Spears' Challenge (The White Dragon Series Book 2)

by Bonnie Watts

  The terrier allows herself to be squeezed, and she starts licking my hair to commiserate on the problems that males of any species can cause us females. I finally decide to go to my bedroom for a while. I check my email to see if the demons have responded to my request for a meeting. They sent Jeff an email and cc’d me on it requesting that we come to Hell and meet with King Lucifer at two p.m. tomorrow! That doesn’t give us much time to prepare. I send an email agreeing to the meet, then go out to call a strategy session.

  I walk out to the yard. They are still beating each other with the wooden swords. I raise my voice over the noise and say, “The demons have agreed to our meeting and have set it at two p.m. tomorrow. We need to discuss what we’re going to say. Will you two please get everyone together when you’re finished beating each other senseless so we can come up with some kind of strategy?”

  The pain from their bruises radiates through me, but I just clench my jaw and try to ignore it. At least they had stopped fighting to listen.

  Jeff looks at me, his sky-blue eyes cold as a glacier in winter. “Is a half hour soon enough?”

  “That’s fine, thank you.” Brr, the coldness I am feeling from my selkie is like the waters of his clan’s home, freezing. I need to talk with him later and explain what happened.

  I turn and go back into the house and into the living room to wait. Liam is up from his nap and comes in.

  “Why are those two beating each other senseless with sticks, my Lady?”

  “Because I accidentally made Dragon into my second Consort by giving him a thank-you kiss that turned into a lot more, Liam, and because I’m an idiot who should have known better!”

  “Ach, Dragon turned it into more, don’t you mean?”

  I nod, blushing.

  “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised, but you shouldn’t blame yourself too much, my Lady. What happened with Dragon is obviously the White Dragon magic working again. It wanted Dragon as one of your Consorts whether you want it or not. Just tell the seal laddie that, and he’ll understand, because he’s bright and understands the way of magical issues. He’s just jealous.”

  “Would the magic interfere to the point of giving me a Consort I don’t need? That doesn’t make any sense to me.”

  “It will do whatever it has to in order to make the White Dragon ready to fight our enemies. Dragon is a powerful Consort, and now the three of you are bound together to make a more effective magical team. The Consort position is meant to support the White Dragon emotionally as well as magically. Sex is a choice, but not crucial in the relationship between Consort and White Dragon. The only thing that is crucial is trust and caring on both sides, which Dragon has more than enough of. You obviously feel the same way about him.”

  I look at my Chief of Operations. “I appreciate your wisdom, Liam. We’re going to have a meeting in a few minutes to discuss our appointment with the demons. Can you stay for it?”

  “Of course, my Lady.”

  -9-

  The meeting goes quick because we have a fairly simple plan. Come in with a position of strength and do everything to maintain that edge. Demons respect strength and they eat weakness. Literally. They consume the souls of their enemies to gain their strengths. Remember that fact about them and never look weak. It seems simple.

  I ask Jeff to go for a walk with me that night. I can sense his anger still smoldering and the hurt underneath causing it.

  I need to clear the air between us.

  “The contract with Dragon was even more of an accident than with yours, and with less cause, at least on my side.”

  “I saw the lipstick on his face, Jerrie. I’m not a fool!” His hot dark fury pierces me like a molten needle to my heart.

  “I did kiss him, because I was grateful to him for reading my soul well enough to see why training me to use a sword is a bad idea. Everyone else, including you, Jeffrey, just pushed me to do it! I was starting to feel like something was wrong with me for not wanting to use Tor that way.”

  “Is Tor here with you now?”

  “No. I asked him to go visit Fred. It’s just us.”

  “Dragon is falling in love with you, Jerrie.”

  “He’s falling for the White Dragon, not me. He turned the kiss into something else, and I let him do it. He’s so lonely, Jeff. I shouldn’t have let it go on so long. But Liam told me today that the White Dragon magic is almost sentient in its way. It will push me, you, Dragon, and everyone else where it thinks we need to be to prepare for this invasion. Apparently it wanted Dragon as my Consort along with you. Don’t you feel the three-way bond between us that’s formed since the contract was made?”

