by Tia Didmon
Legion’s voice echoed in her mind. We can find it now. Return to me. Release the vision.
Mara opened her eyes to Legion’s handsome face. “You did good. I have to go before Devlin wakes. I need you to stay here with Draco.”
Mara shook her head. “I should go with you. I was there.”
“No, my love. You saw Devlin and me. Not another version of yourself. You are staying here.”
Legion shifted to his human form, putting the glamor in place that made it appear like he was wearing clothes. He had sensed no humans, but the revelation that there could be a rogue mage loose in the world made him vigilant.
Conner folded his wings as he joined his leader on the grounds of the Walter street house. The grounds were manicured with purple flowers on the cultured lawn. The blue house was less ornate, as if it was owned by someone who took pride in their home. It was an unusual choice for Devlin. They advanced toward the house that acted as a perfect mask for the monster inside.
Legion took the lead as they searched the rooms in the home. The office Mara described was at the end of the hall. There was a faint rustle of paper before a low groaning sound echoed in the hall. He stormed into the small office with his magic exploding out of him.
Devlin was blinking his eyes, as if trying to orientate himself. He sat back quickly in his chair when he saw Legion. “How did you find me? This location is protected by...”
Legion hissed. “Your time is over.” A fire ball of power slammed into the startled dark dragon.
Devlin erected a flimsy shield. Still, Legion’s magic slammed him into the bookcase, showering him with falling texts. He pulled himself upright with blazing red eyes. “Your time as leader of the Rule clan is ending. Even if you defeat me, your destiny is to die while holding the dead seer in your arms.”
Legion’s dragon roared in his head. The mental image Devlin painted was burned in his memory for all time. It took all his considerable will and years of control to reign in his beast’s thirst for Devlin’s blood. “You are confident for a dragon with such miserable levels of magic.”
Devlin growled. “I was a contender for leadership. I have exceptional skills.”
“You were an apt student, but you lacked compassion for your fellow dragons and your thirst for power turned you dark. Now, you have no mate, no druids to torture and no future.”
Devlin threw a blast of power in Legion’s face. It stung his scales and angered his dragon, but was equivalent to a sun burn. “You will die, screaming out your whore druid’s name!”
Legion took a lengthy breath, feigning boredom. “You said that before. Is your brain so addled by time, you can’t come up with original material?”
“You will remember this day, Legion. I warned you about the dark force that seeks the temple and the death of the druids who would see to its resurrection.”
Legion flicked a burning piece of paper from his shoulder. “The dark mage. I am aware.”
Devlin’s eyes went wide. “How do you know about Allorin?”
Legion’s eyes narrowed. “His name is Allorin?”
Devlin huffed. “How quaint. Your mother annihilated his entire race, and you don’t know his name. It doesn’t matter. He knows you. He knows you are the spawn of the druid who killed his father.”
“Allorin should have died in the blast. All underlings were in the Mage stronghold when the bomb detonated. There was nothing left.”
Devlin sneered. “You walked from that devastation.”
“Yes, but no other survived.”
Devlin glanced at the damaged bookcase. “It’s true it destroyed his body, but Allorin was smart enough to secure an alternative for his magic and his consciousness.”
“Adara,” Legion growled.
“Yes. He thought he had your destruction in his hands. That once you went dark, the entire Rule clan would follow. He made it impossible for her to bond with you. He never expected she would sacrifice herself and the temple to save you.”
Legion tracked Devlin’s movements. He leapt at the dark dragon the moment he reached for the bookcase. It was a replica of the latch in the gallery, with a private room behind. Legion tackled Devlin, propelling them through the swinging bookcase to the other room.
He punched the flailing man out of spite and anger. Recognizing the need to lash out at the messenger of pain and destruction. Every betrayal he had blamed on Adara had been his own. His fury rose like a living flame, burning hotter than dragon fire. His magic burst from him with the intensity of the bomb that had shaped his life.
Devlin screamed as it encased him in a nuclear explosion. Contained within that small room, its force was relentless. Legion’s shields were infallible as the heat continued to rise. Devlin’s face burned away first, exposing bone and cauterized tissue before his body exploded into a fiery ash.
Legion stood, reigning in his magic as the surrounding heat subsided. He looked at the charred floor beneath his feet as Mara shimmered in his mind.
Are you okay? Your dragon is sad. Was Devlin once a friend?
Devlin was never a friend. Even when he was part of the Rule clan. He replayed the conversation in his head. She saw everything. His mistake. His anger. His pain.
Legion, Adara didn’t know she was being manipulated any more than you did. Don’t let the gift she gave you go to waste. It gave you time to become the leader you needed to be. To learn. To prepare. Everything you lost can be yours once again.
Legion’s head came up. That didn’t sound like you, Mara. It sounded like...
The old me. I know. It’s the temple. She infuses me with her knowledge sometimes and did the same thing with Adara. I’m still me, but it’s like I am sharing the temple’s knowledge.
Is she still with you?
No. She connected while you were fighting.
I love you, Mara. You have given everything for me and the dragon species. I will spend eternity bringing joy and pleasure into your life.
