Lysario pushes me out of harm's way as the dragon's tail whips towards us, oblivious as it tears the throne room to shreds. The tip catches him and sends him flying into the wall.
This is my first-time seeing Garret in his dragon form and he is gorgeous! He is black with a red belly and red wing membranes. He is also fucking massive.
I duck, as the tail swishes past again, before leaping and running up his back to plonk myself at his neck.
"Nice job handsome, you haven't saved me much though," I say as I admire the damage. He stops at the sound of my voice and immediately begins his purring noise. His giant head pivots to me, amber eyes glowing as he leans in to gently nuzzle and scent me.
Gentle for a dragon that is. I have to grab a nose horn so I don't ass off his back. His form shrinks down until he's just Garret again and I jump off his back. A very hot and naked Garret. He clucks his tongue at me as I perve at him before he laughs.
"We have a job to do and you are late, we can fuck later." He says with his usual rip-shit-and-bust attitude. "Where were you?" I motion to Lysario getting to his feet.
"Got abducted by the light Fae. Got crowned their Queen, and found another mate. You know, the usual shit." I shrug, going to him and hugging him. He rests his head on top of mine and glares at the Fae.
"You abducted my mate," he growls lowly.
"Actually no, that was my brother Irinda. I was in the war room, readying our troops to head to your training grounds. I had no idea until Cassius dragged me to the throne room."
"So you are a warrior?" Garret asks. Lysario nods. "And did any of your kin hurt her?" Lysario shakes his head.
"Not that I am aware of."
"Measure each other's dicks later, where's the King at?" I ask impatiently. Garret frowns at me.
"I wasn't measuring dicks."
"You were gearing up for it," I reply.
"The King has taken his whore to the safe room. It's impenetrable to even dragons." He huffs angrily.
"Well, he called me to help him, so he must want to see me. Show me where he's at and behave. I'll see what I can do." I offer.
He takes my hand and leads me out of the destroyed room and Lysario trails behind us. There is a lot of rubble and destruction. He's clearly started from the King's safe room, all the way to the throne room in his rampage. He leads us through the path of destruction. I stop occasionally to admire his decorating skills before we continue through the maze of hallways.
"I love what you've done with the place," I gush, taking in the giant hole in the wall. "Very modern and open plan." Lysario chuckles as Garrett rolls his eyes at me.
We descend some stairs and come to a door made of Graphene. I motion Garret back.
"Oi! King dumbass. I'm here as requested. Now what?" The door pops open and the disheveled King comes into view. I shove him back in and motion for Lysario to follow us in. Inside, I discover more like the inside of a full-blown house than a room. I sit on a plush couch opposite a sniveling, crying woman. She sits with crumpled-up tissues beside her. Her mascara is smeared over her face and her hair is disheveled. "And you must be our little turncoat, Adele," I say, glaring angrily at her.
This woman has a lot to answer for. Interrupting my sleep and hangover. Having to use a portal, which got me abducted. As well as all the shit she's been feeding the enemy.
Adele looks up at me and gasps. I touch my face. Have I got vine juice on me?
"Your dragon side is awake." The King says, sitting next to Adele. Your eyes are showing. I glance at Garret, who shrugs and grins.
"We are talking later," I grumble at him.
"And you are wearing the light Fae crown?" The King continues, perplexed.
"Blame the vines and royal Fae. I'm up to mate number six, would you believe." I sigh and sit back on the couch. "Enough about me, explain this clusterfuck. She's with the enemy, but you're protecting her regardless." I eye up Adele. "You must give great head or have a magic pussy for him to protect you like this," Adele growls at me. I growl back louder.
"Adele is my true mate." The king intercedes. Garret's eyes shoot up to his hairline.
"Hamish, you told us all that Divina was your true mate. Why would you mate another instead of waiting?" Garret growls, scales rippling up his arms. I motion him over to me, taking his hand as he sits and the scales recede.
