The Last Dragon Prince: A Dark Fairy Tale
Chapter 8

Jericho’s POV

I woke up with some reluctance, pulling her sweet naked body up to mine. She molded right into me in her sleepy state. She is practically purring like a kitten, relaxed and sated. I held her in my arms thinking about our night. I’d spend hours worshiping her body, making love to her slow and gentle, until we’d both passed out from exhaustion.

I gently kiss the crown of her head and take a deep breath. Satisfaction hums through my body. If they do come for me, I know I’ve left something for her to remember me by.

Slowly I run my hand down her belly and rub it softly. Take care of mommy, my little one, I think as tears leak down my eyes.

Suddenly a deep commanding voice echoes into my mind… “We love you, my son. I hope one day you will understand what it is to love someone so much that you would give up your life for them.”

I don’t even know how I know this, but I am certain this was my father’s voice. Was this the last thing he said to me? Well, I guess I have learned the one thing he asked of me. Now I have a mate and a young one to think about.

She won’t know for another day or two. I’m not sure how she will take it. Being a teen mother, and not just of any baby, but a dragon. It will probably be overwhelming once she knows the truth. And by then Erik will have all the preparations for my heir. I will make sure to tell Erik before I leave this morning. He will take care of everything.

Dragon pregnancies are hard in general, for dragon females. But for a human it will be much harder. Since she is my mate that means her body was meant to carry my child, but luckily they only last about 3 months. This was something Erik had explained to me as he had expected me to fall in love and marry at some point… Now I’ll never get the chance.

But my sweet mate now has the last dragon prince, and I will gladly give up my life to protect him and his mother.

I hold her in my arms and start thinking of what ifs. What if I found her first. What if Nichole was not in the picture? What If I could stay with my angel? What If I could watch my son grow to a man and have his own family? What if the bloody hunters didn’t exist and my parents were still around?

None of that matters right now. It’s time for me to leave. I can’t have Nichole know… She can’t replace me with Heidi in my bed. And if she figures out she is carrying my child… I won’t let that happen!

I kiss the mark on Heidi's neck. It looks like a dragon wrapped around her neck as an outline and in the middle are two hearts with crowns placed on top. It’s beautiful.

I am pretty sure no one else will understand the significance. But I do.

I Kiss her head one more time, and then I bend down to kiss her flat belly.

She shivers in her sleep. She tries reaching out for me, but I just pull the covers up around her body and tuck a pillow into her arms. She snuggles in and breaths in my scent.

“I love you both,” I say, pulling away from everything that I hold dear.

I head down stairs and replace Erik in the kitchen preparing breakfast for everyone. He looks up at me then.

“I can’t stay. Nichole will be looking for me and she can’t replace Heidi!” I insist.

“I understand my Prince,” he says with a sorrowful tone.

“Erik, please take care of my heir…” I choke.

Happiness seems to shine in his eyes. “Always my Prince,” he says with a bittersweet smile on his face.

“Thank you for everything…”

Erik encircles me in his arms and holds me tight. He has been the closest thing to a father I’ve known. I don’t want to lose him either.

Soon I am dressed and heading back to the cave, because if Nichole thinks to look for me anywhere it will be there.

I’ve never taken Nichole to my home, but I am sure it would be easy enough for her to follow me with her hunters and burn my home down. So, I will go to her… However, I have a gift for her too.

As I march into the clearing, the hunters turn and point their weapons at me, before they can react, I shift into my dragon, and with all the rage in my heart I spew fire at the hunters. I watch them burn to ash. Their cries of anguish fill the forest, and I feel no pity for them.

Nichole comes up to me and screams, “WHAT DID YOU DO?! These were the last of the hunters!” she shrieks.

I shift and smirk at her.

“Good. Then there is no more threat,” I snarl at her.

Suddenly she picks a weapon from a fallen hunter and shoves it in my belly. Electricity shoots through my body, slowing my heart. It will take several minutes before it completely stops. These hunters were brutal, wanting us to suffer as long as possible…

“NOOOO!” Screams my angel. She must have followed me.

“YOU!” Screams Nichole. “THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!”

She pulls away from me, but before she can reach Heidi I reach up and pull her heart out. Her body crumples at my feet, but I walk over her without any notice and pull Heidi into my arms.

“Angel, I did-didn’t w-want you to s-see thisss…” my words are starting to slur. It won’t be long now.

“Jericho, what’s going on?” she sobs into my chest.

“I am d-dying, mmm- my l-love. I can’t cha-nge th-that…”

My body slups, and Heidi can’t carry my weight so we both fall to the ground.

“I’ll get help!” she panics.

I shake my head and try to lift my hand to cup her sweet face. “I- left y-you a g-gifff-t t-to rem-emb-er me…” I smile up at her.

Her beautiful eyes shine like diamonds in the sunlight.

And they are the last things I see before the world goes dark.