by Mills, Julia
Winking, she smiled, “I thought you’d never ask.”
“Hang on just a minute.” Callum jumped out of bed, ran down the stairs, retrieved a small blue box from the curio and then returned to the bed as fast as he could.
Sitting on his knees, suddenly nervous, but needing to make everything official, the electric dragon opened the box, turned towards Kamdyn and speaking from his heart, he said, “I know this may be hard to believe, but I’m already in love with you. I think I was from the first moment I saw you. It didn’t matter that you threw a spell at me and knocked me on my ass, all that mattered was that I knew.”
He took a deep breath, trying to ignore the tears he saw in Kamdyn’s eyes and pushed on, “You are the one for me. You are wild, impetuous, foul-mouthed and absolutely perfect.”
Taking the brilliant blue topaz ring that had been his mother’s from the box, Cal gently lifted Kamdyn’s hand from where it lay on the bed and while looking deep into her eyes, asked, “Will you, Kamdyn McGregor, be my mate, for now, forever, for always?”
“Oh yes, yes, yes, yes,” she chanted, frantically nodding and smiling the beautiful smile that made him love her all the more.
Sliding the ring on her finger, Callum had to brace himself as Kamdyn flew into his arms kissing him with all the passion and adoration he could have ever hoped for. Pulling back, his sexy, little witch looked him right in the eyes and announced, “And just to set the record straight before you and that dragon of yours get any silly ideas,” she leaned closer, “I love you, too. I loved you first, and I will always love you more.”
Pulling his sassy mate to him, Cal laughed out loud and holding her tight readily agreed, “Whatever you say, mo chroí , whatever you say.”
“Oh, and I almost forgot. Now, that I have my magic back, I also have my raven back.”
He waited for more of an explanation, but when it didn’t come asked, “You can shift into a raven?”
“Yes.” She turned in his arms, kissed the tip of his nose and added, “Won’t it be fun to fly together?”
Chapter Twelve
It had been a week to the day since Callum had rescued her and to say Kamdyn was happy was an understatement. Not only had she been accepted by his whole Clan and all their mates, but she was about to be formally mated to the man of her dreams.
It was surprising to find out that in the dragon tradition it is the male who plans the entire ceremony, but Kam had been on board. She’d even been overjoyed when a messenger had delivered a great big box tied with royal blue ribbon and four dozen absolutely gorgeous red roses.
Looking in the mirror, she couldn’t believe her eyes. Audrey and Claire had done her hair and makeup to perfection, before hurrying away to help the others with the reception and the gown she’d pulled from the large gift box was nothing less than stunning. Turning to the side, Kamdyn admired the royal blue fabric shimmering in the sunlight. The same sunlight that highlighted the silver flames exquisitely embroidered in a sporadic pattern the entire length of the skirt, representing Cal’s lightning.
She loved the thin, satin straps delicately sewn into the sweetheart neckline and chuckled slyly at the corset type bodice that showed off her full bust to perfection. “Yeah, that’s my man. Cheeky to the end.”
“They all are,” Calysta agreed with a snicker. “The whole lot of them are overgrown boys with enough strength and magic to rule the world. My mom used to say that you can tell the men from the boys by the price of their toys and I’m sure she was talking about dragons.”
Laughing out loud, careful not to smudge her makeup, but completely agreeing with the Elder Witch, Kam chuckled, “Your mom was a wise witch.” She stepped forward, gave Calysta a hug and a kiss on the cheek, before adding, “Thank you for everything. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
And it was the truth. Sure, Kam and the Priestess had had their issues, but now Kamdyn looked up to Calysta and thought of her as that really cool aunt who tells the ‘real’ story and lets you stay out past curfew. The McGregor witch had no doubts, she and the Priestess had lots more fun in their futures.
Slipping her feet into the satin ballet slippers, an exact match for her dress, Kam fluffed her hair one more time just as the doorbell of Callum’s house rang. “Go on, sweet girl. You don’t want to miss your own mating ceremony.”
Giving Calysta another quick kiss on the cheek, Kam smiled, “Thanks again. See you after the big event.”
