Chapter 30
Rayna
The Kandoran dragon took two days before it showed up a couple of hours before sunset—to her utter annoyance. Rayna had spent the previous day searching for the beast, trekking for miles through rugged terrain. She wasn’t far from the first position where she’d been placed during the war, except she was north of the giant chasm this time, within range of the Arbuckle Mountains. Her thighs burned from walking up and down hills after not hunting for weeks. She’d become out of shape while recovering and spending time with Galadon.
Finally, the big green dragon appeared in the sky. She was nearly lost to her slayer instincts by that point and barely had the presence of mind to use her sorceress abilities to strike it down with lightning. Twigs and brush had slapped at her skin as she’d run for her prey, finding it struggling to rise by the time she reached it.
Rayna barely recalled what happened next because she’d been in full battle lust by that point. She only knew when it was over, the dragon had a sword sticking out of its chest. Leaning against the beast’s dead body, she caught her breath and felt the instant relief from completing her hunt.
After slugging down some water from her magical canteen that always refilled within the hour, she began the walk back to the border. By her estimates, she’d wandered about three miles away. It was about an hour and a half until sunset, but even if she hurried, she’d miss the midday meal at the fortress. Rayna was starving, too, after running out of her food supplies. She’d eaten the last of them when she woke up late in the morning.
Now that she could think clearly again, her need to reach Galadon surged. Everything in her compelled her to get to him as fast as possible. She could feel which direction he was located and approximately how far. It was strange. Rayna had barely noticed it when he dropped her off because her hunting instincts were already beginning to fill her thoughts.
A red dragon appeared when she was about a mile from the Taugud border. She waved at him. He circled around and swooped, taking her into his arms as he lifted back into the sky.
Thanks, Titan, she said.
He held her firmly and worked to build up speed. I have received word that your mate is losing patience and about ready to come get you himself. We do not need the strongest shifter in the world raging through the fortress because he misses his mate.
Rayna laughed. It can’t be that bad.
I’m lucky that I left yesterday while he was still reasonable, but a messenger came earlier to tell me that he’s on the field challenging all the warriors. There have been a few injuries, and I was told to do whatever it takes to safely bring you to him.
She was stunned. Her need to see him was growing, but it had only hit her in the last hour after she killed the Kandoran. Galadon had been feeling it the entire time. She’d had no idea it could affect them this badly.
Is that normal? she asked.
Titan continued to race them north at a speed she’d never seen him fly. Only if they’re separated for more than a few hours during the first two to three weeks after bonding. Those of us who have grown up within a toriq know this and would prepare for it before completing the connection.
And neither of us was aware of that little detail, she surmised.
He let out a puff of steam. His timing certainly could have been better.
My urge to hunt overrode it. I really didn’t know how much I needed to be with him until an hour ago, Rayna admitted.
That explains why you were able to stay away for so long. You must impress upon him not to let you get that far gone again, whatever it takes.
She couldn’t agree more. We’ll work out something for the future.
They chatted about other things for the rest of the flight. Titan caught her up on all the latest news at the fortress, including Phoebe being in labor for almost two days. Rayna shuddered at the thought of it. At least she knew Galadon was taking something to prevent conception, so they were on the same page so far.
The fortress came into view ahead. She was close enough now to feel her mate’s worry and impatience. Through the bond link between them, it was near chaos. Her need to reassure him grew with each minute that passed. Finally, they reached the field in front of the high walls as Titan dropped altitude.
My apologies, but this might be a rough landing.
What do you mean? Rayna asked, but it was too late.
Galadon stood waiting with his arms outstretched to catch her as Titan sent her flying through the air toward the large shifter. Had her mate ordered him to do that? She nearly lost all her breath as she collided with his chest, and he wrapped his strong arms around her.
Rayna barely drew in a gulp of air before his lips pressed against hers. Sparks flew from them as they melded into each other, unable to get close enough. She forgot everything around her as Galadon expressed all his worry and desire for her in an explosive kiss that sent her need for him soaring. It was a shock when he managed to pull away a minute later and set her down.
“What are you doing?” she asked as he ran his hands down her body, stopping to frown at her arms where dried blood remained. The wounds themselves healed during her trip back.
He turned his upset gaze to her. “Why were you cut so many times? Did the Kandoran give you that much trouble? Are you hurt anywhere else?”
