“And he’s okay with it?”
“He has to be. I won’t give them up, even for him or his father.”
“What does his dad have to do with it?”
“His dad wants us to marry.”
“What? Get the heck out of here. You’re only eighteen.”
“I know.” I open the fridge and hand her a bottle of water.
She brushes it aside. “Forget about that. I want deets on this arranged marriage.”
“We’re not having one. My priority is Bronx, finding him, and bringing him home. All this other stuff is secondary to that.” I start to walk back into the living room, because we truly do need to formulate a plan on rescuing Bronx.
Noelle grabs my shirt’s sleeve. “Can I have him, then?”
“Who? Declan?” She nods. “I know you said that I don’t have any magic, and it’s only been a few weeks since Sax died, but I’ve gotta tell you, girl, the moment I saw him ... If stars could align themselves, I think they would.”
“By all means, then. Who am I to stop the universe from telling Noelle Arden no?”
“Exactly.”
“I feel bad for Declan. He’s not going to know what hit him.”
“Hey, now. Be nice.”
“Oh, I am.”
I link her arm through mine, and we saunter back to the boys. I’m glad to see that no one has died. In fact, they are talking about tech stuff. My guess is something about the drones. Most of that is way over my head. It’s not that I don’t find it interesting. I do. I just don’t have the knack for mechanics.
“Okay, back to the business at hand,” Noelle says. “Since you guys left to go wherever you went, Mr. Astor has been hell bent on revamping the school. All levels are going out on nightly missions. Because there are so few of us, we all go. It’s been a free for all since the night that ... you know. Anyway. All Year Threes, instead of attending classes, are doing a special assignment. I have it on good authority that they are the ones flying the drones around the city. At first it was just at night, and now they are out in broad daylight. Some of the students analyze the data as it comes in.”
“What are they programed to look for?” Declan asks.
“Dragons. They scan the skies for them and when they find one, they shoot a specialized formula tranq dart to immobilize them. The mission is to capture one or more alive, study the genetics and magical properties, and see if they can be flipped and used by the Slayers as their weapons and if they can’t figure it out ...”
Oh, boroughs. That is not what I expected to hear Noelle say. “I’d like to hear any ideas you might have,” I say, looking at everyone in the room.
“If it were me,” Declan says, “I’d get a small team together, find the facility, and take it out by any means necessary.”
“And how would you do that?” Staten asks. “We don’t even know where it is.”
“I could find that out,” Noelle says. “The guy giving me this information might tell me more.”
“And what if he’s telling Allister or feeding you false information?”
She slumps in her seat. “I didn’t think of that.”
“Let me go with you when you talk to your guy.” Declan stands. “I’ll see what he knows and get him to talk.”
“Just don’t kill him,” I say. “We can’t have more eyes on us, and I don’t want anything to happen to Noelle.”
He nods.
I look between him and my best friend. She could be correct about him. There is something about them. I’ve caught them both gazing at each other. I bring forth a small amount of my magic to see their auras. Both shine and swirl. While Declan’s is bright white, Noelle’s is still muted by her lack of magic. But they are entwining. I guess only time will tell. My second and BFF. It could work.
Since I’m done being Miss Match Maker, I move onto the more important topic; Bronx. “How are we going to get Bronx back? Any suggestions?”
“We should use your life bond link and locate him,” Staten says. “Then once we know where he is, we can formulate a plan to break him out. Right now, we’re flying blind.”
“Then what, drive around the city until we find him?”
“No, Brooklyn. You should be able to find him. He’s part of you. Just as he knows where you are and what you feel, you should be able to locate him through that. It’ll take practice; I can help you now that we’re bonded.”
I glance a look at Noelle and Declan, but neither pay attention to me or our conversation.
“Then let’s get going on that. Noelle.” The sound of her name makes her jump and look at me. “I want you and Declan to go back to school and find out more about the weapons facility. Then report back here, so we can devise a plan. Bring Manny with you in case you run into trouble. I’ll stay here with Staten and work on my magic.” I look at McQueen. “I need you to chat with your dad and let him know what happened in Ireland, who Declan is, and what we’ve just decided this morning.”
“As you wish.” He leaves the room.
Everyone else lingers and chats for a bit to figure out who’s driving, what time they’re leaving, and should return. I just hope that they’ll be okay.
We’ll gather again later this evening to get a plan in place on what we’re going to do about the facilities and how to rescue Bronx. Staten and I head to the basement after everyone else leaves the house. We pull out the floor mats, resuming our positions across from each other on the ground.
“Brooklyn, open your magic and find the part that is Bronx. Think of him. How he looks, how he makes you feel, the sound of his voice.” I nod, letting him know that I’ve found it. “Now imagine a line connecting that part of him that’s inside of you to him, where he is physically.”
I do as Staten suggests and imagine a rope tied on one end that’s anchored in me and floating out to him. It’s loose and waffling, but it’s there. I can see it in my mind as clear as my hand in front of me.
“Elongate it and stretch it outward, letting it lead you to him. It should know where to look. Your mind should take you there.”
