Dragon Knight Of Khoth

by Brenda Trim

  Within seconds, he realized something was wrong. His wing was sluggish, and he found it impossible to move. Suddenly, Red Caps jumped from the branches and attacked. Lorne contemplated setting his fire on them but refrained to avoid burning the entire forest.

  Half a dozen creatures landed on his back and used their claws to try and break through his tough scales. One benefit of being a robust Cuelebre dragon was there wasn’t much that could penetrate their scales. The acidic blood of the Unseelie caused burns, but so far none of the Redcaps were bleeding on him.

  That was about to change, Lorne decided and trumpeted to the sky.

  Using his tail, he swung out and ducked his head at the same time. The mighty appendage tossed several Redcaps, and the large spikes along the end impaled others. Trees rustled in the distance, and Lorne knew more of the small creatures were coming his way. Lorne needed to get the hell out of dodge before his damaged wing cost him his life.

  Gritting his teeth against the pain, Lorne flapped his wings as hard as he could and grabbed for Redcaps with his talons. His left wing barely moved, preventing him from flying higher. He was basically sitting atop the trees and ended up jumping more than flying toward his home.

  The Unseelie were getting much bolder than he cared to acknowledge. First, the market and now they were infiltrating the area close to his home, which meant they were after Heqet again.

  It wasn’t that long ago that the ceremonial site for the Civapu was controlled by the Buggane. It wasn’t until King Angus returned that the Cuelebre had the strength to take back the land and christen it once again. And, Lorne would be damned if he allowed the Unseelie to damage one inch of their hallowed ground.

  The eternal flame of Khoth was all that kept the dragons alive for a thousand years. If Angus had died, Lorne wasn’t sure their species would’ve endured. The King of the Cuelebre was connected to all and held the power to maintain the balance needed for their survival, not to mention the ability to perform the ceremony to identify Tuya.

  Only Tuya could conceive dragonettes so without them their species would perish. Female dragons were infertile unless blessed at a Civapu. Lorne recalled how his grandmother told him that the Gods decided the fate of their kind, and selected the females capable of reproduction.

  Lorne growled and swatted the last three Redcaps from his head. They were trying to reach his eyes. Fuck that. He wasn’t going down without a fight. He needed to get home and warn the others. Life on Khoth was so much better since Angus’s return, and many were calling it the Golden Age for the Cuelebre. Thankfully, that didn’t change after the market massacre. They lost too many that day, but none of the victims were Tuya.

  When the familiar dome came into view, Lorne sent a command through his neural implant for the roof to open. Through bleary eyes and blinding pain, he noticed the glass remained shut.

  Stupid piece of shit. Open, dammit. Lorne didn’t think he’d ever been in more dire straits than he was at that moment. He needed to calm down and clear his mind so he could mentally reach his home computer.

  His heart tripled its beat when Lorne saw countless Buggane coming through the trees and into the clearing around his home. They were followed by a creature he’d never seen before. Standing on two legs and swinging four arms, the beast stood at least eight feet tall and had an oblong-shaped head. In the purple moonlight, it appeared to be light grey in color with six dark eyes on its pinched face.

  Lorne paused on top of a tree to catch his breath. He would need all his strength to make the last jump toward his home. He sent another command for the ceiling to retract, and a loud click told him he was successful. Now, he had a way inside, but gauging the distance, he nearly reconsidered his previous decision.

  It was easily thirty yards to safety, and his wing was hanging at his side. Whatever the fuck they shot at him was brutal, and taking its toll on his entire body. He needed to shift back to his human form then back to a dragon to expel the poison, or he would be a sitting duck. No way he could risk that in his current predicament. It would give his enemy an advantage over him, and show his weaknesses. Lorne needed to camouflage his fading strength and make the creatures think their potion failed.

  Another deep breath and Lorne shoved off the large branch with his legs. He used his wings as much as possible while being careful to keep their movements the same. When he was directly over the enemy, he released a quick burst of fire then focused his remaining strength into making it to the top of his house.

  As soon as he cleared the opening, he sent the command to shut the glass and dropped like a stone, shifting to his human counterpart as he fell. He landed in a crash on top of his stone countertop.

  “Fucking hell,” he cursed as he bounced to the floor. “Call Legette,” he grunted as he reached to the countertop and pulled himself to standing.

  “Didn’t expect to hear from you, Lorne,” his commander barked into his mind.

  “Sorry, boss, but there’s a major fucking problem at my place.”

  At that moment, glass rattled, and metal shook. The jackwagons were trying to get inside. Lorne’s viewing screen rocked on the wall.

  They’d better not break that. It’s expensive as shit, Lorne growled internally.

  “From the sounds of it, there’s a war at your house,” Legette retorted.

