Awakened Dragon Read online

  “What about your treasure?” Helena asked.

  “That was stored away in the caves. But we never went there. We were content to live as we were, safe. Or so we thought.” His eyes stared past Ruby, seeing the cottage and Emilia’s face. He could reach out and touch her. “The painting attracted a lot of attention, I was asked to paint several more portraits. Perry was more than willing to introduce me to his friends. I did not realize it was because he was in love with my sister.”

  “Peregrine Manning was in love with Emilia,” Ruby repeated. “That’s why he put her to sleep? Unrequited love.”

  “Yes, when at last he admitted his love to my sister, she told him she could never be his, she belonged to another.” He smiled wistfully. “She loved Perry in her own way, but she knew one day she would find her mate and that would break his heart.”

  “She did the honorable thing,” Tiberius told Magnus.

  “Indeed. What I did not know was the extent of the love and trust she had for Perry. If I did I would not have been taken by surprise on the mountain that day.” Magnus smiled wryly.

  “Emilia told Manning she was a dragon shifter.” Tiberius nodded as if picturing the events that unfolded.

  “She did. She even showed him, I suspect. Emilia could never know how deep his love went and how possessive Perry was.”

  “If he could not have her, no one could,” Helena murmured. “It is an age-old human fallacy.”

  “And so, he found a man who could put her to sleep. He did not wish to see her in the arms of another. I can only guess he tricked her while she was in her human form and took her into the mountains. He must have removed the pendant before the spell was cast and she turned into her dragon. A keepsake to remember her by while she slept on her treasure.”

  “Why were you on the mountain?” Ruby asked.

  “I broke my promise.” Magnus shook his head.

  “Your dragon,” Ruby whispered. “You shifted.”

  “Yes, and I sensed Emilia.” He put his face in his hands, tired of all the memories in his head. So much sadness, he longed to sort through them until he found the happy times. “I think Perry knew I would be there. He knew I was a dragon shifter too. He had no interest in our treasure, only my sister. He offered me a choice. He reminded me of my promise to never leave Emi alone. I chose to sleep so she would not be alone if she woke from the spell. I had already broken one promise to Emi by shifting. Perhaps it I was the reason Perry knew about dragons. It did not matter. He had cast the spell she was already asleep. I could not break another promise and so I stayed with her.”

  The old man reached out and curled Magnus’s fingers around the pendant. “This is yours, your debt is paid. The story you told will be written in our journals.”

  “You don’t want treasure?” Helena asked with surprise, as only a dragon would.

  “We live a simple life.”

  “Thank you.” Tears misted Magnus’s eyes.

  The old man bowed and got up. “Leave now, I must rest. Return when the moon rises and the potion will be ready.”

  They got up, giving the old man their thanks. Magnus could not bring himself to acknowledge the three shifters who had fought with him. He might be a good man, but the memories in his head did not allow him to be in a forgiving mood.

  “How are you feeling?” Ruby asked as they made their way out of the temple and into the daylight.

  “Are you asking if I am ready to shift?” Magnus asked as he walked to the edge of the ledge and looked down.

  “Are you ready?” Tiberius asked.

  “We’ll soon see.” Magnus took a step off, his arms out wide as he fell down toward the jagged rock two hundred feet below. Behind him, he heard Ruby cry out and then he sensed her following him down into the valley below.

  Static electricity filled the air as if a storm was brewing. It crackled down the side of the steep cliffs, fizzing and sparkling. Ruby had shifted. Now it was his turn. Letting his mind go blank, he relaxed the hold on his dragon and allowed him to take control. For a moment, neither of them existed in the same world as their mate. The loss was acute, and his dragon raced forward, his dark green scales reflecting the midday sun.

  His dragon opened his mouth and flames spurted out and he roared loudly, telling the world he was back.

  Next to him, Ruby appeared, a slash of red against the gray rocks. Together, they rose up, beating their wings in time with each other. Then the dance began, circling each other, entwining their necks as they flew in spirals toward the ground, only to rise up again like the phoenix from the flames.

