Sassy Ever After_Her Fierce Dragon Page 7

  “Thank you for the offer, but I’m more than happy with my choice of mate.” Jodos scoffed and shook his head.

  “Spell. Shifter. Find Delia,” Feno snapped.

  She chuckled and glanced back down at the book. She slowly turned the pages, looking for the perfect spell.

  “I can’t read the words. What language is that?” Jodos asked, leaning closer.

  “This book is protected by a spell. Only blood relatives of it’s creator will be able to read the words written on the pages,” she responded, turning the page.

  “That’s cool,” Vander said. She glanced up at him and saw the awe on his face.

  “It’s a witch thing. Security. We wouldn’t want a book like this to pass into the wrong hands.” Her eyes flew across the pages, continuing to search.

  Her breath caught in her throat as she realized she’d finally come to a section reserved for the dark spells. She didn’t recognize the handwriting, but it could have been her grandmother or great-grandmother’s print.

  It had only been a few minutes, but she would have sworn hours had gone by. She looked up and her eyes locked on the unmoving body of the shifter.

  “Have you found it?” Feno’s voice broke the silence. She nodded her head as she went back to the book. Her fingers tingled as she felt the book begin to pulse.

  It was the right one.

  Time for her to have her first lesson in dark magic.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Feno could see the uncertainty in Willow’s eyes. He loved that even when she was unsure, she would try anything to fight to get her grandmother back. He watched as her eyes flickered back and forth from the book and the shifter.

  “I’m ready,” she announced. The uncertainty disappeared, and in its place, determination set in. She stood and grabbed her bag that was on the ground and rummaged through it. “I need him awake.”

  He moved over to the shifter and knelt on the ground next to him. Placing his hand on the shifter’s filthy hair, he pushed his energy into him, causing his eyes to fly open with a howl.

  “Shut up,” Feno snapped as Willow moved beside him. She leaned over the shifter and placed her hand on his forehead.

  “What the hell?” the shifter screamed and bucked, knocking her hand from his head. Vander dropped down on the ground on the other side of the shifter and pushed his body back down, holding him in place.

  She replaced her hand on his forehead and began to chant in a language that Feno had never heard of.

  Electricity filled the air, and he knew that she was pulling her powers from the moon. Her hair began to float in the air as a gentle breeze began to flow around them.

  “Stop!” the shifter pleaded before his body went rigid. Feno’s eyes flew to the shifter’s face and found the whites of his eyes staring back at him.

  Silence surrounded them. Feno looked up at Willow, whose eyes were the same as the shifter’s.

  “Holy shit. She’s doing it,” Jodos breathed. The three dragons were captivated by the strength and power of the little witch.

  Something in Feno’s chest pushed him to Willow.

  Go to her.

  See what she sees.

  He crept over to Willow.

  “What are you doing?” Vander asked through their mental link, as if he didn’t want to interrupt Willow.

  “I need to see what she sees,” he replied as he arrived at her side.

  “Are you sure that’s safe?” Jodos chimed in, joining the unspoken conversation.

  “My powers will aid her,” he said, reaching a hand out to her. Doubt crept into his mind for a brief moment before his fingers connected with her arm.

  Feno glanced around and found himself no longer in his back yard. He was unfamiliar with the lay of the land. He growled deep in his throat as he took in a path that led directly up a hill and disappeared into a wooded area.

  Where in the hell was he?

  He sniffed deeply, but there was no smell.

  How can there be no smell? Standing outside and near the woods, there should be millions of smells in the air from nature alone.

  He thought back to before when he appeared here, and remembered touching Willow while she was working a spell on the shifter.

  This was the shifter’s memory.

  Where was Willow?

  He moved forward and stalked toward the path. She arrived a few minutes before him, so she couldn’t be that far ahead of him. He picked up his speed and jogged along the path, his dragon needing to find Willow and keep her safe.

  The sounds of growls in the distance caught his ear. Even being in a memory, he wasn’t sure what could happen. He prayed, nothing, but he didn’t want to chance anything.

  His dragon was on alert as they pushed farther into the woods, where a rustle caused him to slow down.

  “Feno?” Willow’s incredulous voice reached him. He moved off the path and into the thick brush to find her standing with her eyes wide, watching him approach. She rushed into his open arms.

  He closed his eyes briefly as he folded his arms around her. Even in the shifter’s memory, her curvy body felt good against his.

  “How did you get here?” she asked, pulling back to look up at him.

  “I touched your arm, and that’s the last thing I remember.”

  “This is crazy,” she muttered as she pulled back from him. “We’re in the shifter’s mind. From what I can tell, it’s just on replay. No one will be able to see or hear us while we observe what happened.”

  He nodded as he looked around. The sounds of growling off in the distance was increasing. He grabbed her hand and entwined their fingers together as he led the way.

  “Let’s go. I don’t know how long we’ll be here,” he said. “Good job reaching his memories on your first try.”

  “Thanks. I never thought I would have my first lesson of dark magic without my grandmother by my side, but it was her who told me that you were coming back home, and that I would need to use it.”

