by Julia Mills
Completely immersed in the change, Claire was caught unaware as the vibrant gold and red of her flames flashed to the deep hues of purple and blue. Her eyes shot open. Anger and rage chased away the happiness she’d only just found. Her feathers retreated. Goose bumps covered her skin. Her hands returned to their human form as she jumped to her feet and ran toward home.
Dark clouds filled the sky. Thunder rolled and lightning clashed. Frosty gusts of wind chased her up the mountain as petals and leaves that had been ripped from their plants dotted the landscape. Claire’s jaw ached from her grimace as she threw open the door of her cabin.
Racing to the old wooden trunk at the foot of her bed, the matriarch retrieved the bronze blade that had belonged to every Leader of the Clan of the Sun since the beginning of time. Turning on her heel, she sped out the back door and headed straight into the storm.
I’ll show you who’s boss, buster.
Unlike the dragon, the griffin knew of her existence and wasn’t wasting any time letting his intentions be known. He wasn’t waiting for the phoenix to make her decision or even bothering to ask the question. Malick Slade was just as ruthless as his reputation stated. He was on a seek and possess mission, with Claire the prize to be won.
He was the creature mothers warned their children about. He was the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Malick Slade was looking to steal not only her soul and her freedom, but her power as well. Had Claire been a lesser being, she was sure she’d have been fooled by his rakish charm and roguish good looks. He was tall with wide shoulders and a tapered waist; more of a swimmer’s body than a footballer’s.
In every picture she’d ever seen of him, he wore his thick ebony hair in a style that made him look laid back but also put together. Dressed in the latest fashions definitely meant to impress whoever he was with, his smile was that of a shark and his black eyes soulless. He looked like the well-to-do millionaire, but what bothered her, what not even photographs could hide, was the evil that tainted everything he touched.
Standing in the clearing behind her house, the matriarch closed her eyes and cleared her mind. Wrapping her fist around the bronze blade engraved with the spear of Lugh, Claire let the words that would call upon the power of the ancients fill her heart as she sliced through the palm of her hand.
I seek the power of the Sun, the power of the gods, the power of the ones that came before me, and the power in my undying belief that what I do is for the good of all.
Squeezing the blade with all her strength, Claire threw back her head, opened her eyes, and shouted, “Be gone, Malick Slade. Take your darkness far from these lands. Let it be known that neither you nor any of the Griffin Clan are welcome here. I revoke the treaty with our clans and close the borders of territory belonging to the Clan of the Sun. Let my commandment be sealed with the blood of Lugh himself as it runs from my veins.”
The last word was still warm on her lips when bolts of lightning shot from the sky. Electricity filled the air. The ground trembled beneath her feet. The smell of burning foliage and scorched earth filled her senses. Not willing to give into the griffin’s intimidation, Claire stood strong, staring into the eye of the storm, seeing the hatred and contempt bleeding from Malick’s filthy soul.
“Bow down, Claire. Give in to Fate. We are destined to be together. Destined to rule the world,” the griffin’s deep, confident voice boomed from above.
Chuckling sarcastically, Claire shook her head as she responded, “We? There is no we, Malick. There never has been nor will there ever be. Go home. You’re embarrassing yourself.”
Malick roared, “How dare you speak to me like that? You are my chosen mate and nothing you say or do can change what will be.”
Unwilling to listen to anymore of the griffin’s bullshit, Claire let go of the blade and turned to her left. She’d taken exactly one step when lightning struck the ground right in front of her foot.
Malick growled, “I will not be dismissed. You will submit or pay the consequences.”
Fury unlike anything she’d ever felt flared to life. Deep, dark crimson colored her vision. Acting on pure instinct, pushed beyond all reasonable thought, Claire spun around and raised her hands toward the Heavens. Without any thought, phoenix fire flew from her fingertips. Malick howled in pain as the mere image of the malevolent griffin burned from the sky.
