by J. L. Weil
The wraith fought with precision and ruthlessness. With twice the speed of the dragons, it weaved between Kieran and Jase. Kieran opened his jaws, letting a stream of neon green fire expel from within him, straight at the wraith. The creature let out another bellowing shriek, but didn’t run away. In fact, just the opposite. He apparently did not fear the dragons.
Me?
I was afraid of everything at the moment.
But even with the huge amounts of fear swimming inside me, I couldn’t tear my gaze from the action. It was like the most engrossing movie of my life, but instead of watching from the comforts of a recliner with a bowl of popcorn, I was an active participant. Everything I thought I knew about dragons—which, to be frank, was all from fiction anyway—seemed to be wrong. What happened to dragons spitting red fire? Kieran’s dragon breath was so much cooler.
If I thought I’d had questions before, it was nothing compared to the absurd number racing wildly in my head now.
Jase and Kieran kept a tight leash on the wraith, following it as the beast flew just under the balcony. A gust of wind blew my hair back as the trio rushed through the air. I leaned over the railing, stretching to see them, and the next thing I knew, I was tumbling, falling through the darkness toward the black sea below.
My scream rang out over the valley.
The dark waters were rushing quickly toward me, and I braced myself. Oh God, I’m going to die. That was really going to piss Jase off. He went to all the trouble of getting me here—for reasons I still didn’t understand—and then I go and get myself killed. Classic Olivia.
But I didn’t smack the murky sea as I’d expected. I landed on something firm and scaly when it swept underneath me, catching me before I cannonballed. As the air was forced from my lungs on impact, my hands fumbled to grasp something for fear of falling again. Clinging to the dragon’s scales around his neck, I tried to catch my breath. Wind tore at my face, and I buried my head deeper against his neck.
I wasn’t sure which dragon had rescued me, but if I had to guess, it was Issik, the ice prince, since the shimmering scales underneath me were a whitish-blue. Although the scales were not as rough as I would have thought. We were still diving downward at frightening speeds toward the water, but at the last second, he pulled up, letting his hind legs and tail skim over the surface.
“You’re intentionally trying to scare the shit out of me, aren’t you?” I yelled, when my heart started beating again.
“Are you always this suicidal?” Issik’s voice sounded in my head, proving I had been right about which dragon had saved me.
“Depends if I’m having a good day or not. And let me tell you, today has sucked the big one,” I muttered.
“Think you can manage to hang on, while I get you somewhere you can’t get hurt?”
My legs tightened around him as if I was born to ride dragons. Just like riding a bike, I told myself. “As long as you don’t do any loop the loops.”
I swore I felt his body rumble in a laugh.
Holy crap. I was riding a dragon.
Now that I was safe, for the time being, I could see more of the land. I had been wrong about the castle being surrounded entirely by water. On the other side, black sand covered the ground, leading to a gigantic volcano. Billows of smoke rose from the top, dissolving into the black clouds. It was evident I wasn’t in Chicago anymore. The land here was lush and vibrant, yet somber. Regardless of its beauty, it emitted danger.
The dragons flying around were proof enough of that.
Above us, Jase, Kieran, and the wraith came into sight. The shrouded creature screeched in rage. Jase thrashed his thick tail through the air, smacking the wraith and sending him spiraling straight at Issik and me.
“Hang on tight,” Issik advised me as he reared back.
My arms wrapped around his neck, gripping on for dear life.
Issik inhaled deeply, and my mind screamed in warning. What goes in must come out. He blew an icy mist directly into the creature’s face, a second before it sunk razor-sharp choppers into the dragon’s scaly flesh.
A whimpering noise came from the back of Issik’s throat, but he held steadfast, never wavering regardless that he was hurt.
The wraith’s ethereal body crystallized, turning into an ice sculpture. Kieran flew down, whacking the spiked end of his tail into the wraith, and shattering it like glass. The pieces rained down into the murky waters below.
That was the single scariest and coolest shit that had ever happened to me.
