by T. S. Ryder
“You need rest and you won’t get that here worrying over these little ones. Go relax and get your sleep,” she commanded, just before returning to bathing the newly laid dragon eggs in her care with jets of blue toned fire.
Carmichael, as his magnificent golden dragon form and Karina, sitting on top of his scaled head, walked out of the egg den and up into the castle. It was still unfamiliar, and needed great care to once more return to its former glory. The Hall of Dragons was the real castle of the land, not Danasi’s human sized castle. It was almost as magnificent as the dragons themselves were. But then, anything large enough a full sized dragon could walk through would be impressive.
“How many broods and den mothers stay in the egg den at one time?” Karina asked as they walked, hand moving as if to run along an egg bump, but instead, it ran against her stomach. In some ways, she missed carrying the eggs herself.
Carmichael looked thoughtful for a brief moment and shrugged smiling. “We nested in an offseason, either spring or fall,” he explained, looking a little sheepish. “It would protect each brood from too much heat from the summers or too cold of winds from the winters.”
“I see. Is it bad we nested early?” Karina asked, anxiety fluttering in her heart. She didn’t want any hardship to befall her unhatched babies.
Carmichael laughed softly, the sound enormous and thunderous as it echoed through the massive stone hallway they walked through. “No. This was long ago, before human or even elf lived in the land, before the Hall of the Dragons and my reign as King. Give it a few months and allow more of the dragons to shake free from Danasi’s curse. There will be a dozen or so den mothers, all with broods of one to four. I wish you could have seen this place in the spring and summer before it had sat abandoned for over two hundred years,” he sighed. For a moment, his gaze was far away as he imagined what his home had been.
“The elves sang to the flowers and trees, until they bloomed so brightly and fully that the scent of flower permeated the air. Hatchlings would be around every corner, getting under feet and causing trouble. They were always cute and innocent though, unable to do any wrong.”
Karina smiled and closed her eyes, almost able to picture what Carmichael said.
“Someday, it will be that spectacular again,” she assured.
“Of course it will, some day,” Carmichael agreed. “One day, I’d like to go out and see if the elves are truly all gone. They were such a smart, gentle race... I wouldn’t be surprised if they managed to hide in the forests of the mountains all this time, just biding their time until it was safe to return.”
“Mmm...” Karina was unsure of how to respond. Like most humans, she knew little about the mysterious elves. Even less had been known of them than had been known about dragons.
Inevitably, though, her thoughts were drawn back towards her eggs. Her thoughts always seemed to be with her eggs. She sighed wistfully.
“How long will it take them to hatch?” she asked, to which another low bout of laughter rumbled up through Carmichael’s chest. “I miss them...”
“Patience, my dear,” he hummed, as he slowly unfurled his wings just beneath the opening to their quarters and leaped up into the air with Karina on his back.
Though the flight was over within seconds, Karina’s heart still pounded with blissful exhilaration. If she had things her way, she’d never be on the ground, but as King of a broken kingdom, Carmichael was busy enough that they’d only take a single flight per day.
“They’ll hatch soon and you’ll be able to meet them,” he promised, lowering his head so she could climb down from him and onto the bed.
“I know, I know. I was not gifted with patience,” Karina admitted, just as their room filled with a light golden glow as Carmichael’s massive dragon form shrank smaller and smaller, changing shape until he was fully human once again.
Slowly, he joined her on the bed, smiling as he pulled her up into his lap. “My dear, soon they will hatch and all will be well.”
“Of course it will,” Karina agreed with a sigh.
The pair relaxed on the bed. Humming, Karina crawled over to Carmichael so he could wind his arms around her and pull her close to his chest. Their breath mingled together as she stretched out against him, a contented smile on her lips.
“You know... I love you so much,” she whispered softly, pressing her lips against his neck.
Carmichael laughed a low, rumbling laugh and kissed the top of her head. “I love you too, my dear Karina, more than my life.”
Karina had never been happier and as they embraced together in bed, curled up in each other’s arms, she couldn’t help but smile at his affectionate words. How far away her jousting life seemed now. She was going to be a mother of two, was the Queen of all the land of Grizlenzadi and was mated to the long-lost Dragon King. A happiness flooded her long indifferent heart and for once, she looked forward to the future.
After all, she had a family now and she’d do anything to keep it.
Epilogue
Karina and Carmichael’s eggs hatched just two short months later, much to Karina’s surprise.
“Dragon eggs are very different than any other creature’s. Once an egg is laid, the baby is ready to hatch when it feels the time is right.” Carmichael had explained. Carmichael, Yzmalan and Karina all crowded around the pair of eggs as both began showing great, spider web-like cracks along the smooth surface of the shell.
It had taken many a scolding on Carmichael’s part to keep Karina from helping their children hatch. What would they look like? Would they be born in their human forms or their dragon ones?
She remembered her enthusiasm and anxiety well enough. When they found out she’d lay a second brood of eggs with the rest of the females later that year, Karina didn’t feel anything more than excitement. Of course, Calla and Auldinor both disagreed.
