Dracones Boxset Books 1-5

by Sheri-Lynn Marean

  Now, she needed to reach through Sami’s wall, to get him to listen.

  “That’s not true. I was scared. Terrified actually. You scared the crap out of me and in turn, I reacted like a real bitch. I’m sorry.” Hellfire stared into his stunning emerald eyes. “Sami, do you remember I mentioned a dream to you when we first met?”

  He nodded. “I remember.”

  “You were surprised. I think I suggested that you had dreamed of me too, right?”

  Again, Sami nodded. “I did, why?”

  “What did you dream, Sami?” she asked, holding his gaze.

  Hellfire wanted to weep at the pain and agony she felt sweep through him. “It was awful,” he admitted. “I dreamed of that day at Liberty Lake. I’d start to run, to try to get to you, but I was never quick enough and they tossed you into the fire. Then I saw it really happen, just like in my dream,” he whispered, horror clear by the catch in his voice. “Then I learned that you weren’t really dead. That you were a Phoenix. I had no idea what to think, I just had to see you. To see that you were really alive.

  Hellfire blinked back more tears. “Oh Sami, that must have been awful.” There was so much pain, so much hurt and betrayal in his eyes. She swallowed as she realized that she was responsible a lot of it. “Then when you met me, I treated you like crap.” The urge to break down and sob was strong, but she had to tell him. “Do you know what I dreamed?” she asked very quietly. He needed to know why she’d been so hateful.

  Sami shook his head. “No idea, I thought it was the same thing at first.”

  Hellfire held his gaze. “I dreamed that I’m running with Nix away from something horrible. We’re scared. I see Nix lurch and drop to the ground. Then something hits me and I fall as well. I’m lying surrounded by bodies with Nix beside me. She’s not moving and I know she’s dead.” Hellfire lowered her eyes to their hands and swallowed. “Then this super handsome, sexy man, a man who I seem to have an earth shattering, soul-deep connection to …”

  Hellfire looked up to see Sami blinked in surprise.

  Hellfire smiled. “This man, he’s large, muscular and has dark blond hair and these amazing emerald eyes that takes my breath away. But he’s standing over me, and he has such a fierce expression of rage on his face. Hatred is blazing bright in his eyes and he’s clutching this deadly looking dagger. There’s blood dripping off it and I’m in so much pain, and then I die.”

  Horror filled Sami’s eyes. “You thought … you thought I killed you.”

  Hellfire nodded apologetically. “I never wanted to tell you my dream, but you need to know why I was so scared. I didn’t care what you might do to me, but Nix, I couldn’t lose her, not after—” She shook her head. “From the first moment I saw you, I’ve felt this connection, but with my dream … anyway, that’s why I told you I hated you, that I wanted nothing to do with you.” Hellfire stared into his eyes, pleading with him to understand. “I’m so sorry, Sami.”

  She started to say she loved him when an image of a bloodied body, a man she’d foolishly went on a date with, flashed through her mind. It served as a reminder that her life, or more accurately her heart, wasn’t her own to give. She’d known better. She’d been warned, but she hadn’t listened.

  SAMI LOOKED DOWN at the hands grasping his. They look so tiny, so delicate in mine …

  Although he knew there was nothing delicate about her. Hellfire was tough as nails. It was no wonder she had wanted nothing to do with him. He could hardly blame her for that. He was only surprised she didn’t run even farther.

  “I’m sorry Sami, I never wanted to hurt you, and I did.” Hellfire gripped him tight.

  “How could you stand to even look at me?” Sami whispered.

  “Sami!”

  “Really?” he asked.

  “Remember I said I feel this connection to you?”

  When he lowered his gaze, Hellfire moved her hands up to his shoulders and got in his face. “Sami, I’ve been drawn to you from the beginning. You make me crazy.” She smiled sadly. “Once I got to know you, I figured I had to be wrong. But—”

  “But then you had the dream again,” he said, remembering her waking up two mornings ago.

  Hellfire nodded. “Yes, then I had the dream again and while I had come to really lo—ah, care about you, I still had to think about ah, Nix.”

