Royal Pride

by Zelda Knight

  Elder Gou gestured to the attackers. “The United Draconian Empire has ordered a meeting to discuss the attack. In the meantime, these men, including Santo, will be held as prisoners, until the outcome of a trial and a decision by the UDE.”

  Ryuu threw up his hands and Draco shook his head. Neither of them seemed to believe it either.

  Zihao grunted in disgust. “He deserves to die for his attack on the Gou and Sonya.”

  “Indeed he does, but it will be determined by the UDE as to how.” Elder Gou clasped him by the shoulder.

  “Some of you have already handed out death sentences,” said O’Keefe.

  “When you come to attack, you better be prepared to win,” Ryuu answered. “Or go home like a burnt burrito,” Draco added.

  Beatrice scoffed. “This is how your clan does things, Gou?”

  “Is it how yours do things? Attacking other clans and breaking centuries of treaties?” Ryuu snapped as he rounded on her.

  Zihao swore. The elder winced. “Ryuu, calm yourself. Now, where is my niece?” His shifted his gaze to Zihao. “Guardian?”

  “She is safe with Anika,” Zihao answered. At the mention of her, his mental walls came down and instantly he thought of her again. An ache rose in his heart. He needed to find her as quickly as possible.

  Where are you?

  He reached out for her, feeling for her presence.

  At another safe house about ten miles away. You’ll never guess who is here. Pleasure and joy seeped into her telepathic message. It made him smile. Your parents.

  Yes! My entire family is here, though not all of them are in good shape. There’s a lot of our people here, but it’s not good. Anika and Angelina are helping with medicine along with the doctors, but it is very awful. I’m glad to hear you’re alive—not that I didn’t think you would be…

  Zihao nodded and sheathed the hunting knife. I need you close to me. I’m coming to you. Do not move.

  Elder Gou held up a hand. “Not quite yet, Zihao.” Zihao paused. “I’m going to her.”

  The elder stroked his goatee, his thick eyebrows lowered defensively over his eyes. He stared at Zihao, seemingly searching him. For what, Zihao didn’t know, but he would not spend any more time away from Sonya.

  After what seemed like decades, Elder Gou nodded. “Go to her, dilong.” Zihao bowed and raced from the cabin.

  Epilogue

  June

  Crisp blue skies stretched out across the Alaskan wilderness. At the base of the

  Xiongxin’s Keep, scores of dragons frolicked in the lake and soared in the skies, flying

  about in the warm, comfortable weather. The flowers’ many blossoms scented the air and created a natural perfume that blanketed everyone who passed by on the path up to the keep. Sonya stood on the lake’s bank, her back to the brilliant water. Standing directly across from her, her mate, her love, Zihao Longwei watched her from behind dark aviator sunglasses. His hair had grown out a bit and had begun to turn up at the ends. The sun had turned his skin golden, and he looked like a beautiful man.

  In the wake of the attack on the keep, guardians stood at the entrance to the keep. Those flying acted as scouts and lookouts for possible trouble. Inside the keep, the roaring of digging and shouts as dilongs worked to clear out debris and repair the dens, tunnels, and major rooms echoed. Most of the clan members resided in the safe house cabins until the keep had been completely finished.

  “How do you feel being back?” Sonya walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He felt wonderful and sweaty.

  Shortly after the incident, her family had returned to Chicago. Her mother had been nearly crushed beneath the fall of debris and still remained in the hospital at Northwestern’s Dracontology unit. She might be confined to a wheelchair, but her spirit kept her kicking. Sonya grinned at the memory of her mother ordering the doctors around from her hospital bed.

  “Let the man breathe, Sonya,” he father chided from his lounge chair. He shot her a grin. “When did they say they were going to call the damn council meeting? I need to get back to Chicago.”

  Sonya shrugged. “I don’t know what’s going on, but the heightened security measures make me nervous.”

  Zihao snorted. “There’s no need. I’m here.” He hugged her back, taking her into his arms. “And Santo isn’t.”

