Chapter 15 #3
Hours passed as they primped and talked and laughed.
By eleven o’clock, when she slid the gown Rian had designed just for her over her head, she could do nothing but stare at the stranger looking back at her.
Alicia and Melanie had done a wonderful job with applying just enough makeup to highlight what they called her natural beauty.
Audrey had laughed and told them just to cover any scars they found.
Kyra, Calysta, and Sarah Beth had taken turns taming her waist-length ebony curls. Audrey loved the loose chignon with curly tendrils flowing onto her shoulders they’d been able to fashion. And little violet Bellflowers, Kyra had said Rian specifically requested, were the perfect addition.
She’d just slipped her feet into her slippers when the doorbell rang. Audrey was right behind Melanie as the young witch opened the door to reveal not only her mate, but also Alicia’s.
Liam and Jace wore surcoats the most brilliant royal blue she’d ever seen.
It was the exact color of the dragon in the image Rian had projected into her mind so many times.
The winged warrior, who was also to be her mate, was the purest of blues she’d ever seen.
His scales glittered and shined in the noonday sky.
She’d seen glimpses of him in flight as he simply enjoyed the air through his wings.
He’d tipped sideways, making one wing appear higher than the other and giving her a perfect view of the opposing horns that sat above his brow and the spikes running down his spine.
His tail looked murderous with its barbs and triple bladed spade at the end.
Audrey knew her dragon mate would be as fierce in battle as he was elegant in flight.
In just the right light, she’d seen the depth of emotion glowing in his deep brown eyes.
The same eyes she’d fallen in love with so many years ago.
It had been right then and there, one of the first times Rian had summoned her, that Audrey had accepted not only the man, but also the dragon into her heart and soul.
Coming back to the present, she was impressed with the silver rope that trimmed their uniforms, but it was the intricate stitchery on the front that took her breath away.
The scene depicted a dragon in flight, so like what she knew of Rian’s beast that there was no doubt her mate had had a hand in this design as well.
They both wore a black long-sleeved undershirt and pants, as well as knee high black boots polished to a high shine.
Each young man placed her hand on their bent elbow, leading her to an ornately decorated carriage, not unlike the one her father had given her for her thirteenth birthday.
It was deep mahogany with elegant carvings bordering the door and decorating the ledge of the entire vehicle.
Audrey felt like the princess she had once been and smiled at the nostalgia of it all.
As Liam and Jace opened the door, a set of four steps effortlessly rolled to the ground.
The young Guardsmen helped her into the carriage, making sure she was comfortable before shutting the door.
Audrey marveled at the light blue, crushed velvet seats and beautiful mural covering all four walls, depicting an entire dragon lair in the midst of a celebration.
As her eyes took in the splendor of something obviously from a time she knew so well, she caught sight of a bouquet of long-stemmed red and white roses tied with a single royal blue ribbon lying on the seat opposite her.
Reaching across, Audrey brought the flowers into her lap and inhaled their succulent aroma, dreaming of what was still to come.
A small card was tucked lovingly in her bundle of flowers and carried a simple message that made her heart beat just a bit faster.
“Not heaven. Not hell. Not the Devil himself can keep me from your side. Love, Rian”
The carriage slowed and the scent of sea air filled the carriage. Audrey was shaking with anticipation when the young Guardsmen finally opened the door. Helping her down, Liam held her flowers while Jace took her hand and walked her toward her destiny.
Once her feet were on the wooden bridge decorated with red and white roses, like those she carried, tied with royal blue ribbons blowing in the breeze, Liam handed her the bouquet and the two retired to either side of the bridge and stood as if standing guard.
“Thank you,” she whispered and smiled as they responded, “It was our pleasure.”
Step by precious step Audrey came closer to what she’d been dreaming about every night for a hundred years after standing on the very beach before her.
Making her way onto the sand by the light of the candles burning so brightly on the candelabras along the path, she took her time and gazed in awe at the elaborate preparations Rian had made in less than a day.
