Forsaken (Dragon Shifter Book 6)

by Naomi Sparks

  But she doesn't. She just stays there, watching me, while Lex divides everyone up into teams, giving them each a direction to go to search for any signs of Amasis or The Clutch.

  "Each group will have at least two dragons with them," Lex continues, and I feel my heart sink in my chest. Dragons? What dragons?

  I look up at Ezra, who's been standing behind me the entire time. He looks down at me, our eyes meeting, and he raises an eyebrow.

  "What dragons?" I manage to get out. My throat is dry and sore. I'm not sure if it's from fighting off whatever had been killing me or if it's from hearing about dragons. The thought of seeing dragons again terrifies me. They're the ones who'd kidnapped me, raped me, and then stole the baby that had nearly killed me.

  "Us," Ezra says, his brow knitting together. Then, his eyes go wide and he winces. "I guess we hadn't told you yet, huh? Lex, myself, Galen, and a few of the others. We're all dragons." He must've noticed my reaction to that information since he held up a hand. "Don't worry. We're not here to hurt you. We want to stop Amasis, put an end to his brutal breeding program. We're not like them, I promise."

  I nod, though I still don't say anything. I want to believe him. Ezra hasn't given me any reason not to trust him yet, and he did save my life. But I don't like the idea of being around a group of dragons. I want to believe they're good, that they won't hurt me, but after everything the dragons had put me through, I'm not sure if I'll be able to.

  I sit in silence as the rest of the meeting progresses around me. A few people talk, but I don't pay any attention to them. I can't focus on anything or anyone. When people start filing out of the tent, I don't even notice at first. Not until Ezra reaches down and offers me a hand to help me stand.

  I stare at it for a moment, then I take a deep breath and reach out to take it. I need to stop being so foolish, I tell myself. If I want to get Olivia back, Ezra and his friends are my best bet. I need to trust them, at least for now, at least until they give me a reason not to. It's not like I have any other choice.

  Once we're outside the tent, I realize the sun started to set while we were in there. Ezra takes the lead, guiding me through the maze of tents. He doesn't speak as we walk, and at first, I'm grateful. But as my mind processes everything, I can't stay quiet.

  "How am I going to get Oliva back if you dragons can't even find the other group of dragons?" I ask, a bit more harshly than I intended to. But if he's going to help me get her back, I need to know how they're going to find her.

  Ezra doesn't respond. When I look over at him, he's frowning. Finally, he says, "I don't know." It looks like the words pain him, and while I appreciate his sympathy, sympathy, and empty promises aren't going to get my daughter back. I need actual help, actual options. I can't bear the thought of losing Oliva, of never seeing her again.

  Tears sting the corners of my eyes, and I blink them away. I will not lose control again, will not breakdown. Even though I can feel my heart shattering, I refuse to give in. I need to stay strong if I'm going to have any hope of getting my daughter back.

  Before I can say anything, a woman calls out for me. I stop and turn, seeing the woman from the tent stalking forward. Her eyes are locked onto mine, her gaze just as fierce as it had been in the tent. Ezra and I both stop, waiting for her to catch up to us. She's a bit out of breath when she finally gets to us, and she takes a moment to compose herself.

  Then, she stands up straight and looks me in the eye. "You need to go to South Dakota," she says simply as if her words are entirely self-explanatory. But they're most definitely not. I can't for the life of me imagine any reason why I would go to South Dakota.

  "What? Why are you saying this, Hannah?" Ezra asks, stepping forward and looking at the woman named Hannah. He seems just as confused as I am. "Her daughter is going to be with The Clutch. Have they gone to South Dakota?"

  Hannah looks over at him and shrugs. "I don't think so," Hannah says at last. "And I don't know why she needs to go there. All I know is I had a vision of her there. I'm not exactly sure what's there for her, but I know that's where she needs to go."

  I open my mouth to respond, but before I can, Lex calls out for Hannah. We all look and see him standing at the entrance of a nearby tent. He holds something up, something that looks like a syringe. Hannah looks over her shoulder at us and smiles. "Sorry, it looks like I have a date."

