At Risk

by Gayle Parness

  “If they are unseelie, then yes.”

  “Do you have any idea how they’re treated by Naberia?”

  “They can cross into our lands whenever they choose. Here, they’d have the same rights as the rest of my subjects.”

  I placed one foot on the bottom step of the dais, leaning forward. “Leave their homes? Their jobs? Maybe leave their families? Why haven’t you visited them in the DR? Talked to them about what’s going on?”

  “I never travel into that evil creature’s realm.”

  “They need to see their king. Some told me you’re only a rumor. That you don’t exist at all. If you did, you’d fight for them.”

  He fisted his hands. “You’re lying. This cannot be true.”

  “If you existed, you’d tell Naberia to pay them for the work they do. To leave some of the crops she orders stripped from the land so they can feed their families. To make sure the demon royals don’t take their young males and females and use them as slaves.”

  He straightened in his chair, then moved his gaze to Isaiah. “This is a lie, is it not?”

  “You referred to my mother as an evil creature, yet you don’t believe she’s mistreating your subjects?” Isaiah shook his head. “Gather your army and fight with us. Show all of your people you value their lives.”

  “Why did you not discuss this with me?”

  Isaiah grunted in frustration. “Because I’m busy helping my people and yours. I do what I can to protect them, to make sure they have basic necessities. Charles and I brought a group of my most loyal servants to the Mortal Realm. They intend to stay with me until the war is over. Half are goblins.”

  “Why did you not send them here?”

  “There was no time, and to be truthful, they wanted to stay with me, wherever I was going. Now they’ve asked to fight beside me. They train every day and are quite happy living at the villa in Carmel. They’ve built their own homes and begun to work at skills they’d had to leave behind when they were first made servants. Some are wonderful with needles, thread or yarn, others work magic with wood. They’re fascinated by modern plumbing and electricity and I’ve brought in shifters to teach them. They take excellent care of the horses and love to fish in the streams or on the beach.” Isaiah walked back to where Brina and I stood. “They’re finally at peace.”

  “This cannot be true.”

  I stepped closer. “Naberia will send your people to the front lines to be slaughtered while you sit on your fancy throne and your fat ass and talk about all you’ve done. You are a coward, Khent.” I turned with Brina and walked back to our chairs. We faced him but didn’t sit. I’d spoken loud enough for a few guards to hear. They stared down at the ground, but some of them shuffled restlessly.

  Isaiah joined us. “Charles…”

  “It’s true. He’s turned his back on his people because Naberia is a big scary archdemon. You never did that.”

  Khent stood, walked down the stairs and approached me, his strides determined, his broad face wrinkled with fury. I’d told the truth. He needed to hear it from someone.

  Pulling in ley line energy in case of attack, I faced the King of the Goblins with a determined expression of my own. “Have my words made us enemies or allies?”

  “I plan to stew on it awhile.”

  And he marched off in his wobbly way without another word.

  14

  Jackie

  “What are we gonna do about the town in Oregon?” Kyle asked. “I talked to one of the shifters, the school principal. He’s afraid for everyone’s safety. Told me the town’s in real trouble.”

  “Have Ethan and Kaera left?”

  “No. They were waiting for Garrett’s orders. Should we send them, or cancel the whole thing?”

  Liam, Kellie and Elle turned to me.

  “Let’s think.” I stood and circled the table. “Aaron and some of his better trained pack can handle vampires. Franklin, his second, is a force of nature during a battle.”

  “How about Hana? She’s a witch and her specialty is camouflage.”

  “She’s very pregnant right now. It’s bad enough Ethan’s going to be gone for a week or so. Maybe we could call…” I stopped myself before saying my dad. The memory of his death smacked me in the head and knotted my stomach. The sight of Simon lying on the floor of that lab, his eyes blank, his body beginning to cool, would never leave me.

  “He loved you and he’s still with you.” Liam’s body was warm and welcoming when he wrapped his arms around me.

  “Simon saved my life,” I whispered against his shirt.

  “So you could save many others.”

  “Who else?” Kellie asked.

