by Naomi Sparks
"I tried to scare them off," I tell her as I watch the man move about in his camp. "See that one over there? With the long, blond hair? He has dragon blood in him. And you know how they can be."
Lysandra's eyes go wide as she looks at the man I point out. Her lips curve up into a smile and she leans forward, her nose practically touching the barrier. "Damn, he is gorgeous." She licks her lips and nods. "I wouldn't mind snuggling up to him at night!"
Anger surges through me, and I have to fight back the urge to smack her. I'm not sure why her words upset me so much. All I know is I want to keep her far away from him and the rest of his friends. "Can you go find Surem? Tell him to come out here."
Lysandra pouts at me for a moment, then nods and runs off back into the compound.
A sigh slips from my lips as I turn my attention back on the group, watching them for... I don't know what I'm looking for. They don't show signs of coming this way, and they don't look like they would try to break through the barrier. They're just out there camping like they're on some kind of vacation. Though who would just camp out in the middle of the desert, I'm not sure.
I hear footsteps approaching from behind. I turn to find Surem frowning. "Did you have to send your sister to fetch me?" he asks, rolling his eyes.
I ignore his slight against my sister. I can't figure out what Surem has against her. That's between the two of them, and I'm not getting in the middle of it. I nod my head in the direction of the camp the guys have set up. "Looks like we have company."
Surem's frown deepens as he walks over to stand next to me, hands on his hips. He studies the group of them, not speaking for a long while. Then, he takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "How long have they been there?" he asks.
"An hour or two, I guess," I say with a shrug. I didn't exactly look at a watch when they pulled up. I figured they'd get zapped by the barrier, then move on, just like everyone else. How was I supposed to know they would want to stick around? "That's not the worst thing. One of them has dragon blood."
"Shit," Surem curses, shaking his head. He takes another deep breath. His gaze doesn't waver away from the group, and I wonder if he can see something I can't. "I'm going out for a closer look to find out what they're up to. Maybe they just picked an unlucky spot to camp, and they'll move on in the morning."
I nod and hope he's right. Because if he's wrong, it could be disastrous. Still, even if they just randomly camped here, it could expose us. Having them out there is like waving a bright, neon sign around announcing the presence of magic here. It could only be a matter of time before someone discovers our enclave only a few feet away.
Surem disappears right before my eyes. Even though I know he's still standing right next to me, I can't see him, can't hear him, can't even smell him. The only way I know that he leaves is because I can feel the barrier ripple around him. My breath catches in my throat as I watch the group, waiting for Surem to return. I know how powerful his invisibility is, but I can't help but worry they might discover him out there. God only knows what powers that dragon has.
Time seems to slow to a crawl. Minutes stretch into hours as I resist the urge to tap my foot like an impatient housewife. I should be out there with him, watching his back, but I know that's a stupid thought. I don't have the same ability to disappear that he does. And even if I did, I know he won't want me out there with him. He'll want me to stay inside, protecting our people. If he gets compromised, at least someone will still be in here to mount a defense. If I go out and we're both compromised, it could be the end of our enclave.
And no matter how impatient I feel, I won't risk that.
When I finally feel the barrier ripple again, I breathe easily again as Surem becomes visible in front of me. He's still frowning and looking over at the group with a nervous expression on his face.
"What happened?" I ask. My heart beats faster, I chew on my bottom lip, my gaze flickering between Surem and the group outside the barrier.
Surem lets out a breath, then shakes his head. "Nothing special. They're all just kind of sitting around talking, and not of anything useful. But I know one thing for sure." He waits until we lock eyes again, and I can see just how serious he is now, how worried he is. "All the men out there are dragons. Full-blooded ones, if I have to guess."
My heart which had been pounding before, now stops dead in my chest as I stare at him, mouth hanging open. All of them are dragons? Not just men with dragon's blood, but actual dragons? That can't be good. "What about the women? Are they dragons too?"
Surem shakes his head. "No, but they have magic in their blood. It doesn't feel particularly strong in them, but something tells me this isn't a coincidence, them all showing up out there. They all wear the same patch - The Fire Riders. Does it ring any bells to you?"
"No," I say, shaking my head. My heart still steadied itself, and my hands ball into fists as I watch them. Are they here for us? Do they know we're right behind this barrier? Could there be more of them coming?
My heart may be stuttering, but my mind is racing. Hundreds of scenarios are playing through my head as I wonder what I should do.
"Do you think they're a threat?" I ask, unable to tear my eyes away from them now. More than ever, I hope the barrier is enough to protect us. It's worked thus far, but I'm not sure how powerful the ones out there are. Do they have some way of bringing down the barrier? Or forcing their way through it?
"I'm not sure," Surem says after a long moment. "They don't seem dangerous, but they're strong. If they stick around, it can lead to problems. For now, just watch them. Let me know if anything changes. I'll send someone to relieve you in a couple of hours."
Before I can say anything, he stalks off back into the camp. I stay rooted to the spot, watching the Fire Riders.
