Destined for the Dragon

by Zoe Chant

  Desperately, Alanna tried to get her thoughts in order. The back of her head still pounded in pain from where he’d hit her, and she knew her movements were slow and sluggish when she pushed herself away from the tree trunk.

  “What’re you trying to do?” she asked again as they circled one another.

  Casper only smirked. Alanna was starting to wonder if he could make any other expression.

  “Are you trying to knock me out so you can hog all the glory of a successful mission for yourself?” she asked, trying again. If she could get him to talk, it might give her time to recover from the pain.

  “You really are stupid, aren’t you.” Casper’s voice was flat. It wasn’t a question.

  “Well, why don’t you enlighten me then?”

  Casper’s only answer was to lunge forward. His hands, lightning fast, took a long knife from a sheath at his hip as he did so.

  Alanna blocked his thrust, managing to turn his hand away before it struck her in the side. At the same time, she slammed her left fist forward, punching him in the jaw with all her might.

  It was like smashing her knuckles into granite.

  Casper had drunk dragon’s blood before they’d set out – and now, temporarily at least, he had the strength and speed of a dragon.

  Well – perhaps not quite, but it certainly gave him the edge in a fight.

  Parrying his knife thrust had taken all her strength – and now, she wondered if punching him had done her more damage than it had him.

  Casper raised an eyebrow, massaging his jaw. “You’re stupid, but you’re no wimp, I’ll give you that,” he said.

  Almost faster than she could see, he dropped to the ground, swinging his leg out to trip her. Alanna jumped, stumbling only a little, and struck out with her own foot, catching him in the middle of his chest.

  He fell back a little, but not as much as she had hoped. Not nearly enough to give her the distance she needed.

  And now, there was something other than smugness in his eyes: cold, hard anger.

  I have to finish this, Alanna thought desperately. She was a highly trained, highly skilled fighter. But so was Casper. Why is he doing this?

  She surprised him by coming at him quickly, feinting a punch with her left hand before ducking and swinging her body low and her leg high in a powerful kick. Casper caught it on his forearm, staggering – but it meant she’d missed his head.

  Growling in anger, Casper lunged at her again, the knife glinting in the sunlight. She managed to jump back, the blade slicing through the air where she’d been only moments before. She took another step back, trying to place as much space between herself and Casper as possible – only to feel her back collide with the trunk of a tree.

  “Ha.” Casper’s breath was hot against her face as he surged forward, his knife hand coming up once again – and this time, she wasn’t fast enough to block him.

  Alanna cried out as the knife slid into her side.

  The pain was so intense her vision whited out, spots dancing in front of her eyes, her stomach lurching.

  But she’d felt pain before. She’d been trained to bear it.

  Gritting her teeth and regaining her senses, she smashed her fist into his hand, forcing him to pull the knife out of her, but the damage was done. Alanna could feel warm blood trickling down her side, agony tearing through her.

  There was no way she could fight effectively with a wound like this.

  But, she thought, there’s no way in hell I’m going down without a fight.

  Panting, she backed away from him, her hand instinctively going to her wound. It hurt like nothing she’d ever known, and her fingers came away slick with blood.

  “Casper, why?” she managed to get out through her gritted teeth. “What reason could you possibly have for trying to kill me?”

  Loyalty was the dragon hunter’s credo – they lived and died by it. Hurting a fellow hunter should have been unthinkable to any of them.

  Maybe Casper was sick the day we learned that, Alanna thought sarcastically.

  Now that he’d landed a decent blow on her, Casper seemed content to take his time. Perhaps he knew that without proper medical treatment, it could only be a matter of time. He could leave her here to die if he wanted to.

  Or for the dragon to find...

  Alanna shivered, but forced herself to put the thought out of her head. That wouldn’t help her now. She had to stay focused.

  “If you think I’m going to tell you that, you’re even stupider than I thought,” Casper spat. “If you want to know, you’ll have to figure it out for yourself – not that you have much time left to do it in...”

