General Nhor had handed her over to a Slayor standing guard at the mouth of the cave and given the guard a command in an alien language. The Slayor had clamped his cold, icky fingers around her elbow and pulled her deep into the cavernous snake hole.
Amelia took sharp, short breaths through her mouth. The dank, stale air in the cave was making her eyes water and her head swim. She felt a little light-headed and her throat was sore from screaming. She was no longer bleeding but there was a dull throbbing pain at her temple.
Amelia told herself sternly to keep calm and carry on. She never thought she'd have any use for those quirky, motivational phrases, but now she found herself desperately rifling through her mind for every feel-good, morale-boosting phrase she could remember. All those corny, cliches she saw on mugs, posters, calenders and tote bags suddenly didn't seem so trite and vapid anymore. Those overused phrases were actually priceless gems of wisdom, true and tested survival tips and they would get her through this.
The Slayor stopped abruptly and released her. Amelia looked down and her eyes rounded at the sight of the deep, dark pit in front of her.
She shook her head and began to back away, but the Slayor hissed and kicked at her legs. Amelia screamed as the Slayor gave her a hard push and sent her toppling past the edge.
She landed painfully on her side. Amelia groaned as she pushed herself up. The pit wasn't that deep so she hadn't broken any bones in the fall.
Small mercies, she told herself.
There was an opening in the roof of the cave just above the pit. Water was dripping down from the opening and Amelia raised her face to let the cool droplets splash on her cheek.
Rainwater, she realized as she stuck out her tongue to taste it. They were somewhere deep in the forest. The cave was probably well hidden by the thick foliage and they were far away from civilization.
It would take days, weeks, even months for anyone to find her. If she didn't turn up for work on Monday, the other teachers might call her and hopefully file a missing persons report. But the police wouldn't even know where to look for her. Even her remains might never be found...
Amelia shook her head angrily. She refused to believe that she was going to die here, in this stinking pit.
“I'm getting out,” she said aloud. “I am!”
She froze when she heard a rustling sound in the shadows. There was a small sound, like a faint whisper.
“Who's there?” she said fearfully, grabbing a small rock at her feet.
The sound became louder, and she realized it was the sound of a child crying.
A child!
“Hello! Where are you?” she called out, moving carefully forward. “Oh God, are you hurt? Don't cry. Don't be afraid. I...I'm a friend. I won't hurt you. My name is Amelia.”
She heard a startled gasp. “M-Miss Amelia?” a tiny voice cried. She saw a small hand reach for her from the shadows. “Miss Amelia! Help me! Please don't leave me! P-please...”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Rohan dropped from the air, and shifted. He straightened up from his crouch and heard Edriq and Zul landing quietly behind him. They moved silently to his side and waited.
The mouth of the cave was partially hidden by trees and thorny shrubs. There was no telling how deep the cave was, and how many Slayors were lying in wait for them inside.
“I'll go in first,” Edriq said, stepping forward.
“I'll bring up the rear,” Zul said, backing Edriq. They were keeping Rohan between them, and they weren't letting him out of their sight. Rohan didn't bother arguing with them. Edriq and Zul would be able to concentrate on fighting the enemy better if they weren't worrying themselves silly about him. He would go with them on this.
They entered the cave slowly, weapons drawn. Rohan could hear water dripping somewhere deeper in the cave, and he could sense that they were being watched. Edriq was right. They were walking into a trap, but there was no other choice.
Tessa was in here. He could feel her. They couldn't blast the cave with dragon fire and burn everything and everyone in it.
General Nhor was watching him. Rohan was sure of it. Watching in the dark, waiting to make his move…
Edriq shouted a warning and raised his knife. A dart stabbed into the hilt of his knife. Edriq yanked the dart out and snarled, “Poison darts.”
Rohan stepped forward and said, “They already know we are here. So...”
Edriq nodded. “The best defense...”
“...is a good offense,” Zul answered and threw his knife straight past Rohan's shoulder.
There was a loud thud as a Slayor crumpled to the ground. Rohan nodded at his brothers and they charged into the cave, firing their weapons as they ran.
