Dragon Hearts (D.O.A. Book 1)

by Cree Storm

  "We didn't understand it either, but then when Wiz and Nautical were going over the evidence of the victims, they found another hair on two of the victims. It was a long, dark, human hair, Pit." Boomer said in a rush.

  "Long, dark, human hair? Lexi has long blond hair, so that eliminates him as a suspect." Rene said with a long sigh.

  There was a struggle with the phone and Boomer hissing then Wiz came on line, "Pit, I was doing some digging. I mean, I know you didn't ask, but if we were going to have people we don't know learning about us I thought it might be in our best interests to know as much about the people we were telling. By the way, you need to be careful, because shockingly enough, we have run across Jude's mom in the past. She was──"

  "We know, Wiz. We figured that all out the first night we arrived. I don't appreciate you investigating my mate, but I do understand. You should have told me, though. Now what is it you wanted to tell us?" Rene asked in annoyance.

  "Jude, his mom, Rylee, and Bren all check out. I mean Rylee and Bren got a crap deal and if you let me I can totally destroy Bren's parents’ lives with pleasure. Kicking their son out like they did. Did you know that those pricks actually still claimed him on their taxes? I could get them for tax f──"

  "Damn it, Wiz! What did you find out?" Rene exclaimed in exasperation.

  "Stephanie Archer didn't exist until high school." Wiz replied quickly.

  Rene felt his stomach drop, "What do you mean she didn't exist?"

  Wiz quickly said, "I mean, there is no birth certificate or indication of any such person known as Stephanie Archer. Not only that, there is no indication that one Stephanie Archer ever gave birth to an Aaron Archer. There are also no records of an Aaron Archer ever being born. When I saw all of this, I did some digging. There was a young child stolen about the time of his birth. A car was stolen from a corner store when a mom ran in to buy cigarettes. You know people need to remember that it only takes a second to take a child when you leave them in a car. I mean, it may be inconvenient to unstrap them and bring them in but still──"

  "Wiz!" Rene growled.

  Wiz stopped his rambling, saying, "The thing is, the person seen taking the child was a young woman with long dark hair, about five seven and one hundred thirty-five pounds. She was seen jumping in the car and taking off. They did find the car, but no baby and no lady were found or seen where the car was left."

  "Fuck!" Taj snapped.

  Nautical must have taken the phone because he jumped in, "Pit, I did some research into Naso. There were rumors that he had an illegitimate daughter. Now the cops never found any proof of one, but some of the witnesses to his crime said that a young girl, with long dark hair, was seen talking to the boys that he had taken and killed."

  "Are you trying to say that Stephanie Archer is that girl? How can that be? She would have to be almost sixty years old. Stephanie can't be more than thirty? She isn't a shifter, our maharishi would have told us, as they did when we first met Lexi." Rene argued.

  "I don't know, Pit. Maybe she's the daughter or something." Nautical replied.

  Taj shook his head, "No, the murders were too exact. It would have to be someone that has firsthand knowledge."

  "Not just that, but there were long dark hairs found on the Alphabet killer's victims. I did some tests and those hairs match the ones I found on our victims as well." Wiz yelled out.

  "Holy fuck!" Rene gasped.

  "I know, we were as shocked." Nautical stated.

  Giving Taj a petrified look, Rene rasped, "No, I was talking about the fact that my sentience is alone with the bitch right now!"

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Bren sat in the passenger seat waiting for Stephanie to come out of the corner store. He watched as a young woman pulled up with a baby seat in the back. He could see the little arms and legs moving and couldn't stop from smiling then feel sadness as he remembered Aaron at that age.

  Stephanie had left town soon after graduation to go visit family. She returned eight months later with Aaron, and explained how the father had ditched her the second he found out she was pregnant. Bren, Rylee, and Jude had stepped up to help as best they could, but they were all in college at the time, so it wasn't easy. She refused to go and stay with Jude's mom, saying that she was the parent and would raise her baby like her dad did her before he died.

