Queens of Wings & Storms

by Angela Sanders et al.

  “You will have to get used to people wanting to impress you, my love. It is part of your world now.” I smirked, winking at her shocked expression.

  She swallowed, not looking up from her plate as she nodded. “I am not used to even being noticed, much less people trying to actually impress me. It is a lot to take in right now.” She said, her voice soft.

  I tried to respond, but my father chose that moment to walk through the door, causing the three of us to rise from our seats out of formality.

  “Ah, Aleria, my child.” His eyes sparkled in greeting as he took Aleria’s hand and placed a gentle kiss across her knuckles. “It is good to see you again.” He embraced her, his gesture one of fatherly affection. My heart beats faster in my chest. Seeing my mate be accepted by my father and king made my pride soar.

  Dinner passed with ease, my father charming Aleria with his wit, and in return Aleria had my father wrapped around her little finger. His eyes kept meeting mine, as if to convey their approval of my mate, but there was something lingering behind the dark depths. I arched a brow at him to signal a question, but he brushed it off with a subtle shake of his head.

  Shortly after we finished eating, Ashley arrived with the items requested from Aleria’s residence. Klaas escorted her into the dining room as we rose to leave, both with severe expressions on their face, but wiped them clean when Aleria returned to us.

  “Aleria, this is Ashley, my PA, and the brooding giant there is Klaas, the captain of our elite guard.” Ashley plastered on a smile and reached out to shake her hand. Klaas said nothing, only nodded in her direction to acknowledge the greeting.

  He must have found something very interesting in her background for him to act so coldly to her. He was a severe, quiet man, but never downright rude like this. The action was an obvious snub.

  “Here are your things, Aleria. Your parents gave me quite a fit and wouldn’t let me see Sariah as you requested, and then they wouldn’t let me get a few of the items on your list.” Ashley was flustered, with a fire in her eyes and redness in her cheeks. “I had printed the list so I circled those things, it’s on top of the suitcase when you open it.”

  Aleria bristled, her back going stiff as she listened to Ashley. “I’m sorry they gave you trouble. I appreciate you getting these for me.” She turned, suitcase in hand and started walking up the stairs.

  She paused, looking back at me. “Xander, I am exhausted, it is alright if I just go to bed now?” Eyes shining with moisture, Aleria’s expression pleaded with me to let her have some time to herself.

  Letting out a deep breath, I placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Are you alright getting back to our rooms on your own? I have a few items to discuss with Ashley and Klaas.”

  I watched, heart in my throat, as she nodded and walked away.

  My head jerked in the direction of the study, making my way there with Ashley and Klaas close behind me. Pouring myself a drink, I closed my eyes and spoke, “Ashley, tell me what happened?”

  She sighed, her arms crossed over her chest, her agitation had eased but she was still visibly upset. “Those people are monsters, Xander. You need to stay as far away from that girl as possible. There is no way that you can be around that evil without it rubbing off on you.” She shuddered.

  My anger rose, a growl rumbling in my chest. “What are you talking about? How are they evil?”

  “There was an overwhelming feeling of evil in that entire house. The way they talked, the way they moved, the way they watched me. It scared me, Xander, and you know nothing really scares me other than spiders.” Her breathing became heavy. Klaas settled an arm over her shoulder, providing her with a comforting touch. I could feel him pour some of his energy into the small human, feeding her positive emotions.

  “Her uncle was the worst of all of them. He is a vile man. The way his eyes lingered on me. It made me sick.” Klaas gathered her into a hug as the tears pooled in her eyes. Ashley was an extremely strong woman, but very susceptible to evil entities, making her the perfect judge of character. If she said that Aleria’s family was evil, then evil they were.

  The thought made me sick inside. I knew that Aleria was not like that, even if she had been raised by it. I had seen into her soul, seen her light. She wasn’t like that, was she? Was I blinded by the bond somehow?

  “Ash, I am very sorry that you had to go through that.” I said softly as she sniffled into Klaas’s black shirt.

