by Unknown
“Anyway,” Hannah continued, “Damon told me to render you unconscious and paralyzed for the trip back, so you’re gonna need to give an Oscar winning performance before they put that stupid hood over your head again. Neither one of them will realize I’ve changed a word or two. You will only sleep for a few minutes and no way would I ever leave you immobile. They’re going to take us to a train that will transport us to the coven. Hopefully, Mom and the others will have figured out a way to get you off that train. If not, we’ll figure out something once we’re back at Ghealach Dearg. We have three nights until the blood moon.”
Melanie tried to share in Hannah’s optimism but had to wonder what the odds were on escaping fate twice in one lifetime. Thoughts of what it had been like to be under Cleland’s control all those years ago made her sick with fear, not only for herself but for those she knew would give their lives to help her.
Just about to share her thoughts with Hannah, images of Jace bombarded her consciousness. It was as if she was watching him through the lens of a camera. He was walking through a wooded area with a group of the largest men she’d ever seen. They looked like the men from the hospital that Jace called brethren, but she didn’t recognize any of their faces. Jace looked sad but determined. She knew he was thinking of her. It gave her the hope she needed to finally answer Hannah.
“We just have to make sure no one gets hurt and Cleland never finds out that any of you helped me. You have to promise me, Hannah, and make your mom and sisters promise, as well. No one gets hurt on my account.”
Melanie held out her fist with her pinkie standing at attention, just like they had as children. The big difference was, they were witches and when witches pinkie swore while calling upon Britania, the goddess of the moon, that pinkie promise became binding. Hannah shook her head, wrapped her pinkie finger around Melanie’s, and muttered, “Mom’s gonna kill me.”
No sooner had they made their promise than the chains outside her door rattled. Melanie dove for the chair. Hannah whispered a spell and within two heartbeats, Melanie’s bindings were just as they had been when Hannah had entered the room.
Her old friend winked and mouthed, “Showtime,” right before Melanie’s world went black.
CHAPTER THREE
Jace had now experienced something far more scary than Kellan Aherne…and without a scar or brooding onyx eyes. Royce when he was truly pissed! Jace couldn’t remember a time in his life that he’d been so thoroughly chewed out, not even when he’d broken the steeple of the chapel during his first attempt at flight. The ass chewing he received from the older Guardsman was epic and both clans had witnessed every bloody word of it.
When he and Liam had arrived at the lair of the Blue Dragons, Rory had been waiting with Kellan and the rest of their Force. All six of them were packed and ready for a briefing, but just as Jace had started to speak, Rory’s cellphone rang. One look at the display and the phone was unceremoniously handed to Jace.
Not thinking and without looking, he slid his finger across the screen and answered. A mistake, by the way, he would never make again. Royce’s voice boomed through the receiver with such force that Jace had to hold it as far away from his ear as his arm would reach and it still echoed through his skull. The older Guardsman’s tirade went on and on. Jace couldn’t get a word in edgewise and the worst part was the knowing grins on all the Guardsmen’s faces. It was utterly humiliating and something he had to endure because after all, he was wrong and busted dead to rights.
His ass-chewing continued for almost thirty minutes and only ended when Devon, the calmest of their Force, took the phone from Royce.
“Do you have any leads?” The Guardsman they all called the Zen Master asked.
“I can tell I’m getting close, but something is keeping me from using our mating link. I’ve tried everything I know of but other than old fashioned tracking, I’ve come up empty-handed.”
“Look, Jace, I know what you’re going through but don’t give up. Royce, Kyra, Lance, and I will be there by morning.”
The young Guardsman couldn’t stop the groan that crossed his lips and wished it back when Devon snickered. “Don’t worry, young’un, the old man will be cooled off by then. If he isn’t, I’ll remind him what he’s like when Kyra is out of his sight.”
Everyone, including the men standing behind him, chuckled. “Thanks, Dev. I know what I did was wrong but…” He paused trying to find the right words.
