Dracones Boxset Books 1-5

by Sheri-Lynn Marean

  Hours later, Sami awoke when Goldy shifted in his arms. Suddenly, everything came crashing back on him. Oh fuck, what did he do? Hellfire filled his mind and he felt himself slipping back into the darkness. Guilt and sorrow consumed him, and he found it difficult to take a breath until Goldy leaned up, and caressed the side of his face.

  “Hey,” she said, and the understanding in her eyes eased him. Then she put her arms around him and hugged him against her chest. “Don’t think about it,” she said, as if she knew exactly what was on his mind.

  Sami closed his eyes and let his body relax. Allowing his mind to do the same was a bit harder to accomplish. Don’t think about it. He repeated the words in his head, over, and over. It felt so good having someone who cared hold him, and though they had only known each other a short time, he knew she cared. He could feel it. Soon, his mind relaxed as much as his body and he drifted back to sleep.

  ***

  GOLDY HELD ONTO Sami and wanted to cry. She could feel his heart-deep grief, along with all his guilt and pain, and it rocked her to her soul. She knew he loved another and she accepted that but he was so sweet, so beautiful, inside and out, that she wished he loved her instead. She thought about what had happened between them as she looked down at the sweet man in her arms. She marveled at the green glowing scales covering his arms, neck, and back. Then she stared at his hair. It had changed as well, from a golden color to a dark blond , almost brown shade.

  Twisting her head, she looked at her own arms and was startled to see golden scales with very faint red swirls glowing on her. Wow, this shit is really true. Then she thought about the sex they’d shared. That had been utterly amazing and she knew part of it was magic but holy crap, magical was right!

  ***

  SAMI AWOKE to the howling of the wind, then shivered at the chill in the cabin. The fire had gone out. An instant later, he realized Goldy was awake and watching him.

  “Hey, sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,” he said.

  “It’s fine.” She smiled and his heart beat faster. Then she trailed her fingers over his chest. “So, that was pretty ah…amazing,” she said, referring to the sex they’d shared.

  “Yeah.” Sami felt like grinning at what they had done. Then he thought of something. “Hey, happy birthday,” he said.

  Goldy blushed and gave a little chuckle. “Thanks, I think.” Then she took a deep breath and the light in her eyes dimmed.

  “Shit, I’m sorry,” he said, knowing that he’d just stirred up some bad memory or thought.

  “No, it’s okay. It’s just…Mom, we were going to go to supper and a movie last night for my birthday.”

  “Oh shit, I’m sorry, Goldy.”

  “It’s fine, you didn’t know and it certainly isn’t your fault.” Then she switched the topic. “Ahm, so…this curse. Are you sure about it?” she asked.

  “Ah, yeah, why?” Sami asked.

  “Oh, well…you know,” she said as she continued to trail her fingers over him.

  “I think I’m missing something, what am I supposed to know?”

  “Well, didn’t you feel…you know, what happened?” she asked

  “Ah, you mean the magic?” Sami thought about the magic that had transformed them. “It’s just part of our Awakening.”

  “Well, I don’t mean the magic. I mean…well, are there exceptions to the curse when one is going through their Awakening?” she asked.

  Sami frowned, not sure what she meant by exceptions.

  Goldy leaned up on her arm and looked down at him. “You know—”

  Now he really was confused. “Know what?”

  “You know, while we, ah—” She started to blush and then lowered her voice. “We made life.”

  Sami could only stare at her. He must have heard wrong. “What? What are you talking about?”

  Goldy smiled and her eyes sparkled. “Didn’t you feel it?”

  His heart started to pound as he thought back over every second of what happened. “No, it couldn’t. We couldn’t have.”

  “It’s fine, I don’t expect—”

  No longer listening, Sami threw back the covers, got up, and pulled his boxers on then he grabbed his jacket, putting it on too.

  “Sami, where are you going?” Goldy asked an alarming tone to her voice.

  “Ah, we need some more wood for the fire. It’s cold in here,” he said and slipping his feet into his shoes, he hurried out the door while Goldy called after him.

