Shared By The Dragon Clan: The Complete Set

by Rosette Bolter

  No movement.

  “So are you going to go with this Xander guy if he shows up?”

  Stacey shrugged. “What do you think? Should I?”

  “I don’t know,” Jasmine said. “Do you trust Zane?”

  “Yes, I trust Zane.”

  “Then what?”

  “Well, I never heard of this Xander guy before. And how would Zane know where I was?”

  “He’s a dragon, isn’t he?”

  Stacey shrugged.

  She then spotted a red car moving up in the direction they were facing. She looked to Jasmine.

  “Let’s go the other way,” she said.

  “Why?” Jasmine replied.

  “I just … let’s go the other way…”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Stacey didn’t know why, but something about it didn’t feel right. Perhaps she was being overly cautious, but after Conrad was able to use magic to completely shift into his brother, then it seemed any appearance of Zane could be an imposter, much less a voice over the phone.

  But then on the other hand, if Zane was dead, why would Narses or the Mage come after her to such a degree? Were they really that hell bent on revenge?

  Hmm.

  Yes, they were.

  “Walk faster,” Stacey said to Jasmine.

  “I am,” her friend complained.

  Stacey looked over her head and saw the car was accelerating.

  They were passing Matthew’s house now.

  “Should we just go inside?” Jasmine asked.

  “No,” Stacey shook her head. “No – I –”

  But then, she thought, what if that really was Zane? And this was her one chance to be with him again? She didn’t even know if this red car was being driven by Xander. She could be freaking over nothing.

  “Okay,” Stacey said. “Let’s just stand still.”

  They both stopped. Jasmine eyed her carefully.

  Then their attention turned to the car. It was slowing down.

  When it came to a complete stop, the girls looked at each other.

  The car door opened. This was it.

  A young, extremely handsome man with dark hair, leaned over the roof of the car.

  “I’m looking for Stacey Caversham,” he said.

  “Who wants to know?” Jasmine shot back.

  “I’m a friend of Zane’s,” he said. “I’m Xander.”

  “Prove it,” Stacey said. “Prove you know Zane.”

  Xander closed his door and walked over to them. He shrugged. “How do I do that?”

  Stacey racked her brain. What was something only a friend of Zane would know?

  “Where was Zane born?” Stacey asked.

  “In the otherworld,” Xander replied.

  “And when did he come here?”

  “He was sent here when he was eighteen. He joined the ranks at the Island and had to work his way up.”

  Stacey blinked. “Zane said he missed the otherworld and one day wished to return. He had a favorite place there he liked to call home. What was it?”

  Xander didn’t flinch. “There was no such place. The Island is Zane’s home.”

  Stacey took in a deep breath.

  Jasmine looked at her. “Was that the correct answer?”

  “I guess so.”

  Xander smiled politely.

  “How do you know Zane?” Stacey asked.

  “I used to be a member of the Dragon’s Guard on Firebound Island. But I found it wasn’t for me. So I moved on.”

  “And why didn’t he go to you for help yesterday?”

  “I was an obvious choice,” Xander said. “Since the Clan knew of our friendship, I was the first place they went to find Zane. He wouldn’t be safe with me.”

  “And where is Zane now?”

  “He’s leaving the Island. I’m supposed to bring you to a safehouse where the two of you can meet up.”

  “He can’t come here?”

  Xander shrugged. “I don’t have contact with him. If you don’t feel like you want to come with me, Zane hasn’t said I’m to force you to. He said you would want to come.”

  “Can I bring my friend?” Stacey asked.

  “I guess so. If she wants to come.”

  Stacey looked to Jasmine pleadingly.

  Jasmine sighed. “I guess I owe you one for yesterday.”

  Xander headed back to the car and the girls obediently followed him. Stacey still had her reservations, but even if Xander turned out to be not who he said he was, she had Jasmine with her, and they would figure a way to get out of it.

  The promise of seeing Zane was far too tempting to ignore.

  Once in the car, with their seats buckled, Stacey turned her head to face the house. She heard a shout from it, and saw Dennis’s figure approaching from behind the screen door.

  “Shit,” Stacey murmured turning to Jasmine.

  “What?” Jasmine replied.

  “Your brother…” Stacey trailed off.

  As Xander started the car, and began to accelerate, she saw Dennis’s figure was still behind the door, and closer to it.

  But for some reason, he had completely frozen still…

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Stacey had no idea where Xander was driving them. She asked a couple of times but he hadn’t given a direct answer. She didn’t trust him. She felt really off about it. At the same time, he hadn’t done anything. He was a man of few words. At one point, early on, he offered the girls some gum. Jasmine accepted and Stacey declined.

  Dusk was setting in across the suburbia. They were on the freeway, watching the glow of it fade out, between each tunnel they traveled through. It was about half an hour before the car made a stop. When they did, it was in the parking garage of a high end apartment complex, which carried on for at least twenty floors. Xander led them out of the car and into the elevator, where they stood together.

  “Is Zane waiting for us here?” Stacey had asked him.

