Drakkar ~ Beyond the Lie (A Dark Order of the Dragon Novel Book 3)

by Sandra Bischoff

  Drake growled. “Even if I wanted to, I can’t.” He whipped out his arm, breaking her hold on it. “The more people who know about her plans, the more people who are in danger. I know what she is capable of, you don’t.”

  “And sending me away will protect me somehow? I can tell you, it won’t. She already marked me as someone to control you with.”

  Drakkar grabbed her by the shoulders. “You think I don’t know that?” He stared deeply into her eyes. “I never wanted you to get involved in any of this. Meeting you did something to me. I was perfectly content with being the monster everyone said I was.”

  She raised her hand to touch his cheek. “You’re not a monster. You’re not psychotic. You just need someone to care.” She smiled gently. “Drakkar, I care about what happens to you.”

  He rested his forehead on hers. “You shouldn’t.”

  “Why shouldn’t I? Everyone needs someone to care about them.” Her thumb caressed his cheek.

  “No one has ever said that to me before.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding.” She chuckled. “No one? Not even Absinthe?”

  Drakkar’s voice became gravely serious. “No. All my mother cares about is her revenge. I’m just a means for her to get it. I’m sure once she has it, I won’t be of any more use to her.”

  He closed his eyes, letting himself fall under whatever spell she cast over him. “I’ve done things, Serenity. Things that would make you look at me with pure hatred. Please don’t do that. I don’t think I could stand that coming from you.”

  “I could never look at you that way.”

  “You would. Trust me.”

  “Drakkar.” She forced him to look at her. “I’ve lived with my uncle. There’s nothing you could tell me that would make me hate you. Disappointed, maybe. But never hate.”

  He wanted to believe her, but his track record with the only other woman in his life wasn’t positive. Serenity was so different than what he was used to. Maybe that was why he was drawn to her from the first moment he saw her. Instinctively, he knew she wouldn’t judge him.

  Could he really do what his mother asked of him and risk all of that?

  He had to.

  If he didn’t, he would never be free of the hell he lived in.

  Drakkar covered her hand touching his cheek with his. If disappointment were the worst thing he’d see in her eyes, he could live with that. “We really should get back to the others. They already started shutting down some of the lights.”

  She glanced around him toward the airstrip where their friends and her car waited for them. “Do we have to? I kinda enjoyed it being only us.”

  “Yeah, I know. But Nick and I have this thing we’re working on. Only so many hours in the night.” Reluctant as he was to let her go, there was no other choice.

  He pulled her hand away from his face and lowered it to her side. A conflict reflected in her eyes. Drakkar saw she wanted to say something, but held back. Probably better that way. He walked away toward his bike, returning with his helmet. Holding it out to Serenity, he smiled uncomfortably. She took it, and when their fingers brushed, warmth spread from her hand into his and up his arm.

  Drakkar broke contact first. He already fell under her spell once. He couldn’t allow it again. A clear head was going to be needed in order to get through the security system with Nick later.

  Serenity put the helmet on when he turned away, following his lead back to the bike. She climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Drakkar’s spine stiffened under her touch. Nettie frowned.

  “Drakkar? Did I do something wrong?” She thought they finally got over what every barrier he put in place to alienate him from everyone else. Now she felt like she was at square one again.

  “No. It’s getting late. Nick and I have to get back to his house and work for a while.” He stomped on the lever to start the bike. It roared to life, ending any other conversation till they made it back to the car meet.

  What did his mother do to him that made him her pawn? She used him without any consideration for his feelings. What if his feelings weren’t the only thing she damaged? She’d heard stories about the Princess, things she couldn’t believe were true. Meeting Drakkar made her second guess her assumption of those stories.

  Serenity’s heart sank. She was doing the same thing Absinthe did for a different reason. Her mother wanted her to get close to Drakkar, to find out what the Princess was up to. In that way she was just like her. But she wasn’t going to discard Drakkar when he proved to be of no more use.

  She didn’t throw her friends away. When her mission was over, she hoped Drakkar saw she only did it to help him.