3
Galen
A sigh of frustration slips from my lips, inaudible over the sounds of Bren snoring in the next tent over. It makes me miss the house back in Seattle, where we could shut the door to our room for privacy and a bit of quiet.
Finally, I sit up and throw my sleeping bag open. I need to get away from camp for a little while, get some space. No one seems to notice me slip away, and as I put some distance between myself and the others, Bren's snoring fades away. I let out another sigh, this one filled with relief, and I stare up at the dark sky, wondering what we should do.
Should we stick around here? That woman doesn't want us here, judging by her little stunt yesterday. Is she alone in there, or have we found the Fae enclave?
At the thought of the woman, my gaze drifts over to the vast openness where the barrier is. Without thinking about it, my legs move, bringing me in that direction until I'm standing right in front of the spot where she'd disappeared earlier.
She isn't just some random woman; I think to myself. She's my mate, the woman I'm destined to be with for life. She's so damn close, and yet so far away at the same time. I'm sure she's still standing there, watching me, but other than a deep yearning sensation, I can't be sure. It might just be empty air I'm staring at, but I doubt it.
"I don't know if you're there or not, and even if you are, I'm not sure if you can hear me...." I start before taking a deep breath. "You have every right to fear us. I know you can tell what I am. What we are. But I promise we are not here to hurt you. We split from the Clutch and Amasis a long time ago. We have no love for them, and we don't want to see you or your people harmed."
There's no response, and for all I know, I am just talking to nothing. But now that I've started, I just can't stop.
I tell her the story about Siobhan and Lex, about how he was injured trying to protect her from the Clutch, about my wound that nearly took my life as we fled. I tell her about Hannah and Kyra and Faith, about how they have magic blood and Amasis seeks them too. I don't know why I'm telling her all of this, but I feel compelled. It's like I can't stand the thought of my mate thinking I'm here to harm her.
When the barrier starts to shimmer in front of me, I tak
e a step back. My entire body tenses and prepares for an attack that doesn't come. Instead, the woman from earlier appears before me. Her arms are crossed in front of her chest, and she's glaring.
"Show me the scar," she says, her voice even and flat. She looks at me with those stunning green eyes, hard as emeralds, letting me know she doesn't believe me. But she came out and gave me a chance to prove we're not a threat to her.
I don't even hesitate. I turn and lift my shirt, revealing the long, pale scar that goes down almost the entire length of my back. Even with my dragon's healing power, that's the best I could recover from that night. It doesn't hurt anymore, but it's a constant reminder of just how strong Amasis is, of just what we risk by going up against him.
"That must've hurt," she says. When I put my shirt down and turn to face her again, her expression has softened. "I'm sorry that happened to you."
I shrug my body heating. "It was a long time ago," I say.
She nods, then starts chewing on her bottom lip. "Will you... Can I see your dragon form?" she asks next. This time her voice is tender and soft, sounding more like curiosity rather than a demand.
I take a deep breath and nod. If that's what she wants, then that's what I'll give her. I want her to trust me, to trust us, and if all it takes is showing her my scars and shifting, then that's what I'll do.
Without hesitation, I remove my clothes, glad I hadn't left a lot on when I'd gone to sleep. That woman's green eyes don't leave my body, and I can't help but smirk. I've worked hard to keep my body in shape, and I can't deny that I enjoy seeing how women react when they see it.
She doesn't comment, and once naked, I call for my dragon. He answers almost immediately, and fire rushes through my body as it changes. In an instant, I'm standing before her, fully shifted. I stretch out, feeling my muscles loosen like they've been wound tight for too long. I have to hold my dragon back, to keep him from letting out a roar.
It's like my entire body itches with need. I want to take flight, to let myself be free after so long. But I know if I do that, I'll wake the others and they'll think we're under attack. Besides, the people inside the enclave can probably see through their barrier easily, and if they look out into the night's sky and see a dragon circling overhead, I doubt they'll be too calm.
The woman stands there, mouth hanging open as I watch her. When she takes a couple of steps forward, I hold my breath and wait, wondering what she'll do. It's hard to predict how people will react once they see us in our dragon forms. Some people are amazed, others are scared, a few will even try to attack us.
She just walks around me, and I can feel her gaze running over every inch of my body. My dragon puffs up, standing tall and proud, enjoying her attention. Not that I mind it either, but he could be a little less obvious about just how much he likes her eyes on him.
Once she's standing in front of me again, smiling now, I shift back to human. She averts her eyes again at my naked body, but she looks no less amazed and stunned, even as I quickly slip my clothes back on. "Wow," she says at last.
"Never seen a dragon before?" I ask.
She shakes her head, her eyes downcast. "My grandmother was a dragon, but she died before I was born. A few of us have dragon's blood in our veins, but not enough to actually shift. And we've all been lucky to avoid enslavement by Amasis and his Clutch. You're the first fully blooded dragon I've ever seen."
"Are there a lot of you here?" I ask, more curious about the others here. Bren's source hadn't had too many details, just a rough location for them. I wonder just how many of the Fae have escaped Amasis and have been hiding out away from him.
