The whish of wind over the dragon's leathery wings came to his far left. It sailed on the currents, no doubt looking for the best attack.
One of the men hanging between the posts screamed as a giant claw ripped him from the post and disappeared into the night again. A broken limb hung loosely from a swinging chain before it fell into the dirt.
The woman next to them fainted and hung limp, while the other man twisted and jerked at his chains.
"Shayna, stay very still ... no matter how scared you get. Do nothing to draw attention to yourself."
"Tyron, you have my heart. Know, I want a life with you. Do you hear me? You have healed my torn heart so I now give it to you. No matter what happens I am yours for all time."
The words came unexpected to swell within his chest. His gaze swung to collide with hers. “You have pleased me greatly, Kara. I have hungered to hear those words from your lips. May Dauring grant us a life together.” He turned back to the skies.
Again, the dragon attacked. The man had freed himself from one iron cuff and was pulling on the other when the angled head with hooked horns, descended; its jaws open. The man screamed, raising his hand up to cover his face as the dragon took him. The flapping of the beast's giant wings stirred a cyclone of dust from the earth floor. Small pebbles stung as they hit the skin.
With an unexpected turn in mid-air the dragon attacked Tyron. Sharp claws reached out, and Shayna's cry made Tyron raise his shield, deflecting those razor talons just in time. Then the dragon quickly disappeared into the darkness. The hit knocked Tyron to the right two steps before he took his fighting stance once more. That was too close, a warning.
The terrifying screech choked the area in paralyzing dragon fear. As a slayer, Tyron could feel its suffocating effect, yet was trained to ignore and focus.
The silence of the beast's flapping wings told Tyron the dragon was in a dive. Not sure where the attack would come, he took one step back closer to Shayna.
Suddenly, from his left came the snarling jaws. Tyron twisted his body with a swing of the sword, slicing into the beast's flesh just below its eye.
Blood splattered across his arm as he planted his feet for retaliation. The dragon landed, swiping at its face with its front leg, grunting before striking out like a snake toward Tyron.
Tyron swung the sword again missing the beast's throat as it pulled back. Pain lanced across his thigh as the dragon raked him with a sharp claw.
Tyron ducked as the tail whipped over his head. The end of the monstrous tail hit the marble post, causing fine cracks to form just above Shayna's head where the chains were embedded.
The warm stickiness of blood glued the black leather fabric to his thigh below his wound but it in no way hampered him. The power of the fever and his love for Shayna gave him extra strength.
As the dragon moved to attack again, Tyron used his mental powers on the beast's mind, directing it to raise its head when reaching for him. Tyron felt Shayna's mind there with his, adding extra power to push the dragon's head up, exposing its throat as its open jaws came toward them. At the last moment, Tyron rolled to the ground and brought the sword up under its neck to pierce the dragon's throat. He jerked the blade free as the animal pulled back to attack again. Tyron rolled over just as the hooked talons scraped along his back.
He grunted but got smoothly to his feet. The dragon was losing blood at a rapid rate. Its throat and breast and half of its face was covered in the bright red liquid.
Tyron was tiring. His breath came in hard pants, but his warrior's body, like a well-oiled machine, readied for the next move. The animal faced him. Its red eyes glowed from its black head. They stared intensely, then it shook its head back and forth, spraying the area with blood. Tyron knew he had struck deeper then he had thought. The beast was dazed, dangerous, and unpredictable.
He wanted to attack and hit the beast again while it stood dazed but wouldn't leave Shayna unprotected. Just as he felt his muscles relax, the dragon charged.
Tyron ran to meet the large body. His mental powers working at confusing the animal just as they met, Tyron leaped sideways, running the blade into the dragon's eye and into its brain as it lowered its head in attack. He lost his grip on the swords handle and took a dragon's thigh in the chest. He flipped in mid-air to lay unmoving in the dirt. The dragon slid to a stop ten feet from Shayna—to give one long sigh before dieing.
"Tyron!"
Shayna's gaze franticly searched for any movement coming from him. She reached out to him with her senses but found nothing but darkness.
"Tyron! Please get up."
He had to be all right. She would not lose him now. A line of dark cloaked people, carrying torches filed out of the building, moving quickly into the area. Each one had their heads covered with a hood. Two men stooped down beside Tyron, concealing her view of him.
"Leave him alone. Has he not done enough to satisfy your laws?"
One of the cloaked forms detached himself from the group to walk over to the woman still hanging from the chains. He drew his sword and with a swift stroke took her head from her shoulders.
