Dragon Mine

by Donna Grant

  “And the mates are tied to the King through the ceremony.” Vaughn’s lips twisted. “Every King here would like to have a child. But at what cost?”

  “That’s what irritates you with Darius and Sophie, isn’t it?”

  He nodded. “We all resigned ourselves to never having children. We expected to live out eternity alone. Then the unexpected happened, and some of us began finding mates.”

  “Perhaps more change is coming. Brandr and I were born. Granted, not of a human but rather a Fae.”

  Vaughn’s gaze was focused on a spot before him, though he absently nodded.

  Eurwen knew he was most likely entering a dark place with memories of his lost child. She put her hand atop his to get his attention. “Take me to your mountain.”

  “What?” he asked as he turned to look at her.

  “Your mountain. Take me to it.”

  His face softened. “All right.”

  She got to her feet and pulled him up by a hand. “Let’s go.”

  “Now?”

  “Why not?” she asked.

  He smiled and linked his fingers with hers. “Why no’, indeed.”

  When Vaughn turned her toward the door, she tugged on his arm to stop him. Then she shook her head. “I’ve another way.”

  In the next breath, she teleported them to the back of Dreagan Mountain.

  “It’s still too light for us to fly,” he told her. “We’ll have to walk.”

  “Which direction?”

  Vaughn pointed to the west.

  Eurwen focused on one of the mountaintops as far as she knew she could teleport and jumped them there. One mountain at a time, she teleported with Vaughn directing her until they finally reached his. She watched as the tension from the manor fell away from him. He took her hand and led her down one side of the rockface until they reached a boulder that hid an entrance to the mountain.

  “I never wanted to be caught and no’ be able to get into my mountain,” Vaughn explained. “There’s an entrance at the base, one I use in my true form, and this one.”

  Eurwen had always wanted to go into one of the mountains on Dreagan. Neither she nor Brandr had ever used one for themselves, but other dragons on Zora did. She often wondered if her Fae blood made it so she didn’t yearn for a mountain.

  The instant she entered Vaughn’s mountain behind him, something moved through her. The sensation was one of comfort and solace. The deeper she went into the tunnel, the darker it became. Her dragon sight took over, allowing her to see easily.

  Her hand was still linked with Vaughn’s. He led her through the tunnel that wound slightly downward. She spotted a couple of forks in the passageway but decided to ask about those later. Just as in Dreagan Mountain, carvings of dragons were prevalent all through the tunnel.

  “Did you do these?” she asked.

  Vaughn glanced at her over his shoulder. “I did.”

  They were impressive. Some were lone dragons. Others clustered together. Some stood while more were in flight. Some were done as closeups, and still more were carved as if seen from a great distance. But they were all Teals.

  The tunnel widened, emptying into a cavern. Eurwen paused to take it all in when Vaughn released her hand and walked ahead of her. A moment later, a ball of light emerged from his hand. It began rising into the air, growing larger and brighter until it touched the ceiling above.

  Eurwen looked from one end of the cavern to the other. The floor was smooth and bare except for the occasional boulder. It almost looked as if someone had rolled them out of the middle. The arched ceiling that came to a point was high enough that a dragon could stand without hitting its head. The curved walls were absent of dragon carvings, but what stood out were the scorch marks made from dragon fire. And the scratches from Vaughn’s claws.

  “This is where I slept away many centuries,” Vaughn said.

  She made her way to one of the scorch marks and lightly ran her fingers over the burnt rock. “You did more than sleep.”

  “I had to release my anger somehow. Allowing it to fester would’ve only made things worse.”

  Eurwen turned her head to him. “And you couldn’t take it out on those you felt responsible.”

  “Humans.” He shot her a lopsided grin. “That I couldna.”

  “Why did you choose this mountain?”

  He seemed to think about that for a moment and then shrugged. “I can no’ answer that. After the dragons were gone, Con brought us here. He urged us to find a mountain and sleep. I remember flying this way, but I doona have any memories of choosing a particular mountain. I was weary and outraged. I knew I had to sleep. I think I took the first mountain I came across.”

