by Bianca D’Arc
“Roll over,” Paul growled when he finally released her from his masterful kiss.
She had an inkling of what he intended, and she was all for it. Going with the motion of his guiding hands, she rolled back onto her stomach, only to rise on her knees when he lifted her hips off the bed. He positioned her at an angle, her face on the soft pillow, her ass in the air, as he took his place behind her.
He didn’t wait. He positioned himself and plunged into her. She was more than ready, skyrockets of pleasure going off behind her eyelids as he slid home in one long slide. Oh, that felt so good!
His thrusts pushed her upward, her chest rubbing against the soft fabric beneath her in the most delicious way. She moaned as he pulled out, drawing her back, then pushed forward again, restarting the process. Long, slow thrusts made her body sing with excitement, her nerves tingling in anticipation of his every move. Then, he started to move faster.
Altering his rhythm and moving at different angles, he kept her guessing and held her on the fine edge of rapture for a long, long time. He made her reach her limits and then pushed beyond, teaching her things about her body and its response to him—only him—and what she was truly capable of in the way of pleasure.
She screamed his name into the pillow as she came after long, drawn-out moments of being held back, on the precipice. When he finally let her tumble over, she went wholeheartedly, her body spasming around him, drawing him into her pleasure. She felt him stiffen and join her in ecstasy, a feeling of satisfaction filling her as she felt their magic join just as their bodies had, twining in rapture, then coming apart again, never again to be the same.
She was forever changed by what had passed between them. He’d introduced her, not only to her inner phoenix, but to a passionate side of herself that she hadn’t quite realized existed. At least, not to this extent.
“You’re amazing, draga,” he whispered as he arranged them both on the bed, spent, fulfilled, and utterly drained. Even so, he’d made sure she was comfortable before collapsing next to her, and he spooned her, pulling her into his arms as he lay behind her.
He was the amazing one. “I’ve never felt…so much…before.” She was still trying to catch her breath.
A masculine rumble of pleasure that wasn’t completely human sounded from his chest. The phoenix inside her stretched in pleasure. It recognized the dragon in him as its equal…its…mate?
The word rang in her mind. It felt significant, but she didn’t know enough about shifter culture to know exactly what that word entailed to them. To her, now that she was one of them. She would learn, in time, but until then, she’d be careful what she said aloud when words popped into her mind with a knowing that they were important.
“The sun will be up in an hour,” Paul said sleepily from behind her. “Let us sleep until then, at least. When the sun rises, we have work to do.”
She wasn’t sure exactly what he meant, but she was sure there were things to be done. If nothing else, she wanted to check on Arthur and talk to him about everything that had happened. She had so much to learn.
But, first… She was going to enjoy being in Paul’s arms, warm from his lovemaking. He truly was a special being, and for this moment out of time, he was all hers.
Chapter Twelve
Syd and Paul made their way over to Arthur’s for breakfast. They had awakened shortly after dawn and spent a few soapy, sexy minutes in the bathroom, cleaning up and making love in the wide shower stall. Paul was an inventive lover with a sense of humor and play that kept her guessing and happy.
Although she would have liked to forget the real world and spend the rest of the day in bed with him, there were things to be done. They dressed and headed out to cross the distance to Arthur’s home, stopping along the way to talk with Stone, who had walked up from the edge of the property, making himself visible. Syd hadn’t seen him until he popped into view, and she jumped a bit. Werewolves, she was learning, were really good at being stealthy.
“Morning,” Stone said to Syd. “Quiet night,” he directed toward Paul.
“I’m glad. Thanks for your vigilance.” Paul offered Stone a firm handshake of thanks, and Syd recognized the respect between the two men and the beginnings of a bond of trust that would only grow stronger as time passed and they worked together.
“The old man came out to talk to use at daybreak. He did some kind of sun welcoming ceremony. Even invited me and my Pack members to participate.” Stone seemed impressed despite himself. “That’s one special dude. Powerful and quieter than any holy person I’ve ever encountered before.”
