Destined for the Dragon

by Zoe Chant

  How could he help her if he couldn’t become the dragon?

  I can’t help her.

  “No! No, that’s not true!” The vehemence of Alanna’s tone shocked him. He looked up to find her gray eyes wide, her full pink lips parted as if stunned.

  “How can you think that?” she said, leaning forward, her hands sliding up his arms to his neck. “You saved my life. Even though I’d come there to... to kill you, you still brought me to your cabin and healed me. I’d be dead right now if it wasn’t for you.” She stopped, dropping her eyes and biting her full lower lip. “Despite everything that happened... no, everything that was done to you. Everything we did to you. You still saved me.”

  Magnus swallowed. “You’re right,” he admitted. In the moments after he had seen Casper attacking Alanna, he hadn’t thought about whether or not he could shift. The only thing in his mind had been the need to protect her – and he had done it.

  Shifted or not, a strength he had never known before had surged through him in those moments. He would have done anything to save her.

  “And I promise you, I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe,” Magnus continued. “You have my word. I won’t let anything harm you. Together, we’ll see this through.”

  Alanna blinked, her gray eyes trained on his. “I know,” she said at last, her breath hot on his face. “I know you will. And I don’t think I could do it without you. But I promise you, I’ll put things right. Everything that’s been done to you – it never should have happened. I can never make it up to you, I know that. But I’ll try, I promise you, I’ll try—”

  His mouth was on hers before either of them knew what was happening. Her lips were soft and warm and she parted them immediately, letting his tongue sweep between them.

  Magnus’s heart thudded in his chest as frantic heat swept through him.

  My mate... my mate...

  The only thing he wanted to do was to sweep her into his arms and carry her away from here, away from danger, away from the people who wanted to do her harm.

  She was strong – he’d seen her fighting for her life even when things had seemed hopeless. But his instincts to protect her drowned out everything else.

  Take her away from here, his dragon hissed, wings spread wide. She shouldn’t have to do anything. Kill her enemies for her. That’s what you should do.

  Magnus ignored it, much to its irritation.

  We will do this together, he told it, as it wiggled in exasperation, before it finally seemed to accept what he had said.

  Together, it agreed.

  Just for a moment, it didn’t matter that they were dragon and hunter; it didn’t matter what the Loric Coven had done to him; it didn’t matter that he could remember nothing about his past.

  For now, all he needed was her lips on his, her fingers tracing gentle lines over his jaw, her soft, silky hair brushing against his cheek as they kissed.

  In his chest, his dragon roared in triumph, spreading its wings wide, fire licking between its teeth.

  She is our mate! Nothing else matters!

  Magnus slid his hands to Alanna’s waist, and for a moment, let it be true. She gasped against his mouth as he pulled her closer, feeling the soft swell of her breasts against his chest.

  They seemed made for each other – made to fit together perfectly.

  Of course. We’re mates.

  He wanted her more than he had ever wanted anything before in his life. It seemed so uncomplicated when they were like this.

  If only things could stay like this forever.

  The thought – and the knowledge that they couldn’t – was like a bucket of cold water.

  As if she had sensed his thoughts, Alanna drew back suddenly, breaking the kiss. She was breathless, her pale cheeks flushed pink, her pupils wide.

  She pulled away, swallowing, her hand going to his chest almost as if to keep some distance between them.

  “I – I’m sorry,” she gasped after a moment’s silence. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

  Magnus wanted to contradict her – but how could he? She was right.

  Ignoring his dragon’s infuriated protest, he drew his hands back from her waist. He missed her warmth immediately, his body craving hers.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “That was...”

  Amazing. Incredible. Perfect, his dragon suggested.

  Magnus forcefully shoved its voice out of his head.

  “You’re right. It was a mistake,” he finished.

  Dragons were told virtually since they were hatchlings that there could be no mistake in a mated bond – that they were sacred and unbreakable, and once a mate was claimed there was nothing that could sever that tie.

  But how could this have been foreseen? Magnus asked himself as Alanna, with some effort, removed her hand from his chest. Has this ever happened before? A mated bond between a dragon and a dragon hunter?

  “I... I need to think,” Alanna stammered. “I wish I could – that we – but I can’t. Not before...” She glanced up at him. “Magnus, there’s something more I need to tell you about myself, and about why Casper may have attacked me. In fact, I’m sure it’s why he attacked me. I wasn’t a random target. I was chosen for a specific reason.”

  Unease rose in Magnus’s chest. “What do you mean?”

  Alanna drew a deep breath. “Casper attacked me because of who I am... or rather, because of who I’m related to.” She looked up into his eyes. “Magnus, my father is the Lord High Hunter of the Loric Coven.”

  Magnus felt as if a shaft of ice had pierced his heart.

  She was the daughter of the Lord High Hunter of the coven that had captured him, enslaved him, and forced him to fight against his will.

  He closed his eyes, pain searing through him.

  He trusted her – of course he did.

  She was his mate. He could feel the sincerity of her words when she told him she would put things right.

  But how can things ever be put right?

  What would they both have to sacrifice to be together?

