Her Fire Mates: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Shifters Of The Elements)

by Lark Sterling

  Brighid nodded her head. Slowly Zevi stood up watching in surprise as two enormous Dragons stepped through what looked like an invisible curtain. They took three steps forward each, the length of half of the field, and slowly bent down on one knee, lowering their Dragon heads to the ground. They wore golden metal shields across their glowing bellies and helmets that trailed with laced gold down there long, scaled necks. Their eyes glowed brightly as they stared at Brighid, showing respect for the High Alpha.

  With a smile on her face, she walked forward and placed her hand on one Dragon giving him a nod and then turned to the other and did the same. They rose up, looming down over Brighid and her mates. In front of them, another Dragon emerged, and this one everyone recognized. It was Zarrit, The Loud, an enormous winged fire-breather, battle scars trickling through patches of broken scales, his belly illuminated with fire. As he lumbered forward, his steps became smaller, and he approached Brighid as his human. He was one of those magical creatures fully capable of shifting into a clothed human body.

  “Our High Alpha,” he said, taking a bow.

  “Zarrit,” she replied, nodding her head. “It’s so good to see you again.”

  As he stood, he looked her over, shaking his head. "I see so much of your father in you. It sends chills through my bones. Welcome to the Fields of the Dragon. You and your mates must be tired and ready for some food. Please, follow me."

  Brighid glanced back at the guys and gave them a smile and a nod as she walked next to Zarrit through what looked to be an invisible veil. As they passed through, the scenery changed. There was no cliff, no wavering fields, but instead, a bustling and vibrant city spread out across the land. People walked through the streets, and Dragons flew overhead. It looks like any other city, minus the Dragons, of course.

  “It’s beautiful here,” Brighid said. “I scarcely remember it from being a child.”

  Zarrit smiled as he walked. “It is a nice place, and we very much covet our sanctity within our magical place. But let me ask you this, are you here for the reason that I think you are?”

  Brighid glanced up at him, folding her hands as she remembered all the lessons she was taught on how to conduct herself when speaking with the different heads of the Shifter communities. "Well, it depends on what you think I'm here for. I believe that you know. My mother came to me in a meditation and spoke to me about coming to see you to ask about the Keepers."

  He slowly nodded. “Yes, that is exactly why I thought you were coming. Your mother came to me as well.”

  There was tension in his shoulders for a moment, and Brighid gathered her courage. "I have to ask, why is it that you hate my mother?"

  Zarrit glanced down at her with a look a surprise. "Is that what she thinks? Well, I have to admit, after your father's death, I did go through a period where hate would have best described my feelings for your mother. But, as the years passed, I've come to understand that it was nothing more than misdirected grief. The true culprit in your father's death and his captivity were the Keepers."

  They took a left turn through a large iron archway and walked along a path surrounded by flowers that lead to a large house. Guards opened the front doors for them and bowed as they walked through. Zarrit stopped and turned toward Brighid's mates. "I expect the three of you are exhausted, probably hungry, and ready to relax for just a moment. My staff will show you to the suite that you all share together, as I assumed you would want to be close. I will return your High Alpha to you shortly, but we have a few things to discuss."

  Finn, Ash, and Zevi all looked to Brighid, who nodded her head to let them know she'd be okay. Apprehensively they turned and followed the two staff members that led them down the hall to the left. Brighid's eyes returned to Zarrit, and he put out his hand with a kind smile. "Shall we? There brewing some fresh coffee, and we can sit and discuss all of this."

  Brighid walked along with him down a long corridor to a set of plain wooden doors taller than anyone she'd seen before, but next to Zarrit looked almost average in size. Inside was a dimly lit room with bookshelves covering the walls, a desk to the right a table, and a lounging area in front of the fireplace. Zarrit led her over to the table and they took a seat, a carafe of coffee sitting in the center.

  Brighid was patient as she knew that since Dragons had been around for a very long time, they were careful and patient in their responses. They took the time to really think about what they said before they said it. They knew the repercussions of moving quickly, and they often took their time on all decisions.