Slayors began to pour out of their hiding spots. Rohan pulled out both guns and kept firing. Bullets were much faster than blades. He needed to kill as many Slayors as possible.
He glanced over his shoulder to see Edriq using his guns but Zul was merrily slicing and dicing with his long knives. Zul was covered from head to toe in black blood but there was a maniacal grin on his face.
Zul was like a tornado, churning and whirling unstoppably round the cave. He seemed to relish digging his blades deep into a Slayor's body and pulling the slimy innards out. Rohan heard Zul crow in triumph when he decapitated three Slayors at once.
Zul grabbed one of the heads and rolled it towards a group of Slayors who were coming at him. The Slayors tripped and fell like bowling pins. “Strike!” Zul hollered and pumped his fists in the air. “Woohoo!” Then he spun round and buried his knife in another Slayor's neck.
His brothers could take care of themselves. They even looked like they were having fun.
Rohan ran ahead, shooting with deadly accuracy to clear a path for himself.
As he moved deeper into the cave, the Slayors thinned out and the attacks ceased. All the Slayors had gone out to the front to fight.
The sound of fighting receded behind him, and he heard the echo of Zul's laughter. The guy was having a little too much fun.
Rohan followed the sound of dripping water until he reached a large pit at the back of the cave. A muffled sound rose from the pit and Rohan leaped down quickly. He landed soundlessly on his feet, his guns aimed at the moving shadows before him.
The pit wasn't very deep but it was huge. There were rock pillars and boulders, and Rohan made his way carefully around them.
He heard approaching footsteps. Two Slayors emerged from the shadows and stood in front of him.
“Daddy!” Rohan jerked at the sound of Tessa's scream. He turned and saw General Nhor moving out of the shadows. Nhor threw Tessa on the ground and pinned her face down under his boot.
Rohan lurched forward but a small, glinting blade flicked out from Nhor's boot and pressed dangerously close to Tessa's eye.
Rohan dragged his gaze from his daughter's tear-stained face to the woman kneeling in front of General Nhor. The smile on Nhor's face widened as he yanked the woman's head up by her red hair and pushed a knife against her throat.
“Amelia,” Rohan said in a pained whisper.
Amelia opened her eyes at the sound of his voice. She stared unwaveringly at him and her lips moved.
Save her, Amelia mouthed to him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Amelia tried not to flinch as Nhor nicked her skin with the point of his blade. She saw Rohan's eyes blaze with fury when he saw her blood drip onto Nhor's finger.
“Prince Rohan of Draca.” Nhor gave a bow and laughed. “I had the pleasure of slitting your father's throat. I'll let you watch your daughter die before I take you back to my Emperor. That way, you don't have to worry about her when you leave.”
Rohan didn't look at Amelia. He kept his eyes locked on Nhor as he said, “Let the woman go. She's got nothing to do with this.”
“But she does.” Nhor smiled. “She's right smack in the middle of all this. I found out that she's your daughter's teacher,
so I thought I could get to know the nice kindergarten teacher and get her to trust me. Then I'll be able to get your daughter easily.” He shrugged and tapped his knife against Amelia's cheek. “Too bad our date didn't go as planned.”
Amelia bit down a curse. “Norbert” had wanted to use her to get to Tessa. She had been too trusting, too naive and gullible. She had told him which kindergarten she taught at when they chatted online. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Rohan continued speaking in a low, steady voice. “Let them go, Nhor. I'll come with you. You can take me back to your Emperor.”
Nhor tilted his head, pretending to consider the trade. “I can deliver you alive to my Emperor. Or I can bring him your head in a box. I think I'll do the latter. But thank you for your offer, Prince Rohan of Draca.”
Nhor gave the signal and the two Slayors charged Rohan together.
The two Slayors were strong and skilful fighters. Their attack was brutal and relentless, and they didn't seem to feel any pain even when Rohan slashed them repeatedly across their chests. Their muscle shirts were stained with black blood but they didn't slow down. Rohan roared in pain when one of the Slayors plunged a knife into Rohan's shoulder.
