Never Again

by Michele Bardsley

  “Taylor.” Gray jerked his head to the right.

  Ren lay in a tangled heap of barn debris. He’d landed on a spike of wood that pierced his chest. Taylor’s stomach roiled. The metallic stench of blood was overwhelming, especially mixed in with all the smells of mold and manure.

  Taylor knelt next to Ren. The boy’s gaze tracked him. Even though Ren had betrayed him, had betrayed all of them, he couldn’t stop the waves of horror. “He’s alive.”

  Gray’s expression was ice-cold. “Not for long.”

  “Brother,” Ren whispered. Blood bubbled from his lips. Then his eyes glazed over, and what little light was in them faded.

  Taylor wished he had Gray’s ability to cut out those pesky interfering emotions. He wanted to hate Ren, but he didn’t. Not even knowing that Ren tried to put a bullet in Ant and Trent, he couldn’t work up anything but fury and shame. Gods-be-damned. He couldn’t forget his friend’s finer moments, even though his kindness had hidden such an evil soul.

  “Why the hell did he call me brother?” asked Taylor. He stood up and joined Gray at the edge of the darkness that hid them.

  “Does it matter?”

  “Yeah,” said Taylor, annoyed with Gray’s dismissive tone. “It does.”

  “Ponder it later. We have a bigger problem.” Gray pointed to the man squatting next to Lucy. “That’s Bernard Franco.”

  “Shit. He was Ren’s partner?” Taylor’s gaze caught on the girl flattened on a weathered door propped on sawhorses. “That’s Happy. He’s got her laid out like a solstice feast.”

  “He’s keeping her pinned with magic. I’ll free her and you grab her. Take her to Ember’s. I’ll get Lucy.”

  “And Franco?”

  Gray’s ice-blue eyes met his, and Taylor knew then that Franco wouldn’t live to see the sunset. He might’ve had a regret or two about Ren, but he had no qualms about Franco breathing his last. Taylor was a lawman, sworn to protect the laws of Nevermore and the state of Texas. But he had another oath, one more binding than any other: Protect the Guardian and the citizens of Nevermore.

  No one around these parts would be safe so long as Franco lived.

  And that was that.

  “I’ll create a distraction,” said Gray. “Then I’ll free Happy. Get her and run. Franco will be too busy to follow.”

  Taylor heard a thwack. He watched as Lucinda headbutted Franco and then kicked him in the balls. “Wow. She’s got some moves.”

  Franco writhed on the ground, and then he screamed, “I’ll kill you!”

  Taylor felt the change in the atmosphere as Gray gathered magic. A huge red fireball appeared between his outstretched hands. Then he lobbed it—right at Franco. The blackhearted wizard was too good at protecting his own hide to get bombarded that easily. Franco rolled away from the flames and popped to his feet. Gray made some other gestures aimed toward Happy, then yelled, “Go!”

  Taylor took off toward the girl.

  Gray fully engaged Franco in a war of magic. Fire and lightning roared between them. Taylor scooped the unconscious Happy into his arms. He caught Lucinda’s gaze, and saw the relief and gratitude in her eyes.

  Taylor wished he could save her, too. He took a step toward her, even though it meant getting between two battling wizards. The air smelled like ozone, and the ground trembled. But Lucinda shook her head fiercely, then jerked it toward the doors. “Go,” she mouthed. “Please.”

  He had to trust that Gray would save his wife.

  Taylor took off at a full run. He turned so that his shoulder hit the door hard. Pain exploded down his arm, but he ignored the agony. The doors burst open, and he kept going.

  All he had to do now was get to the portal.

  Gray’s fury fueled his magic. He threw everything he could at Franco. The wizard retaliated quickly, but he was still forced to move back, away from Lucy.

  Sweat poured off Gray. He’d expended a lot of energy on the café’s cleansing. He wasn’t as strong as he needed to be, but his worry for Lucy kept him from giving in. Franco was too good, though. Every time Gray struck at him with fire or electricity or wind, the bastard gave it back twofold.

  “This is pointless!” screamed Franco. “She’s not worth it.”

  Gray didn’t respond. He wasn’t going to waste his breath talking to Franco. Lucy was worth everything. He wouldn’t let Franco hurt her, not ever again.

