“How sweet, protecting the little slut.”
“That’s enough, Dominica!”
“Claudium? How amusing to see you’ve switched sides. You no longer rule me, Council Elder. In fact, now is your chance to see reason. I’ll let you live if you fight by my side.”
“You will never win this, Dominica. Stop this now.”
“Sorry, Elder, but I have other plans.”
A blast of fire shot their way but Dharean quickly put up a wall to deflect it. In seconds he returned the fire. “You can do this, little one,” Khaelen said as he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. The others fanned out and each began their own personal attack on Dominica.
The Twins moved too fast to see. The evidence of their strikes could be seen on Dominica’s torn dress and the blood seeping from the cuts and acid. Allantra wondered why she wasn’t healing.
She’s been using a lot of power. It’s draining her, Dharean explained.
Not fast enough.
She is very powerful. We need to weaken her.
While the others were fighting, Allantra prayed that Minn could lead the other shifters out safely. They were of no use in this fight. Dominica was just too powerful and it was important that they survived. They were the last of their kind.
Why isn’t Claudium draining her power?
He is, very slowly. Remember the plan, flammulae. He knows what he is doing. He must be very careful to focus only on her so as not to drain any of us.
Allantra concentrated, giving Khaelen and Dharean the power they needed to fight Dominica. It seemed no matter what they threw at her she never wavered in her attack. She could see even the Blood Twins were growing weary. Fighting magically took a toll. As synergist, she had to provide energy to them all. Allantra focused on the twins and almost immediately she could see them invigorated. She smiled to herself; she could do this.
She is weakening, little one, just hold on a little longer.
Allantra mentally nodded to herself. She could feel the beads of sweat as they skittered down her back. It was almost over, she knew. Sort of. Dharean and Khaelen drew heavily upon her and she could not let them down. The ground rumbled and something began to break through the dirt floor.
“Hold on, everyone!” Dharean shouted.
They watched in horror as a scaly head surfaced from the ground. Snorting sounds soon followed as the figure arose from the earth. Thin black wings spread and Dominica laughed maniacally. “At last!” She clapped her hands. “I wondered how long it would take to raise you. I couldn’t have done it without you idiots.”
“What is she talking about?” Allantra whispered to Dharean.
“You shifters are so predictable with your primitive brains.” She laughed again, a harsh, jarring sound that set Allantra’s nerves on edge. “I knew you’d find a way to get a human through that ward, shaman. At least in this you didn’t disappoint.”
He shook his head and Allantra knew he was regretting something. “I knew something was odd about that spell.”
“Care to explain and quickly?” Claudium kept his gaze on the surfacing creature.
“It was a trap in many ways. We had to go through that ward to get inside. There was no other way. Only a human could be used to summon this thing, for it would never allow itself to be called by another creature of magic. They consider themselves superior.”
“Then why would it answer to a mere human?” Khaelen asked.
“Because it would require a favor in exchange. Something only a human could give it.”
“And that would be?” Allantra prompted, watching the creature work its way through the soil.
“A willing human female to breed with.” Dharean let out a breath. “By Khaelen walking through it as a human, it activated the summons that Dominica piggybacked onto the ward.”
“She’s crazy, but smart as hell,” Allantra admitted. “But if it doesn’t get its human bride?”
“Right now that’s the least of our problems,” Khaelen shouted.
The dragon burst through the dirt, filling the cave with its bulky, scaly blue body. It turned its large head toward them and Allantra froze in terror as the red serpentine eyes zeroed in on them. It reared its head back and shot forth a stream of fire directly at the group.
It was a hell of time for Allantra to find out if the Triumvirate had what it took to defeat a dragon.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The dragon, completely free of soil, swished its tail slowly as if sizing them up. Dharean stood still, making sure not to provoke the lethal creature. Do. Not. Move. He sent the order to Khaelen and Allantra.
