INTO THE FIRE (Forbidden Love)

by James, Danielle

  THIRTY

  “Ok Ma Cher, I’ll see you soon.” Angel flipped his cell phone shut and stuffed it in his back pocket. He and Sebastian were still at the hotel waiting for the sun to go down. “They are coming home,” he told Sebastian. “Brea had some measure of luck with the Boston Clan Leader. Victor has promised use of his militia and they can be here tomorrow night.”

  “Will that be soon enough?” Sebastian asked. “And why don’t we have militia?”

  “It’s going to have to be,” Angel replied. “That gives us an additional fifty men. Combined with the few we have gathered, that makes seventy. I never thought I needed to have a personal army but in light of recent events… maybe that’s something I should think about. I haven’t talked to Serena yet about her clan. Hopefully they will help too.”

  “Damned Faes are always ready to brawl,” Sebastian remarked with a roll of his eyes. “Maybe this time they can be on our side.”

  “Perhaps. I can only pray that she is as good as her word. She has been nothing if not helpful since coming here. I believe her when she says she was tricked and wants to help.” Angel tossed his hair over his shoulder and began to tie it in a knot to keep it back. “I swear one day I’m gonna cut it off.”

  “Ha!” Sebastian laughed. “Not only was that way off subject, but I think Brea might kill you if you do.”

  Angel smiled. “I think, yes, I think you’re right.” It felt good to smile. Finally, there was a ray of hope to save Leigh. And finally a good chance to avenge Antonio.

  Sebastian’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He lifted it to his ear and said, “Tell me some good news.”

  Angel waited patiently while Sebastian shook his head and made several “Yeah” and “Goods” before raising a brow in question.

  Sebastian shoved his phone back in his pocket and told Angel the news. “Serena left to see her people, Gage is awake, and Jacque is with him now. Everyone is meeting at home at sunset.”

  “Then we best not be late,” Angel replied.

  Dammit Cowboy, where the fuck are you?? Leigh thought in what she hoped was Rebel’s direction. She had been trying to contact him for almost two days now, and hadn’t heard a peep since. She knew in her heart that Rebel and his family wouldn’t just leave her here to rot with Merrick. She knew he would come for her. But the longer it took and the longer she went without hearing even a whisper of a thought from him, the more she began to doubt.

  Yeah she knew she had been taking a chance, giving herself up to Merrick like that. But she also knew Rebel would come for her; hopefully with a plan and not guns blazing in a wild rage. Never had it crossed her mind that it might take longer than a minute for him to find her. In retrospect, she was beginning to doubt her own judgment.

  God, what had she done? Went and thrown herself into the fire is what she did. She was stuck in the monsters lair and she had to assume that no one who could help her had any fucking clue where to find her. With no contact with Rebel, there was no way of knowing if he could sense where she was. He should be able to, in theory, but they had never had a chance to test it. And time was running out. Fast. Merrick was going to drug her. It would happen. She hadn’t had any nourishment of any kind in almost forty eight hours and she was beginning to feel it. Anyone could go a few days without eating and survive. No one, not even a mighty dragon, could live without water.

  And man was she thirsty.

  The baby wiggled inside her belly as if in agreement. The lack of water was taking a toll on it as well. Leigh could tell the baby was getting weak, much faster than she was. And that was the point of her dilemma. She could call on her magic and break free and run headlong back to her family. But at what cost? Shifting could harm the baby. She had no way of knowing. Of course, the second Merrick discovered her condition, and he would, the baby’s life would be in serious danger.

  Was she really contemplating which was the lesser evil?

  Yeah, she was.

  She looked around her little cell. There were several water bottles on the floor, just begging to be drunk. Maybe just a little sip wouldn’t hurt. After all, surely he wouldn’t have drugged them all… Leigh gave herself a mental slap.

  What if they were all drugged? How in the fuck would that help her situation? No, it was better to remain strong and wait for her cowboy to rescue her like the damsel in distressed she was.

