The Dragon Stirs

The energy might bind them, but their love could save us all… When Shifter Airiana Draco volunteers to scout the enemy’s compound, her family thinks it's to prove herself. In truth, she wants answers. Plagued with doubt and a secret shame, she hungers to learn more about the Energens, the people who have opposed the Shifters since the beginning of time. But getting captured wasn't in her plans. Energen Loukianos Aeros has always wondered about his exiled older brother who was accused of aiding their mortal enemy, the Shifters, long before Louk was born. Now, the answers Louk seeks are within his grasp when he stumbles upon a beautiful enemy spy right outside his door. Forced together by the energy, Airiana and Louk are unprepared for the sudden attraction as they struggle to gain the answers they seek. As the danger builds and their lives are threatened, they must learn to trust the energy and each other. But are they strong enough to challenge all they were raised to believe or will the pressure cause them to turn on the one truth they can’t deny? The time is coming when earth will be changed forever. The dragon is rising and with the joining of The Two, he stirs. Warning: Mix two opposing forces with some elemental powers, add in a little shove from the energy and you get earth-shattering sex, one angry dragon, a world that is altered forever.

eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work. This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental. Samhain Publishing, Ltd. 11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B Cincinnati OH 45249 The Dragon Stirs Copyright © 2012 by Lynda Aicher ISBN: 978-1-60928-718-4 Edited by Bethany Morgan Cover by Angela Waters All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: February 2012 www.samhainpublishing.com

The Dragon Stirs Lynda Aicher

Dedication

To Jennifer Malone, Paula Gill, and Susan Liwanag, whose excellent critiques and constant support have pushed me forward. To my editor, Bethany Morgan, for giving me a chance. And to my husband, Chris, for his unconditional love and full-hearted support of my dreams.

Prologue

The flames burned hot, scorching, searing. Caressing the bars. Hissing enchantments, taunts, lures. Circling the cage. Entrapping the occupant. Captive. Prisoner. Hostage. Kept in slumber for over a thousand years. Held in restriction for the good of the world. Retained in secret to all but a few. The few who remember. The few who wait in silence. The few who know the time will end. One day, the beast will awaken. One day, the bars will weaken, the hold will crumble and the beast will be free. Some wait in expectation. Some wait in dread. For on that day, the veil will lift and the world will change. On that day, the Apocalypse will occur. On that day the beast will rise, and the battle will unfold. But for now, he sleeps. For now the world remains in blissful oblivion. For now the balance holds. Soon, too soon, that will change. Soon, too soon, the beast will stir.

Chapter One

The icy wind gusted across the barren plain. Harsh. Brutal. Punishing in its attack. Mercy was given to nothing and no one in its path. It whipped around the few clusters of trees that stood empty and isolated amidst the rolling hills and snow covered fields. Nothing. Absolutely nothing existed out there. Or so it appeared. Airiana Draco shook her head in disgust and hunched her shoulders against another affront of the menacing elements. Who in their right mind would choose to establish a community in the desolate plains of North Dakota? Especially when they had the choice of anywhere on earth? “Idiots, that’s who,” she mumbled to herself and bit off a curse as the wind changed course to pummel her face and chest with the force of a solid left-jab. She stumbled back a step before she got her footing and forced her weight into the assault. “Why in the hell did I ever volunteer for this job?” Because she wanted to prove herself. Or so her family thought. A dangerous reconnaissance mission that brought her to the enemies’ proverbial front door. Deep into their territory, she was on her own and likely dead if captured. But it was the opportunity she’d sought. The one she needed to quell her treacherous thoughts. Settling, she opened herself to the energy as it rippled over her skin in a gentle caress, calming her agitation and centering her mind. Refocused, Airiana

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reached out across the open space. There, no more than fifty feet away, she felt it hum with ancient power. Strong. Solid. Impenetrable. The wall that was invisible to the naked eye. The barrier that kept out everyone who didn’t belong. Who wasn’t one of them. The Energen. Her lip curled in habitual aversion. The enemy. The race of beings she’d been raised to hate. To loath. To defeat. Two hundred years of incessant hounding hammered into every fiber of her being. Brainwashed since birth to hate, without question. Or simply raised to believe in the Shifter way, if she listened to her mother. She snorted and smirked at the thought. Yeah, believe that death, war and destruction were the right way. The way to achieve all that they wanted regardless of who was hurt—the Shifters would prevail. It was propaganda Airiana found hard to believe. That, for some unknown reason, she resisted. “Damn.” She pushed at the wisps of hair that had escaped the tight ponytail and now stroked across her cheek and over her eyes. She paced, again, the nervous agitation returning. The frozen ground beneath her boots was worn bare by her repeated passes. The dragon circled, stretched, then settled, apparently annoyed with her restless state. She rubbed at the mark etched into the back of her hand and the dragon arched its back in contentment. A light blue dragon. Everyone in her race was born with a dragon mark on their hand. A sign of the Shifter. A mark of belonging. A statement of power.

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The tattoo appeared to all as a two-dimensional, unchanging image on the back of the hand. But it was actually as much a part of them as the hand it resided on. The marks were deceptively stagnant, but had minds of their own. To her, the mark of the dragon was a living, breathing creature that moved and communicated with her over the energy. Like her, it listened and responded to the energy, both within her and around them. It was her friend, her anchor—a sort of energy barometer that lived beneath her skin. The marks were, in fact, an internal presence that guided every being of the energy races, Shifter and Energen alike. Energy. The power that ruled the world. Silent, invisible, intangible. But, unquestionably the most devastating force on earth. Which is why the two sides had battled over it since life began. Long before the humans even realized what it was, Energens and Shifters had struggled to gain control of the energy. To own it all, with the ultimate goal to control them all. Or, at least, that was the goal of the Shifters. Her family. Her world. It made no sense that she questioned that belief. But the doubt itched through her and nagged at her relentlessly. For years she’d tried to repress the questions, to push aside and ignore her insistent uncertainty in the Shifter’s mission. She kept her reservations, kept her shame, a secret until it isolated her from everyone and left her alone in a world filled with hatred and single-mind intent. But the energy whispered to her of rightness. Of balance. Of peace. Nagged at her until she had to know why. Pushed her until she fought to get this mission, the one that would bring her closer to the enemy. Closer to answers for questions she didn’t completely understand.

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“Damn it,” she huffed in frustration, a cloud of vapor appearing in front of her face before it disintegrated and mingled into nothing. She rubbed a hand over her aching forehead in an attempt to dispel the pressure that throbbed behind it. Why was she worrying about it? If her family caught even an inkling of her doubt, of her questions, they would kill her. Immediately. Without hesitation. And death was not on her agenda. The energy behind her folded and rippled. Airiana sucked in a breath and turned sharply in defense. Her muscles tense, prepared, ready for battle. But, it was already too late. The icy cold metal slipped around her neck and snapped into place before she could react. Before she could use the energy and teleport to safety. Her heart raced on waves of adrenalin and suppressed fear as she stared into the deep blue eyes of the tall, blond and menacing man that stood before her. Her enemy. Her death.

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Chapter Two

The intruder huffed out short gulps of breath and yanked uselessly on the energy collar he’d just snapped around her neck. Loukianos Aeros smirked at the futility of her actions even as he unconsciously admired the creature he had captured. Creature—because she was obviously a Shifter spy and they were all members of the lowest life form. However, his gloating was cut short when she spun and took off sprinting over the snow-covered ground. Her arms pumped furiously and the silky black ponytail swayed in rhythm with her quick steps, bobbing behind her like a plumped-up horse tail. His gaze traveled up her long legs that led to a firm, round ass, which was nicely displayed in excellent fitting jeans. Definitely not the body of a horse. Hell, it’d been so long since he’d had a woman that even a lowly Shifter got him excited. The deep rumbled laugh broke from his chest and echoed the derision he felt. Pathetic. But, that didn’t stop him from watching her a little longer. Running away was about as fruitless an effort as trying to pull off the energy collar. However, he gave her points for effort. When he’d first spotted her hiding at the edge of the woods just outside the walls of the compound, Louk realized the universe had handed him the opportunity he’d been longing for. Finally, a chance to find out what really happened to his older brother, Damian. A brother he’d never known. Damian was accused of aiding the Shifters and killing their oldest brother in a bloody

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battle. Being born eight hundred years after the incident left Louk with a mix of broken stories and whispered condemnations. Now, right before him, was his chance to question a source who would know the other side. Who could give him answers when no one else would. She was the enemy, a member of the Shifter slime that had destroyed his family. And he would use the opportunity presented. Use her. Tiring of the game of evasion, Louk used the energy and dissipated out. He solidified about five feet in front of her path, his legs braced and arms spread in preparation. She hit him in the chest at a full run, and he grunted at the impact even as his arms clamped tightly around his prize. He stumbled back a few steps, but held tight to the wiggling form firmly trapped against his chest. “Let. Me. Go.” She bit out, full of righteous indignation and fight. He laughed. Hell, it had been a long time since he’d had that much fun. “Yeah, not happening, sweet cheeks.” Unable to resist, he slid a hand down and squeezed the delicious little ass he’d admired moments ago. A small sound of offense left her mouth, right before a hard, booted toe connected with his shin. He grunted in response, all thoughts of fun draining from his mind. Louk tightened his hold and brought his boot around to trap her legs between his own. His height and weight gave him the advantage, but she didn’t give in easily. It was a full minute of continued squirming, pushing and swearing before the feisty woman finally stilled. The heavy sound of gasping breaths punctuated the sudden silence, the small skirmish tasking them both. Her breath pushed hot and moist against the exposed skin of his neck. The sensation stroked over the sensitive area like a lover’s kiss and sent small shivers of desire racing down his spine.

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And in that moment, the raven soared. The mark on the back of his hand took off in a flight of pure joy, high on an ecstasy of promise. Louk sucked in a sharp breath, incredulous. She was a Shifter, his sworn enemy. Abruptly, he shoved the woman away, swinging her arms around until he grasped her wrists tightly together before her. “Who are you?” he demanded. Her arched, black brows came down low and menacing over her chocolate colored eyes. Her face was a striking blend of Asian and Caucasian features. Slightly narrower eyes surrounded by long black lashes, high cheekbones that centered her round face and balanced the broad mouth and sculpted lips. Lips that were currently pulled tight and hard into a thin line of annoyance. Her rounded little chin came up in a move of defiance as she tugged on the grip he had around her slim wrists. “Like I’d tell you,” she sneered between deep gulps of air. “Oh, you’ll tell me.” He let a slow smile curl over his lips. “Eventually.” “Fuck you.” “Is that an invitation?” He drew her closer, pulled on her arms until her chest was crushed to his once again. He lowered his face into hers, forcing her to arch back to keep her distance. Her breasts pressed invitingly up at him, offered like a gift under her tight, leather jacket and he slowly drew his gaze up over the display to meet her eyes. “Because I can accommodate that.” It only took one small movement to bring his hips into intimate contact with the juncture of her thighs. Her position left her vulnerable and open, and he made damn sure she knew that. Her eyes widened. Her breath hitched, and her pretty little mouth opened in surprise. Her lips were red and moist, and he suddenly wanted nothing more

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than to kiss them. The energy flowed between them, igniting a desire that threatened to scorch his nerve endings. It burned hot, insistent, immediate, and he felt his body responding as it pulsed to life against its resting spot at her thighs. She froze in her struggles to escape, her eyes widening even more. She felt his desire. And the energy spoke to him; it vibrated through his mind whispering her need. Her sudden hunger, the raw desire. And a confusion that matched his own. Over the air he felt the approach of other members of the enclave Guard. The energy around them began to expand, and Louk suddenly knew he wasn’t ready to turn her over. This was the opportunity he had waited for, one that could allow him to learn about his brother. But even more than that, this woman called to him in a way that was stronger than his desire to please his enclave. His family. And he needed to understand why. In that second, he made his decision. One that could cost him everything. With the choice made, he teleported out, his captive in tow. His life permanently changed. Forever.

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Chapter Three

Her body prickled, tingled, then solidified. Airiana immediately began to fight against the man holding her hostage. She would not submit. She was raised better than that. It was her own dumb fault that she was in the situation to begin with and she would get herself out. Hopefully before her family found out. “Would you stop it?” the angry stranger demanded as he brought his arm around her back and held her in a vise grip to his hard chest. His deep blue eyes were ablaze with emotion. What exactly, she didn’t want to contemplate. Before she could respond, he stepped back and waved a hand around in a circle over his head. Damn. She could feel the energy field going up as he cast the circle around them. Now, she was truly trapped. “There,” he said shoving her away from him, dropping the hold on her wrists. He set his hands on his hips and looked down at the ground for a brief second, his lips compressed into a tight line. When he lifted his head, his face was blank and emotionless, giving no hint to what was going on inside his head. “You can’t escape and you know it, so stop fighting. Give me the answers I want and maybe I won’t kill you.” Her fists tightened and clenched. It galled her that he was right and he knew it. Once a circle was cast, the only energy that could enter or exit was defined by the one who created the circle. And since people were made of energy that meant she was trapped until he decided she could leave.

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That, coupled with the energy collar around her neck that prevented her from accessing her own energy or using the energy around her, left her completely screwed. How in the hell had she let herself get captured? She forced herself to relax and absently rubbed her hands over the spot where he’d held her wrists as she took a second to get her bearings. By the looks of it, they were in an abandoned farm silo. The circular structure was at least four stories tall and capped with a cone shaped roof. The metal walls were rusted around the rivets and sported holes in some places around the top. Traces of grain were scattered across the floor and mingled with mouse droppings that left a stale, barn odor to the space. “Obviously, you’re a Shifter spy. What were you looking for outside our compound?” The question rang sharp and angry through the metal tower. Airiana gave him her best sneer. “Like I’d tell you.” He looked her up and down, then started to move in a slow, taunting pace, following the perimeter of the building. His boots clumped against the cement floor, his hands still tightly clenched against his narrow hips. He was stalking her. Trying to intimidate her. It wouldn’t work. She stood in the middle and moved in time with him, keeping her body facing his. He would not catch her unprepared again. She used the opportunity to size him up. It was time she found his weakness and used it. His blond hair was windblown and tousled in a careless but completely male way that left longer pieces draped across his forehead and the ends curled up in a manner that begged for a female to tame them. As if he was tamable. His height at an easy six and a half feet was probably intimidating to humans, but was the norm for his race and didn’t cause her concern. At six feet herself, she knew she could stand her own against him in a fight or anything thing else he attempted.

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He had a hard, chiseled face that showed hints of laughter in the small creases she’d seen up close and personal at the corner of his eyes. She licked her lips at the memory of how close he’d been. At how nice his lean, hard body had felt pressed against hers. The black jeans he wore had done nothing to hide his desire as he’d rubbed it between her thighs. Just the thought of it had her nipples tightening in traitorous arousal. Damn him. The wind gusted and howled against the building, causing the metal to shake and rattle in a valiant attempt to stay upright. The sound thundered around them and gave her the feeling of being trapped inside a tin can. Airiana shoved her hands in her coat pockets, but kept her knees loose and body prepared as he continued to circle around her. Waiting. Playing. Taunting. “It would be in your best interest to cooperate,” he said once the wind quieted down. “It would be in your best interest to let me go,” she tossed right back. “Why?” He arched a brow in question. “It’s clear that I have the advantage.” “Do you? I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” His mouth turned up at the corner in a confident smirk. “I’m very sure of that.” Her hand was out of her pocket, a throwing star exiting her fingers and whizzing across the space before he’d finished his sentence. He roared when he failed to duck fast enough, and the sharp device clipped his ear, effectively wiping the damn smirk off his face. “First rule of engagement—always make sure your opponent is disarmed before you set them free.” She couldn’t resist adding in the jibe even as she spun, crouched and let loose with another star. The second one spun like a tiny, deadly saw blade straight for his forehead. Not waiting to see if hit its mark, Airiana dove to the side in a well-practiced

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diversion move and was just regaining her footing when she was jerked violently into the air by invisible fingers. Her body was tossed across the cylinder until her back slammed into the metal wall with enough force to leave a dent. She sucked in a breath against the pain that radiated down her spine and up across the back of her head. She withheld a moan by clamping down on her tongue until it bled, the tangy, metallic taste sprang to life in her mouth. The hidden force tightened the hold around her neck, arms and legs and kept her suspended against the building, her feet dangling a good three feet from the floor. Her arms were spread wide and pinned to the wall where she hung like a sacrificial lamb strung-up for slaughter. Cursing silently, she closed her eyes and refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her distress. “Not so cocky now, huh?” His voice was low, close. She could hear him moving around her where he held her pinned to the rusted wall. Pulling deep, she mustered her bravado and quirked the corner of the mouth up. “Second rule of engagement—force your opponent to show their power as early as possible.” He growled again, the low rumble stoked her confidence. “Check.” The soft click of her tongue emphasized the taunt. The pressure tightened around her neck, squeezing the metal collar into her skin and forcing her to lift her chin up higher in an unsuccessful attempt to get more air to her lungs. With her eyes still shut, every sound was amplified as her senses strained to pinpoint his location. The wind picked that moment to hammer at the poor excuse for a building, rocking the interior with the hollow echo of diffused air.

