by Zoe Chant
“You heard her,” Gregory said, feeling proud of his mate. “I won’t leave her side. A dragon—an actual fire dragon—just kidnapped my mate. Not even a summons from the council could make me leave her defenseless.”
“Hey now,” Naomi muttered. “Remember who got us both to safety.”
Gregory winced. “She’s right. The other dragon defeated me. I don’t know why he didn’t kill me right there. Still, either she comes with me, or I stay here with her.”
“Come with you?” Jared gave him a surprised look. “No humans have ever been allowed—but then, you say she’s your mate?”
At Jared’s curious look, Gregory straightened, then gently pulled Naomi more tightly against him. At the contact, the bond between them surged to life once more, warmth flowing where they touched—and this time, the connection brought with it an awareness of Naomi’s discomfort.
“She is. And I won’t abandon her, no matter what,” Gregory declared, as much for Jared’s sake as to calm Naomi’s fears.
Jared frowned, giving Naomi a thoughtful look. “The laws of the council are quite clear. No humans are allowed to know of the council and its rulings. But at the same time—”
“There is a law that states that every shifter has the right to have his mate by his side, no matter his crimes,” Gregory continued triumphantly.
“You are not formally mated,” Jared began.
“But you can feel it too,” Gregory challenged him. “We are mates. You saw it the moment you landed. I could see it on your face.”
After a long moment of silence, Jared sighed. “Let the council sort it out, in that case. I’m just the messenger.”
Gregory turned to Naomi. Once more it hit him just how gorgeous his mate was: her face was animated, her cheeks flushed, and despite her obvious confusion, there were sparks of anger in her eyes. Through the bond, he could feel the steely resolve that was there, hidden at the core of a personality that was all sweetness.
Naomi was strong. Stronger than she herself thought she was. She’d faced a fire dragon, after all, and hadn’t been cowed by that. She’d broken free of her bonds all on her own. She was more beautiful than any princess—but she wasn’t helpless.
“Naomi,” Gregory began. “Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the council?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Naomi nodded. “I’m not scared of any dragon. At least... at least I think I’d rather know all there is to know, instead of just getting kidnapped out of the blue. I won’t be used as bait again. I want to know everything that’s going on—and I want to be with you.”
At his mate’s words, Gregory felt new heat well up inside him. This time, it was pride, especially when he saw the look of new respect on Jared’s face.
He knew that at any other time, his friend would’ve teased him about finally finding his mate, and about taking his time to do it. But it seemed that there was no time left if Gregory wanted to convince the council that he hadn’t gone insane, and that there was a rogue fire dragon on the loose.
“In that case,” Gregory said softly, another smile spreading across his face, “have you ever thought about riding a dragon?”
Shifting was always a pleasure. It wasn’t so much like turning into a different creature, but more like relaxing and opening himself up fully to the powerful, ancient being that was always at the core of him. It was like coming home: the air, which had been his element since he was born, welcoming him as his senses grew more sensitive, feeling the currents of air flowing all around him, and feeling his own power to gently manipulate them to his will.
But this time when Gregory shifted, his mate’s eyes were on him. And through the partially formed mate bond, he felt her wonder and utter amazement.
There was no fear. Even during the moment when his form blurred and changed, he sent his love and affection surging through the bond between them. And when he had finished, his dragon’s mighty wings gently unfolding to test the wind, Naomi was laughing, and there were tears in her eyes.
“You are him. You’re truly him,” she whispered. “The dragon of my dreams.”
Slowly, Gregory lowered his head. Naomi reached out and pressed her hand to his neck, her eyes widening.
“You’re all warm!” she said.
Did you think I would feel cold and slimy, like a snake? His words came through the bond together with his amusement.
In answer, Naomi laughed. “You’re not a snake at all. You’re all dragon. Whatever that is. You’re lucky I’m not a biologist.”
Gracefully, Gregory lowered himself and stretched out his wing in invitation. After a moment’s hesitation, Naomi began to climb onto his back, settling at last between his wings. There were tiny little ridges there, growing along his spine, and she held onto them with her hands.
“Like this?” she asked. “I’m not hurting you, am I?”
You could never hurt me, he said voicelessly. Now hold on tight. And don’t be afraid. I would never drop you.
A second later, he spread his wings, feeling the power of the wind tugging playfully at him, as if inviting him to come and play.
He took a deep breath, aware of the heat of Naomi’s small body clinging to him—and then, with one powerful beat of his wings, they were in the air, Naomi’s excitement rushing through the bond.
Chapter Nine: Naomi
The wind tugged at her hair. Above her, the sky stretched, darkening now to shades of blue as the sun continued its descent. Above them, there were clouds, which were now rapidly coming closer.
The sensation was exhilarating—but nothing could compare to the feeling of the powerful body of the dragon stretching in flight, giant wings holding them effortlessly aloft as they soared.
Naomi couldn’t stop laughing. She’d never been afraid of flying, even though she’d never had the money to travel much. But this—this didn’t compare to anything she’d ever known, not even the strange feeling of power and excitement when engines roared and a plane lifted off.
There was power here all right, but it was all Gregory.