  Then, Hannah practically skips off toward Lex, leaving us standing there, staring at her retreating back.

  "What was that all about?" I finally ask, once Hannah and Lex slip into the doctor's tent.

  "Hannah has a limited ability to see the future. It's her gift. She gets these flashes of things that will happen." Ezra is still staring at the tent, frowning. Clearly, he doesn't like what Hannah said any more than I do.

  "Should I listen to her?" I ask next, turning to watch him. I don't know why, but I trust him. I know I shouldn't since he's a dragon, and I've only just met him, but I can't help but feel drawn to him. And at this point, I don't know who else I can trust.

  Ezra frowns at the tent still. I can see the war going on inside him. Even though he's a dragon, he's not the greatest at hiding his emotions. Finally, he lets out a sigh and turns to face me. "She's never been wrong so far. Her visions aren't always clear at first, but they always come true at the end."

  Now it's my turn to frown. If the dragons and my daughter aren't in South Dakota, then why in the world would I want to go there? Her visions may be accurate, but I can't figure out why I should listen to her. My daughter is the most important thing right now, not whatever wild goose chase this seer, Hannah, wants me to go on.

  I need answers, I decide. And before Ezra can stop me, I march back the way we'd come to the tent Hannah disappeared into. I consider knocking for a brief moment, but there's nowhere to knock on a cloth tent. So instead, I pull the flap open and step inside.

  Hannah is sitting on a pallet, rubbing at her arm. Both she and Lex look up at me when I walk in, neither saying anything.

  "I need to know what's waiting for me in South Dakota," I tell her. If I'm going to go out there, then I need to know why. What will I be doing out there?

  Hannah shrugs. "I don't know. The vision didn't show me anything other than you going to South Dakota. If you want your daughter back, then you need to go there."

  I don't like her answer anymore this time than I did a few minutes ago. "Does going out there guarantee I'll get Olivia back?" I have no reason to trust her, but if she says those words, then I'll go out there without a second thought. Any chance of getting my daughter back is something I have to see through.

  But Hannah just shrugs again. "I don't know. All I know is that you need to go there." Hannah stands, wobbling for a moment, but when Lex reaches to steady her, she waves him away. She walks over to me and takes my hands in hers. "I wish I had the answers for you, I truly do. I can't imagine how hard this all is for you. But you need to trust me."

  I take a deep breath and nod, then Hannah releases my hands, and I step back out of the tent. I'm not any more sure about what to do now than I was earlier.

  Ezra is waiting there when I walk out. He looks at me and raises an eyebrow. "Well?" he asks. There's no judgment or anger in his voice. He doesn't seem to blame me for questioning Hannah's vision.

  I shrug, letting out a sigh. "I don't know," is all I say, since that's all I got out of Hannah. I don't know what's waiting for me in South Dakota. I don't see how it will help me get my daughter back. I have no idea where my daughter even is.

  I don't know anything.

  Ezra reaches out and takes my hands in his. He squeezes them, waiting until I look up and meet his gaze before he speaks. "We'll figure it out. Somehow, we'll make it work. We'll get your daughter back to you, I promise."

  I don't know how he's going to make that promise happen, but for some reason, I trust him.

  I don't even know why either.

  3

  Ezra

  My heart aches for
Gabrielle. I can only imagine how hard it must be for her right now. All she wants is to get her daughter back. She's gotta be torn in two about whether to stay with us and find The Clutch or to listen to Hannah and head for South Dakota.

  I want to offer to go with her to South Dakota. I think that's the best option right now. Hannah's visions have never been wrong. And while an order to head across the country sounds insane, I can't help but think that's the right choice. If Hannah received that vision, it's for a reason.

  I just wish I knew what it was.

  The tent flap opens again. Lex is standing there, watching the two of us. Gabrielle is pacing around, lost in thought, trying to figure out which option is the best.

  When I look at Lex, he studies me for a moment. Then, when we lock eyes, he nods at me. I don't need him to say anything to know what he means. I've been around Lex and the others long enough to read their nonverbal cues.

