For the Love of Her Dragon (20 page)

Royce
had barely gotten one foot in the door before Sydney flew at him from her seat
at the table. He picked her up and swung her around, mesmerized by her
laughter, and thought what a miracle it would be to play with his own children
one day very soon. Sydney’s hand on his face brought him back to reality. “
Whatcha
smilin
’ about, Royce?”

“Just
thinking what a cutie you are and how lucky I am that you’re my girlfriend.”

Sydney
giggled, “I’m not your girlfriend, silly old dragon,
Kyra
is. And she’s
gonna
be your wife soon, but first you
gotta
help her.”

“Oh
you think so, do you?” Royce said while he put Sydney in her seat next to the
window and spoke to Sam through the mind speak of their clan,
“How does she know
anything about Kyra and I, and what is she talking about ‘me helping her’?”

“We
might as well talk out loud. She can tell when we are talking like this and is
almost to the point that she can listen in
,” Sam answered while
bringing hamburgers, fries, and fresh cut vegetables to the table.

“Sydney,
honey, Royce wants to know how you know about him and Kyra.”

Royce
sat down next to the sweet girl and helped her get her food while she
explained, “Sometimes when I’m just playing or reading or goofing around, I get
pictures in my head. Mom and Dad said it’s cause I’m special,” she crinkled her
nose and Royce could not resist the urge to give her a little peck right over
that crinkle, and was rewarded with another of her sweet giggles.

“Well,
they’re right, Sydney girl. You are about the most special girl I’ve ever
known.”

Sydney
rolled her eyes, “You really are a silly old dragon.” She got up on her knees
and held his face between her hands, “But I love you any way.” And she kissed
him on the tip of his nose.

His
eyes watered and he noticed Sydney’s show of affection was having the same
effect on her mom. He choked back his emotions, helped the little darling sit
back down and asked, “So tell me what you saw about Kyra and me?”

“Well…you
guys were walking and talking and holding hands. Then,” Sydney scrunched her
face and put her napkin over her face before whispering, “You guys were
kissing…yuck.”

Sam
and Royce laughed and that was when Lance walked in, “Now, that’s not fair.
Y’all are having a party without me.”

Sydney
jumped off her chair and ran towards him screaming, “Hey, Daddy!”

Lance
grabbed his daughter and kissed her on both cheeks while she giggled on and on.
When the laughter died down and everyone was once again seated at the table,
Lance asked, “So what was so funny?”

Sydney
was the first to answer, “I was telling Royce about Kyra and him and I told him
I saw them kissing.” She shook her head and added, “
Ewwwww
…just
like you and Mommy kiss sometimes.”

Everyone
laughed and finished filling their plates. Lunch conversation was kept light,
but as soon as the dishes had been cleared away, Sydney headed out to play on
the swings and Royce asked, “I guess her abilities are getting stronger, huh?”

“They
damn sure are, but at least for the moment they are limited to people she knows
or people she has met. Siobhan found an old Prophecy that talks about
the
vibria
born of human parents and the last female born of
two dragons lost in plain sight
. She’s sure
Syd
is the first and has an idea that Emma, the girl who owns the jewelry shop, is
the other, but the old book she found it in was damaged and that’s all she
knows. She has talked to as many Elders from as many clans as she could and is
still contacting more. What she knows so far is that they all thought it was
just a myth, a story told by the campfire, and that it has anywhere from three
to five different parts involving at least three different species of magical
beings. Who knew when you told me Sydney was special when we first rescued her
from Andrew, how special she really was?”

“Well,
shit
! I’m not sure if I should say congratulations or run for the
hills,” Royce laughed, mostly because he had no clue what else to do.

It
was Sam that answered and her face showed the truth in her words, “Sydney is
our miracle, and whether she is part of some grand plan or just the most
beautiful little girl that ever walked…we love her with all our hearts.” The
couple grasped hands and smiled. Royce really was happily surprised at what a difference
six months and two wonderful ladies had made in his friend.

But
the smart ass he had known forever was still lurking right below the surface
and always ready to give him a hard time. Looking at his watch, Lance remarked,
“Don’t you need to be seeing about a witch, my brother?”

Royce
looked at the clock on the stove and swore, “
Dammit
, I sure as hell do.”
He stood, clapped Lance on the shoulder and kissed Sam on the top of the head
before thanking them both for a great meal. He yelled his goodbye to Sydney,
hopped the fence, and ran across the pasture to the little house Kyra was
staying in, looking forward to seeing his beautiful mate before she left the
safety of the lair.