“You sure will,” Calysta called after her, as the younger witch made her way down the stairs. Although she knew what to expect, Kam was still giddy with excitement when she found Grey and Kayne standing like knights from King Arthur’s court on either side of the doorframe.
Fascinated by the way their black pants were tucked into the top of their highly polished knee-high black boots, Kam had no doubt she would be able to see her face in the tops if she dared to kneel down. Their long-sleeved black undershirt gave the perfect backdrop for the royal blue of their surcoats that were an exact match to the color of Callum’s dragon’s scales. Silver braiding trimmed the top and sides, but it was the magnificent dragon in the throes of battle embroidered on the front that made their uniforms spectacular.
“Are you ready, Kammie?” Kayne asked, using the nickname he’d given her and was the only one who could get away with using it.
“Yes, I am.” She smiled at both men, who turned until their backs were to her, crooked their elbows, and looked over their shoulders, returning her smile, each with a wink.
Placing her hands on their arms, the Guardsmen escorted her down the steps toward three jet black stallions. She marveled at the blue flowers woven into each horse’s mane and the royal blue of the horse’s blue saddle blankets that exactly matched the Guardsmen’s uniforms.
Kayne and Grey helped Kam onto the most decorated of the horses, standing by while she got her floor-length gown situated in order to ride sidesaddle, before climbing upon their own mounts. Their ride to the ceremony took them through a beautiful meadow filled with cornflowers and honeysuckle and butterflies dancing from bloom to bloom.
Each tree along their path had been decorated with a royal blue ribbon and bow holding a spray of red roses and baby’s breath. It was absolutely stunning and so much more than she could have ever imagined when Calysta and the other girls told her about the dragon mating ceremonies.
As they exited the trees, Maddox, also in dress uniform, stood holding another bouquet of at least three dozen multi-colored roses. Kam could feel the mad dragon speaking directly into the horse’s minds as her mount slowed and rubbed his face against the Guardsman’s hand.
Approaching with the first smile she’d ever seen cross Maddox’s face, Kam reached forward as he handed her the roses, before bowing and returning to his post. Quickly thanking him, she read the card attached, wondering how she ever got so lucky.
I cannot wait to see you, mo enchantress sassy beag. Forever started the first time I laid eyes on you. You are the sun, the moon and the stars. I love you more with every beat of my heart. Always and forever, Callum.
Sitting completely still, Kam felt incredibly blessed and humbled beyond words. Not only did she have her magic and her raven back, but she had Callum, and it was simply the best thing that had ever happened to her.
When their horses started to move again, they circled a small pond, where lily pads covered the water while frogs played hopscotch and fish kissed the top of the water. Stopping at the base of the mountain Callum had told her contained the dragon kin’s Cave of the Ancients. Turning in his saddle, Kayne grinned, “Cal said to let you go on your own. Stop at the first ledge. See you inside.”
“You got it, Chief,” Kam snickered, using the nickname she’d given the demi-god in retaliation, as she rode by. The setting was gorgeous, Callum had thought of everything. He’d even attached roses wrapped in royal blue satin to vines and outcroppings along her ride.
Reaching the landing that led to the mouth of the huge cav
e her mate had pointed to just the day before, Kamdyn slid off her horse’s back, laid her large bouquet on his saddle and secured his reins to the stump that had been carved to look like dragon wings. Taking off her shoes. She stepped onto the bright blue carpet covered with rose petals and let out the breath she’d been holding.
“It’s now or never,” Kam whispered to herself, entering the cave and stopping to stare, overcome by the splendor. She was no stranger to caves having played in them most of her life, but none of those could compare to the one she was standing in. The raw power vibrated all around and through her. Dragon magic combined with Earthen magic and that of Kamdyn’s raven, all sharing their secrets, all finding the union a blessing.
Minerals, stones, and gems, all embedded in the rock, sparkled and glittered in the light of the candles in sconces decorating the cave walls. Huge stalactites hung from the ceiling while stalagmites rose from the floor, all standing guard, protecting the sanctity of the ancient power of the dragons. Walking on the blue carpet, Kamdyn followed the sound of a stream trickling over stones, streaming into a pool.
