Chapter 1
Adrenaline sung in Lisa’s veins. When Verrian had first suggested going out to wake up his sister, she’d wondered how she was going to manage to stay awake. But right now, she knew there was no way she’d have been able to sleep.
When you were a dragon’s mate, something exciting was always happening.
She wouldn’t swap it for anything. She stared at Verrian, deep in conversation with his brother, and couldn’t help feeling a surge of love.
Verrian was an amazing dragon, and somehow, he was her lifemate. How had that happened?
Oh, that’s right. He’d had no other choice.
The thought left a sour taste in her mouth. Her excitement at the adventure dulled a little.
The change was only emphasised by Karla stepping up to Verrian’s brother, Taurian, and putting a hand on his arm. Taurian instantly broke off his conversation, their eyes met, and Lisa could see the love passing between them.
That was what a real mating was. What she and Verrian had was only pretend. It didn’t matter how much she loved him, he didn’t feel the same way.
Oh sure, he glanced over towards her and smiled, but it wasn’t the same.
Lisa gave herself a shake. It didn’t matter right now. They had bigger things to worry about. They were about to go and wake Verrian’s sister.
Well, they weren’t going to wake him, that job went to Bruce. Her eyes went to Karla’s ex-boyfriend, whose face looked determined and a little apprehensive. Hopefully he was up to the task.
She stepped up next to Verrian, and made herself pay attention to the conversation.
“I think we’re better off taking as small a force as possible,” Verrian said. His hand reached for hers and gave it a squeeze, making Lisa feel instantly better. “We have to hope Lisa’s plan to distract Ultrima by sending the police to his lair has worked, and that Ultrima is too busy dealing with the humans to be watching for us. If we do face opposition, I’m hoping it’s going to be small. And a small group of us is going to attract less attention than a large one. If we take half the clan, and the humans show up…”
Lisa gave a shiver. He didn’t have to finish that sentence. Everyone in the room knew that would be bad.
Taurian was nodding slowly. “Chase and Wayrian aren’t going to make it. They’ve already had police show up at the cattle station. Goodness knows how they figured out that Chase was involved. He managed to put them off the scent, but if they move now, they’ll be outed. So we don’t have any backup anyway.”
“All the more reason to keep this small,” Verrian repeated. “Lisa and I can keep Bruce safe.”
He spoke with such assurance, such certainty, Lisa couldn’t help feeling concerned. Just the two of them? Could they really manage to keep Bruce safe?
Verrian seemed to be learning what his powers could do, and he was great at improvising, but she wasn’t sure that she was the greatest backup. She wasn’t sure what she could even do. She’d left her bow and arrows behind somewhere, so she didn’t even have that.
Not that they’d been that effective against dragon scales anyway.
What could she do to help?
How could she keep Verrian safe if a Trima dragon attacked, much less Bruce?
She was just wondering if she should speak up and say that to Verrian via mind speech if nothing else, when she noticed Taurian frowning.
His look was worried, and his eyes were on Verrian. Lisa suspected he wasn’t so sure Verrian was up to this either. She felt both guilty and relieved.
“I think we need to send someone else as well,” Taurian said firmly. “Someone to specifically watch over Bruce. He has a big job to do. If anything happens to him, then who is going to wake the princess?” When Verrian opened his mouth to protest, Taurian held up a hand. “Hear me out. I’m not doubting your ability, brother, but if you and Lisa are fighting a Trima dragon, you won’t be watching Bruce. If there is more than one dragon or, god forbid, a human, hiding around somewhere, you could miss them.”
Bruce was watching them all, his face pale as a sheet. Or maybe that was his normal, British complexion. His jaw was set though.
He glanced over at Karla, his ex-girlfriend, and if anything, his expression grew more determined.
Lisa felt a little sorry for him. He’d come all this way with the idea of getting Karla to marry him, only to find out she was mated to a dragon. That had to be hard.
Lisa hoped his experience with a dragon princess was as wonderful for him as her prince had been for her.
Even if it didn’t turn out to be love.
She’d gone into this with such different expectations. All she’d wanted was to have an exciting night of sex with a dragon prince. It had never occurred to her she might fall in love. She would have scoffed at the thought.
Yet, here she was.
Lisa bit back a sigh. She wasn’t sure if this was better than her original plan or not. All she knew was, she wouldn’t go back and change any of it, even if she could.
“Who are you suggesting?” Verrian asked, his question bringing Lisa back to the present.
Taurian crooked a finger, and a young dragon woman stepped forwards.
Lisa wasn’t sure she remembered seeing her before. Her dark grey hair was pulled back in a severe braid, and her face seemed etched in a perpetual frown. She had a lean, muscled body, full of tension, like a coiled spring that looked like it might release at any minute.
Lisa wasn’t sure she’d particularly want to be friends with this woman, but she was pretty sure she’d be happy to have her standing next to her in a fight. Or next to Verrian.
Verrian didn’t look so happy. He was frowning, though he didn’t say anything. Both he and Taurian were silent for several long moments. Why weren’t they saying anything?
Then Lisa realised they were probably having the same sort of private, mind to mind, conversation she and Verrian often had.
She’d known he could do that with the other dragons, of course, but it still left her feeling a little excluded.
They weren't trying to exclude though, she reminded herself. It was the rest of the clan, standing around watching who needed to see their princes as a unified front.
Even if Verrian was probably arguing with Taurian that he didn’t need a bodyguard.
Feeling a little guilty about it, Lisa couldn’t help hoping that Taurian won this argument. She’d feel a lot better about having the grey haired dragon helping them.
Verrian gave a short nod at Taurian, and Lisa breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like Taurian had prevailed.
“This is Narrian,” Taurian said by way of introduction. He looked at Lisa. When she nodded, he turned to Bruce and continued. “She is a one of our warriors. A metal dragon. Her father gave his life to protect the princess on a previous attempt to wake her. I have no doubt Narrian would do the same thing if the situation requires it. Her job will be to stay by your side at all times. Except when you and my sister are alone of course.”
Bruce blushed furiously, and nodded.
Lisa couldn’t help wondering how he was going to go when he came face to face with his dragon. Was he too shy to go through with the Mesmer ritual? Then again, once he touched the princess, that would be all he’d be thinking about.
She felt a flush of heat herself at the memory.
Impatience welled up in her. Were they done talking yet? Could they get moving? She couldn’t wait until this mission was done, so she and Verrian could return home. Not to sleep though.
No, she had other things in mind.
Now she and Verrian were mated, there was no need for them to avoid sleeping together. They could do it as much as they wanted.
She was pretty sure Verrian would be as keen as she was.
Even if he wasn’t in love with her, there were a lot of advantages to this mating.