by J. S. Wilder
“No, I met someone. A dragon…well, I guess he’s a shifter now. He gets me. I feel a connection and closeness to him that I’ve never felt before.” She stared down at her hands. “I never believed in soulmates before, but he feels like the missing piece of me.”
Grams shrugged. “So why are you here with an old dying woman instead of with him?”
“Because he sent me away.” She looked up and clenched her fists. “Said it was too dangerous for me.”
“Bah.” Grams waved a hand. “Does he know you fight the Tryns…the demons? I’d have expected you’d have put him in his place not conceded to run away.”
“I didn’t run away.” The only reason she agreed to coming back to Earth and not staying to fight was she needed to gather her weapons. And Xilon had mentioned quasicrystals would help in the war. If she could round some of those up, then the Renjerians could sway the battle in their favor. Maybe even rid the planet of the bastard demons. Most importantly, she’d left Renjer to return and check on Grams and Brice.
“Grams, I know about your chemo treatments.” She leaned forward in her chair, placing her hands near her grandma’s. “Why didn’t you tell me? And you put another mortgage on the house? I can get a job…one that pays better than demon guts.”
“No, you must not stop what you’re doing.” Grams patted her hand. “You’ve helped so many with exorcisms and killing demons. Until every last one is dead, you must not stop. If you do, they will multiply and overrun our world and every world they touch.”
“But your medical bills and Brice’s scholarship was revoked. You know how he loves football and is a natural talent. If I got a job—”
“No. You could work for years and not pay off our debts.” Grams coughed several moments before laying back down. “I’m tired. Go talk to your brother. He’s been worried about you too.”
“You sure you don’t want anything to eat?” Ash asked, standing and giving her Grams a kiss on the forehead.
“Maybe later. I’m just tired right now, honey.” She kissed Ash back. “Good to have you home.”
“Oh, Grams. I know you’ve got a big rock collection in your attic. Maybe we can sell some of it?” She bit her lip. Would her Grams be okay with parting with the stones she told Ash she’d saved since she had been a toddler? “And Xilon said he’s looking for quasicrystals, you don’t happen to have any of those in your boxes upstairs, do you?”
“Yes, you can use or sell whatever you like. Xilon? That’s a nice name.” She smiled as she closed her eyes. “Can’t wait to see my grandbabies from you two.”
Ash’s face heated as she tiptoed to the door. “Get some sleep.”
“Hey sis,” Brice punched her shoulder. “Next time call or something. We were worried about you.”
Her brother didn’t believe in dragons or aliens or other worlds like her. He barely believed in anything including demons.
“Sorry. How’s she been?” Ash pointed her chin at Grams’ closed door.
“About the same as now.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Hey, can you do me a favor? I’ve got a football scout coming over in a bit and he wants to talk to you about hosting me for his team. The salary would be enough to cover Grams expenses and make my scholarship look like pennies.”
“That’s awesome!” Ash hugged him. “Call me when he gets here. I’m gonna look into some stuff for a friend.”
“Whoa, you aren’t leaving again are you?” Brice frowned and bounced on his toes. “He came by early this morning looking for you. Needs some papers for you to sign and told me to text him the moment you got back. I already did, so if you leave, I’ll look like an idiot.”
Ash shook her head. “No, I’ll stay here for a few hours. Gotta go through Grams collection in the attic and search the internet.” Like what the heck a quasicrystal looked like.
“Oh, okay. I’m going to wait for Mr. Norris.”
Weird, but whatever. She also needed to grab her swords and weapons from her room too. As soon as she met this Mr. Norris she was heading back to Renjer.
Covered in dust and spider webs, Ash found three stones that might be quasicrystals. She was no expert, but Xilon would know for sure. She tucked the gems in the pocket of her jeans. Her sneeze rang through the small attic. Damn, she needed to clean up here more often.
“Ash!” Brice’s voice filled with panic reached her. “Where are you?”
