Over to their left Tara, still looking like a man, was already mounted on Dòmhnall. Above them, two of the dragons had already taken off, flying straight and true up into the night sky.
“Hang on; we have to go almost vertically up, to avoid being seen. With so many of us, we have to get above the city lights as fast as we can. It’s risky, but we had to come in force in case there was a battle. Now we can’t afford for anyone to be left behind.”
He wrapped his arms around her as Connor launched himself into the air. Dòmhnall was a few seconds behind them, and once they were above the streetlights, the two remaining dragons followed. Turning to look down, over the back of Connor, he watched the last two climb to safety. When they were all safely airborne and heading into the clouds hanging above the city, he allowed himself to feel relief wash over him.
It was dangerous flying. An airport was nearby and the chance of colliding with a plane was risky. However, planes flew on certain paths, paths that the dragons would be in and out of in a blink of an eye. Tears streamed from his face as Connor’s wings powered them higher and higher, defying gravity. He knew now how Charlotte had felt riding on his back and was sad that might never happen again.
It was cold; only the heat from Connor’s body was keeping him warm. His arms circled around Charlotte, holding her tighter. He couldn’t help nuzzling her neck and breathing in her scent. She was safe and in a couple of hours, they would be home.
It was agreed they would go straight to the big house. There Zoah and Charlotte would be left alone, while the others continued on to Spellholm. He knew Connor was reluctant to leave him in his present state. However, Zoah had insisted he go back to Serena, who was waiting anxiously with Brandan.
Zoah didn’t know what it was to be vulnerable. Not until his dragon had left him. Now, with Charlotte in front of him, he wondered how he would protect her if trouble came knocking. That was if she wanted to stay with him. All he had to offer her was gone. Only a man remained. Part of his former self, the weaker part too. If she dreamed of being the mate of a dragon, she might not be able to adjust to this broken man. It would be hard. He knew, because for him it seemed impossible. Only the thought of finally having her in his arms kept his heart beating. He had been stripped of everything he thought he was. Everything he had was gone, except his love for her.
Chapter Thirty Nine - Charlotte
The flight of dragons split in two. Connor, Dòmhnall and one other dragon, she thought it was Marcas, went on to the house. The others banked and headed back to Spellholm; they were much less conspicuous now they were two smaller groups.
The moon was high in the sky, and they picked up their pace to fly faster over the towns and cities below. If Connor and Dòmhnall were going to complete their journey and go on to Spellholm tonight as planned, they needed to hurry.
It was hard to think of anything other than the touch of Zoah’s arms around her, but she was anxious for Serena. Her sister would be fraught with worry until Connor returned, and she hated being the cause. Once she was mated with Zoah, she would be his responsibility, leaving Connor free to look after his family. Or would both Charlotte and Zoah remain Connor's responsibility? If Zoah didn’t regain his dragon, he would no longer be invincible in battle.
Leaning her head back, she rested against him, finding comfort in his presence. He loosed his arm from its grip on Connor’s spine and wrapped it around her waist, holding her tightly against him. She turned her head to the left, and he leaned forward to press his cheek against hers. They didn’t speak. There was too much to say and no easy place to start. When they were alone, they would find a way. But not here. Not now.
One by one, they dropped towards the ground. First, they descended through a cloudbank and then lower, to skim the underside of big cotton-wool clouds. The streetlights below were twinkling and she began to recognise landmarks. They were nearly home.
Connor led the way. He dipped down and flew straight towards a patch of darkness: the old house, lonely and empty. It stood waiting for their return. As it grew bigger, she could see the high tower where Connor would land. The other two dragons dropped down into the grounds; there wasn’t enough room for them all on the tower.
With his feet outstretched, Connor hovered before dropping onto the hard stone. Quickly Zoah slid off, his feet hitting the ground hard. He grunted, but immediately reached up to help her down. Stiffly, she dismounted, falling into his arms. Now she knew why he hadn’t been so agile. Her legs and arms were stiff from holding on; she realised Zoah’s must be too.
