"They are too powerful for a breakaway faction to defeat them," Aaron huffed, tilting his head.
"Not if the dragon shifters and the Ascendants are under my control. Not only will I have access to your emotions, but I can use you to fight for me." Tibor set his feet apart. Turning his gaze on Hope, he raised his hand.
The hair on Aaron's forearms rose. His nerve endings tingled as he sensed Tibor push down on his psychic hold on Hope.
The next second, Hope clutched her throat, body convulsing on the floor. Her eyes rolled back in her head, her back rising off the floor with the force of the psychic pressure.
Aaron's heart pounded against his ribcage so fast he was sure it was going to break through.
There was no sound from Hope, nothing except the white tips of her knuckles which indicated she was choking to death.
The breath squeezed out of Aaron, and spots of red swam at the edge of his consciousness. He felt Hope's dragon convulse in distress, felt her life beginning to ebb away.
"No, stop." Fear left an acrid taste in his mouth. Aaron rushed toward the other man, only to slam into an invisible barrier.
It sent him flying back to hit the hard floor.
Aaron's head cracked against the floor, even as the pressure on his chest increased. Leaping back on his feet, pushing past the force holding him down, he managed to break free long enough to throw himself against the barrier, and again, trying to break through.
Each time he hit the wall, it shuddered but didn't give way.
Each time the telekinetic power of the barrier smashed into him, it broke a rib. Blood dribbled from his mouth. Still, he didn't stop.
The third time he rammed into the barrier, it flung him off. Aaron's body arced through air before hitting the hard ground with such force that white pain slashed through him. A groan tore out of him as he lay there.
Above him, the skies were blue, the sunlight bleaching everything white… except for a speck in the sky which grew darker and bigger. It was heading for them.
A harsh cry echoed around the space, and then a dragon's shadow swirled over him. A gust of wind lifted the hair on his head. The dragon tucked her wings back and flew straight at them.
44
Hope
The unmistakable purple and gold of the dragon's feathers told Hope who it was. "Eve.”
Her sister was there. Her alpha was strong enough to defeat the Elysian.
Once more, Hope’s dragon tried to break free, to soar up and greet her alpha. But the Elysian's force was back, pushing her down, forcing her to double up in pain.
Another cry over her and then she saw the dragon open its mouth, fire emerging.
The hold on Hope loosened as Tibor turned his attention on the dragon. Hope sensed the Elysian raise his arm, the force of his telekinetic power gathering as he pulled it all in to bring it to focus. Then he let it loose at the dragon.
The dragon screamed in pain before it spiraled out of control. Plummeting toward the oil rig, she crashed into a raised tower at the far end.
The force of the impact had the tower breaking off and tumbling toward the water.
The dragon ploughed onto the platform, her body coming to a rest at the very edge.
The entire rig vibrated, pieces of rubble breaking free and plunging into the sea below.
No! Fear twisted Hope’s heart.
Tibor shouldn't be able to take down a dragon in one stroke, not like that. Not unless his telekinetic powers were stronger than he'd been letting on. That, along with the fact that Tibor could penetrate dragon shields, made him very dangerous.
She strained against the hold Tibor had on her, sweat running down her spine.
Teeth gritted, Hope pushed against the grasp of his telekinetic force, to find she could move.
Eve had distracted Tibor enough for her to move. But Hope's strength was running out, and she knew she couldn't take him down on her own. Only one way out.
Closing her eyes, Hope reached out to Aaron on the psychic plane.
45
Aaron
Aaron recognized Eve from the colors of her scales and knew the alpha was going straight for the Elysian.
When the dragon had screamed and spiraled toward the ground, fear shuddered down his spine.
Not even Eve was strong enough to survive a crash from that height. While Eve was not his alpha, he had come to respect her leadership and knew she'd make for a valuable ally.
If Eve herself was no match for the Elysian, then none of them stood a chance. But Aaron was not giving up.
He was not letting them die at the hands of an Elysian.
Anger thrummed through his blood, breath coming in short gasps. Aaron curled his fingers into fists. He had to help Hope.
Gritting his teeth, he fought to get back to his feet. Pain wracked his side. Darkness closed in on the edges of his consciousness, and yet he kept going.
Reaching inside, into the psychic web he shared with the Ascendants, he drew on the energy pulsing there, letting it fill him and push away the pain, helping him focus. Riding the momentum, he smashed against the invisible barrier… and broke through Tibor's hold.
Eve had distracted the Elysian enough to weaken his power, enough to give Aaron a small window in which to try to overpower Tibor. But he couldn't do it alone. Not even the combined strength of the Ascendants was enough to overcome this Elysian.
The thought ran through his mind just as a feeling of overpowering want poured through the mating bond. He knew it was Hope. He could feel her. Not just her dragon, but he felt the woman—her essence. He could feel her soul reach out to him.
Something knotted inside him dissolved, and with it, the control he'd held over his psychic senses. Aaron opened his senses and felt her dragon reach out to him. The mating bond snapped into place and the green and gold of her spirit poured into him.
For just a second, he was filled with such peace, a feeling of such rightness, that he felt invincible.
