Soon I learned the names of the other three guardians: Ignis—Guardian of Fire, Glacies—Guardian of Ice, and Mettalum—Guardian of Metal. There were seven of them; the rest were in Atlantis—the Dragonians’ capital.

I’m proud of you, Witchling, Ventus offered me peace, gliding through the clouds. You didn’t throw up.

I hadn’t experienced the vertigo I’d thought I would have. Perhaps it was because I felt safe with the Guardian of Wind through our newly formed bond. Perhaps the calling of the wind had always been in my blood and I’d only just heard it. No matter how much I wanted to deny it, potent Angel blood flowed in my veins. I hadn’t inherited their wings, but I had their taste and craving for roaming freely in space.

Actually, Ventus, I said, I wouldn’t mind vomiting onto the passenger behind me.

Ares will be furious, Ventus said.

Do I look like I care how he huffs and puffs? I said.

Ventus chuckled hard.

“What’s wrong with him?” the half-blood ringleader grunted, his rich voice vibrating through my back. “Ever since he met you, he hasn’t acted normally. What did you say to him? Can you talk to him, too?”

I ignored him out of spite but learned forward to rub the space on Ventus’ neck between the scales, knowing the guardian would like it.

The half-breed just insulted you, I told the beast. I don’t think he appreciates a mighty being like you. You can be your own master. Why don’t we drop him? You and your brothers can all come with me. No one will ever rule over you again.

Already scheming, Witchling? Ventus asked.

Why are you loyal to him? I asked. He doesn’t deserve it.

Oh, he deserves it. You just can’t see it beneath his hard exterior, Ventus said.

I see that he came to my world, threatened my pack, and abducted me, I said.

He has his reasons, Ventus said. You need to see the bigger picture, Witchling.

Turning the guardians against the Dragonians would take more than a few private conversations.

What are you, by the way? I asked.

We’re genetically advanced beings, Ventus said.

That made sense. The Dragonians were the engineering race, notorious for messing around DNA. They’d upgraded their technology after stealing the Angels’ science.

After the war, the High Prince of All Angels had destroyed every single flying machine that wasn’t his, and forbidden earthlings from developing space technology. When it came to guaranteeing the safety of his Fey mate and her subjects, he was borderline paranoid, even though the Fey had put the impenetrable magic walls back up in Twilight Realm to separate themselves from the mortals.

Since the High Prince was the sole being who possessed the most powerful army and battleships, the Dragonians wouldn’t want to test his patience by breaching their peace agreement with his mate. Instead, they turned to an alternative and made the seven flying beasts.

How creative.

Is your rider also a genetically advanced being? I asked. He was a hybrid, and I’d seen how he moved. No normal person could be that fast.

He’ll be happy to discuss his origin with you once he gets to know you. You two got off on the wrong foot, but things will get better. You have a lot in common.

I didn’t believe it a little bit.

Then I felt the calling—the wind was like fire on my skin.

Show me what it’s like to be the Guardian of Wind, I requested. Don’t give the half-blood any warning.

That I can do, Ventus answered with a steep dive.

He swooped in a high arc, turned while shooting up vertically, then sailed forward like lightning.

“Spin!” I called.

He did, making rounds and rounds in and out of the clouds.

The wind, freedom, and speed made me feel glorious. I spread my arms, threw my head back, and roared.

The Dragonian behind me hadn’t made a sound when the guardian danced in the wind, and now he sneaked an arm around my waist, his delightful laughter in my ear.

Just like that, I was dragged back to reality.

It wasn’t completely unpleasant.

Even with my cloak and his sculpted armor between us, his heat radiated toward me.

I’d never been this close to anyone. No man had ever held me like this. The primal need to be touched hit me like a brick. My body wanted this male.

But I would feel the pleasure; he would suffer agony.

At the moment, I wanted to pretend all was nice as I enjoyed his strong arm around me. Unfortunately, he broke the spell again by opening his mouth.

“Did you have him do that?” he asked, impressed. “He’s never done that for me.”

I pried his fingers from my waist and flung his arm aside. “He knows you’re no fun,” I said.

“I was trying to prevent you from falling,” he said, but he didn’t sneak his arm around me again.

Something hard stuck to my lower back. The vindictive Dragonian didn’t take my rejection well.

“Could you remove your knife?” I turned my face and shouted through my gritted teeth. 

“My knife?”

“The handle of your knife is sticking into my back and it’s uncomfortable!”

“It’s not a knife,” he said quietly.

