Dragons Sky

by Noah Harris

  Rajiah was beautiful in the slivers of starlight, lighting up his dark skin and glimmering in his dark eyes. He was beautiful, lips parted, moisture gleaming on them. He was beautiful, noises and gasps and whines dropping from his lips like he couldn’t contain them. Arulean loved them. He loved the sounds, each and every one. He loved how loud he was and how he didn’t hold back. He loved how Rajiah moved with him, unable to keep his hips still. He loved how he writhed beneath him, legs quivering and hands constantly groping, nails biting his skin and stinging his flesh. He loved that he bit at his shoulder and his lips, loved how his tongue pushed into Arulean’s mouth with force, fingers in his hair holding him still as the omega claimed him. He loved how he felt, hot and wet everywhere they touched, driving him quickly to his climax.

  He was beginning to realize he loved a lot of things about Rajiah Bronze, but more than anything, he was pretty sure he simply loved him.

  He didn’t knot him. He knew he couldn’t. Not if he wanted his bond with Lyphnia to be strong enough to bring her down, pull her leash tight, and keep her from causing mayhem. He couldn’t mate with Rajiah the way he wanted to, but that wouldn’t stop him from claiming the omega as his own.

  And claim him, he did. He marked him everywhere hands and teeth could reach, just as Rajiah claimed him in return. He pounded him into the mattress again and again, bringing them both to orgasm several times, and making a mess of the sheets. And when he could no longer move, he laid on his back, attempting to catch his breath, before Rajiah, his beautiful, young, vibrant omega, mounted him and rode him, hips twitching and rolling as he brought them to orgasm one last time before collapsing on top of him.

  With them both breathless, sweaty, sore, and unable to move, he stayed inside Rajiah. They weren’t knotted, but at that moment, he could pretend they were. He closed his eyes, running a hand up and down the man’s back while the other gently ran fingers through his hair. They kissed sweet and languid until even the effort of holding up their heads was too much. Rajiah fell asleep first, nuzzled and tucked under his chin, body curled up on his chest.

  Arulean let sleep take him slowly, sinking into unconsciousness with the thought that he never wanted this feeling to fade, and he never wanted to let Rajiah go.

  Chapter Twelve

  Arulean was tired. He was emotionally and physically drained. And yet, as he stood on the balcony of his study, overlooking the valley and the dragons that flew above, his heart felt light, a weight that had been pulling him into the earth had been lifted. For the first time in years, he was able to breathe easy, knowing that he had done something to help his people.

  The Final Meeting had been long and gruelling. It had started much as he expected it to, with Lyphnia sweeping into the council room with a flourish and taking her seat like her victory was ensured. She hadn’t been expecting Arulean’s retaliation when she brought up war again, and he couldn’t quite blame her for that. He had been passive for far too long and allowed her to test the boundaries.

  It was during that meeting when he had taken Rajiah’s advice and tightened her leash, using their mateship bond, forced and strengthened through centuries, to keep her in check. He used everything at his disposal to force her into submission: his aura flaring, his scent strong, his harsh voice, and unwavering cold eyes. He tore into her with his words, cutting through her arguments, making her look like a petulant and bitter child, making the council question her logic when she proposed no more hiding, making them question her leadership. He brought up the past, how following her had led to folly. And, throughout it all, he pressed on her from all sides with his aura, an aura that he hadn’t utilized to its full potential in centuries.

  He showed them that he was still as powerful as he used to be, and he showed them why he had remained a dragon king for so long. Lyphnia was powerful on her own, but a lot of her influence had been gained through her mateship with him. He, on the other hand, had gained his position on his own, and he could stand on his own, with or without her.

  She had been forced to submit, to bite back her words, though he could see the rage swirling in her eyes, in her aura, smell it in her scent. She wasn’t happy. She was seething. But there was nothing she could do about it. Arulean had won, again, and she knew it.