Thankfully, Devon finished the sentence for him. “But she’s your mate and nothing matters as much as finding her.”
Jace nodded. “Yeah, that about sums it up.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll find her. You’re with the best tracker I’ve ever seen and on his home turf.”
“Thanks, Dev.”
“You’re welcome. Now give the phone to Rory, Royce needs to talk to him.”
Handing the phone back to his mentor’s younger brother, Jace asked Brannoc if there was a place he and Liam could get something to eat and take a quick shower. They were directed to the dorms where the trainees from other clans stayed during their training. After a quick shower and fresh clothes, both young Guardsmen felt themselves again but they were still starving. It only took a few minutes to locate the kitchen, empty the refrigerator, and make two huge sandwiches.
They ate until they were full, cleaned up their mess, and were heading out the door when two of the Guardsmen Jace didn’t know, that had been standing with Rory, came walking into the room.
“I’m Declan and this is Pearce.” The taller of the two announced as he made his way to the refrigerator and grabbed two bottles of water. Tossing one to his friend, he leaned against the counter and took a long drink from his bottle.
“Nice to meet you.” Jace and Liam answered in unison, making the other Guardsmen grin.
“Rory’s still on the phone with Royce and Kyra. Seems the little witch knows of the Dorcha and wants to check her facts before they head over here and we go hunting.”
“Great,” was the only response Jace could muster. Just the thought of having a face-to-face ‘discussion’ with Royce made him wish for a magic spell to turn back time. Unfortunately, he was going to have to suck it up and take his lumps.
Declan laughed out loud. “Don’t sweat it young’un, Royce is all bluster. We all grew up with him. He and Rian used to make all our lives miserable. Rian would set us up with his practical jokes and Roy would kick our asses when we fell for it. Just nod your heads and say ‘yes, sir’ while he bitches and it’ll be over before you know it.”
“Hell, that little witch mate of his might even have him calmed down by the time they get here. She’s a keeper, ya know. Best thing that ever happened to the old man.” Pearce spoke for the first time and Jace decided he liked him already.
They all stood around talking until Rory’s voice sounded in their minds. “Head ‘em up. Move ‘em out. Meet us in the Ancestor’s Hall.”
Jace and Liam followed the other Guardsmen across the training pitch, past a few smaller buildings to an ivy-covered building. Six stone columns stood guard around the porch that led to a set of huge black double doors with brass doorknockers the shape of dragon’s heads. As Jace came closer to the pillars, he recognized the story of the dragon shifter’s existence carved into the stone in the glyphs that made up the language of the first dragons. It confirmed what he’d always been told, that the story was an integral part of every lair.
Pearce and Declan opened the doors, motioning for him and Liam to enter the hall. Standing at the head of a large oak table that bore the crest of their clan, carved in intricate detail, was Rory with the same shit-eating grin Jace was beginning to think the older Guardsman had been born with. The other Guardsmen were seated around the table, chatting among themselves.
As Rory spoke the others became silent. “Now that we’re all here, let’s recap a bit so we can get this show on the road.” Looking directly at Jace he added, “Tell us what you know and then I’ll fill in the ga
ps with what Kyra just told me about the Dorcha.”
Jace looked to Liam for help, but the grin on his friend’s face made it clear…Jace was on his own. Taking a deep breath, he recounted Melanie’s conversation with her grandfather, told how their mating bond had grown stronger then suddenly disappeared. He finished with the scene he found at her home. No one spoke, but he saw the look of concentration on every Guardsman’s face. Waiting as patiently as possible, he started to count, a trick he’d learned from his father.
“Counting chickens, bro?” Liam’s voice sounded in his mind.
“No dumbass, just trying to keep my cool.”
“And how’s that working for ya?”
“Not so great. What if…”
“Now stop that shit right there, J. There’s no way any of us is gonna let anything happen to your mate.” Liam cut him off, speaking with an authority Jace rarely heard from his laid back friend.
