by Tonya Brooks
Therefore the mating ceremony must be performed tonight.
Dragan had left his precious mate sleeping in his bed and went down to the dungeon to shift into his dragon form. As part of the ritual, his beast had to cut half of the beating heart from his chest, which had been an excruciatingly painful process to endure. Afterward, he had to remain in his animal form until the severed organ healed.
So both he and his dragon had panicked when they heard Ainsley on the stairs. It was too soon in the healing process for him to shift back into a man, so his only option had been to remain hidden. After all, coming face to face with a dragon would be a terrifying experience, so he was extremely reluctant to reveal himself.
Yet.
He would have to do so tonight before he gave Ainsley his heart, but by that point, he would have had time to prepare her for the shock. As it was, convincing his mate that dragons did exist and that he could shift into one had already filled him with angst. Because there was a possibility that she would reject him.
The thought struck sheer terror in his heart. But there was something in her voice as she pleaded with him to reveal himself that struck a chord deep inside his soul. His mate needed him, and he was powerless to resist her. So it had been with great trepidation that Dragan had lit a torch and allowed her to see him.
Much to his shock, his mate didn't seem to be afraid of him, nor did she appear to be surprised to discover a dragon in the dungeon. A brilliant smile and a hug were the last reactions that he had expected. The breath that he'd been holding escaped in a rush of heated air as he realized that she wasn't afraid of him.
"My beloved dragon shifter," she sighed and took his hand in both of hers. As he watched in complete astonishment, his Ainsley rubbed her cheek against his rough, leathery palm before placing a tender kiss at its center. "I want to be your mate, Dragan. So after you've recovered, I'll be waiting for my half of your heart."
Her image blurred and he blinked the sheen of tears from his eyes. The unexpected declaration made every ounce of the pain that he had just suffered worthwhile. Dragan's soul sang with joy as relief flooded him. Because his beautiful Ainsley had completely accepted him, scales and all.
Moved beyond words, and unable to communicate with her in dragon form, he did the next best thing. He pursed his lips and blew a heart shaped puff of smoke toward his beloved mate. She laughed in delight at the romantic gesture, blew him a kiss and scampered back up the stairs while he stared after her in amazement.
***
As soon as he was physically able to shift, Dragan made his way up the stairs where his best friend informed him that Ainsley had some type of vision before her trip down to the dungeon. Well versed in such things after living with his mother, he located his mate in the rose garden and requested, "Tell me about your vision."
"You may not like everything you hear," she warned and soothingly caressed his arm. "But it convinced me that neither of us could survive without each other. That we're meant to be mates."
"Then I shall cherish every word," he assured her solemnly. He listened patiently as she told him about the vision that she had seen of the future. Ainsley's confession that she had been leaving him had shaken him to his core. He thanked the gods profusely for ensuring such a tragedy did not occur.
Dragan informed her that the thought of being separated for even a day was intolerable and that he had bought an estate for them to live near the campus until she graduated. His beloved mate had assured him that it was a brilliant idea and thanked him with a kiss that left him aching for more.
They spent the afternoon learning more about each other, and he happily answered all of her questions about dragon shifters. When night fell, they shared a candlelit meal in the rose garden before Dragan took his mate flying. She informed his dragon that he was simply magnificent which pleased both man and beast greatly.
Then he carried Ainsley up the stairs to his bedroom and placed her on the massive ornately designed bed. She caressed the red silk sheets and said, "This is the bed where our daughter was conceived."
"You mean where she will be," he corrected in amusement since she kept referring to future events as if they had already occurred.
"No, she already is," his beloved mate replied as she sat up. "I'm carrying our child now, Dragan. Ember will try your patience often, but you're going to be a wonderful father."
The admission filled him with more joy than he could contain. He sank to his knees beside the bed and wrapped his arms around his beloved mate. "Mea bella mate, Ainsley," he said brokenly and tenderly kissed her lips. "After centuries of waiting, you are a dream come true. Mere words cannot describe the depth of my love for you."
"Actions speak louder, my love," she pointed out and placed her hand gently over the freshly healed scar on his chest. "Yours say more than words ever could. I felt it, you know. The pain of your heart being severed was excruciating. That was why I had to see you. To make sure that you were all right."
She had felt his pain? Gods, such a thing was unheard of. The bond should not be that strong until after the mating ceremony. "I am sorry that you had to feel that, my Ainsley. I cannot comprehend how such a thing happened," he replied with genuine remorse that she had felt an iota of pain.
"I'm not," she denied, and the truth shone in her eyes. "If I hadn't, all hope would be lost."
The reminder of how close he had come to losing her chilled him to the bone. His dragon was equally disturbed and insisted he complete the ceremony with all haste. Neither of them would draw an easy breath until she was theirs for all eternity and beyond. Taking her hands in his, he asked solemnly, "Will you be my mate, Ainsley?"
"I will," she fervently agreed.
Using the intense heat of dragon fire, his dragon had forged a ruby heart for their mate from her half of his severed heart. Dragan had mounted it into the intricate golden filigree pendant that had been passed down through his family since the dawn of time. The necklace truly was befitting of a queen as many had worn it.
