“He’s on his way.”
Dòmhnall looked up; she knew he hated having to rely on her. Especially when he questioned her loyalty. Well if he wanted her undying love and trust, he should make his intentions towards her known. She was beginning to tire of not knowing what was going to happen between them. Conveniently, her gift as a seer didn’t apply to her own life, or to Dòmhnall. He might be her soul mate, but his future was blank in her mind. It made their relationship exciting and confusing. She didn't know what to expect from him. He refused to acknowledge her as something other than a witch. Tara had no idea if that would ever change, because he had a complete dislike and distrust of witches.
“Marcas. Go out and watch for him. Make sure he gets back here safely. Raal. You go with him.”
“I could go,” Connor said, moving forward.
“No. You need to stay here. Samuel knows what you look like. We don’t know who is watching.”
“There is nobody watching,” Tara said.
“I am in charge here, Tara.” He put special emphasis on her name. It made her feel special.
“As you wish, my Lord,” she said sarcastically.
Connor came to her. “What news do you have, Tara?”
“None... No. I have a face. We’ll have to move when Zoah gets here.”
Pushing Connor out of her way, she went to the desk and began mixing her potion again. She opened the book of spells and began to chant. The others always took a step back from her; they were all worried she might change them into a frog. They needn’t worry: if she was going to change them into anything, it would be rats. Then they could go and live in the sewers.
“Zoah.” Dòmhnall went to the stranger who had walked in amongst them. “What news?”
“He has Charlotte in there. He is going to sell her to a vampire.”
Dòmhnall reeled back. “A blood sucker. From Hollowton?”
“I don't know where that is or if he’s a resident there. But he wants a virgin and is paying extra for the privilege of having a dragon-bonded woman.”
“Hollowton is on the furthest side of Spellholm. We have had a truce of sorts for some centuries. But I cannot stand the blood suckers.”
“Maybe the feeling is mutual. Apparently there is to be an alliance between the vampire and Samuel.”
“Alliance. For what purpose?”
Zoah raised his eyebrow. “So they can vacation together. What do you think? A dragon-bonded female, and an alliance. They are hoping to upset the truce, I would imagine. Wouldn’t you?”
Dòmhnall walked away, pondering this information.
“Here, take this.” Tara handed him the purple potion while still holding a red vial. “Then we need this when we find the vampire.”
Drinking the first potion and then grimacing at the taste, he said, “Did you make it foul on purpose?”
“Yes, I added vile weed on purpose.” She looked at Zoah, watching as his features slowly mutated until he looked his usual self.
“Oh God, that is awful. It feels as though someone is turning me inside out.”
“Come over to the light and I’ll check you over.” She signalled to Connor to join them on the other side of the desk where the light was brightest. “So?”
“You were right about the traitor,” he whispered.
“Speak so we may all hear,” Dòmhnall snapped.
“There is a traitor amongst us,” Zoah said.
“Unthinkable. The dragons here are all sworn to me.”
“I am not,” Zoah said petulantly.
“You are not a dragon, remember, mundane?”
Zoah pushed himself off the edge of the table towards Dòmhnall with his fists clenched. Conner grabbed hold of him. “You are too weak to even consider doing anything, Zoah.”
“How long will I be like this?” he asked.
“Not much longer,” Tara said. “Now speak.”
"He knows about the tracker. In fact he had one of his own made from Charlotte’s mother’s blood.”
“How?” Tara asked. “How did he know to do that?”
“Who gave you the book, Tara?”
She moved her gaze to fix it on Zoah. “What does it matter?”
“Because Samuel has a new witch working for him. And she seems to know the same spells.”
“They are ancient spells handed down over centuries by the witches of Spellholm. I am lucky to be allowed to use them; you usually have to be a member of the high coven. ”
“Listen to what you are saying, Tara. They tricked you; now, who gave you the book?”
“I did,” Dòmhnall said quietly.
