by Brenda Trim
“I can see you are quite smitten with that little rebel.”
“Aye,” Kyran laughed, thinking the description fit his mate perfectly. “She is my firecracker.”
“Here we are,” Nate said abruptly. Kyran looked over and saw the garden in the courtyard of the castle decorated with hundreds of floating lanterns. He scanned the area and saw the black amulet set into the dirt with Legette standing next to it. There were tiny flowers scattered over the area and suddenly he was homesick for his brothers and sister, as well as, the other Dark Warriors.
He wished they could be there to see his mating come to fruition, but there was no avoiding the situation. He checked his pocket for the mating stone that Mackendra had chosen. He was contemplating another ceremony when they got home, so he could share it with those he loved, when his thoughts suddenly came to a grinding halt.
Mackendra was standing in the doorway and was a stunning vision of beauty. Her black hair fell around her head in soft layers and she had forgone her kohl-lined eyes for natural tones. She had on a pale-pink, strapless dress that hugged her breasts and hung loose to the ground. Her ample bosom nearly spilled from her top, making his mouth water. Her plush lips curved in a smile when she saw him.
He watched the sway of her hips as she made her way to his side, thinking what a lucky male he was. He grasped her hand when she reached him and brought it to his mouth for a kiss.
Legette cleared his throat and held the papers Kyran had given him. “We come together to recognize the mating of Kyran and Mackendra. This is a momentous occasion, not only for this couple, but for all of the Cuelebre, for this will be the day we get our king back,” he called out and the gathered dragons roared their approval.
“Please form a circle around the couple,” Legette instructed. Kyran noticed that Nate was holding Pip, who was watching them closely. “We have gathered under the eye of the Sun and the glow of the Moon. Let the circle be blessed and consecrated with Fire and Water.”
Rhett stepped forward and with a flourish, shot fire from both hands, making it flow around the circle. The fire rose to the heavens, like shooting stars before water misted from the battlements down to the earth, extinguishing the fire.
“We call to the Gods and the Goddess Morrigan, and invoke them to bless this mating.” Legette raised his hands and the crowd fell silent. “Kyran and Mackendra, I am going to add a touch of our culture to your ceremony and I hope you’ll approve.” Kyran nodded, appreciating the personal touch.
“We call upon the spirits of the East, of Air, Spring and new beginnings,” Legette recited before he breathed dragon smoke and brought a claw-tipped finger up to trace a rune into the smoke. “We call upon the spirits of the South and the inner Fire of the Sun, Summer and personal will. We call upon the spirits of the West, of Water, Autumn, and healing and dreaming. We call upon the spirits of the North, of Earth, Winter, and the time of cleansing and renewal,” he finished, having drawn a rune in smoke after each invocation. Kyran removed the rock from his pocket, placing it between their joined hands.
“Join us to bless this couple with your guidance and inspiration,” Legette intoned and placed his hand over theirs as magic cocooned them.
Legette lifted his hand and Kyran grabbed Mackendra’s hand, placing it on his chest, over his heart, then he placed his over hers.
“I bless this mating under the Sun and the Moon. This circle of love and honour is open and never broken, so may it be,” Legette finished the blessing.
*****
Unfamiliar sensations besieged Mack. Heat built in the rock the second Legette finished speaking and she felt both souls leave her body to enter the stone. She hadn’t realized how much Kyran’s soul had been a part of her until she felt its loss. She wondered what it felt like for him, having lived with her soul for so much longer.
Bright light flashed between their fingers and her skin tingled. The bond that she had spent so much time denying strengthened and she could now physically see their connection. Thick golden ribbons wrapped around her heart and ran to his, entwining them. She was distracted from examining it further when her soul surged back into her body. She gasped and looked up. The bliss and euphoria she saw on Kyran’s face took her breath away.
She had never thought she’d have that one person that would be her other half and she felt tears brim in her eyes as she realized Kyran completed her in a way she never expected. This vampire would always be at her side. Overwhelmed, she belatedly realized that she felt both of their souls in her chest and she understood Kyran’s every thought and emotion. He was as overwhelmed as she was.
