Page 22 of Destined Paranormals: Volume One

I bit my lower lip to keep the moan in. Aleric’s lips gently ran across my cheek as he stood back up. I met his gaze and, after a moment, nodded. That would…yes, most agreeable. I wanted that.

“Now, how about you introduce me to your dragon. Then he and mine can get to know one another.”

I nodded once more and took several steps back. I could do this. It was most likely better if I shifted. Then I would not be tempted to do things that, as he’d said, were not really appropriate at the moment.

I looked over Aleric’s shoulder and noticed that Lukas and Wilhelm had both shifted and were waiting for the rest of us. I took a deep breath, trying to center myself and bring forth my dragon. He was right there—had been for days now. I felt the familiar tingle on my skin, then saw the creamy skin give way to deep purple scales. My dragon burst from me faster than he ever had before, and I bellowed in both surprise as well as a bit of pain.

It took a moment for me to get my bearings. When I did, I looked down at the alpha that had come from nowhere and rescued us.

“You are truly magnificent, Konrad. Your dragon is a gorgeous color. You are perfectly colored to fly at dusk and dawn, for you could glide through the air virtually undetected.”

I leaned down to scent my mate and received a gentle hand to the snout. I closed my eyes, enjoying the touch and attention from my mate. My dragon was relishing the praise and attention from our mate.

“So beautiful. I wonder what our children will look like. I hope they get your coloring, in both forms.”

My eyes popped open. My alpha mentioned children. He wanted baby dragons with me? I scowled at him, and it must have shown, for he chuckled.

“Not the right time to start mentioning them, is it. Especially not when you cannot respond. I do hope you wish for children, mate. I am an only child, and I would like to have more than one if at all possible. If you do, that is.”

I nodded. After all, Aleric had nodded and shaken his head in response to our questions while he was shifted.

“That is good to know. Now, let’s get started on our search, shall we? The sooner we find your thunder, the sooner I can whisk you off and claim you.”

Aleric walked away, and when he had enough room, he quickly shifted into his own scales. He said I was the perfect coloring for flying at dusk, but I believed he was. His scales blended in with the night sky perfectly.

Aleric’s dragon came to me, towering over my own dragon. He surprised me when he rubbed his snout under my chin, raising my head. It took only moments for me to realize what he was doing, and I returned the gesture. My mate was not only marking me but also showing acceptance. It was also often part of a courting routine, asking a partner for acceptance. He rubbed his snout against mine once more before he huffed, then stepped back.

With an effortless jump, Aleric was airborne. Lukas and Wilhelm both joined him quickly, leaving me on the ground with Elias. I walked over to my oldest friend and bumped snouts with him. He huffed, then took a little bit of a running start, and then he, too, was flapping his wings and was in the sky. I watched for a moment before I took two steps, jumped, then spread my wings.

My dragon called out, more than pleased to finally be free and in the air where he longed to be. There was a responding call, one that, although I had only met him just a week ago, I would know anywhere. Aleric. My mate was nearby.

When I saw a large dark blue dragon just above me, I flapped my wings just a bit harder, and when his tail was within reach, I gently tugged on it with my mouth. I was rewarded with a loud call, followed by Aleric flipping over midair and looking at me. He quickly turned back upright and glided through the air.

We formed a triangle with Aleric in the lead. It was the most difficult position to be in as he did not experience any of the benefit of the wind displacement. We flew for what felt like hours, but I knew it wasn’t nearly that long.

Wilhelm seemed to pick up on something as he called out, then started to descend. We all followed, landing near him as he shifted back to his human skin. I did not need to shift back to know where we were. I scented the village off in the distance. Only it did not smell fresh. Instead of the scents of home, there were odors of dirt and decay.

Aleric called out once, halting Wilhelm in his haste to move into the village. With a push of his massive head, Wilhelm moved back to the rest of us. We stood there, surrounding Wilhelm, while Aleric took to the skies again and flew over to what used to be our village.

“They cannot all be gone,” Wilhelm said. I wanted to shift and comfort him but was sure Aleric would not like that at the moment.

My mate came back quickly, landing next to us. His shift was once again effortless, but where he normally seemed serious after a shift, he now looked sad.

“There is nothing here for us,” Aleric told our group.

“They’re all gone, then? They came back and killed them?” Wilhelm asked.

“I do not know about all. I can say for certain there is death in that village, and they did not receive a proper burial. I will offer it now, and you may help, or if you wish to wait elsewhere, I will understand,” Aleric told us.

My heart hurt for my thunder. But I needed to know who had not made it out. Were my parents among them? What about my brothers? They were only just eleven years and could not even shift yet. They were hellions at times, but they were young still and full of energy. Their spark couldn’t have been cut so short. It was unfair.

I ran toward the village, taking flight quickly. I heard a bellow behind me, telling me my mate was not happy with my choice, but I needed to know.

There were several other calls behind me, but that only served to cause me to flap my wings harder and faster, taking me to the village in moments. The stench was overbearing here, and I did not even need to look to know that Aleric was trying to save us grief by his words.

I called out a painful, soul-baring cry for my thunder. Why had they been murdered for no reason? What had they done to whoever had done this?

My heartache too much to bear, I tucked my wings to my sides and simply fell from the sky. Only a loud shriek had my head popping up. Aleric. My mate was not pleased. I opened my wings at the last moment and flew up, my talons grazing the top of a house on the edge of town.