by Lia Davis
Sorrow twined around her heart, squeezing. “My mom was Inuit. Muktuk is her father, my grandfather.”
“Aww. I knew you had a connection with him.”
“My mom died with I was young.” She fought off the tears, not wanting to break down in front of him. The feelings were too raw, especially with the sighting of the beast—probably the same beast that had taken her mother away.
As if sensing her change in mood, Luke lifted her chin with his fingers. “I’m sorry.”
Something dark passed over his features, like a memory haunted him. He’d lost someone, too. She didn’t know how she knew it, but she did.
Letting out a sigh, she took his hand from her chin and rested it on her cheek. His warmth seeped into her, calming her, and she closed her eyes briefly. She pulled away, immediately sensing the loss of his touch.
She changed the subject. “Do you see your parents often?”
“Not as much as I’d like. But I do talk to them weekly. If I miss a call, Mom contacts my whole team until she gets answers.” He kicked off his boots and sat sideways, slipping a foot under his leg. Reaching over, he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I might be a mama’s boy.”
A giggle burst from her and she covered her mouth. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”
She yawned. “It’s late. We should get to sleep if we’re to get up at dawn to fly out.”
“We’re going to find her. But yeah, let’s get some rest.”
“We will find her.” She took his hand. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being here. Checking on me.” She didn’t dare say anything more. A man like Luke Snow could steal her heart.
And possibly break it.
She rose and offered a gentle smile she hoped didn’t look fake. “Good night, Luke.” As much as she wasn’t looking for a date, she had to admit that being with Luke was both exciting and comforting at the same time.
She wasn’t sure how to feel.
“Night, Mac.”
Chapter Five
Luke held the gun in front of him, ready. His pulse quickened as the fear and rage battled inside him. The urgency of finding Jo gripped his heart, then his lungs. He choked back the sensation. No time to let emotions run wild.
He had to find her.
Ice pellets tumbled from the dark sky and struck his face like a million tiny needles. As he eased forward, he sniffed the air and peered into the night.
Where was Jo? She had to be nearby.
Cold settled in his bones, deep and painful. That didn’t make sense. He was an ice dragon. The freezing temperatures shouldn’t affect him. Yet, every shiver hurt, almost like his body was covered in bruises. The odor of burnt ozone hung in the air, and the faint hiss of ice hitting the snowy ground was white noise in his ears.
Something was definitely wrong, he sensed it. Felt in his soul.
No matter how peaceful the darkness was, letting his guard down wasn’t an option.
The rogue dragon was nearby, and that meant danger lurked.
Old and powerful, it lay in wait. Luke’s dragon knew it was there and demanded to be released to battle the beast. To destroy it and protect his mate.
Luke had to keep going—had to find Jo before something bad happened to her. Before she died. Something nagged at his thoughts, but he couldn’t figure out what it was.
Teeth chattering, he peered into the darkness but saw nothing, even with his dragon vision. If only he had a flashlight or lantern. A breeze picked up, circling him, and the intense cold and ice almost seared his skin.
His skin? He felt his torso, then his arms.
He was naked.
What the hell?
What was going on? Why was he outside in the Alaskan snow without clothing? The gun wasn’t going to keep him from freezing to death.
A light blinked ahead of him, momentarily blinding him. Hope bloomed from within. The flash settled into a blue glow, and he jogged toward it. Maybe it would hold the clue to where Jo was. She had to be out in the snow somewhere, and he was going to find her. Naked or not, he’d do whatever it took to save her.
Evil laughter split the air and sent a shiver up Luke’s spine.
Adrenaline pumped through his veins, warming him from the inside. His dragon snarled. Who or what was laughing at him?
Suddenly, the ground shook and seemed to buckle underfoot as he walked closer to the light.
Jo was out there somewhere. Nearby.
Directly in front of him, a cool blue mist spun in the night air, backlit as if a bright light shimmered behind the cloudy curtain. Luke made his way closer, each step a burden as his legs grew heavier and his feet froze.
