by Aidy Award
Steal a soul shard they'd said. It'll bring you everything you ever wanted, they'd said. They'd all been wrong. It had only shown him the depth of how completely fucked his empty soulless shell of a life really was. There was no way he was going through all of that again.
The sooner he could be rid of Yvaine and her control over him, the better.
Jett? Her too soft voice pierced right into the blackness of his thoughts. Are we dead? Is this heaven? It's not very nice if it is. Where are the puppies and rainbows?
Shh. You were injured. I'm taking you to someone that will heal you. Then hopefully leaving her there. He'd been around her for less than a day and she'd already wreaked so much havoc in his life he didn't know if he was flying up or down or sideways. He'd lost all perspective on what he needed to do the second she walked into that pub last night. If he hadn't gone after her he could be out hunting for the spell dealer he'd been waiting to show up in that stupid town. He'd be one step closer to finding the cure for the curse.
That's nice. Is the healer dead too? Do I need to be healed if I'm dead? She sounded soft and dreamy like she was drugged. What had the mysterious voices done to her?
Why did he care so much? He didn't. If he kept telling himself that he'd eventually believe it. His mindspeak voice came out gruffer then he intended. You're not dead.
She was silent for long enough he thought maybe she'd passed out again. Or perhaps his reprimand had hurt her fucking feelings. He pushed his wings harder and searched for a warm air current to help push them toward Prague all the faster.
Are you sure? I think I am. I feel dead. Wait. Does dead hurt? My chest hurts.
Jett mentally breathed a sigh of relief. Hurt meant alive. He could attest to that. You're alive. I promise.
Okay. Are we there yet?
Instead of answering her he banked again. They were just over the Volga river which meant they were close. He shouldn't even know where the Green Dragon Wyvern's lair was. He wouldn't if Geshtianna hadn't sent him here when he'd first sought refuge with her. How she known the Wyvern had met his mate was some pretty shady collusion. Or so he suspected.
Believing Geshtianna was on his side had been his first mistake after escaping hell. Nasty little Queens like her would get her comeuppance. She'd already been chased from her court in Dubai by the dragon warriors. When he was ready to call in the ultimate favor he'd tell them exactly where she'd taken refuge. He was not above playing both sides to get what he wanted.
Jakob's villa came into view and along with it the shimmering wards to keep him and his kind out. They were much stronger than the last time he'd been here. Must be Ciara's powers. She was a white witch after all. Jett flew in a wide circle over the top of the villa, testing the wards for weaknesses. At his first touch green light flashed through the wards.
Shit. He'd set off some sort of alarm. He didn't even count to three before two really fucking big green dragons were in the air and flanking him. They were much clumsier flyers than he was since their element was earth and he could either outmaneuver them which his dragon screamed at him to do, or let them capture him. That's what he needed to do if he wanted inside those wards. But even the thought of being under any other dragon's control rankled the fuck out of him.
You are in the Green Wyvern's airspace. Drop your weapon and land now.
Jett's knee jerk reply was to tell them to fuck off and shoot a few fireballs over their heads. He couldn't risk them retaliating and harming Yvaine. It's a woman not a weapon, dumbasses. I'm not dropping her.
One of the two guards didn't like that answer and flew directly at him forcing him into evasive maneuvers. One giant swoop up and he was loopy-looping over the big asshole's head. He was sure as shit gambling on centripetal force to keep Yvaine in her convertible top stretcher. Jett came in behind the green dragons and sent a warning shot of fire over their heads.
Don't be dicks. Just show me where to land. I mean no one any harm.
Said dicks responded as dickishly as they could. Green vines burst up out of the ground like a fucking bean stalk aiming for his jack-ass. The first one narrowly missed smacking him in the chest and he disintegrated the other with a burst of flames. A third and fourth vine split off from the other, but this time with giant thorns on it. The two dragons careened toward him boxing him in on all sides. The vines aimed straight for his wings and he had no where to go to avoid getting captured.
