by Vella Day
Finn dug his thumbnail into his index finger to make sure this wasn’t a dream. Thankfully, it hurt. “I do. At least I think I do.” Finn’s eyes finally adjusted to his surroundings enough to look around. “Is this Tarradon?”
“It is. Now tell me,” Jamison said. “Do you know where Kaleena is? She didn’t show up for work today, and we’re worried.”
“She’s been kidnapped.”
The giant moved closer. “What? By whom?”
The man’s intensity was palpable. “I don’t know.”
Jamison Sinclair looked around. From his stiff posture, his senses were on high alert. He glanced upward then back at Finn. “It might not be safe to talk here. We need to go back to our headquarters in town where I’ll ask the others to assemble. The rest of my children are very anxious to hear about their sister.”
What danger was Jamison speaking of? No one was anywhere near them. Even with his shifter sight, all he could see were mountains in the distance and some trees bordering the field. Only a few lights dotted the distant landscape.
Trust him, his wolf said. He’s Kaleena’s father.
So he says.
In truth, if Chelsea had been missing, Finn would be more than anxious—he’d be in full panic mode—so he understood the man’s urgency. “How did you get here?” he asked.
“I flew.”
Something was off. “Then where’s your plane?”
The man had the nerve to laugh. “I’m sorry. I know this must be overwhelming, and I will answer your questions soon, but time is of the essence. Ophelia did share that you and Kaleena have been in contact through dream-walking. In any of those times did she ever tell you what kind of shifter she was?”
“No.”
The large man blew out a breath. “This may be hard to believe, but she’s a dragon shifter.”
Finn’s heart dropped to his stomach. “So it is true. My brother Connor ran into one yesterday, or at least he believes he did. The damn creature disappeared on him though.”
“Ah, yes, that would be Slater Coghill. As I said, I’ll answer your questions later. We need to go now.”
A flock of large black birds flew overhead, and Jamison looked up. Or were those birds really dragons flying high in the sky? “Are you going to turn into a dragon and ask me to hop on?”
“I could, but it’s a lot safer if I carry you.”
The man had gone too far. “I’d rather walk.”
“It will take days to reach the city on foot, and that’s if you’re lucky. Given you’re only a wolf shifter, you might not make it. I’m sorry, but I have no choice.”
Only a wolf shifter? What the hell? A second later, wind rushed by Finn as the man in front of him shape-shifted into a huge dragon. Holy crap! He had to be as tall as a two-story building. His long black snout was rather pointed and spikes protruded from his back, but it was his majestic wings that impressive Finn the most—long, curved, and sleek. Jamison Sinclair’s eyes glowed teal, and some of his scales pulsed silver. The sight took Finn’s breath away.
His fascination with the glorious creature won out over his common sense to flee. If he hadn’t mentioned he was Kaleena’s father, Finn would have shifted and hightailed it out of there—assuming his muscles worked. Not that he’d like living as a wolf on a strange realm, but if he managed to escape, he could survive.
Jamison opened his wings that spanned a good forty feet. The webbing between the bony ridges of the wing was translucent and appeared to be made out of some kind of rubbery substance. Fascinating.
With one flap of his wings, the dragon swooped toward him and grabbed him in his talons. Finn’s first instinct was to fight, but when the grip remained gentle, he relaxed a bit. He had expected the claws to puncture him, but instead they merely cradled his body.
Most of the bar patrons considered Finn unflappable, but right now, all he could do was yell out as they soared higher and higher. He shut his eyes, not wanting to see anything—including the belly of the large beast. He didn’t mind flying in an airplane, but being exposed like this was unpredictable and downright scary.
After a minute or so, the even flapping of wings helped to slow his heart enough for him to brave looking over his shoulder at the world below.
The moon bathed the land in soft light, and the vastness of the plains and mountains was stunning. The beauty of the landscape actually helped to erase some of his fear.
