Legion: Dragon Rules, #1

By Tia Didmon

A Dragon. A Druid. A Disaster.

 

Art student Mara Krane has no time for the sexy 'dragon' in her dreams, even if he insists she is the key to saving humanity. But as her dormant magic emerges, she can no longer ignore her immortal mate.

Trusting him will make her a target in a war that has lasted for millennia and unearth a long-buried family secret, concealing the betrayal of a former life.

As she faces an ancient adversary set on her destruction, will her hopes burn to the ground, or will she discover that love hath no fury like a dragon scorned?

 

This series is perfect for fans of Zoe Chant, Terry Bolryder, T.S. Joyce, Nalini Singh, Christine Feehan and Lora Leigh.

 

One click this sizzling series starter now!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bold Butterfly Publishing Inc.
• Release date: Dec 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215813799

Tia Didmon

Tia Didmon is a USA Today bestselling author of provocative paranormal romance and paranormal women’s fiction. When Tia isn't busy writing about sexy shifters and dreamy demons, she spends her time binge-watching The Order and reruns of The Vampire Diaries, cooking with her daughter, and serving her cat. Her love of writing stems from a self-diagnosed book addiction.  Subscribe to Tia's newsletter at tiadidmon.com for a free book and start your journey through Tia's supernatural world today! 

Book preview

PROLOGUE

TEN YEARS AGO.

Adruid’s heart can kill you. Those words had defined his existence. Legion shimmered, allowing his soul to enter the temple. He inhaled the dank scent as he glanced out the misty windows, shrouded in gray stone. Blue smoke swirled in the background. When he could make out the eerie landscape, the air thickened, blocking his view.

Adara formed like a wraith before him. The dim folds of her gray robe moved to an unseen wind, becoming more transparent with each second that passed. Legion.

Your magic is failing.

Her voice echoed, spoken with an accent long forgotten by the modern world. This is the last time we will meet in my current form.

He glanced around the dim room containing a hand-carved table and six chairs. What do you mean?

When I sent my magic out into the world. I left enough to guide you until the druids resurfaced. Their time is coming.

Legion’s heart stuttered. They will be reborn?

My magic has lain dormant and has seeded the next generation. You must be vigilant if you wish to be victorious over the dark dragons.

I will be. He drifted to the end of the stone room. His resolve had not wavered in two thousand years, but he rubbed his chest, unsure what was causing the vice like sensation. I will miss you, Adara.

You know, this avatar is a representation of my magic. My soul surrendered when I did.

I know. You were a special woman.

I will be again.

Legion’s dragon stirred, roused from its ancient slumber. You will be reborn?

All unmated druids will be reborn. I was one of them.

His chest squeezed. Did you know who your mate was?

Yes.

The council presented you on your twenty-third birthday. No dragon chose you.

I was a seer. Born knowing that my destiny was to give up my life and my mate, so my people and yours would have a second chance. I cannot stop fate, Legion. I can only suggest variations to gain a more favorable path.

How did you avoid your mate?

I cast a spell as a child so he would not recognize me. I felt no love. No regret until I cast my magic out into the world. As I lay dying on the floor of this temple, I retracted the spell. I will not deny my mate his one chance at happiness, but my selfishness came at a price.

What was the price?

There will never be another seer. The one now born, will be the last.

Adara. I am sorry. We will find her. Protect her.

The magic of that final spell, is tied to you. You must shift and destroy this place. Sever the connection to the past.

Legion’s form rippled with his anger. No. I will not destroy the last druid temple.

This is not the temple, Legion. It’s a manifestation in your mind.

He held up his hand, turning it back and forth. This isn’t real?

No. I have guided you for as long as I can. The druids are on the cusp of emergence. You must let me go. Please remember two things. One, reactive magic is the easiest to invoke in an emerging female druid.

What is the other?

When I sent my magic out into the world, I had a dark passenger. Something clung to the disbursement spell.

What was it?

Her form wavered, becoming more translucent. I don’t know.

What should we do next? How much time before the druids emerge?

Time is different where I am. My human body has been born, but is not of maturity. That is why you must destroy me. This place I created to be close to you.

Legion’s heart stuttered. Your soul has been reborn?

Her eyes raged in blue flame. An eternal fire that made the leader of the dragons wary. Yes. For my magic to fuse with my new body, the magic of old must die.

I can’t destroy you, Adara.

I destroyed you, Legion.

What are you saying?

I was your mate.

Legion’s magic exploded in a ball of fire and pain. The one friend throughout the centuries, the one person he had trusted above all others, had been his intended mate. And she had refused him. Hid from him. Denied him.

The largest, strongest dragon ever born, hung its head as red tears, laced with gold, dripped to the earth.

