by Ophelia Bell
Kris forced his face to remain placid, though he grimaced inwardly. Erika had just challenged one of their most contentious laws without overtly stating her objection to it. He glanced at Geva and then Rowan, both of whom wore pleased smirks. Rowan shifted her gaze to him. The red blaze of power in her eyes sank through his defenses in a way the flames she’d spat at him earlier hadn’t.
Then she turned toward Numa and the power increased tenfold. Kris sensed magic converging on the entire Pavilion, drawn to the arousal induced by Rowan’s magic. She hadn’t even breathed and everyone’s pulse rates had increased.
The Council itself grew utterly still and silent. Whether their silence was in response to Erika’s question or Rowan turning up the power, Kris couldn’t be sure. They’d never lashed out before, however, so he had no reason to fear any kind of wrath from them. Reasonable to a fault would be the best description he had for the six.
Numa’s calming green aura pressed outward, enveloping the Pavilion in a hazy bubble.
“Your petition is heard, Erika, daughter of Gabriel, bonded servant of Jorian.” The normally resonant voice held a faint quaver that was reflected in the agitation of the other Council members.
If Kris didn’t know better, he might believe the six of them were actually anxious to hear Rowan’s petition. In spite of Numa’s breath surrounding them all, Rowan’s power persisted, overlapping and entwining with the magic that held the bubble in place. Kris’s groin ached with the effects of it, while at the same time Numa’s power gave him the strongest sense of euphoria. It was all he could do to avoid touching himself and he had to conjure forth a memory of when he was younger and that action would only result in discomfort. After the assembly was done, he would deal with his need. Not in the middle of it. The combined arousal and conflicting frustration permeated the area from the others as well. Issa’s eyes were wide, her hands clasped across her belly, the wedge of the Verdanith still held tightly in her fingers.
“What is it, my love?” he asked.
“The twins sense the energy. They are hungry.”
“Just a few more minutes and we will be done.”
Issa nodded slightly and gave him a small, worried smile, but stood tall and still.
Rowan spoke, her voice as strong and sure as Erika’s, but holding the otherworldly vibration that only dragons could produce. “According to dragon law, I am Unbound. I was born outside your sanction and am therefore not bound by your laws unless you force me to be, as you have forced countless other dragons over the centuries. I am not here to petition a change to that law, but to honor my parents’ union and request that you honor it, too. You may have heard of my parents, Bren and Warik. It is their power I carry, which I can use to help our race if you choose. In honoring them, you will also honor my union with the dragon Rafe. I petition you to use the Verdanith to find others like me, not to persecute, but to legitimize, for they were born from love between two dragons, something only your Catalysts have been honored with publicly. An honor which I have no doubt they would happily share.”
The briefest glance Kris shared with her was enough acknowledgment of understanding, as though she sensed the need to move things along for the sake of his mate. He hoped the Council would make their decision quickly.
“Your petition is heard, Red Princess, daughter of Bren and Warik. The Keepers have made their petitions. Are there any petitions pertaining to the assembly that others wish to make?”
Kris shifted his gaze around at the outer circle of observers, which included most of the humans along with the four other dragons. Geva and Rafe remained silent, their heads held high. Aurin and Aurik shared a furtive glance but didn’t speak. Their predicament was no secret, but this was not the time for them to state their own petition to the Council.
“Very well,” Numa said. “Catalyst, proceed.”
Kris nodded and gestured toward the six who stood in a circle around him. They approached in order once again, each one handing their respective fragments to him. The first piece pulsed with gentle heat in his hand and an involuntary surge of his own energy flowed into it before he could stop it. The stone was enchanted with the same energy as the altar beneath the Queen’s chamber of the temple visited so many months ago. If he wasn’t careful, this object would bleed him entirely dry of power. He carefully restrained his power from it as he accepted each successive piece. The first two wedges snapped together like opposing poles of two magnets. One by one, each fragment fit together with its brothers.
