Heart of the Dragon

by Rachel Jonas

  My steps were light as I eased out into the hallway. Clenching my fists at both sides, I put one foot in front of the other. I wished I could have nailed down one scent, but there were so many, mingling with one another, making it impossible to identify them individually.

  Or maybe … I couldn’t identify them because they weren’t familiar to me.

  Maybe they were strangers, lycans from the Council who’d come to detain me.

  At that thought, I froze in place, one foot on the stairs, the other in midair. Every light I’d turned on when I came in was out now, casting the entire first floor in darkness. I paused and listened harder, hoping to get a location on at least one.

  Nothing but silence.

  “Who—who’s there?” I stammered, feeling the erratic throb of my heart against my ribs.

  I could hardly catch my breath, so I chose to hold it. Doing so would also keep the intruders from knowing how freaked out I was, but … I was definitely freaked out. In fact, I’d just made up my mind to sprint down the stairs and make a run for the front door when a figure emerged from the shadows.

  “Don’t even think about it, kid.”

  The voice … I recognized it.

  “Richie?”

  He stepped into the light and that’s when I saw the others, dark silhouettes all over the foyer. I counted five.

  The next second, the chandelier at the foot of the stairs shimmered with light and I laid eyes on the last faces I expected to see here tonight—all three of my brothers, plus Lucas and Chris.

  My heart rate slowed and I clutched my chest, easing down to sit on a step.

  “Did we scare ya?” Kyle asked, grinning big. Of course he got a kick out of this.

  “The theatrics were my idea,” he bragged. “Seemed only fair after you had us terrified these last few months, thinking we’d lost you.”

  His smile faded a bit and I had nothing to say to that as I imagined what I’d put my family through.

  I locked eyes with my friends, and both wore a mix of relief and anger on their faces, which I also understood. I’d left abruptly with no word and they hadn’t heard from me since. They were upset and I couldn’t blame them.

  I pushed a hand through my hair and breathed deep.

  “Guys, I’m—” The words wouldn’t come, because there was nothing I could say to make up for the things I’d done. There was absolutely no excuse. For any of it.

  “I’m sorry.” That was all I could force out, hoping that, somehow, it’d be enough.

  Richie lowered his gaze to the tile and nodded. “We know, kid.”

  He was always so hard to read, was always pretty monotone, so I couldn’t gage whether his response was one rooted in sympathy or sarcasm.

  “We thought they’d been lying to us,” Lucas chimed in. “We thought they took you and just didn’t want to tell us. It was hard to believe you’d run off like that without warning again,” he added. “You had to have known you could talk to us, right? About whatever was going on?”

  I felt sick to my stomach, facing them all at once.

  “It was more complicated than that,” was the only answer I could give without going into detail about what I am, what my destiny is said to be. That’d be the only way to explain why I’d gotten so desperate. Desperate enough to be fooled by the witches into doing their dirty work. It was never about helping me. They used me to get to Liam, fed off my hatred for him.

  Chris shook his head. “Nah, you gotta give us more than that,” he demanded. “It’s coming up on three months since you left. Where have you been?”

  I breathed deep. “Nowhere really. Cheap motels and outside once we ran out of money.”

  They were all silent.

  “You guys have to believe me, I would’ve told you everything if I could have.”

  “You told Roz,” Lucas cut in, poking holes in my excuse.

  He was right. She did know everything, all my secrets, but that was different. However, I knew they’d never understand how it was different. I didn’t even fully understand it myself. Things with her had changed, evolved into something completely different altogether, but I didn’t want to think about that right now. My head was cloudy enough.

  “Let’s lay off him a bit,” Richie cut in, saving me from having to explain things I couldn’t. “We’re just glad you’re home.”

  My eyes lifted when he said that, the first welcoming thing I’d heard since this conversation began. Kyle made his way up the stairs to where I sat first, bringing me in for a rough hug. Then Ben and Richie. Chris and Lucas were the last and I knew it’d take a little while for them to understand it all, but I made myself promise I’d tell them everything as soon as I figured out how.

