by Vella Day
No animal was outside the cabin, but because his scale was flashing white, Chelsea had to be near. They had already discussed tactics. Both he and Thane thought the best approach was for Declan to go in first.
Excitement at seeing Chelsea again mixed with dread. As he stepped up to the front, the door opened.
Sabrina stepped out. “Hello again, Declan.”
What the fuck was Sabrina doing there? “Where’s Sanditra?”
She laughed. “I really had you fooled, didn’t I?”
One moment she was Sabrina and the next she’d transformed into Sanditra. Her change shocked him, but the heated scale on his chest kept him focused. As much as he wanted to ask a hundred questions, he didn’t need to become sidetracked. “I want Chelsea.”
“Did you bring Kaleena?” she asked with that smug tone of hers.
“No.”
Sabrina, or rather Sanditra, crossed her arms over her chest. “No Kaleena, no Chelsea. I thought I made that clear.”
“You did.” As he moved forward, Sanditra held up an arm, but nothing happened to him. No paralysis. No blindness. No weakening of the limbs.
“What the fuck?” she said. Sanditra’s eyes widened, and her mouth gaped open.
“Hello, Sanditra,” Angelique said, walking out from behind a tree. Her smile was enough to scare anyone.
“You!”
Declan hadn’t even been aware the two of them knew each other. “We’ve come for Chelsea,” Angelique announced.
“You…you can’t have her.”
Angelique kept her arm extended. Was that her way of keeping the dark lighter at bay? “Who’s going to stop us? Surely, you don’t believe you can.”
Declan’s muscles froze, unable to understand the dynamic that was taking place. Angelique was a white lighter like Kaleena, but he’d believed that Sanditra possessed a lot more power.
“Declan,” Angelique said. “Get Chelsea. She’s inside.”
Having no idea how long Angelique could hold Sanditra at bay, he darted around the dark lighter and into the house. The main area consisted of a living room and dining room with a kitchen off to the side.
“Chelsea?” he called out but received no answer.
If his chest scale hadn’t been pulsing hot white, he might have believed she wasn’t there. The cabin only contained two bedrooms, so it didn’t take long before he found her curled up on the floor next to a bed. Declan’s pulse soared as he dropped down next to her. “Chelsea? It’s me, Declan. Can you hear me?”
Her wolf huffed once but then remained still, her breathing rough and irregular. Damn.
“I’m going to get you out of here. You’re going to be okay, I promise.” Declan used his calmest tone, mostly to keep from panicking.
He gently scooped her up and carried her outside. Finn, Thane, and Angelique were facing Sanditra, who appeared quite shell-shocked but unfortunately didn’t appear defeated.
“You’ve all made a big mistake,” Sanditra said rather smugly to the group as she eyed Chelsea.
Declan must have faltered because Finn scooped Chelsea from his arms. The dark lighter wasn’t going to let her go easily. That much was clear. Declan needed to deal with her once and for all. “Finn, take Chelsea away from here.”
“You got it.”
“Thane and Angelique go with Finn. I don’t want anything to happen to her.”
Angelique touched his arm. “I’m not leaving.”
His younger brother and consummate fighter puffed out his chest. “Neither am I.”
Before he could argue with them, Sanditra transformed into a black dragon laced with lead-colored scales. Holy shit. His senses reeled. How had he not been able to tell that she was a shifter, let alone a dragon shifter? Then again, Nessa and Kyle had run into someone who could mask his dragon signature too. He’d definitely underestimated Sanditra.
She flapped her wings, clearly challenging him to a fight. If he didn’t know she was so evil, he’d have almost admired her beauty.
“I want her for myself,” he told Thane.
His younger brother held up both hands. “Be my guest. I got your back though.”
Declan shifted, and every cell of his being was ready to fight. Now that Chelsea was safe, he could focus on putting an end to this evil woman’s life. Drawing on all of his training, Declan charged upward, whipping his tail around, hoping to lasso her hands.
