Emma (Dark Fire)

by Cooper, Jodie B.

  Clarabelle’s body trembled. She fought to pull herself together. Now was not the time to lose it, not in front of the ones who were responsible. Later, in the safety of her mate’s fortress, she would allow herself the time to grieve. Not now.

  Along with the horror of the day remained a single glaring question.

  How could her sister have died at the hands of a couple of teenagers? It seemed impossible that two brats cuffed in silver had killed a full-grown Sídhí, much less a dragon.

  The answer was blatantly clear. The brats must’ve had help.

  She surged forward as warm liquid gushed up her throat. Dragonfire, the most glorious weapon of all dragon kind was incredibly unstable. It was the deadliest weapon in a dragon's arsenal. All Sídhí races feared the destructive fire. The fire’s incredible molten heat burned through nearly anything it touched, including solid rock and even steel.

  Flame exploded from her gaping jaws, burning a reddish-orange with the faintest of blue laced throughout. The deep colors hinted at her age, growing stronger year after year.

  The teenagers screamed in fear, running toward the unforgiving wall of the cavern.

  Clarabelle’s eyes sparkled with a combination of unsuppressed glee and hatred, gloating over their screams of terror. Excitement, as the hunt began, rippled down her back, causing the black spikes buried along her spine to burst upward, quivering in anticipation.

  She grieved for her sister, but Clarabelle’s heart sang in joy over the fear she produced within the young Sídhí. Their screams created a fuzzy warm glow within her, reminding her of the numerous villages she torched during earth’s medieval age, a time before the Dragon Council destroyed the dragon’s true place in the world.

  She missed the old days so badly. The depressing thought actually perked her up, because if everything worked out as planned, the summer camp would be the first step toward returning to those joyful years of terror, but not on Earth. That was truly the sweetest part. Why should dragons be stuck on a world the mundane humans had mucked-up with billions of offspring?

  She surged forward. Black spikes running up her back quivered under the cave’s soft light. Her burning red eyes sparkled with cruel anticipation.

  The teenagers ran faster, darting farther away from the shoreline toward a tumble of rocks, trying to escape her retaliation. They wouldn't succeed.

  Then she noticed what, or rather who, they raced toward. A man sprawled on a ledge. She snorted her ridicule. Instead of seeking shelter, they stopped to help a third person, destroying any chance of escaping her. Only Clan fools would do something so ‘honorable’ as risk their life for another.

  Clarabelle narrowed her sparkling red eyes as the pink light of glow moss glinted off the man’s smooth head.

  The image stuck in her brain, repeating itself. The injured man did not have any hair.

  “Filthy, wretched dragon guardian,” she growled in recognition of the man. Somehow, the brats had freed her prized prisoner, the arrogant Guardian Alexander. He was a prize she had planned to use in her bid to overthrow the stagnate council of elders.

  She roared her displeasure. Dark fury splintered through every inch of her body, erupting in a flashy burst of dragonfire. Before she could contain it, fire spewed from her throat in a torrent of burning flame.

  A third teenager suddenly appeared on the rocky shore, teleporting into the cavern without warning.

  The new arrival, a tall young woman, seemed overly calm. The absurd over-sized t-shirt didn’t detract from her beauty. The man’s shirt actually enhanced the girl’s unearthly appearance. Her long hair swung around her as she stepped between Clarabelle and her prey.

  The mighty dragon was very familiar with the third girl who ported into the cave. Sun-reddened vampire eyes and shocking pale hair gave the lethal freak an edge at frightening her intended victims that Clarabelle’s human form could never achieve.

  Clarabelle suddenly grinned. Eagerness filled her at the thought of killing this particular vampire, a stuck-up half-breed from the Dhark Valley. Half elf, half vampire, the Lady Sarah Trellick was an oddity among the teenage campers. The weird combination of the girl’s youth combined with ancient eyes made the gray dragon nervous, not that Clarabelle would ever admit that to anyone.

  Honestly. The girl was a freak of nature, moving with the grace of someone several thousand years old as if the very act of walking was a dance. Even the other teenagers, straight from the Dhark Empire, gave the freak a wide berth. The white-haired witch knew things no simple vampire had the right, or the ability, to know.

