by Jodi Redford
Her grumbles petered off when realization finally broke over the horizon. They were at the fairgrounds. Which meant out-of-state vendors were around.
She let out a blistering scream. Then another. By the time her voice resembled Raul’s after he’d inhaled a carton of cigarettes, she came to the conclusion they were alone. “Where is everyone?”
“Casino night.”
“How come I wasn’t invited?” Oh yeah, Dana. Clearly your lack of popularity is what you should be focusing on right now. “What about the security guards?”
“Drugged ’em. They’ll be sleeping like babies till the sun comes up.”
A crushing sense of defeat pummeled her. She’d given herself laryngitis for no reason and she was about to be sacrificed by a guy in flame-retardant chain mail. This day was getting suckier and suckier.
They passed through the castle gates. The row of food and artist shacks looked eerie and abandoned in the moonlight. Lifting her gaze to the glowing sickle overhead, she caught her breath. She’d always been mesmerized by the moon but tonight it tugged at something inside her, strong enough that for a nanosecond of time she forgot everything else.
She came crashing back to reality when Tony ran over a rock, jostling the wagon. Bouncing in her plastic prison, she stared at the flicker of lights in the distance. The jousting ring was ablaze, or at least it appeared that way. They drew closer and she could see the torches flanking the tournament arena. Obviously Tony was big into flashy spectacles.
He unlatched the gate and wheeled her into the corner of the field. The restraint strap released with a frippp and Tony lifted her from the wagon. She still couldn’t get over how easily he hefted her around. Maybe that pesky extra ten pounds was finally starting to hit the road. Again, something she probably shouldn’t be focusing on at the moment. “You do realize you don’t have a chance in hell of beating Aiden in a fight. He’s a freakin’ dragon, for God’s sake.”
“Any beast can be killed. It just requires the skill of a master slayer.” Tony backed her against one of the jousting ring’s tall support posts and slapped her bound wrists into the shackle dangling overhead.
Jeez, the guy must have stock in a shackle manufacturer to be able to afford so many pairs.
He walked into the center of the field and propped open the lid of the long wooden crate resting in the dirt. The blazing torches provided plenty of illumination for her to make out the fancy rifle she’d seen him with at the cemetery. She swallowed against the surge of bile rising in her esophagus. “What kind of master slayer requires a gun?”
“The kind who knows how to hedge his bets.” Tony set the rifle aside and pulled a sword and shield from the recesses of the crate. Torchlight reflected off the blade’s silvered surface, glinting wickedly. He tossed down the shield. Drawing his arms up, he parried with an invisible foe, the sword carving the night air. Faster and faster the blade swooped, making her dizzy. With a sinking in her gut, she silently acknowledged that he definitely possessed mad swordsman skills. Heavy emphasis on the mad part.
Out of the blue, the image of the tarot card from her last reading came hurtling onto her mental big screen. Other than the big honkin’ horse, the scene commencing in front of her fit the bill to a T.
Knight? Check. Sword? Check. Nasty enemy who’s off his rocker? Double check. “Haddie will never let me live this down.”
Tony abruptly stopped his whirling-dervish routine and lowered his sword. Unrestrained excitement radiated from him. Following his gaze to the eastern sky, she gasped. Six dragons raced amongst the scuttling clouds, descending toward the field with mind-boggling speed.
Oh man. She felt sorry for anyone flying the friendly skies who potentially crossed paths with that squadron. The poor folks must be thinking the stewardess slipped an extra mini bottle of gin in their tonic.
The torches sputtered, spitting fire as they caught the downdraft of the approaching Drakoni. In flawless syncopation, each dragon coasted toward a section of the jousting ring, the gossamer-like membrane of their wings ballooning with air like a ship’s sail. She easily picked Aiden out from the bunch. Besides having seen him in countless dreams, the electrical current ricocheting along her spine provided its own verification.
God, he was magnificent. Beautiful. His iridescent green scales gleaming brilliantly against the midnight blue curtain of sky.
Each dragon touched down, Aiden claiming the post directly across from Tony. He flapped his wings once before folding them against his massive body. Inhaling with a sharp snort, he slashed his gaze in her direction. Outrage flickered in his irises, accompanied a second later by smoke funneling from his nostrils. He took a step toward her and she shook her head.
