Dragon's Heart (27 page)

     
She stepped out
of his embrace and placed her hands on her hips. “Wow! How many other worlds
are we talking here?”

     
“I do not
know.” He began to pace. “We’ve only ever used it to access Akgon, and the main
portal on Akgon only leads to Earth. The three others lead to lesser limited
realms.”

     
“So even though
you can use the portal here on Earth to go almost anywhere, it doesn’t mean the
ones in other realms work the same way.”

     
He returned to
stand in front of her and she lowered her arms to her sides. “Yes, that’s
correct. It’s also why I’m positive the betrayer won’t be able to get back to
here through the gate at the Stones. To use that entry the Stones must accept
you. Just as the mist will be able to bar access to its realm, the Stones can
bar access to Earth. And the betrayer has been banned long ago.”

     
“Okay. Good to
know, but since there may be other portals on this planet, he might still be
able to return.”

     
“That is why we
have to try to find him first, or find all the other gateways and try to block
the essence of the silver dragon from using a portal. Even then some of the
gateways will have to be constantly monitored.” He raised his hand and caressed
her cheek. “Come on, let’s go. As soon as we get everyone we’ll return to
Ireland and begin our search for both.”

     
“How long will
it take?”

     
“I don’t know.
I suspect to close all the portals might take a few days, to find the betrayer
may take as long.”

     
He was right of
course he had to go, but she still needed to make arrangements for her business
since she could be gone for a while. “Not me. At least not yet. I’m going to
need

a
few days to tie up some things here before I can leave. You go ahead and search
for the betrayer, if you find him I’ll join you.”

     
He took her
hand and shook his head. “No. It is still too dangerous for you to be alone.”

     
“But I thought
the betrayer was hiding someplace…”

     
“I will stay
with you and send Talon and some of the others back to the safety the Stones
will provide. Talon can generate the necessary power to get the information we
require from the Stones.” From the strength in his voice she knew she couldn’t
argue about this with him. In truth some of her reluctance stemmed from her
fear and confusion about leaving Earth and all she knew behind. But she also
wanted to take care of the people who depended on her business for a living.
Because when it came right down to it, when Draakar returned to Akgon she would
go with him.

     
She nodded.
“Ah, how are we going to get to my parents house? Are you going to call someone
to come and pick us up?”

     
He grinned then
kissed her hand. “No need. My powers are at their peak. I can take us there.”

     
Before Maya
could question further what he meant. A soft green glow surrounded their bodies
and he kissed the question right out of her mind. The sound of Cass’s voice
finally got her attention.

“There you all are! Thank God! Are you all right?”

     
Maya turned out
of Draakar’s embrace and found herself being hugged by Cass.
 
They were no longer in the cave but
stood in the middle of her mother’s living room with the rest of the Firsts
surrounding them.

     
Her parents
stepped through the circle of brethren to hug both Maya and Draakar.

  
“Thank you, Draakar,” Maya’s
mother cried as she hugged them both. Reaching only up to Draakar’s chest, she
had to tilt her head back to look up at him. “Thank you for returning our baby
to us.”

     
“She will
always be safe with me,” Draakar stated.

     
“Mom, how are
you?” Maya asked, hugging both of her parents. “Should you be on your feet so
soon? Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

     
“Oh, shush. I’m
fine,” her mother replied. She removed the arm she used to hug Draakar with and
gently patted his check. “Thanks to this one here.” Then she glanced over her
shoulder until her gaze found Sherri.
 
“And Sherri, who arrived only a few hours ago and well, here I am. The
doctors are calling it a miracle. And so it is. You’re all miracles.”
 
She included everyone in the room.

     
Maya hadn’t
noticed Sherri before but she noticed her now. “Thank you,” she said.
 
Paul stood next to her and when Maya
glanced down she saw he held Sherri’s hand.
 
She stepped away from her mother and moved toward them.
Draakar moved beside her.
 
Maya
hugged Sherri first, then Paul. “How are you feeling?” she asked as he hugged
her back.

