Page 29 of Dream Lost (The Fae Universe #12)

29

B ridget followed Valentine and Bas out into the darkness of the garden. It was cool outside, but she hardly noticed. Valentine put Bas down on a sun lounge and checked his eyes and pulse.

“What happened to bring this on?” he asked.

Bridget went red. “We were having sex.”

“I thought as much. Highly emotional situations are usually one of the triggers,” Valentine replied. He made a gesture in the air, a careless flick of his wrist, and two blankets appeared. He tossed one to Bridget, and he laid the other one over Bas.

Bridget put it around herself. “Thanks.”

“He would kill me if I didn’t look after you.” Valentine pulled up a lawn chair and placed it beside Bas. “Sit down. Having you close will help.”

Bridget didn’t see how, but she still sat. She took one of Bas’s clawed hands and hung on. “Stay with me, Greatdrakes. I’m not done with you yet.”

Bas made a sound between a groan and a laugh. “Not my sexiest…moment…” he panted.

“I mean, before all this excitement, it was definitely mine,” Bridget said and kissed the back of his hands.

“S-Sorry I ruined it.”

“You ruined my pussy, but that’s all,” she teased.

Valentine made a gagging sound. “Please stop for the love of the gods. What did Taran say?”

“If that’s who I was talking to, he said he will be here soon,” Bridget said and handed him back his phone.

“Okay. I need to go wake Apollo and Dad. Don’t leave him alone. Don’t let him go,” he said, fear flickering in his eyes.

Bridget’s hand tightened on Bas. “Never.”

“ Mine ,” Bas growled, eyes shining before another wave of pain had him shaking.

Bridget touched his face. “Yes, I’m yours.” She didn’t know what to do, but the touch stopped him shaking.

Valentine swore under his breath. “I’ll be right back.” He ran back into the house, and Bridget hoped Cosimo had more of an idea of how to help.

Bridget stroked Bas’s sweaty hair and tried not to panic every time he shook or groaned. The air around him was getting hotter and hotter.

“You really weren’t kidding about the dragon thing. Just because you weren’t impressive enough, huh?” she said.

Bas gripped her hand tighter, the claws on his hand even longer. “Mine. Mine. Mine,” he chanted.

“Yes,” she said again. She might not understand what was happening, but that was one thing she was sure of. She would be his for as long as he wanted her. It felt like he was imprinted on her mind, body, and soul. There would be no scratching him out from under her skin when this was done.

Bridget’s ears buzzed, and the hair on her arms rose. She whipped around in time to see a door of light open and a huge fae male come through. He had black and silver hair and bright red eyes.

“Where is he?” he demanded.

Bridget was on her feet in a blink, standing between the stranger and Bas. “Who the fuck are you?”

“I’m the boss.” The fae moved aside, and a woman came through the light before it shut behind her. She had red hair and was wearing flannel pajamas with tiny dragons on them.

“Hello! You must be Bridget?” the woman said cheerily.

Bridget’s overprotectiveness faltered. “You’re… You’re Quinn Draxos.”

“Another reader?” the big fae huffed.

“Don’t pout because people recognize me more than you,” Quinn said.

“Taran… Oh. Taranis . I didn’t put it together when Valentine gave me the phone,” Bridget stammered. She was staring at King Taranis himself. And she wasn’t wearing pants. Fuck.

“Yes, it’s me. I’m very impressive and famous, I know. Now, move aside, little one. I need to see to Basset,” Taranis said, and Bridget got out of his way. Bas wouldn’t let her hand go, so she moved to the other side of the sunbed.

Quinn sidled over to her. “Sooo, what brought this on in the middle of the night?” she asked sweetly.

“We were having sex. Good sex. Great, amazing sex, and bam . Pain and claws, and I don’t know how to help,” Bridget said because she was in the babbling stage of panic.

“These things happen when sex and dragons are involved.” Quinn reached over and put an arm around her shoulder.

Quinn Draxos is hugging you. Don’t freak out. Bridget’s life had become seven shades of surreal.

