by Julia Mills
Pulling her arm from Maddox’s grip, the Priestess knelt down until she was eye-to-eye with the bear and asked, “How about we take a walk outside? Sound good?”
The bear clicked her tongue and nudged her head against Calysta’s hand. The Priestess couldn’t be sure but thought she saw a smile on the bear’s cute furry face. Taking the ursa’s amicable attitude as a yes, Calysta turned around, intertwined her fingers with Maddox’s, and chirped, “Let’s take Annie out back.”
Maddox sighed and shook his head. “So we’re walking…the bear?”
Chuckling out loud, the Priestess nodded. “Yes, I suppose we are.”
With her hand on Annie’s head and Maddox at her side, their fit down the hall was tight but they made it to the backdoor as the staff and remaining refugees clapped and cheered their congratulations. Calysta watched as the bear puffed up with pride and her walk turned into a strut.
Annie immediately sniffed the night air, rubbed against every tree in the vicinity, and gave a variety of grunts and tongue clicks to let them know how happy she was. Niall appeared about a half hour into the young bear’s ‘play time’ with a gallon bucket of salmon and another full of fruits and berries.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment. Kept ordering fresh provisions with the hopes it was going to happen soon,” the Elder Healer placed the buckets next to Annie and backed away. Turning to Calysta, he patted her arm and smiled. “Congratulations. You did great work in there.”
Smiling despite herself, the Priestess felt her cheeks warm. “Thank you. I just followed my instincts and prayed…a lot.”
Nodding, Niall looked at Maddox and winked. “You’ve got a special lady there, ya’ old bastard.”
Pulling Calysta to his side, her mad dragon wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her on the top of the head. “Don’t I know it, ya’ old asshole.”
The priestess shook her head at their strange form of comradery and chuckled, “You two have a weird way of showing your affection.”
The two older dragons barked with laughter, scoffing, “Affection. Pfft.” But Calysta could feel the mutual respect and brotherhood between them, even if she didn’t completely understand their mannerisms.
The three super beings spent a few quiet minutes watching Annie devour the food Niall had brought to her before the Elder Healer looked up and announced, “I have rounds to make before I head home to get some sleep before Drago is ready to see me.” Shaking his head as he turned to go, he mused, “I’m not as young as I used to be. These late nights are killing me.”
“That’s right, old man,” Maddox chuckled. “You better go get your beauty rest. Heavens knows you need it.”
“Whatever, ya’ old pain in the ass,” Niall teased over his shoulder as he headed back towards the clinic.
Calysta heard the squeak of the door as the Elder Healer pulled it open at the same time that a low rumble sounded just beyond the tree line. Annie raised her head, the fur running along her spine stood on end, and a low growl emanated from her while she sniffed the air.
Niall was once again at Annie’s side, his posture no longer that of a healer but a warrior. Maddox was also immediately on guard. He looked to the sky as the Priestess felt him open his enhanced senses wide. Magic filled the air. Calysta joined hers with her mate to give him added projection. The vision of Drago preparing to land behind their house filled her mind’s eye at the same time she saw it through Maddox’s internal vision. She could feel the tension in her mate’s body, feel his dragon pushing against the confines of his mind to be free and see the same strain in Drago’s beast as he also looked towards the ominous growl coming from the opposite side of the lair.
“Get Annie and get back into the clinic,” Maddox ordered, kissing Calysta on the cheek and gently pushing her towards the bear as he bent down, looked the grizzly in the eye, and said, “Take care of her, please. I love her so much it hurts.”
Annie grunted low in her throat and lumbered towards Calysta, bumping her hand with her big bear head and clicking her tongue. Any other time, the Priestess would’ve taken offense to being ordered around by not only her mate but a grizzly bear, however, under the circumstances and after Maddox’s heartfelt admission of love, she did as she was told. After all, she had to make sure Annie was safe. It wouldn’t do for her to be injured again so soon after finally recovering her magic and her beast.
