Edred was the most emphatic and Rania listened to him closely when he told her about the capture of their brothers. Rania felt like she was in the midst of a large and noisy family, and a surprisingly affectionate one. Her brothers admitted how they’d been worried about her since they’d been cursed.
“We tried to watch over you,” Edred said. “Our annual migration takes us to Iceland for the summers and we have circled your home.”
Rania was astonished. She knew that there were swans that arrived each spring near her home, though the locals commented that they didn’t nest like the other migrating swans did.
Of course not: they had no mates.
“You stopped in the yard a few years ago,” she said, remembering the incident. “I didn’t know it was you.”
“No,” Edred said sadly. “We saw that, which was why we left.”
Rania felt that she had failed them, and vowed silently to do better.
Edred then explained that four of the brothers had been captured by Fae warriors armed with shining weapons, but Rania knew there had only been three in the cage in Fae.
They discussed this but each was adamant and the conclusion was inevitable: one brother was missing.
Edred admitted that their youngest brother, Trymman, had been injured in the Fae attack. No one wanted to mention the possibility of his death but Rania knew they were all thinking about it. One of the brothers noted that Trymman had a tendency to wander away but had always shown up again.
Then Edred asked about the strange light of the firestorm. Rania explained and her brothers walked around the Pyr, looking him up and down. They were surprisingly regal and not a little judgmental.
Hadrian met her gaze and raised his brows. “Do I pass?” he asked, obviously understanding what was happening and so confident in the result that Rania was amused. She flapped a wing at him and he laughed, a wonderful rich sound that lifted her heart.
“It should be an exchange,” Edred said. “In a union, it’s better if each party benefits.”
“Invading Fae will be dangerous,” Cnut, the second oldest brother agreed. “If you each give, you should each get.”
“Being partners will improve your chances of success, too,” Edred continued.
“You think I should satisfy this firestorm, in exchange for his help in freeing our brothers.”
Edred and the other swans bowed their heads in agreement. “It’s only fair, and if you’re his destined mate as he claims, then it’s right, too.” He tilted his head. “What do you think?”
“I think I could love him,” Rania admitted, only knowing it was true as she said it. “He’s strong and kind, and his heart is noble. I like him and I trust him.” She swallowed at the power of her realization. “I want to make the world a safer place for both of us and our respective kinds.”
“You’re ambitious, little sister, to take on the Dark Queen,” Edred said. “But we agree with you. Sometimes, the hard choice is the only one that’s right. We’ll help you however we can.” He stepped back and trumpeted a cry, flapping his wings as the barrier between Rania and Hadrian was removed. She thought of him striking down his father over his mother’s murder and knew he understood about hard choices for justice.
“Is that a yes?” Hadrian asked, looking as dangerous as a dragon shifter should.
Rania nodded, then Cnut whispered to her. “You are a swan, little sister. Although we’re only cursed to live as swans, we all know how they formalize their bonds.”
“Swans mate for life,” Edred said. “Their bond is as permanent as human marriage should be. It’s a commitment and one that should be celebrated here and now, with your family as witness.”
“Dance for us,” Cnut admitted and Rania knew they expected the courtship dance that swans performed before mating.
She shifted shape and went to take Hadrian’s hand. First he had to meet her brothers. “This is Edred, my oldest brother.”
“And the one who struck the fatal blow,” Hadrian said, then his tone turned resolute. “I like that he exacted justice for your mother’s death.” He nodded at Edred and the pair seemed to understand each other.
Rania gestured to the birds on either side of Edred, first the left one, then the right. “That’s Cnut and Oswy, the second and third sons.”
Each swan bowed his head as he was named and Hadrian bowed in return. Rania felt like they were at a formal party, or a ball, where each attendee was announced and honored.
“Betlic, Athelstan, Sherard, Willan, and Gimm,” Rania said, gesturing to each swan in turn. “It’s Modig, Isen, Deman, and Trymman who were captured by Maeve.”
