by Ariel Marie
“We?” Faye’s eyes turned to the woman. She was a shifter too? Faye wondered what type of shifter this woman was.
“Yes, we.” Dalma laughed. “And if you were wondering? Yes, I’m a dragon shifter too. A very old one at that.”
“Well, you look good for your age.” Faye smiled, causing the other woman to laugh. Faye’s stomach chose that moment to let itself be known. Her cheeks grew warm in embarrassment.
“Why, thank you. Let’s feed you. Vander will not forgive me if I don’t take good care of you.” Dalma chuckled as she motioned for Faye to follow her.
“I didn’t realize how hungry I was,” Faye admitted as they walked into the kitchen. A few staff members were bustling around. A man dressed in a white chef’s jacket turned from the oven with a loaf of bread, fresh from the oven in his hand. He placed it on the counter and walked over to them.
“Faye, this is Eduardo. He’s the head chef here at Dragon’s Keep.”
“Buenos días,” he greeted, extending his hand.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Chef. The food that comes out of this kitchen is amazing.” Faye took the chef’s hand in a firm shake. Her stomach rumbled again, and they all laughed.
“I have a plate in the warmer just for you. Since you are the only guest as of now, we can set you up in the dining room, or—”
“Can I just eat in here?” she asked, looking around at the massive sized kitchen. Any cook worth their salt would salivate over this beautiful industrialized kitchen.
“You sure can. You can sit over here.” Eduardo motioned to the bar stools that sat alongside the countertops. He snapped his fingers and rattled off words in Spanish. One of the women in the kitchen grabbed the plate and brought it over to Faye.
“Well, when you’re done visiting and eating, just call me and we can take you on your first tour of the castle.” Dalma patted her on her shoulder.
“Yes, ma’am,” Faye said as she glanced down at her plate. Her mouth watered at the sight of the delicious food. She would have to find some time to work out. Otherwise, she’d gain twenty pounds in the few days she would be staying here.
She dug into the food and groaned. It was everything that she could have imagined. How would she be able to leave this place in a few days once Vander defeated Gamair?
“What’s down that hallway?” Faye asked as she peered down a hall that was blocked off, with a table filled with potted plants.
Dalma was a wonderful tour guide. She was chatty, and knew the history of the home well. They had walked through the castle for a few hours, and Faye had enjoyed Dalma’s company immensely. She had all the good stories of Vander growing up. She couldn’t remember the last time that she had laughed so hard.
But, something drew her to that particular hall. She could see a stainless steel door with a bolt on it at the end of the hallway. What could be so important that it would require protection behind a door such as that?
Vander’s words echoed in her head from the day he left, ‘You can pretty much have the run of the castle.’
Was there something that he didn’t want her to see? What could he be hiding?
“Oh, that hallway? Well, Vander has some private things that he likes to keep locked away.” She waved her hand and grabbed onto Faye’s arm. “You know how boys are about their toys.”
Faye offered a small smile as Dalma pulled her in the opposite direction of the secret room. Something was amiss. Dalma was keeping a secret.
Vander’s secret.
“Boys will be boys,” Faye murmured.
“Don’t worry, dear. I’m sure he will show you. Hopefully, he’ll be returning soon.” Dalma patted her on the hand. She must have seen the suspicion on Faye’s face. Faye felt slightly better as they walked in the opposite direction.
“Have you spoken to him?” Faye asked. Since he’d left, there hadn’t been any communication between the two of them. She didn’t want to be a distraction to him, and was sure that when he was able, he would contact her.
There was much for her to do, but it still didn’t keep her from worrying about Vander. Last night, she had gone swimming in the beautiful Olympic size indoor pool, then relaxed in the sauna, before venturing around the castle and into the library. It had been a while since Faye had time to just relax and read a book. She fell asleep, reading a romance novel, that led her to have a steamy dream that included Vander.
“No, I haven’t, my dear. When the boys go on missions such as these, it’s best to leave them alone and wait for word. They look out for each other. I’m sure everything is just fine.”
