by Aidy Award
"I know I don't deserve her, but I will do everything in my power to protect her." They could never fully bond without that exchange of souls. That flaw in fate's plan was Jett's out. He would leave her if he had to, if being with him was going to destroy her.
"Even if it means giving up the battle to defeat the Black Dragon all on your own?" Cage dug into Jett's psyche so easily while expertly navigating them through the streets of the country that used to be his like it was no big deal.
Jett couldn't answer that, which scared the shit out of him. He'd been plotting patricide literally as long as he could remember. The moment he'd become a slightly more than self aware down in hell, the need to be the one who meeted out the retribution for his father's atrocities was all that had pushed him to survive. He knew how to fight the forces of hell better than anyone. Because he was one of them.
That was the only reason Cage was helping him now. The Gold Dragon Wry home been in the Netherlands for hundreds of years. Until hell's forces had razed it to the ground, along with the help of the Queen of the Succubus. He'd made Jett promise, with a bit of prodding from Yvaine, to reveal how to find Geshtianna and her coven. All of Cage's money, technology, and resources, weren't worth squat when it came to the succubus. She knew everything there was to using her resources wisely to keep her hidden. If she didn't want to be found, the dragon warriors wouldn't have a clue where to even begin the search for her.
But Jett did. All he had to do was ask.
"Are we there yet? Is it lunch time? Can we stop and stretch our legs before we get on the boat?" Yvaine sat up in the back seat and yawned. The black t-shirt stretched enticingly across her chest. Jett had sworn when Ciara had given it to her the shirt had been plain. But smack dab in the middle, directly over her heart and the scar from her attack, was a sparkly fucking unicorn. it had to be a sign that she was so obsessed with them.
"We're pulling up to the docks now. You'll have plenty of time to stretch your legs while Jett tells me where to find Gestianna and my missing dragons," Cage replied.
She yawned again and took out a bag of snack-sized carrots from the cooler Ciara had packed for them. "Oh good."
"Nope, it's oh shit, I'm afraid." Cage slammed on the breaks and stared out the front window. Twenty-five meters in front of them was a being that should not be there.
Yvaine pointed with her carrot. "What the flip is that?"
Jett and Cage said the word simultaneously. "Annunaki."
What was she doing here? Either she was with Geshtianna and this was a fucking ambush, or she'd used her connection to Jett. Either spelled danger with a capital Black Dragon. He scanned the area searching for shadows that shouldn't be there, or that were too big, too dark. He pushed a few back for good measure.
"Annie who now?"
The sound of a sword being pulled from its sheath filled the car. Cage moved slowly and deliberately, preparing for battle. "One of the seven judges of the underworld and Ereshkigal's personal guard. But what the fuck it's doing here, I don't know. They aren't supposed to be able to leave hell."
Jett opened his senses to the Annunaki demon and was struck by a familiar scent. Here in the land of the living, she didn't smell the same as in the underworld. That's why he hadn't recognized her. He did now. She'd been in the town near the Green Wyvern's villa, she'd been at the field where they'd crashed the car, she'd been on the rooftops, she'd been at the pub.
She was the creature hunting Yvaine.
But why? A thousand and one razor sharp fears struck him directly in the gut. She would be here if she sensed the changes Yvaine had caused in Jett, in his power. What the Annunaki knew, Erishkigal knew. What the Black Witch knew, the Black Dragon could use to incapacitate Jett. They had sent her after Yvaine.
The Annunaki drifted closer, her robes flowing around her to hide the darkness beneath the clothing. Her arm raised up and she pointed a bony finger at Yvaine.
"Why is it pointing it's finger at me? I do not like that. Not even a little big." She pointed her finger back and shook it. Jett grabbed her arm and pushed it down.
Cage shoved the driver's side door open and held his golden sword aloft in front of him. Jett and Cage had fought the Annunaki before. They'd lost. The only reason they were still alive was because of Azy and Fallyn, the Black Dragon's daughter. There wasn't anyone here to save them now. "Take your mate and go, Jett. Find the unicorn."
