Loving Two Dragons (Awakening Cycle Part 3) (BBW Dragon Shifter Paranormal Romance) (5 page)

Chapter ten

Archer

"This is unacceptable!" Manco says from his position at the Council desk. "Are we to be accused with no request for evidence? What proof does Gold lay before this esteemed Council of any of these claims?"

"I have told the Council-"

"Told, yes! Told is all you've done. Proof is what we have requested. As I requested it in our private meeting. You are simply trying to sway the Council to override what I already told you. Your man is not in my territory."

Dracul stares at me without a word from his chair in the middle. He should be my ally in this. Silver could go either way, Green is against me, Black should be an ally. Blue I'm not sure. Are they a part of this conspiracy that I sense growing?

"Wise words. This Council granted you one breach of territory on minimal proof. You were allowed to invade White's territory with an exploratory force due to their long absence from this Council. What word do you bring back to us of this?" Cyrus the Silver King of Asia says.

"The expedition produced less than expected results but-"

"Ah, less than expected? What does that actually mean?" Neville, King of the Blues of Australia, asks leaning forward. The heavy inscribed gold plate around his chest clanks as he does.

"My missing man was not there," I answer. "But we found evidence of-"

"Evidence that leads you to believe he is in South America?" Cyrus interrupts.

"No we found evidence that leads us to believe that White is trying to awaken the ancients."

"What evidence?" Dracul asks leaning forward. "Why is this not presented to this Council already?"

"It is being examined and studied by Remy. He wanted to form a final evaluation before we put it before the Council."

"Because you do not believe this Council is capable of evaluating this material on our own? We need your interpretation of it? Is this not further evidence that you seek to manipulate this Council to your own ends?" Manco accuses.

I stare at him completely at a loss for words. The implications of what he's accusing me of are far reaching. He leans back in his chair with a slight smile on his face. Anger sits in my gut like a ball of fire waiting to flare up so I push it down.

"That is a serious accusation and an insult. This Council knows very well I would not take such an action."

"Do we?" Cyrus asks. "Archer, this invasion of White followed by a request to invade Green is beyond unusual."

"I understand that."

"Is it not true," Cyrus' Queen says speaking for the first time. "That this is really an internal matter to the Golds? Is not all of this nothing more than a stunt pulled by your sister Marathe?"

The ball of fire explodes. I breathe deeply counting to ten then back down before trying to answer. Marathe. The mention of her name, her hand behind all of this, makes it hard for me to maintain control.

"She is my half-sister," I say.

"Given, but that does not answer the question," she says.

"Yes. There is evidence to indicate she is involved with the disappearances."

The Council members begin shouting one over another. I lock eyes with Dracul pleading for him to weigh in, to give me some sign or some kind of help. His face remains impassive as Council members rise to their feet.

"My formal request," I say raising my voice to be heard. "Is for permission to enter Green's territory. To secure my Queen, my man, and return them to my own territory. This would not be an act of war but one of rescue. I would request that Green escort myself and my team through their territory and open their bases to me for inspection."

The Council members shout louder and louder until it seems they will come to blows. Dracul rises from his chair turning to stare at the men and women to either side. Then slowly he hits his gavel against the desk.

"The proposal has been made. A vote is required."

"Gold?"

"Yes," I say.

"Green?"

"No."

"Silver?"

"No."

My heart sinks as the vote goes against me. I meet the eyes of each Council Member as they are called on to vote hoping I might sway them somehow to my side.

"Blue?"

"No."

"Black?"

"Yes."

Dracul nods. "All votes accounted for. The motion fails."

***

The gun sits on the table in front of me. My office is empty. It waits. Sitting there, tempting me. Do I do it?

Tapping my fingers against the oak of my desk I fall into a rhythm. Tap, one click, tap, two clicks. Memory.

Sunshine lights her face. Her smile is so beautiful it lights up the room. She laughs and my spirit soars. My heart flies. My body cannot contain me. She turns towards me...

The gun is in my hand. I turn the chamber. Click, click. I've saved this for her.

I increase my step seeing she's waiting for me. The university grounds are covered with cherry blossoms drifting and blanketing the grass, filling the air with their light scent. Two students nod then walk away from her and she's walking towards me. Almost we're running into each others' arms.

"What are you doing here?" she asks as the distance closes.

One. Click. Two. Click. Three. Click. The bullets slide into their slots seating naturally and easily. Slowly the weight in my hand increases as each one takes its place.

"I couldn't wait to see you!" laughter escapes me.

I can't hold it in. Her hand reaches out, we touch, electrical sensation shooting through my skin.

CRACK!

The sound rings across the campus echoing off the brick buildings, resounding and rebounding here to there. Reaching my ears from multiple directions. Everything freezes. Her fingers in the palm of my hand. The smile fixed on her face. The small hole in her forehead, a trickle of blood runs down.

She starts to fall.

