Transforming Snowridge (Stonefire Dragons Universe Book 2)

by Jessie Donovan

  In some corner of her mind, the rational portion, Delaney would acknowledge Rhydian knew how to best deal with his clan.

  However, something that had happened to her years ago, during her early professional boxing days, kicked that rational tidbit to the side. "I want to be an equal, Rhydian. I blindly followed a man once before, deferring to his experience, and it nearly cost me everything."

  The slight irritation from Rhydian's face vanished. "What happened?"

  Delaney paced, clenching and unclenching her fingers. Just remembering the bastard made her want to punch a wall, not caring if it'd break her hand.

  Calm down and tell him. Taking a deep breath, she continued pacing as she blurted, "I had a fucking manipulative bastard as my first boxing manager. And I vowed I'd never follow someone blindly again, thinking they alone could decide what was best for my future."

  Rhydian's voice was low and gentle as he asked, "What did he do?"

  Images flashed inside her mind, bringing up that bastard's face. Just remembering Martin's cocky expression and authoritative tone made her stop in her tracks, close her eyes, and try to calm the hell down.

  After a few seconds of rhythmic breathing, she opened her eyes and faced Rhydian again. She wasn't a coward. "Even though I was new to the professional circuit, I kept getting brilliant matches thrown my way. Names you've probably never heard of, but in my world at the time, were the heroes we all looked up to.

  "It all seemed too good to be true and, in the end, it was. A few months after all the brilliant match pairings began, my manager took me to a hotel, walked me to the door of a room, and told me I had to pay my debt and that the man we owed was inside waiting for me."

  She swore she heard Rhydian growl, but Delaney knew if she didn't keep going, she wouldn't get it all out without either screaming or bursting into tears. So she added, "I, of course, asked what the bloody hell he was talking about. Apparently the fucker had negotiated the best matches in exchange for me sleeping with the man responsible for setting them up. He never asked me, didn't think I had a place to object, and traded me like nothing more than a choice piece of meat."

  She heard the anger in Rhydian's voice when he asked, "What did you do?"

  "I wasn't going to whore myself out like that. However, I did walk into the room to tell the arsehole I wasn't going to sleep with him and that I would go to the papers in the morning if he so much as tried to block me from fighting ever again. Even though we both knew I'd be the one to suffer in the end, it was enough. Because there had been a scandal within the Irish Boxing Association not long before, and even a whiff of another scandal meant he'd be fired."

  Maybe she should've shared how terrified she'd been during the confrontation, but didn't think she could.

  So she continued, "From the next day, I had to start over from the bottom rungs, winning and advancing with my own skill. And eventually, I made it to the top again, all without any arsehole's brand of help."

  Delaney stopped pacing and stared at the ground. She hadn't told anyone about it all before, not even her sister since Rosaleen had run off with the dragon-shifter before Delaney had been ready to share her story.

  It had taken her a long time to trust anyone again. And even though she knew she'd won in the end, winning a championship without the promise of having to sleep with anyone to do it, it still affected how she acted.

  Torn between crying and wanting to be alone to sort out all her feelings, she didn't notice Rhydian take a step closer until his gentle voice reached her ears. "I'm sorry, Delaney. I had no idea. Tell me there's a way for me to prove I'm not like that bastard from your past."

  Rhydian's words helped, but she knew her experience would taint her relationship for a while yet.

  The best she could do was to suggest, "Talk to me, okay? I want to make decisions together because I never want to be in a relationship—professional or romantic—where someone decides my fate for me. I can't do that again. I know you're clan leader and if it comes to safety, I recognize that you know what's best in most cases. But even so, talk to me, convince me it's the best pathway. Can you do that?"

