It takes me longer than I wanted to find the books that I think might help. But when I do, I speed through the pages, searching and searching. My fingers skid to a halt when I see a page with a sickly looking woman drawn. I read with the quickness of all ice dragons, then stare out into the darkness of my library.
We knew she needed our seed to be stronger during pregnancy. How could we have been so foolish not to realize she needed it now too? As much as we’ve ached for her, we haven’t touched her. We haven’t wanted to hurt her.
And in doing so we hurt her worse.
I curse myself and rise.
Walking through the icy hallways of my lair, I pass bundled up humans who bow as I pass them. But my mind in elsewhere. On a tiny human who may die because of our ignorance.
My stomach clenches. I exit out into my massive courtyard where servants wait with a massive pack, loaded and ready. I shift before them, and they help to put the pack onto my back.
Rising into the sky, I circle once, twice, and three times as my servants wave, and then I shoot off into the sky, racing back to my Tori. The landscape is a swirling of colors beneath me. But my thoughts are focused on her and nothing else. Her face. Her smile.
When at last I reach the temple and shift, I set my pack down and hurry into the room. Tori is bathing in the warm pool in the center of the room. Azure washes her hair, his manhood straining behind her, even though his touch remains gentle.
“Where are the babies?” I ask.
Tori shushes me and gestured toward their cradles. Hurrying over, my heart swells at the sight of the three of them. All sleeping. Their chubby faces more beautiful than anything on earth.
I step away from them and look to my brothers. Phoenix lounges on the bed. I can see he’s trying to appear casual, but he watches Tori’s every move.
Taking a deep breath, I cross the room and settle beside the tub. “I went to my library today.”
Tori looks at me with tired eyes. “More baby research?”
I shake my head. “I wanted to know why you’re still so weak.”
Phoenix growls low in his throat across the room. “She bore the fate of the entire dragon race. She carried our young in her belly for nine months. She is already the stronger female to ever—“
“I did not intend to insult her. But I know that she should have regained most of her strength by now. The fact that she hasn’t is a reason to be concerned.”
Azure’s hands freeze in her hair. “I thought this was normal.”
I shake my head. “It’s not.”
Tori’s brilliant brown eyes lock onto mine. “I knew something was wrong. I’ve seen women in my town after they’ve given birth. They weren’t like this. At first I thought it was something to do with there being three of them, or dragons. But lately... I feel like I’m getting weaker.”
Phoenix rises from the bed and begins to pace. “We need to fix this.”
“I think I’ve figured out how to.”
All eyes are locked on me.
“She needs our seed.”
Azure inhales sharply. “She’s too weak! And what if she were to grow pregnant once more!’
“I know it seems strange, but without us giving her our magic and strength... she won’t make it.”
More silence follows my words.
And then, Tori speaks. “Then, let’s do this.”
I lock gazes with her.
She smiles. “I don’t like feeling like this.”
I nod, then clear my throat. “Who would you like to...?”
Tilting her head, her smile widens. “Why don’t you try out this theory of yours first?”
Saying nothing more, I move to the tub and scoop her out. Then, dry her slowly. When I’m finished, I sweep her into my arms once more and carry her to the bed.
I tell myself this is only for her. To test our theory. But my cock doesn’t seem to be listening. It’s hard and eager, and somehow all I can think about is how tight and amazing she feels.
Climbing on top of her, I don’t put my weight down. I hold myself on my elbows and knees and stare down at her. Even after all she’s been through, this human is the most beautiful female I’ve ever seen.
Leaning down, I kiss her gently, and she kisses me back. At first it’s like the little pecks we’ve exchanged since having the babies, but slowly it changes. Deepens.
I hold back a groan as I feel the dragon within me stretching to life. He wants to claim her. To plunge into her and feel her squeezing around him.
But instead, I take my time kissing her. I follow her lead, only deepening the kiss when her hand buries into my hair. When she opens her lips and sweeps her tongue along mine, a tremble rocks my body. We continue to kiss as her hands run over my chest and dance on my stomach.
When at last her fingers curl around my cock, I have to break our kiss and remind myself to stay in control. Her hand slides up and down my length, grabbing me like I belong to her. Which I do.
And my dragon likes every second of it.
Pushing her hand away, commanding myself not to lose control, I sweep down her body and cup her breasts. They’re larger than before. Heavy in my hands.
And perfect.
Leaning down, I take one of her nipples into my mouth and suck. She gasps, pulling me closer. I ache to take her more roughly, but instead, I move to her other breast and suck it too.
Her hips move with each stroke of my tongue.
When I reach down and touch her womanly folds, I’m pleased to find her wet. I press my finger deeper into her, and slide up and down, then circle her clit.
She moans, and I feel a spark of manly pride that I can make her feel this way.
My brothers move closer on either side of the bed, and I don’t envy them as they stroke themselves, watching me pleasure our mate.
When I slip my finger inside of her, her nails dig into my back. I go slow, using my thumb to stroke her clit as her body relaxes around my finger. And, I continue to lavish her breasts, enjoying every inch of my female.
