Sassy Ever After: Her Warrior Dragon (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Ariel Marie

  Gamair.

  “Oh, no!” Dalma gasped, pulling on Faye’s arm. “We’ve got to go!”

  Faye didn’t hesitate as she turned and ran behind the older woman. For the woman to be the age she admitted to, she sure could sprint. Faye glanced behind her and found the black dragon headed straight for them. She picked up her speed, wishing she had kept up the workout she had abandoned so long ago.

  Darkness surrounded them as the dragon reached them, blocking the sun with his massive form. She would not be able to outrun a dragon.

  “Dalma!” she screamed out as the rough talons of the dragon grabbed her by the waist, plucking her from the ground. She fought to release herself, but was no match for the dragon’s tight grip as he carried her off.

  “Faye!” Dalma’s voice drew faint as the dragon flew away.

  She looked down at how far they were from the ground as he carried her away from the castle. She let loose a scream, and scrambled to hold onto the leg of the dragon for dear life. She wouldn’t survive if he decided to let her go.

  A distant roar filled the air. Faye glanced back down at the castle and saw a smaller dragon making it’s way toward them.

  Dalma.

  Hope filled her chest that Dalma’s dragon would be able to save her. The smaller dragon was swiftly making her way toward them, but Faye’s hope was soon doused. Gamair’s chest rumbled as he discovered they were being followed. A bright beam of light shot from the black dragon.

  Faye screamed as she watched the energy ball slam into Dalma’s dragon.

  “Dalma!” she screamed as she watched, horrified, as the smaller dragon fell from the sky, disappearing through the clouds. She tightened her grip on the dragon’s leg as tears clouded her vision. She didn’t want to think of what could have happened to the sweet dragon shifter. She prayed that Dalma would survive.

  A new fear entered her chest. If Gamair was here, where was Vander?

  15

  “Where is she?” Vander roared as he burst through the doors of the castle. He could instantly sense Faye was gone. His dragon knew it. It could sense the loss the moment they had landed.

  “It was the Death Lord, sir,” Farta announced as he stalked toward Vander.

  “How did he break through the wards of the property?” Vander growled.

  “We don’t know,” Farta admitted as he followed behind Vander. “We have been working at repairing the wards, sir.”

  Vander let loose a roar of angst and pain that shook the floors. His mate was taken from their home. Somewhere that was to be a sanctuary for her, and she was just snatched away. Plucked from the grounds that were to protect her from evil. He stood there, breathing hard as his beast wanted to break free and fly off in search of their mate.

  “How did he get her?” he demanded as he began walking down the hall, with Farta trailing behind him. The castle was in an unusual uproar. “What is going on?” he asked, suddenly noting the frantic nature of a few servants running up the stairs to the upper level of the castle.

  “It’s Dalma, sir.” Farta informed him softly as Vander stood at the bottom of the stairs. The pit of his stomach gave way at the tone of Farta’s voice.

  “What’s wrong with Dalma?” he asked, turning to his head servant.

  “She was with Ms. Adams when Gamair came. They were out in the gardens to allow Ms. Adams some fresh air, and you know Dalma, sir. She was introducing her to the family statues.”

  Vander glanced up at the stairs of the castle. He knew that Dalma loved his family so, and had fell in love with Faye immediately, just as he did. He began climbing the stairs two at a time. Before going after Gamair, he needed to check on the woman who was like a second mother to him.

  He quickly made his way to her suite, and watched a few females rush into her room. He stood at the door, unsure of what he would find once he entered. Knowing Dalma as well as he did, he knew that if Gamair took Faye in her presence, that she would have shifted and went after them.

  He pushed the door open and paused as she came into view. She laid still on the bed, as one of the females adjusted the pillows beneath her head. The other fussed over the blankets.

  A growl resonated deep in his chest at the sight of Dalma. Bruises covered her body, and he knew instantly what had happened.

  Flashes of his fall came to mind, and he knew that she’d experienced the same as he did when Gamair hit him with his energy.

  He forced himself to move into the room. The servants bowed their heads and moved to the corner of the room as he approached Dalma’s bed. Her chest rose in a slow, steady rhythm, showing that she was in a deep healing sleep. Her dragon would repair all the damage from her fall. He sat on the edge of the bed and brushed a few of her graying strands of hair from her face.

  He leaned forward and placed a kiss to the middle of her forehead.

  “He will pay for what he has done to you,” Vander vowed. He knew that she wouldn’t hear him, but it was something that he had to put out in the universe.

  Gamair may have signed his death warrant before for attacking the villagers and going after his mate. But now, the fiery pits of hell would never do. He would send the Death Lord to the place beneath hell.

  “How is she?” Feno’s low growl broke through the silent air.

  “She’s in a healing stasis,” Vander announced, looking up at the door. His brother’s fierce gaze met his, and his face displayed the same emotion that rumbled deep within his chest.

  Rage.

  They would avenge the villagers and Dalma, and take back his mate.

  “From what Farta said, he has a couple of hours on us,” Feno disclosed as Vander stood and made his way to the door. They stood outside the door to allow the servants to tend to Dalma.

