“Hinah?” The name emerged from her dry throat as a croak. She coughed and her eyes began to water.
Rolling over, she looked up to see millions of rainbow-colored stars. Then slowly, the stars came into focus as well and Nix realized they were simply more brilliant, multi-colored crystals hanging from the ceiling of the portal-tunnel. They were all different lengths and reminded her of the icicles that used to hang from the eaves of their old home. Just more colorful.
“So pretty,” she murmured and then blinked. C’mon girl, get it together. Your family taught you better than to lie down and die. She hadn’t come all the way to Ireland and this portal only to give up when things got bad.
All her life, Nix had known she was meant for something special. Then after her parents died, she had a dream of the Raizarch wolves and knew she would one day sacrifice herself to save them. She was Kharhon—the ferryman. Or in her case—the ferry-woman.
When she told her siblings about the dream they claimed it didn’t mean anything. Except she had it at least once a month. Nix realized that while it didn’t scare her, it sure scared them.
So in order not to upset anyone, she lied and said she no longer had the dream. Then she waited for the day it would come true. Her destiny. Her siblings all had a purpose, fighting the Ilyium—their enemy who killed her parents. Nix didn’t have a purpose. She was the baby sister the others took care of. Yeah, so done with that.
Guiltily, she thought of her brother. Surely by now Brimstone will be freaking over her disappearance.
That was what, days or weeks ago? She really had no idea how long she’d been stuck in the portal. It seemed like forever, and Hinah did say time moved differently in each portal compared to the worlds they connected.
Still, in her defense, she tried to call and tell Brimstone where she was going when Hinah showed up. As soon as Nix saw the pale, silver-haired woman, she felt drawn to her. Somehow, she knew it was time to go. Just like in her dream.
When her brother didn’t answer his phone, she thought of calling her other siblings, but then decided against it. They would just try to talk her out of her destiny.
Nix knew she’d catch hell when she saw her siblings again. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her strength and struggled to pick up Hinah and move. They needed to get out of the portal and find Hinah’s mate; the guardian of the portals. Maybe he’d know what was wrong with the corridor between the two worlds and why they became trapped in it.
Nix had been surprised to learn how many portals there were. When Hinah explained how Nix was such a vital component of the prophecy, she’d also explained how badly they needed Nix. Only the blood of a special Phoenix could open the gateway to the realm where Hinah’s brethren were being held. Nix could tell Hinah was desperate to free her family and pack—the Raizarch wolves—from their prison. Hinah explained that this would be the only shot they had because Tartaria’s super-blood-moon eclipse only happened once every hundred years. It had been three hundred years since they last had a ferryman Phoenix.
Sharp pain pierced her, bringing her thoughts back to the present. “Ow!” Nix stopped dragging Hinah and took a moment to rest. She looked down at her bloody hand that was shredded from pulling Hinah along the razor-sharp ground.
Damn, why can’t I be stronger? She was the only one of her family who hadn’t gone through a fiery death yet, and without dying by fire, she’d never get any stronger.
If I could just stand, catch my breath, or even change into my Phoenix form …
Only try as she might, she couldn’t do any of that. Nix dug her fingers into the ground once again and began inching herself, and Hinah, along the painful surface. After what seemed like days, she yanked Hinah out of an opening, and collapsed onto frigid red snow. The scent of blood filled her nostrils and set her heart pounding. Lifting her head, Nix looked around. Her eyes grew wide at the sight in front of her and a scream of terror stuck in her throat.
Chapter One
Claws and Talons
HELLFIRE FUMED AT THE BLOOD that stained her shirt. “Damnit!” When you lived in abandoned buildings, it wasn’t easy to wash your clothing whenever you needed. With a disdainful glance at the body on the floor, she limped around the old televisions and electrical equipment left to rot in the derelict shop, and made her way to the door. She needed to be gone before Deacon arrived with the rest of his kill squad.
