Loved by a Dragon: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (Exiled Dragons Book 2)

by Stone, Sarah J.

  “Cake for breakfast. You’re the best mom ever!” he laughed as he and Kate followed her to the kitchen.

  CHAPTER 21

  The previous night of watching his family enjoy being back in their own home and in their own village had been incredible. Kate had left in the early afternoon to look for a place for herself and her mother. Their place was still empty after all these years, but in too much a state of disrepair to be immediately inhabitable. Aaron knew that would be the case with many of the homes that Aiden had not felt worthy of seizure. It was well known that some people in the village had been exiled solely for the purposes of taking possession of expensive properties, but middle or low-income homes had been left to rot.

  “You are both welcome to stay here,” his mother had offered to her during a discussion of where she should look.

  “I appreciate that, Mrs. Donnelly, but I think mother has been away for too long and will want her own place to settle into. We’ll find something that will give her some privacy while we make the needed repairs on our old home.”

  “Just know the offer is open if needed,” his mother had told her sweetly, and he had no doubt that she meant it with all her heart.

  She had always been a kind, generous woman, one he had admired in a way he could never see with his father. He had done what he had to with Aiden for his family. Though it was partly for his father, he also couldn’t quite understand how he could have allowed himself to hold onto Aiden’s secrets. It was something he would probably always have to try to accept about his father’s weakness.

  For now, he had other issues to address. His first order of business was to make sure that every member of the Dragon Guard that wasn’t dedicated to a new leader was removed, and he already had a substantial list of those who he couldn’t count on started. There were some that were far too loyal to Aiden, and while loyalty wasn’t a bad trait, when it came at the price of setting aside common decency and values, it wasn’t acceptable. Stepping into the Council chambers, he addressed each of them en masse.

  “I know that this will be upsetting for some of you who are used to things being done in a certain way, but you only have two choices here now. You will either conform to the new way of doing things, or you will be dismissed. If there is anyone here that doesn’t feel her or she can do that, then I urge you to leave now. Don’t waste my time and yours. There will be no punishment and no hard feelings if you choose not to serve a new leader.”

  Aaron was silent, watching as at least a half dozen members of the Guard stood and departed, along with one member of the Council. Thomas had spoken with him prior to coming into the chambers and told him to expect it. It was no loss – three of the ones that had left were on the chopping block anyway. They had been the ones that had come to intimidate him during his fight with Aiden and came to assist in taking him down. What they had done was against the code of the clan, and they should all expect to be imprisoned for it, but he was not going to do that. He was going to give them a chance to walk away and become better people somehow. Time would tell what path they chose to continue upon with the chance they were being given.

  “Anyone else?” he asked calmly.

  No one stirred. He had hoped some more of the ones on his list would leave on their own. It would create less hard feelings and possible problems down the road, but he supposed that a certain amount of dirty work was necessary as leader. So, he took a deep breath and began.

  “Okay. When I call your name, please stand.”

  Running down the list of names before him, he called upon a total of twenty-three guards and four councilmen. When all were standing, he looked at each of them in turn before speaking again. Though he tried to appear calm, he was anything but that at the moment. If there was going to be trouble, it would be now.

  “Those of you whose name I have called have been faithful in your services to the prior dragon leader. You have served him in a loyal capacity that I am sure he appreciated. I, however, will not be requiring your services further. The members of the Dragon Guard that I have called upon are dismissed. You will be compensated with a departure bonus substantial enough to allow you enough time to seek other employment. You will provide the items provided to you by the Council to the gentlemen waiting for you outside these chambers. In exchange for your cooperation, you will be handed a check as final payment.”

  Though there were a few grumbles and several muttered expletives, they all seemed to know they were getting off lightly and departed without incident. Once they were gone, he turned to address the members of the Council he had called upon.

  “Now, as you know, the dragon leader does not elect or dismiss Council members as general protocol. However, under the bylaws set forth for the seating of a new leader, I am granted the opportunity to remove up to half the Council members currently seated in exchange for choice of my own. I am exercising that option to remove those of you that I do not feel have the best interests of this village at heart. You will receive no compensation for your prior efforts, as it seems you have already taken more than your fair share from those you were put here to serve.”

  “This is ridiculous!” one of the members shouted at him.

  “Yes, I expected exactly that response from you, Mr. DunDonald. Let me caution you against making any attempts at retaliation. It won’t work out well for you. I am letting you off lightly as it is. Don’t make me call for a full review of your finances and their origins. I’d hate for you to spend your golden years in the basement cells for what you’ve stolen from the people of this village. In fact, you might consider returning what you can to the public trust before I change my mind. No questions will be asked if you do.”

  “You’re making a huge mistake. If you think you can just come in here and do what you please, you have another think coming, young man,” DunDonald growled at him.

  “And if you think that I am anything but serious about what I will do to you, you’ve sadly misjudged my resolve. I will see you in the darkest hole I can find before I let you take from your own clansmen again.”

