Jezibaba grinned. “Yes. Maybe you should invite Hildy to visit with you when you go. She could accidentally turn anything that gave you a hard time into a toad for a while. That should keep things humming along in your favor while you’re there.”
Carol laughed but shook her head. “That sounds great, but it would never work. Hildy’s not like us. She’d be all worried about hurting them. She’d never see they were learning a lesson.”
“Not like us, huh?” Jezibaba laughed at the comparison, which was a little too true for comfort. “Well, I guess that’s true enough. You’re very wise to hold Hildy’s character dear anyway. Healers are generous souls with special talents. You need all the friends like Hildy you can get.”
“I like her because she laughs at my jokes,” Carol said.
“Hildy is the best of best friends then,” Jezibaba declared, smiling at her tiny mirror. Both prospective Baba Yagas were like her, but Carol could have been her child.
They looked up to see Hildy running toward them with a broom held high. Jezibaba laughed at her excitement, and didn’t see the man dart out from behind a tree to nab her until he had Hildy snatched up and stowed under his arm.
“Put her down,” Jezibaba yelled the order. She held a hand up to send a power bolt through the treacherous warlock. It bounced off his chest, but he did drop Hildy.
“Fly, Hildy,” she screamed at the girl.
She spared a glance at Carol as her posse appeared and surrounded the man in the yard. “Go find Professor Smoke. Magic travel to him. Calm yourself all you can and think of standing next to Professor Smoke.”
When the girl closed her eyes and disappeared, Jezibaba looked up to see Hildy doing a spin on the broom after getting hit with stream of dragon fire.
“Rogue dragon!” Jezibaba yelled, running towards the man who shredded his clothes and shifted until he was in full dragon form.
The closer she got, the more familiar the dragon looked. He wasn’t as malformed as the dragons that had been reanimated. He was darker scaled than Damien—and he had mean eyes.
But the smile—that devastating sharp toothed version was the very same.
Jezibaba looked at her warlocks. “Work from afar and protect the children,” she ordered.
When they’d disappeared, she looked back at Damien’s evil son. “Lionel, I presume.”
“That name is the one my cowardly father gave me. I always hated it. Lionel? What kind of name is that for a powerful dragon?” He looked down his broad snout at the woman addressing him. “Somehow I thought the Jezibaba would be more impressive. You’re not what I expected.”
“Strange—you’re exactly what I expected an evil son to be like,” Jezibaba declared.
A blast of dragon fire pushed her back a couple steps. It singed her clothing, but her spell was mostly working to save the fabrics of her clothing. The rest of her was immune, but she hated fighting naked. She snorted at his confused look that she wasn’t a pile of ashes yet.
“Now I supposed you’re going to tell me you weren’t expecting me to survive your dragon fire either.”
“Die, Witch,” Lionel ordered.
“You first,” Jezibaba ordered back, lifting her hands.
A bigger dragon landed behind her and grabbed hold of them before she could evoke Morgana. She was pushed to the ground, two giant black claws holding down her hands.
When she couldn’t escape the black dragon’s grip, she glared up at him. “Is it raining mutant dragons today? Guess I should have checked the weather. You’re Acheron, I presume.”
The dragon laughed above her back. “How can someone like you be the Great One? I expected a much bigger creature, even in human form. Why you’re nothing but a tiny little witch who’s managed to elude her fate until today.”
“I thought that too, Uncle. I expected a much bigger creature,” Lionel interjected.
She was about to magic transport herself out of the situation for a strategic retreat, when the dragon on her back was tackled sideways and knocked completely off her.
Rising, she saw Damien push his equally large cousin against a tree with enough force to have killed a lesser dragon like his son. When Lionel started ambling away from her and towards his father and uncle, Acheron sent several bolts of blue lighting into Damien. Her champion landed on the ground in a giant black dragon heap. Dead or not, she couldn’t tell, but Damien didn’t rise.
Knowing there was no time to check on him until the rogue dragons were constrained, she raised her hands.
“Goddess Morgana,
Come to me.