"There are a good number of us," she admits. "Surem founded this place many years ago before I was even born. It was meant to be a safe haven, a place for Fae to hide from Amasis and live in peace."
I nod, finding myself drawn to her more and more as she speaks. I want to pull her into my arms, to promise I'll protect her from Amasis, and anyone else who dares threaten her. But I know that's just a silly thought. She seems strong and accomplished and probably doesn't need me to protect her. But still, I want to.
As she tells me about the enclave and I tell her about the Fire Riders, I'm more convinced she's meant to be my mate. There's not a single doubt in my mind. There's no mating lust, not like the others had described, but I figure that's because she's not human like the other girls. My parents had never mentioned any kind of mating lust, nor had I heard anything about it until recently, so I figure it must be something dragons experience only when their mate is someone with light magic power.
Katia, is not a human with some magic blood. I can feel the power radiating from her as we sit on the ground and talk. She's strong, maybe even as strong as we are. I wonder if she's the one who set up the barrier around the enclave, but I avoid asking. I don't want her to think I'm too interested in their defenses. She may think I'm just trying to find its weak points. It's not a bad strategy to flirt with someone to gain information.
When there's a lull in the conversation, Katia looks at me, and we lock gazes. "You guys should leave soon before you attract others to the area. We can't have people finding us."
"We can't leave," I say, shaking my head. When she looks at me with a raised eyebrow, I let out a sigh and tell her about Hannah and her struggle with her pregnancy with a dragon's child. I tell her what we have learned about Fae blood being able to stabilize the pregnant human. I omit to tell her where that information came from.
I can see the pain in her eyes when I tell her about Hannah. Her hands ball into fists as she stares in the direction of our camp. Something has happened to her, but I don't want to press her. I barely know her, and judging by that look, whatever happened is deeply personal, not something you talk about with a man you just met.
Finally, just as the sun is peeking over the horizon, she nods. "I will talk to Surem." She looks over at the rising sun and stands. "I need to get going. Another guard will be here to replace me soon. I will be in touch."
Without another word, she stands and walks away, stepping through the barrier and disappears from sight.
I let out a sigh and lean back on my hands, shaking my head as I stare at the place where she vanished. Then I push up off the ground, dust myself off, and head back to the camp. I hope Katia can help us. And already, I can't wait to see her again.
4
Katia
My shoulders slump the moment I walk back through the barrier. More than anything, I want to crawl back to my bed and sleep for another week or so. Being up all night, sitting there talking with Galen outside the barrier, seems to have zapped my energy. But as much as I want to go get some sleep, I know I need to go talk to Surem, tell him everything I've learned.
When I knock on his door, a gruff voice calls from inside, telling me to enter. He's still dressing, pulling on his shirt as I walk inside. He smiles when he sees me, then walks over to kiss me on the cheek. My face heats up and I want to pull away, but I don't dare. I know how rude that'll seem to him. And whether I like it or not, he's the man I'm supposed to marry, for the good of the Enclave.
"How was your night? Did anything of importance happen?" Surem asks as he finishes getting ready. I can see how tense he is, in the way he stands, the way his brow is knit together. He's worried about them, worried about what they might mean for his people. Because these are his people. He's the one who put his life on the line to protect them, to establish this enclave and keep everyone safe from Amasis.
When I tell him about going outside the barrier to speak with Galen, he frowns. I can tell he wants to scold me for it, but at least he has the tact not to. He may be the one in charge of the enclave, but I'm not a small child, to follow his every whim. These are my people, too. "They mean us no harm," I tell him, sure of the words.
I shouldn't be so sure of that, but I am. Galen gave me no reason to believe he's lying. Even though I've not known him very long, and even now don't know him all that well, but still, I trust him.
I tell him everything Galen told me. About them facing off against Amasis, about Lex's Fae lover who was killed by Amasis. I tell him about the three human women with magical bloodlines. I know some of that information is probably not something they want shared, but Surem needs to hear it. He needs to know they're not a danger to us.
But he just shakes his head. He hasn't stopped frowning, I realize, and that worries me. Does he not believe everything I told him? Granted, I have no way of proving that everything Galen told me is the truth, but I know deep down it all is. Galen has every reason to lie to me, but I still don't think he would. I can't tell you why I believe that either, which probably isn't helping my case.
"It doesn't matter," Surem says at last. His voice is hard, and yet, not completely uncaring. It's clear he's decided. "They cannot stay here. Every moment they're camped out there is another chance Amesis may discover us. They have twenty-four hours to leave. If they're still there come tomorrow morning, we will have to force them out."
A lump forms in my throat, my heart pounding faster and faster. I don't like his ultimatum or threat behind it. I have seen Galen's true form with my own eyes. I know how powerful and strong he is, maybe even stronger than any stories I've heard. If all of the men out there really are dragons, we may not be able to fight against them.
Sure, some of us are strong, myself and Surem included. But our primary defense is the barrier keeping people away from us. If they find a way to breach the barrier, then I'm not sure we can stand against them. Going up against Galen and his friends might very well be the end of the enclave as we know it.
