Lost Dragons Box Set Volume Two

by Zoe Chant

  Maybe this is a dream after all, she thought hazily, as cold air rushed past her face, making it hard to breathe. Maybe if he drops me I’ll wake up...

  It’s not a dream, Mercy. And I’m sorry – I can’t tell you how sorry I am. Sorry that you’ve been caught up in this. Sorry I didn’t tell you what I am.

  Mercy’s breath shuddered in her chest.

  What you are... I don’t...

  I promise I’ll explain everything to you, just as soon as I can. I’m almost there, Mercy. Please just hang on for a little while longer.

  Mercy closed her eyes against the wind that was whipping past, feeling her stomach lurch as the monster that was carrying her – the monster she knew was Roy – turned sharply all of a sudden, letting out a low, angry-sounding grunt.

  Her thoughts might have been scattered from shock and fear, but suspicion was growing in the pit of Mercy’s stomach. Roy had talked about Dante not telling her what he truly was, and then he had turned from a normal-looking man into a monster like something out of a nightmare. Dante was speaking to her using only his mind, and apparently seemed to think that was normal. He was telling her to wait for him – that he’d be there soon, even though she and Roy were currently God alone knew how many feet up in the air.

  Does this mean that... that Dante is –

  She didn’t have time to complete the thought before Roy suddenly let out an angry bellow. Mercy had to cover her ears, raising her hands only with difficulty against the wind. She felt a blast of icy air as he beat his wings, her stomach flip-flopping as he suddenly turned in mid-air, then dropped.

  Mercy couldn’t help but scream as terror coursed through her veins.

  Mercy! Are you all right?! Dante’s voice was in her head once more.

  I don’t know! Fuck! Dante, what’s happening? What is this thing –

  I don’t have time to explain it all just now, Dante said. Please, for the moment, you just have to trust me.

  Trust you...

  Mercy didn’t know that she had much choice just now, but even if she did, she trusted Dante. She wasn’t sure why, but she did. From the first moment she’d seen him she’d felt a connection to him, and that had only continued to build and build over the short time they’d known each other. She didn’t care what he was, or what it was he had to explain to her – she knew in her heart she could trust him.

  And, to be honest, if it turns out he’s something more than what he appears to be, that might actually come in useful right about now.

  If she was going to have to acknowledge the fact that horrifying creatures like Roy existed, then the best she supposed she could hope for was that there might be good creatures out there too – good creatures who were strong enough to stop him.

  Mercy! I see you!

  Mercy craned her neck downwards, as if somehow she could spot Dante on the ground below. Where is he?

  It was an asinine thought, Mercy knew, especially since they were so high up in the air.

  Mercy, I wanted to show you this after I’d had a chance to explain. Please don’t be frightened. I swear, I’m here to protect you. It’s the only thing I’ll ever do, to my dying breath.

  Show me what –

  The thought was cut off almost as soon as she thought it. Because the grip that Roy had around her waist suddenly loosened.

  Oh my God, he’s going to drop me.

  The thought was in her head with a sudden, stark clarity. Mercy didn’t even have time to panic before she felt the beast open its scaly hand completely... and then she was plummeting through the cold night sky, limbs flailing, a short, sharp scream leaving her lips.

  Mercy!!

  Dante’s horrified cry filled her mind, but Mercy barely heard it. The wind was rushing past her ears, her hair whipping past her face. Her stomach lurched, adrenaline and fear surging through her –

  – and then she saw it: a gold, glimmering rope that seemed to stretch out from her chest, shining in the darkness of the night. It filled her heart with warmth, somehow, and a strange feeling of comfort, even though she was still falling, falling, falling...

  THUMP.

  For a moment, Mercy was sure she’d hit the ground. That didn’t explain why she could still think and move and breathe, but what else could she have landed on?

  Though for the ground, it’s awfully warm... and... moving...

  Gasping, Mercy sat up suddenly. The wind was still whipping through her hair, but beneath her was... was...

