Bound in Eternity: Paranormal BBW Shapeshifter Dragon Romance (Drachen Mates Book 3)

by Milly Taiden

  Well, that made a lot of sense to Avery, but maybe Hannah would have to change to conform to what the brothers wanted or needed. She wondered if the other brothers’ mates had similar likes or if they were opposites.

  “I don’t know what say, Hannah. All this is new to me to. I just know I love Jae.” Yes. It was true. She loved the man and all his quirks.

  What did she tell Hannah, though? Her aggravation over this whole mate thing was reaching a high point. She was about over it all.

  The light outside started to wane. It was too early for it to get dark. Was a cloud covering the sun? She shielded her eyes with her hand and looked up. What the hell was she seeing? It sure wasn’t a cloud. Not a white one, anyway. A really bad feeling churned her stomach.

  “I don’t think that’s good,” Hannah said. They hurried toward the edge of the tree line next to the cabin, still staring at the sky. As the “cloud” got closer, Avery saw movement within it.

  It wasn’t just a dark cloud, but a cloud made up of hundreds of dragons, headed straight for the cabin.

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  Jae was about to bat Ker over the head with a skillet.

  “Don’t blame me,” the younger one said. “I’ve been overly nice to Hannah while you two go off and bang each in another room. Even though I’m not in lust with Hannah, I sure hope she doesn’t belong to you after what you’ve done.”

  “What do you mean, what I’ve done?” Jae spouted. “I’ve been crazy for Avery since the first time I saw her.”

  “Doesn’t matter with us. You know that,” Ker added.

  “And that’s why the first elder I come across, I’m having them remove my mark.”

  “You mean, kill your dragon,” Ker finished.

  “You don’t want Avery, so why do you care what I do?” Jae was baffled by Ker’s concern.

  “Why do you think? You’re my brother. My dumbass brother, it appears. What do you think Tor is going to say when he finds out you want to do this?” Ker tossed out the veiled threat.

  Jae rounded the center island’s counter in a breath. In Ker’s face, he said, “No one’s going to tell Tor. Besides, I’m second oldest and I damn well know how to run my own goddamned life. Got it?”

  Ker lifted his chin and chest. “Run? More like ruin. I won’t stand by and let you destroy yourself over something that might be gone in a month.”

  A growl came from Jae. “I will love Avery forever. She’s mine—”

  A dual feminine scream erupted outside. The guys rushed to the door and saw a dark cloud descending toward them.

  “What the fuck?” Ker said. Then Jae recognized what was happening.

  “The Noir. The whole damn clan on our front step.”

  Several yards away from the cabin’s front door, Sylvana and one of Sayeh’s men appeared, smug smiles on their faces. Jae opened the door and stepped out, stopping at the porch.

  “Well,” Jae started, “what do we owe this non-pleasure to?”

  “We are about to kill all of you,” Sylvana told him. “I’m going to have my revenge for Tor’s mate trying to burn me.”

  “You deserved it. You tried to kill her first!” Jae growled. “Why not leave us in peace already?”

  “No. I will have my revenge. And soon Sayeh will, too.” Sylvana smiled. “Sayeh said I could do with you as I wish.” She licked her lips and eyed both brothers from head to toe, stopping at their centers to linger longer. “It will be fun to tear you limb from limb. Or maybe make you my own sex slaves.”

  “We’ll kill each other before that happens, Sylvana. Our mates are the only ones for us.”

  “Speaking of mates,” she said, turning to the side and raising her hand. Jae saw two dragons lift the girls off the ground in their claws.

  “No.” The brothers shifted into their dragons, ready to pounce on the two offenders. Before they could get to the women, a throng of smaller dragons pummeled them with fire and physical attacks.

  The guys fought in a rampage of fury and vengeance, tearing wings, breaking bones, snapping heads. Left and right, more kept coming to replace those taken down. One thing about the Noir, they may be smaller in size and strength to the Drachen, but they made up for it in quantity. They simply overwhelmed the enemy’s ass.