Giving half of their heart to a mate was the ultimate act of love among dragon shifters, so it was with great reverence that he lifted the pendant from the bedside table and secured the gold chain around his mate's slender neck. Then he made the simple yet heartfelt vow that would bind them together till the end of time.
"Your heart is mine, my heart is yours, bound together as one, forevermore," he vowed with tear filled eyes. Ainsley watched in awe as the ruby glowed and began to pulse with each beat of his heart. When his mate's heart changed its rhythm and began to beat in sync with his, the glow softly faded away.
"Our two hearts beat as one," he said in a choked tone. "You are mine, my Ainsley."
"As you are mine," she agreed, and the love shining in her eyes took his breath away.
Though his resolve was rock steady, his hands held a noticeable tremble as he divested her of her clothes. Starting with a kiss on her ankle, Dragan worshiped every inch of his mate with his mouth and hands until she was writhing beneath him. He licked and laved, nibbled and suckled her delicate flesh until she trembled with need.
Then he settled between her quivering thighs to feast, and feast he did. Ainsley's moans of pleasure quickly became squeals of delight, and his dragon chuckled wickedly. Now that his mate knew that he was a shifter, he was able to bring her to even greater heights of ecstasy courtesy of his forked tongue.
***
"Dragan," Ainsley screamed as the orgasm slammed into her like a tidal wave of raw ecstasy. Her heart was hammering wildly, pure pleasure dancing through her veins as stars burst behind her closed eyelids. She wasn't sure exactly what he'd done differently this time, but the results were definitely addictive.
Unclenching her fist from his hair, her hand dropped limply to her side, her entire body languid with satiation. A smile curved her lips as she felt her dragon shifter slowly climbing up her body until his chest touched hers. "Umm," was the only thing she was capable of articulating in her dazed and sated stat
e.
"I think you enjoyed my dragon coming out to play," he murmured in amusement.
Opening heavy lids, she stared up into his brown velvet eyes and smiled. "If that's what happens then he's welcome anytime," she agreed.
"He is pleased with the invitation," Dragan assured her. "But for now, it's my turn."
He entered her with a slow, deep thrust that had the breath hissing from her lungs. Her nether regions were still so sensitive that the brush of his flesh against hers was magnified tenfold. Her arms came up, locked around his broad shoulders and drew his chest down to meet hers, needing more contact with the man she loved.
"I love you, Dragan," she whispered softly as she stared into his eyes.
"As I love you, my Ainsley," he vowed and sealed it with a kiss.
He made love to her slowly. Gently. Reverently. She could feel the love and adoration that he felt for her with every thrust, every touch. See it in his eyes and expression. But the most amazing thing of all was that she could feel it in their joined hearts. It was a magical experience that she would cherish all of her days.
And their mutual climax? Off. The. Chart. Ecstasy!
EPILOGUE
Ainsley's life could not have been more perfect.
Although it did have a bit of a rocky start.
She discovered that her concerns about Dragan's rich and famous lifestyle had been baseless. Yes, he lived in a castle, but since it had been built to house a dragon, it was actually a practical choice of home. Having it situated atop a mountain was mainly to ensure privacy and the incredible views were just an added perk.
It didn't take her long to realize that his jet was just as useful since they could fly to a concert and immediately return home once it was over. Although Ainsley did inform her mate that she much preferred flying with his dragon. He had happily rewarded her for the compliment in their onboard bedroom, another huge perk.
Women still screamed his name and drooled over her mate every time he was onstage, but she had no worries there either. His heart beat for her alone, and she never had to be concerned about another woman coming between them. All of her fears about him losing interest in her had been in vain.
As it turned out, Dragan was the one who had a problem fitting into her life. Once his presence was discovered in the small college town a media frenzy had begun. It didn't take long for the press to figure out why he was there and when their relationship became public, reporters hounded her every move.
Needless to say, Ainsley had been the only student to arrive in a limo with an entourage of bodyguards in tow. The administrative board had been highly upset with all the uproar until her beloved dragon shifter had stepped in. Dragan had performed a free concert for the student body by way of apology and smoothed things over nicely.
After graduation, they had returned to Dragon's Lair, and she had really appreciated the seclusion that his mountain aerie provided. At least it had until the press got wind of their wedding. She and Dragan had been married in the newly redesigned all white rose garden with her family and their closest friends attending the private ceremony.
Her beloved mate had arranged the wedding of her dreams, and it had been as beautiful as it was perfect. At least it was after Brendyn cast a magic haze over the castle to discourage the camera-wielding paparazzi flying overhead in helicopters. Since Dragan had threatened to turn his dragon loose on them, that crisis was narrowly averted.
Then there had been the highly anticipated birth of their daughter. The media coverage of that event had been frenzied as well, but Dragan and Brendyn had shielded Ainsley from it as much as possible. Her mate had pampered her to the extreme during her pregnancy, and his best friend had been almost as bad.
