Chapter Fourteen

Stepping out of the cave into the dimming light of the evening, anticipation thrummed through Willa as she asked for at least the fourth time, “You’re serious, right? I can ride on your back to the Lair?”

She knew Asher was snickering at her but seriously couldn’t care, riding with a Dragon had been a dream of hers since she was a little girl. Grandma Eleanor had lived during the time that Dragons roamed free, flew the skies with wild abandon and served as Guardians for the human race.

Every night before bed, Granny had regaled stories of the times she’d ridden on one of the Universe’s chosen warriors. After such tales, Willa had always dreamt of being the one soaring among the clouds, the wind in her face and the sun warming her skin.

“You just don’t understand, Ash. This is really a dream come true.”

Turning towards her, wrapping his arm around her waist, continuing the motion by lifting her feet off the ground and spinning in circles, Asher beamed, “Your wish will always be my command, mo stór. For as long as the moon and stars hang in the sky, I will move heaven and earth to be a man worthy of your love.”

“Oh, Ash,” Willa swooned, unashamed of how protected and loved she felt. Mars would tease her about being girlie, and not even that deterred her joy.

Kissing her soundly before setting her on her feet and stepping away, Asher winked while walking backward. “Stay right there.”

Doing as she was told, shifting back-and-forth from one foot to the other, Willa eagerly nodded. Looking deep into her mate’s eyes, she gasped as his pupil went from its usual circle to long and elliptical, golden flecks within the deep hazel swirling as Solveig looked upon her, his adoration shining almost as brightly as Asher’s.

Clear, shining bubbles, like tiny silver balls, filled the air, popping into starbursts, shimmering crimson magic falling from the sky, landing on her face and arms, kissing her skin like a million little butterflies. The world around her moved in slow motion, once a man, Asher’s body contorted, stretched and grew until the fierce Solveig, King of the Ruby Dragons stood before her.

Dropping his underbelly to the ground and lowering his long neck and head, her mate’s voice sounded in her mind. “Use my paw, my knee and the spines of my wing like steps to climb on my back.”  

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Willa squealed, hauling herself onto her Dragon’s back in record time.

Sitting astride the base of his neck, holding tight to one of his many thick, bone-like battle spikes like the horn of a horse’s saddle. Pushing her thighs tight to his sides, happy that when she’d magicked them new clothes she’d dressed herself in pants, Willa chuckled as a shiver went through her Dragon’s body as he grumbled, “Much more of that and I’m changing back to a man and dragging you back into the cave.”

Adoring the lightness of his tone and Asher’s recovered ability to joke and have fun, she gave another quick squeeze, chuckling, “Just a little promise of things to come.”

“I’ll hold you to that, Macushla.”

His sexy growl sent shockwaves through her body, making her warm and needy as she sassed, “Stop teasing me, mo shíorghrá.” She spoke aloud in his native tongue, knowing how it affected him, relishing their special brand of banter and looking forward to forever with her Asher.

His long, powerful wings pushed against the airstream, lifting them off the ground as Asher’s cheeky reply filled her mind, “The quicker I get us there, the quicker I get you all to myself once again.”

Higher and higher they rose into the air, every thrust of his wings propelling them through the clouds, closer to the shimmering glow of the moon until Asher’s massive body leveled out and headed down the coastline. Looking down, sharing her wonder and awe with her mate, Willa reveled at the sight of the lands she’d played in as a child, trained in as an adolescent and young adult and had worked to protect from Bogdi as an adult flew by, so small she could barely make them out, but no less holding a special place in her heart.

Flying over the mountains she knew led to the Lair of the Blue Dragons, Willa pointed, “Right there, atop that ridge in the middle is where Mars and I used to sneak off to and talk about how we’d make things different once we were old enough. We promised each other to rid our Clan of Bogdi and…”

“Hold on,” was the only warning she got as Asher dove towards the very ridge she’d just been talking about.

Laying her chest against the cool, smooth scales of his neck, wrapping her arms as far as they could go around the thick muscles of his neck, Willa held on for dear life, shrieking into her mate’s mind, “What the hell is going on?”

But Asher didn’t have to answer as deadly Dragon fire filled the sky, just missing Willa’s head, glowing embers landing on her bare arms and Asher’s scales. Closing his wings to his sides, aiming his snout straight down, Asher ordered, “Do not let go until we…”

Incinerated by the fire from an unseen Dragon, the tips of Asher’s wings caught fire, sending him into a death spiral and throwing Willa off his back. Waving her arms, calling to her enchantment and coming up empty, she shrieked for dear life, “Asher! Asher, I can’t stop. I can’t use my magic. What’s happening?”

Her screams were met with silence. Fearing the worst, she tried to turn her head at the exact moment she landed with a bone-jarring thud on a supremely hard, obviously magical, invisible barrier. Trying to roll one way and then the other, needing to get to her knees and see that her Dragon was okay, Willa felt herself sinking into whatever horrific torture device some asshole magician had conjured.

Roaring her anger and frustration to the skies, she lifted her head, trying to sit up just as heavy, black-scaled vines popped into existence all around her, slapping her body, wrists and ankles, locking her tight to what had suddenly become a mystical prison. Pouring as much magic as she could into the mating bond she shared with Asher, trying to establish contact with him or at least see through his eyes, she shook with fury as she glimpsed Bogdi and Kazinski, standing on the cliff.

“Bogdi, you insufferable piece of shit, I should’ve known you were getting your power from somewhere. You’ve never been more than a weak, pathetic bully. What did you do, rope Kazinski in so you had a little muscle?” Taking a quick breath, she railed on, “Afraid to get your hands dirty? Well, fuck you! I swear to the Heavens tonight is the night you die.”

An evil cackle filled the skies as the old Gypsy boasted, “Oh no, you stupid bitch, it is your body that shall feed the sharks.”