The picture is dark. Everything is black. Slowly, it changes to color, like a TV warming up. His large frame is hunched over a chair he’s strapped to. His head hangs low, almost to his chest. Blood drips to the gray cement floor from open gashes on both his forearms. His shirt is grimy with caked bloodstains, sweat, and dirt.
His chest rises and falls.
I look around the room; it’s empty except for Bronx.
His head snaps up as if he knows someone is in the room with him. Dull green eyes dart around, searching for something. He tenses and then jerks in the chair.
“Bronx?” I say. “It’s me. Can you feel me?”
“Sweetheart?”
“Yes. I’m trying to find you. Relax and tell me where you are.”
“I don’t know. I’ve been in this room for a few days now. Since the last time we spoke.”
“Hold on because we’re coming for you. Soon.”
I can’t look at his broken and beaten body. My fists clench at my sides. Anger bubbles in me. What have they done to him? Bright green light begins to encase my body, but then I feel another presence. Is someone coming?
Turning toward the door, I wait. Time passes, and I slowly let out a breath I didn’t realize I held. But that feeling of being watched can’t be shaken.
“Brooklyn?”
Another light spark joins us in the room. “Staten?” I ask.
Someone tugs on my hand. I look down and see slender, light tendrils thread through mine. When I look up my arm, hazel orbs shine down at me. It’s like both of us are made from pure energy. Neither of us have a solid form.
“It took me a while to hitch a ride on your magic and be brought with you to Bronx. I figured that you might need help locating him and figuring out how to reverse it.”
“Thank you. You must be the one I felt enter the room.”
He nods. “Probably. I don’t feel anyone else. But let’s hurry just in cas
e. They can’t see us while we’re connected in the bond.” He turns to his brother. “Bronx, you look like shit, Bro.”
“I feel like shit, too.”
“Try not to move. Play dead as long as you can. If you’re being watched, your movements might give something away.”
“What’s next?” I ask.
“Let’s try to pull on the connection and see if it’ll retract enough to lead us back to our physical bodies,” Staten says. “Do you see the green light emitting from him?” I nod. “That’s what we need to tug on. It’s the end of the line connecting you, or I should say, us, to each other. While I don’t have a bond directly with him, I do through you. I can’t find him on my own, but with your help, we should be able to do this.”
I watch as Staten’s phantom hand reaches for the green line that connects Bronx to me. He runs his fingers along it until his palm is pressed against my chest.
“Are you ready, Brooklyn?” Staten asks.
“Yes.”
Staten’s hand disappears, then his arm, and finally his body is absorbed into me. I see a pulse of light flickering down the line connecting Bronx and myself. That must be Staten. I think about how I got here, how it was dark and then turned to light. In my mind, I reverse it and try to imagine the lights turning off in a room.
“Have courage, Bronx,” I say. “Trust in me that this will work and we’ll find you.”
“Always, Sweetheart.”
“I’ll be seeing you real soon.”
Blackness covers my eyes and blankets over my feelings. It’s cold and wet, just like Bronx said. Water drips in the distance. There’s a zapping sound coming from the opposite direction of the water.
My energy ball meets with Staten’s.
We burn brighter together.
Then we’re flashed back into our human bodies. My eyes open, and I’m looking directly into Staten’s face. A broad grin spreads, showing me his dimples.
“Do you know where he is?” Staten asks.
I pause and think about everything I know, of who took him and why. It doesn’t make sense for him to be hauled off to some unknown place. It also doesn’t seem likely that he’s too far away from his captors.
“He’s on the school property,” I say. And without really knowing how I know that, I know it’s true.
Staten nods. “That’s where I think he is, too, under the school, in the tunnels. No one ever goes below the walking tunnels. But there is a sub-level farther below that connects to the old subway system.”
“How do you know?”
“I know because it’s my business to know everything about the school. While Manny and Bronx became instructors to learn the ins and outs of the Administration side, I hadn’t always taught magic. In fact, I didn’t really excel at any other class for that reason. I kept to myself a lot, like you did. So with that freedom, I scoured every inch of the property. I was the one who showed the guys the gate in the back of your dorm. It used to be covered with brush and the gate itself barely opened. Anyway, we got a snowstorm one year, and everyone was in the walking tunnels getting from class to class. I overheard a couple of instructors saying how crowded it was, and they should open up the lower level. That prompted me to look at the blue prints, and then I found out about the sub-tunnels.”
“So you think that’s where they are keeping him?”
“Makes sense. If there are tunnels, then there could be rooms down there, too. I’ll take a trip to the city planning office again and see what else I find.”
I check the time. “Be sure to be back by this evening’s meeting.”
He crosses a fisted hand over his chest and nods. “Of course.”
I walk Staten to his vehicle and wrap my arms around his body. He releases me and I wave. The scent of lemongrass fills my nose, and I know without turning around McQueen is behind me. His strong hands cover mine as I lean into him, pressing against his firm chest.
“How did training go?” he asks.
“Good. Staten is going to look something up that could help us locate Bronx. Well, we think we know where he is, but we need the layout to devise any kind of plan.”
“If it’s out there, he’ll get it.” We watch the taillights turn around a corner. “You should get some rest.”
