Before he had even met her, Dragan had known that Ainsley was his fated mate. A sense of euphoria had gripped him before he had felt her presence growing ever closer. Impatient and filled with anticipation of this long-awaited meeting, he had hurried down the mountain to find the woman meant just for him.

She had been even more beautiful that he could have imagined. Waist length pale blonde hair, and a smile that outshone the sun when those lavender eyes met his. Petite yet curvaceous, she was perfect in every detail, and he had known in an instant that he would love and cherish her all the days of his life.

Over the past week, he had devoted every ounce of his attention and energy to courting her, and he was ecstatic that his Ainsley had fallen in love with him. How he wished he'd had more time to allow her feelings for him to grow even deeper, but spring break ended today and she needed to return to school and graduate.

He had instructed his mage to find suitable accommodations for them, and manwhore that he was, the prospect of being surrounded by college girls had prompted Brendyn to pursue the task avidly. He had procured a gated estate near the campus, but none of the rooms were large enough for him to shift into his dragon.

Therefore the mating ceremony must be performed tonight.

Dragan had left his precious mate sleeping in his bed and went down to the dungeon to shift into his dragon form. As part of the ritual, his beast had to cut half of the beating heart from his chest, which had been an excruciatingly painful process to endure. Afterward, he had to remain in his animal form until the severed organ healed.

So both he and his dragon had panicked when they heard Ainsley on the stairs. It was too soon in the healing process for him to shift back into a man, so his only option had been to remain hidden. After all, coming face to face with a dragon would be a terrifying experience, so he was extremely reluctant to reveal himself.

Yet.

He would have to do so tonight before he gave Ainsley his heart, but by that point, he would have had time to prepare her for the shock. As it was, convincing his mate that dragons did exist and that he could shift into one had already filled him with angst. Because there was a possibility that she would reject him.

The thought struck sheer terror in his heart. But there was something in her voice as she pleaded with him to reveal himself that struck a chord deep inside his soul. His mate needed him, and he was powerless to resist her. So it had been with great trepidation that Dragan had lit a torch and allowed her to see him.

Much to his shock, his mate didn't seem to be afraid of him, nor did she appear to be surprised to discover a dragon in the dungeon. A brilliant smile and a hug were the last reactions that he had expected. The breath that he'd been holding escaped in a rush of heated air as he realized that she wasn't afraid of him.

"My beloved dragon shifter," she sighed and took his hand in both of hers. As he watched in complete astonishment, his Ainsley rubbed her cheek against his rough, leathery palm before placing a tender kiss at its center. "I want to be your mate, Dragan. So after you've recovered, I'll be waiting for my half of your heart."

Her image blurred and he blinked the sheen of tears from his eyes. The unexpected declaration made every ounce of the pain that he had just suffered worthwhile. Dragan's soul sang with joy as relief flooded him. Because his beautiful Ainsley had completely accepted him, scales and all.

Moved beyond words, and unable to communicate with her in dragon form, he did the next best thing. He pursed his lips and blew a heart shaped puff of smoke toward his beloved mate. She laughed in delight at the romantic gesture, blew him a kiss and scampered back up the stairs while he stared after her in amazement.

 

***

 

As soon as he was physically able to shift, Dragan made his way up the stairs where his best friend informed him that Ainsley had some type of vision before her trip down to the dungeon. Well versed in such things after living with his mother, he located his mate in the rose garden and requested, "Tell me about your vision."

"You may not like everything you hear," she warned and soothingly caressed his arm. "But it convinced me that neither of us could survive without each other. That we're meant to be mates."

"Then I shall cherish every word," he assured her solemnly. He listened patiently as she told him about the vision that she had seen of the future. Ainsley's confession that she had been leaving him had shaken him to his core. He thanked the gods profusely for ensuring such a tragedy did not occur.

Dragan informed her that the thought of being separated for even a day was intolerable and that he had bought an estate for them to live near the campus until she graduated. His beloved mate had assured him that it was a brilliant idea and thanked him with a kiss that left him aching for more.

They spent the afternoon learning more about each other, and he happily answered all of her questions about dragon shifters. When night fell, they shared a candlelit meal in the rose garden before Dragan took his mate flying. She informed his dragon that he was simply magnificent which pleased both man and beast greatly.

Then he carried Ainsley up the stairs to his bedroom and placed her on the massive ornately designed bed. She caressed the red silk sheets and said, "This is the bed where our daughter was conceived."

