by Bianca D’Arc
“If that’s what you desire, then that is what you shall have,” Paul promised her.
“I just want you to know,” Lance put in quietly. “You’re always welcome here.”
She reached across the table to take her brother’s hand and smiled at him. “Thank you for saying that, but I don’t want to bring trouble to your door.”
“We’ve already had trouble here. The Venifucus know about Lance, and they know to steer clear,” Stone said in support of his cousin-in-law, friend and boss.
“Like I said, I can’t think about it tonight. My brain is full.” Syd laughed as she rose from the table. “Thank you for welcoming me into your home. I would like to return the favor once I figure out where I’m going to end up.” She grinned, and they returned her smile. Syd’s mood was light, even though she’d been made aware of the reality that she’d have to move. Paul was glad she was taking it so well.
Paul stood with Stone and Tina while Syd hugged first Diana, then Lance for a long time. Paul didn’t mind waiting. He’d give anything to be close to his own family, just once, but he didn’t begrudge Syd this moment of happiness and peace in her soul. He wanted everything good for her. For always.
At length, they said their goodbyes, and Paul and Syd drove off in a car Stone had arranged to loan them from the car lot. It’s wasn’t anything flashy. In fact, it was about as nondescript as a luxury car could get, and it had a purring engine under the hood that could handle just about anything in a chase other than a true racing car.
Paul approached Syd’s house from a side street, pulled over a few blocks away, and called the number Stone had provided. It was the cell number of one of Stone’s Pack members who was watching Syd’s house. They would run off the other surveillance long enough for Paul to pull the car into Syd’s garage and get them both inside the house.
Paul would reinforce his wards and then take his lady to bed. They wouldn’t need much light. Not for what he intended. Just the two of them, a soft bed, and the rest of the night, during which he’d prove his love to her as many times as she’d let him.
It felt weird to be entering her home again after all that had happened. The house was the same, but everything else in her life had changed. Radically.
Most important of all, was the man who walked beside her. Paul went ahead to check the house and do some magic mumbo jumbo that he’d tried to explain a bit in the car, before she’d waved him off. She was overloaded with information and couldn’t absorb any more, right now. She was very interested to learn about magic, but it would have to wait until her head was clearer. A good night’s sleep in her own bed ought to help.
Of course, she planned to have Paul in her bed, too, so she wasn’t sure exactly how much actual sleeping would occur. That was okay, though. Being with him calmed her and helped ground her. He was her anchor in the storm, her touchstone.
She didn’t turn on any lights as she went through the house. She had a few lamps on timers scattered around the house, and they provided enough illumination to get around, without revealing to anyone outside that she was back. She knew she couldn’t stay in the house. It just wasn’t a safe enough location. Indefensible was the word Paul had used.
She knew she’d have to move to a better location, but for just one more night, she would enjoy the little nest she’d built for herself in this place. Honestly, she didn’t want to live here, anymore, anyway. Not after those evil bastards had invaded her home and tried to bug it. Not after she’d been bashed over the head here. No, she knew it wasn’t safe. That fact had been clearly demonstrated already.
Nostalgia, though, was a tough thing to silence. She’d loved decorating this place and setting it up to her exact specifications. She’d lived here for a number of years, but she wasn’t so attached to the place that she couldn’t take her belongings and go elsewhere. At this point, she knew that, anywhere Paul was, that could easily become her home. If he was agreeable, of course.
She wished she knew, for sure, whether or not he was thinking about their relationship becoming permanent. She knew what she wanted. She wanted him. Forever. But what was on his mind? That, she’d have to discover. The sooner the better. But she didn’t want to just blatantly ask and put him on the spot. Ultimatums were never a good tactic.
“The house is secure for the night,” Paul reported when he found her in the bedroom, slipping off her shoes. “I’ve talked with the wolves watching the place, and the other watchers haven’t come back yet, but they’ll keep an eye out. In fact, they’ve doubled the wolf presence. There are a few extra canines in your backyard tonight, and they’ll start howling if anything threatens the house.” Paul came up to her and put his arms around her in a loose embrace. “Seems your family is making sure you’re looked after.”
She rested her head against his chest for a moment. “It still seems kind of unreal. This whole situation is going to take some getting used to.”
He rubbed her back with soothing hands. “It’ll be all right. You’ve passed every trial that came your way and are still fighting strong. I have faith in you.”
She pulled back a bit, so she could look up at him. “I couldn’t have done any of it without you, Paul. When bad guys invaded my home, you were the one who stopped them and made sure I was okay. When the visions confused the heck out of me, you showed up and helped me figure it out. And, when the sun pulled at me, I didn’t follow its call…because of you. Because I wanted to be with you more than I wanted to follow the sun over the edge of the world. I still want that,” she told him in a hushed whisper.
“Good,” he rumbled back at her. “I want that, too.”
He kissed her, and then, it was all heat and passion and clothes in the way. She pushed at his shirt while he stripped the tunic dress off her in one delicious slide of fabric against skin. She had to take her hands off him while the dress came off, but as soon as it was gone, she went right back to him, unable to keep away.
