“WHAT EXACTLY DOES that mean, Erica?” Kodran tried his damndest not to seem upset with her. Because he wasn’t. Not really. Just their set of circumstances and all she had gone through.

“It means we’re running out of time,” she murmured. “It’s getting harder and harder to keep the other version of Maeva out of my head.” She frowned. “It’s become more of a battle over the years, but since we touched the blade, it’s ten times worse. One of us is going to win, and when that happens, only one version of Maeva will exist...only one version of me.”

“But I’m your mate in this life,” he ground out.

“And he was in the last,” she reminded.

“Because of what I did.” He frowned and shook his head. “But that wasn’t real. It wasn’t fated. He took you against your will.”

“I know,” she said. “But remember, my doppelgänger became his willingly. For all intents and purposes they were mates, and somehow that mattered. It will make the difference.”

“So how do we keep her repressed?” he asked. “Because it sounds to me like if she surfaces all the way, I’m not going to be able to stop you from running back to Hallstein.”

“I don’t know,” she said. “For starters, I think it’s best to continue traveling by night when their connection isn’t as strong.”

“Right,” he murmured. “Because he made you his mate during the day, that time frame became the strongest point of power for him and the other Maeva.”

“Yes,” she replied. “But that doesn’t entirely dispel her power at night. Just lessens it some.”

“And what of us mating?” His eyes stayed with hers. “Now that I understand everything, I would think you’d want to do that right away considering it will only make us stronger.”

“What makes me stronger makes her stronger,” she whispered.

Kodran frowned and was about to ask her what she meant by that when it occurred to him. “Loki’s cock, no.” He shook his head. “When you said you became Hallstein’s play thing, I assumed you were talking about the other Maeva, but you share the same body in this life.” His chest tightened in rage. “So he’s had you.” He clenched his jaw. “He’s raped you.”

“Her,” she said softly. “He’s had the other Maeva, not me. Beat the other Maeva. Hurt her. But never me,” she whispered and stared at the water as she reiterated through clenched teeth, “Never.”

As the truth started to sink in, he got out of the water, dressed, and sat beside her. He was going to make that monster pay a thousand times over for this. “You might not have been there mentally, but it was your body he abused while enjoying Maeva, wasn’t it?”

When she didn’t reply, he slipped his hand into hers and tried to offer comfort. Her lack of reply spoke volumes. The only response she showed was the sadness in her eyes as her finger kept trailing around the metallic mica circle in the rock.

“I’m so sorry, Erica,” he murmured. “I’d do anything to have been there. To have protected you from him.”

“I know you would,” she whispered before she seemed to gather her strength. She sat up straighter and met his eyes again. “So now you understand why though I know it’s prudent to have sex with you as soon as possible I just...shit...” she muttered then trailed off.

“I understand.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry I’ve been pushing you. I had no idea.” He frowned. “You say as much, but please tell me you don’t have memories of what he did to you.”

“No.” Erica shook her head. “I’d probably be cracking up right now if I did. He’s one sick bastard.” She swallowed hard again and kept her emotions repressed. “Let’s just say the other Maeva enjoyed her time with him from start to finish. I didn’t merge with myself until it was over. Then I had the pleasure of dealing with cracked ribs, swollen eyes, endless bruising, blood...It’s a good thing dragons heal quickly.” She clenched her teeth and shook her head again. “Hallstein and Maeva are as evil in their lusting as they are in all walks of life. Twisted, sadistic fucks.”

“This is all Eluf’s fault,” Kodran growled. “My fault.”

“No.” Now she was squeezing his hand in comfort. “All you’re guilty of was protecting me in another life the best way you knew how. And trust me, I’d rather have dealt with Hallstein in the twenty-first century a million times over than have been at his mercy in that life because it was a whole lot longer.” Her eyes held his. “Besides, I loved Eluf in that life. I can’t imagine the thought of being with anyone but him...you.”

“I know you did,” he murmured. “Even as you watched him grow old while you stayed young.”

“He was never old in my eyes,” she said softly. “He was always handsome and good.”

He hoped so. Because he had long heard that love can make you blind.

“How did Bard finally find out what Eluf had done?” he said, curious. “That he wasn’t with the original version of you? Because it wasn’t for a great many years.”

“I’m not entirely sure,” she said. “But I imagine we’ll find out.”

He sighed and kept eying the water. They needed to get to the bottom of things. Where did this lead?

“First we need to rest,” she said, following his thoughts as she turned on the rock and stood. “Right now it’s daytime, so it’s best to get in a pattern of waking at night which is only a few hours off.”

He nodded. She was right.

“I’ll hunt some rodents to eat,” he said. “Maybe some insects too.”

