by H. C. Brown
At first, he had thought the gods had challenged him with one so damaged, but now he knew the truth of it. Thalia’s magyck, cleansed by the sacrifice of her mother, would make the Dragonfae bloodline stronger. His sons would have the knowledge to destroy dark magyck. Sweet Thalia would be his perfect mate. She had the courage of a warrior and she loved with the heart of a dragon. This had not been a test for him. No, for her love and trust in him could only be a regarded as a reward of the highest calibre and nothing less.
“There.” Pyro pointed into the distance. “A cavern and it looks wide enough to take the horses.”
“I see it. Damn, we don’t have much time before that storm hits.”
“I think we should move out again as soon as the storm passes. As far as I remember, the Gate is over the next mountain range. I would estimate less than an hour from that cavern by my reckoning.” Pyro frowned “Have you ever been to the realm of the Trill?”
Lumos tipped back his wings and started to descend to the cavern. “No, but I do know of the man creatures bred from pigs, the Boars, and their disgusting habit of slavery.” He landed on the small plateau in front of the mouth of the cavern. He placed Thalia in the shade and folded his wings. “Why?”
“Well, if we return to Drakka via Twin Falls we must travel through three Nomag realms before we get to Farrell. I know Trill has a Gate that links directly to that realm.” Pyro placed the bags on the ground. “If we encounter either Boars or Shadow Walkers in Trill, we could rest at Farrell and replenish our powers. You can’t think of meeting the challenge for Drakka without at least a day’s rest.” He scooped the horses out of the saddlebags and waved a hand over them. He stood back as they returned to normal size. “I assume Farrell hasn’t changed and it still contains both Fae and shifters?” He grabbed the horses’ reins, turned away, and headed inside the cavern.
“Aye, we’ll be welcome there, and I’ve visited that realm often enough. The cavern appears empty. I can’t see any tracks leading in or out of the entrance, but shouldn’t we check it out before we take Thalia inside?”
Lumos stared after Pyro’s retreating form. The ancient one had not so much as peered inside the cavern. They had seen many unusual creatures in this realm. Gods only knew what lived inside the cave. He decided to leave Thalia safely with Brew rather than put her at risk. He bent to retrieve the miniature basket from Thalia’s top pocket. A second later, Brew slid out of the basket like a black snake and blinked up at Lumos. “Look after Thalia while I make sure the cave is safe.”
“You should wake her. I cannot save her from an attack.” Brew stretched languidly.
Lumos touched Thalia’s head. “Hello, sleepy head. I want you to wait here with Brew. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Gods, it is so hot here.” Thalia stretched. “Have we got far to go?”
“No, but a sandstorm is imminent, so we need to take cover for a while. I’m going inside to make sure it’s not inhabited by anything nasty, so do as you are told and wait here.”
Thalia scratched Brew’s ears. She licked her parched lips and glanced around for a water skin. The sky had changed from a brilliant azure to pale apricot—a cloud of dust shielded the burning twin suns. Getting to her feet, she peered around the large rock in front of the cave entrance. A gaping black maw set deep in the rock face greeted her. She heard the echo of Pyro’s voice and the sound of the horses’ hooves crunching on gravel from inside the cave. She moved closer to the sounds and waited just inside the mouth of the cavern. A shout met her ears, followed by Argos’ scream, and the sound of frightened horses. Gods, what had happened?
Unconcerned for her own safety, Thalia moved into the cave, and created a light globe. She spun the pearly globe before her to illuminate the way. Another noise filtered through the blackness, this one sounding as if a pile of gravel had tumbled to the ground in a rush. Then the sound of the horses’ hooves clattering on the stone floor grew louder. The beasts appeared from the darkness, their eyes rolling in terror, closely followed by a great cloud of red dust. The horses bolted from the cave and gathered, flanks quivering, on the edge of the small plateau.
Thalia heard Lumos swear from deep inside the cave. She peered into the darkness. A wave of white magyck hit her with a gentle caress, holding her against the wall.
“Dragon, tell Lumos I am safe.”
A blinding crack of lightning lit up the cavern followed quickly by another. Thalia pressed her back against the wall. Her eyes widened in terror. A hoard of spiders as big as dinner plates charged the Dragonfae warriors. The spiders streamed from every nook and cranny in an undulating wave of red eyes and black, hairy legs.