  And didn’t that give her a punch in the ego.

  So she kept trying to reach her mate. And prayed.

  Serena stood ramrod straight in front of her mother, Anora. The woman was very intimidating when she wanted to be, but Serena couldn’t show that she even feared her in the least. Her mission was important, and she knew if she could just get her mother to listen, she and the fae community would stand beside her. But getting her to listen was the problem. Anora had no use for cowards, and even less time for what she deemed to be trivial matters.

  Of course, anything that didn’t directly affect her own happiness was trivial to her mother. But the fae were vengeful by nature; and that was the card Serena hoped to play here.

  “What do you want, child?” Anora demanded, irritated. “I am late for my bath.” She nodded in the direction of the beautiful fae man who waited to bathe her.

  “We have been deceived Mother,” Serena began. “Tricked. Lied to.” She waited and kept eye contact while her mother decided if she was interested.

  Anora raised an eyebrow but said nothing. It was obvious to Serena that she was waiting for her to continue. But she didn’t continue right away. Instead she waited just a minute to build Anora’s curiosity.

  “The dragon Merrick. He came to us and asked for help to acquire his mate from the vampires. He told us she was his mate and that the vampires had kidnapped her and meant to keep her away from him,” Serena said.

  “I was under the impression that they were the last two remaining dragons on Earth,” Anora said. “She bears the mark of a mated dragon. She was indeed with the vampires. How is that a deception?”

  “Mother, while those are facts, it is not the whole truth. The female dragon wears a mark, yes, but it is not Merrick’s. It belongs to the vampire named Rebel. And he wears her mark as well. I have seen this for myself, along with the carnage caused by the actions of our people. We were led into a battle under false pretenses. Because of our aid, one of their vampires is dead, another gravely injured, and the female dragon sacrificed herself and the safety of her unborn to Merrick to protect the rest of her family.” Serena stopped to take a breath. “I have never felt friendly to vampires but I cannot abide destroying a family because one ass cannot accept the truth.”

  “I was not aware the female was with child,” Anora said. “Are you certain?”

  “None of us knew, Mother. It was only when I spoke to the leader that I learned of her condition.”

  “And what sort of child would be born to a dragon and a vampire?” her mother mused aloud.

  Serena felt her stomach ball up into a knot and her teeth ground together on their own accord. Not once in her life had she felt anger towards her mother, and the emotion surprised her. It didn’t, however, stop her from speaking. “What does it matter what the child is? It is a child. We, the Fae, know better than anyone how precious that is. I would have ten children if I could! But I cannot, and I will not stand by and watch another woman’s child be destroyed! And that is surely what will happen once Merrick learns of it.”

  “I am surprised you raise your voice to me child,” her mother chastised. “I don’t know whether to be proud of you for finally growing a spine or to be cross with you.”

  “I meant no disrespect Mother, but I am passionate that aiding the vampires to return the female dragon is the only course of action for me. I have come to ask for your help. I need help from others to make this right. They will listen to you.” Serena took two steps closer to her mother and took her hand in her own. “I beg of you Mother, please.”

  “Why the exceptional passion here?” An
ora asked. “There is more that you are not telling me. I believe you wish to save the child, and I believe you feel remorse for assisting in their losses, but I also know that there is another reason.”

  “They are down two soldiers, I only want to help. I helped to speed the healing of the injured vampire, but I can do so much more,” Serena answered.

  “Oh so that’s it then,” her mother said. “It’s the vampire. You have taken to him.”

  “Don’t be silly,” Serena said, but couldn’t look her mother in the eye while she lied. Instead she looked at her feet.

  “We will help retrieve the dragon,” Anora said, “and after she is safe with her family, you will not see that vampire again.”

  “As you wish, Mother, thank you.” Serena felt a flood of relief to know her family would help, but at the same time, her heart was breaking and she didn’t even understand why.

