by Aaron Crash
“Looks like the Colorado Springs Aerie is gone.” Tessa gulped back a sob as she scrolled down on her phone. “And they found an unidentified dead woman on the Lookout Mountain Road ... blonde, slender, short. That doesn’t sound like the Dragonsoul I killed. It’s Mouse. Has to be. She’s gone. Really gone.”
Steven felt his stomach drop into oblivion. Once again, they had nothing. The disappointment and dread he was feeling wasn’t new. Growing up on the edge of poverty, he and his mom had always worried about money. Every so often, they’d come up short. Steven would go around the neighborhood, asking to do chores for people, and his mom would go to a relative for a loan. They rarely gave her anything because her husband, Joe Whipp, had such a bad gambling addiction.
Living so close to the edge, Steven had always felt desperate and powerless. Money had ruled his life.
He’d thought he’d taken care of that with his newfound wealth. Now, that wealth was gone, either blown to bits in the Lookout Mountain Aerie or burned to cinders inside the Colorado Springs Aerie.
Lava. In Colorado Springs. Steven tried to imagine what would cause that. Had Mulk destroyed it out of anger? But they said lava, not fire. Then he knew: a portal. His father must’ve put in a trap ... a portal to an underground fissure of lava. Clever and devastating. Steven had avoided being hit by the trap because of the topaz pendant he had, now in the form of a mystical pen, which was currently attached to the Drokharis Grimoire safe and sound in Tessa’s satchel.
Aria sighed, breaking him out of his reverie. “It is always the same for our kind. It is what your father told you to do, Steven. Gather your Escort, acquire your Hoard, and build your Aeries. Let nothing stop you.”
Hearing those words undid the knot filling Steven’s stomach. They made him want to do wonderful, terrible things. “Yeah, you’re right, Aria. I thought I could skip over that whole ‘acquire your Hoard’ deal. But no, that’s part of being a Dragonsoul. I have my Escort—”
“The beginnings of one,” Aria interrupted. “Two females do not an Escort make. You need at least six.”
“Wow,” Tessa breathed. “That’s a whole lotta lovin’. Ae you up to servicing four other women, Steven?”
He felt himself get excited, and he smiled. “Uh, Tessa, that won’t be a problem. But you two have to know that you’ll always be special to me, no matter how many wives I have.”
Aria took his hand in hers. “I understand that. Do you, Tessa?”
“I do,” the barista turned Magician said. “But it’s not like there’s a limited amount of love. In fact, it’s like Animus—the more love there is among us and Steven, the more powerful it becomes. I love sex, and I love people, so I’m excited to see who else we meet.”
“And if you kill Mulk,” Aria added, “you’ll get his wives automatically. The transitions can be tricky, but when you are their Prime, they will eventually want you. It’s just the way it works.”
“I’m not sure I’m on board with that.” Steven shifted uncomfortably. His naked butt cheeks were sticking to the upholstery. “I want my Escort to be with me of their own free will. If it’s some kind of magic tying them to me, that doesn’t sound like love. That sounds like Stockholm Syndrome.”
“Yeah, that could definitely be a problem,” Tessa said. “But, Steven, you’re so sweet and giving. And hot to boot. You’re a nice package.” She stopped talking for a minute to let him blush. Then she went on. “I’m wondering if I could tweak the telepathic components of the Mind Wipe spells to lessen the effect of this Prime seduction magic. Or wipe it away completely. Then any new women you get can choose.”
Steven groaned. This was all becoming so complicated. “Wait, wait, wait. We don’t need to worry about my Escort. Let’s work on the Hoard part. We need money—or, at the very least, clothes. If you want to work on spells, work on finding a way to hide us. I’m wondering if Mulk’s Magician has some way to track us.”
“If he can, and if he knows who we are,” Aria said, “then he can go after your families. My people are back in India. But Steven, your mother might be in danger. And Tessa, your mother, your sister, and your brother could become targets.”
Steven slammed his hand into the steering wheel. “Aria is right. This changes everything. We need to remove the threat. We need to strike at Mulk directly.”
They all fell silent.