Roka was the last to step forward. He held his piece out to Kris, the nearly completed circle of the Verdanith physically beginning to pull Kris toward its last missing piece.
In a split second, there were gasps around the circle. Issa’s voice rose faintly in his mind, “Kris…”
“Issa!” Kris yelled, seeing his mate sway from the corner of his vision, but he couldn’t release the object. He seemed fastened to the center of the Pavilion, the Verdanith adhered to his hands.
Roka moved in a blur. Releasing the final jade wedge, he lunged to the side around Kris. The Verdanith seemed to suck the last remaining piece from the air with a snap into the void left for it. Blinding white light bloomed in Kris’s hands, the power of the artifact growing exponentially, the pull of it forcing his hands downward into the center of the Pavilion’s floor. He released it and stepped back in one swift movement.
The Verdanith slammed into the floor, its impact shaking the entire mountain and causing everyone but the Council to waver, holding their hands out to steady themselves against each other.
The pattern in the floor of the Pavilion lit with a series of colored lights that quickly faded to black, but Kris was done with the ceremony. He needed to see to his mate. He turned to find Issa cradled against Roka’s chest, one arm dangling limply. Aurik stood at Roka’s shoulder, his sister and their mates close behind. The four of them and Roka had been standing the closest to Issa. The others moved closer, gathering around with concerned looks.
“Give her to me,” Kris said. “She needs my energy. The babies, too.”
“We can help,” Roka said. “My breath might be able to help.”
Kris met his friend’s concerned gaze with one of defeat. “I wish you could, brother. Only an Udara can help now, until the Verdanith is charged.” He turned and walked toward the edge of the Pavilion. The charging of the Verdanith would have to happen without him. He didn’t dare hope they could complete the task before it was too late for his mate and children.
Issa’s pulse fluttered weakly beneath his fingertips. “Hold on, my love. I will keep you safe, or die trying.”
“Wait.”
The voice vibrated through the air close to his shoulder, sending a current of wind through his hair. His skin tingled from the slight caress of Aurum’s breath, his ears still vibrating with ecstasy in response to the simple address. He’d never heard the immortal Gold speak before, and the fact of that one small word surprised him so much he paused to look up at her, amazed that he could find hope in only a single syllable.
She didn’t address him next, however, but the pair who stood behind him. “Are these your mates, my children?”
Aurin and Aurik’s worried looks transformed to identical defensive scowls, both dragons bodily moving to protect their mates.
Aurum puffed out an exasperated breath. “Fools, I wish to help the Catalyst. Did you know you were mated to not one but two Udara? I sensed them when they stepped foot on the mountain but couldn’t be sure who they were until they moved this close. You keep them well primed, I see.”
The Twins shared a surprised look. Aurik said, “We knew they were special. But the truth is, they chose us. I don’t think Aurin and I ever really had a choice.”
“It is the way with Udara. And it is Fate that brought them here. You must let them help.”
Dimitri and Thea both moved forward over the objections of the Twins. “Damn right we’ll help,” Thea said. “Show me the way.”
; Kris buried his bafflement at their insistence and continued out of the Pavilion, leading them down the path.
Chapter 6
“The two of you must stay,” Aurum said. The Twins paused a step before exiting the Pavilion and looked back, identical expressions of confusion on their faces.
Rowan was mesmerized by the synchronicity of their movements and their features. They might be the most beautiful dragons she’d ever seen, and their anguish over seeing their mates leave left her heart in a state of intense longing. She looked back at Rafe and Trevor, who stood side by side watching events unfold. They met her gaze and she went to them, gripping the hands they extended in each of hers, the simple touch conveying the depth of their feelings as much as their eyes did.
“What happens now?” Rowan whispered.
“We follow Aurum’s lead,” Rafe said. “The Verdanith will need to be charged to full power. Only dragons can accomplish that.”
The huge golden dragon bowed her head toward Rafe, indicating she had heard. “Yes, child. We will need all of you to join us in the Mother’s Glade, but your human mates will need to remain behind. It is a place where only dragons may go.”
