Destiny of Dragons

When everyone is against you, you must fulfill your destiny.

Liang wakes up and discovers breaking the curse had separated him far from the others.
The bad news is another dragon has captured him, the good news is he found his mate.

Proteus couldn’t believe he found his mate. Unfortunately circumstances make it

impossible for him to go with Liang and it breaks his heart when his mate goes on
without him.

Aden has been struggling to keep everyone safe. With the evil against him mounting

and the number of people he needs to protect increasing, will he be able to live up to his
destiny and become the leader the dragons need or will evil triumph against him?

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Destiny of Dragons

ISBN: 978-1-4874-0087-3

Cover art by Carmen Waters

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Chapter One

Liang snapped awake gasping for air.

Air.
He could breathe. He took a few more lungfuls, pleased when he successfully collected

the oxygen and pushed it back out again. The scent of seawater filled his nose, tantalizing
him with a fragrance he’d been longing to smell again. Freedom. For so long he’d ticked
off the hours, minutes, seconds of time as he’d remained motionless, a stone statue with
no ability to move or twitch, but with a mind seconds from snapping.

But now he was alive. Gloriously alive. Something had broken the curse and set him

free. A few memories rattled around in his head, vague recollections of falling from the
ceiling with every muscle screaming from centuries of inactivity. His cold, frozen exterior
had transformed back to a living, pulsing being. An unpleasant, excruciating event he
hoped to never experience again. Still, he’d rather feel searing pain than remain locked in
stone forever. The next time he saw a sorcerer Liang would rip out his throat first and ask
questions later.

Liang blinked several times trying to clear his vision. The familiar press of lashes

against his cheeks triggered tears of relief, of joy, of such a mixed bag of emotions he
couldn’t pin down the emotional source. He palmed his eyes, trying to clear them. He
had to see his surrounding to best judge where he’d ended up. The complete absence of
sound unnerved him. Where were the crowds of people or at least his dragon friends?

Lifting his hands away, he took a moment to examine his new location. This was no

theater.  No  seats,  or  lights,  or  even  a  stage  existed  here.  He  had  thought  he’d  wake  up
beside  his  companions.  He  hadn’t  expected  to  be  underwater  or  in  a  cage.  The
combination  of  the  two  unnerved  him.  Gripping  the  bars,  he  winced  at  their  cold
solidity.

Where am I?
The cage sat inside a room free of water. A large transparent dome covered the area,

but allowed a view of the ocean beyond, like a pseudo Atlantis, but not as nice. A colorful
reef surrounded him with all the brilliance of a warm, tropical ocean. Beautiful.
Unfortunately its heat didn’t extend into Liang’s prison.

Someone powerful had carved out a spot in the water, but the presence of cages didn’t

inspire confidence in Liang’s captor being a friend.

He watched fish float outside the dome and yearned to share their freedom. The liquid

wall didn’t have the smooth surface of a proper spell, but a wavy texture as if the entire
thing could come crashing down with any disruption. Liang didn’t let that possibility
worry him. He’d survive the dome collapse. Water dragons couldn’t drown.

His deep contemplation shattered at he spotted a sea creature floating in a large

aquarium on the other side of the dome. The tank rose almost to the ceiling with a rolling
stepladder set to one side, a strange sight in the middle of the sea. Why did his captor
need an aquarium in a place surrounded by water? This situation only became stranger

the more details he noticed from his underwater prison.

Motion drew his eyes again and he returned his focus to the small captive. As far as he

could tell the entire tank was devoted to the one beast. About a foot tall, leafy
appendages covered the creature that moved like a seahorse, but resembled a plant-like
dragon.

“What are you? You aren’t a seahorse.” Liang mused. He’d heard of fantastical sea

creatures, but had seen few in reality. As a water dragon he had an affinity for the liquid,
but he’d spent most of his life as a warrior out of his homeland waters. Maybe that’s why
he’d fallen for a trap in the middle of the desert, he’d become so used to going without.

“Enjoying the view, traitor?” A cold voice asked.
Lost in contemplation of the aquarium Liang hadn’t noticed the new arrival until he

spoke. Turning around he spotted a tall man with dragon eyes and a wide tattoo covering
one  half  of  his  chest.  The  man’s  markings  appeared  to  move  as  he  walked.  Might  be  a
curse, but Liang couldn’t tell from his spot in the cage. He transformed into his human
shape  to  speak.  His  scales  transformed  into  black  pants  and  a  white  shirt  similar  to  the
clothes  he’d  seen  men  wearing  in  the  theater.  Only  a  small  gasp  of  surprise  left  him  at
the ease he switched from dragon to human after centuries trapped in his beast form.

“Who are you?” Liang needed more information to battle this newcomer. He’d been a

fine  strategist  and  right  hand  to  his  leader  Zhou  until  the  day  they’d  both
underestimated  their  enemy.  Still,  there  was  no  way  he  would  remain  passive  and  let
this  stranger  control  his  life.  He’d  just  spent  centuries  as  a  statue,  he  wasn’t  about  to
spent any more time as a captive if he could avoid it. The trick would be to get this man
to set him free.

The dragon shifter sneered. “As if you don’t know! I’m one of the many you turned

your back on by defying your rightful leader. I’m going to fix everything now though.
Once the emperor has you back in his hold he’ll make me one of his commanders. He
promised a reward for anyone who turned one of you in, and that is going to be mine.” A
feral light glowed in the shifter’s eyes.

“If you think this emperor is going to keep his word you’re crazier than he is.” Even as

he spoke, Liang knew the other shifter wouldn’t change his mind. Madness didn’t take
well to reason.

“You and your brethren turned the emperor against us! He told us of your treasonous

ways. If you’d just followed his teachings you wouldn’t have caused his hatred of our
kind. You’re the reason he has tried to destroy all water dragons.”

“Huangdi is still alive?” Liang’s stomach sank. He’d dared to hope the emperor might

have died during their imprisonment. Now that last dream had shattered like all the rest.
Maybe the emperor had found the secret to eternal life after all. Since he’d been
researching dragon blood by slaughtering dragons, Liang hoped more than a handful had
escaped the emperor’s grasp. He closed his eyes to center himself. Clearing his mind he
pulled at his inner strength, the same resolve that kept him from insanity while his
conscious self lurked in a stone-crafted cage. Determined to live, Liang opened his eyes.

“He is the leader of dragons, why wouldn’t he still be alive?”
“Because he’s not a dragon and should’ve died years ago. He stays alive by killing

dragons. I figured he’d be out of dragons by now.” Liang sighed. Things were worse than
he thought. After spending centuries in stone he was freed only to fight the same damn
man again.

“He warned us you’d try to corrupt us with your lies. I’m one of the faithful and he’ll

recognize that when I bring you in.”

Liang couldn’t fight against a fanatic, at least not with reason. The other dragon shifter

wasn’t any bigger than Liang, he could probably take him in a fair fight. Liang just had to
catch him unprepared. He’d rather be frozen in stone than a slave to Huangdi. There was
no compassion in the emperor’s madness.

“I hope you understand what you’re doing.” Liang refused to argue any longer. He’d

save his energy for other things.

“I know more than you, foolish one.”
“I hope you enjoy being a puppet.” He didn’t mean the words to sound as vicious as

they  did,  but  all  these  years  later  he  still  had  memories  of  Huangdi’s  ensorcelled
followers.  Their  empty  eyes  haunted  him  in  his  dreams.  Under  the  sadistic  emperor’s
control innocent men and woman had slaughtered their own kin only to be freed from
the  emperor’s  influence  long  enough  to  realize  the  horror  of  their  actions.  Many  had
killed themselves in their sorrow.

At least Liang had never fallen that far under the emperor’s power. His leader Zhou

had kept them safe up until the minute they’d been cursed. Even after, Liang had never
lost faith in the older dragon. During their long entombment only Zhou’s bravery and
calm demeanor prevented the dragons’ descent into madness. The Chinese phoenix had
gone insane, but the dragons had clung to their wits because Zhou had refused to allow
their minds to fracture.

“You are trying to change my mind so I’ll set you free. You will be let go when I can

hand you over to the emperor for my prize.” The satisfied smile on the man’s face made
Liang want to slash him with his dragon claws.

“You have no idea of the emperor’s plans. You don’t think the emperor will take the

opportunity to capture you, too? You will become one of his mindless minions. Isn’t that
why you hide here at the bottom of the ocean, to stay out of his way?”

“I am Bingwen, King of the Coral Sea, he wouldn’t dare try to take away my

kingdom.”

Liang examined the dome with pretend interest. “It’s not much of a kingdom and I

doubt he’s worried about the ruler of the small Coral Sea. Good luck with that though.”

Bingwen narrowed his eyes at Liang. “You’re trying to get me to free you, but I’m not

that foolish. The emperor will send for you tomorrow. Enjoy your last few hours of life.”

“He’ll kill you, too, or did he leave that part out of your negotiation when you were

bartering with your fellow dragons’ lives?” He didn’t bother to try to keep the bitterness
out of his voice. “Nothing stops him from getting what he wants. Only me and my
dragon friends held him back all this time, that’s why he wants us dead. We’re the only
ones who’ve stood against him.”

None of the five of them had ever been brainwashed. Their minds had always been

free of the emperor’s persuasion no matter how hard he tried. By creating a combined

mental link, they’d kept him out. Granted the emperor trapped them for years, but at
least they hadn’t given in.

Now Liang had to escape and find his friends. Once he got free of this cage he’d hunt

down Zhou and rejoin his clan. He had no worries about finding Zhou, if Liang
concentrated hard enough he should sense his location.

Bingwen narrowed his eyes at Liang as if he’d committed a horrible crime by telling

the truth. “You just want to take my kingdom. He warned us you would try to steal our
power.”

Liang didn’t know what to say. Bingwen had been misinformed, but nothing Liang

said would sway his decision. “The emperor has been draining dragons of blood and
magic for longer than I’ve been alive, but if you’d rather believe his lies than the truth
there is nothing I can do.”

“You can’t be trusted,” Bingwen argued.
The dragon sought power and position, two things Liang had never wanted. He’d

fought beside his clan brothers for the future of dragon kind against a mad emperor. If
Huangdi was now considered the better choice he didn’t want to meet the other options
for leadership.

“You are a rather small king without any people.” No one else had entered the dome

and there weren’t any signs of occupants either.

“My people left. They said I was heading down the wrong path. They didn’t

understand the emperor’s genius.”

“Or maybe they understood too well.” The king was obviously not the brightest dragon

in the Coral Sea. His subjects must’ve seen which way the sea was flowing and had
gotten out. Smart people.

“How many dragons have you captured?” The cages hadn’t appeared overnight in

anticipation of capturing a sea dragon.

“Six.” Bingwen announced the number without shame.
“And after you handed over these six did the emperor reward you?”
Bingwen’s cheeks took on an angry flush. “He’s waiting for a more important catch

like one of you. He told me to do better.”

“And how am I better?” As he asked the question Liang realized the answer. Liang and

his brethren were old dragons, their blood and magic was rich and powerful. One of their
claws had more energy than an entire youngling dragon. After feasting on the others, the
emperor’s hunger had grown. They’d been protected from Huangdi finding them when
they were stone. Their release must’ve brought them back to his attention.

“I think you are a useless traitor, but you’ll be of greater use once I turn you in. Enjoy

your captivity.”

Liang turned his back to his captor and returned to contemplating the sea creature in

the aquarium. For some reason the little plant-like beast fascinated him and Bingwen had
nothing more to say that Liang cared to hear. He would bide his time and escape before
the emperor arrived or more likely, before the emperor’s goons came to fetch him.
Huangdi rarely did his own dirty work. That was one thing Liang doubted had changed
over time. The emperor loved power, but he enjoyed lording it over his minions more.

“I will look forward to your death and my rise to power.” Bingwen’s footsteps became

fainter as he walked away. The sandy floor made soft crunching noises beneath his bare
feet. When the sound of footsteps faded to nothing, Liang knew Bingwen had left. Good
riddance. He had an insane emperor to worry about, he didn’t need to deal with a mad
king on top of it.

Liang waited for several minutes before he dared to turn his head. Gone. No one else

remained except for Liang and the sea creature, or at least nothing else in the dome.

He needed to get out of there and find his friends. He pondered his choices as the sea

beast floated a slow trek across its aquarium. The king hadn’t shown any interest in the
aquarium creature, but he must keep it for some reason.

“Hello, little guy,” he called out.
“You need to escape before Bingwen returns.”
The words spilled across his mind in a soft, intimate invasion. The creature had a male

voice with a silky, seductive tone that had Liang’s body awakening for the first time since
his petrification.

“I can’t get out of the cage. What are you?” Maybe he hadn’t asked in the most elegant

fashion, but he needed to keep the conversation going in order to hear that voice again.
Whatever compulsion he felt had nothing to do with spells and sorcerers.

“I’m a leafy sea dragon. We’re different from seahorses.”

The sea dragon didn’t say how

they differed. He didn’t appear eager to engage in conversation at all.

“I’m a water dragon. My name is Liang. What’s your name?” He held his breath as he

waited for a response. He didn’t like having to pry information out of the little beast, but
he needed to hear his voice again.

“Proteus.”
“Nice to meet you, Proteus.” Liang sighed as each word Proteus sent across their mind

link settled in and made his cock sit up and take notice. He’d never met a sea dragon
shifter before. Something about the male had Liang ready to do whatever was necessary
to get them both out of their cages.

He ground his teeth together. Exchanging one prison for another hadn’t been in his

plans. During his long petrification he’d imagined his life if he ever got free. He’d made
elaborate plans to make a home with his brethren dragon somewhere, not live inside a
cage. By now the China he’d known had no doubt been buried beneath office buildings
and tons of cement. Besides, the land of his birth no longer belonged to his kind.

Once he escaped he needed to find his dragon horde and retrieve a bit of treasure to

exchange for modern money. He’d amassed quite a fortune before his capture by the
emperor.

“There’s the key!”

The sea dragon’s voice snapped Liang out of his introspection.

Liang followed where the sea dragon pointed his nose. A ring of keys sat on top of a

bookshelf. “That’s a little far to reach.”

“Use your magic!”
The frustration in the sea dragon’s voice had Liang snapping out of his bout of self-

pity. He was a water dragon, under the water. The leafy sea dragon had a point.

Maybe being stone for all those years had broken his brain. He should’ve been able to

come up with that solution on his own. Liang took a deep cleansing breath, and for the
first time since he woke he pulled at his magic.

Energy rushed through him with a crackle of power. He focused his magic on the keys

and pulled at the seawater flowing outside the dome. A thin thread of liquid spiraled
toward him. Liang manipulated flow around the keys. The water danced under Liang’s
direction. He reveled beneath the joy of using his magic again. Even if the emperor killed
him in the end at least he had one more chance to use his power.

“Stop playing, Bingwen won’t be gone forever,”

the sea dragon snapped.

“Sorry.” Liang had ignored the urgency of his situation beneath the joy of reconnecting

with his magic. Properly scolded, Liang tightened his control and transformed the tip of
the water flow into ice. The small hook snagged the key ring. Grinning, Liang called the
water to him.

When the keys finally dropped into his hand it took all of Liang’s restraint not to shout

his victory and draw Bingwen’s attention. Just because the dragon was out of sight didn’t
mean he couldn’t hear what was going on in the dome.

“Good job,”

the sea dragon praised.

“Thank you.” Flush from his success, Liang slipped the hand holding the keys between

the bars and after a few false tries, he unlocked the cage. As soon as he was free he
headed for the aquarium. Liang pressed his fingers to the spot nearest the sea dragon.

“You’re welcome.”
This close he could see intelligence glowing in the creature’s eyes. “If you shift I can get

you out of here.”

Leafy green fronds floated around the little beast as he shook his head from side to

side.

“Why not?”
“Can’t change.”
Liang wanted to ask why, but he needed to get out of there not get into a debate. Still,

he couldn’t abandon his new friend. A strong connection pinged between them,
compelling him to take Proteus along with him.

“Mate!”

The sea dragon’s awed tone whispered in his head.

“We’re mates?” Liang didn’t know what to do with that information. He’d always

thought he’d bond with one of his own kind, but he knew better than to question The
Fates. He stroked the side of the aquarium. “Are you in danger?”

Sadness flowed from the sea dragon. “Not right now. He will keep me safe for a bit longer

before.”

Various scenarios flashed through Liang’s head and not one of them was pleasant.

“Why?”

How did the little creature know he’d be safe and why was Bingwen keeping him at

all? Liang had never known the emperor to be interested in the smaller sea shifters
before, but he didn’t know what might have changed during his curse.

“I can’t say. I don’t know you well enough.”
Liang ignored the pang in his heart protesting that his mate should trust him

regardless. Weren’t mates fated to be with their better half? Why would Proteus choose
to stay here after he claimed they were mates?

“I could take you in your shifted form. My water ability could keep you warm.”
“What about when we travel? I have to retain the same temperature or I could go into shock.”
Liang refused to acknowledge defeat, however he knew some tropical animals were

extremely sensitive to changes in their environment. If he weren’t careful he could kill
his mate with too large of a temperature fluctuation. He couldn’t chance it.

“I’m going to go get my friends. We’ll come back and get you out of here. I can carry

you in a ball of water, but not as a dragon.”

He didn’t dare risk his mate’s life. As much as he didn’t want to leave Proteus, he

couldn’t stay there and wait for Bingwen to recapture him. He had to go find his friends
and warn them that others were hunting their kind. Telling Zhou the emperor had
turned other dragons against them would be painful. His leader had always fought for
the prosperity of dragon kind, to learn of their betrayal would be a hard blow. Hopefully
the king of the Coral Sea was the exception instead of the norm for dragons.

“You need to go,”

Proteus prodded him.

