Valentine (The Dragon Kings Book 3) (2 page)

Val leaned over Hazel. He smelled like the sea, and Hazel had to resist the urge to stick her nose in his neck.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to interrupt, but I couldn’t help but hear your conversation. Hazel and I are traveling together. She is scared of flying so she always waits until the last minute to get on the plane. This was her seat.”

The man glowered at him. “Oh yeah, prove it.”

The flight attendant pointed to the coach section. “Sir, if you don’t go and sit down, we’ll be forced to turn this plane around, and you won’t be going to San Francisco at all.”

The balding man glared at Hazel again and then stomped back to his seat.

Hazel waited until the flight attendant was out of earshot. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”

He shrugged. “I did it for my benefit, not yours. Who wants to sit next to a grump like that the entire flight?”

Hazel couldn’t help herself and laughed. “Who indeed?”

He settled back but kept his gaze on her. “My father lives near Yellowstone. Where does your family live?”

“Gardiner.”

“Really? That’s where I’m heading.” He rubbed his chin, and Hazel stared at his lips again.

The plane turned onto the main runway, and Hazel squeezed her eyes shut. She really hated flying. She gripped the armrests again.

“You know, I read that statistically you have a greater chance of dying in a car accident than an airplane crash.”

Hazel nodded without opening her eyes. She spoke through clenched teeth. “I know. The fear is totally irrational, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m terrified. I’ll be okay in a few minutes.”

The plane picked up speed. She grasped the armrest tighter. Val put his hand over hers again, and she nearly opened her eyes. But he didn’t stop there.

He dug his soft fingers underneath her palm and flipped her hand over, intertwining his fingers with hers. His hand was dry against her clammy one. Hazel tried to still her racing heart.

The wheels left the ground, and Hazel crushed his hand. For some reason, it was more satisfying than the armrest. She opened her eyes a sliver and looked at him staring out the window. His profile was just as nice to look at. After a few more minutes, the plane leveled off and she relaxed. She let go of the armrest and pulled her hand out of Val’s, wiping her palms on her jeans.

“Thank you,” she said and gave him a coy smile.

His face lit up, and he turned in his seat. “You’re welcome. It helped? I also read that physical touch is always more reassuring than inanimate objects. Though I’m surprised you didn’t break my hand.” He flexed his hand.

Hazel grimaced. “Sorry.”

She pointed to the TV on the back of the seat in front of him. “Are you going to watch a movie?”

He shook his head. “I’d rather talk to you.”

Hazel’s stomach flip-flopped. She wasn’t sure what to make of him. He was gorgeous and smooth. Was he looking for an easy pick up, or was he genuinely interested? Only one way to find out.

“I have a boyfriend,” she blurted. It was true. Sort of.

“I’d still like to talk to you, if that’s okay.”

Phew, he was only looking for someone to flirt with on the plane. That she could handle. Encourage, even.

Hazel leaned back but slid her foot forward so it was touching his. He didn’t move. That was a good sign.

“I guess,” she responded.

“How long have you been together?”

She watched his lips as he spoke. They looked soft. And she had no idea what he said.

“What?”

“Your boyfriend, how long have you two been together?”

“Oh, three months. I think.” She dropped her eyes. There was no way she could look at him and concentrate on what he said with the sun outside the window reflecting off his hair.

“Three months isn’t very long.”

Especially when you considered that they had an open relationship. But she wasn’t about to tell this beautiful man that. She played with the neckline of her shirt, mostly out of habit, not because she was trying to get him to look. Though she wouldn’t mind. She needed to deflect the attention off herself.

“How come you haven’t seen your father since you were young?” Hazel asked.

Val frowned, and even that looked sexy. She forced herself to look into his eyes as he spoke. “He was sent to the mainland because he got in some trouble, and he wasn’t allowed to come back. Until a few weeks ago, I thought he was dead.”

“Is he in jail?” She leaned closer to him, genuinely interested. She loved scandal and mysteries. Well, until it involved her family. Damn. She was thinking about Rowan again. Maybe
he
was in jail or something, and no one knew. It would be better than thinking he froze to death in the forests of Yellowstone. Or eaten by a dragon. But Hazel tried not to think of that possibility.

Val shook his head. “But he’s not allowed to leave Montana. Well, now he could. But he’s very sick.”

Hazel’s stomach dropped. She hated thinking about death. “I’m sorry to hear that. How much longer does he have?”

Val creased his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“He’s dying, right? How long will you have with him?”

“He’s sick, but he’s not dying.”

“Okay, sorry. I just assumed.” Now she felt like an idiot.

“It’s okay.” He adjusted his legs and moved his foot away from hers. He took the book in lap and shoved it in seat pocket. A flight attendant handed them a menu. Val looked at his.

Hazel glanced at her menu for just a few seconds then handed it back to the flight attendant. “I’ll have the chicken.”

“And to drink?”

“A Sprite, please.”

Val gave back his menu as well. “I’ll have the same, but I’d like orange juice instead of Sprite.”

The flight attendant disappeared.

“Why are you in Hawaii?” Val asked.

“I’m going to school. I got a scholarship, and I like to surf, so I jumped on it,” Hazel responded. That, and she was running from Paul, who thought senior year would be a good time to propose. She had planned to stay close to home, but as soon as he popped the question, she accepted the scholarship to U of H and left four months later. Because really, who proposes to a girl that has explicitly told them she didn’t want to commit to anyone?

“What school do you go to?” She wanted to keep him talking.

“I don’t. Not yet, anyway. I used to watch the surfers. Never went in the water myself though.”

