And holding Bo, who was quickly growing and liked to stay glued to Zach’s side as often as possible.
Speaking of Bo, once Zach had gotten his treasure, he’d gone back to the shelter and made a huge donation to upgrade the cages and provide play areas and a much better life for the cats. Plus a better marketing campaign to help them get into new homes and a huge budget for healthcare.
She enjoyed seeing Zach find new ways to make himself at home in the modern world. And she enjoyed being at his side, watching him discover the kinder sides of himself, watching him get to know more shifters and humans and see that most of them weren’t that bad.
They’d stayed in touch with their dragon friends over the last few weeks and would be having them over soon for a housewarming party.
She wondered sometimes if she and Zach would be able to make a little dragon baby, but no one really knew how that worked for sure.
Either way, life was already turning out better than she’d ever imagined and yet her life with Zach was only beginning.
“Stay here,” he said. “Just in case.” Then dark hair swishing over his shoulders, he went to answer the door.
The sight of his strong, protective back always sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. She laughed at the sight of Bo trailing after him and stood to retrieve him.
When the door opened, Bo let out a hiss and Zach picked him up, raising an eyebrow. Bo was usually a quiet, friendly cat, hiding under a table or chair until he got used to a person and then coming out and rubbing his cheek over their hand for a snuggle.
But right now his hackles were raised and he was trying to get out of Zach’s hands to get at whatever was out there.
Erin jogged to the door nervously, wanting to see, but Zach put out a hand.
All she could see was a gift basket sitting on her step from her point of view, and she saw Zach pull it inside and shut the door, motioning for her to come forward.
She took Bo, soothing him in her hands, as Zach pulled the card off the front of the plastic wrap and opened it.
Then he began to read it aloud in his deep, soothing voice. “Hi you two. Hope you are settling in well in your new place. Hope you can come visit me soon. I’d love to meet Erin in person. I hope you told her that as the oracle I’ll be expecting that. After all, I helped you become the man you are and for that I think I deserve at least a thank you hug.”
Erin laughed as Zach screwed up his face in a scowl. “Thank her? For chaining me?” he muttered, but Erin just put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. She was grateful to the woman for helping Zach find a place in this world.
“Keep reading,” she said.
“Anyway, congratulations on mating. You wrote me asking how exactly that was official, but it was actually official in the giving of the ring. Though I suppose the two of you have guessed that by now. In doing so, you should share the same lifespan. I’m not positive, but that is how it worked in the past. Also, you should be able to mate at certain times of the year, so get to work on that. The world needs more baby dragons.”
Zach stopped to roll his eyes, and Erin jabbed him. “What, you don’t want babies?” she asked.
“Of course I do,” Zach said. “I just don’t want her dictating it.”
“Okay,” Erin said. “What else does she say?”
“I’m sending you a little welcoming gift, not that you’ll need it. With such a cute little family, I’m sure you already feel quite at home.”
“That’s true,” Erin said. “Though I have to admit the new place is still a bit overwhelming.”
“Change is always hard,” Zach said. “But I’ll be right here for you.”
She leaned against him warmly as he continued to read.
“In fact, you’ve done such a good job adjusting to the world and doing everything I wanted for you that I’m sending you a friend that I hope you can help. Someone you might know, though he’s one of the quieter of your kind.” Zach lowered the letter. “My kind? Shit.”
“Keep reading,” Erin said, feeling her heart pounding as well.
Zach scanned the letter. “He should arrive shortly after this gift, and I hope you will welcome him. Remember, you were once lost in this world too. He may be a bit of a pill, having just woken up. But you were once newly awoken and you did okay. He just needs some guidance, and who better to show him this world than someone who has just been shown it? He has been awake three weeks.”
Zach cursed. “That’s just after we defeated Emerald. She moves fast.”
“Well, it worked well with you, maybe she thought she should hurry and try again.”
“Shit,” Zach said. “Who is it?” He scanned the paper. “Damn it, who is it?” He exhaled in frustration. “She doesn’t say.”
“Is that the end of the letter?” she asked. She was tingling in anticipation of what kind of dragon could be next. Would he be more like Zach or more like the evil emerald?
“No. Here’s the rest.” He cleared his throat. “I hope you will show him the hospitality he showed you. He is collared and shouldn’t be of any danger to you or your mate. I hope you take this opportunity to show me your leadership ability. I have faith in you, Zach. Also, your other duties will be suspended until further notice. This is one important dragon.”
Zach handed her the finished letter and shook his head. “I can’t believe she would do this. I have an idea who it might be though…”
Erin put an arm through his and rested her head against him. Her other hand stroked his arm, calming him. She could sense he was on high alert. “It’ll be okay. The oracle brought us together. I trust her. And I trust you. We’re going to be okay. It’ll be an adventure.”
Zach took a deep breath. “You’re right. If you’re here, I can do anything. And dragons are always up for an adventure.”
There was a sharp knock on the door and they looked at each other. This was it.
“I’ll get it,” Zach said. “You keep Bo close, got it?”
