Stroke The Flame

by Elizabeth Briggs

  “I will,” Kira said.

  She led us into a large room off the side of the tavern which was likely used for events, celebrations, or other private gatherings, containing one long wooden table and many chairs. A painting hung on the wall featuring the Black Dragon with her four consorts flying around her, surrounded by their representative element. Each one looked terrifying and powerful, with their scaled bodies, large wings, and long tails. I’d not seen this exact painting before, but the Black Dragon demanded that one like it had to be hung in any place where people gathered. No doubt it was to remind us that the five Dragons were watching over us at all times.

  I gazed at the Golden Dragon in the painting and pondered my fate, while Kira closed the door behind us. I never would have believed any of this if the Air God himself hadn’t granted me his powers. I still hardly believed it, even though my draw toward Kira was unmistakable.

  She turned toward me, facing me down with uneasy eyes. “I think it’s time you told me who you are and what you’re doing here.”

  I hesitated, but I wasn’t quite ready to reveal who I was yet. I wouldn’t lie, but I wouldn’t tell them the whole truth either. Not until I knew these people better. Not until I could trust them.

  7

  Kira

  The golden-haired man stood up straighter, gazing down at me from his towering height. “I’m Auric. I was sent to find you by the Air God.” He gave me a dramatic bow, his movements refined and graceful. “I’m here to serve the next Black Dragon.”

  Jasin snorted and muttered, “This guy? Really?”

  I glared at him and turned back to Auric, sizing him up. His traveling clothes were simple, yet nevertheless stood out due to their fine quality and expensive fabrics. Auric was definitely not from anywhere around here. A nobleman for sure. He wasn’t as obviously muscular as Jasin, but he was just as handsome in a more refined way, with the most amazing cheekbones I’d ever seen and gray eyes that entranced me immediately. He looked at me as if I was the answer to a problem he’d been trying to solve. I couldn’t help but be intrigued by him, especially after watching him in my dreams for a month.

  “You said you had a visit from the Air God?” I asked.

  He nodded. “Exactly one month ago.”

  “That’s when I met the Fire God,” Jasin said. A flame flickered idly across his fingers. “And when I got these powers.”

  That was the same day I turned twenty. The same night I’d been hit by lightning.

  Gods, maybe it really was all true.

  I dropped into a chair as it all finally sank in. If I was the Black Dragon, what did that mean exactly? There was only one Black Dragon, and she ruled our entire world. I somehow doubted she’d be thrilled about my presence. She was a cruel empress, and she definitely wasn’t the type to share power. There was no way I could replace her. This all had to be some kind of mistake.

  “Are you all right?” Auric asked, as he sat beside me, his voice concerned.

  “Kira?” Jasin hovered behind me, his hands gripping the back of my chair protectively.

  I looked into Auric’s eyes, which were the color of storm clouds. “Show me.”

  For a second he seemed confused, but then realization dawned across his face. A breeze began to pick up in the room out of nowhere and soon grew into a strong wind that whipped my hair around my face, making me gasp.

  The door opened and the magical wind instantly died. Tash stepped inside, balancing three trays of food and drink with such skill it was almost like magic of her own. She set each one down while her eyes roamed over both men, and for a second I felt a flash of possessiveness. Which made me uncomfortable, because neither of these guys were mine, and I had no reason to feel anything but warmth toward Tash. Of course, if what these men said were true, then both of them were my future mates. Would I ever get used to the idea of that?

  “Anything else you need?” Tash asked, while searching my face. Her concern for me shone through her warm eyes, and I knew she was asking if I was all right in here with these two strangers.

  “We’re all set, thank you,” I told her with a smile that I hoped showed how grateful I was for her help. She was looking out for me, even if she had no idea what was going on.

  She nodded and moved to leave the room, but was blocked by a huge, broad-shouldered man with muscular arms the size of tree trunks—the blacksmith I’d seen in my dreams. His eyes were a deep forest green, his skin was the color of tree bark, and his short beard gave him a rugged masculinity that was distinctly opposite Auric’s elegant beauty and less refined than Jasin’s handsome swagger. Yet I felt the same rush of desire, familiarity, and possessiveness when I looked at him as when I did the other two men.

  Gods, what was wrong with me? I’d never felt this way about a single man before, yet now I felt it for three of them?

  “Well, hello there,” Tash said, staring at the new arrival with interest.

  “I’m here to see Kira,” the man said, his voice low and deep, like the rumble of an earthquake.

  “Come inside,” I said, with a nod to Tash.

  As this new visitor stepped inside, Tash shook her head as if bewildered. She left us alone and shut the door, and suddenly the room seemed a lot smaller with the large mountain of a man inside.

  “My name is Slade,” he said, his intense eyes fixed on mine. “I’ve been looking for you, Kira.”

  “How do you know my name?” I asked him.

  “The Earth God told me.”

  “Let me guess. He came to you a month ago, gave you powers, and sent you to find me?” When he nodded, I rubbed the bridge of my nose, so overwhelmed by it all I could hardly think straight. “That was my twentieth birthday. I was struck by lightning that night. After that I began to see all of you in my dreams.”

