Page 19 of The Aurora Marelup Complete Saga Omnibus

“I’m fine, your royal hotness, just trying to get Sinclair to understand that it’s over and that I choose you.” He made probably his smartest move of the night, leaning his head against hers and placing his hands on her arms. Not only do his words please her, but he also immobilizes her in case she wishes to attack. Because after all, if she moves wrong, she’d end up hurting him too, and she wouldn’t ever do that.

Sinclair starts to move towards them, and he appears angry. Aurora isn’t having any of it. Her eyes burn molten mercury, and scales ripple over her forearms as she growls at Sinclair. “Choose wisely, male. Jayce has chosen; his word is final. He is my mate, which places him on my level. To move against him or me is to move against the throne.” She releases Jayce and moves him behind her. Sinclair slowly lowers his head looking down.

Aurora isn’t budging at all, and she has made her stand. Once Sinclair moves off, Aurora turns and kisses Jayce. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” Her eyes return to human grey as shemoves to embrace Jayce. They hug for a very long time before they break apart.

Aurora steps away and moves close to Alex. “I heard you accepted the position.” She holds her hand out to him, her royal brand facing Alex.

“I do, my queen.” He bows his head to her, already proclaiming her queen. “I will be fair and just and treat everyone better than my father had treated me.” He grasps her hand tightly and shakes it. He lifts his head, and they smile at each other.

“Thank you, Alexander. Please prep your people for war. Free the prisoners that were unjustly imprisoned. If any wants to fight alongside us, they are welcome. The guilty prisoners execute them. There is no sense in being imprisoned for life.” Alex nods along, taking notes on his phone. He is the organizer of the sons, so he is perfect for this role. “Oh, and Alex, I need the Dire’s with the toxic bite to be trained for assault.” That gets his attention.

“For assault, my queen… like assassins?” Alex is quite curious about where her thought process is going. I nod along, sensing where Aurora wants the team to be.

“Yes, Alex. We send them in, almost like scouts, to weaken the forces already in place.” Aurora starts drawing in the sand. Nico moves up alongside her and starts adding to the drawing. She draws a place that she’s never been to. Somehow she knows the layout of the castle grounds.

Nico takes over drawing at this point. “If the Strigoi didn’t completely destroy the castle, they will hole up in the bottom chambers in the center during the day.” He points to the structure in question. “A daytime assault will be the best bet. If we can gather other Ice Dragons, we can freeze them in their tracks and behead them.“

It’s kind of scary to think that Aurora was raised without her father, and their thought processes are perfectly in line. She looks at her father’s drawing, pointing at parts of it, and you can see the gears turning. “Father, what if we use the tunnels to the south and send the Dire’s in through there?” She has a puzzled look on her face, mostly because she’s unsure how she knows these things.

Nico starts to laugh, which draws Sebastian to the group. “I’m so glad to see that you remember all that I’ve shown you in your dreams over the years. I wasn’t sure what you learned in your sleep.” He hugs Aurora tightly as he gazes upon us. “Come, all is settled here. Let’s head back to your guardians, Aurora.”

My brother and I return to our suite to pack. It’s time to go and plan our next moves as a pack. Jayce still seems off, but his spirits are much higher than they were earlier. I think Aurora verbally claiming him made the difference in his mood. I guess we shall see. After all, we are about to meet the two men who raised her for the last two hundred plus years.

CHAPTER 16

Nicodeamus

After all these years,I finally have my little girl. She is everything I have dreamed of and more. Though I must admit, she took after me so much. She has my white hair and silvery eyes, but her face and build are all her mother’s. And her Lycan has some distinct dragon qualities to it—for example, her talons and the white scales. Her Lycan’s muzzle is far longer and broader than your run of the mill Lycan. It killed me to have to sit back and feel her battle without me. Even though I knew she would defeat the challengers without an issue. The draw on my power had been intense, and she’s far more potent than I could have ever imagined possible. When I walked out and saw her Lycan standing there without fear, it made me beam with pride. She trusted me completely even though she didn’t know me, per se. We stood against the alpha together, and it warmed my heart that she was there with me.

Now we move slowly through the tunnels to come out somewhere near where Aurora’s truck and guardians are waiting for us. Aurora is ahead of me between Sebastian and Dominik, with Dom in the lead. The other twin, Jayce, is still with the brother we left in charge of making sure the transfer of powerwent smoothly. I think I’m more anxious about being free after all this time. I haven’t seen the skies in over two hundred years.

We approach the sealed passageway, and Aurora looks back at me, sensing my unease. She breaks loose of her mates and comes to my left side to wrap her arms around my waist. “I’ve got you, Daddy... no worries, I’ll protect you.” Her smile is infectious and warms my soul. I’mDaddyto this grown woman. It brings tears to my eyes, hearing her call me that.