  With her foundation weakened and her position shaken, it was easy for Arulean to make his case for the Paranormal Pact. It was easy to weave his words, use his influence, and show them the confidence needed to get them on his side. He didn’t use his aura to force them to submit as he had with Lyphnia, but it felt like he had. He had given them barely any room for contradiction, and none of them argued against him. Not without Lyphnia as their spear head.

  And so The Summit concluded with the decision to tentatively enter the Paranormal Pact, to keep hidden and secret until their people, hopefully, faded from knowledge into myth in the minds of humans. They made the announcement, and not everyone was happy, but there was little they could do. Arulean knew he couldn’t please everyone, but he could do what he believed was best for his people. He made it clear that they were to remain hidden and under no circumstances engage in combat with humans, and that anyone who did so would not receive support from the rest of their kind. He said this with a pointed look at Lyphnia, who scowled and looked away.

  Arulean felt powerful again. He felt influential. He felt like a king in more than just name. He felt like someone his people could turn to. It made him feel lighter and more solid. Made him feel alive. He had been fading into a ghost of his former self, retreating into a shell without realizing it. Gerrald had tried to get him to understand, but it had been to no avail. And then Rajiah came crashing into his life and ripped him from his shell, pulled him back into reality and forced him to face the world and himself. And he came out stronger for it. All because of him.

  The Summit had officially concluded two days ago, and they had gone on the last flight the night before. It had been much more invigorating than the first. Arulean had truly felt alive and less like he was simply going through the motions. He and Lyphnia had led the flight, as was tradition, but the emotional gap between them was wider and deeper than ever. They spun around each other, circling high above the valley as far from each other as they could get. They were two powerful figureheads, tied together but no longer lovers. No longer friends. He had severed that connection for good when he humiliated her at the Final Meeting in front of the council, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret it.

  The valley and the skies above the mountains had been alive with dragons, and it had warmed his heart. They were so few compared to what they had once been, but they were still there, still alive, still fighting, still surviving. They had taken a heavy hit centuries ago, but they would come back. They were dragons, and they were strong. He reveled in watching them dart and fly around each other and with each other over the valley. He loved watching the cacophony of scales and bodies, writhing in the air, living, breathing, and joining in a flight that was filled with kinship. He overlooked them all from his position high above them, watching over them with a proud and gentle eye.

  He watched Rajiah. He watched as the omega led another fruitless chase for the alphas. He knew that the omega wouldn’t let any of them catch him. He felt a rumbling of envy in his chest, but he smothered it down, knowing the man still bore his mark and his scent. He was his, even if he couldn’t make him his mate. So he let Rajiah have his fun and put on his show, both of them knowing Arulean would come to claim him later that night.

  And now, as Arulean watched over the valley, dragons filtered out of it. Most of them left in their dragon forms, and would no doubt remain so until they neared human civilization, or remain flying high enough to avoid being spotted, or just avoid humans altogether. With The Summit over, they would all return to their homes or whatever they were doing prior to the call. They would go back to surviving, go back to living. Arulean found the sight of them, all proud and strong in their glory, scales glinting in the sun and shining throu
gh their wings, a bitter sweet sight. He was proud of his people. He loved them, but he was sad to see them go.

  Dragons did not live as other shifters did. They didn’t live in packs. They lived separately and came together on rare occurrences. And Arulean was starting to think that was a fairly lonely existence.

  “I will be leaving on the morrow.”

  Her voice came soft but sharp, cutting through his thoughts and the bubble of his tranquility. He hadn’t heard or felt her approach. Or perhaps he did, but he hadn’t thought to dwell on it. He had grown so used to her presence over the years.

  He took a step back to turn, hands clasped behind his back. She stood behind him, in the open doorway to his study. Her hair was loose, falling down her back in silky, blood red curls. Her eyes were lined, make-up perfect, showing off her flawless features. Her lips, painted red, were pressed into a thin, expressionless line that was unlike her. Her eyes were dark, glinting red where the irises caught the light. She gazed at him steadily, and he gazed back. Silence stretched between them, a breeze billowing their hair as their bodies stood frozen.

