Dracones Boxset Books 1-5

by Sheri-Lynn Marean

  Jax shook his head. “Like what?”

  “I know he’s trying to please us, to prove he can be useful, but I can’t help thinking there is something more going on—”

  A sudden crash from the kitchen made them pick up their pace. “Uh, that doesn’t sound good,” Jax mumbled.

  Stepping into the kitchen, they saw Thaniel standing frozen, his eyes beginning to glow as he stared toward the entrance to the mudroom. On the floor at his feet, was a broken plate. Tierney and Jax both looked at what had Thaniel so scared.

  “What the fuck! You’re the kid that—” Jax took a step towards a little blond boy.

  Tierney grabbed Jax’s arm, stopping him. “Jax, stop, you’ll scare him. Remember, I told you he came to visit me?”

  “Taraven,” she said, looking at the boy who seemed to be about ten.

  “Yeah, but he’s also the boy who snatched Serena from us after she attacked you,” Jax reminded her, his voice in her head filled with distrust, even though he stayed by her side.

  Taraven glanced at Thaniel, then to Jax before settling his gaze on Tierney. “Are you the Queen?”

  “The Queen?” Tierney asked, not sure what he was talking about.

  Taraven glanced at her hand on Jax’s arm, holding him back and frowned.

  Jax chuckled and relaxed a smidge. “Yeah, she’s the queen around here.”

  “Jax.” Tierney scowled at him and swatted his arm then she moved over to Thaniel who seemed on the verge of changing into his leopard. “Hey, you okay?” she asked quietly as she laid her hand gently on his arm. After a second, he nodded and his eyes returned to normal.

  Still frowning at them, Taraven glanced at Thaniel who had bent down to pick up the broken pieces of plate. “Sorry I scared you.”

  Thaniel didn’t say anything, but Tierney could see he was now upset about breaking the plate. She crouched down to help.

  “It’s fine, Thaniel. It’s just a plate.” She smiled at him and then stood up, and dropped the pieces she held into the garbage before holding the bin open for him.

  Taraven stepped closer to them with a severe scowl. “What are you doing?”

  Now Tierney frowned at the boy. “I’m helping, why?”

  Taraven shook his head. “Kings and Queens don’t help their pets.”

  Tierney’s spine stiffened. “Pets?”

  Taraven nodded at Thaniel. “Him, he’s a Were-leopard. He’s your pet, isn’t he?”

  At his words, Jax let out another chuckle until Tierney glared at him.

  “Sorry.” Jax held his hands up as if in surrender but she still caught his voice in her head. “We’re all your pets, aren’t we?” he teased seductively. Tierney ignored him and glanced back at Taraven.

  “Thaniel here is a Were-leopard but he’s not my pet, he’s a member of our family.” Tierney could feel Thaniel’s surprise and she gave him a little smile as he turned towards the stove. She looked back at the strange little boy in their kitchen, trying to figure him out.

  Taraven cocked his head to the side, considering what she had said when he must have suddenly caught the wonderful smell wafting from the stove. Surprise filled his eyes and he inhaled a deep breath. “That smells good.”

  “This is one weird ass kid,” Jax said in her head. Tierney glanced at him, rolled her eyes, and then turned to Thaniel with a smile before looking back at Taraven.

  “Yes, it does. We were just about to sit down and eat, would you like to join us?”

  “You eat with…” Taraven glanced at Thaniel.

  “Ah, yes, I do…I don’t understand, why do you find that strange?” she asked him.

  “Because you’re the Queen.”

  Tierney blinked and started to say something. Jax chuckled again and she shot him a glare. “Not helping!” Then she turned back toward Taraven. “I’m not a queen and this is my family. Now would you like to join us for some supper?”

  “Well you’re my Queen,” Jax told her silently as he began to pull bowls out of the cupboard.

  Tierney smirked at him. “And I’ll deal with you, my unruly subject—later.”

  “I so can’t wait to see what you have in store for me, my Queen.” Jax said and Tierney caught the fire in his eyes.

  “What is it?” Taraven asked, once again staring at the pot on the stove. Tierney turned to Thaniel who nervously swallowed as if he’d been caught doing something wrong as he stirred the pot. “Ah, I…made stew.”