13
Vander directed his dragon to fly lower beneath the clouds. Thanks to the Orb of Erlo, Vander was able to figure out where Gamair could be hiding. The smell of death, decay, and water, could only mean one thing.
The Wetlands.
Darkness was approaching, and he knew that if Gamair were near, he would show himself soon. Vander was familiar with the evil dragon’s actions. Gamair loved to hunt and attack at night.
“Any signs of him?” Jodos asked, using their telepathic link.
“No, nothing,” he replied.
The swampy, bug infested waters were the perfect place for Gamair to hide out. Vander’s dragon pumped his wings harder, gaining more speed. They had to hurry so they could put an end to this. Gamair needed to die before he harmed other people.
“I found him.” Feno’s voice broke through. “Lock onto my location and get your asses here.”
Vander’s dragon located Feno’s, who was only a few miles away. Vander directed his dragon to turn into the direction of his brother. This time, the three of them would work together to capture and destroy the black dragon. He pushed his dragon harder, anticipation for the coming battle mounting. He needed to keep Faye safe. That was his top priority. Once they took out Gamair, he could focus on mating with her, and living forever with the one woman that was made just for him.
He flew higher, wanting to make sure he was able to get the black dragon into his line of sight. Feno’s dragon came into his vision, and Jodos’ dragon suddenly appeared, flying alongside his brother as the black dragon led them on a chase.
“Vander, get your pansy ass over here,” Feno commanded.
“Old man, you need to get your eyes checked. I’m right above you,” Vander retorted.
Gamair let loose a dragon roar that echoed through the air, as he finally detected that he was not the only dragon in the sky. Vander would have to be more careful tonight. There would not be a repeat of before, that landed him in the Blue Creek Hospital. Not this time. Vander would be ready.
“He’s going toward land.” Feno’s voice broke through.
“Good. I didn’t feel like going for a swim,” Vander replied. His dragon hated water. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t be able to swim in his dragon form, it was just that dragons were a fire species who preferred to stay in the air, raining fire down on their enemies, not frolicking in the muddy waters of the Wetlands.
They moved into a triad formation, with Feno in the lead. His brother dove down, crashing his massive body onto the dark dragon. Their bodies tumbled through the air, with Feno landing on top of the black dragon, pushing him toward the ground.
Jodos and Vander followed, tucking their wings to their sides, gaining speed and piercing the sky as they jetted through the air toward the ground.
“Feno, pull up,” Vander shouted. His brother was approaching the ground at record speeds, and unless he wanted to end up in the hospital like Vander did, he needed to let the dragon go before they approached barren land. Feno’s wings spread out, slowing his descent through the air, as the black dragon slammed into the ground. Each of their dragons made a safe landing. Staying in dragon form, they quickly made their way to the fallen dragon.
“Is he dead?” Jodos asked as they approached the dragon’s side.
“Doubt it,” Feno replied.
Vander stared at the dragon. He wasn’t sure why, but alarms began to go
off in the back of his mind. The massive dragon lay unmoving on the ground. His dragon growled, ready to blow out his flames onto the dragon, but the human in Vander knew that something was wrong.
“Something’s different,” Vander announced.
“What the hell do you mean?” Jodos groaned. “We’ve chased this dragon for months, and now you say something’s wrong?”
“We’ve been chasing Gamair, the Death Lord,” Vander said. His eyes narrowed on the black dragon before them. “But this isn’t Gamair.”
“What?” Feno growled as his dragon moved in closer to the black dragon.
A bright light glowed from the dragon as he began to shift. They all watched as the human form appeared before them.
It was not Gamair.
Vander pulled back on his dragon and shifted back to his human form. He needed to see for himself and confirm that it was not Gamair. His brother and Jodos followed suit. They cautiously approached the fallen figure, and manic laughter filled the air. Vander’s eyes flew to Feno’s as they reached the figure that lay in the high grass.
