Unexpected Mate (Dragon Goddess #2)

Chapter Twenty-one

I woke slowly, blinking the sleep from my eyes. I was in one of my favorite places, smooshed between the twins. I felt the energy surge up within me, my instincts telling me I needed to be like an archaeologist and start searching for large bones!

My brain was clearly thinking too loud in the bond, because the twins choked, Ivo chuckled, and Leo burst into hysterical laughter.

Shnookerdookies! Had Beasty merged her dirty mind with mine too? I didn’t know if that made me want to laugh or cry.

My cheeks burned with embarrassment. Thankfully, the embarrassment helped to ease my horny side. But it was quickly followed by the next rush of instinctual needs… food. I wa nted lots and lots of food. My stomach growled and I crawled over Luke, scrambling to find some leftover jerky and stuffing it in my cheeks like a hamster. What? I managed to control one of the overpowering urges this morning, there was no way I could resist two. Baby steps.

Ivo reached to take some jerky for himself, and I growled. I would have liked to blame my new psychotic instincts, but the truth was I had always been protective of my food, dragon or not.

He playfully growled back before snatching a piece right out of my hand and popping it in his mouth. Oh no he didn’t!

I sprang to my feet and launched myself on the large man’s back. I fisted my hand in his long hair and yanked his head to the side. My gums tingled as my fangs dropped and I sunk them into his neck.

“You ate my food, so now I will just eat you instead!”I cried.

I would’ve sounded a lot more threatening if my words hadn’t been muffled against his skin.

Mithraheal chose that moment to teleport himself into the room. He looked to my mates still lounging on the bed. “Have things escalated to the point that she’s attacking her mates now?” he asked. “Why aren’t you guys trying to calm her?”

Ivo began laughing so hard that I was nearly dislodged, and I scrambled like a monkey to cling on tighter.

“Our little mate is feeling a bit more focused this morning.” Ivo snorted a laugh. “Why did no one warn me of her murderous tendencies regarding food? Has she not been fed enough? ”

I snorted in amusement. He made me sound like a misbehaving pet. The twins and Leo shook with laughter, falling into a heap and wiping at their eyes. Mithraheal relaxed, but he still watched me warily. You jump a man’s bones eight times a day for a week, and apparently it scares them. I snickered and pulled my fangs free.

I teleported myself into Mithraheal’s arms, my hands snaked around his neck and my legs wrapped around his tapered waist. Without giving him time to react, I sank my fangs into his neck. So much tastier than that dried jerky. I pulled my fangs out after a few minutes, licking the two dots of blood from his neck.

Pushing myself up, I pressed my lips against his, gently.

“My love, is that really you?” He breathed against my mouth.

“It was always me, it’s just a more impulsive version of me.”

“That has to be the understatement of the year,” he replied. His arms wrapped around me, holding me in a tight embrace.

“I would love to continue this, but we have a problem that needs our attention.” Mithraheal sighed, his words heavy.

I slid off his body and stood, my good spirits dampened immediately. “What happened?”

Reaching into his perfectly tailored coat pocket, he pulled out a gold envelop with a red wax seal. “This arrived at the castle today. It’s an invitation to the Harmony Ball.”

I had no idea why a party invite was such a big deal, but all around me, my mates sucked in a harsh breath and grew tense.

“Why do you guys look so worried about a party?” I asked. “If you guys hate parties, we can just not go, right?”

“No one is allowed to refuse an invite to the Harmony Ball,” Mithraheal said solemnly. “This ball was first held centuries ago during a time of peace. All leaders and individuals of importance from all species are required to attend each year. It symbolizes our coming together in peace and harmony. Not attending is considered no less than a sign of war. Rumors about you have begun circulating and people are both curious and fearful. Your presence will help to reassure people that you want peace.”

“Okay, so we can’t get out of it.” I sighed. “How long until the ball?”

“Four days.” Mithraheal looked positively green, while the rest of my mates stood frozen in horror.

That wasn’t much time. My panic began to surge and with it my dragon instincts. My eyes flickered back and forth as I tried to find balance between my natures. It was a losing battle, and my anxiety made my fight or flight instinct kick in.

Mithraheal stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. “Shhh, it will be okay. Damien lives for parties! He will love making all the arrangements for us, and we’ll all be there at your side. You won’t be alone. My love, breathe.”

My breathing calmed, but I was too far gone. Levi scooped me up and headed for the bed. “Mithraheal, you should strip quickly and join us,” he said. “Time to help our dragoness release some of this chaotic energy. ”

Mithraheal was naked on the bed before Levi had even lowered me onto it. I gave in, letting myself enjoying the tender caresses of my mates and the feeling of their bodies moving against mine. Their kisses made me forget my panic, and I let myself enjoy this time with my circle.

Around noon, the men decided that I was as in an okay state of control, and we teleported ourselves to the castle. We did it secretly, all of us still worried that people might try to swarm us to get a peek, and accidentally get hurt if I went full dragon and started destroying things. What if my instincts took over at the ball?

