by C. D. Gorri
Her daughter snorted at the same time as her mates rolled their eyes and sighed. Belle was sure she’d picked up their mutter that sounded like they wished, but then she looked back at the enormous dragons coming their way. She understood what the males were doing, using levity to settle their nerves. Once the battle started, they’d calm, knowing they could be hurt or worse. Goddess, she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if anything happened to her friends because of her.
“Fine, but dammit, don’t get hurt.” She pointed at Lula’s mates, her finger shaking slightly. “You boys best make sure not a pink scale is damaged on her,” Belle warned the bears who had claimed Lula.
She stayed in her human form, hoping the Nikai she faced held off on slaying her on sight without speaking to her first. The male she’d known and loved never killed a harmless female, but the one charging toward her didn’t appear to have any warm and fuzzy feelings reaching out toward her. The bond missing. She’d done everything she could to erase the ache to free herself and her child. Her dragon raked at her to come out and protect not only her, but her friends. Belle kept calm, hoping to keep the beast leashed since the human side of her was the more reasonable and hopefully make Nikai the same.
“We will stand with you, Belle. You’re the mother of our mate. What’s your position, love?” Abyle asked Lula.
“I won’t leave mother or my mates.” Lula gripped one of Abyle’s hands, along with one of Atika’s in each of hers. The bears both gave a jerk of their head, a silent agreement as they stood straighter.
Creed, the son of Satan, along with several other males who’d come to help, growled in obvious disagreement. Belle was aware males, no matter the species, preferred the females to stay tucked away safe and sound while the males fought. She, however, would not allow them to fight her battle, not when it came to Nikai.
The Iron Wolves alpha, who was besties with Jenna the Fey Queen, stepped next to Creed. His anger palpable, making the hair on her neck raise.
“We came to protect you, Belle. If they slaughter you on sight, then we’ve come here for no reason. Well, except to maybe die as well.” Kellen growled. His bright blue eyes glowing in the misty fog.
“Warriors, Belle has hidden for too long. She wishes to face this head-on. She asks if she should fall if you’ll have her back? I understand we all prefer our females stay safe from harm. We are males, and that’s in our nature. Look around you. Do you see these females running and hiding?” Atika asked.
Belle looked at the male after he finished talking. There were many males, in hundreds of realms. However, knowing her daughter found twin bears who loved her had Belle’s heart flutter in happiness. Atika’s words made her eyes water at the love she saw simmering in both his and his brother’s eyes when they looked at Lula. If she were to die today, they’d protect and cherish her daughter. She had no plans to die. However, life was full of things you didn’t plan.
“Silly bear, of course we’ll have her back. Here they come, my friends,” Creed said from next to him as he cracked his knuckles.
She laughed, keeping her eyes from looking down, or rather up, in the wrong places on Creed’s hulking form. The holy shit stares Atika and Abyle couldn’t hide spoke volumes about the imposing sight the crazy demon made. However, the dragons were every bit as large and imposing. Their fires deadly and could kill other dragons too. “It’s alright. I know I’m intimidating. I wore pants this time. You know, so you fellas don’t get envious, again. I hate the whining. Makes my demon ears bleed.” Creed winked and smiled, showing off double rows of sharp, pointy teeth. She was sure her daughter’s mates should try to stay on the demon’s good side since he was a foe who had powers none of them comprehended.
“Creed, behave.” Belle shook her mom-finger at the male, knowing full-well if he didn’t want to be…good, nothing she or anyone said mattered.
“Ah, I’m only messing with him. Besides, I think we’ll get along fantastic, bestie.” Creed lifted his head toward the dark sky.
Belle and the others became silent as the world around them shifted, just as several dragons the size of skyscrapers entered. Their huge wings beat back as they began pulling up short when they saw Belle and her crew.
Belle whistled through her fingers. She hated the memory of how she’d learned the ear-splitting sound. Nikai, the huge black dragon staring back at her, taught her a lifetime ago. She shivered just thinking of how he’d murmured in her ear that she only had to whistle like so, if their link was blocked, to get his attention. He’d promised to come to her no matter when or where. Liar.
