Destiny In Flames: A Hot Paranormal Dragon Shifter Saga (Hidden Realms of Silver Lake Book 4)

by Vella Day

  He grinned. “Okay, I felt as if we were mates, but I was told Fate only granted us one mate in a lifetime.”

  “I was taught that too, but at the time I didn’t know you’d had a mate. It was why I asked Finn to bring me to Tarradon. You can imagine how devastated I was when Kaleena told me about Bess.”

  He stroked her face. “Yet you stayed.”

  “Because I thought maybe Fate was wrong.”

  He smiled. “You were right. Kind of.” Declan lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom. “I’ve waited for this moment for a long time.”

  “Me too. I love you, Declan Sinclair.”

  He grinned. “I love you too.”

  With their gazes locked, he carried her into the bedroom, and then slowly lowered her down to sit on the edge of the bed.

  Declan stood in front of her as she unfastened and pushed his jeans down his legs. “Where are your briefs?” she asked.

  “I was hoping I wouldn’t need them.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Confident, weren’t you?”

  He stepped back and tugged off his pants. Blue sparks shot off her arms in anticipation of what was to come. This was it! The one moment she’d been waiting for her whole life. Chelsea silently thanked Fate for allowing them to be together.

  Reaching out, she grabbed his hips and pulled him closer. She licked her lips and then drew his dick deep into her mouth. “Mmm.”

  He groaned. Declan clutched a handful of her hair and wrapped it around his fist. On the first tug, Chelsea was tempted to rise up and bite his neck since she wanted Declan more than life itself, but rushing would make their amazing journey end too soon. She continued to swirl her tongue around his hard shaft, loving how it made her feel powerful and in control. When she cupped his balls, he leaned back.

  “Stop, I don’t want to finish this way. I want you so bad; I have to be inside you,” he whispered.

  Chelsea stood and motioned him to get up on the bed.

  Naked, Declan sat down, scooted back, and leaned against the headboard. Like a cat stalking her prey, Chelsea hopped onto the bed but kept her distance. With her gaze focused on his face, she lifted off her shirt and then slowly eased down the bra straps, loving how his eyes sparkled, and his scales flashed red. Once she let the bra fall, she hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her pants and stopped, wanting to drive him crazy.

  “You’re taking your sweet time. Speed it up, darlin’, or I’ll have to rip the rest of your clothes off you.”

  She laughed. “Not on your life. I’m enjoying this, and don’t you dare think of ripping anything off me. I have just enough panties right now and no spares.”

  Declan crossed his arms and grinned. “I will buy you all the panties you want, better yet, maybe I won’t. I like you naked, if you ever get there, woman.”

  Chelsea snorted as she pulled down her shorts and then her panties. The shoes she’d ditched a while ago.

  Declan hissed in a breath. “Geezus, you are a sight for sore eyes.”

  Chelsea edged closer. As soon as she was within reach, he drew her near, forcing her to straddle him. When she rubbed against his cock, her blue sparks turned into a big blue cocoon.

  “Someone’s excited,” Declan said.

  She ground against his erection. “You have no room to talk. Check your hands—or rather what used to be hands. And if you haven’t noticed, you’re as bright as a flashing neon light.”

  As if he decided there would be no more small talk, he drew her head to his and kissed her hard. Every one of her senses exploded with passionate desire. Their tongues entwined, and strong spikes of need shot through her veins.

  Needing air, she broke the contact and leaned back. Declan zeroed in on her breasts. “Magnificent.” He cupped them both as he kissed around the edges before he flicked his thumbs over her nipples. Waves of delight spread throughout her body.

  Even though all these blue sparks were new to her, Declan sure was able to draw them out of her with ease. She placed her hands on his head, reveling in the way his short hair bristled against her palms. Declan moved his mouth to her nipples, taking her closer to her climax. She wanted him so badly.

  “Harder,” she demanded.

  Declan delivered, drawing out every erotic impulse in her body. She slid her pussy across his cock, thrilling at how his hardness could take her higher and higher.

