Destiny of Dragons (6 page)

“Put some lube on your cock,” Proteus ordered. He might be stretched, but if Liang planned to fit that huge monster inside they’d need plenty of slick on both sides.

Liang flashed him a sheepish grin before he snatched up the lube and slathered a nice amount on his erection. “Ready?”

“Yes.” If he were any more ready he’d come before Liang touched him. Damn he’d never been this eager to be fucked before. There was something to this mate business.

Liang lifted Proteus into position then with careful, controlled strength, he pushed inside. Proteus breathed through the burn, trying to relax his body enough to accept his mate.

“You all right?” Concern etched Liang’s face.

“Yeah, just give me a minute.” Proteus wiggled a bit to adjust then Liang slid in the rest of the way.

“Fuck, right there,” Liang groaned.

Their mate connection strummed between them like a bright, shining cord binding them together.

“Now you can move,” Proteus said.

Liang took him at his word and set aside his gentle courtesy to plunder his mate with all the skill he had. The water dragon was gifted.

“You are perfect for me,” Liang muttered. “I couldn’t have handpicked a better mate. I belong with you.”

Proteus concentrated to scrape enough letters from the recesses of his quickly melting brain to form words. “Fuck me. More.”

Liang’s kiss, hard and claiming, sent Proteus over the edge. Shouting out his pleasure, Proteus spurted his release between them. The water dragon’s roar announced his mate’s release to all the mansion’s occupants.

A snort escaped Proteus.

Liang kissed his cheek. “What’s so funny?”

“I think everyone knows what we’re up to.”

“They should. I’m claiming my mate. My dragon wanted the world to know you are mine and any other suitors should stay away. No one should try and take away a dragon’s hoard.” Liang slid out of Proteus. “Come on, let’s get cleaned up.”

Proteus allowed Liang to pull him out of bed while he contemplated how he felt about being considered part of Liang’s treasure, like gold and jewels. Would his value go up over time? Laughing, Proteus followed his mate to the bathroom.

Liang stood at the glass and watched the sea dragon babies floating around in their aquarium. He couldn’t get over the fact that the little creatures were his children. Granted they weren’t his biologically, or even his mate’s, but they were half sea dragon and half water dragon, just as if Proteus and him had biologically produced children.

He’d never considered the idea of being a father before, and now he had two babies of his own. He could understand Aden better now. If anyone looked wrong at Liang’s kids he’d take great delight in clawing out their hearts.

“How’s it going, daddy?” Zhou came to stand beside him.

Liang took strength from his friend’s presence. His leader had always been there for him and he had no doubt over Zhou’s continued support.

“It’s strange to think of being responsible for their little lives. I’m hoping Proteus will think I’m a good father.” He wanted to be everything Proteus hoped for in a mate. Life had put the slim, green-haired man through trials by fire, luckily Liang could control water.

Zhou patted him on the back. “You’ll do fine. You have excellent instincts. I’ve never met a steadier soul.”

“Thank you. I’m trying not to overwhelm Proteus.” He couldn’t put into words how much he yearned to hold Proteus tight and never let him go. The sea dragon had withdrawn a bit after their lovemaking. Now a week later since Proteus had joined them, Liang wondered if they’d ever have the type of relationship he’d always dreamed of. “I wish I understood him a bit better. Have you had much experience with sea dragons?”

“Truthfully I didn’t even know sea dragons shifters existed.”

Liang deflated. Zhou was generally his source for information, if Zhou didn’t have any then Liang didn’t know who to ask.

“Just talk to him, it clears up an amazing amount of things.”

“Like you’re talking to your mate?”

“Mine froze us as statutes for centuries, yours merely hatched some eggs to help a friend. Between the two of them your mate is definitely the better choice.”

“True.”

“Keep working on him. It’s a period of adjustment for everyone.” Zhou patted Liang on the back.

Proteus entered the room and froze in the doorway. “Um, I was hoping to have a word with you.”

“I’ll leave you to it,” Zhou said. He nodded to Proteus on his way out the door.

Liang motioned for Proteus to join him on the couch. “Come sit with me.”

The sea dragon fidgeted and for a moment Liang thought Proteus would refuse, but after a few steps back and forth before the aquarium he settled down beside Liang. “Thank you.”