She stood, naked and vulnerable in his embrace, but she didn’t really feel vulnerable. Not physically. Emotionally was another matter.
His shirt came off and was tossed across the room, and he paused. “You mean the world to me, Syd,” he told her, his tone as serious as she’d ever heard it. Her breath caught.
“You mean the world to me, too,” she replied in a hushed tone. “And more.”
“Did you understand what Stone was saying about mating among shifters?” His gaze was intent. “That shifters mate for life?”
“It sounded so beautiful,” she agreed as she nodded slowly. “And it felt right.”
“It feels right to me, too,” he told her. “Syd, I believe you are my mate. You’re mine.”
Her heart leapt in her chest, joy filling her at his words. “You’re mine, too,” she replied, unable to keep the teary smile off her face. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing close. Daring greatly, she whispered, “I want to keep you forever.”
Paul kissed her then, a passionate kiss that spoke of love and possession, tenderness and joy. When he finally let her up for air, he met her gaze, and she could see the emotion in his dark eyes.
“I love you, dragostea mea, my heart. I will love you forever and beyond. We were meant to be together, and my heart is so happy that I’ve found you, it could burst.” He placed tender kisses along her jaw as she giggled with happiness.
“Don’t let that happen,” she chided. “I feel the same, and I want to spend a good long time—the rest of our lives—with you.”
He paused to meet her gaze again. “I want that, too. You and me. Together in love, and in life.”
He kissed her again, and this time, he took her down to the bed, keeping them close. He wore only his jeans, and they felt sexy and rough against her thighs. They’d have to go—soon—but for now, she was reveling in the feel of him against her. His warm skin above, pressed against her, and the rough denim below. Delicious.
“I love everything about you, Syd,” he whispered, brea
king the kiss and working his way down her jaw to her neck. He nibbled and licked, kissed and teased, and she loved every moment of his passion and the sexy words he spoke as he smooched his way down her body. “You are the sexiest woman in the world and a power to be reckoned with. Do you know how much that turns me on?”
She reached downward to cup his hardness through the denim. “I think I have some idea,” she teased him, squeezing gently as he groaned. She loved the deep sounds in his chest that reminded her a little of his dragon side. “You’re incredibly sexy when you turn all dragon,” she told him, reaching down to nip at his shoulder. “And you don’t mind my flames, which is a huge bonus.”
“Mind? Draga, sweetheart, I love that you burn as hot as I do,” he assured her. “I’ve never been able to be fully myself with a woman. Do you know how freeing it is to be with you?”
She nodded, unable to speak as he paused to kiss her breasts, licking and rubbing his face against the soft skin that awaited his touch with eager anticipation. His cheeks were only a little rough—not enough to abrade her skin, but enough to let her feel the maleness of his jaw. So very exciting to her starved senses. She wanted to revel in his touch for hours, but her body was fast heating into a passionate uproar. She couldn’t wait for hours. Probably not even for minutes. She needed him now.
She pushed at his jeans, taking a moment to work at the button that held them together then release the zipper. He didn’t stop her. In fact, he lifted his hips to help as she pushed the fabric down, away from his skin. His briefs went with the jeans, and then, he was revealed. Hard. Hot. Strong. And all hers.
She reached for him, but he skittered away, moving her around instead. He placed her on her side as he faced her, then lifted her top thigh over his and made a place for himself between. She liked it. Especially when he slid into her, claiming his place.
They were face to face. Heart to heart. Skin to skin. Together.
Then, he began to move, and the motion was rhythmic…and wonderful. The motion was slow, learning, yearning. He was using the position to pace himself, she realized, and emotion burst in her heart as her body burned in flames of desire. He was doing this for her. Holding back when he didn’t need to, out of care and…love.
“I love you, Paul,” she told him, revealing her deepest heart to him as she gazed into his dark eyes. “I love you with all my heart.”
He growled and flipped her onto her back driving deep as if he’d completely lost control. “I love you, too,” he whispered urgently as he powered into her, driving her up the bed and up to new heights of passion. She loved making him wild. She’d have to look for ways to do it more often.
That was the last coherent thought she had as the world burst into shards of light and pleasure. She heard Paul growl her name as they both went over the cliff into pure, unadulterated bliss. He held her as she held him, and ecstasy rocked their world. A world they would share now, together. Forever.
Syd woke from a vision of the future so bright she had to catch her breath. She saw herself and Paul living the dream. Happy. Flying side by side through life, helping people where they could, fighting evil where they found it, and living in a most unexpected place. She knew it wasn’t going to be all roses and daffodils. There would be hard days, but together, they could handle just about anything.
Though she would have to leave this house behind, better things were ahead. They would be able to stay in Phoenix for a little while longer, but she knew their next destination already.
“We have to go to Grizzly Cove,” she said aloud, sensing Paul come awake beside her.
He leaned up on one elbow to look at her. “What?”
“You heard me.” She smiled at him and reached one hand up to curl around his neck.
“But your family is here. Don’t you want to spend time with them?” he asked.
