Heart of a Fighter

by Grace Brennan

  Alex blew out a breath, stunned. “You never let on that you knew.”

  “I thought it was best if you remembered on your own. Besides, I thought you and Cammie could be good together, and she wouldn’t have given you a shot if she knew you were a dragon, too.”

  “It made no difference in the end. She’d be happy if I went straight to hell. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars.”

  “Give her time,” Ian advised with a quirk of his lips. “This had to come as a huge shock to her, and she has a very real, and well founded, fear of male dragons. But tell me, now that you clearly have your memories back, why did you come here looking for us? I know you didn’t mean Cammie harm, but you had to have come for her.”

  “I was working undercover, so to speak, for a dragon who was looking for her. I’d taken suppressants so Ivan couldn’t tell I was a dragon, which is why I got amnesia to begin with. Apparently they suppress things like accelerated healing, as well. I never had any intention of giving Ivan info on Cammie, but… well, I guess I should mention my shifter gift is seeing the future. I saw Cammie, and I knew from the vision she was my mate, so I came here—” he broke off, paling.

  Pacing, he tried to force air into his suddenly frozen lungs. He couldn’t believe he’d forgotten his vision from this morning, the one that was the cause of Cammie figuring out what he was.

  “What?” Ian asked, concern in his voice. “Something just scared the shit out of you. Did you have another vision?”

  Shaking his head, Alex searched for his voice. “No. I just remembered the vision I had this morning. I can’t believe it slipped my mind. But Cammie saw my eyes right after I had the vision, and knew I was a dragon, and with everything that happened after—”

  “Slow down and breathe,” Ian told him, grabbing Alex’s arm to halt his frantic pacing. “First of all, it really would have been better for you if you told her before she found out on her own. Second, what was the vision?”

  “I was planning on telling her last night—fuck, who cares? My vision was of Ivan, in a car that was passing Eagle Creek’s town limits sign. He’s coming for her, and she’s fucking out there somewhere with no clue about the kind of danger she’s in.”

  Ian paled. “And these visions, they’re absolute?”

  “Not always,” he replied with a shake of his head. “They can change if the person changes their mind after I have the vision. But Ivan wouldn’t change his mind about this. He’s been trying to capture a female dragon for years. Nothing would stop him from finally achieving his goal.”

  “Okay, is there a timeline we’re working with here?”

  “No, it varies. Sometimes the visions can come true months later. Sometimes it’s within hours.”

  “Fuck. Okay, let’s go look for her,” Ian said, heading back toward the forest.

  “Shouldn’t we tell the others, get them in on the search, too? We can’t let Ivan get his hands on her.”

  Ian shook his head adamantly. “Not while my daughter’s here. I need both fighters protecting her if evil is headed this way. I’ll call the guys at Red Moon. See if Shelby can stay with them and free up the boys.” Pulling a cell phone out of his pocket, Ian dialed a number and had a brief conversation with whoever was on the other line. Hanging up, he said, “They’re on their way to pick her up, and then all of us can look.”

  Nodding, Alex looked around, frowning as he realized where they were going. “I looked at her special spot a couple hours ago. She wasn’t there.”

  “Not when you looked but she could be now. It’s worth a shot.”

  They fell silent as they made their way to the clearing by the creek, Alex hoping against hope she would be there. A hope that was swiftly dashed when they arrived and she wasn’t in sight. He walked to the middle of the clearing, hooking his hands on his hips as he hung his head in defeat.

  Frowning as something caught his eye, he leaned down, blood icing in his veins as he caught sight of a dart in the grass. Even before he raised it to his nose and inhaled, catching a hint of her blood on the tip, he knew it was used on Cammie.

  “Alex.”

  More dread filled his system at the urgency in Ian’s voice. Turning, he looked at Ian, cursing when he saw the syringe he was holding up. Swiftly moving to where Ian stood, he reached for the syringe, handing Ian the dart in return. Seeing a small amount of liquid still inside, he pulled the plunger out carefully and sniffed. The pungent aroma of the contents hit his nose, and he cursed.

