Dragon Down (Dragon Guard Book 22)

by Mills, Julia

  Jumping to her feet, forgetting that she was confronting a demon, Kam stalked forward until she stood right in front of Broom Hilda then seethed, “I’ve waited for nineteen Blue Moons. You do realize that’s over fifty flippin’ years , right? Yeah,” she didn’t wait for an answer before continuing her rant. “To take back what’s mine, Bucko. To see this piece of shit,” she jabbed her index finger in Terran’s direction, “pay for what he did.” Then she turned her finger on Broom Hilda and took another, more aggressive step forward. “And neither you nor that thing inside of you is gonna stop me.”

  A spine-chilling grin came to Broom Hilda’s bloodless lips as she closed the distance between them and lifted her hand. Kamdyn couldn’t help but cringe as she watched the grotesque green vines writhing just under Broom Hilda’s skin making the sassy witch think of demented little snakes foraging for their next meal. Even worse, Kam had to hold her breath when the possessed woman wrapped her fingers around Kam’s and pulled the witch forward.

  Now, eye-to-eye with Broom Hilda’s fetid breath assaulting her senses, Kamdyn’s knees threatened to buckle when the pupils of the possessed woman’s eyes turned a bright red and the demon holding onto her soul said, “You will have your revenge. This troll’s blood will be your frock. You will take back your magic under the shine of the Blue Moon, Holder of the Key and Keeper of the Secrets, and then you will free me from this vessel, and together we will rule the world.”

  Tugging against Broom Hilda’s iron grip, unable to look away from the flames suddenly dancing in her eyes, once again Kamdyn’s mouth ran away with her as if it had a mind of its own. “No frikkin’ way, Dr. Death. Not happening. And I have no clue who this Holder of the Key or Keeper of the Secrets is. As you can see, I have a big mouth and know how to use it. No secrets, no keys, no you, Big Guy.”

  Twisting her wrist one way and then the other, Kam pulled at the same time, her fear and anger driving her as close to an all-out panic attack as she’d ever been before growling under her breath at her failure and hissing at the horrible burn of her skin. Switching up her plan, Kamdyn planted her feet, gathered all her strength and started to countdown from three.

  The number one had just floated through her mind when Broom Hilda dropped Kam’s hand, stepped back and whispered, “ Nochtann .”

  Greasy, nasty black magic filled the air right in front of Kam as Broom Hilda stretched and contorted and morphed into the McGregor witch’s long-dead, beloved mother. Falling to her knees, Kamdyn cried out, “Mom? Mom, is that you?”

  Opening her mouth, her lips colored with the same peony lipstick Jeannine McGregor had always favored, an unholy growl, the likes of which Kamdyn wished she could unhear, emerged, snarling, “ You are the Keeper of the Secrets and the Holder of the Key. You will repay the debt thrust upon you by your mother. Blood of her blood, child of her loin, I will have what is mine just as your family had what was theirs. I am Thanatos, Death Incarnate. Your life or your soul, I care not, but the debt will be repaid.”

  Tears streaming down her face, confused, scared and more than a little freaked out, Kamdyn stammered, “Y-y-you sold y-y-your soul?”

  Throwing back her head and cackling so loud that Kamdyn had to cover her ears to keep what little sanity she had left, the creature parading around as her mother mocked, “Yes, you stupid cow, she did, and now you are left to pay the piper.”

  “But…”

  Unfortunately, Kam never got to finish her question as a blast, just like those she’d heard when she was in the cave with her dragon, exploded right under her knees. Falling into the abyss, unable to see, unable to scream, unable to do anything but accept her fate, whatever that may be, Kamdyn’s thoughts were not of herself, but of her mate…of her dragon . The only regret she would carry on her heart as she went to the Heavens was missing the opportunity of getting to know the one person in all the world made just for her.

  Closing her eyes, she hadn’t realized were still opened, Kamdyn prayed, “Dear Universe, the Heavens and Goddess of All, please take care of my dragon. Please let him know that I’m sorry…and, please, please, please give him another mate. One who will stick around and not bespell him when she meets him. Please…”

  “Thanks, Darlin’, but I’d rather have you.”

  “Dragon?” Kam squeaked, her eyes flying open even though she couldn’t see and was still falling to her death.

