Conquered Destiny (Great Plains Dragon Feud Book 1)

by Emilia Hartley

  She knew what was happening, even though she didn’t want to admit it. Where were Gale, Logan, and Cash?

  Would she have to face Quincy on her own?

  Rushing out the door, she skidded to a halt. A massive, yellow-scaled dragon perched on the roof. It looked down at her with open disgust. Her beast moved before she could. It flowed out of her and took to the air just as the yellow dragon leapt at her.

  The sun was still high in the sky. Her dark scales would stand out too much if she flew far. The days of grainy photos were over. She couldn’t rely on a candid photo being labelled as a UFO.

  So, she touched down in the woods with the hopes that the trees would offer cover. Her cell phone was on the table in the house. Glancing back, she saw a column of smoke rising from where she’d been.

  Quincy had struck. He wanted to burn down everything they had and force them to give up their mission. Just when Baylee had felt at home, Quincy wanted to take it from her.

  Fire started in her stomach and climbed up her throat. She swallowed it down. She couldn’t risk starting more fires. Not when there was still a chance that she could save the house.

  Turning back, Baylee devised a plan.

  Gale couldn’t stand still. Logan had been trying to talk Reece into joining them for an hour now. The whole time the two argued, Gale couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. He checked his phone over and over.

  Baylee had sent him pictures. Seeing her face eased a bit of the anxious static prickling the back of his neck, but he still felt like there was a threat he couldn’t see. He opened and closed the app several times to see if a new message would appear. Nothing happened, much to his dismay.

  No, that was a good thing. He reminded himself that Baylee wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to him if she was in danger.

  His beast, on the other hand, growled. It tried to fight its way out. Gale had to leash it and hold it down to keep from making a scene in public. The street was empty. Quincy wasn’t there. Callum wasn’t either.

  Then why was his beast on edge?

  Reece’s brow furrowed. His attention moved past Logan. “Are the Barnes doing any controlled burns right now?”

  Gale noticed the smoke rising on the edge of town. His stomach dropped. “That’s not Barnes territory.”

  “Quincy,” Logan growled.

  They moved in unison, leaving Reece in the dust. Reece called after them. Gale didn’t have the time to answer. Either Reece could sit this one out, or he could join them. Gale hoped that Reece would help, but it seemed that Reece still didn’t understand what was at stake.

  Logan took the wheel.

  “Excuse me,” Gale growled. “What was the last vehicle you drove? A model T?”

  “No. I’m not that old. A truck is a truck. Right? Get in the back. The moment we’re close enough, shift and fly the rest of the way in. Someone will need to have claws when we get there.”

  The ride out of town seemed incredibly long. Each moment stretched past infinity. Gale imagined all the worst things. He tried to block them out—Baylee in danger, Baylee in pain, Baylee wondering where he was. They refused to leave.

  He should have been with her. The whistle of the wind in his ears couldn’t drown out the roar of his enraged dragon. Now was not the time to leave anyone alone. She needed his protection now more than ever.

  His beast didn’t have time to berate him. The house came into view, with the likeness of Baylee still painted on the western side. Gale stood, ready to unleash his dragon, but something made him pause.

  The house crackled, currently being devoured by the flames licking down the front porch. There was no one in sight, though. Gale saw no sign of Quincy. He wasn’t in the air or on the ground. Gale sniffed the air. Beneath the acrid smoke were two scents.

  He leapt from the back of the truck and shouldered his way through the front door, fire be damned. It wouldn’t hurt him. It could reach out and taste his skin, but he was made of dragon fire already. This meant nothing in his search for his mate.

  But the house was empty. He roared, unable to contain his beast’s fury. Power rocketed through him with nowhere to go. His clenched fists began to unfurl and turn into talons. A moment more and his beast would crash through this house.

  He didn’t understand. Where was Baylee? Had Quincy taken her? If that was the case, then Gale needed to get back to Logan. They would do a sweep of the surrounding territory. They would find her before Quincy took her too far.

  “This is my God damned house!” Logan growled outside. “I built this with my own two hands. If it burns to the ground, I’m ripping your hands off.”

