by Aaron Crash
۞۞۞
Steven couldn’t believe how fast Mouse had crippled Wenck. He was pinned to the ice, trying to get the Slayer Blade out of his back leg. He couldn’t shift into any other form because then the sword might sever the injured limb. But the Magician down there was healing her Prime, without a doubt. A blood-red Dragonsoul female stood guard while the woman cast the Magica Cura spell. The other five dragons converged on Mouse.
Steven was torn. Should he help Mouse or go after Wenck? From his hiding place in the crack in the cliff, he’d listened to the Australian Prime’s conversation. He was their true target, and they would never have a better chance to take him alive. Well, Steven planned to keep Wenck’s heart beating long enough for him to tell him everything. Then he would kill the orange worm. He’d admitted to helping Mulk murder his father. That could not go unpunished.
Gunshots cracked through the canyon. That would be Tessa’s Peacekeepers, evening the odds. A blue female, pocked with bullets, tumbled from the sky. At the same time, in a blast of cinnamon and a flash of crimson, Aria tore into the pack of Wenck’s wives.
Tessa, standing on the eastern cliffs, had both her guns blazing. Aria clawed her way through Wenck’s Escort even as she breathed fire onto their wings. The attacks were fast and brutal. Mouse joined in, exhaling a toxic cloud into the face of a green female reaching for her.
Steven would let his Escort mop up the females above. He would strike at the Prime with his Magician and red dragon wife below. It was three against one … Oh well. Steven was used to having the odds against him.
With his dragon wings out wide, he dropped down, brandishing his claws. He wanted the red female guarding Wenck to think he wanted to go talon-to-talon with her. She fell for his feint, attacking him with her wings straining.
At the last minute, Steven let loose his Inferno Exhalant, bathing the red dragon in flames. She let out a shriek. Steven didn’t pause. He transformed into his Homo Draconis form, letting gravity pull him down to the ice, where he landed with a thud like a falling asteroid.
The moment he touched down, he cast a shield spell. Good thing he did. Flashing red boomerangs spun into his force field. Sure, an Australian Magician would throw boomerangs. Most of the angled lights hit his shield, slamming home and sending up a wave of flashing sparks. Those that didn’t spun behind him to strike him in the back. Fuck! That hurt!
He lost scales, and his wounds blistered. Anger boiled inside his chest. He harnessed that power and struck back like a fucking hammer.
“Magica Impetim!” he roared. His own magic missiles burst from his hands in the form of spinning black stars. After fighting the ninjas in the Onari Guard, he’d gotten the idea of hurling onyx-colored throwing stars. He’d always wanted to be a ninja. Seriously, nothing was cooler than a ninja—except a ninja dragon.
The Magician had a red-tinged shield spell up, but she’d thought he would come after her with his claws. Most Dragonsouls hadn’t mastered magic up to that level. Steven’s stars broke through her shield with pitiful ease and peppered the Magician, cutting into her, taking her down. She wasn’t dead. Steven didn’t feel a burst of Animus from her. Yet the woman was out of the fight for the moment.
Steven transformed back into his True Form. His claws gripped the ice underfoot so he wouldn’t slide around.
Wenck managed to get a claw under the Slayer Blade, and he yanked it out. He sent the sword clattering across the ice. He’d been healed by his Magician, so he faced Steven at his full strength, minus his left arm, that was, and the hole in his leg. Thank you, Mouse.
Steven triggered his newest Pugna ability, ShadowStrength. He sucked black energy from Wenck, leeching away the other Dragon’s Animus to power his own muscles. That was the secret of ShadowStrength, you weakened your opponent while at the same time gaining their strength. It was insidious and powerful, but also rare. Most Dragonsouls—even those with their own Primacies—didn’t have access to that kind of power. Steven was exceptional in that regard.
Wenck roared, spun, and whipped his tail at Steven.
Steven caught the tail in his talons and used his attacker’s momentum to flip the orange worm around. He slammed Wenck back into the ice, stunning the beast.