CHAPTER 1

PRESENT DAY - AURORA, COLORADO

Mara’s eyes skimmed over the acceptance letter. Her hands clutched the paper to her chest. She stilled the excitement that raced through her blood, then opened her laptop. The power key stuck three times before the company bank account popped up, revealing a flashing red number with a minus sign. She placed the letter for the upscale art school back into the envelope. Time may heal all wounds, but it didn’t pay the bills. Still, the dream of having her artwork in an upscale gallery wouldn’t die. The laptop slammed shut before her hand touched the screen to close it.

Natalie sat across the kitchen table with papers in her hands. Her blond hair was in a ponytail, which made her blue eyes appear bigger. Her diminutive size was the complete opposite of Mara, yet they had been inseparable since they met as children. Life had thrown them so many curve balls and they had faced everything, together. The bad news bills have arrived.

Mara rolled her eyes. Already? I thought we just paid last months.

Natalie dropped the papers on the scratched wooden table. We did, but we were two weeks late.

Mara ran a hand through her long black hair. How did my mom keep on top of all this? The shop seems busy enough, but the bills barely get paid.

Natalie picked lint off her oversized sweatshirt. It is, but your mom’s medical bills ate up the savings. She had just paid for your dad’s funeral when she got sick. We are close to catching up. We will be on track in a couple of months.

Mara rubbed her forehead. Natalie loved the occult store. It wouldn’t be fair to her best friend to sell the shop that had been in her family for generations. They accepted me into art school, but I have no way to pay for tuition and cover the bills, unless I sell the shop.

Natalie’s eyes went wide. I will work for free until we cover your schooling. I know how much you want to go. Your mother loved this store, and with our apartment above the shop, we could never afford rent if we sold it.

Mara put her head in her hands, with her elbows on the table. That isn’t fair to you. I hate this. I don’t want to sell, but I want to go to school. Why is life so complicated?

Natalie stood up, grabbing the kettle off the avocado-colored counter-top. Let’s make some tea before we open. I grabbed some muffins from the bakery while you were in the shower.

Mara pushed the letter away. It slid across the table to mix with the stack of bills. I just ate an omelet. Sweets are the last thing I need, but I’ll have one, anyway.

Natalie plugged in the kettle, fiddling with the worn cord until it lit up. You are too hard on yourself. You have curves for days. I’m like a stick woman.

Mara stood up and grabbed a multi-colored crocheted blanket from the couch, pulling it around her. Please, you eat like an elephant and barely weigh a hundred pounds. If you weren’t my best friend, I would hate you.

Natalie grabbed two cups out of the brown panel cupboards. Liar, you don’t hate anyone.

Mara picked up an envelope with their bank logo on it. She flicked it across the table. It circled in the air in a lazy pirouette before it landed on the floor. I have a pretty fair hatred for our bank manager.

Erik is annoying, but he is only doing his job. I will call him later and tell him we will have a payment next week.

She pulled the blanket tighter around her. Will we?

Natalie poured the water into a gray ceramic teapot. Steam waffled in the air, scenting the room with sweet berries. No idea, but I can hope. Let’s focus on something positive. What are we doing for your birthday?

Mara’s head fell back. She stared at the brown stain on the cream ceiling. Pretending I have my life together?

Seriously, Natalie said, pouring the berry tea into the cups.

Mara took the tea Natalie offered her, then sat back at the table, inhaling the soothing smell. I’m turning twenty-three. It’s a lot less exciting than when I hit drinking age.

Natalie took a sip of her tea. Nonsense. You just got accepted into an advanced art school you’ve been trying to attend for three years. We should celebrate.

Mara clicked the mail icon on her laptop. Let me think about it. I will check...

Natalie grabbed a magazine behind Mara’s chair.

Holy shit, Mara said.

Natalie pointed at the unfamiliar logo of a black dragon. What is that?

It’s an email from Dark Art Galleries. They liked the sample portfolio I sent them. They’re willing to look at my work.

Natalie sat down. If you could sell a few pieces, then you could keep the store and take the classes you want.

Mara grabbed the phone. I will set it up right now.

Mara stood in front of her easel, grabbing a brush from the holder. The canvas was white with rolling green hills and a castle in the distance. The smell of turpentine sifted in the air. I am undecided if I should paint something new for the gallery curator. This piece isn’t coming along as I hoped, I should have finished it by now.

Natalie ran her hand along the edge of the canvas. The feather-light touch was reverent in nature. Everything you create is amazing. You got this.

Mara mixed some paint. Thanks. This last year has been rough. I don’t know what I would have done without you.

Natalie kissed her cheek, then grabbed the shop keys off of the green counter. Forget to pay the bills. She winked. I’m heading down to open the doors. Come down when you’re finished.

Mara nodded, turning to the canvas. The dragon formed in her mind, reminding her of the sculpture in the shop. She dipped her brush into the color palette and made a few strokes of orange and yellow, mixing the colors together to make liquid amber flames.