Jett got out of the car and joined the Gold Dragon. He didn't have a fancy weapon like Cage, but he did have the element of shadow surprise. "You can't fight the Annunaki alone. She will kill you and you still owe me a damned favor."
Not to mention if the leader of the dragon warriors was killed while helping Jett and Yvaine, the rest of the dragon warriors wouldn't be inclined to ally with him again. He did not need more enemies. He'd thought he had to fight his battles on his own. He never even considered asking for help. Until now.
"Don't you worry your pretty little head over me. I'm like a Girl Scout. Always prepared." Cage punched at the watch on his wrist. "Move in."
Two more SUVs, big black ones like in the movies, screeched in from opposite sides. The doors popped open and the dragon muscle squad swarmed out like it was a clown car. Jett didn't recognize any of them personally, but he inherently knew they represented every Wyr. The two reds shifted immediately and didn't take their eyes off the Annunaki. Which was probably good because Jett was only about a step above pond scum to them.
A shimmer of sunshine signaled Cage's shift into his dragon form. The sword shifted with him and became a deadly metal spike in his tail. Don't disappear on me this time, rogue. The fate of my children lie with you.
No pressure there. The fate of the entire fucking world pressed down on Jett. Save his brethren, defeat the Black Dragon, keep Yvaine safe, don't let the dragon babies get screwed in the fight between good and evil. He wasn't strong enough to bare it, not without Yvaine and the dragon warriors. Damn it. He needed them as much as they needed him. Duck a ducking duck.
If he stayed he could use his new control over shadow to help them capture her. He couldn't stand the thought of letting her get anywhere even close to Yvaine though. Yvaine would never even see an entrance to hell of he could help it. Fuck. He couldn't risk it. The dragon warriors had this under control. Sort of. His priority had to be her and getting to the unicorn. If Cage died, Jett would spend the rest of his days making sure Azy and the babies were taken care of. If Yvaine died, he would spend those same days burning down the world. "Yvaine, get out of the car very slowly. Don't make any sudden moves that will draw its attention back to you."
She slid out of the back seat and crept over to him. "Jett? Why is that thing here? Is it after you? I can try to use my disappearing act and get us out of here. Just trap us somewhere, like one of those shipping containers. Oh. But I don't know if I can transport all of the dragons too. I have better control over it now, but I think I can only do you and me."
"No, love. If you were going to turn me into dragon form, this would be a good time." He kept his voice cool and calm for her. "We can not stay and fight, and these dragon warriors would be pretty pissed if you zapped them all away to safety. They were born and bred to fight demons. You were born to find a unicorn. So let's go do that."
Yvaine glanced over at the dragons circling the Annunaki. She barely noticed their presence. She only had eyes for Yvaine. "Crudmuffins. Okay."
She closed her eyes and wrinkled up her nose and forehead. Nothing happened. Jett had a feeling that might happen. More than his newfound affinity for controlling the shadow had changed inside of him when he'd claimed her.
One more try. "Come on, babe. Don't make me tell you there's a spider on your shoulder."
"Ack." She peeked one eye open. "There is not."
The Annunaki moved forward and the dragon warriors closed their circle. It wouldn't be long until the demon noticed them and decided to kick their asses. "Babe. Try again."
She scrunched up her face
tighter and clenched her fists so tight her arms shook. "I am trying. Nothing's happening."
Cage struck at the demon but only to hold her attack back. From behind her more Gold dragons appeared, flying in from nearby rooftops. They were joined by a handful of blue dragons who floated right up out of the water. They sprayed the Annunaki with their icy breath, freezing her in place. She burst out of the trap almost immediately. The attack hadn't broken her line of sight on Yvaine.
Yvaine grabbed his arm. "I can't change you. I swear I'm scared out of my ever loving mind right now and you're still you. What are we going to do?"
