Ragnar wasn't used to feeling impatient. He resisted the urge to look at his watch, turning instead to gaze out the window of his high-rise office. The scientist had sent her apologies explaining how she found herself lost amongst the underground hubbub yesterday; it was a perfectly reasonable explanation, and yet he felt himself grinding his teeth. There was something about the breathless quality of her voice on the phone...
"Maybe I need to spread my wings," He told himself, shrugging off the nagging feeling that something big was about to change for him, and then he smelled her. With undertones of freshly fallen rain, the light honey-sweet aroma of dragonfruit filled his nostrils, pulling Ragnar's dragon to the surface...Mate...
The door swung open in slow motion as his secretary announced the scientist's arrival, and in the span of a deeply drawn breath, Ragnar's world turned on its axis.
Even in a lab coat with glasses perched on her button nose
Con was still laughing as Gio downed his third shot of tequila. Being interrupted before he could fully claim his mate had called forth all the fury of hell as the Alpha wolf barrelled out of his apartment, running straight into his best friend. No other wolf would have been able to calm him down, but years of dealing with Gio's legendary temper had prepared Con well. It didn't take much to guess the cause for the boss's foul temper either. So, after a few wrecked pylons and some walls that would need further reinforcement, the two found themselves at the bar. Con was nursing a suspected broken rib, but he'd have to see the medic later; right now, he couldn't risk letting Gio out of his sight."...Fuck! Why would she just up and leave like that?"Con almost swallowed his tongue in his effort not to answer that with a smart retort, knowing he would probably be signing his death warrant in doing so. But his features shook with suppressed mirth as Gio eyed him warily, pou
Lazareth gently lay the Queen on the plush cushions as the Demaggio twins set themselves against the dragon-proof doors. It was a frightening sight to see Ragnar barrelling after him like a bat out of hell and the first guard fully intended to throw back a few shots of whisky as soon as the opportunity presented itself. From under impossibly long lashes, Lazareth gazed upon Demelza as she fussed with her potions. She was an enigma, and he was intrigued by the soft-spoken witch. Though they had only a handful of conversations, Lazareth found himself thinking of Demelza in the wee morning hours when he should have been fast asleep, her gentle smile pulling him wordlessly towards her."Lazareth, are you okay?"Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Lazareth walked over to the women, noting that one of them must have muted the caterwauling happening beyond the door as only dull thuds were coming through."I'm fine; it's Ragnar I'm worried about. He's going to do hi
Gio felt the skin across his shoulderblades undulate and knew his wolf was close. Con looked unharmed at the woman's feet, but who knew for sure? If she could sneak up on two wolves in alert mode, who knew what else she was capable of. "You must be looking for Charlotte?" The stranger remarked, tilting her head to the side, and Gio had the sensation of being knocked off balance. Here was one of the very few people who were still able to take him by surprise, and it wasn't a good feeling. The feral sensation began to recede as they slowly regarded each other. " Well, I'm Matilda, one of Charlotte's friends, and you must be the Alpha? Oh right, where're my manners? It's hazardous for you out here in the open, so I suggest we catch up at my apartment with your permission. Sound good?" Gio nodded, and the world spun briefly, releasing a panicked growl from his throat. When he opened them again, they were standing in a home. The woman-Matilda busie
Have you ever felt like the world you occupied was just a mirage? One that you are forced to live in until you've learned all the lessons you need to begin living? As Charlotte fell, time rewound, and the sensation of flying saturated her senses. Being caught by strong arms that made her skin sizzle put her in exactly that place.A guttural roar burst from Ragnar's chest as his skin made contact with hers, and Charlotte could only describe the sensation as being akin to coming home. Without thinking, she curled into his muscular frame as if she'd done it countless times before and Ragnar breathed deeply, tightening his hold on her."What is this?" Charlotte murmured, feeling starstruck, and a deep chuckle was her only answer.The door opened, and Demelza bustled through, looking flustered, "What are you doing here?" Charlotte asked in surprise, subtly trying to leave her boss's embrace, and Ragnar growled, letting her know it was futile."Well, um, that i
It was a strange sensation, halfway between dizziness and being shocked by something with a lot of voltage. All Charlotte could do was lie there, and wonder how she came to be in this state. The scientist in her didn't want to rest with so many unanswered questions, but her body needed to take it easy. There was a change taking place in her chemical makeup, a transformation she didn't even remember asking for. And it was a huge one. Sighing internally, Charlotte gave herself over to it once more and floated off into the darkness. "Make sure she stays safe," Ragnar ordered wearily, and Lazareth nodded, having just returned from walking Demelza home. After being summoned by the King, the last thing he expected was to find Charlotte in the throes of dragon change, and he realized bleakly that Demelza might never forgive him for this. Titan stood by the young lady's head, her hands glowing a deep purple as the skilled healer tried her best to help navigate Charlotte's transition
Ragnar filled the doorway with his mighty size, making the apartment so much smaller as Lazareth and the twins greeted him. He was so worried he failed to notice their strange looks at each other, instead turning directly to Demelza."I'm sorry I've disturbed your home, but I've done something rash, and our healer isn't sure she has the strength to help Charlotte transition.""Wait, what?" Matilda spluttered, "Oh no, please tell me I'm misunderstanding right now?"Demelza looked to Lazareth, who in turn glanced at his King before confirming, "Ragnar has claimed Charlotte and marked her with our royal crest. She belongs with him now."Both twins glared at the mammoth-sized man, who had the grace to flush under their accusing gazes, "Did she consent, Mr. Delgaard?"The silence told Demelza and Matilda all they needed to know."We will have words, you and I," Matilda warned, waving a finger at the King before the witches grabbed what they neede
"Frederico, the kingdom has fallen. We haven't much time!" Lady Lisbeth Delgaard rushed to where the babies lay, sleeping in their crib. Knowing she wasted precious moments-nevertheless, the Dragonlady gazed upon her children. The twins looked so different, yet she loved them equally as fierce. Ragnar took after her with his fiery temper and the telltale bulk that spoke of his dragon heritage. Whereas Gio was smaller, with dark eyes that changed color according to his mood, and there was no doubt that he held his father's wolf genes. Mixed species couples were killed on sight in Desdayos, and as the war reached the inner sanctum, a difficult decision needed to be made.The sound of the door being rammed downstairs caused Lisbeth to grab Ragnar and Gio, holding onto them protectively as Frederico burst into the nursery, "The guards are here, my love. There is no more time." Lisbeth handed Gio over with a gentle kiss, and her eyes filled with tears as she looked at the ma
A CENTURY LATER "Charlie,Charlie, Charlie!" Charlotte hid in the deep recesses of the school library. She wanted to do well in school-particularly because of who her father is, but her friends didn't understand. This was the end result. At fifteen, most young women obsessed over boys and hair and makeup; Charlotte Ren felt the same way about algorithms, biology, and physics. The Rens were an upper-middle-class Asian blended family. Her mum was Filipino, and her Dad was french, so Charlotte was already fluent in three languages. Now that her Mum had remarried an American, the Executive Director of the local university, Charlotte traveled between both houses, so it wasn't easy to get extra study. But she was determined. Her biological father, Griffith Ren was the lead scientist for Greenway, Low, and Fitzgerald; he graduated from university two years before his peers and went straight into the firm while it was s