by Julia Mills
Rian jumped to his own defense, “I said don’t talk about it, all I did was explain why we stayed at Rayne’s.”
“Po-TAY-to…Po-TAH-to, Bro. You fucked up. Admit it.”
“I will not.”
Unable to keep the grin from his face even with the pain of the events of the previous night still raw within him, he slapped both his brothers on the back. They may be complete and total jerks, but they were his family and he loved them more than his own life. He was sure they had shown up to provide a distraction. With their goal accomplished, he grabbed a biscuit and another cup of coffee and sat down.
“What’s the plan for today?” Royce asked as he finished loading the dishwasher and made another pot of coffee.
Rian looked at his watch before answering, “We are to meet at the clearing in about forty minutes.”
“Alright, let me run and get my boots and we can take off.”
Just as he was about to turn the corner into his kitchen he caught the tail end of his brothers’ conversation. “You think he’s gonna be okay, Ri?” Rory asked as concerned as Royce had ever heard him.
“I don’t know Ror, I just don’t know. Forever is a long time to be alone.” Rian sounded sad and defeated, something he had never heard from his older brother and leader of the Blue Thunder Dragon Shifters.
Royce felt hollow and empty. Rian was right…forever is a really long time to be alone.
~~~~~~~
The full moon was quickly approaching…quicker than Kyra wanted. She had finally been able to figure out that whatever Andrew was scheming needed the power of a full moon, and of course the little shithead was in luck, because the one coming was a Blue Moon. Its power was twice that of any other….. not good news. She had been keeping tabs on the traitor through her Goldstone, but it was getting harder and harder as he was exposed to copious amounts of black magic that nullified her white magic’s reach.
With only six days left, Kyra felt no closer to answers than she had when the whole mess started. She was completely engrossed in a new grimoire that Rian had found her when the doorbell rang. Grumbling about not enough hours in the day, she was stunned when she opened the door to find the King of the Big Cats and his lieutenant standing on her little porch. His cheeky grin said he had caught at least a little of her grumblings and she couldn’t stop the blush that heated her cheeks.
Maximillian Prentise was a force to reckoned with in the shifter world. He was the undisputed King of all the Big Cats, older than anyone dared ask and the most powerful creature she had ever encountered, although his power differed from that of dragons or witches. His felt as old as time and was a mixture of many cultures. As Max had amassed his pride, which contained many species, he had been blessed with a part of each of their origins and thus some of their unique magic. Not all of it was as white and untainted as what she possessed, but it was of the Earth and nowhere near anything dark.
Max chuckled and she realized she was just staring. “Well, hell, Max, you surprised me. Come on in.”
“Sorry we didn’t call first. We were talking to Rayne and he said you might need some assistance, so we popped right over.” She was sure the timber of the King’s voice, combined with his slight Latin accent, had made more than one woman shiver, but all she heard was his much appreciated offer to help.
Kyra moved out of the way as both gentlemen entered the cottage she was calling home. She was always amazed how cat-like their movements were, even in human form. To the clueless observer she could only imagine how refined they appeared, but no one that had ever seen them in action would describe them that way. They were intense and savage, definitely someone she was glad to have on her side.
Her brow furrowed as she asked, “You practice magic?”
“But of course, bruja pequena. Not as well as you, but we‘ve picked up a few tricks along the way.” He winked and reached for a duffle that Juan Carlos, his lieutenant, had been carrying.
She cleared a space on the dining table and watched as Max unpacked bottles of herbs and liquids, along with a huge box containing roots. Next came an intricately carved mahogany box detailed with what she could only assume were pieces of gold. Lastly, he pulled out a large piece of lavender velvet and spread it over the area she had cleared.
“Now, tell me what you know so far. The dragons are warriors, their explanation of what you know was…spotty at best.” Max smiled and she could see the respect he had for his allies.
“Well, to be honest, I don’t know much. I spelled a Goldstone to peek in on Andrew, but he and his band of merry idiots have been using so much black magic that it is basically useless.”
She dropped the pendant on the table and continued, “I did get a clear enough picture of the full moon to know that whatever he’s planning needs that kind of lunar power.” She knew it wasn’t enough, but she was just about at the end of her rope. If Max couldn’t help, she would need to contact her mother, and Kyra would rather chop off both her arms and try to swim than ask for Calysta’s help.
The perceptive Leo picked up the Goldstone and whispered a phrase she couldn’t quite make out, but was sure was ancient Incan. When he looked back up, his deep green eyes were glowing and more feline than human in appearance. She had heard that he could channel any and all of the cats he ruled at any time, but witnessing his power was kind of freaky. A movement behind Max drew her attention and she only then realized that the space occupied by the strong silent bodyguard now housed a large golden brown panther with deep hazel eyes. The spark of recognition in the animal’s eyes was amazing.
Max followed her gaze and chuckled, “Juan Carlos has been with me a long time and our bond runs deep. The use of magic from his homeland brings out his beast. Never fear, the man is still in there and very much in control. Now, your Goldstone should work a little better. I cleared away some of the taint. It won’t last forever, but it may give you a look or two that could help.”