Nothing could to take Hope away from him. Not when they were one. He'd just found her, and he wasn't going to lose her. No Elysian, however strong, was going to hurt her.
That feeling evaporated into a churning rage.
Adrenaline jumped through his system, propelling him to his feet. Reaching toward the bond, he let the power of Hope's dragon rip through him.
The green-gold of his dragoness twined with the cobalt-blue of his immortal spirit and gushed through his veins, pushing him to his feet.
There was no more Aaron.
No more Hope.
There was just the two of them moving in sync.
46
Hope
The cobalt-blue of Aaron's spirit wrapped itself around the green-gold of her dragon fire on the psychic plane. It felt so right, like she'd been waiting for this her entire life.
She wondered how she had ever doubted their union. She knew she would never be alone again.
Her rational mind told her she shouldn't have been able to break the hold of the Elysian. But her heart knew she was stronger, more powerful. That the mating bond had already changed something in her. The adrenaline charged through her.
Her eyes snapped open, and then she was moving toward her mate.
Aaron met her halfway, his hand reaching for hers. Desire and want and the need to protect streaked through him and into her. And above all was the need to protect what was theirs.
As one, they turned to Tibor.
Hope's dragon surged out of her, but she didn't transform.
Her energy flowed through the mating bond and into Aaron, sparking the connections that joined him to the other Ascendants.
It was as if the psychic web the Ascendants shared had amplified their joint energy then threw it back at them, a surge of energy of such magnitude that it almost lifted Hope off her feet. The same push had her reaching for Aaron and threading her fingers through his.
Their joined fist lashed out at Tibor, connecting with his face.
An ec
ho of silence thumped through her ears.
His body flew through the air. He hit the ground next to Freya and stayed still. Tibor didn't move.
The surge of energy receded back through their joint fist, up her fingers, her arms, and straight into the psychic plane, until it swallowed itself up.
Sweat ran down her neck between her breasts. A gust of wind rolled over her skin, flinging her hair over her cheek.
The warmth from Aaron's fingers still bled into her skin, tugging her attention to his fingers wrapped around hers. Only then did she turn to find his cobalt-blue eyes already on her face.
As the rational thinking part of her mind kicked back into gear, Hope felt terror pour through her. Her guts twisted with fear, with exhilaration.
Her dragon had broken through her shield and into the mating bond she hadn't even known had formed between her and Aaron.
Aaron was going to get hurt. He wouldn't be able to take the force of the mating bond.
Yet, it wasn't just the dragon who wanted this. She—Hope, the woman inside—wanted this bonding. Longing filled her, mixed with agony and need.
All of it flowed through the bond, and she was helpless to stop it. Not when she felt like she was going to shatter into a million pieces with the agony of the feeling that filled her being. It was like when she transformed into a dragon, the fire sweeping through her blood, the heat pushing sweat through her pores, and below it all, a pleasure so intense it was like making love to herself… only this time he was there with her.
"What have I done?" Her voice grated through a throat that felt like it was coated with sand.
Aaron's hold tightened.
His eyes sparked blue with gold flecks shimmering in them, gone so fast she wondered if she had been mistaken. The essence of her dragon was entwined with his. A shiver of pleasure, of fear, pulsed through her.
"It's as it should be." His head moved closer, his breath fanning over her cheek. Just as his lips touched hers, her senses prickled.
Tearing her lips from his, Hope turned just as the air around Tibor's fallen body shifted.
A woman in a jumpsuit appeared, dropping to her knees next to Tibor. The teleporter cradled his head in her arms. Then she looked up to train her blazing gray eyes on Aaron, before sliding her eyes to Hope.
Next to Hope, Aaron swore. "Telekinetic." He took a step toward the woman who'd just appeared.
The air displaced again, and the next moment, both the woman and Tibor were gone.
"Whoever she was, she cares for him," Hope mused aloud.
Aaron ran his fingers through his hair. "Neither she nor Tibor are going to stay down for long. They are going to come back for us," he said, voice grim. "The immediate danger is past."
A groan had Hope swiveling toward the far corner of the terrace, where her sister's dragon had crashed onto the platform.
"Eve." Hope ran toward the dragon shifter who had regained her human form.
Dropping to her knees, she stifled a cry. Her sister's leg was bent at an awkward angle, and blood poured from a gash on her side. Even as she watched, Eve's eyes fluttered open. "Hope, you are safe?"
Hope felt the tears slide down her cheek but did nothing to stop it. "You came at just the right time. How did you find us?"
"I followed you. I wouldn't have sent you off without backup, would I? Not that you needed my help." Eve's eyes looked up at Aaron, who'd dropped down next to them. "You had an Ascendant watching out for you." She coughed, spitting out blood.
"Don't talk, Eve. Save your energy." She blinked away the sweat that stung her eyes, her hand gripping Eve's.
Eve's lips trembled. "Take care of her." Her gaze locked with Aaron.
A look passed between them before Eve shut her eyes.
She looked so pale, so still, that terror crushed Hope's heart. "She can't die."
Aaron's grip tightened, strong and steady on her shoulder. "We won't let her die."
