If you've been reading my books for a while, you know that some characters begin to speak to me which is why I have so many books or spin-offs in one series. Torin is becoming one of those characters...
Once everyone is settled with where they are going and when, I say goodbye to my sisters, Emerson, and Cohen. They give me the information that they have, letting me know that Leana and Riley have the specific coordinates of where Madelyn and I need to look for the other dragons. Lily is heading back to Araphyra to prepare for us to bring this first group of dragons home.Home. It’s a simple word and something that none of these descendants of dragons have had. For me, I know I intend to change that for Madelyn. I want our apartment to be and feel like a home. I’m hoping that the others will find a home in Araphyra.As Madelyn and I go down to the garage in the elevator, the thought of making a home with her overwhelms me and I press her against the side of the elevator, kissing her as I push my happiness and love for her into the kiss and through the bond. I knew finding my mate would be everything, but I didn’t truly understand the feeling of happiness and contentedness within myself
Even without sleep, my body is humming with the pleasure that Cayd gives me. It’s like a constant adrenaline rush that keeps my body on a high so that I don’t feel the need to get as much sleep.When I get out of the shower, I smile, putting on the second dress that Cayd knew that I’d need. I bite my lip as I think about all the positions we were in while I was in and out of this dress. I lean down to get the shoes, not sure that my feet are ready for a day in these heels when Cayd’s strained voice stops me.“Baby, I love you. I love you so much, more than anything else in this entire world. If you love me at all, anywhere close to how much I love you, you won’t wear those shoes. I only have so much restraint and it’s going to be hard enough seeing you in that dress today with every memory of what I did to you while you were in it last night. Please, have mercy on your weak mate and don’t wear those shoes.”I giggle, and then, because I can, I run and leap into my mate’s arms. He catch
I wasn’t sure what to expect from our decorating party, but I wasn’t expecting to have as much fun as I did. Everyone seemed to have a wonderful time, my mate especially. After breakfast, half of us began decorating trees, while others began preparing dinner, and then others decorated the apartment.I had several moments where I stopped and looked around, recognizing that someday soon our apartment will be as large as Xander and Maeve’s, but that this, this happiness and chaotic fun, is going to be my life.“I know that look,” my father says walking up.“What look is that?” I ask, eating yet another Christmas cookie. They’re really good.“The look of a man who is seeing his future with the woman he loves.”“Yep, that’s exactly what I was thinking,” I say, smiling as my mate sings with the others who know the holiday songs playing on the television.“Now replace every one of these people with your pups or dragons babies and you’ll see what I saw in my future when I met your mother.”“Ma
It feels good being back in Araphyra. I almost wish that this could be my home. Almost. But my home is with Cayd and he has a life back in the city and in the packs. And my life is with him.‘I promise we’ll visit frequently,’ Cayd says, sensing my thoughts.I smile at him as we all exit the van. King Aolis and Queen Lily are waiting for us.“Welcome dragons,” King Aolis says. As the others step forward and look around, I can sense the fae creatures moving toward us. I’m not sure if they are drawn to the magic of dragons, or if they are just excited to see more here in their homeland.“Whoa!” Tamsyn says. I turn and look at her, seeing that her body is glowing in a golden light.“Uh, what’s happening?” Silas asks, his body beginning to glow with a silver light.“Is this our magic?” Avalon asks in awe, her body glowing with her dragon's rose-gold color. Even Torin is glowing with a pewter glow.“You’re glowing too,” Cayd says, smiling as he looks over my body. I look down, surprised to
After we get settled, Aolis and Lily take the dragons on a tour of Araphyra. While they look around, I take Madelyn to the library so that we can meet with Ailduin.When we walk in, I see that Buppig is here as well, ready to assist.“Good morning, Buppig! How are you?” I ask him.“I’d be better if me mate wasn’t flittin’ around about having some male dragons around. What has he got that I haven’t got?” he asks irritably, his Irish accent becoming heavier with his frustration.“Height?” Madelyn asks innocently.“I think it was a rhetorical question, love,” I say to her as Buppig narrows his eyes at her.“Yeah, well, I’ve got it where it counts! Got her pregnant, didn’t I? I’m giving her a little sprite baby, aren’t I?”“Or possibly a leprechaun baby, Buppig. You know that Hyacinth loves you, unconditionally,” Anastasia says kindly.“Of course she does! You’re not questioning her love for you, are you, Buppig?” Madelyn asks.“Just because he’s big and warm, so what? I’m warm!” he huffs,
After spending most of the afternoon pouring over maps, and then spending dinner with the dragons, hearing their excitement about Araphyra and beginning to feel their own magic coming forward, Cayd led me into the forest.Just like last time, we spent then entire night making love, sharing light, and being together. I don’t know how my body has the energy to go for so many hours, never needing a break, never needing to disconnect from my mate, but I don’t care. My only complaint is that the time went by much too quickly and before I knew it, Cayd was sliding out of me, showing me that the sun had started to rise.“We need to get back to the city today so we can head out west. It’s time for us to bring all of your dragon brethren home, Madelyn. Then, maybe next time, we can stay out here until you’ve had enough of me,” he says giving me that million-dollar smile.“Well then, you’d better prepare to spend the rest of your life here in the forest Cayden Holstin, because I will never have
