“Trap,” he snarled, finishing her thought.
Inside him, his drakon roared in fury. The Knights were trying to manipulate him, to make him hurt his woman. They would pay for that. The world would burn with his retribution.
She fell to her knees, barely able to catch a breath. He went down beside her and grabbed her wrist.
Energy blasted up his arm. The urge to kill, to spill her blood, was almost overwhelming. Sweat rolled down his temples, and he gritted his teeth as he fought back with every ounce of strength he possessed. His muscles flexed and cramped. Still, he battled the compulsion to harm Abigail. He would not let the Knights win. He would protect his mate.
Giving a mighty roar of fury that shook the earth beneath them, he gripped the metal band, yanked the bracelet from her wrist, and tossed it aside.
The backlash of dark magic exploded, sending him flying into the air. He landed hard on the frozen ground. His entire body went numb. It was followed by excruciating pain rushing up and down his limbs. His tattoos burned. His skin was on fire.
Abigail! He wanted to yell her name but was too busy trying to draw a breath.
He rolled onto his stomach, got his hands beneath him, and shoved upright, weaker than he’d been since his childhood. He dug deep, ignoring the physical discomfort, his entire focus on getting to her.
Abigail was lying facedown in the snow as if she’d simply toppled forward. She wasn’t breathing.
Vasili scrambled to her side. “No. No. No,” he whispered as he flipped her over. Terror filled him. Her face was tinged blue, her skin icy cold. “No,” he repeated, his voice growing stronger. He would not allow this to happen. He had not broken the spell only to have her die.
He pressed his lips against hers and blew softly. She had to breathe. She had to. Any other outcome was unthinkable. He repeated the action over and over, watching her chest rise and fall. It was difficult to maintain control and not overfill her lungs. He sat back on his knees, fear making him tremble. “Abigail!” He yelled her name, praying she’d open her eyes and look at him.
But her body remained limp and lifeless.
The Knights couldn’t win. He wouldn’t allow it. He lifted her so she was sitting upright and patted her back. He wished he knew first aid, but he’d never needed it before. He, a mighty drakon with millennia of knowledge, lacked the skill to save her.
Despair filled him, and darkness spread across his soul. He didn’t think he’d survive if she died. Abigail was his.
A powerful, almost violent emotion surged through him. It squeezed his heart and made his eyes fill with moisture.
Then, for the first time in his long life, a single tear rolled down his cheek and landed heavily on the ground beside them.
No. He would not allow this to happen. He was a powerful drakon. He manifested a single claw on his right hand. The two sides of his nature were in perfect accord. She must live at any cost.
He dragged the claw over his inner arm and blood began to trickle. He knew it wouldn’t last long, the wound already healing when he pressed it against her lips. He let her head drop back against his arm and watched drops of his blood fall onto her lips, some of it sliding past them and into her mouth.
“Live,” he commanded her. “You must live.” She was so young, had barely had the opportunity to experience life. There were so many things he wanted to show her, wanted to share. And with him by her side, she would be safe.
Nothing. She still lay unresponsive, his blood seemingly having no effect. He knew his blood could heal, but he’d never heard of drakon blood ever bringing someone back from death.
He laid her flat on the ground and cut his arm again. This time, he parted her lips and let the blood flow directly into her mouth. Then he placed one hand on her chest and pressed several times, like he’d seen in a movie once. Again, he had to be careful not to exert too much strength or he’d risk collapsing her rib cage and crushing her.
“Come on. Open your eyes,” he commanded. “Don’t let those bastards win.” He had a will of iron, forged over long years of survival. Now he used every ounce of it to urge her back to life.
She jolted, her entire body practically jumping off the ground. He lifted his hand from her chest. “Damn it, Abigail. Open your eyes.”
On command, they flew open. Stark fear was reflected back at him. She clutched at her throat.
She still couldn’t breathe.
Vasili raised her up, using his body to support her. “You can do this,” he told her. She had to. “Take a breath, little one,” he encouraged.
Her eyes met his, and he was trapped, unable to look away. But he didn’t want to, fearing if he did, she might slip away from him.
“Breathe,” he roared, his voice booming like thunder.
She wheezed, trying to do as he’d asked. Then she did it again and again.
“Good. That is good.” Before he could feel any sense of relief, her entire body bowed as though it had been given an electrical shock. If he hadn’t been holding her, she would have ended up jerking several feet away.
He had no idea what was happening but assumed it had something to do with his blood. He’d never shared it before. Never seen how a human might react. He had no idea if this was a good thing or not.
“What’s happening? Talk to me,” he demanded.
“Burns,” she managed to gasp. Tears flowed down her cheeks. He groaned and leaned forward, catching them with his lips before they hit the ground. They were too precious to waste. Her skin was hot.
Had his blood saved her only to kill her?
He’d hadn’t felt this helpless since his mother died, leaving him alone all those thousands of years ago.
“Don’t leave me,” he begged. He, who had never asked for anything in his life, was now begging this fragile human woman to give him what he craved most in the world. He needed her.
She clutched her hand in his sweater and held on. In the distance, he could hear vehicles getting closer. It had to be the Knights.