  Eurwen watched how he gently touched the rock as he walked. She didn’t believe anything had been done carelessly. He might not have chosen this mountain, but it had chosen him.

  “Con came to us every ten years and updated us on things as we slept,” Vaughn continued. “Then, one day, I woke. I wasna yet ready to leave the mountain, but I was done sleeping. I walked every inch of this place. When I couldna go farther, I made tunnels. It wasna long after that I started the art. I had no concept of time. I didna leave, didna even look outside. I would get restless and sleep, only to wake sometime later and begin the process all over again.”

  Eurwen studied Vaughn, the way he smiled when he talked about the mountain, how he stroked the rock. “Do you return here?”

  “Aye.” He met her gaze and smiled. “We each have chambers at the manor, and they’re somewhat private. However, it’s hard to get real privacy in such a place with so many people. When I need to center myself, I come here. I can block out the world and feel the magic.”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  “Do you have such a place?”

  She glanced around the cavern. “Nothing like this. When Brandr and I first arrived on Zora, we were intent on calming the dragons. It wasn’t long after that we created Cairnkeep. While it might not be as grand as Dreagan, it’s our home.”

  His brows shot up in his forehead. “That place is spectacular. The views alone are sublime. You sit atop a mountain. I would say it is grand.”

  “We don’t have a manor.”

  He gave her a dry look. “We both know if that’s what you wanted, you would have it. Dreagan and Cairnkeep might be different, but each is beautiful in its own right.”

  His words warmed her heart. “I like it here. There’s something very calming about your mountain.”

  “I always thought so. I feel it each time I come here.”

  “I felt it,” she told him in amazement.

  His lips turned up in a smile. “Somehow, that doesna surprise.”

  “It does me. I’ve never been drawn to mountains. Not like you and the other Kings.”

  Vaughn shrugged nonchalantly. “That doesna make you any less of a dragon. It only means you need something different.”

  “Why did I feel something when I walked in here?”

  “I wish I knew.”

  “Does every King feel something when they enter their mountains?” she asked.

  Vaughn’s smile widened. “I’ve never asked any of the others.”

  “Really? I would’ve thought you would.”

  “We might be as close as brothers, but we must have our privacy. You know that. Otherwise, you and Brandr would share a house.”

  Eurwen nodded in agreement. She walked to the middle of the cavern and spun with her arms outstretched. She lifted her head and saw the scorch marks above her. Halting, she stared at them, trying to imagine the pain Vaughn suffered.

  “Trying times,” he said from behind her.

  She whirled around and met his gaze. “You had a realm all to yourself. Then you welcomed new beings that changed everything.”

  “We expected them to treat us with the same respect we did them.”

  “Instead, you lost everything. Locked on a magical land but unwilling to take back your world. You remained here, furious and hu
rting, with no way to do anything about it.”

  His shoulders dropped. “I can forget what the humans have done. It’s just a wee moment. Then I remember everything once more. We’re living in Hell. One we created, but Hell nonetheless.”

  Eurwen placed her hand on his cheek. “How do you survive?”

  “I searched for you.”

  Her heart skipped a beat at his words.

  Then he yanked her against him, his mouth ravaging hers.

  Chapter Twenty

  The instant his lips touched hers, Vaughn burned to be inside Eurwen.

  The heated kiss grew feverish, frenzied. Their hands clawed at each other, trying to get to bare skin. Then, finally, the clothes were gone. His next breath locked in his lungs when she reached between them and wrapped her fingers around his cock.

  Vaughn groaned at the sensation of her hand moving up and down his length. He was powerless to move when she ended the kiss and dropped to her knees in front of him. He couldn’t take his eyes from her. His lungs locked as she leaned forward and wrapped her lips around his arousal. Pleasure surged through his body as she used her hands and mouth on him.

