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Chapter 5: Cedric
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The Arena Chapter 6: Tana
When they move me, they put me in a space that looks and smells like it is where the toilets are. There is no one here except for me and the smell is so terrible I can barely breathe. There is no air flow, so breathing becomes difficult. It’s not surprising that they only give me poisoned food, not that I could eat in this literal shithole even if it wasn’t poisoned. I realize starting on Thursday that the water they give me is also poisoned. So, basically, before my battle, I can’t breathe, I have no food and no water. If I were a regular shifter, like they think I am, the lack of water would be very problematic. But as a dragon, I can go long periods without water. It’s the tainted air that’s the problem for me. What water I might be able to draw from the air is contaminated. I can’t pull enough oxygen into my lungs because of the putrid scent in the air. On Saturday morning, the keeper comes in and shoots me with some sort of dart. I didn’t expect that it would affect me, but it m
The Arena Chapter 7: Cedric
My relief is palpable when Tana finally lifts her head. I’m not sure why the water was important until she says they had poisoned that too. It sounds like the Keepers were too stupid to realize that they might actually kill her before the battle. As the arena begins to fill with fanatics, I feel my strength returning. The fresh air and the extra food this week have made a difference. I look at my hand and attempt to shift, just one claw. I see that my finger shutters with the attempt to shift, but it doesn’t happen. I feel like Tana was able to make an impact on Zaiden and hopefully he’ll follow through with his part of the deal. I feel more confident when I hear that the first battle will be with one of his female lions. Even if she wins, he’ll realize that the battle to the death is a weekly thing, not a one and done as he seemed to think. Throughout the day, I’ve watched Tana sit in what looks like a lotus style, just breathing in the air. After her ordeal this week, I’m sure she
The Arena Chapter 8: Tana
I don’t know what the little kestrel told Ishir, but whatever it was, it nearly cost her life. I’m not surprised by the boos I receive froom the crowd, although, if these guys were smart, they would have played me up so that their odds would have been better. There’s no way they are making money if I die tonight. However, as the four of us take our stance, ready to fight, I know that none of us are dying tonight. But every spectator in this stadium will burn today. All afternoon, I’ve been soaking up the sun. I’ve been breathing in the fresh air and feeling my fire returning and burning in my gut. Unlike the others, I didn’t try to partially shift. If I had, everyone would have realized what I am. I saw Ishir watching me several times today. He knows my strength has returned. I’m not sure I can totally shift, but I can definitely breathe fire and burn these assholes alive. When the doors open, I see Cedric head toward Zaiden as planned. Ishir heads straight toward me and I run at hi
The Arena Chapter 9: Tana
I have no idea where we are. When I was captured, they sedated me and put me in an enclosed van with no windows. We drove for what felt like days. Now, all I can see is flat lands. I need to find a mountain range where we can hide until Cedric regains consciousness and I can figure out what happened to him. Because I can’t risk being seen, I fly as high as I dare, hoping that I’m not limiting Cedric’s oxygen supply at this high altitude. I stay above the clouds until it gets dark. In the distance, I see a mountain range where I can land and look for a cave or someplace to stay for the night. I land as gently as I can, making sure Cedric doesn’t roll off my back. I shift slowly, and when I’m done, he’s practically crushing me. Gently, I roll him off me. I sniff his body, smelling silver. I look around wondering if there is anything I can use to get the silver out, but I don’t see anything. I extend a claw and slowly, carefully, begin to dig out the multiple bullets he must have taken
The Arena Chapter 10: Cedric
I'm basking in my mate’s scent and the feel of her legs wrapped around my body. I’ve waited my entire life to find my mate, twenty-six long years. Who would have guessed that I would find her in the arena. Even more surprising, who would have guessed that both of us would have survived to be here today. The Moon Goddess knew what she was doing when she found this powerful she-wolf for me. I continue kissing her, dominating her mouth. I know she is strong, but tonight, I will make her mine and she will see what I am an not just an Alpha male, but an Alpha of Alphas, a royal Lycan. She will see that I am the mate she deserves. Keeping her legs wrapped around me, I begin walking us out of the water. “Cedric, what are you doing?” She asks, pulling away from me and looking around. “Tonight, I’m going to make you mine. I’ve waited to find you for years. I’ve known for months that you were my mate, I just couldn’t feel it until now. Your delicious scent is so much stronger now. Isn’t it t
The Arena Chapter 11: Tana
Everything was perfect. I knew from my parents that dragons feel things more deeply than other shifters or humans. Their love for each other was something of fairy tales. I knew when I fell in love with Cedric that he would be it for me, for the rest of my life. That’s just how we’re made. A dragon loves precious things – jewels, treasure, rare art objects and mates. Mates are the most precious of all. Of course, I’m not a virgin. I’m an animal, after all. We aren’t bound by the same standards that humans hold themselves to. And sex feels good. Or at least I thought it did. The moment Cedric entered me, I knew that I would never experience anything like this man again. He has officially wrapped himself around my heart and I will forever treasure him. I didn’t expect to feel an even stronger surge of pleasure when he sank his teeth into my neck at the juncture of my shoulder. This is how werewolves mark their mates. Dragons don’t leave a mark, but if he wants me to, I will. He made me
The Arena Chapter 12: Cedric
My mind was all over the place. How could I have been so wrong about Tana? How could I have not realized that she was something other than an Alpha she-wolf? I run for hours, trying to reconcile what I know about her and the power surge I felt when I sank my canines into her neck. I’m a Lycan. Werewolf royalty. I’m used to being the most powerful being in the room. What could possibly be more powerful than I am? Apparently, my mate. Once my mind begins to clear, I start to think about other things. The pain and hurt on her face at my reaction. I didn’t reject her, but I’m sure that’s how it came across, my shock causing me to speak without thinking. And then, of course, I ran off, leaving her. I left her. Fuck! I need to get back to her. We need to talk. I need to apologize for running off and we need to have a lengthy conversation about what she is, and I should probably clarify that I am a Lycan, not a regular werewolf. I guess we both need to come clean about what we are. I’m jus
The Arena Chapter 13: Tana
Pregnant? I look down at my stomach, laying my hands over my flat stomach where Ishir says I have a baby. “I’m pregnant?” He leans in, sniffing deeply. “If I’m not mistaken, that would be Cedric’s baby.” He looks at me closely, his eyes narrowing as mine fill with tears. “And based on the dragon’s lament that I followed to find you, he’s not here.” I shake my head, unable to say anything with the huge lump in my throat. “Do you have a place where you are staying?” He asks me gently. I nod and turn, leading him to my cave. He checks it out, like I did, before looking at the fire. “Have you eaten?” “No. I was out looking for food when I heard you. I tried to call on my dragon, but she won’t come forward.” “That’s because you’re pregnant. You’ll have to wait until after you give birth to shift, otherwise, you will kill the fetus.” I suck in air, my hands automatically going to my stomach again. I didn’t even know I had a child growing inside me an hour ago, but now, I feel extrem
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