Sunshine

The wild creature standing like a queen before him was nothing like what he had expected. He did not know what he expected, but this.. she.. was a jewel born from the Bloodstone Mountains’ wild heart.

She reflected everything he loved about his home, from the long thick wisps of auburn hair to the green moss that grew along the moist stream beds. Her skin was a translucent golden hue that reminded him of the stray beams of sunlight that lit the forest floors when it reached its highest point in the sky.

He was in awe of her beauty, his eyes following her just as he had for the past two weeks. Since he had first caught her scent. His feline form had been curious at first, the aroma of pine and crisp mountain water that clung to her luring him in. Then her power struck him, like nothing he had ever felt, raging, but subdued as if an unknown force was holding it in check.

Seth watched as she sat and pulled her boot back on over her frozen pants. Her hair tumbling around her in disarray that looked untamable. He had tracked her back to the cabin she had lived in and had not tried to hide his presence at all until after that encounter with the canine.

She had come to the dog’s rescue like a mother protecting her young. When she had thrown her hands up in command and took control of his body, he had known what she was. He had hidden in the forest and watched as she told that young fool of her life, pleaded with him for answers; and the beast inside of her slowly roared to life after years of being held captive inside her.

The goddess walked towards him now, signaling him to lead the way with an exaggerated wave of her hand. He turned and loped off into the trees, knowing she would follow.

They traveled swiftly and silently through the afternoon. The ancient trees became a blur as they raced by. She kept up for almost an hour before her fae form began to pant for breath. He slowed his pace to a walk to give her a break. The dark circles beneath her eyes were not the only sign of exhaustion he felt emanating from her. The journey across the plains and into the mountains would take three days if they walked a straight path. One day to cross the plains, and two to make it to the pass that would lead them to the Dragons keep.

Seth had almost revealed himself to her the day she reached the edge of the plateau on the other side of the river. Any doubt about who or what she was had vanished when he watched her catch that fish. The damn guards had gotten to her before he had a chance to make himself known. He had felt the beast inside her watching him as he followed her, although she herself had not seemed to figure it out yet.

“We stop here.” He heard her say, imperious as any monarch and came to a halt. A tree had fallen some time ago, and the moss-covered remnant was a hollow log, taller than his fae form. The girl beside him was shivering in her rabbit skins. She had not come back out of the mines with her thick furry cloak. She would be missing it tonight if she already wasn’t.

He shifted in front of her, walking into the dark shelter before her, scenting the air for any danger. She followed on his heal. Nearly ten yards into the shelter, a piece of the log had caved in, and waning sunlight poured through. Fresh air mingled with the smell of the half-rotten log; the muted bird song drowned out by an awful rattling noise coming up behind him. He turned back to face his queen and her chattering teeth. She would have slammed into him, had he not thrown his hands up to catch her in time. Her arms were like ice beneath his fingers her lips tinted blue and quivering uncontrollably. She didn’t even try to pull away as if her body instinctively gravitated toward his warmth. Her dark green eyes lifted to his and he saw no sign of the beast lurking within.

A wave of some fierce emotion tore through him, and he felt the strength of it soften his features as his gaze roamed over her half-frozen body. She looked so innocent, helpless even, this precious gift the mountains had bestowed upon him. She swayed a little and he swore softly, scooping her up as she crumpled into him. He gently laid her on the damp wooden floor, the smell of decaying wood wafting into the air. Her eyes did not open immediately, and her shivers had become violent trembling.

He quickly moved to her feet, making short work of the laces that held first one and then the other boot to feet that were white and blue. The cold had stolen the golden hue from her skin, and he began to worry. He cupped each foot in his hand, huffing warm moist breath towards her toes as he rubbed them vigorously. Moving up her legs, he pushed the sodden skins of her dress up and untied the leather string that held her leggings around her hips. He peeled them down her legs, his fingertips burning from the shards of ice that clung to the soft material.

Seth should have known better than to let her run through the cold forest after falling into the stream. He growled at himself for not demanding she dry her clothing when she still had the strength.

