Dragon: The Clan Legacy Series

by J. S. Striker

  Then she fainted right then and there.

  *****

  It was nerve-wracking trying to wait for her to wake up, even while Robbie tried to distract him with the risotto and bacon he cooked for lunch. They brooded in the kitchen after taking Red to one of the bedrooms, where Sophia cast a sleeping spell on her to calm her mind down. Sophia described the spell she’d used, a new experiment that she hadn’t thought would work at first.

  But then it did, and it was apparently awful.

  “I was in her mind,” Sophia admitted, looking down at the plate of food Robbie had set down in front of her. “And it was so chaotic. Everything was dark and muddy, but I saw flashes of images. Malik was there, and so were you. I…saw it, Henrik. I saw what happened that day.”

  Henrik fisted his hand, saying nothing.

  Robbie rubbed Sophia’s shoulders for comfort. Finally, she looked up, her eyes searching Henrik’s. “She didn’t kill him. I’m sure of that.”

  Still, Henrik said nothing.

  What was he supposed to say after years of relentless accusation and hate?

  Maybe Red had deserved better. Maybe she hadn’t. At this point, he didn’t know anymore.

  “She ran away,” he said after a while, meeting her gaze. “She left.”

  “Maybe because she thought you were going to kill her,” she said softly.

  A female voice popped up from the kitchen entrance.

  “I didn’t think he was going to kill me. I knew.”

  They all looked up to find Red standing there, her eyes too bright and her back ramrod straight as she eyed them one by one. Her gaze finally settled on Henrik.

  Henrik looked back, the recognition he’d seen earlier still there. He stood up from his spot, but Robbie beat him to it by stepping forward and handing a plate of food towards her.

  She stared at it before shaking her head.

  “You need to eat,” Sophia insisted, standing up as well. “If you don’t eat, no one will talk.”

  No one contradicted the firm tone in Sophia’s voice. Reluctantly, Red took the plate.

  “I’ll…thank you.”

  She ate in silence, focusing on her plate and eating every piece. Sophia and Robbie kept making eye contact, a silent communication that Henrik was excluded from.

  Soon, he found out why.

  “I’ll go clean up the mess in the living room,” Sophia said softly before leaving.

  Robbie shrugged and followed her.

  Henrik waited for her to finish her meal. When Red finally did, he cleared his throat, waiting until she met his eye.

  She looked down again, her hand fisting on her fork. Then she started speaking.

  “I didn’t kill Malik,” she said, her voice ringing with the tone of truth. “But you were so adamant about killing me that I had to leave.”

  “So you remember everything?”

  “Not everything,” she admitted. Her hand shook. “I still don’t remember what I did after running away from you, but…I remember people now. Names.”

  She looked up. “I know my sister didn’t kill Malik. Someone was controlling her.”

  He inhaled a sharp breath. “Who?”

  “I don’t know,” she said helplessly. “I just know it wasn’t her because she was blank that day. A vessel being controlled.”

  She gazed at him again, with none of the hostility he expected upon finding out his intent in the past. Instead, she took his hand.

  “I need your help finding out who did it, Henrik,” she said. “I think…I think my mother can help.”

  Silence.

  Henrik looked at her hand on top of his, watching the contrast between his tanned complexion and her pale skin. He looked back at her open gray eyes, hope and a certain kind of pleading mixed in them.

  “I tried to kill you,” he said, voice low. “I killed your sister.”

  He saw pain flash. Slowly, she withdrew her hand, taking her warmth with it. She took a deep breath.

  “I can forgive if you can,” was all she said before she finally stood up. “Let me know when you’re ready for it.”

  Then she left him in the kitchen with his thoughts.

  *****

  Henrik was in turmoil, even an hour after she left him alone. That all he believed in had been wrong all along didn’t sit well with him, as it gnawed at a place in his heart that still knew all about morals, and what was right and wrong.