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“Thanks for reminding me, sweet cheeks.” The soft puff of hot breath against her ear made her flinch in surprise. She tried to jerk away, but couldn’t. The words vibrated down her ear canal and sent unwanted shivers down her spin. She felt a hand run up the inside of her leg and her eyes flew open. “What are you doing?” “Checking for weapons, of course.” Again, his deep voice rumbled against her ear, his hair stoking against her cheek. He smelled of the outdoors—fresh, clean with a hint of danger. “I wouldn’t want to miss any, especially after you showed just how lax I’ve been.” The hand moved over her knee and continued up toward the center of her body. Heat bloomed on her cheeks while fire began to rage in her core. The dragon popped his head up and spun in a quick dance of excitement. But even worse than that, the energy sang. It pumped through her despite the collar and enticed her to enjoy. To give in and accept the pleasure. It pulled at her, begged her to succumb. Why? How was he doing that to her? Why this man? This Energen? Resisting, she bit her lip and clenched her teeth against the need as his hand glanced over her sex and headed back down the inside of her other leg. “Nope, nothing there,” he teased right before he nipped at her earlobe. “Uncle,” she cried. “What?” His hand stopped high on her inner thigh, the heat burning through her jeans to singe the tender skin beneath. “Uncle, damn you,” She whispered, giving in, unable to withstand the temptation he offered and afraid of what might happen if she let the game persist. His low chuckle grated against her nerves even as he removed his hand and stepped back. An inch.

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“And just when things were getting fun.” The challenge glared in his eyes, but she wasn’t taking the bait. She gritted her teeth and told him where her weapons were hidden. Her breath held deep in her chest as he slowly retrieved each one, making every brush against her body a deliberate and taunting caress. It wasn’t until the last weapon cleared her body that she slowly released the held air and let herself breath. He assessed her from head to toe, a clear look of victory crowing in his gaze. “Now, your name.” She glared, then looked away. He stepped closer, lifted his hand and moved it straight for her breast. “Airiana,” she spit out quickly, all thought of lying forgotten in her haste to halt his intent. Truly, it wasn’t him she feared, but her own body. Her nipples were already tight little pebbles of irritation after the contact during the weapon removal process. “Airiana,” he repeated like he was testing the sound as it rolled languidly off his tongue. His lips curled up in apparent approval. “Soft, exotic, tempting…a lot like you. Well, except the soft part.” He chuckled at his own joke. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” she gritted out. “Now, will you let me down? You’ve more than shown off your impressive mastery of the element of air, and my arms are starting to go numb.” In truth, she would rather hang there all day than ask him for anything, but there was no way to defend herself in her current position. The complete vulnerability, total exposure to him, left her feeling weak and she couldn’t handle that. She’d rather grovel for leniency than be at his mercy for a second longer than necessary.

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“So you like my powers, do you?” He took another step back. “And I haven’t even shown you the really good stuff. You must be easy to impress. I’ll have to remember that.” “Easy?” she scoffed. “Not hardly. I was just trying to stroke your oh-sofragile Energen ego in an attempt to get my way.” “Not very effective if you tell me what you’re doing.” She clamped her lips shut and held her tongue despite every urge she had to respond. Surprisingly, she felt the hold on her arms, legs and throat loosen and with unexpected gentleness, her body was slowly lowered to the ground. Her legs gave out briefly as the blood rushed through the limbs, but she held her weight, refusing to fall. She braced a hand against the cold metal wall while the blood pumped back through her numbed appendages. Airiana looked him over and made an attempt to even the playing field. “So who are you?” He raised an eyebrow. “Your captor.” She straightened and pushed away from the wall. “Your name?” His arms crossed over his chest and he narrowed his eyes in contemplation. “Rule of engagement number three—always keep the odds in your favor. So, why would I want to balance the odds when I clearly don’t need to?” She clenched her jaw, his arrogance grating on her nerves. The fact that he knew what she was trying to do and threw her own taunting word game back at her only irritated her more. Whatever game he was playing, she would best him. Her pride wouldn’t let her lose. Even if some hidden part of her wanted to.

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Chapter Four

Louk held his arms crossed tightly over his chest and resisted the urge to rub at his aching ear. Bloody hell, the insufferable woman actually clipped him with a throwing star. For some damn reason, he was almost proud of her. Which was just damn insane. He certainly couldn’t be attracted to a Shifter. Shouldn’t even be thinking like that. He was only playing her to get what he wanted. Giving himself a hard mental shake, Louk focused on the lethal beauty and thought of dog shit. Anything to get back to thinking with his mind instead of his dick. He had brought her there to get information on his brother. He needed to do the job and be done. A trail of sweat made its way down his back, his body heated despite the coldness around them. The abandon silo had been the first place he’d thought of when he’d grabbed her. It served its purpose, but wasn’t exactly oozing with warmth. He took a slow, measured step toward her. “This verbal sparring game is really quite interesting, but it’s getting us nowhere.” He took another step and relaxed his arms to his sides. “Maybe we should go back to the other approach that got you talking so quickly.” He took another step closer. Her shoulders pulled back. Another step. Her chin came up. Another step. Her eyes narrowed.

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One more would put him within arm’s reach. Already, he could feel the energy pushing at him. Like a giant shove to his back, urging him on. Almost goading him into it. What was the deal? He smiled and gave her another suggestive once over. He made sure his voice was low and husky when he finally spoke to her. “Are you going to talk? Or do I need to help you with that?” “Touch me and I’ll break every finger that does.” His eyebrows shot up. “Sounds like a challenge, sweet cheeks.” Her lips clenched together at his endearing insult. He held up his pointer finger, taunting her with the digit. “You only need to answer a few questions. Is that really so hard?” Her chest puffed up and down as her irritation mounted. The movement only serving to pull his attention to her nicely rounded breasts displayed beneath the thin T-shirt her open jacket exposed. Truly, she had the body of a goddess. Tall, slim, toned. Exactly what he liked—if it wasn’t stacked around the soul of a Shifter. At her silence, he took the last step forward and stretched the finger toward her, stopping just a fraction from the tip of her pert little nose. To her credit, she kept her gaze focused on him, not his finger. Her hot breath caressed his hand and warmed his fingers. “What’s it going to be?” He waved the finger back and forth in front of her nose. “Try it.” It was a quiet dare. Her eyes flashed dark excitement, the anticipation virtually jumping from them. The raven stretched its wings and ruffled its feathers in eager anticipation.

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The energy hummed with desire, with need. Filled with want. It rushed through him, firing his blood, igniting every nerve ending, torching his skin until his entire body vibrated with unfulfilled hunger. The air stilled, his heart pounded and his finger bent forward to tap the very tip of her nose. Her hand clamped around his wrist the next second. Firm, lethal. The energy surged at the contact and flooded his system as it blended with hers, the cocktail a heady mix of pure addiction. Her movements became a graceful dance of precision and reflex. In one fluid motion, she turned, twisted his arm down pulling him off balance, then succinctly flipped him over her shoulder. His back hit the cement with a resounding thud and a gust of expressed air. Holy Fuck. She was hot. Louk’s own reflexes kicked in, years of practice and training surfacing to automate his movements. A quick roll saved his neck from the downward plunge of her boot, the dust and mouse droppings scattering in the force of the wake. He pushed to his feet and immediately ducked to avoid the high-kicked foot aimed for his head. “I told you not to touch me,” she seethed followed by a series of spins, kicks and quick arm jabs. Obviously, she’d had some serious training in the martial arts. Louk ducked, dodged, rolled and spun his way around every move. He bounced lightly on his toes, anticipating the next move and chuckled each time her advance missed its mark. The girl could fight. And damn, did that turn him on.

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In their world, either you knew how to fight—how to defend and protect yourself—or you died. “Hell, sweet cheeks,” he drawled, avoiding another spin-kick combo. “It was just too tempting.” She growled in frustration and advanced again. “My name is not sweet cheeks.” She emphasized the point with an attempted jab to his head. “With an ass as fine as yours—” he ducked, spun, then grazed a hand over the round mounds of the body part in question, “—it really should be.” She gasped and spun away from his touch. “Asshole. That’s what I’ll call you.” “Ah, you can do better than that.” “Dick.” She kicked. He ducked. “Got one.” “Jerk.” She swiped. He spun. “Not really.” “Arrogant, pig head, scum.” She jabbed, kicked, kicked. He dodged, twisted, rolled. “No ring to it.” They both paused. He smiled as he waited for her next move. And he knew she would have one. Unable to resist the taunt, he poked at her. “Ready to call uncle, again?” It was a lot like poking a stick at an angry lion through the bars at the zoo. Only there weren’t any bars to hide behind, which only made it more exciting. She exploded from her crouch in a wild movement of arms and legs all choreographed to flow in an unending blend of grace. It was beautiful to watch, her body bending and moving in an elegant symphony of rhythm and skill. Each action distinct and effortless, blending into the next without pause. Without thought.

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A lethal ballerina intent on destruction. It was so mesmerizing that he was almost tempted to let her land a hit. Almost. He waited until the very last second before he spun then blocked her downward drop punch. Her eyes widened, but she turned and led with a side swipe. Louk prepped and timed his movement so he effectively grabbed her arm, twisted, caught the second arm and held her immobile before him. They stared at each other, their breaths mingling and disintegrating between them, their muscles tense, tight, prepared. “Check,” was all he said. He cocked a half grin and gloated a little at his triumph. He had her in a win-tight hold. Her eyes were dark depths of raging fire. She grinned slightly, then raised a knee with a sharp intent at reaching his balls. Prepared, he easily dodged the obvious move. She took advantage of his distraction and twirled her body around causing him to loosen his hold on her arms. Just as quickly, she reached up, grabbed his pointer finger and snapped it in one clean break. “Mate,” she said, victory ringing in her voice. “Son of a bitch!” He yanked his finger out of her grasp and gave his injured hand a shake. His aching finger was pointing outward at an odd angle and throbbed in shallow beats in time with his heart. She stepped back, smiling like a dragon sitting on her stash of jewels. “I told you I’d break it.” “Well, God dammit, woman. You didn’t have to be so literal.” He snapped the finger back into place, then made a big show of tucking the injury under his arm and wincing in pain even though the energy would quickly heal it. “Oh, come on,” she scoffed and arched her eyes into a dramatic roll. “It’s just a finger. I didn’t know Energens were such wussies.”

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He pounced. One second he was playing up the injury the next he was on her. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down with his momentum to the cement. His back took the impact of their joint fall, but he rolled and trapped her beneath him before she had a chance to react. She pushed against his chest until he trapped her wrists, pulled them over her head and pinned them to the ground. Her body wiggled and bucked beneath him. He groaned, the intimate contact rubbing against his cock and burning a need within him. Louk dropped more of his weight onto her. “I don’t want to crush you, but you needed to stop unless you want me to fuck you right here. Right now.” She stilled. “I thought you’d feel that way.” “I thought your finger hurt,” she puffed out between short breaths. “I thought you were smarter than that.” She pursed her lips before releasing a sigh. “Point to you. Now let me up.” She felt too good beneath him. Too perfect. He couldn’t think like that. But the raven cooed a soft note of pure happiness and rode high on the currents. The energy swirled and blended between them. Every contact point became an open vessel of exchange—his to hers, hers to his. It was unlike anything he’d ever felt. Ever wanted. “What are you doing to me?” he growled, his voice three octaves lower than normal. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Me? It’s not me. It’s you." He let his eyes close and concentrated on the energy. Within him it was building, churning, humming in desire. Her energy entered and called to him, enticing him to succumb, to let go and try. Just a sample. Maybe more.

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Around them, the energy pulsed to its own beat of expectation. It pushed at him, the pressure was physical and weighed against his body like a stone block pressing on his back, forcing him closer to her. Airiana. The enemy. His desire. “No,” he denied trying to focus on his task. His brother. “It’s not me.” “Then why am I feeling this?” Her frustration and confusion mirrored his in the tightening of her brows, the slight flaring of her nostrils. “So, you feel it too?” He winked, trying to bluff off his unwanted attraction. “Thanks for sharing.” She grunted, an irritated sound from deep in her throat. “Damn you. Just let me up.” She attempted to buck him off by forcing her chest up and trying to brace her legs for leverage. It didn’t work. “You’d better pray that there’s no mouse shit in my hair.” She continued to struggle, and his cock couldn’t help but notice. She rubbed against it intimately, roughly, suggestively which heightened the energy and torched the flame that burned within him. “Rule of engagement number four—never give up an advantage.” He ground his hips into her lower body and smiled. “And I definitely have the advantage.” He licked his lips and attempted to push back the desire her movements heightened. When she continued to buck, he closed his eyes and groaned as his cock hardened more and throbbed in aching need beneath his jeans. A barrier that did nothing to dull the sensation she created with her movements. “You really do want to get fucked, don’t you?” He opened his eyes as she gasped and stilled. Surprise or anger? No. It was clearly a matched desire that

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smoldered in her rich, coffee colored eyes. Her pupils were large, her lids hooded, her mouth opened slightly in invitation. Her tongue slicked out to wet her lips in a slow slice of sensuality. Intentional? Planned? Strategic? He didn’t know. Didn’t care. The invitation was extended and he was going to accept, damn the consequences. Damn the reprimands. At that moment, she was all he needed. Wanted. And he was going to have her. No matter the cost.

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Chapter Five

Airiana’s chest constricted and tightened. A reaction that had nothing to do with the weight of the man pressing on her. The fired burned and flamed within her—it poured through her suddenly lethargic limbs and ignited every need she’d ever suppressed. The energy pulsed in time with her hammering heart, fresh waves of desire cascading over her senses and drowning her in barely contained passion. How? The energy collar usually dulled and diluted the energy, made it unusable until it became almost nonexistent to the wearer. So why was it rolling through her, whispering hints of satisfaction, of mutual need, of an inevitable outcome that was useless to resist? It blended with Louk’s energy to form an elegant dance of seduction that enticed her to join, to move with the rhythm and ignore the rest. His head descended, and she didn’t turn away. Didn’t fight. His lips stroked across hers in a brief brush of trial. A slow savoring that came back to swipe over her lips in repeated brushes of temptation. A lazy acquaintance building that heightened the sensation and filled her with longing. His lips were as soft as they looked and tender in a way that surprised her and lured her in deeper. She sighed and closed her eyes. The dragon swirled and danced in time with the building energy. The nerve endings on the back of her hand tingled and itched with the joyous preening as it stroked its whiskers and licked sensually over its claws.

The Dragon Stirs

She didn’t pretend to understand the reaction. The dragon or her own. There would be time for that later. Now, she opened her mouth in permission. In acceptance. And moaned softly as his tongue stroked over her inner lip then into her waiting mouth. It was a slow perusal of mingling inquisition. Of discovery and reconnaissance. His mouth was warm, his breath ragged, his tongue dominant, but not controlling as it mingled with hers. There was no battle for position, struggle for superiority. Strategy had fled to be replaced by mutual respect for the moment. He pulled back a fraction. “Louk.” Her mind fuzzed. She opened her eyes. “What?” “My name,” he said, his blue eyes expressive with need. “Loukianos. Louk.” Comprehension dawned. He was giving her something. And that small gesture slammed against her heart like a bowling ball to a plate glass window. No one had ever given her anything. In her world, everything was earned. She lifted her head and reclaimed his mouth with barely controlled need. She didn’t want to think. At all. She only wanted to feel, and his mouth was an inferno of sensation. The energy burned through her, her nerves prickled in awareness, her skin coursed with shivers. Her nipples tightened and ached with a need that was only surpassed by the one building in her core. His swollen, hard cock rubbed against her inner thigh hot and insistent. The friction enticing, but not nearly enough. His lips trailed away from her mouth to nip under her jaw and over her earlobe. “What are you doing to me?” His whispered breath caressed her senses causing the tiny hairs on her neck to rise in excitement.

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She tilted her head, an open invitation for more. He complied and traced lazy circles over the sensitive area with his tongue. She moaned and tugged on the arms he still held captive over her head. “Let me go,” she begged. His grip tightened, and she gave another pull. “Let me touch.” His hold immediately loosened and it only took a second before her hands were buried in the soft folds of his hair, the silky texture brushing over her palms and twining between her fingers. He arched his head up and closed his eyes, completely absorbed in her stroking. A low moan escaped his lips as his eyes pried open to look down at her. “We shouldn’t be doing this.” The back of his hand stroked lightly over her cheek. “You’re my sworn enemy, but I can’t stop myself. The energy is too strong, too powerful to resist.” His admission curled in her gut and pulsed in her heart. “I know, so don’t stop,” she insisted even as she pulled his lips to hers. Around them, the wind howled and crashed against the fragile building. It roared like a freight train in its attempts to pummel the metal structure to the ground and left her ears ringing with the intensity of the rage. But, it was ignored. An oblivious background against the storm that was cresting within her. They joined together in heated sensation. The energy built as his tongue stroked hers, as his fingers brushed her cheek, as a moan lingered and reverberated from deep within her chest. The power hummed and stroked within her until she lost all consciousness of anything but him. Loukianos. She soared with the dragon as it lifted on its hind legs and breathed a raging flame of contentment.

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Louk’s energy merged with hers until she felt united with him in a synchronous blending of opposing power. Male and Female. Dark and Light. Yin and Yang. Together, it surged and moved overwhelming everything within her. Her senses heightened until all she knew was his mouth on hers, his hands on her skin, his body covering hers. Hers. The burning confirmation roared through her even as the world began to tilt. The energy circled around them and built to a whizzing cyclone of pure power. It cloaked them in greedy absolution while siphoning in tandem. In that moment of complete euphoria, the darkness invaded. It leached in and skimmed over her skin in a slimy, icy drenching. On her hand, the dragon reared its head and contorted in pain while around them, the space darkened and the light began to wane. Airiana froze, a unified action with Louk. They remained tightly entwined, his lips a breath away, his gaze focused on her. He was with her. He felt it, too, she saw it his eyes, felt it in his energy that flowed through her. They were together in whatever was unfolding around them. Within them. To them. The universe sucked in a large gulping gasp, then breathed. The bars creaked and moaned around a cage she had no comprehension of. But, it rang on her conscious and vibrated through their absorbing minds. The animal within shifted, stirred and rolled. Its nose twitched lightly, sensing, feeling, anticipating.