Sanditra must have anticipated his move because she easily dipped out of the way the moment his tail neared. He wasn’t discouraged though, because he’d learned over the years that dragon battles were never quick. He would tire her out and then kill her.
Just as Declan was about to try a different approach, she zoomed toward him at a speed he’d never witnessed. Before he could move out of the way, her talons dug into his chest. Pain sliced through him, rendering him unable to move. Dying however wasn’t an option. Not only was he a Guardian, Chelsea needed him.
Fighting through the pain, Declan reached up and pierced her neck with his sharp claws. She yelped and released him. While Sanditra didn’t seem to be seriously injured, she pulled back, probably toying with him.
We’ll toy with her, his dragon said.
Ignoring the pain from the near miss, Declan soared straight up, daring her to follow. Tail whipping behind him and claws extended, he waited until he was high enough before turning around. His plan was to speed downward, hoping his momentum would be so intense that he’d knock her to the ground.
When he finally pivoted, Sanditra was right behind him. How was that possible? He hadn’t even sensed her. She breathed fire in his face and then dragged her nails down his wing, nearly ripping it in two. Declan flapped harder and harder, but his injured wing couldn’t help keep him aloft for long. Needing to repair, he headed back to the ground.
As if time stood still for him, Sanditra miraculously appeared below him, her talons pointed straight for his chest. Just as she reached out to rip out his heart, Thane swooped in and knocked her out of the way.
Thank you, brother. Normally, Declan fought his own battles, especially when that someone was trying to harm the woman he’d come to love, but with his damaged wing, he might not be able to defeat Sanditra by himself. She had the advantage of some kind of very dark magic.
As much as he needed to rest from the puncture to his chest, he couldn’t have the witch harm Thane. Declan rose once more, albeit slowly. Each wing flap caused a tremendous amount of pain, but he needed to reach his brother in order to help.
Just as he was closing in on those two, Sanditra suddenly disappeared. Shit. Declan couldn’t locate her. Guardians could always sense another cloaked dragon.
Apparently, not this time.
Thane screeched, his claws scratching the air at some invisible being. Fuck. How could they fight something that was invisible? His own vision blurred, his strength waned, and something akin to acid raced through his veins, rendering his muscles almost useless.
Declan was falling, unable to stop his descent.
Thane sent out a stream of fire just as three gaping holes appeared in one of his wings. Declan flapped to slow his journey to the ground. There had to be something he could do to do help, only what?
Sanditra became visible again and clawed at Thane’s snout. It was almost as if she wanted Declan to see her kill his brother. That wasn’t going to happen, even if it took his last breath to save him.
Declan roared and drew on all of his strength—strength that was draining fast. He flapped his wings harder, wanting to reach Thane, but all he managed to do was hover in place. Panic filled him at the hopeless situation. When he pictured Chelsea, a bit of joy cut the intensity of the ache. He wouldn’t give up. He couldn’t.
How ironic that he was a healer, and yet he didn’t have the ability to save himself.
Come on, he urged his dragon. Give me a little more juice.
I’m trying his animal grunted.
Without warning, something warm and comforting fill
ed him, causing his entire body to glow white. What the hell was going on? Not that he minded because whatever it was helped his wing to heal and his strength to return.
Thank you! You have surpassed anything you’ve ever done, he said to his dragon.
It wasn’t me.
“It was me. Angelique,” said a voice inside his head. “I’m using your body to take that bitch down. We must join forces in order to defeat Sanditra. My white lighter abilities, along with your superior skills, can kill her. Let me do this. Please.”
“Save Thane! That’s all I ask.”
More heat shot through him, and with it came a strength he’d never experienced before. “I plan to.”
Declan might have been the one to flap his wings, but it was as if Angelique had taken over his brain, deciding where to go, and how fast to fly. They dove downward, and then quickly shot upward underneath Sanditra. As they neared, his body cloaked.
