by ML Guida
Not knowing what else to do, she surged out of her body and fell to her knees.
Drake’s mind was asleep, but his heart was beating. His eyes were shut so she couldn’t see what was happening. Time to wake him up.
Wake up. I need you!
Heat swelled inside him. She’d no idea if it was his dragon or the forest fire. Even worse, was her body going up in flames?
Drake, please. Before we’re both killed. I love you. Wake up!
God, did she actually tell him that she loved him? Did she mean it?
Something stirred. His eyes opened slowly. A blaze rippled through the grass. She inhaled the ash and tasted soot on his lips. She must be on fire, but she didn’t care. Drake was all she cared about.
Suddenly, he pushed, flinging her back into her sweltering body. She put her hands on the ground and shook her head.
“Move! Your hair’s on fire.”
Strong hands beat at her hair, then someone yanked her off the ground and dragged her through the forest. Her feet barely touched the ground. Leaves and twigs stabbed and tore at her flesh. Her vision was blurry, but through the smoke, she made out Drake’s large frame. His grip was strong and she was too dazed to think anything else but follow him.
She tripped over a rock and before she hit the ground, Drake scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder. Her teeth chattered and she gasped. Blood thumped through her. She couldn’t keep her eyes open. Tingles swept her arms and down her legs then her muscles went to sleep. Her temperature surged as if she was a thermometer ready to explode, then she was out.
12
“Chloe, Fates, wake up.” Someone slapped her, and something cool dropped over her face.
A nasty headache pounded between her temples. She frowned, then fluttered open her eyes. Stalagmites were overhead and the air was cleaner. Water lapped over her. Cool air brushed over her sweltering skin.
“You’re safe.” She recognized that arrogant voice.
“Drake?” Her throat was so parched her voice was only a small puff.
“Hey.” He brushed her hair out of her eyes. “You had me worried.”
She realized she was back in the cavern. She licked her parched lips. “What happened?”
“You disobeyed me.”
She put her hand on her hot forehead. “If I hadn’t, you’d be a burnt toastie.”
“No, I wouldn’t. You would.” His scolding voice was soft, but she could detect concern.
She swallowed. “Why would you say that?”
He kissed the top of her forehead. “I’m a dragon.” He cupped water in his large hand. “Here, drink.”
She greedily drank.
“Fire can’t kill me. I just absorb the flames, but…” His voice broke. “You’ve got blisters everywhere. Your hair’s singed. What were you thinking?”
Her chest fluttered. She lifted her chin high. “I had to save you.” She broke out in a harsh cough, her lungs rattled, and she moistened her lips.
A vein in his cheek quivered, his golden eyes darkened. “Fates, I have to get you to Tryker.”
“What’s a Tryker?” she whispered.
“It’s not a what. It’s a who. He’s the chief surgeon of the Orion. He could heal you.”
The concern in his eyes made her stomach tighten. “I’ll be okay.”
“No, you won’t.” He gently picked up her wrist. “Look at your poor hand.”
She reluctantly looked at her hand. An ugly ragged welt was in the middle of her palm, even her fingertips were scalded. “I don’t feel anything.”
“Because you’re going into shock. You started the fire, didn’t you?”
She nodded. “I had to. You said it was the only way to weaken the Kamtrinians.” She forced a weak smile. “I had no idea what a great fire starter I was.”
“Next time, let me worry about starting a fire.”
He shifted, and a wave of agony stole her breath. She smelled burnt flesh and then shook. It was her. It was her burnt flesh. Her breath quickened and she gripped his arm with her other hand. “I’m…I’m…in really bad shape, aren’t I?”
He nodded wordlessly. “I won’t let you die. I promise.”
She wanted to believe him, but numbness slowly seeped through her. “I need to get out of the water.”
“No, you should stay here. Once out, you’ll feel more agony.” He clamped his jaw tight, and his arms tensed. “I’ll have to kill the damn Kamtrinians quickly.”
“Don’t you think we’ll have something to say about this?”
Drake jerked around. “You!”
“Hello, Zalarian. Miss me?”
