Chapter Eleven
Cassandra
I woke the next morning to Deo’s hand lightly rubbing my back. Smiling, I pushed up to sit, wiping the sleep from my eyes. The smile disappeared instantly when I saw the look in the depths of Deo’s eyes. They were heavy with sadness.
“We must go. Draco waits for us downstairs,” Deo said. Considering my face for a moment, Deo pulled me into a gut-wrenching embrace. His strong arms surrounded me, his hands tangling in my hair. All lightheartedness and glow left me, replaced by the heavy weight of knowing what today would bring—the trinity separated for the first time since our vows were made. Leaning his head against mine, Deo whispered into my ear, “Come back to me safely, Cassandra. You are my everything. There is nothing for me in this world if you are not here.”
I curled up inside the cocoon of my husband’s warmth. Momentarily, I lost my nerve and the words, “I can’t go,” almost slipped from my mouth. Then the love I felt for this man filled my heart and steeled my resolve. “I will go, and I will return. Parting is such sweet sorrow—”
“That I will say goodnight, till it be morrow,” Deo murmured back softly into my hair.
Wrapped in Deo’s arms, I whispered, “How long must we be gone?”
“They are close. The wait for battle will not be long, now. Only a few nights, at most. Then Draco will bring you back to the castle and we three will have the sweetest reunion.” Deo’s hold on me tightened.
Stroking his fingers through my hair, Deo spoke sweet nothings to me. I listened to his stout heart beating through his chest. It reassured me we were alive and well—for now.
Too soon, Deo pulled away from me, his warmth leaving my body. I didn’t resist as he dressed me, not wishing to make this any harder than it had to be. After he pulled my shirt on, I had to smile. It wasn’t one of the feminine blouses he loved seeing me wearing tucked into a skirt that would swish and swirl around my legs. Instead, I looked down to find my chest proudly proclaiming ‘Ray’s’. I chuckled, remembering our waitress and my attempts at eating a burger that was larger than my face.
As he continued to dress me, I watched the softness leave his face. His chiseled jaw clenched beneath his beard.
“Cassandra, you must obey Draco’s every command. I was not happy about him bringing you here, but he was right. Which just further proves he is the better protector for you—and solidifies our decision to pledge our three lives to be one.”
“Deo, I love you both equally. You are similar and different and both made perfectly to complete me. We complete one another. I wish we could just experience normal life together, just a bit longer.”
“But we are not in the normal world any longer, princess. It pains me to part from you, but I will do anything to keep you safe.”
“I know.”
“You must obey Draco. He is your mate, your protector, your guardian,” he repeated, his steely gaze boring into me.
“I will,” I muttered. I felt like a child being told to mind their babysitter. “I always do.”
At my last proclamation, Deo let out a dark laugh. “Do you, princess? Because in my memory, you have a little habit of not obeying your orders. Of going where you aren’t supposed to. Don’t you? I believe you arrived at this castle with your naughty bottom plugged. Did you not?”
Wanting to argue, but having no real defense, I gave a shrug. “I thought you said that our co-mate was simply preparing me for you to—”
“Do I need to give Draco Aunt Maggie’s wooden spoon?” Deo cut in, raising one brow to me. “As much as I enjoyed sinking into your ass, we both know the real reason it was well plugged, don’t we?”
I could feel the blush rising in my cheeks. “Ugh, Deo. Don’t embarrass me so. Every time I look at Aunt Margaret, she’s smirking about that damn spoon.”
Chuckling, Deo answered, “I’m sure she’s not, but I’ll keep my treasured spoon. Draco always has his belt, should the need arise.”
My face was burning now, at the thought of Draco punishing me. “He won’t be needing it,” I assured Deo.
“Don’t find out the hard way, princess.” Tucking a lock of hair behind my ear, Deo embraced me, leaning down. His teeth nibbled a trail of bites down my neck, his journey ending at the dip above my collarbone. He laved the crescent shape he’d marked me with the night before, every long, slow lick sending bolts of heat straight down to my core.
I groaned, “Deo—”
“Parting is such sweet sorrow, my dear. Let us have a taste of one another to get us through our separation.”
Trailing his way back up to my lips, Deo kissed me with a hunger that left me breathless when he finally pulled away. Setting me back, he ran his hands up my sides, cupping my breasts and sliding his thumbs over my nipples that were standing at attention. Bending, his breath warmed my neck. “Babygirl, I have to tell you,” he whispered in my ear. “That is one God-awful tee shirt.”
It took me a second and then I giggled, rolling my eyes as I pushed him away. He’d managed to ease the sexual tension with a bit of humor. Running my hands over the design emblazoned across my chest, I smiled. “You won’t believe what I had to do to get this amazing piece of haute couture.”
