Julia Mills - Her Dragon's Heart (Dragon Guard Series Book 8)

by Unknown

  “She’s here. I can scent her.”

  “Me, too, but she’s not alone, if she’s there at all. I sense at least two males and another female, all doused in black magic. Rory says take anyone we find alive so we have a chance to interrogate and find the whole coven. That means we need to approach from two sides and as carefully as possible.”

  “What do you mean if she’s there at all?”

  “Exactly what I said. Can you get a good read on anything but her scent?”

  Jace wanted to argue but knew it wouldn’t do any good. He had to admit Kellan was right. He wanted Melanie back as quickly as possible, so he took his hundredth deep breath and fell back in line. They reached a fork in the hallway. Declan signaled he was taking the left and pointed for Jace to follow Kellan to the right.

  Just like they had on the last level, they looked around every corner, behind every door, and inside every nook and cranny, carefully working their way to the room they both identified as Melanie’s prison. They turned the last corner and met Declan coming towards them. He pointed at the only door they hadn’t gone through. The door that was keeping him from his mate. Unfortunately, instead of looking forward to seeing her beautiful smile, Jace’s heart fell and his dragon snarled at the sight before them. The door was ajar, a chain had been haphazardly hung over an enormous hinge lock that from the shine of the metal had only been attached a few days earlier and there was a massive padlock hung through one of the links.

  Stepping around Kellan with the full intent of rushing into the room, Jace was stopped midstride by the older Guardsman’s hand on his shoulder.

  “Move that hand or lose it.” Jace growled.

  Doing just the opposite and gripping even tighter, Kellan returned his growl with one of his own. “Stop and think. If she’s in there, you don’t need to see her. Let us look first. What’s more likely is that they’ve already moved her and the room is booby trapped. Again, something we’re better prepared to handle.”

  As much as he hated to admit it, Jace had to agree. He was ninety-nine percent sure Melanie was not in that room. He had let her down again. Hadn’t gotten here in time. To say he was pissed was an understatement. Kellan’s voice pulled him out of his pity party.

  “Pull your head outta your ass. We need to secure that room and get in there before the trail goes cold.”

  Without another word, Kellan nodded towards Declan and in unison they moved towards the door with Jace in tow. In less than two minutes, the three of them had entered the room, found no magical traps, and were searching for clues. Thankfully, Melanie’s kidnappers had been sloppy. A tray of half eaten food was left on the bed, the clothes he guessed she’d been wearing when they abducted her were thrown in a pile on the bathroom floor, along with a damp towel. There was also a hairbrush he was sure she’d used sitting on the back of the sink.

  Gathering all the evidence, Jace returned to the main room and took a moment to look at the straight back wooden chair and leather restraints he knew without a doubt had immobilized his mate. Fury like he’d never felt filled his entire being and that of his dragon. The longer he stared, the more irate they became. He imagined Melanie’s soft creamy skin abraded with the rough leather straps and promised slow, treacherous retribution to any and all that had dared touch her.

  Needing to be anywhere but in that room, Jace headed for the door. No longer needing to use only mindspeak, he yelled over his shoulder, “I need some air. See you outside.”

  Not waiting for an answer, he sped towards the stairs. Taking them two at a time, he hit the floor of the basement just as Kyra and Royce were heading down.

  “Kellan wants Kyra to take a look at the room where Melanie was.” He heard Royce say as he passed and threw a grunt of acknowledgement over his shoulder. Jace knew he’d need to apologize later but was not about to stop his assent.

  Jogging across the basement floor, he finally reached the stairs leading to the ground level and the blessed fresh air he so badly needed. This time he took the stairs three at a time, thinking of nothing else but tearing Melanie’s kidnappers limb from limb. He was so engrossed in his plotting he barely heard the whisper of a voice fighting for his attention.

  “Jace…”

  Stopping dead in his tracks and thanking the Heavens for the enhanced senses that kept him from rolling down the steps he’s just climbed, Jace listened. It seemed to take forever but finally he heard it again, just slightly louder than before.