A feminine voice whispering in her ear had her turning her head. She looked left then right, but didn’t see anyone. “Stop looking around like a dolt, Mackendra. They will think you crazy,” the voice laughed. It was the most melodic, comforting voice she’d ever heard. “I am the Goddess Morrigan, your Goddess. And you need to know that no power, not even death, will sever this bond. Your mating stone protects your sword arm. Your aim will always be true, my warrior.”
Mack was gazing at their joined hands and curiosity got the better of her. She lifted her palm and peered between their fingers. She gasped and pulled her hand away from his, keeping hold of what was now a diamond. The large gem was unlike anything she’d ever seen. A grey flame burned within its depths and made the facets shine. She touched it with a finger, expecting it to be hot. It was warmed from their body heat, but nothing more.
She looked up to Kyran and his smile dazzled her. “’Tis our mating stone and the magic of the Goddess,” he explained.
“I know, she told me.”
He cocked his head to the side and gazed at her curiously. Before he could ask her to elaborate, the Cuelebre cheered loudly, and with that, the party was on.
*****
Mack was desperate for her mate. She kissed him long and hard and possessive, enjoying the way his cock jerked in response. They hadn’t lasted more than fifteen minutes at the party when Kyran’s erotic teasing drove her to the point where she dragged him into the castle. It hadn’t been nearly as disconcerting to have him in her head as it had been the Goddess. Of course, that could be because he had been telling her all of the dirty things he wanted to do to her body. She had kicked open the first door she’d come to and that’s where they were.
His big body pressed her against the wall, his hips holding her captive as he broke their kiss. Panting, she felt him kiss his way across her cheek and down her neck. Mack’s heart was battering her chest walls in frenzy, making her dizzy. Kyran’s fangs scraped across her jugular and his talented tongue made her shaky, every nerve-ending was on fire with need. There would be no going slow or easy this time, she had to have him. She doubted there would ever be slow and easy with Kyran, he was too raw. And, although it scared her at times, she loved it.
His strong hands ran up her back and gripped the top of her dress. She expected him to undo the zipper when the sound of fabric tearing filled her ears. The silk of her dress fluttered to her feet and he captured her lips again.
“You have on my panties. Good girl.” She bristled at his tone and pushed against him. She had no idea why, or what came over her, because she was wearing his underwear, but her resistance fueled both their desire. She tore at his clothes and clawed his chest. He grabbed her hands and restrained them above her head. His dominance aroused her further, making her wet and ready for him.
He was adept and skilled at removing his clothes with one hand, and before she knew it, his hard shaft was jutting out between them. She wiggled her hips, wanting, no needing, him inside her. He kissed her gently, belying the need she felt thrumming through his veins. He was as ravenous as she was and his control was intoxicating.
“There’s no other for me, only you,” Kyran declared and she understood what he wasn’t telling her. That he loved her and no one before her mattered. There was only them together moving forward. His finger slid under the string at the side of her underwear and with
a firm tug they were fluttering to the floor.
“No other,” she agreed and lifted her leg around his hip.
The head of his cock teased her opening. With a growl, he thrust into her, his cock stretching her tight sheath. The initial sting of his penetration gave way to climax almost immediately. Between the first thrust and the second, she detonated. She bit her lip to keep from crying out. She wrapped both legs around his waist and locked her ankles.
He kept hold of her wrists and pounded into her body. He leaned down and sucked a nipple into his mouth, drawing out her orgasm. He felt so good and knew exactly what she wanted. “Ah, God,” she cried as she came down only to be brought right back up again.
“Are you ready for the blood exchange, Firecracker? ‘Tis the last step in the mating,” he told her as he stilled his movements. She tried to keep moving, but he was having none of that. She had no way to gain leverage and was forced to gather her thoughts enough to answer him.