  Clarabelle tilted her head, highly amused as she watched Sarah raise a useless clear shield. The big dragon snorted in contempt.

  The girl held a small piece of flimsy armor made of a semi-translucent substance against dragonfire. What a laugh.

  Though, Clarabelle had to admit, the shield probably wasn’t flimsy. The little shield had to be synth crystal if the girl was trying to protect herself with it. The shield itself would be impenetrable, even to dragonfire, but hiding behind it was an act of supreme stupidity. Only an idiot would think a shield that small could provide any protection against the deadly fire Clarabelle carried within her.

  The shield began to grow.

  Shock slammed through Clarabelle’s body, raising the short spikes along her spine to stiff attention.

  The small shield expanded outward, growing thinner as it shaped itself into a dome, enclosing Sarah and the three people positioned behind her within a protective shell of living crystal.

  Impossible! The mighty dragon hissed to herself. No one had the ability to shape synth crystal, the world’s purest form of energy.

  That’s when reality smacked Clarabelle in the snout. Had she been in her human form, she might've collapsed to her knees. As it was, the air froze in her lungs and fear burst through her massive body. She shuddered, sucking in a huge gulp of stagnate air as fear morphed into something darker, more terrifying than she ever dreamed possible.

  Still, her mind shied away from the obvious conclusion of who, of what, Sarah had to be.

  She surged forward, bellowing her anger and her fear in the form of burning dragonfire, expelling the flame as hard as she could.

  The curling flames hit the translucent dome. The strong blast of dragonfire encased the surface, surrounded the globe. The volatile weapon of fire melted rocks on either side of the paper-thin dome, turning the ancient boulders to lava. Liquid rock streamed across the sand.

  Seconds later, Clarabelle stopped blasting them. Sucking in a breath of air, she readied herself to hit them again.

  The teenage couple showed the appropriate fear of her magnificent dragonfire. The boy roared in helpless anger, putting his body in front of the girl. The girl screamed in terror.

  Sarah? The long-legged freak appeared arrogantly pleased.

  Clarabelle waited too long before launching her second attack. Later, she realized the length of time she wasted had made no difference to the outcome. Clarabelle had been screwed from the very beginning.

  The achingly cold features of the beautiful young woman slowly changed, morphing from bored aristocrat to enchanting ice princess. A slight smile graced Sarah’s elegant features. Her vivid Caribbean blue eyes sparkled, reflecting the pink glow of the ceiling. Flushed with excitement, the half-breed looked straight into Clarabelle’s eyes.

  Sarah's reaction turned Clarabelle’s blood to ice.

  The dragon soon understood why no person on Earth could have evaded the swift attack.

  Sarah moved with the lethal grace of a born killer. The teenager formed a single javelin out of a source of synth crystal Clarabelle couldn't detect.

  The simple act confirmed the dragon’s fear. Only a single person had the ability to manipulate raw synth crystal. Sarah was Chi'Kehra, the long awaited supreme ruler of the elves. She could pull synth crystal from any source, whether it was from the earth or from the girl’s own blood.

  Sarah reared back and threw the
spear at Clarabelle. The dome never wavered. The spear travelled through the dome and arched across the cavern.

  She didn't have time to dodge the missile. The sharp projectile slammed into her chest, breaking through a thick layer of dragon scales. The spear sank into her chest. A second and third shaft of crystal followed. Razor-sharp tips ripped through her body, rupturing vital organs.

  She roared. Pain consumed her. Dragonfire uselessly scorched the air as she madly twisted in midair, trying to rip the javelins out of her chest.

  With her last coherent thought, Clarabelle focused her mind, frantically searching for the mental signature of her mate.

  Through their lifeBond, his terror slammed into her, distracting her for a heartbeat.

  Her mind latched onto his mental signal and she ported to his location, not caring who might see. She appeared under the brilliant blue sky less than thirty feet from him.

  Her mate's fury scorched Clarabelle’s mind, rushing through her like a living flame, hotter than her own fury had been.

