by Demi Dumond
The moment she and I united, she was joined not just to me, but to the pack as well. I could feel her magic reaching out to Ivy.
It was very impressive. And the rest of the pack could feel it too, how she was using her magic to help Ivy. In this situation, she was probably Ivy’s only hope.
The next rumble knocked me off my feet. Keira tumbled forward into Ivy’s circle.
Then a shadow fell across the moon, across the fire, and across the circle where Ivy sat, still motionless.
Keira and I looked up to see the dragon staring down at us. We were out of time.
“Get out of here,” I yelled to Keira.
“No,” Keira answered. “I know how to help Ivy. Stand back.”
The dragon snorted and took a step forward. My wolf snarled and begged to be released. I fought him back.
Compared to the dragon’s massive size, I was nearly helpless in this human form, but if I shifted, I wouldn’t be able to help Ivy get away from the bonfire.
I picked up a nearby rock and went to the other side of the fire, drawing the dragon’s gaze. “Wanna play?” I shouted. “Play with me.”
It followed me with is eyes until I stopped, then it pawed at the earth and snorted. I stood straighter, allowing the wolf inside me to snarl at the dragon. I showed him that I wasn’t about to back down. I had to give Keira enough time to free Ivy from the spell.
That’s when it charged. The ground shook again, knocking me to the ground. The timing surprised me, and the rock rolled out of my hand and out of reach.
I had no weapon and no choice but to leap out of the way of the rampaging dragon. I made sure to leap in the direction of several larger rocks. I grabbed one before jumping back onto my feet.
The dragon’s claw missed me by inches. Luckily it wasn’t very maneuverable. It roared in frustration, passing me by before turning around for another charge. This time I was ready.
As soon as it turned to face me, I launched one of the rocks at its face. To my surprise, it dodged the missile easily, like it knew it was coming.
Then it opened its mouth and shot out a blast of flame in my direction. Because I had already jumped out of the way, I was hemmed in by the fire to my left and a strand of trees to my right. I did the only thing I could, I turned and ran further into the forest, the flames licking at the back of my heels.
When the heat finally died down, I turned and launched another rock at its face, quicker this time, and on target.
There was a satisfying smack sound as the rock made contact with the beast. It wouldn’t do any permanent damage, but it made me feel better and it was a hell of a distraction. If I didn’t have its attention before, I sure as hell did now.
The dragon charged again, and it looked angry. I sprinted to get to the other side of the fire, hoping the dragon would have to go around. It was my only chance.
It worked, only it turned left instead of right, heading straight toward Keira and Ivy. “No,” I screamed.
The next thing I heard was a roar of flame. I ran to the other side of the fire. Keira’s back was to the beast, and she was shielding the still unresponsive Ivy with her body. Her jeans were on fire.
“I was able to break the spell,” Keira shouted, “now you have to get her the hell out of here!”
Keira went to work slapping out the fire on her jeans and Ivy stirred, looking around like she was waking up groggy from a long night’s sleep.
I had to do something. The dragon had turned to face the girls again. It took another deep breath and that only meant one thing. More fire. “Run,” I screamed to Keira, sprinting toward her like a madman.
“No,” she screamed back. “I’m not leaving her.”
That left me no choice, I already had a head of steam, so I aimed right for the giant beast and slammed into it with all the force I could muster. It was like cow-tipping, if cows were as big as dinosaurs and breathed fire. Also, to my dismay, it did not fall over.
I did manage to slam straight into its chest area, causing it to suck in a breath instead of breathing out fire. This seemed to cause all kinds of consternation for the beast, who took several steps back and lifted up its wings for stability. It belched fire straight up into the air, an impressive display that even managed to temporarily block out the moon.
I ran to where Keira and Ivy were before the beast could recover. “Great job,” I said to Keira, helping Ivy up. “Now let’s get out of here.”
“Go,” Keira said. “I still have to perform the spell.”
