by Amelia Jade
Ana needed him.
He shot into the hallway, his scales sinking back into his skin. The trick was something he had learned a long time ago and had taught to a very select few shifters. It required massive amounts of energy and mental strength to control his animal so strictly. He hadn’t told any of the other dragons about it, nor had he shared the trick to concentrating his fire to make it burn so much hotter.
“Ana!” he shouted.
She was slumped to the ground, eyes closed. Behind her, a shifter stared at Ferro, eyes unseeing. His arms were wrapped around her throat, though they were slowly falling aside. Massive red welts were already springing up on her skin, giving Ferro hope that she would be okay.
He slid to his knees at her side, trying to find the best way to untangle them. It wasn’t as easy as it looked due to the massive, brilliant white horn that was impaling the other shifter’s head.
Ana coughed.
He held her as best he could. “Hi,” he said softly into her ear. “Just stay calm. It will be okay,” he promised.
Around the rest of the castle the sounds of fighting had died away.
A rather unpleasant noise startled him as the horn began to shrink, leaving a huge hole in the shifter’s head. As it disappeared completely, the body fell away, allowing Ferro to hold Ana tight to him, careful to avoid her throat.
“Did we do it?” The voice that came from her was raspy and sounded wrong. It must have been due to the damage inflicted upon her throat, but it made him feel terrible for what she had sustained.
“We did, my love. We did,” he told her, gently kissing her forehead. Her hair was plastered to her face with blood from the shifter she had killed. He moved it aside, clearing her vision.
Down the hallway, footsteps scraped on the stone floor.
His head snapped up, muscles tensing.
A head peeked around the corner. It took in the carnage for a moment before focusing on Ferro. The ancient dragon shifter breathed a sigh of relief as members of their team came around the corner.
Five of them in total. He frowned, looking over the various faces until he realized who was missing. “Jarran?” he asked softly.
The leader shook his head.
“Dammit,” Ferro swore. One more needless death. He had known they would take some losses, and if he was honest, losing only one was far below even his most realistic expectations going in.
That didn’t make the loss any easier to stomach. He felt personally responsible for every shifter who had been ended as a result of his daughter’s arrogant quest for power. If he had only been more involved in the world at large, he could have seen this coming and done something to prevent it.
“Check the basement,” he said wearily, still holding Ana tight in his arms. “We need to find out where they are holding the Council members. We will be along shortly.”
“No, we’ll be along now,” Ana said, forcing her way to her feet despite his objections.
“Just take it easy,” Ferro urged her.
She shot him a firm glare. “This is what’s hurt,” she said, pointing to the mess of bruising and swelling that was her throat.
He suppressed a shudder at how weak and pained her voice sounded. But Ana wasn’t done talking to him.
“This is fine,” she said, pointing at the rest of her body. “I can walk to the damn basement. I’m stronger than that.”
This time Ferro couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, my dear, you are that.”
She nodded sharply, then hissed as a hand flew to her neck, wincing in pain.
“Good. Now take my damn arm so that I can stay as close to you as possible,” she told him.
He arched an eyebrow, but offered a quick bow and took her arm into his. “Of course, my lady,” he said with an aristocratic lilt to his voice.
“Don’t make me laugh,” she rasped out.
Ferro sobered immediately, despite the fact he could already hear her voice sounding better. Her attacker had done a decent job of crushing her windpipe among other things, but she was going to live, and that prevented his spirits from being dashed completely. It would be a painful day or so while she recovered, but in reality, that was nothing compared to the lifetime they now had to spend with each other.
They followed the others to the basement. Descending the stairs, the group was immediately accosted by shouts, jeers, and insults of a staggering variety. He flashed a toothy smile.
“Sounds like they’re still pretty pissed about being locked up,” he joked. Ferro allowed everyone a moment’s levity to relax, before nodding to proceed.
The shouts turned to cries of incredulity as the captive shifters realized just who was in the basement with them.
“They got to you too Ferro?” one of the Council members shouted in horror.
He rolled his eyes, but Ana opened her mouth before he could reply.
“I thought you said these were some of the older, smarter dragons on the planet?”
“They are,” he said, not understanding where she was going.
“Then how come they can’t recognize a rescue party when they see one?”
Ferro and the shifter team that had accompanied them all broke down into laughter. Laughter that died as they realized how their comrades had been imprisoned.
“This is barbaric,” he said as they came into view.
Of each shifter, only their head was visible. The rest was buried in the floor, encased in solid concrete.
“Yeah, it’s not been overly pleasant,” came a reply from farther down the line.
“Eight,” he said softly, doing a headcount while the free shifters quickly looked around for tools to break their friends free.
“What?” Ana turned to look at him.
“There are eight. Merlin makes nine. Only nine left.” He sighed heavily. “You know, back when we first formed the Council, there were fifteen.” His shoulders drooped. “All my fault,” he whispered, leaning against the cold wall.
“Stop that,” Ana said with as much force as her damaged throat would allow.
When he didn’t respond, she shoved her face into his, forcing him to focus on her. The intensity of her eyes startled him. They were glowing brightly, in a way he had never seen before. The blue was so vivid it was mesmerizing.