  “No,” Xander replied. “But he knows about this place. If he wants to meet you somewhere else, he will let me know. Until then, we will wait here.”

  “He’s not going to be too long,” Jasmine muttered. “Is he?”

  “Hopefully not,” Xander said.

  They arrived at his apartment a few minutes later. It was modern, spacious and very expensive looking. He said they could take what they wanted from the fridge and to just amuse themselves whilst he got changed in the other room. Jasmine found couple of vodka drinks tucked away in a bar fridge in a room at the far end of the complex when Xander was out of sight, and she gave one to Stacey to drink whilst she had one for herself.

  “I bet Dennis is pissed,” Jasmine remarked.

  “Maybe you should call him,” Stacey suggested.

  “I’ll wait another hour or so. Someone better be giving me a ride back there as well. You’ve really put me in the deep end here.”

  “Sorry,” Stacey said.

  “That’s alright.” Jasmine smiled brightly. “Can you do me a favor?”

  “Okay.”

  “When Zane shows up, can you find out if that Xander guy single?”

  “Single?”

  “What? He’s hot.”

  “But –”

  “But he’s a dragon? Apparently they’re all the rage now – haven’t you heard?”

  Stacey chuckled. “I’ll mention it to him. Zane will be able to tell me if … you have any chance.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” Jasmine remarked. “You don’t think he’d be attracted to me?”

  “I really have no idea.”

  “You should ask him for me.”

  “Come on.”

  “You come on,” Jasmine insisted. “I’m bored – so just ask him for me. Go on. While he’s not with the both of us.”

  Stacey put her drink down, smiling, and made her way out of the room. She walked through the kitchen and then took a turn to the hallway she’d seen Xander go down just before. There were a series of closed doors.

>   She stood in the middle of them, and called his name. “Xander?”

  She heard water running from one at the end. It wasn’t fully closed, just pushed shut. Stacey gave it a nudge, and then ventured into the bedroom.

  She heard the water still running, and Xander humming to himself in the bathroom. His shirt and pants were laid out on the bed as she passed them.

  “Hello?”

  She stopped in the edge of the bathroom doorway, and then saw him standing over the sink, brushing his teeth. She started to speak and but then her eyes drifted to the mirror.

  The face in the mirror was not Xander’s.

  It was the most unspeakably, grotesque, demonic like creature – like a corpse covered in black slime. It’s eyes glowed red and so did it’s tongue.

  “Hello,” Xander said calmly.

  The monster’s mouth in the mirror moved with his words.

  Stacey stepped back, on the verge of screaming. She tripped over her feet and landed on the floor below him.

  He advanced and stood over her.

  “Not one sound,” Xander whispered. “Not one.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  The scream had died inside of Stacey’s throat.

  Xander motioned for her to get up and sit on the bed. Not wanting to be touched by him, Stacey struggled to her feet and complied. Xander turned around and went to the closet. He pulled something off a hanger and threw it to Stacey.

  “Put that on please.”

  Stacey looked down at the object in her hands. It was a diamond necklace.

  She looked at Xander uncertainly, but there was nothing to get from his empty gaze.

  Stacey put the necklace around her neck and immediately she felt a sharp pang of electricity centre there. She put her fingers to the necklace and found it had transformed to an iron collar.

  “Now you don’t have a choice. Now you have to do everything I say.”

  Stacey gaped. “Who are you?” she whispered.

  Xander ignored her. He walked out of the room. Stacey struggled to sit up but found her feet would not leave the ground. She couldn’t stand, or move very far at all. It was as though the necklace was holding her in place.

  A minute later Xander returned to the room with Jasmine.

  “What’s going on?” Jasmine asked.

  “Sit with your friend,” Xander said.

  “Don’t,” Stacey said. She tried to say more, but her mouth would no longer open.

  “Don’t what?” Jasmine asked.

  Xander moved passed her and went to his closet. He gave Jasmine a necklace to wear too.

  Soon she was on the bed next to Stacey.

  Both of them unable to move.

  Xander leaned forward. “I suppose you’re going to want to stay alive. See Zane again.”

  His presence flashed in Stacey’s mind.

  “Yes, he’s still alive,” Xander said. “Narses has him captive in the dungeon. But he won’t kill him. I’ve tried my best, using that miserable human of mine to fix things, but it’s as though Narses is onto me. I’ve got to stay one step ahead. This will be a very crucial night for us. You, me, Narses. And Zane.”

  Xander stepped back from the bed, and leaned against the wall behind him.

  He watched them seductively.

  “Stand up both of you,” he said.

  Stacey and Jasmine stood up.

  “Undress each other.”

  Another command. While Stacey’s mind was still conscious she found herself obeying Xander’s words, and completely ignoring the thoughts of her own.

  Xander could hardly stand still as he watched, even this simple revelation of nudity from both of the girls. Stacey could see his whole body was full of lust. As if reading her thoughts, Xander replied, “I’ve been away from this place for such a long time. I haven’t even mated with a human in almost a thousand years…”

  He breathed heavily.

  Savored the moment.

  “I guess it’s finally time for someone to give Quraal his share of the spoils…”

  He removed what was left of his clothing, and stepped forward to consume their bodies with his.