  When he could take no more of the exquisite bliss, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her to her feet. He kissed her, backing her against the nearest boulder. Then, it was his turn.

  He kissed down her jaw to the base of her throat. Her pulse jumped, and he flicked his tongue over it. Then he slowly kissed his way to her breast. He licked around her nipple before taking it into his mouth and suckling the nub. Her nails dug into his back as her hips rocked against him. Vaughn moved to her other breast and teased that nipple. Only then did he kiss down her stomach to her navel.

  Her breath hitched when he knelt before her and lifted one leg over his shoulder. He glanced up at her to find her hooded eyes watching him closely. Vaughn smiled before his tongue swirled around her clit. A soft cry fell from her lips. He continued his assault by pushing a finger inside her, moving it in time with his tongue.

  “Please,” she begged. “I want you inside me.”

  He ignored her, doubling his efforts. Her cries grew louder. The leg holding her began shaking, and still, Vaughn continued.

  She stiffened and let out a shout as she peaked. The sound was music to his ears. They’d come together only in his dreams for so long. She had been like smoke, hard to hold. Now, he got to feel her, see her, taste her. And he couldn’t get enough.

  Vaughn rose, grabbing her by the hips and lifting her. Their gazes met, locked as he slowly entered her. Her lips parted on a sigh. Her arms wrapped around him as he pushed in deeper. He began pumping his hips. Their breaths mingled as their damp bodies rubbed against each other. She leaned forward and kissed him.

  He held her beautiful body against him as he thrust faster, deeper, seeking the pleasure he knew awaited them both. Her nails lightly scraped his scalp as her tongue brushed against his. With every movement, it confirmed that she was his mate.

  His lids lifted as he ended the kiss. He looked deep into her silver eyes. Something passed between them. Something deep and intense. It went through him like lightning, sinking into every fiber of his being and pushing him to orgasm. He gripped her hips and plunged deep, spilling his seed within her.

  For long minutes they stayed locked together. Eurwen smoothed the hair from his face. He lifted his head and looked at her to find her smiling. He then pulled out of her and set her on her feet. Instead of walking away, she took his hand and sat down. Before her bottom touched the floor of the cavern, a thick fur blanket appeared. He let her pull him down beside her. Then, he lay back and tugged her onto his chest.

  “I’ve spent a lot of time in this mountain,” he told her. “I never thought I’d be here with you.”

  “Do you regret showing me?”

  “No’ at all. What I was trying to say—badly, apparently—is that I’m verra happy.”

  She smiled as she lifted her head to kiss him. “So am I. I didn’t know what to expect coming to Dreagan. With you.”

  “I’m glad you came.”

  “I am, as well. I hope that I can talk Brandr into coming, eventually.”

  Vaughn held her tighter against him. “I’d rather talk about you.”

  She laughed softly. “Oh? What about?”

  “How I feel about you.”

  The instant the words were out of his mouth, the atmosphere changed. The easygoing attitude Eurwen had disappeared, replaced by tension. But Vaughn wouldn’t be denied. He had to tell her.

  “I’ve tried to tell you before, but you wouldna hear me. I have to say this.”

  She shook her head, her eyelashes brushing against his chest. “Please, don’t.”

  “Why?”

  “Why must you? Why can’t things stay like this?”

  Vaughn tried not to take her words wrong, but it was hard not to. “Because I’ve searched for you for ages. Now that I finally found you, I need you to know.”

  “Vaughn, please. Don’t.”

  “You’re my mate, Eurwen.”

  She sat up, keeping her head turned away from him. Her long, blond hair tumbled around her shoulders and hung down her back to brush her hips. Vaughn reached up and touched his finger to the silky strands.

  “Eurwen,” he called.

  She released a long breath. “I begged you not to say anything.”

  “Why?” he pressed. “I know you feel something for me. It was there the first night we met. It’s been there the entire time I searched for you. It’s there now. Why is it so hard to admit that?”