We didn’t have to worry about clothing for Torin and Avalon. My mother and my aunts apparently felt the need to make sure our new friends had clothes, so when we arrived back at the apartments, they had clothes waiting for them.“I don’t even know what to say about this,” Avalon says, looking shocked.“You don’t have to say anything. You’re under the care and protection of the Guardians. That means something to us, to all of us,” I tell them.“Thanks,” Torin says, but I can tell the gesture is meaningful to him too. Good, the sooner he realizes that we’re not his enemy, the better.Xander drives us to the airport where the pilots are ready and waiting for us. I say goodbye to my brother, having already spoken to my father.“Call if you need anything. We’ll be there," he says.“I know. I’ll be calling anyway, hopefully, to give you a timeframe and number of dragons headed your way,” I say, before following the others into the plane.It’s a private jet with small seating areas and a bed
Cayd had suggested that I wear Maeve’s protection amulet on this trip. I’m not sure if he was just being cautious, or if he instinctively knew that meeting up with a bunch of dragons could be dangerous. But just before we heard the voice, I felt the amulet begin to vibrate and it began to glow under my shirt. That’s how I’d known that they knew we were here.The moment the angry voice booms around us, Cayd pushes me behind him. Since I’m the dragon and he’s the wolf, this seems ridiculous to me, but I understand that my mate wants to protect me.“We aren’t here to hurt you, or take your children,” I say, adding the last part as an afterthought.“Oh yeah?” another voice says, coming up beside us. Torin shifts, putting a shoulder to Cayd’s and creating a wall on one side of me, like two sides of a box.“You’re a werewolf, aren’t you?” another voice says from my other side and Avalon shifts her body to protect me on that side. Why they’ve decided to protect me I have no idea. I’m the one
Cayd had suggested that I wear Maeve’s protection amulet on this trip. I’m not sure if he was just being cautious, or if he instinctively knew that meeting up with a bunch of dragons could be dangerous. But just before we heard the voice, I felt the amulet begin to vibrate and it began to glow under my shirt. That’s how I’d known that they knew we were here.The moment the angry voice booms around us, Cayd pushes me behind him. Since I’m the dragon and he’s the wolf, this seems ridiculous to me, but I understand that my mate wants to protect me.“We aren’t here to hurt you, or take your children,” I say, adding the last part as an afterthought.“Oh yeah?” another voice says, coming up beside us. Torin shifts, putting a shoulder to Cayd’s and creating a wall on one side of me, like two sides of a box.“You’re a werewolf, aren’t you?” another voice says from my other side and Avalon shifts her body to protect me on that side. Why they’ve decided to protect me I have no idea. I’m the one
We didn’t have to worry about clothing for Torin and Avalon. My mother and my aunts apparently felt the need to make sure our new friends had clothes, so when we arrived back at the apartments, they had clothes waiting for them.“I don’t even know what to say about this,” Avalon says, looking shocked.“You don’t have to say anything. You’re under the care and protection of the Guardians. That means something to us, to all of us,” I tell them.“Thanks,” Torin says, but I can tell the gesture is meaningful to him too. Good, the sooner he realizes that we’re not his enemy, the better.Xander drives us to the airport where the pilots are ready and waiting for us. I say goodbye to my brother, having already spoken to my father.“Call if you need anything. We’ll be there," he says.“I know. I’ll be calling anyway, hopefully, to give you a timeframe and number of dragons headed your way,” I say, before following the others into the plane.It’s a private jet with small seating areas and a bed
After spending most of the afternoon pouring over maps, and then spending dinner with the dragons, hearing their excitement about Araphyra and beginning to feel their own magic coming forward, Cayd led me into the forest.Just like last time, we spent then entire night making love, sharing light, and being together. I don’t know how my body has the energy to go for so many hours, never needing a break, never needing to disconnect from my mate, but I don’t care. My only complaint is that the time went by much too quickly and before I knew it, Cayd was sliding out of me, showing me that the sun had started to rise.“We need to get back to the city today so we can head out west. It’s time for us to bring all of your dragon brethren home, Madelyn. Then, maybe next time, we can stay out here until you’ve had enough of me,” he says giving me that million-dollar smile.“Well then, you’d better prepare to spend the rest of your life here in the forest Cayden Holstin, because I will never have