  Aaron nodded his head toward Josh who walked toward the councilmen that had been called forward, escorting them out of the room. DunDonald jerked his arm away furiously as he was led from the room and out of the building. Once he was cleared and Josh had returned, Aaron turned to the remaining members.

  “Okay, guys. It is my belief that those of you that remain here are of the highest standards and willing to serve in the capacity that has been entrusted to you. If you don’t feel that you can do that, I am now giving you another chance to depart of your own accord.”

  When no one moved, he smiled out across them before looking down a moment, ready to press forward with the meeting. He began to lay out his plans for revamping the community and regaining the trust of the villagers that looked to them for leadership.

  “Tomorrow, I will be announcing a new election to replace the councilmen I have removed. It will be up to the people to elect men and women that will best serve their needs. I will also need to replace the Dragon Guard members that I have removed. Please feel free to make suggestions if you have friends or family that you believe will serve well. Josh will be your point of contact.”

  Many of the Dragon Guard members nodded quietly, listening to him intently. Those that were left were believed to be trustworthy from the accounts he had been given by Josh and Thomas, but he would still be assessing them in the coming weeks, making sure he felt safe with them by his side. Anyone that he sensed was not on his side – not on the side of their own people – would be unceremoniously dismissed.

  “I will have more news for you in the coming days. You can expect daily briefings here in this room at oh-six-hundred hours until further notice. It is going to be a busy time for us for some time to come, so I need everyone doing their part. Is everyone okay with that?”

  “Yes, sir,” came the resounding, uniform response.

  “Very good. Dismissed,” he said, watching as they began to fi
le out of the room.

  “You did well, my friend,” Thomas told him once everyone but the two of them had left.

  “I hope so,” he replied. “I hope so.”

  CHAPTER 22

  “How did it go?” Kate asked later that evening when he got home. Though she insisted upon finding a place for herself and her mother, they were at least staying with them a few days while she continued to look.

  “It went pretty well, all things considered. I sent a lot of men home with no jobs today, so at least a few people in town aren’t going to be pleased to see me around.”

  “You did what you had to do, Aaron. You can’t change things for the better if you don’t first clean up the trash.”

  “I know. I guess I am just second guessing myself a bit. What if not all of them deserved what they got? I mean, how much choice did they really have but to do what Aiden asked of them?”

  “I don’t know, but people make choices, Aaron. If they covered up for Aiden, did his dirty work, then they are just as complicit as he was, aren’t they?” she asked.

  “I ask myself that question all the time,” he told her, his thoughts returning to his own father’s part in Aiden’s misdeeds.

  “Perhaps it is something that can’t really be answered. All you can do is keep moving forward. Don’t over think your choices. If they feel right, then move ahead with them.”

  “Okay, well then, let’s talk about my next choice.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I want you and your mother to move in with me.”

  “Aaron, no. We’ve talked about this. We can’t do that.”

  “Not here. As dragon leader, I also gain the house that Aiden lived in. It comes with several guest cottages on the grounds. I have to admit that it’s rather hideously decorated, but I think that a couple of women like you and your mother could transform it into something much more amenable.”

  “I don’t know, Aaron. It’s too much.”

  “It’s not too much. You can have your choice of houses. Pick one for you both to live in. Pick one for each of you to live in. Or your mother could pick one for herself, and you could just move into the main house with me,” he said uncertainly.

  “Aaron Donnelly, are you asking me to live in sin with you?”

  “Yes, I want you to live in as much sin as we can possibly have without posting it on the internet for public viewing,” he joked.

  “That sounds like a lot of debauchery.”

  “I’m optimistic,” he said with a slow smile.

  “I’d love to live with you, Aaron. I’m sure that mother will be more than happy to hole up in one of those guest cottages that are bigger than most of the homes here while hers is being repaired.”

  “Then it’s settled. Let’s go get her and let her pick a place so we can all get packed.

  Kate threw her arms around him and hugged him so tightly it hurt before running out of the room practically squealing for her mother at the top of her lungs. It was nice to see her so excited about being with him, and he was just as excited about it as she was. A few moments later, she returned with her mother who had tears in her eyes as she walked toward him, her hands raised to cup both sides of his face.

  “Aaron, you are such a wonderful boy. You always were. I don’t know how anyone in this village will ever be able to repay you for what you have done and continue to do for each and every one of us.”

  “It’s not a problem at all. Are you ready to go pick a house?”

  “I am! I’m so thrilled. We have so little money right now. I was afraid we’d have to stay in our old, rundown house while they were working on it.”

  “Well, that was never going to happen,” he told her, casting a glance toward Kate that let her know she should have told him just how dire her straits were.

  He would have already helped them as much as he could. Though his own family’s finances weren’t much better, he could at least have made sure they stayed with them and that they pitched in with the work that needed to be done to save costs. Of course, now, as dragon leader, he was afforded a generous salary that would ensure all of them were comfortable, a salary which he planned to work his tail off to deserve.