  “Enough!” roared Franco. He created a huge ball of black-edged flames. Gray prepared his own magic to dissipate it, but he shouldn’t have bothered. Obviously, Franco was getting as tired as Gray, because his aim was way off.

  Behind him, he heard Lucy scream.

  And realized Franco’s aim had been perfect.

  Gray turned around and ran toward her, but he was too late. His wife was consumed by the dark magic. Franco’s laughter echoed in the barn, wrapping around the sounds of Lucy’s screams, and the horrific crackle of the magical fire.

  “Lucinda!” Gray tried to grab her, but it was like trying to scoop up shadows. He called forth the sacred energies, but neither wind nor water responded. She was dying, and without her, he was nothing. She gave his life meaning, she made him whole.

  He wouldn’t let her die alone.

  He jumped into the flames, felt the heat, the power, and nearly collapsed from the darkness of it all. Now that he was within Bernard’s heinous spell, he could see Lucy was intact, but suffering. I’m here, baby, I’m here. She was sobbing, and so terrified, and he couldn’t bear it. He wrapped his arms around her and held tight.

  Together, they burned.

  Are you not the master of fire, Chosen?

  The world froze. The flames surrounding them, binding them, stopped flickering. Lucy lay statuelike in his arms, tears glittering on her pale face. She lay against him, eyes squeezed shut, her bound hands trying to hold on to his shirt.

  Even the world beyond the spell held still, crystalline and immovable.

  “What’s going on?” he asked.

  He swore he could smell . . . spring. Wet earth, cut grass, sweet flowers. Warm wind wrapped around him, as soft and comforting as a mother’s arms, and he realized he was feeling Her presence.

  “Goddess?”

  The night Kerren killed you, your spirit called out for help and your ancestor Jaed answered. The essence of your family’s symbol fused with you.

  “I don’t understand.”

  You are not demon. You are dragon.

  He was infused with the truth of Her statement, and he knew that the creature he’d so feared, the one he’d fought off for the last ten years, was not evil. It was an innate part of him, spirit dwelling within spirit.

  More of my Chosen will be drawn to Nevermore. You must welcome them. You must prepare for what is to come.

  “What’s coming?”

  Do not worry. You will be prepared. Take your second form, Gray. Claim your power.

  The world unfroze.

  The flames returned, but now Gray understood. He commanded the flames, no matter real or magic. Go away, he told them, and they instantly turned to smoke. He heard Bernard’s cry of disbelief, but it sounded like the mewl of a scared kitten. Yes, Gray was the master of fire, and he, too, was the master of the beast within him. Come forth, dragon, he demanded. Save our lady.

  Lucy had passed out, and he gently laid her on her side.

  Then he stood.

  The magic of Gray’s second form unfolded within him.

  He watched Bernard stomp toward him, and then he hesitated, eyes going wide. “Impossible!” he screamed.

  Gray’s scar pulsed with light, with purpose. His skin flaked away to reveal the shiny red of his scales. Then the magic burst forth, red fire and gold sparks, and the human receded, giving way to the dragon.

  The creature expanded, growing wider and taller, filling up the space in the barn. Dragon’s massive head brushed the wooden ceiling beams. How annoying. He lifted a wing to cover his mate, then aimed his snout at the ceiling and issued a
fireball. The roof became instant ash, its crumbling edges falling to the ground below.

  The human screamed. He scrambled backward, and stalled, cowering in the darkness beyond. His face was bloated with shock, his eyes bulging and his lips flopping open like the mouth of a freshly caught fish.

  Disgusting.

  “You tried to kill Lucinda,” accused Dragon, his voice booming.

  “No,” the man protested hoarsely. “No.”

  “You dare lie?”

  He turned and ran, but he tripped over debris and sprawled on the floor. He was wailing and crying. Dragon sniffed the air, and snorted. The ugly little thing had soiled himself, as well. He was crawling through the dirt and hay scattered on the floor, sobbing like an orphaned hatchling.

  Dragon spit fire. Just a little. Flames licked across the man’s feet, melting his shoes and toasting his pants.

