by Mina Carter
“I understand you learned things from Royce that I should’ve told you, and for that I am very sorry. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
She nodded. He was just about to ask her if she was ready to go when he was interrupted before they’d finished their conversation.
“Rayne, do you feel that?”
Duty called. He stood and helped Kyndel to her feet. They headed towards the others as he answered, “Feel what, Lance?”
“Open your senses! There’s a fucking horde approaching!”
Rayne kept moving, opening his senses as wide as he could, frustrated with himself that he’d been so focused on Kyndel, he’d once again neglected to sweep the area.
“Give yourself a break, man. You just found your mate. We’re here to cover your ass.”
“Yes, and thank you, but I’m the Commander. Son of a bitch, you’re right. Fifty or sixty, definitely men. One has some serious magic. They all smell of deceit and hate. Fucking hunters!”
Rayne opened his mind to speak to all the Guardsmen. “We have incoming, less than a mile out. About sixty hunters. They have someone very magical with them. Pick up the pace. We have to get as close to The Pointe as possible before we take flight.”
Rayne did the only thing he could think of to get Kyndel as far away from the hunters as fast as he could. He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Just as he expected, she was not at all pleased.
“Rayne, put my heavy ass down… .now. What the hell is going on?”
Trying to be playful while worried out of his mind, Rayne swatted his mate’s lovely ass and pretended to growl. “You will not call my mate heavy.”
He laughed aloud to let her know he was joking before he gave her the bad news. “We are getting away from a pack of hunters that thought to keep us from reaching The Pointe.”
“I promise you will pay for hitting my ass, Commander,” Kyndel promised, and he could tell she meant it. “I appreciate you can move a hundred times faster than I can, but a little warning before bringing out the caveman/superhero routine would be nice. The next time, I’m not gonna hold back. I will throw up down your back.”
Rayne chuckled despite the situation. “I’ll keep that in mind, mo chroi’. However, I do hope the next time I throw you over my shoulder, we’re naked and you’re not protesting.”
“Alrighty, children, as much as I’m enjoying the Love Fest, it appears whoever has the magical ability in our group of stalkers can also enhance their speed. They’re doing a damn fine job of closing the distance. I’m not afraid to tell you, I just don’t like it. How the hell did they know where we were?” Lance questioned.
“Can’t you just change or transform or go all dragony here and take off?” Kyndel asked.
“Yes, we could, and we will if it comes to that, but our dragons’ wing span is over thirty feet wide and most of us are at least twenty feet tall. That’s a lot of dragon in close quarters. Not to mention, if we all take off at the same time this close to the ground, we could do some real damage to the landscape, which is never our intent. That’s why we’re trying to get to The Pointe.”
“They seem to be picking up speed again, Commander,” Lance yelled.
Things must really be dangerous. Lance sounds serious for the first time since I met him and he called Rayne, Commander.
“All right men, we’re heading for the largest ledge on the right, about half way to the top. Looks like there’s a cave and several different outcroppings where we can take a defensive position. Aidan, I want you to call your dragon forth first. You’re the quickest to flight and sleekest in the air. We’ll need your speed if things go the way they’re headed. The magic practitioner is the one we need to identify, followed closely by the asshole leading this merry band of fuck ups. If we’re lucky, they’re one and the same.”
Making it to the ledge with just minutes to spare, Rayne set Kyndel down at the opening of the cave and turned to address his Force. “Aidan, head up to the highest lip and call forth your dragon. I’m hoping when they see you’ve already transformed, it’ll give them reason for pause. Make sure you’re ready to bring your dragon fire. Most of all, keep your senses sharp. We have no idea what the magician is capable of.”
“Yes, Commander,” Aidan responded, and up he went.
“Royce, get the swords and shields. We’ll fight as men for as long as we can. Aaron and Lance, take the shelf right below us. Transform only if Aidan has taken flight. I want to avoid calling any human attention to us if at all possible.
“Royce and Devon, stay here with Kyndel and me. You’ll call your dragons if Aaron and Lance take flight. I’ll be the last to transform.”
He turned and placed his hands on Kyndel’s shoulders, gripping tightly. “Mo chroi’, I need you to do whatever I say without question. I know that won’t be easy for you, but in this case, it is absolutely necessary. You have to trust my expertise. It’s killing me that you’re once again in danger because of me. When we get out of this, and we will get out of this, I swear I’m locking you away somewhere safe.”
There was a spark in her eyes. He knew it meant she was about to kick his ass. Thankfully, he’d kept her distracted just long enough to get her to safety. He would be in the doghouse, but she would be safe and that’s all that mattered.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Kyndel was so caught up in what Rayne was saying that she didn’t realize he’d used his speedy dragon abilities to take her deep into the cave. When he finished talking, he crushed his mouth to hers. She felt him pouring everything he was into that one kiss. He loved her. She felt it. She believed he would give up his own life if it meant she would live. Before she could open her eyes, Rayne was gone and she had a flashlight in her hands.
She could hear him and the other Guardsmen preparing for battle.