That was going to fucking hurt. More thorny vines sprouted around him so Jett curled in on himself, tucking Yvaine's carrier under him as best he could to protect her from the brunt of the attack. The vines struck, piercing his wings and dragged them toward the ground. Fuck, fuck, fuck. At this angle he'd crush Yvaine under him.
Jett? It feels like pins are pricking me in the arm. What's happening?
Jett pulled in a deep breath. He'd fry every one of these mother fuckers for not listening. Their arrogance was going to get Yvaine killed. The vines wrapped themselves more tightly around him and one of the greens pounced onto his back, pushing him down and crashing through the wards. The blast of magic from the protective barrier shot through him before he could blow the green dragons and their plants out of the sky, knocking all of the wind out of him. He shot toward the ground like a meteor. If he didn't squash her to death under him, the collision would kill her.
Stop. You'll kill her and then I'll have to kill you. Jett twisted his body, trying like hell to get under Yvaine thinking he could maybe absorb some of the impact. The ground was coming up too fast and he only made it just to his side.
Hold on, babe. This is going to be a bumpy landing. Jett closed his eyes tight and hoped for the best.
Just then, the best showed up.
A strong wind grabbed him before they hit the ground and carried them over to a big pile of hay. The golden stalks swirled in the breeze and softened the landing, cradling the two of them. The vines around him shrank and disintegrated into nothing more than blades of grass, releasing his wings. He slid down the haystack and quickly let go of Yvaine's carrier so he didn't roll over her on his way to the ground. She tumbled out and ended up directly on top of him. His form shifted back to human at her touch and he sat up cupping her head in his lap.
He examined her and she looked pale, but was still breathing and alive. He brushed hay and hair away from her face and her eyelashes fluttered open. Those brilliant lavender eyes stared up at him like he was some kind of savior. In that brief moment, he wanted to be that for her.
He couldn't though. Jett had other work to do and the sooner he remembered that and got Yvaine, and her beautiful eyes, lush body, hilarious fashion sense, and her magic, out of his life, the sooner he could get back to breaking the curse and freeing his brethren. Please let him have made the right choice in bringing her to the Green Wyvern. Yvaine breathed out a soft sigh and closed her eyes again.
A second of panic made his heart skip a beat. That wasn't her last breath ever was it? No. Her chest rose and fell and the tiniest bit of color seeped into her cheeks. Thank the First Dragon.
Which was something he'd never even thought, much less meant ever before. He was going to do something else he hadn't before right now. Ask for help. "Wyvern, Ciara. Yvaine needs your help."
A curvy blonde he'd always had quite the crush on ran over to them and squatted down beside him. "Jett? What are you doing here?"
"Yes, black dragon rogue. What are you doing here?" The alpha voice of Jakob Zeleny rang through Jett. If he'd been a green dragon, he'd be cowering for the Wyvern. Jett bowed to no man or dragon.
"Trying not to let your fucktard guard kill this woman. You need to get those asshole's hearing aids. I told them I wasn't here to harm anyone." Bastards. They definitely needed their dinner poisoned later. Just enough to give them a bad case of the shits.
Jakob didn't look one wit bothered by Jett's reprimand and the two green dragons continued to circle overhead looking smug. "Their duty to protect the Green Wyr stronghold and my mate. Both are
very enthusiastic about their jobs."
The ever lovely Ciara rolled her eyes at her mate and kissed him on the cheek. "Tell your dragons good job, Jakey-poo, but maybe they could remember next time that Jett is our ally.
Jakob folded his arms across his chest. "He's not."
"I saved your stupid life and that of your mate's. You owe me, Greenie-poo." Ciara wouldn't even be here if Jett hadn't protected her from the demon dragons. Granted he'd wanted her for his own at the time and certainly hadn't intended it to be helpful to Jakob. No one but Geshtianna knew that. She was the one who'd told him Ciara was a dragon's mate and where to find her. She'd told the Black Dragon the same thing.
"I let you live just now. That repays any debt I have to you."
"Not even close." No way. Jett was counting on calling in those favors when he broke the curse. As much as he hated to admit it. He was going to need the dragon warriors help to defeat his father.
