Page 14 of Charisma

One of the dragons, who is emerald green in color, breaks the passage first. His mate yells in glee as she hollers, “Giddy up, Drakko.” The gravelly rumble from the dragon seems admonishing, but the happy sheen in his eyes contradicts that.

“Maizy,” Esmerelda calls her name in a chiding tone, “don’t upset the fire-breathing dragon. You know better, young witch.”

“Essie, you should know me better than that by now,” Maisy retorts as soon as her dragon lands. His huge frame causes the ground to shift and shake as his body lands on the earth’s floor. “I say and do what I want, and Drakko just rolls with the punches.”

I watch in utter fascination as plumes of smoke and fire are emitted from the dragon in question almost as if he’s laughing at his mate.

“Shift, you big lug,” Maizy the witch admonishes her mate as she slaps at his pearly green sheen-colored scales. “It’s rude to stay in a form where nobody can communicate with you.”

When the man shifts, my jaw drops as the largest man I’ve ever seen takes over. “My apologies,” he rumbles as Maizy twirls her wrist and he magically has clothes placed over his form.

“Didn’t have to do that on our account.” Tumbles out of my bestie's mouth.

“I think you have a little drool leaking from your lips, Esme,” I tease her as her mate and the rest of the gang comes stomping through the forest.

“She better not be drooling over another man,” Beast berates her, crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes at her.

“Psh. I’m mated, not dead,” Esme fires back at him.

“Keep it up and your mate’s gonna smack that ass red,” he sneers, his eyes never straying from our guests as he takes in if they're a threat or not.

“I wouldn’t have allowed them entrance if they were a threat, Beast,” Esme hisses at her man. “Stop staring the man down.”

“Nope,” Beast responds, popping the P dramatically. “Ain’t happening, sorceress. Not until I get a feel for this man and his companions.”

“Ha!” one of the other women snickers, this one older than the other two. “He sounds like y’all. Cavemen, every last one of you.” She smiles at Esme as she walks over and hugs her. “We’ve missed you the last couple of years, Essie.”

“I’ve missed y’all too, Mari,” Esmerelda replies, a mist forming in her eyes. “You girls have grown up!”

“It happens,” the third girl chuckles. “We’re all mated now, Essie.”

“I see that. Congratulations to you all. I’m also mated and a mother,” Esmerelda explains. Suddenly, I’m a tad uncomfortable, feeling like a third wheel as I watch this reunion take place. I don’t know these men and women, but Esme is at ease with them, so I’ll dismiss my usual standoffish behavior and put in an effort to include myself into the mix.

“Introduce us, Esmerelda,” Paxton commands. I notice that while Landry is with him, he’s actually standing mostly in front of her. Not only that, but he’s partially shifted, his large razor-sharp claws extended as he protects his mate.

Esmerelda scoffs before pinning him with a glare. “I was getting to that, Paxton. Patience, kitty!”

“Ooh, a kitty!” Maizy oohs and aahs as she jumps up and down, clapping her hands together. “Can I pet you?”

“Absolutely not,” Paxton snaps at the same time that Landry snarls, moving Paxton behind her to shelter him from the exuberant witch’s enthusiasm.

I don’t have the heart to tell Landry, who is excruciatingly big with their baby, if Maizy wants to do something, she’ll do it; that’s just how witches operate. They don’t ask, they just do. Especially if they feel threatened, which even in her delicate condition, Landry’s all claws and teeth.

“Relax, Landry, she’s just teasing,” Esmerelda soothes. “The girls have been sheltered from things outside of their immediate coven, they’re curious and easily excitable. I promise, they mean no harm to you or your mate.”

“As long as they keep their mitts off my man, I’ll behave,” Landry supplies, still glaring at the witch which has her mate reacting and shoving her behind him. They’re all a bunch of overly protective Neanderthals.

“Okay, everyone relax,” I suggest, deciding someone needs to be the adult in this situation. “Let’s start over. Hi, I’m Charisma, and this is my mate, Baldwin.”

“Hi.” Maizy waves. “My name is Maizy, and this is my mate, Drakko.”

“I’m Mariella, everyone calls me Mari, and this is my mate, Airvyd.” I hadn’t noticed that the other two dragons had shifted until introductions began.

“And you are?” I ask, pointing to the third girl who seems a little more timid than her siblings.

“Oh, sorry,” she shyly apologizes, her face breaking out in a pink flush. “My name's Maribell, but everyone calls me Bell, and this is my mate, Buvor.”

“It’s nice to meet you all,” I announce. Why don’t we head to the town center hall, and I’ll make everyone a snack while we talk.”

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