“You can always come talk to me,” Liang assured his twitchy mate.

Proteus wiggled on the couch, his nervous energy beginning to affect Liang. “I just remembered something Bingwen used to say and I thought it might be important.”

“What?” The sea dragon’s furrowed brow and downturned mouth increased Liang’s anxiety as he waited for his mate to speak.

“I overheard Aden saying you were looking for the emperor. I think he’s hiding in Alaska.”

“Why do you say that?” Excitement had Liang scooting closer.

“Because Bingwen kept mentioning Anchorage. It didn’t occur to me until last night that the emperor might be there. Bingwen was fixated on going north and since he lived in tropical water…”

“That is strange.” Liang knew where Proteus’s line of thinking was going with that. “Thank you. Any little bit will help. I don’t know why he’d be hiding there, but it is as unlikely as anywhere else.”

Proteus nodded. He scooted a bit on the couch as if uncomfortable. Liang cupped the back of Proteus’s neck. “Do I make you nervous?”

“Y-yeah. I’ve never had a mate before and I don’t want to screw it up.” His gaze skittered around the room between a painting and Liang, from a chair to Liang. Always returning to Liang’s face.

“You can do anything you want. We’re mates. Your previous exposure to mates didn’t leave you with a good example. I can promise I’m nothing like your friend’s mate. He was an abusive asshole. I just want you to have a happy life, preferably with me.”

A small smile curled Proteus’s lips. “Can I have another kiss?”

Liang’s heart skipped a beat. “You never have to ask.”

A kiss, a fuck up against the wall, another round in their bedroom, all of it was good.

“I’d like a kiss.”

From what he’d learned, Proteus had led a sheltered existence until the annihilation of his family, and from there had gone into hiding until his friend asked for help. Liang refused to do anything that might make him uncomfortable no matter that his dragon clawed at his insides and demanded they claim their mate again.

The brush of lips brought a groan from the depths of his soul. A softer noise came from Proteus, but not less sexy. The slim man with green hair had the smoothest lips Liang had ever touched. He didn’t have a lot of experience and maybe the centuries had worn away the hot pleasure of another man’s taste. Now though, he’d do just about anything to feel that again.

“Again!” Proteus demanded.

“Bossy!” Liang reproved.

“Needy,” Proteus corrected. He slid his fingers into Liang’s hair and pulled him closer. There was no hesitation over the sea dragon’s need. He wanted Liang.

Worries faded away. Proteus hadn’t been keeping his distance due to lack of interest. Liang kissed Proteus again. His body reacted to his smaller mate. Clutching Proteus tighter he moved until they were thigh to thigh. He lifted his mouth to whisper into Proteus’s ear. “I want to strip you down and lick my way across your body.”

“I-I could let you do that,” Proteus said, his breath coming in fast puffs of air.

“Good. We have to talk to Aden first. He needs to know about the emperor’s location.”

Proteus bit his lip. “I don’t know for sure. I don’t want him upset with me.”

“Aden won’t get mad.” Zhou had told him that the dragon king remained calm unless someone threatened his family. “He’ll be happy for any news you might have. If your information comes to nothing then at least we tried. If we don’t say anything and we discover the emperor has been there all along, things will be much worse.”

“Okay.” Proteus let Liang help him up and walked with him down the hall. They found Aden sitting on a couch in a large library with his mate curled up beside him. On the other side of the room ranged a variety of other shifters, Zhou among them. “Excuse us for interrupting, but Proteus has something he’d like to share.”

He pulled Proteus forward. After a halting start the sea dragon explained what he’d heard from Bingwen.

“We need to do some recon,” Aden said.

“I can go,” Carey offered.

“I was thinking of sending one of the dragons. They can scan the environment without being spotted,” Aden said.

“What if he’s underwater?” Carey asked.

“I doubt he will be,” Aden said. “He’s not a water creature.”

“I can go,” Proteus offered.

Liang growled. “No.”

“I don’t want to be rude, but you aren’t trained for this kind of thing,” Aden said.

“But I can do something I don’t think the rest of you can.”

Liang examined his mate. How did they go from kissing to arguing? No way would he let his mate go anywhere near the emperor. He didn’t care if Proteus could produce an invincibility shield.

