“I will. Isa’s right. I’d be pissed if you didn’t call me under similar circumstances.”
Robert ran a hand down his lapel. “I’ll be here too. Dragons and a psychotic Faery queen could cause enough trouble we want to stop it early.”
“You got it,” Toryn added.
Robert touched Preston and they were gone.
Isa turned to Toryn. “I’ll contact Kellan first.” She lifted her arm and jiggled her wrist, showing off the bracelet. “Then we can figure out what to do.”
“Sooner we deal with her, the sooner we can enjoy our honeymoon without the rest of the hassle.”
“You’re the one who decided I need to train most days,” she teased.
“And I thought I made training fun.” He pulled her into his arms.
She licked her lips. “Thought that was because you can’t keep your hands off me when I’m wet.”
“Fuck, I’ll make you wet.” His hands curled around her ribs as he walked her back.
Chapter 37
Kellan moved around the kitchen, preparing lunch for Zoe. She was napping on the couch with Nyla in her arms. She’d been up all night writing an article about the wedding, and about what Isa did to align the four Fae kingdoms.
The tap on the window brought his head up. Isa and Toryn stood on the other side. His cousin nodded to the sliding glass door.
He walked over and let them in. “Didn’t expect you so soon.”
Isa rubbed a hand over her arm. “Neither of us wants to wait longer than we have to. Even if you come back here after you pinpoint her location, that’s fine.”
Kellan frowned. “How do you want me to find her? What were you thinking?”
“We know she’s somewhere in or near Normandy. But her essence is spread all over. Preston couldn’t track her down.”
“Spread all over?” Kellan asked.
“Yeah.” Isa dropped her gaze. “Figured since you’re linked to her, you could get a better idea of where she might be? If you can’t, I won’t blame you.”
Kellan moved to Isa and lifted her chin. Looking into her eyes, he said, “I’ll help you. Let me feed Zoe, and we can go.”
“Thank you.”
Toryn reached past Isa to squeeze his shoulder. “Yes, thank you. Preston and Robert will be there. If you aren’t comfortable with what will happen, we won’t ask you to stay.”
Isa nodded. “She’s pregnant with Damha’s children. Watching them move around in her belly is disturbing.”
Shuddering, Kellan rubbed at his eyes. “I’ve seen what happens when women give birth to the little monsters. It’s not exactly labor. They eat their way out and it generally kills the mother. My mother would only reincarnate, and those little shits could have wound up with her ability. Shit—she needs to die before she figures out a way to get what she wants.”
Toryn nodded. “Right now, she can’t go back to Faery, at least not any of the main kingdoms with the way Isa helped to ward the realms. She may be able to set foot in the Moonlight or Sun Citadel, but most of the people there fled from her lands.”
“Well, Saressa is great at making enemies, and she no longer has anything to offer her allies. I’d say she was up shit creek without a paddle.”
Zoe entered the kitchen. “Who are we talking about?”
He turned to Zoe with a raised brow. “Where’s Nyla?”
“In the swing so she’ll sleep a little longer.” She smirked. “Now, who are we talking about?”
“My mother.”
Zoe frowned. “You want to go help, don’t you?”
“They need me to track her down. Preston couldn’t, and he can track anyone under most circumstances.”
“Come back to me when you finish.”
Kellan pulled Zoe into his arms. “Oh, I love you.”
She cupped his cheeks. “You need to do this. She won’t stop reaching for you, and you refuse to let her in. You’ll sleep better when she’s gone.”
“Yeah, unfortunately.” He nodded to the counter. “Your lunch is ready. I suppose if you’re up, I’ll go now.”
She leaned up and kissed Kellan. “Just come back.”
“Nothing will keep me from you.” He took a kiss and turned to Isa, who opened a portal.
* * * *
Preston pulled Dacia down beside him on the couch. “Isa urged me to let you know what’s going on, and I’m going to take her advice.”
“Okay,” Dacia drew out the word. “What is it?”
