He knew he only had seconds to save her when he thrust his talon into the water tunnel. He gave her more blood than a human should consume and the fact that she hadn't woken immediately made him realize how far gone she was. He wouldn't be so careless with her again.
Cara. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with her. He would ensure she had food, water and clothing. He knew she wasn't vain. Any woman who warred against evil and allowed herself to be possessed by demons to protect others wasn't finicky about her looks. He couldn't believe she came back to him, especially since she thought he would eat her. He turned his head as he snorted to direct the fire away from her.
Cara was a contradiction of bravery, stubbornness and fear. She must be the best demon hunter alive if Luc punished her. Cara was intriguing. Even as jaded as he was, he knew there was a lot more to Cara than what she'd revealed thus far. She possessed magic, could speak to him telepathically and sensed demons, a talent he'd never heard of in a human. To have Luc, the Master Demon, take a personal interest in Cara was out of the ordinary. Luc didn't bother with anyone he deemed beneath him and Cara, despite her talents, was still human. Luc didn't bother with a human unless that person was an asset to him in the destruction of mankind, the dark side's ultimate goal.
The dragon wouldn't let anyone take Cara from him. He'd been trapped here for centuries and he was ready to be set free. Cara was the key.
Chapter Seven
"That little bitch burned my daughter!"
"Get off my property before I call the police."
Cara stood behind the closed bedroom door and listened to the parents of her dead classmates rail at her mom. Cara's hand reached out for the doorknob, but she had promised mom she would stay in here no matter what happened. More voices joined the first and Cara trembled, tears pouring down her face as she listened.
"She's an abomination! Both of you shouldn't be here. If the Chief of Police wasn't sweet on you, I'd give you a taste of how my son died, in flames!"
"Let's give her a taste of her own medicine!"
"Leave," Dawn said firmly.
"Why don't you make us?"
Cara heard the sound of pounding feet in their tiny house and heard a scream she knew belonged to her mom. Red engulfed Cara. She flung the door open and smelled gasoline a moment before she rounded the corner and saw her mom being doused in it. Her mom was on her hands and knees, surrounded by six adults who stood around her. It was so similar to what the kids had done to her in the field that Cara felt no mercy. Rage poured through her in a lethal tide. A dark presence slid into her heart and this time, she welcomed it.
One of the adults turned and spotted her. "There she is! Let's finish what our kids started."
A burly man with murder in his eyes rushed forward. Cara extended a hand and the man went flying backwards. He slammed into the wall of the house with such force that a window shattered. Everyone quieted and the man holding the red can of gasoline froze. Dawn raised her face. Her skin burned from the gasoline and the fumes were so potent that she couldn't speak.
"She's a witch," one of the women whispered.
"Get out," Cara said.
No one moved. Cara stepped forward and the four adults standing around her mom tumbled back as if they'd been blown over by a strong wind. Dawn dragged herself out of the puddle of gasoline and whispered spells beneath her breath to stop the poison from eating away at her skin. Dawn watched with wide eyes as Cara stood over the adults who were still as death.
"If you ever come here again, I'll kill you," Cara said in a voice that wasn't her own.
Mouths opened and closed soundlessly. The adult's saw her eyes flicker with sparks of red.
"You can't threaten us," a man blustered.
Cara's eyes switched to him and his mouth snapped shut so hard, his tooth chipped. "You gave Maggie the lighter. You told her to catch me after school."
"T-that's a lie," he shouted.
"You beat Maggie every night. You hate that your wife left her with you. You don't have to care for her anymore. She's gone."
"Cara?" Dawn spoke up.
Cara jerked her head at the door and the adults scrambled out as fast as they could. The door slammed shut and they heard the sound of car engines a moment later. Cara turned to face Dawn who stumbled back, eyes wide with shock when Cara's eyes turned blood red.
"Cara?" she whispered.
Cara shook her head and an odd smile curved her mouth. "She's not here right now."