  And that strategy was beginning to work. Jae was losing blood through the cheap stabs and bites the smaller dragons took in their goal to take him down. He’d torched a couple pests on one side, and on the other three more dragged claws, tearing skin down his back.

  The snow around him and his brother was quickly turning red. Large splotches dotted the area where Noir fell. But those became fewer and fewer. Jae fought for his life, not able to even look around for Avery or Hannah. He figured Sey’ had already killed them. The bastard had been after the brothers’ mates for such a long time. That was one way to limit their population growth.

  Jae reached out to Ker through their telepathic link. “Brother?”

  Ker was weak and straining against the mass influx. “I can’t hold out much longer. There’s too many.”

  “Can you see the women?” Jae asked.

  “I’m sure one of the Noir has taken them somewhere. Maybe even killed them,” Ker paused. “Should we run and live to fight another day?”

  Surrender? Jae would die a million deaths before admitting surrender and leaving Avery out there. Alone. He’d fight them until he could no longer take another breath. For Avery, he’d give his life.

  “Never!” rang in their minds. Each brother looked up to see Tor thrashing his way through the mass. Their hopes lifted and fighting picked up strength.

  Jae glanced up and saw a bigger dragon diving toward Tor from behind. One of Sayeh’s soldiers. Bastard.

  Tor, behind you! Jae warned too late. The Noir slammed into Tor’s blind spot. Jae tried to tear free of the mob attacking him to help Tor, but they were relentless. Jae had to save himself before he could help anyone else.

  The battle raged on, Noir dying left and right, but hanging on long enough to wear down the Drachen. All brothers had changed colors to the strongest, but when Jae checked on his brothers next, the Noir that attacked Tor wasn’t around. Looked like big brother got rid of the big, bad asshole.

  Now Tor was covered in smaller Noir, like ants clinging to their hill in a windstorm. Then two other dragons, both larger than Jae had seen in hundreds of years, relieved Tor of his burden.

  “Prepare for a death wave,” Tor shouted in their minds. Jae hadn’t heard Tor’s last two words together since leaving their planet so long ago. The only ones able to carry out a death wave were elders. Tor must have found an elder in the UFO sighting location he went to see. That meant if he and Avery survived, he could have his mark removed and they could live and die together.

  Another thought raced through his mind. If the women were still alive, unless they were protected by a superior force, the death wave would kill them. Before Jae could warn Tor about the women, the death wave began.

  TWENTY-NINE

  Avery heard a whistle and the dragons carrying her and Hannah changed directions. They flew toward a human and were unceremoniously dropped at the person’s feet. Avery had felt this person before. It was the same hate and anger that came from the person who caused the avalanche.

  The person threw her hood back and laughed. Okay, Avery thought, either the female was clearly insane, or homicidal. Maybe both.

  Avery helped Hannah to her feet, brushing snow from their coats and pants. Avery took a step back, holding on to Hannah’s hand.

  “Not so fast, little humans,” the witch said. “I’m here specifically to get you.”

  “Us?” Avery said, trying quickly to get away.

  “Stop!” the witch yelled, “or I’ll have to restrain you. Would you like to be lashed to a tree, naked for the world to see?”

  The girls froze in their tracks. That idea didn’t appeal to Avery that much. Suddenly a hand was on her shoulder, sending a jolt of pain through her body, tak
ing her to her knees. Hannah experienced the same.

  “Now, you annoying pathetic empaths, stay right here and watch your mates die.” She laughed. “It will be most entertaining.”

  Horribly entertaining, Avery thought. She watched as dragon after dragon bit, clawed, breathed fire, and beat the one she loved. Red slowly leached into the white snow around him, growing wider every minute. She could feel Jae’s agony, his spirit was giving up.

  She wanted to yell at him to not give up. Even if he thought she was dead, he needed to push on.

  Then from over the trees, a huge dragon appeared. Was this Tor? Yes, somehow, she knew it was him. His timing couldn’t have been better. Tor flew toward his brothers to help, but another black dragon blindsided Tor. They twirled in the air, falling toward the ground at incredible speed.