  “You spoke to your grandmother? Again?” He paused as he looked to her.

  “Before you arrived, I tried to reach out to her the way I did before, but this time without you. The moon was strong enough to help me. It wasn’t as strong as when you and I did it together, but I was able to reach her. We need to hurry and find her. They’re keeping her away from the elements, and I’m sure you know what will happen to a witch if she can’t be one with nature.”

  He nodded his head. A witch would wither away and die without being able to draw her powers from the natural elements. Almost as if she were being starved.

  They came to a clearing where the growls were the loudest. He turned to her and raised his finger to his lips, not wanting to chance anyone hearing them.

  He moved the brush and saw that they were outside a natural cave on the side of a hill. A bonfire was in the middle of the area, providing light.

  Shifters.

  Rogues.

  Scattered around the fire were shifters in their human forms, and some in their animal. The rogues were almost like savages. No training. They didn’t belong to a pack, and surely didn’t follow any of the lycan laws that were set.

  His eyes narrowed on a few shifted wolves circling each other, as if they were about to spar or fight. He didn’t know which, but honestly, there was no telling. Rogue shifters always fought for the spot of strongest male. Even though they did not belong to a pack, their alpha nature would come forth and demand to be identified as the strongest rogue.

  “Do you see her?” Willow crept around him, her body sliding against his as she ducked underneath his arm. She nestled her body in front of his so that she could see.

  “I don’t see any signs of her.” He looked around and saw the shifter they held captive come through the brush on the other side of the clearing. He walked alongside another man, taller and lankier than him.

  The leader.

  Feno could tell by the way the man carried himself, that he was the one leading the rogues.
He memorized the man’s face, for he knew that he would be seeing him again.

  “Where are they going?” Willow murmured.

  The two men headed toward the cave.

  “We need to get closer,” he announced, but Willow was already moving. He cursed at her boldness as he strode across the clearing, easily catching up to her as they walked around the fighting wolves and directly toward the cave.

  Not one’s eye turned to them as they made their way to where the shifter and the leader disappeared. He moved his body in front of hers as they stood at the mouth of the cave.

  “Stay behind me,” he murmured, entwining their fingers together. He didn’t wait for her response as he pulled her behind him.

  He wished he would be able to have his sense of smell while in the memory. That would help him locate where they were.

  The cave was dark, but his shifter eyes allowed him to see as they moved farther into it. The sounds of voices echoed through the air.

  “You won’t get away with this,” Delia threatened.

  “Shut your mouth, witch,” a voice growled low. The leader. “I’m getting paid good money to move you, but not enough to kill ya!”

  Willow’s hand tightened around his. It was a good thing that the shifter had standards, Feno thought sarcastically. The people paying him must not want her dead. But why would she need to be out of the way, only to be given a chance to let her come back?

  “My granddaughter will—”

  “I said shut up!” the leader screamed.

  They finally came into view of Delia and the two shifters. The elder witch sat on the dirty ground, her arms tied behind her back. She was disheveled in appearance, but Feno could see the defiance in the set of her jaw as she glared at the shifters.

  “I don’t give a damn about your granddaughter. Without you around, she’ll be banned from your coven, and it will be ruled by the person who should have been in control.”

  Feno growled, his dragon begging to go after the leader. Willow moved to his side so that she could see around him. A gasp escaped her as she took in her grandmother’s appearance.

  Soon, he promised his beast. Soon.

  “Well, her mate will rain down the fires of hell on you for what you have done,” Delia promised. The witch shifted her eyes toward them, and Feno would have sworn that a flicker of recognition flared in her eyes before she turned back to the shifter.

  “What are you looking at over there?” the shifter demanded, glancing their way for a brief moment before turning back to her. “There ain’t nothing over there but darkness and rocks.”

  Delia saw them.

  Feno was sure of it.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Willow gasped as her eyes flew open. She pulled her hand back from the shifter and looked around, finding Jodos and Vander staring at her in amazement.

  “Did you find what we need?” Vander asked quietly.

  “We did. I think I know where they were holding Delia. Not sure if they’re still there, but I know where we need to go.” Feno stood from where he had knelt next to Willow.

  “What the—” the shifter sputtered, coming to. He blinked his eyes before they settled on the dragons around him. He began to fight and kick free from Vander’s hold.

  “What are we to do with him?” Vander growled.

  “Do what you want. We’ve got all we need from him,” Feno announced. “In the morning, we’ll begin our search with the help of sunlight. Go get some rest. Tomorrow, we’ll hunt for Delia.”

  Vander and Jodos dragged the kicking and screaming shifter away and rounded the house, disappearing from sight.

  “Where will they take him?” Willow asked, bending down to grab her grandmother’s spell book from the ground. He could see that she was visibly shaken.

  He cursed, knowing that she had used too much of her energy casting the spell. It probably didn’t do too well to see that her grandmother was the hostage of rogues, only keeping her alive because of whoever paid them didn’t offer up enough to kill her.

