by Caris Roane
At that, a smile touched his lips. “I’m sure you have.”
She didn’t acknowledge the compliment, instead she narrowed her gaze as she stared at him. “What do you think?”
“That it’s a great idea.”
She nodded. “The other thing I’m super confident about is that I know your fire dragon can take the heat, whether amplified or not. So, we should have plenty of opportunity to destroy this weapon even if they put the amplification feature on its highest setting.”
“I agree. It’s the one thing we have on our side right now.”
She quickly wrapped up the end of her braid with a black stretchy band. “You’re also able to protect me with your energy, so I wouldn’t fry either.”
“Damn straight you won’t.”
“I’m thinking we should practice as much as we can before we head out. Or would that be too much?”
“I’m with you.”
He drew close and kissed her on the lips, a quick dip of his head. She responded by letting her braid go and as she often did, she wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him in response, a full kiss that involved a lot of dueling tongues.
He was in a semi-erect state and had to draw back. “Wish we weren’t going to be so busy over the next hour or so, otherwise we could finish this right now.”
She grinned and he loved it. They were facing an enemy in a situation that might cost them their lives and she was smiling.
His inner dragon moved through his body, letting him know how much he wanted Emma with him now and forever. His dragon had always been much wiser than his logical human mind.
Yet, as though his dragon knew this day would come, he aligned with Liam and it was as though the entire universe shifted on its axis in a sudden swift move. He finally saw what a fool he’d been to keep Emma at arm’s length for an entire year. He’d been trying to avoid the pain of a life lived to the max. But he couldn’t.
Pain was part of the package.
Emma was what he wanted even if their time together ended while facing the enemy. Never again would he allow a past loss to dictate his future. “I have a question for you before we head out.”
She kissed him again, then drew back. “Ask away.”
“Will you marry me?”
Her brows rose. Good. He’d surprised her. Hell, he’d surprised himself. But being her husband and a father to their baby was everything he wanted.
Her expression softened. “Of course, I will. But are you sure?”
He nodded and kissed her. “I love you, Emma. So much.”
“Well, to be perfectly honest, I’ve been crazy about you since we made love a year ago and hot for you for months before that. I love you, too. You’re okay with everything then? About me battling?”
He’d never felt more certain. “I am, no matter what happens today. No regrets. No recriminations.”
She smiled again. “Then let’s go kick some dragon butt and afterward we can celebrate in your bed for as long as you want.”
“Loving the sound of that.”
She leaned into him and he held her tight. Once more, he got lost in kissing her, delving into the softness of her mouth and feeling her tongue exchange all kinds of ideas with his.
~ ~ ~
Without Liam’s energy shield, the grit of the Konbrack wind would have torn Emma to shreds. As it was, she still felt the sting. If anything went wrong, she would be in big trouble.
Liam flew a few dozen yards above the Mud Flats and some twenty miles east of Blue Lake South. The area, thank God, was unpopulated in this part of the valley. It was all reeds, scattered shallow lakes that tended to dry out and turn into sticky sections of tan mud, then miles of cracked earth when the sun grew bright once more. Then the rains would come, and the process repeated. A few long-legged birds with sharp pointed bills worked the earth.
Santos’s voice hit the group com. “The Magi squadron is ten miles out from your position and moving fast. We’re guessing the weapon is supported by the central dragon since the remaining dragons form a diamond pattern front and back as well as above and below.”
This made complete sense to Emma. The good news? Only one weapon.
“There’s more. The radar shows a second squadron moving in from the southeast, though at least five miles distant. No doubt a support team.”
Emma stretched her vision as far as she could, through the heavy, sand-laden wind.
Do you see them? Liam asked, his telepathy directed only toward her.
I do, about the size of a pea on the horizon. You should as well. She’d already completed the mind-capture so that as a dragon-rider, she was one with Liam.
This Konbrack grit is making it tough. Give me a sec. He shifted in the air several times, flying higher, then lower. The wind was strong, but his energy flowed out and around them both.
Even so, she lowered her second eyelids, the ones that would protect her vision no matter what came at them, whether fire or sharp objects, anything short of a bullet. Evolution was a good thing. Liam’s shift to dragon, however, didn’t include the same level of eye protection.
The Magi squadron kept on coming. They’d moved from pea-size to a sizeable turkey-sized lump and closing fast.
I see ‘em.
Good. She was relieved. Liam would need her second-sight to navigate the battle.
Konbracks were rare and no one liked to be out in them.
She held the modified rocket launcher balanced on her hip and secured in place with her kinetic ability. She only had one shot and she would make it count. In her other hand, she held a pistol.
Liam telepathically called out the group orders. Logan, Aidan and Rone, I want your teams on the southern half. Noah, Elijah and Mason, take the north. Divide the upper and lower dragons between you. These are my last group orders. The rest will come through Emma.
Emma heard each ascent, a systematic response practiced through years of battling together. The seven dragons had worked together for decades. They’d fought big battles and minor ones. They knew each other’s habits and preferences. They would all be communicating telepathically, first with each other then their teams.
