Drake’s eyes widened as he looked at the barely five-foot-tall spitfire of a woman that had been running our house since shortly after our arrival on earth. “Hilde, I’m sorry. You know I didn’t mean to.” He turned his charming grin on the woman, knowing full well that it never worked on her. I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped my mouth.
Thwack!
She brought down the spoon on the back of his hand. “Ow!” He shouted.
“Manners, Drakon. Manners. Your father raised you boys as gentlemen and I expect you to act as such,” she scolded. The familiar words were forced into our heads, not that we needed them. Honor was a staunch value among dragons, and manners and respect were deeply ingrained in our upbringing as Dragonkyn. We just liked to have a bit of fun and rattle Hilde from time to time.
Thwack!
This time it was his bicep. “You are princes of the house of Black Dragons.” Thwack! “You will” Thwack! “Chew with” Thwack! “Your mouth shut” Thwack!
The final blow landed, and I howled with laughter. Poor Drake looked contrite after Hilde laid into him.
My laughter quickly died as she turned towards me with fire in her eyes, “And you, no laughing or antagonizing your brother. I know you, Alexandros, you egged him on.” My gaze didn’t leave the deadly spoon she waved about in her hands, accenting each of her words in a threatening manner as she approached me.
“Yeah, Xander, don’t antagonize me,” Drake taunted, sticking his tongue out, acting like a child rather than the almost twenty-five-year-old dragons we were.
Hilde just sighed, shaking her head, muttered something neither of us could make out as she left the room through the swinging door.
“So, brother, what has you in such a tizzy this morning? Another dream?” Drake arched an eyebrow at me, setting his fork down and leaning back in his chair.
I raked my fingers through my hair in agitation as I told him of the dream. “I have never seen her face before last night. I mean, I know it was the same woman, but before it was just flashes, her scent, the flow of her hair, a glimpse of her eyes. I don’t understand why I drop her. I feel such a connection to her, why would I kill her? It doesn’t make any sense.”
Drake narrowed his eyes, considering my words carefully. “And your other dreams of this woman?”
I groaned. “Nothing as intense or detailed as last night. This time, I saw her fully, and fuck Drake, she was beautiful. Her eyes, her hair, her body.” I sank down into the seat and looked upwards, squeezing my eyes shut tightly, imagining her curves.
“Dude, it sounds like she is your mate,” Drake whispered hesitantly.
The words caused me to still. I hadn’t even thought of that possibility. We had heard of times where dragons had premonitions or dreams of their fated before meeting, but never before reaching the age of maturity. It was why the thought had never even crossed my mind. This was beginning to be much more complicated than I first expected. I needed to have a discussion with my father. He would know something. He had to.
“Damn it, Drake, if that is the case, then this fucking sucks,” I answered, letting my fork fall against my plate with a clatter. Because the foreboding feeling I got when dropping her to her death made it obvious that my dreams were trying to tell me something.
“Yeah, Xander, it does.”
----------------
“Enter,” My dad’s strong voice called from the other side of the door after my knuckles rasped against the dark wood.
“Pateros,” I hesitated, using the word for Father in our native tongue as Drake and I had always done. “I was wondering if you had a moment?”
I knew he was extremely busy with preparations for the ball as well as trying to pinpoint the movements of the Brotherhood for a Pure Society. The Brotherhood was an anti-Dragonkyn movement that had existed for several years but had made a strong push in the last six months, gaining momentum and followers.
I never understood what the Brotherhood had against us. We did nothing to hurt human society. In fact, we’d done the exact opposite. We shared our technology and scientific knowledge with the humans, allowing them to invent cures to some of their deadliest diseases. They had perfected space travel because of us, cured cancer because of us, yet they were not grateful. Factions like the Brotherhood still insisted we had nefarious intentions behind our arrival on Earth.
“Yes, son, what is it?” He removed the glasses from the bridge of his nose and held his hand out, gesturing for me to take a seat opposite him.
Sighing, I took my seat and took in his appearance. Lately, I had begun to think the stress of this life was starting to get to him. The lines around his eyes deepened, the dark circles beneath more pronounced. I knew he wasn’t sleeping. My father was the strongest person I knew, always carrying the weight of his people on his shoulders, and after losing my mother, he had no one left to share the burden with.
I often wished there was more that I could do to help bear the load.
“I hate to bring this to you, but I need some advice.” I hesitated.
“Son,” he sighed, rubbing his temples. “I have always told you and your brother that no matter the significance, you can come to me with anything. Now what is it that has you in such knots?” His lips curled up slightly in a semblance of a smile, seeing right through me.
“I’ve been having a recurring dream. Not the same dream mind you, but of the same person.” I paused. “A woman.”
He leaned forward in his chair, his amber eyes glowing with excitement. “Tell me about her, Alexandros.”
“At first, I never saw her face or even her body, it was as if she was stuck in a fog, but I felt her. Her presence would overwhelm me.” He nodded his approval. “Then last night, I saw her. She was the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on and something inside me snapped.” I swallowed harshly, trying to find a way to go on to the next part of the dream.