  She finally met his gaze again and waited to see what he said. Because Rhydian's answer would determine so much about her future, one she thought she'd known but could now change in an instant.

  ~~~

  Both the human and dragon halves of Rhydian wanted to find the fucking arsehole who'd hurt Delaney and teach him a thing or two about treating people with respect.

  While he may make decisions for others at times inside his clan, he'd never barter someone's body or soul so easily, let alone for his own personal gain.

  His dragon roared. He should die for hurting her. She's our mate and ours to protect.

  Those words reminded him of how difficult it would be to rein in their protective instincts.

  But for Delaney, he would try his hardest. She was worth it, and so much more.

  Then she asked him if he would talk with her about decisions. After a few beats, he answered, "I will always try. I wish I could say yes, I'll always consult you, but sometimes there are split-second decisions when danger is involved. If hunters invaded the clan, for example, I would do whatever it took to protect you. However, there wouldn't be time to discuss it. For everyday things, I will. But I can't promise for everything, Delaney. Can you accept that?"

  As she stared at him, Rhydian resisted the urge to pace. He had no idea why her answer meant so much to him. He'd known her a matter of days.

  And yet, it fucking mattered. He wanted her, but he also wanted to lead his people to a better future. Not just for him or for some sort of posterity. No, children such as Rian deserved a safe, stable existence.

  The only question was whether he could have both without making Delaney miserable.

  His beast hissed. We wouldn't make her miserable. She will be treasured, consulted, protected, and so much more.

  That's not enough in some cases, dragon.

  Delaney turned toward him, standing a little straighter. "What about for the mate announcement going forward? Will you consult me on that? As well as how we get the clan on our side?"

  He noticed she hadn't answered his question, but put it aside for the moment. Hope dangled in front of him, and he was going to try seizing it. "We can work together on that from here on out, I promise you. If you want a clan gathering, even after I lay out all the pros and cons, we'll do it. If you want to send a formal clan-wide email, we can do that, too. If you want to make me dance in front of the whole clan, holding you close to show how much I want you as my mate, I'll do it. But I can't promise I can do that sort of thing with everything that happens."

  The corner of her mouth ticked up, and relief washed over him. Maybe hope would soon turn into reality after all.

  She said, "I like the dancing idea. Beyond the fact I like dancing with you, I think it'll have a more lasting effect than someone merely reading words on a screen."

  He risked a step closer, but the smile didn't fade from Delaney's face. He nodded. "Then we'll dance. Five times if need be."

  "Maybe not that often. Although I know a thing or two about putting on a good show. Maybe we can work together and have a more informal gathering, with dancing and even some theatrics?"

  Rhydian had never tried acting or entertaining for any role outside of being clan leader, but if Delaney had some ideas, he’d try his best to put on the show she wanted.

  And while he wanted to keep talking about details with Delaney, maybe even make her laugh in the process, he couldn't ignore her lack of an answer to his question. Because her answer would determine everything. "And my truth about sometimes making decisions without you?"

  She tilted her head. "I can't say I like it, but compromises should happen both ways, and I can't expect for you to be the only one to concede. I do think talking more will help, especially as we learn more about each other and the respective worlds we come from."

  He put out a hand, palm up. "Then shall
we dance to seal our deal? Us both sharing more with each other, learning one another, to try to make this work?"

  His dragon murmured, I want to know her better in all ways.

  Delaney slipped her hand into his, her skin against his washing away the lingering doubt. She replied, "Teach me a few new dances, Rhydian. After all, we need to find the perfect one to show off to the clan."

  He slowly pulled her close, loving how she fit perfectly in his arms. "And once you have the hang of the steps, we can talk some more, too. Maybe we can each take turns asking a question? No limits, just honesty?"

  She smiled up at him. "I'd like that. Although I hope since I bared my soul a wee while ago, I get to ask the first one?"

  He pressed a little more against her waist. "Of course, love. Ask me anything."

  And so they danced and talked about small things, each of them trying to get to know the other without tearing up old wounds.

  Rhydian definitely owed her more of his past as well, but he'd wait for the right time. After all, one gut-wrenching story a day should be the limit. Besides, as Delaney smiled and teased him, allowing him to guide her through the dance, he was a tad selfish. This, right here, was what he wanted. A future with a brilliant, brave female who wouldn't be his subordinate, but his equal.

  He'd just have to work hard at making sure he could keep her and eventually claim her as he wanted.

  Chapter Nine

  The next morning, Delaney stared at the blank ceiling of her bedroom and couldn't help but smile. What had initially started as one of her worst fears—for a man to try and manage her like in the past—had ended up being one of the best nights of her life.

  And she hadn't even kissed Rhydian, let alone had sex with him yet.

  Still, her previous dating life had been spotty, infrequent, and had never been one-tenth as romantic.

  Maybe romantic movies weren't as completely bullshit as she'd always thought before. She'd just been around the wrong kind of men. For all she knew, all dragon-shifters were that way.

  A pounding noise emanated from outside her bedroom, probably from the front door.

  If something had truly been wrong with Rian, Rhydian would've shouted or made more noise. However, it was just a few barely audible thumps, which made it all the more strange.

  Frowning, Delaney got out of bed and walked to the door. By the time she reached it, the pounding had stopped.

  She muttered, "Who the hell would be knocking so early in the morning?"

  That's when she noticed the folded paper on the floor.

  Picking it up, she unfolded it and read: Check the outside of your door.

  The words made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. With no signature or any sign of who wrote it, Delaney knew she'd have to be cautious. Which meant she wasn't bloody opening the door until someone she mostly trusted arrived.

  Rushing back into the bedroom, she picked up her phone and dialed Rhydian. He picked up on the second ring. "Delaney? What is it?"

  She didn't waste time with any pleasantries. "Someone left a creepy note under my door. Can you come and make sure it's safe? I don't want to open it, in case there's a booby trap or something there."