  Now, to get him to open up and trust her, even just a little bit.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  “Christian, can I speak with you for a moment?”

  Lance lay draped across the couch in the media room flipping channels, looking for Nick at Night. All he wanted was an I Love Lucy marathon, his cup of froyo, and a break from reality. At least he was getting two of the above. The tone of Sam’s question let him know that escaping reality would have to wait. Muting the TV, he tossed the remote on the coffee table.

  “If I said no, would you leave me in peace to watch Lucy? I mean, come on, it’s the vineyard episode. It’s a classic.” He scooped out another spoonful of frozen heaven and shoved it in his mouth, savoring the salted caramel pretzel, chocolate chip cookie dough chunks, and hot fudge.

  “I’m sorry, but this cannot wait.” Semiramis sat on the couch opposite him. Her hands folded in her lap. “It’s a matter of security.”

  His gaze narrowed, Lucy’s grape stomping and his melting froyo forgotten. Pushing himself up to a sitting position, Lance placed his cup on the table. “Security? You have my attention.”

  “The other night when Annabelle was born, there was a breach.”

  Lance shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. All of the cameras were functioning. Nothing out of the ordinary was picked up. And did you forget the protection spell? All of our blood was used for it. No one other than those in direct relation could get in or out. This place is a fortress.”

  “I must disagree with you. I saw the person who got through. Spoke to him. He was here to take the baby.”

  “He told you this?” Lance leaned closer. “Was it Drakkar?”

  “I don’t know who he was.” She frowned. “The whole exchange was strange. I wasn’t able to sense anything about him. He looked familiar, but never said his name, only that his mother would kill him if he failed.”

  Lance shrugged. “It certainly sounds like Absinthe’s M.O.”

  “But even if he is her son, would she really threaten to kill her own child? I can’t believe she is that heartless.”

  “Sam, the thirst for power and revenge can motivate a person to do unspeakable things. I should know.” He let out a bitter laugh. “But if what the King said is true, this Drakkar is not her biological son. He wouldn’t be blood related to anyone living within these walls. There’s a loophole in the spell.”

  Her gaze hardened. “There is nothing wrong with the spell.”

  “That may be. But she must have weakened it. Can you see if you can amp it up a bit? And I’ll give them something to keep them busy if they decide to go the techie route. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.” He placed a hand over hers. “I will not let anything happen to her. I promise.”

  “I’ll strengthen it.” Sam nodded. “I know you won’t, because if you do I’m letting Zephyr hang your pelt over the fireplace like he keeps threatening.”

  “Ouch. And here I thought you loved me.”

  “I do, Christian. I just want all of us to be safe.” Sam rose and walked toward the door. Turning back, her lips twitched as she fought back a smile. “Truth be told, I would never allow Zephyr to truly harm you. That would upset Elizabeth too much.”

  The cursor on the screen blinked, taunting him. He and Nick attempted to crack the code on Bo
natelli’s security system for four hours. They were no closer to breaking it than they were when they started. The whole mission felt pointless. The only reason he kept trying was the carrot his mother dangled before him -his freedom.

  Drakkar slouched over the keyboard, burying his hands in his blond hair. It was useless. A few days ago, they probably could have gotten in. After getting caught on his solo effort to get in the house the other night, they reinforced the encryption and built extra firewalls in the system. If that wasn’t enough, the firewalls kept changing and multiplying each time he tried to solve it.

  “This is impossible,” he grumbled.

  Nick snorted in his sleep on the beat-up leather couch across the room. Raising his head, Drakkar rubbed his eyes. He needed to get some sleep. The sun was already on the horizon. Thankfully, Nick’s computer room was set up in the basement with no windows to the outside world. No windows meant no third degree burns. At least that was a plus.

  Standing, Drakkar stretched. There must be something they missed. The ever-changing firewalls were a distraction. But why distract by computer if he could enter the house already?

  Wait.

  Drakkar stopped short. “I was in the house. The woman who stopped me asked how I got past the protection spell.”

