Firedrake

by Bianca D'Arc

All in all, she didn’t mind, though upon meeting Nellin, Mace’s dragon partner, she felt a pang of longing for the close bond she could sense between the two males. Wherever Mace went, Nellin was not far behind. Even now, while Mace and she enjoyed lunch in the small cafe, Nellin lounged outside in the square, entertaining curious children with puffs of warm air and waggling his wings to make them laugh. He was good with little ones in a way she hadn’t expected. Who knew a fearsome fighting dragon could have a playful, almost paternal side?

  “Nellin gets silly around children,” Mace said, following the path of her gaze out the small window to the dragon. Mace seemed almost embarrassed, misunderstanding her interest.

  “I think it’s charming. I mean, it’s obvious he can be fierce with such sharp talons and his large size, but I had no idea he could be gentle like that. I’m frankly amazed and altogether enchanted by him.”

  “You hear that?” Nellin said into Mace’s mind, clearly eavesdropping with his keen dragon senses. “She finds me enchanting.” Smug satisfaction filled his playful tone. “Now if only she found you at least interesting, we might make a go of this.”

  “Leave off, Nellin. Let me court her in my own way.” Mace fought to suppress the annoyance he felt at Nellin’s interference from showing on his face. Krysta didn’t know how closely he and the dragon were linked, and he didn’t want to scare her off just yet. She was far too lovely, too intriguing and too sexy, to let her scurry away from him and his dragon partner on only their second date.

  “Courting? Is that what you’re doing? Could have fooled me.”

  “Everybody’s a critic.”

  The serving boy came over to ask if they wanted a sweet roll to follow their meal and Krysta declined, opting instead for a hot drink. Mace held up a finger to indicate he’d have the same, and the youngster left. Seizing the moment, Mace thought himself daring when he leaned across the table and took Krysta’s hand in his.

  “I’ve really enjoyed this lunch with you, Krysta.”

  “Whoa, a little too intense there, friend,” Nellin coached him from the square. “Ease off before you scare her.”

  But Krysta smiled and folded her other hand over his. “I’ve enjoyed it too, Mace.”

  He rubbed his thumb lightly over her skin, liking the way she shivered and her smile deepened. He could have sworn her eyes even twinkled, but perhaps that was a trick of the afternoon sun and his own overactive imagination.

  “Enough to do it again? I mean,” he stumbled a bit, “would you share another meal with me? Tomorrow or the next day, perhaps? I really want to see you again.”

  She nodded, the lovely smile still in place on her plump lips, and his heart lifted. “I’d like that, but I’m on duty all day tomorrow. How about the day after? I could meet you for lunch again. Or dinner.”

  “Dinner!” Nellin counseled. “After dinner you can take her for a moonlit stroll or a night flight, if she’s game.”

  “Dinner would be perfect. Shall we come for you at sunset? Nellin and I know a great little inn on the outskirts of Castleton where he can have as good a time as us, chasing his dinner with the other dragons who frequent the place.”

  “Pushing it, don’t you think?” Nellin’s worried voice sounded in Mace’s mind. “What if she’s still afraid of me?”

  “She’s not. You should see the way she looks at you. She wants to keep you as a pet, Nel. Trust me on this.”

  “You mean…ride on the dragon’s back with you?”

  Mace liked the way her eyes lit up as she shifted her gaze back to where Nellin lay, lounging in the sun with his flock of childish admirers.

  “If you’re not afraid. As you can see, Nellin and I are pretty much a pair. Where I go, he’s usually not far behind.” Mace tried to look sheepish, but the excitement in her gaze reassured him that his fears on this topic at least, had been unfounded.

  “I’m not afraid of dragons,” she said, and he inwardly crowed. “I haven’t been around them much, I’ll admit, but I’m not afraid of them. I’m actually kind of fascinated by them, I think.” She turned to look straight at Mace with those lovely gray eyes of hers. “I’d love to fly with you and Nellin, if he’s willing to carry me.”

  “Do you have to be anywhere this afternoon?” Mace pounced.

