Magical Lover

by Karilyn Bentley

  Crazy. He was crazy and Simon was one step behind him. Why her? Oh, of course. She was the only Draconi woman nearby. Guess he couldn’t get one from Draconia so he had to settle for her. Great. If her heart pounded any harder, it would burst.

  Simon hummed as he worked, heating the water to a boil, the hooded Draconi standing watch beside him.

  “Finished! Now missy, you’ll drink and do as I want.” Simon held a cup in his hand as he turned toward her.

  “Give that to me. I control her.” The Draconi held out his hand.

  Simon looked into the shadows of the cowl and his face lost all expression. Wordlessly he handed over the cup.

  “Ah, my love. Drink and you shall be mine. Remove her gag.”

  Simon, face still blank, bent over and untied the gag. Keara ran her tongue around the inside of her dry mouth, relieved to have the gag gone. She pressed her lips together. They could think again if they thought she’d just open her mouth and let them give her that drink.

  The hooded Draconi placed the cup against her lips. She turned her head, pulling her bonds as far away from him as possible. Her pulse raced in her ears, her heart thudding against her chest.

  “Now, now. Don’t be like that. Help me out.”

  Simon grabbed her jaw, squeezing until she moaned from the pain. And then he pinched her nose shut.

  “Open for me, Keara. Open and breathe.”

  Keara shook her head, trying to dislodge his hand. She saw stars as she forced her body not to draw a breath through her mouth. She tried to retain consciousness, tried to keep her lips sealed, but it was useless. In the end, the drug spewed down the back of her throat, trickling out of her mouth.

  She couldn’t have been unconscious for long, for she came to her senses choking on the drink, trying to breathe. The hooded Draconi held the cup almost upside down over her mouth, draining it down her spasming throat.

  “Good, my love. Now we wait.” A cold hand stroked her arm.

  Taking the cup, Simon walked across the room and placed it on the table. The evil hooded Draconi sat next to her, the creepy nothingness of his face staring at her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she tried to breathe, tried to spit out some of the drug. Unfortunately, most of it had gone down into her stomach. She shivered. She would fight him, she couldn’t let him control her.

  The room started to spin and she shut her eyes against the dizziness that threatened. Too soon! The drug worked too quickly. She opened her eyes, her vision swimming at the edges. She didn’t feel any different, only her vision changed.

  “I think it’s starting to work.” The hooded Draconi peered into her eyes. “Her pupils are dilated.”

  “Good, good. That means the potion is working. Let’s try a test.”

  Nodding to the Draconi, Simon took the knife and cut through the bonds holding Keara to the bed.

  “Don’t move,” the Draconi said and despite her desire and her brain screaming at her to run, fight, do anything but lie still, her body refused to move.

  Keara stared at the face in the shadows as the men rubbed her wrists.

  “Oh, she’s good. This is great. I didn’t think it would work so well.”

  “I told you I knew how to mix it.”

  “Give me your knife.” Simon handed over his knife. “Now Keara, take this knife and throw it at the fireplace.”

  Without pause, she grabbed the knife from the Draconi, aimed and threw. At least it was the fireplace and not a person. She had no control. Not even for a second did she think of disobeying him. She wanted to scream and yet she turned back to him.

  He kissed her, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth. Her mind wanted to gag, to push him away. But her body let him. Oh, Goddess.

  Stroking her hair, he turned to Simon. “Get me the knife.”

  Simon obeyed as if he’d had a dose of zombie dust. Within seconds the knife was back in her hand.

  “We have to step out. Simon and I have things to discuss that don’t involve your pretty little ears, but don’t fret. I’ll be back. And when I do, we’ll make good use of this bed. Until we return, guard the door and don’t let anyone in the room. Throw the knife at them if they try to come in. Understand?”

  Keara nodded. His thumb traced her lips. “That’s my girl.”

  He arranged her so she sat on the edge of the bed, ankles still tied together, knife in hand, facing the door.

  “See you soon.”