Cara buried her face in the pillow. In the past, when she was tormented by nightmares, she would call home. The sound of Dawn's and Sky's voices cleansed her. This time, she couldn't and her heart ached to see them. She knew that with Luc no longer a threat, her family would flourish. Tears slipped from her eyes as she imagined her mom's simple house surrounded by fields and the mountains in the distance. The sky seemed never ending in Montana. She and Sky would run as fast as they could through the gardens, laughing and giggling for no reason before they tumbled to the grass and rolled around like maniacs. Cara imagined Sky's face healthy once more and a little more of Rage's taint seeped out of her. Sky would heal and grow up to be a woman like their mother who was strong, compassionate and pure of heart.
Cara lay there for a long time before the tears stopped. She kept her back to the opening of the cave as she left the bed and went to the warm bathing pool in her private alcove. The water lapped around her chin and she kicked her legs slowly as she tried to shrug off the lethargy weighing her down. Her stomach rumbled and she left the pool reluctantly. She picked out a pair of jeans and a plaid shirt before she stuffed her feet into her boots and walked around the wall.
The dragon was there, as she'd suspected. Anyone in his or her right mind would be madly trying to plan an escape, but she would stick to her bargain. She still didn't quite know what she was doing here, but she would find out with time. She couldn't imagine living down here for years, so she didn't think about it. She focused on this moment. Right now she was hungry, so she would eat. She stopped on the step that led into the main cavern and faced the dragon.
"Morning," she said and instantly regretted it.
It could be midnight for all she knew. She automatically looked up, but of course there was no sky to show if she was correct.
What do you want to eat?
Cara was grateful he wasn't going to comment on her blunder. She decided it was breakfast. "Corned beef and eggs."
Instantly, the tray appeared and she walked towards it almost eagerly. She paused as she rounded the dragon. "Thank you for my clothes."
We need to get you new shoes.
She looked down at her unlaced work boots and shrugged. "They're okay." She walked over to her meal and made quick work of it before she perched on a rock and crossed her legs.
"You don't eat?" she asked and cringed. If he told her he ate a steady diet of raw meat, she really didn't want to know what it was.
I don't eat.
Cara blinked. "How are you alive if you don't eat?"
In this form, I don't need nourishment like a human.
"Form? You have other forms?" When he didn't answer, she shrugged. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but we're going to be down here for eternity so eventually I'll get it out of you."
The dragon shifted and Cara froze when his head swooped down. Had she offended him? Was what she said disrespectful?
You're losing your fear of me.
She couldn't read any nuance in his voice.
"Do you want me to be afraid of you?" she asked uncertainly.
No.
She offered a weak smile. "Okay, then."
She didn't want to be afraid anymore. She wanted to think they could be cordial. A being that provided you with whatever you wanted to eat and clothes that were comfortable couldn't be bad, right?
I can take on many forms. Before humans came to be, I roamed as a dragon. As humans began to populate, I spent a portion of my existence as a human.
&n
bsp; Cara's eyes popped. "A human?"
I conformed for delicate human sensibilities. Humans are so easily frightened.
Cara ignored his jibe and demanded, "Why don't you transform into a man and get out of here?"
I'm cursed in my true form. The Cliffs of Moher are imbued with magic. His eyes began to glow with rage and the air began to heat. A witch named Morgana tricked me.
Cara's brows rose. The dragon turned his head to the side and released a roar that should have made the cliffs collapse around them, but they remained solid and immovable. She smelled smoke and raised a hand to block the heat from her face. When he finished his tantrum, she saw that the rocks weren't damaged in the least. When he spoke again, his voice was as neutral and cold as ever.
I was never satisfied with what I had. I wanted more riches, more women, more everything. Morgana told me there was treasure in here. I swam through the tunnel and when I saw her, I turned into a dragon and she cursed me in this form, imprisoning me here.
"Do you know how long you've been here?" she asked quietly.
No, but I know much has changed since I walked aboveground.
"If you're cursed, there has to be a way to reverse it, right?"
