Midlife Magic Dragon (Midlife Shifters Book 7)

by J. L. Wilder

  “Just stay focused. I believe in you.”

  She offered him a quick smile in response before closing her eyes and giving it another shot.

  This time, it worked. Scorn watched as his body began to disappear, first starting with his fingertips and spreading back along his arms.

  “Hell yeah!” he shouted. “You’re doing it!”

  “Don’t break my concentration,” she said. “Let me focus.”

  He shut up, watching as his body and hers vanished.

  “This is about the most insane thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Cam, looking back at them. “I knew witches had some serious power, but this is amazing.”

  “All right,” said Maddie. “We can move. But this is taking a lot out of me, so we need to do it quickly.”

  “Got it,” said Scorn. “Come on.”

  He opened the door and, his arm around her waist so he knew where she was, started toward city hall.

  “You need to stay close,” she said, her voice low. “I doubt I can keep you hidden if you get too far from me.”

  “Not planning on letting that happen. Remember what I said about keeping you safe? I wasn’t fucking around.”

  Maddie didn’t say anything, but she took his hand and squeezed it.

  “All right,” said Scorn once they were around back. “Jump into my arms.”

  With a hoist, he brought Maddie into a fireman-carrying position. Then he closed his eyes and shifted.

  Once he was in his dragon form he glanced down, still surprised to see the earth and not his feet. He flew up, up toward the third floor of city hall, landing on the roof. It groaned under his invisible weight, and when he was confident they had footing, he let her down and shifted back.

  “Come on,” he said, spotting one of the windows up ahead. “That’s where we can get in.”

  They approached the sun windows, and Scorn kneeled in front of one.

  “Don’t smash it,” she said. “Let me do it.”

  He watched as a red glow appeared in the corner of one of the panels. The glow traced along the border, melting through the glass. Then she held the pane in place with some other kind of magic, then took it and placed it quietly aside.

  “Wow,” said Scorn, his voice low. “That’s...pretty snazzy. Pays to have a witch around to help out.”

  He could tell she was smiling.

  “Now,” she said, reaching in and opening the sun light. “Let’s get in there and get to the bottom of this shit.”

  He nodded and jumped down, Maddie following.

  Scorn had no idea what he was going to find out, but he had a feeling it would change his life forever.

  CHAPTER 17

  MADDIE

  Five minutes into their ninja mission and Maddie was exhausted. She felt as if she’d put in the hardest day at the gym in her life, followed by the most intense cram session back in college. Her body and mind were drained.

  “Scorn,” she said, the two of them making their way through the halls. “This...this is harder than I thought.”

  She stopped, leaning against the nearest wall and catching her breath.

  Maddie couldn’t see Scorn, but she felt his hands on her hips, keeping her steady.

  “We can turn back,” he said. “Not too late.”

  She shook her head. “No—we’ve come this far. I just...need a second.”

  Magic was hard work, she realized. What Katie had said about it being like a muscle made sense. She felt like a bodybuilder who’d been gifted powerful arms and a thick chest, but who didn’t yet know how to use them.

  “The meeting hall is just down here,” he said. “Once we’re there, you can give the powers a break while we hide.”

  That sounded good to her. Maddie nodded, and Scorn placed his hand on the small of her back as he led her on.

  They reached a set of double doors, Scorn stopping.

  “I can smell them,” he said. “Whatever’s happening here, it’s happening on the other side of these doors.”

  Maddie nodded, knowing he couldn’t see her nod but not caring, her body weakening by the moment.

  “I need you to do one more thing,” he said. “If we open the door with the knob, they’ll hear us.”

  She knew right away what he was asking. Not having the energy for another word, she placed her hand on the knob and focused. The energy required after what she’d already done felt to her like running up twenty stories then being asked to bench press a hundred pounds.

  But she did it. The knob melted, the door opening slowly and silently.

  “There,” he said. “Come on.”

  Their invisibility flickered for a moment as Maddie they entered the meeting hall.

  “Shit,” she hissed. “Sorry.”

  “Come on. Almost there.”

  They entered a grand space that reminded Maddie of a courtroom, a huge meeting table in the center. They were in a viewing area on the second floor, Maddie peeking down to the bottom before dropping onto the ground.

  And what she saw, she wasn’t ready for. Her eyes went wide, fear rushing through her body. She allowed the invisibility to turn off, their bodies reappearing, her muscles and mind crying out in relief.

  “It’s her,” she said, slumped against the barrier of the second floor. “That’s Frannie—that’s the head of my Coven.”

  “Dragons and witches working together? What the fuck is going on here?” Scorn peeked over the wall, glancing down.

  Stranger things have happened, thought Maddie. She didn’t have enough energy to speak.

  She closed her eyes and focused on the conversation, doing her best to listen in.

  “...need to move, and we need to move fast,” spoke a man’s gruff voice, one she guessed to be Red’s.

  “You’re going to have to exercise a bit of patience, child,” spoke a woman, her voice elegant and refined.

  That’s Frannie.

  “We’re planning a coup, Frannie. Patience isn’t exactly the name of the game.”

