Aris: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (Stratham Dragons Book 1)

by Sarah J. Stone

  “Mmm,” she didn't seem impressed, but her mind was already on the next step. “When do you want to go?”

  “As soon as possible,” he said. “Without putting you in danger. You still need rest after last night, and I'm not willing to take any more chances.”

  “I'm fine,” she tried to assure him. “But if we're going to be headed to a country where my doctor isn't, I need time to gather some meds. And maybe pack a suitcase.”

  “I can get you whatever you need,” he said. “Why don't you stay here and give me a list?”

  “I’m not going to break,” she said. “You need to believe in me. I mean, I got this far without you, didn't I?”

  “That you did,” he said. “But we need to make sure that is true a little longer. Now, make me a list. Include things like paying your rent, anything that you need to do so your life isn't in shambles, should you return to it.”

  “There won't be a return,” she was clear about that. “If we don't succeed, you know I’m not coming back here.”

  He held her gaze for a long moment, and then sighed.

  “Make me a list,” he said, turning to look out the window. He didn't want to tell her that she wouldn't die under his watch, even if they failed. Even if saving her was his last dying breath, he would probably do it. He hated himself for it; feelings this intense scared him. But it was true, and she'd be able to read it in his face if she looked at him any longer. “I'm going to extend our stay here. You're comfortable, and I don't want to overexert you more than you need.”

  “Are you going to get my clothes, too?” she asked, teasing him.

  “If that's what I need to do.” He pointed to the note paper on the desk. “Write.”

  She made a list and handed over her apartment key, coming to terms with the fact that she would likely never return to it. Enya had never been obsessed with material goods; her apartment was sparse. Anything of value to her was still at her parent's house.

  Her parents. She fiddled with her phone after Cole left, contemplating on whether she should text them. But what would she say?

  I think I have a boyfriend? He's going to take over the world, and he's a dragon?

  My boyfriend can cure me?

  I just kissed a Dragon?

  Going to Atlantis. Brb?

  Clearly, there was not a right answer.

  She climbed back under the warm covers, enjoying the simplicity of the hotel room. For when they left here, their entire life would be different.

  Cole returned in two hours, and she chuckled as she let him in for the second time that day. He was even more burdened than that morning – with suitcases, and a back pack, as well as juggling various things in his hand.

  “Thank you,” she said, as she realized he had gotten every thing on the list. “That was fast.”

  “It's easy when you know where you're going.” He winked at her. “I didn't end up going in the wrong direction.”

  “Are you ever going to let me live that down?” she answered, as she sat back on the bed.

  “Maybe,” he said. “How are you feeling? I assume that there’s a flight we have to take to get to where we need to go.”

  “I'm alright,” she said. “There is a fight that leaves tonight, but I don't know if that's too soon. It’s expensive.”

  “Hmm,” he flexed his palms, and she saw a tiny bit of magic spark. She looked at him, hopeful, and he winced.

  “I could probably convince someone at the airport to give us a flight for free,” he said. “But that'd be it, we'd be back at zero. So, tell me honestly, how are you feeling?”

  “I survived without you for awhile,” she said. “And now that you've brought me meds, we'll just have to combat it the old fashion way. Have you ever flown before?”

  He smirked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Not what I meant,” she cried, throwing a pillow at him with a giggle. “In an airplane. Do you have those?”

  “No, because I have wings.” He caught the pillow and sat beside her. “When's the flight?”

  “Midnight,” she replied. “We would have to change planes in Belgium and then Spain, there's a huge layover, but it's still faster than any other option. It looks like there are still seats on it.”

  “Well then,” he said. “I guess you'll be flying tonight.”

  Just then, her phone rang. She glanced over, and saw that it was her mother calling. He reached for it, but she stopped him.

  “No,” she said. “There's no point.”

  “You'll make your parents panic if you don't answer the phone,” he said. “Whenever my mother sent out a magical ping, if we didn't answer it within a moment, she would–”

  He stopped talking then. These were memories of happier times, when he still felt connected to his family – when life was easier and when he was a ruling Prince that had nothing to worry about but what girl would be in his bed and what party he would attend next.

  She let the phone ring, her hand over his.

  “I'll call them later,” she said. “At the airport, perhaps. It's alright.”

  “Do you need anything else?” he asked, and she shook her head. “Then, we should go. Atlantis awaits. And hopefully, the key to all the magic.”

  “Have you considered that it might not?” she asked, casually. “I mean, the message is pretty clear. But what if I'm wrong?”

  “Then I'll keep looking,” he said. “I have all the time in the world, Enya. I can accomplish this.” He got up to head to the bathroom, making sure they hadn't forgotten anything. It was only once he was gone that she spoke, softly, and mostly to herself.

  “I don't,” she said. Not that it mattered. Dead or alive, he would take control of this planet. She was just along for the ride, and unfortunately in love with him.

  And she thought her university classes were complicated.

  CHAPTER 7

  “In what class, sir?” The airline attendant asked, at 9:30pm, as they stood at the airport. The sales desk was empty, as Enya suspected that it would be. After all, no one bought their tickets at the counter anymore.

