by Unknown
“You’re right.” Jace took a deep breath and held it for a minute while he concentrated on their silent mating bond. Slowly exhaling, he pulled from the strength of his dragon who gladly pushed as well. Together they looked for any sign that Melanie was okay. For the first time, other than her cryptic message, he could feel her. It wasn’t as strong as it had been in the past and definitely felt like it would break at any moment, but it was the spark he needed to get his shit together.
Opening his eyes, he started to yell his joy to his brethren, but Kyra beat him to the punch. “Hot damn, I got a line on a shitload of black magic. It’s got to be them!” The little witch was all but jumping up and down as she packed up her supplies and yelled for her mate.
Kellan’s shout came on the heels of Kyra’s. “I got her. She’s about twenty miles due north of here, underground, and pissed as shit from what I’m picking up.” He paused and looked right at Jace, furrowing his brow, and frowning for just a second. “Something’s changed. I can sense her magic now and it’s strong. Strong like Kyra strong and just as white and pure. No wonder the Draoi wanted your girl. She’s got chops.”
Jace knew he should be worried at Kellan’s proclamation but instead he was proud, prouder than he’d ever been. He’d known she was strong but had been worried how a human would fit in with a clan of dragon shifters and their families. He’d seen how Kyndel, Grace, and Dr. Malone, mates of his Commander and other Guardsmen, had dealt with it. But those ladies, although human, still had ‘special’ qualities that allowed them to deal with mates that could turn into dragons. The knowledge that Melanie was also magical was the best news he’d gotten in a long time.
Unable to wait a moment longer, he looked to Rory and Royce who were conferring with the other Guardsmen and yelled, “Can we get the hell outta dodge? I gotta girl to save.”
They all laughed and shook their heads as Rory answered. “Give us a minute, kid. I keep telling you we’re gonna get your girl back, don’t blow the game in the last few minutes.”
Jace smirked at Rory’s sports analogy as he made his way over to the powwow. It was quickly decided that they would follow the directions Kyra and Kellan agreed upon. Once they were within two miles of their destination, the entire group would find a place to hang out until the sun was completely down. Once it was truly dark, Pearce and Declan would call forth their dragons and take to the sky. The deep midnight blue color of their beasts would provide the perfect cover for them to scout the area with the highest concentration of dark magic that Kyra had located.
“I’ll go limb to limb through the trees. I somehow doubt those dimwitted dark wizards will expect a black panther to be part of the gang.” Jace chuckled at Max’s incredible arrogance. On anyone else it would be irritating but on the King of the Big Cats, it seemed fitting.
Trekking through the forest of Blackthorn trees seemed to take forever. Rory and Royce had agreed that they should not use their enhanced speed to avoid the Dorcha sensing the use of dragon magic. The closer they got to their target, the stronger the stench of black magic became. It wasn’t overpowering, like when they’d been chasing Andrew. This time it was a sprinkling that slowly became a mist that he knew would become a dense fog before it was over.
The trees were so dense and the red blossoms so plentiful in the part of the forest they were in that the shards of sunlight, which had been breaking through during the day, simply ceased to exist. That coupled with the growing prevalence of dark magic caused an eerie sensation to skitter down Jace’s spine and his dragon chuffed a warning.
Cue the creepy music, I swear I’m in a Wes Craven movie.
He was just about to share the joke with Liam when Kellan’s fist flew into the air, the military signal for halt. The Guardsmen paused and waited. Their tension spiked in the few seconds it took for the retired marine to turn around and address the group.
“The clearing we’ve been looking for is just over that ridge.” Kellan motioned over his shoulder with his thumb. “We need to wait here. The sun will be down in approximately two and a half hours. It will be dark enough for dragons in about four.”
“All right, you heard the man, grab a bite to eat and get some rest. Only four hours until we kick Dorcha ass and bring Melanie home.” Rory looked right at Jace when he mentioned the young Guardsman’s mate and the rest of the Guardsmen nodded their agreement before breaking formation and dropping their packs.
