She sprinted down the stairs, not wanting to see anyone, and out the back door. She looked back, fear racing through her, wondering if Dom was coming after her.
But the house in the early morning hours was silent. She sank onto a cushioned chair on the sheltered back porch and began to cry, alone.
Chapter 17
Dom felt completely hollow as he watched Lana go.
She hated him, and there was nothing he could do to stop her. He’d seen the full amount of fear she experienced at the threat of being forced, and he couldn’t do it, no matter how easy it would have been to hold her and put his ring on her.
And save her.
There had to be another way. Or was he just too weak? Was he just given powers so he could fail at using them?
He pulled at his hair, unable to cause enough pain to forget Lana’s face as she looked at him, hating him, yelling at him to let her go.
Telling him he was hurting her, the last thing he wanted in the world. Everything had been perfect before that dream.
Just like last time.
“So my uncle planning to murder me was perfect?” a soft voice cut in.
Dom raised his head and saw Thurston sitting on the windowsill, his blond hair partially covering his face.
“Just go away,” he said. “I just can’t do this now.”
“Right,” said Thurston. “Just like you couldn’t do it then.”
“I did my best,” Dom said. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m tired of hearing sorry,” Thurston said. “And I’m tired of being blocked out. You know, because you’ve been too afraid to see the real me, you’ve been making all kinds of hideous things with your mind. Scaring yourself. Did you really think the real me would be worse than you imagined?”
Dom shrugged. “Why wouldn’t you be?”
“Because I forgave you. I don’t even need to forgive you. Something evil was coming. You tried to stop it. Other people were stupid and made it impossible. You can’t control another person’s choices. A lesson I think Lana is teaching you.”
“If you’re an echo, why do you keep coming back?”
“As I said, it has never been me. You’ve always kept me blocked, hovering, while you spoke to a figment of your own imagination, generated by immense guilt.”
“You were a child,” Dom said.
“I was,” Thurston said. “But it has been a while. I’ve been somewhere better when I couldn’t come see you. But I’ve been worried. You’re wrong about echoes, you know. We are ghosts. Well, we are ourselves coming to see you after we are dead. But it’s true we are only here for a moment. We get just one chance to come back and say one final thing. One final visit.”
How odd that Thurston of all people should be helping him understand this part of his power when he’d always thought Thurston was the worst part of it.
“You have a powerful mind, Dom,” Thurston said. “You can torture yourself or you can use it to save yourself… and that mate of yours.”
“How?” Dom asked.
“I don’t hold you accountable for my death at all,” Thurston said. “In fact, I was touched, watching you search for me, watching you cry over my body. Before I went, I felt your love for me. I wasn’t angry.”
Dom’s whole body went rigid. He was almost afraid to believe what he was hearing.
“I wish you had let me in sooner to tell you that.” Thurston folded his arms. “I’ve watched other echoes, as you call them, come in and tell you things and disappear, yet every time I come back, there’s a wall up.”
“So why now?” Dom asked.
“I guess you are too broken to put a wall up. Anyway, since this is my last visit, I guess I should tell you the one thing I would take away from the situation arising from my death.” Thurston straightened, and Dom allowed himself to really see his old friend, surprised to see he felt relief, rather than fear.
This was the real echo of Thurston. Not the one generated by guilt.
“You have to fight,” Thurston said. “You can’t let bad people win, because when other people don’t believe you or tell you you’re crazy, you back off of them.”
“I can’t force my mate,” he said brokenly.
“Fine,” Thurston said. “But don’t let her go until you make her understand. Stay by her side every moment until you have her believing you. Dom, you are a good person. There is a reason I picked you for a friend. Believe in that, and don’t let people shake you.”
Dom nodded.
“Now go get your mate. She’s in trouble,” Thurston said.
Dom stood, clenching his hands into tight fists. Thurston was right. He needed to believe in himself. He was good. He fought for other people. He wasn’t crazy. He wasn’t wicked. He wasn’t bad. And he had to make people believe him.
He had to find his mate. But first…
He turned to Thurston, heart aching as he mentally said good-bye to his friend. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.”
Thurston waved a hand. “I’m happier now anyway. You can’t even imagine… Well, anyway. It meant everything that you tried, but you were a child, and there was nothing you could do. But you aren’t a child anymore, are you? You are a full-grown dragon, and your mate needs you.”
Dom nodded. “Thank you, Thurston. For everything.”
Thurston shrugged. “Thank you for being my friend. And for trying. And I’m sorry you suffered this long.” He frowned. “Oh, one other thing you might find interesting. After you left and the adults picked themselves up, they did remember what you said about my uncle. After the grief had faded. He was caught and stopped, and many children’s lives were saved because of what you did. So while it might not have seemed like it at the time, you actually did make a difference.”
Dom had to fight back waves of emotion at Thurston’s words. So something good had still come from his vision, even if it wasn’t what he’d wanted.
“So even if things aren’t going as planned, don’t give up,” Thurston said.
“Thank you,” Dom said.
“Good-bye,” Then, with a light wave, he was gone.
Dom yanked open his bedroom door and charged out. He could reflect on everything that had just ripped open his world later. Right now, he had to find his mate.
