The miles melted away as they focused on the horizon, lit by streetlights and houses. When the lights faded away, they found themselves above forests, and then the smell of salt on the air told them they were close to the ocean. After setting down for a short rest, Sapphi sat straddling him, stroking his scales, while he carried her safely across the sea.
The plan went perfectly, and three days later, they reached the Himalayas, and he used his senses to guide them to the place where his parents lived, in a large cave system, high above the villages scattered sparsely across the slopes of the mountains.
Alex flew in front, with Sapphi’s much smaller dragon behind. His fear was that his mother would overreact and attack Sapphi. He wanted his mom to see him first, to scent him first. But no one challenged them. It was late, and there was a chance his mom would be asleep with his dad. Alex’s dragon grew unsettled. What if something had happened to them?
He really needed to get them a satellite phone, so he could keep in contact with them. It was all very well living up here out of the way of civilization, but they were getting older and something might happen to either of them. Panic clutched at his heart. If something did happen to his mom, his father would be stranded up here, with no way down.
As he fought off his unease, he sensed her. Big, powerful, the dragon rose up into the air from where she had been perched on a mountain peak. Alex should have sensed her, but she had been still, as if made of stone. But she was not made of stone, she was made of flesh and blood, and scales that glittered like jewels as the light of the moon glanced off her huge body.
Behind him, he sensed Sapphi’s fear, and awe. Instinctively, Alex dropped back to fly side by side with Sapphi, putting himself between the two women in his life. He opened his mouth and let out a roar, which his mom answered, breathing fire from her mouth, and illuminating the sky around her.
She reached them and Alex tensed, ready to protect his mate. But his mom simply angled her body and turned to fly side by side with her son and his mate. Although, she constantly looked around to check that the two dragons were still there, as if she expected them to disappear at any moment.
His mom led them home, flying high above the peaks, before dropping into an inaccessible valley they called home. To the south was a large lake, to the east was the cave system they had turned into a home. This is where his mom guided them, dropping down onto the ledge outside the main entrance. Memories of an adventurous childhood came back to him, this very ledge was where Alex had taken his first flight, under the watchful eye of his mother and father.
His mom landed and shifted quickly, making room for her son and his mate to land. Alex touched down, and shifted into his human form, waiting for Sapphi to do the same before he approached his mom.
“Alex.” His mom didn’t wait to be approached, she dashed forward, stopping two strides away to look at Sapphi as she stood by Alex’s side. “It really is true.”
“Mom, this is Sapphire. Sapphi, this is my mom.” Alex’s heart swelled to be here, with his mate, outside the place he learned to be a dragon.
“Hello,” Sapphi said, unsure of her welcome.
“Sapphi.” His mom looked dazed, and she looked from her son to his mate. “Call me Helena, please.”
“Like Helena of Troy,” his father said as he came out to meet them. “My wife will tell you wars have been fought over her.”
“Tiberius. Don’t be mean,” Helena told his dad. They were exactly as Alex had left them, deeply in love, and always willing to tease each other. His dad helped keep his mom grounded.
“Good to see you, son. We never expected you to return with such a treasure.” His dad hugged Sapphi.
“Hello, Tiberius.” Sapphi hugged him back, a smile on her face.
“Come inside, you must be starving,” his mom said, putting her arm around Alex and guiding him inside. “Sapphi, I’m so happy to see another dragon. I always feared Alex would be alone in the world one day.”
“Sapphi is part of a family of dragons,” Alex explained. “We are not alone after all.”
“When you left, we were afraid you would never return, and never find your mate. That you would die alone.” Helena’s breath caught in her throat and she sobbed. “A mother’s worst nightmare.”
“You don’t have to worry any longer. I have a mate.” Alex hugged his mom. “I thought when we return to Sapphi’s family, you could come with us. To meet the others. You’ve been alone for so long up here with only each other as company.”
“A good idea, son. We need a vacation,” his dad said, although they both knew Helena was going to take more persuading. But with Sapphi’s help, Alex hoped to pull her into the twenty-first century.
Alex smiled at his mate as they sat down at the small wooden table his father had carved out of a tree trunk Helena had carried up here years ago. Every piece of furniture was handmade by his father and mother.
A sense of nostalgia hit Alex. One day soon, he would make a home with Sapphi, as they began their lives together. Alex only hoped his parents would be part of that life, too. If not permanently, at least for long visits. Especially when he and Sapphi had children of their own.
Chapter Nineteen – Sapphi
“He’s happy,” Helena said the next morning as they sat outside watching the sun climb high in the sky, while Tiberius and Alex hollowed out a tree trunk to make a seat. “It’s good to see.”
“I hope he is,” Sapphi replied. She looked around at the calm oasis of safety Helena and Tiberius lived in.
“He has you. Of course, he is happy,” Helena told her warmly. Sapphi had been in awe of the magnificent Helena when they first met. Both the woman and the dragon, but once Helena let her barriers down, Sapphi found her to be eager to forge a friendship with her son’s mate.
“We were kind of thrust upon each other.”
