Drakkar ~ Beyond the Lie (A Dark Order of the Dragon Novel Book 3)

by Sandra Bischoff

  “Are you going to stand out there till sunrise?” Lance’s voice was gruff, but his face softened. “I really don’t think Jared would appreciate knowing his kids burnt up on the front porch all because his son was too scared to face him.” Lance pulled him inside and closed the door.

  Drakkar’s voice apparently went on vacation, because it was nowhere to be found. He followed behind the wolf as he led the way to the Prince’s study. When they stepped inside, the white-washed doors behind him slid closed.

  Anabelle touched his cheek with her tiny hand. He looked down at her smiling face. She made happy little noises, communicating with him. Tears welled in Drakkar’s eyes. If only everyone in this house were as happy to see him.

  Sitting on the edge of the desk, Lance pointed at the leather chair in front of him. Drake sat slowly, keeping his eyes on the back of the large wing back chair behind the wolf. He barely noticed that they weren’t alone in the room. One some level he noted Zephyr and the Goddess were also present.

  But they weren’t the ones making his palms sweat. They weren’t the ones he was there to grovel to.

  “Highness? I believe someone is here to return something.” Lance coughed covering his smile.

  “Thanks, Lance.”

  The chair turned around, revealing the same blue eyes that stared back atDrake in his mirror. Jared Bonatelli, heir to the Vampire throne, leader of the Conservatorship and . . . his father. He casually leaned on the desk with his elbows, his lips curling into a smile as he looked at Anna. She turned her head, gurgling and waving a fist.

  “Hey there, Peanut. You had yourself a little adventure, didn’t you,” he cooed. In turn, she laughed. “I know someone who is going to be very happy to see you.”

  Jared stood and came around the desk to stand before Drakkar. When he held out his arms to take Anna from him, Drake hugged her. Jared paused.

  “It’s okay. I just want to hold her for a moment before my mother takes her to Alex. Please give me my daughter.” Jared spoke low and even. There was no hint of anger.

  That terrified Drakkar. In the past, when Absinthe restrained her anger, he expected the harshest punishment imaginable. Why should Jared Bonatelli be any different?

  Drake adjusted his arms, handing over Annabelle to her father. Jared fawned over her. It hit him hard. A lump formed in his throat. He wondered if there would have been the same love in Jared’s eyes when he was a baby had things been different. Would Annabelle end up as he did, a child not to be seen? Or would his father shower her with the love he never knew existed between a parent and their child?

  Jared walked over to the Goddess. He handed Anna over, gently kissing her on the head. After whispering something to her, the Goddess glanced over at Drakkar, smiled encouragingly, and slipped out of the room, leaving him at the mercy of three intimidating men. He gripped the arms of his chair so tight, his knuckles turned white.

  Jared approached, reaching out his hand. Drakkar shrunk back, cringing in his seat. His father stopped dead in his tracks. Drakkar peeked out of one eye, only to find the man standing before him, arms crossed, and jaw ticking a staccato.

  “Stand up,” Jared commanded.

  Drake stood slowly, never taking his eyes off the one spot on the floor he’d been concentrating on. Don’t make eye contact or he’ll beat you for it. You’re nothing to him. You were raised her son. His mind repeated the chant over and over.

  “Look at me.”

  Drakkar glanced up, and then away toward the window.

  “Hey, I said look at me.”

  He looked Jared straight in the eye, raising his chin defiantly.

  “You’re either completely insane to try and pull off a stunt like this, or just plain stupid. Do you have any idea what could have happened? I’m just glad it never went that far.” Jared opened his arms.

  Drakkar panicked, falling back into the chair behind him. “I’m sorry.” He cringed, putting up his arms to protect his face.

  Jared took a step back. “I’m not going to hurt you. No one here is going to hurt you.”

  Drake relaxed, lowering his hands to the arm of the chair, but stayed alert, keeping his gaze averted. He’d been tricked before by Absinthe into believing she wouldn’t hurt him. Then when he wasn’t expecting it, she struck even worse than he anticipated the first time.

  “How often did she . . . .” Jared didn’t finish the sentence.

  Drakkar shrugged.

