by Zelda Knight
Sonya’s mouth dropped in disbelief. She could control the wind? “I’m a seadragon.”
“A seadragon, yes, but more.”
“Holy shit.” Draco hobbled over to the tossed-over wingback chair, turned it over and sat down.
Ryuu nodded. “The council knew this, but we think Draco was attacked because the assassins wanted him out of the way. The siren just served as a tool.”
Zihao squeezed her hand. “What did that have to do with Sonya?”
Draco answered. “At one point in time, our families considered betrothing us.” Sonya fell back a step into Zihao. “I’m not sure I can take any more surprises.”
Elder Gou stroked his goatee. “They had old information. In fact, we discarded the Jin family because the council did not want one tribe to become more powerful. With a firebreather, the joining of the celestial wind to the Jin line would be—stacking the deck as they say.”
Zihao nodded in understanding as he remembered the fear on the council members’ faces when Ryuu spoke. Draco shrugged. “The other clan wants to eliminate her to stop her from harnessing the wind.”
“You saw how powerful she is,” Anika said, and gestured to the wrecked living room. “She could’ve lifted this cabin off its foundation. Next stop, Oz.”
“And we ain’t in Kansas anymore,” Draco added dryly.
Elder Gou nodded. “They want to stop her from producing younglings with that ability too. I said there was someone from the clan too. They don’t want to kill her, but to mate with her.”
“Who?” Zihao demanded, his hands fists.
“Chee,” Sonya offered. It had to be them. Their grubby claws always turned up in the bad underbelly of dragon affairs.
Elder Gou shook his head. “Not the Chees.” “Who?” Ryuu asked.
Elder Gou’s eyes widened. He stepped back from them and winked out of the room.
“I hate when he does that!” Draco shouted. Anika patted his thigh and laughed. “What now?” Sonya asked, her hands on her hips.
“We can’t stay here.” Zihao pointed to the windows and the doors. “We’re exposed. We need to move.”
“I agree. Get your gear.” Ryuu started for the kitchen.
Sonya followed Zihao up the stairs to the closet to grab warmer clothes and pack clean ones. They grabbed a bunch of things, but they didn’t speak. Shock. A numbness returned and she felt like she stood outside her body watching herself pack and gather put on shoes.
“You’ll be fine.” Zihao spoke like he’d heard her ask a question. “I am fine,” she quipped. Damn him for reading her emotions.
He stopped, placing weapons in a jacket he found in the closet. With a small smile, he hugged her.
“Always knew you were special.”
Almost instantly she relaxed. He soothed her rough edges, like always. “I’m scared. I don’t know how to work this ability. My family is still missing, and my uncle is gone.”
“I will withstand all of hell to be by your side. Nothing is going to hurt you. I’d give it all for us. You know this. We will find your family and we will put an end to this.” Zihao kissed her forehead. “Promise.”
“Damn right.” Ryuu stood at the top of the stairs, dressed in a coat, his hair tied back. The polite council member hid behind a now empty face. He looked as dangerous as Zihao.
“Let’s go.” Zihao hoisted the backpack onto his back. When he looked down at her, he added, “Hold on to me, and never let me go.”
With that, they followed Ryuu down the stairs.
As they reached the bottom, Ryuu stopped abruptly. Zihao maneuvered in front of her. Sonya gasped.
Standing in front of the broken doors was her eldest brother, Santo. Dressed in all black, his long dark hair plaited into a single braid, he looked ready to rob a bank. He didn’t smile when his eyes connected to hers, and several other men filed in behind him. None of the other men were of her clan.
“What’s going on, Santo?” Ryuu asked calmly, but his fists remained clenched. She could feel Zihao’s stillness wash through him.
“You look like someone died. Mom? Dad?” She didn’t move. Ryuu remained blocking her path and Zihao stood behind him. So she called out to her brother from the third step.
“Not yet,” Santo answered. He gestured with left hand and the men fanned out around him, flanking him. Fight formation. No doubt.
“What-what are you doing, Santo?” While her heart was glad to see him, it saddened at his answer. Santo had been more father to her than her real dad.