  Her father squinted against the afternoon’s bright sunshine. “Santo. My own damn son. If you didn’t have a slew of witnesses, and the elder’s words, I wouldn’t believe it.”

  Zihao dropped some kisses along Sonya’s neck and instantly she calmed down. She didn’t like thinking about Santo. Only a month had passed, and it still bothered her that he’d meant to kill her. However, since returning to Chicago, her parents had allowed her and Zihao to move into a house out in Schamburg and establish their own lives.

  “Mr. Gou, the council meeting will start in fifteen minutes,” announced a deep, graveled voice. Sonya jumped and twisted around to see who it was.

  “Kao!” She waved and relaxed.

  “How are my two most recently married people?” Kao asked with a grin. His close-clipped dark hair looked perfectly in place, and his almond-shaped eyes had a magick all their own. They made her feel both naked and vulnerable at the same time.

  Stylish, he wore a soft, pastel yellow button-down shirt beneath an ivory summer suit. He looked cool, and ready for life in Miami, but as council member himself, Kao Chen made it all look so damn good. She couldn’t hate him too much. He had saved her love, Zihao, from death.

  “We are blissfully happy, thanks to you,” Sonya said.

  “Disgustingly so,” her father chimed in as he got to his feet. He bowed to Kao and Kao returned the greeting. “Seriously, Kao, we are in your debt. Had you not negotiated, Zihao would be dead and my daughter’s happiness destroyed.”

  Kao shook his head. “He saved the clan and took down our internal terrorist. He shouldn’t be put to death for mating with the woman he loves.”

  Zihao remained very quiet. She glanced at him, and noticed he’d gone Zihao- still. He’d spoken very little since Kao arrived. The elder had accepted Zihao as her mate, but her parents took real convincing. When Ryuu and Draco testified to Zihao’s valor and strength, her parents reluctantly agreed. Kao had dissolved the blood oath with a lot of legal wrangling. Sonya knew it didn’t sit well with others, especially the Chees.

  Kao’s smiling face became suddenly serious. “Zihao, the Chees and a few other families placed a petition to the council about the dissolving of the blood oath. They are arguing that you and Santo acted together for the demise of the clan.”

  “I thought that had been settled!” Sonya shrieked. No. Nothing else was coming between them.

  “I see that Chee wants his way or he wants revenge,” her father grumbled. “Leave it to me.”

  Kao squeezed Sonya’s arm. “He petitioned, but the council is stacked against him. Myself, Ryuu, the elder, and your father all sit on the council. It will be okay.”

  “What if they decide to overturn it?” Zihao hugged her closer.

  Kao shook his head. “They cannot overturn the council’s decision. The blood oath has been dissolved. There are no grounds.”

  “Then why submit it?” Sonya frowned.

  Kao met her eyes and shrugged. “Attention. Power play. Attempt to regain respect. Take your pick. All will fail because it is baseless.”

  “Do not worry. Kao is the best.” Her father bent down and kissed her cheek before starting for the pathway. “We will get this sorted.”

  “It should already be settled,” Sonya snapped, her temper rising.

  “Calm yourself.” Kao patted her shoulder. “We won’t let anything come between you and Zihao.”

  She watched them walk away, but she folded herself into his arms. Politics. Despite all the craziness that had occurred in the last month, for all the changes, everything was still the same. She couldn’t help but smile.

  “I love you, Son. Nothi
ng will remove that or change it. We are mated and we are one.” Zihao kissed her ear gently.

  “They’re trying to kill you via the council.” Sonya closed her eyes and sighed.

  He turned her to face him, slipped his finger under her chin, and made her look at him. “They will fail. I am your guardian. Not even death will keep me from your side.”

  She smiled as his lips closed over hers. Dilong. Guardian. Mate.

  Zihao. Hers.

  I love you, Son. Zihao broke the kiss and hugged her close.

  She slowly opened her eyes and when they met his, she knew without a doubt she had nothing to fear. He’d always been with her, and he would always be with her.