  Hold on Mercy, and try not to move around too much. You can grab onto my spikes – they’re not sharp on the sides, so they won’t hurt you.

  Her hands moving of their own accord, Mercy reached out to grab the long, pointy spikes of bone in front of her, and immediately felt a little more secure.

  But – but what the hell –

  Her brain finally started to catch up with the rest of her as she looked around. To either side of her were two massive wings, moving steadily. Beneath her was a massive, warm, scaled body. And in front of her –

  “Dante?!”

  She didn’t know how it was true, she only knew it was. In front of her was a head at the end of a long neck – a head that looked like that of a fearsome creature, but somehow, she realized, she’d know those green eyes anywhere.

  It’s me, Mercy. I’m sorry. I should have told you about this sooner.

  Mercy felt a hysterical laugh welling up inside her.

  Told me what?! That you’re – that you’re a –

  Yes. That I’m a dragon.

  Dante finished the sentence when she found herself unable to.

  A dragon.

  Mercy’s head reeled. There was no denying it, of course – she was sitting on him, in all his massive, scaled, flying glory. Unless this was all a very strange dream – which she already knew it wasn’t – then what else could she do but accept it?

  Roy had transformed into a terrifying creature virtually before her very eyes, and now it turned out Dante was a dragon.

  Which, she had to admit, was pretty helpful, considering the circumstances.

  Questions crowded Mercy’s mind – so many that she didn’t know which one to ask first. And, she had to admit, there was just a hint of anger there as well.

  You’re damn right you should have told me about this sooner! she sent to him, squeezing his bone spikes in her hands. How could you not have told me?!

  Dante hesitated. I’m sorry. I didn’t know how. I thought if I told you right away you might think I was crazy and tell me to get lost. And then I wouldn’t have been able to protect you from Garrick.

  Mercy had to admit he had a point there – that probably would have been her reaction.

  You could have shown me, though. I’m not in the habit of denying what’s right in front of my face. If you’d – if you’d become a dragon in front of me, I’d have believed you. Hell, I probably would have been impressed.

  She could feel Dante’s remorse in her own heart somehow, just like she could hear his voice in her head.

  You’re right, Mercy – I should have trusted you more. I’m sorry, and I hope you’ll give me the chance to make it up to you. Right now, though –

  Mercy nodded, understanding him before he finished the sentence.

  Right now, we have Roy to worry about.

  That’s right. I’m going to set you down somewhere quiet and then go after him.

  Mercy blinked. You mean alone?

  Dante’s long neck moved as he glanced back at her, his bright green eyes brilliant in the darkness.

  I can’t have you getting any more involved than you already are, Mercy. It’s too dangerous. I don’t even know what Roy is.

  Mercy caught her breath. She’d assumed Roy was a dragon like Dante, but now that she thought about it, she realized they were quite different: Dante seemed to have scales all over his body, whereas Roy had had patches of fur. Dante’s head looked more like what she imagined a dinosaur or something might look like, rather than the nightmare
of teeth and eyes that Roy’s had been. When she glanced behind her, she saw a long, elegant tail that slid through the air after them, rather than a weird, slimy, curved thing that looked like a weapon.

  What is Roy?

  She felt a chill in her heart. If not even Dante, a dragon, knew, then what on earth could he be?!

  I’m going to set you down over there by the river, Dante told her. There’s a clearing where I can land. And then –

  Dante, please don’t do this alone, Mercy begged him as she felt him beginning to descend. Roy is – he’s a monster.

  I know, Dante said. But that’s why I have to do this. And I won’t be alone.

  There was a pause as he dipped his wings, dropping lower to the ground.

  Mercy, I don’t have time to explain this right now, but you’re my mate. It means we’re connected to each other, and we always will be. With the mated bond, I won’t be alone. I’ll have you.

  Mercy blinked, trying to sort through what Dante had just told her.

  Mated... bond?

