The scent of blood almost immediately filled her nostrils at the third alley she passed, and recognition had her staggering at the sheer lust and want to taste that filled her every being. It was intoxicating, making her whole body tingle.
Then fear swallowed the lust whole as she realized what being able to smell his blood meant.
Lucinda ran as fast as she could until the smell got stronger and she finally found him. Her heart went to her throat at the sight.
Finn was face down on the ground, and there was blood pooling everywhere.
Lucinda knelt beside him and checked for a pulse right away, sighing in relief when she felt it. But worry set over again when she realized the pulse was too slow and the blood just kept flowing. If this kept up, that pulse would be gone before she knew it.
In one lift, she managed to get him spread across her shoulder. Lucinda gritted her teeth and kept her eyes on alert, sensing no one as she slowly, painstakingly carried Finn and navigated her way home. Calling somebody was out of the question because shifter headquarters might question her. Calling Nell for backup was too late, considering they had nowhere to hide while waiting for her.
A sense of urgency filled her as she recalled the chill of their bond earlier. Frustration accompanied the feeling at her preoccupation with her own self, but she dismissed both and tried to walk faster.
She still had a long way to go. Lucinda hoped to hell she didn't meet anyone menacing or idiotic enough to delay her further.
*****
She arrived at her home in the span of half an hour, and her shocked staff took one look at the scene before moving in a frenzy. Nell helped her get Finn to the bedroom, where they lay his unconscious body down. Then Nell went out to get some fresh towels and a basin of water, leaving Lucinda alone with him.
His pulse was slower than ever, and she didn't even know the extent of his injuries yet. Lucinda quickly but carefully divulged him of his torn clothes, checking his naked body for any damaging wounds. There were multiple blows to his chest, rendering it black—but the multiple slash wounds on his stomach were more worrying as they extended deep, and it seemed to be where all the blood was coming from.
This wasn't the work of rogues. It was the work of something else she didn't recognize.
Shaking her head at her muddled thoughts, Lucinda quickly slashed at her wrist with her nail, making blood flow. She placed her wrist on Finn's mouth, but he didn't suck, so she simply let her blood drip, hoping it would help. One hand settled on his chest, and she tried not to tremble.
An icy sensation hit her palm. With a start, Lucinda looked down and saw his wounds slowly close right before her eyes. The gaps between the wounds were big, hence it was a slow process. From her viewpoint, it looked like invisible stitches putting the skin back together, and the ease of the stitching movements amazed her as she tried to figure out what it was.
“It’s the mating process,” Nell said quietly behind her, basin and towels in hand. “I’ve read about it. Dragon shifters can heal the wounds of their mate with their touch after the blood-drinking, and vice versa.” She placed both in the desk beside the bed, then turned back to Lucinda. “What can I do?”
“I’ll clean him up,” Lucinda replied. “Go get some more towels and clothes his size. I’ll call you if something bad comes up.”
Nell nodded, then disappeared as quietly as she’d come.
When Lucinda looked back at the wounds on Finn’s stomach, they were almost completely closed, so she gave it a few more minutes until no wounds remained. She did the same for his chest, putting her palm there, but somehow she only managed to lessen the black, burn-like marks. She checked his pulse again—better. Not so steady, but infinitely better.
She partially cleaned up the blood using the fresh towels, relieved to find good, healed skin beneath. The relief was short-lived when she turned him around, replaced by an even colder chill when she saw what happened to his back.
It was filled with demon bites.
Not the rogues, she thought. Belvar.
That the demon would search for them in this city and attack right near shifter headquarters meant he was reckless—or just very, very angry. The second sounded the most plausible, though Lucinda wondered why he waited a few more days before attacking.
Then the reason didn't matter as she started to become furious. The fury built up inside her, strong and wildly ferocious until she had to consciously stop herself from trembling.
The demon was going to pay.
Nell came in again with more towels and clothes, her eyes widening at the sight of the healed stomach.
“I didn't know it would be that fast,” she said.
Lucinda didn't say anything in response to the comment, not entirely comfortable to discuss the mating. Instead, she turned to Nell with a firm look on her face.
“Lock all the doors and make sure all the wards are up. Have two guards posted at the front door. Call my two backup guards from headquarters and have them come immediately. They'll be on rotation duty until we are sure the creature who did this to Finn is completely gone.”
“Creature?” Nell asked.
Quietly, Lucinda turned Finn back around again so Nell could see the half-healed demon bites. The other trembled in fear, recalling her own torture before visibly taking effort to calm herself.
Good girl.
With a nod, Nell did as asked, taking the bloodied towels and basin with her. Lucinda used the new ones to double-clean Finn as a precaution before dressing him up in the loose sweatpants and shirt that Nell had brought. Once Finn was all dressed and clean, Lucinda did quick work of herself, taking a shower and changing into nightclothes right after.
She was exhausted, she realized. Lucinda took one look at Finn's peaceful state, her heart aching at the thought that he'd almost died. Then she climbed into bed with him and told herself she was just going to get a nap.