Shayna jerked on the chains that still held her to the post. Fear clogged her throat and worry over the loss of her head and Tyron health squeezed her chest.
"Do not hurt him!"
One of the cloaked figures turned to look at her then stood walking over before her, he removed his hood.
"Taylee.” His name passed across her lips in a whisper.
"My brother is wounded, yet he calls for you with his every breath. You are truly his Calling mate."
In her panic of what would happen next, Shayna heard the words, ‘last breath'.
"No! He is not dead. Release me! I must go to him. He needs me."
"As High Regent, I carry a master key.” Reaching up, he unlocking her cuffs. “Tyron will be fine. They only take him to a med-tech."
"I must go with him."
"As is your right. No one will stand against you, Shayna. Not even the queen. She has been stripped of all powers and locked in her living quarters. Tyron has won the KarronMar. His powers are far greater than we thought. Dauring has granted a blessing."
Shayna glanced quickly at the dead dragon, spotting Tyron's sward stuck like a splinter in its eye, before following the group of cloaked Elisceans as they carried Tyron off the field.
Epilogue
Twenty-four hours after his battle, Tyron stepped back into his residence, holding Shayna's hand. He didn't stop until he threw her across the bed and wrapped his arms around her.
"By Dauring sake, I hate med-techs.” He nuzzled her throat.
She ran her fingers into his hair, brushing the dark strands from his forehead.
"Are we to be left in peace now? Can I truly love you without fear of being ripped from your arms?"
"The council sent a public reading, stating they have accepted our bound. Our names are now linked for all times."
"I have missed being with you."
He raised his head, meeting her sparkling gaze and he raised a brow. “That is something easy to fix."
"But you are not to strain yourself or lift anything for a while longer or the flesh patch may split, reopening your wound."
A long finger fell across her lips. “I have a deeper need. One only you can care for. Will you leave me in pain, Kara? Or see to my needs."
"You are wicked, Tyron. But I'm a slave to your mastery, and I live to please only you. What part of you should I care for first?” A wick gleam glowed from her gaze.
"Mmmm. I like the sound of that. However, you are no slave, more like wife, soul mate, eternal partner, and I would have you start at my lips and work your way down. Then I will worship you, for I hunger for the taste of you once more."
And with slow caresses and gentle stroking, both worshiped each other in answer to the Calling fever of love. An eternal bond sealed with a kiss.
Excerpt from another of Alyna Lachlan books.
Satin Chamber
> "My lord, you are a bit high handed. I am no relation to you sir, so I don't answer to you. I will go my way in the morning, and you will go yours. If there was something more, it would be none of your business, so don't use that tone of voice with me."
McLain dropped his arm from the mantel, a burning need bellowing through his chest. He moved straight to her. His stride never wavered.
Carmen's heart raced as she sensed the predator in him stalking her. Flames moved behind his dark eyes, hypnotizing, compelling, and moving her to answer their call.
As he slowly neared, she raised her hands to hold him back but he didn't stop. Her palms pressed into his chest as she was pushed backward on the bed. McLain leaned over her, his gaze intense, mesmerizing, an arm planted beside each one of her shoulders, caging her in, pressing his body into hers.
"You will go no where until I have all the information I need. Don't play with me, Carmen. I am not a smitten youth out to win the bell of the ball. I have no soul, no mercy. I prey on the weak and am more dangerous than you can imagine.” His fingers fisted in the hair on both sides of her face as he drew in her scent. “I'll be damned if I fall for someone like you."
His words came out on a harsh whisper, before he took possession of her lips.
A tingling sizzle moved from her lips to his, slightly painful at first, but he refused to let up. His kiss became demanding, coaxing, and teasing.
He groaned when her long fingers fanned into his hair and along the back of his neck. She held him, meeting his kiss with her own. Her mouth was wet, warm, and so addictively sweet.
As they touched some form of energy passed between them. He was compelled, driven to savor more of her flesh. She tasted of sweet fruit and smelled of honeyed lavender.
He slid his hand down the column of her throat then along her flesh to the curve of her breast. His large hand cupped her, his thumb brushing across her tight nipple. She moaned, arching her back, pressing herself into his touch. He growled low in his throat.
May the gods help him ... he wanted to possess her. As soon as he realized he wouldn't be content until he was resting deep between her thighs, he pushed himself away with a groan of regret, to lie beside her without touching. Both remained side by side still breathing heavily, unwilling to break the silence.
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