  “He has her,” Vander growled. His dragon slammed against his chest, demanding to be let out again. It was ready to seek revenge against the Death Lord. The warrior in him knew that they would fight to the death to protect Faye.

  “We will find them and bring her back,” Feno assured him.

  “If he’s harmed one hair on her head—” Vander stopped and looked away. He couldn’t verbalize it. If Faye were harmed, he would go crazy. His dragon would lose his mind.

  “We’ll get your back, little brother. Nothing will happen to your mate. Gamair is playing a sick game.”

  “I will end the sick fuck’s game.” Vander stalked toward the stairs.

  “We need to come up with a plan. We can’t just rush off. He’s going to expect us to show up.” Feno stormed up behind Vander.

  “Well, let me not disappoint him,” Vander snapped as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

  “Stop!” Feno commanded. Grabbing him by the arm, he swung him around to face him.

  Vander turned a cold eye to his brother. Feno could never begin to understand what he was going through. This was his mate they were talking about. She was in the hands of their enemy. Someone who was devious, pure evil, and wouldn’t give two fucks about killing a human.

  “Don’t push me away. I’m on your side. But if we’re to get your mate back, we must work together. A plan must be developed so that we don’t mess this up. We’re going to have one chance to get her back.”

  “I don’t give a damn what happens to me. It’s Faye that I care about,” he snapped. His dragon was ready to go off to bring their mate home. There was so much they had yet to share with her. Little did she know, this castle was hers.

  “And that is exactly why I said we need a plan! I refuse to lose my only brother. We do this my way, and only my way. I’m the eldest, and I will have you locked up.”

  “You wouldn’t dare,” Vander growled, his eyes narrowed on his brother. Feno had never threatened him before. His brother had lost his mind if he thought that Vander would sit by and allow him to rescue Faye without him.

  “To save my hotheaded little brother from running blindly into battle, I would.” Feno crossed his arms in front of his massive chest. He cocked an eyebrow
as he waited for Vander’s answer. Vander paused and glared at his brother. By the looks of Feno, he would.

  “And I’d help him.” Jodos’ voice appeared behind him. He glanced at his friend as he came and stood next to Feno.

  Two against one.

  Vander released a sigh and ran a shaky hand across his face. He refused to fight with them. By the looks of them, Vander would lose.

  “What do you suggest we do?”

  16

  Faye released a scream as her body fell through the air. She looked down at the murky water rushing up to greet her. She closed her eyes and held her breath as she hit the water, hard. She had to beat down the panic that rose in her chest. Her arms flailed around as her body began its descent to the top of the water. She kicked her legs to guide her to the surface.

  She gasped as she broke through the surface, her lungs burning from being deprived of air. She began to tread water as she frantically looked around. She tried to take deep breaths and avoid taking in the nasty water. The dragon flew overhead and released a deafening roar.

  Where the hell were they?

  Her eyes desperately searched for land. She wasn’t the best swimmer, and knew that she would tire soon. She sensed a presence quietly drifting behind her, causing her to turn. She held in a scream as a large decaying animal carcass floated past her. The dragon flew overhead again. She slipped beneath the water’s surface and swam away, trying to put as much distance as she could between her and the dead animal.

  She couldn’t tell what it was, and somehow, she knew that it had met the same fate as she would. She broke the surface, unable to hold her breath any longer. The smell in the air was nauseating. The aroma of death surrounded her, and she had to push back down the contents of her stomach that were trying to escape. She glanced to her right, and finally saw land.

  She took off into the disgusting water, keeping her eyes on the land. She didn’t want to know what else was in there with her, and pushed herself until she was finally able to put her feet on solid ground. Her feet carried her further until she reached the base of a tree. Her body slammed into the ground as she sat hard.

  She leaned her back against the tree, her breaths coming rapidly. She glanced into the sky and found no signs of her captor. Fear gripped her, almost paralyzing her, but she knew that she couldn’t stay here. He would come for her.

  She pushed off the ground and stood on shaky legs. Her drenched clothes made it almost impossible for her to run, but she had to try. She didn’t know where she was going, but she moved as fast as her water soaked clothes would allow. She headed toward a lining of trees that were up ahead. She looked behind her, and still didn’t see the dragon. Faye sent up a prayer that he would think she had drowned and wouldn’t come for her.

  She entered the brush of trees and hid behind a thick trunk, trying to control her breathing. She brushed the wet hair from her forehead with a shaky hand, then placed it against her chest, landing on something hard beneath her shirt.

  Vander’s dragon eye.

  She pulled it from beneath her drenched shirt and rubbed it between her fingers. The action caused a calmness to spread throughout her body. It was as if Vander himself was there to calm her down. She bit back a sob as she looked around at her surroundings.

  She knew that he would come for her. Her dragon warrior would not let her down. She just had to survive until he reached her.

  “Vander,” she whispered, closing her eyes. She knew it was silly, but she wished she could reach out to him. To speak to him. To hear his voice. She had heard plenty of times of paranormals being able to speak to each other, and this was one time she wished she was of the paranormal world. She prayed that his pendant would allow him to hear her plea for help.