He tried not to notice the patch of bright red curls at the apex of her thighs. Her body was all curves and soft slopes. When she lay naked before him, still unconscious, he averted his gaze swallowing the purely male instinct that rose within him. His nostrils flared as he left her there to search for the rocks that would allow him to start a small blaze. Finding a small boulder on the other side of the log, he jumped over it easily and grabbed the pebbles he needed. The silver stone would spark when knocked against the red one and the girl would warm up much faster with a fire at her back.

He strode back to where he left her, moving to a few feet in front of her. He clawed a hole in the rotten log, pulling up the dried pieces directly beneath the beam of light coming through the hole above them. He struck the rocks together.

Once. Twice. The third try yielded a bright spark that glowed into an ember when it struck the small bits of wood. He knelt low and began to blow life into it. A flame burst forth and he mounded a few larger sticks atop the blaze. Then, shifting into his lion form, he leaped over her to curl around her rear. He willed his warmth into her, his fur coat radiating heat from behind her, while the fire glowed in front.

His feline purred in contentment. He had been born to protect this woman, and he would give his last breath if it meant she would live to see another day. He began to doze off as the sunset, the ray of warmth coming from the natural skylight began to shift into shadow. The muted birdsong had quieted, and he could feel the creatures of the night begin to stir.

Seth glanced at his queen; her body curled on its side towards the fire. Her breathing had evened out, and her shivering has eased off mostly. Lianna was slumbering peacefully. He gently pushed himself away from her and headed into the dusky forest to find food. He allowed his feline self to take over, sniffing out unspoiled prey. The underbrush ahead of him whispered in movement and he stalked forward on silent paws.

The sudden chill at her back roused Lianna from her peaceful slumber. She came awake slowly, gooseflesh racing down her bareback. She sat up suddenly reaching for her cloak only to find that it was not there. A small fire crackled in front of her a few feet away. She looked around for her rabbit skins and found them stretched out on the other side of the fire. Memories came flooding back and she moved quickly to dress before the cat could come back and find her naked.

Although he was the one who had undressed her and built the fire, and she had to admit she was grateful for the care. She had made the stupid mistake of running through the frigid mountain air, drenched in icy stream water. Her beast had kept her well and truly distracted from the common sense she had learned as a child. Growing up alone in these mountains had taught her the dangers, and she had been a damned fool thinking herself invincible because of the dragon lurking beneath her skin.

The male, Seth, she recalled his name; had saved her life likely. She had just finished tying the knot that held her rabbit skin over her chest behind her neck when padded footsteps announced his arrival. His deep brown eyes met hers. He dropped the dead fawn he carried in his jaws and studied her as she studied him.

Lianna cleared her throat.

“Thank you.” She murmured shyly. The raging hellion from earlier was completely gone. She faced him as a woman who had not known many kindnesses in her short harsh life. Her eyes dropped to the floor where he had dropped the poor creature that would fill their bellies. She reached to her waist, but came up empty-handed, her knife belt, and cloak having been left behind that morning. There was a flash of light and the handsome man took the felines place, standing in all his glory. He turned and walked back towards the entrance where he reached down and grabbed something from the shadows.

She watched as he sauntered towards her with his feline grace, her cloak, belt, and weapons in his large hands. She gasped in surprise and delight as he brought the bundle to her, kneeling at her feet and offering her the lost possessions. The beast inside her awoke with a purr of pleasing warmth. The girl took the feeling as confirmation that she had indeed, finally, just found someone who did not mean her any harm. Lianna accepted the gift from his outstretched hands. She remained silent, not sure what to say to him. She tossed the cloak on the ground near the fire before walking over to the small deer. She could feel his eyes boring into her back as she used her sharp blade to make quick work of skinning it right there. She separated the edible parts and with a wave of her hand the carcass turned to ash before it could attract any insects.

A quick movement behind her had her whirling in his direction, instinct still not letting her turn her back on anyone for too long. He let out a startled hiss at her, holding his arms out in supplication. The beast inside her watched him warily as she slowly moved to sit on her furs, warming by the fire. He sat just as cautiously on the other side of the fire. Her aura did not sense fear from him, only curiosity and meek obedience. A small smile tugged at her mouth.

