Winter's Dragons. Draconic Affairs: A Soulmates of Seasons Prequel Read online

  I wasn't sure Raijin was telling the truth. My dragons were very protective at me and while they would never deliberately hurt my staff, they seemed to have decided they needed to do a general threat assessment on everyone who came into contact with me on a regular basis. I half expected them to ask Eranthe and my other sisters to fight them. Gods, I hoped not. Pandora and Tarasia would probably think it was a wonderful idea and they'd have a great time coming up with weird ways to make my dragons regret the challenge. And while Eranthe might seem harmless due to her demeanor, I honestly shuddered at the thought of her confronting anyone, and not just due to my own natural concern for her.

  I made a mental note to warn my dragons about the imminent danger and said, "I'm sure December understands you're only doing your best to help everyone be more battle-ready." December didn't refute me, although being so soundly defeated in front of me probably grated on him. Glancing away from my lieutenant, I carefully took in my dragons' expressions, a worm of an idea niggling at the back of my consciousness. I debated my possible options and finally settled on the one that gave me the most advantages. "Besides, I have no doubt you were holding back a little. Why don't you give us a little demonstration of actual draconic fighting?"

  As expected, my dragons were more than happy to follow my suggestion. "Of course, treasure, if that's what you want," Kerryn replied. "In our secondary forms, I take it?"

  "Naturally, Kerryn." While it would've been fascinating to watch my dragons fight in their shifted forms, I didn't actually want them to go so far, and it wouldn't be helpful to my minions. Very few of my subordinates could fly, so the shape-shifted draconic fighting style was of no use to them. Well aware of this, my dragons had focused on their humanoid forms and their magic in their training module, but as far as I knew, they'd never actually fought one another before.

  "It would be our utmost pleasure to fight for you, treasure," Emmerich drawled. He shared a look with Kerryn and Emmerich and added, "After all, we never did finish our fight from the tournament."

  My mind flashed back to the first time I'd met them, the day they'd attacked one another in the foyer of my palace. I almost wanted to take my words back, but I decided not to. Instead, I nodded. "By all means. Let us see what you can do."

  "Your wish is our command, Queen Cheimon," Kerryn answered with a tiny grin.

  Sometimes, it was so easy to forget that my dragons had hated one another before they'd come here. However, their parents' recent visit had made it clear that I needed to pay more attention to their subtler reactions and behavior. My dragons might have agreed to share me and they might have all been my soulmates, but an underlining current of tension did exist between them.

  Maybe it was related to their inability to physically obliterate all my enemies, or maybe they did have a score to settle, but I had to follow my instincts. In my heart, I felt my soulmates needed this.

  Eranthe waved a hand, and vines erupted from the ground, creating a low settee for us. I shot her a grateful look and sat down. If not for her, I would've probably had to create a throne of ice to sit on, and such chairs were always so very uncomfortable.

  Eranthe sat next to me and leaned against my shoulder. "This is exciting," she whispered. "Pandora will be jealous that she missed the fight. She was so curious about them, you know, and we didn't really have enough time to speak to them this past week."

  I hummed thoughtfully. It was for the best that Pandora was not present for this particular battle since she'd probably want to turn it into a source of entertainment. "Pandora will have plenty of time to get to know my dragons better. They're not going anywhere. This is just a little friendly spar."

  Eranthe giggled but didn't reply. I could understand the source of her skepticism. As my dragons faced one another, a feeling of violent anticipation swelled through the air, like the silence before the storm. My minions sensed the accumulating power as clearly as I did and backed away as far as they could go. The barbegazi looked like they wanted to leave the bailey altogether, and would've probably fled had this demonstration not been at my command. Since my presence made theirs mandatory, they took refuge behind the bulkier yetis. Meanwhile, December and January rushed to my side, presumably to defend me and my sister if something went wrong. I suspected they were fully aware that our magic was more capable to neutralize dragon fire than theirs would ever be, but I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt on this one. My lieutenants hadn't always been known to make the best decisions or to be completely self-aware. Perhaps they actually did want to protect me.

