by Anna Lewis
Having a reason wouldn’t make any of it easier to deal with. I simply had to put it behind me and forget about it. I needed to move on and focus on the future.
Especially now, because I was pregnant. Aaron and I were going to have a baby, a little bundle of joy that would solidify our love forever.
Finally, after all that we’d been through, everything was good.
THE END
= Bonus Book 12 of 20 =
Black Dragons
Maria felt a chill working its way up into her skin. She knew that she only had about ten minutes to get where she was going and she was in no mood to be late. Her stomach growled with hunger and she shrugged it off, ignoring the little stands of food and corner stores that seemed to pop up every few steps. She didn’t have time to eat, no matter how hungry she was.
Her breathing was quick and she felt the wind whipping through her hair, teasing at her skin and making her shiver. She felt a little sick, worries twisting in her gut. She hadn’t been summoned since her father had passed away. When he had died, she had received a call just like this one.
Urgent and curt. She approached with dread, and rightly so. The news that her father had been killed still rung in her ears. It was right there and then, back in her teenage years, that Maria had decided to cut ties with her heritage and walk away from it all.
She wanted no part of their feud. She wanted no part of a war that was only there to get people killed. First her mother, then her father. They had been playing with fire and she was in no mood to do the same. She glanced at her watch and hurried along.
She had to move it. She picked up her step, glancing over her shoulder as she did. Her parents had been part of a dragon-hunting clan, one that you joined, not one you were born into. They took it upon themselves to hunt down dragon shifters and do away with them completely.
Maria shuddered. She wanted no part of it. Her parents had been human and so was she, and chasing dragons was just a stupid thing to do. They had gotten themselves killed and left her alone to deal with the fall out. Now the dragon hunters were calling on her. Maria had wanted to ignore the call, but she had a sinking feeling that they would find her, regardless.
She had to go, even if it was to tell them to stay the heck away from her from now on. Maria sighed and fixed her hair as she turned into the dim little alley that led to the shop at the back. It wasn’t hard to find, but it was dingy. It didn’t speak of anything great, and Maria didn’t really expect it to.
She wasn’t sure she even believed in dragon shifters. And if she did, she definitely wanted to stay away from them, not go hunting them like an idiot. She had loved her mom and dad, but that didn’t excuse the fact that they had run off and gotten themselves killed.
The dragon hunter clan expected her to want vengeance. While anger smoldered in her chest, Maria was determined to stay out of it. Unless she had a guarantee of finding her parents’ killers, then she didn’t want any part of it. Chasing innocent dragon shifters wasn’t her idea of a good time.
So she had walked away. Now, years later, she stood face to face with her past all over again. With a deep breath, Maria knocked on the door.
After a moment, an older man pulled the door open. He took her in, assessing her, before nodding and letting her step past. Maria felt a shiver running down her spine. The silence was chilling and she hated the custom of being all secret and mysterious.
She thought of her little office job and the handful of friends she had been able to make. She wanted to return to that, not this suffocating life. A dull lump of misery had been lodged in her chest ever since her father passed and she doubted that this was going to help it any.
She was led down a dimly lit staircase, and Maria felt like she was descending into the bowls of hell. It was hell alright, only damp and suffocating and strange. It was nothing like the life Maria dreamed of. She had never seen a dragon shifter, never seen any grand fights or declarations. She had only seen death, this suffocating little hovel and a bunch of people that got kicks from being so mysterious.
She was led to a seat and plopped down on it without ceremony. She wrapped her arms around herself, idly checking that she still had her phone close and readily available. If she could keep her phone on hand, she’d be able to deal with anything that popped up. A quick call to the cops about a cult should do it.
She bit her lip and waited instead.
Slowly, people filed in and Maria shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It wasn’t until the leader of the dragon hunters, at least for this city, entered that everyone stood up. Reluctantly, Maria did the same, more because she was in no mood to stand out and draw even more attention to herself, when she could just quietly blend in.