Jett reached inside of himself, searching for the touch of magic that had always allowed him to shift from man to dragon and back again. It was there, stronger than ever before. Stronger, yet different. The magic was... more a part of him and less some sort of spell he had access to. No wonder he missed it. He let the dragon explode from him and flapped his wings, filling the area underneath them with shadow. He shaped the darkness into a sphere and pushed it at the Annunaki. She who had raised him, who had saved him from Erishkigal's curse, and who had helped him escape from hell.
He roared out a warning.
Stay away from her, mother.
The Annunaki finally took notice of him, raised her arm and shoved a burst of shadow at him. It knocked him back, pushing him away from Yvaine and the oncoming battle for her. She was within striking distance of Yvaine and Jett had to play the card he'd been holding close to the vest. Cage, I can command the shadow. I will trap her in path that repeats back on itself. If you surround that with your sunlight, she will not be able to escape, either to hell or to follow me and Yvaine.
Cage looked at Jett surprised. Shadow was an element outside of the realm of dragon warriors scope of powers. Only those born of hell would understand. Cage was the only one who might get it. His element was sky, which encompassed sun. Light and Dark. Heaven and Hell. Where there was one, there must be the other.
Jett gathered the shadow and thrust it at the Annunaki. She would be forced to wander in a figure eight until someone broke the shadow path. Rays from the sun shot down from the sky, obeying the command of the AllWyvern. Thank you, brother. Now go.
Brother?
Jett. Go.
Don't kill her. She's your key to finding Geshtianna. The Succubus Queen and her brother are bound to Erishkigal as her servants. The Annunaki are their keepers. Jett didn't wait to see if the dragon warriors were smart enough to figure out how to get the Annunaki to give them Geshtianna or her location. He grabbed Yvaine into his talons, cupping her body gently, but securely in his claws and flew up and over the North Sea.
"Oh my gosh, holy cannolis, Bob's your uncle. Don't you dare drop me, Jett. Ahhhhh. Please don't turn back into a human either." Yvaine was freaking out. The fear in her psyche about being off the ground punched at him with the force of a jackhammer. She really did not like to fly.
She had nothing to fear from him. He would protect her. Shh, love. You're safe.
"What if I accidentally touch you and you drop me into the ocean. I can't swim very well."
Hold on to me as tight as you like. I won't shift back until we are safely on land again.
"Are you sure? I really don't want to swim with the sharks."
There aren't any sharks in the North Sea.
"Kraken?"
No, they live in the greek isles. You're safe, love. I swear it. On my life. You're safe with me.
It took them only minutes to cross the water. Cage must have sent one of his Gold's to push them along with the wind because he flew faster than he ever had. The shoreline came into view and Jett swooped down toward a beach. They should be close to where the map was directing them if he landed there. Flying over the city of Edinburg at dusk would have the humans up in arms. They came in very low over the water, his talons skimming over the water. If anyone saw them like this perhaps they'd think he was some sort of a speedboat.
"Mommy, mommy. Look at that lady with a dragon."
Or perhaps not. Jett gently set Yvaine down in the sand next to a broken down looking wooden sea wall and shifted back to his human form. Yvaine waved at the little boy who'd called them out. The mother didn't seem to take notice of them. They walked up the beach toward the street and Yvaine got out the map.
"I think we're right about here at Portobello beach. Mmm. Portobello burger sounds good. Fighting demons and flying over death defying waters makes me hungry." She scanned the street across from where they were standing and pointed to a fish and chips shop. "Ooh. Get me some fried potatoey goodness and I'll love you forever. Come on."
The fact that she wasn't even bothered that they'd encountered a demon who'd been hunting her for at least days, flown across the ocean, which seemed to be a big phobia for her, and were in yet another foreign country made Jett fall in love with her that little bit more. "If all it takes is potatoes to get you to love me I'll buy you a whole farm."
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Thanks. Now feed me."
They crossed the street, ordered food and he watched her eat and pour over the map. He could do this for hours. This was peaceful perfection and Jett's chest filled with such a sense of longing for a life like this with her that he physically ached. What if he didn't battle the Black Dragon? What if they left the rest of the world behind and stayed far away from demons and dragons forever. Would she do that with him?
