"As a good mate should." Came from the orb. "But it's something you could do yourself."
Kirall suddenly felt the constraints of his clothing against his skin and couldn't stop from looking behind him to see that Autumn was also now fully clothed.
"It is a skill you will learn as you mature."
Kirall's gaze swung back to the orb and watched as it began to take the shape of a huge, very strange-looking male. Iridescent strands of hair with white, black, and silver laminae at the ends flowed out from his head, glowing with power. His skin was the same multitude of colors Autumn’s had been in the glow of the Hoard. And his eyes, that were focusing in on them swirled the way the universe did.
"Who are you?" Kirall demanded.
"As I have already told both of you, I am your creator Kur.” Finally completely formed, the male shook himself as one did when they were shaking off a cold rain before speaking again. “Ka-renza! It’s been ages since I’ve taken this form.”
“I don't care who you are!” Autumn partially shifted, her claws extending, as she moved around Kirall. The pain this ‘God’ had caused her mate still fresh in her mind. No one hurt what was hers.
“Autumn!” Kirall wrapped an arm around her waist using her forward momentum to swing her away from Kur. “Stop. You can’t attack a God.”
“I can when he’s an asshole that's harmed my mate!” she spit out over his shoulder, her eyes blazing at Kur.
“Asshole...” Kur murmured, his swirling eyes widening when he realized what she was referring to.
Kirall prepared to shift and defend his mate when Kur tipped his head back and began to laugh.
“Asshole,” Kur repeated when he was finally able to contain his amusement, his gaze going to Autumn. “I can’t remember the last time I was insulted. You please me, little Supreme.”
“I please you because I called you an asshole?” She stopped struggling in Kirall's arms and gave Kur a confused look.
“You please me because you gave me your honest opinion. It's something I rarely receive."
"Well, I'll give you more than my opinion if you ever harm my mate again."
"Autumn..." Kirall hissed. "You're talking to a God."
"So? That doesn't give him the right to hurt you. I felt your pain, Kirall," her voice broke as she remembered it.
"Autumn..." Kirall pulled her close.
Kur moved forward and dropped down onto one knee before her, bringing him to Autumn's eye level. "My sincerest of apologies, Autumn. I forgot how strong the mating bond is between Supremes, especially after they'd just empowered their Hoard."
"I am fine, my Autumn," Kirall reassured her. "You know that. You can feel that I am."
"That still doesn't make it right."
"No, it does not," Kur agreed. "And I will do my best to make sure it never happens again."
After several long moments of Autumn and Kur just staring at each other, Autumn nodded, and Kur stood.
"Normally I don't directly involve myself in the lives of my people," Kur began.
"Why not?" Autumn interrupted.
"Because there are things they must learn and achieve on their own. As any child does before it can reach its full potential."
"Then why do you involve yourself in my mate's life?" Kirall demanded.
Kur raised an eyebrow at Kirall's tone. It seemed he wouldn't hesitate to challenge a God when it came to his mate either. Exactly how a Supreme should be.
"Because your mate is unlike any Dragoon female the universe has ever seen, and there is much she needs to learn. Things you already knew at her age like knowing how to connect to her Hoard."
"I was teaching her that."
"Yes, but she needs to know more. Now. If she and you are going to survive what is coming. I was able to give her that."
"What did you give my mate?!!" Kirall growled his eyes turning silver.
"What she needed," Kur growled back.
Autumn found herself stepping between two angry Dragoons; one a Supreme, the other a God, placing a hand on each rumbling chest.
"Stop it! Both of you!" she ordered then addressed Kur first. "Stop baiting him. You might be a God, but that was a jerk move." When he just looked at her in shock, she continued. "You said you liked honesty so just deal." She then turned her attention to her mate. "And you. You were right there the whole time. The only thing he gave me was knowledge, nothing more. I would never let another male touch me like that, God or not, and if you think I would then you don't know me at all."