“But then, something happened. I shifted into my dragon. I scooped her up in my talons and we were flying through the sky. Then, I released her. I let her go. Let her fall down to the ground and her death.” I couldn’t meet his gaze. I dropped my head down in shame and clenched my fists. “How could I have done something like that, Pateros? Why?”
He leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply, his eyes calm. “Alexandros, it was just a dream, it doesn’t mean anything.” I couldn’t believe the words. His tone when he said them didn’t sit quite right with me. He knew more than he let on.
“You have always said that dreams can be a premonition.” I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to determine what he was hiding.
“They can, but not always. It doesn’t sound like it in this case, my son. I wouldn’t worry about it.” He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “You have two weeks until your birthday, you have enough on your plate to worry about. This dream is nothing more than a stress induced event. You are simply worried about coming of age and finding a mate. It is perfectly reasonable.” He nodded, considering the discussion closed.
Rising from my seat, I blinked in confusion. This is not how I expected this conversation to go. There was something going on with my father, he knew more than he was letting on. “Thank you, Pateros. You’re probably right. I will go, let off some steam by taking a good long flight.” I smiled, although it didn’t quite reach my eyes, and turned to leave.
“Alexandros, please do not worry about this, all will be fine.” He tried to reassure me.
I nodded without turning back in his direction and shut the door behind me.
Chapter 4
Xander
Two Weeks Later
“I hate wearing this shit,” Drake remarked, tugging at his cravat in the mirror. “Why Pateros insists we always look like we came out of Earth era Regency England I have no idea.” He rolled his eyes as he tugged down the ends of his black suit jacket, tails flapping out behind him.
We were both on edge, the ball started the night before our birthday and would stretch past mid
night, when we would turn twenty-five and reach our maturity. I knew Drake was just as anxious as I was. There was something about this night, something about this party that was going to happen.
“I feel like this damned thing is choking me.” I situated the fancy knot, meeting my brother’s gaze in the mirror, grimacing.
“You and me both, brother,” he groaned.
“Let’s get this over with,” I muttered, turning on my heel and leaving the room.
Drake and I plastered on smiles as we stood beside our father, greeting the guests as they arrived. Human and Dragonkyn alike flooded the vast ballroom for what was deemed the party of the decade. Many of our kind had been waiting years for us to reach our maturity, as we were the last remaining children born of our home world.
“My King, thank you so much for the invitation.” Maximos shook my father’s hand firmly, his infant daughter balanced on his other hip. “This little gorgeous princess is Larissa.” He cooed at his daughter, who smiled and giggled in response.
Dimitros smiled widely and took Larissa from her father’s arms, holding her up before cuddling her to his chest. The girl planted a wet kiss against his cheek and squealed as his beard tickled her face.
Father had always adored children. He took every opportunity there was to visit with the men who had sired children, spending time with them and getting to know their mates and offspring. Just another reason why he was our beloved ruler.
Maximos laughed as Larissa tugged at the strands of Father’s beard. “She is a grabby one, my King, you better watch it.” His mate, Anja, joined them, a look of horror on her face as her daughter began tugging in earnest at the king’s face.
“Larissa, no.” Anja breathed, trying to extract her daughter from his grasp. “I’m so sorry, your majesty, we have been working on having her not grab at things, but...”
We all started laughing. Maximos gathered his mate into his arms and placed a gentle kiss into her hair. “Darling, it is quite alright. Trust me, the king has dealt with much worse than an eight-month-old tugging at his beard.” He bent down and whispered more words into her ear.
Anja dropped her eyes, a blush staining her cheeks, and Dimitros continued to bounce the small girl. “Anja, your daughter is utterly beautiful and a wonderful baby. You should be proud.”
Our king always did have a way with words. I could see the sheen of tears in Anja’s eyes as Maximos tightened his arm around her shoulders. “Thank you, your majesty. She is our pride and joy,” she whispered in response.
“Anja, please, call me Dimitros, you don’t need to be so formal.” He smiled and returned Larissa to her mother. Anja gaped at him, and then turned to her mate, confusion clouding her features. Larissa let out a loud yawn and then squirmed in her mother's arms until she settled against her shoulder.
“Thank you, Dimitros.”
My father smiled brightly, giving Anja a small hug before placing a gentle kiss on Larissa’s forehead. He shook Maximos’ hand again before they departed.
Drake snorted in laughter as he left. “Maximos has grown soft since he mated.”
“Shut up,” I slapped him across the back of the head. “He is happy. We can only be so lucky.” I added, jealousy clear in my voice.
“Thank you, Alexandros.” Father smiled, winking at me. “You will both understand more when you find your mates.”
“Why do you always pick on me?” Drake sighed as he rubbed the back of his head.
“Oh, boo hoo,” I scoffed, teasing him.
“We all know it’s the TV show that made him soft.” Klaas, the captain of the Elite Dragon Flight, commented as he approached from the right. He wore a soft smile on his face, his dark eyes focused, ever searching the room for threats. Long brown hair was secured with a queue at the back of his neck and he was dressed in his formal armor for the occasion.
“That’s right, I forgot about that silly reality TV show that he is on. What is it called again? Baby Daddy?” Drake comments, causing me to laugh.
