KISS (15 page)

“
It’s okay, Rex wants to be
loved too,” he said kissing her on the neck. His hands were like
tentacles. They were everywhere at once violating her. Iris eyes
were wide with fear. He was a monster. She whipped her head back
and forth. When his hand slithered up her shirt she screamed. Tears
spilled out her eyes as she contemplate what was going to happen.
Her bra unsnapped exposing her breast to him. Her screams tore from
her throat make it raw and her hoarse. Sobs floated on the
air.

Someone! Help! Anyone.
Please. Why. Why isn’t anyone coming? He going to…he’s going
to…

“
Ryan!”

Whack!

When he fell to the ground, Iris
crawled away from him. Ryan her driver stood looking down at
her.

“
C’mon miss, we should get
you home.” Ryan held the crying child in his arms while fixing her
clothes. He wasn’t just her driver, he was head of security and her
personal body guard. “I’ll call the police.”

“
No. he didn’t know. Just
take me home.”

***

When Jay came to Iris was gone. He was
afraid of what happened. He couldn’t remember anything so he
returned home. Entering the house he spotted his father angrily
pacing the family room.

“
I didn’t like that stunt
you pulled at the hospital boy.”

Jay threw his hands up to ward his
father off and started backing away, but it was too late. His fist
came flying, connecting with his stomach, Jay dropped to his knees.
He was still disoriented from earlier. He just hoped Iris was
okay.

“
Dad I’m sorry,” he wheezed
out.

“
You will not talk back to
me boy!” he screamed kicking him.

“
Dad please, you’re killing
me.” Pain bloomed in his abdomen area. Fleck of blood flew out of
his mouth.

“
Where’s my son!” his
father screamed punching him in the face. Jay felt his nose give
away, the warm hot blood flowing down his face. Its coppery taste
filled his mouth.

“
Dad, I am your son.
Please. Axel is just one of the personalities created to please
you.”

“
Lies! Give him
back!”

“
He’s not real!” he choked
out.

Jay realized there was no talking to
him. Things got bad whenever his dad went into frenzy. Where was
everyone? They were supposed to protect him. He could feel his
world getting darker as he became his dad’s personal punching bag.
Jay slipped into a state of unconsciousness.

***

Iris returned home. She was glad her
parents were out tonight, probably celebrating mom’s success. She
clambered upstairs to her room. Getting into the shower, she
attempted to scrub herself clean of him.

Climbing out of the shower her
reflection stared at her. Iris didn’t want to meet the eyes of the
girl. They had grown considerably dull. Their light had been
extinguished. The bruises decorated her side and her left breast.
There were passion marks on the right side of her neck. She shut
her eyes tightly. She hated the girl in the mirror. The sad
pathetic creature. Throwing on sweats and a tee-shirt she prepared
for bed. Somehow the house seemed larger than usual. Her erratic
breaths and pulse drove her crazy. Flinging open the door, she
stared at the man on the other side.

“
It’s okay miss. I won’t
let anything happen to you. We don’t have to talk about it. Not
until you’re ready.”

“
My parents.”

“
I will have to report the
incident, but I will hold off for as long as I can.”

“
Okay. Thank you,” she
sniffed closing the door. Glad to know he kept a look out. She
noticed the note on her bed. Picking it up, she read its
contents.

“
He’s gone.” She whispered.
The despair consumed her until she knew no more.

Epilogue

Iris,

I am not a very strong
person. In fact, I’m weak by nature, but I must find the strength
to let you go. Although I hoped for another outcome, you chose him.
I cannot face you right now, I wished to lick my wounds in private.
I wish the best for you little Iri. If he makes you cry, I will be
there to break his neck. Be happy. Be safe.

Cheese
.

Iris folded the letter and placed it
in her pocket. She finally told her parents about the incident. Her
dad was so angry that he didn’t speak to her for a week. She knew
they needed to adjust to the information as she had. Ryan remained
ever vigilant by her side, and she was grateful. She was going to
finish her senior year at Redwood Academy. It was a school where
all the rich and famous attended. She was nervous about her big
debut but excited. She’d gotten a new phone and number and cut all
her ties with what little friends she had. She never asked about
the outcome of Jay’s case. He deserved a little happiness
too.

***

The day Jay died, hope arrived. Law
enforcement officers and child protect services stormed the house
as his father beat him to death. He had a broken nose, jaw, bruised
ribs, and a few more broken bones in his hands. His face was
swollen beyond recognition. They thought they were too late. When
he opened his eyes, he was stunned by the girl at his side. It was
Natasha Covington and not Iris McDerman. He tried talking, but
there was something down his throat. He didn’t like it. Her light
brown eyes filled with tears as she took his good hand into
hers.

“
I’m sorry.”

He didn’t understand why she was
crying. She didn’t do this to him. Her mom walked into the
room.

“
Natasha honey, why don’t
you go grab something to eat. I’ll sit with him.”

Jay watched as she left the
room.

