“I still can’t believe what happened back there. We need to get you to a hospital.”
Mike scribbled into the notebook, tore the page out and handed it to Emily. “No hospital. I need to heal myself. No insurance anyway.”
“Mike, don’t worry about insurance. You might die.” Emily shoved the key into the ignition.
Mike wrote again. “Trust me. Let’s just go to Pittsburgh and I can heal myself. I promise.”
“Alright. I’ll drive as fast as I can.” She started the car and peeled out.
The tires screeched from taking a bend too fast.
Mike had never been in love before, but Emily had brought out feelings that no other girl had.
They got onto the highway, and Emily pushed down the gas pedal, planting the back of Mike’s skull into the headrest. His body wanted to pass out from exhaustion, but the Five-Hour Energy wouldn’t allow it.
Mike tried to remember the spells of healing magic. He’d only read a few pages about that and nothing came to mind. Grunting with the effort, he turned his back to the steering wheel so that Emily couldn’t see and started by cauterizing his gaping wound again.
Mike flinched as his red-hot fingertip made contact and his forearm skin bubbled like a liquid. He stretched and pasted the skin from the other side of the gash to the burning flesh. He kept pinching the wound together and waited for it to seal tight.
Mike continued using magic to heal his body, bruise by bruise and bone by broken bone. He hadn’t made the pain go away completely, but he had dulled it substantially. Only one part of his body wouldn’t take to the healing spells—his jaw. He attempted every healing power that he could remember to clean up the sloppy job he had done back in the forest.
The dazed young man looked up just as they passed a road sign.
Pittsburgh
5 Miles
About five minutes later, they turned off the turnpike and quickly found a Days Inn. Mike waited in the car while Emily went inside and returned with a room key.
Stiff and sore, Mike let himself slide out of the car and held onto the door to stabilize himself.
Emily grabbed the bag of money and another small travel case out of the back seat. Mike knew he would have to walk under his own power. Emily carried the case and dragged the bag of money as they walked toward the room.
Thankfully, the motel setting of the Days Inn allowed them to go right into a room without causing a scene in the lobby or on the elevator.
Mike limped up to their room and waited for Emily to open the door, staring at the ice machine next to their room. It conjured memories of his last effort defeating George and something told him to pull in some of the chill just in case they were followed by any shady characters.
Emily slid the credit card-style key into the slot and a green light appeared, followed by a soft ring. She pushed down the straight knob and shoved the turquoise door open.
Once, she’d tossed the bags inside, she turned on the lamp sitting on the desk near the door and every other light she could find, and returned to Mike.
“Now we can get a good look at you.”
Mike didn’t gain much confidence from her horrified facial expression. She sat Mike down in a brown chair and went to the bathroom, returning shortly with some towels and soaps.
“There isn’t really anything good in the bathroom for treating infections or anything like that. Do you want me to go to the store and get some medical supplies?”
Mike pulled the notebook and paper out of his pocket and scribbled a note.
I should be alright if we just stop most of the bleeding. I think I can flush out any infections. It’s my jaw that is the major problem right now.
“Oh, honey, I feel so bad.” She planted a soft kiss on his lips, and the light contact hurt his mouth. “What can I do for you?”
Mike shrugged his shoulders. Emily grabbed the smaller bag and unzipped it. She casually set it next to the chair.
“I have an idea. Let’s get those shorts off so I can see if your legs are okay.”
Emily gently helped to pull Mike’s shorts off, exposing a tapestry of blood, bumps and bruising. She cringed at the sight but didn’t say anything. She pulled Mike’s boxers off next and took a few steps back.
“I know what will make you feel better.” Emily gyrated around in a sexy striptease and started by removing her shirt. She danced around and unhooked her bra, which fell harmlessly to the floor. Emily turned around, bent over, and slowly and teasingly slid her shorts to the ground. She hooked two thumbs into her red thong and pushed the piece of silk down to her ankles.
She stepped out of the sexy panties and approached Mike. “Don’t move. I’m going to do all the work. Just let me take the pain away.”
Mike wasn’t sure this would take any pain away, but he certainly wasn’t going to stop Emily. She dropped to her knees and started to orally pleasure Mike. He closed his eyes, and some of the pain faded as a buzz ran through his head.
Emily continued for a few minutes and Mike opened his eyes again. She looked up and smiled at Mike before returning to pleasing him. Mike wanted to say, ‘I love you’, when a silver flash of streaking light captured his attention.
He frantically called for the spell in his head within a fraction of a second. Did he recite the two words correctly? If not, he would be a dead man. He waited for the pain in his chest and looked down. No blood?
Chapter 29
MIKE LOOKED DOWN AT the silver knife, the tip of the blade only a quarter-inch from his chest. His spell to freeze her body had worked. His heart hurt. Tears broke loose. He couldn’t believe she had tried to kill him.
Why her? Why couldn’t I get one girl in this world? Why did this have to happen?
Mike pulled himself away from Emily’s frozen body, her right hand still clutching the knife. He knew the only solution to this problem, and it crushed him to even think about it. Distraught, he staggered around in disbelief.
“You know what you have to do, right?”