Crap

“I will come back for you. I’m not going to leave you here forever. If you don’t want to

shift, you’ll have to wait until I can get help.”

The sea dragon’s melancholy increased like an icy shard piercing his heart. “I

understand. Save yourself.”

Guilt stabbed at him like broken shards of glass. “As soon as I find my people I will be

back. I promise.”

The little shifter nodded, but Liang could feel his distress mingled with fear. He

suppressed a burst of anger at the shifter’s resistance over leaving.

“I’ll be here when you return.”
“I wish I didn’t have to leave you behind, but I won’t have hands to hold you in dragon

form.” He hated to admit a weakness, but if he couldn’t confess a flaw to his mate, who
could he confess to?

“I understand. Good luck finding your friends.”
Liang wished he knew what his mate looked like. “When I come back will you show

me your human form?”

“If it’s the right time.”
At least now he had a reason to survive.
He nodded his goodbye to Proteus, unable to say any more words as the pain of

separation twisted him up inside.

Proteus seemed to understand since he returned the nod and said nothing else. Liang

went to the door and opened it. Some magical force field kept the water out. He checked
around, but the king of the Coral Sea must’ve gone off to get a snack because Liang saw
no one as he shifted back into his dragon shape then swam away.

Chapter Two

Aden Gale sat in a chair in his front room and stared out at the water. The waves of the
Puget Sound crashed back and forth in a primal dance he never got tired of watching.
Ever since he’d transformed into a dragon Aden could see more, hear more, and feel
more than he ever had before. In some ways he enjoyed his heightened senses, but other
days he longed to return to his pure human existence. People had lower expectations of a
killer than a dragon king.

If Aden concentrated hard enough he could feel where every one of his people stood

on the earth, both his son and the others he’d claimed as his own. The scent of his mate
filled his nose seconds before Gallen’s warm, firm hand slid across Aden’s shoulder.

“What’s wrong?”
Aden smiled. No one worried about him like Gallen did. Everyone else thought Aden

could take care of himself, but his sorcerer lover kept a close eye on Aden’s moods,
always eager to jump in if Aden needed anything.

“Nothing.”
He hadn’t shared with Gallen his new super awareness of the world around him.

Partly because he didn’t want to worry his mate, but mostly because he wondered how
much weirdness one person could handle before he decided to leave. If his mate ever
jumped ship, Gallen would take the best part of Aden’s humanity with him.

His newly awakened dragon half wouldn’t accept the loss with any kind of grace. Most

people thought Aden was dangerous enough, but without Gallen to ground him no one
would be safe.

Gallen leaned down to kiss Aden on the cheek. “You’re always thinking of something.

You spend more time contemplating things in one afternoon than most people do their
entire week.”

“I was thinking that if you left me my dragon would take over.” Aden winced at his

abrupt confession.

Gallen walked around the chair. He climbed onto Aden’s lap and straddled his hips

until  Aden  had  to  look  his  lover  in  the  eyes.  “Why  would  I  ever  leave  you?  You’re  the
love  of  my  life,  and  my  mate.  I  know  you  don’t  understand  how  it  works  with
supernaturals,  but  by  now  you  should  know  the  permanence  of  mates.  Doesn’t  your
dragon tell you we belong together?”

Aden sought out his inner beast. The dragon hissed his discontent over what he

considered Aden’s foolish concerns. Of course they would keep the sorcerer. One’s mate
stayed no matter what. Worry slid off Aden like water down his scales. “You’re right, my
dragon is quite happy with our bond. I’m just borrowing trouble.”

Gallen smiled. “You don’t need to borrow trouble, it hunts you down and insists on

paying interest.”

“I have never loved anyone like I love you,” Aden confessed. “It scares me to need

anyone so badly.”

Vowels and syllables spun in his head forming words of love, commitment, and a

bonding so deep that if he ever lost Gallen it would shatter him inside.

Gallen cupped Aden’s face. “Don’t. You never have to worry about that. I won’t leave

you and I’m really difficult to kill. We’ll be fine.”

Aden couldn’t stop a harsh laugh from escaping. “I turned into a dragon, my love. I

will never be fine again.”

“True, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It does make it easier for you to protect

your boys. I know how much they mean to you.”

Before he found his mate, his son and his son’s friends had been everything to Aden.

Now Gallen had been added to the ever-expanding circle of people under Aden’s
protection. “I know I said it before, but I really think it’s time to move in with Carey.”

“Because of the treasure? Does your dragon not like the separation?” Gallen didn’t

seem upset over the idea, more like he was seeking an explanation.

Aden shrugged. “It’s not that, well not entirely that. I feel something coming,

something evil. If the emperor or any of those creatures out there try to attack my family
I want to be there when it happens.”

“As much as I love your place, I’m happy to stay wherever you are. A place isn’t what

makes a home, the people inside make it worthwhile. If you think it would be better for
us to move in with your son than that’s what we’ll do.”

Aden kissed Gallen on the forehead. “I appreciate that. You’re always so supportive.”
“That’s what mates do. They look out for each other. Besides, I think your dragon will

be happier next to your treasure.” Gallen paused as if thinking something over. “It’s
interesting that Carey can sense it even if he can’t transform into a dragon.”

“Yeah, it makes me wonder if eventually he’ll get more dragon abilities.” Aden hadn’t

become a dragon until his forties, what skills would his son begin to exhibit as he got
older? Aden approved of anything that would help keep Carey safe. Breathing fire might
be a good start.

A loud splash turned their attention to the window. With a sense of dread Aden

watched a large blue dragon emerge from the water.

“Is the Puget Sound a dragon portal and no one ever told me?” Gallen asked.
“You’d think so wouldn’t you? Should we go greet the new dragon?”
“Might as well. We’ve learned from experience they just don’t go away if you ignore

them. That would be another benefit to moving into the mansion. No water creatures
would pop out and come to see us.”

Aden laughed. “This one has horrible timing. I was looking forward to bending you

over the couch again.”

Memories of the last time Aden pounded into his mate’s gorgeous ass while Gallen

clung to the back cushions slid through his head. He grabbed Gallen’s hips and pulled
him closer to show his mate proof of his arousal.

Gallen moaned. “Damn, that would’ve been nice. We’ll have to restrain ourselves to

the bedroom if we move in with Carey. I’d hate to scar him by having him walk in while
you’re fucking me.”

“We’ll keep this place for alone time,” Aden promised. “But on a day-to-day basis we

should live with the boys. I might ask Denton to move back in with us, too.”

“I doubt he’ll want to leave his house. I mean, he has his own pool and a heated rock,

that’s paradise to a crocodile shifter.”

Aden sighed. “True. Maybe if he’s careful it won’t matter. I think dragons are the

target not other shifters, and Denton is mean enough to take care of himself.”

A loud roar outside made Aden growl himself.
“We’d best go see the dragon,” Gallen said. “He sounds impatient.”
“Aren’t they always?” Aden reluctantly released his mate and allowed Gallen to stand.

There were so many other things he’d prefer to do with the sexy sorcerer, going to talk to
another lost dragon was low on his list.

Holding hands, they left their home and walked across the street. The dragon watched

them approach, his expression wary. Before they reached him the beast transformed into
an Asian man complete with dragon scale clothing.

“Welcome to Seattle,” Gallen said.
The dragon ignored Gallen, his dark eyes fixated on Aden as if he carried the mysteries

of the universe in the palm of his hand and planned to hand them over for free.

“My mate greeted you, it’s polite to say hello.” Aden had to push back his inner dragon

or he’d shift and rip out the other dragon’s throat. No one disrespected his mate.

“Forgive me,” the dragon bowed to Gallen, “I was surprised to see a true royal dragon

here. Are you trapping the other in hopes of selling us to the emperor?”

Aden frowned. “What in the hell are you talking about? I thought we were fighting the

emperor?”

The dragon shifter sighed. “Good. Do you have someplace private we can talk?”
“Come with us.” Aden turned around and headed back across the street. This was

becoming repetitive. Find a dragon and take it home.

“I don’t like this new habit you’ve acquired of collecting stray dragons,” Gallen

complained as if reading Aden’s mind. “They’re too large to keep as pets.”

“But what else can the other kids play with?” Aden batted his eyes at his mate and

smiled when Gallen burst into laughter.

No one said anything else until they were back inside.
“Please have a seat,” Aden pointed to one of the overstuffed chairs.
“Thank you.” The dragon sat gingerly on the edge.
“I promise no one in this room plans to harm you,” Aden said, watching the dragon’s

cautious stance.

“We can’t make any promises once you leave here though,” Gallen said. “Seattle is rife

with danger these days.”

Aden opened his mouth to object to his mate’s comment about their home city then he

recalled the events of the past few weeks. Maybe Gallen had a good point.

The dragon nodded. “Fair enough.”
“What’s your name?” Aden asked.
“I am Liang.”
Aden nodded, recognizing the name. “I’ve met two of your friends.”
“Which ones?” Liang leaned forward eagerly. “I was searching for them and my

instincts led me to you. I was looking for Zhou.”

“I’m a newly awakened dragon.” Aden didn’t say more. He didn’t know Liang and

refused to spill out his soul to a complete stranger, even if they were on the same side.

“Ahh, you are very powerful, but I can’t tell what kind of dragon you are, only that

you have the energy to be king.” Liang stared at Aden as if trying to pry open his soul
and check what’s inside.

“That’s not important,” Gallen interrupted. “Zhou and Jiang are living with Aden’s son

right now. If you want to see them we can take you over.”

“How do I know it’s not a trap?” Liang’s gaze jumped from Gallen to Aden then back

again.

“You don’t. I could have you call the house and talk to your leader, but you still

wouldn’t know if he was being forced to say the right things.” Aden knew there was no
way to truly make the dragon more comfortable about going with them. “You can either
trust us or go back to the sea. It makes no difference to me.”

Aden preferred that all the dragons were reunited, but it wasn’t his duty, he had

enough problems on his plate. The annoying reptiles had already brought a dangerous
emperor into their lives Aden and had no wish to encourage others to be against them.

Silence filled the living room like an oppressive weight, but Aden didn’t back down.

He waited for Liang’s conclusion.

“I don’t want to fight you. I have little doubt I would lose. I could feel your power

across oceans and you should keep in mind that if I can feel you, so can others,” Liang
warned. “You stand out like a beacon for dragon kind.”

“Another reason to go live with Carey,” Gallen said. “The mansion is reinforced and it

might tamp down the power you project.”

“I’ll not cower behind magical walls. If the emperor wants me he can come and try to

take me.” Aden wouldn’t back down from a battle, but he would move to keep his mate
safe.

“He won’t fight fair. He will take your child, he will take your mate then he will kill

them and send you back their parts.” Liang said with the hollow tone of someone who’d
experienced the horror.

“Did he do that to you?”
Liang nodded. “My parents and my little brother tried to resist. He cut off their fingers

and toes and sent them to me. When I came to rescue them it was already too late. If it’s
the last thing I do, I will see that man dead.”

“You might have to stand in line,” Aden warned.
Liang explained about his encounter. “I woke up in a cage in the Coral Sea, my captor

was a water dragon named Bingwen. He was certain he could exchange me for favors
from the emperor. The emperor has offered a bounty for us.”

“That’s information Zhou should know. I’m afraid we have to drive. So far none of the

other dragons have appreciated a car trip,” Aden said.

“I haven’t ridden in one of these cars before. I am eager for the experience,” Liang

announced.

Aden shook his head remembering the stench of fear that had filled the vehicle each

time he’d driven a dragon anywhere. “You’ve been warned. If you knew where my son

lived I’d let you fly there. You couldn’t get in, but at least you wouldn’t have to ride in a
car.”

Liang shrugged. “I’ll have to get used to it some time. Flying takes a lot of energy,

which is why we rode horses.”

“Didn’t the horses get upset?” Gallen asked.
“Why?” Liang asked, a bewildered expression on his face.
“Well, don’t you eat them?” Gallen winced after he asked the question.
Aden had to laugh at his diplomatic mate. It probably hurt Gallen’s sense of manners

to discuss horse chomping with a stranger. His sweet sorcerer didn’t like to make other
people uncomfortable.

“No. Horses were too valuable to eat. In my time a good horse was worth its weight in

gold.”

“The only horse I have is a Mustang and it’s made out of metal. We’ll have to take

that.” Aden motioned for the dragon to follow him to the garage.

Liang made little fuss on the way to Carey’s house and if his claws pierced the

upholstery more than once, Aden didn’t find it worth mentioning. They pulled up in
front of the mansion and Aden pressed the intercom button by the gate.

After verifying who they were, the gates opened.
Liang’s dark eyes swept the area, his gaze bright and curious. “This is a lot of security

for one person’s house, both magical and physical.”

“Other than my mate, the people most important to me live here. I need to know

they’re safe.” Aden wouldn’t apologize for his security measures. Even before he’d
become the king of all dragons he’d been possessive of his child and Carey’s friends.

People were already spilling out of the front door when they pulled up.
“What’s up, Dad? I wasn’t expecting you today.” Carey walked over to greet Aden.
“I would’ve called, but I didn’t know if it was a trap or not.” He had no idea if Liang’s

story was true. The only way to verify it was to bring him to the other dragons. They
could get rid of him if it turned out he was lying.

Zhou, the leader of the water dragons, stepped out of a house. “Liang!” he exclaimed.
The joy on the dragon shifter’s face told Aden he’d made the right decision to bring

Liang to the mansion.

“I’m going to go talk with Eaton.” Gallen kissed Aden lightly on the lips then trailed

after the eagle shifter.

“I need to talk to you,” Aden told Carey.
“Let’s go talk in the library,” Carey headed back inside the house.
Aden followed his son through the twisted hallways while dodging the flow of people

coming and going. Finally, they reached the library and settled in comfy leather chairs
facing each other.

“What can I do for you, Dad?” Carey asked.
“Would it be possible for me and Gallen to move in? I don’t think it’s safe at my place

anymore. If Gallen were to be captured by my enemies, no one would be safe.”

Carey sat for a moment without saying a word. “This is as much your house as it is

mine. I have no problem with the two of you moving in. Did you discuss it with him?”

“Yes. He thinks I should be closer to my treasure anyway.”
Carey laughed. “He’s probably right.”
“He usually is.”
Leaning back in his chair, Carey seemed to be considering something.
“What is it?” His son didn’t usually hesitate to say whatever was on his mind. This new

pondering side disquieted Aden.

“I’m wondering where to put you. Maybe we should knock out a wall between two

rooms to make you a master suite. After all, if you’re truly the king of dragons then we
can’t put you in a small attic room.”

Aden snorted. “Do you really think a title has changed me?”
“No, but it might change how other shifters react to you. We need them to feel you’re

in charge of everything here. If you are truly the king of dragons they’ll expect you to
have the best.”

“I don’t want to take away your leadership, I just want a safe place for Gallen to live.

He might be a powerful sorcerer, but the emperor has lots of people willing take his life
or use him for his magic.”

“Are you still going to let him go back to school?”
Aden’s skin crawled at the thought, the mere idea of his beloved wandering across

campus unprotected set Aden’s inner dragon snarling. Aden clenched his fingers around
the arms of the chair. “I’m hoping he can take some of his classes remotely. If not, I’ll
have to send him to school with bodyguards and we both know how well that will go
over. I don’t want to make him a prisoner, even if it’s for his own safety.”

As much as he loved his mate, he was under no illusion that Gallen would appreciate

having guards follow him from class to class. Gallen had worked hard to break free of his
father’s dictatorship and Aden didn’t wish to make him feel crowded once again.

“Don’t worry, Dad, you’ll figure it out.”
“Then you’re more optimistic about it than I am.” Still, Carey’s faith eased some of

Aden’s anxiety. Together they would figure out a way to let Gallen study without
putting Aden’s mate in danger.

A knock at the library door startled the men out of their discussion.
“Yes?” Carey shouted.
The door swung open and Zhou stuck his head inside. “We have a problem. Liang had

to leave his mate behind. We need to go to Australia and fetch him.”

“Why didn’t he bring his mate with him?” Aden didn’t understand how the dragon

could bear to abandon the other half of his soul. His opinion of Liang took a hit.

“Apparently he can’t shift into his human form right now for some reason,” Zhou said.

“He’s a leafy sea dragon and the change in temperature could have killed him.”

“Oh, I saw an exhibit of those at the Seattle Aquarium. They’re fascinating creatures.”

Aden stood to face the dragon leader. “But they’re pretty delicate.”

“We don’t know why he can’t change?” Carey asked.
It did seem quite peculiar that a shifter wouldn’t be willing to change back into a

human to travel with his mate. “Didn’t he want to come back here?”

Maybe it was the shifter’s way of escaping his mating. Aden knew not all shifters

appreciated the mating compulsion, they saw it as a way to control them.

“I thought I’d go back to help fight the Coral Sea king if necessary,” Zhou said. “Maybe

we can learn more then.”

Aden raised his eyebrows. He didn’t like things that didn’t make sense.
“How are we going to solve the water issue? We don’t exactly have tropical water in

the Puget Sound.” The Pacific Northwest had cold water even in the summer months,
not a proper environment for a sea dragon.

“We could get him a tank.” Carey stood up. “There’s a tropical fish store at the bottom

of the hill, we could get all the equipment we need there. Maybe Gallen can do
something to ease the transition.”

“The parlor is a good spot for an aquarium. It’s not really used for anything.” Aden

envisioned a large tank filling one wall and nodded. “It should be fine there.”

“Thanks. I’m going back with Liang to make sure his mate is safe. I don’t want to leave

him in the hands of a crazy dragon. If we have to, we can stay in Australia for a bit while
you set everything up,” Zhou said.

“Are you taking Jiang with you?” Carey asked.
Zhou shook his head. “No. If I leave Jiang here I can use him for communication.”
“I can mentally talk to you,” Aden reminded him.
“Not like Jiang. If I’m across the other side of the world my connection with Jiang is

still strong.”