  Aaron had been a good baby. He was large for a premature child, but Bren could still remember his blond hair and green eyes──so unlike his mothers. He often figured he must have taken after his father's side of the family. Stephanie rarely let Aaron out of her sight. Hell, he and Rylee had to practically beg Stephanie to allow him to take flying lessons from Mr. Craig. Only because she couldn't be in the plane with them. However, she would stand in one exact spot, not moving until they landed. Which is why the day he was murdered, Bren had been surprised to find out that Stephanie had allowed Aaron to go to the airport without her. When the lady stepped out, leaving the baby in the car alone, Bren rolled his eyes and shook his head.

  Stephanie came out with two drinks in hand and made her way towards the rental car they were driving. Stepping inside, she saw the look on Bren's face, asking, "What's wrong?"

  "I don't understand why parents think it is perfectly fine to just leave a defenseless child in the back seat of a car while they go into a location that takes them out of their line of vision. It's like saying your kid's life is worth no more than a soda." Bren grumbled.

  "Which is why I never allowed Aaron out of my sight except with those stupid flying lessons. I didn't like it at all when he would go with Mr. Craig and I couldn't be there with him. That's why I told Aaron that day that he would not be going anymore." Stephanie said as she backed up.

  Bren looked at Steph, asking, "Is that why he was on that road alone? I mean, I never asked because I didn't want you to think that I blamed you, because I don't, but why was Aaron not with you that day?"

  Stephanie pulled onto the main street and Bren was surprised to see they were headed towards Fort Bliss, "Where are we going?"

  "I don't like this Bren. Not at all. Something is wrong. I can feel evil and it is coming from your friend."

  "Your internal alarm must be off, Azul. Stephanie would never harm me."

  "My senses are never wrong."

  Stephanie didn't answer as she continued to drive, then took Bren's hand saying, "I take your hand in mine and communications shall I bind. No interactions between the two, it shall now be only me and you."

  "Bren──"

  "Azul? Azul?"

  A small sapphire fog lifted from Bren and went out the window. Bren couldn't feel Azul and suddenly he felt something worse──terror.

  Stephanie removed her hand, saying, "It's no use trying to talk to your big bad dragon, Bren. I cut off communications. Now it is just me and you."

  Bren looked at Stephanie, asking in a shaky voice, "What's going on, Stephanie?"

  "You know it's your fault that I had to kill all those boys, right? I had thought that I had learned to control the urge after so many years, but then you had to give my son that stupid plane and encourage him to start flying lessons. I mean, when Aaron started talking about all the places he would fly to I knew that it all had to stop. I couldn't have my son leaving me alone. When I told him he wasn't going to any more lessons, he actually talked back to me. I smacked him across the face and locked him in his room. Father taught me at a very young age that you do not argue with your parent. I may not have given birth to the shit, but damn it, he was mine!"

  Bren was so shocked at what Stephanie was saying he couldn't speak as she continued to ramble on. "When I discovered he had snuck out his window, I went after him. It wasn't hard to find him and when I grabbed for him I got his flight bag and it ripped open. I took that stupid flying handbook and tore the pages out. Aaron started hitting me and screaming. That's when I saw all those images of my father hurting those boys came into my mind. I don't know what happened. The next thing I remember, Aaron
was dead and his mouth was filled with all those papers. I heard a cat cry and saw Lexi was out exercising his cat. While I waited for him to leave I got an idea. Using a spell, I found some of his cat hair he lost on the bushes in the field he was in. So, I grabbed a bunch and put some on Aaron to throw off the cops. I took the rest with me, because now that I had let out my urges, I knew there was no way I was going to stop."

  "But he was raped? How could you do that to your own son?" Bren gasped.

  Shrugging in indifference, Stephanie replied, "Daddy said no one should go to heaven without knowing love."

  Love? What the fuck was she talking about? "That wasn't love. What you did to that boy──hell, all those boys, was just sick!"

  Stephanie back handed Bren, causing his head to hit the window and things went blurry for a second, as she screamed, "Don't you fucking say that! Everyone said my father was a sick bastard, but he wasn't anything of the sort! He was a kind and loving man that only wanted to show them some love and that's what I did with the ones that I found."

