SHARED BY THE DRAGON CLAN
Part Four
Rosette Bolter
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CHAPTER ONE
Stacey sat up and arched her back forward. She put her hands out on the wet ground in front of her.
Conrad watched, unflinching. “Clothes,” he repeated.
Stacey crawled across the concrete until she was at his feet. She put her hands around Conrad’s legs and he allowed it.
“Please,” she said. “This isn’t a dignified setting.”
“It’s dignified enough for me,” Conrad replied. “And what’s good enough for me is good enough for you.”
He went for the collar of her dress and she latched onto his wrists.
“There are other ways I can be of use to you,” Stacey protested. “I only ask that you show me mercy. As you showed your brother…”
Conrad’s hands relaxed. They shifted from the dress to form a cup around Stacey’s neck.
“You are not my brother,” Conrad said. “And I intend to use you in every way you can imagine. Now, if you want my mercy, you will get naked for me. Your body is not sacred.”
Stacey closed her eyes. She let her hands slip from him, and slowly backed away across the ground. She opened her eyes again and looked out to the sky behind Conrad. Searching… Searching… Searching through the storm…
“He’s not coming to save you this time,” Conrad stated. “There is more in his life than you.”
Stacey continued to hesitate.
“I can do it for you,” Conrad said. “If you leave me no choice.”
“No,” Stacey replied. “I can do it.”
She stood up and put her hands to the back of the dress. Moments later it fell from her body in a saturated heap.
She took tiny steps backward. Her arms covered her parts.
Conrad advanced.
He stooped to retrieve the dress from the ground. He held it up, dripping.
Stacey cringed.
As his eyes centered on her, Conrad opened his mouth and stuffed the dress inside it. After it appeared to be swallowed, his body emitted a momentary green glow.
Conrad licked his lips. “Come here, Slave. I’m still hungry.”
Stacey continued to shield herself. Her feet were glued to the ground.
Conrad took a step towards her.
He reached out and ruffled her hair. “Why do you do that?” he mused. “Why do you make me feel like such a monster?”
“I don’t belong to you,” Stacey said trembling.
“I’ve had you before though.”
“I haven’t had you.”
Conrad put his hand to his chest and ripped the shirt from his body. He grabbed Stacey’s right hand at her breast and made her touch him.
“You are mine,” he assured her. “I promise you, you belong to no one else.”
The sky flashed with lightning.
His body had surrounded her, collapsing her defenses. Still, he took his time. He would take Stacey here whether she wanted it or not, but his preference seemed to be to use as little force as possible.
Stacey knew though, she would make him use all the force he had.
And he would hate her for it.
CHAPTER TWO
It was easier said than done though. Standing there, shivering, shaking, Conrad’s skin touching hers all over, she wasn’t sure how to resist him. Should she punch him? Should she try to push him away? She was too afraid. Yet, that was exactly what she shouldn’t be. That part of her needed to be stronger.
She was disgusted by Conrad, but also turned on by him. And she was disgusted with her body for being turned on. And then maybe angry at him. There was no one emotion that Stacey was feeling. Except perhaps panic. She didn’t want this to happen.
Conrad wasn’t going to back down now though. He loosened his pants buckle and they dropped to his feet. Both of them. Standing there touching. Naked in the rain.
His hand was at her cheek.
“You don’t have to feel bad about this,” Conrad said. “You don’t have to feel bad because he doesn’t love you. Think about it. This is all his fault. When I touch you –” (His hand gripped her ass) “– it is because he has allowed it to happen. Whether he didn’t have the strength, or the brains, or the love – he was the inferior dragon. Now kiss me.”
Conrad leaned forward.
“No!” Stacey shouted.
She pounded his chest with both fists and slipped past him, out of his clutches.
She heard him growl ferociously as she ran towards the other side of the roof. When she reached it though, there was no door to escape to. Just the ledge that would see her tumbling to her death should she keep going.
Unless he’s out there somewhere, waiting.
Unless he’s come to catch me.
Conrad wasn’t even chasing after her. She could hear his disturbed grunts as he trudged forward, the anger inside building.
Eventually it was just him standing there between her, and certain death.
“What’s it to be?” Conrad challenged her. “Are you going to fuck me now? Or should I just kill you?”
It was hopeless. Either way, he’d won. She was powerless and hated him for it.
“Bastard,” she said under her breath. “You know it’s not right.”
Thunder boomed.
“Get on your knees,” Conrad ordered. “Bend your ass to me. Or I’ll kick you off.”
Stacey turned and lowered herself. She placed her hands on the edge. Wrapped her fingers around the concrete tightly.
She felt Conrad spreading her buttocks apart.
“Now you really are mine,” he said.
CHAPTER THREE
“Stop.”
A voice not Stacey’s, nor Conrad’s.
Behind them.
“Let her go.”