  He frowned at her hesitation.

  “I’m so sorry,” Sami whispered. He couldn’t imagine what she must’ve been going through, thinking he’d kill her and her sister, and still she’d let him near her.

  “Sami. I’m the one who should be sorry. I was wrong. Very wrong.”

  Sami shook his head. “No, I certainly can’t blame you for wanting nothing to do with me.”

  He tried to pull away but Hellfire wrapped her arms around him, and leaned her head against his neck.

  “That’s the thing Sami, that’s all I wanted, all I want—to be near you. You saved my life, and I can never repay you for that. Then you gave yourself up for my sister. I was so wrong and I’m so sorry,” she said, but Sami wasn’t listening.

  He couldn’t get the image out of his how, how he must’ve looked, standing over her like that …

  HELLFIRE FELT HIM distance himself and cupped his face in her hands.

  “Sami,” she whispered, looking into his eyes. “Thank you.” He started to object, but she stopped him. “Don’t. You gave yourself up for Nix and Isoul’s brother. Two people you didn’t even know.” She sucked in a breath at the realization that Nix was about to do the same. “Then you gave me your blood and saved me.”

  Sami shook his head. “Anyone would have done that.”

  It was Hellfire’s turn to shake her head. “No, not anyone. Oh, and don’t you dare give yourself to the enemy again, you hear?”

  Sami didn’t respond and she sighed. “I wanted to die when I heard what you did, giving yourself to those Ilyium bastards.”

  Not sure how else to get through to him, Hellfire leaned in and kissed him. She wanted to smile when his lips parted the tiniest bit. That was all she needed. She began to nibble on his sweet lower lip and a moment later, he sucked in a breath. His mouth opened and his arms wrapped around her, pulling her against him. Hellfire wanted to shout and cry at the same time.

  She was suddenly on fire for him as he crushed her against his chest and his tongue dove into her mouth, seeking. Hellfire moaned. Holy hell, he tasted so good, so Sami …

  If he hadn’t been holding her, she’d have fallen for sure.

  Hellfire ran one hand through his hair and the other down his neck, smiling inside when he shivered. She could feel his longing and suddenly his hands were all over her.

  “Sami,” she breathed, coming up for a breath of air before diving back in. She wanted him.

  With one hand still caressing the silky skin of his neck, she slipped her other under his shirt and almost swooned. His skin sent tingles straight to her core. Then she felt his scales and a sizzle of power began to rise between them.

  “Hellfire,” he moaned, pulling away from her mouth.

  Glowing green eyes searched hers and seeing she wanted him just as badly, he groaned, and his mouth sought hers once again.

  Power zipped and sizzled between them and Hellfire rubbed up against his crotch, aching to feel him inside her. He was so solid, so hard beneath his pants. Reaching down, she cupped him, making him whimper and throw his head back.

  “Oh Sami, I want you so badly,” she said, stroking up the length of him.

  “I want you too,” he whispered raggedly.

  SAMI’S DRAGON WAS ROARING his eagerness as well but there was another voice, niggling at the back of his mind—a voice he could no longer ignore. His heart pounding and his breathing harsh, he pulled away and shook his head.

  “No, stop. Wait.”

  Hellfire stared at him as he struggled for control. Damn, she was so incredibly beautiful. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anyone or anything in his entire life. But
even though Goldy had told him she released him, Sami still felt like he was cheating on her.

  “I want you so bad,” he said and watched her lips curve up the tiniest bit, then understanding lit her eyes and the slight smile disappeared.

  “But you can’t,” she said and removed her hand.

  Sami wanted to cry for her to put it back, but he didn’t. Instead, he nodded. “I can’t, not now. I—”

  He just needed to go back and officially break it off with Goldy.

  Before he could explain Hellfire cut him off. “It’s okay, I get it. I’m sorry I enticed you.”

  As she turned away and stood up, he caught the pain in her eyes.

  Shit! “Hellfire—” He said when the hair on the back of his neck tingled in warning. What the fuck?

  “What is it?” Hellfire asked, feeling it as well.

