The Torn, Book One of the Holding Kate Series

by Cole, LaDonna

  “Why are you shouting? I don’t want Corey to leave.” I tried to sit up but felt very shaky and heavy. I struggled with my noodle arms, but couldn’t find any strength. “Help me sit up!”

  They sat with stunned expressions and stared at me.

  “I don’t care what that dragon does, I am going to help her.”

  SSSSSSsssssstttttt!

  “Don’t touch her, Corey!” All four voices shouted in stereo.

  ZZZZat! “Ouch!” Corey jerked his hand back.

  I gaped at him in horror. “Corey! Are you okay?” His hands were smoking. I reached for him, but he pulled away suddenly. Rejection blistered through me.

  “Mine!” The child’s voice screamed. I turned my face to the sound and the pressure on my chest. A little dragon face peered up at me from between my breasts. My initial reaction was to push it off. After all, this splitting headache was his fault.

  “Hello, Beauty,” The little dragon spoke into my mind and a sense of wonder and affection seeped into my heart.

  “Hello,” I purred.

  Corey laughed.

  “Can you hear him?”

  He nodded. “I think because I touched him before he…imprinted on you.”

  I looked at Trip. “You can’t hear him?”

  “Great, just one more connection she has with Corey. I can’t get a break! ” He shook his head but didn’t move his mouth.

  “What did you say?”

  “Nothing. I said nothing. You are hearing our thoughts. Somehow.” He cut scathing eyes to the dragon.

  I looked at the little dragon and then at Corey. I gulped for air, panic rising to steal my breath. “Why can’t you touch me?”

  “Technically, I can touch you, it just hurts like hell.” He smiled sadly.

  I looked at Trip. He pressed his lips together. “I tried to hold you when we first got here and was thrown against the wall.” He thought to me.

  No physical contact? How would I survive? I needed physical reassurance constantly. I sucked air through my lips and hot tears spilled onto my cheeks.

  “I have to hold her.” Corey reached a tentative hand toward me, his thoughts screaming in my head.

  “NO!” I crab walked away from him.

  Sssssssttttt! The little dragon hissed and fought for balance on my tummy. I curled into a ball on the floor and the dragon snuggled up next to me and hissed at my team mates. I sobbed into his soft leather hide.

  “I can’t bear this…oh good grief…can’t we just eat…poor princess can’t manipulate the boys anymore…my love…Mine…if we kill the dragon, maybe she will be okay…ssssttt…God help her, give her peace…I will kill it tonight when everyone is sleeping.”

  “Nooo!!!” I screamed and pressed my fists against my ears. “Shut up, just please shut up!”

  They backed out of the cave and left me to my possessive dragonet. The last thing I saw was Corey’s tender expression as he turned. “I have always loved you, Kate. We will get through this.”

  I moaned in despair and tried to shut everything out.

  “We have to figure out who this jump is about,” Ash said.

  “Kate, it’s about Kate,” Trip interjected

  “Everything is about Kate to you!” Tara snarled.

  “Well, the only thing of significance so far has happened to her.” Corey’s calm voice of reason tempered.

  I had taken up residence in the back of the cave as far away from them as I possibly could. It didn’t matter how far away they were, I still heard every thought that flitted through their heads, and it was driving me insane. I didn’t want to hear that Trip had murderous thoughts towards practically everyone and everything. I didn’t want to hear Ash’s constant commentary about the fine body that Tara had. God, I certainly didn’t want to listen to Tara torment me constantly. She was really a hateful person when it came to me, but to everyone else she was almost maternal.

  The dragonet whined constantly about being hungry or thirsty or sleepy. The only one who had any semblance of control over his thoughts was Corey. The only thoughts that came through were comforting reassurances that we were going to be okay.

  They were having their little powwow outside, but I still heard every spoken word, every unspoken word. I was amazed at how infrequently people actually spoke what they were thinking. Their mouths would say one thing and their heads completely contradict the spoken words. I got so confused listening to both that I took to crouching as far away from them with my fists plastered over my ears. It didn’t really help.

  “How do we know the quest is about someone specific?” Corey asked.