Ten yards from where she sat stood a massive archway covered in red and white roses, along with hundreds upon hundreds of blue and white ribbons woven through the lattice work and dancing on the wind as if celebrating right along with her.
To the left sat three ornate chairs on a large platform.
They resembled the thrones her father and mother had used outside the castle when addressing their village.
The podium too was decorated with red and white roses spilling from large ceramic urns wrapped in enormous blue and white bows.
There was also a large circle drawn in the sand right in front of the dais, with tiny white tea roses as the outline.
Growing impatient, Audrey was pleasantly surprised to see three of the Elders of the Blue Dragons’ Clan – Niall, Marcas, and Stefan.
It was not unlike when they’d paid her an impromptu visit earlier in the day while she was having her makeup done; only this time, she’d known they would show up sooner or later.
Rian would be up there as the Head Elder for other ceremonies in their future, but for this one, he had another role to fulfill.
Audrey’s attention was drawn to the left as five of the Guardsmen of the Aherne Force appeared. Sadness filled the air at Rory’s absence and for the hundredth time that day, she offered a prayer to the God of her fathers that he would be okay.
Watching the men file in, she noted the slightly different hues of blue of each man’s surcoat.
Kellan’s was midnight blue, so dark it could’ve been mistaken for black.
Brannoc’s was the blue of the ocean and Lennox’s, the exact opposite of Kellan’s, so light the blue was barely discernable.
Declan’s primary blue matched the straightforward man she knew him to be.
Lastly, there was Pierce, whose surcoat had an iridescent glow added to its cobalt color that made her wonder how brightly the scales of his dragon would shine in the sunlight.
To her surprise, Royce, Lance, Maddox, Drago, and Kayne filed in behind the other Guardsmen. She was honored that they’d come to the ceremony and also freaked that the man she’d thought was a hellhound for a hundred years was actually a powerful Demi-God/Dragon Guardsman.
Oh well, I’ll think about this later. It’s my mating night. Nothing’s taking this train off the rails.
Shaking her head, Audrey looked back at the men her mate held in such high regard.
Royce’s beautiful royal blue surcoat with green accents was truly fitting of the gentle giant that no matter what was always there for family.
Lance, whose dress uniform was gold and black, grinned and winked, letting her know even a trip to hell had not robbed him of his sense of humor.
The bright blue with silver highlights of Maddox’s surcoat matched what Rian had shown her of his good friend and mentor’s true personality, not the grumpy exterior the old dragon showed the world.
The flaming red of Drago’s uniform next to the bright golden yellow of Kayne’s finished the line of Guardsmen with a bang and flash.
Standing together, they reminded her of flames.
The sound of boots on the sand came from the opposite direction of where the Guardsmen had entered.
Turning in her chair, Audrey’s breath caught in her lungs as Rian appeared looking better than a dragon had a right to.
She could do little more than stare. Her pulse raced.
Her heart beat like thunder. Rian walked to his place beside the archway, holding her hostage with his hypnotic gaze.
After a few seconds of silence, Stefan, the Spiritual Elder of their clan and Rian’s uncle, began to speak. His voice rang out loud and clear across the sand and sea.
“Long ago, when knights and dragons fought side by side for King and country, it became apparent that dragon kin was no longer safe from those who would expose and destroy them.
They sought to join with the knights who had so valiantly fought by their sides during so many battles.
Thus, through magic and the will of both dragon and knight, the Dragon Shifters were born.
“In the infinite wisdom of our Founding Elders, clans were set up, one for each color of the Dragon Kings whose soul we carry within our own.
Each assigned a region in which to make their home and to protect.
Over time, some have flourished, some have ceased to exist, and others have been born from the joining of many.
As the Spiritual Elder of the Blue Thunder Clan and uncle to Rian, it is an incredible honor to stand among those of not only my own clan, but also the Golden Fire Clan.
We are brothers in blood, brothers in battle, and brothers in loyalty.