by Kari Thomas
“Why is this bothering you?” She shook her head. “I’m the one who just got the second worse shock of my life. I’m the one who should be angry or disgruntled.”
“Because,” Slade gritted out, “That damn shifter has been living with you for years. He knows every intimate detail about you. You’ve petted him, hugged him. Loved him. Damn pervert! I’m going to kill him for simply letting you touch him in the first place.”
“You’re not going to hurt him,” she stated and pushed against his chest. “Despite the shocking truth, I still love him. He loves me. He has protected me all these years.”
“Love?”
She cringed at the dangerous tone of the word and the burning fire in his eyes as he stared down at her. He reached out and gripped her arms, then hauled her close against his hard body.
“Are you saying you love this bastard shifter?”
For one brief, crazy moment she wanted to let him believe what he was thinking. It would solve everything in the end when she had to leave, but she couldn’t do it. Despite everything, Slade meant too much to her. He was already in her heart and soul. She was sure she had fallen in love with him.
“I love Leo,” she stated softly. “The cat.”
Slade’s arms tightened around her, and he smiled slowly, though the smile never reached his amber-fire gaze. “You just saved his life,” he told her, his tone low and husky. “For now, anyway.”
She saw his intent in his eyes before he lowered his head. She stood up on tiptoe and met his descending mouth. With a heartfelt moan against his lips, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Slade’s hot lips glided over hers, his tongue pressing for entrance. She opened her mouth, and he swooped in with a groan of satisfaction. Instantly, she was lost in the drugging taste and feel of him. She melted against him, and he tightened his hold.
Summer faintly heard voices breaking through the erotic-fog engulfing them. At the same time, Slade stiffened and lifted his head.
“Aleta,” he acknowledged with a growl. “What the hell is wrong now?”
“Slade, come quick. Leo says he can hear a fight. I don’t know what he’s talking about but the damn shifter has better preternatural hearing than I do. He took off in a run toward the west side of the compound.”
Slade took a second to tell Summer to stay there, but she ignored him. She followed his quick run out of the house and across the lawn. Her heart was racing. She prayed Leo would be safe. What was going on?
They could hear the battle long before they reached the area. Summer was the last to get there because Slade and Aleta had used their shifter speed. She came to a skidding halt in the clearing.
In the middle of the round clearing two huge dragons fought to the death. She choked back a scream. God! Not just any dragons…but Air Dragons! Her knees buckled, and she fell to the ground on her butt, stunned and unable to comprehend the truth. This wasn’t real. In a matter of hours she had learned that not only dragon shifters still existed, but there were also two Air Dragons alive; ones she was obligated to heal. She’d discovered the man she found herself falling in love with was also a dragon shifter. The companion she’d had at her side for years was a shapeshifting lion. Now, she was watching two more Air Dragons battle to the death. It was enough to make any woman go insane.
She resolutely shook her head. Shaking so hard her teeth rattled, she slowly stood up. Well, I’m not that woman. It wasn’t like she’d never known the supernatural existed. Her entire existence was tied in with the Shamara Clan. Her whole life had been spent hiding from what she knew and feared. Even though the shocks dealt today had been soul-scarring, she was strong enough to realize it was real, and she played a major part in all that was now happening. She had to accept that. The time for running was gone. The acceptance settled deep inside her soul. For the first time in her life she wasn’t afraid.
Aleta and Leo came to stand beside her. She took a long look at the once-cat-now-man. He smiled at her.
“I know I’ve got a lot of explaining to do,” he told her, his voice rough from disuse. “But it will have to wait for later.” He looked back at the horrifying spectacle in front of them. “I want to get you some place safer than here. Slade and the others can handle whatever is going to happen.”
“No.” She couldn’t leave, especially knowing how dangerous and ferocious an Air Dragon was. If Slade rushed into the battle… “I’m safe, Leo. Please, I have to face this.” She turned to Aleta. “Are they both Shamara dragons?”
Aleta frowned as she watched the fight. “No. The more slender one is Chen. He is a Chinese dragon from the Kado Clan. I don’t know where the other one came from.”