“No. Danielle gave it to me.”
“I asked her to give it you.”
“Why? Why not give it to me yourself?”
“Because it would make you feel accepted if it came from her.”
Tara fell silent. He had been trying to be nice to her. She had no idea. But now it all began to make sense. “Did you tell her?”
“Tell her what?”
Tara went to him, placing her hand on his arm. He flinched as if she had burned his skin with her touch. “Dòmhnall, we can’t carry on like this.”
He looked at her, his eyes torturous before he closed himself off from her once more. “There is no we.”
“I believe Danielle thought she could find a way into your heart, Dòmhnall. She was hanging around so much when I first arrived. So helpful, gathering herbs and roots with me from the forest. She always insisted we go back to the Stronghold to store them. More room, she said.”
Dòmhnall looked down at Tara, his gaze fixed on her. Then he spoke, “I thought you were good friends, which is why I talked to her. Why I got her to give you the book.”
“We were good friends. At least I thought we were. I’ve never had a woman as a friend before. I was blinded by her attention when I have always received so little. I am a fool.”
“When I said to her about the book, she said it was too precious. I told her it was an appropriate gift.”
“An appropriate gift for your mate. She hung around because she thought you were free. Dragons are like heroin to the younger witches, she was addicted to your power. She hoped she could be your bonded mate. Or at least your mistress. With the gift of the book, she knew you belonged to another.”
“Let me get this straight. Danielle is the traitor?”
“It makes sense. She had access to the book. To my quarters."
"Did you tell her what the little tracker was for?” Connor asked.
Tara blushed and nodded. “I was so impressed with my work. He was so perfect. And I was so trusting.”
Her shoulders slumped forward and she was so ashamed of her stupidity. It was only Dòmhnall’s hand on her shoulder that stopped her from running away in shame. She had proved herself as stupid as everyone else. She no longer thought herself superior. Of course, no one would want her for who she was. Even a dragon bond wasn’t strong enough to make Dòmhnall claim her.
“Come. We know our adversary. Let us go reclaim our property and end the life of this man Samuel once and for all. The witch Danielle is yours to deal with if you so desire, Tara. If not, I will gladly rip her head off for you.”
“Thank you, Dòmhnall.”
“Let us go. Do you know where this vampire is?”
She thought about it for a moment. “I need to let my head clear. I know he’s in the north of the city, but I can’t pinpoint him. I’m sorry.”
The others left to wait outside while she collected her paraphernalia together and put it in her satchel. Only one person stayed behind, he didn’t help, only watched. When she had finished she brushed past him. He caught her arm and pushed her back roughly against the wall.
“Dòmhnall,” she gasped, breathless and scared. “I’m sorry. I never meant to betray you.”
“It is I who has forced you to do this.” His large hand went to her throat and she knew he was going to break her neck. She closed her eyes, ready to accept her fate.
He had been right to keep her away from him. To maintain a distance. She was no better than the witch who had claimed his heart stone and then ran off with it.
But instead of snapping her neck, he lowered his head and, with a sigh of defeat, he kissed her lips. Her hands went to his arms; she pressed her back against the wall to stop herself sinking down as her knees went weak. A flame flickered into life inside her. Her lips moving against his as he deepened the kiss.
In this subtle way, the Dragon Lord of Spellholm finally laid claim to his mate.
Chapter Thirty Seven - Charlotte
“Dress.” A long, old-fashioned dress was thrown at her.
“No.”
“You have three minutes. If not, I will come in there and strip you.” The brute sneered. “I wouldn’t mind seeing you naked. I’m sure if I touch a little too, the boss won’t mind.”
She stood glaring at him, but then picked the dress up. His face told her he was more than willing to carry out his threat. “Shut the door.”
“No.” He folded his arms and leaned back against the wall. “I like a good striptease.”