“You better not get yourself killed, Rayne MacLendon. I swear I’m gonna kick your ass if you do!” she yelled, knowing damn good and well he could hear every word. Then she added, “And if you live… I’m gonna kick your ass. You really screwed the pooch, big man!”
She imagined his cocky grin and smug chuckle and couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face.
Argh! That man drives me crazy! And I can’t come up with one reason why that’s a bad thing.
She felt reassuring warmth spread over her, the same feeling she got with Rayne’s arms around her. It was like he was right there with her.
No, that’s not possible. I can hear him outside the cave, but I know what I feel. I really am losing my freaking mind.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
They were all in place. He knew his men could handle whatever the hunters could dish out. They’d done it before. He counted three separate lines of zealots covered in black from head to toe. All appeared to be human, but he’d finally gotten a read on the magical one. The practitioner was leading the group in the middle… the one heading straight to him.
He could feel the tainted magic on his skin. The ones heading in Aidan’s direction seemed reluctant to take on a full-grown dragon and had slowed down their approach. The magician was now pushing them, denying them the freedom to retreat.
You should be afraid… be very afraid, idiots.
Aidan was the fiercest Guardsman of their Force, even more so after the loss he’d endured. They could all feel his resolve. The younger of the twins felt he had nothing to live for. It was something that saddened the entire Force, but in this case, it was to their advantage. In dragon form, he would rain destruction down on all comers. The hunters recognized the danger they were rushing headlong into and fought hard against the magic being poured into them. Digging their heels in, they tried to slow their ascent to no avail. The magician was incredibly strong.
Rayne called to Aaron and Lance, “The leader of the pack is leading the group heading your way. Look at his arrogance. He’s marching like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Make the son of a bitch cry like a little girl.”
“He
ll yeah,” Lance gave a war cry.
“It would be my pleasure,” Aaron added.
The Commander had put them together for a reason. Lance and Aaron had trained together since right after their transformations. They knew what the other thought before he thought it. What move he would make before he made it.
Rayne tried to feel sorry for the hunters as they marched to their certain demise, but couldn’t. They’d chosen their path. It would end at the point of their swords. What a waste of so many lives.
“Take the wizard out first,” he called to Royce and Devon. “He’s enhancing their abilities. We have no clue if he’ll be able to disrupt our dragon magic, so take no chances. My mate is here. Fight to win.”
“We always do, Commander,” his men answered in unison.
Rayne felt Aidan take flight, then the magic from Aaron calling his dragon danced over his skin. Lance was staying in human form for the moment. Apparently, they had a game plan. He wouldn’t interfere as long as they took care of the enemy. If anything went wrong, he’d take it out of Lance’s hide.
Devon was perched on the edge of the landing with his bow cocked. He was the best archer Rayne had witnessed in all his hundred and nineteen years. He watched the Guardsman take a deep breath, hold it, then let his arrow fly. It rang true, but was repelled by an unseen force. The magician had erected some type of shield.
Rayne studied his opponents. Only the group traveling with the magic practitioner was protected. Proof of his theory came immediately. Lance’s sword ran right through the hunter attacking him and Aaron’s huge talons had already beheaded two and were ready to take down another. The leader was evading Lance’s strikes, but Rayne had faith in his men. He returned his attention to the troop at their feet.
“Call your dragon, Royce. Your magic is older and stronger. We need to take that bastard magician down quickly.”
No sooner had he commanded it than a majestic royal blue dragon stood by his side. Royce’s dragon definitely mirrored the man. At twenty-five feet tall, five feet over their average, and weighing in at over fifteen hundred pounds, he was a force to be reckoned with. But more impressive than his size were the six-foot spikes running the length of his tail. They pointed in every direction and were positioned on all sides of his twenty-foot appendage. Not to mention, he wielded the oldest and most potent magic of all dragon kin.
The sight of Royce’s dragon caused the magician to stumble. Devon used that split second to fire another arrow. The practitioner ducked. The arrow tore straight through the hunter behind him, taking out the next in line as well. The remaining hunters left their fallen, racing forward, with the magician in the lead.
Checking on his men, Rayne saw that Lance held his broadsword at the ready, still facing off against the human pack-leader. Looking for Aaron, he saw he was already in the air helping his twin. Another deviation from the plan. As long as it worked, he would say nothing. If they failed, there would be hell to pay.
Looking back, Rayne saw the leader fighting with a saber. It seemed to be the weapon of choice for the fanatics. They all wore them strapped to their bodies. The pack-leader thrust his blade towards Lance’s face. The Guardsman blocked his advance and countered with one of his own. Rayne could see the hunter’s arm shake from the impact. The evil grin on Lance’s face said it all… he liked to play with his prey.
Rayne switched his attention to Aidan. “How’s it going, ‘A’?”
“It’s a great day to slay hunters, whatcha say, Commander? You see these bastards fighting against the black magic. They know they are running headlong into death.” His laugh was evil but warranted.
“Bet they never expected to see a nineteen-foot tall dragon up close and personal. Feel that fear?”
“Damn straight. My beast can’t wait to taste blood.”
The hunters had reached the landing below Aidan. Rayne felt his brethren preparing to descend just as Aaron arrived on the scene. His silver dragon so like Aidan’s, they both shone like avenging knights in the rising moonlight.