Instead, Lucinda fell into a deep sleep.
*****
The dream was fuzzy, but she found herself running through a forest filled with demons, trying to get away from them as fast as she could.
She ran like the wind, her hair flying behind her at the speed of her movements. The demons were running too, but they were slower than her and eventually ended up getting left behind as she blindly navigated the forest and got to a pitch-black area of it. The demons were gurgling angrily—angry that they couldn't catch up, angry that the blood they wanted had run from them.
But they weren't going to give up that easily.
Lucinda couldn't see at all, even when she tried to squint her eyes through the darkness to find any recognizable objects. Her hearing was all too intact, though, as she heard the distant sounds of demons screeching and nearby sounds of footsteps.
“Help me, Lucinda.”
Raphael's clear voice rang in the air, making her go still as his footsteps drew near. He was making too much noise. She reached out her hand in his general direction, hoping to pacify him—
His scream pierced the air as the demons dragged him. He screamed another word, over and over until she realized it was meant for her.
“Run! Run! Run!”
Lucinda ran through the darkness, ran away from Raphael's dying gasp as she tried to escape them. She ran and ran until pitch blackness was replaced by the outlines of trees, then a field with shadows of mountains behind.
In the middle of the field was Victoria.
The female vampire smiled at her, her beautiful face swimming with emotion. Then she lunged.
Claws hit her back before she could get her nails in. Lucinda looked up and saw Finn's dragon form flying in the air, ripping Victoria in two before speaking through her mind.
Climb on.
Joy that he was alive filled her as she climbed and settled on his back as they flew away to the sky. The screech of the demons came again as they flew through the air and followed, surrounding the red dragon and trying to bite his hide. He tried to shake them off and Lucind
a gripped tight, but one of the demons had brought a rod and pierced it through the dragon's mouth.
Finn spurted once before his wings grew limp, and he was falling. With the rod still in his mouth, he screamed one word.
“Run!”
Lucinda stayed where she was, hanging tight and trying to climb higher to remove the rod. But the speed of their descent was becoming too great as they fell, down the fields and through, swallowed by a black hole that saw no end.
Finn's last words haunted her soul before he died.
Stay strong. I love you.
She couldn't help it. Lucinda screamed.
*****
The scream jolted her awake, and Lucinda frantically looked around as she tried to defend herself—then calmed down when she found herself in her bedroom. She looked at her side and grew perfectly still.
Finn was gone.
A heavy feeling hung in the air. In a snap, she got out of bed and drew her fangs out as the heavy feeling grew.
The shadow stepped forward.
“Peaceful dream?”
Lucinda's gaze hardened. “Where is Finn?”
Belvar's smoky form shrugged. “What will you bargain to keep him safe?”
The question was asked slyly, and Lucinda suddenly knew the dream had been fabricated to see who she cared about. They looked each other in the eye, green on red, the silence ominous.
Then Lucinda spoke. “Myself.”
Belvar shook his head. “Be specific.”
Lucinda lifted her head and glared. “I bargain myself for two weeks with you in your realm. In return, you will return Finn to his shifter headquarters and you will never take any bargain from any vampire ever again.”
The demon tilted his shadow head, as if considering. “One year, and I will say yes to everything you specified.”
A year meant Oscar would reopen the leadership position, and most likely plant his own vampire in. He would win.
But this was Finn.
Lucinda quietly nodded her head.
Belvar smiled and offered his hand.
“Come with me now, my dear.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
When Finn woke up, disoriented, it took him a while to figure out that he was back at shifter headquarters, in the infirmary, with Annie leaning over him and checking out his chest—professionally, of course. The normal Finn would have made a joke or come on about this recent development, considering how pretty she was and how close she was leaning in.
Instead of the planned come on, he could only stare at her speechlessly.
The tiny Annie's blond curls tilted here and there before she finally leaned back—and finally noticed his wide-awake state.
“Welcome back to the living world, Finn Jackles.”
Finn rubbed his head and tried to sit up—then stopped when he noticed the chest Annie had been examining.
There were burn marks on his chest, faded enough to no longer seem fresh. It covered the whole part and extended to almost his shoulders.
“Jesus. What happened?”
Annie raised a brow. “I should be the one asking you that.”
His mind was blank, stopping last on the battle with Victoria and her brutal murder by the rogues. Finn shook his head and tried to sit up again.
“What's the verdict?”
“We found you in a corner bakery near headquarters, face down on the ground. You'd been unconscious there, and have been unconscious for a good eight hours since we last took you in.”
Silence, as Finn absorbed the words in his still-confused mind. Annie eyed him steadily, stethoscope around her neck and scribbling on her clipboard.
“Do you remember anything that happened in that area where we found you?”
Finn scanned his mind—and came up blank. He shook his head again, and the blonde sighed.
“Well, you're good to go. I believe Dylan and Henrik will want to talk to you. You know your way out?”
Finn nodded. He watched Annie scribble some more, then leave the room with a bright smile on her face. He stared at the ceiling, gave it a few minutes.
For the life of him, he really couldn't remember anything.
