Dragon Mine

by Donna Grant

  Vaughn frowned. “Why would it be anything else?”

  “Need I remind you that Varek was taken from our world to Zora?”

  “That worked out.”

  Con snorted. “Barely. The fact of the matter is that someone on that realm can reach through and take one of us.”

  “They’ve never done it before.”

  “That we know of.”

  Vaughn squared his shoulders. “I know the risks. So do you and Rhi. It isna stopping either of you, and it willna stop me.”

  “The woman you seek might no’ be on Zora.”

  “She might no’. I doona even know if she’s the reason I feel the overwhelming need to go. Right now, it doesna matter why.”

  Con reached for his whisky and tossed it back. “Who knows when we’ll get a taste of our whisky again? Come. Zora awaits us.”

  Vaughn walked out with Con, a smile on his face. Whatever happened, whatever awaited him, this was his path.

  His destiny.

  Chapter Two

  Zora

  * * *

  Eurwen gasped as she sat up in bed, sweat covering her. Her breaths were ragged and loud to her ears. And her body pulsed with an unquenchable hunger.

  She drew in a shaky breath as she held the sheet against her bare chest. With her lips parted, she stared at the wall across from her bed, but her mind drifted back to the dream. The beautiful, erotic reverie.

  And Vaughn.

  Just thinking about him made her skin flush with need. It didn’t matter how much time had passed, or how many worlds away they were, she couldn’t forget him. And she had tried. So many times.

  Just when she thought she might be able to, he found her in her dreams. She knew it was him because she didn’t have that power. She could block him, but her heart wouldn’t let her. Neither would her body.

  Eurwen lay down to stare at the ceiling, even as her eyes filled with tears. Soul-deep loneliness kept her reaching out to Vaughn time and again. It would be easy for her to return to Earth and seek him out, but she hadn’t. Partly because of her twin, Brandr, but also because she feared the intense feelings Vaughn stirred within her.

  A violent pounding sounded on the door, jerking her gaze to it. Then her brother shouted her name.

  “I’ll be out in a moment,” she called.

  Thankfully, he walked away without saying more. There were many wonderful things about having a twin. However, others caused strife—especially when one twin tried to hide something from the other.

  She and Brandr had ventured to Earth numerous times. Sometimes, it was to spy on their parents. Other times, it was to learn about the inhabitants of the realm. Eurwen kept the times she’d gone alone to herself. While she assumed that Brandr had likely done the same, she never brought it up in case he hadn’t gone alone.

  Her brother had very strong feelings about their parents. She had felt the same for a long time. Eurwen wasn’t sure when things began to change for her, but once they had, she hadn’t been able to turn them around. And she didn’t want to.

  What happened between their parents was between them and shouldn’t involve her or Brandr. Especially since so much had been out of everyone’s control. Erith had explained that to both of them dozens of times. The goddess and leader of a group of Fae called the Reapers had raised them. Erith, also known as Death, had done her best to convince Eurwen and Brandr to get to know Constantine and Rhi. At the time, Eurwen had been just as adamant as her brother about refusing to let Con or Rhi know of their existence.

  That secret had weighed heavily on Erith. The goddess could have ignored them and told Con and Rhi anyway, but she had respected their wishes. Though Eurwen knew that it was mostly because Erith had a difficult time accepting her role in things.

  Eurwen drew in a deep breath and released it before sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She rose and snapped her fingers, using magic to right the covers. She walked naked to her wardrobe and opened the doors to stare at the garments within.

  Things on Zora were vastly different than on Earth. When she had secretly followed her mother on a shopping spree during one venture, Eurwen had picked up several items herself. She didn’t particularly like shopping alone, though. It had been hard not to call out to Rhi and meet her mother for the first time.

  It made her think of the doorway she had created for her parents—and any Dragon King who wanted to come through. A few days had passed since she’d opened the portal between their worlds. Eurwen had expected her parents to have already come through, and she was a little disappointed in their hesitation.

