by Anya Nowlan
Cameron snarled. He was slightly larger than Colt and his horns were a loose crown around his face, while Colt’s jutted out haphazardly on either side of his maw. Jade’s stomach twisted. She knew that whatever happened next, it wouldn’t be an easy fight. And it was certain that a fight would have to take place – the way the dragons stared at one another, ready to conquer and destroy, left her no question of that.
The crowds had retreated to a safer distance, considering the situation with wide eyes full of wonder. The blackness swirled in their eyes, and Jade was half-surprised none of them had grabbed rocks and tried to uselessly pummel the gold dragons. The allegory of it all was ridiculous.
Once again, Jade had to wonder if this was reality or a twisted fantasy. How does someone like her manage to go from living a perfectly acceptable life, to being in the middle of an ancient dragon war as the damsel in distress? It bewildered her.
Colt finally roared, the dragons having stared at one another for far too long in tense silence. Jade was sure they were communicating wordlessly with one another, but now, Colt had reached his boiling point. She gulped.
Please let them be okay, she begged, but she wasn’t sure if there was anyone there to hear her.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Alexander
Alexander blazed, inside and out. The fire tingled at the roof of his mouth, itching to douse the insolent Blackscales. Not only had they had the gall to abduct his and Apollo’s bride, but they were honestly expecting to get away with cooking her alive for the viewing pleasure of their sick, twisted fans? There could be no mercy.
You Goldplains have always thought you were better than us. All that time ago, you stole our lands, and ever since, it has been a series of insults. We won’t take it any longer, Cameron hissed, his low voice carrying through the consciousness of each dragon present.
Only a dragon as petty as you could think that territorial battles between our ancestors have any sway in a situation like this. You’ve taken our mate before the gold moon. Even lowly lizards like you two should understand that it is an unforgivable offense, Alexander projected.
You will pay, Apollo added, his thoughts stern but surprisingly calm.
Alexander had to admit that his hotheaded little brother had shown admirable self-control and spirit in the difficult situation. Not only had he remained cool and collected through the whole ordeal, he could also stand against the Blackscales without doing anything rash – not that rash wasn’t entirely called for, if one were to ask Alexander.
Gladly, Colt finished.
Alexander took flight just as Colt roared, spewing his dark fire at Apollo. One after another, all four of them took off. Alexander careened down just in time to knock Colt to the side as he tried to put distance between himself and the ground, sending the black dragon into the stage. It crumbled under his weight as Colt skidded to a halt and then jumped into the air again.
Horrifying screeches filled the air as Apollo and Cameron faced each other. They climbed higher, circling one another, their fire lighting the sky in the deathly fireworks of battle. Alexander’s eyes narrowed, flying upwards quickly, knowing that Colt had to have been just at his heel. He steadied his long tail, the mallet of a tip ready to strike.
Just as he’d hoped, Apollo kept Cameron busy enough to allow Alexander the element of surprise. By the time Cameron noticed him approaching, it was too late. With fantastic force, Alexander whipped himself around in mid-air, bringing his iron tail flying into the soft underbelly of the black dragon.
Cameron’s fire stopped mid-breath and he tumbled backwards, crouched over as his wings flapped twice as fast to regain control. While the Blackscales may have been burlier and of more solid build, the Goldplains were faster, leaner, and as the situation called for it, meaner. It wasn’t just a fight for them, a squabble over something trifle – it was a matter of life or death. They would do anything in the name of their mate. And the Blackscales would simply have the misfortune of finding out just that.
Apollo bolted after Cameron, catching him and ripping his bladed teeth into the black dragon’s wings, tearing at that most valuable part of a dragon’s body. Alexander heard Cameron’s desperate cry and Apollo’s fearsome growl as they tumbled through the night sky, but he couldn’t go and help his brother. Sharp pain raged through him, making him thrash and flail in the air. Colt had come up behind him, and his jaws were now locked firmly around Alexander’s long, golden-yellow neck.