  They each settled on the stairs around me and I asked the big question. “How bad do Mom and Dad wanna kill me?”

  Richie chuffed a short laugh. “Let’s not ruin the moment.”

  I nodded, deciding to leave it alone for now. If I had to guess, they’d most likely ground me until I turned thirty, and I couldn’t fault them for that. I screwed up. Big time.

  But my next thought wasn’t of whatever punishment my parents had thought up, it was of whatever punishment the Council had thought up.

  With a sigh, my hand slid down my face. I was exhausted, but more worried than anything else.

  “So, you came home for Roz, huh?”

  I turned to Ben when he asked, and then nodded. “Yeah. Didn’t have much choice. She came down with some kind of flu, and it just kept getting worse and worse.”

  I caught a strange look being passed between my brothers. “What?”

  It took a moment for any of them to respond, but then Richie spoke. “We don’t get sick,” he explained. “We’re immune to any and everything you can think of. Especially a virus as weak as the flu.”

  My brow tensed. “So … you think she was faking?” I pulled together all the details, how weak she was, how she couldn’t keep anything down.

  Richie shook his head. “Not at all, but I do think the Council played on your feelings for her.”

  That statement … ‘feelings for her’ … it made me uncomfortable, but I kept it to myself. That wasn’t what I needed to be focused on.

  “You think they made her sick?”

  Richie nodded again. “Well … I think the witches did.”

  I was silent.

  “Pretty sure they used her to flush you out into the open,” Ben added.

  My thoughts reeled. This had all been a setup. They knew I wouldn’t let Roz suffer.

  The sound of a paper crinkling brought my eyes to Kyle as he pulled something out of his pocket.

  “Until this came, it was only speculation,” he explained. “But now, we’re sure that’s what happened.”

  He handed the paper over and Ben spoke again. “They already had this drafted and delivered a couple hours ago.”

  My bus hadn’t even gotten in a couple hours ago, which meant … they were expecting me.

  “What is this?” I asked, turning the paper over in my hands, knowing I could have answered my own question if I’d just look inside. But fear stopped me.

  “A summons,” Richie sighed.

  I couldn’t lift my eyes to look at them. Their expressions would only make this more real, seeing the worry I was sure resided there.

  “It’s just for a hearing,” Ben said, trying to ease my mind I was sure, but it didn’t work. Being summoned by the Council was a big deal.

  I clenched the paper in my fist. “When?”

  “Once members of the High Council make it into town,” Kyle answered. “Tomorrow.”

  Tomorrow.

  “It says you’re supposed to arrive alone, but we’re going with you,” Richie cut in.

  “No.”

  Every pair of eyes was set on me.

  “What do you mean no?” he snapped. “We’re not letting you face this alone.”

  “And I’m not letting anyone else suffer because of me.”


  My gaze landed on Richie as soon as the words left my mouth, and a familiar sensation hit my chest. It was the same sensation I felt the day I showed up for the meeting at Officer Chadwick’s, right after so many young lycans shifted in one night. Angry, Richie had done his best to force me out, wanting to shield me from a reality I’d already begun to see the full scale of. I understood what this feeling was now.

  As our pack’s alpha, he was pulling rank.

  A sharp pain seared through my skin like a hot iron, his attempt at forcing me to submit. Only, it wasn’t working like last time. Dead-set against the idea of him or anyone else tagging along, I pushed back. Slowly, surely, the burn subsided, and my will was my own again.

  Confusion crossed his face when I made my point clear. “I’m going alone.”

  Ben passed a discreet glance Richie’s way, but said nothing.

  With that, the atmosphere thickened and the mood shifted.

  “Suit yourself.” I stared at the back of Richie’s head as he trudged down the stairs. Like usual, my defiance rubbed him the wrong way.