She peered out the boarded-up door and absently rubbed her chaffed wrists. She’d been running from Deacon for far too long and was getting really tired of it. Someone needed to take him down. Yeah, you tried that and failed, miserably.
When she didn’t see anyone lurking about, Hellfire emerged from the store and hurried to the end of the block where she ducked around a corner. She reached into her pocket for her phone, only to curse. The fuck-wad from Deacon’s kill squad had taken it when he trapped her. Shit! She debated going back for it, but a peek around the corner showed eight shadowy figures drifting down from the sky. Double shit! She was in no shape to fight them. Yeah, there was definitely no going back now.
She glanced around to make sure there were no curious eyes watching her. Not seeing anyone about, she shifted into her Phoenix form. Even if someone were watching, they’d just think they were imagining things.
Once sky born, Hellfire flew back to the warehouse where she and her siblings had been staying. They’d been scouting a new place to lay their heads, and she was supposed to meet her youngest sister and twin brother back at the old place hours ago. She’d have been there too, if she hadn’t been caught up in Deacon’s web instead. Now she only hoped that Brimstone had left her a message or sign of where they ended up moving.
Hellfire landed near the abandoned warehouse, shifted back into her human form and hurried inside. Within a few steps she knew it void of all life. With a sigh, she wandered through the building, looking for a note or sign, but didn’t spot anything. As she needed the loading dock the raunchy stench of Were-wolf made her want to gag. Ugh! Hellfire grimaced when she caught Nix’s and Brimstone’s scent as well.
“Where the hell are you guys?” she growled and flew up into the rafters to wait. Surely one or both of her siblings would show up. Hellfire reclined back against the large beam and listened to the familiar sounds of the old building. She tried not to worry, but couldn’t help wondering what the smelly-ass wolves had been creeping around the place for.
A couple hours later she woke up, stretched and winced. Her body was sore and bruised. Then she drew in a deep breath and listened. Other than the normal sounds of the old decrepit place, there was nothing. The bad feeling in the pit of her stomach grew. They will be here in the morning, she thought. Then, body aching from the fight with Deacon’s minions, and her past shoved brutally to the forefront of her mind, she fell back into a fitful sleep.
***
Sharp, taloned claws dug deep, ripping into her tender flesh. Pinching, tearing, drawing blood as they pierced her skin, sinking into the soft flesh of her torso. They cut into her thigh, belly, back and raked down her legs. Her right wrist, both her arms, and one leg along with some ribs were rendered useless—broken and mangled.
Blood ran in rivulets all over her while she silently cried.
“Thought you could escape me, did you?” Deacon’s menacing voice mocked her as he stole her innocence over, and over. Her virginity was the one thing she’d kept from him, naively hoping for a white wedding.
“You came here thinking to make me pay?” His evil chuckle accompanied the pain slicing through her. Weak from fighting, her body and soul broken, she lay unable to move while he mocked and brutalized her. Over and over. Day after day. “You are mine. You will always belong to me and if you think otherwise, just remember your siblings lives hang in the balance.”
Heart pounding, Hellfire startled awake. Wind whistled through the drafty building as words spoken five years ago, echoed through her mind once again. Tormenting, taunting, they tore at her soul. She’d never forgive
Deacon, or herself. She deserved all the pain, all the humiliation he’d heaped on her.
Fear for her siblings had driven Hellfire to do unspeakable acts. Forcing her to keep them in hiding. They couldn’t go home and she didn’t dare let it all go and live her life. More importantly, she had to keep what happened a secret. If her family learned what she’d done and what had been done to her, they’d retaliate. Then their deaths would be on her hands as well.
When morning came and there was still no sign of either Nix or Brimstone, she flew to the den of the Were-wolves. She didn’t know what else to do and the feeling that something was terribly wrong wouldn’t loosen its grip on her. Not for the first time, she wished that she were as good a scent tracker as Nix.
Hellfire perched on the parapet of the roof of the building across the street and gazed down at the wolf den. She’d happened on the place by sheer accident a year ago. Now she was glad she had. Although … she cocked her head. It felt deserted. Damn!
