Fire's Embrace [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 6] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) (31 page)

Sadly, nothing quite so perfect could last forever, and all too soon, Rachen felt his climax approaching. He knew Phoenix felt it, too, knew his mate was just as close to coming as Rachen himself was. He just needed that final thing to complete their union. When his mate tilted his head once again, Rachen no longer resisted. Thrusting one last time into his mate’s channel, he bit down on Phoenix’s neck.

An explosion of emotion and sensation swept over him as sweet and spicy blood flooded his mouth. Overwhelmed by a million different feelings, he came, filling his mate’s channel with his seed. For a while, he actually blacked out, forgoing the real world to one where only the two of them existed.

He could see the bright glow of Phoenix’s love so clearly now, combining with his own adoration for his mate and enveloping them both in a protective cocoon.
“Rachen, just stay with me,”
Phoenix whispered through their bond
. “Forever.”

“Forever,”
Rachen confirmed.

It was a promise he had every intention to keep. He didn’t know what had urged his mate to mention it in the first place, but it seemed like the natural progression of their lovemaking. Well, no. There was something else Rachen wanted to do, something that had been niggling him for quite a while now.

The moment he pulled out of his mate, he took a deep breath and blurted out, “Marry me.”

It wasn’t by rights the most well-organized or romantic proposal. They were both sweaty, dizzy, tired, and smelling of sex. A few seconds after he said the words, Rachen wished he’d prepared a little more. Phoenix would have likely appreciated it if the two of them had been somewhere in the wild, feeling the wind ruffling through their hair and the energy of the earth under their naked feet.

But Phoenix didn’t seem to care about all that. Releasing an enthusiastic cry, he wrapped his arms around Rachen’s neck. “Yes. Gods, yes.”

As he held Phoenix, Rachen smiled. Perhaps it had been the right choice after all. In the end, they were fire creatures. What better way to propose their union than to follow their passions and their impulses?

In that moment, Rachen truly felt happy and at peace. He knew their wedding wouldn’t be at once and they still had to solve the countless problems with the sprites and the avians, but he had faith that they could do it. Through the power of their love, they could do anything.

Rachen and Phoenix spent almost the entire night making love, exploring each other in every way they could. Morning arrived too soon, at least in Phoenix’s opinion. He didn’t want to leave the bed ever again. In fact, he’d have much preferred to stay in his lover’s arms forever and not bother with the rest of the world.

Sadly, Rachen was quite convinced that he needed to look into the avians’ plans himself. At a far too early hour, the dragon slipped out of the bed, leaving Phoenix alone under the sheets. Phoenix couldn’t help but sulk as he watched his lover get dressed and ready for the day. “Do you really have to go?” he asked, curling into the blanket to seek out the lingering traces of Rachen’s heat. “Lieutenant Zager is more than capable of handling everything.”

“Yes, he is,” Rachen answered, “but I’m the one with the most interest in your welfare. You’re everything to me, baby, and I won’t take any chances with your safety. Besides, I’m the one who met up with Ferradul Cyraltin. I should have paid more attention then. I know that now. I have a responsibility toward Ornoz, but most of all, toward you, to fix that.”

Phoenix didn’t think his mate had made any mistakes where he was concerned, but he knew better than to try to argue with Rachen. “Fair enough,” Phoenix replied absently. He couldn’t fully pay attention to the conversation, because he was distracted by the sight of his mate’s naked form. It was only when Rachen pulled on a pair of pants that he finally managed to focus long enough to provide a solution to the situation. “But, you know, I’m safest at your side. I can very well come with you.”

Rachen started to protest, obviously about to enter his protective mode. “Baby, I—”

Phoenix pushed off the blankets, exposing his naked body to Rachen’s gaze. “Come on, Rachen,” he whispered, interrupting his mate. “Come kiss me one more time, and then both we’ll go to meet with Lieutenant Zager.”

Both of them knew that if Rachen kissed him, they’d never stop there. Even so, Rachen walked to the bed, glancing at Phoenix as if hypnotized. Without a word, he crawled on top of Phoenix and pressed their mouths together.

