Survivor (Dragon Shifter Book 4)

by Naomi Sparks

  That lets me take a couple deep breaths and slow the shaking in my body. Maybe I am safe. Maybe Leon fled rather than risk a confrontation with these people. Now that I'm calming down, my powers seem to sort out as well, allowing me to focus on the different people in the room. First, I look over at the other woman, Kyra, I think her name is, judging by the stray thoughts I'd picked up from the woman who calmed me.

  Though she hasn't spoken, I can hear similar thoughts going through her head as well. She's not a threat, at least I don't think she is. She's worried about me, trying to think of ways to calm me down, things to stay. I can feel she's a bit uncomfortable being the one to help me, but she's also not willing to back down. I can see a lot of myself in her, at least… the old me.

  Then, I turn my attention on the men in the room. The first person I lock eyes with is the guy I remember from outside. He's staring at me with such an intensity that it makes my heart pound faster and faster as I meet his gaze. But what really sets me on edge is not being able to read a single thought from him. Even now, while focusing solely on him, I get nothing.

  I've only ever met a handful of people I can't read well, most of them are on Amasis's council, but never have I come across someone who I can't read at all. On the one hand, it's terrifying, not knowing what he's thinking, not knowing who he is. But, at the same time, it's relaxing, comforting, to have someone whose thoughts aren't constantly flooding through my mind.

  Ever since Amasis started feeding me little bits of venom to heighten my powers, I can't turn them off. People's thoughts constantly flood into me unless I'm kept away from anyone else. Being around this many people is overwhelming, but isolation gets lonely left with nothing but my own thoughts. Not that Amasis ever truly left me alone. He always left guards around me.

  I close my eyes and take a couple more deep breaths. Then, I turn my gaze over to one of the other guys. I recognize him from the first girl's thoughts. This man is special to her, someone important in her life. A boyfriend? Husband? Something like that. It's hard to tell without one of them thinking directly about it. And he's one that's hard to read. His thoughts reach me, but they come out like a trickle, as if there's a partial block somewhere.

  I'm able to hear fragments of thoughts. I hear him thinking about the girl next to me, Hannah, and he wonders if she'd foreseen this, too. I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean, but I don't have a chance to focus on it before another thought drifts over to me. He's looking over at the man who'd brought me here, Jerrick. He's smirking slightly, thinking about how Jerrick is so stunned due to the mating lust. He's amused by that, the emotion coming through almost unbridled, telling me just how strong it is.

  I have to take a couple more deep breaths to keep the man's emotion from overpowering me. That's when his thoughts really hit home for me. He's thinking about mating lust, which means these guys are dragons. My heart, which had begun to slow down, picks up again. For a few moments, all I can do is sit there and stare wide-eyed at the group of them.

  That's why Leon stopped chasing me. He didn't need to chase me if there was another group of dragons here to do the work for him. After all, it's not like any dragon dares to go up against Amasis and The Clutch. Those that try don't last long at all. I would know, since Amasis used me to interrogate them before he killed anyone who opposed him.

  My throat goes dry as I force my body to move, to do anything. I glance from person to person, getting small flashes from most of them. Nothing makes sense with how my mind is racing. I can't focus anymore. I lose my grip on my concentration. Everything floods me all at once again. It's like standing beneath a waterfall with everyone shouting at the top of their lungs, their voices a blur of water washing over me.

  I need to get out of here, need to get away. Not just from the torrent of thoughts but from these people. The women may be innocent, fooled or mislead by the men, but I know the men are out to get me. They will hold me until Amasis gets here, and then turn me over for some reward.

  I can't let that happen. I need to leave. Need to get out.

  I pitch myself off the couch. Everyone takes a step back as I fall to the ground. I force myself to stand, ignoring how my legs shake and threaten to dump me onto the ground again. I try to run forward, my eyes locked on the door, hoping it leads outside. But before I can get more than a couple steps away, Jerrick, the one from outside, catches me and his arms wrap tightly around my body.