Marathe stands behind her. Crazed eyes. Pistol in her hand aimed. Smoke drifts from the barrel.

"NO!" I scream throwing the gun. It hits the wall with a loud clatter then skitters across the floor metal screeching against the hard tile.

I took it from her that day. I've held on to it ever since. Locked safely away, held in a special room. The gun spins on the floor round and round until the barrel comes to a stop pointing at me. Its black opening a dark eye staring at me. Pulling me down to her level.

I'm running out of options. I should have killed her then. I should kill her now. I stare into that dark eye and it stares back into me.

Focus! Focus, there has to be a way. Some other way. What have I not tried? I cannot give in. There must be hope.

Hope.

Logan is hope. He's gone too. A soft knock at the door. I stare at it waiting. Was it real?

"Enter!" my voice comes out a bark, harsher than I intended.

A servant walks in bearing a silver tray loaded with fruits and cheeses as well as a pot of tea. She lays it out on the desk. Her eyes widen slightly at the sight of the gun on the floor but she doesn't say a word. She lays out the food, pours the tea, then bows and leaves the room.

I stare at the food. The tea. Is she being fed this well? How can I eat when she may be hungry? Is she being tortured?

The smells assault my nostrils and my anger flares in response. I grab the tray throwing it against the far wall. Porcelain shatters as metal rings out loudly before clattering to the floor.

Turning back around the gun barrel is still staring at me. Frozen in my mind I see Jennifer just as she starts to fall. Marathe standing behind her smiling. That small puff of smoke wafting from the barrel.

I'm out of options. There's no other way left.

Chapter eleven

Jennifer

Logan leaps off the bed. The sounds of his screams echo around the small room drowning my own. He lands on the floor attacking it with his fists then stands and kicks at it with an unmatchable rage. My vision's blurred by tears.

I slam my fists against the invisible barrier, trying to get through. Elise's body slowly slides to the floor, blood pooling around her. Marathe stares at me. Splatters of blood cover her face and arms. She killed my daughter.

Logan yells again and there's the sound of stone cracking. I turn towards him and see he's still attacking the floor. The stone is now cracked, breaking the pattern inscribed there. He looks at me as his body starts to shimmer and grow. I move around to his side as he expands. The cell is not big enough to contain him. The ceiling cracks then he's pressing against the walls.

I'm between a wall and his rear leg. His scales are cool and smooth rubbing against my exposed skin. He moves and I shift with him. Loud cracks sound repeatedly then the ceiling is falling in massive chunks. I duck down as a piece hits me in the head.

Dizzy, I crawl towards safety. I'm underneath him. His legs strain with effort pressing up then dust and stone falls all around accompanied by the sounds of destruction as the ceiling gives way.

Men start shouting and then there are screams. The screams don't sound like men they sound like scared little girls. I crawl out from underneath Logan. The wall between our cells shakes as he slams himself against it. Cracks form. One step back then he rams into it again and pieces of it start to fall.

Marathe stands on the far side gesturing with her hands, her mouth moving. Green energy shoots from her hands to the wall, spreading out across it. Some kind of reinforcement magic. Elise lies at her feet. Rage fills me drying my tears. I drop to the floor and slide underneath Logan again. The wall on the far side has a hole next to the door just big enough I slide through it.

Logan must know I've left the room as it fills with flames from his breath. I slide down the hallway to the cell door next to ours. I grab the handle, praying it's unlocked. I pull, expecting it to resist, but it opens silently. Kneeling I pick up a chunk of rock then slide into the door.

Marathe and the two guards are focused on Logan. They don't notice me. One step. Two. Closer. Closer. I swing with all my might. The rock rises over crashing down at her. It connects with a satisfying crunch on the back of her skull. Marathe drops to the ground blood spilling from the wound.

"Crap!" one of the guards swears turning towards me.

The other catches me by surprise with a fist. Something cracks and I'm sure he broke my jaw. Stars fill my vision as I stumble backwards.  I come against something solid and slide down. Logan breathes fire and the guards are cursing again. Something else cracks loudly, stone hitting stone. The wall must be down.

I blink hard wiping tears and dirt away from my eyes. A scream starts but is cut short. I clear my eyes just in time to see one of the guards cut in half by Logan's sharp teeth. The other is pumping round after round from a shotgun at Logan but nothing is stopping him. He steps forward carefully placing his feet around our daughter's body. His head whips towards the guard faster than a creature that big should be able to move and then that guard is broken too.

Purple beams of energy hit Logan on either side and he roars. His massive head shakes side to side resisting the assault. I struggle back to my feet. My jaw throbs and swells. Marathe is on her feet again, the energy beams flow from her hands to Logan.

He stomps forward shaking the room. The ceiling in this cell is intact limiting his movement. He seems to resist pushing up against it, I assume for fear of hurting me. I have to stop her. Trying to stand my legs shake, quivering so hard I start to go down again.

STAND!