“Keira, no,” I pleaded. “I really pissed it off. That thing’s dangerous!”
Keira turned to me and pulled me into a quick kiss, then she released me. “You know I have to do this. Take care of her.”
She was right, and the only chance she’d have is if I took Ivy away fast enough for her to face the dragon on her own terms. I felt her determination to do the spell, and her bravery in saving Ivy.
I grabbed Ivy and carried her back toward the academy. I had never been prouder of anybody in my life. After what she did tonight, the pack was going to welcome her with open arms. If she lived.
21
Keira
I felt a wave of relief as Rafe carried Ivy back toward the safety of the academy. It was so strange feeling a part of something like the pack. I could feel Ivy now, and she could feel me.
And Rafe was a constant distraction to my mind, emotions, and senses. I could still smell his scent and feel his touch. It was going to take some getting used to, but now was not the time.
The dragon charged at me, and I darted toward the bonfire, having seen out of my peripheral vision the evasive maneuvers Rafe had tried before.
Then I prepared to call my magic. “Okay, you,” I said out loud to the dragon. “I knocked you on your ass before, I can do it again, but I don’t want to.”
I assumed my stance and called my magic. It came in a rush, like it was already waiting. It flowed through me, filling my senses. It was humming so loud I almost couldn’t hear what was happening around me.
I had never felt anything like it before. My fingers were snapping and popping with electricity. What the fuck was going on? Maybe it was the fire or the full moon or the magic from the enchanted dragon that I believed was really a student. Whatever it was, I wasn’t really in control of this magic. It didn’t feel bad, though, it felt good. I felt powerful.
Much to my surprise, the dragon stopped in his tracks, like he understood what I was saying. Like he didn’t want me to zap him again. He narrowed its eyes at me, and the expression he wore would haunt my dreams. He was indeed a tortured soul.
I closed my eyes and concentrated.
No, Keira, it’ll kill you. I heard Rafe’s worried voice in my head. I blocked it out for now, happy with the idea that he was at least keeping an eye on me.
But now I had to focus. I reached out to the dragon with my magic, eyes closed. I sent as close to a visual representation of what I intended to do as I could, considering I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing.
I just had an idea that it would work. The magic flowing through me was more than happy to take over from there. I could feel it.
After a moment, I opened my eyes to see what was going on. When I did, I nearly fell over. The dragon was right in front of me, close enough for me to reach out and touch him. And yet it wasn’t threatening, or snorting, or taking in a deep breath to roast me like a smore. If he had wanted to, I’d be dead already.
I looked up into those giant, feral, glowing eyes. “I can help you. You know that, don’t you?”
The dragon stood there. He seemed to be as mesmerized by me as I was of him. Somehow, I knew he wasn’t going to hurt me. I closed my eyes again.
I’m not going to hurt you. I’ve heard your voice in my head. For months. Hear my voice now. I’ve studied a spell that I think will return you to your normal form. I’m not trying to hurt you. Any attempt to hurt me, and you’re probably fucked because nobody else is going to trek out here t
o try this. Okay? Are we clear?
I opened my eyes. The dragon was still breathing and staring, but motionless and not aggressive. Ok, here goes. I assumed my magical stance again. I felt the magic pull at me from within. The spell I had studied was there. It was powerful, swirling within and fighting to get out. It was like this was meant to happen. I didn’t feel like a mage anymore. Right now, I felt like a vessel.
It was so strange. I focused the magic and made sure that my hands and fingertips were pointed in the right direction. Then I released.
For a moment, everything went electric. To my eyes it looked like the entire forest lit up in a blinding display. Then, just as quickly, everything went completely dark. I felt my body hit the damp earth of the forest floor.
22
Keira
The next thing I knew, Rafe, in human form, was kneeling next to me, waking me up. “Keira,” he said, “are you okay?”
I opened my eyes. My body hurt, my head hurt, even my brain hurt. I groaned. I glanced around at the dying fire and the circling wolves. “What happened?”
