Charming the Alphas (Hex My Heart, #5)

by Talina Perkins

  “There will be more time for that later. We all have a lot to discuss.” Zane’s gaze shot to her neck. Odd. She brushed a hand over the sore area and flinched.

  “Like he said, Mara, a lot has happened in the last day, hell, the last hour. Let us get you safe and then it’s all cards on the table.”

  She agreed.

  Metallic-tinged ley lines danced above them in the night sky and she didn’t like what that meant. Humans called them northern lights while otherworldlies knew them as the magick grid that crisscrossed the earth. When they radiated with this much intensity in her world, it meant a powerful warlock drew on the powers. From the zing of static along her skin, she’d say they had her location pinned and were closing in. Fast.

  Shit. “Uh, guys, we gotta fly... like right now.”

  “Got it.” Zane shot Lucian a look and then both turned to the dragons. “Looks like we might get a proper send off after all.”

  She’d never considered herself the nervous kind, then again, she’d never pissed off someone with enough magick in their little pinky to burn her at the stake with a flick of their wrist. Energy rolled along the winter night. Shadows shifted to reveal an ice blue dragon. Both dragons raised their wings and stretched their massive bodies until their snouts glanced across the heavens from her angle. Both let loose a bellow that fed into the ground with the strength of what she imagined would be Thor’s hammer. Obsidian dipped his head, shoulder, until his massive body lay across the quickly mounting snow in dark contrast.

  Wood splintered from a nearby tree and exploded, catching Lucian and her dead center with fragments.

  “Again!” This so needed to stop happening to her. “What is it with the fireballs?”

  Arms wrapped around her tight, Lucian shot her a glance and at this proximity she couldn’t miss the what the fuck do you mean gleam in his eyes. “You’ll explain later.”

  Yeah, she read that loud and clear. Way to go, Mara.

  “Och, get on.” Her thoughts slammed in reverse and left burn tracks a mile long. What the hell...? A deep brogue resounded in her head again, this time with a lot more ire.

  “Witch, I’m nae takin’ another fireball for ye. Get on!”

  Her eyeballs grew wide and her gaze shot to the midnight scaled dragon. You’re kidding me!

  Fierce growls tore from Lucian’s throat as power rolled along his body and fed into her as if he’d hooked car wires up to her metaphysical battery pack. If he’d been in protection mode earlier, that shoved him into to def con KILL mode now.

  Zane moved in closer, his eyes darting from one side of the surrounding trees to the other.

  “Get her outta here, now!”

  The force to shift rolled over their bodies and pulled something to life within her. How else could she explain the full body glow? She looked like one of those freaking glow worm nightlights. She flung back the coat and looked down the length of her body. Starting from the center, with every pulse of her heart a new wave of light rippled from her center into her extremities. Or what she could see of them. Not cool. Lit up like a flashing neon sign, Marabelle hunched into the tightest ball she could muster in Lucian’s grip.

  Lucian flashed a glance her way and he looked as bewildered as she felt. “Fuck. Zane, cover her!”

  Zane flanked her on one side while Obsidian did his best to position himself between them and the tree line. Lucian shielded her with his massive shoulders, but it only made the golden light shine brighter.

  “Time out!” She threw her hands up to form a T. “What,” Her voice cracked. “What the freaking heck is going on?” Fear had a way of taking the reins. Heat flushed along her skin and Lucian’s grew taut under her touch. His wolf sensed her freaking out. If she didn’t calm down, fur, scales and magickal fireballs would clash tonight with no predictable outcome.

  “Fight it, Lucian. Look at me.” Blue-crimson eyes roamed over her face and she momentarily forgot to breathe. When did that happen? And what did it mean? His eyes had been brown when she’d left for work this morning and now...

  A guttural growl worked up his chest and he struggled with his wolf. Everything in her told her the wolves were no match for the elder she sensed hidden beneath the bowing pine branches. Their beady little eyes probably tracked their every move.