No, this was definitely not Gamair.
Vander let loose a curse as he stood over the deranged man.
“Who the hell are you?” Vander growled, his chest rising and falling feverishly as his anger mounted. They’d wasted time. Where the hell was Gamair?
“Tyson Nautilus.” The man released a cynical chuckle. “Gamair was right. He knew that you would follow me. Our dragons are very similar, and we’ve been mistaken for each other before.”
“Oh, really?” Feno grabbed Tyson by his neck and dragged him up to a standing position. After shifting from dragon to their human forms, it left them naked. Neither of them were bothered by their nakedness, as it was part of a shifter’s life. “Since your dragons look so similar, what if we just put an end to you like we plan to do with him?”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Jodos growled.
“Where is he?” Vander demanded as he stood in front of Tyson. They could do with him what they liked, after he got information out of him.
“You’ve hunted him down, but now it is he who is the hunter.” Tyson chuckled.
Vander narrowed his eyes on the piece of shit of an excuse of a dragon shifter. The laughter was getting on Vander’s last nerve. They could end him right here, and no one would know. It was tempting, but right now, they had to find Gamair. This Tyson character wasn’t worth expelling the energy it would take to kill him.
“Let me end him now,” Jodos growled, moving closer to him.
Vander held up a hand as the alarms at the back of his mind continued to go off. His imagination took off as he began to think. Why would Gamair want them to follow a decoy? Where the hell was the Dragon Lord?
‘He said to tell you to cease your pursuit of him, or he will take something of value from you.’ Faye’s words echoed in his mind.
It hit him.
Faye.
Gamair was going after his mate.
“Faye. He’s going after her,” Vander announced, looking to Feno and Jodos.
“You sure?” Feno asked, his sharp eyes cutting to Vander.
“I’m positive. I should have known.” Vander cursed himself for falling for the ruse. He should have ensured that Faye was better protected. The wards of the castle had been there for centuries, but he should have had them reinforced.
“Go!” Feno commanded, and Vander didn’t have to be told twice. He turned and began striding away. He had to get to Dragon’s Keep, and fast!
“You’re too late!” Tyson shouted from behind him. A yelp filled the air, and Vander turned to see the shifter’s body collapse to the ground at his brother’s feet.
“Hurry. We’ll be right behind you, as soon as we take care of this idiot,” Jodos insisted.
Vander nodded and turned back, calling forth his dragon. They would have to hurry. There was no telling if Gamair had made it to Faye. As Vander’s dragon took off into the air, he said a prayer, hoping they weren’t too late. His dragon could sense the urgency, and cut through the air swiftly. He had promised Faye that he would keep her safe, and dammit, he would.
14
“Let’s go out to the gardens. We can have lunch there,” Dalma announced as she burst through the library doors.
Faye had become quite smitten with the castle’s library. The grand library housed two floors full of books, that waited for her to discover them all. The smell of leather and cedar wood filled the air and helped her relax. Since discovering the library, she had found a comfortable leather chaise located near a window with a magnificent view. Faye loved coming to sit by the window so that she could look out into the sky.
It offered a direct view of the cloud-streaked sky. Some days, the clouds floated by, blocking her view of the sun when it rose. On a clear day, Faye could glance down at the world below them.
“I can go outside?” Faye asked, surprised.
“But of course! You’re not a prisoner. You may go where you please. You just cannot leave the grounds.”
“Well, then, lead the way,” she said, scrambling off the chaise. She placed her bookmark in the book she was reading. She wasn’t an animal that would bend the tip of the page. She was a civilized human being who used a bookmark, she thought as she laid it on the chaise. She would return later to finish it.
“The garden is full of such rich history of the Kelmyar Clan,” Dalma told her as they walked along the stone path. The luxurious gardens were plush and green, with high bushes.
“Wow, is this a maze?” Faye asked as she took it all in. The beauty of the location took her breath away. A slight breeze blew her hair into her face. She brushed the strands away as she glanced up at the clear blue sky. It had taken her a few days to get used to the mountain air, but she loved it now. The crisp air was soothing to her as they walked.