  And just like the phoenix, he had been reborn, and he rejoiced in this new chance at life and his newfound happiness.

  Chapter Twenty-One – Ruby

  After an afternoon of rest, they were ready to leave. Okay, there had been little rest, more of an afternoon of waiting around for night to fall.

  A nervous energy filled Magnus, and he could barely sit still for five minutes before he got up and paced the floor. Eventually, Tiberius had asked him to help dig a hole. Ruby wasn’t sure if the hole needed to be dug, but they dug it all the same.

  Now, they were ready to fly home. Helena and Tiberius would fly with them to the temple and then Ruby and Magnus would fly home alone.

  “Thank you for everything,” Ruby said to Helena, giving her a hug.

  “You are welcome, I’m sorry we deceived you.” Helena hugged her right back.

  “It all turned out okay in the end.” Ruby cast a glance over to Magnus, who was talking to Tiberius. “I just hope we can wake Emilia. I don’t think Magnus will rest until she’s awake. I don’t want to live my life in a cave guarding a sleeping dragon, even if she is my sister-in-law.”

  Helena raised her eyebrow. “Does that mean Magnus has proposed?”

  “No.” Ruby blushed bright red. “I just mean…”

  Helena laughed. “I know what you mean, but I couldn’t resist a little fun. I wish you could have stayed longer. Perhaps you can come for another visit and maybe bring Emilia if she wakes up.”

  “We will. I’m sure Emilia will want to come and thank the old man in person.” Ruby sensed movement and looked up to see Magnus watching her. He wanted to go and edged toward the ledge. “It’s time.”

  Helena looked outside the cave. “It’s barely dusk.” She sighed as she saw Ruby’s expression. “You can’t wait to see Magnus fly again, can you?”

  “Nope.” Ruby swayed from side to side, unable to contain her excitement. “I am more than ready.”

  “Come. The moon rises early.” Helena held her hand out to Tiberius and they walked out to join Magnus on the ledge overlooking the secluded valley. Above them, the first stars of the night were flickering in the heavens, while a sliver of moon rose above the mountain peaks, to begin its nightly trek across the sky.

  “It was good to meet you, Magnus.” Tiberius gave him a hug. “Come back soon.”

  “We will.” Magnus turned to Ruby. “Shall we.” He held out his hand to her.

  As her hand slid into his, her skin tingled with recognition. His touch was warm as if finding his dragon had heated up his blood a few degrees. They exchanged a look, filled with longing and desire, and then their dragons took over and they jumped off the ledge into the dark abyss below.

  Her hand slipped out of his as they both shifted. Within seconds their free-falling human bodies were replaced by dragons. Green and red, they rose up racing toward the moon, before diving back down and racing toward the temple and joining Helena as she flew with Tiberius on her back.

  Landing at the temple, Ruby had some misgivings, the scene from earlier in the day when Magnus was trapped under the shifters appeared in her mind, along with a fear she would lose him before she really got to know him.

  “Here is the potion as promised,” the old man appeared from the shadows.

  “Do we have to get her to drink it?” Ruby asked dubiously. How did you force a dragon to drink a potion? Awake or asleep, she di
d not want the job of prizing open a dragon’s jaws. Razor sharp teeth and fiery breath meant almost certain death to anyone who dared.

  “The liquid in the vial must be dropped onto her tongue.” The old man handed the vial over to Magnus. “Good luck.”

  The old man’s words didn’t leave Ruby optimistic, but they would try their hardest to get a mighty fire-breathing dragon to open her mouth and drink the potion. “And if it does not work?” Magnus asked.

  “Then she will sleep until her mate finds her.” The old man bowed and then backed away into the shadows. “And not before.”

  “Thank you,” Magnus called but the old man was gone. He lifted up the vial and looked at it carefully. It shone a luminescent green as the moon’s rays shone down on it. “Damn, I hope this works.”

  “Me too,” Ruby agreed. “And the sooner we get going, the sooner we find out.”

  Helena pulled her into a bear hug and kissed her cheek. “Come again soon.”

  “We will,” Ruby promised. “Hopefully with Emilia. Just think, we’ll outnumber the males again if she does wake.”