“Mama, why do you have to have more babies?” Calla demanded, her curly hair, much like her mothers, stuck up at random angles all over her head. That had been another surprise. There was no stage of infancy. Hatchlings were intelligent enough for speech within moments of being born. A fact Carmichael had conveniently forgotten to mention that until after Auldinor started up a full conversation about how difficult hatching was.
Speaking of her son, Karina turned slightly with Calla still in her arms, to find him jumping up and down on his bed, cackling excitedly as he did so.
Karina sighed and rolled her eyes as she got slowly to her feet and led Calla to the bed as well. “Auldinor. Please. Stop jumping around. You’re not a rabbit, you’re a little dragon boy.”
“But Mama!”
“No. Lie down. You’re both supposed to be trying to sleep!” Karina scolded lightly as she tucked the pair into their bed with a sigh. Already, even just walking to the bed she felt exhausted, the egg bulges in her belly were almost full grown. It’d be time to lay them soon. And then, like with Calla and Auldinor, she’d have to give them to another dragon to properly care for them.
The thought made her sad and she found herself sighing wistfully. Not for the first time, she wished to be a dragon herself. Her kids seemed to notice her distress and she quickly roused herself from her thoughts, pressing adoring kisses to first Calla’s brow and then Auldinor’s.
“My sweets, sleep well and dream of elves and fairies and far off lands,” she hummed softly as she turned to blow out the candle providing light in the room
Auldinor and Calla exchanged looks as their mother got ready to turn out the light. “Mama... Can we have a story first?”
Karina paused, glancing over at her son and daughter, before sighing and returning to the chair she’d sat in moments prior. “One story then,” she agreed.
Calla squealed softly in excitement while Auldinor bounced happily in place. As their mother began to speak, they quieted down with wide eyes to listen as she spun them a tale.
“Once, there was a mighty kingdom, where elves, dragons and humans all lived under one King and
one Queen...”
*****
THE END
Selected for the Vampire King
Description
Love is weakness. Humans are fragile. Can this vampire King resist his heart’s desire?
Tindra isn’t looking for love. All she wants is a day off work. And that’s exactly what signing up for the vampire-human matching program gets her. What she didn’t expect is to be chosen by the vampire prince, Thor, which could be a dream come true…
Except she’s more interested in the king…
Vampire King Rollon has been alone for centuries. But when he smells Tindra’s intoxicating scent, he wants to do nothing more than sink his fangs into her, taste her blood… and engage in other forbidden pleasures.
Tindra’s off limits though. She belongs to his son.
Not that it matters. Humans are too fragile, too short-lived to get involved with.
But Thor has a surprise in store…
And an old enemy resurfaces…
Can Rollon keep his dark desires to himself?
Will Tindra survive when she becomes the enemy’s target?
Can there be a future for a human and a vampire king?
Chapter One – Tindra
Finally, a free day.
Tindra sat at the back of the group of gathered humans, flipping through the last comic book she had brought with her. If she had known that she was going to end up going all the way through the selection process, she would have brought more books with her. As it was, she had read through every issue twice and was now just looking for evidence to back up her theory that the main villain was actually the heroine's long-lost brother.
She glanced to the front of the large hall where several vampires milled about – well, held the gangs of men and women from rushing onto the stage and raiding the waiting rooms where the vampires were waiting to choose. She shook her head, her brown hair flopping into her eyes, and went back to reading her comic.
It was great fortune to be in the running to be chosen as a vampire's companion. It only happened once every five years, and there was a stringent application process. Tindra had no desire to go live in the glittering halls herself. She only signed up because her boss was an A-hole who refused to let his employees off work for a full twenty-four hour period. However, he was recently reimbursed for lost wages, so he had practically shoved the applications into his female employees' hands.
Just the women. Never mind the fact that several of the vampires were looking for men as their companions.
A sudden scream went up in the crowded room and Tindra winced. Her view of the stage was blocked, so she stood on her chair to look over the heads of the people. A soft gasp escaped her lips. The prince himself had stepped onto the stage. Tindra had seen him multiple times on the television and in the news. She'd never heard any rumors about him with any companions, though. Had he decided to choose a mate?
Vampires don't mate humans, she reminded herself. They have companions to give them blood and sex and whatever, but not mates.
The prince was handsome – if a bit too clean-cut for her tastes. He had the aura of a man who was perfectly groomed, from his hairless chin to his tailored suit. He muttered to a guard next to him, and that vampire directed other guards into the crowd. They checked the application tags from several women and led them onto the stage.
One of the guards stopped right in front of her and held out his hand. "May I see your card?"
Tindra stared blankly at him.
"To check your orientation." He flashed her a dazzling smile that revealed two long, curved fangs. Like on a saber-toothed tiger, only small enough to be hidden when his mouth was closed. They were beautiful, in an exotic sort of way.
Silently, Tindra handed him her card, where "men" was clearly checked off. She had thought about checking all the boxes as a joke, but at this moment she was glad she hadn't. Imagine having to explain that to the prince, of all people!
