by Julia Mills
The low grumble of Kayne’s gravelly voice shot through the darkness, “Scaoileadh dúinn go talamh!” immediately followed by a flash of dragon fire and the sensation of falling.
Grunts and groans accompanied the thuds of bodies hitting the ground. Rian opened his eyes to shrieks of delight from the witches. The mated Guardsmen were reuniting with their mates as the others checked out everyone else.
Looking down at Audrey, he immediately jumped to his feet and yelled, “She’s not breathing! Oh my Heavens, help me!”
Running toward Niall as fast he could, he stopped right in front of the Elder Healer as Royce shouted, “Rory’s breathing but he’s not responding and he’s hot to the touch!”
Damn! Took me less than a day to kill both my mate and my brother. Some Leader I turned out to be.
Chapter Fourteen
Rian paced back and forth as Niall and Sam examined both Audrey and Rory. There had been a few long tense moments when both the Healer and young doctor were administering CPR to Audrey that the Dragon Leader was sure he’d lost her forever. He prayed with every fiber of his being that she’d be okay. He’d even dropped to his knees at the base of the White Ash and asked for his mother and father’s help from the Heavens where they rested.
He had no idea what to expect, but when his father’s low voice filled with all the authority Rian remembered from his youth sounded in his mind, the Dragon Leader had to smile. “You are not responsible for the condition of your mate or your brother. Audrey is suffering from the effects of the demon Adramelech placed within her upon her entrance into hell. Luckily, the little beastie is not very powerful and should be dealt with easily enough. The death of the Chancellor and her deliverance from the Underworld has set him free within her. Now that she is breathing, you need to have Royce’s witch perform an exorcism as quickly as possible. She is a strong woman but a century in hell is hard, and she needs you to get her though this. Use your talents with memory to be there for her.
“As for Rory, he is a warrior just as you and your brother are. It is how we raised you. One of the many ways you have made your mother and me so very proud. He knew the risks and gladly accepted them to help you, your mate, and Kayne. It’s the poison of the hellhound that bit him spreading through his body that caused his condition. His dragon will hold it off as long as the beast is able, but he will need to be cured. Niall knows what he needs. Make sure my youngest son gets it before it is too late.
“Remember we love you and your brothers and are very proud of the fine men and Guardsmen you have become. Live long, love strong, be fearless.”
Thanking his father as he jumped to his feet, Rian ran to Kyra who turned as he approached and said, “I know what it is,” at the same time as he said the exact same words.
“It’s demon. Grab your mate and let’s get to your basement and the Devil’s Trap. We need to get that sucker outta her. Now!”
Spinning on his heels, he raced to Audrey, gently lifted her off the makeshift examination table Niall and Sam had set up in preparation for their return, and ran to his home. He could hear Royce ordering everyone to follow.
Arriving at his home in record time, Rian kicked open the back door, raced to the basement stairs, and all but flew to the bottom. Gently laying Audrey on the cot he slept on more nights than he cared to remember while waiting to summon his mate to his side, Rian hurried to collect the supplies Kyra was screaming into his mind.
He had to laugh at the tiny white witch. She may be only five foot nothing, but Kyra was a powerhouse in every way, the perfect match for his grumpy middle brother. Rian heard footsteps overhead just seconds before they all appeared. Calysta went directly to Audrey, anointing her forehead and pulse points with Red clover oil for protection and increased power of their magic for the exorcism.
Rian remembered they’d used the power of twelve, along with a very old Banishment spell, to get rid of a nasty little demon that had been placed inside Hannah by Cleland, an evil wizard who’d thankfully been killed right after they’d rescued Drago. He had no clue what Kyra had planned but there was way more than twelve in attendance. Rian looked around the room and counted twenty-two, not including his beloved.