Tessa sighed. “I just wish we knew more about how spells worked. For example, I thought our shield spells could protect us against any form of attack. But the Magician hit Steven through his defensive barrier, and the female dragon breathed fire on me—though in theory the force field should’ve protected me.”
Aria nodded. “Magic was never my strength. Frankly, I’m as confused as you are, Tessa.”
“Maybe my magic sucks.” Steven frowned. “But I don’t care. I’ll kill Mulk with or without spells.”
It was tough talk, but right then, attacking Mulk seemed impossible.
A new fear crept into Steven, but then it changed into anger, a fury so powerful it made him want to tear out the heart of the world. He’d failed to protect Mouse. He’d broken his promise. And he couldn’t stand it. One thing was certain: he wouldn’t let Mulk get the best of him again. That bastard was going to pay in spades.
Chapter Five
TESSA WAS HAVING A hard time breathing. Red Rocks State Park was beautiful, and she had a million memories of concerts, hikes, and lazy afternoons hanging out with friends there. Yet those happy days seemed like they belonged to someone else.
Her leg ached from the wereboar’s attack. Luckily, it didn’t feel broken, just pulverized. Her burn, though, sent screeching needles of agony through her nervous system.
The physical pain was bad enough, but she also hurt emotionally. She felt awful about losing Mouse, but even worse? Mulk might be going after her family. If anything happened to her mom, her older sister, or her brother, it would destroy her. Up until now, her family had been the most important thing in her life. Her brother, Jared, was diagnosed with childhood MS when he was five. He’d fought the disease, bravely, but at ten he’d found himself in a wheelchair. By the time he was eleven, he needed constant care.
She racked her brains for who to call, for someone who could help them. For some odd reason, she kept thinking back to the guy who had helped them before. Without asking Steven and Aria, she scrolled through her contacts until she found Bud’s number, then thumbed the call button.
William “Bud” Novak had worked with her at the Coffee Clutch. He still worked there and went to the Metropolitan State University of Denver—Metro, to the locals. He’d been a total douche to Steven, but all that had changed when Steven had changed. During their final dustup with that psychopath Edgar Vale, Bud had helped them. Big time. Then they’d wiped his mind, so he knew nothing about the Dragonsouls. But, despite that, he’d proven himself valuable, reliable even ... and besides, she had no one else. Not that could help with this.
Bud answered. “Hey, Tessa. Don’t invite me to any more parties. My dental work cost a small fortune. Luckily, my dad had no problem paying for it. What’s up?”
Tessa winced. “Sorry about that. It was a wild party. And you said it yourself. You can be a real asshole.”
Bud chuckled. She could practically hear his shrug through the phone. “Eh, I am who I am.”
“What the hell, Tessa?” Steven hissed.
She held up a finger. “Hey, Bud, we’re kind of in trouble. No parties this time. Can you meet us?”
“Who’s us?” Bud asked.
“Me, Steven, and Aria. You remember her, right? The foreign exchange student.” Tessa couldn’t believe she was calling Bud. Again. But her instincts were usually really good when it came to people.
“Yeah, I remember.” He paused. “What kinda trouble we talking about here?”
Tessa wasn’t sure what to say. Dragonsouls and their society were a closely guarded secret for any number of reasons. She was still learning about the dragons on Ea
rth, but she thought it had something to do with the Zothoric, evil demons in the universe. That, and the old clichés about governments researching dragons, too much PR, and the headache of the paparazzi. For whatever reason, Dragonsouls were required to stay hidden. The penalty was death.
“Tessa?” Bud asked. “Are you still there?”
“Yeah. As for what kind of trouble—it’s not really something I can talk about. Not over the phone. But ... Please, Bud. It’s about my family. Please, can you meet us? Please?”
Bud was quiet for a long beat. Finally, he sighed. “Man, am I gonna regret this. I just know it. But fine. Whatever. I’ll meet you guys. Where at?”
“Coffee Clutch,” she said at once, “and seriously, Bud, thank you. Oh, and bring clothes,” Tessa added at the end. “For all of us. Steven and Aria are kind of naked at the moment and my dress is...I believe the term is battle-stained.”
“Yep, seriously gonna regret this. See you guys there.” The phone clicked, the line dead.
