Pride

by H. C. Brown

  The dragon’s voice boomed in Dallin’s subconscious. “You should see my wings.” Buzz dropped her head and snorted great clouds of steam.

  Gods, he could communicate telepathically with a dragon. “Show me.”

  Buzz lifted her chin, the scales on her long neck glistening in the early morning sunlight. With a whoosh, her wings unfurled. The gigantic bat wings felled trees and sent the remaining animal population of Fae Island running for cover.

  “Holy fuck.” Stryker gripped Dallin’s arm. “You sure you can control that thing? You do remember she hates my guts, right?”

  Unafraid, Dallin walked toward the dragon. “I knew she was special the day I found her.” He shot a glance at Stryker. “She will do what I say. My main worry is how we get onto her back.”

  The dragon dropped flat on the ground. With little effort, Dallin climbed up and slid between the spikes on her back. Stryker tossed up the supplies, and then, with an anguished look, climbed up behind Dallin.

  Dallin threw him a grin. “Hang on.” He patted Buzz’s neck. “Okay girl, take us to the Gate.”

  Dallin gripped the spikes, his heart thundered. The dragon crouched, and then speared into the air. They soared high above the clouds, and Fae Island became a small dot in the endless blue ocean. The dragon hovered in the freezing air. Wind filled its wings like the sails of an ancient ship. Dallin understood the joy surging through his dragon. How long had she remained imprisoned in the Loop’s body? He pushed against her mind. Soon, we will be free to ride together across the skies, but first I need you to help me rescue Lailii and my son. I will never ask you to be a Loop again if this is your wish; you have my word.

  “I would have the best of both worlds, my prince.” Buzz chuckled. “On cold nights, your bed is very warm.”

  The dragon tipped to one side and soared downward. Dallin heard Stryker swear. He held his breath until they landed precariously on the side of the mountain. Buzz attached her massive body to the sheer rock face by her sharp talons. Dallin unhooked the supplies and threw them onto the small plateau in front of the Gate. He grabbed Stryker by the arm, and using his superior strength helped him onto the ledge. A cold wind whistled past their ears. They crawled along the small walkway and into a cave. “Thank the Lady, there is a cave here. Problem is there is no room to fight if Passio follows me through the Gate.”

  “Leave that to me.” Stryker dragged the supplies into the cave. “You should go. Gods’ speed.”

  Dallin pulled his lover close and inhaled his rich scent. Their lips met in a tender kiss that said more than words. With a long sigh, Dallin lifted his head and met Stryker’s gaze. “When you name our son, remember he is a king.”

  “Then I shall leave that honor to you, my king.” Stryker gave Dallin an exaggerated bow. “Go get our mate.”

  Without a backward glance, Dallin strode back along the walkway and leapt onto the dragon’s back. The beast pushed away from the cliff and soared into the air, morphing into a Terravampire. Dallin flattened his body against the smooth-skinned beast and wrapped his arms around the creature’s neck, hanging on for dear life. They circled the top of the mountain, watching the changing scenes on the Gate. Passio’s castle loomed in the Gate’s depths, followed by the scene of the ballroom. Other vistas flashed by in three-minute intervals. As the sequence replayed, Buzz moved skyward, her Terravampire body hovering in an updraft of wind. With unnerving accuracy, she plunged forward, entering the gate the split second it changed. They soared into the Underworld unnoticed and circled the castle.

  Black clouds raced across the sky, emphasizing the misery of the place. Lightning flashed in quick succession, sending the stink of burnt earth into the air. The land of never-ending night—a fitting place for the evil housed there. Terravampires screeched landing en masse to feed on the bodies of Passio’s torture victims piled high at the postern gate. Buzz began her descent, tucking her sleek, black wings close to her sides, and then dropping unnoticed at the back of the castle. The secret passageway began under a clump of bushes beneath the fourth tower. Dallin slipped from her back. “Good girl. Go back to Stryker.”

  “If you need me, I will come.” Buzz pushed Dallin with her nose then soared into the air.

