Chapter 23

Dragons ~Nye~

Nye got used to seeing his brothers fight to mate with a female; it's the way of Dragons. But this he found much more challenging to deal with. Shade poison did a number on Nye, and it took him a while to recover, and Nye knew if Koa got scratched, he'd be weak enough for him to strike. Aneth didn't seem interested in taking Koa's spot, but Nye couldn't help but crave revenge. Koa fought him nether-the-less, but it wasn't as intense, and Nye cast the last blow. Now, he stood over his brother with his boot on his chest, and Koa's blood ran thick on the floors. 

Knowing the routine, Aneth comes forth. Nye can taste the thick, coppery satisfaction of being Alpha again. When a knock comes at the door, Nye's upper lip twitches. Why did humans have to involve themselves in something so sacred to Dragon-Kind? Nye ignores it and watches Aneth drag Koa and place him on the couch. When the knocking doesn't stop, he marches up to the door and swings it open. 

"What?" He snaps through his teeth at the annoying witch. Her eyes widened when she saw the blood on his chest, "Oh, good goddess! Kamari!" The witch tries to get through, but he blocks her, "What have you done to her, you monsters!" Nye shoves her away. "You pester me more than a fly. Kamari has mated she is resting."

The witch's chest moves like a mouse. Pitiful. Nye says to himself. "Mated? With you?" She asks. He clenched his jaw, "No. Now leave." Nye could only tolerate so much from the human world; sometimes, it got to him. The way they lived under sheltered roofs and cages for their young. Dragons roamed freely; their young never stayed with them. And Nye didn't know how many whelps came from him, but he knew plenty. Those he couldn't care less about, but he would make it a point to be Kamari's top Sire.

"Kamari has to meet with Javall and can only stay for so long. I didn't expect her to go through with this." The witch says, her brow is heavy with worry. It made Nye's stomach lurch. "You wouldn't want to wake a sleeping Dragon, especially after what she just went through." Koa got pretty rough with Kamari, but he would have been running with his serpent's tail between his legs if he hadn't. Successfully mating with a Shade, Nye could give his respect to his brother on that one. 

The witch shakes her head, "This can't happen again. She is missing too much. Kamari still has some much to do." Nye rolls his eyes, "Are you done with your insistent bickering?" The witch's jaw drops, "I liked Koa more than you," she crosses her arms over her chest; Nye smiles like a devil and leans his head on the door, "And that's why Koa has been dethroned." The witch sighed heavily, "When she wakes, let me know—" Nye slammed the door in her face. No one told him what to do. Especially not a pestering witch.

Nye sits in a chair next to Kamari. The room looks like they'd had a war, and Nye chuckles. Sometimes, it ends up that way. Nye sees Aneth standing at the foot of the bed, looking at Kamari. Nye knows Aneth would have more of a problem mating with Kamari; he has no doubts about himself and can handle his own. But part of him does wonder if Aneth would be able to handle the poison if Kamari scratches him during mating. 

"Are you plotting?" Nye asks with a sly smile. Aneth scoffs, "I suppose." Nye watches as Aneth leans his arms on the foot of the bed, "Koa and you can take poison." Aneth clenches his fists on the foot of the bed. Nye leers at Aneth, "You are not weak," Nye says with venom. He and his brothers were always fighting for the top spot, but if there was one thing Nye knew, it was that Aneth wasn't weak. He wouldn't have picked him to be in his pride if he showed it. 

Aneth looks at Nye, "It's a problem to solve, nothing more." Nye says to him. "I've watched you break out of a female Ice dragon's breath. Even stride into the flames of fire-breather. And even a Sea serpent couldn't drown you." Nye smiles. Aneth might have been a little closer to him than Koa. But Aneth roamed on land as he did; he knew Aneth longer. "Don't let her put you to shame," Nye says as he leans at his brother. No female had ever beaten them, and he wasn't expecting that to change with a Hybrid Shade. Aneth smirks, then says, "I wouldn't insult you."

"Good." Nye half-smiles at him. Breeding is a process in itself, and if Koa was successful, Kamari could have a whelp in mere weeks if not a month. Serpents grew swift, water-held monstrous creatures, and the whelps wouldn't survive if they couldn't catch up quickly. Dragons could still be whelps and be the size of an adult. 

"How long will she be asleep?" Aneth asks. Nye glances at Kamari, "She'll wake soon." It wouldn't take long for Kamari to come back. Nye decides to try to clean most of the mess up before Kamari wakes so she won't become nauseated. As they finish, Nye hears Kamari groan. As she sits up, she searches for Koa. When she sees him beaten in the corner, her brows furrow, and then her eyes lock on him.

Nye raises his brow at her, and Kamari's eyes light up as if she knows. She whips back the covers and races towards him. Jumping on him, Nye catches as she wraps her legs around his waist. Nye catches her, holding her tight. This woman put him through hell. It made him feel fear for the first time in his life, and it was because he thought about losing her. Nye inhales her scent, "You didn't think I'd back down, did you?" Nye asks.

Kamari leans back from him, her eyes starting to glow again. "Why did you think I scratched him?" she whispers. Nye licks his lips, loving the darkness swirling in her beautiful eyes. 

Such a Vixen his little mate was, but he wouldn't have it any other way.