Each team had fire dragons taking the lead because they’d be able to manage the amplified fire. The other dragons would have to peel away swiftly to avoid getting burned and possibly forced into a shift midair back to human form. This was always a danger since shifting from such a massive form to the compact arrangement of a human, wasn’t a simple process. When forced through collision or the weaponry of battle it could result in unconsciousness, a terrible fall and death.
Emma’s vision tunneled down to the tight formation of the oncoming Magi. She could see a dragon-rider on top of only one dragon and supporting what had to be the formidable weapon that had cost so many lives. This is a first. A dragon-rider.
I see her.
Santos came on the line. “A quarter mile out.”
She felt the Magi gearing up for a burn. Emma pressed the com. “Blast coming. Peel away at will.”
She watched as a number of the forward warriors shifted their wings slightly and began drifting off to the sides. With Liam’s forward momentum as well as the other fire dragons, the remainder appeared to be flying away fast, even though they were only holding a position out of range of the amplification.
Emma heard a low rumbling and knew the weapon was doing its worst. Waves of power hit her first, then heat, then a furnace blast of fire.
Liam’s energy protected her and the part of her dragon that was fire, floated to the surface of her skin and embraced the heat.
The fire kept coming, heavy waves that carried force as well. She could feel that Liam was struggling to maintain his position. The fierce Konbrack wind wasn’t helping either.
Liam’s telepathic order hit her mind and she relayed it to the group via the com. “Fall back. One mile. Now.”
Liam flipped swiftly so that Emma had a view of all the lead dragons doing the same.
&nbs
p; Emma addressed Liam. What’s going on?
You felt the power, right?
Yes.
I couldn’t hold my position because of the force. Let me contact Santos.
Emma waited, something she found difficult since her blood hummed with adrenaline.
Liam returned. Santos wants an assault before and during the next fire blast.
Emma sent out the orders to the squadron. She then focused on the lead Magi dragon.
Santos came on the line again for the entire group to hear. “The second squadron is in range and they’ve got at least two riders with them.” Another first.
Emma asked, “Are they transporting a second weapon?”
“No. Some kind of metal cage, though. Looks like they’re hoping for a capture. And Emma?”
“Yes?”
“Disable the weapon.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Santos then contacted her privately, though mind-to-mind this time. When you’re in position, give the order to the squadron to move in fast, then fire when ready.
Emma could sense every dragon and felt the latent power they possessed as a unit.
She loved it.
This was what she had trained for, what had become her mission in life.
The new dragon life inside her responded as well. This was who she was, who her daughter and Liam were as well.
Pride wasn’t exactly what she felt. More like an exultation of all that was life.
Once within range, she transmitted the order to the group and the squadron moved out as one, flying fast.
On the enemy came.
Emma was ready.
In order to reach the weapon, she had to disable the Magi dragon directly in front.
She took aim with her pistol, then sent the order to the group. Fire at will.
A dragon’s eye was a vulnerable point. When she had the Magi’s pupil in the crosshairs, she waited for that perfect split-second between the roll of Liam’s dragon body in flight and the space between her own heartbeats.
She fired.
The dragon arched in the air, then began a solemn fall to the flats below.
Good shot. Liam’s voice made her smile.
The firing all around commenced at the same time and through the sandy, gritty wind, more dragons fell.
But the familiar rumble sounded ten-fold louder this time.
Liam?
I hear it. Ready your weapon. We need the amplifying device disabled above everything else.
Some of their dragons were already peeling away to avoid what would be a fiery onslaught.
Emma telekinetically attached the handgun to her right hip. She then lifted the rocket launcher, also using telekinesis and stabilized it against her shoulder and her free hand.
Just as a terrible wave of heat hit her, she fired.
The amplified force that struck punched them backward into the air. Liam’s energy field kept her fixed to his back, but they were tumbling through the air amidst a fire storm. She didn’t know if she’d hit the weapon or not.
The last thing she heard was Liam’s voice in her head. Can’t hold my dragon form.
Then nothing.
Chapter Eight
When Liam came back to consciousness, he lay on his side and had a hard time remembering what happened. He ached all over, his head felt like it was ready to break apart and he couldn’t figure out what he was looking at.
It took him a moment to realize his vision was blurred, probably from the abrupt shift back to human. He remembered grabbing Emma as she fell from the sky unconscious then levitated them both to a stretch of grass near a stand of reeds.
After that, he must have passed out.
But where was he?
He craned his neck to look straight up. He could see that there was blue sky overhead, which meant the wind had passed. A shadow flew by. But why were there wide metal bands going both ways and marring his view?
He blinked then blinked again.
Another shadow. Right. There were dragons, fully shifted, flying around above him. He watched several of them belch fire. He heard other dragons slamming into dragons, crunching ribs. Screams followed.
Then pop-pop. Pop-pop-pop.
Right. Gunfire. So, it was a full-out battle.
He’d been in a battle.
