by Julia Mills
Not a chance.
Again, a feeling that not all was right with his mate poked at Rian. Not that anything had ever been ‘right’, but this was different. It was an undeniable sense that something monumental had changed...that Audrey was in more danger than she’d ever been before.
Shaking off the fresh case of nerves plaguing him, the Dragon Leader pretended to laugh with his brethren, while increasing worry caused him to probe the mating bond he shared with Audrey for any way to contact her. He knew it was useless. They’d tried everything from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her all those years ago. But logic and reason had left the building...he needed to know she was all right.
Only half listening, Rian said good night to the others. He listened to their voices disappear into the darkness as they all headed home. He smiled as Lennox made them all laugh, joking about their trip to hell in less than twelve hours, but he actually chuckled when Pearce said, “Just like every mission, only with a little more heat.”
Turning off all the lights and heading to bed, visions of Audrey haunted his every step. Rian thought of the amulet Eleanor had given him almost fifty years ago. She’d taught him how to safely use what she’d called a ‘Looking Glass’ to catch glimpses of his mate. The old witch had warned that there was no way to know if what he saw was in real time or the past or even if the pictures transmitted would be in chronological order. It was haphazard at best but the only way she knew he could see his mate when they were apart.
She’d explained that the light green transparent glass was Moldavite, a gem formed deep within the earth after a meteorite strike, and that although it would show him his mate, its magic could not compete with hell’s evil forces even when reinforced with a ritual from her coven. The Priestess also warned him that looking too many times would create a path that Adramelech could follow back to Rian and his clan.
She cautioned Rian against using it, had even put it back into her pocket telling him it was too dangerous, but the Dragon Leader had begged and the Priestess had cautiously relented. He’d raced back to his basement, stood in the middle of the Devil’s Trap, and said the words Eleanor had taught him, “Is féidir le fáil ar mo ghrá.”
Holding his breath, Rian watched the clear stone turn cloudy then dark as night before showing him Audrey’s beautiful face. He’d been unable to look away, barely able to breathe, as he watched her reading a book in what he knew from her previous description to be the Chancellor’s library. Careful not to stay too long, he sadly whispered, “A bheith imithe,” under his breath as the woman the Universe had created for him faded from view. That had been the one and only time Rian had ever used the Looking Glass, always worried he’d bring danger into his clan; the very people he’d sworn to protect.
Lost in to his inner turmoil, it was only when his feet hit the concrete steps leading down to his basement that the Dragon Leader realized he had the Moldavite stone in his hand. His dragon chuffed as shock rocked Rian to his very core. He literally had no recollection of retrieving the Looking Glass from the silver lined safe in his office or unlocking the physical and magical locks to his cellar.
“Guess you need to see Audrey as much as I do, huh, big guy?” Rian spoke aloud to his dragon. “You’ve only ever pushed me like that one other time and I’d like to not think about that now.”
But words didn’t stop the memory of finding Royce covered in his mother’s blood or their unborn sister dead before her life had begun. Pushing all sadness aside, the Dragon Leader took a deep breath, entered the purified and blessed salt circle he used to protect his Devil’s Trap from detection, and dropped to his knees.
Straddling the line between his pure dragon magic and that of Eleanor’s amulet with hell’s pure evil was always a daunting task, but on this night, it seemed almost impossible. Had it not been for the strength of man and dragon combined, Rian was sure he would not have gotten through.
As it was, he only got the briefest of glimpses of Audrey, and those did more to alarm him than ease his distress. Rian couldn’t put his figure on it but in every image, she seemed different. The sparkle from her eyes was gone. Her skin looked sallow. The grace she usually brought to the simplest of tasks had vanished. All the Dragon Leader saw was a shadow his vibrant, loving princess.
His beautiful mate sat upon a rickety chair in the middle of a dark room, her head leaned forward as she absently stared at her hands, simply folded in her lap. The scene changed and Audrey lay upon a table of some sort, a sheet covering her from just under her chin to her feet. It flew by so quickly Rian couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw spots of something that resembled coffee staining the part of the fabric covering his mate’s midsection.
