A sickly-sweet scent caught his attention. Magic. He angled his wings down and followed the scent. It grew stronger as he flew, making his fires growl in his belly. Soon he spotted a large black van driving at breakneck speeds down the highway. He didn't need to guess that it was the witches. He pulled his legs up to his belly and tucked his wings in tight against his body, diving straight for it.
The scent of magic was so strong it covered up everything else. Lee spread his wings out, catching himself at the last possible second, as he landed overtop the van. His hands shot out, grabbing the vehicle. He lifted it from the ground, the tires spinning uselessly. Gasps and a short scream came from inside the van. He gently turned it over, setting it back down on its roof.
Then he tore open its belly. He ripped out the transmission, the engine, and threw them away. There were bursting noises as the windows popped out and witches scrambled from the vehicle. Lee ignored them as he continued digging in.
He finally made it through and ripped off the flooring of the vehicle. He tossed it and the seats away and reached in again. Mia lay on the roof facing up. Her eyes fluttered and when he picked her up, her head lolled back. A fierce snarl tore from him. They'd hurt her! He cradled her to his chest, praying she wasn't hurt too badly.
Searing pain stabbed through his back. Lee howled, clutching Mia tighter. He glanced around and his heart nearly stopped. He had been so focused on getting to Mia that he hadn't noticed the witches forming a circle around him. Their hands were outstretched, a magical cage fully formed, tightening around him. He pushed out with a wing only to have blinding pain wash over his body. It drove him down to his knees.
Mia moaned and he forced himself back up, terrified he'd hurt her. If the cage kept shrinking, he'd have to shift back to human form. Making himself vulnerable. He snarled again. Harriet Henderson stood with the group, a smile twisting her face.
Lee roared–and another roar answered him. His head twisted round to see a sleek gold dragon hurtling through the sky. Alex. His friend dropped onto the witches, bashing them every which way. Claws slashed and fire burned. Jets of white-hot flame, instantly disintegrating the witches it engulfed. The cage around Lee weakened and he threw himself against it. More pain, but the streaks of light broke. He lunged for Henderson, who just jumped from his clashing teeth. She cursed and made a strange hand motion. A flash of light enveloped her and she was gone.
A few of the other witches followed, and Alex quickly took care of the rest. Lee nodded in thanks, then laid Mia down on the ground. He shifted and had to force himself to stay still until he was fully human. As soon as the dragon had retreated, he began patting her down, looking for injuries. The multiple first-aid and emergency medical treatment courses he'd taken ran through his mind. First off, he had to make sure that she didn't have broken bones–or a broken neck. Keep her steady and stable.
Mia moaned, her eyes flickering, and he forgot everything. He acted on instinct, pressing his mouth to hers. The pained moan turned to a sigh, and one of her hands reached out. It traced along his jaw before dropping again.
"Lee?" she whispered when he pulled back.
"I'm here. I'm here, Mia. You're safe."
"No." The word was whimpered.
It tore through Lee's chest and he pulled her closer. "You're safe. I won't let them hurt you."
Her eyes opened. They took a moment before focusing, then her fingers curled around his bicep and she shook her head. Her eyes widened. "No! Now, they're not… they're not after me."
Lee's brow furrowed. "You're not thinking straight. We have to get you somewhere safe."
Where? There was nowhere he'd be safe. Even the houses set up for dragons outside of clan territory would be forbidden to him now. He had hoped for the mark they'd left on her to have faded by now, but if the witches followed them into dragon territory… where could they go that was safe? He glanced up at Alex, desperately trying to find some help. His friend stared back at him.
"They don't want me." Mia's voice sounded clearer. She pushed herself into a sitting position and her fingers tightened. "They want you. They want to rip out your heart."
His heart?
"That's why they took you," Alex mumbled. "They wanted to lure Lee back to them."
Mia nodded. "Yes. That's it exactly. They must have come to dragon territory looking to take a dragon–any dragon–but when they were discovered, they knew they wouldn’t be able to do that anymore. They took me because that old one knew that you'd come for me."
