by Brenda Trim
When they finally made it to the stone ramparts of the castle, Rhett stumbled away, cursing and professing how much he hated them both. Mackendra laughed and taunted the fire demon who sat, glaring back at her.
Kyran looked around and saw the soldiers on guard and noted how alert they were. They gave their party a cursory inspection then went back to scanning the skies and city. It was a marked difference from the last time he’d been on the wall. Kyran watched Legette and dozens of other dragons in light armor return to the castle.
The large creatures landed lightly, surprising him at how silent and graceful they were, despite their size. There were no rough landings that shook the walls like he’d expected. Once the dragon at the front landed, he shifted into his human form and approached their small group. Mackendra turned around while Rhett stayed where he was, head buried in his hands.
“Good work back there, Mack. I’m Legette, second in command to the King of Khoth,” he held his hand out to Kyran for a brief handshake. “Let’s go inside and talk.”
“What happened to you being the King of Khoth?” Mackendra asked as they followed him through a large wooden door.
“What happened is that my faith was renewed when you brought me the tablet and then rescued Kyran. We will have our true king back and help him find Keira. Now, we need to focus on getting the portal open and Angus back to us,” Legette explained as they made their way through a surprisingly modern castle.
Kyran recalled the castles he had lived in, thinking how this one held a combination of contemporary and primitive. It had him considering that maybe the ruins of his family’s castle could be rebuilt and modernized. Mackendra’s voice brought him around to the males in the room. “Can we get a shower before we have this conversation, please? I’m covered in green goo and it’s burning my skin,” she explained and pulled her shirt away from her body. He watched Nate follow the movement of her hands.
“I just gave you that shirt and it’s already ruined. Are you always this hard on clothes?” Nate asked. Okay, it was official, his mate was entirely too friendly for his tastes. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and glared at the dragon addressing his mate.
“What are you, five?” Mackendra asked him. He looked down into her upturned face. “They all know that I belong to you. You don’t need to show them.” He grunted at her. Yeah, he was being immature at the moment because it was all he could do not to start beating the male.
“Anyway, to answer your question. No, Nate. I’m not usually this hard on clothes. When I fight at home, it isn’t quite so messy.” It was then that he really noticed what her shirt said and he had to laugh, because Mackendra would see being called a bitch as a compliment.
“Gods, you lot are like herding kippies. Mack’s attire and hygiene aren’t important. We need to talk about getting the portal open and finding our king,” Legette interrupted before the situation devolved further.
“Clearly, you know how to open the passage, so why doona you fill me in,” Kyran ordered. He wanted to be excited about going home, but instinct told him it wasn’t that simple.
“Yes, we know how to…” Mackendra cut Legette off. “Kyran, let’s talk first,” she said with pleading eyes. He’d never seen that look on her face before and somehow, she knew that he wasn’t going to like what they had to say.
“Nay. Tell me now,” he demanded through gritted teeth.
“Your blood, the blood of a Nightwalker, needs to be spilled at the sight of the stone arch and it will negate the spell,” Legette informed him.
“I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for me, Kyran,” Mackendra told him hotly. She was pissed and she was determined. Normally, he would laugh at a female telling him she wouldn’t allow him to do something, but he knew how stubborn Mackendra was and didn’t doubt her ability to stop him. There was no female like his firecracker.
“Och, I doona plan on sacrificing myself for anything. I can lose a significant amount of blood withoot dying. I’m immortal, love. Have you forgotten my lesson aboot the ways to kill an immortal?” He squeezed her arms to emphasize his words.
She rolled her eyes at him. “I remember every word you said. In fact, I beheaded several ogres today,” she said proudly. Then her eyes widened. “Oh, Kyran! This means we can really go home,” she sang happily, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him with abandon. He squeezed her tighter as his lips meshed with hers.
Before the kiss got out of hand, he pulled back and responded to her, “Aye, we can.” He glanced at Legette. “Let’s visit the portal, shall we?”
