Web Of Bones: Book II of the Dragon Mage Series (14 page)

After Lord Theron gave them his cryptic
message, he gave them one last searching look and said, “I will see you again.” He refused to say anything else. They watched him ride away with mixed reactions.

“
What an arrogant little ...” Lux started, only to be interrupted by Solan.

“
Lux.” His voice was warning and Lux cleared his throat looking at Lady Melisande, who was too busy to watching the Seatown delegation, such as it was, ride away to notice his language.

“
They take the phoenix as their crest,” she mused aloud. “I wonder how it signifies.”

“
He might be like all the other Lords, despite his mysterious ways,” Braedon said, joining them, with condescension ripe in his voice. “He could just have picked it because it sounds good and looks pretty embroidered on his tunic.”

Lux snorted his agreement, but Melisande was not convinced.
“There is something different about him. Do you suppose they have their own brand of power on the Island, outside the mage and dragon lines?”

“
Unlikely.” Solan took her hand and pulled her back to his side. “There were many magic’s in the world beyond our borders that the dragons have explored over the eons. But the others were all destroyed long ago when the great floods covered most of the world in water. Only the few humans and mage living on this continent were spared, and the dragons who prefer the high places.” He ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. “We always survive.”

Melly grabbed his hand from her cheek and tugged it in her excitement.
“There were others?”

He smiled down into her excited eyes.
“Remind me when we get to my home, and I will show you the histories of my dragon line.”

“
Really?” she breathed, and he gave a rusty chuckle that sounded like he had long since forgotten how to do it, making every dragon in the valley look at him in shock. Melly loved it. She had made General Solan Fire-Eater laugh. His eyes on her had flowed to a happy tinsel bright, and the look warmed her wherever it touched.

“
The real question is,” Braedon said, sufficiently putting a damper on the moment, “do we accept what he says about not showing up to council meeting on mage law? Because I have to tell you, not really feeling the trust on this one.”

That sparked a planning session that lasted well into the night, and Melly was right
—they did not leave for Dracon until the wee hours of the morning.

***

Flying over the North Gate of Dracon, clutched in the talons of an onyx dragon, would have been more exciting if she had not slept through it. She had used up too much of her magic reserves in the last few days, not to mention she had wrestled a blood mage for her soul. But the second they passed into Dracon, she woke with a gasp, feeling the magic flow into her like water, filling up every inch of her, as if she was nothing more than a vessel for magic. She had lived in Dracon for months and never felt it quite like this.

It is the
dragon blood in you.
Solan’s power breathed through her, and hers rose to answer the call. There was so much more now than she had ever felt.
Dragon mate,
he stated, and she could feel his satisfaction.
We have both been altered by the mating and Dracon is welcoming you as if you are a dragon.

I wonder that my sister never mentioned this.

He was deep in thought for a moment.
I believe she was mated in Dracon. She would have noticed an increase in power, but the ‘filling’ is not something she would experience until she left Dracon and then returned.
He veered to the right. His great iridescent wings fluttered like giant sails above them.
Since we had to part ways with the others so that they can attend the council meeting without us, there is someplace I would take you.

The wind shifted and blew her hair back while she laughed at the true feeling of flying.
This is even better than flying on my own.

She could hear his mental groan at the prospect.
Yes, I have seen the memories you have of flying. We shall have to speak about that at some point.

But not now?

Now, I would not have this small respite to ourselves marred by an argument on safety.

Melly laughed.
My mate is wise as well as strong,
she teased.

***

The hot springs he took her too, were deep in a cave system, and filled with the magic that was Dracon. When Melly was placed on her feet, all she could do was gape in wonder at the tropical world all around her. The steam in the air was hot and fragrant with night blooming jasmine and honeysuckle. There were trees and ferns all around the well of water that lapped with steamy heat against the hard rock of the earth. Every rock glowed, lit from within. It was beautiful, mysterious and filled with magic. It took her breath away, and when her mate’s arms came around her and pulled her into his naked chest, she lost it all over again.

“
There are many caves throughout Dracon made of dragon dreams and hot springs. This is one of my favorites.”

“
It’s beautiful,” she said. Turning in his arms, she pressed herself along his hard naked length. Melly smiled into his eyes. “Magical, and wildly romantic. Just like you.”

