by Susan Illene
Donar gave him a devilish smile. “You’ve met her before, but you’ll have to wait and see who. Let us just say Ruari will meet his match with her.”
Neither Aidan nor Donar got along with Ruari. He was a schemer and always looking out for his own interests first. Most of their toriq could not stand him. He’d made enemies of many people, and considering he was three and a half centuries old now, it was unlikely he’d change. Unless, perhaps, the right female came along to straighten him out. Aidan racked his brain to figure out which female Donar was talking about, but he drew a blank. It must have been one he met a long time ago and forgotten.
“I will look forward to meeting her in a few days,” he said, clasping Donar’s arm. “But for now, I must go see Nanoq.”
“Take care, cousin.”
“Of course.” Aidan let go of Donar and made his way into the castle.
The interior of the great hall was much warmer than outside. Several large fireplaces were built into the walls, each blazing with burning logs. Shifters could handle cooler temperatures in human form—though not as well as pure humans—but they preferred to stay as warm as possible. They kept the fires going to make it more comfortable inside and ensure the main dining area would be guarded against the chill that came with nightfall.
Aidan noted the busy servants moving about the room. Humans did most of the work when it came to preparing meals and cleaning the castle. They had decorated the walls with holly and manmade ornaments similar to what Bailey used in his lair. This was not the first time the servants had made a fuss about dressing up the great hall for the holidays, but this year they’d added much more. Now that they were back on Earth, they must have found additional decorative materials to use. The shifters might have complained, but since their own holiday was so close to the humans’ Christmas, they didn’t mind. If anything, it added to their cheer.
He nodded to several people who smiled at him. They knew he was living with Bailey now and respected him for it. Aidan had nearly crossed the length of the great hall when Nanoq appeared, coming from the back corridor. The pendragon’s gaze met his, and they hurried toward one another.
“I see your brother passed my message on to you,” Nanoq said. He was a large, muscular male with short, black hair and olive skin. The former Captain of the Guard had always been the serious type, rarely smiling, but his features had become even sterner since he became pendragon several months ago.
Aidan dipped his chin as a sign of respect. “Every once in a while Ruari does something right.”
Nanoq nodded. “It is good you came early. There is much to do before we go.”
“Where are we meeting the Thamaran?” Aidan asked.
“At the border on the south side of Norman.” A servant walked past them, bowing to Nanoq before continuing on his way. “I’ve organized a contingent of warriors to go with us.”
***
Aidan and the pendragon flew until they reached the bridge that intersected I-35 with Highway 9. The interstate ran north and south through the middle of Oklahoma, making it a perfect border between Taugud and Thamaran territories. It was considered a neutral zone where any dragon could fly if they wished. They landed on the cool pavement, folding their wings behind their backs. Aidan took a wary glance around and inhaled deeply, noting the other toriq had not arrived yet.
The Thamaran pendragon—who was called Irman—was due to be there in twenty minutes, so he wasn’t late. Aidan and Nanoq had arrived early to scout the area and make certain they weren’t flying into a trap. A dozen warriors waited a short distance away just out of sight to back them up if needed. Still, Aidan didn’t dare relax his guard. Until they knew why the two Thamaran dragons attacked, they couldn’t assume anything.
When Irman responded to your request to meet, did he claim any responsibility for the attack? Aidan asked Nanoq through a private telepathic link.
The pendragon’s yellow eyes scanned the sky to the west. No. He said that it was his intention to keep the peace between our toriqan and that he would explain further once we met.
Let us hope that is true. Aidan snorted a puff of steam. I cannot imagine they wish to start a war. They’ll be going into hibernation soon and won’t be in any position to fight. Assuming the weather stayed cold for the whole winter. If it warmed up for even a couple of days, the dragons would be able to come out during that time, but they could hardly predict when that might happen to plan a battle strategy around it.
Nanoq resettled his wings—usually the sign of an irritated dragon. Agreed. I’ve always thought Irman too wise to pick a fight when he would be at a disadvantage.
They both stiffened when a handful of green dragons appeared in the sky. The Thamaran contingent skimmed over buildings and houses, staying close to the ground. There were several differences between shifters and pure dragons. Aidan and his kind were smaller, and their scales were mostly red. They also had spikes at the end of their tails, longer forearms, yellow eyes, and dexterous fingers for their hands. For the pure dragons, they were bulkier with large bellies, short forearms, long necks, and red eyes. There was no confusing the two races, though if one went to other regions of the world, they could find further variances in coloring and characteristics. There were also crossbreeds that could take on traits of both pure dragons and shifters, such as the Faegud—the toriq from the south who would be at the mating festival starting tomorrow.
Several green dragons broke off and landed on the rooftop of a building not far away. Only two continued forward, coming straight for Aidan and Nanoq on the bridge. They were very large beasts—almost twice the size of a shifter. Both must have been in the latter part of their lives to grow to such proportions, assuming they weren’t dining on human flesh to increase their girth.
Nanoq, the bigger of the two green dragons said, dipping his long, narrow head.
