Her Dragon To Slay(6)

He thought back to the first week that he and his dragon were fully integrated. The learning period was difficult but with both strong willed entities striving for the same goal, the outcome was perfect, two warriors, in sync, sharing the same space. These incredibly virtuous soldiers were always in agreement or at least open to compromise.

That was the way it was for all dragon shifters, especially members of the Dragon Guard. The transformation to integrate the dragon completely with the man happened between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one. Once completed, these two champions would share the same space and the dragon would have the ability to come forward when called. In a matter of mere days, the dragon and man formed a single sentient being. The man welcomed the awakening of the dragon, the other being that will share his skin. It made no difference to Rayne that the other being was a 1000 pound dragon with the ability to breathe fire and fly through the sky. He was proud to share who he was with an incredibly regal red and golden dragon that had an amazing wing span, a roughly ridged brow and spines running down his thick corded neck. He knew from their combined memories that his dragon had defended his clan with unending loyalty for thousands of years before integration became imperative to protect their species.

The only outward sign that the transformation had taken place and that the warrior was now a fully mature dragon shifter was the brand of the man’s dragon now visible on the his body. It had always been there, though difficult to see. As the man grew, so did the dragon brand, taking shape and becoming more identifiable. This mark of honor would lay flat and resemble a faded tattoo unless man or beast experienced extreme emotions. In those times, the brand raised from his skin and the colors became more vibrant, an exact duplicate of the true dragon. The only other time these two beings would feel anything close to their awakening would be when they found their mate, the one person the Universe had designed just for them. This woman would become the final and most integral part of the union   between man and beast. She would complete the connection making them truly whole. She was the softness to their strength, giving the two beings love, acceptance, peace and most importantly the balance they needed to continue their mission.

Rayne had heard stories from mated pairs of the Elders of his clan since he was a young boy, describing how their dragon had sensed ‘the one the Universe made for them’ before the man even knew she existed. He had always thought that was a fairy tale told around the campfire to romanticize mates. He could not imagine not knowing the other half of his heart and soul was nearby. He was incredibly observant, one of the best strategists and trackers in the history of their clan. He just knew he would know if his mate was anywhere nearby. None of his reminiscing helped determine why he and his dragon were out of sync. He had decided this was the night to figure out what was going on before they both went crazy and it affected his duties. The division of his focus and concentration distracted him and quite frankly made him antsy. In some ways this was worse than the week of his transformation, the feeling of discord between man and beast that he had never experienced before was wearing thin on the incredible patience Rayne had honed over his hundred and nineteen years. Nothing else he tried worked. His dragon demanded to fly over the city and this night he gave the beast what he wanted.

That led him to recall the very distracting dreams he had been experiencing. Every night he dreamt of a tall curvy redhead with amazingly expressive emerald eyes. He had become so addicted to these wonderfully erotic dreams that he counted the hours until he could sleep again. In his dreams even her scent called to him. She smelled of flowers in the meadow after a spring rain, so fresh and clean. That scent alone filled him with the feeling of home and gave him an incredible sense of belonging that until the dreams he hadn’t known. He dreamt of the feel of this incredible woman’s hands on his body touching and discovering his skin, her soft perfect lips tasting and teasing until they were both in a frenzy of want and need. He craved the feel of her satin soft skin under his hands, her sweet breath on his neck, the incredible sounds he knew she would make as he pulled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and then his lips. He woke up every morning with the taste of her sweet nectar on his tongue and an erection that rivaled any he’d had in his youth. He had never known it was possible for a dream to be so real.

So when the scent of flowers in the meadow after a spring rain had filled his nostrils, he had almost fallen out of the sky. He had never expected to scent his mate as he flew over a patch of trees amid all the concrete and pollution of the city. He had circled closer and closer, zeroing in on the tantalizing scent. The man and his beast snapped back into sync like the past weeks had never occurred. They were reveling in the fact that they had found their mate when Rayne spotted a man staying to the shadows, trying not to be noticed. His emotions went from bliss to anger instantly as he realized this obvious criminal followed her, his mate. His enhanced vision only confirmed what her scent had already told him, she was the woman from his dreams. Her long red tresses and mouth watering curves were unmistakable. His vision narrowed until all he could see was the dirt bag intent on harming his woman. The man’s scent overrode the beautiful aroma of fresh flowers in the meadow and burnt his nose with the stink of aggression, anger, and filth. The black clothing he wore and the knife he concealed in his jacket pocket only further enraged Rayne as he realized this one liked to inflict pain. There was no way he could let the deviant touch the beautiful woman from his dreams.