“Thanks! And I’m not worried about Juan Carlos,” she barely contained the giggle that threatened to escape. She felt like a kid at the zoo, but was embarrassed to admit her thoughts.
“Let me guess, you want to feel his fur?” Max asked with a twinkle in his eyes that showed even a King could have fun.
She nodded her head. “It just looks so soft the way it shines in the sunlight.”
The werepanther in question padded towards her. It was not until he rubbed against her leg that she realized if he stood on his hind legs he would be taller than her and probably outweighed her by a good fifty pounds. Power surrounded the animal. She could feel it pulsing against its containment, ready to spring forward when needed. Her hand touched the top of the feline’s head as he circled her. One swipe from top of head to tip of tail and she was convinced he was actually covered in the finest silk on earth.
The spell was broken when Juan Carlos’ cat purred and the vibration against her leg caused her to stumble. Before she could fall forward, Max was there to keep her on her feet. He laughed out loud and her embarrassment faded away.
Juan Carlos in human form and dressed as before appeared beside her, quick to apologize, “So sorry, I forget how petite you really are. Are you okay?”
“Absolutely. No harm done. Thanks for letting me feel you up.” She winked to show she really was okay and the room erupted in laughter once again.
“Now, let’s do what we came here to do,” Max said, ever the King. “I was told you have a grimoire that contains very old magic.”
“Yeah, Rian brought it over a little while ago. I haven’t gotten through much of it, and since it is all pretty much new to me, it is slow going.”
She lifted the heavy book right before Juan Carlos took it from her hands. “Let me get that for you.” He handed the book to Max like it weighed nothing and she was once again amazed by their strength.
The King opened the volume and began reading with his lieutenant looking over his shoulder. “Would you like some tea or something?” Kyra offered.
Neither looking up
from their reading, they answered in unison, “Yes, please.”
Heading to the kitchen she filled the kettle and placed it on the stove. After the cups and tea were on the counter, she stood gazing at the beauty of the garden behind the little cottage she inhabited. Kyndel had said she had a knack for nature, but nothing could have prepared Kyra for the amazing picture she saw as she waited for the water to boil. Her gaze landed on every blossom and vine, marveling at the infinite wisdom of the Earth and Her ability to provide everything anyone ever needed. She continued her perusal when she saw movement under the huge oak tree at the far corner. Concentrating her power on the spot that had drawn her attention, she gasped as the image came into view. There, leaned against the tree, looking like he had lost his last friend was Royce. Long muscular legs stretched out before him, crossed at the ankle, with his hands loosely folded in his lap. His chest rising and falling against the faded gray t-shirt that stretched tight across his bunched muscles reminded her that he was completely at rest in that moment. His head was thrown back against the bark of the tree, the contrast only accentuating the fiery color of his hair. His perfect lips were barely moving in what she could only assume was a prayer and his deep brown eyes that always held so much emotion were closed in reverence.
Her body and soul longed to go to him, but her head reminded her of the horrible things he had said and that he truly believed she was evil incarnate. The pain of his words kept her from throwing open the door and running to him, but the damned hope that still dwelled in her heart made her watch and wish. The sound of the whistle on the kettle made her look away, but nothing could stop the pain she felt knowing what the future held.
Luckily when she returned to the dining room, Max and Juan Carlos had found something they believed to be useful. Together, they spent the rest of the day and well into the night preparing amulets, keeping her from obsessing over what would never be.
When the werepanthers finally left, Kyra fell into bed completely exhausted, but happily satisfied with what they had accomplished and the plan they had come up with for stopping whatever Andrew had planned. She was excited to tell Rayne what they had come up with and too see if she could get any more information from her Goldstone now that Max had cleansed it.
For the first time since learning of Andrew’s deception and the part she unwittingly played in it, she fell into a peaceful sleep. She seemed to float on clouds, looking over some of the happiest times in her life. First was her sixteenth birthday when she was literally Queen for a day, another, later in life spent learning spells and practicing with her aunties, and then she landed on the day of her fiftieth birthday celebration. For the last twenty-five years it had been one of her most cherished memories. Now it held a pinch of bittersweet melancholy, but as it played out, her recent pain was forgotten and she was transported back in time to the exact moment the dragon marking appeared on her right hip and the recognition of all that it meant for her future.
She had dreamed of a faceless man that night who was all she imagined the ancient warriors blessed by the Universe to be. Now she had firsthand knowledge of the Dragon Guard and as her dream continued, that knowledge, along with twenty-five years of life experience out from behind the walls of her coven, blended into the past and evolved into a whole new picture.
She was dancing with an incredibly tall, well-muscled man that held her loosely against his body as they moved to the music and filled the younger woman she imagined she used to be with such nervous excitement she almost vibrated with it. The man leading her through the dance was confident and had a strength she could feel where their hands and bodies touched. He had a low baritone voice that calmed her nerves and a laugh that made her happy just to hear it. Every so often his large hand would graze up her spine and slowly slide back down to the small of her back, leaving a trail of sparkling energy in its wake.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, raising goosebumps all over the real life sleeping Kyra and making her wish she knew what was said. In her dream she giggled and a slight blush touched her cheeks. The dance continued even when a much slower, sensual song was played. Her escort pulled her even closer and as she laid her head against his chest, he placed a chaste kiss upon her crown. The scene continued for several moments and ended with Kyra telling her Aunt Della how much fun she’d had and how much she liked him.
