Survivor (Dragon Shifter Book 4)
Page 1
Survivor
Exiled Kings Dragon Romance
Naomi Sparks
naomisparks.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Text copyright © 2019 by Naomi Sparks
All rights reserved.
Second Edition
This book was previously published. Learn more at naomisparks.com
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Published in the United States
Contents
1. Jerrick
2. Faith
3. Jerrick
4. Faith
5. Jerrick
6. Faith
7. Jerrick
8. Faith
9. Jerrick
10. Faith
11. Jerrick
12. Faith
13. Jerrick
14. Faith
15. Jerrick
16. Amasis
Also by Naomi Sparks
1
Jerrick
A sigh escapes from my lips as I stare down at the bottle in my hand. Sunlight steeps through the window. Well, what passes for sunlight, it's Seattle. I haven't seen actual sunlight in the days we've been here in this stupid city. This place makes my skin crawl. There was a reason we avoided major cities like this. Renting a house and staying here for God knows how long?
Let's just say, I wasn't a huge fan.
Still, Lex made the decision, so I'm stuck with it whether I like it or not. I just hope we find out why, and soon. Right now all I know is we're waiting for Hannah, Lex's mate, to get another vision. Hopefully one that gives us some actual information this time. Her last one was way too vague for my tastes. Then again, I have always preferred things simple and laid out right in front of me.
I take another sip of beer, but it doesn't sooth the restlessness deep inside me. Staying in one place like this, just sitting around… is not my style. I much prefer to be out doing something. Even if it's just being on the road, heading to a new destination, anything is better than just waiting here. Hannah had a vision included this particular house, so this is where we stay.
Any day now she'll have another vision. The sooner we get back on the road, the sooner my dragon will be soothed.
"You tryin' to kill that window?" Galen asks as he struts into the kitchen.
Until he said something, I didn’t realize I'd been glaring out the small window. There isn't much out there, certainly nothing to glare at, so I just let out a sigh in response to his question. It's not like he expects an answer.
Galen walks over to the fridge and pulls out two beers, then comes and sits at the small table with me. He slides one over to me, then takes the other for himself. "You look like you could use another drink," he says with a smirk.
I look down at the bottle in my hand and see that it's nearly empty. God, I've been so lost in my head I didn't even notice. "Thanks," I say at last, giving him a half-smile. "Guess I'm out of it today."
"I know what you mean," Galen says with a nod. Then, he takes a deep breath, lets it out, then leans back against his chair, beer in hand. "This sitting around and waiting for stuff to happen isn't for me. I'd much rather be out there doing something, anything. Boring days like these make me long for the days of battle, you know?"
I chuckle and nod. Galen was a warrior who like me, fought many battles. Part of me wants to be back in that world, fighting for what I believe in, protecting those who need it. I long for that time when fighting a war meant picking up a sword and putting your life on the line each time you faced an enemy. None of this shit with guns that passes for war now.
"It's been too long since I've been on the battlefield," I tell him with another sigh of my own. "My dragon aches for it, for the glory that came along with defending a village from raiders or conquering an enemy's territory. It was exhilarating, made me feel useful and needed. Now I'm just rotting in some suburban house, drinking beer and getting fat!"
Galen laughs, his voice echoing around the small kitchen. He looks me up and down, then smirks. "Fat? You still look like you're in your prime to me!"
I can't help but laugh along with him. He's not wrong. It's impossible for me to get fat. The dragon consumes so many calories that even if I gorge myself, I don't gain weight. The same can't be said for my muscles though. If I slack off, those will disappear faster than a hooker after getting paid. The mere thought of losing even an ounce of my strength just makes me itch for a fight even more.
"Gods, I remember one battle,” Galen says, closing his eyes like he’s focusing on the memory. “Pirates were raiding up and down our coasts, stealing and killing, then running off before the soldiers could get there. Well, we got some advance warning when a scout spotted their ship heading toward another village. We got there first, got all the villagers out, then hid in the buildings and waited. When they came ashore and started going through the village, we surprised them. Wasn't so much a fight as it was a slaughter!"
Galen's hearty laughter echoes around us, and I laugh along. "Bastards probably didn't know what hit 'em! Nothing teaches filthy raiders a lesson like a good bloodbath. Serves 'em right for attacking innocent villagers. Bet none of them had the sack to face you guys one on one!"
"Probably not!" Galen agrees. He's grinning broadly now as he takes a swig of beer. He runs a hand through his long, dirty blond hair. Somehow he manages to keep it looking perpetually a mess, yet at the same time fashionable. I swear it must be part of his dragon's power. "Sure as hell beats being around these modern cities, though. I'd much rather be back out there, wearing armor with a sword strapped to my waist. Hell, I'd be happy going to battle against Amasis and his crew, but you know Lex isn't fond of that idea."
