by Tonya Brooks
"There is nothing that you can do for her," he pointed out reasonably. "As long as she fears for your safety, Princess Ember will fight the change. The longer she fights, the more painful it will become. Please, my lady."
***
Dragan knew what needed to be done. It was what his father had done to him, but he also knew his mate would have a fit if he did it. Torn between upsetting her and helping his daughter, the pleading look the child gave him settled the issue. He growled in frustration before moving across the hall to gently lift her into his arms.
Turning carefully, so his tail didn't destroy the furnishings, he carried Ember outside and flew straight up into the air. The girl shrieked, whether in fright or pain he didn't know, and clung tightly to his arm. He wished he could communicate with her so she'd have some warning, but until the shift occurred, it wasn't possible.
Once he had reached an acceptable height, he leveled off and flew toward Turquoise Lake. Better to be safe than sorry because he knew from experience that water provided a softer landing than the ground. Depending on the height of the fall, that is. From this height, either one would prove fatal.
When he reached the lake, he released his hold on the girl and watched her plummet like a stone, her scream echoing in the valley below them. Following closely in a slow dive, he saw the change occur, watched with paternal pride as the dragon emerged, and her wings unfurled, catching the wind beneath them.
It was a glorious sight to behold.
Then she caught a downdraft that sent her tumbling end over end, her wings flopping helplessly in the strong wind. Dragan swooped down, caught the smaller dragon in his hands and flew them back up to a higher altitude. 'Can you hear me, little one?' He asked hopefully.
Her head snapped up, reptilian eyes wide with emotion as she nodded confirmation. 'I can hear you,' she confessed tremulously, and he could feel her excitement.
'You did wonderfully until the downdraft caught you,' he praised. 'Try to stay above the top of the mountains this time.'
'This time?' She yelped before he released her again. Her scream of terror turned into a squeal of joy as she caught the wind and flapped her wings experimentally. 'I'm flying! Ohmygosh. I'm really flying!'
He laughed right along with her, staying close in case she got into trouble again. 'That you are, little one.'
'Can I show mom?' Ember asked hopefully as he flew up beside her.
"Absolutely,' he agreed and led the way back to the castle with his daughter right by his side. They did a slow fly by and saw his mate and mage watching them from the courtyard. Brendyn was clapping his hands and shouting encouragement. His Ainsley was jumping up and down in excitement, cheering their daughter on.
Ember turned her head toward him, a huge smile revealing the rows of sharp teeth. Eyes so like his own sparkling with excitement, she said, 'Coolest dad ever.'
The compliment bathed him with happiness, so he laughed and teased, 'You say that now, but be warned, little one. Learning to land isn't all fun and games.'
'Ohmygosh. How do I land this thing?' Ember asked nervously.
'There is a reason why the south terrace is as large as a football field,' he admitted. 'It helps to have plenty of space when you come in like a bowling ball.'
'Dad!' She wailed anxiously.
'You'll do fine,' he said confidently, but if she didn't, he'd be there to catch her. 'Just remember to reduce your speed, bend your knees for impact, and tilt your wings slightly back to keep from pitching forward.'
'Umm, what?'
Dragan chuckled and replied, 'Just watch me and do what I do.'
'Okay,' she agreed hesitantly.
He went in for a landing slow and low, dropping lightly to the ground with practiced ease and running a few steps because she would need to. His daughter had flown overhead watching, and she circled the terrace to fly in solo. Completely focused on her every move, he guided Ember in with gentle words of encouragement.
She did just fine right up until her feet hit the ground and she stumbled, rolling head over tail halfway across the terrace before she slammed into his legs. His daughter lay in a bedraggled heap at his feet, a blindingly brilliant smile on her face as she beamed up at him with pride. 'I did it, Dad!'
An answering grin covered his face when he confirmed, 'That you did and with nary a broken bone.' He lifted the little dragon to her feet and much to his surprise; she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Dragan's eyes misted, and his chest was so full it felt like it was going to explode.
