“Yeah, now that Zina is gone, the city doesn’t have to worry at all.” Bliss bit her lip. “She
“She really is. And I don’t think she’ll be bothering us anymore after the dressing-down she got from Gaia.”
Bliss seemed to relax. “Autumn is nice. Does that sound okay to you?”
Drake draped an arm around her shoulder. “Anything you want is fine with me.”
“Maybe we should get married sooner. Like as soon as we can book a church and fake you a birth certificate. Then they wouldn’t have time to put together a full-blown carnival. I know my mother will be relieved that she’s not the only one who rushed into a June wedding.”
“Can you handle the pressure of coordinating something quickly?”
Bliss laughed. “I think you know I can handle pressure. Hell, I work best under pressure.”
“You’re amazing. You deserve to have the wedding you want. I’m still impressed by how well you handled Zina’s threats to you at the time.”
Bliss snorted. “I was scared, but I didn’t have time to fall apart. And I didn’t want her to get the better of me and run my life. Not even for a little while.”
Drake kissed her cheek. “That’s the woman I love.”
“Come to think of it, you must be afraid sometimes when you run into a fire—but you do it anyway.”
“I’m more afraid for the guys with me. I’m fireproof. They’re not.”
“True.” After a few moments of quiet contemplation, she brightened. “We’re getting off the subject. So, when do you want to get married?”
“Now.”
Bliss chuckled. “Right this minute?”
“Yup. Right here, right now.”
“You know my parents would have a fit.”
“I know. We’ll give them the whole three-ring circus later, but right now—while it’s just you and me…” Drake stopped walking and took both of Bliss’s hands in his. He faced her and said, “Bliss Russo, will you take this sorry-ass dragon to be your lawfully wedded husband for as long as you can tolerate me?”
Bliss laughed. “In other words, forever?”
Her smile warmed his heart. “If forever exists, then yes.”
“Yes, Drake Cameron. I will. Do you think you can put up with my sarcasm and impatience for the rest of eternity?”
“I do.”
“I now pronounce us officially crazy,” Bliss said, and they kissed.
Epilogue
Bliss opened her eyes and found herself nose to snout with a dragon in her bed. She shrieked and jumped out from under the covers, knowing but not caring that she was naked.
Drake shifted into his human form, laughing.
“Don’t
He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye as he struggled to get his laughter under control. “I’m sorry, honey. I got so hot watching my beautiful wife sleeping beside me that I shifted.”
“Oh. Well, in that case…” Bliss returned to bed and scooted into his waiting arms.
“Have I told you I love you?” he asked.
“About a million times, but you can tell me again if you want to.”
Drake rolled up onto his elbow and stared down at her. “I love you, Bliss Cameron. I never thought I’d find a woman like you.”
“What do you mean, like me?”
“Beautiful, intelligent, fun,
She snorted. “Just don’t make a habit of testing that tolerance like you did this morning.”
“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Dragon!”
Bliss startled, then rolled toward the female voice in their spacious new bedroom. She began to sputter, “What is with you people and knock—”
Mother Nature stood there, crossed her arms, and frowned.
“Oh, it’s you,” Bliss said sheepishly. “Sorry.”
Gaia rolled her eyes. “I suppose I can forgive you. I’m here to update you on the Zina fiasco.”
“Zina!” Bliss grasped the sheet to her chest as she sat up. “Is she back?”
“No. And don’t bother covering your breasts. I’ve seen them before.”
Bliss raised her eyebrows. “You have?”
“Well, not specifically yours, but millions of others. Let’s get to that update, shall we?”
Drake pulled himself up and rested against the headboard next to his wife. “Please tell me she’s not in our hemisphere. You warned her not to come back.”
“I realize that. Now be a good dragon and shut up while I talk.”
Bliss opened her mouth to address the way Gaia spoke to her husband, but as soon as she noticed Mother Nature’s intense glare, she quickly shut it. No use poking the beehive. A metaphor inspired by Gaia’s current hairdo.
Mother Nature relaxed and smiled at Bliss. “As you may or may not know, I sent her off with a specific set of circumstances and a warning. I told her she wouldn’t be fertile again until she learned how to handle it. In other words, she’d have to attract a voluntary mate, create a safe and loving environment to bring a child into the world, and try to be the best mother she can be.”
Bliss blew out a deep breath. “Do you think she can do all that?”
Gaia shrugged. “I don’t know, but at least she has a chance.”
“More of a chance than we have,” Bliss muttered.
Gaia waved away her complaint and continued. “I haven’t discussed your reward for trapping her so Vulcan could bring her to me yet. Wouldn’t you like to know what it is?”
Bliss’s eyes popped open. “There’s a reward?”
“Indeed. Now, I understand you two would like to have a family someday, but as we all know, dragons and humans can mate until the sun and moon collide, but no child will come of it.”
Drake hung his head, apparently blaming himself for dashing their hopes and dreams. Bliss reached over and took his hand. “That’s okay. We’re making peace with it.”
A sly smile raised one side of the goddess’s lips and her eyes twinkled. “What if I could change that?”
Bliss gaped. “Can you?”
“Remember who you’re talking to.”
Drake squeezed her hand but didn’t say anything.
“Of course.” Bliss nodded, reverently—at least she hoped she conveyed reverence. “If anyone could change that, it would be you.”
“Exactly. Keep creating the loving, child-friendly environment you have here—and begin using birth control.”
With that, Gaia disappeared. Bliss didn’t know if Mother Nature heard her gasp, but she gasped loudly.
“Drake. Do you know what that means?”
He was grinning. “I think we can have kids.”
“She must have altered your DNA or something. I wish she’d stuck around to explain it. Holy moly, we didn’t even get a chance to thank her.”
Drake chuckled. “You know she’s all business. I get the feeling that was her way of thanking
“Oh, my God! Or goddess. We should celebrate. Tell our friends…”
“Slow down, sweetheart. Let’s take a shower together first.”