  “You knew we were coming, then?” Auric asked, his eyebrows darting up.

  “No. I only caught quick flashes or vague glimpses. I didn’t think any of you were real. Just figments of my imagination. I never expected you to actually turn up here. Or to tell me you’re the next Dragons, whatever that means.”

  “We were drawn to you,” Slade said. “We couldn’t stay away. Even if we wanted to.”

  Those last words held a touch of sadness or perhaps bitterness, and I knew there had to be a story behind them. All three men had given up their entire lives because the Gods had given them a duty and told them I was the Black Dragon. If it was true, they’d each been chosen to serve me, protect me, and love me—against their will.

  I stared down at my food, but I wasn’t hungry. My thoughts made my stomach churn, but I couldn’t deny it any longer. All three of the men had been given powers by the Gods on the same night I’d been struck by lightning, and I’d seen them in my dreams ever since. The men could control the elements, and I was strangely attracted to all of them.

  Maybe I really was the next Black Dragon.

  8

  Slade

  I pulled out a chair and sat across from my future mate, taking her in. She was certainly beautiful, with an inner strength in her hazel eyes that made my gaze want to linger on her. That would make this situation easier, at least. I had no intention of ever giving her my heart, but if I was forced to be with her for the rest of my life, it helped I found her pleasing to look at. But was she ready for what we had to do next? Were any of us, for that matter?

  “So you’re the future Jade Dragon?” the soldier asked me. “Show us what you can do.”

  I leaned back and crossed my arms. “These powers were given to us by the Gods so we can protect people. Not to use idly.”

  He scoffed. “What’s the point of having them if you can’t have a little fun now and then?”

  “Sorry, but I have to agree with Slade on this one,” the nobleman said. “Our powers should be used wisely, although we need to practice with them too, of course. We can enjoy that part, at least. I’m Auric, by the way.”

  “Jasin,” the soldier said.

  So these
were two of the men I’d be sharing my mate with. I shook my head at their youthful eagerness. They sat closely on either side of Kira, as if already staking their claim on her. The soldier in particular seemed impatient and overly excited, especially the way he was constantly moving, like he was full of energy he couldn’t contain. The nobleman was calmer but had his head in the clouds, as evidenced when he pulled out a journal and began jotting down notes. Kira simply watched us all as though she couldn’t believe her eyes. I didn’t blame her.

  I had probably ten years or more on all of the people at this table. It made sense that they were chosen—they were in the prime of their lives and ready to go on adventures, full of idealism and big dreams of saving the world. They likely had nothing tying them down either. Not me though. I’d already tried to help save the world and gave up on that task. Back home I had a good, stable life, one I wasn’t ready to leave behind. Why had the Earth God chosen me instead of someone else? How could he expect me to just abandon everything I’d spent my entire life building up?

  After he visited me, I’d struggled with my new destiny. I’d always been devoted to the Gods, and one couldn’t simply turn down new powers and a divine mission. But I’d waited as long as I could to leave my home and travel here, even though it was only a day’s ride away. If not for the nagging feeling in my gut, I might not have left at all.

  I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t want this. I still wasn’t sure I was the right person for the role of Jade Dragon. But even with all my doubts, I was here and I was fully committed to our mission. I would do whatever it took to serve the Gods and protect Kira.

  It was my duty, after all.

  9

  Kira

  After Tash brought Slade a tray of food, all three men dove in while I studied them. They were each so different, yet I felt a strange connection to all of them. But there was one more man in my dreams, who must be the future Azure Dragon. Where was he now?

  I took a long breath. “Okay, assuming this is all true and we are the next Dragons—which I’m not sure I believe yet—what does that mean? Why do the Gods even need another set of Dragons?”

  “We’re meant to overthrow the current Dragons and take their place as the protectors of the world,” Auric said, his voice rather matter-of-fact considering he was talking treason.

  My jaw fell open and it took a moment for me to speak. “What?”

  “That’s what I was told as well,” Slade said.

  “But why?” I asked.

  Jasin shrugged casually. “Sounds like the Gods aren’t happy with the way the Black Dragon and her men are ruling the world.” He picked up a grape and popped it in his mouth. “Time for a change in leadership.”

  “Maybe they’ve chosen us to set things right,” Slade said.

  All of the men were being way too calm about this, considering what they were saying. Then again, they’d had a month to get used to the idea. Even so, I could barely wrap my mind around it. The Gods had been nothing but myth for so long that most people had stopped believing they were real at all. If the men were telling the truth—and I was starting to believe they might be—then perhaps the Gods had finally awoken and were doing something to help their people for a change. We certainly needed it.

  But why me? I was a nobody. Definitely not a hero, and certainly not the kind of person who could overthrow the Black Dragon and her men. They’d ruled for thousands of years and were the most powerful beings in the world—how were we supposed to stop them?

  “What are we meant to do?” I finally asked.

  Auric set his fork down and met my gaze. “We must travel to each of the Gods’ temples, visiting them in the order in which we arrived today. There you will have to bond with one of us, which will unlock our full powers and the dragon form. You will gain our powers as well, and once you’ve bonded with all of us, you’ll visit the Spirit Goddess’s temple to become the Black Dragon. After that, we should be strong enough to face the current Dragons.”

