by Erin Bedford
“Now wait just a minute,” I growled and turned my anger onto the guard. “I haven’t seen Firestar in years. It is not my fault he can’t stay out of a fight for a few hours. In the matter of who had me first, Raiden would be the winner. As for who has my heart, all of them hold a piece of it, and I wouldn’t try to even choose between the three of them.”
“Then if you will not choose, you better get up there and stop them before they kill each other.” Blorder nodded upward where Firestar barely dodged Raiden’s trident aimed right for his heart.
My heart pounded in my chest as I watched them lash out at each other. Both of the men were well trained, and I couldn’t bet on which one would win, even if I wanted to. The fight could go on for hours, and by the time someone conceded, they would be dead or seriously injured. I didn’t want either one. I just wished I could find some way to stop them.
Frustrated at my lack of wings keeping me helpless on the ground, I didn’t immediately answer Blorder. He didn’t know I couldn’t fly, and I wasn’t about to tell him. The jerk didn’t need another reason to hate me more than he already did. I crossed my arms over my chest and squinted up the in the sky. The sun had risen high enough now that it became hard to make out more than the silhouette of the two.
After a minute or two, the feeling of the fight seemed to change. A charge filled the air, making my hair stand on end. It wasn’t coming from Raiden though. The rise in power came from Firestar. The temperature rose until sweat dripped down my face. The fireballs he had been throwing at Raiden hadn’t been doing much damage, Raiden having had dodged or knocked them away with his trident.
This time though, it felt different. Firestar held his hands out to each side as magic pulsated from him. Flames burst from his hands, but instead of turning into balls of fire like before, they began to change. The flames lengthened in his grip until they became two kusarigamas, sickle-shaped weapons with long chains used to make attacks from a distance.
Raiden flew back suddenly, barely dodging Firestar’s kusarigama as it swung out by the chain. Even still, the flaming weapon almost gutted him. Unfortunately, this didn’t make Raiden see reason and forfeit the match. If anything, it made him more determined. His stance shifted, and magic crackled around him as he tried to stay out of range of Firestar’s attacks.
“Has he always been able to do that?” I glanced to Blorder, but his eyes were on his lord an expression of wonder covering his face. “I’ll take that as a no.”
Suddenly, I felt Jack’s presence at my back, and I sighed. “Looks like you and Raiden’s theory might be right.”
“What do you mean?” Jack asked, and I turned to see his eyes on the men above us.
I ran a hand through my hair and groaned. Being able to grant men a power increase by having sex with them wasn’t something I wanted to deal with. If it got out that sleeping with me would give dragons extra powers, God only knew what kind of mayhem it would cause. I wouldn’t be safe anywhere.
You should just go back to Earth, an inner voice suggested.
I wished I could, but the same reason as before kept me from doing just that. I couldn’t leave them. Though I had only known them for a short time, my heart still told me I was where I was supposed to be, and now that I’d slept with two of them, the chances of me being pregnant were higher. I couldn’t leave my child without a father, it wouldn’t be right.
Either way, now wasn’t the time to think about it. Now was the time to stop my men from fighting.
I stepped closer to Jack and said in a low voice. “Firestar was not able to do that before last night.”
Jack’s face furrowed in confusion but then his brows rose up on his forehead. “So, you believe him and you...”
“Yes,” I hissed, trying to keep him from telling what I was thinking out loud. I especially didn’t want Blorder to know, not after his sickening comment when we first met.
“Then we do not have time for this.” Jack nodded toward the two still going at it above.
“Exactly.” I nodded in return. “Do you think you can...?”
“I think so, but I must be careful. They are both more powerful than I am now.” Jack’s eyes held a hint of worry but a fierce determination.
I placed my hand on his arm and gave it a squeeze. “I know you can do it.”
Jack’s eyes briefly met mine. He cupped my cheek with his hand before his wings burst forth from his back, and he took flight. I held my breath as he carefully approached the fighting duo.