Dominica couldn’t have picked a more lethal creature. Highly intelligent, imbued with powerful magic and, to finish it, an aggressively bad disposition. Dharean would have never dreamed of ever facing such a creature. His tattoos itched, as the aura of the beast was dark indeed.
Dharean slowly moved his hands in conjunction with the spell he recited in a low tone. Without looking, he knew the barrier encompassed everyone in the room except Dominica. She had already disappeared, leaving them to their fates with the dragon.
Go after Minn and the others. Dominica trails them.
We can’t leave you alone!
You have to. This is my fight and my fight alone. There is nothing you or the vampire can do to help me.
We are a triad, Dharean. We must stay together.
No, flammulae, we must fight together. There is a difference.
The wizard is right, little one. We have to help Minn.
Do not worry for me. If I need you, I can reach you. He could still feel the hesitancy in his mate. By all that was him, he loved her. If he ever doubted she cared for him, he had no doubts now.
If you die, I will kill you!
Dharean smiled.
Go, flammulae, and vampire, let no harm befall her. Dharean made sure he let the threat hang crystal clear.
She was mine before she was yours, Khaelen answered on their private path. I would die before harm comes to her.
Very well. I will distract the beast; you teleport her out of here. The others will follow your lead.
Dharean conjured a large double-headed spear in his hand. The shine from the spears’ heads caught the dragon’s eye. It roared in anger at the sight of one of the few weapons that could kill it. See my weapon, dragon, Dharean said to the creature, knowing it understood. See your death. He felt the moment he was alone with the creature as his group teleported out when the dragon was distracted. Dharean conjured a body shield that he then blessed with dark gifts. The moment he let down his protective field, the dragon attacked.
* * * *
Allantra, Khaelen, Claudium, and the twins arrived at the horrific scene. Several shifters had already died at Dominica’s hands. Blood trailed from her lips. She had fed on the shifters as if they were cattle. Now she had Minn in her grips. Two deep puncture wounds scored her neck in a macabre fashion. Their arrival had interrupted Dominica’s feeding. Minn’s claws, embedded deep into Dominica’s side, didn’t seem to faze the maniacal vampire.
“More refreshments.” As she spoke, blood spilled from her lips and spattered across Minn’s now pale face. “I’d almost forgotten how potent pure shifter blood was.” She licked her lips lovingly. “Perhaps I’m being too hasty in killing you all. I’ll leave a few of you alive to savor. Maybe start a pureblood farm.”
It took a moment for Allantra to figure out what had happened. One minute Claudium was there with them and the next he was gone and Dominica was plastered against the catacomb wall. Her head was grotesquely angled. Dominica began to cough up blood as she laughed.
“I’d forgotten about that particular trick of yours,” she said, speaking through a gurgle. But Claudium paid her no heed. He’d moved so fast he’d caught Minn before she hit the ground. Allantra watched, shocked, as he lowered her gently to the floor, whispering in her ear. She’d only thought it was lust between the two, but apparently there was more. “Beware of caring for
those creatures, Claudium. They will betray you.” Dominica coughed again and more blood spilled over her lips.
Allantra moved to Claudium and Minn. She knelt and placed a hand upon Minn’s shoulder. Minn blinked slowly as she tried to focus. “Look at me, Minn,” Allantra said softly. “You’re going to be fine.” Allantra remembered what she’d done for her mother when she wanted her to rest. Allantra concentrated on the injured woman, imagining pouring much needed vital energy into her. In seconds, she could see Minn slowly recovering.
“Thank you,” Claudium whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
“It was my pleasure,” Allantra murmured, then she turned to Dominica. The twins were before Dominica but somehow they were unable to get to her. “How long will that hold? What did you do to her?”
Claudium did not look up at her; he stroked Minn’s hair and began to wipe the blood from her face. “I’ve broken every bone in her body and used the sharp edges to stick her to the wall. However, I fear that it’s not enough. Even as we stand here, she is regaining her power. She has already erected a safety field in front of her.”
