by Susan Illene
Justin held up a green dragon ornament. “They should already be fighting. Why not cluster them together, so it looks like they’re already in the middle of a battle?”
“Oh, for crying out loud.” Trish threw her hands up. “I told you guys to use the red bulbs. Where did you get those dragons and soldiers from?”
“Miles hooked us up,” Conrad said. “He and some of his friends have been carvin’ and sellin’ them to people. We managed to get two sets of twelve in exchange for one of those giant fireproof blankets Aidan gave us.”
My jaw dropped. “You gave him what?”
“We had two from the trip, and we only need one for your truck now that we’re back.” Conrad shrugged. “I figured we could give the other one to them since they need the protection as much as we do.”
Miles and his friends were working on ways to kill pure dragons. They hadn’t had any success yet and lost a couple of guys during their first attempts. The fireproof blanket might give them some protection, but it would also give them more courage to keep trying.
I pointed a finger at Conrad. “Stop helping them.”
“Aidan gave them a crossbow last week. I’m not the only one,” he said, flashing his white teeth in a satisfied grin.
“He what?” I was going to be having a long talk with Aidan about that later. “This is going too far. I’m gonna…”
“Never mind that,” Trish interrupted, and moved into the living room to get a closer look at the tree. “I want this fixed. You can keep your dragons and soldiers on there, but I want my red bulbs, too.”
“I put a few on there.” Justin pointed toward the top of the tree where three ornaments hung under a golden star. The dragons and soldiers crowded the rest of the space below.
She put her hands on her hips. “You will use both boxes of bulbs, and I will check to make sure you didn’t hide any!”
I glanced down and counted. They still had about fifteen more to go, which was going to make it rather tricky fitting everything. The dragon and soldier ornaments were about as big as my fist.
“Come on,” Conrad pleaded. “They’ll mess the formation up.”
“Your ornaments are made of painted wood that doesn’t gleam in the firelight. Since we have no electricity, the bulbs are as close as I’m going to get to twinkling.” Trish narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t care how you do it, but you will fit them on there!”
“Damn, you take your holiday decorating seriously,” Conrad muttered.
Justin shook his head. “You have no idea.”
Trish smacked them on their arms. “I’m standing right here. I can hear you.”
I was really glad I wasn’t on the receiving end of her anger. Trish could be scary when she wanted, and she had taken to obsessing about this holiday season even more than past ones. God help anyone who got in her way. I wasn’t about to mention that I kind of liked the formation Conrad and Justin had set up.
“Pretend the red bulbs are blood and build the battle around that,” I suggested.
Conrad’s forehead crinkled as he mulled it over. “That’s not a bad idea.”
“I know how we can do it.” Justin turned toward the tree and got to work, moving the ornaments into a new configuration. I was rather certain I’d never seen two guys put so much effort and concentration into decorating anything.
Conrad watched Justin for a moment, then nodded. “I see where you’re going with this. It’s going to look kick ass.”
He took another section of the tree and began to move the ornaments into place. They’d never gotten along better than in this moment. Apparently, all it took was working together to plan dragon versus human battle strategies on a Christmas tree for them to find common ground.
“This is what happens when guys don’t have video games to play anymore,” I said, shaking my head.
“No kidding.” Trish came to stand next to me so she could watch from a distance. “I really wanted the tree a certain way, but I don’t have the heart to stop them again.”
A knock sounded at the door. It was firm and distinct, giving away exactly who was out there. I glanced at Trish. “That’s Aidan.”
“You can get that, and I’ll go start on the cookies.” She headed for the rear of the house where the kitchen was located. Considering Norma’s chickens weren’t putting out very many eggs this time of year, I was guessing Trish would just make them from the pre-packaged cookie mix we’d been hoarding. At least Trish had a big, stone grill on the back porch that the local stonemason had modified to add an oven section so she could bake in it as well.
I opened the door. Aidan didn’t waste a second, pulling me into his arms and kissing me breathless. It was a relief to see he’d made it through the meeting with the Thamaran alright, but he squeezed my ribs a little too tightly. My resulting moan came out more pain-filled than pleasure-filled.
He pulled back, knitting his brows as he looked me over. “What happened?”
“Nothing serious.” I urged him back onto the porch so I could close the door behind me. “We just had a small incident with some looters.”
“Small?”
“I might have a broken rib or two, but I’m sure I’ll be feeling better tomorrow.” I went on to explain what happened in further detail.
Unlike with Justin, I didn’t have to leave any details out. Aidan might not like seeing me hurt, but he accepted that fighting was a part of my life. He’d even encouraged it when we first met. Now, since he’d fallen in love with me, he’d learned to take it in stride even when it bothered him.
Aidan ran a gentle hand across my torso, testing where it hurt. “Why have you not asked Danae to heal you?”
“She’s busy taking care of the people who got injured in this morning’s dragon attack.” I leaned against the door. “They can’t recover as fast as I can.”
Most of the time I didn’t like asking Danae for help unless my injuries were serious. Battling dragons as much as I did, broken and cracked ribs were a regular thing I could bear as long as I took it easy for a little while. There were plenty of other people out there who needed her special abilities more than me.
