The Dragon Shifter’s Desire by Harmony Raines

Chapter Six – Ivan

“Have you told your family about me?” Larisa asked as they neared the hotel.

“No. I wanted to break the news in person,” Ivan told her.

“Why?” She turned her intense gaze on him, scrutinizing his expression as she waited for his answer.

“I wanted to tell my mom and see her face.” His mouth turned up at the corners as he imagined how happy Valerie would be. “I’m the last to find my mate. She’s going to be so happy.”

“Even when she finds out that I am the sister of the man who attacked one of your brother’s mates? I don’t expect Simon is exactly their favorite person.” Larisa chewed her bottom lip nervously. “And when your mom hears that we’re planning on going to the fae realm, the one place she’s always warned you not to go, I’m sure I’ll be just as unpopular.”

“No, that’s not true. Valerie will love you. She’ll understand.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “She might not be happy about it, and she’ll certainly try to talk me out of it, but she’ll be okay with it when she understands how important it is.”

“Important to me. Not to you.”

“We’re mates. What’s important to you is important to me. So don’t beat yourself up about it.” He ducked his head and looked out of the window as the hotel came into view. “This is it.”

“Wow, that is quite a building. It looks as if someone thought about building a castle and then changed their mind.” Her eyes sparkled as she studied the hotel. “I love it.”

“I’m glad.” Ivan unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the car door before it had even come to a stop. Unable to control his eagerness to tell his family he’d found his mate, he jumped out of the car, went around to the passenger door, and yanked it open.

As Larisa got out of the car, a look of amusement on her face, Ivan froze. With his mate so close, he’d practically forgotten about the tiara which was stashed in his pack in the trunk. Ever since he’d first felt its presence, the feel of it, the knowledge of it had consumed him. Yet here he was, about to head into the hotel, not caring that it wasn’t close to him.

“A penny for them.” Larisa’s face was inches from his, uncertainty in her eyes. “Changed your mind already?”

He shook his head. “No, not at all. I was just thinking about something else.”

“And there was me thinking I was the only thing on your mind. Since we’re mates.” The lines around her mouth deepened as she forced a smile.

“You are the most important thing but not the only thing.” He arched his eyebrow. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

“You haven’t disappointed me so far.” Larisa’s gaze switched to the hotel. “I might be the one doing the disappointing today.”

“Not possible,” Ivan hooked his hand under her elbow, afraid Larisa might get cold feet and bolt.

She’s not running anywhere, his dragon assured him. She came here for a reason, and she won’t leave until she’s done what she set out to do or exhausted all avenues of inquiry.

Yeah, I know. I guess part of me is just afraid to let her go. Afraid to let her out of our sight in case I wake up and this was all a dream.

It’s not a dream.His dragon’s reassurance didn’t help.

“We’re going to the kitchen to see Elise.” Karros and Zara joined them in front of the hotel.

“We’re going to Valerie’s apartment. She’ll probably be watching a show. By this time, she’s usually tired. Belle’s been picking up some of the hotel duties which takes the pressure off her.” Ivan glanced at Larisa. “Belle...”

“I know who Belle is.” Larisa’s nostrils flared. “One more person I’ll need to win over.”

“Belle already forgave Simon. She’s not going to blame you for anything.” He guided her around the side of the hotel while Zara and Karros headed for the hotel reception area. “And since you weren’t there, she’s not going to suddenly blame you.”

“I don’t usually care what people think of me,” Larisa admitted. “That’s not to say I go out of my way to make them not like me. But usually, I accept that people judge others, and sometimes there’s nothing you can do to change their impression of you. Especially first impressions.”

“But this means more to you?” Ivan’s heart swelled in his chest as she nodded and looked away.

“It does.” She nudged him in the ribs. “Don’t get too excited. This is some crazy day and I’m not thinking straight.”

“It’s a good crazy day, though.” He guided her around the side of the hotel.

“I’ll answer that after I’ve met your family.” She reached for his hand and entwined her fingers with his. “At least one of your family members likes me.”

“Two.” He hid a smile.

“Two? Do you mean Zara and Karros?”

“I meant me and my dragon. But we can count Zara and Karros, too, so that makes four.” He hesitated as they reached the door to his mom’s apartment. Should he knock or go right on in like he usually did?

“So you think of you and your dragon as two separate entities?” Larisa seemed to have forgotten her nerves as her curiosity spiked.

“We are two separate entities.” He reached for the door handle. “As you’ll see when you meet my dragon.”

“I always thought you were like two halves of a whole.”

“We are. But we’re also separate, we think different thoughts and there’s only ever one of us here at a time. It’s like the portal into the fae world. One is here and one is there.” He pushed the door handle down. “Ready?”

“We could stay here and talk about shifters for a little longer,” she said hopefully.

“Relax. My mom will love you.” He stepped inside but Larisa lagged behind. “Honestly, she will.”

“I guess... Since my mom died when I was so young, I don’t always... Moms can be an enigma to me,” she admitted. “I know that they love their kids and moms particularly love their sons...”

“You’re stalling,” he accused.

“I am.” She nodded and followed him inside, her chin tilted up as she straightened her shoulders, exuding confidence that she didn’t feel. His admiration for his mate shot up. Ivan doubted there were many situations Larisa couldn’t handle.

“Mom,” Ivan called out just as he had thousands of times throughout his life. This time was different, this time his news was life-changing.

Life-enhancing,his dragon added.

“Ivan, is that you?” Valerie replied. “I wasn’t expecting you to come by today.”

“I...” He sensed Valerie rise from her chair and head toward them. He stopped walking and Larisa stood beside him, shoulder to shoulder.

“Is everything all right? Did you find what you were looking for...” Valerie placed her hand on the wall as she spotted her visitors. “Is this...”