  “Please, Xander, I care too much about you to see you get hurt. You need to push her away.” Ashley pleaded with me, her eyes wild.

  I shook my head with regret. “It is too late for that, Ash. She is my mate, there is nothing that I can do.” I paused. “She isn’t like them, she isn’t evil.” I muttered under my breath, knowing in my heart that what I said was the truth. My dragon would not accept such a mate for us.

  “Ashley, love, why don’t you go see Drake and have him give you something to help you sleep tonight? Take one of the guest rooms on the west side of the house.” Klaas said thoughtfully.

  She nodded in response, giving him a small smile of thanks before leaving us in the study.

  I poured another drink, holding up a glass to Klaas, offering him one as well. He took it with a grateful bow of his head. “So, I am sure you have even more to add to that lovely conversation.” Sarcasm dripped from my words.

  Klaas exhaled, “I’m afraid so, My Prince.” He knocked back the amber liquid, handing the glass back to me for a refill. “From the intelligence I have gathered, it is looking like her uncle and father may be high level members of the Brotherhood.”

  The glass shattered in my hand, blood mingling with the alcohol as it dripped down my fingers to the floor as I cursed. “Do you think she is involved as well?” I snagged a towel from beneath the wet bar and picked the glass out of my flesh.

  “I don’t believe so, but I also don’t think it was a coincidence that she was at the ball yesterday either.” Klaas crossed his arms over his wide chest and pinned me with a stare. “You do need to tread carefully, My Prince. You may be mated, but that does not mean that she won’t betray you. There is something that she is hiding and it has to do with her family, I am sure of it.”

  “What about her sister? Did she lie to me about that?” I asked through gritted teeth.

  Klaas shook his head, his look turning to one of pity. “Unfortunately, that is completely true. The girl has been seriously ill most of her life. The medical records are extensive. The worst part of it all is that the parents don’t seem to care about her at all.” He growled in disgust. Our honor as Dragonkyn placed a high priority on children and their treatment. To hear of a parent treating their children in such a manner would set any sane Dragonkyn on fire with rage.

  “The nurse that I talked with at the clinic that the girl goes to said that Aleria is the one that takes her to all of her appointments. She even added that they have tried to contact the parents on numerous occasions and have been hung up on saying that they couldn’t be bothered with matters so trivial.”

  At least Aleria was telling the truth about Sariah. One small thing that made me feel better, but to know that her father and uncle may be high ranking members of the Brotherhood? That made my dragon claw to the surface, raging for revenge against the slight of my people.

  “What do you suggest we do now, Klaas?” I sat heavily in the armchair, my head in my hands as my weariness took hold.

  He settled a firm hand on my shoulder, squeezing in reassurance. “We need to trust our instincts in this matter. What are they telling you about your mate?”

  I hesitated, trying to put into words the feeling surrounding my mate. “I don’t believe she wants to harm me, or any dragon for that matter, but she is hiding something. Something that could potentially harm us. It is almost as if they are holding something over her head, forcing her to do something against her will.” I ran my fingers through my hair in agitation as the captain looked down at me.

  “I agree,
and I think it has to do with the sister. I have already discussed her condition with Drake and he agrees that he would be able to treat her.” He paused. “With your permission, I would like to plan an operation to remove the girl from that wretched home.”

  “What about Pateros, don’t we need to discuss this with him?”

  My father walked through the door giving him a knowing look, “My son, I am already one hundred percent aware of the situation and agree wholeheartedly with Klaas and his assessment, as well as you regarding your little mate.” Dimitros stroked his black beard, drifting his eyes between Klaas and I. “While the girl may be hiding something, there is no way she can be that good of an actor to fool us all. Not you, anyway, son.” He nodded.

  “Thank you, Pateros.” I inclined my head in appreciation.

  “Of course, my son. Now, Klaas, let’s rescue the poor girl and get to the bottom of this plot so that we can move on with our lives,” he said firmly, authority as king surrounding him.

  Klaas smirked, the corners of his mouth lifting in amusement. “Of course, your majesty.”