  “Mel told us while we were waiting for you to come back from your Scriptorium experience.”

  “Kate in my arms, forever, eternal love, the taste of her lips, the softness of her skin…So each jump is targeted to a specific team member?”

  Corey, sweet Corey.

  I closed my eyes and listened to his memories of our endless love session. My heart swelled, and it seemed our memories were blending, mixing into one thought.

  “Kate, is that you?”

  “Yes, sweet Corey. It’s me…and the dragonet, I think.”

  “So he is connecting our thoughts?”

  “Seems like it.”

  “Are you hearing this conversation?”

  “Every thought and word.”

  “I am so sorry.”

  “I know, believe me. I know how everyone feels about me.”

  “All good things, I am sure.”

  I snorted. “Not even close.”

  “…the obstacle or villain will be created from the needs of whoever the quest is about.”

  “But we haven’t seen a villain.”

  “Not yet.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure. I think that foul dragonet is pretty vile. Okay, here is what we need to do.” Trip was back into take charge mode. “We need to share our experiences in the Scriptorium. Mel said what we learned there would be key to survival.”

  “Uh oh, here we go, you knew this was coming. What should I say to them, Kate?”

  “Just tell them everything. Maybe they can figure it out. I know I have no clue.”

  “Everything?”

  I sighed. “Yeah, everything.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “No. I really wanted it to be yours and mine, alone. I have loved you for a thousand years, Corey.”

  “I will love you for thousands more, Kate.”

  “Between us we have half of the Scriptorium experiences,” Tara offered.

  “You guys already know our experience. We trained as warriors. I think we know what our Script experience was about. Killing stinking enemies and I have a stinking dragon cat to kill. I want Kate back, safe in my arms.”

  “What about your Script experience, Ash? Hey Kate, do you think if I flirt with Ash it will make Trip jealous? Hey, it works for you, right?”

  Tara was a really nasty piece of work!

  She hadn’t even bothered to hide her thoughts that she was in love with Trip. Come to think of it, she didn’t hide them well before I could read her mind. Part of me burned with jealous rage. Another part of me thought it would solve a lot of problems if Trip did fall for her. I really hated that part of me. Trip was so protective and strong. I wasn’t ready to give him up. Besides, I knew where his thoughts and feelings were. He was bonded to Tara like a sibling, but he was in love with me. What I didn’t know was how I felt about him. How freakin’ weird was it that I knew everyone’s thoughts better than my own?

  “He wants to kill me. How can you love him?” Dragonet lifted his head and pierced me with an accusing glare. He shivered in fear and I gathered him in my arms and nuzzled his soft suede hide. At least I had something to pour my affection on, but I missed Corey’s tender touches and Trip’s strong arms. Heck! I would even take Ash’s mud caked hand at this point.

  “He wouldn’t want to kill you if you would let him touch me,” I scolded the little dragonet.

 
“No! You are Mine!”

  “So you keep saying.” I scratched his back and stroked his tail and he purred in satisfaction.

  “It is true. I picked you. We will be bonded eternally.”

  I stopped scratching and slowly lifted my eyes to the creature in my arms. Eternally! I was not going to live like this for another week, much less eternity.

  The dragonet sensed my thoughts and jerked his eyes open to look into mine. His nose touched my nose and a sense of extreme sadness poured from him. “You don’t want me?”

  “Oh, baby, it isn’t that. I just…I just need to feel the touch of my own kind. I need to get out of their heads. Of course I want you. You are a beautiful baby.”

  He purred in my arms and snuggled into the crook of my elbow, yawned and drifted to sleep. “I like the funny boy.” He thought fuzzily, just before a little snore.

  “23, 24, 25, 26…”

  I felt Corey’s mind touch mine again and a sense of mental laughter came through the connection. “Not, funny! Irritating!” I thought back to him. There. See what he makes of that!

  I heard a boot scuff and looked up. Trip stood in the cave mouth glaring at the dragon in my arms with seething rage. I didn’t want to know what he was thinking so I started singing “With a knick knack paddy whack, give the dog a bone…” in my head.