Not wanting to take any chances though, Finn grasped the talons tight, but even if he let go, he doubted Kaleena’s father would drop him—not when his daughter’s life was at stake.
After a few minutes, Finn accepted the fact he’d be safe and almost enjoyed the ride—almost being the operative word. The wind was cooler this high up, but it wasn’t uncomfortably cold. In fact, it was refreshing.
Just as he was getting used to this mode of transportation, the dragon slipped over a mountain crest and dipped toward a rather large city below. Streetlights and building lights helped illuminated the moving cars. It looked an awful lot like the States.
Like an expert hang glider, they landed on the roof of a building, and Jamison set him down softly before shifting back into his human form. Finn expected him to be naked like he always was after a shift, but Jamison was dressed in the same clothes as before. How was that even possible? Now wasn’t the time however to discuss the differences between shifter types.
“Follow me,” Jamison said. He pulled open a large metal door that led to a flight of stairs.
Now that the shock of his arrival in Tarradon was wearing off, Finn’s curiosity was building. “Where are we again?”
“This is where SinCas is located—where Kaleena works. It’s a metal and gem mining company short for Sinclair and Caspian. My wife is Moira, and her sister, Iona, is married to Laird Caspian. I’m sure you’ll be meeting them soon.”
The information overload kept coming. They only went down one flight before exiting the stairwell. Jamison then led Finn down a well-lit corridor, enabling him to take a good look at the man. Once more, Finn had to question what was real and what might be his imagination. This dragon didn’t look older than forty, which would make Kaleena at most twenty, yet she claimed to be much older.
“Have a seat in this room while I round up a few people,” Jamison said.
This place looked to be straight out of a New York City executive’s office, complete with a view of the city. A large mahogany conference table that sat twelve took up most of the room. High tech equipment, including a projector and screen, covered one wall, while the remaining space on one end was filled with two brown leather sofas and large comfortable chairs. Nothing seemed alien to him, so was he really in Tarradon?
“This is incredible,” Finn said in awe. “If you told me I was in a major US city, I’d believe you.”
Jamison smiled. “We do love Earth. Much of what you see has been borrowed from your United States.”
“How?” Other than Slater Coghill, how many others had visited?
“Your questions will be answered in due time. Perhaps you could use a drink.” He nodded to the credenza on the far wall. “Help yourself. I’ll be right back.”
As soon as Jamison left, Finn became light-headed. All of this was so new, overwhelming, and a bit frightening. If Kaleena’s father hadn’t transformed into a dragon in front of him and taken him on the flight of his life, Finn might not have believed any of it.
Curious to learn what the Tarradons drank, Finn eased over to the credenza. Normally, he wasn’t one to drink when he needed to stay sharp, but he’d make an exception today. Drinking glasses and bottles of liquor covered the table. On it was something so familiar that he began to doubt once more if this was a different realm. He picked up a bottle of Captain Morgan Rum and studied the label that said it was made in the Virgin Islands. Was this some kind of joke then? He had to be on Earth. Telling him he was in a different realm had to have been some ploy to convince him to help Kaleena. Regardless of his location,
he believed her future was in jeopardy, and that she really did need his help.
Finn poured himself a glass and tossed it back, the wonderful smooth flavor helping to relax him. But he stopped at one. His senses were already over stimulated. Finn walked over to the large picture window to study the view of the bustling metropolis. It looked like every other large city he’d been to—tall buildings, buses and cars in the streets, and even flashing neon lights that signaled all-night bars.
Suddenly out of nowhere, two dark shadows cut through the light cast by the buildings. Finn blinked. What was that? A thump sounded on the roof above him, and then footsteps trod on the stairs. A second later, the door to the conference room burst open, and two huge men appeared.
“Where’s Dad?” the larger of the two asked.
“You mean Jamison?”
“Yes.”
They both acted like they knew who Finn was. “He went somewhere to round up a few people. I’m assuming you’re who he is looking for?”
Both closed the gap. The larger one held out his hand. “Yes. I’m Declan, Kaleena’s older brother.”
