The woman, walked across the room and stood in front of the two of them. There was no way she could be human and survive down here. He didn’t scent anything else on her. But his senses were all out of whack without his dragon.
She closed her fists and glanced back at Ky and Azynsa. Fire lit up her eyes. Literal fire. Flames burned where her pupils should be.
If she was human, they had done some fucked up shit down here to her to make that happen.
“Why shouldn’t I give her the lashes she has coming, Fallyn? She’s proven worthless to me without the shard. She’s nothing more than a dragon’s whore.”
“It. Is. Not. Her. Birthday.”
“Ah. But it is yours. I had almost forgotten.” Kur-Jara paced. “Take hers and yours and I will let her go. For now.”
“I will take her lashes, but in exchange you, nor my brothers will touch her. The punishment today will serve for her upcoming birthday, whenever it may be.”
Every sentence that came out of her mouth raised more and more questions. Birthday? Her brothers?
“Very well, little red devil.”
She certainly wielded more control than the crone. Why was the Black Dragon giving in to this woman? Just who the hell was she?
His mate.
No. It couldn’t be.
Jada had said the demon dragons were Kur-Jara’s offspring. If that’s who she was referring too when she said brothers, this family was all kinds of fucked up.
“Come, little daughter. Lay across that rock there so that the dragon and the whore can watch your tears, and so that I can see their pain in your pain.”
The woman, Fallyn, took the position, gripping chains that had been drilled into the rock obviously for this purpose.
Ky jerked against the restraints holding him against the wall. He could not let this woman get whipped. Daughter of the king of hell or not, she didn’t deserve this.
She stared at him for a moment and then gave one sharp shake of her head, before she lowered her eyes staring at nothing.
“How old are you, whore?”
Fallyn didn’t respond.
“Fishy bitch. I asked how old you are. Don’t make me guess, because I assure you I will over estimate.”
“Why does that matter?” The fight and vigor had gone out of Azynsa’s voice, her words were filled with a tremor.
“Because Fallyn is taking your lashes. One for each year old you are.”
Azynsa shook her head and clamped her hands over her mouth.
“Tell me now or I’ll just make it an even hundred.”
“No,” she cried out. “I’m not that old, that’s not fair.”
Kur-Jara blew a stream of fire over the whip, boosting its flames. “One hun—”
“Twenty-three,” she blurted. “I’m only twenty-three.”
“Fine.”
Fuck. He was going to lash Fallyn twenty-three times. Ky couldn’t allow it.
The whip cracked through the air smacking the woman’s back, slicing open her thick leather tunic. She didn’t even flinch.
“One,” she said.
Two more and her shirt fell away all together. Still she counted and barely moved as the fire bit her skin.
Ky’s dragon roared, fighting to get out, scratching and clawing to get to the surface. The crone’s spell held fast.
“Four, five, six.”
Ky jerked at the chains using all of his strength to try and pry them free. Even if he couldn’t shift, he could put his body between that whip and the girl sacrificing herself.
Jada would kill him, when she finally met him in the afterlife.
“Seven, eight, nine, ten.” Her voice wavered on the last number, the first time she seemed affected by the pain of the lashes.
Ky’s scales skittered across his skin, the tattoo on his arm and shoulder writhed trying to get him moving.
When the count hit twenty Azynsa turned away, her hands over her mouth, so much pain written across her face.
Ky could handle his own pain. But seeing this woman, a human he should be protecting, one whose raven black hair reminded him of Jada’s, suffer even though she didn’t show it, had shredded him.
What if this bastard had captured Jada?
He’d made his own wrists raw fighting the shackles. They’d be bloody if he wasn’t so damn dry.
Ky’s heart literally hurt at the thought of Jada in this monster’s hold. He had to get out of here and make sure those fucking demon dragons never got anywhere near her.
“How could I have done that to her?” Azynsa whispered. Her face was streaked with two tear tracks she’d tried her best to hide.
“Don’t turn your hatred inward, little sister. Focus it all on the beast. It will help us when we find a way to kill him and get out of here.”
Azynsa gulped in an escaped sob. “It’s my fault. If I hadn’t tried to stop him, to stand up to him, this wouldn’t have happened. I never fucking learn.”
She sniffed and wiped at her cheeks, smearing the tear tracks with the ash in the air.
Tears.
Water.
“Azza. Got any more of those tears left in you, sweet heart? Bring them on over here. You may have just given us our first break.”
“I don’t know. I’m surprised I cried as much as I did. I’m so damn dehydrated.”
“Try for me, will you?”
The Black Dragon meted out the final three lashes. Not once did Fallyn cry out. She was one tough cookie.
Thank the First Dragon that was over.
Those last three snaps of the fire whip pushed another tear from Azynsa’s eyes and Ky concentrated on the little droplet and the remaining wetness on her face. He didn’t need much, but it was hotter than Hades down here and dryer than the Akashic plane. The moisture in that one tear wouldn’t last long.
He pulled it to him and spun it around and around like a water saw, grinding away at one link in the shackles that bound him. He only needed it to erode away enough of the metal to weaken the link.
A thin line bore into the metal, but the drop evaporated within a few more revolutions. Shit.
