Page 57 of Lahaina Noon

Bridget clapped her free hand over her mouth to stifle the giggle that wanted to burst out.

Vaughn had the decency to look sheepish.

Ivan squeezed her hand and let it go. “Now, there’s some other things you need to know son, and they aren’t going to be easy to hear. So, listen well.”

“Father, please.” Vaughn held up a hand. “I know you’ve more to tell us, but I need to clarify a few things.”

Ivan regarded his son thoughtfully. “Always the inquisitive thinker you were. Never one to rush into a fight without analyzing all the factors first. That’s why I wouldn’t send you straight to warrior training despite my red powers. I thought you’d more of your mother in you, I expected you’d be silver like her. But my son, I heard things in the mountain. Strange things. I heard that you are neither red nor silver? I also imagine you want to know why the Council hid me away all those years, why they were keeping me secret.”

“Exactly!” Vaughn slammed his water down. “Why was I led to believe all those years you had died? I was being kept a prisoner by the Council, too, probably near where you were held, and I never knew.” He hung his head, whispering, “I never knew.”

It broke Bridget’s heart to see the anguish on his face. She knew firsthand how hard the death of a parent and partner were. Vaughn had thought he lost his mother and father through violence at a young age, only to find his father had been kept away by some unknown motive of this mystical Council. She walked around the desk and leaned over him. Wrapping her arms over his chest, she held him.

He lifted his head, burying his face in her neck, just breathing her in.

She heard a soft rumble and knew he was going to be okay.

Ivan gazed at the pair softly. They reminded him so much of his own mate it made his heart clench. He sniffed lightly, discreetly wiping his eyes.

“Vaughn, son, it must have been hard for you. Seeing your mother fall, then thinking I was gone too. I can’t imagine how it wounded you.That, I believe, is the underlying reason for all the cloak-and-dagger nonsense. My boy, I’m told you manifested your dragon at that moment, and it was unlike anything anyone had ever seen. I’m told it was glorious and terrifying all the same.”

Vaughn turned his head away from Bridget’s warmth and looked at his father. His eyes held flame in them, and smoke trickled from his nostrils. “It was. I was pure fury and revenge,” he said in a low steady voice that sent chills over them. “I wanted to be the night, bringer of death to the shadows. I was death, I was pain, I was raw force and rage. All I could think about was reaching into the shadows and ripping them to shreds.”

Ivan regarded his son with appraising eyes, giving a sharp nod.

Bridget shivered, and Vaughn put a reassuring hand on her arm.

“Don’t you see Vaughn, that’s it.That’swhy you became the first black dragon in millennia. Most first transformations are a time of happiness and growth. A time of renewal when our line continues. Yours was born of anger and hate, bloodlust and fire. That’s why the Council fears you and kept you under lock and key. That’s why they kept me alive and hidden away all those years; they wanted to know how it happened. How did red and silver create black. They thought it was because we were two dragons, but with me only inches from Death’s door, they couldn’t confirm it. When they finally revived me, they ‘rehabbed’ me under the guise of needing a warrior, but they were really studying me. My reputation as a fighter had gone to my head, I guess. I really believed they needed me. To resume my place on the front lines. So much had changed though. It’s just been the last nine to ten years that I really understood the reason behind it.”

Vaughn shook his head. “The Council wants me back. By mating with Bridget, I’ve fallen right into their hands.”

Chapter 32

Vaughn had returned tothe gathered assembly and quietly pulled Liam and Killian aside, whispering the new plan to them. Liam’s eyes widened slightly, but otherwise gave nothing away. A slight nod was Killian’s only acknowledgement.

He stood once more in front of the group, and they immediately quieted down this time, leaning forward to hear the news.

Bridget and Ivan sat in the back of the room with Jorrie and Jack. “Jorrie, Jack, this is Ivan, Vaughn’s father, and my, I guess, I don’t know.” She looked at him. “What do I call you?”

He laughed, a rumbly chuckle much like Vaughn’s but deeper. “You can call me Ivan for now. We can figure out the rest later. A pleasure to meet you, Jorrie, my dear you are as lovely as a spring day, and Jack, I can see you are quite the charmer. I look forward to getting to know the rest of my family soon.”

Jorrie and Jack mumbled shocked replies, then sat back as Vaughn began to speak.

“Everyone, the events of this day have indeed been shocking. First, the revelation of my mating to my lovely Bridget.” A round of applausebroke out, and he waved it down. “The brazen attacks on our families by the Shadow Claw.” He took a deep breath, “And my own father, Ivan the Red, seemingly returned from the grave.”

At this point, every head in the audience turned and stared at Ivan. Not a sound was heard.

“Thank you all for your patience while we sorted this out.” Heads turned back to Vaughn, captivated by the events, wanting to know what could possibly be next. “As we discussed earlier, the Shadows have become brazen and are posing a viable threat to all our kind.” Hisses at this. “Now, now, you’ll all get your chance,” Vaughn cautioned, “But be warned, the Shadows are operating in desperation, they no longer have anything to fear except extinction, they will ambush us, they will fight. We must be ready for anything and everything. Our forces captured a Shadow only this morning and have been interrogating him as to the Shadow’s movements and goals. We hope to have more information on that front. In the meantime, I will travel to the Council to request assistance. I will leave you in Marco and Killian’s capable hands to plan our defense and offense here while I am gone.”

Vaughn spoke for a few more minutes, assigning duties, teams, leaders, and setting expectations. He turned the floor over to Marco, then came to the back with Liam, Siobhan, and another man Bridget had not met yet. He was devilishly handsome, and she saw a twinkle in his eyes that made Bridget suspect he was going to be a handful.

Vaughn picked Bridget up, seeming to need to touch her. She happily wrapped her arms and legs around him. He held her close for a few minutes while the others made small talk, studiously ignoring the couple.

You were brilliant up there,she told him. She could feel him smile against her neck.

Just doing what any good general would do,he chuckled, and she shivered at the feeling.Careful little one,he rumbled,don’t get me too worked up or I might have to take you back to my office, windows be damned.

She smiled,Sex God? I should have named you Sex Fiend. Don’t you get enough?

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