“I’m helping Toryn and Isa go after Saressa.”
“After what that bitch did to your father, I get it. Do you want me to come?”
He covered her belly with his hand. “No. Not because you can’t. But this little one, nothing is happening to my baby, or you.”
She grinned. “If you wanted me there, I would come.”
“Stay here, and I’ll be back soon, Minx.”
“All right, Ember.”
The bell rang, and Dacia hopped up. “That was short notice.”
“They probably have Kellan ready, which means I need to call Robert.” He hopped up and went to the door.
Isa stood on the other side, Toryn directly behind her. There was Kellan already. “Hey, calling Robert now, and we can figure out how we’re finding her. Robert already arranged a vehicle.”
Stepping aside, Preston let them in.
Robert answered, “We ready?”
“Yup, at my house. We’ll go from here.” He hung up.
Dacia told Isa, “If you need me, just say the word.”
Isa met Preston’s gaze.
He shook his head slightly.
Isa smiled. “We have this covered. We don’t need a whole army.”
Dacia gave her a cautious look. “Be careful, Isa. You’re carrying precious cargo too.”
“We’ll be okay.”
* * * *
Toryn gave Dacia a hug. “I swear on my life, Preston will be back.”
She smirked. “You got Isa on your side. I have no doubt she’ll get you all back here in one piece.”
“Thanks for your vote of confidence in my abilities,” Toryn teased.
“You’re the one Saressa nearly killed. You can bet your ass that if I found Preston in that state, I would destroy whoever had a hand in it.”
Toryn chuckled. “A woman scorned and all that. Though, I have every reason to kill the bitch too.”
“I’m sure you do. But watch Preston with Gebiet. I imagine the dragon is not happy that the man who claimed me is the one who nearly killed him.”
“No, and Gebiet’s mate will be there as well. Though between the five of us, we can handle anything.”
Dacia nodded, her attention catching on Preston, who was talking to Isa. She looked back at Toryn. “Both you and Isa have made me feel like I have family. Kellan too. I don’t want to lose any of you.”
“You won’t.”
Robert cleared his throat. “Everyone touch me. I’ll take us to the garage of the Silver Council Headquarters in Normandy. We’ll figure out where Saressa is from there.”
Kellan wore a grim expression, but grabbed Robert’s arm.
“See you soon,” Toryn told Dacia.
Preston crossed the room and placed a kiss on Dacia. “See you, Minx.”
“Better be soon, Ember.” She pushed him toward Robert. He touched Robert’s shoulder, as Isa and Kellan touched him. Then they were standing next to a Humvee.
Robert lifted a hand. “Give me a moment to get the keys. He disappeared.
Isa took Toryn’s hand. “Thank you.”
“For what?” he asked softly.
“Not trying to convince me to stay.”
He pressed his forehead to hers. “Thank you for not talking Dacia into going.”
She smirked. “I have to do this. You have to. Preston does. Dacia—she could, but she doesn’t need to like we do.”
He dipped his head. �
�Let’s keep it that way.”
“Hey, I’m right here,” Preston pointed out.
Isa nudged Preston’s shoulder. “I’m on your side.”
“Thanks for that.” Preston nudged her back.
Robert reappeared with the keys, which he handed to Kellan. “Unless it’s easier for one of us to drive and you navigate.”
Kellan shook his head. “Tell me one of you can drive on the wrong side of the road. It’s not pretty when I do it.”
Robert took the keys back with a look at Preston. “Hope you’re a good navigator.”
* * * *
Saressa came to with a start. The pain was gone for the moment, but her stomach had doubled in size. Her breath caught as her hand went to her belly.
The vibration of a hundred tiny heartbeats ripped a scream from her lips. Isadora was near. Kasai burst into the room. “They’re close, and Gebiet collapsed. He’s writhing on the ground.”
Pushing to a stand, Saressa met her gaze. A wave of dizziness washed over her, but she managed to stay upright. “Where?”
