GRIPPED (Romance Mystery & Suspense Box Set)

by Abbott, Alex

  Lena wanted to point out that Cate and her brothers turned into dragons but she held her tongue. She didn’t want to insult her new hosts. It sounded like most everyone from this part of the world shifted into dragons…not that they called themselves shifters even. Manna, wherever it was, was much more confusing than anything Lena had ever seen in England.

  “This sister of yours,” Cate said. “Why does she hate you so much?”

  Lena sighed. “She wanted my help and I had to refuse her.”

  “Why? She’s older than you are too. I don’t always agree with what Troy decides but I couldn’t go against him completely.”

  “They did think she was a wraith,” Lena pointed out. “Sophia isn’t exactly the most reasonable person. Her choice is what got us into this mess in the first place.”

  “Mess?” Cate was walking entirely too slow. There was a big gap between the women and Troy and Allen. Cate was trying to get information. Lena didn’t mind telling her what had happened. She wasn’t a part of the fiasco.

  “Sophia and her people tried to kill the other supernaturals at home. The governing body of our people didn’t take too kindly to that.”

  “Interesting.” Cate didn’t say more put patted Lena’s hand again. “We can’t choose our families can we? You didn’t try to take part and that says much about your character.”

  “Thank you,” Lena smiled. “I hope that one day you can come and be a guest at my country estate. You and family have been so kind to us I can’t wait to repay the favor.”

  “Since I’ve never heard of this England before and have no idea where it is, I would love that.” Cate smiled brightly. “Is your mother there?”

  “My mother is dead.” Lena said. It had years and years before but Lena was sill sad to mention her mother. Had Queen Marie still been around, none of this would have ever happened. Sophia would still be driving the men at court wild and hosting outlandish parties.

  “I’m so sorry. Our parents are dead too.” Cate put her head down. “It was over two thousand days ago but it seems like it was just yesterday.”

  Lena did the math rapidly in her head. That was around sixteen years ago. Cate couldn’t have been more than one or two at the time her parents died. “I’m sorry for your loss too. I know how it feels. My mother died almost ten years ago.”

  And under strange circumstances, said a little voice in the back of Lena’s head. Her mother was a young fae and had only been ruling for a century. Her grandmother had ruled for over five hundred years before turning the throne over to Marie. There were whispers that Sophia had something to do with the queen’s death but Lena didn’t believe any of them. She couldn’t. If her sister had anything to do with her mother’s death, Lena would have no choice but to end Sophia once and for all.

  A smell broke her dark thoughts. “Cate do you smell smoke?”

  The princess sniffed. “Nothing.”

  Lena looked up and couldn’t see anything through the thick trees but she knew there was something on fire close. Allen put out his arm and stopped walking. “There’s a fire!”

  Troy put his hand on his sword and looked around. “I don’t smell anything.”

  “Trust me your highness, there’s a fire close. We should turn back.”

  “Maybe there was a fire earlier but now it’s been put out.” Zane suggested. “We can continue and if we see any danger turn back then.”

  Lena felt uneasy but she agreed. They continued forward at a slower rate and the conversations ceased. The smell got worse. The trees started to thin and they caught sight of what was causing the smell. Ellia came to stand at Lena’s side as they stared in awe.

  There was a giant dragon in front of them shooting black flames at the forest in front of it. The dragon was beautiful. It was all white but there were flecks of purple in its scales. In the dim forest light, it was iridescent. The forest the beast was throwing flames at wasn’t catching fire. The trees were bending in on themselves but not breaking.

  “The wall!” Cate cried.

  Lena looked closely at the area the dragon was shooting fire at. Yes, it had to be a magic wall. The trees were just a picture. The wall was buckling under the flames but not giving. As they watched awed, the flames gathered in the center of the spot. The wall bent even further and then without warning snapped back. The flames were thrown off the wall and came right toward the group.

  The dragon stopped breathing fire but it was too late. The group was going to be engulfed in flames. Ellia screamed and Troy reached for his sister to pull her down. Lena put her hand up and the flames wavered for a second. She pulled all the magic she could feel in the area toward herself and used it to create a barrier between the group and the flames. The fire passed around them but scorched the trees and grass around them.

