Julia Mills - Her Dragon's Heart (Dragon Guard Series Book 8) Read online

  The wizards turned as one unit and began firing spells at Jace and his friends. The men who looked like the NFL on steroids easily avoided the magical bolts and continued their march to end the wizards. Melanie looked up in time to see the panther land on two of the evil magicians. Sliding off the stump, she took cover to avoid being hit by ricochet magic but watched the action while trying to keep tabs on Jace.

  It looked as though Jace and his friends were going to defeat the wizards and Melanie wanted to stand up and cheer. But true to her recent luck, as members of the Dorcha fell, a whole new set of the Draoi’s guard appeared. One wizard, Samuel that Melanie remembered from her youth, a Dorcha more evil than most, snuck behind Jace’s back and took aim.

  “Jace! Behind you!” Melanie screamed as loud as she could.

  The world seemed to move in slow motion, Jace spun around, Samuel pulled back his arm and began to chant. The wizard’s arm flew forward as Jace thrust his broadsword. Magic bounced off Jace’s blade, lighting the clearing with sparks of black magic. The few that touched Melanie’s bare arms and face stung like acid, and she wondered how the men continued to fight with the spent magic raining down on them…but fight they did.

  Out of thin air, Samuel pulled a sword of his own, meeting Jace’s strikes one for one. The battle waged on with Jace and his friends obviously the better of the two groups. She searched for a way to stop the endless supply of Dorcha, all ready to fall in battle.

  Melanie tried to think of some way to help. Her magic burned in her veins, begging to help the man she now knew she loved, but it had been years since she’d cast spell. Hundreds of pieces of incantations sped through her mind, none of them complete. She feared it was only a matter of time before Jace and his friends could no longer fend off the hoards that continued to come at them.

  A thump to the ground at her back had Melanie spinning around as the Black Panther who’d chased them through the tunnel hit the ground. The cat sprung over her head and entered the fight, taking out one wizard after another, but even with the giant feline’s help, the Dorcha still outnumbered the good guys.

  Magic cracked and lit the night sky as the wizards tried to end the battle once and for all. Melanie scanned the scene before her, looking for Jace and all of his friends. She had just breathed a sigh of relief that they were all still standing when a powerful magic tore through the clearing, sending streaks of electricity in every direction. The warriors and wizards stood completely still in the position they’d been in when the spell was cast.

  She looked to Jace and saw rage burning in his eyes and could feel him fighting against the spell with all that he was. Looking for the source of the magic, Melanie caught a glimpse of a shadow speeding through the trees. Torn between following the wizard and staying with the man that had brought the cavalry to save her, she opted to stay and see what she could do to remove the spell that was holding them captive.

  Before she could act, the air filled with a fresh clean magic that resembled her own but was also very different. It felt as if hundreds of butterflies were landing on her skin. Sure it was safe but not willing to let Jace or his friends face the new magic alone. Melanie used one of the few spells she remembered in its entirety.

  Closing her eyes, she focused all her magic and whispered, “A bheith inithe.”

  The familiar feeling of her own magic surrounded her. She opened her eyes but immediately wanted to close them again. The removal spell she’d used had worked but unfortunately had removed the wizards and not Jace and his friends. Frantically trying to remember another incantation, the feel of butterflies once again touched her skin but this time was coupled with an energy that vibrated the ground beneath her feet.

  She locked eyes with a still frozen Jace whose expression still harbored anger but had softened. His voice sounded in her head. “This is not the way I wanted to tell you.”

  “What are you talking…”

  Melanie never finished her sentence. She found it hard to draw her next breath. As she looked on, the man that she’d already given her heart to transformed into a full grown bronze dragon.

  Well, I’ll be damned was her last thought as Melanie Whelan fainted for the first time in her life.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “What the holy hell is taking so long?” Jace growled.

