Stay back Morgan. He is up to something.
Poison! She yelled in her head. Melly said he's poison.
"It was you!” Ladon turned with a growl. "You betrayed me to the humans. Stole my blood and gave it to a blood mage."
Lord Bochus looked from him to Morgan who stood a few feet behind him. Then he smiled. That smile said more clearly than the rant that followed he was insane.
"I had to, don't you see. The prophesy said if you took your place of power I would die. It was self-defense. Now you would destroy dragon kind with this human. No! I'm not the traitor here. You are."
"You gave his blood to the blood mage. Why?" Morgan called the question.
"That was the price, for the potion that made him weak enough to kill. But I couldn't strike the blow myself. If a seer were to search out his fate, it must look as if he played games with the humans and died for his foolishness. That was the price I paid." He was so excited it had to be unnatural. "The blood was the price I paid."
Is he drugged?
I'm not sure but he is most certainly crazed.
"Why are you here?" Ladon asked moving so that he blocked the line of sight to Morgan.
This had Bochus blinking. Confused and then his face cleared. "To kill you of course. It's the only way."
"If you wanted to challenge me all you had to do was wait for the new moon. Why now?"
"They can't see." Bochus looked around furtively. "They won't understand."
"Understand what?"
I'm almost there. Keep him talking. The sound of Ebens words had relief pouring through Morgan.
Bochus laughed then. "I had to be able to win." Then he was transforming into his dragon. Only it was something different that he became.
He retained his red color but he had grown to twice his normal size and his skin was mottled and black in places. A spike formed on his tail and his dragon talons morphed to curved weapons. He had two black horns on his head and his spittle hissed when it dribbled to the ground between razor sharp teeth.
Get out of here Morgan! Ladon called before he transformed into his now tiny looking dragon between them. Get the others to safety.
Bochus swung his spiked tail forcing Ladon to fly out of the way just as it crashed into the ground where he had stood.
Eben Hurry. She called then yanked the earth out from under Bochus so that his talons flew up and he was rolling back away from Ladon.
He roared his rage and then flew up belching fire towards them. Morgan called the wind sucking the air away so the fire never reached its intended target. Ladon gave his own war cry before launching himself at the bigger dragon and using his slighter form and speed to get behind him and bludgeon him with his own tail.
Bochus went tumbling again with a wild shriek but came back fast. Trying to grab for the much smaller dragon as Ladon flicked around him scraping him up with flashing claws. Then with a flash of gold Ladon called his great sword and swung going for a neck shot. But it was as if he was hitting stone. It just made Bochus madder and madder.
He turned and swiped with his mutated talons. He was going to connect. Morgan knew it, knew too that Ladon would die, even as a black shadow appeared between them and Eben took the swipe into his own side. His black talons dug into the abomination Bochus had become, and with six thousand years of dragon power behind him, he ripped off his head.
He dropped what was left of a twitching Bochus to the ground. Turning first to look for Morgan and then seeing her standing he turned to check Ladon. But Ladon was looking at the wound across Ebens flank.
Poison. Ladon said meeting his eyes. Eben felt the energy draining out. He would have dropped to the ground if Ladon had not grabbed him and lead him down.
Morgan came running as they landed. She gasped seeing the black stain spreading across his iridescent scales.
"No!" She yelled falling to her knees beside him just as they both shifted to human. "Eben no." But she knew. She could feel the poison spreading.
'One or the other will die.' Melly had said. Morgan assumed she meant Ladon or Bochus but what if she meant this?
"Eben." She whispered, her hands going to either side of his face so she could look into his eyes. "Don't you leave me."
His pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. "You worry about the silliest things Shameaa. There is no poison that can harm a dragon." But his words were slurring and his eyes going unfocused.
"Arrogant dragon." She cursed through her tears. "Always think you know everything."
"I have called for a healer." The voice was too deep and had Morgan looking up through her tears. She hadn't even noticed General Solan arrive until now. She looked at him through sightless eyes. Then beside her, she heard Rhune.
"He's dying, isn't he Morgan?" Too serious and too knowing for such a young boy. "I can see it spreading." Morgan looked from her brother to Eben who was now gasping for breath.
"The healer won't be in time." Ladon said from the other side of Eben. She looked across and saw the same devastation on his face she knew she was wearing on hers.
Shameaa. His voice in her head was weak. You may have been right...this once.
"I don't want to be right!" She cried. "I want you to beat this, like you beat everything else. Please Eben. Fight!" His hand found her cheek, pushing into her hair and wiping her tears with his thumb.
"I would not give up the light so soon after discovering its warmth." He said, and she grabbed his hand to hold it to her face as agony shook her. He reached his other hand to find Ladon and they clasped hands. "You will look after each other. All that is mine is yours.”
"You don't have to ask."
“Solan."
"Here." Came the gruff voice.
"You will bear witness that all these here belong to me. I claim them as dragon mage of the house of water."
"I will so witness."
"Then he looked at Morgan. "Shameaa..." Then he closed his eyes.
"No! Where's the healer?" She yelled, feeling him slipping away. "Fight! You arrogant dragon. Fight!" She shook him as hard as she could but there was nothing.