I huffed and swept a hand behind me to grab the handle. It was wrapped in silky cloth. And it was so thick that my hand could only wrap half around it. 

“Ouch, gentle,” the Dragonian warned, his hand gripping my wrist.

I twisted my body and looked down. I was holding his manhood inside his undergarment. I felt a blush creeping onto my cheeks.

“See what I mean? Not a knife,” he said.

I dropped it like a burning coal.

“It’s not that bad,” he said. “Other females get giddy holding it.”

Just because he had a hot body, he thought all females would swoon over him? I wondered how he would really feel if I removed my glove and stroked it. The word Death danced in my mind.

Yet my fingers twitched, needing to hold his cock again, despite my better judgment.

“Give me a break,” I said in my best snide tone.

“Men are easily aroused, for all sorts of reasons,” he said, and I could hear lazy smile in his voice. “And I’m a red-blooded, full grown male. You should not be shocked.”

“So I’m supposed to relax and feel giddy like your other women?” I asked incredulously.

“Are you a virgin?” he asked, his eyes heated golden. “Your face is beet red.”

“That’s none of your concern,” I said. “My face turned red because I was indignant at your offense. I wasn’t being shy.”

His dark eyebrows creased. “You shouldn’t consider it an insult. It’s not like every woman can get me hard. In truth, no female has piqued my interest for six long months, until you popped into the picture. There’s something strange about you. Maybe it’s the animalistic heat in you that brought out something animal in me.”

I was speechless before I leered at him. Maybe I should show him my real animalistic heat?

Ventus coughed in warning. Could he read my mind? Mind-reading and telepathy were two different things. And my mental shield was in place.

But I got that message. If I harmed his master, the beast would toss me from the sky. Fine, I could wait a little longer to have my revenge, but I drove my elbow down toward his erection as a warning.

A large hand caught my elbow. The Dragonian was faster than anyone had the right to be.

“That’s uncalled for, wolf girl,” he said. “Provoke me and I’ll lose my temper. When I lose it, you won’t like the shit you’re going to take.”

I was sizzling with fury.

He sighed. “You’re too serious about this. So, you roared and got me excited. What’s the big deal? I won’t do anything to you without your consent. I’ve never forced a woman in my life. In fact, even if you beg me to fuck you, I’ll have to turn you down, because I’ll be bonded with another.”

I was tired of him.

“Just remove your thing,” I said.

“Can’t do. There isn’t enough space here.”

He was Ventus’ master and the only one who ever rode the beast, so the saddle only had one seat.

“If I move further from you,” he said. “I’ll have to sit on his scale, which will hurt my butt. My buttocks aren’t rocks.”

They looked like rocks to me.

“Why don’t you let me sit with Lucas since his saddle has two seats?” I asked.

“Are you kidding me?” he growled. “I won’t hold Einarr in my arms.”

Einarr was the advanced human who sat behind the shifter. 

“Don’t keep fighting me over such petty things,” he grated. “This is but a minor inconvenience to you. When you find the First Witch for me, you’ll have your freedom. And you and your wolves can live in luxury.”

I laughed coldly. “My pack fancies modern toilets.”

“Believe me,” his voice softened, “I didn’t expect to be turned on by you and I don’t like it anymore than you do. But ease your mind. My interest will fade quicker than you know.”

His whisper sent a tingling sensation through my body. His intoxicating male scent muddled my mind. For a few seconds, I didn’t register the rest of his words as they passed by my ear. “…it’s up to you to make this journey short, or a long, insufferable one. Find the First Witch for me quickly, and you’ll get what you want.”

His shifted his position, his hard length erecting upward instead of pressing into my lower back. Soon, it dropped to prick against my flesh as if I were gravity. He adjusted his posture again, but it only caused his cock to rub up and down my back, which was even more disturbing.

He groaned in frustration.

His interest would fade quicker than I knew?

I sat straight and taut as I sneered, my nerves on edge.

I’d expected to feel repulsed, but the repulsion never came. Every time his dick brushed me, a shiver of pleasure ran through me. I fantasized holding it and rubbing it between my bare thighs.

Stupid! I snapped myself out of it.

“For Earth’s sake,” I hissed, “just leave it be. I can suffer you a little longer.”

“It should be down by now,” he said in anger. “I don’t understand why it likes you so much. You aren’t even my type. I prefer refined, sophisticated females.”

I didn’t react since I was getting bored of counting how many times he’d insulted me.

“A female like the First Witch,” he added.

I snickered. Only if he knew.

“But I assure you, wolf girl,” he said. “It reacts but won’t act. You’re safe with me.”