  “Don’t go anywhere, Keara,” Simon sneered, shutting the door behind them.

  Finally, they were gone. Now she just had to untie her ankles and walk out. Untie her ankles...

  Her brain gave the command but nothing happened. She remained sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the door. The longer she tried to move and got nowhere, the more terrified she became. A puppet. No will. No mind. Only strings.

  Dear Goddess. This was not good.

  Chapter 8

  Water dripped steadily from the ceiling of the sewer line, little drops reminding Thoren of each minute Keara had been captured. Was she dead? Why was the lord so interested in her? He felt the beast stirring inside and forced his mind to think of other things. How long could he go between breaths?

  “Here.” Jamie stopped, pointing at a wooden door crossed with metal bars.

  “Praise the Goddess!” Enar muttered, holding his nose.

  Thoren held his hand containing the conjured blue fire closer to the opening. Rust covered the lock, evidence of its lack of use. He raised a brow at Jamie.

  “You sure?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “You opened this door?”

  Jamie’s eyes narrowed. “He wanted Keara. I had to know how to get to him in case he took her. So’s I could get her out.”

  “And this is his?”

  “I said it was.” Jamie pointed to a stone with etchings. “It’s written right there. Carved into that stone. That’s what the thieves do, see. Carve whose house it is into the stone. Think you can get in?”

  “I know I can get in. One day I’ll teach you, but now...” Whispering a spell, he unlocked the door. A good thud with his shoulder and the door squeaked open on its hinges.

  “You have to teach me how to do that!” Jamie said.

  Enar walked past him, short sword in hand. “Think a big bad Draconi like you can make a spell that keeps the whole town from knowing we’re entering?”

  “How do you know I didn’t?”

  “Niiiice.”

  Thoren stepped inside behind Enar, motioning for Jamie to remain in the sewer. The boy should be safe there. Who knew what they’d find inside?

  The door opened into a storage area. A tiny room filled with dirt-covered boxes and crates. The blue light from Thoren’s fire flickered against the stone walls, casting long shadows that danced like eerie spirits. Enar strode across the small room, sword at the ready, reaching the door on the opposite side with Thoren right behind him.

  “Ready?” Enar’s hand hovered above the latch, face turned toward Thoren.

  “Ready.” What would he do if Keara died? Steam brushed against his throat and red clouded his vision. Focus on the moment, focus on the moment. If he dwelled too much on the what-ifs, his ability to react to the current situation would diminish. Focus, focus. The steam dissipated and his thoughts returned to what was happening here, now.

  Enar flung his weight against the door, which opened without a sound. Thoren inhaled deeply, drawing scent through his nose. The slight scent of Keara mingled with the overpowering scent of Draconi, male Draconi. What in the name of the Goddess?

  A glance at Enar told him the Watcher didn’t smell the scent. What did he expect? His friend, although powerful, was not a Draconi and didn’t have the same tracking ability.

  “Enar.”

  “What?”

  “Do you smell what I do?”

  Enar knelt by a burned corpse. “That this man’s dead and burned to a crisp?”

  “Huh?” Thoren looked at the charred heap o
f what used to be a man lying by Enar. Charred heap of man, scent of male Draconi. Thoren pivoted, turning the opposite way of where the man lay, looking toward where the fire obviously originated.

  “What were you talking of then?” Leather creaked as Enar rose to his feet.

  “Oh, that maybe.” Thoren pointed toward the large, male Draconi trapped behind the bars, stuffed into a cell not designed for him.

  Enar drew a sharp breath. “By the Goddess! How did he get there?”

  Are you two going to point and stare all day or do something about me? That filthy son of a goat took a female Draconi up those stairs. The scaled dragon motioned with his head toward the small set of stairs behind the dead man. Well, don’t just stand there, move!

  Thoren jumped as the dragon’s voice echoed through his mind. A Draconi male locked in a cell. Who would have thought he’d find that in Caustasia? How could a Draconi get into a cell? He shook his head, walking toward the dragon.

