by Cecilia Lane
Though, with his naked mate draped across his chest, he had a difficult time caring. He only wished he had more time to take Lola away from his space.
In the days since the death of the dragon, Lola had been kept locked behind his door. The floor needed special access that the rest of the tower’s residents didn’t possess. Sure, they could simply fly up the building, but no one would dare.
The royal family was understandably wary of Lola’s presence near the heir, so she wasn’t allowed to follow him about his shifts. She stayed behind with a hallway camera pointed at the door to make sure she didn’t wander.
Perhaps soon, if she became his true mate with a mark and all, she wouldn’t need to be confined.
Lola shifted against him again. Instead of relaxing, she stiffened. Her eyes shot open. “So that wasn’t a dream.”
“Sorry, little bit. Your nightmares have come true.”
She smiled slowly. “Not a nightmare. A dream. A very good dream.”
Rafe and his dragon purred at the sultry sound of her voice. Some of his troubles were forgotten knowing she’d enjoyed herself.
“I’ll make coffee, since we missed it this morning.” A hint of a blush colored her cheeks.
Rafe reached a hand behind his head and watched her dress. Her blush spread over her chest that she covered far too quickly with her shirt.
“Stop watching me.” She made a poor attempt to hide her smile.
“Never. You’re too gorgeous not to watch.”
Her blush darkened and Rafe wanted her all over again.
Damn. Was that how it would always be with his mate? He’d never get anything done if he was too busy lusting after her every second of the day.
He followed her into the kitchen after taking a moment to quickly clean himself and dress in clothes that weren’t ripped or strained almost to breaking. She was already waiting for their coffee to finish brewing. Rafe sucked in a breath and steeled himself.
“I need to ask you something.” It could turn her against him. But his duty was to his people. He shouldn’t question orders given to him by his king. Even if it meant rebuilding the wall between him and his mate.
“Hm?” Her shirt rode up and revealed the small of her back as she reached high into a cabinet to grab mugs.
“I need to know where the compound is.”
Loyalty and duty. The tattoo on his chest bound him. But where did his mate fit in? At what point, if any, did loyalty to his mate supersede loyalty to his king?
Her face paled and she set the coffee mugs down with a hard clink. “I can’t do that.”
“You can. It’s simply saying the words. I know you’re holding back on this.”
“No, Rafe. I can’t. You can’t expect me to sentence my family to death. And don’t try to say that wouldn’t happen. You and I both know that’s exactly what the goal is.”
“We’re not evil monsters. We won’t kill innocents.” Not if Penelope had anything to say about it. She fought for the life of the slayer that entered their tower. It wasn’t a stretch to imagine she’d fight to keep the slayers alive as long as they didn’t pose any threats.
“I don’t see your people as evil, not like I did when I was living there and knew nothing else. But you can’t expect me to give them up, just like that. They’re still the only family I know.”
“My people are your people now,” he said quietly.
When she still didn’t answer, Rafe passed a hand over his face. It’d be another day of reporting he had no new information. Another day of being told it was imperative he learn all her secrets.
He’d told her duty wasn’t a light weight to carry. Would he forever be balancing on the rope between his people and his fated mate?
Instead of returning to her task, Lola fidgeted and chewed on her lower lip. Her voice was as quiet as his had been just a moment before. “What will you do if I don’t tell?”
“Nothing. You’re my mate and you deserve protection.” His words hardened his conviction. Damn anyone who thought her a traitor. Damn anyone who wanted to make her pay for centuries of crimes committed by the slayers. Damn anyone who thought he shouldn’t keep her so close. She was his.
“Mates?” The word sounded unfamiliar on her tongue and her eyebrows drew together.
There was no time like the present.
“It’s more than just sex or relationships for us when we find the right person. Something closer to human lore of soul mates. It’s a bond that goes to our very cores. It changes a human. Makes them more like us. And you’re that person for me.”
“I’d be a dragon?”
“No. Not quite. We live long lives; you’d have that. You saw how my skin changes to scales with danger; you’d have that, too. But you wouldn’t have a full shift.”
“How does it work?”
He stepped closer and tugged her gently into his arms. Damn. His cock throbbed in his pants. She already had him ready for more. He sealed away the arousal that thrummed in his veins. She wasn’t ready for him again.
He pressed his nose into the crook of her neck and inhaled her scent. He still coated her skin. Anyone who came near her would smell him. The thought pleased him.
“At the height of pleasure, I’d bite you. Here.” He nipped lightly at her skin. It took a massive amount of control to keep it light, especially after she sighed and tilted her head to give him better access. “The bite would transfer a bit of my power to you and bond us together.”
Only if she accepted him. Only if she wanted him. She was a dragon slayer, after all. One morning of fun didn’t change how she’d been raised.
A rapid knock on his door swung his attention away from his mate. He growled with irritation until she stroked a hand down his arm. He untangled himself from Lola and yanked the door open to find Levi pacing in the hall.
Levi peered around him and smiled slyly. Shifter noses were sensitive.