  His friend opened his eyes. “Wha? What happened? What’s I miss?”

  He pinned Nick with a glare. “We’ve been going about this all wrong.”

  Now awake, Nick logged into his laptop again. “What do you mean? It’s a firewall. We hack through it. We access the security system. We shut it down. How is that all wrong?”

  Drake slammed Nick’s computer shut. Luckily for Nick, his fingers were well out of harm’s way when it closed.

  “Hey! The digits! These are very valuable.”

  “Only to you.” Drakkar picked up a small Nerf basketball and squeezed it while he worked out the details for Nick. “Ordinarily that is how we work. But we aren’t dealing with computers here. Well, we are, but not a regular computer.”

  Nick sat back, folding his arms. “I’m not following.”

  Drakkar expelled a frustrated breath. “We are dealing with magic. That’s how the firewall keeps changing. It’s alive somehow. It’s mutating. It’s a distraction.”

  “Okay. Why are they trying to distract us? How do they even know we are hacking them?”

  Drakkar stopped. “They don’t. Whoever designed this system doesn’t care if someone tried to hack it. They know it’s impossible to get through. It’s smoke and mirrors to keep people away from the house itself.”

  “Well, of course they want to protect the house. It makes sense. The new baby is there, after all.” Nick paused. “Why exactly are we doing this?”

  Drake debated telling Nick a lie. The human was already in over his head. If they were caught, they would be tried for criminal mischief. Misdemeanor. No time served. Still allowed in school. Nick wouldn’t settle for that. The guy would needle him and annoy him until he got the truth.

  “My mother made a deal with me.”

  “What kind of deal, D?”

  Drakkar shifted uncomfortably.

  “Look, I can see by the way you’re avoiding it that it’s important. Knowing Absinthe, it’s got to be something that will get us into worse trouble or even killed. I think maybe it’s time-”

  “She wants me to get the baby.” Drakkar blurted out.

  Nick’s jaw dropped. “She what? Are you out of your mind? Dude, we are not kidnapping -I can’t even say it. We just are not doing it.”

  “You don’t understand- ”

  “No. I understand more than you do. Whatever she bargained with you for, it ain’t happening.” Nick unplugged his laptop and shoved it in his messenger bag. “I’m done. When the sun goes down again, I want you out. And until you give up this quest, don’t contact me. I don’t want to know any more about it.”

  “Nick-”

  “Drakkar, I really don’t think you should say anything else. I may not be a full-fledged Conservator yet, but I am still bound to tell my parents if there is something they should be concerned about. Treason is a reason to be concerned, don’t you think?”

  Drakkar looked away. Nick was right. “I just wanted my freedom,” he said quietly and packed his things.

  “Your freedom. And you believe her?” Nick scoffed.

  “Now you sound like Serenity.” Drake refused to look in Nick’s direction.

  “I knew that girl was smart. You should listen to her. Maybe give her a call and start acting like every other person our age instead of being your mother’s little lackey. Go out on a normal date with a normal girl.”

  Drake threw the basketball at Nick, who caught it one handed. “You don’t think I want that? My life is one huge, living Hell. One I don’t wish on anyone. But it is my life, and that life will never be normal. Or should I say it will never be human normal.”

  “Drake, human or vampire doesn’t matter. The way she uses you and treats you is worse than a prisoner is treated in jail. Dude, this isn’t your war, it’s hers. Absinthe wants power. She doesn’t care if you or any other innocent gets hurt.” Nick shook his head. “You need to get out of there, true, but not by making deals with the devil.”

  “Then why don’t you enlighten me on how to do that?” Drakkar swung his knapsack over his shoulder. “Because where I’m standing, there really are no other options. Did you know her ultimate plan is for me to kill Bonatelli?”

  Nick stared at him.

  “Oh yeah. The night he was crowned as Xavier’s heir I made that vow, but only because it was what she wanted to hear. Do you really think I could kill someone?”

  “Well.” Nick shrugged. “You do it to me all the time.”

