by Susan Hayes
Karos had his suspicions about what that meant, and why Vykor, who had never shown any indication of a dragon spirit, had been able to transform into a dragon. A purple dragon, no less. As far as he was aware, such a thing had never happened among his species. Children with parents of different clans were born to one clan or the other. Once again, Vykor had become something unheard of. Frost and flame, the priests were going to be beside themselves when they learned of it.
Megan’s hand touched his arm and he looked up to see Jet and Hanna coming toward them, hand in hand. His friend was walking with a slight limp, and there was a faint bruise, already fading, showing beneath the dark stubble on his jaw.
Megan gave a soft cry of relief and ran to Hanna, wrapping the female in a rib-crushing hug. Her words came out with a soft lisp, caused by yet another change in her physical form. She had fangs now. “I’m thorry. I should have been more vigilant. I should haff done more to protect you. You’re really alright, aren’t you?”
The dark-haired female laughed and hugged Megan back. “I’m okay. Still trying to get my mind wrapped around everything that’s happened. After they took us, they wouldn’t tell me what happened to you. I thought you were dead!”
“They left me behind as a kind of living ransom note. I’m fine. I’m thorry I failed you.”
“You didn’t fail me. You came back for us. As a dragon! How did that happen?” Hanna asked, her eyes widening as she looked from Megan to Karos, then smiled a little. “Or can I guess?”
Karos noted that Hanna’s eyes were a brilliant shade of gold, and looked over at Jet. His eyes had changed, too. It would appear the Gods had been very busy since last they’d seen each other.
Jet came over and clapped him on the shoulder. “I am very glad to see you again, my friend.”
“Not as glad as I am to see you. I should have seen the threat to you and the others. It was my job to protect you, and I failed.”
Jet rolled his eyes. “Hanna and I had a bet going to see which one of you apologized first. Neither of you failed. We were betrayed, but we survived.” He looked over at Megan and Hanna, his expression softening. “And while I was gone, you found your mate. Congratulations.”
“To you, as well. The Gods had plans for us.” Karos looked over to the medical vehicle where Vykor and Lily were. “I hope the Gods are as good to Vykor and the young human female.” He lowered his voice and uttered the question he’d been waiting to ask, “Is she the one who betrayed you all?”
Jet shook his head. “She was used by someone she trusted. Believe me, she wasn’t part of it.”
“How can you be sure?”
Jet grimaced. “Hanna and I were valuable as hostages. They…were not. They were not well treated. We were kept in another part of the building, but we heard…” he trailed off, his face going pale.
“Who shot her?” he asked.
“Her own family. Can you imagine? My family are far from perfect, but from what I saw, Lily’s childhood must have been a nightmare.”
He’d seen families torn apart by hatred before. It was never easy to watch and he wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but what Jet witnessed made it easier to believe that Lily was truly a victim and not a co-conspirator. Karos wanted to believe that, because if that wasn’t true, then the Gods had set up Vykor for even more suffering. He couldn’t believe that. “Vykor found his mate. I have to believe the Gods would not give him such a gift without having plans for them both. He’s something new and powerful.”
“Yeah. I noticed. A dragon of both fire and ice.” Jet shook his head. “Every time we come to this planet, something happens that changes one of our worlds.”
“And yet, we keep coming back.”
There was a joyful cry from the ambulance area, followed by a series of happy barks.
“Who brought a dog?” Megan asked, perplexed.
“She’s with Lily. It’s a long story,” Hanna replied.
Vykor appeared shortly thereafter, garbed in a simple, dark blue outfit of loose-fitting pants and a flowing shirt. He’d conjured the clothing himself, and he’d been smart enough not to try for something too elaborate. He was carrying a female with a riot of blonde curls and a shy smile. She was dressed in a similar fashion to Vykor, though her outfit was a vibrant shade of violet. Following behind them was the largest canine Karos had ever seen, its cavernous jaws open in what appeared to be a canine grin.