“Your eyes,” he said without thinking.
“I know,” she said. “It started after we made love the first time.”
He shook his head. “Why did you keep it a secret? What does it mean?”
Ana snorted. “I couldn’t control it. I still can’t. All I know is that being in close proximity to you sets it off sometimes.”
Ferro hung his head. “Look around you Ana. Being around me is a one-way sentence to sadness and death.”
If anything, the fiery blue orbs increased their brightness. “Don’t you get it?” she snapped. “This is a sign. It has to be.”
He looked at her suspiciously. “A sign of what?”
“Life, you big dope! It means I’m pregnant.”
“You know after two weeks? Ridiculous,” he scoffed, though inside he felt a thrill that had lain dormant for many millennia. The thrill of the idea of being a father again. “How can you tell?”
“Because,” she said with patience it was clear she didn’t have. “That is what you are: life. You created an entire species. You fought for life when your children were losing theirs. You came here and you rescued all of these people, giving them a new life when theirs was threatened by death. Death may be part of it, but Ferro, my love, after everything you do, there is always life. It is in your blood,” she said, her voice all but a whisper. “You are the origin of your species. Possibly of all shifter species. You are the king who will never wear a crown. The royalty who will never claim a dynasty.”
She grabbed the side of his face. “And dammit if I don’t love you for it.”
She kissed him.
For a moment he froze, her words finding something deep within him, something he didn’t r
ealize had been there. He was the bluest of bluebloods, the oldest of the old.
But never had he felt so alive.
He was going to be a father!
Chapter Seventeen
Ana
Staring out the window, Ana was forced to focus to hear herself think. The whirling blades of the helicopter drowned out most of her thoughts, until she was shouting at herself just to be heard.
A voice came across the headset she was wearing.
“Are you sure?”
It was Ferro. She looked up at him, sitting across from her. They were currently flying over a valley between mountains covered in vibrant greenery. This was his home, she was told. Genesis Valley. It seemed appropriate by how healthy and alive the place looked. Ferro seemed to have that effect.
She nodded. “I’m positive, my love. The test I took yesterday confirmed it.”
Her mate leaned back against the padded seat wearing a serene look of happiness. At the corners of his mouth she could see them slowly tick up into a smile.
Their ride jolted suddenly.
“Apologies, folks,” came the pilot’s voice. “Little bit of turbulence. If you’ll ensure your seatbelts are buckled, we will be descending soon.”
Ana focused on Ferro, and much to her surprise found him holding tightly to the seat of his chair, knuckles turning white.
“Are you scared?” she asked in disbelief.
“I prefer to do the flying myself,” he forced out, his voice tight with nerves.
“Oh my God. This is priceless,” she guffawed, her entire body shaking until tears streamed down her face and she was struggling for breath, overwhelmed by the moment and everything associated with it.
The pilot gave her a weird look as he pulled open the door. Her face was still bright red and tears filled her eyes and tracked down her cheeks, but her shoulders were not shaking with sobs, but laughter as Ferro all but fled the helicopter in a panic.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized to the bewildered pilot, courtesy of one of the shifters they had rescued. She still couldn’t remember which one. She’d had to learn so many names lately, and they were all beginning to overwhelm her. Arralax? Radden? She gave up.
She scampered down from the helipad, heading toward a door that Ferro was holding open. They had landed on a large mansion complex, high in the mountains above a small town nestled in and amongst the trees. He had told her this was the home of the mining company that controlled most of the land around them.
“I hope you are happy,” he said with gruffness as they descended a set of stairs.
“Oh shut up,” she told him, planting a wet kiss on his cheek.
He tried to growl, but couldn’t hold back the smile on his face. “A father,” he said softly. “After all this time.”
She smiled, swelled by the absolute certainty of his desire. “It’s a miracle really,” she said. “There is no way we should have been able to tell that soon.”
Ferro shrugged. “Well, we are sort of miracles ourselves,” he answered.
Ana paused to consider that. “That’s one way of putting it,” she said, giving him a more passionate kiss.
Her mate growled, his hands picking her up as he pressed her against the concrete wall of the stairway.
“Not here,” she said, gently nibbling on his lower lip in a move that she knew drove him crazy.
“You do not make it easy, my love,” he growled, setting her down and taking a deep, calming breath. “Ready to meet even more people?” he asked.
She giggled. “Oh come on, it’ll be fine.”
Ferro had begged and pleaded to be dropped off at his bar with her. But when they had received a message from one Marcus Kedyn, co-founder of the Lionshead Mining Consortium that ran the Valley, Ana hadn’t been willing to let him say no.
“Besides, if I’m going to live here for a while, I need to know these people,” she said, dragging him along down the next flight of stairs.
Although they hadn’t discussed a permanent plan, she had been able to see that going to his home for a period of time would be the logical thing to do. She didn’t have a home to go to anyway, so there wasn’t much to keep her away.
Besides that, she wanted to meet his granddaughter. Ferro had been so relieved to find out Karlie was okay. He seemed to care about her an awful lot, and Ana was excited to see them reunited.