  He could not say he was surprised she was leaving. On some level, he had expected it. After he had humiliated her and abashed her like a child in the Final Meeting, pushing his presence over her until she submitted, he knew she would leave. They would still be bound by their mateship. That was not so easily broken. But he knew she wouldn’t want to be near him, living with him, when he could so easily suppress her like that. When he had made a fool of her in front of their peers.

  “Where will you go?” He asked, finally breaking the silence.

  She managed a nonchalant shrug, putting one hand on her hip. “I have an idea of lands I want to scout out, build a home. Something grander than this place. Some place where dragons are welcome.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Lands void of humans, I hope.” He said, voice low and even.

  She sneered. “Yes, Arulean, lands free of humans. I will abide by your Pact for now, but do not think I have given up what I believe is right, what we deserve.”

  He cocked a wry smile. “I would not dream of it. You are a strong woman, Lyphnia. A strong dragon. I wish we could be on the same side.”

  She sighed then, a small exhale through her nose. “As do I, Arulean. Perhaps, one day, we can be again.”

  “Perhaps.” He doubted it, but there was no harm in humoring her.

  Her eyes flickered to his neck, where he had several marks that were clear and on display. He hadn’t bothered trying to hide them, nor had he scrubbed Rajiah’s scent from his body. “I do not suppose you will release me from our mateship?”

  “You know I will not. Friends or enemies, our bond is important to our people.”

  “Even if it is clear that you desire another?”

  He nodded sharply. “Even if that is the case, yes.”

  “I suppose this means I can take a lover or two without your interference?”

  Something rose in him, something predatory and possessive, something old and ancient. It died down quickly. He had Rajiah. “That is what it means, yes.”

  “But you will not make him your mate in truth?”

  “I will not.”

  She hummed. “He will not like that.”

  “Keeping our bond is more important.”

  “To you, perhaps.” She looked him over, eyes calculating. “Perhaps one day you will change your mind.”

  “Perhaps.”

  They lapsed back into silence, each quietly appraising the other. There was a world of things left unsaid between them, bridges that had been burned and things that needed closure. And yet, when it came down to it, they found they had nothing to say to each other at all. The time for that had passed, and the time for separation had been long coming.

  She took a step back, eyes on him still. “I suppose this is goodbye then.”

  He nodded, expression softening. “Goodbye, Lyphnia. May the wind carry you swiftly on your travels.”

  “I suppose I will see you on the next Blood Moon?”

  He nodded. “You will. And every other after that.”

  She tilted her head to the side, something dark and sorrowful swirling in her eyes, a vulnerability she rarely let show. When she spoke, her voice was softer, with less of an edge. “Do you think we will ever conceive again?”

  He gave her a small, honest smile. “We can hope.”

  She nodded, then turned on her heel, walking briskly across the study without much preamble or lingering. “Goodbye, Arulean.” She called, raising a hand to wave over her shoulder. That was Lyphnia. Quick, precise, firm in her decisions. She wasn’t one to linger, and not one to allow too much emotion.

  He watched her go, letting the closing of the heavy oaken doors resonate around the room. “Goodbye, Lyphnia.”

  She left the valley in a flourish. Red scales glistening in the mid-afternoon sun, she was bright and vibrant, a streak of blood and fire against the blue sky. She did circles above the valley, and then, with a mighty roar of defiance and freedom, and a mighty down stroke of her wings, she shot out to the southeast, disappearing over the mountaintops. Several other dragons followed her, her entourage no doubt, carrying chests of her possessions that she refused to leave behind. She said she would send for others at a later date.

  Arulean watched from the ground, standing at the top of the grand staircase that led up to his castle’s front doors. He stood tall and regal, clothes simple for his station but fanciful nonetheless. His hands were clasped behind his back, chin lifted to gaze up at the sky. His long, dark hair was swept back and tied at the nape of his neck with a black ribbon. The breeze was cool against his cheeks.