  “Yeah, it’s me and the name’s Callum. Now, just hang on, the Cavalry is on the way.”

  Chapter Seven

  Frustrated, dirty, battered and bruised, Callum had finally made it to the bottom of the cliffs and onto dry land just as the pins and needles of his returning mobility died down. Unfortunately, his dragon’s magic was drained from the intensive healing he’d had to perform, making transforming and flying out of the question. So, he’d run. Raced like a madman through the dense, dark forest spending every tense moment praying Kamdyn was okay.

  Then, as if his prayers had been answered for the first time in a really long time, his feisty little witch’s voice sounded in his head. After finally introducing himself, Callum asked, “Can you tell me where you are?”

  “Only if you can tell me how you’re speaking to me telepathically.”

  Smiling at the fact that even though she was in mortal danger, his mate had kept her wit and spunk, Callum chuckled, “It’s a mate thing between a dragon and his Beloved. There will be a lot of amazing things that happen between us, but right now, can we just focus on getting you away from the possessed woman with a black cloud of sulfur who kidnapped you?”

  “Oh,” she truly sounded surprised, but quickly came back with, “Sure, but I won’t forget, and you better have answers, Callum. I don’t react well to bullshit.”

  He loved the way his name sounded as it rolled off her tongue and flowed through his soul. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that it would sound better still as she moaned and screamed it while in the throes of passion.

  “Did you hear me, Callum?” Kamdyn’s voice had a little shudder in it that let him know she was losing her nerve, before she quietly added, “Are you still there? Please still be there.” And his heart nearly broke.

  “I’m still here, mo lasach maité and not going anywhere, no matter what. You are my sole purpose for being.”

  Renewed feelings of confidence, appreciation and more than a little affection filled their quickly growing mating bond. Callum stood taller, ran faster, and despite the situation smiled like a little drake on Christmas morning, as his bond with Kamdyn grew stronger.

  “Thank you and…Callum…”

  “Yes, mo enchantress beag?”

  “I’m sorry.” Kamdyn’s response was little more than a whisper and filled with true regret.

  “For what?” Callum was truly stumped then couldn’t help but chuckle as she said, “For throwing that spell at you. In my wildest dreams, I never imagined meeting my mate that way.”

  Laughing out loud and letting all the feelings growing inside him flow to his mate, Callum snickered, “It’ll be a good story to tell our grandkids.”

  “Grandkids?” Kamdyn squeaked just as their mind-to-mind connection went dead.

  It was like when a call dropped on a cell phone. No warning, no dial tone, just dead air.

  “Kamdyn?” He waited, praying for an answer he knew wouldn’t come.

  “Dammit, Kamdyn,” he growled. “Answer me!”

  Doubling his speed while fighting the crippling dread that swamped both he and his dragon, Callum ran through the back gates of the Lair of the Blue Thunder Dragons, heading straight for the home of the mad dragon and his mate. It wasn’t where he wanted to go. Was actually at the bottom of a very, very long list of places he’d like to visit.

  Maddox was the last person Cal would ever go to for help, especially after their altercation in the forest, but it wasn’t the old man the electric dragon wanted to see, it was his mate, Calysta. Kamdyn had said the Grand Priestess’ name. Had said she needed Calysta’s
help, so that was where he would start. There had to be answers there.

  Cutting through the garden behind the Clinic where Calysta sometimes worked, Cal had to zig-zag to the left and then spin on one foot to miss his long-time friend, Grey, who yelled, “Whoa, whoa, whoa, where’s the fire?”

  “Get back to you on that later,” Cal yelled over his shoulder, almost falling flat on his face when the gray dragon appeared at his side with a grin.

  “How about filling me in now? Maybe I can help.”

  Making a split-second decision, Callum nodded, “Maybe you can. I’m on my way to see Calysta and…”

  “And you’re thinkin’ Maddox is gonna kick your butt for shooting lightning at his old ass and giving him two metric tons of attitude?”

  “Yeah,” Cal gave a chuckle with a nod. “That’s about it.” Then he grinned, “Wanna run interference?”