Threat averted, Issik flew us back to the balcony with Jase and Kieran close behind. “You think you can manage to get down without hurting yourself?” Issik asked with a bitter sharpness.
Out of the four guys, Issik was the hardest to read. He didn’t really seem to like me all that much; yet, he was the one who had saved me. “As long as you stay still for a minute,” I retorted, swinging both my legs to one side.
He tipped his head, and I slid down his neck. Zade was there to catch me. Once my feet were safely on the ground, I spun around to get my first full look at Issik in his dragon form. He was utterly stunning. At the end of his enormous white wings, where they sloped into waves, were talons. His icy blue eyes glowed brightly as they pinned mine. Everything about him reminded me of Chicago winters—cold, blistering, ruthless.
Jase and Kieran had already shifted back and stood outside the bedroom door fully dressed, watching me as I gawked at Issik. In a reverse transformation, the dragon shifted into a man, who became a naked Issik. He raised a brow as I continued to gape, my gaze wandering over him. Who could blame me? He was an incredible male specimen. It was like a shield came down over Issik—his brief flicker of amusement washed away by the hardness now reflected in his eyes as he slipped into his discarded clothes.
After all the excitement, the moment finally caught up to me. I huddled in the corner, my body wracked with violent shivers. I was a pretty open-minded individual, but this… this was way outside my scope of reality.
Four sets of eyes stared at me as if I might shatter into a million pieces at any moment. Questions spun like a windmill through my head. How in the world did they turn into dragons? Did it hurt? Could it be an illusion? Were they aliens from another planet? Or maybe a science experiment with dinosaur DNA?—Jurassic Park came to mind. And if there were dragon… er, shifters… then why not a wraith? But most importantly, why did it attack us?
If I could only get those thoughts to form into words… but my mouth was numb. Placing a hand on the nearest wall, I leaned my hip against it.
“So, how was she?” Kieran asked Issik, bumping his shoulder lightly against the ice prince’s.
Issik frowned. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
Not getting what he wanted from Issik, Kieran turned to me. “How was your first time, Olivia?” The way he asked that had my cheeks flaming. Something about how Hot Lips worded things and his playful tone gave off a sexy vibe.
I ignored him and finally found my tongue. “W-what just happened?” I stammered.
“It’s pretty common, actually,” Kieran answered, a lazy grin on his lips. It was evident he loved the thrill of the hunt, of flying, and of being a dragon.
“Which part? That thing that attacked us, or you turning into dragons?” I needed specifics.
“The wraith was a messenger,” Jase supplied.
“A messenger?” I echoed on the verge of hysteria. “I’m guessing it wasn’t a friendly message.”
The four of them shared a look, and seemed to be deciding how much to tell me before Jase turned to face me with an expression of incredulity. “You’re scared… but not because I turned into a dragon?”
Truth be told, I was terrified, but yes, I was way more scared of the other thing. The wraith had an aura about it akin to death. As weird as this was, at least they had turned back into humans. I couldn’t say the same about the other creature. That had to count for something. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. Nothing about
what I’ve just witnessed seems real, and I keep waiting to wake up, but on the off chance this is not a dream, I’m also… curious, I guess. Do all four of you turn into dragons?”
“Pretty fucking awesome, right?” Kieran said, grinning like the shithead I felt positive he was. The others didn’t bat an eye.
“And you each breathe a different kind of fire or… something?” I questioned, processing the assumptions tumbling in my head. I was trying to make sense of it all, but I probably sounded like an idiot in the process.
With slow movements, Jase walked toward me. “It’s been a long night, Cupcake. Why don’t you get some sleep? In the morning, we’ll explain everything. I think you’ve had enough excitement. I don’t want to push you too fast.”
“This can’t be real,” I muttered to myself, laying a hand on my forehead.
“I know this might all seem impossible, but get some rest. You’ll see things clearer after you’ve slept.” Jase kept his voice smooth and level.
Will I though?
