The Dragon's Reluctant Sacrifice: a Dragon Shifter Romance (The Last Dragons Book 1)

by Ines Johnson

  Corun shot to his feet, whirling to face his brother. “What would you have had me do? Let the woman who I gave my soul to die because of my love for her?”

  Elek did not back down. He did not blink. “If that was her choice.”

  “I couldn’t watch her die,” said Corun.

  “It’s not so terrible.” Elek shrugged. He watched his mother slip by degrees each day. Yet he stayed by her side, holding her hand, sitting with her, simply being with her. “It’s not about you. She’s going to die one day. I believe her choice was to die here with you, the only man who loved her. And with us, her only family. Instead, you shoved her back into a world where she’s all alone. That was pretty cold-blooded.”

  Corun was having difficulty swallowing. He looked around at his other brothers. Did they feel the same way?

  Beryl stood with his large arms crossed over his chest like a petulant child whose plaything Corun had just taken away. Rhoyl had landed, but he turned his face from Corun, unwilling to look his elder brother in the eye. Ilia shook the Magic 8-Ball and held up the prognosis.

  Outlook not so good.

  Corun turned away from the judgment. He stared at the rip in the fabric of the world. A hand came down on his shoulder.

  “You can’t go in there,” said Ilia. “It’s against the rules.”

  “If you cross that threshold,” said Beryl, “the Valkyrie will hunt you down and end you. I don’t think Chryssie would like that very much.”

  Corun wasn’t listening. He had made a colossal mistake. The only thing his Chryssie was afraid of was being sent away. He remembered the redheaded Anne begging the white-haired Matthew father-figure not to send her back to the orphanage. Corun had done that to Chryssie. If it took his last breath, he needed her to know that she was his one and only choice, forever. He needed to find her and stay with her until his last breath.

  Man and beast were in accord. Corun stepped into the rip between the worlds and lost his breath. His beast wrapped its wings around him as they fell through the crack. Down into a spiral of darkness he went until he landed with a thud.

  He tried to inhale, but his lungs would not fully inflate. He was cold, so cold. That alone was proof that this world was not built for dragons.

  The dragon gave over its scales, and the man emerged. It was only marginally better in his flesh. He still couldn’t take a full breath. His bones ached as though something was pressing down on him.

  And then there was a thud on his shoulder, like a cat giving him a swat. He looked up to see fiery red hair and blazing eyes. Chryssie reared back and punched him in the nose. It was as ineffectual as her first punch, but it hurt him. Just not physically.

  “How could you do that to me?” she said.

  “I’m a monster.”

  She smacked at his chest repeatedly, but she was growing winded. Corun pulled her to him and wiped the tears from her eyes.

  “You shouldn’t hit me,” he warned. “Dragons like violence.”

  She beat her fists on his chest again as she buried her nose against him.

  “Please, forgive me.”

  “You made me feel like I was a burden to you. You got rid of me when times got hard, just like all the others.”

  “You are not a burden. You are the most precious of my treasures.”

  “But you sent me away.”

  “I only wanted to protect you.”

  “I don’t need your protection. I need you to love me and hold me close.”

  “I will. For the rest of our lives. I’ll never leave you again. I swear it.”

  She was as cold as he was. Only, unlike him, she was still clothed. Her breathing was just as labored as his. How would either of them survive in this world? Worse still, how would he fight when the Valkyrie came for him? They would come once they learned he’d broken their rule.

  Corun and his dragon had worked together to find his mate. Now, they’d fight for his life and fight for her.

  He brought Chryssie’s lips to his. He ignored his protesting lungs and breathed her in. They were both panting for air, but they didn’t let loose one another’s lips.

  “All right, enough of that.”

  Corun tore his mouth from Chryssie’s and put her behind him to face the threat. He’d barely had a minute before they’d arrived. Morrigan leaned against the cave wall, watching them as though they were a television show made solely for her entertainment.

  “I will fight you for her, Valkyrie. We will live together, or we will die together.”

