Ember Caves

5. My Mate

Cadmus's POV

With a large sigh, I lean back in the seat of my car as I cruise along the foreign streets of Hidden Paradise. A Hidden Paradise it is; I take in the landscape of soft hills. The long grass blows slightly in the chilly breeze. I wasn't used to the cold really. It's always hot at Ember Caves. We are the furthest island in the south. Our hot climate is perfect for the dragons that roam around. The heat is our comfort, and we welcome it with open arms.

The big trees dance back and forth in the breeze. Blowing soft scents of nature into my nose. It is beautiful here. There's a sense of calmness you feel on this island, that is hard to find anywhere else. All the people on this island are usually in such good spirits, it's hard to feel any sort of bitterness when you reside here.

After getting off the plane, I rented a car and started my 2 hour drive to King Flay's home. Usually I would travel with multiple guards, but Hidden Paradise was almost a second home to me. My father is long time friends and alliance with King Flay. Throughout my childhood, I took multiple trips with my dad to this island. I have never felt unwelcome or worried about my safety. Not that I ever really am; I am a king, a dragon king to be more specific. It takes a lot to kill me, and even more than the average dragon since I have royal blood running through me.

Something in me felt restless. My inner dragon was pacing in my mind. Growling softly under its breath. My dragon doesn't necessarily have a voice, but I can feel his emotions, and right now he's restless. Usually once we're calm and settled on this island he lays low in the back of my mind, but something has him riled up. It makes me go on high alert.

I had just under 10 minutes left in my ride and the closer I got the more my dragon banged at my head. "You're giving me a headache, calm down" I huffed out loud at the damn thing. It huffs back in the back of my mind, settling down slightly but still pacing. I don't know what he's so worried for. We're going to be fine. Tomorrow we will be back on the plane to go home and continue to deal with those disgusting witches.

Usually when I travel here I like to stay in a hotel for a few days. This land has beautiful healing energy, and a couple days here usually helps put my mind and dragon at ease; but lately we have been having problems. Some of my spies have reported there were rumors of witches trying to create vessels. The people who harbored the power to create vessels died thousands of years ago. No one knows who or why you get selected to create vessels, but every couple thousand years one pops up. There were only 4 known to live in our lifetime so far. Agath was the first, a fairy who ended up turning her own mate into a vessel & then murdering her in cold blood, then cowardly killing herself. Next was Jakob. A powerful witch who tried to start an army. He was killed when he tried to use dark magic to turn these vessels into their raw forms permanently. The dark magic he called upon consumed him entirely. Thank the Goddess for that. Imagine a man being able to control dragons, that would be destructive.

Heldo was the 3rd, but when she discovered her powers at only 13, she was murdered by her very own father. They were cyclops who resided in One Eye Mountain. The father claimed he didn't want his daughter to be subjected to torture or be on the run her whole life because of the powers she harnessed, so he killed her to free her soul.

Lastly there was Ethel. Ethel was a mystery to most. She was rarely seen leaving her house, until one day she vanished. Many claimed to have seen her body floating in the oceans, or claimed to have seen her physically before she vanished right before their eyes. There's no clear answer as to what happened to her, but many think she went into hiding. Ethel was a banshee, and one of the first of her kind. Banshee's are hard to come by, as they went into hiding thousands of years ago due to be hunted for their voice box. A banshee's scream could pierce through your eardrums and right to your brain. Rattling it around until it turns to mush and you die. Witches would kill banshee's, ripping out their voice box to keep with them to use as their own personal weapon. Due to this, their numbers were dropping dramatically. They all went into hiding, and there's rarely been a sighting since.

The witches have been trying to use dark magic to create their own vessels. So far there has been no success that we know of. If Goddess Lilith did not grant you the powers to create vessels, then usually all your attempts will fail. Though there has been no success, I have to put a stop to this before they do find a way. Vessels feel nothing. Any humanity they have is stripped away once their soul is ripped from their bodies. Their bodies become under the command of their creator, and they will stop at nothing to please their creator. Vessels are deadly. Since they feel nothing physically, they will allow their creators to put their bodies through pain that would be unbearable to most. They keep attacking until their prey is dead. Vessels are also dangerous because you cannot kill them. For them to die, their creator has to kill them or you have to kill their creator.

I shake my thoughts away and try to clear my mind. I'm on the island of peace. I have to soak up as much peaceful shit as I can before I get back. My father's been up my ass to say the least. At 30 years old I've been king for 5 years now. Most kings end up taking a queen within their first year as king. For years many women from all around the world have tried to get my attention in hopes of becoming my queen. But I pay no one any mind. I have never in my life been with a woman or man of any kind. I was raised with a gentle mother who taught me how sacred mates are. You only get one and they should be worshipped, as they are gifts from Goddess Lilith herself.

She said that being with anyone other than your mate is a crime to the gods. You lack patience in your soul, which to them is a major character flaw. They wouldn't banish you from the skies, but they would be disappointed. Since being told this as a child, I lived by it. I will wait for the other half of my soul. I want to give myself only to the true person who the Goddess believes deserves me. Your body is one of the most sacred parts of you; letting just anyone use it is like letting someone chip away at your soul every time. I can only hope my mate had the same beliefs as me, as it would be such an honor to be each others one and only.

From a distance I can see the gates to King Flay's estate. Their house is magnificent. A beautiful Victorian styled home that's a deep green on the outside and decorated in beautiful vines and flowers. A large black gate slowly opens upon my arrival and my car jolts as I drive along the gray pebble driveway.

As soon as my car gets on their property my beast goes crazy. Slamming against my forehead so it can break free. The sent of vanilla and candle fire begins to fill my car. It was mouthwatering. Every time I breathed in I felt like I could taste it. I knew by now my eyes were completely black with swirls of flames swirling around acting like a pupil. My beast was going mad. He was desperate to break free. I held him back with all my might. It took all my years of training to hold back this beast that wants out. Once I open my door I am almost floored at the scent I smelled earlier, but now a million times stronger. Wasting no more time I step out the car needing to find the source of this smell.

As soon as I turn my head I finally see her. She stands there in her beautiful glory. Dark blue beautiful dread locks that fall waist deep sit upon her head. Her skin is a deep rich brown. Reminding me of melted chocolate. Her pointed ears were decorated in multiple piercings , followed by her blue eyebrows that each had one piercing in it. Her nose was small and upturned. A true sign of a fairy. Her eyes. Her eyes. The whole eye was lacking a pupil, and a beautiful white encased it whole. They were glowing. Her full lips were open in shock.

"My mate" whether she or I said it first, I have no idea. But I soon find my arms filled with tingles as my mate slams into me.