  He nipped at her nipple, causing a brief shot of pain. As if he could already sense what she was experiencing, he swirled his tongue around the tip to ease the ache. The alternating sensations of slight pain with the euphoric highs nearly undid her.

  “I’m ready,” she panted.

  Without waiting for his consent, Chelsea slipped a hand between them and grabbed his cock. Keeping it upright, she aimed it straight into her. After today, they would be one, united in both heart and soul.

  Declan looked up at her. Swirls of gold and red streamed through his teal eyes. “Yes!”

  It was as if he was saying yes to a lifetime together. Chelsea closed her eyes and slid all the way down, absorbing their sensual scents and loving the way her body adapted to his large size.

  Heat sizzled throughout her veins when she lifted up and then dropped back down on him once more. Declan ran his hands down her back and cupped her butt. When he squeezed, her heart pounded harder. Maybe it was the extra hormones coursing through her, but each thrust became more amazing than the last.

  Declan pressed his cheek against her neck and ran his tongue from her shoulder blade up to her ear. “I need you so much, Chelsea.”

  I need you more. She would have said it out loud, but the words didn’t form.

  Wanting to be one with him, she lowered her lips to the spot where his neck met his shoulder. Her teeth sharpened, and her blue glow surrounded them. It was time. Chelsea wanted to love him forever and love him unconditionally.

  Declan grabbed hold of her hips and lifted her up slightly. As he pressed his fangs against her tender skin, he drove up into her. Together, they sunk their teeth into each other. That union caused a tsunami of lust and desire that encompassed her body and transformed her. It was almost as if she could feel his dragon entering her body and taking over her soul.

  Her vision turned white, and her nails sharpened into claws. It was happening. The joining. The mating. The joy of it all.

  They both lifted their heads at the same time and gently licked away the evidence of their mating. Once finished, her body continued to sing with joy. She doubted anything could be better.

  Declan lifted his head and leaned back. “Are you okay?”

  How could he ask that question? She sat up and smiled. “More than okay. Anyone up for another round?”

  He laughed. “Life with you will be non-stop fun.”

  “You got that right.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “When do I get to shift into a big bad dragon?” Chelsea asked.

  Declan wanted to give her everything in this world, but he needed to be sure that shifting wouldn’t hurt the baby. “Your body is used to being a wolf, but a dragon is a whole different experience. I want to talk to a few people to make sure it’s safe.”

  Chelsea flopped down on the sofa. “I miss going out on runs.”

  “You can still do that.”

  She looked up and smiled. “Really? Would you come with me?”

  Kaleena had inherited the ability to change into a wolf when she’d mated with Finn, so hopefully, Declan would be just as lucky. “I’d love that.”

  “Afterward, I want to talk about my job,” she said.

  “You can’t go back to the shelter.”

  “Why not?”

  He blew out a breath. “Seriously? You found captured shifters in the back of the office. Just because neither Finn nor I sensed them there, doesn’t mean that Stick isn’t involved. There’s nothing to stop him from trying to silence you.”

  She waved a hand. “I don’t think he’d do that.”

  “I’m not
taking any chances. We’ll find you another job. Now that Sabrina is dead, there’s a vacancy at the vet’s office where she worked.”

  Chelsea scrunched up her face. “That’s almost sick.” She twisted toward him. “In all honesty, I’ve been thinking about going back to school to be a vet.”

  Declan dropped down in front of her. “I love that idea. We have some universities here.”

  “Do you think I could get in? All of my experience and credits come from Earth.”

  He smiled, happy he could help her. “I imagine I can talk to a few people.”

  “The Guardians have that much pull?”

  “Few people know we are Guardians, but the Sinclair name is well-known.”

  Chelsea grinned and then patted her stomach. “I’m glad our child will have some advantages.”

  “That he will.”

  “He? How can you be certain it’s a boy?”

  Declan didn’t care just as long as both mother and child were healthy. “Just guessing since my family is predominantly male.”

  “Then it’s time for a female.”

