Skye's Dragon: Dragon Mate's: A BBW Paranormal Romance

by Serena Simpson

  “You could have left, never came back, but you did. Why?”

  “Sometimes you can’t outrun your past or your future. All you can do is face them head on.”

  “He’s going to burn her on a cross, and when she doesn’t die, they will hack her to pieces with blades. Her blood and her power will allow him to walk through her body and enter this plane forever.”

  “You were okay with that.” Disgust dripped off his words as he tried to make the car go faster.

  “I know.”

  Zeno stopped about a block from where they were holding Skye.

  Beautiful, can you hear me?”

  No response. Mutufa was trying to jam their communication, and there was only one way he could do that.

  “It’s time to pick a side Nathanial.” He reached out and undid his hands, whatever happened it was ending tonight.

  Nathanial slipped his hand into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a rock.

  “I don’t know what this is.”

  “It’s primordial. The only substance on earth that can block my communication with Skye.”

  He handed it to Zeno who breathed fire melting the top layer of it. He blew on it cooling it then handed it back to Nathanial.

  “This is worth more money than you’ll make in your lifetime. It can be your second chance if you decide you want one.”

  “Skye?”

  “I can hear you. I tried to call you, but you didn’t answer.”

  “I took care of the problem, where are you?”

  “They burned me, Zeno. I’m naked and running through what may be catacombs. I found a door it led down, so down I went.”

  “Describe to me what you see.”

  He left the car, running to get to the old town. He knew where she was, but there were three exits.

  “There’s a red mark on the floor that looks almost like a dog then there’s another path with a yellow mark. It may represent a bird it looks like it’s flying.”

  “It’s a dragon take that passage.”

  “They were going to chop me into little pieces, and I’m naked. I almost died why am I so upset about being naked?”

  “As long as you focus on that and not dying you can put one foot in front of the other. It’s a way our brain deals with things. The little things first.”

  “They must have loved dragons there are lots of pictures of them flying around. They look like hieroglyphics.”

  “That means you’re going in the right direction.”

  “He’s going to win.”

  “Don’t worry I have a plan.”

  “Is it anything like the last plan?”

  He grinned she was sassy.

  “Zeno there on my tail.”

  “They’ve always been there you hear them now because they think they’ve won. Don’t stop running whatever you do.”

  Right, don’t stop running. Did he forget about the wall she was going to plaster herself against if she kept going? Don’t stop running she whispered to herself as she ran into the wall and fell.

  She screamed as she fell over a cliff the bottom was a long way down, but she wasn’t getting back up when she…

  “Hold on Love.”

  “Zeno, how did you do that?”

  “A long time ago that escape path was used if you knew you had a dragon waiting to help you.”

  “Oh!” her hand went to her mouth as she watched her pursuers fall to their deaths.

  “That’s not your fault Skye. If they caught you, they would have killed you.”

  “I know I just feel sorry for them.”

  “I sent Mary to Lori. She’s a hybrid, half human.”

  “Thank you.” She leaned over and hugged him.

  “Don’t thank me yet we still have to win the battle.”

  “How? If there is no sun and no moon how do we open the portal?”

  “We think on our feet.” He soared overhead challenging Mutufa.

  She looked down to see the courtyard where they burned her. It was empty. “Where are the rest of his worshippers?”

  “Looks like they gave up and went home.”

  A bellow of pure outrage came up to meet them.

  “I think he noticed. Zeno remember no matter what happens I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  Mutufa soared high in the shape of a dragon.

  “Why does he get to change forms?”

  “He’s a shadow; he can be whatever he wants to be.”

  Mutufa went into a spiral, and the sky opened a torrid of rain came down making it almost impossible for her to see.

  Hail fell pelting into her skin; her hair covered her face, and her hands trembled from the sudden cold.

  I need a shield. She drew one around protecting herself from the elements. It didn’t stop the cold, but she would deal with that. He rammed them knocking into the Zeno’s flank as he tried to move away.

  They went into a spiral making her dizzy until he was able to pull out of it. She spread her legs a little wider and made sure her heels were pressing firmly into his side as he came at Mutufa opening his wide mouth and clamping down on his leg.

  He screamed and used his tail to beat into Zeno until he let go. Zeno spit black blood out of his mouth. They circled each other looking for a vulnerable spot.

  Skye looked deep within herself and pulled out a bolt of power.

  “Get me as close as you can to the leg you bit.”

  He turned around and went for Mutufa’s throat. Mutufa ducked lowering his head to protect his neck before turning around to put some space between them exposing his injured leg. Skye threw the bolt of energy into the wound and gave a cheer when his bellow of pain rang out.

  He moved off to regroup.

  “It seems we are evenly matched. It would be best for all concerned to call it a draw and meet on the battlefield later.”

  “One of us will walk on Serenities plane tonight.” There was no backing off if he wanted his mate to live.

  “Fool I give you a chance to save face and live a few more days with your dragon mate and you turn it down. Very well tonight you and she will die, and I will reign victorious.”