  "But why kill the others? They never did anything to you." Bren argued.

  Stephanie turned to him sharply, screaming, "Because if you forced me to kill my son, then you shouldn't be allowed to have those you cared about either! I only took from you what you took from me!"

  "What did you do to Azul?" Bren asked fearfully.

  Stephanie scoffed, "I didn't do anything to your precious dragon but send him away. I can't have him helping you if I'm going to kill you, now can I?"

  "So, you're a witch?" Bren asked in confusion.

  Stephanie backhanded Bren once more, snapping, "I am not a witch! I am a wizard. When my father met my mother, she told him what she was. They had me and when my father tried to get her to help him with his calling, she refused. He waited until I was older and my powers started coming in before he killed my mother. I was more than willing to help daddy with his quest in life."

  Bren rubbed his head, and felt liquid touching his fingers. His head was pounding and his vision had not come back to normal this time. He was seeing two of everything. Fuck, I must have a concussion. I have to keep my wits about me. She said she didn't hurt Azul, that means he has to be close by. He would never leave me in danger. I just have to keep Stephanie talking until Azul can get help, otherwise I am dead for sure.

  * * * *

  "We have to go faster, damn it!" Rene yelled in his com link.

  "We're already hitting one-forty, any faster and we are going to either kill someone or ourselves. Just hang in there, Pit, we'll get to him. You said Azul told you that they were in Fort Bliss. Boomer told you that he already got Stone to clear us to get on base and they have the military police with eyes on them now. They won't breach unless you give the word."

  Rene felt a lump in his throat as he asked, "What if I am wrong by not letting them infiltrate now? What if she kills him and──"

  "Bren is a smart man. He will find a way to stay alive until we can get to him." Taj said calmly.

  "Sparky──Casper, how the fuck close are you now?" Rene asked as they turned onto the road heading to Fort Bliss.

  "Five minutes tops, Pit." Casper replied.

  Rene snarled, "I want that fucking bitch dead. Do you understand me, Casper? I don't want that bitch to take another breath. She took my sentience and she will pay."

  "Our maharishis are with Azul now. Do you want them to take her out?" Sparky asked.

  "No! Just keep their eyes on them. Azul is in charge of them, for now. He will know if he has to intercept them or not." Rene said firmly.

  "Pit, they just turned onto Buford road. She's pulling the car over now." Azul replied.

  Rene stopped at the guard shack long enough to tell him who he was and get directions to Buford Road. He and Taj took off and didn't look back.

  "We just passed the guard shack, Pit. Where do you want me?" Casper asked.

  "Just meet us at the beginning of Buford. Call in your maharishi. I think we need to take this fight to the sky." Rene stated.

  "We're coming, Pit." Azul replied.

  Seconds later Pit and his men were all on their maharishis. Rene could only hope that nothing had happened in the short time that Azul and the others had to let Bren out of their sights.

  ****

  "Stephanie, what are you going to do? There is no way I'm just going to stand around and let you kill me." Bren said looking around.

  Stephanie whispered something and suddenly Bren couldn't move. Smiling, Stephanie replied, "You were saying?"

  Bren tried to lift his legs, but they felt as if a ton weight was holding them down. Wiggling and squirming, Bren started to panic. Stephanie walked around him saying, "Now, what should I do, Bren? Should I cast a spell that erases all your memories? How about one that puts you to sleep and your precious mate and dragon would forever have to watch you slumber? How broken hearted they would be. Their one true love alive, but lost to them forever."

  "Stephanie, this is ridiculous. We were friends." Bren argued.

  "Were being the operative word, Bren. How do I let you live, when you forced me to kill my only child?" Stephanie asked with a pout.

  Bren almost gasped when he felt Rene and Azul within him. He didn't know how he knew, but somehow, he felt they were close. And if they were close, so were the others. All he needed to do was keep her talking until they could get to him. "If you didn't give birth to Aaron, how did you get him?"

  Stephanie gave a wicked laugh, "The irony. He was left in a car at the corner store with the engine running."

