Paranormal Dating Agency: Aww Snap, Dragon (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Dragon Guard Book 31)

by Julia Mills

  Hurrying over, the Dragon dropped to his knees, touched the base of the man’s neck with the tips of his two middle fingers, breathing a sigh of relief when the Panther’s slow and sluggish pulse pushed back. Turning the man onto his back, the Tristan grimaced at the blisters, boils, cuts and gouges covering every inch of the Panther’s body.

  Carefully lifting the man into his arms, Tristan walked for miles searching for a place to clean the man’s wound and to nurse him back to health. Finally, just before the sun had completely set, he found a stream of fresh, clear water flowing into a deep abandoned cave.

  Making camp as far into the cavern as he could go, the Dragon spent the next three days tending the man’s wounds while letting Diarmuid force his healing magic into the Panther. Finally, when Tristan was sure he’d need to take the Cat to one of the nearby Prides, the man opened his eyes and pushed himself up to a sitting position.

  “Thank the Heavens. I was beginning to think you’d never wake up.”

  “I began to wonder myself.” The Panther’s voice was hoarse and gravelly from lack of use, further proved when the few words he’d caused him to cough, sputter and struggle to catch his breath, But, he was up and that gave Tristan hope.

  Handing the man a canteen of water, holding it steady as he took a long drink, the Dragon nodded, “My name’s Tristan.” Taking the bottle from the Panther’s hand when he was finished, Tristan added, “How long were you caught within the Obscured?”

  Shaking his head, his eyes haunted by memories of what he’d been through, the Panther shook Tristan’s hand as he deflected the Dragon’s question by replying, “I’m Maximillian Prentice, but please call me Max.” Clearing his throat, he paused for a moment then nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. “To the best of my knowledge, I was trapped for almost three days.” Running his hand across the scars lining his forearm, the Max went on, “I was traveling back to my Pride and stopped at one of our smaller Lairs to check on a litter of Pumas when the…the…What did you call it?”

  “The Obscured.”

  “Si, yes, the Obscured struck. It was like a giant vacuum devouring everything in its path. I called forth my Panther, lunged into the mist thinking I could rescue the Pumas only to find that I was all alone.” Scratching at the whiskers covering his jaw, Max went on, “They all vanished. Just gone without a trace. When the…the…Obscured,” the Panther’s voice cracked, “Spat me out, I ran for nearly an entire day trying to catch up to it, to find my Cats, to preserve the last of a Royal lineage.”

  “Tristan? Tristan, did you hear me?” Sebastian’s voice cut through the memories, dragging the Dragon back to reality.

  Looking at the Tiger then at his mate and finally at Max, Tristan returned his gaze to Sebastian as he shrugged, “Sorry, got lost in my own mind. What did you say?”

  Before the Tiger could answer, Max spoke up, laying his hand on Tristan’s shoulder but looking at Felicity as he replied, “Sebastian and I will leave you two alone to discuss the next steps.”

  Dropping his hand and heading towards the door, the King called over his shoulder, “You too, Miguel. Let us leave Tristan and his Fairy alone.”

  Tension dancing upon his every nerve, anger that he’d let his memories divert his attention from what was most important – saving Bitsy, frustration that he’d caused the whole blasted mess and most of all, fear that Felicity would never accept him as her mate, tipped Tristan over the edge of sanity. Sticking both feet and half his arm straight into his mouth, the Dragon glared at his Fairy and demanded in a truly belligerent tone, “Well, what the hell is going on? Why are you looking at me like I have one eye, warts and no front teeth? Yes! I let my mind wander. Yes! I am an arrogant asshole. I’m just trying to do what’s right. Talk to me. What do we need to do to get Bitsy better? Just tell me and I’ll make it happen. Stop making me feel bad for being at least partially human.”

  Doubling down and adding showing his ass to his long list of offences when Felicity remained silent, Tristan ripped his hand from hers, took a step back and roared, “Will you just tell me? Stop icing me out? Kick me. Spit in my face. For god’s sake, do something. This bloody silent treatment is driving me fucking nuts.”

