“I’m a dragon shifter. I’m supposed to not be modest.” He stopped dead and hunkered down. Lightly brushing the sand away, he revealed another wish stone.
“Now we have one each.” Larisa leaned over his shoulder as he scooped up two wish stones.
“Keep the one you found,” he instructed as he handed her one of the stones. “And make a wish with this one.”
“Aren’t you supposed to make a wish on a stone you find yourself?” she asked as she weighed the two stones, one in each hand.
“It doesn’t matter. But it’s unusual to find two stones so close together. It’s as if they were meant for us.” He chuckled. “I know how lame that sounds.”
She shook her head and looked down at his stone. “No. I like that idea.” She pocketed her original stone. “I’ll keep this one for a rainy day.”
Ivan turned toward the ocean. “Come on. Let’s make our wishes and then we can go fly.”
“I’d almost forgotten I was going to ride on the back of a dragon.” Larisa giggled as he shot her a bemused look. “What?”
“How could you forget?”
She ran toward the ocean. “Blame it on the moon!”
Ivan jogged behind her, she could sense him, it was as if her body was intimately aware of him. Was that the moon’s doing, too, or was that because they were shifter mates? She had so much to learn about this new world. It was as if parts of her she never knew existed were waking up. Whether it was because of her new mate or because she’d come to Wishing Moon Bay, she had no idea.
“Okay. This is it.” Ivan stopped on the edge of the ocean, his toes wiggling in the wet sand. “Close your eyes and make a wish and then throw the stone into the water.”
Larisa obediently closed her eyes, the stone warm in her hand as she thought of what she wanted most in the world. Should she wish for her own happiness, or that her father would finally be free of the past? Was she allowed to make a wish for someone else or should it be for herself? She placed her hand over the first stone she’d found. Perhaps this stone was made for her father so that he could make his own wish. When they got back from the fae realm, she could call Simon and ask him to bring her father here to Wishing Moon Bay. He could stand on the beach and throw the stone into the water. It might be cathartic. Especially if they never cleared his name.
She inhaled deeply and then opened her eyes. Pulling her arm back, she threw the stone as hard and as far as she could. As she let it go, she formed her wish in her mind. She wanted to be happy. It was a simple wish but the most powerful one she could think of. It encompassed the other people in her life, because how could she be happy if they were not?
“Done?”
Larisa turned to find Ivan watching her, his eyes deep pools of emotion. She nodded. “Done.”
“Then let’s go fly.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders as she turned back toward the ocean, her eyes resting on the exact place where her stone had plopped into the water.
“Thank you for bringing me here.” She patted his chest as they walked toward the headland that jutted out toward the ocean.
“My pleasure.” He dropped a light kiss on the top of her head. “I wanted you to see the beach and make a wish before we leave in the morning. I’d like to spend time showing you the town before we go.”
“But this is more important. The rest can wait.” So could forgetting her ride on the back of a dragon. They could go back to his place and get an early night instead of going flying. But she wanted to see his dragon. She wanted to touch him and know he was real.
“The rest can wait,” he agreed but he didn’t stop walking away from the parking lot. He was determined she was going to meet his dragon.
Larisa rolled her eyes at herself. Of course, his dragon must want to meet her. She was as much Ivan’s dragon’s mate as she was the human Ivan’s mate. She shouldn’t ever forget that.
“How far are we going?” Larisa asked as they rounded the headland. She was tired, it had been a long day, in more ways than one. The last thing she wanted to do was fall asleep while she was riding on the back of a dragon and fall off. There was no way she would survive a fall from a great height, dragon shifter’s mate or not.
“Not too much farther.” Ivan looked around, his eyes drawn to the sky but when she followed his gaze, she couldn’t see anything other than the moon or the stars.
“Is there something out there?” Larisa twisted around and stared out over the ocean as they walked.
Ivan rubbed the back of his neck. “I keep getting this feeling. As if something is stirring but I can’t see anything. I can’t sense anything. Nothing unusual, that is.”
“Okay.” She hurried to keep up with him as he picked up the pace. “Are you sure you want to fly?”
“Yes,” he replied firmly. “But I want to shift out of sight.”
“I didn’t know you were shy about letting other people in Wishing Moon Bay see you.”
“I’m not usually.” He looked down at her. “But this is the first time I’ve shifted in front of my mate.”
“Ah, you think I might make a fool of myself because I’m your number one fangirl.”
He chuckled. “A guy can dream.”
“Don’t worry. I’m good at keeping my emotions under control.” At least she usually was. Today...tonight, things were different. Something was in the air. But she suspected what she sensed was different from what Ivan sensed.
“That’s a pity. I liked the idea of you losing control and being a fangirl. I figured you would faint at the sight of a dragon at least.”
“Ah, you might get a gasp or even a small scream, but I’m no fainter.”
He stopped abruptly and looked around. “Okay, this will do.”
“I’m ready when you are.” But when he let go of her hand and stepped away, she wasn’t so sure. She might have been waiting her whole life to see a real live dragon but now that it was time, she was scared. This fangirl had spent years imagining this exact thing. A dragon appearing as if by magic. But reality sometimes sucked compared to the dream. What if Ivan’s dragon was small, like a cat?