  Then again, she and Brandr had kept them out for a long time. Maybe this was their way of getting back at her and her brother.

  “No,” she said aloud. “They aren’t like that.”

  Eurwen carefully chose her outfit for the day as she had for the past few. She wanted to look her best when her parents arrived. She wasn’t sure what she’d say to them. Or even how to talk. She and Brandr had known of them for eons, while Con and Rhi had only recently discovered their existence.

  Once dressed, Eurwen walked out of her dwelling atop the mountain and breathed in the warm morning air. The sky was clear around Cairnkeep. In the distance, she saw a group of dragons flying. Birdsong mingled with dragons’ roars. It was a sound that always gave her peace.

  Zora was a realm full of breathtaking scenery and beauty unmatched in the universe. And Cairnkeep was an area that she and Brandr had created for themselves. It was perfect. Dragons were always near. It was similar to Dreagan, though different in one key element. But it was her home, and she loved it dearly.

  While Zora offered a safe place for dragons, a species of humans had unfortunately come once again. Eurwen didn’t want to think what could’ve happened had she and Brandr not already been here.

  She had seen firsthand what the mortals of Earth had done to that realm and the dragons there. Neither she nor Brandr would allow that to happen on Zora. It was why the realm was divided. The humans had their space, and she and Brandr had been generous in allotting them territory.

  “I can no’ believe you’ve jeopardized our peace.”

  She briefly closed her eyes at the sound of her brother’s angry voice behind her. Eurwen didn’t turn to him as she said, “I want to know Con and Rhi.”

  “Then visit them on Earth,” Brandr stated.

  “You do understand that everything that happened to us isn’t their fault?”

  He snorted in derision. “I beg to differ. I can pinpoint exactly where it all went wrong.”

  Eurwen blew out a breath. “You can’t blame Con for everything.”

  “I bloody well can.”

  “You’re acting like a petulant child.”

  Brandr moved to stand beside her. “I remember a time when you felt as I did.”

  “I matured.”

  He turned his head to her. “Something changed you.”

  “Change is constant. We all change every day.” She looked at him, their gazes clashing. He had the same black eyes as their father and the same midnight hair as Rhi. Brandr wore his straight hair to his shoulders and pulled back in a queue. The smile that had always come so easily to him was gone. “For instance, you’ve become more bitter.”

  “Because my sister no longer thinks as I do.”

  “We’re twins, Brandr. That doesn’t mean we share a brain.”

  He narrowed his black eyes at her. “You never used to keep secrets from me.”

  “Everyone keeps secrets of some kind.”

  “Inviting Con and Rhi to Zora is a mistake, Eurwen. Mark my words,” he replied and turned on his heel to walk away.

  She looked down into the valley below, where the doorway she’d created stood. There was still no sign of her parents. Eurwen heard the beat of wings and looked up to see a flock of yellow dragons pass overhead. They roared in response to seeing her. She smiled and waved, but the grin dimmed when she thought about the Dragon Kings on Earth, havi
ng to live without their dragons. She couldn’t imagine a day without them, much less eons of time.

  As much as she’d like to discount her brother’s words, she knew he had a point. If the Dragon Kings came to Zora, it could disrupt everything. They were Kings for a reason. The magic had chosen them as the strongest of their clan to lead. That wasn’t how things worked on Zora, and the Kings might try to take advantage of that.

  She and Brandr were powerful, but could they stand against all the Kings? The answer was no, and she was sure that’s what Brandr worried about. To him, the Kings had lost their right to rule the dragons when they sent them away.

  It was a discussion she and Brandr had had numerous times. While it was a real possibility that inviting Con and Rhi could result in a war, Eurwen didn’t have a choice. Just as she and Brandr hadn’t had an option for coming to Zora to lead the dragons, she’d had to form the doorway to Dreagan.

  If that meant the end of her idyllic life, then so be it. Change was inevitable. Nothing stayed the same, and to try and force it put everything out of balance. Whatever force pushed her, she would listen. Come what may.