  The two fighting beasts bit and clawed at each other as they plunged through the air, occasionally breaking apart to gain altitude, only to lunge at each other again. Avery felt uneasy as the fighting duo got closer and closer to her and Hannah. Almost directly overhead, Tor whipped his head around the other dragon and bit a chunk out of his neck. The other dragon pushed away and tried to fly, but his wings didn’t fully open. He fell like a stone in a lake.

  Screaming, she and Hannah scrambled different directions as the behemoth slammed into the ground, knocking the women off their feet. The witch held her hands toward Avery.

  Avery tried to scramble away, but there was no place to hide except the trees which were too far away. She prepared herself for a painful strike of power. Then a white ball of snow slapped the witch in the face. She screeched and Avery heard Hannah laughing.

  Her friend had taken up a spot next to the unconscious dragon and started bombing the witch with snowballs. Like before at the baseball throwing game, her aim was dead on. With Hannah behind the massive dragon, the witch didn’t see her. Until the witch decided to make a close-up and personal attack on Hannah.

  Avery jumped up and ran toward Hannah. The witch would likely kill Hannah for her intrusion on trying to kill her. All this death. Couldn’t everyone just go home and enjoy the weekend? Maybe get laid?

  Avery was really close to Hannah when she realized the witch was coming for her friend. Hannah saw the woman coming for her and hightailed it around the downed creature, trying to stay out of a direct sight line.

  Avery chose that moment to keep the witch away from Hannah. Her first thought was to tackle the witch. Probably not the smartest thing to do, but Sylvana was clearly not expecting it. She was busy eyeing Hannah.

  Launching forward, Avery slapped her hands on the woman’s back and knocked her down. Avery’s unexpected tackle sent the witch rolling down the hill. She’d be back soon.

  Sylvana disappeared down the hill, only to reappear several yards away from Avery and Hannah, a massively pissed off look on her face. Avery had made things worse.

  “Avery?”

  She glanced around, until she realized he was talking to her in her mind. “Jae?”

  “The witch. She’s got us cornered.”

  “Honey, you have to block her attacks.”

  “How the hell?” Then she thought a second. “And how are you talking to me in my head?”

  “Trust me. It’s good. Just block her attacks,” he repeated. “Think of a big glass dome over you.”

  Lightning bolts formed in the witch’s hands, coming right for them, but they hit thin air and never got to them.

  “What the fuck just happened?” Hannah asked.

  “Jae said we have to mentally block her from hurting us. To imagine glass domes keeping her out and us safe.”

  “I’ll try that, too,” Hannah said.

  Another attack and nothing happened to either of them.

  “What do we do now?”

  “You girls need to center your power. Focus, both of you.”

  “Who is this?” Avery asked in her mind.

  “Do as she says,” Jae urged her.

  “Oh my god,” Hannah screeched. “Someone’s talking in my head. Sounds like a woman.”

  “Are you hearing the same thing I am?” Avery asked.

  “Center your power and focus?”

  “Yeah. That’s the one.” Avery frowned, her mind split between the dome keeping the witch’s massive attacks out, and the words from the woman. “How are we supposed to center our power?”

  “Children. It’s a good thing I came when I did. Hold hands, both of you,” the woman said.

  Avery and Hannah did as they were told.

  “Now what?”

  “Now, focus on the energy running through you. That bright white light you know lives inside you. That which gives you the abilities you have. Turn that energy into a big ball. Feel it grow massive inside you. Until it’s so big you can’t contain it.”

  Avery’s temperature rose the more she did as the woman said. “Now find your target.”

  They turned to look at the witch. She was angry, red fire burned in her eyes and continued attacked grew on the dome. She’d come closer to them, trying to break down their safe zone.

  The dome wasn’t as steady as it had been. It wobbled with every hit it took from the witch.

  “Once you have her in sights, feel your balls of energy shoot out and straight to your target. Send them hurling to her in your mind. See the energy hit her dead center of her chest.”

