Once Upon A Midnight

by Stephanie Rowe

  Alicia felt bad for Rayne. She knew what it was like to lose a father. The hole it left in your heart. Since they were going to be family, the young witch decided it was time to stop being intimidated by the Commander. Standing, she made her way to the end of Drago’s bed where Rayne stood staring at his uncle and patted his shoulder. “Sure, they do. There’s you.”

  Before the Commander could respond, a low raspy whisper sounded from the bed. “I could still kick your ass, Nephew.”

  Alicia stood silent, shocked, unable to move for nearly two heartbeats before flying to Drago’s bedside. His eyes were closed tightly but he was smiling. “Oh, my Goddess, you’re finally awake,” she whispered, tears rolling down her face.

  “Yes,mo chroi’, but I can’t see a thing. The light is like daggers in my eyes.” Grabbing her hand, he pulled it to his mouth and gently kissed her fingers. “But for what I have in mind, I think I can feel my way.”

  Chapter Eleven

  It had been two weeks since he’d woken up in the home of his long-time friend, Siobhan. They talked for hours about the trouble Gareth - her mate, Alexander - Rayne’s father, and Drago had caused as young Guardsmen, while the Healer had continued to nurse his wounds and pump him full of medicine. Drago felt more like his old self every day and was regaining his sight bit by bit, but had to wear sunglasses pretty much all the time.

  Alicia never left his side. She even more beautiful than the images he’d pulled from her mind. His body ached to have her under him. His hands itched to explore her captivating body and his mouth watered to taste her lips to his heart’s content. It was all he could do not to pull her into bed and ravage her sensual curves every time she leaned in for a chaste kiss.

  Sending erotic images through their link and watching the light pink blush creep into her gorgeous peaches and cream complexion had become one of his favorite pastimes. He also enjoyed talking to her through mindspeak about all the things they would do together if he ever got her alone when others were in the room, and she was helpless to do anything but feign annoyance and attempt to hide her embarrassment.

  Looking around the room as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, Drago wondered where his amazing little mate had gotten off to. He chuckled to himself, remembering how many times she’d already argued with him about calling her little. She would roll her expressive blue eyes, put her hands on her hips, and give him some cock and bull story about her being too tall or too curvy. The Guardsman had set her straight right away and would do it as many times as it took for her to believe.

  The sound of Alicia’s voice shook Drago from his thoughts. “And just what are you sitting there grinning about?”

  Smiling at the incredible woman the Universe had made just for him, the Assassin answered, “Just thinking about how lucky I am. And that you are the most amazing woman ever created, head to toe, inside and out. You are breathtaking, Alicia May, and you are all mine.”

  Pretending to be suspicious, his mate slowly walked toward him as she asked, “What are you up too, Mr. MacLendon?” Stopping just far enough away that he couldn’t touch her, Alicia grinned and then added, “It’s not that I don’t appreciate the compliment, but I have a sneaky suspicion you’re fishing for something.”

  Laughing out loud because he’d truly been caught trying to butter her up, Drago leaned forward, grabbed Alicia’s hand, and pulled her onto his lap before she’d even seen him move. Kissing her neck and enjoying the way she sighed at his touch was almost more than he could handle. Both man and dragon wanted to make love to their mate more than they wanted their next breath.

  Kissing up her neck, he whispered in her ear, “I want to go home, to what will be our home, and I want to make love to you until we know not where one ends and the other begins. I want to sleep with you in my arms. I want to wake up looking into your brilliant blue eyes. But most of all, I want you, Alicia May McKennon, to be my mate. I want to spend all of my tomorrows—whether they are here or in the Heavens—with you. For without you, mo cheann a’lainn, there will be no tomorrow for me. My heart will no longer beat and my soul will be barren. For you, mo maite, have made me whole again.”