  Painfully alone, he stood to his full height and glanced around. Using his cat’s night vision, he counted the towers and then moved swiftly toward the clump of bushes under the fourth one. Forming a small, illumination globe, he sent the spinning ball of light into the undergrowth to seek out the entrance. He dragged the shrubs apart and squeezed into a tunnel covered with cobwebs and housing spiders bigger than his fist. The globe showed the way upward. He ignored the snakes and other reptiles and began to climb the dirt path. Soil trickled down at every step; the passage was unstable and near collapse. He rounded a bend and stopped before a pile of fallen rocks. With a flick of his hand, he used magyck to push open a small aperture and crawled through on all fours.

  This part of the tunnel opened up. Large flagstones covered the floor, and the walls were made of granite. Dallin shook the dust from his hair and continued. Water streamed down the walls, and the disgusting stench of death filled the air. The passageway began to break into a series of tunnels. He glanced around, not sure which way to proceed. The stench came from the tunnels to the left—the dungeons. He would move to the right in the hope the way led to the part of the castle where Passio had imprisoned Lailii. Dragging the leather helmet from his belt, he stopped for a second to listen. His blood pounded in his ears. In the distance, he could hear the sound of music. He forced the helmet over his head. If he ran into Passio or his friend, Kaos, would he pass for a guard?

  Dallin thought of Lailii; the image of her face soothed his nerves. He straightened his shoulders and continued toward the music. The passage ended in a wall, no door, nothing. Dallin stared at the wall. Use your talents, the Lady had said. Drawing on his magyck, Dallin imagined the granite bricks as a cloud of smoke. Tentatively, he thrust his hand forward. To his delight, his fist passed straight through the solid wall. Without another thought, he cloaked and stepped through into a narrow hallway. The sickly scent of demon accosted his highly sensitive nose. He looked both ways. A flight of stairs led to an upper floor on the left. He turned right. Moving swiftly, he made his way along the corridor. He turned the corner and barely avoided colliding into two guards hovering at the entrance to the ballroom. To his relief, they stared straight through him.

  The binding spell formed in his mind. He would have to use this incantation with care. The guards must remain standing upright. Another idea came to him. Not the binding spell—the fast-freeze charm. Dallin rubbed his chin, and then smiled at his own creativity. He moved between the guards and stood in the middle of the ballroom. Another four guards surrounded the Gate. With a flick of his hand, Dallin cast the spell. De-cloaking, he stood for a few seconds to get his bearings. Now he had secured the guards, cloaking would only alert Passio to his presence.

  Fourth door from the vestibule. Dallin walked slowly along the passageway toward the foyer. Passio appeared from a doorway and glared at him, his red eyes blazing. Dallin froze mid step. He cast his eyes downward; his fingers tingled with magyck. He braced for action.

  “Not here, you fool.” Passio brushed past him, and then braced his hand against the wall. “I said to guard the fourth door from the vestibule.”

  Dallin could not believe his luck. Passio moved slowly, weaving from side to side. Dallin smiled. The pig must have consumed Lailii’s tainted blood. He followed the demon at a distance. He may well pass as a guard, but Passio would certainly recognize his scent if he got too close. As directed, he moved into position in front of a door on the other side of the vestibule. Dallin glanced around. No other men guarded this area.

  “Remain here. Do not allow the female to leave this room.” Passio turned and walked unsteadily toward the music.

  The demon headed toward the ballroom—with the Gate. Damn. If he could take Lailii from this room, the
y had no chance of escape. He turned the copper doorknob and slowly pushed open the door. Lailii scrambled off the bed, her beautiful face streaked with tears. She looked lost and defeated. A lump formed in Dallin’s throat. He held out a hand. “It is me, little one. Dallin.”

  “I am not fooled by you, Kaos. Go away.” Lailii backed against the wall.

  Dallin ripped off his helmet and opened his arms. “I came to you in your dreams. Come here and smell me. I promise I do not stink like a fucking demon.”

  “I do not trust you.” Lailii wrapped her arms around her stomach. “My Dallin is not as big as you. Go away.”

