Free Broken Gates by D. T. Dyllin Page A

half human because of your emotions, he does not understand that being raised by humans, even a full-blooded dragon would not see the world as most dragons do. The way we are is more nurture than nature, but he does not believe that. Most dragons don’t. You’ve only just begun to experience what you can do. You need to know these things because it is time.”
    “And Bryn? How is it that another dragon grew up so close to me?”
    “I made sure he was there. He needed to be. I can’t tell you anymore about him without risking a change in the future.”
    “But if I’m full-blooded dragon then why can’t Bryn and I mate bond completely? And—” Holy Shit! “And does that mean I’ll be able to shift into a dragon?” The thought actually scared me to death. I had been relieved back when Khol had explained to me that half-breeds couldn’t take on the second form of a dragon. In fact, it hadn’t gone unnoticed by me that Khol and the others had never shown me their other form. Khol must have picked up on my fear of seeing it. Maybe I was afraid because deep down I had known what I really was and didn’t want to accept it.
    “You’re not strong enough to mate bond with someone like Bryn yet.”
    “ Yet —that means one day I could. That means one day I could fully be mated with Bryn.” My heart leapt in my chest with joy. There had always been the question about if Bryn and I would ever be able to fully bond with each other, even after we’d both come into our full set of powers. Now the question was answered, and it felt like I had just won the lottery.
    “If he’s the father of your child, you mean,” the Queen stated matter of factly. “Because isn’t that what you decided?”
    I dropped my head to study my feet. Huh. I kind of need a pedicure . “Yeah, it is.” But could I really go through with mating with Khol when I could truly and completely bond with Bryn? Maybe I would never have to answer that.
    “With my powers added to yours, you will be the ultimate weapon to extinguish those dirty little creatures that have been threatening our world.” She hissed with disdain. “I’m just sorry I never got to know you, my daughter . . . or my future grandson. And I’m sorry that so much will rest on your shoulders alone. Things will get worse before they get better.”
    It suddenly occurred to me. “If I’m full-blooded dragon, then the child could possibly be full-blooded as well—if Khol is the father.”
    “Yes, but that information still won’t reveal the father to you any sooner than it’s meant to be revealed.” Her face hardened into stone. “Now focus, daughter. Khol and Bryn will be back soon and there are still a few things left we need to deal with.”
    “Okay,” I squeaked, hating how young I sounded.
    “You must know that these creatures can only get a hold in people that already have a darkness in them. There are very few that are pure enough to fight them off. Once inside, after a time, they bond so completely with the human that the human no longer remembers it being any other way. They don’t know the alien is in them, but the alien has full awareness. The human rationalizes the actions the alien forces it to make. I tell you this because there is a way to remove the aliens from the humans, but they will still target you when they are gone, the fake motives for their actions will still be firmly planted in their minds. You’ll never be able to go back to your normal life if that’s the course of action you wish to take. Or . . .” She paused and began to study my face intently. “You could just continue to kill them like your friends have been doing.”
    “No,” I gasped. “Killing them isn’t an option at least as far as I’m concerned.”
    A slight smile tugged at her lips and she nodded once with approval. Apparently I had passed the test. “Good. Then there is only one thing left for me to do.” She strode over to stand in front of me and then pushed