  He shouted in agony and rolled over and over. Dragon watched the human’s actions with bored interest. Hmm. Fry him? Not worth his precious fire. Eat him? Someone with so foul a stench would surely give him indigestion. Ah. That left one option.

  “Do you not know what Lucinda is?” asked Dragon. He leaned down, though it took some maneuvering. With one claw, he rolled the man onto his back and peered into his tiny face. “She is the heart of the dragon.”

  Then Dragon rose to his full height, his magnificent head poking out of the ceiling’s hole, and he stepped on the awful human. The crunch of bones and the squish of flesh were most satisfying. Dragon shook his foot to get off the bits, and then wiped his claws on a pile of hay. Humph. Messy.

  Dragon looked at the sky, feeling the siren call of the wind. His nature was entwined with his human, and he understood that playing in the clouds and kissing the sky with his fire must wait. They had work to do yet.

  So Dragon closed his eyes, and slipped back into the ancient magic that bound him with Gray, and set his master free.

  Gray woke up in his own bed. At least he thought he was in his own bed. The covers had been changed and the room itself was clean. It smelled like vanilla and lemon oil. He stared at the empty space next to him, and panic welled. He shot up and whipped off the covers. “Lucinda!”

  The door to the master bathroom burst open and Lucy stood there in one of his old T-shirts, her toothbrush brandished like a sword. “What?” She looked around. “What is it?”

  Gray was so relieved to see her that he scrambled outta bed and swept her into his arms. He rained kisses on her face. “I thought you were gone. I thought I lost you.”

  “You saved me,” she said softly.

  “You saved me first.” He sucked in a breath. “What happened?”

  “You’ve been asleep for almost a day. I woke up a few hours ago and got all the skinny. Ren’s dead.”

  “I remember that part. I’m fuzzy on everything that happened next.”

  “Bernard got squished.”

  A memory flickered. You are not demon. You are dragon. “Define squished.”

  “Like something the size of the Chrysler Building stepped on him.”

  “Lucy.” He swallowed the sudden knot in his throat. “I talked to the Goddess. She told me I was . . . a dragon.”

  She stared at him. “Okay.”

  “Okay?” He blinked. “It’s that easy?”

  “I saw you. I came to for a few seconds just before you shifted back. You were magnificent.”

  The tightness in his chest unfurled. “When I was trapped in hell, I called for help, and Jaed answered. The dragon saved me. All this time I thought I had somehow brought a demon with me. I was so ashamed.”

  “I wouldn’t care if you brought a demon with you,” she said fiercely. “You survived. And however you managed it, I’m glad.” She kissed his chin. “You did. Taylor said when he returned with the cavalry, we were lying together, unconscious. You were naked. Kinda like you are now.”

  Gray was immediately distracted. “You could be naked with me.”

  “We have guests. And Happy still hasn’t recovered.” She looked at him, devastation in her eyes. “The curse will kill her, Gray. Unless I”—she gulped—“die first.”

  “No. We’ll find a way, Lucy. I’ll save you both.”

  “Ember’s working on potions and spells and who knows what.” She pulled him over to the bed, considered him in such a way that his cock perked up, and then went to the dresser. She pulled out a pair of sweats and tossed them to him. “I can’t tell you how much I regret covering up even an inch of that spectacular body.”

  “If you want me to be serious, you might not want to give me compliments like that. It makes the blood rush out of my brainpan and into other areas.”

  Lucy cocked an eyebrow at him. Gray sighed and pulled on the pants. Then he sat on the bed. “All right. Let’s chat.”

  Lucy joined him on the bed, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. “About six months ago, I turned twenty-five. I started to question what I was doing with Bernard. That was my first clue he’d been using compulsion magic—just to ensure I’d stay with him. I don’t know why, Gray, but he wanted to make sure I didn’t use my thaumaturgy. After I became less malleable, he took me to a guarded penthouse, and that’s the first time I learned he had a harem of mistresses. That’s where I met Talia Ness and her daughter, Happy.”

  Gray looked at her incredulously.