  Of course, they needn't have worried, since my dragons would have never hurt me. In fact, as soon as Eranthe and I got comfortable on the settee, the air in front of us blurred and shifted, and I sensed Raijin's magic settle around us like a shield. It was an unnecessary precaution, as both my sister and I could've used our own abilities to protect ourselves from stray blasts if it was ever necessary. I didn't say anything about it, though. Relationships were about compromise and I would let my dragons have this, at least for now.

  Besides, I trusted them to not let the episode escalate. Whatever tensions existed between them weren't serious enough for them to actually hurt one another. I was sure of it.

  Had I not known them as well as I did, the exchange that followed would've changed my mind and really unsettled me. A cloud of green slowly started to form around Kerryn as he stood in front of his two rivals. Meanwhile, Raijin's magic crackled around him, the mystical energies he commanded echoing against my own core. "Well, firedrake?" he drawled, staring straight at Emmerich. "Aren't you going to make a move? You did say you want to finish our fight."

  "Taunting me, are you?" Emmerich sneered. "Well, I would hate to disappoint."

  Fire blazed at his fingertips, and the ground beneath his feet thawed, the snow and ice melting and evaporating in an instant. I could have probably kept that from happening if I'd tried, but I had no reason to interfere. When Emmerich directed his fire blast at Raijin, Raijin blocked it, although the intensity of the explosion sent him staggering back. The flare of the Emmerich's elemental magic almost reached Kerryn, and he backed away. The toxic green around him didn't fade, though, and he didn't tone it down even when he took advantage of Emmerich's lowered guard to approach and attack him in hand to hand combat.

  I found this a little surprising since, in the past, Emmerich and Kerryn had mentioned that their magic clashed so badly it created explosive reactions. At one point, that had changed. Not only that, but Kerryn also seemed immune to the blaze around Emmerich. This was not something unique to Kerryn, as Emmerich displayed no reaction to the poisonous fumes still surrounding my wyvern. When Raijin joined them, mere seconds later, he was the same. It was rather interesting, as I knew for a fact they hadn't been this way when they had arrived. I distinctly remembered Kerryn using his toxic breath against Raijin in battle and the method working perfectly. Granted, they'd been in dragon form at the time, but that shouldn't have made a difference.

  We weren't the same people we'd been back then. I'd changed, and so had they. It stood to reason that their magic, something that was so very attuned to their essences, would change as well.

  In front of me, Emmerich made a grab for Raijin, and his sharp claws grazed Raijin's cheek, leaving behind bloody trails. Eranthe went rigid. Perhaps she had not thought this battle was that dangerous until now.

  "It's fine," I whispered, patting her knee. "It's not serious, and they know not to go further."

  Also, I'd done worse to my dragons when we'd been having sex, but now was probably not the best time to point that out. The sight of the claw marks on Raijin's cheek reminded me of many of the sensual moments I'd shared with my soulmates, and I had to wonder if Emmerich had delivered that blow on purpose, not necessarily aimed at Raijin, but at me.

  While Raijin was off-balance, Kerryn lunged at Emmerich, and his claws raked over my firedrake's chest. The sharp tips tore through both the material of Emmerich's uniform and his skin,
but Emmerich displayed no sign of pain. Fire surrounded his body, instantly cauterizing the wounds and making it more difficult for Raijin and Kerryn to see him. It was only for a second, and then, Emmerich charged at Kerryn like an enraged yeti, grabbed him and tossed him straight at Raijin.

  The move didn't have much effect, since Raijin danced to the side and Kerryn stabilized himself with an ease I found enviable, landing on his feet. Then again, this supposed battle was not a battle at all. Any of them could have delivered far more serious attacks if they'd really wanted to, but they didn't, because the end result was already set in stone.

  I licked my lips, my body already responding to their silent promise, to the deeply seductive and almost voyeuristic nature of the fight. I'd never been happier about the fact that my lieutenants didn't have senses as acute as my dragons, because otherwise, they'd have probably noticed I was already wet. Eranthe must've realized it, as she relaxed and nodded in satisfaction. However, she was half-nymph and my sister, so I didn't mind her knowing. My subordinates were an entirely different issue.