“What?” Rafe demanded. His dragon wanted to kill the man for interrupting time with his mate. Rafe agreed but kept the beast on a short leash. It wouldn’t be right to kill one of his Dragonsworn brothers.
“We’re heading out to the site. Since you’re scheduled, thought you might want to get a head start on your shift. But if you’re too busy…” The other man cocked an eyebrow.
Rafe glared at him. “Wait here.”
He crossed the room quickly and pressed Lola against the counter. Lacing his fingers into her hair, he stroked his thumbs over her cheeks. He whispered his lips over hers, not quite touching even if all he wanted to do was lift her high on the counter and press between her thighs.
“Think about what I said…my mate.”
He turned on his heel and smirked to hear her hushed noise of frustration as he left the apartment.
Chapter Nine
Lola snagged a glass of wine off a passing tray. She didn’t stray too far from Rafe and the coronation party, as instructed. There were too many eyes watching her and she didn’t want to cause any more problems than the night already presented. The chamber under the amphitheater was a jumble of last minute activity and preparations.
When Rafe brought her a shimmering green dress sent down from Penelope, she hadn’t believed him. She wasn’t a dress sort of girl. Nor did she ever expect to be invited to the big shindig where the dragons officially crowned their new royalty. But he insisted that she would attend the coronation as his guest and his mate.
Mates. That’s what he’d called them. The word was still so new to her. At least, she still didn’t quite comprehend the significance he applied to it. It loomed large and lured out a monstrous amount of anxiety when he said it.
She wished she had someone to talk to. She had Rafe, sure. But it was difficult to talk through her own doubts with the one person she didn’t want to cause pain because of said doubts. He hadn’t pushed her to make a decision since the first confession.
She needed a girlfriend to act as a sounding board, though she’d never really had one of those. En
tering dragon territory had shown her just how much she lacked when she lived in the compound. Her life would never again be the same.
Lola peered out of the tunnel that served as one of the entrances from the underground rooms. She was surprised at the size of the place. The underground was a small warren of tunnels and rooms to get ready. She’d be so turned around if it weren’t for Rafe, but that was by design. The dragons wanted the space to be difficult for those without wings to invade. She’d overheard one of Penelope’s friends complaining about the trek to and fro just to set up the ceremony.
Outside the tunnels, it appeared almost as if an entire mountain had been inverted. The seats and steps that curved down to the stage right in the middle looked naturally made, even though Rafe told her it’d been under construction for several months. Dragons needed a space for their ceremonies, he explained.
For the millionth time that night, she caught him staring at her from across the room. He made the appropriate responses and gave attention to anyone who approached him, but his eyes always found her and his lips always curved upward in a gorgeous smirk. She dropped her eyes when she caught him and felt a blush grow across her cheeks. He had a habit of making her feel like the most important person in the world and she still wasn’t sure how to respond.
She knew she should mingle. That’s what people did when they gathered for parties. But she felt like an outsider. She was an outsider, regardless of how Rafe viewed her. She didn’t know what to say to anyone who came near. So she nursed her wine and let the small crowd swirl around her as she moved through it.
Most of the hostilities toward her faded as the dragons grew more preoccupied with the coronation. There was simply no time to hate her when they rushed around the city looking for proper attire and arranged small afterparties amongst their own circle of friends. Rafe and his Dragonsworn brothers were engrossed in preparing for any threat on the royal family, though she wasn’t privy to those plans.
Barring any sudden changes, her life would be centered around the dragons. It was a lonely position to be in while seemingly everyone in the tower had some job to do before the ceremony, but she didn’t complain. She felt like she was in limbo. She couldn’t go home. She couldn’t bring herself to kill a dragon and she wouldn’t be welcomed back until she did. She saw a way of becoming mostly accepted as a dragon if she let Rafe make her his mate. Dragon hearted. A human with a dragon mate. Yet, she still hesitated.
He was wonderful and strong and honorable. She thought she could fall in love with him. But she was frozen on the ledge, knowing she needed to take one final leap to bind herself to Rafe.
She rubbed at her upper arm. She’d held back the tracker under her skin, just as surely as she’d kept the location of the compound from him. Her brothers could be tracking her location at that very moment. They could pop up on a vacation she took with Rafe. They could track her anywhere if they wished. How could she commit herself to Rafe if she couldn’t be completely honest with him?
As if summoned by her thoughts, Rafe appeared at her side. “Ready to be seated?”
His hand was warm on the small of her back and eased away some of the nerves that jittered inside her. “Is it about to begin?”
“Just as soon as the room clears and we get into position.”
“Let’s see what you dragons have in store for a coronation. I expect big things. Lots of fire.”
He snorted. “We do hate to disappoint.”
Rafe placed her close to one of the tunnel entrances. The royal procession would exit the tunnel across from her, with him with them. She folded her hands on her lap. She didn't need to wait very long.