Amelia winced as she watched Rohan wrench the knife out of his flesh. She gulped and suddenly realized that Nhor was no longer holding his knife to her throat.
Very slowly, she turned around.
Nhor had discarded his human shape. A giant serpent was now looming over her.
Amelia turned and saw Tessa lying facedown on the ground, whimpering and shaking.
As Amelia looked up into Nhor's glowing yellow eyes, she knew in a flash what he was going to do.
She was just a means to an end. Tessa was the target.
She moved a fraction of a second before he did.
Amelia threw herself over Tessa just as Nhor widened his jaws and lurched towards the child.
The strike was swift and deadly.
Amelia screamed in agony as Nhor plunged his fangs into her leg and injected his venom into her. Her entire leg felt like it was on fire, and she could feel the venom coursing through her bloodstream, rushing towards her heart.
Amelia clung tightly to Tessa, shielding every inch of the girl's small, trembling body. She would not let Nhor get to Tessa. She curled protectively and determinedly over Tessa, making her body an impenetrable shield over the girl.
Nhor hissed in fury and tried to push her away, but Amelia locked her limbs and muscles firmly in place. Every tiny movement caused her excruciating pain but Amelia forced herself to hold on. She would protect Tessa for as long as she still had breath in her.
But there weren't many more breaths left. She could feel her lungs burning and it became more and more difficult to breathe.
Nhor reared up, his eyes full of hate and fury. Amelia made sure Tessa was fully covered before she glared up at him, her eyes flashing with defiance and triumph. “I won't let you touch her, you shit!” she snarled. “You. Can. Bite. My. Ass!”
He did.
But this time, she felt no pain from the bite.
In fact, she felt nothing at all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“Amelia!” Rohan roared. “No!”
Driven by pain and wrath, Rohan charged heedlessly forward. He fought like a demented man, delivering blow after blow to his enemies but feeling nothing from the vicious wounds he received.
With a terrible, anguished cry, Rohan plunged his dagger into the Slayor's chest. Rohan didn't wait for the Slayor to crumple. He pulled out his gun and shot the other Slayor between his eyes.
Rohan tried to move towards Amelia and Tessa, but the giant serpent slithered out and blocked them from his view. Nhor lunged at Rohan and his long, powerful fangs splinted the boulder just in front of Rohan.
Rohan rolled away and trained his gun on Nhor. He fired again and again, but the huge snake twisted away with lightning quick reflexes. Nhor moved with clear, cold precision and Rohan took a sharp, ragged breath and forced himself to focus.
His hands were shaking and he wasn't aiming properly. He just wasn't seeing clearly. All he could see was Amelia's limp, discolored body draped protectively over Tessa. There were ugly, jagged puncture wounds on her bare leg and her skin was turning a dark, purplish hue.
The venom was spreading through her body, paralyzing her and shutting down her bodily functions. She looked like she was bruised all over, from the inside out.
Nhor slid slowly to the side and Rohan saw a rivulet of blood flowing out from under Amelia's red hair. He couldn't see her face but he knew that she was bleeding from her mouth, nose and eyes. She was dying.
Rohan flung his gun away and pulled out a knife from his side. He clicked a tiny button on the hilt, and the blade elongated. Another click and the knife was now a sword.
Rohan gripped his sword with both hands and ran forward. Nhor's fangs sliced down towards Rohan and clashed against his sword. The venom oozed out from the serpent's fangs and Rohan jerked away just in time.
A large glob of venom splashed on the ground where Rohan had been standing a heartbeat ago. The lethal venom sizzled and evaporated, filling the cave with noxious fumes.
Rohan gripped his sword and ran at Nhor again. He was running out of time. Amelia was running out of time.
He swung his sword down and cut a deep gash in the snake's leathery skin. Nhor shuddered violently as black blood poured from the wound.
Breathing hard, Rohan closed both fists over the hilt of his sword and faced his enemy.