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The pending sense of dread flooded her being and sucked away at the joy she had just experienced. A lone tear rolled from the corner of her eye to trail down the side her face. The grief unexplainable, the emotion too much. And the world shifted again, the light returned and the tingling started. It encompassed them before either could react. His muscles tensed around her and then they were moving, floating on the energy in a familiar mode of travel. But his face said it all. Louk didn’t do it. They were porting through the energy together, forced against their will. Her mind reeled, and she tried to think strategically about what was happening. But there was absolutely no scenario that she could devise in which the outcome of what was happening would be good. For either of them.

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Chapter Six

What the fuck? Louk held tightly to Airiana as they were spirited through the energy to a destination unknown. One second they’d been hotly on track to easy his aching cock and the next second the world turned over. Literally. Or so it felt like. Hell, he’d admit their connection was phenomenal, but earth shattering was a poetic euphemism. Not a reality. But the earth most certainly moved. Something unbelievably crazy had just happened, was still happening, and it pissed him off that he had no control over it. Anger was way better than admitting to the niggling of fear that tickled over his spine. He kept Airiana close and prepared for the landing. Wherever that was. If it was. The longer they traveled in their molecular state, the higher his shit meter went. As of now, they were in really, really deep shit. This wasn’t his doing and it certainly couldn’t be hers, the energy collar prevented her from porting or using the energy. He concentrated and tried to pull out, to meld with the energy and command it as he knew he could. But whoever was controlling it was more powerful than him. Way more. The vibe was ancient. Strong. Deadly. They solidified in a mingling of limbs exactly as they’d been hijacked. Instantly, Louk sprang to his feet and crouched, prepared for anything. Airiana was next to him a half second later. He rotated so his back braced against hers. Together they breathed and waited. “Where are we?” she questioned softly.

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“I don’t know.” They were in a dark room full of shadows and hidden recesses, the only light shone from above and directly down on them. He tested the energy and cursed. “What?” “We’re inside a circle.” Trapped. The raven circled and glided—open, hunting, seeking. The mystery as unnerving to it as it was to Louk. The room itself was devoid of all but a minimal amount of furniture that formed faint outlines against the blackness outside of their small circle of light. Louk’s boots sank into plush, red carpeting that absorbed all sound and added to the padded cell feeling. Dark curtains hung over the windows and allowed for absolutely no light to leak through which made it impossible to tell if it was even night or day. His unease increased as he opened his senses to absorb his surroundings. “Who’s there?” he called out even as he slowly rotated to take in more of the room. Airiana stayed with him, keeping her back to him, guarding his hidden half. “One who has waited a very long time for you to arrive.” The voice came from the depths of the darkness, but floated around them. The odd distribution made it impossible for Louk to identify where it came from. He stopped his movement and simply focused on the verbal play. Behind him, Airiana stilled. “What do you mean?” Louk straightened and casually tucked his hand in the folds of his jacket. “Why did you bring us here?” “I did not bring you here. The energy did,” the voice answered mysteriously. “Is this a joke?” Airiana shot out.

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A low chuckle rolled across the space before the voice replied. “This is the furthest thing from a joke that I can think of.” “Show yourself,” Louk demanded, tired of the anonymity. Immediately an elderly man appeared to their side. Reflexes had them turned, crouched and ready to defend, their movements matched as if they’d fought together for years. “Better?” the man asked. The man stood straight, his hands clasped nonchalantly behind his back. He was of Asian descent, with long white hair that was neatly braided down his back and the wisps of two equally long mustache tips that framed his mouth and extended well past his chin. His skin was time worn, but his face remained wrinkle free. His eyes held more than a millennium of wisdom, and his energy confirmed it. He was an Ancient. One of the few who had lived longer than most could remember. He wore a long white robe cut in an Asian style with gold embroidery along the edges that flowed in soft waves to his knees. Matching white, silk pants hung loosely below the robe and simple white slippers poked out from beneath the hem of the garment as if their—Louk and Airiana’s—appearance had disturbed his morning lounge. A smile curved across his lips and his brown eyes flashed with a bit of humor. “Ah, I am not what you were expecting,” he said lightly. “You are wise. Don’t let appearances fool you. I can take you both down before you blink.” It had taken some very strong power to pull them out of his circle and force them to this location, but Louk didn’t sense a threat. He relaxed his stance and let go of the grip he had on the knife. He slipped his hand out of his jacket and contemplated their next move.

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“You have questions,” the man said politely. “I may have answers, but they may not make you happy.” “Why are we here?” Airiana advanced a half step before she paused as if she realized what she was doing. Tipping her head, she retreated back and waited. Obviously she recognized him as an Ancient and was showing him the respect he was due. The man was thousands of years old, and that distinction alone elevated his authority and position of power to one that was much higher than theirs. No matter which side he was on. The man tilted his head then nodded in apparent approval. “Airiana Draco. A woman lost and hiding a secret shame. Riddled with doubt, you are poised with questions and seeking answers.” Airiana gasped softly. “Yes, the energy told me about you.” He turned his attention to Louk. “Loukianos Aeros. Also seeking answers and desiring truth. A man filled with need and a desire to believe.” Louk’s gut tightened at the truth of the man’s words. “The energy tells me much.” “Did it tell you why we’re here?” Louk asked. The man bowed forward slightly as if to give appreciation for the question. “Yes and no. Like I said, I’ve awaited your arrival for many years. Many times I thought it might happen. Many times I was proven wrong. Now, you are here and I can only find sadness in my heart.” Louk exhaled slowly and rested his hands on his hips. “Where are we?” “Where do you think you are?” “I’m not in the mood for games,” Louk responded, irritation building. “Tell us where we are.” The man’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Forceful. Not a bad trait.” He looked them over. “Does it matter where you are?”

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“Yes,” Airiana insisted. “No,” the man countered. “What matters now is why you are here. Not where.” Louk puffed out an exasperated breath. “Whatever. Stop playing games and tell us something or send us back.” “But what do you need to know?” the man continued cryptically. “The prophecy? “One of light, one of dark. Born the same, but raised apart. The Two will join, the end will start. The first to fall to balance them all. A year to the day the dragon will rise. Without the balance, the world will die.” He paused. “Is that what you wanted to hear, Louk? Or maybe you want confirmation that your brother is good. That his future is not set nor his past as it seems. And Airiana, doubt is your plague. Is balance better? You already know the answer to that or you would not be here.” The words bounded around in Louk’s head, and he latched on to the only piece he could process. “What do you know about Damian?” “Only what you will soon know yourself.” Louk gave a low growl of frustration. “Do you ever give a straight answer?” The man shrugged. Louk sighed. “Are we supposed to be a part of that prophecy?” Airiana scoffed softly, “I’d say that much was obvious.” Louk’s lips thinned. “I’m going to bet you’re the dark one in the scenario.” She ignored him and addressed the other man instead. “Trust me, joining with him is about as likely as the moon falling to earth. So the prophecy is either wrong or we are not the two it’s talking about.” “Really?” The man questioned, raising one slight eyebrow. “Denial will not change the facts.”

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“There are no facts to deny,” she sputtered indignantly. “We’re from opposing sides. Two forces that have fought each other forever. There is no way we can be together.” Although she spoke the truth, Louk couldn’t deny that the thought of being with her didn’t revolt him as much as it should. They definitely had one hell of a connection. But, the forever thing? He was with her on the not likely scenario. “Trust me, sweet cheeks, I’m quite a catch.” He winked at her, burying his unease behind the flirty bravado. Her brows drew together in irritation. “Arrogant much?” “Confident.” She snorted. “Conceited.” “Self-assured,” he countered. A deep laugh halted their banter and drew Louk’s attention back to the Ancient who was now watching them with obvious amusement. “What?” Louk and Airiana said in unison. “It is the young that keep us alive,” he said. “A freshness not jaded by age, or war, or death. I see now why the energy chose you. You will need that spirit to conquer and withstand all that is before you.” He turned away and shuffled back into the shadows. “Come children, the tea is ready.” Louk looked at Airiana. She shrugged. “I’m sure you’re the child in that scenario,” she said under her breath as she moved to follow the man. He laughed. Damn, the woman made him laugh. Her sharp tongue was refreshing and kept him on his toes. He absolutely loved a good challenge. And Airiana Draco had just become a challenge he was intent on winning. One way or the other.

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The delicate teacup clanked softly against the matching plate, the tiny sound ringing like a gong through the silence. Airiana withheld her cringe. She’d already shown too much. Emotion only got one killed. Or thoroughly fucked on a mouse shit floor in an abandoned silo. Almost. Where had her mind gone? She slipped a side-glance at Louk, who looked completely befuddled trying to handle the tiny tea cup in his large hands without breaking it. Cute. If he wasn’t the enemy. Why did she have to keep reminding herself of that? “Because you are not enemies.” Airiana’s head shot up, and she gaped at the man who sat across from them at the little table. “Of course we are,” she automatically insisted before comprehension set in. Her eyes narrowed. “A spirit power. I should have known. It’s bad manners to invade someone’s thoughts.” The man only smiled that little worldly grin that left one feeling like they’d missed out on the joke. Their abductor had the power to control the energy of the spirit, which gave him the ability to read minds and project thoughts. She carefully dropped her thoughts to blank him out. “You can’t hide them from me,” the man said. “I’m far too old for you to evade or block. But, I only pry because the time is short. Misunderstandings and old wars cannot block your way. You two must bond before the day ends or all will be lost before it starts.” Louk choked on his tea. He coughed and set the cup down as he tried to clear his throat of the misguided liquid. Airiana understood how he felt.

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“Just like that?” Louk finally croaked out. “Wham bam thank you, ma’am, and it’s done? I doubt that’s going to happen.” “It almost happened on the cold, dirty floor of an old silo,” the man countered. “Why wouldn’t it happen again?” It was Airiana’s turn to choke. Louk had the decency to look away, and her cheeks flushed hot in embarrassment. “That was a mistake,” she insisted. “It was the heat of the moment and nothing more.” “Definitely,” Louk agreed. “Was it? Really?” The man leaned in intently. “A heat so strong, so right that it displaced the energy and woke the beast? A mistake that was felt by all for its power? For what it was? For what it is?” He stood so suddenly, his chair tipped and tumbled to land with a muted thud on the carpet. “Do not fool yourself. Your union was predestined from birth. Together you are strong. Together you will survive. Stay apart…and we all die.” The silence pounded through the room. Airiana was too shocked to respond. Could he be speaking the truth? She tugged on the cold metal still locked around her neck. The damn collar was blocking the energy, and she wanted to feel it. Needed to sink into it and sense if the man spoke the truth. If all the words that flowed were in harmony with what was around them. “Remove her collar,” the man snapped at Louk and pointed at her neck. “There is no need for it now.” As an energy collar can only be removed by the person who applied it, Louk would have to agree with the Ancient’s demands. Surprisingly, he consented without question. His warm fingers caressed her skin as he quickly flicked the lock and pulled the collar off. The energy immediately invaded her dulled senses and stroked over every never ending in a soft wave of welcome. She bit her lip to hold back the moan that threatened at the pure joy

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and rightness of the returning energy. Euphoria. Or as close to it as she could get. An endorphin high without the pain. Louk cupped his palm against her neck and the energy spiked, then burned. She gasped in stunned recognition and her gaze held his. The collar removed, the energy rushed between them in an open flow of emotional exchange. His palm tightened on her neck, his mouth parted slightly, a match to her own. It was there, a rejoicing at the return of something she hadn’t known she’d missed. A filling of the emptiness that had plagued her for her entire life. And it burned. All two hundred years of solitary existence—of being nothing but a number, a pawn, in an army of destruction—wiped away by his touch. Doubt removed and replaced by promise and acceptance. Louk. Hers. “You feel it,” the voice came from a distance, her mind hazy with the crush of the energy. “You can deny it, but you know that it’s there. The raven—the messenger of the void, the carrier of change and awakening. The light blue dragon—the courier of wisdom and enlightenment, the bringer of opportunity and balance. Together, The Two will see all. You must accept and defend. Prepare for what is to come.” Sweat trickled down her spine, a sleek river of desperation. Louk’s chest rose and fell in deep huffs of physical exertion. His eyes had darkened to the deep blue of a pending storm, but he never looked away from her gaze. Didn’t look to the man who had moved behind them. Didn’t pull away from what was happening between them. From the energy that was pulling them together with an unrelenting hold. Instead, he inched closer and raised his other hand so both hands circled her neck.

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She gasped and cried out at the wave of energy that slammed into her chest and raced through her body in a crashing surge of want. Louk’s head tipped forward, and he groaned deep and low in his chest. “Fight it no more,” the emphatic whisper brushed against her senses. “Trust in what the energy is telling you. Listen to its song and believe in the power. All that has come before must be forgotten. To reach the future, the past must evolve.” Airiana clenched her hands into tight fists to keep them from shaking where they rested on her thighs. Her dragon roared and arched in satisfaction. Fire shot from its mouth, the hot flames seeming to ignite the hairs on the back of her hand. The sensation stoked over her nerves and oddly calmed her rising distress. A hand settled on the top of her head, at the same time she saw a hand rest on Louk’s, the ancient fingers barely resting against their scalps. The new energy washed through her in slow drips of white, liquid knowledge. Thousands of years of truth and sight were encased in the energy that now circled within her. “Go and trust. Go and learn. Go and become who you were meant to be.” Airiana felt the tingling encompass her skin and prepared for whatever was next. Louk was with her, she felt him in her energy in the heat of his palms against her neck. And for the first time ever, she was not alone.

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Chapter Seven

Dark corkscrews of frustration drilled deep into Louk’s gut, twisting, turning, grinding until they pierced his flesh in pointed arcs of pain. What in the hell was going on? Again with the autopilot porting. The loss of control angered him more than all of the events of the day. Airiana. It all came back to the lethal enchantress who abducted him with her fiery spirit and unbreakable will. Shit. He should have turned her in when he had the chance. Instead, he chose the risk and look where that had gotten him. In the sweltering pits of hell. “So where are we, Airi?” Louk turned his head and looked down at her grim face. They were both braced with their backs against the cutting, sharp rocks of the cave wall behind them. They had materialized in the dank space just seconds before and immediately, automatically, assumed the defensive position. “How would I know?” she snapped back, her ponytail flipping when her head jerked to look up at him. “Dark cave, rank taint of sulfur, hissing stokes of flames…” he drifted off and shot her a look of expectation. “And?” “Kind of seems like your territory, you being the evil little dragon and all.” Her eyes tightened in irritation. “Why don’t you just leave? There’s nothing stopping you now.”

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That was true. There was no circle trapping them here—wherever here was. “And leave you alone with all this fun?” he cocked a grin and gave her an insulted look. “Not a chance.” He straightened, and his grin dropped. His grip tightened around their clasped hands—something that had happened without thought when they landed. “Why don’t you go?” Her lids dropped slightly, her lips thinned before a slow smiled curved over them. “With your weak fighting skills, you wouldn’t stand a chance without me.” Her hand squeezed his, a silent confirmation, intentional or not. “All right.” He nodded, the simple gesture an inappropriate display for the overwhelming relief that assaulted him. “So what happened back there?” “With the Ancient?” “Who else?” “Beats the shit out of me.” She bit her lip and looked away. “But something strange is definitely going on.” “And you’re just figuring that out?” She sighed and closed her eyes, her voice losing its fight. “Can you be serious for once?” His lips compressed before he inclined his head. “Yes, I can.” Playing the jokester was just so much easier and few people took the time to dig beyond it. “Any ideas on what’s happening?” Her leg bounced in nervous agitation as she contemplated her answer. “Something way beyond us. Bigger than us, but we’re definitely involved.” She looked at him. “Did you get that big rush of energy from the Ancient right before we were shipped here?”

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“Yeah. Just like I get whenever I touch you.” He lifted their clasped hands. “Right?” The energy flowed between them on the connection of their skin. Smooth, open, honest. She inhaled before admitting the truth. “Right.” “Has this happened before with you?” He squeezed her hand. “No.” She shook her head. “Not even remotely. You?” “No. Never.” He let their hands fall, the admissions resting uncomfortably between them. “Now what?” He looked around the cave and tried to assess where they were. “We were obviously sent here for a reason. I’m guessing we’re supposed to find out why.” After a moment, she nodded sharply, straightened her spine and lifted her chin. “You’re right. We could port away and hide from it, or figure it out and be done with it.” Just like that, the little fighter was back. He smiled into the darkness. “Rule of engagement number…what number are we on now?” “Five.” “Five,” he repeated. “Find the enemy before they find you.” “Take the offensive before you’re stuck in the defensive,” she amended. Her gaze held his and she swallowed slowly. “For now, you’re not my enemy.” He breathed deeply and exhaled the last of his doubt. About her at least. “For now, I agree.” The energy snapped, then flashed up his arm and raked across his chest, icy tipped blades that left deep grooves across his heart. A hot gust of air wafted up from the recesses of the cavern and banked them in a smoldering plume of sulfuric stench. Louk wrinkled his nose and strained to see into the darkness from where it came.