  Currently, there was space on the flight. It seemed this was not a popular flight at an odd time, so they had their pick.

  “Do you have any in–” Enya was about to say business, which was one up from economy. She figured maybe she could have a little luxury for once in her life. But Cole took things to a whole other level.

  “What are the best seats you have?” he asked. The girl clicked a few more buttons.

  “Well, we have Suite Class available with a private cabin and bed, but---”

  “A bed?” Enya's eyes widened. “On a plane?”

  “We'll take that,” Cole said, and flexed his hand. The magic sparked and the girl simply nodded, printing their tickets.

  “Here you go. Enjoy your flight.”

  “Wow,” Enya marveled, waiting until they were away from the counter before she expressed a massive amount of surprise. “Does it take more magic to convince her to do such an upgrade?”

  “No,” he replied. “Convincing people is convincing people. It's just a switch I have to flip in their brains.”

  “Oh,” she said, still marveling at the fact that they were going to fly over the ocean in an apartment. “Have you ever done that to me?”

  “No,” he said, and then his voice caught. “Yes.”

  “What?” She turned to him in shock. “When?” She went over every interaction they had ever had in her head. What had he convinced her to do?

  “It was brief,” he said. “But the first time we met, you were in pain. I didn't do it intentionally, but part of making you feel better was convincing you that you weren't feeling any pain.”

  “Oh.” Her shoulders dropped. “Well, that's alright then.”

  “Which way do we go?” he asked, confused as he looked at the tickets.

  “I think we probably get lounge access with those,” she said, already googling what an apartment inside the plane looked like. “Wow!” She
put her phone in his face, and he laughed.

  “You humans. You're always looking for immediate gratification, aren't you? We'll see it in a few hours.”

  “There's a bed and a flat screen,” she said. “This is going to be the most comfortable flight ever.”

  “It's going to be odd,” he answered. “Being in the air and not being in control.”

  “I can hold your hand if you're scared,” she teased him and he rolled his eyes.

  “Let's find this lounge,” he said, taking her hand anyway. It sent shivers down her spine, and she squeezed as they lined up to drop off their baggage. She knew they were headed off to change the world, but she couldn't help but revel in the sense of adventure. Her life had been nothing but an endless sting of work, doctor's appointments, and class for so long. Even though the end of this mission could take a disastrous turn, she couldn't wait to get started.

  “What do we do next?” he asked.

  “Bags dropped, so security, I think,” she said, as they moved off. “I haven't flown in years, so that's a guess. But I really don't think they eliminated security in that time.”

  “Security?” he asked. “For what? I'll take down anyone who threatens us.”

  She gave him a sharp look, hoping that no one had heard him.

  “Cole,” she said. “Number one rule of pretending to be human. You don't say anything threatening or even eyebrow raising in airports.”

  “Why?” he asked, and she sighed.

  “I'll teach you later. For now, just take my word for it.”

  “Only because it's you,” he answered, as they entered the security line. But it appeared all her words of wisdom whizzed over his head as a security guard asked her to step out of the line for additional screening procedures.

  Enya was perfectly willing to comply, but Cole shot daggers at the woman the entire time she was doing a pat down.

  “How dare they?” he fumed. “How dare they single you out like that? You didn't do anything wrong!”

  “I didn't,” she said. “But someone once did, and now they do everything they can to keep people safe.”

  “Huh,” he said, listening this time. “Humans are more resilient than I thought.”

  “We are,” she gave him a small smile as they moved with the crowds. “Here's the lounge, I think. You need your ticket. And it never occurred to me to ask where you got a fake passport.”

  “Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to,” he said, giving her a wry smile back. “What are we supposed to do if we go in there?”

  “Just...lounge?” she said. “I've never been inside one, but I hear rumors of free food and drink.”

  “By all means,” he said, as he waived her inside. He was eager to get to their destination, but unlike dragons, planes didn’t fly whenever they wanted. The least he could do was make her happy until it was time to get there.

  He noticed that she still hadn't called her parents, a thought that oddly saddened him. Enya seemed to have accepted her fate and given up on the life she had known. And while that was technically true, it still made him sorrowful. It wasn't fair that someone so young and otherwise vibrant would live a life where the reaper was right around the corner.

  Inside the lounge was more of the luxury he was used to, with shiny marble, wide couches, and everyone with their noses in the air. They were surrounded by a buffet and free drinks lining the countertops.

  “Well, that's more like it,” Cole said, as she sank onto the couch. “Do you want a drink?”

  “I'm alright,” she replied. “But you might as well take advantage of it.”

  “You should at least eat something, darling,” he said, pouring himself a glass of brandy and setting up a plate of food for her as he settled onto the couch.

  To his surprise, the brandy was rich and smooth, and almost as good as at home.

  “Perhaps Earth isn't so bad after all,” he said, puling up one leg onto the couch, “if the brandy is this potent.”

  “I wish I could see your world,” she said. “If not only so I had something to compare this to. You have such perspective on things, and I just feel so lost and so singular. It's frustrating.”

