“You were a child, Warmund. It’s not your fault. It’s mine. It was my job to protect you and your sister. A job I failed at. This isn’t your fault. It never was. The burden and blame must rest on me, and me alone.”
Warmund continued to sob. Anna brushed at her own eyes, her heart aching for them both. She glanced at Thonis and Volcant, both of whom looked saddened. Misty’s blazing eyes met hers, but she seemed too confused to be the normal fighter that she was. She shrugged Volcant’s hand off her elbow and folded her arms over her chest.
“You better have a good explanation for this,” she hissed at Anna.
Anna had nothing to say to that. What was she meant to explain?
Warmund pulled away from Indulf, tears still streaming from his eyes. “Father… I found her.”
Indulf’s eyes widened. “What?” he gasped, so much pain and hope in that one word, it made Anna want to run to him.
“I found her,” Warmund repeated. His grip on Indulf’s arms tightened. “I found Wildref.”
Chapter Sixteen
Indulf
It was good to be back in the quiet of his own world.
Indulf stood at the window of his bedroom, enjoying the cool breeze as it wafted over him. While the normal nighttime noises were out there, crickets chirping and branches rustling, there wasn’t the constant buzz that was in Anna’s world. No cars, no electricity, none of that annoying hum that was next to impossible to drown out. Here, it was peaceful. Here, he could think clearly.
An ache settled into his chest as he stared into the darkness. His sojourn into the other world had given surprising results. Ones he wasn’t entirely certain how to handle.
Footsteps pattered behind him, and he turned in time for Anna to wrap her arms around his waist. She stretched to her tip-toes and he smiled, the ache easing. His trip had given him Anna back, and that was worth everything else that happened. Now with her warmth pressed snug against him, he knew that whatever happened next, he would be able to handle just fine.
“Why aren’t you—” a yawn interrupted her, “—sleeping?”
“I was just thinking.”
“Mmmm.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “About what?”
Indulf smiled sadly. “My children.”
Anna was silent for a moment, then she sighed. “Yeah. I was thinking about them, too. I guess it’s a bit weird for me… I mean, I’m a stepmom now, aren’t I? But everything is going to be fine. It will work out. You’ll see...”
Indulf nodded distractedly. Warmund, for rebelling against the crown, was exiled. Not to some horrible place, but far enough from the main populace that he wouldn’t be heading up any rebellions again. Even though he was contrite and regretful about what he had done, Indulf couldn’t chance it happening again. At least, not yet. He needed to set an example. Threats to his life would not go unpunished. In a few centuries, Warmund would be welcomed back.
And Wildref… “I suppose,” Indulf said slowly, glancing at Anna, “it’s even stranger to be a stepmother to your own roommate.”
“There is that,” she murmured.
Warmund had found his sister… she was one of Anna’s roommates, a young woman who called herself Katrina. The youngest of the five roommates, but twice as old as Indulf had been expecting. She wasn’t the child she should have been. No, she was a full-grown woman. With no idea where she came from. No idea about her heritage. No idea she was even a dragon.
“I’ve decided what to do with Katrina,” he said slowly, turning back to Anna.
She gazed at him expectantly and he managed a small smile. “I’m not going to tell her. In your world, we can’t really shift into our dragon form, so she won’t accidentally find herself half-shifted in the grocery market. I don’t think it’s fair to her, to turn her world upside down just for me.”
Anna nodded seriously. “And the kingdom?”
Indulf’s grip on her tightened. He pulled her a little closer and brushed his mouth against hers. “You are my mate. I have no doubt that we will have children when we’re ready. But Wildref… Katrina. I do want to get to know her. But as an adult. Not as her father. As much as it pains me… her happiness and peace of mind comes first.”
Anna nodded. “I’m sorry that you didn’t get the happy ending you wanted.”
With another kiss, he glanced out the window. No, it wasn’t the ending he wanted. Not for his children, at least. But it was better than he had hoped. His daughter was alive. More than that, she was healthy, happy and had a great life from what he had seen. His son was banished, but there was hope yet. The violence that had started to spread had been nipped in the bud, and there was peace in the kingdom once more.
The contact with Anna’s world had been good, too. His mages were excited about the idea of batteries, and they were working on finding a way to keep the portals open with their use. Misty, the one that had seen Warmund semi-shifted, had sworn to secrecy and Thonis had stayed in that world to gather more information and report back on what he found.
And he had Anna. He had his mate. The rest of the ache in his heart sloughed away, and he turned her to the wall, pressing her back against it. He pinned her there and gave her a wicked smile.
“Are you mine, Anna?”
She tangled her fingers into the hairs on the back of his neck. “Always. Are you mine?”
“Always.” He brushed his mouth against hers. “And will you stay here with me, forever?”
“Forever,” she agreed. She quirked a brow at him and gave him a saucy smile. “What, did you think I’d give up actual dungeons and dragons for a poor imitation role-playing game? Well, it’s not such a poor imitation. Especially because you’re going to be joining D&D Friday nights with the girls. And they don’t know that you’re an actual dragon! It’s gonna be so much fun.”
