by A. Bulthuis
“Well did you ever think I was just plain smarter than you my dear brother. Despite your best efforts you were always so predictable and easy to read.”
Crete grunted and waved his hand in disbelief. “Whatever you say sis.”
“Look I know you both are just about to explode with questions over where I went and what happened while I was gone. But to be honest I’m still absorbing the information I was told and request that you both respect the time I need to work through it. I will eventually tell you, but not right now.” Tori stood up and gently caressed both of their cheeks on her way to the sink. After rinsing out her cup and putting it to the side to dry. She turned around and leaned against the counter.
“We can do that my love. But know that you can’t put it off forever.” Rharonis’s eyes blazed as he stared her down till she nods in acceptance. They eventually lighten up as she walks back into the living room and slips onto his lap. Gingerly she raises her fingers to his nose. The tips of her fingers brush along the fading bruises under his eyes and the bridge just barely marring the strong line of his nose. As immortal beings they heal quicker than humans but not as fast as the fae.
“I’m sorry for this. I was in the wrong for lashing out at you like I did. Do you want to call for a healer to come here so no one but us sees you like this? I don’t want to be the cause of lowering your reputation even more.”
“Stop my love.” Roni placed a finger to her lips to silence her apologetic rambling. “I don’t care about anyone but you. The people will accept me as is. They have no choice really. Besides all that I deserved your punishment. I was a complete ass. You are my mate and my better half.” Moving his finger away from her lips he replaced it with his own lips, gently brushing them over hers. Pulling his head back he did whisper so that only she could hear. “Although next time perhaps a little less blood would be nice.” He smiled teasingly with a glint of laughter in his eyes.
Tori rolled hers and whispered back against his lips. “I make no promises my King.” She licked the tip of her tongue along his bottom lip before pulling back. A slow rumble from deep in his chest made her blush just as the sound of a throat clearing made her blush deepen to a darker tint. Rharonis chuckled underneath her at her obvious discomfort. They pulled apart and looked up sheepishly at Crete.
“Are you two done acting like two horny teenagers yet? We still have the matter of our prisoner to question. I believe since my sister has proven that she can take care of herself we can include her in our trip.” Crete glanced at his sister then over to her mate. “You mean there had been discussion of me not going?” The bite in her words had the two men cringing.
Roni opened his mouth to protest, but Crete shook his head once and Rharonis deflated and gave a return nod. He said to himself that he would no longer hide her away or mislead her and he meant it. He had a lot that he needed to prove to her. He may rule the entire shifter world, but she was the one person he never wanted to let down.
“Well thanks guys for that vote of confidence.” Sarcasm dripped from her voice as she stared them down. She didn’t stay mad at them for long though. Her moment of embarrassment from earlier faded away instead as the excitement of finally getting her revenge took over. She was practically trembling in anticipation now.
“Ma cher do you think you could stop squirming on my lap. If you don’t it might be tomorrow before we leave this house.” Rharonis wiggled his brows at her teasingly making her laugh and swat at his shoulder to try and cover her pinked cheeks. He found it absolutely adorable that she so easily blushed at anything remotely sexual. Far too innocent for her own good sometimes. Roni picked her up off his lap and set her on the arm of the chair beside him. Looking up he gave her a tender smile at the questioning glance she gave him. “Do you want to freshen up before we leave?”
“I wouldn’t mind freshening up just for a moment. I won’t be dressing up or anything. Blood is a bitch to get out of most fabrics.” Leaning over she kissed his cheek before heading to the bathroom.
Chapter 23
“I have to say my Lord you certainly have your hands full with that one. Even I can’t keep up with her swiveling moods and I’ve lived with her for her entire life. I don’t envy you.”
Rharonis chuckled loudly and merely just shook his head before Autora came back into the room.
“We should get going gentleman. We’ve kept our guest waiting long enough don’t you think?”
“Ma cher your sense of humor frightens me some times do you know that?” Roni kissed her brow as he wrapped an arm around her waist. “But you are right, our guest has enjoyed the accommodations of the crown for long enough. Shall it be flight or do you want your fae friend to get you there my dear?” Rharonis asked Tori as they exited out the front door. After a moment of silence a brilliant gleam took over her eyes. “Let’s fly!” Tori jumped at the thought of being able to stretch her wings again, but this time alongside two strong warriors.
“As you wish it, so shall it be done my future Queen. Spread out and let it flow across you and fill you with the fire of your dragon. She will be pleased to be let out to play.” He playfully winked at her before erupting in a swift fire leaving a magnificent golden dragon in his place. He bellowed in greeting as Crete’s silver dragon joined him crooning out his own welcome. Autora stood in awe still in her human form between the two mighty beasts. Two giant heads swivel towards her with shimmering eyes blinking in wait.
“Oh your waiting on me aren’t you. Sorry guys you’re just so beautiful.” Two huge snorts had her smiling. “Fine, fine, extremely handsome. I was kind of in awe for a moment.” The dragon that was Crete rolled his eyes at her. “Okay I get it, hurry up.” Tori pulled in a deep breath and waited for the slow burn of change she was told would happen. When it didn’t immediately take over she huffed and closed her eyes and concentrated. This time a couple of minutes went by before she peeked open an eye and looked around.
