“Such a pity,” Levet muttered.
Tayla grimaced, once again pulling Levet down the tunnel. There was no way for her to explain why she felt the need to protect her father.
Probably because there was no excuse for family.
They just…were.
Desperate to find her father and get the heck out of the nasty dungeons, Tayla rounded a corner, only to discover the path was blocked by a seven-foot male with a square face and blond hair buzzed close to his skull.
Wearing a T-shirt and jeans, he might have been a human, but Tayla could smell the troll blood that ran through his veins. As if the hint of crimson in his eyes didn’t give away his mixed heritage.
“Ah. At last.” The male smiled, revealing his razor-sharp teeth. “I’ve been waiting for you a very long time, my dear.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Baine crouched behind the large boulder on top of the mountain and gazed down at the castle directly below him.
When he’d followed Tayla’s portal, he’d expected to end up in her house. She’d been annoyingly anxious to return to the cramped building to see to the necessary repairs. Wasn’t that why she said she needed to leave his arms?
Instead they were perched in…Baine tilted back his head and sniffed the air.
Norway?
Shit.
“This is the assassins’ lair?” he growled.
Char crouched beside him, peering down at the recently repaired ruins.
“Yes.”
Baine scowled. There was only one reason she could have come to this place. To rescue that ridiculous gargoyle. Or her even more ridiculous father.
But how could she have known…
Abruptly Baine recalled the odd prickles on his neck. He’d dismissed them way too easily.
Now he realized the tricky imp must have created a portal to spy on him. Then when she’d overheard Char revealing that her father and the gargoyle had been captured, she’d come here to…
Well, he wasn’t sure. But he would bet his entire hoard that it included risking her beautiful neck.
“Damn,” he muttered as smoke curled from his nostril, flames dancing around his feet.
Suddenly the crisp air was steamy hot.
Char turned so he could study Baine with an unwavering gaze. “Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?”
His hands grasped the boulder, his thoughts becoming increasingly distracted as his primitive beast desperately tried to catch the scent of his female.
Where was she? Had she already entered the castle?
“Twenty-five years ago, I bartered my father for Tayla.”
Char arched a brow. “Yeah, I remember. You’ve been in a pissy mood ever since then.”
Baine ignored the insult.
“I returned to my lair to collect the payment as well as to prepare the harem,” he explained in distracted tones.
“Prepare the harem?” Char predictably probed. “What does that mean?”
Baine scowled, his attention never leaving the castle. “None of your damned business,” he snapped, not about to reveal that he’d had the entire harem cleaned to make sure there were no traces of other women.
Char made a sound that could have been a choked laugh. “Okay.”
Baine ignored the younger male’s amusement, too busy counting the various guards he could detect walking the ramparts.
“When I came back, my father didn’t bother to tell me the female had disappeared,” he continued, turning his attention to the layers of magic that shimmered like a dome over the crumbling inner courtyard. “Not until I’d handed over the payment.”
“Typical of Synge,” Char growled.
“Exactly.” At the time he’d been furious. And not because his father had screwed him out of a fortune. He couldn’t believe the fascinating female had slipped from his grasp. And it was that anger that’d blinded him to the obvious. “I assumed she managed to escape through the portal the trolls used to return to this world. But now…”
He allowed his words to trail away, his entire body quivering as he caught the distant scent of burnt lemons.
Tayla.
And she wasn’t happy.
“You think she created a portal of her own,” Char breathed in astonishment.
Baine shrugged. Under normal circumstances, he would be as stunned as Char by Tayla’s outrageous skill. But these weren’t normal circumstances.
Not when he was consumed by his frenzied need to get her out of the castle and back to his lair.
“She must have,” he said with a shrug.
“Amazing,” Char breathed.
“Not amazing.” He at last turned his head to glare at his companion. “Dangerous.”
Char gave a lift of his brows. “Why dangerous?”
“Clearly my father realized that Tayla possessed the ability to slip in and out of his lair unnoticed.” Baine shuddered. Just saying the words was enough to make his gut clench with dread.
Char grimaced. “Oh.”
“Exactly.” Baine nodded toward the castle below them. “And since Skragg has been hunting her, I assume he must have suspected her talent as well.”
“That would explain the overwhelming interest in a mere imp,” Char murmured.
“Yes. The trolls want to use her to sneak into a dragon’s hoard.” The boulder abruptly shattered beneath the force of Baine’s tight grip. “And my father wants her dead.”
“Damn.” Char looked genuinely outraged. No surprise he’d already fallen beneath Tayla’s sweet charm. “What’s the plan?”
Baine shook his head, struggling to think clearly.
“I go in and get her,” he said, his voice thickening with the power of his dragon.
“That’s it?” Char reached to grab his arm. “That’s the plan?”
Baine tried to shake off the male’s restraining grasp. “You want more? How about I kill anyone who gets in my way?”
Char held on tight. “Baine, that’s a terrible plan,” he muttered.
A low, warning growl rumbled in Baine’s chest, the stone melting beneath his feet.
“She’s mine.”
