by Kari Thomas
Then, in her mind’s eye she saw it. It wasn’t poison like she’d first thought, not the common kind anyway. A huge black aura swirled around, mixing with his blood, his organs, and even in his veins.
Magic.
Just as she realized the truth, the mass struck at her. Shooting up through her hands, her arms, and straight to her heart. The pain shocked the breath out of her. She screamed and fell backward.
For a long minute her vision stayed blurry while the room spun around her. She could hear Ruliard shouting for Boyce and then asking her if she was okay, but she couldn’t answer. The pain was slowly receding but the shock wave to her system left her stunned.
Boyce came rushing in. He hurried over to Ruliard and forced him to lie back. “Stay put,” he ordered. “I can’t take care of you both at the same time.” He knelt down beside Summer. She looked up at him and shook her head.
“I’m okay. I think. Help me stand.”
“What the hell happened?” Ruliard roared. “Is she okay, Boyce? Is she hurt?”
“Some kind of shock wave hit me,” she quickly explained. She moved to his side and then did an abrupt spin, holding her arms out. “See. I’m not hurt.” She could still feel the reverberations rolling through her body, and her nerves were strung tight. What had happened again? Was there some kind of spell on Ruliard that would keep her from healing him?
“I was wrong in thinking it was some kind of poison,” she told him. “I could feel a strong magic aura deep inside you.” She frowned. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to fight that.” Because of her circumstances, she’d grown up without the tutorage from the other Healers; she’d never learned what to do with the magic she was supposed to have in her. Basic healing skills were all she knew.
She felt helpless and she hated that. “I’m going to try again.”
“Maybe you should wait,” both Ruliard and Boyce said at the same time.
No. She hadn’t come this far, accepting her destiny and everything it entailed just to be thwarted by something she should know how to handle. She grinned at Boyce.
“Stand behind me. If I get shocked again, I’d rather not hit the floor. My butt can’t take that many bruises.”
Ruliard chuckled. “I promise not to tell Slade you touched her, Boyce. But you owe me one.”
Summer blushed. Now, what was that supposed to mean? “Slade has nothing to do with this,” she muttered. Ruliard’s smile became bigger and so she frowned harder at him. “Be quiet. Let’s try this again.”
Three tries and an hour later Summer collapsed in Boyce’s arms, so exhausted she could barely remember to breathe. Ruliard slumped against his pillows. Her entire body felt like she was connected to a live wire, little shock waves spinning crazily throughout her system. Her vision was blurry. Her mouth was dry, and her palms were sweaty. All she wanted to do was lie down and sleep. Preferably forever.
She’d failed. No matter how much healing energy she sent into Ruliard’s body, the magic rejected it and then retaliated by striking back at her. She’d nearly drained herself dry, and nothing had worked. She wanted to cry, but just didn’t have the energy.
She looked at Ruliard and saw his disappointment too. “I’ll try again,” she told him; drudging up what little determined reserve she had left in her. “After I rest. I will beat this. I promise you.” She meant it. She’d do whatever it took, no matter the cost.
“Rest, child,” Ruliard murmured as he exhaustedly closed his eyes.
Summer didn’t protest when she felt strong arms lift her up and carry her from the room. The man she knew as Calen spoke quietly in her ear. “I’ll take you back to your room. Slade will return shortly.”
As if Slade can make this all better. Summer didn’t bother arguing; she almost agreed with his unspoken assurance. Right then, she would give anything to have Slade’s arms around her, holding her tight and secure. Complete exhaustion swamped her and her last thought was that she wished Slade were there.
Chapter Twenty-Four
For three more days and nights she tried to heal Ruliard, and even worked on Ansel, but the results were the same. The only difference was she was draining herself dry, and it was slowly killing her. She was getting weaker, losing weight, and was barely able to even think straight. Despite Ruliard’s command that she stop and wait for a few days, she wouldn’t do it. She could sense the ruler and his son didn’t have much time left, and she couldn’t bear the thought that she would fail them. She pushed herself, ignoring all the warning signs that she couldn’t keep up the pace. Still, the magic poison was far stronger than she was.