Hadrian nodded understanding after he had bowed to each swan.
“But I only saw three,” she whispered, seeing the concern appear in his gaze as she confided in him. “I’m hoping Trymman is there. He was injured in the attack and is missing.” Hadrian’s lips thinned. “They said he vanishes sometimes but always returns.”
Hadrian squeezed her hand. “Then we’ll hope for the best until we know otherwise.”
Rania held tightly to his hand as she turned back to Edred and raised her voice slightly. “My brothers, this is Hadrian, the Pyr dragon shifter who says he’s my destined mate.”
“I am your destined mate and you’re mine,” Hadrian said. He lifted their linked hands, showing the white light that burned between the two of them. Its radiant glow made Rania keenly aware of the strength in Hadrian’s grip upon her hand. She thought of the combination of power and tenderness when he’d touched her and couldn’t wait to feel his hands upon her again. Would that desire fade with the firestorm’s light? She had a feeling it wouldn’t. “As shown by the light of the firestorm, Rania is the one who can bear my son and the woman I would honor above all others.” He shook his head and his tone turned teasing. “Even if I only know her first name.”
Edred turned on Rania and pecked in her direction, his disapproval obvious.
“It’s Rania Hingston,” she admitted.
Hadrian smiled at her. “One day, I’ll know all your secrets,” he joked, those eyes glinting with mischief. Rania’s heart skipped as he turned to Edred again and sobered. “I want you to understand that I’m one of the Pyr who believes in making a permanent commitment to his mate. Satisfying the firestorm isn’t just about physical union. I will defend your sister to my dying day.”
There was a rustle of feathers among the company of swans. “They like the idea of that,” she told Hadrian. “They want us to formalize the agreement.”
“How?” He was clearly puzzled.
“You’ll see.” She shifted shape before Hadrian could ask for more detail and her brothers surrounded her, trumpeting and making that houp-houp sound. Their feathers shone in the light of the firestorm, gleaming with the luster of pearls. Edred made a loud trumpeting call, like a herald announcing the arrival of a king. Rania felt celebratory herself. The swans formed a wall of lustrous white feathers, then backed away, letting Rania approach Hadrian while they formed a circle around the couple.
Edred trumpeted again, and Rania raised her wings. She’d never done this dance before but she knew the steps, right in the essence of her being. She felt as if this was a moment she’d awaited all of her life. She reached high, knowing this would be the only time she would perform the courtship dance and wanting to do it right. She followed her instincts, trusting them, knowing the choice was right. She stretched her neck skyward and gave the same trumpeting call as Edred, then bent toward Hadrian, as if she was bowing to him. She spun in place then, fluttering her wings.
The moves reminded her of formal dances in Regency courts and she wondered whether humans had been inspired by swans.
She repeated the sequence three times, then she waited, heart fluttering, as she faced Hadrian.
Hadrian grinned crookedly and she knew he understood. He shifted shape in a brilliant shimmer of blue, obviously proud of his dragon form. There was no reason why he shouldn’t be. He was magnificent,
his scales emerald and silver, his body filled with raw power. Her brothers had to move back to give him space and her heart thundered that he would be her mate, forever.
Despite his size, Hadrian danced gracefully and lightly, an athlete in command of his body and one who knew it well. He spread his wings high and wide, casting a shadow over the island, then flapped them so that they stirred a wind. He stretched his neck high and bared his teeth in a dragon smile as the sunlight glinted on his scales. Rania knew her brothers had to see that Hadrian was sufficiently powerful to defend his mate. She could defend herself, but she respected this ancient masculine tradition. Instead of Edred’s trumpeting call, Hadrian blew a plume of dragonfire into the air, then spun in place and bowed toward her.
He performed the sequence three times, and then he waited.
The fourth time, they danced together in perfect unison. The sun was rising higher and becoming warmer but its light was no competition for the silvery glow of the firestorm. The firestorm glistened and gleamed between them, shooting sparks as they approached each other, filling Rania with a simmering need to satisfy its promise. They finished the sequence by circling around each other, in a promenade, their wingtips touching as they watched each other.