  “Do you remember when we first met?” Dallin pushed down the urge to run to her, and smiled. “I thought you were a child and stripped you naked. You sure told me where to go. Then you gave me the spiel about cursing me if I raped you.” He moved closer. “I was your first, and I love you with all my heart.” With a sigh, he caught a tear running down her cheek on his fingertip. “We should never have left you. Uncle said you were well, but I gather he never gave you our messages. I sent my aunt away. No one will interfere with our lives now. Come home with me, little one.”

  “Dallin, is that really you?” Lailii took a step toward him.

  Dallin pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her hair. “Gods, Lailii, I thought you were dead. The Lady said you were immortal. I did not believe her.”

  “Immortal? Me?” Lailii stared up at him blankly.

  With a frown, Dallin met her gaze. “You are the earthbound daughter of the Lady. That is why Passio craves your blood. It contains white magyck and allows him to walk above ground for longer periods of time.”

  “Why did the Lady subject me to such hardship?” Lailii’s fingers clutched Dallin’s tunic.

  “Who knows? I am sure She had her reasons.” He bent his head to seek her lips. So soft, Lailii pressed against him. Dallin held her close and feasted on her delicious mouth. With difficulty, he drew away and stared into her eyes. “Our cub, is he safe?”

  “Yes, and not detected.” Lailii placed a hand on her belly. “He grows stronger by the day.”

  Placing his hand over Lailii’s, he smiled. “He is a great king in the making.” He frowned. “We need to go. I have disabled the guards, but we do not have too much time before Passio discovers they are frozen. He was heading toward the ballroom last time I saw him.”

  “You saw Passio, and he did not do anything?” Lailii’s eyes flashed. “Good—then the spell I put on my blood is working, although I am not sure how long it will disable the demons. They should have fallen asleep, they are more powerful than I imagined.” She looked up at Dallin. “Kiss me again. My powers are low. Passio broke his word and drank twice as much this morning. My blood makes him irrational.”

  Dallin pushed her gently against the wall and found her mouth. His hands slid under her top and teased her swollen breasts. She moaned in his mouth and kissed him back, twisting her body against him. From beneath his lashes, Dallin watched the glow emanate from her body. He squeezed her hard nipples, inhaled her feminine arousal, and his cock grew hard. With a groan, he pulled away and looked down at her damp lips. Gods, he loved her mouth. “I want you so bad, but we must go.”

  Reaching down, he pulled the dirk from his boot and handed it to her. “Magyck may be useless against the demons. We can injure them—the Lady told me they bleed and feel pain—but decapitation is the only way to kill them. If necessary, strike the blade in the neck, thigh, or groin to slow them.”

  “You do not have a weapon.” Lailii took the dirk and concealed it in the pocket of her skirt. “There are swords on the wall in the ballroom.”

  He touched her face, running his thumb across her bottom lip. “I have a fine dagger and my magyck. I do not think we will just walk out of here, little one. Promise me something. When I engage, the demons, run for the Gate, look for Stryker on the other side, and go to him. Do not look back.”

  Lailii looked at her mate in disbelief. She shook her head. “I promised to be by your side for eternity. I am a Spellweaver. I will fight beside my prince.”

  “Not this time.” Dallin shook his head. “Save our son. Do this for me.”

  With a sigh, Lailii met Dallin’s gaze. “I will save our son.” She glanced toward the open door. “I hear footsteps. Replace your helmet, and go stand by the door.”

  After taking a deep breath, Lailii moved to the foot of the bed and faced Dallin. Please let this work. She raised her voice and articulated each word. “Take me to Passio. Why do you not understand?”

  Passio hung in the doorway like a bat, his fangs stained with blood. Lailii shivered. She stamped her foot in an effort to appear annoyed and pouted. “I asked this lout to take me to you, and he just stands there like an idiot.”

  “You draw me like a moth destined to die in the flame of a candle.” Passio lurched forward. “Your blood is the finest aphrodisiac I have ever experienced, although, it intoxicates me to the point of apoplexy.”

  Moving slowly toward him, Lailii forced a smile. “Your bite makes me needy. I am wet from your last visit.”

  The expression on Passio’s face would have been comical if the circumstances had not been so grave. Not waiting for his reply, Lailii continued, “I would have you and Kaos in my bed. I find I crave you both. However, you have depleted my magyck, and I yearn to listen to the sweet music coming through the walls and watch the passage of the scenes on your Gate.”