*****
Kyran looked at the stone arch they had come through all those days ago. Given everything that had happened since they came to Khoth, time had escaped him. He knew they hadn’t been in Khoth for more than a couple weeks and he wondered if the span of time was the same on earth as it was in this realm.
Legette approached the arch with reverence and traced the runes with his finger. “Are you ready for this Nightwalker?”
Kyran felt Mack stiffen at his side. Their bond told him that she was anxious and scared, yet ready to take on the dragons if they tried to harm him. He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. He had spent centuries without such small expressions of joy. Not that he had been a miserable vampire. He had, in fact, been extremely happy when his brother and a fellow warrior had found their mates, but he hadn’t conveyed it. It struck him that he didn’t think he’d ever told Zander or Jace how pleased he was for them.
“Aye, I am. What do we need to do?”
“Unfortunately, the prophecy does not include a how-to manual with step-by-step instruction about how to spill your Nightwalker blood. I say we collect some blood in a chalice and spread it across the runes. Our runes hold power for us, so it makes the most sense,” Legette explained.
“Och, then we best get to it,” he replied.
Legette motioned to Nate who was standing by with one of the other dragons. Both Nate and Blane approached Kyran. Nate was holding a small ceremonial knife while Blane held a gold and gem-encrusted cup. “This will only hurt a little,” Nate reassured. Kyran heard Mack hiss in response before she took a step toward the irreverent dragon.
“Stop, lass. ‘Tis okay. Nate canna hurt me and we have to do this to get home,” he reassured, holding her gaze while stroking her hair.
“One wrong move, dragon-breath, and I will castrate you. I need some new dice for my rearview mirror.” It was all Kyran could do to keep from laughing at the fear that sparked in Nate’s eyes at her threat. She might be female, but they knew better than to dismiss her.
“I have no idea what a rearview mirror is, but I do recall the feel of your cold blade against the twins.” Nate stepped closer to them and leaned toward Mackendra. “I’d rather you grab my balls, bitch.” Without thinking, Kyran pulled his arm back and his balled fist met the dragon shifter’s nose. Nate flew backwards and landed heavily on his ass while blood poured down his face.
“What the fuck?” Nate asked as he wiped his face with the back of his hand. Blane approached his fellow shifter, shaking his head and reaching to help him stand.
“Do you even have to ask that? I can’t believe the stupidity of that statement. You’re lucky you are still alive, douche-dick,” Blane chastised.
Mackendra had jumped in-between the two of them and placed both her palms on Kyran’s chest. He looked down at her small hands then up to her face. This female continued to surprise him, thinking she could stop him. Maybe he was the idiot, given that he hadn’t moved forward like he wanted. Instead, he was stock-still, waiting to hear what she had to say. If this female ever realized how much power she had over him, he was going to be in trouble.
“He is an obnoxious jackass, Kyran, but he’s completely harmless. Look at him. He’s a humongous dragon when he shifts, yet he’s scared of little old me,” she reassured him.
“I doubt there is a male here that isna afraid of you, Firecracker.” Mollified by her touch
alone, the anger bled from him as quick as it rose. “Watch your mouth with my mate or I canna promise she will be able to stop me next time,” he warned.
“Enough. We have more important things to do,” Legette barked.
Nate brushed his pants off and a smile broke across his face. “Sorry, Nightwalker. I had forgotten how possessive mates are. We good?”
“Aye,” Kyran responded, holding his hand out. “Give me the blade, I’ll do the cutting.” Nate handed over the dagger and took the chalice from Blane. Kyran sliced into his wrist and held it over the cup. By the time it was full, Kyran’s natural healing had kicked in and the wound had sealed.
Legette took the blood and turned to the portal. He dipped his hand into the cup and then smeared Kyran’s blood across the runes etched into the stone of the portal. Kyran watched as Legette began breathing in rhythm for several minutes. The next thing he saw was smoke leaving his mouth with every exhale. He raised his bloody hand and black claws extended from the tips of the fingers. He used his index finger to trace a pattern into the smoke. Everyone stood by and waited with bated breath. After several more minutes, Legette turned back to the group.
