She had no idea what that meant. She pushed her head up and met his lips, fiercely kissing him, exploring him back. Tasting him. She groaned as he thrust against her and her jeans rubbed against her clitoris. He was in the perfect position. He deepened the kiss and pushed toward her again, and Bailey thought she might die from the pressure mounting. His slow movements, sliding along her, him hard before her, using himself to give her pleasure. She clutched him to her as her body shook. She'd do almost anything to ease the ache, to push over that edge and release.
She broke the kiss and cried out as white-hot pain slammed into her chest. She scratched at Dante trying to get free. He scrambled from her and she fell to the cool floor. What the hell was that? A wave hit her, like it had at the shop. The portal called to her again. But why? Right after the wave came another pulse of pain, stronger than before as if a knife where being twisted inside her. Sweat broke out along her brow as she tried to breathe through it. Her body convulses despite how much she tried to control it. It eased, and she took in a deep gulping breath.
"Bailey! By the gods, what's wrong?"
Bailey felt another wave from the portal, it nearly pulled her to her feet. It needed her now. Bailey was on her hands and knees, another pulse of hellfire felt like it ripped through her ribs, and she fell back to the floor. Dante's hands were on her and she tried to crawl, her body instinctively working to get away from the pain.
"Please, tell me what I can do?" his voice was soft, worried.
The pain washed away again, and Bailey gulped in more air. Breathing heavily, she said, "The portal needs me. I don't...fuck!" The portal wave flushed over her even more urgent and Bailey was on her feet in seconds stumbling to the door. Her vision blurred, and she stumbled to the ground as the pain hit her soon after. Her mouth watered and she knew all she ate this morning was about to come up and there wasn't anything she could do to stop it. Within seconds, the pain had her stomach hurling. Bailey thought her body was being ripped in half between the portal and her stomach. She couldn't see, could barely move. This needed to end. Tears streamed down her face, hot, heavy, and finally things subsided again and she could breathe. Dante must have been talking to her because her vision cleared and she could see his mouth moving.
Bailey fell over, exhausted. Another wave came and she scrambled to her feet, dreading the pain that would follow. She needed to get out of the house and back to the portal before this killed her. She ran part way into the wall and her hands shook as she turned the doorknob.
Bright light invaded her eyes, and she squinted against it, trying to run. She tripped over her own feet trying to get down the set of small steps on his porch. The pain...it was coming. It was slower this time, as if something pushed at her, a slow sharp prick going deeper into her chest. What the hell was wrong with her portal?
"Bailey!" Dante called out to her, but she couldn't turn around to answer him. She needed to keep going. One foot in front of the other until she found the portal again. It wasn't far, but the pain might slice her in half before she reached it.
"Dante, what are you doing? Where's Bailey going?" Sadie asked from behind her. They must have still been outside.
"Something’s wrong with the portal!" Bailey yelled back and she continued forward, needing to get there, pushing herself faster. The sharp pain spread like a knife ripped through her, and she fell to the ground, eating dirt and grass, rolling down a hill. The rocks her knees found and sticks that scraped her were nothing compared to whatever the portal was doing. Why was it attacking her? If it could call to her, couldn't it tell she was coming? She wished she could call back to it as the breath left her lungs. Wet hair clung to her face as her eyes almost rolled into the back of her head from the pain. She couldn't breathe! God, please make it stop! Her body shook so hard she was sure death was soon to consume her, and she would welcome it if only to escape this pain.
Bailey could feel things moving around her as she tried desperately to gasp for air, though she felt none going to her lungs. She wanted to curl up into a ball, but she couldn't hardly do anything but flop around it seemed trying desperately to get air. She clutched her chest and the pain subsided again.
Finally! She inhaled glorious air and sobs slipped from her mouth. "Please stop," She whispered, hoping the portal would hear her somehow. "Please..." her voice broke as dirt mingled with tears. Her hair was around her in wet, tangled waves. Her ponytail lost to whatever she'd fallen on.
