THE BLACK DRAGON: Werewolves of Montana Mating Mini #7

by Bonnie Vanak

  Vern waved a hand and suddenly changed from an elderly man with blue eyes and silver hair into a thirty-something Mage with blond hair. Dell.

  Dell snorted. “You were a tough one, dragon. I tried to convince Leo to kill you and drain the last of your magick, but he was too weak. With your magick, we could have powered the community for years to come. I could have lived forever!”

  Coldness filled the Mage’s expression. Justin felt sick at the betrayal Ariel must feel. She had trusted this elderly Mage. He’d fooled them all. He pretended kindness, and all the while he wanted to flay the skin off Justin.

  “Ariel, Ariel.” Dell wagged a finger at her. “Foolish Ariel, coming up here, all for the sake of dragons. You’re as stupid as your mother. It was so easy to convince her clan that she shared with the Mage community the secret of where they stored the gold. That’s why Chase killed her. Dragons don’t tolerate betrayal over money.”

  Ariel stared at him, fisting her hands. “The car crash, you were behind it.”

  The Mage polished his nails against his silk shirt. “I told Leo it was Chase and deliberate, so he would join with me and experiment on dragons. I needed his brilliance in the lab, and his experience.”

  He lifted his palm and blew powder into Justin’s face. As he coughed, reeling backward from the magick potion, Vern raced past him.

  When his vision cleared, he saw Vern next to Ariel, the blade at her throat.

  The Mage snorted. “Silly Ariel, weak as your father. You shouldn’t have come here.”

  Justin tried to regain his equilibrium. Had to throw him off, distract him. The knife hovered near the soft skin of her neck, the area he’d loved to kiss. “You’re the one who convinced Leo to flay the scales from my body. He paid you in crystals, but it wasn’t enough. I heard you when you thought I slept in my cage. You always wanted more.”

  Dell snorted. “Leo should have destroyed you. He was too soft-hearted. He didn’t pay me enough for all my ideas, and my work. He refused to harness the power of the crystals and access this cave. He feared the consequences if he took the crystals. Well, I’m not afraid.”

  The Mage drew the knife closer to Ariel’s throat. “I coated it with poison. One cut and she dies.”

  His chest tightened at the terror on Ariel’s face. “What do you want?

  He’d do anything to save her.

  “There are red diamonds in that cavern worth millions. Just one of them is enough to buy me the eternal youth potion I need. Go in there and return with them and I’ll let Ariel live. I can’t set foot in it without waking that creature. But you can. You’re dragon.”

  “Don’t do it. He’s crazy, Justin. Don’t give him the power.” Ariel’s gaze turned pleading. “My life isn’t worth it.”

  “You’re wrong. It is,” he told her, fishing the key out of her backpack.

  Justin unlocked the cave. He found the red diamonds, glittering on the cave floor. After pocketing them, an idea struck. Justin walked outside, leaving the door open. Wails sounded inside, like the pitch of fire engines.

  With any luck, the Drogmire would awaken because of the cries. He had no desire to entangle with that thing, but it was hardwired to protect the dragons, and that was his foremost concern.

  The baby dragons and Ariel.

  He glanced over at Leo, saw blood, flowing in a sluggish stream from the man’s head wound. Suddenly Justin remembered the vision that came to him while meditating.

  He only had one shot at this. If he failed, Ariel would die. But he had faith in her abilities and remembered what had happened when she drew her hand into the dragon fire.

  “Ariel, trust me,” Justin shouted. “Know I would never harm you.”

  He whirled and shifted at the same time. Maybe Dell had wanted to make him into a super dragon, his to control. But Justin was no man’s pet.

  He was, however, wicked fast.

  Ariel saw him and screamed, throwing her hands in front of her. “No, Justin! Please don’t do this!”

  Too late. He opened his mouth and breathed pure white fire, spraying Dell.

  And the love of his life.

  22

  Dragon fire, white hot. She was going to die. Just like in the vision she’d had seen in the dish soap bubble.

  Ariel dropped and rolled to the ground, hugging herself, bracing for death as the flames engulfed her. Beside her, she heard Dell scream, smelled something like roasting pork and then heard an agonized yell and crash. The screams echoed off the cliff walls and she knew he had jumped over the ledge.

