Lovestruck, a Dragon Story Read online

  “I approve.” Tristan held out his hand, which pulsed with a silver glow.

  All four wizards laid their hands atop each other and suddenly there was a tremendous whoosh, as if the very air shredded. Incandescent flames of many colors burst out from their joined hands, such power that Michael could not look at the wizards.

  The surge of energy made his ears hurt and his eyes water. Several dragons gasped, and stepped backward. The flames died, and the wizards dropped their hands to their sides.

  An endorsement by the four wizards of the Brehon. Michael gripped Anna, his throat thick with tears. “She’s dying. How wonderful that you endorse our union when my mate, my love, will not live. Because of your hatred, Falmouth!” He turned his head and pointed a shaking finger at the king, who looked shame-faced.

  “And your hatred, Jasper! And that of your people, both of you. When will you learn that we are brothers in the sky? Not enemies?”

  Tears blurred his vision as he hugged Anna. “Maybe someday, but it will be too late for my Anna. My beautiful Anna. All she ever wanted was love, and acceptance after she shifted into dragon. Not violence and hatred.”

  Monroe looked stricken. “I am so sorry, Michael. I never meant to hurt her…I would never harm Anna.”

  “Your foolhardy action and hatred may have cost Anna her life,” Xavier warned. “Dragons are special and possess great potential for good. You must learn to work together, not fight each other.”

  Tristan approached him, and Michael held Anna tight. “Don’t touch her. Leave her alone. Let me have a few more minutes with her before you take her.”

  The Silver Wizard’s gaze was filled with compassion. “I am not taking her to Tir Na-nog, Michael. Do not be afraid. I am going to heal her.”

  He blinked hard, daring to hope.

  Tristan gave a wry smile. “I am on vacation. My honeymoon. I have a bride to return to and a cradle to fill. I have no time to escort dragons to Tir Na-nog. Especially dragons who are destined for great things.”

  Tristan’s hand pulsed with silver light once more. “Lay her on the ground and step back. I don’t want you to get hurt, and with this expenditure of power, you will.”

  After Michael eased Anna to the ground, the Silver Wizard placed his glowing hand upon her bloodied, burnt stomach. A silver glow encased her body. Tristan frowned and the glow increased.

  “She is more damaged than I realized, a whisper away from death. Dragonfire inflicts more damage than other wounds. I shall have to expend more power,” he murmured.

  Please, please heal her. Let my Anna live.

  The pulsing glow continued for a few minutes and then finally the light faded. Michael stared at his mate’s bared stomach.

  Gone was the wound. In its place was soft, smooth skin. Tristan patted Anna’s stomach.

  “Tough as steel now. Her transformation will continue, but healing her expedited the change.” He helped her to sit up.

  Michael rushed forward, dropped to the ground and embraced her.

  “Michael? What happened? The last thing I remember, I was hurting so badly. And then the pain vanished.”

  He brushed a kiss against her forehead and then shrugged out of his shirt, helping her put it on to cover her nudity. “Tristan healed you, my love. Everything is going to be all right.”

  After helping her to stand, he slid an arm around her waist. “What now?” he asked Tristan.

  Tristan glanced at the clans. “There will be a formal truce, and the one who breaks it will be destroyed. No mercy. No questions. Utterly destroyed and banished to the Shadow Lands.”

  Looking terrified, several dragons stepped back. The Shadow Lands were merciless to dragons who had died. There was a rumor that Drust, a dragon who had betrayed Tristan, lived there and ate other dragons for breakfast. And then they reanimated, only to be consumed again the following dawn by Drust’s snapping jaws.

  “As for you and Anna…” Tristan nodded at the Crystal Wizard. “Xavier has acted upon my absence to find you a new home, if you wish to move.”

  “Skylar and Sebastian of Clan Rhagos have graciously extended an invitation to both of you to join their clan in North Carolina. It will be neutral territory. You can hold your mating ceremony there as early as tomorrow. They understand how it is with true mates, and how eager you are to formally be unified.” Xavier folded his arms and swept the clans a severe look.

  “They are welcome in our clan,” King Falmouth said.

  “And welcome in ours,” added King Jasper.

  Michael’s jaw tightened as he thought of the violence that nearly ended Anna’s life. He looked down at his future mate. “It is your call, my love. You still have living family in your clan.”