*****
It was while he was in the kitchen, brooding over a turkey sandwich and wondering how Lucinda was holding up after the battle, that things clicked into place.
A young shifter had just entered the kitchen with a black eye and a limp. He gave Finn an acknowledging nod before heading straight for the fridge and rummaging inside. After getting a carton of milk and a cold pizza slice, he sat in the stool near Finn and started chewing.
Finn took a bite of his sandwich, eyes on the boy. “Hey. I'm Finn.”
“Simon,” the boy replied glumly, drinking his milk in huge gulps. Finn estimated him to be around fifteen or sixteen, based on the brooding.
“Nice to meet you.” Finn indicated at the black eye with his right hand. “Want to have that checked with doc Annie?”
As predicted, the boy sulked and shook his head. “Can't.”
“...may I ask why not?”
“Dad will kill me.”
Ah. Probably a clan leader dad here.
“And your dad is...?”
Simon spouted off a name, and a light lit up in recognition in Finn's head. Not a clan leader dad, but someone very important. It looked like the missing teenager that Charlie was currently tracking had a brother who also got in trouble here and there. Lovely. Still, he shouldn't judge, considering he didn't really know their history.
“Get some ice on that, at least. And I reckon a hoodie will deter any curiosity in the meantime.”
Simon stayed silent for a few seconds before nodding his head, obviously grateful. He began telling Finn the story of how he was attacked by some rival schoolmates who thought he was a geek and hitting on one of the rival's girlfriends.
“She was my project partner for English class,” Simon mumbled, biting his second slice of pizza vehemently. “I don't get why they'd attack like that.”
“Jealous teenage boys,” Finn assured. “So they cornered you?”
“Yeah, in the alley near Gertrude's Burger House.”
Finn nodded his head, already deciding to offer to teach the boy some self-defense tactics in case this happened again.
Something triggered in his brain.
All of a sudden, all his forgotten memories came flowing like a raging river, bombarding him with their intensity.
The alley. Belvar.
Belvar was in the city.
Finn stood up abruptly, spilling his drink on his lap and rattling the table. Simon's milk spilled as well and he yelped, but Finn ignored him as he remembered something else.
Waking up at dawn in Lucinda's bed, where she was fast asleep beside him. Then, getting the sensation of being watched—which apparently was true, as Belvar came inside Lucinda's bedroom and knocked him out once more.
And then he'd woken up in this infirmary.
Meaning Belvar had Lucinda.
With a curse, Finn left the kitchen, and a startled Simon in it.
*****
He'd been halfway across the exit door when he'd bumped into none other than Dylan and Henrik, who eyed him in both surprise and concern. Quickly, Finn caught them up in short bursts of speech, and Dylan's surprise look turned into one of deep disturbance.
Even before he finished, the two were already dragging him into the nearest room, and Henrik was folding his arms.
“You can't possibly think going back there and rescuing her is going to do us some good?”
Finn snarled. “And you think leaving her to get tortured and die is?”
“We don’t need to get ourselves involved in this,” Dylan said, shaking his head.
“Yes, we do,” Finn argued, angry at the indifference he was seeing from the two. “At the very least, I do.”
Dylan frowned. “Your involvement in the vampire community is becoming concerning, Finn.”
“What’s concerning is everyo
ne’s lack of sympathy for a person who needs help,” Finn said shortly.
“Finn, careful,” Henrik warned before turning to Dylan. “Dylan’s on our side.”
Dylan nodded. “And right now, I want you to go back to your room until we finish discussing this over. Do not leave headquarters or interact with any vampires in the meantime. I believe it’s time we get the other clan leaders involved.”
A quiet sigh escaped Henrik’s lips. “Another meeting it is.”
Dylan turned to Finn, and this time, his expression had turned hard. “As for you, stay in your room. I forbid you from leaving this place until I tell you so.”
The anger welled up higher inside Finn, coupled by a frustration that made him want to punch a wall—or punch Dylan, for that matter. But Dylan was alpha leader, and his word might as well have been magic as it stilled the restless dragon inside Finn. He glared at the two leaders with all his might.
Then he walked out of the room and into his own.
*****
The one slim chance he had at escaping was thwarted when Robbie came in the door just as he was in the process of sneaking out. They eyed each other silently as Finn’s hand was frozen on the doorknob inside, and Robbie’s hand on the outside.
It was Robbie who spoke first.
“So. Where exactly are you going?”
“Out,” Finn snapped, muscling his way out. Unfortunately, Robbie was just as strong as he was and prevented the supposedly hasty exit simply by standing in place.
“You can’t go to the demon realm alone, and you know that,” Robbie reasoned out. “Henrik is still in a meeting.”
Finn narrowed his eyes. “If you stop me, I swear to God I am going to punch you in the face until you see stars.”
“See stars? Gee, sounds like sex.”
“Go away.”
“No.”
“I am going to pummel you, Sebastian.”
“Go ahead.”
A charged silence filled the air, broken almost immediately by a familiar female voice outside.
Dragon: The Clan Legacy Series Page 24