Not sure what else to do, she settled down to think over her options when a shiny antique black car pulled up just past the wolf den. Hellfire perked up.
Who is this now? And, who drive a car like that anyway? Three males and one female climbed from the car. Hellfire drew in a breath to catch their scent. They didn’t smell like wolves. Correction. Three of them didn’t, but one did, though not like a typical Were-wolf.
Hmm …
Her curiosity piqued, Hellfire crouched down where she could observe but not be seen. The one who was a wolf, but not a Were headed off down the street. She turned her attention on the others and narrowed her eyes. One of the guys looked hauntingly familiar. He was big, over six feet with a sweet body, shaggy golden hair, and green eyes. Frowning, she watched them approach the door. She thought she was well hidden until the big blond turned and gazed around behind them searchingly.
Holy shit! Hellfire’s heart raced furiously and she ducked down right as his gaze rose to the roof where she was hiding. It couldn’t be, could it? But it was him. He was the man from the horrid dream she had started having a week ago.
Hellfire groaned. No, this isn’t good. I should go. Run. Get as far away as possible.
She didn’t though. She couldn’t. Instead, she waited a few more seconds and then raised her head. It was stupid, but she half expected to see him staring right at her. He wasn’t. Disappointment filled her—they had gone inside.
What the hell is wrong with me? That man is dangerous! Still, curiosity kept her riveted to the spot, unable to move. Before long the dark-haired wolf shifter came back up the street. Then he went inside. He came back out a few seconds later looking annoyed and leaned up against the car. Hellfire snorted. Wolves …
A few minutes after that, the other three exited the building with a fourth person in tow. But this guy was wearing a blanket. A Were—wait, what? A Were-leopard? What the hell were the Were-wolves doing with a leopard in their den? Then she caught a whiff of the guy. Huh! Well, he obviously hadn’t been a willing guest. Poor wretch!
When they drove away, Hellfire shifted into her Phoenix form. With her dream in the forefront of her mind, she drew her invisibility around her and taking to the sky, followed them. She was beginning to think she was wasting her time as they led her to Walmart and then an apartment building.
Finally they emerged, the Were-leopard was cleaned up, dressed and smelled a whole lot better. They all climbed back into their car and hit the interstate heading East. Curious and with nothing else to do, Hellfire followed. She grinned when they arrived at a huge walled-in compound that reeked of the Ilyium. Although she also caught the scent of something even worse.
Hellfire followed as the strangers made their way along the wall to the back of the property toward two large barns. Smoke filled her nostrils and the stench grew stronger. Hellfire grimaced. It smelled like burning flesh and death. As the strangers on the ground entered one of the barns, Hellfire flew up to an open window and peered inside. Her stomach dropped at the rows of cells holding captives. Another breath in told her that they were all Supes of some kind and in various states of health, some on the verge of death. Is Nix or Brimstone in there?
Hellfire slipped inside and heart in her throat, perched up in the rafters where she could scan the cages. Shit, there are so many!
Neither Nix nor Brimstone were among the cages. Suddenly, the people she’d been following opened all the cage doors, releasing the prisoners. Hellfire smiled. She could just imagine how pissed the Ilyium would be when they found the place empty. With a last glance around, she flew back out through the Sami window and circled around the other buildings. The smoke grew thicker and Hellfire finally saw the cause. Horror filled her at the sight below. The Ilyium had massive fire pits filled with burning bodies.
Hellfire flew over the other buildings and then landed. She needed to check them out and make sure there were no other prisoners, or more importantly, her brother or sister.
After shifting into her human form, Hellfire slunk along the shadows and cautiously made her way down the side of one building. If the strangers hadn’t released the prisoners, she would have. Then her thoughts turned to the golden-haired male. He looked so yummy!
