by Aidy Award
“You tell me about the ring, and I’ll do more than play with my nipples for you.”
He chuckled and cupped her breasts in his hands over hers anyway. “The witch must mean the Wyvern mate’s ring. But I don’t understand how she would know about that. Only Wyverns and their mates have ever had access to those rituals.”
She slipped her hands from his and pressed her fingers against his chest. “What rituals?”
“It’s something from long ago, and all of us had forgotten about it except for Match. Until Ciara showed up.”
Ciara had been the first mate of a dragon in almost six-hundred years. She was a really nice woman, if a little pushy about wanting to plan a wedding for Azy and Cage. She, nor Jada, the Blue Dragon Wyvern’s mate had mentioned a ritual. “Go on.”
Cage looked out at the ocean. “Just who is this Senora Boh? Where did you meet her?”
Wow. He really didn’t want to talk about this. She’d let him continue to avoid for now because if there was something he didn’t want to tell her, it had to be a big deal. They were open with each other and he’d eventually tell her once he figured out how. “She said you wouldn’t remember her.”
“I don’t know that woman. What if she was sent by Geshtianna or the Black Witch?”
“Sweetheart. She’s been nothing but kind and helpful. Besides, she said she was the midwife who helped your mother when you were born. She said she’s been at all the Wyvern’s births.”
He shook his head and growled, his dragon surprisingly close to the surface. “How do you know? How can you trust her?”
A wave of heat washed across the both of them and they were no longer alone. Because I was at your birth too, and there is only one midwife who attends to dragons.
A huge red dragon jumped down from a wall of rocks and lumbered toward the water. He was covered in ash and burns.
“Match. Where the hell have you been, man?”
Match. The Red Dragon Wyvern who’d been missing since Azy had been in Hell. She’d seen him once, the day she’d gotten Cage’s shard from the succubus.
He’d been dying. Poisoned by her friend Fallyn.
Cage stood and pushed Azy behind him. What, like he was going to be able to block her and her big ole belly from Match’s view. Yeah, maybe if there were two of him.
Azy didn’t know Match from any other red dragon, but she worried about the fragile minded woman she’d rescued or rather dragged out of hell. The puzzling, but badass guardian, Ninsy, had promised she would take care of Fallyn.
Azy couldn’t remember why, but she trusted Ninsy.
Match made his way into the ocean and rolled in the wet sand, washing away the grime from what looked like a battle.
Azy asked the water to cool and soothe his burns and pulled tendrils up to rinse the soot from his face.
“Don’t bother helping this grumpy bastard. He’s not a big fan of mates.” Cage crossed his arms and continued to put himself between her and the red dragon.
Match growled, but not at her. In another minute he made his way back to the land and shifted as he walked out of the surf.
Dear God. He was striking. Dark hair and sexy-ass well-kept facial hair. What surprised her the most was his dark olive skin. He looked more like he belonged in Spain than either of them. How was a guy from Poland this tall, dark, and handsome?
She’d expected him to look more like Cage with his fair skin and golden hair. Next to Match, Cage was as pale as a sparkly vampire.
“Ahem.” Cage cleared his throat. “You’re staring, love of my life, mate of my soul.”
Oops. “No, I wasn’t. He just surprised me is all.”
Match walked over to the two of them and Azy found herself actually scooting behind Cage this time. Match might be movie-star good-looking, but he also looked mad as hell and very, very tired.
His anger lifted for a moment and he stared right at her. “Thank you, Azynsa.”
Why did she get the feeling he meant for more than the cool water?
Cage wasn’t the least bit intimidated by Match’s hulking dominance. “Huh. I didn’t even think you knew those words, dickhead.”
“Your mate has done more for me than she knows.”
“I have?” His gaze was so damn intense. He reminded her of a king.
“Yes.”
“Well, good. I’m glad then. Now, shoo.” She waved her hands to get him to move along. This was her and Cage’s special spot, and she’d had enough of this particular Wyvern’s energy.
