CHAPTER 9
Soaring through the clear blue skies with his female on his back, Raiden’s heart swelled with pride. And not only because he had found his fated mate.
It seemed as if Nyra hadn’t been that shocked when he had revealed his identity to her, as if somewhere deep down, her subconsciousness had already recognized the obvious signs that were right there in front of her all along.
No two Raijin were ever alike. There was only one silver dragon with his scale markings in existence. Only one with pale blue flames of fire. His mortal form resembled his beastly one, both in temperament and physical characteristics, making him intimidating and lethal even as a human. And his little vixen had accepted him and their bond without much hesitation.
A small mercy in their otherwise tumultuous world.
“What’s that?” Nyra’s sweet voice reached him, her slender hand pointing to a spot in the distance.
“It’s best if we talk through our minds, pretty girl. We wouldn’t want to cause a riot down there.”
Silence stretched between them, only the soft swooshing of the wind filling the space.
“How long have you been able to hear my thoughts?”
If dragons could grin, Raiden’s sharp fangs would surely be making an appearance right now. “Since the beginning. It’s how I recognized you for what you are to me in the burning village.”
“So everything that I ever thought of in the cave–”
“Yes.”
“–and before that, in the forest–”
“Yes, Nyra.”
“Fucker.”She gasped. “Oh God, that means that in the tavern, you–”
A burst of fire escaped him as he full on roared with amusement. “I heard it all, wildling. How you find me impossibly handsome, and how my scent entices you, and how you can’t wait to feel my cock inside of you, molding your pretty little pussy as I–”
“Alright! I get it!” she yelled out loud, her voice getting lost in the wind. “This is so fucking embarrassing.”
“No need to be ashamed. It pleases me that my mate finds me so irresistible.”
“I’m never going to hear the end of this.”
Movement below caught Raiden’s eye. It appeared almost as if– “It seems that good fortune follows you, wildling. Hold on tight.”
He dipped, plunging at a recklessly sharp angle, so steep that any other human would have been screaming from fear. But not Nyra. Shouts of joy mixed with loud bursts of laughter followed them as she clutched on to his thick neck, her thighs gripping his muscles like two bars of steel as they plummeted towards the ground.
It was just another undeniable confirmation how this glorious being was made just for him.
Dark blue waters of the Endless Sea stretched as far and wide as the eye could see, the land of the Kingdom of Sota now only a miniscule smudge on the horizon. A massive pod of thirty humpback whales floated on its crystal surface, their enormous bodies languidly gliding along as an eerie melody swept through the air.
“Amazing!” Nyra breathed, astounded. “I’ve never seen so many whales in one place before!”
“That’s because it’s very rare that they travel in such large numbers. They’re moving to warmer waters for the season, which means that there are at least a couple of future mothers among them.”
“What is that sound? It’s hauntingly beautiful.”
“It’s the song of the humpback. It’s their way of communicating amongst each other. The males are known to sing to impress the females during mating season, sometimes even to ward off other potential suitors.”
She leaned down, fingers stretching towards the nearest whale, Nyra’s entire body splayed across his back. “How are they not scared of you?”
“They have no reason to fear me, little prey,” he purred with contentment at the contact. “They feel my calmness, which is why they’re allowing us so close. Besides, I may be a predator but I do not attack just for the sake of it. I kill to feed and to defend myself when provoked.”
“Are you saying you’ve never killed an innocent before?”
“I have, most certainly. But not intentionally, Nyra. Many innocents die daily as an unfortunate casualty of famine and war. Sometimes we, the dragons, are the indirect cause of death and suffering, other times it is a necessary evil to keep the balance of the universe. I am merely another link in the chain of life.”
“What about that village, the one that you burned down to the ground before I shot you? Why did you kill all those people? Was that also a necessary evil?”
Raiden’s thoughts wandered to that day, one of his life’s biggest regrets perhaps. “Your Captain tricked me. His soldiers attacked me and then hid amongst the villagers. I couldn’t tell them apart...”
Nyra’s heart ached for him. She knew all too well what regret felt like. “Why would he do that, though?”
“It’s a long story.”The winds picked up, the air cooling. “We should get back. Night is fast approaching and I don’t want you freezing to death.”
“Yes, master,”she teased him. “I am at your mercy, after all.”
Groaning, Raiden prayed to the heavens for patience, and for the iron will needed to endure until the next Full Moon.
?
Time passed, days turning to weeks as Raiden took Nyra out flying until she felt at ease with the vast expanse of the skies and the absence of land below. When they weren’t soaring, he was teaching her. About his kind and the world around them, about man’s history and the shaping of their universe.
She absorbed it all, soaking up the priceless knowledge until she could recite it out loud in her sleep, until she started correcting him when Raiden purposefully made a mistake, just so that he could watch her blossom from pride.