Calm yourself, Son.
She swallowed the hard knot of realization. “You?” Santo nodded. “Me.”
“No, oh by the gods, no. Why? Why would you try to kill me?” Her knees threatened to give out. Her heart swelled in loss. None of it made sense.
Hatred rimmed his eyes, and he smiled. “Because I hate you.”
The word made her flinch. She grabbed Zihao’s shoulder to keep from sinking to the floor. Hate? How could he hate her? He showed her so much love, until he mated and moved to California. “I’m your little sister.”
“Don’t remind me. Everyone adored you. Everyone. Each time they complimented you, fretted over how important you were, they cut into my soul. They acted like you were the only one capable of greatness.” Santo stepped farther into the room.
Ryuu moved to intercept him. Zihao came down a step, but remained in front of her. She gripped his jacket.
“I love you. You loved me too. I was your favorite, you said!” Tears spilled down her cheeks.
“It wasn’t what I said, but it’s what I didn’t show to them.” Santo grinned. “That reveals the real me.”
“How could you destroy our clan, our family, for what? Your pride? Because Mom didn’t hold you enough?”
“Those cuts were deeper than they seemed,” Santo shouted. “You’re trying to save me, to stop me. Quit holding your breath.”
“Damn it! It was jealousy!” Draco shouted, drawing the attention to the kitchen’s entranceway. “See that, Ryuu? We were wrong.”
Ryuu swore and shook his head. “These others are from the Emerald clan—Irish.
What did he promise you?”
One of the dark-headed dragons laughed and jerked his thumb at Ryuu. “Smart, isn’t he? Santo promised us your demise. That’s enough for us.”
“The clan’s annihilation was a bonus, but I will have her dead, dilong.” Santo nodded at her.
“Oh, I do not think so,” Zihao growled.
“What’s one more dead dilong? Your father didn’t even see it coming when I killed him.” Santo spat.
Zihao stilled to that place Sonya knew invited others to underestimate him. “I’m not smarter than my father, but I am more stubborn. You didn’t succeed that day, and you won’t succeed today.”
“Stop fucking monologuing, Santo, and come get your ass kicked,” Draco shouted.
“Draco! No!” Ryuu shouted, but it was too late.
Santo laughed. “What the hell. The screams all sound the same!” Violence erupted at once.
Sonya felt a hard shove from behind and she fell backward, down the three stairs to the floor. Where Zihao had been was only space. He’d launched himself at Santo. All she saw were blurs of colors dipping into the shadows and lights.
“Come on!” Anika screamed and snatched Sonya’s coat. “This way!”
Dazed, hurting, and furious, she followed Anika to the rear of the cabin, down the stairs, and out the back door. Amazingly, no one was back here, probably because the cabin sat up against the woods. Anika crouched and turned to Sonya.
“Move your ass, woman!” Anika barked. She quickly looked around to make sure she wasn’t heard, but gently pushed Sonya anyway.
Sonya cast a look back at the violence and shouts, and turned away. She wanted to go back, to fight alongside her mate. Ahead lay wilderness, but behind her was her life—her family, her clan, and her lover. She didn’t dare reach out to Zihao while he fought. The distraction could
cost him. With her heart heavy, her stomach churned in uncertainty. She couldn’t just abandon it all to save her neck.
“Don’t do it.” Anika stepped in front of her. “Draco gave me very specific instructions. I’ll be damned if I let you go back in there to die. Not when my mate is fighting to save you. You’re going to live, bitch, so help me.”
Sonya heard the fear and the undercurrent of anger in Anika’s voice. So many people sacrificed for her. For what? This celestial wind? It hardly seemed worth it.
“So start walking.” Anika frowned.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Sonya couldn’t really think of anything else to say. So she turned and headed into the unknown.
Chapter Ten
Zihao yanked his dagger from the jacket’s inside pocket before he’d even left the step. Launching himself toward Santo might not have been the best idea, but his emotions—hell, his fury—had overridden his better judgment. The pulsating words flashing in his brain had one solitary goal—neutralize the threat. Part of him couldn’t quite comprehend that Santo, Sonya’s brother—her favorite sibling—had meant her harm. All the times she’d run to him with her millions of questions and frustrations with her parents. Someone she loved, but also looked up to, respected. Sure, when Santo married, he’d become more distant, but never had either he or Sonya thought her pursuer, her assassin, was her own kin.
