by A. C. Arthur
“You know your powers are useless on me,” the man said.
But realization hit Ravyn like a smack to the face. This was no man; it was the Reaper. And she was in Steele’s dream, the dream where the Reaper had to collect the name on his list.
She stepped around Steele then, so the Reaper could see her.
He shook his hooded head. “No, not you this time. He betrayed me by leading me to another soul instead of yours and then he let you take that dagger, which now protects you. For that, I will take him.”
“Go Ravyn! Now!” Steele yelled.
Was he serious? Did he really think she was going to leave him here...to die?
Obviously, that’s what was about to go down, because the Reaper lifted one of his gun-arms and bolts of lightning extended, reaching out like a hook to wrap around Steele’s body and pull him forward.
“No!” she screamed and reached for him but something like a force field blocked her.
The energy surge pushed her back on her ass and then shot her several blocks away, until all she could see were the flashes of light coming from the Reaper. White hot pain seared through her chest and she gasped for air, rolling over on the ground as the pain wracked her whole body. Her screams came so loud her eardrums were about to burst and every one of her bones felt as if they were cracking and caving in around her heart.
“Leave!” Steele yelled to her. “Just leave!”
She was shaking her head even though the word no would fall from her lips. Ravyn rolled over again, cursing the pain and vowing to break through. Coming up on her knees, she took a deep breath, crying out as even that caused pain. She didn’t have to turn around to see that those lightning bolts were wrapped tight around Steele, squeezing the life out of him, because she felt every single tug and pull of them as if they were on her too.
But she managed to reach her hand down to the dagger at her side, pulling it free and holding it until the warmth from the hilt began to slowly fill her body. It was like a glass of water being filled, from the bottom to the rim power surged through her, bringing her head up first and then easing her into a standing position, turning her around until she could see clearly the Reaper killing the man she loved.
Running came next, her legs moving so fast she barely felt them beneath her, then jumping, high up into the sky until she landed behind the Reaper.
“No!” Steele yelled the second her feet touched the ground. “Ravyn, no! I wanted you to live, I needed you to live.”
His head tilted back, veins bulging in his neck as the Reaper continued his torture.
“I loved...you too much...to let you...die.”
“What makes you think it would be any different for me,” she whispered and let his words wash over her, drawing even more power from them as she raised her arms, both hands wrapped around the hilt of the dagger and brought it down to stab the Reaper in his back.
The dagger went straight through him and she tumbled forward.
“You can’t kill me either,” the Reaper said with an amused laugh.
He circled his arms and pulled those lightning bolts tighter, until Steele’s sunglasses fell to the ground and his Drakon’s eyes glowed straight up to the sky. His feet were lifted up at that moment, the bolts twisting and turning him in the air, the life slipping out of him as he gasped for air.
“Then I’ll buy you,” she said and took tortuously slow steps until she was standing where the Reaper could see her.
“Take it,” she said and extended her arm to him. The dagger was in her hand and she turned it over, palm up so that he could see what she was offering. “If you can take life, wouldn’t you want the power to make it remain dead? With this you can stop anyone from raising any lives you’ve taken.”
In the past couple of days, she’d learned a lot about the dagger that had come to her and her grandmother Bahati, the witch whose skills were incomparable and who’d lived in the Congo Rainforest. She now knew of its great powers over the dead and the cursed. Steele had told her the dagger held her power, but he was wrong, it only enhanced what she was. Giving it up would take away some of the energy that made it possible for her to fight Temptra and probably to get here into Steele’s dream, but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered to her more than his life, and so she was offering it to the Reaper.
“You cannot trick me, witch!” His retort was strong and stung a little.
Ravyn had been called a bitch a time or two in her life, but never had she been called a witch, and with such disdain. She was immediately offended.
“Look, you can kill him and most likely bring forth the rage of every other Dream Drakon across the realms. At which time I’m certain they’ll exact their revenge by taking names off your list right and left. Or you can let him go and take this dagger to do with as you will.”
Steele was making a sound, like he was trying to say something. No doubt attempting to tell her to leave again, which was futile, but so like him to think he was still in control.
But just in case he wasn’t trying to talk but was indeed dying right before her eyes, she took a step toward the Reaper and yelled, “Take it!” once more.
The hood moved. He was considering the offer. She took another step, this time directly in front of one stream of the lightning he was using to strangle Steele. Because the Reaper had said she was protected, right? And the dagger was technically still hers, until he accepted the offer. Her body effectively blocked that part of the lightning but Steele continued to be trapped by the other.
“I offer this to you in exchange for his life. I offer you this power.”
It wasn’t a spell, even though she’d learned that those would come to her in time. But her words held power too, by virtue of her bloodline and its link to this dagger, what she said over it would be bound in magick.
