by Silver Milan
“That’s a whole different story,” Gabriel said. “First of all, Jett has been banished, and is no longer king. There will be no civil war. Second of all, the witches won’t kill him. Sure, they’ll incarcerate him. Maybe for five hundred years or so. But then he’ll be free. What’s five hundred years in the lifespan of a dragon?”
Gwendoline shook her head. “What happened to the brother I know? He has to be there somewhere behind those calculating eyes.”
“The brother you know is long gone,” Gabriel said coldly.
Gwendoline had to think of a way to search his mansion, to prove to Ephephany that Gabriel wasn’t behind any of this, and that the vampire witch was hidden somewhere here. “Do you mind if we stay the night? I don’t want to break the curfew again.”
“As a member of the royal family, you’re allowed to break the curfew whenever you please,” Gabriel said dismissively. “If you’re worried about problems with the patrols, I’ll send men to escort you and your companions.”
Cornelius came slinking back into the room, bowing.
“What is it, Heftly?” Gabriel asked impatiently.
Cornelius bowed lower, almost prostrating himself before the king. “Excuse me, Sire, but something has come up.” Cornelius glanced at Gwendoline and leered. He retrieved a sat-phone and turned his back on her.
Gabriel did the same, and the two spoke in quiet tones for several moments. Gabriel was so ridiculously tall compared to Cornelius that it was almost as if her brother was standing next to a small child. From the flickering light that illuminated the sides of their turned-away faces, Gwendoline had the impression they were watching a video on the phone.
Gabriel stiffened, then stood straighter, as if making some mental decision. He glanced askance at Gwendoline, then he held the headset to his lips and spoke softly.
Instantly, several more troops emerged from the shadows, some carrying pistols or assault rifles, others swords. Half were dragon, the other half vampires.
Flame leaped into action, drawing his two swords and planting himself firmly in front of Ephephany. Cronus took that as a hint to shield Gwendoline with his own body. The rock of a man didn’t bother drawing his swords or his pistols, he just stood in front of Gwendoline, back toward her, facing the newcomers: he flexed his muscles, growling softly.
Perhaps Cronus remembers our intimacy after all…
Peering out from behind his massive side, Gwendoline took a moment to examine the armed troops, and then asked her brother: “What is the meaning of this?”
“You are under arrest for breaking the First Rule,” Gabriel said.
10
Gwendoline’s heart beat frantically in her chest. “I have done no such thing.” Her brother couldn’t know already. It was impossible. Unless...
“Show her,” Gabriel told Cornelius.
The little man glanced at her, then Cronus. He seemed deathly afraid of the White Sword, who was a literal giant compared to him, and he carefully made his way toward her, giving Cronus a wide berth.
Cronus pretended to lunge at the little man, and Cornelius leaped sideways in fright, smashing into the wall.
One of the vampires reacted and opened fire, shooting Cronus. The bullet ricocheted from the powerful man’s chest, striking another vampire in the shoulder.
“Ah!” the vampire said. “Damn it!”
“Hold your fire!” Gabriel said. “Idiot. You can’t harm a Dragon with gunfire. You should have swords.”
The vampire in question foolishly sheathed his pistol and drew a sharp katana instead. Other troops who held guns did the same.
Cornelius limped away from the wall as if in pain. He touched his rib cage. “Ow!”
Cronus erupted in a soft belly laugh. “Funny little man.”
Cornelius glared daggers at Cronus, and when the colossal of a man stopped smiling to scowl at him, Cornelius instantly looked away, seeming frightened. He scurried around Cronus, staying as far from the man as possible. When he was close enough to her, he crouched low, covering his head with one arm and reaching out to Gwendoline with the other, directing the phone’s display toward her. He stretched his arm as far away from his body as possible, not wanting to get too close, as if afraid Cronus might lash out at him at any time.