  “Have you forgotten me?” Elle’s voice was usually soft and melodious, but this question had been delivered with a bite of irritation.

  “Sasha will kill us if anything happens to you.”

  “Then what has been the point of all my training? I’ve trained with the students at the school, with Liam, and with my mate as well. He won’t be surprised at all that I want to help.”

  “Can you think of anyone else?” I scanned the group.

  We turned toward the front door when the dogs started barking. I’d decided to hold the meeting at my house rather than imposing on Liam and Kellie. The puppies were more than excited to have a slew of company. Bits of leftover pizza usually dropped to floor when I had a team meeting. Sometimes on purpose, although none of my friends owned up to it. The rowdy mutts particularly liked pepperoni.

  “Is Ethan coming tonight?” I asked.

  “Hana’s little girl, Tani, is sick. He’s helping out,” Kyle said.

  “Kaera’s here and she’s brought someone with her,” Farrell said, loping over to let her in.

  “Good evening.” She nodded to everyone after entering the room. “Have you decided to move forward with your plans to stop the vampires in Oregon? Garrett, Sasha and Rick are well able to take care of themselves.”

  “You know me. Can’t sit around twiddling my thumbs.” I smiled.

  “How does one twiddle thumbs?” I showed her. Kaera frowned. “This is common for shifters?”

  “It’s an expression indicating a waste of time.”

  “Then I was correct to come. May my companion enter as well?”

  “If you vouch for him,” I said, glancing at Liam and Kellie for support. They’d both gotten to their feet, but neither appeared worried.

  “I do vouch for her. In fact, you have already met.”

  A female larger than Heinrich and dressed in battle gear stepped into my kitchen in two long strides. For a moment I thought to call out for my ancient dagger, but Kaera was smiling as if she was hiding a fun secret.

  With long ginger hair hanging in a dozen braids, a tattoo of a phoenix that covered half her arm, and clear eyes with irises that spun with the colors of a California sunset, this female looked lethal, stunning, and intriguing all at the same time.

  “We have indeed met, Lady Jacqueline.” She took my hand and bowed over my knuckles.

  “No. I’m… I’m pretty sure I’d remember you.”

  Kellie laughed, then muffled her mouth with her hand.

  “The name I used in the Demon Realm was Canticas, but I have been renamed by Charles and Jason as Indigo. I much prefer this name. Your son and his second are most entertaining.”

  “I met a dragon named Indigo.”

  “I am sorry to have to greet you in this sad state, but my more glorious self would not have fit in your fine home.”

  “You’re a shifter?”

  “I am. Dragons are the most powerful and ancient of all shifter species.”

  “Do the fae know the dragons are shifters?” I turned to Kaera.

  “I discovered their secret only recently. I’m certain the king must know. I’m not sure of any others.”

  “Charlie? Brina?”

  “I would guess they do not, although they may have discovered the truth during their current journey.”

>   “So you’ve stayed in dragon form the entire time you’ve lived in Faerie?”

  “Not the entire time.” She smiled. “From ancient spans, all dragons have had the ability to shift to what you might call mortal form. However, dragons prefer to remain as we were meant to be: Drakos and Drakenas. On rare occasions we level down to what we call our demonic form.”

  Her incredible eyes crinkled at the corners. It was good to see she enjoyed a joke. I’d never met a female as awe inspiring. The fae and demon royalty were beautiful, but this female glowed with incredible strength and confidence.

  “Indigo, we are so pleased you decided to go slumming tonight.”

  “Slumming?”

  “Hanging with the poor folk.”

  She laughed and we joined her. I squeezed Kaera’s hand. “Thank you.”

  “You will have to win her over,” Kaera warned.

  Indigo eyed my kitchen chairs uneasily. “Do you have a larger piece of furniture where I might sit?” Indigo glanced around, but the couch was too far away.

  “There’s a throne in the small room to the right.” Kyle pointed to the bathroom and I whacked him on the shoulder. “What? She’s a smartass.”

  “Pot, kettle.” I closed the bathroom door and glared at my annoying friend.