I yell at myself. Pushing all my will to rise. Grabbing a fresh chunk of stone I slide along the wall. Hoping she won't notice. Have to get behind her. Have to save Logan. Have to kill the witch.

A mental switch flips. I'm going to kill her. I've never contemplated killing another person. I never would've thought myself capable but now I know I am. I'm going to. Maybe that's all it takes for anyone. The right push at the right time and we're all killers inside.

The stone supports me, cool against my back. Logan's roars cover any sound I make as I move. I'm almost there. She hasn't seen me yet. I'm going to make it. One step away from the wall. My legs wobble but I'm up. One more step, raise the rock, both hands this time.

Marathe turns towards me. The smile on her face breaks the splatters of my daughter's blood that covers her.

"Not this time!" she says and purple beams explode from her eyes slamming me into the wall.

My head cracks. I can't open my eyes. Everything is black. As I fall into it Logan roars one last time.

Chapter twelve

Archer

The door opens quietly but I hear the click of its mechanism. Remy doesn't seem to take up much space. He's able to walk up behind you in most circumstance and with most people without them ever being aware he is there. It's almost mystical though he claims it isn't.

"Archer," he says informally. "The people are scared. They need direction. They need your leadership."

I turn. He stares at me and the mind behind those eyes evaluates everything. I shake my head negative.

"What leadership can I offer them? We are out of options. I have no choices left."

"There is always a way Archer," he says.

"Is there? Really?" The fire roars to life burning. "And what way is there Remy?"

I leap to my feet closing the distance between us in a long stride. I lean in to him, my lips pulling back from my teeth. It takes most of my will to resist the urge to shift.

"I saw her!" my voice cracks. "She was right there and did I help her? NO!"

My fist is flying faster than I think. I'm going to break that stoic, emotionless face of his and find the pain hidden underneath. He catches my fist before it lands stopping the blow but not without effort.

"Archer, this does not help."

I stare into his dark eyes willing him to fold before me. My arms shakes as I strain to move past his hand and land my blow. The fire rages higher and higher then it dies in a fast whoosh. I step back shaking my head.

"You're right," I say as I walk away from him. "Damn it."

"Archer."

I stop pacing and turn towards him.

Remy stands there without saying another word. Slowly he walks towards me. I arch an eyebrow uncertain what he is doing. He gets close then wraps his arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace.

"You've been as a son to me," he says. "We will get her back. This time or the next, we'll figure this out."

I’m like a kid again. Remy's always there. Hard, stern, only rarely has he shown me affection. I accept it, needing it more than I care to admit.

"I can't lose her again," I whisper.

A popping sound ends the moment. The light scent of lilacs fills the air. I growl turning, I know that scent. That sound means...

"Marathe!"

She smiles standing here in my private study. In front of her she holds a carved, oak box. She steps forward, the long midnight blue dress she wears flowing out behind her. The low cut of it shows off her chest which heaves up and down. Too well I know her wiles.

"Hello Brother," she says.

The fire threatens, I push it down but it's not easy. The dragon wants to roar and destroy the enemy. I have to remain calm, remain in control if I want to get Jennifer back alive.

"Why are you here Marathe?" Remy asks covering and giving me a moment to compose myself.

"Is it so unrealistic I would want to see my family?" she asks. "We were close once Archer."

"Enough of your games Marathe," I say. "What do you want?"

"Want?" she laughs. "As if you care or would acquiesce to my wants! Would you acknowledge our son as your rightful heir? He is your only natural born child and by rights the throne is his."

The edges of my vision turn red. She becomes the center of the world, all my attention focuses on her and I want nothing more than to slap that smile off her face. My nails dig so deeply into my palms that the first trickles of blood start to flow. Her lips move and I know she's saying some fresh lie. I can't hear her words over the roar in my ears. The pounding of my heart in my chest sounds in time with the roar of the fire inside. A growl escapes my lips as I step forward.

A hand on my shoulder stops me. It’s Remy. He shakes his head. Subtle. His strength flows into me from his hand pushing back the red, taking fuel from the fire.

"... this gift," Marathe says.

She steps up to the desk that stands between us then moves back to her position half way across the room. She stands just behind the gun that still sits on the floor. Uncalled for the image is there again, the look in her eyes standing behind Jennifer.

Remy reaches across the desk pulling the box closer to us. It scrapes as he pulls. Some papers fall from their stack but he doesn't lift it to avoid them just moves it through. He handles it gingerly as if uncertain of what might happen. Muttering, he stops it on the edge of the desk.

He opens the box slowly.

"I have to accept that your heart and hers are bound together," Marathe says.

I stare at her, confusion spinning around me. The lid lifts and there it is. A heart lies in the silken interior of the box. A human heart. I look from it to Remy. Remy moves his hand over the heart a purple glow pulsing from his fingers. The moment he closes his eyes I know the answer.

"NO!" I scream.

Remy nods without opening his eyes. "It is ... her DNA."

As I turn back to Marathe everything goes red.