  Chapter 16

  Aleria

  The suitcase opened and unpacked, I paced the room, scrolling through the messages on my phone. My uncle had sent the information about what it was he wanted me to steal while we were at dinner. The object was a key of some sort, ancient and ornate. I had no idea what kind of door or lock it would go to since it looked to be nine inches long. Etched into the gold, dragons danced along the metal in an intricate pattern of wings and claws.

  My mind pictured Xander and what his dragon form may look like. Flashbacks of being burned by a black dragon made me shudder as the memories of the dreams returned to me. I knew I couldn’t do this. I had to make it seem like I got the key to them, without betraying Xander. In my heart, I knew it would shatter me completely to do so.

  I read through the rest of his messages detailing where the kept the key, hidden in an unassuming box in the library, where no one would actually even think to find it.

  How did he know this information? Someone inside the household had to be feeding him information, and I needed to find out who. I needed to fish for some information.

  Me: How will I get it to you?

  Uncle: You will hide it under a yellow rose bush on the Western lawn outside on Wednesday morning at exactly 9am. My contact will then bring it to me.

  Me: If you have someone on the inside already, why did you need me in the first place?

  Uncle: No one outside the family is allowed inside that library, hence the need for a whore like you. Remember you have until Wednesday. If that key is not inside the box, Sariah will pay for your failure.

  I could imagine his evil laughter at the end of the sentence. Erasing the messages, I sat down on the bed, allowing myself a moment to lament about my situation. Two days was all I had left until the drop off time.

  Thinking of who he could possibly have on the inside, I immediately thought of the boy, Daniel, that Xander and I ran into. He looked so familiar because I had seen him at Brotherhood events when he was a child, his parents were very close with my uncle.

  I cursed, needing to make sure Sariah was secure before I set my plan into motion.

  With a flurry, I began to fire off emails and text messages.

  The door closing softly, followed by footsteps startled me awake. “Xander?” I asked, rubbing my eyes.

  “Yes, love.” He crawled into bed behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist and drew my back against his chest. “Sorry I’m so late, please go back to sleep.” He kissed the top of my hair and my eyes fluttered shut, sleep claiming me once again.

  When I woke, Xander was already gone, causing me to blink in confusion at the empty room. Dinner had seemed to have gone well, and then he disappeared once Ashley showed up. She said my parents gave her a difficult time, but did she suspect anything? I bolted upright, wide awake as terror flooded me. My fingers circled my throat, my pulse racing beneath them. No, he was just an early riser, that had to be it.

  “Good Morning, sleepy head.” His rich voice washed over me as he opened the bathroom door, wrapped in just a towel, water dripping down his golden skin.

  Now my pulse was racing for a much different reason. “Good Morning,” I rasped, my eyes running up and down the length of his body. Heat pooled in my belly. He stalked towards me, his gaze heated as he licked his lips. Setting one knee on the bed, he leaned forward and grabbed the back of my head, kissing me soundly, running his tongue along mine, making me moan deep in my throat.

  “That is a pleasant sound in the morning.” His lips trailed down my neck, teeth nipping, tongue tasting me as they blazed a path downwards. My fingers tangled in his wet hair as I tried to drag him closer to me.

  “Aleria, baby.” He breathed against my neck. “I have to go into the office for a bit today. Will you be okay here?” His thumb traced a pattern across the exposed skin just above my hip, causing a shiver to run down my spine.

  I pulled back with a frown. “What do you expect me to do all day?”

  “You can do whatever you like, there are plenty of movies, TV, books in the library, you can take a stroll of the grounds.” More nuzzling of my neck caused my mind to go blank of any thoughts except for him. I wanted him on top of me, his weight holding me down as he drove his cock deep inside me.

  “You are trying to make me pliable and more agreeable with sex aren’t you?”

  “Is it working?” Clever fingers slipped beneath the waistband of my panties, running through my folds before circling my clit.