He shook his head, and dipped his head so that he could rub his nose across hers.
“It’s my favorite because it is small and a goodly distance from most of Dracon. No one ventures here.” He kissed her, his lips lush and warm against hers.

A little breathless, Melly touched her tongue to his lips and felt her way.
“Have I ever told you that I love your lips?” she asked, never taking her eyes off them, and licking her own. “They make me want to bite,” she whispered. Like it was a shameful secret.

Solan growled, their desire floated around them in the very air they breathed.
He yanked her closer, his lips against hers when he spoke. “Bite me anywhere you want, little mage. There is not a part of you that I would not mark as mine.” He kissed her, pressing his heat and power into her mouth along with the wet friction of his tongue. He growled again when she kissed him back just as desperately.

Her dress went flying over her head, and since she was still naked beneath it, when he picked her up to carry her down into the hot springs
, it was flesh to flesh. The steam rose around them while he walked down the stone steps into the churning water. “There are many such places in Dracon,” he spoke, even as he was lowering her into the water, her skin sliding along his, until she was pressed against his chest. Her feet floated well above the bottom. It was hot, but not unbearably so, and it was the most erotic thing she had ever felt, being surrounded by magic and heat with her mate. “They are considered sacred to our people,” he murmured, as he pressed kisses to her soft lips.

“
I can see why.” She felt compelled to whisper around his kisses, as if they were in a holy place. “It feels as old as time, and yet newly born.”

“
Yes,” he said, clearly pleased, and just as clearly distracted by the play of light on her skin. “Exactly.” His lips trailed from hers, down her neck and across her shoulders, and the magic and heat followed, making her breath stutter and her head fall back. She was pretty sure all her bones were melting beneath those amazing lips. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her higher. His lips trailed across rosy-hued breasts and beaded nipples. He opened his lips over the top of one peak and sucked her into the wet heat of his mouth.

Melly gasped and arched her back
, presenting herself like a banquet for his pleasure. She wrapped her legs around him as he worked that peak and then trailed luscious lips to the other and bit down. “Solan,” she gasped out, her hands finding his hair and fisting, tugging him closer. “Every piece of you, Melly,” he growled. “Until there is not an inch of you that does not carry my brand.” He pressed his arms under her hips and stood so that she was suddenly above the water with the warm air swirling across newly sensitized flesh. He laid her back across the smooth stone lip that surrounded the pool and pressed her hands straight above her head, and trailed all that lovely heat lower. He nipped one nipple, then the underside of the other breast. He moved down and bit across her ribs, with a sharp nip directly beside her belly button. First one side and then the other. Each bit a trail that led heat and power like a burn under her skin.

By the time he was spreading her thighs open and nipping at the sensitive skin there
, she was mindless and writhing in the magic and passion he excited. He marked her pelvic bone and then hovered right over the heat of her weeping pussy. “Solan ...” she breathed, her head twisting against the rock with her need. He looked up at her rosy skin and glittering eyes and licked his lips, making her bite her own lips, already swollen from his touch. “Please.”

He growled again, and pushed her legs farther apart to press the hot friction of his tongue through the glistening heat of her pussy.
He licked and bit the roll of sensitive nerves at the gate and then thrust that dexterous and rough-edged tongue inside her to lap and suck. One second she was twisting and turning at his mercy, the next she was screaming her pleasure and magic was bursting all around her. He reared back. Pressing his cock to her still pulsing entrance, he thrust inside with one hard push that had her coming again with a scream that echoed off the rocks around them. He fisted her hair in his hand and pulled her chin up so that Melly was caught in his eyes. The swirling liquid silver flowed like molten lava through his irises and his face was once again angular and hard from the press of his beast so close. “My mate,” he growled, watching everything she felt play across her face. “Mine.”

Unbelievably
, Melly felt the passion rising one more time as he pounded without restraint against the nerve center deep inside her. This time the buildup of friction and power had them releasing together with a mind-numbing torrent of pleasure that blasted magic out and around them, until the glow of the rocks was blinding and all the flowers were in bloom.

Solan pulled her back into the water.
She draped over his chest, her face pressed in to his neck as they both fought to catch their breath. The magic floating in clouds around them soaked slowly back into their skin with a warm rush.

