by Becca Van
“Where’s Niki?” Caly asked as she looked about for the other woman. She was still amazed at how well she could see and guessed that it was to do with the mating. It was dark, but she could see like it was daylight.
“She’s hiding behind that big rock.” Lance pointed toward the edge of the trees where a group of boulders sat on the ground. She smiled at Niki when the other woman’s head appeared above the wide boulder. When she met Niki’s gaze she saw a fierce determination in her eyes and Caly nodded at her when Niki showed her the gun in her hand. Niki was to be backup in case needed. A bullet to the head or heart would kill a hunter. If the hunters didn’t know that Niki was there, the element of surprise just may work in their favor, if necessary.
Lance moved close to Caly’s side and clasped her hand in his. “You need to be able to see the other dragons even while they are using their reflection ability. Give me your other hand, love.”
Caly held out her free hand and Lance took it in his. As he stared into her eyes, he muttered a few words she wasn’t able to understand and then to her amazement a jolt of energy shot through her and when she looked behind Lance she clearly saw Ed’s, Erwin’s and Randy’s dragons.
She took a deep breath and moved off to the gap they’d left in the circle. The plan was to get the hunters in their midst and close the gap and their escape route and then take them down.
Caly was sure the hunters would be able to sense all the dragons but from what she’d been told they were all full of rage and greed, and she hoped that would be enough for them to be less cautious. The hunters’ ultimate aim was to kill all the dragon shifters so they could take over humanity. If they were as crazy as she suspected then just maybe the trap would work.
When she felt her skin begin to crawl and dark intent knotted in her gut she knew they were coming.
“They’re close,” Lance said in her mind.
Caly was about to respond but Lance placed his finger over her lips to stop her.
“There aren’t that many. I can sense ten hunters,” Ed said.
“Niki, don’t you dare show yourself,” Randy ordered in a hard voice.
Caly waited for Niki to reply, but if she did, she didn’t hear her, but Randy’s next words told her she had.
“Just make sure you don’t do anything stupid.”
“Are you ready, Mo chroí?” Lance asked.
“As I’ll ever be,” Caly answered.
Lance led her out of the clearing and along the sparse trail. When they got to the small creek she sat on a flat rock and watched as the water trickled and gurgled over the creek bed. Caly was only about ten yards from the clearing and knew she would have to run faster than she ever had in her life to draw the hunters into their trap.
Her mates had baulked and tried to get her to change her mind but she was adamant about being the lure. The dragons were the only ones who could take down the hunters. She wasn’t strong enough to fight them physically and although she now had magic, using it drained her of energy quickly, but at least she would be able to fight if necessary.
Lance was positioned halfway between her and the trap, ready to step in if necessary and as well as using his reflection skill he had also used a concealing spell to hide his and the other dragons presence from the enemy. He was to wait until the hunters were in the clearing before closing the circle. She just hoped their plan worked.
Caly knew the moment she was spotted because every nerve on her body lit up and her muscles spasmed with tension. She rose to her feet as fluidly as she could, hoping whoever was watching her didn’t see the jerkiness or tension in her movements.
Without making them aware she knew of their presence, she walked back to the trail and moved a little closer to the clearing.
“I’ve been looking for you, Calysta. You were supposed to report in.”
Caly turned and faced her superior. When she looked into his eyes it took everything she had not to shiver with revulsion and fear. There was lust as well as hatred in his gaze and it was all directed at her. She glanced beyond his right shoulder and looked at the man standing close to Anton Pandemic and as he met her gaze she knew he could be her death.
There was something more to him but she couldn’t quite work out what it was.
“I haven’t found anything to report about,” Caly finally responded to Anton. When he took a step closer, the urge to turn and run was hard to ignore but she held her ground.
“That’s the biggest fucking lie I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth. Did you think I couldn’t smell those fucking animals on you? You reek of dragon shifter, slut.”
Caly watched with fascination as Anton’s face turned red. The veins in his forehead stood out and she saw pure and unadulterated hatred in his eyes, but that wasn’t all. She felt like she could see into his soul and what she saw there was insanity. No wonder the dragons wanted to get rid of all the hunters.
Instead of replying to Anton’s crude statement she went for nonchalance and shrugged her shoulders. That action seemed to be the catalyst that broke the camel’s back. With a loud roar Anton sprang forward, running straight at her.
Caly spun on her heels and took off. She pumped her arms and ran as fast as she could. Her heart pounded hard and fast in her chest, her blood roaring and whooshing in her ears.
“Faster, mate,” Lance encouraged as he backed toward the clearing. “He’s gaining on you.”
Caly put on a burst of speed and just as Lance stepped to the side and she was about to enter the circle something slammed into her back and side and she was thrown off course and off the track.
Pain seared into her skin but she ignored it and scrambled to her hands and knees as she tried to get to her feet. And that’s when all hell broke loose.
Caly felt defeat pressing down on her because she hadn’t been able to get the hunters to the circle. As she got to her feet she saw that the dragons were fighting hunters but they weren’t using their dragon fire. It took her a few seconds to work out they were scared of starting a bushfire.