  She walked to the edge of the cliff and stepped off, shifting into her dragon form and opening her wings to glide upon the wind.

  Chapter Three

  Impatience burned hotly within Vaughn as he stood in the Dragonwood with Con. Only Fae could see the doorways they created. Vaughn had no idea where the door was, but Con had pointed to some rocks that Rhi had apparently marked.

  “I doona know what’s taking Rhi so long,” Con stated, annoyance deepening his voice.

  Vaughn didn’t answer. His gaze was on the place where the doorway stood. He couldn’t wait to walk through it. He wanted to go through it immediately, instead of waiting for Rhi.

  “Is it my daughter?”

  Vaughn’s head jerked to Con as he frowned. “What?”

  “The woman you search for. You saw her when Erith opened the small window between the realms.”

  “I got a glimpse of the twins. I didna see either’s face. To answer your question, I’m no’ sure.”

  Con nodded, his black gaze dropping to the ground for a moment. “Did the woman tell you her name?”

  “We didna talk that night.”

  “But she knew yours?”

  Vaughn shook his head. “No. At least, I didna tell her. As I said, we didna say much. At least, with words.”

  But he’d heard her say his name in his dream. Was it because he’d wanted to hear it? Or had she known it? The questions were eating him alive.

  “What?” Con pressed.

  Vaughn swallowed and shrugged. “It might be nothing.”

  “It’s always something. What is it?”

  “In my dreams, she says my name.”

  It was Con’s turn to frown. “How often do you dream of her?”

  “Frequently.”

  “Does she always say your name?”

  “No.”

  “Do you see her face?”

  Vaughn shook his head once more. “I try, but I’m unable to see her clearly. I feel her. I hear her, but that’s all.”

  “You’re the one with the power of dream manipulation. Are you using it?”

  “I have to be near a person to use that gift.”

  Con quirked a blond brow. “Could it be just a dream?”

  “It feels too real for that.”

  “I’m no’ liking the sound of this. After someone on Zora took and imprisoned Varek, I’m no’ sure you should go with us.”

  Vaughn crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance. “You’re my King, and I’ve always obeyed you. But I willna on this. I’m going.”

  “Bloody hell,” Con said as he ran a hand through his wavy blond hair. “We doona know what to expect when we get to Zora. No’ with the twins, no’ with the dragons, and certainly no’ with the humans who live there.”

  “Varek came out fine in the end.”

  Con cut him a dark look. “Barely.”

  “We’ve lived for so many lifetimes. Both with our dragons and without. Varek will be there, as will the twins. If the humans try anything, we’ll be ready.”

  “Rhi!” Con called, irritation tingeing his voice.

  Vaughn waited for her to appear. A Fae always heard their name called, no matter where they were on a realm. Several minutes ticked by as Con paced, his agitation growing with each heartbeat. It was all Vaughn could do not to pace alongside him.

  “Sorry,” Rhi said in her Irish accent as she appeared beside Con.

  Vaughn turned to Constantine’s mate. Rhi’s black hair and silver eyes identified her as a Light Fae. She wore her long tresses down with the sides pulled away from her face and gathered at the back of her head.

  “What took you so long?” Con asked. “I thought you were ready half an hour ago.”

  She shrugged and glanced at Vaughn. “I didn’t like what I was wearing.”

  Vaughn hid his smile. If Rhi knew one thing, it was fashion. The fact that she’d had a difficult time deciding on something to wear spoke of how deeply her anxiety ran at finally meeting her children. She typically wore all black, occasionally adding gold to match Con’s dragon color. Today, Rhi wore a pale gold silk button-down blouse tucked into black leather pants, paired with her customary favorite shoe—Christian Louboutin—in a black mesh peep-toe bootie with snakeskin accents.

  “My love,” Con said in a soft voice as he ran his palms down her arms to take her hands in his. “You look beautiful, no matter what you wear.”