He felt the jagged jaws ripping at his scales, and then, an intense heat – as Colt held on, the fire from his belly bathed Alexander’s neck, scorching and burning where the teeth opened flesh. Alexander’s fire lit the gruesome scene, and he heard gasps from down below as thick, golden drops of blood fell to the ground, gathering the sand as they pooled.
“Alexander!” he heard, the cry of the sweetest voice he knew – Jade’s.
With double the determination, he lashed at Colt, digging his claws into the black dragon’s underbelly where the scales were the weakest. With a sudden yelp, Colt let go as Alexander’s back legs dug in deep and thrashed down, opening up a long gash on Colt’s stomach. Black, tar-like blood mixed with Alexander’s gold on the sand.
They both drew back a little, breathing massive plumes of fire at one another, merely hampering the other’s attack. Alexander glanced around himself, looking for Apollo. He caught the exact moment when Apollo managed to tear himself free of Cameron’s hold, Apollo’s right wing scorched with dragon fire and bloody cuts running down his back where Cameron had ripped into him.
Swiftly, Alexander flew down to Apollo, taking his side. Both Cameron and Apollo were flying lopsided now, nursing an injured wing. Colt came down as well, and the four of them faced one another for a second, maws twisted in growls, all the ancient hate between the two families coming to the surface.
No remorse, Alexander heard Apollo’s voice in his head, just as his younger brother dove for Colt.
They will get what they deserve, Alexander echoed, sprinting after Colt.
Alexander knew it was a gamble. Focusing their attention on only one of the Blackscales – the one who remained stronger for now – could mean they’d take big blows themselves. But the tides were much too even and needed to be turned in their favor. Without something unexpected happening, they might wear the Blackscales out first. Alexander’s careful, scheming mind gave way to the brutality of it all, deciding to trust Apollo’s method. After all, were they not one now? If they were to share their life with one woman, it was about time Alexander learned to trust his brother.
Jaws wide and their golden fire creating a dazzling, deadly cloud before them, both of them went for Colt. The Blackscale managed to dodge them a little, but not enough. Apollo caught him by the shoulder and pulled him back, and then, both Alexander and Apollo clung to one of his wings.
Immediately, Alexander felt Colt’s powerful jaws lock on his front leg, tearing scale from muscle and muscle from bone. The pain was excruciating, and when his black fire burned through the injured flesh, Alexander had to fight for his consciousness.
His vision went red and gold as Apollo breathed fire, his jaws ripping at Colt’s wings while trying to get Cameron off of himself. Cameron had attached to Apollo, his claws tearing through Apollo’s sides. Like a meteor surrounded by black and gold fire, the four of them plummeted towards the desert floor, snapping, tearing, ripping and destroying any flesh that got in their way.
Alexander crunched down at the same time as Colt, and with a satisfying, eardrum-bursting crack, Colt’s wings broke. Colt screamed out, his ruby eyes glazing over with pain. The ground was so close, and Alexander managed to peel himself from Colt just in time as the Blackscale’s jaws let go of him in a desperate roar of a scream.
Alexander hung maybe a hundred feet above the ground, panting. He wasn’t the only one who had managed to let go. Cameron was flying under him – slow, weary and with one wing flapping more raggedly than the other, but he was still in the air. A
Apollo? he called, receiving no answer.
A giant dust cloud covered the earth where Colt had crashed down, most likely taking Apollo with him. The silence was deafening, but Alexander couldn’t go and check whether his brother still clung to life.
Cameron veered down right above Jade, and Alexander’s heart just about stopped. Like chased by the hounds of hell, he ducked down and flew as fast as he could, leaving a dribble of blood on the ground to mark his path. Cameron touched down right in front of Jade, and without second thought, raised his front leg to simply squish her like a bug.
“Alexander!” she called frantically, trapped by the fire that blazed around her.
For a moment, everything slowed down around Alexander. He didn’t know if his brother still lived – though rationally he assumed he would have felt the loss had he died – and he was faced with the possible loss of his mate to his greatest enemy. All his determination and power focused, honing him into a blade that would cut through anything that stood before him.