Everyone joined the Circle Kyra had already called. As soon as everyone’s toes touched the purified salt, she quickly closed it and used her magic to light the herbs in the copper pot sitting in the center. Rian recognized the scent of Angelica Root, Hyacinth, and Oak, as well as other herbs used for protection, luck, and strength. The tiny witch looked around the Sacred Circle, stopping for just a second to smile and nod at each person. The Dragon Leader could feel the reassurance and power she let flow from her soul to theirs. It was a gift she freely gave to each in attendance to assure success with the ritual.
When she locked eyes with Royce, the last in the circle and the one closest to her right, Kyra began to chant.
I pray to the Universe around us, the Mother Goddess that protects us, and to Fate that divines our futures for protection, strength, and complete safety from the enemy. Take this demon out of the body of our sister. Send it to the fiery depths of hell, where it can be grounded in jail, never to return topside.
Guide us even through the darkness, take all evil from within our Audrey and around us, cleanse her body and soul through your ever divine healing, and free her from all evil and wickedness. Aid us in removing this demon from her body and help us banish this being to the place it belongs...the depths of hell.
Blessed be. Blessed be.
Now, sa’oire d’uinn!
With the utterance of her last command to leave them, a gust of wind burst through the basement, blowing out all the candles and causing the flame in the cauldron to leap to the ceiling, instantly followed by a thick pillar of smoke that filled the room, making it impossible to see for several long seconds. Through the entire rite, Rian’s eyes stayed glued to Audrey. He willed her to move, open her eyes, do anything as she lay perfectly still on the cot in the center of the circle mere feet from the copper pot of herbs. The Dragon Leader worked hard to stay in place. His every instinct, along with his dragon, pushed him to go to his mate, to protect her from the forces threatening to take her from him.
From one heartbeat to the next, Audrey went from unconscious to wailing and thrashing wildly about on the tiny bed. Thankfully, Kyra had told him this would happen, told him to stay put and under no circumstance to enter the Circle until the demon presented itself. Even with all the little witch’s warnings, Rian still took a step forward. The longer Audrey cried out, the more she threw herself from side to side fighting against her restraints, the weaker his resolve became. He slid his right foot forward but stopped when Calysta scowled at him and shook her head.
It seemed to go on forever, when in actuality it was less than a minute...a gut-wrenchingly torturous moment in time Rian would never forget. One he was sure would drive both he and his dragon insane. The Dragon Leader vowed to lock Audrey as far away from the world as he could get her. There was no way he would ever allow her to get hurt or suffer again.
Rian had reached his limit. Tensed to use his preternatural speed and get Audrey the hell outta that Circle, Rian slid his left foot past his right just as his mate stopped screaming and flailing. Lying perfectly still. Rian took a deep breath. But it was way too soon. Audrey’s back bowed off the cot. Her eyes shot open. Her mouth stretched in a silent scream. It should have been better than her horrific shrieks of pain, but it was so very much worse.
Unable to take one more second of his mate’s torment, Rian took two steps forward and slammed directly into a magical wall, right before a thick black pillar of smoke spewed from Audrey’s open mouth. It went on and on until the ceiling was covered. He thought of the sky before a violent thunderstorm. For several beats of his heart, everything stopped. Nothing happened. He stared at Audrey hanging from an invisible rope around her chest, praying she was okay while pushing against the invisible barrier between them. A loud clap and Rian fell to his knee
s as the obstruction disappeared and Audrey collapsed in a boneless heap.
Kyra and the other witches chanted with a conviction he could feel to the bottom of his soul in both English and the language of the Ancient Dragons...
“S’aoire d’uimm. Dul as ais I gea’a tu’ bhaineann. Leave us. Go back where you belong. Riamh ar ais. Never return.”
Hand-in-hand, Alicia and Drago walked to the copper cauldron, threw two large burlap sachets into the boiling brew, and yelled, “Srutha’n!”
Sparks flew around the room, igniting the black smoke hovering between their Circle and the ceiling. A screech, reminiscent of the sounds they’d heard in the Abyss, echoed off the stone walls, filling the entire room with unbearable pain and torment that each person felt to their core. A flash of light like hundreds of fireworks exploding all at once in the night sky filled the basement. In the blink of an eye, they were bathed in total darkness and complete silence.
