by Susan Illene
The struggling man gripped a hand-held radio in his good hand, holding it like a lifeline as he shouted into it for help. He managed to keep crawling at the same time. Aidan could not speak all that intelligibly in dragon form, and he couldn’t afford to shift again. It had taken too much of his energy already and the bullet wounds in his stomach made matters worse. He pointed at the radio, and hoped he could make his point.
“Call them off,” he said in a thick, growly voice.
The man’s eyes widened on him, and he began to shake. Cursing inwardly, Aidan pulled a camrium blanket from shiggara and picked up the wounded male as carefully as he could. Then he took off out of the building, carrying his passenger away from town toward the waiting vehicles a few miles away. The whole time he put up with the man wiggling and crying in pain. It was all he could do to keep his passenger away from his wounded stomach. Why couldn’t the damn human have just cooperated? Aidan didn’t know if this was the boss, but even if he wasn’t he might still be useful.
He landed and laid the human on the ground in front of where Bailey and her friends stood. After pulling the camrium blanket from the man’s face, he backed away. His last flight had taken a lot out of him, and he had to stay on all four limbs to remain upright. At least with him in this position they wouldn’t notice his wounds.
“What happened?” Bailey asked, giving the man on the ground a horrified look.
Aidan turned to his uncle. Get the burn medicine and tell the sorceress to help this man.
“Why did you bring him?” Kade gave him a puzzled look.
If we heal him, he may tell his people to let us pass.
“We could try killing every one of them that gets in our way instead.”
Aidan had thought of that, especially considering how much his stomach hurt from where they shot him. He was angry, and the beast within him wanted nothing more than to lay waste to every stinking human he could find in that town. That wasn’t the right way to do things, though.
There are too many people there—some of them possibly innocent—and it would take too long to get them all. He glanced back at the city. And we must show them that if they cooperate, they will not be harmed. This is our chance to begin building relations with humans in our territory.
“What is he saying?” Bailey asked.
Kade explained the situation to her, finishing with, “…and Aidan doesn’t want to kill them all.”
Miles grunted. “I’m willing to bet the ones shooting are criminals, anyway. It wouldn’t be that big of a loss.”
“No.” Bailey shook her head. “Aidan is right. We need to use this as an opportunity to help them learn to cooperate.”
Kade sighed. “I’ll get the ointment.”
Danae kneeled next to the man and looked him over. “I’ve never treated burn injuries like this before. I’m not sure how much I can do for him.”
“Do what you can. The ointment Aidan’s uncle is bringing will help.”
The sorceress tore away the remnants of cloth near the man’s wounds and made a sound of distress. “This is bad.”
Kade returned with the ointment and handed it to her. “This won’t fully heal burns that deep, but it will ease his pain and assist the skin in knitting back together.”
She frowned at the glass bottle. “What is it?”
“Don’t ask,” Bailey said, grimacing. “It helped Conrad once so I know it works.”
The young man in question shot a dirty look at Aidan. “Yeah, it definitely helps if you get too close to a shifter for too long.”
Aidan wasn’t about to apologize for a minor incident that happened over six months ago. Conrad had put his nose where it didn’t belong and got in Aidan’s way. The young man should have been grateful he didn’t have to suffer through his little skin burn for long.
Danae took a moment to examine the ointment and sniff it. Once satisfied, she poured a dollop of it onto her fingertips and started rubbing it on the injured male’s wounds. He struggled against her touch. Conrad and Miles dropped to the ground and held the guy’s shoulders while Danae continued to work. She chanted healing words as she rubbed the gel-like substance onto his arm and then on his leg. Within a few minutes, the man’s ragged breaths eased, and his body relaxed. Aidan hadn’t expected much, but her powers were even stronger than he’d presumed. They all watched as the skin and muscles began regenerating.
“Holy shit, girl,” Conrad said, easing back on his heels. “This guy is going to be almost good as new.”
Danae’s brows were furrowed in concentration. The energy crackled around her as she worked. “Not quite yet,” she muttered.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.” Kade stared at her in awe. “She doesn’t only have the healing touch—she is the very essence of a true healer.”
And this is only after training for a few months, Aidan replied.
“One such as her is beyond priceless.”
Miles glared at Kade. “Don’t get any ideas. She is not up for grabs.”
Phoebe arrived during the healing, shifting into human form, and shared her own surprise before giving them an update. “The road block is clear and the humans have withdrawn from the edge of town. I don’t think they’re ready to give up yet, though.”
“What makes you say that?” Bailey asked.
“When I tried to get closer they shot at me.”
Danae let out a sigh of exhaustion. “That’s it. That’s all I can do.”
Everyone glanced down at the man on the ground. His skin was still somewhat mottled and pink, but she’d restored most of his missing tissue. He’d likely have some mobility problems for the rest of his life and would never regain full strength, but he’d live and survive to fight another day.
“That’s amazing,” Bailey said, giving Danae’s tense shoulders a rub. “You did great.”