They couldn’t be allowed to get Abigail or the bracelet.
Vasili laid her carefully back on the ground. “Stay with me,” he ordered, waiting until she nodded. “They’re coming,” he told her, needing her to understand why he was leaving her alone for even a single second.
She nodded again and closed her eyes. “Run,” she managed to gasp out.
He wasn’t sure whether he should be furious with her for suggesting such a thing, or awed by her bravery. He went to the truck and grabbed the knapsack he kept there. It took him time, but he emptied the contents of his jeans and coat pockets into it. He grabbed her bag from the floor of the front seat, knowing she’d want her things.
He stalked back toward her and placed both bags beside her. Then he let himself shift, uncaring about his clothing. His dragon burst forth, ready to battle anyone and everyone who came at them.
But first, he had to deal with the bracelet.
He unleashed a blast of fire so hot the metal practically evaporated. The snow in a fifty-foot radius sizzled and melted. Vasili pulled back slightly. The last thing he wanted was to start a forest fire.
He let the flames go out and then breathed in the cold winter air, letting it flow out of his lungs and cool the area.
The bracelet was gone. All that remained was the drakon tear. He almost left it there, not wanting it anywhere around Abigail, but in the end, he was a drakon, and he could not allow the Knights to have it. Whoever it had belonged to, whether the drakon was alive or dead, they were kin.
He shifted back to his human form, scooped it up, and held it in his hand. Once again, it felt normal, with no taint of magic. Maybe destroying the bracelet had set it free. Perhaps it was his drakon fire. Either way, he knew he had to take it with him. He tossed it into the knapsack.
A large, icy-blue stone glittered from the ground beside him. He stared at it for a long moment. Swearing under his breath, he swept it up and added it to the pack.
Abigail was
watching him, her eyes wide. Shit, she’d never seen him shift before. He’d done it instinctually, without considering how it would affect her. Only it wasn’t fear he saw in her gaze, but awe.
She was still having trouble breathing but was managing to do it on her own. That was all that mattered.
“We need to leave.” He stalked over and crouched beside her. Taking his time, he slipped her bag over her arm and shoulder as he’d seen her do. “Can you take this?” he asked, holding out the knapsack.
She nodded and held up one of her arms. He hooked it over one and then the other, settling it on her back.
“I have to get us out of here quickly, and there is only one way to do that. I have to carry you.” He waited, wondering how she’d react.
She nodded. “Okay.”
He should have known better than to doubt her. She had proven herself to be both brave and resilient.
His head snapped around. It was too late. They’d have to fight their way out. He shifted, unleashing his dragon side, ready to fight, to protect what was his.
…
Holy shit! Abigail pressed a hand against her chest, trying to calm her racing heart and slow her breathing. Her throat and lungs ached. Vasili had somehow saved her, saved them both. The magic had been brutal, crushing the very life from her. She’d been unable to do anything to defend herself or him.
The last thing she’d remembered was him touching her and having a bolt of energy blast through her. Then…nothing. Until something had burned her throat. She’d heard his voice in the distance calling to her. Every cell in her body had been on fire, but she was alive.
Seeing him like this, in his dragon form, was beyond description. He was huge, his big body covered with heavy scales that were pale blue, almost white and outlined in the same icy-blue of his eyes. His wedge-shaped head was lowered, and she’d glimpsed the rather large and very sharp teeth in his mouth. He was sleek, his wings tucked by his back, his long tail curled against him.
In one word, he was magnificent.
She’d seen her brother-in-law shift, but it hadn’t affected her like this. She’d been afraid and awed by Nic. With Vasili, she was awed, but she was also drawn to him, wanted to be with him, near him. He was hers to protect, which was an absurd way to think about it considering he was an immortal drakon and she was human.
Just look at how the Knights had manipulated her. They’d almost captured Vasili because of her. And still might. They weren’t free yet.
Several large trucks pulled up, and men poured out of the backs of them. She shivered and tried to stand. She recognized their kind, if not them specifically. They were much like the mercenaries that had held her captive before.
They raised their weapons and fired. Vasili’s wings shot out, creating a barrier between her and the gunmen. Then she heard his roar. The ground trembled, but she somehow managed to stay on her feet. The air was superheated around her. She knew he was using his fire.
Screams of anguish filled the air. Something exploded. She couldn’t see past his wings and wasn’t about to try to peek around them. She knew he was her best and only protection.
At least the bracelet was gone. And now that it had been burned up, she didn’t miss it. The thing itself had been charmed to make her want it. She shivered, glad she’d never have to look at the thing again.
His mighty wings retracted, and he swung his head around to peer down at her. Beyond him, all she could see was scorched ground. Nothing remained of the men who’d shot at them. Even their vehicles were gone. And so was Vasili’s truck. Nothing remained but the smoldering ground.
“We must go,” he said, his voice so deep it made the very cells in her body shiver. She nodded, ready to do whatever they had to. She was both scared and excited about flying with him.
“Will anyone see us?” Dusk was upon them, but it wasn’t quite dark.
He shrugged one massive shoulder. “What does it matter? They will not believe their own eyes. And there are not many people where we are going.”
