“What surprise?” I asked, trying to distract my family from the display of magic.
I got my reply when an equine silhouette appeared on the Merlinian shore of the river. Instantly, I recognized my loyal, longtime friend. “Magda!” I couldn’t help but gasp.
Until this moment, I hadn’t even realized just how worried I’d been about her. Distantly, I noticed that a person I didn’t recognize walked by Magda’s side, leading her by her reins. Dineiro’s friends, Larue and Vesper sat on Magda’s saddle, now seeming very comfortable with her.
They crossed the bridge over the river and rushed to our side. “Hello, human,” Larue greeted me. “Thank the Goddess you’re finally here. Dini was driving all of us crazy.”
“It’s nice to see you, too, Larue, Vesper,” I replied. Oddly enough, it was. In the brief time we’d spent together, I’d grown fond of the little devils.
As they leapt off the saddle, the stranger led Magda to me. I couldn’t distinguish anything about this new arrival, as he or she wore a thick veil and garments that made it impossible to tell even his or her gender. However, there were two things that struck me at once about Magda’s companion—the long golden hair flowing all the way to his or her feet, and the piercing blue eyes that fixed me with a somewhat regretful glance.
The stranger handed me Magda’s reins. “My name is Rapunzel, and I’m ashamed to say my father stole Magda for me. When I heard what he’d done…Well, I couldn’t allow it. I knew I had to return Magda.”
Was it my impression, or had Medwin made a choked noise? Perhaps he had since that striking azure gaze flashed in my brother’s direction. I’d honestly thought he was in love with the Morgannian princess. In any case, a passing glance to the mysterious Rapunzel didn’t mean anything, and I couldn’t worry about it now.
“Thank you,” I replied to Rapunzel. “She’s a very special horse.”
Magda whinnied appreciatively and nuzzled me with her muzzle. “I knew you’d miss me.”
Before I could get to enjoy my reunion with my loved ones, my father cleared his throat. “As much as I hate to interrupt this, we arranged this meeting for a specific purpose. I wish to know whether dragons are a danger to Arthuria in general and the Arthurian royal family in specific.”
Before Dineiro’s parents could answer, Larue flittered in front of my father, doing something that looked like a happy dance in the air, “Why would they be dangerous? After all, you’re family now.”
I instantly revised my opinion of Larue. No, I hadn’t missed him at all. In fact, I wanted to strangle him. Unfortunately, before I could focus on that, I had some damage control to do. My problems weren’t over yet, not by far.
Epilogue:
In Which All’s Well That Ends Well
A few weeks later
“And then, King Ralph Theodore was like…What in the world are you talking about?” Larue chortled and gleefully flew around as he related the story. “You should have seen his face. It obviously hadn’t occurred to him that his son was basically married to Dini.”
I rolled my eyes at his antics, cuddling closer to my mate. “You shouldn’t have pushed him, Larry. It could have ended badly.”
“Well, it didn’t.” Larue crossed his arms over his chest and landed on Victor Frankenstein’s shoulder. “It all worked out in the end.”
“Fortunately, yes,” my mate replied pleasantly. “In the future, you should try to be more tactful. Kings are generally touchy, and more so when their children wed what they think to be their greatest foes.”
Larue wrinkled his nose but didn’t say anything else. I honestly felt bad about reprimanding him since I knew his character well and realized he didn’t mean any harm.
Fortunately, Victor intervened before the situation could become awkward. “In any case, what happened after that?”
“Oh, at first, an argument started,” Kirril replied. “There were blades drawn and some spells cast, but then, Dini and I intervened. I explained that I’d be staying in Merlinia with Dini. My father wasn’t happy, but from that point on, fighting seemed a little useless.”
I shivered slightly at the memory of my parents facing the king and his men. Thank the Goddess that our loved ones had listened to us. If they hadn’t, we might not have been here at all today.
Obviously guessing my mood, Kirril added, “But you already know all this since Larue insists on telling the story every time we come here.”
It was true. Ever since we’d started to regularly drop by Victor Frankenstein’s castle, Larue never got tired of telling the story. “It’s fun.” Larue pouted. “And Victor doesn’t mind.”