"You mean where she will be," he corrected in amusement since she kept referring to future events as if they had already occurred.

"No, she already is," his beloved mate replied as she sat up. "I'm carrying our child now, Dragan. Ember will try your patience often, but you're going to be a wonderful father."

The admission filled him with more joy than he could contain. He sank to his knees beside the bed and wrapped his arms around his beloved mate. "Mea bella mate, Ainsley," he said brokenly and tenderly kissed her lips. "After centuries of waiting, you are a dream come true. Mere words cannot describe the depth of my love for you."

"Actions speak louder, my love," she pointed out and placed her hand gently over the freshly healed scar on his chest. "Yours say more than words ever could. I felt it, you know. The pain of your heart being severed was excruciating. That was why I had to see you. To make sure that you were all right."

She had felt his pain? Gods, such a thing was unheard of. The bond should not be that strong until after the mating ceremony. "I am sorry that you had to feel that, my Ainsley. I cannot comprehend how such a thing happened," he replied with genuine remorse that she had felt an iota of pain.

"I'm not," she denied, and the truth shone in her eyes. "If I hadn't, all hope would be lost."

The reminder of how close he had come to losing her chilled him to the bone. His dragon was equally disturbed and insisted he complete the ceremony with all haste. Neither of them would draw an easy breath until she was theirs for all eternity and beyond. Taking her hands in his, he asked solemnly, "Will you be my mate, Ainsley?"

"I will," she fervently agreed.

Using the intense heat of dragon fire, his dragon had forged a ruby heart for their mate from her half of his severed heart. Dragan had mounted it into the intricate golden filigree pendant that had been passed down through his family since the dawn of time. The necklace truly was befitting of a queen as many had worn it.

Giving half of their heart to a mate was the ultimate act of love among dragon shifters, so it was with great reverence that he lifted the pendant from the bedside table and secured the gold chain around his mate's slender neck. Then he made the simple yet heartfelt vow that would bind them together till the end of time.

"Your heart is mine, my heart is yours, bound together as one, forevermore," he vowed with tear filled eyes. Ainsley watched in awe as the ruby glowed and began to pulse with each beat of his heart. When his mate's heart changed its rhythm and began to beat in sync with his, the glow softly faded away.

"Our two hearts beat as one," he said in a choked tone. "You are mine, my Ainsley."

"As you are mine," she agreed, and the love shining in her eyes took his breath away.

Though his resolve was rock steady, his hands held a noticeable tremble as he divested her of her clothes. Starting with a kiss on her ankle, Dragan worshiped every inch of his mate with his mouth and hands until she was writhing beneath him. He licked and laved, nibbled and suckled her delicate flesh until she trembled with need.

Then he settled between her quivering thighs to feast, and feast he did. Ainsley's moans of pleasure quickly became squeals of delight, and his dragon chuckled wickedly. Now that his mate knew that he was a shifter, he was able to bring her to even greater heights of ecstasy courtesy of his forked tongue.

 

***

 

"Dragan," Ainsley screamed as the orgasm slammed into her like a tidal wave of raw ecstasy. Her heart was hammering wildly, pure pleasure dancing through her veins as stars burst behind her closed eyelids. She wasn't sure exactly what he'd done differently this time, but the results were definitely addictive.

Unclenching her fist from his hair, her hand dropped limply to her side, her entire body languid with satiation. A smile curved her lips as she felt her dragon shifter slowly climbing up her body until his chest touched hers. "Umm," was the only thing she was capable of articulating in her dazed and sated state.

"I think you enjoyed my dragon coming out to play," he murmured in amusement.

Opening heavy lids, she stared up into his brown velvet eyes and smiled. "If that's what happens then he's welcome anytime," she agreed.

"He is pleased with the invitation," Dragan assured her. "But for now, it's my turn."

He entered her with a slow, deep thrust that had the breath hissing from her lungs. Her nether regions were still so sensitive that the brush of his flesh against hers was magnified tenfold. Her arms came up, locked around his broad shoulders and drew his chest down to meet hers, needing more contact with the man she loved.

"I love you, Dragan," she whispered softly as she stared into his eyes.

"As I love you, my Ainsley," he vowed and sealed it with a kiss.

He made love to her slowly. Gently. Reverently. She could feel the love and adoration that he felt for her with every thrust, every touch. See it in his eyes and expression. But the most amazing thing of all was that she could feel it in their joined hearts. It was a magical experience that she would cherish all of her days.

And their mutual climax? Off. The. Chart. Ecstasy!