  “Well, it smells awesome, so let’s have some,” Jax said and set the bowls on the counter beside the pot.

  Thaniel handed them each a bowl of stew, then it grew silent except for the sound of spoons against the sides of the bowls. Tierney noticed Thaniel was waiting nervously to see if they liked it. Swallowing a mouthful, Tierney looked up at him.

  “This is really good,” she told him.

  At the same time, Jax said, “Kitty, you’re awesome!”

  Tierney smiled as Thaniel began to relax and started to eat as well. She turned to Taraven who also seemed to be enjoying his meal. “So Taraven, I’m glad you came back to visit, but is everything all right?” she asked.

  The boy paused his eating, the spoon halfway to his mouth, glanced at her a moment and then without answering, he continued to eat. Tierney looked at Jax who just shrugged.

  “Weird.”

  “So, ah, what brought you here today?” she asked, trying again to get the boy to start talking. Without pause, Taraven just shrugged his shoulders. Okay! Telling herself not to get frustrated, she asked, “Where do you live? Where do you come from?”

  Now she had his attention. With a frown, he put his spoon down. “This is very delicious, thank you. You cook very well, Thaniel,” Taraven said. Tierney could feel Thaniel’s embarrassment and pleasure at the compliment and she was sure he was turning red, but his hair hid his face. Now, under their stare, he dipped his head lower, not saying a word.

  Taraven turned to Tierney. “Do you want to know where I’m from, or where I live?”

  “Yeah, really fucking weird.” Jax’s words floated through her head, making her stifle a grin because he was right.

  “Ah, well, how about both?” Tierney asked, curious.

  Taraven shrugged. “I come from the dark realm of Galias…Darkhall to be exact, but I presently reside in Scarsblood.”

  Tierney frowned at Jax and looked back at the boy. “Where is Scarsblood?”

  “Is that here in Washington?” Jax asked. Taraven simply nodded and went back to eating.

  “And do you live with your parents?” Tierney asked.

  “No, the ones who bore me sold me when I was born.”

  “Oh.” Tierney and Jax looked at each other. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said, looking back at the boy. Again, Taraven merely shrugged. “So, who do you live with?” she asked, wondering what his connection to Serena was, along with his connection to the cryptic message she’d received almost two weeks ago.

  “My King. He is generous enough to let me live in Scarsblood,” he replied.

  Ah, that explains so much. Not.

  Taraven’s gaze narrowed on the choker she wore around her neck. “That’s pretty. Are they soul stones?”

  “They are. You know about soul stones?” she asked.

  Taraven nodded. “Of course, I’m half Raven-shifter and half Daigon-wizard.”

  Right …

  ‘This is one strange kid. I feel like I’m trying to learn algebra while watching tennis,’ Jax exclaimed inside her head.

  Tierney ignored him, and nodded at Taraven like she knew what a Daigon wizard was, even though she hadn’t a clue. “Who is your king?”

  Taraven cocked his head to the side and considered her for a moment before he said, “Val Jean is my King.”

  Ah! That name just kept popping up everywhere, and reminded her of something.

  “Taraven, do you know anything about the raven and strange message I received about two weeks ago?”

  Taraven blinked at h
er, reminding her very much of a bird. Tierney fought not to smile.

  “This raven sat on a branch in a tree out in the yard. It let out a caw then fell to the ground,” she said, catching Taraven’s attention. “I went to see if it was still alive but when I touched it, it was icy cold, and I felt some kind of magic begin to crawl up my arm.”

  “What happened?” Taraven asked, his eyes growing wide and looking more like a kid than ever.

  “Well, I yanked my hand away and then it turned into some kind of hologram. I saw a blond boy that looked just like you. Then a voice said, ‘Blood Sky approaches. Please, unbind my soul from Val Je—’ then the voice suddenly cut off, but I assume it meant to say Val Jean?”

  Both Thaniel and Taraven stared at her.

  “I guess,” Taraven said, then something flickered in his eyes, understanding, or perhaps recognition.

  “Do you know what the message means, are you bound to Val Jean?” she asked watching him for any sign that he knew.

  Taraven frowned, then shrugged and resumed eating.

