Her Elemental Dragons: The Complete Series

‘Auric!’ I screamed, as he dropped out of sight and disappeared into the clouds. Though normally I knew Auric could use his magic to float, Isen had hit him with his tail so hard it seemed my mate had lost consciousness. I nearly dove off the tower and tried to save him, but the Golden Dragon hovered before me and snarled, with the Crimson Dragon at his side.

“You.” Sark’s eyes seemed to burn right into me. “I knew it was you all along. I recognized your stench.’ He closed in on me, his dragon form looming tall. ‘Grab her.’

His gleaming red talons reached for me, but I blasted him with my new-found powers of air. He shook my magic off easily, though it distracted him enough that I managed to dart out of his reach and hide behind the bed. I shot a burst of fire at Isen next, but he flapped it off with his shining wings.

‘There’s no use running,’ Isen said, his voice slimy in his dragon form.

‘Auric!’ I yelled again, praying he was still alive. I couldn’t feel him yet through my bond, but I reached out with my senses and found Jasin’s presence. ‘Jasin!’

‘Your mates can’t help you now,’ Sark said. ‘It’s time you came with us.’

‘Is it true?’ I called out, choking back my fear and anger. ‘Is the Black Dragon my mother?’

‘She is,’ Isen said. ‘And she’d very much like to meet you.’

I shook my head, unable to accept it, or the thought that Sark might be my father. Was that why he had killed my parents and tried to hunt me down? Had those kind people stolen me away from the Dragons somehow?

The two Dragons surrounded me, using blasts of fire and air to keep me from being able to run, and even though I knew logically that I should be immune to both those elements I wasn’t ready to test that theory yet. They got closer and closer, reaching for me with their deadly talons, and there was nowhere for me to go. They would capture me and take me back to the Black Dragon—my mother.

But then shards of ice flew at Sark’s side and he reared back with a roar. Stones knocked into Isen at the same time, pushing him back. I spun around as another blood red Dragon burst through the clouds and soared toward us. This one had a familiar smirk on his fanged face, with Reven and Slade on his back. Jasin opened his mouth and let out a stream of fire, which blasted against Isen’s chest, while my other two mates kept up their assault too.

And then another Dragon shot into the sky, faster than I’d ever seen one fly before. It burst up over us and gleamed bright gold under the sun, before swooping down and slamming into Sark, knocking him off the tower.

Auric had returned.

He flapped his shining wings and did a spin in the air, already flying as if he’d been born as a dragon and not a human, then dashed toward me. Sark had already recovered and began rushing toward me again. I swallowed my fear and ran at full speed for the edge of the tower and then leaped off it, using my new powers of air to help guide me onto Auric’s back. I hit him with a hard thump and scrambled to grab onto his scales before I slid off his back, but then I was able to swing my leg around and sit like I’d done with Jasin.

“You’re alive,” I said, rubbing the scales on his neck. “Thank the Gods.”

He let out a roar in response as he spun us around on shimmering wings. Now riding on my own Golden Dragon, I faced off against the two Dragons we were meant to usurp. Jasin hovered at my side with my other mates on his back, and together we launched a stream of magic toward Sark and Isen.

With the four of us working together it seemed as though our combined efforts might work to push the Dragons back, and we might even defeat one of them for good. But then lightning formed in the air around us, nearly striking down my two Dragons. Jasin dodged one lightning bolt but his wing was seared at the tip, and Slade had to grab Reven to keep him from tumbling off Jasin’s back.

As the lightning kept reaching for us, Auric let out another roar and a tornado formed in the air around Sark, while Jasin opened his mouth and spewed fire at Isen. Reven and Slade assaulted the Dragons with ice and rock, and I added my own fire and air too. We faced the other Dragons without backing down, using our magic in concert to drive them away, until the lightning around us ceased. With shrill cries, Isen and Sark flapped their wings and retreated back into the clouds, disappearing as quickly as they’d appeared.

I sagged against Auric’s back, exhausted even though we were victorious. He turned his head to meet my gaze, and I spotted his intelligence and kindness even in his new dragon form. He was Auric through and through, even as a dragon. Jasin swooped over to fly beside us, while Reven and Slade scanned the clouds for any sign of the other Dragons returning. Pride and love swelled inside me at the sight of my mates. Somehow we’d stood up to two of the mightiest Dragons in the world—and we’d won.