Dragon Guardians: Complete Series

by Scarlett Grove

  "I'm going to finish feeding Waverley in our room. I think I need some rest."

  "I understand."

  He watched her disappear into the bedroom, a growing sense of panic rising in his chest. Zephyr had been never been a man who was given to strong emotions. But in that moment, his feelings were roiling like a turbulent sea. And he didn't know how to stop it.

  All he wanted was to make her happy. All he wanted was the chance to see her smile. But with one sentence, he had dashed all her hopes. He couldn’t bring himself to betray the way of their people. Neither of them wanted that. If he allowed himself to be with her without proof, it would be an unforgivable mistake. It would make him no better than the Prince of Tides. He could never be a man of so little honor.

  He would have to let her go if that was what it took. No matter how they might feel about each other, Maia’s true mate could still be out there somewhere.

  But he held out hope that they were true mates. There were a number of reasons why the test could be inconclusive. He would try again, and in the meantime remain together as friends. It would have to be enough.

  And he would continue to be there for her even if she was fated for someone else in the end. That was the way of an honorable man. Zephyr wouldn't be anything less than the best he could be, for himself, for his people, for his house, and most of all for Maia.

  "Azure. I would like you to run the mating analysis again. Please determine the variables that are making the test inconclusive.”

  "The Dragoness Prime bore the young of many other dragons. Their DNA has mixed with her own. It is very likely the reason that it is difficult to give a definitive answer. Most tests come back either negative or positive. This one cannot be completed. I can adjust the variables of the analysis to include the change in Maia’s DNA. But I cannot guarantee I will ever be able to determine a definitive result.”

  "Does that mean that Maia will never find her fated one?"

  "She may find her fated one. But the mating analysis may never be accurate.”

  "This will not do."

  “I will do my best, Lieutenant," Azure said. “It is all I can guarantee."

  "Very well, Azure. Please begin your second analysis."

  Zephyr shut off the mental link to his ship's AI and sank into his bed. He stared up at the ceiling and grasped his hands over his chest, taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm down.

  He had not expected to experience such an emotional reaction to the results. He had been prepared to hear positive or negative. And after their initial and continued response to each other, he had fully expected to hear a positive result. Not knowing was worse than anything except the look of disappointment in her eyes.

  He had no idea what else to do. He couldn't force the results and he couldn't ignore them either. He had to do all he could to preserve his race and to ensure their future. And with each choice that he'd made along the way, he had known it was all for the future of his people.

  He wanted Maia for his own in every way. He admired the purity of her goodness, her light, her nurturance, her own sense of duty, and her loyalty to her people. She was so unimaginably strong and so beautiful it made him shake with desire for her. But the feelings he had for her were also the very reason he had to keep his distance and wait for a conclusive result. She was far too precious to allow his selfish lust to make his decisions, no matter how much he needed her.

  He fell asleep hoping the next morning would be better. When the sun broke through his curtains, he rose. Out in the dining room he found Maia already dressed and prepared for the day. Waverley sat in a high chair at the dining room table. Maia had ordered room service. There was a carafe of coffee, sliced strawberries, melon pancakes, and bacon and eggs.

  “I ordered my favorite breakfast foods from the menu items that we tried yesterday.”

  She still seemed distant and unhappy. It was as if a spark of light had faded in her eyes. He wanted more than anything to bring it back. To bring back the easy camaraderie they had shared the day before. The one touch of her hand had been the most sensual experience in his memory to date. He couldn't stand the distance that now lay between them. But he had no idea how to change it, or if he even should try.

  "This is perfect." He sat across from her at the table. "I thought we might visit the shops today.”

  "I've been looking at the brochures for the resort and the names of the shops close by. I think you were right about expressing my own style rather than JoJo’s.”

