by Julia Mills
“No…yes…well…not me but…” Kyra waited and listened as Sydney took a deep breath. Finally she began again, “Not me, Royce. Royce is scared you’re not coming back. I heard him tell Daddy when they were outside and I was supposed to be playing with Jay. He told my daddy not to tell anyone, but that it was killing him. Do you think it really is? Is Royce gonna die if you don’t come back? Please tell me you’re coming back.”
Sydney was almost crying by the time she stopped speaking and Kyra’s heart hurt that she was not there to reassure her, to make her feel better. She felt even worse that she was putting Royce through so much so early in their relationship. “Yes, Baby Girl, I am most definitely coming back to you and to Royce. I have things to take care of but I will be back. Royce was just being silly when he said it was killing him, like when you think you’re gonna die when your mommy makes you eat your veggies before dessert. It’s something people say when they really want something to happen. The next time you hear him say that, give him a big hug, kiss his cheek, and tell him you love him. Can you do that for me?”
“I can! I can!” Sydney squealed. “I’m so glad you’re coming back and that Royce isn’t gonna die.”
“Me too, Baby Girl, me too.”
“I’m gonna take the phone back now. Love you, Kyra.”
“Love you too, Syd.” Kyra heard the child running and then she heard Royce’s low, smooth voice asking, “What was that all about?”
“Just girl talk,” she answered, her heart pounding from what Sydney had just told her.
“Oh, I see. Keeping secrets from me already, huh?” He chuckled, and for the first time that day she truly believed everything was going to be alright. They talked for about an hour and it took another ten minutes of goodbyes before they hung up.
It was those phone calls that kept her going and made her believe that when she did get to leave the coven he would be waiting for her. Maybe Hope was turning out to be Kyra’s friend after all.
~~~~~~~
“Tomorrow will be three weeks and as of yesterday, Kyra still had no idea when the Council would make their decision and let her come back here, or at the very least, let me go to her. What the fuck am I supposed to do, Dev?”
“You’re going to keep your head up, believe in the wisdom of the Universe, and keep the faith. Kyra will be back here before you know it and then you can plan your mating ceremony. Make things official. Live happily ever after. Hell, have babies while you’re at it.” Devon laughed out loud and took a long draw off the beer he had been nursing since they started their conversation.
“Yeah, I know you’re right, but this is making me crazy. Did I tell you that I’m so out of my mind I thought I saw Kyra in the Town Square yesterday and started running after her until the girl turned and I realized it was Tanya, the baker’s daughter?” Royce scrubbed his hands down his face as Devon chuckled and headed into the kitchen for another beer.
“Well, at least you stopped before you accosted her. She’s to be mated to Winston, one of the younger Guardsmen, and I’m sure her father would’ve been less than thrilled with you, mistake or not,” his friend said as he walked back into his living room.
“Yeah, real funny, asshole. But none of this solves my problem. I miss her, Dev. I mean really miss her. I can’t eat. I can’t think. I don’t sleep. I just walk around thinking of her. I spend part of every day at her house, touching her things, inhaling her scent, just being where the memory of her is the strongest. I’m acting like a lovesick teenager and at my age, that is nuts. I literally count the minutes until I can call her, at least hearing her voice makes me feel almost like myself again.”
“Well, how long til you can call her today?” Devon asked.
Royce looked at his watch and sighed. “About three hours.”
“Then let’s get some of the guys over here, watch some football, eat junk food, and forget about women for a while. You in?”
“Sure, anything to get my mind off this mess.”
For three whole hours, he and his brethren yelled at the TV, drank beer, and had a blast, but the second the alarm sounded that is was time to call Kyra, Royce disappeared out the back door and moved far enough away that he could talk to his mate in private. He dialed her number and listened as the phone rang and rang and then her voicemail picked up. It was the first time since they had been apart that she hadn’t answered when he called. Worried something was wrong, he dialed again and again, and every time only got her voicemail. Walking back to the house like he had lost his last friend, he tried to get ahold of her one more time, and when her voicemail picked up again, he said what had been on his mind every second of every day for three weeks; he said the only thing that mattered, “I love you, Kyra.”
When he was sure he could face his brethren without acting like a love sick puppy, he walked through the back door, grabbed a beer and sat down to finish watching the game. Devon looked at him and all he could do was shrug, not ready to share the news that for the first time since she’d left, he was truly worried that she wasn’t coming back. The game ended with Kellan and Aaron trash talking and Lennox and Lance getting everyone to agree to play poker.
When the grandfather clock that had been his parents’ chimed that it was three am, he used his brother’s favorite saying, “You don’t have to go home but you have to get the hell out here,” to clear out the crowd.
Slowly but surely all Guardsmen left, and as he shut the door, the silence and emptiness almost overwhelmed him. He paced from one end of his home to the other while his dragon roared in his head. Both man and beast had reached the end of their rope and there was only one thing that would make it better…they had to go to Kyra.