As I told him the story, exaggerating some details to make him smile, he finished dressing me. With a final twist of his fingers, Deo tied the last lace of my sneaker. “Our time is up,” he said, grasping my hands in his, our eyes locking on each other. I wanted to protest, yet I just gave a little nod.
* * *
When we reached the courtyard of the basilica, Draco was waiting. The normally tolerant man had a look of complete impatience on his statuesque face.
“Don’t expect me to apologize,” Deo said.
Draco simply nodded, silently acknowledging how hard this was for our co-mate. With a final squeeze of my hand, and a slight adjustment of the scarf he’d twined around my neck, Deo released me to my guardian.
He had bundled me head to toe in underclothes, ski bibs, a long cream-colored down coat, hat, and scarf. Despite the heavy layers, a shiver ran through me, a product of not only the cold, but fear of the unknown.
“Where is the car?” I asked, looking for the black SUV.
“We won’t be taking the Escalade,” Draco responded.
I looked to Deo. “Okay. Can someone please tell me where exactly I am going, and how I will be arriving there? Or is that just another one of the Ambrosias’ dark secrets?” I was growing irritable, plagued with nervous energy.
Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, Deo said softly, “Draco thought it best to show you how you will depart. As for where you are going, only he will know.”
My mind whirred quickly, putting my husband’s solemn disposition together with his intense words. “Why? Shouldn’t you know where I will be?” I asked, fearful of what the answer would be. The look that Deo gave me in response all but shattered my heart. “They would hurt you—to find out where I am?”
There was no answer from my stoic husband, but his eyes told me I was correct.
“No,” I breathed in a hushed whisper.
I felt Draco materialize by my side, his heavy hand on my shoulder. “It will not come to that, I assure you, princess.”
Shrugging out from under his hold, I cried, “I won’t go. Not knowing that you aren’t safe, Deo.”
The momentary lapse in my husband’s usually fierce exterior dissipated. When he spoke again, his tone was stern.
“You will leave, with Draco, now. These are my wishes, and you will obey them.”
“No!” I moved away from both men. “I won’t go.”
In a matter of seconds, Deo’s face was next to mine. His voice was deathly quiet. “Will you go willingly, or are you going to force our mate to take you?”
Our eyes locked. I had a choice to make. Submit my will or have it submitted for me. My eyes shot to Draco. His face was usually warm toward me. Now, it was cold. He would do what he needed to, however unpleasant.
Defeated, my gaze lowered to the ground. I felt small, helpless, and sad. To further my shame, tears began to sting in my eyes, my throat closing. I started to cry. Not pretty tears. Big, ugly sobs racked my body.
In seconds, both men embraced me, Draco behind me, his arms around my shoulders, Deo’s arms around my waist. I sobbed uncontrollably into Deo’s dress shirt. They held me while I cried. There were no words.
When I was finally able to collect myself, I wiped my running nose on the sleeve of my coat, drying my eyes with the other sleeve. I was a big hot mess, unsure how I could bear separating myself from Deo, but knowing I’d not compel our mate to force my obedience. “I’m sorry,” I said, my words a bit hoarse from the ache in my throat. A huge hiccup, a very unladylike noise to clear it, and I added, “It’s just… hard.”
“I know, babygirl, but we need you to be brave,” Deo said.
“Cassie, would you like to watch me as I shift?”
The first time I had snuck beyond the wall to watch the men turn to wolves had been the single most amazing thing I’d ever seen up to that point in my life. Then, when all the Ambrosia men had shifted for the battle, watching as different tinted auras rose, colors swirling to dissipate and reveal the magnificent wolves of our pack… well, it had been even more fantastic.
Deo spoke softly, his tone calm, as if speaking to an upset child. “Draco would like to show you his full transformation, Cassandra, would you like that?”
Sniffling, I nodded. Though I was in the depths of despair, to witness the change—the magic—was always breathtaking. I felt excitement grow inside me, replacing the sadness.
“His full transformation? He’s going to become… oh, Deo, is he going to become a dragon?” I asked, wanting to confirm my earlier suspicions, my eyes on Draco, his full chest tattoo coming into my mind.
“You will see,” Deo answered, a twinkle brightening his eyes. “I think you will enjoy it, very much.”
I gave Deo a long look, as Draco walked toward the center of the courtyard. Turning back to us, Draco gave me a wistful smile as he unlatched the buckle of his belt. I blushed, remembering Deo’s threat to let our co-mate use that belt on me, should I disobey him. The whoosh of leather caused me to clench my buttocks as the belt was pulled free from the loops of Draco’s trousers.
Without a word, Draco brought the belt under his right arm, wrapping it around his chest, and bringing the buckle over his left shoulder. Giving Deo a final look, to which Deo gave a nod, Draco latched the belt.