By now, most of the compound of dragon shifters–with the exclusion of Ruliard, Ansel, the two guards, and the man Slade had called Boyce–were standing around the clearing as the battle raged. Several of them had already changed to their dragon forms. These were the ones closest to Slade. Aleta pointed them out.
“Those are our Firestorm Dragon Team,” she said and placed a hand on Summer’s arm reassuringly. “They will join the fight as soon as it’s obvious Chen is clear. Slade will go first. He’s our Prime Enforcer, and the others follow his lead. They work in perfect balance with each other in a battle. So, don’t worry.”
Ha! Don’t worry? Slade was about to go into a fight with an Air Dragon and she wasn’t supposed to worry? Too late. Her heart was in her throat as she watched Slade move closer to the two fighting dragons. She told herself to close her eyes when he started to change to his dragon, but she couldn’t. She stared in horrified fascination as the transformation began.
He was huge. His dragon form was a deep garnet red, all muscle. His wingspan had to be at least sixty feet. His large head had protracted horns, elongated sharp teeth, and large blazing eyes the color of a red sun. His arms and legs were equipped with extended, sharp, deadly talons. She had just a brief moment to think he was absolutely beautiful.
Until she saw the few multi-colored scales on his wide chest. Multi-colored. The marks of an Air Dragon.
Chapter Twenty
In dragon form and ready to kill, Slade inched closer to the two fighting dragons, his team close on his heels. He could see that despite Chen’s valiant fight, he was tiring. The other dragon was larger than even Ruliard.
Countless thoughts ran through his mind. Where the hell had this dragon come from? It was obvious he wasn’t from Chen’s clan. The multi colors were Royal in brightness and hue. Hellfire. This just wasn’t possible. Yet, the proof was right in front of him.
Try as hard as he could, Slade couldn’t pinpoint why this particular dragon seemed so damn familiar. It ate at him, settling in his gut like a lead ball and leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
There wasn’t time to dwell on it. The Air Dragon was winning the battle. It was time to step in. He roared out a challenge. You’ll be lucky if I leave you alive long enough to tell me who you are.
At his roar, the Air Dragon lurched back from Chen. He swung his massive head towards Slade. Their gazes locked for one long, tense moment. Severely injured with one wing hanging in tatters, Chen moved to attack again but wasn’t fast enough. Slade didn’t even have the chance to strike.
Faster than the blinking eye the dragon raised both his muscled arms and flapped his wings, taking him high into the air. Thick, multi-colored smoke spun crazily around him.
Then, he simply disappeared. Dead silence reigned over the clearing.
Slade was stunned. Every instinct in him wanted to deny what he’d just seen. The truth kept repeating in his mind like a dire warning, like a mantra that wanted to force acceptance: Ruliard is the only Air Dragon with that kind of magic. Not even his son, Ansel, was that powerful with magic. Chen had told him the Kado Clan had strong magical skills, but he doubted that even one of them was capable of instantly disappearing. Ruliard came from a long line of magic users, extinct for centuries now. It was a well-known, undisputed fact among the many
shapeshifting clans that the Windstrom family was the most powerful of all magical dragons. Ever.
Everything he’d known, everything he believed in, had been questioned this past week. Slade wasn’t sure what the truth was anymore.
“Should we try to follow?” Calen stepped up next to Slade. “Though, I wouldn’t even know what direction to start. Hellfire, Slade. Did I imagine what just happened?”
Slade shook his head. Calen was right; there was no path to follow. The fact that the mysterious dragon had appeared undetected in the first place had his nerves on edge. “Tell the compound to be on strict, around-the-clock alert. Set guards in groups around the perimeter. I want to know every little detail about anything out of the ordinary.”
He looked over at a wounded Chen who was now in human form. “Take him to Boyce. I’ll be there in awhile.”
First, he had to see Summer. He knew it was crazy, and his priorities right then shouldn’t have included worrying about her reaction to all this, but he couldn’t help it. He knew she’d followed them, which meant she had not only seen the mysterious Air Dragon, but she had also seen his Firestorm team shift into their dragon forms.
