The Little Star

Fantasy and Desire

Celeste’s POV:

Seeing Drogon’s wrists wrapped in the silver cuffs set a lump in my throat that wouldn’t dissipate, despite the cooling water from the bottle Orion was holding to my lips. Seeing him drugged and carried away sent dread shattering through me. But what was worse, the mixture of betrayal and understanding that had been shining in his eyes. Everyone present knew he’d had a choice. He didn’t have to stay and be shackled; he could have shifted and flown away. Instead, he choose to stay, though why he had I couldn’t quite figure out.

“For us.” Dria muttered; she’d been moping since we’d both realized who we were facing. That we’d attacked our mate.

Funny, seeing how that was the word that set us off in the first place.

Mate.

A word I’d associated with disgust and betrayal for so many years, now filled me with the oddest sensations of trust and longing. Things I’d never imagined associating with the word ever again, and emotions I fought with everything I had. Mates couldn’t be trusted, and longing for rejection was beyond idiotic.

“Celeste?” Vespian calling for me brought my train of thought to a halt, dragging my attention to him and the lines of worry etched into his face. “I don’t want to push you-.”

“Then don’t.” Orion growled, the warning vibrating through his chest as his hard eyes stared the other Alpha male down, pushing for submission. But Vespian was a force in his own right and not one to cower.

“But we need to know what you remember. Anything you can tell us will help in discovering who is behind this, and why.” My sisters mate continued, as if Orion weren’t attempting to glare him into silence.

What did I remember? My memories of the night were jumbled and twisted. Every time a detail would begin to clear it would slip through my fingers like smoke.

“Well, we know one thing for certain.” Dria huffed.

“And what’s that?” I asked a little sharper then I’d meant.

“Drogon didn’t have us locked away.”

“How are you so sure?”

“How aren’t you?” She demanded with an edge of disgust.

“You don’t have to do this now, Celeste, we can only imagine what you have been through.” Leo interrupted mine and Dria’s inner dialogue, offering a small smile. A gesture meant to tell me I was safe here and wouldn’t be pushed past my limits if he had any say in the matter.

“Exactly, you don’t have to push yourself, Celeste. None of us expect that.” Orion continued, cutting a warning glance towards Vespain before turning to walk through the forest.

“Wait, we can’t leave yet.” I demanded, pushing away from Orion until he lowered me to my feet, pulling the blanket that had been thrown around me tighter in the process.

“We need to get you out of here. Everyone back home has been so worried about you, Celeste.” My brother started, but I held up a hand to silence him, ignoring the flash of indignation in his silvery-blue gaze.

“There are other women in the dungeons where I was kept. They’re locked away with power dampeners on their wrist. They need to be freed.” The way the three men glanced at one another and shuffled their feet told me something was wrong. Something I hadn’t been told. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“We searched the entire compound, Celeste.” Orion began, his brows drawn together as he trailed off.

“Alright, and?” I pushed him. Why were they worried about telling me what they’d found in the compound? I, more than anyone, would know exactly what was there. What was in the bowels of the place that had been my prison for so long.

“All we found were bodies.” Leo muttered, one tattoo covered hand rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. At his words my heart dropped.

Bodies? Had my friends been killed when the escape attempt had been orchestrated? My face must have paled, because all three men’s eyes widened and they began talking quickly, trying to reassure me.

“The guards!” Leo practically shouted.

“No one was in any of the cells!” Orion added.

“We found no female bodies actually, including the guards.” Vespian was quick to throw in.

As their statements began to sink in, my chest slowly relaxed, breaths coming easier. So, my girls weren’t dead, but they also were no longer in the compound.

“They must have had a magical backup plan.” Dria began muttering, thinking out loud, so to speak. Seeing as how her ‘out loud’ was in my head.

“What do you mean?”

“Like in Harry Potter, when they transport from one place to the other.” She continued.

“Like flute powder or apparition?”

“Why is the Harry Potter words for teleportation important right now?” I swear I could hear the eye roll in her tone.

“It’s not, sorry. But yeah! You have a point! Makes total sense as to how the cells could have been cleared so quickly and leave no trace.” For a moment I began getting excited, my heart swelling with the idea that we’d figured out how they got away. But then reality sank in. “We won’t be able to trace them. We have no way of tracking them.”