Aden couldn’t argue with his reasoning. “Do you need backup?”
It had been several days since Aden had done any fighting, retirement had cut back the

number of battles, but not the intensity. His fingers twitched, missing the hard, rough
grip of his Glock or the smooth barrel of his favorite shotgun. Trained in killing, there
were few weapons Aden hadn’t managed to master at one point or another in his career.

“No. I think two dragons will be enough.” Zhou’s hard mouth curled up at one end.

“Besides, I think it would be better if we saved you for a rainy day. The emperor might be
aware of your existence, but other dragons haven’t come forward to join or oppose you. I
think he hasn’t told anyone else.”

“Ah, the element of surprise.” Aden appreciated a sneaky strategy. “I’ll stay put then.

Test our telepathic link if you want while you’re gone. I’ll work with Gallen to have the
sea dragon’s home ready when he arrives.”

“Thank you,” Zhou’s formal bow had Aden returning the gesture.
Aden still didn’t appreciate his leadership role. Being thrust into the position of king of

the dragon world hadn’t been on his to do list. Now, despite his vow to retire, he had the
responsibility of dragon kind on his plate. His destiny didn’t include lying on the couch
and watching television. Good thing he never bothered to buy cable.

“Did you get a chance to go through your grandmother’s diaries yet?” Aden asked his

son.

“No.” Frustration threaded through Carey’s tone. “I’ve been trying to get the

household settled and find places for the new dragons and push out the hawks. I didn’t
know I’d become a halfway house for the paranormal.”

Aden sighed. “Nothing has turned out quite like we planned. Once we depose the

Chapter Three

Proteus drifted around the aquarium. His heart pounded against his narrow chest.
Careful not to over exhaust himself, he settled near the bottom by the coral. He could do
this. No matter if his heart ached from the absence of his mate and he worried he’d never
see Liang again.

A mate wouldn’t lie. He repeated the mantra over and over as he waited. Either

Bingwen would return and kill Proteus after all, or Liang would return before Proteus
could leave. He couldn’t chance it. Transportation could kill the eggs. They needed to
hatch before Proteus could change back.

He lifted his tail to get a better look at where the eggs lay along his brood patch. They

had  darkened  recently,  turning  a  bit  orange.  A  good  sign.  Soon  they  would  hatch  and
he’d have babies to raise. Only two. His mood darkened. If Bingwen hadn’t killed Leana
there  would’ve  been  more.  He’d  been  furious  when  he  discovered  she’d  hidden  her
pregnancy. Bingwen might’ve raped Leana to create with a fabled sea dragon, but she’d
gotten  even  by  laying  them  as  sea  dragon  eggs.  Proteus  had  been  her  best  friend  and
agreed  to  carry  them  until  hatching.  She’d  snuck  away  and  transferred  her  eggs  to
Proteus before dying of complications. Unfortunately Bingwen had found out, captured
Proteus and put the sea dragon in the tank to keep him healthy until he hatched the eggs.

Damn he missed her. He’d only come to visit because she’d sent him a distress code.

They’d had an emergency call set between them when they were mere hatchlings and
floating in the sea together.

He pushed away the bad thoughts, worried the negative energy might affect the

hatchlings. Proteus would carry them for several more days before they would be able to
hatch. At least he wasn’t a seahorse. The thought of squirting eggs out of his abdomen
had him shuddering. Yes, much better to be a sea dragon.

Where was his mate? Beautiful Liang with his smooth skin and understanding eyes

would return, Proteus had no doubt, but would he return before the eggs were hatched?
Bingwen would kill Proteus once he was no longer needed and from the look of the eggs,
that moment could be any time now. Maybe he should’ve told Liang why he couldn’t
transform. He needed to keep the eggs in the brood patch on his tail or they wouldn’t get
the proper amount of oxygen and nutrients. Without that support they could die. He had
no idea where they’d end up if he transformed into a human, and he couldn’t chance
that they would simply fall to the ground and break.

A low hum had Proteus edging to the corner of the aquarium. Liang appeared outside

of the dome alongside another water dragon.

“Greetings, Proteus.”
“Greetings, Liang.”
Joy infused Proteus. Liang had returned.
The eggs wiggled a bit as if they had absorbed a bit of his happiness. He glanced down,

wondering once again. Leana had sworn she had a dream of them being one girl and one

boy. Proteus didn’t know if she was right or not, but whatever they were, Proteus would
protect them with his life even if he had to go up against Bingwen to do it. They were the
last bits of his dear friend on this earth and he would guard them with everything he
had.

A loud roar pulsed through the dome. Only a water dragon could push sound through

water with such ferocity. Bingwen swam into view stopping a few feet from the pair of
dragons. His fury scattered the fish in the sea.

“You dare invade my kingdom!”

Bingwen roared.

“I’ve come for the sea dragon,”

Liang’s calm tone made a mockery of Bingwen’s rage.

“You can’t have him! He’s mine!”
Proteus didn’t bother to object. The king had never cared about facts before, Proteus

doubted Bingwen would bother with them now.

“He’s my mate!”

Liang said.

Crap! He should’ve warned the dragon not to say anything about that. Now Bingwen

would never let him go, especially if he could use that knowledge to further his standing
with the emperor.

“Too bad. He holds what is mine. I’m glad you brought your friend. More dragons for the

emperor.”

“You do notice you are outnumbered, right?”

Liang asked.

Bingwen swished his tail and puffed up his chest.
Proteus thought the dragon looked like a blowfish trying to intimidate a larger

predator.

“You were foolish to come here. I am King! I will destroy you.”
Proteus couldn’t even call it a battle. Bingwen attacked and the dragon to Liang’s right

reached over and snapped his neck. In seconds the dragon that had tortured Leana and
trapped Proteus was dead.

For several minutes Proteus stared at the Bingwen’s body floating in the sea. He almost

wished for a longer battle so Bingwen could’ve suffered more. This one had finished too
fast. Wow, he had no idea when he’d become so bloodthirsty.

“Are you all right, little fish?”

Liang asked.

“Yes.”

Bingwen hadn’t dared hurt Proteus once Leana had transferred her eggs. He’d

been too worried they would be injured. Too bad Proteus suspected he only wanted the
eggs to sell to the emperor, not to raise the children as his own. Bingwen had let slip the
emperor offered a good price, even for half-breed dragon eggs.

“We’ll be right there.”

Liang drifted over to the dome door. It only took the water

dragon a moment to reach Proteus.

“Where did the emperor put his people?”

Liang asked.

“He never had any subjects. I don’t think he was even a proper ruler. He announced himself a

king, but he never had any followers.”

“I did wonder at the lack of any signs of people. I’m going to create a ball of water to carry you

in. My friends in Seattle are getting you a tank set up. When we get there you will have a safe
home. Unless you’d rather stay here.”

Liang let his voice fade off.

Proteus shook his head. “No. I want to go with you.”
Would Liang still want him after he discovered the children?
“I’m going to get you out of there,”

Liang’s low and soothing tone eased some of Proteus’s

fears. Would he notice the eggs? If he didn’t understand about sea dragons Liang might
just think they were part of Proteus.

It was a miracle that Leana had been able to have any children. Sea dragons were

notoriously hard to breed. Proteus wouldn’t ruin her legacy by letting them die, even if it
meant losing his mate.

Proteus floated to the top of the tank as Liang transformed into his human shape. Liang

climbed the small ladder then popped off the top of the aquarium. “Easy now.”

Eager to escape his imprisonment, Proteus swam into Liang’s fingers. A ball of water

swirled around him as the dragon shifter lifted him out of the tank.

“Thank you.”

He didn’t know what else to say to his rescuers.

Up close Liang’s warm brown eyes glowed with power. “Be patient, it will take a while

to get back to Seattle. They almost have your new home set up”

“Seattle?”

He’d never been anywhere but Australia. “Will I like it there?”

“If you don’t we’ll find someplace else. As long as we stay out of China I don’t care

where we live.”

Proteus wondered about the China ban. Maybe one day Liang would tell him why.

They had a lot of things to sort out before then. He hadn’t expected Liang to climb onto
the back of the other shifter.

“I can’t keep you in your ball of water while in dragon shape,” Liang explained. “This

is my leader Zhou who will help us get back home. I’m going to ride on his back while I
carry you.”

Proteus nodded his understanding. If he’d given it any thought at all he would’ve

figured it out all by himself. The trauma of losing his best friend was still affecting his
thinking.

“Jiang said everything is set up.”
Proteus heard Zhou speak through his connection with Liang.
“That was fast.”
“Apparently they paid a lot for a rush job and the store had an aquarium on hand they were

trying to get rid of.”

“Do they need to acclimate the tank? I’m not taking Proteus only to have him die from transfer

shock.”

Zhou snuffled. “Gallen used magic.”
Gallen must be quite powerful. Proteus shivered at the thought of another sorcerer

near his babies.

Liang cradled Proteus’s ball of water close. With his water magic he kept Proteus cozy

in a warm swirl of water the exact temperature of the Coral Sea.

He thought it might take a while to get across the world, or at least he thought that’s

where Seattle was, but magic ignored geography and before long they were landing
beside an enormous fountain.

Liang climbed off his dragon shifter friend, careful to keep Proteus protected in his ball

of water as he walked toward a large house.

“Is this him?” A handsome blond man asked as they approached.
An older version of the man, with harder features, but just as gorgeous stood behind

him. Proteus wouldn’t want to be on the bad side of either of them.

“Aden, Carey, thanks for helping with this.”
“I have the aquarium all set up,” the younger man said.
“Thanks, Carey.” Liang headed in the direction Carey pointed.
Proteus couldn’t stop his mental screech of delight. Along one wall was an enormous

aquarium that stood from floor-to-halfway up the wall.

Liang came to a halt before it. “How did you get it installed so quickly?”
The older blond laughed. “You pay enough money you can get anything done.”
Proteus wouldn’t know, he never dealt with money before. His family had remained in

their  sea  dragon  shape  for  most  of  his  life.  They  had  preferred  the  simpler  life  of  a  sea
creature  to  the  more  complicated  human  existence.  Too  bad  they’d  been  caught  in  a
fisherman’s  net.  To  this  day  Proteus  didn’t  know  if  they  had  died  or  been  sold  to  an
aquarium.

Proteus let out a gasp of relief when he went from a confining ball of water to the

spacious aquarium.

“Thank you.”

He projected the words to the entire group of people who had come to

stand and watch him swim.

Various you’re welcomes were said back.
Liang stayed the closest. He pressed his hands to the glass as if trying to merge with

Proteus.

“Dude, you’re cleaning that,” Carey said, a scowl on his handsome face.
Liang lifted his hands. “Sorry, sorry I’ll clean it.”
“Do you think one day I could see your human form?” Liang asked.
Proteus braced himself against the wistful tone of the water dragon. He didn’t wish to

hurt his mate’s feelings.

“One day soon.”
“Why not now?”
Proteus drifted away and pretended not to hear him. The babies were so close to

hatching and he refused to endanger them. When he didn’t reply Liang spoke again.

“I hope one day you can trust me.”
He hoped so, too.
A shiver went through Proteus. He couldn’t answer, not over the instinct to shake his

tail. He shook then rested then shook again until finally they broke free. Two tiny sea
dragons drifted away from him.

“Congratulations, Liang, it looks like you’re a father.”
Proteus didn’t notice who spoke, his entire attention focused on the newborns. He

nudged them with his nose and sent telepathic waves of reassurance. For the most part
they ignored him as they went about exploring their new environment.

He floated to the side of the tank to peer out at Liang.

“Is this why you couldn’t shift?” the water dragon asked.
“Yes. I promised her I would see them safe.”
“You should have trusted your mate.”
Proteus could hear the pain in the dragon shifter’s voice.
“I didn’t know you. I didn’t know what you would do. Not all mates are good people. Leana’s

mate raped and killed her.”

The little sea dragons floated around him, their baby chatter sweeping away his

sadness. Now finished examining their aquarium they wanted food.

“What are they saying?”
“They’re hungry.”

Words were still beyond the babies, but they projected their hunger

and need for sustenance at Proteus.

“What do they eat?”
“Plankton is good.”
“I’ll get some.” Liang turned on his heel and walked away.
Proteus floated back to the little beasties. Sea dragons by nature weren’t nurturers, but

the human half of Proteus insisted on coddling the new babies. He played with them for
a while before he could tell they were tiring. They regained some of their joy when food
flakes drifted from above. The owners of the house had bought proper aquarium food.
Proteus approved. Once he was certain the children needed nothing else, Proteus went to
the top of the tank.

“Do you want out?”
Even upset, the dragon shifter remained attentive to Proteus’s needs.
“Yes, please.”
He let Liang scoop him up.
“Where should I set you?”
“On the floor’s fine.”
Liang looked like he might argue for a moment, but he set Proteus down where he

requested. “If everyone could give Proteus and me some privacy please?”

Proteus heard footsteps leaving the room. After a deep breath and a bit of focus,

Proteus shifted into his human form. It took a moment to relish the sensation of fingers
and toes and the crack of his spine as he twisted to one side then the other.

“Are you all right?”
“Yes, it’s been a while since I was human.”
“How long?”
He had to think back. Before his parent’s death, his friends attack, the eggs being

formed. “Too long.” The days and weeks and hours had blended together until there was
no measurable time he could pinpoint.

“I spent centuries as a statue,” Liang confessed.
Proteus nodded. They had both been prisoners in their own way.
He accepted Liang’s offered hand to get back to his feet. “Thank you.”
Without the water between them he could smell his mate’s natural fragrance. Liang

smelled of all things good and right in the world as a proper mate should. “You smell

great.”

Liang blushed. “You do, too.”
“I had always thought mates were always perfect for each other until Leana. Her mate

was a psychotic asshole.” Proteus shuddered remembering everything his friend went
through.

“Maybe at one time he wasn’t. I don’t know if there have been any studies about mates

changing. But maybe his personality was different when he first matched with her.”

Proteus shook his head. “I don’t think The Fates should get a pass, they’re responsible

for her death. If Leana hadn’t thought they were mates she wouldn’t have stayed with
him.”

“You have a point, but I think we’re a good match even if you hid your pregnancy

from me.”

“I wasn’t pregnant. I was merely holding the eggs.” Proteus scowled at his amused

mate. “It’s not funny. I’m not a girl.”

Liang wisely changed the subject. “Are they boys or girls?”
“What?”
“The babies. Are they boys or girls?”
“One boy and one girl.”
“What are you going to name them?”
“Leana picked out names as soon as she discovered she was pregnant. The girl is Kensi

and the boy is Tae. She gave me alternate choices if it turned out there were two boys or
two girls. She always swore she had a dream of farseeing that told her she’d have a boy
and a girl.”

“Kensi and Tae,” Liang said as if enjoying the sound of the words on his tongue.

“Those are cute names for adorable little sea creatures.”

“Yes they are. I wish they could meet their mother. Their father is no loss, but their

mother was my best friend. She was the most wonderful person I’ve ever met.”

Tears filled Proteus’s eyes. He’d never had a chance to mourn his friend. A happy lady

who would never know the joy of her babies.

“Come here.” Liang wrapped Proteus in his arms and held him while Proteus poured

out the buckets of grief he’d had shored up inside him.

“I’m. Sorry.” He gasped out between sobs.
“Shh, It’s okay let it all out.” Liang rubbed Proteus’s back.
Proteus leaned into his mate, absorbing the strength his partner could give him. “She

was a wonderful person.”

“And she will live on in her children,” Liang’s reassuring voice swept away some of

Proteus’s pain.

“Yes, she will.”
“We’ll get through this. I don’t have any experience with children, but we can figure it

out. Everyone here will be more than happy to help us. Aden has raised a child before so
we have at least one person with experience.”

“I don’t even know where here is besides Seattle.” He’d heard of Seattle, it was

somewhere in the United States, but he had no idea where it was located.

“You’re in Washington State at the Gale Mansion. Carey and Aden Gale are the

owners. Aden is a dragon king and Carey is his human son. There are a lot of different
shifters here. It’ll be safe for you here while I continue my search.”

“Search for what?”
Liang spent the next thirty minutes explaining his history. Proteus couldn’t believe

what he’d heard. He knew the emperor was an awful person, but to lock someone into
stone went far past anything Proteus could think of. The story of brave dragons and evil
magic wielders fascinated him. He dried up his tears and silently vowed to keep his mate
from becoming stone again.

“So far three of us have gotten together but Tian and Wei are still missing,” Liang

finished the story with that sad news. “We can’t feel them in our heads which is even
stranger.”

“Do you think they’ve fallen into the emperor’s clutches?” Proteus hoped that wasn’t

the case. The emperor had been responsible for enough death and destruction, he hoped
Liang’s friends hadn’t become part of the damage the emperor left behind in his wake.

“Yes, but since we don’t know where the emperor is hiding we can’t go and get them

out.”

“Surely he can’t be that hard to find, not someone that intent on gaining more power.”
“You’d think so wouldn’t you? But even the sorcerers weren’t sure he was still alive

until recently.”

“What are you going to do?”
Liang’s mouth flattened into a straight line. “Whatever I can to get my friends back.”
A chill shivered down Proteus’s spine. “I just found you, I don’t want to lose you

already.”

“You won’t. Despite what you might think, I’m very cautious.”
His words were what Proteus wanted to hear, but the determination in Liang’s eyes

told a different story.

“Good. There is much I still need to learn about you.”
Liang pulled Proteus close until Proteus’s naked body pressed against Liang from chest

to toe. Overwhelmed, Proteus whimpered when Liang’s lips touched his. It wasn’t even a
proper kiss, barely a brush of lips together, but passion exploded through Proteus like
someone lit an entire bundle of dynamite.