So deeply locked in battle with the powerful magical foe, she didn’t have time to realize Slade and Leo had not returned to the compound. When Aleta and Chen left too and Calen was assigned as her bodyguard, she barely registered the thought something might be wrong.
When she finally collapsed, barely breathing, she had no choice but to admit defeat. But, only for now. I’ll rest, and then try again. It was her last coherent thought for the next forty-eight hours.
The nightmare that plagued her exhausted sleep was nothing compared to the living nightmare she faced when she finally woke.
“Summer, wake up! Hurry!” Aleta was leaning over her, shaking her hard. “Summer, Slade needs you now. So does Leo. Come!”
She was immediately awake, heart racing out of control, horrified at the fear in Aleta’s voice. Her thoughts chaotically flew in all directions as she imagined the worse. Oh God! Slade! And Leo!
“What happened?” Heart in her throat, she jumped up and then raced out the door behind Aleta. She flew down the stairs, skipping two at a time, her fear spurring her on. She skidded to a stop in the living room.
On two separate sofas, Slade and Leo were lying unconscious and covered in blood.
It took everything in her to keep from screaming. Her knees threatened to buckle. The weakness that had become an intrusive part of her the last few days now swamped over her again, taking her breath away.
“Slade!” She shot Aleta a horrified look. “What happened to them?” She quickly moved to the sofa Slade was on, and glanced over at Leo opposite him. She’d never seen this much blood in one place. Her stomach quivered.
“Chen and I found them,” Aleta hurriedly explained, her voice a mix of fear and rage. “From the scent at the scene, we think they tangled with demons of some kind. Do something, Summer! Please save them.”
She didn’t hesitate. She placed her hands on Slade’s chest and resolutely pulled up every ounce of healing power she had left. She pushed it into him, forcing his body to accept it. A strange flow of poison mixed with his blood, and she could tell it was already trying to do internal damage to his organs. Just for a moment, she panicked.
“I won’t let you die, Slade.” She whispered the words against his cheek, then placed her mouth over his, breathing her life giving force into him.
Weakness ate at her like a living force, dragging her down into a well of blackness. She shook her head and cleared her vision. She pushed more healing energy into him.
As she felt him sharply inhale and knew he would be alright, she spun away from him and set to work on Leo. She knew she didn’t have much energy left.
“He must have shifted to his cat form to heal some,” Aleta said behind her. “He wasn’t as injured as Slade was.”
Thank God for small favors. Summer felt her breathing slowing to match the irregular beat of her heart. Just a minute more…she thought, desperation making her shake.
Suddenly she heard Slade’s voice. Relief choked her. He was going to be all right. “Summer, stop. Summer, listen to me!”
It’s too late, she wanted to tell him, but the words wouldn’t come. The threatening blackness overwhelmed her and dragged her under. She whispered his name, but wasn’t sure she said it aloud.
There were so many things she wanted to tell him. Now, she wouldn’t get the chance.
* * * *
It was a place more frig
htening than any other she’d ever had a nightmare about. She didn’t know where she was or how she’d gotten there, but she knew she was alone. Where was Slade?
At first she thought she was back on the island, reliving the horrific memory of the massacre. Hard pelting rain fell in torrents, wind shrieked, and darkness was all around. She could feel the environment but couldn’t see anything. The blindness scared her like nothing else could. How could she face her enemy and fight if she couldn’t see him?
She knew he was suddenly there with her. A part of her was scared to death to finally face the thing that had been terrorizing her and turning her entire life upside down, but the other part of her wanted to know the truth. She wanted to see his face.
She lifted her head, straightened her shoulders, and bravely called out. “Who are you?”