On the small display, what she saw confirmed her worst fears. Gwendoline and Mathis had been careless. During one of their random lovemaking sessions, which happened to take place in the woods beside a stream after a long walk, they had been caught on a hidden security camera. Via the app on her phone, Gwendoline had checked to make sure the area was clear of cameras, but apparently Gabriel had been busy installing new cameras and hadn’t marked their locations on the app. During the earlier journey to the mountain, when Ephephany had sensed cameras that weren’t showing up on Jett’s phone, Gwendoline had begun to worry about something just like this happening.
Gabriel, you bastard.
She slumped slightly, the anger ebbing out of her. This was what she had wanted after all, wasn’t it? To finally be free of the dragons. To make her relationship with Mathis official.
Cornelius pulled the phone away and quickly made his way around Cronus to return to Gabriel.
“Take my estates and hoards,” Gwendoline said. “Banish me and be done with it.”
“Oh no, dear sister, banishment is not for you,” Gabriel said. “Yours will be a warriors death.”
Gwendoline’s heart beat faster. “What are you talking about?”
“I give you a great honor,” Gabriel said. “In remembrance of the days when you fought for Midnight as a dragon skirmisher during the Vampire Wars. You remember that time, don’t you? Those were quite the days...”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Gwendoline said.
“For the rest of tonight you will be chained in the dungeon,” Gabriel said. “And then tomorrow morning, at nine a.m. you will be executed. I’d do it earlier, but I want to give time for news to disseminate on the Intranet. You know, so that you can have the proper crowd in attendance. It wouldn’t do to execute you without the entire city present: it seems wrong to end someone of your stature without an audience, after all. I’ll be sure to stream it on the Darknet as well, so the witches stop bothering me about returning you. After all, if a dragon dies in the forest, does anybody hear?”
Gwendoline shook her head. “You really are mad... I had refused to believe it. But it’s true.”
“Madness is all a matter of perspective,” Gabriel said.
“But this is the First Rule!” Gwendoline said. “The crime is not death!”
“I’ve decided to change the punishment for breaking the First Rule,” Gabriel told her. “And as you know, I’ve always believed that no one is above the law, not even a member of the royal family. Not even my dear sister. I was willing to overlook the fact you roamed uncollared outside the den, if only because that’s really the Wayfarer’s law, not mine, though I try to enforce it when I can. But the First Rule, that’s all dragon. I can’t allow you to live after what you’ve done. You will serve as an example to everyone in Midnight, and all the dragons of North America, of what awaits any who dare flaunt our rules and mate with non-dragons. Don’t worry, Jett is safe. The law will not apply retroactively. For now. When I capture him, he will go straight to the witches, I promise you.”
Gwendoline glanced at Ephephany. “You have nothing to say about this?”
Ephephany lowered her eyes sadly. “I can’t interfere. I’m sorry, Gwendoline.”
Gwendoline slumped. She felt like spiting Ephephany, telling the witch that she wanted to get rid of Gwendoline so that she could have Mathis all to herself, but she knew it wasn’t true. Ephephany really couldn’t interfere. Gwendoline also wanted to tell Gabriel that Ephephany had also broken the same rule, again to spite her, but she couldn’t do that to a fellow dragon shifter. Besides, Gabriel just said the law didn’t apply retroactively.
“But as your adviser, Gabriel,” Ephephany continued. “I must warn
you that killing Gwendoline isn’t a wise move. You would bring the wrath of not only your brother down upon you, but your father.”
“I’ll deal with them both when the time comes, don’t you worry witch,” Gabriel said. “I’ve made up my mind. At nine a.m. tomorrow, Gwendoline will die.”
“Sire.” Cornelius bowed. “What about the blood drive?”
“It will proceed on schedule at ten a.m.,” Gabriel told the short man sharply. “How long do you think it takes to cut off a dragon’s head, idiot?”
“Not long,” Cornelius said. He looked at Gwendoline and his eyes shone malevolently. “Not long at all. Can I do it?”
“I just might let you,” Gabriel said.
Cornelius rubber his hands together. “Goodie.”
“What about the two dragons she brought with her?” one of the vampires with Gabriel asked. Gwendoline didn’t recognize him.
“Who are these men?” Gabriel asked her.
“Mamba and Cronus,” Gwendoline lied. “White Swords.”