  He felt him approach. He felt it with the entirety of his being, smelled his scent on the wind, felt his aura pulsing behind him, heard his light but sure footfalls. It was as if everything in him was reaching out for him, burning at the omega’s nearness and begging to be closer.

  He stayed where he was. “The others have already left.” He said, voice even, conversational. Lyphnia and her entourage were the last to leave, save for Arulean, those who lived here, and Rajiah. He didn’t ask, but the question hung in the air between them. Rajiah answered anyway.

  “I won’t be leaving.” He said softly, stopping when he was standing at his side, head tilted up to the sky. They stood close, arms brushing.

  “Are you certain?”

  “I am.”

  “I cannot be your mate in truth, Rajiah.” He said softly, regret coloring his voice. He closed his eyes, feeling the sun on his face. “I wish I could, but I cannot.”

  “Will you be my mate in every other sense?” Arulean opened his eyes, turning his head to gaze down at the omega. His head was tilted up, dark eyes on the sky, sun shining on his dark skin, wind in his loose, wavy hair. “Will you be mine?”

  His lips quirked into a small, earnest smile, gaze softening. “I already am. I am here, as I am, as strong as I am, because of you. You make me feel alive, Rajiah. You have my heart.”

  He breathed out a small sigh, finally turning his gaze to Arulean’s. He felt a shiver as their eyes locked, amazed at all the warmth and fire those amber eyes held. “And you have mine, Arulean.” He tilted his head to the side, smile widening as he laid a hand on Arulean’s arm. “I’m proud of you, for everything, for standing up for everyone, for being the light we need.”

  He laid his hand over Rajiah’s. “I could not have done it without you. Everything I have to give is yours. Everything I am is yours.”

  Rajiah’s grin was blinding. He leaned into Arulean, and the alpha laid an arm across his shoulders, pulling him into his side. Rajiah melted against him, smaller arms wrapping around his waist. “I never had a home...” He said, voice soft and content. “I always wandered, and I didn’t really think I needed a home. But now... I think I’ve found my home with you. I want you to be my home.”

  Arulean’s arm around him tightened as he said softly, “Perhaps with you around, this castl
e will finally feel like a home again.”

  Together they turned, heading back toward the castle doors wrapped tightly together. They had a lot of work ahead of them. Lyphnia’s things would need to be gathered and prepared to move, and they would move Rajiah into Arulean’s room. He still had messages to answer and messages to send, informing the other paranormal communities and other shifters of the dragons joining the Paranormal Pact. He had a lot of planning to do. He had a valley and a village of shifters to take care of, to make sure were doing alright and would do alright come winter.

  But for now, he was content to simply bask in Rajiah’s warmth.

  “We should invite the villagers to the castle.” He said suddenly.

  Arulean raised an eyebrow, glancing down at him. “Oh?”

  Rajiah nodded, smirking up at him, a little shyly. “Yeah, when was the last time the villagers were allowed to freely visit the castle?”

  He thought about that. “Never, I do not think.”

  “Then it’s a perfect time to start. Let them meet you, the man who protects them. Regge and Marli want to meet you officially, and that werewolf pack we helped have been eager to see you again. Whether you realize it or not, Arulean, you’re their hero. Everyone in this valley, shifters great and small look up to you. You’re their leader.” His smile curved wider, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “You’re like the Alpha of this pack. This giant, mismatched pack of shifters who just want to live together peacefully. Shifters of all kinds who just came together to live under your guiding leadership.”

  He had never thought of it like that before. He had founded the valley as a safe haven from humans, but he hadn’t ever thought of the citizens who came to the valley as a pack. But that was honestly what it seemed like. A whole civilization of shifters from all backgrounds, coming together and combining to make one large pack that lived under his rule. He had been so busy focusing on the problems of the dragons that he hadn’t quite thought about everyone else who looked up to him as well. Rajiah helped him see that.