“Coming!” Gesh, he was so excited about this football opportunity. But he had great speed and balls never fell out of his grip. He had nothing to worry about. She dusted off her jeans and combed her hands through her hair. Maybe she should have done the attic search after Mr. Norris had visited.
She climbed down the ladder and turned toward her room to grab a weapon.
“Ash!” Brice hollered.
Right, she could get the weapons later, once Mr. Norris was taken care of. She went to the kitchen where Brice paced back and forth like a caged animal. He gripped his head in his hands like it hurt.
“Do you need some aspirin?” Ash asked, stopping him. Then the hairs on the back of her neck stood ramrod straight.
“Hello Ash,” a demonic voice said.
Slowly, she turned. Her weapons were down the hall. She’d never reach them in time. Sitting at her Grams’ kitchen table was the demon from Renjer. The one that had licked her cut…tasted her blood.
“I told you I would find you no matter where you ran to. Now come with me or your brother and the sick old woman will die.”
Chapter 19
“Again!” Xilon yelled. “Hit them with the fire again.” The horde below them was fading out. But he couldn’t leave any of the Tryns alive. They’d return with reinforcements. And now that these ones knew the Renjerian’s hideout, they’d never be safe.
“Clear on my side,” Kohl answered. His wings wobbled slightly against the current. He too had given blood to the others that wanted to leave.
“Taurian?” Xilon asked, then fired at five stragglers. Below him, the mountain burned hot with their dragon-fire.
“Done,” his brother answered. “I think that’s the last of them.”
“Yeah. But why didn’t they send the big guns besides the two we took out early?” He turned to his brother Kohl as they landed on a nearby mountain peek to watch the flames and ensure there were no more Tryns alive. “You said they said there were a lot more of the smarter, larger Tryns so why only send a few after us if they knew our location?”
“I don’t know. To flush us out?” Kohl shrugged.
A sinking sensation hit Xilon’s gut. “Or to distract us.” Ash! He’d sent her away thinking to keep her safe, but what if he hadn’t? What if the safest place for her was by his side? How could he have been so stupid?
“Do you and the others have this?” Xilon asked, already flapping his wings to leave.
“Sure. But where are you going?” Taurian frowned.
“I’ve got to go get my woman.” Ensure himself that she was fuming and pissed at him, but okay. He launched himself into the air and took off toward dark clouds in the distant horizon. Inside panic swelled in his chest. Once he saw her, held her, the weight pressing down on his heart would ease. She’d laugh at him being so worried. Then they’d make love again. As amazing of an image he painted, his heart twisted with unease. No, something was wrong. Ash would not have gone willingly like she did unless she’d planned on returning somehow. She was just too stubborn to let him believe that he was right about sending her away.
Her sword. She said it had melted with a large Tryn. Her agreement to go back must have been to get more weapons. But she’d have been back by now. Something had to be wrong.
“Xilon,” Taurian shouted behind him. “Wait up.”
“Stay with the others. There might be some Tryns we missed.”
Taurian twisted his long serpentine neck behind him to the burning mountain, then shook his head. “I seriously doubt it. Listen, I think you’re right about Ash.”
“O
h?” Xilon pumped his wings harder.
“Yeah. I gave her a comlink to call me when she ready to come back. She said she’d call me in a few hours, but I was so busy with the Tryns, I didn’t realize how much time had passed.” He grimaced. “It’s been over six hours.”
Xilon swallowed the acid coating the back of his throat. If something happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.
Reaching the storm, Xilon grasped ahold of the first lightning bolt and felt Taurian do the same. They rolled across the grass in human form and naked. Not waiting, he tore into a run. At least it was nighttime wherever they had landed. He forced his body back into dragon form, Taurian following suit.
For hours they flew until they reached the Louisiana coast then he dropped down outside Grams’ house. The stench of Tryn hung heavy in the air.
“Go, find her,” Taurian said changing back into human form, his breaths panting from the recent shifts. “I’ll see about everyone else.”
Not changing out of his Renjerian body, Xilon took to the sky. He’d find Ash and flay the Tryn who dared to take her.