"Father was sick, you were spiraling, he needed one of us mated to take the throne. Gregory and Francis were too irresponsible for him to consider them. I hadn't found my mate and I saw what it was doing to you. I didn't want that. I didn't want to be King either, but what choice did father have but to play on my fears of going feral? He convinced me to take a chosen mate. Once I selected Divina, he had us appointed King and Queen. I found Adele twelve years ago. We have kept our relationship secret. I had an understanding witch cast a spell, so I could be with Adele without Divina feeling the pain of betrayal when we were together intimately. We were discreet. Divina has no idea." His voice is hoarse with emotion. "Divina and I have been together a long time. She is my best friend. But Adele is my true mate. I love her more than anything. I can't let Garret have her, regardless of whatever she's done."
"That's the million-dollar question, isn't it? Exactly what have you done Adele?" I muse, eyeballing her. Adele swallows hard.
"It was mainly just running interference. Not passing on information and leads. Sending trackers to the wrong areas. The times your mates called, was when my mate was with me. So he heard what you said when you rang. I couldn't cover it up. It was bad luck he walked in when you first rang about them being on our territory." She sniffles.
"Ok, next question, why?" I ask bluntly.
"Hamish never wanted to be King. We want to be together but with Divina sworn in as Queen, we can never truly be free, nor entwine our souls. I don't have an anchor and Divina is only a partial anchor. Just enough. The vampires promised if I did my part, they would see to it Hamish was dethroned. As a common man, he could denounce his claim on Divina and take me as his mate. They promised to spare our lives. You don't understand the torture of having your true mate right there and never being able to claim him." Adele erupts into sobs.
A tiny part of me feels sorry for her. It's a shit position for her to be in. But there were other ways. Her role in this delayed my mates finding me. That part will not be so forgiving.
"Are you still feeding them intel?" I ask at last.
"I stopped when I heard Garret found you. That you were his." She says, shaking her head. "I was going to get Hamish to approach Garret and see if he would take his rightful place as King, now that he was anchored. But Hamish said Garret had left the territory. I was just waiting for him to rear his head again so I could proceed."
"And how does the missing Oracle fit into this?" I muse.
Adele's eyes go wide.
"I d-don't know." She stammers. My eyes narrow as I taste the lie. I stand up and she runs. I am on her in a second, pinning her to the wall. Vines shoot out of my clothing, assisting in restraining her. Garret's presence comes up behind me.
"We are mated now. See if you have control over her dragon." He whispers in my ear. I nod and unfurl my power. Letting it infuse my voice.
"Adele, where is the Oracle?" Her eyes bug out and she breaks out in a sweat.
"In the dungeon wall. I buried her in the wall!" She bites out.
"Why!" I demand, trying not to be unnerved by the white and aqua scales rippling up my arms.
"She had a vision, a prophecy! I couldn't have it getting out." Adele cries.
"Why not?" I growl.
"Because then they would all protect you. The fated ruler of all races and the vampires would stop at nothing to take you down. Garret would be destroyed if you died and Hamish would have to stay on the throne."
I release her, letting her sink to the ground in tears as I lean back into Garret's arms. Can't say I saw that bombshell coming.
I look at the ceiling and curse the powers that be.
"We need to find that Oracle. She needs to come up with a new prophecy. I don't want the job." I say to Garret.
"I don't think it works like that Angel," Garret whispers back, kissing the side of my head.
Well, that's a head job and a half.
If you want me to lead warriors to battle, I'm your girl. If you want me to be responsible for all the supe races??
Shit! What are they thinking? I can't even keep a house plant alive!
"It's gonna be alright, you got this." Garret tucks me under his arm.
Yeah, we will just see about that.
I don't 'got' this.
I don't even want this.
I respectfully decline.
The Fates can kiss my ass!
And this is where we stop for book one. Lots of fun to be had in book two, lots more sexy time, there's so many mates now, so group activities will be had ;)
Still gotta take out that vamp king and unite the races, find that damn oracle too,, she got some explaining to do. So yeah, onto the next. Hope you all enjoyed book one.
Vote it up if you liked it :)