She mentally kicked herself. He wouldn’t have offered her a ride on his back if he were that small. His dragon must be at least the size of a horse. But she’d always dreamed that dragons would be bigger.
“Okay. Feel free to gasp, scream, or faint. Just promise me you won’t run.” Ivan backed away from her but didn’t take his eyes off her.
“That I can promise.” She folded her arms across her body as if she could shield herself from what came next. Her nerves were getting the better of her and running might be a good option.
Larisa blew the air out of her cheeks. Ivan’s dragon was her mate. He would protect her and cherish her no matter what. This was the safest place she could ever be.
“Ready?” He sounded unsure but she nodded in reply. “Here we go.”
Larisa stared at Ivan, not wanting to blink and miss a thing. As she watched, the air around him seemed to shimmer as it popped and crackled, as if superheated. Then he was gone. He vanished into nothing. She’d seen shifters shift plenty of times, but this time was different, there was a sense of loss, as if he’d taken a part of her with him.
Then a shadow appeared on the sand, a large shadow that belonged to the fuzzy beast that loomed into existence right where Ivan had been standing. As the popping and cracking intensified, the fuzzy beast became clearer. A large head, a bulky body, and a tail that flicked and twitched like an angry cat. Only this wasn’t a cat. There was no fur, and cuddly wasn’t the term she’d use to describe the scaly beast before her.
“Wow!” she gasped, it was the least she could do. She might even have scrambled if the sight of him hadn’t taken her breath away.
She sucked in the cool night air. If she didn’t breathe, if she didn’t force her heart to beat slower then she might just faint like a fangirl.
The dragon turned his head to the side and looked at her with a large green eye. He b
linked and lowered his massive head and puffed his warm breath over her. Larisa reached out her hand and touched his scaly snout, it was smooth and warm to the touch. She’d expected him to feel cold like a snake.
“You really are incredible.” She composed herself and took a step forward, although for a moment, she wasn’t sure if her legs would work.
He bowed his head and rubbed his snout on her thigh like a dog greeting its owner. Then he lowered himself toward the ground, one leg bent so that she could clamber onto his back. This was it. Her dream was about to come true.
Larisa stroked his neck as she moved around him, then she placed both hands on his bent leg and heaved herself up. Kneeling on his thigh, she steadied herself for a moment before she carefully placed her right foot flat on his leg. “Does this hurt?”
The dragon shook his head, and she placed her hand on his shoulder to keep her balance.
Larisa slid her hands higher, reaching for one of the horns that ran along the dragon’s back. Stretching upwards, she stood on tiptoes and curled her hands around the horn. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she pushed and pulled her way upwards. It wasn’t very graceful but with some wriggling, she managed to slide into position behind the horn.
“I’m ready.” She pushed her hair back from her face before wrapping both hands tightly around the horn.
Slowly the dragon stood up, his body rocking backward and forward as he straightened onto all fours. Then his shoulders dipped, and he leaped into the air, leaving the ground way below as his massive wings beat down.
Throwing her head back, she let out a triumphant scream. Not of fear, but excitement.
She was flying. On the back of a dragon!
Chapter Ten – Ivan
Larisa’s joy was contagious, and Ivan’s dragon beat his wings hard as he lifted them higher in the sky. The beach and the sound of the ocean faded away as he aimed for the moon and the stars beyond.
Higher and higher he climbed, circling Wishing Moon Bay with his mate on his back. It was as if they were the only two living beings in the world. All their problems were left behind as they flew, a dragon and his mate, together as one.
The moon seemed so close, it was as if he could take them there and land on its cold, lifeless surface and look down at the Earth below.
Cold. Ivan reminded his dragon that Larisa wasn’t dressed for this altitude.
With one last longing look at the moon, the dragon banked to the right and dipped his wings, heading for the mountains in the distance. As he leveled out, he used his senses to check on his mate. A thrill passed through him from the tip of his snout to the tip of his tail. If Larisa could feel the cold, the joy of flying on his back seemed to chase it away.
“Faster!” She leaned down over his shoulder and shouted the word and he obeyed. He would always obey her requests. She had a power over him like no one else ever had or ever would.
The dragon’s muscles bunched as he beat his wings harder, pushing the air beneath them down so that they picked up speed. They raced across the sky, straight and true as he headed for one of his favorite mountain peaks. Yes, he had a favorite mountain peak, one where he liked to come when he wanted to be alone. It was high enough that it was rare to meet anyone else there but low enough that it was free of ice and snow most of the year. Only in the deep of winter was it permanently covered in snow.
The peak loomed in the distance, and he tilted his head up and flew across the mountain slopes, keeping close to the ground below. He skimmed the tops of ageless pine trees that had stood there for generations. They were so close, the scent of pine resin drifted up to them as the trees waved in the current created by his wings.
