Bramble Burn

by Autumn Dawn

  “Indris said shallow?” Margaret raised her brows.

  “It’s what he meant. Anyway, we did the flight and didn’t kill each other. Grandma was happy and probably won’t force ‘together time’ on us again.”

  Juniper thought that was for the best. The hatchlings had their own lives and family, and forced interaction wasn’t going to do anything good.

  She was in the library later, browsing his collection, when Indris walked in. He examined one of the books on his desk. “A History of Dragon Warfare? Not exactly light reading.”

  “Sounded interesting. Remember, I know almost nothing about dragon life before the Convergence. The mystery of it is intriguing.” She added another book to the pile. “Grandpa let me read the elf histories, but I like to see both sides of the story.”

  He smiled and leaned against his desk. “Will you be reading up on werewolf history, too?”

  She paused, struck by her omission. “That’s an excellent idea! Why didn’t I think of that?” She shook her head and looked at the bookshelf, clearly distracted by the idea.

  “You seem happy with your wolf.”

  “I am. He’s good to me,” she said, organizing the books she’d chosen, stacking them by size.

  “Are you sure? Because if you’re not, I know several drakes…there’s no need to laugh. I want you to be happy,” he said with a frown.

  She kissed his cheek. “Daddy…” She shook her head. “Concentrate on Gilly. Honestly, you raised me to make up my own mind. If I didn’t want him, Kjetil couldn’t change my mind.”

  “Yet you were maneuvered into accepting him,” he prodded.

  She sighed. “I let myself be maneuvered. If I’m honest, I was tired of being alone. I didn’t want to worry the relationship to death like I do everything else, so I let him catch me. So far, I haven’t regretted it.”

  “So you think he’ll be a good father? One day?”

  She flushed. “One day.”

  He though it over. “I suppose I could always fix your future daughters up with a dragon suitor.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Clearly, I’d be smart to have only sons.”

  “Silly girl,” he said fondly. “Daughters keep you on your toes.”

  Indris hadn’t been joking when he said drakes were forward. Following protocol, Juniper had given Kjetil and Indris the first two dances and danced with drakes after that. The stone dance hall had murals painted on the roof and was open on all sides, allowing the chilly air and sunset to shine in. Lights glittered in the city below and in the gorgeous sweep of the valley beyond.

  Due to the shortage of dragon females, she was in high demand, and the drakes weren’t shy in expressing their interest. Clearly, they didn’t see Kjetil as a threat.

  She’d been polite at first, but the unrelenting invitations had frayed her temper, and she’d had it. She disengaged from her current partner and stood in the center of the dance floor, welcoming the interested stares. She wasn’t afraid to make a scene when it would help her cause.

  Raising her voice, she said loudly, “The next male who propositions me will find a dandelion sprouting out of his ass. I am married. Anyone who tries to change that will be hunted down and turned into compost. I won’t even dignify you with a dragon tree.” She glared, meeting drake gazes with eyes bright with fury.

  Her eyes met Kjetil’s across the room…but Breaker reached her first.

  Wicked humor in his smile, he drawled, “I can always count on you to liven a party, my lady. If dancing doesn’t suit you, perhaps a glass of wine?” He offered his arm and escorted her smoothly to one of the balconies ringing the dance floor, grabbing a glass from a passing waiter. “A peace offering to cool your temper?”

  She gave him a dirty look, but accepted. “Thanks.”

  He leaned on the balcony. “Did you see Indris’s face? He was so proud.”

  She snorted. “He told me not to be afraid to smack noses.”

  “He’s a good drake. You were privileged to have him for a father.”

  “Yes.”

  “And yet you chose a wolf. Can you blame the drakes for trying to steal you?”

  “Yes.”

  He laughed. A glance over her shoulder had him straightening. “Father. Come to see the interesting lady?”

  The Skylord, a drake of blue and black, judging from his leathers, inclined his head. The scales at his neck glittered blue-black. He wasn’t visibly older than his son, but it was clear who was more dominant. “Introduce us,” he said simply.

  Breaker smiled knowingly. “Lady Juniper, this is my father, Shozan the Skylord.”