“Come back to my room,” Liang said once he finally lifted his head.
“Okay.” Proteus had played the field hard and often, but none of those men had ever

both melted him and seared him with sexual energy so strong he could be his own power
plant.

Liang kissed him again. “You are amazing. Even with green hair you’ll always be a

surprise.”

“It’s not green it’s brownish,” Proteus snarled. In human form Proteus’s hair took on

the greenish brown hue of his sea dragon color, an odd color in the human world and not
one that he could ever successfully bleach out.

“It’s gorgeous, like you. You have nothing to be afraid of.” Liang’s firm tone told

Proteus his mate wasn’t just saying the words, he truly meant them.

“Thanks.” His face grew hot as Proteus examined his bare feet. “I’m glad you like how

I look.”

“Oh darling, I don’t like it.” Liang lifted Proteus’s chin so he had to meet the water

dragon’s eyes. “I love it.”

Proteus grinned. “We should take this back to your room then and you can see what

else you might love.”

“Great idea. Only problem is I don’t know where there are any clothes around.”
“No problem.” Proteus concentrated. A soft tug told him he’d reached his goal.
“You can be invisible?” Liang stared at the spot Proteus had been standing in before,

astonishment clear on his face.

“Hey, Liang, where’s the new daddy?” Jiang asked, walking over to the tank. “I heard

we have babies, where are they?”

“They’re in there somewhere.” Liang said, distracted by Proteus’s disappearance.

“How do you do that?” he hissed at his mate.

Proteus grabbed Liang’s wrist and pulled him along until they were out of the room.

Once they were clear of the doorway he rematerialized. “Sea dragons can camouflage
themselves against predators.”

“So you can essentially make yourself invisible.”
“Pretty much.” Proteus didn’t usually put it that way because it wasn’t entirely

accurate, but if Liang wished to label his light bending as invisibility he’d let it slide.

Footsteps had him pulling the reflection around him again. He had no wish to meet the

others stark naked.

Liang blindly reached and grabbed Proteus. With amazing deftness considering he

couldn’t see him, Liang lifted Proteus into his arms and carried him down the hall.

“Romantic,” Proteus sniggered.
“Practical,” Liang countered.
Proteus laughed when Liang ran down the corridor and slid through an open door at

the end. A big bed took over much of the room, the rest was coated with maps, charts
and bits of clothing tossed about.

Liang kicked the door closed then tossed Proteus at the bed.
“Not much of a cleaner are you?” He dropped his camouflage and tried to strike a sexy

pose on the rumbled comforter.

“I’ll be neater if it makes you happy.” Liang stopped to eye the room. “We’ll have to

talk to Carey about getting a bigger space for the children to share.”

“Not for another year. They’ll spend their first year in their sea dragon form.”
“But you said they’re half water dragon. Anything could happen.”
“True.” Liang had a good point. You never knew what could happen with hybrids

which was why most shifters stayed with their own kind.

“We’ll cross that problem when we get it,” Liang said. “Right now we’re going to have

couple time then we can go back and concentrate on the kids afterward.”

“Sounds fair. You are way too dressed for the occasion,” he pointed out.
“One thing about mating with a water dragon. We can easily shed our clothing.”

Liang’s clothes vanished as soon as he finished speaking, revealing a sexy man with an

erection big enough to make any lover happy—if he knew how to use it.

“Nice. Come here and show me what you got,” Proteus crooked a finger at the water

dragon.

“I certainly will.”
Liang climbed up on the bed and straddled Proteus, letting him feel the strength in his

mate’s body. The missing piece in his life snapped together and he sighed as the other
half of his soul slid into place with a soft click.

“What was that?” Liang asked.
“What?”
“I heard something.”
Proteus almost didn’t tell him. The denial hovered on his lips, but a stern look from

Liang’s piercing eyes had him giving in. “Sea dragons are different.”

“I’ll say.” Liang grinned as he rubbed against Proteus.
Proteus laughed. “No. When we find out mates we literally find the other half of

ourselves. Sea dragons are born with only half a soul and The Fates plant the other half in
our mates. I now have a complete soul.”

From Liang’s expression he didn’t think he explained it well enough. The dragon had

turned from frowning to a panicky expression in his eyes. Instead of the hard shaft
pressed against him, Liang’s body had lost its enthusiastic spirit.

“Is there a problem?” Proteus prodded when Liang didn’t speak.
“No. I-I just. I’ve never heard of that. If you didn’t find me you would’ve gone through

life with half a soul.” The horror in Liang’s tone resonated with Proteus.

“Hey.” He cupped Liang’s face between his hands. “I never knew the difference. Now

I do.”

There weren’t any words to explain the new joy he experienced in Liang’s arms.
“I’ll never abandon you,” Liang vowed.
“I know you won’t.” Soul mates couldn’t leave each other. He wondered if that was

why his friend had stayed. Had she been unable to tear herself away from the her mate
or were they not truly mates at all and she was making the best of a bad situation. Since
both parties were dead it didn’t matter now.

“The Fates have been unkind in their treatment of you, my mate,” Liang said.
His low, tender tone wrapped Proteus up in a bundle of caring he wanted to roll

around in and savor like a fine wine. He’d drunk wine once at a human party he’d
attended. He’d been tipsy for days. Apparently wine and sea dragons didn’t mix.

“They are doing good now.” Proteus kissed Liang, putting all his pent up passion into

the press of lips.

Liang slid his fingers through Proteus’s hair and broke off their kiss to speak. “They

sure are.”

Moans, sighs and rubbing friction finished off their conversation.
“Lube,” Proteus groaned.
“What’s that?” Liang asked.
“Lubricant, it’s what you use to make sure I’m not screaming when you shove that

thick log into me.” Proteus reached for the drawer in the side table. A new container of

lube slid forward. “This!”

He waved the tube at Liang. “Want me to prep myself?”
Liang rolled to the side. “Oh yes, this I want to see.”
The hunger in his mate’s eyes had Proteus slicking up his fingers and pushing them

inside his hole. He made a show of it, sliding deep and pushing on his prostate while he
loosened himself up.

“Enough!” Liang shouted. His flushed face and glazed expression sent a shaft of pride

through Proteus, he’d reduced this man to a ball of need.

“I’m ready.”
“I hope so. I can’t handle any more. If I have to watch you pleasure yourself much

longer I’ll spurt all over the blankets, and I’d prefer we enjoy this together.”

“Me, too.” Proteus rolled over to his hands and knees. “I’m all yours.”
“No.” Liang flipped Proteus back over in a stunning show of strength. “I need to see

your face. I want to know you are enjoying this as much as I am.”

Proteus almost objected, but Liang’s intense expression changed his mind.
“Sure. Whatever you want.” Proteus hooked his hands beneath his legs and spread

himself open for his mate.

“Oh, The Fates must have decided I’m their new favorite,” Liang whispered.
“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.

Chapter Four

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.

Chapter Five

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.
“I can’t protect everyone.” The hopelessness in Aden’s tone twisted Gallen up in side.
Gallen couldn’t let Aden’s statement stand. “You don’t need to protect everyone, just

the dragons, your son and his friends.”

Truth to be told Carey could probably take care of himself, and the half of the world his

father couldn’t handle. For a human, even one with dragon blood, Carey was
intimidating.

Aden groaned. “But I don’t want to be in charge of every dragon on the planet. I can

barely take care of the ones who keep showing up. I’ll have to buy another property if
these dragons don’t get places of their own.”

Pleased his mate had shifted gears, Gallen played along. “Did you forget the fortune

buried under the fountain?” He liked poking the dragon. His position as Aden’s mate
allowed him to be one of the few who could get away with teasing the tough alpha male.

“That’s my treasure!” Aden growled his discontent like a child not wanting to give up

his teddy bear.

Gallen chuckled. “I’m sure you can free up a couple of gold coins to buy more real

estate.”

“Not if I can help it. Besides, don’t they have hordes of their own?” Aden’s pouty tone

sent Gallen into peals of laughter.

“You really are a dragon.” Gallen kissed Aden’s forehead.
Aden grunted. “The scales and sharp teeth didn’t tip you off before?”
“They were rather subtle.” Gallen moved until he could snuggle in closer to his mate.

He slid a leg over Aden’s thigh and settled his head on his lover’s breastbone in a spot
reserved just for him. These moments of gentleness meant more to him than their hours
of hot sweaty sex. Aden showed a hard, cold side to most of the world. Only those Aden
trusted got a peek at the kind man who would give anything for the ones he loved.

Aden slid an arm around Gallen and pulled him closer. “I like you here with me.”
“Yeah,” Gallen sighed. “Me, too.”
Before Aden, no one had ever wanted to hold him close. His past few encounters had

been rushed, hurried affairs. No one who knew his father had dared to chance a
relationship with Gallen, not when they knew they’d be turned into a mindless slave.
Aden didn’t fear him. Gallen doubted Aden feared anyone.

“I don’t want you fighting,” Aden said. “I want you here, safe. If the emperor comes

after me I want you to run to the other sorcerers. I think they’ll protect you because you
are one of their own.”

Gallen snorted. “If you think I’m going to abandon you then you’re crazier than a cat

shifter on catnip.”

Aden’s body shook with laughter. “I’ll have to get a bunch and see if Broden is

susceptible. Do you think jaguars like catnip?”

“I don’t know. It could be a fun test, though Carey might gut you for teasing his mate.”
Aden snorted. “Are you kidding? He’d probably buy me the catnip.”
Aden’s voice rumbled beneath Gallen’s ear. He rubbed his cheek against his mate’s

firm, muscled body. They lay there for several minutes, wallowing in their closeness.

“How’s your head?” Gallen asked.
“It’s feeling better. I don’t feel as if a spike is trying to shove its way through my

forehead any more.”

“That’s good. Do you think the vision triggered your migraine?”
“Yeah. I’m hoping it isn’t a sign of things to come.”
“Me, too.” Gallen rubbed a hand across Aden’s stomach, trying to soothe his mate

through touch.

“Do you think Carey would go away for a bit if I asked?”
“No.” Gallen answered truthfully. “I think he’d pull out his big guns and chase after

whoever threatened you. You taught him to take care of himself. Let him do it.”

“It’s hard. I prepared Carey to take on an army single-handed, but I never actually

thought he’d need all the training.”

“I think deep down a part of you must’ve.”
Aden didn’t speak for a long while. “Maybe.”

Gallen toyed with Aden’s collar for a bit, slipping his fingers beneath the fabric and

rubbing the skin underneath. “Liang’s nervous about being a new father, you should let
him know you’ll be there if he needs any advice.”

Aden slid his fingers into Gallen’s hair and massaged his scalp gently. “I learned by

trial and error. I’m not exactly a role model for sensible parenting or did you not notice
my son is a killing machine.” Aden sounded more proud than concerned about his son’s
prowess.

“True, but he loves you so you must’ve done something right,” Gallen insisted. He’d

never felt even a fraction of the devotion Carey exhibited toward Aden for his own
father. Of course his father had been a sociopath so maybe Gallen didn’t have a good
basis for comparison.

“I got lucky.”
Gallen smiled, warmed by Aden’s defense of his child. “You never give yourself

enough credit. That’s why you need me to point out how awesome you are.” Gallen
kissed Aden’s neck, the only spot he could reach from his current position.

“I’m glad you think so. I started training Carey when he was really young. First hand

to hand combat, then knives, then guns. I’m not sure my lessons would be appropriate
for sea dragon shifters. They seem like pretty gentle creatures.”

“Maybe, but Proteus helped Liang get out of there. Don’t discount him because he’s

small.”

“I won’t. Some of the deadliest assassins are successful because they look innocent. Did

Zhou leave?”

Gallen nodded. “He took Liang with him instead. Liang sees the emperor as a possible

threat to his children and wants him eliminated. I gave Zhou one of the disposable
phones. He’s supposed to call if he runs into trouble.” They kept a basket of disposables
because the hawk shifters often lost them in flight. Carey had set up tracking on each one
so that they could be retrieved later.

“How did Proteus take that?”
“He was supportive. Besides I think Liang is going so he can scope out the area in case

you do decide to send his mate.”

“Thanks. You always take care of everything,” Aden said.
“That’s part of my job as your mate to make sure you have whatever you need.”
Aden kissed Gallen’s forehead. “I can think of something else I need right now.”
Lying next to his mate and inhaling his luscious scent had Gallen harder than the stone

fountain outside.

“Always thinking with your other head,” Gallen teased.
“I’m a simple man with simple needs. Having you lie beside me in bed doesn’t make

me want to play checkers.”

Gallen laughed against Aden’s neck. Damn, he adored this man. “I love being your

mate I’m glad you finally gave in.”

“I had to. Your puppy dog eyes were breaking my heart,” Aden teased.
“Couldn’t have that,” Gallen agreed. “Your heart belongs to me, bandaged up and all.”
Aden smiled up at him. “It’s yours.”

He rolled them until Gallen lay beneath him. Aden’s eyes glowed, his dragon staring

down at him like he was the best part of his treasure.

“I’ll prove I’m the perfect mate for you.”
“You don’t have anything to prove.” Aden smoothed his hands across Gallen’s cheeks.

“I already know you’re perfect.”

Gallen smiled. Happiness flowed through their mate bond.
“I’m glad you kissed me. If you hadn’t I would’ve stayed in that coffin in the garden.”

He shuddered as he remembered being under that spell. Maybe that’s why he
sympathized with the dragons. He’d only been frozen for a few months, centuries
would’ve been unbearable.

“I think Harris still misses you in his garden. Well at least the coffin, you were the icing

on the cake.”

The bear shifter had liked the glass art piece he’d put Gallen inside after the sorcerer

had succumbed to a spell and he’d been sad to see it go.

Gallen shuddered. “I prefer being out of it.”
“Did you bring lube?”
Reaching into his pocket Gallen did a little shimmy so he could get to the tube he’d

shoved in his pocket. He’d learned not to travel anywhere without it. Now that Gallen
knew he was a dragon, so many of Aden’s personality traits made more sense.

Gallen stood up to strip off his clothing. Once naked he climbed up on the bed and

helped Aden remove the rest of his clothing. Hard muscles and soft skin were uncovered
with each swathe of fabric removed.

“You are a damn fine man, Aden Gale,” Gallen said, a low growl rumbling through his

voice.

“You’re starting to sound like a dragon, babe,” Aden said, grinning.
“Maybe you’re rubbing off on me.”
“Speaking of rubbing off.” Aden wrapped his large hand in a fist around Gallen’s

erection. “I can think of all kinds of things to rub.”

“Hmm, keep that up and I’ll even let you make a wish.”
“Will I get a genie from this bottle?” Aden asked squeezing and sliding his hand in a

pattern designed to drive Gallen out of his mind.

“You’ll get something.”
Aden’s laughter echoed in the room. “I think that’s as much dirty talk as I can handle.

Come here, babe.” He scooted over to let Gallen lie on his back.

Gallen quickly obeyed. He knew only good things would happen to him. He adored it

when he had Aden’s complete focus.

“You are the most beautiful sorcerer I’ve ever met,” Aden said.
“That’s because the others you’ve seen are old and evil, possibly mad.”
“True.” Aden lay on his side and spent time kissing Gallen’s mouth, his cheek, his chin.

In a slow mind-altering track down Gallen’s body Aden stopped to bite at Gallen’s right
nipple. The damn thing beaded, begging for Aden’s attention. Gallen’s entire body was
Aden’s playground. His skin tingled, his body heat increased and his cock hardened and
pointed up toward Aden like a divining rod seeking the source of all pleasure.

Gallen groaned.
“I love how responsive you are.” Aden traced the vein in Gallen’s cock with his tongue.

Gallen bucked his hips, eager to have more of Aden’s touch. Never had he responded to
anyone like he did to Aden. The difference between a lover and a mate couldn’t be
compared since one only brought pleasure and the other touched his soul.

“I love you,” Gallen said. The words tripped off his lips, a verbal bond between them.
Aden grinned. “I was going to say I know, but I figured you throw me across the

room.”

Gallen laughed. “Yeah, I would’ve.”
“And that’s why I love you.”
Aden’s serious expression had Gallen swallowing back tears. “I know.”
“Brat.” Aden wrapped a firm hand around Gallen’s shaft. “I should leave you to take

care of this on your own.”

“You won’t.” His inner slut whimpered a silent plea.
A hard kiss planted against Gallen’s lips eased his worries.
“You know I wouldn’t, but your expression made the threat worthwhile.”
“And you say I’m the brat,” Gallen complained.
“One of the drawbacks to having a mate is I end up acting like you.”
“Is that what you’re going with?” Gallen held his frown with difficulty. Aden’s

callused touch, rubbing up and down his erection had him seconds from exploding.

“Yep.” Aden kissed Gallen’s nose. “I get to blame you. It’s part of the mate advantage.”
“Ah, well if you insist.” Truly, in that moment, he would’ve given Aden anything if his

lover just finished him off.

“I do insist.” Aden slid further down the bed and replaced his hand with his mouth.
“Oh fuck,” Gallen cursed. He clenched his fists hoping the smarting pain of his

fingernails into his palms would hold back his release. He didn’t want to shoot too fast,
but Aden’s hot suction and Gallen excitement were a bad combination.

When Aden lubed up a finger and pressed it inside, Gallen lost control. “Yes, right

fucking there!” His shouts were probably a source of amusement on the other side of the
mansion, but right then he couldn’t hold back his scream even if the emperor himself
were standing at the end of the bed and holding a scorecard.

It took several minutes before he could gather his thoughts and settle down. Aden

released Gallen’s soft cock, but lapped at Gallen’s balls for a few minutes before kissing
his way back up Gallen’s limp body. “I think you dissolved my bones,” he whispered
through his dry throat.