“Whoa,” Rafe said. “Stay down for a few minutes and drink this.” He handed me another flask.
Unfortunately, he was wearing clothes. How long had I been out? “I’m not sure more vodka is a good idea,” I said, “unless it’s a known cure for headaches.”
“It’s an energy drink,” he laughed. “Ivy got it for you from your room. She says it’s your favorite.”
“Ivy’s helping me? Great,” I said, “now I know I have a head injury.”
“C’mon, sleeping beauty,” Ivy said, extending a hand to help me up. “Let’s get you back into the academy before you try to convert any more monsters into humans.”
“What?” I asked, looking around. “What happened? Where’s the dragon?”
“He says his name is Tor,” Ivy said. “And you were right. He wasn’t just a dragon.”
I wobbled up to my feet, being aided by Ivy and Rafe. I looked from one to the other to see if they were serious. I saw the compassion in Ivy’s face, and it was directed at me, and I was confused.
And then the previous events started coming back to my mind and I felt guilty. “I’m so sorry, Ivy. I kind of hooked up with your boyfriend.”
“Ex-boyfriend,” she said with a smirk. “And trust me, you can have him.”
I looked at Rafe and he had a smile on his face too. It looked like they had worked it out. That made me happy.
“Thanks,” I said. I knew I sounded drunk. Whether that was from the amount of forbidden magic in the spell I had apparently pulled off or the vodka I had drank earlier remained to be seen. “Where is he? Tor, that’s a cool name.”
Rafe helped me get the energy drink back to my lips so that I could take another pull. “Drink up, Keira, or it’ll take forever for us to get you back to your room.”
Once we got back to our dorm room, I was starting to feel better. Rafe went ahead and opened the door with Ivy’s room key and then we all went inside.
My eyes immediately went to the partially dressed and very smelly guy lying on the couch in the sitting area. My fingers went to my nose for a moment and then I put them down. I didn’t want to offend him.
Looking at Ivy and Rafe, I wondered what to do. Clearly, they expected me to know what to do next, which was funny. The whole thing was my idea. And yet I was still surprised that the spell actually worked, and he was here, sitting in my room, in human form. It didn’t seem real at all. Except for the smell.
Rafe and Ivy set me in the chair opposite the dragon-turned-man on the couch and then stood between us, just in case. They were trying to protect me. Tor may be a human now, but none of us knew what to expect. “What do we do with him,” Rafe whispered.
“I think you should help him take a shower, Rafe” Ivy said. “Let’s start there. And some new clothes.”
I stared at Tor, who was sleeping peacefully. His dark skin, curly dark hair, and exquisitely sculpted physique could have easily landed him on a magazine cover.
Even in his current condition, he was a specimen with muscled arms, bulging biceps, and knotted calves.
He wore what looked to be a white tank top that had long ago succumbed to the elements so that it was neither white, nor did it cover any of his chiseled, dirty abs.
His ripped jeans looked more like tattered shorts hanging down. They barely covered his bulging package. He was covered in dirt and soot, which at this point was hiding more skin than the clothes. One thing was for sure, the smell and the dirt were probably never going to come out of that couch.
But there was something else too, something more. My eyes roamed his body and I wanted every inch of him. My desire felt more than physical, and it was overwhelming.
I knew that I was attracted to Malachai’s dark magic, but this felt like that times a hundred. I felt it inside of me, where the magic was, where my power was.
The buzzing electricity inside me was more stirred up than ever. It was threatening to spill over into my consciousness. That had never happened.
I knew from the moment in the cave that there was an overwhelming connection between the two of us, but now that he was right here in the room it was threatening to overpower me.
“Hey, wait. Why does he still have clothes on if he’s been a dragon all of these years?” I asked. I blurted it out before I could take it back. Then I hoped that nobody in the room took it the way I meant it, that I wanted him to take the clothes that he had off. All of them. I felt my cheeks heat and tried to turn off the X-rated thoughts that were playing in my head.