She felt warm arms engulf her shaking body, and she blinked past the tears. "I've got you." Dante's worried gaze met hers. She wanted to wipe away his furrowed brow, tell him it would be fine, but the truth was she had no idea what was happening to her. She reached up to cling to him, but she was so weak, as if the pain and the portal had zapped all her energy away. She could do nothing more than sway in his arms as he clutched her tighter to him. But he needed to know...
"The portal. I need to get to the portal." Bailey wasn't sure how she knew exactly that the portal wanted her, the pain could be pushing her away, but that calling pulse was so strong. She didn't know what she would do when she got there, but if there was mercy in this land, let it take the pain away once she made it there.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Dante clutched Bailey tightly to his chest. He didn't have time to put on shoes or shirt. He followed his mate out the door, helpless to what she was going through. Her dragon fluttered behind him, finally catching up to perch on Dante’s bare shoulder.
As he'd watched her writhe on the ground more than once, he was ready to tear whatever harmed her to fucking pieces. The pain in her eyes, the tears. She looked as though someone, some invisible force, tortured her. If she needed to get to the portal, then he'd take her there. Dante ran as fast as the human body would carry him straight for the cave. He'd considered changing, but wouldn't risk her falling off in a convulsive painful state. Whatever the portal wanted, it must be in dire need to cause her pain. Dante had felt nothing, even as the alpha.
The portal was like living magic, it called to a specific bloodline, Bailey's line. What would happen if this invisible force attacking her were to kill her? Not only would Dante lose himself, but his race would lose any option to move in and out of the Rockies valley they inhabited. She was the last of her line as far as he knew.
Sadie and Trevon ran alongside him, both in human form also. They nearly flew past the trees. Dante's determination kept him going even as his feet split and bled. Not that they hurt, they'd heal. His mate needed him, and he would provide.
After a half mile, the cave came into view.
Dante nearly slid to a stop at what he beheld.
Tony stood outside the cave looking around. The copper smell of blood wafted in the air. Red tainted his hands and he carried the primal blade. His two goons from the shop were with him, one on either side, also with blood covering their hands. Dante slipped behind a tree to keep from the Bellers’ view. What the gods were they doing here? How?
There was only one thing that always made it through the portal, him...as an alpha. They'd used his alpha blood to come through. How much of his blood did they freaking have? Is this why the portal called for Bailey? Were they attacking it?
The Bellers seemed to take in the sight. Twisted grins graced their faces. Dante's beast itched to attack, but with Bailey in his arms he had to stay back. He needed to know if there were more and where they thought they were going.
Sadie settled in beside him. "What are Bellers doing here?"
Trevon spoke from behind them. "Does it matter? We should attack now."
"No," Dante said.
"What is wrong with you? You're the fucking alpha. We should be attacking, protecting our lands." Trevon's anger shone in his words.
Dante couldn't blame him for being angry, but his hot head would only get people, most likely Bailey, hurt. Dante set Bailey against the tree, and her eyes fluttered. She seemed to be semi lucid despite whatever had happened to her. "Bailey, we're at the portal. What do y
ou need?"
A wave of magic tainted the air. It was a portal energy but, tainted, wonky. It felt wrong, manipulated. Bailey convulsed again, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. Dante growled and looked up at Tony. Another Beller walked out of the cave. Shit. Bailey must be in pain every time one of them came through the portal.
"Do you know what's wrong with her?" Sadie asked. "Maybe I can help?"
Dante looked at Sadie. Her hair was wrapped in a mess around her horns from running through the woods. "It's the portal. I think it's calling for her each time one of those unnatural humans come through. I think it might be killing her." His heart skipped at the thought. He could hardly stand to see her in this kind of pain. The little dragon ruffled his wings, but settled back down.
"Well, then we best find a way to make them stop coming through." Trevon moved past the tree and into the open area in front of the cave. Tony's gaze landed on him.
"Where's your alpha?" Tony asked. His legs were spread wide as if he anticipated a fight. With Trevon, he would get one.
