The P.J. Stone Gates Trilogy (#1-3) (93 page)

Khol stroked my back in an effort to sooth my nerves. “You’ll never fully gain control of your powers until you accept who you are entirely. You are who you are—nothing can change that.”

I knew he was right on an intellectual level, but my emotions just didn’t want to play ball. “What if your other form repulses me?” There I said it. That was another fear. What if seeing Khol in his other form made me not want him anymore in his human form? What if I couldn’t get past that? It’s one thing to read about shifters like werewolves and to think it’s cool and sexy … but what if your man could actually turn into a wolf?
Hello weird
. The only difference was mine couldn’t turn into a wolf … mine turned into a dragon. Hell, I didn’t even know what a real dragon looked like. Would he have horns? Scales? A forked tongue? Would I?

Without a word Khol shifted a few feet away from me and the air around him began to shimmer.

In an instant my Khol wasn’t in front of me anymore but a huge Red Dragon. I gasped with equal parts shock and delight. He was absolutely stunning. He was about the size of a two-story house, his skin was the same dark auburn shade of his human form’s hair, and it was just as luminescent. He had a large square shaped snout, very masculine in size and form, along with large thick curving horns that protruded from his forehead. His wings matched the rest of his body but looked leathery much like a bat’s. He was terribly frightening and beautiful at the same time.

I walked towards him without any fear or aversion to his new form because when I looked into his eyes I realized he was still my Khol. I ran my hand over his nose and he snorted. It felt like silk over steal, much softer than I would have thought. I continued my exploration of Khol as I walked around him all the while running my hands over him. The skin on his body was tougher like armor, and I surmised it was just as hard to damage. “You’re magnificent.” I whispered more to myself than Khol. Before I was completely done studying Khol, the air around him shimmered and he stood before me in his human form again fully clothed. “Hey!” I protested. “I wasn’t done yet.”

Khol pulled me to him and slanted his mouth over mine, his tongue pushing in to claim me fully. A slave to my and his body’s demands all protests were forgotten when he lowered us to the ground, his large warm body covering mine.

Khol broke our passionate embrace and balanced himself on his straight arms as he gazed down at me with adoration. “You have no idea how it makes me feel that I was finally able to show you my other form … and you liked it.”

I ran my fingertips over his human face and thought about how I’d just done the same thing to his dragon snout. “I loved it because I love you.”

He mimicked my motions as he spoke. “I can’t wait to see what your dragon looks like.”

I frowned. “One step at a time. I’m definitely not ready for that yet.”

Ignoring me Khol continued on as his fingertips moved lower on my body. “And then we will fly together as
Anam Caras
are meant to.” An almost dreamy expression settled into his features.

A series of completely inappropriate questions—questions that Jenna would probably ask popped into my mind. Although I had to know. “Do—um—” I still blushed though. “Do dragons have sex while in dragon form?” I mean I had thought Khol’s form was beautiful. I hadn’t been attracted to it but who knows what would happen if I was in dragon form at the same time as he was.

Khol chuckled. “No, dragons don’t engage in anything sexual while in their dragon form. The armor gets in the way.”

I blinked up at him, his words sinking in. Well, I hadn’t explored that part of his dragon form yet. Apparently a dragon’s sensitive bits were protected with armor like skin as well. Good to know. “Yeah, okay.” Honestly I was kind of relieved. Having sex in dragon form would put a whole new definition to the word
freaky
.

“You have so much to learn still, my little Queen … and I can’t wait to teach it all to you.” Khol rumbled as he dipped his head to deliver some scorching kisses to the side of my neck. Khol’s power slid into me like second nature and mine rose up to meet his.

“I’m your willing student.”
Did I just say that? Corny much?
But I guess loving someone had a way of doing that—making all the corny lines and sappy talk seem perfect instead of lame.

“Khol,” I said as I maneuvered my way so that I was on top of him, my thighs astride his. As I looked down at him and he gazed up at me all coherent thought fled my mind and a single mindedness of getting him naked and inside of me took control.

After that, Khol and I made love, because yes, that’s what we did. And as I lay happy and satiated in his protective embrace, I began to wonder if I was in fact being paranoid about something ominous looming in the future. Okay … so even after the Riders were removed from the humans not much had changed in the world … but so what? We weren’t being hunted any more, and maybe the humans just needed some time to figure stuff out for themselves. Rome wasn’t built in a day … time heals all wounds … and all the rest of those cliches. I did all I could do by removing the Riders. My job was technically done. It was time for me to let go like Khol, Jenna, Jeremy and everyone else had. It was time for me to enjoy the happiness that I was being offered despite all of the loss that had befallen my life. I’d lost Bryn, and my family, but I’d just given birth to a perfect little baby Red Dragon, and I was bonded with the most amazing dragon in the whole world. I had so much to still learn about my powers, my heritage, and myself, but I now had the time to learn it in. I could be happy … I was happy.

It was the night before Jenna’s wedding and all through the house, not a creature was stirring … except Jenna’s mice … and rats and squirrels. I mean … seriously … why did her little ‘friends’ always seem to single me out to pester? Or maybe Jenna was the one telling them to bother me but she didn’t want to admit it because she thought it was funny.