  Needing to see her eyes, Drago turned Alicia on his lap until she straddled his legs. He had commented more than once about how glad he was that women now wore pants and this was just one more reason why. Holding her chin between his thumb and forefinger, the Guardsman lifted his mate’s head until he could look her in the eye, thankful the lights had been turned out and the curtains drawn so he could look at her without his dark lenses. Uncertainty, something he’d never been comfortable with, filled him, but almost immediately, Alicia smiled her dazzling smile and said, “They’re happy tears, Drago. You just make me so happy.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “Oh, yes, absolutely yes.”

  Unable to resist, Drago laid his lips to hers, pouring all the love and devotion he already felt for the incredible creature in his arms into that one kiss. He needed her to know how very much she meant to him, not just in word but also in deed. Alicia immediately opened to him, giving back every emotion he gave to her tenfold. His dragon pushed against the confines of his mind, chuffing for the man to finally claim the woman meant to be theirs for all time.

  Easing back onto the bed, Drago’s libido went into overdrive. The feel of Alicia’s soft, full breasts against his chest, her long silken curls cascading over his arms, and the sensual slide of her legs as they tangled with his, was more than he could handle. Rolling them over so that he was cradled within the comfort of her thighs, he deepened their kiss. His hands slid under the soft cotton of her pink T-shirt and had just touched the silk of her bra when the loud clearing of a throat had him looking over his shoulder.

  “I was just coming to see if you wanted to get some exercise but it looks like you already are.” Rayne was leaning against the doorframe wearing a shit-eating grin and chuckling at his own joke. “Didn’t you tell me once to shut the door if I didn’t want to be interrupted?”

  “You were ten and complaining about arithmetic and me being too loud. This is a little different. We’re celebrating. Alicia has officially agreed to be my mate. Now get the hell outta here,” Drago growled, returning his attention to Alicia, only to find her hands covering her mouth while she tried not to laugh.

  “Congratulations to you both.” Rayne sounded truly pleased for them as Drago was thinking of how best to relieve Alicia of her clothing.

  But the moment was gone. Pretending to be annoyed, she swatted his shoulder and scolded, “Get off me, you beast.”

  Never one to be out done, Drago covered her mouth with his, kissing her so completely they were both struggling to breathe when he pulled away. “Beast, indeed, mo chroi’. Just wait until I get you alone then you shall see what a beast I can be.”

  Waggling his eyebrows, Drago used his enhanced speed and was standing at the end of the bed giving her a wink before his little witch could wipe the satisfied smile from her face. Looking to his nephew, the Assassin grumbled, “I’ll deal with you later.”

  “How about now? In the training pit? Ten minutes?”

  Sitting up, straightening her clothes and chastising at the same time, Alicia argued, “No, no, no. It’s too soon. There’s no way you’re ready to go out there and train with…with…real swords with sharp points and just…no.”

  Drago bit the insides of his cheeks to keep from smiling. Alicia was simply adorable. The way she cared for him and always had his best interest at heart was the best feeling ever. He knew she was worried, but even though his eyesight had not completely returned and he would have to wear his dark lenses, it was time for him to return to the world. His little witch would just have to understand.

  Looking to Rayne, he answered. “I’ll meet you outside. Give me a minute.”

  Nodding, the Commander winked at Alicia then turned and left.

  Sitting next to his mate on the side of the bed, Drago slid his fingers through hers, lifte
d her hand to his lips, and spoke directly into her mind while laying butterfly kisses on each of her elegant fingers. “I will be fine, mo ghra’. You can come along if you wish. I simply need to get back out there. I know Kyra, Royce, and his brothers are close to finding the Dorcha and I want to be ready when they do.”

  Alicia tried to interrupt but even though they were using mindspeak,he placed the tips of the fingers of his free hands on her lips and continued, “I’m ready to have a sword in my hand again. It’s one of the few things that hasn’t changed in the hundred years I’ve been locked away. This is something I have to do. It may not be the same Draoi that imprisoned my men and me but it is still the same bloody black magic and I am sworn to remove it from the earth. Please understand. It is all I can do since we still have no clue where my brethren are.”