  “Redcaps and Buggane were in the forest close to Heqet. And, there’s a new one joining them. Tall grey fucker with four arms and six eyes. Send help,” Lorne yelled then ducked when the sound of glass shattering echoed throughout the house. “If I don’t make it, fry these motherfuckers.”

  “We’re on the way. Your job is to fight and stay alive. Blaine is nearly there,” Legette ordered before his voice was gone from Lorne’s head.

  Lorne quickly shifted back into his dragon form and opened the glass roof. He needed to take the fight outside before they trashed his house. A quick test of his left wing and he launched into the air.

  The moonlight bounced off his dark scales and highlighted the scene below. His vision was far sharper now, and he saw a big, ugly ogre climbing through one of his broken windows. Lorne tucked his wings, and arrowed toward the offender. He snatched the Buggane by its legs before it crawled into his bedroom.

  “Give up, beast,” one of the new Unseelie shouted.

  Lorne chuckled then shot five feet into the air with the Buggane in tow. He grabbed its legs with one claw and its upper body with the other then yanked. The creature ripped in two, and blood spurted in every direction. He released his dragon fire, and the heat caused the black liquid to evaporate before the poison could touch the ground and destroy his property.

  “Go to hell, asshole,” Lorne sent in mind speech.

  “So grumpy. Tell me, what are you compensating for by changing into this big body? A tiny brain?” The same Unseelie taunted.

  Lorne rolled his eyes at the old cliché. Should he respond with the equally lame sticks and stones bit? Nah, he preferred action. Instead, he snatched two Buggane trying to smash through another window. Bashing their skulls together, he held them over a group of grey-skinned Unseelie. It was right before the Buggane blood hit the ground that Lorne noticed smoke leaving the fingertips of the unknown creatures. It destroyed groundcover and foliage on contact. He couldn’t tell if the earth was infected as well, but he immediately shot his flames and incinerated the blood before it caused more destruction.

  “What is your interest in this battle?” Lorne barked into the creature’s minds. He didn’t hold out hope the Unseelie would respond and was shocked when he heard a raspy voice in his head.

  “My King and maker promised we could take your mates. Those that can have your babies, that is. Although, I don’t imagine he would deny us the others.”

  “We have voracious appetites that need sating,” another quickly added.

  “Interesting company you keep, brother,” Blaine interjected into his mind a second later.

  “I wouldn’t want to bore you with the same o
ld shit,” Lorne joked to Blaine then snarled at the tall creatures, showing razor-sharp teeth before he blasted fire toward the beasts.

  They shrieked a high-pitched sound that hurt Lorne’s ears. “What the fuck are you? Banshees?” Blaine growled as he swooped down to peel a Buggane off Lorne’s wall. Lorne wanted to curse when he saw the claw marks marring his steel walls. Fucking douche dicks.

  “Hardly. I am a Chakabra, and our powers far outweigh the pitiful shriek of a Banshee. However, they make exceptional lovers.”

  While boasting about his exploits to Blaine, Lorne came up behind the creature and grabbed it with his strong tail, trapping its four arms. The Chakabra struggled to break free, but Lorne lifted it off the ground then tossed him to Blaine who snatched it midair with his massive jaws. His dragon swung the creature side to side as it bit through the creature’s body. The limbs gave way, and blood splashed to the ground, along with chunks of flesh. Apparently, their blood was poisonous because the ground sizzled where it spattered.

  “You really need to move to a nicer area,” Finn scoffed as he arrived with the cavalry.

  “Why aren’t you with Cambree?” Lorne snapped as he watched his fellow knights engage the enemy trying to seize his land.

  Finn’s grunt preceded his words as he was hit with an arrow. “Chill, douche dick. She’s home for the night. I got Legette’s call as I was leaving her place, and headed straight here. What the fuck is wrong with you? Do you really think I would leave her alone?”

  “Watch their arrows,” Lorne warned. “They’re tipped with poison. It made my wing go numb. I barely made it home in time. And, no, I don’t think you would leave her alone. Sorry, it’s been a shitty night.”

  I’m the only one that left her alone, and she hates me because of it, Lorne thought to himself. Cambree was better off without him in her life.

  “What the fuck? What is Cyril up to? He’s found a way to poison us, and has these new fucktards fighting for him,” Legette offered.

  “That’s the question of the millennia. Let’s get rid of these fuckers then check Heqet. We need to head back to Tatenen. I need to update Angus on what I heard,” Lorne replied. “Then you guys can help me clean this mess.”

  The flowers that reminded him of Cambree’s sultry scent were withered and charred, and the trees closest to the house were dying. When he paused to look back at his house, he wanted to scream at the damage done to his property. Most of the windows were broken, and the metal walls were shredded in places where Buggane tusks pierced through.

  “You’re right, Blaine. I’m going to have to move. Dammit,” Lorne growled.

