Stealing My Heart

by Stephani Hecht, Jambrea Jo Jones, A. J. Llewellyn, Carol Lynne, D. J. Manly, Jaime Samms, Serena Yates

“You guys hungry?” he asked, hitching a thumb towards the kitchen. “I’m starved and it’s a long story. Might as well tell it to you while I’m making breakfast.”

  “I don’t think—” Nicolas started, but Mick was already making a beeline to the kitchen. The dragon sighed, getting the same annoyed glare on his face that he’d directed at Duncan so many times when they’d been growing up together.

  “Please.” After so many years of being forced to beg, Duncan hated having to do it now, but he would do anything to get Nicolas to listen to him.

  “Give me one good reason why I should?”

  “Because we’re still brothers and that has to count for something,” Duncan tried, his gut clenching at the brief look of pain that flashed over his brother’s face.

  “It obviously doesn’t or else you would have never disappeared on us,” Nicolas returned between clenched teeth. But he did move forward to the kitchen.

  “It’s a really long story,” Duncan said, as he went into the large, open kitchen and headed for the refrigerator. It was obvious that Trent hadn’t redecorated when he moved in. Or at least Duncan hoped he hadn’t because then he would have to have a serious talk with his guy about his fetish for apples and roosters. They were everywhere; the border, the curtains even the light switch was in the shape of a giant Macintosh. At least the table looked sturdy, plain and functional as Mick and Nicolas took seats.

  “Just start from the beginning and make sure you don’t leave anything out.” Nicolas crossed his arms over his chest as he stretched his long legs out in front of him.

  “My dragon’s eye got taken.” As he delivered that bombshell, Duncan pretended to be searching the inside of the fridge. Anything, not to have to see the looks of disappointment and disgust on the other dragons’ faces.

  “What? Who?” Nicolas stammered, sounding more shocked than pissed.

  “A sorcerer named Richard had it and he used it to control me.” Having found eggs and bacon, he finally forced himself to turn around. Instead of looking over at the table though, he instead directed his gaze to the food as he started cooking.

  “I’ve heard of Richard. He’s supposed to be pretty badass,” Mick said in an awed voice.

  “He was badass,” Duncan corrected as he cracked the eggs into a pan. “The bastard died a few days ago.”

  “Did you kill him?” Nicolas asked. His tone was hard and didn’t let Duncan know one way or the other what he was thinking.

  “No, since he still had possession of my dragon’s eye I wouldn’t have been able to give him a paper cut let alone kill him. Believe me, if I could have, the sorcerer would have been dead a long time ago.”

  Nicolas sprang to his feet, letting out a loud curse as he pushed the chair away. “How in the hell did he get your dragon’s eye in the first place?”

  “One night I was out flying and Richard spotted me. When he challenged me to a fight, I was so young and cocky I didn’t even think twice about taking him on. Right as soon as it started, I knew I was in over my head. His magic was so strong…so ancient feeling. I didn’t even last five minutes.” Duncan swallowed hard, feeling more like the failure than ever.

  “Why didn’t you come to us for help?” Nicolas started pacing. It was trait of his, to do that whenever he got pissed, scared or upset.

  “I couldn’t leave his side. Whenever I got more than a mile away from him my body would seize up in pain. The same thing would happen if I ever tried to disobey an order.”

  “You could have found a way. Called us, sent a message out with someone, contacted us mentally, anything!” Nicolas shouted.

  “And tell you what? That I had failed my ruler and people, and now I was some sorcerer’s bitch? I know how things work, I would have been seen as ruined and then Brian would have been forced to take action to get rid of my dishonour. I didn’t want to put you guys through that,” Duncan yelled back.

  “Things aren’t like when Dad ruled. Brian never would have punished you for something like that.”

  “No, but he would have made damn sure that I knew how much of a failure I was.” Duncan winced as soon as he let those damning words slip through his lips. Nicolas paused mid-pace to give him a look of hurt.

  “Do you honestly think he would hold something this big against you?” Nicolas’ voice cracked just a bit.