  He watched a myriad of emotions cross Alicia’s expressive face and knew the moment she’d relented to his plea. Kissing the tip of her nose, Drago stood and made his way to the closet to get dressed. The Guardsman knew his little witch was sitting on the bed watching his every movement just as she’d done since the moment he’d awakened, so he let the soft cotton pants she’d called sweats slide to the floor and stood with his naked backside showing just a little longer than was necessary.

  When he turned, Alicia was shaking her head and grinning from ear to ear. “Thanks for the show.” She giggled as she raised what she’d earlier explained was her cell phone and flashed a picture of him.

  I still cannot figure out what a phone is much less how something you are supposed to use to talk to others takes photos.

  “Alicia May…” Drago growled.

  “Drago Magnus…” Alicia growled right back, raising an eyebrow that made the Assassin laugh out loud.

  “I see Rayne has been running his mouth again.”

  “He might have shared a few things with me.” His mate batted her eyes and tapped her index finger to her chin.

  It took everything in him not to slam and lock the door and make love to his mate the way he’d been dreaming of since first touching her mind. But Alicia was finally onboard with him returning to the training pit and not even the thought of her naked was going to stop him. It wasn’t that he was going to let her keep him from going, but having her blessing went a long way to making his training much easier. He knew there would be compromises. Rayne had already prepared him for modern women and Drago was doing his best to respect what his nephew had explained as Alicia’s boundaries.

  He loved her and there was nothing he wouldn’t do to keep her happy, even if it meant changing everything he’d ever known. She was his world…period.

  Chapter Twelve

  “That all you got, old man?” Kellan, the scarred Guardsman from the Blue Dragons teased.

  “Seems like I have you on the run ‘young’un’… and I’m half-blind,” Drago countered, laughing aloud as he blocked a particularly sharp jab. He loved that the others weren’t taking it easy on him. It showed they still respected him, which meant more than the Assassin wanted to admit.

  “Yeah, well, even after being locked away for a hundred years you are still the notorious Drago MacLendon. The Assassin that makes hunters run for cover, wizards wet their robes, and ladies drop their panties at your feet, are you not?”

  The training pitch roared with laughter but it was the scent of sunshine and daffodils that had Drago spinning on his heels. “Ladies drop their panties at your feet, do they, Mr. MacLendon? I guess I better watch out for the competition,” Alicia teased as she leaned against the wooden fence separating the sandy training pitch from the rest of the lair.

  Drago’s depth perception was still off and his eyesight fuzzy but he’d know his mate anywhere. Returning his broadsword to the sheath at his waist, the Guardsman walked to where Alicia stood.

  “There is no other but you, mo ghra’. Tell me, what brings a beautiful lady like you to a dirty place like this?” he joked, swallowing her chuckle as he leaned in to give her a kiss.

  As Alicia pulled back, Drago could see the dreamy look in her eyes, the look he’d put there, and his pride soared. His mate was perfect. She was all he’d ever need. Needing to kiss her just one more time, the Guardsman moved toward his little witch again. Unfortunately, his intentions were cut short by a smiling redhead carrying a baby that could’ve have been Rayne when he was a little boy.

  “So you’re the Assassin they all keep telling me about, huh?” Her southern accent suited her to a tee, perfectly complementing the twinkle in her eye and the sass in her step.

  “And you must be the woman that has my nephew wrapped around her little finger.” The Guardsmen behind him chuckled and teased Rayne while Drago just winked at his nephew’s mate.

  “You know it.” She winked back. “I’m Kyndel and this little guy is James Alexander MacLendon, Jay for short. Glad to see you up and around.”

  “Thank you.” Looking at the baby, he commented, “He’s the spitting image of his father and his grandfather, with the mischief of his mother in those little green eyes.” Turning to Rayne, Drago continued, “You did well, kid. Your mother and father would be so proud.”

  His nephew gave a single nod before the Assassin turned back to Kyndel and Jay just as Rayne’s mate teased, “Hey! I helped ya’ know.”