  She shook her head. “I was just going to do some chores. Washing and such. But that can wait.”

  “Then how about we get the proprietor to pack two sweet rolls and some mead for us, and Nellin can fly us out to a little meadow we know where there’s a nice shady grove by a bend in the river. We can have our dessert picnic-style.”

  “And the little lady can get to know us better. Oh, you are much more nimble than I gave you credit for, Mace. Good work.” Nellin’s congratulatory words sounded in Mace’s mind.

  “I think that would be amazing. I’d love to go with you and Nellin.” Once again Krysta peered out the window to the square, her gaze lighting on the reclining dragon with both admiration and awe. Mace thought it was a very good start indeed.

  Who was this knight, after all? Just when Krysta thought she had Mace figured out, he surprised her. She’d just about decided he was shy and somewhat staid when out of the blue he suggested a spontaneous picnic by the river and a dragon flight to get there. He’d surprised her in a totally wonderful way.

  Not that she didn’t like steady men. Krysta actually craved a bit of solidity after the years she’d spent roaming with her Jinn family, but there was something to be said for spontaneity as well. Still, she would never have pegged Mace for the type to come up with such a plan, and it thoroughly enchanted her.

  He was such a dear man. So thoughtful and strong in character. That a dragon such as Nellin had chosen him spoke volumes about his commitment to duty and to serving the people and dragons of this land. All knights were special men, but Krysta had felt drawn to Mace from the moment she’d first seen him.

  Tall, dark and handsome, with a solid build and muscles that hinted at enormous strength, he had kind eyes and a tender manner with his dragon partner and his friends. He also moved well, like a well-trained warrior should, and she admired the fluidity of his steps. He’d be an excellent fighter…and a talented lover, if she were any judge.

  They finished their after-meal drinks while the proprietor packed up dessert for them, and Mace tipped the woman well for her good service. Within minutes, they were heading out into the square. To the waiting dragon.

  Nellin rose to his haunches as Mace made the introductions. They’d met formally once before at the Guard House, but it had been a rushed occasion with many others around. This time, Krysta was well aware of the dragon’s scrutiny as she bowed politely and he lowered his head in return.

  “I’m pleased to see you again, Sir Nellin. Thank you for consenting to let me fly with you and Sir Mace.”

  Mace cocked his head, smiling, apparently listening to the dragon before he turned to her. “Nellin says he likes your dress much better than your uniform, though the gray of the Guard’s tunic does match your eyes.” He looked over at the dragon. “Really, Nel. I never knew you were so keen on fashion.” Krysta chuckled as Mace teased his dragon partner. “He also says he’s happy to show you what it’s like to fly.” Mace winked at her. “He likes taking first-timers up in the sky. We spend a lot of our days off ferrying children around to give them a taste of the air currents. It’s one of his favorite things to do, since he loves flying and feels sorry for those of us who don’t have wings of our own.”

  Mace’s tone was joking, but Krysta recognized the truth behind the teasing. With another bow, she addressed the dragon. “I think it’s a beautiful thing to do. We who have no wings thank you, Sir Nellin.”

  Mace chuckled as Nellin dropped down to all fours so he could mount. “Save that for after you’ve been aloft. Some people hate it, while others can’t get enough. We’ll soon find out what kind you are.” Mace swung up onto the dragon’s back with practiced ease and held out a hand for her. “Use his elbow
as a stepladder,” he advised.

  Krysta took Mace’s big hand and stepped on the dragon’s bent front limb. His scales were slippery under the leather of her boot, but solid and firm. Boosting up with the help of Mace’s strong grip, she found herself seated before the knight, just over the dragon’s shoulder, where his long neck met his wide body, the gorgeous wings stretching out behind. Already, she felt more alive than she ever had, but whether it was the dragon beneath her or the hard-muscled embrace of the man behind her, she knew not. Mace was proving to be every bit as exciting and unexpected as his dragon partner.

  Still waters did indeed run deep with this complex man. Krysta couldn’t wait to discover all his hidden facets.