  Zarrit filled his cup and push the carafe over toward her. He poured a spoonful of sugar and some cream and slowly sipped the brew, staring over at the fire. "The Keepers have your father's soul. Your father was enamored by Omera. For a time, I thought even entranced by a spell, but later I understood the connection. He went to fight the Keepers to keep Omera, you, and others he loved within the Royal regime safe. And while he succeeded in stopping a new uprising of the Keepers, he lost his life and, along with that, his eternity."

  The words hit Brighid hard, knowing now that her father had never made it to the Fields of Moribund, what the guys had said was true and that her father's soul was trapped. She couldn't begin to think about the kind of pain and suffering that entailed. "If he stopped that uprising, then why exactly are the Keepers coming back out now?"

  Zarrit's attention turned back to Brighid at the sound of her voice. "Because they want you and your three sisters to join your father. They want all four of your souls for their collection."

  Brighid shook her head, a chill moving down her spine. "But what would they gain from that? There are more than enough councilmembers to take over if something were to happen to us. There are things in place to ensure that."

  Zarrit nodded slowly. "Yes, but your souls are needed for more than just that. The reasons are rumors though, and I won't fill your head with those rumors as the truth is more important. What I do know is that the head of the Keepers is an old soul, a Fire Catcher."

  “A what?” Brighid asked, never having heard of a Fire Catcher before.

  Zarrit took a long, careful breath." A Fire Catcher is a long-extinct creature that could catch fire from the belly of a Dragon, and ultimately expel its life. The head of the Keepers, the Fire Catcher, had once been trapped beneath the island and guarded by a Giant that lives there."

  Brighid shook her head, putting up her hand. "Are we talking about the same island here? Enchanted Island? You're telling me that I've lived there for years, and I didn't know there was a Giant and a Fire Catcher living beneath it?"

  There smiled slightly. "Giants are not necessarily friendly creatures. They don't need others to converse with and like to keep to themselves. We know that the Fire Catcher has escaped the Giant, but for some reason has not left the island. You must go back and speak to the Giant. He's the only one who knows how to find the Fire Catcher."

  Brighid blinked at the Dragon Alpha. "If they're not sociable creatures, how exactly am I supposed to find the Giant and then convince him to help me?"

  Zarrit gave his full attention to Brighid, leaning forward. "You do what you and your father are best at doing. You gain the Giant's trust. Once you have that, it's almost instantaneous. He'll tell you everything that you need to know. The giant is enormous, but he's not very smart. They've always been known as big dumb beasts. With that, they tend to trust those that they truly feel want the best for them. They can sense who is good and who is bad. This Giant will be more than happy to help you."

  Brighid glanced down at her empty cup, realizing she had never put coffee in it. "And what do I do when I find the Fire Keeper?"

  Zarrit pushed back a bit from the table. "You'll know. There's a reason you found your mates, and your powers will be growing exponentially. I don't have those answers for you because those answers are yours and yours alone. What is written in the stars will happen regardless of what I say. I'm here as nothing more than a guide, someone to hand you a clue. Just kno
w that the Dragon Shifters are behind you, and if I know your mother, a stubborn one, she'll be with you as well."

  Zarrit clapped his hands, and several staff members came in, standing to each side, their hands folded in front of them. "If you could, please show the High Alpha to her suite with the others and get them anything that they need."

  Brighid knew that he was finished, and she knew that he wasn't trying to be rude or presumptuous; it was just how the Dragons were. They weren't much for small talk, and when they were finished, they were finished. Brighid stood up from the table and smiled at Zarrit. "Thank you. I will think on this and most likely head back soon."

  Zarrit stood up, reaching out and taking Brighid's hand in his. It was so tiny like she had remembered her hand when her father had held it when she was just a small girl. "You are brave, and you're powerful. I can sense it in you already. Trust in your senses. Trust in your powers. Trust in your mates, and without a doubt, always trust in your Dragon. Good luck to you, and I look forward to our next meeting when hopefully things aren't all business."

