Chapter 11: First Flight and the Mate Bond

Alyssa

“Vincent, I felt a sharp pain when you were kissing another woman,” I said and turned to face him.

Vincent took a deep breath. “She forced herself on me. I pushed her away when she kissed me. Seems rejecting her advances didn’t prevent you from feeling the pain. I’m sorry.” Vincent held my hand.

“I trust you, Vincent; I know you won’t intentionally harm me.” I smiled at him.

The limo pulled up in front of the castle, and Vincent opened the door in a flash. His smile is dangerously charming. I exited the limo and again shivered at the thought of having dinner with the royal family.

“You okay?” Vincent asked.

“I’m just nervous, I guess.” I said.

Vincent reached his hand forward and took hold of my hand. I felt the sparks of the bond getting intense with each second. I looked into his eyes, and I felt myself relaxing. “You survived a meeting with two members of the Elder Council. Dinner with my family will be a piece of cake.” Vincent said.

We both walked into the palace and heard my name being screamed by a familiar voice. “ALYSSA!” Audrey cried before she tackled and hugged me. “I’m glad you’re alright. I was so scared and I felt bad not being able to come and help you,”

“There was nothing you could have done. I’m just glad to see you’re doing fine.” I smiled.

“Well, thanks to you. When I turned, I had no sense of anything but could hear your voice. Laufay was in control the whole time. With training, Laufay and I became one.” Audrey said.

“You know I’m here too right?” Vincent shook and head and sighed.

“Oh yeah, Mom wanted me to tell you that Dad is here,” Audrey turned to Vincent.

“WHAT?!!” Vincent yelled, and his face beamed with happiness. “When did he arrive?”

“Just now, just thought we’d give you a head up. See you guys inside the dining room,” Audrey smiled and left.

“Also, my mother will pay for your tuition to enter Dragon Academy for what you did for Audrey,” Vincent said, and I gasped.

“That’s too much,” I shook my head.

“No, my mother wants to thank you for what you did for her daughter, my sister. And I think you could use some lessons in being a dragon,”

“He may be our mate, but he did not just say that. I don’t need any lessons!” Dahlia snarled in my head. “Let me out so I can kick his ass,”

“Thank you. So your father’s here. I can leave and come back some other time if that’s better,” I said.

“No, my mom wouldn’t have it, and I’m not passing the chance of introducing you to my family,” Vincent said.

“So, how is your dad,” I asked.

“He can be a little strict, and he’s straightforward. But he values family above everything. Are you ready?” Vincent said.

Vincent and I held hands as we entered the dining room together. We saw Queen Rosetta kissing a man who is Vincent’s spitting image; this is Vincent’s father, King Zayne.

“Father,” Vincent bowed.

“Vincent,” King Zayne smiled. “Audrey, why don’t you see what is taking Alexandria so long?

Audrey nodded and left the dining room.

“Dad, I want you to meet my mate, Alyssa. Alyssa, this is my father, King Zayne,”

“Hello, your majesty,” I bowed. King Zayne differs from what I read in some of my history books. He radiates power.

“I see you’re finally feeling better,” Queen Rosetta said.

“Yes, thank you for inviting me over.” I smiled.

“My wife told me that you help Audrey through her manifestation?” King Zayne said.

“I did,” I gulped a little.

“My have my deepest gratitude, Alyssa, and thanks to Vincent, you are the Gold Dragon and his mate?” King Zayne said.

Fuck me, Vincent wasn’t kidding, his father is indeed very straightforward, but I saw a smile on his face, proud that I’m mated to his son.

“A white dragon mated to the gold dragon by the Moon Goddess. She has blessed us many times over.” Soon, Audrey walked into the dining room with Alexandria. “Ah, Alex, so nice of you to join us,” Zayne sounded cold.

“Not like I had any choice in the matter,” Alexandria looked at her nails, not looking at her father.

“Don’t talk to me like that, young lady. I am your father and you will show me respect.” Zayne’s voice boomed. He used his Dragon King voice. I hid behind Vincent.

“Why don’t we all sit down, honey,” Rosetta kissed Zayne’s cheek.

We all sat down, and I noticed Alex glaring at her father. There may be some tension between them.

“Dad, what are you doing here? Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that you’re here but why the unexpected visit? You always tell mom to tell us when you’ll be arriving?” Vincent said.

“Can’t a father visit his family without having a specific reason?” Zayne said.