“Spiders!—Oh my—Oh goddess! Lumos, I do not know what to do.’”
Deep in the cave, magyck burst in flashes of brilliant white and blue. The Fae stood side by side, hands raised, throwing spells at the furry army. Lumos moved with cat-like grace from one side of the cavern to the other, his body shimmering in a blue haze of magyck. Light shot from his fingertips, heating the rock until it wept with tears of molten lava, sealing the fissures. Beside him, Pyro danced from one foot to the other, sending sheets of white magyck across the ground to incinerate the shrieking spiders. Frozen with fear, Thalia gaped at the carnage in morbid fascination. A wave of nausea hit her—the stench of burning flesh accosted her nostrils.
Dragging her attention from the terror, Thalia turned towards the horses. To her dismay, Argos screamed in alarm and danced, pirouetting on his hind legs. Thalia could see the whites of the terrified beast’s eyes. The horse had moved dangerously close to the edge of the ravine, his every step dislodging more earth on the crumbling perimeter. Above, the sky had turned blood-red—the suns barely visible through the whirling sand. A roaring wind blew the sand at her feet into twisting spirals. Red dust caked her face.
Thalia grimaced and pulled her shirt over her nose. She blinked frantically to clear the dirt from her eyes. The storm rose up like an orange tsunami and crashed over the top of the mountain range. Argos reared and snorted, calling the other horses to his side. Strengthening her resolve, Thalia pushed away from the wall. She must act now or the horses would fall to their deaths. Trying to keep her voice calm, Thalia called to the stallion.
“Argos, bring the horses here. Come on, boy.” To her surprise, the horse calmed at once and danced sideways towards her with the other beasts following close behind. Collecting up the reins, she pulled Argos behind the massive boulder, and edged back inside the cavern. The two Dragonfae had moved deeper inside the cave. The warriors battled on, sending up great clouds of steamy brimstone in their wake.
Thalia’s hair lifted from her back, charged with the residual magyck. The long strands hung suspended in the air around her—not buffeted by the howling wind. She glanced down at Brew. The cat gave a long warning yowl and his fur stood out from his body like a brush. Heart pounding, Thalia edged her way out of the cavern. The wind whipped at her body, tearing at her clothes. Turning at the entrance to check the horses, she gasped at the sight before her. Oh no!
Fear suffocated her. With shaking hands, she clutched the rock face for purchase, trembling in horror. Through the swirling, red dust cloud, Thalia spied a swarm of spiders, with black waving feelers, creeping onto the plateau. The insects poured over the rim and headed straight for her. As they formed a line along the edge, she shuddered at the insects’ red, beady eyes and sharp fangs.
With legs threatening to collapse at any second, Thalia drew up her magyck. A shudder of revulsion shivered down her spine. She formed a fireball and let the bright orange sphere spin, glowing like a sun on her palm. The disgust she held for the spiders fuelled the spell, turning the rich, orange globe into black spinning fury. A strange calm fell over her. In her hand, she held the power of life and death. In that instant, time stopped still. Thalia ignored the roar of the wind, the life-threatening danger, and stepped outside her body. She calmly noted the position of the horses, and the massive rocks hovering abov
e the plateau. To avoid a landslide, the massive ball of dark fire had to land at the very edge of the precipice.
With crystal clarity of mind, she took aim and launched the destructive spell towards the spider army. The black fire struck the ground in a roll of thunder and spread out with lethal force. The mountain shook with the whine of an earthquake and a crack opened across the plateau. Seconds later, half the ground in front of the cavern slid away. The spiders crashed down the ravine with an unholy screech. Dust billowed up in a spinning plume, hovered for a split second before catching the wind and peppering Thalia with debris.
Shivering, she peered nervously from left to right and scanned the edge of the precipice for any sign of the spiders. Fighting a wave of debilitating exhaustion, she leaned unsteadily against the rock wall. I hope nothing else will go wrong in this godforsaken place. Lumos was right—using such power is exhausting. Goddess, I will not be able to fight again for a while. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably. Through the howling wind, she caught a noise from inside the cavern. She spun around with a hand raised in defence. Lumos walked out of the gloom towards her, his dusty, dark hair whipping around his face in the wind. She stumbled towards him and fell into his arms.