  Drakkar let out a short laugh. “It’s only a friggin’ game! Get over it! I could never actually pull a trigger or rip a throat out.”

  “But you could slip a knife between my ribs, collapse my lung, and watch me bleed out.” Nick smirked.

  “Again, just a game. Plus, I enjoy listening to you whine like a bitch.” Drakkar walked toward the door.

  “Uh, where do you think you’re going?”

  He adjusted the bag on his shoulder. “You want me out. I’m going. See you around.”

  Nick hung his head back and sighed. “You can’t. The sun doesn’t go down for another three hours. Sorry, bro. You’re stuck with me.”

  “I was going to call for a ride.”

  “Dude, I’m your ride. You have no one else.”

  “One of my mother’s staff-”

  “I thought you wanted your freedom? Now you want to call home to Mommy? Put your crap down and give it a rest. You know I’m not really going to throw you out.”

  “I don’t know, I would throw me out.”

  Nick put the ball on the desktop, stepped forward, and placed an arm around Drakkar’s shoulders, leading him away from the door. “And that my friend, is why you keep this human cattle around. To talk sense into you and stop you from making even bigger mistakes.”

  “You make is sound like you do this a lot.”

  “Your mistakes are a full time job for me. I should get compensated for it. Seriously though, I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t think you were redeemable.”

  A smile tugged at the corner of Drakkar’s mouth. “Aw, I didn’t know you cared so much. Just so we’re clear” Drake put his bag on the desk as Nick plopped down on the couch. “this doesn’t mean we are now a couple. Dude, you’re just not my type.”

  Nick smirked, blowing him a kiss. “No, sweetheart, I know you prefer a dark-haired sprite with toffee-colored eyes. I’d never try to compete.”

  Faster thank Nick could blink, Drakkar picked up the Nerf ball and threw it at Nick’s head, nailing him between the eyes. “As if you were ever a contender there. Serenity has no competition.”

  Nick burst out laughing. “I knew it! You found your mate, didn’t you!”

  Drakkar sobered at that thought. Is that what Serenity w
as? Was she really his mate? He’d heard the stories of how his kind found their other half, but he wasn’t prepared for it to happen to him. It would explain so much, though.

  “If that’s really the case, things just got real.”

  “Why’s that?”

  Drake sunk onto the couch next to Nick. “My mother met her last night. She threatened to use Serenity to make me do this job. I took it as an empty threat. But what if she finds out about her being my future mate? Nick, I can’t let my mother hurt Serenity.”

  “D, you’re not alone. I got your back. We’ll figure this out.” Nick slapped him on the shoulder.

  “I hope you’re right.” A yawn escaped Drakkar. Up until that moment, he didn’t know how exhausted he truly was. When was the last time he slept? Oh yeah, when he was in Serenity’s basement. How could he forget the most restful sleep he ever had?

  “A’ight. Time for you to catch some sleep. I’ll get you up in time to head home later.” Nick pushed off the couch. “I meant what I said. I got your back and hers. Absinthe is not going to hurt her. Not on my watch.”

  “Thanks, Nick.” His eye lids slid closed. “I take it back.”

  “What?”

  “You’re not a useless cattle. You’re a pretty good friend to an asshole like me.” Drakkar yawned again and closed his eyes, letting sleep claim him.

  Serenity sat on the wooden swing hanging in the old maple tree behind their house staring blankly ahead. Her feet pushed the ground rocking the swing like a slow pendulum. The sun filtered through the leaves above, speckling her with broken light as she slowly moved.

  She had no idea how long she’d been out there. Every time she shut her eyes, she saw Absinthe’s face and her glowing yellow eyes. In her dream, Serenity froze, unable to run when the vampire grabbed her away from Drakkar. She sobbed, begging for her life as Absinthe’s fangs broke her skin despite Drakkar’s attempt to free her.

  And that was when she woke up bathed in sweat and hyperventilating.

  “What have I gotten myself into,” she asked the squirrel sifting through the grass at her feet. He sat up on his hind legs, stared at her for a few seconds, then scurried toward another tree.