Chapter One

Ian

Spring 1901

I circled the blue ridge of the mountain, dipping low into the dense fog as I flapped my heavy wings, anger beating a rough path through my veins. When I'd left my home, it had not been for this purpose. But after a frustrating time in town, I needed the freedom of flight to clear my head.

My brother—my twin, actually—was on another rampage, and frankly, I was over his behavior. Our father, Duncan Gunn Comyn Ferguson, the dragon king, had announced my brother's engagement in front of everyone without talking to Isaac first. That had gone about as expected, as he tore through the skies in a fit of rage that obliterated the sun under a fiery glow of dragon fire.

I thought they were both fools. My brother for not expecting a chosen wife considering his role as next in line, and my father for thinking Isaac would simply go along with his plan to unite our clans with the coven of witches who'd been up our arse causing trouble for as long as I could remember. Witches and dragons simply did not mix. It was time we accepted that fact. To force my brother to marry one—well, that was likely to lead us to war for sure.

Personally, I thought my father gave the witches too much berth. Their continued disrespect towards his leadership had started to ripple down through the supernatural community, and it needed to be stopped. It was true they were quite powerful, but did that compare to the power of a dragon? I had my doubts. Nonetheless, Father had struck a bargain, and now Isaac would have to deal with it.

As for the remaining shifters under the king’s rule… Their unrest over the future had come through loud and clear. The world around us was changing rapidly and there was a good chance more humans would encroach on our mountains, making it harder to keep our presence a secret.

Settling on the mountain range that bisected several southern states had been an ideal choice in the beginning, but with the recent invention of the American automobile, I could sense the winds shifting less in our favor.

Right then, something dark caught my eye, and I jerked around in time to see my twin dive back down to the ground, his big, black-scaled dragon landing with all the grace of an earthquake. He shook the ground, and I was certain that it would be felt all across the valley and into Deals Gap, the remote North Carolina town where shifters congregated. Flying had done little to assuage his anger.

I didn't feel much better about this situation either. On a sigh, I followed, taking a little more care to land without announcing myself as my bones smoothly shifted, giving way from the thick scales of my dragon to the smooth skin of my human form.

I stretched my limbs and took a deep breath, giving myself a moment to readjust to using legs to move around instead of wings.

Our father usually ruled with an iron fist. Much like Isaac, he did what he wanted, when he wanted. Until our mother intervened, and then he took some time to review things from her viewpoint. They had a unique partnership in that way. Maybe that would happen for Isaac. The right mate could counteract his temper and potentially assuage the beast that controlled him.

An omega, perhaps.

Although, I knew that was wishful thinking. One of those had not been found in quite some time, and an arranged marriage was unlikely to produce one. Especially with a witch. I shuddered, thinking about it. I had no qualms with the witches directly, but their power unsettled me. While it was no match for dragon fire, they were clever and often sneaky, using spells against their enemies long before they could be seen. It was possible a war with them could take a toll on all shifterkind.

I quickly donned the clothes I'd left waiting and hurried after Isaac to check on him. I hesitated to ever admit it out loud, but my brother needed a keeper, and thus far that had turned out to be me. I hoped the woman who would be his mate was up to that kind of responsibility, because I had no intention of being a third wheel in a marriage.

It was time to make my own way and live free of my brother's constraints.

I turned the corner into the gardens and saw no sign of him, other than the trail of ash and embers he'd left in his wake.

This was absolutely not a good sign. I picked up speed, hoping to catch up with him before he encountered anyone else. No one deserved my brother's wrath, but especially not today. Today was our mother's birthday, and there would be a big celebration this evening with all the clans attending as well as other invited guests.

My steps faltered. I supposed that meant the witches. My father had clearly chosen today for the big announcement in the hopes that my brother would not make a scene on Mother's special day, but he'd miscalculated the level of Isaac's selfishness once again. I hated to think ill of my twin, but one of these days I was going to get fed up with his bad behavior and lose my temper. Being older by three minutes did not make him stronger.

"Isaac!" I called out, hoping to catch him before anyone else.

I heard a grumbled response but couldn't quite make out the words. I did, however, realize he was in the kitchen stomping around.

Putting on speed, I entered the cavernous room and drew up short. My arsehole of a brother stood in the middle of the room, naked as the day he was born, his skin filthy and smudged from the things he'd obviously burned, with a turkey leg in one hand and a cup in the other.

"You look downright savage, brother," I grumbled, circling the room in the opposite direction from him. "You could have at least put on clothes."

"Why? Have I hurt your tender eyes?"

Heat flared in my chest that I worked to keep under control. Losing my temper in the house would not be ideal. It had been built big enough to hold a fully formed dragon, but anything inside would likely be ruined if either of us shifted.