  Once again the training pit was roaring with laughter as Drago looked to his mate for help. Shaking her head, Alicia’s only comment was, “You got yourself into this, big man. Now, you gotta get yourself out.”

  Turning toward Kyndel, he bowed at the waist—even though Rayne and Alicia had told him several times men did not do that anymore—and apologized. When he looked up, her shoulders were jumping with her contained laughter and to his surprise, the baby was reaching out to him. Drago was hardly upright before Kyndel was lifting Jay over the fence.

  The Assassin’s first instinct was to back away, but one look from Alicia had him holding the baby like an old pro. Drago knew his little witch was sizing him up as a future father and there was no way he wasn’t going to do everything in his power to live up to her expectations.

  Jay was all hands and a mass of drooling happiness. By the time Rayne took the child from Drago’s arms, the Assassin’s dark glasses were covered with tiny wet fingerprints and his face had been covered with open mouth baby kisses. Alicia watched the entire scene with a silly grin on her face and a twinkle in her eyes that said he’d exceeded all her hopes.

  Making his way the few steps to stand in front of his mate, Drago just smiled, knowing life with Alicia was going to be outstanding. He thought of their children and hoped for little girls with long red curls and bright blue eyes just like their mother’s. The only problem he could see was keeping the boys away, because no daughter of his would date until she was at least forty.

  His thoughts were cut short when Kyndel asked, “Why don’t y’all come to dinner? I was thinking about steak and baked potatoes. Sound good?”

  “Sounds delicious,” Drago quickly answered then looked to Alicia. “Is that all right with you?”

  Nodding, she agreed, “Sounds good to me.” Then turning to Kyndel, she added, “You better have a side of beef, he’s been a bottomless pit since waking up.” Alicia hooked her thumb at him. “He might just eat you out of house and home.”

  Kyndel laughed. “I come prepared. This isn’t my first rodeo. I’ve been around these big lugs long enough to know there’s not a one of them that can’t put away their own weight in meat.”

  Kellan and Declan had joined the group after dismissing the younger Guardsmen who had been training. Declan was the first to speak. “Is that an open invitation?” He smiled his cheesy smile and nodded his head like a little boy.

  “You’d think you’d never eaten, boy,” Drago kidded.

  With the most serious expression the Assassin had ever seen on Declan’s face, which was saying something since Drago had known Declan since the younger man was a Guardsman in training, the Blue Dragon answered, “Just wait till you tast
e Kyndel’s cooking. You’ll be begging for an invitation with the rest of us next time.”

  Grinning from ear to ear, Kyndel chuckled. “Sure, y’all come on. Rayne can get the grill started and if Alicia doesn’t care she can help me keep up with Jay. You guys are gonna have to wash potatoes and shuck corn.”

  Declan and Kellan, who were already halfway over the fence, readily agreed while Drago turned to walk to the gate. His depth perception wasn’t returning as quickly as he’d hoped and there was no way he was going to take the chance of falling on his face in front of a pitch full of younger men. Assassin or not, a bruised ego just would not do. Alicia met him at the gate, immediately threading her fingers through his as they followed the others to Kyndel and Rayne’s.

  Walking through the lair, Drago nodded to the people as they passed. Some he remembered and some he knew resembled those he’d fought beside all those years ago. Alicia’s hand in his just felt right; things were exactly as they were meant to be. All that was left was to settle the score with the Dorcha and then he would be free to mate his little witch. They would have the happily ever after she so richly deserved.

  Once they arrived at the house Rayne and Kyndel were staying in, everyone got busy getting dinner ready. He and Alicia sat in the kitchen playing with Jay while Kyndel issued orders to Declan and Kellan. It wasn’t long before Rayne hollered for Drago to join him on the patio.

  Kissing Alicia on top of the head, he made his way out the door with two beers and the platter of steaks Kyndel had handed him as he passed by. “Here ya go. From your mate.” Drago handed Rayne the steaks. “And from me.” The Assassin chuckled as he handed his nephew one of the beers.