During the next few hours, Jace ate, paced, questioned Kyra to see if she’d come up with anything new, and basically drove everyone crazy. The sun went down and Rory called them all together. After rehashing their plan to infiltrate the coven. Jace had to keep reminding himself to pay attention. All he could think about was getting to Melanie and killing anyone and anything that stood in his path. His dragon roared in agreement.
“I just want to make sure y’all understand that the clearing is some sort of ‘holy’ place for the Dorcha. Black magic is permeating damn near every rock, tree, and molecule of that place. Blood has been spilt there, lots of blood. It’s a place of power for them. Here are protection amulets for each of you.” The little witch began handing all thirteen members of their search party the small silver discs with leather cords she’d spelled while they’d been waiting. “Just be careful.”
Royce put his arm around Kyra’s shoulders, pulling her close to his side, and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. The scene made Jace envious for the time when he would again hold Melanie in his arms and proclaim his love for her. He also wanted to kick his own ass for all the time he’d wasted tiptoeing around instead of claiming her as his own and keeping her safe.
I will be correcting that situation just as soon as possible.
The feel of magic on his skin drew his attention. Jace turned just in time to see two full grown dark blue dragons take flight. His own dragon growled and blew smoke, pushing to be allowed to do the same thing. Only the reassurance of the man that the beast would be allowed to avenge their mate’s abduction kept the winged warrior at bay.
Rory had given the signal for them to get into formation. Max went from man to panther in the blink of an eye. With the flick of his tail and a flash of glowing green eyes, the Leo disappeared into the forest. Werecats and dragons could not share in mindspeak as humans, but recently it had been discovered they could while in animal form. It was decided Max would relay anything he saw to Declan and Pearce and they would inform Rory.
Kellan had just started to lead their group through the forest when Declan and Pearce located the clearing. They reported seeing a large circle drawn with salt and ash surrounding a stone altar with thousands of black candles illuminating the entire area. As they continued to fly over, witches and wizards dressed in gowns and suits exited a large stone doorway.
“We need to move our asses!” Jace bellowed.
“Calm down, young’un, can’t go rushing in there and risk getting your mate hurt. Take a deep breath. Max is almost in position.” Rory commanded.
Jace growled his irritation but stayed in formation. He listened intently as Declan and Pearce relayed everything they saw. For the hundredth time in the last hour Jace focused all his strength and all the power of his dragon on their silent mating bond. He prayed to the Heavens for help. He begged the Ancients for guidance. He pleaded with Fate and Destiny to show him the way to his mate. He did everything in his considerable power to make contact with the woman that had become the center of his world.
Declan’s report broke through his prayers. “Max is hanging on a limb just above the coven. He reports a classically dressed old man leaning heavily on a cane and a young man in a tux have just exited the tunnel. He’s sure from the way the rest of the attendees are bowing and scraping that the older gentleman is the Draoi. And best guess is the other is his second.” The Guardsmen in dragon form paused and Jace doubled his efforts to reach Melanie.
It was Pearce’s voice that sounded in Jace’s mind after just a few moments of silence. “A wizard, I�
��m guessing is their Holy Man, just entered the circle and is chanting. Everyone but the Draoi are watching the priest. The old man is focused on the mouth of the tunnel, like he’s waiting for the guest of honor.”
After a brief pause, he added, “The guest of honor has arrived and she is gorgeous. I guess it’s her wedding day from the look of the dazzling gown…Son of a bitch! It’s Melanie!”
Jace didn’t have a chance to respond because as he opened his mouth, Melanie’s voice sounded in his mind. It was stronger than before but still distant and her words made him run through the forest, roaring her name.
“Jace, I sure as hell hope you can hear me. I really need your help. I have to figure a way out of here or you need to show up with the cavalry. Within thirty minutes, I’m gonna be married to a douchebag named Damon. Please don’t let me become Mrs. Douchebag.”