A low, raspy chuckle echoed in the darkness around her. It sent shivers racing over her.
Yet, the diabolical sound struck something deep inside her. Rage slowly surfaced. She was sick and tired of being afraid. She was not going to spend the rest of her life afraid.
“You don’t scare me,” she stated.
“Of course I do.” The voice was as raspy as the chuckle had been. It sounded like it was coming from a deep well. A well of blackness.
Gulp. I just had to think of that, didn’t I? She knew it was childish but she said a quick prayer that whatever she was about to face wasn’t a monster. She’d rather face an Air Dragon than a hell monster if her nightmares were anything to go on.
“What are you?”
Again the chuckle. “I think this is where I say: I’m your worst nightmare.”
Groan. A cynical evil. Just what I needed. Not. “You couldn’t simply say you were a kitten, or something cute, could you.”
The chuckle turned into a full laugh. “Ah, sweet child. There’s the sarcastic humor I’ve been waiting for. I love that about you.”
Summer’s heart stuttered. Where had she heard almost those same words before? Her mind was too tired, her trepidation sending her thoughts flying in too many different directions. She took in a deep inhale and then exhaled, forcing herself to think calmly. Something told her there was every chance she might not get out this situation unscathed, or alive.
“What are we doing here?” Or do I really want to know?
“It’s only temporary. I couldn’t reach you any other way. When you exhausted all your healing resources, sacrificing your life energy, you gave me the opportunity to grasp your fading soul.”
Was she dying then? Oddly enough, a strange calm, an inner peace settled over her. Maybe this is what it all came down to. She had only one regret. She’d never told Slade how she felt about him.
She loved him.
“No. You’re not dying,” he stated, as though reading her thoughts. “I won’t allow that. I need you. That’s why I’m giving you some of my magic. It will restore your health. I have too many plans for us, child, to let you slip away from me now. I’ve waited too many years.”
“I don’t want any part of you,” she told him. Anger blurred her vision. How dare he even think she would go along with his plans, whatever they were? “I’d rather accept death.”
“You’re lying,” he stated, his raspy tone deepening with anger. “And you’re lying to yourself. I know you. You’ve fought too long to live just to give up now. Once you hear my plans, you’ll understand it’s for the best.”
She heard a slight rustle in the darkness and held her breath. There was nowhere to run, so she stood her ground.
“Now, come here and let me touch you. You are fading too fast and will be dead in another few minutes if I don’t transfer some magic into you.”
There wasn’t an obvious place to run, but she wasn’t going to let him touch her. She threw out her arms, palms outward and tried to feel her way in the darkness.
She bumped into something solid. A body of some kind…
She bit back her scream. Not for anything would she let him see her fear.
When the dark mist cleared she came face to face with her enemy, she screamed.
Chapter Twenty-Five
His touch wasn’t what she’d expected. It was gentle, caressing. His hand feathered down her neck, onto her chest, and then skimmed over her breasts. In the wake of his fingers trails of sensual heat followed and lingered.
Shocked at her physical reaction, she struggled to free herself from the surrounding darkness. She opened her eyes with a choked scream.
“Shh, baby. You’re safe. It was just a bad dream.”
“Slade.” Relief swamped her. She looked up into his face and blinked back tears.
“I’m here.” He touched her cheek with a soft caress. “No tears, Summer. I can’t stand that. Everything is okay.”
She searched his face and quickly any other spot she could see. “You’re healed? Slade, I was so scared. I was afraid I didn’t have enough energy to help you.” She gasped. “And Leo? Is he okay?”
“We’re both fine,” Slade answered but then he scowled down at her. “You should be thankful you collapsed when you did. You nearly killed yourself! And if you ever take that risk again, I’ll…”
He left his threat unspoken. Sighing roughly, he ran a hand over his face. “Boyce told me what you’ve been trying to do for days now. He said you were nearly depleted when you healed Leo and me. What the hell were you thinking?”
