Skyfire Dragon (Dragons In Shadow Point Book 1)

by Natalie Kristen

  “Maybe if you give it a little time,” Leia began encouragingly.

  Seath stopped drumming his fingers on the table and perked up. “I know! I need to find a female to save! You know, like Sky. He saw you in danger, and wham! His dragon erupted right out of him!”

  Storm snorted. “You’re wishing harm on some poor woman just so you can swoop in and save her?”

  “You know I don’t mean it like that.” Seath made a face. “Maybe Leia can help me.”

  “Help you?”

  Seath leaned forward and looked earnestly at Leia. “You made Sky’s dragon emerge. Do you think you can do the same for me, Leia?”

  “Seath!” Sky and Storm glared at their baby brother.

  “What? What did I do? I want to be a dragon too,” Seath said stubbornly.

  Storm rolled his eyes. “You need to find your own female, Seath.”

  “Leia’s female,” Seath retorted.

  “But she’s not your female.”

  Seath’s eyes rounded and his face split into a wide, brilliant smile as the words sank in. “We need to find our mates. Sky found his. You lucky, lucky bastard!”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Leia finished her cup of coffee and pushed back from the table. They’d been sitting around the dining table, chatting over coffee after they’d cleared the plates and loaded the dishwasher.

  Sky and his brothers stood up immediately.

  “Thanks for having me over for dinner,” she said. “It’s getting late. I should get home...”

  “You’re not staying?” Seath blurted out, his eyes darting between Leia and Sky. “I thought...” He stopped when Storm elbowed him sharply in the ribs. Rubbing his side, he grimaced and glared at Storm. “You didn’t have to do that,” he mumbled.

  “You talk too much,” Storm said.

  As Seath and Storm bickered, Leia made a quick escape to the living room. She grabbed her bag from the couch and turned around to see Sky looming over her.

  “Leia,” he said in a low voice. “I...”

  She gave him a quick smile. “I really need to get home. I have to work tomorrow.”

  “I can drive you to work tomorrow,” he said.

  Leia shook her head. “I drove here. My car’s just outside. I can get home just fine.”

  Leave now, Leia. While you can.

  Leia blinked. Was that her own voice that she’d just heard in her head? It was a female voice, but it didn’t sound like her own.

  You are not a dragon’s mate. A dragon’s mate is strong and powerful. Look at you. You are just a weak, powerless, boring human woman. You’ve let your fantasies get the better of you. Silly, stupid Leia.

  Leia staggered back at those cutting words. The words had sliced right through her heart. But it was the truth, wasn’t it?

  How could she be the mate of a Fireblood dragon? Seath had to be joking when he said that she was Sky’s mate. She was just a plain, ordinary human woman.

  Sky was a dragon, and she was...Leia. She had to be out of her mind to think that he would choose her.

  This wasn’t her destiny. This was just a dream, a fantasy. There could be nothing more between them. She had to get out now while her heart was still intact.

  “Leia, what’s wrong? Talk to me...” Sky reached for her but she twisted away and almost ran to the door.

  “I need to go,” Leia almost sobbed.

  She had been dreaming, dreaming of an impossible future with a handsome, strong dragon shifter. That voice had told her the ugly truth and woken her up.

  There were no hunks beating a path to her door. She was plain, boring and undesirable, but Sky had women throwing themselves at him. She was no match for women like Cece. Cece was beautiful, mysterious and seductive. Men would flock to her like moths to a flame.

  Sky would cast her aside and go to Cece. And that would kill her. She had to get out while she could and salvage what was left of her wounded pride and sanity.

  Sky grabbed her arm while she was yanking the door open. “Leia...”

  “Please,” Leia whispered. “Please let me go, Sky. I want to go home.”

  Something in her eyes and voice made him release her.

  Leia was suddenly aware that the house was completely silent. Storm and Seath had stopped horsing around and were watching her and Sky.

  “What did you do, Sky?” Seath demanded.