“Why did your face just say that you grabbed the last slice of cake, but then it dropped to the ground?” Leo asked curiously, hissing when Vespian reached out and punched his bicep as a warning to shut up. “What? Are we gonna pretend like she didn’t just act like she’d discovered something and lost it all in the matter of two seconds?”

“We’re talking about the lives of young supernatural women, and you compared the situation to a dessert.” My brother in law growled.

“Alright, I concede, I could have worded that better.” Leo admitted, having the decency to look abashed, before clearing his throat and glancing back at me. “So, what did you think of?”

“Well, Dria is the one that actually thought of it. She said what if there was a magical back up plan, like in Harry Potter. Witches transported the prisoners and personnel out?”

“Apparition?” Orion asked curiously, his tone hinting at interest.

“Nah, like a port key, right? That does groups.” Vespian piqued in, drawing surprised looks from Orion and myself. “What? Luna made me watch the entire series, said she couldn’t be married to someone who didn’t understand the memes she sent them.”

“Ha! You are so whipped!” His Beta joked, striking out to deliver a rebuttal arm strike.

“At least I’m not a closet Twi-hard.” The Alpha snapped with a roll of his blue eyes.

“Hey, if we’re gonna diss model like men turning into giant wolves and kicking vampire ass, then what the hell are we all doing here?” Leo demanded in complete seriousness.

“He’s got you there, Vesp.” Orion muttered with the hint of smile turning up the corners of his lips. I wasn’t sure when my brother had become so somber, but I was hoping it was only because of the circumstances. I’d need my jokester brother to help ground me as I fought to overcome the trauma I’d been through.

“We are so far off topic… and it’s a pretty f*cking serious topic guys.” I growled, stomping my bare foot on the ground as I did so, though the only affect it had was to send a shock of pain up my ankle. I couldn’t wait to be fully healed and back to full strength. Being the damsel in distress did not suit me one bit.

“Right, sorry your majesty.” Leo muttered, bowing his head slightly in respect. Sh*t, I had used my Alpha tone on accident.

“My face fell because I realized if they disappeared without a trace-.”

“Then there’s nothing to track.” Orion jumped in, finishing my sentence for me, much as we had when we were children.

“Precisely.” I stated, looking between the three men as they thought over my theory.

“Maybe a witch can track another witch’s spell? Through like, a magical imprint left behind?” Vespian mused aloud.

“Oh please, that’s from Harry Potter too.” Leo muttered under his breath, which we all ignored.

“Maybe. It’s worth a shot.” My brother agreed, one hand raised to rub his chin in thought.

“We can call Lexi.” Vespian offered.

Within minutes it was decided that Lexi would be brought up to do what she could, but we wouldn’t be waiting around for her to show up. Despite my adamant assurances that I was perfectly fine, all three men agreed that I should go home immediately. It was decided Drogon would be heading back to Golden Crescent as well, though in a different vehicle.

The guys must have been right about my need for rest, because the moment the SUV got on the main road and the ride was smooth, I drifted right to sleep. Instead of comforting blackness, my mind was filled with images of a beautiful waterfall surrounded by vibrant green vegetation and the most brilliant-colored flowers I’d ever laid eyes on. The sight was enough to take my breath away.

But despite the beauty of the majestic scene around me, it all melted away into the background the moment my eyes landed on him. Cutting through the water, glistening with droplets of water that sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight, was the very man I’d just witnessed taken away in silver cuffs.

Drogon was a beautiful man, though I assume saying so would wound his manly pride. After all, men preferred words like ‘hot’, ‘handsome’ and ‘sinful’ as descriptions for them. And while every single one of those words would perfectly describe Drogon, beautiful was what stuck in my mind for the time being.

The further he walked from the water, the clearer it became that he was naked, and though a part of me told me to look away, the rest of me said we had a right to look. After all, he belonged to us, he was our mate. We were destined.

My eyes trailed down his body as each magnificently muscular part of him was revealed. As he stepped onto the grassy shoreline, my eyes were still glued to one part in particular. A particularly large part. My tongue flicked out to wet my suddenly dry lips as Drogon’s second ‘dragon head’ grew in stature, until it was standing at full attention. My heart thundered in my chest, the rush of blood in my ears muffling the call of my name until a hand waved in front of the eighth wonder of the world I’d just discovered.