“Arthur is a gem,” Syd agreed. “A kinder soul you will never meet.”
“I asked him if he ever came down off the mountain. I think he’d be a good influence on some of my Pack, as well as the new phoenixes we seem to have acquired.” Stone made a face that indicated his ongoing wonder at the emergence of such powerful beings in his area.
“What did he say?” Paul asked. Syd was curious, too. As far as she knew, Arthur hadn’t been away from his home in years. Maybe decades. Perhaps even longer.
“He got kind of cryptic, but if I understood him correctly, he seemed to say that he couldn’t leave just yet, but the time was soon coming when he would finally be free of his obligation and able to travel once more. He promised to stop by to meet Lance and visit with my Pack when he could.”
Syd was impressed. “That’s pretty amazing,” she said aloud. “As long as I’ve known him, he’s never even mentioned stepping foot off his property. I thought he was homebound.”
Stone squinted and shook his head. “I don’t think so, but he’s got the inscrutable act down to T, so maybe I misunderstood.”
Syd had to laugh. Stone had only just met Arthur the day before, but already, he had him pegged. “I think he enjoys being mysterious,” she admitted.
“It’s a shaman’s prerogative, I guess,” Stone agreed. “I’m heading down the mountain now, but there will be Pack members around all day, keeping watch. Arthur seems to think there won’t be any more trouble, but by the same token, he thanked me for the continued perimeter guard.”
“Which means he’s hoping there’s no further trouble, but he’s not entirely certain there won’t be,” Paul interpreted.
“That was my take,” Stone said, nodding. “Anyway, the day shift just arrived before you came out, and the night shift is heading down. I’ll be back tonight. Call me if you need anything before.”
Paul reached out and shook Stone’s hand. “Thanks again, Alpha. You and your Pack have done me a great service here. I owe you one.”
“Huh. That’s pretty cool to have a dragon owe us a favor,” Stone mused with a smile. “But don’t worry. I won’t ask you to burn Phoenix to the ground or anything.”
They all had a good laugh, and Stone departed soon after, leaving Paul and Syd close to Arthur’s door. They didn’t even have to knock. Arthur must have seen them, and he greeted them at the door, welcoming them inside. Scents of scrambled eggs and bacon wafted through the air, and Paul’s stomach rumbled loudly, making Syd giggle.
Arthur refused to discuss anything important until after they’d all eaten. He had cooked up a storm and laid his small table with more food than Syd had ever seen. Her stomach rumbled, and suddenly, she was ravenous. Hungrier than she could ever remember being before in her life.
“I thought you would have a delayed reaction,” Arthur said when he saw Syd eyeing the food. “Every first timer I’ve known got really hungry after their first shift. I was surprised you didn’t eat that much last night, but I guess weariness won out over hunger. Don’t wait for me,” he ordered her in a friendly tone as he pushed a plate in front of her. “You need to feed and feed well. Shifting takes a lot out of a person, and food is the best way to replace the energy you use when you shift.”
“You mean I’ll be able to eat more now that I can shapeshift?” Syd asked, realizing there were some pretty amazing benefits to her new abilities that she hadn’
t considered.
“Every shifter I’ve ever known could eat as much as they wanted and never had to worry about burning it off. The real problem is if you can’t get enough food to fuel your increased metabolism. Shifters can waste away faster than humans if they don’t have a steady supply of food.”
“Well,” Syd paused in the middle of filling her plate with more than she’d ever eaten in one sitting, “it seems there are some hidden benefits to this shifting thing. I think I’m going to like not having to watch every calorie.”
They shared breakfast and idle conversation, steering clear of any heavy topics at Arthur’s direction. Once they were finished, Syd and Paul offered to clean up, and Arthur accepted their help gracefully. He went into the sitting room and waited for them there.