  Maia and JoJo were very different people. While JoJo was strict and domineering, Maia was soft and nurturing. Both women were powerful, but Maia’s power came from a different place. Her strength was her heart. It was what gave her the strength to bear and love all twelve dragonkin. She had survived imprisonment by her own prince, but hadn’t lost her faith in love. Zephyr couldn't begin to imagine the strength of character that it took to stand strong and loving in face of such evil.

  He ate his breakfast, stealing glances at the iridescent Duchess of Tides. He wished he could reach and touch her, to soothe her in some way. But he knew he could not. If he was not her mate, he did not want to confuse things, but he hated that they couldn't give into their feelings. He knew she wanted him as much as he did her, and every second that they remained unmated was like a century of torture.

  When they finally finished their meal, they prepared the baby for a stroll around the resort. Maia dressed Waverley in light clothes for the warm day, and she wore a light dress of JoJo’s that was appropriate for the weather, though not quite right for Maia’s style. Zephyr wore a pair of Bermuda shorts, a polo shirt, and sandals. They went out, down the elevator, and out into the lobby, looking every bit the family on vacation. What he wouldn't give to truly be what they appeared to be. The humans around them smiled as they passed, seeing only the external appearance. They could not see the turbulent emotions that seemed to ping-pong back and forth between them.

  They walked down the avenue of boutiques and local arts and crafts. The first shop they stopped at was for children. Maia took great joy in picking out clothing suitable for little Waverley. She bought all pink and frills and whites and ribbons and bonnets and bows for her baby. Maia’s thrill at buying dresses for her daughter infected Zephyr to the point where he was picking out sweet feminine fabrics and booties for the child as well.

  By the time they were finished, Waverley was decked out in a light, lacy dress perfect for the weather, with soft bottom shoes and a sun bonnet. She sat upright in the stroller, shaking a rattle that she intermittently sucked into her toothless mouth. Maia was lit up with joy as they made their way to the next shop and ducked inside.

  "I can watch Maia while you pick out your things," Zephyr said.

  Maia looked from Zephyr to the baby and back again, her smile still full on her face. She nodded once and stepped away from the stroller, angling the handle to Zephyr.

  "You wait near the dressing room, and I'll show you everything that I try on."

  Zephyr cleared his throat, a cold sweat breaking out on his brow. The idea of watching Maia dress up in clothes that would suit her filled him with deeply conflicted emotions.

  Chapter 11

  Maia stepped into the store, gazing around at all the beautiful offerings. She felt the sense of ease and luxury as she passed down the aisles of gorgeous outfits. Each fabric was softer and more luxurious than the last. She felt so blessed to be in that moment, Zephyr and Waverley and so many beautiful options and opportunities before her. As the Dragoness Prime and the Duchess of the House of Tides, Maia was not unfamiliar with beautiful things. It had been a long time since she had felt so at ease with her life and with herself. All of her life, she’d felt her responsibility to her people. She had prepared to be the mother to a dragonkin from each house. Once the seed of the princes had been delivered to her, she'd taken it into their body and gestated their offerings to create new life that would save her people from destruction. The strength to defy the elders�
� wishes had taken everything she had. Maia had not since had the desire to do something as simple and pleasant as choosing a new dress.

  Zephyr had arranged this moment in time, after all her duties had been fulfilled. She was in this new world with all her children. It was a deeply satisfying moment for Maia. And a suitable distraction for the gnawing emptiness in her heart at the knowledge she could not yet be with Zephyr.

  A salesgirl approached and smiled broadly at Maia, asking what she was looking for.

  "I'm not sure," Maia confessed.

  “Is there a special occasion?”

  "Perhaps… courtship," Maia said with a wink.

  "Ohhh, you need something for a date. Is that him over there?" The salesgirl pointed at Zephyr settling into his seat near the dressing room. He rocked the stroller back and forth, gently lulling Waverley to sleep.

  "Yes. He’s my mate. I mean, my husband. We've come on this trip to rekindle our romance.”

  "I think I know just the thing.”

