by Hawke Oakley
“Are we close?” Gabriel asked, clutching my scaly arms for dear life. I wanted to lean in and nuzzle him reassuringly, but the last time I tried that he flipped out and told me in no uncertain, high-pitched words that I should watch the sky, as if I was driving a car on a highway full of traffic.
“Soon,” I promised.
“You said that the last time,” he grumbled.
“This time,” Ruby said, “it really is soon. Look.”
As afternoon turned into evening, the setting sun cast brilliant blood-red and orange light across the mountaintops in front of us. The mountain peaks seemed aflame, like embers dancing on their surface.
“Oh,” Gabriel murmured, unable to tear his eyes away from the fiery sight. “It’s even more beautiful than the waterfall, somehow.”
“What did I tell you?” I said. “I can’t wait for you to see the rest of it.”
Gabriel went quiet, then pointed a finger at something and said, “What is that?”
I followed his gaze and found the tiny sliver of refraction. It was like a broken piece of glass suspended in the air, reflecting the sunset’s light.
“Wow. I’m surprised you can see it,” I said genuinely. “That’s the barrier.”
His face turned dark and he asked cautiously, “A barrier?”
“Don’t worry,” Ruby added gently, flying closer to him. “It’s not a physical wall like in your old pack. This is a force field created with dragon magic. It’s to protect us from outsiders, but it doesn’t prevent anyone from leaving. You’re free to come and go as you please.”
I grinned. “Although once you see the inside, you won’t want to.”
Gabriel seemed unsure, but he didn’t say anything else. I held him closer to my chest. I understood his concern, but this was nothing to be worried about. It wasn’t a looming physical giant like the concrete wall of Stoneheart pack. Most importantly, we weren’t hiding out of fear.
“The fact that you can see the barrier means you’re magic aligned,” I reassured him. “That’s wonderful! Not every non-dragon shifter is.”
“I am?” Gabriel asked, looking less afraid now.
I smiled. I was glad to see his fear dissipate. I never wanted him to be afraid around me, for whatever reason. “Yes. Maybe with some training, you can recognize other types of magic, too.”
“Magic, huh?” he murmured.
We approached the barrier and slowed. Even though Ruby and I would have no trouble clearing it, the magic system might recognize Gabriel as an outsider - as ridiculous as that was. We stopped just before it and waited for one of the barrier’s sorcerers to approach us. To my surprise, I recognized the big lug on the other side of the field.
“Lorenzo!” I called.
Before us stood a huge bullet-silver dragon with the same purple eyes as me. His wings were folded primly on his back and his claws were placed in front of himself with the air of someone who took his job very seriously.
In a deep voice tinted with the fierceness of his dragon form, Lorenzo said, “Hello.”
In my arms, Gabriel squeaked.
“Oh, sorry, I guess I should introduce you,” I said quickly. “Gabriel, this is my older brother, Lorenzo.”
“Nice to meet you,” Gabriel said, his eyes still wide. He held a hand in front of him, like he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to shake a dragon’s hand in greeting or not.
“Likewise,” Lorenzo said, dipping his head deeply in a show of respect. “And your name is Gabriel?”
“Yes,” Gabriel said.
I puffed out my chest. “We just got back from Stoneheart pack with him, he’s my f -”
“Stoneheart pack?” Lorenzo gasped, immediately drawing up. “You’re not serious?”
Gabriel’s eyes flitted back and forth between us, unsure. “I am…?”
“Hey, don’t scare him!” I said to my brother, gently tightening my grip on Gabriel. “He’s already freaked out from everything that happened - and the flight, to boot - so go easy on him.” Lorenzo dipped his head again. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to startle you, Gabriel. It’s just that... Well, we’re all well aware of Stoneheart’s ways.”
“Except Dante, apparently,” Ruby added with a sidelong glance in my direction.
I shrugged. “Hey, I learned.”
“I am from Stoneheart,” Gabriel said.
I could feel his limbs trembling and his heart beating rapidly within my grasp. I felt sympathy for him.
