by Jan Dockter
Where are we going?
Follow me.
Tem ran for a stand of trees so they could have cover as they made their way to his house. They were in a desperate situation and Tem did not know what they would find when they got there. Any experienced military commander would figure that they would head there. But it was Tem and Astrid’s best option. He had money in the safe and they would need that. If they were lucky, the caretakers hired to care for the estate would have a car they could take. At least he hoped there were caretakers. He had left access to enough money with his solicitors to take care of business for him while he rotted in the government prison.
Astrid stumbled behind him, which brought him back to the present. He stopped and steadied her as she struggled to catch her breath.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
She shook her head. “No, we have to keep going.”
Branches snapped behind them and they started running again. Tem saw the end of the windbreak ahead and, at the top of the hill, their objective: a two-story manor house. Its granite walls rose against a sky full of dark clouds and incipient rain.
Tem looked back at Astrid who nodded her head. They ran out of the woody windbreak and across the stretch of grass that became the slope that led to the crest of the hill. But inside of running straight off the hill, Tem pulled Astrid to the right and toward a stream that meandered close to the base of the hill. They rounded the broad curve and encountered a small waterfall and a pool at its base.
“This way,” Tem said and he bent and splashed through the shallow pull, drawing Astrid along with him. She gasped as he flung them through the waterfall and they stumbled into a cavern. Tem turned and grabbed Astrid and pulled her against him for a deep kiss.
For those brief seconds the world fell away. Their two hearts beat together as one. Nothing was as delightful as having her in his arms.
“What’s that for?” she asked when he finally pulled away.
“For being wonderful,” he said. “For being brave. For having faith in me.”
“I’ll always have faith in you, Tem.”
“But the hardest part is upon us,” he said. “We have to escape and I cannot fly, not yet. And we have to get away from here. Soon the soldiers will swarm all over the manse and there will be no escape. They’ll put me back into Hawthorn and you another jail altogether.”
“We’ll get out,” she said confidently. “When we are together, we can do anything.”
“I hope you are right, Astrid. Because we are going to need that and a fair amount of luck to get clear of this situation.”
“Let me look at your arm,” she said. “You’re a mess,” Astrid tugged on the hem of her uniform and ripped a strip of cloth from it, then stepped to the waterfall and wet it.
“We are on the run for our lives and you want to clean my arm?”
She picked up his arm and dabbed away at the blood on it.
“We can’t let it get infected,” she said as she lifted his right arm. Astrid drew in a deep breath. “It’s stopped bleeding. I didn’t know dragon healing worked that fast.”
“Depends on the dragon. For me the skin will seal together fast, but the deep tissue damage takes longer. This arm, this wing, won’t be functional for several hours.”
Astrid bent her head and kissed the area that was wounded.
“What was that for?” said Tem with a smile.
“Maybe a kiss will help it get better?”
“We don’t have time for kisses, or anything else.”
“Right,” she said, chastened. “So what’s our plan?”
“I should have money in my safe upstairs. It will be enough for us to buy a good escape across the channel and then I have some friends in Belgium that will help us get farther away.”
“Then let’s get on it, then,” she said.
“Oh, no. You wait here.”
“No,” she said firmly. “You aren’t leaving me alone again. I’m going with you.”
They didn’t have time to argue and Tem didn’t like idea of being separated any more than she did.
“You follow me and do what I say. I haven’t been in this house for a quarter century and I don’t know what is waiting there.”
She nodded. “How do we get there?”
“This way,” he said as he took her hand.
“A secret passage?”
“Yes, it was built during the French Revolution to help smuggle in French nobility.”
“Oh, you have history, Tem Rawlins,” she said with delight.
“This house does. Now, quiet, so I can listen.”
They stole deeper in the cavern that turned into a tunnel. Tem’s dragon eyes let him see just fine, but Astrid stumbled several times. Tem worried she would injure herself and scolded himself for not insisting she stay behind. A small spot glowed ahead, which Tem knew to be the start of the more finished part of the tunnel. A single electric light glowed there ahead of the wood door that led to the basement. Tem opened the door and searched with his hand for the switch that turned on more lights.