Claire continued her assault until ash and soot covered the ground around her. Falling to her knees, spent from expending such a great amount of power, the matriarch trembled as tears ran down her face. She’d known there’d be a fight. Had been ready for it for years, but nothing could’ve prepared her for the unadulterated rage she felt from what should’ve been a simple metaphysical contact with the griffin. It only confirmed what she’d known all along; she would never stray from the light.
Months passed and Claire settled into a new routine that included learning all she could about the dragons. Specifically, Rory O’Reilly. Research had never been her strong suit. The gods knew she’d only ever done just enough of her studies to be allowed to run and play with the other children. More than once she’d been grounded for half-done homework and daydreaming instead of studying. But this time it was different. This time, more than bad report cards and a new pair of skates were at stake—this one was for all the marbles.
Starting with her aunties, the Elders of all the Aviary Shifters, Claire had been surprised at how little information they had about the dragons. It seemed they were just as mysterious and secretive as the phoenix. Never one to give up, the matriarch called in tons of favors and made more promises than she probably should have just to get her hands on any real information about the clan that was her mate’s.
Auntie Lillian, an eagle shifter, had spent some time with a small clan of dragons in her younger years and shared the story of their existence. Claire was amazed to learn of the sacrifice both dragon and man had made to ensure their mutual existence. It had been a choice, not something they’d simply been given from the gods or inherited from their kin. An honest to goodness choice made by Rory’s ancestors to do what was right. To make the selfless decision to help not only an entire race but the whole world. Claire was filled with pride to know the Universe deemed her worthy to be the mate of one with such honor.
Getting information about dragon kin had been difficult enough, but finding anything other than vital statistics about Rory O’Reilly had been damned near impossible. More than once, she’d entertained deepening their connection and searching her mate’s thoughts for the information she so desperately wanted. It would’ve been easy enough. Their connection was becoming second nature to her and he had yet to sense her presence. No one would’ve ever known.
But...it would’ve been wrong and Claire would have known. Worse than that, she would’ve been starting the most important relationship of her very long life with deception—not something that would bode well with the gods or her conscience. So, the phoenix continued to call everyone she’d ever known and some she didn’t until she had every bit of information about the O’Reilly’s she could find, which was still little to nothing.
About a year into her search, Claire’s Auntie Seraphina, a dove shifter and the Spiritual Leader of their kin, came for a visit. As luck would have it, the dove had become friends with a lone dragon by the name of Maddox. It took several days for the elderly dragon to arrive for a visit, and when he did, Claire wondered about his sanity. He seemed to have trouble staying on topic or holding a thought and was prone to tangents about anything and everything. Getting the details she wanted was challenging, but in the end, the mad dragon was incredibly useful. By the time he left they were fast friends.
She learned that Rory’s older brother was the Leader of the Blue Dragons, just as his father had been before him. It broke her heart to learn of the death of their mother and sister and the toll it took on their father. It was surprising to learn that the middle O’Reilly brother belonged to another clan, but then again, after all they’d suffered she sup
posed it made sense. Everyone deals with grief in their own way. Claire had laughed until she cried when Maddox finally spoke of Rory.
“The boy’s a damn fool, I tell ya’.” She couldn’t decide if it was his words or his thick brogue that tickled her so. Either way, the phoenix was captivated by the mad dragon’s tales of her mate.
“The boy’s been a handful since the day he was born. Ronin, their daddy, used to swear Rory came out with a cheeky grin, a twinkle in his eye, and piss and vinegar running through his veins. There’s never a time he can’t, won’t, or hasn’t made a joke but don’t let that fool ya’; he’s sharp as a tack with a heart of gold. One of the best I’ve seen with a sword and a mind like a steel trap. You’ll think he’s not paying attention, messing around and acting a joker, but don’t be fooled. Our Rory doesn’t miss a thing. He’s warrior through and through just like his daddy before him and his before him.”