  Stop! Not you! The Watcher must free me. The bars are titanium.

  Thoren cursed. Titanium was the only thing that could stop a Draconi from working his magic. No wonder the creature stood behind the bars. But why was he in dragon form? If captured in human form he would remain as a human and it was virtually impossible to capture a Draconi in his dragon form. Unless...a shudder rippled through him.

  The dragon’s capture must have happened while in human form prior to going through his Change. If no female was found to help ease a male’s way through the changes his body underwent, he would remain in dragon form until death. To be locked away, to never have the choice given you. Thoren shuddered again.

  “How long?”

  The dragon sighed. Too long. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of what would happen to the one that put me in this cell once I was freed. Enough about me, you need to save that female, she’s been upstairs too long as it is. Your Watcher can free me.

  “I can free you,” a voice with enough confidence to suit a giant spoke from the storage room.

  Thoren turned to Jamie who stood in the doorway to the small storage room. Was it too much to ask the lad to stay put? Apparently so. Although if given a choice between staying in a sewer and disobeying an order, he’d probably have done the same thing.

  “I thought I told you to stay put.”

  Jamie’s eyes blazed. “Thought I could help. And I was right. I can free him,” he waved his hand in the direction of the dragon, “and you two can free Keara.”

  “You can’t touch the bars either, Jamie. You’re part Draconi. Same as Keara.” Thoren waited for shock to pass over Jamie’s face, but the boy just shrugged.

  “Duh. But I’m just a kid. And titanium only works on adults.”

  Who told you that? the dragon asked.

  “My father.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us you were Draconi?” Thoren took a step toward the boy.

  “You didn’t ask. Now do you want me to help you or not?”

  Had he been this exasperating as a boy?

  Thoren turned to the dragon. “Is that true?”

  The dragon shrugged. It doesn’t hurt to try. You two are needed upstairs.

  “All right. I’ll leave him with you, but don’t let him wander off. He’s good at it.”

  The dragon nodded. Will do.

  Thoren followed Enar toward the stone stairs. “Stay here with the Draconi, Jamie. We’ll bring Keara back, don’t wander off.”

  “As you wish.” Jamie grinned.

  He needed to ask his mother, but he was fairly certain he had not been this much trouble as a hatchling.

  The last thing Thoren heard as he followed Enar up the twisting stairs was the dragon speaking to Jamie. The keys are on the ground, lad, halfway between the wall and my cell.

  After climbing what felt like forever, a door stood in their path. The top. Praise the Goddess. Both men leaned against the wooden panel, their breath heaving in and out like a bellows.

  “Why is it that I can practice with Blood Seeker all day and not grow tired, but walk up a flight of stairs and I pant like a half-dead pup?” Enar shook his head.

  “It goes with the half-dead look,” Thoren put a hand on the latch, trying to calm his breathing. Keara was close, he knew it. “Ready?”

  “Go for it, dragon.”

  Stepping into a hallway, Thoren looked to his left, while Enar pushed the door wider and stepped to Thoren’s right. A scream ripped through the hallway and Thoren stopped, turning his head toward the sound.

  A wide-eyed, pale-faced servant stood staring at them as if they were the bringers of death. She took a step backward, dropping the pile of linens into a heap at her feet.

  Thoren reached a hand her direction. “Shush. Rest easy.”

  The woman’s mouth opened as if to emit another ear-piercing shriek before her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she sank gracefully to the floor.

  Humans. So easy to manipulate.

  “Humph. Not nearly as much fun as Blood Seeker.”

  “Maybe next time.” Thoren patted Enar on the shoulder.

  Leaning his head back, Thoren inhaled deeply, scenting Keara to the left. He led the way down the hall, Enar close behind, the only sound the rustle of their leather-clad legs as they strode toward Keara.

  There. The scent of Draconi female concentrated strongly outside the last door. Keara must be trapped behind it. Thoren met Enar’s eyes and nodded. Enar took a deep breath, tightening his hold on Blood Seeker and returned the gesture.