  “What did you say to her?” Storm asked with a scowl. “What’s going on?”

  Leia waved a hand but she didn’t look back. “It’s not his fault. I...I just need to go, that’s all. It’s late. It’s...” Me, not him. It’s all me.

  “Bye!” she called out as cheerily as she could and dashed down the front steps.

  As Leia fled to her car, she saw Cece coming out of her house. Cece stood on her front porch in her skimpy, see-through nightgown and gave Leia a lazy, knowing, triumphant smile.

  Cece sashayed slowly down the steps, her taunting laughter floating towards Leia.

  Leia started the engine of her car and kept her eyes on the road. She refused to look in her rear-view mirror. She didn’t want to see Sky running out of his house and catching sight of Cece.

  Cece’s sexy, alluring nightgown left little to the imagination. Any hot-blooded male would want what Cece had to offer. And if Cece offered herself to Sky…

  Leia gripped the steering wheel tighter so she wouldn’t lose control of her car. She was already losing control of her mind and emotions. She didn’t know what to think! Why, why, why? Why was she even thinking such thoughts? Why was she imagining the worst?

  Leia felt so angry and confused. She was angry at herself for believing that voice in her head. She shouldn’t doubt herself and Sky.

  But what if…

  “I’m tired,” Leia whispered. “I need to sleep, and everything will be clearer, better in the morning.” I hope.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Leia looked out her bedroom window and saw Sky’s truck. After she got home and showered, she had seen Sky sitting in his truck in front of her house. Two hours later, he was still sitting there, watching her house.

  Leia felt hope and happiness surging through her heart. Sky was here. He wasn’t with Cece. He did care for her. He wanted to make sure she was all right.

  “Oh Sky,” she whispered. “I’m such a fool. How could I have ever doubted...”

  She was just about to unlock her front door and go to Sky when that voice in her head hissed angrily.

  Don’t be a fool. Don’t make a bloody fool of yourself, Leia.

  Shivering, Leia backed away from the door. It was that voice again. That voice had been telling her that she wasn’t good enough for Sky.

  Confused and hurt, Leia made herself walk away from the door and head towards her bedroom. She tucked herself into bed and pulled the covers up over her shoulders. She so badly wanted to open the door and run out to Sky, straight into his arms. But every time she was about to open the door and go to Sky, she would hear that voice in her head. And the voice would tell her that she wasn’t meant to be with Sky.

  You’re only deluding yourself.

  Was she? Was she delusional?

  Leia’s head throbbed and she squeezed her eyes shut. Why were all these doubts swirling around in her head? It made her head and heart hurt so bad. She wanted to go to Sky. She wanted to stay with him. She wanted him to hold her close and never let her go. She wanted him to claim and mark her as his.

  But he hasn’t done that, has he?

  Leia jerked at the whisper in her head. It was that voice again. The voice was louder this time and it definitely didn’t sound like her own. It sounded like someone else was speaking in her head.

  Leia sat up and looked around her bedroom. She was alone in bed. There was no one else around.

  She slumped back on her pillows and closed her eyes.

  Dragon shifters mark their mates with fire. But he hasn’t given you his dragon fire, has he? He just fucked you and fucked you over. And y
ou went and made dinner for his family! How pathetic….so sad and desperate…

  Leia snapped her eyes open, her heart pounding. That voice, that snide, breathy voice that kept echoing in her head—it wasn’t her voice. It was someone else’s.

  Leia scrambled out of bed and looked around the room. The shadows stared back at her, and all Leia heard was her own ragged breathing. “Who’s there?” she whispered. “Who are you?” she demanded. “Show yourself!”

  There was no answer.

  She was sure now that the voice came from somewhere else, someone else. Someone was in her head. Someone was saying all those ugly words to her, messing with her head.

  Leia whirled towards the window. She yanked the curtains back and looked out. Sky wasn’t in his truck.

  His truck was still there but it was empty.