She flinched. “Naw, I’m good. I just want to sleep.”

“You should eat something, Erica.” He stood as well. “You need to keep your strength up.”

“I’m sorry, I’m just not hungry. But I am logical.” She padded toward the bed. “Maybe when we wake up, okay?”

He nodded and sat against the wall by the fire as she crawled into bed.

She frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Settling in to rest,” he said.

“Why there?”

Did she really want him in bed with her? Because that might not be the best idea. Not considering how much he wanted her.

“I think you know why, Erica.”

“Can’t you sleep beside me without having sex?” She laid down, her eyes still on him. “Because I know you can, Kodran.”

“Yes, but I’m human...and dragon.” He didn’t hold back. “And I want you.”

She eyed him for a long moment before she nodded and rolled over. Had that been disappointment in her eyes? Even a flash of vulnerability? He realized it was. More than that, he understood the reason. Erica had never had love in this life outside of family. And even that had been strained for a long time.

The look she had just given him wasn’t an invitation for sex but hope that he might be able to lie beside her, hold her, and expect nothing more. She simply wanted something she never asked of anyone.

Comfort.

Maybe even strength.

It might be hard because he desired her so much, but it was the least he could do. So he murmured a prayer to Odin to take away his desire and joined her. Unfortunately, no amount of prayer could will away a dragon’s arousal when they were near their mate.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured in regards to his erection as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her back against his front. “I can’t use magic to stop it.” He figured that wouldn’t work anyway. “Give it time, and maybe it will go away once I fall asleep.”

“No worries,” she murmured. “Thanks for joining me.” And then, as what seemed like an afterthought, she whispered, “Sorry about any scent I put off. My dragon can’t help it around you.”

She wasn’t kidding. Her sweet scent of arousal filled the air and lingered. It took everything he had not to rip her pants down and thrust deep inside her. But he wouldn’t. Not ever.

Nothing more was said, and eventually, once she finally dozed off, he did the same. Dreams came and went. Of this place and other places he knew were part of this ancient land. Then one dream arose. One that stood out from all the rest. A dream he experienced not only from the outside looking in but as the participant.

It was of Eluf and Maeva mating in this very bed.

He had bedded his fair share of women and witnessed some arousing things but nothing so erotic as them together. They might not have been dragon mates, but they moved together as though designed for each other.

“Eluf,” Maeva groaned as he stroked and licked and touched her everywhere. “Don’t stop. Keep doing that...”

When she trailed off, he suckled her nipple deeper into his mouth while working the flesh between her legs with his hand. He knew just what she liked. And he knew when and where she liked it.

And she was nearly ready.

He left her nipple but continued stroking her breast as he kissed her, angled her sideways then replaced his hand with his cock. Sweet bliss washed over him as he filled her.

“Kodran,” she wailed in pleasure and arched against him.

Who was Kodran? Then he remembered, and his eyes shot open as Erica bolted up in bed with his name still lingering on her lips. He sat up as well, trying to figure out what had just happened. They were still dressed so it must have been a dream.

Her eyes met his, and she sounded winded. “You dreamt about them too, didn’t you?” She pointed between them. “They were...we were...”

“We were,” he confirmed and nodded as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, braced his elbows on his knees, hung his head, and worked on willing away a raging erection. “And I’ve never felt anything so intense.”

“Me neither,” she whispered as she got up. “And I think it happened because of this bed. Because we didn’t really...” She looked over her clothing clearly trying to determine if they’d managed it somehow. Her eyes went to him. “We didn’t really have sex, right? Because I feel...” She inhaled deeply, evidently trying to get ahold of her own arousal. “I feel like we did and in a really good way.”

“Me too.” He shook his head. “But no, we didn’t. At least not here. I think if anything, we were inside Eluf and Maeva when they did.”

“Oh,” Erica murmured and nodded. “That makes sense.” She sank down beside him, flustered, still trying to catch her breath. “They were pretty damn good together, weren’t they?”

“So it seems,” he managed, close to tossing her back on the bed and finishing what their predecessors had started. “I’m sorry to ask it but...” He ground his jaw and kept his eyes off her. “Could you give me a few moments to get myself under control?” He made a gesture with his hand before he stood and stepped away from the bed. “I just need some space.” He shook his head. “My dragon’s reacting pretty strongly to the dream...to you.”

“Sure, yeah. I’m sorry too. I should’ve known,” Erica said before she headed for the other side of the cave. “This better?”

“Getting there,” he said but knew it was going to take a lot longer.

“I should’ve known something like this might happen,” she muttered. “So again, I’m sorry, Kodran. Sorry for wanting you to sleep next to me. I just...”