Once she saw his focus trained on her, and before nerves got the best of her, she took a deep breath, speaking to Nikai, the male who’d taken everything she’d loved, for the first time in forever. “Halt, Nikai.”
A tremendous gust of wind from the battle dragons’ wings threatened to blow her over as they flew above them.
The wind died just as quickly as it came. Belle stiffened at the unmistakable electrical shock that rolled across the land as a magical shield enveloped them. The ripple moved over Belle’s body like a caress.
“What the hell is going on, Belle? Who are these mongrels?” Nikai asked, landing on the ground, and shifting into a man within a blink.
Creed growled, taking a menacing step toward Nikai. “Watch who you call names, dragon.”
Nikai’s head swiveled toward Creed, his angry glare showing death in their dark orbs. “Who are you, red man?”
“Oh, I’m your worst enemy. I’m supposed to tell you ‘Hi’ from Nadim. Of course, I told that little fucker I wasn’t giving you the message, so I’m not telling you shit.”
Belle almost laughed at Creed’s antics, but the testosterone and tension were so thick it was hard to breathe without choking on it. She planned to diffuse the situation before blood was shed, opening her mouth to do just that, only she wasn’t prepared for Nikai’s reaction to Creed’s words. Her onetime lover froze. His gorgeous tan face lost every ounce of color just as he shifted into a smaller version of his dragon. He charged Creed, their sizes now comparable, and wrapped his clawed hands around the demon’s thick neck. Belle gasped in horror, knowing Creed wouldn’t take the affront lightly.
“Nikai, no,” she yelled, hurrying to where they battled.
“Where’s my brother?” he asked in a deep guttural tone; the voice no longer that of the man. His dragon took control.
Creed’s own smile was all demon, his clawed hands going around the dragon’s throat. “You think to threaten me, boy?”
“Ah sheot, he’s made Creed mad,” Xan spoke in a cheerful voice.
“Xan, you seriously have issues, brother,” Kellen muttered.
Belle was feet from the warring duo when hard arms grabbed her. “I need to stop them before they hurt one another,” she yelled.
“You want to play with me, dark dragon? I promise you won’t like it any more than your pussy-ass bitch of a brother did. Here, why don’t I show you what I mean.” Creed’s grin widened.
“Creed, no,” Jenna yelled.
Before anyone stopped him, Creed and Nikai disappeared, leaving behind a hoard of dragon warriors staring at Belle and the others with hatred.
“Now, before you decide to get stupid, let me say Nikai won’t be happy if you hurt any of us, especially his young.” Jenna pointed out.
Belle could’ve told her to save her breath. The dragons glaring at them were a vengeful lot, many she remembered from before, who had hated her with a burning passion.
A roar of anger and flames flew over their heads as the dragons attacked. The magical bubble disappeared seconds later since Nikai’s hold on it was too far away to continue.
“Well, shit, I guess we battle,” Kellen growled, cracking his neck, and shaking his arms in preparations.
“Goddess, you are bloodthirsty, Alpha. These are dragons. Their fire is deadly, even to their own kind,” Belle warned.
“I got you,” Jenna muttered, her hands waving in
the air.
The wolves shifted, their sizes three times that of what they normally were. Then Jenna shook her head and waved her hands again, increasing their sizes again and again before she nodded. “There, now they’re on even playing ground-ish.”
“Have I told you I love your bestie, Kellen?” Xan asked in a garbled voice.
Kellen lifted an iron claw, flipping the other male off.
Belle shook in fear, worried they were going to die. She fought a grin and knew if their situation wasn’t so dire, she’d have laughed.
“Atika, Abyle, you protect my daughter, no matter the cost. Understand?” Belle ordered.
Atika and Abyle nodded.
“We will, Belle. Lula love, stay next to us and don’t freak out when we become our other form,” Abyle ordered.
“I love you both, no matter what you are, as long as you’re you, then you are mine,” Lula said.