“Hmph, we all know that you usually don’t come home unless there IS a reason,” Alexandria said coldly.

“Guys, not at the dinner table,” Rosetta glared at the siblings.

Telling myself this is intense would be an understatement.

“Alyssa, I’m assuming Vincent told you about the Academy,” Rosetta smiled.

“He did.” My eyes were watering. “I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you for this kindness.”

“You don’t owe me anything. My family owes you a debt, and personally endorsing you to attend one of the top three Dragon schools in the world will provide you the best education.” Rosetta smiled.

“So how did you know how to help Audrey, if your so inexperianced as a dragon?” Zayne asked me.

“Dad!” Vincent’s eyes glowed white, showing that Astarot was surfacing.

“It’s alright, Vincent,” I touched his shoulder, and he calmed down. Seeing Vincent tense around his father was strange; the same could be said about Alex. “Like Audrey, I had a terrible manifestation and don’t know much about being a dragon. But I noticed the signs when Audrey was manifesting,”

“I see; dragons are not supposed to have painful manifestations. Yours and Audreys are the first cases that I heard about. Is this a punishment by the Goddess?” Zayne pondered.

“King Zayne, if you don’t mind me asking, I want to know how you met your mate, the Queen?” I said.

“Well, you are mated to my son; I can tell you how I met his mother. I was a young dragon traveling with my father to meet with Elders to legitimize my claim to the throne. But when we arrived, I smelled the most fantastic scent and ignored my father’s words as I searched. The Elders planned on marrying Rosetta to another prince in Great Britain as she was the last living White Dragon, and they wanted her to breed to continue the Goddess’s bloodline. I yelled when I saw her with the Elders and that British bastard when he tried ot kiss her. My father had to remind them that the Moon Goddess’s laws were absolute and that she had to return to Varrfarrinn with me.” Zayne held Rosetta’s hand and looked at her with love and adoration. “Rosetta was scared when I brought her here to live here and being crowned Queen,”

“But, over time, I accepted the mate bond, gave birth to two beautiful children, and brought home a baby girl from a poacher stronghold.” Rosetta said.

“Poachers?” I said.

“Yes,” Zayne banged on the table. “I still have nightmares about the horrors they did to our kind; they killed dragons, drank their blood to stay young, and ate their hearts to take the power of dragons for themselves. They committed the sinful act of Dragon Communion.”

“What is Dragon Communion.” I asked. Vincent shuddered at this question. He knows what it is.

“The act of Dragon Communion means humans who knew about our existence hunted dragons to devour their hearts. Doing so would grant them the power of the dragons they killed. But the Moon Goddess grew angry, so she cursed them: The more dragon flesh they devoured, the more they turned into dragons themselves, but they never will be true dragons. More or less, she took their humanity for thier sins. We could only save Audrey from such a fate as they killed the others. They forced dragons to breed and raised them til they manifested and killed them.” Zayne explained.

“Oh my god!” My hands covered my mouth at this. “Audrey, I’m so sorry,”

“Don’t be; you weren’t part of that. Those bastards are burning in hell for the acts they committed.

Finally, the food arrived, and we all took the food the cooks made. I sensed Vincent and Alex were uncomfortable around their dad, but Audrey did not share those feelings.

Dinner ended, and I placed the china silverware on the table. “Dinner was excellent; thank you for inviting me.” I said.

“Thank you for joining us dear.”

“Tell me about your family, Alyssa. You asked how I met my mate, I would seem fair you tell me about your family.” Zayne said.

“My family?” I said.

“Obviously, one or both of your parents had to be a dragon for you to be one. Where are they now?” Zayne asked.

“Dad, that’s enough,” Vincent stood up from his seat.

“Vincent, I’m the ruler of Varrfarrinn; I have the right to know these things.” Zayne glared at Vincent.

“So that’s why you’re here. To see if my MATE is a threat?” Vincent shouted.

“Vincent, stop. I never knew my father, and my mother never talked about him. As for my mother, she’s dead. Would you please excuse me?

I walked out of the dining room in tears and started running to the balcony, looking at the full moon.

“I thought I might find you here,” Vincent said behind me. “This is the second time that I found you here,”

“I guess it’s comfortable to think here.” I said.

“I tend to do the same. I’m sorry about my father,” Vincent said.

“It’s not your father; it’s just that a lot has happened over the last few days.” I said.