  "I'll go with you to South Dakota, if you want me to," I tell Gabrielle. My heart pounds as she stops pacing and turns to study me. I can feel my cheeks flushing with heat, and I want to look away, but I resist the urge.

  Gabrielle seems to be holding her breath as she watches me. When she lets it out, her shoulders slump a bit, like she's resigned to her fate. "Can you fly us there?"

  I wince at the question and shake my head. "I'm not large enough or strong enough for that. I wouldn't be able to get both of us to South Dakota safely on my own. We can take my bike. It's not as fast, but it's reliable."

  Gabrielle lets out another sigh. This is definitely not the way she'd seen things going. I don't need to have Faith's mind-reading powers to know that. This poor woman just can't seem to catch a break. She just gets upright and learns she needs to travel. I wish I could fly her there, but it's too far to carry someone.

  Taking my bike will be much slower.

  "Okay," Gabrielle says at last. Again, her shoulders slump. "Can we leave now?"

  I glance over at Lex, and he nods. "Sure. Give me a bit to pack my things up, but once that's done, we can get on the road." It's still pretty early. If I hurry to get my things, we'll have a good bit of time on the road before we'll have to stop for the night.

  "Please," Gabrielle says, looking up at me, pleading with her eyes. She wants to get this trip over and done with. I don't blame her. If it was my child on the line, I'd be just as frantic as she is.

  "We'll keep in contract," Lex says. When I turn to look at him, I see his mouth curved up into the slightest smile. I narrow my eyes, but I can't quite figure out why he's so amused right now. "If we find Amasis and The Clutch, I'll let you know right away."

  "We're coming back if that happens," Gabrielle tells the two of us. She has her arms crossed in front of her chest, her face set. No amount of arguing will change her mind, that much is obvious. "Even if we haven't reached South Dakota yet. Once you find them, we head back to you."

  "Agreed," Lex and I say at the same time. This time, I smirk a bit. I really have spent way too much time with these guys. We're even starting to think alike!

  "Do you know your way back to Tyko's tent?" I ask Gabrielle. When she nods, I continue. "Go back and see him. See if he has anything for you. Some extra clothes, medicine, whatever he thinks you might need for this trip. I'll pack my things then meet you at the bikes, okay?"

  Gabrielle heads off in the direction of Tyko's tent. I look at Lex who is still standing rooted to the same spot. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" I ask him, not eager to split off from the Riders and the Fae. Not only will it make Gabrielle and me a target, but it weakens the group's fighting power. Every single dragon could mean the difference between winning or losing.

  But Lex nods, still smirking. Right then, I wish I had Hannah's mind-reading power. Because even though we often operate on the same wavelength, I had no idea what he found so funny about this whole situation. "It's fine. If Hannah's vision says Gabrielle should go to South Dakota, then that's where she needs to go. And she obviously can't go alone." Lex raises his eyebrows to stress that point.

  He's not wrong. Gabrielle couldn't go off on her own and needed someone to watch her back. Especially considering just a few hours ago, she was in a comma. She definitely needs someone watching over her. What if she has a relapse?

  The tent flap opens again, and Lex immediately opens his arms to Hannah, giving her a tight hug. Hannah smiles up at me, and I notice she looks much healthier. I hope that means she's over the worst. A week ago, she looked only a little better than Gabrielle.

  "Do you have any idea where we're supposed to be heading?" I ask Hannah, hoping for some little detail she hadn't told us yet.

  But Hannah just shakes her head, frowning. "I'm sorry. I wish I had all the answers for you, I really do. All I know is Gabrielle's supposed to be somewhere in the badlands. I honestly don't even know if you're with her there."

  I let out a sigh. That's really not much to go on. This trip is going to be a shot in the dark. If it somehow helps us get Gabrielle's daughter back, it's going to be a miracle. I really can't see how this is going to help that poor mother get her stolen child back.

  But, I guess I don't have to know. I just have to trust Hannah, trust her powers. Hannah hasn't led us wrong so far, so I guess there's no reason to start doubting her now.