  Maia followed the salesgirl through the shop and approved as she picked out a variety of dresses. They passed Zephyr before the salesgirl hung the outfits in a dressing room and Maia stepped inside.

  "Just call me if you need anything,” the salesgirl said from the other side of the door.

  "Thank you,” Maia said, truly grateful for the girl’s help.

  Maia pulled off JoJo’s clothes and slipped into the first dress. It was a lustrous material with a fitted waist and a flared skirt. The bodice was deep blue like the ocean during a storm, and tropical flowers were printed across the fabric of the skirt. She slipped on a pair of matching shoes and gazed at herself in the mirror. Her skin glowed with the radiance of a Dragonian, and her hair fell in dark, long waves around her shoulders. She was tall and curvaceous in the way of her people and needed no additional adornments. But the sight of herself and the human fashion was thrilling to behold.

  She slipped out the door of the dressing room and found Zephyr attentively waiting for her while reading something on a human device called a smartphone. His eyes flicked up to her and widened with shock when he took her in. She turned back and forth, letting the skirt flow around her. His cheeks flushed.

  "Do you like it?" she asked, although it was obvious that he found her attractive in that moment.

  "You are a sight to behold,” he said, his voice nearly breaking.

  Maia smiled slightly and turned back to the dressing room, pleased with herself. It was only the first outfit. She chose a second dress. This one fitted her curves all the way down, conforming to the shape of her body. The dusty pink fabric had tiny white flecks. A belt cinched it at the waist. She slipped on a pair of white pumps and twisted her hair up at the nape of her neck in a loose bun. She walked out of the room and struck a dramatic pose with one hand on her waist and the other arm jutted out from her side. Zephyr nearly fell out of his seat. His reaction was extremely satisfying. She giggled, placing her fingertips to her mouth.

  "Do you like this one better than the last?”

  "It's hard to compare,” he finally said, sounding like an adolescent male.

  "I may just have to get both.”

  She went back into the dressing room and tried on the lacy white dress with the skirt that hung down to her midcalf and a pair of black pumps with a shiny leather. She remembered the image of a white dress from the films she'd watched with Zephyr the day before. White dresses were worn by humans on their mating day. There was a floral headdress in the dressing room that Maia held like a bouquet of flowers when she walked out to up the dressing room for Zephyr to take her in. He made a long low whistle, his eyes traveling from her feet up to her face and back down again in a slow, sensual motion. She posed delicately, moving her feet and body to best display the gown.

  "Does this look like a wedding dress?" she asked.

  "It does," he croaked.

  “It’s quite lovely, but I think I might want to wear something fancier on my wedding day, should I participate in that human custom. It might be fun to do such a thing now that I'm on Earth. Don't you think?"

  "I think it would be quite fun.” He gulped. “To see you as a bride."

  She giggled and went back to the dressing room, trying on five more gowns. After she had displayed them each to Zephyr, she decided to buy all of them. Then she tried on the resortwear and casual clothing the salesgirl had provided and decided to get all of that as well. Money was not an object for the Dragoness Prime and Duchess of the House of Tides, and she felt the desire to be pleased after everything she’d been through.

  When the Maia and Zephyr left the boutique, she felt as high as a dragon in flight. The shopping had been quite amusing. But what gave her the most pleasure was the look in Zephyr’s eyes when he saw her. After storing everything in their suite, Maia and Zephyr decided to have lunch on the beach. She changed into a swimsuit and maxi dress and changed her daughter into a swimsuit as well.

  They went out to the resort beach and sat at a table under an umbrella. A waiter came out to take their lunch order. This time Maia knew exactly what she preferred. She ordered a ham and pineapple sandwich and Zephyr ordered the same. Waverley sucked on a bottle of dragonkin formula and they sipped fruity drinks as the warm breeze ruffled her hair.

  She stared out at the crystal blue waves and drank in the feeling of ease and contentment. It was such a lovely moment in time, made even lovelier by the presence of the man she believed was her mate. Maia had agreed to wait until they had absolute confirmation that they were a match, but the truth was she no longer cared. She knew deep inside that she and Zephyr were mates. In the end, nothing could keep them apart. Just like in the romantic comedy they had watched the night before.