  His knife glinted as he moved toward her again. Ignoring the horrible pain in her side, Alanna pushed herself away from the trunk of the tree, preparing herself for what she knew was the fight for her life.

  Casper only laughed. “I suppose I have to admire you for struggling on until the end – too bad it won’t do you any good.”

  He sped forward, too fast for any normal human being, and Alanna felt the air knocked from her lungs as he smashed his shoulder into her chest.

  Staggering, Alanna managed to stay upright, but she knew she couldn’t risk letting Casper hit her like that again. Twisting, she brought her elbow up, ramming it into his nose. She heard a sickening crack as Casper grunted in pain.

  Quickly, she whipped around, swinging her leg out and sweeping his legs from under him... but he was too fast, and she only succeeded in making him stumble.

  Using the strength and swiftness of a dragon, Casper surged forward again, blood streaming down his face from his broken nose, his eyes wild with fury.

  Alanna gritted her teeth, looking for an opening.

  There – there –

  He had left his right side open as he raised his knife. Alanna lifted her foot, ready to kick him in the ribs...

  But it had only been a feint.

  Faster than her eyes could make out, Casper threw the knife to his left hand, sweeping it toward her. Alanna barely had time to catch her breath before she realized she’d been outmatched, and Casper’s knife was going to find its mark...

  Even as she tried to dodge, knowing it was futile, Alanna prepared herself for the feel of the knife in her flesh.

  Casper won’t make the same mistake again. This time he’ll finish me...

  Seconds flew by, as Alanna waited for a pain that never came.

  Alanna raised her head, wondering what could be taking Casper so long. If he wanted to finish it, then he should just finish it!

  Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw when she looked up.

  Alanna’s eyes widened as she took in the sight before her: Casper stood there, his face bloody and the knife still in his hand. His expression was crazed – but not with anger.

  It’s fear, Alanna realized.

  Because standing beside Casper, his massive hand wrapped around Casper’s wrist, was a man.

  But not just any man, Alanna thought.

  He must have been six foot six of pure muscle, his blue eyes bright and blazing. Sweat glistened over the exposed skin of his muscular arms. His thighs, encased in faded jeans, were thick as tree trunks.

  The dragon, Alanna realized, a fresh bolt of adrenaline surging through her. It’s the dragon.

  Even if she wouldn’t have recognized those blue eyes anywhere, Alanna would have been able to tell from the sheer strength he had displayed. He had completely stopped Casper’s arm mid-swing – something no ordinary human could do, especially not against someone who had enhanced their strength by drinking dragon’s blood.

  Alanna watched, her breath catching in her throat as the dragon slowly twisted Casper’s arm back, his eyes blazing.

  “Who are you?” he asked, his voice a low, throaty growl. “What are you doing here?” Briefly, his eyes flicked to where Alanna was crouched, and she felt her stomach turn over. “Why have you hurt this woman?”

  Casper’s face had drained of color.
His eyes wide, he tried to twist out of the dragon’s grip.

  “Let me go, dragon!” he shrieked, all his bravado of just moments earlier suddenly evaporating.

  Alanna saw shock cross the dragon’s face.

  “How do you know – who are—”

  In his shock, he loosened his grip enough for Casper to finally wrench himself free.

  Casper jumped back, brandishing the knife in front of him. Slowly, his eyes moved back and forth between Alanna and the dragon. Then he laughed.

  “This works out just as well,” he sneered, slowly backing away. “I won’t even have to lie this way – just wait until I tell the Lord High Hunter that his precious daughter has been slain by the dragon he sent her to hunt!”

  The dragon had stiffened, his eyes going wide. “Dragon hunters? You’re dragon hunters?”

  “That’s right,” Casper taunted, still putting as much distance as possible between himself and the dragon – and Alanna. “We came here to kill you – to hunt you down like the beast you are.”