  Please, please, please let him sense it!

  “I do feel it. I felt it as soon as it happened. It is true that a triangle of three points is magically more stable and powerful than a line made up of two. But why Dragon? Why not Cirwin? Or Liam, even?”

  “Because Cirwin is the Houndmaster, and Liam is Operations. They are already playing the part they’re meant to play in this incarnation of the White Dragon’s court. Cirwin told me he once was a White Dragon’s Consort. She was half Elven and half witch. He was a close friend of hers, and when she asked him, he said yes.”

  “Let me guess. She loved dogs.”

  I smile. “Of course, and she had a gift for horses too. She handled the sidhe horses of the spectral hunt. She must have been good, for a half-breed to be welcomed at court.”

  “Is she still at court?”

  “No. She died centuries ago. She wasn’t immortal. Jeff, the reason Dragon was picked was because of his compatibility with me. His magic complements mine perfectly.”

  He stops and puts his arms around me. “I know. But you’re mine, Jerrie Spears, and that overgrown lizard needs to realize that!”

  He kisses me, a hard possessive kiss that has my body humming.

  His voice husky with his need, he said, “Home, now!”

  Consort crisis averted for now, thank goodness. I let my selkie lover lead me home to our bed, refusing to remember the passion I’d felt when Dragon’s lips were against mine.

  The next day, we are all sitting in my bedroom looking at the clothes in my closet. My two Consorts, Cirwin, Beauty, Courage, Lucifer, Tor and I are all there.

  “You know, before all this White Dragon stuff, I had no idea clothes are so important for setting the right tone in meet and greets. Of course, the only meetings I had were meeting new clients and patients.”

  “Clothes have always been used in the Chinese imperial court to show supremacy and wealth, among other messages.” Dragon offers.

  “Among the seeley court as well. My people take it to an extreme though. A courtier can lose his standing among the elite if the King doesn’t like what he or she is wearing.”

  “That seems not quite, um,” I falter, not wanting to insult Cirwin.

  “Sane?” Offers Cirwin with a smile.

  “Right. But I don’t like to judge people who aren’t doing evil. Now judging evil actions is a White Dragon’s job.”

  I pull out another outfit, a black silky pant suit with silver dragons embroidered along the sleeveless tunic hem. “What about this one?”

  Everyone looks at Beauty. She barks at that one, her tail wagging. It is a figure-hugging piece, which I’m not that sure about wearing since my figure isn’t that impressive.

  “Guys, what do you think? Tor?”

  “Wouldn’t a gown be more suitable for a formal meeting with the King of Hell?” Jeff asks.

  Since we don’t know what reception we’re going to get, you should be ready to fight or run. I agree with Beauty.

  I relay Tor’s words and the three men nod their agreement.

  “Yes, we might have to fight our way out of there if anything goes wrong. You need to be able to run fast, so your shoes should be practical for that as well.”

  “Right, that means flats instead of stilettoes, which is good, since I hate stilettoes. Okay, everyone out except Beauty so
I can get ready. Lucifer, can you make sure that Lainn and Roc are on their way here? We’re getting pretty close to our meeting time.”

  My Familiar disappears to do what I ask.

  After Beauty herds the men out of the room, a sight that still cracks me up whenever I see it, I put on the outfit. The talented seamstresses of team brownie have done it again. I stare at myself in the mirror and can’t believe how statuesque I looked. I’m going to leave my hair alone this time, only taming the curls down a bit with some olive oil like the brownie ladies taught me. It curls around my head in a brown halo, because it’s getting longer. I add a light touch of makeup and turn to my terrier.

  “Well, will I do, your Majesty?”

  Beauty barks again to indicate that her work here is done.

  It’s time to go meet the Devil.