The knowledge burned him. Sonya’s pain-streaked voice, the complete and utter disbelief quivering in the syllables, had injured him. For that Santo needed a major ass kicking. His label as family had been revoked for the gall and absolute lack of honor. Santo Gou didn’t deserve his birthright, but instead needed to be served a punishment. It spurred Zihao on with greater vengeance. All around him shouts, grunts, and howls—signs of violence—acted as a chorus to the non-choreographed fights. He saw glimpses of the Jin brothers out of the corners of his eyes, but mostly Ryuu’s fire erupting.
“Killing your own parents,” Zihao spoke, but he heard his dragon rise.
Santo sidestepped his attack, but not quite as fast as he may have wanted. Zihao’s gleaming blade’s tip sliced through Santo’s arm, tearing the clothes and only cutting the arm. Grunting, Santo turned to him, eyebrows furrowed on angry dark eyes. He removed his hand from the cut and reared to his full height. Zihao didn’t want the others to his back, so he rotated around, putting the kitchen entrance to his back. Now, he could see the two Jin brothers fighting the vast majority of others. Three of Santo’s men lay sprawled unconscious around the living room. One of them smoldered.
“I will have her heart beating in my hand.” Santo grinned.
“What happened to you?” Zihao swore and shook his head. He adjusted the hunting knife in his hand and pointed it at Santo.
Santo patted his brand at the base of his neck. “I could ask you the same question. You’re mated. I’m guessing Sonya. All the more reason to kill her.”
A stillness came over Zihao, but his grip on the blade’s handle tightened. Zihao had briefly considered taking a gun, but he liked the idea of using his knife. It would make Santo’s death so much more personal—and this was definitely personal.
“Jealous, Santo? She managed to mate with someone of her choice instead of the match her parents made.” Zihao smirked.
“Shut up, you stupid dilong!” Santo came at him, swung a right, and caught him in the back. Pain flashed but Zihao crushed the brief shot of anguish with cold training. I feel nothing.
At that moment, one of Santo’s men crashed into Zihao, catching him from his blind spot and knocking him to the floor. The knife went skittering across the floor. Zihao shoved the now-unconscious man from him and scrabbled backward from Santo’s advance. With thick, steel-toed boots, Santo stomped swiftly as he tried to crush Zihao’s bones. Zihao rolled out of his reach, but not before Santo raced over and attempted to step on him again.
Damn. He’s fast. Faster than he used to be.
“Die, you bastard! Die!” Santo screamed over and over again.
On one of his attempts, he caught Zihao in the ribs. Zihao swallowed the pain and the roar of anguish he wanted to release. Instead he focused on the task at hand. He caught Santo’s foot and twisted it. It sent Santo spiraling to the floor in a shower of shouts and rage. Unable to dislodge Zihao’s grip infuriated him more, because he soon lobbed punches at Zihao’s arms, trying to get free of the hold.
Zihao got to his feet. Waiting, he watched Santo stand. As soon as he did, he swung. Zihao avoided the punch and instantly slammed his fist into Santo’s jaw, sending him spiraling backward, crashing to the floor again. He rose sluggishly and raised his bloody knuckled fists in a boxing crouch.
“All those years of boxing lessons on Chicago’s south side prepared me for pain.” He waved Zihao forward.
“Not for the pain I’m bringing.” Zihao readied himself and squatted down to the floor and called through its wooden beams to the cold earth underneath. The dirt and icy mud rose up between the miniscule cracks in the floor, seeping in like water, but thicker. Santo staggered as it crawled up his shoes and up to his ankles.
“Stop!” Santo roared. “Stop!”
Seadragons could swim well, but this wasn’t water. On land, they were nearly defenseless in dragon form. That was part of why Sonya’s celestial wind held so much allure and promise. Zihao’s father had said don’t keep fighting when using you have the earth. It is enough.
