Saberthorn (A Paranormal/Fantasy Dragonshifter Romance): Dragonkind ~ 52 Realms Read online

  Table of Contents

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  Glossary/Pronunciations

  1) FenSavinor

  2) Found, and Lost

  3) Father

  4) Ten Years Later

  5) Bonded Mates

  6) Heaven's Tears

  7) Tirah

  8) Flames of Hades

  9) Vow of Vengeance

  10) Broken

  11) Miracle, or Not

  12) Blood Ties

  13) Ten Years Later

  14) Caught

  15) Fractured

  16) Vermillion

  17) Burning Need

  18) Ass Meet Ground

  19) Magical Fingers

  20) Dreads

  21) Kill or Not

  22) Sound Asleep

  23) Feed Me, Kill Me ...

  24) Spell Smell

  25) Surprise

  26) Embarrassed

  27) Harsh Truth

  28) Succulent Curves

  29) Soul Mate

  30) Escape

  31) The Answer

  32) Poisoned

  33) Darry Cavern

  34) Zalesthorn

  35) Fire-Born

  36) Rocky Landing

  37) Dragon Light

  38) Skye

  39) Relief

  40) Covert Stalker

  41) Confession

  42) Heart and Soul

  43) Last Words

  44) Dragon Scale

  45) Plans

  46) Flying Lessons

  Epilogue. Review. More Books

  All rights reserved. Copyright © 2018

  Contact: [email protected]

  This book is for your enjoyment only. You may not sell, give away, copy, reproduce, distribute or transmit, in any form, (whole or part) by any means, electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, including photocopying, recording, printing, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the author. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. ISBN-13: 978-1-988636-16-0

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you goes out to the following people; Laura LaTulipe. My Beta Readers: Sheila Willert, Justine Beltrame, Margolynn Flora, Deb Burchfield & Amy Lynn Lockhart. My Review Team, & Fantastic PA/VA’s Barbara Shuler & Mindy Seal, I couldn’t do this without you. If I forgot anyone, it wasn’t intentional.

  Cover Art by Mihaela Voicu

  For all who love dragons, I bring you Saberthorn.

  Want a FREE Book?

  More from this Author

  Glossary/Pronunciations

  1) FenSavinor

  2) Found, and Lost

  3) Father

  4) Ten Years Later

  5) Bonded Mates

  6) Heaven's Tears

  7) Tirah

  8) Flames of Hades

  9) Vow of Vengeance

  10) Broken

  11) Miracle, or Not

  12) Blood Ties

  13) Ten Years Later

  14) Caught

  15) Fractured

  16) Vermillion

  17) Burning Need

  18) Ass Meet Ground

  19) Magical Fingers

  20) Dreads

  21) Kill or Not

  22) Sound Asleep

  23) Feed Me, Kill Me ...

  24) Spell Smell

  25) Surprise

  26) Embarrassed

  27) Harsh Truth

  28) Succulent Curves

  29) Soul Mate

  30) Escape

  31) The Answer

  32) Poisoned

  33) Darry Cavern

  34) Zalesthorn

  35) Fire-Born

  36) Rocky Landing

  37) Dragon Light

  38) Skye

  39) Relief

  40) Covert Stalker

  41) Confession

  42) Heart and Soul

  43) Last Words

  44) Dragon Scale

  45) Plans

  46) Flying Lessons

  Epilogue. Review. More Books

  Sneak Peek of Dracones Awakening

  About the Author

  Copyright/Dedication

  Want a Free Book?

  Sheri-Lynn is giving away Dracones Primalthorn FREE, a prequel.