  Turning to Ian, he said, “This had the same fucking suppressant I used to take in it. I’d recognize that smell anywhere. I just don’t understand how they got close enough to inject her with it. She’s too fast.”

  “I can answer that,” Ian replied grimly, holding up the dart. “I tasted the tip. It was coated in a special tranquilizer developed for shifters.” Alex’s eyebrows twitched as he shot a look at him. Ian noticed, and shrugged. “I’m not getting into it right now, but trust me, it exists. And this dart was coated in it.”

  “Fuck, Ian! What are we going to do?”

  “Right now, we’re going to head back to the house,” he replied calmly, though Alex could see the poorly hidden worry and panic in his blue eyes. “How long ago were you here?”

  “I came through here a few times, but the last time was about two hours ago,” he answered as they started walking swiftly back to the house.

  “And you didn’t notice the dart or syringe then?”

  Shaking his head, Alex exhaled. “Of course not. I would have found you immediately. I’m positive I would have seen them then, too. I paced all over the clearing each time I looked there.”

  “Shit. Two hours isn’t the best timeline for figuring out where he took her, because they could be anywhere by now, but it could be worse. We’ll figure it out, hopefully sooner rather than later.”

  “There’s no need. I know where he took her. I worked at his compound for almost a year.” Coming to a halt in the yard, he turned to Ian. “But I can’t do this alone. I might be a dragon, but I’m a computer geek. I’m trained in stealth, but I never trained to fight until I came here. I know I can take Ivan down in dragon form if I can get to him. But I need help fighting my way past his goons.”

  Ian nodded. “You got it. Where are we going?”

  “Canada. Ivan has a bunch of land in a deserted area with enough room to shift into his dragon without being seen. Tell me you have a way to get us in and out without passports. I can forge them, but it’ll take time we don’t have.”

  “I’ve got that covered,” Ian assured him. “I know someone who can do it, and they owe me a favor. Let’s go tell the guys, and then we’ll all go pack a bag. I need to make sure the MacKeltars will watch Shelby while we’re gone, too.”

  Alex stared at the passing scenery as Ian drove them to the small private airport a friend of his owned in Cheyenne. It paid to have friends in the right places, Alex supposed. He never had friends before, other than Daria, but as he glanced at the three other men in the truck, he felt like he did now.

  “You’re really a dragon?” Seth asked as he turned toward him in the backseat, voice still tinged in disbelief.

  “I really am.”

  “And we’re not kicking his ass, why?” Seth asked the other two men in the truck.

  “Because he loves Cammie, and he’s done nothing wrong,” Ian replied calmly. “And he’s a good man. I know that kind of shit, remember?”

  “A good man wouldn’t have lied to us,” Seth said testily. Jax didn’t speak, but Alex saw him nod his head once shortly.

  Suppressing a sigh, Alex quickly explained everything, starting with Daria’s death. By the time he finished, they were pulling up to the deserted airfield. Ignoring Seth’s surprise at his story, Alex hopped out of the truck, staring at the small private jet already on the runway. Worry swamped him as he wondered if they were already too late, but he squashed the thought, trying to suppress the worry he felt, as well.

  “
We’ll find her in time, man. I know it’s easier said than done, but don’t let the worry overwhelm you. You need a clear head for what’s coming.”

  Jax clapped him hard on the shoulder and headed toward the plane, duffel bag in hand. Alex stared after him in surprise before he grabbed his own bag and followed. That had maybe been the most he ever heard Jax speak to him.

  Walking into the plane, he took a moment to send out good thoughts to Cammie. Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’re coming to rescue you, and we’ll be there soon. Everything is gonna be fine. Feeling a little silly, but still hoping she somehow heard him, he turned to the other men and began strategizing.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Cammie frowned, fighting to open heavy lids. She couldn’t remember ever sleeping so deeply in her life, but maybe learning the man she loved was a lying, jerk dragon was enough to do that to her. Her frown deepened when, after putting all her energy into it, she could still barely crack her eyes open, and she licked her dry lips, but it did little good. Her mouth was ash.

