A Dragon Gambles For His Girl: A Nocturne Falls Universe story

by Kira Nyte

  “You said nowadays, lifemates can choose to accept their dragon or walk away. How can there be a choice when the decision is already made? Did Zareh and Kaylae contemplate their fate? I mean, you’re right. I can’t see a future that doesn’t include you, either, however foolish it sounds so early in our acquaintance.”

  Alazar chuckled. He tossed a glance down at the makeshift bed they sat on. “Sweetheart, we skipped the acquaintance phase and went straight to the mate phase.” He eased Ariah’s head back to his arm when she started to press off him. “Normal for lifemates, so don’t start getting all logical and stuff. I’m surprised we lasted the first day without something happening.”

  “Um, we didn’t make it that much longer.”

  “Well, we’ve shopped together, you spent a night in my home, I cooked you lunch, and we went on our first mini-vacation beforehand, so I’d say we did pretty good. The only reason Zar made it longer was because Kaylae’s situation was far different from yours. She had no idea who she was, no idea dragons were real, no idea about nada. Mark taught you enough not to be completely shocked by the reality.”

  “Does Kaylae know about the powers she has?”

  “Yes and no. Zar hasn’t rushed into explaining her powers. She’ll learn when she’s ready. Zar’s waiting for that time. I will, too.”

  “Dragon, you won’t have to wait long.” Ariah sucked in a breath, held it to ten, and let it out. “Okay. Ready.”

  Alazar laughed, clapping her knee. “Come on. I’ve neglected to feed you anything of substance. Quite honestly, I don’t need Mark or Cade barging in here.”

  They dressed, doused the fire and candles, and followed a narrow stone staircase down into the cavernous mountain. Ariah stayed close to Alazar as he led the way. Thin shafts of sunlight dappled through cracks in the rock, casting thin white rays of light across the narrow space.

  Alazar paused on a step and rested his palm flat against the stone wall. Ariah peered around his arm when the screech of rock sliding against rock lanced the quiet. Another narrow stairwell opened up and torches blazed to life in alcoves lining the new path.

  “Shouldn’t we be going up?” Ariah asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Umm, like to embellish?”

  “Nope.”

  “Alazar.

  “Shh, Ace. Patience.”

  Ariah rolled her eyes and followed her zipped-lipped dragon down the stairs to another strange magical door and another descending stairwell lit by torches. The deeper they trekked into the mountain, the colder and damper the air became. Alazar’s warm scent became obscured by that of cool, moist dirt and musty rock.

  When they reached the bottom step, Alazar flexed his fingers. Ariah moistened her lips at the sight of his half-extended talons before they disappeared into cracks along the rock. The wall separated on unseen tracks, opening the way to a vision she could not wrap her head around.

  “Just in case you think I was pulling your chain when I said you will want for nothing.” Alazar stepped to the side of the archaic doorframe. Ariah tentatively stepped up to the opening and peeked into a room with no end in sight. The torchlight behind them reflected off the mounds of gold piled closest to the door and produced a stream of never-ending shimmer farther back. “Some dragons like to change up their hoards a bit. I keep it gold.”

  Ariah rubbed her eyes and blinked, trying to grasp the enormity of wealth hidden deep within this mountainous home. She finally gave up and turned to her dragon man. “I’ll let you handle the finances.”

  Alazar’s smile made her heart flutter. “Sure you don’t want to go in and swim around?”

  “Swim?” Ariah laughed, giving Alazar’s shoulder a playful poke. “Have you forgotten where the last swim landed us?”

  “Exactly.” Alazar led her into the abyss of a room and spread his arm toward the riches. “Go ahead, Ace. Choose something. Anything. A reminder that what is mine is now yours.”

  Ariah glanced over the closest mound of golden coins, bars, necklaces, goblets, and numerous other gold objects. She reached down and picked up a single coin, lifting it for Alazar to see.

  “There. A lucky coin.” She tucked it into her pocket—one good thing about a fire dragon was how quickly he could dry wet clothes—and rested a kiss on his cheek. “’Cause I’m lucky to have you.”

