65. Aurora

CHAPTER 65

Aurora

January-

I arrive in the dining hall, right in the middle of a party that the boys apparently decided to throw. The party itself could be for one of a million things. The first reason could be that my daughter has decided to make her presence known. The second reason could be finally completing the bond with Dimitri. The third reason, it's been almost two weeks since the last time that we've had to kill somebody for attempting to try to kill me—doubtful, but it's a nice thought.

I watch the guys as they pass out their bro hugs, back claps, and steins of beer. Silently, I walk into the room and lean against the closest wall, watching them and their funny antics. Wouldn't you know, my father is the one that notices me first. Slowly, I shake my head, trying to signal him not to reveal that I'm here. He gives me a quick wink of his eye, then goes and refills his stein.

The guys are having pep talks with Klaus, trying to reassure him that his time will come. He seems somewhat dejected because I had chosen to take Dimitri before him, even though I had bitten him first. Klaus really doesn't understand the history that Dimitri and I have and how long we have been denied our bond. I'll have to speak with him one-on-one later and let him know that he does matter greatly to me.

Eventually, I feel Alaric reach out through the bond, trying to sense where I am. Dammit, I'm busted. He finds me in a matter of seconds. A smile creeps slowly across his perfectly plump lips as he looks at me. His right-hand raises and he gradually does the come here signal with his index finger.

I roll my eyes at him while shaking my head no. I'm feeling a little defiant at the moment, so I stomp my right foot and use my left hand with my index finger pointing directly at the ground, demanding he comes to me. The other guys all look shocked as their eyes move quickly between myself and Alaric. He's definitely more Alpha than the rest of them, but he's not more Alpha than I am. My father forewarned us that there will be times we would test each other's dominance. Apparently, now is one of those times.

Jayce and Klaus both look panicked as their eyes move between Alaric and me. They huddle up tight, obviously trying to decide what to do to help diffuse the situation. Dimitri starts laughing, almost hysterically, over what's going on. He claps Alaric on the back and tells him good luck, that once I've made up my mind, there's no changing it. I just smile, ever so sweetly, looking at Dimitri, and I lightly bow my head to him for acknowledging the fact that I am one stubborn bitch.

I feel the scale on my chest getting too warm. Alaric is pushing his dominance through it. Smart male, he's not blanketing the entire room with it, just me. I start to laugh that maniacal laugh of mine when I know I can gain the upper hand. I draw in a deep breath, ever so slowly, finding my center. In my mind's eye, I reach out through time and space, feeling my dragon family. I start to draw upon my father, as well as Alaric himself.

The moment the guys catch on, they turn to stare at Nicodeamus and Alaric as to what I'm doing. My eyes begin to take on a very haunting look; frost begins to spread out around me, surrounding me almost in a mini storm. The boys can feel me pulling. Alaric starts to move, not of his own volition but of my desire. My father stares, watching in an almost horrified shock over what I am capable of doing.

Several knocks occur at the double doors that are not far from me. The doors open, and eight more male dragons come in, almost zombified at my call. Apparently, thanks to Alaric, my dragon side has become ten times stronger than it was before. When I realize what I have done, I release my grip on the power that I've tapped into. The eight males who have found their way into the room look around, confused about how they got there. I'm as strong as ever and this time, my use of power did not exhaust me. Perhaps my body is changing along with the growth of my baby. I can't wait until my little angel, Tia, is born. Oh, there are so many things I can't wait to show her.

Alaric comes over to me and drops to his knees before me. He carefully grabs both of my hands and kisses my knuckles. "There has only ever been one dragoness able to pull dragons to her from far and wide. That dragoness just so happens to be your great-grandmother, the Blood Queen."

I pull Alaric to his feet and gently kiss his lips. I take only one of his hands and take him with me back towards the other guys. My eyes land on my father, and I look at him, studying as he is studying me. "By the way you're looking at me, Father, I can only assume that you have never seen this done before."

Nicodeamus begins to stroke his beard as he looks at me. He tilts his head left, then slowly back to the right again, then back left again. He bites his lower lip before speaking. "It's like your mate has said, the last time I have seen anyone summon other dragons like that was the Blood Queen. Apparently, my bloodline was much stronger than your mother's and is obviously the dominant side of you. This would also explain why you carry Alaric's child before the twins. A dragoness will always pick the strongest male to reproduce with. So in the future, if you wish for children with your other mates, before going into heat Alaric must leave."

