Surge of Storms (Dragon Bonds #4)

Chapter 10

TEN

Samantha

I’m soaring through the air, straight up, and then I turn and swoop downward as fast as I can, glad to finally be fully healed. The four of us are all over the sky, practicing the latest movements Zane had taught us. To my surprise, we are all picking up everything he was teaching us with ease, including this move.

Although defensive moves are a lot more fun than what I was doing.

Before this, I’d practiced running away and avoiding being pounced on enough times that I was more than ready to practice the same attacks the guys are working on. Even if, with my smaller and more delicate body, I won’t be able to pull off most of the attacks against our enemies.

Malikay and his assholes aren't going to know what hit them , I say as my gaze scans all my massive men.

If those bastards come near you, we’re going to turn the tables on them , Granger says. We’ll shred THEIR wings and cripple them the way they want to cripple you.

I’d pay to be part of that , Aydan growls.

We’ll all be there to hear them crying , Evander confirms with so much confidence that I can’t help but believe him.

Granger’s practical voice comes through my mind. We’ve learned how to combat them if they come from above us, if they come from below us, and if more than one of them attacks us at the same time. What do we need to learn now?

Zane’s words are certain. Now, it’s time for the storm dragon to use his powers.

Granger had tried many times throughout our practices to tap into his unique abilities, but he hadn’t been able to bring on another storm. Zane said it might be because storm dragons’ powers are very tied to their emotions, and it can take awhile before they learn how to use them on command.

Come on, storm dragon , I tease. Make us wet.

Granger sounds embarrassed. I’m trying. This isn’t as easy as it sounds.

You are too happy, Zane chides. You have your mate, lots of sex, and your friends, so you have become too happy. You must get angry, or sad.

I can make him upset , Evander offers eagerly.

Evander’s grey dragon suddenly comes shooting out of the clouds and strikes Granger hard. Granger starts going down for a minute before he catches himself over the water. Evander tries to smash into him again, but for such a huge dragon, Granger is fast.

That’s annoying, but it’s not going to get me upset , Granger says, and he does sound annoyed.

Suddenly, Aydan strikes from above, smashing both of them into the water. They disappear from sight as a storm brews above us and lightning strikes. I don’t know if I’m grinning, but it feels like I am. We’ve discovered that, other than Zane, all of us hate to get wet.

I fly above the water, watching as the clouds grow darker and more angry-looking. Finally, Aydan’s head pops out of the water, followed by Granger. Maybe I’m better at reading dragons now, but I get the sense that Aydan is absolutely pleased with himself, and Granger is pissed .

Was that necessary? Granger grumbles, flapping his wings and trying to escape from the water.

Aydan sounds as sweet as peaches when he says, You needed help, and I, as your best friend, made the necessary sacrifice to do it.

They manage to get back out of the water, but then we’re all staring at a growing storm. Thunder booms around us and lightning flashes in the sky. It’d be kind of pretty, if we weren’t in it.

How about you turn this little storm off now? I ask.

I don’t know how , Granger says grumpily.

Zane flies low, letting his feet skim the water. Think of happy things, storm dragon. Think about the sky clearing up and the sun shining.

We all fly around, keeping low to avoid the worst of the storm, and rain begins to fall, which we like about as much as we like being in the water. Zane, however, glides through the rain, doing tricks, seeming completely in his element, while we all endure the storm with curved backs and dirty looks.

Is it working? Evander asks, as annoyed as Granger himself.

Does it look like it’s working? Granger fires back.

Zane flies close to me, brushing my wing with his own. Help him.

How?

Cheer him up.

Zane makes the answer seem so obvious, and maybe it was. I circle around to find Granger, his expression intense, flying while deeply focused on being happy. I’ve never seen anyone trying to force themselves to be happy so much.

I fly beneath him, skimming my entire body along his in the air.

Instantly, I feel his awareness of me, his need to be close to me. He follows quickly behind, hovering just behind me. The dragon within him wants to mount me.

Doing a spin, I end up behind him, then shoot underneath him again, rubbing myself against him. His claws try to catch me, but he’s trying to be gentle, so it’s not hard to avoid him.

The rain stops. The clouds part. I can’t help but smile as he continues to follow me.

That’s not fair , he says, but there’s a smile in his words.

Just trying to help.

You and Aydan, always so helpful.

I’m laughing. What are best friends for?

After a minute, he says, About that. When do we get to call you something more than a friend?

Honestly, I hadn’t thought about it. Like what? Girlfriend?

Granger hesitates. I was thinking fiancée.

Fiancée? I laugh. And will we all get married?

Why not? he asks. We’ve already done the impossible. We’ve become dragons. The five us getting married hardly seems to be a difficult task.

He’s not wrong there. It does have a certain ring to it.

Although wife would sound better , he says.

Agreed , Zane says.

I’m up for it . And Aydan sounds happy.

We’ll have to get her a ring first. Evander seems to be already picturing whatever he’s planning.

I laugh, then another thought occurs to me. Zane, do we have children?

Zane doesn’t even hesitate. Two fire dragon sons. Both chose to be Awakened Dragons like me.

So, there will be little baby dragons flying around here when they awaken? Aydan asks, concern in his voice.

Zane laughs. Oh, no. Our sons have lived multiple lifetimes. They are fully formed adult male dragons now. They will no doubt be searching for their own mates when they awaken, now that their youthful days are behind them. And they will be excited for any siblings that may come.

That’s crazy. We’re going to meet our kids soon , I say, shaking my head.

It will be wonderful! Zane exclaims. I have known them and watched them grow each lifetime since they were born. Just like the past lifetimes, they will remember all of us and will be eager to spend the time they’re not looking for a mate with us. You will be happy. They are good boys. Very handsome, like their fathers.

Off in the distance, I hear thunder.

Granger?

Not me , he says.

It may be time to head in then.

We all head back to base. To our home. And there’s a strange energy between us. I think so much about being dragons is new and exciting, but the idea of children out there—our children— makes everything feel so much more real.

At the cliff, we land, and I stare around me at my harem of dragons. Granger is huge and black as night. He’s not just bigger than the rest of us, he’s built in a solid way that makes it hard to believe he can actually fly. Evander is gray and equal in size to Aydan’s large golden dragon. Both of them are far bigger than me, but they look tiny next to Granger. And then, there’s Zane. Light blue, smaller, and far more delicate-looking. I know it’s because he’s an ice dragon, but there’s something almost feminine about his softer lines.

Everyone begins to shift back, so I do too, and then we’re standing on the cliff, cool air rushing over us. I close my eyes and lift my head, already missing the sky and the air. Flying is like nothing else on earth.

Someone grabs me around the waist, and my eyes flash open. Evander is looking down at me, a grin on his face, before he leans down and captures my mouth in a kiss that makes me feel like I’m flying all over again. When our lips finally break apart, he holds me closely, breathing in my scent.

“I’ve missed you.”

“Sorry,” I say. “Granger–”

“I know. He needed you.”

And to my relief, he doesn’t sound angry. Just tired.

“Let’s get you out of this cold and into my bed,” Evander tells me, his lips quirking up.

We start heading back to our building. Glancing across the property, I see people milling about the parking lot. But one blond-haired man in a t-shirt and jeans isn’t walking around, he’s just staring, and the way he stares makes my stomach flip.

I turn to ask Evander about him, but when I glance back, he’s gone. Which is weird.

Shaking off the unsettling feeling, I remind myself that not everyone and everything in this new world is dangerous. If I keep up like this, I’ll be jumping at every shadow and every sound, becoming completely useless to the others. Besides, what’s there really to be afraid of?