Then Rania stretched out toward Hadrian and bent her beak downward. Her neck made the shape of half of a heart. Hadrian mirrored her pose, touching his brow to hers, to complete the heart and she felt a wondrous sense of completion. Despite the differences in size between them, she felt the ripple of approval through the flock of her brothers. Edred gave a trumpeting call again and her other brothers joined him this time, a sound as merry as the pealing of church bells after a wedding service.
Rania shifted shape along with Hadrian and stood facing him as their gazes locked. She reached out to touch his shoulder, making the firestorm spark white-hot, and they caught their breath as one when Hadrian caught her close. “Two halves of a heart unified into one,” he said. “I like that.”
“It feels right.”
“It is right,” he declared. “Now I get to kiss the bride?” His voice dropped to a wicked whisper that made her pulse leap.
“More than that. Now, we mate,” she said. “We extinguish the firestorm’s light, so it can’t reveal us when we invade Fae.”
“That’s not the only reason to satisfy the firestorm,” Hadrian said with a smile.
“No. We need to create a son, then defend the future for him.”
“I like how you think.” Hadrian lowered his voice. “Not here, though, right?”
“Not here.” She lifted a brow in warning of what she was going to do.
Her dragon took the challenge.
Hadrian held tight, just in time, then he hooted in triumph as she cast them back to his lair.
In the blink of an eye, Hadrian and Rania landed on his bed, tangled around each other. The firestorm crackled and burned, sizzling at a fever pitch, urging Hadrian to fulfill its promise. Best of all, his mate was more than onboard with the plan, given the enthusiasm of her kiss. Rania had her arms around Hadrian’s neck and locked her lips over his, kissing him with a passion that echoed his own.
This was more like it.
Hadrian rolled Rania to her back. He ran his hands over her, liking that she arched her back to meet his touch. They were picking up where they’d left off days before and this time, the firestorm would be satisfied. It was the middle of the night, a time he should have been sleeping, but the firestorm’s heat drove all other concerns from his mind.
There was only Rania, soft and sweet. Rania with her sparkling blue eyes and long fair hair, Rania with hunger in her kiss. The firestorm crackled and snapped between them, burning white hot and flooding him with need. He was hard and ready, his thoughts filled with the memory of her around him, tight and sweet and hot. He both wanted to rush and yearned to make it last, but he suspected it would be quick this time.
Rania seemed to share his sense of urgency. She rolled him to his back and straddled him, pinning his wrists to the bed over his head as she kissed him. Her kiss was so hot and demanding that he wondered whether she’d eat him alive. She was feasting on his mouth, rubbing herself against him, making him crazy with desire. Hadrian didn’t care what she did. He was content to be with her however she wanted it to be.
She slid down the length of him, releasing his wrists and unfastening his jeans with quick fingers. Her hands were on his skin then, caressing him so that he groaned aloud. He closed his eyes as she took him into her mouth and speared his fingers into her hair, losing his hands in its silken softness. He loved that she wasn’t shy and appreciated that she was as committed to pleasure as he was.
Rania tormented him, driving him to the summit, then stopping just before he found his release. Hadrian was almost incoherent when she flicked her tongue against him and halfway thought he’d come in the air.
He growled and rolled her over, knowing that wasn’t good enough. She laughed when he grabbed her waist and he realized she was ticklish. Her laughter lifted his heart. She looked young and carefree, happy as he’d never seen her, and Hadrian couldn’t resist. He tickled her until she was breathless and managed to slip off her tights and T-shirt in the progress. He took her belt, with the holster holding the bichuwa, and put it on the nightstand, surprised to find mischief in her smile when he met her gaze again.
“I promise not to go for it,” she teased and he laughed, then kissed her again.