  Trying to scratch an itch on her face, she froze when she realized she couldn’t. It felt like her hands were cuffed behind her, and panic hit her in waves, adrenaline burning the lingering wooziness away. In a rush, she remembered the sting in her arm, and looking down to find she’d been struck with a dart. She remembered pulling it out, but nothing after that. Using her shifter strength, she tried to break the cuffs, but they held strong. Must be made out of some unbreakable metal even shifters couldn’t bust.

  The adrenaline surging through her veins helped her pry her eyes open, and she looked around her. She was lying on her side on an uncomfortable cot, facing the wall, and the room around her was small, and looked sterile. The walls were made from concrete, and there was a single bare bulb burning brightly in the ceiling.

  It was like a prison, bringing to mind the image she had all those weeks ago when Alex told her about the memories he regained. She froze, fury burning through her. He did this. He brought her here, apparently deciding the game he played was up, and knowing he didn’t have a choice if he wanted her. This place looked too much like what he described for it to be a coincidence. The nerve of him. Describing the place he was going to steal her away to, while he pretended he didn’t know what the memory meant. She never should have gone to her special spot, especially knowing he knew about it. Before meeting him, she was caution personified. But since him, she was the dumb idiot in a horror movie who walked straight into the bad guy’s trap.

  Tears stung her eyes at how far he was willing to go to get her, but she willed them away. She turned her head back to the front, staring at the cold wall in front of her. He didn’t deserve one more tear shed because of him. She needed to channel her energy into figuring out a way out of this. It would be hard, because on top of not having a clue where she was, he was also aware of her shifter gift. She couldn’t rely on her speed to get her out of this.

  She would just treat this like she would a fight. Let her instinct guide her, but never forget to use her smarts, too. She could do this. Her situation wasn’t hopeless.

  The door opened, and she fought not to stiffen. Slamming her eyes shut, she focused on keeping her breathing deep and even, pretending to be asleep. Listening hard, she heard what sounded like two separate pairs of footsteps enter.

  “Why hasn’t she woken up yet?” a heavily accented voice demanded to know.

  “Don’t worry, Your Excellency. She should any minute now.”

  “Well don’t just stand there. Go fetch a glass of water. I’m sure she’ll be parched when she wakes soon, if what you say is correct. And it better be correct.”

  “I’ll fetch one right away,” the other voice said, tinged faintly with nervousness.

  Eyebrows twitching, she listened as the door shut softly, and a heavy set of footsteps came closer. She’d been expecting Alex to come in, but maybe these were his lackeys. Although, one of them had called the other ‘Your Excellency’. It didn’t make much sense. But maybe Alex was working with another dragon. Her body went cold at the thought. Like hell would she be passed between too jerkass dragons. She’d die first.

  She was caught off guard when a big hand grabbed her shoulder unexpectedly, and she was turned over. Unable to hide her grimace at the pressure it put on her cuffed hands, she let out a round of curses in her head.

  “Ah, as I thought. You were just pretending to sleep.”

  Reaching down to lift her into a sitting position, he pulled her up, and she waited until she was upright before she opened her eyes to glare at him. She watched as he pulled a chair from the corner and sat down, and then he looked at her with a smirk on his face.

  Horror filled her and the blood in her veins iced over as she got a look at his face. It had been seven years since she saw him last, but his was a face she would remember to her dying day. This was the man who killed her parents. Trying hard not to hyperventilate, she focused on controlling her breathing. In and out, in and out.

  “My name is Ivan, Camilla. It’s very nice to get to speak to you. I’ve been looking for you for a very long time.”

  “Did—” Pausing to clear her throat as her voice broke, she tried again. “Does Alex know what you did to my parents? Does he know who you are? Either way, you can tell him I’ll see him in Hell before I ever let him touch me again.”

  Ivan frowned, his Russian accent thickening. “I do not know who this Alex is, but the thought of anyone else but me ever touching you displeases me. And I will kill anyone who tries. Remember that, Camilla. I am pleased that you remember me. Our time together is off to a wonderful start,” he said with a smile.