  “He’s here.” Still holding her gaze, he spoke to Zane over his shoulder. Lucian didn’t bother with who he was, but Zane apparently understood. Rage darkened their features as their attention turned fully toward a shadowed area of the forest off to their left. Her men wanted blood. She could read it from the way they postured their shoulders and braced for a fight.

  “You go with her. I’ll handle this.” Zane’s muscles bunched and rolled beneath his flimsy T-shirt as he moved away from them and her hand shot out. Deep down she knew if she let go, there was a good possibility she’d never see him again. Not gonna happen. If she didn’t get to die, neither did he.

  Fatigue weighed heavy and her breath quickened. Her fingers tightened. Fear fed her the strength to make it this far, but even that wasn’t strong enough anymore. Her grasp slipped.

  “We...” she flipped a finger to encompass all three of them, “...all have to go.” Lucian gave a curt nod and lunged toward Obsidian, who was still reeling from the magick ball. If a dragon could have a pissed off face, he wore it well.

  Ye goin’ to stand around and play dodge ball all night? It’s now or nae, witch! Her gaze met the amethyst eyes of the dragon. Aye, thought I sensed the dragon in ye. Ye father was right.

  Wait. He knew her father? Her father knew dragons? Thousands of questions hit her and before one could roll off her tongue, more golden orbs slammed into the ground, surrounding trees, and one into the side of Obsidian who answered with a bellow, dislodging Lucian footing. They fell forward and Lucian tucked her close, rolling sideways to take the brunt of the impact. Covered in snow, Zane scooped her up and called out over his shoulder to Lucian, his voice drowned out by the wail of orbs that hailed down on their position.

  “Got her.”

  Okay. Later she’d freak about how exactly she could hear dragon voices in her head. If they survived.

  Quickly Zane placed a foot on Obsidian’s extended leg and hauled himself up with her in tow. Straddled over the ridge and arms anchored around his neck, she glanced sideways to find Zane’s once coffee-colored eyes now crimson red with shafts of ice blue too. Her brows pinched. How long had she been out? Were they mated? A hand went to her neck.

  “No baby girl, we’re not mated. Fully, anyway. We’ll explain everything later.”

  Sounded good. Lucian hauled ass to the white dragon and made quick work of securing himself. Wings flared open. The power she felt in them, around them, seeped into her bones as much as the winter air did. Several thunderous beats kicked up a thick shield of snow, and they were already past the treetops as night enveloped them into its hold. Weak, she relaxed into Zane’s hold and let him pull her closer. Wind brushed through the tips of her hair and stung the sensitive skin of her cheeks. His heat chased away the worst of the cold. Face buried against his chest, she closed her eyes and focused on his strong, steady heartbeat against her ear.

  Mountains rushed them moments before Obsidian’s dragon angled his body and glided them over smaller peaks. Werewolves and witches with a handful more of otherworldlies had come out to the human world. Dragons not so much. Guess that little secret wouldn’t fit back into the shadows after tonight.

  A small voice reared in the back of her mind. The mess left behind wouldn’t go away and the High Council would want answers. Sweet Briar Hollow was a small town but that only gave the Royals a stronger hold over all the witches. Maybe—eventually—the shifter kind as well. That placed her sisters in danger in a way she’d never predicted.

  She rubbed her hand up her chest. Nothing could ward off the pain that tore into her. Moans slipped out and she clutched at her stomach. Lights burst behind her eyelids. The glow that had died down somewhere in betw
een the High Council’s attack and their rushed takeoff flared up again. She cracked an eye and raised her hand. What had she done here tonight? And why were there dragons helping them?

  “You’re safe, Mara.” She smiled up at Zane.

  Were they? Honestly, she wasn’t too sure. She’d invited trouble to their doorstep with her spellwork and for what? Her magick hadn’t returned. No familiar pull on Mother Nature or energy crackling and waiting to do her bidding.

  “How much farther?” Zane’s chest vibrated beneath her touch as he called to Obsidian. He tightened his hold on her and leaned in closer. Any more and she wouldn’t know where she ended and he began. Maybe that was his plan.