The excitement in her voice made him grin and laugh. They’d be keeping the rent in Anna’s name so that she would have a place to go when she visited her world. After all, she had family and friends there still. It wasn’t as though she could never go back. She still wanted to take some online classes, too—whatever online meant. He was still wrapping his head around that one.
“By the way,” Anna continued, her voice overly casual. “There’s something else about your children that I’ve been thinking about.”
“Hmmm?” He nibbled her neck.
Anna pushed at him. “Hey! I’m trying to have a moment here.”
“So am I.” He nipped at her earlobe. “What about my children?”
“Getting sexy and talking about your kids are mutually exclusive, buddy.” Anna pressed both hands on his chest and pouted at him.
With a laugh, he stepped back and nodded at her to speak. She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, daring him to interrupt her, then took both of his hands in hers. When she brought them to her hips, he started to wonder what she had in mind—maybe she had decided not to say what was on her mind.
Then she moved them to her stomach. Her eyes lit up and she chewed on her lower lip. “Indulf… we’re going have a baby.”
Indulf blinked. He opened his mouth, found he didn’t know what to say and blinked again.
“Indulf? We’re going to have a baby.”
“A baby.”
She peered at him worriedly. “Yes… A baby. Are you… upset?”
Indulf laughed. He caught her about the waist and pulled her in tight, kissing every inch of her that he could reach. Upset? “Never.” His heart was so full of emotion that he actually choked on the words. “Oh, my darling. Anna, my beautiful Anna… I’m so happy.”
He kissed her, long and deep, a kiss that seemed to last forever. His mate. His Anna. She was his and he was hers. That was all that mattered. Their baby would grow up with the best of two worlds and one day… one day they would all be together, his mate, his children. They would all live happily.
But for now? For now, he had Anna in his arms, and she was enough.
*****
TH
E END
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Description
Those who cannot do, teach.
Seph Vovin is one of five handsome brothers from a clutch born to one of the oldest dragon-shifter families.
He has been blessed.
He has been privileged.
He has a career as a successful marriage counselor.
But…
He has no mate.
What could go wrong when seeking the help of a dating service where dragon-shifters are paired with genetically-compatible women?
Asha Hamilton is the founder of Wings of Love, one of the leading matchmakers for dragon-shifter romances. This big, beautiful woman has a flawless record when it comes to pairing up couples – until Seph walks through her door. Suddenly, she is met with a challenge, to find a mate for someone who just won’t click with anyone. Asha is determined to find the right woman for Seph, no matter what it takes.
But what happens when she runs out of options? How far is she willing to go to succeed in her mission?
Prologue
They sat on opposite sides of the sofa, not looking at each other. He stared down at his knees, occasionally picking at invisible lint on his jeans; she studied the ceiling, jaw tight, arms locked around her middle and legs crossed at the knee. His body language spoke of guilt and hopelessness. Hers screamed, “I want a divorce.”
Seph Vovin shifted in his wingback chair, his long fingers laced together over the notebook resting across his lap. “So,” he said, breaking the frosty silence that had settled over his office like a dense, London fog. His blue eyes focused on the woman and his lips curled up at the corners in a gentle smile. “Ladies first. Elaine? Tell me what has been going on between you and Robert. How have things been going since the last time I saw you,” he glanced down at the file, “last month?”
Elaine pursed her lips and shook her head. Her slender fingers drummed against her arm. Finally, she spoke. “Where do I start?” She looked over at Robert with disdain. “He’s still out of work. I’m the only one supporting the household. I went right back to work after giving birth to our clutch, with the agreement that he would stay home with the kids until they were old enough for a nanny. That was three months ago. For all I know, he doesn’t even have a job to go back to, anymore.”
“In my defense,” Robert said, interrupting his wife’s tirade, “I was experiencing separation anxiety from the children.” He turned to Seph with a look of sad desperation. “You know how that is, right?”
Seph smiled. “Not personally,” he said. “But I do know it’s common for dragons to experience anxiety over being away from their children, as early as when the eggs are in their mate’s womb.” He reached up, combing his fingers through his thick, dark blond hair. “However, if you’ve been having any kind of difficulty graduating to the next stage of parenthood, you might need to speak to your physician, as it could be a medical issue that needs addressing and, unfortunately, not something I can help with.” He spread his hand over the front of his white linen shirt and blue silk necktie. “I’m here to counsel you and Elaine as a couple, to help you reclaim and maintain a perfect level of harmony in your relationship.”
“I just feel like she doesn’t understand,” Robert insisted, moving to sit at the edge of the sofa cushion. He twisted to face his wife. “I love you, Lainey, and I don’t want to disappoint you. I just want you to be a little more patient with me.” He shook his head. “You and the kids mean the world to me. Growing up, I never had much of a family. My mom was killed in a car wreck while she was pregnant with her second clutch; they saved the eggs, but they were premature, and I wound up losing my brother and sister before they were a year old.” He swallowed audibly, his eyes filling with tears. “My dad was never the same after that. I never knew why until I became a father. I’m scared that something will happen to our children if I’m not there to protect them.”
