Unexpected Mate (Dragon Goddess #2)

Chapter Nine

I sipped my tea, enjoying the quiet of the morning and the time with my family. Watching Leo turn from the shy young man I had come to know, into a man that gave orders to our feisty mate. I could not deny that watching him pleasure her, while she was bare and on display in front of us, was the hottest thing I had ever witnessed in my exceedingly long life.

Leo fit into our family like a missing piece to a puzzle. He had a gentleness to him that a blood driven or werewolf simply couldn’t possess. Even now as she sat on the couch, leaning into Luke’s side, Leo had propped her feet in his lap and was absently massaging them as he studied something on his tablet. Levi had shifted to his wolf and was lying on the floor beside the couch. I stifled a laugh as I watched him swish his tail, smacking Tia in the face, and then repeat it again as soon as she went back to eating, earning a frustrated growl from her. He would definitely pay for that the next time they sparred. Only Damien was missing; he was enjoying some sleep after taking the night shift.

Turning my attention back to Leo, I studied him carefully, feeling as though I was missing something. There was something different about him and I couldn’t put my finger on it. I had noticed that his scent had changed slightly after the claiming, but that had also happened with the rest of us.

I heard a door click in the lower level of the house, and then two sets of footsteps making their way around the house toward the front door. Ah, yes. Our first morning as a family was about to come to an abrupt end. Sighing, I set my cup into the saucer and stood to brush the invisible crumbs from my neatly-pressed slacks.

I opened the door before Gregor had the chance to knock, stepping aside to allow him and Elani entry into our living room. I knew that the wolves and Tia had heard them coming as well, but they hadn’t moved; they were acting as if this was any other morning, not the morning after we’d kidnapped a nadir.

Gregor and Elani froze, taking in the sweet domestic scene in front of them. Leo was so focused on whatever he was reading that he only looked up at the sound of my voice as I invited our guests to sit. His face paled, and I noticed the tablet shaking for a moment before he steadied his hand.

“We came to ask if you had seen our nadir,” said Gregor. “His quarters were empty this morning. His glass were laying haphazardly on the bed, and we were concerned about what could’ve caused him to leave them in such a rush.”

Leo’s face bore a look of confusion as he processed Gregor’s words. He reached up to feel for his glasses, as if to confirm that they were gone. I hadn’t noticed the missing glasses either. This morning he had moved about the room, helped prepare breakfast and read on his tablet with no signs of struggling to see. Interesting. Leo looked back toward the tablet and moved it closer to his face, then further away, his face changing from confusion to disbelief.

My love, do you know anything about this? I asked Tia as I watched a faint smile dance around her mouth.

There are things I am learning and so much I still don’t understand, but yes, there are things I can share with my mates. This is a gift to him from my dragon.

My mate continued to amaze me with the abilities she possessed. Over the last few weeks, her skills had grown and new talents had manifested. She had taken each one in stride. I worried if she was pushing herself too hard; just the thought of her burning out terrified me.

Leo’s excited whoop filled the quiet room, causing everyone to jump.

“I’ve spent my life looking at everything through a blur!” he cried. “Even with my glasses, everything remained slightly fuzzy. I can see the wings of that tiny fly on Mithraheal’s teacup!”

As his happiness bubbled over, he reached over, sinking his hand into Tia’s golden waves and pulling her to him as their lips met in an enthusiastic kiss. Luke laughed, and Levi let out a joyous bark while his wagging tail thudded against the wooden floor.

“What is that !” Elani’s tone was shrill and demanding. Rising quickly to her feet, she sprung toward the kissing couple. Levi’s demeanor changed from happy pup to werewolf fast enough to cause whiplash. His body blocked her advancement, while a vicious growl rattled through the room. Elani was so focused on whatever had caught her attention that she didn’t even realize the danger she was in, until Gregor rushed forward and hauled her backward.

“Do not move a muscle.” Gregor’s voice was commanding and low. “That is a werewolf protecting its mate, his instincts are more animal than human at the moment. What were you thinking?”

“Didn’t you notice her ear and neck?” Elani answered, her eyes focused warily on Levi. “She has the mark of being bonded to a wizard; a mark that wasn’t there yesterday. I wished to inspect it, to determine its authenticity, to see which of the bloodlines created it. If she has been secretly meeting with other wizards, we should know. I’m not eager to follow a deceiver into battle.” Venom laced her words.