Straight ahead, the witch saw an arched opening brightened by several candelabras. Following the scent and feel of her mate, Kamdyn stepped over the threshold and the thin line of water flowing down the wall, tinkling like little bells as it made its way into the lagoon. Looking around the grotto, she saw huge Grecian planters filled with enormous bunches of every imaginable color of roses. Four chairs, resembling thrones like the one she’d seen in a movie about Henry the VIII, sat upon a raised platform beside the pool and an archway decorated with royal blue ribbons positioned in the center of a circle of red rose petals sat in front of that.
Kamdyn saw the small white chair she knew was for her sitting to the side of the platform. As soon as she was seated, the Elders Callum had made sure to introduce her too appeared on the platform. Rian was first as the Leader of the Clan and the Head Elder. He gave her a nod while the others—Niall, Stefan, and Marcas—all smiled, too. A rustling to the right drew her attention as the Guardsmen Callum was the closest too appeared.
Watching them file in, she noted the color of each man’s surcoat. Lennox’s was the lightest of baby blues while Pearce’s had an iridescent glow added to its cobalt color that made her wonder how brightly the scales of his dragon would shine in the sunlight. She knew from meeting these Guardsmen and hearing Cal speak of them, that her mate considered them mentors, so Kam had worked extra hard to hide her snarky side until her mate had told her to be herself. After that, they really had fun.
Then came Grey, whose surcoat was the gray she had only ever seen once, when she had been sitting on the beach during a storm. It was such a contrast to the man’s personality that she made a mental note to ask him if he and his dragon were also as different.
Kam wasn’t surprised to see Maddox in his deep blue surcoat, or Kayne in a gold so bright it had surely been fashioned with cloth made of sunshine. One of the girls had told her that they would all be in colors that matched their dragon’s scales for the ceremony itself, which made sense, it was the best way to represent who they really were.
Callum appeared from the same direction as the others, looking way better than a man had a right to, giving Kamdyn a smile and a wink that she felt all the way to the bottom of her soul. When her dragon took his place in front of the other Guardsmen, Kam stood and waited, her toe tapping in anticipation of mating the man of her dreams.
After a few seconds of silence, Rian began to speak, his voice low, loud and clear, echoing with the perfect reverence in the cavern.
“Long ago, when knights and dragons fought side by side for King and country, it became apparent that dragon kin would no longer be safe from those who wanted to expose and destroy them. In an effort to remain in the world, they sought to join with the knights who had so valiantly fought alongside them in so very many battles. Thus, through magic and the will of both dragon and knight, the Dragon Shifters were born.
“In the infinite wisdom of our Founding Elders, Clans were designated, one for each color of the Dragon Kings whose soul we carry within our own. Each was assigned a region to make their home and to protect from any and all enemies. Over time, some have flourished, some have ceased to exist, and others have been born from the joining of many. As the Leader of the Blue Thunder Clan it is an incredible honor to stand among those of not only my own clan, but our distinguished guests, Maddox MacQueen and Kayne MacGréine. Thank you for your presence and your blessings on this our brethren, Callum’s day. We are brothers in blood, brothers in battle, and brothers in loyalty, until the end of time.”
“Gathered in the place so sacred to our kin, I can feel the Ancients’ acceptance of the Keeper of the Secrets and the Holder of the Key. She and her mate hold everything sacred to every magical creature who roams the earth. Together, they can not only call the lightning, but control the storms, speak to the Heavens and commune with those who have gone before us. The Universe, in her love for us, Her Winged Warriors, designed these two, matching halves of the same whole and I feel Her blessing here today.”
Thanks be to the Universe, to the Heavens and to the Goddess of All, as they continue to bless us with extraordinary mates for the best and most faithful among us. Every dragon who finds the light of his soul knows how sacred she is. It is an honor to witness the power of what the Ancients and the Universe put into place at our inception.”