“This is Larisa.” He beamed broadly like it was his birthday. “She is my mate.”

Valerie let go of the wall and covered her mouth with her hands. “Do you have any idea how many wish stones this family has thrown in the ocean in the hope you would find the woman of your dreams?”

“No.” His forehead creased. “I have no idea.”

They were really hoping we’d find our own happy ever after.His dragon choked back tears.

“A lot, I can tell you.” Valerie came toward them, her legs unsteady. “And here you are.”

“Here I am.” Larisa extended her hand toward Valerie. “I’m Larisa Westward.” She emphasized her name.

“Davy Westward’s daughter?” Valerie’s tone rose in question.

Larisa nodded and glanced down at her hand. But Valerie didn’t shake Larisa’s hand, instead, she reached out with open arms and hugged her. For a moment, Larisa held her arms out as if she were afraid to touch Valerie and then she relaxed and hugged her right back.

“We met this afternoon,” Ivan began.

“I’m so happy.” Valerie pulled back from Larisa and wiped her eyes. “I’m getting your shoulder all wet.”

“I don’t mind.” Larisa’s words caught in her throat, and she sniffed loudly.

“We need a drink,” Valerie announced. “And I don’t mean coffee. Ivan, why don’t you go to the bar and grab a bottle of champagne.”

“Oh, you don’t have to go to any trouble.” Larisa waved her hands at Valerie.

“Are you kidding? It’s no trouble at all.” Valerie clapped her hands together. “All of you mated.”

“We should sit down first,” Ivan placed his hand under Valerie’s arm and guided her back to the living room.

“Why do we need to sit down?” Her wary tone broke his heart. If only he’d met Larisa under different circumstances.

If circumstances had been different, we should not have met at all,his dragon reminded him.

“Ivan.” Larisa placed her hand on his shoulder. “We don’t have to do this now.”

“Do what?” Valerie’s face paled. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong,” Ivan assured her. “But I don’t want to celebrate with champagne just yet.”

Valerie pulled away from Ivan and went to her chair. Placing her right hand on the arm, she lowered herself down and reached for the TV remote control. Valerie pressed the standby button, and the screen went black. “Sit down.”

She motioned to the sofa and Ivan inclined his head and reached out for Larisa’s hand. Valerie watched them as they sat side by side, their thighs touching as they got comfortable on the worn sofa.

Valerie could have replaced it years ago, but the shabby sofa held plenty of memories of the children she raised. Soft woolen throws covered the myriad of stains and the small tear in one of the cushions, made when Dario wrestled Logan to the floor after he’d first shifted. Instinct had kicked in and Logan’s wolf sprang free, his claws tearing the fabric of the sofa as he used it as a springboard.

We have many memories of these rooms, of the furniture that fills them and the people who have lived here. A melancholy mood settled over Ivan’s dragon. Do you think we’ll ever get the chance to make memories with our own children? Will this ever be over?

Yes. It’ll be over and we’ll make babies with Larisa and watch them grow alongside their cousins. We just have to do this one last thing first, Ivan replied.

Let’s hope it’s not the last thing,his dragon replied.

“We are going to the fae realm,” Ivan said simply.

Valerie’s bottom lip trembled before she nodded and gained control over her emotions. “I had a feeling that was what you were going to tell me.”

“Elise can cast a spell to cloak me,” Ivan continued.

“And what if it fails?” Valerie asked. “You know the fae don’t like dragons.”

“I do but we need to go to Elise’s grandma and ask her about the pendant,” Ivan replied.

“Do you have it with you?” Valerie switched her attention to Larisa.

“I do.” Larisa slid her hand into her pocket and pulled out the diamond pendant and held it up.

“It’s incredible.” Valerie shuffled forward in her chair and held out her hand. “May I?”

Without hesitation, Larisa handed it over. “Have you ever seen it before? Or anything like it?”

Valerie held it up, so the light caught it. The room filled with tiny rainbows that spun around their heads as the pendant twirled around between Valerie’s fingers. “I’ve never seen it before.” She stared at it for a moment longer before she caught it in the palm of her hand. Valerie closed her eyes, her mouth contorted, and her brow creased as if she were focusing hard.

With a gasp, she opened her hand and passed the jewel back to Larisa.

“Are you okay?” Ivan slid from the sofa and knelt beside his mom’s chair as she slumped back, her eyes half-closed as if she were exhausted.

“I’m fine.” She patted his arm. “You’re right to take it to Elise’s grandma. Hannah knows everything about everything. I know there’s no point in asking you to let your brothers take your place and go with Larisa, but I’m going to ask anyway.”

Ivan sighed wearily. It had been a long day and he was tired and hungry. He hated seeing Valerie upset but this was something he had to do. “You always told us that our mates would show up at exactly the right time.”

Valerie chuckled and nodded her head. “And you think that the reason you two have been brought together now is because this is something you are supposed to do together.”

“Something like that,” Ivan agreed.

“Then who am I to get in the way of fate?” Her eyes darkened and she stroked her hand over his head just like she had when he was a child. “Go. We’ll drink champagne when this is all over and my children and their mates can finally get on with their lives without all this drama surrounding them.”

“One day soon, all you’ll have to worry about is whether you have enough cookies for all your grandchildren,” Ivan joked.

“I’m looking forward to that day.” She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. “I have to trust that fate brought you all together for a reason. Your lives are so intertwined that it can’t be a coincidence that you all came to me.”

“We each found our mate because of how our pasts were linked. I believe that’s how we’ll each find our way to a bright future.” He glanced at Larisa who had remained silent.

Our mate is your future, and it will be bright, his dragon said. If anything or anyone gets in our way, I’ll burn it down.

Ivan believed him.

And believed in him.

As he always had.