“Lily!” Megan and Hanna called out at the same time.
Lily waved and beamed. “I’m okay! It was merely a flesh wound!”
He didn’t get the joke, but both Hanna and Megan burst into relieved laughter and rushed to meet her, both of them talking over the other, their every word filled with joy. Lily was important to both of them, and it was clear by the way Vykor cradled her in his arms, she was important to the young dragon, too.
“What happened?” Megan demanded. “Who hurt you?”
He stilled, listening carefully for the answer.
Lily’s smile vanished, replaced by shame and a flood of tears. “It was John. He did this. I’m so sorry, Hanna. I didn’t know. I swear, I didn’t know anything about this. I didn’t even know he was part of this stupid group until he walked into my cell.”
“I know. John used you. You didn’t mean to tell him anything, did you? You always told me he was trouble, and that you didn’t want anything to do with him.” Hanna said.
“I didn’t tell him a thing!” Lily’s voice rose. “I told my mom about your necklace because I thought it was a cool gizmo. I never told her I had one, too. I didn’t want her to worry about why I might need such a thing. I never thought she’d tell anyone. This is all my fault. I’m so sorry.”
“You weren’t the one who gassed us, or told your asshole brother we were coming. Kyle did that.” Megan took Lily’s hand and gripped it tight. “But you did find a way to get your tracker outside the walls so we could find you. How’d you do that, anyway?”
Lily smiled through her tears as she filled the others in on what she’d done. He watched the reunion for a moment longer, then closed his eyes and offered up a silent prayer of thanks to the Lady of Flame and the Lord of Frost for their mercy. Lily would be alright, and Vykor’s mate hadn’t betrayed anyone. The nightmare was over.
Jet stirred beside him. “I don’t know about you, but I’m still in the thrall of the Scorching. Hanna and I need to get back to the embassy, soon.”
“It is the same for me. Megan and I will be departing soon.” He glanced over at Jet. “How did you manage to claim Hanna while the two of you were under guard?”
The Pyrosian blushed to the roots of his dark hair, though his grin nearly reached from ear to ear. “Humans have a saying. Necessity is the mother of invention.”
Karos chuckled. “And the Scorching has no care for such minor problems as locks, guards, or danger.”
“Exactly.” Jet tilted his head toward Megan. “You were rather inventive yourself, I see.”
“That…was an accident. One I imagine I will be apologizing for, for many years.”
“A happy accident. The sight of two dragons in the sky was what tipped our captives into a panic. They were prepared for one dragon, but not two.”
Karos snorted. “There is nothing these humans could have done to prepare for a Romaki dragon on the attack. With three of us making an appearance? Their fates were sealed.”
“Come on, mighty Romaki. It’s time we joined the others.”
Karos nodded. “And then go our separate ways. I imagine Vykor will take his new mate into the mountains as well.”
“Meet you back at the embassy in a few days, then?” Jet said.
“Keth and Eva will be able to update you on all that happened while you were gone.” Karos walked over to Megan, wrapping an arm around her waist and tugging her back against his body without speaking. He needed to be near her, but he didn’t want to rush the last few minutes she would have with her friends for a few days. They were important to her. Whi
ch meant they were destined to become important to him, too.
As he stood there, that truth finally sunk in. He’d come to Earth to escape the past, but he’d never imagined he’d find his future here. A mate. Friends. A job he loved and a chance to make a difference. It was a dream made manifest. Now, all he had to do was make sure that it was all Megan wanted, too. After all, they weren’t just mates. They were partners.
Megan was torn between her desire to stay with her newly-freed friends and the all-consuming fires of the rux. She’d managed to push those needs aside for the rescue, but even as they had waited for word about Lily, the urges had returned threefold. Her skin was hypersensitive, her body aching with needs and wants she couldn’t ignore any longer. When Karos drew her back against him, she felt the hard line of his cock pressed into her back, and it was all she could do to resist the urge to rub herself over him like an affection-starved cat.