  Chapter Eleven

  Father

  SAMI DIDN’T NOTICE the stinging wind, or large flakes of snow hitting him in the face as he made his way around to the woodpile. Breath coming fast, he leaned back against the logs. The bark scraped his bare legs and he would have laughed at having forgotten to put on his jeans, but he was too upset. This couldn’t be happening. How was it even possible? Had the curse been broken somehow? Maybe it was just because they were both going through their Awakening at the same time, or perhaps because Goldy was born of magic.

  Sami tried to get his breathing under control as he took it all in. They had created a new life. He tried to deny it, but deep inside he knew it was true. He felt it happen, he just hadn’t realized what it was at the time, but now there was no denying it.

  Gods! Releasing a loud groan of despair at this new revelation, Sami slid down to sit on a few logs, not noticing the cold as he buried his face in his hands. He couldn’t be a dad. He knew nothing about being a father. And what if he did something…something to hurt his child? He was Marcius’s son after all. As the panic began to rise in him, Sami felt the darkness once more coming for him. He closed his eyes and tried to fight it but the guilt filled him up quickly, consuming him. Why was it that everything he touched turned to shit? He’d done this…he’d gotten that beautiful woman pregnant.

  Pain filled his entire body, a pain he was all too familiar with and Sami dug around in his pocket for something sharp, scared as his vision began to dim. No, not here! Not now! He could feel his control slipping when a soft hand suddenly touched his cheek.

  “Sami?”

  Almost immediately, the pain began to recede. His panic eased up enough for him to look up into a pair of understanding gold eyes. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

  “I’m not. Come on, Sami, let’s go inside.” Goldy smiled and helped him to his feet.

  Sami stood up and was about to take a step when he stopped. “Just let me get some wood first.”

  While he added some logs and revived the fire, Goldy heated them up a few cans of soup she found in the cupboard. Sami watched her grab a couple bottles of water from the case by the fridge.

  Getting up, he walked over to the table and stared down. “You found crackers too?” he asked, pleasantly surprised.

  Goldy smiled at him. “Yes, sit,” she said, nodding at the chair across from hers. Without a word, he sat and they both wolfed down their soup like ravenous wolves.

  Finally, Goldy smiled up at him. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”

  Sami nodded his agreement and once they’d eaten their fill, Goldy got up from the table. “Come, let’s go sit and talk.”

  Sami stood up and began to grab their bowls. “Let me clean up first,” he said but stopped when Goldy touched his arm.

  “We can do that later. Right now, we need to talk,” she said and Sami looked around, wanting to avoid having the conversation he knew they were about to have.

  Goldy sat on the couch and looked up at him. “Sami, you don’t need to worry, we didn’t expect this to happen, and while I am thrilled, I understand you aren’t. For that, I’m sorry.”

  With a hard swallow, Sami sat, not sure what to say. Finally, he glanced at her, and started to speak only he wasn’t sure what to say. “It’s not that…”

  Goldy looked uncomfortable as she wrung her hands. “In fact, this is what I have been wanting for years now.”

  Sami raised his eyebrows at her, and she blushed. “Ever since I was sixteen, all I’ve wanted, d
reamed of actually, was having a family of my own, but mostly of having a child. My mom, she always wanted more for me. Maybe there’s something lacking in me because I know I should want more out of life too, but I never have.” She shrugged.

  “No, there is nothing wrong with you. That’s just what you want. Everyone wants different things, there’s no rule saying what you are supposed to want and not supposed to want,” he said, thinking of what a wonderful mother she’d make.

  “Thanks Sami. But look, I don’t expect anything from you—”

  “No way am I letting you raise our child by yourself,” he exclaimed, interrupting her, angry that she would even think of suggesting such a thing. No matter how scared he was, he wouldn’t leave her to raise their child on her own. No way, no how.

  Goldy stared at him, and then smiled gently. “Well, okay…”

  “Okay,” Sami said when she reached over and briefly touched his hand.

  “Don’t worry…you will make a great father.”

