by R. E. Butler
“I understand. Do you need assistance?”
Brone shook his head as a handful of males who scented of vampire strode by. One of the vampires stared into each human’s eyes, causing the humans to slip into a catatonic state. The humans were untied and carried away by the vampires.
“That was freaking amazing,” Deci murmured.
Alli grinned. “Some of the vamps have the power of suggestion. He put them to sleep so they’d be easier to handle.”
“We’ll take care of them and share whatever we find out with you. I’m sorry you were kidnapped and drugged, but I’m thankful you’re safe now,” Arissa said.
Before Deci could answer, a young dragon male rushed by, calling Arissa’s name and leaping into her arms.
“My lady!” the little boy said, laughing happily as Arissa swung him in a circle.
“Hello, Sang! How is my fierce warrior?” Arissa put him down and knelt in front of him.
“Good. Can I visit soon?”
“Of course. Where’s your papa?”
“He’s resting. He healed our future queen.”
Arissa met Deci’s gaze and smiled. “He’s a wonderful healer. Did you get a tattoo?”
“Um, no?” Deci said, looking to Tosh in confusion.
“When Dae healed Arissa, she was near death, so the healing imprinted a tattoo of a dragon on her back. It made her a part of our nest in a way that is wholly unique. She became, in essence, a member of Dae’s family. She was already Sang’s kore, which is the person he has vowed to protect with his life,” Tosh explained.
Arissa hugged Sang tightly and kissed his cheek. “I’m very lucky to have such a fierce protector.”
“Is there anything you dragons can’t do?” Deci whispered to Tosh with a smile.
He wanted to tell her that no, there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do – wouldn’t do for her – but he’d already failed to keep her safe only days after they’d met. He would never forget the sense of utter loss when their connection had been severed.
Arissa kissed Sang on the cheek and he moved away into the crowd, and then she and Brone said their goodbyes and left.
Alli hugged Deci briefly and said, “Are you still going to be queen? What’s happening?”
“We will deal with the traitors according to our laws, and then Deci and I will be mated and crowned. I’m abolishing the laws regarding the timing of the coronation,” Tosh said.
The nest erupted into cheers, and Deci said, “Where is Jun? She’s my historical encyclopedia.”
“Right here, my lady,” Jun said. The female had been drugged with a poison that had scarred her badly on her shoulder where Meiling had used her claws on her. When Jun had awoken from the effects of the drugs, she’d insisted on being at the sacred grove to help in any way possible. “Liu and I will help you get ready for the ceremony after the traitors have been dealt with.”
“Fan-fucking-tastic,” Alli said, cracking her knuckles. “Can I kick them in their soft bits for a while? I feel the need to inflict some pain for being drugged and left naked on a table.”
Deci covered her mouth, but Tosh could still hear her laugh. He kissed her and said, “Now, my mate, I’ll show you how the king handles traitors and usurpers.”
“I’ve got your back, my king.”
Chapter 12
Deci stood next to Tosh as he addressed the nest. Just behind her stood Alli, Jun, and Liu. She decided there wasn’t anyone else she’d want more at her back during this time – when her mate was facing decisions that would alter the nest forever. Deci felt thankful for Liu, with her hundreds of years of service to the royal family, and Jun, with her knowledge of all things related to the nest and its laws, and Alli, who was always ready to throw down on behalf of her friends.
She glanced over her shoulder and saw that just behind the women were her guards, looking worse for the wear. They were alive, though, and that’s what mattered. She nodded at Zhen and Tai, and they returned the gesture; then they looked past her to where Tosh stood in the center of the clearing.
It bummed her out that the flower petals strewn over the clearing for their ceremonies had been ruined, but she was thankful to be alive and to have made it through the harrowing situation relatively unharmed.
She was glad that the wolves who had been in the room with her hadn’t raped her, but she knew just how close it had been. She’d lost almost all the strength to fight them off. If Tosh hadn’t shown up when he did, she didn’t want to think about what might have happened and how it would have destroyed her.
Tosh’s voice was clear as he spoke. “There is no one more precious to a dragon than his truemate. When a truemate is placed into mortal harm through the designs of another dragon, those responsible are held to the highest accountability. Bring me the traitors.”
Deci shivered at the emotionless tone in Tosh’s voice. Through their connection as mates, she could feel his steely resolve and the lingering guilt. She knew he harbored guilt at what had happened to her, but she held no blame toward him. There wasn’t any way that he, or anyone else, could have known what Yuon had planned.
The guards brought the four dragons before Tosh and forced them to their knees. Yuon’s face was harsh with disgust, but the other three wore expressions of fright and resignation.
“What have you to say for yourself, Yuon?” Tosh asked.
Yuon glared at Tosh but said nothing.
Tosh motioned to the nest, and a female glided forward. She was tall and curvy, with long, dark hair and a tattoo that wrapped around her throat. She stopped in front of Tosh, bowed her head, and then turned to Yuon. Her hand shot out, and she grasped his neck and lowered her head until she was just inches from Yuon’s face. A golden glow slowly built between the two, and the tattoo on her neck changed color from black to blue.