  Morrigan screwed up her face. “You just threw her out like yesterday’s trash.”

  Corun winced and let out a huff of air. “Momentary lapse in judgment. One I will go through you to rectify.”

  “Keep making threats, scaly boy, and watch that you don’t end up on the pointy side of my sword. I have other problems to deal with aside from your two-faced ass. I can’t have you unleashing more halflings into the world. Mom will notice. Then I’ll be in serious trouble.”

  “Halflings?” Corun’s stance relaxed as his mind wrapped around that single word. “Half what?”

  “Half-human, half-dragon. Duh.”

  When Corun continued to look dumbfounded, Morrigan sighed again. “A few centuries ago, a sacrifice escaped her dragon from another clan and made her way back through the Veil. She was preggers. She gave birth to whelps. She died, but the halflings grew. Those two males didn’t live long. There’s too much fire in a dragon’s blood. Helium, humans call it.”

  “I was diagnosed with having too much helium in my blood,” said Chryssie.

  Morrigan mouthed duh again. “Like I said, fire in your blood. Those two male halflings lived long enough to spread their seed. Chryssie is one of their descendants. Cardi, too.”

  “Are you telling me Chryssie is part dragon?” Corun looked at his mate with new wonder.

  “Is the air really that thin for you now?” Morrigan poked him on the side of his head. “That’s exactly what I just said.”

  “But dragons only produce males,” said Corun.

  “I don’t know, I don’t understand genetics. I didn’t go and ask my mother about it, seeing as how She never saw fit to make dragon girls. But now there are some in the human world. Most don’t see their twentieth birthday because they can’t survive with their symptoms. But a few make it. Finding Cardi and Chryssie were flukes. I figured it was better to bring them beyond the Veil than to let them keep procreating in the human world.”

  “So, wait.” Chryssie came to stand in front of Corun. “Does that mean I can carry dragon babies without dying?”

  “So long as you’re on that side of the Veil. But seeing as you’re on this side of the Veil, all of your old symptoms will return, and you won’t last but a few weeks.”

  Corun couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He could have her. And he could have children.

  He turned back to Chryssie. The same joy in his heart was reflected back in her eyes. He dipped his head for another kiss, but Morrigan cleared her throat again.

  “How about you two get a room, on the other side of the Veil? We’ll need to hurry before my sisters realize there’s been a breach.”

  “Too late,” called a voice in the distance.

  It wasn’t coming from the cave. It was coming from the other side of the Veil. Corun recognized the voice without seeing its owner. He knew when he crossed over exactly who would be waiting for them.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  All her life, Chryssie had dreamed of someone coming for her. It had never once happened. Until a moment ago.

  Corun had come for her. With barely a moment since he’d left her, he was back for her, holding her in his arms, begging her for forgiveness, and kissing her breathless. Which was easy to do now that she was back on this side of the Veil.

  Her sickness returned with force. Her lungs filled as though she’d been a smoker all her life. Her bone density tipped all the way over to the brittle side of the scale. And a general wearines
s settled down on her shoulders.

  She ignored it all and reveled in her dragon’s arms around her. Even though Corun’s breaths were labored, his arms were strong as he held her. A chilly sweat had collected on his chest, but his lips still held a bit of warmth, like the dying embers of a fire.

  Now they stepped back through the Veil to find two other women who Chryssie guessed had to be Valkyries. The golden-haired one smiled and waved, even though she held a sword at the ready. The dark-haired one frowned in disapproval and disgust. She held two swords, one in each hand.

  Behind them Chryssie saw her family. The boys all looked like they were barely holding onto their dragons. But it was two against five. Those were good odds. Right?

  It didn’t look like it. Not with the look of sheer terror on Corun’s face. Once again, he put his body in front of hers.

  Morrigan stepped in front of the two of them. She didn’t have a cocky grin on her face. She looked troubled.

  That’s what scared Chryssie the most; seeing first Corun, the strongest man she knew, and now Morrigan, the strongest woman she knew, look scared.

