Daughter Of The Dragon Princess

by Nina Croft

  “They make an ideal couple,” Mal muttered.

  “Who’s Cassandra?” Lily asked.

  “She’s a sorceress. Vortigen captured her over two hundred years ago, but instead of killing her, he kept her alive, fed her with his blood, and believed he could control her. He’s a fool.”

  “He is our king.”

  “He’s not my king,” Lily said.

  Both men turned to stare at her, Mal with a wry smile, Killian with alarm.

  Lily shrugged. “Well, he’s not. He’s a fucking asshole and I can’t believe you guys have followed him for so long. At worst, he’s a monster, and at best, a complete imbecile. What is it with you dragons? So what if he’s your king? Ever heard of a revolution?”

  “You don’t understand our society,” Killian replied.

  “Maybe not. But things change. People change. Why can’t dragons?”

  Killian glanced at Mal. “She doesn’t take after her mother, does she?”

  “She doesn’t take after anyone,” Mal said, and Lily could hear the pride in his voice. She moved her hand and slipped it into Mal’s. Killian’s eyes narrowed as he caught the movement. She didn’t care.

  “So,” Killian said, “what’s going on here?”

  “Lily is my mate.”

  Killian swallowed the last of his drink, and then put the glass on the table as if giving himself time to think. “Are you sure?”

  “Lily is my mate, and she will never belong to Vortigen.”

  “But Mal, the Dragon Princess must join with the King, a pure dragon. We need them to open the portal, to take us home.”

  “We can open the portal,” Mal said.

  “What?”

  “We stood before the portal at Taryn Carnack, and the gateway opened. I saw Ankesh. We could have passed through then.”

  Lily watched the disbelief change on Killian’s face to something that looked like jealousy. “How?” he whispered. “Tell me what happened.”

  Mal told him of the night at the standing stones. “So we can open the portal without Vortigen.”

  Killian frowned. “He’ll never agree to this. He’ll never allow the power of opening the portal to remain in someone else’s hands. He means to take the Princess as his mate. He has always intended that Cara’s daughter would be his.”

  “My name is Lily,” she snarled. “You keep referring to me as ‘the Princess’ and ‘Cara’s daughter.’ I am actually a person, and my name is Lily and I am telling you”—she leaned forward staring him in the face—“that I will never be a mate, I will never be anything, to the monster that drove my mother to suicide. So, you can just go back to your dragon friends and tell them that either they sort this out, make sure we’re going to be safe—that Mal won’t be harmed—or we disappear and you can all rot on Earth for the rest of time for all I care.” Pausing, she narrowed her eyes. She needed him to believe she was serious. “If it were left up to me, I’d gladly see you all stuck here for eternity for what you allowed to happen to my mother. We would be in Ankesh now, safe, and you would never get close to us.” She paused. “However, Mal seems to think he owes you something, and it is for that reason only that we’re still here.”

  Killian appeared shell-shocked, but she thought she also saw admiration in his eyes and prayed that she’d convinced him that she meant what she said.

  “Never mind her mother,” Killian said. “She’s like no Dragon Princess I ever remember. What happened to meek?”

  ***

  Mal sighed and tightened his grip on Lily’s hand. He was proud of her. She was so brave, so fiery. How could the dragons of old have not wanted that in a mate? He’d been undecided as to whether to reveal Lily’s powers, whether it would be more of a strategic advantage to keep them secret for the moment, but if Kill was going back to speak to the others, then it would perhaps benefit them to know of Lily’s strength.

  “That’s not the only way she differs from the old days. Lily?” He turned to her and saw that she understood what he wanted. It was often like that now; their minds entwined, sensitive to each other’s thoughts and feelings.

  Lily raised her right hand and the flames sprang from her fingertips. She made them dance, leap up to the ceiling, reach out, and tease the end of Kill’s nose. His brother watched wide-eyed. They widened further as Lily extinguished the flames and vanished only to reappear behind the sofa, then again, and she was back beside him. He took her hand and squeezed.

