Chapter 7
The next morning, Skye asked a question that kept popping up in her thoughts. Should I close that lock?
Oldrik studied his mate across the breakfast table in concern. “Is our connection overwhelming you?”
No. I enjoy feeling you. I didn’t know if you’d tire of hearing my jumble of emotions.
“That will never happen,” Ardon assured her. “Once the second lock is unfastened, it’s not possible to seal it again. We could jam it shut like you did for the top one, I guess, if it is bothering you. I’ve never heard of that happening before.”
You’re saying I’m weird in a nice way.
“Unique is a better word than weird. And we love you just as you are. Just like you love Oldrik even though he’s old,” Ardon joked.
He is not!
“Watch your back, bronze dragon. I’ll build you a doghouse behind the mansion if you’re not careful,” Oldrik warned, obviously not serious.
Wouldn’t that be a dragon house?
“Exactly,” Ardon agreed with his mate’s playful suggestion.
What would happen if the third lock was open?
“It would erase any barriers between our minds. It is an emergency line if you need help. Through it we could find you easily,” Oldrik told her.
“That one is reversable. It can be sealed and reopened as many times as necessary. Remember the process we used to locate that door so you could find it,” Ardon added.
So, I’d want to seal it again?
“Probably. You may not wish to experience our dragons having a bovine snack as if you were the one crunching,” Oldrik said.
No! Skye considered the scrambled eggs and sausage on the plate in front of her and lost her appetite.
“I have a question for you, Blueberry. I noticed you’re missing a portion of your hair. What happened?” Oldrik asked, distracting her.
Oh! It probably looks scraggly. I had to cut it to get away from a bad guy who’d tried to trap me by grabbing it.
“You are beautiful, mate. I do have an idea. One of the dragon’s mates, Lalani, is a hairdresser. Would you like to spend some time with a few of the newest dragon mates and let Lalani cut your hair?” Oldrik asked.
I’m not very good with new people.
“These aren’t just people. These are young mates like you. You’ve already met Lalani. She’s the one who gave you her pad of paper so you could sketch the dragons,” Ardon explained.
Oh. She’s nice. I’d let her fix my hair.
“And the other two mates. Would you be okay with Aurora and Ciel coming? You might have some questions for them,” Oldrik suggested.
Are they all friends? They may not like me.
“They can’t wait to meet you. In fact, their dragons are the ones who contacted us. Lalani noticed your hair and wanted to help,” Ardon explained.
That’s nice of her. Can I give you some signal if I’m not comfortable? Like yank on my earlobe?
“Or you could just send us a mental message,” Ardon suggested with a smile.
Skye rolled her eyes, laughing at herself. Of course she could do that. Oops! Sorry, I forgot.
Feeling silly, she stood and walked over to sit on Oldrik’s lap. He immediately snuggled her close and offered her his toast. Absentmindedly, she took a bite and leaned back to chew. She tuned out for a while as the shifters spoke to each other.
“… Keres,” Ardon said, drawing her attention.
I like him.
“I’m glad, Blueberry,” Oldrik said and held a glass of milk to her mouth.
From their expressions, something was wrong. What’s up with Keres?
“Dragons can exist for a while without a mate, but eventually, the solitude causes problems,” Oldrik explained.
How?
“Mates are our link with the world. When we’ve lost that connection, there is nothing holding us here. Dragons can become disconnected with their human side and become feral. Eventually, they lose their mind. They wither and die,” Ardon explained.
Skye stifled a sniff at the thought of the dragon who’d saved her going insane. That’s sad. Isn’t there some way we could help?
“That is sweet of you to be concerned about Keres, Skye. Unfortunately, luck plays a part in finding one’s mate as well. What if you’d stayed at art school and never returned to Wyvern? We would have been without a mate during your lifetime.”
Shocked, she stared at Ardon. Until I died? Couldn’t someone else have mated with you?
“No, My Treasure. You are special. You are ours.”
The odds have to be astronomical that you’d meet the one person in the world who could become your mate.
“Remember. We have a pact with the founders of Wyvern. Our mates will always be a descendant of those first families.”
Skye shook her head, staggered by the idea that only one mate existed for each dragon in such a long span of years. But still. People move all over. I didn’t plan to come back to Wyvern. What if I hadn’t or if those men had gotten me before I ran into Derek and Brooks? She shivered at the memory of their hands on her, and Oldrik immediately hugged her close.
“I think we owe those two our gratitude,” Ardon said.
His expression alone told Skye how rattled he was. She hadn’t shared how scary her return trip had been. I’m okay now. I’m here with you, Daddies.
“Unfortunately, the mate bond will prevent us from hunting those men who frightened you,” Oldrik said ominously.
I don’t want you to get hurt.
Ardon’s expression transformed before her eyes. He laughed before stating, “It takes a lot to injure a dragon, mate.”
“We will focus on keeping you safe and let the dragons in that area weed out the lowlifes,” Oldrik said.
Skye sat quietly on Oldrik’s lap, taking bites as he fed her. Her mind whirled inside as she considered all that she had learned. She peeked up at Oldrik. Can I ask how many mates you have had?
“You are my seventh,” Oldrik shared.
“And for me, just my third,” Ardon added.
So, Oldrik is ancient? Or do you go through a lot of mates fast?
“I am one of the oldest in our horde, Blueberry. I have treasured each of my mates and grieved their loss after many years together.”
Can you love me after six others?
“Yes. A dragon’s heart isn’t limited to one person. Each is special and completely different. You are precious to me. The fact that I have lived many centuries to spend a part of my lifespan with multiple mates will never impact how much I love you.”
Have you ever shared a mate before?
“This is the first time in our horde. Everything is possible when it comes to love,” Ardon told her.
“Khadar has invited us over to celebrate the grape harvest in a few weeks. The mates have anticipated stomping the fruit that is being gathered. Would you be interested in joining? I don’t believe the crops are completely ripe now, but in the future.” Oldrik checked with her. “Lalani will have her tools to give you a haircut at this visit.”
“We can have lunch, and you can have fun with the others,” Ardon suggested.
Stomping? Does that mean we’ll walk on them with our bare feet? Skye imagined how squishy that would feel. She suspected she might react badly to that. Some things were too much for her senses.
“Yes, that’s exactly it. Without the machinery to smash the grapes, Khadar suggested trying this old-fashioned way. I will volunteer to lick the pulp off your feet if you do not like juicing them,” Ardon said and waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.
My feet are not sexy, she protested .
“My Treasure, every inch of you is lickable. Shall I tell them you’d like to try it at harvest time? Or, shall we wait to see how much you enjoy today?” Ardon asked.
I can give the grape thing a try. Skye worried about all the planned activities—meeting the other mates, getting her hair cut, and dancing on fruit. She was going to be way out of her comfort zone. Can I take my backpack?
“Would you like to have Blunze?” Oldrik guessed.
Yes, please.
“I bet Blunze will have a blast,” Oldrik told her.
She could tell they wanted her to be happy and thought she needed interaction with the others. Skye was a bit skeptical but wanted to please her Daddies. She could do this. Right?