Like a bullet, he came careening down, wings tucked by his sides. He made no attempt at slowing himself down, and with Cameron’s foot only inches from the crouching Jade, Alexander plowed into the black dragon.
They went tumbling through the desert, right into the rubble of the stage. Distantly, Alexander felt something breaking, something crushing, something crackling. Still, his anger fueled him. Before Cameron could get a good hold on him, Alexander’s teeth locked around Cameron’s lower jaw and squeezed without mercy. He closed his eyes as black fire doused him along with desperate cries from the flailing black dragon.
The last thing Alexander remembered before darkness claimed him was how Cameron’s body fell limp in his grasp, collapsing on top of him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Apollo
When Apollo woke, he just about threw Jade off of himself without realizing who she was and got up with his fists raised.
“Whoa there, dragon. Calm down,” a familiar voice sounded.
Apollo felt a hard hand on his chest, pushing him back down into the covers. Jade’s soft touch was there as well, greeting him, rousing him from his sleep.
“I know you healing dragons think you’re all the shit, but let’s try and contain our enthusiasm and not knock everyone out, eh?” Cillian said, chuckling as he shared a look with Jade.
“What the…” Apollo began, his vision hazy with tiredness.
Every muscle, joint and bone in his body ached. It felt like he’d been stripped for parts and then put back together again. His shoulders carried the weight of the world, and his neck was so sore that he had to wonder if he hadn’t rammed into a stone wall ten times over. He sat up, trying to take in his surroundings, but his gaze stopped on Jade – sweet, wild, alive Jade.
“You’re okay!” he said, smiling widely.
Fuck, even that hurt. Without another thought, he pulled her from the side of the bed right into his arms, burying his face in her hair and breathing in her scent. It still felt unreal. When he saw the ground coming towards him and found himself unable to peel away, his last thought had been that he’d failed Jade and Alexander. Now, finding her alive, and even more surprisingly still being alive himself, he suddenly had a lot more questions than answers.
Jade laughed softly, putting her hands around him carefully and resting her head on his shoulder. He could feel a tear trickle onto his skin, and he gently pushed Jade back, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“Don’t cry, green eyes. We’re fine. I don’t fucking know how, but we are. Or… Where’s Alexander?” he asked, the frantic worry back in full force.
“No, he’s okay. He’s in the other room. He woke up yesterday. He’s alive, he’s fine,” she said, grinning wide.
A rock fell from Apollo’s chest, and it was as if he could breathe again. Alexander was alive. Jade was alright. And he? Well, he hurt like hell, but that was merely a side-effect of getting away with his life intact, right?
“What happened?” he asked, not letting Jade out of his grasp and looking from Jade to Cillian. “And what the hell are you doing here?”
“Is that any way to greet a friend?” Cillian asked, grinning his Cheshire grin.
“You know what I mean,” Apollo said with a mild smirk.
“Well, Devon’s in the habit of keeping tabs on dragons who are prone to cause trouble, and your close friends the Blackscales fit that bill. We’d already heard that your little rivalry was taking a turn for the worse, and when Ria called us after you two took off for Nevada like bats out of hell, we figured it was a good idea to come check on you lot. We got there just in time to keep you two from getting skinned by a pack of overzealous Death Wing fans.
“We brought you back here, and I’ve got to say, it would make our lives a hell of a lot easier if there were more healing dragons around. Ares is home and he kept going between you two, but it’s been a slow road.”
“How long have we been out?” Apollo asked, frowning.
True, he’d never felt as bad as this, but could it have been as dire as they said? When dragons healed, it was like going into stasis. The world fell away from them, and instead of experiencing the pain and discomfort, they focused on internal healing and something akin to meditation – consulting with the elders, as they called it.
Apollo and Alexander were healing dragons themselves, and they could make others heal quickly by giving them a taste of the Goldplains power. But there were not many like them, and while they could bring relief to others, it scarcely accelerated their own healing. Quite the contrary, sharing their energy like that seemed to have the opposite effect altogether.
“A week,” Jade said, her voice small.