“
Do you suppose they are talking to the council yet?” she asked in a yawn against his neck, while he rubbed soothing circles over the naked flesh of her back.

“
I don’t care.”

His lazy tone made her lips turn up against his skin.
“Yes,” she said on a sigh.
We’ll worry about it tomorrow.

When Melly opened her eyes; she was standing in a stone fortress that glittered with veins of precious gems and gold through hard marble. She looked down and was happy to note that she was not traipsing around naked, or in some kind of blood red garment a blood mage might choose for his bride. Instead, she wore a simple blue dress, with an empire waist just under her supported chest that fell in cool waves to the floor. She pulled up her skirt to see her shoes were satin slippers.
Well. That’s different. At least I am wearing something I might actually choose this time.

She heard voices in argument and followed them around many corners to a set of double doors that stood wide open, and inside a glittering throng of dragons in human form.
There were so many jewels and glitters, not to mention dragons who themselves tended to be shiny, that it was almost blinding to look at. In the midst of all that, Melly saw her sister, standing with her mates and listening to the arguments that flowed around them. She tried calling her but no one heard, and no wind answered her call.

She was in Dracon, but apart.
She heard a sound beside her and turned to see a woman. She had long brown hair that shimmered bronze in an elaborate braid to the ground. She was slim and easily six feet, even walking barefoot as she was. Her diaphanous gown billowed around her lithe frame, and even towering over Melisande, she seemed as insubstantial as air. Then she turned her head and Melly caught sight of her face. As beautiful as her features were, delicate and refined in skin of shimmering pearl, it was the lapis lazuli eyes that struck Melly like a kick to the stomach. Never had she seen eyes that carried that much sadness. Even the incredible beauty of the lady could not distract from that well of sadness. It made tears form in Melly’s eyes just to see them.

“
You should not be here,” the lady said, and her voice sounded as if she spoke from far away, and the wind only brought echoes of what she was really saying. “This is a seeing that already comes to pass. I sent you the other one,” she said, and pointed behind Melly.

For the moment Melly ignored the gesture.
“Who are you? Is this the council chambers of Dracon? How could you send me to a seeing? I am not a dragon.”

The lady dropped her hand and sighed,
“I am Laksee, Dragon Seer. I can bring you to my vision because you dream walk on the wind seeking answers, and because you have enough dragon blood in you to call.” She almost smiled then. “You are a rare creature, Melisande, House of Fire and Water, wind mage and dragon mate.” Her voice lost volume and trailed almost to nothing on her next words. “But then your family line was blessed long past.”

“
What do you mean? How were we blessed?”

“
Your sister,” she said, pointing into the crowded chamber, and ignoring her questions. “Earth mage, and mate to two powerful dragon lines. She will see this law overturned, and be instrumental in writing a new one that will save us all.” She looked back at Melly. “Eventually.”

Melly blinked, as she met those sad eyes once again.
Again, it was as if the pain was physical. “What happened to you?” She whispered, clutching her stomach and trying to breathe while tears cascaded down her face, and the dragon before her just watched her with nothing giving away her pain but those incredible eyes. “Why are you so very sad?”

The lady smiled again.
“You will see soon enough what causes my pain. But it makes no matter presently.” She again pointed behind Melly. “That is where you should be,” she said, and this time Melly looked.

From one moment to the next
, Melly was transported. She was in another passageway, and like everywhere else she had seen of Dracon, the walls were decorated with the natural beauty of the mountain around them, complete with raw gems and quartz.

“
This way,” Laksee said, and Melly turned in a circle until she caught sight of her heading down a grand staircase.

She hurried to follow.
“Where are we? It looks like Forsaken.”

“
No,” Laksee said. “Though the name would fit here better than the mountain Eben Kinkaid shares with his family. Here it would be a true name.”

Melly lost sight of her going around the stairs and picked up her skirts to move faster.
“Then where is here?”

“
This is the dungeon.” Laksee’s voice had gone cold, and anger beat at Melly behind the words. “This is what you must see, so that they know.” Again she pointed, and this time Melly turned and was inside a dark room. A dragon in man form was hitting someone crumbled on the floor—a female someone, by the long dirty hair that trailed around the body, glinting wetly in the shadows. When Melly would have jumped between them, Laksee held her back. “The curse of a true dragon seer is that you do not have the power to interfere. Today you share that fate ... with me.”