He was likely the oldest as well, considering the slight fraying on the tips of his scales. It was a sign he was reaching the last century of his life. Pure dragons could live longer than shifters, but most did not survive past two millennia.
Irman. Nanoq returned the gesture.
The Thamaran pendragon swished his tail once across the pavement. I wish to express my regret over the attack in your territory this past evening. We have no desire to start a war with the Taugud. My toriq has more than enough land to meet our needs, and we only want peace with you.
Aidan often wondered why the Thamaran chose not to fight with them, considering they’d never particularly tolerated shifters and had battled with them in the past. There was a rumor that most of Irman’s warriors were already struggling in a war against a pure dragon clan on the western side of their territory in Texas. That could have been what kept them distracted, but Nanoq’s spies had yet to confirm it. Their toriq only had so many resources at their disposal to gather information, and they had to focus on more immediate threats.
I wish for peace between us as well, Nanoq said and scraped at the ground. But two of my warriors were gravely injured as well as a family of humans. This cannot be ignored.
Irman’s tail swished against the pavement once more, harder this time. I fully understand being upset over the harm that came to your warriors, but I do not see why the humans matter. They are like cattle, and yet more numerous. The loss of a few here and there hardly matters. They breed so quickly they can easily regain their numbers, and it is not as if they deserve to live after banishing us to that wretched land for so long.
He referred to Kederrawien, which had been a desolate place in another dimension. Almost all the food resources were depleted from there by the time they returned to Earth. Many of their kind had died either from starvation or fighting for what tiny scraps of food were available. Shifters had fared a little better because they could survive on the odd plants they found, but such a diet still left them weak and thin. They needed meat to stay strong.
Every individual in my territory—whether man or beast—is under my protection. Nanoq nar
rowed his gaze on Irman. If we are to thrive in this world, we must learn to live with the humans. It was our wars with them that caused the sorcerers to banish us for a thousand years. I have no desire to ever return to Kederrawien if I can help it.
You truly believe living in peace with the humans is worth the trouble? Irman asked, surprised. They may be weak and puny, but they are predators and consume many of the same food sources as us. It is ridiculous to compete with them! And while I might find their taste repugnant, I allow those dragons who enjoy human meat to partake of it. The faster we thin their numbers, the sooner they will be gone, and we can control the Earth.
Aidan growled. They are intelligent creatures—not food.
They are useless to us! Irman shot a harsh look in Aidan’s direction. And they have slayers among them murdering our kind.
If you stopped attacking humans—Aidan snarled—then perhaps the slayers would leave you alone.
Irman’s red eyes sparked. That is not possible. You might have found a way to live in peace with one, but I am certain it is only because she tolerates your human form. Those of us who cannot shift, and would never wish to do so anyway, do not have that advantage. There could never be a peace agreement with a slayer for us.
You would be surprised, Aidan said. He didn’t actually want the pure dragons to work out a treaty with Bailey since that would vastly reduce her hunting grounds and stop her from killing his toriq’s enemies, but if it protected humans, such a deal might be worth it.
The Thamaran pendragon snorted. I think not.
Nanoq shot a reprimanding look at Aidan before turning back to Irman. If you are not looking to start a war, then why have you allowed two members of your toriq to attack us?
They are not members of our toriq, Irman replied.
Nanoq growled. I have witnesses who were injured by them that say otherwise.
Did they tell you the dragons’ tails were docked?
Nanoq stilled. The wounded shifter who had reported the Thamaran dragons had not mentioned that detail, but he had sustained grave enough injuries—including a severe blow to the head—that perhaps he failed to notice the docked tails or forgot. They would have responded quite differently to the attack if they’d known.
I was not aware of that, Nanoq admitted. Though he hid his emotions well, he had to be furious that he’d not been told such a detail. So they are outcasts?
They are. Irman nodded. Several weeks ago I banished them from my toriq after they murdered several of my dragons for sport. They are twin brothers and rebellious with no respect for authority.
Then we will kill them if we see them again, Nanoq said.
Irman grunted. As long as you do so on your side of the border, we do not care.
And if the slayer crosses? Aidan asked.
I am aware slayers make their own territories, and you cannot hope to restrict yours, but as always, we hold the right to kill her if we see her on our land. He ran his gaze between Nanoq and Aidan. She and others like her are responsible only to themselves.
Aidan was grateful the Thamaran pendragon would not hold Bailey’s actions against his people. Of course, it could have been that Irman hoped his warriors might catch her while she hunted for the outcasts and kill her for all of the dragons she’d slain. It was unlikely he’d explain his motives to them, though.
Very well. Nanoq dipped his head. One way or another, the rogue brothers will be dead very soon.
Irman glanced between Aidan and his pendragon. Take care. They were among the most ruthless warriors in our toriq, and they’re very good at eluding capture. Do not underestimate them.
I appreciate the warning, but I am certain we can handle it, Nanoq replied.
They parted ways, heading to their respective territories. Aidan’s gut clenched as he flew next to the pendragon and joined their other warriors to return to the fortress. Something told him taking down these rogues would not be as easy as they might hope.