Jun’s voice was a bare whisper as she moved to stand next to Deci. “That’s Maggie. The power of her family line is one of mind manipulation. It’s similar to what some vampires can do. Using her power, she can read the mind of someone, even long-buried secrets and forgotten memories.”
Yuon’s face contorted, and he seemed to be struggling against whatever Maggie was doing to him. Her tattoo turned bright blue as the golden glow became almost blinding, and when Maggie spoke, her voice sounded haunting and ethereal.
“Yuon arranged for the future queen’s abduction by the scientists at the warehouse. Meiling was indebted to Yuon, who saved her grandparents’ home from bankruptcy when she was young. He forced her to befriend the future queen and then to drug her so she could be taken to the warehouse.”
“Did he know what would happen to her at the warehouse?” Tosh asked.
“He watched her being dosed with the breeding drug. He didn’t care what happened to her, only that she suffered and that you, sire, suffered as well.”
Tosh looked at Deci, his eyes flashing to the color of his dragon. “He wanted to take over the nest?”
“Yes, sire.” Maggie grunted slightly and the tattoo seemed to throb. “He would have had you killed.”
The nest gasped, and an angry murmur rose up from them. Deci wanted to run to Tosh’s side, her bear full of murderous intent.
Yuon screamed suddenly as Maggie’s tattoo glowed even more brightly. “Your parents’ deaths were engineered by him,” she said.
Deci moved to Tosh and took his hand in hers. His body tensed, and he looked down at her. “I don’t understand,” he said.
Yuon’s eyes rolled back, and he slumped to the ground as Maggie released him. She looked at Tosh and shivered from head to toe, and then she slipped to her knees. Jun rushed to Maggie’s side and stopped her from falling over completely.
“Your mother was poisoned when you were young. Yuon bribed a mansion cook to poison her meal. He had hoped that your father would be so grief stricken that he would step down as king. As you were too young to take over, Yuon would have been given the kingship in your place. He had your father killed during the hunt and
carried his body to a natural wolf pack that destroyed his body and any evidence of Yuon’s deadly intervention. He had hoped that because you were unmated and he was much older and wiser than you, that the elders would put him in place temporarily, during which time he’d arrange for your death. But they didn’t, and so he began to plan a way to kill you and take over. You met Deci, and he changed his plan to include her.”
Maggie’s skin paled and she lowered her head with a heavy sigh.
Tosh shook his head. “I always wondered about their deaths. Now I know the truth.”
“I’m sorry,” Deci whispered.
Tosh wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
He released his tight hold on her and turned to face the nest. “Our laws are clear. Abduction and harm of any royal nest member, including queen-regent, is punishable by death. As the rightful heir and leader of the nest, I charge you Yuon Otaki, Ge When, Brandon Young, and Rine Lau with treason, and I sentence you to death by combat. I choose Zixin, Wei, and Gen to fight beside me.”
Zixin, Wei, and Gen stepped up and bowed before Tosh.
Gen looked up, the glint of tears in his eyes, and said, “I will honor your parents and you tonight, sire.”
Zixin pressed his fist to his chest and said, “They will not see the dawn.”
“It is our honor to fight beside you,” Wei said.
Tosh called to Dai, Lok, Tai, and Zhen. “Keep the future queen safe.”
Jun and Liu joined Deci as she stepped back to the edge of the clearing, surrounded by the guards. She blew a kiss to Tosh, and he nodded before stripping from his trousers and shifting into his dragon. Zixin, Wei, and Gen shifted, and together the four males bellowed their rage to the sky. The dragons holding the four traitors released them and stepped away. It took only a heartbeat for the traitors to try and shift. Gen pounced on Rine before the male had even shifted completely, taking him into the air, high above the treetops.
Tosh, Zixin, and Wei each grabbed one of the traitors, Tosh taking his uncle with a furious roar and carrying him upward. Deci lost sight of them through the trees, but she couldn’t miss the sounds of the fighting – snapping jaws, flapping wings, and pain-filled screams.
A shiver wove down Deci’s spine. She had no doubt that the traitors would die, high above the sacred grove.
“My lady?” Jun said softly.
“Hmm?”
“Liu and I need to get you ready for the ceremonies.”
Chewing on her lip, Deci pulled her attention away from the treetops and looked at the young dragon. “Is it too much? Shouldn’t we wait a while?”
Liu’s brow rose. “Wait for what?”
“Dragons are dying up there.”
“Traitors,” Jun said.
“I know, but it just seems strange to be dressing up for the ceremonies when my mate is up there killing his uncle and last-living relative.”
Liu tutted. “Males are fierce. To put off the executions for the ceremonies wouldn’t be prudent. It’s important for the prince to ensure your safety from today forward, and that means those males need to die. Now.”
There was a loud crunching sound above them, and a few of the dragon males shifted and took to the air.
“Where are they going?” Deci asked.
“To help dispose of the bodies,” Jun said. “Put everything from your mind but the ceremonies. Today you’re going to become our queen in truth. The prince is showing the nest that he will kill to protect you. You need to show the nest that you will stand beside your mate through anything and everything.”
Deci nodded in understanding. “Dragons aren’t warm and fuzzy.”