The brush dropped from her hand, bouncing on the floor, as the colors shimmered and sparkled with light. She blinked her eyes. Jesus, Natalie, what was in that tea. She picked up the brush and headed to the bathroom. She grabbed some headache medicine from the cabinet, only to pause as her face in the mirror, distorted. The cream bathroom walls and the shower curtain with blue seahorses were visible. Only her reflection wavered until her eyes turned white.

The face in the mirror cleared. It was her, yet it was not. The gray robe billowed in a foreign wind, the style from a forgotten era. Her features were older, with differences in her bone structure. As far as daydreams went. This was an odd one.

The reflection darkened before revealing the interior of a large room constructed of stone. A castle lost in time as blue smoke swirled outside the single arched window. Paintings and tapestries, she had never seen before, hung on the walls. All unique, beautiful and like none of the artwork she had studied. The reflection glanced at the stone altar that held a massive leather-bound book. A flame-less candlestick fell over the tome and rolled to the ground. The jarring sound as it bounced on the stone floor, made her wince.

Candles on the stone walls flared up, illuminating the room. Images flashed like an old movie. A green countryside unmarred by modern industry. A man in a black robe. The green foliage, turning black as the eyes under the hood, glowed red.

She sucked in a breath, closing her eyes. Stop it, she whispered.

A rushing sound vibrated in her ears. When she opened her eyes, both she and her bathroom were normal. Small nicks of paint on the walls reminded her of a water-fight she’d had with her sister. It’s stress, it must be. Though she said the words out loud, Mara didn’t believe them. She took two pills from the medicine bottle and popped them in her mouth. The pills scratched their way down her dry throat. She put the bottle on the small counter, ignoring the shake of her hand. Get it together, Mara. You can’t have another breakdown. She whirled around when Natalie knocked on the door.

Did you call me? I swore I heard someone call out, Natalie asked.

Mara rubbed her forehead. Had she called out? No, I’m good.

Okay, I will see you downstairs. The sound of Natalie descending the stairs echoed in the loft.

Mara squinted, surveying the room as a low buzzing vibrated in her ears. Like a thousand tiny bees hummed in the distance. She bit her cheek, trying to break free of the growing sound. His voice was low. Sexy. Angry.

Adara, you have returned.

CHAPTER 2

Mara glanced at the ceiling, focusing on the brown watermark that had stained the plaster from a leak last year. It’s just my imagination.

The voice inside her head huffed. Hardly. His low tone was as sexy as it was irritated.

She focused on the male intruder in her mind. I’m not sure which is worse. An imaginary voice in my head or that he doesn’t know my name.

There was an uncomfortable pause. Your name is not Adara?

Obviously not, Einstein.

What is it? His tone was demanding and laced with curiosity.

She considered telling him, but he gave her the impression that he was used to getting what he wanted. No. You are in my head. You should already know.

You need to think your name or say it out loud.

Mara looked around the bathroom. She was having a break from reality, so why did her surroundings seem so normal? Was it her mother’s death? Her father’s? Was the stress of taking on the store too much? Had she come in contact with some rare disease that attacked her mind? Did she get the wrong mushrooms in her omelet that morning?

Stop. Your feeble excuses to explain my presence are annoying. I am not a figure of your imagination.

Yes, you are. You’re some loony tunes version of my father. I know I’ve made a mess of things since you and mom died. I’m trying to manage everything, but it’s been hard. I miss you both so much.

His voice gentled. I assure you; I am real. My name is Legion.

Butterfly wings skittered across her skin. Warm. Inviting. Powerful. Okay, Legion. Why don’t you come down to the shop and introduce yourself? We can continue this conversation in person. Her remark was snippy, but what did one expect when bickering with an imaginary friend.

She felt him moving, as if she were in the room with him. The interior of a log cabin flashed in her mind. He moved outside and the Colorado mountains fell beneath him. His vision narrowed on a large stag running through the forest as if he were a predator about to attack his prey. As far as flying dreams went. It was a good one.

Tell me where you are. He demanded.

She shook her head. You are in my mind. You should already know.

While I can tell you’re in a bathroom. I don’t know where it is located. You must think the address or tell me where you are.

Mara concentrated on the lake property her parents took her to when she was a child. The cool water as she splashed her feet at the shore. Watching the fish as they swam under the dock. Her mother’s laugh. Her father’s voice as he called her for dinner. Go away. She whispered.

When the buzzing stopped, she opened her eyes. The presence in her mind had retreated. Strained green eyes stared back at her in the mirror. She placed her hands on either side of the porcelain sink. I’m losing it.

Legion’s eyes blazed with gold fire as he flew over the Colorado mountains. His wings flapped at a steady stroke, sending wind rushing beneath his enormous body. He roared his frustrations, allowing the thunderous sound to echo off the mountain peaks. Adara had blocked him. Him. The most powerful dragon ever born. She hadn’t known what she was doing. Her power a mere trickle of its former glory. Yet, she had focused on a childhood memory, and he was evicted from