Turning, she put out her hand and opened a doorway. She stepped through and found herself back in the clearing in Naperville where she had found the Onyx Moon. She looked at Zaila. Zaila nodded and walked around the clearing. Her eyes dilated and went blank. Suddenly, she gasped and then collapsed, shuddering. Rushing over to Zaila, Tashana picked her up.
“Zaila.” Tashana touched her face.
It was so cold. Zaila’s heartbeat was sluggish.
Jaynat touched her shoulder. “Let me.” She touched Zaila and murmured an incantation.
Tashana saw something move beneath Zaila’s skin. Suddenly, Zaila sat up and hit Jaynat in the chest, sending her across the clearing. Zaila turned in a blur and hit her. Flying backward, Tashana flipped in the air and landed on her feet. She saw Jaynat use a tree as leverage, walk up it and lock her legs around the limb. Zaila stood and black smoke engulfed her. Tashana started to go to her and stopped, coming up against a barrier. Reaching out to touch it, she realized it was a shield. Zaila had locked them out and whatever she was fighting in. Using her power, Tashana tried to break down the shield. It wouldn’t budge. Jaynat was trying the same thing, but nothing worked.
A glance back at Zaila through the shield showed that a woman had taken shape. Zaila was locked in a furious fight with her. The woman shifted to smoke again. Using it against her, Zaila clenched her fist and twisted her hand while pushing out. The sound of Zaila’s chant rose on the air as her full power flared to strengthen her spell. Time stood still for a moment, then the woman shrieked. She solidified and clutched her chest. Blood bloomed from between her breasts.
The woman turned and looked at Tashana. “You’re all going to die.”
Zaila threw a fireball at her and the woman burned and melted away. The shield dropped. Tashana raced across the clearing, reaching Zaila the same time as Jaynat. Zaila staggered and almost went down. Gripping her from both sides, they held her. Her head lolled as she passed out. From past experienced they knew Zaila would be out for a few hours. Tashana opened a portal to take her home.
Stepping into Zaila’s bedroom, she and Jaynat lifted her up and took her to the bed. Laying Zaila down, they stepped back. She was pale but fine. Turning Jaynat motioned Tashana to the door. Not wanting to leave, she reached for Zaila’s hand.
You don’t have to stay and watch me sleep, Zaila spoke in her mind her voice weary.
You should rest, Tashana replied.
I will as soon as you stop hovering. I’m tired, not dying. Go away. Zaila sounded grumpy.
Chuckling, Tashana stood, watched her one last time and went out the door.
Jaynat was waiting for her. “You must find Sanjay.” There was urgency in her tone.
Tashana frowned. “What did you see?”
Jaynat looked at her. “Blood and death.”
Tashana gasped at the pain on Jaynat’s face.
Jaynat waved her hand. “Go, Shana.”
Urgency filled Tashana as she turned and ran. A portal opened in front of her. Running through it, she saw she was in the underground of New York. Setting out, she searched for him.
Hours later, staggering into her house at midnight, Tashana was weary. Even with the help of the other Agents that Jaynat had sent, she still hadn’t found Sanjay. They had looked everywhere on earth and other dimensions. The only place they hadn’t been able to check was Zalakar. The dragons were so secretive, no one knew where it was. As the time passed, fear filled her. She had only come home for a brief rest, then she would go back out. Going up the stairs and into her bedroom, she took a quick shower, then fell naked onto the bed.
Tashana woke violently aroused. From his scent, she knew it was Sanjay. He impaled her in one stroke. Gasping, she felt her pussy stretch to accommodate him and then wetness flooded her, making him slip in and out of her easier. Moaning, Tashana gripped him. He pumped fiercely, his touch demanding and desperate. Fisting his hand in her hair, he pulled her head back and locked eyes with her. There was pain shimmering in his eyes. It made her heart ache.