  Sniffing the air that was thick with a magic not his own, Sami glanced around and cursed. “We have company.”

  He tried to see through the red haze surrounding them but it had grown thicker. Still, he sensed that whoever it was, they were close. He figured it was Ilyium, just like the other day. Isoul had warned him they’d would be coming.

  “You need to shift and go. Get away from here,” he said to Hellfire.

  “I’m not going without you,” she said, but he pushed her away.

  “Nix needs you. Go. I’ll be right behind you,” he said.

  Hellfire stubbornly shook her head. “I’m not leaving you here.”

  “Look, I’ll be right behind you, I’m just going to take a peek around. Look.” He pointed to the sky. The two moons and the three suns were close to being aligned, turning the sky a really dark blood red. The glow in the center of the closest moon was a faint pink haze. Magic pulsed thick in the air.

  “Oh shit, I forgot the eclipse.” Hellfire gasped.

  Sami nodded. “Yes. Your sister needs you. Go. I’ll find you.”

  Hellfire shook her head and Sami touched his choker. “I’m linked to you. I will find you with this if I don’t find you at the cabin.”

  Hellfire frowned and he could see the uncertainty in her eyes. “You promise?”

  He ached to pull her back into his arms and kiss away her uncertainty. Instead, he just nodded. “I promise.”

  “Okay,” Hellfire said, and then glancing nervously back at the eclipse, she shifted into her Phoenix form. She stared at him intensely, wiped a tear from her eyes and then took off.

  Sami ran his fingers through his hair, glancing around one last time. Shit!

  Then he drew on his own power and shifted into his dragon. He shot into the blood red, magic filled sky and began to circle the village. It was only a matter of seconds before he caught sight of ten Ilyium making their way towards where he and Hellfire had just been.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Super Blood Moon Eclipse

  HELLFIRE LANDED IN THE SNOW outside of the cabin, to find everyone heading across the clearing toward the forest, backpacks on their shoulders.

  “Helly, where were you? The eclipse started an hour ago, we only have three hours left,” Nix shouted, panicking as she stopped to wait for her sister.

  Since he’d cleaned up and rested, Hellfire noticed that Nix’s friend Dawson wasn’t bad looking. Though she wasn’t sure if she liked the look in his brown eyes when he gazed at Nix.

  Hellfire had asked Nix about him, but her sister had no idea of who or what he was, only that he’d saved her from being tortured. And that was enough for Nix, being the kindhearted soul that she was. Hellfire reminded herself to thank the man as well as find out more about him.

  Brimstone left Drakayeh, Hinah and Isoul, and hurried over to her.

  Hellfire shifted into her human form. “I’m sorry, I got here as quick as I could.”

  Brimstone had her and Sami’s packs slung over his shoulders along with his own.

  “We’re taking our stuff?”

  Brimstone shrugged. “Hinah said it would be best if we did. She thought we might want to head through the portal to Earth right after.” He didn’t voice the worry that Nix might not be with them.

  “Right,” Hellfire said, taking hers from him.

  “Where’s Sami?” Brimstone asked, searching the sky.

  “He’s coming,” she said, trying to hide her worry for Sami. “Come on.”

  He’ll be here. She had to believe that as she started after everyone.

  “Sami won’t know where we went,” Brimstone said.

  “He’ll find us, don’t worry,” Hellfire told him, trying to convince herself that it was the truth.

  “Of course he will,” Brimstone muttered, clearly on edge as they followed the others.

  “So, are we really going to let her do this?” Brimstone asked quietly a few minutes later.

  Hellfire glanced around. Nix and Dawson were up ahead. “Short of knocking her out and dragging her home, what choice do we have? Besides, if we did that she’d disown us and make our lives miserable.”

  Brimstone sighed. “Yeah, I guess.”

  Hellfire knew how he felt.

  “Is this the way to the portal we came through from Earth?” he asked a few minutes later.

  Hinah, Nix and Dawson didn’t stop, but Drakayeh did. “No. This is the way to a different portal. Most of them are all within few miles of each other,” he explained.

  “Huh, okay. Thought it seemed different,” Brimstone muttered.