  He growled. "I'll be right there. And don't open that door until you hear me say it's okay to do so."

  The line went silent and Delaney clicked off her phone. Looking back at the note lying on the table, she realized she'd made a mistake in picking it up. For all she knew, it could be covered in some sort of powdered substance to make her sick or even kill her.

  For the first time since arriving on Snowridge, Rhydian's words about how some dragon-shifters didn't like humans finally sunk in.

  The thought of being able to have a party, dance, and endear clan members to her side all seemed like a dream now. Even if it worked for most of the clan, there would still be those who wanted to harm her, no matter what Rhydian said or even if he mated her. After all, the timing of the threat so close after Rhydian announced taking her as his mate couldn’t be a coincidence.

  Maybe she'd be looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life if she stayed. Much like how her sister had done, until the day she’d died.

  Before her mind went down the road of what else could go wrong if she stayed, there was a knocking and Rhydian's voice came through the door, albeit a bit muffled. "Delaney, I'm coming in. Is that all right?"

  Relief flooded her body at his voice. Moving back toward the door, she undid the chain and unlocked it. "Come in."

  She retreated as the door opened. She noted the fury in Rhydian's eyes for a second before she looked at the door.

  Written in red paint were the words, Go home, human bitch.

  Rhydian’s low voice filled her ear, "Are you okay, Delaney?"

  Seeing his face again helped to ease her fear a fraction and help reason return to her brain. Taking a deep breath, she nodded and decided humor was her best coping mechanism at the moment. "I've received a few worse threats over the years. I just didn't expect one so soon. It must be some kind of record, aye?"

  Rhydian growled. "Whoever did this knew what they were doing. With you as my future mate, this is a challenge to me more than you."

  She studied his face a few seconds as he shut the door. His scars almost seemed starker against his skin. Combined with the fury in his gaze and his clenched jaw, he would intimidate quite a few people.

  However, Delaney remembered him teasing and dancing with her. The anger wasn't at her, and if she was to stay on Snowridge—and yes, she was going to stay, seeing Rhydian’s face again had banished her rash panic—she needed to calm him a little and maybe even find a way to help him.

  The years of Rhydian Griffiths handling the problems of his clan alone were over if she had anything to say about it. Together, they might be able to make the clan safe enough for her to never have doubts about staying on Snowridge again.

  Delaney gently placed a hand on his arm and lightly stroked his bicep with her thumb. As his muscles relaxed under her touch, she asked, "So what do we do about this?"

  He frowned. "This is my problem, not yours, love."

  "Why is it only your problem when it concerns me too?" He opened his mouth, but she continued before he could say anything. "Aye, you know the clan better. However, there are many ways people can help one another. Just talking about your ideas or frustrations with me could clear your mind of anger. That way, you can handle it more rationally than in your current state." She stroked his arm again. "After all, I was having doubts of being able to stay here until you arrived, reminding me that I don’t have to face these things alone. You don’t have to, either, Rhydian."

  Rhydian's pupils turned to slits for a few beats before growing round again. He replied, "My dragon seems to agree with you."

  She smiled. "You having two personalities in one body will come in handy for me winning arguments in the future."

  Rhydian's face didn't lighten at all, which worried her. Had he been hiding just how much some of his clan hated humans?

  He ran a hand through his short, dark hair. "I want to pretend this isn't a massive problem, but it is, Delaney. My plan to quietly weed out the clan and send most of the troublemakers to the outlying farms won't work now. Because I'm sure someone has seen this, or at the very least the culprit took pictures and is bragging to likeminded folk, encouraging others to help them drive you out for good. And in the process, maybe even take me down as well."

  She leaned a little closer. "Then change tactics. Plans are all well and good, but when it comes to life, you need to be able to pivot or adjust in a second. So now, rather than being upset about the road being hard, we need to accept it and find a way to conquer the fucking thing."

  The corner of his mouth ticked up. "You're too bloody marvelous, you know that?"

  She shrugged, ignoring how his words warmed her heart. "I had to learn that lesson or I never would've survived beyond my first boxing match. Because if I had only stuck to my predetermined plan, then
it meant someone punching me and maybe even breaking my nose. And call me vain, but the fewer times my nose is broken, the better."

  Rhydian finally smiled, turning his head to better display his scars and pointed to them. "I lost my vanity long ago." Before she could reply, he took her hand and squeezed it. "So I'm overly cautious and you're a bit vain. There. Neither one of us is perfect. However, together, maybe we can be a little bit more so." He gestured toward the door. "Tell me everything that happened up to you reading the note, and then I'll call a few of my top Protectors here. Together maybe we can devise a plan. And since you'll have to be a part of it, no matter how much I don't like you being the focus of anyone's hatred, you most definitely will have a say in the matter."

  Delaney had wondered if Rhydian's promise the night before, about including her when possible, had been genuine. But in this moment, he proved it would be.

  Which only made her want to fight harder for her right to stay on Snowridge.

  And so, as she explained every detail from her first knock to the letter, her split-second uncertainty about staying earlier was forgotten. Maybe alone she would've had problems, but with Rhydian at her side, they could face anything. She was almost certain of that now.

  ~~~

  Rhydian questioned Delaney about every little detail, but as soon as she voiced concern over the letter being covered in some sort of harmful substance, he rushed her to the surgery and had her tested for them. Even though Dr. Maelon Perry was expediting the test results as much as possible, it was still taking too bloody long.

  Especially since the doctor had placed Delaney into a temporary quarantine, away from him.

  And he didn't like it.

  The only positive thing was that Rian was still staying at his friend's house, completely unaware of the threat, and so Rhydian didn't have to worry the lad unnecessarily.

  Of course, it made him miss Delaney all the more. Somehow the female had become an integral part of his life, and it was emptier without knowing he could see her, touch her, dance with her whenever he wanted.