Sage honestly doubted it would be so easy, but he had to go with it. Fortunately, he wasn’t forced into polite platitudes, as the car finally emerged from the strange Patalan tunnels and soon stopped in sight of the beach.
Camden freed himself from Sage’s embrace and opened the door of the vehicle. As his mate slid out of the limo, Sage didn’t delay in following. For a few seconds, his eyes hurt before they adjusted to the brightness. Patala wasn’t exactly dark, since technology provided them with lighting, but it was still underground, and very different from this. Sage took a deep breath, reveling in the feel of the wind as it blew through his hair. The salty sea breeze was nothing like the chilly winds of the Black Forest, but they still helped soothe his dragon.
Until now, Sage hadn’t realized just how much he’d missed the wide open spaces of the Draechenburg skies. He’d forced himself to focus on Camden alone, and while that hadn’t been very hard—Camden had a lot of charms just waiting to be explored—Sage’s dragon needed to be free. Camden had known it, which was why he’d originally agreed to the damn date in the first place.
Taking Camden’s hand, Sage stepped onto the sand and started walking toward the water. The ocean glittered in the distance like a priceless sapphire, practically beckoning Sage closer. As an ice dragon, Sage might not like heat much, but he did love the sea. He could easily imagine swimming with Camden in the clear waters, making love to him in its liquid embrace.
Only, he couldn’t do that, because Talbot was here. Sage couldn’t help but remain very much aware of the naga who was still following him and Camden. Frustrated, Sage walked faster. Even if he knew that Talbot wouldn’t abandon the chase so easily, a part of him hoped that once they reached the water, he and Camden could lose their third wheel. The sand hissed under his shoes, as if to express his annoyance with the entire situation.
And yet, Sage had to say that, on the whole, he was taking things far better than he himself had expected. He’d actually thought that he wouldn’t be able to resist at least launching one threat or two at Talbot, even if he did manage not to fulfill any of them. But Camden had proven to be so dismissive of Talbot’s presence and efforts that Sage realized the other naga really was no danger for their bond. He’d been foolish to even worry.
As they reached the shore, Camden released his grip on Sage’s hand and danced away from him. “Catch me if you can,” he said as he threw his shoes off.
He was apparently in a playful mood, something that surprised Sage. Yes, naga were water-oriented creatures, and the pressure of the palace had been straining Camden, too. To top it off, Camden’s mood had plummeted since he’d learned of his dead twin. To see him now like this, a little more carefree, was a blessing. Sure, Talbot’s presence was a problem, but Camden almost seemed to have forgotten about it entirely.
Laughing, Camden took off running on the beach, his delicate feet leaving marks in the wet sand. For some obscure reason, Sage shared a look with Talbot. Whether Camden realized it or not, he’d thrown a challenge at them, one Sage would definitely win.
Without another word, Sage rushed after his mate. Talbot burst into action almost at the same time, obviously aiming to reach Camden first. Sage could have changed into his dragon form and chased after Camden like that, but there was no time. Even the slightest delay could give his opponent an advantage. So, he just ran, feeling alive, lucky and truly blessed, just like he had told Talbot in the car.
Even if Talbot seemed quite fast himself, he couldn’t compare to Sage. In his enthusiasm, Sage reached his mate in record time. He pounced Camden, and they fell together on the sand, both of them laughing with abandon. Sage flipped Camden on his back, unable to keep himself in check. He pressed his mouth to Camden’s, tasting his mate in a slow and gentle kiss. It was sweet and lazy, like the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore. Camden’s forked tongue entwined with Sage’s, and Sage groaned as arousal rushed through him, sharp and bright. His mate’s dick nudged against his thigh, demanding attention. Sage palmed it through Camden’s pants, making the naga let out a small whimper of pleasure Sage swallowed into the kiss.
Perhaps they’d have started to have sex on the spot, but the sound of a cleared throat interrupted them. Sage reluctantly pulled away from Camden and glanced over his shoulder. Talbot was standing behind them, arms crossed over his chest. “Well, it looks like I lose,” he said, this time unable to mask the frustration in his voice. “I have to say, I underestimated the famous skills of the draechen.”