The loud booms of drums startled her. The rhythm was hypnotic. She didn’t know if they were timed to her heart or if her heart beat to match the drums. Either way, each boom twined with her heart and pulled her fully into the ceremony. She almost swayed in her seat when the procession appeared across from her.
Deep purple robes engulfed the bodies of the man and woman in front. Luca and Penelope looked like what she imagined of kings and queens. Luca looked strong and bold as he stood tall in front of his people. Penelope appeared elegant and gracious as her eyes passed over everyone. Lola shivered at the sense of power they both exuded.
At their backs were the three Dragonsworn. Rafe stood in the middle and held the baby in his arms. Lola’s lips twitched at the sight. He looked just right holding a child.
Her attention snapped back when she saw movement from another tunnel. An older man who looked very similar to Luca entered the stage. A woman held his elbow as they crossed the space and stood a few feet from Luca and Penelope.
The bowl had quieted when Luca and Penelope and their entourage entered. It was utterly silent when the elders appeared.
Luca and Penelope knelt in the very center of the open space. The drums had stopped beating at some point but her heart more than made up for the lost sound. Lola held her breath. The air hummed with energy.
The older man gave the woman at his side a fond smile before taking a place in front of Luca.
“Do you vow to take the responsibility of dragon shifters upon your shoulders?” His voice boomed and echoed for even those at the top of the bowl to hear.
“I vow to be responsible for my people.”
“Do you vow to protect dragon shifters against any threat seen or unseen that may challenge their lives and livelihoods?”
“I vow to protect my people.”
“Do you vow to uphold the laws of dragon shifters and dole out justice as befitting the severity of the crime?”
“I vow to seek justice for my people.”
A thick, golden crown was placed on his head. So close, Lola didn’t miss the proud smile on the man’s face as he placed the symbol of power on Luca.
The woman took a step to stand in front of Penelope. Her voice was lighter than her mate's but no less clear.
“Do you vow to see all dragon shifters as your children?”
“I vow to support all my children.”
“Do you vow to support your mate in all that he does?”
“I vow to support my mate.”
A thinner band was settled into her hair.
The two joined together again. They looked upward, turning and taking in the gathered crowd. Lola followed their gaze. It amazed her how full the seats were, but she couldn’t help notice it was a small number of dragons. Any national sporting event would easily overwhelm the numbers present.
She wondered how much her people had to do with that. Even if they had a hand in whittling down the number of dragons, they were much better off than her own compound. They didn’t need to scratch out a living in the dirt. They’d built up an entire skyscraper and dug into the earth to make a space for their ceremonies while her family struggled to survive.
The couple completed their circuit and smiled at one another. Together, they intoned, “We step down from our esteemed position and give you the new King and Consort.”
The bowl erupted into applause. Lola didn’t know how the dragons, with their better hearing, could stand the noise. Her human ears nearly burst with the sound.
The sound grew louder. She glanced behind her and saw more and more dragons glancing around confused. The ground started to shake beneath her feet.
One side of the bowl broke apart and shot jagged rock and bodies into the air.
The happy sounds of applause turned to panic.
"Get the family out of here!" She heard Rafe shout. Levi and Brody bracketed Luca, Penelope, and Cassandra and led them back into the tunnels. The previous ruling pair turned and took up position where the newly crowned had exited.
Dragons jostled her as they tried to run away from the explosion. Some brave souls fought against the tide and tried to get to those who might be injured. Lola froze with her hands over her mouth. She hoped their instincts had kicked in and turned their skin to scales to prevent as much damage as possible.
“Lola!” Rafe shouted.
She struggled to find him in the surging crowd. “Here!”
Hands grabbed her upper arms and lifted her off the ground. She rolled wide eyes at the two holding her. She didn’t know if she felt more fear or surprise to see two of her brothers.
They carried her between them into the tunnel at her back.
“You!” Rafe ordered a handful of guards trying to keep the pressing crowd away from the tunnel entrance. The former rulers snapped jaws at any dragon that strayed too near.
His dragon ached to do the same. The royal family was protected. He needed to find his mate. She’d disappeared into another tunnel in the arms of their attackers and he aimed to get her back.
“Three of you, with me.” He started toward the entrance Lola had been taken down but turned when none of the guards followed him. “Now!” he snarled.
Three jumped forward and glued themselves to his heels.
Tunnels ran all through the mountains. It was difficult to get to the amphitheater without wings. Difficult, not impossible. The tunnels were meant to ease the congestion in the skies and allow human workers access.
It also allowed humans to escape.
The tunnel was dimly lit. The air around him was thick with panic and fear. There were too many dragons gathered and not enough space to shift and launch into the sky. There were too many who’d been blown across the space by the blast that tore open one entire side of the seats. His own beast clawed at his throat to be set loose on those responsible for hurting their brethren and stealing their mate.
The scents slowly faded as he and the guards with him strode further into the tunnel and left the crowded amphitheater behind. He inhaled deeply. A trio of scents weaved a path in front of him. The sharp sting of fear laced the scent he’d quickly become familiar with since the night she infiltrated the tower. Lola was with them.