I saw something else while you were busy turning Devlin into crispy fried dragon.
Legion’s lip twitched, astounded his mate could cause amusement in such a circumstance. For all his power, her kindness, her wit and her love, were more than the greatest of magics. He was smiling when he felt the malevolence pass over him.
He turned as Conner entered the room. “What was that?”
Conner inspected the charred circle at the center of the room. “I was about to ask you that? Where is Devlin’s body?”
Legion rolled his shoulders. “I incinerated him.”
Conner’s eyes widened. “How do you incinerate a dragon?”
Legion sighed. “I absorbed the power of the druid bomb when it exploded. “I have never called on that power, but Devlin incensed my dragon. I kept the blast confined within this room.”
Conner rubbed his forehead. “Fuck me.”
“No thank you.” Legion said with a straight face.
Conner’s jaw dropped. “Did you just make a joke?”
Legion shrugged. “Let’s go. Mara saw a gray book we need to retrieve. It was likely dislodged when Devlin slammed against the book case.”
The men surveyed the devastated room with books and burned wood littering the floor. Legion connected with Mara. Show me an image of this book we are looking for. The image of the gray tome with Sanskrit writing on the front popped into his mind.
Legion saw the book in the corner. A corner was singed, but would not affect the writings contained within. What is the significance of this book?
I don’t know. All I can say is the temple showed it to me. It once resided within the temple’s walls.
Is there anything else here we need?
No. Natalie is waking up. Come home to me. I miss you. She disconnected from him.
He left the house, reveling in the power of those last three words. He shifted into the night, letting his dragon soar, basking in the future he had lost faith in and the one woman that never lost faith in him.
Chapter 24<
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Mara opened her eyes when Legion crawled into bed with her. His hand slid over the curve of her hip. She smiled at the low growl of approval, when he discovered she wore nothing under the silky nightie.
He kissed her cheek. “A man could get accustomed to coming home to a beautiful woman in his bed.”
She smiled at him. The moonlight filtered through the bedroom window, emphasizing the golden tint in his skin. He wouldn’t accept how sexy he was, but she had an eternity to convince him. “A man or a dragon?”
He pulled her against his body. “Both.”
She never considered pulling away. To break the spell of the golden dragon that held her heart. Her soul.
He wouldn’t allow her retreat. His hands massaged her breasts until she was moaning into his mouth. His hand slipped down her hips, so he could slip them under the thin material of her nightie.
She sucked in a breath when his finger slipped between the slick lips of her pussy, circling her clit lazily. As if he had an eternity to explore every curve of her body. His fingers were magic. They pushed her to the brink of orgasm and held her there as she panted, begging for release. She moaned when she came, grasping his shoulders to keep herself from flying apart in his arms.
He entered her slowly, stretching the slick walls of her feminine channel, before setting a brutal rhythm, going deeper and deeper into her body. Her soul. She would never get him out, and she didn’t want to. Mara cried out when she came again, taking him with her. Her eyes struggled to open when he spoke.
“Tell me you will bond with me. Be my mate for all time.”
Mara closed her eyes, holding the precious moment to her heart. “Yes.”
“You have no idea what this means to me. You are the single light in an eternity of darkness. My dragon and I will strive to bring joy and laughter to your life.”
Mara nibbled her lip. “Adara told me some things about my power and about my painting.”
Legion frowned. “You will have a gallery in every city if you wish it. They will display your paintings for all to see.”
Mara ran a hand over his chest. His warmth infused her even now. “That’s the thing. I want to paint. Hell, I need to paint, but my art will be for us. For the dragons and druids yet to emerge.”
“Are you sure?”
She sighed. “I will paint pictures that the human world is not ready to see. At least, not yet anyway.”
“What about the shop?” Legion asked.
She propped herself up on one elbow. “I want it back. I didn’t realize how much it meant to me until I watched it burn. Natalie loves the store. I know you want me to live with you and I will, but she needs the shop, especially now.”
Legion kissed her forehead. “We will get the store rebuilt as soon as possible.”
“Thank you. Even if I’m not at the store every day, I need to know it’s there for those people who don’t think they belong.”
Legion’s eyes narrowed. “It’s more than just a business.”
Mara nodded. “It’s a library, a coffee shop, and a safe place to go when you don’t feel you fit in. I never understood it’s power until it was gone.”
Legion ran a finger over her cheek. “Construction will start within the week. We will have Natalie back in the store within a couple months. She will have extra assistants and a much larger loft.”
Mara laughed. “I don’t know how you are going to manage that. The loft is the same square footage as the store.”
Legion winked at her. “I bought the building beside it. Your store and the loft above are going to expand.”
Mara sucked in a breath. “You did that?”
His eyes flickered with liquid flame. “There is nothing I won’t do to make you happy.”
A tear slid down Mara’s cheek. “You are the sweetest and sexiest man I have ever met.”
Legion grinned. “I would like to discuss the sexy part in more detail.”
Mara laughed. “I’m, sure you would. Do you mind if we check on Natalie first? Alana said she would stay with her, but I want to double check she is okay.”
Legion got out of bed and extended his hand. “Of course.”