The black and lead-colored dragon let go of Thane and turned toward them, ready to take them on. His brother only had one fully functioning wing, but he must have sensed something was happening, because he moved out of the way and hovered close by. He’d probably return to the fray if Declan needed him.
As Declan approached his prey, he extended his claws, ready to rip out her dark heart. No longer would Sanditra steal anyone else’s powers ever again. This was for Chelsea, Thane, Kaleena, and Danita.
A force inside him festered, and his concentration sharpened.
Destroy the evil! shouted the voice from within. He couldn’t tell if it was a command from Angelique, or if his own dragon wanted this victory.
Setting his sights on Sanditra’s underbelly, he soared higher and stabbed his talons near to where he thought her heart might be—assuming she even had one. She screeched. A second later, her wings folded in on themselves, and her claws retracted.
Sanditra fluttered her wings and whipped her tail back and forth, but her life force was leaving her. While she gave a valiant effort to stay and fight, she was losing the battle. Declan followed her down to the ground where her dragon collapsed and heaved a final sigh. Right before his eyes, she turned to black dust, and then a gust of wind helped scatter her.
As if someone had ripped the strength from his body, Angelique appeared before him. “I’m sorry I interfered.”
Only then did he remember seeing her collapsed on the ground a moment ago. What just happened made no sense, but he was beyond thankful that it had.
“No, I’m happy you did. Thane might have died, and I might have too.”
Thane landed with a thud and then collapse. Thane waited for his brother to shift back, but he didn’t. His dragon must be trying to heal him. Declan rushed over to his brother and placed a hand on his bleeding chest. Now that Angelique had given him back his strength, he could send all of his healing abilities into Thane.
Angelique knelt down beside him and placed a hand on Thane’s snout. “His breathing seems good.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean he’ll fly out of here.”
He waited for her to explain what the hell had just happened, but she seemed content to stroke Thane’s face. Clearly, this woman was a highly powerful white lighter. Since she was able to inhabit his body with such ease, she might be more than an ordinary being. He doubted even the Four Sisters of Fate could have pulled off that trick.
“Why don’t you head on back to Chelsea?” Angelique said. “I’ll stay here and make sure Thane is feeling better.”
From her confident tone, she believed she would have him up and flying in no time. That worked for him. Normally, he would never consider leaving his brother, but he had the sense Angelique was about to perform another miracle and didn’t want him to watch.
Declan stood. “I can’t thank you enough for—”
Angelique smiled and held up a hand. “No need to thank me.”
She leaned closer to Thane as if to protect him.
“Okay.”
Angelique pulled out her cell and waved it. “I’ll call if I need help.”
That provided him with some reassurance. “Thank you.”
“Go.” She waved an impatient hand.
A bit reluctant, Declan shifted and took off, excited at having Chelsea in his arms again soon.
Chapter Twenty
“Chels?”
Finn was calling to her. Why was he here? She needed to warn him to leave before Sanditra found him, only she couldn’t form the words. Sheesh. That was because she was still in her wolf form. Chelsea attempted to shift, but nothing happened. What the hell?
More voices came at her, but she couldn’t understand them. While she thought her eyes were open, she couldn’t see anything. Her sense of smell seemed to be working though, but not much of anything else. The area smelled of clay. Dry clay. And some sweet scent she couldn’t identify. Why couldn’t she wake up?
Arms slid under her body. One minute she was inside somewhere and the next she was outside. The fresh air helped perk her up, but it wasn’t enough to completely rouse her. Then wind whipped through her fur, and something strong held her close.
When she roused again, the cool wind was gone, but she still wasn’t able to open her eyes or shift. Anger and frustration bit into her.
“Chelsea. It’s Declan. Can you hear me?”
She wanted to shout for joy. The last time she’d heard his voice, she thought she’d dreamt it. As hard as she tried to move a paw or wag her tail, nothing moved.