Kirall could feel the anger in her words and knew he deserved it, but he could also feel her underlying pain. Pain caused by his jealousy and that, she didn't deserve.
"I'm sorry, my love. I didn't mean it that way. I know you would never allow something like that because I do know you." He pulled her up against him and kissed her until he felt the stiffness leave her body. "Forgive me. Having a mate is still new to me, and I'm going to have to get used to other males being attracted to your beauty."
"You are so full of shit, Kirall," she said smiling against his lips.
"And why would that be?" he asked nibbling his way along her jaw.
"Because we both know I'm not beautiful." She'd closed her eyes and tipped her head to the side to give him better access to her neck when he jerked away and gave her a hard shake causing her eyes to fly open.
"Stop talking about yourself that way!" His rage roared around the chamber. "Do you hear me? You are the strongest, most beautiful female the universes have ever seen! And I vow that before I meet Kur that I will get you to believe that too!"
"Ahem." Kur cleared his throat drawing their attention to his amused expression. "I believe you’ve already met me."
“I meant when I meet my Maker!”
“Again, you already have.”
“Kur!” cried Autumn. It’s just an expression,” she continued. “What is it with you? Why do you so enjoy antagonizing my mate?”
Kur shrugged his shoulders a little sheepishly. “I suppose it’s because I so rarely get to do it. As I said, it’s been eons since I’ve taken this form and even longer since I stretched my wings and took to the skies.”
“Why?” Autumn asked honestly curious. “As a God, you can do whatever you want.”
“One would think that, wouldn’t you, but that’s rarely the case.” He didn’t phrase it as a question.
Autumn didn’t know if it was because of all the information now jammed into her head or just female intuition, but she suddenly realized that Kur, the Creator of the Dragoon people, was lonely. No one saw him as anything but a God. It’s how they talked to him. How they treated him. Just like on Earth where no one ever saw her as anything other than a crazy, damaged victim.
Until Kirall. He saw and understood her.
Maybe they could be the ones that did that for Kur.
“Well, I guess you’ll just have to go flying with us some time then.” She ignored how both males’ jaws dropped. “But I’m warning you, I’m pretty fast.”
“I...” Kur couldn’t remember the last time he’d been surprised like this. This little Supreme, barely born, was offering him something no Dragoon ever had. Her honest friendship. “I think I would very much like that, little one, but unfortunately it will have to wait.”
“Why?”
“Because Kiran and Niccele are waiting for you to allow them to pass your boundary.”
Chapter Seven
Autumn lifted a hand to tuck a blowing strand of hair behind her ear as she stood beside Kirall watching his parents, in their Dragon form, prepare to land in Kruba's courtyard. But her thoughts were still on what had happened back in the Hoard.
She'd only looked away for a moment, but that was all it took for Kur to disappear. And while disappointed, she didn't think it would be the last they'd see of the Dragoon God. At least she hoped not. But that worry was for another time. Right now she needed to deal with in-laws that didn't like her.
She watched as Kiran's larger
, black Dragon used his wings to protect his nearly identical but smaller mate from the air currents that swirled around Kruba so she could land easier. It reminded her of how her father would pull her mother close to block an unusually strong wind. It showed her that he truly loved and cared for Niccele.
"Mother. Father." Kirall stepped forward once they'd shifted into their Other form, fully clothed for which Autumn was grateful. "Welcome to our Lair."
"Kirall!" His mother launched herself into his arms as soon as she was close enough. "Why did you keep this from us?" After a moment she pulled back so her gaze could travel over him, taking in his red/black hair that was hanging free and the silver that now rimmed his eyes. "How could I not have noticed this?"
"Because all you cared about was getting him to fuck that bitch Maaike." Autumn bit out knowing it was an inappropriate thing to say and that her mother was frowning down at her from heaven. But this was her Lair, damn it, and she wasn't going to allow anyone to treat her as she had been before, not even Kirall's mother.