Distracted, Hellfire stiffened up when she sensed someone behind her. She turned and grimaced at the two Ilyium males in guard uniforms. Hellfire drew on her power to shift and fight, when the smaller of the two tasered her with fifty thousand volts of electricity. The jolt fried her magic and Hellfire dropped to her knees. “Pigs! Let me go,” she shouted as her body convulsed from the electric current.
The two guards watched her twitch with varying degrees of disgust. “Should we keep her?” the one with the taser asked the larger one.
“Fuck you, let me go!” she yelled at them, beyond furious. She tried to shift again, but her magic was still wonky. Hellfire screamed in frustration.
The bigger man who had dead eyes, shook his head. “Nah, she’s already too much trouble, we’ll just get rid of her. It’ll be easier.”
Reaching down, they pulled her to her feet and began to drag her between the buildings.
This can’t be happening again!
Already weak and hurting from the fight the day before, Hellfire fought them, but was no match for them. Quickly, they manhandled her over to a massive, fire pit. Oh no, no way! Hellfire renewed her efforts to no avail.
She sensed him first and a wild tingle rushed through her that had nothing to do with the taser. Hellfire met the horrified green gaze of the large golden-haired male who was her distraction and the reason she’d just been caught.
With a sudden cry, he began to run toward her but it was too late.
“Get in there,” one of the men yelled as they both shoved Hellfire into the pit.
Hellfire let out a howl of anger, thought it was really directed at herself. How stupid am I at getting caught two days in a row? At least these assholes have no idea much I love fire! Though that love didn’t extend to being thrown in with other burning bodies!
Hellfire’s magic finally activated as red hot hungry flames engulfed her. Ignoring the sight and stench, she closed her eyes and give herself over to her birthright. Within minutes, she was reborn from the ashes.
Hellfire rocketed out of the pit and shot into the darkening sky, rejuvenated and feeling better than she had in two days. She flew over the group on the ground as they headed back to their car and was wondering where to search for her siblings next, when something rammed into her side and sent her spinning.
Fuck, can’t Deacon ever just leave me alone? As she plummeted toward earth, Hellfire knew that if they caught her this time, there’d be no escape.
Hellfire hit the ground fast, hard and swearing. Without looking up at the sky, she stayed in her Phoenix form and keeping her cloak of invisibility active, began to run. To be safe, she kept to the shadows and used the forest for cover. It was full dark before she finally found a secure spot to hole up. Wanting to scream at the heavens, she finally shifte
d back into her human form. Then with a last searching look behind her, she curled up under a bush with a log at her back and waited out the night.
Before dawn broke the next day, Hellfire was already moving. She could hear some of Deacon’s kill squad dogging her and knew they were waiting for her to take to the sky again.
A week later she finally lost those chasing her ass. Maybe Brim or Nix will have returned looking for her, she thought and with nowhere else to go, returned to the warehouse.
There was still no one there. Feeling defeated, Hellfire flew back up into the cross beams and settled in. She was reminiscing over her life when an annoyingly familiar voice reached her. Brimstone! Relief filled her until she caught the sound of another voice—a sexy-male voice that sent a shiver down her spine. What the hell is going on?
Her brother and the male from her dream, the yummy golden-haired hottie she saw a week earlier stepped into view along with a group of nasty smelling Were-wolves.
They were looking for Nix.
Thrown off kilter by the sight of the green-eyes male, Hellfire stared. That faint tingle was growing and she debated letting Brimstone and his new friend handle the wolves.
Until the nasty beasts pissed her off. Hellfire shifted forms and jumped off the beam. She landed with a grin and joined the fight. Before long all the wolves lay sprawled out on the ground. Then she learned that the blond was named Sami.
Why does it have to roll off my tongue so easily?
“What do you mean, you don’t know where Nix is?” she asked her brother, mood darkening when she learned he had no idea where their little sister.
Beyond furious and drawn to Sami in a way she’d never felt toward anyone before, Hellfire frowned and tried to pick a fight. Then she felt bad about it, but she didn’t want to be anywhere near him. He made her feel things she didn’t understand.
Dracones Boxset Books 1-5 Page 59