  Perhaps it had not been such a great idea to have my dragons fight in public. I could not even touch myself, because everyone would see.

  To top it off, my soulmates seemed intent on driving me crazy, because when Raijin's power surged, the energy that was supposed to be protecting me curled around me like a physical touch. My breath caught as his magic slid into me, making my nipples tingle and my pussy clench around empty air.

  My dragons were sneakier than they seemed, and were not beneath mimicking my own tendency to use magic to tease them. Emmerich and Kerryn's elemental abilities weren't very conducive to that, but Raijin turned out to be better at it than I could ever hope to be.

  In front of me, Raijin delivered a swift, ferocious kick to Kerryn's side. As his foot made contact with Kerryn's rib cage, his magic jolted inside me, flicking over my swollen clit and reaching into my very core to pleasure me.

  Oh, dear gods. At this rate, I would come right then and there, surrounded by my minions and with my sister next to me. This was not good.

  At first, I didn't know if Emmerich and Kerryn realized what Raijin was doing, but then the two of them converged upon Raijin, directing a flurry of blows at my ryū. Somehow, they managed to not get into one another's way, and their hands glowed red and green respectively as they struck Raijin. He wasn't taken aback, but that might have had something to do with the bright flare of light blue surrounding him. Not only did the shield of magic absorb every blow Emmerich and Kerryn aimed at him, but it also seemed to redirect the energy behind said blows at me, in a very sexual way.

  My vision began to swim as my three dragons all started lavishing me with their attention. Ice formed at my fingertips, my own abilities responding to my soulmates' ethereal touches. I could still see them fighting in front of me, engaged in the lethal dance that had turned into a seduction. At the same time, though, I could've sworn I felt their hands on my body, their kisses leaving trails of fire on my feverish skin.

  If I closed my eyes, I could imagine Raijin burying his head between my legs and swirling his tongue around my clit, making love to me with his mouth. Emmerich's warm arms would be around me, and he'd whisper a husky "treasure" in my ear. Kerryn would lean over my naked body and take my nipple in his mouth, sucking on the pebbled nub, sending renewed sparks of pleasure through me.

  On some distant level, I registered Raijin lashing out at Kerryn and Emmerich again, and the magical currents around him seemed to feed the elemental powers my other two soulmates were using, instead of repelling them. The image in my head shaped the surge of power into something entirely different, and all of a sudden, Raijin had changed positions and was thrusting inside me, his cock filling me in one single, smooth motion.

  It did not take long for Kerryn and Emmerich to join him. Emmerich's dick pierced my anus, whereas Kerryn thrust into my mouth, and I tumbled into a headspace of absolute pleasure where the only thing that existed was the bond between me and my dragons. As they moved inside me, I became a receptacle of passion and lust, embracing everything they were giving me and demanding more, always more. They fell into a perfect, almost punishing pace, claiming me as theirs, enveloping me in their strength, presence, and desire. There was never a moment during which I felt empty, and every inch of me was alive with the pulsing heat of our connection.

  I would've liked for the experience to last forever, but it wasn't meant to be. Raijin's hand landed on my chest, straight over my heart. His magic pulsed through me, once, twice, three times, and just like that, I fell over the edge, no longer able to withstand the onslaught of ecstasy. I convulsed through wave after wave of pleasure, and the sensations only became more overwhelming when I felt my dragons come as well. I tasted their need for me on my tongue, felt it in my heart, and sensed it in every inch of my writhing body. It followed me even as I drifted into the pleasant haze of my afterglow, safe and comfortable in their embrace, with the sound of their voices echoing in my ears.

  "Cassia..." Emmerich murmured from behind me.

  "Cassia..." Raijin whispered, kissing my knee.

  "Cassia..." Kerryn said as he brushed his lips over mine.

  "Cassia!" Eranthe called out.