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“So, you really have no idea where we are?” he questioned, the doubt carrying in his voice. “Why would I?” She tugged on her hand, apparently annoyed and wanting her freedom. Not a chance. “It was just a question, Airi. No need to get touchy.” “I’ll touch you,” she mumbled giving her hand another tug. “You tease.” He pulled her against his body, the surprise giving him the advantage. “It’s not nice to tease.” She gasped, and he attacked. His lips took hers in a hard, demanding assault of tongue and heat. She stiffened, resisted, then melted into his body. He groaned at her acquiescence, cupped the back of her head and tilted it slightly to give him better access to her hot depths. Her lips were soft, her actions strong. She didn’t shrink away, but met him stroke for stroke, claiming as much as she gave. And it fired him hotter, stoked his desire and made him forget where they were, what they needed to do. His mind failed completely when her tongue danced with his, circling, dipping, trusting until the tempo increased to a dizzying, racing pace. Their energy powered within him, meshing to form its own unique blend of intoxicating strength. The raven rejoiced in fluttering song that serenaded his senses and intensified the energy that threatened to pull him under with its current. It was more intense than last time and turned his mind to a pooling mush of need. His cock ached in his jeans, and he wanted nothing more than to throw her down and claim her. There. Now. The need built until he thought he’d burst from it. It rocked the foundation he was raised to believe. How could he feel this for her? So fast? So intense? So overwhelming that he forgot everything but her? Airiana.

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She groaned into his mouth, and her hand clenched on his chest. He tightened his own hold and tried to absorb her into his body. Pull her in until she couldn’t escape. Until she was his forever. His. The thought rang with clarity through his mind and shocked his system with its truth. A high-pitched creak rang through the air and raised the hairs on the back of his neck. He pulled his lips from Airiana’s and tensed. A deep, guttural roar fired up from the depths of the cave. It bounced off the walls and rang with the manic tint of possessed evil. The energy sucked in, flipped and smacked against them with a punishing blow that flattened them to the rocky wall and sucked the breath from their bodies. The ground beneath them quivered, rocked and undulated until only their joint effort kept them standing. Louk pressed his back into the rock and held Airiana tightly to his chest. He widened his stance and rolled with the movement until it slowly stilled. The energy chilled around them, the temperature dropping a quick twenty degrees in mere seconds. Airiana’s breath brushed against his ear in harsh, jagged gulps. His heart hammered against his ribs and sounded like thunder in his ears. “What the hell was that?” Airiana whispered, her breathing slowing as she turned, her breath brushing against his neck. “Whatever it is, it sure as hell isn’t normal.” “Well no shit. It’s a good thing you’re not the brains of the operation.” Her sarcasm succeeded in lightening the moment just enough for him to regain his equilibrium.

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He puffed out a breath through his nose, then planted a quick kiss on her forehead. “So brains, what do you suggest next?” “At least that’s a step up from sweet cheeks,” she muttered as she stepped away from his hold and turned to peer into the darkness. “Only temporary.” He reached out and gave her ass a squeeze. She shot him a look of pure death. He winked. She scowled. He laughed. “Grow up,” she said before she stomped off into the darkened cave. He laughed again and caught up to her. The strange ambient glow flowing up from the very depths of the cave provided them with enough light to see. “Where are you going?” “Down there.” She pointed ahead. “Got that.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her to a halt. “But let’s get a plan first.” She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. “We go. We look around. We see what we find. How’s that for a plan?” “Rather undetailed, if you ask me.” She looked away, and he swore she rolled her eyes as if she were talking to an imbecile. “And yours?” He took a breath and mentally counted to five before he spoke. “We use what was given to us before we stalk into the unknown.” She gave him a scathing look, but remained quiet. “Right.” He held out his hand and waited. Her lips pressed together, and her spine stiffened before she slapped her hand into his. He bit down on his cheek and resisted the urge to smirk. Now was not the time to push his luck. Together, they dissipated out and drifted down the corridor using the energy to feel what was ahead. The currents brushed against him, bringing with it every

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movement, every fluctuation, every source of energy that was within their range. What touched him was both frightening and abhorrent. What in the hell was up there? A deep laugh beat through the darkness and halted their stealthy approach. They solidified and slid quietly into the shadows. “And you thought no one was here,” he chided softly. She flipped him the visual FU and started to creep silently toward the low discussion that could now be heard ahead of them. He tried to pull her behind him, but she elbowed him in the gut and kept moving. Insufferable, stubborn woman. He gritted his teeth and stuck close to her back. The conversation slowly came into focus as they neared a curve in the tunnel. The energy pulsed stronger and clearly defined the other occupants as Shifters. Louk paused, doubt clamping down on him. What if it was a trap? Airiana stopped and looked back at him. She lifted an eyebrow in silent question, then held out her hand. He grasped it and breathed. The truth whispered over the flow of the energy. Trust her. Could he? Should he? Could he not? He could still teleport out of there and simply return to his life. To hell with what the Ancient said and whatever roll they were supposed to play in some fucked up prophesy. Return to his family and forget this blip in his life, the brief loss of sanity that had caused him to take her in the first place. He looked into her eyes and knew. It was too late to turn back. Too late to second guess.

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He squeezed her hand and took a step forward. Another step away from the past and toward the future. Toward Airiana. Mine.

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Chapter Eight

Airiana added some much needed moisture over her dry lips with a slow swipe of her tongue and exhaled the breath she’d been holding deep in her chest. He was coming with her. He trusted her. Did she deserve it? “What does it mean?” a deep voice came from around the bend and forced them both to step back farther into the shadows. She tugged on his hand and motioned forward. He nodded, and they moved in unison over the remaining ground to the curve in the tunnel. “It’s almost time,” another voice answered, the excitement brimming on the edges. “Why now?” “Because we did our job.” Yet another voice, this one thick with a rolling accent. “Our time of groveling in anonymity is almost over. It’s time to celebrate, not question the why.” Airiana’s gut tightened into a hard little knot of dread. She knew those voices. Beads of perspiration formed on her brow as her body flushed with heat. She inhaled and pushed back the nerves. Louk tugged on her hand. She looked back at him to see his brow furrowed and head tilted in question much like an inquisitive dog. She shook her head and turned back to the voices. The sound of boots crunching over rock was followed by the high pitch of metal rattling. “Damn. It’s still immovable.”

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Curiosity forced her to inch forward. She got down on her belly and cautiously poked her head around the bend until she could see into the cavern. Louk was right beside her, laying half on top of her to look. What she saw sucked the breath out of her and stilled her heart. The legend was true. All the stories of her childhood came flooding back to her in undulating waves of horror. Louk inhaled, stiffened, then swore under his breath. He recognized the sight for what it was. Gog. Evil incarnate. The Oppressor. The Slanderer. The representative of all things negative. The one the Shifters served and the Energen feared. Curled up behind a large barred metal cage, the dragon lay in apparent slumber. It was large, over twelve feet long with red scales and deadly spikes riding down its spine to the tip of its barbed tail. Its head was haloed in fine, yellow-orange hair that tufted up behind its long horns and ran down to garnish his jawline. From its snout, there were two long, tightly coiled threads of hair extending from each side of his nostrils reminiscent of the old Asian mustaches. Small tendrils of grey smoke floated up from his nose and pushed higher with each exhalation of breath. Sharp, pinpoint claws were evident on the tip of each of its five toes. Five, the sign of royalty—most Shifters had three toes when they shifted into dragon form. Top ranking generals and commanders earned four toes. This was the first dragon she’d ever seen with the infamous fifth toe. The cage itself sat on an isolated island plateau in the middle of a large, open area. Sheer cliffs dropped straight down from the ledge and descended to a large pit of molten, simmering lava. Flames danced and leaped from the fire pit and explained the sulfur smell that suffocated the space.

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Three men stood on a thin ledge around the perimeter of the black, metal cage. The owners of the voices they’d heard. Her gut twisted tighter at the visual confirmation of what she’d already known. In the middle stood her great grandfather, Tubal. Flanking him on each side were his brothers, Moshech and Rosh. Together, they comprised the Shifter leadership. “This will be the year.” Rosh inclined his head in confidence. “The years of waiting, of preparation, will finally be over.” Tubal folded his arms across his chest and rocked back on his heels. “It certainly looks that way, but we can’t be too confident.” He reached out and gave one of the bars a good shake. “The bars are still strong right now.” “But he stirs,” Rosh insisted pointing to the smoke tendrils that lifted from the dragon’s nostrils. “We’ve never seen that before.” “Do you think he caused the energy buckle?” The third man, Moshech, tipped his head to indicate the dragon. Tubal shrugged. “It’s a good guess, but we don’t know for certain.” He pushed away from the bar. “The energy blip was certainly strong enough to wake him. But, did he cause it? I have my doubts.” “Why?” “It wasn’t centered from here.” Tubal scanned the area. Airiana and Louk quickly pulled their heads back. “And, it had a different vibe to it…something new.” Louk shot a look of question at her. The energy shift they’d felt was felt by others too? And it was different? How? “The apocalypse is coming,” Moschech confirmed. “The veil will finally be lifted, and the battle can commence in the open.”

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Airiana slowly eased her head back out to watch the men some more. The sick churn of dread festered in her gut. Those men—her relatives, her family— would not stop until they controlled all of the energy on earth. Including their ultimate goal, the human energy. The Shifters had never been about balance, never preached control or moderation. It was all or nothing. They fostered and cultured the worst energy. The dark, negative energy that festered in the evil and corruption they pushed. Rosh laughed, a flat, emotionless burst of sound. “When Gog is released, the Energen will be crushed. There are none who can stand against his power. Then the humans will be ours to control. The energy will belong to us.” He pumped his fist in emphasis. The manic tint to the words sent icy chills over Airiana’s skin. Louk found her hand and squeezed as if he understood what she was feeling. Instantly, the chills were replaced by his heat. The warmth spread through her body and surrounded her soul. She sighed and closed her eyes, the relief instantaneous. His energy answered her long festering question; she couldn’t be a part of what those men wanted to do. She felt Louk stiffen, his breath hitched. Her eyes flew open, and she froze. Across the span, over the dancing flames and harsh rasping echoes, the dragon watched them. His bright emerald eyes glinted against the light, mesmerizing in their clarity. Stunning in the coldness of their depths. They were fathomless pools of misery that look straight to one’s heart and ripped it to pieces without mercy. And they were focused directly on her. Airiana stopped breathing. Stopped thinking. Stopped hoping. In that second all optimism was sucked from her and replaced with rank fear.

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The darkness invaded, icy cold and immobilizing. The malevolent energy cloaked over her in a smooth blanket of depression. It sucked at her, pulled at the last inclining of security and started its own tune of persuasion. A lure of ancient seduction, ultimate power, unlimited desires fulfilled if she succumbed. If she relinquished herself to the longing, to the festering need to be recognized, she could have it all. Her dragon, the one on her hand, roared in rejection. Its tail swung in sharp, punishing swipes as it fought against the encroaching energy. It revolted, violently, and released long, scorching breaths of fire and heat in its battle to keep the dark energy at bay. “Airiana,” the deep voice thundered over the chasm. “What are you doing here?” She yanked her gaze from the hypnotic eyes of the dragon and saw her great grandfather watching her with eyes just as evil, just as deadly as those of the dragon next to him. Louk pulled her tight against his hard frame, his arm a band of protection around her shoulders as he tried to yank her away. With his strength came the energy. The power of The Two as it blended together, bound and clashed with the malicious energy that wanted to conquer. To destroy. Run. Leave. Never return. The words pounded in her brain in time with her heart and reverberated through her body until the truth sunk in and took hold. With Louk, she was safe. They couldn’t get her. Couldn’t touch her. She trusted that to be true. But for some reason, she couldn’t pull away. Couldn’t go with Louk even when she knew she should. The dragon lifted his head and released a raging funnel of fire, orange and red licks of death that snapped and hissed with their intent. They reached across the chasm that separated them and danced with taunting precision before her

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face. The heat scorched her cheeks, singed her hair, but lured her just the same. Pulled while she pushed. But, it was stronger than she was and her defenses were crumpling like tin cans in a firing range. The hope of escape dwindled with each leaden beat of her heart until the force was too strong to resist. Airiana lifted her elbow and gave a sharp sudden crack to Louk’s jaw. “Fuck!” He swore and jerked away. In that second, she leapt to her feet and was at the edge of the cliff before he could react. Her breath slowed to match the sluggish rhythm of her heart. The dragon’s gaze held hers and pulled her forward. One step more, that was all it would take. “Airiana.” The sound echoed muted in her mind, but it couldn’t breach the barrier that now encased it. The icy clenches refused to let go and she was too tired to resist. To fight. Faintly, the rolling sounds of deep, sinister laughter circled her consciousness, but the humor escaped her. Not when everything seemed so bleak. So wrong. Her leg lifted and came down onto the emptiness of space. Her body fell forward and tumbled off the edge. The fiery air stroked her cheeks, fluttered against her hair and pillowed her body in imaginary softness as she plunged towards the beautiful, swirling molten liquid below.

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Chapter Nine

Louk sailed off the cliff seconds after Airiana. What the Fuck? He had to reach her. Couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not ever. Desperation sweated from his pores, his mind a single focus of survival. The heat pressed around him, the flames licked at his body and threatened to ignite it at any second. The sulfur stench ripped through his nostrils and fried his brain with its acidic combustion. But all of that was peripheral to his focus. Airiana. He reached out his hand and cushioned the air beneath her. Her body slowed its descent as the element bent to his demands. He commanded the air to hold her, much like he’d done in the silo, only this time it was to save her from the fire pool below. She lay limp and immobile on the pillowed air as he careened closer, his descent continuing at full speed. A half second later, he crashed into her. His breath gushed out on impact, the force stunning him. But his arms locked around her, his reflexes moving to keep her safe. Then they were gone. The faint rumble of a frustrated cry filtered through the energy as he used it to escape. The tingling sensation stroked over his nerve endings in familiarity as he pushed on the force, desperate to get away. To get them to safety. He could feel their pursuit, the three men that had been with the dragon. They were hunting them, tracking their displaced energy trail as they ported

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through space. Louk scrambled to think, to define a plan on the run. The men would hunt them until they stopped. Which left him only one choice. The compound. The only place he could go where they wouldn’t be able to enter. The circle surrounding the compound was ancient and impenetrable by anyone outside of the Energen race. Within the five-mile boundaries of the wall was a selfsustaining community that had thrived undetected by humans for thousands of years. It was the last place he wanted to take Airiana. As a Shifter, she would be in danger there, but at least she would be alive. He would protect her. Keep her safe. The rest, he would figure out later. Louk paced at the end of his large bed where Airiana rested. What in the hell had she been thinking? Jumping off the edge of the cliff like some puppet on a string. But then, that was exactly how she had acted. His gut flipped and churned in a bitter pool of anxiety when he thought of how close he’d come to losing her. It had been over an hour since he’d ported into his bedroom on the compound and settled her on the bed. She hadn’t moved so much as an eyelash since then. Her beautiful body lay limp and deathlike on the top of his duvet. The paleness of her normally bronze skin highlighted against the navy backdrop of the bedcover. He’d managed to port in without triggering any alarms, but then he shouldn’t have. Despite what it felt like, he’d only been MIA for half a day. Not long enough to raise any warning flags, but he knew the reprieve wouldn’t last

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for long. Someone would come looking soon. He couldn’t take off while on guard duty without reporting in and expect everyone to just accept it. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Shit. He moved to the side of the bed and reached down to lay his hand across her forehead. The energy circled faint and sluggish through her, but it was still there. Barely. The fear crowded against his heart, making it ache with worry. He rubbed absently at the spot, the feeling foreign to him. Until he’d met Airiana. Mine. He lifted his palm from her soft skin and traced his fingers down the side of her face before he pulled them away. She moaned softly when his touch left her and turned her face toward him, blindly reaching for his fingers. Encouraged, Louk quickly removed his boots and slid onto the bed. He lifted her and shifted until she was positioned in the crook of his arm, her head resting on his chest. Damn, she felt good. Perfect. He had removed her jacket and boots earlier and now she curled into his body as if she was seeking his warmth. Seeking him. He pulled her tight and exhaled, the rightness caressing through him. Somewhere in the space of mere hours, his life had taken a right turn and changed forever. He wasn’t letting Airiana go. It didn’t matter who she was, because going forward she was his. He lifted his free hand and gently pulled the holder from her hair. He ran his fingers through the silky strands until they were spread out over his arm, the ends teasing the exposed skin below the sleeve of his T-shirt. His lips quirked up when no mouse shit fell out. She’d be relieved to know that. She sighed and arched into him in apparent contentment. His gut tightened and he dropped his head to press a hard kiss to her forehead, the need for her to

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be okay clambering through him with a force of a tornado. She moaned and shifted again, lifting her face to his in silent need. “Airiana,” he breathed. He didn’t question the action. It was as if his body knew what she needed. The energy accelerated, racing through his limbs and igniting the dampened fire. Turning slightly, he shifted to his side and pressed his lips to hers in a tender caress. She inhaled sharply through her nose, then pressed forward to bring his lips closer. He spread his fingers through her hair and pulled her tighter before his lips stroked over hers in repeated passes of temptation. Her body softened and her lips parted on a sigh, allowing his tongue to stoke between the opening. She tasted like sweet cherries—fresh, tempting and full of hidden secrets. A groan pressed deep in his throat and he plunged fully into her mouth, taking what she offered and wanting more. He stroked the warm interior, and she responded. Her mouth moved on his, her tongue reaching out to dance with his. Her hand lifted to stroke around the back of his neck and her body shifted until her breasts were press tightly against his chest, the hardened nipples rubbing against him through the material of their clothes. He wanted more. Needed more. The energy burned from him and poured into her. He gave her everything, opened himself until there was nothing hidden. And she accepted. She pulled it into her as if she depended on it. Needed it to live. He moved his leg and nudged it between hers until his thigh rubbed against the juncture of her sex. His dick was rock hard and throbbing in need behind his jeans. She squirmed and moaned at the contact, pushing down on his leg and creating a friction that pummeled against his erection. His hand shifted from her hair to run up her side until it cupped against the fullness of her breast. He brushed his thumb over the hardened nipple, and she

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moaned. Her body arched into his palm and he squeezed the mound, desperate for more. She was perfect. Beautiful. Right. His. Again, the possessiveness smacked against him with its heavy fist of acceptance. Then he felt it—it tumbled into him in hot steams of pure strength. Her energy surrounded him, invaded every crevice and filled him with a burning sense of power. She withheld nothing, gave everything and continued to push him for more. Power—pure, undiluted, enormous—billowed up from within and circled them in a whirlwind of desire. It was overwhelming, yet welcomed. Foreign, yet gentle. Airiana pulled back and opened her eyes to look into his. The dark depths were almost black with their need. Her fingers brushed over his cheek in a gentle stroke of amazement. “You.” The whispered word brushed over his lips and slid into his heart in belonging. He reached for the completeness and knew she held it. Without her, he would never be whole. “You,” he breathed back, then brought his lips to hers in a hungry demand for everything. He wanted it all and she gave without resistance. The kiss turned desperate, the energy built and the raven flew high on the power, on the pure joy of the moment. The power burst forth, exploded out and crashed against the energy that circled them. The two meshed, twisted and whipped outward in a punishing leveling of everything in its path.