  Cuchulainn is wearing his silver-chased Irish king’s armor when I walk into the living room. Roc, representing the hobgoblins, wears his new dress armor that the brownies made for him as well. It is a black metal breastplate with silver dragons on each side of his chest. I’d presented it to him after he joined my team. He looks tough yet remarkably dignified in it. He confessed to me a couple of hours after I’d presented it to him that his partner Oraghuht thought the new armor was really hot. He had blushed dark green when he told me that, and I just stared in fascination at what might be a first-a blushing hobgoblin. The two of them, Roc and Oraghuht, are so adorable together! He has a mace almost as big as me hooked to his belt. Hobgoblins prefer blunt weapons like clubs and maces because of their species’ size and strength. They enjoy bashing their enemies, not stabbing them. They are really good at bashing.

  My Consorts are dressed to impress too. Dragon wears his black scale armor that glimmers like it is made of black diamonds. It’s made of some of his own dragon skin that he’d gotten when he shed his skin for the first time. I felt it once, and it’s almost like it is alive. He has his enormous broadsword, Skull Cleaver, in a harness on his back. He looks every inch a warrior. Jeff wears his battle armor underneath a dress Knight Protector surcoat. It has the sword and shield rune of his Order embroidered with gold and silver thread as well as a silver dragon on his upper left chest above his heart. It appears to be brownie work to me and makes him even more handsome. The lady brownies really like my number one Consort, and the skill that created the surcoat advertises those feelings. His sword, a lighter samurai style blade, is in a scabbard on a belt wrapped around his hips.

  I look at them all and say with a sigh of sheer female rapture, “Oh my, you all would outshine the sun. I’m going to look like a dowdy peahen with a garden full of peacocks around her.”

  Oh, boy! I can’t wait until I’m alive again and am going to have a blast making Fred jealous by flirting with all these gorgeous hunks!

  I start laughing.

  “What is so humorous?” Dragon demands. He hates being laughed at.

  I told them all what Tor said, and as a group they glare at the sword on my back with red and green blushes prominent.

  Beauty gives a peremptory bark. I look down at her, glance at my watch, and say, “Right, thanks Beauty. Let’s get this show on the road, it’s almost time to go. Put the terriers in their holders, grab Lucifer’s strap and everyone, get your weapons out and ready.”

  I look over at Cirwin. “Mind the store, Grand Duke.”

  “I still think I should go with you, my Lady!”

  “Lucifer says he wants you to stay here, Cirwin, to have a warrior of your skill guarding the home front. He seems to think it’s important. I believe him.”

  “Aye, my Lady.”

  “Let’s go to Hell, gentlemen. Lucifer, any time you’re ready.”

  Being dissolved into molecules, traveling through the void to the Hell dimension, then being reassembled is a disconcerting feeling, to say the least. Like being an Alka Seltzer placed in water, kind of. Now I can sympathize with Dr. McCoy’s feelings about the transporter on the original Star Trek show.

  We arrive near the front door of a mansion that resembles the one from the old television series The Munsters, only bigger and in better condition. The sky is a light orange color, with a red sun shining directly down on us, yet giving off little heat.

  “Look at that sun! It’s kind of depressing, isn’t it?” Jeff comments.

  “I don’t think Hell is supposed to cheer souls up. It means to punish and depress them.” I answer.

  Dragon speaks quietly so only we can hear, “Heads up, everyone, our welcoming committee is coming.”

  “Any lust demons or something we need to shield against?”

  “No, nothing that can bother us that way. This lackey is a mid-level pain demon.”

  What in the world is a pain demon?

  I don’t know. It is Fred who has the encyclopedic knowledge of demon-kind. It sounds intriguing though.

  Kinky, Tor.

  Demon Master trying to order Lucifer to come to him! Lucifer kill?

  Don’t kill him. I’ll get it stopped.

  We watch as a red-skinned demon with small horns on his head comes out of the house. His skin is actually red, a deep dusky rose color, and is quite pretty. His magic is the dark brown sludge typical of demon magic. It definitely matches the color of the magic that spelled Torq.

  I put my hand up when he is three feet away from us.

  “Don’t come any closer. Stop trying to confuse my Familiar with your telepathic orders, Demon. He’s legally a sentient now and makes his own choices on where he goes and who he chooses to be with.”

  Surprise shows on his face. “How did you know I… You’ve bonded with him!”