  Her gaze turned sad as she looked at her father. “We cannot remain here, Michael. There will always be suspicion and a simmering hostility because you are a black dragon. Animosity cannot be vanquished overnight, not even with a formal truce. Maybe one day our children will return here. But not us.”

  Very well. He kissed her, feeling her mouth turn soft and pliant beneath his. “We will be mated tomorrow at sunset at the Clan Rhagos compound.”

  Epilogue

  After making love with his new mate, Michael Vincent left her sleeping and went outside their new cabin to gaze at the stars.

  Tonight they’d held a splendid feast at Skylar’s castle. They had invited both clans and nearly every dragon had accepted, celebrating their union as he formally took Anna to become his forever mate.

  King Falmouth from Clan Fury and King Jasper from Clan Tyrith sat side by side with their queens, talking with animation about dragon clan problems. Anna’s parents sat on the groom’s side with their two younger daughters, beaming proudly. There was a good mix of red and black dragons, who all sat together.

  The truce would hold, and the dragons were attempting to unify.

  Monroe had kept apologizing profusely, to the point where Michael told him all was well, even though he still bore a slight grudge.

  But Xavier was right. Dragons must learn to work together. So he forgave the bastard, and tasked him with harvesting the rest of the Lumen seeds the next full moon, upon Xavier’s request.

  They had invited all the wizards, who politely declined, but sent wedding gifts. Xavier’s gift more than made up for his absence, for he’d freed Michael from his apprenticeship and any further service.

  Sebastian and Skylar were generous hosts. They gave them their own quarters on the compound, far enough away from the castle to have privacy, yet close enough to feel like part of the clan.

  Anna was delighted with their new clan. Here, on neutral territory, they would make their home. Michael’s skills in botany would prove useful and Sebastian had already hired experts to set up Anna’s computer so she could continue her web design business.

  Soon Anna’s belly would be filled with his son. He eagerly anticipated making his mate pregnant. A baby would further solidify the bond between Clan Fury and Clan Tyrith.

  Anna’s father would hold fast to the truce and when the dragonbaby arrived, Barlow would soften his heart and welcome his grandchild.

  Michael craned his neck and stared at the night sky. He shifted into his dragon form, still studying the stars. Xavier was right. A war was coming and they needed to be steadfast, and ready. All dragons had to be unified.

  Anna’s old man thought he was one of the most powerful dragons on earth. Indeed, Barlow had proved his might and worth when he nearly sacrificed his life to save his beloved daughter.

  But he didn’t know Michael’s secret, a secret the wizards of the Brehon held close.

  He stared at the stars, opened his mouth and breathed out a long line of fire. Not the fierce, hot red flames of ordinary dragons, nor the white-hot flames of Barlow and Monroe.

  Blue fire. The most powerful fire in the world, known only to be produced by the wizards of the Brehon themselves.

  Coldfire.

  Shifting back, he looked upward at the
stars.

  And then Michael smiled.

  THE END

  * * *

  Thank you for reading Lovestruck. I hope you enjoyed it! Would you like to know when my next book is available? You can sign up for my newsletter at www.bonnievanak.com, follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/bonnievanak, or like my Facebook page at http://facebook.com/bonnievanakauthor.

  Reviews help other readers find books. I appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative.

  * * *

  You’ve just read Lovestruck, a short story in my Werewolves of Montana series. The other books in the series are in order:

  THE WEREWOLVES OF MONTANA

  Werewolves of Montana boxed set

  The Mating Heat through The Mating Intent

  Prequel: The Mating Heat

  Book 1: The Mating Chase

  Book 2: The Mating Hunt

  Book 3: The Mating Seduction

  Book 4: The Mating Rite

  Book 4.5: The Mating Intent

  Book 5: The Mating Challenge

  Lovestruck, a short story

  Book 6: The Mating Season

  Tristan’s story, coming soon

  Book 7: The Mating Ritual

  Xavier’s story, coming soon

  Book 8: The Mating Game

  Gideon’s story, coming soon

  Book 9: The Mating Captive

  Cadeyrn’s story, coming soon

  MATING MINIS

  set within The Werewolves Of Montana world

  SEDUCTION

  OBSESSION

  PASSION

  REDEMPTION

  TEMPTATION

  www.Bonnievanak.com

  Lovestruck

  Copyright © 2015 Bonnie Vanak

  All rights reserved.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. With the exception of recognized historical figures, the characters in this novel are fictional. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Epilogue

  Copyright