They shook hands. “Finn McKinnon. I’m not sure what I am, except that your sister and I have been dream-walking for a while.” He hoped like hell that wasn’t some secret.
Declan smiled. “Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Thane,” the other man said. “Stone, Tory, and possibly Ramsey will be here soon.”
“Kaleena mentioned she had a large family, but I had no idea how large.”
Thane nodded. “The family also includes our cousins, the Caspians. One or two of them might show up too. We’re all worried about Kaleena.”
“Is Tarradon that dangerous?”
“For us Guardians it is.”
“Guardians?” Finn asked. That was the same group Ophelia had told him. Once more his brain was having a hard time putting all of the pieces together. Maybe the travel through the portal had affected him more than he’d realized.
“It’s a long story. While we wait for the others,” Declan said, “I might as well explain a few things so you know what you’re dealing with.”
“I’d appreciate it.”
The three of them sat at the large conference table. “All dragons are born with some abilities, or rather magic,” Declan said. “The Royals—those who rule us—have always refused to pollute their gene pool and marry outside of the highborn class—unless it’s with a dark lighter.”
“That’s an evil witch, right?”
“Yes. Most dragons mate with humans, white lighters, and other shifters. While the Sinclairs and Caspians have no objection to mating with other shifters, for the most part, we’ve mated with humans, white lighters, and other dragons. Somehow, the Sinclairs and Caspians grew stronger because of it.”
Until now. Or so he hoped.
Thane cleared his throat. “Don’t forget that Fate had a hand in making us special.”
Declan held up a palm. “Very true. Our mates are always chosen with care and for a reason. Anyway, as a result of Fate’s guidance, we became powerful. We believe it is our duty to protect those who are weaker against all tyrants.”
Finn saw some similarities between his Clan and the Guardians. “On Earth, we breed with our fated mate too, but she doesn’t have to be a similar shifter. We also mix with witches and humans. Kind of like the Guardians, my family has stayed strong throughout the centuries too. My father was our Clan leader, and my oldest brother is now the Alpha.”
“Clan, you say?” Thane asked. Finn nodded. “We don’t have Clans per se, just families.”
More footsteps sounded on the roof, and a short while later three more people rushed in. One of the men and the lone woman had similar traits. Both were tall with sun-kissed skin and straight black hair. The third man, while large, had lighter skin and brown hair.
The woman rushed up to him. “Are you really Finn?” Excitement laced her tone.
He didn’t know how she knew of him. “Yes.”
“I’m Nessa Caspian. Kaleena has told me all about you, but I never thought you were…” her voice trailed off.
“Real?”
“Yes.”
He saw no point in saying he questioned whether any of them was real too.
Jamison burst in. “Oh, good. Most of you are here. I just received a call from cousin Anderson at the precinct. Kaleena’s car was spotted at the bar she usually visits on Friday night, which doesn’t bode well for her. I asked him to question the bartender to see if he remembers seeing her.” He stabbed a hand through his hair. “Everyone take a seat and we’ll find out what Finn knows.”
Chapter Six
After hours of trying to sleep, Kaleena finally dozed off, but she failed to contact Finn. Damn. Either he wasn’t asleep or that witch’s curse had affected her dream-walking abilities as well. More and more, Kaleena wanted to kill her cousin, but first, she needed to find a way out of this cell.
Something tinny sounding rattled against her cage and roused her. Was it morning already? She couldn’t have slept a full day.
Just a few hours, her dragon said. I needed you to rest so I could keep fighting this poison.
I hope you succeeded.
Not as much as I’d like. It’s a constant battle, but you should be stronger for a while.
Kaleena opened her eyes and sat up. As if a strong force willed her, she stood.
“Good, you’re awake,” said a tall willowy woman with long brown hair. She looked to be about forty, but Kaleena was never good at telling the age of a human. Dressed in a long black sheath type dress, Kaleena figured she was Rathan’s dark lighter, mostly because her cousin told her he was sending someone to train her.