“You, witch, are a fool,” the Reaper declared and shifted his aim so that the lightning bolt stretched out to grab the dagger and its sheath from her simultaneously.
There was a loud thump and then the Reaper was gone as quickly as he’d come, and when Ravyn turned to look for Steele, he was gone too.
* * *
Steele watched her sleep.
For so many weeks he’d watched her doing things like walking down the street, sipping a cup of coffee, exercising at the gym and stealing...he couldn’t forget the stealing. The thought had the corners of his mouth lifting into a grin. She was everything he’d never imagined would be within his reach.
His beast had known that all along. It had been drawn to her immediately, knowing exactly what it needed to make them whole. Drakon Selection was a real thing. A part of his human’s mind had known that all along which was probably why he’d felt such animosity toward Theo and Shola’s pairing. Steele knew now that the past mistakes of Theo’s mother had nothing to do with the emperor and his new empress. Theo’s beast had made its selection regardless of the circumstances around them. Steele’s beast had done the same. A warm swelling in his chest confirmed the beast’s moment of glory and Steele smiled again.
Nothing but tender thoughts sifted through his human mind now, as the beast languished in victory and in love. Steele continued to stare at her. Long, dark hair spread out along her pillow, while the comforter rested so close to her nose he wondered how she was able to breathe. But she was breathing. He’d felt it every second of every day for the two days he’d stayed away from her. Today was a new morning, it was a new beginning, or at least he hoped it was. Otherwise what was all the hell they’d just been through for?
He knelt down beside her bed, reaching over to press the snooze button on her clock so the music wouldn’t wake her as it did every morning. This time, he wanted to be the one to wake her. He wanted to be the first face she saw in the morning and the last face she saw at night. He’d taken Theo’s advice and thought long and hard about who he was and what his life would be moving forward
. The resounding answer had been Ravyn.
“You,” she whispered as she stared at him through one partially opened eye. “You can’t just fade in and out of someone’s bedroom anytime you please.”
Her voice was music to his ears and the balm to his long-tortured soul. Steele touched a finger to the tip of her nose and then pushed the comforter down.
“Only your bedroom, Ravyn. And only ever to see you.”
Her smile was slow but still gut-wrenching as it spread, capturing him as if he weren’t already entangled in her web.
She reached up to cup his face in her hands. “I thought you were gone,” she said quietly.
He leaned into her touch, turning his face slightly to kiss her palm. “Not after some hottie witch made the Reaper an offer he couldn’t refuse.”
“That worked? I wasn’t sure it would. I still don’t know a lot about my power or the dreamscape. That is where we were, right? Plus, I’m still trying to figure out how I got there inside your dream. I mean, I think it was like you said, that dagger united us on the roof that night and so you could hear when Temptra was whispering to me and I could drop in on your dreams.” She stopped and shook her head. “I’m still confused.”
Steele chuckled. “I am too. But you know what, we can figure it out later. Right now, I just want to hold you. I just want to know that this is true and it’s real.”
She lifted the comforter and sheet as an invitation for him to join her and Steele stripped out of his clothes faster than he’d probably been able to fade here. He was climbing into bed with her in no time, gathering her in his arms and pulling her close.
“I love you so much,” he whispered into her neck. “I never wanted to love, never wanted to connect again for fear of losing someone close. But I couldn’t leave you. Not from day one, I knew I couldn’t let you go.”
Her hands moved over his back as she hugged him close to her, fingers scraping over the scars he still had, the physical scars, because her being with him had assuaged the emotional ones.
“That’s because we’re better together. Isn’t that what you told me?”
Steele pulled back and looked into her eyes, filled with emotion and honesty and power. “Yeah, that’s what I said.”
“So, it’s a good thing I’m in love with you too, or else this might get awkward.”
He laughed and hugged her tight. “Not awkward, but I’m sure now that we’re together, things are about to get very interesting.”
Chapter Eighteen
Two Months Later
“This is an interesting setup you’ve got here,” Reese said as he walked through the double wood doors of the Safeside entrance on the corner of Frontvale Street.
“What are you doing here, Reese? Can’t find anything or anyone else to entertain you today?” Ravyn asked after giving Reese a hug.
Reese clutched his chest. “You wound me with the assumption that I wouldn’t be interested in helping out around here.”
“Oh please, there aren’t enough women here that’ll be flattered by your corny pickup lines and rugged good looks to keep you enthralled.” She moved behind the front desk to gather up a stack of brochures and put them neatly into the holder.
Reese shrugged. “You might be partially right, but I’m here to report for work,” he said and looked over to Steele.
Ravyn looked at him too, a brow lifted in question. “Reese is working here now?”