Mike spun around at hearing Alayna’s voice. He shrugged his shoulders.
“I can fix your jaw if you want me to, but you know what you have to do with her.”
Mike took a few steps closer to Alayna. She held up her hand. “Easy with that thing there. You’re likely to put my eye out.”
Mike put his boxers back on and returned to Alayna. She already had a cauldron set up on a portable burner in the corner of the room. Alayna pulled at a hidden zipper in the center of her dress. Her purple garment opened like a trench coat. The inside looked like a medicine cabinet with vials of liquids, baggies of herbs, and flower buds tucked into individual compartments.
Alayna set several items on the small table. She gathered all the essential elements and threw them into the cauldron. A green plume of smoke rushed out of the black cast iron cooking vessel, accompanied by confusing smells of herbs, garlic, citrus and black licorice alcohol that clashed with each other and seemed to come at Mike in separate waves.
Alayna stirred the concoction for several minutes. She dipped her hand into the boiling contents and pulled out a steaming pile of green and orange paste. With her clean hand, she gestured for Mike to get closer. He leaned down to make it easier for her.
She rubbed some of the mixed paste over his entire face, and Mike could feel the heat and healing power. His jaw became very tight, and he thought it might snap as the bones fused back together. A rush of intense agony was soon replaced by a tingling sensation so uncomfortable he wanted to pass out.
But that too, passed, and Mike’s jaw soon felt normal again. It felt million times more successful than the sloppy surgery back in Houlihan’s Square.
He tried it out. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking out for you. That’s what I do, don’t you know? You only have a few minutes before your spell wears off.”
“I know. I know. Can’t you take the dark spirits away? Make her return to normal again? An exorcism or something? I really th
ought she was special.”
“She probably was. I mean, is. Unfortunately, once a person is heavily afflicted with the darkness, no amount of light can cure that soul. It’s like a vampire. She’s been tainted, and just like dispatching George, you need to do this for the benefit of the whole, not the few, and not just you.”
“How do you kill someone that you might be in love with? How?”
“I’m so sorry, Mike. I tried to tell you about this. I didn’t want you to get attached to this female. I know it hurts, but you have less than two minutes to do this. If you want, I can do it for you.”
Mike walked over to Emily and stood behind her. He ran his fingers through her soft hair and searched the depths of his soul for an alternative, any alternative. The dream of them having a simple life together seemed to be for naught. He reached around and caressed her jaw with his right hand as he put his left hand on top of her head.
She felt cold to the touch.
Her flesh began to warm.
Alayna warned, “Ten seconds.”
Mike didn’t want to do this. He could feel the heat returning to her body.
“Three, two, one.”
In one quick motion, Mike twisted Emily’s head and broke her neck. Her torso slumped forward onto the chair, and she eventually fell to the floor, motionless.
Mike collapsed and broke down.
Alayna curled up behind him and wrapped her arms around the young man. He rolled over so he faced his mentor. She stroked the side of his tear-soaked face with the back of her smooth fingers, then grabbed her left sleeve and ripped it off at the shoulder. Using the rag, she sopped up some of Mike’s tears and then held it over his nose.
Mike blew his nose, and Alayna threw the soiled material behind her.
“We have to get rid of her.”
“I’ll take care of that. You’ll go to sleep in a little bit and I will handle the disposal.”
Mike zeroed in on her upper arm. “How come you have a tattoo that says LOVE?”
A motherly smile came across Alayna’s face. “Because, sometimes, that’s all you need. And I plan to smother you in it.” She playfully poked Mike in the belly.
He jumped back. “Stop. It tickles and hurts. So, where in the world do we go from here?”
“First, we need to get you healthy again. And I’m not talking about these superficial injuries here, although your reckless use of magic will probably have you bedridden for weeks. But what I really mean is the big C. We will need about a year to get you back to full strength. You’ll spend most of your time in the Deep Burrow and some up here. Then, when you’re healed, you don’t need to go anywhere. This will be your home.”
“What if something happens in the next year, while I am gone?”
“Don’t worry. I know a wizard who can take care of it. But only on a temporary basis, so we need to get you all better.”
“Who’s that?”
“How should I put this? Remember when I said you could be one of the most powerful wizards in the world?”
“I do.”
“Well, this wizard is the measuring stick for that prize. A bit cocky, I must say, but if I get into a jam, I can count on him to save the city of Pittsburgh.”
“You think he can do it?”
Alayna chuckled. “I know he can. He’s a legend among those in the know, you know...us magic folk. I’ll tell you about some of his amazing adventures while we get you treatment. We will have you in Dian Cècht’s cauldron soon and then the healing can begin. I like that you show a responsibility to your new city already, but this wizard can take care of anything that should arise in your absence.”
“I hope I can follow in his footsteps.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll be drinking absinthe in no time.”
“Huh.” Mike sniffled.
“Never you mind just yet. You’ll be howling over that one in about a year. And don’t worry, I have a slight hunch that you, too, are destined for greatness.”
Mike shook his head. “It’s not fair. I’m going to be this great person and my mom is never going to get to see it. I killed George, but I couldn’t save her.”