  “Just understand what you’ll be walking into,” he called back, his hand already on the doorknob. “There’s no guarantee they’ll let you leave once they have you.”

  No guarantee they’d let me keep breathing once they had me.

  I swallowed hard and then gave a nod. One that exuded false confidence. “Understood.”

  His gaze remained locked on me a moment longer, maybe waiting for me to change my mind, but that wouldn’t happen.

  I made this mess and no one else would pay for it but me.

  —Chapter Twelve—

  Liam

  Only for her.

  No one else could have talked me into being here, in the Elders’ chamber, pleading the case of someone I’d imagined killing a hundred different ways.

  He’d been back in Seaton Falls just under twenty-four-hours and the quick summoning made it clear they were eager to deal with him. Possibly because of all the trouble he’d caused.

  Baz was silent, his milky-white eyes lingering on careful penmanship scrawled across a sheet of paper. Two sheets of paper—a letter Evangeline had written, listing the reasons she thought Nick’s life was worth sparing. At her bidding, I supported her plea by adding my two cents, asking the Elders to have mercy on Nick, as much as the Council and High Council would allow.

  Baz spoke for the two seated beside him, like always, and I didn’t miss the hint of amusement in his tone.

  “When we discussed young Nicholas’ fate months ago … were you not eager to have him put to death?” he asked. “And now, you’re requesting that we show him mercy this evening?”

  I knew how ironic this was.

  “It isn’t my request, per se. I’m only here on Evangeline’s behalf.”

  “I see.” He nodded slowly. “She’s quite compassionate,” he noted, reading more of her words. “And persuasive.”

  He’d get no argument out of me on that one.

  There was a long bout of silence while he thought, possibly considering Evangeline’s plea. However, I had little hope they’d allow her wishes to sway their decision.

  “I’ll present it before the Council and High Council once members arrive shortly, but I make no guarantees. As you well know, we take behavior that threatens the safety and balance of the clan quite seriously.”

  I nodded. “I do.”

  “Then, please explain this to Evangeline ahead of time. It’s better she be prepared for the worst outcome tonight, because … this isn’t likely to go in her favor.”

  There was nothing more to say. In so many words, Baz made it clear they had no intentions on giving Nick a light sentence. I had a mix of comfort and uneasiness about it all.

  Comfort knowing Nick wouldn’t be able to hurt Evangeline.

  Uneasiness knowing her soft heart would be broken if he received the severest punishment. Despite her ill feelings toward him. She had the presence of mind to see past how he affected her personally, and considered others—his family and friends, and even Nick himself.

  But Baz was right; it’d be best to prepare her for the worst.

  This thing could go either way.

  *****

  Evie

  There would be repercussions for sneaking off alone while Liam was gone, but I had to.

  I had to see for myself.

  Warm, yellow light beamed through large windows where the blinds hadn’t been shut. The sun had just gone down, so I guessed they hadn’t gotten around to it.

  Thank God they hadn’t gotten around to it.

  I watched them from the rooftop of a family’s home who hadn’t yet returned for the night. Perched there, I had a clear view of my parents, of the love and closeness I had only dreamed about lately. They looked so happy. So blissfully unaware.

  “I’m still here,” I whispered.

  Only to myself, because telling them wouldn’t even matter.

  They’d long-since forgotten me.

  Mom reached across the table with a laugh, swiping food from Dad’s chin. Tonight was family date night, and from what I could see, removing me from the equation hadn’t changed things all that much. They’d likely just come in from a movie, and per our tradition, they were ending the night with pizza.

  I missed them so much I ached all over just thinking about it. They were missing a third of their trio and didn’t even realize it.

  Wetness slipped down my cheek and sizzled from the fire blazing just beneath my skin. It kept me warm, seeing as how I’d wandered off after the dinner Elise prepared—no jacket, no phone. Just this emptiness I tried to keep to myself.