  He bowed to her, and she did the same before turning and walking behind the staff that led her down the long hallways. It wasn't the news that she ever imagined she would get, that those responsible for the deaths of so many Dragons, so many Shifters, lingered beneath her very home. But regardless of their location, she knew that failure was not an option. Though she loved her father dearly, she wasn't ready to join him in whatever hellacious place he may linger; she was determined to get him to where he belonged.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Thoughtfulness and silence had been the name of the game that night, and Brighid barely said anything to anyone. They ate dinner in the dining area of their suite and relaxed in a daze until bedtime. Within the suite, they all had separate bedrooms. Though Brighid disliked being away from her mates, even just next door, she knew that her mind needed time to rest quietly and peacefully.

  Silence moved all across the fields of the Dragons, and the only sound you could hear within the Castle was the crackling of the fireplaces throughout. They weren't actual fires, except for those inside the rooms of the Shifters that weren't Dragons.

  Within Brighid's room, the fire danced across the logs, flickering shadows across the room. Brighid lay curled up in an enormous bed, surrounded by pillows and blankets, fast asleep.

  “Find me,” a voice whispered like an echo through the wind.

  Brighid opened her eyes, finding herself standing in the stone hallways of Thomas' mansion. She was wearing what she had gone to bed in, but everything was hazy as if she were in a dream. She looked to the right and to the left, finding the painting that she and Zevi had looked at shortly before the Keepers had attacked. The mansion didn't look any different than when she had been there before, not at all burned down or decrepit as she imagined it probably was. In fact, she assumed all the magic had escaped, and the only thing that most likely remained were the remnants of the tiny tilted cabin that were visible from the outside.

  “Down here,” the same voice whispered.

  Brighid's eyes shifted down the hall, and she could sense a feeling of struggle and fear. Carefully she began to walk down the hallway, her feet stepping carefully along the cold stone ground. At the end of the hall, she turned right and stopped staring at the figure in front of her. It took her a minute, studying his face, trying to make sure that she wasn't losing her mind.

  After a few moments, she realized she wasn't, and she hurried forward with her arms out. "Thomas. I thought…"

  As she went to wrap her arms around him, they went straight through, and she backed up, realizing it was nothing more than an apparition, a reflection of his soul.

  Thomas’s eyes glanced back and forth down the hallway, and he looked nervous. “I don’t have a lot of time. I need you to hear me, and I need you to listen very carefully.”

  Brighid nodded her head, crossing her arms over her chest and hugging her shoulders tightly. "Of course."

  He shifted his stance, and his voice lowered to a whisper. "The Keeper has my soul, and I've only been able to project to you in this manner. Your father is here with me along with thousands of others that the Fire Catcher has captured over the centuries."

  Brighid's heart began to beat faster. "How can I help you?"

  Thomas nodded. "You have to disarm the Fire Catcher. His magic needs to be expelled, whether through death or decimation. When he is no longer able to muster magic, your father, myself, and all the others he has captured will be set free, released to the Fields of Moribund."

  Brighid let out a small sigh of relief. "So, it's possible I can free you."

  Thomas stepped closer. "It is, but that isn't the most important thing. If you fail, and the Fire Catcher succeeds in his plan, he will grow stronger, and he will devour endless souls until everyone is gone."

  Brighid blinked her eyes, her stomach turning, her chest beginning to burn. Thomas’ apparition flickered, and his voice broke apart. It echoed all around her as a cold chill began to move down her neck and across her shoulders. As she breathed, her breath could be seen exiting her body, and the halls grew darker around her.

  Thomas's voice screamed out her name; it echoed in her head, forcing her hands to her ears. She stumbled back, falling to the ground. Flashes of images moved across her eyes, things she never thought that she would see. There was darkness, evil, and people begging and screaming for their lives. She flailed her hands, trying to make sense of what she was seeing, but she couldn't. She couldn't feel anything around her, and all she could hear was the screaming. She gripped onto her ears and let out a blood curdling cry.