CHAPTER SIX
She knew she sounded like a damsel in distress begging to be saved by her knight in shining armor and that went against everything she believed in, but with no other prospects to be found, she was willing to swallow her pride. If she were forced to marry Damon, then she would truly be trapped for the rest of her life, which for a witch can be a very long time. There was no such thing as divorce in the coven. When they say until death do you part…they were being literal. Melanie was also sure that Cleland would have rigged the ceremony with some mystical trapdoor. Something promising dire consequences to not only her but anyone she cared about if she tried to run.
Looking in the mirror, admiring her stunning gown, trying to forget who purchased it for her and what it stood for, she admired the beautiful way Hannah’s sister, Alicia, had styled her short dark hair and applied her makeup. Melanie wished she was wearing it for a different man at a different ceremony far away from her crazy ass grandfather and his mindless followers.
Shaking her head, Melanie turned away from the mirror and stared out the window into the dark night, trying with all her might to teleport somewhere, anywhere but where she was at that moment. Of course, nothing happened thanks to the Dampening Spell she’d felt the Draoi put on the room night before last. She knew they would be coming to get her at any moment and cursed that she hadn’t been able to escape. Every plan she, Hannah, and Sarah Beth had come up with either required more time to pull off or would expose the people she held most dear as traitors to the Dorcha. There was no way she could let that happen.
Jace was all she’d been able to think about for the last few hours, not that thinking of him was a new occurrence, since the moment she’d first seen him, he’d been a constant distraction. It was as if he’d invaded her brain in the same way he’d captured her heart all those months ago. She’d been mentally kicking herself for never telling the amazing man what she felt for him. It wasn’t that there hadn’t been time or that she feared rejection. There was something deep in her soul that said he held the same feelings for her. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn’t come up with a good reason why she hadn’t told him, just that she hadn’t and now she feared it was too late.
Panic made it hard for Melanie to breathe as the knock at the door she’d been dreading sounded. Without waiting for her to answer, the young man that had delivered her dinner on several occasions opened the door and walked into her room. He was a good kid, misguided, and sure to die a horrible death led by Cleland, but a good kid all the same. She hated that she couldn’t remember his name.
“Are you ready to go, Miss Whelan?” He smiled brightly, like she should be happy about being forced to marry Damon. Then she realized neither he nor anyone in the Dorcha—aside from said groom, the Draoi, and Hannah and her family-knew that this was anything but another in a long line of arranged marriages in the coven’s history.
“As ready as I’ll ever be, kid.” She mumbled under her breath and walked towards the door.
Ever the gentleman, her escort stood waiting in the doorway, his arm crooked for her to hold onto. As they walked down the cavernous stone hallway, they passed members of the Draoi’s guard every twenty feet or so.
Apparently, Grandpa doesn’t trust me as much as he professes to.
Candlelight shone from the wide opening at the end of the passage. As they drew closer, Melanie recognized the scent of steaming herbs and the sound of chanting. The words were familiar and just as she’d guessed, was a spell binding her to the coven as soon as she and Damon had consummated their union. A chuckle that sounded more like the maniacal laughter of a comic book villain bubbled past her lips as they reached the edge of the threshold leading to the Dorcha’s sacred circle.
Well, here goes nothing.
The toe of her satin slipper had just touched down on the inside of the salt and ash circle when a roar shook the trees all around them. A collective gasp rose from the coven as they all searched for the origin of the disruption. It seemed to go on and on, echoing off the hills and mountains surrounding the valley and the hallowed ground.
A knowing look crossed Cleland’s face, then quickly was followed by fear and loathing as he whispered something to Damon. The younger man nodded, turned, and strode in her direction, a look of determination darkening his face. Again the trees trembled and quaked as another roar tore through the air. This time much closer and infinitely louder, causing blood red blossoms to cover the Sacred Circle and her ears to ring.
Damon appeared in front of her as she surveyed the inky blackness surrounding their gathering. Without preamble, he hoisted her into the air and unceremoniously threw her over his shoulder. Stunned for a just a second, Melanie began to kick and scream, demanding to be released.