  “Let’s just say I thought it would be better if you guys never had to know about it,” Duncan replied, all the anger draining from his body to be replaced by numb acceptance. It would only be a matter of time now before both Nicolas and Brian kicked his ass to the kerb.

  “You stupid fuck.” Nicolas crossed the room and captured Duncan in a rib-crushing hug. Still holding on he continued, “We’re your brothers and no matter what, we’ll always be there for you. You could never disappoint or dishonour us. We love you, you jackass.”

  Chapter Four

  It wasn’t until halfway through breakfast that Nicolas asked the question Duncan had been dreading. “So if the sorcerer that had your dragon eye is dead, then where is it now?”

  Duncan admitted, “I don’t know.” Taking a deep breath, he told them about what had happened since last night, deliberately glossing over his relationship with Trent. Not that he was ashamed of it. He just didn’t know how his brother was going to react to him hooking up with the son of the very sorcerer who had ripped their family apart. Unfortunately, Nicolas was too sharp to let anything slide by his attention.

  “So, why would Trent help out a dragon shifter?” he asked, his gaze way too knowing. “There has to be something in it for him.”

  “He told me he was helping because it was the right thing to do.” Duncan shrugged, trying hard to be nonchalant about the whole thing.

  “Sure,” Mick drawled, “he’s just helping you out of the goodness of his heart no other reason. Forget that he’s going to become a pariah amongst his kind, that they’ll probably bring him up on charges and take all of his possessions as punishment. Good ‘ol Trent is helping because, well, gee willikers, it’s the right thing to do.”

  “I see your sarcasm hasn’t changed,” Duncan deadpanned as he resisted the urge to lunge across the table and wrap his hands around the idiot’s throat. Knowing Mick, not even having his air supply impeded would shut him up and he would keep talking away during his strangulation.

  “If you want to know my motives then why don’t you just ask me?” Trent asked softly as he walked into the room.

  As one Mick and Nicolas looked over at the sorcerer. Their gazes travelled over his wrinkled clothing, to his messed up hair and the light stubble burn on his neck. Duncan groaned. It was going to hit the fan for sure now since it didn’t take a genius to figure out what he’d been up to the night before and with whom.

  “You’re fucking Richard’s son?” Mick spat out incredulously.

  “He has a name, Trent, and what he and I are doing is none of your damn business.” Duncan jumped to his feet and moved over to stand in front of Trent, protecting the man in case the others decided to attack.

  “Have you lost your mind?” Nicolas asked, glaring viciously at Trent. “For all we know this guy may have been the one who stole your dragon’s eye and he’s just playing around and leading you by the dick.”

  “Trent would never do that,” Duncan defended.

  “How do you know that?” Nicolas challenged.

  “I know him and that’s not how he is.” Duncan balled his hands into fists, close to using them.

  “Why? Because he’s a good lay?” Nicolas cocked his head to the side as he let out a harsh laugh.

  “No, because he cares for me and I care him,” Duncan admitted. The hell with hiding it anymore, now that the fact that they had been together was out, may as well let the whole cat, whiskers and all, out of the bag.

  “Really?” Nicolas’ outrage echoed through the kitchen.

  “Yes, it’s true,” Trent added. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Duncan.”

  “A dragon an
d a sorcerer mixing it up. Brian is going to piss kittens over this one.” Mick flashed a cocky grin.

  “Look, I know you’re upset about this,” Trent reasoned in a smooth voice, “but we really don’t have time for this conversation now. It’s only going to be matter of time before whoever did take the eye says the spell that will bind Duncan to him. We need to get to it before that happens.”

  “Fine,” Nicolas agreed in clipped tones. “But if I suspect for even one second that you’re up to something, I’ll take you out so fast you won’t even see me coming.”

  Duncan turned on his brother, a low growl rumbling in the back of his throat. “Don’t threaten him.”

  “It’s okay, he’s just trying to protect you.” Trent put hand on Duncan’s arm.

  “Let’s just get this done and over with.” Nicolas sighed and looked at Trent. “Duncan says you can scry for the eye?”