  When she smiled up at him it warmed his heart and he wished that could be true. Sami glanced away and getting up, he ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, that part, I don’t know about…”

  He glanced down at her, and as she watched him with a sad frown, it was as if she could see his inner struggle. Standing, she walked over and put her arms around him, hugging him to her. “Sami, it’s going to be fine, don’t worry.”

  “I-I can’t help it, I have this darkness in me,” he whispered, feeling haunted by his father’s nature, and what he did to his father.

  “I know. I can feel it,” Goldy said looking up into his eyes.

  “You can? Still?” Sami was surprised and couldn’t help wondering just how completely linked they were.

  “Yeah, I can but don’t worry. I’ve always been able to feel other’s emotions a bit more than the regular Joe.”

  Sami snorted. “Well, you and Tierney should get along well then.”

  “Who is Tierney? Is she the one who hurt you?” Goldy asked, anger tightening her voice and flattening her lips.

  Sami smiled and shook his head. “No, Tierney is like a sister to me.” Sami studied Goldy. “You are a little like her, well, not as bossy. I love her though. She’s my best friend. Her dad, Zander—the one you called—raised me and my brother, Jax.”

  “Oh?” Goldy pulled him back over to the couch and as they sat back down, she snuggled into him. “What happened to your parents?”

  “Ah, well…my mom and Tierney’s mom were killed on Tierney’s and my seventh birthday. The Ilyium attacked our village.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry Sami.” Goldy hugged him tighter.

  “It was a long time ago,” Sami said, rubbing his cheek on her head. Her hair felt soft as the finest silk. He liked it.

  “What about your dad?” she asked.

  “He was a real bastard but he’s dead now, and I’d really rather not talk about him.”

  “Okay,” Goldy said, sadness filling her eyes as if she truly could feel his tumultuous feelings writhing inside him.

  After he refused to say more about his father, she told Sami about her mother and the kids in her class. He, in turn, told her about where he lived, more about Tierney and Jax and finally, he told her about what happened to Zander and how they found Thaniel.

  Sami felt himself beginning to relax and feel more at peace than he had in a long time as he tried to teach her how to communicate with him telepathically. “I can’t believe your mom never taught you,” he finally said, frustrated that she’d been able to hear his thoughts before, but couldn’t now. Her shields were up so tight and she couldn’t seem to lower them.

  “My mom wanted me to have as normal a life as possible.” She had told him that her life was so normal, she never believed her mom about any of this stuff now happening to her.

  As evening approached, they had settled into each other’s arm, and when she looked up at Sami, he couldn’t resist her lips. She tasted sweet and full of love. Something Sami had once craved but now, niggling at the back of his mind, was the thought that she still wasn’t Hellfire.

  Why can’t I just forget about that bitch and be happy?

  A little later, Sami ventured out again to get more logs for the fire. This time fully clothed. The wind had stopped howling and there was no longer any snow falling, but now the air had turned bitter cold. When he stepped back into the cabin, Goldy was waiting, tucked into bed. Still a little shy, Sami hesitated until she smiled and waved him over.

  Heart pounding in anticipation, Sami laid more logs on the fire before he shed his clothes and climbed into bed, more than ready to experience the same pleasures of the night before, which they did.

  A while later, Goldy shifted in his arms. “So, Bastien and his dad get into the airport at ten tomorrow morning,” she said, snuggling into him, which he liked.

  “How do you know this?” Sami asked, feeling sated and content.

  “I keep in touch with Dave, his father,” she said, and Sami caught the sadness in her voice.

  “Why doesn’t your brother live with you and your mother?” he asked.

  “Mom sent him to live with his dad when he was just a year old. She thought he’d be safer away from us. I missed him so much. I used to be so angry at her for doing that, until I saw how much she missed him as well.” She trailed a pattern over Sami’s chest as she talked. “You’re going to think I’m some kind of stalker, but I used to go and secretly watch his soccer games.”

  “You did?” Sami smiled, and grinned when she nodded her head and shrugged.