“Ready?” he asked, hand on the door.
Ana took a deep breath. Beyond it, she knew there would be all the people Ferro had been telling her about. His friends, and even some family. She hoped they would accept her.
Of course they will.
Her response was a single word. “Yes.”
Ferro opened the door.
Chapter Eighteen
Ferro
“Babies.”
The big muscular bear shifter opposite him laughed at the observation. “Yes, lots of them, and more on the way from what I hear,” he joked.
Ferro smiled, accepting the slight ribbing from Ajax, Alpha of the Emerald Crew, a group of bears who mined the mountains nearby. Despite the joke, he detected a deep sadness, almost a longing of sorts from the bear. As if he wished for a child of his own. He knew Ajax was unmated, and had remained single ever since—
He cut off that line of thought, trying to keep happy thoughts.
“I was not aware I had so many friends who would be eager to welcome me back,” he said softly, appreciative of the show of support for him.
The entire Emerald Crew was there, along with the Jade Crew, many of whom were now either carrying a baby—in Trestin’s case twin boys—on their hips, or sporting bulging bellies, indicative of future children. The Kedyn brothers were there as well, and hiding in the far corner, Ferro was positive he even saw one or two of the reclusive Ruby Crew, who were even more private than he was.
“We’re here because of you,” Ajax said softly. “If you hadn’t intervened when Luthor attacked us, we would all be dead. Believe it or not, we’re rather appreciative of that.”
Ferro brushed it off. He didn’t want to go back down that path.
“Grandpa?”
He turned at the sound of Karlie’s voice.
“Hello again,” he said, pulling her into another fierce embrace. Then he turned to the man next to her. “Thank you again, Raphael,” he said. “I do not know if I will ever be able to thank you properly.”
The pair exchanged looks.
“Well,” Raphael began. “There is a way.”
Ferro felt his eyebrows narrowing. “Do I want to hear it?” he asked, his voice dropping several levels.
Karlie made like she wanted to hug him, but stopped herself. His granddaughter squared her shoulders, and faced him head on.
“Grandfather, there is something I need to tell you.”
The wily old dragon didn’t miss how she subtly moved to interpose herself between him and Raphael. Neither did the big bear shifter. He saw muscles flexing as he tried to stay calm.
“What is it?” he growled.
Karlie looked anxious, her eyes jerking back and forth between Ferro and Ajax, who was still nearby. “Raphael and I are in love,” she blurted.
“What?” Ferro roared. “Absolutely not! No.” He took a step toward Raphael, but was blocked by his granddaughter.
“Grandfather. Ferro! Stop,” she said, her hands firmly on his chest, holding him back.
“How dare you touch her!” he raged at the bear shifter.
“Ferro, what the hell are you doing?” This was Ana, rushing over from the far side of the room where she had been talking with some of the pregnant/new-mother shifter mates.
“He,” he stabbed a finger at Raphael. “And her,” another jab at Karlie.
Ana held up a hand, not needing to hear more.
“And let me guess. You don’t like it.” She crossed her arms, staring at him.
Ferro frowned. “Of course not. Nobody touches my granddaughter.”
Ana rolled her eyes, walki
ng closer to him. “She’s not a baby anymore, Ferro,” she said softly. “You need to let her go, to let her spread her wings.”
He shook his head. Ever since she was born several decades ago, Karlie had filled his life with joy.
“She’s an adult now,” Ana said softly.
“And I’m going to be a mother,” Karlie said softly.
“What?!” Behind them, Raphael stumbled back in surprise. Another bear shifter, this one missing an arm, was there to support him so that he didn’t fall. “Congratulations,” he whispered to his friend.
“I’m sorry for not telling you earlier,” Karlie said with a wince as she went to his side. “I was just waiting for the right time.”
“I’m going to be a father,” Raphael muttered, in shock.
“Babies,” Ajax muttered behind Ferro, mimicking his earlier tone.
Ferro whirled to stare at him. The big bear shifter’s arms were crossed as he fought to keep a smile off his face. It was a losing battle, and shortly thereafter the Emerald Alpha was laughing loudly. Others shortly followed as everyone relaxed.
Even Ferro found himself caught up in the moment.
“You truly love her?” he asked Raphael as the mood calmed and people filtered away. “You would do anything for her?”
“He risked his life several times saving me, Grandpa,” Karlie said fiercely from Raphael’s side, her arms around him protectively.
“He better have,” Ferro said gruffly, though he gave Raphael a firm nod. It wasn’t much, but between men, both parties knew that it meant they were okay, and that Ferro was giving him his blessing.
“Stop it,” Ana commanded with a jab to his ribs. “Be nice. They’re clearly as in love with each other as we are.”
“Why must you take their side?” he grumped.
“Because you’re being ridiculous,” Ana said.
“So I’m going to be a great-grandfather?” he asked.
Karlie nodded, one hand on her belly. “Yes, you are.”
Raphael’s fellow Stone Bears, Uriel and Gabriel, arrived to congratulate him properly, pulling him away for some drinks.