“You’re the forbidden magic expert,” Ivy said. “You tell us.”
“I only have a couple of books I stole from Malachai who stole them for Kiln,” I said. “Is he hurt?” I was perfectly willing to strip search him if need be.
Thankfully, nobody seemed to notice my growing arousal for Tor. I risked a glance in his direction. That turned out to be a mistake. One that spread a growing heat through my body. Oh boy, I’m in trouble.
“I’m going to run to my room and grab some extra clothes, then I’ll help him get cleaned up,” Rafe said.
I almost detected a hint of jealousy in his voice. And then he was gone.
I looked up to see Tor staring at me. He must have woken up while we were trying to figure out what to do.
I stood from my seat. Then I had to close my eyes and wait for the dizziness to pass. Maybe it was too soon for me to stand up.
“Whoa,” Ivy said. “Maybe you should sit back down.”
“But I want to know if he’s ok. Is he hurt?”
“I know you’re hurt, Keira, so back down you go” Ivy said helping me back into my seat. “And I don’t know if he even speaks English. I know I don’t speak dragon.”
Ivy went over to him and put a hand on Tor’s face. He let her and didn’t move to stop her. A wave of jealousy washed over me. If I weren’t so woozy from my head injury, I would have my hands on his face.
His features were so beautiful it was like his face was carved out of marble like one of those statues in ancient Greece. And then covered in dirt.
“Tor?” Ivy asked softly.
He sat up suddenly, panicked. His eyes were wide, and he looked like a cornered animal. Ivy took a step back as Tor scanned the room. He made eye contact with Ivy and then his gaze turned to me.
His gaze was overwhelming. Both my body and my soul reacted to him. I wondered if I was having the same effect on him. It was hard to tell. I concentrated and tried to send calming thoughts and sympathy his way. When he saw me, his face visibly relaxed. I took that as a good sign.
“Tor,” he said, pointing to himself.
“Hi, Tor, I’m Keira.” I said, pointing to myself. “And this is Ivy.”
His full lips curled up into a half-smile, but his eyes still looked worried. I had to fight the urge to get up, cross the room, and throw my arms around him.
There was a recognition in his eyes as he looked at me. Yet he
still had that wild, feral look. He stared around the room and then he blinked a couple of times as he looked around the dorm room with keen interest.
“Inside,” he said slowly, concentrating on the meaning of the word. “I’m inside the academy?”
We nodded at him.
“I guess he does speak our language,” Ivy said. She sounded surprised. She pulled a chair up next to mine and sat down.
“Yes, this is Blood Moon Academy,” I said. “You were a student here at one time, right? Was that your backpack I saw in the cave?” I asked.
The cave. A chill washed over me as I remembered that dark and terrifying night. And those glowing, feral eyes staring down at me in the cave. He was a very real dragon just a little while ago, and now he was sitting on the couch talking to me. It’s what I wanted, but it was difficult to wrap my head around.
He nodded, seemingly choked up.
I felt an anger rising inside of me. Who did this to him? And what could he have done to deserve it? Then, for the first time, worry washed over me. Had he done something awful? Was he dangerous?
Or maybe his situation was like the me and the headmaster? I hadn’t done anything, and he was just looking for a way to get rid of me. Maybe it was the same for him.
“Were you a student when this happened to you?”
He nodded again. And unless I was crazy, instead of a sadness, I could see anger lurking behind those eyes.
That’s when Rafe burst back in with a change of clothes. “What’d I miss?” he asked.
Ivy stood up when Rafe entered the room. The two of them might not be a couple anymore, but he was still the alpha here at the academy. “Well, stinky over here-no offense, is starting to come out of his shell and Keira’s asking him twenty questions.”
I rolled my eyes at Ivy before turning back to Tor. “I only have one more question for now. Who did this to you? Was it Headmaster Crowe?” I asked.