by Avril Sabine
Wayne slowly crossed the room, his used car salesman smile firmly in place. “You’re not the type to kill yourself. You’re a fighter.”
“I didn’t say I’d kill myself. I said I’d be dead. When I become a panther these chains will rip me apart.”
Vikki joined her brother. “Simple. Don’t become a panther.”
“It’s not simple. If I don’t eat and drink the panther will break free looking for her own meal.” She watched as Vikki and Wayne shared a look.
Vikki looked her up and down. “I don’t believe you.”
Amber tried to shrug but it was impossible. “Doesn’t change the facts just because you don’t believe them.” She growled, the panther smelling prey at the flash of fear that went through Wayne. Her eyes narrowed. “Who do you answer to?”
“I answer to no one,” Vikki said.
Amber laughed, a sound that Ronan would have been proud of, nodding towards Wayne. “Then why was he afraid at the thought I might die? See how close the panther is? She can smell the fear in your sweat. Who do you answer to? Is it Martin? Is that why Dominic was here?”
Wayne glanced towards his sister. She pushed him away, getting in Amber’s face. “We answer to no one. You will tell us where to find the dragons and then I’ll feed you.”
Amber laughed. “You’re afraid. You’re both afraid. What is it you fear?”
“I fear no one. No human, no dragon. But you will feel fear. When your father is brought before you and we start to torture him, then you’ll feel fear.” Vikki spun on her heel, striding for the door.
“I need to eat!”
Vikki didn’t even look back. “Wayne. Let’s go.”
Amber growled, trying to escape. “Another couple of hours and it could be too late.”
Wayne glanced over his shoulder at Amber, twice, before he reached the door.
She heard Vikki’s footsteps fade into the distance. “Do you understand, Wayne? I can’t control her forever. When I turn I will be torn apart. It might save you from me hunting you down, but it won’t save you from whoever you answer to.”
Wayne watched her a moment longer before he closed the door, his smile no longer in place.
She screamed, the sound more like that of a panther roaring than anything human. Her hands curled into fists. They had to feed her. She wanted to kill them for taking Kade from her and she couldn’t do that if she died.
Time passed slowly. She raged, tried to escape, yelled for food. No one answered her. No one came. She did everything but think of Kade. The pain and anger were too much for the panther to handle. Not if she wanted to keep her contained.
By the time she heard someone unlocking the door, she had to force herself not to beg them to let her go. She was starving, desperate to use the bathroom and her body ached from being chained for so long. The door swung open. “You!”
Jennifer laughed, dropping an esky onto the floor and pulling a gun from the back of her jeans. “I’m guessing that greeting isn’t for me.” She stepped into the room. “You know I don’t think she likes you anymore, Roy.”
Roy shrugged, pointing his gun at Amber. “Not my problem.” Then directly to Amber. “Play along. I’m trying to get you out of here.”
“I should have let you die.” She glared at him. “Do you really expect me to believe that when you’ve got a gun pointed at me?”
“It’s taken me all this time to convince Jennifer that I can be trusted. Lucky she’s always had a crush on me.” Roy grinned. “Your mistake.”
“If you’re here to help me then point that gun at Jennifer, not me.” She growled. “If you don’t let me out of here I’m going to hunt you down too. I’ll tear your heart out and turn it to ash.”
“Dad’s an idiot telling us to feed her. We should just let her starve. I’m sure we can find Gold Dragons without her help.”
“Let’s get it over with. You unlock one of her arms and I’ll hold the gun on her,” Roy said.
“Don’t order me around, Roy. I could have brought Dominic. I didn’t need to bring you.”
Roy laughed. “Yeah, but I’m more fun to be with.”
“He has his uses.” Jennifer came closer, tucking the gun she carried in the back of her jeans. “Don’t try anything or he will shoot.”
“I need to use the bathroom.”
“No one said anything about bathrooms. Only food.” Jennifer unlocked one of Amber’s hands, quickly stepping back.