She hoped not.
Aaron shrugged off his shirt and wrapped it around the unconscious Eve. Bending, Aaron lifted the fallen dragoness into his arms with such care that it brought tears to Hope's eyes.
Her immortal would always be there to take care of her and her family.
"Get Freya," he told Hope.
Soldiers from the Council rushed onto the platform.
47
Aaron
As the last rays of the sun turned the horizon crimson, Aaron carried Eve to the helicopter the soldiers had arrived in.
Hope followed with Freya in her arms.
It was dark when they had landed in Bombay. Both Eve and Freya had been rushed to the infirmary.
Vance had taken one look at Eve and ordered for her to be taken into the operating theatre, leaving his assistant, a junior doctor, to attend to Freya.
Aaron knew their injuries were more serious, of course; yet, he couldn't stop himself from growling at one of the nurses to see to Hope.
She didn't protest when the nurse took her into an adjoining room.
He limped in with her as the nurse checked her out.
He'd never seen Hope so quiet, so docile. He wanted to ask her if she was okay after what had happened.
If he looked inside on the psychic plane, he knew he'd find her emerald-green essence twined with his. There, at least, they were together, unlike here on the physical plane where she didn't speak to him.
She didn't even acknowledge his presence as he stood in the doorway, making sure she was being treated.
It was the nurse who turned and beckoned him over once she'd finished bandaging the cuts on Hope's arms. "You need to take your mate home. Let her recover from the ordeal."
Aaron nodded, not trusting himself to speak. The nurse was a wolf shifter who must have scented the connection between them. It would be useless to deny it.
"Why don't you sit down so I can stitch your wounds?" She gestured to him to take a seat. "You may be immortal with the ability to heal fast, but you need to stop the bleeding." She pointed to his forehead.
Aaron sank into the chair next to the examination table where Hope lay, eyes closed.
When the nurse poured antiseptic on the wound, he huffed out a breath.
Hope opened her eyes, and reaching over, she slipped her hand into his. If she meant to distract him, she succeeded. His gaze flew to her face.
She was pale, but her eyes were clear.
He held her scrutiny, letting his gaze caress her features. When she made to pull her hand away, he held on, curling his fingers around hers.
Spots of red streaked her cheeks, but she let her hand stay in his.
He felt the pulse fluttering at her wrist.
He leaned forward, only to jerk when a sliver of pain cut through his forehead.
The nurse frowned, clucking her tongue. “Stay still so I don't scar your beautiful face further."
Aaron winced as her needle rose and fell, threading the gaps of the cut close.
Yeah, he'd just been beaten up by a dangerous enemy, but the stitches hurt just as much. Perhaps he’d wanted to draw a reaction from the woman sitting silent, who held his heart in her hands.
The nurse cut the thread to the stitches and stepped back to survey her handiwork. "There." She turned to Hope. "He's still as pretty as ever."
Hope surveyed his face. "You're right. The scar will only add to his dashing good looks."
"You think I'm dashing and good-looking?" A smile tugged at his lips.
"Forget I said that." Pulling her hand out of his grasp, she got to her feet and made her way out of the room.
Cursing aloud, he looked after her, knowing she was hurting. His emotions twisted as he wondered what do next. He wanted to take care of her, if only she'd let him.
"Go after her, Aaron." The nurse patted his arm. "She's far away from home and must be feeling lost, poor thing."
He made to follow, when the nurse's voice stopped him.
"The dragon shifter needs you. She's just too proud to let you know.
She'll want you with her, especially when her sister is in a coma."
Acknowledging her words, Aaron followed Hope out and into the waiting area outside the operating theatre where Vance was still with Eve.
Hope sat in the chair, facing the operating room. The wind from the sea blew in, lifting her hair and flinging it over her shoulder, but she didn't seem to notice. Her fingers were clasped together in front of her, the tips of her knuckles white.
When he walked up to her, Hope didn't look up, her gaze unwavering on the door as if she were willing it to open. Slipping into the seat next to her, he felt the tension coming off her in waves.
Aaron knew all he had to do was reach out through the mating bond to comfort her, yet he hesitated. There had been no indication from her yet that she acknowledged the mating bond. He could feel the bond throbbing through him. He could smell her scent of vanilla and spice that wrapped around his mind.
Her dragon brushed up against his senses, trying to coax him into pouring his feelings toward her.
Reaching out, he placed his hand on hers.
Aaron couldn't trust himself to speak, couldn't have spoken the words if he wanted to. He let his emotions bleed through his fingers, trying to tell her how much he wanted to hold her, that he was there for her.
Hope turned her fingers over, gripping his.
"I'm sorry." Hope broke the silence. "I shouldn't have accepted the mating bond. But, right then, it was the most natural thing to reach out to you, to face the enemy together." She bit her lip. "My dragon just broke through my shield and completed the mating bond."
"Liar."
"What?" She turned to him, green eyes widening.
"You heard me, baby. You are lying to yourself if you lay all the blame on your dragon."
"What the—" She tried to pull her hand out of his, but he held tight.
Inception Page 14
