His gaze moved to the floating red diamond of the Dragon’s Heart. Bitter rage filled him. This was the gift of the Goddess and all it had brought him was sorrow. Lifting his arm, he opened his left hand.
“Come to me,” he ordered in a cold, hard voice.
He would crush the diamond. With its destruction, the Sea Witch could never gain the power held within. There was nothing left for it to protect. He was the last of the dragons and his life was soon to be over.
“Come to me!” he growled, pulling on the power inside him.
The diamond began to spin as it rose higher. As if gripped by an invisible hand, the gem floated toward him. Drago’s gaze burned with the fire of his dragon – of his people. He reached up to wrap his fingers around the diamond only to see his fingers passing through it. Stunned, he turned when it floated past him and on toward Carly.
He started to take a step forward to grab it again when it danced away from him. His fury changed to confusion and doubt. The diamond began to glow with a brilliance that blinded him. Raising his arm, he shielded his eyes. A hoarse cry of protest escaped him when he saw a shaft of red pierce Carly’s chest.
Dropping his arm, he rushed forward only to be struck by a powerful blow which lifted him off his feet and threw him backwards off the platform. He landed several meters away. Stunned, he watched in disbelief as Carly’s body rose off the lounge. The covers he’d wrapped around her opened and fell away, leaving her in the long tunic.
“No, please! No…,” Drago pleaded, raising his hand in protest. “Do not take her from me.”
The glowing magic from the Dragon’s Heart surrounded Carly. Soon, she was wrapped in the brilliant red energy. Tears streamed down his face and he fought the paralyzing force of the spell keeping him from her.
A brilliant flash suddenly exploded from the Dragon’s Heart, blinding him. Drago covered his eyes with his arm. His heart felt like it was being ripped out of his chest. The pain was so great that he threw his head back and roared in agony. He had known their time was limited, but he’d wanted every precious second he could have with her. Now, even that was gone – all gone.
Choking on his grief, he turned and buried his face against his arm. His body turned from the devastating brightness. Soft moans of pain escaped him in gasping breaths.
“My little thief…. My heart…,” he repeated over and over in an uneven voice.
Darkness spread around him as the light began to fade. Drago heard the sound of Carly’s body being lowered back to the lounge. Drawing in shuddering breaths, he slowly pushed himself back up. The red diamond that was the Dragon’s Heart silently floated over his head and back to the large statue of his father.
A slight noise behind him caught his attention. He froze, afraid to turn around. The sound came again, a slight scraping against the stone of the platform. Sitting up, Drago slowly turned.
“Carly…,” he said in a barely audible whisper.
All that Carly could remember was a sudden warmth and the continued increase in body temperature until she felt like someone had dropped her into a hot tub and forgot to tell her that they were going to be boiling frogs in it that afternoon.
That, and the glowing red light that seemed determined to blind me, she thought in confusion, trying to figure out where in the heck she was.
Carly glanced around, surprised that she could see so clearly in the dim light. It didn’t take her long to realize that she had somehow ended up back in the treasure room under the palace. A frown creased her brow and she tried to remember their return trip to the Isle of the Dragon. For the life of her all she could remember was picking up the brooch she had purchased and falling asleep. Lifting a claw to push back her hair, her arm froze in midair.
Claw…. I have a claw…. I have a claw, she repeated in her mind again, staring at the slender ivory claws surrounded by taupe and ivory scales.
She glanced down at her body. Her gaze continued down, running over her chest and over her shoulder. She stepped sideways and her tail caught on an ornate lounge. She winced at the unusually loud sound when the legs slid across the stone. It sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard to her.
Carly shook her head in disbelief. She raised her tail and flicked it back and forth. Yes, it was hers – or, at least it moved when she thought about it. She heard a hoarse voice call out her name.
Turning back around, joy washed through her when she saw Drago staring up at her. There was an expression of shock on his face, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. A grin, or at least she hoped it was a grin, curved her lips.
“I’m a dragon! Either that or I’m dreaming I’m a dragon. I haven’t figured out which one it is yet,” Carly giggled. “I have wings – and a tail!”
Carly expanded her wings and curled her tail around her. She couldn’t help but admire how beautiful they were. If this was a dream, she hoped she never woke up. Carly couldn’t help but think if she was a dragon, she could be with Drago in the truest sense of a mate.
“You are… beautiful, Carly,” Drago said, rising from where he was sprawled.
Carly tilted her head and watched him slowly climb the steps of the platform until he was standing in front of her. She lowered her head and pressed her nose against his hand. He tenderly stroked her jaw.
“What happened to me?” she asked in confusion. “How did I become a dragon?”
“You have captured the Dragon’s Heart. It now lives inside you,” Drago said, stroking her neck. “It is the only way for this to have happened. The Dragon’s Heart contains the soul of who we are as people and as dragons. You have the essence of us within you, just as you have my heart, Carly. You are a gift I can never thank the Goddess enough for returning to me.”
“I’m not sure I understand, but I’m not going to complain. Wait a minute! Does this mean I can learn to fly with you?” Carly asked in excitement before it died. “What if I can’t change like you can?” she asked in horror.