  THIRTY ONE

  What was he going to do? How was he ever going to live if that sonofabitch hurt his mate? Rebel was sitting on the floor with his back to the wall and his knees in his chest pondering the same questions over and over again. He listened hard for anything from Leigh, and the harder he listened, the worse his head hurt. He rocked back and forth slightly as he chastised himself for leaving her with the women. He should have had one of his brothers sit with her. Antonio would have been a good choice. At least, if he had been with her, his brother would still be alive and his mate would be safe.

  But Angel would be dead, he reminded himself. Antonio gave his life for their leader and that commanded a helluva lot of respect. A small part of Rebel wondered why he had even gone after Leigh in the first place. He had known she was his mate, but he had also known the kind of dangers vampire mates could be in. Granted, he hadn’t even imagined this level of danger, but still there were always risks involved.

  No, he was being silly and childish and he wasn’t doing anybody any good sitting in the corner feeling sorry for himself. He really needed to man up and get a damn plan going here. The only problem was, half his family was gone, and the other half was either unconscious or dead. That really made him want to get up and get moving. Not.

  He put his head in his hands and fought the urge to cry again.

  “Here,” the sweetest little voice said to him. He picked up his head to find Jade sitting beside him, a whole package of chocolate cookies in hand. “Have a cookie,” she said. “It always helps me when I’m feeling down in the dumps.”

  Rebel couldn’t help but to smile. That child was so sweet, so innocent, and so damned empathetic. He reached over and took a cookie. It was sweet and delicious, just as he had known it would be.

  “You should really eat more,” Jade continued. “You need all the strength you can get to get Aunt Leigh back.”

  “You’re right,” Rebel agreed. “I need to stop acting like I’m helpless and get to work. I need to act my age.”

  “Oh I don’t know about that,” Jade said with a little laugh, “you’re only about a bazillion years old!”

  “Oh ha ha,” Rebel shot back sarcastically.

  As soon as the cookies were gone, Jade stood up and brushed her pants off. “You better go see Gage,” she said. “He’s awake and will start to think you don’t love him if you don’t get in there and tell him.”

  “You’re right. Thanks Jade”

  “No problem,” she said as she skipped off down the hallway.

  Rebel stood and stretched out his muscles. He really had no idea how long he had been sitting there feeling sorry for himself, but given the way his whole body was stiff, it was a good while.

  He walked down the hall to Gage’s room and knocked lightly on the door. When no one answered, he pushed it open.

  “Hey man,” he said as he approached the bed. Jade had been right. Gage was awake and at some point Jacque had removed the tubes from him. “How ya feeling?”

  “Like Leigh chewed me up and spit me out,” he whispered. Even that sounded gravelly and harsh. But the man was alive and breathing on his own. And at least he had stopped bleeding.

  “Did Jacque fill you in?”

  “Yeah, I’m sorry,” he said.

  “Not your fault,” Rebel replied.

  “Gonna miss him,” Gage whispered.

  “Me too,” Rebel said, taking a seat beside the bed. He laid his hand on Gage’s leg and said nothing more.

  THIRTY TWO

  Merrick rolled off the little lady underneath him and breathed deep. What a hell cat that EPA woman was in bed! He was thinking that he may just need to keep her around after the mating ceremony. He liked having her around. Not only was she enamored with his good looks, but she was willing and very able in the bed.

  Unlike his unwilling guest. But Leigh was his and it would do her good to realize it. It wasn’t like there were a lot of dragon mates to choose from. Perhaps she would come around after the ceremony. After all, his faery friend has promised the spell would be unbreakable, and Leigh would be onboard with staying with him forever. He could repopulate the world with dragons if he saw fit. He didn’t think Leigh would make much of a mother though. Something about her foul mouth and bad attitude just didn’t scream mother figure to him.

  Perhaps that would be a good job for Elizabeth, though. He thought she would make a great mother. She was kind and nurturing… not to mention easy on the eyes. And, she would be willing to stay at his side so he could ravish her whenever he saw fit.