  The dragon made a sound of frustration that came out like a gurgled sigh. Impatient wolf.

  She cracked a small smile. Despite the pain, Marabelle laughed at the frustration the dragon had for Zane’s worry. “He’s a little cranky.”

  Zane’s voice went low. “What do you mean, baby girl?”

  “Didn’t you hear him?” ARGH! Another slash caught her across the chest as if it wanted to rip out her still pumping heart.

  Lassie, he doesn’t know ye can hear me. And I know ye can, so stop trying to ignore me. Amazement mixed with awe and had the dragon’s head rearing around to catch a glimpse of her before he tucked his wings and took them through a gap between two rock walls.

  “Not ignoring. Who could ignore the two-ton dragon in the sky? She mentally challenged him.

  “Who are you talking to, Mara.” Zane looked at her expectantly.

  Rumbled laughter filled her head, not her ears.

  “I think yer mates will be somewhat jealous of our connection.”

  If dragons could grin, Obsidian had a huge, albeit mischievous, one plastered across his snout.

  “There’s more at play here than we thought. Let’s get back.” The second dragon whose name she still didn’t catch spoke up and glided closer to their right. Lucian, tucked flat across the ridged back, looked over and tossed her a wink, oblivious to the cold and her newfound talent.

  “Who’s we?” she mentally sent back. “The dragons,” she answered aloud to Zane, who nailed her with a wide-eyed look of astonishment. She gave him points for rolling with the punches.

  He grunted. “That’s new.”

  She nodded. “Apparently there’s a lot of that going around tonight.”

  Heat flushed her cheeks and she tried to sit up, but Zane held her in place as a fresh wave of snow-laced wind nearly knocked them loose from Obsidian’s back. Hades on fire, that smarted. On the flip side, she welcomed the cold to fight the fever raging inside her. And she welcomed the warm arms of her lover.

  She let her lashes fall. How was it that she could now hear dragons speak? That talent normally only went to dragon-blooded shifters. Question after question plagued her mind.

  Forgive me, but why were you at my house?

  Yer father was a— Obsidian paused, and she thought he’d leave it his words unfinished. A friend to the Draegon Elders, Marabelle. And me, he added with a hint of nostalgia.

  “You knew my father?” she spoke aloud to include Zane.

  “Hold on.”

  A quick up-current forced the dragon into a steep ascent. Zane held her in place as they climbed higher in the night sky. Fingers dug into Zane’s shirt, she coaxed her fear of heights back into check. Just don’t look down and you’re all good.

  Even with her eyes clamped shut, her stomach lurched into her throat.

  “Look, Mara.”

  Zane’s words had her eyes flitting open. Ribbons of magick intertwined with stars to create a lavish canvas of jewels. Sapphires, rubies and ambers all ready to fall into the palm of her hands at the simplest of commands and for that one moment, it was only her and Zane. It almost made all the nearly lethal encounters tonight worth being here in this moment with him. They only needed Lucian with them to make the moment complete.

  A sense of hope rose in her chest. Maybe not all was lost after all.

  “We’re almost there.”

  Like a veil that hid another world, mountains she’d never seen came into view. Just as quickly her vision began to blur. Everything faded into silhouettes. Her head fell against Zane as all the magick left her body. Silvery light bathed her with its warmth until she couldn’t fight the calm. Unfettered, she let the current carry her away.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Cool silk skimmed along her skin as she turned to her side. Tension wound tight in her chest and heavy fists pounded against the sides of her head.

  Seconds ticked by and the fuzzy memories slowly evaporated until little inklings of the last few hours came into focus. Talk about a hangover. Nothing knocked a witch on her ass faster than a supped up magickal overdose.

  An unsettling silence brought her awake and she sat up, fully alert. Warm golden light poured over the entire room. Flames flickered beyond the partially opened double doors opposite the bed.

  The bed. Knees pulled to her chest, Marabelle scooted upward and gathered the cream-colored sheets in her hand to bunch around her chest.