“Try,” Drago said, still caressing her.
“But… how?” she asked.
“Think of yourself as Carly. Put what you look like in your human form into your mind,” he instructed.
Carly nodded and closed her eyes. She focused on what she looked like in the mirror. A tingling sensation washed through her. Startled, she opened her eyes to see a mist of red shimmering around her. When she blinked again, she was standing in front of Drago – only this time she had to look up at him.
Raising a trembling hand, she laughed when she saw her five fingers reaching up to stroke Drago’s cheek. Turning it over, she studied her hand before glancing down at her body. She was standing on two legs. Carly raised her head and smiled. The smile faded when she saw the lines around Drago’s eyes and mouth and the clear exhaustion in his eyes.
“What happened?” she demanded.
Drago cupped her cheeks with trembling hands. His eyes searched her face, as if he were trying to memorize her features and see if she was real or not. This was different from the other times. This time there was a hint of fear in them that changed to relief.
“I thought I had lost you. The brooch you touched was cursed with a sleeping spell,” Drago choked out, tenderly brushing her hair back from her face.
“The brooch…. You mean the one I bought from the woman outside the restaurant. She looked sick, but she was really sweet,” Carly said with a frown.
Drago shook his head. “She was not sweet, Carly. That was the Sea Witch. Ashure warned me that he sensed her enter the Isle of the Pirates,” he explained.
“Oh, Drago. The brooch reminded me of you and Little Knight and the flock and it had a red stone like the Dragon’s Heart….” She paused and looked around before glancing up at the ceiling. “Are Little Knight and the flock waiting for us? How long have we been here? They are probably going crazy.”
Drago shook his head in regret. “They are gone. I found the remains of one of them. I suspect they sensed the dark magic and tried to warn me,
but they were no match for the storm.”
Tears filled Carly’s eyes and she began to cry. “Oh no. Poor Little Knight. He and the others were so brave,” she sniffed.
Drago pulled her into his arms and held her tight. Carly could feel the heavy beat of his heart and feel the tremors that rocked his powerful frame. It took a moment to realize that Drago, the mighty King of the Dragons, was struggling to control his emotions.
Her arms wrapped around him and she held him as if she would never let him go. They stood together for several long minutes before he released a long breath. Stepping back, he glanced down at her and smiled.
“I will make you another flock of birds, this time bigger and fiercer, so they can help me protect you better. Come, let us return to the palace above,” he said.
“Can I fly?” Carly asked excitedly.
Drago laughed and shook his head. “Perhaps it would be best to wait until you have more room,” he suggested.
Carly’s expression fell, but she couldn’t keep the amusement from shining through. She nodded and stepped back. Within seconds, she was once again wrapped in Drago’s embrace. This time, she would be awake and eager to see just what she could do in her dragon form – once she had more room.
“Does this mean we get to make love as dragons?” she suddenly asked as he began to lift off.
A low groan escaped Drago. “You ask me this now?” he growled.
The island birds, nesting along the walls of the palace, flew off startled when the ground of the courtyard opened up, and the sound of feminine laughter rose through the opening followed by the low growl of a male dragon. True to his word, Drago swept out over the forest. He turned, already knowing where he wanted to take Carly. He soared through the air, his instincts guiding him back to Arkla, the magical, ancient palace where the dragons were said first to have appeared.
A wave of warmth filled Carly. She loved this man-dragon more than life itself. A contented smile curved her lips when he reached out to run his back claws along the smooth surface of the pristine lake. Her gaze was captured by the beauty of their reflections caught in the mirrored surface.
Several minutes later, Drago swept up over the majestic white stones of the palace. With the flow of the waterfalls as their curtain, Drago tenderly guided her on how to shift into her dragon again. She twirled in an arc, her wings opened and her tail raised in an instinctive mating dance. Her breath caught when Drago rose up, his larger body caging her beneath him, and his wings framing her smaller form. Their tails tangled and they came together in the ancient way of the dragon, connecting the last threads of their bond.
Epilogue
Two years later:
* * *
Carly stood on the edge of the cliff and stared out over the sapphire waves. Riding the currents of air were a brilliant flock of large white paper birds. Carly laughed when they swooped down and turned in a wide circle. They wanted to play.
Big Knight, the name she’d given to the largest of the birds and the leader of the flock, wasn’t going to be happy with her. He had become just as protective of her as Little Knight had been. He hated when he was told to return to the castle without her.
There were thick clouds building in the east. A storm was coming. While Carly loved storms, paper and rain did not mix well together, even with the powerful spell Drago had cast, and there was no way she was going to risk losing her paper friends.
The wind blew her hair in front of her eyes, obscuring her vision of the flock and the departing visitors for a moment. With an impatient hand, she brushed the strands away. She would give the flock a few more minutes before she chased them back into the palace. Her gaze moved to the faint outline of several ships on the horizon. She could still see the flashes of lightning from the thunderbirds powering the cyclops’ ships. She hoped they would be able to avoid the worst part of the storm.
