Dragon Mine

by Donna Grant

  “Things are complicated.”

  Shara shook her head. “No, they aren’t. We’re the ones who muddle things. Things can be as simple or as complicated as we want them to be. I hope you return soon.”

  With a wave, the Fae teleported away.

  Eurwen considered Shara’s words long after she was gone. There was truth to them. If she didn’t want a complicated situation, then she shouldn’t allow it to become so. She was in charge of her life. She could decide who she spent time with. It was no one’s decision but hers.

  She felt infinitely better when she stepped through the doorway. However, the minute she returned to her realm, she frowned. Something dark and sinister rushed through her upon entering. It had been only a flash, but she was sure she had felt it. Yet, now that she looked for it, she couldn’t sense anything.

  Eurwen looked around. Nothing seemed out of place. But she knew what she had felt.

  “Brandr,” she said, calling for her brother.

  The sound of dragons filled her ears. Eurwen sighed, not realizing until that moment how much she had missed their roars. Earth wasn’t silent, but its noises were the human kind. The more time passed without Brandr answering, the more concerned Eurwen got.

  “Brandr,” she said through their mental link.

  “Finally back?”

  There was no denying his irritation. “I just came through the doorway. I felt something…off.”

  “I’m aware of it.”

  That made her frown. “For how long?”

  “A wee bit.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I assumed you felt it, as well.”

  She breathed out her anger, trying to stay calm. “Why didn’t you talk to me about it?”

  “Maybe the same reason you didna tell me about Vaughn. Or about going to Dreagan.”

  “You’re cross with me.”

  “What I am, Eurwen, is doing my duty. Something you might want to remember.”

  He severed the link before she could reply. Eurwen was just furious enough to immediately reopen it, but it wouldn’t serve either of them. This wasn’t the first tiff she and Brandr had had, and it wouldn’t be the last. They knew when not to push each other. This time, she relented to give him time to calm down.

  Hopefully, he would.

  Eurwen started to teleport to her cottage before she remembered V and Claire. She didn’t want to disturb the couple. She didn’t know if the bairn had come yet, but it was better to let them be for the moment.

  She didn’t want to go to Brandr’s, either. Eurwen sighed and began walking in an effort to burn off some anxiety. When that didn’t help, she shifted and took to the skies. As she flew among the other dragons, she wanted to tell them how lucky they were. She couldn’t stop thinking of the sleeping Silvers at Dreagan, or the Kings themselves, who couldn’t be in their true forms until night had fallen.

  Of all the things she had expected to learn from her parents and the others at Dreagan, it wasn’t how to empathize with the Kings and the decisions they had made. For all she knew, she would’ve made the same ones had she been in their shoes.

  As she flew, she searched for Vaughn. The longer she went without seeing him, the more worried she became that he had left. Her stomach clutched painfully. It was a hollow ache, one born of angst and worry. The more those emotions grew, the more her stomach churned nauseously.

  Finally, she saw the loch where she and Vaughn had spoken. Eurwen landed and returned to human form to sit on the rocky bank and watch the water lazily lap at the beach. The sun glittered like diamonds on the water while a soft breeze teased her hair.

  The beat of wings drew her gaze skyward. The instant she caught sight of teal scales, her heart skipped a beat. This was the first time she was getting to see Vaughn’s dragon form. She jumped to her feet as Vaughn circled her. She took in the sight of him, noting how his scales darkened on his back where a semi-transparent membrane crest ran down his spine.

  He landed softly, belying his huge form. Deep-set yellow eyes stared at her. Bony knobs surrounded his mouth where his lips covered his large teeth. His wings tucked against his side and his tail, with its axe–like extension, curled around him.

  There was no denying the pleasure she felt at seeing him in his true form. His nearness immediately brightened her mood. A strong woman would look deeper at those emotions. But Eurwen didn’t want to think about any of that right now.

