Troubled (The Binding Chronicles #4)

27. Focus on Me

Focus on Me

V ivienne knew that dragon shifters existed in the Four Kingdoms, of course. Everyone did. After all, in this world where many species were capable of causing great harm and death, dragons were the most dangerous of them all. Even more than vampires.

This was the first time she’d encountered one face-to-face, though.

The dragon was every bit as terrifying as she’d imagined. What she hadn’t expected, and what truly took her by surprise, was the creature’s inherent beauty. It was born to kill, yet there was a magnificence about it that she’d never encountered before.

And then, the dragon shifted.

The beast vanished, and a tall man took his place.

The dragon had been carrying a small bundle in its mouth, and the man quickly pulled a pair of trousers from a bag and put them on.

Vivienne studied the shifter once he was dressed. Long, silver-white hair fell to his waist. His face, even shrouded in shadows, was equally rough and eye-catching. Twisting green and gold mating marks circled his left arm. He was undeniably beautiful. Vivienne would have to be dead—truly dead, not the in-between alive-but-not-alive existence of a vampire—not to notice that.

However, she’d never admit that to the shifter’s face. Even though she had never seen a dragon before, she recognized who was approaching them. She’d realized it as soon as he’d shifted, although she probably should have known who it was the moment he broke through the clouds.

The High Lady of Life’s bonded mate was as beautiful as rumored. Judging by the aura of violence that rippled off him, he was even more dangerous than the countless stories told.

Vivienne had been in Northern Eleyta when the balance broke, but she would never forget the darkness that swept across the land during the following months. When the world seemed like it would fall apart and the Dragon Queen would rule all four kingdoms with a fiery fist, the Battle of Balance took place. The High Ladies of Life and Death and their mates restored the balance, returning life in the Four Kingdoms to the way it had always been meant to be.

“Marius.” A wide grin spread across the dragon shifter’s face as he strode towards them. The man was arguably underdressed for the weather, but the cold air didn’t seem to bother him. It was probably the fire in his blood.

Smiling, the prince stepped forward and grasped the shifter’s outstretched hand. “Xander. Good to see you.”

The men embraced, clapping each other on the back in a masculine fashion that seemed to be a universal greeting.

“You as well,” Xander said. “I’d hoped to see you at the university opening, but it seems you had other plans.”

That was an interesting way to word sneaking off into the forest and trying to kill a feral, cursed vampire without any backup. Not the words Vivienne would’ve chosen, but to each their own .

“I did, but I’m sorry I didn’t get to speak to you.” The prince stepped back, slipping his hand into his pocket. “How’s your family?”

“Rambunctious, just like their mother. Not a day goes by when I know peace.”

“Oh?” Marius seemed relaxed, and Vivienne’s gaze swung between her charge and the shifter.

“Shrieking children are the backdrop to my life.” The dragon shifter’s golden eyes glimmered, and lines creased the sides of his eyes as his grin widened. “In other words, it’s amazing.”

Marius laughed, the sound warming Vivienne from the inside out. “I’ll have to come visit someday.”

“Aileana would love that. She wanted to come along, but she had some urgent business to attend in Ithenmyr. Next time, though.” The dragon shifter’s gaze swung over to Vivienne, and he extended his hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Xander of the House of Ignis, and my mate is?—”

“I know who she is,” Vivienne murmured, taking his hand. His skin was so hot that it almost burned her. She gave him her name, adding, “I didn’t realize a dragon shifter would be picking us up.”

It seemed like pertinent information that would’ve been helpful to know beforehand. Like most vampires, she didn’t deal well with fire. Even now, the heat coming off the shifter made her shiver.

Xander glanced at the prince, his brows furrowed. “You didn’t See me coming?”

Marius shook his head, and a chagrined expression crossed his face. “I haven’t Looked ahead since we were dropped off. We ran into some… issues.”

If by “issues,” he meant being attacked by a shadow creature and Vivienne nearly taking a deadly plunge into a pool of blessed water, then yes. They had .