  She rose to her feet, clothing herself as she did. Then, she faced him. “I’ve known where you were. Always. Don’t you think if I had believed you were my mate, I would’ve come to you?”

  Vaughn should’ve known that she would strike ruthlessly. He sat up, bracing himself with his hand. Hurt bloomed like a blackness inside him, growing larger with every word she spoke.

  “You should’ve left things as they were. We could’ve had a nice time. Why couldn’t you leave it?” she cried, her face scrunching with sadness.

  “Because I know what I feel.”

  She shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

  Vaughn watched her walk away. He didn’t call out to her, didn’t beg her to stop. She had said her piece, just as he had. He wasn’t sure how he could’ve gotten it so wrong. She wanted to be with him. He wasn’t mistaken about that.

  Or maybe he was.

  He lay back and laced his fingers behind his head. This cavern had seen his rages, his pain, his suffering and misery. It had never before seen his pleasure. But even that was now gone before it had even taken shape.

  Of all the things Vaughn had experienced throughout his long life, he’d never known heartbreak like this. His mate, the one meant for him, had refused him. It was a death sentence for a dragon. Death would be easier than living without her.

  Now he understood how Con had felt not that long ago before he and Rhi reconciled. The emptiness was a yawning void. All these years, he’d never given up on his search for Eurwen. When he found her, he’d thought all his dreams would come true. Instead, they had been dashed carelessly upon the stones of Fate.

  He went back through his conversations with Eurwen. She had told him time and again that her place was on Zora—and his wasn’t. He’d heard her, but he hadn’t actually listened. Not that it would’ve mattered. Whether he told her about his feelings or not, he’d known the truth. It didn’t seem right that he’d finally found his mate, only to be unable to have her.

  Vaughn wondered if it would’ve been better to keep it to himself. At least then he could’ve had time with Eurwen. As soon as that thought went through his mind, he knew it would’ve actually made things worse. The more time he spent with her, the deeper his love went.

  “It’s too late, anyway. I was lost the first night we met,” he said to himself.

  The only reason he had survived this long was because he had known all he had to do was find
her. Now that he had, nothing would ever be the same.

  Vaughn rose and found his clothes. He put them on instead of using magic. When he walked out of his mountain, he saw that night had fallen. He hadn’t realized he’d been inside for so long. Patrols flew Dreagan’s perimeter. It wasn’t his night, but the thought of going back to the manor and running into Eurwen didn’t sound appealing.

  Or worse, learning that she had returned to Zora.

  No, it was better if he remained away from the manor. Minutes ticked by, but Vaughn didn’t shift. Instead, he sat on the slope of his mountain and listened to the sounds of the dragons flying. He missed the roars from Zora. On Earth, they couldn’t roar unless there was a storm to blanket their sound. He missed a lot about Zora. But more than anything, he craved to have Eurwen back at his side.

  Vaughn remained seated there throughout the long hours of night. Kings called for him via their mental link, but he didn’t answer. He wanted to be alone with his grief and misery.

  He rubbed the area over his heart, wondering how something could hurt so bad. He was sinking into a despair so deep, he knew he’d never be able to pull himself out of it—and he didn’t want to.

  Dragons weren’t meant to be alone. It was why they had mates. Why the magic allowed them to find their perfect partner. When the dragons were sent away, the Kings had feared they would be alone forever. Miraculously, many found their mates among the humans and Fae. Suddenly, the Kings had hope again.

  Hope could allow someone to continue on long after others would’ve stopped looking and trying.

  But hope could also kill with the dullest of blades.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Ulrik stood in the Dragonwood with his arms crossed and his feet braced wide. Some might consider it a battle stance.

  He would agree.

  “This isn’t a good idea,” Eilish said from beside him. “No one interfered with us. We shouldn’t be interfering in someone’s life.”

  He cut his eyes to her. “Every one of them meddled in our relationship. Even before it was one.”

  “This just feels wrong, babe,” she said with a shake of her head.