  “Yeah, I never told my mom, I couldn’t. But one day Bastien’s father saw me. I thought he’d be mad, but he wasn’t. He was always really nice to me when he and my mom dated even though I never got to know him very well. I think Mom didn’t want me getting too attached to him if it didn’t work out. Anyway, he and I became friends while we watched Bastien play soccer. We talked a lot. I got the impression he had really loved my mom, even though they had only gone out briefly.” Goldy wiped at her face. “After that we kept in touch. He’d let me know how my brother was doing, whenever he had a game.”

  “And you never tried to have a relationship with your brother?” he asked.

  Goldy bit her bottom lip. “I couldn’t hurt my mom like that and I was scared that if I did attempt to have a relationship with him, she’d eventually find out. I knew it would become too hard to keep it a secret.”

  Sami hugged her. “That must have been awful.” Goldy was such a loving person, he couldn’t imagine her having to watch her brother from a distance and not interacting with him.

  “It was. He, he came to our house one day about a year ago, when Mom wasn’t home.”

  “What happened?” Sami asked.

  Goldy shrugged. “I answered the door and there he was, standing there.” Goldy shuddered briefly. “I remember how Bastien just stared at me, partly curious but another part of him full of hurt and anger. He asked me if I was his sister.” She paused and Sami could feel her body tense as she remembered.

  “I was stunned. All, I could do was nod. Then, I finally told him, ‘Y-yes, I’m Goldy.’ He looked me over as I did him, only I’d seen him so many other times. It was a first for him. I remember him frowning as if understanding that somehow he’d been cheated out of his family.” Goldy sniffled, and Sami pulled her closer. “Then the real heartbreak happened. He asked if his mother—our mother—was home. I had to be the one tell him that she wasn’t. I had no idea what to tell him or how much to tell him. In reality, I never understood my mother’s fear until now.”

  Goldy was quiet for a moment while Sami fiddled with a strand of her soft hair.

  “I wanted to pull him into my arms, tell him how much I missed him, and that I loved him—that his mother loved him. But I couldn’t.” She sniffled again and Sami gave her a little squeeze. “He was curious, but his hurt and anger overrode it all…and I couldn’t blame him. I so wanted to invite him in, but I knew how it would ups
et Mom if she came home, and found him there. I tried to explain to him but he simply nodded, turned, and started away. I called for him to wait, hating to let him go, but when he turned back, Bastien seemed to size me up then he said, ‘I just needed to see for myself.’”

  Goldy paused again, and Sami heard her sigh. “I didn’t ask what he meant. I guess I understood without his explaining. I told him, ‘I’m sorry, I never wanted this.’ My heart ached for all we had lost when Mom sent Bastien away, and I suppose that was what was hurting him too.” She glanced up at Sami. “Bastien just glared at me then mumbled, ‘Yeah, whatever.’ Then he turned and walked away…”

  “Well, you’ll see him tomorrow. Are you nervous?” Sami asked.

  Goldy nodded, and Sami gently stroked her hair as he wondered how that meeting was going to go. As if she heard his thoughts, Goldy said, “What are we going to do, he’s not going to want to leave his dad, and Dave isn’t going to just let him go.”

  “Yeah well…I guess we will start by telling Dave about what happened to your mother and take it from there. I honestly don’t know, but I do know they aren’t safe where they are.”

  Goldy swallowed and with a tremor, agreed. “Okay.”

  Sami awoke the next morning, still a little achy from his Awakening but feeling rested for once. Goldy smiled nervously at him. “I guess we better get ready and head back to the city.”

  Sami nodded, and feeling himself beginning to stir, he leaned down and kissed her. “In just a bit.”

  Goldy sighed, giving into her pleasure at his touch. Their lovemaking was sweet and gentle. After, they lay satiated in each other’s arms. “I guess we need to get going, but listen to it out there,” she exclaimed then shivered at the sound of the wind howling outside the cabin.

  “Yeah, I heard it start in the night,” Sami said, then quickly got up and began to pull on his clothes. After dressing, Goldy began to tidy up.