  “Well, at least your ego is still in tack. How’s that bolt of energy treating you?”

  “It’s nothing but child’s play Skye. I warned you power and being powerful are two different things.”

  He pulled out a black bolt of energy. Zeno retreated a little, but Mutufa went after Skye penetrating her shield just enough to pierce her thigh with the bolt.

  She tightened her shield before the whole bolt could penetrate but enough went in that she could feel the numbness in her leg.

  “Zeno you have to put me down.”

  “If I put you down you’ll be dead before I make it to the sky. You have to stay awake and hold on tight. Gather your energy around you when the time comes I’ll need you to aim it all at him.”

  “Alright.” Her voice was a little groggy, but she refused to pass out or give up.

  She reached deep inside of herself for her power; she used part of it to stop the black energy from traveling further into her body and then she began to amass a field around herself.

  Mutufa changed forms again. He was no longer a dragon but a sleek streamline predator with wings. His beak was long with lethal teeth. He flew at Zeno ducking under him at the last moment while using his teeth to tear up his flank.

  Zeno’s bellow of pain echoed through the air as he dipped to one side. He fell spiraling in the sky like a helicopter that just lost its blades. He headed for the ground even as he struggled to get his bearings. Skye clung to him never making a sound. He watched the ground rush up to meet him even as he felt his mate push her power into his body allowing him to level off.

  His wings flapped taking them back up to meet the challenge head on, but he wasn’t as fast or as stable.

  “Leave now, and I’ll give you one last week to spend with your mate.” His voice was victorious he knew he had the upper hand
.

  Zeno slowed the flapping of his wings holding steady but not moving. “How do I know I can trust you?”

  “I’m the stronger one here why should I lie to you? Everyone should have time to say goodbye.”

  Zeno’s huge head moved in agreement. He dipped down aiming for the ground when Mutufa came up behind him. He whipped his tail and curled it around Mutufa’s long beak and shook him back and forth before he finally tossed him through the sky.

  “You know nothing of honor, you never did.”

  “Zeno?”

  “We beat him here love, or he will haunt our every step. As long as he thinks he can live through you, he won’t give up trying.”

  “What do we do?”

  “Have you ever wanted to be a dragon?”

  Skye stood carefully on Zeno’s back before she jumped. The picture of a dragon held firmly in her mind. She felt her body change, growing and expanding. She was flying. How was she flying? The feeling of her wings lifting in the air almost did her in making her fall. She compensated and watched Mutufa as he realized two dragons were coming for him.

  Zeno flew over Mutufa using his claws to rip through his back making him falter.

  “That’s not possible. Dragon mates cannot become dragons.”

  Zeno flew faster opening an unstable portal.

  “What are you going to do with that? That’s not stable enough to push me through.”

  He opened his mouth and blasted fire at the portal highlighting it. A beam of light came from the ground mixing in with the fire. The portal stabilized and held.

  “Now!” Zeno shouted.

  She took every bit of energy she had amassed and pushed it towards Mutufa shoving him into the portal. He went through screaming in rage as it closed behind him.

  “Am I really a dragon?”

  “No love. Don’t panic your fine.” He withdrew his shadow from her.

  She was sitting on his wing. The illusion he used made it look like she was flying at his side.

  “How did you do that?’

  “It was the dragon’s idea. Mutufa could use you to enter the world because you are human and a dragon’s mate, but if you were a dragon he couldn’t use you. All I needed to do was make you believe you were a dragon and he would see the rest. You’re a beautiful dragon.”

  She nodded holding onto two handfuls of feathers. “Put me down please.”

  Chapter Twenty-five

  He came to a gentle stop behind a building, and she slid off his wing. She stood shivering as he moved away from her to change his form. A small smile graced her face as he changed. Her eyes took him in; he was still tall with a swimmers build that turned her on. His light brown eyes shined, and he was shrugging out of his shirt. Her interest peaked, but she was sure this wasn’t the time or place.

  “What are you doing with that?” He was putting his shirt on her and buttoning it up. “You can’t do this. I’m too big.”

  “Never.” He swung her up in his arms and started walking.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m protecting your poor feet. I know they hurt I can feel the pain through our link. We’ll wash them when we get home and wrap them. I might have to carry you around for the next couple of days while they heal.”

  “Why do you sound so happy when you say that?”

  “Well somebody has to do it.” He gave her a quick grin that had her pushing his shoulder and laughing.

  Laying her head on his shoulder, she watched as the town of so long ago went by them. They would never come back here, and she wanted no remembrances of this day.

  When they got to the car, Nathanial was standing in front of it.

  He looked at her in Zeno’s arms, and she could see the pain in his eyes. He ducked his head quickly and then climbed into the back seat. Zeno placed her in the front passenger seat before getting in the car.

  “Nathanial?” She stopped and took a big breath before carrying on. “You helped us somehow. That brilliant light that came from the ground came from you.”