“Yeah, I got that,” Char hastily agreed. “She’s yours. But if you go charging in there they might kill her before we can get her back.”
Baine hissed, nearly combusting at the mere mention of Tayla being harmed.
He would raze the earth if they harmed her.
With an effort, he forced himself to concentrate on his companion.
“Do you have a better idea?”
“Yeah.” Char pointed toward the sky that was painted with the brilliant colors of dusk. “You distract them and I’ll sneak in and rescue her.”
The earth trembled beneath their feet. It was his female who needed rescuing.
He wanted to be the hero.
“Why don’t I rescue her?” he snapped.
Char glanced toward the large crevice that had split open just behind them, smiling with wry amusement.
“Because you’re a bigger distraction.”
Okay. He couldn’t argue with Char’s logic. There were few things more distracting than a full-grown dragon preparing to cause utter destruction.
He reached out to lay a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I’m depending on you, Char.”
“I’ll get her,” the younger man said in somber tones. “I swear.”
With no choice but to depend on his servant, Baine rose to his feet and jumped off the edge of the mountain. The wind rushed past him as he spread his arms, and with one burst of magic he released the beast inside him.
###
Tayla swallowed a scream as she took a hasty step backward. There was an unnerving emptiness in the male’s crimson eyes that sent a chill racing through her.
This was not a nice man.
And whatever reason he’d lured her to this castle couldn’t be a good one.
In fact, she was sure it was very, very bad.
“Who are you?” she
rasped, instinctively shoving Levet behind her.
He stepped forward, towering over her in the cramped tunnel.
“Craven.”
She tilted her chin, pretending she wasn’t afraid. A wasted effort, of course. The male had enough demon blood to smell the terror that pounded through her.
Still, she had her pride.
“Should I recognize the name?”
“Good god, I hope not,” he drawled, sounding remarkably polished considering his heritage.
She’d bet her favorite scone recipe that he hadn’t been educated by his troll relatives. The nasty demons tended to communicate with grunts, growls, and head-butts.
“I devote a considerable effort to remaining in the shadows,” he continued, his gaze sweeping down her tense body. “We do, however, have a mutual friend.”
“Who is that?” she demanded.
“Skragg.”
Tayla hissed in disgust. She would never, ever forget the revolting creature. He’d not only kidnapped her and sold her to Baine’s father, but he’d clearly taken enjoyment in her distress.
“That vile troll isn’t my friend.”
“Now that’s a little harsh, my dear,” Craven mocked. “You made quite an impression on him.”
“I can’t imagine why.” She felt Levet pinch the back of her leg. Was he offering a painful warning not to say anything stupid? Or was he trying to pass along some hidden message? “I’m just one of thousands of slaves he’s traded.”
Craven shook his head, his smile widening. Yikes.
“No, you’re not just one of the crowd, my dear,” he assured her. “You have very unique talents.”
“You want me to bake you a teacake?” She winced as Levet gave her another pinch.
Dang it. She was going to be black and blue.
“Perhaps later.” The male studied her with an unnerving intensity. “First you’re going to open a portal for me.”
Oh. Tayla frowned. That didn’t seem so bad.
Certainly better than being roasted over a hot fire.
Or raped.
“That’s it?” she demanded, certain there had to be a catch.
“It’s a very special portal.” Craven’s chuckle made Tayla shudder. It sounded…evil. “Or should I say, it goes to a very special place.”
“Where?” she forced herself to ask.
“A dragon hoard,” he answered in smooth tones.
Yep. There was the catch.
She didn’t need Levet’s pinches to warn her that she had to be careful. Really, really careful.
“That’s impossible,” she said.
“So I assumed.” The crimson eyes narrowed. “Until Skragg was telling a tavern full of drunken demons about a pretty young imp who’d managed to escape from the mighty Synge’s lair.”
Damn that Skragg. Someday she hoped that he was…well, she wasn’t sure what would be an appropriate punishment, but it needed to be painful.
And slow.
“It was an accident,” she attempted to bluff. “When the trolls were leaving—”
“No,” Craven sharply interrupted. “Skragg was in the lair when it was discovered you’d escaped. Synge was very vocal in his outrage that you’d manage to create a portal.”
She licked her dry lips. “He was mistaken.”
Without warning the male’s hand shot forward, his fingers wrapping around her throat.
“Don’t lie to me, imp,” he hissed, his eyes glowing crimson in the gloom.
“Leave her alone, you bully.” Levet charged around Tayla, his claws curled as he futilely tried to cast a spell. At the same time, Craven lifted his foot to kick the poor creature down the tunnel. “Eek,” the gargoyle screeched, hitting the wall with a loud thud.
Or maybe it was something else making the thud, she distantly realized as the tunnel shook and dirt fell from the ceiling.
It was difficult to think when her throat was being crushed.
“No more games,” Craven snarled, yanking her off her feet. “You’ll open a portal or I’ll kill your father.”
“Please,” she rasped, knowing she was mere seconds from passing out.
How was she supposed to open a portal if she was unconscious?
And what the heck was that thudding? It kept getting louder. As if the castle above them was being methodically destroyed.