Gabriel shrugged. “I hold no quarrel with them. They are free to go.”
“Wait,” Cornelius said, scrunching up his features as he squinted at the group. “That one, lower your hood.”
He was pointing at Flame, who yet stood in front of Ephephany.
“Do it,” Gabriel said.
Flame reluctantly flicked a sword-totting hand near his head and slipped the hood down with his hilt.
“That’s not Mamba!” Cornelius said. “It’s Flame. I’d recognize that face anywhere! Nice job covering your red skin in black makeup. Or is it paint?”
“Are you sure it’s Flame?” Gabriel asked.
“Positive,” Cornelius said. “I memorized all the faces in Jett’s court. I had nothing else to do, considering how you all treated me back then. I especially remember Jett’s personal guards, who threw me out on more than one occasion.”
“That’s because you were a drunken fool,” Flame said.
“I’ve long since given up that nasty habit,” Cornelius said. “I haven’t been besotted since, why, yesterday!”
“Flame,” Gabriel intoned. “You are wanted for attacking the Steel Tower without a collar. I’ve already promised the witches they could have you. You will join Gwendoline in the dungeon, and tomorrow I will send you off to the witches. As for the other one.” He glanced at Cronus. “You are free to go.”
Gabriel cocked his head to one side suddenly, as if listening to someone speaking over his headset. Gwendoline concentrated with her sensitive hearing, but heard nothing.
“Actually, forget that last order,” Gabriel said. “Arrest Cronus, too.”
“Why?” Gwendoline said.
“Aiding and abetting two fugitives of the law,” Gabriel said. “Meanwhile you, Ephephany, are confined to your estate until further notice. I will send guards to escort you.”
“Why am I confined?” Ephephany said.
“It’s simple, really,” Gabriel said. “I don’t trust you.”
Ephephany bowed. “As you wish. My duty is to serve.”
“And serve you will.” Gabriel glanced at Gwendoline. “Ephephany mentioned that Jett might not take too kindly to your execution. I wonder if he’s among the lot we caught on camera entering your estate?”
Gwendoline stared at Gabriel in shock, feeling the panic rising inside her.
“That’s right,” Gabriel said. “I had new security cameras set up all along the perimeters of your estate, on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings. We’ve reviewed the footage. It seems you have guests who broke our curfew.”
“What are you going to do?” Gwendoline asked.
“Oh, I’ll have to dispatch a raid eventually,” Gabriel said. “Sometime before nine a.m. of course. I wouldn’t want them to miss your execution. For now though, we’re merely keeping an eye on the estate, watching for comings and goings. When I do send the raid, I wonder who else we’ll find among them, if not Jett? Perhaps the human whom you broke our most sacred rule with?”
Gwendoline surreptitiously reached into her pocket, intending to secretly text Jett or Mathis, but then Gabriel spoke.
“Confiscate their phones,” her brother said.
Damn it. I should have called Jett before stepping into the mansion, so he could hear all of this.
Then again, the microphone in the sat-phone wasn’t all that great, especially for picking up sounds while inside a pocket.
The vampires and dragons were on them in seconds. Cronus and Flame put up a good fight, but the battle was soon over.
Gwendoline and Ephephany surrendered their sat-phones willingly. Cronus and Flame lay broken on the ground, and offered no resistance as vampires pilfered their weapons and belongings.
“What have you done?” Gwendoline said, staring at the formerly beautiful White Swords, who were now bloodied and injured. Obviously the blades the attackers carried had been enhanced with the Strength to penetrate dragon skin. Ephephany had probably done the enchantment herself.
“They’ll live,” Gabriel said. “At least until morning. Maybe I’ll have them executed, too.” He turned toward his men. “Take them to the dungeon.”
11
Gabriel watched as the three prisoners were carried, bound, from his foyer and into the courtyard beyond. The vampire and dragon escort headed off his estate, taking the prisoners toward the dungeons as promised. That was a relief, at least, because if they had been taken upstairs, it meant they would be drained of blood and converted to undead on the spot. The bitch had kept her part of the bargain.