His curiosity deepened and his eyes narrowed in question.

“I can feel your questions.” She said in reply. “the feeling of subservience is rather at odds with your..” she paused searching for appropriate words.

“appearance” she finished lamely.

She shrugged a careless shoulder, trying to appear unaffected by his nearness in the dimly lit close quarters.

He was very different from the wolves she had spent time with. She couldn’t help but think they paled in comparison to his ancient grace, as beautiful as they had been. His presence did not make her feel nervous either. Quite the opposite actually, although she couldn’t put a name to the feeling.

He smirked at her, his eyes nearly glowing their appreciation.

“It will take us nearly three days to reach your palace Majesty.” He told her. ”We head due west across the plain tomorrow. When we reach the river, we will follow it south into the mountains for a day then turn West again It will take nearly three days of travel after that to get there.” His voice was deep and thick, like the sticky sap the bees from her valley made. She had been brave enough to steal some of the sweet nectar once. She had managed to get away with only a few stinging welts for all her trouble.

The beast inside her licked its lips at the thought. She lowered her eyes to the meat in front of her, not understanding the way her body had begun to pulse in response to the thoughts in her head. Taking a deep breath, she put that beast to work, letting it rise slowly and ease from her fingertips towards the raw feast. The smooth meat began to hiss and spit as her magic bubbled through it.

It took but a few moments to cook thoroughly, she ripped off a leg and then offered him what was left of the fawn. Her stomach rumbled in appreciation as the first savory bite filled the space.

He grunted his thanks as he tore into a tender back strap. They ate in silence for a moment until she worked up the courage to speak. Swallowing the chunk of venison that filled her mouth, she used the sleeve of her dress, still laying behind her to wipe the grease from her chin.

“You are a good hunter. The wolves even have trouble hunting this area it would seem.” She watched his ears twitch at the mention of the canines, wondering if that small movement was a sign of feline frustration. She sensed that his cat stretched lazily under his skin.

“Those dogs are young.” He sneered at the insult. “They cower in their dens in the face of the evil that tries to destroy our land. They cry about the loss of food and clean water but do nothing about the actual problem.”

She remembered the fear and loathing on Varise’s face when she had realized the full might of Lianna’s powers. Erin, her mate had not stopped his wife from insulting her before casting her out.

“They seem to be a peaceful pack. A serving girl was nice to me.” Lianna answered him.

“That pup Eris let them throw you out, knowing you had nowhere to go, and the danger you would be in if you were discovered.”

“He told me that Errewyn is my father. That the power in my veins comes from the King’s own bloodline.” Lianna whispered, watching Seth closely for a reaction. Dark brows lowered over the ominous gleam in his eyes.

“He is correct. Errewyn is the only known percipient alive today, although some say that Errewyn does not have the power he claims to, he is the last descendent of an ancient bloodline. Four hundred years ago his great, great grandmother was mated to a dragon lord. When the dragons disappeared two hundred years ago, mostly because of his fear and greed, the magic in his blood faded too.” Shame coated his voice his aura caving in on itself in anger.

She caught his eye and didn’t let him look away.

“What happened?” She whispered.

“They were hunted down like prized trophies. Those beautiful creatures, the heart of these wild mountains, slain for the armor that could be made from the nearly-indestructible scales. The magical healing properties in their blood; your blood, far surpass the average fae’s abilities. Human and fae alike hunted side by side until the last dragon was slaughtered, in a mountain pass very near your own. Even after Lucien had been dealt with they continued to hunt them down and slay them with no mercy.” The haunted expression on his face told her he was lost in memory and did not see her as he spoke.

“Tell me.” She urged gently.

“I told him not to go, begged him.” The raw agony in his voice rang true, her beast lifting its dark head to pay attention to his words.

“A scout had just come with news that the human king had felled another dragon. It could have been either of them. Ainslee, his mate, and her brother, Aeros, were on their way to us. We were to meet in the pass and then they would fly to the Dragons Keep to go into hiding until the end of time if need be. Long enough for the world to forget they existed, and they could be free once more.”

Seth’s voice was bitter with anger as his story unfolded to her ears.

