by Bonnie Vanak
“Yes,” she whispered.
Relief filled him. Xavier was right.
“Did you come here because you heard me calling for you across the stars?” she whispered.
I heard in my heart all these years and I refused to answer, to listen. I am listening now.
“Perhaps,” he told her. Maybe Xavier had sent him here for a different purpose, other than to gather seeds.
Maybe the wizard wanted him to plant a different kind of seed, a seed deep inside Michael’s one true mate. The Crystal Wizard was mysterious and close-mouthed with his purposes.
He dared to draw closer and reach for her soft hand, feel the satin skin beneath the rough callouses of his own. Her body remained in shadow, but he knew her, knew her scent. “Anna. My Anna.”
“I wanted you here so badly. Maybe this is a dream and I’ll awaken, and you’ll be gone and I’ll be alone once more.”
All the resentment, anger and loneliness of the past five years melted away. Michael forgot about his assignment, forgot he was deep inside enemy territory. Only one thing mattered.
His voice went husky. “Anna.”
Putting her hands to her face, she began to shake and his heart turned over. Had he scared her?
“I don’t want to wake up if this is a dream.” Her voice dropped to a pained whisper. “I’ve had so many disappointments. Please, I cannot bear another.”
“All that matters is I am here now, with you.”
He’d almost forgotten his purpose. His dragon roared with a different purpose, the burning drive to mate. Her scent in his nostrils, her skin bared for his pleasure, her naked body writhing beneath his as he took her and claimed her in the flesh…
Michael reached out to pull her into his arms, and draw her into the little pool of moonlight with him. She backed away into the darkness.
“Anna, come here,” he told her, crooking a finger.
She did not move.
“Please, Anna.”
When she did not, he stepped into the shadows. It was full dark and though he had excellent night vision in dragon form, it was poor in Skin. He could not see her face. But he had to taste her.
Michael pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He could not think, could not breathe, could not collect a single scattered thought. All he could do was kiss her, get the taste that was uniquely Anna upon his tongue, and indulge his passion for the moment.
Mine.
At first, she squirmed and then she went still. Anna wrapped her arms around him, kissing him back, pressing tight against him. And then her tongue was in his mouth and it was glorious. Every cell in his body roared to awareness, not merely skin, blood and bones, but a deeper, richer awakening of his dragon spirit.
He would move mountains for her, defy the highest power, soar to the very heavens of Tir Na-nog to make her his own.
Gently, he pulled away, panting deeply, staring into the eyes that he remembered so well from their time on the beach. “Anna,” he said hoarsely.
“Michael. My mate.”
He held her tight, stroking her silky red hair, tunneling his fingers through it. How he’d dreamt of this each night, to hold her in his arms, never letting go…
And then reality crashed down as if his dragon had been shot by a deadly iron arrow. He must let go. True mate or not, Anna did not belong to him.
She belonged to her clan, the hated Tyrith clan that had killed his parents. If he remained here, he risked putting his entire clan at war.
I will not be responsible for more death. Is losing my parents not enough?
But he could not deny his body’s longing for her, the call of his dragon to make her his own, and reassure her that all would be well.
Taking her hand, he pulled her out from the trees, though she protested.
“Don’t be afraid,” he told her. “I’ll be quiet and your people will never know I am here.”
A beam of silver moonlight spilled upon her, like a spotlight. Giving a cry, she retreated back into the shadows. But it was too late.
Horrified, Michael stared at her. “Anna? Dear goddess, what happened to your face?”
Chapter 2
Men had always considered her pretty. Among her clan, she had been called a true beauty, one who would win the heart of a powerful dragon who would give her family even more wealth and status.
And then, two years ago, she shifted into dragonskin for the first time, and everything changed.
Anna put a hand to her cheek, trembling and filled with anger and deep disappointment. Once again, a man had stared upon her in horror.
Only this time it wasn’t a Skin, or even someone inside her clan who had once desired to court her.
This time it was Michael—the one male she’d hoped would never look at her that way.
As if she were a monster, an ugly specter from someone’s darkest nightmare.
Crying out, she raced away from him, wishing this was a dream and she would awaken. She crashed through undergrowth and darted among the trees, hating him. Hating herself.
She did not get far, when Michael materialized before her and caught her in his arms. Anna’s lower lip trembled as she struggled to regain her lost composure. No crying. She had done enough crying in the days, even the weeks, following her first shift.
But she would not tolerate him staring at her as if she were a carnival attraction. Anna clapped a hand over her cheek.
Michael caught her hand and slowly drew it downward. He stared at her face. Her ugly, horrid face.
Trembling, she closed her eyes, not wanting to see the shocked disgust as she’d seen in other men’s eyes. Not him. Not Michael, the dragon who had been her close friend and was supposed to be her true mate.
But then she felt the gentle stroke of his thumb over her right cheek. Once, it was a pretty, perfect cheekbone worthy of a modeling contract. Now both cheeks were rough and imperfect.
“The shift to dragonskin.”
It was not a question, but she nodded, still keeping her eyes squeezed shut. Perhaps if she did not open them, all this would vanish and she could return to her dreaming and pining for her true mate, hidden among the stars. And everything would be perfect.