  Liam waved a hand and a much larger chair appeared beside his.

  “I thank you and promise not to attempt to enter the forbidden throne room.”

  That did it. Kellie, Kyle, Farrell and I cracked up again.

  Liam glared at us and introduced everyone. “I apologize for the others. You are our guest and we should treat as you proper hosts would.”

  I pulled myself together and stood. “Liam’s right. I’m behaving badly. Come.” I opened the door and turned on the light so she could see the throne.

  “Ah. I see. The leopard is also a smartass.” She held up a hand when I started to protest. “No. Today I will not take offense as I hear you have need of my help.”

  “We do. Please, let’s sit. May we offer you food and drink?”

  “In the spirit of Xenia perhaps,” Kellie added.

  She smiled. “I would take bread and wine as your guest. But also beef sirloin steak, pork tenderloin, or thick chops. Ribs would be acceptable as well.”

  I glanced at Liam, unsure as to what the spirit of Xenia was, exactly. He gave me a mind to mind rundown, then closed his eyes. In seconds clean plates and utensils, a platter of barbecued steak and pork chops appeared in front of Indigo and Kaera, along with a pile of napkins, a mountain of french fries and a large decanter of wine.

  She grinned. “I believe I shall enjoy working with this team of rogues.” Claws sprouted from her hand as she speared an entire sirloin steak and tossed it into the air, giving the dragon enough time to shift the shape of her mouth and throat so she could accommodate the large portion. After chewing and swallowing, tendrils of smoke curled from her nostrils. “Excellent choice of spices.”

  “Thank you.” Liam’s eyes glittered with humor.

  “Nice teeth.” Kyle looked impressed.

  “Yes, they are quite useful.”

  “Has Kaera gotten you up to speed on the vampire troubles?” I asked.

  “She has.”

  Indigo certainly looked like a warrior, but I had a few questions. “Lady Indigo, I…”

  “Just Indigo is sufficient. I am not a lady.”

  “You’ll fit in great,” Kyle snarked.

  “Have you fought against vampires in this form?” I asked.

  “I have not fought vampires in any form.”

  “Do you know how to kill a vampire?”

  She laughed. “Burn it to ash, of course.”

  I winced. “Yes, but we don’t want to set the town on fire.”

  “Ah. I understand.”

  “Can you narrow the scope of your fire, or does it simply spread out in a thick burst?” Elle asked.

  She titled her large head and scowled. With a tiny thread of fire snaking from one nostril she lit the candelabra on the mantel.

  “You can shoot fire in human form?” Kyle jumped out of his seat.

  “I am always in dragon form, smartass leopard. I refer to this puny version of myself as my demon or shifter form, the other my true form. Both are dragon.”

  “You can call me Kyle.”

  “Kyle Smartass? An unusual name.” Our guest turned to me. “Have you decided on a first step?”

  “We’ll contact the leopard shifters who’ve been most affected.”

  “The most affected leopard shifters are dead.” She downed an entire chop, bone and all.

  “Then, the survivors.”

  “Yes, the survivors. Exactly.” Indigo’s deadpan expression was starting to annoy me.

  I was afraid this female dragon might run into a fight like a bull in a china shop and kill every vampire in sight. Garrett would be blamed for the deaths and that would only make everything ten times worse. “It’s important we get all the facts before we take action.”

  “I was under the impression the residents of the village already know who the murderers are.”

  “If we march in and murder a nest of vampires without any solid evidence proving they were the vampires responsible, we’ll be brought up on charges by NAVA.”

  “None in your group are vampires. Therefore the others hold no authority over you or the rest of your team.”

  “Three of our team are now their prisoners, namely my mate, Garrett, Elle’s mate, Sasha, and our teammate Rick. Vampires are masters at dishing out painful retribution.”

  “Hostages. I see your point.” Indigo scratched her long nose. “I’ve been told by many of my brothers and sisters that vampires are spectacularly flammable.” She covered her mouth with a large hand and sneezed, white smoke puffing out and hanging in the air above our table. “Excuse me.” She sucked the smoke back into her lungs and grinned wickedly.

