Betrayed (Dragon Shifter Book 3)

by Naomi Sparks

  "You know that's not a good idea, Surem," I say, pleading with my eyes. I don't want to have to fight against them. Briefly, I wonder if it's just my fear of them destroying everything or if there's another, underlying reason I might not want to fight them. But I don't have time to dwell on that right now. Maybe later, when I'm alone, I can think on it. "We should not directly engage them."

  But Surem just shrugs. Does he not understand just how strong dragons can be? "Twenty-four hours, Katia."

  My heart pounds faster and faster. I feel like it might explode any minute, but I don't let that deter me. Instead, I tell Surem about the one thing I've kept from him. "One of the women, the mate of their leader. She's pregnant." I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. Memories try to bubble up to the surface, but I fight them back down, refusing to let them overtake me right now. "Apparently she's having issues with her pregnancy. That's why they're here. They came searching for us, hoping we can help her."

  Surem's face softens. He walks over to me and puts a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it gently. "I'm sorry, Katia. I know you feel strongly about this, but I cannot change my mind. Twenty-four hours. That's all the leniency I can afford to give."

  With that, he squeezes my shoulder again, then walks out, leaving me standing there, staring at the ground. I don't know where he's going, but I can imagine. My heart continues pounding, and as much as I still crave sleep, I know what I need to do. So instead of letting my feet carrying back to my own rooms, I find myself returning to the barrier.

  The sentry Surem sent to replace me is still standing there, arms crossed, as he stares out at the enclave. They're all awake out there now, sitting around a small fire. The lump in my throat returns, my mouth going dry. I shouldn't go out there, I know that. But at the same time, I also know I need to. I'm drawn to them for some reason, and I don't have time to sit and figure out why.

  So, squaring my shoulders, I step through the barrier, ignoring the warning of the sentry. I don't stop, just keep walking, letting my body guide me to where I need to be, ignoring my brain shouting at me to stop, to turn back.

  No one pays me any attention at first. They're all too absorbed in their conversation to notice until I'm nearly on them. A few of them look up at me and narrow their eyes, but no one says anything. My entire body is shaking from nerves, but I still refuse to stop. I walk right up to them and sit down next to Galen. Everyone is watching me now, and I feel suddenly self-conscious.

  Galen raises an eyebrow as he looks me up and down. His gaze makes me shudder, and I have to fight not to giggle like a schoolgirl. I curse myself silently, wishing I could just get myself under control already.

  "You won't find the help you're seeking here," I say, struggling to keep my voice even. I look at each of the members in the eye, not letting them see just how scared and nervous I am right then. Then, my gaze settles on Hannah, and my nerve slips. She's pale, so very pale.

  Gods, I think to myself. She really needs our help. What will happen to her if we turn them away? Worse, what will happen to her if a battle truly breaks out, if Surem leads our people out here, intent on driving them off? I know she has magical blood and gifts of her own, but I can't help but think she'll be an easy target, though when I glance at her mate out of the corner of my eye, I know just how much of a rage injuring her will cause.

  Lex moves to stand next to Hannah, offering her his hand and pulling her up into his arms. I watch as she leans against him. Even from here, I can feel the love and affection radiating from them. I've heard so many times how dangerous dragons are, how they care little for humans and Fae, only using us to serve their needs. And yet, I don't see any of that from Lex. It's obvious to anyone watching the two of them just how much he loves her.

  When he leans down and presses his lips to her neck, I think he's just kissing her at first. Then, I see Hannah's eyes go wide and realize it's not a kiss. He's biting her. I want to leap up, to fight him off her, but Galen must sense that and reaches out, putting a hand on mine to stop me. "He's giving her some of his venom," he tells me, his voice low as I continue to watch him. "It's the only way she's survived so far."

  The memories bubble up now and I can't fight them back. I see my mother, lying in bed, agony etched onto her face. I can hear her screams of pain instead, as if I'm back with her, holding her hand. Her pregnancy with Lysandra ended up killing her, and it wasn't a quick death either. I still have nightmares from back then, even all these years later. I have a feeling her death will haunt me until my own.