  “Hey, Hilda. Hey, Siggy,” said Morrigan. “Out for a late-night stroll?”

  “We were alerted that there was a breach,” said Hilda. “A dragon crossed over the Veil.”

  “It’s a misunderstanding,” said Morrigan. “His mate fell through the crack, and he just reached out for her. He’s a male. They do dumb shit all the time, am I right?”

  Hilda narrowed her gaze as though she did not agree.

  Siggy didn’t agree. She didn’t disagree either. She was too busy eyeing Corun’s naked form and his exposed package.

  “What is he doing with a new mate?” said Hilda.

  “That was me,” said Morrigan. “I found her. Didn’t I mention that?”

  “You broke the law?”

  “Hilda, you said no more men could sacrifice human women. I am not a man.”

  Hilda lifted a brow at Morrigan. It was the exact same look Mr. Belding would give Zach Morris each Saturday afternoon on television when he got caught in his latest scheme.

  “Look, she has fire in her blood like Cardi,” said Morrigan. “I thought it best to bring her here than let her make more dragon babies on the other side of the Veil. Good move, right?”

  “If they stay on the other side, they die,” said Hilda. “They’re not our concern. But since she’s here, and she’s a dragon halfling, she can face the consequences too.”

  The five dragons around them all roared, but none were louder than Corun.

  “Take me,” Corun said. “But send her back with my brothers.”

  “No,” Chryssie protested. “Didn’t we just have a whole discussion about sticking together? We live together, or we die together.”

  “If I can save you—”

  “I don’t want to be saved without you.”

  “Ahhh,” said Siggy. “So cute.”

  “I know, right,” grinned Morrigan.

  Hilda cut them both a glare.

  “What?” said Siggy. “It’s like a Nicholas Sparks movie. I’m a sucker for those things.”

  “Like in The Notebook?” said Morrigan.

  “Yes,” agreed Siggy. “I love that movie.”

  “They die in that movie,” said Hilda.

  “Oh,” frowned Siggy. “Right.”

  “But,” Morrigan held up a finger, “they didn’t die until they lived a long life after they wrote in a notebook.” She turned to Chryssie. “Have you written in a notebook, sweetie? What’s it called? A diary?”

  “Um, no,” said Chryssie.

  Morrigan pursed her lips. “Maybe we should give them a bit of time to actually write something, so it’s more like the movie. What do you say?”

  Siggy considered this.

  Before she could agree, Hilda cut her off.

  “This is not a movie set,” said Hilda. “It’s real life. They broke the rules. We enforce the rules. What are we if we don’t enforce the rules?”

  “Mom,” said Morrigan.

  “Dad,” said Siggy.

  “Uncle Lucifer,” said Morrigan.

  “Well, we’re not them,” said Hilda. “We do what we’re told.”

  “No, we don’t,” said both Siggy and Morrigan.

  “There was that time when Prima lassoed a comet, and it crashed into the earth, killing off all Mom’s giant lizards,” said Morrigan.

  “Or that time Mist hijacked an alien spaceship and crashed it in the dessert on the Northwestern side of the planet,” said Siggy. “What do they call it? Area Fifty-first?”

  “And then there’s Regin who ran off with a dragon,” said Morrigan. “All big no-nos.”

  “Enough.” Hilda let out a frustrated sigh. “The rules on this are clear, or we’re beasts like them. The price is the dragon’s head.” She turned to Corun. “It’s nothing personal. You’re pretty decent, for a male. But my personality type is one that colors inside the lines. You understand?”

  Corun bared his teeth.

  Hilda lifted her swords.

  Siggy shrugged apologetically and lifted hers too.

  The dragons all unleashed their claws.

  “Wait,” shouted Chryssie. “Hear me out. I’ve followed the rules all my life, and death has stared me down the whole way. I’m not afraid to die, I just want a chance to live. I want a chance to have a love story.”

  Once again, Chryssie had the spotlight at the start of a big battle scene. Once again, her big monologue wasn’t working. She still had one last card to play.

  “And I might be pregnant,” she said.

