Xavier drew back his head, taking a deep breath that filled his lungs to maximum capacity. In one smooth motion, he blasted the dragons surrounding him with the blue flame.
Something was wrong.
She could feel it the minute Xavier opened his mouth. Their magic was not balanced. The hot flames scorched the five dragons surrounding them. Howling, the dragons turned on Xavier and attacked him with their elemental magic.
Fire bellowed from the three fire dragons’ mouths, and the earth dragon belted oil. Xavier twisted away as the fire and oil combined, igniting in the sky. When the water dragon blew a bellyful of water at Xavier, it splashed into the oil fire and exploded. The air dragon blew the raging fire toward them. Xavier twisted, just inches away from the blast.
The angry dragons chased Xavier as he dove away. The smaller water dragon was faster than Xavier, and it rushed around in front of him, blocking Xavier’s escape. The other dragons caught up with them and attacked again. This time their strikes did not have the same coordinated effect. The fire, water, oil, and wind came in separate bursts, which Xavier was able to evade.
His transformation had not only given him the ability to work with Circe and call the other dragons, it had also increased his strength, speed, and agility. But with five against one and the nimble water dragon continually blocking their path, Xavier’s abilities would keep them safe only for so long.
Circe hung on for dear life. With her on his back, Xavier was limited in his maneuverability. He couldn’t twist over backward as he would without her. He couldn’t bank at a ninety-degree angle, or she would slip from his back and fall to her death.
Xavier roared, drawing out his acid fire. She could sense that he did not want to attack the dragons again. It had been a grave mistake that had angered them in the first place. He let out a warning puff, but it only angered the other dragons. They attacked again with greater ferocity.
He plunged down, narrowly missing a second colossal blast, dropping toward the forest. When he turned and shot his acid fire, the other dragons were right behind him. Flames gushed from between his sharp teeth as the explosive combination of the other dragons' attacks raged toward them. Fire rained down on the forest, instantly igniting the ancient trees.
Circe screamed in fear at the devastation. It was far too close to the dryad’s grove. She could feel Xavier’s anger. He screeched a vicious cry and blasted the dragons with his acid fire. It caught them full force and rolled over the retreating beasts. The earth dragon ignited, exploding as it tumbled to the ground. A blast of fire and smoke burst from where it hit, and the forest burned anew.
The other dragons shot away as fast as their wings could take them. Xavier landed in the dryad’s grove, staying in dragon form. Circe searched for the dryad as the fire blazed closer. The last time the forest had ignited, during the fight with the Anu drones, Xavier had called water dragons to help put it out. Through her mental connection with Xavier, she knew he dared not call more dragons again so soon after he’d killed one.
Dragons were solitary, but there was a fierce loyalty that they felt for each other, if only from afar. The local dragons would know one of their own had been killed. They would be able to smell it on the wind. Circe felt Xavier’s fears as she searched for their tutor. He wanted to leave.
She knew it was time to go, but she desperately wanted instruction from the dryad. They had failed in their first attempt at healing the dragons. The dryad had thought them ready, but clearly they were not. Circe knew their magic was not balanced the second Xavier let it fly, but she had no indication how to balance it enough to make it work.
The idea of attempting another “trial by fire” with the dragons filled her with panic. She called the dryad, searching around the wide trunk of the dryad’s tree. Finally, the bits of branches, ferns, leaves, moss, and rocks blew in on a magical wind, forming the tree woman. The dryad stood before Circe, her charcoal-gray eyes searching Circe’s face.
“We failed,” Circe wailed. She could smell the smoke from the raging fire coming their way. “We have to leave. But we need to know what to do. What did we do wrong? How can we fix it?”
“Your magic was uncoordinated. You must learn to balance your forces to integrate them properly,” the dryad said calmly.
“But how?”
“You must find that on your own,” she said, waving her hand as if to stop Circe. “I must go now.”
“We need to know what to do!” Circe screamed. “Where are you going?”
“I will travel to another grove to join other dryads. Rain is coming. Don’t fret. But I am afraid I can no longer help you.”
“But why?”
“My education is done. The rest you must learn yourself. I cannot teach you further. If I could, you would already know.”
The dryad’s body began to disintegrate as the wind picked up. Her body broke apart and flew in a long horizontal whirlwind through the air and away from Circe. Circe stood, stupefied, her mouth hanging open.
As she finally moved from her nonplussed paralysis, a fat raindrop splashed on her forehead. Circe wiped it away and hurried down the slope into the ravine where Xavier stood waiting for her in dragon form.
“Did you hear that?” she asked, climbing onto his back.
He twisted his head to look at her and nodded before bursting into the raining sky.
Chapter 28
Xavier flew south in the rain as confused, angry thoughts swirled between them. Neither understood what had gone wrong. Neither had any idea what to do next. Circe could sense Xavier’s unease, his guilt for killing a fellow dragon. It riddled him with despair, and there was nothing she could do.
They followed the coastline until they came to the house they had slept in several nights before. Xavier landed in the driveway, and Circe slid from his back. Xavier hesitated in the driveway, not shifting to human form. Circe looked back at him, worried. Shame overwhelmed him. Circe stepped forward to touch his neck and feed him healing power, but he drew back, flapping his wings and taking to the sky.