Perfect, as she was not.
“The day I shifted into dragon, there was much celebrating. My father held a feast day for me, and invited the entire clan.” Shame filled her as she remembered the aftermath. “And then I shifted back to Skin, and…”
Anna’s eyes opened and anger replaced the shame and self-loathing. “This happened.”
She stroked Michael’s thumb along the rough red patches that had replaced her smooth pale skin. “If I’m out in public, I can pretend it’s some kind of skin condition, like psoriasis. But among my people…it is unacceptable.”
“Because when you shift into dragon, you have human skin instead of scales on your face. And human skin is vulnerable and can easily be hurt by other dragon’s claws and fire.”
Stunned he knew, Anna pressed on. “I’ve tried every potion and magick solution and nothing works. My magick isn’t potent enough to fully shift, and not only that, I can’t breathe fire like everyone else. Only a little smoke.” Her voice dropped to a haunted whisper. “I’m defective.”
What irony. Anna Dixon, the eldest, perfect daughter of the king’s most powerful hunter-dragon, Barlow Dixon. Her father held a reputation as the strongest, fiercest dragon to defend their clan. And she was considered a mutant.
“My family still loves me. But among the clan, I am aporthea.”
Aporthea. Outcast. A social pariah, not permitted to mate within the clan. The lowest of the low among their kind. She had seen her best friend turn away from her, as if glimpsing Anna was like seeing the head of Medusa with wriggling snakes.
Deep down, Anna knew their horror came from the knowledge that they, too, could have been like her. Not fully transformed, but a cripple among dragons. Never able to fully soar into the skies to fight and defend the clan, or mate and breed littl
e dragons who would do the same.
It did not make the looks and sneers any easier to tolerate, though it did help her to understand them.
Anna turned away, hugging herself, wishing she could fold up her body inside her loose white sweater. “Please leave me.”
Two warm hands settled on her shoulders. Michael turned her around to face him. He clasped her chin with his thumb and forefinger and lifted her face up to his fierce gaze. “Look at me, Anna Banana.”
A slight smile touched her mouth at the childhood nickname. “Why?”
“So I can do this.” He leaned down and touched his mouth to hers, a kiss sweeter than the most delicious ambrosia and as light as air.
Anna closed her eyes again, this time out of delight instead of fear and shame. Michael kept kissing her, his mouth moving over hers with warm authority. When his tongue probed at the closed seam of her lips, she opened her mouth and he slipped inside, as if he belonged there.
This is what kept her alive, fueled her dreams. Those sweet, precious memories of their time together on the sands, before everything went south and her dreams crashed to the earth.
Anna pulled away and snapped open her eyelids. She was far too practical now to continue in this manner. “Why are you here, Michael?”
He stared at her mouth and licked his lips, as if dying to taste her again. “My master, Xavier, sent me here to collect Lumen seeds by the light of the full moon.” Michael craned his neck. “He was a little off in his timing.”
Glancing up, she nodded. “We grow many of those here, on the mountainside.” A tiny frown dented her perfect forehead. “If the Crystal Wizard wishes to harvest them, we would gladly do so for him. Why are you sneaking onto our compound to do so?”
He now knew Xavier had a dual purpose for sending him here. “If it makes you more comfortable Anna, I will go to King Falmouth and request permission to harvest the seeds.”
“No!” Anna shook her head so hard, her silken red hair flew out. “You won’t make it past the castle guards. Soon as they see you, they will toss you out. Besides, you don’t have to ask permission right away. The moon won’t be full for another night.”
“Then I should find another, more enjoyable way to pass the time.” He reached for her again, but she danced away.
“You can’t stay here. My father still hates you.” She fisted her trembling hands, fighting the urge to touch him again. “I may be aporthea among the clan, but my father and mother still treat me as if nothing is wrong.”
“I underestimated the old man.” He touched her cheek again and she shivered, this time not from dread. “And I have new respect for him.”
“He has none for you,” she stated flatly. “Remember his edict that if he sees you near me he will kill you and bring war upon your clan? Things have grown worse between our two clans. My people’s hatred of Clan Fury has increased after there were a few skirmishes.”
“I have powerful magick, Anna. I will make sure he doesn’t see me.” Michael pushed a lock of hair away from her face. “I’ll need a place to stay.”
How about my bed? Anna bit her lower lip. “There’s a cottage in the forest where the handymen used to sleep before the king built them permanent quarters. No one ever goes there anymore because it’s too far away from everything else. They only go there in winter to cut down firewood. I’ll take you.”
The stream trickled down the mountain, clear and refreshing as it tumbled over rocks. Sunlight dappled the oak and maple trees. It was lovely here, and he understood why the clan had chosen these mountains to call their home.
And he understood a little more why her father, and other clan members, were so dedicated to their territory, and feared losing it to Clan Fury.
What he didn’t understand was their reaction to Anna. They were her clan. Why weren’t they more accepting?