  I have to get away from here, Alanna thought, belatedly realizing Casper’s game. Blood loss was making her slow. She remembered the old saying: I don’t need to run faster than a tiger – I only need to run faster than you.

  Casper didn’t need to run faster than this dragon. He only needed to run faster than Alanna. He might have a broken nose, but she had a deep stab wound in her side. The odds were not exactly in her favor.

  Gritting her teeth, she stood, ignoring the pain that seared through her. Blood flowed freely down her side, dripping onto the ferns below.

  Nice trail I’ll leave, she thought bitterly. Even if she could outrun the dragon, he’d still be able to track her down. Naturally she had first aid supplies with her – but she had no time to use them.

  Still, I have to try.

  She couldn’t die here. She had to get back to the coven and tell everyone what Casper had done.

  But why...?

  That would have to come later. Now, she simply had to focus on getting out of here with her life.

  “You came to kill me?” Anger twisted the dragon’s features. “After all this time, you still can’t let me alone? You can’t let me live in peace?”

  “There’ll never be peace as long as there’s dragons,” Casper spat back. “But you know that. And we dragon hunters have dedicated our lives to wiping you out.” His eyes went to Alanna. “And sometimes, sacrifices are necessary to further that goal.”

  Nothing he’s saying makes any sense, Alanna thought as she began to sidle away while the dragon was still focused on Casper. The coven has treaties with several dragon clans. There can be peace! It’s only the dangerous dragons we hunt now...

  Dragons who were known to have attacked humans.

  Rogue dragons who belonged to no clan and had no rules to bind them.

  Dragons like the one in front of her.

  “Sacrifices?” The dragon’s voice sounded strange. He turned to look at her, dashing Alanna’s hopes of making a covert getaway. “Is that what she is? A sacrifice?”

  Casper only laughed. “I hope you’ll enjoy feeling her blood on your claws,” he called out – and then he was gone. He zipped away using his borrowed dragon speed, with only the movement of the ferns to show he had ever been there at all.

  Alanna swallowed as the dragon’s blue eyes bored into her.

  It was hopeless, but that didn’t mean she was going to give up without trying. If the dragon was going to kill her, he’d still have a fight on his hands.

  “Come on, then,” she whispered, drawing her knife.

  Chapter Four

  Magnus

  The woman’s voice was low and determined, but Magnus could hear the pain in it. It must have been her cry that he’d heard, judging by the bleeding wound in her side.

  Magnus stared at her, his brain racing.

  Hunters, his dragon hissed at him. There could be more of them.

  Right now, Magnus felt, he could barely deal with the one in front of him. He felt frozen, rooted to the spot. He should have run after the man, he realized, made sure he wasn’t alerting any other dragon hunters that might be in the area. But somehow...

  ... Somehow, he just couldn’t make himself move away from the woman in front of him.

  It wasn’t just that she was beautiful. Anyone could see that: her straight black hair framed her face, cut in a short bob that was both practical and alluring. Her large gray eyes were framed with thick dark lashes, and her lips were pink and full. She had obvious strength and agility to go along with her compact frame, and she held her knife in a way that spoke of both confidence and skill.

  She was deadly as well as beautiful.

  And she’s hurt.

  His dragon seemed more confused than infuriated. On the one hand, Magnus knew he was in great danger: the hunters had finally come for him after all these years, and he knew they wouldn’t hesitate to kill him. He should either run or fight. He knew that. If he was going to preserve his life and his freedom, he needed to act now.

  But on the other hand...

  Magnus shook his head. Why was he hesitating? What was it about this woman that made his dragon so confused?

  She’s dangerous, his dragon hissed. But she’s also...

  “Well? What are you waiting for?”

  The woman’s voice broke in before he could finish the thought.

  Magnus licked his lips.

  Even if he wanted to fight her – even if there hadn’t been some strange feeling in his chest that meant he couldn’t raise a hand to fight – there was no way he could fight an injured opponent.