“Maria Jacobs,” his voice boomed across the room.
No such luck. Her plans of blending in evaporated and she glanced around her.
“Step forward!” the voice continued and she realized that it belonged to Travis. He was glaring down at her and she took a small step forward, drawing her away from the rest of the crowd. She felt everyone’s eyes on her and shifted, uncomfortable.
“We have found the one who murdered your father.” His tone had grown softer now, and Maria felt her heart leap into her chest.
“What?” Maria hated the way her voice came out as a squeak, her eyes widening at the news.
Travis was nodding. “We have found him.” His eyes stared down at her. “Do you not want justice, Maria?”
Maria curled her hands into fists, feeling her breathing come in short little bursts. If he was right, she could make sure he paid. She didn’t want to extract vengeance herself, but if he killed her father, then she couldn’t just let it slide. She wouldn’t let it slide if her dad hadn’t been a dragon-hunter. Why should she let it slide because he was?
Travis seemed to sense what she was thinking. “If you want justice, then you’ll join us, Maria.”
The old reluctance surged to the surface. She had been so determined to stay out if it, only a few minutes ago. But a few minutes ago, she didn’t have a link to her father’s killer. She bit her lip, thinking it over. She needed to figure this out, and quickly. Her heart thudded in her chest and she felt a little giddy.
“Join us, and help us bring him down.” His voice was low, almost seductive in its promises and Maria felt something shift inside her.
“Okay. But I’m not hurting anybody.” Her voice sounded stronger and more self-assured than she felt.
“Fair enough.” Travis was smiling now and Maria was concerned to see it made him look even more menacing. “He’s part of the motorcycle club called the Black Dragons.” He fixed her with a dark stare. “They’re having a rally soon. Find out when they’ll be at their most vulnerable and we’ll do the rest.”
Maria felt a chill shudder down her spine, unsure how she should be feeling about this, unsure what she should do next. So she swallowed and nodded, determination rearing its head. Maria resolved to find this guy, to find him and make sure he met with justice, but there’s no way she was going to hurt him, or lift a hand to kill a dragon shifter.
The thought make her sick and she wrapped her coat tighter around her even as she tried to sound brave, to sound confident, “I’ll do it.”
“Good,” Travis sounded very pleased. “I’ll talk to you after the meeting.” Then he turned his attention away from Maria and she was free to melt into the background. She decided to do just that, moving back so that the attention was off her. They talked about raids, about recent victories, and about their plans.
Maria tuned it all out and stared at the wall, wondering what she had just signed herself up for. She felt sick, excited, hesitant, and determined all at the same time. She knew nothing about dragon shifters, and even less about biker gangs. She didn’t know what she was getting herself into, but she supposed that she didn’t really have that much of a choice.
She glanced back at Travis as he spoke, a plan formulating in her head. Maybe she wouldn’t have to invol
ve the dragon hunters at all. Maria stopped to think about it. All dragon shifters couldn’t be that bad, and Maria was only interested in bringing her father’s killer to justice, no one else. If she could find him, she could call the police. Granted, she’d have to find evidence, or tape a confession or something, but it was better than getting these guys involved.
She felt relieved at her own decision, and settled back in her chair, feeling more at ease as she waited for the meeting to end. She wasn’t part of the dragon hunters and she never would be. She leaned back and took a deep breath. When the meeting ended, everyone filed out and Maria was left waiting for Travis to talk to her.
When Travis moved to Maria’s side, he was curt and very business-like. He gave her the details and dates, but no name. He told Maria that the man she was looking for was the leader of the Black Dragons. Maria wasn’t sure if he was holding out on her, or if he just didn’t have the information. There was not much she could do about it, so she thanked him for his time and turned on her heel.
She left the dingy hole they met in, left the damp streets, all of it, and make her way towards her apartment. She headed inside as quickly as she could, locking the doors and making her way towards the shower.
