by Aidy Award
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Battling Demons
Deep inside, Steele battled what no warrior, dragon or human wanted to admit. He was afraid.
Not the adrenaline-pumping kind of fear that he could push aside and do his job. to. That was easy.
How could he be the badass she thought he was?
Fleur was here, in his arms again, safe and mostly sound. She was out of her goddamn mind if she thought he’d let her out of his sight for even a second.
But then she went and asked him to trust her.
No, she hadn’t asked. She’d told him to trust her.
Branches on the tree above them shattered and rained down sharp spikes of wood. Steele turned his back to deflect what he could from hurting Fleur. The shard at her neck glowed green with swirls of white interspersed creating a layer of light surrounding them both. Any projectile that got even close sizzled in the light, dissolving before his eyes.
Her eyes flicked back and forth, her gaze searching his, impatiently waiting for him to agree to put them both in harm’s way.
The smart, sass mouthed, powerful woman he’d recognized in her was no longer hiding behind her destiny. She’d grown into her true self, and it was a sight to behold. If it was possible, Steele fell even more in love with her standing under that tree waiting for the world explode, knowing if he would trust in her, they could save it, together.
He didn’t understand where her absolute faith in him came from, especially after he’d flunked Protect Your Mate 101 already.
But she’d just demonstrated her new found powers to him. If she was sure, and she was, he would put his trust in her instead of himself.
“I trust you, little flower. Tell me what you want me to do.”
The smile that spread across her face cemented his decision to trust her. She kissed him, sucking his tongue into her mouth, and if evil incarnate wasn’t flying around over their heads he’d let her have her way with him.
She nipped his lip with her teeth and ended their three-second make-out session. “You go fight the black dragon. I’ll keep you safe.”
“I can’t fly. The bones in my wing is broken and no matter how many times I shift into my dragon form it won’t heal.”
“Turn around.” She spun him and pushed his shirt up revealing his broken shoulder and arm. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“I was too busy holding you.”
“Let me see what I can do.”
“Jakob already tried his dragon’s breath. It helped, but—” Fleur’s breath on his skin took his words and turned them into mush. Whatever she was doing was far behind any dragon’s breath he’d ever experienced. Normally it was like warm touch, but her healing power felt like Icy Hot on steroids.
She continued to blow across his skin, down his arm, her lips pursed, white mist and green dragon’s breath licking over his wounds. Black oil seeped from him everywhere her breath touched giving him instant relief. The skin knitted together and the bones underneath reformed, stronger, infused with a new vigor.
She glanced up, still blowing, grinned at him, and winked.
One more part of his body went harder than it ever had before, too. “Promise me when this is over you’ll use those lips on my cock.”
“What do you think that wink was for?” She laughed. “Now, go. Defeat the black dragon, save my friends and their home.”
Steele kissed his mate once more for luck and shifted into his dragon form, taking to the air.
The black dragon rolled through the sky, shooting jets of dragon’s fire at Jakob and the other Wyverns.
Cage used his power over the wind to easily avoid the attacks, and propelled the other dragon warriors out of harm’s way. But in the dark of night, he was tiring fast.
They needed to work together and move the battle to the ground, where he and Jakob could dig in and take over. The reds and Ky could use their fire and ice to destroy the legion of demon dragons pouring out of the same crack in the ground Fleur and the black dragon had emerged from.
Steele glanced down and saw Fleur’s friends rapidly shift into wolves and form a circle around her and the tree.
The demon dragons attacked.
Fuck. There were so many, there was no way the wolves could hold them at bay. Steele dove for the ground until he saw the burst of white power shoot from her hands, stunning the demon dragons.
“Fleur. They’re coming. Get out of there.”
The branches on the trees grew in every direction, blocking every attack. “I got this, mate. Get the black dragon.”
The wolves took advantage of that and ripped out the throats and hearts of the beasts like the dragons had taught them to. The horde turned to mere black stains before his eyes.
Well, okay then. He’d doubted the trust he’d given to his mate in that moment and had been dead wrong.
Fleur glanced up at him and raised her hands. The world around him went white with light.
“Steele, look out,” Jakob and Fleur both shouted into his head.
The black dragon and his enormous claws were centimeters from Steele’s head.
“You’re dead and your mate will be next.”
He ducked, but there was no way he would be able to avoid the attack. He braced for the impact, praying to the First Dragon to let him keep his head.
The world shifted into slow-mo, and Steele watched the razor-sharp claws inch their way closer to his neck. Shit. He’d let himself get distracted and he was about to pay the price.
“Noooooo.” A screech of tortured pain came from the black dragon, and it recoiled, snapping the world back into real-time. The ends of its claws were gone and white tendrils, like fine vines crawled up his scales.
The black dragon writhed and squirmed, trying to shake off the invader. His turn to be the one distracted.
“Go, brothers. Take it down,” Steele called to all the warrior dragons to join him. They attacked. Claws, wind, fire, ice, and earth joined forces, assaulting the beast, pushing it to the ground.
It landed hard, creating a crater with its impact. There were no more demon dragons to help defend the bastard. Now it would die.