If he had even an ounce of spit he’d use it. But, every organ in his body was shriveling up by the second from lack of water.
“Azza?”
She shook her head and slumped to the floor at his feet. “I…don’t have anything left. I’m sorry.”
Kur-Jara chuckled, having enjoyed his activity. Would he keep his word and leave Azynsa alone?
“There, cowardly bitch. She’s taken your lashes.”
Azynsa slowly turned to look at Fallyn. She mouthed the words “I’m sorry,” but Ky didn’t think Fallyn saw.
“Tell the nice people how old you are today, daughter. How many lashes you’ll get for your birthday.”
Fallyn raised her head and wrapped the chains from the rock around her hands in another turn.
“One-hundred and fifty-six.”
Azynsa gasped and the tears she did not think she had flowed down the dirty tracks on her face.
“One.”
Retreat, Hell
The dragons wanted to mount a rescue but didn't know where to start. Leon knew more about the king of hell, the black Dragon, than any of them.
So, she let them hash out the details and stepped back from any sort of participation in the plan. They had listen to her before and look what happened.
Ky had believed in her, and now he was in hell. Literally.
She hadn't had to make a decision since she was five and what kind of dessert she wanted was still the extent of what kind of choices she should be allowed to make.
Leon suggested they retreat to the Cape where his coven could defend against the demon dragons, should they attack before rescue attempt could be made.
Jada tried to talk the dragons and their mates out of coming. Demons and dragons just didn't mix all that often and it was probably going to be a weird reunion with her return anyway. Jada didn't know where else to go or what else to d
o. She'd had a mate for all of one day and had already lost him.
She couldn't face the judgment she would receive from her brothers and sisters of the coven, especially not Portia who had already sacrificed for her.
But, they were her family, as screwed up as they were. Even if they had kept too many secrets from her. Especially Leon.
Now, the dozen other incubi and succubae were milling around one half of the great room, and the dragons and their mates were huddled on the other side. She didn't see Portia though.
Leon strode to the middle of the room and clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. Jada's emotions were still real mixed up about everything her father had revealed to her. His story about her mother, the White Witch, and her destiny to be a dragon’s mate had her stomach feeling like it was in the highest speed of her six hundred-dollar KitchenAid stand mixer.
She stood off to the side, trying to hide, waiting for anyone to tell her what to do. Ciara approached her and Jada had a hard time looking her in the eye. This was a powerful woman who had done what she needed to when her mate had been in danger. What must she think of Jada and her failure?
“How are you holding up, Jada?” Ciara slid her hand up and down Jade's arm, trying to comfort. Not even Ciara's talent with emotions could change how Jada felt inside. Because she felt nothing. It was like a big empty expanse were her feelings used to be.
“I'm fine.”
“Yeah, no. That's code for super shitty if ever I've heard it. But, I get it. This whole being a dragon's mate thing isn't all kisses and daisies. They lead dangerous lives and it's getting worse all the time.”
That was surprising coming from someone who seemed so damn happy and in love with her man.
“You were looking at me like I've sprouted a rhinoceros horn.” Ciara patted her forehead. “Nope, I guess that means you're just surprised to hear me say that.”
Jada nodded. “Uh, Yeah. You two seem tight.”
“We are. But, that has taken some time. A lot of my attitude about becoming a Dragon's mate changed when Jakob died.”
Holy guacamole. “What?”
“Not that long ago, in the last big battle against the demon dragons, Jakob was trying to protect me and,” Ciara swallowed hard. “He… Died. Right there in front of me, practically in my arms.”
Jada looked over to where Jakob was talking with Dax, Steele, and Fleur, then back at Ciara. Jakob looked pretty alive to her. “So, what happened?”
“This is going to sound super corny, but, I think it was love. Love conquered all.” Ciara laughed. “I warned you it would sound corny.”
“Your love for him brought him back from the dead?” Jada would apologize to Ciara later for sounding so incredulous.
“I think so. He gave me his soul right before he died and it meant so incredibly much to me that all of my emotions and powers went wackadoodle. Then, poof, he was back.”
“You mean he gave you his soul shard.” Nothing like that had happened to her when Ky gave his talisman over to her.
“No, I mean yes, he did give me the shard. But, that's not what I meant. He gave me his soul. Actually, said it was already mine. All I did was accept it.”
Jada was the one who had a hard time swallowing now. Ky had said something similar to her before they had been attacked.
Was he gone now because she hadn't truly accepted the gift he was giving her?
She would have to think about it later, or maybe never, because a commotion started on the other side of the room. Her brothers and sisters were murmuring and getting louder by the second. Then the crowd split and Portia was shoved from the center of the group and skidded onto the floor.
Leon raised his hands into the air and waited for everyone to quiet. When they did he addressed Portia. “You have been punished once before for disobeying the laws of this coven.”
Oh no, was Leon really going to do this in front of all of the dragons? It wasn't like they probably already thought poorly of her, but now they would like her even less because Portia was going to get into a lot of trouble for helping Jada. It wasn't like Leon to wait so long or be so dramatic with his discipline.