Nhor thrashed and spat jets of venom from his fangs. Rohan moved deftly out of the way and held his sword out in front of him. But he didn't attack.
He stood still and waited, conserving all his strength for the final blow.
Nhor came at him again, spitting and hissing. Rohan looked straight into Nhor's eyes as the snake swung its head down towards him, its jaws opened wide.
Rohan didn't hesitate. With one decisive, powerful move, Rohan brought his blade down just behind the snake's head.
He severed the head cleanly from the body, and staggered back.
Venom spewed from Nhor's fangs as his head rolled away to rest against a boulder. The gigantic body fell to the ground with a loud thud, sending sand and dust up into the air.
Rohan rushed to Amelia and Tessa, and very gently lifted Amelia's cold body off Tessa.
“Daddy!” Tessa clung to him and sobbed into his shoulder. Then she swiped away her tears and scrambled to Amelia's side. “Miss Amelia! Miss Amelia, wake up! Is she...d-dead? Please save her, Daddy!”
Rohan held Amelia in his arms and felt her life ebbing away. Her heart was still beating, but very weakly. He had only seconds to save her life.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Rohan cupped Amelia's face in one hand and pressed his mouth to hers. “Be strong, Amelia,” he whispered.
He didn't know if it would work but there was no other way.
He would either save her, or kill her.
Closing his eyes, Rohan held Amelia to him and inhaled her final breath into himself, into his dragon.
His dragon rose and writhed within him. Amelia's breath mingled with his dragon fire, stoking the flame, making it burn white hot within his dragon.
Rohan's eyes blazed like twin suns as he breathed his dragon fire into Amelia. His dragon roared as it released its fire into its mate, claiming her and marking her.
Amelia began to convulse and her body temperature spiked dangerously. Her eyes rolled back and a pulsing red mark appeared on her shoulder, just below her collarbone.
He had claimed her as his dragon mate, but he didn't know if she would survive the change.
Rohan cradled Amelia and murmured into her hair. The glow faded from his eyes as his dragon receded.
Amelia didn't open her eyes. She was breathing again but her heartbeat was weak and erratic.
“Will she be okay, Daddy?” Tessa asked as she took Ame
lia's hand.
“I don't know, sweetheart,” he answered. “I...don't know.”
Rohan felt hands on his shoulders. Edriq and Zul had come after him. They had been standing at his side, watching him in silence as he fought to save Amelia.
“Done,” Zul reported. “We killed every Slayor in the cave.”
“This is just one of their hiding places,” Edriq said. “There are more of them. We haven't killed them all.”
“But we will,” Zul growled.
Edriq stepped forward and said softly, “Let's go home.”
Carefully, they made their way out of the pit and out of the cave that was littered with the bodies of dead Slayors. Once they were out in the open, Zul shifted into dragon form and flew off with Tessa.
Rohan held Amelia in his arms and shifted. He curled his talons firmly over her body and soared into the sky. He knew Edriq was following closely behind them, watching their backs and making sure they all made it safely home.
Dawn was just breaking when they landed on the lawn in front of the mansion.
Mrs Vomae immediately rushed out of the house once she saw them. She ran to Tessa and hugged her tightly.
“I'm okay, Mrs Vomae,” Tessa said, wiping away the woman's tears. “I'm home.”
“Yes, yes! Come in quickly.” Mrs Vomae hustled them all into the house and locked the doors.
Rohan carried Amelia into his bedroom and placed her carefully on the bed. Mrs Vomae hurried in with a basin of water and some towels. “I will take care of her, sir. You need to rest...”
“No. I will care for her,” Rohan said, taking the towels from Mrs Vomae. “I won't leave her.”
Mrs Vomae's worried gaze darted between Rohan and Amelia. Finally, she nodded and said, “I will bring up a tray of food.”
“I'm not hungry...”
“The food's not just for you, sir.” As Mrs Vomae exited the room, she said very quietly over her shoulder, “I'm sure she'll be hungry when she wakes up.”
To Date A Dragon: BBW Dragon Shifter Romance (Weredragon Warriors Book 1) Page 7