“Nothing. We need more blood,” Legette proclaimed, keeping eye contact with Mackendra.
“You can have more, but I don’t care if that thing never opens. You aren’t killing him,” Mackendra declared, pulling her blade, leaving no doubt that she would unleash hell if they even tried.
Kyran recognized the emotion behind her words. She cared for him, more than she probably wanted. Certainly more than she would ever admit. He doubted she would ever say those three little words that most craved to hear, but to him, this was infinitely better. She would die fighting to save him and he would do the same for her. He had never expected to find this with anyone. Ecstasy exploded from every cell in his body and he grabbed her into his arms and brought his mouth down on hers. He lost himself in the way her tongue danced with his and he didn’t care that there was a crowd watching. His mate loved him. He slipped his hands under her ass and picked her up and she immediately wrapped her legs around his waist.
The clearing of a throat broke the moment. He pulled away and saw her chest heaving and her pants matched his own. He turned his head and glared at the dragon with a death wish. Nate threw up his hands. “We just want to try again so you guys can go home and continue this in private.”
Without putting Mackendra down, Kyran offered his wrist again. They tried the ritual several more times until Kyran was feeling the effects of blood loss. Mackendra spoke up when he staggered. “This doesn’t make sense. You said you needed Nightwalker blood and Kyran has given you so much that he’s close to passing out.” He was about to object to her description when she held her hand up, stalling him. “You must be missing something.” She traced her fingers over the runes and asked, “What exactly did your prophecy say?”
“It said that we needed to sacrifice the blood of a mated Nightwalker. Last time I checked, your mate was a vampire,” Legette responded. “He needs to be sacrificed.”
Kyran ignored Mackendra’s explosion and focused on what Legette had said. “Bluidy hell. That’s the problem. We are no’ fully mated yet.”
All eyes turned to him. “What do you mean?” Legette asked.
“Mackendra and I have started the mating process, but we havena completed it. There are two steps remaining,” he explained.
Mackendra’s eyes lit with hope and relief. “So, let’s finish it right now. What do we need to do?”
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
Mack petted Pip while she listened to Kyran tell the Cuelebre what they needed to do to complete the ceremony. They were back at Tatenen, gathered in the war room, after realizing they couldn’t open the portal just yet. “Legette needs to bless the mating using specific phrases to include each direction of the compass, as well as, the corresponding elements. There is an amulet that we use during the ceremony, although a facsimile will work. We also need a mating stone that Legette will bless. After the ceremony is completed, we need to consummate the union with a blood exchange.”
Mack’s skin tingled at the thought of consummating their union. And, she didn’t find the idea of a blood exchange repulsive anymore. In fact, she recalled how much pleasure she had found in Kyran’s bite and was anxious for more. “Mating stones? I have a bunch of stones I got in that cave.”
Rhett kicked her leg and gave her a look that screamed, Shut the hell up, you’re about to get yourself arrested. It took her a moment to understand what he was talking about before she recalled their conversation about taking stones. She shrugged, daring the dragons to try and do anything to her. The way she saw it, they needed her and Kyran if they hoped to get their king back. Besides, she was building her own dragon-hoard. Pip squeaked in her ear as he clung to her hair, as if in agreement. She scratched his fuzzy head, burying her fingers in his soft fur.
“I doona know if a precious gem will work, but maybe the Goddess will honor a rock from another God’s territory.”
“I’m not even going to ask where you found the gems,” Legette interjected.
“Good, because they are payment, as far as I’m concerned,” Mack retorted.
“Yeah, because you aren’t getting anything out of this situation at all,” Nate teased.
“You’re going to miss me when I’m gone,” Mack informed him. He smiled brightly and ruffled her hair.
“No, I’m not. I’m coming with you guys. I’m being trusted with the mission of bringing Angus home, so consider me your personal chaperone,” he said proudly.