Conrad’s hands left her. He rose to his feet and Stacey shifted round.
“It’s time we finished this,” Zane declared. “By sword. Or by fire.”
“I told you not to come back here,” Conrad shouted. “You agreed.”
“Well, I guess that means I’m not to be trusted.”
Conrad looked back to Stacey. “You can have the girl. She doesn’t mean anything to me.”
Zane walked over. “Just like that, huh?”
“I’m not afraid to fight you, little brother,” Conrad said. “But if we do fight, then it should be for something more than this scrawny whore.”
Zane reached down and lifted Stacey to her feet. She hid from Conrad behind him.
“I can’t really keep bailing you out though, can I?” Conrad murmured. “You’ll give me some trouble if the others find out you’re still alive.”
“So let’s finish it.”
Conrad lowered his head. “No.”
“No?”
“You’re not my enemy. To be honest, I feel sorry for you.”
“If you’re not my enemy,” Zane said, “then you should help us.”
“Why?”
“Has the Mage made you King yet?”
“No. That isn’t up to him.”
“You’re still waiting for the others to get here?”
“They are sending someone. One of the Dragon Masters.”
“And do you really think they’re going to hand over the Island to you just like that?”
“I don’t know,” Conrad murmured. “But it doesn’t concern you now.”
“Alright.”
Zane and Stacey backed a few paces away from Conrad at the
ledge.
“Where are her clothes?” Zane asked.
“He ate them,” Stacey answered.
“You ate her clothes?”
Conrad just smiled.
“You disgust me,” Zane muttered.
They were in the middle of the roof now.
Conrad stepped out to face them directly, completely unashamed of his nakedness.
“So this is goodbye again,” he said.
“I guess so,” Zane said.
“Just don’t come back here again.”
“Or what? What are you going to do?”
Conrad blinked.
Zane turned to Stacey. “I’m sorry about all this. I know it was my fault.”
“No, Master,” Stacey said sweetly. “You saved me from him.”
Their faces burned into each other in the rain.
Conrad was moving towards them.
“Enough of that,” he barked. “Someone’s coming.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Stacey looked to Zane and saw the skepticism etched on this face before he even turned to Conrad. As he did so, however, Stacey became aware of a swooshing noise in the not so faraway distance.
Zane grabbed Stacey’s hand. They immediately ran to the door at the end with Conrad lingering behind them.
“Oh shit,” Conrad gasped. “Get the fuck out of here, brother.”
Zane charged through the door breaking its lock and forced Stacey inside after him. Just as he was closing the door Stacey caught a glimpse of a very large gold dragon landing in the middle of the roof next Conrad.
“Let’s go,” Zane said grabbing her hand again.
They were in the dusty warehouse space Stacey and the guards had entered on her first arrival at the Island. Zane led her around the winding upper level until they reached a set of stairs leading down. At the bottom of the floor, they stopped.
“What are we doing?” Stacey asked.
“Be quiet,” Zane hissed at her. “They might hear us.”
Stacey shut her mouth and tried to remain patient.
Zane moved round to the side of one of the work desks and leaned against it. Stacey stood next to him. Then they listened to see if they could hear anything that was going on above.
“Sound proof,” Stacey murmured.
Zane didn’t seem to hear her.
His eyes were moving to their corners. She could feel his muscles tensing beside her.
BANG.
The door to the roof swung open.
Zane grabbed Stacey’s wrist and hurried them towards the main door leading outside opposite.
Just as they reached it, that too opened.
Standing in front of them was the Human Mage.
CHAPTER FIVE
Before Zane could react the Human Mage’s hand was cast out, and he sent an invisible force that knocked both Zane and Stacey away from the door and off their feet. Zane was quick to get up, but the magnetic energy had left Stacey in shock. He looked to her first before assessing the move in front of them. The Mage walked confidently towards them, whilst two figures moved round the upper level towards the stairs.
“Don’t you even dare raise your fist to me,” the Mage scolded. “You are in Master Narses’s presence.”
Zane and Stacey immediately looked up to the top of the stairs where the Master was descending.
Master Narses was a large, enormously muscular and tall, giant of a man. He was wearing gold plated armor, with a red cape attached to the back of it. He was bald, had the face of a serpent tattooed to his right cheek, and several long scars on his left. His expression was one of distasteful hostility.
Conrad lingered behind him.
Everyone was silent until Narses reached the bottom of the stairs.
“I recognize you,” Narses said to Zane gruffly. “You’re the one who murdered Horatio.” He turned to the Mage. “You said he was dead.”
“That is what Conrad informed me,” the Mage said dryly.
Conrad stepped out from behind Narses and knelt before him.
“Zane wasn’t given a fair trial into King Horatio’s murder,” he said. “He requested more time to find the truth of what had happened. So I spared him indefinitely.”
“And have you found that?” Narses asked Zane. “The truth?”