Calysta was thankful to Maddox for keeping their bond open and allowing her to watch as he raced across the lair, calling to the other Guardsmen. The rumbling on the far side of the woods bordering the lair continued to grow. It filled the night sky and turned the calm, predawn hours into a storm of menace and fury.
“Royce, Rian, Rory, get to my house. Drago is landing. Kayne, Lenn, Brann, Dec, and Pearce, with me and Niall to the tree line. Whatever is out there needs an ass kicking,” Maddox ordered, still running as fast as he could.
“I’m on my way, too, old man. Just landed an hour ago,” Kellan said.
“Damn glad to have you, boy,” her mad dragon answered.
Watching the action like a movie running through her mind, Calysta was on pins and needles as Maddox and Niall approached the tree line at the same time as the other Guardsmen. She was happy to see his sword in his hand but more worried than ever as a shrill shriek cut through the air and the sound of heavy wings beat against the night sky.
Her mate and six formidable Guardsmen stood at the ready, swords drawn, watching the sky for whatever dared to breech their borders to appear. The adrenalin rushing through Maddox’s body was heady. The strength and fury of both man and beast captivating. They were each a warrior in their own right and damn near unstoppable when combined. The Universe’s proud defenders, a true testament to all that was right and good in the world.
A loud roar shook the ground a split second before a large black dragon crashed through the trees. His talons were extended. The battle horns that jutted from his brow and across the apex of his skull were at the ready. This beast was armed for war.
“KYRAN!” The name blew through Maddox’s mind as he spun around and chased the shadow of the flying dragon across the compound.
Calysta was more thankful than ever that Brannoc and Lennox had developed an earplug of sorts for the Guardsmen to protect them against Kyran’s mind-numbing wail. Rian had ordered all Guardsmen to keep the protective devices with them at all times as a precaution and for occasions just like this. She had no doubt the roar she was hearing would’ve disabled the Guardsmen without the boys’ invention.
“He’s heading for Drago,” her dragon shouted to the others then to the Assassin, “It’s Kyran. He’s lost his mind. He’s on the attack and you’re the target. Land! Land this minute!”
“I’m dropping Alicia now.” Calysta heard Drago’s reply and then saw the vision the Assassin pushed into Maddox’s mind. Gasping, the Priestess held her breath as the young witch all but did a swan dive off her mate’s back, falling well over a hundred feet straight into the basket the O’Reilly brothers had made with their arms.
Good thing those boys are strong…
It reminded Calysta of a cheerleading move from Kyra’s younger days. Thankfully, her daughter had only fallen about twenty feet but just like then, Alicia’s death defying move took precious years off the Priestess’ life.
“What are you doing, Drago?” Maddox demanded. “Do not take him on.”
“I’m not going to fight him. I’m going to bring him down,” the Assassin replied, gaining altitude and speed.
“He’s too powerful and too crazy, you damned fool,” Kayne bellowed.
“He’s still my lad and I intend to bring him home.” Drago’s tone was adamant. He was not about to be stopped.
“You stupid, arrogant, pain in my…” was Maddox’s reply as Calysta watched her mate hand Lennox his sword and run about a hundred feet from his brethren. She felt magic fill every cell of his body and watched as the tall, handsome man she loved more than life itself became
a thousand pound Prussian Blue dragon. His scales sparkled in the moonlight as his massive wings unfolded and he took to the sky. She marveled at the power in the beast’s body; of his talons and the fierce poise of the horns that lined the bridge of his nose, brow and skull before cascading down his spine and growing in width and length until they reached the sharp spaded-end of his tail.
The grim determination in his eyes, still the same beautiful blue but now with an elliptical pupil, was mesmerizing and the brutal aggression thrumming through his powerful being was awe-inspiring. Calysta had no doubt her dragon would best whatever foe he came up against but could feel his need to rescue as opposed to harm in this endeavor. Gaining on Kyran at the same rate that the black dragon was overtaking Drago, Maddox positioned himself to come up on the one they called the Phantom’s left side. The Priestess was momentarily confused but then saw the glitter of golden scales and realized Kayne had also called forth his beast and was joining the effort to return one of their own to the clan.