  Huh. Odd. She didn’t remember undressing herself, or ordering the luxury suite at some swanky hotel, but here she sat in the largest bed she’d ever seen surrounded by opulent furnishings all highlighted by soft lights from the sconces perched on the wall every few feet.

  Her breath caught as her gaze drank in several overly large tapestries that created artistic petitions between the lights. Each piece covered massive sections of the walls.

  She slipped from the bed positioned on an elevated platform and immediately let out a sigh. How did they heat their floors? She needed the secret yesterday. In Sweet Briar everything froze, including the toilet seat when winter closed in on their small town. For a brief moment, she stood there and took it all in down to how smooth the stone flooring felt against her bare feet.

  From her angle, the low light rippled across the floor to create a hand-chiseled appearance and caressed the soles of her feet with each step. Her attention flitted between plush loveseats, the bed ample enough for three with countless throw pillows and a now mussed comforter, to hand-carved doors that led into what appeared to be a bathroom bigger than her apartment.

  The size of everything seemed so...so big. As if it was designed for giants. Or giant creatures with a fetish for silk. It covered every piece of furniture. The sight brought images of her spread out beneath her men as they lavished her with their affection. Speaking of, where were they?

  Slowly she made her way around the room, stopping at each cloth depiction of jewel-colored dragons soaring in formation, armor decorating their massive chests, while fields of flowers and open skies were featured in another. Large mountains fanned across the background of each depiction. She twirled in a complete circle. Each of the seven tapestries completed part of a picture that made a whole. Fascinating, and such attention to detail. No place on earth she knew about looked this majestic.

  Fingers buried into the soft material of her makeshift robe, Marabelle opened the double door separating the rooms inch by inch and peered around the edge.

  Her heart stopped. Nothing like this existed in the High Council’s palace. Compared to their domed archways, pillars and marble... this place screamed true architectural genius.

  An oval fire pit graced the center of the room and served as the source of the comfortable warmth fighting back the chill. High flames flickered and created a soft glow around the room.

  She kneeled and ran a hand over the back of a carved dragon in midflight, her fingers finding all the contours of the scales and extended wings. Such great detail. Along the edge of the pit, several intricately designed dragons flew in unison, some larger than others. Male and female, she presumed. She leaned closer. In the tapestries, there’d only been dragons. Here, though, humans accompanied them. Women with long, flowing hair and full hips on display beneath tunic-like dresses hiked high as they straddled the backs of their dragons. The erotic tone of the images
spoke of mates.

  She couldn’t tell if they were human, witch, or maybe another otherworldly that could shapeshift. There was so much of the preternatural world she still didn’t know. Did dragons mate with other dragons? Did they mate with humans? Did it matter as it did in her world with Lucian and Zane? Marabelle pushed the thoughts aside and made her way deeper into the room.

  Several plumper sofas positioned in small gatherings around the open space worked together with various lamps and earth-toned walls to create a homey feel. To her left one door led to the bedchambers while she assumed the ornate wooden doors located on the far wall to her back led out of the suite.

  To her right and beyond the sitting area opened up to a balcony. One unlike anything she’d ever seen before. If she could fall in love with a place, this would be it. Like a giggly schoolgirl, she gave a little laugh and held her hand over her mouth. No railings or glass served as protection from walking off the deep end and finding out how high they were.

  That could prove hazardous to a sleepwalker or someone with a love for booze, but when you had wings maybe it wasn’t such a problem. Stepping closer to the ledge, the ceiling abruptly opened into a semicircle to reveal thousands of stars sparkling in a wash of midnight blue.

  She blinked several times. No way could this be real! Tempted to pinch herself, she folded her arms across her chest. Eyes closed, she let the events of the night wash over her. Standing here, it all seemed like far away memories that couldn’t touch her. If only the last year could be erased. A year without her magick hurt. But a year of living with the men who were supposed to be her mates was the real torture. Without her magick she refused to mate. They understood and loved her anyway, but there were times she wanted to kick her own ass. But how could she mate with Lucian and Zane when she wasn’t whole? They would give her all of them when she couldn’t.