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Anna
She glanced over at Damien as they cleared the last line of mountains on their course back to Winterspell. The Academy itself would be coming into sight soon, but for now the main sight was right next to her. Flying next to her.
“Dragons,” she repeated to herself. “They’re dragons.”
Of course, they were. Because men who could shift into creatures out of myth and legend were totally normal. She’d nearly screamed her head off in shock when Damien had first—what was the word—shifted? Yes, when he’d first shifted in front of her.
Even now, the giant serpentine head turned in her direction, flashing a toothy grin as if he could hear her words and her thoughts. Upon his scaled and spiked back sat three of the children, each hanging on to a spike with casual ease, totally at home with this mode of transportation.
Altair had the other two on his back. They moved in and out of vision, the clouds often getting in the way as they soared along, the dragons drifting back and forth on the mighty flaps of their wings.
Things are certainly going to be interesting when we land.
Anna wasn’t looking forward to that at all. The Coven was going to go absolutely ballistic that she’d brought the two dragon shifters back with her. Perhaps Circe would stay her hand from immediate punishment, but she was going to have a target on her back for some time, that was for sure.
Not that she’d even considered leaving the poor little kids out in the cold without food or shelter. That wasn’t her way, nor was it the way of Winterspell Academy. They were out here to protect those who needed protecting, and in her mind, that included the refugees from Dracia.
She smiled to herself, content that despite the consequences, she’d done the right thing.
At that same moment, the clouds cleared momentarily, giving a first glimpse of their destination. She heard the dragons rumble and the children perked up, eagerly clambering around on the broad backs for the best vantage point.
“Welcome to Winterspell,” she called formally as the familiar stone walls of her home for the past fifteen years came into view.
She watched the dragons take in the sight before them, enjoying their reaction.
“That is quite something,” Damien remarked, his voice sounding remarkably human despite coming from the very lizard-like snout attached to the long neck.
She smiled, watching the sun sparkle against his metallic blue scales. Winterspell wasn’t the only thing worth watching. She admired the way his powerful wings pumped in slow rhythm, the muscles in his shoulders flexing and driving them downward with immense pressure and force.
“Thank you,” she called, having to speak up to be heard over the wind. “We’ll land there, at the main courtyard.”
There was no point in trying to get them to land anywhere else. They would have been spotted by sentries and students alike at this point, and if there was one thing on this earth that couldn’t be contained, it was the rumor mill. Word would spread faster than wildfire and soon, the entire Academy would know about the dragons.
They spiraled lower, the big dragons having to work harder to control themselves. The walls of Winterspell were long and winding, but the buildings within were huge. Towers thrust up into the sky, coming to pointed peaks in a random pattern as the multiple castle-like main buildings broke up the landscape.
For Anna and the other trio of Initiates with her, it was easy, their elemental steeds diving among the spires and under archways, nimble and quick, not needing more than a little guidance from their riders to reach the courtyard.
The dragons came in one at a time. Damien landed first, spreading his wings wide and coming to a halt with pinpoint precision. Anna found herself staring at him, marveling at his control.
Altair touched down next, but she barely noticed. Her eyes were locked onto Damien, unable to tear her eyes away from his dragon form.
“So majestic...”
“Patrol Leader?”
She turned to see Initiate Bowen looking at her with intense interest.
“Nothing,” she said, trying to ignore the glittery shine of delight in the other woman’s eyes.
Damien folded his wings in tight and began to change. As he did, a swirl of cloud and mist wrapped itself around him. Biting her lip, Anna knew what was going on in the cloud.
After he resumed his human form, Damien would be naked. She’d found that out when he’d casually stripped down in front of her out in the mountains. Just as if it was nothing. She’d watched dry-mouthed as he handed his clothes to one of the kids.
His dick was just swinging there below his ripped stomach and powerful chest like it was the most common thing in the world. So thick and—
She shook her head, focusing on the situation at hand, even if her brain refused to stop displaying the image mentally. It was a lovely memory, and one she would probably always associate with him, but right now she needed to focus on what to do with Damien.
Not that, she snapped as her brain presented her with a list of options it thought was a good idea. None of them were relevant.
The mist cleared and Damien stood straight and tall, taking in all the grandeur that was Winterspell Academy, even as he was greeted with hushed sounds and gasps of surprise. His clothes were back on, courtesy again of one of the dragon children having run into the cloud. Things were going to be awkward enough just bringing him back. Anna didn’t need to add excessive male nudity to the mix!
