With a deep breath, she said, “Take me to Rionshalintaris.”
Her birthmark burned and she cried out in shock. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t pry her hand away from the glass. A sudden wind picked up in the room and the lights flickered as the reflection in the mirror began to distort.
An intense fear almost choked her when the mirror suddenly turned black and an unseen force pulled her hand inside.
“Wait. Wait!” she exclaimed, but it was too late. The force sucked her entire body into the mirror and she was surrounded by an inky blackness. Wind rushed past her face and a consuming fright closed around her heart.
She tried to scream, yet heard nothing but the sound of her own blood rushing in her ears.
For the first time in her life, Alana fainted.
~ * ~
She awoke to the sensation of someone running their fingers through her hair. A deep voice whispered in her ear in a language she didn’t understand, but it comforted her regardless. She was surrounded by soft warmth, and she knew she must be lying in a bed of some kind. But she was so exhausted she didn’t want to open her eyes just yet.
Whoever was speaking to her must have known she was awake, as their warm palm was now cradling her cheek. Cracking open her eyes, Alana gazed into the most amazing blue eyes she’d ever seen. They were large and deep, set into a face that might as well have belonged to an angel. It was a man, his sandy-colored hair falling somewhat in his face as he looked down upon her. He smiled, and Alana’s eyes widened at the sight, not realizing she’d stopped breathing until her heart slammed to life.
The man was gorgeous.
“Hello,” he said.
Instantly, every nerve ending on her body came alive and she squirmed underneath the thick blanket. The man lay right next to her in an inappropriate manner. In fact, he was so close, if he rolled just a bit, he’d be lying on top of her.
When he arched his brow, Alana realized she’d been silent for far too long.
“He…hello,” she said, her voice wavering.
“You have finally come,” he said, still stroking the skin of her face. “I thought you had forgotten me.”
“I’m sorry, I…don’t know who you are.”
The man gazed at her with a strange look before he peeled back the covers to reveal her birthmark. With a start, Alana felt the cool sheets against her bare skin. Dear God, was she naked? Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest.
The man laid his hand over her birthmark. The mark ceased its incessant itching and she looked at him in wonder. “What are you doing?”
“This mark you bear will become my mark when I take you as my Kindred,” he said with a soft, gentle smile. “You missed the day of our bonding, Alanacapria, but now that you are here, we will plan the ceremony within the next few days.”
Alana gasped at his use of the same name her grandmother had written in her diaries.
“Where am I?” she asked, trying to sit up. The man merely pushed her back down while his eyes gazed at her, as if trying to memorize the lines of her face. She desperately wanted to do the same to him. She’d never seen another man quite as good-looking as he was, but her confusion set in and she was restless. The last thing she remembered was somehow being sucked through her grandmother’s old mirror.
“You are in my bed, Alanacapria, and that is where you will stay.”
The sudden gleam in his eyes wasn’t lost on her, and her traitorous body responded to the deep pitch of his voice. Her nipples puckered as they rubbed on the sheets and her breathing quickened.
“Who are you?” she asked in a small voice, almost too afraid of his answer.
“Rionshalintaris,” he said, giving her a wink. He smiled sensually when her eyes widened. “You do know me.”
“No, I don’t,” she said. This wasn’t happening. Alana snapped her eyes shut and heard the man chuckling next to her. She would have gotten out of the bed to get away from him, but she didn’t want to risk the humiliation of standing naked before him.
“Yes, you do,” he whispered into her ear, sending shivers throughout every corner of her body. Without warning, his hot tongue flicked at her earlobe and she whimpered, clutching the blanket with a vengeance.
“Wh-where are my cl-clothes?” she asked, trying her hardest to turn her head away.
“I had the pleasure of taking them off you. My Kindred will wear the colors of my House.” His mouth latched on to her ear, and his teeth raked her skin gently. Alana couldn’t stop the shudders that rocked her. Being so close to this man felt so right and she didn’t know why. But he claimed to be this “Rion” character from her grandmother’s diaries. What the hell was going on?
Glancing at his body next to hers, she could see he was lying on top of the blanket, stark naked himself. His fine masculine form made her gasp, especially when he lifted one of his legs to drape over hers.
He leaned back to look at her, his face a mere breath away.
“You have returned to me.”
Alana resisted the urge to run her fingers through his glorious hair. They itched to do so. But she couldn’t resist placing her hand on his large bicep, as if to make sure he was real.
“You are Rion?” she asked.
A look of total satisfaction lit his eyes as he nodded once, lowering his mouth to hers. But before their lips touched, he placed his forehead on hers and whispered, “Remember me.”
Sudden scenes flashed in Alana’s head, of a man and woman smiling down upon her. She then saw the face of a handsome young boy hovering over her, grinning from ear to ear. The boy touched her face and she trembled, feeling a deep calm wash over her.
When she opened her eyes, the man was grinning. “You do remember, Alanacapria. That was the day of our betrothal. You were merely an infant, but you still remember.”
Rion’s joy seemed to radiate from him. She didn’t know what it was about him, but he calmed her fear and unease somehow. Unwittingly, her fingers found his hair of their own accord. He smiled at her and she smiled back, willing him to kiss her. As if he’d heard her thoughts, he closed the gap between them, his lips claiming hers.