The man’s eyes had been glazed with pain, but now they were beginning to clear. Aidan directed his attention to his uncle. Tell him to use his radio to call his people off. He should mention we saved him, but this is the only mercy we shall give. If they cross us again, we will not hold back next time.
Kade dipped his chin. Then he leaned down and gave the human his hardest look. “Tell your people to let us pass safely through town. That is all we want, but if they attack us again, there will be no mercy the next time.”
The man looked around at all of them, pausing for a moment on Aidan. Then he lifted the radio he’d been gripping since they left the building and spoke into it. “This is Granger. I’m ordering all of you to stand down. There are two trucks that are going to pass through going…?”
“We’re taking Highway 270 all the way through town,” Miles answered.
Granger repeated the information. After he’d made his instructions clear, he looked up. “There won’t be any more trouble.”
“There better not be,” Kade warned.
I will return him to town, Aidan said to his uncle. Then he looked at Phoebe. Stay with them and escort them all the way. After I have returned the human to where I found him, I will fly ahead to ensure his people followed his instructions.
She narrowed her eyes. “Brother, you are wounded. I can smell the blood.”
It is nothing. The half hour it had taken for Danae to heal Granger had bought Aidan’s body time to start healing itself. He was still weak, but not as much as before.
“Wait.” Bailey moved toward him, running her gaze over him. “You’re hurt?”
Aidan pressed his nose into her stomach and let out a breath of steam. Sister, tell her I am fine.
Phoebe let out a sigh. “He’s fine. I think it’s just a flesh wound.”
“Are you sure?” Bailey asked, knitting her brows. She still hadn’t figured out Aidan’s injuries were on his stomach, and her sense of smell wasn’t as acute as the shifters. “You said there was blood.”
“It’s not much, and you know he’s not going to let a small wound slow him down. Just let him go, and we’ll check
him over later if he’s not better yet,” Phoebe said.
“You better be okay.” Bailey tapped on Aidan’s nose before stepping away.
He glanced at his sister. Thank you.
She nodded. “I’ll keep them safe, but you need to be careful.”
He gave her a short bow of his head.
After Phoebe relayed his plans, Danae wrapped the blanket tightly around Granger to prepare him for the return trip. Aidan didn’t waste any time grabbing the man—who glared at him with pure hatred—and flew him back to the building. He didn’t take him through the window, though. Instead, he headed for the roof where he found several weapons lying around, including the launching device for the rocket. Aidan set the man down near the corner. Then he burned every weapon he could find, uncaring that he left a few holes in the roof. Those devices would not be hurting anyone again.
After shooting a threatening look at Granger, who’d managed to rise unsteadily to his feet, Aidan took off into the air. He flew slowly over the route Bailey and the others were taking through town. A few faces gazed out from windows, but no one fired a weapon. It only took him a few minutes to reach the other end of town where humans were finishing their road block removal on that side. He touched down a short distance from them and watched. They picked up the pace, five of them shoving a large truck aside while someone else steered it from the driver’s seat. By the time Miles arrived in his RV hauler with Bailey following behind him, the path was clear.
The humans hurried away from the road and disappeared into nearby buildings. Aidan didn’t move from his spot until his group was safely out of town.
Chapter 14
Bailey
I breathed a sigh of relief when I couldn’t see the town of McAlester in my rearview mirrors anymore. Late afternoon had turned into early evening with the sun barely peeking over the trees in the distance. We didn’t have much time left before nightfall, and I didn’t want to be on the road when that came. Even though we could use our headlights without fear of drawing pure dragons in this area, there was still the human threat. I didn’t want to face any more trouble today.
We were in a place I didn’t know, and it was making me uncomfortable. Life had become primitive in ways I’d never imagined over the last six months. All those primal instincts passed down through our DNA from the cave man era were rising up now, bringing out a different side in people. Everyone’s nerves were frayed. Traveling through places you didn’t know was dangerous, and you sure as heck didn’t do it at night.
“We will be fine,” Kade said, almost as if he could hear my thoughts.
“What makes you so confident?” I asked.
He shrugged a shoulder. “All the potential dangers have passed. I trust we will arrive at our first destination safely.”
“And after that?”
Aidan’s uncle frowned. “I cannot say for certain yet.”
“Well, that’s a real comfort…” I started to say but stopped when I noticed Miles turning off the highway. “Where in the hell is he going?”
“To find closure, I suspect.”
I glanced over at him. “What do you mean?”
“This is something he needs to do, but it will not take long,” Kade said, staring straight ahead.
“How do you know these things?”
He didn’t answer until I’d made the same turn as Miles and started following him down an empty country road. “I get small premonitions and feelings about things that may happen in the near future.” Kade paused and furrowed his brows. “Not everything is clear, and events in the far future are much more difficult to discern.”
“That figures.” I tightened my hands on the wheel.
Up ahead on the left side, I spotted a lone house. It was small with white siding and a sagging porch roof. Other than a storage shed in the backyard, only trees and pastureland surrounded it. Miles turned onto the driveway leading to the place, tires kicking up dust from leaving paved road.