Alright, so maybe it had been that bad.
“What about the Blackscales?” Apollo asked.
It wasn’t that he particularly cared what had happened to them, but deep in his gut, he knew it couldn’t have been good. They deserved everything that was coming to them, though – dragon blood or not. Cillian looked serious for a moment and shook his head thoughtfully.
“I don’t know. Colt was… a mess. Scraping you off the desert floor was difficult enough, but him… I’m not sure he made it. Broken wings, torn stomach, cuts, gashes… At the very least, he’ll never fly again.”
Apollo and Cillian shared a quiet look. There was no fate worse for a dragon than to lose his capability of flight. Well, perhaps losing his ability to fly and losing his hoard in one day would be worse, but either way, a dragon was no dragon without his wings.
“And Cameron?” Apollo queried, the severity of the situation dawning on him.
When he and Alexander had helped Devon after Remington Redblade attacked Devon’s mate, they hadn’t been sure whether Remington would make it either. Now the Blackscales… Too much dragon blood had been spilled. Dragon turning against dragon marked dark times for dragonkin.
“Alexander basically broke his jaw into pieces. It wasn’t pretty. He was torn open pretty bad too, but I think he made it. We informed the rest of the Blackscale brood and got out of there before anything else could happen. I had the groupies carted away into another patch of desert and called the police, citing that they seemed to be some deranged cult. I think a few days of sobering up from the Blackscales’ magic and they were good to go. I doubt they’ll remember a thing.”
Cillian shrugged, looking as serious as Apollo had ever seen him. The recent father of two, Cillian had gone from fixing problems for others, to building his own life with his lovely wife Ruby. Apollo and Alexander had healed him after a particularly brutal battle just recently, but dragons didn’t really ‘owe’ one another anything. He’d have to make sure to thank Cillian and Devon later. Having good friends was a luxury of the modern times and one that Apollo wasn’t looking to give up.
“Anyway, I think I need to give you two a moment,” Cillian said, smiling again and looking like his usual happy-go-lucky, devilish self. “I’ll go check up on your brother and let him know you’re still breathing, even if it’s mostly soot instead of flames at this point.”
“Thank you, Cillian!” Jade called after him as he exited the bedroom.
Apollo pulled her close to him again, leaning back on the pillows and gazing down at her. Her gorgeous green eyes sparkled back at him, and for a moment, he felt almost at peace. All that was missing was…
“I heard you’d decided not to kick the bucket!” Alexander called, striding, or more like limping, into the room.
Jade grinned, reaching out a hand to Alexander, who plopped down on the edge of the bed without further invitation. He took Jade’s hand and kissed it, and still holding onto her, rested his other hand on Apollo’s shoulder. Immediately, Apollo felt life flooding back into him, lighting all the dimmed nooks and crannies. Only together were they as strong as they could be, and Apollo was glad to know that even when times were rougher than he could ever have imagined, he had his brother, and now his bride, at his side.
Together, they seemed to be invincible.
“Seems so. Couldn’t let you keep Jade all to yourself,” Apollo said with a grin, receiving a smirk from Alexander.
“Just in time, too. The gold moon’s in two days. I assume we can get better by then, and also avoid having our bassist stolen again, hmm?”
Alexander winked at Jade, and she blushed just slightly.
“Are you still sure, Jade? Do you want to do this? Share your life with me and Alexander?” Apollo asked, noticing that his voice cracked just a little as he asked the question.
She nodded quickly, grabbing Apollo’s hand with her free one and squeezing it.
“Of course,” she said, the words music to his ears. “I’ve been through so much with you two already. Though we haven’t been together too long, I feel like I was always meant to be here, and everything that happened in the past just led me to you. I was following life like a string, not knowing where it was going, but luckily it brought me here. I couldn’t imagine being without you two. When Alexander collapsed, and the dust cleared, and I saw you tangled with Colt I thought… For a moment, I feared I had lost both of you. I couldn’t imagine a fate worse than knowing that I could have had love, could have had happiness, and then seeing it slip from my grasp.
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