Would I wake up in the abandoned building behind the Quick Mart—alone once again? Could this all be a dream?
Something told me a good night’s sleep wasn’t going to make it all better.
Jase flashed me a set of dimples, capturing my eyes with his, so that the other three guys melted away. There was something mesmerizing and magnetic about Jase. “Rest, Cupcake,” he whispered, and for the second time tonight, he blew a puff of purple mist into my face.
“Why do you keep doing that?” I mumbled, my eyes growing sleepy, and I knew I only had a few more moments before I wouldn’t be able to stand on my own, but it turned out, that wasn’t a problem.
Jase bent down, swooping an arm under my legs and lifting me up. I rested my heavy head on his shoulders, unable to support it myself. My face pressed up against his neck, and I inhaled the scent of him—sand and sea. “Because your body needs to sleep, and you strike me as the kind of girl who is stubborn. I’m giving you what you need. Now, close your eyes,” he demanded, walking me into the center of the room.
So much for insisting on getting answers. Jase had even taken that from me. Now I had no choice but to sleep.
Just who are they?
What do they want with me?
Damn. Damn. Damn.
I lost the battle with consciousness before he laid me down.
Chapter Five
Snuggling deeper into the warmth surrounding me, I kept my eyes closed, telling myself to go back to sleep, to ignore the blissful sun glowing on my cheeks. I didn’t want to stir, for that meant I would have to face the reality that my life had become a fantasy, and not in a good way. It was so much easier to keep dreaming and pretend I wouldn’t wake to a nightmare.
Maybe if I wished hard enough, I would be back home in my own bed. Mom would be downstairs humming, and life would go back to normal.
It was such a nice dream.
A firm knock sounded on the door, and I threw the covers over my head, wishing he would go away. A frown pulled at my lips. I was miffed about having my sleep disturbed. The door creaked open, and I held my breath, staying as still as possible under the covers.
“You going to sleep all day?” a husky voice asked. “I thought you would be brimming with questions this morning.” It was Kieran. The rocker embodying a dragon had the tiniest hint of an accent.
“Go away,” I groaned, my voice muffled under the thick blanket.
Kieran laughed, and the sound made my belly cartwheel.
My scowl deepened. Stop that, I berated my body. You should feel nothing but contempt for him… for all four of them.
Light fingers tugged on the end of the covers, pulling them down so I stared up into Kieran’s twinkling emerald eyes. His piercing glittered in the sun, and I wondered what it would be like to kiss someone with a lip ring. Would the metal be cool against my mouth? Would I be tempted to bite it?
I shook my head.
Why are you thinking about kissing him? He is holding you hostage, remember?
“I brought you something to eat,” he offered.
My gaze was drawn to a small table where a tray sat, the smells wafting around the room. “Where’s Jase?” I asked, giving up the pretense of sleep. I was wide awake now, and my stomach was growling.
Kieran lifted a brow. “Would you prefer him over me?”
He was impossible. I shrugged because I was sure his ego would take a hit. “It doesn’t really matter. Am I still a prisoner?”
The mattress dipped to the side with his weight as he sat on the edge of the bed. “I like to think of it as a guest.”
Linking my fingers together, I stared up at him. “You have a warped sense of hospitality.”
“If you give it a chance, I think you’ll enjoy living in the Veil Isles. Believe it or not, we aren’t monsters.”
“Right, because the wraith was so warm and welcoming.”
His lips twitched. “They are pesky bastards. Eat. And then I’ll take you to clean up.”
A shower. My mind sighed. Warm food, a clean bed, a hot bath—were they trying to butter me up?
I plucked a piece of toast off the tray and had it to my mouth before I paused. “How do I know this isn’t poisoned?”
Kieran grabbed the other half of the toast and bit into it. “Happy?” he asked, swallowing. “I don’t normally poison pretty girls,” he added with a wink.
I took a nibble from the corner, refraining from gorging myself by shoving the whole piece in my mouth. I studied him as I ate, thinking about what he’d said. “Is that your ability? Poison?”