A few bulbs handing from the rafters switched on, revealing a room filled with leftovers of successive generations: dusty old tools, furniture and canned goods from Lord knows how many years past.
“This way, Astrid.”
Tem walked to a panel in the way and pushed it. It swung away to reveal a narrow stairway.
“You sure you want to come?” he said.
“Absolutely. You aren’t getting out of my sight again.”
Tem led the way, walking as quietly as he could. Astrid took off her heels and followed him. It was steep climb, as old secret staircases hidden in the walls of manor house tend to be. Tem reached the top, pressed his ear to the panel and heard nothing.
He hoped it was safe to open the door.
This panel slid to the side and it took a little effort, as apparently, it hadn’t moved in many years. But he managed to jerk it open with one last great pull and he looked in upon his study.
It was lit and a small fire burned in the fireplace, like he was expected. And apparently he was. Sitting behind his broad wood desk was the man that had engineered his imprisonment.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Astrid
Astrid saw Tem’s shoulders stiffen.
Run. Go back.
But when Astrid turned she found the bead of a laser site of a rifle pointed at her chest. She gasped and Tem turned to look past her to see the same thing. With lightning quickness, he threw his good arm around her waist and fell forward through the doorway Tem stood at the moment before. While Astrid rolled away, Tem slammed the panel shut and pulled a legal bookcase across it.
An amused rumble caught Astrid’s attention and as she got to her feet she got the surprise of her life. The Prime Minister sat at a large wood desk, smoking a cigar, looking very entertained. Tem swiftly got to his feet and put a protective arm around Astrid, glaring at the man.
“Tem, well, well,” the Prime Minister said with a predatory glint in his eye. “You’ve given us a good chase, but it is time we got you back to your cage.”
“Tem is innocent,” blurted Astrid.
“Well, of course he’s innocent, but that isn’t the point is it? Let’s see, you’re Astrid Davis, the matron that what? Helped him escape?”
“Don’t say a word Astrid.”
“Oh, please do speak. You have such a pretty voice, as well as, ahem, other attributes.”
Tem’s face turned red. “You keep your scaly claws off of her, you traitor.”
“What is this?” Prime Minister Abalon said as he rose from the desk. He stubbed his cigar in an ash tray. He sniffed like a dog would to catch a sent. “Have you mated with the human? Now, Tem, you know my mother won’t put up with that.”
“Mother?”
“Try to keep up, sweetheart,” leered Abalon.
“Rhea,” said Tem through gritted teeth, “is his mother.”
“And your cousin?” said Astrid.
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“Oh, she is precious, Tem,” laughed Abalon. “Yes, we are cousins. But that hardly mattered to my mother. She made him her general anyway, a position that should have gone to me.”
“Well, you know your mother. She can’t stand the idea of someone trying to take her throne from her.”
“And what do you know of it?” said Abalon. “You weren’t even hatched yet.”
“Wait,” said Astrid. “Was he the dragon Lord that took a human mate and the dragons went to war over it?”
“Very good!” said Abalon. “You do go from zero to sixty in three seconds. My, aren’t you sporty?”
“Automobile references aside,” said Tem with annoyance, “what the hell are you doing here?”
“Here? In my own house? Oh, that’s right. You didn’t know that the government confiscated your property. But thanks for revealing that dragon hoard. I didn’t know it was there. I’ll make sure it receives a good home, along with that tasty bit of yours.” He smiled salaciously at Astrid.
“You will leave Astrid alone!” roared Tem. “She is my mate.”
“Ah, a mate bond? Too bad I don’t remember mine. Mother was quite good at erasing it.”
“So you betrayed her too,” snarled Tem, “by giving your mother permission to do that.”