  “What in the world?” Troy said looking at the grass around them. “How in the hell did you do that?”

  Lena looked at her hands. She had meant to stop the flames but she didn’t have the power to do that yet. “I told you. We aren’t wraith. We’re fae.”

  Seven

  The barrier dropped from around them and Troy took his hand off his swords hilt. His heart was racing in his chest and he wasn’t sure how to proceed. Whatever Lena had just done, it looked like what the wraith had done on the beach. The wraith who was her sister. Maybe she was dangerous too? He would really hate to have to lock her in the dungeon or have to kill her and all her people.

  His thoughts were racing and he couldn’t think of a single intelligent question to ask. He had been fooled by her beauty and her beguiling curves. Troy pulled Cate away from the “princess.”

  “What are you doing?” Cate demanded.

  “I don’t want you standing too close to her. We don’t know what she is.”

  Lena looked hurt. “I told you. I am a fae. I know that doesn’t mean anything to you but in my world but in the supernatural world we are a regular occurrence.”

  Allen had his hand on the sword at his waist. Ellia put her hand on his arm. “Everyone should just calm down. We haven’t lied to you Prince Troy. We are magic using fae. We thought you were magic users too.”

  “We most certainly are not magic users!” Zane declared snidely.

  “You know what magic is?” Lena sounded surprised. “Are there other’s here who can use magic too?”

  There was a rustle in the trees and two Eternal Sun soldiers came forward. One was carrying a clock for the white dragon who was slowly transforming into a woman. Troy recognized the dragon as soon as he had seen it but he was hoping he was wrong. As the white scales became pale white skin, there was no way he couldn’t recognize the queen of the Eternal Sun clan.

  He couldn’t help but scowl as the Queen shrugged on the long black clock and tied it at her waist. The thin fabric barely covered her large breasts and the opening in the front came all the way to the top of her thigh. She smirked as she walked to them. Her hips swung seductively with each step and she had eyes only for Troy. She was never subtle about her overtures.

  “Troy, lovely to see you again.” Hera’s eye’s swept across the group. “Who are your friends?”

  Cate stepped forward with a big smile. “This is Sir Allen, Lady Ellia, and PRINCESS Lena. They’re our guests at the castle.”

  Hera’s eyes narrowed. “There are no other princesses in Blackfire.”

  Cate linked arms with Lena again. “There is now.”

  Lena managed a weak smile. “Nice to meet you Queen Hera.”

  Allen and Ellia bowed and curtsied while greeting the queen. Zane bowed too. Troy tried to keep his face neutral while he stepped in front of Lena and Cate. “What are you doing out here Hera?”

  “I know it’s unexpected but I hope you’re at least a little happy to see me,” she purred. “I had no intention of accompanying Rustion to your home but I heard about this wall and had to see for myself.”

  Troy’s father had always suspected that Hera had spies in Blackfire and this confirmed the s
uspicion. There was no way word would have traveled that fast organically. As far as he knew, no one except for Tavis had left Blackfire before day break. From the frown on Zane’s face, Troy hoped he had heard the Queen’s slip too.

  “We were just coming to see the wall,” Ellia said. “Why were you trying to burn it?”

  Hera looked Ellia up and down. “I wanted to see what was behind it. Who put it up?”

  Ellia screwed her mouth up. “I’m not sure. We haven’t heard much about who made it but it seems to be very strong. The fire that almost killed us didn’t even make a dent.”

  “Yes. Almost killed you,” Hera murmured staring at Cate and Lena. “How did you…”

  “Will the queen be accompanying us back to castle Nightfall?” Allen interrupted Hera before she could ask her question.

  “I will be now.” Hera smiled at Troy. “I hadn’t planned on coming out but its just as well. I haven’t spent time with Troy in many nights.”

  Lena looked at Troy sharply. He clenched his jaw tight at Hera’s insinuation. He wanted to call her a pale-faced liar but it would do no good to embarrass the volatile queen in front of others. There was no way he could turn down her request of a night’s stay at the castle either. There was so much he wanted to ask Lena but he would have to wait for them to get back to the castle.