“Let’s start with you stopping molesting me,” I said.

“I wasn’t molesting you,” he grated. “Today is an accident. It won’t happen again.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” I said.

He endeavored to get it down, and when he kept failing, a string of cusses flew out of him. While he was distracted, I decided to fish for information.

If the Oracle pointed the Dragonian in my direction, she had to know that I wasn’t just the wolf girl, but she didn’t reveal more than that. It seemed she was leaving the decision up to me to tell the Dragonian who I was.

Why? Why had she betrayed me and protected me at the same time?

“What does the First Witch look like?” I asked a side question to disarm him first.

“A rare beauty, of course,” he said.

“Did the Oracle describe her physique for you?” I asked.

“You’ll lead me to her.” 

“You do know that I’ve never met her either, right?” I said. “You might have a better chance finding her on your own.”

Ventus snorted and my heart tightened. The beast not only knew I was a witch, but that I was the First Witch. How did he know? Would he sell me out? When worse came to the worst, I would just touch them both and be done with them.

I pretended I hadn’t heard the guardian’s mocking laugh. He couldn’t speak anyway. Even if he managed to get the message to his master, the brute would have an extreme hard time to believe the First Witch was right under his nose.

“The Oracle said to stick to you and you would eventually lead me to her,” the ringleader said. “She’s never been wrong. She said I needed to find the wolf girl first, and I found you.”

“I’m not really a wolf,” I said.

“You’re the only one hanging with a wolf pack,” he said. “That makes you the wolf girl. You can communicate with them.”

“If I were the wolf girl,” I said, “I would have known where the First Witch is, but I’m as clueless as you are. I’ve never heard of her in my life. If I were you, I wouldn’t let the blind lead the blind. You should go back to the Oracle and ask for your money back.”

“She accepted no money.”

“Then what did you offer her?”

He ignored the question. “She’s the one who told Commander North Darken about the Sky Power and helped him win the war against the Angels.”

“If you want a more accurate version of the history, it’s this: Earth Goddess Rhea sent Empress Rose—she was a Fey princess back then—to find the Sky Power, which turned out to be the Angel High Prince—her mate—and together they vanquished King Agro’s army, with the Dragonians, their sidekicks, fighting on the sideline.”

The ringleader growled. “The Dragonians fought at the frontline. I fought right outside the Mysthian walls and seas. One third of our men perished so Earth can have peace today!”

I snorted. “Peace?”

After the Mysthian Fey and the Dragonians had driven out the Angels from our planet, earthlings fought even more fiercely among themselves for territories and dominance.

“At least we removed the Angel plague,” he grated. “Without Commander Darken instructing the Fey Empress to find the Sky Power first, she would never have succeeded.”

I yawned. “Say whatever you want as long as you’re happy.” 

“What do you know about true history?” he said in disdain. I’d hit a sore spot and would rub it in more and harder. “Did you not grow up with the beasts? You probably don’t even know how to read.”

I laughed, letting him know his insult amused me. “You got me. And I can’t count my ten toes.”

The wolves raised me, yet I learned the way of civilization well. During my transition to adulthood, I’d accumulated enough knowledge through a death kiss or a touch. I felt no guilt. Those predators had brought their own bitter ends to themselves by trying to do things to me that any sheltered girl couldn’t even imagine.

“Ares,” Ventus snapped his head and spoke, “you’ll treat Freyja with tenderness and respect.”

I jumped. The Dragonian ringleader held my waist to steady me.

“I’ve been treating her with tenderness and respect,” the Dragonian said. “I even asked her opinions, but all she’s done is insult me.”

“Then you don’t know anything about women,” said Ventus.

The brute murmured that he knew plenty about women.

“Not all women are alike,” Ventus said, “particularly a special one.”

“You can talk?” I accused the beast.

“Of course I can talk,” Ventus said. “I told you I’m a genetically advanced being, didn’t I?”

I thought our mind-talk was special, I said.

Yes, but I have a voice as well, Ventus said. I like to use it now and then.

What now? I bit my bottom lip, panic spreading in my mind.

Business as usual, Ventus said.

Why did you tell him my name? I demanded, reevaluating the situation.

Your name is hardly a secret, Witchling, Ventus said. I don’t like him keeping calling you Wolf Girl.

Don’t call me that, I almost screamed in his head, very much afraid that his master would get a whiff of it.

Don’t call you what, witch or wolf? the guardian asked, feigning innocence as he glided out of layers of clouds.