Aden’s masculine chuckle had his erection valiantly trying to rise again.
“Can I fuck you?”
Gallen mustered a soft smile. “Babe, you can do whatever you want.”
Aden’s hard kiss had Gallen scooting to get closer for more touches.
“Do you want to roll over?” Aden always cared about Gallen’s comfort. Not once had

he done anything to cause pain, at least not unpleasant pain. Gallen occasionally had
teeth marks that took a few days to heal.

“No. I like watching you.” Like was a mild word for the joy he received at looking into

his mate’s eyes when they made love. Gallen’s heart sped up its already frantic rhythm.
No one excited him like Aden.

Aden didn’t argue. He squeezed out more lube and set to loosening Gallen up in quick

economical motions. Gallen could determine Aden’s level of need by how fast he
prepped Gallen for sex. On the edge of desire he could drag it out for half an hour, but
hard and needy, Aden barely had Gallen open before he pushed inside.

A sigh escaped Gallen. Their souls merged, twisting together until he didn’t know

where they separated. Gasps transformed to groans and pants. The rub of Aden’s cock
against Gallen’s bundle of nerves seared passion through him. His erection hardened and
planted wet kisses against Aden’s stomach as he bent Gallen in half to fuck him into the
mattress.

“Yes.” He didn’t understand guys who could talk in full, dirty sentences while having

sex, maybe their lovers weren’t as good as Aden. If Gallen could string together more
than two syllables through the fog of passion, lust and love he considered it a miracle.

Squeezing his ass he tightened around Aden, eager for his lover’s seed. A jolt of magic

poured through him whenever his soul mate came inside him, binding them tighter and
tighter together. One day they would be almost a single entity, their minds so in synch
they’d  begin  to  think  alike.  He’d  never  told  Aden  about  the  binding  with  a  sorcerer  or
why  so  many  believed  they  needed  to  suppress  their  mate’s  will.  Once  Aden  truly
bonded  with  Gallen  he  would  be  able  to  pull  on  Gallen’s  magic,  a  power  only  a  truly
matched mate could do.

Aden hit the perfect spot again before spurting inside of Gallen. Aden braced himself

on his hands before pulling out in a smooth glide, always the careful lover.

Sweaty from their lovemaking, Aden collapsed beside Gallen on the mattress. “I think

you killed me.”

Gallen laughed. “I think you’ll survive. I doubt after everything you’ve gone through a

bit of sex is going to finish you off.”

“You’d be surprised.” Aden cupped Gallen’s cheek.
“Get some rest, I’ll stay here until you wake.”
Aden sighed. “Sounds good.”
Before long Aden’s soft breathing filled the room. Gallen got up long enough to clean

them both, then he joined his beloved in slumber.

Chapter Six

Liang took another aerial sweep, but didn’t see anything except acres of snow. Nothing
popped out screaming psychotic emperor base here!

“Maybe Proteus was mistaken?”

Liang sent telepathically to Zhou.

The older dragon swooped down beside him until they were both flying the same

pattern together. “I’m not going back there without news. Find something. I don’t care what it is
at this point. Even a psychotic bunny shifter will do.”

Liang snorted, sending a puff of mist into the air before him. He didn’t understand

Zhou’s fear of the king. Aden seemed like a reasonable sort, as long as you didn’t look too
long at his mate or threaten his child. He was a far cry from a mad emperor who tortured
and killed for the satisfaction it gave him to hear them scream.

Taking another leisurely aerial circle Liang tried to focus on the task at hand. He’d

rather go back home and cuddle with his mate. Proteus had said he’d be in the tank
while Liang was gone. The sea dragon apparently wasn’t comfortable yet with hanging
around the non-aquatic shifters. In time Proteus would become used to all the different
people, but now, with all the changes in his life, he needed time to adjust.

Liang had introduced Proteus to Kurtis, hoping the two would bond, but other than

exchanging wary looks they hadn’t clung to each other like long lost brothers. Maybe
being mated with dragons wasn’t enough to connect over.

“I see something.”

Zhou’s voice in his head had Liang gliding closer his leader. He

scanned the snow, but nothing caught his attention. Snow, snow, ice and more snow.

“What did you see?”
“I don’t know. A flash of red. There!”
Liang followed Zhou down, flinching as his claws met the frozen earth. Too bad they

didn’t make wool socks for dragons. A still lump lay collapsed by the tree. It took him a
moment to recognize the shape as a dragon shifter. A fire dragon didn’t belong in this
cold. They were desert dwellers. Mexico and the southern parts of the United States used
to be heavily populated by red dragons. Liang wondered if red dragons had decreasing
numbers over the years like water dragons.

Zhou shifted to human and Liang followed suit, shivering from the cold before his

scales transformed into cold weather clothing and covered his feet. The fire dragon
shuddered in the cold. Liang could almost hear the beast’s teeth clanking together.

Liang crouched down to see the dragon better. “Hello, what are you doing out here?

We’re looking for the emperor.”

“Liang.” Zhou’s warning tone had Liang straightening and stepping back. Maybe he

shouldn’t have shared that information, but he doubted the cold, shivering dragon was a
plant from the emperor for them to share their story. The emperor was more
straightforward than that.

The dragon shifter transformed into a slim human with red hair and gold eyes. He

began trembling when his bare flesh touched the snow before his scales covered him

again.

“I-I kn-know where he is. Or at least wh-where the facility is.”
It didn’t look like the red dragon’s scales protected him from the cold as well as water

dragons’ scales did.

“Facility?” Liang’s heart sped up as the red dragon’s words sank in. They might

actually have found a lead. Success!

The redheaded dragon nodded his head. “He traps dragons there and tortures them for

information.”

“What kind of information?”
“I-I don’t know. That’s just what I heard. He’s never questioned me. He never seemed

to think I had anything worthwhile to say.”

Warning bells rang through Liang’s head. The strong sense of danger intensified until

he thought he’d choke on the instinct to run. He sent Zhou a warning through their link.
Zhou frowned, but didn’t comment.

“I’m Zhou and this is Liang. What’s your name?”
“Rye. I’m a fire dragon. I’m guessing you two are water ones. The emperor has a real

hard on for you water guys. He hasn’t let the two he captured free for more than an hour
at a time to shift.”

Liang grinned. Relief surged through him. “So they’re alive.”
Rye shrugged. “They were a few days ago. I haven’t seen them since.”
“How did you escape?” Liang asked.
The emperor wouldn’t just let a dragon free without having a reason behind it.
Rye frowned, his eyes flashing an apologetic message. “I’m bait.”
Liang’s claws came out, but not before they were surrounded. Soldiers appeared out of

the air and darts coated Liang with tiny pinpricks. “May your soul go to the Chamber of
Mirrors so you can see your true shape,” Liang cursed.

“I am already in a hell of my own making,” Rye whispered. “I’ll get word to your

people. Where are you from?”

“Seattle. Go to Seattle and seek the dragon king,” Liang managed to say as his body

slowly gave into paralysis and he toppled to the snow. Fuck he hated the cold.

Out of the corner of his eye Liang saw Rye slink away while the ambush soldiers

wrapped them in ropes. Maybe that had been the fire dragon’s entire intent, but Liang
knew if he saw him again he’d rip the bastard’s head off. Even if he managed to reach
Aden, who knew what the sick psychopath could do to Liang and Zhou before they were
rescued.

Fuck, he’d just told him where to find their people. If he weren’t already paralyzed he

would’ve thrown himself on a sword for his betrayal of the other shifters.

* * * *

Proteus  floated  around  his  tank  thinking  over  his  relationship  with  Liang.  He  and  his
mate  were  beginning  to  bond  but  for  the  past  few  hours  tension  had  been  strumming
through him. Maybe knowing Liang had gone to scout out the emperor had him on edge.
He  hoped  it  wasn’t  anything  more.  He  watched  the  babies  flit  around  each  other  and

smiled.

His smile vanished when Kurtis ran into the room and tapped on the tank. “We need

you.”

“It’ll be okay,” Proteus muttered to himself. “It’ll be fine.”
But the fact they said they needed him and his mate wasn’t there sent alarm bells

ringing through his head. He made his way to the top of the tank and Kurtis scooped him
up and set him on the ground.

Proteus transformed then stood and accepted the towel Kurtis handed out.
“I brought you some clothes.” Kurtis pointed to the pile on the bench.
“What happened?”
“Liang and Zhou have been captured.”
Proteus quickly dressed. His emotions numb, Proteus followed Kurtis to where he

guessed the others were meeting. His stomach twisted and turned, looping over and over
like a slinky. He could no longer fool himself. It wouldn’t be okay.

He entered the living room to find a redheaded man kneeling before Aden. The dragon

king’s eyes glowed a bright gold, a sign of his agitation. His mate stood on one side of the
room, Aden’s son on the other. None of the men had happy expressions.

“Proteus. I—” Aden began.
“He’s gone isn’t he?” Proteus cut off the king, too upset to care. Tears formed in his

eyes and he couldn’t stop the sob yanked from his chest.

“No, he’s been captured, but he’s not dead. If he were dead you’d know.” Aden

walked over and wrapped his muscled arms around Proteus. He rested his head on the
dragon king’s chest taking comfort from his strength.

“What do we do?” Proteus had to take action. Someone had captured his mate.
“I’m going to have Gallen send me and a few others through a portal to get your

mate.” Aden’s tone indicated he doubted anyone could stop him.

“I should go with you.” Proteus stepped out of the king’s embrace and flushed. “I can

help.”

“No offense, little one, but you aren’t exactly a warrior,” Aden said, his tone gentle.
Proteus wiped away his tears with the back of his hands. “No, but I can blend in and

check out the area without being caught.”

“There is snow. They will see your footprint,” Aden argued.
“No. It is part of my blending. My footprints will match my environment. They’ll

never see me coming.”

“He could pull it off,” the man on the floor said. “The guards aren’t super-vigilant.

They might overlook your friend. Even if they hear him they won’t investigate if it
means leaving their post and having to explain their absence to the emperor if no one is
there.”

The redhead stood up, but kept his head down and his shoulders slumped as if bracing

himself for Aden’s punch. Since Proteus hadn’t seen the king be violent against his own
people the dragon’s fear surprised him.

“Proteus, this is Rye. He was there when Zhou and Liang were captured.”
“And what were you doing while they were taken?” The story didn’t strike him as

complete.

“Yes, Rye, please explain to Proteus why his children don’t have their father.” Aden’s

voice roughened as if he had to push his inner beast back down.

Rye’s entire body shook and his face paled even further a neat trick with his alabaster

skin. He avoided Proteus’s eyes while he talked “I was the bait. While they were securing
your dragons I snuck away. Liang told me to come to Seattle. I want to help get them
back. I’m willing to do whatever necessary to make amends. I couldn’t go against the
emperor’s wishes, he was going to kill me.”

Despite his wish to hold a grudge Proteus found he couldn’t. After all, if it had been his

life against someone he’d never met he might have made the same decision.

A loud bell echoed through the room. Proteus flinched at the sound.
“Zhou’s mate has arrived.” Aden winced.
“I’ll go let him in,” Carey said, leaving the room.
“What is he?” Rye asked.
“A powerful sorcerer. He won’t take the news well,” Aden said. “Maybe you’d better

wait in the kitchen.”

Rye shook his head. “No, I will face the people I’ve wronged.”
Proteus examined the dragon shifter with new interest. He was either a brave man or

the stupidest creature Proteus had ever met. Even he could feel the magic crackling
through the air. Whoever Zhou’s mate was he could annihilate them all.

“What happened to my mate?” A slim Chinese man marched into the room, the fury

etched on his features highlighted the scar on his cheek.

“I’m sorry, Laozi, but he was captured by the emperor’s soldiers during a scouting

expedition.” Aden stepped between the sorcerer and Rye.

Proteus smiled over the protective gesture. Aden cared for his subjects no matter how

wrong they’d acted. The worshipful expression crossing Rye’s face told Proteus he wasn’t
the only one feeling admiration.

“Where is he?” Laozi asked.
“A compound in Alaska,” Aden answered. “I thought it was a scouting mission, I

should’ve sent more people. It’s my fault.”

Laozi visibly deflated. “No. It isn’t your fault. He’s willful. He would’ve gone with or

without your people if he could get to the emperor.” The sorcerer ran his fingers through
his hair. “What’s the plan?”

“I’m going to go scout,” Proteus said. He trembled when Aden and Laozi turned their

powerful gazes in his direction. He straightened his spine and met their eyes one by one.
“He’s my mate. I get to help with his rescue.”

“Wow, the little guy has spunk. What can you do?” Laozi asked. “What are you?”
“I’m a sea dragon shifter. As for what I can do.” Proteus focused his energy and

vanished.

“That is excellent. I don’t even get a magic fluctuation in the room. What an amazing

ability.” Laozi’s praise warmed Proteus.

He reappeared.
“I’m not a fighter, but I can get close enough to see what’s going on.” Proteus wouldn’t

be left out.

“What happens to your kids if you get killed?” Aden asked.
“The same thing that happens if my mate is murdered. I die.” Proteus scowled at the

dragon king. He was right in this. He wouldn’t back down.

After a long moment where he thought he might have overstepped enough to get into

real trouble with the dragon king, Aden nodded. “If this is what you want to do, I won’t
stop you. Gallen can transport you there. They must’ve dropped their phones because
their coordinates haven’t changed.”

“He can send me, too.” Laozi said.
“You can’t transport yourself?” Proteus asked, and then blushed when Laozi stared at

him. “Sorry, that was rude.”

Laozi patted him on the shoulder. “No. It’s all right. We don’t know much about each

other’s abilities. I’m very powerful, but every sorcerer has different spells. I’ve never had
the ability to teleport. My magic is a bit different,” Laozi said almost apologetically.

“Oh. All sea dragons have the same powers. I didn’t realize the same wasn’t true of

other kinds of magic users or shifters.” Proteus wondered how many variations of magic
were truly out there. Sea dragons weren’t known for their introspection they were more
active than magical. When your sole ability involved hiding it didn’t make you a magical
powerhouse.

“Interesting.” Laozi sounded sincere and offered Proteus a friendly smile. “If you can

sneak inside and let me know the situation. I can gather my sorcerers to mount an
attack.”

“Do you think they’ll follow you?” Aden asked. “They haven’t exactly been known for

their loyalty.”

“They can help or they can get their asses off my property. I refuse to house cowards. If

they won’t battle for my mate they are useless to me.” Laozi had no remorse in his tone.

“How many soldiers are there?” Aden asked Rye.
Rye shrugged. “I didn’t get to see them all. I was only allowed at certain levels. I know

of twenty for certain. Sorry, I wish I had more I could share. I’m a horrible spy. I’m sure
the emperor sent me because if I were captured I wouldn’t be able to help much.”

“Why don’t you come with me and we’ll get you some food,” Carey offered. “My dad

and Laozi can make plans and if they need you they can come get you.”

“Okay. I am hungry.” Rye followed Carey from the room.
“Your son is clever to get him out of here without rousing suspicion,” Laozi said.
Aden nodded. “I don’t hear any deception in his voice, but he might just be careful

with his lies.”

“Possibly. We can’t know for sure until we check out the property. Are you ready little

sea dragon?” Laozi asked.

Proteus nodded. Later he’d tell them how much he didn’t like being address as little,

but right now they had more important things to do.

“I think it safest to teleport you at least a half mile outside the emperor’s compound. If

we drop you too close and they see you disappear we could be in for trouble,” Gallen
said.

“Good point. I’d prefer they didn’t know I was coming.” The idea of being captured by

the emperor sent shudders down his spine.

“You’ll have backup. We have a few hawks who can hide unobtrusively in the trees

and wait for a signal. Maybe we can give you a small flare gun to set off if you run into
trouble?” Gallen asked turning to Aden for his response.

“A whistle would be better,” Aden said. “Less chance of anyone being injured.”
“I like the whistle idea,” Proteus said. He never handled any sort of weapon and even

though a flare gun didn’t really count, he would feel bad if he pulled the trigger out of
instinct and someone became injured.

“I’ll find you some warm clothes,” Gallen said. “I don’t want you to freeze.”
“Thanks. I’ll need boots, too. I don’t have anything for snow.” Living in Australia

hadn’t prepared him for a sudden trip to Alaska. Until now he’d never gone any place
north of the equator.

Magic crackled across Laozi, but Proteus suspected the sorcerer didn’t flare out his

magic on purpose. He just had so much he couldn’t help it. Jiang walked into the room
and came to a full stop after seeing Laozi.

“What are you doing here?” Jiang’s hard tone took Proteus by surprise.
“He’s Zhou’s mate,” Proteus said surprised at Jiang’s attitude.
Jiang glared at Laozi. “He also the reason we were stone.”
“I explained about that.” Laozi scowled.
“That doesn’t make us best friends.”
Proteus looked from one dragon shifter to the other, uncertain of the proper response.

“He’s helping us retrieve Liang and Zhou. They are trapped in the emperor’s facility.”

“Now you’re going to go against the emperor? Why not before?” Jiang’s suspicious

tone had Proteus rethinking his impression of Laozi. Was he still working with the
emperor?

“I told you I only worked for him under duress. I’m not going to let him keep Zhou,”

Laozi said.

Proteus understood the sentiment. He had to get Liang so that together they could

protect their children. Sea dragons might never win the contest for best nurturers, but
Proteus’s human side would protect them with his last breath.

“We’ll make sure your children are protected, Proteus,” Aden said.
Proteus wondered if the dragon king could read minds, he always knew what to say.
“Thank you.” He gave the king a quick bow.
Aden squeezed Proteus’s shoulder. “Do you want me to go with you? I can leave Kurtis

and Broden in charge of your children. No one can get past them. I’ve taught Kurtis to be
quite the crack shot these days.”