  “Things have changed,” he said. “They’re not as they used to be. Lily’s not a tool to be used by Vortigen, and that’s not all. I suspect she has the ability to change.”

  “She’s a dragon? It’s not possible. There has never been a female dragon.”

  “I swear by the Goddess that she was about to shift. I had to draw her power into me to prevent it. Like the young ones we used to train.”

  “This may change things. If they believe me.” He sighed. “But, Mal, you know that it won’t be that easy.”

  Killian was right. It wouldn’t be that easy. Most of the other dragons would remain true to Vortigen; it was their way until the old King was killed. Some would be on Mal’s side. Many hated Vortigen as much as he did. He had to hope it was enough.

  “You have to go back,” he said to Killian. “Speak to the others. Tell them that we can open the portal without Vortigen. That I’ve taken Lily as my mate and that bond can’t be broken. We’ll come and open the portals if they promise us safe passage. If Vortigen will swear it on the Goddess.”

  “Maybe it will work,” his brother said. “I don’t know. I suspect it’s not Lily he wants so much as revenge on her mother, but Vortigen hates to be beaten. You know that. Even if he lets this go and we return to Ankesh, do you think you’ll ever be safe?”

  Mal smiled. “One thing at a time, brother. Let’s get everyone home and then worry about the future.”

  “Mal, can you trust him?” Lily asked.

  He could see the worry beneath the bravado, and he stroked a strand of her hair. “A dragon’s word is sacred. If he swears on the Goddess, he’ll keep his promise.” He turned to Killian. “So you’ll arrange the meeting?”

  He nodded. “I’ll try for tonight.”

  “Not tonight. You need time to talk to the others. Tomorrow will be soon enough.”

  “Okay, but I grow impatient now that the scent of Ankesh is in my nostrils.” He glanced across at Lily then back to Mal. “Don’t fail us in this.”

  “We won’t. Tomorrow night, you’ll be home. Come on, I’ll see you out.”

  He stood up, pulled free of Lily’s hand, and followed Killian to the door. Once it closed behind them, Killian turned to him.

  “Is she worth it?” he asked. “Give her to Vortigen and we can all go home. Maybe once there we can do something to control him. She’ll be safe; even Vortigen wouldn’t dare harm the last Dragon Princess.”

  “Maybe not physically, but he wants revenge on her mother. Lily would be the means of that revenge. He’d make her life a living hell. And you’ve met Lily. Do you think she’ll submit to Vortigen? No fucking way. She’d fight to her last breath and probably beyond.”

  Killian sighed. “So be it. I knew that would be your answer after seeing the two of you together, but I had to try. I’ll pray to the Goddess. Perhaps she’ll listen, but I doubt it.” He embraced Mal, and then drew back. “Whoever else stands beside you tomorrow night, I’ll be there.”

  “I know. Now go. Do what has to be done and let me know when the meeting is arranged.”

  The call came later in the day.

  “The King has accepted your conditions. He’ll meet you tomorrow night. He’s also sent out a call to the others. They’ll all be there.”

  “Do we meet at the stones?”

  “No, it’s too dangerous. There’s a house close by, about ten miles from where you are now. I’ll send directions.” He was silent for a moment. “Mal, I have a bad feeling about this. Vortigen gave in too easily. I’m not sure he’s e
ntirely sane anymore.”

  “I’ve thought that for a long time. Did he swear on the Goddess?”

  Mal could hear his brother sigh. “He did. He’s promised he won’t harm you or the Princess.”

  “Then we can do nothing more. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

  He put down the phone and turned to Lily. “Tomorrow night.”

  “I heard.” She came up close and laid her head against his chest. “Mal, I’m scared.”

  He pulled her to him, knowing how much it had cost her to admit that. “So am I.”

  She punched him on the chest. “Liar. You’re not scared of anything.”

  Once he would have agreed. Not anymore. Fear gnawed at his guts, sending him reeling off-balance. For the first time, he had something other than his life to lose.

  He held Lily close, breathing in the scent of her hair.

  “Come on, let’s go to bed. We have a day before we have to leave. I want to make the most of it.”

  In case it was their last.

