Page 40 of Wild Fire

DANICA

Dani had to admit, Warrick was a man of his word. She’d lost count of the times they’d made love and was damn sure she couldn’t remember how many times he’d made her come. She knew her body would most likely be sore, but she didn’t care. Last night had been a balm to her soul and had allowed her to sleep deeply and restoratively.

When the morning light filtered into the room, she’d barely had time to emerge from her deep slumber before he was lifting her up to take her into the shower with him. They’d washed the excesses of last night from each other’s bodies and managed to get presentable enough to join the others.

“Is there a specific pattern as to how the yurts are laid out? I notice that there are two others that claim ground as high as ours.” When he smiled and lifted her hand to his lips to kiss, she said, “What?”

“I like how observant you are, but more than that, I like how you refer to the yurt that used to be mine as ours.”

“Well it’s a pretty good bet you weren’t going to live on my houseboat with me.”

He chuckled. “Ah the houseboat. Puget Sound. Seawater. Probably not a great choice. I think I’d prefer Dragonwyk, don’t you? But you should know, my home will always be with you.”

He could be an overbearing sonofabitch when he wanted and then turn around and say the sweetest things.

“Yes, I love it up here. I can see why this place appeals to you and your brothers, but you haven’t answered my question about the placement of our yurt.”

“While the Phantom Fire is a brotherhood of equals, it still retains a certain hierarchy. The three ranking dragons hold the highest ground—not so much because we’re better, but because it is our responsibility to look after those with whom we share this valley. Falkor, as alpha, has one of the yurts. Sobek, who is his second in command has the other.”

“And you are first warrior, right?”

“Yes, I am at the head of the vanguard in a fight. I am our best fighter, and you my beloved, will fight at my side. There are some who will question my decision, but there is no other I would prefer at my side, and you would never be content to stay behind.”

“We’re in this—whatever this turns out to be—together,” she vowed solemnly.

“Agreed. Now let us take our place at the high table.”

They took their place alongside Falkor and the other dragons banged their mugs on the tables, setting up quite a row.

“I think they’re glad you all made it back,” she whispered to him.

“No. They never doubted we would prevail. The salute is to acknowledge that your decision to become drakaina is known and is approved of.”

As the Phantom Fire ate breakfast, Zahran led a discussion on what they had discovered and what the most likely scenarios were to come from it. It was a unanimous decision that the fight with the Shadow League and whoever was behind them was one the Phantom Fire would take on as a sacred responsibility. There were those who questioned whether or not a human actually had the capacity to create such a plan, but all agreed that the experiments that had been done, combined with the book they found, bore grave consequences for all shifters and those responsible would need to be confronted and defeated.

After they finished breakfast, Zahran led Falkor, Sobek, Warrick, and her up to a raised dais. Zahran raised his arms and began to speak.

“In times past we have gathered together to watch one of our brotherhood choose to forsake his immortal life, leave the brotherhood of the Phantom Fire, and cleave to his eternal flame. As you all know, the Phantom Fire has chosen to break with that tradition and will allow those among us who wish to remain here with their eternal flame to do so. Warrick, first warrior of the Phantom Fire, will you choose to remain with your brothers, bringing your eternal flame into our midst?”

“I will.”

Dani raised her hand. “Question. It just occurred to me, does that mean he’s giving up his immortality, and if so, wouldn’t that put him at a disadvantage in a fight, especially as he’s first warrior?”

Zahran smiled. “That is an excellent question, and one to which we do not know the answer. Our ceremony has always included the member of the Phantom Fire acknowledging that he is giving up his immortality, but our new way has not been put to the test.”

“Warrick, maybe you should think about this,” she said to him.

“In the same way you chose to become drakaina knowing you would fight in whatever battle is to come, so will I choose to do the same. My immortality means nothing to me if I cannot have you at my side.”

Shouts of acknowledgement and approval were accompanied by more mug pounding. For a bunch of warriors, these guys were pure romantics, she thought to herself.

Warrick turned to her, taking her hands in his. “Blood of my blood, will you bind yourself to me?”

“You’re willing to give up your immortality for me? Becoming drakaina seems little to give in return. I choose to bind myself to you, to live and die with you, and to become one with you in all ways.”

Another loud cheer from the brotherhood echoed throughout the encampment.

“Then it is done,” announced Zahran.

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