He had quickly realized how her confidence was frail, as much as Nyra loved to pretend otherwise. He had a feeling that her life as a dragon slayer and the uncertainty of her future still clung on to her, that a part of her still doubted Raiden and his intentions. Whether or not she would end up burned to ashes or her head tied to a chopping block.
Like hell he would let either of those options come to fruition. No one threatened his little mate. Not even the fucking king of this kingdom. And today, Raiden would show her just how serious he was about protecting her.
“Where are we going?”Nyra’s curiosity always got the better of her. Not an instance had passed when she hadn’t asked him the exact same question.
“We’re going to Akira.”
“You can’t be serious. They’ll shoot us both as soon as they spot us!”
“They can try, wildling, but they won’t accomplish anything. As you know, I can’t die unless you administer the killing blow, and they’d have to get through me to get to you.”
“This is insane,” she said. “Why are we going to the capital?”
“We’re visiting a certain someone.”
“Who?”
“Patience, pretty girl. You’ll see soon enough, we’re almost there.”
Sure enough, the red stone towers of the royal palace came into view, their nine spires soaring towards the sky as Raiden skillfully avoided them.
Screams rang out from the humans, their cries of terror filling the air as Raiden landed on the palace’s vast terrace, prowling towards the open double doors with a very tense Nyra on his back. His tail whipping back and forth, scattering any potential idiots that would dare to attack them.
“What is the meaning of this?!” a gruff voice met them as Raiden filled the massive Royal Reception Room, his body so large that his heavy tail remained on the terrace.
Shifting, his gaze landed on the source of his irritation. A middle aged warrior stood in front of the throne where the king sat, with rich brown curls and a ragged scar across his nose, his cobalt blue military garments adorning a strong masculine body. His face stern as he glared at Nyra, whose heart pounded so erratically that Raiden could feel the thundering beats against his scales.
“Do you know this man?”
“That–” she answered. “That’s the Captain of the King’s Guard. The one that I told you about.”
He snarled. “The very same one that threatened you?”
“Yes.”
“Excellent.”He inched closer.
“Raiden,” Nyra’s nerves bled through his thoughts as he prowled forward. “What–what are you doing?”
“Teaching him a lesson.”
“You can’t hurt him.”
“Why ever the fuck not?”
“He was only doing his job. Please.”
Groaning in disappointment, Raiden said, “We’ll see how he behaves first.”
“Dragon slayer!” the Captain’s voice echoed around them. “I see you have failed to fulfill your mission, yet again. You know what the punishment is in this case.” His lips curled wickedly. “I hope you’ve said your goodbyes to Margot. It’s a pity she’ll also die because of you.”
“Do not speak to her, filthy maggot!” Raiden roared, baring his fangs as his tail slithered into the room. “Do not even look in her direction if you value your life. Get on your fucking knees and beg for mercy, for she is the only reason why you are still breathing, mortal!” His tail struck out, snapping in the air.
A wave of panic washed over the male, his eyes wide with fear as he looked back and forth between Nyra and the silver beast in front of him.
Snarling, Raiden’s tail snapped again, hitting the robust Captain, sending him flying across the air. “Either you’re deaf or very fucking stupid.” His tail smacked him, “I believe it’s the latter,” over and over again, playing with the measly human like a cat would play with a mouse. “Beg.”
“Please,” the Captain whimpered, blood staining his neck where an ugly gash could be seen.
“I can’t fucking hear you.”
“Please!” He cried out, trying to crawl away, only to be pressed into the ground by Raiden’s massive paw, the Captain’s head thrown back in agony as he screamed for mercy.
“I will color these walls with your blood, rat, before I turn everyone in this precious palace to dust.” His jaw snapped, saliva dripping from his lethal fangs as he stalked towards the wounded male.
“Raiden!” the king suddenly bellowed, throwing himself forward, kneeling with his face planted on the ground, his body shaking as all color drained from his face. “Have mercy on us! We are your humble servants. Whatever it is that you desire, it is yours! Riches, maidens, land –”
“Do not insult me, old man,” Raiden rumbled. “I do not need your petty bribes. You will wipe Nyra Haldane’s records clean, granting her a royal pardon, never to be evoked by any of your successors. That is the price for the lives of you and your worthless servants.”
“Done!” the king shouted, shaking uncontrollably as he crawled towards Raiden, kissing his scales in holy devotion. “Thank you! Thank you, oh great one, we are eternally obliged to you! We honor you and your wisdom–”
Flicking his paw, the king scurried backwards.
“Satisfied, little prey?”
“Yes, take me home.” She paused, as if thinking. “By the way, you never told me. When is the next Full Moon?”
“Why? Do you mean to thoroughly violate me?”
She smirked. “Maybe I wish to thank you.”
“I’d much rather be ravished.”
She smacked him, a full on belly laugh erupting from him as Raiden ran from the Reception Room, ignoring the still rambling king. Soaring towards the slowly darkening sky, the faint outline of the Full Moon peeking through.
He had a mate to claim.