His eyes closing, Draco rose from the ground. His body began to spin, slowly at first, then gaining speed. The sunset orange color of his aura emitted from him, creating a haze. The gauzy cloud grew thicker, until we could no longer see Draco within it.
I stood motionless, enraptured by the mystical sunset-hued fog. Then, something changed. Instead of the cloud beginning to dissipate as it had before, it grew larger. The orange darkened at the center, until it was a deep red. The very atmosphere seemed to crackle, to begin to heat, the air growing heavier. There was a loud whoosh of air and suddenly, the haze was being sucked into a vortex. As the smoke was pulled to one point, I could begin to make out the outline of an enormous beast.
A dragon.
I stepped closer, to get a better look. Deo’s hand shot out, his fingers wrapping tightly around my wrist. “Wait,” he warned.
The animal was sucking the cloud into his great, wide mouth. I watched as colors merged, swirled, coalesced into streaks that resembled flames. When the haze was fully consumed, I stood in awe. The beast was huge. His body was shaped like those dragons I’d seen in my picture books as a child, only much leaner. The body was covered with thousands of iridescent scales that flashed from silver to green, purple to red as its chest filled with air, heaving heavy breaths in, then out. The tail was the length of the great hall in the castle and came to a sharp point like an arrowhead.
The massive, gleaming body captivated me. Swallowing down my fear, I lifted my gaze to the face of the creature. I couldn’t tear my eyes away. The huge chestnut eyes were filled with green specks, but there was no doubt in my mind they belonged to Draco. I could see his soul within their depths. My nerves calmed as I detected the slight gleam of amusement held there.
“It really is him, isn’t it?” I whispered.
“Yes, it’s Draco,” Deo said.
“It’s incredible. I never imagined… I mean, I did, but never like this. He’s absolutely… beautiful,” I said, turning to look at Deo, but immediately turning back to look at the dragon. “God, he is… Deo, he is truly the most magnificent thing I have ever seen.”
“Don’t you think his head is swollen enough?” Deo asked with a low chuckle.
The corners of the mouth of the dragon turned up as if amused.
Perhaps hearing my quick gasp at the sight of brilliant white, pointed teeth the smile displayed, Deo called out loudly, “Show her your wings, Draco.”
Slowly, from each side of the body of the animal, great wings unfolded. They spanned twenty feet across, each, shimmering green, silver, and purple in the dull winter sunlight. With the wings spread, I could now see its front two legs, ending in magnificent clawed feet.
“My God,” I murmured, in shock and awe. Draco gently moved his wings forward and back, causing an iridescent shimmer to travel down them in a breathtaking ripple of color and a breeze that I could feel from feet away.
“Cassandra, meet the dragon.”
“How does he choose?”
“You mean between wolf or dragon?” Deo asked and at my nod, continued, “Draco chooses based on… circumstances. He then focuses his energies to become the beast we need most.”
“By circumstances you mean based on the level of danger,” I breathed. Wolf for your everyday battles with demons, dragon to face the greatest danger I had yet to witness. My stomach clenched in tight knots. This new attack would make the first battle look like child’s play—I was sure of it—and Draco and I would not be here to help defend against the evil.
“Yes,” Deo confirmed.
“But there are fewer of them this time.”
“They are more determined in their task.”
I gulped.
“We don’t use Draco unless absolutely necessary. He is quite powerful.” Deo raised his voice, directing his next statement to the beast. “So powerful, in fact, it is a point of contention between us. Isn’t it, Draco? He thinks I envy him his abilities, and I do.”
The flat belly of the great beast began to move in and out slightly, red and orange scales expanding and contracting with each breath, a deep throaty sound coming from it.
“It’s laughing,” I gasped.
Deo turned to me. “He’s not an ‘it,’ Cassandra. It is really Draco in there, I assure you. Would you like to touch him?”
I recoiled. The truth was that while the beauty and fantasy of the animal mesmerized me, his sheer size and power terrified me. Though I had pictured Draco as a dragon, it had been as some smaller, fairytale version. Nothing could have prepared me for the reality of his transformation. I began to shake as the great beast took a step toward me, lifting its clawed foot delicately. Expecting the ground to shake beneath the movements of the dragon, I was surprised at how gracefully and lithely it moved. The only sound was the quiet, steady breaths it took.
As ‘he’ moved toward me, I grabbed Deo’s hand in mine, squeezing tightly. Looking at me, concern in his eyes, Deo asked quietly, “Are you all right?”
“It’s so much to take in, he’s just so—big.”
The dragon made the strange breathy laughing noise again as he continued his careful approach.
Leading me toward him, Deo gently encouraged me to move forward, my feet unwilling to gain any purchase toward the massive animal.
“It’s Draco, Cassandra. It truly is.”
We were now only feet from the beast. Very slowly, it began to move its head downward, toward me. The long snout was only about a half a yard from me.
“Touch him. It is okay.”