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Louk flipped her beneath him in one smooth movement of protection. Airiana’s hands braced against his chest, her eyes opened wide in wonder. His chest heaved as he met her questioning gaze. “Again?” she finally said. “What the hell was that?” “Evidently, we’re a very combustible couple,” he tried to joke, but the words came out flat when braced against the significance of what was happening. The moment was broken by a loud pounding on his bedroom door. “Louk! Open up. What happened in there?” Phelix. Louk dropped his head and rested it against hers. “My brother.” “Where are we?” “My bedroom on the compound.” She inhaled and attempted to push him away. “Get off me.” She gave a solid shove, but he remained firmly above her. “I have to get out of here before they kill me.” Desperation edged her voice and she continued her struggles. “No one will harm you,” he insisted as he caught her hands and held them still against his chest. “Trust me.” The simple words stilled her movements—her eyes met his in a deep search for the answers. “There were no other options, Airi.” He held her gaze and silently begged her to see the truth. “After you took the swan dive into the fire pit, I had no choice. I barely stopped you before…” His breath hitched at the memory of how close he’d come to losing her. “After that, the three men from the cave were close on our trail. There was no place else to take you without getting trapped by them.” The banging returned. “Louk! What’s going on?” “Do you trust me?” He held his breath in silent desperation as he waited. She looked into his eyes, into his soul, and searched. Finally, she inclined her head. “I trust you.”

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Relief exited in a gush of air, and he crushed a quick kiss against her lips. “Together. Right? We’re in this together.” Her lips curled up in a slight smile, one that still held a mingling of doubt. “Together.” “Louk,” the voice insisted again. “You need to open the door. Now.” Since his bedroom was in the shape of a circle—like all rooms on the compound—with an energy ring cast by him, Phelix would have to wait until Louk got around to opening the door. Louk pushed off the bed and extended a hand to help Airiana up. He shoved back his own doubt and turned to pull on his boots. Airiana followed his lead without question. “Rule of engagement number six—always go into a battle prepared,” she said as she slipped her boots on and reached for her coat which he’d left on the end of the bed. Finished, she stood, shook her hair back from her face so it flowed down her back in a straight curtain of silk, squared her shoulders and gave a quick nod. “Ready.” Pride, pure and smooth, slammed into him. She was courageous, strong and beautiful. He wouldn’t fail her. “What happened back at the cave?” He moved to his dresser and quickly tucked the normal arsenal of weapons onto his body as he waited for her answer. She sighed and her voice wavered softly when she spoke. “I don’t know.” She paused and shifted her feet against the carpet. “One second I was with you and then the darkness invaded and pulled me under. I couldn’t fight it, couldn’t resist the commands that were filling me and forcing me to…jump.” He paused to look at her. Her lips were pulled tight, her hands shoved deep into her pockets as she stared absently at the carpet. “You scared the shit out me, sweet cheeks,” he said with forced lightness. “Don’t do it again.”

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She looked at him and after a moment, smiled. “Right. I’ll try not to.” He turned back to the dresser and picked up the throwing stars. He turned them over in his hand and contemplated. They were cold in his palm, the tiny blades sharpened to lethal spirals of death. “What brought you here, Airi?” He heard her sigh, a deep pressing release, but she didn’t pretend to misinterpret the question. “Doubt. Questions. A search for answers as to why I never felt like I belonged with the Shifters. Why I always questioned their words, doubted their beliefs. Why I was always so alone. A quest to find what the energy was pushing me to search for.” “And did you find it?” Silence. “Well, I found you. So, yeah, I think so… Louk?” She waited until he turned to face her. “Why didn’t you turn me in?” It was his turn to sigh. “I told myself it was to find answers about my brother, Damian.” He contemplated the objects around the room for a moment, taking in the small mementos that reminded him of his family, of how little he still knew about his older brother, before his gaze came back to meet hers. “But in truth, I was drawn to you from the first time I touched you. There was a part of me that couldn’t turn you in until I figured out why.” “And did you?” A slow smile slid across his lips. “Yeah, I think I did.” In a quick decision, he held the throwing stars out to her. “Here. Take these. Just in case.” Her lips compressed and disappeared between her teeth as the point of his gift registered. There were no guarantees. “You could still go,” he offered even as the thought tore at him. “There’s nothing holding you here.”

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Her eyes narrowed slightly, then her chin lifted and she reached for the weapons. “There’s nowhere to go. I’m dead the second I leave the safety of this compound.” The truth of her statement tightened his gut. She distributed the weapons in her pockets and gave a shrug. “Besides, you wouldn’t stand a chance in a fight without me. We’ve already established that.” He laughed, the tension leaving his body. Louk strode to the door, a beat of optimism in his step. He swung the door open and the optimism switched immediately to rock hard dread. The cold, blue gaze of his father nailed him with a flat look of disappointment. His patrician nose was lifted in disdain, his mouth set in a grim line between compressed lips. He held his hands clasped behind his back, the strength of his hold displayed in the strain of the tendons on his neck. Clothed in an expertly tailored white silk shirt and slacks, he exuded the power that bespoke his position as the head of the House of Air. Behind him stood Cronus, the oldest Energen in their enclave, an Ancient and their respected leader. His timeworn face told nothing, but Phelix’s said everything. His brother stood stiffly off to the side, the pain flashed across his features and nailed Louk in the chest. His father narrowed his eyes and his lip curled up in a show of pure disgust. “Louk,” he said, then rolled his tongue in his mouth as if the taste of the words offended him. “You have betrayed us.” There was nothing he could say. The truth of the words echoed in his mind even as Airiana stepped up behind him and placed her hand on his back. The energy pooled into him and gave him the needed strength to straighten his shoulders and face his fate. Wrong. Their fate. And for them, he would fight.

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Chapter Ten

Strong. Airiana kept her shoulders back and her head up as she faced the enemy. That’s what they all were. Except Louk, who stood beside her, his hand tightly grasped around hers. It was his energy flowing into her that kept her balanced. Kept the complete hopelessness of the situation from pulling her under. Again, it was the two of them against a foe. United when only that very morning they were enemies. She felt his doubt, though. It whispered over the energy that circled within her. He wasn’t as confident as he was presenting. That unnerved her, but she wouldn’t let it show. Weaknesses were only exploited, and she would give them none. In truth, she was still shaken by her encounter with Gog. She had no question that the dragon had controlled her and manipulated her into jumping. How, she didn’t know. Without Louk, she would have been dead. “Explain yourself,” the voice boomed across the chamber. The man who spoke was one of the men who had greeted them outside Louk’s room. He was dressed in a long white robe that draped to the ground and covered his feet so it gave the appearance that he floated more than walked when he crossed the room to stand before them. His hair was white with remnants of gold giving hint to his one-time color. The energy proclaimed him to be another Ancient, but his posture and carriage gave no suggestion to his true age.

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He looked them over with cool blue eyes, pausing at their joined hands with a pointed glare. His own hands were locked before him, but hidden beneath the folds of his robe. “We are waiting for your words before a judgment is passed.” “What do you want to know?” Louk spoke stiffly, none of his usual jovialness showing in his voice or expression. Airiana made a quick assessment of the large, circular room. Currently mostly empty, it was obviously a judicial chamber of sorts with bleacher style seating lining the walls of the room going ten to twelve rows high. At each directional point was a throne style seat that she assumed was reserved for the Head of each House. She knew enough about the enemy to understand that the Energen were aligned under Houses that were associated to a directional navigation and thus its corresponding elemental power. Louk’s father stood to the side, his face a mask of anger. “Don’t you dare smart off to us, son.” The cold tone was emphasized by the tight hold of his mouth and jaw. “I’m not, father. I will tell you whatever you want to know. I’d just like to understand what I am accused of first.” Smart. Airiana gave a mental nod of approval. Rule of engagement number seven—get the enemy to divulge their information before you give them any of your own. Besides Louk’s brother, who stood back from the group with his hands in his pockets and his face deceptively blank, there were two other men and one woman in the chamber. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that they must be the other House Heads who had been rounded up for their impromptu inquisition. Airiana sucked in a breath and prepared herself for the coming battle, for there was no question in her mind there would be one. The faces around them

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said it all and it was verified by the energy that radiated off them. The pretense of a fair hearing was nothing more than a sham. They had been judged before they entered the room. She tightened her hand around Louk’s and mentally planned. Together, they would make it out. Alive. “Why are you with her?” Louk’s father pointed at Airiana like she was the lowest life form on earth. “How could you betray us? Did I not warn you about Damian often enough? You were told of his betrayal, of how he aided the Shifters in the death of your oldest brother, Kristoff. My son. Damian’s actions tore our family apart. Ripped your mother’s heart out. And still, you stand here with your hand attached to one of them? Have you no dignity? No honor?” Shame engulfed him, but Louk wouldn’t let it prevail. Airiana was not evil and neither was he. “I have not betrayed you.” He looked around and met the gaze of every person in the room. “Any of you. We have been brought together for a reason. One I don’t yet understand, but it is not to harm any of you.” “A likely tale,” his father scoffed. “If that is true, then why are none of us aware of it?” He pointed to the others who all nodded in agreement. “I’m going to guess that you felt the energy shifts, right?” He looked at Cronus and waited until he inclined his head. “That was us.” He lifted their joined hands. “Together, we are doing that. Not by our choice, but it is happening nonetheless.” “It is powerful,” Cronus said. “Strong enough to awaken the dragon.” “You know?” Louk gaped at the Ancient. “I know much, young one,” he answered cryptically. “And I know very little.”

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Louk let their hands drop. “Can’t any of you Ancients give a straight answer? You have no idea the hell we’ve been through today. It would be really, really, nice to have some straight answers.” “So, you’ve met another Ancient today?” Cronus raised an eyebrow in question and Louk clenched his lips at his error. Damnit. In his frustration, he’d given them information. A juvenile error. “Do tell us about this day. That is why we are here after all.” “What is going on?” His father stepped forward and glanced between Cronus and Louk. “Isn’t it clear that he’s sided with the Shifters?” Louk turned to his father. “If that was true why would I bring her here?” “It’s a trap to ensnare us all,” his father spit out, anger contorting his face to a mask of hatred. Cronus held up a hand and gave his father a pointed look. “I want to hear of Louk’s day. If my guess is true, it affects us all.” His father backed off at the Elder’s command, but his fists were still held tightly at his sides, his anger barely constrained in the tight clamps. Airiana stepped forward and spoke with a grace that Louk was finding hard to maintain. “I am Airiana Draco, great granddaughter of Tubal.” A collective gasp came from the assembled group, and Louk’s gut tightened past the hard ball into a rock-solid lump of cement. They all knew that Tubal was one of the Shifter leaders. But, she showed no reaction and only continued as if her announcement hadn’t just jolted them. “Despite my birth, I am no enemy of yours. You should know that the dragon stirs. The time is coming when Gog will rise again. The Shifters are preparing. The Apocalypse is near, and after that, nothing will ever be the same.” Her words hung in the chamber in the silence that followed. Suddenly, his father burst out laughing, a contorted rumble of disbelief. “You really expect us

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to believe you? Don’t you think we would know if this was happening? Between the five of us—” he shifted his hand around the room to encompass the other House Heads, “—that we would feel it if this was true? We are not fools.” “But, it is true,” Louk insisted, feeling like a petulant child demanding that the adults listen. “We saw him. Gog. And he is beginning to awaken.” “How?” Cronus demand. “How could you possibly see him? He has been trapped and caged deep within the folds of the earth for a thousand years. How is it possible that you saw him?” “Hell if we know. The damn Ancient sent us there.” Louk took a breath and tried to calm himself. The tension in the room was jacked up to the ceiling. “Believe me, it was an experience we would’ve rather skipped.” Airiana snorted lightly at the understatement. “Definitely would have skipped.” “So you woke up Gog to destroy us?” his father accused. “No.” Louk shook his head in frustration. “Were you listening to anything I just said? We did not choose to go there. Nor did we wake the beast up. He was already stirring before we saw him.” “Words,” His father scoffed. “Truth,” Louk insisted, before he quickly gave them a brief rundown of their day. When he finished, Cronus held up his hand again before his father could pounce, and they all stilled. The silence echoed through the chamber, his father’s harsh breath cut against the sudden quiet like the deep bur of a saw blade. The Elder clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace before them, his brows furrowed and his head down in obvious thought while everyone waited.

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Finally, after long moments, Cronus stopped and turned back to the group. He stepped forward and reached out to place his hands on the shoulders of Louk and Airiana. The energy assaulted Louk in one strong push of power. He lost his breath in the onslaught, and his eyelids closed as he fought to stay upright. The Elder dug into every nook and cranny of his being. Another Ancient who wielded the power of spirit, an exceedingly rare power, but today they’d faced two. Louk felt Airiana’s energy drifting away, separating from his under the strength of the Ancient’s energy. He started to panic, his breath coming in short intakes of air. Sweat beaded on his skin, and his head began to feel faint. What was Cronus doing? Louk tried to pull away, to jerk his shoulder from the man’s grasp, but he couldn’t. Cronus held tight, his fingers digging through the material of Louk’s clothes to hold him in place. And then it was gone. Airiana was gone. The blackness descended on him instantly. The raven crowed, flopped on his side and quivered in pain. A pain matched by his own. The energy clawed for its partner, but it was nowhere to be found. Empty. He was lost. Alone. Without her. Louk felt his legs give out, and his knees cracked against the hard marble floor. He fell forward, barely conscious enough to put his hands out to catch his body before his face hit the ground. Cronus was gone, his energy removed. But, so was Airiana’s. Louk felt like he was crawling through sludge, his mind stuck in a fog, his energy moving in half time. In the distance he was aware of a commotion going on. Voices rose and fell in angry tones—bodies moved and scuffled around him. She was gone. That was all Louk could process.

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“Louk.” Airiana’s voice broke through his haze and jolted him awake. He jerked his eyes open and turned in the direction of her voice. Red, searing rage fired through him at what he saw. Airiana struggled, clawed and fought as she was dragged away in the arms of his brother, Phelix and the leader of the Guard, Xander. “Airiana.” His voice came out in a barely heard whisper. Fear clawed at his chest. He couldn’t lose her. This was wrong. But, he couldn’t move. His body was immobile despite every thought he that had to move. To fight. To go to her. “Stay where you are, Louk.” The voice sounded in his mind, and he struggled to process what he was hearing. They were almost to the door with Airiana. “You must wait. You will see why I have done this.” Louk looked around to see Cronus staring at him. Every other eye was on the struggle at the door. Cronus was speaking to him in his mind. A power exclusive to the Spirit Energen and Cronus was the only one in the room with that ability. What was the man thinking? He couldn’t do nothing and let them take her. But, his body wouldn’t move. He was pinned to the floor as soundly is if there were metal nails in his hands and feet. He had failed. She’d trusted him, and he’d failed her. The raven screamed, a cold wet tear streaming from its eye to drop on Louk’s clammy skin. The finality of the moment ripped across his soul to tear it in two. She was lost.

