Dragan was livid. His mate's reaction to what he was had been the final straw that had broken him. He swept an unconscious Ainsley up into his arms before she hit the pavers and hugged her possessively to his chest. Then he had thrown his head back to roar his fury and his fiery wrath, to the heavens above.

The girl watched the display, with wide, frightened eyes. For her sake, he made a concerted effort to rein in his raging emotions. That only extended so far which meant his visage was probably terrifying when he commanded in a low growl, "Come, little one." That said, he turned and carried his mate into the castle.

Once inside the great hall, he bellowed for his majordomo, a play on his true title of mage that Brendyn found amusing. His lifelong friend and confidant magically appeared, and the girl following along behind him gasped in surprise. A glance over his shoulder revealed that the child had stopped and was staring at the man in awe.

Brendyn's dark good looks always had that effect on females of any age, but it was his reaction to the girl that had Dragan gnashing his teeth. Because the mage was staring at his daughter in the same manner. "The gods be praised," his best friend said in reverence. "The prophecy has finally come true."

The prophecy being that a girl child under the guidance of, and mated to, a powerful mage would grow into a benevolent ruler who would replenish the nearly extinct dragon population with her offspring. "The devil you say," Dragan snarled in Latin. "I'll see you dead before you'll lay a finger on my daughter."

Tearing his gaze from the girl, the mage looked at him to respond in their native tongue, "But the prophecy…"

"Prophecy be damned," he growled. "She is but a child and you a manwhore at best."

"Nay, my liege. Those days are no more," Brendyn fervently denied as his adoring gaze drifted back to the girl again. "Not now that I have found my one true love."

Stepping in front of the girl to block the other man's view of her, he vowed, "I'll rip the beating heart from your chest if you even think about touching her."

His devil may care friend sobered and replied, "As you say, she is but a child. Now. But she will grow into a woman, Dray. A woman destined to be my mate… and the dragon queen. Until she is mature enough to do so, you have my solemn vow that I will be her loyal friend and faithful counselor, just as I have been yours all these centuries."

Chagrined for doubting the other man's integrity, Dragan sighed wearily and replied, "Forgive me, old friend. I've only been a father for a few moments, and I've already fucked it up royally."

Brendyn's blacker than night eyes traveled from his bare feet up to the unconscious woman in his arms before a devilish grin covered his face. "Hmm. So I see," he agreed. "Shall I attend to your mate, or mine, my liege?"

Even though he loved the mage like a brother and trusted him implicitly, the thought of handing his mate over to another man's keeping was intolerable to both he and his dragon. "Yours," he replied with a hard look. "Be very careful, Bren. She's going through the change and has no control over her dragon yet."

"I survived yours," he responded dryly and took a step sideways, so the girl was in his sight again. Offering a courtly bow, the mage switched to English to say, "Welcome to Dragon's Lair, Princess. I am Brendyn."

The girl stared up at his friend with the same bemused expression that females always wore around him. "Hello," she said tentatively. "I'm um, Ember."

"Princess Ember, it is an honor to make your acquaintance," he replied with the rakish grin that had been known to send females into a swoon. "Would you care to join me in the kitchen for a snack before we tour the castle?"

The girl looked up at Dragan questioningly before he nodded confirmation. "Stay with Bren," he commanded.

"But… what about Mom?" She queried in concern.

"I will attend your mother," he assured her and carried his mate up the stairs to the second floor. Turning left, he walked directly to the suite that his Ainsley had chosen before. She had adored the room because its balcony overlooked both the walled garden and the panoramic vista of the valley below.

With the utmost reluctance, Dragan placed his mate on the bed and released his hold on her. Once again, the barren desolation filled him, so he sat beside her and gently lifted her hand to his. Unable to help himself, he brushed his fingertips down her cheek, savoring the warm silky texture of her flesh.

Ainsley. His Ainsley. It shredded his soul that she had run from him and borne his child in secret. The reminder that she had not loved him as deeply as he still loved her rekindled his fury and hardened his severed heart. But she was back now, and by all that was holy, he intended to keep her, by fair means or foul.

Dragan would make her love him.

And even if she didn't, he wasn't going to let her go.

Because without her, he was lost.

 

***

 

Ember listened with rapt attention as Brendyn gave her a crash course in dragon lore. He told of a time when dragon's walked the earth like gods among men. Of the fierce battles they had fought and kingdoms conquered. That her bloodline led back to the dawn of time itself and she was destined to one day be the dragon queen.

He made it sound so exciting that the prospect of becoming a dragon wasn't as frightening as it had been. She could almost believe that she had stepped into a fairy tale and that the mage was her handsome prince. With his coal black hair and eyes, he was the most beautiful man that Ember had ever seen.

Brendyn had talked to her as if she were an adult instead of treating her like a child. He'd patiently answered all of her questions, and she'd discovered that he had a great sense of humor. Since she felt more comfortable with him than she did with her very frightening father, she asked, "Is he always like that?"

The sparkle in his eyes dimmed, and his smile became sad. "The man that you saw is not the man that he is," he replied enigmatically. "Dragan has not been himself since… well, that's not for me to say. But rest assured mate meus, he will be back to his jovial self soon now that your mother has returned with you."

"Did he love her? My mom," she queried curiously.

"Never has a man so loved a woman," Brendyn replied solemnly. "Such is the way with fated mates. Once found, they simply cannot bear to live without each other."

"They did okay for thirteen years," she said dryly.

"There is a difference between living and surviving," he explained. "To survive is simply to exist whereas living means that you are vitally alive, happy and content."

Ember digested his words slowly, and the meaning rang true. Because she'd heard her mom cry herself to sleep every night for as long as she could remember. Though she seemed happy, there had always been a deep sadness in her eyes, as if something were missing. Now she had to wonder if that something was her father.

"How do you know so much?" She asked when the thought occurred to her.

That dazzling smile blinded her again as he teased, "I am a very wise and ancient mage. It's my job to know everything."

She laughed at his nonsense since he had to be around her mom's age. Sure thirtyish was really old, but it wasn't ancient. Not that it mattered what his age was, because Ember had just developed her first crush, and it was awesome!