CHAPTER FIVE

S aphir was crawling out of his skin, needing to take his mate and force him to see reality. He was obstinate beyond rationality. Saphir had to make him see the truth of what they were dealing with and force an understanding that their lives were in danger.

He would not allow his mate to leave alone, and if he insisted on returning home, then Saphir would go with him. Protecting him in such a place would be a bitch for sure, but his mate may leave him no other alternative.

"You're right, but I've been taking this too lightly. I have a hard time believing that someone tried to kill me or us. It's just ridiculous, but I also respect what you have told me, and I believe you. I need to look out for Will. He almost died from that poison, and if Roan hadn't found us, he might not have made it." Ashton was finally making sense and taking it seriously. Saphir breathed a sigh of relief.

“You and Will can remain in the suite he’s currently in. It’s large enough for both of you and also provides a kitchen and other amenities. I’ll see that it is fully stocked. If you’d like something larger or in another area, I will find something else for you." Saphir was eager to see to all Ashton's needs and comforts.

"That room is great, and Will is already comfortable. I would like to change my clothes if possible. I've been in these for two days." He seemed hesitant to ask, but Saphir was pleased that he was not afraid to reach out to him.

"Of course, I'll take care of it for you." The thought of caring for him in this way felt so right, and Saphir could sense their connection beginning to form. His dragon wanted to push forward and present himself, but Saphir held him back. The little fox was not ready to take on a dragon mate while in the midst of so much uncertainty. He would wait for a better time and place, but he was aware that his dragon would not wait long.

He dropped Ashton back at the apartment, giving him strict instructions to rest, and then went to see Bazil. The bombshell realization that his mate was in the house really threw him off for a bit, but he was starting to get his feet under him and his wits about him again. If circumstances had been different, he would have immediately presented himself to Ashton and taken him away to complete their bond.

Normally from what he’d witnessed and heard over the centuries bonding was easy when it was between two paranormals. It was when an uninitiated such as a human entered the mix that things got dicey, and everything slowed down. Unfortunately, even though Ashton was a fox shifter he’d just left a very serious relationship, with a woman, just days ago and he and his brother were apparently being hunted. It was not the time to bring up mating and bonding.

Saphir was struggling to slow down and control himself, but irritation and impatience were growing. He had to speak to his brother he needed his King to bring his dragon down and give him the comfort and support he needed before he did something stupid like throw Ashton over his shoulder and head for the high mountains.

He met Bazil on his balcony relaxing in the twilight he took a seat next to him and remained silent for a few minutes while soaking in the peace and fragrance of the evening. “The fox shifter, Ashton Jennings is my mate.” He stated clearly and waited for Bazil to comment.

He turned in his seat to look at Saphir squarely with an expression of both excitement and caution. “You sound troubled by this news.” He said and leaned back in his chair. “A mate is a sacred individual a gift from Fate herself and is to be treasured and revered.” He reminded him.

"I am thrilled, but my mate is not emotionally in a place to handle this news, so I have let my cloak remain in place. I know him, but he is not aware of me." Saphir got to the heart of the matter. Waiting was weighing heavy on him, and the value of the deceit was quickly losing its veracity. Saphir explained the failed wedding plans and the jilted bride, making his apprehension clear.

"Fate brought you together, so your love is perfect. Do not second guess Fate's plans or her power." Bazil stated what sounded like a warning.

“I don’t wish to overwhelm him.”

“Don’t play games with him Saphir it’s not fair to him.” It was what Saphir needed to hear. He nodded his agreement and understanding. “He is your mate, and it is not your place to keep that information from him.”

“You’re right brother.” Saphir stated and clarity took him over. Dodging and pretending was no way to begin their lives together. He needed to be honest and straight and if mates are as revered in the fox culture as they are in the dragon culture then everything should fall into place.

"A young fox," Bazil said, shook his head, and smiled warmly. "I've seen him, and he is a very handsome man, Saphir. Fate has been very kind to you."