“There was only four of us left, the ‘Dragon’s Guard’ is what we were called. With us on the ground, and the dragons in the air, we made a formidable team. When the scout brought us the news, I tried to convince him that they would be fine, that they would meet us in the pass if we only waited patiently. But he would not listen and flew off to find them.

“The mountains shook with his fury when he found her. They had kept her alive, but barely. Blood was pooling beneath her when we found her hanging like a trophy from the castle walls. Giant barrels had been placed under her, to collect every precious drop of her magical blood. Rowan lost his senses completely and destroyed the castle and everyone inside.

“ Months went by and he just stayed there in the ruins beside her body. When they came for him, he did not even try to save himself. I stood on the cliffs and watched as they cut him to pieces and bled him dry” Tears were flowing down the male’s face and she ached for him.

“The other members of the guard had already disappeared into the mountains, staying in their feline forms to survive the harsh conditions. Some may have gone back to the dragons keep, but I could not bring myself to go back without them.” His words shuddered out of him; sorrow etched into every line of his tense body.

She watched him silently, allowing him time to collect himself.

“What happened to her brother, Aeros?” was her beast’s only question. Seth’s eyes met hers and he knew that it was the dragon inside her who wanted an answer.

“No one knows what became of him. There were rumors about fifty years ago that a dragon was alive and living on the northernmost tip of the continent. I searched for years, and never found him, so I came back here. These mountains are my home, even though my purpose has only been survival for myself instead of the magical creatures I was born to protect. Errewyn is a merciless fiend. He cares for nothing or no one except his own selfish hide.

“I would not advise you to seek him out. He will use you to sew fear into the hearts of people and crush them beneath his boots. Try to crush you as well, if he lets you live once he realizes the fire in your blood has bred a true dragon.”

Her beast growled in response to the threat. The food lay forgotten near the fire as she watched him steadily.

“You would not let him hurt me.” Her voice sounded strong and sure, even though inside she felt weak and afraid.

He must have sensed that undercurrent of doubt somehow. He got up and prowled deliberately around the fire to kneel before her again. His brown eyes were the color of wet pine bark. He held her gaze steady as he reached for her small hands and held them inside his calloused paws. His fingers were twice the size of hers. The dragon inside her pulled back and went quiet in her chest, and the girl she was, tried to do the same.

Her gaze dropped to the rough wood of the floor between them and she tried to pull her hands from his firm grasp, uncomfortable with his sudden closeness. But he tugged back, one hand gently cupping her chin, turning her face to look him in the eye. She was stubbornly trying to ignore the emotion that held the air tense between them. Her eyes slowly traveled up his hard-muscled thighs so close to her own. She let her gaze linger on the hard planes of his abdomen, the muscles there chiseled with fine detail and sweeping lines up his chest. Her tongue came out to lick dry lips and she felt the low growl that reverberated from him to her toes. Her eyes snapped to his, and her heart felt as if it would beat out of her chest, thundering between them as it was. His gaze had dipped to her now moist lips and she saw the raw possessiveness flare in his eyes when they finally met hers again.

“You are my Queen. I will serve and protect you until my blood runs cold and the afterlife claims my soul.” His quiet words soothed her ravaged heart, and she knew he would die to keep her safe.

His hands dropped to his side, but he did not move away as some bond slid into place between them. She felt it in her gut, a string like a tether that knotted her insides and leashed her to him, and the fealty he swore to her. Her chin lifted a notch and she brought her hand up to caress his hard jawline, her green eyes reflecting the awe she felt in that moment. She memorized every inch of his face and the worshipful expression upon it. Smoothed her thumb over his full bottom lip, marveling at its softness.

“I believe you,” Lianna whispered. She lowered her hand, and then her body to the floor, curling onto her side. Suddenly her eyelids felt very heavy and she let them close as they wished. She felt the way his aura tensed momentarily and knew he still looked over her as he knelt above her. His oath still echoed in her ears and a small smile tugged at her mouth.

Safe. That was what he made her feel. The warmth of his body disappeared, and he moved back to his side of the fire. She half-opened one eye to see the answering grin spread across his face. He would not leave her.