Even he, as an orphan, had the backing of clan. When Xavier chose him to become the privileged apprentice, Michael’s king, Jasper, had held an enormous party to honor him. And more important than the celebration were the king’s words:
“Remember, Michael, if you need us, we are here for you. We, Clan Fury, the guardians of the night sky, are your family.”
Such acceptance was normal among dragons, who were fiercely dedicated to family and clan.
Why hadn’t Anna found the same despite her face?
Because women are judged by their beauty, even among dragon clans.
The realization hit him like a roundhouse kick.
But most dragons weren’t as superficial as Skins, who used a yardstick of celebrity television shows and supermodels on magazine covers to measure beauty. Dragons were practical and intelligent and valued strength, courage, loyalty and fighting skills…
Warriors. He glanced at Anna as she wended through the trees in front of him. Clan Tyrith guarded the mountains and forests and streams. The clan was divided into several groups, and her particular group guarded the northern mountains, flying over them during both day and night to spot trouble. Trouble meant using dragon power, and Anna, with her vulnerable patch of human skin when she was in dragon form, and lack of fire, didn’t have the means to protect herself properly.
Michael caught up with her as she reached a gurgling creek. He gently clasped her hand. “Anna, has there been trouble in the White Mountains? Has your father spotted anything unusual lately? Signs of war?”
His night vision was poor in Skin, but enough moonlight shone to display the startled look on her face, followed by the unease in her green eyes. She looked around, as if checking for eavesdroppers.
“Not exactly. But the Fae are restless and they are gathering in larger and larger groups. You know how insular they normally are. Fae like to stick to their territories. But now they’re leaving the mountains to meet up with other groups of fairies, sprites and elven. King Falmouth is elderly and frail, and father is worried.”
“He told you this?”
“I overheard him talking with a group of the elders. They want all fighters to train harder, under the king’s orders. I believe it’s because the king fears an attack by the Fae.”
It made no sense. “The Fae work with your clan to protect the land.”
“Maybe they tire of our protection. I don’t know.” Anna turned toward the creek. “I’ve immersed myself more in the Skin world than the dragon world. I’ve built my own web design business and I’ve done exceptionally well for myself. The internet is a place where you can be whoever you wish, and no one can stare at you for being different.”
She shook her head. “We’ll have to cross here. The bridge is too far. I hope you brought a change of socks and shoes.”
Michael slid an arm around her waist, and she startled. “I have something better than a bridge. Magick.”
He waved a hand and they materialized on the other side of the creek. She looked at him with huge eyes. “It still is incredible that you can materialize out of thin air, like the wizards,” she said, her voice a little shaky.
“Xavier endowed me with the powers of transformation to get me out of delicate situations when I’m here on earth.” He grinned, remembering their conversation. “Specifically, if I’m in a woman’s bed and the husband I didn’t realize she had comes home.”
He felt her mentally pulling away. “You sleep around a lot?”
Michael cursed his stupidity. “No. And never with a married woman. Anna, I haven’t had sex since that day on the beach with you.”
“Truth?” But there was doubt in her voice.
“Truth.” He opened his palms to her, the dragon sign for trust and honesty. “We’re true mates, Anna. I could never sleep with another woman, not when you’re the only one for me. You are the only woman I want, and need, in my bed.”
Anna pushed a hand through her long red hair, and his mouth watered as he thought of that glorious mass spread out on his pillow, her sleepy green eyes dazed with passion as she looked up at him.
Tempted to kiss her senseless, he reined
in his control. She didn’t trust him yet. He would give her time.
Not much though, he thought as they proceeded onward. His groin throbbed painfully with the need to mate.
They arrived in a large clearing at a white cottage with a green door. A dragon was painted on the door, along with a triskelion, the symbol for Fae in this region.
“The king wants the Fae to know they are welcome to use the cottage if they wish. But no Fae have gathered on our lands for months now.” Anna found the key beneath a flowerpot and opened the door.
Inside, the cottage smelled musty, but it was clean and neat. As she went through it opening windows, he investigated his new home.
She came into the bedroom, holding out the key and avoided looking at him. “I have to leave or Papa will notice I’m gone. He’s due to return soon from his regular night flight. I can come back tomorrow and spend time with you. I’ll find an excuse.”
Darkness still shrouded the cottage. After drawing the heavy drapes across the windows so no one would see the light, he went to the lamp on the nightstand and snapped it on. She stiffened.
Michael took the key from her and set it upon the bureau. He enfolded her smaller hand in his larger one. “Look at me, Anna.”
She stared at the floor.
“Please.”
Gently, he clasped her chin and raised her gaze to meet his.
In the light, the twin patches of red dragon scales on her cheeks were more pronounced and breathtaking. The scales glittered with threads of silver and gold entwined through them. Pure magick. Most red dragons held only the magick of one color or the other, not both.
Michael’s breath hitched. “Gods, you’re special.”
As he leaned down to kiss her, she pulled away. “Good night Michael. I’ll be back tomorrow morning to check on you.”
He stared at the door as it closed behind her, then went around checking his quarters. The cottage was comfortable enough, with a queen-sized bed and a mini kitchenette and living room. He cared not for the television nor the dining table.
The bed, on the other hand…or claw…