"Let's enjoy the view a little longer," Ashton said, and we settled back into the quiet companionship, watching the sunset paint the sky with colors I had only ever seen in paintings. I pushed away the doubts because this felt like a promise, a beginning. For the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to believe in the possibility of dreams coming true.
Chapter 18
Ashton
We pulledup to The Inn, the familiar warmth of its lights spilling out. I killed the engine, the sudden quiet making the lingering hum of the ride all the more noticeable. Erin slid off the back, her movements fluid despite the previous wobbliness.
I dismounted behind her, and with my hand at the small of her back walked her to the door.
"I had a great time, Ashton," she said, her voice a warm murmur.
"So did I," I replied, my hand reaching out to cup her jaw. Her skin was soft, warm beneath my palm. I leaned in, her scent, wild and sweet, filling my senses before my lips found hers. The kiss was brief, a soft press that tasted of lingering warmth and unspoken promises.
She gave me one last, lingering lookbefore slipping inside, and I waited until the door clicked shut behind her.
The moment she was safely in, I put the bike in gear and drove the winding road up the mountain to the cabin where the bastard I'd killed upon waking had taken Erin.
It was eerie, how normal everything looked. Just days ago, this patch of earth had been a mess of churned soil and the remnants of violence. Now, the lawn was pristine, freshly reseeded, as if the ground itself had swallowed any trace of the deed.
The cabin itself, which had borne witness to the terror, stood restored, its weathered wood gleaming faintly as if newly built, a testament to Aurelia's potent witch magic. Aurelia and the local wolf pack had outdone themselves. Their efficiency was both a comfort and a chilling testament to the life we led.
A breeze whispered through the trees, carrying the faintest hint of lavender—Aurelia's signature. I nodded in silent thanks to the wind, knowing she'd understand. It was time to check on the others.
When I’d left the cave, Drake, Chance, Tyson, and Zaden lay still slumbering deeply within its silent depths.
I thought back to the last day we’d all been awake the heavy air in the cavern, thick with an unnatural silence. The curse, insidious and relentless, had begunto pull us under, a suffocating blanket settling over mind and body. I’d fought it, moving through the fading light, my scales heavy, my limbs sluggish. Around me, my chosen clan, lay succumbing. I watched, resisting the pull, to stay aware, to ensure their safety.
Drake, usually so vibrant, lay still, his vibrant purple scales dull, breath already shallow. Chance, ever restless, fought it even then, his muscles twitching, making the light reflect off his silver scales before the inevitable drag finally claimed him. Tyson, stoic as ever, seemed to settle into his forced rest with a grim acceptance, a silent sentinel even in sleep. And Zaden agile and quick-witted, his brow furrowed as consciousness finally slipped away.
My own eyelids felt like lead. The cold embrace of the curse crept up my limbs, numbing them, pulling me down into the same silent void. I turned my head, my vision blurring, to where Aurelia kneeled beside me, her expression grim but determined. Skye stood just behind her, a steadfast presence. Their eyes, wide and clear, untouched by the curse.
"We’ll keep you safe, Ashton." Aurelia’s voice, though tinged with sorrow, was firm, "Just like always"
Skye nodded, her gaze fierce and unwavering. "We won’t let anything harm you."
Their words were the last clear sounds before thedarkness had claimed me. Then, nothing but the silent void until Erin’s scent had reached me and woken me.
Pushing off from the bike, I let the change ripple through me. My bones shifted, muscles contorting, skin stretching into scales that glinted like midnight under the crescent moon. A searing heat surged through my veins, pushing away the lingering human constraints, sharpening my senses until every rustle of leaves, every distant scent, was amplified. The air tasted different, charged with potential. Power coiled in my newly formed limbs and with a final lurch, I spread my wings, relishing the freedom that always came with the shift.
With a single, explosive movement, I launched myself skyward, the cool night air rushing past. Below, the cabin shrank away, becoming nothing more than a speck amidst the vast wilderness.
The flight was quick, just a few miles, but the cold clarity of the mountain air sharpened my senses. I soared over treetops, the world below an endless sea of shadows and silver where moonlight danced on leaves. The cave was up ahead, beckoning me home to my brothers.
Landing softly at the mouth of the cave, I let the shift wash back, the magic weaving itself into fabric, leaving me fully clothed. The magic that clothed us didn’twork right away after our decades sleep, so Aurelia always stowed clothes in the cave for us to wear when we woke. Stepping into the cool cavern, my boots crunched on the gravel as I navigated between shadows and stone.
The familiar scent of brimstone and earth filled my nostrils, a comforting blend that meant family, safety. The vast chamber, carved from the heart of the mountain, wrapped around me like a protective shell. Its ancient stone walls, unyielding and solid, rose high above. Here, the air was always still and warm, a constant embrace that cradled my sleeping kin in their long slumber. No human sound, no external threat could breach the safety of the cavern, not unless one knew the true secrets of its ancient design and the specific way to bypass the unseen wards of my kind. Only then could it be circumvented, but that knowledge was guarded more fiercely than dragon gold.
Ahead, the four dragons lay in restful repose, their breath sending small puffs of smoke drifting up to the high ceiling where they dissipated into darkness.
I approached with silent steps, but it was Drake who caught my attention. His massive form, a dark purple so deep it almost swallowed the surrounding light, rose and fell with a steady rhythm. There was a change—a twitch of his wing, a flex of his claws. A sign he wascoming to.
"Drake?" When I reached his head, I scratched his nose, the scales smooth and cool beneath my fingers. "Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey," I sing-songed.
A low rumble vibrated through the cave, the sound rich with amusement. One colossal eye, a swirling galaxy of purple and black, cracked open and fixed on me. The mental voice that followed was laced with feigned annoyance yet warm with affection.Who dares disturb my slumber?
"Only your favorite pain in the ass," I said with a grin, booping his enormous snoot playfully. "Come on, big guy, I've got news."
His eyes blinked slowly, a draconic chuckle echoing in my mind before he stirred.