  “I could kill her for this. Please let me hunt her down.” Lance sneered. “It’s time she got what was coming to her.”

  “No!” Drakes gaze shot toward the wolf. “You can’t. She’ll kill them. She’ll kill them both,” he pleaded.

  “Who will she kill? We have both you and Annabelle back. Who is she holding over your head?” Jared placed his hand on Drakkar’s.

  Drake was confused. Didn’t Britt and Nick explain everything to Serenity’s mother? Why didn’t she tell Bonatelli? What the hell was going on?

  “You can’t go after her. If I don’t meet her tomorrow night, she’d going to kill both Serenity and Giovanna. I was supposed to hand over Anna. Then she was going to let them go.” Drakkar looked at all three of them. “I have to go to her. But now I have no way to save them. My only hope is she’ll take me instead and let them live.”

  Zephyr placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but no matter if you show up or not, Absinthe won’t free them and you’ll just wind up at her mercy again.”

  “It’s true. I can’t allow you to do that. Lance will gather a team and rescue them instead. Absinthe doesn’t have the following she once possessed,” Jared reasoned.

  Drakkar shook his head. “She still has plenty of vampires who are loyal to her. But she doesn’t need an army. You have to let me do this, alone. If she even senses one of you there, I don’t know what she’ll do. I’ve seen her backed into a corner. The outcome wasn’t pretty. I have the scars to prove it.”

  “Scars?” Lance frowned. “She did worse than hit you?”

  “You have no idea,” Drake muttered.

  “Please let me kill her this time,” Lance begged Jared.

  “I already told you, we can’t kill her.” Jared sighed.

  The wolf growled. “I seriously hate the fact you made that half-assed promise to your father. There’s no way she’ll ever redeem herself to me.”

  Drakkar listened to their exchange attentively. He couldn’t believe Bonatelli was actually protecting her after all she’d done. Even though he himself hated her, Drake didn’t want her dead either. A part of him still believed in her own twisted way, Absinthe did care about him.

  “Can we please focus on the captives? I think Drakkar made a good point.” Zephyr squeezed his shoulder. Drake looked up at him. “We have to allow him to meet Absinthe. If we are there, cloaked by Semiramis’ magic of course, we can monitor what happens and move in to take her captive. But I suggest a small rescue party, otherwise she will do something rash.”

  Drakkar mouthed thank you to the vampire. Zephyr smirked. “Don’t thank me yet. We still have details to iron out, and your father has yet to hand down your punishment for treason.”

  Drake gulped. The way they were all talking around him, he thought Jared forgave him. Apparently he was wrong. The Prince still intended to charge him with the ultimate crime to the crown, son or no son.

  Drakkar slipped out of Jared’s study and slid the doors closed. After hours discussing what to do to rescue Serenity and Giovanna, there was no better plan than the one Drake came up with himself.

  As soon as the sun went back down, he would carry it out. No one else needed to get hurt.

  “This is all your fault, you know.”

  Drake stiffened his spine at the deep voice behind him. His hands still rested on the handles of the sliding doors to the study. He’d been expecting the confrontation, but didn’t think Serenity’s uncle would choose while they were all inside Bonatelli’s home to do so.


  He turned slowly to find Jackson Avery leaning against the wall across from the study. Nettie told him what a loose cannon he’d become after her father’s death. Honestly, Drakkar didn’t know what to expect from the human.

  “I know” He met the human’s gaze head on. “I’m going to get her back. I swear to you.”

  Jake inspected the apple in his hands and took a bite. “Yes, you are. But the way you’re going about it is all wrong.”

  Drakkar frowned. “I don’t think-”

  “That’s right. You’re not thinking. You’re going to sneak out, again, without a real plan and try to save them on your own.” He took another bite from the apple.

  “I’m not-” Drake began.

  “No, you’re not. I’m not going to let you.” Jake pushed off the wall. “You and me, you see, we’re going to work together and if you try to ditch me, well, let’s just say it won’t end well for you.” His toffee colored eyes glittered.

  Drakkar swallowed. “Okay. Then what’s your plan?”

  Jake draped an arm around Drakkar’s shoulders and tapped him on the chest with the apple. “Don’t you worry about that. Just make sure you get some rest before sunset. You’re going to need it.”