“I’m fine. Just kick the son of a bitch’s ass so we can go home.”
Aiden returned his attention to Tony and adopted a smile that’d make a crocodile nervous. “Gladly.” He jumped from his perch, landing with a fluid grace that still managed to make the ground quake.
Tony staggered back and lifted his sword, his bravado armed and ready. “You figured out the clues I left in the hotel room. I knew I’d chosen the perfect adversary.”
“You’re going to regret making that choice.” Aiden lunged forward, narrowly missing the swipe of Tony’s sword, and snapped at his opponent’s heels. Caught unawares by Aiden’s unexpected location of attack, Tony stumbled. Laughing with maniacal delight, he righted himself and rushed at Aiden. His sword arced low, seeking the vulnerable target of Aiden’s underbelly. Slashing his forked tail sideways, Aiden deflected the blow and sent Tony somersaulting through the air. Tony thudded into the dirt with a grunt, dust billowing around him.
Aiden’s tail flicked in a way that was almost mocking. “This is the best you’ve got? My six-year-old cousin offers better challenge than your pathetic display.”
Tony lifted to his feet, his expression a tad less cocky. “I wasn’t completely warmed up yet.”
Aiden gave a low bow. “Whenever you’re ready.”
His mouth tightening, Tony gripped the hilt of his sword and took position. “I’m going to enjoy killing you. Immensely.”
“Likewise.”
The pair crouched in a combative pose, their nimble footwork an intricate dance as they countered the other’s strike. Tony circled to the left, keeping a safe distance from the wicked threat of Aiden’s tail. His sword swooped, glancing off the plate of scales covering Aiden’s forearm. “All hunters are going to envy me, even while they praise my name. I’ll go down in the history books as the only one of us brave enough to start the war between slayers and dragons.”
“Don’t mistake courage for stupidity.” Aiden’s front right talon scratched the earth. “Perhaps you need a lesson to remind you of the dangers of tangling with an opponent capable of flame-broiling your hide.” A warning blast of steam erupted from Aiden’s nostrils before he let loose a torrential flame. Tony ducked and rolled, grabbing for the small shield that lay discarded by the crate. He raised it in front of his face, deflecting the fire’s fury.
The flame receded and Tony lurched to his feet, charging forward with a triumphant battle cry. Aiden dove to the side to avoid the oncoming blow but miscalculated the trajectory of the sword. Its tip sank into the meat of his shoulder.
A scream rent the air. Dana didn’t realize she’d produced the sound until five pairs of dragons’ eyes swept in her direction. Ignoring the heat of their gazes, she stared at Aiden, willing him to be okay. With an eardrum-blasting roar, he swung his head, dislodging the sword and knocking Tony onto his ass. Dana’s breath gushed free, her heart descending from her throat.
Tony scrabbled in the dirt, trying to gain his footing, but Aiden’s talon slammed into the chain mail, pinning him in place. The torchlight ringing the field reflected a million times over in Aiden’s eyes, mirroring the fierce fire of his expression.
“I’ve grown tired of this bullshit.” Aiden’s gaze swept the other dragons scattered around the field. “Who’s in
the mood for a crunchy, late-night snack?”
Tony’s face went ghostly white. If Aiden’s threat had been delivered with the intent of making Tony crap his pants, he’d more than likely succeeded. “I-if you kill me, you’ll only reveal yourself as the evil beast you are. Do you really want her to witness your true savagery?”
Dana could see the moment the doubt housed itself in Aiden’s mind. She started to cry out to him that she would never look upon him that way, but he released Tony and stepped back.
Aiden grabbed the sword and planted its tip beneath Tony’s chin. “Only for her will I let you live. But if you ever come near my loved ones again, you’ll discover precisely how savage I am.”
Retracting the sword, Aiden effortlessly bent the blade into an L shape before flinging it to the ground. He began walking away and Tony leapt to his feet, the rifle clutched in his fist. In slow motion, Dana stared in horror, another scream welling in her chest as the weapon’s muzzle arced in Aiden’s direction.