She watched him fly away. Loneliness and fear gripped her heart as his form disappeared into the writhing storm clouds. The backpack slipped from her back and banged on her feet. She winced, and a tear slid down her face, mingling with the sprinkling rain. She wiped it away and turned toward the house.
Inside, she collapsed on the couch and stared at the cold fireplace. Her connection to Xavier grew weaker the further he flew away. She wanted to cry but didn’t let herself indulge in weakness. He had to come back. There was no choice for either of them. They either worked together and stayed together, or there was no meaning in any of it.
She knew he was despondent, but he couldn’t let it get the better of him. Running away from her wouldn’t help their desperate situation. They needed to stick together, to work this out. Heeding her own advice, she pulled herself up off the couch and walked to the fireplace. A stack of firewood sat near the hearth. Xavier had brought it in the last time they were here.
After placing the wood, kindling, and old paper in the fireplace, she muttered a fire spell and ignited the yellowed newspapers. She watched them smolder and smoke as the fire caught on the thin strips of kindling. She gave it another blast of fire spell and the flame grew, lapping at the dry logs above. After a moment, they too ignited, casting warmth through the room and through Circe’s frigid, damp body.
She pulled off her clothes and draped them over the stone hearth. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep. Without Xavier there, she loathed the idea of sleeping in the bed alone. She trudged up the stairs, pulled the bedspread from the bed, and dragged it downstairs before covering herself with it on the couch.
Fatigue and sadness caught her and quickly sent her into a deep, dreamless sleep. She awoke to the feeling of a familiar hand dipping below the covers to caress her stomach and cup her breasts. Her eyes remained closed as she smiled in the darkness.
“I’m sorry,” was all he said before h
e leaned down to claim her mouth with his. His palm stroked her skin and slid to her thighs. Fingers dipped between her legs and grazed her sensitive flesh, sending a tingle through her body.
Her nipples tightened, and moisture flowed from deep within her core. She gasped in his mouth as his fingers slipped between her folds and he pressed her erect bud. Her tongue darted over his, and she bit his lower lip. Xavier growled and pressed his finger inside her moist passage. Arching her back, her breasts thrust into the air. Xavier caught one in his mouth. He used his hands to explore her breast and body. His fingers pinched her tight nipple as he growled. His other hand pushed deeper into her wetness.
He thrust his fingers inside her as she moaned, and he nibbled the hard peak of her breast. Circe gripped Xavier’s head between her hands and brought his mouth back to her, thrusting her tongue between his lips. She lapped at his tongue, teasing, tasting, as she willed her body to heal his despair.
She pushed him back to his knees. They were both already completely naked. His taut flesh glistened in the red firelight. She wanted to lick every curve and crevice of his gorgeous flesh. He sat down on the couch, and she sank to her knees between his legs, running her hands over his strong chest. His erection stood prodigiously between them, sliding between her petite breasts. He cupped her breasts in his hands, squeezing them around his shaft.
Circe licked Xavier’s chest, her tongue gliding over the hard pectoral muscles. She flicked his nipple, and he smiled down at her as she gazed into his eyes. He ran his hands through her hair as she slid her tongue over his six-pack, the bump of each muscle catching as she descended. Her tongue twirled around his belly as his manhood thumped against her cheek. He took a deep breath, growling, as he used his hands to guide her mouth to his cock.
She opened her mouth and licked his tip as she descended over it. Closing her mouth around his erection, she sucked and flicked her tongue at the tender flesh of his head. Xavier drew a deep breath through his teeth and threw his head back. His hands still on the sides of her head, he pushed her down gently as his body filled her mouth. She gripped his hips, desire flowing through her. Her core dripped with excitement, and her nipples tingled.
She enveloped him with her mouth, using her hand to grip the base. At first she slid down slowly, teasing him, holding off, twirling her tongue around his head and shaft. As Xavier groaned and tried to push her further, she gulped him down. He let out a surprised moan as she pumped up and down with her mouth and hand. Furiously, she worked his body as if it were her own. She could feel his desire as her mouth made love to his manhood.
Sliding smoothly over his body at a frenzied pace, with Xavier’s fingers twined through her hair, Circe moaned over him. Her body screamed with need. Without warning, she pulled back and jumped onto his lap.
As she clasped her arms around his neck, she caught his erection with her body and slowly slid it inside her. Her mouth opened at the shock of his size pushing against her walls. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and gripped her to his chest as he pushed her down on top of him. She sank to his base and let out a long moan.
He was so large inside her. Each time was still a surprise. She thought perhaps he’d used his dragon blood to increase the size this time because it felt enormous going in. She slowly built the courage to flick her hips over his lap. He ran his hands down to her hips, where he gripped with freakishly strong command. He pulled her to him and pushed her back, thrusting his hips in a deliberate, rocking motion.
They kissed fervidly, tangling their tongues and lips. Circe clung to him, working her hips along with his rhythm. She could feel her desire building. She would have come the second he’d entered her if not for the surprise at his immense size. He cupped her face in his hands and grinned rakishly at her in the red light of the fire. His eyes twinkled.