  But no pain seized her, and no horrid sensation of her own flesh cooking. Ariel squeezed her eyes shut. Perhaps she was dead, and this was the afterlife.

  She remained in a prone position, not daring to open her eyes. Still no pain, just the soothing warmth. And the stench of charred fabric.

  “Open your eyes sweetheart. You’re okay.”

  She did as Justin tugged her upward. He was Skin once more, wearing jeans and a long-sleeved shirt.

  However, she was stark naked, her clothing burned off her into cinders. Ariel brushed herself as Justin removed his shirt and gave it to her. It was long enough to cover her bottom.

  “I didn’t burn,” she marveled. “Why?”

  Justin cupped her face. “Because you are dragon, my love. I had to chance it. I couldn’t let Vern harm you, and I couldn’t let him take anything from the cave. I made a promise to Drust to protect the baby dragons and the crystals while I was here.”

  Leo was gaining consciousness. A fat goose egg was on his temple. He groaned, rubbing his head. Blood streamed from a nasty cut on his temple.

  “We need to stop the bleeding.” Ariel looked around, frantic.

  “It’s okay. Remember how I made the grass grow after I burned it?” Justin asked.

  He knelt down beside her father. He touched the cut and it scabbed over. Leo blinked.

  “Thank you,” Ariel told him, her gaze soft.

  Flexing his fingers, Justin nodded. “You gave me the ability to hurt, Harrington, but also the ability to heal. It’s time I started using the latter.”

  “What happened?” her father asked.

  She told him, glancing at the Drogmire.

  Leo stood. Spotting the iron spear, she grabbed it before he could. “No, Father. You won’t kill him. It’s time to set aside the past and move on.”

  “Chase will never change. He’s a killer who took away my Marian.”

  Justin stepped forward. Her lover faced Leo with courage. “Let it go. I was able to forgive you. Let it go and put that crap aside. It will eat you up inside, like it did me.”

  Her father said nothing.

  Wincing as he touched the spear, Justin took it from her and tossed it aside. “If I can forgive you for torturing and imprisoning me, you can forgive Chase.”

  His words were directed at Leo, but Justin looked at Ariel.

  Was it possible? Ariel didn’t want to forgive this dragon who’d stolen her mother away, who had caused the accident that maimed her. Yet it was selfish to hold onto those feelings. Justin had a point.

  There had been too much anger and sorrow. It was time to set all the regret aside, and the guilt.

  “Father, Justin is right. Let it go.”

  “I can’t,” Leo whispered. “He’s a monster.”

  “If we forgive him what he did to our family, maybe he’ll change.”

  Who knew? She’d seen many incredible things over the past two months.

  Leo stared for a long time at the Drogmire. “I have something else to confess, Ariel. I haven’t been in Seattle all this time with Parker’s parents. I met a lovely Mage while there last year on a trip, and we’ve been seeing each other. She’s… wonderful. Nothing will ever replace your mother, but Irene has given me a new outlook on life.”

  He looked at Justin. “She made me realize how cruel I was, and how much I hurt you. Will you forgive me?”

  Justin nodded. “Already done.”

  Ma
ybe forgiveness was the key to moving on with life.

  She walked over to the Drogmire and poked it on the side with the iron spear. The creature awakened, saw her, but did not snarl. Instead, it stared as if he knew her.

  “I know who you are. You’re Chase.” Ariel stepped forward. “From my mother’s clan. I’m her daughter.”

  The spider-thing blinked, clicking its wicked mandibles.

  Ariel bent down. “I forgive you for how you hurt me, Chase. I forgive you for all the pain you caused.”

  Stunned she watched the creature’s face change, the two slits for nostrils become a nose, and the mouth shaped into a Skin mouth.

  “I’m sorry,” the Drogmire rumbled. “I didn’t mean to kill her. I only wanted to scare her. I loved her.”

  “I loved her, but I can’t live in the past any longer,” Leo said, tears rolling down his face. “I forgive you.”

  Soon as the words left his mouth, the Drogmire changed. Gone was the horrific spider-creature with the sharp mandibles and the clicking jaws. In its place stood a tall man with ebony hair and angular features. He wore black jeans and a starched white shirt. Blinking, he smoothed down the clothing.