Syd was really curious about what Arthur might tell them, but she figured he’d give her more information on what she had become. Syd really didn’t know how much Arthur knew, but it was probably a lot.
Still, the topic of conversation when they finally rejoined him in the sitting room shocked her. Arthur didn’t waste words. He started right in with a direct query.
“What do you know of dragons?” He was asking Syd, much to her surprise.
“Not much. Just what you and Paul have told me and what little I’ve seen in visions,” she admitted. “Why?”
“I have lived here for many years. Many more than you probably suspect,” Arthur told them, not answering her question directly. “I have been fulfilling a promise I made long ago to beings of great power. I have been safeguarding their resting place in service to the Mother of All. It is my calling and my duty. Also, my great honor.”
“Wait a minute.” Paul seemed taken aback. “Are you saying, you’re the guardian of a dragon’s resting place?”
Arthur gave him a sly smile. “More than one, actually. Over a century ago, a group of your brethren decided to sleep until the world needed them again. They were led by a golden hunter who had some ability to see the future. He knew that the dragons would need to rise, in time, and if they did not protect themselves before that time, the enemies of all that is good would pick them off one by one. So many of your kind have been lost over the years, Paul.” Arthur looked solemnly at Paul, compassion in his old eyes. “I am almost certain your parents were killed by the enemy, but somehow, they managed to hide you among the humans. That is why you have survived. That, and your own determination to follow the right path.”
“I saw dragons underground and a golden dragon superimposed on a blond man,” Syd said.
“You saw their resting place,” Arthur confirmed. “I have been there a few times to check on them, but my duty is to guard the entrance to their hidden domain.”
“It’s here?” Paul asked, clearly excited by the idea.
“The entrance is hidden, but it is nearby. I will show it to you, as your arrival here, and the battle that just occurred, tell me the time for the last dragons to rise has arrived.”
Syd clutched Paul’s hand. This was amazing. She was so happy for him.
“The journey to reach the dragon’s nest is not easy. They lie far, far below in a chamber few can access.” Arthur told them as he got to his feet and led the way outside. “You need not bring anything with you except this.” He handed Paul a coin. It looked like an ordinary piece of dull copper. Sort of like an oversized penny with no markings on it that Syd could see at first glance.
“Give that to the golden dragon. It will show him that you traveled to him with my blessing. The fact that you are a dragon counts in your favor, but the dragon folk sleeping below are wary of strangers with good reason. Remember that, and you should be fine.” Arthur stepped out into the sunshine and walked them toward the old guest house where they had stayed the night before. It butted up against the side of the mountain in back, and it was there that Arthur pointed. “The old mine entrance is behind the guest house.”
Syd and Paul followed Arthur into the small shack and to the back wall of the building. There was a built-in closet arrangement there that Arthur walked up to. He selected a particular door to the left of center, then pressed one of several coat hooks upward. A small click sounded, and the back of the closet popped as it swung back about two inches into darkness.
“A secret entrance,” Syd breathed, totally impressed. This was like something out of a movie. A very cool movie.
Arthur led the way in, hitting a switch inside the secret passage that illuminated a string of bare lightbulbs leading down a narrow passageway, deep into the mountain.
“I’ve updated the place a few times over the years. We run off solar power now, for the most part,” Arthur told them. “The sleepers come up and visit me every few years to see what’s been happening in the world and binge on pop culture, so they don’t get too far behind. They like to tinker with new tech, so they helped a lot with the upgrades. And, of course, they do all the work underground. I just source the parts and tell them where to get them. They do the pickup, bring the bits back and install them.”
“So, they’re not really sleeping at all, are they?” Syd asked as they walked down the well-lit and surprisingly clean passageway.
“Oh, no. They do sleep for long stretches of time. But they knew going in that they’d have to hit the ground running when they finally emerged, so they made provision to wake every decade or so in shifts, to keep current with developments in the world and check how the mortals were doing. When they wake, they stay in the guest house, which is why I keep it ready.”