  Gale rushed outside, thinking that Logan had run into Quincy. Once more, the Old Lizard was nowhere to be found. Gale slapped his phone into Logan’s hand, regardless of whether or not Cash had taught him how to use it yet, and told him to call 911.

  Gale’s beast refused to be held back any longer. It tore its way into the world before diving into the woods. Though the world had turned brown and orange in the height of autumn, his green body still found enough coverage. His lithe form made running through the woods almost faster than flight.

  At least, this way, Quincy wouldn’t see him coming.

  Because if the Old Lizard was not here, then Gale knew where he would be.

  16

  Baylee understood why they called Quincy Montoya the Old Lizard. The man had not aged well, especially for a dragon. His sallow skin hung limply from his face. She couldn’t help but wonder if that permanent scowl on his face had anything to do with it.

  She hadn’t been able to put out the fire, but giving herself up had gotten Quincy away from the house. Now, he had to deal with her. If Jensen could see her now, he would be laughing his ass off.

  “What kind of name is Quincy? Who looks at a baby dragon and says I’m going to name him Quincy?”

  He sneered at her, revealing yellowed teeth. Was everything about this man yellow?

  “It’s short for Quinlann. Can you get off my table?”

  Baylee folded her legs underneath her and grinned. The table groaned, perhaps too old to bear her weight. If it broke and sent her tumbling to the floor—well, then Quincy would be out a table, and she could live with that.

  He must have assumed she would make a great bargaining chip, because he hadn’t tried to hurt her yet. His clan was crumbling beneath him. So long as she was alive, he could use her to pull Gale back into the fold. At least, that was what she assumed Quincy was thinking.

  “Why don’t you go by your full name then? I’m not going to shiver in my boots when I hear the name Quincy.” She paused, as if reflecting on her words. “Then again, I don’t think Quinlann is going to scare me, either.”

  His sigh turned into a menacing growl. “Get off my table before I take you down into the mines and lock you in the darkness.”

  A shiver raced down Baylee’s spine. She didn’t know that the mines led all the way back to this manor. The darkness didn’t scare her, but the mines were known for collapsing without warning. She didn’t want to find herself trapped beneath the earth while Gale desperately searched for her above ground.

  She bounded off the table and skipped down the hall, trying to be annoying and hard to grab. If she kept moving, maybe the Old Lizard wouldn’t be able to keep up with her.

  “What’s the point?” she asked.

  Quincy grumbled something under his breath, slowly following after her. “The point to what? Bringing you here?”

  “No, the point in hating my family when Logan is awake now?” She fixed her unflinching gaze on Quincy. “Logan isn’t mad at Elliana. He doesn’t hate my family. So, why are you holding onto the old grudge?”

  A growl ripped out of Quincy. He moved faster than she expected. Before she knew it, he had her by the back of her neck. He dug his nails into her skin as he shoved her down so that she was beneath him. Her heart thundered nervously. The beast inside her snarled, but she didn’t dare move.


  Quincy might have aged, but he was still the head of his clan for a reason. He would outmatch her any day. Even if she managed to wriggle away from him, he would chase her down and drag her to the mines.

  Would Gale be able to track her scent? Would he know if Quincy locked her down there? She didn’t want to take the risk. The thought of losing Gale all over again terrified her. The hollow ache in her chest tried to expand, like a vacuum taking away everything good that she’d found today.

  Quincy’s eyes flashed red. She sucked in a scared breath. The beast inside him rumbled, as if it might break loose at any moment. Baylee’s provocation had done this. She’d pushed Quincy to the edge. If she acted out again, there was a chance Quincy wouldn’t bother with her anymore.

  In this position, he could easily snap her neck and be done with her. The realization left her cold and afraid.

  The front door flew open. She stilled. Quincy tightened his grip on her and unleashed a growl.

  She expected Gale to walk through in his human form. Instead, a massive green dragon shoved its way through the door. The frame splintered and gave way in his wake. Gale lowered his head and issued a warning as smoke curled from his nose.