  Magnus knew that leaving a dragon hunter coven was no easy task. They were secretive about their existence, to say the least. Once you were in, you were in for life. It was why covens tended to be run by families with long histories of dragon slaying.

  He had no illusions that if Alanna tried to leave, she would be hotly pursued.

  Most especially if she runs away with a dragon, he thought.

  But we will protect her, his dragon fumed, beating its wings. She need fear no one, so long as we are here.

  Magnus gritted his teeth. Of course he would – whatever happened, he wouldn’t hesitate to protect Alanna. But could he really ask her to give up her place in the coven? She had been raised in it. It was the only world she knew.

  “I know that may be shocking,” Alanna was speaking quickly, her eyes desperate. “But I promise you, he’s not a bad man. He’s the one who made the law that the Loric Coven can only hunt rogue dragons. He’s always supported our treaties with dragons. He banned hunters from collaring dragons. He’s been trying to change things.” She paused, looking down into her lap. “That’s probably why hunters like Casper and this Bain you told me about are doing these things. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes. They’re defying their orders. They’re trying to cause problems between dragons and hunters.”

  Magnus glanced up at her final words. “That makes sense,” he said softly, after a moment’s thought.

  And it did. Bain had broken the treaty by attacking Isaak, and he had harmed Josie, a human.

  “I’m worried, Magnus,” Alanna said. “They tried to kill me. I’m sure it was to get to my father – to try to make it seem like you had done it. Someone lied about who that land belonged to. We never would have gone there if we’d known it was Novak Clan land, I promise you.”

  Magnus frowned, the meaning of her words becoming clearer and clearer to him. “Someone’s trying to start a war between Novak dragons and
Loric hunters,” he said. “Someone who thinks of dragons as nothing but beasts. Someone who thinks there can never be peace between us.”

  Alanna nodded. “That’s what I think too. And I think my father may be in danger. I think they’re trying to get him to change his mind about dragons – and use my death to convince him. But if he doesn’t...”

  She didn’t have to finish her thought. Magnus could see her fear in her eyes.

  They’ll kill him.

  “We don’t have a close relationship,” Alanna said, dropping her eyes from his. “It’s not really possible. I hardly see him. And he can’t even be seen to show any favoritism to me. Dragon hunter covens... well, they’re competitive. Everyone is your opponent. Everyone around you is always looking for a way to get an advantage over you and rise up the ranks. It doesn’t leave a lot of room for friendship. Or family.”

  Magnus could feel the sadness in her heart. And he could hear the words she didn’t speak: It doesn’t leave room for love.

  “But he’s still my father. I... I love him. I don’t want him to be harmed. I can’t just – I need to—”

  “Shh. I understand.” He pulled her into his arms without thinking. Her head rested on his chest, her silky hair brushing against his jaw.

  She might have been stronger than anyone he had ever known, but even she had her breaking point. The life she had known had been turned upside down. A man had tried to kill her – and very nearly succeeded. She had discovered that her mate was a dragon. And now, her father might be in deadly peril.

  We must be strong for her, his dragon said. She needs us.

  I know, he responded.

  He would help her – that was a foregone conclusion. He could no more refuse his mate than he could turn back time.

  He only hoped he could be strong enough to be there when she needed him.

  Magnus felt her shudder slightly as tears dampened the front of his shirt. Finally, she pulled away, brushing tears away from her eyes with the palms of her hands as if she was ashamed of them.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice low. “I haven’t... I never cry. It’s a sign of weakness.”

  “No, it isn’t,” Magnus said, taking her hands. “Sometimes I wish I had the strength to cry. But most days my pain just remains locked up inside me, as if it’s trapped. I don’t even know if I know how to let it out anymore.”

  He wasn’t sure where the words had come from, but they were true.

  “For the first six months after I was free of Bain, I didn’t know what to do with myself,” he continued, the words flowing like water now. “I did things I’m not proud of. If you had met me then, maybe you would have thought I was a dangerous rogue dragon. Drinking, getting into fights. Sleeping rough. I didn’t know who I was, or where I was half the time. I had no purpose. No clan. No hoard. Nothing.”

  He could feel Alanna’s rising horror – but she wasn’t horrified by him. She was horrified for him.

  “Oh, Magnus,” she breathed, her eyes filling with tears once more. Then she shook her head, her hand pressing against her heart. “It’s like I can feel your pain in my heart,” she whispered after a long pause. “Is this what it’s like to have a mated bond? Can you feel everything I feel as well?”

  Magnus nodded. “We’re connected now. Whether we like it or not.”

  Alanna glanced up, her gray eyes bewildered. “Do you think I don’t want to be mated to you?”

  A sour feeling rose in Magnus’s chest. Who would want to be mated to a landless, clanless, hoardless dragon?

  She is our mate, his dragon reminded him. We saved her. We will always protect her. No matter what.

  Magnus gritted his teeth. Perhaps it was enough.

  He could only hope so.