Ciara held out her hands and the tiniest of snowflakes sparkled around her fingers. "Now, gentlemen. Maybe you can get your rulers out and measure later. First let's help Jett's friend into the house where she'll be more comfortable than rolling around in the hay."
There he was being a fucking dumbass again. He'd been ready to up and fist fight Jakob over a few words and Yvaine was lying in his lap probably dying. One more reason, besides the fact that he didn't have a soul, that there was no way he could ever be mated to any woman. He stood and lifted Yvaine into his arms. "Jakob. She is hurt. I was sent here because you can heal her."
Jakob nodded and Ciara indicated that Jett should follow her. The entered the house, and god damn, these Wyverns had a lot of fucking money if the size of the rooms and the fancy furniture and decorations were any indication. He was almost afraid to touch anything for fear of getting it dirty. Except that might be fun. Place needed a little filthying up. It was way too pristine and and shiny and bright
"Lay her down over here. Have she been able to shift to heal herself at all?" Ciara flicked her hand and a soft cloth floated in from the kitchen.
Jett laid Yvaine on the dark green couch and gently slid a weird little tubular pillow behind her head. "No. She doesn't seem to know what she is. I don't think she was raised in our world or by anyone who knows about the paranormal at all. She mentioned that she didn't know who or where her people were and she doesn't have any idea how her own powers work."
Ciara nodded and then dabbed the cloth at the smears of silver slime that had spattered from Yvaine's wound to her face, neck, and arms. "Welcome to the club then."
Jakob knelt beside Ciara and blew a long stream of green smoke first over Yvaine's face and then again at the wound in her chest. Jett clenched and released his fists. He didn't like Jakob being that close to Yvaine even if he was healing her with his Dragon's breath. He paced back and forth never taking his eyes off Yvaine. He couldn't tell if the stupid Wyvern was healing her or not.
Ciara glanced over at Jett and a cool mist swirled around him. Just like that his anger and frustration, worry and fear, slipped down from the danger zone to a manageable hum in the back of his mind. He raised an eyebrow at Ciara and she smiled back at him. "I've been practicing. Feel better?"
"No," he lied.
"Good." She stuck out her tongue at him and turned back to Yvaine. "The horrible hole in her chest is closing. I don't know how she even survived. What did this to her?"
"Demon dragon." Who was likely a black oil stain in the grass now. Stupid fucker. That was one less soldier Jett would be able to count on in the coming battle against the Black Dragon.
Jakob blew more Dragon's breath over Yvaine. Then he stood and faced Jett. "Were they with Ereshkigal?"
Jett frowned. The Black Witch didn't leave hell and she certainly didn't take demon dragons along with her anywhere. That's what she had her Annunaki demons for. "No. The Black Dragon."
"We haven't seen him since the battle for hell in Africa. We assumed he was licking his wounds, but didn't know where."
"I don't know where he's been, but he found us in Glückstadt, Germany."
"Not far from The Linden's. Cage will be very interested to hear that. The Golds are still hunting for their kidnapped warriors and Geshtianna." Jakob narrowed his eyes at Jett, waiting for him to reply.
Jett did have intel on Geshtianna's whereabouts and didn't feel even a little bit bad about not telling Jakob that. He was saved once again by Ciara from any more scrutiny from the Green Wyvern who would smell an outright lie if he asked Jett if he knew anything. "She's waking up."
"Holy shirt. What? Who? Ack. Where am I? Jett?"
"Yvaine. I'm here.” Holy shirt indeed. She was freaking out and there was no way Jett would be human for more than another-- Poof. I'm right here.
"Oops. Sorry."
When she looked up at him with the pink back in her cheeks and the life back in her soul, Jett wasn't even a little bit sorry he'd just smashed every stick of furniture on the side of the room behind his tail.
Ciara looked from Yvaine to Jett and back again. "Well, you could have warned us your mate was going to shift you into dragon form."
She's not my mate.
The laugh that bubbled out of Ciara was contagious apparently because Yvaine and Jakob started laughing too. Ciara laughed so hard tears streamed down her face. She wiped her eyes and gave one more chuckle. "I'm going to have so much fun planning your wedding."