Drake’s deep belly roll laughter answered mine and I even heard Klaas let out a chuckle. “Dragon Daddies, that’s what it’s called.” I finally remembered the title of the show. “God, I can’t believe that I agreed to do it with that horrendous title. Whose idea was that anyways?”
“Mine.” Father answered, leveling me with a gaze that challenged me to make a further comment.
“Okay, changing subject.” Drake said, whistling loudly.
Klaas approached father and whispered something in his ear, to which Father nodded and Klaas returned to his post by the door. “What was that all about?” I asked, cocking my head at my father.
“Nothing you need to be concerned about, Son.” He smiled, “Have fun, mingle, meet some women.” He clasped a hand on each of our shoulders and squeezed tightly. He turned on his heel and left the room.
“Am I the only one who thought that whole exchange with Klaas very strange?” Drake remarked, taking a long pull from his glass of champagne.
“No, brother. It was strange indeed.”
Aleria
“Fuck.” I cursed as I stepped on the hem of my dress. I heard the hiss of the fabric tearing and prayed that it wouldn’t be something too noticeable. Damn mother for her dress selection. The black dress flowed in waves off my curvy figure, accentuating my breasts and lush hips, but the hem line was way too long and I was constantly stepping on it. The heels that she had paired with it were too wobbly and I couldn’t balance very well.
“Damn it, Mother, I hate you.” I gathered the skirts in my fist and made my way up the stairs of the grand house. This place was amazing, a dream come true. I just wish that I could be here under better circumstances.
“Name?” the doorman asked as I approached. My face was flushed with frustration and exertion after climbing the stairs and sweat beaded along my brow.
“Aleria Mikkelsen.”
“Thank you, Ms. Mikkelsen, if you would please step this way, we just need to check your clutch to make sure you don’t have any weapons.” He swept a hand to indicate a table where a security guard, dressed in a fancy black suit, stood.
I smiled and tilted my head in response. I didn’t have any weapons, just my phone, make up and a few other items that would be considered harmless. Nothing to hide in there. I opened the small beaded bag and after a quick glance the monster of a man waved me through.
“Wow,” I gasped as I glanced up in the ballroom. This place was utterly magical. Crystal chandeliers lined the room, bathing the room in a soft glow. In the middle of the arched ceiling hung a massive piece that had to be taller than my five-and-a-half-foot height. It glittered, throwing rainbows of colors along the painted murals. The portraits showed dragons flying, playing, eating and gathering in peace. I was struck by the details of the wings, the colors of the different dragons as they flew across the room.
“I know that look, this must be your first time here.”
I spun around when I heard the deep voice, my pointed heel catching on my skirt again. Large, muscled arms wrapped around my waist, securing me tightly as I laid my hands against the wall of a firm chest.
“Thank-“The rest of the words died in my throat as I looked up at him. It was Alexandros, one of the dragon princes. My heart rate quickened as I explored his features, midnight blue eyes looked at me with concern. His face was regal, with full arched eyebrows, high cheekbones and full lush lips.
“I know you,” he breathed, recognition sparking in his expression.
I blinked in confusion. “I’m sorry, your majesty, but I don’t believe we have actually met.” I whispered.
I felt his chest rumble beneath my fingertips as he growled low and deep in his throat, a shiver running down my spine at the sound. My eyes looked him up and down, taking in his handsome appearance. He looked even more gorgeous in person. His black hair was slicked back from his face, secured at the back of his neck with a simple tie. Crisp white shirt, sable black suit jacket and a maroon old-style crav
at centered below his powerful throat. Everything about this man called to the woman inside of me.
“My apologies.” He cleared his throat, taking a quick step backwards. “My name is Alexandros.” He lowered himself into a bow, never taking his intense eyes off my face. Heat crept up my chest and a flush spread over my cheeks.
“Aleria Mikkelsen, your majesty.” I held out a hand before realizing that was a socially inappropriate move. I blanched and moved to take my hand back, but Alexandros captured it between his large fingers and brought it to his mouth.
“A pleasure to meet you Aleria. Please drop this ‘your majesty’ nonsense. We don’t have many formalities here.” His lips brushed over the bare skin of my knuckles, causing a shiver of excitement to run through me. This man was good. Heat pooled in my lower belly and I clenched my thighs together as he smiled at me, showing just a hint of his perfect white teeth.
“You can call me Alexandros, but I prefer Xander.” His pink tongue traced a small line along my skin before releasing me, making me shiver again.
“I-I-“Stammering, my brain would not form a sentence as I tilted my head back to look at the dragon prince towering over me. “Thank you, Xander,” I finally was able to spit out.
“You are very welcome, Aleria.” He drew the back of his hand down my cheek, and I savored his feel of his hands upon my body. “I must attend to my father now, but will you save a dance for me, little one?”
I nodded and he smiled in response. “Good. Until later, Aleria.” I was rooted in place, watching his lythe form move across the room, the muscles in his legs showcased by his tight breaches, his firm ass drawing my ultimate attention. A shiver of desire ran through me as my heart fluttered in my chest. My response to this man was visceral and primal.
Good lord, I was in trouble.
Chapter 5
Queens of Wings & Storms Page 52