  “If you really are looking for me, and my heart says you are, look for the Blackthorn trees with the blood red blossoms. They only grow near the coven. Jace, I wanted…” Her voice trailed off and Jace felt the connection break.

  Running as fast as he could, retracing his steps and bellowing for all his brethren to hear, Jace announced, “Blackthorn trees! We need to find the damn Blackthorn trees!”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Melanie had no idea if Jace heard what she was saying. If she was being honest, she had no idea why she believed he would, she just did. The overwhelming feeling in her heart and soul that he was out there looking for her and they were linked…bonded in some way, kept her going and made her reach out to him. Being hidden away deep in the bowels of the coven she’d fled all those years ago made her hope for the improbable and pray for the impossible. If there was any way she was going to survive, it was going to take everything she could come up with and a few things she’d just have to pull out of her ass at the right time.

  She was glad Hannah had knocked her out before her captors had entered the room. At least she was spared listening to them on the trip back to the coven. When she woke up, it was as if she’d been transported back in time. Her surroundings so familiar that she closed and opened her eyes several times, praying what she saw was a dream. Unfortunately, it was all too real.

  Groaning, Melanie rolled on her stomach, buried her head in the fluffy pink covered pillows, and screamed as long and as loud as she could. That stupid asshole, aka the Grand Draoi, and more importantly, aka her grandfather (only by genetics) had plopped her right back in the room from her childhood. She figured the deluded leader of the Dorcha thought he was doing her a big favor. That she should somehow see it as how much he loved her that he’d kept her room just as it had been all those years ago. Truth was, it made her sick. She actually wanted to throw up at the thought of him keeping all her things like some shrine to her existence when in actuality, he just wanted to kill her and steal her powers.

  I know all families have their issues, but not even Dr. Phil’s got an answer for this shit!

  The only difference between the past and the present was the new clothes hanging in the antique wardrobe and the white silk ceremonial robe that made her skin crawl. The asshole really had some nerve. Hanging a ‘death shroud’ next to plain, old, every day clothing like it was a foregone conclusion that she would march to her own death without raising seven kinds of hell and taking as many of the ass kissing Drocha with her as she could.

  Finally climbing out of the giant four poster bed, she padded into the bathroom, washed her face and returned, then decided to see exactly how bad things really were. She turned the door knob, not surprised to find it locked and even less shocked to hear a guard outside her door. Next, she checked all four windows, laughing at the iron bars and wondering who the old man had gotten to install them since iron was a witch’s kryptonite. She hoped it was Putz One and Two.

  Lastly, she went to the vent inside the linen closet just outside the bathroom door. It had been her escape hatch more times than she could count, especially after her mother’s untimely demise. Melanie was thrilled to see they hadn’t found it and completely pissed when she realized how much bigger adult Melanie was than twelve year old Melanie. Her head and shoulders fit through the opening but that was where the buck stopped. Her ample bosom that most of the time she thought was pretty cool became nothing but a hindrance as she tried to squeeze into the shaft.

  Sweating and exasperated, she backed ou
t of the vent, collapsed on to the floor, and pouted. It was defeating, to say the least, for Melanie to admit that she was trapped in a room she’d hoped to never see again, in a place she’d never wanted to visit again, about to be confronted by a man she’d hoped would die before he caught up to her. Of course, none of that mattered, she had to find a way out. There was no way she could let Sarah Beth, Hannah, or any of the other people that had been friends of her mother help her escape. Yes, they had all done it before and not been found out, but letting them do it again would tempt Fate in the worst way.

  And let’s face it, Fate has NOT been good to me lately.

  Then she thought of Jace and had to admit that someone up there was looking out for her. She thought about the crazy ESP message she’d sent him and wondered for the tenth time if he really was looking for her. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than the little voice she’d always depended on to get her through the hard times whispered, “He is. And he’s bringing reinforcements.”