Holding on to his neck, they soared together so that she felt weightless, fearless, one with the currents of air that held them aloft. Joy filled her.
It was exactly like the moment she’d seen in her mind, the night she’d been overwhelmed by the sudden urge to paint the dragon. But what she’d seen that night hadn’t been real. Or perhaps it had been real, perhaps she’d seen Gregory as he’d soared through the sky that night. Still, she hadn’t experienced it. She’d felt it tug at her like a dream, freedom and excitement stretching out its hands towards her—but she hadn’t been there with the dragon. She’d painted.
Now, she was flying. And this time it was all real. It wasn’t a dream. The wind was tugging on her hair, and she felt truly alive, with a dragon’s immeasurable power at her beck and call.
Far below them, she could see the coastline. The beach house where they’d found shelter was just a tiny speck. Before them, the ocean gleamed. It was lit by the last rays of a dying sun, and for a short, incredible moment it seemed as if the ocean had caught fire below her, waves of red and orange and brilliant yellow running towards the shore.
And then the sun sunk below the waves, and darkness surrounded them.
Look up, a familiar voice whispered in her mind.
Even as a dragon, Gregory’s voice was warm and deep, surrounding her like a blanket so that she felt completely safe on his back.
Dimly, she remembered that she should feel cold. By now they’d made it so high that the tips of Gregory’s wings were disturbing small clouds. But she wasn’t cold. She felt perfectly warm and comfortable. Beneath her hands, the dragon’s scales gave off a pleasant heat.
When she looked up, her eyes widened—and then Gregory beat his wings once, and suddenly they were diving right into the clouds above them.
For a heartbeat, everything was white. Naomi couldn’t stop laughing. Gregory’s body was reassuringly warm and firm beneath her. Intr
igued, she opened her mouth wide, trying to catch a bit of cloud on her tongue.
What are you doing? Gregory asked, laughing in her mind.
“Trying to see what clouds taste like,” she called out, giggling at the way wisps of clouds trailed from the ridges and horns on Gregory’s neck as they continued to dive upwards.
And then, suddenly, the clouds were gone and everything was dark.
A heartbeat later, she whooped in joy. They’d broken through the cloud cover, and were now soaring above what looked like a plain of freshly fallen snow—only that the hills of snow were very fluffy and kept shifting as she watched. Most importantly, above them, the stars shone more brilliantly than Naomi had ever observed before. She could see the Milky Way stretch above them, so close that for a moment, she wondered if a dragon’s wings could carry her right into that gleaming band of stars...
“I think we lost your friend,” she said in sudden worry, craning her head.
A second later, one of the hills of fluffy, white clouds seemed to explode, and the griffin shot upwards, his eagle’s wings beating rapidly, trailing a long tail of wisps of cloud.
It takes more than a few clouds to defeat Jared, Gregory said. Now hold on tight.
There was one last surprise waiting for Naomi—and that surprise was the fact that apparently, they hadn’t even come close to a dragon’s top speed. But now, with the clouds spreading below them and the stars lighting their way above, Gregory doubled his speed, the griffin effortlessly keeping pace.
So far above the earth, everything was silent. Naomi settled back to watch the stars with quiet awe, warm and comfortable on the back of her storm dragon.
The flight lasted maybe for an hour, but Naomi felt like no time had passed at all as she began to notice Gregory beginning to descend. Before them, she now saw with sudden surprise something breaking through the surface of the moonlit clouds. A moment later, she realized that it was a mountain top.
How far had they traveled?
It’s not a real mountain, Gregory murmured in her mind.
At least, not a mountain you would know. The same magic that hides a dragon from human eyes cloaks this mountain. If a human encounters it and tries to make his way upward, he’ll get turned around and find himself back where he began. A car would find all roads closed. Planes avoid it because flight control sees dangerous currents of air in the area. But in truth... In truth, this is the seat of the council of elements.
Welcome, Naomi. Welcome to Sky Home!
***
Their steps echoed ominously as Naomi walked through what looked like a very large cave, Gregory and Jared by her side. They’d landed where the cave opened to the cool night air, hidden from all human sight by the cover of clouds that lapped on the rocky mountain side below them like an ocean of white.
The cavern was lit by flickering lights and torches. Naomi tried to hide her sudden apprehension.
On the dragon’s back, soaring through the air, it all had seemed like an incredible adventure. But now that she was walking deeper and deeper into a giant cave, she began to become aware of a strange feeling tingling along her spine.
The feeling didn’t so much say danger as be careful. The same way she’d been able to feel Gregory’s power when he shifted into a dragon, she could now feel the same sensation of something powerful and ancient brushing against her senses.
She might know nothing about dragons, but she knew that she was walking into the home of someone—or several someones—far more powerful than anything she could dream of.
As if he’d read her thoughts, Gregory took hold of her hand. Naomi took as deep breath as their fingers intertwined, giving him a grateful look.
I made the decision to come here. It was my decision. And I’d much rather know what’s going on than be bait again.
She straightened. It was the truth; she had a right to be here, since she was the one who’d been attacked. And she had no reason to be afraid, because Gregory was here with her.