“Sort of. Magnum’s usually in charge of personal security but he’s traveling back to the Far Realm and then to Mobo with Theo and Shola. So, Reese is our point guy at Legion Security,” he announced.
“Right. Since you’ve got my boy here working as your partner in this new shelter and rehabilitation venture, he’s barely around at the Office anymore. But I know he’s hooked you up with a supreme security system. I’m here to assess what type of needs you’ll have for onsite guards. We can also offer travel guards for whenever your clients come up from below and want to go out for job interviews, doctor’s visits, etc.”
Reese was now in work mode, his thoughts going to the needs of the client just as they’d all been trained. Steele listened and watched Ravyn to see what her reaction was going to be.
When he’d suggested they add a formal entrance to Safeside on the streets of Burgess for others who might need assistance getting on their feet and remaining there, free of intimidation or prejudice, she’d been a little skeptical. Steele hadn’t felt the least bit disrespectful by using Cree to tag-team her into agreeing to the idea.
“We could use a few live security guards. I saw two enforcer cars riding by yesterday. They haven’t ventured in here yet, but I’m sure they will soon,” she said.
“And we’ll be waiting when they do,” Steele told her. “The extortion and intimidation stop here. Before he left, Theo and I discussed developing a designated team of agents to investigate reports of interference from enforcers or politicians in the city. After Robles’s death uncovered an extortion ring that reached all the way up to the governor’s aides, there’ve been more reports.”
“People aren’t afraid to come forward now,” Reese said with a nod. “We can start with two armed guards at the entrance. Two more down below at that secret entrance. Twenty-four hours, seven days a week. Cameras and wired windows and doors will help too, but I’m thinking those private guards will be needed, as well. Just in case.”
Steele agreed. During the construction of this part of the facility, which contained twenty-five guest rooms in addition to the newly renovated twenty rooms below, he’d been by her side every second of the day. They both realized that wasn’t going to be possible forever and even though she was coming into her powers as a witch, he still wanted her protected at all times. He wasn’t totally sure the Reaper would leave them alone, much less whatever other evil entities might be swarming around out there. He had too much to protect now, too much to lose to let his guard down. But this time, they were doing this together. And for Steele that was all that mattered.
* * *
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He’s sworn to protect the very entity she was born to kill...
Keep reading for an excerpt of Awaken the Dragon, from A.C. Arthur.
About the Author
A.C. Arthur was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, where she currently resides with her husband, three children, grandson and an English bulldog named Vader. An active imagination and a love for reading encouraged her to begin writing in high school and she hasn’t stopped since.
Working in the legal field for over twenty-five years, A.C. has seen lots of horrific things and longs for the safe haven of a romance novel. To date, she has written in several genres: YA paranormal (w/a Artist Arthur), small town romance as Lacey Baker, and sexy contemporary and paranormal romance. With intriguing plots and sexy love scenes, A.C. brings a new edge to romance!
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Awaken the Dragon
by A.C. Arthur
Chapter One
The glass doors to the building ten feet away slid open slowly. That feeling, like a breeze lifting fall leaves off the ground, swirled in the pit of his stomach. Theo Masters eased off his bike and held the helmet between his arm and his hip as he continued to stare at that door. He considered removing his sunglasses since the sun had set hours ago, but d
ecided against it.
Seconds later, three women stepped out. His gaze fell quickly over each one, noting bare feet, long legs and deep green material swaddling their bodies before stopping inches above the knees. Red-and-gold stripes slashed across their forehead and cheeks coupled with long gold spears held tightly in hand announced their warrior status while his wish for a quick pickup and drop-off dwindled.
The Odò Guard.
Or, the river guards. They were foot soldiers from the River Tribe that lived in a village located along a portion of the Niger River, which flowed through western Nigeria. Theo had visited the area close to one hundred years ago.
Three more women exited the building approximately two feet behind the first trio. And then three more, until nine in total were now in a triple-file line in front of him. At some other time, in some other place, he might have been impressed. As it was now, their grand entrance was making his last minute task take much longer than he’d anticipated.
“You are the guardian we hired?” The middle woman in the first row spoke to him, her voice loud, strong and heavily accented.
“I’m from the Legion Security Company.” Even his voice sounded tired, deep and raspy, as it did when he woke in the mornings.
In unison, each woman holding a spear clanked the metal ends to the ground. The tight formation parted with each of the side lines stepping away so that only the woman standing directly in front of Theo, and another woman a few feet behind her, remained in the middle.
“The ceremony is in two weeks. The accommodations are listed here, as well as the location for the ceremony, where you will deliver her safely. Joku N’Gara and the River Tribe thank you for your services.” Her words sounded rehearsed.
With a crisp movement, she extended an arm in Theo’s direction. A large white envelope was clutched between her fingers until he slipped it away.