  She smiled softly. “We’re meeting our children. I want to make a good impression.”

  “You will,” he assured her.

  Vaughn felt like an intruder as the two shared an intimate moment where they whispered words to each other. He turned his back on them, his mind returning to his dream. The sound of the woman’s voice had been husky, seductive. He wished he knew if he had concocted her in his mind or not. She felt like the woman he’d spent that one amazing night with so long ago.

  Their moment together had become branded in his mind and soul. Nothing, not even time, could make him forget her. He had to find her. Somehow. Some way. Whether she was a magical being and immortal as he was, or reincarnated. Until he held her in his arms again, he wouldn’t stop looking.

  Someone touched his arm, startling him. Vaughn swiveled his head to the side to see Rhi standing between him and Con. Rhi might be Fae royalty, but she was also his queen. She took her position as Con’s mate seriously. Her love for the Dragon Kings and all those associated with them was beyond reproach. She had proven it time and again.

  “Are we ready?” she asked, looking from Vaughn to Constantine.

  Con winked at her before meeting Vaughn’s gaze. They nodded at each other, then faced forward.

  Rhi linked her arm with Con’s and took a deep breath. “I’ve been waiting for this day. Let it be everything we hope it is,” she whispered softly.

  Vaughn held back as the couple walked through the doorway together. He watched as they disappeared from the realm. With one last look around at the Dragonwood, he followed. The moment he stepped across the threshold, he found himself in the other realm. The beauty was indescribable.

  Trees reached high into the vivid blue of the sky. There were tall mountain peaks tipped with snow, deep valleys awash in vibrant greens, and flowers running the gambit of colors. Then he heard them.

  Dragons.

  His knees went weak to once again hear their many roars. Vaughn closed his eyes as emotions crashed into him like a tsunami, pummeling him one after another. For untold years, he’d only heard the roars of the other Dragon Kings—and only when there was a thunderstorm, so it hid the sound from humans. He’d forgotten the different dragons’ calls. Some long and loud, others short and soft, and in every octave imaginable.

  The Kings had long feared that their dragons had perished. Despite that, they held onto hope that the dragons were alive. To finally find the realm and
hear them was a dream come true.

  He opened his eyes and turned in a circle as he searched the sky. It didn’t take him long to find a group of dragons flying nearby. More lay sunning in a valley. He saw Reds, Whites, Blacks, Golds, Silvers, Hunter Greens, and Yellows. There were Jades, Bronzes, Clarets, Ambers, Greys, Browns, and Ivories and even some mixed colors. When he saw his Teals, he dropped to his knees, emotion tightening his throat. His eyes watered as he watched a group of adolescents playing on the side of a mountain, taking turns seeing who could push the others off. It was the most beautiful sight that Vaughn had ever witnessed.

  A hand clamped down on his shoulder. He knew it was Con without looking. Vaughn wasn’t sure he ever wanted to leave this realm. Regardless of whatever negative things it held, the dragons were here. A Dragon King needed his dragons to fulfill his duties. Every King at Dreagan had suffered without their clan.

  Vaughn finally looked up at Con. The King of Dragon Kings was just as moved at the sight of the dragons. They smiled through their tears, each understanding the Kings on Earth should witness the spectacular sight on Zora.

  “Con,” Rhi called.

  Vaughn looked at Rhi to find her gaze directed up the slope of the mountain. He jumped to his feet at the same time Con turned and walked to his mate. Vaughn spotted the woman observing them. His stomach dropped to his feet as shock rippled through him.

  He knew her.

  He could barely draw breath as he stared at the woman he’d been searching eons for. The breeze teased the ends of her long, golden locks that hung to her waist. She stood tall, her bearing regal. Her gaze never wavered as she looked upon Con and Rhi. She was dressed in all white. Her sleeveless top molded to her breasts, stopping a few inches below, displaying the tight muscles of her stomach. The hem of her skirt brushed the grass, hiding her feet as the breeze moved the thin material, molding it to her legs.