Dragonbane

  When she'd started forward to protect him, Nala had grabbed her and shoved her back. "You interfere in this and you'll be harrowed next."

  "Basilinna--"

  "I mean it! No one challenges my authority. And definitely not some piece-of-shit dog."

  Seraphina had stepped back, thinking it would be over quickly. But a few minutes later when they showed no signs of stopping, when their jubilant cheers had continued for them to worsen it, and they had yet to do a formal punishment for him, she'd moved in to stop them regardless of Nala's threats.

  They'd turned on her then. An all-out brawl that had forced her to withdraw or risk losing her unborn children.

  By the time their anger was spent and they'd finally dragged, then thrown him into the pit, the damage was done. Maxis had barely been able to breathe or move. His wings broken, he'd lain there, panting in pain like the animal they accused him of being.

  "Maxis?"

  He'd refused to look at her. Instead, he'd stared at the pit wall, slowly blinking.

  Heartbroken and sick, Seraphina had wanted to soothe him. To take everything back. "Maxis, please look at me."

  Finally, he'd pinned her with a cold, hate-filled stare.

  Time and silence hung between them as she tried to think of something to say to him. But as she saw his condition and the betrayed fury in those golden eyes--anger and rage she fully deserved ...

  No thoughts would come to her mind.

  Instead, he'd spoken those quiet words that had haunted her ever since. "I told you when we mated that I would gladly give you my heart, my life, and my love, but that when I did so they came with one condition. Never abuse me. Love is not abuse. And you have harmed me for the last time, my lady. I am done with you. Forever." Then he had closed his eyes and refused to look at her.

  Now he stood before her again. And she had a whole new chance to screw up everything.

  A new chance to rebuild. If he'd allow it.

  Wanting to start over, she reached up and fingered that short hair that reminded her how different he was from the feral dragon she'd been mated to so long ago. "Will you tell me what happened between you and Nala?"

  More sadness darkened his eyes. "You don't care. What difference does it make?"

  "Because instead of attacking you then, I should have asked for your side of the story, and I never did. I want to know, now. Please?"

  Max hesitated. He still wasn't sure this was a good idea. But really, what difference did it make?

  Nodding, he held his hand out. "Let me show you."

  She scowled. "Show me, how?"

  His eyes took her to task for her hesitation. "You still don't trust me?"

  "I didn't say that. Just--"

  "You don't trust me not to hurt you." She could deny it all she wanted, but he saw the truth in her hazel gaze. With a heavy sigh, he headed back to his bedroom. "Either join me or not, it's up to you. I really don't care one way or the other." He'd written her and their relationship off centuries ago.

  Tired, aching, and honestly pissed off over all of it, he headed for his small pile of furs he sometimes used as a pillow. He'd have already turned into a dragon had it not been for the horror her eyes betrayed every time she saw his true body. But then, he was used to people reacting badly to it.

  He was a dragon, after all. They only threw parties for his kind when the dragons were fake ones or had been slaughtered and they were celebrating their deaths.

  So he was stunned when she followed after him and lay down by his side.

  "Show me."

  He opened his arms in invitation.

  Seraphina hesitated, unsure of what he would do to her. With no choice, she curled up and allowed him to hold her. Cupping her head, he rested his chin on her hair and cradled her against his body. She could hear his deep, fierce heartbeat under her ear.

  "Close your eyes and let me guide you."

  She obeyed and was stunned as images ... no, memories began to play through her mind. Only they weren't her memories, they were his.

  Max had gone to bathe and fetch fresh water in expectation of her arrival. For over a fortnight, he'd been forced to endure the excruciating misery of living among the Amazons without her. Because of his promise, he was locked in her village where they wouldn't allow him the most modicum of hospitality.

  While she'd known some of it, she hadn't realized that he'd been banned from their meals, too. That whenever she returned home to find food waiting for her, it was something he'd hunted and prepared for her because they wouldn't allow him to take her portions unless she was there and she got it for them.

