Destiny of Dragons (11 page)

Liang nodded. Too much emotion clogged his throat to make words possible. Instead he walked through the portal and straight into a spare bedroom that looked as if it had been prepped for a medical ward.

“Set him here.” A brown-haired man with golden eyes pointed. “I’m Dr. Tian Franks.”

Liang placed Proteus on the bed. “This is Proteus, he’s a leafy sea dragon.”

He blinked back tears.

“And your mate,” Dr Franks said. The doctor patted Liang’s arm. “You might want to wait in the other room.”

It was more of a suggestion than an order.

“Can I wait there?” He pointed to a chair in the corner. “I promise not to get in the way.”

“As long as you don’t interfere, certainly.”

Dr. Franks examined Proteus, only making noises from time to time. Under Liang’s watchful eye he cleaned Proteus’s wounds, stitched him up and hooked an IV into his right arm. “I’ve done all I can to make him comfortable. Once he’s awake we can discuss options. I know a couple of companies who make realistic prosthetics. As he only lost part of the lower half of his leg he should be able to walk almost normally with a proper replacement.”

“He’s going to be devastated,” Liang said, watching his mate sleep.

“He’s alive and so are you. That will help some of his progress. Don’t let him wallow. Get him shifted as soon as possible so he can heal.”

“Will do. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Have Aden call me if you need anything else.”

“You don’t live here?” Although he couldn’t remember seeing the hawk before, there were a lot of people milling about.

“No. I’m working Emergency Medicine at Harborview, there isn’t enough work for me to be here full time.”

“Ah, okay. Well I appreciate you coming.” Liang just wanted to be alone with his mate and the doctor must’ve sensed that because he patted Liang on the back then left.

Liang scooted his chair close to the bed and rested his head next to Proteus’s hip. Joy that they’d both made it out alive filled him. Sure, Proteus had suffered a severe injury, but he lived and Liang would always be grateful for that.

Hours later Liang woke to the sensation of someone stroking his head. Blinking rapidly he found Proteus awake and watching him.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Liang sat up to examine his lover.

“I hurt. I think I damaged my leg, it aches.”

Liang swallowed back his tears. Damn, he wished the doctor had stuck around.

Proteus floated, curled up, at the bottom of the tank. His children floated around him chattering as children often do. Everyone thought it would do him good to spend time with the kids, hoping to boost his morale. He still had a tail but it was extra thin at the bottom and lacked a huge section of his brood patch. Chances were he’d never have children again.

Depressed, Proteus examined his fake coral without enthusiasm. Maybe he could persuade Liang to take him to Australia for a little bit. He missed the bright coral reefs.

Tae floated down to him. The tiny sea dragon swam slow circles around Proteus before nudging him with his snout.

“I’m fine.”
Proteus sent along their parental link. Damaged, traumatized and useless, but fine.

Kensi came to join her brother and the pair of them circled around Proteus as if trying to offer sympathy for whatever ailed him. Apparently sulking wouldn’t be allowed. If he did it as a human Liang tried to prod him out of it, and in the water his children were insistent he swim around.

Baby sea dragons, especially ones with half dragon blood, were far more energetic than Proteus on a good day and this wasn’t a good day. Two weeks had passed since his injury and although physically he’d healed and they’d even found him a comfortable prosthetic, he still ached for the rest of his leg. He wanted his brood patch back even though the chances of finding a sea dragon surrogate were slim, now they wouldn’t even bother to look.

“I don’t need more children.”
Liang’s voice sank into Proteus like a warm balm. He turned his gaze outside the aquarium.

His mate stood outside the glass beside him. Proteus couldn’t quite make out his expression, but sorrow poured off of Liang in ocean waves. He swam to the top of the aquarium signaling his wish to leave. Liang reached inside and grabbed him then set him on the soft mesh mat.

Proteus shifted, grateful for the towel Liang handed over. He let his mate lead him to a bench where he sat and dried off before strapping on his prosthetic. The fake foot mocked him with its lack of mobility.

“Gallen said to visit him, he has a spell for you.” Liang handed Proteus his clothes, but didn’t help him further.

Good. He might be crippled, but he wasn’t helpless and he didn’t want Liang to treat him as such. The dragon had been solicitous since Proteus’s injury, but not too much, it was the guilt eating away at him that made Proteus cringe.