“Seriously?” She smiled at him. “By the time I found him this evening, I was in full battle rage. I downed him with my lightning, but it was a blur running through trees and brush. Sharp vegetation is what hurt me. The dragon was an easy kill.”
“You should take more care with yourself,” he said, finishing his inspection. Thankfully, only her arms and face had some scrapes. The rest of her had been covered with camrium cloth that protected her body.
Rayna put her hands on her hips. “Says the man who had me thrown at him rather than letting me land like a normal person.”
“I would never fail to catch you.” He drew her into his arms again, ignoring the crowd of shifters gathering at a healthy distance to watch them. “I missed you, mate.”
She pressed a hand to his cheek. “I missed you, too.”
As he leaned down to kiss her again, someone cleared their throat. “As much as we all appreciate a good show, perhaps you should consider getting Rayna clean and fed. I can hear her empty stomach grumbling from here.”
Galadon immediately jerked away. “When did you eat last?”
“I finished some bread when I woke up this morning.”
His brows drew together, concern in his gaze. “You should have had plenty of food.”
“I was hungrier than usual after you dropped me off and because of everything we, uh, you know…did,” she said, shrugging. “I didn’t think it would take so long to hunt.”
Normal sex wouldn’t have made her stutter over her explanation, but what they’d done was far beyond ordinary. Every time she recalled it, she blushed. She wondered if he’d ever be up for something like that again. It was dangerous yet the hottest thing she’d ever done.
He took her hand and led her toward Aidan and Bailey, who stood nearby. “I will take her to my room to wash and change first.”
“Good idea,” Aidan agreed. “After that, bring her to my living quarters. We’re holding our midday meal so you can dine with us there.”
Galadon paused in his march to get them inside. “That’s very generous of you, pendragon.”
“I insisted,” Bailey said, giving Rayna a sympathetic smile. “The last thing a slayer needs after a long hunt is to have half the fortress staring at her in the great hall while she tries to eat. It gives bad indigestion.”
She had to choke back a laugh.
Galadon nodded. “We will see you shortly.”
“Please get a quickie first, so you’re not too impatient to get through the meal,” Bailey called to their retreating backs. “I’d like to have time to talk to my friend.”
Rayna blushed at the slayer’s words, but Galadon was pulling her at breakneck speed toward the castle. All the keep shops passed in a blur, and she nearly stumbled on the front steps. The great hall was full of shifters eating. They paused to stare at them as they speed-walked past the rows of tables, heading toward the back where the stairs led to the second-floor quarters.
In no time, she found herself in a nice castle room. It was dimly lit with a lantern on the nightstand, but she could make out a large bed in the center of the space. Galadon pressed her into a stone wall and melded his mouth with hers. Rayna’s body lit with instant lust. She barely noticed when he sent their clothes to shiggara, glad to have any barriers between them removed. He lifted her up, pulling her legs around him, and buried himself inside of her a moment later. She moaned at how intensely good he felt and didn’t care that there’d been no foreplay because she was already wet for him.
They didn’t speak because no words were needed. For the first few strokes, he moved slowly to give her time to adjust, but then he began driving hard into her. The pleasure was so intense that she burst from it in moments, clawing at his back as her orgasm overcame her.
As soon as the last tremors faded, Galadon moved her to the bed and set her on her hands and knees. He gripped her hips and plowed into her once more. Rayna thought he’d moved fast before, but now he drove into her as if demons were chasing him. She looked back and saw the intense need all over his face, along with the desperation. He needed a release as well, but he also wanted to stay inside his mate as long as possible. How she knew this, she couldn’t say.
Galadon wrapped an arm around her torso and pulled her back into his chest, kissing her neck as his movements slowed with the changed position. His hands found her breasts and kneaded them. Rayna’s desire was building once more. When he moved to rub his fingers between her thighs, she gasped.
“I don’t ever want to be away from you that long again,” Galadon said.
She moaned. “Me, either.”
“You’re mine.” He expertly played with her clit. “Say it.”
“I’m yours,” she breathed.
He pulled out of her and flipped her onto her back. “Don’t let yourself go until I do.”
“Please,” she begged, spreading her thighs wide. “I need you inside me.”
The flames of desire in his eyes flared at her confession. “Good, slayer, because I need you, too.”