“Be ready down there. I’m hoping to take him down easily and force his transformation as we go,” Maddox commanded the men on the ground as he and Kayne neared Kyran.
No longer able to stand being indoors while her dragon was fighting, Calysta attempted to leave the confines of the clinic, only to find her way blocked by three hundred pounds of bear. Huffing her irritation, the Priestess ordered, “Move Annie. I need to make sure he doesn’t get hurt.”
The bear simply laid down in front of the door and clicked her tongue. Calysta’s entire being shook with frustration. “Dammit, Annie, let me out of here,” she shrieked, but before her grizzly guard could answer, the scene unfolding in her mind took her breath away.
Maddox and Kayne came up alongside Kyran just as he reached Drago. Closing in around him, the mad dragon and the demi god began to herd the Phantom away from his Commander. Unfortunately, the black dragon had a few tricks of his own. As the blue and golden dragons sought to stop the movement of Kyran’s wings thus forcing him down, the black dragon pulled his wings into his sides and did a death drop.
Once under Maddox and Kayne, the black dragon once again extended his powerful wings and gave a mighty push along the airstream the other dragons left in their wake. Propelling through the sky even faster than before, Kyran rolled to the side, came up under Drago, and sliced through the soft scales and tender skin where his right wing joined his impressive chest. The red dragon faltered as blood filled the sky and scales fell like snowflakes from the huge gaping wound on his underbelly.
“DRAGO!” Maddox roared as he took off at top speed after Kyran while Kayne dropped below the Assassin and guided the dragon to the ground.
Kyran was turning and dropping closer to the ground, presumably to make another pass and finish what he’d started, when Calysta smelled the unmistakable scent of dragon fire. She immediately looked around then realized it was not her physical senses that were picking up the aroma of burnt mesquite, oak, and charcoal, but that of Maddox’s dragon. Remorse filled her being. The regret her mate was already feeling for what he was about to do. He knew there was no other way to bring Kyran down without further damage to his brethren or their lair than to hurl a short blast of his dragon fire at one of his oldest and closest friends, but it went against every fiber of his being.
“Get everyone out of the clearing. I’m blazing his underbelly and bringing him down,” Maddox ordered.
Momentary shock rose from his brethren, immediately followed by their unmistakable support and belief that Maddox was making the only choice he could. Calysta held her breath as the beautiful blue dragon, who was also her mate, flapped his wings one last time, propelling himself like a jet through the sky. Mere seconds before he would’ve crashed into the backend of Kyran’s black dragon, Maddox rolled to his back and slid under the black dragon in almost the same fashion as Kyran had done to Drago. Instead of talons, the mad dragon shot a blaze of dragon fire at each of the black dragon’s outstretched wings.
An agonizing shriek of pain shook the ground as Kyran struggled to stay airborne while beating his wings to extinguish the flames. Maddox rolled out from under him, righted his massive body, and followed the black dragon in his descent, changing from beast to man at the same time as Kyran. Touching down a split second before the Phantom, Maddox dropped to his knees as the dead weight of his old friend crashed into his arms.
Screaming to his brethren, her dragon ordered, “Get the hell over here! Help me get him to the clinic!” He took a gulp of air and then asked, “Where’s Drago? Is he okay?”
The sounds of pounding feet and yelling preceeded the sound of the electronic glass doors being forced open just as Rian and Rory carried the bloody and unconscious Drago over the threshold with a tearful Alicia close behind.
“He’s here. I’ve got him,” Calysta answered as she directed two of the O’Reilly brothers to triage.
“Take good care of him, Callie.” She could hear the concern in Maddox’s voice and then he added, “Be there in two with another patient and this one is my fault.”
Cutting the clothing away from Drago’s wounds, she answered her mate with a cold dose of reality, “You did what you had to do for the good of everyone. He will recover. Now, suck it up, cupcake, and get your ass over here. I need your help.”
She felt as much as heard the relief in his voice that she didn’t blame him for doing what had to be done as he responded, “Aye, Aye, Priestess.”