“I will later.”
“This is the down time, while we wait for everyone else. You should at least lie down, and I’ll tell you what my dad knows.”
“Are you bribing me?”
“Yes, Babe, I am. We don’t know what will happen tonight, and I’d hate for you to be exhausted while we rescue Bronx. We need you awake and alert.”
That makes sense. I don’t know when Manny, Declan, and Noelle will return. And Staten didn’t know how long researching city records would take. I could rest for a while.
McQueen takes my hand, leading me back to my room. I hold on tight as I crawl into bed, dragging him with me. He kicks off his boots as he flips onto his back. We nestle under the covers, me on my side facing him.
“What did your dad have to say?” Maybe if I get him talking, he’ll let me get back up. I’m not tired at all, being too amped up by thoughts of Bronx.
“I told him about Ireland, Sean, and Declan, who, by the way, can have the room he’s in now. I’ll be sharing with Staten again and when we get Bronx back, he and Manny will share a room.” He runs circles over the back of my hand. “Dad asked why Noelle was here this morning, so I told him what she found out and why she, Manny, and Declan left. He said that he’s heard the same rumors Sean has heard but doesn’t have anything more definitive. While we were gone though, most of the dragons have been laying low. I guess meeting you really did placate them. For now. There are a few fringe ones still flying at night, but Dad has talked with a couple of them, so they are spreading the news of the drones and weapons being created.”
“Good because when this is all over, I’ll be having a meeting with the entire Pride, including the fringe folks.” Then I decide to try something. I lower my mental barrier and connect with the Pride. “This is Brooklyn Bryer, your Pride Leader, and I command you to get your affairs in order. New York has been without a leader for too long, and I’m here to tell you that the position has been filled by me. I’m on an important mission right now, and after that, I’ll be calling a meeting to discuss matters of living arrangements, the squabbling I’m hearing, and setting to rest the leadership. I’ve named Declan O’Dell my second and will formally introduce myself and him. Attendance is mandatory, by the way. Until you hear from me again, stay low and out of sight. The Academy is gunning for us. Be safe.”
There are a few responses that wish me luck on my mission, to be careful, and to let them know the specific details of the meeting when I know them.
“You’re laying the smack down on them? Us?”
“Yes. All of you need to be whipped into shape. I don’t know how Regan ran things and don’t really care. This is now my ship, and I will have order.”
“Yes, Captain.” He grins. “Call me your first mate. Or deck hand. Or even the scullery maid. I’ll be whoever you want me to be.”
I smile. “That has got to be one of the corniest lines I’ve heard in a long time.”
“Did it work?”
“Are you trying to pick me up?”
“No. I thought we already addressed that. I can kiss you whenever now.”
My cheeks redden. And he does just that.
His lips find mine. The kiss is urgent as if he’s trying to make up for lost time from our few days of travel. His hands roam over my body, finally resting in my hair. He parts my lips with his tongue, searching every crevice inside my mouth, letting the tongue ring click against my teeth.
I do the same, gliding my tongue on his teeth. My arms tighten around his chest as my legs thread through his, pulling him closer to me. I nip his bottom lip. He growls. My dragon responds. She’s pushing to the forefront. My magic blasts outward, causing the room to fill with green light. We both ignore it and
continue our make out session.
McQueen’s hands leave my head and roam under my shirt. My answer is to tug his T-shirt off. Eventually my own is removed.
We only break our kissing for a moment. I can’t get enough of him. The bed dips as I roll on top of him. His fingers clench my sides, keeping me steady as I work my pants down my legs. I’m straddling him in only my undergarments, but I don’t feel exposed around him. In fact, it’s the opposite.
Our lips unlock, and I’m finally able to look down at him. He’s beautiful. His body glows like mine, green and for the world to see. I unbutton his pants as he sits up and plays with a stray strand of my hair.
“You mean the world to me, Brooklyn,” he says. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do or give you. All you have to do is ask it of me.”
I nod, knowing exactly where this is going. And I want it. I need him to be a part of me, part of the four of us that are already in my soul. This is right. It’s what is meant to be.
At the same time, we both call our flames and press them into each other. My fourth and final protector is now carried inside of me—forever.
We seal our life bond with a kiss.
My heart is literally full from bonding with all of my protectors. It’s like everything that was missing in my life has been found through them. I can’t imagine my life without them. Manny, Bronx, Staten, and now McQueen.
After our escapade in bed, I did fall asleep, so maybe I was tired. But now I’m wake and see jade eyes looking at me. McQueen smiles, and I return the gesture.
“You should get ready. Staten is back, and Manny just told me that they’re headed here.”
I stretch and nod. “Okay.” I slide over him and get ready for the evening. Turning, I say, “Macklin?” He scowls. “I thought I would try it to see how it rolled off my tongue. It’s kinda strange.” He nods. “Thank you for bonding with me. Now, I’ll have all of you with me in my heart.”
It sounds really cheesy, but it’s true. That’s where I always find their sparks.
After a quick shower and change of clothes, I head upstairs and am greeted by Staten.
“Hi,” he says.
Dragon Protectors Page 16