Kasai’s brow pinched and she looked toward the living room. “Are you okay, Saressa?”
“Effects of the ichor. I don’t need the venom, but it’s not killing the children either.” She willed herself into steam and whipped past Kasai, reforming beside Gebiet.
His back couldn’t arch much further. The scar in his shoulder and neck glowed fiery red. “What did this?” Saressa asked Kasai, though she was focused on Gebiet.
“Some blade the mage had. He had never seen anything like it, and only seen it on the mage.”
She rubbed at her belly. Then she remembered what Aeremaius told her when she healed him the best she could. Normally, she could have regrown his lost arm, but the blade’s magic prevented growing past the scar.
“I can make it so he doesn’t feel the pain. I’ve never heard of a spell or curse that would burn when the weapon is nearby.”
“Nor have I. But he won’t be any help in this state,” Kasai answered. “Please, do what you can for him. Hopefully with the mage gone, he won’t hurt like this.”
Saressa spread her hands out, floating over his chest and neck, pushing numbing magic into him.
Gebiet calmed, his chest heaving with heavy breaths. “Kill the bastard,” he growled.
“You’ll have your chance. Isadora is close,” Saressa promised.
His eyes narrowed. “I can’t feel half of my face, nor my right arm.”
Saressa lifted a single shoulder. “You aren’t writhing on the floor either.”
“For that I thank you. Though, the mage is a Silver Council Enforcer. There are laws we must follow here.”
“Like?” Saressa demanded.
“Humans can’t know what we are. We can’t harm them. At least we’re far enough out no one should notice the fight.”
“Especially if I erect an illusion.” Saressa walked outside and lifted her hands. Magic rose up around them. No one would see anything from outside the property.
“Whatever happens, we’re ready for them.”
* * * *
Too damned anxious to end this battle, but the bitch was going to give birth soon, and it was going to be easier to kill however many creatures she was carrying if they were still in her.
Isa was tired of waiting, tired of worrying, and tired of hating the woman who’d nearly torn her whole life apart.
“There, turn down that driveway.” Kellan thrust his arm out and gripped the dash.
Robert pulled up alongside the gate and parked. “Might be better if we walk in.”
“Yeah, rather not have the vehicle blow up around us.” Isa hopped out, and Toryn caught her arm, hauling her back against his chest.
“No running in alone. We’re all going. We’ll figure it out as we go, and I don’t care if you’re a one-woman wrecking crew, but you have backup.”
Nodding, Isa leaned up for a quick kiss. “Wasn’t running off without you. I climbed out of the Humvee so you could.”
“Isa, I can feel your need to end this.”
Closing her eyes, she stepped back. “I’m not being reckless, Toryn. She’s going to give birth if we don’t hurry, then we have to hunt down those monsters before they can cause a real problem.”
Robert’s brow cocked. “What does an Arachnian even look like?”
Preston held up his hands and called forth an image of one.
“That thing is real?” Robert asked.
Toryn nodded. “And she probably has a hundred of them inside her. And if we don’t kill her, she’ll only reincarnate later.”
“Why?” Robert asked.
“She’s a phoenix. She died once before, maybe more.”
“Like Jules?”
“Yeah, but we killed one before. Between all of us, we can keep the bitch down,” Preston answered.
Toryn held his hand up. “How?”
Preston smirked. “Liz pumped him full of water, then froze him. Robert shattered him. I burned the rest into ash. Thing is, we need to stop the burning process, because if she turns to ash on her own, she’ll be back.”
Isa stepped toward the gate. “Kellan, no one will blame you if you stay behind.”
“I’m coming. She’s been trying to reach me. I had to find a way to block her. I’m done with the nightmares and the questions. I’m going with you.”
Isa squeezed his arm and opened the gate.
Smoke blew past Isa and she rolled her eyes as Toryn reformed on the other side of the gate.