     
Paul briefly
glanced at Sherri before meeting Maya’s eyes, then looking at Draakar.
 
“Better,” he said. Sounding like the
Paul she remembered.

     
Maya could see
his skin looked healthier than the last time she’d seen him, but his eyes. They
told a different story. Still a beautiful shade of ocean blue, but while before
they always seemed to sparkle with laughter, no laughter lurked there now. The
eyes staring back at her were old, drained. The spark missing. “I’m sorry Paul,
so sorry.”
 
Maya decided to address
what happened directly to Paul, but for everyone to hear.
 
Draakar had already communicated to the
group the betrayer had escaped but Maya told them of the sentient being, the
mist, and of the fight.

     
“He’s wounded,
Paul. Draakar doesn’t believe he killed him, but he sure as hell hurt him.”

     
“We hurt him.
And Maya took out his eye,” Draakar supplied, pride in his voice.

     
“What!” her
parents gasped in unison.

     
“I got lucky.”

     
“Well, if it
bleeds it can die.” Talon stepped into the circle in the living room.

     
Maya swung her
head around at the sound of a familiar voice. “Talon!” She rushed over to him
and hugged him. “Am I glad to see you. It was you who led Draakar to me.”

     
“Yeah. So see,
the link I formed between us did some good,” he smiled sheepishly.

     
“I’m still not
sure I’m ready to forgive you for that,” Maya said in a serious voice, but
winked to let him know she wasn’t angry with him.

     
“Tell ya what.
Forgive me or I’ll start calling you Step-Momma.”

     
“Oh no you
don’t!”

     
“Talon,”
Draakar warned.

     
“Step-Momma?”
Maya’s mother said, followed by her father’s, “What!”

     
“Do you have
something to tell us, honey?” her mother asked.

     
“Yes. Do you?”
her father agreed sternly.

     
Draakar stepped
forward and cleared his throat. “Actually, yes we do.”

     
He dropped to
both knees before Maya, who gasped as she watched him.
 

      
I only do this once,
beloved.
 

     
He took her
left hand in both of his. The air left her lungs and she placed her free hand
on her cheek as her parents stood on either side of her. Talon stood beside his
father. The rest of the brethren looked on.

     
“Maya, in the
life that came before this one, in this and in the next, I have loved you, will
always love you. You have always held my heart. I am here to claim yours now
until a time that has no end. Will you walk besides me to the end of our days
and beyond? In the manner of your culture, will you marry me?”

      
I only do this once, beloved,
Maya
responded to her mate.

     
As brethren they were already
mated, husband and wife. Now he would honor her using earth’s custom. Maya
dropped to her knees before Draakar, releasing his hands and placing her own at
the sides of his face. “Yes. In this life and the next, yes. Under brethren law
or human, under any law, yes. I love you so very much.”
 

     
They sealed
their promise this time with a kiss. But Draakar pulled away once their lips
had done nothing more than touched. “Wait. One last thing.” He placed his hand
in his pants pocket, withdrew a small square black velvet box, and opened it. A
marquis cut onyx stone surrounded by diamonds lay nestled inside. Draakar took
it out and raised Maya’s left hand, placing his ring on her finger

  
“I belong to you as you belong to
me. Now all will know this.”

     
He pulled her
face toward his own and this time when his lips touched hers, they stayed a
little longer. But not long enough to suit either of them. The sound of a cork
popping out of a bottle drew their attention. Hand in hand, they stood and
looked around the room as everyone smiled and raised a glass to them.

A
nother cab pulled up in front of the passenger
departure section of Reagan International Airport, and a single traveler got
out. He didn’t need help with his luggage nor was help offered. He only had a
carryon strapped across his shoulder and a weekend bag in his hand, not at all
a remarkable occurrence.

He barely got a second glance from the security people as he made his way
through the airport. The guy, while about average height, stood bulky with
muscle and emitted an aura of menace. Yet no one bothered to really notice.