Pulling her with him, he sat back and spread his legs, widening her. Moaning, Tashana held on. His hands gripped her hips brutally and he grunted as he raised her up and down his shaft. Clenching her pussy around him, she locked her hands in his hair. He growled low in his throat and widened his legs. Shuddering, Tashana felt his cock harden even more. He ran his hands up her back and into her hair. He grabbed it and pulled sharply, bending her head back. Whimpering, she undulated her hips taking all of him. His lips devoured her throat. He bit her. The sting made liquid fire fill her veins. All her nerve endings became inflamed. He pumped strongly, giving her no mercy. He hissed and bit her again. Tashana tumbled over the edge into a brutal orgasm. She clenched around him, grinding down and felt his cock pulse as his own release swept over him. He shuddered against her then was still.
Suddenly, harsh sobs wrenched from him. She gathered him to her.
“Sanjay, what’s wrong?”
His eyes swam with tears. “My father is dead.”
Sobs spilled from him. Tears welled into her eyes, then spilled down her cheeks. His hand gripped her as he laid his head against her breast and wept tears of blood.
* * * *
A surge of power woke Tashana. With a gasp, she looked at Sanjay. “What was that?”
His expression was grim. “They are reading the scroll.”
Fear filled her, then calm overcame her. She touched his cheek. “We have to stop them.”
He nodded. “Let’s go.”
They got out of bed quickly and dressed. Turning, Tashana put out her hand and he took it. Instinctively, she knew what she had to do. Tashana closed her eyes and blocked everything out. She dropped her shields against the Onyx Moon and felt it search across time, space and dimensions for the location of the scroll. Knowledge of the location filled her. Power flared inside of her and she raised her hand and pulled back the space in front of her opening a doorway She walked through with Sanjay and stepped onto solid ground. Looking around, she took in the beauty of Sage Mountain National Park in Tortola. Letting go of Sanjay’s hand she let the Onyx Moon lead her. She started to walk deeper into the park. Reaching the rain forest area deep within the park, she stopped and staggered at the force of the power that washed over her.
Chapter Eight
Looking across the clearing, Tashana watched five people standing around. The sound of a language she did not know filled the air in a beautiful chorus of rolling notes and syllables.
A man turned and looked at them his eyes flickering red. “You’re too late, Sanjay.”
“Ikram.” Sanjay hissed next to her.
Tashana didn’t care how he knew him. All her attention was on the scroll. It glittered in the sunlight. From where she stood, she could see the words on the scroll start to glow as it was read. The Onyx Moon was silent against her but she felt something in the air. Taking a step forward, she saw Sanjay matched her step for step. Halfway across the clearing, she stopped. There was a wash of power and then the air around them wavered and they spilled out—Deathwalkers. There were hundreds of them. They circled Tashana and Sanjay standing between them and the people surrounding the scroll. Another face turned to look at them. Gasping, Tashana looked in disbelief at the same woman they had killed the night before.
The woman smiled a terrifying grin. “You killed Xilon, my sister. You will pay, Nefer, all of you will pay.”
“Xio!” Sanjay roared, cutting out all sound.
He stepped back and Tashana felt a ripple of power and then heard a screech that only a dragon could make.
Blood for my father, Sanjay roared in her mind.
“Blood for my mother,” Tashana screamed.
With a graceful movement she slid out one leg then touched the ground in front of her. She raised one hand palm open straight out … Drawing on her Nefer Guardian powers, Tashana felt the power swell and lash out. Clones of herself and Sanjay popped up all around the clearing encircling the Deathwalk
ers. She tasted their fear. It was one of the weapons that made Nefer Guardians fierce warriors. One Nefer could create a legion of themselves. With them, you could hold off any attack. Seeing through the eyes of the clone, Tashana took in how she and Sanjay looked.
Sanjay was majestic. She had thought he would be grey in dragon form because of his eyes. He wasn’t. He was almost translucent, his wings spread wide. The tips of his scales and tail were silver. Besides his eyes, which were the same as before, it was the only color on him. Tashana saw that her own face was fierce and in her eyes was the look of death. She smiled cruelly and all her clones did the same. Sanjay raised his head and screeched again. It echoed all around the clearing. He shot straight up in the sky as she pressed her hand flat on the ground and pushed off. Using the push of power she rose in the sky Tashana brought her hand forward and with a thought her whip was in her hand. The whip uncurled then lit with blue flames. With a quick twist of her wrists, she slashed the Deathwalkers closest to her in quick succession. They screamed as they disintegrated.