  Tierney glanced at Thaniel, who was now staring into his food. She sighed and frowned, worried and sure that Taraven knew more than he was telling.

  “Tiern, he knows something,” Jax said in her head.

  “I know, but I don’t want to scare him away.”

  Tierney thought about all she had just learned, and even though she knew it was dangerous, she had to ask. “Taraven, you say you’re part wizard, can you do magic? Spells?” she asked with her heart in her throat.

  Taraven glanced up at her. “Yes, of course, I am very powerful.”

  Tierney swallowed, afraid to hope. “Well, someone hurt my dad really bad. He’s healing, but not as fast as he should be.” Taraven scowled up at her and Tierney continued. “We think he’s under some kind of spell. Would you take a look at him, to see if you could help?”

  Taraven nodded and climbed off the stool.

  As Tierney and Jax got to their feet, Jax grabbed her arm. “You trust this kid?”

  “Yeah, for some reason I do, besides, what do we have to lose?”

  “I don’t know, but he makes my head hurt,” Jax said. Tierney smiled up at him, knowing what he meant. Jax nodded and together, he and Tierney led the way to Zander’s room.

  “He’s in here. He’s in a magical coma because he is in so much pain,” Tierney told the boy. Taraven nodded and Tierney opened the door.

  After studying Zander for a few seconds, Taraven walked up to the side of the bed and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he looked up at her. “I may be able to help him.” Surprise and hope filled Tierney, until Taraven said, “But not right now.”

  “What? Why not now?” she asked, suddenly feeling deflated.

  Without a word, Taraven walked out of the room and back into the great room where he looked around. Tierney and Jax followed him.

  “Why can’t you help him now?” Tierney asked as Taraven looked curiously around the great room.

  Finally, he turned back to her. “I need to talk with someone first,” he said.

  Tierney frowned. “We really don’t want you telling anyone about us, we have enough enemies hunting us.”

  Taraven nodded. “I’ll not tell anyone who or where you are.”

  Tierney nodded. She could feel the truth in his words.

  “Who is Serena to you?” Jax finally asked the question she knew he’d been itching to ask.

  “Jax.” Tierney tried to stop him from scaring Taraven away.

  “What, the bitch tried to fuck up my life…”

  “Serena is my King’s daughter,” Taraven said without hesitation.

  “Of course she is—the bitch,” Jax mumbled.

  Taraven stiffened up and glared at him. “That’s not very nice.”

  Jax snorted and Tierney put her hand on his arm to calm him. “Neither is what she did to me a while back, nor was her attack on Tierney,” Jax said making Taraven glance at Tierney in surprise. Tierney nodded.

  Taraven bit his lip. “She is very spoiled but regardless, she should not have tried to hurt you. I am sorry.”

  Tierney and Jax were both speechless for a moment.

  “What kind of kid talks like this?” Jax asked.

  “Obviously, he does,” she said.

  Just then, Soroyan walked into the room.

  “Oh gods, Soroyan, are you hurt?” Tierney asked when she saw his condition. The wolf’s clothes were torn and covered in blood. There was blood on his face as well, but no injury that she could see. Either it wasn’t his blood or he had already healed.

  After glancing at Taraven and Jax, Soroyan scowled at her. “I am fine.”

  “Well you don’t look fine, what happened?” she asked.

  “Tried to get some information on Toren, from someone who didn’t want to give it,” he said.

  Taraven was looking at Soroyan with an expression of curiosity. “Toren?”

  Taraven said the name with a tilt of his head and a frown.

  Tierney looked at him in surprise. “Yes, we’ve been trying to find him, he’s an Okami wolf. Do you know him?”

  Taraven stood very still as Soroyan’s gaze landed on him and immediately, Tierney caught the boy’s fear.

  “Taraven? We didn’t mean to scare y—”

  The boy quickly cut her off. “I’ve said too much. Thank you for the meal. I will get back to you regarding your father.” Then he was just gone, presumably having teleported back to Scarsblood.

  “Well, that was pretty damn strange,” Jax exclaimed.

  Tierney nodded in agreement then glanced at Soroyan who was staring at the empty spot where the boy had been. “That was Taraven, apparently he is a half-Raven shifter and half-Daigon wizard…and Val Jean is his king.”