Growling in frustration she flopped to the ground and looked up to both dragons and shrugged her shoulders in defeat. “Guys I don’t understand it. There’s nothing happening. Not even a tingle. Seriously what am I doing wrong guys?” The smooth scales of Roni’s snout brushed against her arm making her turn to him. “It might be a bit easier to figure this out if you could talk to me ya know.” Instead of answering her and changing back he nudged her again almost causing her to tip over.
“Will you cut it out? This is serious. I can’t change and need your help. Stop acting like an ass.” Tori’s temper started rising when all she got was amused stares looking back at her. “Is this just some ploy to not take me with you? You are both infuriating. I was actually starting to believe you cared!” Autora’s temper flared red hot encompassing her in light. It surprised her making her scream which ended in a roar as instead of a woman there now stood a gorgeous silver dragon with pink tipped scales. The new dragon stomped her foot in annoyance at the two males that rumbled in laughter. She gave each of them a death glare before stretching out her wings and swinging them above her back. She dropped them and gave herself enough of an updraft to float a few feet above the ground. She snorted at the two and started rising higher wanting to see if they would follow her or try to control her as if she was a hatchling. When neither one stopped her, but instead hovered beside her she grinned toothily and swung around to the direction of the dungeons.
With Rharonis in lead the three soared swiftly above the clouds towards the mountain range that hosted the dungeons for the dragon’s most dangerous criminals. The humans had their own facilities of imprisonment, but this one was specially built using both fae and dragon magic. There hadn’t been a single escapee since it was created and only the immortals could reach it seeing as its entrance was built into the side of the Himalayas.
In the distance they could see the mountain ranges inching closer. If one could see into their eyes at that moment they would see fires blazing and popping just waiting to be released.
As the entrance came
into view they descended and landed with a large thud on the rocks. Dragons when they want are agile and can land virtually silent, but in this case they wanted their prisoner to know that someone was coming for him. Intimidation at its finest. Both Autora and Crete waited for a signal from Rharonis before they changed back. They all shared a look when the guard that stood sentinel over the prison did not greet them when they landed.
Concern flared between them making the air increasingly tense as if a storm was coming. Rharonis slid in front of Autora and with a look told her to stay behind him. This one time Tori knew she shouldn’t interfere with his over protectiveness. She rested the palm of her hand against the small of his back reassuring him. As one they moved towards the darkened entrance. Rharonis debated on calling out to grab the sentinel’s attention. Under normal circumstances they may have just stepped away to relieve themselves, but this wasn’t normal by any means.
Pausing just inside the entrance both males growl angrily. Where a fae barrier should have swept over their bodies; they were met instead with nothing but inky darkness. The barrier was gone. Things just got far more interesting and not in a good way. It was one thing to let Tori come along when it was just questioning a prisoner. Now they had a dilemma of Tori’s safety and figuring out what the hell was going on.
“Guys I know what you’re thinking and if you can’t trust in me to help you through something like this then just forget me ever trusting you to keep your word. We do this together. Understand?” Tori wrapped her hands around their arms and tugged them forward. Both guys stumbled for a second before reacting and stepping in front of her, but not stopping her from entering. Crete grabbed a torch from the wall to the right that had a small flame still glowing. He coaxed it to a brighter light and swung it around to show their surroundings. Silence pressed in on them as the arc of light showed empty corridors leading away from them both left and right. In front of them was a closed door. Innocent by design, the smallest smear of blood on the door handle hid a sinister secret. Roni stepped forward blocking Tori’s view before pushing open the jarred door.
A soft thump sounded like a bang in the silence. Three sets of eyes swiveled downward at the pool of blood lapping at their feet. Following its trail back to a body that was almost unrecognizable. Roni inched forward, carefully stepping over the blood, bringing the torch closer to inspect the gruesome sight. Blood made graphic designs up the walls and organs and intestines completed the masterpiece across the floor.
Tori couldn’t help the shiver of disgust as it rolled down her back. “Wou…Would this be our missing guard?”
“Yes ma cher, this unfortunate creature was the guard. This keeps getting better and better.” Roni said a small prayer over the lost soul’s body before lighting it on fire with the torch and moving the three of them back out of the room. “This doesn’t bode well that our prisoner will still even be here. And by the look of things in there we are dealing with more than just one person. There is at least a fae involved as well as a shifter. Who it was though is hard to determine. I have a few ideas though. This may be futile, but let’s see if we still have someone to question.”
The other two agreed and followed him down the left hand hallway. The silence felt like it was pressing in on them almost taking away their breath when a strong gust of wind blew them into each other. Up ahead light streamed into the corridor. After recovering from the strong blast of cold air they ran till they reached a gigantic hole in the side of the mountain. There had been only one cell on this side. Well there used to be one. What met them was only a gaping blast site. If Rharonis hadn’t held Autora back with his arm she would have slipped one foot over the edge. It was a sudden ending to the hall that almost sent them sprawling down the mountainside. A shocked sprout of curses came from all three of them.