To a certain extent, I did, but I could also see the humor in the situation, so I didn’t blame my friend for being amused by it. I suspected there was more to it than that. Larue’s people had a tradition of celebrating life with tales, so this might easily be Larue’s way of exorcising his own fears.
As such, I grinned at Larue. “I’m assuming he doesn’t since he has to withstand it more than once per day.”
There were chuckles all around, while Larue let out an outraged gasp. Finally, Kirril said, “In any case, we should go. We’ve intruded on your hospitality long enough.”
“Nonsense.” Victor waved a hand dismissively. “It’s always nice to have you here. Your rooms will be waiting should you decide to return tonight.”
I honestly wasn’t sure if that would be wise. Oh, I liked Victor and his assistant. I even liked the gargoyles, whom I’d affectionately dubbed Smiley and Weepy. At the same time, though, I thought Victor and Larue needed some privacy to figure out the complicated and more than frustrating dynamics of their relationship.
It was clear to me that some measure of attraction existed between the two, but given Larue’s size, nothing could come of it. Well, not yet. I was pretty sure the scientist had started to research this predicament, which was another reason why Kirril and I should have avoided distracting him.
Alas we didn’t have much choice. Once the obvious problems had disappeared, the more practical, everyday ones had reared their ugly heads. I’d known that Kirril would live in Merlinia, but beyond that, everything was a mystery. My mate couldn’t fly, and while in dragon form I was strong enough to carry him to the cave, his bulk made it uncomfortable for me to maneuver adequately. Not to mention that Kirril resented me having to make any sort of effort that would endanger my pregnancy. Besides, Kirril was a prince, and a human. He wasn’t used to living in caves, and I couldn’t ask that of him.
This brought us to our current predicament. Kirril was planning to build a home for us in the Laughing Forest, but until then, we needed somewhere to stay. Victor Frankenstein had offered the use of his castle, and we had accepted in spite of my misgivings.
Suppressing a sigh, I nodded at our host. “Thank you. We’ll likely take you up on that.”
Both Kirril and I got up from the couch we’d been lounging on. “We’ll see you to the exit,” Victor immediately said.
He and Larue led us out of the cavernous living room and into the foyer. It was almost strange to realize how used I’d grown to the castle that had once startled me so much. As I stepped outside its walls, I thought I’d probably miss it if I never came back.
“I’ll drop by to help with the house a little later,” Larue promised as we walked.
“Sure,” I replied. “Take your time. It’s not going anywhere.”
One would think that someone Larue’s size wouldn’t be of much assistance in such a complicated process, but actually that couldn’t have been more wrong. Larue had enlisted all of his extended family, and their help, coupled with that of my parents, made the home I’d share with my mate progress quite nicely. Even so, I didn’t want to take advantage when Larue still had so many problems of his own.
We finally reached the stables, where we found Magda, Igor, and Rapunzel waiting. I’d finally determined—with considerable effort—that our new beautiful friend was male, although our host and I
gor had not given up on their debate. It was truly very hard to tell, due to the heavy, thick clothing Rapunzel wore all the time and the veils that covered almost his entire face. The only one who could have fully clarified the situation was Magda, but the mare seemed to have no plans to say anything.
Judging by the outfit Rapunzel wore today, he intended to leave as well. Victor looked disappointed. “You’re returning to your home?” he inquired.
Rapunzel nodded. “It’s time for me to head back. My father will be furious enough with me, and I don’t want him to cause you any more trouble. Could I perhaps borrow a mount from your lovely stables, just until I reach Stiltskin lands?”
“Of course,” Victor replied. “I do wish you could stay more, but I completely understand your decision.”
I looked around the stables and realized my friend Vesper was nowhere to be seen. “Where did Vesper go?” I inquired.
“I believe he planned to meet Count Vlad, but I can’t be certain,” Igor replied. “He’s very secretive about it.”
“Ah.” I exchanged a look with my mate. “Well, we’ll leave him to it then.”
It was not the first time he’d done so, and probably wouldn’t be the last. It seemed Bowie had come through with his matchmaking task, at least where my friends were concerned. I still didn’t know how Magda fit into the picture, especially since Rapunzel had returned her to my mate, but I suspected I’d find out in time.