“Damn straight,” Rory added, catching them both off guard. Chuckling, he continued, “You guys suck at shielding.”
“Yeah, you really do.” Everyone in the room laughed.
Kellan was the first to speak out loud, his Scottish brogue so prevalent it took Jace’s brain a minute to translate. “Do you have anything of lass’ with you? Anything from her home that her kidnappers may have touched?”
Grabbing his backpack, Jace pulled out the scrub top Melanie had been wearing the last time he saw her, as well as her keys and a few pieces of a broken knickknack he’d found on her bedroom floor. Handing them to Kellan as if they were the most precious treasures in the world, Jace prayed they would help with their search.
The scarred Guardsman placed the items on the table, closed his eyes, and seemed to be centering himself. Jace watched as he slowly opened his eyes, carefully picked up the largest shard of the broken collectible and focused. It was so unexpected, it made the younger Guardsman want to ask what was going on but could see from the solemn expressions around the table that his questions would not be welcome.
Time marched on and on. Impatient, Jace continued to reach through the silent mating bond, searching for any sign of his mate. His frustration grew when again he emerged empty handed. The thought of pacing to burn off some of his nervous energy crossed his mind at the same time Liam spoke through their unique mindspeak link, which thankfully ensured privacy. “Chill J, Kellan’s the best. Just give him a few more minutes. From the looks of it, he’s almost done.”
“Damn, I hope you’re right.”
The words had no sooner left his mouth than Kellan began speaking. “Your mate was one of the Dorcha but that was long ago. It appears she renounced her affiliation, which is a real feat considering she’s a member of their ‘royal family’. She also hid away her magic at a very young age and has had no contact with anything magical, except us, since that time. Her kidnappers were male, doused in black magic, and most definitely part of the Dorcha.”
Kellan paused. Jace braced himself, afraid to breathe until the retired marine started again. “She’s in a room in what appears to be a warehouse or an abandoned industrial facility of some type. The wizards must be sure they’ve gotten away with her abduction because they have no camouflage – magical or otherwise – on the building, only an Isolation Spell on her. She’s deep within its walls, but we can find her.”
The Guardsman relaxed against the back of his chair, took a deep breath, and looked around the room. His brethren nodded their appreciation while absorbing what he’d said. Kellan’s skills were legendary, but Jace had never expected them to be so detailed and … mystical. No one else seemed surprised. They were preparing to follow the war hero anywhere he led.
“Kellan will lead. Brannoc, you and your maps are second. Pearce, Declan, Jace, and Liam spread out in the middle. Lennox and I will bring up the rear. I’d hate for the mad bomber here to blow anyone up.” He chuckled at his own joke as Lennox shrugged like it might actually happen, then Rory added, “Mac will meet us if he makes it back in time.”
“Mac?” Jace asked.
“Yeah, he’s the weapons expert of the Force. Something happened at his ancestral homelands that required his attention a few weeks ago. I told him what was going on as soon as you got here. He said he’d do his best to make it back but not to wait.” Declan explained. “His exact words were actually, ‘Find that boy’s mate’.”
The room erupted in laughter and Jace took his first deep breath since walking through those enormous double doors. He hadn’t realized how nervous he really was that they wouldn’t find Melanie until just that moment. A thought that chilled both man and beast to their core.
In less than ten minutes all eight Guardsmen were loaded into two black SUVs heading in the direction Kellan had indicated. There was no conversation, just a buzz indicating they were all deep in thought as they made the sixty minute drive. The closer they got to the location, the harder Jace prayed.
We will find her. We have to find her.
Not wanting to alert any of the Dorcha that might be hidden and guarding the facility, it was decided they’d park a few miles away then hike through the dilapidated industrial park to the rear of the building. As soon as the parking garage Brannoc had indicated on one of his old maps came into view, the Guardsmen gathered their packs, preparing to exit the vehicles.