“You’ve got to be shitting me! Someone is going to pay for eradicating my source of revenge. If this is the work of that toad Palturn then next time I won’t just leave him knocked out.” Autora’s hands were balled into fists as she ranted.
“Sis I don’t think Palturn cared enough about this scumbag to do this. Seeing as how you already knew his plans it makes more sense that he would go after you. I still don’t think that he’s finished with you yet. Do you agree with me my Lord? This has to be the work of someone else.” Rharonis nodded absently. He heard their conversation as if it was background noise.
Roni took in the sensory details that his companions were too enraged to take notice of. Only someone of royal blood could enter this prison and only one type of power would allow this kind of destruction without it showing on the outside. It all started to click into place and he didn’t like the puzzle pieces nor what they showed. Cursing to himself he tuned back into his betrothed and her brother. They had continued to debate back and forth after they got a nonresponse from him. Piercing the air with a whistle the two of them jumped and looked at him.
“Did you find something?” Both Tori and Crete’s voice echoed together.
“Yes I did, but I don’t have anything good to report. What we thought was just one corrupt bastard just took a turn for the worst. This shit storm goes much higher.”
“What are you trying to get at? Just spit it out already!” Autora’s eyes widen as the dire situation fell into place for her too. Roni saw her realization and nodded grimly.
“My brothers, Crete, my brothers are behind this. Which means your parents are dining with serpents in their midst.”
Chapter 24
~In Minsk, Russia~
“I just spoke with our son. Thank the gods they found her. I swear I’ll wring that bastard’s neck myself. Why now is all of this crap happening to our little girl? She doesn’t deserve this nightmare. Why did we ever agree to let her leave and go to America? We should have insisted more. Hell I wouldn’t have been past begging if I would have known that she would suffer as she has. She would never had her heart broken. Don’t get me wrong I’m glad that one boy ran away, but I wish it wouldn’t have had such an effect on her. Gah, it’s just so damn frustrating being here and not being with our kids.” Crete and Tori’s father paced angrily in front of his wife and clan leader. Their mother sat back and twisted her hands nervously in her lap letting tears of sadness drip down her cheeks for all her babies trials and for the joy of knowing her son had their daughter safely back with him.
The clearing of a throat brought the three of them to attention. Standing in the doorway was the late king’s eldest son. Mattison. Where Rharonis was the golden boy, his eldest brother was his exact opposite. Deep black hair almost blue in color tipped past his ears and such pale skin as if he never saw a ray of sun. His eyes absorbing all the light around him like a black hole. A person couldn’t help but shiver under that gaze.
“Pardon me, but I couldn’t help but listen in to your troubles. Especially since it concerns my baby brother. You also spoke of a woman? Your daughter you said? I was unaware you had a daughter. The genealogical scrolls only list your son. Please tell me of whom you speak.” Tori’s father bristled under his question while Mattison just smirked knowing this low dragon couldn’t deny a royal.
“Autora is our adopted daughter that we raised from birth. She was abandoned and we took on the responsibility. For all purposes she is ours.”
“Ah so this was the little girl that had my baby brother all stressed out growing up. I heard so many things about her as a child. You say they found her. I will be mighty interested to meet her now. They are coming here right?” His eagerness stumped them before they heard his question.
“Actually, she’s not mi ’Lord. I believe they are going to allow her to recuperate before coming home.” The siblings’ father sat down beside his wife and shrugged his shoulders watching the other dragon closely.
Speaking up in the awkward silence the clan leader tried easing the growing tension. “Perhaps it’s a good thing they keep her hidden. The shifter world is a buzz with what is going on. That young lady will be bombarded when s
he surfaces. Let them have a moment’s peace my Lord.”
“Of course. I didn’t mean to imply anything. Just mere curiosity. It will be a pleasure to greet her in welcome once they return. I had heard rumor of my brother’s affection to her. I would love to make the acquaintance of my future sister in law.”
“Nothing has been settled between them that I know of my Lord.” Tori’s father couldn’t help but sneer at his assumption. It was after all his little girl they were talking about.
“But of course your right. My assumption. Please go back to your conversation and I’ll take my leave of you. I would appreciate updates on the situation if you would be so kind. Please of course pass along my support to my little brother. He is certainly going to need it.” Pivoting on his heel he walked back out of the room.
The other three looked back and forth at each other in confusion. Shaking their heads they went on to make plans for their children’s home coming.
Outside Mattison stood and chuckled darkly to himself before placing a phone call.
“You idiot almost ruined my plan. Be grateful my brother doesn’t give up so easily.” He paused listening to the other end. “You did fucking what?! Now I have more of your mess to clean up. Consider yourself lucky I don’t come find you myself. Beaten by a little girl. Pathetic. I’ll clean up after you this once but no more. I have more important shit to accomplish.” He hung up and growled. Sending out a mental call a figure popped in next to him.
“You summoned me your highness?”