  He’s left. He doesn’t want you. He never wanted you…

  “Shut up!” Leia shrieked “Shut up and get the hell out of my head!”

  She heard laughter.

  Leia gasped. She recognized that laughter.

  “Cece,” she whispered. It was Cece’s cold, mocking laughter.

  Leia snapped on the light on her bedside table. “Where are you?” she shouted. How did Cece get into her house?

  Grabbing a pen off the table, Leia pulled a pillow to her chest and walked slowly to the door. Wrenching her bedroom door open, she thrust the pen and pillow out in front of her like a sword and a shield.

  There was no one there.

  Leia narrowed her eyes, swearing to find Cece. That bitch had gone too far.

  She lowered the pillow and stepped out into the corridor. Carefully, Leia walked around the whole house, checking all the doors and windows. Everything was securely locked, and everything was in place.

  “She’s not here,” Leia said aloud. All the lights in her house were on. There was nowhere anyone could hide.

  “I heard her,” Leia said to her pillow. “I know I did. I didn’t imagine her voice, and those horrid words. So how...”

  Leia tensed when she heard a sound coming from the back of the house. It sounded like it was coming from the backyard.

  Leia was suddenly angry. Was Cece in her backyard all along? Maybe that crazy bitch connected some sort of wire or device to her wall so she could transmit her voice into Leia’s bedroom and spook her?

  She was trying to scare Leia away so she could have Sky all to herself. Leia snarled and wrenched her back door open.

  “Come out and face me! If you have something to say to me, say it to my face,” Leia yelled.

  Lightning flashed as a shadow detached itself from the darkness. Leia’s eyes rounded when she saw a black and white bird with glowing red eyes and a gleaming golden beak. As the bird stalked towards her, it spread its wings wide and a bolt of lightning hit the ground in front of it. Leia staggered back, raising her arms over her head.

  As she backed away, she saw the bird change shape. A man now stood before her with his arms spread wide.

  “You!” she gasped as the man bared his golden fangs at her. “You...”

  It was her attacker. The monster in the alley.

  Leia turned and charged back into the house, but the man was too fast. He lunged forward and grabbed her hair. Before she could scream, he slammed her head against the wall and Leia whimpered as she slid down the wall.

  She could feel blood dripping down her face as her vision wavered and the world went black.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Sky got out of his truck and stared at Leia’s house. She was clearly in bed by now. He’d tried to call her but she refused to pick up her phone. She just wanted to be left alone.

  Sky paced the sidewalk, deep in thought. He only stopped pacing when he heard a whisper.

  “Sky Fireblood...”

  Someone was calling his name.

  Sky jerked his head up and squinted at the fog that was rolling in from the other end of the street. The fog parted and he saw Cece. She was standing on the street corner, her back to him.

  What was she doing here in the middle of the night?

  As he approached her slowly, he heard her chanting under her breath.

  Sky glanced up and saw the full moon shining overhead. The witches back in Howling Hills always used the full moon to renew the protection wards around their homes. One of the witches explained to Sky that the power of the full moon was the most potent for casting spells, wards and hexes.

  So what was Cece doing?

  Was she using the power of the full moon to cast a ward, a spell or a hex?

  “Cece,” Sky said, stopping a few feet from her.

  The witch raised her head and continued chanting. Sky couldn’t make out her words but her voice had grown louder, her tone more commanding.

  “Cece,” Sky said sharply, moving towards her. He had a feeling that she wasn’t up to anything good. He didn’t know magic but the words coming out of the witch’s mouth sounded harsh and evil. Protection spells didn’t sound like that.

  He glanced back at Leia’s house. He wasn’t going to allow Cece to cast a dark spell down Leia’s street.

  He moved to grab her arm but Cece turned around and smiled at him. “Sky Fireblood.”

  “What are you doing out here?” Sky demanded.

  “I could ask you the same question,” Cece said smoothly. “What is keeping you awake this night? Do you fear for your brothers, or your female?”