  And she didn’t have a mouth that would make a sailor blush.

  “Why do you even want her?” Elizabeth asked. “It’s obvious from the mark she wears that she has mated with him.”

  “I deserve the opportunity to bear offspring,” Merrick replied, rolling his eyes. How many times did he have to explain himself to this woman. He got out of the bed and pulled his robe on.

  “But she doesn’t want you! You cannot force her, it’s rape!”

  Merrick sighed. “It’s not rape if she is willing. And I will have her consent. Why must we keep going over this?”

  “I’m just saying why not go for someone who wants to be with you? Hell, someone who likes you just a little bit?” she asked as she dressed.

  “It is irrelevant.”

  Elizabeth mashed her teeth together and shoved her hands in her pockets to keep her from slapping that stupid dragon across the face. “But you said you could mate with humans. Surely there are plenty of people out there who would love to have a child for you.”

  Merrick spun around and faced her. His anger was as palatable as the ground she stood on. “Really?” he bellowed in her face. “Name one. Just one. You tell me the name of one woman who isn’t completely insane who would be willing to risk her life just so I can play daddy!” He turned away from her again and muttered, “I don’t want a half-breed anyway.”

  Elizabeth could think of one, but she didn’t dare say anything to make his anger worse. If he were willing to fight vampires and kidnap a woman, who knew what he would do to her. His eyes looked like they were on fire and the pupils were just tiny slits, but she wasn’t really scared.

  “You haven’t even tried,” she said.

  “Get out of my room,” Merrick snarled at her. “I don’t want to see you until this is over.”

  Elizabeth felt like he had punched her in the gut, even though he hadn’t laid a hand on her. She could feel the moisture building in her eyes and fought the urge to cry like a child. She had tried repeatedly to sway him from this course he was on. But nothing, not even sharing his bed and giving him her heart was going to work. And what would he do with her heart? Crush it, she was certain. She would never be good enough to bear his children. He would never accept her. What she wanted to say to him was how big a bully he really was. And selfish! But she didn’t say anything, instead, she did as she was told and left him to be alone. She packed her belongings and slipped, unnoticed, out of the house and out of his life, at least, in the way he wanted her.

  She would be back though, but she dou
bted he would be happy to see her.

  THIRTY THREE

  “Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?” Gage demanded as he strapped himself with weapons. “You are no fucking body to be telling me what I will or will not do.”

  Rebel shoved his hand through his hair and continued to stare at him. “You are still healing man,” he said quietly. “We can’t risk it.”

  “You ain’t risking nothing on my behalf. I’m going with and I’m getting my sister back.” Gage grabbed his leather jacket out of the closet and pulled it over his arms. Still ranting. Yeah Rebel had asked him not to come. Actually, he told his brother he wasn’t going. Went over like a sack of rocks on water.

  He had known it would. Hell, after Jacque had explained to Gage all that had happened, it was everything Jacque could do to keep Gage in the bed. Now, his wounds were healed. He was still weak though. Rebel couldn’t let him go. What if he didn’t make it? How could Rebel live with himself if another of his brothers took a dirt nap for him?

  “I don’t want you there.” There. Take that.

  “Honestly Rebel, I don’t give a fuck what you want. Yeah, she’s your woman. I get that. Yeah, I’m still getting over my injuries. I get that too. But what you need to get is that I love Leigh and she is my family. I won’t sit here like an invalid while the rest of you are risking your lives to bring her home.”

  Rebel could hardly find fault in his argument. How was he gonna convince Gage that he didn’t need to go? “Angel said we got about seventy men. We don’t need you.”

  “Fuck you,” was his reply.

  “Fine,” Rebel said, exasperated. God some people were just damned hard headed. “But we ain’t leaving till tomorrow so you can chill a bit.”

  “I don’t want to wait till tomorrow,” Gage snapped back. “Tomorrow is too late.”

  “How the fuck would you know?” Rebel snapped back. “Leigh is strong. Or haven’t you met her?”