  “Brighid,” Zevi’s voice yelled out in an echo. “I’ve got you. Hold on.”

  Brighid gasped, feeling Zevi's strong arms around her, her body being lifted up and pressed against him. There was a loud whooshing sound as if he were flying through the air, and then she came to a sudden halting stop. Images disappeared immediately from her mind, and the ringing in her ear stopped. Her heart beat fast, and her breath quickened as she opened her eyes to find herself back in her room, clinging to Zevi tightly. She looked at him for a moment and then burst into tears.

  Zevi held her tightly, walking over to the bed and setting her in his lap, holding her tightly. "It's alright, you're safe now. You were in some sort of meditative state, and I searched for your soul, finding it in what looked to be a manifested view of Thomas's mansion. The Keepers had gotten your mind, and they were twisting it."

  Brighid wiped the tears from under her eyes and looked around, the cold feeling quickly vanishing. She began to calm down, her heartbeat slowed to a normal pace. "They were here?"

  Zevi shook his head. "No. They were wherever you were. The Dragons have potent magic, and I doubt they're able to even find this place. They must have lost track of you, but then Thomas took you to the mansion, and that was how they were able to pick up on where you were. But I found you, protected your mind, and was able to bring you back to your body."

  Brighid sniffled, leaning back and looking into his eyes. She felt his heat transferring to her, and a gentle calm swirled through her veins. He was doing that, he was calming her soul, and it was clearing her mind. Even the thought of that disconnect sent a pang through her chest. Her hands were tightly gripped to his shirt, and she could feel his strong muscles tense in his chest.

  “Thank you. I…” She was at a loss for words. He had saved something even more precious than her body, he had saved her mind.

  He reached up and brushed the hair from her face, tilting her chin toward him. "It's okay. There's no need to explain. That's part of what I do as your mate."

  Just as quick as the calm had moved over her, Brighid could feel a need to replace it. The feeling of his hand against her cheek sent heat pulsing between her thighs. She tilted her head into his hand and closed her eyes for a moment. She could feel every small movement of his fingers against her skin. Before she could open her eyes again, Zevi's lips presse
d against hers. There was a spark between them, that heat that had flooded her a moment before was even stronger. It raced over her skin and into her core, setting ablaze her desire.

  She reached up with one hand and gripped his cheek, pulling him toward her. They kissed deeply, slowly, emotion rolling through them. With her lips pressed to his, she maneuvered her body, facing him and wrapping her legs around his torso. She pressed her chest against his and could feel his rigid cock between her thighs.

  Zevi's hand inched up her back, and she could hear the whisper of his voice in her head as he did when they were in their animal form. "Let go. I want you to come with me."

  Her entire body trembled at the sound, and her muscles began to relax into him. Their lips parted, and without a thought, she laid her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and falling into a deep meditation. It was almost instantaneous, and when she lifted her head again, she found her body still wrapped around his, only it was below her, her soul having jumped from her flesh and bones, now entangled and entwined in Zevi's.

  As the understanding cleared in her mind, her conscience created both of their bodies in soul form. She could feel him once again as they lifted higher and higher, breaking through the captive walls of the mansion and floating weightlessly toward the stars. She ran her hands over his muscles, pulling his shirt off, glancing over as it wistfully disappeared into the clouds.

  "I don't understand," she whispered as he removed hers as well.

  “We can feel the physical pleasures of the body, but this is a manifestation of our souls,” he replied, leaning forward and kissing the skin on her shoulder.

  Her eyes rolled back at his touch, and she unlatched her legs, reaching down to find that his body was fully naked. She knew if she was manifesting it, she no longer needed the ties that bound them. He reached back and grabbed her now naked body as well, and pulled her toward him. They flipped around as their souls raced above the lands, completely engrossed in each other. Brighid perched atop Zevi, gripping his cock in her hand as she slowly lowered, taking him in. He lifted his upper body up and suckled her breast as she twisted her hips against him.