Maria rinsed all the dirt and grime of the day from her skin. She rinsed the uncomfortable feelings from her mind. She stretched and washed and lathered up her hair until she was feeling better and more settled.
Maria sighed as she thought about the days ahead. She had no idea how she could start trying to contact the biker gang, and what’s more, she wasn’t really sure she wanted to. Her loyalty to her family was strong, but she didn’t want to get mixed up in all of this. If she had her own children one day, they didn’t deserve to lose her just because she went out chasing dragons. Maria flopped back on her bed, her hair still wet as she thought it all over. She supposed she could head over to a few bars and see if anyone popped up, but she had work. She had a life.
The reality of it all started to descend on her and Maria sighed. Pushing herself up, she dried and styled her hair loosely. She rubbed lotion into her skin, sprayed herself with a sweet smelling spray and threw on some warm pants and a long sleeve shirt. Then she fell into bed, and into a dreamless sleep, letting the night pass her by. She would figure it out in the morning.
* * *
When Maria woke up, the sun was starting to filter past her curtains. She wrapped herself up in a robe, feeling a lot better than she had the day before. She decided that she would keep a good look out, but that she wasn’t going to actively ruin her own life. That was insane.
She showered, brushed out her long hair and changed into something more flattering for work. Sensible shoes, tidy pants and a pretty blouse. She added a jacket to keep out the cold, did her makeup in a simple, pretty sort of way and smiled.
Glancing at herself in the mirror, she decided she looked perfectly normal, just like she wanted. She wanted no part of the stuffy underground. And while her job and life didn’t exactly make her come alive, they were at least normal and free from creepy underground meetings. Maria could deal with that.
Locking up her apartment, Maria stepped into the sunshine. She took it in with wide eyes, her heart lifting. Sure, the dull lump of misery was still lodged firmly in her chest, but it was a lovely day and Maria was determined to enjoy it, determined to focus on something else, something more uplifting, instead of worrying about her past.
It wasn’t until she got home that evening, at 6pm, that she found herself thinking about the past at all. She wandered into her apartment, locking the door behind her as always, and setting down her bag. She moved to the kitchen to get herself a drink.
It had been a good day. Her co-workers hadn’t been too snarky, she’d finished her work load and had a nice lunch. Maria had been looking forward to coming home and enjoying some alone time with a glass of wine and some bad television, just to unwind.
It had been a bit of a crazy week, and some rest would do her good. Humming, Maria found a glass in the cupboard, and pulled out a bottle of wine. It was nice to indulge every now and then and Maria felt like she deserved it.
When she turned, glass in hand, Maria’s plans for a carefree, relaxed evening came to a screeching halt. Her mouth opened in a silent scream of surprise, the glass dropping from her hand. It shattered on the floor. Maria’s heart pounded. She couldn’t find her voice to speak, to say a word.
Her world seemed to slow down, to stop, and spin off its proper axis.
She wasn’t alone.
Someone else was in her apartment. Someone else was staring straight at her, eyes glittering with a type of danger that Maria couldn’t fathom.
The man in her apartment was smirking, a dark, predatory look in his eyes. Hair the color of ice, so unusually light that it couldn’t be natural. His eyes were like ice, blue and cold and beautiful. An unnatural beauty, an eerie sort of smile.
“You’re not going to scream, are you?” His voice was low, low and soft and Maria found herself almost entranced by this intruder. She took a step back, the glass cracking on the floor between them.
“Good,” he murmured and Maria noticed the strength in his arms, the way his body seemed to be built like he worked out for at least 6 hours every day. He moved towards her, the glass crunching under his boot.
Maria stepped back. Why wasn’t she screaming? Calling for help? Anything? Her back slammed up against the counter and she paled, panic flooding her. She needed to do something, to move, to back off, to get him to leave her the hell alone.