"Yvaine."
"Hmm?" She popped another bite into her mouth and traced the path she wanted them to take to Holyrood Abbey.
"I love you."
She stopped mid-chew and looked up from her map. She swallowed and licked her lips. "You do?"
"Yes."
The smile that formed from her lips spread to her eyes, across her face, and through her whole body. She took his breath away and he'd gladly give it to her.
"I thought you'd think I was super weird if I told you the same thing. I mean, it's only been like two days. But I love you a lot. Like really, really a lot."
The room around them fell quiet, into an unnatural hush. "Aww. Isn't that sweet. Jett's in love so he can't be bothered to break the curse on his brothers like he promised them he would. Adorable."
Jett's dragon shimmered to the surface and his senses reached the speaker before his eyes found him. Standing behind them in the doorway of the shop was a man who was also a dragon.
A black dragon.
A demon dragon. The one who had killed Yvaine.
Brothers, Oh Brother
"Yvaine, get behind me." Jett shoved the stool he was sitting on over and stood in front of her. The shimmer of black light that preceded his shift into dragon form swirled around him. She placed her hand on his back making sure he knew she was there and safe for the time being. He growled low in his throat. "What spell has Ereshkigal cast on you brother? If you think you can touch Yvaine, I will send you back to hell myself."
The other people who had been in the shop with them were long gone, smart enough to know trouble when they saw it. The sun had set outside and the street was dark. Too dark. The shadows inside the shop grew and Yvaine clung closer to Jett. She was tired of all the fighting, of having to battle another creature every other minute.
Was this the kind of life Jett led on a daily basis? She had to put a stop to it if it was. He couldn't live a real life this way. She slipped out from behind Jett, under his arm when he tried to stop her and held out her hand to the other man. "Hi. I'm Yvaine. I don't really know how everything works here in the paranormal world, I'm kind of new, but I think you're maybe my new brother-in-law."
The man hissed and stepped back from her. Jett yanked her away. "Don't touch him. He tried to kill you."
"When? No, he's too good looking to be a killer. Besides he's your brother, so there has to be some good in him." She understood there was good and evil in this world, but she had a hard time believing that most creatures would choose to harm, maim, and kill as Jett and the other dragon warriors had
described that the demon dragons did. Besides. Jett thought he could somehow save them. If it was a curse that kept them from being their true selves, it wasn't their fault if they'd had to be creepy minions to the baddies of hell.
"Yesterday," he snapped. "I can not vouch for his actions if he's under a dark spell and being controlled by Ereshkigal or the Black Dragon. We need to get you out of here before he alerts the Annunaki."
"I'm no longer connected to them. I can however still feel our brethren being tortured by the curse. The one you promised us you would break. You've betrayed us all for her, haven't you?" The man bared his teeth at Yvaine and his eyes went from black to red. A fire similar to Jett's burned in his pupils.
Yikes. Except those fires were angry and they were directed at her. She didn't understand why he had his mad on or why he thought Jett had betrayed him. Pretty much from the beginning Jett had made it clear his goal was to save his brothers. The only time he'd relented even a little was for sexy times. If this guy knew how awesome doing the deed was, he wouldn't hold that against Jett, surely.
"I have not betrayed you. She's the key to breaking the curse. She will lead us to a unicorn and it's blood will free all the demon dragons under Erishkigal's spell."
"Why do we need unicorn's blood, when we have hers? Let us rend her limb from limb and feed her to any demon dragon who wants free of the demon bond. Then together we can rise up and overthrow the AllFather."
Umm. How about they didn't do that. Yvaine really didn't want to sacrifice something as cool as a unicorn. She was still crossing her fingers they would only need a few drops and the creature would be all happy to give it to them since it could help save the world and all.
"I will never sacrifice her. We do not even know what kind of being she is or if her contact with you is what broke the spell. The First Dragon himself has given us the means to find the unicorn. He confirmed its blood will break any curse. Our brethren need not wait much longer for the revolution."