Dante waited for Bailey to come back to him, her hair was caked in sweat, her shirt had dark spots where the sweat soaked through. He knew that kind of pain. He wouldn't have ever wished her to experience it. She gasped and Dante's shoulders eased. This had to fucking stop. His beast roared inside wanting out, wanting to charge the Bellers and rip their limbs from their torso. Dante struggled to keep control. Sadie's hand was on his shoulder. Bailey’s dragon shifted from Dante to Sadie. Sadie didn’t seem to mind.
"I'll stay with her. Maybe I can ease her pain if more come through."
Dante didn't hesitate. He pushed himself up and ran straight for the closest Beller, to the right of Tony. They barely saw him coming before he tackled the man. His canines elongated as control slipped. He knew if his beast took over he would maul the fucker to death, all of them.
The man punched him in the jaw. Dante barely felt it as adrenalin had rushed his system. He was high on a possible kill. He knew it and couldn't contain the glee floating inside him. He grinned at the man below him and head butted him in the nose. His blood flew freely.
A knife slid to Dante’s throat. It took a moment, a nick on his neck made him back off as the primal blade left another mark. Dante put his hands up and backed away. Tony was right behind him. Where the hell was Trevon? He should have had Dante's back.
"Now now...don't be hasty with my man," Tony said. "Stand up slowly."
Dante pushed himself off the ground and stood.
"I could slice your neck open with a swipe, skinner. You would bleed out. I could watch you die." Tony's voice shook with what Dante assumed was pleasure—a rush to have the alpha under his blade again so soon.
The human side of Dante was pissed at his beast for taking so much control, for charging when he could have been, no should have been, smarter than that. He ruled the Khimairans. He'd never been this hasty before. He'd also never had his mate before which his beast was sure to remind him of. "If you were going to slit my throat, you would have already done so."
Tony had the chance to kill him twice and had not taken it either time. Dante slammed his head back into Tony's knocking them both off kilter. He swiftly moved past the blade as Tony's arm went away from Dante to keep his balance.
When Dante swiveled around, Trevon was on his knees with blood oozing from his stomach. His cowboy hat tipped up and he had a glare in his dark eyes. The male was pissed. But three Bellers surrounded him which made them out numbered five to two.
"You are right. I don't plan to kill you. We got bigger plans for the skinner leader." Tony smiled as he wiped blood from his nose. "I'll make this easy on you. We let your boy here go find a healer...we even leave your land...but you get to come with us." He licked the tiny amount of blood off the primal blade, pleasure hooding his eyes.
Dante's stomach rolled at the sight. "And if I refuse?"
"We kill your boy here first. Then that horned beast and the girl behind the tree." His snake like tongue slipped out smelling the air.
"Don't do it, Dante. Don't let him use us against you. We could take them," Trevon said.
Dante's gaze met his. One of Tony's men slammed a fist into the back of Trevon's head, and he fell forward. Shifting would be hard for him with a cut like he had. He could very well bleed out. Tony must have sliced Trevon with the primal blade since the wound didn’t seem to be healing. Sadie being here was a blessing, but if she didn't get to him soon, they'd lose Trevon, and Dante wasn't ready to lose anyone on his watch. Not if he could help it.
If Dante chose to go with the Bellers, Bailey would feel more pain as they went back through the portal. Could she survive it? He had to believe if the portal accepted her, she could handle it. But even giving himself over, how would he keep them from coming back through to get his race once he was captured and in whatever dark dungeon they likely intended to bleed him out in. If his blood could get them past the portal magic, how could he keep his race safe? The few for the many might be his only choice.
Dante's beast roared at him, because that few included Bailey. It clawed at his insides and Dante clenched his jaw desperately trying to keep control of his human part. If he let go, if his beast was set free, killing would bring him so close to turning and he had yet to complete a bond with his mate. He was so close. Yet either way seemed to be a lose-lose situation.
"Tick tock, what's your choice?" Tony waved the blade at Dante. He looked bigger than the last time he’d seen the Beller, had the alpha blood boosted his strength as well as his ego. He had a lot of nerve walking into Dante’s home and his lion was ready to show him how big of a mistake it truly was.