  "What do you need from us?" I find myself asking. My throat is dry as the desert right now, and I can't take my eyes off Hannah. She looks a little stronger now, some color returning to her face, but I can tell she's still weak. She shakes as Lex helps her sit back down, and I know it's not from nerves. She should be in bed, resting, somewhere safe, not out here in the middle of the desert.

  If she's here, this must really be their only option. And I'm not sure I can turn them away, no matter what Surem says.

  "Blood," Lex says sitting down. My eyes go wide and he smirks, letting out a soft laugh. "Not like you're thinking. We've heard that injecting Fae blood into the humans strengthens them during the pregnancy, gives them a better chance at surviving."

  I nod as I listen to Lex telling me everything they know. Humans with some magical blood, like Hannah, Kyra, and Faith are compatible with dragons and can carry their offspring, but it seems like that magic alone isn't enough to sustain them during the pregnancy. His venom is helping, is probably the only reason she's still alive, but it's barely enough to keep her going.

  Injecting her with Fae blood sounds logical. If she was solely human, I'm not sure what it would do, but with her having magical blood already, it might strengthen hers enough to get her through the pregnancy. I have no idea what kind of side effects it might lead to, though.

  "How much do you need?" I ask, wondering if I could give them some of my blood and get them out of here before Surem's time is up. Then both parties can be satisfied, without bloodshed. Well, minimal bloodshed, I guess.

  Lex shrugs. "We're not sure. It could be a one-time thing, or she might need it regularly, like my venom."

  I frown, thinking his words over. I want to help her, so badly. But I'm not sure if I can. Still, as I look at Hannah, seeing just how weak she reminds me of my mother, I can't just turn my back on her. "You're not making it easy to help you," I say, letting out a sigh.

  "I thought you wouldn't help us," one of the other dragons pipes up. He's glaring at me now, and I can't blame him. They came all this way to help protect one of their own. I'd be upset too if I was in their shoes.

  I shake my head. "I want to help. But I'm not in charge of the Enclave. Surem is our leader, and he doesn't want to get involved. He thinks you're dangerous."

  The dragon snorts and crosses his arms as he continues to glare at me. I have no doubt Surem is right. These men are dangerous, but not in the way he thinks. I doubt they'll harm us, so long as we don't harm them.

  The scraping of boots on the hard desert floor makes my head whip around. The others all turn too and we all brace ourselves, ready for an attack. But it's not one of Surem's soldiers approaching. It's Lysandra.

  I frown at her, fixing her with my gaze. She shouldn't be out here. She should be back inside the barrier, where it's safe. "What are you doing out here, Lysandra?" I ask, my voice sharp.

  But Lysandra just shrugs and smiles at me. "The sentry saw you leave. He's already reported to Surem about you coming out here and talking with them." She bats her eyelashes, then sits down next to one guy. He has dark hair, nearly black, and it's long and shaggy. She leans in close and offers him her hand. "I'm Lysandra," she says sweetly.

  I fight to keep from rolling my eyes as I watch her crank up her charm. She's very serious about finding herself a man who isn't from the enclave it seems. Nevermind that these are dragons, the very creatures that threaten our existence.

  The dragon reaches
out and shakes her hand though, smirking at her. "Ezra," he says, his voice smooth. He winks at her, and it's pretty obvious he's enjoying her little flirtation.

  I let out a sigh, then shake my head. "It might be best for you guys to leave soon," I tell them, as much as it pains me. "I will speak with Surem and the others, see if I can persuade them to change their mind, but if you guys stick around here, he's planning on making you leave by force."

  Even before the words leave my mouth, I know they won't go over well. Everyone tenses up and I watch as they all exchange glances. None of them look pleased with the prospect, but neither do they look fearful.

  Lex reaches out and takes Hannah's hand in his, squeezing it. When we lock gazes, I can feel his intensity burning into me. Any other woman would probably balk under his stare, but I manage to keep my shoulders square and meet him. "We're not leaving. Not until we have the blood we need to save her."