As promised, Victor gave Rapunzel a horse, while I mounted Magda with my mate. As we rode out of the palace, Smiley and Weepy wove us off, like they always did. Rapunzel seemed almost as sad as Weepy, and we rode together toward the forest where we had once fallen into another world. Ironically, the road under the horses’ hooves was rainbow colored, which made me wonder just what Bowie thought about all this.
Rapunzel tried to look brave, but he obviously wasn’t looking forward to going back home. Technically speaking, Kirril and I didn’t need to go in this direction, but we decided to do so in the hope of giving Rapunzel some support. Alas, all too soon, the dark woods loomed ahead, with the tower in the distance. Rapunzel dismounted and sighed. “Thank you for everything, Prince Kirril. My apologies again for taking Magda.”
He patted Magda’s large head, almost seeming in tears. I didn’t know what to do, but apparently my mate did. He dismounted, and once I saw what he had planned, so did I.
“I’ll make you a deal, Rapunzel. With my dear friend’s permission, you can have Magda. I think right now, you need her more than I do.”
Rapunzel’s eyes widened. “I couldn’t possibly…Are you certain?”
My mate nodded. “Right now, my focus is on Dini, and I couldn’t possibly give Magda the attention she deserves anyway.” Kirril caressed Magda’s mane and smiled sadly. “I admit it’s not easy for me to let her go. She’s been my companion through thick and thin. But I honestly think it would be for the best, and Magda knows it, too.”
Magda nudged Kirril’s shoulder with her muzzle. “I’ve always known you were a great man, and you just proved it to me.”
She had essentially confirmed Kirril’s words. Honestly, I agreed with them as well. It wasn’t that I’d have kept Kirril from having his time with his mare, but I thought Rapunzel must truly be very lonely in that tower of his, and having Magda there would help a lot.
Rapunzel’s hand trembled as he took Magda’s reins from Kirril. A tear fell from the corner of his eyes, wetting the veil covering his mouth. “Thank you,” he whispered. “I promise we’ll visit.”
“Good,” Kirril replied. “This way, you’ll even have an excuse to leave this place more often.”
On impulse, I embraced Rapunzel and quickly released him when he tensed. “We’ll see each other soon,” I said.
I thought he might have smiled, but I couldn’t be sure. “Yes. And don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Magda.”
Kirril wrapped his arm around me, his hold on my waist tight, as if seeking an anchor. “I know. Otherwise, I’d never have agreed to give her to you.”
After thanking Kirril once more, Rapunzel mounted Magda and headed out into the forest. Almost instantly, his form seemed to melt in the gloom of the woods. While I felt somewhat concerned for Magda, I knew we’d done the right thing. She and Rapunzel would take care of each other.
We led the second horse back onto the Rainbow Brick Road, and I was not surprised when Bowie suddenly said, “That was very generous. I know it can’t have been easy.”
“And you probably guessed I’d do it,” Kirril replied with a snort as the mount provided by Victor fidgeted nervously.
“That I did,” Bowie answered. “Ready to head home?”
“As ready as we’ll ever be,” I told our strange friend.
We’d learned that Bowie didn’t have to wait for daylight or nighttime to transport anyone between dimensions. He also seemed to have some sort of weakness for us, as he often helped us without us even asking him to.
This time was no different. One moment we’d been standing in front of Lord Stiltskin’s territory, and the next, the dark gloom of those woods was replaced by the beauty of the Laughing Forest.
“Thank you,” I said, a little dazed after the trip. I should have gotten used to it by now, but the change didn’t agree with my sensitive stomach. My mate immediately picked me up in his strong arms and carried me toward a shaded area. As he deposited me on the comfortable moss, he grumbled, “You could have made the trip a little smoother, Bowie.”
“My apologies.” The path chuckled. “But no worries. I’ll make it up to you.”
I was almost afraid to ask what Bowie meant by that, but I didn’t get the chance to make any inquiry. The brick path vanished, leaving behind a completely harmless-looking forest road.
“Should we be concerned, do you think?” I asked my mate.
“I doubt it,” Kirril replied. “If Bowie had wanted to give us trouble, he wouldn’t have brought us together in the first place.”