Carly couldn’t help but reflect on how much her life had changed. Two years ago, she would have never imagined that going for a walk and encountering a storm would lead her to such a magical world. A reluctant smile tugged at her lips as she remembered the reason behind her unbelievable journey. She would never again complain about exercising, after all, it had led her to this incredible place.
Carly turned when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching down the path. A smile curved her lips at the sight of the man walking down the steep path. Dark sapphire and gold eyes held hers for several long seconds. She shivered at the promise in them. It never ceased to amaze her that Drago could light her blood on fire with just a look.
“A storm comes,” he chided her in a soft voice.
“I know. I’m watching it. The flock isn’t going to be happy. They are having fun. I can’t blame them,” Carly replied, turning to look back out at the white capped waves.
She sighed when Drago wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. She tilted her head, exposing her neck to him. A low rumble escaped her when he pressed a hot kiss to her sensitive skin.
“One more time before we return to the palace,” Drago chuckled. “I love you, Carly. Fly with me.”
Carly’s delighted laughter filled the air when he released her and stepped back to change. The brilliant light of sapphire and gold shimmered in the air before it was replaced with a fierce male dragon. Turning, Carly focused as she raised her hands to the sky. A ruby red glow surrounded her, encasing her in its magic as her body shifted. Sweeping her dainty wings back and forth, she rose up off the cliff and soared down over the churning waters far below.
Ever since the day the Dragon’s Heart had transformed her, Carly had been filled with even more excitement and wonder. The power of being a dragon was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Sure, she was a bit clumsy. Yes, she had accidently swept her tail in the wrong direction a time or two and poor Drago had learned the hard way that a dragon’s balls were as sensitive as a man’s – but he had quickly learned to give her a little more room when she was shifting.
She circled the area leading into the harbor. Her gaze scanned the area to make sure everything was safe. No one had seen or heard of the Sea Witch since Carly’s encounter with her. Turning her head, she released a rumbled warning to the flock of white birds that came up to fly beside her. Big Knight chirped, and quickly turned back toward the palace with the rest of the flock trailing behind him. Following them back up to the cliff, Carly swept past Drago.
“I love this, Drago!” Carly laughed, turning back out toward the cliffs again when heard Drago spread his wings and snapped his tail.
Drago stood for a moment, watching as his beautiful, strange little thief soared out over the waters that surrounded their home. Spreading his wings, he took off after her, the glimmer of a smile on his lips. He had plans for tonight.
The last two years with Carly had chased the years of loneliness away. She had ignited the fire inside him and given him a reason to live again. Tonight, he would spread that fire inside her and they would fill their home with children.
They had been talking about it for the last few months. He had been reluctant, fearful of something happening to her, but he knew she was right – they could not live in fear for the rest of their lives. He would protect her and his children from the Sea Witch and any other threat that might come their way.
Soaring down beside her, he carefully guarded her while she flew. There were others out there who would still challenge him for his treasure. Drago thought it was more to bedevil him than to antagonize him. He almost always ended up bartering for goods like he had with the cyclops who had recently sailed into port.
For him, it was not the gold that warmed his heart any longer, but the female at his side. Reaching over, he nipped at her neck to let her know that it was time to return to the safety of their home. He could feel the static of electricity in the air. The storm tonight would be fierce.
“Come, Carly,” he rumbled above the sound of the wind and waves. “The storm draws closer.”
“I
know,” she whispered, raising her head to the light sprinkle of rain before turning her warm brown eyes toward him. “Let’s go home.”
Drago reached out with his tail and ran it along her sensitive belly. Carly immediately knew what her mate had in mind. Responding, she turned back toward the palace. Sweeping over the cliff and the high walls surrounding the entrance to their living quarters, she shifted as she stepped onto the long, wide balcony.
Drago swept Carly up into his arms the moment he shifted. A sense of peace settled over him when she wrapped her arms around his neck. He strode through the wide doors and into their bedroom. With a wave of his hand, the doors remained partially open. The covered portion of the balcony would protect them from the rain while the storm building inside the bedroom would rival the one outside. Bowing his head, he captured her lips as he lowered her down to the soft covers of their bed.
“I love you, Carly,” Drago said, pressing his hot lips against the pounding pulse at her neck. “You have given me so much, I do not know if I can ever show you how much.”
“As long as we are together forever, that is all that matters to me. I love you, Drago. I can’t believe how lucky we are to have each other,” she said.
A shudder raced through him when Carly slowly opened his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. The feel of her hands awakened the fire inside him that was always burning for her. Shrugging his shirt off, he tossed it to the side. Pulling back just far enough, he stared down at where she lay against the black satin sheets.
His fingers carefully opened each button on her blouse, baring her breasts. Her soft, smooth skin felt like the finest silk. His fingers glided over her in reverence. His heart swelled with love and he knew that she was the best treasure any dragon could hope to find.
Carly tilted her head and gazed up at him. “What is it? You have that strange look in your eyes that you get when you are trying to hide something from me,” she teased.