The first time the mage held her daughter in his arms, Ainsley had a vision of their future. Afterward, she had laughingly warned, "Oh, Bren, you naughty mage. Ember is going to have your head on a pike if you're not careful." Since she had refused to tell him what she'd seen, he had pouted for days afterward.
He did, however, give up his manwhore tendencies and became the best manny she could have asked for. Bren was always on hand to soothe the fussy infant, but nothing worked as well as her adoring father singing to her. Between the two of them monopolizing the baby, Ainsley had to put her foot down just to get equal time.
After he had fulfilled all of his existing commitments, Dragan had taken a year off from performing. He had spent that time lavishing attention on his wife and child, but he'd also managed to write her a love song. The beautiful ballad was unlike anything the hard rock band normally performed, but he had included on their last album.
My Ainsley had shot straight to the top of the charts and stayed there for a record-breaking twenty weeks. Dragon Fire had six Grammy nominations for the song, which was why Ainsley, Brendyn, and eighteen-month-old Ember were sitting front row center at the award show waiting for the band to perform.
Such was the life of a rock star's wife.
A brilliant smile covered her face when the curtain rose to reveal the members of the band and her beloved mate sitting at a piano center stage. The fans in the arena went wild as the opening bars to My Ainsley, began to play. The song really was beautiful, and it never failed to bring tears to her eyes when she heard it.
The ballad told of a man who had everything, yet nothing that really mattered. He had been lost and alone, living a life filled with emptiness, searching for a spark to light his soul until he found her. "Beneath passions fiery flame, the unquenchable ember of our love burns forevermore. A life filled with promise, full of joy, you are mine, and I am yours. My Ainsley."
Everyone thought they had chosen to name their daughter from that line of the song, but in actuality, it was just the reverse. In the vision where she had left him, Ainsley had chosen the name because their daughter was the unquenchable ember of the love that they had shared. The love that they would continue to share for all of their days.
As she watched, Dragan left the piano and began walking across the stage, the ever-present glass of scotch in his hand that he always performed with. It was just a prop to make people think his fire-breathing act was just an act. A secretive smile curled her lips because her dragon didn't need an accelerant to breathe fire.
He looked every inch a rock star with his chest bare beneath the black tuxedo jacket, and sunglasses hiding his brown velvet eyes as he left the stage to walk to her. Kneeling at her feet, he took her hand in his and sang the final chorus directly to Ainsley. As always, the fans melted at the romantic gesture, as did she.
The song ended with a thunderous standing ovation, and he leaned forward to tenderly kiss her before rising to his feet. Dragan pulled her up with him and wrapped his arm around her waist before murmuring huskily, "That dress is stunning on you, my Ainsley."
He had bought the ridiculously expensive designer gown in the exact shade of the ruby heart that always adorned her neck. It truly was stunning, and she definitely looked the part of a rock star's wife in it. Leaning in close, her hand over his heart, she whispered devilishly, "It'll look even better wadded up on the floor."
His heartbeat quickened at the innuendo and hers right along with it. Dragan growled and tightened his hold on her. "Keep that up, and you'll have me hot enough to burn the place down," he warned and took a sip of scotch.
"Go whoosh, Daddy! Go whoosh!" Ember demanded as she bounced up and down in the security of Brendyn's arms.
Her magnificent dragon shifter threw his head back and breathed great balls of fire high into the arena while the audience went wild. Their daughter squealed with glee and clapped her hands as her velvety brown eyes sparkled with excitement. Ainsley laughed in delight because Dragan really was a wonderful father.
He was also the perfect mate, and she couldn't imagine her life without him. Well, she could, and she had, which was why every day spent with him was even more magical. Because they were living their happily ever after!
The End
BAD ALPHA DA
DS
Bestselling and Award Winning Paranormal Romance authors are bringing you the baddest of the bad ALPHA dads. Keyword bad. So sexy, you’ll want to teach them to be good. These shifter dads need all the help they can get, and we want to give it to them. Check out our website www.BadAlphaDads.com for the release schedule and more about our fabulous authors.
Check out our website www.BadAlphaDads.com for the release schedule and more about our fabulous authors.
AVAILABLE BOOKS BY TONYA BROOKS
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
The Bad Baker Boys Series
Once upon a time in the small town of Lakeside lived a family of handsome men better known as the Bad Baker Boys. Former Navy SEAL Jed Baker raised his sons Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to be badass alpha males. Sparks fly and passions ignite hotter than sultry southern nights when they meet the women who tame them.
Welcome To Lakeside Series
Lakeside is not the average small southern town. The residents are unpredictable as hell and romance can be downright deadly. Gossip always runs rampant and is notoriously wrong. Expect plenty of high jinks and ribald humor with unexpected twists and turns. And a goat. On a leash.
REGENCY ROMANCE
The Ashbrook Legacy
You are cordially invited to meet the Ashbrooks, one of the oldest and most revered lineages in England. Despite five hundred years of nobility, the men are notorious rakes, and the women are scandalous at best. Take a delightfully wicked romp through Regency London.
Historical romance will never be the same.