“You could say that again,” Vincent laughed. “I want to apologize for avoiding you these past two weeks. I feel horrible about avoiding you, my queen.

“You don’t have to apologize. I was going to talk to you about it on the beach, but something else came up. Alexandria told me at the party that she asked you to stay away.” I said.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you. What happened when you were unconscious?” Vincent asked me.

“Dahlia and I talked and I accepted her and the memories I suppressed. I also learned that she saved me and why I ended up on the beach of Varrfarrinn. I was almost nineteen when I first shifted,” I said

“You were almost nineteen when you manifested?!” Vincent was shocked at what I told him.

“Yep, two days before my birthday,” I nodded.

“That could explain why your manifestation was so painful,” Vincent thought.

“Dahlia said that I made it difficult for her turn,” I said.

“So what happened after you turned for the first time?” Vincent asked me.

“I woke up cold and wet. The first thing I did was look at my reflection in a puddle of water, but I was happy to see my face. I was thankful that I still had my clothes on. I made my way home and called out to my mom, and as I expected, she yelled and gave me a lecture about staying out late. I told her about my transformation that night, and all that time, she knew. My mother knew who I was; she knew I was a dragon.”

“She knew the whole time?!” Vincent gasped.

“Yeah, we planned on running the following night, but I heard my mother screaming as I finished packing. I ran down the stairs and saw two men beating her up. She told me to run, but I felt a needle piercing my neck before I could step away,” I explained.

“By the Goddess,” Vincent said

“I tried to stay conscious, but everything was getting hazy quickly. But I saw the man approach my mother, and he said, ‘Did you think you could keep her from me, Eleanor?’ then he stabbed her. I saw it and unleashed a power I had never felt. It knocked everyone back, and I held my mom in my arms. She told me she loved me and that I was the last face she would see. I blacked out again in my grief and woke up in hell.” I said.

Vincent stayed with me for god knows how long. I noticed how Vincent would sneak a glance at me, and I found it cute. His white eyes glistened in the Moonlight, showing his heritage as a descendant of the Moon Goddess. “I never thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”

“I’ve told you before, you don’t have to thank me.” Vincent smiled.

Vincent places his hand gently under my chin and pulls it up so my eyes meet his. His white eyes stare into mine, our faces inches apart.

“Fuck it!” I said as I placed my lips on his. Vincent’s lips are soft, and his kiss is everything I imagined it would be. I was aware of hands on my waist pulling me closer to him and my hands on his silky brown hair. I never wanted this moment to end. Being in his arms, I feel like nothing is wrong with life.

“I am forever yours, eternally!” Vincent said.

“I am forever yours, eternally!” I repeated.

“Do you trust me?” Vincent said.

“I do,” I nodded.

Without explanation, he grabs my hands and spins me around so I’m on his back. “Hold on, my mate.”

“Vincent, what are you-” Vincent pulls up my knees and jumps off the balcony. Before Vincent hit the ground, he shifted into Astrarot. I suddenly noticed that the air was moving differently and opened my eyes. White scales were beneath me, and giant wings were on each side. “That was not cool, Vincent,” I could feel him laugh as he took us higher into the sky. He flew us to the sea; I tried to keep the admiration of the night sky out of my voice. “This is amazing,”

“This is what my father did for my mother when they accepted each other as mates,” Vincent said in my head.

I sat on his back, hugging his neck, and the cold salty sea breeze blew in my face. I was starting to get cold out, but I loved every moment.

“How about some payback?” Dahlia said. “A fright for a fright,”

I knew what Dahlia was doing with this. I jumped off with Vincent looking, and my gold eyes shined as I allowed Dahlia to come out. At the last moment, I expanded my wings and flew past Vincent, who was still hovering but caught up to me when he saw what was happening. Soon, Dahlia took over. “Dahlia, what are you doing.”

“You and Vincent accepted each other; now, Astarot and I must do the same.” Dahlia said.

Our dragons circled each other and made moves across the sky that I still needed to recognize. But our claw latched on to Astarots, and we descended to the ground quickly. Then Dahlia and Astarot seared the earth with magic, detached themselves from each other, and landed.

We transformed back into our human forms and looked at each other. “Did our dragons mate with each other?”

“They did because we accepted each other.′ Vincent said, then he kissed me. “Never scare me like that again,”

“Don’t jump off a balcony with me, and I’ll behave.” I teased.

“Fair enough. Come on, I’ll walk you home,” Vincent took my hand, and he walked me home.