Chloe gasped and covered her mouth. Fumes had splinters splitting all over him as if he were Humpty-Dumpty who had fallen off the wall.
“Let’s finish this, Kamtrinian,” Drake growled.
“Of course.” Fumes cracked his neck and bony knuckles.
Drake turned to Chloe. “Stay here.” He gently put her on the edge of the pool.
“Drake, wait.”
“What?” he snapped, never taking his eyes off Fumes.
“I know why Ifea was so frightened.”
“Who?” He glanced over his shoulder.
“The Kamtrinian female. She’s pregnant.”
Drake got out of the water. Drops slid down his broad back that was riddled with scrapes, cuts, and bruises. “So?”
Fumes snarled and headed straight for Drake, murder reflecting in his eyes.
Chloe gasped for breath, trying to think, but the agony was pulsing. Her vision zeroed in and out. Everything was turning fuzzy. “You can’t hurt her.”
“Yes, I can. Watch me.”
He roared and slammed his shoulder into Fumes.
Fumes flew back into the cave wall, which split. Bits of stone and rocks flew in the air and crumbled onto the floor. The Kamtrinian wasn’t defeated. He lowered his head and rammed his body into Drake’s gut, throwing him onto his back.
Drake groaned. Fumes dove on top of him. The two men rolled, grunts and curses heated the air as the men were in a death match. The sound of flesh pounding flesh mirrored Chloe’s headache. It was enough to churn her stomach.
The Kamtrinian gained an advantage over Drake, pinning his shoulders to the ground, and proceeded to rapidly punch Drake in the face. Chloe wasn’t sure how much more he could take. She had to do something before he beat him to death.
She drew on her power but barely any tingles moved up her fingers–only agony. She picked up a rock and threw it. Playing softball had given her a good arm. The stone smacked Fumes in the forehead, stunning him for a minute and giving Drake time to respond.
Drake was able to break one arm free long enough to plow his fist into Fumes’s gut, knocking him off. Both men were on their feet, circling each other like rabid wolves, foaming and bloody.
They lunged at each other, the crunch of bone and flesh made her heart sick. Fists drove one back, then the other. Hate and desperation flared in their eyes. Their heavy breaths and weary groans meant both were spent. What kind of creatures were the Seps to think this was a way to settle disputes? They were the barbarians.
Fumes yanked out a sharpened stick from his ragged and ash stained jacket. He drew back his upper lip. “You can’t…win…Zalarian. Let me kill you and your woman and end this thing.”
Drake spit blood onto the dirt floor and rested his hands on his knees. “Go to hell, you bastard. I’ll not let you harm another female.” His breath was ragged. “You’re losing your strength. You won’t last long.”
“Fine. To the death.”
Drake nodded. “To the death.” He stood tall.
The two men walked around each other, sizing each other up, looking for weaknesses. Fumes twirled the sharp stick in his hand as if it were dagger–a weapon he obviously was perfectly lethal with.
A quick movement caught Chloe’s eye and she turned from the two men. Ifea had both hands on the wall as if she needed it to support her. Her ashen face was more cr
acked and splintered then Fumes’s. Her legs shook as she moved.
“Fumes.” She fell onto her knees. “Help me.” Her voice was so soft the alpha males didn’t hear her.
Chloe dragged herself to her feet. Ifea was in as much pain as she was. Or worse since she was pregnant.
She stumbled to Ifea who was on her hands and knees. “Fumes.” But her voice was so faint, Chloe had to strain to hear her.
“Ifea.” She crumpled next to her. “What can I do?”
Ifea looked up at her with those three black eyes, glistening with sorrow. “Nothing…I need…to get out of…here. My baby’s draining me. I…don’t have the strength.” She collapsed onto the ground. “Please don’t kill me.”
Chloe brushed her hand over a large rock. It would be so easy to kill her. All she had to do was pick up a rock and bash her head until it was nothing but bits of rock and stone.
“I promise I won’t kill you,” she said in a soft voice. She pulled Ifea onto her lap.