Much later, Rachen rummaged through his wardrobe to find a uniform to replace the one that had been destroyed earlier. Phoenix felt pretty smug and happy with himself. Well, actually, he felt well fucked, even a little sore after all the sex. But it was a good sore, one which Phoenix could have easily healed if he’d wanted to. He had no intentions of doing so, because he liked it. This way, he could almost imagine that Rachen was still inside him, spearing him with that hot, thick dick. Oh, it had been so good, so perfect that…

“Would you stop thinking about that, please?” Rachen’s voice was pained and his eyes hot as he glanced at Phoenix. “How can I focus on anything else but needing you when your desires are bombarding me?”

Phoenix would have asked his mate what was even wrong with that, but he respected his lover’s wish to get involved in securing Draechenburg. And so, he pressed a kiss to his mate’s cheek and proceeded to get dressed, too.

A few minutes later, they left their quarters, walking hand in hand as they always did these days. They found Sage pretty quickly, in the barracks with Karein and James Connors. The benandanti must have decided that, as an unknown factor, the avians were dangerous enough to warrant some preparations from his part, too.

“Good morning, Rachen, Phoenix,” Karein greeted them. “It looks like our scouts have spotted signs of avians approaching Draechenburg. However, the intruders retreated when they realized their presence had been detected.”

Phoenix didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Their foes were unlikely to give up just like that. In fact, Phoenix was fairly certain that the avians would try again and again, until they had him under their control once more.

Oddly enough, the thought didn’t fill with dread any longer. He found that his good mood lingered, in spite of the memories that the mere mentioning of avians always brought to his mind. After the night before, he was convinced that he was stronger than them. No, he and Rachen were stronger.

“They’ll return,” he said, “but I think that when they do, we’ll be ready for them.”

“In the meantime, Your Highness,” James Connors said, “I’ve been thinking about this so-called weapon they could have against you. I imagine that, if it is powerful enough to be a danger for a being with your abilities, it might affect dragons or magical creatures, too.”

“Well, not necessarily,” Phoenix replied. “My nature is different than theirs, because I was originally a creature of pure energy. To be perfectly honest, I can’t imagine what they could have come up with.”

“Perhaps I could give you some idea,” James offered, “if you’d like to come with me to my lab.”

Phoenix exchanged a look with Rachen. He was reluctant to leave Rachen’s side, but he had to admit that James Connors had a point. As much as Phoenix trusted the defenses of Draechenburg, some additional information was always useful. The benandanti’s assistance could prevent anyone from being hurt unnecessarily.

“Very well,” he replied, “but I’m not sure what kind of help I can provide. Last time, it didn’t go over that well.”

“True, but we didn’t approach the issue correctly.” James smiled slightly. “After all, how could someone stick a syringe into energy? But I think I’ve come up with a noninvasive procedure that could give us a clue on the real nature of your physical form, and on what the avians might plan if they are aware of it.”

“Is this dangerous?” Rachen asked, sounding concerned. “I don’t like the idea of Phoenix undergoing any sort of…procedure.”

“Well, if you like, you can come along,” James answered. “It’s actually not dangerous at all. To tell you the truth, I’m not even sure it will work given your mate’s unique abilities. But you never know until you try.”

“You’re right, of course,” Phoenix answered. “I’m up for it if you think it would help.”

After all, he couldn’t imagine any medical examination hurting him in any way, and if it did, he would be able to tell. Rachen didn’t seem so convinced. “I want to see an example of how this process would work first.”

“Of course,” James said. “Like I said, we’d have to go to the lab.”

“Take your time,” Karein answered. “Any advantage that science can provide would be useful, but if you’re uncomfortable with Mr. Connors’s suggestion, you don’t have to do it.”

Phoenix nodded. “Thank you,” he said.