He followed her scent, using the overcast clouds and early morning fog as cover. Near a grassy lake, he spotted her struggling against one of the giant Tryns. Xilon dove, ramming his head into the monster’s side.
“Wondered when you’d show up.” The Tryn stood. “Seems as if you’ve claimed what is mine, so I’ve got to deal with you, then my bride.”
“I’m no one’s bride or woman or anything!” Ash kicked the demon in his shin, but he didn’t flinch.
“Now it’s time you died, you and all Renjerians like you,” Tryn spat. “After I mate with this human, her offspring will be able to travel at will between Earth and Renjer and wipe out the pathetic race that has tried to stop us from conquering both your planets for ages.”
“Too much talk, not enough fighting.” Xilon tucked his wings to his body and clipped the demon on his shoulder. “Ash, get out of here.”
“Not a chance!” She stood her ground and he couldn’t have been more proud. But without a weapon, she wouldn’t survive if the monster turned on her.
Xilon smacked into the creature again, this time knocking him off his feet. The Tryn merely laughed and at the third attack, he jumped into the air. Higher than Xilon would’ve thought possible and yanked on Xilon’s wing.
“No!” Ash screamed and raced to help. Her fist plummeting the demon’s head. “Let him go.”
Pain seared his back as the Tryn tore part of Xilon’s wing. He crumpled to the ground, his breaths burning in his lungs.
“And now you die!”
“Taurian!” Xilon called for his brother. He hated asking for help, but he couldn’t fight this creature with Ash here. Once she was out of the line of fire, he could release his fire and roast the bastard.
“More Renjerians?” The Tryn tapped his chin with his clawed hand. “Let me see, oh yes, I left her brother possessed back home and included two more of my kind to wait in case you showed up at the house. Doubtful anyone in that shack is still alive.”
“No!” Ash raced back in the direction of Grams’ house, but the Tryn leaped after her, slamming her into the ground.
“I’ve other plans for you, pet.” It licked her cheek.
“Don’t touch her!” Rage boiled in Xilon’s blood and he struggled across the ground to reach them. The pain of his torn wing cascading through him. He couldn’t fight like this. But he lacked the energy to shift into a human.
“Try and stop me.” The Tryn held Ash down with one hand, her stomach sinking in the quagmire, while he tugged at her pants with the other. “Want to know how my kind is made, Renjerian? Like this.”
“No!” Xilon roared dashing forward with all his speed. Before he could stop himself, his dragonfire soared out of his mouth, hitting both the Tryn and Ash at the same time. His body shifting while he ran and he collapsed in a heap outside of the ring of fire. No, no, no. Not my sweet Ash.
His heart turned to bitter coal as his muscles spasmed from transforming so many times. Smoke billowed up from the ground, drying even the mud to parched dirt. His love was gone and he’d never find love again.
Chapter 20
From the smoldering fire, Xilon swore he heard Ash’s voice. Impossible. She couldn’t have survived the dragon flames.
“Xilon!” came the voice again.
No, it had to be the Tryn playing a trick. But as Xilon peered into the inferno, a woman’s shape took form. Slowly, Ash shuffled out of the fire. Her hair singed and slightly smoking. All her clothing completely burned off.
How?
“A-are you real?” He reached out a hand to cup her cheek. Her flesh was hot like fever, but unblemished.
She blinked at him several times before she looked over her shoulder at the oily carcass that had been the Tryn. “Is it gone?”
“You don’t ever have to worry about it again.” He pulled her into his embrace, his heart soaring. He didn’t care how it was possible she survived the dragonfire. Perhaps her Grams was right and she did have Renjerian blood, however slight, in her that protected her from the fire.
“Damn!” she mumbled against his chest. “Cause I really wanted to run my blade through it.”
He chuckled. By all that was wonderous, she was alive. He felt as if he were soaring while his feet remained planted on the ground.
“H-How was it I didn’t burn?” she asked.
“Well, you’re hair is a bit charred.”