The mist swirled hypnotically, and he almost lost his balance in its motion. Shaking off the dizziness, he held his arms out, gun in hand. His heart hammered, and his mouth went dry. She had to be on the other side of the mist. Why else was it lit up?
“Jo,” he called. “Where are you?”
A whimper echoed around him. His heart skipped a few beats while dread and hope swirled in his chest.
The center of the mist cleared, like a door, and on the other side lay Jo, on her back, chained to a large stone slate with straps holding her arms and legs tightly. She appeared to be in a cave lit from within.
Luke moved closer, and a blast of warmth spilled through the opening in the portal, hitting Luke’s face in waves. He continued forward, gun tight in his grip, teeth clamped in concentration. He stared at the chained figure on the rock. What the hell had happened?
“Is it really you?” His voice carried, magnified in the dark night.
When he reached the edge of the portal, an invisible force or energy stopped him. The mist swirled again and formed a solid barrier he couldn’t push through. How would he get into the cave?
On the heels of that thought, a flock of crows swarmed through the air above him and the portal, cackling and screaming. The sound pierced through the silent night, hurting his oversensitive hearing. He held his ears till the horde passed.
Stranger and stranger.
Focusing back on Jo, he tried to connect with her. ‘Please hear me.’ For a brief moment, she glanced his way, her eyes wide and haunting, reflecting something he couldn’t decipher. Her clothing was in tatters, her face bruised and dirty.
Jo!
Happiness filled his heart for a second when Jo met his gaze with her bright eyes. Then her face swirled like the mist—melting and changing until Jo was unrecognizable. What the fuck? Within seconds, Mac stared at him from the chains.
He gasped and stumbled back a few steps. How was that possible?
The cold no longer clutched him but an internal terror iced his veins like a sharp knife drawn across butter.
Mac! What in the world was going on? Luke wondered if he’d finally cracked, lost his mind to the madness that lay on the other side of heartbreak. Was he going rogue? Submitting to the rage and bloodlust?
He continued his backward motion, falling onto the ground in his rush to escape the nightmare. Because that was what it was. None of this was real.
His mind played tricks on him, testing his sanity.
Jo was gone. Dead. He remembered.
He was in Alaska to grieve and move on. To heal and say his final good-bye to the love he’d lost. His body shook from the cold, but he’d be dead if he were really out in Alaska naked. He looked at the gun. Could it even fire?
The shit show was worsening.
He’d lost Jo, and now another beast was trying to take Mac from him. He was sure of it. A larger, more dangerous dragon with no remnant of humanity left.
Luke sensed it now, as clear as day.
The ice dragon he was about to face would be one of the most difficult DSD would ever deal with. He cradled his gun. One bullet wouldn’t stop it. But maybe he could slow the beast down.
He had to free Mac and get her to safety. Real or imagined, he couldn’t leave her in the cave.
; Ice cracked, splitting the air with a honed sharpness, sending icicle stalactites falling, straight for Mac. She screamed as several pierced her body. Then she fell still, trails of blood dripping from the wounds.
The mist cleared, and Luke stood in the cave beside Mac.
The dragon was there, too, staring and smiling. A wave of nausea hit Luke, and he swallowed down the bile that rose in his throat.
The ice dragon towered over them, its white scales a snowcapped, impenetrable armor. Sharp, silver teeth made to maim and beady, green eyes with nothing but hate pooled in them gave the monster an appearance he’d not soon forget. Smoke puffed from its mouth as it dragged in a breath, its gaze never wavering.
In another second, the beast hovered over Mac, ripping her bonds free as its wings beat the air with heavy thumps.
Luke couldn’t move.
Paralyzed, he watched as the dragon pulled closer, letting the chains fall to the ground with a ‘clank’. Mac cried out, alive but weak and likely unaware of what was happening. Her head lolled back, and her eyes fluttered but stayed closed.