“If it were up to me,” Leon continued, “I would ban you for life, and we both know that's a very long time. But, I'm not the one you wronged. I won't be meting out your judgment.”
Portia glanced between Jada and Leon and shook her head in fear. “No, ban me, I'll leave.”
“That's not how this works. Now tell your sister your offense against her.”
Jada glanced at all the other women in the coven trying to figure out who Portia had harmed. None of them cared for her, but it had never bothered Portia. It had always been harder for Jada not to care.
“She has the heart of the human, maybe she'll be easy on you,” Leon said and waved his arm indicating Jada.
Her? Portia had helped her, not harm her.
Portia looked up at Jada, sorrow and pain written in all of her features. No, Jada wouldn't believe it. What could Portia have done to her that would make her feel this bad?
“Tell her, Portia. Or I will.”
Tears fell from Portia's eyes and the rest of the coven recoiled. They had a disdain for emotional outbursts from their half human sisters. She and Portia had both learned not to cry in front of them. She shook her head and then looked at the floor.
Leon and grabbed Portia by the arm and lifted her to her feet. “Your sister, here, told Kur-Jara where to find you and your mate.”
Jada had never felt the burn of betrayal. “Portia?”
Portia wouldn't look at her and that alone told Jada that it was the truth. “Why? I don't understand. Why would you do this to me, to us?”
Jada had been her friend, the closest thing she had to a true sister. She thought they understood each other.
Leon shook Portia's arm until she tore it away. “Because, Jada, you are not the only mate of a Dragon.”
Portia tore her shirt open to reveal a golden shard on a cord, identical to the ones that Ciara and Fleur wore. She had no doubt in her mind what it was. Cage Gylden's soul shard.
It didn't have the light inside like the bone carving that contained ties soul shard around Jada's neck. It lay against Portia's skin cold and dead.
The dragons rushed toward Portia. “You're the succubus that stole cages shard. He's dying because of you.”
Jada held up her hand and stopped the dragons from advancing on Portia. “What's going on?”
Portia pressed her lips together and didn't say another word. Leon rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“She exchanged your mate, for hers.”
Portia slumped, her final secret revealed. “Geshtianna is holding him hostage. It's why I got in trouble the last time. I knew Leon would send me to her for my ban. She told me if I could get a Dragon soul shard she would let him go.”
Jakob growled low and Jada didn't blame him. “Then why do you still have it and aren't flitting off into the sunset with this Dragon of yours, if there even is one?”
“She wouldn't release him. She said the shard itself wasn't enough. And if I wanted her to let Jett go she needed more. I had to get her the location of another Dragon's mate. One that hadn't yet been given a soul shard.” Portion glanced around at everyone else in the room, her eyes hovering over Ciara and Fleur. “Do you know how many dragons’ mates there are? None. There was those two or nothing. Until you. When I saw you with that Dragon, I knew right away. I'm sorry.”
Jada walked up to her sister. Even that word hurt her now. She looked Portia straight in the eye and slapped her across the face.
This wasn't her family. Ky was.
Jada waited until she was out of the room and could hide behind closed door before she broke down into tears.
Leon found her later in the kitchen, not like it was the best hiding place. She'd only been gone a few days, but with mostly full-blooded demons there wasn't a lot of ingredients to make anything. Half the stuff in the refrigerator had sp
oiled and no one had noticed. She threw most of it in the trash but did find a stray stick of butter she hadn't used in her last recipe. There was also still flour, eggs, sugar, and best of all, milk chocolate chips. She had every intention of putting a batch in the oven to share with the dragons and their mates, but here she sat eating cookie dough straight out of the bowl.
“You can't hide from this one behind cookies,” Leon said.
“It's not cookies, it's cookie dough.” Leon had never understood her need for comfort food. Mostly because the kind of food that comforted him came from a vein. But warm delicious smells from the kitchen was one of the only memories she still had our mother. It made cookies just like this, and breads, and pies, which was probably why she'd been a chubby child.
She'd always inherently known that she retreated to the warm scents of the kitchen because those few short years before her mother had died had been… Peaceful.
Everything since, not so much.
Portia had always been the only other one who got it. The one she'd had a real connection with because of their shared heritage. Sure, there are a few other humans in covens, but not many. They'd shared many things growing up, including mealtime. Nobody else relished a cheeseburger like Portia did.
Now, they shared something else in common.
How had it all gone so wrong for both of them?
“She's much better suited to be a dragon's mate that I am. Look how she put everything on the line for her mate. I don't even know her mine is.”
“I always did think you two were like peas in a pod. Both trying to push that human side of you away. Dumb bunnies.”
“What were we supposed to do? Were half demon, we grew up in and live in a house full of demons, our father is a demon and you're the one always pushing sex and blood on us.”
Leon sighed and scrubbed his face as if he were tired. Leon didn't get tired. “It's not like I raised 1/2 human child destined to be the maid of a Dragon before, is it?”
Well crap. She had meant to make them feel bad. What did Leon know about love? Sex, yeah. But real love, like what she had squirreled away in her heart for Ky, he wouldn't understand it even less than heated chocolate chip cookies.
20 Shades of Shifters_A Paranormal Romance Collection Page 88