“As you said,” said Abalon coldly. “Mother wasn’t going to allow me to take her throne. The prophecy warned her. Either I allowed her to erase the mate bond or go to my death. I chose to live.”
“Yes, after many good dragons died for your cause. You don’t deserve to lead the dragons.”
“I will,” said Abalon smugly. “Because I will cause the humans to rise up against our kind. It’s already begun. And thank you very much for raising panic in the country. The military is clamoring for the chance to root out and destroy the dragons here. By the time we are done, I will give mother a choice. Abdicate or face the extinction of our race.”
“You’re despicable,” snapped Astrid. “You’d use humans for your ambitions?”
“What else are humans for, dear? Now, come along. I have a nice cell for you.” Abalon stepped forward and grabbed Astrid’s arm.
“I told you,” growled Tem. “Keep your hands off her.” He rushed at Abalon, who backhanded Tem with such force that Tem flew across the room into a glass fronted bookcase. The glass shattered around Tem and he slumped to the floor groaning.
“Tem!” screamed Astrid.
“You really must try to forget him, dear,” said Abalon, tightening his grip on her arm to painful levels. “He will face the executioner in a few days’ time.”
Astrid twisted furiously in the Prime Minister’s arms, but he was too strong. He pulled her toward the door and flung it open. Relentlessly, he marched down the hall and into a great atrium. He pulled at the door.
“Stand down, stand down,” he called. “I have one of the prisoners.” He yanked Astrid through the door with him and Astrid saw a line of heavily armed soldiers pointing their guns at the house.
“Stand down,” he yelled again and the men lowered their weapons. An officer came forward to take Astrid, but before that could happen a great roar shook them all. Astrid twisted to see Tem holding on the doorway glowering at Abalon. With his blood streaked clothes, his hair in disarray, and the fierce look on his face, he was absolutely frightening. Then he launched forward and in mid-air shifted into his magnificent dragon form.
Tem landed on Abalon and raked his face with his talons, causing Abalon to cry out. But then Abalon also shifted too and became a silver dragon whose scales shone in the dull sun. The two great dragons writhed on the ground, doing battle, roaring and hissing. Each of their jaws snapped noisily as they tried to sink their cutting fangs into the other’s neck.
The soldiers stared in disbelief as the two dragons rolled on the grassy lawn in a mass of snarling reptile flesh. It was the most frightening thing Astrid had ever seen.
Abalon roared and broke away as blood streamed from his neck. He rolled, coming close to Astrid, then shifted. In one swift move, he jerked Astrid forward and held her against him.
“Surrender, Tem, or I’ll kill your mate!”
The soldiers raise their rifles and waited for an order to fire.
“Don’t!” screamed Astrid. “Save yourself!”
Tem roared with rage and flapped his wings, but the right one, though it moved, still wasn’t right.
“Wounded,” said Abalon in Astrid’s ear. Good.”
“Fire!” he yelled.
Just as that instant, a gray-green dragon dropped from the sky and landed in front of the line of soldiers. He laid a line of hot fire in front of them and the grass burned hot and fast, forcing them back.
“Calvin!” cried Astrid.
Calvin turned and regarded Astrid and Abalon. He shook his head and Astrid saw the anger in his eyes. His clawed feet shook the ground as he moved forward one step after another. Abalon clutched Astrid tighter, using her as a shield against the clearly enraged dragon. Calvin shot a line of fire above Abalon’s head and the smell of burnt hair filled Astrid’s nostrils. He shrieked and his grip loosened. Astrid turned and jammed her knee upward and the dragon howled and fell backwards.
Tem shifted to human again and advanced on Abalon with murder in his eye.
“Give it up, Abalon” said Tem. “All these men have seen you turn into a dragon. You’re finished as Prime Minister now.”