“We’ll talk about this after these idiots are dead and fried.” The Commander overheard Aidan chastise Aaron through their mindspeak.
“You don’t get to have fun all by yourself, little bro,” Aaron snickered, and Rayne wondered how long it would be before Aidan smacked him down. He didn’t have long to wait.
“Little my ass, you’re only two minutes older and you were to cover Lance.”
“Lance has it under control. I wanted some flight time, too.”
“Rayne’s gonna have your head when this is all over. Just stay out of my way, old man.” And with that, the brothers engaged the hunters.
Rayne knew Aaron was worried about his twin, but as Commander, he had ordered Aaron to stay with Lance. He only hoped the jokester Guardsman wasn’t hot-dogging it. This wizard was proving to have a few tricks up his sleeve. He’d obviously studied the dragons and used what he found to hone his skills to mirror some of their own. The practitioner moved almost as fast and had incredible agility.
Royce, in dragon form, and Devon, still in human form, were dispatching hunters as fast as they could. All three of them were protecting the mouth of the cave… protecting Kyndel. Chancing once last glance over the ledge as he battled the hunters that had finally reached them, Rayne saw Lance had partially transformed and was burning the bodies of the hunters he’d dispatched. That meant the leader and fifteen or so of his followers would no longer plague their kin.
The wizard shot a bolt of magic directly at Rayne, bringing his attention back to the battle at hand. The Commander dodged just in time. The shot singed the stone beside the entrance to the cave.
Strong magic, just as I thought.
Rayne swung at the wizard’s head. The bastard moved to the left, kicking out as he went, connecting with Rayne’s ribs and knocking him off balance. Rushing Rayne, the magician struck the Commander in the mouth with the handle of the short sword he drew from the sheath in his belt. Rayne returned with a heavy blow to the wizard’s head and several directly to his gut with the handle of his own broadsword.
Rayne quickly changed his mind, he wanted the bastard alive. He needed to question him. The hunters were changing tactics. They needed to get ahead of it, lest they lose any more of their kin.
Raining punches down on the man that would dare to hunt his mate and his people, Rayne could hear the battle all around and above him. It fueled his anger. The wizard fought back with all he had. No matter what Rayne tried, he couldn’t break through the magic the practitioner wielded. Getting the upper hand was taking longer than the Commander would’ve liked.
Swinging with all his might, Rayne stumbled when Kyndel’s scent hit him like a shot to the gut. He immediately turned. The magician used Rayne’s inattention to get a shot in at his lower back. Lance, who had climbed to their ledge, was right there to hold his sword against the practitioner’s neck. Royce, still in dragon form, was at Rayne’s side, but the damage was done. One of the hunters had gotten past their defenses. He had Kyndel by the hair, a knife to her neck. The look of determination in her eyes was all he needed to know. She would not be the passive hostage these idiots had planned on.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Kyndel tried to think of anything but the knife at her throat. The boys had been busy while she was stuck in that dark, dank cave. The sounds of their fighting had echoed off the stone walls, driving her crazy with worry. It became impossible for her to take, not knowing what was happening, so she’d crept closer to the cave entrance. Placing her shirt over the flashlight to keep the glow to a minimum, she‘d almost run right into the man, completely covered in black, that now held her hostage. If he hadn’t had such strange mismatched eyes that glowed in the dark, she would’ve bumped right into him.
For just an instant, they’d stared at one another. Then he’d moved as quickly as Rayne, getting behind her, grabbing her by the hair, and placing a knife at her throat before she knew what was happening. Kyndel had tried to fi
ght, but he was so much stronger, she hadn’t stood a chance. Giving in, she let him lead her to the mouth of the cave.
Rayne’s gonna be so pissed. I’m never gonna live down the fact that I didn’t stay where he told me to.
But really, was this the middle ages? Put the little woman on a pedestal and come back for her when the trouble is over. She was not the chick that would go along with the macho man routine. Kyndel was not some shrinking violet. If their relationship, or whatever was going on between them, was going to work, Rayne was going to have to realize damsel in distress was not her thing. She’d spent the better part of her life fighting for those she loved. She wouldn’t stop just because her mate was a hundred and nineteen years old, turned into a dragon, was the Commander of the Dragon Guard, and had antiquated ideas.
Oh crap! I just called him my mate.
Sometime between getting kissed silly and being left in the cave, he had fallen into the group of people she loved. Worse than that, her heart and head had accepted him as her mate. That was his word… not hers. Being held by some crazy fool that wanted to use her against him immediately took on a whole new level of sucky.
No frikkin’ way. I’m not going out like this.
She’d been promised another nine hundred years or so with the man she just realized she loved, and no freak with a knife was going to take that from her. It was the moment of truth. Her captor had trotted her out of the cave, into open air, right behind Rayne.
“You think to hurt my mate, hunter?” Rayne sounded lethal.
“No, Commander, I mean to kill your mate and watch holy penance rain down on the Dragon Guard, ending them forever.”
Oh, damn. This guy had drawn the line in the sand, and her man was about to cross it.