  Flying on the dragon’s back was like nothing Krysta had ever experienced before. She’d thought she might feel a bit insecure with little to hold on to, but the ridge where shoulder met neck on the dragon made a natural saddle that felt more secure than she would have credited. Mace’s strong arms around her added to the feeling of surety, and Nellin flew with obvious care not to frighten her.

  “What do you think?” Mace raised his voice to be heard over the rushing air as they leveled out over the city.

  “This is amazing!” Krysta drank in the incredible view of the city far below, the maze of streets and lanes resolving into an intricate web from above. “It's beautiful!”

  Mace pointed out a few of the sights as Nellin did a quick tour past the castle. Krysta saw things she never would have noticed—little architectural details that were only visible from the air—dragon perches, carved reliefs on the side of the great walls and hewn into the mountain itself on which the castle was built.

  Awe filled her both at her first flight and also at the beauty of the landscape and city spread out before her. She marveled at the chaotic symmetry of the city plan and realized for the first time the thought that had gone into its design both from a defensive stance, and an artistic point of view.

  Before long though, they headed out along the curves of the river toward the promised meadow where Mace assured her a shady grove of trees awaited. The sun shone stronger against her skin now that she flew closer to it and the shade of those trees sounded delightful. The scent of the sweet rolls also wafted up from the small pouch the innkeeper had given them, and it was very tempting. Krysta had always had something of a sweet tooth but rarely had time or money to indulge.

  “Hold on tight, now. The landings can be jarring with two aboard,” Mace warned her as Nellin made his descent, and his arms tightened around her waist, pulling her even closer against his hard-muscled chest.

  The man was built like a warrior should be—hard where it counted but flexible. Krysta’s mouth went dry as she contemplated the very real, thick hardness against her backside when the abrupt descent of the dragon threw her back against Mace. He was aroused.

  Krysta tucked that information away with an inward grin, happy she wasn’t the only one affected by their nearness. Mace smelled so good, she’d been salivating since the moment he’d pulled her up in front of him. And his arms felt so right around her. Not to mention his devastating masculinity, intelligence and hidden depths. He was a complete package, and Krysta was more than attracted to him. She was perilously close to becoming hopelessly enamored of the young knight.

  Nellin landed with a lighter step than she had expected and all too soon, Mace was hopping down. He turned back, reaching up to catch her as she too dismounted, and she liked the way he held her against his hard body for just a moment. He wasn’t fresh, but he was letting her know in subtle ways that he was as attracted as she was.

  He was taking things slow, which suited her at the moment. Krysta had commitments to the Jinn he would need to understand and accept if she decided to take him as a lover. It didn’t appear Mace knew much about the Jinn and she’d have to educate him a bit before this went any farther, but for the moment she was truly enjoying his slow, almost shy seduction. It was altogether sweet and something she hadn’t experienced in far too long.

  Mace made her feel feminine. And treasured.

  Krysta hadn’t felt either of those sensations in too long a time. It was only right to take a moment to bask in this honorable man’s flattering attentions. There was time enough yet to grab him by the hair, wrestle him down to the ground and have her wicked way with him.

  All in good time.

  Mace didn’t know exactly what was going on behind those lovely gray eyes, but he liked Krysta’s reactions to Nellin and flying with the dragon for the first time. If Mace wanted to get serious with a woman, it was vital she accept his dragon partner. And Mace wanted to get very serious, indeed, with Krysta.

  She was a woman of many facets, and he liked each one he’d so far seen. She was a warrior, but she had a quiet femininity that appealed to him on a basic level. She didn’t compete with men like so many female warriors always seemed to feel the need to do. No, Krysta was comfortable in her own skin, confident of her superior abilities and secure in her femininity.

  The result was all too attractive for Mace to ignore. This was a woman to be admired—and won. Mace wanted to win her heart in the worst possible way. He wanted her as his lover, but if the Mother of All were smiling on him, he would have her also as his life partner. His wife.