  Jackson winked. Removing his arm from Drake’s shoulders, he brushed some imaginary thing off the front of Drake’s leather jacket. Then, without another word, Jake walked off toward the kitchen, leaving Drakkar to stare after him.

  Rather than stick around in the foyer to see who else might lurk nearby to confront him, Drakkar jogged up the stairs to the room Jared told him to use. Once inside, he clicked the lock and turned to face the four-post bed with a dark blue comforter. He toed off his sneakers while slipping his jacket from his shoulders and took in his surroundings.

  It was vastly different than what he was used to. The walls were a light blue, not overly cheerful, but comforting. All of the furnishings -the bed, two dressers and a desk- were stained in a honey oak color. There was an antique blue and grey oriental rug in the center of the room stretching underneath the bed, which called to him.

  Drake sat on the edge of the mattress. This was what he longed for his whole life. But it wasn’t really his, only his for the day. Who was he kidding? This wasn’t his life. It could never be his life. Once Serenity and Giovanna were out of Absinthe’s clutches, he was going to disappear.

  He collapsed back onto the pillows, staring at the ceiling. He was tired, so tired he could barely see anymore. Drakkar closed his eyes.

  “I wondered how long it would take for you to realize who and what you are.”

  Drake eyes shot open to face the woman standing beside the bed. Tall with dark flowing hair and stormy grey eyes, there was nothing but kindness in the way she looked at him. He was rooted to the bed, words failing him.

  Semiramis moved closer and cupped his face with her hands. “Drakkar, this is where you belong, where you have always belonged.”

  He pulled away, scooting to the other side of the mattress, putting distance between them. Holding up a hand, Drake stopped her from advancing. “You don’t know me. How could I possibly belong here?”

  “Drakkar.” She waved away the force field he put up between them. “I know you better than you know yourself. You are my flesh and blood. You possess a watered-down version of my powers. I’ll protect you, just as I would protect everyone in this house. Running away will only make you a moving target for Absinthe. Could you really live the rest of your life looking over your shoulder?”

  Drake couldn’t speak. He already knew the answer. Absinthe would never rest until she destroyed everything his father cared for. She wanted the crown and no one was going to stand in her way. Being on the run, he’d be an obstacle that could show up at any moment and take it all away from her.

  “So then what? I stay here after we get Serenity and Giovanna back? We become one, big happy family? I really don’t think it will work that way.” He pulled away from Semiramis, stood, and walked to the serene painting of a beach with pink sand. He touched it with his fingertips “Every time they look at me, all they’ll see is Absinthe’s pawn, the person who took their precious Princess to hand over to a monster.”

  “Maybe for a time they will. But don’t you think you deserve something better than being a pawn in Absinthe’s game of chess? You have a family, one that will love and protect you if you decide to give them a chance.” She placed a hand on his arm.

  Drakkar looked down at her hand. He wanted to believe her, he really did. He shifted to face her. “You don’t think I want that? It’s all I’ve dreamt of since I was a vampling. Just once I wanted someone to chase the monsters away, kiss a bruise, or even just open their arms and hug me because they loved me. I got none of that. All I got was beaten, belittled, and brainwashed.”

  Semiramis’ eyes welled up with tears. “If I knew any of that was happening, I would have come for you. I would have saved you from her. You were so well hidden, I didn’t even know you existed. I’m so sorry, Drakkar.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.” His throat felt like it was closing up.

  “No, but at least now we can make up for some of the lost time.” She opened her arms and pulled him in.

  Drakkar broke. The dam he’d built to hold back all of the hate, rage, fear, and helplessness shattered. He became a scared child needing to be held, needing to be told everything would be okay. He clung to her and sobbed, tears flowing like rivers down his face.

  “It’s okay. I promise it will all work out.” She stroked his hair as he struggled to get control over his feelings. “You’ve been all alone for so long. You’ve been so strong. You don’t have to be that way anymore.”

  “I can’t -I can’t let them down,” he whispered into her hair.