Zoah pulled her towards the edge of the tower while Connor changed. When he stood before her as the large man she knew and loved, she launched herself into his arms.
“I’m so sorry, Connor. Is Serena OK? I never meant for any of this to happen.”
“I know, Charlotte. And don’t worry, Serena completely understands. She doesn’t blame you.” He looked over her shoulder to Zoah.
“Who does she blame?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“She blames Zoah?”
“The blame goes three ways.”
“Three ways?”
“Yes. Connor is in the doghouse along with me and Tara.”
“I don’t understand?”
“It was the three of us who came up with the idea for this little thing.” Zoah took the glass jar from his pocket and released an ecstatic Azure. He darted straight to Charlotte and flapped around her head, spinning around and around.
“It’s my fault. I left,” she said firmly, pleased to see Azure still safe.
“We could go round and round in circles blaming each other. It would make no difference. Right now, we need to go down and let Dòmhnall and Tara in. As soon as we are ready, we need to fly for Spellholm. It’s still going to take another two hours to get there and there isn’t much of the night left. I would hate to leave Serena alone when we have no idea what the vampires are up to.”
“Of course.” She felt chastised.
Connor went to the trap door and unbolted it, and then he went down into the tower. Zoah came up behind her, resting a reassuring hand on her arm. “He’s worried. That’s all. It’s been a long night, after a long few days. Let’s go and help them prepare for the rest of their journey and then we can sleep.”
“You never sleep.”
“I’ve never been only human before. Now I could sleep for days.”
He took her hand and they went down into the tower, following the steps round and round as they descended. Her legs were leaden; her heart wasn’t much lighter either. She had always expected their return here to be exciting, exhilarating, but she felt sad. Although she did realise that amongst all the other feelings, there was a definite feeling of coming home.
For this was the only real home she had ever known. Living here with Zoah and then with Serena and Connor, before they had left for Spellholm, the house had become her refuge. She had explored the rooms and loved the smell of the place. Especially the way the house was cluttered with all the things they had collected over their lifetimes. Not organised and labelled, as it would be in a museum. It reminded her of Serena’s house now they had Brandan. With toys strewn about, there were signs of a happy family everywhere you looked.
“Are you OK?” he asked.
They had reached the bottom of the tower and she leaned against the wall for a moment. She was so weak, not only from the stress of the last few days, but she couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten. Standing up, she took a deep breath. Connor had to leave as quickly as possible, she had to pull herself together and move on.
“Yes, I’m OK. Go on if you have to, I’ll catch up.”
He came back to her. “Charlotte, I have no intention of letting you out of my sight.”
“Then let’s go.”
One foot in front of the other, that she could manage. Although the dress kept catching around her ankles, and eventually Zoah tucked his hand under her elbow to keep her on her feet. The sound of
voices brought them to the kitchen. The unfamiliar sight of Dòmhnall and Marcas in such a familiar place was downright odd. They felt it too, looking awkwardly around them, wanting to leave.
“Ahh, there you are,” Tara said coming up to Charlotte. “Could I use the bathroom?”
“Of course,” Charlotte said. “You remember where it is?”
Tara had stayed here for a few days, years ago, so Charlotte was surprised when the witch said, “Can you show me the way?”
Charlotte was too tired to move. “Don’t you remember the way? It’s down there and to the right.”
“I would like some company,” Tara insisted.
Was she glaring at Charlotte? If she had been more awake, she would have got the hint sooner. As it was, it filtered slowly into her brain that Tara wanted something. Something important.
“Of course.”
Zoah made to follow her. “I’ll look after your little mate, Zoah. You can see that the boys are ready to fly when I get back.”
The boys. Charlotte had to smile at Tara’s nerve. Dòmhnall was the most powerful dragon in the world; he was certainly no boy. The dragons were, however, too preoccupied with their discussions to notice.