  He was sitting in a corner of the back lawn when Robbie approached him, offering a cold beer. He took it without preamble, and they drank the cold brew in silence as they looked on at the slightly cloudy sky.

  “So,” Robbie began, sipping lazily, “Sophia heard what happened. And I heard by extension.”

  Henrik nodded.

  “What do you plan to do about it?”

  Henrik always had answers. But this time, he shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  Silence filled the air, and it felt cloying to him. Restless all of a sudden, he stood up, finishing the contents of his bottle in one gulp. Then he abruptly sat back down as what was foremost in his mind was finally voiced out.

  “I killed someone innocent, Rob.”

  “That makes plenty of us.”

  He shot the other a look “It doesn’t make it right.”

  “I never said that,” Robbie said easily. “And you didn’t know she was innocent then.”

  “It doesn’t make any difference.”

  Silence. Robbie took his time with his drink, almost as if savoring it.

  Then he turned to Henrik, green eyes sober and thoughtful.

  “Again, Mikhailov…what do you plan to do about it?”

  Henrik felt the other pat his shoulder once before leaving, his footsteps crunching lightly on the grass. He stayed there for a few more minutes, letting his mind wound down from its thoughts.

  Then he, too, went inside.

  It didn’t take him long to find Red, as she was busy—very busy, standing at the edge of his pool and looking down, half of her face covered in fog. He went to her and automatically took her arm to pull her back, to which she gave a start and grabbed onto him for balance.

  “You scared me,” she accused in a breathless voice.

  “If you kept craning your neck like that, you’d have fallen off your sorry ass and died,” he said matter-of-factly.

  “I just wanted to know what’s down there.”

  “Fog. Rocks. Imminent death.”

  She cracked a small smile at that, the first time he’d seen in a very long while. It was a short one, as the smile disappeared and she looked at him as they stood there at the edge of the pool, the fog surrounding them like an omen.

  Finally, he spoke—an apology, of some sorts.

  A deal-sealing, more than most.

  “I’ll help you find your mother. I’ll help you find the killer.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  According to Henrik and the others, there was only one way of finding out where Red’s mother was—and that was through the help of one of their witch enemies, Mya. She remembered Mya by face, but not the history with her. Apparently, the witch tried to kidnap her for leverage and eventually tried to get her murdered, all because Mya was also on the run from both the shifters and the vampires for betraying both sides. In the past, Mya had teamed up with a vampire betrayer named Killian to create a process that would turn shifters and vampires rogue and kill each other.

  Fortunately, Sophia and Robbie were able to stop it all in time, but not without the eventual death of the old vampire leader—Sophia’s father, John Grimaldi III. It surprised Red to know this, because Sophia showed no vampiric tendencies at all. Killian had been killed while Mya had escaped, hunted down for years until she was finally found by Charlie, another dragon shifter, and his eventual mate Francesca. Again, Red remembered the faces of Charlie and Francesca, and something about an encounter in a cave. But for the life of her, she couldn’t remember much else regarding their connection.

  Mya�
�s kidnapping of Red had led to their capture, with the now-vampire leader Lucinda holding the other as a prisoner in their territory. Red questioned the plan of marching into vampire territory, but Sophia simply told her not to worry.

  “She’s fine. Plus, you have some leverage,” the witch said.

  “How? What leverage?”

  Robbie grinned. “She’s mated. With our bastard dragon friend.”

  Well. It looked like everyone was mated to some dragon shifter one way or another. Red calculated this in her head, realizing that Henrik was the only one not mated now. She filed this for later as they gathered some belongings and headed back to New York via a way that was infinitely better than flying hundreds of miles in the air: a portal. He had two portals in the vicinity of his home, with one leading near shifter headquarters and the other to a castle in Ireland. They took the one heading to New York, with the women holding onto the men and closing their eyes as they stepped on the spot where it was.