His kiss was gentle, his lips warm. He demanded nothing—he merely kissed her as if they had all the time in the world. Alana was lost in a flurry of sensation. The bed sheets were smooth, almost like silk beneath her skin, and Rion’s weight pushed her farther down into them. She was barely aware that he’d indeed rolled on top of her.
His hair was thick and his skin was soft, making Alana wish she could touch every inch of him. When his tongue darted along her lips, she whimpered in response and pulled away to stare into his eyes. They were a deep blue, shining with desire. Alana had never seen that look in a man’s eyes before and it both scared her and excited her. She was a virgin—aside from fooling around in high school—and the thought of having sex with a man she barely knew made her skin crawl. But Rion hardly seemed like a stranger. The vision she’d seen of him as a boy had played out like a memory. Did she truly remember him from her past?
As he stroked her face, a movement above Rion’s head caught her eye. Glancing beyond his face, she gasped at what she saw and squealed, pushing on his shoulders, trying to get away.
He let her go easily enough, and she crawled out of the bed, not thinking of her nakedness.
“What is it, Alana?” he asked in his husky voice, the proof of his desire practically staring her in the face. But she wasn’t looking at that. What she was looking at spread out behind him.
“Oh, my God. You have wings!” she exclaimed.
Four
A sinfully wicked smile spread upon his face as he casually stepped off the bed, standing there in all his glory. With his hands on his hips, he stretched out his wings, which were almost the exact same color as his blue eyes.
“Indeed I do,” he said, deliberately looking her up and down. “Every dragon-shifter has wings in Dragoran, Alana. Including you.”
Alana scoffed, until the chill
in the air brought her attention back to the fact she was just as naked as he.
“Turn around,” she demanded in a vain attempt to cover herself.
Rion pursed his lips and crossed his arms on his chest. He shook his head. “No.”
Damn cocky son of a…
“Please?” she practically squealed.
“Why should I?”
Alana’s chin dropped. The nerve! Considering her options, she gauged how quickly she could snatch the blanket off the bed, but he stood in the way, thwarting her plans. Scanning the room, she nearly screamed at the fact that no other choice presented itself. No other choice, that is, except for the sheer blue and white silks spread out upon a chair near an ornate fireplace.
She dashed across the room and snatched the clothing while trying her best to hide herself behind the chair. Her cheeks reddened with fury at Rion’s laughter, and she vowed then and there to smack that grin right off his pretty face.
The shirt she donned was a white tank top with a sheer, deep blue fabric attached as a billowing overshirt of sorts. The skirts were much the same, a white silken underskirt with a see-through overskirt in shimmering blue. The clothes caressed her skin and molded to her, as if made to fit her and her alone. The blue fabric sparkled with golden flecks as she moved, resembling the faint twinkling of starlight. It truly was one of the most exquisite outfits she’d ever worn.
“Enchanting.”
Rion’s voice in her ear shocked her. He’d somehow managed to leave the bed to stand behind her, without her even hearing him cross the room. She took a step away from him, her chin held high.
“How dare you!”
The corner of his mouth raised in a mocking grin. “How dare I compliment a beautiful woman?”
“How dare you watch while I get dressed!”
“You didn’t seem to mind a moment ago when my body was pressed against yours…” He let the sentence hang.
Alana closed her eyes and counted to ten. She didn’t know if she was going to throttle the man or fall into his arms once again. Dear Lord, the memory of his kiss set her skin on fire.
His palm caressed her cheek, making her jump in spite of herself. Once again, she hadn’t heard him move, which seemed nearly impossible, as big as he was. His…wings…nearly filled the room.
“You are my betrothed, soon to be my Kindred. Your beauty is for my eyes, Alanacapria, just as my body is for yours. I would never hurt you.”
She swallowed hard. Despite what she’d just been through, his words seemed sincere, and a calming warmth spread throughout her body. He said nothing more and simply stared at her, obviously admiring her from head to toe.
“Rion,” she whispered, unable to find her voice with him standing so close.
“Yes?” he whispered back, his warm breath tickling her cheeks.
She glanced at his wings and reached out to touch one, but thought better of it before she could. Her hand instead found its way to his shoulder, where she lightly touched his smooth skin. Was she really a dragon-shifter just like he was?
“Who am I?”
He took a long moment to answer, prompting her to look once again into his lovely face. His gentle smile took the wind from her sails and made her heart palpitate within her chest. If she wasn’t careful, she just might…
“You are the woman I love,” he said, his soft words interrupting her thoughts.
After a moment of breathless silence, Alana schooled her shocked features. Wow. The man sure didn’t pull any punches.
“How…how is that possible? You don’t know me.”
“On the contrary.” Rion gestured toward the dark mirror in the corner of the room, the one that was an exact replica of her grandmother’s old mirror. “I could see you every time you stepped in front of your doorway, Alana. I’ve watched you grow, witnessed your bond with your grandmother, and hoped to all that is holy you could see me in return.” Rion broke eye contact and gazed at the floor as if dejected. “I know now that you never did.”