  The End

  About RaeLynn Blue

  RaeLynn Blue is the author of numerous tales of smart contemporary romance and speculative romance. With an imagination that's varied and diverse, her tales explores love in all its many shades, situations and scenarios. She fell into romance stories at the ripe age of eleven and has been writing stories ever since. Join RaeLynn Blue on her next story of love and life.

  Ritual Island

  © 2019 J. P. Uvalle

  Edited by Claire Allmendinger

  About Ritual Island

  The vacation of a lifetime is about to be cut short...

  * * *

  Blaire and her best friend are eager to cash in on their all-inclusive win and cruise off to Bora Bora for a life-changing vacation.

  But nothing on the ship is as it seems.

  Something sinister is at play...

  ...and Blaire may be its next victim.

  Surrounded by shifters with insatiable appetites, she’s about to take her chances in the sea itself.

  Until him.

  Shifter King Dorian is accustomed to being obeyed and feared.

  But when he meets the woman intended as his latest sacrifice, he realizes who she is...

  ...and just what it means for his future.

  Can Dorian throw away his only chance at love to restore powers that ensure his reign on Ritual Island as its one true king? Or will he follow his heart and risk everything for love with the woman fated to be his mate?

  Go to the people and places that set a spark in your soul.

  ~Unknown

  Chapter One

  BLAIRE

  “You survived another year of college!” Melanie dropped out after our freshman year, so me, continuing this rat race, is a big deal for both of us.

  “Barely.” I grimace, drowning my steak fry in a pool of ketchup before plopping it into my mouth. Yes, I survived another year, but not without getting my heart broken in the process. My ex-boyfriend, Miguel, had decided to dip his cock into the first girl who’d offered up the goods. That was weeks ago, but the wound rips open again every time I see him on campus, flirting with some other chick—his next conquest—almost as if his dick does all the thinking for him now. Where did it all go wrong?

  Melanie’s green eyes narrow in my direction, and she tilts her head of ombre curls to the side. “Are you seriously thinking about Pencil Dick again?” She scowls.

  “Fuck him.” I shove more fries into my mouth. “I hope that asshole gets the clap.” My gaze lingers to the crowd passing by. My comment causes some pedestrians to do a double-take at us. I give them the finger. “Mind your business.”

  The elderly couple shakes their heads, walking off. “Damn, millennials.”

  Rolling my eyes, I finally work up an appetite to chomp into my burger. The taste of whiskey barbecue sauce and onion strings overwhelms my taste buds, leaving me humming with delight.

  “Now, if only we can find you a man as deliciously satisfying as that burger…” Melanie raises an eyebrow.

  “Never gonna happen.” Gulping down my food, I refrain from laughing. Melanie always knows what to say to put me in a better mood—one of the many reasons I adore my bestie. We are total opposites who’ve been through a lot and have somehow managed not to kill each other. Yet.

  “Oh, I have an idea. How about we go to Club Crush tonight. I think we deserve it. We—I mean you—have worked so hard this year; you’re on the Dean’s List.”

  “Maybe some other time. Really not in the mood to party.”

  “C’mon, Blaire. Let’s start our summer vacation off with a bang.” She gives me the puppy-dog eyes, and I am finding it harder to resist the call of booze and dancing all night until my feet are the size of Texas. Leaning my back against the cold chair, I run through all the awful scenarios that can possibly occur, most of them involving Miguel showing up and leaving with someone other than me.

  Snap! “Earth to Blaire.” Melanie slumps back into her seat, poking her bottom lip out.

  I blow out a breath. “Fine…we can go.” Melanie is right. After the year we’ve had, we do deserve to have some fun. Who knows, we might even meet a cute guy or two worth talking to.

  “Yesss!” She does a hip-rolling celebratory dance and gets a whistle from some skaters passing by the café. It makes us both giggle. “I feel that tonight is our night.” She winks as she jumps up from the table, grabs my arm, and pulls me down the street.

  “Hey, we didn’t pay for our food!”

  Biting my nails, I walk back and forth in front of the window. My stomach is in knots as I try to keep down the food I didn’t pay for.