A blur of motion came from the sidelines when five dragons swooped from their posts simultaneously. Jace reached their quarry first, the impact of his collision sending Tony flailing for purchase. For a split second Tony was airborne, the next he was rammed back to earth, the force of his own weight impaling him on the upturned section of the sword. A rattling groan shook through him before he slumped in a dead sprawl. Literally. Apparently his chain mail wasn’t sword retardant.
Leaving the others to gape at the now-lifeless Tony, Aiden shifted into his human form and ran to her. He clasped her tight, his arms trembling around her. “I thought I’d lost you. Don’t ever fucking do that to me again.”
She kissed him, pressing her mouth against the frantic pulse beating in his neck. “I won’t.” The coppery scent of blood drifted to her nose and she panicked. “He hurt you.”
“I’m fine. It’s just a scrape.”
“Bullshit. Let me out of these shackles.”
“Why? So you can kiss and make it better?”
“No, so I can club you over the head for being such a blockhead.”
Grinning, he ripped the shackle from the post just as Jace came galloping up. “Perfect timing.” He extended her manacled wrists toward Jace. “Mind springing my woman?”
“Your woman?” She sniffed. “Isn’t that rather sexist?”
“Better get used to it.”
Jace inserted the tip of his talon into the hinge and the shackle sprang open. Next he sliced through the ropes binding her wrists. The second she was free, she threw her arms around Aiden and kissed the daylights out of him. In between desperate nips, licks and nibbles, she poured out the words she’d kept locked away. “I love you. God, I love you so much.”
Resting his forehead against hers, he cupped her cheeks. “I think I’ve waited my entire life to hear you say that.” Pressing a soft kiss to her lips, he pulled back. “I can’t give you normal. But my heart is yours. Always.”
“I don’t need normal. Just you.”
The sound of a throat clearing drew Dana away from Aiden. She turned and discovered two more dragons had joined them. One was definitely larger—close to the same size as Jace—with dark green scales. The more petite one had scales as white as alabaster. Both dragons eyed her with unabashed curiosity.
“Mom, Dad, I’d like you to meet Dana—my mate.”
Dana gasped and ran her palms over her severely rumpled blouse.
A soft chuckle floated from Aiden’s mom. “It’s okay, dear. We all look a little worse for wear.” She shifted her attention to Aiden. “The council members will be arriving soon at Emmaline’s restaurant. We don’t want to leave the poor woman alone and at the mercy of that tedious bunch.”
“Emmaline!” Dana’s hand flew to her mouth. “How is—”
“She’s fine,” Aiden said, stroking the nape of her neck. “I promised her I’d get you over to La Luna’s safe and sound, so once we get rid of the evidence of what happened here, we better hit the sky. We don’t need Emmaline sending a search party after us.”
Dana shuffled her feet. “Uh, in case you didn’t notice, I’m not equipped for flight like the rest of you.”
“Sweetheart, who needs wings when you can ride a dragon?”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Never in a million years did she think she’d be straddling the back of a dragon while the wind ripped through her hair. Hugging Aiden’s neck like her life depended on it—which quite frankly it did—she slammed her eyelids shut and tried not to think about the endless expanse of empty space between her and the ground.
“Everything okay back there?”
“F-fine.” Her teeth chattered spastically.
With a smooth glide, Aiden began descending. Dana didn’t risk opening her eyes until she no longer felt the wind’s insistent tug. They’d arrived in La Luna’s empty parking lot. She extended her leg and toppled off Aiden’s back. Far as graceful dismounts went it rated about a minus two.
Emmaline came running from the entrance and swept Dana into a hug. “Oh Lord, do you have any idea how crazy worried I’ve been?”
“Crazy seems to be the theme of the day.” Dana stared at the dried blood congealed on her aunt’s forehead. Hit all over again by how close she’d come to losing her loved ones, she started to cry. Emmaline joined in and they both stumbled into La Luna’s entryway, blubbering.
“Oh shoot.” Wiping her tear-stained cheeks, Emmaline broke away. “I forgot to let them know their clothes are waiting for them in the Navigator. We don’t need a bunch of naked dragons loitering outside.”