He
had never been happier to find someone home alone as he was when he reached out
with his senses right before he opened the gate leading to Kyra’s front door.
He was just about to knock on the door when it opened and a pink-cheeked Kyra
was standing, glaring at him with her hands on her hips. “I wondered if you
were going to at least come and say goodbye. Cut it kind of close, didn’t you?”
To further drive her point home, her little bare foot tapped against the floor.

Unable
to resist his beautiful mate one second longer, he lifted her until he could
look into her violet eyes and slammed his mouth to hers. She opened
immediately, and as their tongues met, he felt the sensations ripple throughout
his entire body. Her petite hands gripped his shoulders and her muscular legs
wound around his waist. There had been a time he had worried about their height
difference, but all those fears floated away when he felt the perfection of
Kyra in his arms.

The
longer they kissed, the faster his heart beat and the harder his cock pushed
against the zipper of his jeans. He lifted his foot to slam the door shut, with
plans to relieve her of every stitch of her clothing, until a wolf whistle
sounded behind them. As quick as his enhanced abilities would allow him, he
placed Kyra’s feet on the floor and spun around to face his brethren. “Sorry,
Bro, did I interrupt?” Aaron grinned as Royce groaned. He had been so wrapped
up in Kyra, he hadn’t even sensed his brethren’s approach.

“Not
at all,” he grumbled and Kyra appeared at his side smirking.
Damn
, if he
didn’t love her spunk.

“Come
on in, Aaron,” his mate called over her shoulder as she turned, grabbed his
hand, and headed into the house. “Just made some iced tea for the road. It’s in
the fridge.
Gotta
finish packing and then I’ll be
ready to go.”

Royce’s
good mood evaporated as he thought about the long hours they would be
separated.
“You better keep her safe or I promise I will kick your ass,”
he sent directly into Aaron’s mind.

“No
worries, lover boy, I won’t let anyone or anything harm a hair on her pretty
little head,”
Aaron answered and Royce could hear the
grin in his voice.

“You
just worry about keeping her safe, I’ll worry about her pretty little head…and
everything under that, too.

Aaron
laughed long and loud through their link as Royce grumbled,
“Too many damn
brothers…and they all think they’re funny.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

Everything that could
be done was done, everyone that was going with them knew their orders forwards
and backwards, all he had to do was wait twenty-four more hours and he would be
on his way to the mountain. In theory, the ritual they were working was simple,
but if after all he had been through in the last seven years had taught him
anything, it was that nothing ever went off without a hitch, especially where
those fucking dragons were involved. And with Kyra working with them, he had to
be even more vigilant.

Master
Eaton’s insistence on going along also bothered him. Andrew was pleased with
the addition of power but leery of the Head Wizard’s motives. Andrew had seen
the sidelong glances and heard the whispering that stopped the minute he
entered a room. Andrew smiled, happy for the return of his enhanced hearing and
the great fortune that none of the idiots he was working with had any clue who
or what he really was.
Hell
, they still hadn’t figured out that the
warriors they had encountered on their mission across the sea had truly been
the elusive Dragon Guard, and he was happy to let them live in their ignorance.
He had tried to explain but the ignorance of those around him knew no bounds.

He
hated putting all his eggs in one basket, but when this plan had come to him in
a dream, he knew it was the only way he was going to have the revenge he so
richly deserved. He would amass an almost limitless amount of power, as would
the chosen of his followers. Of course, it might leave them little more than
mindless zombies afterwards, since they were only wizards and did not have
dragon magic to counteract the damage of the powerful dark magic combined with
the evil ritual required to extract Earth magic and twist to his will, but that
was a chance he was willing to take. He had taken steps to protect John, his
assistant, the only one that mattered at all to him. The dark magic
practitioners would hold the power for just shy of a day, from the time the
Blue Moon was high in the sky until the next night when they would flood the
entire lair of the dragon shifters that had betrayed him with a spell that
would leave them helpless, ripe for the killing. It was then that he would go
from house to house relieving each member of the
MacLendon
Force of their heads, saving his dear brother Aidan, the worst offender of them
all, for last.