  I try to kick and squirm away from him, but it's no use. My body is too weak after trying to escape from Leon. I don't have the strength. No, even if I wasn't exhausted, I don't have the power to break free from a dragon's grasp. It's why I'd fought so hard to keep out of Leon's grip, using every ounce of my power to anticipate his thoughts and moves, to stay one step ahead of him.

  "Easy," he says, his voice is deep and soothing. I want to let it wash over me, to calm me to my soul, but I can't. All I can think about is soon he will hand me over to Amasis. What punishment will he exact for my running away? "We won't hurt you."

  "Let me go!" I yell. At least, I try to. It comes out as more of a sobbing whimper than a yell. "I won't go back. I won't go back to Amasis! I'd rather die than let you take me back there!"

  Jerrick's grip goes slack for a moment, and I'm nearly able to break free. But before I can, he tightens his hold again. All I can do is sob now. I want to die rather than go back to Amasis. Anything is better than being his slave. Anything.

  The thoughts that assault my mind grow even more confusing now. It's like a stick has hit a bee hive. All the buzzing thoughts dart back and forth all around me. Even if I tried, I'm not sure I could focus and make sense of any of them. There are too many thoughts, all at once, without a moment's pause.

  "Relax," Jerrick says, his voice firm and insistent. It's almost enough to silence me immediately. As it is, I can already feel my body responding to his words, as if he's using some kind of magic on me. Was that something dragons could do? I doubt it. If they could control people with just a word, then Amasis would have used it on me. But I can't help but go limp in Jerrick's arms, my breathing slows down considerably. Tears still flow from my eyes, but it's no longer the body racking sobs from moments ago.

  After a few moments, Jerrick turns and walks me back over to the couch, depositing me right between the two women again. This time though, when I look up, I notice the men have moved to form a half circle around the couch, effectively cutting off any chance I have at escaping. There's no way I can get past any of them.

  I want to cry again, but something keeps me from breaking down. So I just sit there, knees drawn up against my chest, as I look at the men surrounding me. Only the two women sitting next to me aren't glaring at me. They both look confused, and I wonder if these guys have kept them in the dark about who and what they are. Could it be they don't know how heinous Amasis is?

  “What is your name?” the one named Lex asks plainly.

  I feel my jaw tighten. “Faith,” I mutter.

  "How exactly do you know Amasis?" Lex asks. His gaze is hard and penetrating, but I don't feel any anger or rage behind it, not like when Amasis or his ilk look at me. I take deep breaths, trying to calm myself, and focus on him, trying to read his thoughts. I can still hear everyone else's thoughts swimming just below the surface, but for a moment, I can focus on the bits that leak out from him.

  I get less coherent thoughts and more general feelings this time. It's like his mind is so conflicted and confused that nothing coherent can make its way out. I can easily sense his confusion, mixed with a tinge of fear. The only word I can make sense of is the name Amasis, as if that's what all of his thoughts keep going back to.

  I look up into his eyes, fighting to keep from shrinking back even more. But he's nowhere near as terrifying as Amasis or even Leon. He doesn't have that look of dark hatred behind his eyes. He doesn't look at me like I'm nothing more than a piece of meat he wants to devour. Instead, he's looking like he doesn't know what to do with me.

 
"Because he thinks he owns me." The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. There's venom behind it, and even I'm surprised at how it came out. But I'm not sorry, not in the least. Once they return me to Amasis, I'm dead either way. Well, if I'm lucky. He might just choose to torture me instead. Death would be much more preferable to that.

  Lex looks over at the other guys. It's almost like they're having a silent conversation. At first, I wonder if they have a psychic link, but when I focus, I don't hear any chatter to indicate that. No, they were actually communicating just with their eyes. Just how close are these guys? That's something only people who know each other well and trust each other, can do.

  "Who was the man chasing you?" Lex asks, his eyes once again on me. It's almost as if he can see through me, right down to my soul. If I didn't know better, I'd swear he's another telepath, but I really doubt he is. He just has an intense look that gives you no doubt you're the center of his attention.