  Red felt a warm sensation surrounding her, warmer than his body and filling her closed eyes with a brightness that was almost blinding. Then the warmth changed to a chilling sensation in the span of a second, and she shivered without thought. Red felt his arms tighten around her, and this time she shivered for an entirely different reason.

  Then all sensation was gone, and she was left only with his arm. Red opened her eyes, just in time to watch him step back and see the familiar surroundings of the area that led to the park. She didn’t waste any time watching the scenery as she placed a cloaking magic on them right off, stronger now that Sophia’s hypnotizing had also brought more power back.

  “So that portal can be accessed by anyone?”

  Henrik shook his head. “Just us dragon shifters.”

  They walked on foot, with Henrik explaining that Red was to display no magic when they got to the vampires’ territory. After a few minutes of walking, he asked her to remove the cloaking shield.

  Then they rode a taxi.

  The ride didn’t take long. They were dropped off right in front of a gated lawn, with Henrik using his phone to call someone. He had a short conversation with a man on the other line before they were let in, and the two walked inside the lush expanse of lawn into a mansion that had a pure white exterior and interior that was an old-Victorian style. It was pure elegance and beauty at its finest.

  They were greeted by the most beautiful woman Red had ever seen, and she couldn’t stop staring.

  Golden hair that practically shone with its silkiness. Translucent skin that was absolutely gorgeous. Light green eyes that were as clear as the clearest lake. The woman smiled, a gesture that only added to the overall effect.

  “Henrik. To what do we owe the pleasure?” she asked in a lilting tone.

  “You bastard,” someone else piped in.

  A blur moved, startling Red. It tackled Henrik in a hug, and she switched her stare to the two men—Henrik with his golden looks and a tall, lanky fellow that had the reddest hair she had ever seen.

  A memory of recognition triggered, and a name popped up in her mind. Then she felt an intense gaze on her and glanced back in the woman’s direction.

  “Hello, Miss Denver,” the vampire said softly.

  She gulped somewhat nervously. “Miss Lucinda.” This had to be Lucinda, for the well of power brewing inside her was enormous.

  Lucinda nodded. “How about we address this in my office?”

  The male chatter stopped, and they all silently went down the hallway towards the east wing. A certain chill came around Red as she felt eyes observing her around, but she couldn’t see anyone in the vicinity. It was an effort not to use her magic to feel warmer.

  At last, they were ushered inside an office that had lush maroon carpeting and glossy wood furniture. When the door was closed, Henrik stepped forward and paid graces to the vampire leader, their tones pleasant. The redhead she recognized, Finn, was eyeing her curiously, but not saying a word. She imagined him as a dragon, probably in all his red glory, and the image made her smile.

  He grinned, almost as if he knew what she was thinking. They kept their stare on each other as Henrik explained her innocence and asked permission from Lucinda to see a very valuable prisoner—if it wasn’t any bother at all.

  “Since when has Mya not been any bother?” Finn mused.

  Mya’s name triggered yet another memory—a meet-up in a bar, followed by the witch’s betrayal. Red’s anger flared, something Henrik noticed as he squeezed her arm. For some reason, his presence helped calm her down, almost as if a truce had come between them.

  Finn took note of their movements with pleasant, deep blue eyes, but one couldn’t miss the intelligence behind the affable look. Lucinda, in the meantime, had no expression except graciousness as she granted the request.

  Instead of the dungeon, they were taken into a room on the other side of the mansion, with a velvet door and marble tiles. Within the room was yet another door, and they were taken into a maze of doors that stopped at a steel one. There was a keeper in front of the last door, one who nodded his head respectfully at Lucinda before disappearing in a blur after an order. Then the steel door was open, and inside was a vast room of glinting steel, with a chair in the middle.

  Strapped in the chair was a pretty witch, one Red recognized instantly.

  The witch looked like a mess, her hair in disarray and her eyes holding a bit of a crazy glint. She stared at her visitors, adopting a sensual pose when her gaze landed on Henrik.