Chapter 5
Bailey
I sealed the tape on one of the last gifts I was helping Trish wrap. With the bikers in tow, she’d gone wild getting presents for half the neighborhood. Justin hadn’t been pleased when he found out about my battle at the first store, but we’d glossed over the attack enough that he didn’t get too irate. He didn’t even mind that the bikers had escorted us for most of our trip. They’d left us at the gate to Earl’s neighborhood just before sunset to head home to their own families. I still wasn’t sure exactly where they lived in Norman since they were so secretive about it, but one day I’d figure it out.
“Here you go,” I said, handing the present wrapped in silver paper over to Trish.
We were sitting on the floor of her bedroom with the door shut so no one could peek inside and see what we were doing. Lit candles surrounded us, casting dancing shadows on the walls and reflecting on the dresser mirror. I was still rather sore from getting shot several times, but I’d managed to hide most of my pain. Trish didn’t need to know every little movement hurt. She seemed so happy after the shopping trip that I didn’t want to ruin her mood.
She handed me another gift to wrap—a baking pan for her neighbor, Norma. “Are you looking forward to your father coming to visit?”
“Yeah,” I said, then frowned. “Sort of.”
“You’re worried about Aidan, aren’t you?”
“I’m afraid Wayne is going to freak out and kill him,” I admitted, rolling out the wrapping paper.
Trish gave me a sympathetic look. “This Christmas is going to be tough enough without your father trying to kill your boyfriend.”
It was hard to think of Aidan as a boyfriend. He had started referring to us as mates recently, despite the fact I told him I wanted to take things slow. That was kind of hard to do since we were living together, though. We’d gone into full relationship mode the moment he finished unpacking his things at the house. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t resist him. If I believed in such things, I would have said we were soul mates with the way we got along so well together.
“I won’t let him kill Aidan,” I vowed, pulling the wrapping paper over the pan and sealing it with tape. “Somehow, I will make sure they get along.”
She finished wrapping the sweater she’d gotten for Justin. “If you need any help, just let me know. I could stand between your father and Aidan, so they can’t get to each other.”
I shook my head. “Justin would just love that idea.”
“It’s your father’s job to protect humans.” She shrugged. “No way would he hurt a pregnant woman just to get to Aidan.”
Maybe, but I wasn’t going to let her do it. “This is my problem to handle. You can’t be with us every minute, and if Aidan and I want to make our relationship work long term, we’re going to have to figure out how to deal with my father.”
She put her hand on mine. “Still. If you need me, I’m there.”
“Thanks.” I slapped a bow on the present and handed it to her. It was the last one.
She cradled the gift in her lap. “We should put these under the tree.”
I lifted a brow. “How do you think the guys are doing with it?”
“I’m almost afraid to find out.”
Before we’d come into the bedroom to start wrapping presents, we’d left Conrad and Justin with orders to set up the Christmas tree and decorate it. They’d grumbled, but agreed to the task once Trish gave them her pouty look—a weapon she’d perfected with admirable skill.
“If they screwed it up,” I said, bracing my hand on the bed to get to my feet. My ribs protested so much it was all I could do not to groan. “Then we’ll just have to fix it.”
Christmas was always my favorite time of year. My mom and I had always spent the weekend after Thanksgiving decorating and helping my stepfather and brothers get the lights up on the house. Our electric bill had always doubled during the month of December, but it was totally worth it.
I wished I could have been with my family now. Ever
y time I spoke to my mother on the satellite phone, she sounded horribly depressed, though she tried to keep our conversations light. My stepfather had been killed in a dragon attack a few weeks ago, and she still wasn’t handling it well. I hated that I couldn’t be there for her. Not only was it the holiday season, but she’d also lost the man she loved. It was tough to imagine Grady not being around anymore. He’d been a father figure to me while growing up, and I’d been counting on him to protect my mother until I got back there. Now I had to rely on my two older stepbrothers and one younger half-brother to do the job. They were great, but they were reckless. No one could replace Grady.
Trish studied my face, noting the change in my mood. She had a way of knowing exactly what I was thinking. “Tell you what. How about I make some cookies for us?”
She must have remembered how my mother always baked during the holidays. Trish had gone home with me a couple of times during our Christmas breaks from college, rather than face her own family who stayed drunk and fought through the holidays. She didn’t like to talk about them much and hadn’t even considered going home after the dragons showed up.
“Okay,” I said, putting on a brave face, “but I hope you’re making plenty of them because once the smell gets out you’re going to have half the neighborhood on your doorstep.”
Trish nodded. “Absolutely, but you and I are getting the first batch to ourselves.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
We headed out of the room. Trish and I stopped at the end of the hallway, gaping at Conrad and Justin. They stood in front of the Christmas tree next to the fireplace, arguing over the placement of decorations.
“Man, you can’t put the dragons that close to the soldiers,” Conrad argued. “We gotta have a few inches between so it looks like they’re about to attack each other.”