And then they were faced with a sheer wall of rock, and he angled his body, flying almost vertical up the sheer cliff, his focus on his mate who gripped his body with her thighs. If at any moment he sensed her slipping, he was ready to change the angle of his body and flatten out. However, Larisa seemed a natural at riding dragons and she crouched down over his neck to prevent the air from unseating her.
The dragon reached the top of the cliff and banked left, circling around as he took them higher, aiming for the peak. When they finally drew level with it, he stuck his taloned feet in front of him and landed gently.
He breathed hard, that was the hardest flight he’d taken for a long time. His brothers rarely flew with him these days and they were the only ones Ivan allowed to ride on his back unless it was an emergency. While he enjoyed flying alone, he rarely pushed himself hard or to new heights.
“That was amazing.” Larisa leaned forward and flung her arms around the dragon’s neck as soon as he landed. “The most incredible thing I have ever done.”
The dragon turned his large head and looked at her, grinning as much as a dragon could grin.
Larisa straightened up and slipped her leg behind her as she attempted to dismount, the dragon bent his leg and she hopped to the ground. She staggered forward and placed her hand on his shoulder to steady herself before stamping her feet as if to get feeling back into her legs. When she could stand unaided, she ran her fingers along his scaly neck before standing in front of the dragon. Cupping his head in her hands as best she could, she leaned forward and rested her forehead on his snout. She held him for a long moment, without words, and Ivan’s dragon hardly dared breathe as they shared this moment.
“Thank you.” She kissed his scales and then let him go. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”
The dragon stared at her unblinking. She is the most incredible person I have ever met, he told his human side.
I know, Ivan answered. We always dreamed of finding our mate, but I never dared hope we would be blessed with a woman like Larisa.
His dragon closed his eyes and let go of the world. The air popped and fizzed around them, but Larisa didn’t flinch, she simply stood and watched as the dragon vanished only to be replaced a second later by Ivan’s human form.
“Hello.” Larisa flung her arms around him and held him tight as if checking he was real.
“Hello back.” Ivan tightened his arms around her, never wanting to let her go.
“I’ve seen shifters shift before. But I’ve never been this close. I’ve never felt the static in the air. It made the hairs on my hands stand on end.” Larisa shivered as she clung to him.
“Did I scare you?” Ivan whispered.
“No, not at all.” She stepped back and wiped her eyes. “It was incredible. Just the most amazing thing ever...” She put her hands to her cheeks. “I don’t know why I’m crying.”
“There’s nothing wrong with tears. As long as they are good tears.” He reached for her hand and pulled it away from her face.
“They are good tears. Happy tears.” She sniffed loudly. “And look at this view.” She turned around and looked down over the mountain. The moon was so bright it cast the whole world below in its eerie light. “If I died now, right at this moment, I would die happy.”
“No one is dying,” he told her.
“We all die, Ivan.” She cast a glance at him. “But you’re right. It’s not our time.”
“Come on.” He tugged at her hand and led her to the left of the peak that rose above them. “There’s a trail that leads to the very top of the peak.”
“Do you come here a lot?” she asked as she followed behind him.
“This is where I come to think. When I want to be alone.” He gave a short, humorless laugh. “I’ve been coming here a lot lately.”
“Why?” Larisa asked.
“Ever since a piece of my treasure came to me. So many questions came with it. Questions I never asked before because they didn’t matter.” He helped her over a large boulder, his hands around her waist as she jumped down onto the trail.
“Your life has been turned upside down. It must have been a lot to process.”
He hated to appear weak in front of his mate, but he couldn’t deny his confusion. “It was a lot to process.” He helped her up the final part of
the trail. “I never thought much about my parents. Not for a long, long time.”
“I used to think about my mom a lot when I was younger.” She put her hands on her hips and took a deep breath as she looked out at the view below. “Wow. I can see why this is your favorite place to come when you need time to think. The view is incredible.”
“It always gives me perspective,” he admitted. “When I stand here and look down, I realize how inconsequential my problems are compared to the vastness of the world below.”
“Your problems are not inconsequential,” she replied firmly.
“Compared to the wonder of the world. To the vastness of space, to the beauty of the mountain that has stood here for millennia?” He chuckled. “It usually makes me feel better.”
“Oh!” She sucked in a breath. “In that case...”
He turned to face her. Larisa held more wonder than the view below. He could get lost in her eyes, in the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed and the beat of her heart. “But I appreciate what you meant.”
“When I was a little girl, I used to dream about my mom and what my life would have been like if she was still with us. I used to talk to her when I was alone in my room. I knew she couldn’t answer but it used to give me comfort. Then as I grew older, I stopped talking to her.” Larisa’s bottom lip trembled. “I used to talk to a photograph of her.” She held up her hand as if holding a photo between her thumb and finger. “It was so battered since I’d looked at it so many times. But when I stopped talking to her, I stopped looking at the photo.”
“Hey, I didn’t mean for you to get upset.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
“I wish I could remember her face. Not from a photograph, but from a memory. But I was so young...” She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Do you remember your parents at all?”
The Dragon Shifter's Desire: A Wishing Moon Bay Shifter Romance Page 7