  Baylee’s relief was short-lived. Quincy used his grip to shove her in front of himself like a shield. Over her shoulder, he said:

  “Calm down, Gale. You wouldn’t want her to get hurt. Would you?”

  Baylee considered stomping on his instep, like she might do to her brother, but Quincy wouldn’t hesitate to kill her. She was only useful to him as a tool. The moment she made an attempt to break away, she would lose all value to him. She had to wait this out, no matter how terrifying it was.

  Gale would save her.

  She had no doubt of that. He’d come all this way for her.

  Quincy took a step back and dragged her with him. Where was he headed? To the mines? She hoped not. That was the last place she wanted to go. The earth didn’t call to her. It wasn’t a safe haven for long slumber. It was a prison she might never escape.

  She could almost hear her mother’s voice. Was your love worth this?

  Yes. Of course.

  Baylee kept her chin high.

  “You never answered my question, Old Lizard,” she said.

  Gale paused, a question flickering in his dragon eyes.

  Quincy’s nails turned into talons that bit at the sides of her throat. Any longer and they could pierce an artery. Still, she wanted to know.

  “Are you using hatred to keep your clan under your thumb? So long as they fear the other family, they will stay here? Is that the idea?”

  Gale shot her a look of warning.

  Why was she provoking Quincy? Gale watched, helpless, as blood trickled down her neck. Quincy’s face slowly twisted into rage. She had struck a vein, but if she dug any deeper, it would collapse on her.

  Gale pressed forward. Quincy’s attention shot to him. Baylee cried out when Quincy yanked her back with him, as much a warning as it was to get away from Gale.

  “It doesn’t matter what happens here,” Baylee said. “I know a thing or two about consequences. Quincy, you already dug your own grave. You have no choice but to lie in it.”

  The Old Lizard’s rage boiled over. He flung Baylee to the ground. Gale started to rush toward her, but Quincy’s roar turned into a dragon’s bellow. He was shifting forms in the small hallway. The walls and the surrounding supports would snap and collapse the ceiling.

  Gale heard Baylee swear right before covering her head. He needed to get to her. If he got too close now, Quincy could crush her with a swipe of his claws. If Gale waited too long, the falling house would crush her.

  Gale’s beast asked him for trust. Gale didn’t want to give up control. Not at first. But his beast insisted. Baylee’s life was on the line. He couldn’t fail her now. That wasn’t an option.

  Made of fury and vengeance, the beast assumed full control. It snaked forward, but not towards Baylee. It grabbed for Quincy’s throat with both taloned hands. Quincy tried to dodge, but the walls constrained his too-large form. Not all of the supports had broken yet. They stubbornly held on, caging Quincy.

  The Old Lizard tried to break Gale’s hold, but there was nowhere for him to go. Trapped, he could barely wriggle. Baylee seized the opportunity to crawl out from under the fighting dragons. Once she was free, Gale attacked.

  He sank his fangs into Quincy’s throat and dragged him toward the floor. Quincy thrashed to break free. The movement made Gale’s fangs rip through his flesh. Blood sprayed over the both of them, but so long as it wasn’t Gale’s or Baylee’s, then he was fine with it.

  Quincy had asked for this. The clan leader had betrayed his family by acting against Gale. This punishment was deserved, and no one could stop him. Gale used the force of his bite to shove Quincy’s head to the floor. He wrapped his lithe body around Quincy’s larger form and pinned his legs in the process.

  This would not be a fight to the death. Gale didn’t have the kind of power. He hoped that Logan would show up soon. Logan would get Baylee away from Montoya manor before any more of Gale’s family showed up.

  Run, Baylee. Run!

  The house trembled. Gale waited for this wing of it to crumble and cover them. The house shook again, but this time, there was a rhythm to it.

  Thump. Thump. Thuuuump.

  Gale listened to footsteps prowling over the roof. He wished he could tell whichever asshole was up there that their weight was a liability in that moment, but he couldn’t shout. Neither he nor Quincy had time to call for help.