Mack’s mouth dropped open at that. “Are you kidding me? Surely, Legette, or anyone else, would be better suited.” Nate was a flirt and jokester. There was nothing about him that screamed diplomacy.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence there, Mack.”
“Don’t worry, he’s not going alone. I’ll be joining him, as well,” Lorne added.
“I’m going, too,” Rhett said, joining the conversation. “I figure it’s time for my next adventure. After meeting you, Mack, how can I not go and see this realm that you come from?”
“Now that the guest list is final, can we get back to the ceremony?” Kyran asked and she noted the terseness in his tone. She imagined he wasn’t too happy to have all these men tagging along.
“You sound anxious to get to the consummation part, Ky, not that I blame you. That shower you two shared had me worked up…ouch, what was that for?” Nate complained, grabbing his shoulder.
Mack laughed as Blane punched him and blurted, “You don’t know when to stop, you stupid-fucking-sea-donkey.”
“I can’t wait for Angus to return. Then it will be his job to keep control of you lot. I don’t know why the Gods are punishing me, but I’m ready to turn you over to him. Refocus, idiots. Now, can you write down what I need to say, Kyran?”
“Does this need to be done outside under the moon?” Caleb asked. The Máahes had quietly observed the goings on around him, but Mack suspected there was more beneath the surface. There was a force surrounding him that was almost tangible. She had immediately felt at ease with him and knew he was a good person to have at your back. Actually, most of the Máahes were soldiers she’d like to have by her side when she returned home to fight the skirm.
“We doona need to be outside, but the moon has to touch the image of the amulet. Would you prefer to do this outside, or, inside?” Kyran asked Mack.
She stopped and thought about what she’d prefer, realizing that, this was, in essence, going to be her wedding. She had been engaged before, but hadn’t done any planning before he’d left her. She wasn’t one of those girls who grew up dreaming of their big day, but she wanted this to be perfect.
“I’d like to do it outside. The moon is so different here, the purple color is beautiful.”
“What about a dress?” Rhett asked. “I can take you shopping for one.” She wasn’t a dress person or even a girly-girl, but the idea of wearing a beautiful
gown for Kyran was appealing.
She looked up and smiled at Kyran. “Yes, definitely a dress.”
Kyran leaned in to whisper in her ear, “I expect to see those strings on underneath whatever you wear.” He placed a reverent kiss to the shell of her ear and a shiver ran down her spine. She flushed with excitement, suddenly ready for the blood-exchange.
“Draw that amulet of yours, Kyran, and I’ll pass it onto the royal blacksmiths for fabrication,” Legette added, oblivious to the exchange between Mack and Kyran.
“You doona happen to have a bloodstone, do you? If not, then we will need a ruby large enough to fit in the center,” Kyran explained.
“It will have to be a ruby. Everything will be ready by midnight,” Legette promised. Mack sensed the excitement of the Cuelebre for the return of their king and knew they would work hard and fast to put this ceremony together.
“C’mon, Sunshine, let’s get you a dress,” Rhett called out as he left the room. Mack followed, her anticipation bubbling under the surface.
*****
Kyran adjusted the jacket he was wearing. Nate had taken him to get mating clothes of his own. Kyran was disappointed to discover they didn’t have any Scottish finery. He had worn his formal kilt for Zander’s mating and had imagined wearing it for his own. Instead, he was trapped in a dragon realm and wearing a suit made of black silk, hoping the ceremony went well and the Goddess recognized their blessing.
He heard a knock at the door and turned to see Nate standing there. “Ready?”
“Aye,” he replied, anxious to have this mating completed.
They headed down the hall together and Nate asked, “You seem so calm. You don’t mind being tied down to one female for the rest of your very long life?”
“Nay. I look forward to spending eternity with Mackendra. She has a flare for life that is infectious and I look forward to every unpredictable day with her.” He had been through so much with Mackendra during their time on Khoth and it had only brought them closer together.
