by Minx Malone
“I really think you have the wrong person. There’s nothing special about me. Literally nothing. I’m not exactly supermodel material here. And I was a solid C student in school. Why would you think I could help your brother in any way?”
He gripped her tighter. “You smell so fertile and you’re exactly his type. It’s against everything we believe in to hurt a female but I had to get you to him. If there’s any chance you could be the one, I had to try.”
He sounded so tortured that Evie didn’t doubt that he was telling her the truth. No matter how crazy it all sounded to her, he believed what he was saying.
“The one for what?” she whispered.
But it seemed he was done with explanations. “Quiet. It’s time for us to go. No more stalling.”
Evie squeezed her eyes shut and thought of Nate.
Please, wake up. I need you.
Wake up. I need you.
Wake up. I need you.
WAKE UP.
Nate woke instantly as his scales came out. All his senses on alert, he took note of his surroundings quickly. He had excellent night vision so he was able to ascertain the most important things right away, namely that Evie wasn’t in bed with him anymore.
Our mate is in danger.
His dragon itched to come out. Trusting his instincts, Nate got out of bed and pulled his jeans on quickly before opening the door. It was quiet. Too quiet. After looking in the other bedroom to make sure Evie wasn’t in there, he continued down the hall. He stopped before he reached the kitchen when he heard footsteps far too heavy to be hers.
He turned the corner quickly, rage flowing through him when he saw the knife against her throat. The man behind her was an older version of the young boy he’d once played with in the mountains of their ancestral lands.
“Hello, cousin.”
Jovan bared his fangs at him. “Hello, traitor.”
Nate’s talons came out. It was foolish to allow his cousin to bait him. He knew what his game was. Pride could force an untested warrior to show his hand too early but they were children no longer and so much more was at stake.
“This actually makes sense. That you’re involved, I mean. I couldn’t figure out why Avan would bother to hire a courier to ferry something illegal. But he isn’t the one behind this, is he?”
Jovan didn’t answer just continued edging around the perimeter of the kitchen, Evie scrambling to move with him. The glass on the floor shifted beneath their feet. He had to keep him talking long enough to figure out a plan. Because there was no way he could let him leave here with Evie. He’d never see her again.
“Is he really that close to dissolution that bringing him random women seemed like a good idea?”
“He’s close enough. We had to do something,” Jovan spat.
“So whose idea was it? Probably Kavan, right? He was always the manipulator. But he can’t be away from the king for too long and we both know you aren’t strong enough to carry a crate yourself.”
Jovan scowled and flexed his stunted left arm. Physical disabilities were rare in shifters but they did happen. His arm had compromised his ability to fly even as a child.
“I guess we’ll find out if I’m strong enough, won’t we?”
Nate dropped his conciliatory act. “You know I will hunt you to the ends of the earth as long as you have my mate.”
Jovan sniffed her hair, taking great pains to rub his face against her. Evie whimpered which sent his dragon into a fit. “She’s unmarked.”
“An oversight, I assure you. She’s mine.”
Jovan moved backward slightly, pulling Evie with him. “Which means you aren’t going to do anything while I’m holding her. Your love for her ties your hands. You won’t attack us as we’re flying away either because if I drop her, she dies.”
Nate wanted to roar with frustration. His cousin was right and they both knew it. Since he hadn’t bitten her yet, Evie had none of the advanced healing or longevity that his venom would give her. He couldn’t risk injuring her in a rescue attempt. Anything he did to save her could result in her death.
“Well, if I’m dying anyway,” Evie said, right before she rammed her head back into Jovan’s nose. Blood sprayed out as he staggered back, painting Evie’s face and hair.
“You bitch!” he howled, clutching his face.
She ran to Nate and he pushed her behind him. Then he inhaled and roared fire, all at once thankful for the gifts his royal blood gave him. His cousin’s screams rang out as his skin charred.
Jovan staggered and then fell. His eyebrows and hair were gone, replaced by open wounds. As they watched, the skin started healing. It was an excruciating process to heal such extensive injuries. Nate knew this from experience.
Keeping himself in front of Evie, he regarded the miserable wretch before him.
“You made a mistake coming after my mate, cousin. I was too young to challenge when you cast me out but I'm not a scared little draakling anymore. If I think for even a moment you're a threat to my queen, I will end you and the entire Rivenell clan. Go and tell that to your king.”
Jovan tried to speak but all that came out was a garbled croak. He clutched his throat.
Behind him, Evie let out a choked sound. He understood why. The smell of charred flesh turned even his hardened stomach.
He motioned to the door. “I’m only allowing you to live so you can carry my message. Get the hell out before I change my mind.”
Jovan staggered to his feet and then walked to the front door. Nate waited, unmoving, until he heard his cousin’s footsteps fade away and then the distant beat of wings. In the quiet of night, the broken glass on the floor seemed even more ominous, like portents of what was to come. Is this what would happen to his clan after the war that had surely started tonight? Everyone he loved broken beyond repair?
Evie wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed lightly. He turned and kissed her forehead, drawing strength from having his mate near.