  It didn’t seem right to him. It was clear from the amount of blood pouring from the woman’s wound that she needed medical attention – and fast.

  He raised his hands slowly, palms out in a show of peace. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  She blinked, shock showing plainly on her face.

  “You’re trying to trick me,” she said uncertainly, after a long hesitation. “You’re a dragon.”

  “That’s true,” Magnus replied. “But I’m not an animal. I won’t fight someone who’s too injured to fight back.”

  “Don’t underestimate me,” the woman said through gritted teeth, raising her knife again. “I can still fight.”

  I can believe that, Magnus thought, eyeing her knife warily. It was made of the same black iridescent metal as the collar he had worn while he was under the control of the dragon hunters. He didn’t remember much about that time, but he did know that the material was dangerous for dragons.

  “I want to help you,” Magnus tried, taking a step forward, his eyes still on the knife. “If you’ll let me.”

  The woman looked at him, wild confusion in her eyes. “But... why?”

  He gestured to her side. “You’re badly hurt. If you don’t get medical attention soon...”

  He trailed off as his dragon suddenly writhed within him, fire spurting from its jaws.

  Something about the idea of this woman coming to harm terrified it. The thought that she might die made it rear up in horror, neck arching, teeth bared.

  No, no, no! Nothing may happen to her! Not while we’re here!

  Magnus took another step forward, trying to ignore the rush of confusion in his head.

  “But you’re a dragon. I’m a dragon hunter. We’re enemies.” The woman’s voice was soft now, her face dangerously pale. She had clearly lost a lot of blood.

  What she said was true. Magnus couldn’t deny that. Dragon hunters were responsible for taking his entire life from him. They had come to hunt him down now, even though he had done nothing but leave peacefully since his escape.

  And yet...

  “And the man who gave you that wound – is he your friend?”

  The woman’s eyes flickered, and Magnus saw real pain in them.

  “I don’t know why – that was—” she began to say, but he could see her resolve wavering.

  “Please,” he said.
“Let me help you. I promise I mean you no harm. I might be a dragon, but I would never harm a human.”

  She looked up at him, eyes wide with surprise. “Aren’t you a rogue?”

  The word pierced him to the core.

  A rogue dragon was a dragon who had been turned out of their clan – banished. Cut off from their lands, their clan, and their hoard. It was a punishment for only the gravest of sins, the worst thing that could ever happen to a dragon.

  “No!” Magnus said, anger swirling within him that anyone could even think he was capable of something that would deserve banishment.

  But at the same time, a voice at the back of his head asked him, How can you be sure?

  He had no idea who he’d been before he’d been captured.

  Maybe he had been banished. Maybe the reason he’d been caught was because he’d had no clan to protect him when the dragon hunters came.

  No, it’s not true, he insisted – but he knew that he’d never be sure.

  “You’re... you’re not a rogue?” The woman shook her head. “I... that can’t be...”

  “We can talk about it later,” Magnus snapped. If he didn’t take her to get help soon, she’d die.

  I will not allow it, his dragon roared. Never!

  Gritting his teeth, he took a final step toward her, closing the distance between them. If she wanted to stab him, now was her chance.

  Magnus was almost expecting to feel the cold metal pierce his skin as he took her in his arms, ignoring her weak sound of protest.

  Warmth flared through him as her hand touched the bare skin of his arm. It felt almost as though a spark of electricity had jumped from her and into him, setting off a chain reaction that coiled all the way through his body, settling at the pit of his stomach.

  And then, he felt something stir within him.

  It was little more than a flash – something in his mind’s eye, barely even noticeable by his conscious mind.

  A mountain. A flash of sunlight.

  And dragons...

  Magnus blinked, trying to bring the picture into sharper focus.

  But as soon as it had come, it was gone again, leaving behind it only the faintest impression of cold air rushing past his body and snow-peaked mountains – and dragons circling around them, their wings spread in flight.