After we get settled, Aolis and Lily take the dragons on a tour of Araphyra. While they look around, I take Madelyn to the library so that we can meet with Ailduin.When we walk in, I see that Buppig is here as well, ready to assist.“Good morning, Buppig! How are you?” I ask him.“I’d be better if me mate wasn’t flittin’ around about having some male dragons around. What has he got that I haven’t got?” he asks irritably, his Irish accent becoming heavier with his frustration.“Height?” Madelyn asks innocently.“I think it was a rhetorical question, love,” I say to her as Buppig narrows his eyes at her.“Yeah, well, I’ve got it where it counts! Got her pregnant, didn’t I? I’m giving her a little sprite baby, aren’t I?”“Or possibly a leprechaun baby, Buppig. You know that Hyacinth loves you, unconditionally,” Anastasia says kindly.“Of course she does! You’re not questioning her love for you, are you, Buppig?” Madelyn asks.“Just because he’s big and warm, so what? I’m warm!” he huffs,
It feels good being back in Araphyra. I almost wish that this could be my home. Almost. But my home is with Cayd and he has a life back in the city and in the packs. And my life is with him.‘I promise we’ll visit frequently,’ Cayd says, sensing my thoughts.I smile at him as we all exit the van. King Aolis and Queen Lily are waiting for us.“Welcome dragons,” King Aolis says. As the others step forward and look around, I can sense the fae creatures moving toward us. I’m not sure if they are drawn to the magic of dragons, or if they are just excited to see more here in their homeland.“Whoa!” Tamsyn says. I turn and look at her, seeing that her body is glowing in a golden light.“Uh, what’s happening?” Silas asks, his body beginning to glow with a silver light.“Is this our magic?” Avalon asks in awe, her body glowing with her dragon's rose-gold color. Even Torin is glowing with a pewter glow.“You’re glowing too,” Cayd says, smiling as he looks over my body. I look down, surprised to
I wasn’t sure what to expect from our decorating party, but I wasn’t expecting to have as much fun as I did. Everyone seemed to have a wonderful time, my mate especially. After breakfast, half of us began decorating trees, while others began preparing dinner, and then others decorated the apartment.I had several moments where I stopped and looked around, recognizing that someday soon our apartment will be as large as Xander and Maeve’s, but that this, this happiness and chaotic fun, is going to be my life.“I know that look,” my father says walking up.“What look is that?” I ask, eating yet another Christmas cookie. They’re really good.“The look of a man who is seeing his future with the woman he loves.”“Yep, that’s exactly what I was thinking,” I say, smiling as my mate sings with the others who know the holiday songs playing on the television.“Now replace every one of these people with your pups or dragons babies and you’ll see what I saw in my future when I met your mother.”“Ma
Even without sleep, my body is humming with the pleasure that Cayd gives me. It’s like a constant adrenaline rush that keeps my body on a high so that I don’t feel the need to get as much sleep.When I get out of the shower, I smile, putting on the second dress that Cayd knew that I’d need. I bite my lip as I think about all the positions we were in while I was in and out of this dress. I lean down to get the shoes, not sure that my feet are ready for a day in these heels when Cayd’s strained voice stops me.“Baby, I love you. I love you so much, more than anything else in this entire world. If you love me at all, anywhere close to how much I love you, you won’t wear those shoes. I only have so much restraint and it’s going to be hard enough seeing you in that dress today with every memory of what I did to you while you were in it last night. Please, have mercy on your weak mate and don’t wear those shoes.”I giggle, and then, because I can, I run and leap into my mate’s arms. He catch
Once everyone is settled with where they are going and when, I say goodbye to my sisters, Emerson, and Cohen. They give me the information that they have, letting me know that Leana and Riley have the specific coordinates of where Madelyn and I need to look for the other dragons. Lily is heading back to Araphyra to prepare for us to bring this first group of dragons home.Home. It’s a simple word and something that none of these descendants of dragons have had. For me, I know I intend to change that for Madelyn. I want our apartment to be and feel like a home. I’m hoping that the others will find a home in Araphyra.As Madelyn and I go down to the garage in the elevator, the thought of making a home with her overwhelms me and I press her against the side of the elevator, kissing her as I push my happiness and love for her into the kiss and through the bond. I knew finding my mate would be everything, but I didn’t truly understand the feeling of happiness and contentedness within myself
Everyone gets quiet with King Ailduin’s suggestion that because of us, someday dragons could fly in the skies again. I mean, that will be well past my lifetime, but the idea that I could be a part of that ... I look at Cayd, wondering if our children will be a part of that.‘Yes, they will,’ he says in my mind.‘How do you know?’‘Because there is a prophecy about the two of us. I think that means that the two of us do more than just bring the dragons to Araphyra. I think we’ll help bring them back into existence, if that’s what happens. But either way, we’re here, on the cusp of something exciting, leading the way and blazing the trail,’ he says, pulling my hand to him mouth and kissing my knuckles.“I’ll go if Madelyn comes with us,” Avalon says, pulling my attention back to the table.Everyone turns to look at me.“I will too,” Silas says, and Tamsyn nods in agreement.I look at King Ailduin and then at Cayd. “Is that a possibility?”Cayd turns to King Ailduin. “The Guardians and th