  “Yes, I just need a few minutes to get set up.” He walked out of the room, but not before giving Duncan one last comforting squeeze.

  “I hope you’re right about this,” Nicolas grumbled after he’d left.

  * * * *

  Trent kneeled in front of his black ceremonial bowl, aware of the penetrating stares of the dragons boring down on him. Trying his best to ignore them, he poured in the purified water and said a few words to bless it.

  “What’s that for?” the one Duncan had called Mick asked. He leaned in so close that his breath caused ripples across the surface of the water.

  “It will help me see where the eye is,” Trent explained as he tried to keep his annoyance in check.

  “How?” Mick reached out to touch the bowl. Right before his finger made contact Nicolas smacked the young dragon on the back of the head to make him stop. Mick stepped away, rubbing the back of his head.

  “Why don’t you watch and see?” Nicolas ordered. His voice was still as cold as his eyes and Trent could feel the hostility rolling off the dragon. It wouldn’t be a far stretch to guess that if it weren’t for Duncan he would have attacked Trent long ago

  “Right, sorry.” Mick shot a chastised grin over to Trent.

  Picking up his athame, Trent held it over the water. The blade on the knife was black and it seemed to glow from his magic. While he normally would never use it for cutting flesh, today’s spell was different.

  “It’s time,” he said softly to Duncan. The dragon nodded and held his hand out, palm up.

  Trent held the knife over the dragon’s hand and hesitated, that all-too-familiar feeling of doubt plaguing him. There was so much riding on this and they only had one chance. If he were to fail now, not only would he be letting down the man he loved, but he would be alerting all the other sorcerers of their presence for nothing.

  “You can do this. I believe in you,” Duncan whispered, brushing a kiss on Trent’s cheek.

  Trent slowly nodded, warmed from the inside out by his words. While to anyone else it may have seemed just a couple of sentences, to Trent they meant everything. For the first time in his life, someone trusted and supported him. With one flick of his wrist, he made a shallow cut in Duncan’s palm. When the dragon hissed in pain, Trent muttered an apology as he tilted Duncan’s hand to the side so several drops of blood fell into the water.

  “What now?” Nicolas asked. He was still eyeing Trent, with suspicion.

  “Now you guys stand back and let me do all the work,” Trent replied as he dipped his finger into the bowl and started to stir, counterclockwise.

  The blood mixed and swirled within the water making a red whirlpool that continued to move even when he took his finger out. Mumbling the spell under his breath, Trent stared deep into the water and let the magic take him over.

  The water shimmered and then black blobs seemed to grow and bubble within before they gradually took on the shapes of objects. A brocade chair, a tall window with heavy curtains on them, a tall shelf lined with leather bound books and then a large, oak desk. Trent sucked in a breath. He knew this place. Had seen it so many times while he was growing up. Hell, he’d played cars on the Oriental rug that took up the centre of the room.

  It was the study in his uncle’s house.

  He sucked in a breath slowly letting it out with a whisper, “Adam.”

  His uncle suddenly came into sight. His lips pressed in a cruel smile so reminiscent of Richard’s that Trent started to shake in fear. The sorcerer even had the same white blond hair and cold eyes. Fuck! This was not good, not only did Adam know he was being watched, but he was somehow managing to confront Trent even though they were miles apart.

  “I knew it was only a matter of time before you came sniffing around,” Adam sneered, his voice warbling through the magic connection.

  “What’s going on? Why do you want the dragon’s eye?” Trent demanded, his chest tight with fear. How would Adam have known where the eye was hidden? Only he, his father and Duncan knew. There was no way Richard would have ever shared that information with his brother either. Not with the way they were both so power hungry and distrustful of each other.

  “Oh, this thing?” Richard cocked a brow as he slowly held up the stone. It looked like an uncut emerald and there was a bright, gold streak inside, that spun inside the gem in lazy circles. Trent knew it was Duncan’s magic—his dragon—that was trapped inside and he felt a cold rage fill him.

  “Give it to me,” Trent ordered, trying to match the cool commanding tone his father had used so many times. “As Richard’s heir it rightfully belongs to me.”