“I see. I don’t know the story, but you’re brave to make it out,” Lorenzo said. He lifted his head once more, looking proper again. “Now, I assume you’ve volunteered to join Cinderhollow tribe?”
Gabriel gestured to come down, and I lowered him so he could slip off and land on the ground in front of Lorenzo. He stood inches from the barrier.
“Yes, I… I want to live here,” Gabriel said.
“Then come forward.”
Gabriel did so. He stood barely an inch from the barrier now. My muscles tensed anxiously. I knew what happened when outsiders touched it, and I didn’t want Gabriel to get hurt.
“State your name,” Lorenzo commanded.
Gabriel didn’t flinch from his booming voice this time. “Gabriel Brooks.”
“Gabriel Brooks, you will now be known as Gabriel Brooks of Drakinus,” Lorenzo said. He lowered his head, pushed it through the barrier, and touched Gabriel’s forehead with the tip of his snout. An almost invisible pulse of magic silver energy cascaded over Gabriel’s body from his head to his feet. When it was done, Lorenzo stepped back and gestured us inside with the spread of his wing.
“Welcome to Cinderhollow tribe, Gabriel.”
“So, I got to take on your last name?” Gabriel asked me with a little smirk on his lips.
Past the barrier, it was a short flight to my home. I’m sure Gabriel was sick and tired of flying already so I wanted to put him down for a bit, let him rest and get his bearings.
“Sure did,” I replied with a grin. “The barrier will recognize you as one of us now, so you’re protected from it.”
“One of you?”
“Yes. One of my family, the Drakinus.”
He rolled the name over on his tongue, then said, “As if it wasn’t clear enough you were a dragon.”
I laughed at that. “Hey, it’s an old family name. It’s cheesy, but I didn’t choose it.”
After passing the chasm that spanned from the barrier to the inside hollow, Gabriel gasped in awe as he looked around. Even though I was born and raised here, I never got tired of it. Huge outcrops of rocky mountains surrounded us on either side and below the chasm disappeared, replaced by sturdy ancient land. The hollow was older than time, said to be carved out by the first dragons’ claws.
“Oh… Those buildings,” Gabriel murmured.
I smiled with pride. We approached the inner sanctum of the hollow now, and everywhere stood old stone dens. Some were classic dragon-style dens, alcoves engraved into the cliff sides. Others were inspired by human cultures and built like castles, built from mountain rock and magic, and would outlast any humans that influenced them. The city was an amalgam of tastes and styles, yet still maintained a feeling of coherence and beauty.
“What is that?” Gabriel asked.
“That,” I said, “is my home.”
I tipped my wings and banked downwards. Gabriel clutched my arms tightly but didn’t yelp this time - already showing improvement about the flying.
My home was a beautiful white tower, erected from stone and gold and magic. In the dying sunlight the tip of the tower turned a spectacular color - red and orange, like flames.
Flaring my wings, I landed on the balcony and let Gabriel gently slide down to his feet. He let out a relieved sigh and stood on shaky knees, leaning on the banister.
“Oh, thank gods,” he muttered. “Please tell me there’s no more flying today.”
I chuckled and ruffled his hair with my claws. “Not tonight, Gabriel.”
Ruby fle
w in and landed on the handrail. “Well, here we are. The Drakinus residence.”
“One of them,” I added with a shrug. “It’s a big family.”
“There’s more than you and your brother?” Gabriel asked.
“Yes. But you don’t have to worry about them now,” I said, waving my claws. “Tonight, you need to rest. You’ve been through a lot.”
Ruby nodded. “I agree. Take some time to get acquainted with your surroundings. We can help you figure everything out after that. Goodnight, Gabriel.”
“Goodnight, Ruby,” Gabriel said. “And thanks.”
Her feathers fluffed up. “You’re welcome. And Dante - be nice to him, will you?”
“I’m always nice!” I protested.
She rolled her eyes, then took off into the early evening sky.