A loud roar startled Belle. She turned toward the sound, shocked at the deep grating noise. She’d never heard anything quite like it before and hoped she never did again. The place Lula’s mates had stood only moments before, now contained an immense beast. Belle nearly stumbled and fell when she realized her daughter’s mates had morphed into the creature, making her exhale at the knowledge that her daughter and her two mates were perfectly matched. Their beast within them wouldn’t be intimidated by her dragon. She ignored the mumbled echoes from the wolves. The litanies of ‘what the fuck’ and ‘holy shit bruh’ when they caught sight of the giant iron bear were comical.
All talking ceased when the dragons who’d come with Nikai attacked her people, starting a war Belle saw ending only one way. Her end goal was to circumvent that if possible.
“For Belle’s sake don’t kill the dragons. Maiming is okay but killing is bad,” Jenna yelled.
“Yes, please try not to kill if you can avoid it,” Belle yelled, shifting as a dragon came for her.
She was so very honored her friends came to fight for her and Lula, yet she feared for them as the dragons attacked with deadly aim. A tremendous boom shook the very ground they stood on, knocking many off their feet. The sound of the wolves' howls, dragons' roars, and the bears' snarls filled the air. Her friends battled the dragons relentlessly, enduring wounds and inflicting ones upon their enemies every bit as bad. In dragon form, she was on the same footing, her beast larger than several of the ones who’d come with Nikai. Her own roar filled the air as she fought to save her friends and her beloved Lula.
The battle dragons reared back, their shock at seeing her dragon, not a tiny weakling of a female, had them doing a double take. Never one to miss an opportunity, she took advantage of the precious minutes, hitting several dragons out of the sky who were aiming at the backs of Kellen and Xan. Three dragons lay motionless on the surface. The only thing that showed they still lived was their shallow breaths. Belle felt no remorse for their injuries, since they’d have killed her and her friends. Several others flew overhead, shooting flames without a care for what or who they destroyed. The other dragons, she hoped were smart enough to stay on the ground and didn’t die before Creed returned with Nikai. “Where the heck did the crazy demon take him?” Goddess, she hoped Creed didn’t kill him.
“Sometimes, ignorance is bliss, my friend.” Jenna said in her mind.
Belle nodded in agreement, her dragon shutting down all thoughts as they flew back and forth, blocking several of the dragons’ fires with her own. Her concern was keeping the other bastards’ fires from hitting their targets, her friends. Goddess, when had it become okay for dragons to battle beings that hadn’t incited the violence? Surely, her leaving the realm and finding sanctuary with her child didn’t give them the right? Anger surged as Lula screamed below her.
A red mist clouded her vision. Her dragon turned to see what had caused her daughter’s distress, coming up short as pain lanced her side. She rolled to the opposite side and tucked her wings against her just in time to avoid another hit. The huge male dragon had come up on her, his silence shocking, but now that she’d caught his scent, avoiding his claws was easier. His roar and flames missed her by a breath. The deadly male flipped on a dime, coming back, and reaching for her with his talons outstretched.
She unfurled her wings, slicing him in the side when he came close, making him shriek in both anger and pain. There was no doubt in her mind that he was calling her every name, except her given one. Satisfaction filled Belle with the knowledge she’d inflicted a grave wound on the bastard. Goddess, she hated to battle, but this wasn’t her choice.
Belle dropped to the ground, her side aching like lava. She struggled to stay in the air without falling on the ones below her. The other dragon followed, his anger and pain reaching her in waves of pissed off male, like a living touch. She turned; her tail, with its razor-sharp spikes, slapped him in the snout, sending him flying backward a dozen feet. Her dragon was preparing to spew her fire, forgetting her don’t kill dictate, chest puffed out even though she knew she’d kill him. The thought of burning the enemy to a crisp making her scales turn brighter. Lifting into the air, she flew to where the male lay, the injury in her side momentarily forgotten.
“Enough,” Nikai yelled, staring at the dragons lying on the ground, bleeding. “What’s happened here?” he asked.
“They attacked us, my King,” the male beneath her muttered.
