A Song of Destiny (Great Plains Dragon Feud Book 2)

by Emilia Hartley

  Despite how they’d met, Cash couldn’t help but like her. Maybe she had lied about the letters, but that didn’t change the person he’d been getting to know. She’d come here to him, too. Even after he’d accused her of lying constantly.

  Damn, he was a horrible person. Cash didn’t know a damn thing about maintaining a relationship with anyone. Gale stuck around because he knew that Cash’s beast was a liability. Cash didn’t visit his mother as much as she would have liked. He definitely didn’t keep in touch with his other cousins.

  Cash kept himself, and his hazardous beast, away from people. Even now, when he looked to Ember and saw just how close to breaking she might be, his beast thrashed violently. It wanted to break free. The beast promised it could care for her better. It promised it could make everything better.

  He highly doubted that, but his bones still ached from the effort of keeping himself contained. Until Ember searched the room and her eyes fell upon him. A smile climbed over her uneasy mouth. He wanted to kiss it again. Every little taste of her drove him wild. He told himself just a little more each time.

  No time would ever be enough, though. He could bury himself deep inside that woman, and it still wouldn’t be enough. He craved her company. He enjoyed the weight of her feet in his lap when he took up his seat again. It took everything he had to keep from dragging her into his lap and wrapping his arms around her to see if that might settle the beast inside him.

  Later, he would have to go out and shift. The beast had too much energy. Nothing would help him shake it off without letting the beast out.

  Would the beast hunt down Callum Barnes and challenge him for the right to court Ember? He had no way of knowing what the beast would do. Letting it out was dangerous. He’d gotten lucky the last time he’d let the beast drive. It’d found Ember.

  Cash didn’t know if he would be that lucky a second time.

  Shifting hadn’t been this much of a problem until Gale stirred up the families. Now, Cash’s beast was constantly ready for a fight. If Cash wasn’t playing music or writing it or listening to it, then his beast was at the forefront. It begged for a fight, for an end to this all, as if he alone had the power to stop a feud.

  He’d seen firsthand that not even love could stop this fight.

  He let his head fall back against the couch. The house shuddered around them. Logan cursed and flung his controller to the ground. Baylee’s eyes went wide. But it was Ember who surprised him. She leapt to her feet and ran for the door.

  Cash followed, hot on her heels. A dragon descended from the sky, looking far too similar to the dragon that had shown up earlier. They even shared the same red markings down their backs.

  Callum Barnes had found out where his daughter was hiding. Ember crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. She lifted her chin and looked up at him even as the wind from his wings ruthlessly tugged at her hair and clothing.

  Cash reached out for her and hesitated. His presence would have to be enough support. If Callum saw him touch Ember and lost it, then the house might get set on fire again.

  Though, the rain would definitely help this time.

  Callum touched down, sinking into the wet earth, and lowered his head. Smoke billowed from his nose, nearly obscuring the glow of the fire within him. Cash’s beast noticed the subtle threat and thrashed in an effort to get out. Callum’s presence was a slap in the face. He couldn’t take Ember from Cash.

  “Oh, so now you want to have a part in my life?” Ember jumped down from the steps. Her voice rose, a sharp edge to it. “You never took an interest in what I want until I want a Montoya man? Is that how this is going to go? Because if you think you’re going to stop me, then you’re wrong. There isn’t a damn thing you can do to change my mind, and you better learn to live with that.”

  Callum growled and narrowed his eyes at his daughter.

  “No. You don’t get to act like my father when it feeds into your twisted view of the world.”

  Baylee touched Ember’s shoulder. Cash wished he could offer the same support. He wanted to stand between Ember and her father, but he knew that would start a fight that no one was ready for. He forced himself to stay rooted where he was.

  For Ember.

  His beast gnashed its teeth and made his skull rattle. He clenched his jaw, trying to ground himself. The beast continued its tantrum. Rage and a taste for destruction seared his veins. This man had no right to steal Ember away from what she wanted. She’d been content before Callum arrived.