But she was frozen. Unable to move, barely able to speak. It was as if he held her in a spell and he knew it. His white shirt was tight across his chest and as he stepped closer, she could smell him, smoky and dark. Then he touched her, and the spell was broken.
“Get off me!” Maria kicked out, feeling her foot connect with muscle and bone. He grunted and she turned, trying to get away. “Help! Somebody help!”
He sighed, sounding almost bored. “Why can’t you just come easily? Willingly?” His voice faded as Maria ran. She had a good lead on him. If she hurried, if she reached the door…then maybe she’d have a chance. She didn’t know what this man wanted and she didn’t care. She needed to get out and she needed to do it as fast as possible.
Heart pounding, breathing rushed and short, head spinning. So close, so close!
Maria had almost reached the door, when his arms shot out, wrapping around her and pulling her tightly against him. Maria yelped and his hand curled around her mouth. His hand was broad and strong and she couldn’t have bitten him even if she wanted to.
He held her pinned, even as she kicked and struggled. It didn’t seem to help at all, and panic started bubbling in Maria’s chest. She twisted and fought, but the hands that restrained her were too strong, too tight. She felt dizzy, sick.
“Just relax,” he grunted, a low sound as he kept her pinned. He held her a little tighter and Maria thought she was going to pass out. Then his hand shifted and suddenly he covered her nose as well.
It was far too late when Maria realized she was breathing something in that she shouldn’t have. When her world started to swim, she realized that she’d been drugged. His arms relaxed around her and Maria sank against him, feeling too dizzy to move.
“What…?” she managed, hating the way she seemed to slur, a shudder to her voice.
“Shhh…” his voice had grown almost gentle now as he held her, “We’re not going to hurt you. We need you safe.”
Maria didn’t have time to decide whether or not that thought was comforting or deeply chilling. Sleep crashed into her, hard and fast and she collapsed against him as she was pulled under the waves of unconsciousness.
She prayed for help, but there was no one who could hear her. Maria was alone, and she had never, ever been this terrified.
* * *
When Maria stirred, she felt like she had been asleep for hours. For a moment, she groggily wondered if she had gotten drunk. She rememb
ered going home, wanting a glass of wine and a relaxing evening. It wasn’t really in her nature to get drunk, but maybe she had done something a bit out of character. She was exhausted, after all, and under a lot of stress.
Her head ached, throbbed, and she squinted when she tried to open her eyes. The ache in her head and the intensity of the lights fed into her idea that she’d had a little bit too much to drink. She groaned and shut her eyes.
Nagging thoughts pestered her, refusing to leave her alone. She was forgetting something. She knew that she hadn’t had that much to drink…not really. She couldn’t even remember taking the first sip. She remembered going to the kitchen, grabbing the glass and then…
Pain exploded behind her eyes and she opened them quickly, pushing herself upright. That’s right! A man had broken into her apartment. He’d chased her, and grabbed her, and drugged her. She remembered his blue eyes, the white of his hair and a smile that seemed too inviting and so dangerous all at the same time. She had never seen him before in her life, but now the image of him was burnt into her mind. Strongly built, white shirt across his chest, blue jeans, tattoos twisting up his arms like snakes and disappearing into his sleeves.
Maria’s eyes stung from the light and she wiped them quickly. When she managed to focus, she was greeted by what looked like the inside of a tent. She could hear movement outside, hear the roaring of engines, and the dull chatter of male voices. She swallowed hard.
They weren’t here to hurt her. That’s what he had said. The thought should have been reassuring, but it wasn’t. He might have told her that she was safe, but he was also the one who had kidnapped her in the first place.
Kidnapped. The thought made her feel sick. It was like something out a book. It wasn’t something that she could have ever imagined happening to her. Maria shifted, leaning back a little, trying to figure it out. She was in trouble that much was clear. But why? Why did they want her of all people? She didn’t have a lot of money and she didn’t have any enemies. She didn’t even have wealthy parents.