The Kamtrinian was trembling. Her gray skin was turning black and more cracks split open. Chloe wiped the sweat off Ifea’s brow. “Is there anything I can do?”
Ifea licked her cracked lips. “I was sick anyway…going back home…when…” She was struggling to get the words out.
A piece of lead slammed into Chloe’s stomach and her shoulders slumped. “When you ran into us…”
“Yes.” She licked her dry lips. “Fumes was desperate…out of his mind…our first child.” She fluttered her eyes shut.
Chloe put her palm over Ifea’s nose. A slight brush of air blew onto her hand. “I’m sorry.”
A loud grunt drew her attention away from Ifea. Fumes staggered back into the shadows, his hand over his chest where the stick protruded. Black goo dripped between his fingers. She’d no idea what that was, but thought it must have been blood. He dropped onto his knees, his head bent over, his shaking hands clasping the stick.
Blood drizzled down Drake’s side. He panted and picked up a large boulder. He slowly raised it over his head.
In a loud voice, Chloe yelled, “Drake, no! Not like this.”
He looked at her as if she were crazy. “Why the hell not? He deserves killing.”
“He was only protecting his woman and his baby. He was racing to get her back.”
Drake’s eyes glowed darker, and he pulled his lips back into a sneer. “How can you say this? You know what they did to us. To our women. To my sister.”
“I know, but not like this! Not like this! This makes it murder. You’re better than them.”
He glowered at her, his arms shaking. She wasn’t sure he could stop himself from ripping Fumes apart. His anger ruled him. He looked at Fumes who was spent–the cracks splitting through his blackened flesh like spiderwebs.
Drake’s face was contorted with rage, his chest was heaving for air, his body glistening with sweat and blood. His arms shook. “Fates!” Roaring, he threw the boulder, and it shattered against the wall.
Chloe jumped, not sure what she’d really seen. Fumes crawled away and pulled the stick out of his chest, his palms covered with the black goo. Ifea groaned pitifully.
“Drake?”
He held out his palm. “Give me a moment. Just give me a moment.” His voice cracked as if he was a second away from losing his cool and ripping the cavern apart.
Drake walked toward the wall, his back to Chloe. He leaned his forehead against the rock, his fists were clenched. He slowly lifted one fist and placed it against the wall, softly pounding it.
Chloe’s belly fluttered and her heart beat elevated. “I can’t believe you didn’t kill him.” Her soft voice was halting as if she were trying to convince herself that he’d controlled his anger.
Drake whirled around. “I wanted to.” He glared. “Damn it, I wanted to bash his head until he was nothing, but pieces of rock.” His voice shook as if he were one step away from completing his wish.
“Drop dead,” Fumes muttered.
Drake ignored him. He lowered his head and gasped for breath that echoed off the walls.
Chloe asked again, “So, why didn’t you?”
“Why?” He pointed at Fumes. “Why didn’t I kill that bastard who would have killed either one of us?” The vein in his cheek vibrated. “I did it for you. I did it for you.”
Tears ran down Chloe’s cheeks. Her heart swelled. No one man had ever done anything like this for her. He’d been so full of raw emotion, and he’d fought it back for her.
Suddenly, Ifea faded away.
“Ifea!” Chloe looked around her wildly. “Drake, she’s gone!”
“So, is Fumes!”
Only a pile of ooze signaled that the Kamtrinian had been lying against the rocky wall.
Chloe gasped and put her hand over her rattling heart. She thought she was imagining things. A short redheaded man who looked like a Leprechaun with his green hat and coat stood in front of them. She waited for him to break out into a dance or laugh.
Drake frowned and hurried over to Chloe. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m a Sep. My name is Zuyyer.” His bright blue eyes were filled with wonder.
“How can this be? You’re too small to wield such power.”
Zuyyer lifted his eyebrow. “Judge me by my size, do you, Zalarian? It’s always the same with you creatures. You judge everything by its size. Strength and power is not measured by size. Or have you not figured this out?”
Drake scowled. “Hold your tongue. I am not an idiot.”
“If you judge by your eyes, then I would have said yes.” Zuyyer held up his hand. “But I saw something different. Something I didn’t expect. Something I need to know.”