“You want to come?” Proteus tried to keep the desperation out of his voice. The more

help the better. “I’m going to scout before anyone tries to go in.”

“Let me get some weapons and I’ll join you. It’s better to have backup in case your first

team fails.” Jiang’s gaze implied what he thought about Proteus’s backup. “Besides, Liang
would never forgive me if you got yourself killed.”

“And I suppose Zhou wouldn’t care about me?” Laozi snarled.

“He might throw a fucking party, I know I would.” Jiang spun on his heel and walked

away.

Laozi’s face remained impassive, but his hands clenched into fists and electricity

crackled across his skin with the speed of a lightning storm.

“Hey, it’ll be fine. We’ll save our mates and Zhou will come to appreciate you saving

him.”

Laozi’s brittle laughter echoed in the room. “If one bit of saving replaces hundreds of

years frozen in stone I’ll turn myself into a rock.”

Hurt flared bright in the sorcerer’s eyes. Proteus hated seeing anyone carry that much

pain around, but he had worries of his own. “I’m going to say goodbye to my kids. I
guess I’ll see you later.”

He turned to walk away only to have Laozi grab his arm.
“What?”
“Could,” Laozi licked his lips, a nervous gesture Proteus was surprised he could still

make as old as Laozi must be. “Could I see your children?”

Proteus smiled. “Sure. They’re just babies, sea dragon babies, but I’m not sure what

form they’re in right now.”

“What do you mean?”
“Walk with me and I’ll show you.” He had an insane amount of pride for his children.

He didn’t say another word until he led Laozi into the aquarium room. Two small water
dragons floated in the fake coral. “There they are.”

This was the first time he’d seen them in their water dragon form. They were adorable.
“They’re dragon, dragons. I thought they’d be leafy sea dragons,” Laozi said.
“Their mother was raped by a water dragon. She was a good friend of mine and I

agreed to hatch the eggs. Sadly, after she gave me the eggs her rapist snapped her neck
because he said he had no further use for her. She was only ever a means to an end for
him.”

“I’m so sorry. That’s terrible.”
“Thanks. I don’t understand sometimes how such horrible things can happen.” He

couldn’t bring back his dear, sweet friend, but he could save her children. “They aren’t
technically mine. I mean they don’t share any of my DNA, but they’re sea dragon and
water dragon like me and my mate.”

“But they aren’t sea dragons,” Laozi said.
“Sometimes they are.”
As if they heard him, the water dragons changed into leafy sea dragons.
“Amazing,” Laozi said. “I wonder if they will be able to camouflage in dragon form?

The few mixed species shifters I’ve ever met were able to take on different aspects of
their other half.”

Proteus tapped his chin. “It will be interesting to see how they turn out.”
He didn’t mean just their beast halves either. Would they be introverts or extroverts,

happy or subdued? So many facets to a personality and topped with having two beasts.
His kids could be anything.

“What are their names?” Laozi asked, breaking into Proteus’s contemplation.

Chapter Seven

This was a stupid idea. It didn’t make it any better that Proteus had come up with it
either. He refused to take credit for no one having the sense to talk him out of it. Suited
up in cold weather gear it was surprising he could move. Stiff arms, thick socks and the
clunkiest books he’d ever laced to his feet had him walking like a zombie as he carefully
lifted a foot then placed it down before lifting another foot. Cold weather sucked.

Grumbling internally, Proteus walked up to the guards. Luckily all the cold fucked up

the shifter’s sense of smell. Dripping, sniffly noses didn’t pick up scent like warm dry
ones did. Laozi, Aden and Jiang had hidden several yards from the entrance so their
presence wouldn’t be noted.

Intent on reaching his destination Proteus walked past the guards. They stood like

statues as he clomped past them. They were sloppy at their jobs, not even looking
around, more intent on their next cigarette than anything hiding in the woods.

Proteus counted them as he passed. Six patrolled out front of the facility. How many

more lurked in front? Rye said twenty, but had he seen them all or did he only see what
the emperor wanted him to?

How could he get inside to do a better job spying?
“Babe, where are you? I can hear you’re close.”

Liang’s voice rippled through Proteus’s

mind.

“I’m outside counting the guards, where are you?”

Proteus projected the thought back to

his mate. He held his breath as he waited to see if his message had been received.

“Run before they catch you!”
“I’m invisible. I’m scoping things out. How many guards have you seen?”
“Ten. We’re on the bottom floor.”
Of course Liang would know how many guards he’d seen. His military training would

have him counting his captors and plotting out the space.

“I’m coming for you.”
Screw the plan, he’d get his mate out of there now. He couldn’t stand the thought of

his beloved dragon staying in this hellhole one more day. Why couldn’t he be a big bad
shifter who could rip people apart?

“No. Not by yourself,”

Liang whispered in his head. “We can hold tight until you can call

for help. How did Aden let you go?”

“He didn’t.”

Aden’s voice broke into their telepathic communication. “Come back and

report.”

Being the king of dragons apparently gave Aden a bit of a mental punch and the ability

to talk to those not his mate.

“I want to get inside. There are six guards in front and three in the foyer. We still don’t know

what we’re facing.”

Either he was competent enough to help or they could just send him

home. He waited for Aden’s reply.

“Okay, but be careful,”

Aden replied after a long silence.

“No!”

Liang shouted loud enough for Proteus’s head to snap back from the sound.

“Yes!”

Proteus grinned. The flutter of victory rippled through his chest. For the first

time since he’d been rescued he felt part of a team. Maybe that was Aden’s purpose
behind his agreement, Proteus didn’t know, the dragon king played a deep game, but at
least he allowed Proteus to participate.

“Stay careful and the first hint anything is going wrong, run!” Aden ordered.
“Okay. I will.”

Proteus had to stay safe for his children. Still, he wouldn’t be a good

parent if he fell apart after the death of his mate. He had to save Liang. Even as he made
the promise he knew he’d break it in a second if he could save his water dragon.

“Careful!”

Liang must’ve heard the thoughts running through Proteus’s head. He’d

heard some mates could read each other’s minds. He’d sort of hoped that was a rumor.
He didn’t want anyone running around in his brain. Pushing those worries out away he
focused on his environment. If he didn’t pay attention he might end up walking into one
of the guards.

The front of the compound looked like the regular entrance to a large house. Rye had

told them the bulk of the place lay underground. Like most sorcerers, the emperor had a
secretive nature. Even if he weren’t up to anything he’d have built his home
underground or cloaked it with magic.

Proteus couldn’t figure out how to get inside. If he opened the door he’d be spotted by

the cameras he didn’t see, but knew existed. Luck was with him when a soldier opened
the door and stepped outside. Proteus ran for the door, slipping inside just before it
closed behind him. Panting he paused a minute before he continued on. The sounds of
someone breathing hard would draw attention even if he were invisible.

A long hallway stretched before him. Where should he go now?
“Where are you?”

Liang asked.

“Inside. Where do I go?”
“They took us straight to the elevator.”
“Okay, sit tight. I’ll find you.”
What the fuck was he doing? He had no idea what to do, it wasn’t like he’d suddenly

gained ninja skills. If he were caught he’d be unable to defend himself.

Proteus’s heart slammed against his chest as if it were trying to pull him down the

hallway. No one was around. The silence eroded Proteus’s control. He’d watched horror
movies with a less perfect setup.

Doors lined both sides, but none of them called to Proteus. He spotted the elevator at

the far end of the hall. He shouldn’t go inside, he knew it. If he were smart he’d go back
outside and let the others know the layout, but what had he really learned. Nothing.

Curiosity led him to push the button on the wall. It lit up.
“I found the elevator.”

He transmitted, hoping to get feedback from anyone listening.

“Go back,”

Liang growled. “Get the others.”

Proteus bit his lip. He knew his mate was right. “Okay.”
He turned and headed back down the hall. The thought he could be of any help was

stupid on his part. Halfway down the corridor his path was cut off. Two guards walked
toward him. There was no room around them for Proteus to sneak past.

Shit.
Proteus frantically looked around. Desperate he grabbed for the closest door. Luckily

the guards were still engrossed in their conversation. Proteus turned the knob, pushed
the door open and slipped inside. He closed it quietly behind him then leaned against the
surface hoping they hadn’t spotted the door moving.

“Who’s there?” a shaky voice called out.
Proteus opened his eyes and examined the interior of his hiding spot for the first time.

A white-haired man stood shackled against a cement wall, his wrists and ankles wrapped
in  heavy  metal  restraints  with  just  enough  give  he  could  maybe  move  a  few  inches  in
each  direction.  He  wore  tattered  clothing  of  thin  material  like  something  a  long-term
hospital  patient  might  wear.  From  the  way  he  squinted  at  Proteus  his  blending  skills
were still in effect. The only other item in the room was a small folding table, a chair and
a cheap desk lamp. He wondered if the man was interrogated on a regular basis.

The absolute despair on the captive’s face tore at Proteus’s heart.
“If you’ve come to kill me, do it. I have nothing left to live for anyway,” the man

continued, sorrow dripped from each syllable as he spoke.

Proteus walked closer. “Who are you?”
The man frowned. His eyes shifted from side to side in a way that told Proteus even if

he weren’t camouflaged the man wouldn’t be able to see him.

He was blind.
“I am Bai Long. I was once the white dragon king. Now I’m the emperor’s plaything. If

you have any compassion you’ll kill me.”

Proteus wiped back a tear. “I’ve come to rescue my mate. I won’t leave you behind.”
Bai Long frowned. “How did you get in here?”
“I snuck in. I’m going to try and sneak back out. I have to tell the others to come

inside.”

“Don’t. The emperor will kill you all. You have no idea of what he can do.”
“He trapped my mate in stone for centuries,” Proteus said. “I know what he can do.”
“Is he one of the dragons they just captured?”
“What do you know of it?” Proteus wondered.
“The guards were bragging how they brought two dragons down. They are quite

proud of themselves.” Bai Long’s disdain came across in his soft-accented tones. “I
wanted to rip out their throats, but as you can see I’m a bit restrained.”

“Why does he keep you like this?” Proteus looked around for something to break the

shackles.

“Once I was a powerful shifter. Now I’m nothing. The emperor killed my mate. She

was carrying my child at the time. While I was weakened he shackled me. He likes to
bring me out to show the other dragons that if he can take me they have no hope. What it
really means is I have no hope. When he tires of me he will kill me. I hope it will happen
soon.”

“I need to get you out of here. Where are the keys?”

“The guards probably have them. It’s not like they announce it when they come. If

you’re smart you’ll get out of here and not return. Once he gets hold of you, the emperor
never lets go.”

Proteus ignored the white dragon’s excellent advice. He didn’t have time to wallow in

his own misery. “I found a white dragon.” He waited a moment, but no one returned his
conversation.

The silence frightened him. Where had everyone gone? The door swung open. Proteus

spun around, careful not to make any noise. He might be able to muffle his footsteps, but
if he knocked something over it would be heard.

“Who are you talking to, filthy dragon?” A uniformed guard asked.
Proteus recognized him as one of the men who’d been in the hall. The other guard

stood behind him, peering inside the room. Moving closer to the wall Proteus tried to
stay out of their range. Bumping into an invisible object caused alarm no matter how
dimwitted the guards.

A feral light glowed in the guard’s eyes. He slid the slim wooden club out of its holster

and slapped it against his hand. The dragon didn’t flinch. Proteus suspected it happened
enough times Bai Long refused to give the guards the satisfaction of his fear.

“We don’t have permission to touch him right now,” The guard in the back said, his

eyes darted around like a twitchy rodent seeking an escape route.

“You think the emperor is going to care? He’s already got himself a set of new dragons.

This one will be disposable soon.”

“Maybe soon, but not right now. If he finds us overstepping he might use us as an

example. You know how he is.” The frantic whisper from the ratlike guard must’ve
sunken in. The first guard slipped his baton back in his belt.

“As soon as we get the go ahead, you’re mine.” His grin sent tendrils of ice down

Proteus’s spine.

Maybe it was better that the white dragon couldn’t see. As the guard turned Proteus

spotted a ring of keys. With a quick lunge he lifted them. Once Proteus touched them
they vanished from sight. He held his breath and didn’t let it out until the guards left
again.

“Are they gone?”
Proteus nodded then realized the dragon couldn’t hear him. “Yes. I got your keys.”
“Good. Unshackle me and I will help you save your mate.”
“I have to go tell Aden I found him. I was only supposed to sneak in and take a look

around. I’m not supposed to go further. Liang, my mate, told me to leave. The only
reason I came in here was to escape the guards.”

“If I leave it will set off the alarm. You go and get your friends. When you hear the

sirens you’ll know I’ve begun my attack.”

“They will kill you. You can’t even see your attackers.” Proteus bit his lip. “Sorry, I

shouldn’t have said that.”

Bai Long snorted. “You think I’m unaware of my flaws? Before my capture I could see

as well as anyone. The emperor blinded me to make me more biddable. I killed four of
his guards before they were able to trap me. However, I am unable to fight him when he

takes over my mind.”

“He can do that?”
“Sometimes.”
Proteus shuddered at the thought of someone invading his mind. It was hard enough

to let his mate talk telepathically, the idea of anyone overcoming his will was the stuff of
nightmares.

“Let me get you free.” Proteus tried a couple of keys before he found the correct one.

He unsnapped them one after another, letting out a sigh when the last one broke free.
“There.”

“Many thanks.” Bai Long stepped forward and would’ve fallen if Proteus hadn’t

stepped forward to grab him.

“Easy, give your muscles time to settle. I don’t know how long you were shackled

there.”

“Too long.” Bai Long muttered. “I’ve lost feeling in my feet.”
“Rest a minute then we have to go.”
Bai Long lifted one foot then the other, rolling his ankles and loosening his arms to try

and encourage circulation. “I’m ready.”

Proteus guided Bai Long’s hand to his shoulder then turned, keeping it in place. “Hold

onto my shoulder and I will lead you to the elevator.”

How the dragon thought he’d attack the others when he couldn’t leave the room on

his own Proteus didn’t know.

“That’s not necessary.”
A low growl rolled through the room followed by the familiar crackle and pop of

someone shifting. Fear had Proteus stepping away.

He spun around only to find a large white dragon sniffing the air behind him.
“You think to outsmart me! I am Huangdi and I’ve gone hungry for too long. You will make an

excellent snack.”

“B-but I saved you.” Proteus tried to appeal to the white dragon, but he could see the

emperor had taken over. The dragon’s pale eyes turned completely black and Proteus
could tell Bai Long was no longer inside.

The dragon snorted, a bit of steam spurted from his nose. “Do you truly think the guards

would leave a prisoner in an unmarked room? I knew someone would come for the others. He was
to be bait. It looks like all I’ve caught is a wimpy little shifter with more compassion than sense,
but you will lead the others inside my trap.”

“Are you truly blind?” Why he thought that was important at the moment Proteus

couldn’t say, he just hoped their entire conversation hadn’t been a lie.

“Yes, I blinded him and killed his mate, she was an annoying bitch I’m better off without. Now

that I’ve got the others Bai Long is disposable. He can be cannon fodder, but before he is I will
finish you.”

“You’re crazy.” Probably not the best response, but Proteus couldn’t help the words

from coming out.

The dragon snapped it’s huge teeth in Proteus’s direction.

Crap. Why was he standing there and arguing with a dragon? He had to escape.

Turning his back on the beast was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do, but he
couldn’t chance stumbling if he ran backward.

The door hadn’t looked so far away when he’d entered the room. Now, with a feral

dragon breathing down his neck it might as well have been on the other side of a football
field. Bai Long’s breath filled with smoke and sulfur had Proteus choking.

Not daring to look back he fled to the exit. His fingers just touched the handle when

sharp teeth latched onto his leg and Proteus went down. Frantic, he grabbed the whistle
Aden had slipped over his neck and blew it with all the breath in his lungs. Would they
hear him or were the walls too thick for the sound to escape?

Pain ripped through him. He watched, terror lodged in his throat as Bai Long crunched

down and tossed back his head to swallow part of Proteus’s leg. Bile rose in his throat.
Turning to one side he threw up everything he’d eaten that day.

He would die here in this dark, cold room, a product of being too trusting. He

should’ve listened to everyone. He wasn’t enough of a hero to pull this shit off. Spots
danced before his eyes.

“Sorry, Liang. I love you.”
A loud roar echoed in his ears, but it didn’t matter any more he couldn’t feel his body.

Chapter Eight

Liang heard Proteus’s goodbye and something inside him snapped free. His usual
constraints vanished and the sedatives keeping him calm dissolved beneath the fury
burning through his body. He shattered the shackles trapping him down and with a snap
of his newly shifted mouth he ripped out the throat of the closest lab assistant.

“Easy, brother,” Zhou said. His leader lay strapped to a gurney on the other side of the

room. Tubes ran from his human form to the stands of liquid by his side.

“They killed my mate. I will destroy them all.”
For the first time in his long life, Liang lost total control of his magic. Reaching out he

melted the snow above them and pulled. Water rushed through the walls and crumbled
the foundation. They would die. All of them would die.

Stomping over he transformed into his human form to free his leader, careful of the

needles stabbed into Zhou’s skin.

“

You need to calm down or you will kill us all,” Zhou ordered.

“What does it matter? My sweet sea dragon is dead!” Liang shouted.
Zhou froze. “You felt him die?”
Liang re-evaluated his exchange with Proteus. Searching, he sent out tendrils of

consciousness throughout the facility. “He’s injured, not dead, yet.”

A loud explosion set the lights flickering. “I think our cavalry arrived,” Zhou said.
“Good, maybe they can help save Proteus. Let’s get above and find him.” Taking the

elevator would be next to impossible in dragon form and Zhou was right, he had to keep
a handle on his magic at least until they left. He poured more water into the foundation.
Never would they be able to trap people here again.