My cock is wet and pulsing when I slip another finger into her. I don’t want to just touch her. I want to be inside of her, but she must be ready first. It’s been a long time. And her body has changed. I will hate myself forever if I cause her one ounce of pain.
When I add a third finger inside of her, and she moans, tossing her head, I have to bite down a curse. Her body holds me so tightly, clenching around me as if to milk my seed. Fuck, I want to have my cock buried inside of her. But instead, I plunge my fingers in and out of her.
With each stroke, her hips grind against my hand. At last, she moans my name.
I freeze. Is she ready for me?
Pulling my hand free, and taking my mouth from her breasts, I move up and lie gently on top of her. Watching her hooded eyes closely, I position my tip at her entrance and cautiously sink in, one inch after another.
Her nails continue to dig into my back, but she doesn’t protest.
And her body? It feels as wonderful as I remember. Tight. Wet. Perfect.
When I reach my hilt, we’re both breathing hard. I kiss her again, and she draws me nearer. Her touch like a declaration. I pull back out, then in, enjoying the way she gasps against my lips.
Our love-making starts slow and gentle, but with each stroke of my cock, my dragon roars to be released. I grit my teeth and continue, refusing to be rough. Refusing to give into that side of myself.
When her legs curl around my back, and I feel her inner-muscles tighten, my mind goes blank. My desire, like a powerful magic, rushes through my blood, and then I’m pounding into her. Faster and faster. She screams my name, and I roar hers.
She is my female. Mine! And I will claim her in every way.
When I come, her orgasm has not yet finished. She continues to thrash beneath me as my cum fills her warm body. Every drop leaves me, and then I’m collapsing over her.
Breathing hard, I pull back and look at her flushed face. “Did—did I hurt you?”
She shakes her head and reaches up to stroke my cheek. “It was wonderful.”
“Do you feel stronger yet?” Phoenix asks, and I see that he’s come too.
She sighs. “Not yet.”
A minute later, we hear a baby crying.
I smile down at my female as her eyes close, praying that I’m right. That soon she will be strong again.
As if in answer, my heart squeezes. Of course, this female who has endured three stubborn dragons, a kidnapping, and the birth of dragon-babies will be okay. Because she is extraordinary.
I kiss her lips lightly and roll to her side, pulling her close. My brothers will attend to the babies. For now, I’ll just enjoy having her in my arms. If only for a little while.
Chapter Seven
TORI
I’m feeling stronger. Maybe even stronger than before I had the babies. And my body, it feels different. Not just that I have curves, from both the babies and the rich foods they’re constantly shoving at me, but I feel as if there’s an unexpected power humming beneath my surface.
And I like it.
It makes it easier to keep up with my three wild babies.
“You know they’ll be crawling soon,” I tell my dragons.
The three men look at me with wide eyes. They’re sitting on the ground around the babies, who are sitting up, fighting over the little toys in the center of them.
“We’ll need to make some changes in this place. Otherwise, they could get hurt.”
Frost clears his throat. “About that... you should know that we intend to leave this place soon.”
“Leave?” I put down my knitting. “But this is our home.”
Phoenix’s gaze darkens. “No, we will be moving to my lair. It is a safe place. A place the mages can never harm you again.”
I swallow around the lump that’s formed at the back of my throat. Despite everything, Sparks’ face flashes before my eyes, and the cell they kept me imprisoned in haunts my thoughts like a ghost. “You think we aren’t safe here.”
They all exchange a wordless look, then Azure speaks. “We have been diligent to ensure you, and our babies, are safe, but we would like to go someplace...” He seems to be struggling for the right word.
And then it hits me. “Is that why you three never seem to sleep? I thought you were just obsessed with the babies, but—“
“We can never sleep with ease here.” Phoenix’s jaw tenses, and he reaches down and strokes his daughters brilliant auburn hair.
She looks at him, and a string of, “dadada’s,” leaves her lips.
His serious expression fades, and he leans down and rubs his cheek against hers. She explodes into laugher, and I’m pretty sure my heart swells three sizes bigger.
“We planned to leave in two days time,” Frost says, shattering the happy moment.
Two days? I have the immediate desire to yell at them. To rip them to shreds for keeping this from me. But before the words leave my lips, I look at them again.
They do look tired. And when they leave to hunt, they go one at a time, and always come back quickly. I’ve felt a nervous energy in them since the babies came, but I didn’t realize it was more than the nerves of new fathers.
Poor things.
They could never relax here. And they didn’t tell me because they didn’t want to frighten me, I’m sure of it.
So, I have to just accept that I’m leaving the place I’d started to call home. For them. Because no place can really be a home if they can’t enjoy it.
Taking a deep breath, I nod. “Alright, two days then.”
I go back to knitting.
“That was easier than I thought,” Phoenix mumbles.
My eyes narrow, and I glance back at him. “Did you want a fight?”
He smirks. “With you? Always.”
“Don’t start a fight you can’t win,” I challenge him, raising my chin.
“If the babies were asleep,” he growls, and his meaning couldn’t be clearer.
I feel my cheeks heat. “Rain check then.”