  She laughed out loud and shook her head, wondering when she’d lost her marbles. But she’d learned early in her career as a nurse that hope was all people needed to believe and if they believed, they could accomplish damn near anything. If there was anyone that could accomplish saving her from the mess she was sitting smack in the middle of, it was the amazing man that had captured her eye and was working on her heart.

  Sitting in the bathroom, contemplating life as she knew it, the main door to her room swung open and in rushed Hannah. Her cheeks were flushed and she was out of breath as she balanced a tray of food in one hand and a pitcher of tea in the other while trying to kick the door shut.

  Melanie jumped up and ran to help. “What the hell? You can’t even help with the damn door?” She shouted at the guard as the door clicked shut.

  Grabbing the pitcher from her friend, she scolded her as well. “You should’ve made that bonehead help. He’s just freaking standing there…doing nothing!”

  Hannah smiled while she set the tray on the table, took the pitcher, and poured two glasses of tea before motioning for Melanie to sit down. “Sit and eat, hothead. Yelling at the guard is only raising your blood pressure. He could seriously care less.”

  Both ladies chuckled as Melanie took the covers off her food and began eating. Once again Hannah’s sisters had made some of her favorite foods – chicken salad with apples and walnuts on romaine, whole grain rolls, cucumber salad, and a slice of homemade apple crisp. She took a deep breath, inhaling all the yummy goodness and smiled before digging in.

  She was just about to take her first bite when Hannah uttered, “Tost.” Shrugging, Melanie took the bite off the fork floating before her mouth and waited for her friend to explain.

  Looking side to side, Hannah leaned forward and quietly said, “I put a Silence Spell on your room. It should go undetected, but just in case, we’re gonna make it quick and I’ll remove it so no one questions what we’re doing.”

  Melanie chuckled at Hannah’s thorough explanation, knowing it was her nerves talking. The young witch had grown up making the best of a horrible situation. She had survived all the black magic and killings without turning dark. Melanie knew it was because Hannah had the strength of her mother and sisters. Joanie had always told Melanie if anything happened, she could count on Sarah Beth and all these years later it was still true.

  Many times before her mother had died, when they’d been planning their escape, Melanie had asked if Hannah and her family were coming with them. Her mother’s response was always the same. “They can’t, honey. This is all they know, but they are good and with any luck will reform the Dorcha. We just need to pray for them, Meli Rose. Pray that they can overtake Cleland.” Melanie was sad that her mother’s prayers had not been answered but happy to see her childhood friend was still one of the good ones.

  Melanie nodded her understanding but continued to eat as Hannah quickly explained. “Mom and few of the others are working on a plan. It seems like Cleland may suspect them, so it is taking longer than they anticipated, but she said to tell you she will do everything in her power to keep you safe.”

  Melanie saw the unshed tears in Hannah’s eyes. Laying her fork on her plate, she placed both her hands over her friend’s and smiled. “Tell her to keep herself and her family safe before worrying about me. Let’s face it, if Cleland wants to go through with this, there’s little any of us can do without outside help to stop him. I won’t have any of you getting hurt on my account.”

  “Cut the shit, Meli. You know as well as I do Mom thinks of you as one of her own and thought of your mom like a sister. There’s not a chance she’s gonna go back on the promise she made to Joanie.” Hannah gave a weak chuckle that was more sad than funny.

  “Well, you need to make her see that she has to. I’ll get out of this shithole one way or another and I have to know that y’all are okay when I do. If you need to, tell Sarah Beth to come see me.”

  “Oh, she’ll be here with your dinner.” Hannah’s eyes were wide and almost smiling. “You better get ready, I’m sure she’s gonna have a few choice words about your appraisal of the situation.”

  Both ladies laughed until they were tearing up. When they recovered, Hannah removed the spell and Melanie finished her lunch. Too soon, the guard opened the door and instructed Hannah it was time to go. They both stood and hugged before Hannah gathered up the dishes and headed towards the door. She winked over her shoulder as she disappeared into the hall and the door was once again shut and locked.