  “Aww, Ace. I think it’s the other way around.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Mark nudged him three times to leave The Hollow before he looked Alazar dead in the eye and said, “Leave. Now. I have to get home.”

  Alazar growled in response, popping the last bit of steak-juice-covered roll into his mouth. He wiped his hands on the napkin draped over his knee, wiped his mouth with the same napkin, and looked at Ariah seated beside him. She smiled, sure, but beneath that calm façade, her sadness soaked into his scales. Next time he returned to his home, he’d bring just Ariah. Alone. No time restraints. No reality tying them to the human world.

  There was so much to show her, so much to teach her. He touched the tip of the mountain with her earlier, and received one of the greatest gifts. Ariah’s unabashed happiness. Not a single shadow of her past dimmed her joy. He didn’t want to take her away from this reprieve.

  Cade gave Mark a hand harnessing Alazar in the valley while Ariah nuzzled up against the side of his head. Her fingers drew lazy patterns over the small scales beneath his eye, the simple gesture quickly churning him into a hot mess. His scales were sensitive to begin with, one of the many defense mechanisms of their dragon breed. He could feel the slightest breath in a ripple of air or change in temperature before a Keeper had any clue something was amiss. His coat was both an impenetrable shield and a sensory device.

  With Ariah, it was all about sensory overload, from scales to the leathery skin beneath, to every inch of tissue and bone in his body.

  His attention focused on Cade as his Viking-like leader came up alongside Ariah. He rested a hand on her slender shoulder. Alazar couldn’t help but snort in amusement over the incredible size difference between the two. Standing beside Cade, Ariah defined fragile, delicate, handle-with-extreme-care perfection, even if she was anything but on the inside.

  “We will have to give you some lessons in riding. Before you know it, you and Alazar will be soaring the open skies, a match to the hearts.” Cade jutted his chin toward Alazar’s back. “It was an honor to meet you, Ariah. I will be seeing more of you in the days to come. Alazar, give Zareh a head’s up I’ll be stopping by tomorrow. We’ll need to figure out a plan to get Ariah’s father out of jail before the Baroqueth get him first.”

  Ariah jerked, moistened her lips, and looked up at Cade. “Do you think he’s in danger? In a jail?”

  Cade nodded. “Jail is great for humans, not for paranormals. Not when guns and Tasers will provide little to no protection against raw power and magic. Your father is vulnerable in a cell. They can reach him, but he can’t escape. He is your uncle’s brother, but his Keeper blood lies dormant while Mark is alive. He can’t access his powers like Mark can.” Cade lowered his chin. “Like you can.”

  Ariah’s worried gaze turned back to Alazar.

  “We’ll get him out, Ace. He’ll be safe.”

  She nodded, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth. She pressed her forehead to Alazar’s cheek, then straightened up and held a hand out to Cade.

  “Thank you.”

  Cade stared at her hand, his brows coming together over his nose like dark red slashes of fire. He opened his arms instead. Alazar watched as his woman was swallowed up in Cade’s embrace, patches of color and pale skin the only sign that Ariah was in his hug.

  When Cade placed her on her feet, she shuffled back a step. Alazar received a rush of disorientation before she could compose herself.

  “You take care of her, Alazar.”

  Alazar twisted his head on his long neck and glowered down at Cade. Like he wouldn’t do exactly that. His leader patted the taper of his lower jaw, flashed a w
hite-toothed smile, and led Ariah to Mark.

  Ten minutes later, he was sky-bound with his precious cargo and his Keeper holding tight. The sun had begun its magnificent descent to the west, the fiery orange-yellow orb drenching the world in a spray of vibrant colors. He wished he could turn around and settle on the shelf of his peak with Ariah tucked in his arms, and witness the pure magic of his home instead of barreling toward the portal door into the mortal realm once again.

  The rain had stopped in Georgia, leaving the Earth damp and soft as he landed in the woods on the outskirts of Nocturne Falls. Night creatures chirped and skittered beneath the darkening blue sky. Leaves fluttered to the forest floor in the increasing breeze, branches rustling and lending a succulent undertone to the night’s symphony.

  Alazar lowered his belly to the ground and waited for Mark and Ariah to dismount. Mark unfastened the harness much faster this time, patting his shoulder to signify Alazar could transform.

