by Kimber White
The flames rose, going through me and into her. Shae took it all. She reared up and nipped my shoulder, drawing blood. Instinct drove her too.
My fire. My brand. As we crested down, I felt the change in her too. Her legs turned to rubber and she snuggled against me. Gasping, I brushed the hair away from her face.
“You’re okay?” I whispered, though I knew she was. I could feel it. I could feel everything.
Her hair had changed color, becoming an even deeper red, mixed with gold.
Pressure built inside me. The change in her eye color appeared to be permanent. They were hazel/green now, like mine. Though my fire had consumed us both, she didn’t have a scratch on her except for one small mark at the base of her neck. A tiny, crescent-shaped brand. I kissed her there.
“I love you,” she said, smiling up at me. I buried my face in her hair. Her scent. Her essence. I meant to take it all in. Over and over I would make her mine. And we would both be stronger for it.
“I’ll be back in a minute,” I said. “I can’t sit still.”
Shae laughed and rose up on her elbows. God, I’d never get tired of the sight of her naked and spread before me.
“Go, my love,” she said. “But hurry back.”
She already knew me so well. I needed to soar. I shifted and took to the air, stretching my wings wide. I’d never felt more powerful or more free in my life. My magic built, grew stronger. My dragon was sated for now, but not for long. But, for the first time in decades, I was fully in control of him.
It was gone. The edge of madness receded then faded to nothing. I was saved. Reborn. Invincible. I circled high, buzzing the mountaintop. I could still see Shae far below, her fiery hair caught by the wind. She waved up at me, her smile bright and true.
Mine. She was mine. I was hers. This was forever.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Shae
I would never tire of watching my love soar high above. His powerful, silver-green wings seemed to stretch across the entire horizon as he dipped low. My body still vibrated with the echoes of desire. I felt stronger. Different. Complete.
I touched my fingers to the base of my neck. I felt Xander’s mark there. It was just a small, smooth, semi-circular scar. I’d felt just an instant of pain as his fire settled there. It quickly turned to sweet warmth that spread through my whole body. Colors seemed brighter. Part of me wondered if I could fly right along with him.
I stood and waved to him. But, these were just arms. Arms that I could wrap around my love as he took me to the sky.
Xander landed. He screeched and thumped the ground with his talons. I went to him. Later, I knew he’d take me for the ride of my life. Both on the ground and in the air. My sex throbbed in anticipation. I wondered if I’d ever get tired of fucking this man. I doubted it.
Xander shifted. His eyes shone brightly. The fire was still there, burning stronger even. But it was different. The desperation was gone. He was free. He was whole. He was mine.
“Come here,” he said. I went to him, letting him fold his arms around my waist and lift me off the ground. I was already so wet for him again. Once we’d stoked this particular flame, it seemed to burn even stronger.
Xander knew me so well. His wicked laugh sent my lust into overdrive. I knew we’d only just begun. This time, it was my turn to ride him. Xander knew at once what I had in mind. He lowered me gently. I landed on top of him.
Smiling up at me, Xander hooked his hands behind his head. I stroked him, bringing him to me. He was already hard as steel. Fire and steel. All mine. I straddled him and brought him into me, sheathing him as far as he could go.
We stayed like that for a moment, savoring the feel of each other. My warmth wrapped around him. His hardness filling me. Then, I couldn’t hold back a second longer. I gyrated my hips, grinding deep.
I fucked him with abandon, pressing a palm against Xander’s chest to steady myself. He reached up and played with my nipples, intensifying my pleasure. I took him slowly. I took him deep. But, I took him all the way.
Xander came again, bringing his fire. I opened my eyes and gasped. We were in the center of it. It went over me, below me, through me. Then, it poured back into the ground.
Xander’s magic. Mine. Ours.
We took our pleasure from each other that day so many times I lost count. With each union, I felt stronger. More his. More myself. Finally, we curled up against each other and watched the stars come out.