  “Come here,” he murmured, gathering her close to him. She melted against his chest as he pushed some of his power into her to help rejuvenate her.

  “Thank you.” Her voice was muffled against his chest. He chuckled as her body greedily absorbed the energy he was sending into her.

  “You up for a flight?” he asked, tipping her chin up to him. His dragon was begging to take her to his castle. It was time for him to show her the horde that he had collected for over the past few centuries.

  “Tonight? Where do you want to go?” Excitement lined her face as she pulled back from him. The power transfer was interrupted since they were no longer touching.

  “Let me take you to my castle.”

  Her eyes grew wide at his announcement. Unable to resist the temptation any longer, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to her lips, then kissed her deeply.

  “Fly with me.”

  “Let’s go, my Fierce Dragon.”

  Willow held onto Feno as tight as she could. His dragon was taking them up high in the night sky. She smiled as she soaked in the moon, as this was the closest she had ever been to it.

  Feno’s leather scales were smooth as she rubbed her hand along them. She would never tire of riding on the back of his dragon. There was not a cloud in sight as they flew through the air. A large mountain came into view and deep inside, she knew that was their destination.

  Feno’s body shifted and she moved with his body as he glided toward the building that seemed to magically appear.

  “Oh, my,” she gasped as she took in the sight of the massive castle built into the mountain.

  Dragonstone Hold.

  It was breathtaking.

  This was the true home of her mate. She knew that he kept the condo in town to be close to everything, but this was more magnificent than she could have ever imagined.

  There was a massive landing pad that housed a helicopter parked off to the side. As large as the dragon was, the landing was gentle. Feno took a few steps before stopping and bent his head down to bring his body closer to the ground to allow her to slide off of him. She swung her leg over and slid down, landing on her feet. She took in her oversized bronze dragon mate and backed slowly away from him.

  His massive head turned to her, and she could see the hazel eyes that she had come to love. Even though he was in his dragon form, she could still make out Feno. He pushed his large head against her, causing her to burst out laughing.

  “You want me to pet your head?” she murmured, running her hand along his nose. Feno’s dragon closed his eyes and literally purred against her hand. She chuckled. “I need Feno now, please.”

  The dragon pulled back and huffed at her. She would have sworn it flashed disappointment in his eyes as she backed away. She blew it a kiss as it began to go through the change. She watched, fascinated, as the air around the dragon began to shimmer. Within minutes, Feno stood before her, naked.

  She swallowed hard as her eyes took all of him in. Her core clenched as her eyes connected with the heavy length that hung between his legs. She took a few steps and stopped just in front of him.

  “Hi,” she murmured, looking up at him.

  “Hey yourself.” A flicker of his hand and he was fully clothed.

  “Some of your magic tricks aren’t as fun,” she pouted. He growled and pulled her to him, laying a kiss to the crown of her head.

  “I don’t think my house staff would appreciate the lord of the castle walking around naked with a hard on.”

  Willow chuckled as he pulled her behind him. “I guess that won’t be appropriate.”

  She bit her lip as they entered through a steel door. It led them to a dark metal staircase that they went down before approaching another door. Feno placed his hand on the handle and paused to turn to her. He pulled her close and covered her mouth with his. She moaned as she leaned into the kiss. She wasn’t sure what it was for, but she could appreciate being kissed within an inch of her lif
e. He pulled back and stared into her eyes, as if studying her.

  “What was that for?” she breathed, trying to catch her breath. He leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes.

  “I’ve been waiting my entire life to be able to bring my mate to Dragonstone.”

  Her heart did a little dance at the emotions he was displaying. Her fierce dragon was not only a toughened warrior, but a romantic at heart.

  “I can’t wait to see it,” she murmured with a smile.

  “Do you know what it means for a dragon to mate?” he asked, pulling back from her. She could see the seriousness in the question, and she thought back to what her grandmother would tell her when she was younger.

  “That it was a forever commitment,” she answered.

  “A dragon prepares his or her entire life waiting for the one to be presented to them. A dragon is to love, cherish, provide for his or her mate for all eternity.”

  She smiled as she reached up and cupped his jaw with her hand. She loved the feel of the rough, prickly hairs that covered his face. She looked deeply into his eyes and knew that he was pouring his heart out for her in the way that he knew how.

  He was taking her to his dragon horde.

  “Show me the home that you’ve prepared for us,” she whispered, her heart pounding against her chest. He jerked his head in a nod and turned the handle.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Feno pulled Willow behind him as he marched through his home. His heart raced at the thought of Willow finally arriving here. He was over seven hundred years old, and this was the first time that a female who was not related to him or didn’t work for him, had stepped foot in his home.

  The dragon in him would never allow any female but his mate to step foot in the building. He had spent the last six hundred years preparing this home for her.

  Willow.

  His mate.

  This was hers as much as his.

  He tried to beat down his nerves, but he couldn’t help it. What if what he had collected wasn’t enough? What if she desired more? His dragon paced, unsure. They had waited centuries for this day and now it was here. He blew out a deep breath as he led her down the hall that would take them to his treasure room.