  He wasn't even allowed to draw water from their well lest he contaminate it. Rather, he had to hike to the stream to gather his own and carry it back to their tent.

  As he returned to fill their stores, he found Nala in their tent, waiting.

  "Where were you?"

  Worried by her unexpected presence, he'd set his water down and frowned at her question. "Has Sera been hurt?" It was a natural assumption since that was the only time the queen came to visit someone's mate.

  Laughing, she'd circled him. "No. I sent word to them. They won't be back for a few more days."

  His stomach had shrunk at the prospect of going even longer without her. "Oh."

  "So tell me, dragon, what do you do here while she's gone?"

  Shrugging nonchalantly, he refilled their water stores. "I wait."

  She'd arched a brow at that. "And?"

  Unsure of why she asked that, he'd set the jug aside. It was what his kind did. They weren't a creative bunch. Rather, they checked their perimeter, marked their territory, and guarded whatever fell under their protection. Hobbies served no purpose except to distract them from their duties.

  "And what?"

  "Don't you get bored waiting?"

  "Not really."

  She tsked at him. "You know, I could help you with your doldrums."

  "How so?"

  Nala had stopped in front of him then. Her eyes hungry, she'd reached out and traced a line down the center of his chest that had headed straight for a part of his anatomy that wasn't meant for her.

  Max caught her hand just as she went south of his belly button. "I'm mated."

  Instead of being daunted, she'd hooked her finger in the waistband of his breeches. "Do you know what I keep thinking about?"

  "No idea, my basilinna."

  "The night Seraphina brought you in for our inspection."

  Heat had suffused his cheeks at the bitter reminder of a night he'd rather forget. To appease her queen and her sister tribeswomen, Sera had "presented" him to them so that they could inspect him and be assured that he was tame enough to reside in their village. Completely naked, he'd been forced to endure their bold scrutiny and rude groping of his body as they made sure he was "man" enough to live among them.

  No part of him had been left unexamined.

  Or fondled.

  By the end of it, he'd been so furious and hurt that he would have left Sera, but she'd apologized and promised him she wouldn't let them treat him like that again. That this was a one-time event, and that she would make it up to him.

  Even so, the humiliation and pain had stayed in his heart. Especially since he knew they didn't do that to Arcadian males. The Arcadians were respected and allowed their dignity.

  Never him.

  The animal.

  "What of that night?" he'd asked her, stepping back, out of her reach.

  She'd closed the distance between them and reached out to touch the feathers braided into his hair. "You're the most handsome male in our tribe. Did you know that?"

  "No, basilinna. I haven't paid much attention to the other men here."

  She'd laughed at that. "You know, part of your job in this tribe is to please and serve me."

  Those words had sent chills over him. Especially when she reached for the laces on his breeches.

  Grabbing her hands, he'd stopped her. "Basilinna, please. I can't do
anything. You know the laws of our people."

  "And what a waste they are. Still ... you have other parts that are capable of pleasing me." She'd led his hand to her breast. "Tell me that you haven't been as curious about other women as we are about you."

  He'd tried to pull away, but she was relentless.

  "Do you know how many times I've seen the two of you rutting like animals? I know exactly how capable a lover you are with your mouth and hands."

  Anger and embarrassment made a deadly mix in his heart. "You spied on us?"

  "It was human curiosity. Something an animal wouldn't understand."

  The insult had stung him. He always hated whenever they said that to him.

  "Now as your basilinna, I command you to submit to me. Give me what I want!"

  He'd grabbed her more forcefully to keep her hands out of his breeches and off his body. "No."

  "No?" Her shocked tone would have been laughable had the situation not been so dire. "You dare deny me?"

  He glared at her. "I'm just a dumb animal, incapable of understanding the complexities of how your society works. In my world, the rules are simple. I have a mate and I belong to her, and no one else."