Truth be told, Sage had begun to feel much stronger since mating Camden, but he had no reason to explain that to Talbot. Likely, the naga already suspected. It might have been the bond, but Sage suspected it had a lot to do with the fact that he tasted Camden’s blood on a regular basis. That in itself was tricky, because they hadn’t figured out the exact extent of how the existence of Camden’s twin affected it.
Whatever the reason, though, the fact remained that he’d defeated his opponent. “Better luck some other time,” he replied. Or with someone else, he wanted to add, but stopped himself before he could do so.
“Does that mean that you’re willing to have a second mate?” Talbot asked, sitting onto the sand next to them.
“It’s not up to me. It is not the draechen way,” Sage explained calmly. “But I’ve said once before that I will go with whatever Camden needs and wants.”
“And if he turns out he wants someone else?” Talbot insisted. “You’ll accept it just like that?
Sage glowered at the naga noble, pulling Camden into a possessive embrace. “We’ll deal with that when it happens… if it ever does.”
The answer came out more biting than he himself expected. Yes, Talbot was challenging him, but in the end, it didn’t really matter, because Camden was his, as they’d both more than eloquently proven. But that ugly thing was rising within him again, and this time, he couldn’t hold it back. In fact, he didn’t want to. Who was this man to presume he could ever touch Camden? Sage wasn’t happy about his mate even considering approaching someone else, but now, he could take it out on a very convenient target.
“Oh, it’ll happen,” Talbot shot back, sneering. All pretense of friendliness was forgotten now. “No filthy draechen can ever stand in the way of what I want.”
Sage shot to his feet, pushing Camden behind himself and growling threateningly. Talbot hissed back, unafraid and more than willing to fight Sage.
“Stop, please,” Camden whispered, getting between them before the conflict could escalate. “This isn’t like any of you.”
“I highly doubt that,” Talbot answered, never looking away from Sage. “Draechen always solve their problems by squashing their opponents.”
“Actually, I really look forward to squashing you,” Sage answered. His dragon reared wildly, begging to be let out to handle the threat.
He might have actually done exactly that, except he realized Camden was completely right. This wasn’t like him at all. He’d never force Camden into such a position, especially since they had agreed to go through this one last frustrating date and then stop it all. Now that Camden’s family seemed to be a little more open toward Sage, the last thing they needed was outright hostility from Sage’s part toward Talbot Stervos.
Pushing back the haze of anger, Sage became aware that while he’d been distracted, several strange presences had approached. He didn’t like it at all. “We need to get out of here,” he told his mate. “Come on.”
Even as he started to pull Camden away, though, Talbot got in his way. “You’re not going anywhere,” Talbot replied, his hand landing on Sage’s shoulder. “We haven’t settled our differences yet.”
Sage didn’t answer, just freeing himself from Talbot’s hold with an easy shrug. He remembered that a similar episode had occurred in Draechenburg, when King Zaire had unexpectedly tried to attack Prince Sareltae. It was wondrous that no one had gotten hurt then, but Sage had always felt something had been very wrong at that time. Even if Zaire, Nikh
il and Anais had been angry about their dead child all along, their behavior had been too violent. Sage suspected that the same thing had come back to hunt them down.
“It’s not safe here,” Camden explained to the other naga. “We can continue our conversation elsewhere.”
“Not safe?” Talbot repeated in disbelief. “We brought so many guards it’s not even funny. This is naga land. Who can possibly find or attack us here?”
As if in answer to Talbot’s stupid inquiry, several dark-clad figures appeared on the beach. They walked like normal men, but in his heart, Sage knew they were anything but.
He took his lover in his arms and started to run back toward the car. Normally, he would have never fled from a fight, but his priority was getting Camden to safety. Unfortunately, the new arrivals had anticipated this move. More strangers appeared, surrounding them like shadows. Sage noted that they were all dressed in black and wearing sunglasses, like some sort of Matrix extras. But this was no movie, and as a member of the Chrysalidian Wyverns, Sage could identify them as vampires.