Hours later, when the babies nap, my dragons begin to pack. In their movements, I can sense an urgency. A relief. And even though I’ll miss this place, and I’m nervous about going to a dragon’s lair, I’m glad to give this to them.
Giving one last smile to my sleeping babies, I move away from them and my mates. I leave the main room and start down the hallway that circles the entire top of the temple. I go to the opposite end of the temple and throw open one of the windows. The scents of the woods fill my nostrils, and I inhale deeply.
I haven’t gone outside since the babies were born. And suddenly, I’m longing for it more than I’ve longed for anything. Will my over-protective dragons allow me more freedom when we reach our new home?
I hope so.
Suddenly, I feel something. A strange sense. My gaze sharpens as I scan the woods, but I see nothing.
“Boo!”
I gasp and look down as an image shimmers into a form. Spark clings to a rope just below my window.
Opening my mouth to scream, sparks hit my face, and I fall to the ground.
Spark climbs through the window and stares down at me, while I lay unable to move. “Escaping was a mistake, Tori. But not to worry, it’s a mistake I’m about to rectify.”
I can’t speak. All I can do is lie there with pleading eyes.
He leans out the window and gestures out into the woods.
He’s bringing more mages!
Closing my eyes, I refuse to lie here and do nothing. I refuse to let these monsters hurt my dragons or my babies. So, I grit my teeth and focus.
And there, somewhere inside of myself, I feel the power I’ve sensed inside myself. Hesitantly, I touch it, and I feel my hand jerk. I push the power through my body, swallowing down a gasp as I feel my control over my body returning.
When I open my eyes, three mages have joined Spark. He’s whispering to them.
Allowing my claws to grow, I feel rage come over me. These are the men who took me. Who wanted to steal my babies. And these are the men who think to try it all over again.
With a scream of fury, I launch myself off the ground and attack. Tearing out Spark’s throat, I ignore his gurgling as he collapses to the ground, and then I’m swiping and attacking the other men.
I see them try to use their spells, but I’m too fast. Too angry. Blood flies, and I don’t stop. I can’t stop.
Roars fill the air. Phoenix and Azure race toward me. But the last man collapses at my feet.
They look between the dead men and me. I sense their surprise and delight.
But still, Phoenix’s gaze is dark with an unspoken threat. “Go back to Frost. He guards the babies. We’ll ensure every last mage is dead!”
I nod and run back to my babies.
They’re awake now and crying. Frost guards over them on the bed. His gaze fierce. His crouched body positioned as if to attack. I run to his side.
A gasp escapes his lips. “The blood—“
“Isn’t mine,” I assure him.
And there, we remain as the minutes and hours stretch out. I nurse our babies. I comfort them. But I’m always ready to attack. Especially when the sky is filled with fire and the scent of smoke. When the roars of my dragons seem to echo around us, and sometimes, I even imagine the screams of people.
Phoenix and Azure return sometime later. Their expressions grim.
“There were many of them in the woods,” Azure explains. “Even an old woman.”
That damned midwife!
My heart lurches. “And?”
“Now they’re dead,” Phoenix finishes with a growl.
Relief uncurls within me. “So, we’re safe?”
“We won’t be safe until we leave,” Phoenix says, his fists clenched. “So we leave today.”
I nod, and everyone leaps into action.
Taking a deep breath, I smell the blood that still coats my flesh. No matter what the future holds, this chapter of m
y life is over. My village, any chance of seeing my traitorous brother again, it’s all gone. Now, I’ll do whatever I have to do in order to keep my babies and dragons safe.
And so, we’re moving.
But what will life have in store for me now?
Chapter Eight
TORI
I close the door that joins our bedroom to that of our little ones. It’s late in the castle. Most of the servants have gone to bed, and a fire blazes in our room, filling the space with heat and light. Closing my robe, I go to two massive doors and throw them open, stepping out onto the balcony.
Our room is in the tallest tower in Phoenix’s lair. The balcony is more than big enough for my dragons to land safely. And from here, I can see our expansive lands.
It’s strange. Just a short time ago, I was living in a rundown shack on the edge of a town full of people I feared, and now...
I smile and look down at the jewel encrusted ring on my finger. My thoughts go to the private ceremony we’d had. The one that meant I was now officially the queen of these lands, and the mate of my handsome dragons.
It was like a dream. And so is this.
Life has completely changed. I’m the wife to three dragon kings. Everywhere I go people bow down to me. I have everything I could ever want, expensive clothes, warm baths, amazing meals from a cook who’s a miracle worker... and a family. A real family.
I couldn’t be happier. Or at least I thought I couldn’t be happier.
The moonlight reflects off of something in the distance. I feel a wave of anticipation. As time ticks away, three shapes appear on the horizon. My husbands will be home soon. And I can’t wait.
Nibbling my lip, I can’t take my eyes off of them as they come closer and closer. And then, they’re circling our castle. Phoenix’s fortress-like lair.
They each take turns landing and shifting, and then, I’m in their arms.
“I think our little wife missed us,” Azure says, with a grin.
I pull back from him and smile, trying to hide my excitement.
Wings Horns and Shifters Page 17