  The Skylord took her measure with midnight blue eyes. He extended his hand. “May I have this dance?”

  It wasn’t as if she had a choice. Snubbing the lord of the dragons wasn’t done, but she didn’t have to like it. Mutinously, she drained her glass and handed it to Breaker.

  He grinned at her hard look. “You’ll survive, pet.”

  “I’m not your pet, Breaker.”

  She was braced for another flirtation, but the Skylord was polite. He seemed more curious than anything. “How do you like the city?”

  “It’s cold, but with amazing views. Perfect for dragons.”

  He looked satisfied, as if she’d confirmed his suspicions. “But not for you.”

  “I’m a tree mage.”

  “With no interest in Breaker’s ivory tower.” His tone was warm, amused. “That’s new.”

  “I’m not the one for him,” she said firmly. “I’ve made my choice.”

  “I know. Your father has been all but sitting on him for the last few minutes. He’s coming this way.” He whirled her so she could see her wolf stalking closer. “I can see by your smile that you’re finding this very romantic.”

  “Oh, yes.” Her face hurt, her smile was so wide.

  “May I cut in?” Kjetil’s voice was deep, his eyes bright. It was clear he wouldn’t take no for an answer; she wasn’t the only one tired of dragon games.

  “Of course. Blessings on your marriage, Lt. Bjorn. You are most fortunate in your bride.” The Skylord handed her over, the moment glittering with symbolism and formality. He winked at her and claimed another partner for the dance.

  “Finally,” Kjetil muttered, drawing her close. He nuzzled her temple. “Bramble Burn is going to seem like a walk in the park after this.”

  She gave him a quick kiss…that became a long, happy hello. She hummed with happiness. “What was all that about?”

  Kjetil guided her to the edge of the dance floor, near Indris. “Believe it or not, a rescue. Breaker and his father like Indris, and they decided to champion you. We’ve been publicly endorsed.”

  “Which means what?”

  He smirked. “It means the drakes are safe from your wrath. They’ll back off.”

  “Good. I’ve got all the man I can handle right here.” She gripped his shirt, feeling aggressive and possessive. No doubt it came from being scared.

  “Is that right?” He kissed her until her head spun.

  “Perhaps I should fly you home,” Indris said dryly. “You clearly need alone time.”

  Kjetil’s expression was wolfish. “That’s an excellent idea.” Juniper blushed and elbowed him, so he clamped her to his side. “Lead on.”

  “I’ll wait here,” Margaret said, giving her daughter a fond smile. “I’m enjoying the conversation.” She was chatting with some of Indris’s friends and seemed to truly enjoy it.

  It was an intriguing development, but Kjetil didn’t let her ponder it long. The minute they were alone, he growled and swept her up, carrying her to bed so he could nip and lick. He was a bit rough, but he was a wolf with a woman to claim. He loved her until she was breathless, shuddering with aftershocks…and then began again.

  She was so sleepy and sated, she didn’t notice the marks until the next day. She stared at her image in the steamy bathroom mirror. She remembered sweet suction, but hadn’t thought of the consequences. “There’
s a hicky on my breast.”

  Kjetil sauntered in and turned on the shower. “Two, actually; one’s on the underside. You’ve got one on your sweet cheek, too.” He smacked the cheek in question and scooped her up when she squealed. “They match the whisker burns inside your thighs.”

  “I’ve already showered,” she protested as he stepped inside the stall and began to soap her up, her body still pleasantly sensitive from the night before.

  He smiled wickedly. “Sweetie, it’s not about the soap. We’re in the shower to get dirty.” He placed her hands on the tile and showed her how to make love standing up, his hands running over her wet curves and tweaking deliciously at things that jumped at his attention. Good thing his weight pinned her to the wall, or she would have slid down in a puddle at his feet. The whole time, his hard length brushed the base of her spine, reminding her how wonderfully giving he was.

  To thank him, she led him to the thick rug before the fireplace and knelt, her thighs quivering with pleasure as she took him in her mouth.

  She was still blissful when they went to breakfast, their bags packed for the flight home. If it hadn’t been for the dragons, she’d have actually enjoyed this vacation.