  Suddenly, he shifted into human form. Her gaze raked his naked body. She paused to look at his tat again. A shiver ran through her as she recalled how his fingers had softly caressed her spine down her dragon tattoo.

  Despite everything she had said to Ulrik and Eilish—and even herself—all she wanted was to kiss Vaughn. To feel his arms wrapping around her. To be near him.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The breath locked in Vaughn’s chest. He had spent hours scouring the realm for Eurwen. With every second he couldn’t find her, he feared that he would spend the rest of eternity searching for her, only to have her remain just out of reach.

  Vaughn hadn’t hesitated to go to her the instant he saw her by the loch. A myriad of emotions swirled chaotically through him. The entire time he’d searched, he’d made a mental list of all the things he planned to say to her once he found her. But it all vanished the instant he spotted her. He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved to find her or angry that she had ignored him calling for her.

  Their attraction was strong. And deep. If that was the only way he could get through to her, then that’s what he would use. It was why when he took human form, he purposefully remained naked.

  The way her eyes roamed seductively over his body let him know that she felt their connection. She might attempt to ignore her heart, but her body was another matter entirely. Vaughn’s future was on the line. He wasn’t afraid of death. But to have finally found his mate and lose her? There was nothing he wouldn’t try to convince Eurwen that she was his, and he was hers.

  He had never been at a loss for words before. Yet, as he stood before his mate, he wracked his mind for the perfect thing to say. The problem was, he was still getting to know Eurwen. He knew she was fiercely independent, devoted to her realm, and strong-minded. All traits that made him fall for her even more.

  Vaughn usually knew everything about those he faced off against in legal matters. Eurwen kept him spinning, not knowing which way was up. She had shaken up his entire world. And he liked it. It had gotten him out of a rut he hadn’t even realized he was in.

  He swallowed and parted his lips, hoping the right words would come. Before he got the chance, Eurwen was before him, her lips on his as her arms wrapped around his neck. With his next breath, he enfolded her in his arms and poured all of his longing and love into the kiss.

  With her sweet body pressed against his, desire tuned everything else out. Vaughn no longer cared about where she had been, what might be keeping her from wanting a relationship with him, or any other outside factors. All he cared about, all he wanted, was the woman in his arms.

  Eurwen slowly ended the kiss. Her silver eyes opened and met his. “I wasn’t sure you would want to talk to me after what happened at Dreagan.”

  “I followed you here. That should tell you everything.”

  She ducked her head, then looked up at him as her lips twisted. “I arrived a short time ago. When Ulrik sent you here, I was still on your world with Eilish. She took me to an island so we could talk.”

  “To get away from me?” he asked, praying that wasn’t the case.

  “I’ve never had a friend, not like that. Eilish offered to do something, just the two of us, and I accepted.”

  Vaughn smiled. “And?”

  “I had fun,” Eurwen replied with a grin. “I swam in the most beautiful water in Thailand, and we talked for hours.”

  “Eilish is great. All the mates at Dreagan are. You should get to know each of them individually.”

  Her eyes widened with intere
st. “You think that would be all right?”

  “Aye,” he said, seeing for the first time how starved she was for interaction.

  As if sensing his thoughts, she said, “I have dragon friends.”

  “That isna the same as having human or Fae friends. Dragons who can no’ shift doona understand the difference. They know their world, and there isna anything wrong with that. The humans and Fae know their world and have no clue about being a dragon.”

  “How have all of you done it? You’ve lived in two worlds, just as Brandr and I have.”

  Vaughn called his clothes to him and took her hand to lead her to a tree with a massive, gnarled trunk and limbs spread wide. Once they were seated against the tree, he turned his head to her. “We must repress our true selves. We hide on Earth. But you already knew that.”

  “Erith spoke of the sacrifices made to keep your identities secret. I’m sad to admit I didn’t realize the extent of it until I visited Dreagan. At least I can be whoever I want to be here.”

  “You’re fortunate.”