  I still don't like it. And as I head back to my tent to start packing my things up, I find myself trying to figure out what the hell I am supposed to do. Do we just get on my bike and start driving in that direction? I hated not having a plan, not having even the slightest idea of what to expect out there.

  It doesn't take long to breakdown my gear and stow it in my saddlebags. I've done this a million times, and even with my mind otherwise occupied, I'm ready by the time Gabrielle rejoins me. I still hadn't figured a damn thing out, but I guess I have to wing it.

  "Are you ready?" Gabrielle asks. She has a backpack on now, presumably filled with whatever things Tyko had given her. The Fae may not have a whole lot, especially after everything they've been through. But Tyko wouldn't let her run off to South Dakota without necessary supplies.

  I nod as I close my saddlebags. It's hard to believe everything I own can fit into the bags on my bike, but that's been my life for so long, I've gotten used to it. "Yep. I'm ready whenever you are."

  After I slid onto the bike, Gabrielle got on behind me. Her body presses against mine, and I bite my tongue. Having her on the back of the bike, her arms around my waist just feels right. Gabrielle is so tiny, practically skin and bones now, but I can't help but think this is where she's meant to be.

  Then, I mentally chastise myself. This is a woman who had spent God knows how long being tortured by Amasis and his cronies. She went through one hell of a pregnancy, then had the baby yanked away from her. This is definitely not a woman I should be thinking about that way.

  She deserves better than that.

  So, as I leave the camp behind, I try to focus on the road ahead, not the woman whose arms are wrapped around my waist. I'm here to protect her, I remind myself. Not to flirt or do anything else with her. Lex will probably slap me upside the head if he ever finds out I even considered anything else.

  "How far as is it to South Dakota?" Gabrielle asks, yelling to be heard over the sound of the wind and the roar of the bike. Not that she really needs to. With my hearing, I can hear her clearly, even if she whispers.

  I shrug. I'd glanced at a map briefly, getting an idea of where to go. Dragons have a pretty good sense of direction, but that isn't as useful when traveling by bike rather than flying. "About twenty hours or so. We'll go as far as we can tonight, then find somewhere to camp out of the night. Should be plenty of places to make camp."

  I can feel Gabrielle nodding behind me. Something about the way she shifts tells me she's not all that happy about how long it's going to take us, but there's not much I can do about it. It's not like we can just get a couple airline tickets out there. And no matter how much I wish I could fly her there myself, but it's to
o far away carrying someone.

  I want to be the one taking care of her. I can't explain it, especially since I barely know her, but that's how I feel. It's silly and irrational, but what can I do?

  We ride until it gets well and dark, then I pull off into the desert. We're in the middle of nowhere, and that means we'll be camping out tonight. When Gabrielle steps off the bike, she wobbles, and I quickly hop off to help steady her. The poor woman looks like she's ready to collapse as I help her find a place to sit down.

  "Sorry about that," I tell her. "I forgot about how hard it is to ride so long when you're not used to it."

  "It's fine," she says simply. She pulls her legs up against her chest and stares out into the dark desert.

  I want to say something else, but no words come to mind. So instead, I focus on digging out the tent from my saddlebags and getting it set up. I wouldn't mind sleeping under the stars for tonight, but I doubted Gabrielle would like that. Besides, she deserves a little bit of comfort after everything she'd been through.

  And while a tent in the middle of nowhere isn't the same as a hotel with soft beds and hot showers, it's better than nothing.

  By the time I get the tent set up, Gabrielle can barely keep her eyes open. She eats a bit of the freeze-dried food I had on hand, then curls up inside the sleeping bag. She's weaker than she had been when we'd left the camp, and I frown as I watch her sleep.

  I should've offered her more venom, I realize. But it's too late for that now. She's probably well overdue for a good night's sleep, and I don't want to wake her up if I don't have to. Instead, I just find a spot to curl up, keeping my senses alert, in case she needs me in the middle of the night.

  It's a good thing dragons don't need as much sleep as humans, I think, as I close my eyes and drift off.