Santo attempted to start for Zihao, but the mud held him firm. He rocked back and forth, flailing around to keep his balance. The moist earth continued to rise over his mid-section. Santo screamed. Hs arms punched the air in an attempt to grab onto something, anything before they too were coated in thick, Alaskan mud. Zihao focused on hardening the thick mixture until it encased him.
Unable to move, Santo screeched, “Kill this earthen slug!”
Zihao shot up to his feet. He searched the room, but none of the other henchmen made a move toward him. Some couldn’t make a move due to grave injuries incurred from Ryuu and Draco. The Jin brothers had backed several more men into a corner. The three others evaluated the situation. They looked at Ryuu and Draco, and then to him. Zihao clutched his fist and squeezed. The mud around Santo’s body packed itself tighter. Santo squealed in pain. At that moment, Ryuu shot a stream of azure flames at them. The trio shrieked and threw down their weapons, fleeing the cabin and out into the dark without any explanation.
“That settles it. Draco, get me some rope to tie these men up.” Ryuu growled at the men in anger. “It’s a good thing we don’t eat our own kind.”
“I will kill you!” Santo roared a brief moment before Zihao forced the mud to cover his mouth, silencing him. He’d had enough of his threats. Zihao walked over to
him. Staring into Santo’s crazed, panic-filled eyes, Zihao understood that he should kill the man at once, because he posed a serious threat to Sonya. He couldn’t live. Something in his face must’ve registered with Santo because he started wiggling again, eyes wide as saucers, struggling against the mud.
Zihao reached inside his jacket and pulled out the second hunting knife. With a fluid motion, he unsheathed it. It caught the sunlight and gleamed, almost as if eager to be utilized.
“Zihao…” Ryuu called softly.
He didn’t even look over at him. Something in him stilled his hand as it approached Santo’s throat. Santo’s struggled. Fear changed him from the screaming, enraged maniac of a few minutes earlier to Sonya’s brother, a Gou, a seadragon…
“You will not hurt her again. This I promise…” Zihao whispered. He drew back his knife and readied to slice Santo’s throat.
“Zihao!” Ryuu shouted. Zihao struck.
At this a flash lit up the room. Elder Gou appeared along with four other people Zihao didn’t recognize, but his blow landed against the elder’s hand. It struck true, but no blood came from the elder’s hand.
“That will do, Zihao.”
The elder’s gown looked washed and ne
w. Gone were the stains and chaos of battle. Healed, lucid, and back to his usual self, he nodded at Zihao and then at the Jin brothers.
“We will take care of this from here.” Elder Gou gestured to the others.
They all wore ancient gowns, none of them looked the same. One of the darker haired men, with bright blue eyes, stepped forward. He bowed.
Ryuu and Draco came to stand beside Zihao.
The man wearing the emerald green cloak and gown nodded. “I am Alcott O’Keefe. These men are my kin. I apologize for their attacks against your people. We have no working knowledge of their actions. They will be severely punished.”
The second person stepped forward. Once she swept back her cloak’s hood, Zihao noticed she was a woman. Thick, curly hair spilled over her shoulders. Her scarlet robe and gown skimmed her figure. She did not smile but bowed. When she spoke, her accent nearly smothered her words.
“I am Beatrice Martinez. Some of these men are my kin as well. They acted in concert with those of O’Keefe’s clan. We are the ruby dragons of Spain. They will be punished according to our laws.”
The third person did not come forward, but lurked in the rear behind Elder Gou. His gown and cloak came in a shimmering navy, but he kept his head bowed. Added to Zihao’s rising suspicions, he did not offer his apologies or acknowledge his kin’s role in attacking the Azure dragons. He glanced at the elder to gauge his response to the other man’s reluctance.
Like always the elder’s face remained blank.
“What about you? Which of these idiots belong to your kin?” Ryuu snapped and stepped toward him. The other man huddled further back into his cloak, but said nothing.
Elder Gou answered. “We will discuss that later.”
“What about Santo?” Zihao asked, the knife still in his fist. He’d stabbed the elder instead, but the man had placed himself in harm’s way.
