by Lia Davis
He sent out a group text telling them, briefly, what had happened. Whoever got the text first would let everyone know—and with another kidnapping, the dragons would spare no time in getting up in the air to search.
For now, though, it looked like he and Mac were on their own. If they didn’t find the village search team or DSD, they’d take on the dragon themselves. Luke gripped the handles on the snowmobile and stared into the street. He’d do whatever it took. They’d save the girl.
The ice dragon’s voice blared into his mind. “You’re too late.”
Luke scanned the area as his heart rate sped and adrenaline ricocheted through his body. No sign of the beast. It had somehow gotten into his head again.
“Mac is next…”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He tried to think a thought to the ice dragon: Over my dead body.
“If that’s what it takes, I can arrange it.”
Luke opened his eyes and gripped his phone. The dragon had to die.
Mac paused to stare at him. “Everything okay?”
Laughter echoed in his mind, and Luke pushed it away. He couldn’t let the dragon in. It was trying to make him lose his focus and that could be fatal. No, Luke had to keep focused on the search.
He put his phone into his jacket pocket and gave Mac a short nod. “Just tried to reach the team, and they’re not answering. I left a message, though.”
The bile that filled his throat burned, and he took deep breaths. No way the dragon could be communicating with him from afar. It had to be his imagination. His mind was playing tricks on him. Regardless, nothing was going to keep him away from finding the kidnapped girl and taking out the beast that was terrorizing a whole community.
Mac tugged her gloves tighter, then slipped her sunglasses on. “Maybe they’ll get it in a few minutes and meet us on the mountain.”
He hoped so. “Maybe.” Mac was going to be upset since she was going to find out his true form soon. He hoped she could handle it. One thing was certain—he’d need to let his dragon out to fight the beast.
He started his snowmobile and she started hers. The machines sputtered to life and hummed as they maneuvered them onto the snowy driveway. Together, they raced off toward the west to find Yutu and the others.
The freezing wind bit into his face as they flew over snow-covered terrain, the snowmobile engines echoing across the tundra. Occasionally, he glanced at Mac to make sure she wasn’t freezing. Luckily, she’d thought to grab a scarf and had it wrapped over her nose and mouth to block out the freezing wind. He still worried. Sure, she was a native Alaskan and had dealt with the cold all her life, but she was also his mate, and that meant he had to worry over her.
They joined Yutu and the other villagers, and the herd of snowmobiles tore up the snow as they made their way west. Luke rode up beside Yutu, and the man turned and gave him a thumbs-up, a wide but tight grin across his face. Yutu knew the odds of finding the girl alive.
A low buzz of nausea rolled through Luke, and he slowed to match Mac’s speed. She gave him a nod, and they followed the group another mile or so before Yutu held his hand up. Everyone slowed. Luke snapped his gaze ahead and scanned the area.
Someone called out, “There!” and everyone looked.
As soon as Luke got a visual of the ice dragon, the bastard was in his head again. “Nice to see you, Luke.”
Luke tried to ignore him, pushing him out of his mind. He couldn’t let anybody around know the ice dragon could communicate with him, or they’d think he was on the enemy’s side. The dragon reared up, its wings beating and its tail thrashing the snow. The snowmobiles came to a halt around him, some of the searchers hanging back, as far from the dragon as they could get without retreating. Terror rolled off everyone, tainting the fresh air with the oily smell of fear.
A shrill wail echoed in the air, then Luke saw the girl. His heart stopped for a moment, and dread burned his insides. The dragon grasped her in one claw like a doll, and she screamed to be let down, her arms flailing in the air.
Luke snarled then sent a telepathic message to the dragon. “Let her go. Now.”
The dragon replied with an evil laugh that chilled Luke to the bone. “Oh, I plan to let her go. Right after I kill her for all to see.”
No. On instinct, he reached for his chest holster only to realize he didn’t have it. Dammit. He’d have to find a place to shift if he was going to have any chance of defeating the dragon. If the villagers saw him, they’d kill him, too.