  She bellowed in agony, clutching at the spears jutting out of her chest. Blood gushed over her claws. Her body constricted. Her failing heart fluttered, skipping unevenly. Her gaze dimmed and she crashed to the ground. Pain exploded through her.

  Terror, not her own, flooded her as her mate caressed her mind with his urgent demand for her to hold on, ordering her not to die.

  He released a burst of burning dragonfire toward the people he spoke with, destroying them in an instant.

  She felt no pity for the filthy people. Their mere presence kept her mate from helping her.

  Chapter - Underground Tsunami

  Sarah's clear blue eyes never betrayed her inner turmoil. Over the span of nineteen years, she had perfected her ice queen charade. Even her best friend, Mac, who knew her better than anyone, had trouble guessing her moods.

  Standing beside the underground lake, she glanced toward the empty space above the large body of water. She should have gone after the injured dragon when she had the chance. Now, it was too late.

  A body slammed into her, knocking her backward several feet.

  “Thank you. I knew you’d come,” Katie said as she hugged Sarah.

  Returning her young aunt’s embrace, Sarah couldn’t stop the soft chuckle as it slipped past her lips. “I think you’d best go to Jared, before your mate has a stroke,” she said, giving Katie a gentle push in the vampire’s direction.

  She couldn’t find fault with the young man’s protective attitude. As Chi’Kehra, Sarah was the monster-under-the-bed for most full blood vampires like Jared.

  Katie turned to Jared, acting like a kitten with a huge bowl of cream. It was obvious he adored his new mate. Sarah could only dream that Nick, her supposedly perfect mate, would ever look at her with such unconcealed love.

  She silently sighed. She knew her decision to protect the two teens had been the right thing to do, but now, the wounded dragon presented a serious problem. The dragon had witnessed Sarah creating a dome and javelins from the synth crystal in her blood. An action no other Sídhí could do. No doubt, the dragon would soon piece together who Sarah really was, if she hadn't already.

  It didn’t take a detective to know the bloody dragon had to be a member of the terrorist organization known as the Khr'Vurr. What a screwed-up mess. Once the Khr'Vurr realized Sarah was the first Chi’Kehra in four-thousand years they would not stop until she was recruited or dead.

  Tasting the truth of her thoughts, her eyes narrowed in thought. Assassination or recruitment into the terrorist organization was not a major concern to her. Both were minor details compared to the third possibility, and the single risk that really concerned her. The Khr'Vurr might consider selling her identity to the highest bidder. If they sold the information to the elves, the purebloods would stop at nothing to destroy her. As a fragmented race, the elves were not currently a problem, but if bickering elvish houses set aside their differences and joined forces, the united elvish nation would become a massive headache.

  Until then, she dismissed the elves from the equation, because the Dhark Empire was the immediate concern. If the Khr'Vurr's connection to the lords of the Dhark Empire was strong enough, she was in deep trouble.

  The Khr'Vurr and elves she could handle, but the Dhark Empire's armies were massive. If they realized she was Chi’Kehra, the dhark lords would not simply stop at killing her. The Empire would crush Trellick Valley, her family’s ancestral territory. Abandoning the second dimensional valley was not an option, not with the dangerous secrets contained within the vast area. Secrets she would die to protect.

  She stifled a growl of frustration. She had hoped the peace camp would provide her a way to nullify the threat of the Dhark Empire. No such luck. Nearly a week had passed since the first day of camp and she still didn't have the critical information she needed.

  If she could convince the dragons to help her, she might have a fighting chance against the Empire. As it stood, the dhark lords could attack at any moment and crush her home valley.

  For quite some time, Sarah and the teens stood in the dank cave arguing with Guardian Alexander. They tried to convince him that she was not the boogieman he thought her to be.

  Arguing with the recently tortured dragon was turning out to be an impossible task, but she refused to give up. In order to keep the Dhark Empire out of Trellick Valley, she needed the secret of how to close a gateway and only the dragon council knew that information.

  As a guardian, Alexander was her best hope to connect with the Dragon Council, a group of elderly dragons stuck in the past. The dangerously stagnated council had refused to change with the times. The denial to change had brewed the perfect atmosphere for the Khr’Vurr to step in and stir up a rebellion.