His daughter had stolen his heart as easily as her mother.
CHAPTER SIX
Ainsley had tried to climb over the balustrade when she'd seen Dragan drop their daughter in midair. If it hadn't been for Brendyn holding her back, she would have. Once the sheer terror wore off, she'd been filled with rage that he could do something so cruel and heartless to an innocent child.
The majordomo's deeply concerned voice had seemed very far away as he had soothed, "Please, my lady, try to calm yourself."
After she'd screamed her fury, along with several rather colorful and profane threats as to how she was going to end the dragon's life, his best friend had explained why Dragan had done it. It might be standard practice to force a shift, but she had every intention of chewing him out for doing something so inhumane.
To give him his due, Dragan had stayed right beside Ember the entire time. He'd caught her when she'd floundered, and then the heartless bastard had dropped her again. Her fury had been temporarily forgotten as she'd watched her daughter soar through the star-filled sky with much less grace than the larger dragon.
Still, her daughter was a dragon and she was flying. It was an incredible sight. Both she and Brendyn had cheered as loudly as they could when the little dragon flew over them, her pointy white teeth exposed in a smile. Ainsley's heart didn't stop hammering like a jackhammer in her chest until they were both safely on the ground again.
She winced and took off running to her when Ember crash landed. Her feet slowed to a stop, and her heart just melted when the girl stood up and hugged her father. The tears in Dragan's eyes had her own welling up. God, how she wanted the two of them to love each other as much as she loved them.
Oh, she knew they'd never be a fairy tale family, but she fervently hoped that Dragan and Ember could have a real relationship. So she'd quelled the urge to give him a piece of her mind and had hugged her large, scaly daughter instead. The bruising hug she'd received had assured her that the girl had no idea of her own strength yet.
Unfortunately, she had no idea how to shift back to her human form either. For the last two hours, both men had been patiently working with the girl to no avail. The longer it took, the more agitated that Ember became. Brendyn had barely managed to disappear before her daughter's fiery roar of frustration had torched the chair he'd been sitting in.
How he'd managed to disappear into thin air was a question for another day. Right then she was too tired and worried to care. Now that she'd roasted something, Ember had managed to calm down enough that it was safe to be near her. So Ainsley sat in a wingback chair next to where the little dragon was slumped dejectedly on the floor.
Soulful brown reptilian eyes were sad as Ember laid her head on her lap. She stroked her daughter's scale-covered head, careful to avoid the tiny spikes protruding out of the back of her neck. Much as she had done since the girl was born, the worried mother began to hum a soothing lullaby to calm her distressed child.
"That's it," Brendyn stopped pacing to exclaim. "Music."
"What about it?" Ainsley queried tiredly.
"It really does soothe the savage beast," he explained. "It was one of the few things that could calm Dragan when he was going through the change."
"It's worth a try," she agreed wearily.
"Play something, Dray," his best friend implored. The dragon snorted and glared at the man before holding up his hands and wiggling his claw-tipped fingers as if to remind them that he couldn't p
lay in dragon form.
Brendyn had already explained that for Ember's safety, and theirs, her father would not shift until she did. Just in case he needed to restrain her. Ainsley hadn't found that to be comforting at all. Neither had their daughter apparently because it had been immediately afterward that she'd nearly cooked the majordomo.
The man folded his arms over his chest, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you have a better suggestion?" To which the dragon snorted smoke and stomped his foot in vexation. With a wave of his hand, Brendyn said something in a language she didn't comprehend and the grand piano began to grow to dragon size.
The dragon was muttering and grumbling like an annoyed toddler as he stalked over to the instrument and looked questioningly at the bench. Ainsley bit back a smile when he deduced that even supersized it would never bear his weight. Dragan shoved it aside with two fingers and stepped in front of the piano.