  Callum stepped forward. Everyone tensed. Cash’s growl filled the silence and drew Callum’s attention. Suspicion filled Callum’s eyes. Cash tried to rock back on his heels and hide the anger nearly pouring out of him, but he wasn’t sure he could pull it off.

  What was so wrong with Callum knowing that Cash would protect Ember? It wasn’t like Cash loved her. He wanted to protect his friend. He shouldn’t even have to. This was her father, yet the man acted like a jail warden.

  “Dad,” Ember croaked when Callum refused to leave.

  A thunderous rumble emanated from Callum’s throat. He looked her up and down. A spark drifted from his muzzle and ignited the hem of her shirt—Cash’s shirt. Ember yelped and slapped at the burning fabric. Her defiance died. Cash watched it happen, her features crumpling, tears gathering in her eyes.

  Cash’s control would cost him later. The beast would make him hurt, but he was proud of himself for now. His gait was steady as he approached Ember, even though his beast rioted just beneath his skin. He cupped the back of her head and gently kissed her forehead, all while Callum’s growl grew louder and louder.

  “Go home,” Cash whispered to her. “Everything will be fine.”

  He heard her swallow. She looked up at him, her eyes too wide. He hated how this hurt her. No one had the right to cause Ember pain like this. Cash would make them pay for her tears. He would bury them.

  Sucking in a breath, Cash pulled his beast back. Its wrath had slipped into his mind for a moment. If he didn’t keep the beast under lock and key, then he would start something he wasn’t sure he could finish.

  The clan would have his back, sure. This was Ember’s father, though. Callum Barnes was an asshole, but Cash didn’t want to kill the man. Three against one—because Cash didn’t think Baylee would fight her own flesh and blood—wasn’t a fair fight. Besides, Cash suspected Ember might not want to see him go up against her father.

  No matter the mixed feelings between father and daughter, he was still her father. Cash knew he meant something to Ember. Any conflict born from this meeting would tear her in two, and Cash wasn’t going to be the reason that happened. He stole a sidelong glance at Callum and silently asked if Callum would behave as well.

  “I don’t want to go home,” Ember spat out. “I want to be in charge of my own damn life. I don’t want to have to run from everything I want.”

  Callum inched forward. Cash served him with a sharp look. Callum’s thunderous growl turned into a dull roar.

  The tension in the air pressed against Cash’s skin. It was smothering, choking off all air. Still, he kept his cool. He kept the beast locked away. His breath trembled when he released it.

  “I just want to be happy,” Ember whispered.

  Cash was sure only he had caught what she’d said. He turned to her, his heart breaking. Their families would constantly clash until this feud finally broke. No one knew when that would happen. They could hardly tell what the next day would hold.

  Cash regretted everything he’d said to her earlier. He wished he could take it all back and give her those few moments of happiness to take with her right now. Instead, Ember would have to leave empty-hearted. Cash’s beast snarled.

  Ember put a hand on Cash’s chest and looked him in the eye. The quiver of her lower lip, despite the brave look on her face, damn near tore Cash’s beast out of him. He covered her hand with his own.

  “Good night,” she said. “And don’t worry. I’m going to give my dad hell in t
he morning.”

  Cash tried to laugh, to lighten the moment. It was difficult with Callum’s hot breath wafting over him. The dragon had sidled up to them and was nearly towering over Cash.

  Ember wiped away tears that must have finally fallen. “Stuff it, you old clump of sulfurous shit. I’m going home. Are you happy now?”

  Logan held Cash’s shoulder while they watched Ember take off with her father. She left the clothes Cash had given her behind with him. He clutched the fabric, glad that Logan had ahold of him, or he might have flown after Ember. Her scent danced in the air around him, but it faded far too fast in the rain.

  10

  Ember sat at the kitchen table, her arms crossed over one of Jensen’s t-shirts. Her father had taken her back to Marjorie’s house. There, Marjorie had tried to offer Ember some of Baylee’s old clothing. When Ember proved Baylee’s top wouldn’t fit by getting it stuck around her shoulders, Jensen had come to the rescue.