  Younger than she’d anticipated, so much younger. Ariel felt the tension inside her ease. Judging from Justin’s satisfied look, forgiving Chase had been the right thing to do.

  “What happened?” Chase asked. “I feel as if I’ve been living in a fog for years.”

  In a way, he had. Maybe all of them had.

  Neither she nor her father could speak. Emotion clogged her throat. Justin stepped up. “You’re Chase, the black dragon who killed Marian Harrington.”

  The man looked away, but not before guilt crossed his features. “It was an accident. My family sent me to scare her, threaten her into giving up her portion of our clan’s wealth. I landed on her car as she drove and she panicked, and drove into a tree.”

  Justin drew her forward. “This is Ariel, her daughter. Ariel was in the back seat. Ariel is the one responsible for breaking your curse through forgiving you for what you did.”

  Chase’s gaze flicked back to her. He had green eyes, like her mother’s and suddenly she knew why he’d been transformed into the Drogmire.

  “You loved her. But you didn’t want to marry her,” she said slowly.

  The dragon blinked. “Why would I marry my own sister?”

  Ariel’s chest tightened. Her uncle. Dear goddess what a burden to carry all those years – killing his sibling.

  “I never knew I had an uncle on my mom’s side.” She began to see the resemblance in Chase’s handsome features, his erect posture and his dark, silky hair.

  Her father seemed equally flustered. “Marian…she never talked about her family. About any of them. She told me she never wanted to see them again. I, I didn’t know.”

  Chase looked sad. “I know. I was never close to her, but I disagreed with our father’s decision to banish her. I was the one who transferred her share of the family fortune. I’m the one who volunteered to go after her when our father wanted the money back. We didn’t know she’d had a daughter.”

  Her uncle stared at the ground. “I wish I could make it up to you, Ariel. Both taking away your mother and hurting you so much.”

  Pressure eased inside her chest. It was up to her now to make the first gesture. “Maybe you can introduce me some day to her side of the family. I’d like to get to know them.”

  He nodded. “I haven’t seen them in twelve years. Not since the accident. After the accident, I turned myself in to Tristan, the Silver Wizard. This was my punishment. Becoming the Drogmire, well, I morphed into it out of guilt. I felt like a monster, so I became one. I never imagined the curse would be broken. Thank you.”

  Chase stepped back, called out in a loud, strong voice words she did not recognize. Blue smoke appeared and out of the cloud stepped a black-haired man clad in cobalt blue, his features sharp and covered with a black beard and mustache. He had intense gray-blue eyes and a serious expression.

  Chase bowed down. “I called for Tristan, the Silver Wizard, my judge.”

  “Tristan is busy these days. I am Drust, the Coldfire Wizard and guardian and judge of dragons.” Drust pointed skyward. “Up, Chase, son of Rohan.”

  White mist covered the ledge and another wizard appeared. He looked younger, and an impish light gleamed in his smoky gray gaze.

  “I am Xavier, the Crystal Wizard, guardian and judge of Mages.” The handsome wizard winked at her, easing her tension. “I am here for Leo, and for you, Ariel Harrington. Since you’re Mage and dragon, I rule over one half of you, Ariel. Which half should I choose? The top half or the bottom?”

  “Stop joking. This is serious business.” Drust scowled.

  “And you need to relax. Along with a new wardrobe. Lighten up, dragon.” Xavier waved a hand and Drust suddenly became clad in lime green shorts and an electric blue Hawaiian shirt.

  Never had she seen a wizard before, and Xavier’s impish sense of fun made her giggle. She stifled it, seeing Drust’s scowl.

  The Coldfire Wizard turned to her uncle. “I will deal with you in a minute. First…”

  The wizard waved a hand and new clothing appeared on him. Not the cobalt blue tunic and trousers he’d previously worn, but a shiny blue gabardine suit that made her wince.

  A distinctive dragon-like growl came from the wizard. “I can melt granite with my breath and yet I cannot manage to summon the correct clothing.”