Her arm dropped to her side and she couldn’t hold back a gasp as feeling returned to it. “I need to use the bathroom before I can eat.”
“Promise me you won’t do anything stupid. I will come back for you. When I get rid of Jennifer.” Roy remained by the door. “Why should we trust you not to try and escape?”
“Why not help me escape now? Shoot Jennifer and we can get out of here.”
“Because we’re not the only ones here. We’d be killed before we made it to the front door.” Then out loud. “Come on, Amber. Tell me.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“I owe you my life.”
Amber stared at him a moment longer. “I promise.” Then out loud. “Because I’m too weak to do anything.” She spat the words out like they were the last ones she wanted to admit.
“Unlock her.”
“Stop ordering me around. And are you stupid? She’ll escape.”
Roy shook his head. “I’ll shoot her. Besides, if she gets past us she won’t get past your father and Stanley.”
Jennifer pointed her gun at Roy. “If she escapes, I’ll shoot you.”
“She won’t escape. Now unlock the other chain.”
Jennifer continued to hold the gun on Roy. Minutes passed before she tucked it into the back of her jeans. As soon as she’d unlocked the second chain, she backed up, drawing the gun again. “Move it, bitch.”
Chapter Nineteen
Amber fought pain as feeling came back into her arms. It was a lot easier to fight the pain than the urge to change form and tear Jennifer’s throat out.
“Amber.” There was a warning in Roy’s voice. “You promised.”
Her gaze left Jennifer, travelling across the room to Roy, who was stepping out of the doorway. She stalked across the room, her mind searching for others. She could find none, but she also couldn’t range far. “Where are they?”
“Who?” Jennifer demanded.
“Your father and Stanley. They’re not nearby.”
“There’s another door. It’s locked. They’re upstairs.” Roy gestured to his right. “Bathroom is that way.”
“Have you told anyone I’m here?”
“I didn’t know. Jennifer didn’t tell me until we got here. I kept saying how I wished I could congratulate whoever took you even if it was a dragon and stuff like that. Even that I could almost kiss them. After archery Jennifer said she wanted to show me something, but I had to promise not to tell anyone. A Knight’s word is binding, Amber.”
She opened the door at the end of the corridor, finding a bathroom. “So you’re not going to help me?”
“I will. I just can’t tell anyone.”
Amber closed the bathroom door, cutting off access to Roy’s mind.
“Don’t take too long in there,” Jennifer warned.
She had a mouthful of water from the hand basin before she used the toilet, having a larger drink after she’d washed her hands. A search of the room showed it was the same as the room she was kept in. No windows and no way to contact the outside world. Roy better keep his word to help her. She opened the door.
Jennifer walked backwards. “Alright, back to the room.”
“When you’re in the room, we’ll put one chain on you and then you can have something to eat.” Roy kept the gun trained on her as he also walked backwards.
“You don’t have to keep that gun pointed at me. I won’t break my promise.”
“It’d make Jennifer suspicious if I didn’t.”
“Did you kiss her?”
Roy glanced
away. “I’ll no longer owe you for saving my life once I get you out of here.”
Amber laughed. “It couldn’t have been that bad.”
“What are you laughing at?”
“I’ve been trying to avoid it for years.”
Amber raised her left hand so Jennifer could put the chain on it. “I’m laughing at you. There’s only one of me, but you’re terrified.”
Jennifer snapped the manacle around Amber’s wrist. “I am not.”
She breathed in deeply, closing her eyes as she did. A smiled curved her lips. “I can smell the fear. And you better be afraid. I’m going to hunt you down when I escape.”
Jennifer took a step away, pointing the gun at Amber’s face. “Shut up.”
Roy tucked his gun in the back of his jeans. “Don’t shoot her, Jennifer.” He picked up the esky. “We’re meant to be feeding her. Not killing her.” He opened the esky and took out a lidded, plastic container.
Amber’s mouth watered when he removed the lid of the container, the panther trying to break free. Her hands curled into fists as she tried to hold her back. When Roy held out a fork, a piece of roast meat on it, she took it, barely managing to stop herself from tearing it off the fork. She speared another piece of roast meat from the container Roy held up. Jennifer paced the room, complaining about how long it was taking.