  Chapter 16

  “Let’s go through this one more time,” Mal said.

  Lily snapped her seat belt shut and frowned into the darkness. “I’ve got it, okay.”

  “Humor me.” He switched on the engine and they headed down the drive.

  “You drop me off at the stones.” She glanced sideways at him. “You know, I’d really rather we stuck together. Isn’t there some other—”

  “No. I must talk to Vortigen and the rest of my people. But I don’t trust him.”

  “I thought he’d given this sacred vow thing.”

  “It should be enough, but still I’d rather keep you away from him. Once he has you in his power, there’s little I can do. And if he has us both, he can use one against the other.”

  That didn’t sound good. What would she do if they threatened Mal? They hadn’t been apart since that night at the stones and she dreaded the coming separation. But he was right. This way Mal would have a chance to gauge his people’s feelings before she came into contact with them.

  “Okay, so you drop me off at the stones and I wait to hear from you. If everything is okay, you’ll bring a few of your guys over there as witnesses. We’ll prove we can open the portal, they’ll see that Vortigen has been lying, and they’ll dump his sorry ass.”

  His lips twisted into a smile. “Something like that.”

  She rested her head back against the smooth leather of the seat. “You know, I’d rather face any number of sorcerers than your lot.”

  “We’re not so bad.”

  “No? It’s not that, but I know you’d fight to kill sorcerers. I’m not sure what you’d do if your dragons turn against us.”

  “I’ll protect you.”

  “Good.” It had to be enough. “Let’s get this over with.”

  They drove out through the gates and turned onto the narrow road. She tried to empty her mind of her worries, but couldn’t shift the sense of unease.

  “Everything will be fine,” Mal murmured. “We’ll get through this.”

  She nodded then caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. A vehicle, no lights, driving fast out of the one of the narrow side roads to the left. Seconds later, it rammed into them, pushing their car off the road and into the ditch.

  Lily was thrown forward, her seatbelt ramming into her as the airbags exploded with a roar. The car filled with dense white dust and she choked, and then coughed trying to clear her throat. The vehicle lay on its side, so Mal was somewhere beneath her but she was blinded and could only hear his muttered curses. She struggled, desperate to be free as someone yanked the door open from outside.

  Light glinted on a blade as it stabbed into the inflated airbag and she was suddenly free and could breathe again. The knife sliced through her seatbelt, then fingers dug into the soft flesh of her upper arms, dragging her from the car.

  Collapsing to her knees by the side of the road, she retched then scrubbed her hand over her eyes to clear her vision. When she looked up, two men were pulling Mal out. He was conscious but dazed, his eyes unfocused. Other men stood around. A lot of other men.

  So much for the plan.

  Mal spat, clearing his throat then shook his head. His gaze sharpened on the man to his left. “What the fuck’s going on, Kyle?

  “I’m acting under the King’s orders.” His gaze brushed over her, then he looked at Mal coldly. “He awaits you.”

  “Where’s Killian?”

  “Killian hasn’t been seen since he went to meet you with the King’s message. So maybe I should ask you where Killian is.”

  A shiver ran through her at the words. She could sense the same unease radiating from Mal.

  “Listen, Kyle,” Mal said. “Killian was fine when he left me yesterday. He came back here. I spoke to him on the phone later, and he was with Vortigen.”

  “I know nothing of that. What I do know is that you’ve had the Dragon Princess in your possession for two weeks, yet you’ve not brought her to us.”

  “We were on our way to meet him now. There was no need for this.”

  “The King will decide what there is ‘need’ of.” He turned to the men holding Mal. “Put him in the van. I’ll take the girl with me.”

  Mal caught her gaze as they led him away, she could sense him willing her to be calm. But she wasn’t calm. Not even vaguely. A scream welled up in her throat as they shoved Mal into the back of a black van, leaving her standing staring at the closed door.

  As she took a step toward it, her arm was taken in a hard grip.

  “Let go of me,” she snarled, glaring at the man holding her.

  His eyes widened, but he released his grip and waved her toward a dark car parked behind the van. Wrapping her arms around her stomach to stop the trembling, she dragged her feet, her mind scrambling for a way out.