“I still can’t believe it’s real,” he said, stroking my hair. There was something different about it. About me. Xander smiled with some secret knowledge.
“Me either,” I said.
“Are you scared?”
“I’m happy. I’m amazed. Not scared. Not exactly.”
He sighed and settled back, pulling me against his chest. I traced lazy circles around his nipples, loving his strong scent.
“I’m stronger now,” I said. “I can feel it. It’s...dragon magic.”
He nodded. “I don’t have all the answers where you’re concerned. There’s not a lot of precedent for human-dragon pairings. Avelina has her theories And, she’s been consulting with some mages who have some interesting ones.”
“Is that safe?” I rose up, my heart pumping with fear. “Xander, what those rogue shifters tried to do. It won’t stop. Your power is too intoxicating to them. And that wolf we captured. What’s going to happen to him?”
“We have friends,” he said. “Allies. Secret keepers. Ellen Torre is one. There are others. My mother calls them her dragonkeepers. I don’t think any of them know what we really are. Avelina’s been careful all these years. But, she’s needed help from time to time. If that wolf can’t be rehabilitated, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, we’re his heroes. We rescued him from a life of bondage. You know as well as I do, wolf packs aren’t supposed to behave like that. True Alphas don’t force their packs into submission like that.”
“But what about me?” I asked.
Xander smoothed the hair from my face. “Well, I guess we’ll figure it out together. Avelina thinks this will change you. As long as we’re both alive we’ll…”
His voice dropped. He couldn’t say it. The thought of losing him...I couldn’t bear it. Neither could he. So, we wouldn’t. And, I knew what he meant. Something changed in me. I knew it in my soul. It was hard to give voice to.
“I won’t die,” I said. “I mean...mating for you means you can live a thousand years.”
He nodded.
“I think I can too,” I said. “I’m not a dragon, but like you said. I’m something else now. I have magic. Your magic.”
“Our magic,” he corrected me.
It was a scary thought, living a thousand years. But, it was also the most natural thing in the world. Fated mates. Once again, I knew it was true.
“Think of how much fun we’re going to have exploring all your new powers, my love.” He growled in my ear and the heat rose in my core all over again. God, how could I want this man so much so fast?
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s go spread our wings, my love. We can figure the rest out as we go. We have the world in front of us again. Whatever happens, we’ll make it work.”
“I believe that,” I said. “And I believe we’ll help your brothers figure it out too.”
For the first time since we mated, Xander’s eyes went dark with fear. I prayed with all my heart that what I said was true. If Xander and I could find each other, I had to believe there were mates out there for Gideon, Finn, Loch, and Kian too.
For now, I had to be content with what we had together. My love. My mate. My dragon.
He took me by the hand and we walked to the edge of the cliff together. Xander stepped back and let his wings come out. Glorious. Powerful. Magic.
I climbed on Xander’s back, running my fingers across his rough scales. Then, we jumped off that cliff together. I knew in my heart we would time and again. Strong. Safe. One.
Chapter
Twenty-Six
Xander
One Year Later…
“I still think she’s wrong,” I said. “I mean...what if she’s wrong?”
Finn and Loch stood at the mouth of the cavern, shoulder to shoulder. They were here for moral support. At least, that’s what they told me. I suppose that was true. But, fire swirled in their eyes and they kept a ready stance. Ready to try and throw me against the cave wall if I tried to get past them.
“We’re going to have to trust her,” Loch said.
“Trust her. She always says that. Haven’t you noticed Avelina pretty much only uses that phrase when she’s making shit up?”
Another concussive wave of pain hit me square in the chest. My wings popped out and I charged the cave entrance. Loch and Finn grabbed me by the shoulders.
“I swear to God if you don’t let me by, I’m going to…”
Shae’s scream echoed across the canyon. Finn and Loch’s eyes widened and they passed a look. Jesus. They weren’t any more sure than Avelina.
