Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
Barbie
Out of the frying pan, I dove into the carnage. Same old, same old.
I landed in a crouch, palm flat on the wet marble. Still dazed, vision blurred and stomach churning from the portal’s violent exit, I found myself surrounded by scattered bodies, most wearing the uniform of the House of Chaos. If I lay down and painted myself with blood, I’d blend right in.
Clearly, shit had gone down here while I was gone, while all hell was still breaking loose in that damned Underworld maze.
I threw up my hands in a defensive stance. Good policy when you land in a room full of corpses. Dark flame twirled between my fingers, lovely and lethal, though it wouldn’t be so loving when it met enemy flesh.
Then the roar came, shaking the marble beneath me. I crouched lower, staying small and safe, hoping the glass overhead wouldn’t shatter and rain down on me. A second later, my head cleared, and it hit me as another roar sent everyone but me dropping to the floor.
Dragon. My dragon.
Shit, he was loud.
Tyson was here. Joy surged through me, and I lifted my head to search for him, not that I needed to. The massive dragon dominated the space, the pillars like toothpicks beside him.
I wanted to shout, Dragon! I’m here! But I decided to surprise him.
He hadn’t seen me yet, his back turned. No one else noticed me either; the dragon held every eye in the room. They all knelt before him. That was good, right? That meant Killian and Tyson had seized control.
I took the moment to revel in the sight of my dragon mate. His sapphire scales glinted, lightning trapped beneath the surface. Along the edges of his massive wings, flames danced, like he’d been too impatient to cool down after roasting whoever pissed him off.
Then I couldn’t hold back any longer.
I shot toward him in a blur, my speed even greater than before. I no longer had Sy to boost my strength, but my goddess power had surged to its peak after multiple rebirths in Hell’s inferno.
Twenty feet. Ten. Five—
The dragon’s tail swept across the floor. It nearly took me out. I leapt over it, only for him to swing again. This time, I grabbed on and held tight, using my goddess strength to anchor myself.
He stilled, then roared in fury. WHO DARES?
Normally, he’d have sensed me or caught my scent, but the room was too thick with blood and fear.
“Seize the girl! She’s attacking our dragon king!” someone shouted.
“No one touches our king’s mate!” Cassius barked back.
Rock moved swiftly with Archer and a handful of loyal warriors, forming a protective ring around me.
The dragon swung his head toward me, fire swirling around his snout. His molten gold eyes locked on mine before blinking hard, as if he couldn’t believe what he saw. The mating mark—two golden half-circles that pulsed on my wrist as well—glowed brightly on his left temple.
“I dare!” I grinned, releasing his tail. “Hello, hello, Tyson!” Then I peered deeper, meeting the fierce gaze of the chaos heir burning through his dragon’s eyes. “Hello to you too, Killian.”
Mate! Tyson’s joy thundered through our bond, primal and absolute. Mine. Here. Safe.
“She can’t be our new king’s mate!” Whispers rippled through the hall from a cluster of silk-clad courtiers.
“She doesn’t look the part.”
“She’s rather…short,” sniffed a noblewoman.
“That’s the same creature who derailed the murder trial! Who attacked our queen!”
Oh, good. My fan club still remembered me. Maybe it was the bouncing gold curls. No matter what I did, they stayed wild. Frustrating.
“Hush—the former queen.”
“But this girl made a mockery of our customs!”
I understood why those females felt the need to cut me down. Now that Killian had broken things off with the Queen of the Underworld, they thought they had a shot.
Bitches.
I waited for Sy to chime in, to call them cunts and offer to eat a few—only to remember she wasn’t with me anymore. Was she safe? Worry sank deep into my bones. But Sy could take care of herself. I’d find her later, after I’d had my epic reunion with my gorgeous, formidable mates.
Tyson growled, his claws scoring the marble. The court fell silent.
“Of course, dragon,” I said fondly, ignoring everyone else. “I came to rescue you, but it looks like you didn’t need saving.” I gestured at the litter of corpses, not a sight for the fainthearted. “What happened here? Did I miss a lot?”
A lot. His voice rumbled. Mate is safe. Nothing else matters. I will breathe fire. Mark you. Show them you belong to dragon and king. A pause, uncertainty bleeding through. Mate…permit it?
Show them, I replied. A fire bath is just what I need.
Tyson opened his jaws.
Wait! I called urgently. I don’t want to look so tiny at your feet. Let me ride on your back, then you blow the fire. We both need to look bigger than life.