Ephephany left at the same time, taking the road to her estate, escorted by two more Black Guards. He had tried to signal to her during the meeting, shaking his head subtly at certain times, trying to flash her certain micro expressions that were contradictory to his words, but she didn’t seem to get it. The dim illumination of the foyer hadn’t helped matters, no doubt, but the vampires preferred the light levels that way.
He made his way back toward his room, as commanded by the evil bitch. He wondered if she really intended to execute Gwendoline tomorrow. He thought she’d be thrilled to have yet another form of leverage over him. Something that would require him to obey her instructions to the letter, without any sort of drug. Then again, he never really knew what that vampire witch was thinking.
Gwendoline must hate me right now.
He sighed. Medeia had told him to act his part, and to act it well. If he didn’t speak the vampire witch’s commands as relayed through the headset word for word, and if he didn’t embrace those commands with gusto, Medeia promised to execute Gwendoline on the spot. At least now he had until nine a.m. tomorrow morning to try to find a way to rescue her. Or maybe he wouldn’t have to. Maybe Gwendoline would figure out how to save herself. She was always a resourceful one. Or perhaps Jett really was among those Gwendoline had smuggled into her estate. If anyone could determine a way to save their sister, it was him. Assuming Jett got away from the raid that Medeia eventually sent.
He removed his headset and scratched at his bare neck. Medeia had finally taken off the collar. She drained his blood at least once daily, keeping his strength low, so the collar was entirely redundant, especially considering he couldn’t transform into his dragon in Midnight anyway. The collar simply brought up too many questions when she needed to parade him around on social occasions, like just now.
When he reached his room, he saw that Medeia was waiting there, lounging naked on the bed. Though she was beautiful, Gabriel was repulsed.
“It’s time for my nightly feed, my dragon pet,” Medea said seductively. “Tonight, give yourself to me freely. Soften your skin and I promise your sister will not suffer tomorrow. Her death will be quick.”
“Spare her and I’ll think about it,” Gabriel said.
“No,” Medeia said. “I want her to die. Your people need to see her death. It will help break their spirits, and make them all the more pliable to what I plan to offer them.”
“An
d what exactly is that?” Gabriel asked, though he had an inkling already.
“I’ll allowed them to live out their lives as living and breathing dragons, in exchange for swearing allegiance and offering themselves to me in eternal service.”
“And that service includes volunteering to give their blood to you and your vampires whenever you want, I take it?” Gabriel asked.
“You’re so very clever, Dragon King,” she mocked, sitting up slightly. Her breasts wiggled deliciously. It was a movement designed to arouse him, and it was working: his animal mind was itching to fuck the shit out of her, as hard and roughly as possible, if only to take some small form of revenge. Perhaps he might be able to catch her off guard and rip her heart from her chest, or break her neck.
But he remembered the tricks that witches could employ. He had heard talk from other dragons about those who had sought to kill vampire and Orion witches using similar tactics. The witches had placed special traps on their persons, in places such as the heart and neck, and if the hands of their lover found their way to a spot the witch didn’t approve of, the traps would trigger, and the lover would be bound fast.
So it wouldn’t work. Still, as he stared at that ravishing, pure white body, he couldn’t help but feel aroused. And he almost gave himself to her anyway, no conditions asked, despite the revulsion he felt at the back of his mind. A moment of pleasure, instead of the pain. Just one moment.
He hated himself for those thoughts.
Gabriel forced a smile. “The only way I’ll give myself to you freely is if you’ll spare Gwendoline. Do this for me, and I’ll do anything you ask. You won’t ever have to use Weaves of Air to bind me up. You won’t have to drug me to appear in public. Let her live and I’m yours.”
“Intriguing proposition,” Medeia said. “But you are mine already.”
Gabriel snarled at the creature. “Then you’ll have to take what you want with the usual force.”
“Why do you always want to feel pain?” Medeia said. “You could know so much pleasure if you gave yourself freely to me. Let us make love as only a vampire and non-vampire can. Let us exchange bodily fluids.” She allowed her fangs to grow. “Literally.”