After a few minutes of panicked crying, Lana was able to use careful breathing to slowly calm down enough to raise her head and look around her.
Where should she go? What should she do? She choked at the thought of going back to Dom, but he’d been her one safe place. Part of her had thought it all must be a mistake. He couldn’t really mean to mate her no matter what.
He had let her leave after she’d screamed at him.
Had she moved too fast? Reacted too strong? All she knew was that pain was still echoing through her, almost unbearable. Should she wake Bridget or Erin so she could talk to someone who could help her see the difference between the past and the future?
She swiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her robe, which she’d pulled on in a hurry as she ran so she was at least mostly covered.
Then she heard a voice from behind her.
“Lana? Are you okay?”
She turned back to see Topaz walking out and closing the kitchen door quietly behind him. She swiped at her tears and nodded, trying to summon a smile to hide the pain she was feeling.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No.”
He frowned, and she could feel his intent stare, his concern as he looked down at her. Then he reached down to take her elbow and gently lifted her. “Come on. Let’s take a walk. Get some air. I promise you’ll feel better.”
She wouldn’t. Because the only thing that had made her feel good since being here was being in Dom’s arms, and she’d just run away from him. She hadn’t even given him a chance to explain. He’d scared her too much.
If she ran back, would he still say she had to mate him? Still say all those words that put her back in the wo
rst place of her life?
“Something with Dom?” Topaz asked quietly, leading her down onto the grass so they could walk in the morning breeze. She had to admit the wind felt good on her heated, tearstained cheeks.
She nodded. It was kind of Topaz to care enough to ask. He wasn’t going to force anyone to do anything. Unlike Dom. He also didn’t make her heart race, unlike Dom.
A part of her suddenly wanted to run back to him, to talk to him. After all, he hadn’t chased after her, forced her, grabbed her. He’d given her space. If he were truly a monster who wanted to take all her choices, he wouldn’t have done that.
Regret surging through her, finally breaking through the flashbacks and trauma of her past, she tried to pull away from Topaz.
“I have to go back and talk to him.”
“I don’t think so,” Topaz said flatly.
She blinked, looking up at him. “What?”
His expression was still pleasant, his brown eyes warm. “Just that I’m getting out of here, and you’re coming with me. I hear dragons get more powers when they take a mate.” He jerked her against him. “Oh yeah, I almost forgot.” He trapped her against him with an iron grip and grabbed her hand. Then he slid a ring on it.
Dread rocked though her as she felt the cool metal settle on her finger.
“No!” she shrieked. She knew what this meant, and she jerked away from him, pulling at the ring and falling to her knees as the sheer hopelessness of the situation went through her. “What have you done?”
“What that stupid Dom should have done weeks ago,” he said. “Silly, if he really thought you were his mate, to wait that long.”
She blinked back tears. This was why Dom had said she had to mate him. This was what had forced both of them into a corner. It was so unfair. She lunged at Topaz, going for his eyes, and he caught her by the hands, grinning and jerking her lewdly against his body.
“Should we celebrate our mating?” he asked, bringing his lips close as she struggled.
She tried to knee him in the groin but missed. It was so easy for him to evade her, control her. Dom had been right. Even collared dragons were unbelievably strong. But Dom had never shown her that because he’d never used his strength against her.
Topaz, however, was enjoying doing so, whipping her around like a toy, forcing her close to him.
“You said you wouldn’t do anything,” she said. “You said you wanted a friend.”
“Dragon,” he said, looking bored. “I lied.”
“Take it off!” she said, struggling.
“No,” he said. “And you won’t be able to take it off without me, so give up on the idea. You’re my mate, or soon will be.” He began dragging her to the trees. “Just as soon as I force some consent out of you.”
She opened her mouth to explain why that was impossible, when a loud, booming voice cut through the air.
“Let my mate go,” Dom said, sprinting toward them, his long legs eating up the distance between them. “You fucking bastard, let her go.”
“Dom!” she yelled, trying to get to him despite Topaz’s iron grip.
She saw lights coming on in the mansion, knew others would be emerging soon.
Topaz turned to face Dom and raised her hand. “Nothing you can do now, you idiot. So stand back and watch as I take her with me to the dark oracle.”
Dom scowled. “What does she have to do with this?”
“As you should know, she’s been generously trying to recruit every dragon. And even though Citrine doesn’t seem to see the benefit of a life of wealth, power, and dominating others, I do.” He sneered in disgust. “Rather than sit here like human pets and protect those weaker, we should be working with the strong to gain power.”
“So you’re switching sides,” Dom said.
“Yes,” Topaz said. “And with my mate, we should be able to make even more dragons for the cause.”
“But you’re collared,” Dom said. “What are you going to do about that?”
“Oh yeah,” Topaz said. “Have you forgotten my powers? I guess I was wise to keep them secret.” Sparks jumped around the collar. “Electricity, remember? No collar can hold me.” Sparks kept flying until the collar exploded into flames and broke off in soaring pieces of metal. “The collar was never restraining me. Nothing physical can stop me.” He set Lana aside and strode toward Dom, rolling his neck, making an awful cracking sound, and electricity flew off of him in crackling waves.