  “I’ll take pity on you.” Xavier flicked a finger and Drust’s former outfit appeared on the Coldfire Wizard. “Clothing is a little tricky. As for your breath melting rock, ever consider mouthwash?”

  Another growl, which Xavier ignored. Instead the wizard went to Leo.

  “Here.” Xavier handed Leo a shiny red diamond. “This is yours, as payment for saving the baby dragons from Dell. He would have killed them all.”

  Leo turned the bauble over in his palm. “I don’t want it. Leave it here. Maybe someone else will benefit from it powering the vortex. It would mean more if I could spare someone else from suffering what I’ve endured all these years.”

  A satisfied smile touched the wizard’s mouth. “Then what do you want, Leo? I will grant you one favor.”

  Instead of answering, her father turned around. He gathered her hands into his own. “I love you, Ariel. I’ve always worried about you. But I know I can’t keep you here any longer. You know the truth. I always worried about you being alone in this world.”

  Fresh tears filled her eyes. “I know. But I’m not alone. I have other family, my mother’s family, whom I’d like to know.”

  Leo glanced at Justin. “And I suspect that this dragon will help you deal with the changes you’ll experience. I can’t help you with becoming a dragon, honey. I’m returning to Seattle and Irene. But if you ever need me, any time, call me and I’ll be here for you.”

  He kissed her forehead, nodded at Justin.

  “What will you do?” Justin asked.

  “Irene has money, plenty of wealth. I cured her mother of a disease and she paid me enough to live on, if I know you will take good care of my little girl.”

  Justin nodded. “I will, sir.”

  Leo turned back to Xavier. “I have one request, Crystal Wizard. Give my daughter whatever she desires.”

  Xavier stroked his black beard. “Done. And now, I’ll send you to where you desire – back to Irene.”

  A wave of his hand, and her father vanished. Ariel blinked back hot tears. “I don’t want anything,” she told the wizard. “Only for my uncle Chase to be forgiven by the Brehon for the crime of killing my mother.”

  “Are you certain?” Drust, the Coldfire Wizard approached. Of all wizards, she feared him the most, for he seemed raw with power, and lacking the tempered gentleness she’d glimpsed in the Crystal Wizard.

  Ariel nodded. “If you send him back to his family, will he be okay?”

  Drust glanced at Chase. “I will return h
im to his clan. His father would wish to see him. His heart broke the day Chase became the Drogmire, knowing his youngest son killed Marian.”

  Her uncle unfurled his fists. “Thank you, Ariel. I hope that one day we can meet again, and you can become acquainted with our family. We’re not bad dragons, just… stubborn.”

  Chase stood straight and proud and she saw in him the memory of her beloved mother. “If you please, sir, I have no desire to return to my family right away. I wish to live in Skin for a while. All I ask is for a little money, and a vehicle for transportation.”

  The wizard considered. And then he smiled, and it was a friendly smile, but filled with mystery, as if Drust had glimpsed something they could not. “Done.”

  Drust waved a hand and Chase vanished.

  She could almost feel happy about the outcome, except for the tiny guilt winking inside her. Ariel slid her palm into Justin’s hand. “I feel like I have everything I want now. Except I feel bad about Parker. Is there any way you can tell him our engagement is off? I don’t want to hurt his feelings.”

  “I doubt his feelings will be hurt,” Drust murmured.

  “He’s not a bad person,” she ventured.

  The Coldfire Wizard exchanged glances with Xavier and smiled. “Thank you. I rather fancy him myself.”

  The wizard suddenly shapeshifted, and a geeky young Mage with glasses stood before her. Parker.

  Her jaw dropped. “What…why…how?”

  Drust waved a hand and shifted back into the Coldfire Wizard. “We could not risk Leo doing anything drastic that would affect your future, Ariel. He was desperate for money, and mostly, desperate to secure your future. He placed an ad to find you a husband, so I invented Parker Covington and his millions to intervene before another could. Playing the part of a hopeful fiancé gave us time to investigate your true heart’s desire – for Justin.”

  “And Justin’s interest in you had to be tested. Affairs of the heart are complicated matters,” Xavier murmured. “We are forbidden from interfering, except when it comes to stalling tactics. If you were not in love with Justin, the ruse would have ended and you would have been free to pursue other suitors you desired.”