The Dragon Stirs by Lynda Aicher Page A

who had tried to kill them all. Surviving despite the odds. Wise enough to hide its truth until it was safe. Until it could once again propagate and soar. You, Airiana, are a gift of great proportion.”
    The room hung heavy and silent, all of the air sucked from its mass until there was nothing left for anyone to breath. Cronus stunned the room further when slowly, humbly, the Elder lowered himself down to one knee and bowed his head before the dragon. A sign of reverent homage never before given by the Ancient. 
    Beneath him, Airiana pranced backwards, swished her tail and jerked her head to look around the room. Louk’s legs expanded and contracted around her sides with each of her deep, labored breaths. 
    He slid from her back, running a lingering hand of comfort down her side as he dismounted. She tipped her head and for him, her heart was displayed in her eyes. The confusion, the awe, the magnitude of what was happening were reflected in the deep depths. 
    Behind him, he heard the rustle of movement and turned to see the others, one by one—including his father—follow the lead of Cronus. It was an awesome sight to see the very height of power and authority within the Energen race all kneeling in deference before them. 
    It took his breath away. 
    It humbled him as nothing had ever done before.
    He turned to Airiana and had to swallow deep to hold back the swell of feeling at what he saw. From the corner of her eye one lone tear pooled then spilled over to streak down the side of her face. Louk moved his hand to brush away the liquid then lifted his lips to press a kiss to the hard scales of her cheek. In that kiss he pushed all of his emotions. All of the hard to find words that he hid behind wisecracks and a mask of indifference. For her he exposed himself and hoped that she understood. 
    That she accepted.
    Under his hands and lips he felt the energy pulse, meld and shimmer. She pushed her answer back over the current, and his heart tightened to near bursting. Before he could react, she shifted back to her human form and was in his arms, kissing his mouth in a tender reception.
    He had her answer.
    The raven sung in delight as it swooped and soared on the wind of change. Then it perched on the edge and waited, crouched in expectation for the moment when the tides would begin to turn.

Chapter Twelve
    Airiana put all of her feelings into the gentle kiss with Louk. It wasn’t masterful or all consuming, but it spoke with a depth that sometimes only simplicity could provide. She was overwhelmed with everything that had been said, but mostly with what she felt from Louk. His love poured through the energy and engulfed her in its warmth. 
    Security. 
    She pulled back, rested a hand against his cheek and captured his deep blue eyes in her gaze. 
    “You,” she whispered. His eyes closed as he breathed in her word like he was absorbing them into every poor of his body.
    She waited until he reopened his eyes so he would see the truth of what she had to say. “I never understood what the wings meant. I only knew that I was different. That it couldn’t be good. The wings went along with the feelings and doubt I held inside about what the Shifters proclaimed. Their words never felt right. Never rang true to me. And the wings definitely weren’t right in their world.”
    “And now?” he asked.
    “I understand. For so long, the energy has been pushing me to find the truth while warning me to stay quiet. It guided me here. To you. To where I belong.” 
    Louk exhaled and after a long moment, cocked a grin. “Then it’s a good think I caught you this morning.” He winked, pulled her in tighter and whispered, “It looks like you need some help keeping that sweet ass safe after all.”
    She frowned, but the fire sparked inside and she was far from mad. She licked her lips, slowly, before she replied softly, “This ass that you keep referring to has some kicking to do just as soon as we’re alone.”
    He