  “I swear we’ve spent this entire trip telling you to chill out and I’m saying it again…chill out. Pearce and Devon are taking care of her. It looks like she just fainted, which makes sense since she came face to face with a full grown dragon.” Royce chuckled and Jace imagined punching his mentor in the face.

  “You really should learn to shield better. I’ll let your insolence go…this time, since your mate is still unconscious, but I promise retribution when we’re all back home.”

  Jace knew he should feel bad for being disrespectful to Royce but was too worried about Melanie to care about what punishment the older Guardsman would concoct.

  “And anyway because I transformed when I did, the spell was broken and y’all were able to gather up a few of the remaining Dorcha. That should count for something, right?”

  “It does, Jace. You know the old man is just jerking your chain.” Lance chuckled.

  “Yeah, I know…”

  “But you still feel responsible for Melanie’s condition. That’s the part you have to get over. Trust me, I know how hard it is. I want to wrap Sam and Syd in bubble wrap and lock them in the house so nothing ever happens to them, but let’s be real…is that really gonna happen? Hell no! Sam would kick my ass and Syd would hold me down. Your mating bond is strong, right?”

  “Yeah. So? What if she’s pissed at me when she wakes?”

  Lance barked out a laugh. “Brother, you’re gonna screw up on a daily basis. Sometimes she’ll laugh it off and sometimes she’ll be madder than a wet hen, so I’m gonna pass along a piece of advice that was given to me by the always wise Zen Master Walsh. Love her with everything you are. Love her like there will be no tomorrow. Love her like your life depends on it….because let me assure you…it does.”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

  Lance sighed and Jace could hear the beginnings of exasperation in his tone. “You know there’s nothing physically wrong with her and that Pearce’s diagnosis of extreme exhaustion is spot on, right?”

  “Yeah, but…”

  “There are no ‘yeah but’s’ young’un. It is what it is. This is who we are and the Universe knows what She’s doing when She makes our mates. They are beautiful, strong, and able to put up with our bullshit.” The jokester of the bunch was laughing so hard at his own joke that he had to pause, which made Jace smile whether he wanted to or not.

  “Amen!” Kyra added out loud. “At least ten times a day I think about smacking Roy upside the head with an iron skillet.”

  Every Guardsman within earshot started laughing, finally forcing Jace to join in.

  “It looks like Melanie is waking up, loverboy.” Pearce’s comment had the younger Guardsman jumping out of his chair and running towards the bedroom.

  Not even bothering to knock, Jace threw open the door and rushed to Melanie’s side. Her color looked great and she seemed to be resting comfortably. No matter how many times he told himself not to touch her, to let her rest and just sit by her side, he couldn’t stop his hand from holding hers, nor his thumb from rubbing circles on the back of her hand. It was just like every time they touched, electricity popped and crackled between them. He felt the current run through his body and fill his soul with the recognition of its other half.

  When they were finally alone, Jace placed a kiss on her forehead, pushing his healing powers through their mating link, willing her to wake up. He was ready to bargain his soul and that of his dragon for just one more glimpse into her beautiful hazel eyes when she mumbled in her sleep.

  Leaning forward, Jace placed his ear right above her pouty pink lips and waited intently for her to speak again. His patience paid off when after several secon
ds she murmured, “I love you, Jace. I’m just sorry I never got to tell you.”

  Remembering that Pearce had said there was no physical damage, Jace could no longer resist. He slid his arms under her body and carefully lifted her onto his lap. Cradling her like the precious gift she was, Jace took her scent deep into his lungs, smiling as his dragon rolled onto its back and purred with contentment. He rubbed the tip of his nose along the side of her neck, placing a gentle kiss behind her ear to mark her with his scent, just as she’d marked his heart the first time she’d smiled in his direction. Melanie stirred in her sleep, curling closer into his chest, her hands curling into fists that gripped his T-shirt, holding him as close as he held her.

  Her unconscious recognizes me as her mate.