As soon as Amber had eaten the last piece, Jennifer came to a halt. “Finally. Now give me your other arm so I can chain you up.”
Amber met Roy’s eyes, trying to find any deception. “You better come back for me.”
“I promise.”
She raised her hand, gritting her teeth as the manacle snapped closed. “If you don’t, I will find my own way out and I will hunt you down.”
Roy followed Jennifer to the door. “I promise I’ll return.” The door shut, closing her out of his mind.
She tugged at the chains, wanting to scream at them to come back. How dare they chain her? Thoughts of Kade crept back into her mind. How dare they! The panther prowled in her and she tried to control her anger. Images filled her mind. Ones of blood. Oceans of blood. But this time it wasn’t friends and family. This time it was the Knights who’d done this to her. Pulling on the chains, she growled. They’d pay. In blood.
She stared at the door, willing Roy to return. But it wasn’t Roy who unlocked the door next. It was Stanley. He grinned as he strode towards her.
“Smile while you can. It won’t be long before you’ll never smile again.”
He laughed. “You can’t do anything while you’re chained up like that. Those manacles are the same ones that stop dragons from changing. I tried to tell Wayne you wouldn’t be able to change, but he didn’t want to risk it. He won’t always be here though. When he leaves you in my care next week there won’t be any food until you talk.”
“Mages are different to dragons. They wont stop me from changing.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
Amber eyed him, smelling no fear on him. “You don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?”
“Whoever’s pulling their strings. They haven’t told you. Why haven’t they told you who they answer to? Don’t they trust you?”
“There is no one else. Dragons always lie. You can’t be trusted.”
Amber smiled in answer.
“You’re going to regret ever joining the dragons.”
“You’re the one who’ll have regrets. But don’t worry. You won’t have them for long. I hear the dead have no regrets.” She thought of Kade and the panther roared inside her, wanting to escape.
“Are you ready to talk?”
“Never.” The word was a growl.
“Never is a long time when you’re chained to a wall.” Stanley stood, arms crossed. When she remained silent he eventually turned away and left, locking the door.
Where was Roy? How long did he expect her to wait? If he’d lied to her she would kill him slowly. Maybe give him to Ronan before he died and then see how much he enjoyed breaking promises.
When the door swung open again, it was Roy, holding her sword and daggers. “What took you so long?”
“They can hear. Be quiet.”
“Then unlock me and let’s get out of here.”
Roy put her weapons on the seat in the centre of the room. “We don’t have much time now.” He unlocked the first manacle.
“What took you so long?”
“I had to get permission to take Jennifer to see a movie.”
“Where is she?” When he unlocked the second manacle, she rubbed at her wrists, heading for the chair.
“In the boot of my car.”
Amber grinned. “Sounds like a good place for her.” She strapped on her weapons. “Do you know where my bracelets are?”
“Upstairs. What do you need them for?”
There was no way she’d break a promise to Ronan and tell Roy the truth about her jewellery. “Sentimental reasons.” She looked him up and down, thinking of his earlier comment about having to kiss Jennifer, grinning in relief at escaping. “You know, I could almost kiss you.”
Roy took a step away. “Please don’t. I know how possessive dragons are of their property. If you’re dating a dragon, he’ll think he owns you.”
Amber’s grin faded. Once she would have said, ‘Nah, I own him.’ Pain nearly overwhelmed her and she held herself still as she battled it. They would pay for taking Kade from her.
“Hurry up. They’ll be on their way here. You shouldn’t have spoken out loud.”
“You should have warned me.” She ran beside him along the corridor, headed for the closed door at the top of a set of stairs.
“You didn’t give me a chance.” Roy ran up the stairs, reaching for the door.
It burst open and Vikki stood there, gun in hand. “I knew we shouldn’t have trusted you. What have you done to Jennifer?”
Roy backed down the stairs. “She’s alive. Let us out and I’ll tell you where she is.” He drew his sword.