“Got it,” she said, taking deep breaths to calm herself while Zach put his hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly.
When he swung it open, it revealed a tall, muscular man on the front porch. He looked neither like Zach nor like Aegis. He looked more like the squeaky clean super hero type that fights for good and right. Classic, boy next door features, wide, straight jaw, elegant nose, arched brows.
But his eyes. She’d never seen anything like them. Underneath blond lashes, shades of every kind of blue swirled inside them. Bright, almost neon blue on the inside of the iris, deep sparkling blue in a ring on the outside, and in between, a teal cerulean like a sparkling ocean.
His eyes were large in his face, but he still looked masculine. Handsome. Perhaps it was his linebacker build, tall and broad. But his movements were elegant, refined. He leaned against the doorway and studied them with cautious eyes.
“Sapphire?” Zach said, sounding astonished.
“That’s right, Onyx,” the stranger said. “I’m back.”
To be continued…
Hello beautiful readers!
I hope you enjoyed the first in my new series. I know it’s a lot different than you expected after reading my other dragons, but thanks for giving it a chance.
I hope you’ll leave a review if you loved it!
Zach first made an appearance in Protector of the Pride, the third book of the Lions of Pride Island series, and lots of readers wondered about his story. So here it is, and I hope it was as much fun for you to read it as it was for me to write it.
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Thanks again for reading!
Sincerely,
Terry
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King of Rock
&
nbsp; Sample of King of Rock
When Beau walked into his brother’s luxurious office, he noticed Ace was anxious. Then again, when was he not?
“You okay? You need to calm down,” Beau said, folding back the leather cuffs of his jacket as he plopped into an overstuffed chair and relaxed with one long, elegant leg draped over the arm.
Ace stopped running his fingers through his tortured blond hair and gave him a freezing stare. “Right. Because relaxing is always easy for you, isn’t it? Because there isn’t anything riding on you. Because you’re the middle son.”
“The oracle has a mate for me,” Beau retorted lazily. “I’d say that’s something riding on me.”
Ace just let out another exasperated sigh and continued to pace.
“Ace…” Beau started, but his brother cut him off with a glare.
“Stop calling me that. You know my name is Axel.”
“But I like Ace,” Beau said, pouting. He stood, took a slow stretch, enjoyed the wide green lands through the window at the front of the office, and then turned to face his brother.
He caught him by the arms and made the older man look at him. Though brothers, they appeared quite different. Where his brother had sharp, almost fierce features, Beau was aptly named because he was the pretty boy of the group. But both had tall, intimidating bodies, as all lion shifters did. They were at the top of the shifter world, and they needed the size and charisma to match.
“Calm down. I’m going to take care of this. You know that, right?” Beau tried to get his brother to look him in the eye. “Besides, I’ve been looking forward to taking a mate. You know, when the right one comes along.”
His brother snorted and pushed away with a bitter laugh. “You? The playboy?”
Beau was a little disappointed by that. He hadn’t expected his brother to buy into the public persona he portrayed in his profession. Sure, he loved women, and women loved him. But he wasn’t a heartbreaker. Not on purpose. He broke hearts every time he stepped on stage, but that wasn’t his fault.
He was just that beautiful.
“And whoever it is, I’m sure the lucky lady won’t be averse to me, so that’s good,” Beau said thoughtfully, walking over to the windowsill again and sitting on it. He gazed out the window and thought about how different his homeland was to the cities he was always performing in. So much lush, untouched land here. But then again, it was a small country, mostly hidden from the world on a small island, and mostly populated with passive and active lion shifters who were locked in a secret battle for power.
And the safety of the human race.
“I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what’s at stake,” Ace said. “Honestly, I was hoping Cain or I would be the first to have their mate chosen. Then you could continue your… lifestyle.”
“Don’t forget this is the lifestyle you chose for me so I could have influence in high places in human society,” Beau said, referring to his status as a well-known rock star, a heartthrob who instantly filled giant arenas with screaming female fans.
“I know,” Ace said, his eyes softening. “Plus, I knew you loved music. You were always good at it.”
“You seen any of my concerts lately?” Beau asked.
Ace laughed and shook his head. “Seen one, seen ‘em all, right?”
“You’re no fun.” Beau pouted and slumped in the chair again. “So when is she coming? Or am I going there?”
“She’s coming here,” he said. “She seemed eager to meet with you on our own land. Eager to meet you in general.” He snorted and straightened his tie. “Your effect on the other gender is something else.”
Beau just shrugged. “I love the ladies, and I guess they love me.”
His brother had nothing to say to that, but Beau could see a twitch on his brother’s handsome face.
“So where’s Cain?”
“You know him,” Ace said. “Probably off somewhere racing or performing.”
“Right,” Beau said. “What extreme sport is he into these days?”
“I think motocross,” Ace said. “Hope he doesn’t kill himself.”
“Aren’t we basically immortal?” Beau asked.
“Hard to kill.” Ace corrected. “Not invincible.”
