Dragon Hearts (Book 1 of the Dragon Series)

Elias parked the car by the curb but before he could open his door, Everett was out of the passenger side and jogging across the street through cars stopped at the light.   “Oye!” He called after him, but Everett wasn’t listening and rushed into the coffee shop, his door still wide open. Elias closed the passenger door and locked the car. He had to wait for the cars to finish passing before he could cross.   Once he was inside, he looked around for Everett. He wasn’t in line for coffee so Elias looked over by the bathrooms. A guy came out at that moment, but he wasn’t Everett. Elias turned back around and looked at the dining area. Everett was there standing beside a table of girls. His whole body was stiff, and he was sniffing the air. The girls were staring at him, mouths open, drinks were frozen midair.   Everett was a good-looking guy. Tall, light brown hair that looked red in the sun and brilliant green eyes. He was Irish with the looks and the accent and all. He had moved to America a few weeks ago. Elias was showing him around since they were both from the same territory and were the best of friends since babes. Elias had moved to America a couple of years before Everett but that never stopped them from visiting each other.   “Can I help you with something, handsome?” One of the girls at the table had built up the courage to address Everett. He looked down at her and sniffed softly. He shook his head.   “Nah,” he said. “I’m just trying to find me mate.” The girls’ table simultaneously gushed at his accent.   Elias took a step toward him, but Everett’s head snapped up and he focused on the opposite corner of the room. Bewildered Elias stopped to see where he was going as Everett strode up to a quiet girl reading at her table. Elias recognized her immediately as his friend Elle. He swallowed hard and he hurried over to Everett’s side. He appeared to just be staring at Elle and hadn’t said a word.   “Uh,” she said as a blush spread across her cheeks. “Hi, can I help you?”   Everett smiled happily as he stared at her but still hadn’t spoken. Elle looked around and saw Elias walking towards them. She beamed a smile at him and flashed her eyes towards Everett who was clearly making her uncomfortable. She was asking Elias to save her.   “Elias!” Elle chirped as he came closer.   “Elle!” Elias replied happily and clapped Everett on the shoulder, breaking whatever trance he was in. Everett slowly turned his head towards Elias; his green eyes sparkling with excitement.   “Mate!” Everett cried out happily. Elias’s smile faltered for a quick second as a realization hit him. He smiled nervously back at Elle and then back at him.   “So you know each other?” Elle asked curiously.   “Aye, this is my mate Everett,” Elias replied and smacked his shoulder again a little harder than necessary. It seemed to have the desired effect because Everett shook his head and looked around before his eyes were back to Elle again.   “Hello,” he said huskily. Elle blushed harder and looked away.   “Hey,” she replied without looking up.   “Ev,” Elias said spinning Everett around, so he was facing away from Elle. “Do us a favor and get some coffee yeah? I’m gonna chat with Elle for a quick tick and I’ll be there.”   Everett looked like that was the last thing he wanted to do, but before he could argue Elias snapped at him in Irish. Everett responded in kind. They had a brief conversation before Everett took a deep angry breath and walked towards the line for coffee. Elias took a seat across from Elle who was still staring between them curiously.   “What was that all about?” Elle asked.   “Ah,” Elias scoffed and waved a hand in Everett’s direction. “He’s a bit new to America so he doesn’t know how to act around pretty girls.”   Elle rolled her eyes and held in a snort-laugh at that. She enjoyed her friendship with Elias. It was a symbiotic sibling relationship they had and they both had a lot of fun together just talking and hanging out.   “But seriously I was wondering if you could help me,” Elias asked. “You see, Everett’s kind of new here and I’ve been trying to get him to officially move to the states. He’s done the touristy stuff so I was hoping I could have a local help me show him the nitty-gritty of the place.”   “Me?” Elle asked in surprise. “What am I supposed to show him you haven’t?”   Elias smirked and Elle smacked him with a loud “Ugh!” He held his hand up in surrender.   “I’m joking! Sheesh,” Elias laughed and dodged another swing. “Nah seriously you know all the cool little stuff that makes this place awesome. You showed me around when I came.”   