Steele dove, calling upon the earth and trees, and most importantly, his mate to join him in crushing this foe once and for all. “Let’s end this, together.”
The black dragon spread its wings, even crippled by the power of Fleur’s white vines. It tried to take to the air again, jumping up and over the wolves surrounding it.
The great dragon tree Fleur had created grew even bigger, reaching out for the black dragon, making sure it’s only path was down. Match, Ky, and Cage joined together grabbing at it with their claws, forcing it to drop to the ground, where Steele, Jakob, Dax and the wolf pack waited to capture and destroy it once and for all.
The wolves howled and Fleur’s white magic rose around them all. It filled Steele’s soul, giving him strength and courage.
He spread his wings wide, his talons ready to slice the beast throat just as it had tried to do to him. He had every confidence Fleur would protect him from any attempts at a last-minute attack.
Jakob lunged, a white light, yet not Fleur’s, surrounded him, too. He used his great spiked tail to push the black dragon to the ground. It thrashed, but its actions, its snout, even its thoughts and dragon’s voice were muffled by the white tendrils now encasing its head. They all heard nothing from it now, but agony.
“The kill is yours, Steele. Finish him.”
“Gladly.”
He drew back, putting all his might behind his move. This aberration would never plague Rogue, New York or Fleur’s friends. Nothing like it would ever touch Fleur again.
He moved to strike, but stopped when a woman, older than dirt, appeared between him and the black dragon. Black acrid smoke pooled around her feet and she held up her arm to block Steele’s deathblow.
“Never again,” she cried. She waved her arms through the air, engulfing the black dragon and herself into smoke, and disappe
ared, leaving only burned ground behind.
“Who the fuck was that?” Dax asked the question they all wanted the answer to.
“Some sort of a witch, one that uses the blackest of magic.” Match growled and pawed at the earth where the two fugitives had been only moments before.
“Steele. Where are you? Steele?” Fleur ran through the clouds of smoke and when she saw him, she threw her arms around his great scaly neck.
“I couldn’t find you through that smoke.”
Steele pushed the dragon back inside, even though that part of him was still amped up and craving the kill.
“I’m right here. I’ll always be here for you.”
She covered his face in kisses not even stopping when someone behind her cleared their throat. When two more someone’s about coughed their heads off, she relented. Not that Steele minded them watching. He didn’t care as long as Fleur was in his arms.
“Sorry to break up your love fest, but can anyone explain what that was, and do we need to be worried about protecting our pack from it again?” Niko stood, buck naked in human form with his arms crossed and his mate, Zara on his arm. At least she had the sense to put some clothes on.
Jakob shifted into his human form first and addressed the worried alpha. “It was either a demon or some form of advanced demon dragon. You all took out more of its minions than I’ve ever seen gathered together, so I don’t think you will have to worry about them anytime soon.”
Match shifted next and began pacing immediately. “I don’t think it was a mere demon dragon. It had powers too similar to my own. But there is nothing in the lore about a black dragon.”
Cage and Ky shifted to joined the conversation. Cage leaned against the tree, using it to support him in his exhaustion. “When I have recharged in the sun, I will fly back to start searching the archives for information. I think I know a succubus who might be able to help.”
“I suggest we call an AllWyr to discuss this new threat, the information Steele extracted from the demon dragon, and our new ally.” Ky glanced over at Fleur.
“Me?” Fleur’s head snapped to stare at Ky.
Match stopped dead in front of Fleur. “Yes, little witch. What kind of family do you come from that gives you dragon powers?”
Match’s tone was dark and had a tinge of threat to it. Steele itched to step between the alpha of alpha’s and his mate. He didn’t only because he knew Fleur could hold her own against anyone, dragon or man.
She took his hand and squeezed it, asking for his support. He squeezed back and pulled her closer. She glanced at him, a question in her eyes. He knew this was a sensitive subject for her. But maybe his kind could put some of her questions to rest. He nodded to her.
“I never knew my father. Do you know he was a dragon?”
“Your powers. These.” Ky indicated to Fleur’s arm and neck. “They are clues to your heritage. I watched as you wielded your magic. Your body shimmers with white scales. Your father was not a dragon, because there are no dragon daughters. But, there is something powerful in your past.”
“But the woman in white gave me those. She’s the one who transformed me into the white dragon and helped me understand how to use the love inside of me.”
“The woman in white?” Match questioned.
“Yeah. Long black hair, white flowing robes. Didn’t you guys see her? Come to think of it. She used those words, called me a dragon’s daughter.”
Match grumbled and growled. “Holy First Dragon. The White Witch. You say she transformed you? I don’t believe it. There is no such thing as female dragons. Let us see your dragon form now.”
Fleur shrugged and closed her eyes. The shard at her neck glowed, and white scales did in fact shimmer across her body but that was the extent of her transformation.
Steele waited in as much anticipation as the rest of the group. He knew his mate was special, but a female dragon was completely unprecedented.
“That’s all I’ve got.”
“Do your mates not take on your shifter forms when you mark and claim them?” Niko waved his arm toward the other wolf shifter couples. “All of our women were human until we mated with them.”