They didn’t seem to notice Jack at first, but then Raiden’s trident almost hit him. Raiden yelled at him something I couldn’t make out from the ground, and Jack shook his head and moved to stand between them. Firestar didn’t seem bothered by Jack’s sudden appearance and prepared to attack again but before he could, Raiden nodded his head. Then he and Jack descended, leaving Firestar up in the air alone.
As soon as their feet hit the ground, I ran toward them. Jack murmured to Raiden something that caused Raiden’s brow to lift and his mouth to turn down in anger. I had a feeling Jack had just told him what we had figured out.
I stopped in front of Raiden, blocking him from going any further. A sudden bout of irritation reared its ugly head, causing my hand to lash out and hit him in the chest. “What the hell do you think you were doing?”
Raiden rubbed the spot I had hit though I knew it hadn’t really hurt him. I might be a dragon lord’s daughter, but I was still the weaker of the bunch. “You didn’t hear what he was saying about you, about us. I couldn’t just stand by and let him make a fool of you.”
I shook my head and threw my hands up in the air. “I don’t know what is worse. Jack’s jealousy or your rashness.”
“But wait a second—”
“No!” I snapped, cutting him off. “I will not wait a second. We came here to do a job, and I have done it. Without either of your help by the way.” I shot a glare at the two. “You seemed too caught up in being the one who ends up with me to even stop to ask me what I want.”
“What do you want?” Firestar voice asked from behind me.
I spun around and found the fire dragon standing a few feet away. His wings were still out, and they were as magnificent as they were the first time I saw them. Long and feathered, they burned with a fire which came from within. While most of his kind had wings of fire as well, his had always held a different kind of unearthly beauty to them. Just one more of the things about him I had been drawn to in the first place.
When my eyes finally stopped ogling his wings, they locked onto his gaze, which showed a hint of impatience and anger. I opened my mouth to explain but then remembered the group of onlookers still listening in.
“I want to get out of here is what I want.” Before any of them could say another word, I stomped out of the makeshift circle and toward the crowd of men. They parted before me with curious expressions, but I ignored them. I walked past the large tent where I had stayed the night before and kept walking. I didn’t stop until I had long since left the camp and found myself surrounded by trees.
Sighing, I plopped down on the ground. I didn’t know where I was going or where I even was, but I just needed to get away from them. Ever since I’d been back, I’d be surrounded by people. People who wanted something from me, and I was tired of it. I just needed some room to breathe.
I sat on the ground my knees bent in front of me for what seemed like hours. The quiet of the forest around soothed my frustration and anger enough that I realized I shouldn’t have left on my own. Letting out a sigh, I stood to my feet and dusted off myself. I glanced up at the sky and saw the sun had risen to its highest peak.
Must be lunchtime. My stomach rumbled its agreement. Frowning, I searched for the way I’d come and realized I was utterly lost.
“Great,” I growled and threw my hands up in the air. “That’s what I get for throwing a fit like a child and leaving without a map or provisions. Stuck in the woods by myself.”
“Now, I wouldn’t
say that.”
“Raiden. What are you doing here?” I swung around toward the familiar voice and almost collapsed on the ground in relief.
Raiden grinned as he leaned against a tree, amusement clear in his eyes. “Watching you beat yourself up, and you’re doing a good job I might add.”
Heat filled my face as embarrassment came over me. I crossed my arms and stared down at the ground as I muttered, “Well, can you blame me? I’ve kind of made a mess of everything.”
“No, not really,” he answered, coming away from the tree to stand before me. “You weren’t the only one who made bad decisions. We were all there to help things along, and like you said, we didn’t exactly ask you what you wanted.”
“But I shouldn’t have just decided like that without consulting you and Jack first,” I countered, tucking my hands in my back pockets.
“This is true.” Raiden placed his hands on my shoulders and squeezed lightly. “But this isn’t about us, this is about you.”