"Because no one other than you wants to look at your flaccid cock." Okay, so I couldn't resist an insult or two. I could be civilized when the proper occasion warranted it, but I also carried a wild beast that didn't always want to play nice with others. More than a little, actually.

Isaac laughed. "The women of this household, save Mother, would consider themselves lucky to feast upon my cock."

I rolled my eyes at my brother's vulgar turn of phrase. He lacked no amount of confidence, that was for sure. It was time to change the direction of this conversation away from the gutter.

"Speaking of. Have you forgotten that today is her birthday? We were supposed to make this day special for her."

"Tell that to Father. If the arsehole thinks I'm going to marry some witch for the sake of peace, he's more insane than I am."

It worried me when Isaac referred to himself as such. It came out like a joke, but on days like this, it did not seem funny at all. He’d pulled many stunts over the years that made everyone question his sanity. People may have said nothing to his face, but it wasn't hard to hear the whispers behind his back. His attitude today did not bode well for my ability to turn his tantrum around in time for our guests' arrival. However, being of sound mind did not seem to be a requirement for his place as successor to the throne.

Matrimony, however, was.

This was absolutely not going to go well.

Chapter Two

Cordelia

"No. I will not do it."

"You must. The deal has already been struck and promises were made. This will happen," my mother hissed in response to my refusal to marry the mad dragon prince.

That's what many of the witches in our coven had taken to calling Prince Isaac Gunn Ferguson after he began displaying more and more erratic behavior over the years. One minute he behaved like a gentleman, and the next a monster. The rumors about him were truly terrifying.

"Why would Father make such a decision? Prince Isaac is a horrible person." And that was putting it rather mildly from everything I'd heard. I hadn't actually ever met the man, but his reputation definitely preceded him. "What if he decides to eat me?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Cordelia. They don't eat people," she sighed. "Your father made the agreement because tensions in the valley have been high and this isn't the right time to go to war with the shifters. Think of all the bloodshed your marriage can prevent. Becoming a peacemaker for your coven is quite the high honor."

I frowned down at her. That wasn't how I saw it at all. "So I have to give up my freedom and chance at love for what? To placate a species we despise? That's not fair. There must be another way."

"That's a little harsh, Cordelia. Even for you. If you aren't willing to fulfill your coven duties without constant protest, then I'm afraid I have failed miserably as a parent and a high priestess. However, the agreement has been made and the union announced. I'm afraid you will have no choice but to go through with it, or you risk bringing the kind of dishonor on our family that could jeopardize our roles and our freedom."

The volume of guilt my mother had just heaped on top of me weighed heavily on my shoulders. She was right. To refuse to cooperate with an order from the coven's high priest would cause more trouble than any of us could bear. Especially if it was his own daughter doing the rebelling. I flopped down on the sofa where afternoon tea had just been served and proceeded to fill my cup with several cubes of sugar.

"Cordelia," my mother warned. She didn't need to elaborate. I could feel her scorn over what I chose to put in my mouth today as well as every other day. I had not been born with the kind genes my mother carried, the ones that would keep my figure svelte and pleasing to the eye. I was built more like my father and his side of the family. I towered over all the other women my age, and it was difficult to contain my curves in the traditional dresses I was expected to wear.

I dropped the last sugar cube I had intended to add to my tea back into the bowl with a loud sigh, knowing my tea would be as bitter as the future I had to face. "Does the prince even know what he is getting into with me? Or is he to be blindsided?" I asked, taking a short sip of tea while trying to keep my face from scrunching up in displeasure.

My mother's head jerked to attention. "What is that supposed to mean? You are the equivalent of a highborn lady, the daughter of a High Priest and Priestess of the greatest coven this region has ever seen. There is no greater honor that we can bestow on him than offering your hand in marriage."

I shook my head, frustration setting in. She knew exactly what I meant, and pretending that I fit the mold one would expect of a highborn lady would only hurt everyone in the long run. Not that my appearance had prevented potential suitors from calling in the past. They just tended to be of the older or desperate for influence variety.

Coven or not, it seemed every being had one thing in common—their pursuit for more power.

It had been clear for quite some time that a true love match was not likely in my cards. Although the mystical signs weren't as cut and dried as one might expect. Many in the coven had read my palms, my aura, my cards, and every one had been less than clear. Except on one thing. True love for me did exist, but it would not come until after a terrible trial, and then the price of that love would be quite high.

I had a hard time believing that had meant the dragon prince. I shook my head, reminding myself it wouldn't do to be overly concerned about love. I was more than capable of finding my own happiness without it.