  Her brows drew together. “All of you have survived untold millennia, pretending to be human. You’ve saved Earth numerous times. You’ve kept the mortals safe from the Dark Fae and the Others. You’re heroes.”

  “We’re merely protecting our home,” he explained. “As for the humans, that goes back to the vow we made when they arrived. If we didna kill them so our dragons could remain, we certainly wouldna allow someone else to wipe them out.”

  “It would’ve solved one of your problems. At least, you could’ve been a dragon again.”

  He smiled as he blew out a breath. “Aye, it would have. The thing is, we’re always dragons, first and foremost. We remain in human form out of necessity. It’s why so many take to their mountains when things get to be too much. They return to their true forms and shut out everything.”

  “Erith tried to tell me and Brandr how much everyone at Dreagan suffered.”

  “You didna believe?”

  Eurwen slowly shook her head. “I knew she and Con were friends. She spoke highly of him and Rhi. Brandr and I thought her involvement with them colored her views. When we argued with her, she kept telling us that we’d see our parents for who they really were someday.”

  “Have you?”

  “I’m beginning to,” Eurwen admitted. “I’m ashamed that it has taken me this long.”

  Vaughn twined his fingers with hers. “Look at the path Con and Rhi walked together and then separate before they found each other again. All of us knew they belonged together. They wanted to be together, but the universe has a way of doing things that none of us can even begin to understand.”

  “All these years, I’ve only known half the story. Going to Dreagan was fitting the final piece of the puzzle.”

  “There’s one more place you should go.”

  She cocked her head to the side. “Where?”

  “The Light Castle. Even the Dark Palace.”

  “Why?” she asked with a frown.

  Vaughn chuckled. “That is your heritage, too. You need to learn all of it.”

  “I’m sorry I was partly responsible for keeping you and the other Kings from this realm and the dragons.”

  He looked into her silver depths, seeing the regret and sorrow there. “You rectified that by opening the doorway.”

  “I’m not sure how long Brandr will allow it to remain open.”

  Vaughn shrugged one shoulder. “Since he is responsible for Claire and V’s bairn being born alive, maybe there’s hope.”

  She blinked. “What?”

  “Rhi told me as soon as I arrived. Claire was in labor for hours. V tried to use his magic. Con tried to use his. Even Rhi attempted to help. All it did was cause Claire more pain.”

  “What did Brandr do?”

  “We’d all like to know.”

  Eurwen’s lips parted. “Does that mean there’s hope for the other Kings’ mates to have children?”

  “I doona have that answer, but I know that everyone at Dreagan will be asking the question.”

  “We should have something to tell them when they ask.”

  Vaughn couldn’t hold back his smile when he said, “We?”

  Eurwen dropped her gaze to the ground for a heartbeat. “A slip of the tongue.”

  “Perhaps. Or maybe you want to be a part of it.”

  Her expression grew serious. “I know what you want of me, but I don’t know what answer to give you.”

  Hope burst within Vaughn. “I’ll accept that for now.”

  “You make it sound like you aren’t giving up.”

  “I’m no’. Ever. Until you refuse me completely, I’ll do everything I can to win your love.”

  “There’s still the problem of our locations.”

  Vaughn blew out a breath as he looked at the loch. If that were the only thing holding her back, then he would find a way. “There is always a solution to any problem. We just have to find it.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Vaughn surprised Eurwen once more. He was patient, kind, and understanding. He hadn’t pushed her, despite what he wanted. He accepted what she could give him right now. It was enough for her to figure things out. Though she knew what little she had given would only last for so long before he would likely force her to make a decision.

  And that’s what she didn’t want. She didn’t want to have to choose between her brother, the dragons, Zora, and…the other.

  Ugh. She couldn’t even say it. Why? What held her back?

  You know why.

  Her subconscious knew just where to hit to land the best punch. Eurwen might not want to admit it, but she was afraid. Terrified, actually. The only one who really knew her was Brandr, and he had to like her. They were twins. They were all each other had had for so long. No matter how many times Eurwen visited Earth and saw others interacting, she couldn’t imagine herself in one of their places.