A rustle of brushes jerked my attention from Raiden’s comforting words. Firestar came through the trees with a determined look on his face. “And what you might carry inside of you.”
“Great.” I jerked away from Raiden. “You guys are as bad as my father. The only reason I’m important is because of what I can give you, not because you care about me at all. How do I know once I give birth, you won’t be out the door?” My hand swept viciously in the air.
“You don’t.” I turned at the sound of Jack’s voice appearing behind me. “None of us do.” His calm gaze fell on me as he approached his hands folded behind his back. “As Raiden said, we have contributed to how things ended up today. Raiden and I have been caught up in our own wants and needs and forgot one important aspect of this trip.”
“And what would that be?” I rolled my eyes.
Jack smiled slightly. “You, of course. None of this matters if you aren’t here. You could very well return to Earth and leave this behind. Leave us behind.”
I shook my head at his suggestion. “I wouldn’t do that. Not now that I might be...”
“But you would if you had to,” Firestar interrupted. “You think you have changed so much since we last met? But I know you, Maya.” His dark eyes locked onto mine pinning me in place. “You are fiercely loyal to the point of insanity, but if someone you loved might be in danger, like your unborn child, you wouldn’t hesitate to take off no matter how much it might hurt those around you.”
I didn’t bother to argue because I knew he was right. If I had to, I would leave. Even if it broke my heart. “So? Why do you care? I’m just a means to an end, right?” I snapped, my hurt turning to anger. “Let’s have sex with Maya, she’ll give us great powers who cares what she wants. Not that any of you care about me, anyway.”
“That’s not true, and you know it,” Raiden growled true anger in his voice. “Besides being pig-headed jerks have we once said we didn’t care for you? That you were nothing but breeding stock?”
I frowned and chewed on my lip before murmuring, “No.”
“Then why would you think that now?” Jack came up beside me, placing his hands on my arms. “You have a right to want to be alone, to run away. I can understand how overwhelmed you must be, but running away won’t solve anything.”
I sighed and leaned into his embrace. “I know. I’m just tired of fighting. Of being a buffer for all of you guys’ hang ups. If we have this much of a problem without me being pregnant, what is going to happen when I am?”
Jack brushed the back of my hair with his hand. “Do not worry, Maya. We will be here for you.”
“And we’ll work on keeping our egos in check,” Raiden said from behind me, his front brushing my back. “Besides, one hormone driven crazy female dragon is about all I can handle right now.”
I half-laughed through the tears which pricked my eyes. I settled into their embrace, their closeness calming me of my doubts and worries until I realized one person wasn’t joining in.
Opening my eyes, I pulled away from Jack to search out Firestar. He stood a few feet away from us, the muscles in his arms bulging as he tightened his arms over his chest.
“And what about you?” I asked, moving closer to him. “Can you be part of the team?”
“What team?” Firestar growled. “I will be the father of your child, why should I play nice with them?”
“Because you might not be, and you have to come to terms with that. Besides, even if you are,” I turned to Raiden and Jack. “I don’t, no, I won’t give them up because you can’t share.”
“I thought you loved me.” His voice was so low and unsure, it hurt my heart.
I placed my hand on his face with a small smile. “I did, and a part of me still does, but it’s been a long time Firestar. Love takes time, and we need time to discover who we both are again, and whether or not we can all be together.” I shrugged. “But either way, you’re now part of this competition. If you want to win, you’ll have to earn it.”
Firestar didn’t say anything for a moment, and then he dropped his arms pulling me in close. “Fine. For you, I will try anything.”
“Good.” I smiled and laughed, “Because we haven’t even faced the hardest battle yet.”
“And what’s that?” Firestar asked.
“Telling my father.”
20
After our not so mutual agreement, the guys convinced me to go back to Firestar’s camp. For some reason, when we arrived, the whole camp went quiet. The men stared at us with a mix of expressions. Some leering, some curious, and others afraid.