Royce raced to his room, threw some clothes in a bag, and grabbed the keys to his Harley. He told himself to remember to call Devon in the morning and let him know what he had done so they wouldn’t send every member of both Forces to look for him. Looking around to make sure he had everything he needed, he shut off the lights and walked out the door. Jumping off the porch and heading to the side of the house where he parked his Harley, he stopped dead in his tracks as the scent of patchouli and rose petals smacked him in the face. He spun so fast the landscape around him was just a blur and there, standing at the end of his walk, was Kyra. They looked at each other for three long heartbeats and then she held up her phone and said, “I love you too.”
CHAPTER NINE
Royce ran to her and all Kyra could do was stand and stare. It was the most surreal moment of her life, one she had hoped would happen but had truly doubted she would ever experience. After everything that had gone on between them, she’d had no clue if they would ever truly find their way to one another. While she was at the coven she had done a lot of thinking about the future. She had talked to her Auntie Della as well the others, and they all said the same thing, “You have the Goddess and the Universe on your side, you just have to be patient and things will work out.” But patience had never been her thing, and the longer they were apart, the more the gaping wound that had once been her heart bled.
Early that day, or maybe it was the day before, she had no idea what time it even was, let alone what day it was, the Council had shown up unannounced and called Kyra and all the Elders Witches into the library. With little pomp and no introduction, they began speaking of the welfare of the coven, the immense responsibilities of the interim Grand Priestess, and the lifelong commitment that position required in case that Calysta was not found. They had droned on and on until Kyra was sure her head might explode.
When the ancient witch leading the proceedings finally took a breath, Kyra had requested to speak. She had explained in the most eloquent and politically correct way that she could muster that she was not the right person for the job regardless, of her bloodline. Eyebrows had risen all around the table, but she had pressed on, stating that she had been on Sabbatical (her Auntie’s words, not hers) for more than twenty-five years and therefore not familiar with the inner workings that
such a prestigious position required. By the look of disdain on the faces of the Council members, she was sure she was losing the battle and then Priestess Agatha Montage had spoken and Kyra’s heart sank, “We understand your hesitation at accepting such a time honored position, however, you are a direct descendant of one of the most powerful bloodlines in our history. From all reports you, Kyra St. Croix, are the most powerful witch of your line and that is something we simply cannot overlook.”
The silence was deafening. Only the sound of her heart breaking could be heard and then she blurted out the thought that had been running through her mind since the assembly had begun, “But I am mated to a dragon-shifter of royal birth. I bear his mark on my right hip and he is my one true mate ordained by the Goddess.” She spoke so fast that she wondered if anyone had understood what she had said, but the stunned looks told her they had indeed heard and it meant something way more important than even she knew.
Her claim was verified by her aunts, along with a show and tell of the dragon tattoo on her hip. The Council then looked to the Coven Elders who unanimously nominated Della to be their Grand Priestess. A date for her induction had been set and after more talks, the Council had finally adjourned their assembly. When Kyra returned to her room, her cell phone was blinking that she had a message. She pressed the button and as Royce’s voice filled the room, her heart filled to almost bursting …He said he loved her!
It seemed to take forever for her to get her bags packed, arrange for a ride, and say her goodbyes. But when she had finally been in the car, headed back to the man that held her heart, everything felt right for the first time she could ever remember. She had thought that was the best feeling in the world, but she had been wrong. The best feeling in the world was the exact second Royce’s arms closed around her. It was like coming in from the cold after a long hard winter. He was all she would ever need.
He pulled back and knelt in front of her, more love than she had ever fathomed existed shining from his warm brown eyes. The words that followed she would carry in her heart for all time. “Kyra, mo ghra’, every second that we were apart the hole in my heart grew larger, until I was sure I would cease to exist without you. Having you here, really here, is a blessing and one I will not squander. I know our life together won’t be perfect, nothing worth having really is, but it will be ours and anything we have together is better than the pain of being apart. You are the best part of me, the light of my soul and the completion of all that I am, man and dragon. I love you with every beat of my heart, every breath that I take, and every thought that I have. All I want is to be by your side, to be your mate, to love you every day that I draw breath and even the ones that come after. So I ask you, Kyra St Croix, will you be my mate, now and forever…Always together?”
Words escaped her and all she could do was nod her head. Royce smiled a smile that would forever be branded on her heart, an expression that personified all his hopes and dreams for their future, right before lifting her high into the air and swinging her around, shouting his joy for all to hear. Thankfully his closest neighbor was far enough away that no one was awakened.
Their first night back together and most of the next day was spent in bed. They made love, talked about the future, and only after he plied her with coffee and her favorite maple iced donuts did they begin talking about their mating ceremony. The longer he explained all the dragon shifter customs, the more questions she had, until he suggested that she speak with Siobhan, the Elder Healer and Devon’s mother. Kyra had met her when they had worked together to save Lance’s life and had spoken many times since, if only in passing, so she was more than willing to speak with her. A phone call to see if the healer was available and a long shower in which Royce gave new meaning to ‘washing her back’ and they set off to Siobhan’s house.
His brethren seemed to have been lying in wait, because at every turn, one of them popped out to presumably say hello and welcome her back, but it was when they ran into Lance, Sam, and Sydney that she knew her dragon man had been busy telling their news to his family and friends through their mind speak. He had kept her so preoccupied that she had missed the telltale signs of their special communication, something I never should have told him about, she chuckled to herself.
