Fated Mate

by Juniper Hart

  Twelve hours? She had been out that long? That was a blessing, she supposed, glad to have not remembered a thing from it. Maybe it would be over soon. She could only hope.

  Daisy wasn’t lucky enough to fall right back to sleep. Instead, she was awake for hours in excruciating pain. Nyle occasionally would try and give her something to help with the pain. He rubbed the herbs from Evryn into her skin. It was supposed to relieve muscle pain, but Nyle hoped that it had some sort of effect on the type of pain Daisy was experiencing. It didn’t take anything more than the edge off. The painkillers might as well have been sugar pills. Cassie had come in and tried to help, but her deep tissue massage did nothing either.

  They also tried a hot bath, but she couldn’t hold still enough to relax. She passed out for short bursts of time, only to wake up in even more pain. Daisy got to the point where she really didn’t think she could take it anymore, wanting so badly for the poison to be removed from her body and to live out the rest of her days as a human. That wasn’t an option though.

  “I want to die,” she cried, hugging her pillow to her face as she stayed curled up at the foot of the bed.

  “You don’t mean that,” Nyle said firmly, rubbing her side lightly.

  “I can’t take the pain anymore,” Daisy explained through the tears. “It’s just so constant and hurts so much. Please just make it stop. I can’t do this anymore.”

  “There’s nothing I can do, baby,” he painfully breathed. “Think of being done, though. It should come any time now. Then we’ll be able to fly around together, and you’ll be able to beat up any rebel you want. Or even Erasina when she steps out of line,” Nyle said, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

  “I couldn’t beat up anyone,” Daisy sniffled. “Not unless I was protecting someone.”

  “I don’t know about that,” he grinned. “I think dragon Daisy might be a little feistier.”

  “I think you’re confusing me with your other wife named Daisy,” she grumbled, burying her face into the pillow.

  “You’re my one and only. I really don’t know if I could handle any more than that,” Nyle chuckled.

  “This isn’t helping at all, Nyle,” Daisy sounded into the pillow, making her voice muffled. He was trying to distract her from the pain with playful conversation. While it was sweet, it really wasn’t making her feel better.

  He sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, love. I don’t know what else to do.”

  Daisy needed to stop crying, knowing that no matter what they did, the excruciating pain wasn’t going to go away. She was going to have to wait it out.

  “I don’t want Samson to have to go through this,” she sobbed. Samson was still one-fourth human, so he was going to have to go through the same process.

  “I don’t want him to either, but thankfully that isn’t for years and years. Since he’s less human than you, maybe it’ll take less time and be less painful,” Nyle hypothesized. He rubbed the back of her head. “I would give anything to be able to bear the pain for the both of you. I’m so lucky to have such a courageous wife.”

  “If your wife were anyone else, she wouldn’t have to go through this.”

  “Yet the universe picked you for my soulmate,” he said. “Believe me when I say Royal women couldn’t go through this. They are all spoiled and soft. They would have been on the roof trying to leap to their deaths just for it to end.”

  “That sounds very tempting,” Daisy mumbled.

  “You’re strong enough not to have to resort to that,” Nyle encouraged her.

  After another twelve hours of screaming, crying, and begging for relief, Daisy finally blacked out. She was asleep for another ten hours before Nyle gently carried her from the bed to the tub where he had drawn her a hot bath. She was drenched in sweat. He hoped giving her a bath would bring her some relief, or at the very least, make her more comfortable. Lowering her into the water, Nyle made sure that her head was propped up by a small cushion on the side of the tub. Her eyes stayed closed and her body completely still as he started to wash her off.

  He noticed as he lifted her arm to scrub it, that there were faint silvery-blue markings on her skin. They were almost invisible to the naked eye, only noticeable when looking up close. They were subtle and strangely beautiful. Nyle was unable to look away as he studied them. He could recall hating the Elemental markings, thinking they were so archaic and gaudy compared to the fine, elegant swirls Royals had. Hers weren’t as thick as they normally were, just barely thicker than a vein. Oddly enough, they suited Daisy. He wondered if they would get any darker or if they would stay faint.