  It wasn’t Cash’s shirt, though. She sorely missed the soft outfit he’d lent her and how it had smelled of Cash and clean laundry. Her father’s surprise visit had been completely unexpected. Everyone at the third clan’s home had felt the potential for disaster in the air. Ember suspected they had narrowly avoided a dangerous fight because Callum paced in front of her now.

  He ranted, asking her what she thought she was doing and telling her that she was smarter than Baylee.

  Behind him, Marjorie reached for the knife block. Jensen snatched his mother’s wrist and forced her to put the knife back. Marjorie reluctantly released the knife.

  “You’re treading on thin ice,” Callum declared.

  Ember rolled her eyes. She’d had everything she could have wanted until Callum had shown up. The divide between her and Cash had been shrinking. She’d been close to getting what she wanted. Then, her father had to ruin it.

  Just like he ruined everything. Usually, it was his lack of presence that broke her heart. Just once, he made an effort to be a part of her life and it had stolen the only thing she wanted from her.

  “Are you mocking me?” Callum asked, his voice rising. Dust rained from the ceiling fan above him, like ash falling after an inferno. “I am your father. You will listen when I talk to you.”

  Ember stood. “First of all, I am an adult. Second of all, that is no thanks to you. Where were you when I had to feed Teagan every night because you gave in to your dragon? Were you the one who had to peel her hot dogs because it was the only thing you knew how to make, even though she refused to eat the skin until she was fifteen? No? Then I don’t have to listen to you.”

  The room fell silent. Jensen picked his jaw up off the floor. Marjorie reached for the knife again. The flurry of movement as Jensen quickly plucked the knife from her hand and hid it on top of the cabinets nearly made Ember laugh.

  Between her and the spectacle on the other side of the room stood a very pissed off Callum. His eyes burned red. She’d never known another dragon to have that kind of furious light inside them. That light ended most fights before they even began. His enemies got a glimpse of the demon inside the man and decided they valued their lives.

  Ember wasn’t going to back down from this fight, though. He’d passed that spark down to her. Just because she didn’t have his fire didn’t mean she couldn’t hold her own against him.

  “Marjorie,” Callum said without breaking eye contact with his daughter. “You’re going to find Ember a nice husband. Get the marriage contract drawn up and make her sign it.”

  This time, Ember’s jaw hit the ground. She barely had it off the floor before Callum stormed out.

  She was used to going head to head with her father, but he’d never gone this far before. To be fair, neither had she. Ember tried not to bring up just how much she had done to keep their family together as a child. Callum must not have liked having that spat in his face.

  “What am I going to do?” Ember whispered. She collapsed back into her chair.

  “Jensen, get my knife off the damn cupboard and put it back into the butcher block.” Marjorie rubbed her hands together and took the chair opposite Ember. “We’re going to make this work to our advantage.”

  “But how? I can’t…This isn’t…He won’t…” Ember fumbled.

  She wanted to slide off her chair and curl up under the table, so the weight of the world couldn’t press down on her anymore. It made her want to scream and rip out her hair. It made her want to shift and crash land in the middle of her father’s house just to teach him a lesson.

  She wasn’t Baylee, though. Ember didn’t have the ability to carry out careless destruction, even if her father had pissed her off. He thought he was doing what was best for her, as misguided as he was.

  He cared. He really did.

  But no matter how Ember tried to convince herself of it, she couldn’t quite believe it.

  She wanted to go back to Cash’s, back to his couch and the never-ending stack of cheeseburgers that had made the living room smell like a fast-food joint. She missed his hand on her feet and the casual intimacy of it all.

  “Jensen, call your sister. We’re going to need her help.”

  Ember blinked, confused.

  Jensen seemed just as lost. “Why me? I don’t even know what’s going on.”

  Marjorie sighed, clearly exasperated. “If you would have let me stab Callum, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation. But no, you took my knife.”