Good luck with that. Kaleena would never use her magic to enhance the Royals.
“Who are you?” She didn’t want this new person to think she was some pushover who would do what she asked.
The woman opened the cell door without touching it and handed Kaleena a cup that seemed to be filled with water. What Kaleena wouldn’t give to be able to open locks with her mind.
“Have a drink then come with me,” she said without answering her question.
“Where are we going?”
“Outside.”
A split second of excitement ran through her at the possibility of escaping. Kaleena took the proffered cup, pretended to take a sip, and then set it in the sink. No matter how parched she was, Kaleena wasn’t going to drink anything someone evil had given her.
As they stepped down the hallway, the two familiar guards filed in closely behind them. Just what she didn’t need. If Kaleena couldn’t shift or do magic, she was doomed to being held captive for a long time. “What are we going to do?” she asked.
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
Friendly sort. Not. Actually, Kaleena was surprised the witch was allowing her to see. If she ever managed to take down a guard, she’d know which way to the exit.
As Kaleena walked by the other cells, she glanced inside. Most of the occupants were on their cots, asleep. None were Christian.
If it was nighttime, why not wait until morning? Or didn’t the dark lighter want anyone watching what she was about to do? Kaleena remembered a few of Rathan’s comments about killing animals and maybe even people, and a cold shiver tripped up her spine.
Without warning, a wave of nausea attacked her, and her vision clouded. Kaleena halted, and just as she grabbed her stomach, the guard behind her ran into her, knocking her to the ground.
“Watch where you’re going,” he commanded.
Kaleena’s heart pounded, and she palmed the cold stones in front of her. Oh, no. “I can’t see.”
The dark lighter cackled. “Did you think I’d let you? I can’t have you knowing your way out.”
Bitch. “A blindfold would have sufficed,” Kaleena managed to say.
“True, but this is more fun.”
Maybe for someone completely evil it was.
Kaleena rose to he
r feet and expected the men to guide her, but they didn’t. That was okay. From the woman’s spicy scent, Kaleena was able to follow her. Even the dark lighter’s footsteps were enough to indicate when Kaleena needed to step up and then down again. Perhaps it was her imagination, but the trek outside seemed longer than when she’d gone to Rathan’s office. Finally, a door creaked and fresh air greeted her. Kaleena inhaled and almost smiled at the sweet scent.
A smaller, cold hand grabbed her arm and led her farther outside. A finger snapped, and when Kaleena’s vision cleared, relief rushed through her, but so did her apprehension. That was some magic trick. Rathan really had sent his most powerful dark lighter.
Right now, she didn’t care what this person could do. Kaleena was just thankful she had her sight back. Being blind would have hindered her ability to do her job and fight the Royals. While she refused to praise this one for her significant talents, Kaleena was impressed. What a shame this woman decided to use her skills for evil purposes—assuming she had a choice.
Tales had been bandied about when Kaleena was growing up about curses that changed a white lighter into an evil, dark lighter. Kaleena could only hope that it had been a made up story to scare little kids, though right now she had her doubts.
Heart pumping, Kaleena looked around. Because it was dark, she couldn’t see a lot other than that they were behind the mammoth castle on the expansive lawn that was bordered by a forest. No guards were in plain sight, but she had no doubt they were lurking close by.
The woman stopped and addressed the two guards who’d been following them. “You may go back inside. I’m sure I won’t have any trouble with Kaleena.”
Like hell she wouldn’t. Kaleena was fast—at least she was when her magic was intact. All she had to do was make it to the forest and she could hide.
“What are you going to do?” she asked her captor.
“So many questions. I’m going to help you do what the Prince wants. And if you give him your magic right now, he’ll let you go.”
That was a lie, and no doubt this woman knew it too. Because this dark lighter was not being cooperative, Kaleena let her lead her closer to the forest line—closer to where she planned to escape.