  “Oh, this one is perfect. Is this one okay, Aaron?” Kate’s mother asked later, after they had looked through all of the houses on the grounds.

  “Of course it is,” he told her, noting that she had picked the smallest of those available. “Are you sure it’s big enough? The others were much larger.”

  “Yes, I know, but this one has the most beautiful garden out back, and it’s quaint. There’s no need for me to have a lot of useless space that I will just spend my time dusting and never using.”

  “If you are sure then.”

  “I am positive. Only one thing. Do I have to keep this decor? It’s quite revolting,” she said, looking around at the dark, somber decorations featuring death and destruction in gothic style.

  “Absolutely not. Just wait until you see the awful things he has put into the main house. They make this place look like a children’s playroom. Anything you don’t want, just box it up, and I’ll have the Council staff pick it up for relocation in some dark corner of the basement where no one has to see it anymore.”

  “Wonderful! When can I move in?”

  “Right now, if you want. We’ll go fetch all our things from Mom’s house and relocate here immediately.”

  Aaron was just as excited as she was, thrilled to do this for her, but also about the fact that within hours he would have Kate all to himself in a place of their own. He was more sure than ever that she was his destiny, and he was eager to get started on a life together, even if it started with mere cohabitation.

  “Don’t I get to see my new house before I move into it?” Kate protested.

  “No. If you see how awful it is, I’m afraid you will change your mind,” Aaron teased.

  “Now you’re just scaring me,” she replied.

  “Get used to it,” he laughed, pulling her into a kiss.

  “Um, excuse me. Mother’s present,” her mother groaned, causing them to pull apart and chuckle before heading back to gather their things and move into their new homes.

  Several hours later, they had Kate’s mother all settled and were headed to their own place to unload their things. Josh covered Kate’s eyes as they entered the front door, slowly pulling them away as he turned on the light so she could get her first glimpse of their first home together.

  “Oh, my God,” she breathed, her eyes wide with disbelief as she looked around.

  “I know,” he said with a laugh.

  They both stood there, taking in the gaudy gold statues of Aiden, the iron gargoyles on the wall, and the large bear fur rug lying in front of the fireplace. The room was bleak and pretentious, decorated in the style of modern dictatorship seen all too often with those who had too much money and zero taste. Tomorrow, they would begin to dismantle the house an ogre had built, but for tonight, they were more concerned with slipping between the clean sheets the staff had placed in the equally grotesque master bedroom where they would sleep – or not sleep – for the night.

  CHAPTER 23

  Despite the meetings and discussions Aaron was now forced to attend each day, he still found that the hardest part of the day was that moment when he had to climb from the arms of Kate each morning. Each day brought a deeper love for her, a need for her that never seemed to subside. He missed her when they were apart, thinking of her during the unoccupied moments of his time. Today, he was installing the first new members of the Dragon Guard. Standing before those gathered for the ceremony, he called out the two most important names on the list.

  “Connor McCord and Owen McCord: please step forward to receive your brass.”

  Unlike his predecessor, he had no intention of branding the scales of his Dragon Guard. It was a barbaric practice. These were men he employed, not men he owned. There was no reason to mark them as if they were property. In fact, he had offered
to pay the local scale-smith to remove or alter the existing brands of those who chose to no longer bear it. Instead, they would wear something akin to a badge on their clothing when not in shifted form.

  “It pleases the Dragon Council to appoint each of you to the top position of Dragon Guard Advisors. You will be my second in command, along with Josh, who currently holds the third position at this status. I will depend on you to command the Dragon Guard according to the tenets I have set forth. Do you accept this appointment?” he asked them.

  “We do,” they said in unison, as he pinned the brass shields on their shirts, shaking each of their hands in turn.

  The ceremony included following the same invitation to each of the Dragon Guard members being brought in to replace those that had been dismissed. Tomorrow, elections would take place for the councilmembers, and there would be a second ceremony to welcome those who took the new seats on the Council. It would be followed with the community celebration that everyone in the village would attend.

  So far, Aaron had been pleased at the number of people who were now returning to the village. Some had been gone for years, exiled by Aiden at various stages of their lives. Some had been gone for only a few months, but word was spreading that he was now gone and everyone was beginning to come home again. It made Aaron happier than he had ever considered it would. There was something very uplifting about knowing you were the one that had made it possible, though he tried not to let it go to his head. That had been Aiden’s problem, at least part of it, and he would never be like him.

  “Are you ready for your big day?” Connor asked him after the formal swearing in had taken place and they were out on the grounds of the Council building.

  “I thought I had already had my big day,” Aaron replied.

  “One of them, but now you get to go out and enjoy the adoration of the masses,” Connor laughed.

  “I don’t think they all adore me,” Aaron told him.

  “Well, you know. There is always one or two in every crowd. I wouldn’t let that bother you.”