He pulled her hips up and filled her to the hilt. Rayna screamed at the pleasure as he ground into her for a moment between each stroke, building her higher and higher. Then his body stiffened, and he shouted as he jerked and exploded within her. She went with him as blue and white electric currents ran over their bodies, lighting the room with their hues.
When they finished, Galadon collapsed next to her and pulled her naked, sweaty body close to his. He nuzzled her neck. “I never knew it was possible to love a woman this much.”
Her heart melted at the hardened shifter’s confession. Rayna lifted a hand to caress the line of his jaw. “I love you, too.”
“Thank you for fighting for us even when I made it impossible,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead before moving back to stare into her eyes. “I promise I will never take you for granted again.”
His words were so solemn that her eyes teared up at hearing them. He leaned down and gave her a sweet, tender kiss that melted her heart even further. Suddenly, all the pain and anguish she’d felt since their first meeting last summer fell away. It was worth it to lead them to this moment. Perhaps the seer had been right all along, though the journey had been even more difficult than she could have ever anticipated.
They quickly washed themselves and got dressed. He had a fresh set of camrium clothes for her, so at least she didn’t have to wear the filthy ones from her hunt. She brushed her hair out so it fell in soft waves just past her shoulders. Galadon prowled toward her and ran his fingers through the strands, wonder lighting his eyes.
“Do you know how many times over the last months I dreamed of touching your hair like this?” he asked.
Rayna shook her head, mesmerized by him. “No. I never would have guessed.”
“Probably because it only made me angrier that I had to resist it.” He gave her a rueful smile. “But sometimes, as I lay in my bed, I’d let myself imagine it for a little while. I’d see you spread naked on my blanket where I could freely touch all of you as much as I wanted. Once we’ve vanquished the Kandoran nest, and I take you home, I will do exactly that for days until you beg me for a break.”
She gave him a saucy grin. “Then you’re going to be working at it for a while.”
“Good,” Galadon said, slowly drawing his arm away. “But we should hurry. I’d hate to keep a pregnant slayer waiting long to eat.”
Rayna laughed. “Not if we wish to live.”
They found a red-faced guard outside, ready to escort them to Aidan and Bailey’s chambers. He must have been out there the entire time and heard everything. The door was thick and solid, but shifter hearing was very good. Rayna was mortified, but Galadon put a hand to the small of her back and walked stoically as they made their way through the corridor to a set of stairs that took them to the third floor.
Two seconds after they knocked, the door flung wide open, and Orion grinned up at them. “Finally, you’re here! I’m hungry.”
Rayna patted his thick, dark hair. “Me, too, kid.”
The fragrant aroma of a feast filled the air and made her stomach growl. They entered the room and found Bailey had already begun nibbling on a roll. It relieved Rayna to see she hadn’t deprived herself while waiting.
“My apologies for the delay,” Galadon said, moving to clasp arms with Aidan in a shifter greeting.
The pendragon lifted a brow. “Something tells me you aren’t that sorry.”
“I’m impressed you two got here this quickly,” Bailey said, taking another bite of her bread.
Rayna cleared her throat, figuring it was best to change the topic with a five-year-old present. “The food looks amazing.”
“Please, sit,” Aidan said, gesturing toward the table.
Orion had already plopped himself into a chair next to his mother. She’d set the remains of her roll down to begin filling his plate. Galadon chose seats opposite them, pulling out Rayna’s for her. She smiled at him and sat.
“I take it your hunt went well,” Aidan said as he piled food onto his dish.
Rayna nodded, following his example. There was so much variety, including a roast that was her favorite since childhood. She wished she could take the whole cut, but realistically knew that wasn’t possible. All the walking she’d done the last couple of days made her ravenous—just not quite that much. She’d gotten too spoiled by using her horse or dragons for travel.
“It took nearly two days, but it was easy once I spotted him,” she finally replied as she forked meat onto her plate in reasonable quantities.
Bailey sighed. “It must be nice to down them with a bit of lightning, so there’s no struggle to finish them.”
“You have tools to help in that regard now,” Aidan pointed out.
“Arrows and firearms aren’t nearly as fun or always as accurate.”
Rayna finished chewing her first bite of food. “My aim was unreliable for the first year after I gained magic. Sometimes, it hit right where I wanted, but most of the time, I was off. Just like with other weapons, I had to train to get good at it.”