The next vision came flying at him with such fury and emotion that for the first time, there was sound. Hate, pain, rage, fear, and under it all, a helplessness that tore at his heart until he could barely breathe bombarded the Dragon Leader as the sound of a whip hitting flesh filled his basement. Over and over, an unholy screech accompanied every lash, making his dragon roar and his ears ring.
The out of focus scene blinked in and out several times, but the gut wrenching sound of skin being torn by the leather of a whip remained constant. Rian poured more magic into the Looking Glass, his need to see why Audrey would be a witness to something so gruesome overruling his previous caution.
With his dragon lending even more of his pure white magic to the spell, the scene finally shifted from the shadows of the beating being cast upon stone walls to the image itself. Rian ceased to breathe. His heart stuttered in his chest. He was on his feet and running before the next strike hit her back.
Screaming through mindspeak to his brethren, Rian could only articulate three words, “He’s killing her!”
Chapter Eight
Rian raced across the field behind his house, tearing toward Royce and Kyra’s cottage and never once looking away from the images flashing in the Looking Glass. It felt like he was watching a Best of trailer of slasher film clips. One beating after another, more bloodshed than he thought a human could withstand, and through it all, his courageous mate stood strong, fighting against every instinct she had to cry out—to let her tormentor know he was having any effect on her whatsoever.
Adramelech was relentlessly screaming at Audrey. Asking the same question over and over...a question Rian couldn’t quite make out. Narrowly missing the white picket fence around Kyra’s garden, the Dragon Leader stopped cold halfway through the gate. His mind refused to believe what it saw. Had no clue if it was happening in that moment or had occurred decades before. All that was certain was that his heart was falling to pieces at the abuse his mate was having to endure.
The Demon Lord took Audrey’s beautiful, tear-stained face between the hideous claws of his thumb and forefinger, put his reptilian snout so close to hers only a breath separated the two, and spat in her face, “I will not ask again, princess. What. Is. His. Name?”
Audrey stared into her captor’s eyes. Rian could see the defiance. He respected her for it. But his heart and soul screamed for her to tell the Chancellor whatever he wanted to know. Rian needed the beating to end. But she was far stronger than he was. It was something the Dragon Leader had known from the moment he saw her. She didn’t answer but smiled the best she could with the bastard squeezing her face and as sweetly as possible, asked, “Whoever are you speaking of, Lord Adramelech?”
The Chancellor went wild with fury. He tore his digits from her face with such force that her head went flying backward. Rian heard the crack of her neck then immediately felt the pain radiate from the punch to her stomach the Chancellor delivered in response to her question.
Audrey wheezed for several seconds before Adramelech once again had her face in his hands and was screeching his demands. “You will tell me the name of your mate. The name of the dragon shifter you have a bond with or so help me, princess, I will flay the skin from your body and leave you to bleed to death on this floor.”
Running
again, Rian flew through the back door of his brother’s home. Screamed so loudly and talked so quickly he could barely understand himself. “She’s protecting me! Heaven help me that woman, she’s shielding me! I’m supposed to keep her safe! That bastard wants to know my name but she won’t tell him! The son of a bitch is gonna kill her and still she won’t say my name!”
True to form, Royce was right there for him, “You gotta slow down, Ri. We all heard you. They guys are on their way but we have no clue what’s going on. You’re freaking out. We can’t understand you. Just breathe. Tell me what’s happening.”
“This!” Rian shoved the Looking Glass right into Royce’s face, hitting his nose as he yelled, “Look for yourself! He’s beating her, Roy. She’s bleeding! He’s going to kill her and I’m standing here useless. She’s gonna die and I’m doing nothing to protect her!”