  He opened his hand to expose a large rock. “Mutufa gave this to me to hold.” His voice was low, and he wouldn’t meet her eyes.

  “It’s primordial and carries the ability to effect the communication between dragons.”

  “What did you do to make it stop interfering?”

  “I melted the top layer, essentially burning off the substance that interferes.”

  “Thank you for helping us Nathanial.”

  “I didn’t have another choice.”

  “Yes, you did.” She replied softly and watched as the miles disappeared.

  “What happened to Mutufa?”

  “Skye and I pushed him back onto Serenities plane with your help.”

  “Will he be back?”

  “Yes, he has managed to break out many times in the past. He will be back again. He won’t come for you unless you willingly choose to follow him. If you do, there won’t be another chance. He will take your life the minute you offer it up. You’re stronger now that you resisted him, and he will want that kind of power.”

  “I understand.” They lapsed into silence for the rest of the drive back to the hotel.

  Zeno pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. He came around the car and picked her up. Nathanial got out and started walking away.

  “Where are you going.” He turned around to look at her before turning away.

  “Tell him to stop Zeno; we can help him.”

  “We already helped him, Skye. The rest is up to him.”

  He had been a part of her life for so long, for both good and bad, the knowledge that she would never see him again, relieved her and made her sad.

  “We can’t save the world.”

  “We saved it tonight. I never gave up hoping that he would come to his senses and now that he has I feel the bitterness and the hopelessness he feels as he walks away.”

  “He lives because of you. I and my dragon would have killed him for the things he has done to you. Now it’s up to him.” He walked into the back of the hotel holding her.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To talk to a sixteen-year-old.”

  “I knew she was nothing but a child.”

  “A child with a bad attitude and power. They’re never the easy ones.”

  He carried her through the back hallway where she waved to the few people who were up and about. They found Mary sitting in Safe Haven eating a meal that looked so good Skye’s stomach rumbled. Zeno sat her down before sitting next to her.

  She tried not to pull at the shirt she was wearing as she remembered she wasn’t wearing anything under it. They were quiet until a waitress came and took their orders.

  “Thank you, Lori, for watching over Mary.” Lori was sitting next to her charge watching her eat.

  “I would do anything I could for you, Skye.”

  “What are we going to do with her?”

  “I’m right here,” she said around a mouthful of food. Three set of eyes looked at her, and she buried herself into the plate ignoring them.

  Lori laughed. “Why do rebellious young ladies seem to keep coming into my life?” She looked at Skye and winked.

  “I’ll have you know I was never rebellious.” She looked up at Lori and choked on a laugh. “Let’s talk about something different. Zeno, can we take her to the island with us?”

  “We can, but I’m not sure it’s the best place for her.”

  “You don’t have to take me anywhere.” She pushed the plate away. “I’m used to not being wanted. I’ll navigate the world on my own.”

  “Because you’ve done so well on your own. You think loving someone is weak, that you’ll always be strong if you don’t care. It's not true it's just a lonely way to live.” Skye pushed herself up on her hands, and her voice could be heard throughout the restaurant. She was glad that it was after hours and they were the only ones there along with a waitress and a cook.

  Zeno placed his arm around her and gently
pulled her down.

  “It’s like looking in a mirror.”

  “I was never that stubborn.” She looked at Lori’s smile and shook her head. “Yeah, it’s like looking in a mirror.”

  “Skye, I’ll always be your guardian, but you don’t need me anymore. You have a mate, and you’re capable in your own right. I’ll always come if you have need of me, Mary needs me more.”

  “I don’t need anyone,” she shouted.

  “I know.” Lori reached out and took her by the shoulder. She screamed, and Skye looked at her own shoulder to see the outline of a symbol. It was Lori’s symbol keeping evil away from her door while she developed.

  Mary sat looking at the symbol on her shoulder. It would never go away.

  “Are you going to take care of me?”

  “I am, and I’m going to love you whether you like it or not.”

  The waitress came back with their plates, and they ate watching Mary poster and Lori ignore it.

  “Where will we live?’

  “We have a beautiful two bedroom about two blocks from here. It’s in an old home that’s been converted to apartments.”

  Skye smiled, Lori would be taking over her apartment. One less thing for her to take care of.

  He carried her into the corridor to find one of the owners waiting for them there.

  Skye started to stumble over her words, but he held up his hand.

  “We have a new office manager coming on Monday. I trust the office will be cleaned out and there will be the usual instructions for her.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He smiled at her and blinked out of existence.

  “I knew they weren’t human, but how did he know? I was going to give two weeks’ notice. Do you think they’re mad at me?”

  “No, I get the feeling this isn’t the first time. We’ll take care of the office tomorrow.” His long legs ate up the distance as he took them back to their room.

  He took her to the couch and sat her down before he left the room. He brought a warm cloth back and went to his knees to wash her feet and examine the damage they suffered.

  “Zeno.” She was poking him in his shoulder with a finger. He caught her hand and kissed her fingers.