I stopped the truck behind the RV hauler. Miles had already gotten out of his vehicle and began walking toward the house. With the stiff set of his shoulders, one would think he headed toward an execution.
Danae raced up behind him. “Let me go with you!”
“No.” Miles stopped and swung around. “I told you this is something I need to do alone.”
She put her hands on her hips. “But if your father is in there…”
“Get back in the truck,” he commanded and pointed toward the RV hauler.
Danae crossed her arms. “I’ll wait right here. That’s as good as you’re going to get.”
Miles glowered at her for a moment and then stomped away. He slowed his steps when he reached the porch, taking them carefully. The wooden slabs didn’t look all that stable and desperately needed to be replaced. The rest of the house didn’t look much better. One of the front windows was broken with half the glass lying shattered on the ground, and loose tree branches littered the roof. It didn’t look like anyone had been living there for a long time.
“There can’t be anyone in that house,” I said, frowning.
“Not alive, no.”
From what I understood, Miles’ mother had died when he was a kid, and he didn’t have any siblings. That left only his father.
I looked over at Kade. “Does that mean his dad…?”
“As I said before, he needs this closure.”
Danae once told me that Miles hadn’t spoken to his father in years. They’d had some sort of falling out, which was why he’d never tried to go home and check on his dad after D-day. I supposed now that the place was on his way, he’d decided to find answers.
Loud noises suddenly came from inside—like someone was tearing things apart. Miles screamed obscenities loud enough that even those without sensitive hearing could catch his words. “You sorry, bastard. If you’d just listened to me you might still be alive!”
It went on for several minutes. I left the truck and came to stand next to Danae. Miles would probably get all his aggression out before he left the house, but just in case he didn’t, I wouldn’t let her stand there alone. Aidan must have noticed we were no longer following him and turned back around.
He landed nearby, changing into his human form. Pure exhaustion lined his eyes as he began moving toward us. Whatever wounds he’d had before didn’t show anywhere, but with the way he moved something was bothering him. If only Aidan would let himself rest. I didn’t think he could take another shift today after having done it several times in the past few hours. It was all I could do to stand still and not help as he stumbled the last few feet toward us.
“What is going on?” Aidan addressed Danae.
“This is where Miles’ father lived.” She glanced at the shifter. “They weren’t on the best of terms the last time they saw each other.”
Aidan inhaled deeply and his gaze turned sorrowful. “I smell death in there.”
“Any idea how long since it happened?” I asked. His nose could determine a lot of things mine couldn’t—even with my enhanced senses.
“The scent has faded a lot. I would estimate at least a couple of months.”
The shouting and other noises stopped, and we returned our attention to the house. Miles stumbled onto the porch, falling to his knees. Danae ran to him. She leaped over the steps, avoiding them altogether, and kneeled down to wrap her arms around him. Miles ducked his head so all I could see was his mussed blond hair and shaking shoulders.
“Come on,” I said, taking Aidan by the arm. “Let’s give them some space. You need to sit down and relax anyway.”
“I’m fine.”
I rolled my eyes. “No, you’re not. What happened?”
His expression hardened. “It was nothing.”
“Aidan,” I dragged out his name in a warning tone.
He worked his jaw. “A few bullets struck me in the stomach. It is healing.”
“What?” I grabbed his shirt and lifted it up. He tried to stop me, but I knocked his ha
nds out of the way without much effort. I sucked in a breath when I saw the blue and black bruises covering his abdomen. Who knew how bad it had been when he’d initially gotten hurt. It was hard to see his muscular abs discolored like that, and his breaths were ragged. Add that to the fact he’d shifted too often today, and it spelled trouble. No wonder the man could hardly move.
“You see?” He jerked his tunic back down. “The damage is almost gone.”
“Hardly—and if it was me hurt like that?”
He hesitated, and his expression transformed into a defeated one. “Very well. I will sit.”
“Thank you.” I led him to the truck, opening the back door to help him climb inside. The seat already had a huge camrium cloth covering it, so he didn’t have to worry about burning the upholstery. He sagged into the cushions and tilted his head back, concentrating on breathing.
“Just sit here, okay?” I gave him a stern look. “You’ve done enough for one day.”
He ran his hand through his shiny, black hair, letting a hint of vulnerability show in his gaze. “Is that an order?”
“Yes.”
Kade barked a laugh from the front seat. “My nephew taking orders from a dragon slayer. Until recently, I never would have believed it.”
“Don’t make me show you my sword,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him.
“The one Aidan made you? That would be ironic.” Kade shook his head. “We both know you wouldn’t hurt me.”
I put a hand on the door frame and leaned into the vehicle. “And why is that?”
“Because it would hurt Aidan, and you wouldn’t do anything to harm him.”
I glanced at the man in question, who’d closed his eyes. “Don’t push your luck.”
With a parting glare at Kade, I shut the truck door. Something in his tone had disturbed me, and I needed to end that conversation fast. It was like he knew Aidan and I had grown a lot closer to each other than we let on in front of people. He’d talked in that same knowing voice that Conrad used when speaking about the topic. I hurried away before Kade could say anything else that might bother me.