  Unfortunately, arguing with the wind would’ve been easier, because Alexander refused to cooperate. Deep in thought, her eyes narrowed. If the guardian - and the stubborn council - needed a little incentive, she was more than willing to give it to them.

  Her tactics changed, turning her voice syrupy sweet. She watched Katie shiver. It was good to know that someone had enough sense to be terrified when Sarah turned too sweet for words.

  “Having seventeen hidden gateways that open into Dragon Valley, and other dragon dominated valleys, might be the turning point toward change. Don’t you think?” Sarah asked, bluntly laying facts on the table. Her voice was pure sugar, holding the barest hint of sharp steel as she threated the dragon council, referring to the deadly secret that Trellick Valley possessed.

  Alexander hissed his fury, staring at Sarah in disbelief. Specifically, at her hand that lay submerged in liquid synth crystal, not only was synth the root of immortal life on Sídhí, but a powerful lie detector. Had she lied, the semi-clear liquid would have turned black.

  “Impossible,” Alexander snarled, glaring at the translucent liquid, pure energy no matter the form.

  Sarah smiled, and watched Katie cringe. She supposed the girl was correct: the lifting of Sarah’s lips - that exposed her fangs - was not a nice smile. “I am aware of seventeen gateways leading into dragon dominated valleys. Gateways the dragons are completely unaware of. If the Dhark Armies found those entrances, Dragon Valley would be destroyed at worst. At the very least, the dragons would be in a war more horrific than the last Great War on Sídhí,” Sarah said, watching Alex’s face for the slightest change as she mentioned the Dhark Empire, a sprawling network of second dimensional valleys ruled with blood and terror.

  By the time she finished, the dragon had turned from red, to white, and back to a mottled red. His growl made her want to grin with satisfaction. She withheld the telling emotion, keeping an ice-perfect appearance.

  He opened his mouth to speak, and abruptly snapped it shut. Smart man.

  When Alex finally found the right words, his voice sounded nearly defeated. “I’ll say it again. The Dragon Council will never trust you. I wish I was wrong, but even if you show them one of the gateways, they’ll scoff and
call it pure happenstance. I believe you, but they... they’re old.” He stopped again. His skin took on a greenish sheen, looking like he was about to be sick.

  Katie surprised Sarah by asking the dragon, “What if Sarah proved she is trustworthy? Would that help?”

  Sarah stifled her growl. The girl needed to learn to keep her mouth shut.

  Seeming to sense her distaste for Katie’s suggestion, Alex glanced at Sarah. “In order for them to believe, you would need to save Dragon Valley single-handedly and even then, they might take years to agree with your demand.” He sighed, raising his hand as if he were helpless. “I personally know a high councilor and I swear to you, on my word of honor, I will do everything in my power to sway her opinion, but only if you swear not to reveal the location of those gateways to the Dhark Lords.” He hesitated. “But I would like to know how you found the gateways and how you are keeping them secret from your father.”

  “My dad showed them to me,” Sarah said with a soft snarl. Pausing, she considered his offer. It seemed to be her only choice, because as much as she wanted the information she knew she’d never give the Dark Lords access to Trellick Valley’s gateways, not that the dragon needed to know that. “Let’s compromise. In exchange for your oath of assistance, I won’t betray the location of the gateways to the Dhark Lords, but I want an introduction to your council contact.”

  Alex growled. If he clenched his teeth any harder, he might shatter his jawbone. “She’ll never trust you.”

  “What if Sarah helped you catch the traitors?” Jared asked.

  Sarah groaned. Why had she helped them again? Right, Katie was family. She was beginning to think the two teens had it in for her. Stopping the traitorous Khr’Vurr would not be easy, nor was it her job.

  Alex slowly nodded his head. “That might work. She’s furious over this whole screwed-up mess.”

  Well, great, just fabulous, she grumbled to herself, quickly suggesting yet another alternative, “All right...”

  The cavern rumbled with an aftershock. A shower of grit drifted down, covering her with a second layer of grime. The baby tremor stopped her words.