Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Skye stifled a sniff at the thought of the dragon who’d saved her going insane. That’s sad. Isn’t there some way we could help?
“That is sweet of you to be concerned about Keres, Skye. Unfortunately, luck plays a part in finding one’s mate as well. What if you’d stayed at art school and never returned to Wyvern? We would have been without a mate during your lifetime.”
Shocked, she stared at Ardon. Until I died? Couldn’t someone else have mated with you?
“No, My Treasure. You are special. You are ours.”
The odds have to be astronomical that you’d meet the one person in the world who could become your mate.
“Remember. We have a pact with the founders of Wyvern. Our mates will always be a descendant of those first families.”
Skye shook her head, staggered by the idea that only one mate existed for each dragon in such a long span of years. But still. People move all over. I didn’t plan to come back to Wyvern. What if I hadn’t or if those men had gotten me before I ran into Derek and Brooks? She shivered at the memory of their hands on her, and Oldrik immediately hugged her close.
“I think we owe those two our gratitude,” Ardon said.
His expression alone told Skye how rattled he was. She hadn’t shared how scary her return trip had been. I’m okay now. I’m here with you, Daddies.
“Unfortunately, the mate bond will prevent us from hunting those men who frightened you,” Oldrik said ominously.
I don’t want you to get hurt.
Ardon’s expression transformed before her eyes. He laughed before stating, “It takes a lot to injure a dragon, mate.”
“We will focus on keeping you safe and let the dragons in that area weed out the lowlifes,” Oldrik said.
Skye sat quietly on Oldrik’s lap, taking bites as he fed her. Her mind whirled inside as she considered all that she had learned. She peeked up at Oldrik. Can I ask how many mates you have had?
“You are my seventh,” Oldrik shared.
“And for me, just my third,” Ardon added.
So, Oldrik is ancient? Or do you go through a lot of mates fast?
“I am one of the oldest in our horde, Blueberry. I have treasured each of my mates and grieved their loss after many years together.”
Can you love me after six others?
“Yes. A dragon’s heart isn’t limited to one person. Each is special and completely different. You are precious to me. The fact that I have lived many centuries to spend a part of my lifespan with multiple mates will never impact how much I love you.”
Have you ever shared a mate before?
“This is the first time in our horde. Everything is possible when it comes to love,” Ardon told her.
“Khadar has invited us over to celebrate the grape harvest in a few weeks. The mates have anticipated stomping the fruit that is being gathered. Would you be interested in joining? I don’t believe the crops are completely ripe now, but in the future.” Oldrik checked with her. “Lalani will have her tools to give you a haircut at this visit.”
“We can have lunch, and you can have fun with the others,” Ardon suggested.
Stomping? Does that mean we’ll walk on them with our bare feet? Skye imagined how squishy that would feel. She suspected she might react badly to that. Some things were too much for her senses.
“Yes, that’s exactly it. Without the machinery to smash the grapes, Khadar suggested trying this old-fashioned way. I will volunteer to lick the pulp off your feet if you do not like juicing them,” Ardon said and waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.
My feet are not sexy, she protested.
“My Treasure, every inch of you is lickable. Shall I tell them you’d like to try it at harvest time? Or, shall we wait to see how much you enjoy today?” Ardon asked.
I can give the grape thing a try. Skye worried about all the planned activities—meeting the other mates, getting her hair cut, and dancing on fruit. She was going to be way out of her comfort zone. Can I take my backpack?
“Would you like to have Blunze?” Oldrik guessed.
Yes, please.
“I bet Blunze will have a blast,” Oldrik told her.
She could tell they wanted her to be happy and thought she needed interaction with the others. Skye was a bit skeptical but wanted to please her Daddies. She could do this. Right?
Chapter 8
The flight to Khadar’s was easier on all three of the triad. Oldrik could sense a slight easing of the mate bond as they soared through the sky. He could fly next to Ardon instead of on top of him. They circled and landed in the clearing in front of his estate.
Skye slid down from Ardon’s shoulders and stood back, studying them intently as they shifted into human form. It appeared her fascination with dragons would never waver, and Oldrik was good with that. He’d never envisioned sharing a mate with one of his horde.