“Khol.” I whispered with agitation into the dark. “Khol, wake up.”

“Just ignore them.” Khol mumbled from beside me in bed.

“How can I? I can feel them watching me.” I hissed into the dark.

“They’re not watching you, they’re exploring. Besides if you didn’t stash candy everywhere they’d probably be exploring the kitchen instead of our room.” Khol’s arm snaked out to pull me into his front and he curled his large warm body around me.

I stared into the dark another few minutes but with Khol’s steady heartbeat at my back lulling me into a sleepy trance it wasn’t long before my eyelids grew heavy. “Fine.” I muttered as sleep finally found me.

“A young Seers’ mind will never show her something she’s not ready to handle.” The words echoed in my head as a fog-like scene took shape before my eyes.

I strode forward hoping that this time I would be able to see into the fog—that this time my vision would give me some answers instead of more questions. But as I tried to push through the fog … yet again … I discovered it was still a solid wall. I reached up to touch the fog and it felt smooth, soft and slimy, but with a definite solid mass not typical of normal fog—just like before. I began to circle the fog like wall, searching for an opening, but I found none. That’s when I heard a scream. “Khol! No!” I stopped short already knowing the voice was mine. A loud inhuman roar then met my ears causing a chill to run up my spine. With a renewed urgency I began circling the fog wall again looking for a way in. And that’s when I heard the words again … again … always again. “A young Seers’ mind will never show her something she’s not ready to handle.” I turned to find the source of the familiar voice but then the entire scene suddenly went to black.

Then I heard the sightless vision … the words that I kept hearing over and over …

“Choose. But quickly, my magic will only hold you here for so long.” A strange voice said.

“You would still choose him over me?” Khol growled.

“No—you don’t understand!” I heard myself croak with desperation. “I still love him but
—”

I sat straight up in bed, sweat dripping down my spine. The room was empty, Khol gone, Liam gone. My little nocturnal friends seemed to be gone as well … thank God. I glanced at the clock on my nightstand and realized it was still early enough that my alarm hadn’t even gone off. Khol must have taken Liam so that I could sleep a little longer before prepping with Jenna for her big day.

My eyes locked on the bracelet around my wrist and I played with the small purple stone for a moment before pushing myself out of bed. I wasn’t going to let my ridiculous unclear visions ruin Jenna’s big day. I was her best friend and Maid of Honor and therefore it was my job to make sure she didn’t lose her shit … not the other way around.

After a quick shower I made my way to Jenna and Jeremy’s room. Before I could even raise my hand to knock the door flew open and Jenna pulled me inside by my arm.

“Well what do you think?” She asked while she tugged on her still damp but very lime green hair.

I had to admit, I hadn’t thought it would, but it complimented her skin complexion quite nicely. “I actually like it.”

“You sound surprised.”

“I am.” I blurted out before I could think better of it.

Jenna’s eyes widened. “And you were just going to let me dye it this color when you thought it was going to look awful?”

I let out an exasperated sigh. “You know I’m not a fan of hair colors that can’t be found in nature. In nature on people’s heads…you know what I mean.”

“True.” Jenna huffed although she seemed somewhat mollified.

“It’s time to—”

“What the hell?” I squeaked as I jumped back from a squirrel that scurried too close to my leg. That’s when I really took in the state of her room. There were squirrels, mice, rats and all manner of small animals everywhere. I shuddered as what looked like a mole scuttling under a pillow on her bed. “Is that a mole—in your bed?”

Jenna waved her hand flippantly in the air. “Ever since you got the Rider out of me and I could talk to animals again I just keep more around.”

“There’s something seriously wrong with you.” I shook my head. “What does Jeremy have to say about all of them?”

“He understands. He knows what I went through.” She responded smugly.

“Yeah, okay … whatever. So what do you need me to do?” I clearly just needed to focus on the task at hand and let Jeremy worry about the rodents nesting in his and Jenna’s room.

“Well get gorgeous dah-ling.” Jenna giggled. “Morag said she’s was sending some people to do our hair and makeup—” She glanced down at the clock on the wall. “And whoever they are should be here soon.“

Just then I felt a prickling of power run over me and two silver haired dragons appeared. When their eyes lit on me they both dropped to their knees and bowed. “My Queen.” The elder of the two said to me with deference.

My cheeks heated. “Today Jenna’s the Queen. Bow to her not me.” And they actually did.

A huge grin spread across Jenna’s face. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.”

“You can get up … seriously.” I said. Maybe one day I’d get used to being dragon Queen … but today was obviously not that day.

The two silver haired dragons pulled themselves to their full height, which was almost a full foot shorter than me. They were both kind of plain looking, but cute, with short geometrical hairdos. “Morag sent us.” The elder of the two said.

“Yes we know. What are your names?” I asked.

“Lulu.” The elder said as she motioned to herself. “And Trish.” She then pointed to the other Silver Dragon.

“Okay Lulu and Trish, I guess do whatever Jenna wants.” I groaned internally. Did I really just give Jenna free reign over my appearance? I was sure to regret that … and soon.

Jenna squealed and jumped up and down with excitement. “Today is going to be so amazing!”

I rolled my eyes when she wasn’t looking and bit my tongue to keep my snark in. But what I really wanted to say was … probably just for you.