  Still silent, but instantly closing the distance between them, her brow furrowed so tightly he could barely see her lovely lavender eyes, Felicity’s magic popped, snapped, and crackled in the air. The fierce magenta glow of her fiery rage painted the stark white walls of the Clinic making it appear as if hundreds had been massacred as Felicity accented every word she snarled with a sharp poke to his chest. “He said that you are Bitsy’s only hope and that we have to be formally mated to save my sister, you stupid jackass.”

  Switching from her finger to her fist and adding the other hand to the mix, she pounded on his chest, painfully zapping him for added effect as she thundered, “But, don’t you worry, Asshole. I’d rather turn myself into a Redcap and kiss a dog’s ass before I get stuck with the likes of you.”

  Turning her back, Felicity snapped her fingers and as Tristan was flying from the room, she added, “Forget you ever met me.”

  Chapter Seven

  “I’ve never been so mad in my entire life,” Felicity ranted, praying Bitsy would open her eyes and tell her to shut up. “Who the hell does he think he is? Did you hear him yell at me?”

  Starting to pace, needing to burn off the excess energy while trying to think of a way to save her sister without having to ask for the idiot Dragon’s help, she stopped dead in her tracks, slapped the heel of her hand to her forehead and spun back towards her sister. “Why am I so stupid? How could I not have thought of Aunt Esme? I know you’re thinking why don’t I just call Josie and Mary Beth or Mom and Dad, and well, it would be because Sebastian pretty much said it would be a waste of time, and…if I can save you without bringing their hysterics into the picture, I’m gonna do it.”

  Pulling the aquamarine pendant from under her shirt and holding it close to her chest, Felicity closed her eyes, pictured her mother’s sister’s face and telepathically called to the most powerful Healer in the entire Seelie Court. “

  Why Fliss, it is so glad to hear from you? I was just thinking of you and Bitsy. What have you girls been up to?” Esme’s sweet soprano voice made Felicity smile despite the situation.

  Suddenly feeling ashamed for not calling her sisters or trying to contact her parents, even after explaining her reasons to an unconscious Bitsy, Felicity thought about lying to her aunt, contemplated saying she was just checking in, but as it always happened, Esme read her mind and gasped, “Oh my Goddess, Felicity Morgana Fairweather, what is wrong with Bitsy?” Not waiting for an answer, she screeched on, her voice more piercing as true panic set in. “No, no, no this just can’t be. Why is the Obscured in Dallas? How did this happen? Why Bitsy? None of this makes sense. Tell me. Tell me everything right now. Hurry, Felicity, why aren’t you speaking?”

  “I’m trying, but you have to hush long enough for me to get a word in edgewise.” Not giving Esme a chance to speak, Felicity rushed on, “We’re at the home of the King of the Big Cats…”

  “Max Prentice,” Esme threw in.

  “His Healer, a Bengal Tiger by the name of…”

  “Sebastian.”

  “Yeah, him. He looked at the piece of this Obscured thing that someone used to poison Bitsy and said it was…”

  “Meant for you. Well, yes, of course, Dear. You’ve found your mate, and from what I’m picking out of your head, I can see that it’s Tristan O’Doherty. You know he’s the only one besides Max who’s ever escaped the Obscured. There’s a whole cult of idiot humans and a few misguided Witches who’ve pledged their loyalty and their lives and I think all their money, too, to the Obscured. They just zealots, crazy as bedbugs, with hardly a brain between them all. Just horrible people, Fliss. I’m sure Bash is right. They were trying to poison you, make Tristan go after the chunk of the Obscured, and when he did, they could capture him and feed you both to that horrible
beastly monstrosity. Oh, darling, I feel just horrible, absolutely dreadful.”

  Giving up trying to speak, instead listening to Esme, Felicity suddenly felt a pain in her stomach and bile rising in her throat as her aunt’s explanation sickened her with disgust. “You know it’s our fault. The Fairies, I mean, both the Seelie and the Unseelie. Well, yes, yes, it is. We created that thing. Not knowingly, of course, with no malice at all, but we did it nonetheless, and instead of finding a way to destroy it, we locked it away and hoped for…”

  “You what?!” Felicity shrieked. “You had a hand in creating this awful… terrible… whatever the hell it is? Were mom and dad involved? Why were we never told? What do I do? Do I have to mate that bastard of a Dragon to save Bitsy? Can Mary Beth and Josie help? Can I do it alone? Oh, Goddess be damned, tell me, Aunt Esme, tell me?”