  Jace was happier than dragon in flight and listened as she once again uttered her love for him. Placing his lips against the soft curvature of her ear he whispered, “I love you more than the stars in the sky, Melanie Rose Whelan. If you would just open your eyes, I’d make you mine for all time.”

  Jace sat for hours just holding his mate, loving the feel of her in his arms, and planning every detail of their very long lives together. In the wee hours of the morning, he carefully placed her back on the bed and laid down beside her, curling his body around hers to keep her close and safe. Sometime before the sun came up, the young Guardsman fell into a deep sleep. He dreamt of sweet little girls with dark brown curls and hazel eyes chasing rowdy little boys with blond hair and blue eyes, their squeal of delight filling the meadow.

  A tickle at the corner of his lips caused his dreams to fade into the background. The tender touch grew more intense as it moved to his jawline then to his ear, leaving a path of desire in its wake. His eyes popped open when Melanie’s breath bathed his ear and she whispered, “If you don’t wake up soon, I’m gonna be forced to find someone else to take advantage of.”

  Grinning from ear to ear, Jace gripped her tight to his chest and answered, “You just try to get out of this bed.”

  Melanie lifted her head and looked him right in the eye. He could see the laughter shining back at him and how hard she was working to keep a straight face. He decided to play along and waited to see what she was up to. The wait was more than worth it.

  “A dragon, huh?” Her shoulders bounced and he felt her tummy moving against his as she fought to control her laughter.

  Never one to be outdone, Jace cocked an eyebrow and responded, “A witch, huh?”

  Melanie’s laugh was music to his ears, a sound a few days ago he believed he might never hear again. It was contagious and beautiful and so completely her.

  “Yeah, about that,” she said as soon as she’d recovered enough to speak.

  He saw the change in her demeanor immediately. Melanie was afraid he would be upset with her for keeping secrets. Not wanting her to be anything but happy, Jace placed his index finger against her lips and shook his head.

  “There’s nothing to explain. We all have secrets, as you saw. I was going to tell you about a hundred times and every time I either chickened out or one of us was called away. Are you sure you’re okay with what you saw?”

  “Okay? Of course, I’m okay with it. It’s who you are and explains so much.”

  He breathed a huge sigh of relief just as she added, “I figured you’d be pissed with me? But honestly…”

  Once again he silenced her with a finger to her lips and laughed when she pretended to bite him. “There’s nothing to explain. It’s obvious you’re nothing like your seanathair. And the witch thing is no big deal. Kyra, Royce’s mate, is the daughter of a Grand Priestess and one hell of a powerful witch. She said you are a little package of magical dynamite, too.” He paused, leaned forward, and kissed the tip of her nose then asked, “The whole dragon thing wasn’t a surprise?”

  “Well, it was a surprise that you’re one and super cool to see you transform, but I’ve known since I was a little there are shifters of all kinds. I’m guessing that big Black Panther was a shifter, too? And with you?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, that’s Max. He’s the King of the Big Cats. Our clan and his pride have been allies for years.”

  There was a lull in their conversation and Jace could tell they were both trying to decide what to say next. Unable to hold back, he said what he’d been thinking since the first time he’d recognized her as his. “I’m not sure how much you know about dragons but here is the simple truth. The legend says, there is one woman in all the world, created for each dragon shifter. She is the other half of his soul and that of his dragon’s as well. The Universe made her especially for him and it is said she will bring light to his soul. I know it’s true, not only because I’ve watched as other Guardsmen of our Force have each found their mate but also because I found you.”

  Clearing her throat and taking a deep breath she asked, “Are you sure?”

  “Just as sure as I know the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. You are my mate and we are destined to be together, forever…in this life and the next.”

  He had no idea what she was thinking and refused to tap into their mating link to see. This was something she had to reconcile on her own. A flood of emotions crossed her face, but she never once broke eye contact with him. He took comfort in the fact that she was not hiding. They were facing whatever came next together.