"Never mind, Mother," I said, trying to change the touchy subject. I wasn't permitted to talk down about myself, but it was okay for others to scold me whenever I made a slight deviation from what they considered acceptable behavior. Or when new clothes had to be made because I'd outgrown mine once again…

"We need to start making arrangements immediately. We will begin our travel to the Ferguson estate and their ridiculous castle in two days’ time, and it will not be an easy trip. The roads between our lands and theirs, bordering the North Carolina and Tennessee lines, are hardly more than trails used to herd cattle between the gap in the mountains. It will be a rough ride and take several days. Pack accordingly."

I sucked in a sharp breath. "Why so fast? Shouldn't we have time to prepare for an appropriate wedding? And why not have it here? They could come to us." The anxiety of having only two more days in the only home I'd ever known did not feel good.

She narrowed her eyes at me, knowing full well I cared little about a formal anything. "He is the future king. His family will be making most of the preparations. Our focus will be on what you wear and packing your belongings for transport. Those should be your focus."

My stomach bubbled with nerves. I had a mere forty-eight hours to make peace with this decision or craft some sort of escape. That simply wasn't enough time. It would take that long just to say goodbye to my friends and family. If I didn't know better, I would assume this whole thing had been designed in a way that gave me, and possibly my intended, no time to make other arrangements.

I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Why would they want to rush the prince? Men did not have the same concerns that women did when it came to timing. Apparently, I had much to think about as well as prepare for. I only hoped that the prince was ready for a six-foot-tall woman with unruly dark hair that resembled a mop that didn't style well, a body that looked more like a sweet dinner roll than a woman, and a practicing witch who wouldn't hesitate to use her low-level power if that's what it took to get her way.

No treasure-hoarding, foul-mouthed, and bad-tempered dragon had a chance in hell against me.

What a joke.

Chapter Three

Ian

One week later, after the castle had undergone a magnificent transformation for the upcoming nuptials and everyone within the shifter kingdom was abuzz with the news that we were planning to unite the shifter and witch community once and for all, the arrival of our guest of honor was imminent.

"Where is your brother?" My father did not look pleased to discover that Isaac had yet to return after leaving the castle two days before to blow off steam. Not that anyone should have been surprised. My brother did as he damn well pleased, and if he didn't get his way, he'd use his dragon half to express his outrage. And there was nothing like a two-ton black dragon having a temper tantrum. Hellfire was a massive understatement.

"I'm not his keeper." I took a sip of the bourbon in my glass and grimaced. This was my father's choice of drink, not mine. I hated this swill. I preferred aged whiskey or a good mug of ale.

"I would disagree. As his twin, you have a unique connection with Isaac that gives you an advantage over the rest of us. Your king relies on you to aid our future prince in every way possible, including making sure this wedding goes smoothly. That means do what it takes to get your brother back in line."

I scoffed at that tidbit of insight, especially since nothing could be further from the truth. Isaac's feelings towards me often teetered between love and hate, with hate winning out a lot more often than love. Although it was often difficult to tell until he shared with me. Which usually meant a massive amount of fire damage.

"Isaac barely tolerates me, let alone confides in me. He prefers his own company. Alone. Half the time he'd rather cut off a wing than talk to anyone else." We both knew this to be true because when we were younglings, he'd done that very thing. Fortunately, the wing had grown back.

"Then use the other half of his time to get him to listen to reason."

Tired of this useless back and forth, I changed the subject. "What do we know about his betrothed?" I'd asked before, but little had been shared with me. For some reason, Isaac and I had been excluded from the peace negotiations this time around. "Is she excited for the wedding? Has anyone shared anything about her?"

My father shrugged. "I would assume she is thrilled. I mean, why wouldn't she be? How often does a woman get to marry an actual prince?"

My mother's laughter filled the room from the doorway. "For a clever king, you are quite full of yourself," She smiled wider. "If I had to guess, I'd bet she is scared out of her wits. What young woman in her right mind would want to marry a stranger? Let alone a dragon. Especially one with a reputation such as Isaac's. Which likely means we'll all have to be patient and give her some grace."

My father frowned. "Mad, my dear. You and I had an arranged marriage, and look at us."

She nodded and moved beside my father, who placed a quick kiss on her lips before he pulled her against his side. "I dare say that you and I got lucky. I'm afraid the same odds are not in Isaac's favor. Most women do not prefer brute force in their men."

"Is this your mother's instinct talking, or have you seen something you have yet to share with the rest of us?"

Mother had the gift of sight. The ancient power of Tallan, gifted directly from the Goddess, that allowed her to see the future and a great many other things. Although not always at the most opportune moments.

"The Tallan has been quiet. I've been meditating all week in the hopes I could see something, but it has not happened. Despite that, my instinct tells me today is not going to go as planned. Call it mother's intuition."