  Behind them a faint whisper of sound caught Hellfire’s attention. “Someone is approaching,” she called softly, warning the others.

  There was a sigh of relief when a moment later a blue-grey wolf appeared.

  “Julie,” Hellfire said.

  Julie shifted into her human form and with an anxious look, hurried past Hellfire.

  “Hi Julie,” Brimstone said with a smile.

  “Hi Brimstone,” Julie greeted him before she continued up to Hinah. “Sorry, mother.”

  “I was worried you wouldn’t make it in time.” Hinah’s voice was tense as they continuing up the trail.

  Hellfire frowned. She knew Nix was trying to free Hinah’s family but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something else was going on as well.

  It was a good half an hour from the time they left the cabin to when they got to the portal, and Sami still hadn’t shown up. Fear and worry filled her.

  He’ll be here, she repeated over, and over.

  The magic in the air felt even thicker, more cloying if that was even possible. In the forest, there was very little snow but as they emerged from the woods into a small clearing, they were faced with the icy cold stuff once again.

  Hinah and Drakayeh’s son, Orion stood waiting for them.

  Huh! I didn’t even know he was going to be here.

  This clearing was similar to the one they came out of only a few days before. Other than the lack of blood-covered snow, and the fact that the cliff wall wasn’t as tall, it was still just as icy cold.

  “Come, we’ll stand over here,” Hinah said, moving so that the tall trees rose up at their back.

  Hellfire shivered as dread rushed down her spine but they all followed her while Drakayeh walked the clearing. Finally he stopped and waved Nix over. “I need you here.” He pointed to a spot about ten feet out from the rock wall.

  “What does Nix have to do exactly?” Hellfire asked Hinah who was staring at Drakayeh with sad eyes.

  Hinah blinked at Hellfire’s words then glanced at Nix a moment before looking back at Hellfire.

  “I don’t know. Once Drakayeh uses his power to summon the portal, the magic will tell your sister what she needs to do. It will depend on how pure her heart is and what the magic wants from her.” She turned away and walked over to Drakayeh and Nix.

  “Well, that told us nothing,” Brimstone muttered.

  Hinah talked to Nix for a moment then she and Drakayeh moved away and had a very heated conversation. Suddenly Hinah leaned into Drakayeh and wrapped her arms around the
big man. “What’s that all about?” Hellfire muttered and Brimstone shrugged and worry over Sami and Nix distracted her.

  As if feeling their concern, Nix hurried over to her and Brimstone and grinned. “Don’t look so scared, I’ll be okay.”

  Hellfire groaned. Here they were worried near to death, and Nix looked freaking excited.

  “I can’t help it, I don’t want anything to happen to you, and I heard that the last Phoenix—” Hellfire stopped speaking. “Sorry, just, be careful.”

  Nix nodded and hugged her, then hugged Brimstone. “I love you guys. Thanks for not giving me a hard time about doing this.”

  Nix turned to Dawson and took his hands. “Thank you, for all you did at that place. If it wasn’t for you, I’d never have survived.” Tears welled up in her eyes and Nix wiped them away.

  “I’d do it again,” Dawson said in a quiet voice, though worry also shone bright in his eyes. Nix hugged him and then pulled away and hurried back to the spot where Drakayeh told her to stand.

  Across the learning Hinah kissed Drakayeh, then with one last glance at him, she walked back to stand beside the rest of them. Orion and Julie, who’d been walking around the perimeter went to talk Drakayeh next. Hellfire frowned when looking upset, Orion hugged his dad and Julie followed suit.

  What the hell? A bad feeling churned in Hellfire’s gut. Someone wasn’t telling them something. She turned to Hinah. “What’s going on?”

  Hinah was staring at her man and children and didn’t seem to hear her.

  Orion and Julie looking resigned and the other sad, walked over to stand on either side of their mother. Julie grabbed Hinah’s hand and Orion put an arm around his mother’s shoulders.

  Hellfire’s suspicions intensified.

  Drakayeh stared at them, resignation etching in the lines of his face. Hellfire shivered. He looked like a man saying goodbye to his family.