“Now what?” she heard Craven mutter before there was the nasty stench of troll filling the air and Tayla was abruptly released. Dropped to the ground, she sucked in painful gasps as the male turned toward the lumbering demon who was far too large for the tunnel. “Skragg? What the hell is going on up there?”
The troll hunched over, his tusks covered with spittle as he struggled to speak.
“Dragon,” he at last managed to get the word out.
Craven jerked, his expression one of stark horror. “Fuck.”
The troll looked equally alarmed. “F-fire,” he stammered.
Shoving herself to a kneeling position, Tayla felt her heart leaping with hope.
It was Baine.
Now that she wasn’t being choked to death, she could actually sense him. Not as one demon sensing another. But as a female recognizing her mate.
With a grimace, Craven shoved his way past the lurking troll.
“Keep guard. I don’t want them left alone for a second,” he commanded. “Got it?”
The troll made a garbled sound, his large form blocking the tunnel as Craven disappeared into the darkness.
Tayla remained on the ground, trying to clear her foggy brain.
They had to escape. Not only because she wasn’t going to be used as some sort of dragon thief for Craven and the trolls. But also because she didn’t know how much longer the tunnel was going to last.
Larger clumps of dirt and stone were falling from the ceiling as the thudding continued.
What was Baine doing up there?
Once her brain cleared she could create a portal, but she still didn’t know where her father was being held. So how did she locate Odel when there was a very large troll blocking her path?
There was the faint sound of claws scratching against the stone floor as Levet limped to stand beside her.
“I believe they made your dragon angry, ma belle,” he murmured softly.
“He isn’t my dragon,” she instinctively protested, even as a warm glow flared through her heart.
“Try telling him that,” a male voice drawled.
Caught off guard, Tayla lifted her head, watching in shock as Skragg’s head tumbled off his body and bounced down the tunnel.
Okay. She’d hoped that the troll would suffer, but yeesh…
Placing her arms around Levet, she scooted away from the disgusting face that was frozen in shock, barely noticing when Skragg’s body was tossed aside.
Instead her attention was focused on the half-dragon with silver hair and smoke gray eyes.
“Char,” she breathed in surprise.
Levet gave a click of his tongue. “How many dragons do you possess, ma belle?”
Char moved to peer down at the gargoyle who pressed close to her side.
“Do you want me to kill the lump?” he asked.
Tayla gave a sharp shake of her head. She might have assumed he was kidding if she hadn’t just witnessed him lopping off the head of a troll.
“No.”
Levet took a step forward, his wings quivering with outrage.
“Lump?” He thumped his chest with a small fist. “I am Levet, the greatest—”
“Not now, Levet,” Tayla gently interrupted.
She adored the gargoyle, but he could go on for hours about his heroic deeds.
Char gave a shake of his head, as if he couldn’t believe she wouldn’t want her companion dead, then held out a slender hand.
“We need to get out of here. Can you create a portal?”
She slowly straightened, struggling to keep her balance as the shaking continued.
“What about Baine?”
she demanded.
Char shrugged, showing an astonishing lack of concern for his master.
“He’ll continue to distract the bastards until we’re out of here,” he said, keeping a tight grip on her hand. “We need to go.”
“We can’t leave him behind,” she protested. “What if he gets hurt?”
Char snorted. “He’s a big boy. Trust me, he can take care of himself.”
She gave a grudging nod. There were few things that could actually pose a danger to a dragon.
Still, she couldn’t leave. Not yet.
“What about my father?”
Char studied her with rising frustration. “Unless you want the pleasure of killing him with your own hands, I’m sure the assassins will dispose of him once they realize he’s of no use.”
“No,” she protested. “I don’t want him dead.”
Char studied her with a baffled expression. “Why not?”
“My precise question,” Levet muttered.
“Shut up,” Char growled, his gaze never leaving Tayla.
“Hey,” Levet protested.
Tayla heaved a small sigh. She’d never make anyone understand.
“I can’t just leave him here.”
For a tense moment, Tayla thought the dragon might force her out of the tunnel. It wasn’t like she was strong enough to fight him if he decided to toss her over his shoulder and leave the castle.
Then, clearly sensing she would blame him if anything happened to Odel, he turned to tug her through the darkness.
“Baine is going to kill me…”
CHAPTER TWELVE
With long strides, Craven moved through his castle that was being methodically destroyed by the dragon flying overhead. Somewhere in his thick skull he knew he should be terrified. No one faced off against a dragon and lived to tell the tale. But it was fury that thundered through him as he stepped onto the rampart to discover Reece staring at the sky in horror.
Craven’s eyes flashed with crimson as he followed his companion’s gaze toward the massive creature that was belching fire. He hissed in fury. With each blast the bastard was turning the castle’s outer fortifications into smoldering piles of rubble.
“Shit,” he growled, watching as his five-million-dollar investment went up in smoke. “Does he have to destroy the whole damned place? I spent a fortune on this lair.” His hands clenched. “Not to mention the spells that are supposed to protect it. I’m going to kill that witch.”
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