  “You are used to having the most diverse perspective in the room,” he pointed out. “With so many languages under your belt. God, this is good.” Draining his glass, he stood up to get a second one. Enya laughed as he did.

  “One would think you were dying of thirst,” she said, as he sat back down. “But I suppose you might as well enjoy it. When are we ever going to get a chance to do this again?”

  “We will,” he promised her. “Luxury will be a life that you are used to by the time I am done.”

  “What?” she asked, stunned. He swallowed, shaking his head and taking another drink.

  “Just that I will be the King of this planet.”

  “And I will be...”

  “Cured,” he looked away. He wanted to say more, but he realized he really shouldn't. “And I will take care of you, no matter what happens. Of that much, you should be certain.”

  “That's very kind of you,” she said. “Because you could just smite me with everyone else.”

  “I don't plan to smite everyone,” he replied. “There is no glory in loneliness.”

  She didn't say anything then, simply leaning against his shoulder. He slipped an arm around her, brushing back her hair and letting her close her eyes as he finished his drink.

  The future was uncertain. But this moment was perfect. There was hope; there was happiness, and Cole knew it wouldn't stay like this.

  By the time their plane was called, he had gone through four drinks, and he could feel his head buzzing. He thought that his tolerance was higher than any human’s, but he waivered as he stood.

  “Oops,” Enya caught him as he nearly fell, sleep leaving her eyes. “Are you alright?”

  “Fine,” he said, grinning. “I'm excited.”

  “You look a little bit more than excited,” she said, as she got to her feet. “I see you enjoyed the open bar.”

  “I enjoyed your company,” he responded as he reached for the carry-on suitcase and missed. She rolled her eyes, taking it from him as they headed towards the door.

  “Just try to keep it together on the plane.”

  “Enya,” he gave her a cheeky look. “I am a sovereign Prince who has attended many great feasts and banquets, raised a hand to warriors, and drank in their honor. In addition, your human metabolism is no match for me.”

  She pulled him out of the way right before he walked into a post, distracted by his speech.

  “You were saying?” she teased him, and he shook his head.

  “Forget it, just get me on the plane.”

  “That's what I thought,” she replied, as they joined the line to board.

  Their apartment on the plane was everything she had dreamed of. It had a living room, a huge bathroom, and a double bed all at the front of the plane.

  They even had their own private attendant, who would take care of anything they needed.

  “Look at this television,” she marveled. “I think it's bigger than my whole apartment.”

  He smirked at that

  “It's quite possible,” he replied. “Although, I'm not sure why anyone needs such a big one.”

  “There's a lot of things you don't understand about humans,” she replied. “And this is probably one of them. Look at the bed.”

  She could feel the plane rumbling to life. She knew that outside of their own closed in little area there were hundreds of people crammed into the economy seats. But she was comfortable on the couch with Cole's arm around her as the wheels lifted off the ground.

  “Cole,” she said, turning towards him. She could see the slight haze in his eyes and the cocky smile that lit up his face. “Thank you. For all of this, however it ends.”

  He kissed her then, rough and passionately, as if he couldn't stand another moment without touching her. Everything about the kiss fe
lt natural and right. She leaned into it, feeling his arms encircle her waist.

  “Mmm,” she couldn't help but let a moan escape as their kiss deepened. He pushed her gently until she was lying on the couch, their seat belts undone and his lean, muscular body hard against hers as he lay on top of her. “Cole...”

  He eventually pulled himself up long enough to meet her eyes.

  “Yes?” he asked, his breath hot. They were panting, and her body was tingling with anticipation.

  She had never done this before, but she knew that the moment was right.

  “Should we continue this in the bedroom?”

  He knew in an instant what she was asking. He didn't hesitate as he got up, pulling her hand. Once she was on her feet, he swept her into his arms, kissing her neck. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and they headed into the bedroom.

  “Oh, God,” she said, as he undid her shirt. This was it, the moment she spent dreaming about and fantasizing about. And it was going to be with a dragon lord. She had never wanted anyone more thoroughly than she wanted him. And now, she would have him.

  CHAPTER 8

  “AH!” Enya awoke with a startle as the plane hit a bad area of turbulence. One moment, she had been asleep in the warm, soft bed, and the next, she was nearly tossed against the wall. Luckily, even half drunk and asleep, Cole's reflexes were fast. He grabbed her before she hit the wall, yanking her back against him. The plane bumped again, and she whimpered, moving into his arms. “I don't like this. I don't like this.”

  “Shhh,” he said, rising slightly over her. His shirtless torso was warm and gleaming in the low light. He rose slightly over, his eyes open and his ears perked up. He reminded her so much of a dragon listening for danger. She knew that he would protect her from anything that he could. But he wasn't in control of this turbulence, and it felt like it was getting worse with every second. “It's OK. It's OK.”

  Just as he said it, the plane dropped what felt like 15 feet. Her stomach dropped, and she heard the screams of the people in the back rows. It stabilized quickly, but the damage was done. She leaned over the side of the bed, gagging and then vomiting on the floor.