“E’adrom,” the witches all spoke in unison. Every candle lit, filling the eerie space with a bright, clean light. Rian rushed to Audrey, bundled her in his arms, and raced up the stairs. He’d had enough of demons and rituals and hell for a lifetime. All he wanted to do was look into his mate’s loving eyes.
Making his way through the house to his bedroom, Rian kicked the door shut and made his way to his bed. After slipping off his shoes and carefully climbing into the center of his king sized mattress, the Dragon leader positioned Audrey with her head on his chest and body stretched beside his.
With all the gentleness he possessed, Rian stroked her hair while rubbing tiny circles of comfort up and down her spine. He felt her scars. There were more than had been there the last time he’d touched his mate. The Dragon Leader knew he could look into her memories and see the truth of what had happened when Adramelech had pulled her back to the Underworld, but he decided to wait. It was something she had to tell him herself and that would only happen when and if Audrey was ever ready. Whispering promises of a boring demon-free life together, Rian took a deep breath and pushed everything but the woman in his arms from his mind.
“Everything okay in there?” Royce asked through their unique link. "Kyra says we’re bunking here until Audrey wakes up, cool?”
“Fine with me but anyone even thinks of coming into this room and I’ll cut them where they stand.”
Chuckling, Royce answered, “I hear ya, big man. Get some rest. Niall has Rory stable but we’re gonna need to figure out what to do and fast.”
“Hey! I forgot. I kinda...yeah...ummmm...talked to Dad while they were resuscitating Audrey and he said Rory’s been poisoned by that hellhound that took a hunk out of him. You know what that means.”
“Shit! Can’t catch a break with a fishing net in a dry pond, can we? Oh! And the talking to Dad thing. Don’t worry. Mom and I talk often, but let’s keep that between us, okay?” Royce sounded just as bone-tired and frustrated as Rian felt.
“We can and we will. Get some rest. Let me make Audrey mine forever and then we go on the hunt. No one and nothing can escape the O’Reilly brothers.”
Rian was glad to hear Royce laugh as he said, “You know it,” before cutting their connection.
Settling back against the headboard, the Dragon Leader pulled the edge of the comforter over Audrey as she slept. He knew he should wash the blood and grime from their bodies but didn’t want to disturb his mate.
A chuckle floated through his mind just before magic, like butterflies landing on his skin, filled the room. In the blink of an eye, he and Audrey were blissfully clean. Her shabby attire was replaced with a light pink nightie and his ruined jeans with a pair of soft flannel pajama pants.
“That’s a thanks from Alicia and I for bringing our dragons home. Now, get some rest,” Kyra snickered as her presence in his mind receded.
“Thanks, girls.”
He spent the next few minutes checking on Kayne and was shocked when Niall said his dragon was still part of the demi-god’s being but appeared to be in a magical coma of some sort. The Elder Healer said he was to consult with Calysta in the morning about awaking the beast and other than that ,Kayne had taken an hour long shower, eaten a side of beef, and was presently watching Declan and Kellan play Fallout 4 on Xbox One. Niall also said the golden dragon was looking forward to telling his story. Rian could only imagine what that meant.
He then asked about Rory. The Healer explained just as Ronin had during Rian’s prayer and said his dragon was working hard to keep the hellhound toxin at bay. Niall also said Sarah Beth had worked a spell and was sitting watch over the youngest O’Reilly brother until her herbal concoction had all boiled away. Rian asked the Elder to thank the white witch for him and said he would be there first thing in the morning to check on everyone.
Finally relaxing, Rian just enjoyed holding Audrey in his arms. He kissed the top of her head, thanked the Universe for the gift of his mate, let his head fall back, and drifted slowly to sleep.
Chapter Fifteen
She awoke to the feel of warm strong arms holding her tight and the perfect heartbeat of her mate giving tempo to the song her heart was singing. She was alive and free and with the man of her dreams. At a hundred and nineteen years old, Audrey Dobresou once and for all had the life that had for so long escaped her.