  “Of course, it is. All the best plans require foresight and timing. What do you want to do, rush into Seattle and kill anyone who stands in our way.”

  “Why the fuck not? It’d show all the shifters and witches in the city who’s got the power.”

  Maddie, mustering what little strength she had, lifted herself enough to catch a glimpse of the meeting. Six men and six women sat at the table, and Maddie recognized a few of the women from her brief time at the coven house.

  “You’ve spent too much time in the woods, Red. And that’s why you’re working with me, remember? I know the city. And if you want to control the state, you need to control Seattle—no way around it.”

  “You still haven’t told me why I can’t just march into Seattle and rip the head off every alpha there.”

  “Because there are thousands and thousands of shifters in the city. And these aren’t Podunk wilderness tribes—they’re organized, and they know how to fight.”

  “They’re soft,” said Red. “And I’ve cut my teeth on the clans here in the woods.”

  “You’re proving again and again why I’m the one in charge of the assault on the city. You’re not going to accomplish anything but getting your clan wiped out if you pull a stunt like that.”

  “Fine,” said Red. “Then tell me what you’ve got in mind.”

  “We attack the heads of the clans, yes. But we do it in a more strategic manner. First, we take care of the corporate side of the Blackshroud clan.”

  “That’s right—we kill the fucking suits.”

  “Mhmm. And once they’re gone and you have their finances secured, that’s where we come in. You pay us, and we bring the rest of the witch covens into the fold. And then you help us consolidate power in the city.”

  “And how do we know you won’t stab us in the back?”

  “Because we need each other to get what we want. Peace has existed between the dragons and covens for some time. Now, we’re going to make it permanent by
placing you in charge of the Washington shifters, and me in charge of the covens. You control New Haven, and we both profit. And once we’ve solidified our power in the Pacific Northwest, we can move down. If we play this intelligently, by this time next year, we could have Oregon. And from there, California would be right within our grasp.”

  “Sounds nice,” said Red. “But you’ve got a little problem.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “The woman.”

  “What woman?”

  “Don’t play dumb with me,” he said. “You having all this power depends on you having that new witch. I’ve got my sources; I know what you’re up to. And from what I’ve heard, she managed to break out of your coven house.”

  “That’s nothing,” said Frannie. “A minor setback. My coven has tabs on every single coven in the city, and there’s not a chance she’ll be able to keep a low profile for very long. And she’s got no idea how to use her powers—only a matter of time before we find her and have her back in the fold. From there, she’ll be easily broken.”

  She went on.

  “And what about your little issue? The alpha you’ve got wandering around the woods and haven’t yet managed to kill?”

  “Same deal—matter of time. And if they’re together like we think, this whole thing will be easier than we both hope.”

  “Then it’s settled. Once we both take care of our respective problems, nothing’s going to stop us from putting our plans into motion.”

  “Good—because I’m fucking tired of talking. Just wanted to see you once more to make sure we are on the same page before we get this shit started.”

  “What’s your first move, Red?”

  “That any of your business?”

  “Of course, it is. From here on out, your business is my business. And vice versa.”

  Maddie heard Red grumble as if he didn’t want to talk about it.

  “Strikes in one week—in the city and in the woods. We take out the alphas of the surrounding clans, bring them under heel. But we’ve still got business in the city. You’ll see that when it happens.”

  “Good. And we’ll keep you abreast of any further developments in Seattle. It’s been a pleasure working with you so far, Red. I can’t wait to see how these next few weeks and months pan out.”

  Maddie’s heart thudded in her chest as she listened to the chairs squeak, all the attendees getting up.

  “Shit!” she hissed. “Scorn, this is bad.”

  “You’re fucking telling me,” he said. “The most powerful witch coven and the most powerful dragon clan in the state are working together to bring everyone else under their heel. And you and I are right in the middle of it.”

  Maddie nodded, unable to put it more succinctly than that.

  “We need to get the fuck out of here, right now,” she said. “Because we’re in the center of the biggest shifter conspiracy in the state. They find us, and we’re fucked.”

  Scorn gave her a sly smile, one she couldn’t quite puzzle out.

  “What does that look mean?” she asked.

  “Nothing. Just that you’re sexy as fuck when you swear.”

  Despite the situation, she couldn’t help but feel a little warm at his words.

  “We get out the way we came in,” said Scorn. “And we get the fuck out of here with Cam.”

  “Good call. Let’s move.”

  She started off, but before she could take a step, Scorn placed his hand on her shoulder.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “The invisibility—that looked like it was taking it out of you.”

  Maddie paused, realizing he was right.

  “No time to worry about that now. I have to cloak us again or we’re not going to make it out of here alive.”

  Scorn seemed to agree, but the look on his face made it clear he wasn’t happy with this plan in the slightest.

  “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go.”

  Maddie took his hand and closed her eyes. Her body and mind were totally worn out, but she knew her words had been true. Both the shifters and the witches were looking for them, and if they didn’t hurry out of there soon, they’d be caught.

  With all the energy she had left at her disposal, she cloaked them. But right as she faded, she watched as Scorn moved in to pick her up from her feet.

  “You don’t need to carry me like this,” she hissed.

