Chapter Twenty
All motion in the clearing stopped. Only the occasional whisper broke the quiet. Sakaris. Here. Now. Jimryr sidled closer to Daire, taking his hand. His heart raced. What news did the mage bring? Were they finally close to war?
Zorah's scowl didn’t fade as she extended a hand and helped the ancient mage to his feet. She turned to the group, who’d all inched their way forward. “Dragons of Terra, I give you Mage Sakaris, the one responsible for bringing many of you here.”
“Does this mean we’re going back now?” someone shouted from the back.
“Not yet,” Sakaris replied. “I have to plan with your leaders first.” He raised a bushy eyebrow at Zorah.
“Daire. Jimryr. Stay. The rest of you can leave, and I’ll speak to you later.” Zorah folded her arms over her chest, still glaring at Sakaris. Her glare made Jimryr want to leave too.
Sakaris stalked over to Daire with purpose. Jimryr put himself between them, daring the mage to harm his mate.
The mage chuckled. “Oh, Daire, I can see you’ve chosen wisely.” To Jimryr, he said, “I promise not to hurt him.”
Jimryr stepped aside but still kept a close watch. Engines fired to life behind him, and one by one drove away from the clearing, either going to their motels or the campers set up on the far side of the land.
Sakaris studied Daire for several moments. “I’m sorry for all the hardships you’ve endured, but endured them you have.” He enveloped Daire in a hug.
Daire’s wide eyes appeared over Sakaris’s shoulder, and he mouthed, “Help me!”
Zorah cleared her throat. “Don’t go getting all sentimental, Sakaris. Let the man go, and tell us what kind of shitshow you’re about to involve us in.”
To Jimryr’s surprise, Sakaris wiped his eyes with the back of his hand when he stepped away. “Very well but let me sit. It’s been an unbelievably long day.” He trundled over to the truck’s tailgate and plopped down. “I don’t suppose anyone has a beer.”
Zorah marched over to her Harley, reached into her saddlebag, and extracted a mini cooler. She’d brought beer? Yeah, of course she did. She twisted off the top and handed the bottle to Sakaris.
Sakaris took a long drink, let out an “Ah…” and a belch.
“Now. Where to start. The time has finally come to retake Adrakus, which some of your dragons might not even remember. Most of the courts have fallen and lie abandoned or taken over by rogue dragons. High Reaches stands, still ruled by Urien. We’ve lost many dragons in the past three of your years, and many more have fallen on hard times. It’s time for his rule to end.”
“What of my brothers?” Daire demanded, his scowl suggesting he might want to punch the mage too.
Jimryr gave his hand a squeeze. He still hadn’t ruled out a face punch himself. How dare the mage leave them all alone and guessing for so long!
Sakaris took another swig of beer before answering. Stalling for time? Yes, a punch might be in order. “Elouan has accepted his destiny and returned to Adrakus with his mate and is preparing with our alphas to retake High Reaches.”
Some of the anger bled from Daire with a harsh exhale. “He’s alive, then.”
“And well.”
“What of Anrai?”
Sakaris shook his head, a wry smile twisting his lips. “Your younger brother has surpassed even my wildest imaginings and is about to teach both Terran and Adrakan dragons a thing or two about omegas.”
Daire turned to Jimryr. “They’re safe! They’re both alive!” He buried his face in Jimryr’s neck, repeating, “Alive, alive, alive.”
“Shh…” Jimryr rocked him slowly back and forth. “Yes, they’re alive.”
“As for you, Jimryr,” Sakaris continued, breaking apart the embrace. “Mystral still leads her merry band of unaffiliated dragons and is very concerned about you. She’ll be happy to have you return.”
“When can I see my brothers?” Daire blurted.
“Soon. We still have much to do once we return: you and Jimryr with the warriors, Elouan with the alphas, and Anrai with the omegas. I must return with all of you soon. The portals have been opened, and I’m not the only one with access.
We’ll talk more in the coming days, for we’ve much to do.
Now, though, I need to speak with Zorah… privately.”
Daire whispered to Jimryr, as Sakaris moaned and groaned his way off the tailgate. “Can we be sure she’s not going to kill him?”
Zorah replied, “If we didn’t need the old windbag, I might.”