A gleam of surprise leapt into his eyes. “You’re perceptive. Maybe too much. Yes, I breathe poison; it’s my curse.”
I thought it odd he considered being a dragon-shifter a curse. “Issik breathes ice. Jase some kind of sleeping spell?” I guessed, listing off their abilities.
“Tranquility,” he supplied.
“What about Zade?” I asked.
“Fire,” he replied.
After polishing off the toast, I moved on to a cup of fruit—none of which I recognized. Still, my hunger at this point wasn’t picky. “Where are the others?”
Kieran shrugged and seemed content just keeping me company. “Around. We each have our own kingdoms to oversee. This is Jase’s, Wakeland Kingdom, and his castle, Wakeland Keep.”
“So you all don’t live here?”
Kieran shook his head. “But don’t worry, blondie, you’ll get to see plenty of me.”
Again, his tone implied something wicked.
I scooted to the other side of the bed and stood up, stretching my legs. I had slept in my clothes last night, and was glad to see no one had tried to remove them. With my hunger now curbed, I thought about the mention of a shower.
“Come on. I’ll show you to the bath house,” Kieran offered, as I ran my fingers through my hair.
It was hopeless. Nothing but a bottle of deep conditioner and a brush would fix this mess.
Exiting the chamber, Kieran led us down a long passageway. The walls were made of dark gray limestone, and our footsteps echoed off the wood floors. The corridors were lit by torches hung in sconces. We turned a corner and descended a set of winding stairs. Inside, I couldn’t figure out how to feel. Scared? Fascinated? Foolish? Should I be trying to escape?
There were no railings as we walked down the steps, and me being me, I stumbled, by not looking ahead, and spending too much time admiring the paintings lining the walls. My nails scrambled against the rock as I tried to catch myself from plummeting, but really, I had little to worry about.
Kieran’s quick reflexes saved me, his hands landing on my waist. “You’re going to be quite the challenge to keep safe, aren’t you?” he whispered as he pulled me up against him to steady us both.
“Huh?” I uttered, my brain fuzzy. What did he say? It didn’t really seem to matter. My eyes couldn’t get past his lips.
His chest rumbled against mine. “Curious?” he asked, running the
pad of his thumb along the side of my jaw, skimming just under my lower lip. His head dipped, and my lashes began to flutter closed. He was going to kiss me.
“Kieran!” snapped a cold voice.
Hot Lips kissed the tip of my nose instead, grinning down at my wide eyes. “Issik takes the fun out of everything.”
My eyes glanced over Kieran’s shoulder to see the tall blond stalking toward us with purposeful strides. I jumped out of the punk rocker’s arms, standing on my own without his support, and immediately missing the strength of his body.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Kieran shot a lopsided grin at Issik as he started to walk again. “Relax, mate. Olivia and I were just getting to know each other better. Isn’t that right, blondie?”
Issik wasn’t buying it. “Get her cleaned up. Don’t play with her.”
I winced. Asshole.
I bit my tongue to keep from saying something that would anger him further. Issik didn’t strike me as the type of guy who put up with nonsense. Kieran slipped a hand to the small of my back, urging me, with a slight pressure, to keep moving. I was all too happy to oblige. Issik gave me the chills.
The castle was bigger than I imagined. Left on my own, there was no way I would be able to find my way back to my room. We had to be close to the first floor when Kieran pushed through a set of doors, a wave of heat hitting me. Inside was a large room with ivory pillars that stretched to the vaulted ceilings. At the center of the space, steam pillowed over a square pool, much like a hot tub. It was open and big enough for six people.
The bath house was a public facility. Talk about medieval.
I spun on Kieran. “You guys don’t believe in privacy?”
“You’re not shy, are you?”
I shifted my feet, unwilling to admit any of my faults to someone who might use them against me. “I never said that.”
His lips curved. “Once we’re sure you’ve adjusted, you’ll be free to wander at your will. Until then, one of us will be at your side at all times.”