"At this point, nothing would surprise me. Whatever happens today, we shall work through it as a family. Even Isaac can see reason when it's important enough," my father said, giving her another kiss that made me look away. My parents were true mates, an Alpha and his omega. The unbreakable bond between them as palpable as the wind that blew through the trees.

While their relationship had started out as a true traditional arrangement, the story of their meeting had resulted in an immediate transformation. A story I had loved to listen to as a young boy. At least until I'd gotten old enough to understand how that transformation actually took place, and then I'd heard enough. I knew of no one who wanted those kinds of details about their parents’ sex life.

I harbored no false hope that I would one day find the same thing, but I didn't discount the possibility either.

My mother had a gift when it came to people and what they needed. If anyone could help him see, it would be her.

"Isaac may be temperamental, but he knows his place. I trust he will rise to the occasion." I spoke the words without believing one of them.

Fortunately, the sound of horses’ hooves and the squeak of a carriage wheel sounded from the front of the castle, announcing the arrival of our guest of honor.

"I hope you're right," she said before looking at me. The doubt in her words was as clear as the water in the river that ran through our mountains. "I guess we should go greet the girl and try to explain why her fiancé could not be bothered to greet her." 

Something she would have to get used to, I thought while barely keeping the harsh words to myself.

"Ian, you'll talk to her, right?"

The story of my life. Always making up for my brother's shortcomings. Although I guess I should have been more grateful that it had not been I who had been forced into marrying a stranger…

Before I could answer, my parents swept through the room and out the front entry. Their assumption that I would fall in line and cooperate in any way grated on my nerves. Isaac wasn't the only one capable of exploding. I might only be a spare to the heir, but I could feel something ticking down inside me. One day soon, I would no longer toe the line behind my brother.

Something was headed our way that could cause that very divide.

I took a deep breath before following them. "Is that her?" I heard my father say before I reached the door.

"Uhm…I guess so. I've never met her," my mother answered.

I couldn’t quite pinpoint it, but there was something off in the tone of their words. They sounded so—

I stepped up beside them and drew short at the woman protruding from the door of the carriage. I couldn't really say what I'd been expecting since I'd given it little thought beyond my brother's reaction, but seeing her bent over with her rear end facing my direction while she fished something from the inside was definitely not it.

"Oh good gracious," my mother said before she covered her mouth to stifle a snicker.

My father coughed, and that caught the attention of everyone in the driveway. Including the woman who seemed to be struggling with her bag.

"Oh for goodness’ sake. Ian, go and help the poor girl before she embarrasses herself."

I rushed to the side of the carriage. "Do you need some assistance?" I asked, still somewhat mesmerized by her struggle. And the flare of her curved bottom still aimed in my direction.

"No, I've got it. Thank you, though," she said, her body jerking backward and forward as she continued her plight. Every move threatened to topple her into my lap, causing an awareness I had no business having, tightening the front of my trousers.

"Cordelia!" the woman from the other side of the carriage shrieked when she caught sight of me standing behind her daughter, who remained bent over in front of me, her arse practically in my face now.

"What?!" she asked at the same time she finally got the piece of luggage free. The sudden move made her lose her balance and tumble from the carriage.

Before her bottom hit the ground, I dove forward and caught her around the waist and hauled her upright. Right up the front of my body. And for one sinful moment, all I could think about was how incredible she felt in my hands. There were soft curves upon soft curves, and my mind couldn't help picturing what they might look like unclothed. Or feel pressed against me…

"What the—?" she said, through a long curtain of black-as-night curly hair that currently shrouded most of her face. That moment of seeing but not seeing only lasted a second, but the desire to brush the hair out of her face and get my first look at her rose swift and sharp. Her hands, however, came up and pushed it out of the way and away from her face, beating me to it.

Our gazes met, and for a moment it felt like time stood still. She wasn't at all what I had expected, and yet, she was so much more. Her skin was the color of warmth and smoothly unblemished, as if it had never seen the sun. Her nose a small silhouette but slightly disproportionate to the rest of her larger-than-life features. Her cheeks were a slash of bright pink from either embarrassment or surprise, but it was the green gold color of her eyes that drew me in and made it impossible to look away. They were nearly the identical color to my brother’s, except for  the additional flecks of brown as the setting sun danced across her face.

"Oh," she said on a pant. "I'm—I'm so—darn it. Are you—oh boy." She dropped the bag, picked up the edges of her deep-blue skirt, and then dipped down into a curtsy on shaky legs. "Your Highness."

And for the first time in my life, I experienced a glimpse of what it must be like for Isaac. To not care about anything because everything was given to him. No matter what it was.

Anger and hatred swelled fierce inside me in a flash, and for the first time in my life, I hated my brother enough to kill him.

Because this creature—this woman—was the most exquisite thing I'd ever seen in my life, and she belonged to him.