  More Books by Sheri-Lynn Marean

  DRACONES 17+ CLEAN, & AUDIO Versions

  Dracones Primalthorn Prequel

  ***BK 1 Dracones Awakening FREE***

  (Audio Dracones Awakening)

  Bk 2 Dracones Revelations

  Bk 3 Dracones Betrayed

  Bk 4 Dracones Thaniel

  Bk 5 Dracones Rogue

  Dragonkind ~ 52 Realms 17+

  Casstiel ~ Coming soon

  Glossary/Pronunciations

  Adariasthorn : Ad air ee as thorn (Adarias)

  Aries : Air ees - Maya & Cass’s Son

  Ashara : Ash air ah - Tirah’s mother

  Captayen : Cap tay en - Tirah’s Superior

  Casin : Case in - Tirah’s Brother

  Casstiel : Cass tee el (Cass)

  Dracones : Drack oh nes

  Dragonson Son - Male dragon

  Dragonette : Daughter - Female dragon

  Elvren : Elv ren - Another race

  FenSavinor : Fen sav in or - Predrac

  Jaxsaronthorn : Jacks air on thorn

  Jorr : Jore - Ilyium

  Joustal : Joust all - Another Realm

  Mata : Mah tah - Mother

  Maya : My ah - Saber’s Niece

  Mihel : My el - Tirah’s Brother

  Pepaw : Pep aw/Father

  Predrac : Pre drack - Pre Dracones-hasn’t gone through Awakening

  Saberthorn : Saber thorn (Saber)

  Seldom : Sell dom - Town

  Skye : Sky - Maya & Cass’s Daughter

  Savinorthorn: Sav in or thorn

  Thundrace : Thun drace - Male Leader/Dragonkind

  Thundrece : Thun dreese - Female leader or mate of male leader

  Tirah : Tear ah

  Vermillion : Ver million - Town

  Wren : Ren - Tirah’s Youngest Brother

  Zalesthorn : Zay ells thorn (Zales)

  Ziri : Zeer ee - 1/2 Hell demon/1/2 Dragon

  Chapter One

  FenSavinor

  Will this fight never end? Saberthorn’s dark gaze swept his dragon brethren and Fallen allies as they fought for the right to exist. After a thousand years, this never-ending battle with the Ilyium druids was one and the same. Hatred, disgust, and a deep-seated weariness burned in his soul. It might be different faces and different villages, but the result was always the same. Unnecessary death and bloodshed. Yet there was no negotiating with the druids. It was all a part of their curse.

  As an Ilyium soldier swept toward him, sword raised and bloodlust in his eyes, Saber ducked effortlessly, spun, and ended the male with his sharp talons. Then without missing a beat, he scanned the smoldering carnage for sight of his brother.

  Saber caught a blur of movement just past the largest group fighting. His eyes narrowed. It was another set of Ilyium soldiers crouched behind the ruins of a building. Before he could utter a word of warning to his fellow fighters, the Ilyium scurried from their hiding spot and broke into two groups. One attempted to circle the fighters, while the other group rushed into the fray. Saber’s anger surged. It was past time to end this particular battle.

  “Dair?” he called
to his older sibling telepathically, then spotted him battling a group of ten Ilyium like they were nothing.

  “Let’s finish these fuckers off,” Adarias snarled, black hair plastered to his skull and dark-blue eyes flashing.

  “You read my mind.” Saber waded through the bodies and toward his brother. “You couldn’t have left any for me?”

  Adarias gazed around disdainfully, then looked at Saber. “You took too long. Ready?”

  Saber nodded, and they both shifted from their half-forms into full dragons. “Let’s do this.”

  “Let’s,” Adarias said, and as one, they rose into the smoke-filled air. As if in tune with all the death upon the land, thick, billowy black-and-grey clouds swirled angrily around them.

  Without wasting a single moment, they used their deadly dragonfire on their enemy. Saber alerted the fighters on the ground to those attempting to hit them from behind, then he and Adarias swiftly set up a towering wall of flame, cutting off the new group of attackers. It wouldn’t hold for long, but it would buy the fighters on the ground some time.

  They circled and watched their brethren engage the enemy, calling out warnings as needed. Both were ready to lend a hand, or use their deadly fire, but their brethren had it handled.