Lee shook his head. He'd process this, but Mia came first. "They won't hurt me."
"They won't," Alex agreed. "Because they won't have anything to use against you."
Lee opened his mouth, but Alex shifted and batted him away. Then the huge gold dragon lunged for Mia.
Chapter Thirteen
Mia
She was going to die, for real this time.
Now that the witches were gone, this dragon was going to kill her. Mia screamed as the beast lunged for her, claws outstretched, tail whipping back and forth. She was only just able to evade the grasping hands. Lee shouted and she tried to go to him, but her body still felt sluggish from the witch's spell. When she scrambled to her feet, her legs got all tangled up and she crashed back down. The dragon loomed over her, fire flickering between giant teeth.
There was no point to screaming again. Mia gazed up at those lizard eyes, tears coursing down her face. The dragon hesitated.
Another roar.
Lee's form shifted so rapidly she was surprised not to see shreds of skin fly off of him. Flames jetted from his mouth as he slammed into the other dragon. Claws tore and scales went flying. Mia scrambled backward as spurts of blood flew into the air. They attacked so furiously that she couldn't tell whose blood it was. Couldn't tell if the scales raining down around her were gold or green. Her throat closed over as she watched, helpless to stop the mammoth beasts.
Would Alex kill Lee? Would Lee kill his friend? She clenched her hands as adrenaline surged through her, but what could she do?
Alex clawed at Lee's belly, forcing a retreat. The two dragons circled each other for a moment, Alex low and growling, Lee bristling with barely repressed rage. Mia clutched her chest, hating this. There had to be another way. They had to make Alex see reason…
Or was that even necessary?
The dragon had hesitated. She had been sure she was dead, but there had been a moment of hesitation. It allowed Lee to attack, drive his friend away from her. Alex didn't want to kill her. That meant that they could talk, figure something out. At least, she hoped that it did. She scrambled to her feet, heart pounding.
"Lee," she called. "Lee, stop."
Alex twisted towards her, and Lee attacked again.
"Stop!" Mia shouted.
Lee flipped Alex over and placed his claws on his friend's belly and his teeth at his friend's throat. A low growl filled the air and Mia froze again. This time because she was sure that Lee would strike the killing blow. Her limbs felt rooted to the ground, chest locked, heart pounding. Then Alex's form changed, shifting to human form. Lee waited until the change was complete before shifting himself. He offered a hand to Alex, but his friend didn't take it.
Now that they were both human, Mia saw that the blood was focused on Alex. Wounds gushed the red liquid. Lee had a few scrapes on him, but nothing comparable. Her stomach twisted as she realized she was right. Lee had been trying to kill. Alex was defending.
"I won't let anybody hurt her," Lee growled, voice soft but full of feeling.
A rush of warmth filled her. She wanted to launch herself into his arms but held herself back. "Alex hesitated, Lee."
Lee gave her a sharp glance. "What?"
"Don't think anything of it, I was just trying to decide the quickest way to kill you," Alex said but it was clear the moment of hesitation meant more than that. "Lee, listen to me. If you do this, the clan will see it as a betrayal. Please. You and I have been friends since we were fledglings. Y
ou know who the king's best tracker is. If you don't do your duty towards the clan—"
Lee snarled. "I will not let her be harmed!"
Alex grimaced. "The king will put a bounty on your head. You'll be killed with her. You know that. He'll send me after you. Right now, we have a chance. If you come back and beg forgiveness—"
"No." Lee shook his head hard. "He'll want me to kill Mia. I'll die before I let her get hurt."
Mia stepped towards him, reaching for him. Her eyes filled with tears. "Lee…"
"Your duty to the clan demands—"
"I'm doing my duty to the world, Alex." Pain flashed across Lee's face. "I will face the consequences."
"Damn you," Alex whispered. "You and your morals, your compassion… why do you have to be so perfect?"