Match’s brow crinkled, and Cage stifled a snicker. “You heard the lady. There’s a guest room at the new villa suited to a red dragon, fireplace and all. Make yourself at home. You look like you could use about three days of sleep. We’ll be along in a bit. I want to hear more about where you’ve been and that midwife.”
Match scowled at Cage but then lopsided-grinned at Azy. He turned and made his way up the beach, stretching and yawning.
Azy waited until she thought Match was out of earshot before she said anything. “Holy anchovy, is he always like that?”
“A ladies man, you mean?” Cage was teasing her of course.
She pulled him down for a soulful kiss anyway. “You’re the only man for this lady, and don’t you forget it.”
“I won’t.” He kissed her back, sliding his tongue between her lips and dancing with her until she pretty much forgot what they were talking about.
“We’d better get up to the villa before Match scares off all the staff.”
“He is kind of unnerving, in an I’m-the-king-of-the-world kind of way. Is it weird that he reminds me a little bit of the Black Dragon?” She didn’t think Match had an ounce of evil in him, but that potent power he possessed was something she’d only felt from one other being in the world.
Cage smoothed a strand of her hair and stared at it between his fingers. “Match is the Alpha of alphas. He’s the first son of the first son of the first son a dozen times removed. The Red Wyvern has been the leader of all Dragonkind for centuries. It’s a heavy burden he carries, and it makes him a cranky son of a bitch.”
That explained a lot. “Dude needs a mate.”
Cage laughed out loud. “It would take a strong woman to match Match. But yeah. We’ve all been saying for years that he needs to get laid.”
“I hope he’s the only visitor we have for a while. I was looking forward to some more me and you time.” Azy waggled her eyebrows at Cage. As if he needed a hint at what she wanted from him.
Only all of his love forever and ever.
“Cage. Azy. There you are. We’ve been looking everywhere for you.” A melodic voice floated into their little secluded cove. It apparently wasn’t very secret anymore. “Oh. Eek. You two are naked. Gah. Sorry.”
“Hubba Hubba. You were right, Ciara. Dragons are hung.”
“Wesley, shush. And turn around, give them a little privacy. Sorry Azy.” Ciara called down from the same set of rocks Match had crossed a few minutes earlier. “We’ll just meet you up at the villa, shall we? I’ve brought dress samples, and Jada’s already making cakes for you to taste.”
Oh no. Not again.
The midwife did say she’d called in reinforcements. She hadn’t said those reinforcements were wedding planners.
Univited Friends
Azy liked Ciara. She really did. Jada too. Fleur seemed nice, and she smelled good. Which was a bonus in her current state.
Over stuffed with cake and ready to throw up.
They were all having so much fun planning the most elaborate wedding that Azy didn’t have the heart to tell them she didn’t want one.
She wanted to be with Cage forever, and she was down for getting married even. But this whole wedding of the century? Ugh.
She spun in a circle trying her best to pay attention to each of the women who’d come to help her.
Ciara pushed half a dozen dresses around on a portable wardrobe rack and pulled one off holding it out to her.
“What do yo
u think of this dress? This color is creamy champagne that is going to look killer with your skin tone. Ooh, wait, are you going to wear your hair up or down? Because that will make a difference with what kind of neckline you pick.”
Jada stabbed another teeny piece of cake with a fork and held it up to Azy’s mouth.
“Did you like the chocolate with the raspberry, cherry, or pomegranate? Because if you didn’t like any of them, I’ve got vanilla bean with pistachio, mango, or lavender.”
Fleur had flowers literally growing out of the floor.
“The blooms native to this area would look stunning laced through a wooden wedding arch. Oh, but that might not be high end enough for the Gold Dragon Wyvern’s nuptials. I’ll call around to hothouses and see what kind of fancy greenhouse varieties they have.”
Wesley approached her with a measuring tape. “Sugar, I’ve got to get your measurements so I can make sure we’ve got room for that precious baby bump come wedding day.”
How about nope.