The man should have been stopped at the security checkpoint before
boarding the plane. He also had a one-way ticket, enough to warrant closer
scrutiny, and was a convicted felon wanted for questioning in two states as a
person of interest in a murder investigation. The one guard, who checked his
ID, stared at him hard but turned away once he met his eyes and allowed him to
pass. No one even bothered to glance at the monitor as his bags went through.
If someone had, they would have seen the five hundred-year-old sheathed
ceremonial blade in his bag. A blade still as sharp as the day it was forged by
dragon fire.

     
He made it to
his gate without once being questioned just as his flight to New Orleans
boarded. But the land of jazz was not his ultimate goal. From New Orleans he
would rent a car and drive to his final destination, Window Rock, Arizona. If
all went as planned, he would meet someone there. He was not sure how long he’d
have to wait, but wait he would.
 
For as long as it took.

Maya shouldn’t have been surprised to find herself walking down the aisle
some forty-eight hours later in a little chapel not far from her parent’s
house. After everything that had happened in her life, nothing should surprise
her. But this did.

Her mother held her arm on one side with her father on the other while
the brethren stood before them. Cass stood up as her bridesmaid and Talon was
Draakar’s best man.
 
There were no
other friends or family present, mainly because they’d rushed everything. Also
Maya didn’t want to bend the minds of her friends and family to help explain
Draakar and her new family. They sent everyone announcement cards instead.
Besides, they didn’t need anyone else to witness their marriage; their bond was
already stronger than any marriage ceremony. At least she didn’t have to shop
for a dress; she wore her grandmother’s. Cass and Sherri helped her make
alterations so it fit perfectly, and Sherri wove a garland of dark purple and
green flowers to crown her hair.

In one day Draakar had helped her turn over her business to the general
manager.
 
Robert would remain
behind to keep an eye on Talon and things. Draakar, along with her parents’
help, arranged the wedding. Amazing what money and brethren will power could
accomplish.

Draakar.

He stood above everyone else in the room, and strength radiated from
him—literally capable of moving mountains. Draakar wore a black fitted
suit with a gold-colored silk shirt underneath and a bronze tie. His hair lay
pulled back away from his face and fell in a long braid. His beauty brought
tears to her eyes. This time when she looked into those emerald eyes from her
dreams, she found endless love within their depths.

You are my heart, Maya, and now you
know you always were and always will be.

As you are mine, beloved.

     
Their wedding
may have seemed rushed, but she had waited lifetimes for this day, a wait
finally at an end. As soon as the ceremony concluded, the entire wedding party
would head for the airport to return to Ireland. Maya took several deep
breaths, unsure how she felt about leaving, and not just the country. Soon,
she’d have to leave her world too, but she couldn’t allow herself to think
about it right now. This was a happy day. The music began and she walked into
the living room. She placed her small hand in Draakar’s larger one. Together,
they turned to face the minister. They had already been mated under brethren
law. Now they would be married under human.

As the limo drove up the mountainside, Maya neared the end of her long
journey, the last leg home. Funny the way things happen. The first time she’d
hiked the trail to the Stones in ignorance. The first time she traveled the
road beside Draakar, she was in denial of herself and her relationship to him.
Not anymore. She wondered how many more times she’d travel this road.

She nestled against his side. His arm lay across her shoulder and her
head rested on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. She’d
left this place, unsure of her destiny but returned as Draakar’s truemate, Lady
of Castle Akgon and Queen of the brethren.

As they got closer to the Stones she could feel their call welcoming her,
them both, home. She tilted her head to stare at Draakar.
 

Yes, I feel it too,
he sent.
The Stones are pleased.

I know, but there also seems to be
a sense of desperation in the currents.

Yes. The silver dragon. We’ll be at
the castle soon. Hopefully, we will be able to find him by combining our powers
with the power of the Stones.

I have a strange feeling, Draakar.
Like we missed something and are now working on his time.

The sun dipped beneath the horizon when the car silently came to a stop
at the bottom of the stone steps. Another car carrying the rest of the brethren
and Maya’s parents pulled up behind them. Ian opened the door to their car and
Draakar stepped out. He turned to help Maya out of the car but never gave her a
chance to stand on her own two feet. Bending down, he placed his arms under her
thighs and lifted her to his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck and
laid her head on his shoulder.

