Vector.
Brother.
Grasping for control over his dragon, Ryker held fast to the childhood memory as he stared into the emerald-green eyes of the man before him. Human thoughts emerged. Human memories of them speed shifting. Accidentally setting his younger brother’s hair on fire. Ryker had laughed for hours while Vector fumed and plotted revenge.
Slowly the dragon faded, allowing his human side to finally seize control once more. Before shifting he directed one last stream of flame over his brother’s head, this time purposely aiming high. A fraction lower and he would fry Vector’s hair off again. Ryker laughed, the sound a cross between a snarl and a snort.
Vector stayed where he was, his eyes glowing dangerously. “Still not funny,” he growled, his hand combing through short silver curls. “Took a year to grow it back, asshole, and now look at it. I should have red hair. Red. Not this silver crap.”
Ryker recognized the mournful tone of his younger brother, a brother not so far away from suffering a fate similar to his own. Madness. Fury. Dragon chains holding him bound to the earth until the executioner arrived.
Sobering at the thought, Ryker finally shifted into human form, using dragon magic to dress himself in leather shoes, pressed black pants, and a white shirt. The massive chains shifted form with him, the Elven magic designed to hide them as nothing more than casual gold chains around the neck of an average man. He looked every bit the billionaire business executive he was in the human world. “You continue to risk your life coming in here. While I am grateful, as your king, I am ordering you to stop. I fear next time I will be too far gone to recognize you.”
This time it was Vector who snorted, his suit one Ryker recognized, made by the finest tailors in Rome. “You may have won your place as king, but you are still my brother. I will hold on as long as you do.”
“That is what I am afraid of. When my human mind goes, the dragon will have no mercy on whoever walks through that door. I do not want to kill you. You earned your place as second in line. Our people will need you to lead them through the war.”
Vector scowled. “No. You will hold on as long as we need you to. A few more days. I will not give you to the executioner’s blade, not yet. All the arrangements have been made.”
“Ah yes. The arrangements,” mused Ryker, ignoring the tingle at the back of his head. His dragon was already pulling at him, trying to take over again. “Has the woman arrived?” The female who would carry his child. Continue his line. The female who had agreed to be mother to his legacy, for a price his clan was desperate enough to pay.
“No. That’s what I came to tell you. Ms. Toure has delayed her flight again. She should be arriving late tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow.” So long when every moment was an eternity. “Very well. Once she signs the documents, you will do what must be done. Notify the executioner. Prepare the Draquonir to mourn their king. Sing the songs of our ancient royal line and prepare for war.”
Vector was second in line, but the other clans would not recognize his right to rule without a display of dominance. Power. Vector would have to fight to preserve their clan’s territory once Ryker was dead. Their territory. Their dragons. The wealth and lands handed down for generations.
“I am sorry, Brother. I did not wish this for you.”
Vector sighed, his emerald eyes solemn. “The dragon cannot be bargained with. We all know this truth.” He took a deep breath. “Are you sure she’s not your mate?”
Ryker grit his teeth. Emily Toure. Long, curly black hair. Sultry brown eyes. There had been a brief moment when he’d thought she was his mate. Even his keen dragon senses had been fooled. One whiff of paradise and then…nothing. His dragon, already unstable, went crazy, spinning wildly out of control with pain and heartache after their initial meeting. He’d finally lost control; the momentary joy, taken from him just as quickly, was catapulting him into an early grave.
“I am certain. Did she say why she needed to postpone this time?”
Vector shook his head. “No, but when I told her if she was not here tomorrow, you would void her initial payment, she promised she would be here.” He paused, his eyes straying sadly to what remained of Ryker’s desk. ”I hope your plan works. If it doesn’t…”
Ryker nodded. “I know, Brother. I know. It’s too late for me, but if this plan works, you and the others might be able to do the same before it’s too late to save what’s left of us.”