“What can you do?” Aden asked.

Liang appreciated the dragon’s kindness toward Proteus. The dragon king didn’t dismiss Proteus out of hand or try to downplay his offer because he was a smaller sea creature.

“This.” Proteus vanished.

Even though he’d seen this trick before, Liang’s inner beast snarled at the disappearance of their mate.

Proteus reappeared.

“Impressive.” Aden got to his feet and circled Proteus. “Do it again.”

Before Liang could argue, Proteus vanished.

The dragon king examined the spot where Proteus had stood before. Liang could almost hear Aden thinking of ways to use the sea dragon’s skills.

“Please, your highness. He’s my mate.”

Aden’s sympathetic expression didn’t ease Liang’s anxiety. “We’ll be careful.”

Proteus reappeared. “I can help?”

“Not for this first trip, but maybe after we’re ready for a closer look. Zhou, I want you to fly around Alaska and see if you can spot anything, but don’t engage. Come back and tell me what you find. They’re less likely to attack a single dragon if they think they can hide from you.”

“I could go?” Jiang stepped forward.

Aden scowled. “And what would your mate think of that?”

“Kurtis wouldn’t like it, but if it would help our people he’ll support me,” Jiang’s confident tone told Liang he really believed that.

“He’s right.” A pretty, slim man came up behind Jiang and put his hand on the dragon shifter’s arm. Liang figured this was Kurtis. They’d all been so busy he hadn’t had time to meet his friend’s mate.

“About what?” Aden asked.

“I’d want him to help.” Kurtis let Jiang pull him into the shelter of his arms.

Zhou stood. “I’ll take him with me. Better to have two sets of eyes than one. If we run into anything we’ll contact you.”

Aden’s eyes glowed gold. Everyone froze. The hair on Liang’s arm raised straight up. He grabbed Proteus and stepped slowly back, pulling Proteus with him. Gallen placed his hands on Aden’s shoulders, stepping in front of him and blocking the others from Aden’s sight. “What’s going on?”

“Something is coming.” Aden’s voice, barely above a whisper, sent a frosty spike of fear down Liang’s spine.

“What, babe?” Gallen’s soft and soothing voice, eased the chill Aden’s pronouncement had cast across them all.

Blinking repeatedly, Aden snapped out of his trance. “I don’t know what that was about.”

“You are coming into your powers,” Zhou said. “No doubt having a sorcerer for a mate has increased your magic.”

Gallen pulled Aden into the shelter of his arms and ran a calming hand over Aden’s nape grounding his mate through touch. Aden rested his cheek against Gallen’s shoulder.

“I’m going to go lay down,” Aden announced. “Zhou, go by yourself or take another dragon. Your choice, but don’t get caught.”

Zhou nodded. Everyone got out of Aden’s way as he walked to the door.

Gallen found his mate in their small bedroom, located upstairs and at the back of the mansion. A dark, quiet space the buzz of the center rooms didn’t quite reach where Aden lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

“Hey, love.” Gallen slid onto the bed beside Aden and scooted until he could put Aden’s head on his lap.

“Hey,” Aden whispered, his strained features formed a faint smile.

Gallen appreciated the effort. “Headache?”

“Yeah. It came with the vision.”

“Vision?” Gallen asked. He rubbed Aden’s forehead with his thumbs trying to ease his mate’s pain. “If you’re starting to have visions that could be why your head hurts.”

He’d known a few seers in his life and they’d always suffered from migraines. Some were on some pretty strong medication. A few had prescriptions powerful enough Gallen wondered if they were what caused the visions.

“It didn’t hurt to turn into a dragon.”

The sulky tone from his normally stoic mate made Gallen smile.

“The dragon was a physical awakening. This is mental. I’m guessing you probably have a bit of precognition in you. What did you see?” Gallen continued to trail his fingers in soothing motions across Aden’s forehead, his neck and his shoulders, trying to convey comfort through his touch.

“I saw a blackness so complete that lights didn’t pierce it. Evil lurks there.”

Gallen froze before forcing his fingers to continue soothing. “What kind of evil? The emperor?”

“No. Something else. Something worse.”

“Worse than a crazed, power-hungry man who should’ve been dead a couple millennia ago?”

“Yeah.”

Gallen shivered.