  “I would like to explore the wall before we go back,” Lena said resolutely.

  Troy nodded. “That was the whole reason we came this far out. Let us look before we walk back.”

  Hera laughed. “Walk?! You can’t be serious. I’m not walking back when I can fly so much faster.”

  “Not all of our guests can fly and I have no desire to be ridden like a pack animal,” Zane said evenly.

  A joke popped into Troy’s head immediately. Being Tavis’s twin exposed him to much more bawdry humor than he appreciated. He hid a rueful smile. “I’ll ask our guests if they would prefer to fly. I have no problem being ridden.”

  He strode toward the wall. He came up behind Lena and grabbed her arm. “What the hell was that?!”

  “Magic,” she whispered harshly. “I’m sorry if it upset your girlfriend but I just saved our lives.”

  “She is not his girlfriend,” Cate said. “He doesn’t even like her. Must we bring her back to the castle with us? Have I not suffered enough these days?”

  “Of course she has to come,” Troy said. “What is magic?”

  “I’m not sure how to explain it.” Lena looked to the sky and waved her hands in front of her. “We can manipulate the world around us.”

  “Manipulate how?”

  “Who cares,” Cate snapped. “She saved our lives. You don’t need to interrogate her. How do we turn into dragons? Can you explain that brother dearest?”

  Troy shook his head.

  “Exactly! She can because it is a part of who she is. There is no need for any other explanation.”

  “I think there is,” Troy said coldly. “The only magic users here are wraiths. I have never met a good wraith in all my days. There people call themselves ‘fae’ but maybe that’s their clan name!”

  “Oh don’t be ridiculous Troy! They aren’t wraiths. Look at them!”

  “Looks can be deceiving.” He didn’t add that a pretty face could hide an ugly interior. He glanced at Hera. “I want to know what kind of people I have in my castle and around my people.”

  “If they meant us harm they would have already done it.”

  Troy gave his sister a stern look. “I think the princess can speak for herself Catherine.”

  Lena had her hand on the wall. She was speaking under her breath. Troy cleared his throat loudly and she looked up. “What?”

  “I was asking how you did that magic and what exactly your intentions are for my castle.”

  “I told you. I’m a fae. I can do magic. Are wraith the only ones who can use magic here?”

  “Yes, they are. Is it not the same where you come from?”

  “No we have witches too. Even some vampires can do magic. Ghosts have something that isn’t exactly magic but unique to only their kind. The only people who don’t do magic are shifters.”

  “Shifters. People like us you mean.”

  Lena nodded. “Yes. This wall is made of magic. Powerful magic that I can’t penetrate right now. I’d like to come back when I’m stronger.”

  “Brilliant idea!” Cate said. “Troy will escort you back when you’re ready.”

  “That would be wonderful.” Lena smiled at Troy and went to talk with Ellia. Apparently their conversation was finished. He had no desire to force the issue while Hera was so close. He wasn’t satisfied with her answer. Her and all her people may be a kind of wraith he had never come across before. How else could they do magic? He had never heard of any other magic users besides the malicious wraith. Though, he supposed he’d also never seen a wraith that looked like Lena before.

  It was al very confusing. He wanted desperately to believe her. She seemed like such a nice girl and her people had done nothing to draw his suspicion yet. He didn’t want to have to deal with a new kind of wraith and his Hera problem at the same time.

  He let the women talk while he examined the wall himself. He didn’t know how she had known it was a magic wall. It didn’t feel like magic to him. It felt like a regular wall. It didn’t look regular though. He had seen it bend and toss Hera’s flame back at them. Whatever it was, he didn’t like it. He wanted it torn down as soon as possible. The wall cut them off from fertile land. The forest behind the wall was their backup farmlands. They only used it every four or five thousand days but he didn’t want to wait to get the wall down.

  “We’re ready to go back now.”

  He jumped at Ellia’s voice. He was focused on the wall and hadn’t heard her come up behind him.