Contrary to popular belief, vampires didn’t turn to dust when stepping into the sunlight, nor did they sparkle or anything like that. However, they did have more trouble shifting into their secondary form during the day. Since their beast was nocturnal in nature, ultraviolet rays hurt their eyes and they could only withstand it with great pain. It was arguably one of the reasons why their contribution to the old war ending with the Great Sacrifice had been so puzzling.
These particular ones must have been very powerful, because they showed no discomfort at all. The thought did nothing to encourage Sage, and it confirmed his suspicions. All the puzzle pieces were finally falling into place. No wonder Sage’s temper had exploded like that. Vampires couldn’t induce emotions, but very strong ones could manipulate and exacerbate existing feelings.
Sage couldn’t believe he’d put Camden in such a dangerous position. It seemed like his days as a lieutenant fighting under General Shtamakarein Tersain had finally come back to bite him in the ass. Karein had relieved him of his duties, allowing him to legally join Camden in Patala, but that wouldn’t matter to the vamps.
“Look, I don’t want any trouble,” he told the men. “Just leave the naga alone if you have a problem with me.”
“Don’t get in our way, draechen,” a tall, dark-haired vampire said. “We have no business with you, no matter what you might believe. We only want them.”
Much to Sage’s surprise, he was pointing at Camden and Talbot. Sage couldn’t believe his ears. Why in the world would the vampires take such a chance and attack Prince Camden Isaiat in plain sight? Compared to the werewolves, they actually tended to be quieter, less rebellious of the regime instituted by the Shifter Directive. What had changed?
“Nothing,” Camden whispered through their bond. “They just know about what our blood can do. That’s the only thing that could have happened.”
He was right. Judging by the effect Camden’s blood had on him, Sage could only guess what it would do to vampires. “I won’t let them touch you,” he sent to his mate. “I’d rather die.”
Meanwhile, Talbot released another threatening growl. “You planned this, didn’t you, draechen? You wanted—”
Sage didn’t have the patience to deal with more stupidity. “Get out of here,” he said, interrupting Talbot. “Take Camden and run.”
Camden gripped his hand fiercely, panic flooding their bond. “Sage, you can’t do this.”
But Sage could, and he would. He was a Wyvern in the end. He’d been trained to fight the ninth caste, and he’d make sure those skills came in handy today. “Just go,” he pleaded. “I’ll handle this.”
At the very least, he could stall long enough to allow the naga to escape. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe that he could defeat so many opponents by himself, but his own safety, his life even, were secondary compared to Camden’s.
Perhaps this had happened today for a reason. Sage might dislike Talbot, but he was fairly certain the older chimera cared about Camden. And Camden was a naga, too, so, if anything happened to Sage, he’d be able to find someone else. Or so he hoped at least.
“Don’t be an idiot,” Camden snapped at him. “I don’t need anyone else. You’re the only one I’ll ever want.”
“While this is all very touching,” the same vampire—who Sage surmised must have been the leader of this group—said, “we didn’t come here for this.”
He waved his hand, and as if he’d pressed a button, his minions shot into action. Sage didn’t allow them to reach Camden. Finally, after days of containing his beast, he released it. His dragon came roaring out, faster than anyone, including Sage, expected.
One moment, he was standing there in his legged shape, a physical yet somewhat unconvincing barrier against the vampires, and the next, he was a dragon, his large bulk looming over everyone else. With a mighty roar, he blew a miniature blizzard at the vamps, who instantly recoiled.
They weren’t so easily dissuaded though, and their speed and agility made them more than formidable foes. One drawback of being a draechen was that his bulk made him somewhat slower than smaller shifters like werewolves and vampires. To avoid being swamped, Sage launched himself into the air, hovering just above the vampires and still keeping them from leaping over him to reach their targets.