On impulse, he leaned forward and hugged Rachen’s twin. He didn’t think he’d ever told the older draechen how much he truly appreciated the honest affection Karein always showed Rachen. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”

At first, Karein was tense, having obviously not expected Phoenix’s gesture, but then, he relaxed and embraced Phoenix back. “My pleasure,” he replied, “but you don’t have to thank me. You’re family. Anyone would have done the same in my place.”

Their circumstances were far too complicated for Karein to say that and mean it, but Phoenix felt that Karein was truthful. He broke the hug and beamed. “Maybe, but I still appreciate it.”

Since he’d never told Lieutenant Zager how much he respected him, he decided to fix that, too. Turning toward Sage, he said, “And I’d like to thank you, too, for all the help and support you’ve given us. In spite of everything, you and your mate displayed trust in me, and that’s something I won’t ever forget.”

Sage looked surprised that Phoenix had addressed him, since they weren’t exactly that close. “We only want Prince Rachen to be happy, and you make him so. Therefore, if Camden and I can help, we’ll gladly do it.”

“And I appreciate it a lot,” Phoenix answered, “but I’d caution you on one thing. I suspect that one of these days, your mate will start becoming a little moodier. So you might want to be more mindful of his needs, rather than ours.”

He was careful not the mention the reasons for Camden’s potential moodiness, since they weren’t exactly in private. At the same time, he kept his tone teasing and friendly, hoping that he hadn’t offended Sage through his comment. It was sometimes very hard to read the ice dragon and interpret his response to a particular conversation, even for Phoenix, who had a natural affinity to the energy of most everyone. He half expected Sage to tell him to mind his own business. Instead, Sage paused, and for a few seconds, his gaze grew distant. Then, his face flushed, his normally cold demeanor fading as arousal filled the air. Obviously, Camden had told him something that stirred the desire in Sage’s dragon.

When he focused on Phoenix again, his voice was husky and low. “I think you’re quite correct in that assessment,” he replied, “and believe me, I have no intentions to neglect my mate. In fact, as soon as I’m done here, I plan to track him down and teach him exactly in what ways I won’t neglect him.”

Phoenix barely managed to suppress his laughter. It was obvious that the words weren’t addressed to him, but to Camden. He was pleased to see them so in love, mostly because he knew how precious a bond like that was. But it was time for him to go and deal with James Connors’s suggestion. “See you later, and thanks again.”

After saying their good-byes, Rachen, Phoenix, and James headed toward the benandanti’s lab. Phoenix was pretty curious about what Connors had discovered. He understood the way his body worked, but not at a scientific level, and couldn’t figure out what kind of research would give them the answers they didn’t have yet.

They reached the lab in no time. As they stepped inside, Phoenix noted that it was empty. He was a little surprised, because James’s family was almost always around. In fact, Phoenix couldn’t remember a moment when he’d come here and not found at least one of them present. James didn’t give him the time to inquire into their conspicuous absence. He gestured Phoenix to sit down on a nearby bed. “Just a moment. I need to get everything ready. I didn’t expect to get to you so easily.”

The benandanti’s words bothered Phoenix. There was just something in his phrasing that set his instincts on the edge. Immediately, he started to get up. “You know, I think I’ve changed my mind.”

“Too late,” another voice said behind them.

Phoenix turned just in time to see another man retrieve a gun and shoot Rachen in the back. Rachen fell, and instantly, Phoenix knew the bullet had been enchanted. However, Rachen claiming Phoenix every time they had sex had a more profound effect than just the mind-numbing orgasms the two of them always had. The dragon didn’t stay down. Gritting his teeth, he willed the bullet out of his body.

It was a painful process, one that Phoenix experienced, too, through his mind link with his mate. Anger swelled through him, hot and bright. His magic rushed out of him, and fire danced all over his skin, wild, nearly uncontrollable. “You’ll regret that.”

“I don’t think I will,” the man added.

The sound of another shot rang out through the room, but this time, the projectile hit Phoenix. Phoenix would have normally laughed at any attempt to stop him with this sort of weaponry. However, when the bullet struck him, he immediately found his powers draining away and collapsed on the floor. Suddenly, he felt like he was back in the box, helpless, with no control over what the avians did to him.