“Let me by,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Xander,” Finn said, keeping his voice even. “I know this is hard. This is well...unprecedented. Let Avelina do her work. She has done this before.”
“No,” I said. “She hasn’t. She’s a dragon. We were dragons. This is different.”
“Just give it a minute,” Loch said. “If Shae needs you, she’s fully capable of calling to you.”
I hated that my brother was right. But, he was. In the year since claiming Shae as my mate, our bond had only grown stronger. I could read her thoughts when she let me. I could call to her over any distance. We’d been experimenting. I could be on the opposite end of the globe and her voice would reach me. Every power I had before amplified. I could shift even faster, fly farther. She grounded me. She made me whole.
And it made me see the sickness in my brothers so much more clearly. The sickness I shared with them for so many decades. They were running out of time just as I had been.
“God!” Shae’s shout of pain reached even Finn and Loch’s ears this time. They cast doubtful looks at each other.
“One more!” This time, Avelina’s voice reached me. I felt Shae’s distress as another contraction hit her. It seemed impossible. She’d been in labor for almost five days now.
She was so strong, physically. Our union had changed her too. She developed a sixth sense not unlike mine. Her eyes flashed green fire when I drew near or when my mother and brothers were in danger. Shae could sense other shifters more readily too.
“The spell will hold,” Loch said, trying to reassure me. “She’s going to make it through this.”
“I’d feel better if she were in a hospital. A human hospital.”
“No you wouldn’t,” Finn said. “No matter what else happens, you know there will be fire. It wouldn’t be safe for anyone.”
“Xander!” Shae’s cry seared through me. My brothers were strong. They’d been ordered to hold me back. It was useless. No power on this earth would keep me from going to my mate when she called.
I shoved Finn and Loch to the side. They each hit the opposite cave walls with a hard thud.
I flew.
Avelina had taken Shae to the valley. She thought an open space shielded by the mountains would be safest. I just hoped to God she was right.
Avelina drew fire. She’d let out a blast of blue flame that hovered over Shae, forming a kind of force field around her. Some detached part of my brain realized how smart that was. Shae was completely protected. And if my love needed fire to bring our child forth, she could draw on it easily.
I burst through Avelina’s flames and got to Shae’s side. She was on the ground, on all fours, her huge belly churning and heaving.
“My God,” I gasped. This thing might split her in two! Why the hell didn’t you call for me sooner?”
“She wasn’t ready until now,” Avelina said. She was smiling. Tears glistened in her eyes.
“It’ll kill her!”
Shae shook her head, panting. “No.” She reached for me, grasping my hand with vice-like strength.
“Breathe!” Avelina commanded. I realized she was talking to the both of us. Instinct took over. I shot flame into the air. My green and gold mixing with Avelina’s blue. It swirled around us, making a cocoon of fire.
Shae’s guttural cry ripped my heart in two.
She flipped to her back and rose a few inches off the ground. I locked eyes with Avelina as I supported Shae’s head against my chest. Avelina was still smiling. She nodded and went to Shae’s feet.
“One more!” Avelina commanded.
Shae grunted. Her eyes snapped open and met mine. The fire above us swirled, forming a straight column. It funneled then shot down, going into Shae. She took it. My God. It burned so hot. I’d never felt fire like this before. The power of it shot through me. It went into Shae, making her glow. But, she didn’t burn. If anything, it seemed to give her more strength. She drew it into herself. A force built inside of her, gathering momentum.
Shae’s whole body went rigid as the force and fire reached their apex. With one last gasping sigh, I felt her release and she brought our child into the world.
Thunder and lightning cracked. The lava below erupted. The world went silent, as if it too was holding its breath.
Then, my daughter’s lusty cry filled the air.
Avelina cradled the tiny baby in her arms. Tears streamed down my mother’s face as she brought her to us. Shae reached for her.
“She’s beautiful,” Avelina whispered.