Steven had turned in the driver’s seat and gave her a long stare. He was clearly mad at her.
“Yes, I know, I know,” Tessa said. “But we’re in trouble. The less our families know, the better. I’m a girl who goes with the flow. Bud helped us save Aria the last time we needed help. And Aria said it herself—Dragonsouls have human vassals. I think we should bring Bud in. Something tells me he can really help us.”
“Bud is a total dick,” Steven said. “He bullied me for months on end. He’s like the required asshat you see in most teen flicks. Do you really think we can trust him?”
“If he betrays us, we kill him,” Aria said simply.
“Ouch,” Tessa muttered with a grimace. Aria, while superhot and phenomenal in bed, definitely had a brutal side to her. Tessa chalked it up to growing up in the constant warfare that permeated Dragonsoul culture. Primes were constantly fighting for territory, conquering other Primacies, and defending themselves from usurpers.
“We’re not going to kill Bud,” Steven said flatly. “Might punch him in the teeth, but I won’t kill him.” He dropped the Bronco into gear and cruised out of Red Rocks, heading for south Denver—Broadway—to their weird rendezvous at the Coffee Clutch.
Ignoring her pain, Tessa called her mom at work. On Wednesdays, Tessa’s sister, Abby, took care of Jared. According to Tessa’s mom, everything was just fine, no problems, nothing sinister. When she asked for more information, Tessa kept her answers vague. She hung up and called her sister. Abby also didn’t report anything suspicious. So far, so good, but she had a sinking feeling that wouldn’t last indefinitely.
Steven had her call his mom next. Getting her on the phone tended to be almost impossible. Thankfully, they got lucky. Florence Whipp was at her job, cleaning the Denver airport. And better yet, she was also okay. At least for now.
Tessa hung up and frowned. “This is awful. I’m fine fighting Mulk as long as I know our families are safe.”
“You have taken well to battle and murder.” Aria nodded, though she kept her gaze fixed on the rolling foothills outside the window. “You killed those men who attacked us, and, yes, you weep, but you only mourn our fallen friend.”
“Not really murder,” Tessa breathed. “They were trying to kill us. We defended ourselves. It wasn’t like I poisoned their soup.” She thought for a second longer. “But I would. This is total war with Mulk, isn’t it?”
“It is indeed,” Aria said.
“And that’s just fine with me,” Steven murmured, knuckles going white on the steering wheel as he tightened his grip. “That guy already has quite the butcher’s bill, and I intend to see he pays it in full.”
STEVEN PULLED INTO the back parking lot at the Coffee Clutch. The little restaurant was busy, and four out of the five spaces were full of cars: Subarus and SUVs, the vehicles of choice for Coloradoans. He parked. Tessa was trying to keep a brave face, but her leg obviously hurt her. She had access to the Magica Cura spells, but the healing magic only worked on other people, and unfortunately, Steven didn’t have the mojo yet to cast level-two spells.
Maybe with more study. Maybe once he leveled up a bit. Maybe.
Steven pushed the thoughts away as Bud came ambling up, walking like a proud peacock who thought he owned the world. Seriously, the guy was six feet of douchebag, blond hair sculpted with product, wearing trendy jeans and a shirt that would’ve paid for at least one elective at Metro if not two. Instead of shoes, he wore hiking sandals. He carried a nylon bag from Whole Foods. Probably clothes for Steven and Aria.
“I hope he brought underwear,” Steven said.
“For you, maybe,” Aria answered. “I wouldn’t want to wear someone else’s undergarments.”
Bud walked up to the driver’s side. His eyes widened. “Dude, Cool Whipp, you been hitting the steroids or what? You’re ripped.”
Steven looked down at his flat abs. It was six-pack city, and he was the mayor.
He flexed a bicep. “You know I’m letting you call me Cool Whipp out of the goodness of my heart, don’t you?”
Bud paled and offered him a shaky grin. “Yeah, man. I’m good if you are. Look, Steven, I was a dick, I admit it. I’m sorry.” He then gave Aria a smile and stole a look at her naked body. “Hey, Aria.”