  Nyle carefully cradled her head as he washed her hair, loving the smell of her shampoo. Memories of late nights spent cuddling and talking always came to mind every time he caught a whiff of it. Her hair grew very long during her pregnancy. At one point, it had grown past her buttocks, but she cut it off as it was too much to handle. Her tresses now fell to her lower back.

  As he rinsed her hair, Daisy’s eyes opened.

  Nyle smiled down at her softly. “Hey. Sorry, I thought you could use a bath. I figured while you were passed out would be the best time for it, so that you aren’t wiggling all around.”

  Daisy appeared a little disoriented at first, gazing all around her as though she didn’t recognize the location. Then, a slow and brilliant smile stretched across her face.

  “I don’t feel anything.”

  “What do you mean? You aren’t in pain anymore?” Nyle asked, his own face brightening up.

  She shook her head no. Nyle helped her from the tub and pulled her into a tight hug.

  “I told you that you could do it. Now all that’s left to do is try it out.”

  Thankfully, it was the dead of night, and Cassie was likely asleep. With her body still wet from the bath, they quietly made their way downstairs and out the back door. It was a clear night, the stars and moon shining brightly in the sky. If she truly had finished her transformation, it would be a great first flight for her. They walked down into the grass.

  “What do I do exactly?” she asked, looking down at her own body as she tried to figure out how to shift.

  “Everyone is a little different. My father and my sisters all picture something that makes them very, very angry to shift, since your dragon form is channeled a lot by rage.”

  “What do you do?” she questioned.

  “I don’t like my anger to control me. I noticed when I did that, I tended to act rashly, rather than strategically. Instead, I meditate. I get attuned to my own body, and then think about shifting. I imagine the bones shifting, the muscles reorganizing, the skin changing to scales. It doesn’t work for everyone, but I think it’s worth a shot,” he explained calmly.

  “Will it hurt?” she asked.

  “Hurt isn’t the right word. It’s slightly uncomfortable at first. You’ll get used to it in time, and be able to shift faster and faster until you don’t even notice it,” Nyle assured her, pressing a kiss to her forehead before stepping back a few steps to give her space. “Close your eyes, and breathe in and out. Don’t think about anything but shifting.”

  Daisy nodded and closed her eyes. He could see her chest rise and fall every time she took a deep breath. Daisy tried to meditate, taking several minutes to clear her mind of any unnecessary thoughts. Then, her back started to grow. Her bones transformed and took their position in the dragon skeleton. Her bone structure changed in her face, her cheeks raising and her jaw dropping. Her skin transformed into a bluish-silver color, matching her eyes almost exactly. Nyle’s eyes were perfect circles as he watched, consumed by a strange sense of awe. She was beautiful. Her wings came out of her back as she completed her transition, spreading out to the length of her wingspan.

  She was a petite dragon, standing nearly six inches shorter than a typical grown female dragon. It made sense though, considering she was much shorter than most females in human form as well. He thought she was adorable. She looked so small and quaint, as though she coul
dn’t hurt a fly—but the strength that would now reside within her would be the same as any other female dragon, which made her cute and deadly.

  Nyle stripped himself of his clothes quickly and transformed. With amusement and happiness gleaming in his honey eyes, he circled her in a mock-predatorial manner. Daisy’s eyes followed him around, but she never moved from her spot. He then leaped to tackle her, rolling into the grass while playfully nipping her neck. She let out a throaty groan and managed to toss him off her. He smirked mentally and launched into the air. Nyle hovered just ahead while he waited for her.