She had no idea where that was exactly and didn’t care. As long as it was away from here, she was fine with it.
A jeep roared into the clearing and came to a halt. Two men jumped out. One of them raised his arms and began to chant. The other raised a strange weapon onto his shoulder. It resembled a rocket launcher like she’d seen in action movies.
He fired as the other man continued to chant. Words filled the air, making it spark. Magic.
Vasili ignored the shooter and focused his attention on the mage.
Abigail gasped with fear when it wasn’t bullets that hit Vasili, but large darts. Most of them bounced off his thick scales, but one found a soft spot in his neck. She knew it would be filled with the tranquilizer they used on drakons. She knew they had such things, had heard the Knights’ mercenaries talking about it when she’d been kidnapped.
“No.” She rushed forward, uncaring about her own safety. She had to remove it.
Everything seemed to happen at once. The chanting grew louder, making her stumble. Vasili roared and fire shot from his mouth, engulfing the mage. The chant turned to screams as flames wrapped around the man, burning flesh and bone until nothing remained. The man holding the weapon froze, as though he couldn’t believe his eyes.
“That’s not possible,” the man muttered. Vasili heard and swung his head toward the man, but he was already moving. He jumped in his jeep and pressed the gas pedal to the floor.
The dragon took one step toward him and then faltered.
“Vasili.” She called his name and raced toward him. He immediately turned toward her, letting the other man escape. “I have to get the dart out of your neck. It’s a tranquilizer.” She waved him closer.
The huge dragon lowered itself until she could reach the long metal tube sticking out of his neck. The thing was about a foot long and wider than her wrist. It was more like a small missile than a dart.
She didn’t give herself time to think. She wrapped her hand around it and yanked. Blood spurted, but the flow quickly stopped, and the wound miraculously healed itself.
What were they going to do?
“We have to get out of here before he comes back with more men. How do you feel? Are you okay to walk? If you shift back, I can help you.”
He blinked several times and shook his large head. “Hold on.” That was the only warning she got before he wrapped enormous claws around her, careful not to crush her. He beat his wings, and then they were rising above the clearing, above the trees.
In the distance she could see more trucks heading fast in their direction.
“Go! Go! Go!” she shouted.
He flapped his mighty wings, and they soared over the countryside. Wind whipped at her, the cold air like a lash against her skin. She ducked her head down, letting his thick skin protect her. It was still bone chilling, and she shivered. She had no idea at what speed they were moving, but it was incredibly fast. They didn’t have to follow the road, and she knew he was putting a good distance between them and the Knights.
He kept up the grueling pace for some time but eventually began to waver. She was in awe of him. He’d been tranquilized but was still managing to function in spite of the drugs coursing through his veins. She knew for a fact the drug usually dropped a drakon within seconds. She’d heard her kidnappers talking and knew how unusual this was.
He dipped again and jerked to the right. She grabbed on to one of his claws and held on for dear life. “Don’t crash,” she muttered over and over.
Then they were going down. Too fast.
She held on and braced for the inevitable crash, but it never came. At the last second, he managed to pull up, flapping his enormous wings in a way that slowed them down. They landed heavily, and his body jolted, but she was fairly well cushioned. He leaned to one side and opened his claws. She practically fell onto the ground, the weight from the knapsack and her bag pulling her to one side. Through it all, she still had the large tranquilizer dart in her
hand. She shoved it into her bag with the end hanging out.
Concern for him had her up on her feet. His big form quivered, and then he was shifting right before her very eyes. It was miraculous and beautiful to witness. It worried her that it seemed to take longer than it had before. His essence seemed to hover in the air, as though it wasn’t quite sure what it was going to do.
“Vasili.”
A great cry was wrenched from his lips, and then he was human. Naked, he fell onto his hands and knees. She was beside him in a heartbeat. “You have to get up.” She glanced around for the first time and noticed a small cabin before them. It was all but swallowed up by the mountain towering behind it.
“Come on. Let’s get you inside.” The Knights wouldn’t be able to follow, at least not quickly. She only hoped his phone was in his knapsack or they’d be totally cut off. They might still be with the mountains surrounding them.
One thing at a time.
He put one foot on the ground and pushed upright. When he wavered, she ducked under his arm. “Lean on me.” She knew how bad things were when he did just that. His weight unbalanced her, and they both almost ended up flat on the snowy ground. But she found a strength she didn’t know she had and managed to get them headed in the right direction.
The cabin was only steps away, but it seemed like miles. Thankfully, there were no steps to climb. She only hoped the door was unlocked.
They lurched forward like two drunks after a long night out on the town. They hit heavily against the door. She reached down and turned the handle, giving a grateful sigh when it moved easily.
The thick wooden panel opened, and the two of them fell inside.
Chapter Fourteen
Time was running out. Vasili knew he was going to crash soon and hard. But not until he knew Abigail would be safe. The drug was coursing through his veins, affecting him in spite of all the precautions he’d taken over the years. Not to mention the aftermath of the magic.
He shook his head and stared up at the log ceiling of the cabin. Wind swept into the room from the outside. Abigail groaned and managed to kick her foot out and connect with the door. It swung closed with a bang.
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