by Skye Jones
This is it, your only chance. She focused every ounce of energy on building the burning anger and pain within. Sam dropped the chains and hauled her toward a chair, hands under her shoulders. The moment her feet found the floor, Ice pushed against his chest with her palms, screaming with the effort.
A blinding flash of light and heat consumed his upper torso. He staggered then flung himself to the floor and writhed.
“Gods! No.” Ellie’s wail reverberated in the warehouse. She ran to him.
“Stop it, Ellie,” Sam whined. He gripped his middle and rolled back and forth on the floor. “Make it stop. Use your magic.”
Ice faced Ellie, and for a beat the two women stared at each other.
“You found your magic, whore.” Ellie raised her palm and shot an arc of light at her.
Acting on instinct, Ice held her hands up and pictured a powerful shield around her. The light didn’t reach her, but it burned her hands.
Ellie growled and pushed another wave of powerful magic at Ice. Her shield held, though her arms shook with the effort.
The door to the room burst open, and Ice sobbed at the sight of Nathan, Dom, and a young man she didn’t recognize.
Nathan stalking forward, flung an arm out, and like so much fluff, Ellie shot across the floor and crashed against the far wall, with a sickening thump. Nathan paused arm raised. But when Ellie pushed herself up, he flicked his fingers and she screamed as she burst into flame. Sam cried out and tried to crawl to her. Ice tore her eyes from the awful sight as Nathan reached her. His eyes burned with anger.
He took hold of her hands, gentle and tender. A sharp contrast to the set of his jaw and heated gaze. “Are you okay?”
“Stop her burning.”
“What?” Nathan snapped.
“Please, don’t kill her this way. Stop her burning. Please, Nathan.”
Despite what the woman had done, Ice couldn’t bear her screams, and understood the terrible pain Ellie must be in.
Nathan stared at her for a long beat, and then snapped his eyes shut and back open. The flames around Ellie disappeared. Her burned skin glowed for a blinding second, before it returned to normal. No burns on her at all. Nathan did something with his hand, a strange gesture involving a series of rapid movements and Ellie’s eyes rolled back in her head as she passed out.
“Only for you,” he whispered, voice gruff. “Now, are you okay?”
She nodded, but hot tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. She’d not seen her back yet and what sort of mess they’d made of it. Her whole body ached from the beating they’d given her and her relief at seeing Nathan spilled over until her tears fell, burning a scalding path down her face.
“Oh my gods!” Dom joined them, and he stared at her with wide, shocked eyes.
“W-w-what,” she stuttered.
“Your tears. They’re glowing, orange and bright.”
“What?” Did she cry blood or something?
“True dragon tears.” Nathan wiped her face with the knuckles of one hand. “Your mother must have been very powerful.”
“My mother was Havsa. I’m your enemy.” She needed him to know. To know it all, so she blurted out Ellie’s tale of betrayal.
Once she’d finished, Nathan shook his head. “You are not my enemy, Ice…Claire. You are our mate. I did wonder when I first saw you, but discounted it as I thought the Havsa were wiped out. It wouldn’t have made a difference though.”
She tried to walk, but her legs buckled. Dom picked her up, and held her as if she weighed nothing. “We have to get you home. You need to see our best healer. She can help you.”
“They carved Havsa trash into my back and it burns like wildfire.” She trembled in Dom’s arms, her teeth chattering.
Nathan looked at her back, and muttered a foul curse. “My love.” He kissed her forehead. “Hold on, beautiful. We will get you to the healer and you’ll be healthy again.”
She glanced over Dom’s shoulder to where Ellie, still slumped against the wall, was out cold. “What happens to them?”
“They’ll stand trial. At best, they’ll be ostracized, but most probably life in prison, possibly death. We only have two prisons for all the dragon clans and they are not nice places.”
“I vote for death,” Dom muttered.
Ice put her arms around his neck and her weak laughed turned into a sob. He pressed a gentle kiss to the tip of her nose.
Jonathon picked up the chains and wrapped them around Sam.