“I do, and there will be time for that—a little now, and a lot later—but your family needs our help in Grizzly Cove. Not today or even tomorrow, but soon. We need to balance the water element with our fire and air. There’s going to be a big fight with something in the ocean, and we need to be there for it. Your friends there are earth. We are both wind and fire. Right now, evil has the majority of the water, but not if we have anything to say about it.” She narrowed her gaze as she made that statement.
“How did you…? Oh.” His gaze sharpened as he looked deep into her eyes. “This is something you’ve seen?”
She nodded. “A very strong vision of our future.” She smiled. “We’ll have our ups and downs, but as long as we’re together…” She felt tears of joy welling in her eyes and paused as she got a little choked up.
Paul dipped his head, kissing her tears away. “As long as we’re together, we’re going to be fantastic,” he told her, finishing her thought in the best way possible. “I don’t have to be clairvoyant to know that,” he quipped, making her smile.
“Do you think your bear family will like me?” she asked, a hint of her uncertainty sounding in her voice.
“Dragostea mea, they’re going to love you,” he said, placing little kisses all over her face. “And you’re going to love Grizzly Cove.”
Epilogue
Things moved fast once the dragons started waking up and rejoining the world of men. Paul and Syd arranged for storage of her belongings after she packed up the things she most wanted with her. The problem of where they would stay in the interim was solved when Arthur called and relayed a message from Hans, inviting Paul and Syd to stay in the nest for a while, so Paul could get to know the other dragons, and vice versa.
Paul was so enthusiastic about the idea of spending time with other dragon shifters, Syd could hardly object. She wanted to spend time with Arthur, too. Her old friend had been hiding a big secret and she wanted a chance to talk with him about everything she had been learning in the past few days.
Syd stayed up top the next afternoon with Arthur, while Hans traveled with Paul back down to the nest in one of the tricked out mine carts. This trip downward was very different from the previous one. For one thing, there were dragons in both human and dragon form in each of the caverns along the way this time, and many more mine carts parked on side rails.
Paul hadn’t noticed it before, but there were actually two sets of tracks running parallel to each other so that one cart could be going down into the nest while another was traveling upward. It was a two-way railroad system. In fact, as they entered one of the narrow tunnels about halfway through the journey, another cart passed by going upward. Hans waved as they passed, the carts going just slow enough so Paul could see the man and woman in the other cart before they were past.
“We’re trying to stagger our presence up top for now,” Hans told Paul as they continued moving downward. “There’s a lot still to be done to secure the nest and we don’t want to draw too much attention to ourselves before we’re ready.
“Ready for what, exactly?” Paul asked, wondering yet again about the real reason behind the elaborate hideaway the dragon shifters had constructed centuries ago.
“War, Paul. I’m sorry to say.” Hans’s expression tightened. “This nest holds a dragon army. It was my task to gather our people and hide them. My job isn’t entirely done yet, but soon I will pass the baton to my brother, who will see us to the next phase of preparedness. Then, when the time is right, the one who is destined to lead us all into battle will take command.”
“Sounds like a complex plan,” Paul mused, wondering how the dragons had known to prepare in such detail.
“It is,” Hans agreed. “And yet, there are elements of uncertainty in it that we all must face.” He nodded at Paul. “The dragon shifters gathered here have all pledged their allegiance to the Mother of All.” He paused and his gaze was very direct. “Like you.”
Paul was taken aback. “How can you know that?”
“Arthur confirmed it, but I knew already that he would never have let you into the mine without checking you out thoroughly. You had proved yo
urself to him already, and he has…abilities…I can only guess at. He is not just some crackpot old codger. He’s a person of true power.”
Paul nodded. “Yeah. I saw that for myself. He’s a Knight of the Light.”
“A Chevalier?” Hans seemed to think about it. “I can’t say I’m surprised. He has that sort of aura about him. Not that I’ve known that many of his kind in my time, but I have crossed paths with one or two of his brethren in the distant past.” Hans shrugged and changed the subject. “You and your mate are welcome to stay with us while we prepare. I would hope you might add your strength to our army.”
“I’m not sure about that, unfortunately. My mate is a foreseer and she’s already told me that we have to go back to my bear family in Grizzly Cove shortly. We are needed there to represent Wind and Fire. They are fighting a leviathan in the ocean, attempting to send it back where it belongs.”
“A leviathan?” Hans seemed very interested. “The Destroyer was known to use such creatures. It is another sign that the time of battle nears. But, tell me more about this place, Grizzly Cove, and your family there. How is it that you have family among bears?”
For the rest of the journey down to the nest, Paul told Hans what he knew about the cove and how he’d come to be related to a Clan of Kamchatka bear shifters. Hans seemed greatly interested in the problems the bears had faced with the leviathan and Paul felt comfortable revealing what little he knew about the situation.
Eventually, they arrived and got out of the mine cart. A dark haired woman was waiting on the platform, tears in her eyes as she stepped forward.
“Paul, this is your aunt, Tilda Lebchenko. Your father’s older sister. She was one of the last to wake since her resting place was at the far edges of the nest.” Hans made the startling introduction, then faded into the background as Paul was completely blown away by the fact that the small woman in front of him was a blood relative.