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Chapter Eleven

Desperation pulled on Airiana, banking down the fear and firing the anger. His energy was fading, drifting away and leaving her empty and cold inside. Why was Louk just crouching there, doing nothing? He let her go. Let the men take her. She pulled on the arms that held her, jerked her shoulders and kicked her feet in resistance, but there was nothing she could do. The two men dragging her from the room were too strong. Louk did not rise to help. Did nothing to stop them. Her heart tore at the sight—he simply looked at her from his position on the floor and watched them pull her away. Why? She’d trusted him. Believed him. The energy didn’t lie. Did it? He was hers. But, he did nothing. Her dragon fired in anger, the heat stoking over her skin and raising her own ire. The injustice of the moment kicked her in the gut and spurred her own sense of self-preservation. If he didn’t believe in her, trust her, want to fight for her, then screw him. Screw them all. The change took over before she could double think the action. It had been over a hundred years since she had shifted, ever since she’d discovered the

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oddity that separated her from her people. But, that didn’t matter now. Here. With them. She had nothing to lose. If she was going down, she would die there. Now. Not in some cell fifty years from now. The fire rippled through her, then burst into a full inferno. Her nerves snapped, and she felt it coming. Her dragon stretched and prepared, freedom only seconds away. Her bones cracked, her tendons stretched, then the change was executed in a smooth blending of form. The energy pushed and she shifted into her dragon shape with a fiery roar. Flames burst from her mouth and raged across the chamber at the people who stared in shocked amazement at her. The two men who had held her backed away in cautious retreat from her serpentine body. She swung her head and the soft hairs of her mane caressed her jaw. It was glorious to return to her dragon shape. The power stoked through her, fulfilled her with an energy that purified her in a way that only happened when she shifted. Now, she was in control. She had the power. She swung her tail and smashed the pointed end against a row of seats, the hard marble crumbled into pebbles under her strength. The sound echoed through the room and she followed it with a roar that shook the very foundation of the structure. Slowly she meandered across the back of the room, assessing her opponents, preparing for their attack. For attack they would. She scraped the claws of her three toes over the marble and relished in the high-pitched squeal that vibrated over the space and made the others cringe and pull back against the sound. “Airiana.”

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Louk. She snapped her head to the right and crouched. He stood now, his face filled with awe. She paused and tilted her head in contemplation. She had expected revulsion, but she didn’t see any. He approached her, slowly, cautiously. She retreated back until her legs hit against the bottom row of seats. Still he moved toward her, hands down and exposed. Weaponless. “Airiana,” he said softly. “You are beautiful.” She hissed a breath of fire in denial. He had to be lying, a trap. “Stop her,” his father yelled as he lifted his hands. “No,” Louk roared back. He turned to his father and lifted his own hands in preparation for battle. “You will not harm her. She is mine, a part of me. And I will defend her even if it means hurting you.” Could he mean it? She blinked and swished her tail—smoke escaped from her nostrils and twirled effortlessly upward as the room halted. “She is evil, filled with negative energy,” his father insisted. “And still you pick her over your own family?” “She is no more evil than you are. Than I am.” Louk looked back at her and what she saw in his eyes melted the ice around her heart. “And yes, if I am forced to choose, then I’m afraid, you lose, Father.” It didn’t matter that she was born a Shifter, that she was raised to believe what they preached. She didn’t feel it. Never had. It was the doubt that plagued her for most of her life and caused her to hide her true feelings. Her true form. It was that very doubt that had sent her out seeking answers that morning. And Louk recognized that. He saw her. She watched, frozen, as Louk backed toward her until he stood next to her head. She looked at him, her breaths heavy and labored, her heart thumped against her chest.

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Louk held her gaze and cautiously reached up to gently lay his hand against the cool scales of her neck. His energy flowed hot and urgent into her and warmed her blood. She turned her head into his hand and softly rubbed her nose against his cheek. The energy hadn’t lied. “You,” he said softly. Her, her mind reverberated. Her. He chose her. Over his father. Over his people. Over everything else. He saw her. He chose her. His energy soared through her, kissed her skin and engulfed her in its passion. Slowly, in intricate detail, Airiana revealed her shame. She let Louk see, everyone there see, the one thing that no one had ever seen before. The one thing that could mean death. Or salvation. Louk watched—stunned, immobile, in awe—as two wings slowly unfurled from the smooth sides of Airiana’s long dragon body. Two wings that had been curled around her middle, concealed and hidden, camouflaged to blend with her pearly, powder blue scales. Two wings that stretched and fluttered with their expansion to extend five feet out on either side. Two wings that hadn’t been seen on a dragon in thousands of years. Two wings. Softly, she flapped the silken extensions, the air stroking over them in a ruffled purr. She looked at him with leery eyes, the big chocolate orbs waiting for

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his reaction. She shuffled backward a step before she tossed her head to stare at the others in the room. In challenge. In pride. No one moved. No one had so much as breathed since she’d revealed her wings. What did it mean? Wings. She fucking had wings. He didn’t need to see what the others said. Their reaction meant nothing because only pure joy pumped through his chest. Through his heart. In one large leap, he used the air and lifted himself up to straddle her back. He sat astride her body and felt the power surge through the two of them. Her body twisted, her wings stretched wide and her head tilted up to let loose with a long, blazing stream of flames. Pride puffed up his chest and crushed right next to the other emotion that blasted through with the clarity of a bell. Love. Damn, he loved her. Loved her spunk. Loved her smart mouth. Loved her will and nerve. Loved the fact that she never backed down from a challenge. Loved that she was a challenge. The feeling spread through him and into her, riding on the energy and encircling them with the richness of the feeling. And together, they waited. Louk rubbed a hand over the long line of her neck, the scales cold and smooth beneath his palm. She rumbled low in her chest and turned her head to look at him. Her big eyes gave a slow, lazy blink as if she was communicating her approval. But he didn’t need her words because he felt it in the energy. It sung on a high note of joy. Of unity and rightness.

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A movement from the group forced Louk to bring his attention back to the others before them. Cronus had stepped forward, a bright smile lighting his face that alleviated some of the tension that strung through Louk’s body. “Beautiful,” Cronus boomed. “Stupendous. Marvelous. Amazing.” The clear awe in his voice caused everyone to pull his gaze from the enormous dragon to the tiny Elder in an almost humorous move of synchronicity. Louk had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing as the others gaped at the Elder as if he’d lost his mind. Cronus continued to approach them, completely oblivious to the commotion he was causing behind him. Or at least he gave that impression. Cronus smiled up at Louk and gave him a conspiratorial wink. You see now why you needed to wait? Louk smiled at the words in his head and gave Cronus an appreciative nod. “Wings,” Cronus said loud enough for all to hear. “A dragon with wings. A sight that hasn’t been seen since the benevolent dragons of the West were all hunted down and destroyed. This is truly a glorious sight to see once again.” He was close enough now that he reached out and stroked the tender scales along the dragon Airiana’s snout, displaying his lack of fear at being so close to the dragon’s sharp, deadly teeth. “Gog, with his slanderous words and gift of persuasion, manipulated the world into believing that the winged dragons of the West were dangerous and harmful to the humans. Much like he has tricked them into thinking the wingless dragons of his serpentine form in the East are the kind and generous dragons. The winged dragons are our lost comrades in the struggle for balance. The Shifters who understood what we had to lose. The ones who fought by our sides until they were eradicated from existence.”

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Louk couldn’t believe what he was hearing. There were stories of the winged dragons of the West, but he never took them for meaning that much. Never clearly understood the importance they had played in the battle for the energy. Cronus circled around Airiana until he stood before her. Before them. “Now, a winged-one stands before us, emerging from the very ones who had tried to kill them all. Surviving despite the odds. Wise enough to hide its truth until it was safe. Until it could once again propagate and soar. You, Airiana, are a gift of great proportion.” The room hung heavy and silent, all of the air sucked from its mass until there was nothing left for anyone to breath. Cronus stunned the room further when slowly, humbly, the Elder lowered himself down to one knee and bowed his head before the dragon. A sign of reverent homage never before given by the Ancient. Beneath him, Airiana pranced backwards, swished her tail and jerked her head to look around the room. Louk’s legs expanded and contracted around her sides with each of her deep, labored breaths. He slid from her back, running a lingering hand of comfort down her side as he dismounted. She tipped her head and for him, her heart was displayed in her eyes. The confusion, the awe, the magnitude of what was happening were reflected in the deep depths. Behind him, he heard the rustle of movement and turned to see the others, one by one—including his father—follow the lead of Cronus. It was an awesome sight to see the very height of power and authority within the Energen race all kneeling in deference before them. It took his breath away. It humbled him as nothing had ever done before.

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He turned to Airiana and had to swallow deep to hold back the swell of feeling at what he saw. From the corner of her eye one lone tear pooled then spilled over to streak down the side of her face. Louk moved his hand to brush away the liquid then lifted his lips to press a kiss to the hard scales of her cheek. In that kiss he pushed all of his emotions. All of the hard to find words that he hid behind wisecracks and a mask of indifference. For her he exposed himself and hoped that she understood. That she accepted. Under his hands and lips he felt the energy pulse, meld and shimmer. She pushed her answer back over the current, and his heart tightened to near bursting. Before he could react, she shifted back to her human form and was in his arms, kissing his mouth in a tender reception. He had her answer. The raven sung in delight as it swooped and soared on the wind of change. Then it perched on the edge and waited, crouched in expectation for the moment when the tides would begin to turn.

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Chapter Twelve

Airiana put all of her feelings into the gentle kiss with Louk. It wasn’t masterful or all consuming, but it spoke with a depth that sometimes only simplicity could provide. She was overwhelmed with everything that had been said, but mostly with what she felt from Louk. His love poured through the energy and engulfed her in its warmth. Security. She pulled back, rested a hand against his cheek and captured his deep blue eyes in her gaze. “You,” she whispered. His eyes closed as he breathed in her word like he was absorbing them into every poor of his body. She waited until he reopened his eyes so he would see the truth of what she had to say. “I never understood what the wings meant. I only knew that I was different. That it couldn’t be good. The wings went along with the feelings and doubt I held inside about what the Shifters proclaimed. Their words never felt right. Never rang true to me. And the wings definitely weren’t right in their world.” “And now?” he asked. “I understand. For so long, the energy has been pushing me to find the truth while warning me to stay quiet. It guided me here. To you. To where I belong.” Louk exhaled and after a long moment, cocked a grin. “Then it’s a good think I caught you this morning.” He winked, pulled her in tighter and

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whispered, “It looks like you need some help keeping that sweet ass safe after all.” She frowned, but the fire sparked inside and she was far from mad. She licked her lips, slowly, before she replied softly, “This ass that you keep referring to has some kicking to do just as soon as we’re alone.” He chuckled. “I look forward to the challenge, but don’t think I’ll go down easy.” “I can only hope that you do.” A full, deep laugh burst from his chest and echoed through the chamber. With that, she was back on stable ground. Intuitively, he had known she needed the challenge to get her bearings and shake the vulnerability that had assaulted her. The low rumble of a throat clearing reminded her that they were not alone. She stepped back, but Louk kept her pulled tightly, protectively, to his side. She was almost afraid to admit how good it felt to have him next to her. To have someone by her side. She had stood on her own for so long it was completely foreign to have a man that would give everything to defend her. Be with her. For her. She looked to the Ancient, the one who had so completely changed her world, and asked the question that still plagued her, “How? How do I have wings and how did this,” she gestured to her and Louk, “happen so fast?” The man assessed her for a moment as if he were judging what to say. Finally, he smiled. “The wings are an anomaly that do not have an answer. I suspect you will understand when the time is needed. For now, be happy for where it has brought you. As for the other, the energy has a way of knowing when it finds something it needs. Of bringing together compatible sources even if the sources are oblivious to the why or how.”

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Cronus stepped forward. “Together, you will bind. Together, you are the first of the balance that will give us hope. It is not just you, Airiana, that we honor. But, it is also you, Loukianos, the one who saw what was underneath and had the courage and wisdom to hold tight to the treasure.” The Ancient turned so he stood beside them and addressed the entire group. “The battle has begun. The year of the dragon is on the horizon and at its end looms the Apocalypse, a lifting of the veil that has kept our worlds hidden from the humans. For Gog will not care who sees our power. He will not care who he harms or what he destroys. The dragon is stirring. His long years of entrapment are at an end. The balance is shifting with the ever-rising tide of strife, war, death and pestilence. The negative energy is prevailing, and the bars on his cage are weakening. All we can do now is prepare.” Louk tensed, his arm tightening around her shoulders. “How does that involve us?” “You are the first in the balance that will give us a chance. It is the power of The Two that woke the dragon. But it is the same power that will save us from the dragon. A veritable catch-22, but the first step in a game that must be played.” “More of the cryptic talk,” Louk said, frustration edging his voice. “Whatever happened to simply saying what you mean?” Cronus tilted his head then humor lit his face as a mysterious half grin appeared. “You want straight talk then?” “Yes.” “Okay. You need to consummate your relationship in order to save the world. That’s about as polite as I can put it.” Laughter sparked in the Elder’s eyes. “Do I need to put it more crudely or do you get my point?”

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Airiana felt the heat as it rushed up her neck and over her cheeks, but she didn’t look down. Refused to look away from the eyes that stared at them with speculation. “Again with the wham bam thank you ma’am.” Louk snorted and shook his head. “Is that all you Ancients think about?” Cronus raised a brow and laughed. “So the other said the same, and you didn’t take advantage of it? That is truly your loss, Louk.” Mischief danced in the Elder’s eyes. “Let’s hope you don’t mess up a second time.” Airiana sniffed and stiffened her back. “I think that’s enough talk about…” she struggled for a word, “…us.” She blew out a breath. Talk about getting too personal. “Is there anything else we need to know?” “Of course,” Cronus said. “But, now is not the time.” Cronus raised a hand to halt any further questions. “Now, you must go. Time is running short. You can’t stay here, but I have a place where you will be safe.” “What do you mean?” His father stepped forward, his face pale after the recent revelations. “Why must they leave?” “Word of Airiana must remain quiet,” Cronus answered, his tone heavy with importance. “Word of The Two must be muted until the time is right. Only the people in this room can know what has happened today. Of what will happen soon.” The Elder took a long moment to meet the gaze of everyone in the room. The Heads of the House of Fire, Water, Earth and Louk’s father, Air, all inclined their heads in understanding. Louk’s brother Phelix and Xander, the Captain of the Guard, still stood off to the side, but watched and nodded as well. “Why?” Airiana couldn’t stop herself from asking the million-dollar question.

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Cronus leveled her with a gaze filled with age, with a timeless knowledge that suddenly showed on every crease that lined his face. “If they know of you, of where to find you, they will stop at nothing to kill you. And, we can’t risk that happening. There are too many leaks, too many who would turn you over for the temptation the Slanderer would offer. The two of you are too important in the strategy of the coming battle to risk your exposure.” The million-dollar answer did nothing to ease the tension that knotted her muscles into aching balls of stress. How could all of this be true? How could it not? Louk must have sensed her hesitation because he turned her to face him and leaned his head down until his forehead rested against hers. “Together. Us,” he said softly, his breath brushing across her skin, his arms circling around her back to enclose her in his warmth. His strength. “Something we’ve both sensed from the start.” Mine. The possessiveness resounded in her mind. Together they would be strong. The love pooled through her and choked her throat. Her heart. She’d never know true, honest love. The kind given freely without expectation, without consequences. Until him. Louk. Her dragon stretched its long hidden wings, flapped them in a short little test, then leaped. It drifted on the current, then lifted and soared higher than it ever had dreamed. Airiana lifted her lips to Louk and showed him what she couldn’t say in words. His mouth met hers half way. Their lips melted together in a combined sigh. The energy was rich with golden power as it flowed between them. It flooded her senses and left behind nothing but warm, building desire.

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Her hands circled his waist, pulling him close as the tingling flushed her skin and sent them away, destination unknown. Again.

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Chapter Thirteen

His lips were hot, wet and on hers. That was all that mattered at the moment, because that moment was all that was important. Louk had very quickly become everything to her. It was too mind blowing to contemplate, so instead, Airiana simply accepted. There were times when one simply trusted the energy. This was one of them. They had arrived at a remote, isolated cabin of sorts, if one classified a luxuriously appointed two-story mountain chalet as a cabin. An immediate check of the place had verified that the structure itself was built within a circular stone wall that vibrated with the energy of the Ancient. It was old, impenetrable and provided them with complete protection. The chalet itself was stocked as if the owner had just stepped out and planned on returning soon. They could stay there indefinitely. Isolated. Alone. Louk pulled his mouth from hers and looked into her eyes. “How are you doing?” The concern was there in his voice and expression. He stroked a tender hand through her hair, letting the long strands flow through his fingers and send calming prickles over her scalp. “Fine. Good,” she clarified as she rubbed her own hands over the broad muscles of his back. “It’s been quite a day. Unbelievable if it had happened to someone else.”

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He gave a small puff of a laugh. “That’s the truth.” His gaze searched hers, and his brows drew together. “Are you sure about this… Us? It’s one thing to have the powers tell us to be together and something completely different to want to be together.” It touched her heart that he was concerned for her feelings. In what she wanted. Airiana smiled and brought her fingers up to brush across his lips. “I’m sure. I’ve been sure since I woke up in your arms and felt your energy surrounding me in acceptance. In desire. In trust. You trusted me, Louk, when no one else did. You saw me.” She paused to brush a soft kiss over his lips. “How could I not want this?” He released a gush of held air and slammed a quick, hard kiss on her lips. “Thank the energy for that.” He pulled back. “But quite honestly, Airi, short of death, I don’t think there’s much that would keep me from seeing that delectable ass in all its naked glory.” He rubbed a hand over the much discussed body part, and her desire rose. His face sobered then, and he looked at her with pure honesty in his eyes. “Twice today you froze my heart. Twice today I thought I’d lost you. Once when you jumped off the cliff, and again when Cronus held me immobile and I could do nothing as you were torn away from me. I have you now.” He yanked her close. “And I will never lose you again.” He spoke the last words with such conviction and passion that any doubt Airiana might have still harbored vanished. His words, the tenderness of his touch, the truth in his eyes all combined to overwhelm her with need. For him. Mine. There were no questions left. No doubt. “We’re in this together, wherever it takes us.”