  “Good point. Harlan will be pleased,” Helena said as she hugged Magnus. “I send all my best wishes and blessings with you, Magnus. I hope this is the beginning of a resurgence in the dragon shifter population. We have been gone from this world too long.”

  “Does that mean you would tell people we exist?” Ruby asked.

  “Hell, no. But it would be good to have ancient dragons walking the earth who can remember the good old days,” Helena confessed.

  “The good old days when dragons ruled the skies and were masters of all they surveyed?” Tiberius winked at Ruby, who covered a smile.

  “Yes.” Helena dug his elbow into her husband’s ribs. “I long for the days when humans respected dragons.” She smiled sweetly at her husband, the love they shared evident on her face.

  “We’ll see you soon,” Ruby promised. She was ready to be on her way home, flying with her mate by her side, with the wind in her face and the stars above her head.

  “Thank you both,” Magnus said as he followed Ruby to the ledge and jumped off the edge. With her feet on the edge of the smooth stone, she watched her mate as he shifted into his dragon. After his first tentative flight, he’d mastered his other side, who was a magnificent beast.

  With a sigh, she shifted at the same time as her feet left the ledge. She didn’t dive down into the valley below, instead, she rose up high, chasing the clouds as they floated past the moon. Her dragon took a deep breath which she released in a stream of fire, before beating her wings hard and fast, thrilled to be flying with her mate.

  They flew the miles back to Bear Creek as fast as they could. Magnus’s dragon didn’t appear to have suffered any loss of condition while he was under the spell. It was as if he had gone to sleep one day and awoken the next.

  They crossed the ocean, then flew high over the land with Ruby guiding them away from airplanes and densely populated areas. Magnus’s dragon had much to learn about the dangers of modern life. But those lessons were for another day.

  The nearer they got to Bear Creek, the more Ruby’s concerns grew. If the potion didn’t work. What then?

  Do not worry, her dragon told her.

  Why, do you know something I don’t? Ruby asked.

  Trust in fate, her dragon answered.

  Her dragon had a point. If fate brought Magnus and Ruby together even though they were born centuries apart, then maybe it had a similar plan for Emilia. She would awaken at just the right time.

  I just hope that time is now, Ruby told her dragon.

  Be patient and we shall see. Her dragon glanced across to Magnus and smiled in appreciation. He sure is a fine specimen.

  You make it sound as if he belongs in a jar for everyone to look at.

  He is for our eyes only, her dragon replied.

  In the distance, the tips of the mountains came into view. Home. They had only been gone a short time and yet it seemed like a lifetime since they’d set off to ask Tiberius to help Magnus unlock his memories. And it had worked. Despite her fears, everything had worked out fine.

  Her dragon was right. Time to trust in fate.

  They circled the mountains, swooping down to survey the rocks Sapphi and Magnus had used to protect the entrance to the cave. All looked secure, and so they moved lower down the mountain, heading for home. They would need a flashlight and perhaps a blanket and some warm clothes for Emilia when she awoke.

  Ruby tried not to add, if she awoke, to that thought. She had to stay positive.

  Magnus followed as she made her way down the mountain toward the house. The night was dark, and she allowed her senses to roam, searching for other life signs on the mountain and in the skies above. She had sent a brief text to Fiona telling her they were returning early and Ruby half expected them to come and meet Magnus and Ruby. But she could not sense any dragons. However, there were several bears and wolves out on the mountains. Shifters most likely, some solitary, some couples and a group of what she presumed were younger shifters play-fighting in a clearing.

  Nothing unusual.

  They flew onwards, more cautious now as they approached the lower slopes of the mountains. She could sense more people. Her family. They were at home, no doubt waiting for them to arrive, or perhaps they were in bed since it was so late. The moon had long passed overhead and was beginning its descent. If they were going to fly up to the cave tonight, they must move fast.

  They could always travel there tomorrow morning, but there was no telling what condition Emilia would be in when she woke up and it would be easier to fly her down off the mountain under the cover of darkness. Not to mention they had to remove the large boulders Sapphi and Alex had used to block the path.