Andrew chuckled to himself as the words of the spell repeated over and over in
his mind. He meticulously went over his plan…he would work the ritual that
allowed them to absorb the magic of the moon, mountain, and lake, combined with
the ‘Blood of the Unknowing’ as the
grimoire
had
called it. It was one of the oldest incantations he had ever seen and had taken
him weeks to translate. The Spell of Soul Destruction was one he had planned to
use over and over, for it could be placed on its intended victims with little
to no power if the magic practitioner wanted the person to slowly fade away and
die a gut-wrenchingly painful death. In some ways, Andrew wished that was what
he could do to his brother. However, as he had suffered a few setbacks and
things up to this point were taking way longer than he wanted. He was opting
for the full power version that would stun all in its path, leaving them
mindless and ready for death. He had added his own special touch ensuring that
the men would be hit the hardest of the clan.

The
mighty Golden Fire clan would be left without their precious Dragon Guard to
fade into obscurity. He would then come in and build his own clan. One that was
not afraid to take what the greatest predators of the world deserved….
everything.
His thoughts churned of all he would do when the untraceable phone in
his pocket vibrated, drawing him from his visions of grandeur. John’s message
was simple,
Confirming tomorrow night. Four total. Supplies located.
Andrew’s smile grew. His second in command continued to exceed his expectations
and as soon as Master Eaton and Mr. A were eliminated, he would bring John out
of the shadows. The young wizard had more than earned Andrew’s trust and a
place at his right hand.

The
phone he used for everything else rang in the next minute. The name on the
caller ID made his skin crawl. Mr. A, the human crime boss, was calling. One of
the worst human beings he had ever had the displeasure of meeting, and
definitely only a means to an end. Andrew looked forward to the day he slit the
mobster’s throat. He calmed his thoughts and cleared his throat as he answered,
“Good Morning. I trust you slept well, Mr. A?”

“Yes,
thank you, I did,” the crook’s smoke roughened voice slid through the phone
like a snake, slippery and sneaky, and made Andrew’s skin crawl. “I was just
speaking with Master Eaton and he assured me everything is set for tomorrow
night. I’ll be in Vegas awaiting your call when all has been accomplished.”

Andrew
took a deep breath, holding back what he truly wanted to say and replied, “As
you wish.”

“I
understand it will be another twenty-nine days before we can execute the next
step?” the mob boss asked. Andrew knew he was only checking to make sure both
he and the wizard master were telling the same story. What neither of them knew
was that they would be dead long before the next full moon…by Andrew’s own
hand, but that was a surprise for another time.

“You
are correct,” the traitor answered.

“Excellent.
I will leave you to it then and look forward to speaking to you tomorrow
evening.” Not waiting for a reply, the thug hung up. Andrew knew it was just
one of the little power plays he used to keep up the illusion that he was in
charge, an illusion Andrew was going to enjoy smashing almost as much as he was
going to enjoy destroying the dragons.

~
~
~
~
~
~
~

Royce
watched as Kyra, Aidan, and Aaron drove away, a feeling of complete and utter
dread settling in his gut. The Blue Thunder Guardsmen, following in a second
SUV, gave him a little more reassurance that things would be okay until he
could get there. He had grilled his brethren while Kyra packed, until they both
had threatened to gag him, tie him up, and dump him in the stables until they
were long gone. He had stopped, but still worried that they would not be able
to keep her from getting hurt. Grace touched his arm before speaking, “Now you
know what we go through every time you guys head out without us. Sucks, huh?”

He
knew she was trying to take his mind off being away from Kyra and it had
worked. “It sure does,” he chuckled.

“
Wanna
come to the house for something to eat.
Kyndel
, Jay, Sam, and Sydney are coming to keep me company,
and I’m sure their husbands will not be able to stay away for long.” She
laughed and Royce was reminded how well she and Aidan worked as a couple. Just
another reminder that the Universe knew what She was doing, something he had
doubted before, but now knew was a hard and fast truth.

“Thank
you so much, Grace, but I’m
gonna
head back to the
house,” he touched her hand that was still on his arm.

“Well,
you know where we are if you change your mind.” The beautiful attorney turned
and walked in the direction of the home she and Aidan used when they were at
the lair.

Royce
stood staring in the direction his mate had traveled, sending a prayer to the
Heavens that she would be okay until they were reunited. He knew they were a
long way from reconciliation, and that he was the only one to blame for their
issues, but if the kiss she had given him before Aidan had interrupted was any
indication, then there was hope.

Heading
towards his home, he reached through their fragile mating bond. It was already
becoming second nature to constantly check on her and he was sure she was
feeling it too. He had entertained the idea of explaining the bond to her, but
then decided it was still too early. Because of his ignorance and hate she
didn’t trust him yet, and knowing that they could feel what the other was
feeling, and in some cases get glimpses of what the other was seeing, might be
more than she was ready for. It made him smile to remember how much more at
ease she had been around him earlier in the day. They had even joked about all
her magical supplies and her significant lack of anything but blue jeans and
boots when she was packing.

