Dragon Wish

by Judith Leger

  “So your senses are acuter than mine were? This is

  normal for you?”

  He nodded.

  A low laugh came from her. “I don’t know if I care for

  this. It’s so different, weird even.”

  Shifting behind her, he helped her sit up. Footsteps

  approached from behind. He kept a hand on her back to keep

  her steady.

  Bask had returned. “I sent word to your ship. They wait

  outside the boundaries of the island. In the morning, you

  may go. Here, take this, it will help you adjust.”

  He handed Seren a twisted torque with two stones on the

  front at the opening, one white and one black. Inside them, a

  mist swirled and moved as though a torrent wind blew.

  Power emanated from the entire piece.

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  She glanced at Paladin, her eyes wide, uncertainty vivid

  in them. He took the torque from her and guided the open

  end over the back of her neck so the stones rested on the

  points where her collarbones met at the base of her throat.

  Bask touched the stones. He looked into Seren’s eyes.

  “Sleep, mother of our new king. Allow the magic of this place

  to soak into your body until none you meet will doubt the

  powers which hold you dear.”

  Eyes drooping, she leaned against Paladin, her body

  heavy, relaxed. He moved her into a more comfortable

  position so he might settle in for the night to pass. So caught

  up in watching each breath Seren took, he never noticed that

  Bask had left them.

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  Chapter Fifteen

  Water crashed over stone, rousing Seren from the depths

  of sleep. She came awake in slow degrees until she opened

  her eyes, inhaling the salty, moist air. Sunlight glimmered

  over the white rocks. The brilliant glow fell on Paladin’s

  golden head where it was bent over her. She smiled, and

  touched a stray lock, enjoying the fine texture between her

  fingers.

  She sensed more than saw him open his eyes. When she

  looked up, she became lost in the blue irises. He bent to her.

  Her tongue slipped over her bottom lip a second before his

  covered hers. With tender warmth and sweet attention, he

  laved her lips with gentle care, almost like she was a precious

  object he meant to cherish. She reveled in the moment, but

  soon she wanted more. Much more. She pressed her tongue

  into his open mouth, exploring his secrets.

  She found heat. Passion battled in their tongues’ dance.

  When his slipped past to enter her guarded depths, she

  sucked, drawing him deeper. He groaned, grasping her hard

  to him. Uncontrolled need flowed in her veins.

  Breaking the kiss off, he tugged her arms free of his neck,

  forcing a cry from her. “Not here, not now. We will have time

  once we’re aboard the ship. I’ll not have any, man nor

  dragon, privy to what we do any more than need be.”

  She panted and dropped her forehead on his chest, trying

  to gain control over her raging desire. Overhead, huge wings

  flapped. A moment later, they stilled. Great heaves of breath

  echoed around them. The dragons had stayed during the

  night.

  Soft grunts and mewls reached her. Fire heated her face.

  She didn’t care that these giant creatures could sense her

  emotions regarding Paladin. They liked the fact that she

  wanted him and he wanted her in return. Surprised at these

  new realizations, she found Lior sitting on one of the

  columns. Was the oversized dragon smiling at her?

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  The abrupt halt of their kiss along with the dragons

  surveying their movements forced some of her need away.

  Slow, with difficulty, she loosened her grip on his shoulders.

  Amazed at the intensity of her passion, she couldn’t meet his

  gaze. If he didn’t already know the depth of her desire, he

  would the moment he looked into her eyes.

  He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. The simplicity of

  this one small gesture released the tension in her body and

  helped her relax.

  With his hands on her upper arms, he pulled away and

  looked into her eyes. “I warn you now, tonight, on board my

  ship, there will be no barriers between us. You belong to me

  as I to you.”

  Her need for him simmered in anticipation. She agreed

  with a silent nod. His arms slid from her. She glanced

  around, hoping to find a distraction from the throbbing

  between her legs.

  Through the gaps in the stone pedestals, the glittering

  blue-green water met the deep azure sky in the distance.

  White sails fluttering in the distance appeared in the corner

  of her vision. Facing the gap in the stone, her heart raced at

  the sight of the ship hovering just beyond the island.

  “How are we going to reach them?” She nodded at the

  ship, keeping her attention on the polished vessel.

  “I’ll fly, unless you are frightened.”

  Astonished he would make such a comment, she shook

  her head. “I already know you can fly. I don’t think you can

  amaze me much more.”

  He grinned at her, cocking a brow. In that grin, she found

  the quiet promise of many more stunning abilities he

  possessed.

  Several of the dragons roared, their mouths pointed

  toward the sky. Seren started, her gaze darting from one to

  the next, wondering why they did so.

  “They too desire to rejoice in the morning.”