The Dragon Leader felt his younger brother peel his fingers from the Moldavite while his mind reeled with the fastest way to get to his mate, the best way to kill Adramelech, how to get to hell and out again... His mind was a whirlwind of despair and confusion. Pacing in an attempt to calm his mind and body enough to think, Rian heard the front and back doors open and slam shut in a series of whooshs and bangs. His brethren ran into the house, all asking what was wrong and how could they help. Kyra and Calysta stood with Rian inspecting the Looking Glass. The McKennons sat just outside the turmoil, while Lance and Sam tried to calm him down.
Rian could feel himself losing control. Felt his dragon rising to the surface as the fear for his mate’s safety, the pure rage at what she was being made to endure, and his utter helplessness to rescue her from the torture he now had confirmation she’d been suffering for a century closed in on him. All the chaos and chatter around him was little more than white noise as they talked to him, about him, or at him.
Out of his peripheral vision he kept sight of the Looking Glass at all times. It was his one link to Audrey. The only way he knew she still lived no matter how abused she was or had been. If she was alive, there was still a chance to save her. That amulet was his lifeline. He simply could not be without it now that he’d used it. Not after what he’d just witnessed. Eleanor had said as long as he could call Audrey’s image into the stone it was proof she still lived. It was all he had, the only thing keeping him together.
He watched Royce hand the Moldavite to Calysta. Heard the Grand Priestess say she had no idea if it was the past or the present they were viewing but she could find out. Turning, she and Kyra moved toward the kitchen. As if tethered to the Looking Glass by an unseen thread, Rian moved with them. As he passed, Rory stepped in front of him. “Calm down, Rian. I can feel your dragon. You have to get him under control.”
Rian’s aggressive growl rumbled low in his throat. His youngest brother’s eyes grew large but Rory didn’t back down. Instead, he grabbed Rian’s shoulder and squeezed. The Dragon Leader and his beast roared, grabbed Rory’s wrist, and in one fluid motion, flipped his youngest sibling onto the floor then stepped over him grumbling, “Stay down or next time you bleed.”.
Ignoring Rory’s groans, Rian kept moving. Getting closer to the Looking Glass was his single-minded goal. It was the only thing he had of his mate. Audrey was all that mattered.
Royce charged in front Rian. Somewhere deep inside, where logic and calm still resided, the Dragon Leader knew his brother was only trying to protect Kyra. But the larger, more irrational side of the man and his beast needed that gem. Roaring so loudly he felt the floor under his feet tremor, Rian bared his teeth. He knew his brethren and any dragon mates in the room could see the image of his beast glowing around him.
The dragon is going to win. I’m going to let him win.
As if hearing his thought, Kellan casually stepped in front of Royce, putting his disfigured face inches from Rian and the fury of both man and beast in fear for their mate’s life. Looking Rian straight in the eye, the scarred dragon who had been his friend since they were children and his face did not yet bear the marks of war, said as if they were sitting at the kitchen table having coffee, “Ri, you’re gonna have to cool it. We can all see your dragon. We know you’re pissed and scared and want to kill that bastard...we all do. But you’re no good to Audrey if I have to kick your ass before we even get this rescue mission started.”
Kellan stood staring for a single heartbeat and then added, “You call your dragon then I have to call mine, and I have to take you down so you don’t go rogue before you save that pretty little princess of yours. Not good for either of us.”
Rian could hear what Kellan was saying, could feel the truth in his old friend’s words, but the adrenalin running through his veins and the pure frenzy of his beast were spinning the man out of control. For the first time in his very long life, Rian didn’t know how to stop. He didn’t...couldn’t think...could only feel.
Struggling to bring both man and dragon back from the brink of insanity, the sound of Adramelech’s whip thrashing Audrey’s tender skin ripped through his soul. Madness descended. The lash struck his back. Blood flowed from his veins. Her pain was his pain and it would not be tolerated. There would be retribution.
His beast fought. The dragon defied anyone to best him. A roar...a battle cry tore through their combined consciousness. Rian once again became the mindless being of wrath and revenge, seeking to dismember the one who dared to touch his mate. Nothing but blood and death would settle the score.