Dom looked at Lana, and she made to stand up to get to him but was shoved back by an invisible wave from Topaz. She yelped in shock as her hair raised.
“Just what the fuck are you?” Dom asked, eyes widening.
“I can control things at a molecular level. Nothing physical on this earth can stop me. And I’m going to take your mate.”
Dom scowled. “Never.”
“She is wearing my ring,” Topaz said.
“She hasn’t consented. That means it can come off,” Dom retorted.
“I’m never taking it off.” Topaz grinned. “So you might as well give up before I burn you.”
Dom shook his head. “I can never give up.” He looked at her. “I love her.”
She looked back at him, hating the ring on her hand. Hating how hopeless it was. She didn’t care if it was Galen’s fault or her own or Dom’s. She just wished she could take it all back and be by his side.
She no longer wanted to go back to before she was kidnapped. She just wanted to go back to when it was still possible to be his mate and make a different choice.
“Oh, listen to her thoughts,” Topaz said snidely. “Just makes you want to cry, doesn’t it? What ill-fated lovers. One of you wants commitment too much; the other runs from it like it’s a tsunami.” He tsked. “Too bad for you. Too good for me.” He raised a hand, a crackling ball of sparks growing above it. “Say good-bye to your mate, Dom.”
Dom stepped forward, stomping a foot onto the ground, bending his head and clenching his fists.
Lana saw a bright streak of purple cross the ground, cracking it like an earthquake, stopping right at Topaz’s feet. There was a pause, where Topaz’s sparks died.
And then Topaz let out a shriek and fell to the ground, writhing in agony, clutching his head.
Dom stepped forward, head still bent, fists still clenched, focused on Topaz. He waved a hand, and Topaz stopped thrashing and rolled onto his back, moaning.
“You said nothing on earth could stop you. But what I can do to you isn’t anything physical.” He raised a hand again, and Topaz screamed and writhed. “And it isn’t anything you can stop.” Topaz screeched again, a hideous, high-pitched sound that had people running out from the mansion and stopping a good distance away, just watching.
Zach and Alistair were guarding their mates, and Dom held up a hand for them to stay back.
“I got this,” he said.
He released Topaz from the pain again, and Topaz grinned, staring up at him with tears streaming down his face. “You have nothing. If you kill me, that ring will never come off. And no matter how you torture me, I’m never removing it.”
Dom looked scarier than anything Lana had ever seen. “It doesn’t matter. I’m never giving up on her.”
“So pathetic,” Topaz grated out. “Aegis will be here soon. And I’ll be free.”
“Aegis?” Dom said, and Lana saw a flash of something like hope come over his face. “Aegis is coming?”
“Yes,” Topaz hissed. “He promised. To anyone who would join him.”
“Ah, well, that makes this easier,” Dom said, straddling Topaz, who was weak from the pain Dom had inflicted. “Now we just have to wait.”
Lana didn’t understand what was going on. Wasn’t Aegis on the other side? Why would that make Dom feel better?
“Wait for what?” a sardonic voice asked as a dragon landed behind them, shaking the ground.
The dragon was giant, emerald green and sparkling, darker on the body and lighter at the wings, a spring green.
>
Then the dragon changed into a man, tall, with blond hair and startling green eyes and a green outfit under a dark robe. He was tall, and his eyes were mean even as his expression remained casual.
He walked forward until he was almost to Dom and Topaz.
“Just what the fuck is this?” he asked in disgust.
“Aegis,” Dom said, looking up. “This fucker tried to force my mate.”
Chapter 18
Dom felt the shock of everyone around him as they heard his words to Aegis.
“Come again?” Aegis asked in that dangerously calm voice. But Dom knew better than to underestimate him in any way. However, right now, he could be his redemption.
Aegis looked worse for wear. He was still tall, intimidating, muscular, and wearing clothing more akin to what they’d worn back in ancient times.
But his shiny blond hair was a little too long, a little shaggy, and there were lines under his beautiful, almost feminine green eyes. And his handsome face seemed tired and twisted. Like his alignment with the wrong side had taken a toll on him.
Aegis had always been a bit of a dark horse back in their day, but Dom still couldn’t believe he’d joined the wrong side.
No matter how messed up Aegis was, no matter how he’d changed, Dom still knew there was one thing he wouldn’t tolerate.
“He put his ring on my mate. He forced her,” Dom said. “He was going to bring her to you.”
“Excuse me?” Aegis asked quietly, looking over at Lana. Then he glanced down at Topaz, kicking him with his shoe.
Topaz grunted.
“Obviously, the oracle would find me more valuable with a mate.”
Aegis crouched down, looking extremely dangerous as he stared at the topaz dragon. “You took another dragon’s mate.”
“Ha! You have a problem with that? That’s rich, considering everything your side does—”
Aegis kicked him viciously in the side. “Shut up.” His green eyes darkened. “Take the ring off.”
“No, I—”
A cruel smile curved Aegis’s face. “Take the ring off.”
Amethyst Dragon (Awakened Dragons Book 5) Page 14