He stepped away, finally giving her the space she’d demanded. But now that she had it, she wanted nothing more than for him to return and enfold her in his warmth. What the heck was wrong with her?
“I…I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”
“You cannot go back,” he said, his voice resounding from somewhere behind her. She didn’t dare turn around for fear of making a fool of herself by salivating at the tempting picture he’d present. After a moment, however, his words sunk in.
“But…”
“The doorway only works one time. You cannot go back.”
“So I’m stuck here?” Alana swirled around to face him, forgetting propriety, only to find him already dressed in a pair of shimmering blue pants much the same as the fabrics she wore. His chest was still bare, however his wings had disappeared. Oddly, Alana felt a pang of loss at their absence. She must be losing her mind.
Rion licked his lips and ran his fingers through his hair. She tried her hardest to ignore what those innocent gestures did to her libido. “Yes. But I urge you to stay with me in Dragoran. Become my Kindred, Alana. It is our fate. Our parents chose—”
“To hell with our parents!” she yelled, throwing up her hands. “I just found out a few days ago you even existed. I don’t quite believe I’m really in another world, let alone a dragon-shifter myself. And it’s not every day I have a gorgeous man offering me his heart, so excuse me if I find things a bit hard to swallow!”
“If another man offers you his heart, I would have to fight him. And I would win.”
Judging by all those bulging muscles, Alana had no doubt he would. Rion could probably knock out any would-be suitor with his audacity alone. The thought made her smile.
“Will you grant me time to win your heart, Alanacapria?”
Butterflies swirled wildly in her stomach and her entire body ached for…what? She didn’t know. But she had a damn good idea. Even though the fabric of her clothing caressed her skin, that didn’t stop it from chaffing her stiff nipples. Swallowing hard, she shrugged. “I don’t know what to say to that.”
“Say yes. That is all you need do.”
“Rion, I…”
“Say yes.” His words caressed her from across the room. She groaned and shivered at the same time. He was going to melt her into a puddle of goo. “Alana.”
He was inexplicably in front of her again, so close she could just make out his heartbeat. Amazingly, it was keeping time with her own. His gaze seemed to hypnotize her, as if his presence alone called for her to do anything he asked.
“Yes,” she breathed, vaguely aware she’d said anything at all.
Without a word he pulled her close and held her, doing nothing more than burying his face in her hair and breathing deep. She didn’t know what to do, but being in his arms was heavenly. The moment she hugged him back, his hold tightened, bringing forth a gasp of pleasure from deep within her.
“I will not fail you,” he whispered in her ear.
With the way her body responded to him, she had no doubt he’d accomplish his goal.
And it scared the bejesus out of her.
“Can you…really shift into a dragon?” Alana needed to change the subject before she fell apart. Perhaps she was dreaming, but it sure didn’t feel like it. On the off chance that she was losing her sanity, she decided to play along. She’d humored her grandmother and her wishes. She could humor Rion until she found a way out of this mess.
“Yes,” he answered, holding her at arms’ length. “I am from the House of Ice, a blue dragon.”
She nodded. “I remember my grandmother saying something to that effect. She mentioned you can breathe icy fire, too. That true?”
Rion’s mouth turned upwards in a half-grin a moment before he breathed deep and exhaled. His breath puffed from his mouth as it would on a cold winter’s day. The more he breathed, the more a hint of blue flames emanated from his lips, illuminating his face in a fascinating ethereal glow. As soon as it had appeared,
it was gone, leaving behind a chill in the air so potent, Alana’s skin pebbled with goose bumps.
Her own breathing quickened as she stared at him, even more shocked than she had been at his wings.
“I did not mean to scare you.” His hands skimmed down her arms until he’d laced his fingers with hers in a gesture that was somehow more tender than his previous hug had been.
“I…I’m not scared, just taken aback.” After a moment of silence, she asked, “You’re the Crown Prince, aren’t you?”
Sorrow entered his eyes and he looked away. “I was,” he said softly.
“What does that mean? You’re not a prince anymore?”
Rion shook his head, but met her gaze once more. “No, I am not.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Alana, the House of Fire killed your parents long ago in an effort to kidnap the baby born from the House of the Sun. Since your parents had a plan to hide you in the Earth realm, Fendarylonn, the leader of the reds, decided to take matters into his own hands. His assassins recently found their way into the castle, somehow foiling the palace guards and…and…”
“And what?”
“They killed my father. They killed my entire family in an effort to seize the throne from my House. The only reason I stand before you is because I had left the palace in an effort to find Earth. To find you. This mirrored doorway only works from your side. I couldn’t go to you, no matter how much I wished it.
“I never found another doorway to Earth, but upon my return, the palace was in shambles and the people were terrified the House of Fire had already won the war. It has taken all of my resources to keep the reds at bay, but it won’t be long before they try again. When Marinkalian died, I saw you reading her diaries in the mirror. So I sat and waited, praying you’d come through the doorway to me.”
It took a few moments for his words to sink in, but when they did, she gasped, her eyes wide. “The assassins killed your father?”
Rion simply nodded.
Kindred Page 2