A shot rang out, echoing off the mountains. Then another. Luke spun and saw the villagers taking aim at the dragon. They were trying to avoid hitting the girl, but the dragon was a moving target.
The ice dragon flew high to avoid the bullets. He laughed before his voice entered Luke’s mind again. “Silly humans really think their bullets can kill me. You should shift into your dragon and join me. We’ll show them who’s the most powerful.”
The dragon was toying with the humans. Taunting them. He could have flown away at any moment, but he stayed close so they could suffer as he killed the girl. Luke had to stop him.
His dragon wanted to come out and pushed against him, pressing for release. He wanted to destroy the rogue as much as Luke did. He glanced at Mac. Her face was paler than the snow and she’d taken off her sunglasses. Her eyes were wide, and she covered her mouth with her hand.
Rage filled Luke’s mind. The dragon was terrorizing everyone. And enjoying it.
The ice dragon swooped close, the girl dangling and screaming as they passed. Some of the villagers shot at it again, one bullet clipping the rogue’s wing at the tip. Blood sprayed from the wound and the droplets froze as they hit the snow. It wasn’t a life-threatening injury, but it could slow the dragon down.
Luke scanned the sky. Dammit, where was his team?
Yutu pulled up beside him and handed him a rifle. Luke took it and aimed while sending the ice dragon another thought. “Release the girl. You can’t win. We’re going to kill you.”
The beast looked directly at him as he lifted up the claw that held the girl. The rogue twisted her neck with its other claw, then dropped her.
Fuck.
Luke raced to catch her, not caring if everyone saw how fast he moved. His focus was on getting to the girl before she hit the ground. The dragon had dropped her from a height that would almost certainly kill, if she was still alive when he let her go.
He reached her a moment before she hit the ground, but it was too late. She was dead. Her body sprawled in the dirty snow, lifeless. Frozen drops of deep red dragon blood painted an abstract around her.
* * *
Luke clenched his fists. Pain and anger stirred inside him, and he let out a primal scream. He wanted nothing more than to shift into his own dragon and chase the bastard down, kill him. Make him suffer.
A flash of silver glinted off the melting snow, and Luke looked up to see the dragon flying away, its large wings beating heavily against the air. One villager took another shot at it but missed. Clearly injured, the dragon was still able to fly and get away. With its shifter powers, it’d heal before they met it again.
Dammit.
A moment later Mac was beside him in full doctor mode. She dropped to the ground and checked the girl’s vitals, fingers to her carotid artery, her own sniffles barely concealed. When Luke looked over, Mac appeared calm—angry, but calm. After another moment, she sat back on her heels. “He broke her neck. She’s dead. The bastard killed her.”
Luke grabbed Mac’s hand. “Let’s take her home.”
When they stood, he noted the other villagers stared in shock. It had happened so quickly. The girl had been alive when they’d gotten there, and within a minute, she was dead. Yutu gazed into the distance, leaning forward on his snowmobile like it was an unfamiliar beast. Luke clenched his teeth.
It wasn’t fair. The girl didn’t deserve to die.
He stood tall. “I will not rest until the dragon is dead. That’s my promise
to you. My team will track the beast down. We’ll kill it.” He picked the girl up, her body limp.
The girl’s father approached him and took her from his arms. Luke slipped off his jacket and draped it over the body.
Luke didn’t know what to say. If the man only knew what was in Luke’s mind, he would understand it all. And he’d likely be angry that Luke was a dragon. Think that maybe somehow, his daughter’s death was Luke’s fault. After all, dragons were all the same, right? Luke tensed.
One day, he’d share his secret with the Inuit.
Today was not the day.
Mac leaned into him as if sensing that he needed to feel her close. She wrapped her arms around his waist. “Let’s go home.”
He hugged her to him, and she trembled. She was being strong for her people, but he knew that inside, she was shattering.
“Yes, let’s get back to the village and make a plan.” He led her to her snowmobile. He was done playing mind games with the ice dragon. He’d get him even if he had to pretend to join him and his crazy, twisted plots.