  I could hear Corey laughing, Trip raging, Tara and Ash making plans, someone counting and the thought that turned my blood cold.

  “I should kill myself for losing her!”

  My eyes snapped up to Trip. “You haven’t lost me.” I whispered, tears streaming down my face. Gah! I was a regular water works lately!

  He stood there, silently, thoughts whirring too quickly to distinguish. “Set it down.”

  “What?”

  “The dragon. Set it down and then don’t touch it.”

  I frowned. “You can’t blame the dragon, Trip.”

  “The hell I can’t! Besides I want to try something. Put it down.”

  I studied Trip’s face for a moment and then set the sleeping dragon down on the cavern floor.

  “Come here.” Trip leaned against the cavern wall and motioned for me to step to him.

  His thoughts screamed at me his intention. “Trip, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  “Have I lost you completely, then?” His voice was hard, but his thoughts were a cry of pain and loss.

  “No!” My heart ached for his pain.

  “Then come here, now.”

  I took a hesitant step away from the dragon, then another. Trip’s thoughts were growing urgent. His need to touch me shouted impatiently. I locked eyes on his and felt the intensity pouring off of him.

  “33, 34, 35…”

  The dragon shifted in his sleep. I froze and listened for his thoughts. They were fuzzy and vague.

  “36, 37, 38…”

  I took the last step to Trip and he tentatively reached out and touched my hair. Nothing happened. He smiled hopefully, then a look of resolve passed his face. He grabbed my jacket, pulled me toward him and planted a determined kiss on my mouth.

  I have heard stories where the feeling of fireworks ignited when a man and a woman kissed. This was not that.

  Trip convulsed as though he were latched to my lips and couldn’t break loose. Then he was blown back against the wall with such force that it cracked and a shower of rock rained down on us.

  I screamed. Corey, Tara, and Ash ran into the room and began shifting stone off of us. The dragonet opened his wings and started screeching. “Mine! Mine!”

  “What did you do to him?” Tara’s thought screamed accusingly. “Trip! Trip!” She cradled his head in her arms and touched his face. Then turned to me and screamed in stereo. “GET AWAY FROM HIM, YOU SLUT FREAK!”

  I jumped back and crumpled to the floor. “Trip? Is he okay? Trip?”

  Corey moved toward me but I held up a hand. “No, Corey, no! Don’t touch me. I am not safe.”

  “YOU GOT THAT RIGHT, IDIOT! I SWEAR IF YOU TOUCH HIM AGAIN I WILL KILL YOU MYSELF!” Tara roared at me.

  I crawled back into my corner.

  “37, 38, 39…where is 40?”

  I looked around trying to figure whose thought that was. Corey knelt beside me, carefully picking debris out of my hair. Ash and Tara were checking Trip out and Trip’s thoughts were silent.

  “Corey, are you counting something?”

  “What? No. Why?”

  “Where is 40?” The voice was frantic. “1,2,3…”

  I looked down at the dragonet. “Are you counting, little one?”

  “No, that’s The Mother. She can’t find my egg.”

  “What?” My eyes flashed alarm. “Corey, what happened to the other eggs?”

  “Oh, I forgot all about them. I guess they are still back in the cave.”

  “Corey!” I used my eyes to point at the dragonet. “Momma is getting upset.”

  He frowned at me in confusion. “What?” Then understanding broke across his face. “Here?”

  “I don’t know, yes…I think.” I turned my face toward the dark corridor leading down into the belly of the hill.

  “15,16,17…”

  Trip moaned. Tara and Ash helped him sit up.

  “Trip, are you okay?” My eyes sought his out.

  “Yeah, yeah, I think so.”

  “No you are not! You were knocked unconscious.” Curses bubbled out of Tara. “If you don’t get your hormones under control she is going to kill you! You don’t seem to understand that she is bad for you! She is not meant for you, and she never was! “

  “Tara, shut up!” Trip growled.

  “NO, I will NOT shut up. They are playing you for a fool!” She waved her hand at me and Corey, then snapped her eyes to Corey. “Well, I don’t know about him, but she is a vile, man-eating, narcissistic…’

  “TARA!” All three of the boys roared at her.