Summer stared at him, stunned at his change of tone. “I was thinking,” she stated, anger coating her words, “that I had to save your life. Silly me. Did I make a mistake? Isn’t that why you brought me here against my will, to save you all when needed?”
Slade growled. “Hellfire, you can drive me crazy so damn easily.”
“Ditto.”
One minute she could love this enigmatic, sexy man and the next minute be ready to choke him to death. How crazy was that? Maybe I’m the crazy one. Falling in love with a dragon shifter who can’t make up his mind on how he feels about me. Her heart stuttered. Maybe that was the problem. Just maybe, Slade didn’t have any feelings for her. Unless you count lust as a serious feeling. Um. Not.
He was still growling low under his breath as he stared down at her, and his amber eyes glowed with gold fire. He took her breath away. She wanted to reach up and caress all the frown lines from his forehead and smooth the angry slash of his lips.
She wanted him to love her.
She groaned. Instantly he stopped growling and concern lit his features. “Are you okay? Any pain?”
She shook her head. Now that he mentioned it, she was feeling perfectly fine. How strange was that? Had she been unconscious long enough to regain her strength from the healings?
Something flittered through her subconscious, but she couldn’t grasp it long enough to understand what it was. Was she forgetting something? Did it have anything to do with the nightmare she’d had?
“Why can’t I remember?” She hadn’t realized she’d said the words aloud until Slade asked her what she meant. “I think I was having a nightmare, but I can’t remember it.”
He grunted. “That’s usually a good thing, isn’t it?”
Normally, yes. Something at the back of her mind kept up a persistent nagging, and it was starting to worry her. What if it was something important related to trying to heal Ruliard and Ansel?
“You’re shivering,” Slade muttered. “Forget about it, Summer.”
He moved, and she realized he was lying on the bed with her curled into his side and his arms around her. The insidious worry over the nightmare retreated as sensual warmth flooded her body. One of his arms was around her back, and he kept up a slow caress up and down her spine. Tingling heat raced over her. His other arm was draped across her hip and curved over her backside. She held her breath when he moved his hand in a slight caress over one butt cheek.
She couldn’t hold it back any longer. If she was going to willingly stay here and live with the Shamara Clan, then she had to know how Slade felt about her
. She needed to know where they stood in this uncertain relationship that had developed so heatedly and quickly between them from that first moment they’d met.
She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them to stare into his. “Slade, why are you here?”
He looked surprised at the question. Then, his eyes flashed gold fire and his sexy mouth curved into a slight grin. “I won the draw.”
“What?” Why was he always deliberately trying to keep her confused? This was definitely one of those smacking moments! “What draw?”
Slade shifted slightly, pulling her closer and more beneath him. His hard body curved protectively over hers, and it took a lot of willpower for her not to pull him further on top of her.
“Five of us were arguing, and we decided to draw for the honor.”
“Five? Who? You’re deliberately confusing me.”
“Me, Leo, Calen, Boyce, and even Chen.” His grin reminded her of a wolf sighting prey. This time her shivers had nothing to do with a fading nightmare. “I tried to pull rank, but Leo threatened to bite my head off. Chen stepped in and decided the only fair way to settle the dispute was to draw straws.” He smiled devilishly. “I cheated. Everyone forgot I’m half Air Dragon.” He leaned closer and whispered, “I have a little bit of magic in me. It wasn’t hard to make sure I got the winning straw.”
Okay. “And what was the debate about?” That look in his eyes was melting her insides fast. Even her breath was coming out in little pants.
“The winner would have the privilege of giving you the spanking of your life.”
“Oh!” Shocked she stared up at him. He wasn’t serious! “I save your lives and you want to spank me?” She pushed against his hard chest, but he wouldn’t budge. “That settles it. I’m not staying here. I won’t live with a bunch of ungrateful shifters who think they can treat me like a baby needing to be disciplined. Get off me.”