“When was the last time one of them was awake?” Syd asked, curious as they kept walking down the long and twisting passageway.
“At least four or five years ago now,” Arthur replied as they came to the end of the passageway. It opened rather abruptly into a low-ceilinged area that held what looked to Syd like mining implements and other odds and ends. There was a work bench along one wall that had various bits and bobs, tools, parts, and spools of wire and what looked like fiber optic cabling.
“This is one of the workshops,” Arthur explained as he led them past the piles of boxes and crates that held pieces of equipment and replacement parts. “Over here is what you’ll need. The railway.”
It didn’t look like any kind of railway Syd had ever seen, except maybe in old documentaries about mines. A narrow rail system led downward into darkness and a set of carts that were badly dinged up and dented, though not too dusty, were sitting on a side rail, as if waiting to be used. Arthur walked up to one of them and opened the double doors, exposing the inside of the cart.
A light popped on as the door opened, displaying a surprisingly comfortable-looking interior. There were two seats—one on either end of the cart—that were well upholstered in dark leather. Hand rails were installed all around, probably because the ride was more roller coaster than railroad, if Syd had to guess. Windows were all around at what would be eye-level when seated. Arthur reached in and knocked on the strip of glass.
“Thick Plexiglas. Won’t break if any rocks get kicked up. They try to keep the rail system as clean as possible, but it’s only used every few years, and rocks will be rocks.” Arthur shrugged and smiled.
“But what if part of the tunnel is collapsed or something? If nobody’s been down here in four or five years, how do we know it’s still safe?” Syd wanted to know. She was feeling a lot of trepidation about getting in this rolling chamber of horrors and plummeting down into who-knew-what.
“We upgrade everything all the time. If there had been a collapse, I’d know,” he told her. “There are sensors placed throughout and they report back to my cell phone. I get immediate updates if something happens, and I have a way of contacting the dragons when needed so they can effect repairs. We haven’t had to do that very often, but on two occasions in the past fifty years, I had to wake someone up to fix something. Otherwise, I can usually take care of things on my own.”
“And, here, I thought you were a lonely shut-in, unable to fend for yourself,” Syd chided,
smiling at Arthur and touching his arm. “In reality, you’ve been like Alfred, the keeper of the superhero’s cave, all these years.” Arthur smiled as Syd chuckled.
“Just get in the car and press the button. Everything is automatic, and lighting will come on in each section as you go along. If it doesn’t, don’t worry. The downhill ride is mostly powered by gravity, anyway. It’s only when you’re coming back up that you might need the electric engine, but even then, there are no grades so steep that you couldn’t get out and walk or crawl in some of the lower spots,” Arthur assured her.
“Will everybody be asleep when we arrive?” Paul asked, already climbing into one of the seats, clearly eager to be on his way.
“Hans will probably wake before you get there. He sleeps closest to the entrance by design, and he’ll likely hear you coming long before you arrive.”
“He’s the golden one,” Syd reasoned, wondering if her vision would prove to be accurate.
Arthur nodded. “He is. And he is their leader. Talk to the golden dragon first, and all will be well. He’ll recognize Paul right off, though I’m not sure what he’ll make of you, Syd.” Arthur winked at her, and she hoped he was just joking around.
She really didn’t want to become a dragon snack so soon after finding her own power. At least she didn’t have to fear the dragon’s fire. She doubted anything could burn a phoenix. And, now, she had some powers of her own. She wasn’t sure what she could do against a dragon, but she was certain Paul wouldn’t let any of them threaten her. She trusted him to keep her safe with his unknown brethren.
Arthur slapped the side of the cart and stepped back as they boarded. Just before the door shut completely, Arthur caught her eye.
“Don’t forget to look up when you can. It’s a beautiful ride, if you watch for the wonders.” With those last words, he stepped back, and Paul released the mechanism that had held the cart still. It began a slow roll that increased when Paul pushed another button on the center console.