Aidan sighed. “I wish I could have been there to assist you.”
“What happened with the Thamaran?” I asked, ready for a change of subject.
“We discovered that the two dragons who attacked are brothers, and they were recently cast out of their toriq for their poor behavior. We are free to kill them if they appear on our land again, but we cannot cross the border.” He paused, working his jaw. “You are free to do so, but the Thamaran warned us that they consider you fair game if they catch you in their territory.”
I shrugged. “That’s nothing new.”
“It is possible that if they see you going after the rogues, they may leave you alone, but you should still take care,” he said, giving me a warning look. “The exiles are said to be extremely dangerous. You will know it is them if their tails are docked.”
“Their tails were cut?” That was something I hadn’t seen before. “Why would they do that?”
“It is a way of marking dragons as outcasts and absolving their former toriq of anything they might do in the future. If at least two feet of their tail is removed, they can’t grow it back.” He shuddered. “It brands them for life, and they will never be accepted anywhere.”
“So it’s like a death sentence?” I’d almost feel sorry for them if they didn’t deserve it so much.
Aidan nodded. “Most don’t survive more than six months after being cast out, but some manage to make it a few years if they are careful.”
“Does this mean we can go hunting tonight?” It wasn’t that late yet—just after eight o’clock—so we had plenty of time.
He knitted his brows. “Are you certain you can handle it?”
“If we wait until midnight,” I said, figuring the rogues probably wouldn’t attack before then. “I should be recovered enough that I’ll be okay.”
“The Thamaran p
endragon warned us that they are vicious warriors. You need to be at your best if we are to face them,” Aidan warned.
A door slammed across the street and drew our attention. Norma had just come out of her house, carrying a big pot in her hands. The way she struggled to get down her porch steps, I suspected it was rather heavy.
“Are you two gonna stand there gawkin’ at me, or are you gonna help?” she called out. Norma might be getting up there in years, but she could bellow louder than almost anyone.
“That woman amuses me,” Aidan said, the tension in his face easing.
We hurried across the street. Norma handed the steaming pot over to Aidan, which he grabbed without taking her oven mitts as well. The heat wouldn’t bother him at all.
“It’s chicken noodle soup,” Norma informed us, then gestured at me. “Go on in the house, girl, and get the bread I just finished baking. It’s on the dining room table cooling.”
I hurried up the steps. If you didn’t obey Norma fast enough, she’d box you in the ears with a force that would leave them ringing. Despite being almost seventy-years-old, she could hit hard. I would rather tangle with a dragon than her.
The loaf of bread was sitting on the table just as she’d said, still warm. I wrapped it up in a red and white checkered cloth and hurried back out. Aidan was already walking across the street with the older woman. He held the pot of soup in both hands, and Norma gripped his right upper arm, letting him take on some of her weight. I wasn’t fooled. She could get across the street just fine on her own, but she’d taken a liking to Aidan, so she pretended to be feebler around him. I would have been jealous if I didn’t find it so cute.
I caught up with them just as they made it to Trish’s front door. Norma finally let go of Aidan to open it, and directed us inside. I glanced at the Christmas tree on my way through the living room. There were now several separate formations of dragons and soldiers with red bulbs in the midst of them. Conrad and Justin sat in front of the fireplace, studying their work and discussing possible further adjustments.
Conrad paused in his conversation as Aidan walked by with the pot of soup. “Is that chicken noodle?”
“Of course, it is.” Norma wagged a finger at him. “But I’ll box your ears if you try eating it all without sharing with the others.”
He grinned at her. “No promises.”
“And there’s bread.” I held up the wrapped loaf.
“The cookies will be ready soon, too,” Trish called from the back.
After Aidan and I had set down our loads on the table, I pulled him aside. “We’ll eat and relax for a bit, then go hunting later.”
“I will be checking your ribs before we go,” he said sternly.
I made a dismissive gesture. “I’ll be fine.”
He grunted. “We will see.”
Chapter 6
Aidan
Aidan sat in his dragon form with Bailey leaning against his chest. They were on the roof of a one-story building about a quarter mile from the Taugud and Thamaran border. He’d chosen the location with care. The shifter roving guard only passed by there once every fifteen to twenty minutes, making it the weakest spot in their defenses. If the rogues planned to sneak across tonight, they would do it at that point.
He wrapped his arms around the slayer, taking in what little heat she could give him. Aidan had a camrium blanket draped over his shoulders and back as well to ward off the chill, but after sitting for almost two hours, it grew more difficult to stay alert. The shifters posted on patrol had the advantage of constantly moving to help keep them warm. They knew that sitting still for very long would put them to sleep, and during the winter they rarely ever stopped to rest. Instead, the toriq rotated guards more frequently so that none had to stay in the cold very long.
Bailey rubbed at his arms. “You’re freezing, aren’t you?”
Aidan grunted, unable to reply with intelligible words in his dragon form.