  For what seems like a long while, Lex and I stare at each other. No one else speaks, but I can feel the tension radiating off of them. I nod, slowly, letting him know I understand his position. He doesn't want to fight, doesn't want a war between our people, but he will do whatever it takes to protect his mate. And I can't exactly fault him for that.

  Finally, I look over at Lysandra and nod to her. "We should head back," I say at last. If things do come to a boil between the enclave and the Fire Riders, I don't want her to be in the middle of it. I can't risk my sister's life, don't even really want to risk my life. But if Surem orders an assault, I won't have the luxury of denying him.

  Lysandra pouts at me and leans in closer to Ezra for a moment, which makes the dragon chuckle. When she looks up into his face, he grins, then winks at her. "Go on back. I'll be here."

  Still pouting, she nods and stands, walking over and standing next to me. I have to fight down the urge to just grab her and run back to the barrier, drag her back to safety at all costs. But I know they won't hurt her. Even if it comes to a fight, they won't purposely attack someone who means them no harm.

  Before I can walk away though, Galen reaches out and takes my hand. I look down into his eyes and see a softness there, a softness I hadn't expected to see from a dragon. He's so unlike the stories I've heard, and I wish I had a chance to talk to my grandmother before she died. I wish I knew more about my heritage because as much as I am Fae, I also have a dragon's blood coursing through my veins.

  Is that why I'm so hesitant to go to battle against them, I wonder? Do I not want to fight them because they're my people as much as the ones inside the barrier?

  Now, more than ever though, I know these men mean us no harm. It's not just Galen I can trust. It's all of them. They've given me no reason to believe they're here for anything other than help.

  Still, I need to get Hannah back into the barrier where she's safe. Maybe then I can force Surem to sit down and listen to what I have to say. I'm not sure if he'll actually listen, but I need to try. It's the only way we'll be able to keep everyone safe, on both sides of the barrier.

  When I turn back around, Surem appears in front of me, and I curse his damned invisibility. Instinctively, I pull Lysandra back, putting myself between her and Surem. I'm not sure why I move to protect her from him, rather than from the Fire Riders, but I do.

  They all stand immediately, and I can feel their collective presence at my back. Their strength nearly overwhelms me. It knocks the wind out of my lungs and I'm surer than ever. We do not want to fight them. The few fighters we have won't stand a chance against their united strength. Even fighting one of them would lead to many losses on our side. Fighting all of them will lead to our annihilation.

  Surem glares at me. I can feel his anger, and it's directed toward me, not toward them, which is a little surprising. I don't speak though, I just stare at him and wait, wondering if he's here to talk, to drag me back, or if this is the start of his attack against them.

  Finally, he lets out a sigh and glances over my shoulder to where I know Lex is standing. "Come. Let's go inside the barrier and talk before we attract the attention of the Clutch."

  Without another word, he turns and stalks back in the barrier's direction. The tension breaks slightly, and I feel the guys relax. When I look over at them, I see them all exchanging glances before everyone turns to look at Lex. He stares at Surem's back for a moment, then nods, and everyone turns to follow.

  I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. We've avoided battle, at least for now. I just wonder how long that will last.

  5

  Galen

  Keeping my eyes on Katia and Lysandra, I hang back, letting the others go ahead until I'm left alone with Lex at the back of the group. His entire body is still tense, and I wonder if it's because he's still waiting for an ambush or because of something else. He's getting harder and harder to read lately, and my heart aches for him. Though we don't always agree, he is my oldest friend, and I hate seeing things pain him.

  "Were you planning on taking one of them before their leader arrived?" I ask him, keeping my voice as low as possible. I don't want any of the Fae to overhear us. Things are already tense enough without adding more fuel to the fire.

  Lex looks over at me and smirks. "Of course I wasn't. I was going to take both of them."

  The jovial way he says it should lighten my heart, but it doesn't. I hate knowing just how serious he is about that. He doesn't want to hurt them or anyone in the enclave, but I also know he's not willing to let Hannah die. He will go to war against them if that's what it takes to save his mate's life. He will go to war against Amasis if he needs to. There's nothing he won't do to protect her. Nothing.

