Page 50 of Lahaina Noon

“So why aren’t you silver like your mother?”

He sighed. It was because his father was a red dragon, not a wielder; they weren’t sure which parent he would take after.

“Hold up again, I thought you said dragons didn’t mate with other dragons.”

Usually, they don’t, but my mother and father were the exception. My father was so fierce that only another dragon could tame him.

She nodded; he seemed like a mixture of both of his parents. Fierce and kind.

He continued to tell her about the day the Shadows came. His father and mother had both fought hard, but suddenly, the Shadow King himself had appeared behind his mother before she could turn. He’d slit her throat. Bridget winced and mourned at Vaughn’s pain at the memory coming through their connection. His father, enraged, tried to kill the Shadow King, but he had dissolved into shadow again. How do you kill something that has no form or mass?

The shadows withdrew, and his father had fallen to his knees, holding her body.You remember what I told you happens when dragons lose their mates;he reminded her quietly.

She nodded sadly.

It had killed his father. Vaughn, standing there watching this scene unfold and being helpless to do anything about it, had cried. Seeing his mother’s blood in a pool by his feet and his father’s lifeless body at her side, he vowed vengeance on the Shadow King. That he would avenge their deaths. In his rage, he changed into full form for the first time. Everyone was shocked. His scales were like polished obsidian; his eyes were like flames and even stranger; he shimmered with golden wings.

There had never been another black and gold dragon before that,he confided. Black dragons had been thought extinct when the last one had died over a thousand years before. His two-tone scales had shocked the dragon world, and he’d been sent before the ruling body, the Dragon Council. They’d examined him, not sure what to make of it. He was kept under strict observation and trained in the multiple guilds of dragon skills to find where his talents lay. It turned out to be brute strength and raw magic compared to more refined skill sets. He was a fierce and deadly warrior, his rage fueling many fights. The Council had wanted to keep him there, a tight leash on him, but he railed and fought, demanding his freedom.

He was finally granted it after many years, under certain terms. He’d agreed and set out to see the world. He’d wandered a bit until the 1940s when he settled in Dallas. The bustling city had appealed to him, but by then, the fire of his rage had been tempered. He’d already proven business savvy and had built up a large amount of savings. He’d stayed because Dallas just seemed right. It was meant to be.

What is the Dragon Council, and what were the terms? she asked.

He chuckled,so many questions, my shining star. Tomorrow is soon enough for answers. Let’s get some sleep, and we’ll start again in the morning.

Bridget nodded, feeling the pull of sleep but wanting to keep listening to his fascinating history. He pulled her closer under his paw and turned his long neck around so she was completely surrounded by him. He pulled his wing over the top like a canopy, and she relaxed. She was safe here; nothing would harm her while she was with her dragon.

His rumbling purr and radiating warmth soon lulled her into a deep sleep.

Chapter 28

The sun rose andwarmed the day like a smile upon the land. The rays spread out across the horizon and stole away the shadows.Okay, now I’m being fanciful,Bridget thought,spend one night on an island with a dragon, and suddenly you’re writing poetry.She heard a laugh behind her.

“You know, I prefer sonnets myself,” Vaughn said. He was hopping around on one foot, trying to get his shoes back on while standing on the roof of a skyscraper.

She laughed at how ridiculous it all seemed. They had slept until the sun had warmed them both and, after Drake took a quick dip in the water, flew back.

He had flown high enough that she was able to trail her fingers through the few wisps of cloud remaining before the sun burned them off. It was a thrill she’d never forget.

“I’m still not sure I forgive Drake for shaking lake water on me like a dog.”

He was finger-combing his hair in the reflection from a nearby window. He laughed, “Well, I needed to dry off so you weren’t slipping around.”

Mmm-hmm. She heard Drake’s raspy laugh fill her head as Vaughn grinned at her.

She walked over and placed her hand on his arm. “Thank you, Vaughn. Thank you for sharing that side of yourself with me. Thank you for trusting me and loving me enough, to be yourself fully with me. I know now what it means to you.”

He pulled her in and kissed her softly. “Thank you,” he whispered back to her, “Now let’s get these kolaches inside before the kids eat us out of house and home.”

She nodded, following him downstairs. “Honey, we’re home.” Bridget called out, walking in the front door.

Gabe and Liam were standing in the kitchen, digging through the pantry. They both poked their heads around the corner and spied the large bakery box Bridget carried. They smiled at each other and made a beeline for it.

“Whoa!” Vaughn stepped in front of them, holding up his hands. “Plates, and save some for your mom!” he called as they rushed off with the box, like goblins eager to hide their treasure.

“Yes, Dad!” Liam called back with a hint of sarcasm, Gabe cackling like a co-conspirator.

Vaughn rolled his eyes and turned to Bridget. She was beaming at him. He liked that look on her face. He decided he never wanted to see it go away. He took her hand and led her to the dining room. “Let’s see if we can get some of that before they finish it all.”

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