“I want to see you come,” he said, placing one hand at her throat and the other on her hip. He picked up his pace, sliding the hand at her hip between her legs to flick her bud. Circe moaned. Her breasts were tight bundles of desire as they bounced before Xavier’s eyes.
She could feel him looking at her, feel his need for her, his love, his lust. The hand at her throat squeezed slightly, giving her a strange sense of fear and pain that only added to her arousal. She put her hands to her sides as she rode him. His fingers flicked between her legs, and he bounced her on his lap. The well of pleasure surged from within, gripping her body. Delight gushed against Xavier’s fingers, and the flesh enveloping his manhood contracted and clenched. She let out a long, strangled moan as he gripped her neck more firmly. The pressure made her pleasure erupt to greater heights. She gasped, gripping his shoulders for support. The waves of intensity crashed over her as her mouth hung open in ecstatic shock.
Xavier groaned and pulled her close to him, clutching her to his chest. He moved her slowly up and down as the waves of orgasm surged through her entire being. Circe whimpered in his arms, his manhood growing firmer and wider inside her.
He slid his hand down her back and gripped the globe of her ass in his hand. He held her tightly while his fingers slid between her cheeks, lightly caressing the sensitive skin there. Circe gripped his neck. She covered his cheeks, mouth, and neck with kisses, adoring how close she felt to him.
Xavier made a low growling noise in the back of his throat, then she could hear his breath catch. He brought her up over his body quickly and then slammed her back down again with such force she thought she might break. He erupted inside of her, gushing into her core. Circe’s orgasm built, erupting immediately, clenching Xavier’s manhood as he spilled the rest of his seed inside of her.
They held each other as they breathed heavily into each other’s necks. The spasms of ecstasy slowly subsided, the only movement of their still bodies. Circe nuzzled his neck with her nose and forehead, feeling the stirring gush of closeness that followed their intimacy.
Xavier put his hands on the sides of her head and drew her back, looking intensely into her eyes. His gaze held her immobilized with its force. He brought her to him, kissing her gently but firmly on the mouth.
When he pulled away again, he tucked his head between her breasts and held her. Circe stroked the long locks of his golden-blond hair.
“I’m sorry I left you, Circe. It was wrong of me to abandon you like that,” he said with a muffled voice.
“You were only gone a few hours,” she said with forgiveness in her voice.
“It doesn’t matter if it was a minute or a day or a year. I never should have left you like that, and I never will again. You mean everything to me, Circe. We’re in this together,” he said, determination coloring his words.
Circe looked at the wall in front of her, searching her thoughts for a response. She leaned forward and kissed the top of his head, continuing to caress him with her warm hands. She could feel their love circulating between them. It radiated such utter beauty, it made her want to weep.
“We are in this together. That’s for sure. And I don’t want us ever to be apart. I understand how upset you were after we killed the dragon. You only needed some time to yourself. I knew that. I’ll admit I was sad, but I knew you were coming back. I know you will always come back for me,” she said, lifting his face up to look at her. His eyes glowed moist in the firelight.
He ran his thumb over her lips, and the corners of his mouth tilted up in a smile.
“I don’t know how I got so lucky to find a woman like you,” he said. “The universe conspired to bring us together, by some strange act of fate, and I’ll be eternally grateful.”
Chapter 29
They flew over the low, rolling hills of central California. The azure sky held the sun at its zenith as Circe and Xavier swooped over the yellow meadows. Even after the disappointment the day before, Circe's spirits were high. The wind went through her hair as she clung to Xavier’s neck. There was nothing more exhilarating than riding on the back of an imperial dragon. They planned to fly inland and find a city with an equestrian-supply s
tore. The battles they fought were becoming far too dangerous for Circe to continue to cling to Xavier’s back. It was time to fashion a harness for her to ensure her safety.
They crested a tall hill, and on the other side lay acres and acres of vineyard. They were in the same general area where they had met the weasel shifter for the first time. Circe frowned, remembering the ridiculous little man who worked for the ravens. They had not bothered to go back to the ravens. Circe and Xavier were unsure of their alliance, and they would continue to be so until the two were able to master their power and heal the other dragons. At some point, the ravens may be useful.
Xavier crossed a large lake, his reflection showing in the water as they glided over. On the other side, they came to a small city. Xavier landed in the middle of the highway, then Circe slid to the ground. After he shifted into human form, he dressed quickly and began looking around.
“Do you think that there’s a horseback-riding store around here?” asked Circe skeptically.
“Sure,” said Xavier. “Rich vineyard owners used to live around here. There’s nothing those people loved more than horseback riding. I’m sure we’ll find something around here somewhere.”
They walked slowly through the ghost town and turned onto a quaint, old-fashioned Main Street. The wind blew down the street, picking up dust and twirling in a whirlwind. They passed a diner and a hardware store with a blue-striped awning that had faded and fallen over the broken window. Turning down a cross street, they passed a derelict gas station that had been raided long ago and the dark, shadowy windows of a long-empty grocery store.
Xavier squeezed Circe’s hand and pointed down the road.
“There’s a feed store down there. Maybe they sold saddles in there too.”