  Somehow, she could sense the truth of the words, even though she’d never heard the term before. The golden, glimmering rope she’d pictured earlier came back to her.

  Was that the bond we share?

  Instinctively, she knew that it was. The knowledge was sure within her.

  Dante seemed to sense this somehow – she felt a pulse of warmth from him, something that seemed to surge straight from his heart to hers.

  I should have known you’d understand, he said as he circled lower, before coming to rest on the bank of the river that separated Hainesville from Bondsville. The landing was gentler than Mercy had expected – she barely felt a jolt.

  She slid down from Dante’s back quickly. As safe as she felt with him, it was a relief to feel solid ground beneath her feet again after the stomach-churning plummet when Roy had let her go.

  He tried to kill me.

  Of course she’d known that, but it was only now that she had time to think about it properly. Until tonight, she’d always thought Roy was someone she could trust, someone she’d had good memories of. She felt sick as she thought of what might have happened if Dante had arrived only a few minutes later.

  I think that was in his plan, Dante said.

  Mercy looked at him, taking in his full form for the first time.

  She couldn’t help but catch her breath. He was... magnificent.

  There was really no other word for it. He was massive, his scales red and gold, his eyes a brilliant shade of green. White spines protruded from his neck and shoulders – they must be some kind of defensive armor, she thought – and his wings... his wings...

  Broad and vast, they stretched outwards from his body like sails. Mercy stared at them, entranced. They were the kind of wings that could take her high into the sky, fly her anywhere she wanted to go, leaving her troubles far, far behind her.

  She could feel the heat of his body even standing some distance away from him.

  Are you... a real dragon? she found herself asking. Do you breathe fire?

  Of course I do.

  Mercy couldn’t help but laugh a little – Dante sounded indignant at the idea that he wasn’t exactly like the dragons she’d always read about in fairytales.

  She shook her head. A real, flying, fire-breathing dragon. And he’s mine.

  That’s right, Mercy, I am yours.

  Dante was looking at her steadily, his eyes seeming to glow in the night.

  And I want to answer all your questions, but right now...

  Mercy nodded. She understood. Roy.

  When I said I thought it was his plan, I meant that he dropped you to distract me. He knew I’d give up chasing him to save you. I have to get going before he makes his escape.

  “I know,” Mercy said aloud. “But – before you go, I just – I want –”

  Fear clutched at her heart. She’d seen the monster Roy had turned into. Could Dante really beat him?

  “Please, let me kiss you,” she said, feeling like an idiot. They didn’t have time for this. But she couldn’t let him go without it. “Let me see you as – as your human self.”

  Dante nodded his massive head once, and then, all at once, he was changing, his body shrinking, his red-gold scales becoming tanned skin, his beautiful wings retracting into his body, his massive, clawed feet becoming human once more. And of course, the huge, fearsome head, with its horns and fangs, became the handsome, square-jawed face Mercy felt she knew so well. But his eyes were still the same brilliant shade of green.

  Mercy felt herself go weak at the knees as she watched. It was a lot to take in – she still felt she’d need a little bit of time to get used to this!

  Dante seemed to be waiting for her to give him permission to come to her, to touch her – but that was one thing she definitely did want him to do. She rushed to him, pressing her hands to his bare chest, as if to confirm it really was him standing in front of her, that he really was real, and not just a figment of her imagination.

  Yeah, these are definitely solid pecs, she thought, a giggle rising in her throat.

  His lips were searing when he lowered his head and kissed her. Mercy opened her mouth to let his tongue sweep inside, his arms crushing her against him, holding her tightly. Despite everything that had just happened, Mercy had never felt so safe as she did in that moment, Dante’s lips on hers, his arms around her.

  “I have to go,” Dante murmured, when he finally pulled back. “I can’t let Roy escape.”

  Mercy nodded reluctantly. “I know,” she whispered. “But –”

  Dante! Dante, is that you?