It was the first time since Glimmering Lake that Gabriel and I had been alone together. I shook off my dragon form, returning into a shape he was more comfortable with. I put my hand on his shoulder and gestured into the doorway.
“Shall we head inside? I’ll show you around,” I offered.
When Gabriel stepped inside my room, he gasped. “Oh… Wow. This place is huge.”
“Do you like it?” I asked. It might have been large, but it was no good if Gabriel was overwhelmed by it.
“I do,” he said. “Is this your room?”
“Sure is.”
I walked behind him as he looked around curiously, like a puppy in a place he’d never been before. He stopped before one of my many bookshelves and craned his neck back to see the top of it.
“You have a lot of books,” he commented.
I shrugged. “I like to read.”
At that, he turned to me with a smile. “Yeah? I like a man who reads.”
I’d seen Gabriel blush many times up until now, but this was the first time I felt my cheeks burn up. His twinkling gaze on me ignited that fire in my chest again. I cleared my throat. “You do, huh? I’ll keep that in mind.”
He turned back to the books and picked one at random, skimming through its pages. “Have you read all these?”
“I have. Although it’s been a while with some of them.”
“A while?” He shot me a curious look. “That reminds me, you never mentioned how old you are. You’re not some hundred-year-old dragon, are you?”
I laughed. “No, definitely not. Do I look a hundred years old?”
He quirked a brow. “No, but in this form you also don’t look like a huge fire-breathing dragon, either.”
“Fair enough. But regardless, I doubt I’m much older than you.”
Gabriel crossed his arms, looking coy. “I’m twenty-one.”
“Twenty-six.”
“Huh. I thought for sure you’d be at least thirty.”
I let out a gasp of mock-offense. “Thirty? … Why, do I look that old?”
Now Gabriel laughed, and my heart filled with affection. I wanted to hear that sound over and over again for the rest of my life.
I didn’t know why he was being coy. We were fated mates. I knew it from the moment I got a good look and smell of him. Now that we were alone, I ached for his physical presence to be closer, for our bodies to touch. The cute back-and-forth was fun, but I yearned for more. Maybe he was just shy, although there was no need to be. Surely he knew as well as I did that we were fated.
I edged closer to him. With his back to the bookshelf, he gazed up at me with those beautiful amber eyes. Slowly, I reached out to touch his bare arm with my fingers, grazing his skin in a light sensual touch.
He swallowed hard. “Um - Dante?”
“Yes?” I purred.
“Do you have a bathroom or something?” he asked, looking a bit embarrassed. “Sorry, it’s been a long couple nights and not to be disgusting, but after all the sweating I’ve done, I would really appreciate a nice hot shower.”
Oh? He wants to bathe, does he?
I grinned. Of course my fated mate wanted to cleanse himself before intimacy. How thoughtful of him - although I already loved him so much that I wouldn’t care what he smelled like. In fact, I rather liked his sweat scent, but I wasn’t about to deny him a bath.
“Of course. Let me show you where it is,” I said.
I led him to the bathroom - although it was less of that and more of a large spa area. His eyes went wide, taking in the white ceramic tile and sweet-smelling soaps.
“You dragons don’t do anything half-assed, do you?” he asked.
I grinned. “We tend to be a bit extravagant, yes.”
“Alright… Well. Um.” Gabriel fiddled with his belt, then shot me a glance. “Do you mind?”
“No.” Then I realized what he meant. “Oh. I see. Well then… I’ll be waiting back in the bedroom.”
If he wanted me to wait a little longer to lay eyes on his naked form, then so be it. The suspense was killing me, though.
“See you soon,” I purred.
He blushed, then disappeared behind the door.
6
Gabriel
Even though I was certain I wasn’t on drugs at this point, everything still felt like a dream.
I was in some secret, faraway land in the mountains surrounded by magic dragons. I’d almost been killed by humans, then saved, then almost died of a heart attack after flying through the air, then been dropped off in the fanciest, lavish place I’d ever seen.