  Could she use magic? But she felt shaky from the crash, unable to concentrate. Besides, ahead of her the van pulled away, taking Mal. She had no choice but to see this through.

  She huddled in the back of the car, as far away from the man beside her as she could get. A sour taste filled her mouth and her throat ached. She had to be strong. Maybe this wasn’t the end. Mal had said some of the dragons would be on their side.

  But back then, they’d been in a position of strength.

  Dragons liked strength.

  Now they were both prisoners.

  She wished she had a gun, but Mal had advised against it and her only weapon was a knife shoved down the back of her jeans.

  After about half an hour, they pulled up in front of a huge sprawling, ancient-looking building. Lily kept her gaze fixed on the back of the van, desperate for a glimpse of Mal, her breath hitching as he appeared, a guard on either side of him. They were taking no risks.

  As she climbed out of the car, his gaze caught hers. She tried for a reassuring smile, but was pretty sure she failed. She followed Mal and his guards into a wide hall, wood-paneled and dark. Muted voices drifted to them from up ahead. Finally, they halted outside a closed door. In front of her, Mal stood up straighter, appeared to transform until he crackled with barely-leashed power.

  Kyle pushed open the door. The voices stopped and Mal stepped through, gesturing to Lily to follow. The room was huge, maybe once a ballroom, with one wall lined with floor to ceiling windows, through which she could see the lawns outside, bathed in moonlight. There was no furniture and small groups of men stood scattered around the room. They all turned to gawp at her, and she stood up tall and glared back. Their gazes dropped as she met each one until she came to a man who stood alone.

  Vortigen. Unlike the others, he met her stare, triumph blazing in his face. His dark blue eyes roved over her possessively, lingering on her right arm, and the mark throbbed beneath her shirt.

  He strode to where she stood with Mal in the doorway. Lily resisted the urge to step back; she couldn’t afford to appear weak. Halting in front of them, his gaze finally left her and he turned to Mal. Coldness seeped into h
is eyes, but when he spoke, his tone was almost genial.

  “Well, Mal, I see you’ve brought my mate at last. Even if you required a little nudge in the right direction.”

  “We were on our way. As per our agreement.”

  “Of course you were. But it doesn’t matter—you’re here now. My thanks.” He turned and gestured to the other men in the room. “All our thanks. You’ve brought us the means of our deliverance, and we are grateful.” Turning to Lily, he smiled, sending a shudder of revulsion through her. He took a step toward her, his hand outstretched. “Come, my dear, take your rightful place at my side.”

  She ignored the hand. His eyes narrowed and something dangerous flickered to life in the dark depths. “Come.” This time the snarled word was clearly an order. She didn’t move and surprise flickered across his features. As he reached for her, she shifted back. Instinct drove her. She didn’t want this man to touch her. Reaching behind her, she fumbled for the knife at her waist, tugged it free, and held the blade in front of her.

  “Don’t come any closer. And don’t fucking touch me.”

  Vortigen glanced from her to Mal. “This is Cara’s daughter?”

  Mal ignored the question. “Where’s Killian?”

  The King gave the knife in her hand a wary glance then took a step closer to Mal. His voice was quiet so it didn’t carry beyond the three of them. “Your brother has been detained. Sadly, he won’t be joining us this evening.”

  “What have you done with him?”

  “Nothing terminal. He’s in a safe place, and just so you know, Cassandra has warded this whole building. There’s no point in trying any magic. Now, tell her to put the knife down, and we can get on with this.” Mal said nothing and the King frowned. “This doesn’t have to be difficult, Malachite. You do your duty and you won’t be sorry. You’ll be well rewarded when we return to Ankesh.”

  “What happened to your vow? You promised us safe passage in the name of the Goddess.”

  “No one heard that but Killian. Do you really think the Goddess listens to our vows anymore? Do you think she’s going to strike me down for taking what’s mine? No, the Goddess has forgotten us. Come, tell her to lay down the knife and give herself to me. I’m impatient to see the mark.”