“As are all shifter mates. But I believe in fate.” Helena cocked her head and watched Tiberius work. “He was sent to kill me.”
“Tiberius?” Sapphi asked, shocked.
“Yes, one of the local villages hired him after they blamed the she-devil in the mountains for destroying their crops. They didn’t know I was a dragon, they thought I was an evil spirit sent to harm them.” Helena smiled to herself. “It took me three weeks to break him.”
“Break him?” Sapphi asked, not sure she wanted to know what Helena referred to.
“Yes. He thought I was a demon. Beautiful and deadly.” Helena chuckled. “He was right. But that was a long time ago, and love has softened me. Love of a mate, and of a son.”
“My mom’s the same,” Sapphi admitted.
“I can’t wait to meet her, and the rest of your family,” Helena said. “But especially your mom. From what you’ve told me, we have a lot in common.”
“You do.” Sapphi touched the small package nestled in her pocket and decided now was as good a time as ever to give Helena the small pendant she’d made. Although, from what Sapphi had seen of Helena, the older woman wore no visible jewelry. “I made a small gift for you.”
Helena dragged her eyes away from Tiberius. They were two people deeply in love, consumed with each other even after years of being together. “You didn’t have to bring me a gift. Making my son happy is a gift in itself.”
“It’s only a small thing. I made it the day before we came.” Sapphi handed the pendant, which was wrapped in colored paper, over to Helena. “I should have gift wrapped it.”
Helena opened it and gasped in delight. “It’s perfect.” She quickly put it on, and then lifted the silver dragon, which held a small green gem, the color of Alex.
“It’s alexandrite. I presumed you named Alex after it, since he can change color.”
“I did. Clever girl. You know your gems.” Helena stared at the pendant. “You have a rare skill, working metal and gems to make such unique gifts.” She stood up. “Alex, leave that and take Sapphi to see your treasure.”
“Do you mind, Dad?” Alex asked.
“More than you?” Alex asked, with a wry smile.
“You know I have the only treasure I would ever want in your mother.” Tiberius winked at Sapphi as she came to join Alex. “Does your mom expect such flattery?” Tiberius asked.
“She doesn’t expect it, but my dad knows the way to a dragon’s heart is with words and gold.” Sapphi took Alex’s hand. “Do we fly?”
“We do.” He ran from her, jumping on to the low wall surrounding the ledge, and then leaping off into the wide-open space below.
“Alex!” She ran to the edge and looked down, only to see him shift in midair. With strong wing-beats he flew upward, waiting for her as he glided on a thermal.
“He always did have a sense of the dramatic,” Helena said, a little disapprovingly, and yet her voice filled with pride.
Sapphi looked at her dragon mate, and then climbed onto the wall and put her hands above her head. Then, as if she were about to dive into water, she leaped off the wall, somersaulted once, before releasing her dragon. Pure joy and exhilaration filled her, and she drew in a large breath, which she released as flaming fire, before flying to meet Alex, who was already leading the way across the valley. At first, she couldn’t see where he was taking her, but as they drew closer, she saw the hidden cave mouth midway up the rock face.
When he was level with the hole in the rock, Alex landed on the edge of the small cave and shifted, ducking down to get inside. Sapphi repeated the movement, and stumbled forward, into his arms as she lost balance.
“I’ve got you.” He held her close as she grinned up at him.
“That was incredible.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, filled with joy, filled with life.
“You are a daredevil.” He brushed her hair back from her face. “I dread to think what our children will be like if they inherit both our love for adventure.”
“I dread nothing about our children.” Sapphi stood proud, head tilted up as she looked at her mate.
“You will when my mom has finished telling you tales of my escapades,” Alex replied. “This way.”
He took her hand and followed a tunnel; when it forked, he confidently took the left fork, and then the right, surefooted in the dark as they went deeper into the mountain. Sapphi had never been this deep underground, but it didn’t worry her. Caves like this were part of her culture, part of her heritage, because caves like this one held treasures.
Literally.
She could smell it, her dragon excited as she sensed the gold and jewels close by. And then they entered a cave. It was so dark she couldn’t see the wide expanse before her, but she could feel it, brushing against her consciousness.
“Ready?” Alex scratched a match against the stone wall next to them and lit a torch, which flickered into light, casting a ruddy glow over a huge pile of gold. Coins, crowns, ingots. Chests filled with hidden treasures, and goblets made of silver.
“This is amazing.” Sapphi walked forward and crouched down, running her hands through a pile of coins, which shimmered, and slithered as if it were alive. The sound of the coins cascading was like a melody to her ears. “Is this all yours?”
“Not quite.” He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. “It is yours, too. Now that we are one.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. “Ruby gave this to me. She said it was meant for you.”
“She did?”
Alex knelt on one knee and opened the box. “Will you marry me, Sapphire?”
Sapphi looked into the box, where her mother’s engagement ring sat expectantly, waiting to be placed on her finger. Sapphi swallowed down her emotion. “Yes.”
Alex took out the ring and pushed it onto her finger. “You have made me the happiest man alive.”