As I will,
So mote it be.”
She was tackled to the ground by Lionel before the echo of her words left the air. A single giant talon pressing against her windpipe stopped her from speaking any further. Apparently the boy was smarter than he seemed.
“I have her now. What should I do with the witch, Uncle?”
Acheron walked to Damien’s body, kicked it, and then started toward her. She wasn’t sure about that blue lightning. If Damien hadn’t been able to fight off the effects, could she?
“She stays alive only until we have the children. Then we kill her. That’s what we’re being paid to do. This is the moment where all our sacrifices finally count, boy.”
“Dragon fire won’t do the job or she’d be dead, Uncle. I blew my best at her earlier.”
Acheron shook his large dragon head. “Always looking on the negative side, you are.”
She stilled when Lionel huffed in amusement at Acheron’s oddly formed statement. Acheron looked ready to strike him dead. Maybe Uncle Acheron would take care of Lionel and she wouldn’t have to personally kill either one of them. The idea of her killing her dragon lover’s kin, especially his son, didn’t set well with her—even if Damien had sort of given her permission.
But where in hell was Morgana? The Goddess had shown up to help with the damn trolls without being called. Now faced with dragons shooting lightning, she sent out the highest distress call, but the Goddess was nowhere in sight.
“Keep her from speaking, Lionel. I’m joining the others to search for the children.”
“Let the Jezibaba go. We’re here,” Carol said, her voice wavering as both dragons turned to them.
Jezibaba squeaked in protest. Lionel’s turning moved his talons just enough to let her head turn as well.
“No. Run away,” she demanded hoarsely, getting a heavy talon against her throat again.
And that was enough of that special torture.
She transported herself to the wrought-iron bench. It was as far as she could go feeling like she did. She bent to get her air back before she engaged the dragons again. When she straightened, she saw Lionel blast both children with dragon fire. They lifted arms over their eyes and squealed, but mostly went unharmed. Thankfully Damien’s amulets worked just as he had charmed them to.
Carol and Hildy were patting the smoking areas of their shirts when she stalked back to the battle. She intended to get to the children and take them away. They would be safe in Morgana’s realm until she could wipe out the rogue dragons altogether. As Damien had surmised, they were obviously beyond saving.
Panic had her running when she saw blue lightning gathered along Acheron’s arms before traveling down to his hands.
“No,” she screamed, diving between him and the children.
The bolts hit her body and the pain was incredible. Her screaming over it turned into fire breathing. The next conscious thought was that sheer terror had forced her body to painfully shift.
Jezibaba looked at her dragon feet to confirm it was true… and it was.
Elenora the Dragoness lived once more.
Chapter 13
Still unable to speak when shifted, Jezibaba turned and hissed at the girls flashing her several rows of sharp teeth at them. Carol and Hildy, both wide-eyed as they stared at her dragon form, turned and ran like the wind toward the warlock posse.
She dragon huffed about
their hasty exit, pleased they finally remembered what she’d taught them to do in case of an attack. The warlocks would protect them with their lives or at least get them safely away.
Turning back, she narrowed her eyes at the rogue mutants.
Hello boys. Bring that fucking blue shit again if you have it in you, Acheron. I’m ready for it now, you bolt throwing bastard.
What she wasn’t ready for though was the other dozen mutant dragons who suddenly landed behind Acheron and Lionel.
Fuck her luck—now the campus lawn was full of giant mutant dragons, and what was she? Nothing special enough to deal with this shit.
She was red. That’s what she was. Red and big and… holy dragon shift… she had an idea that might actually work.
She lifted her front claws—spreading her talons as best she could—and heard both Acheron and Lionel laugh at her efforts, the arrogant fools. They probably thought she was surrendering.
She spread her wings and let her mind focus on marshalling all Morgana’s power she possessed in any form. She hoped chanting worked via telepathy.
Dragonius giantius, biggest ass everus!
She opened her eyes and looked down at the dragons now looking up at her in stunned shock. Humans behind her ran for their lives, no doubt fearing they would be squashed under her super-sized bulk.