Turning around, she faced the wall to spare her dignity as much as possible. It didn’t work, but he was going to be the least of her problems this evening. After a long day of not knowing what was happening, it would seem the vampire was coming to collect his goods. A wooden stake would be very handy.
Did that even work? She had no idea. But then she hadn’t known vampires actually existed until Samuel told her. It shouldn’t have been too surprising. Once you accepted that men and women could change into other creatures and that the Minotaur was real, nothing seemed odd. Her brain processed reality in a different way than before.
“Happy?” she asked, standing in the Victorian-style dress. “Let me guess, he’s about two hundred years old, with a pale complexion. Not really my type.”
“Your blood is his type.” A hand went under the fleshy top of her arm and his fingers dug into her skin. “If I was really cruel. I would cut you first. I've always wanted to see an out of control vampire.”
She heard the sound of his knife leaving its belt. He was going to do it. She tried not to panic. There wasn’t really going to be a vampire coming for her. Zoah would have found him and used the glamour spell to change his appearance. When she was handed over, Samuel would be giving her to Zoah. The joke would be on him.
“Hey. Don’t damage the merchandise,” Samuel said just as the knife was about to slit her arm. “I don’t want him asking for a discount if she’s spoiled.”
“Lucky,” he said and released her.
“Ahh. Don’t you look the proper Victorian wife? He was quite particular in what you should wear. A fetish I believe. Maybe he might put you over his knee and spank you.” Samuel grinned. “Right before he bites your neck and sucks your life out.”
She didn’t answer him. Let him have his final minutes of fun, before Zoah came to claim her. Right now, he was checking his watch, pulling his hood up higher around his face. His attention was drawn to a door at the back of the warehouse; it opened and then clanged shut, the sound echoing around the empty warehouse. Charlotte tried to turn, to see who it was, but another man had come to stand behind her and she couldn’t see. The footsteps clicking on the concrete floor told her it was a woman in high heels. The witch.
“Just in time, Danielle. Our buyer is about to arrive. You know what I need you to do?”
“I’m not stupid, Samuel. If there is even a hint of human amongst them, I’ll trap them. But I think you're overreacting. I also think you should have given the dragons more time. It would be much easier to catch one here than invade their territory. Even with the vampires, you won’t defeat them easily.”
“Leave me to worry about that.”
“So nice to meet you again, Charlotte.”
As the witch drew nearer, Charlotte heard the faint jingle of fairy bells, making Charlotte gasp with recognition and bristle with rage. “You! You are the one helping Samuel! But why? You said you were friends with Tara.”
“I was. Then I realised she was the great Dragon Lord’s mate. I couldn’t believe it. She doesn’t have my power or my grace.” The tall silver lady, whom she had met at her birthday party stood looking down at Charlotte. Making all the pieces fit into place. “I mean, look at you. How can a dragon choose a mundane like you? It should be me. I am so much more powerful.”
“They don’t get to choose.” Charlotte felt insignificant and ugly next to this beautiful woman, who shimmered in the light.
“I know. So Samuel has kindly allowed me to place a spell on one of them. When the others are dead then he will be Dragon Lord under my control.”
“Which one?”
“Oh, I haven’t decided yet. It might come down to whoever is left standing after the vampires have finished. But I do have a soft spot for your sister’s mate. So strong and sensitive. She’s schooled him well.”
“No. I won’t let you.” She rushed forward but the man behind her grabbed her and held her back.
“Oh, my dear. You will be dead in a few hours. So don’t worry your ... plain little head about it.”
“They are here.” A man with a gun came in. Taking up his position by the side of the big doors, at the entrance to the warehouse. Samuel nodded and he pressed a button, the door rising slowly.
Charlotte couldn’t breathe. She was doomed. If Zoah had taken on the guise of a vampire in order to rescue her, Danielle would trap him. If he hadn’t managed to, then she would die by the hand, or the fangs, of a vampire. Whatever happened, she was not getting out of here.