  “Oh! How would you ladies feel about flying back?”

  Ellia wrinkled her nose. “We aren’t witches!”

  “What do you mean?”

  She put her hand over her mouth and laughed. “I’m sorry! You don’t get the reference at all. In any event fae don’t fly.”

  “I meant, how would you like to ride on my back? It would be faster than walking through the forest.”

  “Let me ask the princess and Allen.”

  Troy waited at the wall. He walked back and forth with his hand touching the impossible structure until Ellia came back.

  “We’d like to fly.”

  Troy went to Hera. “We’ll fly back.”

  “Wonderful! My soldiers will carry your clothes.”

  Troy nodded and went back to his group. Hera was already in the air and on her way to castle Blackfire before he had even reached the others.

  “We’re going to fly back to save time,” he told Zane and Cate.

  She looked unsure. “How will that work? They can not fly.”

  “Allen will ride with Zane. Ellia and Lena will ride with you and me.”

  Zane and Allen both looked very uncomfortable with that idea.

  “You two could walk back with Hera’s soldiers if you’d like.” Troy suggested.

  “Zane can fly if he prefers but I’ll walk with Hera’s men. I don’t mind,” Allen said graciously.

  Troy nodded. “Fine by me. Who will ride with me?”

  Lena raised her hand. “I will.”

  Of course. Troy nodded. “Fine. It will be a very short flight. I imagine you’ve never ridden a dragon before?”

  Lena shook her head. “Can’t say we have.”

  “It’s very easy.” Cate assured her. “Once Troy and I turn, we’ll lift you onto our backs. You’re going to want to sit between one of the scales on our back ridge. And hold on tight!”

  Ellia look unsure. “Are you sure you don’t want to walk Lena? This sounds dangerous.”

  “You can walk.” Lena looked at Troy. “I would like to ride. I’ve never been on a dragon before.”

  Ellia shook her head. “I’ll walk. I don’t need to ride a dragon. Seeing one i
s enough for me.”

  “Are you sure?” Cate asked. “It isn’t near as dangerous as it sounds. I’ve never had anyone fall off me before and I’ve had children ride on my back.”

  Ellia put her hands up. “Those children are far braver than I will ever be. Please, you all can fly ahead. I’ll enjoy a nice stroll with Allen and the queen’s men.”

  “As you wish.” Lena said.

  “Be careful.” Ellia hugged Lena tightly. The rest of the group walked to where Hera’s men were waiting.

  Cate took Lena’s hand. “You’re in good hands. Don’t worry.”

  “I’m not worried. If he lets me fall, you’ll have his head.”

  Cate laughed. “You already know us so well!”

  Troy started unbuttoning his shirt and he could feel Lena’s eyes on him. He looked up and she quickly looked away and turned their back to him and Cate. They undressed and handed their clothes to Zane who brought them to Hera’s men before transforming. Once he was naked, power rippled though Troy’s body. After the stressful last few moments, he really needed to get out of his human skin. He was glad they’d taken Hera up on her offer of flying home. This was one of the rare times he wished he had Tavis’ freedom to stay in the sky all day and night.

  As he got larger, the ground shrank away from him. He watched Lena as he transformed into a pitch black dragon. The spattering of white spots on his flank was the only way to tell him and Tavis apart. He stretched his wings open and closed a few times. Cate roared once before taking to the sky and heading home.

  Troy bent down and extended his hand for Lena. She gasped and stepped back out of instinct but she quickly recovered.

  “Sorry!” she yelled. She stepped into his open palm and Troy reached behind him to let her climb onto his back. She slid around on his back and giggled a few times before she firmly wrapped her legs around one of his ridges. Her arms grasped at his neck. “I’m ready.”

  Troy’s dragon was going wild. The moment Lena had climbed on his back. He would never let her fall. He lifted slowly into the air to let her get her bearing. Sure enough, she pulled her body even tighter to his scales. Unlike his sister, Troy rarely carried passengers. Tavis was his most frequent rider and it was nothing like having Lena on his back. He knew he wouldn’t let the soft human fall but her soft curves pressing against his neck was quite distracting.