Chapter 38
Toryn held his arm out before Isa as she stepped through the gate. “Something’s wrong with this.”
Isa nodded, realizing the benefit of the spell. “She created an illusion. I’d strip it, but don’t want anyone to know what’s about to happen, in case I level the place.”
He rubbed at his face. “Let’s not start with dismantling the property.”
That hadn’t been her plan. “Let’s see if she’s a coward, or stands to fight.”
Kellan stepped in, followed by Robert and Preston.
A snarl rent the air, and Gebiet burst through the trees, barreling toward Preston. The dragon was bigger than a bus, shiny black scales flashing in the sunlight.
Isa threw her hand out, hitting him with a fireball. Toryn pulled her out of the way as Preston wisped into smoke and moved past the dragon.
Robert threw a barrier spell up. “I’ll help Preston. We’ve got this.”
Isa nodded and started toward the house. Toryn followed after a brief pause. They couldn’t take two dragons and the bitch one at a time. They were going to have to split up.
Hopefully, Kellan would take out Kasai, and Toryn could help her. His fire might actually burn the bitch.
Saressa stepped out of the house and closed the distance.
A scarlet dragon streaked over the house and landed before them.
“Go, I’ll deal with Kasai,” Kellan shouted.
Isa dispersed into air, flowing past as Toryn followed in his smoke form.
* * * *
Reforming, Preston pulled out the shorter mana-blades and advanced on Gebiet. His tail whipped out and Preston jumped, bringing both blades down on the dragon’s tail, severing it.
A scream echoed around him as shards of earth shot at him from the dragon’s massive mouth.
A hand closed over his shoulder and Robert and Preston reappeared on the dragon’s other side as Gebiet shrank down into the ebony skinned man.
Preston moved forward, but the dragon’s arm shot out, knocking Preston back before the blade could connect.
“Really think a worthless half-breed can kill me?” Gebiet shot forward, rocks forming over his arms as he swung.
Preston poofed past the dragon and aimed low, swinging the blade and slicing Gebiet’s thigh.
The smell of burnt flesh hit Preston, but he reformed and swung at the other leg.
The drago
n was faster, spinning and pounding one massive rock fist into his face, knocking him to the ground. Then he couldn’t breathe as the man became the dragon again, only this time the beast was sitting on him.
Shaking his head, he tried to think, but his vision blurred, then the dragon was gone and a howl rent the air. When his eyes cleared, he found several trees through the dragon’s body as Robert dodged away when a massive claw struck near him.
Preston shot to his feet, drawing the blades as he raced forward.
Gebiet grew even bigger, more like Godzilla. The trees sliding from his body as he rose up over the forest. Reforming into the man, he landed on his hands and knees, silver blood leaking from his body.
Robert sent a wall of fire at the beast, and he howled in anger, not pain. Preston took advantage of Gebiet’s distraction as he batted away fireball after fireball that Robert slung.
He swung the blade down Gebiet’s back, exposing the spine, but the blade bounced off, leaving a jagged slice. Baffled, he brought the other blade up between his ribs, going for the heart, but the blade got stuck in the bones.
Fuck, there was something he couldn’t destroy with the blade. Dragon bones. But the way Gebiet bled, the fucker would die.
Remembering Dacia’s terror at being in the same vicinity, he circled the beast and brought the blade up into Gebiet’s stomach, going for the heart.
Gebiet grabbed the blade as he sank to his knees, his hands bursting into flame as did the soft flesh of the dragon’s belly. “Kasai,” he whispered.
Preston pulled the blade free and slit the dragon’s throat as the light faded from Gebiet’s eyes.
Before he could stumble back several steps, Gebiet turned to stone and sank beneath the soil as silver blood bubbled up through the dirt.
“Dacia’s safe from him,” Robert stated.
“I owe you.”
Robert snorted, starting toward the house. “No more than I owe you.”
* * * *
Kellan stared up at Kasai, considering his foe.
Twisted Bonds Page 24