“Don’t worry, Taran will help. Bas will be okay. Isn’t that right, honey?” Quinn continued and gave Taran a pointed look.

“Of course, my heart,” Taranis said without looking up.

Bas growled, and Taranis growled back as he pushed Bas back down. It was weirdly dominant, and Bridget tensed.

“It’s okay,” Quinn said, rubbing her shoulder.

The back doors of the house opened, and the Greatdrakes men poured out in various shades of pajamas.

“I have painkillers!” Apollo declared, holding a handful of vials.

Cosimo had an extra robe made of thick red velvet that he held out for Bridget. “Here, you must be freezing.”

Bridget put down the blanket and put on the robe that dropped way past her feet. It smelled of Bas. “Thanks. I… He won’t let go.”

“No shit, you’re his mate,” Apollo replied and then pressed his lips together tight.

“Nice one, idiot,” Valentine grumbled.

Bridget wasn’t sure she heard him correctly. “Come again?”

“It can wait,” Taranis muttered, his hand resting on Bas’s forehead. “Just don’t let go of him, Bridget. Touch always helps dragons.”

Quinn released Bridget so she could hug Cosimo. “Hey Daddy G, how you holding up?”

Cosimo bent to kiss Quinn’s cheek. “Better now that you two have come to help.”

Bas cried out, and all the chatter stopped. “Bridge…”

“I’m here. I’m here,” she said, putting her other hand on his shoulder. “Why aren’t you helping him?”

“He needs to do it himself. I’m going to give him a boost, but it’s up to him to come out,” Taranis replied.

Bridget swallowed back a mouthful of saliva. She couldn’t handle seeing him in so much pain.

She got an idea and leaned down to whisper to him, “Bas? Remember in the astral plane how you turned up at my mind library as a beautiful dragon? I would really like to see that again. You can shift in the astral, baby. You know how to do it. Will you do it for me now so I can see how beautiful you are?”

Taranis’s magic seeped out of his hands like red smoke. He placed them on Bas and said something in the fae language with a voice that was pure commanding alpha.

Bas shuddered and let go of Bridget’s hand. Cosimo took her by the shoulders.

“Come away, now, he’s going to get very big,” he said, pulling her backward.

The air went heavy with magic, and pale blue mist rose out of Bas. There was a strangled cry that turned into a roar, and suddenly, he was shifting. Bridget stumbled further back with the others as the human melted away, and a dragon the size of a bus was suddenly destroying the lawn furniture with its weight.

Bas shook himself over and let out an ear-piercing roar. His dark scales were colored from the deepest black to a shimmering sapphire blue, the same as his eyes

“Fuck me,” Apollo gasped. “He said he wanted to be blue.”

“Well done, Basset. Let me have a look at you,” Taranis declared, checking him over. “Wings out.”

The dragon that was Bas shook again like a wet dog before unfurling his wings. Bridget was barely breathing. She was in utter awe.

“Very good. We will figure out flying another time,” Taranis said, and Bas’s wings tucked in. “Well, I think it’s time for some tea.”

Bridget yelped as Bas reached out and picked her up with his front talons. He lay down on the grass and brought her close.

“If you’re hungry for virgins, big guy, I think that ship has sailed,” Bridget joked because one huge eye was looking at her. Bas huffed a growling dragon sound and held her close to his chest.

“She’s yours. Yes, we all know,” Taranis said irritably, hands on his hips. He turned to the Greatdrakes boys. “It appears tea will be held outside. Hop to it.” Apollo and Valentine took off back toward the house.

“I need all the rum, please!” Bridget called after them from the cradle of warm, leathery skin and claws she was held in. She rested her head against one of the large blue scales of Bas’s chest. “I’m glad you’re okay. Never do that to me again.”

Bas just snuffled at her hair. There was a tingle behind her eyes before his mind touched hers. I’m sorry I frightened you. Stay with me. I don’t know if I like this.

I’m not going anywhere. I promise, she replied and let out a shaky sob of relief. He was still in there and was going to be okay. She wasn’t sure if she was. What a fucking night.