Neon eyes narrowed on her, but he said nothing.
Cara frowned and repeated, "There has to be a way to reverse it, right?"
The dragon turned away from her and with one flap of his wings, went airborne. She watched him fly quickly across the caves and disappear from sight. His roars echoed back to her and she saw flashes of flame that lit the caves like fireworks.
"Dramatic," Cara muttered. "It was a simple question. Is there a way to reverse the curse? Yes or no?"
There was a loophole around every spell. If she could figure out a way to reverse the curse, they could both go free. She jiggled her foot feverishly as excitement began to banish her homesickness. He said she would be with him only as long as he was stuck in the caves. If she freed him from his curse, he could go aboveground, banish Luc and she could have a life.
Cara paced in front of her cave and tried to remember everything she could about curses. Her mother was a child of the earth; therefore, she drew her power from nature. Cara's magic came from elsewhere. While she applied her mom's practices, they weren't always effective in Cara's line of work. She knew witches that practiced dark magic that involved sacrifices and such. Removing curses usually involved the moon, candles, herbs, hairs and other things she wasn't versed in. Damn, why hadn't she paid more attention to those witches? Answer: Because they were evil. Did the dragon know how to reverse the curse? If he did, why not tell her? If it were within her power, she would give it gladly. Instead, he threw a temper tantrum. Maybe he didn't know how to reverse it and that's why he's so pissed.
She lay down on the heated rock and stacked her boots one on top of the other. She had nowhere to be and nothing to do. She was going to bother the hell out of the dragon. After all, if Luc feared the dragon it could only mean that the dragon was capable of destroying him. If it were the last thing she did, she would get the dragon out of here.
Her mind drifted. She thought of spells, curses, magic, demons and her family. She whispered prayers over them and dozed off.
Cara lay on her bed in the bedroom her mom always kept ready for her. Dawn sat beside her and stroked Cara's hair back from her face. Her eyes were shiny with tears and there was a bittersweet smile on her face.
"Ah, Cara, what am I going to do with you?" Dawn murmured.
Cara smiled and said nothing, enjoying the feel of her mom playing with her hair.
"I'm happy you're alive."
Cara frowned and the dream began to distort. Dawn's hands tightened on her.
"Shh, I've been searching for you ever since you left. I needed to know you're well."
Cara forced herself to relax and the image of her old room solidified once more. She looked up at her mother, eyes now focused. "Sky's well?"
Dawn beamed. "Better than she's ever been. There's no trace of the disease."
Cara's heart welled with joy. "You're back home?"
"Yes. Sky keeps asking for you."
A sharp pang reverberated through her chest, but Cara didn't let it disturb the delicate dream. "I'm not suffering."
Dawn dropped her head and pressed Cara's hand to her cheek. "I don't know what you sacrificed to heal her, but I had to thank you."
"I would do anything for either of you."
Dawn's tear-drenched eyes met her own. "I know. Will I see you again?"
Powerful magic invaded the dream and the room began to bend. Dawn sobbed and clutched at Cara with desperate hands. Cara lurched up and hugged her tight.
"I love you," Cara whispered.
Cara opened her eyes and saw the dragon looking down at her. His turquoise eyes were a blur as tears trickled down her cheeks. She sat up and wiped her eyes, sniffling. Her throat was tight with emotion.
You can dream walk.
He didn't sound angry, but neither did he sound pleased. There was no use in lying to him, so she nodded.
That isn't possible.
She let out a watery chuckle. "Mom can do anything."
You're emotional.
Cara kicked off her boots and got to her feet. She ducked beneath the dragon's wings and began to pace. Love and regret swirled through her. They're safe as long as you stay here, she told herself firmly. She strode past her hobbit hole and walked further into the cavern until she came upon a pool of water that fizzed with tiny bubbles. She stopped in front of the lake and wrapped her arms around herself. She sensed the dragon come up behind her.
"My sister Sky is doing well. The disease is gone," she said.
She will have no other sickness for the rest of her life.
