How did it come to this…? The prickly thought rose from the back of Zane’s mind.
Soon enough her face was bowed away from him, and she vanished with the others out of sight.
Zane should have known Quraal would use Stacey to ensure he kept his word. Of course, on the surface he had known what would happen, but now that it had unfolded in front of him, there tingled the beginnings of despair.
Was Zane to keep his word then? Or was there some way Quraal could be defeated that wouldn’t put Stacey at risk?
The Dark Dragon was now making his way towards the manor. Zane turned from the window and quickly picked up the telephone. He dialed the number to the Human / Dragon Affairs centre, and asked to be put through to the managing director.
“This is Zane Hunter,” he rasped breathlessly. “Commander of the Firebound Dragon Guard. Our leader wishes to meet with you and your associates tonight, to discuss a very sensitive matter...”
The director received his opening with a polite and courteous exchange.
Zane looked up after a few moments during the call, and saw that Quraal was already standing in the doorway. As he put the phone back on the desk, his superior demanded to know what had come of the call.
“The Director of Human / Dragon Affairs has agreed to meet with us,” Zane murmured.
“And who else are you planning on calling?”
Zane had become completely still. Parts of his face were numb.
Quraal stepped forward.
“You were just trying to buy time, weren’t you? As The Mage suspected?”
Zane’s jaw dropped. “I – well –”
Quraal approached him, and set his hands on Zane’s shoulders. Squeezed tightly.
“Look at me,” the Dark Dragon said. “Look into my eyes.”
Zane looked.
Flashes of red and purple jumped out from his hypnotic gaze.
“I may disobey the Masters, and refute dragon law, but I am not evil,” Quraal whispered. “No, no, no, no, no. That’s only what they say about me. Because they fear me. Because I am more powerful than them. The reason for my powers has nothing to do with good or evil. They were born out of talent. Skill. Courage and determination. In my first life, I did things. I pushed harder than any dragon ever before.”
“You engage in sorcery,” Zane replied. “The same kind used by demons and witches from the otherworld.”
“Stories,” Quraal countered. “Just stories.”
“You raped my bride-to-be’s best friend.”
“Was I the first dragon, to take a human against her will?”
Suddenly Quraal violently pushed Zane backwards, so that he landed in the chair behind the desk and crashed into the wall.
When Zane looked up from the fall, he felt an aching anger inside.
“The humans are your enemy. They want to imprison your bride to be so that she isn’t able to walk the earth freely. And she didn’t even do what they accused her of.”
“What do you know about that?” Zane barked sharply.
“She was set up. Framed for the murder.”
“By who?”
Quraal smiled. “Come then. I will show you.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Stacey, Jasmine and Dennis landed on the rock hard surface of Firebound Palace’s dungeon, with the Human Mage right behind them. A cloud of black dust was sent through the air and Dennis started coughing rapidly. Stacey was able to hold her breath through it.
“How did we get here?” Jasmine said, frightened. “What the hell is this?”
“Quiet,” the Mage said, slapping the back of her head.
“Hey,” Dennis wheezed. “Leave my sister alone.”
“Or what?”
“Or I’ll tell my future husband,” Jasmine challenged.
The Mage went pale. “I apologize. My hand slipped.”
He went to the wall opposite and unlocked a sturdy wooden door. It creaked as it opened, revealing a dirty and wet pathway to various cells.
“I’ll let you all in the same cell together. So you have company,” the Mage said. “But if you make this difficult I’ll see to it that you’re put into different cells.”
Stacey pushed her way past Jasmine and Dennis to stand in front of him. Her hands were fastened to her hips. “Why don’t you just let us go?”
The Mage shook his head. “You can’t honestly think –”
He was interrupted as Stacey’s foot slammed into him, knocking him back into the cell room. Dennis and Jasmine quickly scrabbled to help Stacey close the door.
The Mage cried out angrily and tried to force the door open, but it wouldn’t budge. Stacey found a lever and unleashed a series of bolts which kept the door fastened and locked.
The three of them took a step back.
“Come on,” Stacey said, grabbing Jasmine’s wrist. “Before he gets a chance to ‘magic’ his way out of there.”
They ran towards a staircase on the other side of the chamber, and followed it up to the top where there was a door which led out of the dungeon and into the palace.
Stacey didn’t look back to see if the Mage was coming.
They made their way quickly through an empty guard room, and proceeded through a hallway which gave them space and numerous directions they could travel. Stacey tried to recall if she had been in this part of the palace. She believed she had.
“Where to?” Jasmine asked.
Dennis stared at her earnestly.
“Over there,” Stacey pointed. “I think it leads to the throne room.”
They followed the archway through the hallway adjacent and after a few turns and bends, they arrived at the throne room as Stacey guessed they would. She could now see the ridges of moonlight on the outskirts of the opposite side.
The three of them continued running and without incident came to the courtyard outside Firebound Palace. Stacey motioned for them to stop so everyone could catch their breath.