Sydney had squealed from across the clearing and run towards she and Royce, “Kyra! Kyra! You’re back!”
Royce had grabbed the child mid-run and hoisted her to his hip. Sydney kissed his cheek and hugged his neck, all the while telling Kyra how happy she was that she was home. “And Royce is happy, too. See? See his happy eyes? And his heart is singing, I can hear it.”
Her parents had caught up by then and everyone laughed at the child’s sweet way of describing his happiness, but Sydney was not to be deterred. She grabbed Kyra’s hand and placed it over Royce’s heart with her smaller one on top. “See? You can feel it,” the child almost demanded. Not wanting to hurt Sydney’s feelings, Kyra concentrated on the spot where their joined hands touched her mate’s chest, and she felt it. It was the feeling you get when you hear a song that makes you want to sing along or a laugh that makes you want to laugh too. It was happiness, there was no other way to describe it. Her eyes met Royce’s and she could see that he had felt it too.
“You’re right, Syd. I can feel it.”
Looking vindicated as only an almost six-year old could, she remarked, “Told you so.”
The entire group burst out laughing, and after congratulatory hugs and promises of dinner together were exchanged, Kyra and Royce continued their walk to Siobhan’s. They discussed Sydney’s developing abilities, coming to the same conclusions they had already heard; she was special, but no one really knew how or why.
Royce had told Kyra that she would speak with the Elder Healer alone, but her nerves still threatened to get the best of her as Siobhan led her into a beautifully decorated sitting room adorned with hand crafted furniture from some of the most elegant eras. Calysta had insisted that Kyra learn about the finer things in life, something that had bored her to tears when she was younger, but in this setting, she was glad she had some clue what she was looking at. Not only was the furniture of museum quality, but every available surface was adorned with figurines, sculptures, or crystal pieces that would make any curator of any museum in the world jealous. The older woman even served tea from an antique tea service decorated with small lavender flowers that Kyra was sure dated back to the seventeenth century.
They chatted about a little of everything while they enjoyed their tea, and as soon as they were finished, Siobhan began, “Let me formally congratulate you on your mating. I knew our gentle giant would come around, and from the look of things, all is going very well.” The Elder Healer smiled a knowing smile and Kyra was suddenly uncomfortable. She had never been a prude, but her relationship with Royce was new and discussing it with Siobhan felt like talking about sex with her aunties…awkward.
“Yeah…well, we had a rocky start that’s for sure. I think maybe I should pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming, but then if this is all a dream, I’d rather not wake up.” She chuckled to hide her nerves, but somehow knew the older woman was wise to her ploy.
The healer laughed out loud and all the tension Kyra had been feeling fled. Then Siobhan said, “I never had a doubt you two would find your way. I have lived many years with the belief that the Universe is all knowing and all powerful. She knows what each dragon needs and She creates their perfect complement in the form of their mate. She has no regard for species or location, only that you carry the special traits of the human race and that every dragon shifter, be they Guard or not, have that one person that truly completes them. She makes no mistakes.”
Siobhan’s voice had taken on an almost reverent tone. “Mating with a dragon shifter is not only romantic, but also spiritual. Our holy book says, ‘when the two halves of the same whole meet, there will be instant recognition. Their souls will merge and only then will the dragon shifter know complete peace. They will have found t
heir true home. It will be as if the time before the two met does not exist. All that matters is that they become one in body, mind, and soul.’
“I know that Earth witches also have predestined mates chosen by the Goddess. What a tremendous blessing that your world and Royce’s aligned. Dare I say the life you two will share will indeed be epic?” Siobhan seemed to get a faraway look in her eyes and when she next spoke, her word were filled with such love and devotion, Kyra felt honored the healer chose to share them with her.
“The bond of a dragon shifter and his mate is sacred and something that will exist even when you have both gone to the Heavens. My Gareth, Devon’s father, was a member of the Dragon Guard and also one of the rare white dragons. Our love was and is timeless. Although he was killed in battle many years ago, I hold a piece of his soul in me.” Siobhan laid her hand over her heart. “And I live every day with the belief that we will be reunited in the Heavens again one day.”
The rest of their visit was spent with Kyra asking every question she could think of and some that seemed to come out of nowhere. Siobhan answered everything the best she could and together they lit candles and spoke the Mating Blessing, “Mother of All, Universe we thank you for our very life, please be with these two souls, Royce and Kyra, as they dedicate their love and devotion to not only each other, but also to You. As you blessed our Elders with the wisdom to further our race, also bless Royce and Kyra with long life, much love, and a happiness that knows no bounds. May they have many children and when they ascend to the Heavens, may You find favor with those that have honored You with their lives and their love.”
Kyra hugged Siobhan just before a heavy knock at the door let her know that Royce’s patience had come to an end, and she had to admit to herself that she had missed him even though they had only been apart a few hours. The older woman called for him to come in, and without even a glance in any other direction, he came straight to her, kissing her until she forgot her name, let alone where she was. Only Siobhan’s chuckle brought her hurtling back to Earth and had her burying her face in Royce’s chest to avoid eye contact.