  He laughed and stood. “Maybe it is. Come on. Let’s see if I can master shifting into a wolf. I’m not sure my dragon will be willing to give up control though.”

  She stood. “He will if he wants to catch me.” Chelsea unbuttoned her shirt.

  Declan reached out and clasped her hands. “You don’t have to undress anymore. I thought Finn told you.”

  “He did. Sorry. It’s an old habit.”

  “Come on. Shift into your wolf. If your clothes rip, I’ll buy you new ones.”

  Chelsea wrapped her arms around his neck. “Did I mention that I love you?”

  He laughed. “Not in the last ten minutes.” They both stepped outside and headed down the trail. “Any words of wisdom?” he asked.

  “I honestly have no idea what to say. I was hoping you could just tell your body which animal you want to become and voilà, you’d be a wolf. If that doesn’t work, when he sees me take off, your dragon won’t be able to stand not catching me. I’m hoping he’ll force the shift. Ready?”

  This would be a total downer if he failed. Declan would never live it down. “Go.”

  One second, she was his beautiful mate and the next, she was a sleek wolf—one who looked a lot better than the captured wolf of a few days ago. Chelsea’s fur was a shiny dark brown with light gray mixed in, and her snout had the cutest white patch in the center. She scurried down the path.

  Follow her, he commanded his wolf, though he felt strange talking to an animal he’d never met.

  Chelsea was almost out of sight when Declan started running on his own. After a few steps, his bones cracked, and his vision blurred. He almost stopped because the discomfort surprised him. Without warning, he was on all fours, his face close to the ground. While he always had a great sense of smell while in his dragon form, this dirt smelled sweeter, possibly because he was so close to it.

  “Chelsea,” he telepathed, hoping that channel of communication had formed.

  “Declan?”

  “Yes, I’m coming.”

  To his delight, a small patch of white flickered on his chest. Instead of it being a scale, his fur was flashing. The Four Sisters of Fate had thought of everything.

  When he rounded the corner, Chelsea was sitting on her haunches, panting. She was such a beautiful animal. He had no idea what he looked like other than his paws were black with some brown woven in. Without a mirror, he couldn’t know what he looked like.

  “I see you made it,” she sent out mentally.

  He caught the humor in her voice. “Race you to the waterfall.”

  She howled. “You’re on.”

  Declan took off and passed her before she rose up and turned around. Being in the lead was a natural place for him. He charged down the path, loving the feel of the ground on his paws. This new perspective was intriguing. As much as he wanted to stop and check things out, he had a race to win.

  Leaves rustled to his left. When he looked over, he caught sight of Chelsea dashing across downed logs and darting over the underbrush. She was taking a shortcut. Sneaky one. Her way was shorter, but it was fraught with possible delays.

  The river with the waterfall wasn’t far head, so he turned on his speed. He tried to extend his wings to take off, only to remember he was still a wolf. He could have changed into his dragon form, but the forest was too dense for him to be effective. From the amount of leaves crunching, Chelsea must be struggling a bit to reach the destination before him.

  Two minutes later, he broke over the ridge and spotted the stream. He charged down the path and made it to the river mere seconds before she did.

  Needing to be in his human form, he closed his eyes and pictured his human self. Seconds later, he transformed, though the process would take some getting used to. Thankfully, he was still dressed in his jeans, shirt, and boots. Chelsea stopped at his feet and looked up at him.

  “Wish me luck I don’t end up naked,” she telepathed.

  “If you do, I promise not to be disappointed.”

  She spun around and became human in two seconds. She looked down and ran her hand down her shirt front. “It really is magic. I love it.”

  “How about taking them off and going for a cool swim in the falls?”

  “Now you’re talking.”

  “Do you remember anything?” Tory asked Chelsea.

  She sat at a large table at the Wing’s Bar with Kaleena, Tory, Nessa, Lily, and Greer for a girls’ night out. This celebration had been Kaleena’s idea.

  “You mean about what happened after I was captured?”

  Tory nodded.