“No, not a maze.” Dalma giggled. “It was designed to entertain. Let me show you something special.”
They turned the corner, and there, in a small clearing, was a beautiful bronze statue of a massive dragon.
“Oh, my. It’s beautiful,” Faye breathed as she walked closer to it. The dragon was posed in a defiant manner. The eyes were narrowed, as if it was hunting its prey.
“This is Vander and Feno’s father,” Dalma announced, as if she were introducing Faye to him in real life. Faye stepped closer to the statue, and her eyes fell to the nameplate that was at the base of it.
Tordet Kelmyar, The Dragon Lord.
“He looks so fierce,” Faye noted as she admired the oversized statue.
“Well, he would have to be, with those two boys of his. Vander and Feno were just a handful growing up.” Dalma laughed and shook her head. “He’s the protector of the dragon shifters. He is the Dragon Lord.”
“Wow,” Faye murmured. Living in Blue Creek, she was used to the paranormal world. Vampires, shifters, and witches were commonly known throughout the community. But to know that dragons did exist, and she was in love with one—
She paused. In love? With Vander? She dug down deep and knew that it was true.
“Come. Let’s move on to the next.” Dalma gently guided her by the arm. They continued to walk. Dalma was the perfect guide, giving her the history behind the Kelmyar Clan, and the reasoning behind them never showing themselves.
“So, basically, they just want to live their lives in peace and protect their kind,” Faye confirmed as they came to the next statue.
“Yes. The dragon shifters are one of the most powerful of the paranormal world, and it’s best for them to stay hidden.”
“Who is that?” Faye gasped as they came upon a fierce dragon who appeared to be ready for battle. The fierceness of the eyes, the display of the sharp talons, caused her breath to catch in her throat. She could almost feel the power radiating off of it as she stared at the copper statue.
“Go ahead. Look at the nameplate.” Dalma gave her a nudge and a smile.
Faye stepped up to it and looked down at
the nameplate.
Vander Kelmyar, The Warrior.
It was a depiction of her dragon.
Her warrior dragon, who was currently off ensuring that she was protected by taking out the threat of an evil dragon.
She reached out a hand and laid it on Vander’s dragon. She allowed her fingers to trace along the smooth metal of his arm and down to the talons, as she stared up in awe at the massive statue.
She closed her eyes and sent up a short prayer, knowing that wherever he may be, he was probably in danger, trying to keep her safe. But, looking at the fierceness of the dragon in front of her, she thought it was the evil dragon who should be worried.
“He really cares for you.” Dalma’s soft voice broke through her thoughts as she came to stand next to her.
“And I, him,” she murmured, opening her eyes. She wished that she could tell him how she felt at the moment, but knew that she would have to wait. Their relationship was a whirlwind, and blowing by too fast. Her mind and heart were in the middle of a battle. Her mind screamed that this was not normal, and that they should take their time getting to know each other, while her heart was steadfast in its belief.
You love who you love.
Even though she was in the midst of an internal battle, something whispered to her to hold on tight. He was the one for her. She slowly backed up from the statue, unable to take her eyes off Vander’s dragon. She just knew that it would be magnificent in person, and she couldn’t wait for him to return.
“Now, let’s move on. We have more of the family to show you,” Dalma said with a twinkle in her eye.
“These statues are beautiful, and I’m sure they don’t do their dragons justice,” Faye replied with a laugh. She entwined her arms with the older woman’s, thrilled to be able to learn more about Vander’s family.
“They don’t. I’m sure Vander has planned to have you meet—”
Her words were cut off by the sounds of a deafening roar from above. Faye covered her ears and looked above as a shadow passed overhead. She froze in place as her eyes locked on that of a black dragon. It was larger than she would have ever expected. It was easily longer than a few hundred feet. Her mouth flapped open as she watched it fly away. She didn’t need to be told who the dragon was.