My mate had a point, although I knew by now fate was finicky, and Bowie just as much. But I didn’t care. The moss was comfortable, and when my lover sat down by my side, I figured we had a little time before we needed to return to our future home.
The big disadvantage of our great plans was that all the friends and family we had in Merlinia had joined in to help. Now, this seemed a good thing, very laudable and very useful in the long run, but unfortunately, it also meant that we had little privacy. It was a little better in Victor Frankenstein’s castle, but when we were there, we both always had the impression that we were being watched.
As such, sharing these quiet moments in the forest was quite refreshing. It seemed my mate thought the same since he lowered his body over mine, grinning. “How do you feel? Nausea gone?”
“Yes,” I replied, already wrapping my arms around his neck. “Why? What did you have in mind?”
In response, he pressed his lips to mine in a gentle kiss. I gladly granted him entrance, and his tongue slipped into my mouth, exploring and mapping my wet cavern. A kiss shouldn’t have awoken every inch of my body, but it did. Just the taste of him had my dragon, and my cock, taking notice and demanding our coupling.
As always, my mate understood my plea. From gentle, the kiss grew increasingly more passionate until its heat and flavor had me forgetting about my need to breathe. While air didn’t seem necessary, though, both Kirril and I craved more intimate touches. Another unfortunate consequence of our situation was having to wear clothes, and right now, that seemed absolutely unbearable.
I tore at my mate’s garments, my fingers sprouting claws at my determination to get skin to skin. His shirt ripped under my assault, and he tossed it off onto the ground with a careless shrug. Even if he didn’t have my abilities, that didn’t stop him from doing the same thing on the vest I wore. Buttons flew and material tore as his passion won the battle with the one of the few items of clothing I consented to wear.
Grinning, I helped him as much as I coul
d. “I liked this vest,” I said, almost surprised that I could find it in me to be teasing.
“You like being naked more,” Kirril pointed out. Wet heat surrounded my nipple, and my ability to speak dissolved. I fell back against the grass, helpless in front of my mate’s nearly torturous ministrations.
He sucked on the little nub with relentless determination, his hand going to its mate to tweak it. As he bit down on the bit of flesh, I moaned and arched against him. “Yes! Oh, Rili…Yes, more!”
Kirril released my nipple with a wet pop and started to kiss down my chest until he reached my belly. Unsurprisingly, he lingered over the area, like he always did when we came together like this. Even if we both knew a new life lay hidden there, it wasn’t showing yet, and it would take a while before it did. Dragon pregnancies took a long time to mature. I wasn’t sure exactly how long it would last for me, as our child would be a half-breed. However, we’d all agreed that it would most likely take more than the nine months humans had to wait.
Given all that and the near-surreal nature of the events that had brought us together and separated us, a part of him still couldn’t fully grasp how it had been possible for me to fall pregnant. Because of this, at times he seemed to expect that the dream would shatter, and he’d be left in the cold without me or our child.
I reached out for him and caressed his long, blond hair. He smiled up at me, an almost-innocent beam which contradicted what he was doing with his hands. As he kissed my belly, his hands worked on my pants, deftly unbuttoning them.
Anticipation coursed through me as he at last released my aching prick from its confines. “Love you,” my mate sent through our bond as he placed one last kiss on my still-flat belly. Before I could even process what he had in mind, he suddenly lowered his mouth over my shaft and took my erection all the way into his throat.
The sensations that exploded through me were intense enough to cripple a thousand men. Simply the heat of his wet cavern melted every inch of me until I became nothing more than an incoherent pool of lust and need, a vessel of pure carnal pleasure, receiving the ecstasy he offered and aching to return the favor. Honestly, I’d have been dismayed that our current position didn’t allow me to do so, except that, through our connection, I could sense his genuine enjoyment, no, his bliss at sharing such an intimate experience with me. As he bobbed his head up and down my dick, I clutched his hair, thrusting my dick into his mouth as I guided him to take more of my cock. But even as the sensations soared, it wasn’t enough, not nearly enough for me. My dragon demanded more. It demanded everything.
My Mate's a Dragon Slayer? [A Tail Like No Other: Book One] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Page 13
