Page 99 of So I Dared a Dragon

“I hope it doesn’t rain,” I said as we headed through the building. The day had started clear, but some angry gray clouds had rolled in while I got dressed.

“Rain is considered to be good luck on your mating day.” Of course Bibi would say that. “We already have a tent set up for the party.”

“You’ve thought of everything,” Mom said.

She laughed. “I’ve earned my title of fairy dragmother.”

The band changed their music when they realized I’d arrived. I could hardly breathe when I saw Aarix waiting for me at the end of the aisle.

Sweet moon, he was even more gorgeous than usual. His hair ruffled in the breeze, and his eyes glowed that gorgeous peridot green as he caught my gaze. He wore a black velvet jacket, black top shirt, and leather pants. Luca, Magnus, and more dragons from the Smoky Mountain Thunder stood with him.

I’d asked Mom and Bibi to walk me down the aisle. There were so many people here—and so many that weren’t. I’d held onto hope we see the Montana wolves I’d invited—even if their presence meant nothing but chaos. I wanted to celebrate this day with them.

Had they really ceased to exist?

Mom kissed my cheek and gave Aarix a hug before taking her seat. Bibi was our officiant.

“Did you ever think we’d be here?” I asked as I put my hands in his.

“I dreamed this day into life.” He leaned in and brushed his lips against mine, leaving me with an insatiable craving to taste every inch of his beautiful body.

In a matter of moments, he’d be mine. Forever.

Bibi cleared her throat. “Today we gather to celebrate Calista and Aarix. When we talk about fated mates, we fool ourselves into thinking that makes the journey from meet to mate easy.But these two overcame incredible odds in more than one lifetime to come together again. And their union will forever be thought of as a not only a symbol of their love, but a new beginning for so many dragons. I absolutely hate this part, but if anyone objects—”

The sky went black like someone had stolen the sun. Gasps erupted from the crowd as they were blanketed in darkness. Somebody screamed.

“Fuck,” Aarix growled.

I gripped his hand, willing him and myself not to shift.

A red glow rose from the same aisle I’d just walked down. A human emerged from the thick, black fog. The Night God didn’t even have a supernatural body. He simply siphoned power from those stronger than him.

“I believe I said I’d send you straight to hell before I let you claim your mate,” the Night God snarled. “And I’ve come to make good on my promise.”

Aarix gripped my hands even tighter. “It’s not me you’re afraid of. It’s Calista. It’s always been Calista. You segregated her from her thunder and stripped her of her supernatural powers. You forced ordinary wolves to do horrible things in the name of protecting her, and from what?”

The Night God scoffed. “Nonsense.”

I slid my hands away from Aarix and approached the creature that had caused havoc in so many lives for centuries. Once I’d come into my full power, I’d recognized many of the people who’d been erased from my life. But the Night God could have been any middle-aged white man. He was handsome, but not remarkable. But he knew he had power, and that was what made him dangerous.

“Why?” I asked, resisting the urge to slash his smug face with my talons when he didn’t answer right away. “What it is about me that you wanted to erase and destroy an entire thunder?”

“There’s absolutely nothing remarkable about you,” he snarled.

“Bullshit. I think you’re just afraid to admit that you’re scared of little old me.” I tapped the talon against my chin.

His aura grayed and his vibration, originally defiant, was quickly sliding into chaos.

“Is he fading?” someone asked.

“She’s stealing his power,” another person called out.

Whoa, this was new. I’d never done this before. The last thing I wanted was his power, but he’d proven that he couldn’t be trusted with any of it. I held up my hand, and the vibration between us felt like an electrical volt going through my veins.

“No!” he cried as his knees buckled. His eyes turned black, and the gray skin collapsed like I was sucking the life right out of him. “Please stop. I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything.”

“He’ll lie to you, and I’ve stayed quiet about this for far too long.” My mother stepped forward. “He’s your father.”

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