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

  Turning the corner, Callum looked towards the large two-story house with its perfectly painted shutters and beautifully maintained gardens where the mad dragon, his mate and her sister lived and wondered if he had once and for all truly lost his mind. His steps slowed ever so slightly making Terrwyn give a warning growl.

  “I know, old man, but it’s not your ass that’s going to get kicked.”

  A louder, most insistent rumble made Cal smile. His Dragon King was nothing if not persistent and the Guardsman appreciated it more than the old dragon would ever know.

  Refusing to be deterred, even by his own past actions, the electric dragon powered on. It was now or never. Kamdyn needed him, and there was no way in Heaven or Hell that he was going to let her down.

  Racing right up to the front door, Callum knocked with an authority he didn’t feel. Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long for the door to open because he probably would’ve lost his nerve and gone to found someone else to help. Unfortunately, it was Maddox, and in the blink of an eye, Cal had the very sharp end of the mad dragon’s broadsword pushing against his jugular.

  “Still mad, huh, Maddox?”

  Immediately regretting his decision to try and lighten the mood, Callum felt the warmth of a drop of blood rolling down his neck . Thankfully, Calysta appeared in a flourish of swats on the mad dragon’s arm and inventive, but loving, rebukes that at any other time would have had Cal laughing his head off.

  “Drop that sword right now, Maddy!” She cuffed the mad dragon’s shoulder with the kitchen towel she had in her hand before nodding in Cal’s direction. “Look at him. He’s already been beaten or fallen or at the very least lost a seriously rough game of football. Put that damn sword away and let the boy come in.”

  Looking over the electric dragon’s shoulder, the redheaded witch smiled, “Hi, Grey. You here with Callum?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Cal heard the grin in Grey’s voice as he added, “And if I might say, since he still has steel at his throat, Cal’s actually here to see you.”

  In the blink of an eye, Maddox’s blade dropped and his brows furrowed. Faster than Callum could see, the mad dragon was out on the porch with his fist gripping the collar of the electric dragon’s ripped T-shirt, as he demanded, “What the hell do you want with Callie?”

  Shaking her head and rolling her eyes, Calysta instantly appeared at Cal’s side, patted her obstinate mate’s arm and sighed, “How can he answer you, Maddy? You’re damn near strangling the poor boy.” When her mate’s grip tightened as opposed to loosening, she glared, “For the last time, stop attacking Callum and let him talk.”

  With a grumble and snort, Maddox promptly released his grip effectively dumping the younger Guardsman right on his ass, turned on his heel and stomped into the house snarling, “I still owe that welp a punch to the gut for what he did to me in the woods.”

  “We’ll talk about that later,” Calysta placated her growly mad dragon as she and Grey helped Cal to his feet. Once he was standing, the witch asked, “Wanna come in? I heard the back door slam, so Maddox is out back in his shed. You can have something to eat and drink while you tell me what’s going on.”

  “Thank you for the offer.” Callum tried to smile while listening to the ticking clock in his head, the one counting the seconds his mate was enduring only the Heavens knew what kind of torture at the hands of a possessed witch. “But I don’t have the time.” He reached out and gently laid his hand on the Grand Priestess’ arm. “I need your help. It’s a matter of life and death.”

  With wide eyes, Calysta nodded, “Well, get on with it then.”

  “Do you know a dark-haired witch, kind of, shall we say… spunky , by the name of Kamdyn?”

  With a chuckle and a shake of her head that didn’t quite cover the anger Cal could feel Calysta had been carrying around for a long time, the red-headed witch confirmed, “Indeed I do. But I know she didn’t send you. I truly believe Kamdyn McGregor would rather die than ask me for help.”

  Puzzled by Calysta’s response, as well as her anger, but happy to know Kamdyn’s last name, Cal hurried on, “I have no clue why you would think that and it’s a story you’ll have to tell me another time, but when I met her, she was on her way to ask you for help.”

  True shock colored the witch’s face as she crossed her arms over her chest, cocked her head to the side and asked, “You’re sure she said she was coming to see me ?”