And throughout all this, there was an extremely hot and apparently rich dragon shifter by my side who kept flirting with me.
Absentmindedly, I stripped and discarded my dirty clothes in a pile before slipping into the shower. It was easily big enough for two people - which instantly made my mind wander to Dante before I forced myself to think about something else. The shampoos and soaps smelled amazing, not like the basic goat milk soap we had in my old pack. I took my time, dedicating about half an hour to washing myself and actually enjoying it.
If living in Cinderhollow tribe meant having access to this luxurious spa every day, it was already worth it.
There were multiple white robes hanging outside the shower, so I slipped into one and immediately got lost in it. It was much bigger than me - obviously meant for Dante’s size and not mine - but it was warm and dry, which was all that mattered.
After finishing, I realized I was very naked and very out of clean clothes.
I peeked my head out of the room. “Um… Dante?”
His reply came immediately. “Yes, Gabriel?”
“Do you have something… small I could wear?”
He grinned as he stood from the bed and crossed the room to his dresser. “Let’s see… I can’t promise small but I’m sure we can make do for now.” He picked a dark purple plaid shirt out and a pair of briefs. “How about these?”
I nodded, accepting them from him before retreating back behind the door and dressing myself. When I finally emerged, it was hard to miss the way Dante looked at me - his eyes slowly made their way down my body, lingered below my stomach, then returned to look at me.
“Just wonderful. They look good on you,” he said with a smile.
I blushed again. It was hard not to when Dante stared at my body with that smoldering gaze. “Thanks.”
He stretched out a hand. “Come.”
I took it curiously and let Dante lead me where he would - this time, it ended up being the edge of his massive king-sized bed.
The room was quiet, and we were alone on his bed. I was distinctly aware of that now. As the intimacy of the situation dawned on me, my heart rate increased, thumping in my ears, and soon I was afraid Dante would hear it. I didn’t want to look weak in front of him.
He touched my face and I nearly leapt out of my skin. His fingers traced my jaw, and I stared into his eyes. They burned like purple fire. The feeling of his skin on mine was electric.
“Gabriel,” Dante murmured, “I need to know. Do you feel the connection between us?”
My eyes widened. Oh, gods. Did he really say that or was my
crazy lust-struck mind just making things up now?
Dante’s brows furrowed ever so slightly and he repeated, “Gabe.”
Gabe. He referred to me with a nickname. I definitely wasn’t hearing things.
“I… I do,” I breathed, then let out a shaky laugh. “This isn’t just your dragon magic or anything, is it?”
“No,” Dante growled. “I would never use magic on you. What you feel - what we both feel - it’s real. A true connection.”
My heart raced so fast it threatened to explode out of my chest. This was real. I felt it with every nerve in my body, every scent in the air. Dante was just inches from me. His one hand cupping my face, and the other resting on my bare knee. He was touching me.
“Kiss me,” Dante commanded.
I did.
Our lips met and stars exploded behind my eyes. His mouth was soft and warm, but firmly demanding at the same time. He wanted more of me, and me of him. He pushed forward, deepening the kiss while cradling my face. I melted into him completely.
My skin was hot and electric with every touch of his skin on mine. His other hand snaked up my knee to my thigh and rested there teasingly, making me ache for more contact. Meanwhile, my briefs were getting tight. I didn’t even have the shame to be embarrassed - if Dante saw how hard I already was, he should know that it was his damn fault.
The hand on my face slipped down lower, softly tracing the line of my neck until it reached my collarbone. Dante purred into my mouth as he explored my body. He quickly made short work of my shirt buttons and I wondered why I’d even bothered putting it on properly at all. Once fully unbuttoned, Dante was free to peruse. His hand roamed my chest, teasingly touching my nipples, then snaked down over my stomach before finally pausing at the waistband of my briefs.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have given you any clothes in the first place,” he said with a lustful grin.
As Dante peeled off the shirt and laid it aside, I muttered, “I suppose not. We seem to be making a mess of that plan.”