"Autumn!" Kirall spun around to look at her in shock.
"What?” she demanded. “She can be rude to me, but I can't be rude to her?"
"You dare to speak to my mate that way?!!" Kiran growled, but Niccele's firm grip on his arm stopped him from moving toward Autumn.
Niccele looked at her mate. "Kiran, she has the right to be upset with me. She is our son's mate, and I didn't properly welcome her into our Lair."
“You didn’t welcome me at all,” Autumn reminded her.
“This is true.”
"You didn't know," Kiran defended his mate.
"That doesn't matter, Kiran. If your mother had done such a thing when you presented me as your mate, I would have turned her into ash.”
Kiran looked down at his mate, the edges of his mouth curling slightly, easing his tension. “You were a firebrand, my love.”
“I still am and don’t you forget it." She returned his smile, but it faded when she looked back to Autumn. “But that doesn't excuse my actions. I must be honest with you, Autumn. I prayed to Kur many times in the hope that he would bless Kirall with a mate much sooner than he blessed me with my Kiran.” She glanced up at Kiran for a moment before returning her focus to Autumn and the love in her eyes was easy to see. “And yes, it was my greatest hope that Maaike would be that mate. But for the purely selfish reason of knowing that if she was, then I would never truly lose Kirall... never be replaced.”
“Niccele...”
“Mother...”
Kiran and Kirall spoke as one, neither able to hide their shock.
“I know,” Niccele gave them both a sad look. “It’s wrong. A mother should only ever want the very best for her offspring, but you are my first, Kirall... a gift I never thought I would receive especially as the years passed and I didn't find my mate. Because of that, you’ve always held a special place in my heart.” She reached up to cup one of Kirall's cheeks then teased. “But if you ever tell any of your siblings I said that I will vehemently deny it.”
That got her a slight smile from her son. Slowly she removed her hand and turned to face Autumn.
"I know that probably doesn't make sense to you, Autumn, but I have known Maaike all her life. While she is a Gold Prime and beautiful, she is also weak and selfish. I knew she could never completely take my son from me, mate or not. But you... you can... and have... because you are everything she isn't and not because you are a Supreme. I have barely spent any time with you and yet I already know you are a strong female. One who stands up for herself and loves my son absolutely and with no reservations. Which is exactly how he deserves to be loved. I also know that he feels exactly the same way about you.”
“But that doesn’t change the way he feels about you,” Autumn found herself saying because she more than heard the honesty in Niccele's words, she felt them. She also felt what it cost her to say them to her son and mate. Because of that, Autumn was able to view Niccele's actions and reactions differently, finding she sympathized with her because she knew she would never react well if she were replaced in Kirall's affections. "Or your place in his life."
"Thank you, my dear, but we both know that it does."
Autumn looked at the stoic acceptance in Niccele's eyes, to the pain in her own mate's, and knew there was something she could do to ease both. If she were strong enough... loved Kirall enough.
"Only if we let it." Stepping forward, Autumn reached out taking Niccele's hands in hers, and at that moment she knew this was the right thing to do. "Yes, Kirall loves me, and I will always be his top priority, as you are Kiran's," she gently reminded her. "But that doesn't mean he loves you any less. That's not how family works or at least not how it should. I know my sudden appearance caught you off guard, but it's my hope that once you get to know me, you will welcome me into your family instead of seeing me as an interloper that stole your son away. Because I know that we," she reached her hand out blindly and Kirall immediately clasped it, "already consider you a member of ours." Her gaze went to Kiran. "Both of you."
No one spoke, all eyes resting on Niccele waiting for her response. They didn't have to wait long. "I... I would like that very much."
Smiling, Autumn gestured toward the open doors behind them. "Then Lady Niccele, Elder Kiran, we would like to welcome you to our Lair. Won't you come inside?"
"That would be wonderful. Thank you," Niccele responded then slipping her arm through her mate's, they walked into Kruba.