“It was a shock, but I was also pleased beyond anything in this world. I've waited a very long time as you have, too, and I am ready to have the love and companionship of my Fated mate." Saphir paused briefly and then added his concern. "He and Will both appear cautious and afraid when in the company of dragons. I convinced him to stay for a couple of days, and I took him to dinner, but not once did he let down his guard. He allowed me to get closer but not too close.”

"The knowledge that you are his mate will hasten his acceptance and will clear the fog of uncertainty. The fox, like most shifters, understands the importance and the power of a Fated match. He will not turn his back on you if that is what you are fearing." Bazil pinpointed his real concern.

“I fear that a dragon shifter may not be what he’d hoped for.” He responded. His brother knew what Saphir was feeling just as he knew his entire circle. No one hides from the King.

Saphir walked him back to the apartment after they finished dinner, and Ashton enjoyed every minute of their time together. Whatever he'd previously thought about the big dragon was now being muted by the way he cared for and supported them. He personally met with them to persuade Ashton to stay when he could have just done nothing and let them be on their way.

He left him with the promise of checking on them again in the morning and Ashton couldn’t help wishing that Saphir was still there by his side and that yearning seemed odd and out of place, but it was real. Perhaps he was reacting to his strength and warmth at a time when Ashton was feeling decidedly helpless and inept.

He tried to set things right with Harley only to get his brother nearly killed, and now there was someone out there who supposedly wanted him dead. How had everything gone completely to shit so fast?

The answer was obvious, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to face it. If he’d dealt with Ally and the sham of a wedding months ago or even weeks ago instead of thinking in some strange way that things would work out none of this would have happened. He thought he could be happy in time and didn’t want to disappoint so many and in the end he disappointed everyone especially himself.

"Hey, stop thinking so hard." The voice of his brother, who had awoken at some point, pulled him from his depressive thoughts. "It's not Ally, is it?"

"No, I'm glad to be out of that mess, and like I said, she wasn't hurting half as bad as she pretended to be. It was just an act for her parents." Ashton leaned on the edge of Will's bed and rolled his eyes.

“Is it the traps are you thinking Ally’s family has it out for us?” Will was smiling as he said it. Ashton shook his head. “No, me neither.” Will said. “I never saw her family as that type. To retaliate like that is really low class and they have struggled for years to move up that social ladder. She wouldn’t risk it.”

"Unless she doesn't know about it," Ashton interjected for no particular reason.

“You think her dad and brothers would participate in something so dreadful?”

"I'm not sure anymore." Ashton wasn't sure what he was saying, but the feeling kept getting stronger that he was naive where they were concerned. "He might be trying to save face and probably assumed the attack wouldn't be linked to them or that it might be considered an unfortunate accident. Karma, if you will." He finished, and Will stared at him with a bewildered expression.

“I saw the video and didn’t recognize the men in it, but they could have been hired to do the job.” Will started sorting his own thoughts on the matter. “Are we still going home tomorrow?”

"No, I promised Saphir we'd stay a couple days and give them a chance to figure out who tried to kill us. He said it will be easier to protect us here than back in Pittsburgh." That statement earned him a side-eye.

“Saphir?”

“Yes, you know the man who caught you before you hit the floor and carried you to this room and tucked you into bed and then called for the doctor to tend to you.” Ashton enunciated very clearly letting him know that Saphir had treated him very kindly.

“He carried me here?”

“Yes, you passed out while we were waiting for Roan to drive us home. You weren’t as healed as we thought you were.”

"I just wanted to go home, Ashton." Will laid back against the pillows and sighed deeply. "I didn't think they wanted us here."

"I didn't think so either, but Saphir assured me we are welcome and, as I said, urged me to stay a couple of days, giving them time to find the trappers and for you to heal properly." Ashton straightened up in his chair and glanced around the room. He hadn't really looked at it before and was impressed with the size and the décor. This was a very nice apartment. "He said we can stay here in this apartment, and he'll have the kitchen stocked."

“There’s a kitchen?”

"Yeah, large and beautiful, just like the rest of this place. It makes two of my poor little apartment.” Ashton joked.

“My townhouse is a good size, but it could not compete with the furnishings around here or the specialized care.”

"He's not a bad guy, and he seems sincere when he says he wants to help."