  She stared at him in disbelief. He couldn’t seriously be sitting here, so pleased over the thought that she remembered him killing her parents. He was insane for thinking it meant something good. Then the rest of his statement sunk in. He didn’t know who Alex was. She was still beyond furious with him, but knowing he hadn’t brought her here, that he hadn’t planned on sharing her with another man, caused dizzying relief to sweep through her.

  A quick, soft knock sounded at the door, and Ivan got up to answer it. She heard him say, “She is awake. You live another day”—before he shut the door, and turned with a tray. He held out a glass to her. “I’m sure you must be parched.”

  Her first instinct was to refuse, but she thought better of it. Raising an eyebrow, she turned to the side slowly, showing her cuffs. “I can’t drink as I am.”

  “Ah, of course!” he replied, taking a key from his pocket and moving close. “Now, you must promise not to try to escape. You wouldn’t get far, and it would only make me angry. I don’t want to have to punish you, princess. So don’t make me.”

  Trying not to stiffen at his touch, she nodded as he unlocked the cuffs and took them off. “I’m not a princess,” she replied, rubbing her wrists where the cuffs had bitten into them.

  “I disagree,” he replied, handing her the glass. “You are a full-blood dragon. That makes you royalty of our kind.”

  Watching her closely, he glanced at the glass of water. She didn’t have any intention of drinking something here because she didn’t know what it might be laced with. But she brought the glass to her lips and pretended, not wanting him to force her to actually drink some, or cuff her hands again.

  “What did you mean by telling the other guy he would live another day?”

  Settling back into the chair, Ivan shrugged. “You are always who I wanted for a mate. But after I lost you the first time, I decided I had no time to lose. I found two other female dragons after you. The first was a female named Adara. I found her, but the man I had on her was too slow to report back, and when I went to fetch her, she was gone. By the time I found her again, she was mated. To a grizzly shifter, of all things. Inferior creatures. The next was Daria. I entrusted her retrieval to one of my men, and she put up a fight. Unfortunate, but it was to be expected. What was unacceptable was my man getting too rough with her when she put up a struggle, and h
er dying because of it. Both men failed me, and both died for it. Actually, you might know Adara. She was tracked to Eagle Creek, the same town I found you in. Imagine my surprise in finding you in the same place.”

  Eyebrows high, she stared at him. He’d tried to take Adara? She was glad he was thwarted, and felt horrible for Daria, who’d lost her life because Ivan tried to kidnap her. But she felt guilty because she couldn’t help the small part of her that wished someone else had been found, instead of her.

  “Do not look like that, my dear,” he said, catching the emotion she hadn’t been able to hide, and misreading it. “Had I been successful getting another female dragon, I would not have truly mated them. Both of them had mixed blood, though Daria was almost a full-blood. But her idiot mother mated a lion, and ruined the purity of their line. Regardless, they were inferior to you, princess. I never would have given up looking for you so I could properly mate with you. But I’m sure you understand the need for more dragon children. They would have been mere breeders for me, but you will be my mate, and you and our children will hold exalted positions in the household.”

  Fighting to keep her disgust from her expression, she swallowed hard. “How did you find me?”

  “I’ve hired many men to search for you. The last one was a human, and I despise them, but I was assured he was the best with technology and hacking, so I allowed my man to bring him in. I had high hopes for him, but after more than a year, I was growing impatient. He disappeared one day, just vanished into thin air. I’m still looking for him, and one day he will die for such an offense,” he said, voice hard. “But I digress. I had another tech brought in, and he was able to recover a small bit of the human’s work.

  “It wasn’t much, but it was enough. The human had tracked you as far as Cheyenne. My men were dispersed with your photo, and they widened their search to all outlying areas. One of them found you in Eagle Creek through some tiger shifters who recognized you. The shifters were rewarded handsomely, and my man was promoted. It was child’s play to find out where you lived from the chatty locals once we knew you were there. I made sure I was there when you were taken. I couldn’t take the chance something would go wrong, or if you struggled, too much force was used. You’re far too valuable to leave to chance.”