Page 1 of Changed

Chapter 1

Robin

Aheadache was building behind my eyes, seeping into my forehead, and ruining my damned day. Dragons didn't suffer from headaches. How mundane. How utterly ridiculous. And how fucking inconvenient, when I had a million other things to worry about right now.

The only time I had ever suffered a headache was when I was afflicted with that whole life-stealing curse nonsense. And since Ruya had healed me and the curse breaker worked his magic, headaches were a thing of the past.

Until today.

My coming of age was drawing closer, and I could feel it. I could feel my body—and my dragon side—starving for its missing magic, yearning for what had been stolen from us. But there wasn't much I could do about it at the moment, except plan. I hadn't forced myself to be patient for over sixty years just to botch things now. So, I would focus. I would ignore every minor inconvenience—like stupid headaches—and carry on, the way I always had.

Someone knocked at my bedroom door, and I looked up with a growled out "What?" Damn it, I should have noticed the powerful auras of the magic users approaching, but I was too distracted. This wouldn't do.

Sanka peeked his head around the door and gave me an unrepentant smile. "You've been holed up in here all morning, Princess. Thought you might want some lunch."

I shoved aside the hand-drawn maps of Detroit's underground tunnel system that I'd been studying, and arched a brow at him. Most of my court was currently out completing various jobs for me right now… including our best cook. If Yukio had left behind something for us to heat up for lunch, then I might be inclined to eat. But if Sanka was in charge of the cooking, I'd be better off roasting and eating one of the rats Ruya insisted on befriending.

"What's on the menu?" I asked with narrowed eyes.

The smile on my sorcerer's handsome face stretched wider, becoming a lascivious grin as he pushed the door open all the way and pulled Ruya in against his side. "Well, us, of course," he said with a wink and an exaggerated eyebrow waggle. "If you're hungry."

Ruya blushed, but didn't contradict him, and I huffed a laugh at Sanka's directness. "Sanka, honestly," I drawled, leaning back in my chair and crossing my legs as if I wasn't dying to leap at the distraction he offered. "You're such a pig. Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps Ruya might object to you treating her like a delicacy to lure the evil dragon out of its cave? She isn't a piece of juicy steak, you monster."

If possible, Ruya blushed even harder. Teasing her was one of my favorite past times these days. I hungrily drank in the way the vivid red of her cheeks contrasted with her perfect white skin and her sparkling silver hair. Sanka caught me basking in the sight, and gave me a knowing smirk. "Oh, no," he said in a playful voice. "Don't blame me. I'm innocent. This whole thing was Ruya's idea, not mine. I'm the one who'll probably end up being treated like a piece of meat here!"

I stood and paced across the room, closer to where they stood. "Ruya," I purred. "Is this true? Did you twist the poor, tiny, innocent little demon-blooded sorcerer's arm and force him to take part in your plotting?"

She played along despite her blushing. Ruya really was a beautiful woman, and she grew more beautiful every day, as she gained confidence and stepped more firmly into her power and strength. Pulling away from Sanka, she straightened her spine and squared her shoulders, chin lifted slightly, projecting that perfect, untouchable priestess air that she had learned during her time with the Order of the Triple Moon. The cult had left her with one unintentional benefit, at least. I wondered if Ruya knew how much that poise of hers changed her, how she moved more like a statuesque queen than a demure religious servant. How when she donned that air of untouchable being, every eye was riveted to her.

The dragon that shared my soul preened and I allowed myself one ridiculous moment of pride. My omega. My true mate. Together we could be so powerful. So perfect. I mentally shook myself out of the alpha mating fantasy, reminding myself that was all it was—a silly fantasy. I couldn't allow myself to be sidetracked from all I had worked toward all my life, from avenging my clan and taking back my birthright.

Claiming Ruya fully would make her my whole world. Nothing else would matter anymore. I cared for her. But I couldn't let myself be consumed by my instincts.

She stepped toward the sound of my voice, her queenly bearing not the least bit hampered by her lack of sight. An impish smile flitted across her soft lips. In response to my teasing accusation. "You caught me," she said in her clear, sweet voice. "I just thought that maybe between the two of us, we could get our sexy, all-powerful alpha's attention."

I reached for her, unable to go another second without feeling her supple skin under my fingertips. Mine, the dragon sleeping inside me insisted. All mine. Always. Smoke curled from my nostrils before I could catch myself and rein in my embarrassing beastly reaction.

Being near her simultaneously settled something inside me, made me forget all of my other worries, and made it harder to maintain my already fraying hold over my dragon side. I wanted to be near her. But the dragon in me wanted more. It wanted us to fully claim our omega true mate, bind her to us and never let her go. It was a ridiculous battle of wills that took place inside my own damned head. And it certainly wasn't making my headache any better.

Ruya couldn't see me, but she probably smelled my loss of control on the air. Sanka saw everything, of course, but he wisely kept his mouth shut, like the experienced beta he was.

"Mmm… flattery will get you everywhere. But you don't need anyone's help to capture all of my attention, my beautiful witch," I told Ruya truthfully, cupping her cheek and drawing her closer so I could brush my lips over hers. "Is that what you want right now? To be the sole object of your alpha's attention? Or should we take pity on poor Sanka and allow him to stay?"

She shivered under my touch, responsive in the way only an omega could be. Especially an omega who was in the presence of her perfect alpha mate. It was as if she had been made just for me. But I was determined to ignore that minor detail.

My tone was light and teasing, but the question I asked was entirely serious. Being an omega meant that Ruya had certain needs that the others in our court didn't have. Or at least not to the same degree. Even though we weren't fully bonded, it was my duty as an alpha—and one I took very seriously—to see to Ruya's every need; physical, mental, and emotional. She was under my protection. If she needed time alone with me to feel safe and secure, and to meet her innate craving for closeness, then I was more than willing to provide, no matter how many other things I should be doing right now.

Sanka understood. He was a beta. Caring came naturally to him. Even if he wasn't affected by Ruya's omega pull, he loved her and wanted what was best for her. If Ruya said she wanted him to leave us alone, he wouldn't be offended or feel left out. He would just be happy to give her what she needed.

Ruya practically glowed at my words. It was both gratifying and maddening at the same time. On one hand, I wanted to provide for her. To be the strong, dominating, unshakable alpha force she needed. But on the other hand, the fact that having so much choice and so much control over her life was still so new and wondrous to her made me seethe with anger. One day, I would murder the people who had kept her imprisoned and treated her like a slave or a beast to be trotted out and used at their whim.

One day. But not today. Not now. No, right now there were more important matters to attend to. Like keeping my rage and my offended dragonish sense of righteousness under control, so Ruya could speak. So she could make her own decisions.

"He can stay," she said easily. Then she bit her lip as she second-guessed herself. "But if we're bothering you, we can go. I know you have important things to do."

'Important things' was an understatement. We knew where the emperor of the paranormal syndicate was hiding. Going after him so directly and rashly wasn't part of the plan. But I couldn't pass up the opportunity that had been presented to me. I was itching to end this long game of stalking and finally sink my teeth into my prey.

I was so close to being able to hunt him down and pry my birthright—my stolen magic—from his corrupt, genocidal hands. It made me rash. But perhaps I needed a bit of rashness to balance out all the waiting and scheming. Maybe it really was this easy. Eliminate the emperor now, deal with the rest of the syndicate and all of the political and social fallout later. One could always hope.

---