  On his second sweep around what remained of the village, Saber cursed. There were eight Ilyium headed toward the only building that was not on fire.

  Over my dead body, you bastards. Saber went into a dive. The shelter was where the clan’s Young huddled. They would be terrified as they waited for the battle to be over and their parents to return to them. Hatred and disgust consumed him at the lengths their enemy would go. He knew firsthand they wouldn’t hesitate to cut down the Young, no matter the age.

  As the Ilyium killed the remaining two guards watching over the Young, Saber let out a furious roar and shot a billowing stream of dragonfire down at the enemy. Screams rang out and Saber smiled inwardly in satisfaction. The two remaining Ilyium quickly scattered and ran for cover.

  His relief was short-lived, however, and Saber wanted to snarl in frustration. A young male in his teens, gripping a large dagger, darted out of the building and searched wildly around.

  “Go back inside!” Saber yelled.

  The teen gazed up at him for a moment and then stared at the carnage, his mouth dropping open.

  Shit. Saber flew lower to land when a fighter on the ground grabbed the boy’s shoulder. With a harsh word, he shoved the youth back the way he’d come. Then the fighter engaged the enemy once again.

  The teen took a few steps, then stopped at the sight of a large Ilyium soldier rushing toward him. Frozen, the knife slipped from his hand.

  Saber shot a stream of dragonfire at the male, roasting him alive. Then he focused on the youth. “Go.” The teen gaped up at him, pale and shaking. “Don’t make me tell you again. Pick up your dagger and get back inside.”

  The youth retrieved his blade and, with one last glance around, quickly hightailed it back the way he’d come. Relieved, Saber waited until the teen was back in the building.

  “Zales, Cass, we need more guards on the Young,” he told both his younger brother and his best friend.

  “On it,” Zales said, and a moment later, Saber saw a couple of Fallen hurry over to keep the Young safe.

  Saber flew back to Adarias’s side, and together, they helped their brethren fight the remaining enemy, careful not to harm anyone on their side.

  When the battle was over, Saber and Adarias took one last sweep around the destroyed village.

  “You take east and south, I’ll take north and west,” Adarias said.

  “Got it.” Saber flew away to scan the terrain outside the village to ensure no one else would sneak up on them. Once positive there weren’t any more Ilyium, Saber flew back, landed, and shifted into his human-form.

  Adarias, already in human-form, was on the ground and waiting for him. “Clear?”

  “Yes.” Saber grimaced at the carnage. Most of the warriors from the attacked clan hadn’t survived. “What a waste.”

  With bleak weariness in his eyes, Adarias sighed. “Sanctuary is full. This was the fifth village hit this week, so we’re bringing the survivors back home with us. Once rested and healed, we’ll figure out where they can go.”

  Saber nodded, feeling for those left living while their loved ones went to the afterworld. The Ilyium didn’t care if they killed male or female, young or the elderly. If you were born of any supernatural species, you were fair game as far as they were concerned.

  ***

  Is this it? Is this all there is to life? Sick of the constant battle, Saber sat shrouded in darkness and stared blankly into the flames of the community fire. It had been another devastating day and he fought the urge to go, move. It didn’t matter where, so long as he was alone.

  Maya, Saber’s niece, who had been working with the other healers tending the wounded, stepped out of the shadows. Long brown hair framed a pale face, as chocolate doe-like eyes searched those around the fire. She gave Saber a small smile before her gaze landed on her mate.

  “Are you done?” Cass asked. With long blond hair, he resembled a god.

  Maya gave a slight nod and collapsed wearily into his arms. “I am for now. I’ve been told to take a break. Hold me?”

  Cass wrapped his thick arms around her. “Of course.”

  It was extra quiet as everyone contemplated the horrors of the day. Slowly, a few couples began to drift toward their homes. Saber remained and nursed his drink until Cass and Maya’s embrace became passionate. Saber tried to ignore them. He was happy they had each other, yet, a part of him felt even more lost than usual in the wake of their newly mated bliss.