“Thank you, little one. I love you, baby girl. I always have and always will.” I kiss the top of her head and nod to Dom to open the passageway. I squint my eyes as the first rays of light flickers through the opening. It feels like forever since I’ve seen the sun or smelled the fresh air. I move slowly with Aurora, looking outside, amazed by how little this area has changed since my imprisonment.

Dimitri and Andre come rushing over, seeing Sebastian exit first. They immediately start asking about Aurora. She steps out next while I remain in the shadows for a few moments, just taking it all in. She is smiling and laughing as Dimitri hugs her and spins her around in a circle. The next moment he’s shaking a finger at her as she tells him about the new body count. His head whips to the opening, then back to her quickly as he processes what she’s told him.I still live.Andre and Dimitri come running over to the passageway and drop to their knees before me.

“M’lord,” they say in unison, still looking at the ground waiting for me to speak.

“Rise, my friends. You’ve done a glorious job with raising Aurora. I am forever in your debt.” They both look up at me, astonished. It’s now that they finally notice I’m missing my left arm. Andre looks like he’s ready to cry, and Dimitri isn’t sure what expression is appropriate at the moment. “I lost my arm the night of the invasion. The now-dead alpha was the one that took it. With the help of my daughter, I got to take his lifetonight. It’s been a very good day.” I smile at them, and they look between Aurora and me several times. I guess my daughter is more like me than I realized.

Aurora moves to my side and snuggles in close. She was choosing me over her three mates; it truly soothes my soul. In all the years I dreamed of my child, I never pictured the strong female before me. When I would dream walk to teach her in her sleep, her animal never revealed their gender or even their fur color. It was very protective of her even in her slumber. Perhaps her Lycan is more dragon than I first suspected.

Dimitri is the first to approach and kneels before me. His bear surfaces as he looks up to my daughter and I. “M’lord, if I had known you were captured, we would have come for you sooner.” His head lowers, and he looks to the ground. I guess, in a way, he blames himself for not knowing.

“Dimitri, do not blame yourself. You carried precious cargo; my daughter, last of her name. You performed a great service to our people and me. I am forever in your debt.” I gently place my hand on his shoulder. “Rise, old friend.” Aurora moves off to the side and into Sebastian’s waiting arms. Dimitri slowly stands, and I can see clearly now that he is starting to age.

Whatever magic that has extended his life is fading slowly. I move forward and hug Dimitri, bringing the big old bear in close. I missed having my trusted guardian at my side. Few from the past still live, yet those that should not be here are still alive. My eyes find Andre; he is another that has outlived his species lifespan. “If there is anything I can do for you and Dimitri, name it and it shall be yours.”

Dimitri backs up and hugs onto Andre. His eyes dart to where Aurora is standing with her three mates. Slowly his eyes return to me, and I can see a sadness deep within their depths. “I fear we will not be able to serve in the final battle as we are now.” Andre begins to sniffle and hides his face against Dimitri’s chest;he fears death. Dimitri looks down at his faithful companion and sighs. Perhaps there is something this old dragon could do.

“We can try something; it’s old magic and might not even work for long.” I look down, staring at my hand as I shift it, looking at my snow-white scales and long, white talons. Even after all these years, it is odd to only have one arm. My dragon’s eyes lock onto Dimitri before I look up and over to Aurora. “Daughter, I need your assistance.” Aurora and her mates look plenty puzzled by my request before they come running over without question.

“Yes, Father?” She cants her head to the right looking up at me. Her Lycan surges to the surface, sensing my dragon’s urgency. Her eyes fall to my shifted hand and arm, then back up to my eyes.

Our animals are in deep conversation that even I’m not privy to. Aurora’s hands shift quickly, and then plucks two scales off my wrist. She turns and promptly plunges her talon into Dimitri’s chest and sinks the bleeding side of my scale into his skin. She repeats the process even faster, with Andre knowing how sensitive the bird is. Once her task is complete, her hands begin to glow with frost. Her eyes lock onto the scales, and she presses both frozen palms over the scale transplants, cementing them to their new hosts. She draws in a deep panting breath then collapses from the exertion. Dominik is the one to catch her before she hits the floor. He cradles his greatest treasure against his chest, rocking her gently.

“I’m not sure how much more time my scales and Aurora’s frost will grant you. But for now, it will slow the process that has already begun.” I speak truly; I’m honestly not sure how long it will give them. For Aurora’s sake, something is better than nothing; she will need their guidance and wisdom to train the troops. They both look down at their chests then over to Aurora, who is still sleeping. “We need to get moving. Dominik, do you oryour brother have transportation? As we are not all going to fit in that.” Motioning to the black truck that isn’t far from where we are standing.

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