  I just put my head in my hands. I didn’t want her to see me cry, and I could feel the pressure building behind my eyes. The dam was about to burst!

  Corey touched my hair and the dragonet crawled into my arms.

  “37, 38, 39…ARRRRGGGHHHHH!” The roar pierced my head and our ears.

  “What the?” Ash stood up and stared into the darkness, his face blanched with fear.

  Tara and Trip jumped into fighting poses and stared into the dark corridor.

  “We have a problem.” Corey reached out to pet the little dragonet. He nipped at his fingers, playfully, then crawled into his arms. “Mommy Dearest has realized an egg is missing.”

  “You mean, there is a full grown dragon sharing this cave with us?” Ash took a step back.

  Tara and Trip grinned at each other and said in unison, “Tripoli!”

  I closed my eyes and read their shared thoughts. They had been paired against a black fire-breathing dragon in one of their arena fights. I watched in fascination as they fought in tandem, whirling, spinning, jabbing, using each other to launch themselves at the dragon. Trip was right. Tara was deadly and beautiful. Her arena costume was scant, showing off her amazing body, long legs and torso, deeply tanned and toned. She simply wore a golden thong and two golden breast shields. Her hair was pulled through a shining gold helm and scattered around her like a lion’s mane. She was fierce and stunning.

  Trip was her equal in every way, the dark god to her golden goddess. He wore black strips of leather that hung from a hip strap and were studded with golden coins. His enormous chest was bare and straps of leather encircled his bulging biceps. He had a matching helm in black with some type of black horse hair streaming down his back. His muscles rippled in exertion, every one cut to perfection.

  They danced around the raging dragon, barely escaping the jets of fiery breath. Trip whistled a piercing triad of notes and Tara charged toward him with her shimmering spear aloft. It looked as if she were racing to attack him. The dragon paused to watch them fight, but just as Tara reached Trip, he dropped his glowing sword and spun like
a shot putter. Tara launched her body into flight and Trip grabbed her around the waist and threw her at the dragon with such force the screaming crowd fell into a hush. Tara sailed into the air at the dragon and sunk her flashing spear into his eye and rolled across the top of his head. She landed on her feet and held out her hand. Trip had picked up his sword, raced behind her and hurled it to her. She snatched the blazing sword and jabbed it down into the brain of the dragon, then flung herself into Trip’s arms.

  The stadium erupted in loud acclaim as the dragon sank to the sandy arena floor, dead. Trip and Tara locked their arms around each other’s waists, raised their outside hands in the air to accept the laud. Laurels and gold coins rained down on them as their chests heaved and glistened.

  I opened my eyes, stunned. Corey’s expression mirrored mine. We turned to look at our team mates with new eyes. The dragonet that had connected Corey’s thoughts to mine trembled in fear in Corey’s arms and watched the dragon slayers with dread.

  I glanced at Corey.

  “Did he see that?” He asked silently.

  I nodded. “If you did, then he did.”

  “We need a spear!” Tara and Trip were suddenly in motion. Ash followed them out of the cave with a confused expression.

  “Corey? What if he warns…”

  Corey held up his hand and shook his head, cutting his eyes down to the dragon in his arms. I jumped up, a ball of nervous energy, and practically danced in place.

  “What are we going to do?” I whirled around, lost my balance and fell smack into Corey. He held out a hand to steady me, and then we both cringed, waiting for the jolt of pain to hit Corey.

  It didn’t come. We froze, staring at each other. He moved his hand from my arm to touch my face. I jerked back a bit, but saw the determination in his eyes, so I let him touch me. He cupped my cheek and a gentle current seemed to vibrate along his palm. It was extremely pleasant. His face broke into a huge grin and he moved in to kiss me.

  It was the most satisfying kiss I had ever experienced. Gentle vibrations and a magnetic pull seemed to flow between us. Passion spiked immediately. I suddenly wanted to feel every part of Corey. His thoughts flowed into mine, both of us aroused to ecstasy. I wanted him. I wanted him more than I have ever wanted anything in my life. He ripped my jacket off and dropped the dragonet to the floor and pressed his body against mine.