  Kjetil adjusted his googles. He enjoyed the bracing mountain air; dragons were fun to ride when he wasn’t trying to kill them.

  Not that he was going to mention it in present company, but he thought Juniper wouldn’t have thought badly of him if he’d slit a drake’s throat or two. He’d been hot with rage by the time she’d made her announcement, and only Indris’s iron grip kept him from joining her.

  “Wait,” Indris murmured. “Watch.”

  He’d growled when Breaker led her to the balcony with a charming smile, ready to rip out his heart. He’d just thrown off Indris’s hand when the Skylord led her into a dance.

  “Wait until he looks at us…yes, go,” Indris whispered.

  Kjetil wasn’t stupid; he saw what they were up to, but it didn’t curb his possessiveness as he claimed his woman. She was angry because the drakes scared her, and nobody got to scare his lady.

  He kept a sharp eye on the mountains, looking for sheep with a hunter’s keen eyes. He could use a good hunt to blow off steam. He was thankful for Bramble Burn and the endless supply of monsters to annihilate. Not only could he kill, he would be praised for it. It was the perfect life for a predator.

  A flash of metal caught his eye. There was no time to shout a warning. Time slowed. Reacting on instinct, he went wolf. Blurring with speed, he used his claws to slash through Juniper’s safety harness. A bloom of rocket exhaust was his only warning as he used Gilly’s bulk and his body to shield Juniper from the RPG. With a lethal radius of seven meters, there was no way to avoid the percussion from the blast, but the shocking toughness of dragon scales saved them.

  Gilly roared in pain and tilted, careering into the side of a mountain. Throwing Juniper over his shoulder, Kjetil jumped off, one hand catching the side of a jagged outcropping. Juniper grunted as her stomach bounced on his hard shoulder, but grabbed the back of his shirt as he rapidly scaled the cliff until he found a safe cleft behind two boulders.

  The sound of a mini-gun played a deadly percussion as a hail of bullets chased Indris across the sky. The deadly weapon weighed eighty-five pounds and spat bullets at up to six thousand rounds per minute. There was no telling how much ammo the shooter had, but the noise was sure to attract more dragons. After all, they were on a well-traveled route between the city and Dragon Academy, and dragons wouldn’t tolerate hostiles in their territory.

  Meanwhile, Gilly lay bleeding in the snow. She’d hit the mountain hard and slid down in a mini-avalanche, slamming against a rock spur. Fortunately, the rock sheltered all but her limp pink tail from the shooter. Hot blood was melting the snow around her, raising a cloud of steam.

  “Gilly!” Juniper’s shout was muffled by his hand; they couldn’t afford to draw attention to their position.

  He gave her a warning look and slowly removed it. A quick scan showed no way to reach Gilly without breaking cover. He might make it, but Juniper never would.

  Suddenly a chunk of granite dropped from the sky, decimating the place that held the shooter. Snow geysered and smaller rocks tumbled down the mountain as a purple and a green dragon arrowed for Gilly. One landed in the snow in human form as the other took up a protective stance.

  “The calvary,” Juniper said, slouching with relief.

  “Stay where you are,” The green dragon boomed. “Let us secure the area. Help is on the way.”

  Since it was closest, they ended up at the Dragon Academy, where Indris was waiting, eyes on fire. His left wing was shredded and Margaret had been shot in the shoulder; she was in surgery when they arrived. Doctors treated Juniper for percussive injuries (magic was a wonderful thing), and Kjetil needed no assistance, his remarkable body already regenerating.

  Gilly’s scales saved her life, but her left wing was partially severed and her neck, chest, and forelegs suffered minor damage. The doctors said she would live, but there would be scars for several molting cycles.

  “She’ll have a story to brag about,” the doctor said with a twinkle in his eye. “Young dragons like to look tough.”

  Juniper found Indris brooding on a cold stone bench with a mountain view. Since she’d come prepared, she dropped a blanket on the bench and sat beside him, wrapped in her long winter coat, gloves and hat.

  He looked at her. “Are you well?”

  “I feel sore and banged up, but a hot soak once I get home will do wonders.”