  The sudden, jarring sound chased away the lingering remnants of my pleasure, and I opened my eyes, trying to figure out what was happening. Eranthe? What was my sister doing in bed with me and my dragons?

  As my vision cleared, I realized I'd misjudged the situation entirely. I wasn't in a bed at all, and my soulmates were nowhere to be seen. Instead, my sister was the one by my side, on the same settee she had earlier created with her abilities.

  Oh, gods. I'd completely forgotten she was there. I'd completely forgotten about my actual location. This was an absolute disaster.

  Eranthe didn't seem to think the same. "Well, that was interesting," she said. "I'm glad your soulmates are taking care of you."

  I let out a groan of embarrassment. While I hadn't been planning on having sex of any kind in front of my youngest sister, her presence wasn't that big of a deal. However, December and January had been standing right in front of us. The entire bailey had been filled with people. What would they make of the sight of their queen having an orgasm for no apparent reason?

  There must have been something on my face that gave away my complete horror because Eranthe laughed. "Don't worry. I covered for you."

  I blinked and realized for the first time that we were indeed surrounded in a comfortable cocoon of vines and flowers. Some of the plants were frosted and withered—my doing, no doubt—but we were nonetheless isolated from everyone else. I wasn't sure when this had happened, as I had seen my dragons fight, but I was still grateful for Eranthe's help.

  "Thank you. If I'd come in front of my whole court, I would've never been able to show my face in Tou Cheimóna again."

  "Don't exaggerate. You know what Pandora would say. There's nothing shameful..."

  "About sex," I finished. "Yes, I know. You've been taking her advice a lot lately."

  Eranthe shrugged and waved a hand, dissipating the vegetation that had shielded us from view. "A little bit, maybe. I still have a lot to learn."

  The comment reminded me of my earlier conversation with Eranthe and the request I'd never gotten the chance to take back. Unfortunately, now was not the time and place to talk about it. My dragons appeared to have decided to end their battle and were grinning from ear to ear as they made their way to my side. I could see traces of blood, scratches, and bruises on their bodies, but the wounds in question were already healing and my lovers didn't seem to be very worried about their health anyway.

  I suspected that might have had something to do with their own orgasms. Nothing in their stances or clothes suggested the fact that we'd basically just had sex, but the satisfied looks on their faces clearly had little to do with their recent fight. The only time they smiled like that was after they seduced me into having sex in a location I would have normal
ly vetoed, with my throne room being the top of the list. It appeared that today, they had picked the bailey, instead.

  "That was an excellent workout," Kerryn said, still smirking. "What did you think about our fight, treasure?"

  "It was certainly very interesting, although you still were holding back," I answered, somehow managing to appear calm even if my body instinctively responded to their proximity.

  "A little, yes," Raijin admitted, his eyes flashing with an echo of my lingering desire. "But even so, in your opinion, who won?"

  I shot him an unimpressed look. "What kind of question is that? I did, of course."

  I could not say what I really meant, not with all the eyes still on us, but it did not matter. My dragons understood me perfectly. They knelt at my feet, just like they had what seemed like an eternity ago when they'd first vowed to stay by my side and protect me.

  To everyone else, it might have seemed like a subservient position, but I knew better. I might have been their queen, but I was also their soulmate. For a while, I'd actually feared that the differences in our respective roles would hurt us in the long run. I couldn't have been more wrong.

  Our eyes met, and I smiled, my heart pulsing with longing and affection. "Thank you for your demonstration. It was very well done, and I'm sure that everyone here has learned much. There is one more thing we need to do now, to wrap it up."

  When I allowed my magic to flow over them, it was not the powers of winter that came to me, but rather, the healing abilities of my core, nymph nature. And as I watched their wounds heal under the bright, pure light, I reflected upon how much things had changed since our first meeting. Once, I would have been wary of it. Tou Cheimóna was the land of winter, and the change my dragons had brought had clashed with the serenity I had pursued for so many years. But finding them had made me realize that I didn't have to be just Cheimon. I could also be Cassia, even if the powers of the avatar of winter went against my innermost self.