Mara approached Tempest. The solemn girl sat at the end of the bed, running a hand over Daisy’s fur. “You okay?” Mara asked.
Tempest nodded, but her serpent like eyes held only pain. “Yes. Natalie has offered to let me work at the shop. I always wanted a job, but Devlin didn’t think I needed to work.”
Mara sat on the lone chair in the spare bedroom. “I thought you would like to live with Legion and me.”
Tempest swallowed. “I appreciate the offer, and everything you and the others have done for me, but I need to be self-reliant. I made the mistake of trusting my surroundings and you know how that ended. I am blind. That does not mean I am blind to my reality. I will never let that happen again.”
Mara sighed. “I understand. You understand that we will have one man at the shop at all times. It isn’t just you. I won’t leave Natalie unguarded.”
Tempest pursed her lips. “Natalie explained Conner works at the shop, but at night, would it be okay if Thorn stayed with us? I know it’s a lot to ask and I have no right to.”
Mara leaned over and put her hand on Tempest’s arm. “You can ask me anything.”
Tempest pulled her hand away as if it had burned her. “I’m sorry. I am jumpy, I guess.”
Mara sat back, frowning. “I can ask Legion. You’re sure that’s what you want. Thorn is...”
Tempest’s shoulders straightened. “I adore him and so does Daisy. He won’t let anything happen to us. I ... feel his dedication.”
Mara connected with Legion. As usual, her mind filled with warmth. Love. Tempest wants Thorn to stay with her at the loft when she moves in. She’s comfortable with Conner in the store during the day.
She doesn’t trust men after Devlin’s betrayal. It is understandable.
What should we do?
We gain her trust. Though Devlin was dark, he was a dragon. It’s the responsibility of the Rule clan to right the wrongs of the dark dragons.
The wrong others do is not your fault, Legion.
If they are dragon, it is my responsibility and that of my clan. I will talk to Thorn.
Talk?
He understands, perhaps even better than I realized.
Mara pursed her lips. “Legion is asking Thorn if he will move to the loft.”
Tempest tilted her head to the side. “He does that? Asks the dragons what they want?’
Mara raised an eyebrow. “Of course. He isn’t a dictator. He’s leader of the clan because he holds the power of the dragon species. Legion loves them. He... lost his family protecting them.”
Tempest put her head down. “I am sorry.”
Legion shimmered in her mind. Thorn will live with the girls. He had planned to anyway.
Mara smiled. “Looks like you have a new roommate.”
Tempest head came up and her lip twitched. It wasn’t quite a smile, but it was a start. “Thank you.”
Mara put her hands up. “Don’t thank me. Thorn planned to live with you, anyway.”
Natalie came into the room and sat on the bed beside Tempest. “Did I hear we have a new roomie?”
Mara laughed. “Better start practicing all those meat recipes.”
Natalie smiled. “Thorn likes sweets too.”
Tempest scrunched her face. “Sweets make Daisy gassy.”
Natalie put her hand over her mouth before clearing her throat. “Good to know.” She winked at Mara. “Thanks for... you know.”
“Conner will work at the shop during the day, and Thorn will guard you at night. Legion will ward the new building. There will never be an incident like that again.”
Natalie patted her chin with her finger. “New store and loft that are double the size. Two new pets, plus a fab new roommate. I could get used to this.”
Mara smiled, loving how Natalie could always look at the positives in an
y situation. “The wolves will look less conspicuous than...”
“A forty-foot dragon.” Natalie interjected.
Mara’s laughter reflected in her eyes. “Yeah, that.”
Tempest leaned toward Mara. “Are the dragons really that big?”
“Legion is bigger. Anyway, having Thorn there will make me feel better. I need to know you, Tempest, and Alana are safe.”
Natalie glanced away with a frown. “About Alana.”
Mara’s smile faded. “Tell me she didn’t leave.”
Natalie sighed. “You know, Alana. She can’t sit still. She said to tell you she is sorry. Honestly, I think she was on the verge of tears.”
Mara let the familiar sting settle in her chest. “I’m pissed, but not surprised. I should be thankful she stuck around as long as she did. This was a record for her.”
Natalie laughed. “It was. Alana is ... Alana.” Her smile fell away. “So, this is our life.”
“Yeah, looks like,” Mara said.
“Any regrets?”
Mara shook her head. “Not one.”
Natalie fiddled with her fingers. “What’s next?”
Mara glanced at the door. “I have a bonding ceremony.”
Natalie frowned. “What is that?”
Legion’s warmth filled her mind as his presence neared. “We are about to find out.”
Epilogue
Mara pulled the white wedding dress out of the box, thankful that Draco had saved it from the fire. Her fingers tingled as she touched the short train. She touched the material, looking for the source.
Natalie leaned over the bed, looking at the dress. “Is something wrong?”
Mara touched a pearl button that adorned the neckline. “I’m not sure. I feel a slight current running over the material in the dress. There’s something sewn into the hem.”
Natalie ran to the closet. “I saw an old sewing kit in the closet.” She returned with a woven basket. She pulled out a thin silver tool. “Use this to pick the hem. I can resew it when you’re finished.”