Jaguin's Love: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 8 (15 page)

“I love you, my
elila
,” he gasped, falling forward to cage her under his body. “I love you so much, Sara.”

Sara bowed her head; tears burned her eyes from the intensity of the feeling ricocheting through her. His words were like a soothing balm to her shattered soul. She wasn’t ready to say the words of outloud yet, but she knew deep in her heart that she loved him. She loved Jaguin more than life itself, because without him, she wouldn’t know what life truly was.

*.*.*

Sara groaned and stretched. She froze when she realized that it felt like they were no longer moving. Her head turned and her eyes widened when she also realized that they were no longer alone. A soft cry escaped her and Sara pulled the golden sheet covering her up to her chin.

“Jaguin,” Sara whispered, nudging Jaguin with her foot. “Jaguin, wake up!” She hissed when all he did was groan and roll over.

Unfortunately, when he rolled, Honey didn’t go with him, or at least, Honey the sheet didn’t go with him. Sara’s face flamed when the huge male staring at them released a sigh and shook his head.

“Jaguin,” the man said sharply.

Jaguin might not have woken for her, but he did when he heard the man’s voice. In a flash, he was on his feet, a long knife that Sara didn’t remember him having clutched tightly in his fist. Sara’s blush deepened when an older woman peeked her head inside and grimaced.

“Jaguin, put some clothing on,” the woman ordered. “I saw enough of your bare body when you were a lad, I have no desire to see it as a full grown male. Your father is more than enough for my poor eyes.”

“Yes, mother,” Jaguin muttered, reaching for the blanket Sara was clutching to her chest.

“Oh, no, you don’t, Sara snapped. “Find your own blanket. This one is mine.”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing her,” a younger male said.

“Get out of here, Jaire,” Jaguin growled, reaching for his clothing.

Sara stared back at the young boy. He looked like a younger version of Jaguin. She blinked when he suddenly grinned at her. Even his smile looked like Jaguin. Doubt and confusion filled her when she glanced back at the older man.

“Boy, back up, let your brother and his mate get dressed,” the man ordered.

“Yes, sir,” Jaire muttered, winking at Sara before he stepped backwards out of Honey.

Sara turned her head to stare at Jaguin. He could feel the flush rising in his cheeks at her raised eyebrow. Bending, he picked up his shirt and pulled it on, not bothering to fasten the hooks in the front.

“Please tell me I didn’t just meet your family while we were both naked,” Sara asked in a trembling voice.

Jaguin grinned. Sara, recognizing that she definitely just met his family, groaned and buried her face against her knees. She wished the ground would just open up and swallow her. Why, oh why, did life have to be so unfair at times? Wasn’t hers screwed up enough without adding her meeting the in-laws while in the buff to the list?

“Sara,” Jaguin murmured, sliding his hands along her bent head and threading his fingers in her hair. “Look at me.”

“Go away. I just want to die in peace,” she mumbled.

A deep sigh escaped Jaguin. “Sara,
elila
, look at me,” he coaxed. “Please.”

“I’m dying here of total embarrassment,” Sara stated in a muffled voice. “Go away.”

“They will love you,” Jaguin whispered tenderly.

Sara lifted her head and glared at him. “They probably think I’m some super slut you picked up at a bar somewhere,” she sniffed, wiping at the angry tears.

“Never,” he swore. “They know you are my mate. They see the way my symbiot is wrapped around you. It would never do that for any woman, much less one that was not my mate.”

“How can you be sure?” Sara demanded, looking at him suspiciously.

“You are covered in the marks of my dragon,” Jaguin pointed out.

Sara looked down at the faint mark of a dragon on her arm. Her gaze reluctantly moved to her right shoulder. She had one there as well. Lifting her left arm, she noticed one on the inside of her wrist. She really
was
covered with the marks.

“When did I get that one?” She asked in confusion, holding up her wrist.

“I believe that one is new,” Jaguin chuckled. “As is the one on the inside of your left thigh.”

Sara stared at him in disbelief before she lifted the blanket to check. Sure enough, there was a mark on her thigh. How in the hell did she not remember him biting her there? She dropped the blanket and glared at him.

“I’m going to muzzle you if you don’t quit biting me,” she snapped.

Jaguin chuckled and brushed a kiss across her pouty lips. “Wait until you see your breasts. My dragon really does want to see his mate,” he murmured before he captured her lips in a heated kiss.