The trip to the village was somber, the hum of the snowmobiles the only sound in the frozen land. Luke was vigilant, scanning the sky in case the dragon came back. He almost hoped it would, though he knew he needed his team’s help.
He’d let the dragon think he was on its side, then he’d strike. He’d be bait long enough to trap the beast.
Whatever it took, Luke was willing.
Besides, the beast wouldn’t stand a chance against Luke’s anger. He’d rip the dragon to pieces. It was the least the victims deserved. He peeked at Mac. She rode on in silence, gaze focused straight ahead. She looked like the touch of a feather would break her, she was so tense. Mac deserved to know the dragon was dead and she was safe. No one should have to live in that kind of fear.
When they reached the village, he sensed his team nearby. They must have gotten his message or word about what had happened. As he drew closer to Mac’s house, he saw them waiting out front. Luke and Mac parked the snowmobiles in her garage.
Courtney was the first to enter after them. The female dragon watched him cautiously. “We were out searching. We didn’t have our phones on us, only just got your message. So we came back here.”
When he rounded on her, she drew back. Tears filled her eyes, and her bottom lip trembled. Then she whispered, “She didn’t make it, did she?”
Luke shook his head just as Mac came up beside him and took his hand, linking their fingers together. Instantly, he pulled her into him and kissed the top of her head. “Mac, this is Courtney. She’s part of my team.” Then he pointed to the other two. “And those two are Owen and Anders.”
Mac nodded in greeting. “Wish we were meeting on better terms. Would you like some coffee? I can make some. It’s awfully cold out here.”
“That would be great,” Owen rubbed his hands together. “Thank you.”
When Mac didn’t move right away, Luke gave her little nudge. “Give us a minute or two.”
Mac hesitated briefly, then left them alone. When she was inside, Luke updated the team on the dragon’s mental taunts and about the girl’s gruesome death. Even as he spoke the words, he couldn’t believe the kidnapping had come to a death. For some reason, he never expected the ice dragon to be so brutal—even knowing the dragon had killed Mac’s mother years ago.
Things had gotten real—horribly and unflinchingly real.
“The crazy bastard needs to die.” Courtney’s words were growled out. “We’ve got to stop him before he hurts anyone else.”
“I agree.” Luke made eye contact with Owen. “That’s why I’m going to let the bastard think I’m on his side. He’s been trying to get me to join him, and that’s exactly what I plan to do.”
Owen shook his head. “Not happening. The beast will sense you have a mate, and maybe even know we’re DSD. His mental capabilities are far beyond what we expected.”
“I’ll convince him he can trust me. I can do it, Owen. Give me the chance to avenge that girl’s death.” Luke pleaded. “She deserves it.”
Anders cleared his throat. “We’re going to get that dragon, Luke. You don’t have to sacrifice yourself. Let us do our job. Together. No one needs to be a sacrificial lamb.”
Owen tugged off his gloves, then his hat. “Sorry, Luke, it’s a no-go. You’re not grieving as much today. I sense it. You’re accepting Mac as your mate—or maybe you already have. The rogue will sense it, too, and that would be a death sentence for Mac. We have to find another way.”
Fuck. Owen was right. Luke had to stay with Mac and protect her from the ice dragon. And he needed to tell her the truth about his own inner beast before things got even more twisted up.
Chapter Thirteen
Mac glanced around the room. The whole village had turned out for the funeral, and soft sobs echoed through the air. The family gathered near the casket, arms around each other and tears flowing freely. They greeted people as they approached and shook hands, hugged, and accepted other outpourings of sympathy.
The sun shone through the lone stained-glass window, sending a mix of colors across the wooden floor. Rows of pews filled the space, and the line of people wrapped around the perimeter, the villagers waiting to convey their sympathy to the family.
Everyone was sad. They’d all known the deceased, or at least knew of her. Living in a small village had its upsides and downsides. Losing someone was always a tragedy. People didn’t forget. Some villagers still placed flowers on Mac’s mother’s grave and mourned her like she was their family.