Together they watched her parents climb out of the limo.
 

“Welcome to our home, Vincent and Carrie,” Draakar said. “Ian will show
you to your room. Please excuse us. We’ll see you at dinner.” Their audience
smiled at his command. Without another word, Draakar turned with Maya cradled
in his arms and effortlessly climbed the dozen or so steps.
 

The heavy front door opened before they reached it, and he carried his
bride across the threshold of the brethren stronghold, the place of power.
Never releasing his hold on Maya, he didn’t head for the stairs leading to the
bedrooms. Instead he headed for what lay beneath the castle, the Circle of
Stones.

As soon as they stepped into the circle, the Stones began to glow and
softly hum.
 
Draakar put Maya down
in the center of them. They stood face-to-face, fingers entwined and their
foreheads touching, while the Stones bathed them in their light and rejoiced in
their union. Draakar raised his head and looked down at his wife, his truemate.
“I love you,” he said aloud, but the sound vibrated tenfold throughout the
cavern and burrowed its way into her soul. Before Maya could respond in kind,
she found herself standing in a shadow-filled room, lit only by moonlight
shining through the opened window.

“What…where?” she began. She turned her head to see where she was.
Draakar had sent them to his room.
 

Our room...
He spoke in her
mind.

     
She looked up
at him, smiling as he lowered his head toward her, but he turned his aside
before their lips could touch and nuzzled her neck instead. A sound erupted
from deep in his throat. The man didn’t purr. Oh no. Nothing so tame. This was
no kitten.
 
He hissed and growled
as he licked and nipped at her earlobe.

     
Hmm, what would it take to tame a
dragon?

     
“I can hear
your thoughts,” he whispered. “To tame a dragon is a dangerous thing.
 
Are you sure you want to?”

     
“Oh. Yeah.”

     
He turned his
face to her again so she could see his response. His eyes flashed emerald fire
with his need for her. Placing her hands on his shoulders, he used his to
softly touch and trace the features of her face.

     
“I love you,”
she said.

He
stilled one hand at the side of her neck but began to move the other. One lone
finger ran lightly down her collarbone and skimmed over the buttons on her
blouse. As it touched a button it immediately came undone, and still his finger
continued its decent toward its ultimate goal.
 

Long,
blunt tipped fingers skimmed past the top of the calf-length skirt she wore. As
his hand moved downward, the skirt moved up until the bottom edge settled
around her thighs. Never taking his eyes off her, he rubbed one finger back and
forth across the barely there front of her bikini cut underwear. He’d found
what he sought. He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with her woman’s scent and
filling his soul with the scent of pure Maya.
 

His.
 

Soon he would fill her…but not quite yet.

     
Continuing to
maintain eye contact he halted the hand under her skirt and moved his other
hand to her mouth, rubbing his thumb back and forth across her mouth once
before sticking it inside when she parted her lips. She sucked on it hard,
causing him to growl again.

Mine!
The thought
came from both.

While her tongue sucked and swirled around his thumb, he
removed his hand from underneath her skirt and placed his finger, now saturated
with her juices, into his mouth. He kept his mouth open so she could see his
tongue as he swirled it around his finger before closing his lips around it.

     
“Mmm,” he
rumbled.
I like
.

     
Like a runaway
train, he could sense Maya’s heat rising up from her core. She opened her
mouth, releasing his thumb, and orgasmed right then and there. If he hadn’t
reached out to catch her she would have sunk to the floor in a puddle of her
own fluids.

     
“So passionate.
And all for me,” he said, kissing her forehead while at the same time, ridding
her of all of her clothes.

     
Draakar picked
up a naked Maya and placed her on the bed. Following her down, he covered her
with his body, but kept his arms beside her head to hold his weight. He used
his magicks to release his hair from the braid. It fell over his shoulders onto
her arm, causing electricity to spark wherever the stands touched her bare
skin. She raised her hands and grabbed fistfuls of his mane as she pulled him
down to her.