Sara’s soft moan died in her throat. Her hands rose to tangle in his hair. Another moan rose when her nipples, sensitive from their earlier lovemaking, brushed against the soft material of his shirt. They immediately tightened into taut peaks.

“Wow! You really did claim her as your true mate!” A voice behind them exclaimed in awe, pulling them both back to the present with a resounding crash.

“Is he really your brother?” Sara asked, shivering as Jaguin wrapped his arms around her in order to give her a little modest coverage.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Jaguin gritted out before he smiled. “But, I am soon to become an only child once again,” he snapped out, adding the last part in a loud voice.

“I’m leaving,” Jaire complained. “Mother said dinner will be served soon and not to get too distracted.”

“Then, I suggest you get out of here so that Sara can get ready,” Jaguin ordered. “Honey, seal the transport.”

Sara buried her face in Jaguin’s chest when Honey suddenly pitched and rolled, sending Jaguin’s young brother flying backwards before the entrance to the ship closed, sealing them blissfully inside. Sara giggled when she heard the muffled curse followed by a repeat not to keep their mother waiting.

“I’m hungry!” Jaire yelled.

“He is always hungry,” Jaguin replied dryly, sliding off the bed and standing. “Come, he will not go away until we come out.”

“How do you know?” Sara asked, turning to slide her legs over the side.

Jaguin grinned when the golden bed suddenly rose, gently pushing Sara to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her, enjoying the feel of her naked body in his arms. His gaze softened when he saw her startled look.

“Because I wouldn’t have when I was his age,” Jaguin replied, grimacing when he heard Jaire yell again for them to hurry up. “Come, I will help you get dressed.”

Sara laughed and smiled at Cheri. Jaguin’s mother had welcomed her into the family with a huge hug and a warm heart. Sara was afraid at first that Jaguin’s parents might not accept her. After all, she was different from any of the other women on the planet. She was the alien.

Instead of feeling awkward, Cheri took her under her wing, showing her around the bustling village, and introducing her to a host of residents. Sara was sure she would never remember their names.

“Jaguin’s dragon must be so happy to have found his mate at last,” Cheri said, breaking into Sara’s thoughts of her first few days in the remote mountain village.

“His dragon?” Sara repeated, turning from where she was storing some of the fresh produce they just picked up at the market. “I see him every day. He appears calm.”

Cheri laughed and shook her head. “He should be,” she replied with a twinkle in her eye. “Just remember, a male dragon likes a challenge. If he demands you submit, you twitch your tail – and slap him upside the head with it for thinking he can boss you around.”

“My tail?” Sara repeated, this time in a quieter tone. “I… don’t have a tail.”

“You don’t…. Oh, you poor child, I’m so sorry,” Cheri murmured, turning to wrap her arms around Sara. “Jaguin will love you even if your dragon does not have a tail.”

“No, no, it’s – Well, I don’t have a dragon either. I mean I do. I hear her in my head, but I’ve never… You know, actually, turned into a dragon,” Sara finally muttered.

A look of confusion, followed by clarity, swept across Cheri’s face. She raised an eyebrow at Sara and placed her hands on her hips. Sara blushed and fidgeted with a jar of fresh made jam.

“Has Jaguin not shown you how to shift into your dragon yet?” Cheri asked with a knowing look.

Sara shook her head. “No, he said he didn’t think I was ready yet. I know he is having difficulty controlling his dragon. He… He’s worried that it might hurt me,” she softly admitted.

“I need to have a talk with Jaguin’s father,” Cheri commented dryly. “It is obvious he has seriously neglected the education of his oldest son. I can only imagine what he has forgotten to tell Jaire.”

Sara’s lips twitched. “Jaire seems pretty smart,” she reflected, thinking of the young teenage boy.

Cheri sighed and shook her head. “Village talk among the younglings. He will get himself in trouble if he listens to them, you mark my words. Follow me,” Cheri instructed, wiping her hands on a small towel before she turned and headed for the back door to the beautiful family home.

Sara quickly placed the jam on the counter and hurried after Cheri. She paused in the doorway leading out to the back gardens. As always, she stopped for a few seconds to absorb the beautiful, and bountiful, array of flora covering every square inch of the walled garden.

“What are we doing?” Sara asked, finally walking across the stone deck and descending the steps.