Claws shredded Steven’s already wounded back. The red female was still smoking from his Inferno blast, but somehow she had mustered the sheer will to fight. Steven released Wenck’s tail. He swiveled and used his own tail to bash the female away. His tail landed like a wrecking ball, breaking bones and sending her reeling. Then—before she could regroup—Steven leapt off the ice and drove his claws, enhanced by ShadowStrength, into her belly. He ripped upward and opened her abdomen. Entrails spilled out and fresh Animus filled him. It made the victory all the sweeter.
Wenck belched out a toxic cloud of poison gas. Green mist filled the entire valley. His Magician let out a shriek.
Steven sucked in a breath and held it. There was a Defensio spell, WindShield, that could summon wind, but Steven didn’t dare try and say the words. Instead, he worked his wings, pumping them furiously, creating a steady wind to blow the Toxicity Exhalant away.
Wenck’s Magician wouldn’t survive that poisonous mist. He’d killed one of his own to try and get away. What an asshole.
The Australian worm went to fly away until pink blobs of light struck him. Tessa’s bullets, but these looked different than her normal rosy streaks. The blobs peppered Wenck, driving him back to the ice. He hit hard, the ice groaning, and lay unmoving.
Steven glanced up. Tessa was riding on the back of Mouse, a Colt in the barista’s right hand, another tucked away in the leather holster at her hip. She’d stunned Wenck with her new ammo. How Steven loved his Escort!
Steven landed next to the Australian Prime. The corpse of Wenck’s Magician lay in a heap. Steven took the Aussie dragon’s throat in his talons. “Tell me who else voted to kill my father. Tell me now!”
Wenck worked his mouth, blood drooling from his lips. No words were coming out. Tessa’s paralyzing bullets had done their job, perhaps too well. Mouse and Tessa landed on the platform. Aria followed. The two dragons and the Magician had defeated their enemies, but Steven couldn’t finish off the Prime before he got what he needed.
“Dead,” Wenck gasped. “Those who voted, all dead, except for one.”
“He’s lying,” Aria hissed out of her red-scaled mouth. “Not all of the Dragonsouls at the Conclave are dead. That’s impossible.”
Wenck choked down spit and blood, trying to speak. “No, sympathizers killed when Mulk attacked you. Back in time, twenty years ago, there was a cabal, inside the Conclave, five of us and the ancient guy—the myth. He organized us. He pushed us to murder … for the good of our kind. To protect us.”
“From what?” Tessa asked. She kept her pistol trained on the beast. And damn, she looked good. She was in jeans and a Florence and the Machine T-shirt, which showed off her tattooed arms. Sweat trickled down the left side of her half-shaved head. She’d dyed the tips of her hair a bright blonde color. The eyes above her pierced nose were focused and clearly dangerous.
“The Zothoric,” Steven said. “So there was a cabal inside the Conclave?”
“Fucking Dragonsouls and their fucking secrets,” Mouse complained. “Why does this not surprise me?”
The magic holding Wenck paralyzed was fading. His words came out stronger. “We pushed the other Primes into voting. They didn’t care. Drokharis was some American Ronin, and they didn’t give a shit. Rahaab did. Rahaab knew. He saw the demons destroy everyone he ever loved. You have to understand, we have to stay hidden. And the magic, the magic is dangerous.”
“What kind of magic?” Steven asked. “Portal magic?”
Wenck laughed. “Oh, you stupid fucking blighter. You think it’s just that? You think you have a chance? The five of us are dead, but now you have to face Rahaab. He is all-powerful. He took care of his brothers. And he’ll take care of you.”
Brothers … Mathaal, Icharaam,
Rahaab. Steven put it together in his head. Mathaal had killed Icharaam, but now it seemed that Rahaab had also done a bit of fratricide as well.
Wenck wrenched away from Steven, though it shredded his throat to do so. Bright red blood splashed down on the ice. Wenck opened his mouth and the dreadful quiet that preceded the ChromaticFury Exhalant filled the air.
Before Wenck could breathe out the primal energy, Steven leapt on him, fangs first. He bit down on Wenck’s lower jaw and ripped it off his skull.
He spat it out and then breathed fire into the face of the Australian Prime. The flames blasted the scales and flesh off the orange worm’s skull. When he slumped over, only bone was left.
The heat from the Inferno melted the ice under him, and Steven fell into the water, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the feeling of the cold water on his body and the enormous amount of Animus filling him.