Jealousy. She is so full of jealousy that it’s eating her from the inside out. Damien’s amused voice echoed in my mind, and moments later he was sitting sprawled on one of the oversized bean bags clutching something in his hands. Was that… popcorn?

He tossed a butter-covered piece into the air, catching it in his mouth and giving me a wink. Wasn’t he supposed to be sleeping ?

I smell drama, and there is no way I am missing my new favorite show!

I rolled my eyes. What a cad.

Luke shifted on the couch until he was pressed against Tia’s back. He carefully brushed every silky strand of her hair away, revealing the delicate curve of her neck and the adorable, pointed tips of her ears. A collective gasp went through the room at the sight. Unbelievably intricate lines wove and swirled up Tia’s neck, the design continuing on to her ear. As with her light tattoos, these also glowed from within, but with varying shades of gold instead of blue.

I moved closer, tracing the lines on her ear as I studied them. Leo leaned forward to inspect it as well.

“It’s from last night, from my kiss.” He was whispering, but in the quiet of the room, his words may as well have been a shout.

“You marked her?” Elani was outraged. “You have refused my advances, but you marked this female? She isn’t a wizard, and you are a nadir! The council indulged your reluctance, but that will end when they hear of this!”

To be honest, I had expected Tia to fling her across the room, set her on fire, or suddenly develop a new talent that involved making people disappear. Instead, she ignored Elani and scooted onto Leo’s lap.

“You marked me?” Tia said, smiling at Leo. “I didn’t know that was possible! What does it look like?”

Leo melted at her eager expression and quickly picked up his tablet, turning on the selfie camera mode and handing it to her so she could use it as a mirror. She made little sounds of excitement. shifting the angle of the tablet to see the whole design.

“It’s incredible! It’s the most beautiful piece of artwork I have ever seen! You traced this with your tongue last night, didn’t you?”

Tia blushed, and to my astonishment, the colors in Leo’s mark began to change as well.

“Yes, although I didn’t believe it would work, since I am a nadir,” Leo explained. “This mark is made from ancient magic, a magic thought to be long extinct from earth. Legend claims that when pure blood wizards found their soulmate, they had the ability to channel their love into a design through a kiss as they bonded. It is said that male wizards would often work on that piece of art for decades, as they waited to find their soulmate. I had thought it was just a story told to children, but I loved the idea. I secretly worked on my own design, hoping to kiss it onto my soulmate’s skin one day. It was a far-fetched dream, but it made life more bearable to believe that it could happen. I traced it with my lips and tongue last night, knowing it would never show on your skin. At least in my heart I would know that my dream had come true.”

Crystal tears made glimmering paths down Tia’s face, and I watched, mesmerized, as the tattoo shifted in color yet again.

“That’s just not possible,” said Gregor. “There hasn’t been a wizard mark since those stories of old. Our females wear jewelry to signify their relationship status, much like human females. It is believed that the legends are mere stories, or that the bloodlines are no longer pure enough to create such magic between soulmates. You are a nadir, a talented man with skills beyond compare on a computer, but you hold no magic.”

Tia faced Gregor. She was still sitting on Leo’s lap, her back pressed firmly against his chest. Leo’s arms circled her waist and his chin rested on her shoulder. The colors shifted again; this time it seemed to pulsate.

“It’s a mood ring!” Damien cackled and spilled some of his popcorn.

Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to explain his random comment.

“Oh, for the love of a hellhound!” he cried. “The mark that Leo apparently (ew) licked all over her neck”—he shuddered dramatically—“keeps changing colors. It swirled one color when she was confused. It changed when Elani started ranting. The color morphed again when she got all lovey-dovey with Leo, and when Gregor insulted Leo, it shifted again. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that her mood is changing the colors.” Turning toward the wizards, he added, “I would probably watch what you two say right now, because I have $100 that says she is getting really ticked off. You do not want to poke a sleeping dragon. Actually, I take that back. Go ahead and say whatever pops into your head! It’s been really boring around here lately.”

He finished and leaned forward eagerly, obviously wishing things would get more exciting.

His wish was granted.