The beast turned to Luke, flashing its teeth in a bitter dragon smile, strings of saliva dripping from its maw.
Inside his head, Luke heard it speak.
Join me. It’s the only way to save your female.
The beast sank its claws into Mac’s throat, and bloody trails leaked over her olive skin and dripped onto the cave floor.
Luke screamed.
Strands of the nightmare haunted Luke’s mind and soul as he entered the small plane, ducking his head and squeezing into the cockpit. Mac was already onboard, sitting in the pilot’s seat, flipping levers and pushing buttons. The headset over her ears made her look like a panda.
A cute panda.
“Ready to go?” she asked, not looking at him. “Latch that door. We don’t want to go flying out when we’re eight thousand feet up.”
Luke locked the door and gave it a tug. It didn’t budge. He twisted in his seat to find the seat belt. “Tight fit.”
Mac smiled. “I don’t often have a copilot. Most people sit in the back.”
He glanced over his shoulder at the small cargo area. Two jump seats were folded on the wall, and a couple of cabinets were bolted to the floor. Must be medical supplies. “Not too many people would fit.”
Mac started the plane up, and the vibrations tingled through him. “No, usually only one or two. I transport really sick or injured people to the nearest hospital. Besides that, I don’t need a large plane. Nor can I afford one. Most the villagers can’t pay for healthcare. I work out of a Fairbanks clinic a week each month for extra cash to help out my people.”
Luke smiled and watched her flip another lever, then taxi the plane over the snow, turning it to face the small runway just outside the village.
Mac had a kind heart and obviously loved her people. She was a good person.
“Ready?” she asked.
Glancing at the runway, he frowned. Hell, runway was a big word for that little thing. Luke shook his head. It was barely an airstrip. He gripped the sides of his seat and tensed up.
He much preferred air travel by dragon wings.
“I guess. Need any help?”
She pushed a button and held tight to the yoke. “Nope. Buckle up and sit back. When we’re airborne, you’ll be the primary eyes in our search. Grab that headset so you can hear me better.”
He clicked the seat belt and slipped on the headset. After a moment of silence, he said, “We’re going to find her.”
She nodded but didn’t speak. Her mouth was set in a firm line, and Luke wondered how much she’d slept. He’d crashed on the couch but had heard her up several times in the hours before dawn, pacing in her room. Her worry had scented the air, fueling his own.
His dragon had been hyperaware that their mate roamed so close, and Luke had a difficult time staying asleep, too. He couldn’t remember many nights that had seemed so long.
When he did sleep, nightmares clouded any rest he might have gotten. He hadn’t been able to shake the dream with Jo and Mac in it. If anything, he was more intent on finding the ice dragon and killing it before it could get near Mac.
“Here we go.” Mac accelerated, and the hum of the plane filled his ears. “Hang on.”
Nothing like rushing down a snowy landing strip then careening into the sky to get his heart rate up. He clenched his teeth. Mac was an experienced pilot, and he shouldn’t have been worrying, but Snow preferred to be in control.
The tiny plane lifted with little effort, and he breathed a sigh of relief. As the village fell away beneath them, the blue dome of the sky brightened in the early dawn with barely a cloud in sight. Mountains punctuated the horizon, and the ground was white in every direction. The plane banked, and he watched the village grow smaller. A herd of caribou sprinted across the snow not far from where his cabin was located.
“We should look to the west of the village first.” He scanned the area. “How low can we fly? I want to make sure we get a good look.”
“I can stay at about eight thousand in this area, but we’ll need to go higher in the mountains. Do you really think they could’ve gotten that far?” She tugged the yoke gently. “It would be better if I could fly a helicopter. We could fly a lot lower and search more thoroughly.”
“Too much wind up here for a helicopter. It would be hard to maintain.” He watched a bear and its cubs skate over an icy pond. “I have no idea how far the beast could’ve traveled with Elisipie. I think we should search all the way to the mountains.”