“Little one, you are safe… It’s over.” Lumos held her close to his chest and stroked her back. “Come inside out of the storm. Don’t worry, everything is under control. Pyro will see to the horses.” He held her away and his gaze raked over her in concern. “Gods, you look awful. What happened to you out here?”
Thalia had hardly recognised Lumos. Red dust and debris covered him from head to toe. The blue shimmer usually surrounding him had diminished significantly and his eyes, goddess, had lost their luminosity.
“Me?” She cupped his face. “I watched you fight. I’ve never witnessed so much magyck. You’re exhausted. Tell me, what must I do to help you?”
“This is a magyck realm, sweetness. The storm alone will replenish our powers in a few minutes.” Lumos squeezed Thalia’s plump buttocks. “Now tell me what happened here. I thought a dragon had landed—the entire mountain shook.”
“The s-spiders, gods, they were coming up the ravine.” Thalia buried her face in Lumos’ neck. “I used dark fire, but this time it was different—stronger. Lumos, look over there. I destroyed half the plateau.”
“I’m so proud of you. Don’t worry, I asked the Nightdragon to boost your magyck to keep you safe. The power of the dragon is sometimes overwhelming, but you’ll soon adjust.” Lumos lifted her chin. “Sometimes, it’s good to have a dragon. Can you understand that now, butterfly?”
Thalia stared into his deepening emerald gaze. Goddess, he wore his heart in those deep pools. She smiled and caressed his face.
“The Nightdragon is you, Lumos, a part of a whole, and yes, I do understand.” She sighed. “The spell, aye, it was different this time. I think we need to talk. I want to know how to control dragon power but not now. My head is filled with the horror of those disgusting spiders.”
The clatter of horses’ hooves and Pyro’s voice echoed through the cavern. Thalia turned in Lumos’ arms to greet Pyro’s cheery smile.
“That was close. The storm is raging outside.” Pyro narrowed his eyes at Lumos. “Look at the pair of you. Don’t you know the fresh and clean spell? Come here and I’ll clean you up.”
“We’re fine, thanks, and yes, I am familiar with that spell, but my first priority was Thalia’s safety.” Lumos stood away from her and inclined his head. He regarded her closely. “There, is that better, little one?”
Thalia giggled. Lumos’ magyck had spilled over her, cleaning her from head to foot. “Aye, thank you, but I doubt I will ever repair the damage to you, Lumos.You are orange from head to foot.”
The air around Lumos shimmered and he stood in perfect order, grinning down at her like a monkey. Thalia flared her nostrils to inhale Lumos’ warm, masculine scent. The delicious aroma wrapped around her in a sensual hug. At once, her womb clenched, dampness seeped into her folds. Her mind filled with the luscious memory of his heat buried deep in her ass, the slide of his huge bulk over her shattered nerve endings. His mouth twitched into a smile, as he rested his attention on her breasts. Thalia did not have to look down at her shirt to know her tingling nipples were straining against the fabric.
“You do that so well.”
Lumos gave a throaty growl.
She met his sultry gaze. “I mean the fresh and clean spell.” She coughed. “I’m so thirsty. Do we have any water left?”
“Yes, Pyro replenished the water. I’ll have to teach you that spell, too.” Lumos led her into the cave. “We may be here for some time. Pyro knows this realm well. He said these sandstorms can last for hours.” He pulled her close. “We’ll eat and wait out the storm. This cavern goes way back inside the mountain and there is a rock pool just around that bend.” He pointed down a dark passageway. “It would be a perfect place for us to spend the night if necessary.” He nuzzled her cheek. “You smell so delicious that I can almost taste your arousal.”
Thalia slipped her arms around his waist. “Mmm…that would be nice, but Pyro would hear us. I’m not sure.”