Ky stepped in to answer. “No dragon has had a true mate in the last six-hundred years. Until now.”
He pointed to Jakob. “The green dragon Wyvern was the first when he found his own white witch. We assumed it was a blessing from the First Dragon for recovering the sacred relic. But it seems to have happened again with Steele.”
Steele hadn’t known any of that. He hadn’t done anything to deserve a gift from the First Dragon. He wouldn’t question why Fleur had been brought to him but be grateful she had.
He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. He wanted to take her home and love on her. She completed him and he would do everything he could for the rest of his life to deserve her. They were indeed better together.
Match wasn’t quite ready to let them go. “Steele, did you see your mate in this transformation?”
“No.” Except in their shared dream. “But I talked to her too. The White Witch.”
“When?” That had surprised Jakob.
“The first battle against the demon dragons. I died and talked to both the First Dragon and the White Witch in a sort of afterlife.”
Jakob grasped him on the shoulder, and they exchanged a knowing glance. They had more in common than just being gifted with true mates.
Match’s alpha command zinged through the air. “Steele Zeleny. You and your...mate, will present yourselves to the AllWyr council to be questioned about these supposed encounters.”
Fleur extracted her arm from Steele’s tight grip, and pointed a finger at the red Wyvern. “Hey, buster. We just saved your big ole dragon butts. Have a little respect.”
Man, how Steele loved her sassy little mouth. It might get them both in trouble. But he’d take it.
Jakob snorted to cover a chuckle. “Forgive him, my lady. Please accept my invitation to join me in my home. We’d like you to attend us at the AllWyr to recount your miracles.”
“Miracles?”
He nodded. “I count my own true mate to be a miracle in my life. You must be, too.”
Fleur grinned, and Steele saw a touch of a blush cross her cheeks. “Oh. Okay. Thanks. We’d love to.”
“Steele, you’ll bring her to Prague?”
“Yes, sir.”
Fleur clapped. “Ooh. Prague.”
“Yes, that our home. Ciara would, what does she say, ah yes, flip her shit, if I didn’t invite you. She loves to throw a party, so pack accordingly.”
“My home is here in Rogue. The Troika’s are...” she swallowed and glanced around at the men and women who’d fought by their side. “They’re my family.”
The women in the circle bounded forward, pushed Steele aside and surrounded Fleur in a group hug. They all started talking at once in a high-pitched squeal that defied human ears. The alpha female’s voice rang through. “Fleur, dear. We’ve been waiting for you to realize how much we all care for you.”
The other women hugged her one by one. “You and your dragon have to come upstate and visit.”
“Yes, come over to meet the Serenity Falls pack, too. I miss hanging out with you.”
“Aw, you guys mean the world to me. Even if we have to move to Europe, you’ll always be my home.”
Steele leaned over and spoke under his breath to Jakob. “Dude. You gotta help me out. I think the she-wolves will kill me if I try to take Fleur away from them.”
Jakob nodded, looking very serious. He announced his decision to the group. “I think it best if we reassign Steele and Daxton to Rogue.”
If possible the squeals of the women increased in both pitch and decibels. They might have created a new weapon of mass destruction against all eardrums.
Selena Troika clapped her hands and got everyone’s attention. “Ladies, gentlemen, I propose we all meet back at the Troika’s Speakeasy tomorrow afternoon. It’s been a lon
g night, and I think we could all use some time in bed.”
She winked at Steele and continued, “Then we can begin our plans, ladies.”
“Uh-oh. I’m not sure I like the sound of that,” Niko said. “Plans for what?”
“Fleur’s bachelorette party, of course.”
The squeals returned and were joined by groans from all the wolf-shifter men.
“I guess that means we’ll need to plan a bachelor party for you, dragon,” Niko said.
Holy dragon’s balls.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Love’s Destiny
Fleur couldn’t get Steele home fast enough. She wanted to feel every part of his body on every part of hers. Several of the Troika’s offered them a ride. Steele declined.
He shifted into his dragon, plucked her up in his talons, holding her gently by the shoulders and flew up and over the treetops.
“I’m going to need a new place with a balcony so you have a place to land.”
“As soon as I can liquidate some of my treasure, you’re getting a home with a secluded backyard where I can make love to you surrounded by the earth and forest.”
His treasure?
Dragons.
“All I want is you and maybe a garden.”
“Yes. I won’t be able to keep my hands off of you in a garden.”
That wasn’t exactly what she meant, but it sounded fun anyway.
He landed on the roof of her building, just as the sun was starting to rise. She’d lugged half a dozen planters up here and created a tiny rooftop vegetable garden in the five by five-foot area the landlord had allowed her.
She’d been able to coax anything into growing before she’d met Steele and the White Witch, but now she could turn her little plants into paradise for them both.
Fleur waved her hands over the pots and within seconds their own little secret garden sprouted up around them.
Steele shifted to his hot-arific human form and tackled her to the grass, rolling so she landed softly on his chest. His hands were everywhere at once, stripping off her clothes and touching each new inch of bare skin.