A shadow passing over her made Mia look up. Her jaw dropped. Above them circled another dragon. No. Not just one. Four. As big as Lee, if not bigger. They seemed to be waiting for something. She raced to Lee's arms. He caught her, surprised, and followed her gaze up. A curse burst from his lips, along with a lungful of smoke, and his arms tightened around her. Mia wanted to bury her face against his skin, to block out all these dangers, but it was useless to pretend like this wasn't happening.
"Lee," she gasped.
Her voice sounded terrified and broken to her own ears, and she didn't blame him when he flinched. He looked down at her for a long moment before glancing up at Alex again. The dragon didn't move from the ground, large eyes fixed on them. Waiting. Waiting for Lee to make a decision? Waiting for him to kill her? Mia trembled. She pressed in closer to him, not caring that he was completely naked. Her lip trembled.
Should she tell him to sacrifice her for himself? There was a part of her that bravely stood up and said yes. The rest of her shied back from the thought. To die was bad enough, but thinking of dying by Lee's hand hurt too much to bear.
"Lee," she gasped again, and his arms tightened. He looked down at her with an expression so pained she couldn’t take it.
Mia threw her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. She fully intended on telling him to go home once the kiss was over. To go back to his family and forget about her or what might happen to her. She never got the chance.
An ear-splitting roar sounded from above them. Mia looked up again to see all four of the dragons diving at them. Their forms were sheathed in fire. They pulled up twenty, thirty feet away and each let out a blast of flames that billowed towards them. Lee twisted his body, putting himself between her and the fire. She felt the heat scorch her skin. Blisters popped up on her arms and the smell of burning hair filled the space between them.
Another roar sounded as Alex shifted and jumped in front of the flames. Wings outstretched, eyes on the two of them. The dragon took the full blast. The other four dragons stopped their jets, and everything hung in silence. Great patches of flesh had been burned away from Alex's wings. A strangled noise escaped Lee's throat, but Alex made a soft gasp and Lee sprang into the air.
He shifted mid-jump, beating his wings as the other dragons roared. She couldn't see what was happening, couldn't hear anything over the sound of rushing air. Lee's heart beat rapidly in his chest and she pressed her face against it, closing her eyes. She sent out a silent prayer of thanks to Alex–and then another one, hoping that the dragon would survive.
***
It felt like forever before Lee landed again. The flight had made Mia's legs go numb and she stumbled when he put her down. He didn't leave her like that long, though. His arms seized her around the waist and he pulled her against his body. Out of instinct, she wrapped her legs around his waist, and despite the situation, she marveled that he could lift her so easily.
He kissed her feverishly, passionately, until they were both out of breath. They were still in a wooded area, but she could hear cars driving not too far away.
"We're safe, for now," he whispered. "We're outside of dragon territory, they won't follow us here yet. They'd have stayed with Alex—"
He cut off with a choking sound and turned his head away briefly. Mia's eyes burned and a lump formed in her throat. What she would give to know what to say, what to do to comfort him. The smell of burning flesh came back to her, making her stomach lurch. She choked back bile.
"Was it fatal? Will Alex survive?"
For a moment, Lee just looked lost. Then his expression softened and he set her down again. "Flames from four dragons… it' s going to be painful, but it doesn't have to be fatal. And it's Alex. They'll make sure that the best healers are available. The king won't let anything happen…"
Mia bit her lip. "How can you be sure?"
"The king is Alex's grandfather." Lee sucked in a deep breath, looking more centered and determined by the second. "If anybody can survive that, it's a royal dragon. I have to have hope. In the meantime, though, we have to find a safe place. We can't go to my clan, we can't go to any of the safe houses. If we went to your family we'd put them in jeopardy."
Mia shuddered. "Will the witches go after them anyway?"
Lee shook his head. "I doubt it. But I'm not leaving you, Mia."
"Why? They want you, not me. They only came after me because they wanted to get to you. If you left… then you could be safe. You could go home. I'm just a weak human, you're risking your life for nothing."