“Is he even following us?” Dennis demanded, looking back.
“Maybe he didn’t get out,” Jasmine suggested.
Without warning, a surge of electrical light lit up the ground before them, and each of the three friends was forced into a crouching position to avoid touching the mass of energy above them.
The Mage was now with them again, although he had not caught them from behind, but from the front.
“Did you really think you could outrun me?” the Mage demanded.
He stopped in front of the circle around them, his feet just in front of Stacey. How she wished to lunge at him.
“I ought to punish the lot of you,” the Mage scolded.
Stacey’s eyes searched for her friends behind her, wondering if anyone had an opportunity for escape.
It seemed unlikely now.
“That’s enough Patrick,” a deep voice said from the shadows.
Stacey’s eyes darted again. She recognized that voice.
Out stepped her friend inside the security team that had first brought her to the island, the dark skinned man with sunglasses, Walter.
CHAPTER FIVE
Zane stepped away from the bottom of the stairs and into the middle of the living room where Quraal was seated. In front of Quraal was a circular glass table. As Zane stood over him, he whispered a few words under his breath and then touched the table with two fingers. The reflection in the glass wobbled, as though it were made of water. Then it became alive with the image focused on a dark nighttime road.
“What is this?” Zane demanded.
“I’m about to show you the missing footage captured from the night of your bride-to-be’s alleged crime.”
Zane looked into the table carefully. He could see that opposite the other side of the road was the old apartment building Stacey used to live.
“I’m supposed to trust what I’m seeing here?” Zane scoffed. “This isn’t video capture. It’s an illusion you’ve created.”
Quraal turned his head slightly. “I wouldn’t go to such lengths to convince you
of what I’m about to show you here, if it weren’t true. The matter is irrelevant to me.”
Zane leaned over him. He saw there was a dark van approaching the footpath. Several men dressed in black were departing it.
Another camera angle was displayed, showing the men moving towards the front of the building.
“That’s the security team in charge of prisoner exchange,” Zane remarked.
They moved to the front entrance and opened the door there.
In total, Zane counted six men.
Cut to the next camera angle. The video feed displayed two of the men entering the building and inspecting the ground floor. They moved from one side all the way to the end and then back again. They appeared to communicate with the guards outside, and then they stalled. Motionless.
Waiting for something or somebody.
The camera moved outside again. A large figure was getting out of the van.
Zane’s eyes squinted. He couldn’t make out the man’s face yet.
The camera then cut back to the inside camera and he saw the large man enter the building. Zane blinked a few times, but his eyes did not deceive him.
It was Horatio Hurux, the King of Firebound Island.
CHAPTER SIX
Stacey watched in horror as Walter stepped around the electrical force-field to stand with the Mage. The pair faced them and she knew it at once – they were working together.
“What’s going on?” Stacey demanded. “Is this all some type of conspiracy or something?!”
“Not exactly,” Walter replied.
His head tilted in the Mage’s direction.
The Mage muttered something and waved his hand. The force-field vanished.
Jasmine and Dennis joined Stacey to her feet.
“This man has been working with us undercover,” Walter explained. “He doesn’t mean to harm any of you. And neither do I.”
“Are you gonna get us the fuck out of here?” Dennis asked.
“Yes,” Walter replied. “Right away.”
“Just a second,” Stacey interrupted, approaching Walter and the Mage. “I’m not buying this undercover thing. I’ve seen him –”
“We are aware of Professor Hess’s actions,” Walter said. “They were government sanctioned.”
“But he’s tried to have Zane killed! So many times –”
Walter put his hands on Stacey’s shoulders. “And he saved your life. More times than you would ever readily know.”
“Him,” Stacey gasped, furious. She pointed at the Mage. “Him?”
“Remember Evelyn?” the Mage said. “You think you killed her by yourself?”
“That was to frame me!”
“It was to save your life.”
Stacey shook her head. “Bullshit.”
The Mage walked forward. He tapped Walter on the arm so that he would release his grip on Stacey.
“Remember how Quraal was about to rape you? Perhaps even murder you?”
“That was Zane who saved me,” Stacey cursed. “Don’t you dare take credit for that.”
“Zane was rotting away in a dungeon. I cast a temporary paralysis spell over him and gave him the portal right into the apartment where you and your friend were being held captive. He only saved you because I allowed him to.”
Jasmine went to Stacey’s side as she almost fell over in shock.
“Why don’t you just leave her alone?” Jasmine spat at the Mage. “Just leave us alone.”
“And I saved you, just now,” the Mage continued. “All three of you have been released from the Dark Dragon’s custody.”
Stacey looked up to Walter in the moonlight.
“Explain how any of this makes sense,” she said.
“I will,” Walter said. “And for now you’re coming with me. We’re going to leave the island.”
“You better take care of this tonight,” the Mage hissed. “That monster will be after me when he finds out what I’ve done.”