Cheri turned and smiled. “You are going to let your dragon out,” Cheri stated with a happy clap of her hands.

“But, Jaguin said…,” Sara started to argue before her voice faded at the disapproving look on Cheri’s face.

“What Rolf should have explained to Jaguin, and I can only hope he remembers to tell Jaire, is that a male dragon will NEVER harm his mate.” Sara watched as Cheri stepped up to her and clasped her hands firmly between her own. “Sara, it is the female dragon that rules the male. He is her protector, her companion, her partner, but
she
is his life. He could no more harm her than he could himself.”

“Are you sure?” Sara asked, biting her lip as hope blossomed inside her.

“Positive. It is a knowledge passed down from mother to daughter,” Cheri explained. “Only the females of the royal family have the power to shift into a dragon without the Dragon’s Fire. They have a direct connection to the Hive, home of the Goddesses and the giver of the symbiots. The rest of the women must hope to find our true mates. Yet, the males need us even more than we need them. For we do not have to accept all of them, the way the three parts of the male have to accept us. When we do, we hold the power of the future, for we give birth to the next line of dragons. You were given this gift by the Goddess. It is time my son’s dragon knows his mate.”

Sara nodded before Cheri even finished. Her lips parted when Cheri murmured for her to call to her dragon. Sara listened as Cheri told her what she needed to do.

“Call to her, give her your strength, and trust in her,” Cheri instructed quietly. “She will be frightened the first time, especially without her mate here. I will guide you and her. Do not be afraid of the change. Embrace it, accept it, and let the magic of the Goddess wash through you. You will still be there, just as she is with you.”

“Okay,” Sara whispered, drawing in a deep breath and focusing. “Come to me.”

My mate?
Her dragon asked in a sleepy voice.

He isn’t here. I need you to come take over. I need to learn how to let you out,
Sara said.

No, my mate call me. I come when he call,
her dragon said stubbornly.

Jaguin’s afraid to let him call you. We have to show him that his dragon won’t hurt you,
Sara explained.
Please, trust me. Cheri is here. She’ll guide you.

I no want to,
her dragon whimpered.
I wait for him.

“Come to me, child. I wish to see my new daughter,” Cheri’s firm voice demanded. “Come!”

Sara gasped when she felt her dragon’s response to the deeper voice of the older dragon. Cheri had partially shifted. She understood that she needed the older female dragon to pull the younger one out.

Everything blurred for a moment before things became clear. Sara drew in a hissing breath. Things weren’t just clear, they were brilliantly sharp. She could actually see the small hair-like texture on a nearby leaf that would have required a magnify glass to see before.

Turning, she lost her balance when she tripped over her tail. Sara blinked and stared in disbelief. She had a tail – and wings.

I a dragon,
her dragon crowed in delight.
I free.

Yes, you are and a very lovely one at that,
Cheri stated, using her head to help Sara stand up again.
Now, you must watch your tail. It is a very useful tool, but can be a bit of a nuisance if you are not careful.

How can it be a…,
Sara started to ask at the same time as her tail swung around and shattered a small pot filled with tiny flowers.
Oh, sorry!

Cheri chuckled.
If one small pot is all that will be lost, I believe we will be most lucky. Come, we need more room,
she decided.

For what?
Sara asked, trying to follow behind Cheri without damaging anything else.

To fly,
Cheri said.

To… Fly?!
Sara whispered, swallowing.
Hold on a minute. I don’t know the first thing about flying. I’ve been up in a plane and I’ve ridden Jaguin’s dragon and that is about the extent of my knowledge.

Cheri turned and looked at Sara. Her tail swung around and she used the tip to lift the young dragon’s chin so that she was forced to look at her and not the ground. Sara swallowed when she saw the beautiful silver and white dragon staring back at her.

You may not know anything about flying, Sara, but your dragon does. She was born with the instinct bred over millions of years. Release her, become her, and you have nothing to fear,
Cheri said in a quiet, soothing voice.

Sara thought of what Cheri was telling her. She knew it was true in both plants and animals. Plants had evolved over millions of years, some changing and adapting to their environment. While alive in a different sense, it was technology that was had many of the same characteristics. The huge Sequoias in California needed fire to survive. Without fire, the cones they dropped would never open, releasing the seeds. Sara knew about thousands of plants that needed a wide range of things to live and thrive. Animals did the same thing. The knowledge was passed down through the genetics from one generation to the next.