“Want mate. Now,” her dragon complained.
“Soon,” she promised the creature.
Hanna was leaning into Jet, too, her fingers idly stroking the back of his arm where it crossed over her waist. Lily was still nestled in Vykor’s arms, her eyes as bright as stars as she looked up at the Romaki male with obvious affection and something far more primal and possessive. It was time for them to go. All of them. Six beings had become three couples, and all of them needed time alone with their new mates.
“We should—“ Hanna blushed.
“I need to go with Vykor,” Lily almost whispered the words.
“Karos and I should go, too.”
“But we’re coming back. Right?” Lily asked worriedly.
“Of course,” Hanna said at almost the same time as Megan.
“Three days from now, we’ll all meet at the embassy,” Jet stated, and both Romaki nodded in agreement.
“Don’t forget to bring comms,” Karos said. “Report in when you can, so we know everyone is safe.”
Vykor groaned. “Not sure I’m going to be able to think that clearly, but I’ll try.”
“Do it, or I’ll fly over to your bower and tie your tail in a knot,” Karos rumbled.
Vykor raised his gaze to the elder dragon, eyes flashing. “You could try.” Then he took a deep breath and shook his head. “Sorry. It’s hard to think straight right now.”
Karos laughed and nodded. “I know.”
“When we get back, will you teach Lily and me how what we need to know? I never learned. This… it wasn’t supposed to happen,” Vykor asked.
“We’ll talk as we fly. By the time we part company, you’ll know enough to get by. The rest I can teach you when we’ve all returned.” Karos tightened his arm around her waist. “All the new dragons will need instruction.”
“Damn skippy. No more crash landings for me,” Megan agreed.
Lily’s eyes widened and her fair cheeks turned a little green. “We’re flying?”
“Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure dragons don’t get airsick,” Megan said with a laugh.
After that, there were hugs, goodbyes, and a few minutes of organization, then it was time to go. She looked up at Karos. “Thank you for keeping your promise.”
“Always.” He took her hand and lifted it to his mouth to kiss her fingers. “Come, sadina. It’s time we set duty aside.”
A jolt of lust slammed through her and she nodded eagerly. She was more than ready to leave duty behind and indulge in several days of rux-induced debauchery instead.
They flew into the mountains outside the city, Vykor carrying Lily on his back. She was dressed for the weather, now, swaddled in layers of blankets and thick woollen pants as she pointed out various landmarks along their flight path.
As they flew, Karos instructed them on various things, and there were some silences where she assumed he and Vykor spoke privately. She was getting better at flying now, and she was determined to manage a better landing this time around.
The wind was cold, the skies burdened with dark clouds heavy with rain, but the weather didn’t bother her at all. She soared over the mist-shrouded peaks, watching the dark green forest flow beneath them like a living carpet. Eventually, they left the others, who flew off toward a meadow that Vykor claimed he’d heard about from the only other Romaki to visit this part of the world – Prince Radek.
Karos flew to a narrow slash of open ground between two thick stretches of forest. The ground was covered in a heavy blanket of untouched snow. It was silent, idyllic, and according to him, it was where they would spend the next few days.
“Where will we stay? There’s nothing out here but trees, rocks, and snow.”
“Have patience. I will see to your comfort once we have landed.”
“With what? I’m a city girl, Big Red. I can rough it when I have to, but I prefer big, fluffy pillows and warm, soft beds to sleeping on rocks or a pine bough bower.”
“Have faith in me, sadina. Now, watch me land and then try to do the same.”
She did as he said, keeping an eye on his form as he approached the clearing and touched down with an impressive amount of grace for something so large. She did her best to duplicate his moves, and while she still hit the ground hard enough to make the snow jump all around her, she didn’t lose her balance or face plant, so she called it a success.
“Transform. I will see to your clothing this time.”