  “Some things—like waking up in a cage and seeing Sabrina, who I found out later had the ability to transform into that dark lighter Sanditra. I think she must have put a spell on me that made me forget much of it.” Back home, that had happened to her cousin and her mate. Thankfully, a goddess was able to retrieve their memory for them. In all honesty, Chelsea wasn’t sure she wanted to remember it all.

  Kaleena held up her glass. “Before we start celebrating, I want to have a toast to the first baby Guardian!”

  Heat raced up Chelsea’s face at all the good wishes. “Thanks. Declan and I are both ecstatic.”

  “Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?” Nessa asked.

  “Both? Okay, not at once, but I like the idea of having a lot of kids and a lot of animals.”

  They all talked about what life would be like having to balance their jobs and children. Declan’s work could create some long hours, but he’d already promised he would be around to help out as much as possible. He wanted to be a hands-on dad. Momma Sinclair had been the first to volunteer for grandbaby duty, saying she’d help out whenever she was needed.

  “Have you tried shifting into a dragon yet?” Tory asked, excitement lacing her voice.

  “No, but Declan shifted into his wolf. We ran the trails to the waterfall. It was so cool. Declan is very excited about his ability to be both animals.”

  Kaleena nodded. “I know I love it, and Finn loves being able to fly.”

  “I want to try, but Declan made me promise to wait until we see a doctor to be sure there won’t be any issues with the baby.”

  “It’s better to be safe.” Tory leaned forward. “Any progress on finding those missing shifters you saw in the back of the shelter? Finn told us he didn’t sense them anywhere.”

  “No, but I’m not allowed to be involved even if they do find them,” Chelsea said. “Declan thinks that I might still be in danger.” She refrained from rolling her eyes.

  “From Stick?”

  “Yes, and Marty. If Declan was protective before, he’s even more protective now that I’m pregnant.”

  Kaleena chuckled. “That’s my brother, though if I were pregnant, I’m not sure Finn would let me leave the condo.”

  They all laughed.

  “What about Angelique?” Nessa asked. “She found you, so maybe she can
find the missing shifters.”

  “I think she was able to detect Sanditra for some reason. From what Declan said, there seemed to be a history between those two, but I don’t know what it was.”

  For the rest of the time, they talked about their work and how things were going in general. As much as Chelsea wanted to remember every detail of her capture in the hopes of having a clue where the captured shifters might be held, she probably should just focus on getting into school and preparing to be a mother. It made sense to leave the battles to Declan and the Guardians.

  Declan wasn’t receiving any reading of anxiety from Chelsea, but he wanted her home. Sure, she was with his sisters and cousins, but he still worried about her. Sanditra might be dead, but Stick might suspect that Chelsea had seen something at the shelter that she shouldn’t have. He couldn’t be certain the captured shifters and Chelsea’s kidnapping were related, especially since Sabrina/Sanditra claimed she only wanted Kaleena, but the fact Chelsea was wearing a silver collar and the shifters Chelsea had seen wore silver collars too, implied Stick might be involved.

  If Declan had to guess, the Royals never forgave Sanditra for letting Kaleena escape from their prison in the first place. This might have been her way to save face. Now, she’d never be absolved.

  As terrible as that time had been for Declan—not knowing what was happening to his sister—it ended up to be for the best. She’d been able to contact Finn on Earth who’d had the courage to believe in the love of a mate and who’d found his way through a portal to Tarradon.

  And now, Declan was mated to his twin sister. He sighed. Life was good, though it would be even better once Chelsea came home. He needed her. As if he’d conjured her up, Chelsea’s car pulled down their driveway. Declan jumped up and peered out the window. While he didn’t like her out alone, he understood that having friends would keep her happy. His job at the mine, together with being a Guardian, would take him away from her often enough, and he wanted her to know she wasn’t alone on Tarradon.

  The front door opened, and the love of his life stepped in. He had felt guilty at first at loving Chelsea when Bess had been his first mate, but after he and Chelsea mated, Bess had come to him in a dream and told him she was pleased he’d been able to move on. Having her blessing meant the world to him.