“I’ve never been more ready,” she declared and leaned her head down and used her blunt teeth to bite hard enough to break the skin on his shoulder. He shouted and began bucking forcefully into her as his orgasm rocked through him. His fangs pierced her flesh, and her body shuddered with the most intense orgasm of her life.
Her entire body tingled with more than just arousal. Magic spread through her at the same time light exploded out of every pore. The gold ribbon of their bond expanded with every draw they took of each other’s blood. The ribbon shifted and transformed into a million, tiny, gold links that then became chains, tying them together at every point of their bodies. It reminded her of a suit of armor like the knights of old wore. The warmth of their connection seeped into her pores, and for once in her life, she welcomed the intense emotions.
Kyran had never told her that he loved her and probably never would, but that was okay. She saw how much he loved her every time he smiled. She looked down and noticed that the brand on his chest had changed as well. The magic of their mating had transformed it into a tattoo. She leaned down and placed a reverent kiss on the mark.
He pressed his forehead to hers. “Thank fuck the pain in that has gone away. The Buggane torture was a cakewalk compared to the pain of our unfinished mating,” he admitted.
She laughed out loud and tried to put her legs down. He let her wrists go, but grabbed her thighs. “We’re no’ done yet, love. ‘Tis hours until midnight.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
Kyran held Mack close, amazed at how content he felt after completing the mating. He had come to realize many things during his time on Khoth. He had been using the murder and rape of his mother as a barrier, and, truth be told, as an excuse. He hadn’t realized how deeply that had scarred him and was forever grateful to Mackendra for opening that wound so he could start to heal. He had come into his sexuality with control and dominance and had assumed he wouldn’t enjoy sex any other way, but she had shown him differently. Surprisingly, he had reveled in her dominance, even if he hadn’t relinquished all of his own. He would always want to engage in some kink with his mate, and fortunately, she was willing to meet him in the middle. He pushed her and she pushed back, it was a perfect partnership.
Legette approached him with a ceremonial knife and the chalice. “Ready to give us some more blood?”
“Aye, I’m anxious to get home.” He took the jewel-encrusted blade and sliced his wrist, confident that this time the ceremony would work. Legette held the cup under the stream of blood he’d opened, and within seconds, the cup was full and his wound was sealed.
“Fingers crossed,” Mackendra murmured. He glanced at her and returned her smile. They watched as Legette repeated the process of his previous attempt. He smeared blood across the runes, breathed dragon smoke and used a claw-tipped finger to draw a rune in the smoke. The reaction was immediate after the last rune was drawn. The spell broke with a strong blast of energy that blew his shirt against his torso, as well as, the leaves of every tree and shrub in sight. Kyran staggered at the rumble of the ground and caught Mackendra before she fell.
“Look, the stone archway is lit up,” Mackendra murmured. He followed her gaze and noticed that the runes were glowing brightly in the moonlight.
“It worked,” crowed Legette. The Cuelebre around him cheered and shouted their joy, most still intoxicated from their earlier celebration. The only sober ones were Nate, Lorne and Rhett. They had bags slung over their shoulder, ready to portal.
“Time to say goodbye, Pip. I’m going to miss you,” his mate told the kippie with tears in her eyes. Her sadness cut deeper than the knife he’d just used to shed blood.
“You might as well take him with you, Mack. He’ll follow anyway, and Gods know, where he’d end up,” Nate suggested.
Kyran saw how her face brightened and she clutched the small animal, beaming from ear to ear. “Shite. For the record, I’m building Pip his own room in the compound and I refuse to sleep with, or clean up, his mess. Och, Angus will probably have both our hides for bringing a pet back.”
Mackendra stood on her tiptoes and kissed him briefly while whispering in his mind how she’d show him her appreciation when they got home. It would be worth suffering any repercussions to see how creative her gratefulness would be.
“Angus will return to Khoth, Nightwalker, so get used to the idea,” Legette assured him. “But, if he’s anything like the king who left us, he will not leave you without proper care. He is nothing if not thorough.”
