Lord of Life (The Dragon Demigods Book 4)

by Charlene Hartnady

  “Stop! Don’t!” I shout, but he doesn’t listen. Of course not! I twist my body into a better position and take aim. I know where I need to hit him to hopefully bring him down, but I’m worried I might end up killing him. It’s ridiculously hard to shoot with my hands tied. I have hours of shooting practice. Hands tied or not, I can do this. Bolt charges for me. I aim for the top of his right shoulder and hit my mark.

  Bolt falls but tries to get up. Lyre kneels next to him. “Stay down!” he says.

  I almost don’t see Lilith until the last second. She’s coming at me. Her hand is almost on the gun when I shoot. She falls.

  “No!” I shout.

  I’ve hit her in her chest. Blood sprays from the wound.

  She coughs, and blood trickles from her mouth.

  “Gabby!” Bolt shouts. “No! Gabby.” Weaker this time. “My love. My love. What did you do?” He mutters some more, but I can’t hear what he’s saying.

  “Stay down,” I hear Lyre say to Bolt.

  Lilith coughs again. Her eyes are turning hazy. I grab Bolt’s jacket. I twist around and press it onto the wound to try to stave the bleeding. “Don’t bother.” Her voice is choked. “Too…late. Better this way. Better.” She breathes out. It almost sounds like a sigh of relief. I know that she’s gone.

  I hang my head as the tears come. “I’m sorry,” I say. Not to the harpy but to Lyre.

  I feel Lyre’s arms around me. “It’s fine.” He helps me up and rips at the rope around my wrists.

  “Thanks.” I rub my skin. “It isn’t fine at all. What about Bolt?” I look over to his broken body.

  “He’s passed out but doing fine. The wounds are bleeding less already.”

  I see Bolt’s chest move. “Thank god!” I push out a breath. “I had to pull the trigger. I had to…” I’m shaking my head. I can’t believe it. Lilith is gone. “Your powers,” I choke out. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s fine,” he insists. “You had no other choice. That was some shooting, by the way. You really are as bad-ass as they come.” He cups my cheek.

  I notice that one of his eyes is puffing up, and his lip is bleeding. From the way he is standing, I think he might have some broken ribs. I know how that feels. I’ve been there myself a time or two. “Are you okay?”

  He smiles. “A bit banged up, but I’ll be good in a couple of hours. My ego took the biggest knock.” He looks over at Bolt. “He was demented.”

  “What did she do to him?”

  “Drugged him…essentially.” I can see his mind working as his eyes drift in thought. “When she took my hand, I felt a pinprick. I think it came from her thumb.”

  “Like a poison barb?”

  “Something like that.” He gives his head a shake like he’s trying to loosen a memory. “She did it to me before. I had forgotten about it. That’s how she manipulates us. Makes us willing to do anything. She injects some kind of poison into us.”

  “To make you pliable.” My voice is far off. “I think she might even have used it on me, but it had a different result.”

  “It made you trust her and enjoy her company.”

  I nod. “I think so. I think that’s how we became friends so easily. It’s why you took her home when you don’t normally do the whole hook-up thing.”

  “That’s it exactly,” Lyre says.

  “Only it didn’t work on you this time.” I frown, thinking back on what Lilith said. “Maybe you developed an immunity.” I think about it some more. “Love is the antidote,” I murmur.

  Lyre cups my jaw. “It didn’t work on me because I’m already taken. I love you too much to be swayed by the likes of a harpy.”

  I bite my bottom lip.

  “Say something. Is this freaking you out? I can back off. I’m—”

  “I’m falling for you too.” My heart is pounding. Lilith told me I’m too closed off. That my walls are too high. She was so certain Lyre hadn’t fallen in love with me because of it. It’s time to lower my guard. Years of fighting monsters will do that to a girl, but Lyre has changed me. “I’m not just falling.” I touch his jaw, feeling his beard under my fingertips. “I’m totally in love with you.”

  He presses his lips to mine. It doesn’t matter that Bolt is bleeding from three bullet holes. That there’s a dead harpy on the floor next to us. None of that matters at this moment. He pulls me closer and deepens the kiss.

  Then we hear them. Sirens.