“Come. Let’s get you out of here.” Dom carried her to the stairs.
By the time they reached the stairs, she started to shake violently. Alternating waves of faintness and nausea washed over her. Weakness stole into her body, turning her limbs sluggish and limp. Most worrying of all, her heart skipped beats repeatedly. Nathan glanced at her, then at Dom. They ran through some weird, silent conversation with their eyes. Dom gave her another kiss and passed her to Nathan.
“I’m going to get you home, Claire.” Nathan held her close.
Home? She’d started to see Arach Caim as a possible home, until she’d learned she didn’t belong. The idea of going back, of seeing Teresa again, and her other friends warmed her inside. In Nathan’s arms, Dom holding her hand, she settled and became utterly at peace. She’d gone through hell, yet the mere touch of her two males made her feel safe.
Ice knew in that moment that she’d not throw this away a second time.
Dominic gave Nathan a loaded glance and a soft kiss, and then stepped back.
A blinding flash of light made her cry out. Then the world tipped on its axis, and she spun and spun and spun.
After what seemed an age of tumbling over and over, the spinning stopped. Cautiously, she peeled open one eye. They were in the atrium of Nathan and Dom’s house. She blinked a couple of times, and hauled herself up. She had to use her hands on the wall to steady herself. Her legs shook like crazy. Nathan lay sprawled under her on the hard floor.
“Nathan?”
He didn’t reply. His eyes remained closed, his breathing deep and regular.
“Hey, Nathan.” She shook him but got no response.
Shit! Why didn’t he wake up?
Not wanting to leave Nathan, but desperate to fetch him help, she paused, torn between wanting to stay and needing to go.
Her weak limbs trembled as she balanced against the wall, decision made. She needed to go before unable to.
She stumbled to the door, her breathing ragged, as if she’d already completed a marathon. Her chest ached with every inhale, and her back burned, but she had to find someone.
Out in the cool air, she headed straight for Teresa’s home. She banged on the door loud enough to wake the people inside.
“Yes?” Teresa pulled the door back and gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. “Gods, what happened to you?”
“Help Nathan is unconscious. He needs the healer.”
“Can you make it back to him, Ice? I’ll bring the healer.”
She hesitated, but nodded. “Yes.”
She didn’t remember how she got there, but Ice settled next to Nathan on the cold, hard floor. She wrapped her arms around him and talked to him in soft whispers. Teresa returned with the healer, and Ice told them the basics of what happened. Teresa began to cry softly.
“Why are you crying?” Ice asked, her heart stuttering.
“My child, did he explain this to you?”
“No.”
“He does need help! This thing he did to get you back here, it is incredibly dangerous magic. Even those dragons powerful enough to call it up never use it. He may pull through, Nathan is a fighter, but there’s a big chance he won’t.”
“No!” Ice’s heart cracked.
“Nathan, wake up!” she screamed at the man. He didn’t move a muscle.
“He can’t. The nearest example I can give you, is to compare this to a human being in a coma. We have to wait and see if he can wake up. Or if he’ll stay asleep and weaken.”
“Do something,” Ice demanded. “Let’s get him to a hospital.”
Teresa shook her head. “Doctors can’t help him. Magic caused this and only magic, and Nathan’s strength, can cure it.”
The healer gave terse instructions to the staff, and they lifted Nathan’s body and carried him out of the hallway and into the bedroom.
“I need privacy and time alone to try and heal our leader,” the healer said. “I also need some supplies from my home.”
“I’ll fetch them,” Teresa said. “You need to go and rest.” She pointed at Ice.
Ice hitched her chin up. “No, I need to help.”
The healer clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. “Listen to your friend. You are sick and in need of healing. Your weakened condition would only hinder me. Please, go to your bed. I will come to you when I have done all I can for Nathan.”
Not wanting to do anything to disrupt Nathan’s care, Ice nodded. After being helped to her room and placed on the bed, she pressed her face to the pillow and let the silk soak up her tears.