Her thoughts were cut short as Audrey found herself flat on her back looking up at the most handsome man the Universe had ever created. There was a twinkle in his dark brown eyes and cocky little grin just lifting the corner of his perfectly kissable lips that told the princess all she needed to know...Rian was just as happy as she was, and that made everything even better.
The face of the dragon tattoo that crossed his chest like it was soaring through the sky had the same mischievous glint in its eye as the man. It seemed to watch Audrey from where its head was laid upon the Dragon Leader’s right shoulder. This time, just like every time she’d seen Rian’s broad muscled chest, the representation of the winged warrior with whom she would also be mated reminded the princess how very special her mate truly was. From its massive wingspan with a tip that curled over Rian’s left shoulder and the other that ended on his ribs on his right side, to the beast’s massive torso that diagonally covered the man’s chest to his tail that wrapped around Rian’s waist the dragon was absolutely magnificent.
“Good morning, mo ghra’,” he rumbled before lightly kissing her lips.
She pretended to pout as Rian pulled back just as she was trying to deepen their kiss. Nothing sounded better than spending forever in bed kissing her mate, but it appeared her mate had other plans. His lips on the curve of her shoulder made her tingle, and when he spoke, his breath caused goose bumps to rise all over her body.
“Are you hungry?” he asked while paying special attention to the sweet spot behind her ear.
For you...
Tasting and kissing the column of her neck, he chuckled, “I can hear your thoughts, mo chroi’ and I like what I hear. I must say...*kiss*...you taste...*nip and taste*... delicious...*kiss*.”
Sliding the strap of her nightgown slowly down her shoulder with just the tip of his finger, Rian kissed a fiery trail from one shoulder to the next across her chest, removing the other strap as he went. Audrey marveled as his strength as he hovered above her, balancing himself on one arm while caressing and teasing until she was sure she would combust simply from his touch.
Centering his body over hers, Rian placed the hand that had been his instrument of exquisite torture palm down on the mattress next to her shoulder and lowered his pelvis until it sat lightly upon hers. The feel of Rian’s erection against her already excited body was exhilarating and amazing and earth shattering, all wrapped into one.
Although they’d given one another pleasure over the years, the couple had never been able to consummate their love because of the demon that sat festering in the bottom of her soul. Having Rian become possessed was something Audrey had fought with all her might to avoid and was thankful to be rid of the evil tai
nt of hell.
Kissing across her décolletage, Rian stopped about midway and lifted his head. Caught by the strength of the emotions swirling in the dark brown depths of his eyes, Audrey cupped his cheek and smiled as he nuzzled into her embrace. Turning his head in her hand, he kissed her palm before leaning down and grabbing the neckline of her negligée with his teeth.
Holding her gaze, he worked the material to just under her breasts. The straps, still wrapped around her upper arms, held the material tight, pushing her ample breasts together with her already hardened nipples standing at attention on top.
Rian licked just the very tip of the first one and then the other nipple while still looking deep into her eyes. Audrey gasped. Her back bowed off the bed while proof of her excitement wet the inside of her thighs.
I am powerless to do anything but to come undone from his touch.
With a glint in his eyes and very knowing smile upon his lips, Rian licked circles around her nipples from the tip to the bottom and back again. Moaning his satisfaction low in his throat and savoring her like she was the best thing he’d ever tasted, Audrey’s dragon was driving her absolutely insane with a pleasure she’d never known possible.
Making his way back towards her other breast, Rian’s voice floated through her lust-filled mind, “I never want this moment to end.” Just before he took as much of her breast as he could into the wet warmth of his mouth. Lost to the sensations her lover created, Audrey fisted the sheets under her hands, trying to gain a control that was simply not to be found.
Nipping and tasting one and then the other of her breasts, over and over, worshipping her flesh until all coherent thought disappeared, Audrey’s eyes shot open as Rian lifted his head from her chest and rolled off her body.
