Page 15 of Beyond the Storm
Daman & Warrin
A glimpse into their happily ever after.
Daman
The world fell silent when it snowed. As flurries drifted from the sky, they absorbed the sounds of the surrounding forest. I peered up at the snowcapped trees and breathed in the crisp air.
Home.
There was nowhere else I wanted to be than right there in the ice dragon kingdom, living in a cozy cottage in the middle of the woods with the male who owned me, heart and soul. We had another member of our family now. The thought of my son brought warmth to my chest.
Much like his name implied, Sorin was like the sun. And he had me and Warrin wrapped around his little finger.
A crunch of snow reached my ears.
Smiling to myself, I grabbed a low-hanging branch and swung up into the tree, waiting for him. My soul sensed Warrin first. My heart beat a little faster, and flutters rolled around in my belly. And then, his scent reached me. Even when surrounded by the forest, I could still detect the smell that belonged only to him—like a spruce tree covered in snow with an underlying hint of winterberries.
Warrin walked down the path toward the cottage, his sword lightly clanking where it rested at his hip.
He had left earlier that morning to join his unit of warriors on the training field. As the commander, he still had responsibilities, despite us no longer being at war. However, King Nikolai had insisted he cut back his hours so he could spend more time with his family. He only trained a few days a week and always returned shortly after lunch. The plan was to eventually pass his role to Prince Viktor so he could have a less active position.
I perched on the branch, unmoving. Barely even breathing. Tracking was my specialty. And in that moment? My target was my six-foot-six ice dragon husband.
As Warrin approached, his expression lacked all emotion. Once upon a time, I’d believed him to be just as cold as the element he controlled. But beneath that icy exterior was a gentle soul who set me on fire. He had loved me when I didn’t love myself.
Carefully, I shifted my weight, bracing myself up with my fingertips and the tips of my boots. I followed his movements. Just a few more steps and he’d be right where I wanted him.
Now!
I leapt off the branch, aiming for his back. But he wasn’t nearly as oblivious as he’d seemed. His head snapped up, and he grabbed my waist in midair. The impact caused us to topple over and land in the blanket of snow. We hit with a soft thud.
“You sensed me, didn’t you?” I asked, cushioned in the snow with him on top of me. Couldn’t say I minded it. I loved the weight of him.
“Always.” Warrin slipped an arm behind me and cradled the back of my head with the other. “Are you hurt?”
“No.” I rose up and nipped at his nose.
He softly smiled. “You pounced on me. My kotya.”
Years with him and that nickname still made my stomach flutter. Envy stirred in my chest, awoken by our mate’s presence.
“My dragon,”Envy whispered.
“Our dragon.”
I sensed the bitter bastard turn his nose up at me. The relationship with my sin had improved since Lucifer’s defeat, though he still irritated me.
“How was training?” I asked, wrapping my legs around his hips.
Warrin picked me up from the snow and carried me with us facing each other. “It went well. I worked with new recruits.”
“Did you use your authoritative voice, Commander?” I glided my lips up his throat.
“I save that voice only for you.”
I chuckled and rested my face against his neck. He was so warm. “You never raise your voice with me.”
“I did once.” Warrin held me a bit tighter.