The shifter’s gaze sharpened as he straightened, looking them over. “But you’re both safe?”

“We are, and we were successful in retrieving the vial.” Marius patted his pack. “I’m assuming you know what’s happening?”

The shifter snorted. “You mean your foolish attempt to stop the First on your own? Yes, we heard all about that, the vial, and the dagger. Bastian and Luna found the blade’s location, by the way, and I’m going to take you there.” He glared at the prince, his amber eyes flashing as he crossed his arms. “Honestly, Marius, you’re lucky to be alive after the stunt you pulled.”

Maybe dragon shifters weren’t so bad.

“That’s exactly what I’ve been saying,” Vivienne said, sheathing her sword. “He’s drawn to trouble like a fish to water.”

The dragon shifter snorted. “That he is. My middle child is the same way, always looking to get into things and bend the rules. The first time her magic came in, she nearly destroyed an entire wing of our home.”

Vivienne chuckled. She could get used to this shifter, especially if he was willing to commiserate about the prince’s uncanny propensity to find trouble.

“I’m right here,” Marius huffed. “Alive and well, as you can both see.”

No thanks to his own efforts. Vivienne was honestly shocked that he had survived this long. He really was a magnet for trouble, and he seemed to waltz into dangerous situations without a second thought.

“Yes, you are.” Xander clapped the prince on the shoulder. “Come on, it’s time to go.”

Vivienne’s stomach twisted into knots at those six words, and she paled. Never mind. She didn’t like dragons at all. She’d distracted herself from what the dragon’s arrival meant, but that was no longer possible.

Feeling lightheaded, she turned to the prince. “You mean, we’re actually?— ”

“Riding the dragon,” Marius finished the sentence for her, glee filling his voice. How unrelatable. “This will be amazing.”

Those were not the words she would’ve used. Her stomach flip-flopped, reminding her that she despised heights. As if she’d forget her biggest fear.

There was no time to propose an alternative form of transportation, though. The dragon was back, Xander’s clothes were in a ball on the ground, and the beast’s spiked tail flicked back and forth like an eager, oversized, fire-breathing puppy.

Gods.

Marius reached over and took her hand in his. Even the warmth of his touch and the sparks that ran through her didn’t unravel the knot of unease that had taken up residence within her.

She stared at the creature of fire with trepidation.

Could this night get any worse?

It did, in fact, get worse.

It shouldn’t have been all that surprising, considering the course Vivienne’s life had taken since she first started guarding the prince.

The dragon ride itself was… interesting.

Marius insisted that Vivienne sit in front of him. Too concerned with the fact that she, a vampire who was afraid of heights, was about to ride a fire-breathing dragon, she didn’t bother arguing with the prince. There were bigger problems at hand.

She climbed on first, sitting in front of the dragon’s wings. Her fingers curled around a spike protruding from its spine, and she tried not to think about the fact that she was on a creature who literally breathed death .

It was rather difficult since heat was radiating from the scales beneath her.

As Marius could sense that she was about to hop off the dragon and insist they find another ride, he quickly climbed on behind her. He moved with ease, drawing her against him and wrapping his arms around her middle. His warmth ran through her, different from the dragon’s heat. Comforting. Pleasant.

Vivienne’s shoulders were tense, and her back was rigid. Her mind wouldn’t stop picturing all the brutal ways she could die. Of all the ways vampires could meet their final end, fire seemed like one of the most painful. Add in the fact that they’d be flying through the clouds, and her fear was nearly crippling.

How well did Marius know this shifter, anyway? What if?—

“Relax, Viv,” the prince whispered, moving his hand long enough to draw her head back to gently rest against his shoulder before holding her around the middle once again. “I’ve got you. You won’t fall.”

A tremor ran through her as she looked at the ground. “I don’t know.”

His lips brushed her forehead. “Trust me.”