Kellan must’ve seen the truth in Rian’s eyes. Before the Dragon Leader could take his next breath Kellan, who’d been trained his entire life to fight with deadly precision, pulled back his fist and punched Rian right in the jaw. The crack of bone and the smack of flesh hitting flesh preceded the thud of the Dragon Leader falling to his knees.
Rian’s insanity began to recede. Slowly, the man could feel the beast grudgingly pulling back, giving way to Rian’s humanity...his sensibility and control. The dragon growled low and long in Rian’s head, letting him know the time had come. It had been long enough, it was close to now or never, they needed to save Audrey. One final chuff and the heat only an angry dragon can produce momentarily filled Rian’s being. His beast was letting the Dragon Leader know clearly, should the need for the dragon to rise again, he would not be denied. He would save their mate...Fate and all others be damned.
Rian wholeheartedly agreed with his dragon. The madness had not been knocked away by Kellan’s punch. It was still very much alive, only held at bay by Rian’s incredible strength and determination. Going rogue and letting the dragon run amuck would get Audrey back, but the cost would be Rian’s humanity and the death and destruction of everyone and everything in the beast’s path. No, the humans could handle it, but the urgency of the situation remained. It weighed upon the Dragon Leader more with every beat of his heart.
Reminding himself that he would be no good to Audrey as a mindless killing machine and that he needed his wits about him to save the woman he loved, Rian looked up at Kellan and gave a single nod of recognition.
Holding out his hand, Kellan asked, “You okay?”
Before the Dragon Leader could answer, Rory whined from somewhere behind him, “Is he okay? I’m the one who hit the ground like a piece of garbage.”
“Yeah, but he’s the one I hit.” Kellan rolled his eyes as Kyra burst out laughing.
“Kyra!” Royce scolded.
Kyra didn’t even try to stop laughing, only winked at Rian.
“No, she’s right.” Rian half-chuckled, half-groaned as Kellan pulled him to his feet.
Moving his jaw back and forth, he thanked the Universe for his miraculous strength and healing. Without it, there was no doubt his jaw would still be shattered. Looking back to his old friend, Rian said, “Thanks, Kell.”
With a simple nod, the scarred dragon moved to the far corner of the room. He stood watching, always accessing, always at the ready, almost as if the retired soldier was expecting an attack. It was something he’d done ever since returning from war scarre
d and fundamentally different in ways Rian had yet to figure out. The day would come when Kellan would have to face his demons and the Dragon Leader would be there for his friend just as Kellan had been there for him.
Looking around the room, he was glad to see the McKennons taking his momentary trip into insanity in stride. Even Brenna, the most timid woman Rian had ever met, was smiling at him. He smiled back even though he didn’t feel it. His ability to maintain control was being tested to its limits, but he had to keep it together. Not only for Audrey, but also for the people who looked to him as a leader. Rian met the eyes of every one of the McKennon witches as an additional reassurance of his sanity.
Walking toward the kitchen where Kyra and Calysta were having a serious discussion about the Looking Glass, Rian stopped when Lennox nearly spit the iced tea he was drinking across the room at something Pearce had just said. With his hands on his hips, Rian turned to face them and asked, “What? What now?”
Barely able to speak, Lennox stuttered, “F-f-f-forget your c-c-c-clothes there, c-c-c-chief?”
Rian shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. He had indeed forgotten to put on a shirt or shoes on as he’d run out of his house as if the world was ending. It only stood to reason that the McKennons were staring at him like he had lost his last marble. They had to be wondering why in all that was holy he was ever given the highest position in their clan as he stood before them in nothing but his ragged old blue jeans.
Spinning around to apologize, the Dragon Leader said, “I’m so...” and that was a far as he got as a worn grey T-short flew through the air, hitting him right across the face.
“Thanks, Roy.” He rolled his eyes at his brother before pulling the shirt over his head, turning back to the living room, and finishing his apology. “Sorry about that, ladies. Sorry for it all.”