Then he jerked and Morgan looked up. A white light was swirling around him, the black shadow wound started to shrink and she blinked not understanding until Clare screamed.
"Rhune!"
She looked down Ebens body and saw Rhune with his hands on the wound. "What are you doing?” But she knew. She had seen her mother heal enough wounds to know when someone was healing with magic. Only Rhune had never had that power. Until now.
Even as she watched the shadow wound was leaching out of Eben...and into Rhune.
'Morgan stop him. He's too young!' This was what Melly had been warning her about! This!
"No." Morgan yelled knocking Rhune away from the wounded dragon. "Hold him away. It'll kill him!"
General Solan Picked up Rhune and turned so that he was away from the body. Rhune was struggling and yelling but he was no match for the Dragon General.
Morgan turned back to Eben. The shadow was smaller but it wasn't enough. Rhune could have saved him but he was too young, he would have died unable to fight off the poison. He was a healer.
Like their mother.
‘Blood or sex, Morgan. That's how you restore a fading dragon. Blood or sex. But only use it when the need is most dire.’
Morgan reached over to the sword Ladon had dropped and slashed her hand against it.
"Morgan!" He yelled reaching for her, but she already had her hand pressed between Ebens lips.
"Fight Eben." She whispered pushing Ladon back when he would have taken her hand away. "Fight!" She yelled it directly into Ebens face.
Just when she though it wasn't going to work, Eben latched onto her hand with sharp teeth. She cried out but it wasn't the pain. She watched as the shadows shrank with each gulp of blood he downed.
"It’s working!” She heard someone say right before she passed out from blood loss.
Chapter 14
When Mo
rgan opened her eyes, she was in her bed in the Forsaken Mountain. There was a naked man at her back.
Eben?
Here Shameaa. The arm at her waist tightened, bringer her closer to his hard hot body. Ladon? Rhune? Melly? Was everyone safe?
Everyone is safe. He said and she burst into tears. Burying her head in the pillow while he cuddled against her back. Shameaa...Eben said finally. You break my heart.
I thought I lost you.
No, you saved me. He said and there was something there that she didn't understand.
"What is it?" She asked sniffling and rolling so that she faced him.
"Rhune could have died, you could have died. I did not expect or want that sacrifice." He placed hands on either side of her face and studied what he saw there. "I suppose I am not used to being the one rescued."
"You were not the only one rescued." Ladon said from where he stood watch on the balcony. His eyes lacked their usual twinkle. "You should not have taken that hit for me." His voice broke. "I almost lost you both."
"Ladon." Morgan said with joy. Sitting up and reaching out to him. He came to the bed and to her hand, pressing it against his face. "I almost lost you both. Better to die than that."
"No. You are here in my hand." She said softly understanding exactly how he felt. "We are all safe. This is better."
"I almost lost you both."
"Come to bed my friend." Eben said quietly. "Come and let us remember we live."
Ladon crawled up on the bed beside the Morgan until they were both kneeling facing each other. He pushed his hands into her hair and kissed her softly. "Little Falcon." He said, running his lips over her cheeks and forehead. Then he pulled hard on her hair, capturing her eyes with a new fierceness. "I cannot lose you."
"Ladon." She whispered. "I'm right here." She leaned up and kissed his chest, running her soft lips over him wherever she could reach, wanting him to feel nothing but love. "I'm not going anywhere. Not without you." Then she took a hard nipple into her wet mouth and sucked. Nipping down with her teeth while he groaned. She swirled her tongue around his other nipple, while her hand palmed his pulsing cock. Her hair slipped through his fingers when she moved lower. Kissing and nipping along his hard ridges and planks. She had just slipped the tip of him into her mouth when she felt Eben behind her, pulling her roughly by the hips, he positioned her on her knees, her legs spread.
Ladon took a firmer grip on her hair and used it to pull her back to his cock. She swallowed around him taking as much as she could as Eben speared into her from behind. She groaned and it had Ladon bucking his hips mindlessly. With Eben pushing her and Ladon pulling she had little control and went where they led.
When Ladon bellowed out his climax, she swallowed him up. Eben pistoned harder until he was pounding a place deep inside that eventually had her coming on a whole body shudder. Then Eben poured his pleasure into her with a dragons roar.
They lay entwined some time later. Morgan draped over Eben with Ladon spooning her from the back. Ebens hand was running up and down her arm as if to assure himself she was real. Ladon had his nose buried at her neck where he could breathe her in with each breath.
There was a thump against the door that had Morgan jumping. "What was that?"
"I believe that is the hatchling discovering the spell I placed on the door."
"When did you do that?"
"When I heard him pounding up the stairs."
Ladon chuckled into her hair. "I suppose we should go out soon." He said, not moving. "They've been anxious to see you awake."
Rhune thumped against the door. "How come they aren't answering?" His bellow could be heard through the solid wood.
But Melly's answer was barely discernible. "Come away Rhune. I said she was awake, not that she was ready to get up."
"Why won't she get up? She's been sleeping for DAYS!"
That had Morgan blinking up at Eben. "How long have I been sleeping?"