Elaine sighed, but her body language changed from angry and closed off to one of resignation. “Dammit, Rob,” she said. She reached over and scooped up one of his hands, lacing their fingers together. “Nothing is going to happen to the kids. They’re healthy, they’re growing up fast…” She gave a soft laugh and shook her head. “Don’t you think I miss them, too, being away from them all day when I’m at work? And I miss you. But I can’t do this all by myself. We’ve got bills to pay, we have to keep a roof over our heads.” She tugged on his hand. “I just want my husband to be my partner. We’re supposed to be doing this together.”
Seph watched them carefully, listening to their conversation. “Elaine is right, Robert,” he said, closing the notebook and placing it on the mahogany end table to the left of his chair. “Marriage comes with a lot of responsibilities. Taking care of your family is important, but it has to start with your union.” He gestured at each of them with a wave of his long fingers. “You two are the foundation of your family. Robert, you’re afraid that your children will grow up the way you did – without a mother, without a father. You couldn’t control those events in your life, but you can control this.” He stood up, pulled his tailored gray suit jacket closed and buttoned it. “My advice to you is to work together. Every day, I want you to tell yourself that your children are going to be fine. You can leave them with their caretaker and you can go back to your job, which will alleviate some of the burden from Elaine’s shoulders. This will also allow Elaine to have a little more time to spend with the children, since it’s imperative for young dragons to bond with both parents. By becoming equal partners, you’ll find your relationship will thrive, your fears will subside, and you’ll be back to the happy couple that you were when you first met.”
Robert and Elaine looked at him and then at each other – and they shared a smile. “I love you,” Robert said, and leaned in to give his wife a tender kiss on the lips. “I promise, I’ll do better.”
“That’s all I want,” Elaine murmured, and rubbed the tip of her nose against her husband’s.
The session concluded. Seph walked his clients to the door. “I’ll see you in a month,” he told them. “Good luck, both of you.”
“Thank you,” the couple said, and made their way out through the waiting room.
As he closed the door, Seph’s phone rang. He pulled it out of his jacket’s inner breast pocket and checked the caller I.D. A frown creased his brow when he saw the name of one of his four brothers. He thumbed the screen. “Drew! Slow day at the courthouse?”
The District Attorney chuckled. “Well, since you answered the phone I have to think you’re either between appointments or your clients have realized how stupid it is to get couple’s counseling from someone who has never been in a long-term relationship.”
Seph rolled his eyes. “That one never gets old,” he said. Walking over to his desk, he woke his computer out of sleep mode and pulled up his schedule. “Seriously, Drew – what do you want?”
“I was just checking to see if you heard from Father.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“Check your email.”
Sighing, Seph sat down in his office chair and clicked on his email icon. He found the letter from their father, with the word ‘Urgent!’ in the subject line. Opening the file, he found a brief note telling him to come to the house t
onight. The email had been copied to his brothers. Seph blinked, confused. “Why is Father calling us all together?” he wondered aloud.
“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Drew said. “I thought I’d check with you before I called Vann, Don, or Mal.”
Seph snorted at the last name. “Is he even in town? I thought he was on tour right now.”
“Actually, I think his band goes on the road next week,” Drew said.
Seph shrugged. “Well, maybe that’s the reason for the short notice,” he said. He leaned back, his chair squeaking under him. “Father must have something to tell us, while we’re all in the area.” He chewed on the skin at the corner of his thumbnail. A thought crossed his mind and he sat up straight. “Shit – you think there’s something wrong? That he might be sick?”
“God, I hope not,” Drew said. “Look, I’ve got to go – I have a meeting with one of the judges in ten minutes. I’ll see you tonight at Tamerlane.”
As the call ended, Seph pressed the edge of his phone against his lips. His father never ordered his sons to congregate at the family estate unless it was something important. Because Father gave no hint as to the reason, Seph found his mind wandering to the worst possible reasons. He considered calling his other clutch mates to get their opinions.
He looked at his watch. He had a half-hour before his next appointment. Opening his phone’s contact list, he dialed his brother Vann. It did not surprise him when it went straight to voicemail. Vann worked at an upscale day spa where he always seemed to be in high demand by the female clientele who signed up months in advance to receive his massages. That’s not all they want from him, Seph thought. Last Christmas, Vann had a little too much mulled wine to drink and began bragging about all the women – many of them married – with whom he had sex during extended private sessions, making jokes about the amount of body oil he could go through over the course of a day. Seph had given up on warning Vann about the dangers associated with being a lothario, especially if a jealous husband caught on to his wife’s affair with the handsome masseur. Of course, Vann always blew him off, so Seph decided to leave it alone. He’ll find out, sooner or later.
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