“That’s a lie,” Belle said. She swooped onto the ground, ignoring the wound on her side. Her voice came out a rattling trill. The dragon within her became hard to control, it’s anger rising with each passing second. Belle fought to push forward as she tried to rein in her dragon. Her scales felt like they were a living flame. She tried to heal herself, but the wet trickling down to her feet let her know it wasn’t working.
“Who did this?” Nikai asked, moving up to Belle’s heaving side.
“Do not touch me. I’ll be fine.” Belle stumbled in her bid to get away, falling onto her uninjured side. She shifted back to human, groaning at the pain that swept through her.
Lula gasped. “Oh, Mama.”
She was staring up at the beautiful pink dragon one minute, then at her daughter the next. She gasped in amazement at how easy it was for her child to shift into the gorgeous young woman she was. Belle held her hand out, allowing Lula to grab it, and nodded in approval as both Atika and Abyle moved to protect Lula, one on each side. Their low growl of a warning to the dragons who got within touching distance to their mate was satisfying. Oh, she knew they’d shift into their gigantic beast and kill any who touched her daughter. A great war bear they were.
“Your males attacked first, Nikai, and your friend did that to Belle. I will kill him,” Creed said, taking a step toward the male in question.
Nikai held up his hand. “I will take care of him.” He got to his feet, moving toward the other dragon. “Why did you attack when I told you to hold?”
“We were protecting ourselves,” Gaiston said.
His lie was bitter, the scent obnoxious in the air. Belle saw Nikai’s jaw tighten, as he too didn’t appreciate the affront.
“I see what happened, G. You forget in your foolishness, I’m a royal dragon of the Dark House. I can see into the past, you fool. The truth is right here.” He waved his hand.
Belle would’ve gasped with the others if she had the strength when the scene began replaying. Nikai’s hands moved farther apart, showing the dragons attacking, and Gaiston clearly ordering them to do so. Nikai slowed the scene, showing his second’s enormous dragon sneaking up on Belle, the dragon’s eyes slitted with hatred before he slashed her in the side. Belle watched in horror the attack on the others below her, the absolute deadly fire aimed at her and Lula. What she hadn’t seen was how proud her daughter had stood, her sweet child ready to die next to her. Goddess, she was a lucky mama.
Nikai shared everything with her and her friends. The intentions they hadn’t been able to listen to, but his black dragon’s magic broadcast as if the dragons spoke their deepest
thoughts out loud. They didn’t want the two females, who in their minds were unworthy, to return with them.
“What sorcery is this?” Gaiston muttered.
Nikai grabbed him by the throat. “It is not sorcery, but power, you fool. You disobeyed a direct order. For that, you die.” Gaiston grappled at Nikai’s arms, trying to free himself. Without a pause, Nikai ripped the other man’s head from his neck, tossing it toward Creed.
Creed batted it away. “Ew, why are you throwing me that?”
“I thought you liked that shit?” Nikai shrugged, letting the rest of the body fall to the ground. “Anyone else?”
She wondered what Creed had shown Nikai when he’d taken him to...wherever it was they’d gone.
“Listen, just ‘cause I take you to Hell and fuck some fuckers up, and you know…blood and guts be everywhere, doesn’t mean I appreciate heads thrown at me,” Creed said with disgust in every word.
Of course, with every word Creed spoke, she was very glad she hadn’t been along on the excursion. Creed’s father’s realm wasn’t one that she wanted to visit, ever.
Nikai’s face twisted in a grimace that she still found to be handsome. His dark eyes flashed toward her, then back to Creed.
“Well, you thought wrong. I do not now, nor have I ever, enjoyed head. Wait, I mean I enjoy getting head. From my mate. Ah, sheot, fuck it. I’m going home and getting laid unless I need to kill more dragons?” Creed growled at the other dragons, staring at him with a look of horror.
“I think you can go, big guy.” Jenna patted his leg, her laughter barely suppressed.
“Thank you, My Queen. And um, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell Reina about the head shit.” Creed glared at the group of beings gathered around him.