  All she knew how to be was the person she was here.

  Suddenly, a loud roar split the air, interrupting her thoughts. Both she and Vaughn jumped to their feet. Without a doubt, the sound was a dragon in agony. She didn’t say anything to Vaughn, just started running, shifting mid-step before taking to the sky. She was surprised when she looked over and saw the teal dragon next to her.

  “That sounded some distance away,” Vaughn’s voice said in her head.

  She nodded as she called Brandr’s name through their mental link. When he didn’t answer, she flew faster in the direction of the roar. She began to worry that it was Brandr who was hurt.

  A peripheral glimpse of gold caught her attention. Eurwen glanced to her other side to see her father coming up alongside her. Vaughn was a big dragon, but Constantine was even larger.

  He nodded, and she returned the gesture before saying to both Vaughn and Con, “Something didn’t feel right when I came through the doorway today. It only lasted a second, but that’s all it took for me to sense it.”

  “I’ve no’ felt anything,” Con said. “Then again, I’m still learning this realm.”

  Vaughn’s eyes briefly met hers. “I was too busy looking for you to sense anything, but there are a lot of new sensations here. Like Con said, I’m still learning, too.”

  Eurwen had hoped one of them might have felt something as she had. A knot of worry began in her gut. “Brandr felt it. Apparently, it’s something he’s experienced before.”

  “He didna tell you?” Con asked, concern clouding his voice.

  Eurwen shook her head.

  They flew for several more minutes before the mountains gave way to rolling grassland. Eurwen saw the dragons circling overhead and recognized two as Brandr’s generals. She shared the information with Constantine and Vaughn.

  “Don’t interfere,” she warned them.

  As they drew closer, the two dropped back, allowing her to approach the dragons first. When she saw the dragon general, Nundro, lying unmoving on the ground with Brandr beside him, the band around Eu
rwen’s chest lessened. At least, her brother wasn’t hurt.

  The dragons circling moved away as she approached. She tucked her wings and dove from the sky, only to spread them once again to stop her descent and land softly upon the ground before shifting to her human form and rushing to her brother.

  “What happened?” she demanded.

  Brandr didn’t even look her way. When she reached his side, she saw the massive wound that split open Nundro’s yellow scales on his side. Her brother tried to stanch the blood.

  “Brandr,” she urged.

  He glanced at her. In that second, she saw his fury, resentment, and apprehension. “I doona know.”

  She gathered magic in her hands and joined it with his, but it didn’t seem to do any good. Nundro moaned in pain, his breathing growing shallow.

  “Let me help. Please,” Con said from behind them.

  Eurwen looked over her shoulder to Con then at Brandr. She could tell her brother wanted to refuse. “This isn’t about us. This is about a dragon. Con can save him.”

  “I wish for nothing in return,” Con said before Brandr could allude to such a thing.

  Finally, Brandr’s lips flattened as he removed his hands and stepped away. “Fine.”

  Eurwen looked around for Vaughn and saw him circling with the other dragons overhead. That’s when she realized that they weren’t just there for protection. They were searching for whoever had done this. She glanced about. There were no hiding places in the open fields, and they were far from the border with the humans. So, what could it have been?

  When Con lifted his hand, she focused on him. Erith had told her all about Con’s magic. Every dragon was born with individual magic, specific to them. Con could heal anything but death. Since Eurwen had never seen him use his power before, she wasn’t about to miss it now.

  Con didn’t make a great show of it. He simply put his hand over the wound and concentrated. Eurwen’s gaze slid to Nundro’s gaping injury and saw it slowly mending itself until it was gone entirely. Constantine then lowered his hand and took a step back. Nundro lifted his head and looked directly at Con with his purple eyes. Their words were private, but Eurwen knew the general was thanking her father.