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“And I have a feeling it’s going to be one hell of a ride,” he said as he twitched his eyebrows in a joking, lascivious double innuendo. She laughed. “Is that all that you think about?” She loved that he made her laugh. Laughter hadn’t been a part of her previous life, and the feeling was wonderful. “With you, it’s impossible to think of anything else.” His hand cupped her bottom and pulled her closer. “I think it’s about time we do as the Ancients have so blatantly told us to do.” “For once, I think I’m going to love doing as I’ve been told.” She ran her hands through his thick hair and pulled his head down until his lips met hers. She sighed within complete contentment as his tongue caressed her lips and thrust into her welcoming mouth. They moved together in unhurried passion toward a destination that had been predefined. This time, she didn’t fight it. Didn’t question it. She simply trusted and let the energy flow. Let the feelings wash over her and build. He pulled back, took her hand and tugged. “Come,” he simply said as he pulled her along toward the master bedroom. The room was decorated in calm earth tones and dominated by the large bed situated against the far wall. A bed full of soft pillows and banked by a dark, wood headboard and accompanying footboard. A bed that looked soft, inviting and waiting for them. She watched as Louk pulled his T-shirt over his head, revealing the muscular chest she’d been longing to see most of the day. His muscles flexed and bunched as he sat on the edge of the bed to remove his boots and socks. His upper body

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was a sculptor’s dream, a perfect picture of tight, bronze power stretched around long limbs and graceful movements. Her heart thumped against her breast and her nipples tightened into hard little nubs at the sight. He was a gorgeous, inviting blend of strength and muscle. His task finished, he lifted his head then crooked his finger at her. She moved to him without hesitation. Her breath hitched and held when he gently lifted her leg and removed her boot and sock. His long fingers stroked over her arch and snaked under her jeans to rub her calf before he set that leg down and repeated the process with the other. Finished, he stood and looked at her, a sense of awe and reverence on his face. His hands slid under the hem of her shirt, his hot palms gliding over her ribcage, around the sides of her breasts until the shirt gathered on his hands and she lifted her arms so he could pull it over her head. It was delectably naughty to be standing before him in her bra and jeans. Not super risqué, but the passion in his eyes made her feel sexy. Made her feel like the most desirable woman in the world. “Beautiful,” he whispered even as his hands moved to cup her breasts. A low moan drifted up her throat when his large hand covered the mounds, squeezed them lightly, pressing the lace of the cups against the sensitive flesh. Her breasts were heavy with longing, and she wanted more. Could barely wait for more. His thumbs moved under the lace cups and rubbed erotically over the hardened tips. Her head fell back, she gasped and grabbed onto his biceps as the sharp flash of energy shot from her nipples straight to her core. He pushed the lacy material down until the straps draped on her arms and her nipples were completely on display. His muscles rippled as he dipped and took one of the exposed buds into his mouth.

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Her hands clenched on his arms, and she held on as her world slipped away under the hot moisture of his mouth. He licked over first one then the other, sucking lightly then blowing, the sudden coolness sending shivers down her back, making her ache for more. When his teeth closed around a sensitive bud, she couldn’t hold back the sigh of pure contentment. He bit down, the sharp sting spiked her desire and fired the tension building between her legs. The tender pleasure was nice, beautiful, but she wanted more. Needed more. She cried out when he moved to the other nipple, bit and tugged harder. The pain quickly disintegrated into a hot, pulsing pleasure. Airiana spread her fingers through Louk’s hair and marveled in the softness before she gave a quick, hard tug. He gave one last suckle on her breast before he succumbed to her silent command and lifted his head. His eyes were the deep blue of pending night and filled with the same need that consumed her. “Airi,” he said on a low rumble right before his mouth reclaimed hers again. Hot, demanding, taking. His tongue moved over hers and fired the burning flames even higher. The sensitive tips of her nipples rubbed against his chest and added to the inferno that was building in her sex. She rubbed against him, wanting closer, needing him as she had never needed before. Outside the wind pummeled against the side of the house, a harsh, sudden onslaught that matched the building storm inside. A torrent filled with the promise of destruction and pure excitement. Airiana moved her hands down his hot, slick body, over his taunt stomach to the waistband of his jeans. He sucked in his breath and pulled back when she tugged on the snap and slid her hands beneath the band. She eased the zipper

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down then closed her hand around his hard erection still hidden beneath his underwear. He was large, hot and jerked with need when she rubbed the length of it. “Shit, Airi,” he said against her ear, his tongue tracing a path around the outer rim. “I need you so bad.” His hands were at her back and quickly found the fastening of her bra. Removing the garment, his fingers pinched the nipples with punishing demand. Her own need was beyond words, her body driven only by want and the quest for fulfillment. “Louk,” she gasped when his hands moved down to open her own jeans. She squeezed harder on his cock and he groaned in immediate response. The need to feel his silken member had her hand moving under the last barrier until she clenched the hot flesh in her fist. It pulsed against her hand and his chest rumbled beneath her other hand. Suddenly, he stepped back, the distance pulled her hands from him and she whimpered at the absence. The lack of his warmth made her nipples bead in even tighter pebbles that forced a shiver through her limbs. “If you’re not naked in thirty seconds, I’m going to rip those jeans off you,” he growled, the predator in him mere inches from the surface. His pants and briefs dropped to the ground in the next second and she froze, stunned by the gorgeous display of pure male. His muscles tightened and his cock jerked under her blatant appraisal. Her eyes slowly traveled upward from the dropped jeans, over the corded length of his legs to the impressive cock that jutted stiff and wanting from his body, then up over the sculpted muscles of his abs and chest until she reached his moist, open lips and lust filled eyes. Undeniably, this man before her was all hers.

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Her dragon rumbled low in its chest and stoked the fire that burned deep and low. Wings spread, it circled, dipped and waited. Waited for more. Waited for what was to come. “Ten seconds, Airi,” Louk said, pulling her from the awestruck trance. “Ten seconds, and those jeans are toast.” Smiling, teasing, she slowly lowered the zipper, then slid her thumbs under the waistband, hooking her underwear in them, and lowered the two pieces of material together. Her breasts swayed provocatively as she bent to remove the clothing. She took her time stepping out of the legs, taunting him with her body, before she straightened. She shrieked in surprise when his big arms circled her waist, lifted her off the ground and tossed her onto the bed in one smooth, fluid movement. He stood above her, his chest heaving, his hands held tightly at his sides. His eyes made a slow trip over her prone body as he returned the sultry inquisition she’d performed earlier. Her nipples ached again, and she resisted the urge to bend her legs and hide the part of her body that now burned for him. She held his gaze as he slowly knelt on the mattress, the soft cushion tipping and rolling with his weight. He stalked her as he edged closer. “Rule of engagement…fuck, whatever number we’re on now—never taunt a hungry beast if you’re not positive you can take him.” His gaze dipped to scan up her body, the visual trail leaving a path of smoldering embers in its wake. Her body arched in its own demand under his hot gaze. She let her eyes close and her head fall back then bit her lip to withhold a moan. “There’s no question that I can take you,” she was finally able to croak out around the sudden dryness in her throat. She opened her eyes to look at him. “The question is if the beast can handle its prey.”

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He chuckled low, the sound deep with barely contained need. “That isn’t even a question, sweet cheeks.” He reached out with lightening quick speed and had her flipped to her stomach before she realized his intent. His hands grasped her bottom and squeezed. He groaned then slid his rough palms over the rounded flesh. “The name fits. Your ass is incredible.” The moan left her throat, and she buried her face into the pillow even as her bottom pushed up into his touch. His hands were lighting a fire that threatened to rage out of control. He shifted one palm to touch her—soft, stroking, caressing—on the back of her thigh. She gasped as the sensation went straight to her core and made her legs part in a silent request for more. His hand answered her offer and slid up her inner thigh towards the burning ache that needed his touch. “Please,” she begged, moving her legs farther apart. She inhaled, lost her breath and nearly shrieked in ecstasy when one finger ran the length of the aching pussy from tip to end. “Fuck,” Louk breathed. “You’re so wet and hot.” He grabbed her around the ribs and flipped her back over like a rag doll. His hand returned to her sex, and he stroked her again. The need spiked low in her gut, and she arched her hips begging for more. One finger stroked into her and she bucked in reflex, the simple move firing the tender nerve endings. He bent over and dragged kisses along her neck, his breath harsh and ragged in her ear. “I want to lick you and suck you until you come, but I don’t think I can wait.” He pulled his thrusting finger out and ran the moist digit up to circle the throbbing nub that ached for his touch. “I need you too badly.” His finger pressed on her need in unison with his wet mouth on her nipple. She cried out, the combination assault thrust her body into his and rocked her to

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the very edge of the cliff. The high, rocky precipice that taunted her to let go, to trust, to sail over the side into the waiting bliss beyond. Airiana’s entire world was centered on Louk, what he was doing to her body, how he made her feel. Want. Need. The love crested in her heart and pulsed over the energy with every stroke of his hand, suckle of his mouth, lick of his tongue. The energy fired and burned, meshed with his and stoked the need higher until she didn’t think she’d survive. And still it pushed, still it goaded and enticed, seeking the ending that it needed—that they needed. To bank the fire. To start the cycle. To save the world. Her body shivered, and twisted under his stoking. She was so receptive, so responsive to his every touch, his every kiss, that Louk worried he might lose it right there. He pulled back from her tempting nipple and removed his hand from her hot sex with a reluctant groan. “Don’t come, yet, Airi.” He shifted his body between her legs, and she spread them wider in answer. “Then hurry,” she whispered. Her hands gripped his shoulders, his skin slick from restraint as he positioned his aching cock at her entrance. Her eyes widened and deepened to almost-black pools of desire as he probed the tender skin of her opening. The muscles along his back quivered with his restraint. She was so hot, so ready. The musky scent of her arousal filled his nostrils and fired his need. But he held back even as she shifted her hips to urge him to enter. He wanted to savor that moment. That last second before they merged, before everything changed. He wanted that last moment to be about them. For

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whatever came next would certainly be about something much bigger than just them. He pressed a hard, desperate kiss to her lips. Her mouth fit his perfectly— her whole body fit his perfectly. She fit him perfectly. He pulled back a breath and held her gaze. Her eyes were heavy with passion, her body as slick and heated as his own. She licked her lips, laced her fingers through his hair and made an attempt to pull his lips to hers. He resisted, but pushed his cock just a bare minimum into her waiting warmth. She groaned then looked at him with begging eyes. “You,” he said. “This is about you. For you. Because I need you.” She stilled, her breath short and pressing against his chest. The energy paused, hung, waited. The raven perched and leaned into the

energy,

anticipation building. “You,” she answered. “For you. With you. Because I need you.” He groaned and thrust, solid, long and hard until he reached the end. Until his body met hers in a complete meeting of souls. She screamed and arched, her hands fisting in his hair, her head thrown back in ecstasy. Her body quivered around his, the hot pulsing canal clamping down on his cock and welcoming him in a warm grip of belonging. His control ended, the need driving him into a hard pace of thrusts. She moaned and met each stroke. Her legs rose to wrap tightly around his hips opening her to him, allowing him to go deeper in his need to become a part of her. The raven screeched and soared, gliding high on the energy to its mate. To the one it hunted and waited for. To the one it needed to live.

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Hot searing stokes of burning energy rushed in with each thrust of his hips, with each clench of her muscles. It poured into him and swamped his senses until his world became about nothing but her. Mine. Beneath him, Airiana tightened, tensed and dug her heels into his thighs. Her head tossed back, and her mouth opened in a gasp. He leaned down and clamped his lips over her, his last anchor to reality before the damn broke open and flooded them in a golden rush of pure bliss. Of pure energy. Together, they rode the crest as the power crashed against the void and returned in a blistering smattering of cosmic force. It slammed against them, forced his body into hers, then cloaked them in a warmth of welcome. A fierce, violent roar sounded in the distance, the fury carried on the black icy fingers that clawed at the energy in frenzied attempt to rip it apart. To break it, remold it before it could fully form. But there, around them, the energy pulsed in a heady mix of belonging. Her energy locked with his, tightened around his heart and became a very part of who he was. Of who he would forever be. Vaguely, he registered the searing pain that laced across the back of his hand, the raven twisting and diving amidst the joy. Slowly, the peak began to subside, the blinding, all-consuming sensations ebbing away until the room returned to focus and his mind began to function once again. His chest heaved in the aftermath, sweat dripped from his body and blended with Airianas. He rested his head next to hers, his entire body limp. After a long moment of heavy breathing, he had the mind function to slide to the side and gather Airiana’s flaccid body against his. He blinked and tried to comprehend what had happened.

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Her head rested against his arm, her breath caressing his chest as it began to regulate and return to normal. It was another few minutes before she lifted her head to look at him. Her eyes were still heavy from the storm they’d just survived, but her mouth was turned up in a grin of complete satisfaction. “What was that?” She bit her lip and watched him from under heavy lids. “Sex.” She smacked him on the chest, a teasing slap of chastisement. “I realize that.” He flinched, smiled and pulled her closer, which she didn’t resist. “And the rest?” she persisted. He exhaled and tugged lightly on her chin until she lifted up and met his lips in a soft kiss of unity. He pulled back slightly and looked into her eyes. “Whatever it is, whatever happens, we’re in this together.” She gave a slight nod and smiled. “Together.” He kissed her again and the warmth sank into his heart. The Apocalypse might be coming for the rest of the world, but the veil on his world had already been lifted. And what he saw on the other side made him groan in complete contentment.

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Epilogue

Airiana sat on the comfortable leather couch, feet curled under her, Louk by her side. The logs in the fireplace snapped and popped, sending small sparks flying upward in a miniature display of fireworks. She leaned into Louk’s warmth and smiled at the instant exchange of energy that flowed uninhibited between them. Happiness—pure, clean, simple—warmed her heart and kept her balanced against the overwhelming pressure that was building each day. She gave Louk’s hand a small squeeze. His fingers linked with hers where they rested on her knee. Together. He turned his attention away from their guest and gave her a quick smile of reassurance. He was there for her. “The bond between you two is very strong,” Cronus said. Louk looked back at Cronus who sat in a matching leather chair beside the couch. “Is this normal?” Louk gave a little laugh and shook his head. “Of course it’s not normal. Nothing between us has been normal.” Cronus returned the laugh, the crinkles round his blue eyes softening his serious face. “True. The two of you are an anomaly, but a very good one. One we are lucky to have occur.” He smile faded. “The bond of The Two was essential, the first link in a chain that we must complete before Gog is released. Before he rises.”

Lynda Aicher

“Are we to stay locked away in this house until that happens?” Airiana asked. “Because as much as I love this guy, I’m probably going to kill him if he’s the only one I can talk to for the next year. No offense, Louk.” “None taken.” “No, Airiana. This will only be temporary.” Cronus tilted his head and studied them for a moment. “Do you know what is next?” Louk looked at her, then nodded. She met the Ancient’s intent gaze and wondered how much he already knew. “We get glimpses, more like impressions, through the energy, of what is to come. But, nothing is clear. What do you know?” Cronus’s lips thinned, every year of his long life seeming to appear on his tired face. “I know that each step must happen over the cycle of the next year in rhythm with the earth. That if even one of the steps fails, then we have lost before the battle even begins. But, I do not know where each step will take us. Of who will be needed to see that it succeeds. Only that the energy will guide us just as it guided you.” “Oh, that was guiding?” Louk joked. “I’d call it more of a gigantic shove.” Cronus laughed, the lightness returning to his features. “That it was. But, it worked.” He shifted his attention down to their clasped hands. “Very effectively I might add. I’m going to assume that happened when you joined. Correct?” Airiana reached over with her free hand, the hand that held her mark, to stroke the mark on the back of Louk’s hand. The now matching symbols rumbled low then sighed in unison before they curled up in contentment. The change in the marks had been one of the major shockers after they’d joined. “Yes. How?” She looked at Cronus. “I didn’t know they could change like this.”

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“Neither did I,” Cronus answered. “Some things still amaze even one as old as me. And that, young ones, is what makes each day a joy to live. No matter how long we are on this earth, there are still new things out there to surprise us.” “So what does it mean?” Louk released his hold and lifted his hand to examine the dark blue-black dragon that now marked the back. “Shit. A dragon? On an Energen’s hand? I didn’t know that was possible. Or even remotely acceptable.” “A winged dragon is an honor, a sign that they are not extinct. It gives me hope that they are returning. That they will rise to help us once again.” The Ancient leaned back and crossed his legs. “Have you tried to shift?” Louk’s hand dropped to his lap, his back stiffening as he sat forward. “What? Me shift? Doesn’t that go against being an Energen?” “Airiana is not an Energen, but she is not filled with negative energy. She can shift to her dragon form and that does not make her evil. Neither will it for you, Louk.” “I haven’t even tried to shift since the mark changed,” Airiana said looking down at her own, now darker colored dragon. “Should we? I always associated shifting with a connection to the negative energy.” “The winged dragons are special, but you already know that. Shifting into their form only brings you more power. Don’t you see, the winged dragons have the unique ability to control two elements where most of us can control only one.” Cronus paused, the words holding in the room as comprehension slowly settled in. “Shifters can only control the element of fire whether in human or dragon form. Energens are each granted the ability to control one of the elements, air, water, fire, earth or spirit. But winged dragons control both fire and air—in both of their forms.”

