Dragons Crown (Elder Enterprises Book 2)

by Jo Vanz

  Dragons Crown

  Elder Enterprises

  Book 2

  By Jo Vanz

  All Rights Reserved: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic, in whole or in part, without express written permission from the author.

  All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events, locale, or organization is strictly coincidental.

  Acknowledgments

  Authors are nothing without out readers. You are the reasons we continue to write.

  I have had so many people backing and supporting me along this crazy road. So to everyone that has helped me. Thank you so much. I love each and everyone of you.

  Chapter 1

  Time stood still for Katie. In some deep part of her mind, she knew that the world was still turning. That outside this little bubble, people all over the world were going about life as usual. Not Katie, not right this moment. She was frozen in place. She could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest and her breaths came in painful, short huffs of air. Her vision locked onto Paul’s changing hide. How was this even possible? How could she be a queen? She didn’t know the first thing about leading a group of people, let alone a whole race.

  The rational side of Katie was telling her that everything would be fine. That they could take this one day at a time, there was no need to panic. Katie wanted so badly to grab ahold of that thought and not let go but her irrational side was winning, making her think about how everything she did from now on would impact every single dragon in existence.

  She forcibly ripped her gaze from Paul. Her head swiveled around to land upon the group of dragons staring at them in shock. She bounced from face to face. Some had a look of shock and awe, while others had a mix of jealousy thrown in there, too. They still knelt with their fists balled up over their chests. Her heart rate spiked and her huge head started to shake back and forth. NO, she wanted to scream. STAND UP. She didn’t want this, she wasn’t ready for what all of this would mean. She just wanted a simple, normal life. Now she was being thrown into ruling the dragon race. She started to back up slowly but came to a stop as she rammed into something behind her.

  Calm down, love. I’m right here with you, Paul’s voice sounded through her mind, grabbing ahold of her and surrounding her very being. A calming sensation washed over her, causing her to shiver. Her heart rate began to slow down and she was finally able to take a deep breath without her chest feeling as if it were on fire.

  What’s happening, Paul? Her voice quivered. She was glad that no one else could hear her. Hell, she didn’t think she would even be able to open her mouth to speak. Even though she was starting to calm down, she was still scared. Her life was forever changed. She had gone from being alone and having no one to love, to having the love of her life and others around her that understood what she was going through. Who she was. But now? Now, she was a queen.

  I’m not sure, love. His warm, calming tone washed through her. I need you to do as I say. Once we are done here, we can figure it all out. Until then, I need you to stay with me. To be the strong woman I know you are. Katie didn’t say anything. She couldn’t. She just stared into his eyes and flopped her big head around in a yes. All right, love, I want you to stand tall. Head held high. Chest out. Show your dominance. Don’t let them see your fear. You are a strong dragon.

  Katie did as Paul instructed. Her head felt heavy but she raised it. Her back held stiff as she adjusted her stance, then she inhaled a deep breath and stuck her chest out. Moving only her eyes, she peered over to her reflection. She was beautiful, her dragon form showing no signs of weakness. Pure muscle rippled below her skin, holding her strong. Her body was a stark contrast to how she was feeling inside. She returned her gaze back to the crowd before her. Holding her head just a little bit higher, she left no room for mistakes. She knew everyone here was now relying on her and Paul. In that moment, she promised herself that she would not let them down, no matter how scared she was.

  Katie gave herself a mental shake. Now what? she asked, annoyed that her voice still held that slight quiver to it.

  I want you to spread your wings. Katie hesitated, worried she would slap Paul in the face or knock something over. Don’t worry, love, nothing is in your way. Now stop overthinking it.

  Katie gave Paul a quick nod before willing her wings to spread. She wanted to gasp at how quickly they snapped out. They felt almost weightless compared to everything else about her new body. Katie dared a quick glance back to them and almost became mesmerized. The purple was beautiful, but the gold streaks throughout gave her wings an almost marbled effect. She had to force herself back into the stance that Paul wanted her in.

  A soft laugh came through her mind, making her want to smile. All right, love, you can get use to everything later. For now, I want you to lift your right paw. Katie did as she was asked, even if she wanted to gawk at herself some more. Her paw felt heavy, but then again it was huge so why wouldn’t it? Now, bow your head down to your left paw. Hold it there for a few moments and then rise back up.

  Katie was glad that she had all this extra muscle holding her up. She had a feeling that her human legs would not be holding her up at this point. Doing the mating ceremony and then finding out she was now a Royal was a lot to digest.

  Slowly, Katie lowered herself to a bowing position. She barely registered Paul following suit. She took a deep breath, then held it for a few moments before bringing her head back up. As she lowered her right paw back to the ground, everyone began rising to their feet to stand before her once more.

  Katie stared at them, taking in the faces of each of the people in attendance. She stored their faces into her memory. Each one of them would leave here tonight with the news of a new queen and king. Word would spread like wildfire and it wouldn’t be long before dragon shifters started to show up to just catch a look at the new royals.