Allantra was at loss. What did it take this kill this bitch? “Why not drain all of her power now?”
“He has nowhere to transfer it,” Khaelen answered. “His body would explode from the sheer magnitude of her power coupled with his own. That is why he can only drain her slowly.”
The sound of bones snapping back together began to fill the room, making Allantra sick to her stomach. Dominica slid down the wall as her bones began to reknit, freeing her from the wall. “I have to admit, that was some nasty business, Claudium, but I won’t take it personally. If you don’t take me killing you personally.”
Allantra could feel the bile rise inside of her as Dominica became whole again. It seemed this vampire was unstoppable. “Now as for you two, you’re annoying me.” Allantra gaped as the Blood Twins were thrown viciously across the room. Dominica ricocheted them around the cavern walls so fast they became a blur.
“We have to help them!” she screamed at Khaelen.
“I’m fine,” Minn said to Claudium. “Help the twins.” Claudium stood with Minn. Then he gently pushed her to the side so he could have a clear path to Dominica.
Khaelen stood by Claudium’s side and brandished a knife from the holster on his ankle. “We have to end this,” Khaelen announced. Claudium nodded once, his gaze going over to Minn.
Allantra poured power in the two men. She didn’t know if they needed it, but she damn sure wasn’t taking a chance. While Dominica was distracted with the twins, Khaelen teleported out and behind her and attempted an attack. He was thrown back against the wall so hard Allantra heard bones crunch.
But then, seemingly out of nowhere, Masque appeared and he picked up the knife that had slipped from Khaelen’s grip. He walked right up behind Dominica and thrust forcefully. Allantra could see from the vampire’s expression that he had embedded the knife deep inside her. A silent scream emanated from her lips; Allantra thought it was one of the most beautiful things she had seen a quite a while.
“Your fields don’t work against your mate,” Masque growled in her ear. He twisted the knife, causing it to go deeper.
The twins instantly stopped bouncing off the walls and crashed in a heap to the ground. Claudium raised his hand and Allantra could see a myriad of color being pulled from Dominica’s body. At the sounds of steps she saw Dharean enter the chamber, bloodied and most certainly worse for the wear—but alive.
“Khaelen, execute the last part of the plan,” Claudium ordered, his voice sounding strained. Allantra began to direct energy his way. “Don’t, it will kill me. I can only absorb so much power,” said the Council Elder.
Allantra looked to Khaelen, who disappeared. Dharean came to stand by her side.
“I must apologize for what is about to happen. Please understand it was the only solution. It was the only sensible solution.” Dharean took her hand and squeezed.
“I don’t understand.”
“You will,” Dharean reassured her.
Seconds later Khaelen, Armin, the pups, and Taraema, still on her makeshift cot, appeared. Dharean looked at her with a pleading look. She looked at Khaelen, who had an identical expression on his face.
“What’s going on here? Why did you bring my mother here?”
“There is no such thing as destruction of energy,” Dharean explained as Minn came over and stroked the hair of the lost princess. “It’s simply transferred from one source to another. When Claudium drains Dominica he can’t keep the power. It’s too much. It has to go somewhere.”
“Dominica has taken much from your mother for many, many years, little one. Don’t you think it’s time she gives something back?”
“What are you two saying?”
“We’re giving her Dominica’s powers. The power needs a home, or it will kill Claudium,” Dharean clarified.
Allantra looked at her mother, then at Dominica. “Will my mother turn evil?”
“Power is just power. It is the user that determines its nature.” Khaelen gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Let Claudium and Dharean do this.”
“Do it.” Allantra looked at the vampire who had tortured her mother for nearly a lifetime. Dominica had killed her father and nearly wiped out her people. She deserved to give back so much more. “Then I want to kill her when they’re done.”
Claudium’s knees buckled under the strain of the power he pulled from Dominica. Dharean had Armin and Khaelen pull Taraema’s cot closer to Claudium. Dharean looked at Masque, and Allantra knew they communicated on their own path.