  “Take it somewhere else,” Adarias teased good-naturedly. Saber’s heart ached and warmed at the rare sight of his oldest brother’s smile. The only time Adarias did so anymore was around their niece. There were a few chuckles at his comment, though the couple in question were so involved with each other, they didn’t even notice.

  Then silence reigned again.

  As the need to escape grew stronger, Saber finally gave in to it. Without a word to anyone, he stood and quietly eased away. He acknowledged the sentinels on duty as he slipped through the protective wards and was about to pass through the second set of wards, when a faint sniffle stilled him. Saber peered out into the darkness of the forest.

  Shit. He walked into the teal timberland, a pale carpet of pastel color in the daytime as it rolled from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the valley. But in the dark, the moonlight reflected off each pale leaf, making them appear white. “You shouldn’t be out here alone,” Saber said gently to the teen leaning against the dark trunk of a teal tree. His skinny arms were wrapped around legs drawn up to his chest.

  The youth—who appeared to be about sixteen—just shrugged, and Saber knew he was smarting from the rebuke he’d received earlier. “I know you wanted to help fight, but you had a job to do. We count on everyone to do their jobs, so no mistakes are made that might end up getting others hurt.” Or worse, Saber thought, but didn’t say it. When the teen didn’t respond, Saber eased himself onto the ground beside him.

  The youth glanced at him, then lowered his gaze again. “I feel useless babysitting. I want to do more.”

  “What is your name, son?” Saber asked.

  “Fen. FenSavinor,” the youth said.

  Saber bit back a sad smile. Savinor was the name of one of Saber’s brothers who had died long ago.

  “FenSavinor. That is a good, strong dragon name. I have no doubt you will make a fine warrior,” Saber said.

  “Maybe, after I go through my Awakening and if I survive.”

  Saber winced at the bitterness in Fen’s voice. Fen was a Predrac. Most of dragonkind could shift forms right after birth. But for the Dracones, born of dragonkind and Fallen, they had to survive their Awakening during their twenty-first year. “You will,” Saber said with feigned optimism, praying he was right.

>   “I want to start learning now. Not after my Awakening,” Fen said without looking at him.

  Saber sighed inwardly. He remembered those years, yearning to join his father and brother as they fought, but having to wait until he was older, stronger. “Your training has already begun, didn’t you know?”

  Fen raised a doubtful eyebrow. Saber smiled. “Yes. The first rule in joining the ranks of warrior is to obey orders.”

  Chin on his knees, Fen scoffed.

  Saber bit back a laugh. “It’s true. You need to learn to take orders before you can move on. And, Fen, do you know who the most important beings are in any clan?”

  Fen nodded. “Of course. The Thundrace and Thundrece.”

  “You are right, the leaders are very important. However, the most important are the Young.” At Fen’s skeptical look, Saber nodded. “The Young are our future. Without them, there will be no dragonkind. So you see, you actually have a very important job. As a Predrac, you are responsible for the welfare of the Young during any attack.”

  It was a heavy burden for any Predrac to bear, yet with their enemy hunting them as they did, everyone had to pull their weight. Besides, it was the best way for Predracs to start learning responsibility.

  “Isn’t that what the guards are for?” Fen asked.

  “Sure, but they are only a part of the system.” Saber studied the youth. “What are you told to do if anything happens to the guards?”

  Fen swallowed deeply. “We’re to quietly take the Young to the next hiding spot.”

  “Exactly. Who is going to do it if you are out there trying to fight?” Saber asked. “We count on you to keep them together until an adult takes charge.”

  “I know. I just … I don’t want to run and hide like a coward,” Fen grumbled.

  “Protecting the Young is not being cowardly. In fact, it takes courage. You are their last line of defense if things go wrong.” Saber stared into Fen’s eyes. Fen didn’t say anything, and Saber’s mouth tightened in anger as the past intruded. Memories of other Predracs, who with their quick thinking and courage, just barely kept those under their protection safe.