“What’s this all about?” Charlotte asked Tara. The witch had gone straight to the bathroom without needing to be shown the way. So she definitely had something else to say.
Tara put her hand in her pocket and pulled out what looked like a scrap of cloth. “Now. You have to promise me you won’t get mad or do something stupid. Everything that happened, happened for a reason. You know that’s how it works, or at least you should do by now.”
“Don’t tell me there’s more trouble on the way. I’m too tired.”
“First, I have something for you. Just promise me you’ll keep this information to yourself.”
“I don’t know if I can promise that. If it’s something that puts us in danger.”
“It doesn’t. I swear. This is more about you and Zoah.”
Charlotte glanced down at Tara’s hand. “What have you got there, Tara?”
She opened her hand. On her palm sat a stitched dragon, made out of blue felt, with a piece of twine bound around it. Charlotte had a vague feeling she should be making some kind of connection here, but her brain refused to process the facts.
“What is it?”
“It’s a kind of voodoo doll. Or voodoo dragon.”
Charlotte’s blood chilled. “Zoah.”
“Yes. I had to bind him.”
“Bind him. You mean his wings?” She looked up in horror. “This is the reason he fell from the sky?”
“I admit the timing was a bit off.”
“A bit off! You could have killed him.” Her voice had risen in pitch and volume.
“Shhh. It needed to be done.”
“According to you, everything bad that happens always needs to be done. Sometimes I wonder...”
“Listen. You are here and you are safe. I can only go on what I see. And I saw that Zoah had to lose his dragon.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, so a certain now-deceased witch wouldn't know he was there. Or perhaps to stop him being an arrogant jerk.”
“Nice. Coming from an egotistical witch.”
“We can trade insults or you can take this for me.”
Charlotte couldn’t bear to look at the thing, yet alone touch it. “I am not using that thing.”
“I don’t need you to use it. I need you to undo it. After we’ve gone. Choose whatever moment feels right and then take the twine off. Unbind him.”
“Why don’t you do it now?”
“Dòmhnall will kill me if he thinks I have this kind of power.” Genuine fear sounded in Tara's voice. “I swear I won’t use this again. Not unless our lives depend on it.”
“Tara, it’s not right. I worry you are too powerful and you make decisions that affect us all on a whim.”
“On a whim! Do you know how much I’ve hated having to lie these last few months? For me it’s only going to get worse. Dòmhnall has indicated he has accepted I’m his mate.”
“Indicated? What he told you?”
“He kissed me.” She actually blushed.
Charlotte’s body softened, realising how hard it was for Tara to keep everything to herself. “Tara. I swear I won’t tell anyone about this. In return, you have to promise me to let me help you. If there are any major problems, anyone jeopardising us, you have to talk to me. It will always be in confidence.”
Tara thought about it. “Would you do that? Do you understand how hard it is to knowingly put people in danger for their own good?”
“Well, when you put it like that.” She rubbed her temples; she was too tired to even think about this tonight. “Yes. I’ll try.”
“Tara!” Dòmhnall’s voice boomed down the hallway.
“I have to go.” She grasped hold of Charlotte’s hands. “Listen carefully. Here is where the pact begins. You have to persuade Zoah to move to Spellholm. Trouble is coming. Samuel has started something that is going to threaten us all.”
Charlotte lifted her head to meet Tara squarely in the eyes. “What trouble?”
“By going to Spellholm, Serena and Connor awoke the dragons. For your party they opened their doors to the forest for the first time in generations. Not everyone is happy about that.”
“I thought we would be free from danger.” Charlotte felt her hopes of a peaceful life ebbing away.
Tara touched her cheek, wiping away a stray tear as it slid down her face. “You are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. You and Zoah have a great future ahead of you.”
“Do I have to keep this from him?”
“Yes. But you must move to Spellholm. He has to swear his allegiance to Dòmhnall.”
“You are expecting a miracle.”