Jace was in awe of the incredible focus and dedication he felt coming from each man. It wasn’t anything he hadn’t seen with his own clan, but in this case, it was all for him and Melanie. He knew he should thank them, but as he started to speak, Rory tapped his temple, indicating they were to use mindspeak and only if absolutely necessary. The one thing about black magic that none of them, including Kyra, had been able to figure out was when or if a dark magic practitioner could sense the dragons’ mindspeak, so they had to be careful.
Taking formation, they set out into the dark night using their enhanced vision. The first two miles of their trek was uneventful, which should’ve eased Jace’s tension but instead made him more nervous. Without something to keep his mind busy, he thought of Melanie and what she must be going through. His dragon chuffed and blew smoke, pushing the man to let him out. It was tempting, but the young Guardsman had already caused enough trouble and decided he liked breathing.
Royce would kill me and then have Kyra bring me back just so he could do it again.
Chuckling at his own joke, Jace ran straight into Pearce’s back as Royce’s voice sounded in his mind. “What exactly am I kicking your ass for this time?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all,” Jace hurriedly answered while mouthing his apology to Pearce, who just shrugged it off and kept moving forward.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve heard that before.”
“Give the kid a break, Roy. He’s stressed about his girl.” Rory interjected, saving Jace from anymore chastising from his mentor.
“See you in ten.” Royce growled and cut their connection.
Thankful for Rory’s intervention, Jace turned his attention back to tracking. He knew Kellan was older and better at it, but there was no way the younger Guardsman was going to let anyone else get to his mate first. He would do everything possible to have his face be the first she saw when she was rescued.
True to his words, in exactly ten minutes Royce, Kyra, Devon, Lance, and a fifth figure Jace didn’t immediately recognize appeared over the last small ridge, standing between the search party and the abandoned industrial park. As they closed the distance, the young Guardsman recognized the sleek figure as Maxmillian Prentisse aka Max, the King of the Big Cats. It was a welcome surprise. The werepanther could get into places man nor dragon could, was a hell of a tracker in his own right, and could fight with the best of them. None of which the dragons liked to admit but all did in the name of cohabitation of the species.
There was no discussion, just a look between brothers and the two groups became one, traversing the remaining landscape in record time. No dark witches or wizards could be seen. Every Guardsman reached out with his
enhanced senses but again came up empty-handed.
Rory momentarily broke their silence. “Anybody getting anything inside or out?”
“No,” was the general consensus.
“I can’t get a read past the ground level. It’s like everything lower is covered in a fog,” Devon added. Not good news considering the older Guardsman was one of the strongest in mental ability Jace had ever met.
“All right, teams of three, Kyra with Roy, fan out just as we planned. Jace, you go with Kellan and Declan to the room your Melanie is in. She’ll need a friendly face,” Rory commanded.
“Yes, sir,” Jace answered as he moved into position.
“Did you hit your head, kid?” Lance asked.
“No, sir, why?”
“I haven’t heard this many ‘yes, sir’s’ or witnessed this much butt kissing since you let the horses out when you were a teenager.” Lance laughed out loud at his own joke while Jace shook his head and the rest of the dragons ignored the jokester.
Just another reminder of why his nickname is ‘pain in the ass’.
Focusing on Kellan’s movements, careful to follow all his hand signals, Jace opened his senses as wide as he could and searched for Melanie. Their slow, methodical descent into the basement was nerve wracking. All he and his dragon could think of was how long their mate had already been in the clutches of the mad leader of a crazy black magic coven.
When they came up empty-handed, Jace’s beast roared in his head, chuffing and blowing smoke, demanding to be let out. Using all the control he’d been taught, he finally calmed his dragon and a few deep breaths later was calm again himself.
Kellan directed them to a set of hidden stairs leading to the sub-basement. Again, they followed the same procedure. Stepping onto the lowest level of the building, Melanie’s scent flooded Jace’s senses. Not wanting to break rank but finding it hard to remain calm, he called to Kellan.