  Thoren shoved his shoulder into the door, popping the latch, not bothering with stealth. Keara was on the other side of the door. He had to protect her, to save her. She was all that mattered. The door slammed into the wall with a crack and he heard the whistle of air.

  He started to wave his hand to redirect whatever object hurtled at him when Enar’s shoulder slammed against his, shoving him out of the way. A clatter sounded against the stone floor and he had an instant to process the fact that the object was a knife before the figure on the bed occupied his thoughts.

  Keara.

  She sat on a large bed, feet tied together and hanging off the side. Her arm dropped listlessly to her lap as she stared at them, her eyes a vacant mask. What happened to her? All life had disappeared, turning her into a movable statue. Why had she tried to kill him?

  Her eyes blinked, her only movement as far as he could tell. She didn’t acknowledge them, didn’t twitch, no movement at all except for her breathing and blinking. Her stare lit something inside him. Kill and protect, save and love.

  He really needed to get a handle on these emotions.

  “Something’s not right.” Enar took a step into the room.

  “You think?”

  Her eyes didn’t track their banter. Instead, they remained fixed, staring forward. He took in another breath and that’s when he noticed it. If he hadn’t been so intent on Keara’s scent, it would have been obvious sooner. An aroma of crushed herbs lay heavily in the air and a table contained chopped herbs and a small cup.

  He cursed. “She’s been drugged.”

  “With what? What causes that?”

  “Do I look like an apothecary?” How would he save her if he didn’t even know what she’d been given? Was she even aware of their presence?

  Thoren heard a faint buzzing in his head, like when he was a hatchling, first learning how to mind-speak. His eyes popped. Was she trying to speak to him? He reached out with a mental probe, foraging into her mind, trying to read her thoughts.

  Her voice slammed into his brain, the equivalent of a scream.

  Thoren, help me! Get me out of here before they come back. Please! He can’t hear me, he can’t help me, he’s going to leave me. No, no, no! Don’t leave, don’t leave, don’t leave. Help me, please, help me!

  What were you drugged with?

  Her body didn’t move, but her mind flinched at his words and relief streamed to him from her.

  You can hear me?

&
nbsp; Draconi can mind-speak. What were you drugged with?

  Zombie dust. It controls me. They told me to throw the knife at whoever walked in the door.

  Will it hurt to move you?

  No. Just hurry, they’re coming back.

  “She says we can move her.” Two strides and he was at the bed, knife cutting through the bonds circling her ankles. His lip peeled off his teeth when he saw the angry red marks streaking her skin from the tightness of the ropes.

  “Growling doesn’t help our situation any, dragon,” Enar said, placing a hand on Thoren’s shoulder.

  Good point. So why couldn’t he stop?

  Deep breaths. If he got busy breathing in then sound couldn’t come out. And why was noise coming out?

  He refused to think about it.

  The need to take Keara to safety overrode his higher reasoning. Which was not a good thing when they were in their enemy’s lair. But mates needed to be protected at all costs and, Goddess’s teeth...did his brain just spit out that “m” word?

  Stop thinking and focus on getting out of here, Thoren, before you get caught.

  With effort, he tamped down the unwanted emotions flooding his system and focused on the here and now. Which demanded his full concentration to get them out of this mess.

  Thoren gathered Keara into his arms, crushing her against him. Although her eyes still stared vacantly, he felt her mind relax, her terror receding as he held her.

  Taking a deep breath, he inhaled her scent and something else, something unwanted.

  Blood.

  So much for gaining control of his emotions and burying them deep inside. The unwanted feelings surged in his veins, in his mind, overriding his human half, igniting the dragon side until his vision went as red as the blood he smelled on Keara’s breath. Red marks just beginning to gain a blue tinge dotted her cheeks and the corners of her mouth. From a gag.

  Steam poured from his ears, out his mouth. He heard Keara gasp in his mind, her terror an acrid scent in his nose. What frightened her? He’d kill it.