She’d seen him do the same.
Gods. He didn’t know how he was going to handle this. She’d had a lot thrown at her the past few days, and this undeniable attraction between them had strengthened without either realizing it; turning into something profoundly deeper. He had a bad feeling he might have just lost whatever it was between them when she’d finally seen his transformation.
Aleta met him at the door of Ruliard’s home. They stepped aside as two of the guards helped Chen inside. Slade glanced around, a frown instantly arching his brows.
“Where is Summer? Why would you leave her unprotected?”
Aleta sighed. It was apparent the latest event was taking its toll on her too. She looked a bit pale. Slade could only imagine her horror at seeing the Air Dragon disappear like that. She was still too young in dragon years to thoroughly know their history, but she was wise enough to know what had happened was out of the ordinary.
“She’s inside,” she answered. “Leo is with her. She saw how injured Chen was and said she would try to heal him.”
Slade’s heart skipped several beats. When she’d tried to heal Ruliard she’d had some kind of attack. What if it happened again? He hurried inside, his long strides taking him to the formal living room where they had placed Chen. He stopped abruptly when he saw Summer kneeling by the sofa where Chen was lying.
Damn. She looked so fragile. He wanted to grab her up in his arms and take her out of there. Keep her safe. Keep her in his arms forever. His dragon rumbled in agreement, and he actually took several determined steps toward her.
She turned to look at him. Her beautiful features were set in determined lines, her violet eyes clear and bright. He knew right then she was no longer afraid. Her heritage was strong inside her, and she knew her future. Pride swelled deep inside him. Man, she was one special woman. After all the horrifying shocks she’d faced, she had finally accepted her destiny.
He couldn’t help it. He grinned at her, and then winked. Her eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but then she smiled back. Utter relief swamped him, nearly buckling his knees.
She had accepted him, too.
The overwhelming feeling of humbleness was entirely foreign to him, but he nevertheless relished the sweet emotion.
Aleta came to stand beside him as he watched Summer turn back to Chen and place her hands on his injured arm. She nudged Slade in the shoulder. He followed her gaze and then had to bite back a growl of displeasure. Kneeling next to Summer was Leo, his hand on her lower back. Slade saw red. If that bastard didn’t take his hand off her, he was going to rip him to shreds.
“Like it or not,” Aleta whispered low, “You’re going to have to accept his role in her life.”
“I don’t have to accept a damn thing,” Slade snarled. “He’s the one who needs to realize he’s no longer her protector–or whatever the hell he’s been pretending to be.”
He didn’t care if Summer loved that damn cat. He was ready to kill him. Summer was under his protection now; she didn’t need a damn shifter pawing at her or following her every footstep. After she was finished healing Chen, he was going to have a long talk with Leo.
He watched Summer closely. She didn’t seem to be aware of anyone else around her. Her entire focus was on Chen. She closed her eyes and pressed both her hands more firmly into the bloody mess that was Chen’s ravaged arm. Slade cringed. The blood coated her hands instantly. He didn’t like it, but it was fascinating to watch as she moved her hands ever so slightly over the entire mass of broken bones, torn skin, free-flowing blood, and shredded muscles. Looking closer, he suddenly saw a pale aura glide from Summer’s chest, down her arms, and into her hands. When it reached her hands it glowed bright, quickly lighting up Chen’s entire body.
Slade stared, unblinking, and watched in stunned fascination as Chen’s arm slowly healed. Every spot pulled together, mending from the inside to the out. Within a few amazing minutes, Chen’s arm looked as good as new. Slade couldn’t remember ever seeing a healing take place, and he knew he would never forget experiencing this one. Beside him Aleta gasped in awe.
“Wow.”
Yeah, wow. Slade stiffened as a bad thought ran through his mind. If Summer could so easily heal Chen, then why couldn’t she do the same for Ruliard? He didn’t like his conclusion. Had she been faking it all along? Would she do it now?