Jimryr turned down the dirt track toward Daire’s cabin. As much as he’d love to stay and question Sakaris further, Zorah, as their leader, got first shot, he supposed.
Hello, love.
They obviously knew each other well.
Was Sakaris the lover Zorah mentioned wanting to see again?
Well, let them work things out in their own way. Jimryr had a lover of his own to see to.
Daire’s hand felt good resting on Jimryr’s thigh. No care in the world stood a chance of intruding on this moment, not when they’d gone riding along country roads to clear their heads, following the river when possible.
Jimryr parked the truck in front of the cabin. He’d unlocked the front door by the time Daire got there.
He’d gotten so used to using his maimed hand to help him function that he seldom mourned the missing fingers anymore or even thought about his actions.
He also no longer wore the glove around Daire to hide something he used to feel ashamed of.
If Daire could wear his scars without hiding, so could Jimryr.
Besides, his only shame had been in trusting his cousin.
He’d been a child, for fuck’s sake! His cousin and those bastard friends had been adults.
No use thinking of them now. He’d lived, they’d died, though they forced his hand to kill others so young, ruining what had remained of his childhood.
He placed a hand on Daire’s cheek over the worst of his facial scars, leaning in for a kiss in the doorway.
“What was that for?” Daire asked, somewhat breathlessly.
Jimryr answered honestly. “Because I wanted to.” Because I can. He’d kiss this man as much as possible in the next few days. No telling when they’d go back, fight an epic battle, and face what happened next.
The thought of parting ways hurt his heart. You’re mates, the part of him controlled by the dragon seemed to say. You’re not going anywhere but with him.
If they both survived, they’d be busy either helping restore a court or hiding from Urien’s fighters.
“Let’s go in,” Daire murmured. “I’ve got steaks laid out. You can dragon the grill while I set the table and get everything else ready.”
“I’d rather dragon you.” Jimryr added all the innuendo he could. Riding for miles with Daire's hand firmly nestled against his thigh left Jimryr wanting.
Daire gave him a quick kiss. “We’ve got to save something for dessert.”
The temperature might turn chilly after sundown, but for now, the weather seemed utterly perfect.
Jimryr and Daire sat at a table in the back yard, overlooking the slow-moving river.
They’d finished dinner long ago and taken in the remnants and dishes.
Now, they were enjoying a peaceful evening by the fire pit.
A drop of water hit Jimryr’s nose. Then another. Then another. “I guess we'd better go inside.”
“Got anything against getting wet?” A mischievous gleam shone in Daire’s eyes.
“Not really. Why?”
Daire threw the tablecloth to the ground and settled himself on the red-and-blue-checked plastic sheet. Now there was an offer too good to refuse. Jimryr dropped beside him, only to be pushed onto his back with an aroused dragon staring down at him.
The intensity in those nearly golden eyes shot flames straight to Jimryr’s libido. He lifted his head, meeting Daire halfway in a searing kiss, reveling in the slide of tongue against tongue, the feel of his hands on Daire’s muscles, of Daire’s hands on him.
He’d have been happy to simply hold the man, but Daire had other ideas, as did Jimryr’s dragon.
The rain pattered insistently as they squirmed out of their clothes to lie naked together, nothing but them, the outdoors, and the weather.
Daire rose above him, grasping their cocks in one hand, rutting against Jimryr’s body. They kissed, tongues entwined, catching each other’s moans in their mouths. Daire’s shoulder scars were no longer unusual to Jimryr's fingers, merely added topography.
Jimryr reached lower, gripping Daire’s ass cheeks in his hands, urging a faster rhythm. They fit so perfectly together. Nothing had ever felt as good as this man in his arms. Since his court’s demise, Jimryr hadn’t had a home.
He did now. Fixing his mouth over the healing bite mark on Daire’s neck, he staked his claim again. Daire jerked, moaning out his climax while still stroking them.
Jimryr threw his head back, orgasm slamming into him the moment Daire's teeth met his throat.
They lay together, breathing hard, gentle rain pattering on them and against the tablecloth they lay on.
Jimryr wasn’t cold yet, thanks to their exertions, but would be soon enough.
“Let's go in. I’ll start the fireplace if you’ll get the quilt for the floor.