When she trailed off, he filled in the blanks. “No, I’m glad you did. I’m glad I could be there for you.” He braced his hand against the wall, hung his head and tried to fight the pain in his balls. Because it was vicious. “You’ve been through a lot and deserve something more than what that monster offered. You deserve basic affection...love.”

He wasn’t afraid to use that word with her. It had been theirs in another life, and though they might not recognize it yet in this one, he knew it existed. That it was coming.

“There are other ways to handle what you’re dealing with right now,” she said softly before her hand landed on his shoulder. “Besides sex and magic.”

“Loki’s Hel, Erica,” he bit out. “You need to get away from me. Now.”

“No.” She stepped around, placed her hands on his chest then walked him backward until he sat on the bed again. “We need release and there’s a way to do it without too much intimacy. We’ll just have to bathe and wash our clothes afterward. But there’s still time for them to dry by the fire.”

He narrowed his eyes as he took her meaning. “You’re putting an awful lot of trust in us...in me.”

“I am,” she conceded as she straddled him and wrapped a hand into his hair. “But the way I see it we have one of two ways to handle things.” She pressed the heat between her legs against his cock. “Take care of ourselves on our own which strikes me not only as awkward...” She ground against him. “But not nearly as much fun.”

Well, she had a point there.

And who said sex with clothes on couldn’t achieve the same goal? Her. Clearly. But he wasn’t so sure. Not until she started moving.

His eyes almost rolled in his head as she pushed him back, braced her hands on his shoulders and began grinding against him. And Hel, could the woman move. Though tempted to grab her hips and meet her pace, he fought the urge. She deserved to be in complete control of this because far too often she hadn’t been with Hallstein. It seemed she sensed his thoughts because there was a grateful look mixed in with the lust in her eyes.

He found that it became easier and easier to let her have her way with him. Whether it was because they were dragon mates or so close in another life, she moved against him in a way that bespoke knowledge of what he liked. And where he liked it. She was riding him in a fashion perfectly suited to him, and his cock more than appreciated it. In fact, his body responded so well that he was clenching his jaw and the furs beneath him within moments.

The dragon had erupted in her eyes. In direct response, his surfaced and red skirted his vision. Nonetheless, she remained in control, and his dragon allowed it. It understood that she had suffered. It wanted her to have this just as much as the man inside him did.

“Kodran,” she moaned as her eyes fluttered shut and she moved faster.

He had never seen anything more beautiful or felt anything so good, and it translated immediately to his cock. Seconds later, he ground his teeth, white-knuckled the fur and groaned, “Erica,” before he let go.

“Oh my God,” she whispered seconds before she pressed against him one last time, her heavy-lidded eyes met his, she sank against his chest and began shaking with her own release.

Kodran wrapped his arms around her and simply held her as the aftershocks of their climaxes led to utter relaxation. Having her in his arms like this felt familiar, and he knew it was because he had done it often in their previous life. It had been times like this that they talked for hours and shared everything.

“It’s so unfair,” she whispered, her cheek resting against his chest, thinking the same thoughts as him. “We were so in love yet you weren’t a dragon and couldn’t be with me...yet you are in this lifetime.” She sighed. “So, why not in the first one?”

“I don’t know,” he murmured, stroking the back of her head. “Because as far as I knew dragons were mates from the very beginning of dragon kind. With that logic in mind, it makes no sense.”

“No, it doesn’t,” she agreed. “But then the same could be said about my parents. A seer and a dragon.” She sat back and looked at him. “And I got the impression there were more. Romances that defied the rules.”

“Rules that governed love.” He frowned. “Sad.”

“It is,” Erica agreed as a blush suddenly colored her cheek. Yet she grinned as she swung off of him. “That was really teenager-ish of us, but I feel much better.” She perked a brow at him as she stood. “You?”

“Much,” he assured as he stood as well.

“I know it’s a strange thing to ask after what we just did,” she said, “but maybe we can wash up on opposite sides of the pond without looking at each other?”

“Agreed,” he said. Because one look at her nude body would probably undo all the relief she had just given him. He gestured at the water, smiled, said, “You first,” then turned away.

“Thank you,” she replied before they both started undressing. Once she was in the water, he joined her, on the opposite side as requested and they commenced to washing their clothes along with their bodies.

A small smile curled his lips. This was a first. The modesty of it all. But there was something sweet about it. As though they were starting all over in more ways than one. And it was a beginning that put them on equal ground this time. A start as not just fellow dragons but friends and lovers. Because that would happen eventually. Sex. Love. And most definitely friendship because he already enjoyed her company and truly liked her.

“I like you too, Kodran,” she said softly. “More than I was prepared to.”