The shifter patrol passed by again, slowing their flight to stare at him and Bailey. Catching a dragon and slayer huddling close together was not something anyone ever saw. They might be aware of their relationship, but seeing it was another matter. With each pass, the hostility he’d first sensed from the guards seemed to lessen. His brethren were getting used to the sight, and Aidan hoped they might even become accepting of it. Bailey was proving to the shifters that she was different and that she could be trusted. How else could she stay close to a dragon for hours without attacking him? It was one of the reasons Aidan chose not to hide their relationship and display it openly instead. He had to show his mate was not a threat if he wanted his people to accept her.
“Do you think the rogues will come tonight?” Bailey asked.
Aidan snorted a billow of steam.
“I’m going to take that as a maybe.” She lifted his right hand, undeterred by the scales, and kissed it. “You’re adorable as a dragon. You know that?”
Unable to remain silent at the accusation, Aidan allowed his beast to take over and answer her. I am not adorable. You should not insult your mate in such a way.
She sat up and twisted to face him. “It’s not an insult. I’m just saying I love you no matter which form you take and find them both amazing.”
I suppose that is acceptable then, misanna. I love you, too.
Bailey cocked her head. “What does misanna mean?”
Neither Beast nor Aidan had called her that before. It had slipped out without thought. It means ‘beloved one’ and is only used between dragon mates.
“So I can call you that, too?” she asked.
Yes, though you should call me ‘misann’ since I am a male.
“Okay.” She smiled. “You’ll have to teach me more words when you have time.”
Of course, but for now, you must watch the sky. Our enemies are somewhere out there.
She settled back into his arms, and Aidan took over his body from Beast. The night dragged on with the guards passing by twice more. Aidan began to wonder if the rogues would make an appearance before dawn when a flicker of movement in the sky caught his attention. Two green dragons were coming from the west and heading their way.
“There.” Bailey sat up and pointed in the direction he looked. “Those little bastards waited to show up until the guards were out of the way.”
She was right. It would be at least ten minutes before they returned, perhaps a little longer since they varied their timing. Aidan let go of the slayer and sent the camrium blanket to shiggara—a mystical pouch where shifters could store a small number of supplies. It was where he kept his clothes and weapons when he was in dragon form.
Bailey reached over and grabbed the bow and arrows she’d brought with her. Standing up, she prepared for her first volley. “Wait until I’ve drawn them to us before taking off.”
They’d worked out their strategy when they’d first arrived. The closer the rogues got to them; the more likely they’d stay and fight if antagonized. Aidan and Bailey didn’t want to take any chances on the dragons getting spooked and turning around. Once they saw it was only a human female and shifter up close, they wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to attack.
Crouching low on the roof, they waited until the rogues were only a few hundred feet away. Then Bailey let loose the first arrow, following it quickly with a second. She clipped one dragon at the top of his wing, and the other in its belly. Both of them roared as they were struck. Aidan was impressed with how accurate she’d become with her choice of range weaponry, considering all the trouble she’d had with the crossbow. The rogue with an arrow in its belly swiped several times with his short arm before he freed himself of the projectile. Then both dragons zeroed their gazes on the rooftop.
Aidan didn’t dare wait any longer and leaped into the air, beating his wings rapidly to gain lift and speed. The dragon with the injured wing was falling behind his brother. Aidan directed his attention toward that one. The other rogue flew straight by, seeking out Bailey. She’d pulled her sword af
ter firing her arrows and would be ready for him.
The dragon with the injured wing snarled as Aidan flew toward it. He was massive, more than twice the size of an average shifter, yet judging by his shiny scales he couldn’t have been more than a few centuries old. Pure dragons of that proportion and age could only grow that big if they consumed human flesh. It also made them stronger. Needing every advantage he could get, Aidan let out a roar of flames.
His opponent shrieked as fire blinded him. Aidan banked to the left, stretching out his claws to swipe at the dragon’s uninjured side. His talons tore through the thin skin between bones, ripping the wing to shreds. He continued his flight and swung around for another attack.
The rogue, though struggling to stay aloft, turned as well. A portion of his right wing hung in tatters, and the left had a small break in the top where Bailey had struck him with her arrow. Aidan had crafted the heads with a special design so they would hook in and fracture any small bones they hit. The dragon would not be able to stay in the air very long and fight effectively. It took a great deal of energy to maneuver fast in an aerial battle.
Aidan and his opponent raced toward each other. He’d always been one of the quickest in his toriq, and much more so than any pure dragon. Building up speed, he slammed into his opponent head first. The rogue clutched at Aidan’s shoulders and folded his wings. He weighed a ton, but the move was predictable. Aidan kept his momentum going and angled them toward the ground. He flared his wings just enough to keep their decent from being deadly when they crashed, but the rogue would still take the brunt of the landing.
As Aidan fell, he caught a glimpse of Bailey on the rooftop. She was locked in battle with the other dragon, hacking and slashing at him with her sword. Blood covered one of her arms, but whatever wound she’d received didn’t appear to have slowed her down.
He beat his wings once to pull up a little just before they reached the street below. Then he pushed against the rogue’s chest with his hands. The dragon dug his talons into Aidan’s arms, refusing to let go. They hit the pavement with punishing force. The dragon’s wings crumpled underneath his weight, and he let out a strangled cry from the impact. Aidan shook his head, dazed. He started to get up, only for the dragon to grip him hard once more.