“What are we supposed to do, just sit on our asses and wait?” Erika asked.
“On the contrary. Your assistance is needed along with the Udara who have followed Kris. The pair of them are ideal sources of energy for Issa, but they can’t provide a constant flow. When they pause to rest, Kris will need other sources. Your presence here is quite fortuitous. The six of you should follow Kris while the Court—and our new guests—join us in the Glade. When the Verdanith is at full power, you will know it, but time flows differently where we are going, so it may take some time.” The dragon’s glimmering eyes rested on Rowan and Rafe, her long tongue darting out in a distinctly eager lick of the air between them.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Rowan said to Rafe.
His hand squeezed hers a little tighter. “Which part? The part where we’ve been invited to assist the Council in recharging the Verdanith? I’ll give you three guesses how it works. And I think she has just staked her claim on having us to herself during the process.”
Rowan glanced around at the others, trying to gauge their various moods. Erika shared a long look with Geva, but neither of them appeared upset about the prospect of being separated. In fact, if Rowan had to guess, the pair looked excited. Her brother gathered his mate in his arms, and gave her a long, sensuous kiss, then urged her to go. Erika strode the few steps over to Rowan, her cheeks still flushed. The aura of her arousal clung to her brightly. Rowan hadn’t quite gotten used to the awareness of the magic and the eagerness with which all the human mates seemed to embrace the nature of their lovers. Erika might be one of the most enthusiastic women she’d ever met when it came to sex. She quickly reevaluated that assessment when the petite, blonde Camille walked up to them and nudged Trevor’s shoulder.
“Looks like we’ll get the chance to get to know you a little better,” Camille said, not even trying to hide the suggestive tone. She eyed Trevor up and down, then Rafe. “This one’s got a very talented tongue,” she said, patting Rafe on the chest. “You’re one lucky girl.”
Rowan raised an eyebrow at Rafe. He cleared his throat and gave her a weak smile. “I’ve been blessed with friends who are happy to share when they have a friend in need. She and her mates saved me much the way Trevor and I saved you.”
Erika laughed. “We are nothing if not giving. Come on Trevor. I promise we’ll take good care of you and I have no doubt your efforts will be appreciated. Kris and Issa mean a lot to us.”
“Um, all right, I guess. You’re okay with this, Rowan?”
“I think I have to be, as long as you are. Just make sure you enjoy yourself.” She nudged him toward Camille and Erika.
“I don’t think that’ll be an issue,” Trevor murmured, eyeing both beautiful women who were already leading him away to follow the others down the mountain path and away from the Pavilion.
“Where is this Glade? Do we need to fly there?” Rowan asked.
Without answering, Rafe pulled her toward the center where the others were gathered, linking hands in a circle around the glowing shape of the Verdanith that had embedded itself in the floor of the Pavilion. Around them the shapes of the dragons of the Council shimmered as they exhaled deep breaths. Colorful clouds of smoke coiled and swirled around them, the tendrils of each color twining together until it formed a twisting rope. The column of it arched over their heads and flowed into the center of the floor between them, sinking into the round opening at the core of the Verdanith.
As though a key had thrown the tumblers of a lock, the entire floor of the Pavilion shifted beneath Rowan’s feet. The world around her wavered and flashed, colorful smoke filling the air so thickly that it obscured her vision of everything around her. All she could see was sparkling, colorful fog, but Rafe’s hand still gripped hers tightly on one side and the smooth warmth of the golden dragon’s, Aurik’s, hand gripped tightly around her other hand. The mist seeped through her clothing, though not with the expected sensation of moisture. The ethereal cloud had the texture of silk sliding between her garments and her skin, whispering across every inch of her flesh like a breath. Before she could control herself she let out a soft moan in response, giving herself up to the pleasure. Her mind buzzed with the power of the magic that surrounded her, infused her with every breath. Vaguely she understood for the first time what the humans might have experienced in response to her own breath.