“Freyja?” the ringleader asked. The way he said my name made me flushing. It held a certain intimacy. Other than my mother, my wolves, and the perished villagers who had also called me the abomination, no one knew my real name. But now this Dragonian knew it as well.

“So, Freyja,” he said in a voice like rich molasses, “did you grow up with the wolves? How did you end up being their alpha? Did you have to kill their former alpha?”

Ventus shook his head. “Very smooth, Ares.”

“I was praising her,” Ares protested. “I can see how she became a wolf alpha. She’s talented with a dagger.” He then turned to address me. “You would have gotten me if I were any slower, like anyone else. I’ve forgiven you for throwing those vicious angelic daggers at me. How did you acquire them in the first place?” He sighed at my unrelenting silence. “Well, I see, you won’t share your secrets. Never mind then. I just want you to know I’m not one who holds grudge. I move forward, as should you. You’re better off with us than with the wolves. You might not be able to see it now, but you will, and I’ll accept your gratitude in the end.”

I controlled my urge to take off my gloves to touch and shut him up forever.

His hardness was still jabbed into my lower back.

At this point, we were both pretending that it didn’t exist. His arousal seemed even more pronounced after our unpleasant exchange.

My contemptuous silence had no effect on him, for he opened his mouth again. “Who are your parents, Freyja? Do you even know? Einarr said you’re a half-advanced human. What’s the other half?”

“Ares,” I purred, and felt his erection grow harder. Perhaps he found my voice bewitching. He’d been aroused because of my roaring. “What do you want with the First Witch,” I asked in a low, husky voice, “supposing you find her?”

“We’ll find her,” he said. “But what I want with her has nothing to do with you. Your job is to take me to her.”

Hmm, this one could keep a tight lip even when aroused.

“I told you I had no idea who she is and where she is,” I said.

“We’ll stop at the next northern city and then the next,” he said. “We’ll sweep over each land, collect intel, and give you something to work on. You’ll figure it out.”

I arched an eyebrow. “You’ll put such faith in me?”

“No, I put my faith in the Oracle,” he said.

A jerk.

“Are we going to charge into the cities?” I asked. I hoped he would do just that and meet a hostile army. And in the chaos, I’d slip away.

“Of course not,” he said. “Who do you think we are? A band of untrained bandits without good strategies?”

“So you’re actually a band of trained bandits and professional criminals,” I said.

“We’ll disguise ourselves when entering any city controlled by other species,” he said, disregarding my snide comments. “And you’ll behave yourself. I can tolerate your sarcasm and rudeness to a degree, but not your betrayal. If you put us in jeopardy, you’ll either fall under my sword or I’ll kill you with my bare hands.”

Threats after insults. What was new?

“I’d prefer bare hands then,” I said.

Ventus laughed and Ares shook his head. He’d had enough of me, as I had of him.

I suddenly had an idea. “Since the Oracle told you to rely on my inner compass to find you the witch, my instinct says we should find a lake now.”

“What does a lake have to do with my witch?” he asked.

His witch? He probably thought the whole universe was his.

“I was about to bathe before you interrupted me,” I said. “I need a bath before we continue on your journey.” 

“You stink a little, but I can take it,” he said. “We don’t have time for you to bathe.”

“Then make time,” I hissed. “It’s hot and I’m sweaty. In this state, neither my mind nor my instinct works.”

“Hot? That’s your excuse?” he asked incredulously. “The air is so chilly. If you’re so warm, you should lose some of your clothes instead of wrapping yourself like sticky rice inside layers of banana leaves.”

“Even with my clothes wrapped around me like banana leaves,” I wiggled my body so my back rubbed his cock hard, “I still got this pricking into me. You think I would be safer wearing less?”

The Dragonian drew a sharp breath.

Unexpected pleasure slithered up my spine even with the thick clothing between us. If only his cock could rub on my bare skin.

Warmth instantly pooled between my thighs and my mound was slick with desire.

This was outrageous!

“Don’t move like that, wolf girl!” he warned in a rough voice. His hands slid up and down my waist as if he couldn’t decide whether he should move them up to cup my breasts, or down to palm the flesh between my legs.

They balled into fists, then dropped from my body.

“Fine, you win!” he grated. “You’ll get your bath. I need a break from you anyway.”

“Ventus,” Ares shouted. “Find a lake, or a river, or a stream for the wolf girl.”

“I have a name,” I purred. “Ventus said it’s not polite to call me something else.”

Ventus chuckled in a huff, “I also said it’d be an interesting journey. So it begins.”