Looking behind her, Jezibaba saw the wrought iron bench had gotten hooked on one enormous talon of her rear claw. Lifting her leg, she shook it off ungracefully and sent the damn thing flying like a missile across the lawn. It bent and warped when it hit a tree.
It also barely missed one of Damien’s guards who was still human. At first she winced, then she thought… what the fuck? Why was the man not a dragon? In fact, why was no one helping her?
She heard her warlock posse ushering the girls up what was left of the building steps. When she was pretty sure they were all inside the building and relatively safe, she lifted both front claws and used their enormous size to anchor Acheron and Lionel firmly to the ground.
No talking, she ordered, pressing one huge talon across their massive chests until it pressed against their windpipes.
Boy, one slip and she’d slit them head to toe. It would so easy… so very, very easy.
A voice clearing had her attention shifting away from her captured prey. Damien, still in dragon form, was looking up at her. He was pissed, and a bit confused, but he looked down at the dragons under her claws and shook his head.
Then he looked back up at her and smiled showing all his very sharp dragon teeth. She squirmed under his gaze, hearing concrete shattering as her giant ass plowed through it.
Her snort puffed a ton of smoke out of her nostrils. She could only hope it wouldn’t happen in human form.
Well look who finally woke up. I didn’t know if you were dead or just taking a nap. Why aren’t your guards shifting? I’ve been dealing with these rogue dragons all by myself.
Damien shook his massive head. A spell is preventing my guards from shifting. However, in capturing Acheron, you have stopped the horde from attacking. Hello again, Elenora the Dragoness. You’ve gained a bit of weight since the last time I saw you. Nice hips, by the way. They took out half the steps behind you.
More black smoke billowed out her nose. Anger equaled smoke evidently. She would have taken a few deep breaths, but was afraid of incinerating her lover.
If you laugh at my size, you die first, Professor Can’t-Take-A-Blue-Lightning-Bolt-For-Shit. I fought those off while in human form, you big wimp. And for your information, blowing myself up this huge was all I could freakin’ think to do.
She glared when Damien chuckled, mostly because anything else might kill him.
Don’t get huffy. You’re dragon boner worthy in any size or form so I’m good. I still want to own your ass no matter how big it is.
She dragon huffed. The sound shook all the buildings.
Don’t try to street talk, Professor Poetry. It doesn’t work for you and this is no time to tease me about my size. I’m feeling blood lust. These dragons tried to kill Carol and Hildy. They must pay for their crimes. Then I’m going after the Council of Witches and torture each one of those bastards until I find the culprit behind these attempts on their lives.
Damien nodded. Fine. Kill Acheron and the entire mutant horde dies. It’s the easiest solution.
Jezibaba looked down at the older dragon trapped beneath her enormous right claw. Why was she hesitating to kill him? She moved her gaze back to Damien. I know some of the rogues are your kin—your horde members. Is there no other way?
Damien shook his head in answer. None that I know of since they insist on being used as tools of evil. By dragon law, they have all betrayed one of their kind in trying to kill you. Whether the world accepts it or not, you are dragon, Elenora. Morgana is on your wings, but you and I know whose mark you wear.
Jezibaba dragon huffed again. Buildings around her shook and windows exploded. She couldn’t help it. You and your theories. Are you going to hate me if I do this, Professor? I’m not sure I could live with knowing that. Goddess help me, your opinion matters.
Before Damien could answer her, Morgana in full battle armor appeared in her glorious, luminous, don’t-fuck-with-me-I’m-a-Goddess, nine foot form. Beside her Emeritus stood proudly, making sure his human form today was at least a foot taller than Morgana’s.
Jezibaba turned her full gaze their way and snorted over their mega-couple posturing, accidentally making fire shoot out her nose at them. Both of them lifted arms against it. When they glared at her over it, she glared back at them with big, red dragon eyes.
Goddess Morgana… it’s about damn time you got here. What were you going to do? Let these rogue bastards kill me?