  “Mark, I’m not a horse,” Alazar said as soon as he reined in the last of his dragon on a puff of smoke and stood on his booted feet. He moved up to Mark, who smirked, and clapped his Keeper’s shoulder. “Giddy up back home before your wife poisons your food out of spite.”

  Mark flashed Ariah a hard glance. “Ari.”

  She threw her hands up in the air. “I swear I didn’t say anything I haven’t said before.” Her hands lowered and a guilty expression trickled over her face. “Well, maybe I said a few more things.”

  A sharp breath fled Mark’s mouth as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Ariah Callahan. My apologies will never fix the last ten years, but she is my wife. You do not have to like it. All I ask is that you respect it.”

  Alazar did not interrupt, observing the flare of anger that lightened the gold in Ariah’s eyes and the way her stubborn jaw locked as she clenched her teeth. Her fingertips curled into her jeans pockets. Alazar caught her pulsing thoughts like she was screaming them in his ear.

  “I don’t. I won’t. You can’t force me. I have so many colorful things I’d love to spew at you right now.”

  Alazar cleared his throat. He feared Ariah was about to lose her cool. The volatile hatred she felt for Mark’s wife was a force that knocked him like a fist to his gut. It was potent, raw, and unsettling.

  He definitely had to meet this lady.

  “Hey.” Alazar dared rest a hand on Ariah’s shoulder. Instantly, the tension melted out of her muscles and she leaned into him. The hard contours of Mark’s face softened and a ghostly grin touched his lips. “Whoever she is, both of you, you two are family. Mark, Ariah is part of who you are. Your bond between each other is stronger than most human familial bonds. Witch, wife, stepmother, some other bright and shining descriptions, whatever you want to label her, Miriam cannot come between you. She has no power to break what you two have.”

  Mark’s chin lifted as he regarded Alazar with a spark of appreciation. Yeah, he’d gotten that look a few times before when he spouted philosophical mumbo-jumbo that no one expected to come out of his mouth.

  To keep to his farce, he wagged his brows once. “And if she tries, crispy diva ends up on the local menu.”

  Mark’s appreciation died. He groaned and rolled his eyes. “I can always expect an explosive ending to a meaningful chat with you.” He cast the harness over his shoulder, looping the ends over his forearm so they didn’t drag on the ground, and nodded toward the road where their cars were parked. “Ariah, can I expect you home this evening?”

  Ariah glanced up at Alazar, who shook his head. “I think I’ll keep her another night. Or two. Or forever. Of course, if she’ll have me.”

  “I’ll need to get something to wear for tomorrow.” Ariah tugged at her sweater. “This has been slept in, swam in, and fire-dried. I think it needs a break. And a wash.”

  “Clothes it is, then. Mark, you lead the way.”

  A half-hour later, Alazar pulled his Mustang into the driveway behind Mark’s sleek Jaguar, and cut the engine. This time, Ariah didn’t try to jump out of the car before he had a chance to open the door, which satisfied the gentleman inside him.

  “We still need to get my car,” Ariah said, keeping in step with Alazar as they followed Mark up to the front door. “I don’t need a ticket.”

  “How about I torch the car and buy you a brand new one?” Alazar suggested, only half joking. The hunk of metal was certainly unsafe. He’d feel more comfortable if she were driving around in something reliable and more fitting to her style. “Anything you want.”

  “It still runs. It’s fine for now.” Her arm tightened around his as they drew up to the front door. Ariah might appear tired and content on the outside, but her turmoil and reserve beat against his mind. He’d seen Miriam’s coyness through Ariah’s thoughts and memories, but he feared there was something deeper to her that no one was privy to. Hatred this dark was soul-eating and dangerous. “Between Uncle Mark and you, I’m sure it’s fair to say I have a backup.”

  He quickly nodded as they followed Mark into the foyer. Ariah broke away from Alazar and took the stairs to the second level, two at a time. Her determination and hurried strides had both Mark and Alazar sharing a concerned glance.

  “Is there something I should know about your lovely bride?” Alazar asked, keeping his voice low. The pulse of magic in the mansion alerted him to Miriam’s presence. Tonight, she wasn’t out with friends.