The battle began in earnest. Her clones made quick work of the other Deathwalkers, cutting a path through them. She could hear Sanjay in his own battle. Flicking her whip, she glanced up and saw he was locked in battle with another dragon. Pulling back her whip, she glanced around and saw that all his clones were fighting other dragons. Her eyes narrowed, knowing that meant that not all the beings in the clearing were Deathwalkers. A whisper of sound reached her. Spinning, she called her dagger, heated it and threw it. It found its mark.
Calling it back, she spun and cracked her whip taking out more Deathwalkers. In the distance, she could hear the murmuring as they continued to read the scroll. It was taking too long to clear the area. Sending her weapons away. Tashana built her power, then clenching her fists, she stepped forward and brought her fists together and focused the power. A sonic boom of light speared across the floor of the clearing. She watched as the Deathwalkers screamed and disintegrated while the other beings staggered and fell. Smiling, Tashana saw that the number had been cut in half. Pulling her two swords, she stalked forward. Her clones did the same.
Jumping into the middle of the enemies that remained, she slashed, spun and kicked. Absently she noted there were many various types of shifters among the remaining Deathwalkers. Breathing harshly, she stood looking around at the area littered with bodies. The group that was reading the scroll lay on the ground.
The woman who had spoken before shook her head, got to her knees, and slapped the man next to her. “Continue, you fool.”
She turned and sprung across the clearing heading for Tashana. Spinning out of the way, Tashana felt claws rake her arm. Hissing, she turned and punched out. The woman flew across the clearing, seemed to catch herself and then flew back at her. Spinning in the air, Tashana back-kicked her in the chest. The woman screamed in rage and caught her foot. She dragged Tashana and flung her across the clearing. Hitting the ground hard, Tashana rolled to get out of the way as the woman punched down, breaking the earth. A loud screech rent the air. Tashana looked up and saw a spear buried in Sanjay’s dragon chest. She gasped but didn’t worry, it couldn’t kill him. The woman punched down again and Tashana grabbed her fist.
Using her as leverage, Tashana kicked up with her legs while pushing out with her palm. The woman flew backward, her feet raking the ground. The woman caught herself and smiled. A sound of anguish rent the air. Glancing up, Tashana’s heart stopped as Sanjay plummeted out of the sky. Calling back the power from the clones, Tashana threw her hand open in Sanjay’s direction . A golden net caught him and lowered him to the floor. He shifted back to human form, gasping. Tashana stumbled back as the woman punched her in her chest. Tashana grabbed her hand, twisted it and pushed out with her fist hitting the woman in the chest. She poured all her power into her. The woman screamed, shuddered and dropped. Stepping over her, Tashana stumbled and fell to her knees, too weak to walk. Dragging herself to Sanjay, she touched him and felt the coolness of his skin.
“Sanjay, what’s wrong?” Tashana was frantic.
He gurgled.” Poison.”
She was confused. ”Poison can’t kill a dragon.”
Sanjay gasped. “It is the same that killed my father.”
Tashana’s heart stopped. He hadn’t told her how his father died. Dragging herself over him, she touched his chest trying to pull it out of him. She was too weak.
“No!” Tashana screamed.
A backwash of power swept over her. Looking up she saw more Deathwalkers fill the clearing. They advanced. She was too weak to duplicate help. Using her last burst of energy, she brought her swords to her. Using them as leverage, she stood slowly and painfully. Bringing them up in front of her, she prepared to fight until her last breath. The Deathwalkers screamed and rushed her.
* * * *
Striding down the eerily empty halls of Zalakar, Zaila wondered where everyone was. She woke remembering everything. The battle, Tashana and the urgency. Donning her clothing, she had prepared to go to Zalakar the dragon world. Her walk around the clearing had shown her the way and the plot that was against the dragons and the world.
“Where is everyone?” Jaynat said walking beside her.
Looking at her, Zaila couldn’t answer her. Jaynat was by her side when she woke and refused to be left behind. Now, looking at the empty chambers, she was glad Jaynat had come. Something was wrong. The sound of feet pounding reached her. Spinning, she looked as a woman rushed around the corner.