  “If you lie, I will beat you.” Passio turned her and bent her over the bed. “Wet, you say?”

  Lailii’s hand went to the dirk in her pocket. Forced face down over the end of the bed, she prayed silently Dallin would remain motionless. Passio pulled her skirts up and kicked open her legs. She turned to face him. “You gave your word you would never rape me.”

  Passio’s icy cold fingers caressed her pussy, and then dipped inside. He gave a maniacal laugh and dragged her to her feet.

  She turned to glare at him. “Was that really necessary?”

  “Oh, yes.” Passio slowly licked his fingers. “You are so wet—have you pined for me?”

  “Since you left, I have thought of little else but you and Kaos.”

  “I knew you would come to your senses.” He swayed drunkenly and offered his arm. “Come and feast on beauty, and later, I will bring Kaos to your room, and we will gorge ourselves on you.” He escorted Lailii from the room. He paused in the hall and turned his red gaze to Dallin. “Follow me. You will escort Lailii back to her room in a little while.”

  Dallin bit down hard on his cheek. To stand and watch Passio touch his mate had made his blood boil. They must get to the ballroom. If he attacked the demon now, Lailii did not have a chance. Passio would break her in half without a second thought. His stomach knotted. Had the demons fucked her? What else had she endured in Passio’s company? He would kill the filthy pigs. Grinding his teeth, he followed them into the ballroom. Passio guided Lailii to the Gate and stood behind her, grinning like a monkey. Then he lifted her hand and sank his sharp fangs into her wrist. The demon’s eyes glazed over with pleasure. Dallin saw the glint of the dirk in Lailii’s hand. A second later, Kaos entered the ballroom, his collar spotted with blood.

  The knife flashed. Lailii struck like a snake, repeatedly driving the blade into Passio’s groin. The demon howled with pain, clutching his balls. Dallin spun around and dragged a sword from the display. He turned to see Kaos running forward, screaming at the guards.

  “He can shield himself with white magyck.” Passio gurgled. “Use your sword.”

  Kaos screamed a battle cry and produced a sword out of thin air. He danced toward Dallin, uttering a string of expletives. In the middle of the ballroom, Passio slipped to the floor, a look of shocked astonishment on his face. The demon’s thin arm clung tightly around Lailii’s neck, dragging her to the blood-soaked floor. Lailii, platinum hair stained red, continued to stab with the dirk, attacking Passio’s neck with gusto. Blood covered her bare legs,
and her small feet slipped constantly in the crimson flow. Dallin felt a rush of pride. No female had fought so valiantly beside him. He had no doubt Lailii could keep Passio occupied; the demon had gorged on her poisoned blood.

  Dallin lifted his sword and parried Kaos’ first bone-shattering hit. Swords slid, the razor-sharp blades screaming. Even drugged, the demon had incredible strength. Dallin broke free and brought his weapon down hard. Kaos met his blow with the aplomb of an expert. They began the deadly game of attack and retreat. The practiced dance of life and death every swordsman knew by heart. They circled, then struck, testing each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Swords crossed with another shriek of metal on metal. They pushed hard against each other and stared, like two mad stags, their faces a breath apart. Magyck tingled in Dallin’s fist. He hit Kaos in the side of his head with every ounce of strength and white magic he could muster. The blow hit with a crack of bone. The demon rolled back on his heels and crashed to the floor, his sword spinning across the polished wooden surface.

  Lailii’s fingers slipped on the bloody handle of the dirk. To her horror, Passio began to regenerate. The next moment, she slid across the floor, landing in front of the Gate. Dallin stood over Kaos, breathing heavily.

  Pressing a hand over her mouth in horror, Lailii watched Passio drag his bloodstained body to his knees. The demon swayed, got to his feet, and stalked toward Dallin.

  She screamed. “Dallin, behind you.”

  Lailii studied the scenes flashing past in the Gate. She held up her hand and formed a spell in her mind. The instant she saw Stryker through the portal, she sent her magyck to pause the Gate’s cycle. She turned and met Dallin’s gaze. How could she leave him?