Damien turned to them and spoke. “Welcome, Goddess and Emeritus. Please excuse Elenora The Dragoness. She does not have the power of speech yet. She said to apologize to you about the fire breathing and to thank you for coming so quickly to our aid.”
Jezibaba blinked and lifted a claw up showing it to Damien, straining to get the middle sharp talon rigid. Damien shook his head and frowned at her. She didn’t care what he thought.
She glared when Morgana The Red started laughing and turned to lay her luminous head on sexy Emeritus’s shoulder who was grinning at her. Hell, they probably both could read her thoughts. She knew they spoke dragon. There was no use kidding herself.
Don’t lie to her on my behalf. The Goddess knows me too well to believe your polite, poetic shit, Professor Traitor.
None of them had noticed Acheron climbing to his still agile dragon claws. He was slinking off when Morgana stopped laughing and held up a hand to her.
“I hear you, Child. Try to be nice to Damien. Your academic means well. Maybe he’ll be the one who will stick around. And for your information, the reason it took me so long to get here is that I wanted to see you shift to a dragon. I confess I was expecting something a bit smaller though.”
The Goddess said a word of power and a gleaming white spear appeared in her hand.
Morgana took two steps, chanted, and then sent the spear flying through the air. It hit Acheron in his forehead, the spear tip coming out the other side of his head. Without a word, Acheron disintegrated into black dust.
The other dozen or so mutant dragons fell instantly lifeless to the ground.
Needing to know what had become of Damien’s son, Jezibaba slowly lifted her claw. Lionel’s body was lifeless now.
Her gaze sought out Damien’s sadly resigned one. I’m sorry it ended this way. I would have saved him for your sake if I could have.
Damien nodded. I know, but it was not meant to be. I grieved his loss long ago. There was no turning him back.
He walked over, took a deep breath, and incinerated his son’s body with a single fiery stream. When he was done, all that was left of Lionel was ashes.
His mother died of a broken heart because Acheron drew our son into following this dark path. Now perhaps Lezandra
and Lionel can both find peace.
Jezibaba looked away from Damien’s grieving to watch Morgana walk backwards. She stopped at a comfortable distance for looking up at the only living dragon witch in the world.
Is my shifting what you were hoping for, Morgana? I can’t seem to control it yet, but I do have my powers in this form. And I could tell they were much stronger.
“You’re magnificent and now you are my bridge to the oldest creatures on Earth, as well as the most powerful witch ever born. I love you more than ever, Elenora. No one has ever made me happier than you have today.”
Jezibaba felt her lip quivering over the praise. She blinked her dragon eyes. They were burning with unshed tears, but with her luck, every drop would be like molten lava when it fell.
Since she couldn’t speak, she nodded her gigantic dragon head to the Goddess. Look at this. She spread her wings so Morgana could see her symbols in them. The Goddess laughed and clapped in joy.
She had received so little approval in her life that her emotional reaction to praise always zapped her strength when she got any. Her body went from towering red dragon to vulnerable naked witch in a lightning streak of time that was lost in the blinding pain of shifting back so quickly.
When she realized she was human again, she was still on the ground moaning. “Goddess damn, shifting hurts both ways. I’m never going to get used to it.”
A shifted back and also naked Damien stooped down on her level to put a muscular arm around her to hug.
“I thought Acheron was going to kill you and I’ve never been so frightened in my life,” he whispered.
He used his superior human strength to pull them both upright and hugged her tightly to him again. She hugged him back uncaring.
“Well… you look like you’re in good hands, so Emeritus and I will be heading back. Forget about torturing the Council of Witches tonight, Child. We’ll set all that right soon enough. Remember—there is a time for every purpose. This is not the time to make more war.”
Jezibaba nodded from the comfort of Damien’s arms and watched the couple disappear. She buried her face in his neck, happy to be alive, and happy to have the slick tongued dragon hugging her. When she pulled away, she shook her head.
Magic and Mayhem: How To Train A Witch (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Baba Yaga Saga Book 1) Page 11