As the doors opened fully, she could see a group of six people on the other side. They stood still, looking in warily. One had a large bag in his hand. Was that the payment for her? She felt sick. The dragons might have all taken the glamour potion. They might all be trapped here once Danielle cast her spell.
Charlotte wanted to cry out and warn them, but that might be a mistake too. She wished Zoah had come to her and told her their plan. Instead, she was in the dark, and vulnerable.
One stepped forward and the others followed. The moved slowly and carefully as if expecting a trap. Then the man in front lifted his nose and sniffed the air, and she knew he could smell her. He relaxed a little, his pace becoming almost eager as he came towards Samuel. There was no sensation down the back of her neck. As far as she could tell, Zoah was not there. But that didn’t mean one of the others was instead.
Danielle walked past her to stand blocking the vampires’ view of Charlotte. The vampires bristled; if they were dogs they would have raised hackles. They were back on alert now, one of them showing his fangs and hissing at Danielle.
“Call your witch off, Samuel. You did not say you would be bringing trouble with you. I know this one from the forest. I do not want her loose tongue telling the dragons of our plans.”
“She is my security. I was expecting a visit from a dragon or two. I must say I am surprised that you were not ambushed.” He looked sideways at Danielle, who was focused entirely on the vampire party in front of her.
“We have a deal. The dragons would not attack us. They know it would start a war among our races. And how would they know that we are the buyers, unless you told them?”
“They have a seer of sorts. Danielle here can prevent her from seeing inside here. But your thoughts are most likely exposed to her.”
“Interesting.”
Danielle moved away from Charlotte towards the vampires. For a moment, her eyes locked with Samuel’s and something passed between them that made her stomach lurch. One of them was a dragon. Danielle knew it and saw him closing in.
Charlotte opened her mouth to shout, but a hand clamped down over it. “Keep quiet,” the thug holding her hissed. “And be ready to run.”
It all happened so fast, afterwards she wouldn’t be able to tell exactly what happened. Danielle pulled out a stake and plunged it one of the vampire's heart. He exploded into a cloud of ash, lik
e the kind you found in the fireplace when the embers had burned down to nothing.
Five sets of fangs protruded from the remaining vampires and above the screams from Danielle was Samuel's voice, scared and pleading.
“I didn’t know. She thought you were a dragon, let’s...” Then he screamed and Charlotte knew he wouldn’t survive this time. He would die by the teeth of a vampire rather than the fire of a dragon.
“Run,” the thug whispered and he dragged her backwards. She followed him; anything was better than the sounds of death filling the warehouse.
“Where are we going?” Charlotte asked, not knowing if she really felt safe in his hands, he was still one of Samuel's men.
“To the room they were holding you in.”
“I’m not going in there again.” She stopped dead in her tracks. “I’m not going to let you sell me instead.”
“Charlotte. It’s the only way out. Zoah managed to pinpoint where you were from the outside. Any minute now, the dragons are going to break it down and we have to be ready. We need to get away from here.”
“Who are you?”
“Your friendly neighbourhood witch.”
“Tara. But...”
“I hexed the vampire so he would appear human. It was the only way to get you out without the dragons coming in. I think it worked beautifully. But you can thank me later.”
As they ran, the building shook under a terrible force. She was right. The dragons were breaking in. She ran, the dress catching around her ankles, so she lifted it up. By the time they reached the room she had been kept prisoner in, there was a big gaping hole in the wall.
Beyond the rubble stood six dragons. And Zoah.
Chapter Thirty Eight - Zoah
“Charlotte,” he called and she ran to him. Flinging herself into his arms. However, this was not the time for lingering embraces. He lifted her and carried her to Connor, who eased himself down so that she could scramble onto him. Her dress caught and Zoah ripped a split in it so she could sit astride his brother. Then Zoah climbed up behind her.
Love of the Dragon: BBW Shifter Romance (Her Dragon's Bane Book 4) Page 12