  "His name is Leon," I tell him. It feels pointless to lie. It's only a matter of time before he hands me over to Amasis. "He's supposed to be my bodyguard, though it's pretty obvious to everyone he wants to do more than that." I can't suppress the shudder that goes through my body. The way Leon looks at me tells me exactly what he wants. "But Amasis isn't one who likes to share, you know?"

  Lex lets out a snort and one of the other guys snickers. "That's putting it lightly," Lex says after a moment. "So, you belong to Amasis, huh? You his mate or something?"

  I gag at the thought of letting Amasis claim me. I'd sooner cut off a body part than let him touch me like that. It's not that Amasis is ugly or anything. He's actually rather attractive, with rugged handsome looks, and a bit of gray that makes him look distinguished. But he's an awful person and the thought of him turns my stomach. I doubt any woman could tolerate his sadistic personality.

  "Okay, I'm guessing that's a no then," Lex says with a small laugh. Even the girls sitting next to me let out slight giggles. "If you're not his mate, then what are you to him? Why would he give you a bodyguard?"

  I sigh and close my eyes, wondering how much I should tell him. He doesn't seem eager to turn me over to Amasis, but at the same time, I don't I want to get my hopes up. This isn't the first time I've tried to escape. But if they work for Amasis or are friendly with him, then there's no point in keeping secrets. Amasis doesn't keep my powers a secret. He enjoys lording it over the others that he uses me to snoop through their thoughts.

  "I'm a telepath," I say, the words roll off my tongue. "Amasis uses me to interrogate people or in negotiations. It's hard to lie to someone when they know exactly what you're thinking."

  The guys all freeze, then they turn to look at each other, once again sharing that look. My heart nearly stops beating as their thoughts all seem to go blank at the same time. It's like they're actively trying to mask their thoughts from me, not that I blame them. And I know if I focus, I can easily get through those blocks. Very few people are able to completely hide their thoughts from me.

  But I don't focus. Instead, I enjoy the near silence. I can still hear the women's thoughts as they mull over everything I've said, but compared to the torrent earlier, it's a blissfully relief. It's like how things were before Amasis started using his venom to enhance my powers.

  "How did you manage to escape Amasis?" Jerrick asks. His gaze is almost as piercing as Lex's but it's completely different at the same time. He doesn't have the fierceness Lex does, but I have no doubt he's just as dangerous.

  "Leon," I tell them. "He's been obsessed with me ever since Amasis took me. He's asked Amasis for permission to mate with me, but Amasis has so far held him at bay. He lets Leon stay close to me, but he won't give me completely to him. So I accepted Leon's offer of a date and used that against him. I waited until his guard was down, then I just took off running as fast as I could."

  "You should've known you wouldn't get far." Jerrick's words should sting, but they don't. There's no malice behind them, just a simple statement of fact. And he's right. It's not like I could outrun a dragon forever. But I couldn't just sit there and not try, either.

  "Leon's going to be pissed he let me get away. But not nearly as pissed as Amasis is going to be.” I close my eyes and slump back against the couch. It's not like there's anything I can do but accept my fate. Dragons don't care about humans. We're no more than pets to them. And once these guys let Amasis know they have me, there's no way I'll be able to escape again. He'll probably keep me chained to him at all times.

  I know he won't kill me, though. I'm too valuable to him, too useful for helping him make decisions. Which means my life is just going to become even more hellish.

  "What do you think? Can you see anything?" Lex asks. I'm confused about what he means, but when I open my eyes, it's not me he's talking to. It's the girl next to me, Hannah.

  She shakes her head, letting out a sigh. "I'm still too weak from the last vision. I can't focus on getting another one yet. I'm sorry."

  Lex nods. There's no anger in his eyes, not even disappointment. Whatever it is he wanted Hannah to do, he's not the least bit upset she can't do it. It's completely unlike Amasis. No one tells him no. They either do it or they die trying.

  "Then we're on our own for now," Lex says after a few moments. He looks around at the others, looking each one in the eye. One by one, they all nod.

  "She should stay here with us," Kyra interjects, looking up at the men surrounding us. I fight to keep my mouth from hanging open in shock. Had this human woman really just given a suggestion like that? Amasis and Leon would've backhanded me if I'd dared to share my thoughts like she did.