“
Fool. Trickery. Did you think I would not know you warned them? I don’t know how, but I know it was you.” He yelled and pulled back his hand and struck again. The thwack of the fist hitting meat had Melly cringing and closing her eyes. “I told you what would happen if you betrayed me ... and I am a dragon of my word.”

At the dropping of his voice from fury to cold practicality
, Melly gasped. “I know that voice.”

“
Yes.” Laksee’s voice was quiet as she watched the silent figure crumble to the ground. “You do.”

A second later
, the Earth opened up and the bundle of beaten flesh and blood soaked hair was swallowed whole, even as she struggled and wept, fighting to the last. The ground closed over the figure completely and looked untouched.

Melly covered her mouth at the horror.
“She’s still alive.” She felt her own throat close in remembered horror.

“
Yes,” Laksee whispered, this time her pain like a burning in the air around them. “She is.”

The
dragon left the room with a roar that shook the mountain around them.

Laksee did not follow, just pointed to the wall across from them.
“Do you see it?”

Melly swallowed her bile, and wiped the tears clouding her vision, until she did see what the lady was pointing out.
“I see it.”

“
Then remember.” Laksee’s voice had turned to steel resolve.

Melly turned to look into jewel
-bright eyes that blazed now with purpose. “I will remember.”

Before she could ask anything else
, there was a scream that echoed down the halls of the dungeon. Melly swallowed hard. “What is that?”

“
That,” Laksee said sadly, “is my death.” She bowed her head, and then pointed back to the wall. Only now blood flowed in rivulets, soaking her dress in red from a wound opening on her throat. “That will not be changed, but this, this you will remember?”

Melly flinched back in horror, then with a deep breath, looked once again at the wall, the emotions choking her, until she had to swallow hard once again to clear her throat enough to speak.
“Yes,” she said, and then thrust her shoulders back and met those haunting eyes with her own shored-up resolution, repeating her promise. “I will remember.”

***

Solan shook her again. “Melisande, come back to me.” His voice had long since gone gruff and dragon sharp. He was aware that his talons were out, but he had one thought in his head. Get his mate back from wherever she had gone. “Melly!” he roared. His worst fear seemed to be coming true. Melly was in trouble and he was powerless to help her.

She had been sleeping peacefully in his arms until he felt the change. She still breathed
—it was not like either of the other times, when her heart stuttered or stopped. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully, but he knew Melly was not in this cave with him anymore. And he had no idea how to get her back.

What felt like an eternity later, Melly arched up with a gasp
and looked around her, eyes frantic. “Solan?” she whispered, seeing him, and then she threw herself into his arms.

He wrapped solid warmth around her and pulled her into his chest, bowing his head over hers, his eyes closed while he breathed against her hair.
He held her as close as he could while she shivered and clutched him. He just pulled her tighter, still trying to swallow his own emotions at her safe return. He could not have spoken right then if he tried.

Finally,
he pulled back and lifted her face to his with a hand at her chin. “Are you well?”

She grabbed the hand at her chin and breathed deep, meeting his eyes with hers
, still shimmering with tears. “I am well.”

“
What did this to you?”

“
It was not an attack. It was a woman, Laksee; she took me to her vision because I needed to see.” She squeezed his hand and her imploring eyes fell on his, frantic. “We have to go. He beat her and buried her, but I can find her ... if we hurry.”

“
Laksee?” Solan asked, “She is the dragon seer, but she has been in seclusion for years—it’s said her visions have driven her mad. You think she is being harmed?”

“
No.” Melly wiped her eyes, her voice hitching. “Laksee was killed, by the earth dragon who buried me, but there is another we must save.”

“
Laksee is dead?” The implications were staggering, and if this was a true seeing...? He growled low in his throat, his dragon pushing against his skin in sudden rage. He stood and pulled her up beside him. “Can you send a message to your sister?”

Melly nodded, studying her mate.
She sighed out a breath. “You know who the enemy is.” It wasn’t a question, but he answered it anyway.

He looked at her, running his hand down her cheek.
Then leaned down and kissed her forehead, breathing her in one more time, just because he needed it. But his voice was a cold, grim stone that dropped between them. “I know who the enemy is.”