“She will see it. I promise.”
Mike stared into Alayna’s calming eyes. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
Mike reached behind Alayna and pulled her in for a loving embrace. “Just thank you.”
“I understand. We’re going to get you all fixed up. And then you have a city to protect.” Alayna gave Mike a soft kiss on his cheek.
If you would like to receive a notice when the next books in the series are available, you can sign up here. All my books are in Kindle Unlimited, so this is perfect for members of Kindle Unlimited to find out when the next book in the series is out. You will only receive a notice when there is a new release. This isn’t a recurring mailing list that you will receive regularly, it is ONLY for a single notification for a new book in this series: http://eepurl.com/dhgIJz
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO keep up with my new releases and giveaways, there are two ways to do so. You can join my VIP Reader group by following this link: http://wix.us12.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=665dc0f022fe051e64658f2a5&id=fe264a44d3
Dragon Horn
Bloodline Awakened Supernatural Thriller Series, Book 4
Jason Paul Rice
Chapter 1
“WHO UNLEASHED THE DRAGONS on us?” I asked as we drove toward Pittsburgh through the eerie stillness that builds before a great storm.
“Sewer dragons,” clarified Lieutenant Gretchen Meyer of the Pittsburgh Police.
“Okay. Who brought the sewer dragons to Pittsburgh?”
“We don’t know. That’s why I picked you up. This is your specialty.”
We arrived at the outskirts of the city and there was no way to get in by vehicle. Service vehicles had jammed up the streets entering the heart of the city.
Gretchen and I turned to each other. I shrugged my shoulders and replicated a walking motion with my index and middle finger. Nodding, she pulled the car to the side of the road, put the car in park, and turned it off. We jumped out and raced toward the commotion. The sirens from the ambulances, fire trucks and police vehicles blared through the warm winter day.
The skies were dark, with storm clouds building up pressure. The wind still hadn’t arrived, yet light pieces of debris floated in the thick air. Flashes of lightning threatened from a distance with just the slightest grumbling of thunder. The brewing storm made me uneasy as we fought against a frenetic exodus of citizens.
We dodged cars and authorities. Gretchen flipped her wallet open to expose her badge. I had no fancy badge to flash. Most of the officers knew me by now and understood I could be useful with these types of problems. We burrowed our way near the front of the crowd and the desperate screams drowned out the sirens.
It hurt my soul to know that the citizens I’d been tasked with protecting were in trouble. A steady stream of terrified people flooded out of the city. I’d seen evacuations like this in the movies, but to see the desperate looks on the people’s faces as they sprinted by made it oh so real. It was pure chaos.
Gretchen patted an officer on the shoulder and said, “Riggins. I’ve got someone who can help. Do we know where the two sewer dragons are right now?”
Officer Riggins turned his entire body around as if he had a stiff neck and his eyes landed on Gretchen. “Two? It’s a lot more than two. It’s at least twenty by now. And these ones are much bigger than the original two. All we’re trying to do now is get everyone out of the city alive. And it’s not going too well.”
I couldn’t fight twenty of those beasts. A rush of terrified citizens sprinted out of the city limits and toward us. Behind the wave of citizenry, a purple sewer dragon, blood dripping from its mouth, chased after the people. The massive yet lean creature leaned its head down and snatched up a man wearing a suit.
The dragon looked like a massive, scaly snake. No arms, no legs, but it slithered around the pavement tr
ying to maintain balance. The reflective amethyst shine of the scales glowed despite the concealed daylight. The dragon’s glossy black eyes with horizontal white slashes focused on the man in its mouth. The beast rose up, its massive head about ten feet above the pavement.
“That’s the mayor,” one of the cops yelled. “Everyone shoot it.”
“No,” I screamed. Luckily, nobody had fired. “The scales covering its body are like steel. The bullets are going to ricochet and hurt more people than help.”
I weaved through the frightened crowd, finally emerging out of the pack. Most people run away from these types of situations. I’m the crazy wizard who runs straight into the fire.
The mayor fought back, attempting to escape the sewer dragon’s mighty maw.
Calling on two fireballs, I held one in each palm. Searching for a compromised spot, I found a little opening at the bottom of the dragon’s mouth. I stared at the spot of fleshy skin, taking careful aim with the mayor’s body only inches away.
Was I crazy?
If I were to miss, the people would run me out of Pittsburgh for killing the mayor. But he was about to be eaten by a sewer dragon. I had to take my chances.
I released the cannonball-sized spheroid of energy and it hurtled toward its target. The mayor thrashed around, causing his body to move in front of the compromised spot.
No.
No.
I wanted to close my eyes as it cruised straight for the mayor’s chest. The outcome seemed inevitable. My fireball was going to kill the mayor. Biting my lip, I watched with trepidation.
The sewer dragon jerked its neck to the side, whipping the mayor in the other direction. The invisible force (I could see the prism-like colors dancing around inside it) picked up speed toward the end and crashed into the tiny compromised spot of soft flesh, barely missing the mayor, but setting his red tie on fire.
Bloodline Awakened Supernatural Thriller Series: Books 1-3 Page 59