  Nellin liked her, and she appeared to get along with the dragon. Now it was up to Mace to court her and pray that she found room in her heart for him, his dragon partner and whoever Nellin’s eventual mating brought into the circle of their family. For to be a knight’s mate meant the woman must accept two knights into her life and her bed.

  It was the way of dragons and knights, though it was often difficult for women who hadn’t been born and raised in Draconia to understand or accept. Still, Krysta was an exceptional woman in all ways. Perhaps she’d be more open to the idea than other women not of this land. Mace could only hope…and pray.

  They sat on the soft moss under the promised leafy branches of a small grove of trees. From their vantage point they could see the lazy current of the river and hear its gentle trickling sounds. They could also see the meadow that was overgrown with colorful and fragrant wildflowers. The scent of the blossoms floated sweetly on the gentle breeze that soughed through the trees overhead.

  The afternoon was perfect. It was magic.

  Nellin rolled in the meadow, enjoying the idyllic setting in his own way, skipping through the river for a while, chasing and catching a few fish that he quickly gobbled up. Mace watched Krysta watch the dragon. All the signs were favorable. She seemed truly interested and not the least bit frightened of Nellin, which was all to the good.

  “What made you want to be a knight?”

  Krysta’s words came to him out of the blue, it seemed, so intent had he been on his own observations.

  “Nellin, of course. It’s the dragon’s choice. If the man can hear dragons, he is eligible, but the dragons choose who they will from the available candidates. Not all who can hear dragons become knights, though most do.” Mace leaned back on one elbow, twirling a long stalk of grass between his fingers. “My fathers are knights and I grew up in the Castle Lair. Being like my fathers—being a knight—was all I ever wanted.”

  “You have two fathers?” Krysta seemed interested, and Mace took it as a good sign. This was one of the most important things he had to reveal to her before taking this relationship any farther.

  “Well, Jir is my blood-father. I look just like him. But Kinnar is no less my father. They both raised me, and I love and respect them both.” He tried to be nonchalant, but this was the crux of it and he watched her expression carefully. “When dragons mate, their knights are caught up in the frenzy. It’s the bond, you see. The bond between knight and dragon is very close and what one feels, the other inevitably feels as well. Which is why fighting dragons are not permitted to mate until their knights find a mate of their own.”

  “I’ve heard a little bit about this, but I’ll admit I’m curious as to how a three-partnere
d relationship works.”

  Mace breathed just a tiny bit easier. She was curious. That was good.

  “It works very well indeed and has for centuries in this land. It’s the dragons that tie it all together, and they claim the Mother of All plays a very large role in bringing the right people and dragons together.” He trailed the grass stalk slowly down her arm as she leaned back just a few feet away. “When the dragons choose their mates, the knights form a fighting partnership as well. The two men train together and fight together, with their dragons, from that point on. They also share their mate.”

  “One woman for two knights?”

  She didn’t seem shocked, merely intrigued, which lifted Mace’s spirits to a new level. He nodded in answer to her question, trying to hide his growing excitement. “One woman to share the love of two knights who will be devoted to her for the rest of their lives.”

  “Does it always work out so well?”

  Mace shrugged. “Almost always. There are few unhappy trios in the Lair, and those that do have disagreements always seem to find a way to work it out when the dragon side of the family takes to the sky in a mating flight.” He chuckled, remembering some of the more amusing instances of arguments being settled in just that way.

  Mace was teasing her senses. He had a subtle way about him, vastly different from the in-your-face seduction of Drake. It was refreshing, but both men stirred her senses almost beyond bearing. Mace was a deep pool of dark water compared to Drake’s bubbling clear brook, but the more she got to know of Mace, the more she wanted to know. He was intriguing, mysterious and altogether sexy.

  He had a warrior’s body and a strategist’s mind. His conversation impressed her, and the attention he paid to her comfort was oddly endearing. Jinn women were protected but seldom coddled. As a woman warrior, it had been a very long time indeed since Krysta had been taken care of with such solicitude. It ought to have annoyed her, but instead it made her feel intensely feminine in a way that was foreign to her.