“Little Star, unless you plan on using that tongue of yours to lick the water from him, I’d suggest you stop staring.” Drogon’s words, mixed with his accent, sent a rush of heat through me I hadn’t even realized I was capable of feeling.

I felt my cheeks heat up as my teeth clapped down on my tongue. My mind was warring with itself. On one hand I wanted what he said to become a reality. To feel him between my lips, the fresh water from the lake coating my tongue and dripping down my throat, mixed with the intoxicating taste and scent of my mate. The other part screamed no; we’d gone down this road before. Given into our desires, into the mate bond, before, and it hadn’t ended well for us. Why throw our heart to the wolf again to be shredded and ground into dust? Or in this case, the dragon, to be burned into ash. Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and held my head high, standing my ground.

“Why do you have to talk so dirty? Can’t you just have a normal conversation?” I demanded, trying to inject disgust into my tone, but cursing myself when instead I sounded husky. Trying to clear my throat, I meant to continue in a sterner voice, but instead Drogon’s soft laugh made my heart stutter a beat.

“Of course I can, but where’s the fun in that? I know you enjoy it, because I can see the signs of your arousal.” He was speaking so soft I was surprised the sound was reaching across the clearing even with my Lycan hearing. My cheeks flushed, my ears even growing warm at his words, my throat beginning to dry. But the bastard wasn’t done toying with me. “The color in your alabaster cheeks. The pounding of your blood through your veins. The catch in your breath.” He paused for a moment and lifted his nose into the air, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath. And then he was staring at me, molten orange and satin blue clashing in a heated look that threatened to set us a flame. “The alluringly sweet smell of your arousal that makes me feel ravenous for a honey only you can feed me, my Queen.”

He was going to be the death of me. This was it, this was how I was going to leave this planet. Burned alive by the very idea of this man fulfilling the things his sinful lips uttered and his molten eyes that promised so much more.

“Stop it.” I whispered. Though, did I really mean it? Did I truly want him to stop? The idea of giving into him was terrifying. There was so much that could go wrong. Despite how strong I appeared to the world, my heart was held together with tape and glue. One hit was all it would take to bring it tumbling down… and I was beginning to see that one betrayal from Drogon would be akin to a hundred hits. If I let him in, it wouldn’t be like William, it would be so much worse. I wouldn’t survive our dance through the flames if he choose to drop me.

“You don’t have to be scared of me, Celeste.” Drogon said, the fire in his eyes cooling slightly as he took slow, measured steps towards me.

“What are you? A mind reader?” I grumbled, not appreciating being read so easily. I’d always been able to easily hide my thoughts and feelings from the world, allowing people to see only what I allowed them to. What I wanted them to see. But Drogon saw through me so easily I felt naked down to my very soul. It was a feeling I despised.

“Only with you, my Little Star.” He chuckled, and much to my annoyance my body reacted to the throaty sound. “I am your mate, you are my treasure, which means we complete each other. Normally, the female is the light to her mate’s darkness, but I am beginning to see you are filled with your own darkness. Thankfully, I am up to the challenge of burning away every shadow in your soul.”

“You’re a cocky son of a b*tch, aren’t you.” It was a statement not a question, one dripping with a mixture of disgust and heat.

“I am sure of myself. Just as I am sure of us, of our destiny. You will choose me, and I will spend the rest of our lives proving I am nothing like him.” His words were so matter of fact. There was no doubt in his mind that I was his. And if I was honest with myself… my walls were chipping, and I was scrambling to fill them with concrete.

Ripping my gaze from his I looked around the clearing. Needing a change of subject before I made the second biggest mistake of my life. “Where are we?”

“You don’t remember?” Drogon seemed honestly surprised now, though why I had no idea.

“Is there something about this place I should remember? Doesn’t look like anywhere I’ve seen before.” Glancing around with fresh eyes I strove to pull memories to the surface, but nothing came.

“Perhaps they were just dreams after all.” He muttered under his breath.

“Dreams?”

“Yes. Over the past three years I’ve met you here every so often. Each time we spent some time together before you disappeared.” I could hear the echo of pain in his voice. These meetings had been important to him, having a connection to me despite the fact that he couldn’t find me in the physical world.