Obviously unmoved by the abuse she was bestowing upon his chest and back, Damon quickly moved towards the back side of the circle and the darkness of the forest. Lifting her head, Melanie looked for anything she could use as a weapon. Throwing out her hand, she grabbed the base of one of the candelabras standing throughout the clearing. It was heavier than she realized and instead of ending up in her hand, it hit the ground, sparking a fire. Fear for all the people in attendance made her scream even louder to be released. She panicked as she watched it spread towards the witches and wizards that were frantically trying to reenter the coven.
Another roar split the air at the same time that nine huge figures burst into the clearing. There, standing almost a hundred feet away, looking like a Roman General leading his troops stood the man of her dreams. He gripped a long broadsword, poised and ready to take on all oncomers.
His blue eyes glowed with rage as he searched the crowd. Their eyes met and she felt more emotions than she’d ever imagined, then heard the voice she’d feared she might never hear again. “Hold on, mo chroi’. Hold on.”
Her heart skipped a beat and the breath fled her lungs as Jace threw back his head and roared to the Heavens. Her shock was palpable. She tried to reason away what she’d just witnessed as a hallucination from the stress of the previous days and was almost successful until Jace moved so quickly, dodging the spells being thrown that her eyes couldn’t track the movement. It was then she realized all the men that came with him were also moving as if by magic.
What the hell?
Damon broke through the salt and ash circle, running as fast as he could with her slung over his shoulder. Jace continued his pursuit, but the dark wizard threw spell after spell over his shoulder, causing her man to lose ground every time he had to swerve out of the way.
Unable to slow Damon down, Melanie tried to think of something to help Jace when the wizard made a sharp left then a right and dropped through a hole in the ground. She screamed as they fell through the air and grunted when his shoulder dug into her midsection as they hit the ground. In no time at all, the wizard was once again running, this time through a dark, dirty tunnel lit only by the occasional torch hanging from the wall.
Footsteps pounded behind them but sounded softer than she imagined her six-foot-three-inch savior would make. As the thought crossed her mind, a set of glowing green eyes came into view. Two seco
nds later the huge Black Panther those eyes belonged to came into view. Melanie gasped, the cat snarled and for the first time since the craziness began, Damon stumbled.
Afraid she was going to end up face first in the dirt, Melanie squeezed her eyes closed and threw out her hands to break the fall she was sure was to come. When nothing happened, she opened her eyes just in time to see that the panther had caught up to them. She could’ve sworn the big cat smiled as he swiped and hissed at her captor. It seemed the panther was pushing Damon in the direction he wanted the wizard to go instead of trying to hurt him.
Okay, I’ve had enough for today.
Unable to maintain the awkward posture she’d been forced into and sure she was losing her mind, Melanie fell forward and hung on for the ride, listening to the snarling of the beautiful panther dogging Damon’s every step. A cool breeze hit her bare legs where her gown had ridden up while she’d been riding on Damon’s shoulder. Needing to see where they had ended up, she once again lifted her head, this time propping her hands just above the evil wizard’s bum.
The panther was still in pursuit but falling back. Damon maneuvered the trees until he reached another, smaller clearing Melanie remembered from her childhood. Light from the Blood Moon showed little had changed in all those years. The wizard stopped, placed Melanie on the large stump in the middle of the glade, and began pacing a groove in the forest floor.
Leaves rustled overhead right before a group of the Draoi’s guard stepped into the moonlight. She recognized Putz One and Two from her original kidnapping but none of the others were familiar. Damon immediately went to them, speaking the language of their ancestors. Melanie wished she remembered more of the old dialect, as it was, she could only pick out certain words.
Unbeknownst to the wizards, a branch over their heads creaked. Melanie’s eyes flew towards the noise and found the panther precariously perched above them with a look that reminded her of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland. Smiling at the cat and chuckling at the thought of him pouncing on the heads of the men that had held her hostage, Melanie almost fell off the stump when Jace led the same nine men towards the Dorcha.