  Mercy looked up, eyes wide, at the sound of a woman’s voice in her head. She gasped as she saw a large, circling figure above her, its wings outstretched, with a long neck and tail on either end – just the same as Dante’s dragon form.

  She glanced at Dante, and found him looking just as surprised as she felt.

  Holly? Stefan? What are you –

  We’ve been looking for you everywhere. The woman’s voice came to Mercy again, loud and clear. Ever since we sensed the danger you were in. You didn’t think we’d leave you all alone, did you?

  The newly arrived dragon swooped low over their heads before coming to land several feet away on the riverbank. At first, Mercy thought the dragon must be female, but then she saw a short, blonde woman slide from its back, hurrying over to them. It was her voice she’d heard in her head, Mercy realized. The dragon began shifting its form as soon as she’d alighted, changing into a tall, muscular man with the same dark hair and green eyes as Dante. Their resemblance to each other was startling – Mercy realized they had to be related somehow.

  “I’m sorry we’re late,” the blonde woman said, a little breathlessly. She looked at Mercy, a wide smile on her face. “You must be Dante’s mate. I’m Holly. And this is my mate, Stefan.”

  Mercy blinked, looking between the two of them. “I –”

  “I haven’t had a chance to explain much to Mercy yet,” Dante cut in quickly. “There’s been... a lot happening.”

  “Oh, right,” Holly said, looking apologetically at Mercy. “I’m sorry. I guess I jumped the gun a little. I was just so excited to meet you.”

  “No, it’s – it’s okay,” Mercy managed to stutter out. This was all so much – and going so fast! Still, she knew she had to pull herself together. Her eyes went to the tall, dark-haired man standing by Holly’s side. “You must be Dante’s... brother?”

  “His cousin,” the man said. He held out his hand for her to shake. “I’m Stefan. It’s an honor to meet Dante’s mate.”

  The man had a serious, slightly reserved air to him, very much in contrast to Holly’s sparkling smile and infectious enthusiasm. They complemented each other well, Mercy thought, both in looks and temperament.

  And more than that, there was an undeniable... connection between the two of them, something she could sense, but couldn’t see. Holly had said she and Stefan were mates – did t
hat mean there was the same kind of invisible connection between herself and Dante?

  But there wasn’t time to think about that now. Stefan had turned to Dante, his expression grave.

  “We sensed you were in danger. You know we wouldn’t have intruded if it wasn’t serious. You know I wanted to respect your wishes about keeping yourself... separate... from the clan.”

  Mercy wanted to ask what he meant, but she managed to hold back, though it was hard. She could ask all of these questions later.

  Dante nodded. “I know. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little relieved to see you.”

  “You should be,” Holly broke in. “We’ve all been worried about you, Dante. You know none of us hold a grudge. We’d love for you to come home to the clan. Darklis especially – she thinks about you often, wonders if you’re doing okay.”

  Swallowing, Dante shook his head. “You know I can’t do that – not until I’ve made up for what I did.” He took a deep breath. “Which is why I don’t want you to come with me now, Stefan.”

  Mercy blinked, looking between Dante and Stefan. What was Dante talking about?

  Stefan’s expression became even graver. “Dante, I know what you’re saying, but –”

  “I’m sorry, Stefan, Holly,” he said. “I know you came all this way. But this is something I have to do myself. To protect my mate – and to prove myself. If I can do this, then perhaps I –”

  Mercy didn’t understand what he was talking about, but it was clear that Stefan did. “You know you don’t have to do this, Dante. As clan leader, I would accept you back at any time. I know you feel responsible, but that’s not how the rest of us feel. We just want the Novak Clan to be whole again – and without you, it isn’t. You don’t need to prove yourself to me, or to Darklis, or anyone else.”

  Dante nodded. “I know. But I still need to prove it to myself. You can understand that, can’t you? As a dragon, you must know what I mean.”

  Stefan hesitated a moment, but then he nodded. “I know. But you also need to know that I’ll step in if I think it’s needed. For now, though, this is your task.”