Page 109 of Dragon Unhinged

And as soon as I get the chance, I need to make sure that these fighting pits Declan was forced into don’t hurt any more shifters.

No one deserves to be maimed, to be traumatized, to be left broken, the way Declan, Ewan, and Kayden were.

If I’m going to get a set of talons and sharp teeth of my own, I’m more than happy to tear the men who hurt my mate apart.

After some help from Donna,and some privacy at the back of the plane with Declan holding me, I manage to breast feed my daughter for the first time. She was getting fussy and needed some milk. Her entrance into the world was chaotic for her too. I stare down at her as she suckles from me. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe she’s here already.

I think about the massive to-do list we have just to get up and running as normal parents. Syrena promises to educate me on having a baby witch in the family. Apparently, their powers start in the womb and continue to grow with them.

“She’ll need a name,” I murmur.

“Rest first, Brianna. There’s plenty of time to do all the things.”

I stifle a yawn and nod.

Once our daughter is full and asleep, Finley takes her from my arms. I want to protest, but I can barely move I’m so tired. I fall asleep curled into Declan.

He seems to need the rest as much as I do, and with so many other people watching over our daughter, making sure she’s calm for the flight, we take a few hours to focus on ourselves, to rebound a little from everything our bodies have been through.

I don’t wake up until we’re getting ready to land. Syrena’s holding my daughter, a couple brightly colored orbs dancing over her head as if suspended by magic.

We really need to name her soon.

“You’re good with her.” I take the seat across from the witch, but don’t try to take the baby. I know she’s mine, and already I feel to the need to keep her safe from everything and everyone, but it’s still hard to reconcile the fact that I barely found out Iwas going to have a baby, and now she’s here, so tiny and so perfect.

“All the witches borne of dragonblood are connected by invisible threads, and in some ways she’ll be as much my responsibility as yours. To teach the ways of magic, to help her guide the obsidian dragons, to train her in knowing when she’s pushing too hard, or when she needs to add an extra punch.” Syrena smiles down at the baby, her eyes almost seeming to glow, like Declan’s do when his dragon is near the surface. “I do hope you’ll consider staying near Miami, so that I can help watch over her and protect you all, until she has control over her power.”

“We’ve got a lot of decisions, a lot of things to figure out.” I glance back at Declan, still asleep. “And a lot of healing yet to do.”

“Dragons are resilient. It won’t take him long to regain full control over his beast, especially with you by his side every step of the way. Just don’t be too surprised if he’s more possessive, more demanding, than he’s been before. The claiming doesn’t calm down any of the fire a dragon has for his mate, and I think especially with everything the two of you have been through, he’s going to need you more than most.”

“What about Malcolm?”

Syrena sighs and hands over the baby before turning some in her chair to look toward the back of the plane, where Malcolm’s body is tucked away in the bedroom. “I don’t know. There are no signs of life I can detect, but I’ve also never seen a dragon who’s been killed in battle revert to his human form. It’s like the dragon abandoned him in his dying breaths, and I don’t know if it’s permanent, or if he’s still in there somewhere, or if Malcolm’s somehow ended up trapped, between life and death. I won’t have any answers until I can get him back to the hotel and investigate it all more closely.” She sighs and rubs her temples. “None of usblame Declan, though. There’s no way he would’ve gone here, if it weren’t for the craze.”

“And the PTSD from everything my father put him through.” I shake my head, trying to clear the visions that seem to have a direct line from Declan’s mind to my own, so much stronger with him sleeping. “He didn’t even see Malcolm. He thought the dragon was some other beast trying to stop him. He thought he was back in the fighting pits.”

“I don’t know if Grey is behind the fighting pits, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he orchestrated something like that. Either way, it’s just another thing on our list that needs to be stopped. Using that kind of magic on shifters, doesn’t go without a price.” Syrena leans back against her seat, dropping her head back against the headrest. “Grey has done too much damage to this world with the magic he’s mixed and used. The ancient magics are waking up. I can feel it. Something big is coming. I just don’t know if it’ll help us or swallow us all whole.”

“Maybe it’s a good thing. Maybe humans, the world in general, needed to learn about everything that exists. Even if it’s a fight to find a new balance, a new world order, maybe it’s exactly what we need. Maybe all of this happened for a reason.”

Syrena gives me a sad smile. “From your lips to the gods’ and goddesses’ ears. We need that kind of positivity. Most of the dragons lately are all doom and gloom. You, my dear, are going to make one hell of a dragon’s mate. I’m glad Declan found you, even if the circumstances weren’t the best.”

I look over to where my mate’s sleeping, seeming entirely too big in the airplane chair, a pained look marring the face that should be relaxed, peaceful even, and then down at my daughter, the perfect little miracle that she is, and I can’t help but think I’m the lucky one here.

“I should get back to him.” I frown slightly. “What do I do if these dreams, this pain, doesn’t go away?”

“Just be there for him. Dragons have a way of finding what they need in their mates. In time, you’ll both heal from all this. Together.” Syrena nudges me toward Declan and offers a small smile. “Declan needs you now, just as I suspect you need him too.”

I head back over to my seat, holding my daughter gently as I get situated.

Declan’s hand immediately finds my thigh, gripping it just tightly enough to make me not want to move again.

“I’m not going anywhere. Just sleep. We’ve still got a little while before landing.” I lean my head onto his shoulder, trying to reassure him that I’m here, that I’m not going anywhere.

Ash ushersus toward two big black SUVs, one already outfitted with a car seat, and gives the drivers directions without even a casual greeting.

I’m glad that Malcolm is in the other car, even though it doesn’t seem to do anything to set Declan at ease.

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