Aria dropped her arms to expose her luscious breasts, nice and tight against her chest. She had thick nipples that pointed to the sky.
Bud was speechless.
“Apology accepted,” Steven said easily. “Now, give us the clothes.”
Bud pushed the Whole Foods bag through the window, then stepped back. “I’ll give you guys a minute. I’ll be inside.”
He drifted off, shaking his head as though he couldn’t believe what he’d just seen.
“Do you really think this is a good idea?” Steven asked both women.
“We’ll see,” Aria replied. “If this doesn’t go well, I will wipe his mind and send him on his way.”
Tessa pulled off her battle-stained clothes. She wiggled into a tie-dyed dress, long enough to cover her legs. “Then he won’t remember seeing you naked, Aria. That was a huge deposit into his spank bank. A least a month’s worth.”
“Two months easy,” Steven said.
Aria slipped on a red dress. “I don’t know what that means, and I’m not sure I want to know.”
“I understand that,” Tessa said. “Picturing Bud masturbating does nothing for me.”
Aria paused, made a face, and sighed. “Spank bank. As in spanking the monkey. Very inappropriate.”
“That’s me.” Tessa chuckled. “Ms. Inappropriate.”
Steven wiggled into khaki slacks, wickedly tight, and a polo shirt, also tight. No underwear. Which was good and bad. Bud had brought flip-flops for both him and Aria. They were going to look ridiculous, but hopefully it would only be for a little bit.
How could they afford new clothes? New supplies? He’d left every bit of their cash from the Corvette sale inside the Lookout Mountain Aerie.
Inside the Coffee Clutch, they found Bud at a corner booth. Eduardo, the manager and motherfucker in charge, waved at Steven and Tessa. Steven didn’t know why, but going back to a place where he used to work always felt a little awkward ... like he didn’t really belong there. He’d moved on, but subconsciously he was preparing for Eduardo to toss a dirty towel his way and tell him to go clean the microwave in the back.
Bud had ordered them all their usual drinks. For Aria, that was a chai tea latte. For Tessa, a soy mocha with an extra shot of espresso. For Steven, a large black coffee. Joe Whipp had taught his son to drink coffee-flavored coffee. Steven’s adopted father was fond of saying, “If you want a cup of cream and sugar, order cream and sugar, but don’t call it coffee.”
Bud had also bought food and filled the table with scones, some leftover breakfast sandwiches, and a few BLT’s—the Wednesday lunch special.
“I didn’t know what kind of food you all wanted,” Bud said, spreading his hands apologetically. “So I got a litt
le bit of everything.”
“We can pay you back,” Steven growled, so angry at being poor again. But he was savagely hungry. He gulped down two of the BLT’s. Now that he was a full Dragonsoul, his appetite was insatiable. He needed an insane number of calories to keep himself going.
“How much was it?” Tessa asked. “I have some cash.” From inside the leather satchel where she kept the Drokharis Grimoire, she pulled out a wad of hundred-dollar bills.
Steven looked at the money in wonder. “Where did you get that?” he asked.
Tessa shrugged. “You never keep all your cash in one place. I grabbed fifteen hundred dollars and stuck it away for a rainy day.”
“It’s not supposed to rain today,” Aria said. Then she rolled her eyes at herself. “An American idiom. Yes. I understand.”
Steven took a break from eating to kiss Tessa. “You’re amazing.”
“Ms. Amazing,” Tessa said. “I’m collecting names today.”
Bud interrupted them. “No, guys, this is my treat. Really. Y’all look terrible. Did you get in a fight or something?”
“Battle,” Tessa said. She then gave Steven a long look. “You’re in charge. Should we tell him?”
Steven finished off a blueberry scone. Eating, he felt better. Apparently being “hangry” as a Dragonsoul was a real problem. Tessa and Aria dug into the food while everyone waited on him. He stared at Bud, trying to get a sense of the guy. Then he remembered how Bud had volunteered to return to Mulk’s Denver Aerie at the top of the Wells Fargo Building with pizza. He had been the perfect distraction. That took guts; Bud went back knowing it meant another asswhipping, if not death. There seemed to be a brave, noble core underneath his shallow bravado.