  “Yep. Talia named her daughter Happy Ness. Because her little girl was all the happiness she had. Talia was very sweet. She was smart in her own way, but . . . ” Lucinda sighed. “Bernard liked her because she never said a word to him, no matter how nasty he got. She did anything he asked, no question. Talia didn’t see the point in fighting Bernard, or trying to escape. Not even after she got pregnant with his child. She was seventeen when Happy was born.”

  Gray sensed her sadness and rubbed her back. “You okay?”

  “Not really.” She smiled at him, but he could see she was trying to hold back tears. “I stayed there three months. Talia, Happy, and I became friends. A family. Then one night, Bernard visited the penthouse and he was upset. Furious. Of course, he took Talia, because he could be as mean as he wanted. He beat her to death.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “That’s not the worst part. I saved her. I don’t know how I got my power to work. I haven’t been trained that well, and I just . . . oh, Goddess. I just wanted so badly to save her. And I did.

  “Bernard was enraged that I’d undone her death. I’d usurped his power with my own, and he couldn’t tolerate that. Two of his goons held me and he made me watch while he slit her throat. She bled out in minutes, and I couldn’t save her again. He made sure of it.”

  Gray wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair. If he could find a way to flatten Bernard again, he would. He felt approval from the dragon, too. It was an odd feeling to embrace the creature he’d spent so much time trying to ignore. “That’s when he cursed you, isn’t it?”

  She nodded. “Only he didn’t know that I’d already set a plan into motion to escape. I was wearing pajamas and cashmere socks, but I managed to get us both out of there. I found her a place to stay—a nunnery built on neutral ground. Then I tracked down everyone I ever knew to ask for help.”

  He squeezed her tighter, feeling the renewal of his own guilt. How could he have turned her away? He didn’t think he’d ever forgive himself for ignoring her pleas of help.

  “You helped me,” she said softly, as though she could read his thoughts. “You came back for me. You’re an honorable man, Gray. And even honorable men can lose their way.” She lifted her head and stared at him. “The important thing is that you find your way back.”

  “You gave me that,” he said. He kissed her, his heart full, and even his dragon snorted with approval. “You know, maybe we should keep the whole dragon thing quiet for a while. Until I figure out how it all works.”

  “Your secret is safe with me.”

  Gray looked down into his wife�
�s face, to the acceptance and tenderness she so easily showed him. “And everything you are, Lucy, is safe with me.”

  “You look like shit.”

  Ant jerked up and met the pain-filled gaze of Happy. “You should talk, Sassy Mouth. Seen a mirror lately?”

  She grinned, and his heart skipped a beat.

  He leaned forward and pulled up the covers, tucking her in more securely.

  “Where am I?”

  “Guest room at the Guardian’s house. You ask that every time you wake up.”

  “Oh.” She blinked. “You’re here every time I wake up?”

  “Yep. There’s nothing good on TV.”

  She snorted. “So you’d rather watch me?”

  “Best show there is,” he said easily. “You’ve got that drooling-in-your-sleep thing down pat.”

  Horror entered her eyes and her little pink tongue flicked out. Then she realized he was teasing. “So not cool.”

  The rocking chair he sat on had ceased being comfortable, but he wouldn’t leave her side. So many people had abandoned her, and she needed to know that she was worth sticking around for. She looked too pale. Her life was literally draining away, and there was nothing he could do. Every day the shadows deepened under her eyes. She couldn’t eat, and the only fluids that stayed down were Ember’s crazy tea concoctions.

  Happy was dying.

  And his heart was breaking.

  “It’s okay to let me go,” said Happy. “I’m all right with taking a dirt nap.”

  “That makes one of us.” He leaned forward and brushed her hair back. “You’re not gonna die.”

  “I have to. If I don’t, Lucy will stay cursed. And the world needs her.”

  “The world needs you, too.”

  “Uh-huh.” She rolled her eyes. Then she grinned at him again. “I was right about you bein’ a magical, huh?”

  “Yep. I put a gold star on your chart an’ everything.”

  “Yeah? How many stars I got on that chart of yours?”

  “Just the one.”

  She laughed, but the joyful noise turned into a vicious cough. Blood dribbled from her mouth, and Ant grabbed a towel from the nightstand and pressed it to her lips. After a moment, she ceased trying to hack up a lung, and fell back against the pillow. “Hard to breathe. My lungs feel squishy.”