"My condition?" he asked, confused.
"Your caste? What is it?"
With a look of surprise and shock, he answered, "Roarke of the Red Caste, son of Alister, Lord of the Red Caste. How did you know?"
I felt my body change and my power surge. My Cardia, my heart, my fated mate, was dying, and I had to save him. My eyes glowed as I answered.
"I am Krispin Adair, Last of the Golden Caste, Guardian of the Sacred Fire, King and Sovereign of High Garden. This man is my Cardia—my heart. He was stabbed by a Keneke blade. I call you into service, Roarke of the Red Caste."
His eyes widened, and he bowed. "I answer the call of service."
He turned quickly to the others in the room as I returned to my mate. I felt my power and my dragon coming to the front, growing even more impatient. I let loose a mighty roar that shook the very foundations. I vaguely heard yelling in the background. The mating heat was coming, and everyone in this room needed to leave except for this man in front of me.
Roarke
Istoodinstunneddisbelief. The Dragon King, here in this place. I not only met him, but he had called me into service. This was too much of a shock. If my brothers and parents could see me now. I was the youngest and smallest of my caste, and my brothers picked on me all the time. Yet, the Dragon King had seen fit to honor me with this sacred duty.
"What the hell was that?" someone asked.
"What's going on?" another said at the same time.
"Why did you get us out of there? If my man dies, I will kill you!" Master Stephen all but shouted.
"How is this possible? He's human. I don't understand," the little wolf shifter said.
"Everyone. Calm down. Your man is the safest one in this building and certainly in that room. He was stabbed by aKeneke. It's a blade from the ancient days. It’s coated with basilisk venom." Before I continued, wide eyes looked at me. I was going to have to reveal the secret of my people. Hopefully, the king would have mercy on me.
"Basilisk venom will usually kill within thirty-six hours. It will kill humans and paranormal alike; none are immune, save dragons."
"Dragons? There are no dragons. What the hell are you talking about?" the bigger wolf asked. I believe his name was Jackson.
"I am a dragon. Your friend is a dragon," I said matter-of-factly. I turned to Master Stephen. "And your man is his Cardia—his heart. Vampires have beloveds, wolves have fated mates, and dragons have Cardias or hearts.”
The shocked eyes stared at me again. They were fully absorbing the information that was being shared. They continued to look at me and said nothing, so I carried on.
“Your man was very sick, near dying. The king could not allow his mate to die. So, he started the bonding process."
"Bonding process? Ben’s in no condition to bond with anyone, and this dragon is bonding to him without his permission," Devin, the vampire second-in-command, yelled in anger.
"Would you rather he dies? There is no other way to save him than to bond with him. The king has started the bonding process by sharing his blood with his mate. His blood will destroy the venom that is now circulating in your friend’s body and killing him," I replied, staring back at him. He locked eyes with me and finally looked away, apparently conceding this was better than death.
“Why did we have to leave?” the small wolf, whose name I couldn’t remember, asked.
"The mating heat will come on them. No one, male or female, friend or family, mated or unmated—no one would be safe in there until the bonding is complete. His dragon will kill anynearby person and view them as a threat to his claim. That’s why he called me into service. A dragon, normally, when they find their mate, they will take that mate to their lair. Then they will call their trusted dragons into service, protecting the entrance from any entering. It’s my sacred duty to ensure their solitude until the mating heat and bonding is complete," I explained.
"As I said Ben isn't well enough for a claiming. What’s this dragon going to do? Fuck an unconscious man?" Devin said angrily.
"No, he’s giving his blood now, which in fact, since your friend is so sick, he will need plenty of. It will weaken the king. He will need food brought to replenish his blood cells. After your friend is healed, they will then complete the bond. The process is started however, and with your friend being so sick, it could take days before it’s complete," I responded.
"Carson, go to the dining hall. Have them prepare food and bring it back. We’ll push it into the room on the food cart, so we don't have to enter. Basil, you’ll stand guard first with Roarke. We’ll take shifts. No one is to enter," Master Stephen commanded.
Carson left to carry out his master's orders, and Basil took position at the side of the door.
"Why didn't I know Kris was a dragon? Why hide it? He knew I was a wolf," the small wolf asked quietly.
I sighed. I didn't know the full reason for the law, but dragons as a whole didn’t associate or reveal themselves to anyone save their own kind and their mates. I was considered an oddity with my friendship to Elder Sonod. Granted, my caste and father didn’t know. If they did, I would be punished.
"I can only give you the short answer, as I don't know the full story. The king can give the full answer," I said.