Turning her attention to the serious condition of her patient and the look of terror on Alicia’s face, Calysta was telling the little witch that Drago would be fine after his wounds were cleaned and he went into a healing sleep and she almost missed Maddox’s whispered, “I love you more than you’ll ever know. Thank you.”
Sending love through their bond, Calysta severed their communication so she could concentrate on Drago and Alicia. They needed her now. There would be time later to show her dragon exactly how much she loved him.
Chapter Nine
The last three days had been some of the hardest and most worrisome of his very long life. As Maddox collapsed into his oversized recliner and reached for the lever to put the footrest up, he felt every one of his two-hundred-and-twenty-two years. He and Calysta had slept a couple of hours here and there but even that had been fitful. All their attention was focused on Drago and Kyran, both in their healing sleep, both thankfully recovering but still unconscious.
The mad dragon had dealt with the guilt from using his fire as a weapon against a friend. He’d weighed the options and made the best decision he could at the time. Everyone agreed. The tough scales of the black dragon’s underbelly protected Kyran from any serious burns that would leave long term damage to either beast or man. Had Maddox used his talons or horns there was a risk of hitting vital organs and inadvertently killing one of his own. Kyran’s attack on Drago had reminded the mad dragon that although their beasts were warriors, they were not indestructible. He was justified in using the only other option available to him to save the lives of those he called brethren.
Calysta came in from the kitchen, handed him a mug of what smelled like flowers, and sat on his lap. Sniffing the warm liquid, he looked over the rim of the cup and grumbled, “What the hell is this?”
“My special blend of chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, and ashwaganda. It will calm your mind and help you sleep. You need a few good hours of rest. You’re running on empty and that’s not good for you or Drago and Kyran.”
“I have no clue what ass waggin’ tea is gonna do to help me sleep and this,” he nodded to the mug before setting it on the side table to his right, “smells like hot flower soup.”
Calysta shook her head. “Maddox, you need some sleep.”
“I need a case or two of Macallans and a month away from all this shit with you, but that’s not going to happen. So, I’m going to have a glass of iced tea, a shower, and grab a couple of hours of sleep with you in my arms.”
Smiling while she carefully
climbed off his lap as not to spill what remained of her flowery drink, his little witch stood up, reached out to him with her free hand, and winked. “Definitely. Now, let’s head up before one or both of us falls asleep in this ratty old chair.”
Quickly getting to his feet, he wrapped his arms around Calysta, kissed her soundly then teased, “Don’t mess with my chair, woman.”
Lifting her into his arms, he headed up the stairs as she looked over his shoulder and sighed, “I guess it’s not that bad. I just wish you’d let me recover it.”
“Callie,” he mockingly growled.
“Okay, okay,” she relented with a chuckle. “I’ll leave your man-chair alone.”
Reaching their bedroom, he set his mate on the bed and kissed the top of her head before quickly undressing. He loved the way Calysta’s pupils dilated, her breathing sped up, and the succulent scent of her arousal filled the room. It didn’t matter that they were bone tired and barely able to keep their eyes open, she still desired him just as much as he desired her.
Sliding into his side of the bed, Maddox waggled his eyebrows and in a low, sultry tone suggested, “Now, it’s your turn and I wanna watch.”
Calysta stood, placed her mug on the bedside table, and she removed first her blouse and then her bra, letting them fall to the floor while giving him a mouthwatering view of her beautiful body and the curves his lips longed to taste.
His eyes widened as her jeans slid to the floor. His breath caught in his throat as the light blue silk of her panties followed, caressing her legs as his hands longed to do. Stepping out of the pile of clothing at her feet, Calysta’s head was slightly bowed with a beautiful light blush coloring her cheeks as she looked up at him through her long dark lashes with such love and longing that his heart skipped a beat.
Striding around the bed, gloriously naked and perfect in every way, his little witch leaned forward, kissed first his forehead and then the tip of his nose before finally touching his lips. The hardened peaks of her nipples brushed his chest as she slowly and tenderly showed him how much he meant to her with only her lips and tongue.