  “No use in calling on your dragon lover,” a chilling voice announced. Her eyes flew open and there he stood. She would recognize his figure anywhere. “He can’t hear you.”

  Gamair.

  “Just let me go,” she demanded, trying to ensure that her voice didn’t shake. She tried as best as she could to appear brave. “If you let me go now, Vander will let you live.”

  “He’ll let me live? Silly human. Your boyfriend is no match for me. I warned him, that if he did not cease his pursuit of me, that he would lose something of value to him. So, you can thank him for putting revenge for that ratchet farming village over your life.”

  “He’s only doing what is right,” she goaded him. She knew that this man, this shifter, was dangerous. She was proud that Vander would hunt this being to avenge the innocent. She stood tall as she looked him in the eye.

  “Your false sense of bravery is almost believable, even downright cute.” He chuckled as he advanced on her. She looked around and knew that she wouldn’t be able to outrun a shifter. “Too bad no one will be here to save you.”

  A shiver ran down her spine as he moved closer. Just one look into his eyes, and she knew he was sick in the head. Deranged.

  “I’m warning you,” she stammered as she stepped away from the tree, trying to back up.

  “You’re in no position to threaten me,” he growled as he marched toward her.

  Fuck this, she thought as she took off, running deeper into the woods. His laughter filled the air behind her as she pumped her arms and pushed herself.

  A force hit her from behind, ripping a scream from her as she fell. Her body slid across the hard ground before drawing to a stop. She attempted to roll to her side and found her body unable to move. She willed her arms to move, but it was like invisible ropes kept her arms bound to her sides.

  “No,” she moaned, fighting with all her might, but her body wouldn’t move.

  “Tsk…tsk…” Gamair’s voice drew closer behind her.

  A lone tear made its way down her cheek as she lay there, vulnerable to him.

  “Vander,” she whispered, desperately praying that he would come for her. He had to. He promised he would always protect her.

  “I told you, you’re boyfriend isn’t here to help you.”

  “Vander…”

  The faint sound of Faye’s voice filled Vander’s head. His pendant! Excitement filled his chest as he realized that she still wore the pendant that he gave her. It would allow him to track her.

  “I know where she is,” he informed Feno and Jodos through their mental link. His dragon let loose a huff as he turned in the direction of the last signal the pendant gave off.

  The damn Wetlands.

  He should have known that Gamair would go there. He just prayed that they weren’t too late. He knew what type of carnage was waiting in the Wetlands. Gamair’s dragon loved to feast on rotten flesh that decayed in the murky waters there. His dragon pushed itself faster as the image of Faye, floating in the waters with the decaying animals, came to mind.

  “Where?” Feno’s deep voice broke through his thoughts.

  “The Wetlands,” Vander answered.

  “You really think he would take her there?” Jodos asked.

  “I can sense her through my pendant.”

  Curses filled his head, as both Feno and Jodos knew that a dragon’s pendant wouldn’t lead them astray.

  “Is she still alive?” Feno asked gently.

  “Yes, I heard her voice,” he growled, knowing that it was more than just her voice he heard. He heard and sensed the fear inside of her. She was frightened, panicking, and alone.

  “We stick together.” Feno reminded them. “No hero bullshit. We stand against him together.”

  Vander pushed his dragon faster, his wings slicing through the air, eating up the distance. His dragon was in battle mode as they closed in on Faye’s location. If one hair was harmed on her head, he would tear Gamair limb from limb.

  The smell of stale water and rotting flesh filled his nostrils, denoting they were close to the Wetlands. Vander’s eyes scanned the waters as soon as they came into sight, instantly looking for Faye.

  The three dragons stayed in a triangular formation as they flew over
the waters. Vander glanced toward the sun and saw that it was beginning to make its descent. They would need to hurry. Once nighttime fell, it would make it harder for them to find her. The Wetlands stretched on for miles, and in the dark, there was no telling what creatures would be on the hunt.

  “Any sign of her?” Jodos asked.

  “No,” Vander growled. There wasn’t even a sign of Gamair. It was hard to hide a dragon that was larger than the size of a football field.

  “A couple miles ahead, there’s a small mountainous region. I bet he’s holed up there,” Feno said.

  “It’s worth a shot,” Vander replied, falling in line behind his brother as he led the way.

  17

  The mountainous region that Feno spoke of came into view, and Vander wasn’t sure he would really call it a mountain region. More like hills and valleys. It was nothing like the massive mountain that his castle sat on.

  “I’m going to shift and land. He’ll hear us coming if we stay in dragon form,” Vander announced. If they were to rescue Faye, the only way he would be able to find her in the hills would be in human form. She had yet to see him in his dragon form, and he wouldn’t want to scare her off.

  “Jodos, shift with him. I’ll stay in my dragon form and patrol the air,” Feno instructed.

  “Will do,” Jodos replied as they circled around the land.

  Vander’s dragon began its descent toward land. He shifted midair, dropping a few hundred yards to the ground. He stood and glanced down, finding himself naked. Thankfully, being a powerful dragon shifter gave him the ability to magically clothe his naked self. With a wave of his hand, he was fully clothed with jeans, a T-shirt, and hiking boots.