His claws danced lightly over the keyboard as if testing how much pressure to apply before he looked up and caught her grinning at him in amusement. He shot her a pretty saucy wink for a dragon, and she laughed at his nonsense. Ember lifted her head and shifted sideways to see what was going on.
"Your father is a very talented musician," she informed the girl in a tone filled with laughter. "If he can play with those claws, he's even better than I thought."
Dragan stuck his forked tongue out at her, and it was so comical that her daughter made a peculiar snorting sound that could have been laughter. Arching one eyebrow arrogantly as if he were intentionally putting on a show for them, the dragon cracked his knuckles and stretched his fingers.
Then he trailed the back of one claw from one side of the keyboard to the other before poising those massive clawed hands over the ivories. She hadn't known what to expect, but it certainly hadn't been Beethoven. The opening bars to Moonlight Sonata floated through the room, and her daughter groaned as if she were in pain.
Having already discerned that the dragons could communicate without words, she wasn't surprised when Dragan stopped playing abruptly and gave their daughter a baleful look. Obviously, the girl didn't care for his selection, and Ainsley could only assume they were arguing over what he should play.
Since Ember had teethed on her old CD collection, which had included everything that Dragan's band had ever recorded, and effectively ruined them, the girl had no clue how vast her father's repertoire was. But her mother did, so she suggested, "Play something by Dragon's Fire."
"Do my favorite, Dray," Brendyn prompted. The dragon gave them both a pouting look before he sighed and turned his attention back to the keyboard again. When he began to play Great Balls Of Fire, Ainsley clapped her hands and squealed in delight since it was one of her favorites too.
Brendyn rose to his feet, bowed in front of them and requested, "Dance with me, ladies."
Her daughter's eyes grew huge, and her mouth fell open in surprise. Ainsley gave her a nudge and said, "Come on, baby. It'll be fun."
The girl gave an exasperated huff, placed her hand in the man's much smaller one and lumbered to her feet. Her mother rose as well, and they shook their booties all around the great hall, Ember's tail demolishing more than one piece of furniture while the dragon pounded out the intricate and fast-paced notes on the piano.
Dragan began to pat one large foot to the beat, his tail swishing rhythmically behind him as he made gruff humming sounds. When he got to the instrumental part, just like he had done in his concerts, the mighty dragon threw his head back and breathed a column of fire across the cavernous room.
It was a bizarre sight to be sure, and they were all acting like fools, but Ainsley couldn't remember when she'd had this much fun. When the song ended, she collapsed into a boneless heap on the floor, laughing uncontrollably. Her daughter dropped down beside her, excitement sparkling in her eyes.
"Told ya it would be fun," she teased when the girl laid her head on her lap. Ember yawned tiredly and smiled, her eyelids beginning to droop closed. Within minutes, her daughter was sound asleep, soft snores escaping her parted lips. The change occurred without warning, and a pair of pajamas materialized on the naked child.
Looking up at Brendyn, who could somehow make things appear and disappear, she whispered, "Thank you."
"My pleasure, my lady," he replied solemnly and lifted the sleeping girl into his arms. "Don't worry. She'll sleep soundly now."
Ainsley fought a yawn herself and felt exhaustion begin to overtake her. "So will I," she confessed and felt her own eyes growing heavy. Strong arms lifted her, and her eyelids fluttered open to see Dragan's handsome face. "Thank you, Dragan," she said softly.
"For what, my Ainsley?" He queried.
"I always knew you'd be a wonderful father," she confessed with a smile before sleep claimed her, so she didn't hear his sad reply, "I just wish I'd had the chance sooner."
***
Brendyn carried the sleeping child to the room she had chosen, and the linens were magically whisked aside. Placing the girl gently on the bed, he lifted the cover over her and bent to press a paternal kiss to her forehead. His little princess was going to be a handful to deal with, of that he was certain.
A task that he would gladly undertake.