  Mark scanned the lower level from where he stood before motioning to his office. “Let’s keep things controlled tonight, okay?”

  Alazar followed him into the office and partially closed the doors, leaving them open a crack. “Hey, I’m chillaxed, Mark. Just don’t press sensitive buttons.”

  “Bourbon?”

  Alazar flashed a wicked smile. “Man, you’ve got me all figured out. On the rocks.”

  Mark chuckled as he crossed to a sideboard and poured two tumblers of bourbon. Alazar met him beside a leather sofa facing a marble fireplace across from the desk. The hearth lay cold and gray. Alazar contemplated lighting up the fresh logs, but refrained.

  “Miriam has always been jealous of Ariah. She’s a witch. I know she can read auras. I don’t know if there is something in Ariah that she’s latched onto and envied, but the two are oil and water. Their jabs are anything but subtle behind their smiles. Ariah’s anger toward Miriam is understandable. I don’t blame her. Nor do I blame her for her anger toward me.”

  “You took your brother’s woman, Mark. That is so unlike you.”

  Mark sighed, sinking down into the sofa. “It is and trust me, I live with the guilt of it to this day. I fought the attraction for a month after I met her, but I finally caved. I couldn’t fight it anymore. In those first few weeks before Ariah became aware of the issues between Mike and me, Miriam seemed to adore her. She often suggested Ariah live with me permanently. Then Mike and I had our falling out. He took Ariah from me and I couldn’t track them down. I tried calling her, but she wouldn’t pick up. In those first few years, she didn’t call me at all. It killed me inside.”

  Alazar perched on the arm of the sofa beside Mark, hunched forward with an elbow on his knee, and caught Mark’s regretful gaze. “Actually, she did try to call you on several occasions. Someone interfered with your communication lines.”

  Mark stared at him for a long moment. “What are you saying?”

  “I think you know exactly what I’m saying. I saw the last ten years of your niece’s life from her own mind, Mark. She let me in and I saw everything. You have no clue what my lifemate went through, and she is too ashamed to talk about it. Stronger for it, but beat down because of the life she lived. She tried calling you when your brother spiraled out of control and she was lost. No money, no home, barely a job because she would have to call out sick too often to take care of her father.”

  Alazar straightened up and sipped his bourbon. Then, he raised his glass to the room. “Posh luxury all around you. Never a worry. Never a need. So, do you think there is magic at work
in your own home? Because, hey, I can certainly feel something.”

  “Al, I get the protection thing. I do. I know you will do anything and everything you can to make Ari happy. I know you will try to strip the pain of the past to let her live her future. What you didn’t see, what she didn’t know, was that I searched for her. I tried to locate her. I hired PIs and touched base with connections I have along the east coast. I started a programming business as a façade for my wealth. Mike moved around so much that every time I thought I was on his trail, I lost him. I wanted to make amends and, by the blessing of the gods, I wanted my niece back. At least I knew she was capable of protecting herself with her gifts, her powers. I worked hard with her on all of that before Miriam came along. She could obscure her aura to protect her Keeper blood from detection.”

  “Perhaps Miriam gets mixed signals from her and that’s where the touchiness comes from?”

  Mark shrugged. Alazar tossed back the rest of his drink and sighed. His Keeper’s expression twisted and his dark eyes, stark with helplessness, shimmered. He didn’t like the unease that settled in his gut as he ran Ariah’s memories against Mark’s claims. Neither lied to him, but the invisible wall that stood between Mark and Ariah for ten years until the other night didn’t fit. He was missing something. They all were missing something.

  “If Ariah didn’t have your number, how did she get in touch with you?”

  “She called the house phone. I happened to be home. Miriam was out with friends when she called.”

  “She wasn’t around to intercept the call. How convenient.” Alazar made a nonchalant circular motion with his hand. “So, is your relationship with this woman good? Are you happy? You two never had kids.”

  “Not for the lack of trying, at least in the beginning. It’s now a platonic relationship.” Mark shrugged and knocked back his bourbon in a single gulp. “It’s a civil, respectful relationship. More companionship at this point.”