Azy backed away from Wes and his instrument of torture. She did not need anyone knowing exactly how big her ass had gotten in the past month. She already felt like her stomach was about the circumference of the moon and that she’d look like a big ole pufferfish in any wedding dress, white, champagne, or polka dotted for that matter.
“I think I need a nap.” Azy sighed and rubbed her belly. At least the little ones hadn’t been poking her in the ribs today.
“Of course you do. We’ll let you go, just as soon as you pick Cage’s ring. Can we see yours, so we can match it?”
Sigh. This scene was like déjà vu all over again. Ciara, Jada, and Fleur had met their dragons, by way of a necklace that the White Witch had given them. Azy had not.
Ciara, Jada, and Fleur had gotten their dragons’ soul shards, connecting and bonding them together after they had fallen in love with their warriors.
Azy had not.
She clasped the gold shard she wore around her neck now and pulled comfort from its warmth. Cage had given his soul’s talisman up to a horrible succubus who was later forced to give it to Azy.
She and Cage had still fallen in love, and he had gifted her with his soul after a long battle with Hell. The end result was the same, but they’d taken a different path to become mates.
She and Cage had done everything bass-ackwards to get to where they were now. Looked like this was going to be another one of those times.
Azy was forever having to embrace her differences. Book smart instead of street smart when no one else in her tough Chicago neighborhood even cared about school or reading. Loving to swim when all the other girls at school were worried about getting their hair wet. The only daughter of a single dad cop. Different.
A chubby black mermaid who’d grown up in Chicago instead of the ocean.
Way, way beyond different.
No Wyvern’s mate ring.
One more way she’d have to endure being different.
“I don’t have a ring. The midwife said we needed to find it to strengthen our bond and help protect the babies. I don’t even know where to begin. The White Witch isn’t making this one easy on me.”
Not like she had for Ciara and Jada.
Gah. She was being bitchy and wanted to blame it on the baby hormones. Azy blinked a half dozen times. Dammit. She was not going to cry.
Crab balls. A tear escaped and then all of a sudden she couldn’t stop the waterfalls. She turned her head but knew full well she wasn’t hiding her stupid sobs from anyone.
Ciara dropped the dress into a pile on the floor and rushed over to her. She took Azy’s hands in hers and the tiniest fluffy snowflakes drifted down around them. “Oh, Azy. It’s okay. Everything will be okay. You’ll find the ring.”
The words were sincere, heartfelt, and even though it was snowing, a calming warmth washed over her and settled in her belly. Her tears even dried up as quick as they’d come.
The underlying stress and emotions were still there, but Ciara’s magic wrapped them up in a soft cloud, calming her. Azy stared at the blue-eyed blonde, a woman who couldn’t be any more opposite of her own brown eyes and brown skin, trying to figure out if Ciara’s gifts were also what made her feel a kinship with the woman.
Senora Boh had hit an old sore nerve when she’d said Azy wasn’t good at making friends. From Chicago to the bottom of the ocean, she’d only ever had acquaintances.
Ciara squeezed Azy’s hands. “There’s no hurry. You’ll find the ring. Jada found hers the morning she married Ky.”
Azy’s gaze snapped over to Jada who had a big silly grin on her face. “You did?”
“I didn’t even know the Wyvern’s mate ring was a thing, until I found it. I wasn’t looking for it.” Jada held up her hand and a brilliant blue band sat on her finger, sparkling like the ocean on a sunny day. “But the legend goes that only the true mate of a Wyvern will be able to find and wear the ring. It’s pretty damn obvious you’re Cage’s true mate. You’ll find it.”
“How did you get yours?” Azy asked Ciara. Being the first mate of a dragon warrior in like a million years and all the White Witch had probably just handed it to her.
“Match challenged me. He didn’t think I was a true mate. I’ve forgiven him for that, because I didn’t think so either at the time. It was hidden in Jakob’s hoard. That place is a mess. But I walked right up to it. I don’t even know how.”
“Cage’s hoard is hidden all over the world. He moved most of it after The Lindens burned. Should I go look through what’s here?”