  “Mom! Do you really think stabbing him would have changed anything?”

  “No, but I would feel better right now. He isn’t his brother, but the man is almost as stupid as my late husband. I hope he finds someone who makes him realize just how much of an ass he’s been the past decade of our lives.” Marjorie snatched the phone from her son’s hands and clutched it between her ear and shoulder while it rang.

  Cash stared at the guitar case Ember had left behind. He slowly unzipped it, feeling a bit like an intruder. A cheap acoustic guitar sat inside. It was a little banged up, and some of the strings looked about one pluck away from snapping. He scowled at it.

  Upon pulling it out and strumming a chord, his scowl deepened. The tune was all off. He gripped a string and twisted, feigning surprise when it snapped.

  “Oh no,” he said dryly. “Looks like she needs a whole new guitar.”

  Logan chuckled. That wasn’t how guitars worked, but no one in the vicinity was going to question Cash right now. Whatever kept him from going on a man-hunt and ruining his life. Fire crackled in the back of Cash’s throat, snapping and snarling like a living creature caged behind his clenched teeth.

  Callum had no right to land on their doorstep. Ember was her own person, capable of living her own life. No one should be able to tell her what to do. Yet, one look from Callum, and she’d folded under the pressure. Cash didn’t blame her. He wasn’t mad.

  Not at her.

  He was mad at the traditions their families had upheld and how those traditions were crushing this generation. Cash looked to Gale. Their eyes met, Gale’s lighting up with the power of his beast. Not because they were going on a hunt, but because Gale knew what it was like to be in Cash’s shoes.

  Cash swallowed the information and told himself he would sort it out later. He didn’t have the time to deal with emotions. The fire in him would incinerate them before he had a chance to figure them out.

  “You,” Cash said upon pointing to Baylee. “I know where Ember lives, but I don’t know her address. I need the information to order her a new guitar.”

  Baylee’s brow furrowed. “Okay, but she never plays that thing. I don’t think what she needs right now is an instrument.”

  Of course, Baylee didn’t understand. Cash suspected that Baylee was a fan of grand gestures, like how Gale had rescued her from her confinement after something similar had happened to her. Cash couldn’t go to Ember’s rescue. He couldn’t run after her without fear of losing control of his beast.

  If that happened…then he wouldn’t de
serve the love he went running after. He would do things that would live inside him like bricks. The risk was too great when the rest of his life was right in front of him.

  Cash had to staunch the flow of emotions turning into a firestorm in his throat. He needed to breathe. The neck of the guitar in his hand groaned uncomfortably, but he didn’t let up. He was tired of holding back, tired of the fear and shame that came with it. Always worrying that he would become the person he hated most.

  Storming out the back door, he raised the guitar and smashed it against the nearest tree. Splinters of polished wood flew in every direction, but the destruction did nothing to ease his fear. If he wanted to escape the memories trying to reach the surface of his thoughts, he would have to run. He would have to keep going until he no longer had energy enough to even stand.

  His phone pinged. Baylee had sent Ember’s address to him. Cash definitely had to get Ember a new guitar now that he’d smashed the one she’d left here. He retreated to the back-porch steps and dropped down while the light of his phone screen helped him escape the memories gurgling in the back of his mind.

  The fancy instruments moving across the screen were all alluring. Should he get Ember a fancy, baby blue guitar? Or a fiery red electric guitar? He had no idea if she had an amp or not, which was the point of an electric guitar. That reminded him just how little he knew about Ember.

  That wasn’t because she’d been keeping her cards close to her chest. If anything, Ember had opened up to him time after time. He’d been the one to slam the door shut. His refusal to believe her must have hurt.

  Must have? Ember had asked him if he would stop hurting her earlier that day. He could barely believe how much had happened since the sun had crested the horizon that morning.

  Was he even capable of loving someone? Or would he follow in his father’s footsteps and make all the wrong decisions? Cash looked to the smashed guitar. Doubt made him heavy. It pressed him into the ground until he wished he could pull the earth over his head and disappear.