He forgot all about his doubts the moment Summer tried to rise and Leo grasped her waist to help her stand. A red haze blinded his vision. That damn cat was touching her. Again. He was across the room and at her side before he even realized he’d moved. He pulled her away from Leo with a snarl so nasty it spoke volumes. Then he attacked.
Both men went down, Slade striking so fast Leo didn’t have a chance to be surprised. Fists connected, each man’s preternatural strength turning the strikes into deadly blows. Instinct had them both using their now-shifted jaws and teeth.
Slade heard Summer screaming, and Aleta shouting out curse words. All he could see was the red, jealous haze that coated his vision and had him locked in a battle he wanted to end with Leo’s death.
Too soon there were arms reaching out to untangle them and pull them apart. Slade fought the restraint, furiously spitting out foul words as fast as he could think them. He shoved the two men holding him. “Get your damn hands off.” Too close below the surface, his dragon was fighting to come forth. He clamped down on the urge and tried to force calm. It didn’t help any when he looked up and locked gazes with Leo.
Aleta’s words finally registered. “Damn it, Slade, this is beyond stupid and ridiculous.”
“Shut up,” he ground out. “This is between me and the cat.”
Leo growled at him and Slade snarled back.
“No,” Summer spoke up, her voice firm despite the too-soft tone. His gut clenched. “You’re wrong, Slade. Leo was in my life long before any of you here. You have no right to interfere or judge our relationship.”
Slade choked on the expletives exploding off his tongue. Damnation! Hellfire! The rage roared to life again, hotter this time. He locked gazes with her. Everything primal in him wanted to snatch her up and carry her out of there. His body was so tense his muscles ached hard, and his dragon smoked angry fire through his veins.
His male pride kept him rooted where he stood. He finally managed to speak. “Aleta, take Summer and Leo to my house. Put extra guards on them.” He looked deep into Summer’s eyes. “When you’re rested from this healing, I want you to take care of Ruliard. His life is hanging on the edge, and your previous hesitation has cost him time he can’t afford to lose. Ansel will be next.”
Summer gasped then abruptly shut her mouth as she stared at him. He kept his expression neutral. Not for anything would he allow her to see what she was doing to him. Enough was enough. She was their Healer, and it was her du
ty to help. He couldn’t let his misguided feelings for her get in the way. The male part of him wanted to deny everything he felt about her. His dragon wasn’t about to let him. Damn it all to hell.
The tension in the air between them was almost thick enough to touch. He nodded at Aleta to carry out his orders and then sent a warning glare at Leo.
Naida, one of his female Firestorm warriors, came into the room carrying his cellphone. She handed it to Slade. “You dropped this in the field before you changed. It rang several times.”
Slade checked the caller ID. Double Damn. Reed had called three times. That couldn’t be good. He had discovered that Summer was missing. How the hell was he going to tell the man that Summer was going to be staying here from now on? He hadn’t told her yet because he knew what her reaction would be, but he couldn’t take the chance that if he let her go she wouldn’t run as fast and as far from here as she could. The logical side of him argued it was necessary–even a life and death necessity–that she live with the Clan now, but the other side of him knew it wasn’t the full truth.
He couldn’t let her go.
There were no easy solutions to this. He swallowed a groan of disgust. He had to admit he would prefer to face Reed’s anger than have to face Summer when he told her his decision.
He checked on Ruliard’s and Ansel’s conditions, talking to Boyce to make sure they were both still stable. Then, he went to Ruliard’s office and called Reed. Time to get this over with.
Slade held the phone away from his ear as Reed cussed a blue streak. He’d expected this reaction, but his patience was slipping fast. He didn’t give a damn that Reed was her adopted father. Summer belonged here now, with the Clan, with him.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Reed demanded. “She has suddenly decided to move in with your adopted daughter Aleta? You and I both know that this isn’t like Summer. She would have discussed this with me first. Hell, she wouldn’t have even thought about it! Something isn’t right, Slade. Don’t give me that crap about the two of them bonding and Summer feeling safer living with Aleta. She’s been perfectly safe here, all her life. And that cat of hers has always been added protection. Why don’t you tell me the truth before I come over there and beat the bloody hell out of you for lying?”