  Melanie squinted her eyes and tilted her head to the side like she was debating what to say next. Jace held his breath, praying she wasn’t about to tell him to take a long walk off a short pier. It took a minute but finally she asked, “So that’s why we can talk to each other…up here?” She tapped her temple.

  Nodding, he chuckled. It wasn’t the question he’d expected but knew it was the first of many. “Yes, ma’am. We call it mindspeak. All dragons have it once their initial transformation is complete. We can speak directly into the minds of anyone we have a bond of fealty or blood with and most importantly with our mates. It doesn’t usually happen until after the official mating ceremony, but Kyra assures me that because of our combined magical ability, once our mating bond began, we were able to mindspeak.”

  “The mating bond is the reason I can feel things that you’re feeling and know when you’re close?”

  “Right you are, mo chroi’.”

  “And you’re not even the littlest bit freaked out that you’re doomed to spend forever with the granddaughter of the Grand Draoi of the Dorcha? Not to mention, she doesn’t really know how to use the power keg of magic inside her?””

  Jace opened himself completely to her, sending love and reassurance through their link. “I am not doomed to do anything. I am destined to spend the rest of my very long life with the best woman I’ve ever known. A woman that I love more than life itself.”

  He caught her chin gently between his thumb and index finger, refusing to let her look away from him. “She’s not only gorgeous but has a heart the size of Texas, more compassion than Mother Theresa, and is smarter than Einstein.”

  Jace was rewarded with a small self-conscious smile. “You, Melanie Rose Whelan, are perfection personified. With you as my mate, I will want for nothing. I am honored and oh so very humbled to spend forever with you.” Then he added, “And as far as using your magic goes, Kyra is more than willing to help you with anything you need.”

  One lone tear rolled down her cheek while Jace held his breath, waiting for her to respond. “Oh Jace, thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me. After almost twenty years of hiding, I finally belong. I love you, too, so very, very much.”

  Unable to stand the temptation of her pouty pink lips one second longer, he closed the distance between them, gently laid his lips to hers, and slowly kissed his mate. There was no rush, nothing to prove, just the perfect meeting of two souls that recognized the one that completed them in every way. He felt more alive, more complete, more of everything than ever before. The part of him that had been missing, the piece of his soul that made everything possible clicked into place.
Too soon, Melanie broke away, breathless and dreamy-eyed. Jace’s dragon followed suit and purred with contentment.

  A gentle blush touched the apple of her cheeks when she noticed him watching her. She glanced at him through her thick, dark lashes before looking away and curling into his chest. He stroked her back, enjoying the complete solace of the moment. The man, the beast, and their mate were totally content. It was a perfect moment in time that Jace would remember forever.

  “Mo ghra’?” He asked, happy Melanie already understood most of the ancient language.

  “Yes?” She mumbled against his chest, stretching before propping up on her elbows and smiling.

  “I made a promise to myself from the moment I found you missing. I swore that I would make you mine forever the minute I had you back in my arms.”

  He felt her holding her breath and watched as her eyes became as large and round as dinner plates. Shoving down the laughter that threatened to overflow, Jace pushed on. “Melanie Rose Whelan, will you do me the unparalleled honor of officially becoming my mate?”

  If possible, her eyes got even larger, she then exhaled the breath she’d been holding and opened her mouth to speak. He barked out a laugh when all that crossed her lips was a tiny squeak. It took three tries but when she finally spoke, he thought he could fly without his dragon.

  “Jace MacQuaid, there is nothing in this whole wide world that would make me happier than becoming your mate.”

  He whooped and hollered a ‘Hell yeah’ that had Liam, Dev, and Rory racing into the room. Before they could ask, he yelled, “She said yes! Can you believe that shit? She said yes!”

  The three Guardsmen laughed and were in the process of congratulating the happy couple when a grumpy Royce and a smiling Kyra entered the room.

  “What the hell, young’un? You couldn’t wait until a decent hour to start celebrating.” Royce grumbled.