  What would the others do once they arrived? Would Cash turn on him? Would his own parents help Quincy? Gale didn’t know where he stood with his own family anymore. His father would likely side with Quincy, a thought that enraged Gale’s beast.

  Gale would not follow in those same footsteps. His future belonged to him. He would take whatever steps necessary to find Baylee again. Their happiness would outweigh any falling out that was likely to take place after this.

  His new clan, with Logan, was the beginning of a better life. Not just for him. The doors were open for anyone. Any dragon who wanted to set aside their differences could come to them and start over. They didn’t have to hate one another.

  They didn’t have to suffer under Quincy’s rule.

  A sapphire blue dragon peered in through the nearest cracked window. Silver eyes set upon Gale, still wrapped around Quincy. Gale had never seen this creature before in his life, but he had an idea of who it might be.

  Behind Logan’s sapphire-colored dragon, Gale caught a flash of smoky gray scales and twisting horns. Cash had arrived, too. Logan moved away from the window and, barely a second later, the wall gave way. Gale barely had time to slither off Quincy before Logan grabbed ahold of the yellow dragon.

  Quincy yelped as he was dragged outside. Gale flowed out behind him, ready to lend aid. Cash sidled up beside him and pressed his flank to Gale’s. On his other side, a familiar garnet colored dragon with spiny protrusions along his jaw joined them. Reece had arrived, too. They were on the same side, after all. Still, Gale looked to the sky and feared that others would come to help Quincy.

  It had become official. Four dragons stood against two shifter families. Quincy took in their show of force before wrenching himself free of Logan’s grasp. Gale suspected the only reason he’d gotten free was because Logan had allowed it.

  Quincy rose to his full height and stared down his nose at them. He towered over Gale and Cash, reminding them that they never stood a chance against him. Yet, Logan mimicked the gesture. The sapphire dragon easily dwarfed Quincy. Alone, the Old Lizard didn’t stand a chance.

  “Uh,” Baylee said. “Is the house still on fire?”

  “Good,” a female voice said. “Let it burn. It is a relic of the past.”

  Gale spun and bared his teeth at Reece’s mother. She hadn’t yet shifted, which was a blessing. She wore a tailored black coat and had her brilliant red hair pulled up in an elegan
t chignon as if she couldn’t turn into one of the most frightening beasts he’d ever seen in person. The Red Tempest would make this fight night impossible to win. At least, that was what Gale thought until Alice’s eyes fell on Logan.

  Her lips parted in awe. Her surprise quickly turned to anger when her gaze flicked to Quincy.

  “You failed to mention this,” she said. “Had you told me that our children were following Logan Montoya, then this would have been a very different meeting. But, I’m guessing you knew that and didn’t want to lose your power right then and there.”

  Reece’s mother was a true Montoya. She didn’t marry into the family but had kept her name upon marrying. Her husband split his time between this clan and his own, leaving her to rear her triplets largely on her own.

  Only a woman like Alice Montoya could have given birth to three dragon shifters at once. While Gale wanted to trust her, he had the feeling that Alice didn’t want to give up power, either. As eldest beneath her uncle, Quincy, she would have taken over as head of the family once he passed.

  Now that Logan had left his slumber behind, Alice’s position in the family wasn’t as firm as it had been.

  Gale couldn’t help but wonder if Baylee’s family played these kinds of power games, too. Was it just the Montoyas that greedily hoarded power? Was it because their inheritance was drying up?

  He wanted nothing to do with it. For once, Gale wondered who he could become. Cash had picked up the guitar and never looked back. Baylee struggled with the idea of her own future every day. Now, Gale realized he would have a happy marriage outside of this toxic legacy.

  And he wanted that for the others. For Cash and for Alice’s children. For his children.

  “Let them go before your squabble demolishes the rest of the manor,” Alice said waving her hand in the air like she was dismissing a gaggle of rowdy teenagers and not a search-and-rescue-group come to intercept a kidnapping attempt.

  Gale bared his teeth. Alice raised an unimpressed brow. Gale expected Cash and Reece to back off—especially Reece. But they held their ground. They were in this together.