“Why?”

“I can’t swim.”

Hazel frowned. “You live in Hawaii, and you can’t swim? That sounds like torture.”

“Yeah, sort of. But it’s not so bad. I’ve waded in a little bit. Mostly I spend my time near the volcanoes.”

Hazel couldn’t help but be fascinated by him. He lived in Hawaii but had never been on a plane or swimming. That was like being a vegetarian in Texas.

“I saw the active volcanoes a few months ago when my sister came to visit. Not many people live on the Big Island. Too many dragons.”

“I like the dragons.”

Hazel rolled her eyes. “You’ll like my sister. She’s totally in love with them.”

“You make it sound like I’ll be meeting her.” He watched her expectantly.

Hazel blushed. Not the response she was looking for from him. He was nice to talk to on the plane, but she didn’t want to see him again. He would be too much of a distraction from helping find Rowan.

“Probably not. But really, what is there to like about dragons? They’re a nuisance at best and dangerous at the worst. They serve no practical purpose. All they do is prevent us from enjoying some of the most beautiful places on earth.”

He frowned. “I think they add to the beauty. People avoid the places because of an irrational fear. You’re scared of flying, and yet here you are. Look at this gorgeous view.” He pointed out the window.

Hazel snorted. “You’d see a lot more people visit the national parks if there were no dragons.”

“Are you proposing killing all of them?”

“Of course not. I’m just saying I don’t like them.”

He crossed his arms and looked outside. Great, she’d made him mad. He took her mind off other things, like her brother.

The fasten seatbelt sign went off, and Hazel jumped up and raced for the bathroom. Maybe she’d regain her dignity in there.

V
AL LOOKED OUT the window and sighed. She had been so promising. Theo told him his primary job as a new king was finding a queen. So he looked everywhere for her. Hazel was the first woman he spoke to that he thought he might actually be able to stomach spending the rest of his life with.

Part of him just wanted to find her so he could learn the rest of his duties. He liked Hazel. He shook his head at the thought of bringing her to the council and informing them that he’d found his queen. But there was one problem. She hated dragons. Oh well, he was told he’d have help finding his queen once he reached the mainland.

He still couldn’t quite believe he was on plane heading there. As a king. Until it happened, he thought it was impossible. Only royal dragons became kings. Val was a fire dragon.

But exactly ten days ago, Val had been flying back from Lanai after visiting one of the exiled dragons with his uncle Rojo when it happened. The air was cool high up in the clouds. He felt no physical change.

Valentine, please don’t panic, but you’ve changed.
Rojo was calm. He was always calm.

Val laughed.
I’m always changing.

No, you don’t understand. Your scales, they’ve changed.

My scales?

Yes, your scales.

Val twisted his head around and looked at his flank. It was pitch black. Val dropped a few feet as he turned around the other way. Everything he could see of his body was black.

How is this possible? Maybe it’s just a trick of the light. Am I sick?

I don’t know, but we should go to the elders. They will know what to do.

Val’s mind had spun as he thought of all the possibilities. There was only one black dragon, and he was always a royal dragon. The king. In fact, they just crowned a new king. His name was Obsidian. Val was a fire dragon. This was not possible. Was he sick? Would he die like his parents? No one ever told him how they died.

Rojo changed direction and flew to Eros’s home, since Eros was the leader of their clan and council representative. If he was on the mainland, they could go see the other two elders who lived in caves close by. Eros’s cave was dark, so they immediately went to Hoa’s cave.

She let out a small flame when she saw him.

Your Majesty,
she said, lowering her head. Val’s insides went cold. This was impossible.

No, it’s just me. Valentine. We don’t know what happened.

She raised her head and studied him.
We need Eros, but he’s at the council. I’ll send an eagle.

What’s wrong with me?

I don’t know. Go home, and we’ll wait until we hear from Eros.

Val waited. For nearly forty-eight hours. When Eros arrived, he brought a tall gold royal dragon with him named Theo, who studied Val for a few minutes before speaking.

Have you ever heard of the Legend of the Three Kings?

Of course, it was one of my favorite stories as a young dragon. Three kings will rise up and kill the Evil Witch of the North.

Very good. But the legend is a prophecy. And you are the beginning of its fulfillment.

Val shuffled back a few steps, trying to make sense of what Theo said.

Are you saying I’m a king?
Val’s muscled tensed.

Yes. One of three. The third hasn’t been identified yet.

But I’m not of the royal race.
Something about this had to make sense. What was he missing?

Eros spoke up.
We’ve always suspected that the three kings would come from different races.

But I’m not a leader.
He was a low-ranking dragon. The fire dragons were laid back, none really aspired to leadership. They were peaceful, and their elders rarely had to deal with issues. Val figured he’d eventually find a mate and live out his years on the island. Now that dream was gone.

Theo shook his head.
You will be a leader now. We’ll be here for a week or so, and then we’ll head back to Montana. I can only teach you so much. Obsidian, the first king, will have to teach you the rest.

Val didn’t know what to think, what to feel. The only thing he could do was move forward.

What do we do first?

Let’s give you a human form.

And so it began. A week and a half of stumbling around on two legs. Reading books. Watching movies. Interacting with humans.

The person behind him kicked his seat, and Val was brought back to the present. Secretly, Val was thrilled with the fact that he got to be a human. It was the only good thing that came out of becoming king. He never thought humanity was a possibility since only royal dragons got to be humans. His aunt and uncle had never understood his fascination with humans, but he’d spent most of his free time watching them. He wondered if he’d ever seen Hazel before. Probably. Surfing was one of his favorite things to watch.