  "And she would be the first to lead you naked to my bed and chain you there if I asked it of her. Are you too stupid to comprehend that?"

  Even more furious, he'd started to deny it. But deep down in his heart, he knew Nala was telling the truth. At every turn, Sera had shown him that she would submit to her queen, no matter how ridiculous or mean the command.

  How humiliating.

  Still, he wasn't going to accept this. Not without a fight. "Then get Sera's permission. But without it ... I won't do this. She is my dragonswan. My loyalty and heart go first to her."

  Nala had backhanded him. "And hers go to me, you stupid bastard!" She reached for him again.

  This time, Max had grabbed her arm and forced her back, toward the opening of the tent. "I will not fuck you, bitch! I don't care who you are. You are not my Sera and I don't want your human ass in my bed." He'd shoved her away so forcefully that she'd stumbled and fallen through the opening, outside the tent.

  Knowing if he stayed, he'd probably kill her, Max had immediately gathered his sword and a few supplies, and left the village to head for his cave to wait for Sera's return. This was the only place he ever felt as if he belonged. Where no one mocked or belittled him.

  He'd turned to his dragon form as soon as he could and flew to the safety of his only haven. Sera would be furious over this. He knew it. She never liked it whenever he angered her queen. There would be plenty of screaming to come later.

  But he wasn't a whore to be bartered. And while he'd do anything to please his mate, this was where he drew the line. He would deal with Sera's fury. But he was through being treated like an inanimate object with no will of his own.

  Yes, his heart was that of an animal. Loyal. Fierce. Protective. He didn't understand the duplicity and lies of her people. Most of all, he didn't understand the betrayal and sneakiness.

  Honestly, he wished Sera could understand why he didn't want to stay home without her.

  These are my sisters. We take care of each other.

  Do I not care for you?

  It's not the same, Maxis. You don't understand the bond of sisterhood we share. I have an oath to uphold.

  And what of our bond? Your word to your mate?

  The Fates forced us together.

  The same Fates who put you with your sisters. Your ties to them are no stronger than your ties to me. So no, I don't understand your loyalty to them over that of your own mate. Why will you not come away with me?

  I can't leave everything I know to be with you.

  Why not? I left my world for you.

  It's not the same.

  Because I'm not human?

  And there the argument always stopped, because it all came down to that one fact. He was an animal unworthy of her human's heart.

  She'd dreamed of finding a man to love. Max would never be anything except a disappointment to her. No matter what he said or did. When she looked into his eyes, she didn't see a man there.

  She saw an untamed beast. One who embarrassed her.

  Heartbroken over the anger he knew she'd unleash on him when she returned, he'd lumbered into his cave where he'd gathered all the items that fell under his aegis and damned every one of them. With his tail, he whipped at them, hating what he was.

  Hating the fact that his dragon's heart loved a human woman who was incapable of loving him.

  And that was why he stayed, in spite of the animosity and challenges.

  Because deep inside, where he hated it most, was the hope that one day Sera would look past his heart and see his soul that belonged to her. That she would learn not to despise him for something he couldn't help any more than she could help being born into a group of mean-spirited bitches.

  But hopes and dreams were for humans.

  And so it appeared, was love.

  Seraphina pulled away as she came back to her own body. For a full minute, she couldn't move or breathe as she listened to the steady beating of Maxis's heart. As she replayed his memories and felt a blinding rage consume her.

  This time, it wasn't at him. It was for the ones who truly deserved it.

  "Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered.

  "You never listened."

  He was right. Pushing herself up, she stared down into those wounded eyes and traced the line of his lips with the tip of her fingertips. "I'm so sorry." For the first time, she saw humanity through his eyes and understood exactly what Aimee had meant.

  All her life, she'd focused on the clan of Katagaria that had attacked her village and killed her mother. She still didn't know why they'd done that.

  A killing, animal rampage. That was all she'd ever been told. It was what Katagaria did. All they knew. They were wild animals that killed indiscriminately and without conscience.