  Ruby guided Magnus’s dragon to the backyard. She landed and shifted instantly and ran to the house, where she stood and watched the dark green dragon approach. He put his large feet out and spread his wings to slow his descent. Looking awkward, but in control, he landed without leaving large gouges in Fiona’s lawn.

  “I’m never going to get used to that,” Magnus told her as he strode toward her, and pulled her into his arms. As he lowered his head to claim her lips, the light from the kitchen lit up the garden. Someone was awake.

  He kissed her all the same.

  His lips were hot on hers, filled with longing. But he pulled away quickly. “We need to hurry.”

  She nodded, pressing her fingertips to her lips. “Let’s get inside and see if everything is okay. Then we get what we need and fly up to the cave. You are sure that’s where Emilia is?”

  “Yes, she is much deeper inside the cave system. Perry gave her something to make her human side sleep and then carried her there. Where they performed the spell, which turned her into her dragon and made her sleep.” Magnus swallowed hard as fear for his sister haunted him. “He showed me her dragon asleep on her treasure. I had no choice but to join her, to sleep in the cave and hope to wake if the need to protect her came.”

  “It will be all right.” Ruby put her hand on his arm, wanting to comfort him.

  “Why couldn’t I sense her? Why couldn’t you sense her when we were inside the cave. She was so close.” His breath shuddered through his body. “Unless she is dead.”

  “It may be the sleeping spell.” Terror gripped her. Finding Emilia dead would destroy Magnus. “We should go inside.”

  Fiona looked guilty as Ruby opened the door. Had she been eavesdropping? “Everything okay?” her mom asked quickly as Ruby and Magnus stepped inside.

  “Yes,” Ruby said. All she really wanted to do was eat and then crash into bed and sleep for hours. “We’ve come to grab a couple of things and then we’ll get going.”

  “We’re all coming too,” Fiona informed them.

  “All?” Magnus asked. He stood next to Ruby, his body brushing against hers. Bed had never been so inviting.

  “The four of us. Sapphi and Alex are in the living room. Harlan Jr is
over at Kim and Jay's. We’re all yours.” As Fiona spoke, Sapphi and Alex entered the kitchen.

  “Thank you all.” Ruby left Magnus and went to Sapphi. The sisters hugged and Ruby’s love for her sister swelled. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’m not sure I deserve it.”

  “Hey, I understand how hard it must have been when I met Alex. And now you understand what it’s like to have a mate. But we’ll always be sisters. That will never change. And our kids will grow up together. If you decide to have any.” Sapphi pulled away, wiping a tear from her cheek. “Right, what do you need?”

  Twenty minutes later, the whole family stood grouped together in the backyard. One at a time they shifted and launched themselves into the air. Magnus and Ruby went first, leading the others to the place where Emilia slept.

  Ruby’s stomach turned over as they grew closer, a sense of unease growing. What if Emilia hadn’t survived the long sleep? How would Magnus cope?

  We will be there for him, her dragon assured her.

  But would that be enough? Ruby replied.

  We are about to find out, her dragon replied as she dropped from the sky. With amazing precision, she closed her talons around a large boulder and lifted it off the trail Accounting for the extra weight, she beat her ruby red wings hard, carried it to a flat plateau higher up the mountain and placed it down carefully.

  Magnus did the same, and soon the pile of boulders was gone. The dragons were ready to shift and enter the cave on foot.

  There’s someone coming, her dragon spoke urgently, as her muscles tensed.

  What kind of someone? Ruby asked.

  A dragon.

  The other dragons were alert and ready to fight, but Alex’s dragon snapped at them, telling them to back down.

  It seems Helena wants to be part of the fun. Ruby’s dragon chuckled as the shadow of a huge dragon covered the valley and Helena joined them. Tiberius sat on her back. A dragon and her mate. They moved as one, Tiberius shifting the angle of his body as if he were formed of the same flesh and blood. However, as soon as the great dragon landed, the two parts were torn apart as Tiberius dismounted. Before his feet had touched the ground, Helena shifted and went to his side.