  Red expected herself to feel hate, but all she felt was pity and a sense of danger. She could feel magic inside the room—the suppressing kind, and she deduced it was placed on purpose so Mya could never harm again.

  “Long time, no see, Mya,” Red said softly.

  The witch’s gaze slid down her toes up to her eyes, a smirk forming on her lips. “You’ve fared better.”

  No, she didn’t.

  Not interested in responding to the goad, Red turned to Lucinda. “I would like to have her access her magic. I’m trying to find someone, and she’s the best locator there is.”

  The vampire leader was surprisingly very accommodating as she called on one of her assistants to bring whatever material Red needed, to which she spouted off what she could remember in her head. Then Lucinda and Finn left the room, leaving another chair inside for Red to sit on as she faced the other. Henrik stayed standing in a corner, his gaze fixed on the two of them.

  “Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” Mya asked, crossing her legs. The action slid her garment up and showed a lot of skin; something Red knew was deliberate.

  “I’m looking for my mother, Mya,” Red said without preamble.

  Silence.

  Then Mya laughed, a sexy, tinkling sound. There was a certain kind of cruelty there, one that she couldn’t hide. The laughter only increased when Red produced a knife.

  “Are you trying to kill me, Red Denver?”

  Quietly, Red brought the knife to her wrist. Then she slashed, and saw Henrik give a start of movement at the action.

  Mya’s laughter died right away at the sight of blood dripping on the tiny bowl between them.

  “And if I don’t participate?”

  The door opened slightly, and Lucinda’s voice floated in the air.

  “It will be very painful for you if you don’t.”

  The door closed again. Mya’s demeanor had changed, enough for Red to know that Lucinda meant business. Taking advantage of the situation, she leaned forward.

  “Tell me where my mother is, and we’ll get along well.”

  Silence.

  Then Mya grimly nodded her head.

  *****

  Half an hour later, they left the room and a witch screaming in hysterical laughter. It was all Red could do not to punch her in the face, and to be honest, it was only her respect for the vampire society—and maybe fear—that made her refrain from doing any sort of retaliation. Lucinda would handle her in due time.

  Bu
t oh, that tiny little spell was worth it.

  She was given a tissue, and she used that to wipe the blood off her nose. An assistant took the tissue right after and gave her more, and Red figured it was because she couldn’t exactly bleed all over the floor in the territory of creatures that thrived on blood.

  When they had gone back to the office, Henrik frowned down at her. “You okay?”

  Red shrugged. “At least I’m not laughing like a maniac.”

  A chuckle came from Finn. Henrik gave him a warning look, then turned a disapproving glance at her. “I told you we don’t use spells here.”

  Lucinda entered after a few minutes, then looked at Red’s nose. “We apologize for her misbehavior. Is there anything we can do?”

  Red shook her head. “We’re good. Thank you.”

  “Did you get the information you need?”

  Whatever glory Red felt now vanished into thin air as she remembered the images that flashed before her, right before Mya’s cruel taunt at the irony of the situation. She nodded her head at the vampire leader, careful to keep her face solemn. “Thank you for all your help.”

  Lucinda eyed her for a good few seconds before finally nodding.

  “Of course. I’m glad to help.”

  They bid their farewell, with Finn directing them to the back of the office for a shortcut exit, one that included hidden passages. Finn and Henrik talked for a bit, with the former asking about their fellow dragon shifters, and saying that they needed to get together soon.

  “What was that all about?” Red asked the moment they were outside, eyeing Finn’s back curiously.

  “He’s banned from ever stepping foot inside shifter headquarters,” Henrik said quietly. “For mating with a vampire.”

  “Ah.”

  He looked at her for a while, checking her nose again and the rest of her face in a manner that had her cheeks warming. It made her feel breathless, an odd sensation. Then he spoke. “Where’s your mother, Red?”

  She hesitated for only a few seconds. If she couldn’t trust him, who else could she trust?

  There was no one.

  “I think she’s been kidnapped.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She’s with the witch coven, Henrik.”