  “First of all, calm down and get a grip.”

  “That’s rich coming from you,” Felicity seethed. “Considering you were just ranting in such a high pitch I have no doubt Max’s estate is under siege by every stray dog within a hundred miles.”

  “Nasty never did look good on you, Felicity Morgana. Mind your tongue. I am still your Elder.”

  “Yeah, whatever. You fucked up and now, my sister – YOUR NEICE - might die. And while we’re at it, Esme Matilda, stop using my middle name. Two can play at that game.”

  “Point taken, Dear. I think we both need to take a breath and let our cooler heads prevail.” There was a pause in which Felicity heard Esme breathing before carrying on. “Now, tell me what Sebastian told you, every word, leave nothing out.”

  Thinking it might just be easier to be saddled with Tristan for the rest of her life, Felicity jumped to attention when Esme cleared her throat and growled, “Do not make me magically slap your heinie. You know I’ll do it. Now, speak.”

  Wanting to tell her aunt that she was not a dog and that she would deal with everything herself, Felicity instead gave in and told Esme everything that had happened.

  “Sebastian said that because Tristan battled the Obscured in the past and lived to tell the tale that he would have to let his soul leave his body, travel into Bitsy, and remove the taint with his Dragon fire before it has a chance to embed itself.”

  “But why can’t Max do it and why do you have to be formally mated for Tristan for all this to happen?”

  “I was just about to tell you.” Felicity rolled her eyes, quickly losing her patience and what was left of her mind.

  “Well, do hurry, Dear. Your sister doesn’t have much time.”

  Holding tight to the unraveling thread of her patience, Felicity ignored Esme’s comment and continued, “Max doesn’t have Dragon fire, remember?” She thought about saying ‘duh’ then thought better of it since her ears were still ringing of Esme’s previous freak-out. “And because Tristan has only recently reunited with a few of the Dragon Guardsmen, making his bond to them tenuous at best. With a formal mating, we would bonded together as tightly as two people can be and I would be his anchor, the only one who can return his soul to his body.”

  “Then you have to do it,” Esme declared, her tone accusatory and demanding. “What is the problem? This is Bitsy’s life. Get over yourself and help your sister.”

  “Well, I… It’s just that he… Well, you weren’t… Oh dammit all to hell, you’re right. I’m being a little shit.”

  “Yes, you are. Now, go find your Dragon and make him yours.”

  “I’m going,” she spat, even more irritated with herself than she had been with Tristan just moments before.

  Making her way back to Bitsy’s side, Felicity looked down into her younger sister’s face, the lump that had been in her stomach rising to her throat nearly blocking her airway. Brushing a runaway curl from Bitsy’s brow, Felicity leaned forward and placed a kiss on her sister’s forehead. Pulling back, tears once again filling her eyes, she wept, “I am so sorry, Bits. I promise I’ll make this right. I swear I’ll never… Wait! What’s happening?”

  Jerking her hands from her sister’s hand and face to keep from being burnt, Felicity watched as Bitsy’s cheeks became instantly flushed and drops of perspiration appeared upon her upper lip. Not sure what to do, fearing the worst, Felicity ran towards the hall, threw open the door and was just about to scream for Tristan and Sebastian when the scent of smoky ash riding a cool evening’s breeze hit her senses.

  Spinning on her toes and sprinting back to Bitsy’s side, Felicity nearly fell to the floor when everything became shockingly clear. Searching her soul for the glow of the bond she shared with Tristan, the Fairy followed it out of her body and into his, letting herself fall forward when she found an empty shell where her vibrant, stubborn, hard-headed Dragon had been moments before.

  Holding tight to the rail on the side of the bed, her tears freely falling down her cheeks, Felicity looked into her sister’s face as she cried, “Oh, Bitsy, he’s done it. He didn’t wait. He’s trying to heal you without me, without an anchor, with no one to bring him back.” Letting her chin fall to her chest, she sobbed, “Oh my Goddess, I’m such a bitch, such a failure. What am I gonna do if I lose you both?”