Chapter Fourteen
Sunshine streamed through the open curtains, highlighting the bed where Nathan appeared to sleep soundly, but appearances were deceptive. Every day their mate slipped further and further away. Dom watched him for a moment, his heart aching. It had been four days since Nathan used his magic to bring Ice home, and he showed no signs of waking. Ice had kept a vigil by his bedside the entire time. She slept in a small cot next to the bed so as not to risk disturbing Nathan.
Dom slept in the room next door at first, but after a restless night he’d ordered the cot taken out and a second double bed put in next to Nate’s king. He and Ice slept together, holding one another as they waited for him to awaken.
Ice entered and came to stand beside him. “He risked his life for me.”
She didn’t seem to accept Nathan’s choice. Dom, however, agreed with it. Yes, he’d risked his life, but hadn’t had any other option. If Nathan didn’t get her back immediately, she’d be dead. The dark magic carved into her back would’ve worked its terrible poison into her system.
She’d only spent two days recovering, and bounced back with remarkable resilience. Most of the scars gone.
Neither of them would be able to live with themselves if they’d let her die in agony with Ellie’s vileness worming through her.
As for Ellie, she and Sam awaited trial, but they’d probably face the death penalty. Ice received a pardon, agreed to by all four British dragon clans. They decreed she shouldn’t be punished because of her mother’s heritage.
“There must be something more we can do?” She chewed on a fingernail.
The clan’s senior healers had been in and out for two days, using all their magic and ancient medicine to revive Nate. When it hadn’t worked, Dominic spent two days phoning healers from every clan, but one. Each said the same thing. Let the magic work, lay your hands on him and share your dragon’s strength. Still nothing. He grew desperate.
“I’m going to make a call.” He strode from the room, Ice hot on his heels.
Robert picked up on the third ring. “Dominic?”
“Robert, I have to ask for your help.”
Dominic waited, heart in his throat, for Robert to answer. The Welsh leader might tell him to go to hell.
“Anything.” Robert’s voice stuck and he cleared his throat. “I’ve heard about Nathan; I feel terrible.”
“He’s not waking up. But every healer tells me the same thing. Lay your hands on him, share your energy. There’s got to be something else, something more we can do.”
“There’s one…”
The length of Robert’s pause made Dom’s heart soar and plummet simultaneously. “Robert?”
“Let me fetch Rhiannon. She’s one of the oldest dragons alive. So old she can’t remember her age.” Robert laughed softly. “She may have the answer you need. I’ll call you back in five.”
Five minutes became ten, and Dominic paced around the kitchen, phone in hand. Ice sat at the table still decimating her fingernail.
The phone shrieked and he nearly dropped it. “Yeah?”
“Dominic? This is Rhiannon. Robert has told me about Nathan’s condition. I am so sorry. I met him a few times you know? Many years ago. A mighty warrior. He’s strong, which will help.”
He wanted to shout at her to hurry up.
Ice slipped her hand into his. Her touch soothed him, and let him focus.
“His spirit wanders the in-between, but finding him is dangerous for all involved,” Rhiannon said.
“Give me a moment.” Dominic pressed the speakerphone and set the phone on the counter. “Okay, Rhiannon, tell us.”
“You and your mate need to fetch Nathan back. This is extremely risky. The spirit realm is…tricky, you may become lost. And the herbs you must take to enter the trance state can have serious side effects, possibly kill you.”
He glanced at Ice, and she nodded without hesitation.
“We’ll do it. Will you come and help us?”
“No need. I will instruct your healer on what must be done to save time. Good luck to all of you.”
Yeah, they were going to need it.
Two hours later, Morgan, their strongest healer, held a foul smelling concoction under Dominic’s nose.
“Are you sure about this?” she asked.
He and Ice answered in unison, “We’re sure.”
“Drink this and lie back. You too.” She handed a cup to Ice who sniffed it and grimaced.