Lifting my hand for me, Deo brought my arm up. Suddenly, the creature tipped his great head underneath my hovering hand, nuzzling it gently. I gasped as my fingers touched the silky scales. I had thought they’d be rough, the edges sharp, yet they felt like velvet against my skin.
The dragon brought his head lower and closer, until his huge eyes were looking directly into mine. I could see both love and a familiar amused glimmer shining within them.
“Draco,” I breathed. “It is you.”
Draco laughed his strange laugh. Then gently nuzzled me with his great snout.
In a dreamlike state, I lifted both my hands up to either side of his great face, grabbing a firm hold and bringing him closer for me to inspect. The huge eyes watched me as I lifted my hand to stroke the smooth expanse of skin on the bridge of his nose. Sensing my desire, Draco lowered his head further.
My hand glided along his scales. My dragon. Draco made an almost purring-like noise as I ran my fingertip over the protruding ridge of his brow. When I paused and the brow quirked beneath my hand, I laughed. It reminded me of how my mate would arch his eyebrow in a silent reminder to obey or in amusement of something I’d done or said. The words were out of my mouth before I had time to think them. “May I ride him?”
Deo’s eyes widened in surprise. “I only just got you to touch him. Now you want to ride him?”
“Yes,” I whispered, unable to take my eyes from Draco’s.
“I am happy to hear your request—this is the mode of your transportation.”
“Cool.”
“Cool?” Deo let out a boisterous laugh. “Your mate turns into a terrifying dragon and your response is ‘cool,’ Cassandra?”
“I’m not really sure what else to say. I’m mated to a dragon. How do I get on him?”
“If you are ready to depart, then we must say our goodbyes quickly.”
Deo’s somber words tore my gaze from Draco. Looking into Deo’s eyes, I accepted his chaste kiss, his lips softly pressing against mine. Knowing it was our last kiss until we were reunited, if we survived, Deo seemed to know my fragile emotions could not handle a more intense goodbye.
“I love you, Cassandra Ambrosia. Tell me you know that with your whole heart.”
“I do, Deo. I love you too. Always and forever.” Tears once again stung my eyes.
“No tears, baby,” he said, wiping his thumbs across my cheeks before pulling my gloves from where I’d stuffed them in the pocket of my coat. “Now, make sure you hold on tight to your dragon,” he said, pulling them on my hands. “Ready to ride?” Deo asked with a false brightness.
Draco docilely laid his massive body at my feet. I had to laugh at the sheer impossibility of what I was doing. Deo showed me where to grab with my hands, where to place my feet as for all intents and purpose, I climbed up the mountain that was my dragon’s massive shoulder until I could swing my leg over to straddle his neck. I felt tiny sitting on his broad back, looking down his spine to where his tail uncurled to lengthen the distance even more. As he breathed, my entire body would rise and lower, my weight evidently not enough for him to even notice. The unsteadiness made me wary of my balance and I lay forward, pressing my chest into his neck, laying my face against his cool skin. I was thrilled to be atop a dragon but terrified to sit up straight.
“Don’t be frightened,” Deo said. I looked down and down and down, to see my husband looking up, his hand pressed against the dragon’s side. “You’re fine. Just relax and enjoy the journey.” His next words were addressed to Draco as if he were a man and not a dragon. “Our mate is in your hands. Keep her safe.”
Dragon’s massive head lifted and lowered, the nod accompanied by a soft huff as if to assure Deo that he would do just that. Deo gave the scales two pats and then stepped away.
The beast began to rise. I wrapped my arms tightly around the base of his neck, my fingers nowhere near able to meet. My heart was racing in my chest, feeling as if it would beat its way right out of my ribcage. The dragon was massive. Draco rose to his full height, standing on all fours. The wings whooshed out on either side of me, the wingspan almost touching the castle wall on one side, the trees at the wood’s edge on the other.
My dragon guardian looked over his shoulder to see that I was securely attached, then with a great jump, took off into the air.
We were flying.
The frigid air shocked my face as it blew against me. When we had risen around sixty feet in the air, the beast made a great circle, diving toward the ground where Deo stood. Passing by our grounded mate, Deo’s eyes locked on mine for a moment before we again ascended.
“Goodbye, Deo,” I whispered, laying my face back down and letting my tears stream onto the scales of my dragon. I kept my head down for a few moments, collecting myself, then slowly I rose up, inch by inch until I was sitting up. Feeling more confident that I would not fall, I took in the view below us.
The castle was small now, the size of a child’s toy. I looked over my shoulder but could no longer see Deo. The land was beautiful from my aerial view. The stone wall surrounding the castle, the upper and lower courtyards, overgrown gardens I had yet to explore—I watched as it all disappeared from my view, hidden behind the trees.
Leaving Ravensloft behind, I looked forward, bracing myself for the journey to come.