  “I admit it’s not exactly convenient,” Alanna said. “And... if you’d asked me last week, I would have been horrified. Even now, I think I’m going to need time to get used to the idea. But last week I would have sworn that every member of the coven was loyal. I would have told anyone who asked that we only hunted rogue dragons. I would have... Magnus, I would have killed to defend my coven’s honor. And now...”

  She turned away from him, staring out of the large windows at the front of the house, overlooking Josie’s beautiful garden. Sunshine streamed through the windows, and he could detect the sweet fragrance of the flowers as they bobbed gently in the breeze.

  “Nothing is what I thought it was,” Alanna said softly, still staring out of the window. “And just because I didn’t know about what members of the Loric Coven were doing doesn’t mean I’m not responsible in some way.” She turned to look at him, her eyes still shining. “But I need some time. Can you give me it?”

  Magnus nodded. He could give her all the time in the world, if that was what she needed. He couldn’t pretend that he didn’t want more – his dragon was eager to claim its mate, and it was difficult to explain to it all the complications between them; all the reasons why now was not the right time.

  Why it might never be the right time.

  It was like she was in his blood – and in a way, she was. Now that they had kissed, the feel of her was like a brand on his lips, her scent filling his senses, her taste still sweet in his mouth.

  He watched as Alanna’s eyes flitted down to his mouth before she quickly looked away.

  In a heady rush of sensation, he suddenly realized that it was just as hard for her as it was for him – but that she was right. They shouldn’t rush into this.

  Once they had claimed each other, there was no going back.

  Chapter Nine

  Alanna

  Long after the sun had set and night had descended over the cottage, Alanna lay in bed, wide awake, staring at the darkness beyond the window.

  It wasn’t that she wasn’t tired – in fact, she was exhausted. But sleep still eluded her, her mind and body jittering with restless energy and nerves.

  She hadn’t been able to forget the feeling of Magnus’s lips against hers, or his arms around her body.

  It was like a fire had been lit in her blood – there was a strange yearning in her chest, as if every moment she spent away from him was wrong. She had always slept alone in her narrow dormitory bed; while sex wasn’t forbidden between apprentice dragon hunters, serious relationships were frowned on as a distraction from their training. Alanna had simply accepted it, and never really thought about it.

  But now, the bed seemed intolerably large, and missing the warmth of a body beside hers.

  But not just any body.

  He was what was missing.

  Meeting him – kissing him – had awakened something inside her she had never even realized was there.

  Being the best in her training class; outdoing every other apprentice hunter; always remembering her heritage as a Carlyle; loyalty to the coven; this was what had been important to her.

  She had never even considered...

  Love.

  The word was in her mind before she could stop it.

  She knew this was different from how things might have gone if Magnus had been human. A dragon’s mated bond was a strong magic that couldn’t be explained the way a normal connection could be. It simply was.

  And try as she might, she knew it couldn’t be denied. Even if she fought against it, it would always be there, nestled in her heart.

  But do I even want to fight it?

  The question made her feel uneasy. It was a question without an answer.

  All she knew now was that while her world had been turned upside down, Magnus alone seemed stable. For all his pain, for everything that he had been through, he had been strong enough to weather it all.

  He had simply held her, allowing her to cry her fill. Tears were something shameful amongst dragon hunters – something you had to hide, in case others saw you as weak. Alanna had learned over the years to suppress hers. As a child, whenever she had received a painful injury during training she had found an empty storage closet to cry in, making sure th
ere were no traces of red left in her eyes before going to the infirmary to be treated.

  But Magnus had actually called her strong for allowing her tears to fall. It hadn’t changed how he saw her at all.

  Not only that, but he had vowed he would help her get to the bottom of what was going on – and perhaps save her father’s life.

  Closing her eyes, Alanna promised him silently she would repay him by being strong enough for him to cling to in return. Together, they would hold each other up, come what may.

  She would help him find his clan. She’d make up for what the Loric Coven had taken from him.

  That was her responsibility, even if they hadn’t been mates.

  Rolling over on the bed, Alanna closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep. She’d need the rest come morning.

  After dinner, Josie had shown Alanna to one of the spare rooms at the back of the house – the cottage was bigger than it looked, extending back over a long block, and surrounded completely by lush, verdant gardens. With the window open, the heady scent of the flowers wafted into the room, carried by the soft summer breeze.

  The bed was the most comfortable thing that Alanna had ever slept on – Provided I ever actually get to sleep – and the room snug but airy, cool despite the summer warmth.

  She should be sleeping like a baby.

  But instead...

  Kicking off the light blanket, Alanna lifted her hand to her face, pressing her hands against her eyes.

  She knew why she wasn’t sleeping.

  The ache inside her was too deep, too overwhelming.

  She wanted Magnus like she’d never wanted anything else before in her life – almost as if there was a fire inside her, slowly consuming her.

  Her nerves felt frayed, her mind playing over and over again the moment when her lips had met his, when they had finally been joined.

  His hands on her waist had sent sparks up her spine, making her arch her back in an attempt to get closer to him. And there had been a furnace in her belly, sending heat flaring through every nerve, winding down, down between her legs...

  Gasping, Alanna sat bolt upright on the bed, scratching a hand through her hair.