  She looked confused for a moment, before jumping straight up and spreading her wings. Daisy took to the air with a surprising amount of ease. Nyle could remember learning to fly when he was younger and struggling a bit at first, but Daisy appeared to be a natural. Once she was up to his side, Nyle flew towards the woods, soaring through the night air at a leisurely pace. They stayed within the confines of the wooded area in order not to draw attention. No humans were around to see the two mystical beasts fly above the tree tops.

  Glancing over to Daisy, Nyle felt something bittersweet. He loved that she could fly on her own, knowing it would be the safest thing for her and their son. Yet, Nyle found himself missing her riding on his back. He always adored the way she hugged him so tightly and hear her giggle to herself when he would dive suddenly and then fly level again. Nyle was sure she liked flying on her own much more, though. It was so freeing.

  After a while, Nyle noticed the moon reflecting off a body of water, a little creek hidden in the woods. He dove down, passing the trees, and landing softly on the ground. Nyle rapidly morphed back into his human form and looked to the sky as Daisy maneuvered her landing. Her feet stumbled a bit as she reached the ground, but she managed not to fall over. Her body easily compressed into her human form as she walked towards Nyle. Once she was completely human again, Daisy took off in a sprint and flung herself right at him. He caught her, her legs wrapping around his hips. Nyle squeezed her tightly, tighter than he ever had before. Before Daisy made the transformation, it would have surely broken something.

  She hugged him back and gave him a big, passionate kiss. He loved her so much. He couldn’t believe that it was all real, that she was finally a dragon and could live with him for centuries to come. No longer would the thought of her growing gray and old haunt him at night. Everything was perfect, at least at that moment. “I love you, Daisy Doll,” he breathed to her, still holding her in his arms.

  “I love you too,” she replied, a dazzling smile on her lips.

  “How about we head back to Samson now?” Nyle asked.

  Daisy grinned, “There’s nothing else I would rather do.”

  Once she stood on her own two feet, the two of them morphed into dragons and took to the sky. Nyle had never been more certain that everything was going to be perfect. Any trouble they could ever face, they would do it as a team and take it head on. Daisy was his queen, Samson was his prince, and as a family, they would bring the future of the dragon kingdoms.

  THE END

  Bonus Content: Shifter Romances

  Prologue

  The party was in full swing, a swarm of laughing women toasting each other in a sea of disbelief and happiness as they sipped champagne.

  None of the other guests had arrived at the Kappa Mu Pi house, but the idea was to bask in the glory of the year’s end and exam finals amongst just the girls.

  The din was nearly deafening, and half a dozen juniors stole away from the hub of activity and made their way into the backrooms toward MJ’s, where they had agreed to meet, giggling at the secrecy of the assembly.

  “This is just like pledging,” Molly whispered, her eyes wide and amused.

  “Hopefully with less abuse,” Megan replied worriedly, and the others chuckled in agreement, knocking gently on the door.

  From inside, MJ’s voice called out, “Come in.”

  They ventured into the room and curiously looked around at the small group gathered there.

  All of them were juniors about to embark on their senior year. Of course they knew each other, if only by name, but they were a family after all, bonded by the sisterhood of the sorority.

  Their eyes—all of them a different color: blue, brown, green, and hazel—studied one another with mild interest. but unlike the rest of the house, the room was filled with a moderate quietness, as if an air of anticipation sat heavily above them.

  None of them could say for certain why they had been called to the gathering, and each was eager to find out.

  “Is that everyone?” MJ asked, doing a head count while the other fourteen girls stood, unsure of how to respond.

  “What is this about?” Erin demanded, glancing at her watch as if she had somewhere else to be. “I have—”

  Her sentence was abruptly cut short as an extension door opened and Sylvie entered, her long gown sweeping across the ground to make her appear as if she was floating toward them.

  Mouths gaped to the floor in unison as they stared at her, licking their lips in nervousness.

  “Good afternoon, ladies,” Sylvie called sweetly, plopping onto MJ’s bed and staring at them with startling blue eyes. “Congratulations on making it to your senior year.”