  “Absolutely positive. She said your name and knew you were here at the Lair. But none of that matters, right now.” Trying to calm himself and not appear abrupt or demanding or disrespect the Priestess in any way, Callum took a quick breath and began to pace as he continued, rambling the longer he talked. “The reason I’m here is that while she was on her way to you, Kamdyn was kidnapped by a large cloud of foul smelling black mist. Well, not the mist exactly. I mean the mist wasn’t alive or anything.” He stopped and tapped his forehead with his index and second finger, trying to get his thoughts straight, then hurried on, “It was really the pretty little strawberry-blonde witch with blue eyes who took her.” He knew he was rattling on, but had to get it all out before he exploded. “No, that’s not right, I guess it was the demon who’s possessing the girl who is the one who really grabbed Kamdyn. But now that girl doesn’t look like that. She’s…well, she’s…”

  Stepping in his path, Grey stopped Cal from pacing and whispered, “You’ve said enough,” before moving out of the way and motioning to Calysta.

  The normally beautiful, very animated, very happy witch was standing completely still, face pale as a ghost and hands shaking, looking as if she’d seen the Devil himself. To make matters worse, she was biting her bottom lip and looking completely lost, her eyes as wide as saucers, but it was the tears streaming down her cheeks that broke Callum’s heart.

  Racing to her, he’d just placed his hands on her shoulders while trying to find the words to comfort the Priestess when Maddox burst through the front door, batted the electric dragon away like an annoying gnat and with the gentlest of touches, wrapped his huge hands around Calysta’s upper arms, bent down and murmured, “What is it, mo chroí ? Tell me what he did and I’ll pull him apart scale by scale.”

  Slowly shaking her head, her eyes still unfocused and the tears still freely flowing, Calysta mumbled, “It’s Thanatos. He’s back. Oh, my Goddess. He’s back.” She leaned into Maddox’s chest and sobbed, “Maddy, he’s back, and he’s coming for me.”

  Chapter Eight

  Kamdyn’s foray into weightless free-falling had ended at the precise moment her connection to Callum snapped out of existence. Landing with little more than a bump on a large, flat piece of granite standing about four feet off the ground, the witch was just about to scream her fool head off when the torches in the sconces hanging all around the stone room flared to life.

  “Oh, crap,” she mumbled. “This can’t be a good sign.” Her voice echoed around and around the circular cavern before fading off into the distance.

  Looking around the room, Kam’s trepidation grew by leaps and bounds as sh
e saw the Druidic runes covering walls. Although they were used as a sort of alphabet many centuries ago, these strange little symbols had long since been given magical significance and the way they were drawn in this instance was seriously scary.

  “Yep. Trouble with a capital ‘T’ and that rhymes with ‘B’ like big, black, let’s-bring-Hell-to-Earth kinda trouble,” she mumbled in a sarcastic sing-songy tone before adding, “I’m somehow sure that’s not at all what Meredith Willson had in mind when he wrote that song in the Music Man.”

  Letting her foot dangle over the side of the table, the nerve endings just under the skin of Kamdyn’s shin immediately burnt and stung as malevolent magic bit at her bare legs. Jerking her limb back from the slimy feel of worms and the biting sensation of a thousand bees, the last McGregor witch leaned over the edge to get a better look.

  “Son of a…” She spat under her breath. “This bastard’s not playing fair and that just pisses me off even more.”

  It wasn’t the pentagram drawn in human blood or the ash sketch of the Ouroboros, a dragon eating his own tail, that bothered her, because even though the picture was distorted and really malicious looking, Kam had faith in her dragon and therefore, refused to fear a picture on the floor. Nope, she was cool as a cucumber until her eyes landed on the Leviathan Cross, alchemy’s symbol for sulfur – an infinity sign with a double cross on top. Even more importantly than the scientific relevance, was the fact that it was the magical symbol for Satan himself. The tiny, little hairs on the nape of her neck stood on end as her raven cawed for the first time in half a century.

  “Yeah, I hear ya’ old girl. Glad you made it to the party,” she nodded to the blackbird with whom she shared her soul. “So, old Thanatos wasn’t just blowing sunshine up my butt. The asshole really plans to bring his own little piece of Hell topside.” She shook her head. “Worst of all, he thinks I’m gonna let him use my magic to do it.” She pushed her long, thick dark curls out of her face and over her shoulders. “Even plopped my happy ass on an altar, in a dungeon, just waiting to become Death Incarnates bride. Woohoo, sounds like a party.”