“
You know you gave us scare
young man. He’s been charged with aggravated assault to the first
degree, a count of child endangerment and neglect. Needless to say,
he will be going away for a very long time. Don’t fret. Your mother
is doing well. She’s up moving around. A new home has been set up
for the both of you and a nurse will be stopping by a few days a
week to check on both of you. In the mean time we will continue
your sessions and you will be treated for your diagnosis. I can’t
wait to get to know you James Rotterdam.”

Jay felt the tears pool at the corner
of his eyes. He was finally free.

Dragon’s Secrets

Dragonault Chronicles I

What do you do when you find out you’re the
mate of a dragon king, an abomination abhorred across the
dimensions, and a secret order is out to annihilate you. Throw in
two parts of your soul battling it out, a legendary warrior who’s
hell bent on protecting you, and the very thing meant to destroy
you saves you. I tell you what you do, you put on your big girl
panties and tell them to bring it.

Prologue

The putrid smell of decay and urine filled the
air. She laid on her back. Her wrists were enclosed in chains
attached to the wall. And her heart pounded in her throat while her
blood pumped furiously through her veins. She wished for Onyx with
all her heart. She knew he would come for her. Suddenly the door to
the dungeon opened revealing her enemy.

“
How could you?” she cried out.
Fear slivered down her spine. The sting of betrayal weighing
heavily on her mind and in her heart.

“
You never listened! How dare
you?!” He screamed while rage burned hatefully through his veins as
he dug his fingers into her arm. She screamed out
painfully.

Hurry
, she thought. He grabbed her face
and forced her eyes upon him.

“
Look at me!” he shouted. “It’s
almost time for your debut,” he whispered as he retreated from the
dungeon. His eyes were wild seething with hatred. When? But why? H
was unrecognizable, a stranger from a forgotten land.

A’lala tried to see where he retreated but she
couldn’t. The swell of her belly blocked her path, pain in her
abdomen caused her scream out. Nothing but a small window hung high
above the wall. It was nothing but a mockery to her imprisonment.
The burning sensation increased.

No!
She screamed mentally. She would
not have her child here. Horror filled her, she knew she could no
longer hold on. She must push.

“
Onyx!” His name tore from her
throat as she gave the first push. And she heard it. Vicious
snarls, resounding through the air and shattering things in its
wake.

It was raw.

It was monstrous.

It was…the roar of a dragon.

And not just any dragon…her dragon. If there
was truly a goddess she prayed for her blessing now. She prayed for
the protection of her child, she prayed for the protection of her
mate. She felt her blood boil and power filled her.

Onyx burst into the room with angry roar. Men
that once served under his command rushed in but she managed to
erect a barrier keep her and the youngling in, and everyone else
out. She only focused on the protection of her child.

“
Kill that abomination!” the man
who led the guards spat out. Unimaginable fury filled
her.

***

Onyx looked at his mate, she was glorious and
her fury filled the room. Pure energy weaved itself in the air.
White, it danced to a tune only its master could give. He watched
it coil and spring killing those who’d approached her youngling
instantly. He was in awe of her. The room rattled from her very
power.

“
General she will kill us
all.”

Onyx looked around. The guards had fled the
building. He wondered how they would cover their tracks this time.
His child’s wails echoed through the room. He knew A’lala’s power
would consume her, if she continued at this rate. She was so far
gone that she couldn’t hear their child’s cries. Onyx cut the
umbilical cord. Scooping his child up, he stared into beautiful
dragon eyes that peered back into his own. His heart fluttered in
his chest. She was everything he wanted and more. He spent a moment
curling the baby into his chest. Tears escaped his eyes in rivulets
as his heart shattered thinking about their next move. Layla would
be her name.

“
I’m sorry young one,” he croaked
out.

She was going to be his best kept secret. She
would be protected. Onyx golden eyes stared down at his daughter as
he mumbled a spell of protection. The mark presented itself on her
chest. Only his kind would be able to see the mark. The moment was
broken as the building began to collapse around him. He turned
toward the captain of his guard. He would trust the man with his
life.

“
Khalel, you will take the child
and go into hiding. We will find her when the time is right. I
don’t care where. Even I must not know where she is.”

“
General, what will you do? How
will you stop her?”

Onyx placed the baby in his Captain’s arms.
“Like I always do. Love her,” he whispered to the retreating form
of his captain. He approached his mate, freeing her wrists from the
chains, he pulled her into his arms; her blonde hair danced around
her face and her energy engulfed her eyes setting them aglow. His
dragon scales littered the floor. He grunted in pain, but it was
nothing compared to the pain engulfing his heart when he saw tears
spilling from his mate’s eyes. He silenced her with searing kiss as
the building collapsed around them.

Chapter 1: Enters Layla

Emerald green eyes filled Layla’s vision as
she raced through the sky. A voice she never heard before filled
her mind. It called to her being, her essence; her skin grew hotter
and she felt an unfamiliar burn of need at her center.

Where are you?
The voice echoed around
her mind. A ringing cut through her thoughts and she began to fall
through the sky.