Well, it looks like dragons and sprites will make good mates...
Four Years Later“Daddy, who are we waiting for?” my oldest daughter, Theia, stage-whispers to my mate.I see him glance at me from the corner of his eye and I know what he’s going to do before he does it. He whisper-yells right back.“We’re waiting for Tate if he ever gets his poop together and comes out.”I see a flash of light and I know that Tate heard him. Cayd and Tate have always been close and that hasn’t changed in the five years that Cayd and I have been together.Now that Tate has turned nineteen, he decided to take over their family’s coven. He waited a year, wanting to spend some time with his new mate, Daphne, before making it official. Now, his sweet little mate and their beautiful sprite daughter are sitting in the front row, right in front of us, watching as Tate is about to take over as warlock of his coven.“What’s he doing with his poop?” my third child and first son, Idris, asks.Cayd always wanted to name our first son after his father, since none his other siblin
Eleven months laterWhat a difference a year makes! From the moment that my mate ran into my arms, my life felt like it was going full-throttle into my future, a future that still looks so bright and beautiful I can hardly stand it.‘You always say that,’ my sweet mate says in my mind. That’s just one of many things that have changed in the last year. My mate’s ability to mind link me and use her enhanced senses has improved significantly.‘My future is you. And you, my love, are bright and beautiful,’ I tell her. I hear the soft purr in her mind, the emotions of her dragon that has strengthened in the last year. Every time we go to Araphyra, it gets stronger.As I expected, all of the dragons stayed in Araphyra. They created their own village or clan or whatever they call it in the mountain ranges that Lily, Silas, and Tamsyn found. Most of them have created their homes there, although some made their permanent residence in Araphyra. Samlael’s mate, Mevnenth, stayed in Araphyra and Sa
Everything here in Araphyra is so magical, and now, all of these dragons get to feel it too. I lean into Cayd as we watch Silas and Tamsyn find their families. I watch as the sprites, even the ones from Araphyra who don’t know the dragons, all sniffle and wipe their eyes. I watch as Anastasia hugs Ailduin, looking up at him and wiping a tear from his face.“Today is a good day,” I whisper to Cayd.“Yes it is. And there are many, many more for us and them,” he says, wrapping his arms more tightly around me.“Okay, everyone,” Lily says, wiping her own tears. “We have so much to show you. First, I think we should show you to your rooms. You are welcome here as long as you want to stay, but Silas, Tamsyn, and I found a place here in Araphyra, in a different land, where you might be more comfortable. There are mountain ranges there and I understand that’s where you were living before. Once you’re settled, we’ll show you around, and let you begin to connect with your magic. Araphyra is a mag
It takes a lot to get everyone into the vans and to the jetliner, but we make it work. Thankfully, there are enough leaders among the dragons to help keep things moving and since the really young dragons left yesterday, it makes it that much easier to get everyone settled.Rich sent the two pilots and several flight attendants to help us, and he also made sure the plane was stocked with food and beverages. The biggest surprise was seeing my parents, Reagan, and Meadow. They came out to assist in any way that was needed.As soon as my father saw the sprite mates, he burst out laughing. “The sprites strike again. Hello, I’m Alpha Liam,” he introduced himself to everyone. My mother introduced herself and, in her way, gently touched the dragons as they boarded the plane. I could tell that many of them could feel her aura as it touched theirs. Since they haven’t come into their magic fully yet, I’m sure it feels weird to them, almost like an awakening inside themselves. That’s what it felt
As cold as it is here in the mountains, there is steam coming from the hot springs. “Oh! How wonderful.”My grandmothers join me in the springs, showing me what they use to bathe themselves, using sand and scents found in the woods to scrub and scent their skin. Maybe that’s where the wild scents come from, or maybe, just like the wolves, it’s because of who we are.They ask me more about Araphyra and I tell them while we soak and then dry off using more plants to help absorb the water off our bodies. Once we’re dressed, we return to the fire. Cayd is back and is helping get this first group in the van. When he sees me, he comes jogging over.“I spoke to Rich. He’s getting a jetliner for us tomorrow. We need to talk to everyone by tonight and get their agreement to come back, but I also need more vans. Do you want to come with me or talk to the rest of the clan members?” He stops, leaning in and growling softly. “I like this wild scent on you. What is that?”“It’s what the dragons here
I don’t remember falling asleep, but I do remember feeling completely overwhelmed. When I wake up, it’s still dark outside but I feel my mate wrapped around me and the fire is in front of me again. I smile, thinking about how my mate always takes care of me.I carefully sit up, looking around the fire. Many of the dragons stayed to sleep here with us. It makes me glad and hopeful that they’ll all go to Araphyra and stay together.“He really loves you, doesn’t he?” my grandmother Camrys asks from across the flames.I look down at my sleeping mate. Somehow, after I sat up, he wrapped his body around me, still protecting me and keeping me warm, even in his sleep. Or maybe it’s Baron keeping watch over me. Either way, it makes me feel so loved and cherished.“Yes, he does. And I love him. When we marked and mated, I wasn’t sure what would happen or what it would be like. But I’m able to feel his emotions and hear his thoughts, although I’m not very good at it. I’m still surprised when I he