear.
Edmond turned and walked toward the archway to the left, this one more ornate than the one the other girls had gone through. Ava looked at Bonnie, then to the other woman and shrugged before following. The way led deeper into the castle. At least they wouldn’t sleep in the forest or next to the moat.
Behind them, Eleanor’s grating voice screeched. “What’s the meaning of this? My daughter should be the one going into the Citadel. I demand they be brought back at once.”
After a short pause, a shrill cry filled the air. “What do you mean we have to come back tomorrow? Those women were after us. I demand entry!”
Ava hurried to keep up with the small man’s quick steps. After passing through the archway, they rounded a corner, then entered a long hallway. The woman’s enraged screams faded, then disappeared altogether, and Ava had to fight back a smile. Served her right for being so rude.
Chapter Two
Damon spread his wings and flew high into the mid-day sky. He’d arrived at the Citadel of the Chosen early that morning and dutifully filled out all the required paperwork. If he were lucky, he’d have a willing female to mate by the end of the day. His dragon harrumphed in his mind. It wasn’t satisfied with finding a willing body. It wanted the one. The promised mate that fate should have brought them but Damon didn’t have the time to find.
His kingdom’s numbers were dwindling, and for some stupid reason, the elder was refusing to allow mated couples to have offspring until Damon had one of his own. Without the old fool’s blessing—and magic—no new dragons were being born. None had come in almost a decade. Damon had gone to him and all but begged for him to reconsider, but the old geezer had laughed at him. Him. The king of their people. If it weren’t for the fact that his people needed the elder and his magic, he would have fried him to a crisp right then and there.
Far below, a line of women awaited entry. Perhaps one of them would come home with him. He dipped lower, eyeing the females one by one. Some were pretty, others were rather homely, but one, right near the end, drew all his attention.
She looked up at him, her eyes wide, awe shining from them. Her mouth gaped open as he flew past. Had he been able to in dragon form, Damon would have grinned. The beast took notice, stretching its wings wide, preening in the sunlight, then released its fire into the sky.
Perhaps the trip would not be wasted after all. Damon flew in for a closer look, though with his dragon’s superior vision, he had seen her clearly already. He was almost upon the courtyard when a portly woman shoved the one who had captured his interest onto the ground.
Fury rose in him fast and hard. A roar tore from his throat. She wouldn’t get away with such horrid behavior. He circled back to the castle grounds to ask to have her removed. The Citadel was a reputable place. Certainly, they wouldn’t allow such injustices on an innocent woman. Especially not that one.
Damon shifted as he landed in the private yard off the tower designated for his use, heading straight for his second, Axton, not caring that he was as naked as the day he was born.
“What was all that about?” his friend asked as he tossed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt his way.
“There’s a woman in the courtyard. She was shoved to the ground a moment ago. She is to be brought in immediately. The one who assaulted her had graying hair and wasn’t friendly in the least. I want her removed,” Damon demanded.
“We’re not home, Damon. I can’t order these people about.”
Damon growled. “Brown hair, long. Dark eyes. Plump lips. I want her on display. Today.” Axton might grumble and moan, but he knew how to get things done.
“Shit. Okay. Let me see what I can do. I make no promises.” The man jogged away, disappearing into the castle even before Damon had his shirt over his head.
Suddenly, touring the mating arena later that afternoon didn’t seem like such a chore. Damon chuckled to himself. If his dragon’s reaction was anything to go by, he might even enjoy it.
AVA HAD TO ALL BUT run to keep up with Edmond who was leading them deeper into the bowels of the Citadel.
“We must hurry, ladies. We’ve allowed for three more openings for today’s viewing, and you’re going to fill them,” he said as he all but jogged down the carved stone corridor.
“But we haven’t been processed yet,” Ava piped up when the other two women didn’t utter a sound of protest. The Citadel was known for its strict adherence to the rules, kicking anyone who didn’t abide by them out, never to be allowed re-admittance. Ava didn’t want to be sent away on a technicality.
; “Yes, well, a special request has been made, and since we’re short on time, we will process you as you prepare.”
Ava’s breath caught in her throat. It was happening. No man had ever seen her naked. Her heart raced and her palms grew damp. Though she’d never admit it, the very idea thrilled her a little, even if it did scare her senseless. The one saving grace was that she wouldn’t be able to see them as those seeking mates looked upon the Chosen—upon her—to make their selections. She could do this. Just because she had one of the coveted spots in the arena didn’t mean she’d be one of the chosen, but it gave her a chance.
“Enter here. Do as your told. No arguing. You will be bathed and coached on what to expect. We will meet in thirty minutes to sign the documents,” Edmond said before dashing away.
Ava peered into the room. “I guess this is it,” she said, giving Bonnie a small smile, hoping it conveyed more courage than she felt.
“I guess so. Good luck.”
“You, too.” When neither of the other women stepped forward, Ava crossed the threshold.
“Come, quickly,” a tall woman with black hair wrapped in a tight bun at the top of her head said, ushering her in deeper. Two others waited.
Ava took half a second to look around. Steam rose from a large pool in the center of the room. Candlelight from the tapers on the wall sconces was the only source of light, creating a dark, yet soothing atmosphere. Otherwise, the room was bare.
The woman who had spoken to her heaved a loud sigh. “There is no time to waste. Once shut, the admittance gate cannot be reopened until the last potential mate has come and gone. Do you wish to lose an entire day?”