Aidan glanced toward the balcony doors. “Interestingly, there was a brief storm while you two were…getting ready to come here. It ended shortly before you arrived.”
“Oh, yeah.” Orion’s face lit up. “There were no clouds, and then they just came out of nowhere. The lightning was flashing all over the place.”
“It didn’t hit anything,” Bailey quickly clarified.
I shot Galadon a horrified look.
He appeared amused. “That is strange, but I’ve heard the weather in Oklahoma is known to be erratic.”
“Oh, absolutely,” Bailey said with a sage nod, almost pulling off a serious expression if not for the twinkle in her brown eyes.
Rayna dug into her meal, trying not to think about the implications of them brewing a storm while they’d been together. Every time before the bond, some of her electrical charges ran between them, but even in the woods after Galadon had told her he loved her, she hadn’t noticed a storm. That would have been hard to miss outdoors. Maybe because of their two-day separation, it had built up? She supposed it was one of those things they’d learn as they went.
Their conversation moved to less embarrassing topics for the rest of the meal. Orion was going to a class in the fortress now with shifters and human children, learning to read. Bailey already had a crib set up in the corner of their bed chambers for when she gave birth that she had Aidan build from scratch. He’d set aside two hours a day, foregoing pendragon duties, to complete it. The details carved into the wood with flying dragons were especially impressive.
Orion was excited to become a big brother and bounced in his seat as he told them about all the things he planned to do with his sister. It was clear he didn’t quite understand a baby’s limits just yet, but he’d learn soon enough.
Aidan was also proud to announce they’d completed most of the repairs on the fortress and village. Both suffered some damage from the war. Now, he was allocating shifters to assist the nearby town of Norman with repairs. There’d been some fire damage during the dragon fighting. Also, a large tornado—created by one of their sorcerers to take out Kandoran dragons—tore up many homes on the outskirts of the city. There was a lot of debris to sort out that they’d put off due to more pressing issues and a harsh winter keeping most people inside.
A knock sounded at the door as they were finishing the meal. Aidan moved to answer this time, pulling it open to see one of his guards. “Excuse me, milord. I hate to interrupt, but we thought you’d want to know your sister has given birth to a healthy baby boy.”
Rayna couldn’t resist listening in on the exchange, especially with the good news.
“How is Phoebe?’ Aidan asked.
“I am told she is exhausted but well. She asked if you could wait to visit until tomorrow. Ozara and Lorcan are ensuring she and the hatchling are well tended.”
“Of course,” he said, glancing back at Bailey. “But please make certain she has everything she needs, and don’t hesitate to let me know if I can do more.”
“I will relay the message.” The guard dipped his chin in respect and left.
The pendragon returned to the table, settling back into his chair. “I’m assuming everyone heard that, so I don’t have to repeat it?”
“Yes,” they all agreed.
Bailey rubbed her stomach. “We’ll go visit tomorrow after the noon meal, so she has plenty of time to recuperate before we get there.” The slayer glanced at her and Galadon. “You’re both welcome to come as well.”
Rayna noted her mate stiffening and smiled at Bailey. “We’d hate to overwhelm her this soon. After such a long labor, I imagine she’d prefer to keep it to close family.”
“Yes,” Galadon said. “We’ll be happy to see her offspring another time.”
They wrapped up dinner and hurried back to their chamber. As soon as he shut and locked the door, her mate pulled her into his arms. Rayna put a hand on his chest to stop him from distracting her before she could speak what was on her mind.
“Wait, we need to talk first.”
He frowned. “About what?”
“You’re still taking the herbs to prevent pregnancy, right?” she asked, feeling stupid she hadn’t asked him sooner.
Concern filled his expression. “Of course. Why?”
“I just…” She could hardly meet his gaze. “Would it be okay to wait a few years or so before trying for children? I want plenty of time for only the two of us.”
His body relaxed, and he smiled. “That’s precisely what I’d prefer. While I imagine creating children with you will be a worthwhile process, I want many nights alone with my mate before that time comes—and days, for that matter.”
She laughed. “Good, especially since any children we produce will likely be a handful, so we’ll hardly have a moment to breathe.”
“Yes. Perhaps we wait more than a few years to fortify ourselves.”
Rayna wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m beginning to like the way you think.”
Happiness flowed through their bond as their lips met and clothes disappeared.