"I trust your judgment on that, but still, I'd rather not stay too long. A couple of days, and then let's go home. I don't want to risk getting on the wrong side of these people." Ashton understood his brother's uncertainty because, until speaking with Saphir, he'd felt the same way.

“Do you need anything?” He asked Will who assured him he was fine and just wanted to sleep. “Well then you sleep, and I’m going to the other bedroom and rest a while but if you need me just call out and I’ll hear you.”

“I’ll be fine besides the medic that was in here earlier gave me a pager so I can reach her if I have any problems in the night.” He smiled and showed Ashton the black pager.

“Okay then it looks like you’re in good hands so I’m going to lay down for a while.” Ashton left and headed to the second bedroom just down the hall from Will’s. He hadn’t told Will how he’d felt when with Saphir afraid that he would simply attribute it to the breakup of his relationship with Ally and seeking emotional support or something equally sad.

Will would have told him that he found the man too good looking and too perfect for it to be legitimate attraction and Ashton didn’t want to hear it. The sudden feelings he had for the dragon were something he had not expected but they weren’t made up or a figment of his overactive imagination or any desperate need for attention.

In his heart, the attraction he felt was real. He wanted to explore this feeling, not that he had ever thought for a moment that he would have a chance with someone like Saphir, but he wanted to try and understand it.

He slipped off his shoes and stripped down liking to sleep in the nude but keeping his pants close by in case he needed to get up and go fast. Ashton felt the weight of the last few days rolling off him as he relaxed and closed his eyes. The bed was large, and the blankets and pillows were lush it was a lovely comfort and he was soon fast asleep.

Saphir retired to his quarters for the rest of the night. He received a report on the brothers with Will doing as well as could be expected, but he needed to genuinely rest and relax. The attempt at going home and the exertion did him no favors and set back his recovery, but he asked them not to share that information with his mate.

Ashton took things very personally and the idea that his actions may have caused his brother distress would not set well with him. Will was back on track according to the doctor so there was no need to cause Ashton any upset.

He planned to take Bazil’s advice and talk to Ashton first thing in the morning. It was important that the truth be made clear and hopefully things would progress in a positive manner. There were still lingering worries, but he and his dragon would deal with those when and if the time came. A small, young fox and a centuries old dragon knight Fate definitely had a sense of humor not to mention the fact that the young fox was engaged to a woman just a few days ago.

Switching off his lamp, Saphir settled into bed and tried to sleep. Unfortunately, he couldn’t keep the image of Ashton out of his thoughts long enough to actually relax and fall asleep.

The young man was stunning that beautiful blonde hair would look so good fanned across Saphir’s pillow. His eyes intense and striking in aqua blue depths his heart was beating hard at the memory of his scent. That scent seemed to fill his lungs even now so familiar and so near.

Taking a deep breath, he felt the connection and the warmth fill his body. The scent of his mate brought his dragon forward and smoke began to waft from his nose and mouth. He sat up in bed and turned on the light and to his utter shock and delight a precious blonde fox stood in the doorway of his bedroom staring at him with want and desire. Ashton had sought him out or rather Ashton’s fox had sought out its dragon mate.

The little fox ran to the side of the bed, hopped up, and moved to snuggle at Saphir's side. He had no hesitancy in presenting himself to the dragon, and Saphir loved him for that. Saphir's dragon pushed forward again and reached out to tenderly smooth Ashton's fur with his large, scaled talon.

He ran the soft blonde fur through his sharp claws, and both saw and felt the pleasure beaming from the small shifter. The fox turned and rubbed his face against the rough scaled hand, and he looked at home, closing his eyes and scooting closer to Saphir's side. He was soon fast asleep in the dragon's arms. Saphir turned out the light and settled in, listening to the steady heartbeat of his little fox.

Morning was going to be interesting but at least the truth was out there now. Saphir dropped the cloak muting his scent and as soon as Ashton shifted he would recognize Saphir. His fox already accepted the connection and was eager to continue the bond and he hoped that Ashton felt the same way. Regardless, nothing would stop him from pursuing and claiming his rightful mate.