  “Did he tell you where this Val Jean is?” Soroyan asked with an urgent glance in Tierney’s direction.

  Tierney shook her head. “No, we asked, but other than to say some place called Scarsblood, no—”

  “He is one weird ass kid,” Jax interjected.

  “Well, if he comes back, ask him. Find out, because I’m sure that wherever Val Jean is, is where Toren is, and his reaction just now, suggests I am correct,” Soroyan said.

  Tierney nodded. “I will, is Mark okay too?”

  Soroyan nodded. “He says he will be in for some food in a bit.”

  “Good.” Tierney turned away, wishing Taraven had been able to help her dad. She spotted Thaniel standing in the doorway to the kitchen staring at them through his pale hair. She smiled at him. “Thank you for cooking Thaniel, and for all your help.”

  Thaniel just nodded and ducked back into the kitchen.

  Chapter Nine

  Goldenthorn

  AMELIS HUNG UP her cell phone and turned to see her daughter, Serena draped possessively over Marcius in his bed. Val Jean had given Marcius a guest room in his fortress and Marcius wasn’t hesitating to make use of it. She couldn’t understand what her daughter saw in the creep.

  Ignoring Serena, she instead directed her attention to Marcius. “Looks like your son got to the girl before we could. That kid of yours is really becoming a problem. What are you going to do about it?”

  “Why do I have to do anything about it?” Marcius asked, lounging back in a way that reminded her of Val Jean. Anger surged through her at the humiliation the King of the Nightwalkers continuously put her through. Now, to see her daughter happily whoring herself with the disgusting Fallen was making Amelis positively ill.

  “Well, seeing how Val Jean saved your life and it’s him that wants the girl, I’d say he may not be too happy about your son interfering. What do you think?”

  Marcius narrowed his eyes on her. “You’re the mighty Master, can’t you just send more men?”

  Amelis stared at Marcius. She’d love to see him get his ass handed to him—the arrogant prick. “All right, I’ll just tell Val Jean you’d rather stay here fucking his daughter, than go help collect his latest infatuation.”
>
  At her daughter’s swiftly indrawn breath, Amelis smirked.

  Marcius sneered at her. “Well, if your men can’t handle it then I guess I can head up to Canada and collect her. Who knows, maybe I’ll get a chance to kick Sami’s ass back to hell while I’m there,” he said.

  “Oh sure, because that went so well for you the last time.” Amelis laughed, then laughed some more as Marcius turned red. “Maybe he will kill you for good this time.”

  “Mom,” Serena yelled. Amelis simply shrugged.

  “Garson,” Marcius called out as he shoved Serena away and sat on the edge of the bed, buck naked.

  “Yes?” Garson, one of twenty Daywalkers loaned to Marcius, asked as he stepped into the room. Garson was in charge of his squad.

  “I need ten of your best men, and Val’s plane made ready. I will meet them at the airport in two hours.”

  “Oh goody, then you can come back to bed for a while.” Serena patted the bed beside her, and Amelis shook her head at the girl but simply got a glare in response.

  “No, I have something I need to take care of before I go,” Marcius told her.

  “Where are we going?” Garson asked with a touch of arrogance to his tone.

  Marcius sneered at the Daywalker. “Your men and I are going to Calgary. You will be staying here. I don’t need your help.”

  His expression steely, Garson turned and without a word, left the room.

  “Baby, where are you going?” Serena asked in a whiny voice that grated on Amelis. Gah, she wished her daughter would see what a useless piece of trash Marcius really was.

  “Didn’t you hear what your mama said?” he sneered at Serena, and Amelis almost laughed. Serena would soon see him for what he was—she hoped.

  “My mother says a lot of things…” Glaring at her mother as she spoke, Serena added, “Daddy told her to find the girl, not you.”

  Marcius ignored Serena.

  “He’ll do it because he likes all the money, cars, and minions your daddy provides him, my daughter,” Amelis said, receiving another glare from Serena before she turned back to Marcius. “Well, you still have a couple hours before you go,” she said suggestively, dropping the sheet so that her breasts were exposed.