He
had caught her sneaking looks under her long, full lashes, and more than once
had stopped himself from finishing what they had started before Aaron had so
rudely interrupted. Nothing could have prepared him for the way she kissed him
right before she left. He had been leaning down to pick up her bags when she
snuck under his arm, grabbed his face and laid her full, perfect lips to his.
As she poured more passion and affection than he could have ever imagined her
small frame was able to hold, he had been completely lost to her. That one kiss
made him believe that no matter how long it took, she would find her way to
forgiving him and they would be together.

Royce
puttered around his house until he was ready to scream. There were only so many
things he could do to distract himself from constant thoughts of Kyra in harm’s
way and him too far away to be of any use. He wandered out to his patio and
watched the last sliver of the sun disappear behind the mountains in the
distance. His thoughts returned to Kyra for the millionth time. He knew they
would have arrived at Sam’s cottage within the last thirty minutes or so, and
that his mate and brethren would be heading towards the mountain to place the
amulets. Before he knew he had moved, he was about a mile into the woods behind
his home heading in Kyra’s direction.

He
had no clue how long he paced along the tree line before reaching through the
mating bond once again. Kyra was concentrating and he could hear the words of
the Perimeter Binding Spell repeating over and over in her mind. The touch of
Aidan and Aaron’s dragon magic caused his beast to growl with teeth bared and
paw the ground in his mind, ready to stake his claim. Royce pushed back with
all his strength, persuading his dragon that the magic he felt was no threat,
but friendly. When his beast was finally pacified, Royce focused on his mate
again and was immediately worried. She was tired and beginning to doubt that
she could do what needed to be done. Without a second thought, he poured
strength and confidence through their link, just as he had when she had spoken
before the Guard days earlier. His heart soared when she accepted what he gave
her without reservation, and he knew that somewhere in her heart, she knew it
was him.

He
stayed connected until he could feel that she was almost finished and only
moved away from their connection when Devon spoke directly into his mind
,
“How
ya
holding up, old man?”

“I’m
okay. Just trying to keep busy.”

“I
hear
ya
’. Want some company?”
Devon
asked.

“Nah.
I’m good. I think I’m
gonna
watch an old western and
turn in early. Thanks though.”
Royce absently
responded.

“Alright,
holler if you need anything. Catch
ya
in the
morning.”

“Thanks,
Bro. See
ya
then
,” Royce said,
and ended the conversation
.

Iced
tea in hand, he settled into his recliner, grabbed the remote, and started his
favorite John Wayne movie. The movie picked up right where he had left off the
last time he’d watched. He looked on as The Duke slid off his horse, sauntered
towards his leading lady, and kissed her passionately. It was the last straw,
Rayne had told him to stay away while Kyra was working her magic, but Royce was
sure she was finished and tucked away in the safety of Sam’s house. The night
was cloudless and darker than usual, dark enough to hide a thousand pound
dragon in flight. Before he could talk himself out of it, he was out the back
door and in the clearing beyond the trees. He called forth his dragon and took
to the skies, using a small amount of his magic as added precaution against
detection. Rayne would forgive his need to be with his mate, but not even his
longtime friend would keep the Elders from punishing him if he were seen.

Seventy
miles by dragon flight was over in less than forty-five minutes. He landed deep
in the woods between the house and Black Lake, quickly transforming from dragon
to man. Almost halfway to his mate, the sounds of paws on the forest floor
sounded behind him and the scent of panther filled his senses. Standing still,
he waited until he felt the telltale magic of transformation and then turned to
find Juan Carlos, Max’s lieutenant, looking less than thrilled to see him.

His
patience already pushed to its limits, Royce spoke, “When did you guys get
here? Max around?”

Juan
Carlos’ rough Latin accent reached his ears, full of judgment and criticism,
“The King will be along tomorrow morning. We’ve been here about fifteen
minutes. The dragons are guarding the right side and front, we took the back
and left. I was told you would be coming tomorrow with the others.”

“Plans
change.”

For
one of the only times since Royce had met the
werepanther
,
he grinned. It was just for a few seconds before resuming his serious demeanor
but it was progress. “Well, you better get to your mate before your clan knows
you’re here. You did a good job hiding your entrance but you know everyone is
on high alert waiting for the traitor and they are
gonna
sense your presence sooner rather than later.”