  Fabian stepped forward. “With your permission, my Queen, I would like to address everyone in attendance.” Katie tilted her head, giving him permission to continue. She hoped that it took everyone’s eyes off of her for a few moments. She hated being the center of attention. Hated having every move she made watched. She was still so use to being by herself.

  Fabian turned to face all the wondering eyes. He cleared his throat to pull their attention to him. Katie let out a soft exhale as everyone looked to him. “This has come as a surprise to everyone, the way it always has. But seeing as we have not had Royals in quite some time, I suggest we give them some time. Let them get used to everything. So everyone that does not sit on the Elders’ board, please make your way home.”

  There were a few grunts and groans but the majority of those there stood and made their way to the stairs leading down into the building. Katie relaxed a little as they left. She was still wary of those that remained but was relieved that there weren’t so many spectators.

  Love, Paul whispered, I’m going to walk you through the transition back to your human form now. I need you to stay calm. It will make things a lot easier on you.

  Katie nodded her head and took a deep, calming breath. Her heart threatened to beat right out of her chest but she pushed the bubbling anxiety aside. She listened to Paul as he walked her through the transition. With each step, magic boiled beneath the surface. A chill ran down her spin, causing her tail to twitch. After a few minutes, power swirled around her, sweeping her up as her body changed and took on her human form.

  She wasn’t prepared to hold her weight when the magic surrounding her finally dispersed. Her leg
s were weak and shaky. Katie would have fallen if it had not been for the warm arms that surrounded her. Paul. He turned them so that his back faced everyone that was left, separating her from leering eyes.

  “Look at me, love.” Katie looked up into his silver eyes and exhaled a breath. There, in the depths of the silver she was so use to, was one lone strip of royal purple. She wondered if her eyes would hold that same strip.

  Paul cleared his throat, pulling her attention back to what he was saying. “I will hold onto you, love. Now and always. We will get time alone here in a little while to freak out but for now, I need you to put on a face. Don’t let them see any emotion.”

  Katie nodded an understanding. She was still too scared to speak. Paul pulled her close and gave her a quick kiss. “I love you, Katlin Ivers, Queen of all Dragon Kind.”

  Something pulled Paul’s attention away from Katie. He glanced over his shoulders and gave a quick nod. Katie caught a glimpse of Fabian waving them over. Katie didn’t want to go, but she forced her feet to move when Paul gave her hand a soft tug.

  “I think it would be best if we call in all the Elders for an emergency meeting,” Fabian said with a look of despair. “It is time that the prophecy is read.”

  Paul went rigid beside her. Sweat beaded and rolled down his face. Katie squeezed his hand. “Isn’t this what you wanted?” she asked in a whisper.

  He didn’t answer, just nodded his head as they followed Fabian into the building. Everyone waited for them to pass before following behind them. Katie felt trapped. She had a feeling of doom as they stepped through the door to the stairs. After everything she and Paul had been through tonight, Katie didn’t think that they were ready for what was coming.

  ***

  Six hours later, Katie and Paul sat at the head of the conference table. Murmurs of quiet conversations surrounded them. Dawn would soon arrive and with it the last of the Elders would arrive. Katie was tired. She was barely able to keep her eyes open and was grateful when Mark walked in the door with coffee. Everyone else was allowed to come and go as they pleased but Katie and Paul were on lockdown here until proper protection was set up for them. Katie didn’t like the idea of always having someone following them but she understood it. She was now a target, so the dragon kind would make sure that no harm came to her.

  Mark walked over and handed them their coffee. “So how are you two holding up?” Mark technically wasn’t supposed to be here, but both Katie and Paul had fought for him to stay. Okay, not so much as fought but Katie gave the order and no one dared to fight her. It was nice to be listened to, but in the same aspect she wasn’t used to it. She was used to having to fight for everything she ever wanted. Now it seemed everything was just going to be handed to her. “I will be a lot better after this meeting is done and over with. I want to get my mate home. Until then I will say I am fine,” Paul said.

  Katie knew he was just as irritated as she was. She needed time to be alone with Paul. Time to decompress and to process all that had happened. To come to terms with her new life. So much had changed. She still wasn’t sure that she wanted this but in the end, that didn’t matter. It seemed as though fate had a plan for her and no matter how hard she fought it, at the end of the day, she would still be the Queen of the Dragons.

  “From everything I have picked up on, the last two will be here within ten minutes. Then from there the meeting shouldn’t last too long, but who knows with these things. After it is done, myself and three other enforcers will escort you back home.” Mark smiled. “I promise to keep everyone a safe distance away so no one hears you ravishing your new mate.”

  A soft laugh escaped Katie’s lips. She liked that Mark always knew how to make light of the situations. Even Paul was grinning. “I won’t be the one doing the ravishing. My mate here has all these new talents I am sure she would like to try out,” Paul said with a wink to his brother. They both started laughing, but sobered up quickly when Fabian entered, followed by the last of the Elders. Each stopped by Katie and Paul to bow and offer their congratulations. Katie replied kindly and allowed them to take their seat when they asked.