He paused, the weight of his hand on her waist, while he eyed her scar. He’d seen the scar before but studied it more closely now. The large wound had healed a long time before, but there was still a mark on her skin. This had come from that polar bear and Hadrian was amazed that she’d survived the injury. He bent and touched his lips reverently to the end of the scar, loving that she was so strong, wishing he could have been there to help her.
She pushed her fingers into his hair. “You would have kicked his butt,” she said, her tone light.
“Both of them,” he vowed, meeting her gaze so she could see his resolve. She swallowed as if surprised by the heat of his reaction and he kissed the scar again. He moved down the length of her, sliding his hands down her legs, then noticed something he hadn’t seen before. There was a mark on her ankle, as if it had been injured as well. He looked up at her, a question in his eyes.
“I was shackled as a swan,” she said, her voice husky. “The only way to get the key and use it was to shift.”
Hadrian understood though the truth made his chest tighten in sympathy. The shackle hadn’t changed size when she did. “The pain must have been excruciating,” he said, running a fingertip over the dent in her skin. “I’m surprised the bone didn’t break.”
“It did,” she admitted. “But I ran on it anyway until I could get out of there and take flight.”
Hadrian was awed by her resolve. She was so strong, so resilient, so fearless.
His mate.
He touched his lips to her ankle, then slid his hands up the inside of her thighs. The firestorm glimmered and shone, and he closed his eyes against its brilliance, closing his mouth over her. He was determined to bring her complete pleasure so he teased her until she was breathing raggedly, her hands locked in his hair. He already knew some moves she liked and he used them all, then tried some new ones. Rania twisted beneath him. Her legs were locked around him and she was writhing against the sheets when he finally pushed her over the edge. He smiled as she came and came and came.
She tackled him immediately and they rolled to the floor together as he wiped his mouth. Then she was kissing him again, demanding more, demanding all he had to give. If she vanished on him this time, Hadrian wasn’t sure he’d be survive it.
She lifted her head and looked down at him. “You’re overdressed,” she accused, her eyes sparkling and her hair tangled. She plucked at the hem of his T-shirt and he tugged it over his head, casting it aside. She ran her hands over his shoulders and chest, tracing the outline of his dragon tattoo as
she had once before, her eyes darkening.
“Will he be a dragon shifter or a swan shifter?” she whispered.
“Or both?” Hadrian asked, then shrugged. “He’ll be one kick-ass warrior, either way.”
She smiled. “Yes,” she agreed. “We’ll teach him together.”
That sounded like a deal to Hadrian. The firestorm’s light was a radiant white, as if they were trapped in a snowstorm together, or lost in the halo of her feathers. He wasn’t cold, though—his blood was simmering and he burned with need.
Rania lowered herself over him again, her hair surrounding them like a golden veil. Once again, she took him in slow increments, their gazes locked as they drove each other to the pinnacle. She bent then and framed his face in her hands, bending to kiss first one corner of his mouth and then the other. Her caress was as gentle as the touch of a feather, though it sent a surge of need through him.
“I love you,” she whispered and Hadrian knew that she wasn’t going to vanish on him again.
He grinned at her. “I love you, too,” he confessed, losing himself in her eyes. They balanced on the cusp of release, enthralled with each other. The firestorm crackled and burned, the sparks danced between them, and when he felt their hearts synchronize, Hadrian closed his eyes in ecstasy.
Rania moved, and the stars exploded, and there was nothing but his mate in Hadrian’s universe.
The firestorm was satisfied, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t do it again and again.
“You should have kept reading,” a man drawled as Hadrian left the bedroom at first light.
Hadrian shimmered on the cusp of change immediately, the brilliant shimmer of blue lighting the early morning air, and was glad Rania was behind him. He knew he shouldn’t be surprised that she was poised to fight, too. No doubt she’d already pulled her bichuwa.
She was going to be one fierce mother to their son.
He was shocked to recognize the vampire, Sebastian, lounging on his couch. “What are you going here?” he demanded.
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