After all, he'd spent the majority of his life waiting to do so. Dragan's mother had been a great Seer. Every divination she'd ever made had come to pass, in one variation or another. This had been the final unfulfilled prophecy. The promise of it was the only thing that had kept his old friend alive.
When Dragan had been at his lowest, darkest times after his mate had left, Brendyn would remind him of the prophecy and insist that there was still hope. Only a mate could bear a dragon shifter's child, hence the near extinction of the species, which meant that Ainsley would have to return to him.
Neither of them had considered that she had already borne his child. Even so, Ember's change had brought Ainsley back, and the only thing that really mattered was that she had returned. Perhaps now his old friend could finally rejoin the living. Or not. Meriwin's predictions had never been what people expected them to be.
Case in point, Ember.
Because of the prophecy, they had known that Dragan would find his mate and assumed that the pair would live happily ever after together. Well, the former had happened, and the latter would have if Ainsley had stayed with him. But she hadn't, and there was no guarantee that she would this time either.
Even if she didn't, their part of the prophecy had been fulfilled with the birth of their daughter. Now it was up to Ember and Brendyn to complete the rest. Which meant that he was going to have to mentor the girl until she came of age. Then she would claim him as her mate, and their children would replenish the species.
The princess had much to learn, and he was adequately prepared to teach her. She was such a bright child that it wouldn't be difficult to do. Although her snarky attitude was amusing, he was certain that she would prove to be a difficult pupil at best. He did so love a challenge, but her impudence would drive her father mad.
The thought had him chuckling softly to himself as he quietly left the room.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Dragan was in a foul mood as he had barely slept a wink all night. Leaving his Ainsley in her bed and going to his own solitary room had been pure torment at best. After tossing and turning for hours, he had crept silently back into his mate's room and slipped soundlessly into the bed beside her.
As if she had known he was there, she had instinctively turned toward him, burrowing her body against his side. Holding her in his arms had been both heaven and hell. The sense of peace at having her near was a balm to his battered soul yet the torment of not being able to make love to her had left him aching with need.
The experience was bittersweet yet infinitely preferable to the countless nights he'd spent longing to hold her once more. The lure of sleep had not been strong enough to overcome his need to bask in the pleasure of her embrace. Dragan had lain awake content just to gaze upon the beauty o
f her face.
During the interminably long separation, he had never understood why his mate had left him. Ainsley had loved him, of that he had no doubt, but it had not been enough to make her stay. His heart had nearly burst with joy when she had told him that her choice was to stay with him this time.
So during the darkest hours of the night, he had daydreamed about courting his beloved Ainsley again. Roses, a romantic dinner, and a moonlit flight through the night sky would be a nice place to start. And if he were very lucky, please gods, let him be lucky, worshiping his mate's body in his bed afterward.
With the coming of the dawn, he had forced himself to leave her and return to his own room. His daughter had emerged from her room, practically vibrating with excitement as she bombarded him with a barrage of seemingly endless questions. Which is how he found himself in the courtyard giving her an impromptu lesson.
"You are not listening, little one," Dragan said with forced patience. It would seem his eyes, temper, and dragon were not all that Ember had inherited from him. His daughter was proving to be as obstinate as her sire, which was annoying as hell.
"Stop calling me that," the fiery-tempered girl snapped, her eyes glowing red. "I'm not a child. I'm twelve."
Not at all amused by her insolence, or intimidated by her fury, he bent so they were at eye level, to respond dryly, "And I am twelve hundred." Give or take a century or two. After all this time it was so easy to lose count.
Her eyes grew round, and her mouth dropped open in shock. "Years?" Ember exclaimed.
"Unless you know of another way to mark time," he confirmed dryly as he stood upright.
"Holy crap! You're like prehistoric," she accused.
Dragan folded his arms over his chest and glared down at his vexing offspring. "I am hardly that old, and your education is sorely lacking if you don't know the difference between the medieval period and the stone age."