Slowly scenes of us lying in the grass flashed through my mind. Me in his arms, completely at peace.

“I think I remember bits and pieces…” I murmured, unsure if what I was saying was memories, or fantasies.

“Well, we’re here together now, we can make new memories.” That fire was back in his eyes, and though the same heat was flooding my veins, I rolled my eyes and laughed.

“Is that all you think about? Your mind is always in the gutter.”

“Only where you are concerned.” Drogon stated, and the truth ringing through those words surprised me.

“Do you mean what I think you mean?”

“That I’ve waited for you for the entirety of my life? Yes, that is what I am saying.” At the drop of my jaw, Drogon tilted his head to the side and his brows drew together. “Why are you so shocked?”

“It’s just, I’m not used to men not indulging in their fantasies and s****l desires.” I admitted with a shrug.

“You’ve known no others who’ve chosen to wait for their mates? That seems… hard to believe.”

“Well, I mean, Orion waited for Gracie, and Vespian waited for Luna, but they are the exception, not the rule.” The night I spent with William pushed into my mind. Drogon had waited or me… but I hadn’t done the same. Would it matter to him? Did I even care if it upset him? Sighing, I straightened by back and held Drogon’s gaze, refusing to feel bad for something that, though I regretted it, I felt no shame for. I believed William to be my mate. My only mate. Being with him had been only natural at the time. “I can’t say the same.”

I’m no sure what I expected. Anger? Resentment? Yelling? Condemnation?

But none of it came. Instead, Drogon smiled softly and raised one eyebrow. “I know, my Little Star. I met the blood sucker, remember? The day I first laid eyes on the brightest star I’d ever seen.”

“Celeste.”

My name rang through my mind, a call to come out of whatever state I was in.

“Someone’s calling me.” I whispered, unsure if I was ready to leave.

“Go.” Drogon said, smiling at me as I chewed on my bottom lip, unsure what to do. “We’re going to be in the same place, even if I’m in chains and behind bars, I don’t care as long as you are nearby.”

“I’ll get you out of them as soon as I can, Drogon. I promise.”

“Celeste?”

The voice grew more insistent, sending a spark of pain through my skull.

“They’re growing more insistent.” I muttered, wincing as I reached up to rub my temples, but Drogon’s fingers were there first, warmth spreading from his skin to mine as his hands slid into my hair. Pulling my face close to his, he stopped with his lips hovering over mine, the heat of his breath fanning my lips. “I want to taste you, my Little Star.”

The mixture of demanding action and pause for consent so he’d know I was comfortable with this was sweet and spicy, and exactly what I wanted and needed from him. Nodding my head, my lashes fluttered closed as his fingers wrapped in my silver tresses and his lips crashed down on my with a hunger I matched.

Spreading his lips, Drogon sucked my bottom lip into his mouth, suckling on it softly before biting down just hard enough to draw a gasp from me. Taking advantage of the action, his tongue dove into my mouth, like a starving man who’d found the sweetest water to drink from.

“Celeste!”

Snapping my eyes open, I jerked up, confused at the sudden change of scenery and light. It was dark, but with my wolf vision I was able to see the surprised and concerned faces around me. I was back in the SUV.

“Celeste, sh*t! You scared the hell out of me.” Orion exclaimed, running a hand through his hair in agitation.

“I’m sorry… Guess I was sleeping pretty hard.” I muttered, turning to look out the window in an attempt to hide the flushing in my cheeks. The lights ahead told me we were close to Golden Crescent.

“It’s fine, really, you probably need a good long rest, it just scared me when you wouldn’t wake up is all. Anyways, we’re home.”

Home. Why did the concept seem foreign? I should be excited. I was finally safe. Finally home, after so long of wishing for just that…

But instead of being excited at the break in my fortunes, I was saddened that everything I’d just experienced had been nothing more than a dream.

((( Updates will be very unpredictable till at least August, when my kids go back to school. I'm sorry for the radio silence, but life has gotten incredibly stressful as of late and writing has fallen to the bottom of the priority list. If you choose to wait till the book is done to read it, I completely understand and would even suggest this, because I know how annoying it is when an author doesn't update regularly. Thank you for reading and for all of the encouraging comments and messages I have received, they have been a true help and I will be eternally grateful for my readers.))