  “Can we leave? I hate to admit it, but they make me

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  nervous. I keep remembering a movie I watched years ago

  about a dinosaur eating a man in a bathroom. I’d hate

  something similar to happen to us.”

  A look of complete bemusement crossed his features. She

  shot him a quick smile, no intention of explaining, and

  scrambled to her feet. “Come on, let’s go.”

  “You go without a farewell.”

  Paladin, on his feet, stiffened at Bask’s comment. Seren

  bent a little to look around Paladin at the wizard’s magical

  glide over the stone slab to reach them. The man awed her

  with his strange behavior and capabilities. “You said we

  could go.”

  The smug half-smile on Bask’s narrow face irritated

  Seren. “And you may. Good day to you, my Lady. Also to you,

  King of the White Dragon Clan.”

  Without a word, Paladin whipped around. He grabbed

  the wizard by the front of his robes. “I am not the king. My

  brother has taken over the reign of my clan. You will never

  refer to me in this manner again.”

  Bask inclined his head, eyes shadowed by his lashes. “As

  you say...Sire.”

  “Wizard or no, I will take your head from your

  shoulders.”

  Laughter from deep in his chest sprang forth from Bask.

  It soon turned to guffaws. The thin man struggled to catch

  his breath. “You are a good man, Paladin. Take my

  head...your visits are always a pleasurable treat.”


  Before Paladin could react, the wizard dissolved in a

  sparkling mist. Paladin muttered a low curse that was filled

  with suppressed anger. Seren, having never heard him use

  foul language, stared at him wide eyed. Deciding she needn’t

  add fuel to his anger, she kept her mouth shut, tucking her

  lips so she wouldn’t be tempted to comment.

  He faced her, his features smoothed over, his anger

  seemingly ended. “Ready?”

  She nodded, eager to leave the island. A hot bath sounded

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  great. When he wrapped his arms around her and lifted, his

  wings sprang from his back. They spread wide. Slowly, they

  moved back and forth. “Are you frightened?”

  “No,” she said, confidence ringing in her voice. She

  encircled his neck with her arms. “Not anymore. Not with

  you.”

  He walked to the edge of the slab and stepped off. They

  dropped for a second then lifted to the sky, rising above the

  pillars. The dragons, their roars filling the air surrounding

  them, took flight. They twirled above them. The wind

  whooshed on either side of them.

  Seren watched the magnificent beasts for several

  minutes, and then raised her gaze to Paladin’s wings. They

  were just like the dracs except his were longer and wider.

  Thick, wrist sized bones connected the folds of scaled flesh

  and muscle. Smaller bones attached to the joints of the larger

  ones angled down so each wing was divided into three

  separate parts.

  A thought occurred to her. “Do I have wings now?”

  With a half smile and a shrug, he said. “I cannot say.

  Would you like me to drop you and see if they appear?”

  He loosened his grip while she tightened her arms about

  his neck. “Don’t you dare!”

  His chuckle vibrated against her chest. “I would never

  drop you on purpose, now loosen your hold before you

  strangle me and we both fall.” They drew closer to the ship.

  The dragons circled once more above them then separated,

  flying in different directions. “They go to their own lands.

  For now, their duty is finished.”

  She looked at the ship. Leo and Calis paced, each crossing

  next to the other, their gazes searching the cliffs. Leo froze,

  eyes wide, while Calis, grinning, slapped him on the back.

  The second Paladin’s bare feet touched the deck, the tall

  black man rushed to meet them.

  “Don’t ever do this again. We’ve been worried sick,

  wondering what happened to the two of you,” he ranted.

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  “You could have let us know you were all right.”

  Paladin set Seren on her feet before turning to the frantic

  man. “We were tied up.”

  “We were.” Seren agreed with a brisk nod. Memories of

  the bruises along with the broken bones Paladin had suffered

  appeared in her mind. She took Paladin’s hand and gave it a

  squeeze, thankful he was whole.

  Infuriated, Leo placed his hands on his hips. “Too busy to

  let us know you were alive? We’ve been flying around this

  island for a week now, and then all those dragons started

  arriving. That magical fireworks display last night could have

  scared the boogie man.”

  Seren glanced at Paladin. “A week? That’s impossible. It

  seemed like we were there for a day, maybe two.”

  “Oh, no, ma’am. Nothing is done slow when those

  dragons do it. They took you nine days ago. We followed

  right behind you.” Leo passed his hands over his face. “I was

  scared thinking about what might be happening.”

  “Leo, my friend, we are tired and filthy. It’d be best to

  discuss this later.” Paladin turned to Calis. “Bring a heated

  bath to my cabin.”

  When the man turned to leave, he added. “And food.”

  “Aye, aye, Cap’an,” Calis called over his shoulder. He

  pointed to a couple of men near him. “Come on with ye, the

  cap’an’s back. He’s placed his order. Step to it, me lads.”