Warmth spread through Mac, blossoming in her chest and radiating outward. She loved the feel of the village. When she’d been away at college, she’d missed the closeness the Alaskan wilderness forged in the small settlements that dotted the frozen landscape. Her friends couldn’t understand why she wanted to live in Alaska, and she’d never been able to properly express why she did.
As remote as some of the villages were, you couldn’t replace the sense of community, or even replicate it in larger towns and cities.
She reached for Snow’s hand. He hadn’t left her since they’d brought the dead girl back. His hand, large and strong, covered hers, giving her a sense of security and comfort. His team was out looking for the dragon, but he’d wanted to be at the funeral with her. She laid her head against his shoulder.
Luke was a good man.
Her father had wanted to attend the funeral, but he hadn’t been feeling well, and Luke didn’t want Mac flying the plane to pick him up with the dragon still on the loose. Her father had agreed. Heck, she agreed. She shuddered. The last time she’d flown, the dragon had gotten too close. He could’ve knocked her out of the sky if he’d wanted, and that wasn’t an opportunity she would give him again. Somehow, she knew he’d take it if he had the chance.
She stared at the white casket. Pink roses draped over the glossy surface like a blanket spilling over the edges.
The girl, Anjij, had only been sixteen. By all accounts, she was one of the smartest kids in the high school and was already trying to figure out which college she wanted to go to. Popular and bright, she’d had her whole life ahead of her. Now, it was over.
Mac sniffed and dabbed at her nose with a tissue. She hadn’t had much chance to care for Anjij since she’d taken over her father’s medical practice—the girl had been healthy. She’d given her vaccinations, but there had been no major medical issues. Mac’s father knew Anjij better since he’d cared for her as a child. He’d been really sad to learn of her death, but Mac imagined it brought up bad memories for him, as well. He wanted the dragon dead as much as anyone.
Anjij was part of Mac’s larger Inuit family. The whole village was. The fact that a creature could come in and rip away such a sweet, young girl was more than shocking. The dragon had to pay—it needed to be cut out like a cancer.
The dragon had to die for its crimes.
Though the casket was closed, Mac imagined Anjij’s sweet face inside, eyes closed
like she was sleeping. If only this was all a bad dream. The village could wake up and have her back.
Mac shook her head. Too bad.
It wasn’t fair. She leaned on Luke as they made their way to the front to pay their respects to Anjij’s family. Flowers weren’t just draped on the casket—they packed the room—every color of the rainbow in every corner and in every open spot. Pots and vases, sprays and stands. How so many fresh flowers had been flown into the village on such short notice, Mac couldn’t believe. Sweet scents filled the air while quiet music played in the background. Everything would have been incredibly peaceful, but for the dead girl laying in the casket at the front of the room.
A sob burst from Mac and she tried to hold back, sending out a muffled squawk. Luke hugged her, and she closed her eyes for a moment. The funeral was so much like her mother’s—everyone speaking in hushed tones, a sense of sadness so thick it was almost difficult to breathe, and a shiny casket the center of attention. Mac raised up and took a deep breath. It was like being back in time.
She had to control her sadness before it took her over. Luke stepped up to the receiving line, letting go of Mac after a quick squeeze.
He shook Anjij’s father’s hand.
“So sorry for your loss,” he said. “I would have given anything—”
“You tried,” the man interrupted. “I am grateful for that. You know what we need to do now. We have to get that beast.”
Luke nodded. “I know. You have my word that we will hunt it down.”
“Good.”
Mac shook the father’s hand while Luke hugged Anjij’s mother. Anjij’s siblings held hands, too young to understand what they were witnessing but old enough to know it was a somber occasion. Even Anjij’s older brother had flown back from the States where he was in college. He stood, chin out, almost defiant against the tears that shone in his eyes. His suit looked about two sizes too large and gave the impression of someone not quite grown, but not quite a child, either.