“It is my belief that the man I murdered was not Horatio. He was an imposter sent to stand in for him, by someone else. I suspect the real Horatio Hurux was removed a short time before or after he became king.”
“And what proof do you have of this?” Narses asked.
“I don’t have any. My expulsion from the clan has impeded my investigation.”
Narses opened and closed his eyes. “I don’t care.”
“What don’t you care about?”
“I don’t care if he was an imposter or not. If Horatio was foolish enough to be kidnapped, then he deserves his fate. Likewise if he allowed you to kill him.”
“Ah – this is not the decision of the court of –” the Mage interrupted.
“ENOUGH, HUMAN!” Narses boomed. “I AM SPEAKING!”
The Mage fell silent.
Narses turned back to Zane. “You were the Commander of the Guard? Were you not?”
“That’s correct.”
“So you were the strongest man here. And you disposed of a weakling King. I guess that makes you king of the Island now.”
“I would be honored to have such privilege and responsibility,” Zane said.
“Yes, you shall be.”
Narses turned back to the Mage. “Consider yourself dismissed, human. Take whatever belongings you have here, and leave at once.”
“What?” the Mage screeched. “You can’t – You can’t –”
“Your next word will be your last. Go.”
The Mage’s face screwed up, and he sent Zane and Stacey a seething glare. Then he turned and exited through the outside door.
“He was not to be trusted,” Narses explained. “If there has been any chance of foul play involving Horatio – you can expect he was involved.”
“But if he was,” Zane said, “then he couldn’t have been working alone.”
“Conduct your investigation as King. I’ll assist you in any way I can. Satisfied?”
“Very much, Master Narses.”
Narses’s eyes seemed to shrink back for a moment. His face became even graver.
He walked past Conrad to stand directly in front of Zane.
“Have I been fair to you?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Good. Because for my fairness, I have two conditions of you should you become King.”
“I’m listening.”
“The first we will conduct right here. Turn around Conrad.”
Conrad turned around.
Narses moved behind him and unsheathed a long golden sword from his belt. “A King must always destroy his enemies. And you have proven yourself a dangerous enemy for our new King.”
“I’m his brother and I did my best to protect him,” Conrad said quietly.
“That’s true,” Zane said. “He could have executed me in front of the clan yesterday evening. He chose not to, because of our brotherhood.”
“Is that what you would choose, if I asked you to kill him now?”
Zane seemed unable to answer.
“Well, because you hesitated, now you have to kill him. Stand up at once.”
Zane stood up and joined Narses behind Conrad.
Stacey stood up and backed away from the event on display.
“Stand still,” Narses said to her sharply. “Close your eyes if it’s too terrible for you.”
Stacey kept her feet grounded but didn’t close her eyes just yet.
“I haven’t agreed to this,” Zane said as he took Narses’s sword.
Stacey noticed Conrad was frozen, but on high alert. He wasn’t just going to allow his head to be cut off either.
“You don’t have a choice,” Narses explained to him.
“W
hat is the second thing?” Zane asked. “What is the second condition after this?”
“You remember my daughter?” Narses replied. “Princess Evelyn Narses?”
Zane nodded.
“You will marry her. She will be your Dragon Queen.”
“I already have someone,” Zane said. He nodded in Stacey’s direction.
“She was up there fucking your brother, wasn’t she?” Narses snapped. “That’s why they’re both naked, correct?”
“He was forcing himself on her. She belongs to me.”
“A Dragon King has many slaves. But only one Queen.”
“Then she will be my Queen. Not Evelyn.”
Narses smiled. Then laughed.
“Give me the sword.”
Zane handed it back to him.
“Get on your knees.”
Zane slowly lowered himself to his knees.
He looked to Stacey for support. But she had nothing to give him.
“Now, Conrad,” Narses began. “Why don’t you stand up?”
CHAPTER SIX
“Would you like to marry my daughter, Conrad?”
Conrad looked at Stacey briefly. He seemed to be weighing up the matter.
“Well?”
“Like, my brother,” Conrad said, “I also have conditions of my own.”
“And what are they?”
“You won’t instruct me to execute him now to start with.”
“Would you prefer to take the fall yourself?”
“He won’t kill me and I won’t kill him. You can either kill both of us, or spare both our lives.”
Narses raised his eyebrow, and then in a flash of bright red, the gold sword sliced into Conrad’s chest and tore upward.
Zane jumped to his feet in shock, but did nothing to prevent the death from playing out.
Narses ripped the sword from Conrad’s throat and let him drop to the floor.
There were brief flashes of Conrad’s dragon trying to get out.
Narses stood over him, and cut off his head in a gigantic swoop.
He then sheathed his sword. “So do you want to fight me, Zane? Or do you want to marry my daughter?”
Shared By The Dragon Clan: Part Four Page 1