  Arching my back, I made an approving noise in the back of my throat. “Keep doing that and it just might.” I felt his lips curl into a smile against my collarbone as he pushed aside the strap of my tank top with his nose.

  “Challenge accepted, little mate.” He growled, two of his fingers penetrating deep inside of me as his lips clamped around an erect nipple.

  He expertly worked my body into a frenzy with his fingers, mouth and tongue. I was at his mercy, a slave to the desires of my body. “Xander, please, I need you inside me.” I pleaded on a breathy moan as his fingers continued their assault on my pussy.

  “Come for me first,” He growled, his voice coupled with the firm stroke of his thumb over my clit sent me spiraling over the edge.

  He whipped off his towel, pulled my panties down to my ankles and entered me in one swift thrust as the aftershocks ebbed, sending me into another dimension of pleasure. “My Rashka” He repeated in my ear, his thrusts growing in their intensity, each stroke had his hard cock rubbing along my clit, sending shockwaves of pleasure throughout my body.

  With ease, he gripped my hips and flipped me over onto my stomach, planting a kiss at the small of my back before urging me to my knees. His fingers tangled in my hair, jerking my head back as his cock entered me from behind. I groaned at the feeling of fullness. Lips descended upon my neck, his teeth sinking into my flesh as his resumed his relentless thrusts into my body.

  “You are mine, Aleria.” His nose brushed along my ear, while his fingers still fisted in my hair aligning me to the exact angle he desired. “Forever and always, Rashka.” I screamed as the orgasm washed over me, taking me by complete surprise.

  His answering groan had my hips bucking wildly as he moved faster and faster into me, his release filling me and prolonging my pleasure, nails digging into the flesh of my hips.

  Our bodies drenched in sweat, we both collapsed to the bed, his head resting between my shoulders. “That was..” I groaned into the pillow, my body refusing to obey my commands.

  “Amazing, epic, out of this world?” He laughed, feathering kisses down my back as he separated us and drew me into his arms.

  My nails lightly ran up and down his abs. “It seems I’ve gotten you all dirty again after your shower.” I bit my lip, giving him a coy look.

  “Well then, little mate, I guess you will just have to clean me up.”

  ---------

  Xander�
��s lips lingered on mine as he broke our kiss, “Are you sure you will be okay? I will only be gone a couple of hours.” Hands settled on my hips, drawing me closer into his body.

  “I’ll be fine. I’ll probably spend most of the time reading or watching TV. I know you need to get some work done after the whole…” I waved my hands in the air, “mating fiasco.”

  His lips quirked as he held back a smile. “I wouldn’t call it a fiasco, Aleria. It was a whirlwind, yes, but I do not regret meeting you.” His eyes darkened with intensity as he looked down at me, the midnight blue irises drawing me in, pulling me deep under his spell.

  “I don’t regret meeting you either. Or letting you kiss me.” I whispered, toying with the hair on the back of his neck, the soft strands tickling my fingers. “Now go.” I skated my hands down to his chest and pushed at the solid wall of muscle.

  “Yes, ma’am.” He chuckled and gave me a swift kiss before grabbing his keys to head to the garage. I stayed in the kitchen, watching the door for a moment, my plan replaying over and over in my head.

  I needed to get the box from the library, switch out the key and place it somewhere safe so that my uncle would never get his hands on it. It was going to be dangerous, I only hoped that the favors I called in would be enough to save Sariah, and that Xander would forgive me for what I was about to do.

  Xander

  It bothered me to leave her, even more so after the discussion with Klaas, Ashley and my father last night. But I had to do some damage control today. The press was having a field day, speculating that I had kidnapped the woman and taken her off to my secret lair. Ashley was close to having a mental breakdown after her experience with the evil that was Aleria’s family last night; she needed my assistance today.

  Thinking over the time that I spent with my mate left me conflicted. Now that I knew what she had been hiding about her family, things started to make more sense. The strange look she gave me after speaking about honesty. When she told me about her virginity so she wouldn’t be lying and winced afterwards? It had to be because she was lying about so many other things.