He understood her meaning. She had been keeping everyone at an emotional distance for so long, it had become second nature. It wasn’t easy letting someone in. He was about to respond when the water chilled, and sea salt filled his nostrils.

Something was happening.

“Kodran,” Erica whispered, heading his way as quickly as he was hers. “What’s going on?”

The air became thinner, harder to breathe. That said something considering they were dragons and preferred higher altitudes. He shook his head, grabbed the Gungnir blade then pulled her close. It didn’t matter that they were nude. Sex was the last thing on his mind as the water trickling down the wall started to shimmer. He glanced from the dagger as it warmed to the waterfall. If he wasn’t mistaken, the blade was opening a portal of sorts.

“Oh, man,” Erica murmured and pressed closer to him. “Why do I get the feeling that this is one of those times you really wish you weren’t naked. Like a nightmare that you’re standing in front of the class in your birthday suit.”

He wasn’t sure what she meant by that but had no time to question her before the water started glowing golden, and they were sucked toward the waterfall.

“Hold on,” he said as he held her tightly, and braced his feet against the undertow. “I’ll keep you safe.”

And he would. With his last dying breath.

Seconds later, they were pulled hard toward the wall of water then everything went white, and it became easier to breathe. When the white faded, they were standing in a lush valley surrounded by steep mountains.

“Ah, there you are,” Adlin exclaimed as he appeared then promptly turned away. “You’ll find a change of clothes on the rock nearby.”

“Where are we, Adlin?” Kodran growled as he fought the urge to keep Erica against him. Now that he knew they were safe enough, he was instantly aware of her well-toned but remarkably soft body against his. Her firm breasts. Her small waist. So he made quick work of handing her the clothing provided as he kept his eyes averted.

“Just wait and see,” Adlin said, the excitement in his voice obvious. “This is where it really all began.” There was nostalgia in his voice. “There’s nothing quite like young love...or first love...”

Kodran yanked on leather pants, as well as the tunic and boots provided. What was the ghost talking about?

Suddenly Adlin vanished and their surroundings filled with people.

People that didn’t know they were there any more than Eluf and Maeva had.

“Oh, wow,” Erica murmured as she joined him then gazed up. “Look at all this Kodran.”

Not only did he look but felt the pure power around them as dragons filled the sky, playing and chasing after each other. Everyone here was either seer or dragon. And, as far as he could tell, truly did co-exist peacefully.

Then he started to sense something else. The underlying current. The tension of some who passed him. They were doing what was expected of them. They were accepting the other species. At least out in the open.

“There’s a lot of dissension here, isn’t there?” she whispered, following it just as readily as he was. “While some really want peace to continue, many don’t.”

He nodded in agreement.

“Shoot, look who’s coming,” she murmured before a younger version of Maeva strolled by with another woman who spoke in a hushed tone.

“Take care not to look at Eluf like you have been lately,” the other woman said. “Not only is he a seer but far above your station, Sister.”

“Holy crap, that’s Lauren in another life!” Erica pulled Kodran along, and they followed them. “Funny thing though, Lauren has no idea Maeva and Eluf ended up together. Nobody does.” She shook her head. “I wonder why that is.”

“I’m not looking at him in any certain way,” Maeva defended as she spoke to her sister. “But I tell you he has been looking at me in such a fashion lately.”

“You do not know that,” her sister countered. “You’ve never even met him face to face. Just seen him across crowded rooms and meadows such as this.”

“A woman knows these things.”

“Yes, but we are more innocent than most, so you really have little knowledge of what a woman does and does not know,” her sister replied. “Grandfather has kept us sheltered. Besides, are you not good friends with Einar? Is there not something between you perhaps?”

“An original dragon that is also above my station might I remind you,” Maeva pointed out. “So seer or dragon. What difference does it make?”

“I think you just answered your own question.” There was a hint of disgust in her sister’s voice. “An original dragon not a seer.”

For all the gentile attitude Lauren’s previous incarnate seemed to be displaying he didn’t miss the fire in her eyes. Beneath all that prim and proper, she was a warrior. And prejudiced as well.

Kodran and Erica glanced at each other and frowned.

“There you are granddaughters!” a deep voice boomed as the women stopped beneath an ash tree of all things.

Erica’s eyes widened as a behemoth of a man strode through the crowd. Well-muscled, taller than most shifters and handsome, there was nothing but pride in his eyes as he and three others stopped in front of the girls.

Maeva and her sister lowered their heads. “Grandfather.”

Kodran knew exactly who he was looking at. Bjark.

The first of Erica’s lineage.

“Jesus, Kodran, look who’s with him. All in one place.” Erica’s eyes narrowed, and her voice dropped. “It’s Einar, Eluf, and Bard.”