  Cece glided towards him and ran a sharp fingernail down his clenched jaw. “Relax, Sky. Tell you what. You tell me all your secrets, and I’ll tell you mine. We are alike, in so many ways. We’ll be so good together. I can give you so much more.”

  Sky snarled. “There’s nothing that I want from you.”

  “Ah, you’re wrong. Your dragon has risen, and it is hungry. I can satisfy your dragon, Sky. You...are a very sexy, strong, powerful man, Sky. And I love power. Some people are afraid of power. They think it corrupts and taints the mind and soul. Those people are weak.”

  Cece laughed and pressed closer to Sky. “But you are not weak, Sky. A dragon is an ancient, violent, fiery beast, but you can control your dragon. Not many people can control such a terrible beast. To collar a monster and make it do your bidding,” Cece hissed in his ear. “That is true power.”

  Sky kept his eyes on her. “What exactly do you want, Cece?”

  She smiled. “I want you, Sky. I want your dragon fire.”

  His eyes blazed as his dragon roared inside his head. His dragon would only mark his mate with his dragon fire.

  Cece saw his eyes glow with the fury of his dragon. “Do you think a small, weak human can take your dragon fire?” she sneered. “You need a woman like me. You’re not planning on staying in Shadow Point, are you? This town can’t hold a dragon like you. Come with me, Sky. After I’m done, after I’ve gotten what I want, I will leave this town to rot.”

  Sky lurched forward and gripped her wrist. They both knew he could snap her wrist like a matchstick.

  “Leave the people of Shadow Point alone,” he snarled.

  Cece chuckled. “This isn’t your town.”

  His green eyes flashed. “Yes it is. I belong here.” And I belong to her.

  Sky watched the smile fade from Cece’s face. Her eyes turned fully black as she glared at him.

  “Stay then. Stay here in this small town and waste your life away, dragon,” she spat.

  A slow, dangerous smile began to spread across the witch’s face. “Your youngest brother, Seath, seems like such a sweet boy. I can help his dragon rise.”

  “Stay away from Seath,” Sky snapped. “If you lay a finger on him...”

  Cece laughed as he flung her hand away in revulsion and rage. She snapped her fingers and a dense fog moved in to wrap around her. The mist swirled around the witch, curling and rising at her feet.

  “You are still my first choice, Sky,” she cooed as she walked backwards into the gathering fog. “Your dragon is the oldest and the fiercest, the most
powerful...”

  Her laughter faded.

  Sky gave chase but she was gone.

  The fog cleared and he was standing alone on the street.

  Sky turned and rushed back to Leia’s house. All the lights were on and he could scent something evil in her house.

  Shit! He should have been watching her house. He shouldn’t have left.

  That cunning witch had lured him away. It was all a trick, a ploy…

  Sky put his shoulder to the door and rammed it open. He charged into the house, trying to find Leia.

  Her scent was all over the house, lingering in the air.

  The back door was wide open, and there was blood on the wall.

  “Leia!” he roared.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Leia opened her eyes and saw blurry shapes in front of her. She blinked and the shapes straightened to become black, vertical bars.

  She pushed herself up and immediately, the world tilted. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to take deep breaths until the giddiness subsided.

  She sat up slowly this time. Getting to her knees, she blinked the bars into focus.

  A cage. She was staring at a huge cage.

  But she wasn’t in it.

  She was lying just outside the cage.

  A shadow moved within the cage, and blood red eyes blinked at her.

  Leia bit down a cry and scrabbled back as a clawed hand reached out and tried to grab her.

  “No, no, no…” she whimpered, scrambling back until her back hit a wall.

  There was a clicking sound, and Leia saw the man stand up and walk to the front of the cage. His claws clicked loudly as he paced to and fro, his body twitching uncontrollably. She stared at his taloned feet and his sharp black claws.

  She frowned at the creature, not comprehending why he was in the cage. He had attacked her in her backyard, but now he was the one in the cage, not her.