The pride Claire could hear in Maddox’s voice made her smile. Rory sounded like the perfect mate. She knew her aunties wanted her to rush to find him, just as all the others before her had done, but the matriarch would not. She’d decided long ago it was not her way.
Malick had already made his intentions known and she’d given her absolute no, so all that was left was to wait for Rory. She knew it could be years, but she had to know it was what he wanted, not something she had forced upon him. The Universe had chosen well for her and Claire believed Rory would come around when the time was right.
The sounds of an approaching vehicle pulled the phoenix from her memories. Using her extraordinary senses, Claire sought the identity of the new member of their caravan, only to come up empty handed. Magic coated not only the vehicle but also its occupants. Thankfully, it felt like a simple Concealment Spell, but it still bristled her feathers. Why would anyone hide who they are?
When they’re up to no good...
Looking to the sky, she confirmed that Malick’s henchmen were still tracking her from behind dark clouds. She’d felt their presence the moment she’d left the security of her mountain but hadn’t worried much. She could take the underlings in a fight. Griffins were fierce in battle and would do anything to win, but over the years, they’d depended too heavily on their muscle and not enough on their brains. They were slow and stupid, all brawn, no brains. If they tried to take her by force, Claire would be ready. If all else failed, the dragons and their allies, the werepanthers, were both close behind. She’d just have to stall.
Any other time, Claire would’ve waited for them to come and fetch her. It was the way of the phoenix and most definitely what her mother would’ve instructed her to do. But time was not a luxury her Rory had. The fear of losing him overrode everything else. When she touched his mind, she could feel the hellhound toxin racing to his heart, trying to take his life, and that was not something she was going to let happen. Time was of the essence if the phoenix wanted the future she so desperately longed for.
Needing to think of something other than Rory laying helpless and in pain, Claire wondered about the alliance between the ancient warriors and the werepanthers. Dragons and cats were not naturally friends. At least from the little she knew of both races, their temperaments seemed to be polar opposites. What she’d learned of her Rory’s kin led her to believe they were honorable, loyal warriors to the core and well, the different cat shifters she’d met over the years had proved to be arrogant, mouthy, and generally a pain in the ass. Claire figured her Auntie Veronica, a hawk shifter and the comedian of their family, was right when she said, “Don’t be the canary when the cat comes along.”
Flying over the last crest in the road before the turn off to the lair of the Blue Thunder Clan and her dragon, Claire used her considerable magic to poke and prod at the mystical bubble hiding the identity of the men pursuing her. Searching for a weak spot...anything that would tell her if they were friend or foe, since they’d appeared out of nowhere. Red flags were popping up all over the place. Nothing about this situation felt right. Her instincts were screaming these people are not your friends.
In a snap decision, Claire gripped the throttle of her Harley, gunned the motor, and said a prayer to the gods to keep her mate safe as she sailed past the narrow dirt road she should’ve taken to reach the dragon lair. A detour was in order. She would not lead whoever was tailing her to the dragons. Not until she knew who they were and what they were after.
The whine of the engine of the black SUV as it attempted to keep up with her made Claire smile. She knew she could outrun them if necessary but, at the moment, her plans included leading them to a deserted valley and getting much needed answers. Opening her senses wider, it wasn’t a surprise to see the werepanthers and dragons still following. She could feel their confusion and wished for a way to communicate with them. They were all apparently sure the ‘woman’ had missed her turn off.
No boys, just taking the scenic route.
Happy for the backup, Claire settled in for the twenty-mile drive to the mountain pass. She was happy to find Rory fast asleep when she touched his mind for the hundredth time since she’d left home three days ago. As long as he was drugged and sleeping his heart would remain slow and steady, giving her the time she needed to get rid of her unwanted shadows and make it back to him.
These are tears I won’t mind shedding.