Sapphi dropped to her knees and cupped his face in her hand. “And I am the happiest woman.”
“I’ll love you forever, Sapphi.” He kissed her, his lips gentle on hers. “Forever.”
“Forever,” she agreed.
Cradling her to his chest, Alex laid her down on a golden bed of coins. He kissed her, his hands exploring her body, although by now he knew every inch of her intimately. They had made love at every opportunity, for hours, in more positions than Sapphi knew existed. Each one adding a new dimension to their bond, as they each learned to please their mate.
“Do you know what kept me flying when we hit that storm over the ocean?” Alex asked, as he peeled her sweater and T-shirt over her head.
“You wanted to keep me safe?” she asked as she kissed his jawline.
“That. And the thought of laying you down on my treasure and making love to you.” Her bra disappeared into the shadows cast by the piles of gold.
“Is that so, dragon?” Sapphi asked before he silenced her. As his mouth closed over her nipple and he sucked hard, she couldn’t think of anything but the gold beneath her, and the man worshiping her body.
His tongue swirled around the taut bud, while his fingers undid her jeans and pushed them down over her hips. Alex sat up and pulled her jeans off her feet, before quickly stripping naked himself. “I have never rolled in gold.”
“I highly recommend it.” Sapphi ran her hand through the coins, a tinkling sound filling the air.
Alex stood with his back to the gold and then fell into it, as if he were about to make a snow angel. Sapphi laughed and straddled him, their combined weight sinking into the coins. “Now I see the appeal.” Alex’s hands cupped her breasts and pushed them together, while his thumbs chafed over her nipples.
Sapphi needed him. The sight of him here, amongst his treasure, with the flaming torch casting shadows over them, inflamed her desire. She lifted herself up, struggling to stay balanced when she sank deeper into Alex’s treasure. Clumsily, she guided him into her. There was no finesse to their lovemaking. The ground constantly moving as the gold shifted like the sands of the desert.
She rode him, her hips circling, as he fondled her breasts. Each time her movements increased, more of the gold slid down around them. Sapphi giggled and leaned forward, leaning on his chest as she tried to keep her balance.
Alex chuckled along with her. “I have gold in places no gold has a right to be.”
“Suck it up, dragon. You are here to please your mate.”
“Is that so?” With some effort, he put a hand out behind him and levered himself to a sitting position. “There is something I would like to suck. Two somethings.”
He lowered his head and licked her nipples, before drawing one into his mouth. Her hips bucked, and she concentrated on the sensations flooding her body. Showering his face with kisses, she gripped his cock with her inner muscles, increasing the tension between them.
As she moved, her arousal grew, and her orgasm appeared, shimmering before her eyes, like a pile of gold, waiting for her to claim it. Alex groaned, his hands on her hips as he lifted himself up to impale her on his cock. But he slid along the gold. Sapphi used her body to urge him on, wanting to feel his essence inside her, to make a child, their child, here among his treasure.
He cried out her name as he came, burying his face in her breasts as he jerked into her. Sapphi followed him into the abyss, a deep well of pleasure where they both flew, only to fall, in a spiral of unending love. Together, always together. A dragon and his mate.
As they lay in each other’s arms, Sapphi kissed his chest, her fingers stroking his skin. “When I fell out of the sky, I thought I had lost my dragon. For split second I was scared she’d gone, left me forever. But now, here with you, I know that will never happen. She’s a part of me, part of my soul. And now, you are part of me, too.”
Alex kissed her head, inhaling her scent. “I love you, Sapphire.”
“I love you, too, dragon.” She sat up and ran her hand though the gold. “I might love you even more now that I’ve seen everyth
ing you have to offer.”
Alex grabbed her wrists and turned her onto her back, hovering over her body. “Oh, I haven’t shown you everything.”
“No?” she asked, her breathing ragged as he kissed her breasts.
“No, I am only just beginning.”
She closed her eyes as he ignited a new fire in her belly. She would never tired of his touch. He was the only one for her. Past, present and future, she would never need another man.
***
Kim and Jay’s book is next! If you want to find out what happened to Jay, sign up here and I’ll drop you an email as soon as it’s released.
Harmony Raines Newsletter
Sign up to the
Harmony Raines Newsletter
And receive an
EXCLUSIVE FREE BOOK
A Bond to Bear
plus news of special offers and new releases
Harmony Raines Newsletter
*
You can also FOLLOW me on Amazon.
Or LIKE ME on Facebook
I love hearing from my readers, you can find me here!
Facebook
Harmony Raines
Website
www.harmonyraines.com
Other Books By Harmony Raines
Other Books By Harmony Raines
Visit Harmony Raines Author Page On Kindle
***
***UK Harmony Raines Author Page On Kindle***
***
Hero Mine
Bear my Fate (Hero Mine Prequel Book 0)
Hero Mine - Kurt
Bear Bait (Hero Mine Book 1)
READING ORDER FOR
Bear Creek Clan and Bear Bluff Clan
Complete Box Set
Single Daddy Dragon Page 12