  As the men were taking their seats and saying their greetings to everyone else, Katie glanced over and watched as a small group of men were preparing to leave. They each had bags hanging on their backs and were carrying a box or two in their hands. A slight sigh escaped Katie. She knew these men were the first to head out after the females. In groups of two, they would scatter to different states. From there they would track down any female dragon that was in the area.

  Katie hoped and prayed that the females came willingly. If not, Paul had given the order that they be sedated and brought here forcefully. Katie hated the idea and had tried to argue with him at first but eventually she came to understand why it needed to be done.

  If they could get the females here, one way or the other, then the dragon race could begin the healing process. Sure, if the females were drugged, it would take longer for them to help, but Katie couldn’t think about that. Not now. They would figure out a way to make these females see that this was where they belonged.

  With a quick look around, Katie noticed the only one not sitting was Fabian. He turned to look at Paul and Katie. “May I have the floor?”

  They both replied with a quick, “Yes.”

  Fabian turned to look at the group of men sitting around the table. He let out a slight sigh, shook his head and then raised it to make eye contact with everyone. “We all know that earlier tonight, our race was shocked with the news of a new queen and king. No one suspected things would turn out in this manner, but it has. So we have gathered the Elders here for one reason. As the new Royal Family, I believe that both our Queen and King should hear the prophecy.”

  Murmurs spread through the room, men talking at levels that Katie couldn’t quite understand, but she didn’t need to. The looks on their faces said everything. Some agreed with the idea but others seemed to hate it. Katie wondered why they would be against the Royal family knowing the secrets of the dragon race. Her gut was screaming that something wasn’t right here. She dared a quick glance over at Paul but couldn’t read his expression, so she followed suit and tried to conceal her own feelings.

  After a few moments, Fabian cleared his throat. “This isn’t a request. The time has come for Paul to know everything.” The room went silent. No one dared to argue with him. Katie thought that it was either due to fear or respect. She knew that Fabian held a lot of power with the Elders but to see it like this was something else.

  Katie leaned over to whisper in Paul’s ear, “Is this what you want? I know this is what brought us together, but if you don’t want to know now, we don’t have to.”

  Paul shook his head. “No. This needs to be done. It won’t change anything between us but as King and Queen now, we need to do this. If we back away now, it will look like we are weak. We can’t allow that. Not right now.” Katie nodded her head in agreement and started to pull away when Paul reached up to cup her face. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Fire surged through her body. Just one little kiss had her panting and wanting more. Paul pulled away with a grin on his face, then looked up at the rest of the room. “Let’s get this done and over with. There are other things I would prefer to be doing right now.”

  Fabian nodded and stepped up behind a podium that was on the right side of the room. He flipped open a book before looking up at Paul. “If you would, please come join me up here. We can begin.”

  Paul stood. He held his head high and shoulders back. As strong as he held himself, Katie could see the slight tremble that ran through his body. Katie wanted to reach for him, to let him know that she was here for him, but he stepped away before her hand could come up. Love overwhelmed her in that moment. To know that Paul was scared but pushed through anyway. She admired him for that one little act. It said more about him than anything else. She release a slight sigh as he approached the podium. A sliver of fear ran through her body and her st
omach started to twist into knots. Katie got the feeling that something was amiss. Maybe it was the way the air around them felt charged with a murky energy. Or maybe it was just because she was exhausted from everything over the past few weeks.

  Pushing the feeling aside, Katie watched as Paul stepped up to stand beside his father. Fabian leaned over and whispered something to Paul. He gave a quick nod before they both turned their attention back to the room. It was Fabian that spoke. “We all know a change is coming. Even if we are not sure what it may be, I get the feeling that it is fast approaching. It starts today.”

  Fabian stepped forward and spread his arms out and tilted his back before murmuring something that Katie didn’t understand. As his head came back down, he opened his eyes. Katie held back a gasp as she peered at the black orbs that had replaced his silver eyes. Her anxiety ramped up a few more notches in that moment.

  He reached over and grabbed Paul’s hand, holding it over the book that lay open. Then in one quick movement, he pulled a knife out of his pocket and sliced into Paul’s hand. Blood spilled out on the pages below as the air in the room grew thick. Katie felt as though she may choke but she did her best to try and hide that fact. She held her head high as she watched Paul’s head snap back. A black mist surrounded him. The room was silent as Fabian stepped back away from the podium and the mist.

  The quiet was eerie. Goosebumps spread out across Katie’s skin as she held her breath and forced herself to stay seated. “Paulus Aemilius Iverstien,” a voice boomed all around the room. “You shall bring about a tide of change. Three Queens shall rise and one King will fall at your hand. Peace shall be had, if only briefly. For on the eve of a great celebration, war shall commence. The warriors that soar high in the clouds shall battle those who are forever grounded. Bonds shall be broken, while others are forged. So bask in your glory while you have the chance, for there is no telling who will come out of this war.”