Her throat locked up. "Thank you."
She bent over because the agony in her chest was as strong as it had been in the hospital when she walked away from her family. She could barely breathe through the overwhelming loss. When she sank to her knees, the dragon shifted and his front leg pressed against her back. She didn't question the small gesture and was sunk in such despair that she leaned against him, boneless and suddenly exhausted. He easily took her weight.
I can take away the pain.
She blew out a breath like a woman in labor. "That's okay. It reminds me that I'm human."
What else would you be?
"I only feel like this about my family. Most of the time, I don't feel anything."
You are a strange human.
She smiled and felt the pain ease. "I know."
Your mother is a dream walker as well?
She nodded.
You can sense demons, dream walk, and go on reckless quests. What else can you do?
"I battle dragons."
Fire spewed from his nostrils, but this time, she didn't cower. He was amused and for some reason, that made all of this bearable.
Did you tell your mother where you are?
"No," she said and wiped her eyes. "She just wanted to know if I was alive."
I won't release you from our bargain.
"I know."
The silence in the cavern was impenetrable. It felt suffocating and safe at the same time. The outside world didn't exist. She felt as if time stood still here. There was no sun or sky to measure the passing of time. She wasn't in heaven or hell. She was in limbo, buried beneath rock and ocean.
"How did you know I was dream walking?" Her head felt as if it was full of cotton.
I sensed her magic when I approached. A pause and then, If you want to communicate with her, I will permit it as long as you don't try to lure her here.
"I won't," she said and then, "Thanks."
Your arrival here means something.
She knew he was trying to distract her and she went with it. "Or not. I don't know how to break any curses. Do you know how to reverse the curse?"
He didn't answer and the bubble of hope in her chest popped. She sighed loudly. Well, she had the rest of he
r life to think of a way to get him out of here. There were no demons to battle down here so he would be her project.
"What do you do down here?" she asked without realizing how insulting that sounded.
I'll show you.
The leg behind her shifted and she keeled forward on her hands and knees. Before she could glare at him, his talons closed over her shoulders. Before she could scramble away, the dragon flapped his wings. She was jerked up like a newspaper in a whirlwind. Her bare feet kicked and her scream echoed through the cavern. Was he going to drop her from a thousand feet? Was that his idea of fun? She clutched at his talons, terrified they would loosen at any moment.
The dragon soared to the highest point of the cave and hovered. Her body was numb with terror. She couldn't even pinpoint where her hobbit hole was because everything looked so different from up here. The lakes looked like colorful paint pots, just waiting for an artist to dip his brush into. She dimly wondered if he released her, if she would land on stone or in a pool and which was worse. The dragon's head angled down and they began to dive.
Cara's legs blew behind her as they plunged towards the ground so fast she couldn't even scream. Her hands flew up to cover her face. The dragon pulled out of the dive so smoothly it took her a few seconds to register. She flapped her arms and kicked in panic. When her toes skimmed the surface of one of the warm pools, she shrieked and yanked her legs up.
This is supposed to be entertainment.
"How?" she screamed.
Most humans have dreams of flying.
Cara paused in mid-scream. The dragon was trying to take her mind off of her mom and this is what he came up with? She didn't know whether to be amused or horrified. Now that she knew he wasn't planning on watching her splat on the ground, she relaxed and lowered her legs as the dragon bobbed from pool to pool. She felt like she was on a roller coaster ride where the top half of your body was secured while the rest of your body dangled. The dragon continued to glide through the air smoothly and she took in her surroundings. There was no color down here, just dark, earthy tones. The landscape was stark and foreign to her, but beautiful in its own way. When the dragon lowered her once more over the pools, she decided to loosen up and live. She made designs on the surface of the water with her toes and pretended she was a water ballerina, spreading her arms wide and pointing her toes down. She blushed when she saw the dragons head angled down, watching her. She ignored him and decided to take his suggestion and act as if she was flying.
Clutch of the Demon (Cursed Ancients Series Book 1) Page 6