“Once this takes effect, you’ll be in the same situation as Nathan. Trapped in the spirit realm, not alive but not dead. Hopefully you can find him. You’ll have to communicate using your minds. You’ll hear one another if you push your thoughts at the person. Be aware, you won’t have long, I’ve made the potion short acting; it’s too dangerous otherwise. There are still significant risks. Once you find him, you need him to follow you home. He must reconnect with his life here. I pray the gods are on your side. Understand though that you can become lost there. Your whole triad could end up in limbo.” Morgan’s eyes were bright with unshed tears. “He’s strong. You can still try other means.”
Ice shook her head. “We have and nothing’s worked. We’re going to get him.”
He smiled and caressed her cheek. “Damn right.” As one, they tipped their cups back and drank.
Dominic coalesced in his dragon form, in flight, all connection with his earthbound form severed. The sense of vertigo overwhelmed him and it took a moment for him to regain his equilibrium. Intense, bold colors lay in every direction he looked. A psychedelic dream come to life. It worked! He’d expected muted shades, greys and dismal colors. Instead, pure golden light illuminated lush, stunning scenery. A small dragon appeared at his side, he recognized Ice immediately. Her dragon shone with iridescent scales of oranges and golds. So beautiful.
Dominic spoke to her using his mind. “How does it feel to inhabit your dragon form?”
She didn’t answer at first, but instead did a loop-de-loop in the air. “Under different circumstances, I’d say incredible, as it is, I can only focus on finding Nathan. I’m not sure how we go about it.”
“We can focus on him and call. Use your mind. Speak to him and hope he hears.”
They flew for what seemed to be hours, calling Nathan repeatedly, and focusing their energy on connecting with him. They saw strange creatures, amazing plants, dragons, so many dragons. Many who asked for help returning home, or in moving onto neffee, the heaven where dragon souls rested. Each time, though his heart broke for the lost souls, Dominic and Ice flew on, ignoring their pitiful cries for help. They had to find Nathan before they ran out of time.
The spirit world looked enticing, but he quickly realized it hid a trap. The bright colors and gorgeous scents were designed to make you linger, and lose your focus on getting back to earth or ascending to neffee. No wonder dragons feared being lost here. Nothing was real. Not the ground, and not the sky. It wa
s just endless flight.
A large, red dragon swooped at them, its mouth snapping as it headed directly for Ice. She gave a startled cry and jerked away, but the dragon followed her, a heat-seeking missile.
What the fuck? Dom veered right and flew at the red beast, but something hit his side, pushing him from his path toward the ground.
Dom snapped and snarled. He flipped himself over and aimed a short burst of flame at the dull brown dragon attacking him. The creature fell away, flapping its wings hard to try and dispel the flames at their tips.
Why were they being attacked? Two more dragons circled Ice. Was it because she was new to the life, or a latent?
She skillfully avoided all three, shooting under them and toward Dom. The dragons watched and hovered, not seeming to want to engage him in battle, too. Perhaps his swift dispatching of the brown one scared them.
“Why are they attacking me?” Her voice sounded panicked as hell in his mind.
“I don’t know. Maybe because you are latent. I’m not sure.”
Shit. What to do? He hated to leave without Nate, but dare not risk Ice being injured or killed. The wounds might carry over back to the corporeal realm.
“Nathan!”
The change in Ice’s tone snapped him out of his reverie. Dominic gave a cry of delight. Flying toward them came Nathan’s unmistakable silver dragon. He reached them and the three brushed wings.
“You were lost, Nathan. We came to find you and bring you home.” Ice nuzzled her head under Nathan’s neck “They are attacking us. We need you.”
“I’ll try to help, but I’m tired.” Nathan’s, normally strong, voice reached Dominic’s mind as a distant, apathetic echo.
“You can rest once you’ve come back to us. Look at our mate! She’s here, risking everything for you. See how stunning her dragon is. Come back to us, Nate.”
The red dragon broke away from the others and headed straight for them. Nathan roared and though it cracked halfway through, the sound sent shivers across Dominic’s skin. Nathan let forth a blast of fire and the red dragon screamed as its body glowed bright with flames.
“Go. I’ll hold them off while you get away.”