His gaze moved briefly to her mouth, making her breath seize again. Lee wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against him. "Superman wouldn't leave Lois Lane on her own. Aragorn wouldn’t leave Arwen. Ricky wouldn’t leave Lucy."
Despite the situation, she couldn't help but laugh. And then Lee's mouth was on hers and that was all that mattered.
Chapter Fourteen
Lee
They were being hunted on two fronts. Witches were after them, wanting to rip out his heart for their dark sacrifices and his clan–his family, friends–were after his blood because what he did constituted betrayal to them. If he were a lesser man, he would have thought about giving up. Taking Mia and plummeting into the depths of the ocean to make it quicker for the both of them.
But he wasn't a quitter, and neither was she. Things did look hopeless at the moment, but that didn't mean it would stay that way. All they needed was a little time to regroup. Once they had rested they'd be able to figure out their next step. Find more information. Hopefully, they would come up with a solution to save not only their lives, but the lives of countless innocents.
How, though? Lee closed his eyes. It was something they'd have to figure out.
To help cut out any magical signatures that they might be broadcasting, Lee had taken them to a cave that was full of agate. According to a few vague sources, agate was a magic-dampener. The dragon had never had anything to do with the stuff himself, but now that they were here he had to think that there was something to the stories.
The cave, while not terribly tiny, still felt cramped. He had a hard time stretching out, but worse than that his lungs felt like they couldn't expand properly. His fires felt damp. There was something pressing in on him and he hated it. Extremely so. The red and orange ripples were dulled by a coating of dirt, but here and there the vivid colors could be seen. The floor was covered in rubble and debris, as well a few mice nests.
Mia shuddered as the rodents ran squeaking, but she hadn't said much since they arrived. Her eyes had black smudged below them, her skin a drawn taunt, and she looked exhausted.
But since it was true that agate dampened magic, Mia was safe. Maybe not perfectly safe, but much safer than she would have been out there where magic could be used to track her down. It was enough to tamp down on his own magical signature as well. The GPS tracker implanted under his skin would have to go… as soon as he figured out how to locate it, since he had been unconscious during the procedure.
He handed her a bottle of water from the storage that they'd gotten when they were in a nearby town. Mia took it and passed him a cheese sandwich, which he tore into with relish. His stomach grumbled from h
unger. After so much flying and so little food, he'd worked up quite an appetite. They'd already eaten a full chicken, which he cooked, but that wasn't enough for a dragon of his size.
Mia leaned into his side and he found himself wishing that he hadn't gotten new clothes… although it certainly was for the best that he was clothed. It was the adrenaline telling him to rip off Mia's clothes and his own to lay her down in the cave and go at it like animals. The desire rode him hard, but he fought it. Sex was off the table. It was a mistake he wasn't going to make again.
If it was a mistake… Mia had been as into it as he had. Was it really so wrong for two people to take comfort in the enjoyment of each other's bodies?
"Can I ask you something?" Mia's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"Anything."
"When I was in the root cellar, I heard you guys talking about making me your mate," she said. "What does that mean?"
Lee washed down the sandwich with a swig of water. "It's like marriage. Only more… binding I guess. Dragons mate for life. Unlike humans, who might divorce somebody if things don't work out. There is a ceremony, some magical rituals that bind the two of them together for the rest of their lives. If they slept together, it doesn't take as long for the bindings to solidify, especially if one or both were virgins. It used to be that mates were decided by the king, but things these days are more liberal. People are allowed to choose who they want to be with based on their feelings."
"So, dragons can mate who they want now?"
Lee nodded. "The number of matings has gone down drastically. Most couples, like my parents, choose to simply live together. You see, when a couple is mated, they can feel everything the other one can feel. And when one in a mated pair dies, the other dies with them."
Mia's eyes widened. "Oh. Wow. So once a pair is mated, they are really in it for life."
He bit his lip to stop himself from saying that it was something he had always wanted, that feeling of utter connection. To feel what they were feeling, to know another person that intimately and to be known in return. It sounded a bit creepy for the situation, though.
Her Dragon Professor Page 7