There had been wind. A stinging Konbrack. But it had passed.
He tried to stretch out his legs but couldn’t. The quarters were tight. Was this some kind of prank Logan had cooked up?
Something warm and soft pressed against his back.
There was a ringing in his ears. Though his mind was muddled, he felt a sudden urgency to get moving.
It dawned on him that the warmth behind him was another person.
Adrenaline flooded his body and cleared his brain.
Emma.
He remembered now. A powerful wave of energy had forced him to shift back to human. When he’d settled her on the ground, he’d received a stunning blow that had knocked him flat. Hands had grabbed him. He and Emma had been captured.
They were in a cage. He could feel her breathing. One in. One out. She was alive.
Thank the dragon gods.
He put a hand on the basket weave of the metal. Given that the Magi had put him in a cage along with Emma, he knew they were both lucky to still be alive.
He let go of a deep sigh.
He looked up again. His fellow dragons were battling the more powerful Magi and getting tossed around. A lot.
Using telepathy, he contacted Santos and let him know their situation.
Thank God you’re alive. Is Emma okay?
Yes. But still unconscious.
Santos gave him a quick update. Emma’s rocket had struck and killed the dragon carrying the weapon, but the rider had levitated before the explosion and had managed to keep it safe. Another Magi moved in to support them both. Also, they weren’t just battling fire but power surges as well.
Liam felt the vibration of another surge as the device wound up. It seemed to be directly overhead.
Liam, can you and Emma get out of there? Logan’s rider reported that you’d been captured. We’re doing all we can, but the amplification, especially of fire, keeps pushing our troops back. They’re gaining ground.
Let me get back to you.
He carefully turned over so that he was essentially spooning Emma. Quarters were tight.
He stroked her arm gently. “Emma? Can you wake up?”
He felt her stir and he added pressure to his touch and spoke more forcefully. “I need you to wake up, Sweetheart. Can you do that for me?”
She stirred against him. He kept his gaze on her face and watched her eyes roll around then finally open.
“Liam?”
“I’m here.”
“Where are we? Why can’t I move my legs?” He felt her foot punching at the cage.
He explained where they were.
Slowly, she shifted her hips, a bit at a time, until she lay on her back. He remained on his side.
He carefully touched her abdomen. “How is she?”
At that, Emma relaxed despite that they were locked in a metal cage from which they had no clear means of escape. “She’s perfect. But I think she wants out of here, too.” Her gaze shifted skyward. “They’re still fighting.”
“For you and me. Santos thinks they’re only sticking around to make sure they can cart us back to Magiffe Province in this cage. It would be a major victory for them.”
“Like hell that’s happening. We’ve got to get out of here.”
He cupped her face then leaned down and kissed her. “I think I know a way out, but you’ll have to trust me.”
Her eyes widened. “What are you thinking?”
When he told her he wanted to shift and to let his massive dragon body break the iron all to pieces, a slow smile covered her face. “Let’s do it. I know your energy will protect me, just like when we’re in flight.”
“Exactly.”
An odd look crossed her face. She blinked several times in a row.
“Hey, you okay? Having second thoughts?”
She shook her head. “Liam, once we’re out of here, I think I know what we need to do to defeat the weapon.”
He stared at this amazing woman lying prone at the bottom of a slave-cage, with her eyes dancing with excitement. “Then we’d better bust out.”
~ ~ ~
Before Liam shifted, Emma could feel powerful vibrations running through his body. She was also able to sense how Liam’s shielding energy emerged at the same time and covered her with a steel-like casing.
She wrapped her arms around him and let her dragon baby feel her father. Liam murmured a soft dragon purr as his shifting energy increased. Heavy waves followed and that was exactly what had given her the idea she intended to put into place as soon as they were free and airborne.
When the shift arrived, it was like being hurtled through time and space, yet safely cocooned at the same time.
Liam quickly righted himself and she levitated up the tough beautiful black, iridescent scales of his body. She stretched out and, using a burst of levitation, slid up his long dragon neck. She placed herself near his head so she could take hold of the prominent silver horns of his crown.
She felt the familiar vibration through her body of her connection to him and her love for him.
But this love, as powerful as it was to her personally, wouldn’t be enough to amplify Liam’s natural abilities.
Instead, she shifted her thoughts slightly and began to focus on Dusane, her world, their world, the world of the dragon.
She loved Dusane and it was from the planet she now drew her strength. She wanted to protect Dusane from monsters like the Magi. She wanted a safe, beautiful world for her daughter and all the children of Arranfar.
The more she centered every fiber of her being on Dusane, the greater Liam’s energy vibrated.
His voice entered her mind. Whatever you’re doing, keep it up.
I will.
She wanted to explain, but she couldn’t say more, or she felt she would diminish her connection to the planet.
She pictured the five massive continents of Dusane and the interconnecting oceans, the whales and other sea-life, the animals that roamed their world, the lakes, rivers and mountains, the beauty of the sunrise and glory of the sunset, the stars at night, and their moon, so like Earth’s.