Talbot must have finally realized that Sage was right, because he grabbed Camden’s hand and tried to find a way around the group. It wasn’t easy, as the vampires seemed to have anticipated their every move. Anger burning brightly inside him, Sage swept his tail through the air like a whip, keeping them in check. Distantly, he wondered where all the guards were and why they weren’t intervening. He could only hope that they were close enough to take his mate to safety while Sage stalled.
“You’re letting them get away, you fools,” the vampire leader shouted. “After them. Get the naga. Take the draechen down at all costs and catch the halves.”
There were no protests, no words from any of the others, just a shift of attention, barely visible at all. It was as if the rest of the vampires were extensions of their leader’s will, because they actually started to launch themselves at Sage with no regard to their own safety. The first two Sage took out with his tail. The next couple suffered an extreme case of frostbite as Sage cast another ice spell. Three others had an unfortunate meeting with Sage’s claws.
But they were just so many, and as these kamikaze vampires kept Sage busy, more approached. Sage was no black dragon so as to be able to steal their energy, and while his thick hide protected him from their claws and fangs, he had his limits. He soon learned that the whole point of their sacrifice had been to distract Sage. With the corner of his eyes, Sage caught sight of the leader vampire retrieving a gun and pointing it at Sage.
Moments later, pain exploded at the back of Sage’s spine. Sage roared as agony exploded over him. His body seemed to stop working, and he collapsed on the sand, completely at the mercy of his foe. In spite of his agony, Sage was relieved at noting that his mate was at least temporarily out of danger. Talbot seemed to have managed to complete the task Sage had given him better than expected, as he’d reached the limo without being caught. The guards were nowhere to be seen, and no vampires had been guarding the car. Talbot was currently forcing a struggling Camden into the car, much to Camden’s panic and frustration.
“Let me help,” Camden cried. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“There’s nothing you can do,” Sage sent to him. “Contact Draechenburg and speak to your parents. If you stay, you’ll just get hurt, and that’s the last thing I want.”
As the car drove off, several vampires started to follow it, but Sage knew it was too late. Yes, Camden was safe. He and Talbot were already speeding toward Patala, where nothing could touch them. Sage had succeeded in that, at least.
“How can you even think that?” Camden’s voice reached out to him through their connection. “How can I even exist without you?
”
“Be strong for me, beautiful,” Sage told him. “You haven’t lost me yet. I’ll get out of this.”
He had to admit that bullet injuries weren’t something draechen were used to. Normal projectiles couldn’t penetrate dragon skin, especially not in shifted form. He was aware that a bullet injury to the spine could cause paraplegia, for humans at least, but he was fairly certain that if the bullet was removed, his shifter abilities would manage to mend what had been broken. The fact that he was in pain was actually a good thing. At this point, numbness would have been far more dangerous.
Gathering his remaining strength, Sage tried to use his powers to force out the bullet. His energy didn’t work like that, as it was mostly direct, offense magic. He writhed in pain, but forced himself to withstand it, knowing it was his only chance.
Maybe he’d have succeeded in his goal, but the vampires surrounded him, watching him in unconcealed satisfaction. Their leader knelt at Sage’s side, his lips twisted in a smirk. “Now, let’s see if I can use you,” he said.
Sage didn’t know why, but he found himself looking straight into the vampire’s eyes. They were so deep and dark, and he was in such pain, that he almost didn’t realize what was happening until it was too late. “That’s it,” the man was saying. “Open your mind to me. You’ll give me what I want.”
What he wanted was Camden, but that he wouldn’t get. Sage stubbornly faced the vampire, sneering in spite of the pain. “Good luck with that, vamp. You’ll never get Camden.”
He didn’t expect the vampire to hear him, since he couldn’t speak telepathically, but the vampire appeared to hear, likely through his psychic abilities. In fact, his opponent looked intrigued. “This is interesting,” he mused, smirking at Sage. “Our trip might not have been a total waste at all. Take him.”
Sage wanted to cast another spell to wipe that smirk off his face, but he didn’t get the chance. The minions of his captor descended upon him, and this time, there was nothing he could do to stop them. Drained of strength, Sage sent an “I love you” to Camden and surrendered to the darkness.
Naga's Concubine [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 4] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Page 12