There wasn't a choice. Dante couldn't give anyone up. "If I go with you, how do I know you won't just come back and slaughter my people? Your faction believes we should be eradicated from this earth. With my blood, how can any of my people be safe if I go with you?"
Tony's eyes lit up. "Well, I didn't say we'd let them live forever...just for today."
It was the last thing Tony should have said.
Dante's grip on his beast was lost. Anger infused every rational thought, rage so fierce he hardly believed it was inside him. But human or not, Tony had sealed his fate. Dante’s skin felt like fire as the lion inside him tore through to make the change. His muscles screamed in pain as the bigger lion muscles formed. His teeth elongated to points, set for shredding. Claws broke free of skin, tearing the flesh until lion paws stood in the place of his hands. He went down to all fours.
He heard gasps from the people around him.
It wasn't an easy shift as he'd done before.
It was forced.
It was purposeful.
He'd gone primal, and he knew he wasn't coming back.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Bailey concentrated on the conversation between Tony and Dante, just to keep her focus on something other than the pain. Sadie used the same kind of empathic healing she had for Dante. The warmth of her power slid over Bailey's skin, and she welcomed the small comfort even as the ultimatum came out of Tony's mouth.
Bailey felt another wave from the portal and her body responded, tightening, waiting for the pain to come. Instead her vision grew dark, as if she were blind. She could hear everyone, but couldn't see anything except an endless black space. Bailey tried to speak but nothing came out. She could feel an otherworldly presence inside her mind. A flutter really, and then words echoed in and out of a male and female voice at the same time, "Open your mind and see."
Bailey had the very distinct impression those who spoke were of a higher power, divine maybe. She didn't know how to open her mind or what this was, but there wasn't pain and so she continued on, keeping herself calm as the real world faded away. She pictured a door opening. A bright white light flooded out.
Her vision was back! But she had no idea where she was. Death was all around her. Faces, beasts, human, people she'd never met in piles and piles of death. Flies buzzed. Cars were striped in th
e streets and fires blazed in buildings. Had she been transported to an apocalypse? Bailey stood atop a very high building in what she could only assume was New York, at least she thought it might be. The bridge was there but everything had been ruined. Red clouds filled the sky. What was this?
Bailey tried to move forward but instead of moving, the scenery changed. Her aunt's shop came into view. The windows were smashed in. Dark forms huddled inside. One moved, peeking outside the window frame. Tiny bear paws from a cub with a human-bear face. Eyes wide with fear. A very skinny female pulled the cub away from the window just as a group of weird reptile-looking things walked their way. They looked an awful lot like Tony.
They didn't see Bailey though as they walked right passed her and into The Talisman laughing. People inside screamed. Bailey watched as they pulled the skinny mom out.
"Shift," the ugly creature man said. "Shift or we will rip your kid in half."
The female's eyes hardened and she shifted. She was a very skinny bear, just looking at her one might think she had been nearly starved to death. She didn't fight back. Didn't do anything but lay there. Was this what would happen to Khimairans? Is that what these higher beings were showing her?
"You're too puny to even waste my time on." The man grabbed a knife from the belt on his side. Bailey screamed and tried to run to the female, but nothing happened. She was frozen in place watching in disbelief and shock as the guy slowly slit the female Khimairans throat. "You can thank your alpha for all of this. If it weren't for his blood..." He said the words as he watched her choke on her life before falling limp and bleeding out. He licked the knife and shuddered with pleasure on his face.
Hot tears trailed down Bailey's cheeks as she fell to her knees. She looked up at the sky and yelled, "Why am I seeing this?" She couldn't do anything else. Couldn't change what was happening, couldn't save anyone.
Aunt Nadia shimmered into view. "Sweet child, you have been given a gift from the gods. Use it well."
Untamed: A Zodiac Shifters Paranormal Romance: Leo (Dark Khimairans Book 1) Page 7