  “Of course. He’s a White Dragon’s Familiar. Why are you so surprised?”

  He caught himself before he said anything else. “I am here to take you to the King. The hound needs to stay here. Slayer, His Majesty’s Hellhound, won’t allow any other male dogs into his presence.”

  “My Familiar outranks your Slayer and is the equal of kings. He goes where the White Dragon goes as you well know. Good try again, demon. Beware of trying to bait me. You will find yourself outmatched. Take us to your master and be done with your games before I grow annoyed.”

  Dragon winks at me from the side which tells me I have handled the lackey correctly. Thank goodness.

  We are led deep into the mansion. It is beautiful inside, with expensive and tasteful decorations. Apparently the demon of pride likes antiques from the French school of design. He loves paintings from the Italian Renascence period, judging from the number of them on the walls. None of us say a word.

  Lucifer? Are you okay?

  Lucifer scared of Slayer. He is the Eater-of-Puppies, was warned by sire not to be seen by him or he would kill me.

  Well, dragons are the Eaters-of-Slayers, and you and I are one now. He will die before he can hurt you. Trust your White Dragon.

  Sire said he can paralyze with his thoughts.

  Is this common in your kind?

  No. Slayer only.

  We’re here. Be strong, my Familiar.

  We arrive at what looks like an ancient throne room. As we walk the shiny black-and-white tiles up to the dais, the enormous Hell Hound standing by the demon king starts growling. He looks like he weighs at least a thousand pounds, or close to it, he’s the size of a baby elephant.

  “Tame your pet, or I’ll have to, King Lucifer.”

  The man on the throne is so drop-dead gorgeous that it is all I can do not to gape at him. He has blonde shoulder-length hair and vivid grey eyes that shine with his magic. His face is manly, but has a touch of prettiness about it as well, if you can imagine that. Rumor has it that he is androgynous and can be either a woman or a man at will. He has on a grey silk suit that matches his eyes. His demon magic is much stronger than his lackey’s, and it curls around him like a playful kitten. He could have easily spelled Torq, though I doubt he did the deed himself.

  “We warned you that Slayer won’t tolerate other male Hellhounds. Y
ou chose to ignore us.” He shrugs. “What happens is on you now.”

  Slayer jumps down from the dais and heads for Lucifer. I reach for my healer magic to try to paralyze him, but find that I can’t touch my magic! My body is also stuck in place.

  The Hellhound looks at me with crazed red eyes as he passes me, and I see my Familiar’s death in them. I frantically start working around his mental hold with my mind healer’s magic and feel it start to give way. But not quick enough! I can hear Lucifer growl at the older Hellhound and feel him ready himself to make a stand against his foe.

  I break the paralysis of my body before I manage to loosen the hold on my magic. I turn towards Lucifer just in time to see a sight that I will never forget.

  Beauty tears out of her carry pack and changes into her lion dog persona, with Courage only seconds behind her. She launches from Lucifer’s back up into the air and grabs Slayer’s nose with her elongated teeth, hanging on for all she is worth. Courage jumps on poor Slayer’s back and starts attacking his neck to get to his spine. Lucifer lunges around Beauty, going for Slayer’s throat, tearing at it with the ferocity of ancient hatred.

  Finally I break the paralysis just as the King is calling in more hounds. I slam a hard battle shield around all of us, including Slayer, then call off the dogs.

  “Lucifer, Beauty, Courage, stand down, my brave ones!”

  The two lion dogs immediately drop off and back away, but Lucifer is harder to stop.

  Lucifer, Slayer’s crazy from abuse, just like you were abused! Let me in and maybe I can help him.

  NO! Puppy killer!

  Lucifer, Stand Down! Please?

  It is the please that does it, that brings the Hellhound back from the edge of fury and racial hatred. He steps back from a dying Slayer, blood over every single inch of his front, some of it his own.

  I kneel down by the bleeding-out dog and use my mind healing power to touch his mind.

  Slayer, do you want to live?

  Who you?

  I’m the White Dragon, and I’m here to heal you.

  No, no more killing and pain. Is good death.