Dragon's Bane (Dragon Guild Chronicles Book 5)

by Carina Wilder

  Of course, he’d probably tell her to go away. At the very best, he’d greet her with a hostile grunt and pretend nothing had happened between them last night.

  Think, she told herself. He’s stubborn. He won’t want to leave. How the hell do you protect a Dragon who doesn’t want protecting?

  When she’d reached the first gate she came to, she somehow managed to pull it open just enough to squeeze through, shifting as soon as she was inside. Her red Wolf ran across the length of the park until she spotted the lake in the distance, its lovely tall reeds standing like watchful sentinels reflected in the shimmering water below.

  She wanted to breathe a sigh of relief. Kirith was within reach. All she needed was to get to the lake, to let out a howl of warning and summon him to the surface.

  When she’d left the club, the men who’d told her they were after the Dragon shifter had still been there. Hopefully they’d failed to see her slip out. They’d find themselves too late to take down Kirith. By the time they arrived, he’d be long gone.

  But as Luna closed in on the lake, a pulse of fear shot through her Wolf’s body. Shadows began to emerge from all around her. Great, hulking creatures with glowing eyes, surrounding her in the dark.

  Suddenly, horrifyingly, the words of the shifter in the club made sense. You will help us, without even intending to, he’d said.

  He’d been right, and she’d been a damned fool.

  She’d led them right to their prey.

  Luna let out a howl, not so much to save herself as to send a warning to Kirith. He was somewhere down there. He’d hear her. If he heeded her warning, maybe he could save himself, escape down one of the mysterious corridors at the end of the flat to safety.

  The Wolves moved towards her slowly, creeping along, their large paws soft on the earth. At first she assumed they belonged to the same Pack that had tried to assault her a few nights earlier. But as they came closer, horror consumed her as she realized that she recognized most of them. Denn and Martin’s large Wolves were skulking towards her, teeth bared, growling low. Then came Derek, Rutger. Every Wolf in her Pack except for Silver was ready to attack one of their own, on their Alpha’s command.

  Luna looked around frantically, searching out the face that she knew must be out there somewhere. The face of the man who had betrayed so many of his own. His was the only one that mattered now.

  If she was going to go down, she’d go down fighting Ripper.

  She shifted into human form, spinning around to take in all the Wolves’ faces. Still no sign of the Alpha, but she knew he was out there somewhere.

  He had to be.

  “Where are you?” she called out. “Show me your face, you cowardly bastard!”

  A moment later, out of the shadows walked the largest of the Wolves. A huge, charcoal-grey creature, his fur matted and greasy, just like his human counterpart’s.

  “It’s all come to light then, has it?” she asked. “You’re not even trying to hide what you are anymore. You’ve just used me, like you use everyone else.”

  Ripper shifted and strode towards her, a look of unadulterated rage in his glowing eyes. Crudely he grabbed her by the jaw and pulled her face up, squeezing so hard that she thought he might crush her jawbone under his fingers. Tears of pain rimmed her eyes, but she fought them back, refusing to let him see that he was hurting her.

  “Where is he?” he asked. “Where’s the Dragon?”

  “Fuck you,” she muttered from between clamped teeth.

  Ripper let her go, violently shoving her backwards and turning to face his Pack members. “This bitch is protecting the Dragon who burned our woods. She’s turned on us. You know what we do with traitors.”

  Growls erupted from all around her, and Luna looked around, heartbroken that her Pack believe Ripper’s word over her own. Much as she hated their Alpha, she’d never had anything against most of them.

  “That’s right,” she replied loudly. “I’m protecting him. Do you know why?” She spun around, confronting the Wolves’ eyes. “Because our Alpha—the Wolf who’s meant to look after his Pack—is a murdering bastard.”

  She turned again just in time to see Ripper’s eyes.

  “Bitch!” he yelled as he drew his arm back and slammed it into her face.

  The last thing she remembered was a giant winged shadow, soaring into the air behind the Alpha.

  Then came the darkness.