The woman stopped in shock, then her eyes narrowed with hate. “What do you here, Nefer?”
She had no time for foolishness.
Waving her hand, Zaila said, “Sleep.”
The woman collapsed. The sound of more footsteps came and more women and men rushed around the corner. They formed a circle around them to attack. Narrowing her eyes, Zaila cupped her hand, blew into it and released it at those in front of her. They turned to stone. The people left murmured and closed in.
“Stop,” a voice commanded.
The dragons parted and a warrior in a battle helmet full battle dress strode through. Reaching them, the warrior removed the helmet. Long inky black hair appeared.
Intense gray eyes started at them. “Are you friend or foe, Nefer?” The woman asked in a melodious voice.
“Where is your General?” Zaila asked, impatient to get to him.
Sorrow flashed in the woman’s eyes, then they went cold. “My father is dead. State your intention, Nefer.”
Zaila was shocked. It was worse than she had feared. Closing her eyes, she felt sorrow. She was too late. Ice raced down Zalia’s back and spread through her body.
Opening her eyes, she looked at the woman. “Show me his body.”
“No,” The woman donned her helmet and rushed them.
The people behind her ran forward, joining her. Weary of them, Zaila snapped her fingers and they went still, frozen in place. Fury blazed in the woman’s eyes.
Walking over, Zaila said, “A warrior who attacks with emotion and no plan is useless in battle.”
Turning away, she saw the smile on Jaynat’s face. “What?”
Jaynat shook her head. “You know you’re freaky, right?”
She shrugged. “So?”
Turning, she sent out her senses and searched. She started to run. Running down the halls and around the corners, urgency filled her. Bursting into a room, she saw lush furnishings. Heading straight for the bed, she jumped up and onto the bed, landing over the still form there. He was cold and pale. Zaila pulled back the power from her earlier spell knowing she would need all her power for what was to come.
She had thought the psychic call for help she felt was from the general, yet instead it was this man who she had found instead. From what she knew of Dragon culture the general was always scarred from his battles. It was a mark of valor. But this man was unscarred. She would have to find the general afterward. For now, she had to focus on the man in front of her. Raising her hand up,
she dropped to her knees straddling him and hit him in the middle of the chest.
“No!” the woman she had spoken to before screeched right behind her.
Zaila didn’t pay her any attention, all her focus was on the unconscious man. Pressing firmly on his chest, she tightened her legs around him and sent out her power to search inside of him. She felt the malignant energy inside of him. Slowly she wrapped her power around it then pulled it up.
Jaynat’s voice was urgent. “Hurry, I can only hold them off a little longer without killing them.”
Zaila focused and continued to pull. The man’s hands lashed out and gripped her wrist. He gasped. His eyes flashed open. Zaila saw the pain in his dark brown gaze. Pulling back, she brought the energy with her. A thick green substance slid out of him and circled up her arm. It came up her shoulder, across her chest and up her chin to her mouth. Sucking it in, she held it in her mouth. Turning her head, she spit it out. It flew across the room, hit the ground and shattered. Waving her hand, she incinerated the rest. Turning back to the man, she saw he was watching her, a hungry look on his face.
“Let me go,” she said.
He tightened his grip. “Ah, Sekmet, I must repay you for helping me.”
Zaila felt power, quickly followed by sweet pain, flash under her skin at the sound of her ancient name from his lips. Pushing it back, Zaila didn’t care how he knew. The knowledge in his eyes of what she was didn’t matter. He shuddered as some of her power touched him, and his eyes flared with wanton lust. Clamping down on the power tightly, she locked it away.
She raised her eyebrow. “Don’t call me that. I no longer answer to that name. Take me to your General.”
An arrogant smile curled his lips. Zaila’s heart quickened.
“You’ve found him.”
Zaila masked her shock, then laughed. “Really? How could you let yourself be duped?”
The man’s face turned furious. “Get off of me, woman.”
Taking her time, Zaila started to stand. A wave of power knocked her off her feet and against him. His arms banded around her.
Onyx Moon Rising Page 6