When Autumn would have followed, Kirall pulled her into his arms and gave her a hard, deep kiss. "Thank you."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
"You were prepared for us," Niccele commented entering the immaculately clean room with a roaring fire in its hearth. Trays of appetizers and goblets filled with wine sat on the low table between two couches.
"Actually," Autumn looked around the room she and Kirall had yet to explore. "We had nothing to do with it. It seems Kruba is pleased that you are here."
"You're saying your Lair did this?" Niccele gave them a perplexed look.
"Yes, doesn't your Lair see to your needs?"
"Well yes..." Niccele said, "but not like this."
"What do you mean?" She gazed at Niccele in confusion. "How is this different than what your Lair does?"
"You don't know?" Niccele asked.
"Mother, Autumn and I haven't had time to discuss this."
"Really? Why not? What could you have possibly been..."
"Niccele," Kiran cut his mate off. "I know you have not forgotten how we spent the first hours in our Lair. The first weeks actually."
Niccele sucked in a sharp breath, her face flaming with color. "Oh. Of course. And here we are..." Niccele shook her head in disbelief. "Oh, Autumn. I owe you the greatest of apologies. You are newly mated, and here we arrive uninvited..."
"That doesn't matter. Please, Lady Niccele, tell me what I don't know. Have I done something wrong?" Her eyes flew to Kirall.
"No!" Niccele quickly rose moving around the table to sit down next to Autumn. "No, child, you have done nothing wrong. Well except to address me as 'Lady Niccele,' but that is for another time. Right now we need to discuss how extraordinary your Lair is and it's all because of you."
"What do you mean?"
"While Lairs are a reflection of the Keepers that empower them, they don't provide for them like this." She gestured around them.
"They don't?"
"No, that is the responsibility of the Others. They take care of the Lair and the Dragoons that reside there and in return the power of the Lair and those Dragoons protect them."
"From what?" Autumn looked to Kirall. "That's something I've never understood. From what do the Others need to be protected from?"
Kiran looked to Kirall and waited for his slight nod before speaking.
"For many, many millennia, Dragoons and Others lived very separate lives. The Dragoons high on their mountains and in the skies while the Others lived below in close-knit communities
tilling the ground."
"So what changed?"
"A Dragoon named Turik discovered an injured Other on his mountain. He took her back to his Lair where he discovered she was his mate. She was terrified."
"Why?"
"Because Others had only ever seen a Dragoon in our Dragon form. It was our preferred form then."
"He came at her as a Dragon? No wonder she was terrified." She looked to Kirall. "Your Beast was terrifying enough. I don't know how I would have reacted if the first time I ever saw you you'd been in your Dragon form."
"You might have been frightened, but you still would have stood up to me," Kirall smiled as he leaned over kissing her forehead. "Because you are brave and strong."
"Well it seems Turik's female was too," Kiran said.
"Ana," Niccele supplied.
"What?" Both Autumn and Kirall looked at her.
"Ana was the name of Turik's female. It is only because of her that we discovered Others could be the mates of Dragoons."
"Which some Dragoons didn't approve of," Kiran inserted. "Then or now."
"Kirall told me about how some see having an Other as a mate is a weakness because they can't shift and are therefore easier to kill."
"Yes, and because of that and the fact that it pleased his mate greatly, Turik extended his protection to her family and they moved onto his mountain. Some served within their Lair while others made their homes outside it. Also, since his mate wasn't able to shift, Turik remained in his Other form most of the time and his Lair slowly adapted to that form." Kiran gestured to the furniture around the room before shifting to the extremely high ceiling, and Autumn realized that if Kirall shifted into his Dragon, the furniture would be destroyed, but he would still fit. "Over time as more Dragoons found their mates with Others, they took their families under their protection, and their Lairs also changed."
"So you’re saying that the Others that work in and around your Lair are all related to you?"
"Distantly, yes. It has been Dragoon generations since one of Kirall's ancestors mated an Other."