  “Now’s not the time to be stubborn,” he said. “Just focus on keeping us hidden.”

  Maddie knew he was right, and as much as she wanted to sass him back, she instead focused on keeping them invisible.

  Scorn brought them up and out of the roof, shifting into his dragon form and dropping down onto the ground. Cam was waiting for them in the spot where he’d been before.

  “Come on, come on!” hissed Cam as Scorn opened the door and set Maddie down in the back.

  Once they were inside and Cam on his way, Maddie allowed the invisibility to fade.

  “Holy shit,” said Cam as he drove. “What the hell happened in there? I was watching the hall; Red and all his men left—whatever was going on, it was important.”

  Cam kept on driving down the main drag, and soon they were on the road out of town. As worn out as Maddie was, she allowed herself to feel relief at their escape.

  “Fuck,” said Cam, panic in his voice.

  “What?” snarled Scorn.

  “We’re not out of the woods just yet. Look.”

  Maddie, using what little strength she had left, lifted herself up.

  Fear rushed through her at what she saw.

  In hot pursuit were two witches, both flying through the air at an incredible speed.

  “You got some more powers in you, Maddie?” asked Scorn. “Because we’re going to need them.”

  CHAPTER 18

  SCORN

  His eyes were locked on the two women, both following the car through the air like a pair of missiles keyed-in to their targets. One had long, blonde hair, the other short and dark. Each had a sharp, pretty face that was, at that moment, fixed in an expression of tight concentration.

  “You ever fought a witch before, Scorn?” asked Cam, his eyes on the road as he gunned the engine.

  “Nope. But there’s a first time for everything, right?”

  One of the witches held her hand out, a ball of fire collecting on her fingertips. She pulled back her hand and tossed the flame toward the car, Cam yanking the wheel and moving them out of the way just in time. The flame shot into the woods and exploded in a blossom of orange.

  “Holy hell,” said Cam. “These ladies aren’t fucking around.”

  Maddie didn’t look good. Her skin was pale, and it seemed as if she were having trouble keeping her eyes open. Scorn could see that the use of her powers had drained her.

  “Maddie,” he said, holding her up. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like...like I need a fucking nap.”

  He smirked as he always did when she swore.

  “I’m going to try to get these two,” he said. “I want you to stay down, all right?”

  She shook her head. “You can’t. You don’t have any idea what kind of power you’re up against.”

  “It’s fine,” said Scorn, speaking over the growl of the engine. “You’ve seen what a dragon can do. That fire she just tossed is nothing.”

  “It’s a nothing that almost blew up the car,” said Cam. “Whatever you’re going to do, do it fast.”

  Cam was right. After checking on Maddie one more time, Scorn sat up and moved over to the door. He opened it and watched as the other witch, the dark-haired one, summoned another fireball.

  “Fucking fuck,” said Scorn, watching as the magic gathered, briefly illuminating the witch’s face before rocketing toward the truck. “Incoming!”

  Cam pulled the truck hard, this fireball sailing past just like the other.

  “Scorn, buddy,” said Cam. “Whatever you’re
planning on doing, do it fast. Don’t know how many more of these I can dodge.”

  Scorn nodded before turning his attention back to the witches. He gauged the speed of the truck then, with a push, launched himself out of the back.

  “Scorn!” shouted Maddie, sitting up.

  He turned to see her watching him with worried eyes as he jumped and shifted, Scorn in his dragon form before he hit the ground.

  He turned his attention to the witches, and as he sized them up as targets, he noticed something strange happening inside of him. The rage returned, but it was different, this time under his control.

  It was as if his animal side and human side were finally joining together. But they weren’t quite there yet. He could feel the rage roil inside of him, like a force of nature he couldn’t quite control.

  He pointed his jet-black dragon form forward, rushing toward the witches and quickly closing the distance. He opened his mouth, his razor-sharp teeth gleaming in the sun as he moved in for the kill.

  These two want to see some fire? I’ll show them fire.

  He gathered the flames in his mouth, preparing for a blast that would reduce the two of them to cinders. But right at the moment he was ready to jet it forward, the blonde witch raised her hand.

  And everything stopped. Scorn watched as the witches rushed by him, off into the distance. Cam’s truck kept on driving.

  What the fuck is going on here? What did she do?

  It had all been so sudden that it took him a moment for him to wrap his mind around it—the witch had frozen him in place.

  Shit. Shit-shit-shit. He struggled, but it was as if he’d been totally paralyzed. Not a single muscle cooperated. He couldn’t even move his eyes.

  But he struggled as hard as he could, knowing that each second that passed put Maddie and Cam in danger.

  Come on, you pussy, snarled his rage. You gonna float here like some kind of dumbass statue while your girl gets killed? Don’t let it happen again.

  This time his rage pushed him, forced him into action. One wing moved, then the other. Then he looked around.

  Got it, he thought.

  Back in motion, he flew up into the air, high enough that he could spot the truck and the witches in pursuit. He pointed his body down like a falcon and flew, the wind rushing past his ears. He grew closer and closer to the witches, neither of them noticing that he was fast approaching with the speed of a rocket.