  “Oh shit!” I say as I pull away. “Time to call in a clean-up team.”

  “Clean-up team?” He frowns.

  I put my phone to my ear. “Tom,” I say when he picks up.

  As predicted, he already knows about our situation. The Order has contacts within the police departments. They have been informed about a disturbance. “Understood,” I say and hang up. “Bart and Cooper will be here in a few minutes. They’ll take care of everything.”

  “How?”

  “We have our ways. Don’t worry about that.”

  “What are we going to do until then?” Lyre looks from Bolt to the harpy and back.

  I go and check her pulse. She’s definitely dead. I feel another pang.

  “We sit tight.” I smile. “If necessary, I’m taking my clothes off and putting one of your shirts on.”

  Lyre chokes out a laugh. I can see a sadness in his eyes. Even though he is smiling, it is there. I feel incredibly happy and incredibly sad. A person shouldn’t be able to have such warring emotions. I put my arms around Lyre. He hugs me back, nuzzling into my hair.

  24

  The next day…

  Morgan

  I hold Andy’s hand. It’s cold. He looks so small lying there underneath the covers even though at six feet, he is far from it. I’m sure there are more pipes and machines attached to him than before. I have so much to say and yet my throat feels sealed shut.

  “I’m so sorry,” I choke out. “You were right. I was wrong.”

  I watch his chest rise and fall…rise and fall in a perfect rhythm set by a machine. “I should have listened to you. I wish to god I had. It turns out that wisdom does indeed come with age.” I try to smile. “Since you’re the old man, I should have listened to you.”

  I work hard at staying in control. “We found her. We found Lilith and by ‘we’ I mean me and Lyre. I met someone Andy.” I pause. “Someone great. You would like him. He’s a dragon demigod. You heard correctly. A hybrid. He’s so kind and sweet. He can cook too. I’ve never met anyone who knows as much as he does. Lots of it is useless information but I love hearing it anyway. I love him.” I chew on my lip. “Lyre helped me take her down. She’s dead. You can rest in peace, Andy.” I squeeze his hand. “I just wanted you to know how sorry I was. You are, without a doubt, the best friend I have ever had and I…” I’m choking up. I blink like a mad person. “I’ll miss you.”

  I’m gulping down air when Mrs. Golding comes back in from her bathroom break. She halts in her tracks. “Do you need some time?”

  I shake my head. “I’m fine. You can come in and be with your son.”

  She nods and sits on the other side, taking Andy’s hand. After a while, I see her lips moving. I’m not sure if she’s talking to Andy or praying. Mrs. Golding is also crying. I am shocked all over again at how much she has aged in the last few weeks. Her eyes are closed, and her head is slightly bowed. We sit like this for a while. I feel it too. This weight of sadness. I can’t imagine how much worse it must be for her since she is his mother.

  “I’m so sorry,” I whisper.

  She looks up at me, her cheeks wet, her lashes glistening. “You need to stop blaming yourself.”

  Mrs. Golding doesn’t know that I killed the only chance Andy had. I made a mess of this from start to finish. I want to apologize some more, but I stop myself.

  There is a soft tap on the door, and Lyre walks in. He comes to stand behind me, putting his hands on my shoulders in silent support.

  Mrs. Golding gives him a tight smile. They met when we arri
ved an hour ago, coming straight from the airport.

  “I am going to go to the waiting room. I think Andy’s sisters will be here.” She looks at her watch. “I’ll give you some more time to say goodbye, Morgan.” Her voice hitches, and a tear tracks down her cheek.

  I feel my eyes sting. There is a huge lump in my throat. I nod because I don’t trust my voice.

  “Take your time,” she says. “You are welcome to stay when…when…” She gives a shuddering sniff and then makes a sobbing noise. “I can’t believe this. I thought he would wake up. I was sure of it.”

  “Me too. I’m so sorry.” I stand and walk to her, putting my arms around her. The tears fall. I can’t stop them. We console one another for a couple of minutes. Lyre hangs back, giving us our space.

  Then Mrs. Golding pulls back. She takes my hand and squeezes. I watch as she leaves. Lyre hands me a wad of tissues. “Thanks.” I blow my nose. “How’s Bolt?”