  PART FIVE

  CHAPTER ONE

  Evil had descended into Stacey’s life. Evil, and pain.

  Before she closed her eyes as it was happening, she was focused on the bedroom door. She had come close to being taken this way before. So close, so many times. But Zane had been there each time to save her.

  Her childish wish was to see that happen again. The knowledge that Zane was trapped in a dungeon hundreds of miles away didn’t mean anything to her. Somehow there must have been a way for him to break out. Or maybe he was never truly there in the first place. He had protected her time and time again, and each time, her love for him blossomed and grew.

  But now the door was closed. The rest of the apartment was silent. He didn’t know she was here, and if he did, there was no means for him to get here in time.

  Her attacker, beautiful on the outside, hideous within, seemed to know at least what she was going through. She could tell by his inquisitive expression, his hesitation to move at anymore than a snail’s pace. His fingers touched her gently before pressed hard and tore at her flesh. His kisses were light and hesitant, until he bit into her and drew blood.

  It was only the beginning.

  Xander, or Quraal as he had identified himself, moved from Stacey’s naked body on the bed to Jasmine who was lying next to her. He’d yet to penetrate either of them, but when he did, they knew it would the most horrifying experience they’ve ever known.

  What they needed now was a miracle. Something to interrupt this monster from hurting them anymore than he already had. With tears in her eyes, Stacey watched the door remain closed, her mouth open, uttering an indecipherable scream.

  They didn’t deserve this.

  The world couldn’t be that bad.

  But in this moment here, it seemed that it was…

  CHAPTER TWO

  The moment Quraal touched Stacey, an unspeakable sorrow ripped through Zane’s insides. He was as far away as either of them believed, and yet he somehow knew when it happened. The connection they held was so strong, that it was almost as though he was sharing her experience. With his head against the wall, shivering; he closed his eyes and saw the monster that was Quraal. If he hadn’t been so blinded with the unquenchable shame of not being able to stop him, he might have been more conscious of the rage his dragon was going through.

  But still Zane couldn’t let it happen. He couldn’t just let himself lie here, defeated, crying. What sort of a dragon would he be then? This was his Stacey, the love of his life, and she was counting on him.

  So he wiped his eyes. Stood up and made his way to the bars of his cell.

  How he would have liked to rip them from their sockets as though they were ordinary bars made of steel. Even as his fingers touched them, he could feel the Mage’s enchantment moving through the bars and inside him, draining his powers…

  Zane let go. He then focused on a figure that was emerging from the shadows.

  “Narses…?” Zane murmured.

  He then stepped back in surprise as the figure was revealed to be the Human Mage.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Zane shouted.

  The Mage stopped. Smirked at him.

  “I never liked you,” the Mage said. “I’m glad you’re finally rotting where you belong.”

  He continued on his way.

  “Hey,” Zane shouted. “You’re the one who belongs in here! Not me!”

  The Mage stopped again. “Do not push me, Dragon. I can make your suffering ten times as worse as it is now.” He turned his head slightly. “Apologize.”

  “Apologize?” Zane spluttered. “You come anywhere near me and roast your head clean off.”

  “You think your magic works down here?” the Mage laughed, walking over. “You are nothing but a fragile mortal now. I can do anything I like to you. And there’ll be no o
ne to tell Narses otherwise.”

  “You’re working for him, aren’t you?” Zane challenged.

  “Who?”

  “The Dark Dragon. Quraal.”

  The Mage flinched. He closed his eyes a moment and then began uttering a spell under his breath.

  Zane was flung back into the opposite wall by a paralyzing force. He tried to get up after his fall, but his arms and legs were completely immobile.

  Satisfied he was safe, the Mage unlocked the gate to the cell and stepped inside.

  He stood over Zane, grinning.

  “The Dark Dragon has your mistress in his clutches at this very moment. I can see you already know this.”

  Zane breathed heavily, the fury raging within.

  “Narses is going to trade you for her in a few hours. So he can punish her for Evelyn’s death. Little does he know, that I was the one who made her die.”

  “You monster,” Zane seethed. “You absolute fucking monster.”

  “You should be grateful to me. That I gave your brother a chance to end your family’s shame. He would have even become King of Firebound Island. Of course now I realize, there can be only one King.”

  The Mage turned away a moment and produced a stick of glowing chalk. He moved to the opposite wall and began running the chalk along it.

  “Very soon it will all be over. Quraal will kill your girl before Narses gets his hands on her. He’ll kill Narses as well, and then he’ll kill you. That’s right, Zane. There’s only one person left to be King here. Me.”

  The Mage stepped away from the wall, his work completed. Zane saw that he had drawn a large door. The chalk was still glowing against the wall.

  “The thing is, before you both die, I want you to hear what’s happening to her. I want you to hear her screams.”

  The Mage murmured something under his breath and the wall inside the door’s outline dissolved. It appeared to now project the inside of an apartment. Zane could see a lounge room near a glass door leading out to a balcony. Further at the back there was a kitchen.

  Then he heard it.