Can you fly?
Sara asked her dragon.

Yes, I fly. I know how to fly,
her dragon respond with glee.
I fly. You see.

Okay, show me,
Sara ordered.

It easy, just flap wings,
her dragon stated.

Just…
Sara started to repeat in disbelief when she clamped her lips tightly together.

She could feel the rumble of her dragon laughing at her. Sara snorted –
just flap your wings. Smart, real smart. I have a dragon with a sense of humor!

Brilliant,
Cheri chuckled.

Sara ignored both of them when she felt the muscles in her dragon tighten. One minute she was on the ground, the next she was soaring upward over the trees. Her breath caught in awe at the feeling of power washing over her. She felt –

Free,
her dragon whispered.
We are free.

Tears burned Sara’s eyes. Yes, they were free. Audrey was right. There was nothing more powerful than a dragon, not even Cuello or his men. Sara released the last tiny bit of restraint she held over her dragon, giving the beautiful creature complete control.

The joy that swept through the dragon took her breath away. She and Cheri flew through the clouds, playing hide and seek among the fluffy white puffs of moisture. Sara’s wings sparkled like diamonds where the droplets pooled. Not to be outdone, Cheri turned and folded her wings. Together, they spiraled downward opening their wings mere feet from the tops of the trees. They glided over the tops of the high grass in the meadows and reached down to snare fish from the river, tossing them into the air and eating them before they could disappear.

For the next two hours, Sara learned what it meant and felt like to be a dragon. Cheri showed her how to land on the high branches of a tree and how to drink the water captured in the huge stems of a rose red bloom. Cheri also explained what the different plants were and how they used them for different things.

“The knowledge is passed down from mother to daughter and father to son,” Cheri said, tucking a loose strand of silver hair back into the neat braid that she wore.”

Sara laughed, twirling in a circle. “Today was incredible, Cheri, thank you,” she said, stepping closer so she could hug Jaguin’s mother.

“You can thank me by giving my son and his dragon the peace of being his true mate in every way,” Cheri murmured, cupping Sara’s cheeks. “And giving me a few grand-younglings to play with wouldn’t hurt either.”

Sara blushed and laughed. “Let me get the first part down before I think about the second part. Something tells me that my dragon needs a little extra time to get used to me as much as I need to get used to her. I would like to learn how to be a dragon before I show Jaguin,” she chuckled. “Where are the guys?”

“I think that is a very good idea. Male dragons can be a bit – demanding at first,” Cheri laughed. “Rolf and Jaguin have taken Jaire out hunting – again,” Cheri continued, stepping back and walking toward the house. “If I know Jaire, he has already abandoned the other two and gone off to join some of his friends.”

Sara laughed when several minutes later the two men returned minus Jaire who had disappeared shortly after they left. Rolf threatened to ground the young boy. He growled and threatened every form of torture a parent could think of until Cheri pulled out a fresh pie that she had just removed from the oven.

“The boy has to learn to control his curiosity,” Rolf grumbled between bites of the still hot pie. “It’s going to get him in trouble if he doesn’t.”

“I know,” Cheri responded with a twinkle in her eye. “Just like it got Jaguin in trouble when he was younger.”

Jaguin’s soft groan and muttered warning sent Sara into a fit of giggles. She was still soaring high from her experience earlier in the day. Resting her chin on the palm of her hand, she leaned forward and winked at Cheri.

“This totally sounds like blackmail stories,” Sara said with a huge grin. “You wouldn’t happen to have any photographs, I mean images, from it would you?”

“Of course,” Rolf replied immediately. “I’ll put them on in the other room.”

“Father, no!!!!” Jaguin groaned, pushing back his chair and rising to try to intersect his father. “I thought I destroyed all of those!”

“I made copies, a lot of them. You boys think I don’t know that you would try to destroy them?” Rolf was saying when Sara and Cheri walked into the other room.

“I deny it all,” Jaguin growled under his breath.

“I’m sure you do,” Sara whispered back, running her hand along his jaw. Her gaze softened when she looked up and saw the glitter of amusement dancing in his eyes. “Thank you,” she said, suddenly serious.

“For what?” Jaguin asked, tilting his head and gazing down at her.

Sara slid her hands up over his shoulder and held herself steady. “For showing me what it is like to have a real family,” she replied, brushing her lips across his.