  Chapter 22

  Kirith’s grey-blue Dragon landed hard, scattering Wolves in every direction as his talons dug into the gravel and grass below him. As he spun around, he flapped his tail from side to side, herding the Pack and sending them cowering behind trees.

  The Dragon was only focused on two members of the Warkshire Pack: Luna, who lay unconscious on the ground, and the Alpha, who crouched down behind her limp body. The fucking coward was using her as a human shield. He knew full well that the Dragon wouldn’t risk shooting a blast of flame in Luna’s direction.

  He’s right, of course, thought Kirith.

  “I’ll speak to you as soon as you’ve shifted,” said Ripper. His voice trembled slightly, betraying his fear of the Dragon. “Not a second sooner.”

  For a moment Kirith considered snatching up Luna’s body in his talons and carrying her to safety. But the Alpha was a devious bastard; he’d be able to reach her before Kirith ever could. If he had a weapon on him, he could end her right here and now.

  Rage pulsing through his veins, the Dragon altered into human form. “Fine then. Here I am,” he said, striding forward. “Now let me take Luna somewhere and tend her wounds.”

  “If I let you take her away, that rather defeats my purpose in coming here, don’t you think?” asked Ripper, who was stroking a hand through Luna’s red hair. Stop touching her, you bastard, Kirith snarled internally.

  “You know what’s coming,” the Dragon shifter growled. “You know I can’t let you live.”

  Ripper cocked his head to the side and studied the young woman who lay on the grass, her chest moving up and down slowly.

  “I know that,” he said. “But I also know you won’t hurt this woman.” He pulled his eyes up to meet Kirith’s. “I know you’re too much of a fucking soft-hearted fool. That was always your problem, Sigurdsson. You were always soft. People like you are easy to manipulate. You should really learn not to care so much.”

  “Better to be soft than to be a heartless bastard who kills children,” Kirith snarled, turning to face the other Pack members. He thrust a massive arm out, pointing at Ripper’s face. “Do you know what he is? Do you know that your Alpha had my wife and children murdered?”

  “Lies,” said Ripper. “My Wolves would never believe you. They know that a Dragon is not to be trusted. They know you’re trying to drive a wedge between us.”

  Kirith swung back towards him, hatred brightening his eyes. It was all he could do not to reach for Ripper and pull him up by his greasy hair. He should take him down right here, right now. He might have tried it, too, but he couldn’t risk one of the other Pack members hurting Luna while he was occupied with their Alpha. “Your Wolves are brainwashed,” he shot out. “They’re branded with your selfishness, slaves to your will.”

  “No. My Pack is loyal,” said Ripper. “Something you know nothing about.”

  “Fuck you,” Kirith said. “Threats and cruelty do not create loyalty. They create an authoritarian rule by a reigning piece of shite like you.”

  “I’ve had about enough of this,” said Ripper, rising to stand. “I think we should continue this conversation in a more private locale.”

  Kirith laughed. “Right. As if I’d accompany you anywhere.”

  “Oh, I think you will.” Ripper nodded in the direction of a big, ugly Wolf with a scar slashed across his face. The creature advanced, shifting mid-stride into human form. In his right hand he carried some sort of switchblade, which he flicked open as he walked. Kirith recognized the dark-haired bastard who’d led the assault on Luna two nights ea
rlier. “Cut her throat,” Ripper ordered, nodding towards their helpless victim.

  Kirith lunged forward, thrusting himself between the shifter and Luna.

  He knew that this was no bluff; the Alpha was insane enough to do it.

  “Touch her and you die,” said Kirith.

  “Fail to agree to my demands and she dies,” Ripper replied.

  A feral growl rattled up in the Dragon shifter’s throat.

  “All I want is to chat,” the Alpha said, holding a hand up to stop the man with the knife from advancing further. “If you agree to come with us, I promise to leave the lovely Luna here in the park, untouched. I’ll tell her brother where to find her. She’ll wake up with a bit of a nasty headache, I’m afraid. But at least she’ll wake up. On the other hand, if you’re a pain in my arse, I’m afraid we’ll have to do away with the pretty red Wolf as well as with you. The Pack wouldn’t be losing much; she’d not a very steadfast member, it turns out.”