The deep tenor of Marius’s voice, devoid of its usual playfulness, sent shivers running down her spine.

“I’ll try,” she exhaled. Inch by inch, she relaxed until his natural heat enveloped her.

“That’s it,” he breathed encouragingly in her ear. “You okay?”

She forced herself to nod.

“I promise I won’t let go.” Raising his voice, he called out, “We’re ready.”

What? No, they weren’t. But before she could voice her protests, the dragon flapped its wings.

One powerful burst of air was all it took to propel them into the sky. Vivienne’s heart hurtled against her ribs, and she shut her eyes.

Oh, gods.

This was how she would die.

The dragon dipped, and Vivienne lifted from her seat. She screamed, the sound lost to the wind and the flapping of wings. They were so high, and the heat was so overwhelming.

Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods.

The prince’s arm tightened around her, and she slammed back down. He had the audacity to laugh , the deep sound tinged with delight as it rumbled through his chest.

“Isn’t this great?”

Delusional.

Marius was absolutely, one hundred percent delusional. Did the king and queen know? Maybe that’s why they kept him so close. Anyone who thought this was fun needed to have their head checked.

Vivienne gritted her teeth against the rushing wind and shook her head. “Not exactly.”

Awful was more like it.

Lips brushed her cheek. “Live a little, Viv,” he coaxed. “Open your eyes and look around.”

“I can’t,” she breathed, tightening her death grip on the spike in front of her.

“You can.” The hands holding her moved in gentle circles. “He won’t let us fall.”

The prince spoke with so much confidence. She didn’t feel any of that right now.

“He could,” she argued.

How much trust could they place in the shifter, anyway? What would he do if they slipped off? Even though her eyes were closed, she knew it was cloudy, and the moon was barely visible. What if the dragon didn’t catch them in time? What if she couldn’t call on her wings fast enough?

What if, what if, what if.

The questions were so loud that she could barely hear anything else.

A low, soothing rumble moved through the prince’s chest. “No, he won’t.”

How could he be so sure?

They were up so high.

The wind was rushing at them.

The ground was so far away.

Those knots in Vivienne’s stomach tightened to the point of pain, and her lungs squeezed. Each breath was more difficult than the last. Panic threatened to drown her in its tight embrace.

“Breathe.” The quiet, stern command was whispered in her ear.

The prince’s thumb slipped beneath the hem of her shirt, rubbing slow circles on her bare stomach. She sucked in a sharp breath, held it for three long seconds, then released it.

“That’s it.” His thumb kept up its sweeping movements. “Focus on me.”

Gone was the jovial prince excited to ride a dragon, and in his place was a man determined to help her remain calm. Isvana help her, but he did exactly that.

Marius murmured in her ear, pressing soft kisses to her cheek and forehead as he held her. His warmth enveloped her until cold was a distant memory. She couldn’t ignore him now, even if she wanted to.

Vivienne tried to force herself to put space between them because she was duty-bound to protect him, but she couldn’t. She searched within herself for those boundaries, but they’d vanished. She tried to push her feelings away, but it wasn’t working .

And maybe…

Maybe that was okay. Maybe she should stop trying to make herself feel nothing for this prince who kissed her like she was the air she needed to breathe. It was like asking her not to need blood.

As Vivienne sat on the dragon, she came to the most frightening realization of her life. She was falling for the prince. It never should’ve happened… but she was already careening down the path.

With every passing moment, every flap of the dragon’s wings, every quiet word Marius murmured in her ear, and every rub of his thumb, she fell harder for him.

By the time Vivienne opened her eyes and took in the shimmering stars, the glowing moonlight, and the wispy clouds spreading out on either side of them, she knew she was completely ruined.

Even if they found the obsidian dagger, killed the First, and completed their mission, she’d never be able to move on. Not after this.

For all his infuriating attributes, Vivienne had never met anyone more intriguing than Prince Marius Wisethorn.

That scared her even more than the fire-breathing beast on which they sat.