“Don’t think so,” said Abalon. Astrid, Tem and Calvin watched as Abalon strode through the fire raging on the ground and in the line of soldiers behind it. He ripped a grenade launcher from the surprised soldier holding it. Then he yanked at the man’s ammunition belt and tore away a couple of the grenades while the man protested. Abalon laughed and tossed the grenades in the air and shifted. He caught them in his dragon mouth as easily as if he was snapping up marshmallows in the air.
“What is he doing?” said Astrid.
Avalon laughed as his stomach rumbled. The soldiers stared in disbelief.
“Retreat, retreat,” an officer called and all the men scrambled to find safer ground. But Abalon opened his mouth and breathed molten orange death on the soldiers. Men screamed as they died and the ammunition in the soldiers’ ammo belts exploded in fitful pings. Abalon rose in the air with a great flap of his wings and poured more fire on the men and equipment ringing the house. Vehicles exploded into roaring flames igniting the shrubs and trees close to the house. More men cried out in their death throes and both Calvin and Tem roared their rage at this unspeakable act. But they were in the middle of an inferno. If they did not escape they would be casualties too.
Astrid ran toward Tem.
“We’ve got to go,” she said.
He nodded and gestured to Calvin. The elder dragon moved closer and extended his foreleg. Tem and Astrid climbed to his back and, with one final roar of disapproval, Calvin rose into the flame filled air and bore them away.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Tem
Tem and Astrid sat on the hotel bed watching the news. His hands were clenched as he saw how Abalon spun what happened at Tem’s estate, or rather, his former estate. That house and land wasn’t his anymore. He regretted that. He loved the place and had looked forward to settling there again.
“He made you responsible for everything,” said Astrid bitterly.
“Of course he would,” said Tem. “I made things easy for him. The humans in the UK are mobilizing for dragon hunts and the rest of the world is being whipped into a frenzy over our supposed crimes. It won’t take long for Rhea to strike back, especially if any dragon is harmed.”
Tem hated how it had all turned out. Innocent men were dead and Abalon still held a position of power he never should have had. And now he and Astrid were not just fugitives in their own country, but world-wide fugitives. Their pictures littered the newsfeeds and social media platforms.
Astrid stared out of the hotel window.
"I've always wanted to visit Paris with the man I lo
ved," she said wistfully.
Tem put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.
"Paris is for lovers," he said.
"Are we?" she said. "Lovers?"
It struck Tem that he had not said those words to Astrid. He could make excuses. Everything happened too fast, their meeting, their mating, the impossible situation they were embroiled in. But Astrid didn't deserve excuses. She saved his life and not just when she unlocked his chains in Hawthorne prison.
"Are you sorry," he asked, "for meeting me?"
"Oh no!" she said quickly. "Yes, things have turned out poorly, and they don't look like they are going to get any better in the foreseeable future. But I'd rather be with you during the worst time of my life than anyone else in the best."
"That," he said, "sounds a bit dotty."
She gave a rueful half laugh. "I suppose. But it's as if I've been looking for you all my life. I know it sounds incredible, but I feel like you have been calling to me each day of my life."
"Now that really does sound dotty!"
Astrid picked up a pillow and hit him on the head.
"Hey!" he said laughing. "Watch it. You are a danger with that thing."
"The only thing dangerous here is you, Tem Rawlins. Big. Bad. Dragon."
She leaned in and gave him a searing kiss. Her juicy lips pressed into his and he put his arms around her waist and flipped her to her back. He claimed her mouth, as the world fell away and it was only the two of them, here, now.
"You are so beautiful," he said as he peppered her neck and breasts with kisses. “So very sexy."
She squirmed beneath him and he smelled her arousal at his touch.
"Astrid," he said seriously looking deeply into her eyes.
"Yes, Tem."
"I have to say this. I want there to be no doubt for whatever happens in the future."
Concern filled her lovely eyes.
"Yes, Tem?"
"I love you. Now, and forever."
She smiled brightly. "Oh, is that all?" she said in a teasing voice.
"Yes," he growled. "That is all. There isn't anything else."
"Well, good. Because I love you too."