The guard offered her his arm, and she took it. A few faces in the crowd glowered at her as men and women both pressed in on them, shouting for the prince to choose them instead. One woman was actually carried out of the hall as she spat curses and threats out at the others taken up onto the stage. Tindra soon found herself with the other women, facing the prince. His nostrils flared as he looked at them.
His gaze locked on the comic book still in her hand and then moved to her neck. Nostrils still flaring, he leaned in close and took a strand of her hair to sniff. With a nod and smile of satisfaction, he took her hand.
"You are perfect."
"What?" the woman beside her shouted. "Her? She has a man's body! Look at her. She doesn't even have any breasts. Wouldn't you rather have these?"
She thrust out her chest, making what must have been triple-Ds wobble dangerously. Tindra stared, fighting the urge to clasp her hands over her own small chest. Were they real? How much pudding would she have to eat to get breasts that size?
The prince ignored the woman. He wrapped an arm around Tindra's waist and led her from the stage as the crowd burst into noise.
The noise cut out as they entered a back room. Several more vampires waited, and a few of them eyed her with interest. She clutched her comic to her chest, then suddenly realized she had left her backpack. With a gasp, she pulled away and turned – but the guard coming after them had it with him.
"Thanks," she said, taking it.
"What's your name?" the prince asked her as he continued to guide her away.
"Tindra. Like Tundra only with an I instead of a U."
He nodded. "And I'm Thor."
"Yeah. I know. The prince."
Soon, they were outside, and a guard opened the door to a limo for her. She slid in and had to stifle a gasp. Sitting inside was the manliest man she had ever seen. Jeans and a worn leather jacket, five o'clock shadow, long black hair pulled back and tied with a leather string. His eyes were dark and piercing as they glanced over her. Unlike a lot of the vampires, his skin had a well-tanned look. It went well with his strong jaw and high cheekbones. Tindra nearly forgot how to move as she slumped into a seat, staring at him.
Why couldn't he have chosen her instead of the prince?
Realization suddenly hit her. Oh, god . . . The prince had chosen her. She had just gone along without a protest, but she couldn’t do this. She couldn't go be his companion in the palace! What about her job . . . which she hated. Or her family . . . who she avoided most times because talking to them was like shooting her self-esteem in the foot.
"Isn't this one a bit old for you?" the manly vampire asked in a cool tone.
"Old?" Yeah, maybe she had a few silvers in her hair and faint laugh-lines around her eyes. But that certainly didn't make her old, especially not in vampire terms! Her hands clenched and she almost poked him in the chest. "Lookit here, buster. I'm only thirty, and if that's old to a thousand-year-old vamp, then maybe that's your problem—"
Her eyes widened as the vampire arched a brow at her. Recognition hit her in the stomach like a fist as he turned his face fully to her. Rollon. The king. The freaking vampire king. And she had called him Buster. Heat rushed to her face and she shrunk back from him.
"Sorry!" she blurted. "Oh, sorry your highness. Majesty? Your kingship? Uh . . . sorry. I didn't realize it was you. You usually shave before a press conference and the clothes are . . . Well, you look great, but they're not what I would expect a king to wear and—"
Rollon raised a hand, and she fell silent at once. Her face burned and she wondered just how badly she'd be injured if she crawled out of the window. Given that they were driving down the street with a plethora of guarded vehicles around them, probably quite a bit. Hopefully a nice coma. The king's dark gaze stayed on her, stilling her.
"I understand that this is a new situation for you," he said calmly. "And that is why I will tolerate that attitude from you this once. But only this once. Understood? Companion to my son or not, I will not be spoken to disrespectfully."
Tindra nodded meekly. She shot a look at Thor, who stared out the window with a small smile. Was this his idea of a joke? And him being Rollon's son . . . They looked more like brothers. If she had to hazard a guess, Rollon was probably about her age when he was turned into a vampire.
"Thor?" Rollon glanced at him. "Do you have anything to say?"
The prince shrugged. "I'll teach her the correct behavior, Dad."
Dad. That sounded weird coming from a prince. How old was he again? For the life of her, she couldn't remember.
"Good," the king said.
"But I think you might need to be more tolerant of her regardless. Tindra here doesn’t look like she has great social skills."
Tindra almost asked if it was because of her comic but bit her tongue. The truth of the matter was she didn't have that great of social skills. She was into geek culture, something that always seemed to be highly unsuitable for women like her – the Plain Jane types who picked plaid shirts and jeans over high heels and pink dresses.
"It was against my better judgment to let my son claim a companion among the common, but I suppose you're pretty enough to do." Rollon's eyes ran down her figure. "At least you will be once you're in more feminine clothing and someone brushes your hair."
She didn't respond to that, crossing her arms over her chest. As the buildings zipped by, she turned her mind to her parents. How was she supposed to explain to them that she had been whisked away by the vampire prince? What were they going to say? Would they insist on her bringing him to visit or that she leave at once before he could 'ruin' her more than she already was?
And thinking of that . . . What was going to happen once they were in the palace? Would he expect her to be his blood-filled blowup doll?