Drake braced his legs apart as if he were ready to squash the Sep. “What do you want to know?”
Zuyyer lifted his eyebrow. “You did not kill.”
Chloe forced her throbbing legs to stand. “No, he didn’t.”
Drake glanced over his shoulder. “Chloe, stay behind me.”
“I don’t understand,” Zuyyer said. “Why didn’t you? Does the woman of your species control you?”
Drake laughed. “Hardly. I did what I did because I love her. She’s my mate, and I’d do anything to please her. Even spare an enemy.”
Chloe clasped his arm. “You do?” She couldn’t hide a smile, despite the burning pain gripping her. Love, he said he loved her. Was he telling the truth?
He gently wrapped his arm around her. “Yes. Even if you weren’t my mate, I would have fallen in love with you. She’s in pain. I have to get her to Zalara.”
“Perhaps.”
Drake growled.
“No, Drake.” She put her hand on his rapid beating heart. “Please.”
Zuyyer squished his furry red eyebrows together. “But you are strange. I sensed you wanted to kill your opponent.”
“Yes, I’d wanted to cave in his head for what his kind did to my people.” A vein trembled in Drake’s cheek. “Revenge is all I’ve ever thought about. I wanted to crush the life of every single one of them.”
“Then, why didn’t you?” Zuyyer asked.
He tilted up Chloe’s chin. “Because someone convinced me Fumes was protecting what was his, like I was protecting what is mine.”
“Mercy and compassionate are not traits I thought Zalarians or humans would possess.”
Drake and Chloe held hands and grinned at each other.
Zuyyer smiled. “There may be hope for you yet, Zalarian. I’ll spare you and your mate. Do you want me to kill your opponents? Because they would have killed you.”
“No!” Chloe clutched Drake’s arm.
He smiled and lifted her into his arms. “I agree. All we want to do is leave here. My mate’s hurt and needs medical attention.”
“You’re free to leave. Perhaps your people and mine can come to an agreement. Send an embassy, and we will explore a diplomatic path. Until then, good-bye, Zalarian. You have a remarkable mate. Not many Earthlings possess her ability.”
Drake pressed her head to his chest. “Cover your eyes! Don’t look!”
Chloe closed her tight and buried herself in Drake’s chest. Warmth and wind rushed over her like a tropical breeze. Her skin prickled, flaming pain seeping down into her core. They lifted off the planet as if in a whirlpool, churning around and around. She clutched her arms around Drake’s thick neck tightly, determined to hang on to him. Drake’s beating heart anchored her, keeping her calm.
She never wanted to be parted from him. He’d risked his life for her. No man had ever done such a thing. Wind picked up, whirling faster and faster. She plopped onto something hard, her head slipping to the side.
“Fates, we’re back.”
She slowly lifted her head. Her vision swirled. She squeezed her eyes then opened them again. Stars zoomed through darkness as if she were on an acid trip.
Drake pushed buttons on the console. “I don’t understand. Earth is in the wrong place. So, is Zalara. The coordinates are all wrong. It’s like we were on the other side of the galaxy.”
She frowned. They were back on the Leo’s bridge, sitting in their perspective chairs. “We’re…We’re farther away.”
He shook his head. “No, we’re closer to Zalara.”
“Drake,” she whispered, her throat too dry to scream. She reached for him with her trembling hand. “I’m sorry…I won’t make it.”
He knelt in front of her and took her hand. “Chloe, what?”
The agonizing pain exploded inside her and she squeezed his hand tightly. “I think the Seps kept the pain…” Another pulse made her gasp.
“Chloe, Fates.”
She panted hard, the pain making her eyes wider. “Under control…must have been controlling the pain…”
“No…you’re…going to be fine.” His eyes glistened with anguish.
Another wave gripped her and she cried out. She shook her head. “No, it hurts bad…back with a vengeance.” She gritted her teeth. “Drake, I’m burning.”
He knelt in front of her and put his hand on her forehead. “Fates, your skin. It’s swelling and blistering. What’s happening? You’re a bloody mess.”