” He kissed Daire on the nose, but remained in place while Daire walked away, enjoying every flex of the man’s incredible ass.
Firelight played over Daire’s skin and painted highlights in his hair. They’d piled pillows and blankets on the floor, saying nothing, simply enjoying each other’s company.
Daire broke the silence. “I used to sit at the bar before I met you, watching couples dance and wishing I had someone to dance with me.”
Flashes of memory echoed in Jimryr’s head: him being the one sitting alone, wishing.
He stretched away from Daire to drag his jeans by one leg until he could get his cellphone.
A few moments of scrolling produced a playlist of songs like what played at the bar where he’d first met Daire.
He rose, extending his hand. With a wry grin, Daire took the offered hand, allowing Jimryr to hoist him to his feet.
Jimryr swayed to the music, taking Daire with him. After a moment, Daire relaxed, leaning in while matching pace, melding their mouths in a nearly brutal kiss. Jimryr gripped the flexing muscles of Daire’s ass, pulling them closer until their erections rubbed against each other’s.
He ended the kiss with a grin, pulling Daire back down to the quilt before the fire.
They made love with the rain pattering on the metal roof.
Jimryr lay on the bed, admiring the play of light over his lover’s nude form as Daire toweled water from his hair after a shower. Their last loving had left him sated, sleepy, and slightly bruised. Goddess, he loved Daire’s passion.
“What do you know about Sakaris and Zorah?” Jimryr tried to picture the die-hard, tattooed biker and robe-wearing, possibly eccentric mage as a couple, but better not put images in his head he’d regret later. “I’m guessing they were close, based on his greeting and her anger.”
Daire shook his head, causing his brown locks to brush his shoulders. “Not much. Sakaris was our court mage, but I knew nothing of his personal life. With all the arrogance of youth, I figured anyone his age didn’t have a personal life.”
Yeah, Jimryr used to discount his elders, too. Never again. Although Zorah seemed to live a celibate life, she was a beautiful woman and regularly turned heads among the group’s dragons.
“When do you think Sakaris will take us back?” Daire tossed the towel in the hamper's direction.
Jimryr imagined the reunion between the biker and the mage. Glowers and growls on Zorah’s part and likely a lot of groveling from Sakaris. “Don’t you mean if he survives until morning? She punched him after all. Seems like she doesn’t care for him not keeping her apprised.”
The blank look on Daire’s face gradually changed, with worry lines between his brows and a decided frown. “Yes. That too.”
“I’ll put twenty on Zorah.”
“Although we’ve only just met, I know enough not to bet against her.”
“Smart man.” Lassitude pulled at Jimryr’s consciousness.
“If he survives and can somehow transport us back, how will he hide so many of us? I think someone might notice the sudden appearance of two thousand naked dragons.”
“You tell me. You know him better than I do. Counting today, I’ve met him a whopping twice. Let me tell you, neither time made me trust him. I mean, he left me naked in the woods!” Jimryr shuddered at the memory.
“Only twice? Your court had a mage, didn’t it? Mages often visited each other.”
“Our mage wasn’t a fine example. I’ve never known him to do much that was mage-like, except treat injuries with herbs and incapacitate helpless teenagers. No opening portals for him. He was lazy and didn’t help others provide for the court.
“Everyone else mostly worked for the betterment of all. Even the higher-ranking officials fished during favorable weather.” The words stirred memories…
Jimryr, his mother, father, and brother, aunts, uncles, and cousins, hauling nets into their boats, then later hunting together as dragons.
His heart ached. No, best not to dwell on the past. Not with an uncertain future looming.
The only things missing from those outings were the king’s family and the mage, who didn’t seem to understand the insignificance of their tiny court, not the way they all postured.
“My father worked beside his people,” Daire said, nose adorably scrunched. “When the court didn’t keep him too busy.”
Something troubling Jimryr’s mind needed an answer. “I can imagine. Tell me, are you sure your brother will make a good king?”
“Elouan?” Daire stalked to the bed in all his naked glory. “Father taught him well, and the Goddess approves.”
The Goddess also allowed Urien to kill Locryn Thorne, something Jimryr wouldn’t mention now. He lifted the covers. “Come to bed?”
“You have to ask?” Daire demonstrated how much he liked the idea.
They needed another shower afterwards.