  Lyre stepped out to call and check in on him.

  “Healing well. He should be perfect by tomorrow.” I catch a look in his eyes.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “He’s still acting strangely. He keeps on saying that the love of his life is dead. He’s vowed to make you and me pay.”

  I gasp. “Oh, no!” I pull in a breath. “Lilith mentioned that it might take time to wear off. That she gave him too much. I’m starting to worry.”

  “Problem is, I wouldn’t trust anything that came out of her mouth.” Lyre looks angry.

  “You’re right.” I nod. “She seemed to be muttering to herself, though, or speaking to him, so,” I shrug, “maybe.”

  “Let’s hope,” he says. “I would hate to see him go on like this. Jarrod said that he’s…nothing like his old self. That it’s disconcerting.”

  Neither of us has seen Bolt since yesterday. Lyre’s friends feel he isn’t in the right headspace to see us.

  “I think my powers are back,” he blurts, bringing me out of my thoughts. “I think she lied about them dying with her.”

  I take a step back. “Oh my—! Are you serious?”

  “Yep, my powers are back….at least, I think they are.” He lifts his hand, and scales appear on the top. When I look into his eyes, they are glowing.

  I choke out a laugh and then cover my mouth because I don’t want anyone to hear and to think I’m mad. “How did you know?”

  “I started feeling different. More like myself.”

  “When?”

  He narrows his eyes in thought. “From when I woke up this morning…it’s been gradual.”

  “Why didn’t you say something?” I have to work to keep my voice down.

  “I wasn’t sure at first,” he says. “I also didn’t want to get your hopes up. I’m sure I could shift if I tried. I’m not sure about whether my powers of healing are back.”

  I cover my mouth with my hand for a moment. “This is fantastic,” I say.

  “This is what I meant,” He cocks his head. “I didn’t want you getting excited. I can try to heal Andy, but it might not work, even if my powers are back. You understand that…I hope?”

  “But it might work?”

  “It might.” He shrugs. “There’s only one way to find out.” He goes to the side of the bed and places one hand on Andy’s head and one on his chest.

  “Do it!” I say. We have nothing to lose. The doctor is coming in two hours to pull the plug. Andy is scheduled to die today.

  Lyre nods. He looks down at Andy. Nothing happens. No light. No…nothing. Lyre let's go.

  “Did you do it?” I ask.

  He nods. “Yes…at least…I think so.”

  “Did it work?”

  “I don’t—”

  Andy’s eyes open, and he kicks his right leg. He’s trying to breathe by himself. Trying to— He makes these awful choking noises.

  “Doctor!” I yell. “We need a doctor in here!”

  “Morgan,” Lyre says. He has this amused look. “I’m a doctor.”

  I feel like an idiot. I forgot for a second. I watch in fascination as Lyre carefully pulls out the tube that has been breathing for Andy.

  He chokes and splutters. He pulls in a deep breath. His mother and sisters run in, followed by two nurses. “What…happened?” Andy croaks.

  “Andy!” his mom screams. Tears are running down her cheeks. Tears of joy.

  I leap into Lyre’s arms. “You did it,” I whisper into his ear. “You gave him back his life.”

  25

  Three months later…

  Morgan

  I take another sip of my champagne. Lyre has a hand at the small of my back. He hasn’t so much as left my side the whole afternoon. He says it’s because I’m wearing a sexy dress and he’s worried some other guy will hit on me. Then he’d have to beat them, so in order to avoid a scene, he’s sticking to me like glue. As a dual reason, he wants to be able to whisper into my ear, all the things he wants to do to me that involve lifting my dress. As a third reason, he’s trying really hard to get me to take off my underwear.

  Although I’m quite sure the last two reasons are valid, I know that they’re not the real reason he’s sticking to me like glue. The real reason is standing mere feet away from us. He’s glowering at me like if I handed him my knife – which is strapped to my thigh – he’d gut me like a fish.

  His eyes narrow when he catches me looking at him and I feel Lyre stiffen.

  Stephanus must pick up on the tension because he asks, “How’s the new job going, Morgan?”

  “Not that new anymore,” I say. “I’ve been at Dragon Customs two months already, and I’m loving it.”