Declan was beside himself. Acacia and Poppy had removed the silver collar from around Chelsea’s neck. It was the same kind that Kaleena had worn when she’d been imprisoned in the castle jail. Finn said that Kaleena felt immediately better afterward, so why wasn’t Chelsea responding?
Once the sisters had done all they could for Chelsea, Declan flew her back to the safe house where he planned to stay with her day and night until she was healed. Chelsea hadn’t been in battle like his mate had been, but it was just as important to him that Chelsea survive—maybe more so. Even though she didn’t appear to have any wounds on her body, she wasn’t waking up, and he needed to change that.
Declan placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her leg, trying to assess the situation. Each injury required its own special treatment. Before he could get a reading on her, a knock sounded on the safe house door.
“Come in,” he called.
Finn, Thane, and Kaleena barged in. Kaleena rushed over to them. “How is she?”
He shook his head. “She isn’t responding.”
Thane placed a hand on Declan’s shoulder. “I didn’t get to thank you for helping me,” his brother said.
“You saved me first.” Declan studied him. “I can’t believe you healed so quickly. Have you tried to shift?”
“I flew here. My wing is as good as new.”
“There were three large holes in your wing. I truly thought you might be permanently damaged.”
Thane grinned. “I’m a tough old bird. You should know that.”
“How’s Angelique?”
Thane’s brows pinched. “I have no idea. I thought she was with you.”
His pulse soared. “No. She wanted to stay with you until your dragon healed you.”
“When I roused, she wasn’t there.”
Even though Angelique seemed perfectly capable of taking care of herself, he wondered how she’d made it home. If she was able to materialize inside his body, she probably could teleport. Or was she a dragon herself? Before he solved that mystery, he had to heal Chelsea.
Declan ran his hands over her flank and then stilled. Something wasn’t right.
“What is it?” Kaleena asked, full of concern.
“I’m feeling another life force.”
“Life force, as in an evil part of Sanditra is still inside my sister?” Finn asked as he stepped closer.
Declan’s hand trembled. “I can’t be sure, but I think she might be pregnant!” His heart jackknifed at the ramification. He glanced
from Kaleena to Finn. “Did Chelsea say anything to you two?”
“No,” they said in unison.
Declan’s healing magic could harm the baby—assuming that was what he was feeling. “I’m not sure what to do.”
“Call Greer,” Kaleena said.
He wasn’t sure how she could help, but the last time he decided not to ask his cousin, Bess had died. He pulled out his phone and contacted her. He gave a shortened version of what went down and that they were at the safe house. “Can you come over?”
“I’m already out the door.”
True to her word, Greer showed up ten minutes later. Having so many people in the room was a bit unsettling as it took concentration to heal her. “How about the rest of you grab a bite to eat in the kitchen or something?”
Kaleena rubbed his shoulder. “Sure. We’ll get out of your hair, but we won’t be far.”
“I appreciate that.”
Once he and Greer were alone with Chelsea, Declan closed his eyes and placed his hands on her stomach, needing to be sure he had felt a life inside her. “If she is pregnant, I fear my infusive magic might harm the baby.”
“May I try?” Greer asked.
“Please. I swear I feel something alive.”
“Does that make you happy?” his cousin asked.
“Yes.” Declan didn’t even hesitate.
Greer placed her hands where Declan’s had been. “This is not my forte. I honestly can’t tell if she is with child or not.”
Another knock sounded on the bedroom door and he sagged, not needing the interruption. “Come in,” he called.
To his surprise, Angelique walked in. “How is she?”
“Unresponsive. Did Kaleena call you?”
“No. May I?” she asked.
He had a lot of questions to ask her, but he needed her help more. Not one to turn down her offer, he scooted over. Without actually touching her, Angelique hovered her hands over Chelsea’s abdomen. “I’m sensing something.”
The confirmation cheered him. “I did too. I think she might be pregnant.”
Angelique smiled. “Yes, that must be it. The baby must be protected at all cost.”