Her eyes fluttered open when the sensation subsided and she found herself and the others in a sun-dappled glade. In the center was a circular pool filled with crystal clear water. The center of the pool had a stone island roughly the size of the center of the Pavilion where Kris had stood when he assembled the Verdanith. The Verdanith itself was visible in the center here, as well, glowing with rhythmic pulses.
A pair of lips pressed against her bare throat. Another pair against her shoulder. Fingertips tugged at the bindings of her clothing and with barely a thought she dispersed the conjured dress she wore. She heard a splash and the sound of ringing laughter. Movement caught her attention at the periphery of her vision. She pulled her attention away from the teasing hands on her body to marvel at the tableau before her. The familiar faces of her friends had been joined by new faces and it took Rowan a moment to register that the Council had shifted. While human in shape, however, they each retained an otherworldly quality that surpassed even the quality she’d noticed in the dragons she’d met the last two days. Both the men and the women were taller, more muscular, the men imposing in their size. The black dragon, Ked, dwarfed the petite naked form of Racha who teased him from the water. He dove in after her, wrestled with her briefly until they came together beneath the water, Racha’s face abruptly transforming from mischievous fun to pure pleasure with the movement of Ked’s hips against hers.
The other Council Dragons seemed to have each chosen one or two of her friends. Kol and her brother flanked the beautiful blue Belah. Geva knelt before Belah, pressing urgent kisses down her torso while Kol cupped the woman’s breasts from behind.
On a smooth stone ledge across the pool, Roka was already tangled with Numa, her full breasts worshiped by his lips and tongue, her long legs wrapped around his waist as he fucked her.
Lovely, golden Aurin lay sprawled on the grass, the tangled crimson curls of the immortal Red, Gavra, moving between her thighs, while on the other side of them, Aurin’s brother was similarly engaged with the white dragon, Aodh, Aurik’s fingers twined in Aodh’s hair while the Council Dragon’s pale tongue and lips worked deftly at Aurik’s cock.
A beautiful face obscured Rowan’s view, golden eyes set deep. Aurum’s sweet breath hit Rowan’s nostrils first, and she inhaled. The power infused her with joy like a drug. She exhaled in response, sending out a red gust of her own power.
Aurum hummed her appreciation. “A game then?” the immortal Go
ld said. She pressed closer, sliding her hands up over Rowan’s bare breasts. Tender palms cupped both breasts, the pads of her thumbs brushing over Rowan’s nipples before Aurum moved higher, holding Rowan’s chin lightly with both hands. The light contact sent a buzz of pure pleasure through Rowan’s body and it lingered hotly at her core.
Aurum’s lips parted as she leaned closer, still a hair’s breadth from skin on skin. Her warm breath puffed out against Rowan’s mouth and Rowan followed her example, opening her mouth slightly and exhaling.
The warm velvet of Aurum’s lips made contact, her tongue pressing deeper. Rowan’s heartbeat thudded in her ears with every increment of the powerful breath that fused with her own, deep in her lungs. She slung her arm around Aurum’s neck and tilted her mouth against the sweet, soft kiss, opening up and exhaling again. The soft length of Aurum’s body slid against her, thighs brushing together, hands squeezing breasts, hips, and ass.
They traded breath until Rowan lost track of her surroundings, but through it all she remained acutely conscious of the other pair of lips and hands that kissed and caressed her from behind. Aurum finally pulled away a dizzying moment later. She shifted her lithe golden body around Rowan. Rowan turned and watched while she clutched Rafe by the back of the neck and pressed her lips against his.
Swirls of their mixed red-gold breath expelled from Aurum’s mouth, tendrils of it escaping from between their lips. Rafe pulled it into his lungs in a single inhalation, his eyelids fluttering and his lips twitching into a euphoric smile. When they parted, Rowan followed suit, pulling Rafe down to meet her own mouth and sharing with him the lingering combination of her breath mixed with Aurum’s.
