Chapter 28 Lucan
Lucan
Iknelt on the floor of the barn, staring at the small collection before me.
The overhead fluorescents buzzed slightly, casting harsh light over the small hoard we kept here.
Most of our collection was in the main cave, but we’d always maintained our own caches of gold in our cabins and a larger shared reserve for emergencies.
My fingers hovered over the array of jewelry. Now that Liz and I were bonded, she needed something from our hoard. Dragons gave their mates tokens, and since the knife had been returned, I needed something new to give her.
I pushed aside an elaborate gold bracelet with rubies. That was more Kade’s style for Reese. Liz would hate it.
My fingers found a delicate white gold chain with a small solitaire diamond pendant. Simple and elegant, something she could wear daily without feeling like it was too much. I lifted it, watching the light catch in the diamond. It was perfect.
I tucked it into my pocket, locked the security panel with a series of beeps, and replaced the false floor. I turned, finding Zarek leaning against the doorway, arms folded across his chest.
My hand instinctively went to my pocket. “How long have you been lurking there?”
“Long enough.” His eyes flicked to my pocket. “For her?”
I nodded. “She returned the knife to the main hoard. She should have something else.”
Zarek gave a curt nod, but the tension in his jaw told me he wasn’t thrilled about any of this.
“Heading out for patrol?”
“Someone needs to take this seriously.” His tone was clipped, his eyes scanning the barn as if expecting an intruder hiding behind the ATVs and other equipment.
I sighed. “We’re all taking it seriously.”
“Are you?” He raised an eyebrow. “Because I don’t see the rest of you out there looking for whoever’s been sniffing around.”
“Look, even if someone found the entrance, they couldn’t possibly make off with everything in one go. It would take days to empty that cave.”
A growl rumbled from Zarek’s chest, and his eyes flashed. “That’s your response? It’s fine if they only steal some of our hoard?”
I held my hands up. “That’s not what I meant. I’m saying we have time to figure this out.”
“Time.” He spat the word as if it tasted bitter. “While we’re wasting time, they could be planning their next move.”
Pushing Zarek like this never ended well. He'd become increasingly territorial over the years, but this was different. He was on edge in a way I hadn’t seen before.
“Why don’t you wear some jewelry or stuff your pockets with some coins?” I suggested carefully. “It might help you feel better to keep it close.”
Zarek’s shoulders dropped a fraction of an inch. “I’ll take that under advisement.”
He moved past me to one of the ATVs and swung his leg over. He fired up the engine, the rumble echoing through the barn. He shot out the open door, sending gravel spraying behind him.
The barn went quiet again, and I stood there for a moment, hand still in my pocket, fingers curled around the necklace.
Zarek’s concern wasn’t unfounded. We’d all seen the evidence. Two weeks ago, I would have been shoulder to shoulder with him out there, flying over our territory until I had answers. I knew that. My dragon knew it too.
But I had a mate now, and after forty-four years of waiting, I couldn’t focus on anything else. Especially when my dragon wasn’t worried about it.
I headed back to the cabin, fall leaves crunching under my boots. The morning air had a bite to it that meant winter wasn’t far off. I couldn’t wait to bundle her up on a winter night and show her the snow from the sky.
I finally had a mate to share everything with. The bond hummed between us, connecting us even when we weren’t touching.
I climbed the steps to my cabin, still processing the fact that Liz had stayed in my bed last night. It felt surreal in the best way.
I pushed open the door as Liz was stepping out of the bedroom, wearing one of my long-sleeved shirts that hung to mid-thigh. Her legs were bare, her hair rumpled from sleep, and she looked perfect.
“Hey.” She ran a hand through her hair.
I closed the distance between us in three strides, cupping her face and pressing my lips to hers. She melted against me, and I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close. Even though we’d spent the night together and had been as close as two people could be, I still needed more.
“Morning,” I murmured against her lips when I finally pulled back enough to speak. “I’ve got Diet Pepsi in the fridge for you, or I can make coffee.”
She nodded, but there was something hesitant in her eyes, a furrow between her brows.
“What’s wrong?” I was immediately alert, sensing something was off. Had she changed her mind? Did she regret what we’d done?
“Yeah, I’m just...” She bit her lip, avoiding my eyes. “Can we sit for a minute?”
My stomach dropped, but I nodded, leading her to the couch. We sat facing each other, her legs tucked under her, my shirt pooling around her thighs.
“Do you regret it?” I needed to know because if she did, then we needed to put distance between us now before my dragon was too far gone.
“No!” She grabbed my hand. “Last night was amazing.” She frowned, struggling with the words.
“Last night, when we bonded, I felt like we were completely connected, like nothing could come between us. But this morning, there’s.
.. a bit of fuzz? Like static on a phone line.
” Her eyes grew glassy with unshed tears.
“Does that mean it’s rejecting or something? ”
“It’s not rejecting.” The knot in my chest loosened immediately, and I couldn’t help the relief that washed over me. I pulled her into my arms, pressing a kiss to her temple.
“Well, how do we fix it? More sex? Exchanging a blood oath?”
I snorted. “It’s normal. The bond is there, but it’s not fully formed yet.” I stroked her back, and she relaxed against me. “There’s still the ceremony with the quad. Once that happens, that fuzzy feeling will clear up.”
She pulled back slightly, brow furrowed even deeper. “A ceremony? What does that entail, exactly?”
“Each member of the quad gives you something from the hoard, accepting you as my mate and as part of our family. It’s pretty simple, actually. No weird rituals or big dragon orgy.”
“Oh, that’s a bummer.” Liz’s mouth quirked up at the corner. “So, no sacrifices or anything like that?”
“Definitely not.” I laughed. “Though there is more sex after they leave.”
Her cheeks flushed. “Of course there is.”
“If you’re not up for any of it, we can wait.” I traced patterns on her back.
“No, I don’t want to wait.”
For a few minutes, we sat there, her tucked against my side. The sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow over the living room.
I slid my hand into my pocket, fingers closing around the necklace. Now felt like the right moment.
“I have something for you.” I shifted slightly so I could see her face.
“Oh?” Liz tilted her head, curiosity lighting her eyes.
I pulled out the necklace, holding it up so the diamond caught the light. “I know the knife was too much, but dragons give their mates gifts. It’s important to us.”
Her eyes widened as she looked at the necklace, then back to me. “It’s beautiful.”
“May I?” I gestured toward her neck.
She nodded and turned as I unclasped the necklace, bringing it around her neck. My fingers brushed against her skin as I secured the clasp, and I felt her shiver slightly.
When she turned back to face me, the diamond rested perfectly on her chest.
“How does it look?” Her fingers came up to touch the stone.
“Perfect,” I breathed, unable to take my eyes off her. “Like it was made for you.”
She smiled. “Thank you.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine, a gentle kiss that quickly deepened. When she pulled back, her eyes were bright, and the smile on her face made my dragon rumble with satisfaction.
“I love it.” She paused and took a deep breath. “I’m really happy I’m here. With you.”
Those simple words resonated through me, and my dragon went completely still. I’d been waiting my whole life for her, and now here she was, this remarkable woman who somehow fit perfectly into the empty spaces of my existence.
There were a thousand things I wanted to tell her—how seeing her smile made all the years waiting worthwhile, how the way she tucked her hair behind her ear fascinated me, how finding her had filled a void I hadn't even realized was there.
The words gathered in my throat like treasure I wasn’t ready to display. But we had time.
We had the rest of our lives.