"No, he's not. Probably because it's suicide. But the longer we stay here, the more enticing that battle sounds." I take a long pull of beer. "But I guess there's no sense in wishing it upon us. We'll only be able to run from the Clutch for so long. Eventually, we have to face them. Let's just hope we're prepared when that day comes."
Galen holds up his beer in my direction. "I'll drink to that!" he says with another hearty chuckle. "One day, those bastards will get what's coming to them. I just hope it's us who gives it."
"You and me both."
Galen and I sit there for a while longer, trading stories from our glory days as we sip our beers. We talk tactics, about the battles that didn't go well and how they could've gone better. It's good to sit and talk with someone who thinks the same way I do. In a way I'm thankful for our stay here, since it gives us a chance to talk about things that no longer really matter. We can reminisce about the past rather than focus on the here and now.
And who knows, maybe rehashing those old battles will come in handy when we finally have to fight with Amasis and his crew. Because, while some people may think we can avoid him forever by staying on the run, Galen and I both know better. You can only run and hide from a dragon so long before they find you. Eventually, his flock of followers will come crashing down on our doorstep, which means we need to be ready, otherwise we'll be the ones getting slaughtered.
Heavy footfalls on the stairs make both of us look in that direction. Whoever is coming down isn't doing anything to muffle their steps. Which is saying something, since we've all grown accustomed to walking lightly, less we scare
away our prey. Everyone in our little clutch may not be warriors by trade, but they all know what to do to survive. And making needless noise doesn't help anyone except other predators survive.
Moments later, Lex rounds the corner, his arm around Hannah, supporting her weight. A sigh of relief slips from my lips. Then, Galen and I jump up and rush over to help her. She's ghostly pale, her entire body shaking. No one needs to say anything for us to know exactly what the look means. She's had another vision — hopefully the vision I've been waiting for.
While Galen and Lex get her seated at the table, I run over and grab a glass from the cabinet and fill it with cold water. She accepts the glass from me with a thankful smile and downs half of it in one go. Then, she takes a deep breath and looks at me and Galen before turning back to Lex.
"She's had another vision," Lex tells us, as if we hadn't already figured that out. Then, he looks directly at me. "It looks like it involves you this time, Jerrick."
My heart races. Me? What could she have seen about me? Is there a fight coming? Because that would be perfect.
"Me? Why me?" I ask.
Hannah just shrugs. "If I understood my visions, I would. A woman will come running through the backyard in a few minutes and you need to be there when she does. I think there's another dragon chasing her, but he's not one of our clutch."
Now I just stare at her blankly. It's like my mind has completely shut down as it tries to process everything she's said so far. Why would there be a woman running through our backyard? And why do I have to be out there when she comes through? Why not any of the other guys? Especially if a dragon is chasing her. Won't it be better to have backup?
Well, I wanted more excitement. Now I have it. I just hope whoever this woman is, she's not as boring as the rest of this week has been. A fight against another dragon would spice things up a bit.
I grab my beer off the table and down it in one go. I have a feeling I'm going to want another by the time this is all over, but those sips will have to do for now.
Galen and Lex took seats at the table with Hannah while I headed out the backdoor. I can feel their gazes on me, but neither of them moves to come with. I assume that means Hannah's vision said only I'm supposed to be out here. Though if it's certain the woman will come through here, why am I the only one out here? Isn't she significant for us? Won't she bring us some power or advantage to change the future?
I'm a little surprised Galen doesn't want to be out here with me. I have a feeling he'd enjoy a good fight, too. But then, since they're all sitting inside, I know they'll be out here in a flash if something goes wrong. Not that it will. There are only a handful of dragons who I would have trouble against, and if any of them are here, it would be very bad. Not just for us but for the entire city.
I stretch out my muscles as I wait. It's been a while since I've had a good, honest to God fight, and I'm itching for it. I can feel my dragon waking up inside me, and I have to take deep breaths to calm him. Unless the other dragon shifts first, I won't risk letting mine out of the cage completely, though. Shifting in the middle of suburban Seattle is a really good way to expose our kind.
And I doubt that's the reason Hannah's vision brought us here.
The sounds of someone running reaches my ears long before I see anything. Footsteps pound against grass, a sound most humans probably wouldn't even notice. Heavy breathing is layered on top, as if whoever is running has been going for a while. My heart races now, eager to get this over with. Then, I hear the sounds of rattling moments before a woman climbs over the wooden fence and drops, barefooted, onto the grass in our backyard.
For a moment, she stays on her knees, pulling in ragged gasps of air. She looks beat to hell, her clothes dirty and torn, her entire body shaking as she struggles to breathe. But then, if a dragon's been chasing her, it wouldn't have been an easy run. Hell, she's lucky to have made it this far unless the dragon after her is just toying with her.
There are some like that, those who treat humans as nothing more than food or playthings. If that's the kind of dragon who's chasing her, then I'm really going to enjoy kicking his ass.