Anton was trying to stab Lance with a long handled, obsidian tipped spear but her mate didn’t have any trouble dodging it. She took all of this in within seconds and just as she was about to come at Anton from behind someone gripped her hair and jerked her head back. Her neck muscles screamed in protest but she wasn’t about to let a little pain stop her from fighting back.
She lifted her arm and twisted around, trying to break the hold the asshole had on her but he just gripped her hair harder and sneered at her. That’s when she felt the magic running through him and a shiver of fear raced up her spine. He was too strong and in the next moment she found herself in front of the hunter with his arm so tight around her neck she could barely breathe, and when she felt the sharp tip of a knife or spear pressed to her belly she froze. Her eyes fluttered closed and she prayed like she’d never prayed before.
* * * *
The moment the hunter leapt on Caly, Lance made his move. He grabbed the back of the fucker’s shirt and threw him away from his mate and onto the ground. The asshole roared with fury, sprang to his feet, and came at him with his obsidian-tipped weapon. He dodged easily and was about to lash out with his claws but hesitated when he heard Caly’s gasp of pain.
He barely dodged the spear thrust toward his stomach and decided he needed to end this quickly. His dragon roared, and when the leader of the hunters jabbed that spear at him again, he sidestepped and swiped the tips of his talons across the prick’s neck. The hunter’s head toppled to the ground, but Lance didn’t stop to watch where it landed. He turned toward Caly, and when he saw the peril she was in, fear pierced his heart. He had to save his mate. There was no way in hell he was losing another woman.
* * * *
A gun shot echoed and Caly figured Niki had just shot one of the hunters. When she heard Lance roar loudly her heart stopped for a moment. She really wanted to take the time to tap into the bond she had with her mates but was too scared of what she would find
.
However, when she felt Lance pushing calm toward her she knew all her mates were safe.
“Let her go, hunter,” Andre ordered and she knew by the sound of his voice he was moving closer.
“You can’t escape. You’re totally surrounded,” Alex said angrily.
“There is no way you can win,” Lance said.
Caly finally opened her eyes and looked at each of her mates. There were no hunters left. Their bodies were strewn on the ground, and although she’d worked for Anton, she didn’t feel any guilt for his death. The only exception was the one holding her captive, and from what she could see as she went through each scenario of her men trying to free her, she would end up getting hurt or dying. Although when she realized that their baby could die too, fury filled her to her very soul.
She let rage consume her entire being and tapped into the magic. Her whole body felt electrified and when she saw the pure white streaks of light snapping and flowing over her skin, she built it even higher. Her hair moved and although she heard the hunter behind her moan in pain he didn’t let her go, but when she felt the tip of the blade against her belly cut through her clothes and skin she released her rage and directed it all to the man holding her hostage.
Caly felt the magic bolts pour out of her into the hunter. She heard a cry of agony and then there was total silence. Sapped of strength, she swayed on her feet and when she looked down at her stomach and saw the small dagger like knife protruding from her belly a scream of pure anguish poured from her mouth and she sank to her knees.
She never hit the ground. Lance carefully lifted her into his arms and as he lowered to his knees he moved her so her head and shoulders rested on his thighs.
Aiden, Alex, and Andre rushed over and were surrounding her an instant later.
Caly gripped Lance’s wrist. “Did we get them all?”
“Yes, love,” Lance answered. “When my dragon killed the leader, we somehow tapped into his mind. This was the last of the hunters.”
“Oh, thank god.”
“We need to get her back to the lair and the infirmary,” Aiden said in a hoarse voice. “Can you take all of us?”
Lance nodded.
Caly wondered what the hell they were talking about but was too caught up in her grief to really care and let her eyes close. She had no idea how long she’d had them closed for but she would swear it had been no more than a minute, if that, but when she was being lifted again and her eyes opened, she gasped. She was back in the lair and being lowered to the examination bed in the infirmary.
“Shh, love. Everything is going to be fine.” Lance brushed the hair back from her face.
“How can you say that?” She sobbed. “There’s a knife in me.”
Aiden tore the shirt away from her body and when he gasped she wondered if she was going to die.
“What?” Caly asked. She needed to know if she had lost their child.
“The baby is safe, mo chroí,” Aiden said in an awe filled voice.
“What? How?”
Lance bent over and kissed her forehead. “You somehow manipulated your magic to keep our child safe, love.”
Caly couldn’t believe what Lance had just said. She lifted her head and tried to see her stomach.
“Stay still, baby. I need to get this knife out without hurting you,” Aiden explained.
Caly settled back on the pillow and met Aiden’s worried eyes. “Just make sure you don’t cut yourself with that.”
Aiden smiled and nodded, but she could tell he was still worried about hurting her.
“Just pull it out, Aiden. I can’t even feel it.”
“You can’t?” Andre asked as he squeezed her hand.
“No.”
“How is that even possible?” Alex questioned.
“How the hell should I know?” Caly asked grumpily. All this procrastination was starting to make her cranky. If Aiden didn’t get that knife out of her in the next couple of minutes she would pull it out herself.