She was. My daughter came into this world in fire and fury. She had a shock of red hair, just like her mother. Ten fingers. Ten toes. Perfect. Miraculous.
Avelina rose. She placed a soft kiss on the baby’s head and a hand on my shoulder. “Take care of them,” she said. “Everything’s going to be all right now.”
High above, two dragons flew over the valley. Each let out a column of flame, arcing over us. Smiling, I waved my arm above me. Finn and Loch circled. Avelina shifted and joined them. They would stay close, guarding us. But now it was time for me to be with my wife and daughter alone.
“She’s really okay?” I asked.
Shae nodded. Our new daughter rooted. She found her mother’s breast. Shae let out a little gasp of surprise, then smiled as the baby settled and began to feed.
We spent those first few hours in magical silence. I left only to bring Shae food. Later, we made our way back up to one of the caverns. Avelina had thought to bring supplies. Everything we would need. Part of me never wanted to leave. The world was an uncertain place and my fierce need to protect my mate and my child made me want to keep them all to myself.
“She’s so perfect,” Shae said. The baby slept against her naked breast.
“Of course she is,” I said. “Same as her mother.”
I stretched out beside them. For about the hundredth time, I checked our daughter’s fingers and toes. Kissed her in places where her scent was strongest. The crook of her neck. Her tiny shoulders. She wound her hand around my finger and I marveled at her tiny grip.
She seemed completely human. My mother said newborn dragonlings often shift erratically, prompted by hunger or even indigestion as their bodies adjusted to life on the outside. My daughter didn’t. She was simply the most perfect, human baby to ever grace the earth as far as I could see.
“Don’t worry,” Shae said, touching my cheek. “She’s going to be fine. I just know it.”
“She’s one of a kind,” I said, kissing Shae on the forehead. “Just like her mother.”
“Of course. But I mean, don’t worry. A mother has good instincts about this sort of thing. When she’s ready, she’ll let us know what kind of magic she has. Half-dragon. Half-human. One hundred percent wonderful. Welcome to the world, baby Brandhart.”
Our little daughter hiccupped against her mother’s breast. I snuggled in close, wrapping my arms around them both. Heaven. Perfection. Magic all aro
und.
Later, I heard my brothers flying overhead again. One by one, they let out a welcoming blast of fire. Each column rising higher than the last. Their fire heralded the earth of a new beginning. A new Brandhart. And a new hope.
Shae’s eyes sparkled with mystery as she held our daughter and looked up at me. For the first time in three hundred years, I knew everything would be all right. And it was all because of her. My mate. My life. My love. My fated mate.
“It’s okay,” she whispered. “I think I’d like to see you do it.” She winked at me, knowing me all too well.
“I’ll be right back,” I said, kissing her deeply.
Shae lifted our daughter and gave her to me. “I think she’s supposed to do this with you,” she said, her eyes sparkling with tears of joy.
She was right. My God. She was right. I cradled my daughter to my chest.
Then, I went to the mouth of the cavern. As my wife looked on, I shifted, keeping our daughter safely tucked against my chest. I spread my wings and took to the air. I joined my fire with my brothers.
The baby stirred in my arm. She had a firm grip on one talon. Her eyes danced with fire as she seemed drawn to the flames. Then, I realized she had a fire of her own. Her green eyes burned gold. My heart swelled with pride. Half-dragon. Half-human. I would revel in the mystery of my daughter’s powers as time revealed them to us. Whatever else she was, she would be strong and fierce, just like her mother and grandmother.
Turning and swirling, I flew through the column of flame. Then, as the baby settled against me, I spread my wings and glided back to earth.
For a few moments, a heart made of green fire burned in the sky. Shae’s deep laughter caught on the wind. Then, I flew back to her side and placed our daughter back in her welcoming arms.
* * *
Epilogue
Gideon
“I swear to God, I think Avelina’s starting to lose her damn mind,” I said.
