My brother calls out to me as I take to the sky, but I do not turn back. I cannot allow this dragon to destroy my home and hurt our people. I will save them or die trying.
Curling my hands into fists at my side, I summon my powers as I race toward him. The dark, primal magic buried deep within claws its way to the surface as I draw closer. Fire and anger flood my veins as I struggle to contain it, holding it back until I reach my goal.
The dragon turns his massive horned head toward me, his emerald eyes flashing with indignation as if he cannot believe he is being challenged.
“Leave, Dragon! Or face your death!”
“Not until I get what I have come for,” he roars.
I conjure a ball of flame and send it spiraling toward him. His eyes widen, and he twists to one side, barely avoiding my attack. He opens his mouth and releases a torrent of fire in my direction. Without hesitation, I summon a strong wind, pushing the flames back before they can reach me.
I lift my hands to conjure an answering ball of flame when a voice cries out, “Stop!”
Though the voice came from the direction of the dragon, it was female.
“Veron, stop!” she calls again.
I ascend even higher, blinking several times in shock when I notice a human female on his back. She shouts at me, “Please! We have come to speak with you.”
I cock my head to the side. “Who are you? His prisoner?”
The dragon huffs an indignant curl of smoke out his nostrils. “No,” he answers, his voice deep and full of anger. “She is my bondmate.”
“Please,” she repeats. “We must speak with you.”
I nod and turn to our guards. All are staring in dismay, and I do not know if they are more concerned about the dragon or my Dark Fae powers. I suspect it is a combination of both.
“Follow me down,” I tell him, and he dips his chin in acknowledgment.
When we land before the castle, he shifts into two-legged form, wrapping his hands around his mate’s waist and carefully lowering her to the ground.
I study him for a moment. His silver scales shine iridescently beneath the sun. He is tall, and his shoulders are broad, his form solidly built. Short-cropped, dark hair frames the black horns that stick up on either side of his head, above emerald-green eyes and a proud, square jaw. His vertically slit pupils rake over my form as he stands tall and proud. He would be a formidable enemy even in his two-legged state. He is a dangerous and lethal creature; I hope he speaks truth when he says he has come only to speak and not destroy.
I am perplexed, however, by his mate. Her form is slight, and the top of her head is barely level with his chin. With long, blonde hair falling around her shoulders, pale skin, and deep-blue eyes, she is not a dragon nor any otherworldly creature. “Are you… human?”
She smiles. “Yes.”
He growls and steps between us, flicking his tail back and forth in obvious agitation. Only now do I notice her hand resting protectively over her slightly rounded stomach.
His gaze travels over me and the guards that surround us. “If any of you dare try to harm my mate, I will end you,” he snarls. “I will raze your castle to the ground and burn your kingdom to ash.”
She smacks at his hand. “Veron, stop it. We already talked about this.”
A collective gasp sounds from the guards, obviously shocked to watch a small, delicate human chastise a dragon.
He turns and touches her cheek, his expression softening. “I am merely trying to protect you, my mate.”
She smiles at him. “I know, my love.”
My love? I can only blink in astonishment. A human mated to a dragon? I have never heard of such a pairing.
“I am Alara,” she introduces herself, “and this is my mate, Veron.”
He wraps a possessive arm around her. Tugging her close, he curls one wing around her side protectively. “We are here to speak with the king.”
“I am Prince Ryvan. What business do you have with my father?”
A growl rumbles the dragon’s chest. “I sent an ambassador here not long ago, requesting his assistance in extending the life of my human mate to match mine.”
“Do I have your word that you will not cause any problems?”
He narrows his eyes. “If anyone dares try to harm my mate, I will—”
“No one will harm her. My vow.”
He nods, and I motion for him to follow me into the throne room.
As expected, the moment we reach the doors, dozens of guards block our path. I wave them aside. “Allow him to pass. He comes in peace.”
They move aside at my orders but watch him warily. I push open the doors to the throne room and find my father standing in front of his throne. Dressed in full-body armor, he glares at the dragon. “How dare you come into my kingdom without my permission?”
“I sent an ambassador to you first,” the dragon counters. “But you sent him away without an answer. I had no choice.”
Father narrows his eyes. “In truth, I did not believe him when he told me your story.” His eyes dart to Alara, widening when he notices her hand resting protectively over her slightly rounded stomach. “You carry his child?”
She smiles again. “Yes.”
Veron addresses my father. “Now you understand why I wished to speak with you. I want to know how to extend my mate’s life to match mine. I have heard that your kind and the Elves have done this for their human mates in the past.”
“This is true,” my father replies. “But we have not dealt with humans for many years.” His eyes dart to me. “Nor do we mate with their kind anymore.”
“Can you help me or not?” Veron snarls.
I step forward. “I know of one who can. I will take you to him.”
Panic flickers briefly across Father’s face, but he quickly masks it with stoicism. He motions for the guards to follow us, but I wave them off. “Thank you, Father, but that won’t be necessary.”
He stands and steps toward Veron. “If you harm my son—”
Veron eyes me warily. “Your son is the strongest Fae I have ever encountered. I would not attack him without provocation. My vow.”
A hushed silence falls over the room as Father dips his chin in acknowledgment.
I motion for Veron and Alara to follow me.
As I lead them through the castle, I look to them, “I would ask a question of you both.”
Veron narrows his eyes, but Alara smiles at me. “What is it?”
My eyes sweep to Veron. “Your people are known for their strength. Are you not afraid you could hurt her? And you.” I shift my gaze to her. “You do not fear him?”
“Why do you ask this?” Veron answers. “She has already told you she is not held against her will.”
“I meant no offense,” I quickly offer. “I am merely curious because I, too, am in love with a human.”
He stops and cocks his head to the side. “And you are afraid you might harm her?”
I nod. “You saw my powers.”
“Dark Fae,” he muses. “Yes, I am familiar with your kind, but you are not many. At least… not anymore.”
“That is true. We are…” I hesitate, uncertain of how much to reveal, but then decide that I have no one else to ask but him. “Considered dangerous,” I finally say. “We are supposed to be put to death when it is discovered that we possess dark magic.”
Alara gasps. “That’s terrible.”
“And foolish,” Veron huffs out a curl of smoke. “Your kind are the only ones nearly equal in power to a dragon. How is it you still live?”
“My father and grandfather have kept my nature hidden.”
She gestures to Veron. “About your question… Yes, my husband is powerful and much stronger than me. But he loves me, and his love makes him tender and gentle. I know for a fact that he would never hurt me.”
Veron smiles at his mate, and my brows shoot toward my hairline. I had no idea dragons even smiled.
He turns to me. “It is not a disadvantage to be stronger than your mate. It only means that you can protect her better than anyone else ever could. If you love her more than your own life, trust me… you will not be capable of harming her.” He wraps his wing around Alara, pulling her close to his side. “She balances me—the good and the bad. Before I met her, I cared not for the lives of any but mine. She showed me a different path. Because of her, I no longer succumb to my darker instincts.”
His words fill me with hope. He is right; I love Ella. Even though I am Dark Fae, I would never use my power to harm her. No. I would only ever be her shield and her protector. Now, I only need to convince her to come back to me somehow.