  But not these men. They all glance at each other again, then nod once more. "That's a good idea," Lex says. "Probably the best plan for now."

  My heart nearly stops beating once again. Should I really stay here? Or should I just let them think I'm going to stay here, then slip out when they're not paying attention. If I'm careful and time it right, then I might get far away before they notice I'm gone.

  Then, I look up and lock eyes with Jerrick again. There are still no thoughts slipping from him, but I feel something as I watch him. I'm not sure if it's his emotions or mine, but I find myself nodding in agreement with their suggestion. Maybe staying here won't be so bad. Maybe they're not like Amasis. So far, they've been nothing like him. So maybe I really will be safe here…

  But at the same time, I can't risk getting my hopes up.

  3

  Jerrick

  Sleep comes in fits. All I can think about is the woman downstairs on our couch. My entire body seems to yearn for her, want to be down there with her. I'd seen the fear in her eyes when she'd talked about Amasis, and even now it makes my blood boil. I want to find him, him and this Leon, and rip them apart. This is far beyond the normal battle hunger I feel.

  It's rage, pure and simple.

  Finally at early light, I crawl out of bed and head downstairs. Lying there without sleep is pointless anyway. Faith is on the couch, sound asleep, when I get down there. I take a seat at the table, lean back and watch her.

  My heart pounds as I watch her, and it's hard not to cross the room and go to her, to wrap my arms around her. I want to assure her that no one will ever hurt her again. I can't even say why I feel such a strong, protective urge toward her. All I know is I never want to be apart from her.

  After a few minutes, Faith shifts, and my heart skips a beat. She stays asleep though, and I curse myself. Could I be any creepier, just sitting here and watching her sleep? Jesus, Jerrick, I think to myself. You're a grown ass man, not a lovesick boy. Get your head out of your ass.

  Being careful to keep the chair from scraping against the floor, I push back from the table and stand up. If I'm just hanging out in the kitchen, I might as well be useful and make breakfast for everyone. We have a fully stocked fridge and pantry, which I have to admit is a nice change of pace from constantly eating takeout and junk food.

  It doesn't take long until th
e smell of cooking bacon fills the kitchen. I focus on the task at hand, pushing Faith out of my mind as best I can. Cooking gives me a good task to put my energy toward, and it helps me suppress my urges for a while.

  That is, until I hear a melodic voice coming from the doorway. "That smells delicious. Can I help?"

  I turn to see Faith leaning against the doorframe, watching me. She's chewing on her bottom lip, looking like she just rolled off the couch. But even so, I can't deny how beautiful she looks. Just watching her is enough to make my heart rate quicken. Damn, I think to myself. I've got it bad.

  "Sure," I reply with a nod, hoping she hasn't noticed my attraction. "I'd love an extra set of hands."

  Faith washes her hands and stands next to me, taking over the eggs I'd been frying. With that job handled, I turn my attention to the meat. The girls may be okay with simple eggs for breakfast, but the rest of us need meat in our diet, and lots of it.

  It shows just how much time Faith has spent around dragons already that she doesn't even blink at the sheer amount I'm cooking.

  "How long did Amasis keep you prisoner?" I ask. It's probably rude, but I can't stop myself. I crave to know more about her, and about Amasis. You never know what information might be vital in taking him down.

  Faith takes a deep breath. She keeps her eyes fixed on the eggs, like she can't bear to look at me while she speaks. "Five years," she finally says, her voice low.

  I nod, not sure what to say to that. Five years, living as Amasis's slave, truly sounds like torture. I can't blame her for wanting to die, rather than go back to him. But I don't want to see that happen to her. I'd sooner let myself die than let anyone touch her ever again.

  That's when it clicks. This must be the mating lust Faris and Lex described. I don't feel an overpowering sexual urge, but there's definitely a strong attraction there, much more than a simple crush. Perhaps it's different for each person. Maybe because of my warrior background, it's not as overpowering for me, since I've learned to control my emotions somewhat better than others.