“Do you think anyone else is here?” Zhou asked. “Other dragons?”
“Aden can free them. I’ve got to get to my mate.” Liang winced at the coldness of his

tone, but in truth he cared not for anyone at this moment more than Proteus.

“Liang, I found Proteus, he’s in bad shape.”

Jiang’s voice yelling in his head had Liang

hurrying up his steps.

“I’m coming.”
If he lost his mate the sea dragon wouldn’t go out alone. Aden would raise their sea

dragon babies and the others would see to their care. Liang refused to let his mate go on
without him.

Running to the elevator Liang rushed inside as soon as the doors opened and pushed

the button. Zhou barely made it through the opening in time.

“You need to stop and think. If you run into a bunch of soldiers you’re going to get

your fool ass shot up before you reach your mate.”

“I know. I know. I just need to get to him.” Liang hung on to his sanity by a single

frayed thread. His dragon had a different plan that involved tearing down the world to
save their mate. Sometimes dragons weren’t the sanest of shifters.

A low roar left his throat. The noise echoed in the small elevator space.

“Keep it together, Liang.” Zhou’s calm voice used to keep him from panicking. Not this

time. Not when his mate might be bleeding out while the world’s slowest contraption
carried them upward.

The elevator ding and the opening of doors barely finished before Liang raced into the

corridor. No one stood in the hall. The silence, cold and eerie, filled the hall like a living
presence as if waiting for the horror movie monster to make an appearance. Soft sobbing
caught his attention.

Proteus.
“I hear him.” Liang ran down the hall toward the sound. A guard popped out of

nowhere. Liang didn’t stop. He transformed one hand to claws and sliced through the
man’s jugular without pausing. There would be no surrender or second chances, this just
became the house of death. Any who stood against him would join their ancestors.

Finally he reached the door he knew Proteus lay behind. Ripping it open he ducked in

time to avoid a stream of fire. He caught sight of the white dragon. Enough water had
seeped into the building that Liang was able to pull it from the walls to douse the dragon.

“I will kill you along with your mate,”

the dragon shifter screamed.

Liang spotted Proteus on the floor, blood pouring out of the ruins of his leg. Jiang

crouched beside him.

“Where are the others?”
“Fighting the guards, they sent me ahead,” Jiang shouted.
Jiang couldn’t transform into a dragon without letting go of the pressure on the

tourniquet he’s made around Proteus’s leg.

Liang needed to end this before his mate died of blood loss. Fury transformed him into

his dragon self. Without talk or warning, he pounced on the other dragon. In a flurry of
claws and teeth the two beasts battled until the white dragon made the mistake of
jumping at Liang. Ducking, Liang slid beneath the beast and ripped open his stomach.
Blood poured over him like a raging flood.

Liang pushed the white dragon’s body off him and shook off the gore before spinning

around to get to Proteus.

“His pulse is faint,” Zhou said, his fingers pressed to Proteus’s neck.
Liang changed back to human. “Let’s get him home.” Liang lifted his mate, the white

dragon must’ve accidentally seared Proteus’s injury closed because although there was a
bloody stump where his foot and lower half of right leg had been, he was alive and
barely bleeding.

They ran into the others on the way back out. Body parts littered the yard like

Halloween decorations gone overboard. Liang swallowed back the bile in his throat. If he
made it through the day without losing the contents of his stomach he’d claim a silent,
personal victory. He’d always had a weak stomach, which had brought him a great deal
of mocking from his fellow warriors, but Liang would rather be sensitive than untouched
by the horrors of war.

Gallen rushed toward them. “I’ve got a portal set up. One of the hawks has been to

medical school, he can help you.”

Liang nodded. Too much emotion clogged his throat to make words possible. Instead

he walked through the portal and straight into a spare bedroom that looked as if it had
been prepped for a medical ward.

“Set him here.” A brown-haired man with golden eyes pointed. “I’m Dr. Tian Franks.”
Liang placed Proteus on the bed. “This is Proteus, he’s a leafy sea dragon.”
He blinked back tears.
“And your mate,” Dr Franks said. The doctor patted Liang’s arm. “You might want to

wait in the other room.”

It was more of a suggestion than an order.
“Can I wait there?” He pointed to a chair in the corner. “I promise not to get in the

way.”

“As long as you don’t interfere, certainly.”
Dr. Franks examined Proteus, only making noises from time to time. Under Liang’s

watchful eye he cleaned Proteus’s wounds, stitched him up and hooked an IV into his
right arm. “I’ve done all I can to make him comfortable. Once he’s awake we can discuss
options. I know a couple of companies who make realistic prosthetics. As he only lost
part of the lower half of his leg he should be able to walk almost normally with a proper
replacement.”

“He’s going to be devastated,” Liang said, watching his mate sleep.
“He’s alive and so are you. That will help some of his progress. Don’t let him wallow.

Get him shifted as soon as possible so he can heal.”

“Will do. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Have Aden call me if you need anything else.”
“You don’t live here?” Although he couldn’t remember seeing the hawk before, there

were a lot of people milling about.

“No. I’m working Emergency Medicine at Harborview, there isn’t enough work for me

to be here full time.”

“Ah, okay. Well I appreciate you coming.” Liang just wanted to be alone with his mate

and the doctor must’ve sensed that because he patted Liang on the back then left.

Liang scooted his chair close to the bed and rested his head next to Proteus’s hip. Joy

that they’d both made it out alive filled him. Sure, Proteus had suffered a severe injury,
but he lived and Liang would always be grateful for that.

Hours later Liang woke to the sensation of someone stroking his head. Blinking rapidly

he found Proteus awake and watching him.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Liang sat up to examine his lover.
“I hurt. I think I damaged my leg, it aches.”
Liang swallowed back his tears. Damn, he wished the doctor had stuck around.

Chapter Nine

Proteus floated, curled up, at the bottom of the tank. His children floated around him
chattering as children often do. Everyone thought it would do him good to spend time
with the kids, hoping to boost his morale. He still had a tail but it was extra thin at the
bottom and lacked a huge section of his brood patch. Chances were he’d never have
children again.

Depressed, Proteus examined his fake coral without enthusiasm. Maybe he could

persuade Liang to take him to Australia for a little bit. He missed the bright coral reefs.

Tae floated down to him. The tiny sea dragon swam slow circles around Proteus before

nudging him with his snout.

“I’m fine.”

Proteus sent along their parental link. Damaged, traumatized and useless,

but fine.

Kensi came to join her brother and the pair of them circled around Proteus as if trying

to offer sympathy for whatever ailed him. Apparently sulking wouldn’t be allowed. If he
did it as a human Liang tried to prod him out of it, and in the water his children were
insistent he swim around.

Baby sea dragons, especially ones with half dragon blood, were far more energetic than

Proteus on a good day and this wasn’t a good day. Two weeks had passed since his injury
and although physically he’d healed and they’d even found him a comfortable
prosthetic, he still ached for the rest of his leg. He wanted his brood patch back even
though the chances of finding a sea dragon surrogate were slim, now they wouldn’t even
bother to look.

“I don’t need more children.”

Liang’s voice sank into Proteus like a warm balm. He

turned his gaze outside the aquarium.

His mate stood outside the glass beside him. Proteus couldn’t quite make out his

expression, but sorrow poured off of Liang in ocean waves. He swam to the top of the
aquarium signaling his wish to leave. Liang reached inside and grabbed him then set him
on the soft mesh mat.

Proteus shifted, grateful for the towel Liang handed over. He let his mate lead him to a

bench where he sat and dried off before strapping on his prosthetic. The fake foot
mocked him with its lack of mobility.

“Gallen said to visit him, he has a spell for you.” Liang handed Proteus his clothes, but

didn’t help him further.

Good. He might be crippled, but he wasn’t helpless and he didn’t want Liang to treat

him as such. The dragon had been solicitous since Proteus’s injury, but not too much, it
was the guilt eating away at him that made Proteus cringe.

“Hey, it’s not your fault. I knew there was danger when I went in.” Proteus might sob

on the inside, but he never wanted Liang to feel responsible.

“If I hadn’t gotten caught…” Liang turned away as if unable to say the words.
Proteus finished getting dressed. Naked, his insecurities tried to take over and stomp

out any hope he might have of a proper conversation. “Let’s put that in our past. We can
let the guilt and sorrow and insecurity eat us up until there is nothing left of our bond, or
we can move forward.

Liang’s smile made the stilted speech worthwhile. Proteus might not be able to shove

away all the sorrow from the loss of his brood patch or part of his leg, but he was luckier
than most. He had a wonderful family, a supportive mate and a great group of new
friends. He’d be an idiot to let any of that slip away because of his insecurities.

“I love you.” It needed to be said and from the relief crossing Liang’s face he needed to

hear it.

“I love you, too.” Liang stood up and lifted Proteus in his arms.
“I can walk.”
“Shh, I’m being romantic, just let it go.”
Proteus relaxed in Liang’s arms. “I thought we needed to go see Gallen?”
“Gallen can wait.”
Liang walked Proteus to their bedroom. It wasn’t big and luxurious, with the bed

shoved against a wall and dominating the room, but it smelled of them. Proteus sighed at
the comfort of the darkness. Sometimes he missed the coral reefs, the fake ones never
gave him the same sense of peace.

“We’ll go visit Australia sometime soon. We deserve a vacation.” Liang kissed Proteus

on his forehead.

“Yes we do.” Time away from everything sounded amazing.
Liang lay Proteus on the bed and stripped him of his clothes.
“I just got dressed,” he protested with little heat.
“And I just undressed you.” He pointed to the prosthetic. “Can I remove this?”
Proteus blushed, but nodded. “It’s ugly.”
“Nothing about you is ugly. I love every part of you.” Liang kissed Proteus’s stump and

nothing in his expression conveyed anything but total adoration.

Blinking back tears, Proteus gave his mate a watery smile. “Thanks for saving me.”
“If I hadn’t been there—”
Proteus cut him off. “No, I mean before. You didn’t have to get me out of that other

aquarium, but you did and I think you would’ve done it whether or not I was your
mate.”

“No one deserves to be kept against their will,” Liang said.
Proteus slid a hand through Liang’s hair. “Thank you for being my mate.”
“I didn’t have much to do with it, but you’re welcome.”
“The Fates did a good job when they picked you.” Proteus pulled Liang down to him.

He pressed his mouth to Liang’s before letting the dragon take control. His mate didn’t
always dominate their lovemaking, sometimes they took things slow and sweet, but in
this moment he needed to be claimed.

“I’m happy to be anything you need.”
Proteus’s hand trembled as he cupped his mate’s face. “And that’s what makes you

perfect for me.”

Kissing led to touching. Liang’s scale clothing vanished and nothing but smooth flesh

pressed against Proteus. He sucked in his breath, gasping at the sensation.

“Am I too heavy for you?” Liang asked.
“You aren’t even putting your weight on me, how could you be too heavy?”
Liang held most of his weight on his arms while he hovered over Proteus. He slid

down Proteus’s body planting kisses and nips as he went, mapping out his skin as if there
would be a quiz later and he needed an A to graduate.

The third time Liang bypassed Proteus’s erection he let out a whimper.
“Easy, love, I’ll get to it.”
“Now. I need you now!”
“Patience. It will be that much better.”
“If it gets any better I might not survive.” In the short time they’d been mates Liang

had discovered all of Proteus’s hot spots, and a few he hadn’t realized would drive him
insane.

“You’ll be fine.” Liang showed a fine disregard for his mate’s sanity and continued the

slow sweep of kisses and licks with the occasional bite thrown in to crumple Proteus into
a needy bundle of nerves.

“I love your soft skin,” Liang said before lapping at Proteus’s hipbone.
“I have other soft things,” Proteus prodded.
“You mean this?” Liang wrapped a firm grip around Proteus’s erection. “That’s pretty

hard babe.”

“Keep that up and it won’t be hard for long,” Proteus promised, he ended the sentence

on a gasp as Liang slid his hand up and down Proteus’s shaft.

“I’d best get busy then.”
Liang produced a container of lube from beneath his pillow. A neat trick since Proteus

knew it hadn’t been there last night.

After putting a large dollop of lube on his fingers, Liang pushed one thick digit into

Proteus’s hole. With mind-blowing thoroughness, Liang prepped Proteus.

“Now, just do it.”
Liang laughed. “You know how I hate to rush.”
“And you know how I’d hate to have to kill you.”
Still chuckling, Liang hooked his arms beneath Proteus’s legs, lined up his erection to

Proteus’s entrance then pushed inside. Proteus bucked at the sensation. The slow burn,
the immediate connection, then the bond between them flared brighter as Liang
continued to merge them into one.

“So good,” Liang muttered.
Liang folded Proteus almost in half and he loved it. Not treating him like a fragile,

broken creature, but an equal partner in their relationship had Proteus bursting with joy.
He didn’t have much time to think as Liang increased his speed until he was pounding
away in long even strokes that shortened to fast staccato motions when he began to lose
control.

“Yes. More. Harder!” Proteus shouted. He couldn’t control his need to get more of his

mate. He needed it all.

Liang gave him everything he wanted until a quick yank of his cock had Proteus

exploding between them.

A low grunt and the splash inside him told him his mate had found his release. Instead

of immediately sliding out, Liang planted several kisses on Proteus’s mouth, his forehead
and both cheeks before separating their bodies. “Come on, let’s take a bath then go see
what Gallen wants.”

Proteus preferred baths now because he didn’t have to wobble on one foot while he

cleaned up. He allowed Liang to carry him instead of fetching his crutches. His mate
enjoyed cradling Proteus in his arms and as long as he didn’t make it his goal to move
him from room to room all the time, he’d let Liang get away with it.

After a quick bath they went to see what Gallen wanted.
“Hey, guys.” Gallen looked up from the large tome he had spread across the table.
“Liang said you wanted to see me?” Proteus tried not to sound nervous, but the

powerful sorcerer was not only a magic user, he was the mate of the dragon king.

“Yes, I think I have a spell to help you.”
“Help me?”
“Yes. It will make your prosthetic foot respond to the type of terrain it’s on.

Unfortunately I can’t help you grow a new foot since you aren’t part starfish, but it
should make it easier for you to walk.”

Proteus ignored the starfish part. “That would be great.”
“Sit down here and I’ll try casting.” Gallen pointed at the chair beside him.
Liang gripped Proteus’s shoulders. “It’s not going to hurt him is it?”
“No.” Gallen shook his head. “Since the spell is on the prosthetic it shouldn’t affect

Proteus at all.”

“Do you need me to take off my shoe?”
“Yes, please.”
“I’ll get it.” Liang kneeled before Proteus and slid off this shoe followed by his sock.
“Would it be easier if I took off the foot?” Proteus asked.
“No. I think this should be fine.”
Works like “think” didn’t reassure Proteus, but he made no comment as Gallen fetched

another chair to prop Proteus’s leg on.

Gallen referred to his book one more time before raising his hand over Proteus’s leg

and muttering in some language Proteus didn’t recognize. From the hairs rising on the
back of his neck he didn’t want to either.

A blast of light finished the event.
“I don’t feel any different.”
“Let me put your shoe back on.” Liang stepped forward to replace Proteus’s sock and

shoe.

“Try standing,” Gallen said.
Liang helped Proteus to his feet. His prosthetic foot shifted in his shoe and Proteus

immediately felt more stable. “Wow, that’s awesome. There’s really a big difference.
Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Gallen’s wide smile brightened the room. “I’m glad it worked.”
“Me, too.”

Chapter Ten

Aden entered the dining room to find his son engrossed in the newspaper. “Morning,
Carey.”

“Morning, Dad.” He didn’t look up.
“Anything going on this morning?”
“Yeah, I think I know where the emperor might be.” Carey slid the paper across the

table.

Aden read the headline. “Boring machine stalled. Tunnel stopped indefinitely.”
Carey leaned forward and propped his chin on his palm. “They claim the machine hit a

pipe or something.”

“And you don’t think it did?” Aden raised an eyebrow. “I know everyone seems like a

conspiracy these days, but don’t you think this is carrying things a little too far?”

“Think about it, Dad, what kind of engineers wouldn’t make sure they knew where

everything was located before they started drilling. They dragged Bertha, the world’s
biggest tunneling machine, underground then hit a well pipe. How believable is that?”

Aden snagged a muffin out of the basket on the table. “About as believable as naming a

boring machine Bertha.”

Carey snorted. “But it makes a great cover, especially if they encountered the emperor.

If he has magic users working for him he could make them believe this story. It’s the
perfect place to hide out.”

Peeling off the wrapper of his pastry, Aden thought over Carey’s theory. “You could be

making a good point. I don’t know how we’re going to investigate though.”

“I could go check it out.” Proteus entered the dining room where both men were

sitting. The sea dragon walked with a new confidence since Gallen’s spell. Aden hoped
he’d make a full recovery at least emotionally. Physically Proteus would always be
damaged, and Aden still regretted not saving the small man from becoming injured.

“Do you even know what we’re talking about?” Aden asked.
Proteus shook his head. “No, but I’m restless. If there’s something I can help with, I

want to.”

“Are you sure you’re ready for another mission, little sea dragon?” Aden asked. “I

don’t think Liang will trust us if we get you injured twice.”

“Muffin?” Carey offered the basket to the sea dragon shifter.
“Thanks.” Proteus grabbed a blueberry one before sitting down at the table with the

two of them. “What am I looking for?”

“Carey thinks the emperor is hiding under the city,” Aden said.
Proteus turned wide eyes toward Carey. “Really?”
Carey shrugged. “It’s a theory. I think we should go down an investigate.” He turned

the paper so Proteus could see the headline.

Quickly scanning the paper, Proteus nodded. “I could do that. I wouldn’t be in any

danger. I could just pop down there and check things out. It’s not like I’m going to fight
or anything, and I doubt there are any insane dragons lurking underneath Seattle.”