  “Show off,” Kyle grumbled.

  “It is more difficult to shoot fire in human form. I usually end up burning my clothing to ash, leaving me naked. Not that I have anything to be ashamed of.” She smiled at Farrell, who surprisingly smiled back.

  A seductive, smartass dragon was not what I had in mind when I was trying to put together an alternate team. Still, I couldn’t imagine vampires attacking a dragon, even in shifter form. And if they did, well, too bad for them.

  “Okay. Kyle, call Aaron. Tell him we’ll meet him off Highway 5 at the Medford exit, unless he knows of a closer exit for the safe house he spoke of. That exit is close to Gabe’s territory. We’ll leave tomorrow morning after breakfast.”

  “Got it, boss.”

  “Garrett is boss.”

  “The understudy has to step up once in a while.” Kyle grinned.

  “Ha, ha.”

  Indigo adjusted her large body more comfortably in her chair. “What time will I be called for breakfast?”

  Kyle grunted. “Jeeves is on vacation, sis. You can get yourself up, okay?”

  “We’ll eat at seven.” Liam frowned at Kyle.

  Indigo ignored Kyle’s comment. “And what will be served? I enjoy sausages, eggs, bacon and steak. Always steak.”

  “When you work with our team, sometimes we have to skip meals.” Kyle’s jibe didn’t even rate a glance from the dragon.

  “This is not a problem. I will hunt. I have heard leopards are tender, although their tongues are poisonous.”

  I stood. “Kyle, please pack what we’ll need in the way of equipment and take care of that phone call. I’ll see you at six forty-five. Make sure everything is ready to go.”

  “Ethan will double-check, so no worries.” Kyle said goodbye with a wave and took off.

  I turned to Indigo. “Kyle can be difficult, but he’s invaluable to the team. The mission will probably be a dangerous one and we can’t lose focus. If one of you has to leave the team, it will be you.”

  “I understand. Loyalty is to be admired in a leader.”

  “Also
, I’m not sure what Kaera has told you, but this job is a one-shot deal.”

  “I had not expected otherwise. Lady Kaera was not clear regarding what you are offering in payment.”

  “The satisfaction of saving dozens of lives.” I folded my arms.

  She laughed, but when no one else laughed, she raised her head to meet my gaze. “You do know I am dragon, correct?”

  “I nodded.”

  “Dragons collect. Gather treasures.” She explained. I nodded. “And you are in earnest?”

  “The team is willing to pay you the same fee we pay any consultant who joins us for one of our missions. We don’t offer gold or jewels.”

  “Is Lady Kaera paid?”

  “I have refused all payment, as has my sister, Brina. We volunteer to save the lives of innocents but also to protect the lives of our fellow team members. I see no honor in working as a mercenary.”

  Indigo and Kaera locked gazes for a few heartbeats.

  “My first adventure with your team shall be gratis, as long as I am fed and housed appropriately. Do you have an area that will accommodate my true form? I prefer to sleep on a rug made of the finest wool, not the scratchy kind. My scales begin to peel and itch. The sound of a running stream usually lulls me to sleep at home and I do so love to see the stars. Do you have anything similar?”

  “You can sleep on the patio next to the fountain. You should be able to see a few stars from there.”

  “Thank you.”

  She was pleased with the spot, especially after Liam conjured a comfy and colorful rug along with a large pillow to curl her massive body around.

  The evening was mild, so Kellie, Kaera, Liam, Farrell and I sat on the patio along with queen-sized Indigo, working out who should be the first to approach the unfriendly sheriff, and who might visit the victims’ families. The officer in charge was expecting Garrett and not a mismatched mashup of a team. Still it was the best we could do under the circumstances.

  I decided to sleep at home, although Elle had returned to Kellie and Liam’s house. Kaera and Farrell took turns guarding me and keeping an eye on the enormous female on the patio. The puppies, who’d been hiding since Indigo entered the house, trotted into my bedroom as if they hadn’t behaved like wusses the whole evening. Couldn’t really blame them. In dragon form she was intimidating.