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Jae Drachen glanced out his jet’s window at the twinkling lights of New York City. He’d traveled the world in search for a mate with zero success. Jae put his seatbelt back on and prepared for landing. He sighed as he thought back to his brother, Tor, and Tor’s mate, Morgan. Tor and Morgan were the first couple in hundreds of years to mate and conceive a child, allowing the Drachen to grow for the first time in a long time.
The moment Morgan and Tor mated, she became strong and Tor a lot stronger than imaginable. It would be near impossible for their enemies, the Noir, a breed of black dragons set on destroying their kind, to kill either of them.
It was because of the power growth after mating that Sayeh, the Noir leader, and his dragon followers tried to get to the mates before the mate mark showed up. Tor and Morgan fought Sylvana, Sayeh’s witch, and there had been no other sign of her since. No one knew for sure if she was dead or not. They hoped she was. It was impossible to know when someone was going to get a mate, but they hoped Morgan’s mother would get another vision, giving them a clue of who would be next. They wanted to try and get to the mates before the Noir did.
Once he spent a few days at his business headquarters in NYC, he’d go home again and finally meet his new niece, Callie. He was also dying to see his nephew, Noah, Tor and Morgan’s son. He was excited to meet Callie and his new sister, Lexi. A pang of sadness tightened his chest.
Jae had been wanting a family and children for hundreds of years. Not once had he ever fallen in love or even close to it. Human desires had come to him but having sex was nothing compared to what he knew having a mate would be like. That connection. That bond. He was tired of spending his life feeling half of him was missing.
He inhaled as the plane landed, reminding himself that most humans traveled in planes. The fact he could fly and not need one didn’t change anything. He had a business to run and was the face of his corporation. He needed to check in on the new hotel he was having built, while at the same time figure out what to do about the mate business. He wasn’t giving up so easily.
The moment they taxied, he pulled out his cell phone and called his brother, Tor. With Clacher off to Switzerland with his new wife and baby, he didn’t want to take him away from them.
“Hey, bro, what’s up?” Tor greeted him. “How’s New York?”
“Cold. Looks like it’s going to snow.”
“Man,” Tor sighed. “I love it when it snows up there. Especially when you go up to the cabin. All white and no people around. Fucking beautiful.”
“Yeah, well. I won’t be going up to the cabin this time. I’ve got a full schedule.” He marched down the jet steps, waved goodbye to his pilot and crew and got into his limo. “Have we had any other luck with Lara telling us if there are any other mates?”
“Not yet. Though I doubt she’ll have any trouble letting us know. She’s practically here every day with Noah. Whenever Morgan has a client, she has to fight Ker for the rights to babysit.”
“Tell them to enjoy it because when Uncle Jae gets there, he’s all mine. And that goes for Callie, too. I’m dying to meet her.”
Tor chuckled. “He’s the cutest kid. Looks just like me but with Morgan’s blond hair. Makes me want to have even more kids with her now. And Callie is beautiful. Once you see her you’ll be a goner.”
“I bet. I haven’t been around babies in forever.” He lowered his window and watched the first few flakes start falling. With the skies gray, he knew it was going to be bad through the night.
“Before them, we hadn’t had a baby in this house. Not ever. The crazy part is that whenever I hold him, I get this longing. I wish mom were here. I’m happy and sad. I can’t wait for all of us to have our children playing together. I know we’ll all keep the race going.”
“How’s Ker doing?” Jae asked.
“I think it’s making his dragon crazy. He’s gone flying around to nearby cities and towns since Noah was born. The need to find his mate has grown exponentially since he came home.”
“We’ll find ours. I know it. Morgan opened the doors and we have someone who can help us get a heads up. This can be easier, better for all.”
“I hope you’re right, Jae. Ker has made it clear he will do whatever he needs to to make sure his mate is protected when he finds her. Only god knows when that will be.”
Jae sighed. “Soon. I have a feeling it will be very soon.”
Once he’d hung up the phone, he leaned back in the leather chair and picked up the drink his driver had already poured for him. A glass of whiskey. Jae didn’t drink, but after flying he had to have a drink to calm his dragon. He’d never grow used to planes. Never.