Before he could agree, I flew up and landed in a crouch on his back, one hand pressed to his scales.
“Let’s blow shit up, dragon!” I roared.
Dragon fire, hot enough to melt stone, cascaded over me. Because I was his mate, his fire would never hurt me. It recognized me, cherished me, and shielded me.
The court gasped as one.
“She’s the mate of the dragon king!” a guard cried. “His Majesty’s fire accepts her!”
I was no damsel. Dark flame erupted from my skin, wrapping around his horns and waltzing along his scales. Where his fire was pure destruction, mine was hunger, devouring light and heat.
Our flames entwined. Black fire shot through with dragon flame spiraled upward, a display of raw power, before they split into two streams, each finding one of the twin thrones.
The royal seats, carved from gold and diamond, reinforced with centuries of enchantments, melted like ice in summer.
“We’ll make new thrones,” I said.
Tyson roared his approval. The windows that had survived the earlier battle shattered. Beneath his roar, the court fell into stunned silence.
“Dragon!” I threw my hands over my ears. “Too loud! We’re indoors, and I have sensitive eardrums.”
He cut off mid-roar, head whipping toward me, his molten eyes full of adoration and a touch of sheepishness.
You’ve had your moment. Killian’s voice boomed through our bond. I must take over.
Need more time with mate. Tyson argued. Mate was taken. Stolen from my hoard. I burned inside with fear. The dragon’s anguish cut deep. Dragons do not fear. But I feared.
You can take her on a ride later to make up for it, Killian barked. Right now, I need to get the court in order. You’ve scared the courtiers shitless. Now they can barely think.
Good. Should fear. Satisfaction rumbled through Tyson. Fear keeps mate safe.
You don’t want them to get over fearing you, Killian coaxed. You’re our best lethal weapon.
I am fire. I am ending. They remember, or they burn. Tyson lifted his proud head, ready to roar again, but I wrapped an arm around his scaled throat and stopped him.
Roar outside? I touched his gem-like scales. If you do it too often, everyone will get used to it. Then no one will fear you, or even respect you anymore.
The dragon blinked, then puffed a stream of fire, his scales hotter than a furnace. A low rumble vibrated through his body, definitely laughter, judging by the gleam in his golden eyes as he gazed at me with sheer adoration. He thought I was joking.
Save your roars for our enemies. beloved dragon. I leapt from his back, landing in a silent crouch. Make them piss themselves.
His snout pressed into my hair, inhaling my scent, before he gave the reins to Killian.
The shift was instant, scales melting into skin, wings folding into nothing, mass condensing from terrifying to formidable in a new way.
Killian surged forward, starlight and shadow swirling around him before he stepped out, dressed in a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to reveal muscled arms, dark slacks hugging powerful thighs. He was rough elegance and raw power combined.
My male. My mate.
Every eye in the throne room locked onto him. Someone swooned. I wouldn’t need to defend my territory, so long as they kept their claws to themselves.
“Killian!” I whispered loudly, my eyes bright as I took in his masculine beauty—high cheekbones, sensual lips, and storm-blue eyes.
I didn’t want to be aroused in front of everyone, but the moment he stood before me, my flesh seared with need. My pussy throbbed, instantly wet and aching.
He inhaled my scent. I could feel his lust, electric, demanding, and my toes curled.
One step. That’s all it took. Then his arms were around me, pulling me so tight my bones groaned. I wrapped my arms around his neck, nearly choking him, feeling every ridge of muscle, every breath, every frantic heartbeat.
His lips found mine, and we picked up exactly where the second bride trial had torn us apart. Breathing became an afterthought. When my man needed me this much, who needed fucking oxygen?
The kiss wasn’t gentle, but then Killian never pretended to be a gentleman like the fae prince. I didn’t need him to be. He was what he was: a demigod, a dragon, the new king of the Kingdom of Chaos. They say it’s tough to be loved by extremely powerful men, but I could keep any of them in line.
His mouth claimed mine with a hunger born from the fear of nearly losing me. I tasted starlight and honey on his tongue, my hands fisting in his hair that was longer now and wild from the shift. I pulled him closer, harder.
I’d grown so strong, and he knew it. Loved it. He didn’t want a delicate flower. Standing in his arms, I was his equal.