“I take it our little secret isn’t so secret anymore,” I muttered as I moved a bit closer to Jack and Raiden with Firestar leading us through the tents.
“Yeah,” Raiden sighed. “Someone must have overheard us and couldn’t keep their mouths shut. We’ll have to be more careful in the future.”
“If I have a future,” I shot back. “Maybe we shouldn’t have come back.”
Jack took my hand, his eyes never leaving the staring crowd. “We didn’t have many options. You took off without any provisions, and it’s more than a day’s hike back to Lord Amun’s palace. We had to come back.”
“Then maybe I should have waited in the forest while you got supplies.” My grip tightened on Jack’s hand. The way the men were looking at me was making my skin crawl.
“That might not have been a bad idea,” Raiden agreed. The air thickened and lightning crackled along Raiden’s hand before his trident formed. He held it firmly in his grip a warning to those who might try to come after me.
“They are loyal to me,” Firestar said from the front. “They will not take what is mine.”
“Ours,” Raiden and Jack said in unison, making me grin slightly. They sure had taken this team thing to heart.
“Anyway,” Firestar continued, “I will gather the supplies while you wait in my tent. It will at least stave off some of the attention.”
“Fine,” I huffed. “Not like we have much of a choice.”
When we arrived at the tent, Blorder waited for us, and from the look on his face, he wasn’t happy.
“My lord, you’ve returned and with the woman. Good.” He nodded toward me with a different kind of look, one that made me wish he still saw me as a loose woman. Well, he could just go jump off a cliff.
“I am only here to get supplies, and then I will be going with Maya back to my father’s and then to the Western Region,” Firestar explained, making his guard’s expression change. Firestar didn’t seem to notice, but I had a bad feeling about it. “I expect you to take charge, and when you have gotten word from me, to return to your homes, peacefully.”
“Peacefully?” Blorder exclaimed. “And return home to what? Most of us have left behind our families for your cause, and now you wish us to just go back with nothing to gain for it?”
Firestar seemed to grasp the situation. his eyes narrowed. “You are under my command, and if I tell you to go home, you are to do as I sa
y, not question it.”
“And what about her?” Blorder gestured toward me, making Jack take a step in front of me. “Are you to keep her to yourself? Don’t think we don’t know what caused your little display of power. We aren’t fools, Firestar.”
Firestar scoffed and then laughed, clearly disgusted. “You think I would just pass her around?” He stepped back from Blorder to look at the rest of his men. “Are you so power hungry, you would take an unwilling woman just to give yourself an advantage?”
The men gave a mixture of responses none of which made me feel any better. I twisted my wrist at my side slowly calling my magic without bringing attention to it. If things were going to get ugly, we would have to be prepared and get out of there fast.
Firestar shook his head sadness on his face. “Then you are not the men who I thought you were.”
“And you aren’t the leader we thought you were,” Blorder jumped in. “We followed you because we thought you were going to make our kingdom great again after your fool of a father put us into debt and stripped our people of what little they had. Now, look at you. You are worse than your father.”
Firestar’s rage could be felt in the air, and I knew this wouldn’t end well even before the kusarigama shot out. It wrapped around Blorder’s neck and burned its way through his flesh before he could even let out a scream. Blorder’s head fell to the ground and rolled to stop at my feet. My stomach lurched, making me thankful I hadn’t eaten yet today.
“Anyone else want to log a grievance?” Firestar shouted, and the crowd stepped back, their initial displeasure overtaken by Firestar’s violence.
Firestar’s jaw clenched, the kusarigama still in his hand as he said, “Jack, you take Maya inside. Raiden, there is a supply tent right over there.” He pointed toward a much smaller tent a few yards away.
“What are you going to do?” I asked as Jack tried to usher me inside. Not that I was fighting him, I’d rather be safely inside than out here any day.
“I’m going to stand guard and make sure no one else gets any ideas.” Firestar swung the sickle on its fiery chain, his eyes scanning the dispersing crowd.