  I was drawn here similarly to how my core was magnetized with Liam. I simply couldn’t keep my distance. It killed me being in the same town, but having to stay away. So, tonight, I found a way to be with them while still only existing on the fringes.

  Like a ghost.

  A twinge in the center of my chest prompted me to stifle the tears pooling in my eyes, because I had company—the kind that panics when he can’t find me. The kind that used a handy tether that led him straight here. My skin tingled with awareness as Liam drew closer, still hidden under the darkness of night, but I now heard snow crunching beneath his boots.

  I’d climbed a nearby tree and walked a branch tightrope-style to get on this roof. It was a less than graceful performance I was glad no one witnessed but me. Now, putting me to shame, Liam burst into the air just like the night we flew, only with far more control as he landed gracefully beside me. His footing was so sure. A far cry from the slippery dance I’d done over ice-covered shingles twenty-minutes ago.

  “Show off,” I smiled, wrangling in the emotions I allowed to surface when I was alone.

  He filled the space to my right, and to my surprise, I wasn’t chastised for running off on my own. He didn’t waste breath pointing out all the reasons this was an awful idea.

  He just … sat.

  I inched closer to his side, slinking my bare arm around his. Our combined light was mesmerizing, a network of glowing veins that ended where my fingers tangled with his. My cheek pressed to his shoulder and I breathed deep, keeping my eyes on my parents, accepting the fact that I was an outsider.

  A car passed on the street in front of the house and my eyes followed it until it came to a stop in the circular drive next door—the Stokes’ home. The entire first floor was lit and the car that just pulled in, joined three others. It looked like the entire family was there.

  All except Nick.

  Tonight was sure to be a somber one for their pack. I knew this to be a fact without seeing any of them face-to-face, without having to guess. As I sat here watching Kyle jog to the front door, I knew Nick was with the Council where his future hung in the balance.

  I couldn’t turn away now, wondering if the letter Liam had just delivered for me was enough. Wondering what would happen if it wasn’t. The Elders respected me, but they didn’t respect me nearly enough for my words to ch
ange their minds. Still, I had to try. I couldn’t sit by, knowing it might have mattered if I spoke up. So, despite it likely being a futile effort, I wrote the letter.

  Now, all we could do was wait.

  “You did everything you could.” Liam’s voice touched my ears and the rest of the world took a step back. “Baz gave his word that the Council, and High Council, would take your thoughts into consideration.”

  The High Council—a combination of several clan’s oldest lycans who’d been groomed to uphold their law to the fullest. Yeah … they’d take the letter of a fretful teenage girl real serious.

  I kept my doubtful thoughts to myself for fear of what might happen if I released them into the atmosphere. It may have been superstitious, but I couldn’t afford to jinx this situation any more than it already had been.

  “Thank you for going,” I replied, squeezing his fingers a bit. “I know you hated being there, but … you went, and I won’t forget it.”

  He nudged me a bit before placing a kiss on top of my head. “You’re welcome.”

  When there was no more movement at the Stokes residence, I turned toward my own again, just as Mom moved to the sink to wash the few dishes they dirtied. My father flipped through mail while they laughed at each others’ jokes, shared about the day both had at work. I could almost guess the conversation because it was always the same.

  Not redundant, just … comfortingly familiar.

  More words moved into my hair and I tilted my head some to listen.

  “I told you it was Ivan who did my tattoos, that we were the only two who mastered the technique, but I never told you how we ended up in Egypt where we learned.”

  I lived for these moments, being told about my past, my family. Liam had my full, undivided attention.

  “It was never a mystery where I came from, but I didn’t know much about my past other than being the product of rogue dragon shifters who’d made a game of leaving human women for dead.”

  I remembered the story. Liam’s mother was the victim of an epidemic spreading throughout Egypt centuries ago. Human women were ravished by these shifters, and then, because their bodies weren’t made to handle birthing super-human children into the world, they died after delivering, thus creating an explosion of feral dragons.