“Do it!”
“What?” Caly glanced at her mates to see if they’d heard the voice, too.
“Pull the knife out, Calysta. Your baby is safe and as soon as the knife has been removed you will heal,” Lady Guinevere said.
She took a deep breath and was glad to see that Aiden had walked over to the side counter muttering to himself as he searched for something. Andre was still holding her left hand but Alex had released her right and was looking at Lance as they talked quietly.
It’s now or never, Caly.
She knew she was going to have to move fast, otherwise her mates would stop her, and she wondered if she could use her newfound magic to block them out. It was certainly worth a try.
Caly tapped into her magic and imagined a bubble around the lower half of her body and torso. She was surprised to see it form right away. She moved fast, plunging her hand through the sphere of magic, getting a firm grip on the hilt of the knife and yanked it free.
“Fuck!” Aiden growled.
She ignored her mates’ curses and was surprised the pain she felt was minimal and no blood seeped from the wound, and even though she watched with her own eyes, it was still hard for her to comprehend. The cut in her skin began to heal and closed up until there was no evidence left of her ever being injured.
“Don’t you ever do that again, mate,” Aiden shouted.
“I knew it was safe.”
“How the hell did you know that? Have you had medical training?”
“Lady Guinevere told me.”
“Lady Guin… Are you shitting me?” Alex asked incredulously.
“No. Why would I?” Caly asked huffily. Now that it was all over with her baby and mates safe, reaction set in.
Flutters formed in her belly and spread out, encompassing her whole body until she was visibly quaking and her teeth chattered noisily.
Andre lifted her into his arms and cradled her against his chest. “Shh, A ghrá, you’re safe. No one will ever hurt you again.”
Caly clung to him and let the tears flow. She hadn’t really been scared for herself, but she had been petrified for the unborn baby and her mates. Since she’d been captured early on, she hadn’t even seen her men taking out the other hunters. Not that any of that mattered any more.
She was sad that so many men needed to be killed, including her superior, but there was no way they could have let them live. Men like that wouldn’t have had a qualm about hurting or murdering innocent people for their own gain.
Caly hadn’t realized that Andre was carrying her until he set her feet down on the floor. He kept his arm around her body as he turned the shower on and then he helped her remove the rest of her clothes.
By the time Andre was drying her off, she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. She was absolutely exhausted and wanted to sleep for a whole week. Andre helped her into bed and climbed in behind her, wrapping his big body around hers, sharing his heat, and encasing her in his love.
She didn’t want to be anywhere else. Ever.
Epilogue
Lance had never been happier in his life. He and the other dragon shifters had no reason to remain hidden now that all the hunters had been eliminated, and although they could live in normal houses and amongst the human population, the idea had been vetoed when put to the vote. Everyone was happy where they were and didn’t want to move.
He grinned when Caly dunked Aiden’s head under the water and then tried to swim away, but she was laughing so much she wasn’t making any headway. It had been three months since they had fought and won against the hunters and Belinda was nearly at term and about ready to pop.
Alex grabbed Caly around the waist, threw her up into the air, and stepped back when she splashed back into the pool water. She came up sputtering but the smile on her face went straight to his heart. She loved swimming so much, he and the others often found her in the pool room just off the rec room. She’d grilled him about how he’d managed to manipulate the underground water sour
ce and rock to form the pool with magic, and after sharing it with her, she’d formed a slow, trickling waterfall which now flowed into the pool. The effects were spectacular, and she seemed to find solace as she listened to the babble of falling water.
Caly was the love of his life and now that her body was changing as their child grew he couldn’t keep his hands off of her. She had an inner glow which seemed to shine out of her eyes. Every time she looked at him she saw his soul and he saw hers. She was the most beautiful woman in the world to him and he savored each time he had her in his arms.
She made her way to the side of the pool and held her hand out to him. Lance clasped her hand, intending to help her out but the little minx tugged and he went tumbling into the water. He surfaced, brushed the water and hair from his face, and turned to look at her.
She tried to look coy and innocent and when that didn’t work she burst out laughing. They’d all been doing a lot of that and he hoped they would spend the rest of their lives continuing to do so. Before he’d met her he hadn’t had much to laugh about the previous three hundred years of his life.
He didn’t know if he would live as long as Andre, Aiden and Alex but each minute he spent with his mate was precious and he was going to live to the fullest.
Caly swam toward him, looped her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the lips. He wrapped his arms around her waist and sighed with contentment as her sexy body pressed against his.
“I’m hungry,” Caly whispered in his ear.
“Do you want me to make you something to eat?”
“I’m not hungry for food.” She hooked her legs around his waist and rubbed her pussy against his stomach.
Lance groaned, moved her until her hot, bikini clad pussy was against his shorts-covered cock and thrust against her.
“Then let’s go to our apartment.”
“Here.”
“The others might come in.”
“Not if you tell them to stay away.” Caly reached behind her, undid her top, and threw it aside. “I need you, Lance. I need my mates to make love to me.”