  Seren moved to a small cask and sat. She touched the

  curve of her belly. A solid mound pooched out. The baby had

  started to show. “Leo, there’s seven days in a week, but you

  said nine. If we were gone nine days, that’s longer than a

  week.”

  Leo stepped to her side. He went down on one knee. “Not

  on Avaris. The time on this planet is longer than on Earth.

  The days have more hours and the weeks two extra days.”

  “Wait, I’m lost. Okay, I arrived here four days before we

  reached Master Largin’s, right? We stayed there three and

  traveled for three more. Now you’re say nine have passed

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  since I was taken. So it’s been nineteen days since I first

  arrived,” she said. The strangeness of this world continued to

  baffle her.

  “Sure enough. On Earth, it’d be a longer amount of time.

  There’s twenty-four hours in a day, but here there’s thirty.

  The planet revolves on its axis at a slower rate.” Leo patted

  the back of her hands where she clasped them in her lap.

  Paladin, the wind ruffling the hem of his robe and tossing

  his hair away from his face, moved to her other side. “Come,

  you must bathe, eat, and rest. You will have time to discuss

  these differences once we reach Durfalin.”

  She brought her gaze up to meet his. He brushed the back

  of his fingers over her cheek. She melted under the warmth

  of his eyes and touch, unable to draw in a deep breath.

  Clearing his throat, Leo said. “You two go on below. I bet

  Calis has the tub ready. Paladin’s right, we’ll talk later. I’ll

  explain everything to you.”

  She nodded while Paladin helped her to her feet. He kept

  his hand at the base of her back all the way to his cabin,

  adding a layer of comfort. The tempo of her heart almost

  doubled the closer they came to his room

  He opened the door and allowed her to enter first. She

  glanced around for a second, taking in the neutral, soothing

  tones of wood on the floor, walls, and furniture before she

  moved to the window seat. She reclined against the cushions,

  tucking her feet under her. She faced the glass, taking in the

  glistening water and cloud-dotted skies.

  Seconds merged into minutes. Ears attuned to the sounds

  behind her, she heard the exact moment when Calis along

  with a couple of sailors finished preparing the bath. Wisps of

  heated moisture floated in the air. Warmed sandalwood, rich

  and fragrant, rushed through her body with each breath.

  The door clicked shut behind the men, leaving Seren and

  Paladin alone. Skin tingling, she closed her eyes, waiting for

  him to move closer. He had to come. She didn’t believe she

  had the strength to turn and rise to meet him. Anticipation of

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  what would happen between them grew in her with every

  heartbeat.

  His footsteps approached the windows. When he stopped

  next to
her, a minute of silent peacefulness passed between

  them. He touched her shoulder. She turned to look at him.

  “Come, I’ll help you bathe.” His gentle offer brought a

  smile to her lips.

  Allowing him to help her stand, she moved to the tub

  which sat on the opposite side of the room from the bed.

  Steam rose from the water. The rich aroma of sandalwood

  increased. She smiled. The scent would always remind her of

  him.

  He reached from behind her and loosened the ties on the

  robe she wore. He slipped one side over her shoulder. His

  lips followed, brushing against her skin. Goosebumps

  erupted over her body. Her muscles liquefied. Eyes drifting

  shut, she rested the back of her head on his shoulder. She

  drew in slow, careful breaths. Heart racing, body throbbing

  with a delicious, passionate beat, she anticipated his next

  move.

  At the feel of his lips gliding over her bare skin to the

  curve where her neck joined with her shoulder, she clenched

  her hands in the robe’s folds to keep from turning and

  grasping him. She wanted to savor his lovemaking. To taste,

  feel, and brand the spiraling pleasure he gave into her

  memory forever.

  His palms slid over the bare skin at her waist. He

  stopped. “You carry a dragon mark also.”

  Through the haze in her mind, his words registered. She

  glanced at the spot near her belly button. Tanned, lean

  fingers feathered along the edge of a raised tattoo. Surprised,

  she touched the strange mark.

  She lifted her gaze to him. “What is this?”

  “It is proof you have been blessed by the dragons. I’ve

  never seen such like this one nor in this place before.”

  Leaning against her shoulder, he studied the way the image

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  of a slender dragon circled her waist, its head and tail

  disappearing into her belly button. “The colors appear to

  meld with each other, changing and rippling with your

  movements.”

  Heated breath flowed against the top curve of her breast

  in short gusts, distracting her amazement from the band

  encircling her waist. His mouth was so close to the spot

  where she wanted him. She twisted in his arms and arched

  her back, offering her body to him. The need inside her grew

  stronger, more controlling with each second.

  A deep chuckle answered her change of position. He slid

  one hand under her butt, and tugged her closer to where his