“A little bike isn’t going to hurt him, then,” Beau said. “Anyway, let’s not talk about him now.” A shiver of anticipation went up his spine. “I’m getting a mate.”
Ace nodded and continued to pace, and Beau thought about the situation and studied his feelings on it. It was something he didn’t allow himself to do very often. He preferred to stay in the moment, feel what was happening, keep with the flow.
But if he were honest, he was nervous as hell. He’d never had stage fright; he loved performing. But sitting here, knowing at any moment he’d hear who the perfect person was to spend his life with, he felt all his nerves standing on end.
What if she didn’t like him? What if it was all politically motivated? His family was in power at the moment, and if they didn’t listen to the oracle in their choice of mates, she could easily support someone else. And whoever had the oracle’s support made the rules.
He sighed and slumped deeper in the chair, letting his long legs sprawl in front of him.
“Did you have to dress like that?” his brother asked, dressed professional as always.
“You’re king of a country,” Beau retorted. “Do you always have to wear suits from off the rack?”
Ace rankled at that. “At least I look trustworthy. You look like you could rob someone.”
Beau looked down at his torn jeans, fashionable combat boots, and leather jacket over a white tee shirt with pink writing. “Hey, it’s my brand.”
“But right now, your brand should be ‘meeting the oracle,’” Ace said.
“And that’s why I’m here. Trust me. She knows who she’s matching. We’ve known her since we were little.”
The oracle was an eternal grandmother figure, living until the next oracle was born, which could be hundreds of years. She was perpetually a little old lady, though her eyes held startling youth. They were smoky gray, so light they were almost white, fringed in dark lashes.
Though he and his brothers all had the classic golden hair of a lion’s mane, the lion shifters on the island had all different manner of hair and skin colors.
Many of them left the island and went to the mainland to breed with humans or other cat shifters to send their genetics into the world.
He’d grown up around many of the females who might be an option. He couldn’t really think of any of them who wouldn’t be delighted to be his mate.
On that thought, the doors to the office swung open, and the oracle walked in. She was curvy and petite, her dark hair short and curly, her eyes and skin pale. She pointed a gnarled finger at Beau the moment she came in and smiled.
“You rascal,” she said.
He walked forward and picked up her hand and kissed the top of it, and she flushed, slapping his hand away.
“What are you doing teasing old ladies?” she asked, fanning her face. “Ace, tell your brother to stop.”
“Stop,” Ace said flatly, making both Beau and the oracle laugh.
“I missed you,” she said, wagging a finger. “You and your brothers had better not forget you owe me.”
“Everything,” Beau said genuinely.
“Good,” she chirped. “And as long as you handsome, strapping young men remember that, we won’t have any problems.”
She could be sweet and sassy, but Beau knew beneath that grinning exterior and finger wagging was a sharp mind and a lot of power to overturn the entire world if she wanted to. The very pinnacle of shifter existence.
Ever since she’d created the dragons, the lions had far less to do.
But while the dragons tracked down the misbehaving shifters, lions were still responsible for the opinion of shifter kind toward humanity and making sure the world all got along together.
Even if some lions didn’t want t
o so much.
“So much conflict on such a young face,” she said, reaching up as if to touch him.
He stood still, looking down at her, as she caught a lock of his hair in her crooked finger. She twisted it slightly, narrowing her eyes at it, and then let it go.
“Interesting,” she said.
“Hardly so young,” he said. “I’m in my thirties now, you know.”
“Ageless,” she said on a sigh, looking over him. “And far too beautiful. Nevertheless, the woman to mate you will be fortunate indeed.”
“I think so,” he joked, and her face sharpened.
“Not with that attitude.”
“I’m teasing.” He relented.
“All right.” She shook her head and took the chair Ace had pulled up for her while they were talking. “Kneel.”
“That’s it?” Beau asked, heart thumping. He’d sort of been hoping for more small talk, more verbal sparring. He’d answered his brother’s summons with the same casual nonchalance he used to live most of his life, but now that he was here and it was really happening, he felt panic welling up inside him.
And then peace as the oracle’s hand landed on his shoulder. “It’s going to be okay. If I can match up dozens of damn complicated dragons, I can match you.”
“Don’t they match themselves?” he asked.
“Only according to the powers I give them,” she said. “Now shut up and close your eyes.”
He did and felt her hand on his face and then a finger pressing each of his temples.
“I see her now,” she said. “And I’m sending her to you.”
“Literally?”
“Her image, stupid,” she retorted.
He snorted, and then a vision filled his mind, as clearly as if his eyes were open and a picture was right in front of him. Her face was beautiful, vibrant, and familiar. He immediately knew where he knew her from. But would she remember him? They’d only met once, as children. Then again, as a member of the royal family, he didn’t get out with the other kids a lot.
But what was he babbling about? This was his mate. He studied his mate. Her pretty skin, her dark eyes. He could only see her face but hoped she was curvy. Hoped the soft roundness in her cheeks and forehead meant she was a bit rounded all over. He liked a woman he could handle…
Onyx Dragon (Awakened Dragons Book 1) Page 14