  With nothing better to do, Melanie took a long hot shower, painted her toes with the horrible Pepto Bismol pink nail polish she found in the vanity, and settled down to read Wuthering Heights for the fourth or fifth time. She alternated between reading and dozing until a knock at the door alerted her to an incoming visitor. Sure it was Sarah Beth, she sat up cross-legged in the middle of the bed and waited.

  Unfortunately, her anticipation at talking to the woman she considered her second mom turned to shock and then quickly anger when it was Cleland who entered her room. She watched the smile dissolve from his face and could only imagine it was a reaction to her own. Melanie did nothing to hide her disgust. She was, after all, the prisoner and he was her jailer. There was no way she would be nice and polite.

  Nope. Not gonna happen.

  Leaning on the same ancient cane topped with a skull carved from bone that Melanie remembered from her childhood, looking at her through the same watery blue eyes that had watched her while cutting out her mother’s heart was the man she’d once called Grandpa. The man she now wanted to watch gasping for his last breath like a whale on the shore.

  If his expression was any indication, Cleland had figured out what she was thinking without the benefit of reading her mind. Melanie had always been one of the few he couldn’t read, along with her mother, Sarah Beth, Hannah, and all Hannah’s sisters. There had been stories of others, but those witches had mysteriously disappeared. The only thing that kept Hannah and her family safe was their unique familial magic. Alone, each was an above average witch, but together they were a force with which to be reckoned.

  Melanie knew the Draoi had kept them close, siphoning off bits of power to keep him going until he could find her. If he kept his theft to a minimum they would never know, their magic, after all, regenerated.

  She also knew he would never do anything to harm them if he could help it. Since she hadn’t had a child, the bloodline died with her, which meant Cleland’s ability to steal power died as well. Sure, he could kill other witches and wizards and take their power, but it would be short lived and cause his followers to rebel. Yeah, her seanathair was no dummy. He knew he’d need Hannah and her family to keep him in power. All Melanie had to do was make sure he never found out they’d helped her all those years ago and were planning to help her now. Something told her old Cleland would give up a few of his magical infusers to make a point and that was not something she could live with.

  Cleland finally spoke, en
ding the Mexican standoff between them. “You look well, dear.”

  Rolling her eyes, Melanie shook her head and waited.

  Instead of speaking again, the Draoi made a huge production out of getting a chair, positioning it beside her bed, and sitting like the king he thought he was. After placing his cane across the end of her bed and unbuttoning his drab grey suit jacket, he again spoke, his tone still that of the grandfather she’d thought he was when she was a child. “I hope the coven is taking good care of you. I see the clothes I ordered fit. Is there anything else I can get for you?”

  Snorting a sarcastic almost laugh, Melanie said, “Yeah, how about a get out of jail free card and the keys to a car?”

  “Jail? Is that what you think this is, Meli Rose? Your prison? You could not be farther from the truth. You will have free reign over all the grounds, just as soon as I am sure you are ready. I want you to reacquaint yourself with the members and meet the new ones. This always has been and always will be your home. We are all just thrilled to have you back.”

  Melanie looked at Cleland like he had three heads and four horns while trying to figure out what game he was playing. She knew damn good and well he’d brought her to the coven to regain his power and the only way he could do that was to kill her. Maybe he was delusional enough to think she’d forgotten, so she decided to remind him that she was nobody’s fool.

  “Let’s cut the shit, Cleland. I know why you brought me here and it wasn’t for a good ole family reunion. At least we can be honest with each other after all these years. You’re old. You need to replenish your power. You’ve tried siphoning and have probably even killed a few wizards along the way to keep your throne, but none of that’s working anymore. It’s not the same as killing a family member and bathing in their blood, right? And after all, when you kill your followers, you’re thinning the herd and people might find the bodies. Am I right?”

  “Oh my, dear, you have totally misjudged me. This reunion is not at all what you…” His words were cut off by the obnoxious trill of a cellphone ringing in his jacket pocket.