Chapter 13
The mate bond eased over the next few weeks. Oldrik and Ardon alternated heading out on patrol with the other dragons. Skye filled her sketchbook with dragons. She drew the gold, silver, and green dragons for her new friends.
To her delight, Aurora, Ciel, and Lalani welcomed her with hugs the next time she joined them. The triad’s abrupt departure had not seemed out of the norm for newly mated dragons. They teased her gently about two dragons as mates, but it was all good-natured fun. For once, Skye didn’t feel like an outsider looking in. The women included her completely in the group. She was one of them, and that was incredible.
She caught hints of concern in her mates’ thoughts when the subject of Keres came up among the shifters. They quickly closed down the communication lines to protect her from any unpleasantness, but something was going on with him.
After days of being at Oldrik’s, Skye was ready to climb the walls. Even drawing didn’t help calm her restlessness. That morning at breakfast, she shared, I want to go into town, or maybe we could fly to that waterfall you mentioned before.
“You are safe here, Skye,” Oldrik reminded her.
Safe and bored out of my mind. I could visit my parents or draw at the square.
“Oldrik will pose for you today if you’d like,” Ardon volunteered Oldrik’s time.
I love drawing dragons, but I need to do something different.
“It sounds like we should go on an adventure with our mate before she goes stir-crazy,” Oldrik said.
Yes! Skye bounced with excitement at the idea of an outing. Unable to contain her joy at being heard by her mates, she turned to hug Ardon, whose lap she sat on, before racing over to thank Oldrik.
“I think we’ve made her happy. I’m sorry we didn’t realize how stir-crazy you had become, Blueberry. Shall we go now?” Oldrik suggested.
Yes, please!
Within a few minutes, they had taken to the skies and were flying over the city. Skye loved watching people glance up from below and waved friendly hellos at them. The city seemed to have gotten used to having dragons overhead.
When the dragons crossed over the mountains ringing Wyvern, they flew high into the air. Skye clung to Oldrik’s neck, on edge when she couldn’t spot anyone beneath them. Soon, they descended to a lower altitude, and she could see the cascading waterfall.
Oh! That’s pretty!
Wait until you feel the water, Blueberry. It is refreshing , Oldrik shared.
Does that mean cold?
Not when dragons are splashing around. We’ll send Oldrik in first to warm everything up , Ardon said.
That won’t hurt the fish or turtles, right?
I promise not to turn it to hot tub hot , Oldrik told her. Just enough to keep your toes from turning blue. Although blue is an excellent color.
Her favorite is bronze, though. It makes our mate’s blonde hair pop, Ardon pointed out.
But blue matches her eyes.
You two. I love both colors. Just look at Blunze. I knew he wasn’t right just being blue. He needed those bronze scales. All the other mates have dragon stuffies too?
That doesn’t surprise me, sweet mate. Dragons are fierce protectors to guard special people from all things that go bump in the night , Ardon said proudly.
My dragons make things go bump in the night , Skye teased, reminding Ardon that he’d collapsed the bed during a particularly vigorous lovemaking session last night.
They just don’t make springs that are two-dragon-proof, he said cheerfully.
Hold on, Skye. I’m going to land, Oldrik warned.
When she stood on the grassy bank, the torrent of water pouring over the cliff into the widened section of the stream below delighted her. From the crystal reflection of the water to the riotous splatter as it hit the rocks, Skye tried to memorize everything to draw later. Her tingling skin alerted her that Ardon shifted nearby.
Missing the second energy wave that usually emanated from the changing beasts, Skye turned back to where Oldrik had landed. The tail end of the blue dragon slid into the water. That disappeared quickly. A minute passed, and he remained out of sight.
He can hold his breath for a long time.
“This is nothing, My Treasure. Every type of dragon has a particular talent. It might interest you that both blue and bronze dragons are as comfortable underwater as we are on land,” Ardon shared.
Really? What makes you different?
So many things. Bronze dragons are, of course, more handsome.
A loud “Pftt!” filled their conversation, making Skye giggle. When a torrent of bubbles floated to the surface, she laughed harder. Did he just fart?
Fiery eyes peeked out of the water to glare at her. Air was trapped under my wings.
Right… Ardon teased.
A whisper of motion caught her attention, and Skye pointed, Look out! Something’s coming to attack you, Oldrik.
Oldrik swung his head toward where she indicated and lifted his massive chest out of the water. One roar sent a flurry of ridged backs across the top of the water as the creatures surfaced in surprise before fleeing down the stream to easier prey. Skye glared at the water suspiciously. Maybe she didn’t want to go swimming.
Were those alligators?
Come in, Blueberry. Nothing will hurt you in this pool. I convinced the predators to move to the next area. They didn’t argue.
You can talk to alligators, Oldrik?
That is the strength of blue dragons. We can speak to all creatures. Come in. You are safe.
Trusting him, Skye allowed Ardon to help her undress. She walked into the gorgeous natural pool and leaned against the blue dragon’s shoulder. His scales were beautiful in the liquid. They almost became iridescent.
She swirled her fingers over them, loving how the colors changed. Could she capture that with watercolors or oils? Skye vowed to try.
A ripple in the water made her whirl around in alarm. She sagged against Oldrik and glared at her other mate, who had spooked her. Ardon floated on his back nearby. His hands swirling at his sides had directed the swells her way.
I thought you were a gator.
I could be a gator, Ardon suggested with a slow wink.
Daddy!
The two dragons chuckled, creating waves to splash around Skye’s body. She wrapped her arms around Oldrik’s neck to steady herself. He lifted her slightly out of the water. Hold your breath, Blueberry!
She’d learned to save her bottom and follow their instructions immediately. He lifted her higher before swinging her toward Ardon and then back. Skye flew through the air and splashed into the warm water. Surfacing, she scrubbed the water out of her eyes. Fun! Do it again!
“ You’ve created a monster,” Ardon warned.
Oldrik didn’t listen, of course. He repeated the process until Skye was exhausted. Returning to Ardon, she rested by floating on the top of the water as he supported her. Oldrik shifted back into human form and joined her.
This is nice, Skye commented.
“We’ll come in the future,” Ardon promised.
A thought popped into her mind. So Oldrik can talk to animals because he’s a blue dragon. What can you do?
“He’s electric,” Oldrik told her.
Electric? What does that mean?
“All dragons are resistant to electricity from a hatchling age. Flying around in the clouds can get… charged. Bronze dragons can not only handle lightning strikes, but they absorb them to use later,” Ardon explained.
You can harness lightning? Like Zeus?
“Please don’t compare him to a Greek god,” Oldrik requested.
He’ll get a big head?
“Please, My Treasure. A dragon outranks Zeus every day,” Ardon answered.
Oh, I see. He already has a big head. I noticed that when I was drawing him. It’s a bit out of proportion.
Oldrik fell over in the water, laughing heartily. Yielding to the infectious sound, Skye giggled with happiness. Ardon tried to look offended but gave that up to join his mates’ merriment. Skye rewarded him by swimming over to hug him tightly and rain smooches over his face.
I love this big head. More space to kiss.
“I love you too, Skye. Thank you for finding your way back to Wyvern.”
Ahem! Oldrik cleared his throat.
Skye splashed over to repeat the treatment to Oldrik as well. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you, Blueberry.”
Ardon joined them and wrapped his arms around the intertwined couple. Skye felt more at peace with these two dragons than ever before. It boggled her mind that this was what she’d been destined for—a woman who’d never fit with any group at any time in her life. She was perfect for this role.