  “Fine, I’ll come,” Kirith grunted. If he was going to kill Ripper at last, better to do it away from Lumen’s territory, anyhow. Best not to inspire some sort of turf war.

  He slipped off the sweater he was wearing and bent over to drape it over Luna. “If you hurt her again, though, I’ll see to it that your death is slow and painful instead of quick and equally painful,” he said, turning to Ripper as he rose to his full height.

  “Of course,” said the Alpha. “I wouldn’t expect any less. Come. It’s time to show you the Underground Club.”

  Chapter 23

  “Where am I?” Luna asked when she’d finally opened her eyes. Everything was a little fuzzy and far too bright. She slammed her eyes shut, covering them with a hand as a bolt of searing pain shot through her head.

  “The Campbell Inn,” said a voice coming from somewhere on her right. She turned her head and pulled her hand away from her face, wincing as her skull throbbed with agony. It was all coming back now. Ripper’s fist, the giant shadow in the sky…

  “Kirith,” she said, drawing her eyes open and swinging around to look for the Dragon shifter. But it was Silver who sat next to her in a chair by her bed. Her brother was staring at her, a concerned look on his face.

  “I’m afraid he’s in Ripper’s hands,” he said. “I watched the whole thing go down. He let them take him to the club, in exchange for…”

  “For what?” Luna asked. But she could already guess.

  “For you. Ripper left you in the park. He told me where I could find you, and I and brought you here. It was quite a feat to convince the desk clerks that you weren’t a dead body.”

  “We have to go help him,” Luna replied, trying to push herself upwards. “Have to…” Almost immediately, the room spun round at blinding speed, sending her slouching back into the pillow.

  Silver shook his head. “You’ve got a concussion, Luna. You’re in no shape to go running around. Besides, what the hell could you and I possibly do against the entire Pack? You’re their enemy now; they won’t let you anywhere near the club.”

  “Fuck,” she said, leaning back. He was right, of course. “What about you?” she asked, shutting her eyes against the light.

  “Ripper still thinks I’m on his side, apparently. After I brought you here, I went back to the club and told him that I was sorry you’d betrayed him, that I had no idea you’d been up to so many terrible things. I assured him that I intended to disown you.”

  Luna let out a cynical laugh. “You devious bastard,” she said.

  “That I am.”

  “Ripper bought it?”

  “Hook, line and sinker, apparently. I’ve been his lap dog for so long that it doesn’t occur to him not to trust me.”

  Luna opened her eyes again and reached a hand out. “Silver,” she said as he took it.

  “Yes?”

  “Tell me why.”

  “Why what?”

  “Why you’ve been his lap dog for so long.”

  Her brother went silent for a moment before he drew a hard intake of breath. “I will. Soon, I promise. When you’re feeling a little better. For now, we need to figure out the situation with your friend the BHD.”

  Luna nodded her head, which made the room spin all over again. “You need to help him.”

  “We’ve been over this. I can’t do anything against the damned Pack…”

  “You don’t understand,” she said. “Kirith has protected me twice now. But now, because of me, Ripper has him. I can’t let him…”

  She pulled back, burying her face in her hands. It was all her fault. Kirith might be dead by now, all because her Wolf had called out to him. If she’d just left him alone, none of this would have happened.

  “I heard Ripper say they were going to lock him up,” Silver told her, “so I suspect they’re keeping him alive for now. Tell me what I can do to help, and I’ll try my best.”

  “Maybe you’re right. Maybe there’s nothing you can do,” she replied miserably. “If Ripper figures out what you’re up to, he’ll have you killed.”

  “I don’t care,” he replied, rising to his feet. “If Kirith is as worthy as I think he is, I should take the risk. We just need a plan.”

  “No, Silver,” Luna said, pulling herself to her feet. Her head felt as though it was under constant attack from a jackhammer. “I don’t want to lose him, but I couldn’t bear losing you both. Please don’t go over there alone.”