I move toward her, then stop as the wind shifts and her scent fills my nostrils. Gods above, she smells amazing. Her scent alone has my entire body shivering with excitement. My heart was pounding before, but now it's fluttering. Something about this woman has my blood going completely crazy.
Then, the woman picks herself up off the ground and starts running again. That is, until she looks up and the two of us lock eyes. Time seems to slow to a crawl as we stare at each other, both of us frozen in place, unable to move.
My body moves of its own accord, taking steps toward her. She doesn't move, doesn't run. But before I can reach her, the second part of Hannah's vision comes to light and a big, hulking man jumps over the fence behind her. She blinks a couple times, then starts running again, as fast as her weakened legs will take her.
I stare at her as she runs, my hand reaches out toward her. For those brief moments, I've completely forgotten the other guy chasing after her. He barrels past me, shoving me out of the way and grunting a harsh, "Stay out of this!" as he continues after his prey.
The sudden shock of his shove sends me sprawling backwards. It serves to snap me out of my trance. My dragon roars inside me and I'm back on my feet in seconds, running after the guy. The woman struggles to climb the fence again, and the other dragon is right behind her, reaching to grab her.
I grab him first though. My fingers tighten around his shirt, drag him backwards and throw him onto the ground. He's too stunned to even glare at me. In his rush to get the woman, he probably didn't notice he'd run through the backyard of a house full of dragons. That is his mistake.
Before he can recover, I kick him hard in the head. His head snaps to the side with enough force to have killed a human. I stay put long enough to see his eyes roll up, then I turn and vault over the fence after the woman. In her weakened state, she can't have gone far. I sniff the air, searching for that delicious scent again.
It takes only seconds to locate where she's gone, and I'm off in a flash, using my full strength to push my body to its maximum. I catch sight of her almost immediately. I shout to her "Wait! Let me help you!"
If she hears me, she doesn't show any sign. She keeps running down the street as fast as her skinny legs will take her. She doesn't even look back to see who's chasing her, probably assuming it's her assailant. She can hardly waste valuable seconds stopping to look back, if she hopes to escape. An exhausted woman running from a predator probably isn't thinking clearly at all.
I suck in a deep lungful of air and put on an extra burst of speed to catch up with her. That's all I need to close the distance and pick her up into my arms the moment I reach her. She squirms and kicks, fighting to break free of my gasp, but for some reason she doesn't scream. Instead, she sobs and her body goes limp in my arms. Suddenly, all the fight has left her.
I adjust my grip so I'm carrying her in a more comfortable position, then try uttering soothing words to her. Being a calm and reassuring presence isn't my specialty though, and it doesn't seem to have any effect. So, I let out a sigh and carry her back toward the house. I figure if I don't get her inside soon, a neighbor will notice and call the police. And I don't relish a run-in with the cops.
I expect Hannah and Kyra can get her to calm down once she's back inside.
We're halfway back to the house when the sobbing stops. I look down and she's passed out, probably having exhausted her stores of energy. Poor woman, I think to myself, wondering what she'd done to be so unlucky as to be hunted by a dragon.
Back at the house, I look for the other dragon, but the backyard is empty. A quick sniff of the air tells me he's gone, and I let out a low curse. I wanted to know who he was and why he'd been chasing this woman. Then, I shrug. Maybe she will have answers for us. If he really wants her, he'll be back, and I'll have a second chance to kick his ass.
As I carry her inside, my he
art continues fluttering. Now that the adrenaline is wearing off, I'm keenly aware of the effect she has on me. Something about this woman has my body going crazy, and I can't quite put my finger on it. Something niggles at the back of my mind, but I can't get the thought to manifest.
2
Faith
My eyes fly open and my heart pounds, as I try to figure out where I am. The last thing I remember is Leon chasing after me, then another guy showing up. I take deep breaths, and distinctly remember the other guy grabbing me, picking me up and carrying me away from the street. He was huge, bigger than Amasis even, with bright blonde hair and the most piercing blue eyes I’ve ever seen. His muscular arms were covered in tattoos that wrapped around them like chains. I also remember not being able to read him, not hearing even the simplest thoughts coming from him.
I look around and survey my surroundings. I'm lying on a lumpy sofa in the middle of a living room. It takes a moment to realize there are others mulling around and watching me. The men all stand back, frowning, arms crossed in front of their chests. Two women nearby take tentative steps forward.
I sit up, drawing my knees up against my chest as I stare at them. Thoughts flood into my head all at once, and I can't sort through them. I squeeze my eyes shut, cradling my head and try in vain to get the words to stop. It doesn't work, but I know if I sit here long enough, I'll be able to sort through them at the very least, which will be a godsend at this point.
"Relax, you're safe now," one of the women says as she takes a seat next to me on the couch. When she places as hand on my back, meant as a soothing gesture, I'm able to focus on her thoughts. She's thinking of ways to calm me, to show me I'm safe. I can't find any animosity in her, no tricks or anything. She appears to mean exactly what she's saying.