“We should probably talk to Liang about this,” Aden said. He’d hate to be on the bad

side of the dragon shifter, even if he could take him.

Proteus froze and his mouth took on an angry line. “I’m my own person and if I want

to do something to help our people that’s my business.”

Before Aden could argue Liang entered the room. “Anything that has to do with you is

my business, too,” Liang said. “That doesn’t mean you need my permission, it just means
you respect me enough to get my opinion.”

The muffin wrapper became a source of great interest to Proteus as he carefully peeled

it away. “I respect you, but I want to do my part. I know you all think I’m broken, but I
can still help.”

Liang cupped the back of Proteus’s neck. “I understand, love, but it could be

dangerous.”

“I know.” Proteus nodded. “I’m not an idiot. I know things can be difficult, but if the

emperor is that close he could harm our kids. I’m not going to let that happen. I’d do
anything to keep him away from you and our children.”

“Are you certain you can get in and out without getting injured?” Liang asked. “I don’t

want to go through that again.”

“No. I’m not going to make any false promises. You told me you would do what you

had to make things safe for us. I’m doing the same.”

Aden’s admiration for the spunky sea dragon rose several notches. He might be the

physically weaker of the pair, but Proteus was no one’s door mat. “Why don’t you two go
talk? We’ll be here when you make up your mind.”

“That’s a good idea.” Liang bowed to Aden before offering a hand to his mate.
Proteus stood and accepted the gesture, allowing his mate to lead him out of the room.
“Hell, I didn’t mean for him to get involved,” Carey ran his fingers through his hair

and sighed.

“He has just as much right to protect his kids as anyone.” Aden wouldn’t argue against

a father’s protective instincts. He had no room to talk.

“I didn’t say he couldn’t do it. I just don’t want him hurt again. Those kids need to

grow up with a father. They already lost their genetic parents.” Carey scowled.

“True. I’m not saying anything will happen to him, but if Proteus is killed we will all

step in and take care of the kids. It’s not the best solution, but we need to support his
decision. He needs this to rebuild his confidence and feel like he can contribute to the
group. Even little sea dragons have pride.”

“I guess so.” Carey looked like he wanted to argue further.
“Morning, sweets.” Broden sauntered into the dining room with the fluid grace of his

inner cat. He kissed Carey good morning and scowled at the muffins. “Where’s the real
food?”

“It’s coming.” Carey shoved the basket over. “Have a pastry. The hawks are cooking

right now.”

“What are you going to do if all the hawks go to Harris?” Aden asked.
Carey shrugged. “It’s not like I’ve never prepared meals before.”
“Maybe you should look into hiring a full time cook?” Aden mused.

“And what would I put in the ad. Position open for full time cook. Must like animals,

gays and be able to ignore the occasional magical attack. Yeah I doubt they’ll print it
much less get any answers back.”

Aden laughed. “Why don’t we just ask around? We know enough factions that

someone must know a cook.”

“The problem would be if they would be on our side or a plant,” Carey pointed out.
“True. Maybe we can have Gallen devise a test or something. His magic is coming

along nicely.”

Gallen had begun to experiment with magic more and some of his inventions were

quite clever. Others had Aden wanting to hide in case they exploded, but wasn’t that the
usual path to invention?

“I’d be happy to help with anything, love.” Gallen entered the room. His faded jeans

cradled his body with drool-inducing devotion.

“Are people just popping out of the woodwork to answer questions?” Carey asked.

“It’s like a sitcom in here.”

Aden laughed.
“I have the blueprints drawn up for your room. I thought you two could look them

over and let me know about any changes you might like before we start construction,”
Carey said.

“Sounds good. Send them to Gallen’s email account.” After years of encrypted

messages, Aden didn’t get on a computer unless he had to. In some ways being a dragon
leader was easier than being an assassin.

“Will do,” Carey said.
His easy smile unfurled some of the tension Aden had been carrying around. He’d

done at least one good thing in his life and it sat across from him at the breakfast table.

“Carey has a theory that the emperor is under the city and he’s the reason Bertha

stalled,” Aden shared with the other men.

Gallen snorted. “You mean for once it wasn’t incompetent politicians?”
“Well, we’re not entirely ruling that out, it’s just a theory,” Carey said. “Proteus has

offered to go and check it out.”

“Why Proteus?” Gallen snagged a muffin out of the basket, which was now getting low

of goodies.

“He can blend into his environment. His camouflage is really something.” Aden said.
“I bet you wish you could’ve done that in your prior life,” Gallen said.
Aden nodded. “Yeah, that would’ve been convenient.”
Broden kissed Carey on the top of his head. “Come on, love, I’ve got two hours before I

go to work and I need some mate time. We’ve been working so hard I haven’t seen you
in a while.”

Carey stood. “With that, I’m off.”
The wide grin spreading across Broden’s face told Aden the pair wouldn’t be doing

anything he needed details about. He shook his head as the couple rushed out of the
room as if their pants were on fire.

“Is that strange?” Gallen asked.

“Is what strange?” His mate had obviously gone off on a tangent Aden had failed to

follow.

“Seeing your son being an adult.”
“In some ways, but Carey was never a regular kid. Our camping trips were like

survivalist school. I’ve always lived in fear of him encountering something he couldn’t
handle.”

Gallen patted Aden’s shoulder. “All parents try to give their kids the tools to survive in

the world. You just took it to another level.”

Aden kissed Gallen until they broke apart because oxygen became a luxury. “You

always say the right thing.”

“Because I love you.”
A tight knot of regret unfurled in Aden’s chest. He’d never realized how much he’d

blamed himself for Carey’s childhood. It was time to let that guilt go. After all, he’d done
what he could to let his son be himself while teaching him how to live. Skills that have
helped him survive in the new world Carey found himself in. “You’re right. I did as good
of a job as I could.”

“If anyone could get an award for the best-loved kid it would be yours,” Gallen said

with a fierce tone.

Aden kissed his mate again. “What do you say we take this back to our room. I might

have gotten up a little early.”

Gallen grinned. “I do believe you have. Maybe I can relax you enough to go back to

sleep again?”

“I think you can.”
They began to stand up when two hawk shifters entered the room carrying platters of

food.

“Or maybe we can eat first,” Gallen said his stomach growling.
Aden nodded. He knew the hawk shifters had worked hard to prepare breakfast, to

leave now would’ve been rude. “After breakfast.”

The glow in Gallen’s eyes told Aden he’d be working up a second appetite after their

morning meal.

Chapter Eleven

Proteus shivered at the mouth of the tunnel. Why had he volunteered for this plan? He
clenched his thighs to stop his knees from banging together like a kettledrum. This might
have been his stupidest idea ever. Searching his mind, yep, this was it. After the Alaska
fiasco that is.

The stench of magic filled his nose and he struggled not to sneeze. He didn’t have an

enhanced sense of smell like other shifters. If the stink bothered him it probably at least
made  the  humans  uneasy.  He  skirted  past  the  drilling  machine  and  deeper  into  the
tunnel.  There  was  a  crack  where  the  machine  stopped.  Proteus  could  see  it  wasn’t  the
pipe  that  had  stopped  the  boring  drill,  but  the  wall  of  magic.  Ancient  hieroglyphics
glowed with power as if their protections were activated from the machine’s presence.

“Idiots. They should’ve had sorcerers on the council. Of course to do that they’d have

to realize there were magic users, but that’s bound to come out sooner or later,” Proteus
muttered to himself.

Proteus should probably turn back and call it good. Aden would be happy with the

report of finding the sigils, but curiosity had been Proteus’s downfall more than once,
and nothing had changed. Maybe one of his ancestors had mated with a cat shifter.

“Just a little peek.” He’d just pop his head in and see what he could spot. More

information could only be a good thing. He ignored the little voice that told him that’s
what got him into trouble last time.

Water dripped from the wall, making a soggy rhythm to the backdrop of Proteus’s

investigation. A cold wind whipped through the tunnel in a section that should’ve been
still. Where was the breeze coming from?

Keeping his steps as quiet as possible Proteus kept his camouflage active. He didn’t

wish to get caught at this stage, especially not by the emperor’s people. Biting his lip he
took one step and then another, careful not to step on shiny, wet rocks. To break an ankle
or worse, injure his prosthetic right now would only prove to Liang what a bad idea it
was to let Proteus help. He sent a silent thanks to Gallen for stabilizing his foot.

“Who has entered my home?” A deep voice resonated through the tunnel.
Proteus froze. The hair on his arms stood up straight, a salute to the fear trembling

through his body. Sulfur soaked the air with its pungent scent. Proteus took shallow
breaths, too afraid to allow enough air into his lungs in case he coughed.

A rolling wave of evil surrounded him and the dark tunnel took on an even darker

haze as if whatever approached sucked out the light along with the air.

“You can’t hide. I felt you enter.”
Stupid!
Proteus should’ve realized those were wards. They probably went on alert once he

crossed the threshold. Damn, Liang had been right, Proteus wasn’t cut out to be a spy. He
bet none of the others would’ve made such a basic mistake.

He still didn’t talk. Proteus stepped back. Only a few steps would take him past the

magical markings. Sure the occupant would know Proteus had left, but maybe he’d let it
go at that. Once Proteus left the tunnel whatever spoke might not follow. It seemed to
enjoy the darkness. The bright Pacific Northwest sun might keep it back.

Happy with his plan, Proteus took another step backward. A rock broke from the pile

under his feet and tumbled away.

“There you are!” Giant gold eyes popped open in the dark, three feet away from

Proteus.

Proteus swallowed his scream.
The beast opened its mouth, revealing sharp white teeth as long as Proteus’s forearm.

The biggest dragon he’d ever seen lay only a short distance away. Its scales were
midnight black as if he’d absorbed the darkness and made it part of him. The dragon
narrowed its brilliant eyes.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll kill you quickly.”
Proteus took a step sideways, his heart pounded, his hands shook and if he didn’t

throw up his lunch in the next two seconds he’d consider it an amazing act of valor.

“I haven’t had a visitor in quite a while. Why don’t you stick around? You smell like

my kin.” The dragon purred, his voice rich and sinful.

Proteus almost decloaked right then. He caught himself just in time. Sneaky bastard.

He must be wearing Liang’s scent. They had cuddled for several hours before he went
out on the mission.

He took another step.
“Oh, a strong one. I like it when my prey fights.” Satisfaction oozed from the beast.

“Too bad they never win. If you check by the door you can find your predecessors.”

Proteus didn’t need to check. He had no doubt bones littered the entire place. Only the

dark kept him from the grizzly sight.

“Let me light the way for you. I do like to be a good host.”
A plume of flame burst from the dragon and singed Proteus’s right half.
Screaming he fell to the ground. He could feel the illusion slip from his grasp.
“There you are. I’m so glad you decided to join me. I finished off all the humans and I

was starting to get a bit hungry.”

Proteus closed his eyes and focused on his mate. Liang waited just outside the tunnel.

“Dragon!”

he screamed through their link.

“No one’s going to save you tiny creature, but do please call your friends, you’re too

tiny to be a proper meal.”

Before he could comment, a loud boom ricocheted through the tunnel. Aden, Gallen

and Liang appeared beside him.

“I’ve got you.” Liang picked Proteus up in his arms and headed behind Gallen and

Aden.

“You!” The black dragon sniffed at Aden. “You are mine.”
Aden moved to stand in front of the other three. “What do you mean?”
The dragon moved closer at Aden. “You’re not like the others, they were less. Your

mother was wise to hide you from me.”

“Please don’t tell me you’re my father. I really need to have some good news today.”

Aden motioned the three of them to leave the cavern.

None of them did. Proteus knew they wouldn’t abandon their leader. Aden had been

nothing but good to them. To leave him to fight the evil dragon went against everything
he’d ever known.

“Set me down in case Aden needs help,” Proteus whispered. His skin throbbed, but he

had to think of the others. The dragons would fall without Aden.

Liang nodded and set Proteus to the side where he would undoubtedly be ignored by

the dragon.

“I’ll let the others leave if you stay behind, my son,” The dragon said.

* * * *

Aden stared at the dragon. With his advanced senses he could see the core of evil
squatting in the creature before him. “You are the reason my mother had the mansion
reinforced against everything.”

“She was always a petty slut. So what if I dallied a little here and there, I always went

back to her. The vindictive witch even hid my treasure from me. What kind of woman
does that?”

Aden smiled. “The same kind who didn’t want her psycho ex to know she had a baby.”
The dragon snarled. “You will join me against the others and we will take over the

dragon world. I am the supreme dragon and the others will obey me.”

“You’re supreme dipstick and the others will want to cut off your head and put it on a

pike.” Aden paused as if to think about it. “None of them want to deal with a deranged
dragon either. How long have you been down here?”

The dragon snarled. “Centuries. The emperor bound me underground along with his

men after I refused to live under his rule. I obey no one. Others should quake in fear of
my mighty claws.”

A clump of dirt shook free with the dragon’s roar.
“Yeah, you’re the king of dirt,” Aden said.
“You mock, mere half-dragon, but you have only a shadow of my power.”
“Yeah, I got that. Too bad you’re such an ass. The dragons need leadership,” Aden said.

The shifter stunk of deceit. “What is your name?”

“I am Arad, king of all dragons and commander of the night.”
His voice boomed in the dark space and had Aden trembling on the inside. He had too

much training to let it show. Seawater, dirt and pure evil floated through the air.

“He’s lying.”

Gallen’s voice floated through Aden’s head. He strove to not change

expressions.

“About what?”

There were many things the dark dragon could be lying about.

“The emperor didn’t leave him down here. The marks on the tunnel were made by white mages,

a sect that died out a few hundred years ago. They protected the city from the dark dwellers.”

“Thank you.”
“You say the emperor locked you down here?”
Arad nodded. “He thought to keep all the power for himself.”

“Hmm, well we’ll leave you be. No sense in bothering you.” Aden backed up.
Low laughter didn’t bode well for a clean exit. “You think you can escape? You are

going to get me out of here and I will show the emperor who is really in charge.”

“I don’t think we need more insane monarchs. You should stay right here,” Aden

countered.

The dragon transformed. Within seconds a tall man with Aden’s features and black

hair stood before him. He could’ve been a clone for Carey if he dyed his hair.

“You wouldn’t leave your father here, would you?”
“Yes.” Aden didn’t see any point in denying it. This wasn’t a fairy tale where good

always conquered evil. If he let this guy go it would be like releasing Smaug onto the
innocent villagers who didn’t even know dragons existed.

A soft whimper from behind distracted him a bit. “Go take Proteus to safety.”
“If you won’t free me then no one is leaving,” Arad growled.
“I wasn’t asking you.” Aden stood a little shorter than his father, but he refused to

appear intimidated. This asshole had done something so horrible it took a team of monks
to trap him down here.

“I could incinerate you where you stand!” Arad shouted.
“Get them out of here.”

He projected to Gallen.

“Not without you!”
“Now. Proteus won’t be able to take another blast.”

The sea dragon wasn’t strong enough to

put up with a dragon’s fire.

The loud pop behind him told Aden his mate had gone.
“Smart. Bonding with a sorcerer. I never thought my son would be a lover of men, but

at least you were clever in your choices. Keeping a sorcerer on your side shows
initiative.”

“He’s not my pet, he’s my mate.” Aden scowled at the dragon shifter claiming to be his

father. “I was told I came into my power because you were dead.”

“Aww, probably wishful thinking on someone’s part. You came into your power

because you were ready. Dragons not of our bloodline have no idea how it works. You
were ready to take up the mantle of leadership so The Fates gave you the magic.”

Great, he didn’t need any more entities trying to muscle in on running his life.

Everyone had a pretty heavy hand in it right now. Gallen popped in beside Aden and
took his hand.

“What is your name sorcerer?”
“Gallen.”
Aden’s chest swelled with pride. He’d never doubted Gallen’s courage and right now

he couldn’t have loved him more.

“You truly are mates,” Arad said. “This will make it all the more delicious when I kill

one of you and leave the other behind.”

Aden squeezed Gallen’s hand. “Now!”
A loud pop echoed in his ears, making Aden wince. Blinking he cleared his vision from

the sudden shift from dark to light. “That’s one scary bastard.”

“Yeah, your dad isn’t the type to welcome me with open arms,” Gallen agreed.

Epilogue

Proteus lay beside his lover and sighed. Their lovemaking had relaxed his body, but his
mind still whirled about like a pinwheel.

“Do you think we’ll find them?”
After two months there still wasn’t any sign of the two missing dragons. There had

been no one else at the facility and the emperor had covered his tracks.

“Yeah, we’ll find them and the emperor.”
“What about Aden’s father?” Memories of the evil dragon’s eyes still haunted him at

night.

Liang shuddered. “Let’s just hope he never gets out of there.”
“Definitely. Aden seems to be taking it all right.”
“Aden takes everything in stride.” Liang’s admiring tone made Proteus smile.
“The twins tried to change into babies today.”
“They’ve been babies.”
“No, human babies,” Proteus said.
“What did you do?”
“I told them I wasn’t doing diapers so if they want to poop they had to change back to

sea dragons.”

Liang laughed. “Tough love, I like it.”
“Hey, I can be tough.”
Liang kissed him. “You are the toughest person I know, but with the kids you’re a

squishy marshmallow.”

“Well this marshmallow isn’t changing diapers,” Proteus vowed.
“Fair enough.” Liang kissed him. “If they decide to remain human I’ll change the

diapers.”

“Sucker. I’m going to remember you said that.” He would, too. Might even mark it on

his calendar in red.

“I love you.”
Liang’s kiss made Proteus’s cock consider hardening again.
“I love you, too.” Snuggling in with his lover Proteus sighed, completely and utterly

happy for the first time in his life.

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