“Don’t deny me the chance to love you.” Lumos brushed the hair from Thalia’s face. “You are changing, sweet butterfly. Your skin is like mine and soon your ears will become pointed but you require more of my seed to complete the change.” Lumos smiled down at her. “Pyro told me to make sure you were content. I’m ignorant about such things and, having no father to consult on the matter, I asked Pyro. He understands your needs…our needs.” He stroked Thalia’s hair. “I can’t wait to see your wings—will they be the colour of autumn leaves?” He groaned. “Then I’ll taste your lips and sink my cock deep inside your hot, little pussy. Gods, Thalia, I can’t wait.” He bent his head to suck on the mark on Thalia’s neck. “You want me, too, don’t you, sweetness?”
Thalia melted against him, wanted him. Gods, she was addicted to him, his scent, and the glorious taste of his seed. With a moan, Lumos rubbed his hard shaft against her. She cupped him. Under her palm, his massive dick strained against the skin of his pants. In a gentle caress, she scratched her nails up his swollen shaft.
“You know I do. I’m just embarrassed. I know I’ll scream when I climax.” She glanced up at Lumos. “Does that happen to all females…the screaming?”
“Many make a noise during sex. I believe this is natural but this desire you have for me is the beginning of the mating heat. Gods, your screams drive me crazy—in a good way. I love your little sobs of joy, too, and knowing that you scream in ecstasy for me.”
Juices poured from Thalia’s throbbing core. Her clit tingled with lust. “Last night and earlier today when we…um… When we…” Her face grew hot. “It was different, more exciting. I found myself inside your mind. It was as if I experienced your joy the moment you spilled in my mouth. Is that possible?”
“Yes, this happened to me, too, and nothing so intense has ever happened to me before, either. I experienced a blending of sensation as if we were of the same body—it was incredible.” Lumos chuckled. “Now I know why mated couples never part. Sex would never be the same with another. In fact, as far as I know, after mating there is no desire for any other than a mate.”
“Excuse me, but we should eat before… Well, before you two retire for the night.” Pyro strolled towards them and dropped the bags. “By my estimation it’s late afternoon. This storm isn’t going to let up any time soon, so we had better get some rest.” He took a small roll of fabric from the saddlebags and dropped it onto the ground. Immediately, the bundle grew into a pile of bedrolls. “I’ll light a fire here and get some food organised. Perhaps you should camp by the rock pool.” He tossed two bedrolls at Lumos. “We’ll get a few hours’ sleep while we can. If the Shadow Walkers are going to attack, they will in Trill, so we’ll need our rest.” He bent down and made a circle from the rocks strewn around the cave floor. “We also need to discuss a plan of action for crossi
ng Trill.” He waved a hand and a dancing fire appeared, the orange flames licking out from a small fireball.
Thalia moved away from Lumos and bent to stroke Brew. The cat had wet marks all over his coat from attempting to remove the dust.
“Look at your fur! You look like a ginger tom cat.” She brushed the red powder from the cat’s ears and face, then cast the fresh and clean spell over him. Straightening up, she met Pyro’s gaze. “I’ll help with dinner.” Thalia reached into the saddlebags. “The spell you have to make things so small is amazing.” She glanced up at Lumos. “Why didn’t you teach me this spell? It would have saved us dragging all the supplies up the mountain.”
“Unfortunately, you didn’t have command of your powers at the time and, even now, using the miniaturising spell on a living creature is very dangerous and one small error will cause death.” Lumos shrugged. “You have a lot to learn about magyck, butterfly, and some spells cannot be rushed.” He turned and sauntered deeper into the cave.
Placing a small group of items on the ground, Thalia watched Pyro closely. The Fae hardly twitched a muscle and the pots, pans and supplies grew back to normal size. She lifted her chin.
“Tell me about the realm of Trill. What dangers await us there?”
“The realm, as I remember it—but that was many centuries ago—is much the same as most of the green realms.” Pyro poured dried meat and a selection of vegetables, herbs, and spices into a pot of water. “Green realms are those most like the Nomag realms, with green grass, blue sky, one sun and moon.” He handed Thalia a kettle and a bag of fragrant tea. “Trill is the home of the Boars. Those men are barbaric, and their highest currency for trade is females.”
“Fortunately for us, they are slow and a little dim-witted.” Lumos dropped onto the sandy floor beside Thalia. He pulled plates and cups from the saddlebags. “Although the Boars are not our worry, we’ll have to be on our guard for attacks from the Shadow Walkers.”