I watch the twins share looks of confusion between them. Their eyes move over to Dimitri and Klaus next, then over to Alaric last. Alaric slowly nods, acknowledging what my father has said is true.

All I can do is blink because of the information that is given to me. It doesn't matter which of the guys I had sex with during my heat, it was always going to be Alaric's child. Well, isn't that just a curious turn of events? It's quite interesting how genetics plays a huge role in the survival of the species. For example, what we have here today, even though I have spent time with Dominik and Jayce far before Alaric, it's Alaric's child that I now carry. I understand in the wild the need for the strong to survive and the weak to perish; those more diluted bloodlines no longer carry on. But all of these males that I have gathered, each are the strongest of their species, by rights.

Gently, I rub my stomach, feeling my daughter's movements within. Oh! I go to Jayce and place his hands on my belly. A slow smile creeps across his face as he feels my child moving. He seems just as enamored with the situation as I am. We smile ever so softly at each other, and he lightly kisses my lips before he moves away. I look over at his brother, Dominik next. I can see the anticipation and excitement in his eyes as he looks at me.

Slowly, I toddle my happy ass over towards Dominik and sit on his lap. I wait until I start to feel my daughter's movements within me before taking Dominik's hand and placing it in the proper place. Several seconds pass before I see his eyes light up and a smile move across his lips. One by one, I moved to each of my mates, making sure that they feel the babe within me. The look of wonder and happiness, the feeling that a miracle has occurred for us warms my heart. This is one of the few days that I can honestly say the entire day has been happy.

We retire to bed this night, exhausted yet happy. I find myself, tonight, between Alaric and Klaus. If you ask me, they're absolute polar opposites in their personalities. Alaric is your typical dominant male, wanting to make sure everything is in its proper place and order. Even though he's an Alpha, Klaus is more concerned about my well-being and the well-being of those around us. I'm guessing it's partially a species difference versus how they both individually were raised. From what Klaus had told me, his father was very hands-on and very affectionate. Alaric's father defined the word rat bastard. He couldn't give two shits less how anybody felt or what their thoughts were if they were outside of what he wanted.

I'm thankful to the gods that Alaric is not his father's son in the sense that other people's feelings matter to him. I think back to the night that my mate ripped his own father's heart out for his transgressions against me. I stood there and tolerated it, his father belittling me and treating me like nothing more than a broodmare and property. It warmed my heart and comforted my soul that Alaric sought vengeance in my name.

I look between Alaric and Klaus while they sleep curled up around me. I definitely think I hit the mate lottery when I ended up with these five guys. I am so thankful that no matter what I've already been through, each man handled it in his own way. Therefore, I can seek out the mate that I feel I need at that time. I know on the schedule somewhere out there, I need to finish and complete the bond with Klaus. My eyes move over to Alaric then back to Klaus as an idea forms in the back of my mind. I wonder if these two will play as nicely together as the twins do.

Carefully, I lean over and kiss Klaus on the lips, then I turn and kiss Alaric on the lips. No mate above the other, no favorites, and most of all, all are equal in my eyes. It doesn't take long for me to drift off to sleep. Tonight, visions of the daughter that I carry in my womb are dancing in my head. That, and of her future.

Sometime in the middle of the night, I'm awakened. My body is drenched in sweat, all because of the dream I just had. In that dream, the daughter that I carry now has long, light blond hair, steel-grey eyes like mine, and her father's stare back at me. A man I've yet to meet, covered in tattoos, hugging her, embracing her like she is the greatest treasure that he has ever found. Whomever this man is, he is pivotal in her future. Unlike my daughter, from what I can sense, he has already been born. I sit here panting from how real the dream had felt to me.

Are these the future dreams that my father warned me about? Is this strictly a dragon thing, and since taking Alaric as a mate, it has become more substantial? I'll speak to my father about this in the morning after I've adequately rested. For now, I wiggle myself between Klaus and Alaric, trying to get comfortable again so I can slip back into a nice deep slumber.