“Okay. I could be wrong, but doesn’t that sound like he’s still alive in there?” May asked as she stared down at what appeared to be a grave.
“It sounds that way to me.” Summer walked around the large cover stone, wondering how the thing opened. “So how do we open it?”
“I don’t know. It is likely that there is something in the castle, but until we can legally get inside, we won’t know anything.” Adrian straightened and looked toward the large structure. “Do you think there is a caretaker here?”
“If there isn’t, someone has to be paying the rates and taxes. Otherwise, the government would have seized and sold it by now. I would hypothesize that Declan has someone watching over his home while he’s in mourning.” Damek turned to Emily. “Though you are still with us, he mourns your loss.”
“Just as I would mourn yours if I didn’t truly accept your offer of marriage.” Summer knew she didn’t want to end up like Emily. She didn’t want to look back at this time thirty years from now and wish she’d done things differently. In the last few days, she had gotten to know Adrian. He was a good man and she loved him. Gazing deep into Adrian’s eyes, she went down on one knee and took his hand in hers. “I know you already asked this of me, Adrian, but I felt as though you did it under duress. Now I ask you. I love you with every breath and every beat of my heart. Will you marry me?”
At that moment, Adrian fell to his knees in front of Summer and gave her a smile so large it showed he had two adorable dimples that nearly made her heart melt all over again. He took her hands in his, kissed each one, and looked deep into her eyes. “Yes, Summer Flowers. I will have you and no other.” Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against hers.
Like before, she saw his memories, his life before and she would continue to do so until they truly bonded. Lightning shot through her system as he molded his lips to hers. The ground rumbled and shook. Dirt fell away from the cover stone that hid the entrance to Declan’s lair and still he kissed her. It wasn’t until a cloud of dirt burst up from the ground amidst a loud screech that Summer even realized that it wasn’t Adrian’s kiss that had made the ground move.
Just as Adrian pulled away and thrust her behind him, a large red dragon burst forth from the ground. It screamed with rage. Lifting its face to the sky, it released a bellow of fire that would have burned them to cinders had he aimed it their way.
After it released its fire, it turned its attention on the five of them standing so close to its exposed lair.
“Whatever you do, don’t run,” Damek said as they stood staring at Declan. “He needs to realize that we are no danger to his mate.”
The dragon jerked back at Damek’s words, took a deep breath and leaned closer. He sniffed at Summer who Adrian shoved more squarely behind him. He then turned his attention to Emily.
Pressing his nose against her shoulder, the dragon took a deep breath. Without warning, he threw his head back and released another bellow, a warning, before he pushed off the ground, grabbed Emily in one of his large front paws and took off like a shot.
Emily screamed, her arms flailing as her dragon mate flew off through the mountains.
“Where is he taking her?” Summer turned to Adrian. “You have to go make him bring her back.”
Adrian shook his head. “No, love, we cannot interfere. Declan has correctly assumed that his mate has changed her mind. I would imagine that he has taken her to another of his lairs, as is his right.”
“We can’t just let him carry her off like that,” May said, agreeing with her.
Summer sighed and looked at Adrian. “You know we have to go looking for her, right? I mean, what if she changes her mind again? After all, he just carried her off like some form of prey.”
“No. He carried her off like a mate.”
Summer and May rested their hands on their hips and stared at their two males. “Well?”
Adrian looked at Damek and rolled his eyes. “One thing is certain, brother.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not likely to get married anytime soon.”
Summer wrapped her arms around Adrian’s waist with a grin. “Oh, you’ll get the wedding, sweetheart. It’s the honeymoon you’re going to have to wait for.”
Epilogue
Summer watched Adrian confer with her sister’s mates. All of them were here in Great Britain searching for Declan Brus. She knew Emily wanted to say goodbye. She wasn’t certain that she would consent to be Declan’s mate though she had her suspicions.
Even though Summer was certain this was what Emily wanted, she knew she had to find the other woman just to be sure. She knew that she would want her friends and family to care enough to search for her. How could she do any less for her friend?
“It’s time to go, love.” Adrian interrupted her thoughts, by stroking her hair and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “We have a plan that the others will help us orchestrate. We only need to get a good night’s rest.”
Smiling, Summer took his hand and let him lead her to the room they had shared since Emily disappeared and they found a nice local pastor to preside over their handfasting.
It was hard to believe their wedding had been almost three weeks ago. She also found it difficult to believe that she could be so happy. She loved her husband and she had no doubts that he loved her. As a matter of fact, he showed her that he adored her daily in the little things he did like brushing her hair and just holding her tight in his embrace.
“Wither thou goest, I shall follow,” she said, smiling up at him and waggling her brows.
“You’re just saying that to get into my pants.”
Summer just grinned up at him. “Ya think?”
About the Author
Dear Reader:
If you’re reading this, I hope it means that you have just enjoyed reading one of my books. Always a romantic, I started weaving little fantasies for my friends at the tender age of fifteen. Never once did I think that writing would be my dream until about ten years ago. After complaining to my husband that my favorite authors didn't write fast enough, my husband asked a fateful question. "Why don't you write one of your own while you're waiting?"
Once I started, he couldn't stop me. Now I write in the morning before work. I write during my breaks at the day job, I write at night when I should be relaxing. Heck, I've even been known to write in my sleep. Every member of my family has had the dubious honor of witnessing my fingers moving over the keys while I'm off in dreamland. Sometimes it even makes sense!
I grew up in Southwest Florida where I met and married. My husband was in the Navy for twenty years, so if you wonder where I have gotten some of my ideas, I blame him. I suggest you do the same. He’s always saying he has wide shoulders. Let’s load them up, shall we?
Currently, I live in a small town in Michigan, seven miles from the nearest grocery store. I love living out here in the country. It gives me the peace and quiet I need to continue to write these stories for you. It also shows me a lot of natural beauty that I try to share with you in my books. While my titles may be dedicated to certain individuals who have touched my life in differing ways, please remember, every one of them is written for you.
My most recent dream is to continue what I do--to share more stories with anyone willing to read them. My new dream is to be able to pursue both my writing and my husband fulltime. Do you think he'll run?
More of Tianna’s Books
The Golden Dragon
The Ice Dragon
The Fire Dragon
The Earth Dragon
Brianna’s Prophecy
Thor’s Hammer
Time Temptress
Other series by Tianna at eXtasy Books:
The Paradise Series:
A Stranger In Paradise
Gates Of Paradise
Return To Paradise
Trouble In Paradise
Road To Paradise
Another Day In Paradise
Naked In Paradise
Seduction In Paradise
Looking For Paradise
Healing In Paradise
Melody In Paradise
Summer In Paradise
Memories Of Paradise
The Endowed Series:
The Endowed
Sinful Heat
Getting Physical
The Chosen Series:
Virgin’s Blood
Alicia: The Awakening
Afraid To Dream
Hidden Breeds:
Bastien
Kalen
Co-authored series books
Ruby DARE
Emerald DARE
Topaz DARE
Opalite DARE
Solar DARE
Holiday Stories
Return to Paradise
Sexy Santa Dreams
The Ornament
The Broken Ornament
Beary Merry Xmas
Polar Bear S-express
Where to find Tianna:
www.tiannaxander.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TiannaXander/
http://twitter.com/#!/TiannaXander
http://www.myspace.com/tianna_xander
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=635929605
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