  She knew they would go through their struggles but eventually love would prevail. It was what had kept her going all those months she'd been a prisoner aboard the ship. It was what had helped her stay strong when she'd hatched twelve eggs, knowing her dragonkin would all soon be gone.

  She had to hold on to love no matter what. And she would. Because there was no other way. There was no other option. Love was all that she was and all that she cared about. It was her strength and her shield and, no matter what happened, Maia would continue to love as deeply and as strongly as she always had.

  She looked down at her daughter and then up at Zephyr as the waiter brought their lunch and set it before them on the table. They could be a family. Mother, father, and child. They could share the love and the bond that she had longed for all this time. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, imagining that what she wished for was already true. The waiter asked if they needed anything else, and Zephyr told him that they were fine for now. Maia took a bite of her sandwich, and the flavor of pineapple and pork wrapped in crunchy bread mingled in her mouth, unfolding into something delightfully new. Humans had a way with the food that was quite pleasing.

  "It was worth coming all the way across the galaxy just for this food."

  Zephyr burst out laughing at that, and she joined him in his mirth.

  "The food is definitely, as humans say, a silver lining."

  Chapter 12

  After lunch, Maia stood up from the table, lifting Waverley from her highchair. She slipped out of her dress, revealing her long luscious body and a teeny tiny swimsuit. Zephyr was dumbstruck as he watched her walk down the beach. She looked back over her shoulder and called out to him

  "Are you coming?”

  He slipped out of his shirt and shorts and followed her down the beach.

  “The sand feels glorious under my toes,” she said, when he met her at the shore.

  "The sun is warm, and the sea is too." A wave splashed up over their feet and legs.

  "I want Waverley to experience the water.”

  She started into crystal blue water, slowly stepping through the gentle waves, with Waverley on her hip. The water enveloped more and more of Maia’s suntanned skin, climbing up her legs, her thighs, her hips, her waist. Zephyr watche
d the whole time with a sense of awakening. His inner dragon was overcome by the sight of her, and the magnificence that was Maia, Duchess of Tides. His body responded, and he forced himself to get back under control. Everyone loved the Dragoness Prime. The Prince of Tides had abandoned his honor to try to keep her. Zephyr would never be that kind of man. No matter how much he desired her. No matter how much his inner dragon roared to make her his.

  Maia held Waverley in the water and they playfully splashed in the waves. He was overcome with the impulse to touch her, to kiss her, to offer her sweet words of devotion. What could it hurt? It was what they both wanted. Why hold back? Why torture themselves? He turned away, his heart pounding at his weak thoughts. He would not be this man. He would not. And yet, he couldn't help it. He felt as if he was being torn apart from the inside out. His inner dragon battled with his sense of duty, and there was no winning in a battle against the self. He didn't know what he could do. He was speechless and lost. Maia glanced at him, raising an eyebrow.

  "What's wrong? You seem upset."

  "I feel as if my soul is being torn to shreds."

  “Your body certainly looks healthy,” she said, her eyes traveling over his thickly muscled form.

  “I have always stayed in good physical condition. As a military officer, I must always be prepared to fight.”

  “And this tattoo,” she said, sliding her finger over his shoulder and bicep. “When did you get it?”

  “When I entered the service and first came under the command of Captain Hanish. I’m afraid it was the result of a lost bet between myself and Raiden. He has something similar himself.”

  “What was the bet?”

  “Raiden and Hanish share a similar approach to life, though the two can often butt heads. Raiden likes to jump into action before thinking. I warned him that this tactic may prove fatal in a battle we were fighting against the vampires at the time; I told him he should take his time to analyze the situation and then make a decision. He told me he would wait. He bet me that his approach would be victorious. And, in the end, it was. So now I have this tattoo.”