“Stop thinking, little one,” said Ivo. “We are working on a possible solution to help make it easier for you during the ball.”

His words calmed the bats slamming into the sides of my stomach. No sweet fluttering butterflies for this girl.

“There’s my BFF!” Damien’s voice made me wince; it seemed far too loud for this secret visit. He twirled me in his arms and kissed my cheek with a loud pop. He didn’t even let me catch my breath before he started dragging me toward a rack of dresses.

“Come on! I have some pieces from the top designers in our kingdom,” he said with glee. “I always wanted a sister I could dress up! This is going to be so much fun!” He was stacking gown after gown in my arms, the rising pile of fluffy fabrics making it hard to see him. I felt his hands guide me behind a folding screen to start changing. I really wished he had to breathe, that way he would at least stop to take a breath.

I was buttoned, tied, crushed, and squished into more gowns than I could count. Damien clearly had a specific vision in his mind because I barely had the chance to catch sight of my reflection in the mirror before he was yanking the beautiful fabrics back off me.

Ivo and Mithraheal sat and clapped politely with each dress, but the twins and Leo were far less mature. After the second dress, I came out to find them holding pieces of papers with numbers written on them. They were scoring each dress like it was a sporting event. I rolled my eyes, but their silliness helped keep my instincts distracted. My mates were amusing and I was enjoying this game.

Damien slid another gown over my head, the fabric so soft it reminded me of water trickling over my skin. He said this dress was an A-line gown with a plunging neckline. He added that the fabric had been hand-dyed by one of his favorite designers, Anca. I tuned him out as stroked the rippling fabric. The bodice was a deep royal blue, and as it shifted down my body the blues shifted and changed like the aquatic teals of the sea. It was an incredible trick of the light and spoke volumes about Anca’s artistic talent. This was the dress.

“Yes, this is the dress,” Damien whispered.

“Stop reading my mind!”I cried.

“Stop being so entertaining!”he fired back.

I had always wanted a brother, now I questioned the wisdom of that wish as I glared at him through narrowed eyelids.

He stuck out his tongue and gave me an exaggerated bow. I slipped around him and made my way carefully to the ornate gold mirrors that rose from the floor and up to the grand ceilings.

“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” Mithraheal’s voice sounded raw with emotion.

“The vampire is correct,” said Ivo. “I have lived a lot longer than the rest of your mates, and you truly are the most exquisite creation to walk this earth.”

“Dang. You guys make it hard for the rest of us to compliment her!” Leo grumbled.

Levi blew me kisses, and Luke brushed lovingly against my mind.

“Okay! Take it off, T!” Damien said. “We can’t have you accidentally ripping the dress to shreds while you guys try to do some monster mashing.” He winked and I groaned.

I slipped back behind the curtain and carefully removed the dress. I couldn’t believe I was going to be wearing something so incredibly beautiful. I handed it over the screen to Damien, leaned down and picked up my T-shirt, slipping the worn grey fabric over my head. I picked up my jeans, but before I could step into them, I felt a warm wet trickle down my leg.

Glancing down I saw blood. Seriously? I had never had a cycle in my life, and my body decided that today was the perfect time to suddenly give me one? This week sucked donkey balls.

“Um, guys?” I was trying to figure out how to ask for the necessary girly items.

I shrieked as the screen was ripped aside and slammed into the wall. Mithraheal stood there panting, his eyes blood red. Gone was my well-mannered aristocrat, in his place was a vampire that had just smelled his most favorite thing on earth.

“Did you hurt yourself?” he asked. His fangs flashed as he searched my face for any sign of pain.

“Chill buddy,” I said, raising my hands in defense. “I’m the one that is supposed to go all feral at the drop of a hat, not you. It’s no biggie, I apparently just started my menstrual cycle—”

Ivo roared. “No, no, no!” he cried. “This shouldn’t be possible! The timing is all wrong! Why have the fates cursed us?”

I’ve heard cycles were less than fun, but this seemed a bit of an overreaction.

“Ivo, it will be okay,” I said. “This is normal for women, we’ll get through this.” His panic was making me panic, and two panicking dragons inside a castle was a very bad idea.

“It’s normal for human females, but not for dragon shifter females!” Ivo snapped back. “A dragoness will have only one bleed each year, and they don’t have their first bleed until they are at least three hundred years old.”

Huh.And here I thought I was a late bloomer - turns out I was way early.

“Merging with your Beasty must have accelerated not only your magic abilities, but also your physical development,” continued Ivo. He sounded like he had just lost his best friend.

“So, I’m weird, that’s not exactly unexpected in my life.” I shrugged.

“You will only bleed for one day, Tia. Then you will go into heat.”

I gave an awkward laugh. “You mean like a dog or a cat?”

“I mean like a dragon. If we thought last week was difficult, it’s going to be nothing compared to what’s coming.”

I wasn’t exactly sure what was coming, but I had a good idea who would be coming …