He sank to the bottom of the lake until he rested on the muddy bottom. He’d done it. He’d killed another of the Dragonsouls who’d murdered his father. There was only one left. Rahaab. The myth.
A chill swept through Steven’s long body. It wasn’t the cold of murk. No, it was a cold that pierced his very soul.
Rahaab was his enemy, and he had the idea that none of the mythical dragon’s enemies lived for very long.
FOUR
That evening Steven drove his Escort away from the Restway Travel Park in the brand-new Chevy Silverado that Bud had bought to pull the Jayco trailer. They still had the Orange Crush, an old Ford Bronco from the 1980s, just in case they needed an extra vehicle. They had it parked in a nearby field.
The RV park in Cheyenne was pretty nice, with a pool and its own mini-golf course. Aria couldn’t quite wrap her mind around the idea of mini-golf. Tessa had explained the best by saying it was a cross between an obstacle course and regular golf with less plaid and no spiked shoes involved. Steven wasn’t sure if that helped or hindered Aria.
They met Bud at T-Joe’s Steakhouse and Saloon, which was a redneck looking joint with wagon wheels above its sign and a long bar where locals drank and traded town gossip. Steven tried to keep a low profile, but that was pretty much impossible. He’d walked in with the most beautiful women most of these people would ever see.
Aria Khat had the face of a model, long dark hair braided down her back, and a body that wouldn’t quit. Her piercing green eyes were shocking against her dark skin. Tessa Ross was a goth beauty with a thick body and cleavage that went for miles. And to round out the trio was Mouse, in full makeup, with her hair teased to perfection, in a tight black dress that left little to the imagination.
Every eye in the place turned to them. Tessa drew close to Steven and took his hand. “I’ll never get used to this much attention.”
“You should,” Steven said. “They’re looking at you as much as they are checking out Aria and Mouse.”
“You’re sweet to say that,” Tessa whispered.
“I’m sweet.” Steven grinned. “But I’m also right. Trust me. You’re gorgeous.”
Bud swaggered up before the hostess could seat them. “Got a table in the back for us to celebrate and talk business.” Bud was in a suit, no tie, with a turquoise shirt that went well with the gray coat. Of course it did. Bud was all about dressing to perfection.
Steven took the rear as the three women moved through the chatter of the locals, travelers sitting at the rough-hewn wooden tables and comfortable padded seats. The place was gritty but had a certain roadhouse charm to it.
When some old cowboy looked a bit too long at one of the women, Steven stared him down. It was clear Steven wasn’t someone that could be trifled with, however young his face.
They had a corner table. Steven slipped into the back chair to keep his eye on the door. Mouse’s hurricane circle had been cut, so anyone with a divination spell could scry her location. It was one of the topics they had to discuss.
Bud sat between Aria and Tessa, keeping his distance from Mouse. Which made sense. Bud was clearly intimidated by her frowns and sarcasm.
“Okay, guys, let me get this straight,” Bud launched in right away. “So you got another Primacy?”
Steven nodded. “Queensland. It’s in Australia.”
Bud blinked. “Yeah, Liam told me. I looked it up. Second biggest province, third most populated, and the capital is Brisbane. It’s a big one, Steven. With all his property and holdings, it’s a fifty-million-dollar deal easy. Cha-fucking-ching. Bad news, we’re talking international law here, and the lawyers we contacted aren’t exactly excited to be dealing with Americans.”
Steven let out a long breath. “This is the game, Bud. I get territories and I rule them. Not sure how I can get over to Australia because I’m not safe yet. There’s still one more Dragonsoul after me. And he’s this mythical thing … this Rahaab.”
Aria jumped into the conversation. “I would like to think he’s just another Hanuman, but he seems real enough.”
“Hanuman whatsit?” Tessa wondered. “Hanu-what?”
Aria’s smile brightened. “Ha, see? See? You are always saying that this is like Gary Potter, or Lord of the Diamonds, or Star Tracking, and I don’t understand anything. Well, I’m going to give you all an education in Indian cultural references. Hanuman the Monkey God, Rama’s trusted friend and sidekick. He jumped from Sri Lanka all the way to Tamil Nadu.”
“I didn’t catch any of that,” Tessa said. “But I think it’s awesome. You go, Aria!”