  And I can't deny that my dragon likes taking Katia with us, of claiming her for myself, just as the dragons of old used to do when they found their mates. It's a primitive idea though, and while it appeals to my dragon, it doesn't quite appeal to me. Nor do I think Katia will appreciate it either. No, she will want to be courted, and I like that idea much better.

  I look at Katia and Lysandra and Surem. My heart skips a beat as I watch Katia walking ahead of us. I don't want to risk doing anything that might put her in harm's way. "Will you give me time to convince her? She already wants to help us. Maybe if this Surem still refuses, I can convince her to come with us voluntarily."

  Lex looks over at me and studies me for a while. Finally, he nods, but then he fixes me with his gaze again. "I can't give you long though," he says, then his gaze flickers over to Hannah, and I understand.

  She's been getting weaker and weaker lately, even with Lex constantly giving her venom. He's had to bite her more often, too. I'm not sure how much longer she will last at this rate. With a sigh, I nod, then pick up the pace to catch up with Katia, walking alongside next to her, the opposite side from Lysandra. Katia lifts up her green eyes to me when I approach and she smiles.

  I smile back, unable to stop myself. Gods, this woman is something special, I think. Just a simple smile from her is enough to put me at ease. Even with all the pressure mounting around us, I know as long as I have her by my side, we'll make things work somehow. One way or another, in the end, we can succeed, if we work together.

  When we approach the barrier, my entire body tenses. For a brief moment, I wonder if this is all part of their plan. Will they trick us into walking into the barrier and having it wipe our memories? If that happens, what will become of Hannah? Will we forget all about the enclave, forget about the one option we have for saving her life?

  Then Katia reaches out and takes my hand in hers, squeezing it gently, and I know it will all be okay. This isn't a trap, she's telling me. We can trust them. Trust her.

  And she's right. We all pass straight through the barrier, and I wonder why we're able to. Is there some kind of trick to getting through it? Does it only open for someone with Fae blood? But I don't have time to question her about it right now. I'll save it for later when we're alone.

  Sures leads us through a maze of tents and small shelters. People a
re watching us with curiosity, but I don't sense any animosity from them. They all seem happy, safe. I envy them, wondering what it would have been like to have lived here for all those years, rather than constantly running around the country, staying nowhere for too long.

  Sures finally leads us to a large tent, looking like something a Boudin prince would use. It's large and lavish, yet still portable, and I wonder if the entire enclave moves around regularly too. Is that why they've stayed safe for so long? Between their barrier and constantly roaming the desert, I can see how it's hard for Amasis and the Clutch to find them.

  And I can see why Surem doesn't want us sticking around here. He has just as much to lose, if not more, if Amasis finds this place. At least for us, it's just us. He has an entire enclave of men, women, and children he has to consider. So as much as we want him to help us, he can't risk all of that for Hannah. He just can't.

  I hope Lex understands that, too.

  At the far end of the tent was a wooden throne and Surem took his seat up there, looking every bit like a regal prince holding court. And to these people, he probably is. I just hope he and Lex can come to an agreement without coming to blows. These people have enough reason to fear dragons. We don't need to add to that fear.

  "Why do you all stay in New Mexico?" Lex asks Surem, standing before him proudly. Surem may be trying to intimidate Lex by sitting upon his throne, but it doesn't seem to faze him. By then, why should it? Lex and I have lived to see many kings and queens and world leaders come and go. Few of them ever had much influence on us.

  Surem looks annoyed at Lex's sudden question, but he answers anyway. "There's a ley line that runs through New Mexico. It enhances Fae powers, so we stick close to it, moving every so often just in case." When Lex doesn't immediately ask another question, he leans forward. "Now, tell me your story and what you request of us."

  I rein in the urge to tap my foot in impatience as Lex tells Hannah's story, pleads her case, once more. I wonder how many more times we must do this before we'll get what we need. I'm hoping Surem will give in once he's heard Lex's case. That will make things so much easier. But judging by the Fae man's frown, I doubt that's what's about to happen.