  “If not alone, then who with?” he asked.

  A light sparked to life inside Luna’s mind. “Amara,” she said, looking around.

  “Who?” said Silver.

  “A Wolf shifter I met. She’s a member of the Guild.” She reached into a pocket on her skirt and pulled out the card that Amara had given her. “Maybe there is something you can do to help.”

  “What’s that?”

  It felt like years now since Luna had met the strange, gentle woman; hard to believe that it had only happened the previous morning. “This is the contact information for a Wolf shifter who’s a part of the Dragons’ Guild,” she said, handing the card over. “Get in touch with her. Tell her what’s happened. If she doesn’t know already, that is.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s a long story. Just…please…find her. It’s the only way I know of to help Kirith.”

  “Okay,” said Silver, stepping forward to take the card. When he’d slipped it into his pocket, Luna took him by the hand again and squeezed.

  “Silver,” she said, “Please help him.”

  “I’ll do everything that I can.” he replied, letting her hand go.

  “Thank you.”

  Chapter 24

  When Silver dialled the number that Luna had given him, he found himself speaking to Amara’s voicemail. He left a brief message, explaining who he was and what was happening before shooting her a text, marked Urgent with about seven exclamation points.

  The business card had no address printed on its surface. It provided him with nothing, in fact, but a mobile number, and he could only hope it would be enough to summon the aid of the Guild.

  In the meantime, there was one thing he could do himself, hopefully without ending up dead by Ripper’s hand.

  It was three p.m. when he slipped quietly into the Underground Club. No patrons had arrived, and it was entirely possible that Ripper wouldn’t open the club’s doors to the public today, given that he had a volatile Dragon shifter tucked away somewhere within its stone passageways.

  Silver had spent enough hours in the place to know where Ripper would likely be keeping Kirith. Behind the Alpha’s office was a long corridor containing a series of vaults that had once been used for storing gold and other valuables, which now sat empty. Ripper didn’t believe in keeping money anywhere but in his own account. It was how he’d managed to hoard the Pack’s earnings for many years, how he’d robbed many of his Pack members of their independence.

  Take away a shifter’s money and you rob them of their desire to stray too far from their gene
rous leader.

  Silver made his way quietly towards the Alpha’s office. The club seemed eerily quiet, as if some unseen foe were hiding in the shadows waiting to pounce.

  “How’s your sister?” a voice called out from somewhere behind him as he approached Ripper’s door.

  The three words bit through Silver’s skull, sending a feeling of pure rage shooting through the depths of his mind. Fuck you, that’s how, he wanted to reply. But he told himself that he had no choice but to stay calm. If he managed to plead innocence, there was a chance that Ripper would continue to believe he was loyal.

  Clenching and releasing his hands quickly, he turned to face the Alpha. “She’s better,” he said. “To be honest, she doesn’t remember much about the last few days. I think she’s suffering from a bit of memory loss because of her head wound. I asked her to tell me what happened, and she couldn’t recall a thing.”

  “Good lad,” said Ripper, picking something out from between his teeth. “It’s very important, you know, that your sister forgets everything that she’s seen and heard. You make sure to tell her I said so.” He stepped forward, trying as always to intimidate Silver with his size. “You’re going to be good, aren’t you?” he asked.

  “Of course,” Silver replied. “Always.”

  “Good. I know you will. You were never so weak as your foolish sibling. You’re still my loyal servant, aren’t you?” He put a hand on Silver’s shoulder and squeezed hard enough to let the younger Wolf know that an inherent threat still buzzed through the air. Try something stupid and you’ll pay with your life.

  “Yes, absolutely,” Silver said, cowering deliberately, his eyes pulling towards the floor. Best to pretend to submit for now. It was his only chance to get anywhere near Kirith’s cell.

  “Listen, I have a little errand for you to run,” Ripper said, smiling. “There’s some food on a plate over on the bar. Bring it to Derek. He’s tending to the Dragon in one of the vaults behind my office.”