  "Why take him?" Bren asked.

  "I needed an apprentice, like I was to my father. I tried to groom him like my father had me, but he would always cry like a baby when I would try and talk about what we could do to all his little friends." Stephanie replied.

  "Sounds like you killed Aaron because you were sick of him for not wanting to comply to your demands, and it had nothing to do with me." Bren replied.

  "That is not true! You take that back!" Stephanie screamed.

  Bren could see Azul coming from behind, and knew he needed to keep her attention. "It is true. You killed Aaron and those other boys because you are as sick in the head as your father was!"

  Stephanie walked up to Bren and punched him in the gut, then followed it up with an uppercut under his chin. Bren fell to the ground, but Stephanie pointed both hands at him and Bren found himself back on his feet.

  Getting in Bren's face, Stephanie snarled, "I'm going to unbind your mating and then I'm going to reverse it just before you die. This way you can feel the moment that your mate and precious dragon are no more to you than a memory and Rene and Azul will die right alongside you!"

  Azul made a loud roar, causing Stephanie to turn and bring up something that shielded his fire from her. Just then, something swooped him up and took him high in the sky.

  Bren held on tight, as Casper leaned into his ear, "Just hold on tight, Bren. I don't need Pit killing me if you fall and die."

  "We have to go back. Stephanie is a wizard and she will use a spell or some zap shit or something to kill him and Azul." Bren argued.

  Casper pointed down, saying, "I don't think so."

  Azul continued to breath his fire at Stephanie as Sparky and Taj's dragons did the same. She was almost completely surrounded by the D.O.A. crew. Azul tipped up and flew towards the sky, circling back, and diving down as if to breath fire on her once more. However, Taj made a move, distracting Stephanie long enough for Azul to pass her so Rene could drop behind her.

  Grabbing her by the head, Rene twisted and the fight was over. Stephanie was on the ground, and would not be getting back up. Seconds later, Bren felt the weight from his legs lift and Casper's maharishi was landing.

  Pain filled his heart. Stephanie had been a close friend. Bren couldn't believe that she would deceive him and everyone else as she had done.

  Bren didn't even know he was crying until Rene took hold of him and held him close. He rocked Bren in his
arms whispering words of love. Soon Azul was behind him running his large hand along his back, making that purring noise that calmed Bren almost immediately.

  Sniffling, Bren's breath came out staggered, but better. He whispered, "I loved her like a sister."

  Rene whispered back, "I know, sweet love of mine. I know."

  "She killed them all, including her own son. She said it was my fault. She said──"

  Rene pushed back a bit, giving Bren a fierce look, "You are not responsible for any of those boys’ deaths, Bren. She killed those boys. She killed her own son. You were her excuse, but that is all."

  Azul picked Bren up and turned him to face him. “You need to place the blame for their deaths where they belong, Bren. Place them with the person that committed the act. Because it was a choice she made and it had not a damn thing to do with you."

  "How do I tell Rylee and Jude? They saw Steph the same way I did." Bren said as he sniffled once more.

  "We will do it together. Rene and I will be by your side the whole time. We will mourn your losses with you. Then we will start the life a sentience was meant to lead.” Azul answered.

  "Agreed, maharishi. We are in this together from now until our deaths." Rene said with conviction.

  Azul gave a toothy grin, saying, "Just remember, no one comes between a dragon and his mates. You are both my dragon heart and I will eat anyone that tries to harm either of you."

  "You didn't eat Stephanie." Rene replied.

  "I would have gotten indigestion and then I couldn't eat my burrito tonight." Azul replied with a wink.

  Bren laughed and Rene joined in.

  Sparky walked up with Taj and Casper next to him. Sparky looked at them hesitantly saying, "I hate to say this, but it is going to be a shit day for Jude."

  "What do you mean?" Bren asked as he and his mates stood back up.

  "Because not only do we have to tell him about Stephanie, we also have to tell him that the fire that burned down his family home was arson." Sparky replied.

  "Well, shit." Rene muttered.

  Casper looked at Rene, "Not just any arsonist. It was the Long Line Arsonist."