“Aye, he is that. ‘Tis been a pleasure,” Kyran said, shaking the male’s hand.
“The Cuelebre owe you a debt we can never repay. And, I am honored to have shared in your mating. You are a lucky male,” Legette responded.
Mack turned around and hugged the dragon, telling him she’d miss him. Kyran shook his head as she said her goodbyes, amazed at how easily she made friends with others. She had a magnetism that drew people to her. He understood how she had managed to recruit victims to join her organization, despite the fact that they’d be hunting the very beings that had attacked them.
“Bring our king home, Nate, Lorne. This realm needs Angus and his magic. Our people have gone too long without. And, Nate, now is not the time to explore the females of the Tehrex Realm,” Legette instructed.
Nate and Lorne joined Kyran, Mackendra and Rhett where they stood next to the portal.
Mackendra grabbed his hand. “You aren’t carrying me over your shoulder this time,” she teased him with a smile. He smiled back, grabbed Pip from her arms and passed him off to Rhett before squatting and throwing her over his shoulder. She squealed and hit his back while laughter bubbled from her throat.
“C’mon lads. I doona know where this is going to spit us oot, but if it’s daytime, I will need to get to shelter fast,” he disclosed over his shoulder before he walked through the portal with his mate holding his backside.
*****
Mackendra looked out the passenger window as they drove down the long, tree-lined drive. You couldn’t even tell there was a house in the distance. She understood that supernaturals, especially a Vampire King, would need the privacy this set up provided. When twenty foot stone walls came into view, Mack knew they were nearing the house. A large, black-iron gate was visible next and she was surprised to see the very human security system. Minus the guard shack, it reminded her of what they had at the White House.
Kyran leaned out the window and punched a code into the panel. She looked back at the dragons and Rhett. They were as wide-eyed as the day they’d come through the portal. She chuckled and turned as they were granted admittance. The enormous home and perfectly-manicured grounds reminded her of the English countryside. The grey stone and stucco building was no mere house, Mack thought. It was almost as big as the castle Tatenen on Khoth.
She saw lights on in all the countless windows that flanked the front of the house and imagined his family had been waiting anxiously for his return since he called them a couple days ago from Inverness. The portal had dropped
them on a small island in Scotland in the middle of a stone circle and it had taken them several days of harrowing travel to get across the ocean to the city. It had been disconcerting for Mack to learn that while two weeks had passed on Khoth, months had passed on earth. She was anxious to see what remained of her house, but reuniting Kyran with his family took precedence.
She looked around the property and noted there were other homes aside from the big house. They were smaller, although still bigger than her home had been, and she guessed that was where the staff lived. She turned her head when she heard yelling and saw Elsie and two other women running out the front doors with several men following.
“Kyran!” Elsie called out, rushing to the car. “Mack! Oh my God. We’ve been so worried about you guys!”
The second they got out of the vehicle, Mack found herself in Elsie’s arms. And damn, she couldn’t help but appreciate the girl’s new strength, but then, it made sense, given that she was a vampire now. “It’s good to see you, El. It’s been too long,” Mack replied and stepped next to Kyran.
Everyone turned and watched as the rest of their group got out of the vehicles. Rhett immediately went to Mack’s side and handed her Pip. “You going to introduce us to your beautiful friends, Mack?”
Mack looked up at the sound of a growl and saw a big guy with shoulder-length, black hair glaring at the men behind her, reminding her of Kyran’s possessiveness. “Stop, Zander. They don’t know that I belong to you and you aren’t being very hospitable. They are from Angus’ realm, you need to be nice,” Elsie chastised her mate. Mack wanted to laugh at the chagrined look that crossed Zander’s face.
Before anyone could respond to Elsie’s comment, Nate and Lorne went to one knee and bowed their heads when a man with black hair and tears in his jade green eyes came out of the house. Mack surmised that this was the Dragon King, Angus. She had to admit he was gorgeous and he definitely exuded aristocracy. He stood taller and approached the men, placing his hand on their shoulders.