Before her, a light seemed to spring up. As they kept walking, it was joined by further lights—until she realized that they were walking past two large plinths, one showing a crude symbol of what looked like mountain tops, the other showing a similar symbol, although this one looked like the waves of the ocean. The symbols seemed to be lit by a strange light.
As they continued forward, the light gradually grew brighter, until the symbols glowed in the darkness surrounding the plinths.
And then, as though she’d stepped out from the darkness into a room filled by light, the darkness drew back—and Naomi saw what had been waiting atop those plinths all this time.
Dragons.
Two large dragons, feral and intimidating, watching her quietly from eyes that glowed with the same inner fire she’d seen in Gregory’s gaze.
For one moment, terror filled her mind as she remembered the giant, claw-studded dragon’s paw that had burst through the window and grabbed her.
There’s nothing to be afraid of, she reminded herself as she continued to make her way past them with Gregory. Gregory wouldn’t let anything hurt me. And I have a right to be here. I’m the one who was attacked.
The dragon atop the plinth marked by the symbol of water closed his eyes, his giant jaw opening a little. It should have looked threatening—but for some reason, Naomi thought that the dragon was smiling.
“Gregory Drago,” a disembodied voice now boomed out of the darkness before them. “You have been summoned by the council of elements to be judged. Present yourself before us.”
Sudden dread filled Naomi’s heart. It came rushing over her out of nowhere, her heart pounding fiercely despite the reassuring warmth of Gregory by her side. She couldn’t say what had caused it—it seemed to have no obvious reason.
Apart from the fact that I’m all alone in a giant cave filled with dragons and who knows what other monsters. Maybe a Yeti. But damn it, I’m stronger than this! I choose to be here—with Gregory!
Determined, she took one step forward, and then another. It was a struggle, but she didn’t falter.
My mother didn’t raise me to be afraid of dragons, she thought, and then nearly began to giggle when she tried to imagine her mom’s reaction to a dragon as a son in law.
Well, it’s going to make Christmas more exciting, that’s for sure!
Her heart a little lighter, it was easier to continue forward. The gloomy cloud of darkness that had seemed to fill the cave before had gone. Instead, they were walking straight towards what looked like a large wall of bare rock. Shadows flitted across the surface.
Gently, Gregory’s thumb drew along her knuckles.
Courage, his voice said in her mind, sounding just as warm and confident as always. Remember, you have a right to be here. You are my mate.
Warmth seemed to flow into her where their skin touched, and for a moment she couldn’t tear her mind away from the memory of Gregory’s wet skin pressed against her, the incredible sensation of Gregory inside her. Then, flushing a little, hoping that the other dragons wouldn’t be able to read her mind, she tightened her fingers around Gregory’s.
I’m with you, she sent along the strange connection between them. Whatever’s going on, I’m with you.
Perhaps it was strange to feel so protective of someone who could turn into a giant dragon—but all the same, he was Naomi’s dragon, the same way she was his. She wouldn’t let anyone come between them either.
Even if she was rather inadequately equipped for a fight against another dragon.
“Feisty,” that same booming voice now laughed out of the darkness. “I like that. I would say that you have chosen well, Dragon of the Storm... But it is your recent behavior that is on trial today. And I rather question your decision to bring a human to the council, when you know the ancient laws that govern this place. No human has ever walked through these caves before.”
“She’s no ordinary human,” Gregory said, challenging the shadows before them with confidence. “She’s
my mate. I know that you can sense it. You have no case to bring against her.”
The darkness laughed. “Perhaps. But we do have a case against you, Gregory Drago. A rather serious one. Dragon of the Storm, you are accused to have brought strife to human lands. A fight between dragons where humans can observe us. You have willfully endangered human lives. The burst of power was so large we felt it here in Sky Home—it was a power unlike anything you have ever wielded before. Gregory Drago, you are here to be judged for having broken the limit of power available to you. You have gained—and used—an alpha’s power. And you are not mated. You cannot control the power that has woken in you. You are a danger to dragons and humans alike. You cannot be allowed to leave again. And perhaps—perhaps you cannot be allowed to live.”
“No!” The word escaped Naomi without thought. “You don’t know what you’re saying. He wasn’t attacking anyone. He was defending me!”
One of the dragons behind her roared, but Naomi refused to be intimidated.
Gregory took a step forward, protectively placing himself between her and the shadows before them.
“She says the truth,” he said calmly. “You have no case against me. I came into my full power, that’s true—but it was because I’d found my mate. And because a fire dragon had kidnapped her.”
“A fire dragon?” The shadows before them flickered and grew larger.
The shadows don’t look like a dragon, Naomi thought, blinking at what looked almost like the head of a goat. Or... was that the tail of a snake?
“That is impossible,” the darkness continued. “No fire dragon has been seen for centuries. But we did sense your power, Gregory Drago. It was the power of the storm, which grew until it finally escaped all control.”
He is dangerous, a voice behind them said, speaking straight to Naomi’s mind.
When she turned, she saw that it was the dragon sitting atop the plinth marked with the symbol of the mountain who had leaned forward, staring at Gregory from suspicious eyes.