Vikki laughed. “Do you really think that’s going to help you against a gun?”
“I guess we’ll see.” Roy continued to back down the stairs.
Amber wasn’t about to wait and see. She leapt at Vikki, becoming a panther in mid leap. The gun went off as it was knocked from Vikki’s hand. Vikki tumbled down the steps jumping to her feet as she hit the bottom, drawing her sword. When Roy would have attacked, Amber said to him, “There’s someone upstairs. I’ll take care of Vikki. You check upstairs.”
Roy rushed past Amber, who turned human, as Vikki attacked her. Amber dodged the sword that came for her, drawing her own to block the next attack. She barely managed to block the flurry of attacks that ended up driving her down the corridor. There was no way she could beat Vikki in a sword fight. Dropping her sword she launched herself into the air, becoming a goshawk, landing behind Vikki to turn human. Drawing her daggers, Amber attacked Vikki who dodged the worst of the strike.
“Stanley told me all about your little tricks. There’s nothing you can do that I won’t expect.”
“He’s really only seen me fight once.” She watched as Vikki remained still, her sword at the ready.
“It doesn’t matter. Once he’s taken care of Roy he’ll be down here to help me deal with you. If you last that long.”
She thought of Kade. “You’ll be the one who won’t last long.” In one move she sheathed her daggers and became a panther. Vikki’s sword sliced across her skin, the scent of blood filling the corridor as Vikki’s sword was jarred from her hand, spinning across the floor. The force of the attack slammed Vikki against the floor. Amber barely managed not to tear her throat out. She turned human continuing to pin Vikki down. “I told you I’d come hunting you once I was free.”
“You can’t win. Stanley will be here soon. Roy doesn’t stand a chance against him.”
“Why? Are you going to kill him like you killed Kade?”
“He’s a traitor. He deserves to die like all dragons do.�
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Anger and pain rushed through her. “I’m going to cut out your heart.” Amber smelt the fear before she saw it in Vikki’s eyes.
“No. He’s alive. I lied.”
The fear she could smell on Vikki made the panther stir. “I don’t believe you.”
Vikki struggled to escape. “He is. I lied. Let me go. Please.”
Fighting to keep Vikki pinned she pulled a dagger from its sheath, drawing it back. “I told you’d I’d kill you. How many bullets did you say it was again?”
“I lied. There was none. Or maybe only one. Please. He’s still alive. Wounded but alive. Don’t kill me.”
“Liar.”
“No! You don’t know what’s coming. We need a live Gold Dragon. We have to stop them. Please. Don’t kill me.”
“You’re lucky I’m in a hurry.” She plunged the dagger into Vikki’s heart, blood gushing out as she withdrew the dagger.
There was a look of surprise on Vikki’s face as hands clutched her chest. “The hounds. The hounds are coming.” Her eyes closed and Amber could no longer hear the beat of her heart.
She rose to her feet and stared down at Vikki, the blood spreading across the floor. Hounds or Hound? The only Hound she knew was Ronan’s son. Surely he wouldn’t go against his father. That’d be suicidal. Stepping back before the pool of blood reached her feet, she swore as she realised what she’d done. She’d just killed her father’s girlfriend. Even though she wasn’t much of one, her father hadn’t known that. There was no way she was going to be the one to tell him. Besides, Vikki shouldn’t have killed her boyfriend. Pain sliced through her as she thought of Kade and she wanted to kill Vikki again. Her hand curled into a fist as she fought against letting the panther escape.
With the dagger still in her hand she collected her sword, sheathing it as she headed for the stairs. She wasn’t even halfway up when a shot rang out on the floor above. Sheathing the dagger, she took the rest of the steps two at a time, bursting into a kitchen.
Stanley looked up, the gun still aimed at Roy who was sprawled on the floor. He backed away, raising the gun to point it at Amber. “What have you done? Where’s Vikki.”
“Dead.” She mentally reached for Roy. He was alive but unconscious. “Like you will be.”