  My head spun, trying to process everything he said. “What do you mean, bonded?”

  “Err…” Auric shifted in his seat a little. “You would officially take us as your mate in the most…intimate way.”

  Jasin flashed me a naughty grin. “What he means is that we need to have sex.” He leaned back in his chair with his arms folded behind his head. “Not sure about you guys, but I for one am looking forward to all of this.”

  “Of course you are,” I said, rolling my eyes, even as heat flared inside me at the thought of becoming intimate with all of them. “Don’t get too excited, because I haven’t agreed to any of this.” I turned back to Auric. “So all we have to do is travel to the temples and uh, bond with each other?”

  “Exactly.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “You seem to know a lot about this.”

  Auric shrugged as a small smile touched his lips. “The Air God told me some of it. The rest I learned after doing some research before I came here, although I couldn’t find much information overall. I suspect if books about this ever did exist, the Black Dragon had most of that knowledge purged. I’m hoping we can uncover more on this journey.”

  “You make all of this sound so easy,” Slade said, as his long fingers rubbed his dark beard. “What happens when the Black Dragon and the others find out about us?”

  “Good point,” I said. “I have a hard time seeing any of the Dragons giving up their powers willingly.”

  “We’ll try to travel without attracting attention,” Jasin said. “Keep our powers and our mission secret for as long as we can. But we should leave first thing in the morning.”

  “What about the last member of our team?” Slade asked.

  Jasin shrugged. “He’ll catch up. It’s his problem he wasn’t here on time.”

  “The Gods did tell us to be here in exactly one month,” Auric said, his brow furrowing.

  They wanted to leave tomorrow? I’d wanted to run, but not yet, and not like this. Certainly not with three complete strangers. “We’re not going anywhere,” I said, rising to my feet. “Not until we know more about what is going on here and what we’re supposed to do next.”

  All three men looked like they might argue with me, but I shot them a fierce look and headed for the door. I needed some space, needed to get away from them and everything they represented. Maybe they were destined to be bonded to me, but they weren’t my mates yet. I didn’t know a damn thing about them, I hadn’t chosen them, and I certainly wasn’t going off on some dangerous quest with them.

  I found Tash in the kitchen, stirring a stew with a long ladle. As soon as I entered, she spun around. “What’s going on? Who are those men? Why are they here?”

  Her rapid words made my head spin even more, but I had to tell someone what was going on to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I grabbed her arm and dragged her into my bedroom, then shut the door. “I’ll tell you everything, but I warn you now, it barely makes sense to me.”

  She sat on the edge of the bed, leaning forward anxiously. “Maybe we can sort through it together.”

  “According to those guys, they’re Dragons. Or they will be.” It sounded even more ridiculous when I said it out loud. “But they already have magic.”

  Her brow furrowed. “How is that possible? The Dragons are immortal and there are only five of them. How does someone become one?”

  “I don’t know. But each man says one of the Gods chose him, gave him magic, and then told him to find me.”

  “I’ve never heard of such a thing.” She tilted her head and frowned. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, because you know I love you like a sister…but why you?”

  I drew in a long breath. “Supposedly I’m the next Black Dragon.”

  She gasped. “What?”

  “Trust me, I’m as shocked as you are.” I ran my fingers through my long hair, where they got caught on the tangled ends. “Do you remember on my birthday when I came inside all muddy?”

  “Of course.”

/>   “Right before that I was struck by lightning, but it didn’t hurt me at all. Ever since then I’ve had these weird dreams of four men with elemental powers. Three of those men are now sitting in the other room, and I’m guessing the fourth will be here soon. I’m supposed to go with them to each of the Gods’ temples now to ‘bond’ with them—and after that we’ll be the next Dragons. Which I’m pretty sure the current Dragons won’t be thrilled about. Especially when they learn we’re supposed to overthrow them.”

  She stared at me as if she’d never seen me before. “Are you going to do it?”

  I paced back and forth in front of her. “No way. I don’t know a thing about those men. I’m not sure I believe any of this is real, anyway. It sounds even crazier now that I’ve said it all out loud. There must be some other explanation…”

  She chewed on her lower lip as she considered. “I think you should do it.”

  I stopped and gawked at her. “What?”

  “If any of it is true, then you have a chance to change things. You’ve been chosen by the Gods to make this world better and stop the Black Dragon’s reign.” A mischievous look entered her eyes. “Plus it means you’ll be married to four very handsome men. It’s hard to complain about that.”

  I sank onto the bed beside her and buried my face in my hands. “But I didn’t ask for any of this! I don’t want to change things or to go up against the Black Dragon. I just want to live a quiet, peaceful life and stay out of trouble. And I don’t want four men, or even one.” That wasn’t exactly true, but the whole thing was far too overwhelming for me to even consider what being married to four men would mean.

  She rubbed my back slowly. “It seems that’s not what the Gods have in mind for you. They’ve chosen you, Kira. You have to answer their call.”

  “Curse the Gods,” I muttered, then immediately regretted it. Were they watching me even now? Would they strike me with lightning again if I didn’t do what they wanted?