“Hey, it’s not your fault. I knew there was danger when I went in.” Proteus might sob on the inside, but he never wanted Liang to feel responsible.

“If I hadn’t gotten caught…” Liang turned away as if unable to say the words.

Proteus finished getting dressed. Naked, his insecurities tried to take over and stomp out any hope he might have of a proper conversation. “Let’s put that in our past. We can let the guilt and sorrow and insecurity eat us up until there is nothing left of our bond, or we can move forward.

Liang’s smile made the stilted speech worthwhile. Proteus might not be able to shove away all the sorrow from the loss of his brood patch or part of his leg, but he was luckier than most. He had a wonderful family, a supportive mate and a great group of new friends. He’d be an idiot to let any of that slip away because of his insecurities.

“I love you.” It needed to be said and from the relief crossing Liang’s face he needed to hear it.

“I love you, too.” Liang stood up and lifted Proteus in his arms.

“I can walk.”

“Shh, I’m being romantic, just let it go.”

Proteus relaxed in Liang’s arms. “I thought we needed to go see Gallen?”

“Gallen can wait.”

Liang walked Proteus to their bedroom. It wasn’t big and luxurious, with the bed shoved against a wall and dominating the room, but it smelled of them. Proteus sighed at the comfort of the darkness. Sometimes he missed the coral reefs, the fake ones never gave him the same sense of peace.

“We’ll go visit Australia sometime soon. We deserve a vacation.” Liang kissed Proteus on his forehead.

“Yes we do.” Time away from everything sounded amazing.

Liang lay Proteus on the bed and stripped him of his clothes.

“I just got dressed,” he protested with little heat.

“And I just undressed you.” He pointed to the prosthetic. “Can I remove this?”

Proteus blushed, but nodded. “It’s ugly.”

“Nothing about you is ugly. I love every part of you.” Liang kissed Proteus’s stump and nothing in his expression conveyed anything but total adoration.

Blinking back tears, Proteus gave his mate a watery smile. “Thanks for saving me.”

“If I hadn’t been there—”

Proteus cut him off. “No, I mean before. You didn’t have to get me out of that other aquarium, but you did and I think you would’ve done it whether or not I was your mate.”

“No one deserves to be kept against their will,” Liang said.

Proteus slid a hand through Liang’s hair. “Thank you for being my mate.”

“I didn’t have much to do with it, but you’re welcome.”

“The Fates did a good job when they picked you.” Proteus pulled Liang down to him. He pressed his mouth to Liang’s before letting the dragon take control. His mate didn’t always dominate their lovemaking, sometimes they took things slow and sweet, but in this moment he needed to be claimed.

“I’m happy to be anything you need.”

Proteus’s hand trembled as he cupped his mate’s face. “And that’s what makes you perfect for me.”

Kissing led to touching. Liang’s scale clothing vanished and nothing but smooth flesh pressed against Proteus. He sucked in his breath, gasping at the sensation.

“Am I too heavy for you?” Liang asked.

“You aren’t even putting your weight on me, how could you be too heavy?”

Liang held most of his weight on his arms while he hovered over Proteus. He slid down Proteus’s body planting kisses and nips as he went, mapping out his skin as if there would be a quiz later and he needed an
A
to graduate.

The third time Liang bypassed Proteus’s erection he let out a whimper.

“Easy, love, I’ll get to it.”

“Now. I need you now!”

“Patience. It will be that much better.”

“If it gets any better I might not survive.” In the short time they’d been mates Liang had discovered all of Proteus’s hot spots, and a few he hadn’t realized would drive him insane.

“You’ll be fine.” Liang showed a fine disregard for his mate’s sanity and continued the slow sweep of kisses and licks with the occasional bite thrown in to crumple Proteus into a needy bundle of nerves.

“I love your soft skin,” Liang said before lapping at Proteus’s hipbone.

“I have other soft things,” Proteus prodded.

“You mean this?” Liang wrapped a firm grip around Proteus’s erection. “That’s pretty hard babe.”

“Keep that up and it won’t be hard for long,” Proteus promised, he ended the sentence on a gasp as Liang slid his hand up and down Proteus’s shaft.