The females had been in a cave in the dream. It was much too real to dismiss as a possible vision of reality—even if a partial one.
“Will do. We’ll make our way there.” She glanced out her window and pointed. “That’s the forested area where we were last night.”
Luke looked down. From the vantage point in the airplane, the trees looked small, but he’d learned the night before how large it was when hiking through it. No people in sight.
The villagers were forming teams and heading back out to search in a couple of hours. With them combing the ground and he and Mac in the sky, someone was bound to find something.
Hopefully Elisipie.
“I don’t see anything down there.” Luke scanned the area between trees. “I’m sure the search teams will cover that area well.”
The plane’s engine noise leveled off as they sailed lower, and the slight hint of fuel mixed with the air. It teased Luke’s senses, but he pushed it away. Mac flipped the heater lever higher, and the rush of warmth made Luke’s skin tingle.
The dream had tormented him, and he still couldn’t shake it. Seeing Jo morph to Mac, and then knowing both were taken by the dragon… It was almost more than he could bear. One mate already dead from a rogue dragon’s insanity, and now another one was threatened.
He glanced at Mac. Her full lips were in a half pout, and the sunglasses she wore were too big for her face, yet somehow, they fit her. His dragon rumbled with need.
Luke would never let the ice dragon take Mac away. He might not be ready for a mate, but there was no way he was going to let something happen to her.
“Keep scanning the ground. I’m going to go back and forth in a wide arc west of the village since it seems the most likely place she would be. When we’re done with this area, I’ll head toward the mountains.”
“Okay.” Luke stared at the ground below, looking for anything that might be a clue to the location of the dragon. One thing was for sure—he wasn’t going to be able to do it alone. There was too much ground to cover. He needed help from the DSD team.
“I’m sorry I ran last night.” Mac’s voice hitched, breaking the long silence between them. “This whole beast thing strikes a nerve with me. Makes me jumpy.”
He paused before answering. “I can tell. And don’t worry about it. We all react to things differently. I was concerned about you, that’s all. That’s why I came to check on you at your house.”
Luke ran his hand through his hair. He’d certainly sensed she was hiding something but had figured she’d share it with him when she was ready. It wasn’t like he’d been completely honest with her, either.
“What is it? What haven’t you told me?”
Mac banked the plane and soared over the forest again. “It’s a long story.”
“We’ve got time. I can look for Elisipie and listen.” He was too curious now that she’d started talking.
“Okay.” She blew out a long breath. “A dragon came to our village before on one of the nights when the aurora lit the sky. He took someone then, too. This may be the same beast.”
He waited, not wanting to interrupt, all the while scanning the ground for anything that might be helpful.
“My mother.” The words came out in a rush. Luke jerked his gaze to her, dread heating his insides. She added, “The damn beast kidnapped her.”
Luke swallowed down the bile that rose in his throat. “Oh my gods, Mac. Why didn’t you say something? You had no business out looking for that creature last night. You’re too close to this.”
“I have to help. I can’t let the beast harm anyone else.” She wouldn’t make eye contact. The scent of fear and anger filled the small plane, hitting him in the heart. “I won’t let it.”
“I understand, but still, you need to take care of yourself, too. When did the dragon take your mother?” He twisted in his seat and watched the ground zoom by.
She paused, her lower lip quivering. Determination filled her gaze, and she gripped the yoke tightly.
“I was a young child, but I remember it as clearly as if it happened yesterday. Similar to how it took Elisipie. My mom had gone outside to check the mail late, and the dragon just flew off with her. Grabbed her by the shoulders and swept her into the air. No one saw it but me and Dad. Some villagers scoffed, ignoring the facts and not believing there was a beast at all, and others helped us look for her. My father was gone for days trying to find her, leaving me in the care of my grandmother in the village. When he came back, I saw how his shoulders drooped and he hung his head.”