Ciara shook her head and grinned like she knew something Azy didn’t. “I think if we throw you this wedding, the ring will appear.”
“Can your magic do that?” Azy didn’t know what kind of powers Ciara had exactly, but it was more than what she could do with her affinity for the water element.
“Not mine, the White Witch’s. She’s the one putting us together with our dragons. I get a little blip of a vision each time she gives another woman a necklace and there’s been a lot of them lately. Especially golds.”
Jada put a hand on Azy’s shoulder. “That wouldn’t be happening if the Gold Wyvern hadn’t found his mate. Now, they need their first lady. That’s you or I’ll eat my own choux.” She shrugged. “What? I’m not very good at pâte à choux. Cake, yes, but French fluffy pastry? No. It’s like actually eating a leather shoe but filled with custard.”
“We just want to help. If I promise not to make this wedding bigger than Meghan and Harry’s are you in?” Ciara asked.
Azy wasn’t sure that was even possible, but it was so nice of them to care so much. “Of course. I appreciate you guys coming. It’s not like I have any family who is going to show up or anything.”
Funny that she should say that because just then family did show up.
“Azynsa. We have missed you.” Three Mami Wata in human form, butt-freaking naked and still dripping wet walked into the dining room. The one in front, Zambezi, held one hand up, giving her the finger.
Azy covered her laugh with a cough. She’d told the mermaids that flipping someone off was a war cry of her people. After the battle to destroy Hell with the mermaids, many had taken to using it as sign of unity and basically, girl power.
Of course, Wesley chose that exact moment to walk back into the room and turned right back around. “Whoa. That’s a couple too many naked ladies for me.”
“Ooh.” One of the other Mami Wata followed Wes, “He looks like mate material to me.”
Uh. The Mami Wata hadn't contacted her once since they'd all battled the demon dragons and made the African coast safe again. Azy hadn't exactly reached out to them either. “What are you all doing here?”
Zambezi smiled. “We heard you will have a ritual to celebrate finding a mate. We would also like to find mates now. There will be potential ones at your celebration. You can introduce us.”
“Wait, who told you I was having a wedding? I didn’t even know until an hour ago.” Azy looked at
Ciara, but she shook her head.
The remaining Mami Wata dripped their way over to the table and picked up cake samples. Zambezi ate one, her eyes went wide, and she ate two more. “It’s all over the ocean. Some of the mermen are very angry that we no longer want to have sex with them whenever they want it.”
“About fricking time.” The patriarchal misogyny of the Mer society drove Azy nuts.
“Yes. It is time for fricking. That is why we are here. Fricking, with dragons, or other men. We would like to have mates, like you, Azynsa.”
Wow. Most Mami Wata had barely tolerated Azy, since she was only half mermaid and hadn’t been raised with them. For them to admit they wanted something she had was kind of a huge deal.
“I can’t guarantee you’ll find mates, but I’d be happy to introduce you to some guys. I think Jada will know of some in particular that you might like.”
Jada’s eyes narrowed, and she studied the mermaids. She felt just as protective of the blue dragons as Azy did of the golds. “We’ll see if the White Witch decides to match make for you three.”
If she was going to have a wedding, there would be plenty of dragon warriors of all colors there. While she had a particular fondness for the gold ones, most of her sisters of the sea would probably be more suited to Jada’s blue dragon warriors whose element was also water.
Okay, this she could do. If Ciara could tone the planning down, and it was just them, a few dragon warriors and a few mermaids, that wouldn’t get out of control.
If one more unexpected guest came through that door, she might just call the whole thing off and talk Cage into flying the two of them to Vegas.
Actually, she might do that anyway.
Wesley speed-walked his way back into the dining room, no mermaid in sight. “Between the horny mermaids and the sexy ass Dragon warriors around here my heart is getting one hell of a workout today.”
“Yeah like your butt needs more toning.” Ciara rolled her eyes.
“Thank you very much. But I'm not the one who's going to be wishing she had been in training for a marathon.”