Taking the last corner before the valley like she’d taken a million other corners since she rode her first motorcycle at the age of twelve, Claire looked up just in time to see her very long life flash before her eyes. Horn blaring, curses flying from her mouth like she was a drunken sailor on shore leave, the phoenix jerked her Harley to the right and then to the left. She threw all her weight one way and then the other, like she was riding the Scrambler at the county fair, maneuvering with every trick she knew to avoid a collision. Rocks and broken bits of asphalt flew in every direction as she gripped the brakes with all her might, willing the bike to stay upright.
Tires screeching against the asphalt and the smell of burning rubber assaulted her senses as the battle to avoid smacking into the back end of the large silver moving van parked in the middle of the road continued as the thick metal bumper of the truck raced toward her face. Forcing the handlebars to the right and throwing her body into the turn, Claire felt the breeze as the corner of the bumper narrowly missed her head. Struggling to correct out of the violent turn, the front tire of her Harley hit a pothole, hurtling the phoenix and the bike toward imminent destruction.
From that moment forward, the world moved in slow motion. It was as if she was watching the entire incident from outside her body. Shoving with all her might, Claire did everything possible to avoid being trapped under the enormous weight of her beautiful bright red Soft Tail as it toppled to the side. She pushed against the handlebars. Beat at the seat with her fists. Even kicked at the frame with her free foot, but it was all for naught. Metal met asphalt. Her hip and leg were trapped. Claire could do nothing but hold on and pray for the excruciating torture to end. She howled in pain as skin and muscle ripped from her bones while she slid across the asphalt. Flashes of light hit her eyes like a disco ball in the club as her head bounced against the pavement. Rocks and dirt embedded in every uncovered patch of skin. The world became a blur of black and gray as she slid toward the ditch. There was absolutely no escape from crashing and burning.
Agonizing pain shot through her body. Tears streamed down her face. Horrifying screams like a dying animal echoed off the surrounding landscape mere seconds before she identified them as her own. Lifting her head as something soft and wet touched her cheek, Claire’s eyes opened just in time to witness her impact with the unforgiving trunk of a large pine tree.
The sound of crushing metal and splintering wood echoed in her ears. Of their own volition, her eyes slid shut and her body went limp. Time stood still. Chalking up her momentary feelings of euphoria to shock, Claire screamed in agony and her eyes flew open as her Harley was lifted from her body and thrown – literally – over the
shoulder of a huge, blurry man-like blob.
Damn! Wish I could see....
Attempting to roll over, Claire held in her scream of pain before falling back onto the ground. Her head spun and her breakfast threatened to make a hasty appearance. Two more blurry blobs joined the first and they just stood there, not moving, right out of reach...staring at her from the little bit she could actually see. Rapidly blinking her eyes, Claire tried to focus, but only shadowy figures came into view.
“Who the hell are you and what do you want?” she demanded, trying to sound as threatening as possible while lying flat on her back and bleeding all over the ground.
Holding her breath, Claire waited for a response, a movement, anything that said they heard her, or at the very least understood what she was saying. But nothing came. It was as if her words had frozen them in place. Frustration was adding to the pain shooting through every cell in her body, making the phoenix wonder if passing out would be better than laying helpless, waiting to be attacked or abducted while her extraordinary healing abilities mended her broken body. By her calculations it would be at least an hour before she could sit up without throwing up or passing out, and even though she now knew two of the men standing around her were human, she still had no clue of the origin of the hulk who’d hurled her Harley into the woods.
Ya’ gotta love a head injury and a concussion. They make the worst situation seem manageable. Good times...
Carefully taking a deep breath, Claire changed her tactics, hoping damsel in distress would work better than commanding bitch. “Hey, guys, can you help a girl out?”
Apparently, that was their call to action, for in the blink of an eye, the hulk gently but firmly laid her over his shoulder, turned, and headed back toward the road. White hot spears of pain threatened to tear Claire’s body apart. The world spun out of control. Black dots filled her vision. She gagged as her stomach rolled. Talking a deep breath, she tried with all her might not to throw up all over the man hopefully carrying her to safety.