“Your cover will be kept intact, I assure you.”
The Mage nodded. He turned away into the darkness.
Walter faced the three of them.
“Now, I think it’s about time we leave. Don’t you?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Two members of the security team were walking with Horatio up the stairs to Stacey’s apartment. On every floor they passed they were caught on the camera feed. When they reached Stacey’s floor, the two guards waited at the stairwell while Horatio approached the room Stacey occupied. He stood in front of it and knocked. After a minute or so, a female who wasn’t Stacey, answered the door.
Zane watched as Horatio pushed his way inside.
The camera feed was now focused outside the building. At first there was nothing, but then an object of some kind fell alongside the building, hitting the ground at great speed.
An object … or a person.
The video then showed Horatio leaving the apartment.
Zane turned away. He didn’t know what to make of what he’d seen. This was obviously an attempt on Quraal’s behalf to manipulate him. But whether the footage was real … Zane wasn’t entirely sure…
Quraal stood from the sofa and moved behind Zane.
Zane could feel his wretched presence.
“Horatio wanted Stacey for himself. He must have selected her from somewhere. Then made a deal with the human leaders to take her from them.”
“Because you told him to,” Zane snapped. “This was your doppelganger after all, was it not?”
“The true Horatio Hurux was removed from his chair for entirely different reasons.”
“What? Make sense, Quraal.”
Zane whirled round to face him.
Quraal searched his eyes.
“The doppelganger was there just not to cause panic amongst the guards. He was only a temporary replacement until the real Horatio was located.”
“You mean – you don’t know where he is?”
Quraal shook his head. “That doesn’t matter. This doppelganger was just behaving without reason as any doppelganger would. Why would I find it so important to bring your girl to the island? How is this part of my plan?”
“I don’t know,” Zane said. “But I don’t trust you.”
“Her own people sold her out,” Quraal continued, motioning to the screen behind him. “The footage is real. Since your bride-to-be now bears your offspring, we can say she is one of us now. Our blood is inside of her. These are no longer her people. They are traitors.”
Zane lowered his head.
“If you do not follow through on your commitment to the clan, your girl will die. That is your choice Zane. Fight me now, here, and prepare for a suffering more miserable than death. I will destroy you, destroy the humans and destroy your girl. As her belly is slit, I will drain the contents and eat what remains of your unborn children.
“Or you can join me. And have everything you ever wanted.”
The words were venom. They made Zane sick to his stomach, but he couldn’t get his hands round his rage. The Dark Dragon’s voice had gotten inside of him. It was the only thing that seemed right. The only thing that made sense.
The smile on Quraal’s lips confirmed what Zane already knew about himself.
He didn’t trust the Dark Dragon.
But he trusted the humans even less.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Stacey watched the dark waters below from her window inside the helicopter. Walter was sitting next to her while Jasmine and Dennis were somewhere up the front with the other members of the security team.
“This is very difficult for me to say, but we, the government, have been using you.”
Stacey turned her head to face him. “Excuse me?”
“You have played a significant role in coercing both Quraal and Zane to lead an attack against the city. This was essential for us to get a UN clearance to start nuking known dragon communities.”
“What the fuck?” Stacey exclaimed. “This is a fucking load of –”
“You are actually very lucky,” Walter said. “There are many people who will lose their lives tonight as part of our cause. For them, there will be no reward. No compensation. This is the kind of war we’re dealing with.”
“So you’ve known the whole time I’m innocent? The government has known –”
“Precisely. Before our undercover covert, known to you as the Mage, was able to convince the Dark Dragon to come back here for an attack, we were hoping to have a registered insemination from dragon to human. We thought perhaps, given the amount of sex dragons can engage in, that the process would be perhaps over in a shorter time than it has taken.”
Stacey blinked. “I’m not following you.”
“You will receive assistance from us at the time you give birth. We will take the creature from there so we can monitor and learn from it.”
“You want … to take my baby?”
“It’s not your baby,” Walter argued. “It’s a paranormal element owned by the United States Government. You will be taken care of financially at the end of your service.”
Stacey slapped him in the face.
Hard.
“Ms. Caversham, I am sorry if –”
Stacey slapped him again.
Walter’s cheek shook. He adjusted his collar.
“Ms. Caversham, do you need to be restrained? Sedated perhaps?”
“You’re not taking him,” Stacey said, crossing her arms. “No one’s taking him or her.”
“If you cooperate, you will find this goes much easier for you,” Walter said. “Believe me, I can personally relate to your attachment. However, you have to remember what the child is. For far too long our country among others, has bowed like slaves to these half breed monsters and their savage sense of entitlement. What you are doing for your country will benefit future generations. It is time we took our planet back.”
“I’m not talking to you anymore,” Stacey whispered. “So you can save your propaganda for someone else.”
Walter looked at her.
Then he returned to his seating position, unaffected.
Shared By The Dragon Clan: The Complete Set Page 20