“I was so scared you wouldn’t wake up in time.”
He held her closer. There were no words that could express his terror on seeing her with a knife at her throat. Although he loved that she was so fierce and so brave as to take on a dragon to free herself, he’d be tortured for years by the many ways tonight could have gone differently.
“Don’t ever take a chance like that again. He could have killed you.”
Evie nodded. “I know. But since he kept talking about all the different ways I could die while he was kidnapping me, I figured I’d rather go here than by falling from the sky or something.”
Nate grunted. While he understood her logic, they were going to have a long talk about putting her life in danger for any reason. He held her closer.
Tomorrow.
After a few minutes, she looked up at him with a mischievous gleam in her gorgeous eyes. “You know how I said I wasn’t impressed by all the dragon stuff?”
“Yeah?”
Evie shrugged. “Well, the whole touch my queen and I will end you thing? Kind of impressive. Just a little bit.”
In that moment, Nate did something he’d never expect after fighting a member of a rival clan and making a promise of war.
He laughed.
chapter nine
After the events of the prior night, Evie had thought she wouldn’t sleep a wink but surprisingly, she’d slept quite soundly. Nate woke her early and waited patiently as she’d packed her favorite belongings and Mimi’s in two small duffel bags.
She’d thought it would be a hard sell to convince Mimi to come with them but to her surprise, her mother decided that moving to dragon territory was a thrilling adventure. Mimi had embraced every step of their journey with enthusiasm and she’d loved the experience of flying just as much as Evie did.
Mimi let out a little whoop as they circled around and around, finally coming to a stop in front of Nate’s den. Before they’d left the city, he’d secured their luggage together with special ropes so he could carry it in his
talons. He’d promised to arrange for movers to pack up the apartment but Evie was tempted to tell him not to bother. It was time for a new start.
He dropped their bags first and then landed several feet away. Evie unhooked the harness and climbed down, Mimi scrambling down after her. When he didn’t shift immediately, Evie realized with a startled giggle that he didn’t want to shift in front of her mother. It seemed even dragons could be bashful sometimes.
“Um, Mimi. Can you turn around?”
“Why?” Her mother furrowed her brow.
“Because Nate needs to shift. And when he does, he’ll be naked.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Mimi turned her back and immediately the air crackled with energy. Evie watched as the gold dragon in front of her shrank down and then Nate stood from a crouched position. She rushed forward and handed him his backpack. He pulled out his jeans and stepped into them.
“It’s okay to turn around now.”
Her mom turned and then smiled when she saw Nate. “I have a feeling things will never be boring around here.”
Nate laughed. “That’s true. Let me show you where you’ll be staying.”
Over the next hour Evie helped get her mom settled into the guest cottage. It was a small replica of Nate’s den, situated only a stone’s throw away. Nate pointed out his brother’s dens, arranged in a loose semi-circle around his. They had deliberately kept their residences close so they could guard each other.
Mimi finally pushed them out, claiming she was tired and needed a nap. But right before she closed the door, she winked at Evie.
“Well, my mom likes you,” she told him as they walked back to his place.
Nate looked pleased. “I hope so. I want her to know that her daughter is in good hands.”
Even though they’d just been together last night, desire sparked anew. Evie clutched his hand tighter. “Very good hands.”
Nate groaned. “Stop that. I’m not touching you again until I’ve marked you properly. I didn’t want to bite you until you understood what it meant. But by not marking you, I left you vulnerable to being claimed by another. We’re fixing that right now.”
When they arrived at his den, she saw that a dark-haired man that bore a striking resemblance to Nate waited for them. When they got closer, Nate pulled him into a hug. He turned to her, his eyes shining.
“Gavin, may I present to you Evangeline Ford. My mate and your future queen.”
Evie’s mouth went dry at the overly formal introduction. She waved weakly. “Um, hi?”
Gavin held out his hand and when she took it, raised it to his lips. “Greetings, my queen.”
This is too much, Evie thought.
“Okay, enough of that. My dragon can’t handle it until I have my mark on her.” Nate pushed himself between them. “Where the hell is Ian?”
Gavin shrugged. “He left yesterday and never came back. Probably knee deep in some….” His eyes cut over to Evie and then his cheeks flushed red. “Some fine female company.”
She stifled a laugh. Nate growled.
“We’re going forward with the claiming. I’m not waiting anymore. The old laws only require one witness, anyway.”
Nate led them into his den and closed the door once they were all inside. He took her hand and kissed it, the same way his brother had. But this time, Evie almost melted into a puddle right there on the floor.
“I’m going to mark you now, my heart. Do you understand what that means?”
She nodded. “You have to bite me. Will it hurt?”
“Only for a second. My venom will numb the area and then you won’t feel anything. But I’m more concerned about whether you’re prepared for what being my mate forever means. There’s no turning back after this. If you leave me, I’ll waste away pining for you. There is no divorce in dragon culture. There’s only eternity. Are you ready for that?”
Evie took a moment to truly examine her heart. So much had happened so quickly and she knew to an outsider it would all seem like insanity. But she knew her heart and what it wanted.