  They didn't care who or what they destroyed. They were incapable of understanding.

  But Maxis was right. He'd never shown that side to her.

  Well, the rolling head a few minutes ago, notwithstanding. Yet she could excuse that. She'd have done worse had she been there to save her children.

  For the first time, she looked at her mate and didn't search for the human inside him.

  She saw his animal heart for what it was. Beautiful.

  And realized that was what she'd fallen in love with. That it was the animal inside him that she treasured above all else. It was what made him Maxis. What made him different from other men.

  Frowning, he brushed his fingers against her cold cheeks. "Why are you crying?"

  "Because I hurt you when I shouldn't have. I listened to others when I should have kept counsel with you alone. And most of all because I know I don't deserve the second chance I'm about to ask you for."

  Max sucked his breath in sharply at her words. He could sense that she meant them. But she'd "meant" them before and he'd lived to regret trusting her.

  "I don't know, Sera. So much has happened between us."

  "It has. I know I have no right to ask this of you." She took his hand in hers and kissed his palm. "Can I share a memory with you?"

  He hesitated before he nodded. "Just think of it and I'll see it."

  She had so many memories she wanted to show him of their children. But there was one in particular he should see.

  It was when their twins had first entered puberty. They'd been terrified of their emotions and magick.

  Hadyn in particular had been skittish. In retrospect, she realized that he must have suspected that he was changing over from human to Katagari. As such, he'd been even more resistant to his newfound powers than Edena. It also hadn't made it easier that Arcadians frowned on anyone who gave in to their animal nature and transformed.

  Her people considered it weak to shapeshift. While other Arcadian patrias had their own laws and customs, hers were expected to maintain t
heir human forms, no matter what.

  But her children weren't like the others and she knew that. Most of all, she wanted them to feel closer to the father they'd never met.

  To help them come to terms with who and what they were, Seraphina had taken them to the cave that had belonged to Maxis. Her hopes had been to put them in touch with their noble father.

  Hadyn had pulled up short as soon as they reached the entrance. "What's that scent?"

  "Your father. This was his lair while he lived with me."

  That had changed both their attitudes. They entered the cave and looked around as if seeking some kind of connection to the dragonswain they'd never met.

  Edena had scowled at her. "Why did you bring us here?"

  "So that you could change into a dragon and not fear what you are."

  Hadyn's grimace made a mockery of his sister's. "Ragna says that we should never unleash the beast inside us. Once it's free, it's hard to suppress."

  "And they are born Arcadians. You two aren't. Your father was a fierce, proud dragonswain and you should never be ashamed of that part of yourselves. Because you're mixed, I'm thinking you might have special abilities as a dragon that the others lack. You might even be able to hold that form longer. The very least, you should try it and see."

  Edena had screwed her face up. "I don't know."

  "I'll do it." Hadyn had stepped deeper into the cave, making sure to put plenty of room between them. He flashed them a bright smile. "Watch this!" An instant later, he'd taken his dragon form.

  Fear had stolen Sera's breath, but she quickly hid it from her son.

  He'd stumbled about, much the same way Max and Illarion had when they'd first been transformed into humans. He couldn't quite seem to get the hang of his huge dragon body. "Oh, this is so weird." Then he'd slapped his tail into the wall. "Ow! Have to watch that." He jerked it back and smacked himself in the head with the barbed end.

  Instantly, he'd returned to being human so he could rub the unintended injury he'd done himself. "Oh my God! Is that blood?" He'd held his hand out to his mother. "Look at that. I'm bleeding!"

  Trying not to laugh, Sera ran to him while Edena had mocked her brave brother.

  "Oh my God! Only my idiot twin could knock himself out with his own tail. How stupid are you?"

  "You do it and see how hard that thing is to control. I swear it has a mind of its own."

  "No, sugar, that's your front tail."

  "Edena!" Seraphina had gasped. "I can't believe you said that to your brother! Where did you even hear that?"