  He gently squeezed her hand and stared out over the valley. “He’s gone too far this time. It’s time to end this.” His eyes were flat with grief and anger.

  The investigating dragons said the area reeked of ice giant. The working theory was that an assassin had set up on the mountain and escaped via an ice tunnel. He would have needed inside information to penetrate so far into dragon territory unnoticed, but it seemed certain he hadn’t intended to kill Gilly. If he had, there were a lot more damaging weapons he could have used.

  The attack had been meant to hurt Indris, and it had worked beautifully.

  Juniper studied the tall blue mountains. The sharp edges touched the sky, snow decorating the peaks even at this time of year. “What do you have in mind?”

  “A formal challenge will do it. If he refused, he’d be hunted like an animal and torn to pieces.”

  “Isn’t he already on the Skylord’s hit list? Breaker is hunting him, too.”

  “I’m not willing to wait. I want him brought to justice now.” He looked at her. “You and your sister mean everything to me, and he knows it. He won’t stop hurting you until he’s dead.”

  She hesitated. “I don’t understand why he hates you so much. I heard about the lady dragon, but it must have started long before that.”

  He sighed deeply. “He was our mother’s favorite, while father preferred me. I was the eldest, a gifted fighter, and he was smart, but spoiled and lazy.

  “It took three neglected hatchlings before my mother finally understood him, and when she repudiated him, he blamed me. I stepped up to care for Gilly, and he felt it made him look bad.”

  “He did that by himself,” she protested.

  “Yes.” He rose. “I need to check on your sister.” He nodded to Kjetil as he passed him crossing the courtyard.

  Kjetil sat next to her and handed her a cup of coffee. “Are you hungry?”

  She shook her head and took out her cell phone. It was sweet of him to guard her. “Thank you. Mind hanging out while I make a call?” She dialed Breaker and said, “I need advice.”

  “Juniper. I’m sorry to hear about your sister,” Breaker said gravely. “How can I help?”

  “Indris wants to challenge his brother, but he’s hurt. I want to challenge in his stead.”

  Kjetil was startled into profanity.

  “Judging by your mate’s sudden fit, I assume you haven’t discussed this? Not a good
way to begin a marriage.”

  Juniper scowled and shot a careful look at Kjetil’s furious expression. “You heard me.”

  “Females are rare and precious, and while they are ferocious, they aren’t permitted to engage in challenges. Kjetil, however, could.”

  Kjetil’s eyes fixed on the phone, clearly able to hear every word. “Is that right?”

  “I would train him myself; with Indris’s assistance, of course. Chaldaic has harmed two females, including a hatchling of his own bloodline. My father would call for his death, but we lack evidence.”

  Since Kjetil was breathing down her neck, Juniper said, “Thank you. I appreciate the information. I’ll let you know what we decide.”

  Kjetil stared at her. “You need to talk to me about these things.”

  She sighed. “You’d have reacted badly.”

  “I’m reacting badly now. How is that better?”

  She winced. “I didn’t want you to get tangled in my family’s problems. It’s not fair.” She knew as soon as she said it that it was the wrong thing to say.

  His face was an inch away. “Your family is mine now.” He stood and stepped closer to the balcony rail. Arms crossed, he watched a dragon sail across the sky. “You could have more faith in me.”

  She blew out a breath. “You’re right. I would have been mad if you’d done something like that. I’m not used to sharing my problems. I apologize.”

  “Will you try not to do it again?” His voice made it clear he was struggling for patience.

  “I’ll try. I might have to practice a bit,” she admitted.

  “Good. I think Indris has the right idea, and I like Breaker’s suggestion. I’ll be glad to challenge Indris.”

  She winced. Softly, she said, “He’s a dangerous dragon, Kjetil, and you won’t have a pack. He’s got all kinds of advantages over you.”

  “A gun is an excellent leveler.”

  “I don’t even know if they allow guns in a duel!” She rose and gripped his hands. “Please. I have weapons you don’t. I’ve trained from childhood in the art of dragon slaying.” Her grandfather had taught her everything he knew, and he’d slain more than his share of dragons. To this day, they had little defense against his magic.