Elle looked at him closely, scrutinizing his face for any signs of deception. She found none then skimmed her eyes over to the brooding handsome stranger. He was sitting at a table on the phone and stealing glances towards Elle and Elias. When she caught his eye, his face broke into a smile and gave her a little wave. She hesitantly waved back. Elias looked back at Everett and then at Elle and sighed.   “I guess I could do that,” Elle said with a smile and checked her watch. “Crap! I gotta run or I’m gonna be late for class. Text me later and we can hang. I should be done by six.”   Elle started to grab her books and her bags. Elias smiled brightly at her and helped gather her things. Elle always had stuff everywhere. It’s like the second she sat down somewhere she had to unpack her whole bag on whatever surface was available.   “Ah thanks, Elle,” Elias said and stood beside her. “How bout we meet you in the student hall at the school and we’ll go grab some dinner?”   “Sounds good to me,” Elle laughed. “You know I’ll never turn down food…especially free food.”   “Free? Where’s this free food you speak of?” Elias asked looking around.   “Please! I’m doing you a favor by showing your friend around. The least you can do is bankroll this outing. I’m a broke-ass college student. You’re Mr. Big Shot with a big boy job.”   Elle walked to the door with Elias and held her arms up. Elias immediately stepped into her and hugged her tight. He could feel a heated gaze on his back as he hugged Elle.   “Of course, I’ll buy you food,” Elias chuckled. “Wouldn’t want you to starve now!”   “See you at six,” Elle called as she exited the coffee shop.   Everett walked up beside Elias and handed him a cup of coffee. He stared after Elle; watching her as she moved out of sight. She didn’t spare a glance back at them.   ~Everett~   I hadn’t been in the States long, almost a month. I was surprised by how much there was to do and the general weather was nothing like our territory in Ireland. Not as green and extremely sunny, but I’m enjoying the difference. I share a condo with my best mate, Elias, until I find something of my own. There was another condo that would be going up for sale soon, so I figured I’d crash with him then snatch it up when it opened.   I’ve missed having Elias around. It was never the same after he moved to America for work. I decided since my search back in Ireland wasn’t going well that a change in scenery may help. We worked for my father’s company establishing our American contacts.     I was already twenty-three and have yet to find her. I still remember the dream I had the night I learned about her on my sixteenth birthday. The Goddess of Fire came to me and showed me my mate and told me that we were destined to be together to protect all of dragon kind. We were close to extinction as it was, but I guess there’s something big and bad coming that could wipe us out entirely. I needed my mate to be able to achieve our destiny.   It would’ve been great if the Goddess showed me what she looked like in her human form, which is the way it’s supposed to happen. Dragonlings are blessed with dreams of their mates before they find them; to make it easier, I guess. But when I told my mum about dreaming of an exquisite purple dragon flying beside me in the golden sun, they took me to an elder to see what it means. Unfortunately, they had no answers for me either.   For years I dreamt of my purple dragon and I was getting more impatient as time goes on. I tried everything to find her. I must’ve visited every tribe in Ireland and even villages in the human world. It was highly unlikely my mate would be a human, but it’s been known to happen. It seems the Goddesses of the shifters have been playing matchmaker with their children. Hybrids are becoming more and more common which has contributed to the disappearing dragon population.   I sighed as I walked into the empty living room of our condo. I knew Elias was home because his jacket hung on the chair and I could hear the shower going. I walked past the chair and sat on the couch. A lovely scent of cookies drifted over to me. I stood up and sniffed out the scent. I found myself standing in front of Elias’s jacket. Not thinking I picked up the jacket and held it to my nose. It was intoxicating and sweet. It was delicious. I wanted to know where Elias had been because wherever this smell came from, I needed to find the real source.   “Oye,” Elias’s sudden outburst made me jump and I dropped his jacket. “What you doin’ mate?”   “Why does your jacket smell so good?” I asked.   Elias shrugged as he walked over and sniffed it. He shrugged again and looked at me like I was crazy. “I don’t smell anything, what’s it smell like to you?”   “Cookies,” I said with a chuckle realizing how weird it sounds.   “Well, I was at the coffee shop earlier. They sell cookies and I think they bake them right there. Wanna go get one?”   I nodded.     As soon as we pulled up to the coffee shop, I could smell that delicious smell. But instead of my stomach growling with the promise of delicious cookies, my whole body started to heat up and my bones felt like they were vibrating inside me. I opened the door to get out and was almost knocked over by the intoxicating smell and I knew this wasn’t some baked good. This was my mate.   I immediately followed the scent, not realizing I left the door open or Elias calling to me. I rushed inside and was assaulted by a million different scents, sounds, and sights. I looked everywhere but there was no glowing sign with a flashing arrow over any of the girls’ heads. I’ll have to sniff her out.   I closed my eyes for a second and tried to pick out her scent and I followed it in the direction of the dining room. I stood in the center for a second and looked around me. It was here but it wasn’t as strong. I noticed a group of girls in the corner, so I slowly approached them. My whole body tensed as I smelled their scents. It was there but it wasn’t coming from any of the girls sitting at the table. Did she move? Was she sitting here first?  I lifted my head again and sniffed.   “Can I help you with something handsome?” Asked the girl sitting at the table.   I gently sniffed her scent again, but it wasn’t her. I wanted my mate and may have replied to her with that.  Suddenly I caught it coming from another part of the room. I immediately followed it and stopped in front of a young pretty girl reading a book in the sunlight. I basked in her scent as it washed over me in waves. Each beat of her heart pushed her scent at me. I could only smile at her. Words were hard to form in my brain let alone come out of my mouth.   She looked up after a few seconds, looking me in the eyes and it was like they skewered me through my soul and planted me to the ground. They were a grey-blue with green wrapped around the pupil. They widened a bit as she took me in and her cheeks and nose blushed red.   “Uh,” she stammered a bit “Hi, can I help you?”   Her voice was like angels singing a heavenly chorus. The sun illuminated her dark hair and made her pale skin shine bright. She really was an angel with a halo of sunlight perched upon her head. She was radiant and glorious, and I could understand why the Goddess chose to reveal her to me this way.   “Elias!” She cried out and then I realized where we were. I felt a hand hit my shoulder.   “Elle!” Elias called. So that’s her name.   I looked at Elias and smiled. “Mate!” I cried happily. He froze for a second then looked at Elle and back to me.   “So, you know each other?” She asked.   Elias gave me another hard clap to the shoulder as he made introductions. The jolt broke whatever the spell she had me under and I looked around for a second. But I couldn’t keep my eyes off her for too long.   “Hello,” I managed to force out of my mouth. Oh, Goddess, she must think I’m weird.   “Hey,” she replied looking away. I didn’t want her to do that. I wanted to stare into her eyes forever.   “Ev,” Elias called for my attention and turned me, so I was facing away from Elle. “Do us a favor and get some coffee yeah? I’m gonna chat with Elle for a quick tick and I’ll be there.”   I glared at Elias. What does he mean he’s gonna chat with my mate? She’s mine! He heard me declare her! I opened my mouth to tell him as such, but he barked at me in Irish.   “Dude chill out, she’s my friend. I’m gonna help you out.”   “She’s my mate!”   “Yeah, but she was my friend first and she’s a human. You’re going to have to take it slow with her. She doesn’t know we exist.”   “I never expected her to be a human. I don’t know what it means. The Goddess showed me a purple dragon.”   “Go grab us some coffee and call home. Maybe your mom will know something or can at least contact an elder. I’m gonna talk to her and see if she’ll come out with us tonight so you can meet. Just be cool man. Staring at her and smiling like a creep won’t earn points.”   “I’m not a creep. What kind of coffee do you want?”   “Iced caramel macchiato. Run along now so I can sweet talk your lady into giving you a chance.”   I let out an angry breath; trying to remind myself why it would be a bad idea to roast him with some fire breath in a coffee shop full of humans; including my mate. I walked away with the mental image of him burning in front of me while I queued in the coffee line.