“It doesn’t have to be now. The enemy is regrouping. Take some time to enjoy Zoah. I’m sorry, Charlotte, but you can’t have it all ways. You either choose to be part of what I see, or you accept what I do without complaint.”
“I still don’t know why you don’t tell Dòmhnall.”
“Because once you tell people, it changes them. By telling you I have already set things in motion that wouldn't have come to pass if I had brushed you off.”
“Like what?”
Tara shook her head. “No, I won't say any more. Too much of this stuff in your head is a burden. I grow tired of the responsibility of it all. I will not put that on your young shoulders.”
“Tara! Now.” Dòmhnall banged on the door.
Tara brushed passed Charlotte, who still held the felt dragon in her hand. “By the way. I would suggest unbinding that once the Moon Rite is over.”
“Why? Why wait that long?”
Tara smiled. “It will make no difference to how he ... performs. Enjoy a more humble Zoah for a day. Get him to take you to dinner. It won’t hurt him to think that it’s the power of your love that gave him back his dragon.”
“That is manipulative.”
“Welcome to the world I walk in, Charlotte.”
Chapter Forty - Zoah
At last, they were leaving. Although they had been in the house less than half an hour, it was still too long. This house had been the sole refuge of Zoah and Connor for so long, he didn't like strangers inside. It had been bad enough when Serena came to live with them, and then Charlotte. He had become used to them because they were meant to be there; they were family.
But two other dragons? It was an invasion of his territory. This might not have affected him so much if it wasn’t for the part of him that was missing.
Without his dragon, he felt small ... mundane. He was one of the people that he looked down on; there was nothing special about him. Nothing at all.
“Please tell Serena I’m sorry. And not to blame you. It’s all worked out.” Charlotte was embracing Connor. Dòmhnall and Marcas had already transformed and stood waiting impatiently for Connor. Tara was on Dòmhnall�
�s back, getting comfortable for the final part of their flight. They would have to go fast and true to reach the outer edges of Spellholm before dawn. If it had been later in the year then they would have been forced to stay here, but dawn should not be until six thirty; they had time.
“I will tell her, Charlotte. Perhaps in a few days you will come and see us.”
“I hope so.”
Zoah felt a rush of apprehension. If he had lost his dragon completely, he would have to ask his brother to come and fetch them. Connor would end up being his own personal dragon taxi unless he conquered his loss. Either that or he would have to do what the mundanes do. He would have to learn to drive a metal motor monster. One of those smoke-spewing cars that they drove around in. He shuddered at the idea having to actually mix with mundanes.
Except for Charlotte. But then there was nothing mundane about her.
The dragons took off and headed into the dark sky. Zoah and Charlotte watched until they had gone from sight, even then neither of them moved. After two years apart, there was so much to say. So much to explain. It was knowing where to start that bothered him.
Eventually she said, “I’m going to bed. I don’t think I can stay awake any longer.” She turned and went into the house. He followed, shutting the door behind them and making sure it was securely locked.
He walked by the side of her, looking sidelong at her face, noting the tiredness and worry there. She looked older than her years. To have gone through so much at her age was unfair. Then a strange thought struck him. He might have given her exactly what he had wished for her. A normal life. If he never regained his power, she could live normally. He could learn to be whatever she wanted. As long as she still wanted him.
Chapter Forty One - Charlotte
Reaching her room, she went inside and nearly just flopped down on the bed. However, she wanted to take off this ridiculous dress. She took her a clean shirt and went to the en suite bathroom to change.
She was too tired to think about what Tara had said. Instead, she left the felt dragon tucked inside the fabric of her dress. It wouldn’t hurt for one night; she guessed Zoah would just want to sleep too. As she struggled to undo the dress, the little dragon flew out. Azure had been curled up against her skin through the whole journey. It seemed his time away from her had left him so desperate; he couldn’t tear himself away.
Love of the Dragon: BBW Shifter Romance (Her Dragon's Bane Book 4) Page 13