  I met the rest of the gang, including Forge. Lyre mentioned my skills in fixing cars, and the rest is history. Turns out Forge recently had a kid and was looking to work less. Although I’m not sure it’s something I want to do for the rest of my life, for now, I really am loving it. It turns out that aside from being able to fix anything, I have somewhat of an artistic side as well. I’m having fun customizing cars. It’s awesome creating, building, and bringing something to life instead of destroying.

  “Forge isn’t too grumpy to have as a boss, is he?” Jarrod asks.

  “Nah,” I shake my head, “he’s been great. Stays out of my hair for the most part. Otherwise, he’s really helpful.”

  Stephanus laughs. “That sounds nothing like Forge, then again, he is much nicer now that Ava is in his life. He was a grumpy fuck before.”

  “Sounds like someone else I know, Stephanus. My throat has never been the same.” I touch my neck where he grabbed me months ago. I still tease him about how we met.

  “Stephan…how many times have I told you to call me Stephan,” he says. “I feel bad enough about that whole incident.” It irritates the hell out of him that I still insist on calling him by his full name.

  “My legs have never been the same,” Bolt growls, sounding like a caged lion. “You don’t hear me bitching about it.”

  “Don’t!” Lyre’s voice is just as deep and menacing.

  “Both of you stop,” Jarrod warns, looking from Lyre to Bolt. “Night and Shannon are on their way over, and this is their special day.”

  Bolt’s jaw tightens. His eyes blaze. I feel sorry for him, the harpy did a real number on him. Whatever she gave him has worn off, but it’s not entirely gone from his system. He still blames me for killing her. He still pines for her, even though he says he’s doing well. He still wants her, even though he knows it’s fucked up. Even though he knows it’s the poison talking. We can all see he’s a mess. Lyre is worried. All of his friends are. Lyre rubs my back, and his gaze softens as I look up at him.

  “How is everyone doing?” Shannon asks.

  “We’re all doing great,” Jarrod says, a little too quickly.

  “The ceremony was touching,” I tell Shannon. “You look beautiful.” Her dress isn’t the traditional white. It’s pink, as in bright pink, and it totally works. Night has a pink tie.

 
; “Um…did I see a pair of sneakers on your feet as you walked down the aisle?”

  Shannon’s cheeks go red. She nods. “You did.” She shows me by lifting her dress. She has a wry smile on her face.

  I chuckle. “I think you look amazing. I love the sneaker idea…heels are…” I look down at my own feet. I’m wearing low heels, which are already hurting me. “They’re a killer.”

  Shannon laughs. “Thanks.” She widens her eyes. “I believe the two of you are engaged,” she says. “Oh, wow!” she gushes as she catches a glimpse of my ring. “Congrats. That’s beautiful.”

  “It’s too much,” I say, giving my fiancé a dirty look, which quickly turns into a soppy smile because I can’t look at Lyre and feel anything but tenderness.

  “Don’t say that,” Lyre warns.

  “It is, but I totally love it.” I hold my hand out, and my ring almost blinds me. There isn’t just one diamond, there are three, and they’re all ‘rocks’.

  “I think—” Shannon starts to say before there is a clap of thunder overhead. She looks up, her face clouding with worry. Thick storm clouds are rolling in, which are going to be a problem since it’s an outdoor reception. Tables have been set up under a small cluster of trees. “Oh no,” Shannon says. “It’s going to rain,” she says to her husband, Night. “There was nothing on the forecast.”

  “I told you it wouldn’t be a problem,” he remarks, looking at Bolt. “Can you fix it for us, bro?”

  Bolt is frowning. His gray eyes are dark. His whole stance is menacing. “Fine,” he growls, walking away. He’s wearing another one of those expensive three-piece suits and a black tie. I wish Lilith hadn’t done such a number on him. I wish all over again that she hadn’t died so quickly. Maybe she could have told us what to do to help him.

  We all watch as Bolt waves his hand through the air. The wind changes direction. A couple of items blow off the table, and a woman screams as her dress is lifted. The clouds instantly start rolling away. If you didn’t know it was magic, you would think the weather turned, all on its own. “Bolt doesn’t just make lightning with his hands, he can also control the weather,” Lyre explains to me.