"Three days."
"Three days?"
"Long enough for Eben to have us all declared the combined House of Fire and Water. Long enough that the blood rights have been outlawed by the humans and all magic forbidden beyond the gates of Dracon. Long enough that General Solan has started regular patrols to try to save as many mage as we can beyond our walls."
Morgan was on information overload for a few minutes as she digested the news, good and bad.
"It's as you said." Morgan said sadly, laying her head back down. "We will always be in hiding among the humans."
"Yes.” Eben said rubbing her arm. "Human nature has always been such. They will always destroy that which they fear."
"Then we have changed nothing."
"Not true." Ladon said. "The blood rights are finished and dragons are searching among the humans for their mates. There is hope for both sides."
The door shook across the room. "I can hear you talking!"
It made Morgan laugh despite everything. "You are such a brat!" She called back.
"See Melly. She's awake." They heard and then. "But I want to show her my dragon house amulet right now."
"There will be other battles to fight, Shameaa. But not today."
"No." She said letting herself enjoy that both her mates were with her and her family safe. "Today the battles have all been fought and won."
There was more pounding.
"Except for one." She amended. "How do we keep my brother away from our bedroom?"
"We were thinking three headed dog." Ladon said, his usual humor slowly returning.
Morgan sighed. "He'd probably just try to ride it."
Eben and Ladon both started laughing.
"Well, he would." She said, not seeing the humor.
"Of that I have no doubt, Shameaa. He is too much like his sheet riding sister to do otherwise."
"One should never complain about their mate while naked in bed with them Lord Dragon." Morgan teased, using Rhunes favorite title for him.
"Complain?" He asked. "Never. But I believe I still owe you a spanking for more than one incident of 'courage' these past days."
She sniffed at his threat, a spark flickering in her eyes. "Is it your extreme old age that makes it impossible for you to tell mates and children apart? Spanking indeed." She jumped up so that she was standing over them on the bed. Hands to her gloriously nude hips. "Try it Lord Dragon and we'll both regret what I freeze off you in your sleep." Then she jumped down laughing, sending a whoosh of cold magic back over the dragons on the bed, before she slammed the door to the bathroom. They heard the water start a second later.
Eben sighed. It's as if she has no fear of me at all.
That made Ladon laugh. They both knew that where Morgan was concerned, his threats where about as likely as a dragon giving up his treasure. Then he too was up and headed for the bath.
Just where are you going?
To join our mate in her bath. You can join us…or you can go deal with Rhune.
It didn't take 6000 years of wisdom to see the smarter choice there.
Epilogue
"I wondered if you would come here." The Voice was cold even in the black of the ice cave. "I wondered if you would really be so foolish."
"There was nowhere else." The blood mage spat out. His red eyes proclaiming his participation in the blood rights. Even in the dark, they glowed with an eerie fire. "Your dragons have destroyed everything else." The cave had been carved deep into the mountain where no light reached. It was a place of old power that had been corrupted by death. "And the peasants revolt against their betters because of it."
"So you hide in the dark like a rat?" The shadows moved but didn't part. "Tell me Lotare, what good are you to me now?"
"I am not finished!" The mage hissed. "I will take back what has been stolen, and you will help me."
The Dragon laughed. "What possible reason would I have?"
"You have your own enemies." The blood mage reminded him.
"And your poison didn't work!"
"I can perfect it, and I will. Then you will have the means to destroy even the oldest of dragons. But I want something in return."
"More dragon blood, perhaps? Tell me mage how much did you waste on that imbecile Bochus? I sent him to you to try out the poison, not to destroy his mind."
"A means to an end." He said waving that away as inconsequential as he paced. "A girl is beyond the gates of Dracon. She belongs to me. I want her back."
"A girl?" The voice dropped. "Describe her."
"Young, red hair, green eyes. Small. She is wind called. How many can there be?"
"You'd be surprised." The dragon said with open disgust. "But I have never seen a girl such as you describe."
"Find her." Lotare snapped. "Give her to me and I will make a poison even your oldest dragon with ten healers could not survive."
There was movement in the shadows as the dragon left the way he had come. His last word echoed eerily through the once sacred space. "Done."
* * *
Melly woke with a gasp, the foretelling fading from her mind even as the last word echoed.
She shivered; she was always so cold now. She left the bed that was no comfort and stepped out onto the balcony. It should have made her colder. The winds blowing around her from so many far off lands. Instead, it was a companion. A friend that laughed through her red hair and picked up her skirts. A playmate that made her smile, even when it felt like unholy eyes looked for her in the darkness.
Why couldn't she remember the dreams?
She could push the issue. Talk to Morgan or ask for a healer, but everyone was finally happy now, and the truth was she didn't want to know, not really. Not yet.
Soon, she knew there would be no choice but to face what was done to her.
Her eyes looked out into the magic filled lands of the dragons. She closed her eyes and let the wind wipe away her fears.
Soon. It echoed through the winds: There would be a price to pay, another battle to be fought. But not yet.
FB2 document info
Document ID: 8a15efee-f182-4676-87e6-4051108d566d
The Dragon’s Mage dm-1 Page 9