Kyra continued to dream and relive moments from her life, some exactly as they had occurred and others changed as only can happen in fantasies. When she happened upon the memory of her vision in which Royce was standing in the aftermath of an explosion, she thanked the Goddess that they had been able to stop that from happening.
In her dream, she felt the caress of the sea air on her skin and saw the waves crashing against the rocks just as they had the day Royce had taken her to the ridge. Not wanting to live through that ordeal again, she tried to change the direction of her thoughts, but they would not be deterred. She was destined to watch her most humiliating experience unfold before her eyes.
The feel of his hands at her waist warmed her throughout, sending an electric current directly to her womb. As he spun her around and their lips met, she was lost to the image running though her mind, waiting for the moment her fate was sealed and the one man that was to love her forever would run away like the coward he was; but it never came.
Instead, as soon as she had reached the first climax of her already long life, she watched as Royce pulled the Kyra of her dream towards him until they looked into one another’s eyes. Slower than she thought possible, his lips touched the corner of her mouth and gently nipped and tasted from one side to other, taking special care in the middle to let the tip of his tongue just barely slide across her lips and ever so lightly touch the tip of hers, igniting her senses and causing a series of tiny contractions in her womb. With her legs still locked around his waist, she moved against his erection seeking to give him pleasure like he had shown her, but he would have none of it. He exerted his considerable control by placing his hands on her hips, essentially trapping her right where he wanted her.
She sighed her resignation as he worked his way across her jaw and down the column of her neck, the rough stubble of his beard tickling and exciting. He lavished special attention to the spot where her neck and shoulder met, causing her to strain against his hold. She felt him smile against her skin just before he bit down on the tendon lying just below the skin. The slight pinch made her jump and he took the opportunity to position his cock right against her opening. All that separated them was their clothing, and if she could’ve had one coherent thought, she would’ve worked a spell to remove the offending material from both their bodies, but as it was, Royce was relentless. He kissed and sucked the spot he had bitten until she was a mass of want and need.
As if that was not enough, he wrapped one arm under her bottom further trapping her body against his. He then used his other to take one of her straining nipples between his thumb and forefinger and torment the hardened peak until she was certain she would lose her mind. He definitely knew how to use the difference in their sizes to his advantage, and as the real life Kyra experienced the dream as if it was really happening, she panted for more.
The sound of his excitement roughened voice in her ear drew her farther into her dream, “I want you, Kyra, and with all that I am I swear I have to have you.”
His words became actions as she watched him use his enhanced speed to move them from the ridge overlooking the ocean to the cave he had been living in. Although she had never seen it in the real world, her imagination took over and it was a mere matter of seconds before her mate had her lying on a pallet of sleeping bags and blankets beside a roaring fire. She closed her eyes just as his fingers touched the buttons on her blouse, but Royce was having none of it. His fingers stilled and he spoke with an authority she’d heard on several occasions. Her eyes snapped to his as he spoke, “Look at me, Kyra. This is about us, together, always as one. From this day forward you hold my heart, you are my
home, and you are my reason for living. Never shut me out, I want us to share every second of our very long lives together.”
Minutes ticked by as they simply stared into one another’s eyes. She watched as the firelight magnified the plethora of emotion Royce felt and she sighed in relief that she was not alone in the depth of her feelings. Slowly, he began working to open her buttons once again, kissing the spot right above each new opening and then returning to gaze into her eyes.
Her hands moved of their own volition, exploring every inch she could reach of his massive body. When they slid under the material of his shirt, the electric shock resulting from their skin to skin contact caused her to gasp. Royce’s lips found hers and the fire that had been smoldering was set ablaze.
His tongue slid alongside hers as his hands covered her breasts and his calloused roughed palms rubbed against her raised nipples. She arched into his touch and he groaned into her mouth as her nails dug into his back. He rolled until she was seated atop his lap and ripped her open blouse from her shoulders. A moment of embarrassment was quickly erased by the look of complete adoration and undeniable lust in his deep brown eyes. His hands slid up her sides, and as he spread his fingers wide, she was engulfed in his touch. Fingers from each hand made their way under her bra and the sensation they ignited had her fighting to keep her eyes open; it was like nothing she had ever experienced. In the next breath, cool air caressed her breasts. She shivered at the sensation, “Are you cold, a sta’rin’?
Speech escaped her, so she shook her head right before he leaned forward and licked the very tip of her breast. Lost to the sensation, her head fell back and her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him as close as possible. Royce seemed to know what she needed even when she didn’t as he sucked as much of her breast into his mouth as would fit and continued torturing her nipple with his teeth and tongue. Her hips moved against his considerable length, the friction of her clothing pushing her towards another release.