Mimosas Make Everything Better
A wedding? Surely she hadn't heard that right. Yvaine was not ready to get married to anyone. Oh no. Was the dragon people culture like eighteenth-century England or something? Did they have to get married because they'd kissed? That would be weird. Yvaine was doing a whole lot of assuming here. She didn't know that there even was a dragon culture. So far she'd seen two dragons in her whole entire life. Maybe that's all there was. She didn't know.
Yvaine pushed herself up on the couch and groaned. Man. Ouch. She rubbed her hand over her chest. Did she ever have the worst case of heartburn. She didn't remember eating anything spicy. In fact, the last thing she remembered was Jett trying to convince her to get into the car so they could fly away.
What had happened? They weren't in Kansas anymore. They might just be in the Emerald City though. Every other thing in the room they were in was a shade of green. The couch she was sitting on, the very expensive looking vases on the mantle over the fire place. The big green dragon.
Mother trucker. That was one big dragon. "Whoa. Where did that other dragon come from? Did I do that too?"
She must have developed a new level to her weirdness. Houdinism, teleportation, and now turning hot guys into dragons. This had to be a dream. Or drugs. Yes. Probably she was on drugs.
A very pretty woman who was just as curvy as Yvaine plopped down onto the couch beside her. "That's an interesting power you have. But, no, that one's mine and he's just reacting to yours. One of these guys hulks out and the rest do too. Jakob doesn't like it much when anyone shifts inside the house unless there's danger."
"My what?" This lady's tone and attitude was all very blah for two dragons standing in her living room making mean eyes at each other.
"Your dragon." She said it like it was an every day thing.
At least it wasn't Yvaine's fault. If there was at least three dragons and the woman sitting next to her thought that was normal, there must be more. Those dragons must go around kissing human women and then having to marry them. She guessed that was better than kidnapping them and eating them or forcing them to live in caves or castles waiting for knights in shining armor to rescue them.
"I have to admit, I don't really understand what's going on here." She obviously meant Jett when she said your dragon. He wasn't hers even a little bit. He was a wild thing that shouldn't ever be contained by the restriction of being owned. Or maybe dragon people culture was matriarchal as well as antiquated and because they were supposed to get married Yvaine now owned him. That thought made her wrinkle up her nose. Yuck.
Not at Jett. He was yummy. Which she totally should not be thinking right now.
The woman patted Yvaine's hand. "I feel ya. It took me a while to get a handle on the whole being a dragon's mate thing too."
"I understand the individual words your saying, but not when you put them together like that. Everything your saying has given me about a billion more questions than I had before being attacked by batstriches and seeing a dude turn into a dragon right before my eyes."
Miláčku, take the girl and get out of here so I can kick the black rogue dragon's ass back into human form.
Yvaine didn't like the sound of that, and neither did Jett if the growl rumbling around in his chest was any indication. But she didn't say anything - yet. She was ready to thrown down if she had to. Throw down what, she didn't know. But something. Like this weird throw pillow.
The matriarch or whoever tsked the green dragon before the pillow fight with a dragon could ensue.
"Now, Jakey. I just redecorated this room and I'm already going to have to replace the Louis the someteenth chairs Jett squarshed. You two take your tussle outside. We're going to the kitchen to make some drinks." The woman turned back to Yvaine and asked, "Mimosas okay with you?"
"Uh. Sure. Let me just do one thing real quick." She stood up, sucked in a breath and wobbled waiting for the rainbow colored spots in her vision to go away.
Yvaine? Jett lowered his head to her eye level and his hot breath felt good on her hair. She felt like she'd been cold for a really long time and was only now starting to warm back up. He took a step toward her and the sound of wood splintering sent the woman sitting next to her groaning.
Yvaine lifted her hand to keep Jett from trampling more of the expensive furniture in this luxury living room. "I'm okay. Just stood up too fast or something."
"Ooh." The woman grabbed Yvaine's arm and helped her sit back down. "You should take it easy. There was a giant hole in your chest a few minutes ago."
