Vivienne knew that dragon shifters existed in the Four Kingdoms, of course. Everyone did. After all, in this world where many species were capable of causing great harm and death, dragons were the most dangerous of them all. Even more than vampires.
This was the first time she’d encountered one face-to-face, though.
The dragon was every bit as terrifying as she’d imagined. What she hadn’t expected, and what truly took her by surprise, was the creature’s inherent beauty. It was born to kill, yet there was a magnificence about it that she’d never encountered before.
And then, the dragon shifted.
The beast vanished, and a tall man took his place.
The dragon had been carrying a small bundle in its mouth, and the man quickly pulled a pair of trousers from a bag and put them on.
Vivienne studied the shifter once he was dressed. Long, silver-white hair fell to his waist. His face, even shrouded in shadows, was equally rough and eye-catching. Twisting green and gold mating marks circled hisleft arm. He was undeniably beautiful. Vivienne would have to be dead—truly dead, not the in-between alive-but-not-alive existence of a vampire—not to notice that.
However, she’d never admit that to the shifter’s face. Even though she had never seen a dragon before, she recognized who was approaching them. She’d realized it as soon as he’d shifted, although she probably should have known who it was the moment he broke through the clouds.
The High Lady of Life’s bonded mate was as beautiful as rumored. Judging by the aura of violence that rippled off him, he was even more dangerous than the countless stories told.
Vivienne had been in Northern Eleyta when the balance broke, but she would never forget the darkness that swept across the land during the following months. When the world seemed like it would fall apart and the Dragon Queen would rule all four kingdoms with a fiery fist, the Battle of Balance took place. The High Ladies of Life and Death and their mates restored the balance, returning life in the Four Kingdoms to the way it had always been meant to be.
“Marius.” A wide grin spread across the dragon shifter’s face as he strode towards them. The man was arguably underdressed for the weather, but the cold air didn’t seem to bother him. It was probably the fire in his blood.
Smiling, the prince stepped forward and grasped the shifter’s outstretched hand. “Xander. Good to see you.”
The men embraced, clapping each other on the back in a masculine fashion that seemed to be a universal greeting.
“You as well,” Xander said. “I’d hoped to see you at the university opening, but it seems you had other plans.”
That was an interesting way to word sneaking off into the forest and trying to kill a feral, cursed vampire without any backup. Not the words Vivienne would’ve chosen, but to each their own.
“I did, but I’m sorry I didn’t get to speak to you.” The prince stepped back, slipping his hand into his pocket. “How’s your family?”
“Rambunctious, just like their mother. Not a day goes by when I know peace.”
“Oh?” Marius seemed relaxed, and Vivienne’s gaze swung between her charge and the shifter.
“Shrieking children are the backdrop to my life.” The dragon shifter’s golden eyes glimmered, and lines creased the sides of his eyes as his grin widened. “In other words, it’s amazing.”
Marius laughed, the sound warming Vivienne from the inside out. “I’ll have to come visit someday.”
“Aileana would love that. She wanted to come along, but she had some urgent business to attend in Ithenmyr. Next time, though.” The dragon shifter’s gaze swung over to Vivienne, and he extended his hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Xander of the House of Ignis, and my mate is?—”
“I know who she is,” Vivienne murmured, taking his hand. His skin was so hot that it almost burned her. She gave him her name, adding, “I didn’t realize a dragon shifter would be picking us up.”
It seemed like pertinent information that would’ve been helpful to know beforehand. Like most vampires, she didn’t deal well with fire. Even now, the heat coming off the shifter made her shiver.
Xander glanced at the prince, his brows furrowed. “You didn’t See me coming?”
Marius shook his head, and a chagrined expression crossed his face. “I haven’t Looked ahead since we were dropped off. We ran into some… issues.”
If by “issues,” he meant being attacked by a shadow creature and Vivienne nearly taking a deadly plunge into a pool of blessed water, then yes. They had.
The shifter’s gaze sharpened as he straightened, looking them over. “But you’re both safe?”
“We are, and we were successful in retrieving the vial.” Marius patted his pack. “I’m assuming you know what’s happening?”
The shifter snorted. “You mean your foolish attempt to stop the First on your own? Yes, we heard all about that, the vial, and the dagger. Bastian and Luna found the blade’s location, by the way, and I’m going to take you there.” He glared at the prince, his amber eyes flashing as he crossed his arms. “Honestly, Marius, you’re lucky to be alive after the stunt you pulled.”
Maybe dragon shifters weren’t so bad.