The throne room, the bodies, the kneeling courtiers, the loyal warriors—all of it vanished when my mate poured his relief, his fury, his need, and his joy into me. I fed on his emotions and energy giddily while giving some back. I was no longer just an eater of worlds and magic.
His teeth caught my lower lip, and I moaned, not exactly ladylike, especially in court. But I didn’t give a fuck. I had nothing to lose, not when they already called me Wicked Barbie. Ugly Barbie.
My spine arched toward him, closing even the particle of space between us. Every nerve ending lit up. My skin felt tight, hot, electric. Dark flame rippled along my arms, answering the storm of sensation he stirred.
So eager, he purred. So greedy for me.
What are you going to do about it? I purred back.
Not greedy. Mate takes what is hers! The dragon’s defense was immediate and fierce.
Killian’s lips left mine. Then he spun me, pressing my back against a pillar, shielding us from most of the court, though he didn’t exactly mind an audience. We were done sneaking around. This was the chaos king cherishing his only queen.
The cool marble against my spine made his heat all the more intense. His hands framed my face, thumbs stroking my cheekbones with surprising tenderness even as his fangs grazed my bottom lip.
I gave as good as I got, a soft sound escaping me that was anything but protest. This wasn’t submission; it was mutual domination.
I bit; he groaned. He swept his tongue over the roof of my mouth, so deliciously sensual I pulled his hair hard enough to sting.
We were both predators, taking turns conquering.
When we finally broke apart, I could barely remember my own name, but his was on the tip of my tongue. “Your name is Killian,” I grinned, “in case you forgot.”
The world rushed back.
The throne room was dead silent. I could hear courtiers’ jaws snapping shut. They’d watched our kiss open-mouthed. And since we were still in public, I let my eyes do the talking, giving him a look that said, Find a closet.
His arms tightened around me, his eyes laughing even as they burned with a heat and promise that made me shiver.
“Soon, little scorpion,” he purred against my ear, his voice rough and silky all at once, setting my core on fire. “I have bigger plans for you.”
I sucked in a breath, already picturing the naughty things he was going to do to me. My breasts grew heavy. I’d show him exactly how much I’d missed him, too. And once again, I waited for Sy to toss in a lewd remark, only to feel her absence like a deep, hollow ache.
“Your Majesty.” Lord Cassius strode toward us. No one else had the nerve to interrupt Killian, but apparently, kingdom business couldn’t wait forever. He couldn’t just kiss me and call it happily ever after. Our love might be a fairytale; our reality wasn’t.
Killian’s growl vibrated through both our chests, even as he acknowledged the price of being king.
“Would you introduce our queen to the court?” the Silent Blade asked, not even flinching.
“This is Queen Barbie,” he declared, his voice rich and powerful, carrying to every corner of the hall. “My mate. Your queen. Respect her, and you’ll be rewarded. Harm a single curl on her head, and you’ll regret having parents or children. I will eradicate your entire bloodline.”
I’d expected something sweeter, not a threat wrapped in a crown. But this was Killian, fresh from battle and seizing power. The former king and queen were nowhere to be seen. They must have fled, and he’d allowed it.
The silence in the court was so absolute, I could hear my own heartbeat and Killian’s. To mellow the blow of his harsh words, I turned to grin at everyone, mimicking the kind of grin Killian flashed once in a while, that kind of smile that could start or end wars.
Only Rock grinned back. He’d always had a soft spot for me.
“Ha, that’s very sweet,” I murmured, rubbing my tingling lips, still warm from his kiss.
Before the silence could stretch forever, Rock stepped forward and took a knee. “Long live Queen Barbie, goddess, queen, and true mate to our demigod dragon king!”
Cassius and Archer echoed him, then others followed, kneeling one by one. It was all out in the open now, no more hiding who I was.
“A demigod dragon king and a goddess queen,” someone whispered. “We’ll be the strongest kingdom.”
“We’re not here to dominate the other kingdoms.” Killian’s commanding voice cut through the murmurs.
“We’ll unite with them. The House of Chaos stands with the other heirs and their houses under the Covenant.
Only together can we defeat our common enemy, the God of Ruin. The war isn’t coming. It’s here.”
“We need to return to the academy now and forge a plan with the other heirs,” I reminded him.
He nodded to Cassius, leaving the Silent Blade to manage the chaos court's grumbling nobles. Then we clasped hands and opened a shimmering portal right before the stunned assembly. They’d never seen such power.
Together, Killian and I stepped through, followed by Rock and a team of warriors.