“Tonight, in this holiest of places, we acknowledge and bless the mating of Callum O’Shea to the one the Universe made for him, Kamdyn McGregor. Will those seeking to witness this union please step forward?”
Pearce stood, a bright smile on his face and his aura shining a brilliant yellow for his happiness as he addressed the Elders. “Myself, Lennox and Grey are here to represent the Aherne Force of the Blue Thunder Clan. Speaking for all our brethren, we wish to witness and offer our blessing to the one born of our blood and the mate of his heart. May their lives now and forever be a testament to all we hold dear…love, honor, and loyalty. Callum and Kamdyn, as you are one, let your combined strength see you through many happy years and the children of your children’s children smile upon you.” Grinning from ear-to-ear, he gave the couple a nod before returning to his place with the other Guardsmen
Kayne and Maddox both stepped forward. It was Kayne who with a grin that spoke of his mischievousness, began, “It is with the power of Lugh, the Celtic God of the Sun, that I offer mine and my father’s blessing to this union. May the sun always light your path, chase away the darkness, and shine upon you and yours all the days of your lives and theirs until the end of time and longer.”
Maddox then added, “From the oldest among us to the youngest, I stand as a testament to the power of the dragons and offer this blessing from the ancestors who have gone before us to prepare our place in the Heavens. Live long, love often, and never look away from the light of your soul. The Universe does not make mistakes. She has given you both life that you may share it in abundance. Be happy, as that is Her fondest wish for all Her children.”
The demi-god and the mad dragon nodded to the Elders before returning to their spot in line. After the moment of silence following Maddox’s blessing, Rian again spoke. “Your witness and blessings have been acknowledged and accepted representatives of the Aherne Forces, Kayne, Son of Lugh and Maddox, Keeper of the Ancients. It is truly a blessed event to have such honorable Guardsmen in the holy place. Callum O’Shea, you may go to your mate. Please escort her to the Sacred Circle before the Elders assembled here.”
Kamdyn’s heart nearly beat out of her chest as Callum walked towards her, a gleam in his eye and a spring in his step. His heart, mind, and soul were opened fully to her, just as hers were to him. They shared everything completely, just as she’d always imagined it would be. He was her dragon warrior for all time. Had saved her from certain death, welcomed her into his home and made her feel safer than she could’ve herself.
Taking the flowers from her hands, h
er dragon placed them on the seat beside her, then gently slid his fingers through hers. Slowly walking backwards, Callum led her to the rose petal circle in front of the Elders. Blushing for the hundredth time since meeting her dragon, Kamdyn loved that her mate shared the images of all the ways they would be together for all eternity with her.
Once they were in place, Rian spoke again, “The blue dragons were born of sea and sky. They are symbolic of the vastness of our existence and the infinity of our souls. They possess the ability to experience life from all aspects to its fullest. They are highly protective and incredibly magical. Blue dragons are known for their patience and loyalty. The blue of their scales symbolizes the boundless sky and the deep calm of the waters. Blue dragons will see every advantage, protect home and family with their very lives, and welcome the rising tide of change with calm acceptance. To mate a blue dragon is to accept all that they are and honor the power shared between mates.”
“I am proud to say that Callum inherited the power to harness the lightning from his mother. She was not only dedicated to the white Earthen of her ancestors, but also her mate. Charity O’Shea died bringing her son into the world, an honor she took seriously, one she and her dragon never doubted, only embraced. I know that she is looking down from the Heavens today, proud of her son and of the woman who proudly stands beside him.”
“Kamdyn McGregor, as Leader of the McGregor Coven, Keeper of the Secrets and Holder of the Key and most importantly, the blessed mate of the Dragon Guardsman before you, do you accept this man and his dragon as not only your mate, but also that of your raven’s?”
“With all that I was, all that I am, all I will ever be, and all that we are together, I accept this man and his dragon into my heart and my soul and so does my raven. I will share everything that I am with him every day of our lives, both here and in the Heavens.”
“Thank you, Kamdyn, we are honored to call you sister. Now is the time of the marking. May the Universe continue to bless you and yours all the days of your life.”