She did so, and this time it was a little easier, the change coming faster and with less disorientation. Karos had conjured a thick cloak of black fur for her, resting atop a loose-fitting robe of some soft, thick fabric she didn’t recognize. It was a deep crimson and a perfect match for the fur-lined boots that appeared on her feet. She felt like she was wrapped in decadence and warmth, and while her breath frosted in the air, she was as warm as if she’d been standing in her room back at the embassy. She also noticed that all her weapons were set neatly on a small rug by her feet.
He changed forms a few seconds later, appearing in a similar outfit, though his cloak was trimmed in dark red and had a stylized dragon emblazoned across the back.
She was tempted to ask what happened next, but before she could say anything, Karos raised his hands and began speaking in what she assumed was Romaki. When they got back to the embassy, she really needed to ask about the cognitive augmentation that would allow her to speak his language. Eva had recommended it to her, along with other augmentation packages that would teach her everything she needed to know about Romaki culture and history.
All thoughts about augmentation and learning came to a screeching halt as Karos raised his voice and gestured at the outcropping of rock that filled the far end of the clearing. The snow hissed and melted away, baring the rocks beneath. Within seconds the rock started to glow a brilliant red; the heat it gave off making the air shimmer and dance. She was far enough away she couldn’t feel more than a warm breeze on her face, but the rock was hot enough it melted into a thick liquid that flowed across the freshly cleared land like lava.
No, not like lava. It was lava. And as she watched, the lava began to form itself into a recognizable shape. A house. Walls rose first, rising more than three meters into the air. Windows appeared, along with doorways and finally, a sloping roof. There was too much going on for her to see all of it, but she got the impression that the entire structure was becoming more ornate, with details appearing everywhere. Dragon motifs in blazing reds and yellows, and a thin, translucent material flowed down over the holes she thought of as windows, sealing them against the elements. Steps appeared at the doorway, and then the lava flowed in a gently winding path that stopped just a few feet away from where she stood.
She was still trying to take it all in when Karos spoke, and she belated realized he’d stopped chanting. “Will it do?” he asked.
“You made us a house of molten stone. And it even has windows! I have no idea how you managed it, but yes, it will more than do. It’s amazing, and so are you.”
She took a step toward him, but he raised a hand to stop her. “I�
��m not done, yet. This is an important moment for my species. This bower is my gift to you. It is a demonstration of my abilities and a gesture of my affection. It will have every luxury you can imagine, and while we reside here, It will be a place of pleasure and relaxation where we can get to know each other.”
“So, this is our honeymoon?”
He paused for a moment and then smiled. “Yes. At least, that’s the closest word you have in your language.”
“And one day, I’ll be able to do this, too?” She waved to the rock house, which was still throwing off enough heat to rival a small star.
“You will, though not for some time. I have had several centuries to master my magic.” He turned back to the house and started speaking in rhythmic phrases, his hands busy drawing designs in the air in front of him.
The stone’s surface changed, solidifying as it began to cool. Its surface looked like polished black mirrors, shot through with gleaming veins of crimson and gold that seemed to ebb and flow like miniature rivers. Less than five minutes later, Karos lowered his hands and ceased chanting.
“Is it ready?” she asked him.
“It is.” He held out his hand to her and she joined him, almost breathless with anticipation. She wanted to see what he had created, but even more than that, she wanted him.
“Ours,” her dragon murmured. The thought was accompanied by a powerful surge of lust.
“Yes, he is,” she replied out loud.
Karos glanced down at her. “Your dragon?”
“Is very pleased we’re finally alone.”
“As is mine.” He took her hand and raised it to his lips, kissing her fingertips before turning and lifting her into his arms. He carried her up the walkway and into the house. When the door closed behind them, it was as if the entire world vanished, leaving them alone with their desires.
Chapter Ten
He didn’t give her a chance to look around before he had her pinned against the newly shut door, his mouth on hers, hungry and demanding. She wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his kiss with one of her own, her voice rising in a needy whimper as lust exploded in her veins.