  “Well, that does change things.” Hilda pursed her lips. Hilda lowered the sword aimed at Chryssie. “She lives.” She pointed both at Corun. “But he dies.”

  “Come on, Hilda,” said Morrigan. “Aren’t there enough single mothers in the world. Look at our mom holding down the world while dad traipses around the universe. Are you really going to cosign another woman to raising hellions without a father figure?”

  “Yup.” Hilda raised her sword, and everything went blurry.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Corun wrapped his wings around his mate and took off up into the air. He knew he wouldn’t get far. He just needed to keep her out of the fray. All around them were the sounds of fighting. The only creature who loved a good fight more than a dragon was a Valkyrie. The females’ high pitched battle cries clashed with the roar of the dragons.

  There was chaos on the ground. The dragon’s mountains were off in the distance. The trees were the only bid for protection.

  Corun flew Chryssie up to a high perch. He set her down on a sturdy branch with enough foliage to act as a cushion.

  “Guard my treasure?” he asked the arbor.

  Its leaves rustled in response.

  “Did you just talk to the tree?” asked Chryssie.

  “It will keep you safe until I return.”

  She reached for him, nails digging into his flesh. “Don’t you dare leave me.”

  “I’ll be back for you, I swear it.” He gazed into her eyes until he knew she saw the truth of his statement.

  Chryssie unclenched her fingers and pressed a kiss to his lips. Corun turned from his love and back to the melee on the land. He hovered over the battle raging below him.

  There were his four brothers facing off against two of the Valkyries. Six different sides twisting, turning, and rotating without any pattern. Three more if he counted himself, Chryssie, and Morrigan.

  Nine sides. Millions of possibilities. He was in the middle of his very own Rubik’s cube. But the odds of this puzzle were life and death for the ones he loved and cared about. His mind went through all of the moves he could make to affect the outcome he wanted. The problem was that there were over a million ways this could end. Most of them ended badly.

  At the edge of the fray, Morrigan stood with her teeth bared and her fists clenched. She was balanced on her toes. Corun couldn’t determine if she was set to rush
into the fight or break it up.

  He looked up again to Chryssie. The flash of rubies laying against her chest broke his concentration. He blinked, and it all became clear.

  The solution was right there in front of him. He needed to stop trying to impose order and embrace the chaos. Lose one side of the battle to win the war.

  Quickly, he flew back to the castle. He dashed into the mines. Still half-human, half-dragon he filled his arms with gems. Coming back outside, he didn’t bother to use his voice, he knew no one would hear him. The blood lust was loud as dragon claws met Valkyrie steel. His brothers were holding their own, but this was a battle they wouldn’t win, not against the finely honed daughters of their creator.

  A few red jewels fell like raindrops down over the fight. Siggy was the first to lower her sword as the glint of the rubies caught her eye. Morrigan was the first to dash in and snatch a gem for herself. Hilda moved slower, swords still in hand as she advanced on the rubies. His brother’s looked on in horror as the jewels were fondled by the grasping females.

  Another red gem plopped down on Siggy’s golden head. She turned left, reaching down for it. Corun dropped another gem. This time the red gem fell to the right of Hilda. The Valkyrie twisted away from Rhoyl to grasp for the ruby only to clash with the purple-headed Morrigan.

  Corun opened his arms wide. All the gems pelted the warriors on their way to the ground. Beryl, Ilia, and Elek jerked back mid punch and kick as their brother’s precious treasure fell from the sky. Rhoyl pulled up in the air to stare at the glistening jewels falling from Corun’s hands.

  Good, now he had everyone’s attention.

  “You can have it,” said Corun. “You can have my entire haul if you leave me be with my mate.”

  “All of it?” said Siggy, stuffing gems down into her breastplate.

  “Every gem,” said Corun. “You can go inside right now and take what you can carry. If that’s not enough, I’ll deliver more.”

  “I’m sure that’s enough, brother,” said Beryl, coming back to his male form.

  “My mate is worth it,” said Corun. “She’s worth that and more.”