Elisha tasted and smelled her the moment her feet touched dragon territory.
The scent of moonlight and stars blasted through his chest like a war drum. He roared so loud it cracked stone. Castle walls trembled. Servants screamed and scattered as the golden haired king tore through the grand halls with bare feet and smoke snorting from his nostrils.
"KALEB! ARWEN!" he bellowed.
Kaleb choked on his tea. Arwen dropped a book. Both men were tackled into a wall as a 6'6 beast of a dragon alpha shifted mid stride and yanked them into his massive claws Kaleb now a white wolf, Arwen a panther, before launching through the glass dome ceiling like a divine missile.
Meanwhile...
Rhiannan hummed as she walked through the misty hills with Liam beside her, her feet bare, her new dark leather coat flaring dramatically behind her.
"They're going to freak the fuck out when they see you," she said.
Liam smirked, tossing his long dark hair out of his eyes. "I hope one of them faints. Bonus points if it's the panther."
She snorted. "You're chaos."
"I'm entertainment, darling. Big difference."
The castle shimmered in the distance, all gilded turrets and luxury soaked in ancient power. Just as Rhiannan opened her mouth to say something wildly inappropriate about dragon beds....
BOOM.
Black smoke erupted around them, swirling with demonic screeches. A trap.
A twisted assassin exploded from the ground, part shadow, part beast, reeking of sulfur and ancient dark magic. Its eyes gleamed red as it lunged, talons flashing.
Liam barely shoved Rhi behind him in time, fangs bared. "Oh HELL no!"
They fought like hell.
Then the sky cracked.
Golden wings flared. A furious DRAGON roared into the fray, slamming the monster with flame. Kaleb and Arwen dropped from his claws, shifting midair and leaping into battle. Five of them slashing, biting, blasting.
Rhiannan screamed, summoning vines and lightning. The assassin struck with venom laced blades, slicing across Arwen's ribs. Kaleb howled. Liam teleported with a blink of shadow, catching Rhi as she stumbled.
It took everything.
But they won.
Barely.
They were bloodied, bruised, breathless, and alive.
"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?" Kaleb snarled, blood dripping down his chest.
Liam panted. "That was what happens when the Big Bad throws a tantrum."
Elisha stood over the crumpled corpse, smoke curling from his nostrils. "We're training. Every day. Until I say stop."
Rhiannan sat on a rock. "Agreed. But first... food. And maybe a nap. And maybe all of you shut up for five damn minutes."
Back at the castle, after a bath and some first aid, the boys bickered like feral toddlers.
Elisha paced, shirtless and fire eyed. "You two are mating her. You couldn't keep her from getting stabbed?"
Kaleb growled, "You weren't exactly doing a great job when she vanished in your own backyard!"
Liam was sprawled in a velvet chair. "Let's all whip out our dicks and measure them, shall we?"
Rhiannan had had ENOUGH.
With a whoosh, she vanished, vampire speed sending her through the endless halls.
"Shit," Liam muttered. "She's learning."
"Where did she..." Kaleb started.
"Scatter!" Arwen yelled.
She giggled as she skidded around a corner, and slammed into someone.
A tall, bronze scaled dragon shifter with platinum hair and an ego that could smother a mountain leered down at her.
"Lady Rhiannan," he purred, trapping her against the wall. "You're even more exquisite up close."
She blinked. "...Who the fuck are you?"
"Lord Dorian," he said, bowing slightly. "Elisha's cousin. And future consort, if you so choose."
She shoved him. He didn't budge.
"I can buy you anything. A kingdom. Jewels. Power."
She grinned sweetly. "Can you buy yourself a personality? Because you're one minor inconvenience away from being a tragic backstory."
He blinked.
Then Liam appeared behind him. "Touch her again and I'll stake you through the dick."
"Language," Rhi said brightly.
"I meant it lovingly," Liam said with a wink.
Kaleb and Arwen skidded into view, panting.
"She's fine," Liam called.
"She's NEVER fine," Arwen snapped.
They all bickered until Rhiannan stormed off, muttering about needing a damn leash for her emotionally damaged entourage.
Elisha watched from a high balcony.
And for the first time in centuries... he smiled.
The goddess had arrived. And so had the chaos.
Rhiannan vanished once again and the men gleefully took off after her.
She ended up in some wing of the castle filled with silk curtains and marble statues. She paused. "Shit. I don't know this place."
Dorian appeared behind her. "Getting lost already? I can show you to my bed..."
Rhiannan turned, eyes glowing. "Try me, dragon dick."
Before he could make another move, the floor BOOMED.
Elisha appeared in full armored glory, eyes glowing, mouth smoking.
"You dare disrespect my goddess?" he thundered.
Dorian paled. "I...I didn't know.."
"You knew."
A golden tail whipped forward, slamming Dorian into a wall. Elisha strode forward, fury in every step.
"She is not a conquest. Not a game. She is our future."
Rhiannan blinked, stunned by the protective rage.
Elisha turned to her, fire dimming just slightly. "Forgive my blood. He will not make the mistake again."
Dorian groaned in the wall.
Rhiannan smirked. "Damn right he won't."
And just like that, the alpha hole showdown ended... with Elisha still steaming, Kaleb smug, Arwen twitching, and Liam casually biting into an apple like he hadn't just almost died.
"Y'all need therapy," Rhiannan muttered. "And maybe a leash."