  “Now, let’s not be coy, boy,” Adam clucked his tongue. “We both know that’s not the real reason you want this. You don’t think I haven’t noticed how much you’ve been lusting after that dragon.”

  “Damn you, return it me!” Trent roared.

  “You want it so bad? Come and get it.” Adam threw up his arm and Trent felt himself being forced out of his trance. The magical blow was so hard that it threw him back into his conscious mind and across the room at the same time. Just before his head slammed into the doorframe, he could hear Duncan’s cry of alarm.

  Not waiting for anyone to help him, Trent scrambled to his feet and went over to the bowl. Letting out a feral yell, he swept his arm to the side, sending the bowl flying. Water sprayed all over, hitting wall and furniture, but he didn’t care. He was too busy fighting the nausea and anger inside him.

  Duncan wrapped his arms around him and Trent allowed himself to be pulled to the man’s large chest. “What is it, babe? What did you see?”

  “My uncle Adam has it.” Trent took in several deep breaths, taking in Duncan’s warm scent. It helped calm him down some.

  “So why are you wigging out so much? Were you guys close or something?” Mick asked.

  “Far from it,” Trent scoffed as he pulled back so he could look at the other dragons. “He was no more loving than my father.”

  “So why the big drama party?” Mick gestured the mess on the walls.

  “Because he just realised what this was all about,” Nicolas said grimly, his jaw clenched in fury. Duncan must have caught on though because he let out a low hiss as his face became a mask of worry.

  “Well someone fill in the idiot here. What in the hell is going on?” Mick threw his hands up in disgust.

  “It’s never really been about the eye or Duncan. This whole thing is a trap to draw Trent out,” Nicolas growled.

  “Why?” Mick cocked his head to the side.

  “Because now that Richard is dead Trent has the potential to become the most powerful sorcerer around,” Duncan said, his pained gaze looking down at Trent.

  Trent turned his head, not being able to face the hurt and anger he might see there. Because of him Duncan might never get his eye back. All along it had been his fault that Duncan wasn’t already free and back home. The dragon probably despised him now.

  “He was the one that sent the guards to shoot me.” Trent felt all the pieces fall into place.

  “How exactly did your father die?�
� Nicolas asked.

  “There was a fire. Everyone thought it was from a dragon attack.” Trent clutched his stomach, feeling sicker with each passing second.

  “Damn, are you saying that Adam killed his own brother just to get some power? That’s fucked up even for a sorcerer.” Mick shook his head.

  “And now he’s holding my brother’s magic as bait,” Nicolas spat.

  “Not for long.” Trent straightened up. For the first time ever, instead of letting the anger drag him down, he embraced it. He might not have had the courage to stand up for himself in the past, but for Duncan he would do anything. Even die. Levelling a steady glare at the dragons he said, “Everyone get ready. We leave in ten minutes.”

  Chapter Five

  Since they knew Adam would be on the lookout for dragons flying in from the sky, Trent transported them all to the house, one by one. He saved Duncan for last. As he felt the sorcerer’s arms around him, he closed his eyes and breathed in Trent’s special scent. Wishing there was some way to put off the oncoming battle.

  “As soon as you pop me in there I want you to leave.” Duncan ordered, his chest tight with worry.

  “I can’t, you’ll be no match for Adam’s magic without me,” Trent refused, showing a stubborn streak Duncan had never seen before.

  “We can handle it. It’s not like we haven’t killed off plenty of sorcerers before,” Duncan growled, fear making him sound angry.

  “You’re in this mess because of my family so I’m the one who’s going to get you out of it.”

  Duncan reached down so he could cup Trent’s chin, looking into the sorcerer’s eyes, he declared, “I would rather be in captivity again than lose you.”

  Instead of answering him directly, Trent gave a wry smile and said, “I love you so much. I just wanted you to know that.”

  Before Duncan could respond the sorcerer transported them. They landed in a grove of trees behind a house that was even more garish than Richard’s had been. This one had a pair of stone lions and a set of gargoyles. It was large and foreboding, almost like the evil from the sorcerer inside had bled into the architecture.