While her aunt rushed through the door, Dana hurried to the woman’s restroom. After availing herself of the toilet, she washed up the best she could and returned to the front of the restaurant. Aiden and Jace were sitting at the bar, a bottle of whiskey between them. At first she assumed the alcohol was for consuming—something she was fully onboard with at the moment—but then she saw the soaked strip of cloth Aiden was pressing to his shoulder. She turned her attention to Jace and noticed him threading a needle.
“Uh…guys? We do have a first-aid kit up by the hostess stand.”
“First-aid kits are for wimps.” Jace tied off the thread. “Plus his shirt was already ruined anyway.”
She took a closer look at the fabric bundled in Aiden’s hand and realized it was a shirt sleeve. “How very MacGyver of you.”
Voices suddenly filled the front entrance. Dana turned and counted at least fifteen people trooping toward them. She shook her head. “It’s like watching the opening of a joke. Fifteen dragons walk into a bar…”
Aiden and Jace hooted. Wincing, Aiden clamped his hand over the cloth compressed against his wound.
“Just a scrape, my ass.” She leaned over him, fully intending to check the injury for herself. He blocked her progress by cupping his free hand around the back of her head and sliding his lips over hers. She tasted a hint of whiskey on his breath. Ah, so he had resorted to some liquid courage.
The room seemed inordinately quiet all of a sudden. With the tiny hairs on her nape giving her a clue why, she swiveled and found fifteen sets of eyes glued to her and Aiden.
A rotund man with the coldest eyes she’d ever seen disengaged from the throng. “It’s six minutes to midnight. Unless you’re planning on the fastest binding ceremony of all time, you’ve failed your mission.”
Dana bristled at the stranger’s triumphant expression. “They’ve been dealing with a lunatic hunter all day. Cut them some slack.”
“Shut up, sacrifice.”
Aiden shot from his seat and in a blink of an eye, towered over the older male. “Do not speak to her like that. Or better yet, at all.” His jaw hardened. “Just because I didn’t give in to my instinct to kill Tony doesn’t mean you will fare so lucky.”
The tiniest hint of fear flickered across the features of the man facing Aiden. “Clearly you’ve developed an emotional attachment to the sacrifice. That alone is grounds for banishment.” He turned to
the grumbling assemblage. “It looks like we’ve come all this way for nothing since there will be no ceremony this evening.”
Aiden’s father stepped forward. “You are not the sole speaker of this council, Kinnit. We will go the proper channels and take it to a vote.”
“No, Kinnit’s right,” Aiden said, his voice thundering above the shouts of the others. “There won’t be a binding ceremony.”
Everyone’s attention veered to Aiden and the bickering petered off. Calmly, he returned their incredulous stares. “I’m renouncing my title of Supreme Alpha-elect. Furthermore, Dana and I won’t be returning with you. This is her home. She belongs here.”
Her heart overflowing with so much love it nearly hurt, Dana twined her fingers around Aiden’s. “But you’d be giving up everything for me. How can I ask that of you?”
“You’re not. I’m doing it of my own free will.” He lifted her hand and kissed the tips of her fingers. “You’re my home, sweetheart. I belong nowhere else.”
“You are a disgrace to the Drakoni name!”
Dana glared at Kinnit. “You are a vile little weasel, you know that? What’s your problem? Penis envy?” She ignored the snorts of laughter from the crowd and continued ranting. “Aiden is a good and honorable man. Dragon. You should be bending backwards, begging him to be your Holy Alpha.”
Aiden chuckled and squeezed her fingers. “Supreme Alpha, sweetheart.”
“Oh. Right.”
Kinnit smirked. “Regardless of your glowing recommendation, we simply cannot allow it. You’re no longer his sacrifice and he’s no longer the elect. Now, my son on the other hand—”
“Is dead. By his and your folly.”
The blood drained from Kinnit’s face and he staggered back. “Did you…?”
“No. Not that I wouldn’t have if I’d gotten to him first.”
A gray-haired gentleman in the middle of the pack suddenly spoke up. “We still have to come to a conclusion on the Supreme elect. And the way I see it, we still acquired our sacrifice.”