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Airiana couldn’t think. Couldn’t process yet another major change in her foundation. Louk’s arm circled her shoulders and hugged her close to his side, the connection soothing the rising tension. “Now that you are joined, your control over those elements will be even stronger. More powerful, more expansive. The dual energy combining to give you an advantage that no one else has.” Cronus smiled, apparently amused by their stunned expressions. “You now see why the The Two are needed. Why the The Two ignited the change. How The Two will play in the war to come?” Silence filled the room, broken only by the soft crackle of the flames in the hearth. Airiana pressed into the warmth of Louk’s body and felt his confusion, his doubt, as it flowed over the energy. She had those feelings, too, but she also knew that they would be fine. That they would handle whatever challenges were ahead. “Together,” she whispered to Louk. He turned his head and stared into her eyes, searching deep. He smiled. “Together,” he said before turning to Cronus. “So, what’s next?” “That, young one, is for your brother to answer.” “Phelix?” “Damian.” Louk’s breath held before he slowly released it. “Will it be good?” “We can only hope that it is.”

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About the Author

Lynda Aicher has always been a sucker for happy ending and has dreamed of being an author since she first read The Outsiders at the age of twelve. After years of weekly travel as a consultant implementing computer software, she ended her nomadic lifestyle to raise her two children. Now, her imagination is her only limitation on where she can go and her writing lets her escape from the daily duties of being a mom, wife, chauffer, scheduler, cook, teacher, cleaner and mediator. To learn more about Lynda, please visit her website at: www.lyndaaicher.com

Look for these titles by Lynda Aicher

Coming Soon: Energen: Stone of Ascension

Trust no one…except the one who walks in the dark.

Key of Solomon

© 2011 Cassiel Knight Relic Defender, Book 1 Anthropology PhD candidate Lexi Harrison never bares it all when she belly dances for a strip club crowd. She doesn’t have to—she’s that good. Every performance earns money toward her degree, and restores the sense of power that her painful childhood ripped away. Something is different about tonight. A man whose silver gaze seems to touch her skin beneath her veils. When a rowdy customer crosses the line, he comes to her rescue with the speed of a falcon—complete with wings. Mikos Tyomni has never seen anyone dance the raqs sharqi like Lexi. Trust his tormentor, Archangel Michael, to put him in close contact with the cause of his downfall: a mortal woman. Particularly this mortal woman. The Defender. He has only thirty days to win her trust before Hell’s deadliest demons attempt the mother of all prison breaks. No matter how sexy the messenger is, Lexi’s career plans don’t include some crazy idea that she’s the last line of defense against the forces of evil. Until her university mentor’s murder leaves her holding the key to Hell. And fighting a losing battle against a passion with the unholy power to bring down Heaven… Enjoy the following excerpt for Key of Solomon: Oh, shit! Lexi let out a startled squawk as he closed the protective distance she’d put between them until he was within a foot of her. His fists knotted as if he wanted to grab her, but he held back. “How do you know Beliel?”

Lexi held up the sanjiegun, gesturing out a circle in front of her body Mikos was damn near to breaking. “Whoa, personal zone here.” “Alexandria, this is important. Answer my question. How do you know Beliel?” She cringed. Her full name again. “He showed up at my apartment earlier.” Mikos jerked back. Fascinated, she watched his pupils and iris begin to spark again, the silver pinpoints of light widening. For Pete’s sake, what had she done or said? “What happened?” he asked. She shrugged, and looked down. With a sharp snick, she extended her sanjiegun, rested the tip on the floor and idly spun it like she was trying to start a fire. Christ. She suddenly had an urge to duck her head and squirm like a child caught doing something wrong. “He made me an offer,” she said and lifted her head, her gaze sparring with his. “What kind of offer?” The phrase an offer you can’t refuse flashed into her mind. She didn’t let it out. Probably a smart decision based on the silver sparking in his eyes. Where the hell did he get that unusual ability? Instead of uttering any number of smartass comments wavering on her tongue, she answered, “A normal life. One with a family.” “A normal life,” he repeated. His tone sounded as if it had as much emotion as a rock. Oops. Better scratch that. She actually knew a rock with emotion. “Lexi, you must stay away from him.” “Hey, I didn’t invite him. He just showed up.” She wrinkled her nose. “What’s the big deal?”

“You don’t know him. He’s dangerous.” Lexi placed on hand on her hip and tapped her right foot. “So? I didn’t know you, but that didn’t stop you from interfering.” Mikos’s eyes narrowed. “That is different.” “Feels the same to me.” She paused. “Besides, all he’s done is show me another life.” A life she’d always wanted. Sounded so simple. So easy. So confusing. “For a price.” Lexi shrugged again. “Everything comes with a price tag.” And everyone could be bought. The only variance was the dollar amount. “What did he want from you?” Mikos continued. “To give him some kind of book. A book I’m sure I don’t have.” Mikos face turned to stone. No, not the Rocky-type stone, but hard, cold granite. “If you had the book, would you take Beliel’s offer?” “I don’t know.” She truly didn’t. As tempting as it was to realize she could have a family of her own, it bothered her that Beliel offered her a ready-made family. After all, if she really wanted a family, she’d have found herself a nice guy and made babies. Sure, and it was just that easy wasn’t it? Except, she wanted… Something else. Something special. Something just for her. So, she didn’t know what that something was. And while she wouldn’t admit it to Mikos, she wasn’t sure she’d want to pay the cost for whatever Beliel offered. She sensed it would be high. Despite the set expression on his face, Mikos’s tone had a controlled lightness as he said, “Lexi, you are the only one who can do this. God expects

this of you, and your race needs you. Do not make the mistake of thinking only of yourself. Too much is at stake.” The critical and patronizing tone in Mikos’s voice punched like a sledgehammer at her chest. How dare he try to make her feel selfish? He had no idea of the life she’d led or things from her past. Damn right she was selfish. She had to be. Growing up in the system and then on the streets had taught her if she didn’t look after herself no one else would. A hard lesson to learn at the age of twelve but she had, and no man, no matter how attractive he was, was going to stand there and make her feel bad about her choices. Lexi shoved Mikos’s chest. “Where the hell was your God when I lost my parents? Where was your God when I was shuffled from home to home?” She paused and took a deep breath. For the first time in as far back as she could remember, tears welled. “And where were you and your God when my supposed father in the last foster home put his hands on me like no father ever should?” She was tired, angry and mentally exhausted with the events of the last day. Otherwise, what the hell else could explain her opening her mouth and sharing such an intimate thing with a relative stranger? Lexi barely suppressed a shudder at the memory. Her last foster father, Tom, hadn’t seemed to fit any profile of a child abuser. With no previous history of abuse in his own childhood, a gentle manner, no issues with drug or alcohol abuse, clean cut, a pristinely maintained yard and home, he appeared to be anything but a vile abuser. It was only later did Lexi find out just how much of an abuser he was. Certainly, she would have found out if she had stayed around long enough for him to finish what he’d begun.

She still remembered the stark terror of being pushed against the wall of her bedroom while Tom groped and grabbed at her clothing. The smell of fresh paint from her foster mom’s remodel of the kitchen, the feel of the stucco on her backside. Slightly damp, cold hands that left behind an unclean feeling, one she’d never be free of. Lexi felt fortunate in that she had been strong and independent even at the age of twelve. One unfatherly touch from Tom, and she bolted from the house. Looking up at Mikos, she realized that in her anger, she’d come within inches of his body. Major personal zone violation. Silver painted eyes looked down at her awash with an emotion she didn’t want or need. She shoved him again. “Don’t you dare pity me. And don’t you dare tell me what God expects. I stopped caring about those expectations a long time ago.” Maybe the thought of shoving him a third time had crossed her mind and shined in her eyes because Mikos moved. His hands come up to grab her wrists, jerking her forward and locking her arms against her sides. For the second time, her sanjiegun fell to the floor with another sharp clatter. Damn it, she was going to get a strap on that thing. She pulled her knee up then thrust downward. Because of Mikos’s tight meld to her body, she couldn’t get enough momentum to do anything more than tap his foot. A hard tap, yet still not enough to break free. “You’re going to hurt yourself.” This close, his whisper danced across her neck. She sucked in a whistling breath as unfamiliar sensations rocketed through her body. When was the last time she’d felt any, even the most microscopic, attraction to a man? Each time she was around this man her libido went supernova.

Mikos’s body seemed to fit hers like a comfortable chair, one she wanted to sink back into then lose herself in the firm cushions. She inhaled, the warm, musky scent of masculine perspiration filling her nose. Did his skin taste salty? She eyed the pulse beating in his neck. An inward yelp echoed through her mind. What the hell was wrong with her? She let her shoulders relax as if she’d given up. He stilled. Maybe he hadn’t expected her to concede. Good. His stillness should have let her focus on breaking free. It didn’t.

One woman with a job to do. One gorgeous hacker with a plan. One apocalypse. Any questions?

Brighid’s Cross © 2011 Cate Morgan

Aika Lareto is a descendent of St. Brighid in her incarnation of all things fire and warfare in a time when heroes were revered as gods. In 2025, this means Aika is hunted by all things demon and government. All she wants is to get on with her work as guardian of the dregs scraping out a fringe existence in London’s blitzed underground—the lost, forgotten and the just plain ignored. Declan Pryce is the hacker who finds her first. Quite a feat, considering current ruling government conglomerate Dreamtech has issued a bounty on Aika’s head for her ability to bypass their security systems. When she escapes Dreamtech’s net, the vote is unanimous—Aika is a liability in need of immediate resolution—dead or alive is entirely her choice. No choice, really. She’ll take death over disloyalty every time. Declan has a plan that doesn’t include falling for an impossible woman in an impossible situation. She has plans of her own that don’t leave room for a love life. If they’re incredibly lucky, it just might work. Enjoy the following excerpt for Brighid’s Cross: Declan Pryce had not gotten a full day’s sleep since a bomb exploded his parents out of existence in the Seven-Year War. So it came as no surprise when nightmares plagued his sleep once again, entangling him in scratchy army blankets and discarded him, spent, onto the shabby rug. He stared into the lowering dark of early evening, sweat plastering hair into his eyes.

When his breathing slowed sufficiently for feeling to return to his limbs, he disentangled himself from the twisted bedding and heaved himself onto the edge of the narrow bed. His shaking hand knocked a water bottle from the bedside table as he reached for it, issuing a muted thud on the area rug. He retrieved it with a murmured curse, experiencing instant relief when the lukewarm liquid settled his stomach. Knowing sleep would not return, he slouched across his small illegal loft to the bank of computers humming like a beehive in the mellow quiet. A folding table against the wall offered a makeshift kitchenette in the form of an expensive coffee maker and cheap microwave. “Hello, darlings.” He slid into his worn chair that shrieked like a banshee if he leaned too far back and flipped on the coffee maker. Despite the audible protests of the seat’s bearings, it fit him like a comfortable pair of jeans. His three monitors awakened at the sound of his voice, the machines activating their program sequences. He decided to run through CCTV clips captured by his patch into its outmoded system first. A few he saved for later examination—most he discarded. His coffee maker dispensed fresh, strong brew into a plain black ceramic cup as a new string of grainy images began its run. Halfway through he stopped the video stream and restarted it, not certain of what he’d seen. It took three repeated viewings, at slower speeds and narrowly focused pixilation, to confirm with his eyes what his brain did not believe. He replayed it again, coffee cooling with fragrant accusation. A figure in dark clothes strode down a street in what was not quite the vice district, flickering in the vivid dancing lights of enticements. His or her gait was one of purpose, belied by a hint of absentmindedness only the truly unconcerned could manage. She, he could see now—walked against the crowd, skirting revelers and the human race as a whole. He leaned closer.

She passed an alley and was obviously spooked by what she sensed there, because she inexplicably disappeared. Quickly, without conscious volition, he re-engaged the link to this particular feed and searched nearby cameras for video from different angles. He was annoyed to find facial-recognition programs could not gather sufficient info to identify the walker. Finally he found her again, beneath the overhang on a far corner. For a fleeting instant she looked nearly full on into the camera, a sardonic smile twitching the corners of her mouth. He took a snapshot and followed her progress, camera to camera, until she disappeared into the Burnout Zone, where no satellite feed would ever reach again. He exhaled, printed the shot and stuffed his coffee into the microwave. While he waited for it to reheat, he cleared a space on his corkboard and hung the photo among the wild detritus of false hopes and starts. When the microwave dinged he retrieved his coffee and sat back to consider the odd light in her eyes while his mind raced with possibilities. Had he actually found one? One of the angels or demons who had begun walking the earth during the war? Or was she one of the others, still human, yet more? Demi-human, he called them, for lack of a better term. Part human, part…something else, biding their time until the Horsemen rode. Signs of the approaching apocalypse had been lining up for years, but hardly anyone was paying attention. He was inclined to believe the latter. There was something ancient in her eyes, a weary but determined set to her closed-off face. He wore the same expression whenever he looked in a mirror. The Burnout Zone. No one ever went there that didn’t have to. The old bridge was little more than a heap of rubble, its tunnels shelter for a black market of shady business dealings and their dealers, a fringe society of the hopeless and

not-entirely-there. He’d gone there once or twice, but it was not an experience he cared to repeat. He frequented his own brand of underground establishments with their unique collection of conspiracy theorists, where the food was better and hygiene more of a priority. Nor had the contents of his pockets ever wandered off in pursuit of their own adventures. One of his other monitors flashed a black-and-red warning at him, buzzing a computer version of a genteel cough to attract his attention. He spun his chair and tapped a few keys to access the new information. This one wasn’t from one of his regular channels, rather a back channel he’d rarely seen triggered. It was, in fact, a new bounty activated by someone handled as The Agent. One guess who the target was. Once again his coffee was left to cool, abandoned, as his chair spun gently in place. Declan was perfectly accustomed to being ignored. It tended to be a point of pride in his business. The organizations from which he skimmed information didn’t even know they should be looking for him, this anonymous cortex phantom who plucked innocuous facts and tidbits from their stores the way the tooth fairy plucked teeth from beneath pillows without the owner ever waking up. Now, however, it proved to be something of a problem. “Excuse me? Sir? Do you know where I can find this woman?” A rack of metal necklaces with homespun pendants swayed as yet another dreg skirted his outstretched arm. “I mean, ma’am. Miss? Sorry.” “They think you’re private security.”

Declan turned eagerly at this fresh evidence of his own existence. He was beginning to wonder. “I’m not. Do you know who she is?” He proffered his hand comp hopefully, the grainy image flickering in the orange light of an overhead oil lantern. The man behind the counter didn’t bother to look up from the chrome headlamp shell he was industriously wiping clean as he shook his thinning blonde head. If anything, he increased his efforts. “Sorry.” Anger seeped into Declan’s voice, after a long struggle with his patience. “You didn’t even look.” “Don’t have to. Doesn’t matter.” “Why the hell not?” And immediately regretted language and tone when he saw the white collar paired with the black shirt. The priest set the part down with extraordinary long-fingered hands and infinite care. “Look around you. What do you see?” Declan shrugged. “I don’t know. Dregs, I suppose.” The smile on the other man’s face was bittersweet. “These people you call dregs have been run to ground, given up on by nearly everyone. The Burnout Zone is the only haven they have left.” “Point being?” “Point being, no one here gives up anyone else. It may be the only rule we’ve got, but it’s ours.” “Stop messing about with the Obi Wan Kenobi act, will you?” Declan ground out in deliberate tones meant for the slow of thinking. “It’s important I find her before someone else does.” The priest nodded and went back to his polishing. “I shouldn’t worry about it. She’ll see them coming.”

Two could play it that way. “If you’re so keen on shielding her, shouldn’t someone tell her there’s a bounty on her head?” He stopped polishing, opting to stare instead. “What? No, impossible.” Declan wordlessly offered his hand comp once more. This time, to his immense relief, the priest took it. After a good long look, he handed it back, looking at Declan with new eyes. “You truly mean her no harm?” “Quite the opposite.” “Well, I suppose if you’re lying, she’ll be the first to know.” He pointed with his chin since his hands were occupied. “The Tree and Flame. Follow the dinner crowd, you can’t miss it.” Declan gave the man’s collar a pointed look. “Aren’t you supposed to discourage people going into pubs?” A wise chuckle. “Far be it from me to deny anyone in this day and age a decent hot meal.” “Thank you.” The Tree and Flame wasn’t what he expected. Its long tables and benches were crowded with patrons, though where these people had obtained the money he couldn’t guess. They had no access to the electronic currency that replaced the now defunct paper and coin during the war, had no or non-working birth chips embedded beneath their skin. The dregs of society, hence the name. An old man sat on a stool behind the bar knitting while a bartender hauled a stew pot of potatoes from the kitchen and dumped them with a muted rumble into a bin. It took him a moment, as she scraped the peel from a poor defenseless tuber as though it had done her personal injury, to recognize her. Dark hair—auburn, he could see now in the fiery light of the hearth—in stark contrast to blushing ivory skin, braided neatly and bound in a knot at the back of

her head. Not conventionally pretty, by any stretch of the imagination, but she did possess an interesting contrast of characteristics that pigeonholed her into the young, freshly attractive category. High cheekbones in an otherwise round face, lush curves and long torso on a figure uncompromisingly short. There was something about the way she stood beneath the sheathed sword mounted on the wall behind her that made him want to take inventory of all vital organs, so he would know if any turned up missing later. In that moment her gaze found his in the dim room, the hearth fire threw shadows across the low ceiling of carved, thick-twining tree roots, and the entire place went dark.