Liu snorted. “Not when it comes to the safety of their mates and their families.”
She looked upward to where her mate was dealing with the dragon who killed his parents and had planned to kill them. That a family member could be so consumed with becoming a leader that he would stoop so low baffled Deci. He must have been evil from the inside out.
“I’m ready to be queen and to stand by Tosh for the rest of our lives.”
* * *
Tosh carried the body of his uncle toward the nest’s burial grounds. He felt strange – both sad and elated. He’d fought and killed before, but never someone in his own family. Behind him, his guards carried the bodies of the other traitors. He’d known his uncle wasn’t happy to be passed over for leader of the nest to the point of delusion, but to know that other males had acted in concert with him, had known that Deci could be raped and harmed by their actions, caused him to feel betrayed all the way to his soul.
The burial grounds came into view at the edge of the dragon’s territory, and Tosh lowered himself to the ground. The ground was cold and covered in snow, but several dragons had flown ahead and prepared it, digging a deep trench for the bodies. The males stood next to the enormous hole, their claws caked with dirt and their chests heaving with exertion.
Gen, Zixin, and Wei laid the traitors’ bodies in the trench, and then Tosh laid his uncle with them. He stared down at his uncle, whose body was the same color as his mother’s burnished copper. Among the many things he wished for that day was that his parents were still alive, and that Deci had never known how much evil could exist in the world.
Tosh lifted his head and bayed mournfully to the sky. The scent of accelerant filled the air as the trench was doused with it, the bitter scent making Tosh’s nose twitch. Inhaling deeply, he accessed his fire-breathing abilities and blew an intense stream of flame over the bodies. He watched as the bodies were engulfed with flames, and then he turned his back on the sight and took flight. Gen, Zixin, and Wei joined him in the air as he wheeled toward the clearing where his mate was getting ready for their ceremonies. Although the day had been marred with bloodshed, it was ending in a way that started a new chapter of their lives. Deci was already his mate and a part of his soul, but now she would be his in truth and stand by his side as ruler of the nest.
It was time to move forward, and he could think of no one he wanted by his side more than Deci.
* * *
Deci looked down at the beautiful green gown. It was the exact color of Tosh’s dragon, an amazing dark green that shimmered in the sunlight streaming through the trees. She sat on a tree stump while Liu fixed her hair. Using matching green ribbon, she braided sections of Deci’s hair, entwining the ribbon and pinning the braids into a bun at the nape of her neck. Jun returned from where she had been working with other dragon females to repair the clearing so it looked as nice as it had before.
“The prince is back and waiting for you,” Jun said.
Liu finished off a braid and then looped it around the bun, pinning it securely. “You look like a queen,” she said.
“Not quite,” Tosh said as he stepped into view. He wore trousers and a tunic the same color as Deci’s gown. He didn’t take his eyes off Deci as he said, “If you’ll excuse us, I’d like to speak to my mate for a moment.”
Jun and Liu bowed their heads and slipped away.
“Humans think its bad luck to see each other before the ceremony,” Deci said as Tosh held his hand out to her and helped her stand.
“We’re not human, but even if we were, there’s something that I want you to have.”
“What? You already saved my life and have ensured that we’re both safe in the future. In a few minutes, we’ll be mated and crowned. I have everything I need.”
His other hand, which had been behind his back, appeared, and between his finger and thumb was a diamond ring.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
“You are,” he said. “I want us to belong to each other in every way, Deci, and that includes becoming husband and wife in the eyes of the human government. Will you marry me?”
“Of course!” she said.
He grinned, sliding the ring onto her finger and then tugging her lightly against him. “We can get married in the spring, so your sister ca
n come if you’d like.”
“I’d love that.”
He kissed her, and she rose onto her toes and kissed him more fully. “Careful, my future queen. I wouldn’t want to wrinkle your beautiful gown.”
“Your kisses are worth a little bit of wrinkling.”
He cupped her face. “There was never a more radiant queen, mate, or wife, than you, December. I’m honored that you’re mine.”
She stared into his eyes, finding herself falling for the dragon who had, at first, swiped her buck, but then stole her heart. “I’m so glad you’re mine, too.”
He pressed his lips to hers, and her bear growled in happiness. His dragon answered with a soft growl.
“Are you ready to be queen?”
“I’m ready for anything.”
* * *
Tosh held Deci’s hand and escorted her to the edge of the clearing, where he faced Gen, who wore a vest made of the same material as Tosh’s and Deci’s clothing.
“Thank you for honoring me,” Gen said, bowing deeply.
Tosh placed Deci’s hand in Gen’s and then looked at her once more before walking to where Bao and Quon waited. The nest stood in the clearing in two sections, with a space between them to resemble an aisle. The flower petals, which had all but been ruined by the earlier events, had been replaced with pine boughs that lined the edges of the aisle in dark green, mimicking the scales of Tosh’s dragon.
A young dragon female played a soft tune on a violin as Gen escorted Deci down the aisle. The nest bowed their heads in reverence as the bride passed by, and a hush fell over the woods as if the world itself were watching with baited breath.
Bao opened the book containing the mating ceremony and said, “Who brings this female to join with this male?”