“I’d best get busy then.”

Liang produced a container of lube from beneath his pillow. A neat trick since Proteus knew it hadn’t been there last night.

After putting a large dollop of lube on his fingers, Liang pushed one thick digit into Proteus’s hole. With mind-blowing thoroughness, Liang prepped Proteus.

“Now, just do it.”

Liang laughed. “You know how I hate to rush.”

“And you know how I’d hate to have to kill you.”

Still chuckling, Liang hooked his arms beneath Proteus’s legs, lined up his erection to Proteus’s entrance then pushed inside. Proteus bucked at the sensation. The slow burn, the immediate connection, then the bond between them flared brighter as Liang continued to merge them into one.

“So good,” Liang muttered.

Liang folded Proteus almost in half and he loved it. Not treating him like a fragile, broken creature, but an equal partner in their relationship had Proteus bursting with joy. He didn’t have much time to think as Liang increased his speed until he was pounding away in long even strokes that shortened to fast staccato motions when he began to lose control.

“Yes. More. Harder!” Proteus shouted. He couldn’t control his need to get more of his mate. He needed it all.

Liang gave him everything he wanted until a quick yank of his cock had Proteus exploding between them.

A low grunt and the splash inside him told him his mate had found his release. Instead of immediately sliding out, Liang planted several kisses on Proteus’s mouth, his forehead and both cheeks before separating their bodies. “Come on, let’s take a bath then go see what Gallen wants.”

Proteus preferred baths now because he didn’t have to wobble on one foot while he cleaned up. He allowed Liang to carry him instead of fetching his crutches. His mate enjoyed cradling Proteus in his arms and as long as he didn’t make it his goal to move him from room to room all the time, he’d let Liang get away with it.

After a quick bath they went to see what Gallen wanted.

“Hey, guys.” Gallen looked up from the large tome he had spread across the table.

“Liang said you wanted to see me?” Proteus tried not to sound nervous, but the powerful sorcerer was not only a magic user, he was the mate of the dragon king.

“Yes, I think I have a spell to help you.”

“Help me?”

“Yes. It will make your prosthetic foot respond to the type of terrain it’s on. Unfortunately I can’t help you grow a new foot since you aren’t part starfish, but it should make it easier for you to walk.”

Proteus ignored the starfish part. “That would be great.”

“Sit down here and I’ll try casting.” Gallen pointed at the chair beside him.

Liang gripped Proteus’s shoulders. “It’s not going to hurt him is it?”

“No.” Gallen shook his head. “Since the spell is on the prosthetic it shouldn’t affect Proteus at all.”

“Do you need me to take off my shoe?”

“Yes, please.”

“I’ll get it.” Liang kneeled before Proteus and slid off this shoe followed by his sock.

“Would it be easier if I took off the foot?” Proteus asked.

“No. I think this should be fine.”

Works like “think” didn’t reassure Proteus, but he made no comment as Gallen fetched another chair to prop Proteus’s leg on.

Gallen referred to his book one more time before raising his hand over Proteus’s leg and muttering in some language Proteus didn’t recognize. From the hairs rising on the back of his neck he didn’t want to either.

A blast of light finished the event.

“I don’t feel any different.”

“Let me put your shoe back on.” Liang stepped forward to replace Proteus’s sock and shoe.

“Try standing,” Gallen said.

Liang helped Proteus to his feet. His prosthetic foot shifted in his shoe and Proteus immediately felt more stable. “Wow, that’s awesome. There’s really a big difference. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Gallen’s wide smile brightened the room. “I’m glad it worked.”

“Me, too.”

With a more confident stride Proteus left the room with his mate beside him.

Aden entered the dining room to find his son engrossed in the newspaper. “Morning, Carey.”

“Morning, Dad.” He didn’t look up.

“Anything going on this morning?”

“Yeah, I think I know where the emperor might be.” Carey slid the paper across the table.

Aden read the headline. “Boring machine stalled. Tunnel stopped indefinitely.”

Carey leaned forward and propped his chin on his palm. “They claim the machine hit a pipe or something.”

“And you don’t think it did?” Aden raised an eyebrow. “I know everyone seems like a conspiracy these days, but don’t you think this is carrying things a little too far?”