  “You won’t. Listen to me.” She pulled back and placed a hand on either side of his face, forcing him to look directly into her grey, stormy eyes. “Tonight we will get them back and when we do, Absinthe will no longer be a threat to you. Trust your family. We love you.”

  He nodded and wiped the tears from his face. “I hope so.”

  She took his hand and led him back to the bed. “Get some sleep. It will be time to go before you know it.”

  Semiramis kissed his cheek and placed her hand over the spot where her lips touched him, smiling. Drake sat on the bed again. When he looked back up, she was gone as mysteriously as she appeared.

  Maybe the whole thing was a dream and he would wake in his own bed, at his own house, with Absinthe ready to torture him all over again. Maybe Serenity didn’t exist and was just a hallucination his mind created to deal with the pain. Maybe he just finally broke into a million pieces and was going crazy.

  Whatever his reality was, hopefully it would be there when he woke in the evening. He didn’t think he could take another minute second guessing his life.

  Drakkar shifted uneasily in his seat as Jake cut the engine to his Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. They sat in silence, staring into the dark forest surrounding them. Originally Drake was going to just ditch all of them and go it alone. After Semiramis spoke to him, all of that changed.

  He wasn’t alone in his fight.

  He wouldn’t be alone every again.

  Jake grabbed a back pack from the back seat and sifted through the contents. He pulled out a flashlight, handing it to Drakkar. Drake refused.

  “Come on, kid. It’s dark and you need it.”

  Drake looked at him. The blue glow from his eyes lit Jake’s face. “I don’t think that will be a problem for me. Nocturnal, remember?”

  Serenity’s uncle chuckled. “Yeah, forgot. So, we good? You know we all have your back.”

  Drakkar gave him a curt nod. “Let’s get this over with. I just want to go back to playing video games and watching Netflix.”

  “Hell, that’s what we all want, but probably won’t happen now, your Highness,” Nick chimed in from behind him.

  Jake handed each of them an ear piece. “This is so we can all communicate. Not all o
f us are telepathic. Don’t worry. The frequency they transmit at is undetectable by other vampires in the area. Absinthe won’t know we can hear everything that’s going on.”

  Drake slipped it in his ear. It was so tiny, he couldn’t even feel it. However, he could hear others speaking in the background. “Uh, everyone will be quiet when I start up there, right? It’s kind of distracting to listen to all of you.” He shook his head.

  “As soon as you get out of the Jeep, it’s radio silence,” Lance said in his ear. “Believe me; I know how annoying Jared and Mother Z can be.”

  “Please can I mount him above the fireplace,” Zephyr mumbled.

  “Kids, don’t make me put you in separate corners,” Jared scolded.

  Nick burst out laughing. “Hey, Drake, you sure you don’t want into this dysfunction? It’s like having a sitcom in your own living room.”

  “Shut up, Nick,” all of them said in unison.

  “Damn, no respect.”

  Drakkar rubbed is sweating palms on his jeans. He didn’t know what Absinthe had in store for him. The woods could be set with traps. Her Matrix minions probably lurked nearby, ready to tell her company had arrived and that he wasn’t alone. Gods, if she knew they all came with him . . .

  Drakkar, breathe, son. It’s going to be okay. We’re not going to let her get away with either of them. They are coming home. Jared’s soothing voice sounded in his head.

  But what if I fail? What if everyone gets hurt because of me, he sent back.

  Lance may seem like he’s joking all the time, but I’m telling you, you have the best team helping you right now. Just remember to breathe and relax. We have your back, his father said.

  Okay.

  “You ready,” Jake asked.

  “More than you know. Let’s do this.”

  Drakkar opened the door and got out. He surveyed the tree line while everyone else gathered and determined their positions. He wasn’t aware they stopped speaking in his ear until Jared came up behind him and clapped him on the shoulder.

  “Okay, so we’re still a few miles away from the cliffs. Once you dematerialize, we’ll wait about five minutes and follow. We’ll have a perimeter of roughly one hundred yards. When we’re in position, I’ll let you know. Only then will you go to her.” Jared turned him around. He straightened the collar of Drake’s jacket. “I just put a camera on you. Nick will be able to see what you see from here and relay it to us. There’s no need to verbalize it. That would only alert her that you’re not alone.”