  “Who are you looking for…the Dine-and-Ditch-Police?” Melanie throws a shirt from the drawer back onto the bed in search of another.

  “We’re gonna be in so much trouble, Melanie.”

  Melanie stops mid-search and struts over to halt my pacing. “Stop worrying, will you? And help me find my black shirt.”

  “I love that café. Now, we can never go back.” I groan, crossing my arms over my chest.

  “Psst. The food wasn’t that great. We can always find another café to go to.” She goes to pull out a drawer and dumps all the clothes in it onto the floor in front of her. “Ugh, where is my fucking shirt.”

  “Maybe you left it in Carlos’ car last week.”

  “Now, that you mention it…”

  Seriously? I stomp my foot to the ground, eyes narrowing into a glare. “Melanie?”

  She puts her hands up. “Just kidding…I think I left it in James’s car, actually.” She lifts her shoulders into a nervous shrug.

  My mouth goes agape as I throw a pair of studded leather jeans at her. “You slut.” The girl changes boys like she changes clothes.

  “What? I thought we agreed he was smoldering hot.”

  I shake my head. “That wasn’t code for, ‘go and fuck him,’ Melanie.’”

  “My bad.” She giggles.

  “Whatever. Where’s this damn shirt so I can move on with my life?” I head over to the closet and sift through our clothes, finally stumbling upon a black crisscross shirt. Yes, found it.

  “I believe this is the shirt you’re looking for.” I hold it up, and she does a track star leap over the pile of clothes to get to it, but I clamp it high above her head. “Not so fast.”

  “Hey, America’s Next Top Model.”

  “You can have the shirt if you can promise me one thing?”

  She blows out a breath. “Fine, what?”

  “Don’t sleep with anyone tonight.” I raise an eyebrow.

  “You’re such a cockblocker.” She snatches the shirt from my grasp and heads into the bathroom, slamming the door.

  Miguel isn’t the only one who needs to learn to keep it in their pants. I smirk, happily turning back to the closet to look for something to wear. I find a simple black dress, take off my clothes, and slide the chiffon fabric over my shoulders.

  Once outside, the June breeze brushes against my exposed skin. We strut down the sidewalk of our apartment complex and hop into her purple bug. Speeding down the highway, a familiar song comes on the radio, and I lean forward to turn up the volume. Maybe going out tonight won’t be so bad after all. Clearing my throat, I belt out the words to the song, and Melanie joins in as my backup sin
ger, dancing to the beat.

  “Get it, girl.” She nods. Soon, we turn left down an alleyway and pull into a parking garage behind Club Crush. She rolls down the window to punch in a few numbers, and the machine spits out a ticket. We drive farther into the garage and find a spot on the lower level by an elevator. A group of rowdy partygoers are lined up outside the titanium doors.

  We re-apply our lipstick, sex up our hair, and saunter over to the crowd with our heels clicking against the cement. The bass of the music intensifies when the doors slide to let us in. At the top, they open to a pink neon tunnel where the line begins.

  Melanie shoves me with her elbow. “Aren’t you getting excited?”

  Seeing the people in front of us dancing brings a smile to my face. “Yeah, I can’t wait to have a drink.”

  “Oooh, I heard their Porn Star Martini is to die for.” She bites her lip.

  “Uh, huh. Do you even know what’s in it, or do you just have sex on the brain? Remember you promised.”

  She rolls her eyes. “Yes, mother, I remember.” She laces her arm around mine, and we step forward, following the crowd. “Can you promise me something?”

  I look down at her. “What?”

  She smirks. “Promise, you’ll have a good time. No matter what?”

  “Okay,” I squeeze my arm tighter around hers.

  We are next in line, and the bald bouncer’s gaze trails up and down the length of us. “ID’s ladies.”

  I rummage through my purse and pull out both of our ID’s and hand them to him. His brown eyes scan over each detail with a raised brow. Then he gives us a sharp glare before handing back our ID’s. “Have a good time.” He unlinks the velvet rope and allows us to pass, mumbling something under his breath as we walk by.