She gasped, pulling a hand free of his embrace and patting her dark, tight curls.
Nearby, several sirens sounded.
He could stand there all day and night just holding her forever. Smelling her sweet scent underneath the smell of smoke and kissing her everywhere.
“Um…Xilon, we’d better leave.”
He bent to kiss her then her words sunk in. “Why?”
“Well, for one thing, we’re both naked.”
“Yes, and I thought we could take advantage of that.” He brushed his lips across hers.
“Secondly, the fire department will be here to put this out and we can’t be here. They’ll think we’re arsonist.”
“Plus being naked gets you arrested.” He nodded, remembering his time in prison. Which he’d need to pay the three that shared his jailcell a visit and make certain they weren’t harming any more women. Kohl and Taurian would be eager to help him keep tabs on the criminals too.
She squeezed his hand. “Grams…Brice…and your brother. The demon said there were more.”
“No fear,” he smiled, “I’ll blast them with my fire once your Brice and Grams are safe.”
“Follow me.” Ash tugged on his hand. “Grams has a friend at the edge of the swamp we can borrow clothes from.”
Together they ran along the murky edge of the water. Reptiles stalked them but didn't drift from the safety of the swamp. He called forth his fire to scorch them away, but his throat tightened and only a tendril of smoke whizzed out. What the hell?
At a tin building, Ash called out, “Miss Peters?”
No answer. Ash banged on the door then tried the handle.
“It's locked.”
“Allow me.” Xilon twisted the metal off then opened the door.
“Thanks. I'll grab us some clothes and leave a note. If Brice is possessed, we don't have much time left to save him.” Her voice shook.
Xilon rubbed her back. “We'll get him back and save Taurian and Grams too.” But he didn't tell her the truth…that his dragon fire wasn't working. He'd tried to get it ready as they ran, but it didn't answer his call. Maybe it was transforming back and forth that froze it. Or his torn wing that ached across his back whenever he moved certain ways. Whatever the reason, they were racing to two giant Tryns and a possession that might make this Brice do anything. And would Ash risk herself if there was no other choice? No, he couldn't let that happen.
She might hate him forever, but at least she'd be alive.
Outside Grams’ ho
me, Ash raced up the wooden steps to the back porch. If she could get a weapon then she could remove the demon from her brother and kill it. She hoped Xilon could handle the other two Tryns. No sounds came from inside the house. Where was everyone? Her heart speed up...were Grams and Brice okay? What about Taurian? Unease settled in her gut. She glanced over at Xilon who nodded.
The door squeaked open and she and Xilon eased inside.
He brushed a hand over her shoulder, giving her comfort. His eyebrows rose as though questioning which way to go. She pointed toward her bedroom in the back, and he nodded. They would have to cross the kitchen, living room, then down the hall to her room.
Breaking the window of her bedroom would have attracted attention too soon. If they encountered demons, Xilon could hold them off until she grabbed her swords.
All the lights in the house were off and with the clouds outside, it looked like the middle of the night.
She and Xilon crept through the kitchen. Her breaths were hard and fast in her chest. She had to save her family. Her nerves danced along her skin as memories of her parents’ deaths choked her. But having Xilon with her comforted her some. Nothing like having your own personal bodyguard dragon.
The kitchen was clear, which should've relaxed her anxiety except it only heightened it. Why is it so goddamn quiet?
She tightened her fists. On the couch lay a figure. Oh, please don't let me be too late. She had to be able to save her brother. Before, when her parents had been killed, she'd been too young. Hadn't known what to do. Now that she had the ability to save him—
Her throat dried.
Tears filled her eyes as she slunk forward. Xilon caught her sleeve to hold her back, but she jerked free. No, she had to know if her brother was okay. Her legs shook as she dashed to his prone form. Before she touched him, hands grasped her by the back of her neck and tossed her across the room. Her hip slammed against the front door.
Xilon yelled something she couldn’t make out. Her head ringing.
She blinked, not understanding what she was seeing. Xilon was punching his brother, Taurian.