Draki Twins: A Dragon Shifters' Hoard Short Story - A Paranormal Urban Fantasy

By Eileen Mueller and AJ Ponder

Dragon shifters, mages and the threat of deadly Fae.

Zephyr and Dante Draki are dragon shifters. Their secret must never be divulged.

But when they're out training a reckless young ice draki, they’re attacked by a mage with a vendetta, who bursts out of the forest on a Harley Davidson, shooting fireballs.

It's only a distraction from what's really going on. The game is about to get deadly as their life goes up in flames.
Draki Twins is the prequel to the heart-pounding adventures in the Dragon Shifters’ Hoard young adult paranormal urban fantasy series.

This short story is a prelude to the sizzling attraction in the main series. If you love danger, magic, urban fantasy and dragon shifters, grab your your copy today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eileen Mueller
• Release date: Dec 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9781991158833

Eileen Mueller

Eileen Mueller is a double SJV award-winning author of heart-pounding fantasy novels that will keep you turning the page. Dive into her worlds, full of magic, love, adventure and dragons! Eileen lives in New Zealand, in a cave, with four dragonets and a shape shifter, writing for young adults, children and everyone who loves adventure.Visit her website at www.EileenMuellerAuthor.com for Eileen’s FREE books, new releases or to become a Rider of Fire!

Book preview

Also in the Dragon Shifters’ Hoard Series:

Snow and Red

Zephyr and Snow

Dante and Red

Dedication

To our readers everywhere who have embraced Dante, Zeph, Snow & Red,

and come back for more!

Hide ’n Seek

Zephyr raked his talons on a trunk, shredding the rough bark. He peered around the edge of the tree. Gold glimmered between the dark pines—Dante had heard him. Zephyr grinned and raked his talons again, a long rending scratch.

In a flash of gold, Dante sprang toward him. Landing in a flurry of pine needles, Dante dug his forelimbs into the dirt. A tremor ran through the ground.

Zeph rolled his eyes. Flaming earth draki. On a power trip again. Unleashing the tension from his hind limbs, Zeph shot above the trees and unfurled his leathery silver wings. Every beat propelled him through fluffy cumulus clouds. A bank of storm clouds was rolling in from the west and would soon be upon them—a great hiding place.

Far below, the forest was an endless carpet of prickling green spears that stretched to the foot of snow-clad mountains. Their jeep was the size of a draki scale in the car park. Beyond the timber-clad rolling foothills, Pinevale was nestled in a valley, skyscrapers and industrial warehouses sprawling to the base of the hills like spilled popcorn.

Ah, this was freedom. Zeph drew enormous gulps of air into his lungs, his body quivering with that familiar keen energy of his draki form. It was good not to be human again. He arched his neck and soared into the wind.

A flash of pure gold arrowed up from those prickly spears—Dante, already on his tail.

Wind blasted in Zeph’s face as he climbed through the clouds, droplets beading on his wings. But Dante was too fast. A wave of heat scorched his silver flank.

Hey, why are you blasting me? Zeph cried via mind link. I thought we were teaming up?

You were messing about, Dante replied, ducking a cloud. You should’ve been helping me find Assiya and Feron instead of skulking in the trees.

You’re always so serious. I was trying to keep you on your toes. Zephyr’s nostrils flared. He scented the pines and the cool tang of snow on the mountainsides. And something else. Do you smell people?

No, we checked like ten times. The car park’s empty and so is the hiking log book. There’s nobody for miles. We’re good. I think it’s just sulfur from the hot pools near the mountains. Dante swooped, his golden wings blazing in a shaft of sunlight. Focus. I don’t want to lose our first game of Draki tag in months.

A blood-red draki broke from the forest, charging up toward them, her scales glistening in the early evening sun like a ruby from their great-great-great-grandfather’s draki hoard.

Assiya is onto us, little brother, Dante hummed in Zeph’s mind. I’ll take her left flank, you take her right.

Little brother? You’re only a minute older than me. Zephyr speared down toward the red dragon, Dante at his wing.

They leveled out, Assiya charging toward them, her green eyes glinting. They flew closer, so close Zeph could see the scar on her snout.

You think she’d remember our tactics from last time, he said.

Apparently not, Dante replied. It’s been a while.

Assiya opened her ruby maw, fangs glinting. Flame roiled at them.

Flicking his tail, Zeph dodged the wave of heat. It skimmed past his hide as he swerved wide past Assiya’s left wing. Dante flew to her right. Her flame blasted harmlessly beyond their tails.

Zephyr pulled the restless energy that was always dancing in his chest and let it surge through his forelimbs. Wind gusted from his talons at Assiya. Her wings flipped backward, and she was tossed toward Dante.

Zephyr’s twin brother nipped in and let out a puff of flame, leaving a harmless scorch mark on her haunch.

Ten points to us. Good shot, Dante. Zephyr’s roar rumbled through his chest.

He angled his body to catch a thermal, spiraling high. Assiya twisted, blasting a jet of fire at him. He pushed back, harnessing the wind to toss her flame askew. Dante flapped up out of reach. Assiya roared and chased them toward the storm clouds.

Incoming, Dante called.

Bolts of sapphire ice shot from the clouds overhead, plunging down towards Zeph. Feron! The brat had hidden in the cloud bank.

Zephyr furled his wings and dived. Feron’s icy blast rocketed past him. Frost broke out on his left wingtip.

Ten points to me! the young ice draki yelled.

Gods, Zeph couldn’t fly with frost-crusted wings.  He opened his maw and gusted warm air over his shoulder, melting the frost. Another plume