Page 30

Lucan

Threats and Promises

Dobby purred in the space between our legs as Riley slept with her head on my chest.

We’d been wrapped up in the mating frenzy for days and she was exhausted. She’d mustered up enough energy for one more round in the middle of the night, requesting the trick I could do with my tongue.

My tongue you mean. My dragon chuckled, still high on the mating pheromones.

I was satiated in a way beyond my wildest dreams, but reality threatened to force inside of my protective wards upon waking.

I resisted the urge to probe the tender flesh of Riley’s scalp, feeling it again to reassure myself that my venom had healed what that bastard did, before softly pushing the hair back to expose her neck.

I hadn’t thought of my mother often, but in the quiet of the early pre-dawn, I had a memory of her. As with all things in time, her voice had faded and her face was forever frozen in the image I’d sharpened through my own mind. Photographs couldn’t capture her kind strength.

She’d worried about me training with Malachy.

I hadn’t come home to visit in a few days and I’d lost some meat on my bones. Nothing compared to my brother, though. But she’d already resigned herself to raising a guardian and did her best by us both.

I remembered her scolding me for staying by his side when I didn’t have to. Not many guardians had a sibling willing to sacrifice so much. She didn’t see my ward skills as I did—my gift from Earth to help the guardian—and thought I should use them to make my own way in the world.

It was because of her that I always knew I had the choice to leave, but I always stayed close. Even when I traveled the world, finding use for my dragon’s size and strength, I was one call away from my brother should he need me.

Knowing I’d protected him with my wards was enough to ease my conscience when I could no longer tolerate his bullshit some days and had to take a break.

Centuries later, it was still hard to fully explain why I stayed by my brother’s side when it wasn’t my cross to bear. I didn’t feel the same religious loyalty to sacrifice everything to Earth.

But I think it was because I could see Malachy’s suffering like no one else could. Despite the parties and tributes and love bestowed upon him, I saw the light slowly fading from his eyes.

We’d fought and gone periods without speaking, but I still couldn’t abandon him completely. When we learned he’d be the last guardian of our kind, I’d built this nest close enough to be of service until the end.

Holding Riley in my arms was the first time I seriously contemplated leaving it all behind.

She was all I ever needed.

This purpose filled me deeper than any other I’d found. I hadn’t realized that throughout the centuries of throwing myself into battles not mine to fight, I’d been searching for this. Something that was mine alone to love and protect.

Dread made itself known as it gathered in my chest and I scarcely breathed as I brushed my fingers over the scars of my claiming mark, right under the tattooed rune that had appeared on her neck.

Strength forged by flame.

My Riley. My warrior.

Kieran had assumed correctly.

She was a piece to Earth’s riddle. A pawn in the game of life and death I’d spent my whole life playing.

“I will find a way to destroy you if she is harmed,” I swore as I stared out the window to my garden and the gray waking Earth beyond.

The house trembled in response. Not a large enough earthquake to worry, but enough to let me know of her power and that she’d heard me, returning the threat.

And it woke Riley.

“What time is it?” She yawned, clasping her hand over mine against her neck.

“Still early.” I shook my head at Earth’s antics as I gathered the blanket around my mate. “Go back to sleep.”

“How much longer until we leave for Ember’s place?” She snuggled onto her spot on my chest.

“Not for hours.” I kissed the top of her head.

“I was dreaming that I had to wear a fancy red dress for our ceremony.” She mumbled, “Can we please not do that?”

I chuckled, listening to the bond where words failed her as sleep dragged her back to its embrace.

Riley didn’t want a fancy ceremony or any fuss at all. If it wasn’t for her friends, we’d elope to Vegas. I smiled picturing one of the dragon elders performing a bonding rite while wearing an Elvis suit.

It was already a struggle for me to balance giving her what she wanted and what I thought she deserved. But, like Malachy, Riley needed to make her own decisions.

I could only hope I didn’t fail her when it came time to support them.

I’ll die first.

“Do you really think Willow is Malachy’s mate?” Her question was so soft I almost missed it.

“I don’t know,” I whispered so as not to startle her. “I’d like to think there will be some happiness for them both in this life. But I don’t pretend to know the future. Sleep now. We’ll see how this all plays out soon.”