Hidden Flame 43

**Avery**
At first, being marked scared me because I am still coming to grips with what I am as well as everything that has
happened to me. Regina wants to remain hidden and I want her to as well because something doesn’t feel right. We
don’t resemble any of the dragons here or their humans. Maybe it is because of the Mother’s Mark on our upper inner
thigh or perhaps it is something else. All we know for sure is that The Trio are our mates.
I nod to the brothers to single to them that I am ready to mark them as mine. I hold up my index finger to my lips. I watch it turn into a metallic shimmering talon. I don’t know how long Regina can keep it looking this way without
revealing more of her rare coloration, so I kiss it before I start to blow on it. My breath becomes a teal flame as it wraps
around my talon. My eyes locked with Cassius first. As he smirked, he opened his dress shirt to reveal his toned bare
chest. I leaned up to kiss him as my talon ran down the length of his chest. Our moans filled the night air as my mark on
his chest nearest his heart began to glow. I pulled back to watch it fade. I kissed it before I turned to Clint where I
repeated what I had just done to Cassius.
Last was Conner who looked a bit nervous. Before I kissed him, I whispered, “Cassius told me that it wouldn’t hurt. It does
for a split second but that is it. Are you afraid like I was or is it something else? Do you not want to be mine?” I bit my lip
as I anxiously awaited his response.
He whispers as he opens his shirt, “It’s stupid. I was jealous. Of course, I want to be yours. Mark me, Avery.”
Grinning like an idiot, I kissed him and marked him. After the ceremony concluded, The Trio carried me off into the forest.
Cassius sat me down. “We are going to play a game and I promise that we won’t cheat.”
“What type of game?”
He grins, “If we catch you, we kiss you.”
I blushed as I chewed on my lip. After letting out a breath, I said, “Okay, but I get a head start.” They nodded before they
closed their eyes and began to count. I looked around and then decided to circle behind them. Instead of heading
towards the palace, I went further into the forest. Their voices began to fade as they counted up to three hundred and
thirty-three. We had always counted up to that number when we played Hide And Seek in school. I never thought to
research its significance until now. I will do that when I study later.
I find a fallen tree to hide under and I fluff up some of the fallen leaves to further hide me. Let’s see if they can find me
now! As I peek through a hole in the leaves, I see an area between the trees start to blur and shift into a shimmering
mirror. Within the mirror, I see sprawling hills coated in jasmine and butterfly flowers. It is absolutely breathtaking. As I am
admiring the landscape, two figures emerge singing the exact same song that my mother did. Peace and love wash over me and I feel Regina vibrate with joy.
My mother looks at me, “Avery, my dear sweet Avery it is time that you know the truth. You were a gift to us by the gods
themselves. You are The Mother Of Dragons because the blood of Tiamat flows within you and her spirit resides in
Regina. Your abilities will surface as you accept who and what you are and draw strength from your mate bonds. We need
you to bring the storm to ensure that dragons survive the coming mass extinction.”
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As she said that, I felt a hand grab me. I turned, “Cassius!”
He grinned, “Found you, and now for my prize!” His lips claimed mine before I could tell him about my vision and what
my mother had said. I will have to tell him and the others later because right now all I can think about is how he’s making
my body tingle.
I put my hand over my mark. “Not here. Can we go back home?”
Cassius smiles as he gets up and offers me his hand, “Of course. Your pace, remember?”
I kissed his cheek and told him thank you, but I am ready to embrace who and what I am, including making my mates mine in every way. The other brothers joined us as we went into the palace. Once we were upstairs, I got nervous. “I…I
don’t think I am ready for all of you yet.”
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Clint took my hand, “Avery, we have discussed this amongst ourselves and we all won’t have sex with you at the same
time until you ask that of us. It can be one on one as long as you need it to.”
Cassius nods, “Avery, your pace.”
“Okay, but the order means nothing because I won’t play favorites. I know what it means to always be chosen last. I
refuse to hurt you as others have me.”
Conner gives me a hug. “Avery, I am glad that you are my mate. I once only cared about upstaging my brothers and
becoming king. I was prideful and arrogant just like my character in our play. But I like him, I have learned the error of my
ways because of the love of a good woman. I love you, Avery, and I don’t care who gets to make love to you first because
I am thankful that I get to at all.”
The other brothers nodded in agreement. Now I need to decide who and what I am willing to do. Regina pushes forward
and asks that I let her choose and that she will remain with me to make sure that I enjoy each of my mates. That curbs
some of my anxiety, but I still am uncertain if I can please the