Masque pulled the knife from Dominica’s back and tossed it to Dharean. When Dominica began to slide to her knees, Masque caught her. To Allantra’s surprise, he cradled her in his arms in an almost loving manner. How could he still love such a vile being? Then a thought occurred to her.
“He’s holding her, doesn’t that mean his power—”
“Yes,” Khaelen answered before she finished. “He knew that if it came to this, his magic would be absorbed as well.”
“But that’s not right. He’s done nothing. Tell him to let her go.” Allantra wanted to stop the injustice. Why should Masque punish himself for something that was not his fault?
“Masque has his own demons when it comes to Dominica. We’ve no right to interfere.”
It seemed that Dominica was nothing but destruction and death. Allantra watched as Dharean used the bloodied knife to inscribe a symbol in blood over Taraema’s heart. Claudium extended an arm toward Taraema; the woman’s back bowed from the force of energy that invaded her body.
Tears welled in Allantra’s eyes as she saw life being poured into her mother. After what seemed like an eternity, the ebb of power stopped and her mother settled back into a peaceful sleep. Dominica was limp in Masque’s arms. Claudium staggered.
“Is the bitch dead?” Minn asked as she went to Claudium’s side to help him stand.
“No. She lives still,” Masque said quietly as he gazed into her torn face.
“I want to kill her.” Allantra stepped forward but stopped when Masque raised his eyes to them.
“I know she has done more damage than even I could possibly know. But I will not allow any of you to kill her. She is my mate and I have failed her once. I will not do so again.”
Dharean stood, tension coiled throughout his body. “You mean to go to battle against us, brother?” Dharean’s voice was rough. “Is she worth that? You’ve seen firsthand what she has done. I cannot allow her to live.”
“If Allantra went rogue, could you kill her?” Masque asked. “Would you allow anyone else to?” Dharean took a breath. “I betrayed her. I am the cause for her evil and for that I must pay as well.”
“What do you propose? We cannot keep her alive; she’s too dangerous,” Khaelen said. “Her hatred is too great; she will try something else if she lives.”
“Krases,” Masque said solemnly.
“I
can send her there,” Dharean agreed.
“No. Us,” Masque corrected. “Send us both to Krases.”
“No!” Minn screamed. The pups began to sob. “You can’t leave us. The pups need you. I need you.”
“You will be in good hands, sister.” He nodded toward Claudium. “He will look after you and the pups. I have made my decision. Do not waste your time trying to sway me.”
“Don’t do this,” Allantra begged. She turned to Dharean, who had remained silent.
He then began to chant and Allantra recognized some of the words. “You’re sending him?” Dharean continued as his hand began to work. A crack sounded and the portal to Krases opened.
“No!” Allantra and Minn wailed. The pups cried harder.
But Masque stood, holding the limp, unconscious body of Dominica. He walked the short distance and he and Dharean stared at one another. Allantra would have given anything to know what they said. “Good-bye, sister,” he at last said to Minn. He looked to the pups and bade them good-bye as well. “Take care of my brother,” he said to Allantra, then he stepped through the portal and it snapped closed behind him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The silence that followed was loud. “Get these two in the other room,” Dharean said as he pointed to the twins. Khaelen said nothing as he lifted one of the twins and Armin lifted the other. The twins were conscious but in a great deal of pain. The vampires followed Dharean in silence. Allantra, not knowing what else to do, followed suit, leaving Claudium and Minn and the pups alone. Her mother for the moment would be fine.
When they entered the room it was covered in bloody symbols. The dragon lay breathing but immobile in the center of the room. Dharean had been busy in here alone. “Lay them on either side of the dragon.”
“What are you doing?” Allantra asked.
“I cannot risk killing this dragon in our realm. Its power will be released and there is no telling where it might end up. It is too much power for one; it seemed a logical choice to divide it between the twins. I trust them.”
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