Steven saw the love pass between Tessa and Aria and his heart warmed.
“I’m going to need a beer to get through this,” Mouse complained as she studied the menu. “Nonalcoholic. Don’t worry. I’m not going to get lit.”
“I’ll have your share of the booze,” Bud said. “I’m not driving back to Denver tonight. As long as you can get me to my Marriott, I plan on getting my drink on!”
“Sure,” Steven said. “So are we going to have problems getting money from the Queensland people?”
“Yeah, we are,” Bud said. “The same law firm, Boaz & Jessup, that’s complicating shit with Mulk is already giving us trouble with Wenck. They are blocking us every which way by literally flooding our offices with paper contesting every single aspect of the deals we’re trying to broker. My dad is pulling his hair out. These guys are good.”
“But you’re better?” Steven asked.
“Fuck yeah we are,” Bud said easily. “It’s just going to take a bit. In the meantime, I’m managing your investments. With the Denver real estate market on fire, I’m buying land, flipping houses, doing the deal. Even invested in a new dispensary so we can get a taste of all that dank marijuana dope money. We can totally start construction on the Infinity Ranch. You guys need a place to stay.”
“We do,” Aria agreed with a nod. “I have to shower in … public showers … at the RV places. I must wear shoes—shoes in the shower. It’s barbaric. I feel like Sita in the wilderness.” She laughed when their faces went blank. “Sita! Rama’s wife!”
“The monkey god’s buddy?” Tessa asked.
Aria nodded.
“Great,” Mouse griped. “Another whole set of stories from an entirely different country I can ignore.”
Steven patted her thigh. “Easy there, Mouse. Go easy on us tonight.”
“I’ll try.” The blonde set the menu aside. “So we have some cash, which is good news, but I’m still a target now that every dragon dickhead can scry me.”
“We should get her another tattoo,” Tessa said. “I have a little vial of the enchanted ink from Liam. We could find someone in Cheyenne.”
Steven and Mouse exchanged glances. Both were thinking the same thing.
“I’m thinking we don’t,” Mouse said. “We need to flush out any enemies. If Liam continues to keep track of who’s coming for us, we’ll have some warning if any big, bad wolves show up wanting to blow our house down.”
Bud squeezed his eyes shut. “Dudes, dudettes, I don’t know how you can live like this. I mean, co
me on, can you really live knowing that at any minute, some demon might come smashing through your door?”
“As Dragonsouls, it is our fate,” Aria said seriously. “We must fight or die. It is kill or be killed.”
Tessa smiled. “Are you referencing the classic martial arts movie from 1980? Or the Western from 2015?”
“Neither,” Aria replied. “But you are amazing, Tessa.”
Steven got them back on track. “At this stage, it sounds like Rahaab is the only dragon left who wants me dead. I talked with Liam, and he thinks Wenck was telling the truth. That little cabal inside the Conclave, those five, are all dead now. I killed two. The other three were taken out protecting their Primacies.”
“So did the whole Dragonsoul in-fighting actually help us?” Bud asked.
“It appears so,” Steven sighed. “I’m just glad I don’t have to get revenge on every Prime that was in the Conclave. Any other dragons who might’ve voted to kill my family we took care of during the Mulk fight.”
Mouse gave him an uncertain glance. “You would’ve gone after them all, wouldn’t you?”
“Hell yeah, I would’ve.” Steven stared into her eyes. “The nice thing about you being bait is that it will flush out anyone else out that wants me dead. And maybe Rahaab will come to us directly.”
“You heard what Wenck said, though,” Aria put in. “He said that we’ll need special magic to kill Rahaab.”
Bud blinked. “Okay, okay, okay. Tell me more about this Rob guy. He sounds bad. Like end-of-the-world, grab-your-pearls bad.”
“It’s not Rob,” Steven explained. “It’s Rahaab. When I talked with Mathaal in the pit, he said he killed his brother Icharaam, but he also said another name. Rahaab. It was Wenck that helped me put it together. I think the three were brothers. Not sure if Rahaab helped Mathaal kill their brother, but it sounds like Rahaab put an end to Old Matchstick.”
“That’s so sad,” Tessa said quietly. “Brothers shouldn’t kill brothers.”
