Queens and Monsters: A Vampire Shifter Romance (The Blood Falls Book 1)
Queens and Monsters: Chapter 53

It was a little early to be thinking about fall, but the mountains were changing anyway. The air was a little lighter, a little cooler, and the light was starting to change directions each day.

It meant the falls were redder than ever.

It was a spectacular sight to see.

“In a few more weeks it’ll blow your mind,” Dray murmured against my ear. The meadow was crowded with families but Dray found us a spot a little ways away, under a tree. He spread out the picnic blanket and set the basket on the corner. “I started to believe we’d never have another picnic like this.”

I liked the way he smiled as he looked around. This was a new side of Dray and I realized I only knew the one who felt so much pressure to save his family from being pulled under the control of my grandfather.

“Well I’m excited for everything.” The weather was perfect, the food plentiful, and I was told there would be games and swimming. It was just what I needed before saying goodbye to Dray and getting back to school.

“How long do you think you and Cass will be gone?”

Dray lay back on the blanket and folded his arms behind his head. “I want to say a day or two, but realistically? It might be weeks. It just depends on how much they know and how willing they are to listen.”

“That’s a long time.”

“Yeah, well. It’s a lot to take in.”

Fair enough. “I’ve been invited to family dinner.” The Wrens ate together every Sunday night. Even with my heavy school schedule it shouldn’t be a problem to make time to spend with people who care about me.

“And Lou?”

That…was more complicated. “We’re meeting on Wednesday nights. For now she’s got her hands full and I would just be in the way. But weekly updates keep me in the loop and give her a chance to bounce ideas off me.”

Dray’s hand found my calf and began to massage. “I’m glad you’re almost done with your degree. I want you to finish before things get complicated. I don’t want you to have to choose.”

As if there would ever be a choice. If the ancient war was coming then I was going to be here to help with the fight, not sitting in a classroom that might not even exist if we lost.

But I appreciated how much he cared about me. “So what happens next?” A boy swung out on the rope swing and dove into the water, much to the delight of the crowd of kids lined up behind him.

“Now? Whatever we want. If you’re feeling social I can introduce you to new friends and family until you pass out from boredom. Or we can go for a swim. Or we can get the games started.”

He still had his eyes closed. “Or we could take a nap.” I snuggled in against the side of his body.

“Just because I’m still tired doesn’t mean you have to nap with me,” he growled.

Dray was deeply annoyed that he was still sleeping more than normal. He refused to accept the drain his other form took on him. “I can’t remember ever taking a nap with you beside the falls.” The low rumble had a very soothing quality to it.

“I don’t think we have.” His voice drifted away as sleep claimed him.

It took me a few minutes longer, but not much. Between the warm sun on my skin and the fresh air, I was out in no time. I dreamt of a field like this, but larger and filled with flowers. Everything was very similar but just a little bit different. The sun came from a different angle, the air smelled sweeter. It was spring.

Dray came running down the path from the house, excited to replace me. There you are.

It was another shared dream. I knew the signs now. It was like when Dray got into my head, only we were both asleep. Didn’t have enough of me?

He pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head. I’ll never have enough of you. I love you. Forever.

I stood on my tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. I love you, too. Forever. And meant it with every fiber of my being. Dray was part of me. Like an arm or a second heart. Something super important like that.

There you are! I’ve been looking for you! A different voice came from beside us. Higher. Feminine.

Mother.

She floated beside us, a river of red hair around her, a green dress flowing from her body. She grinned as she looked between us. Is this him? The dragon who took you away?

I introduced my mother to my Mate.

I am so happy for you. I can feel your deep love.

Dray kept blinking like he was trying to wake up. How is this possible?

She smiled and patted his arm. Rhysa will explain. There’s no time for that now. We only have a minute, maybe two. She placed one hand on Dray’s face and her other on mine. Be good to each other. Take care of each other. I’ll be watching, my loves.

And then she vanished, leaving us alone in the spring meadow.

I got the strong sense she’d been waiting for a chance to meet us like this. The ways of the Plane still surprised me when I least expected it.

Is there a reason you’re dreaming of this place?

Dray looked around, frowning, until suddenly he gasped. Yes. I wanted to show you a memory. He took my hand and led me through the grass. The dream made it soft like feathers, like were floating more than walking, up to the water’s edge. There was a family. A couple of kids swam in the water while a couple more ran through the grass. A couple more sat or laid on the blanket, too small to join the other. A man sat beside them with a woman lying in his lap, her belly round with pregnancy.

This is one of my favorite memories of my parents. I remember looking up at them from the water thinking they were the happiest samhain in the world.

I realized the little boy in the water was Dray. This was his family. His parents. Graygore and Lorelei. The ever-fertile couple that upset the balance of the Houses and sacrificed themselves for their children.

I could feel the love in the memory. It was the kind of love that conquered everything.

This is beautiful, Dray. Thank you for sharing this with me.

He smiled and pressed another kiss to my temple. I love you just as much, you know? As much as my father loved my mother. He pressed my hand to his heart. Love like this is special. It’s…different. It’s sexual, yes, but it’s also bonding. You are my Mate and I will protect you at all costs. When we make a family, I’ll protect our children, too. We’ll build a fierce and unbreakable bond that will tie our fates together forever.

Did he feel how scared I was of this big future? How confused it all made me? Was that why he brought me here? Love like this is scary.

He smiled down at me. It set my heart racing. No it isn’t. Hard to comprehend? Yeah, I get that. But scary? Nah. That can’t be true.

My head swirled with a dozen different thoughts. Was my mother’s love scary? A little, but mostly it was beautiful. Was my love for Gigi different? Yes. But beautiful too in its own special way, whatever that way ended up being.

But Dray was different. What he described wasn’t just love. It was a life. A life we’ve taken on and will build day after day, bound by heart, hope, and, admittedly, a whole lot of horniness. How do you know?

Dray smiled and it felt like we were flying up into the clouds. Because I know how much I love you.

After we woke up we were both a little dazed and confused, so we made our goodbyes and rushed back to the treehouse. I couldn’t keep my hands off him and he couldn’t keep his hands off me. We didn’t even make it inside.

Right there on the balcony facing the sky and trees, I jumped his bones.

“Fuck, Rhysa. I don’t even have my pants down.”

I reached into his pants and pulled his very hard cock free, sliding down onto him with a moan. “Are you complaining?”

His answer was a very satisfied groan. He lay flat on the wood paneling. I rode him with my shirt thrown aside and my bra pulled down. My skirt fanned out around us.

“You think it will always be like this?” I panted, moving faster. Frantic for climax.

“Of course it will.” He found my clits and massaged. “We’re bonded by our love and our Fate. The benefit is being horny all the time and having a lifetime of incredible sex.”

“A lifetime of this?” My orgasm hit hard. It went on for ages and just barely took the edge off. “Seems fake.”

He growled and rolled us over, looming over me as he drove that fantastically hard cock into me over and over again. “Oh…my Rhysa. You have no idea.” He bent down and nipped my earlobe before whispering and slamming deep inside me. “This? This is just the beginning.”