  There was a nervous murmur of collective “thank yous,” but the women could not stop staring at the eerily beautiful actress, who had been president at Kappa Mu Pi during her years at college. It looked as if she hadn’t aged a day, even though she had to be at least thirty-five years old.

  She was an icon in their circles, an internationally known thespian. Never had she graced them with a private meeting in the past.

  “This is something huge,” Courtney whispered, and Beth nodded in agreement.

  “I imagine you are wondering what this is about,” Sylvie continued, smiling brightly at them, and her statement was met with a variety of nods.

  The icy blonde beauty sat back and closed her eyes for a long moment.

  “Since the day Kappa Mu opened its doors in 1901,” she said, “we have been blessed with something other sororities cannot claim, something… ethereal.”

  The women held their breaths, hanging off every word she spoke, even though no one understood what they meant.

  “Perhaps it was the women we chose to join our path,” Sylvie continued, “or the unity we created. For whatever reason, it exists, and it is our duty—your duty—to maintain the integrity of our sorority.”

  She waited for the words to settle in as looks of confusion began to pass from girl to girl.

  “There are beings in this world, ladies. Beings you have met dozens of times in your life, whether you understand it or not, but you have felt their hands, heard their words. They are as real as you or I appear, but beneath the surface, they are different. They are shifters.”

  A combination of giggles and gasps filled the room, and Sylvie allowed them, a serene smile on her face.

  “I know,” she went on. “It sounds unbelievable, but I assure you, it is so.”

  “Like werewolves?” Kellie chortled.

  “And dragons?” Sarah laughed.

  The snickers grew louder.

  Abruptly, Sylvie’s face contorted, her canine teeth elongating as she flew up from the bed, hissing as she levitated toward the ceiling.

  “And vampires,” she snarled, baring her fangs.

  The women fell back, terrified and awed.

  Sylvie fell casually back to the bed as if nothing had occurred, examining her nails.

  “You have a duty, ladies,” she repeated. “You must keep your eyes open and find these creatures, for they are your mates. Every senior Kappa must find her mate in these shifters. When you pledged, you were chosen because of your ancestry. All of you have a direct lineage to shifters, and some to vampires, although your shifting abilities are dormant since you are many generations removed.”

  “Are you saying you want us to… sleep with these beasts?” Lisa gasped, her face pale.<
br />
  “You are being forced to do nothing,” Sylvie assured her. “You may find yourself pleasantly attracted to them. You likely have been before.”

  Amy scoffed. “Not likely,” she growled.

  Sylvie only continued to smile warmly. “Never say never, my dear,” she replied, winking. “The heart wants what the heart wants.”

  The women looked at each other, uncomfortable and unsure of how to respond, but there was no need for them to say anything.

  Sylvie had vanished into thin air.

  A long silence ensued until one girl finally broke it.

  “That was ridiculous!” Kristy spat, turning to leave. “And with party tricks, too! I don’t have time for this ridiculousness. I’m leaving on a summer trip, and I have a million things to do. I’m out of here.”

  The other women murmured in agreement, following behind her.

  But no one could deny that Sylvie’s words echoed heavily inside them and followed them around for the rest of the summer.

  1

  Shifter Pursuit: Fated Encounter

  The waves lapped toward the shore in slow, rhythmic splashes, creating a melody that apparently only Betty could hear above the din of the beach. She had fallen into a trance-like state, listening to the serene sounds around her. Somehow, she had managed to block out the other beachgoers without effort.

  She felt as if it was the first moment of peace she had gotten since returning home from school, and although she knew it was fleeting, she did not want to let the rarity diminish the warmth her body was currently absorbing.

  Betty also knew she shouldn’t be so far away from home, but the thought of staying near the her Dad’s house on a day off from the three jobs she had at the moment… well, she didn’t feel the need to explain herself to anyone.

  There will be plenty of time for groveling and apologizing later, she decided. Today is minimally for enjoying the Gulf of Mexico and forgetting about my woes.