  Chapter Eight

  “Tris, I really don’t think you should do this without a safeguard, someone to moor your soul the real world… without touching Bitsy.”

  “Either you help me, or I’ll do it myself, Sebastian.”

  “But Max said…”

  “I don’t give a shit what Max said. This is my life, my mate, my fuck-up. Felicity never wants to see me again. She blames me for what’s happened to her sister and rightfully so,” Tristan ran his fingers through his hair for at least the hundredth time. “It’s my fault. I knew unlocking my magic, letting Diarmuid free after all those years, would only bring trouble, and I was right. Here I am having put the one person I’m supposed to protect no matter the situation in harm’s way.”

  “You can’t think that you caused this,” Sebastian sputtered. “You’re smarter than that. Just wait until Max gets back and then…”

  “And then what?” Tristan jumped to his feet. “He’ll come up with a miracle? Tell me to pray?” No! No way,” he vehemently objected, pacing from one side of the giant living room to the other then stopping directly in front of the Tiger. “Either help me or get the hell outta here.”

  Shaking his head, Sebastian sighed, “Well, I’m sure as hell not letting you do it without me. Max will have me neutered and declawed.” Getting to his feet, his Tiger flashing in his deep amber eyes, the Healer snapped, “Are you going to move, or do I need to go through you?”

  Trying to control his temper when all he wanted to do was punch Sebastian in the nose, hit a wall, or throw himself off a cliff, Tristan stepped to the side and bit his tongue. Every second that ticked by brought Bitsy closer to death, made Felicity hate him just a little more and dumped another metric ton of guilt square on the Dragon’s shoulder.

  Waiting as patiently as possible, clenching and unclenching his fists, Tristan finally exhaled when Sebastian shut and locked the door to the library, turned back around, picked up a carved wooden box from the shelf and headed back in the Dragon’s direction. Sitting on the floor and nodding to the space across from him, the Tiger made a production of setting the box on the red and gold oriental rug and opening the lid.

  Taking off his jacket as he sat where the Tiger had indicated, Tristan crossed his legs in an almost lotus position, laid his hands in his lap and watch intently as Sebastian cautiously took an enormous, perfectly cut crystal quartz from the box. Holding it out, the Tiger instructed, “Take the gem into your hands, hold it level with your heart, close your eyes and picture Bitsy in your mind’s eye. The magic of your Dragon King and the love I know you feel for Felicity will take you where you need to go. Once there, you will need to call forth your Dragon fire and quite literally burn what I now fear is the spawn of the Obscured, not merely a piece of the original, from the young Fairy’s soul.”

  Following the Tiger’
s directions, unable to picture Bitsy without also seeing Felicity, Tristan let the undeniable feelings he’d had for his mate since the moment he first caught sight of her wash over him. Leaving his body, his consciousness falling deeper and deeper into the glowing bond connecting him to his Fairy, the Dragon allowed Diarmuid to give him one final magical push.

  Using the affection Felicity felt for Bitsy to pass from his mate’s soul into that of her sister, Tristan took an extra moment to watch the beautiful memories of the Fairies’ childhood pass by. It was heartwarming and perfectly insightful to see that his mate was as close to her family as he had once been to his.

  “Time for you to get to work,” Diarmuid ordered. “Sharing another’s soul without an anchor in the real world is dangerous in the best of circumstances, deadly more times than not, and in this instance, highly dangerous for both of us. You need to find the taint of the Obscured, immediately get rid of it and then let me put your Spirit back where it belongs.”

  “I know, Diarmuid. I was just…”

  “Mooning over our Felicity. I was there. Now, get moving.”

  Ignoring the Dragon King’s continued grumbling, Tristan followed the golden rays of her dimming psyche to the center of Bitsy’s soul. Once there, he carefully wove in and around the different colors and levels of her unconscious mind, searching every corner for the poisonous invader devouring her life force.

  The longer he searched, the farther from his own body he moved and the more things around him started to change, morphing from bright and happy to dreary and sorrowful to an inky ebony that clawed at his own essence. The Obscured was near. There was no denying the stench of death and decay.