People were filing out of all the buildings now to see the newcomers as word spread, and those lucky enough to witness the transformation of the two dragons began speaking quickly to those nearest them, as if seeking confirmation that what their eyes had just seen was true.
A matronly voice interrupted the proceedings. “What is the meaning of this? What is going on here?”
Anna groaned silently, wishing that anyone else would have been the first out onto the courtyard field, but that just wasn’t her luck.
“Master Loiner,” she said respectfully, greeting the magic professor.
“Initiate Sturgis. Explain yourself.”
Before Anna could get the chance, Initiate Bowen jumped in front of her.
“During the patrol, we came across these creatures. Initiate Sturgis thought it was a good idea to bring them back here. I said we should have killed them and sent them back to the Abyss,” she proclaimed proudly, turning an angry glare on Anna.
Master Loiner’s stare hardened. She didn’t reprimand Bowen for speaking out of turn like most Masters would have. Just like Initiate Bowen, Master Loiner did not like Anna. Not one bit.
“Is this true?” the Master asked, eyes flicking over Anna’s shoulders as heavy bootfalls indicated the approach of Damien.
“It is,’ she said, somehow finding a backbone that always seemed to run and hide when she was confronted. “There is a situation here. We must talk to the Coven immediately. All of Earth is in danger.”
Master Loiner might have it out for Anna, but she was no idiot. She knew that Anna wouldn’t call such attention to herself or the situation unless she thought it was truly warranted. Especially not with so many witnesses.
“The Coven, you say?” the master asked with devious delight sparkling deep in her eyes.
“It is most urgent,” Damien interrupted. “Your people need to know what is going on. They must be prepared.”
Master Loiner took Damien in, sizing him up. “Very well. But know that if you make one false move, we will incinerate you before you can take another breath. Is that understood, stranger?”
Anna heard the massive dragon shifter inhale sharply at the blatant threat.
“We understand,” she said, throwing herself between the two of them verbally before the confrontation got worse. “He is my responsibility.”
“Then, to the Coven’s Chambers with you. I will notify them of your imminent arrival,” Master Loiner said, more than happy to let Anna dig her own grave.
Damien opened his mouth to speak, but Anna grabbed him by the arm, trying desperately not to enjoy the way his biceps felt under her fingers.
“Come on,” she hissed. “We have to go. Now.”
Damien followed along reluctantly, but she could tell he wasn’t happy.
“Do they always treat you like that” he asked, his voice a deep masculine growl.
Anna shrugged, trying to maintain her composure. She hadn’t had much exposure to boys or men since coming to Winterspell at age thirteen. The lack of magic in almost all men meant that her experiments had been limited to the boys of Elk Pines during her infrequent trips to the human settlement.
Now she had Damien here next to her, a very considerable male, who simply exuded power, strength and masculinity in a manner that was intoxicating, impressive, almost overwhelming, and most definitely more than a little distracting. Her body was betraying her private thoughts even as she begged it to stop, to stay calm.
“Not all of them,” she said, answering his question. “But some think that I don’t belong here. Like Master Loiner and her brown-nosing sycophant Initiate Bowen.”
The words came out harsher than intended, and Anna felt a touch of embarrassment at airing her dirty laundry to someone she’d just met. She didn’t need to burden him with her issues. What he was dealing with was far more serious than a simple case of someone not liking her. She would need to remember that.
“Why wouldn’t you belong?” Damien wanted to know as he followed her through a series of turns and stairs down into the heart of the larger of the two castle-like buildings that made up most of Winterspell.
“I wasn’t born with the same level of power as most of the other students,” she said. “I’ve had to study hard and work even harder to achieve what I have, and I guess they’re resentful of that fact.”
Damien snorted.
“What?”
“They’re not resentful of your hard work,” he explained. “They’re resentful that you’re making them look bad, because if they put in the same effort, they would be able to do far more themselves.”
Anna considered that. “Maybe,” she admitted. “Maybe.”
They arrived at a set of closed doors made of purest platinum, shiny even in the dim light of the corridor.
“We’re here,” she said. “The Coven’s Chambers.”
“What is beyond those doors?” Damien asked uneasily.
“The ruling body of Winterspell. The most powerful witches in the area,” she said, her voice tight.
Anna had never been in front of the Coven before.
“Is this a good thing that we’re seeing them?” Damien asked, sounding completely unruffled.
“That depends—” Anna wasn’t able to finish her sentence.
The doors were opening.