  Avery and Hannah did as the woman said and watched, in awe, as white light shot from both of them like missiles, stabbing straight to the witch’s heart. She screamed as light came out of her eyes, mouth, and ears in bright waves, until she seemed to explode from the pressure of the light inside her. In a blink, she was gone.

  “That’s how you do an energy counter attack,” said the woman in her head.

  Before Avery could rationalize what took place, a shadow covered her. She looked over her shoulder to see a huge dragon she didn’t recognize scoop up Hannah then her in its claws. They were trapped and at the mercy of the beast wherever it chose to go.

  To her surprise, the dragon nearly crash landed with them and rolled into a ball, its wings wrapped forward, covering the vulnerable underbelly and the claws they were held captive in.

  A big number of Noir flew away in a rush, running from something. Something major was going on from what she could sense. The air around her heated, but didn’t last very long. Suddenly, something amazingly surreal happened. Then, the ones that were left disappeared, as if they were incinerated and turned to ash to float away on the breeze. And the fight just stopped. It was one of those what the fuck just happened moments.

  “Avery. Avery!” It was Jae.

  “I’m trapped in the claws of a dragon. I can’t get out.” The prison she was in suddenly went away and she scrambled out, toward where Jae fell to his knees in human form. He looked worn out and tired, but he was alive and that’s all she cared about. And the fact he was completely naked.

  THIRTY

  Inside the warm and cozy living room of the cabin, Jae and Avery served hot cocoa and coffee to those gathered around the fire keeping warm.

  She was formally introduced to Nana, the woman she and Hannah had heard in their heads, and Tor. There was also a Wytt Stronglove, who Hannah hadn’t taken her eyes off since he saved both of them from the death wave earlier. There was so much heat between those two, Avery was having a hard time even looking their way. It was clear to everyone there that Hannah had found her mate.

  Avery glanced at Ker and he shrugged with a smile. Neither she nor Hannah were his mate. But she felt confident his time would come.

  “Come sit with me, love,” Jae said in her mind.

  She turned to him and took his hand where he drew her close and set her on his lap. And being right there, she had to look at his mark again. Her fingers lifted the short sleeve of his shirt covering his bicep. Curled up over his muscle, just like on her lower back, was a sleeping dragon. He smiled and batted her hand away.

  “You know you’re in trouble
for never telling me you got your mark when you did.” Jae raised a brow at her.

  She did know and she hoped to pay dearly for it that night in bed. Her face heated at her thoughts. She was glad no one else knew what she was thinking. She looked around and Nana winked at her. Oh, shit. The older woman was amazing.

  “Tor,” Avery asked since she was the only one who didn’t know what happened, except for Hannah who didn’t seem to care, “how did you guys get rid of all the Noir? There were hundreds of them.

  The oldest brother laughed. “Ask Nana. I don’t know how to do the death wave.” Avery heard those two words mentioned outside. Everyone’s attention was riveted on the old lady.

  Nana chuckled. “As you boys know, only elders have the power needed to create the wave. It comes from many years of controlling and working with the fire element within your dragon.”

  “What does it do, Nana? Is it like shooting a flame thrower at them?” Avery asked.

  “No,” she said. “It’s more like dropping a bomb. My dragon is the center and it creates an intense heat energy that radiates bursts of heat that incinerates almost anything around. Of course, it doesn’t hurt our dragons, but it does the weaker ones. It’s been our major defense from the Noir for many years. That’s one reason they hunt us elders so intensely.”

  That explained how each dragon vanished as ash into thin air. “Was all the Noir clan here, do you think?” Avery asked.

  “That would be nice to think,” Tor said, “but as you probably saw, when they sensed the big attack coming, a lot got away. Those that didn’t were destroyed. Still, I know Sayeh has a lot more at his command.”

  “Do all Drachen mates have powers like Avery and I?” Hannah looked away from her new mate for the first time in forever. “I couldn’t tell how much of what happened against the witch was me and how much was Avery.”

  Nana’s brows pulled down. “Did you see a light come from within you to attack her darkness?” she asked.