“Yes, I’m ready.”
He kissed her softly. “Turn around.”
She glanced uncertainly at Gavin, who looked as uncomfortable as she felt.
“Um, Nate? Why do we need an audience?”
He brushed her hair over her shoulder, baring her neck. “You only need witnesses to the mate claim when a regent takes a mate. I’m stepping up to the throne. War is coming and we need to be ready.”
Evie was suddenly filled with fierce purpose. It was insane to think that fate had brought her here just for this moment but she’d never been so sure that she was exactly where she was meant to be before.
“I’m with you until the end. Do it.”
She hissed at the searing pain in her neck but it quickly dulled into an achy throb. Time suspended and she sagged against Nate. Her hand sank into his thick hair, holding him against her neck. All her sensations were suddenly magnified, like the press of his hard frame against her back and the wet glide of his lips against her neck. When he finally pulled away, long moments later, she was boneless and aching for an entirely different reason.
“Now, we’re together forever,” Nate whispered against her neck.
It turned out that biting your mate didn’t help soothe the mating frenzy at all. As Nate soon learned, having his venom in his beloved’s neck only made the obsession worse. He’d be lucky if his brother ever spoke to him again after the unceremonious way he’d kicked him out after the claiming ceremony.
At least Gavin had been laughing. Nate had been completely consumed with getting inside his mate. Even after making love to her twice, it still wasn’t enough. Which was why he couldn’t believe someone was stupid enough to interrupt him now.
“Just ignore it,” Evie pleaded. Her teeth latched on to his earlobe and he let out a growl. “They’ll go away if we don’t answer.”
The knock at his front door only got louder.
“Damn it all to the seven hells!” Nate pulled back from her warm embrace and stormed to the front door. He yanked it open. “What the hell do you want?”
Jonas shrank back from the doorway. Then he put his hand over his younger brother’s eyes. “Sorry, sir. But I had to come. It’s about Ian.”
“Hold on.” He turned around and then walked back to his room. His jeans were crumpled at the end of the bed but he had to search through his dresser for a shirt. Sensing his urgency, Evie quickly dressed as well.
When they came out, Jonas and Sam were sitting in his living room. He’d had only limited interaction with Sam. He wasn’t sure if there was a difficulty with his voice or if it was psychological but from what he’d observed, the boy only communicated with his older brother. At least as far as Nate had seen.
“Now, what’s this about Ian?”
Jonas glanced over at his brother, who nodded emphatically. “Sam and I were out scouting earlier. We went a little further than usual. Ian was flying over us so it didn’t seem that risky. I think he was on his way back here.”
Sam tugged at his sleeve urgently.
“I’m getting to that part.” Jonas looked back at them. “I didn’t see it, but Sam says he saw it happen. He saw Ian fall.”
Nate glanced between them uncertainly. He didn’t want to question the young man’s integrity but it was hard to believe their story. Ian was an experienced flyer and even more adept at maneuvering in the air than Nate was. It was lunacy to imagine his brother felled by anything.
“You saw him fall. Did you see what hit him?” He addressed Sam directly. It seemed rude not to. But the boy shrank into himself and hid behind Jonas.
“Sorry. He only talks to me. But I already asked him that. That’s what’s so weird, you see. He says Ian wasn’t hit by anything. He just fell from the sky for no reason at all.”
Nate wanted to disregard their claims. It would be easier to ignore it as childish pranks and go back to mating his gorgeous queen. But something deep inside hi
m accepted what they were saying as truth. He pulled out his phone and texted Gavin. Five minutes later, his brother walked in.
Sam shrank even more if that was possible, until he was practically burrowed into the couch cushions.
“I came as soon as I got your text. What do you think happened?”
Nate hated to even voice it aloud but coming a day after his fight with Jovan, it was impossible to ignore the implications.
“If Ian was felled, it wasn’t an accident. He was attacked. You know what this means. It’s time.”
Gavin bowed. “So it will be done.”
Evie watched with wide eyes as Jonas and Sam followed Gavin outside.
“What will be done?”
He pulled her into his arms. “We are at war with Rivenell. Officially.”
She rested her head against his chest. “Your brothers are going to hate me. None of this would be happening if you hadn’t had to protect me.”
Nate grasped her head gently, cradling her face in his palms. It took a few minutes before she met his gaze and when she did, her beautiful dark eyes were lit with sorrow and regret.
“They won’t blame you. I was protecting my mate. They understand that.”
She shook her head. “How can they understand something that puts them all at risk?”
“Because they know what taking a mate means. They understand that you are what holds me together. Without you I am but skin and blood and bone. I exist but I don’t live. I breathe but I don’t feel. You are the heart of a king, Evangeline Drake. Never forget that.”
He kissed her softly, gratified when she leaned up on her toes to kiss him back.
“I’m counting on you to remind me. Forever.”
Ian Drake rolled over and tried to breathe through the scent of death. His mind was churning and even in that state, he knew that something wasn’t right. He was in danger. He tried to shift and felt terror unlike anything he’d ever known when nothing happened.