  He had no doubt his big screen was broken, as well. He looked around for something to annihilate, but none of the Unseelie were alive. He used his flames to incinerate the bodies as he turned toward Heqet.

  “I can get my brother out here tomorrow if you want,” Caleb offered as they headed to the sacred site.

  “Thanks. The Gods know I don’t want to stay in the barracks any longer than necessary,” Lorne replied.

  It had already been a long-ass night, and it wasn’t ending any time soon. As a reprieve, Lorne allowed himself to think about the kiss he shared with Cambree. Forget about the back-breaking labor needed to repair his home. Cambree would be the death of him first.

  * * *

  Chapter 11

  This was going to be brutal, Cambree mused as she and Finn followed Delilah and her cohorts to the restaurant. Then again, it was torture every year, she amended.

  Her boss, Matt, hosted a “team-building” lunch, and she wished more than anything she could skip the mandatory get-together. There was no need for her to share a meal and get closer with co-workers she could barely stand. She did her job regardless and did it without the support Delilah or the assistants provided to other accountants.

  “Ignore them,” Finn muttered when Delilah turned around and winked at him.

  Cambree didn’t have feelings for the knight, but she liked Finn and wouldn’t want him involved with a female like Delilah. She was far too shallow for the male.

  “Tell me about your date last night. I’m sorry I wasn’t there. Especially after totally missing when he asked you out. Not to mention the fact that Lorne nearly ripped my head off after the attack on his house,” Finn divulged.

  “What?” she gasped, her heart racing at the thought of Lorne being injured. “What happened? Is he alright?” she blurted.

  “Well, look who’s all concerned about Lorne? Don’t tell me you have feelings for the male. Perhaps your date wasn’t as exciting as I heard,” Finn taunted.

  Cam stopped walking and glared at the big male who was smirking at her. “I do not have feelings for Lorne,” she insisted and nearly believed the vehemence in her voice. “He guarded me for a short time, and I don’t want to see him hurt. That’s all. And, who has talked about my date?”

  Finn held up his hands in surrender as he resumed walking, prompting Cambree to follow him. “No one talked about it, but I didn’t see Caleb return to the barracks until shortly before I got Lorne’s call. In the weeks I’ve been with you, not one of your dates has lasted beyond an hour or so.”

  Cambree shook her head as her cheeks heated. When she lifted her head to watch where she was walking, she wished she hadn’t. It was impossible to ignore the hatred the females were sending her way. Whatever, she thought. There were far more pressing issues in her life than their petty grievances. Besides, why should she let their behavior affect her?

  Truthfully, her date with Damien was the best one of her entire life. They got caught up in talking to one another and lost track of time, something she never did. Most dates, Cambree was watching the clock every five minutes. Damien was glued to her every word, and that was such a pleasant change to the pawing hands of previous dates. The few times she wondered about the time, or if they should go, he asked about something else, and they were off and talking again. It was only when she went to the bathroom that she questioned her sanity as her stomach fluttered with anxiety.

  Her reaction to the male wasn’t a complete shock. Cambree had never dated anyone like Damien. Lorne was her first kiss and, in a way, her first date. They went to lunch the day they met to discuss schedules. It wasn’t an official date, but her mind swam with thoughts of what his lips would feel like and how sexy he was. While Cambree found Damien attractive, she wasn’t consumed by his looks which was so much better.

  “Damien was an absolute gentleman, and I thoroughly enjoyed the date. Caleb enjoyed his meal without having to step in on my behalf, which was nice for him. Damien is an engineer, and extremely intelligent. Carrying on a conversation with him was easy. In fact, we talked for hours and then had coffee. Did you know we can watch movies from earth on our devices?” Cambree rambled as she thought about her incredible evening.

  “I heard that from Legette. Apparently, Angus loves their science-fiction and paranormal shows. Making our technology compatible was one of the first things he requested,” Finn explained.

  Cambree gaped at Finn over that bit of news. It seemed odd to her, and she couldn’t picture what he was telling her about the king. “I guess King Angus’s time with the humans affected him more than I realized. I know he’s one of us, but being away for a thousand years had to impact him.”

  Finn nodded. “From what I’ve heard, he really liked a show about the Lord of the Underworld taking a vacation on earth and wanted to be able to watch it. Angus isn’t the king that left us, but so much more. I don’t see him as foreign, but a better version of the leader we knew. He is far more in touch with our needs, and the changes he’s instituted are refreshing.”

  “Well, Damien wants me to go to his place and watch a movie with him. It seems to be the current fad from what I hear around the office. Now, tell me what happened at Lorne’s place,” Cambree demanded. Her heart refused to settle as her mind conjured all kinds of horrific events.

  “It was the Unseelie bastards,” Finn growled. “Cyril
brought a new one of his malicious children into the mix. This one emitted black smoke that ate away at the land. It wasn’t clear if they were after Heqet again, or invading new territory.”

  Cambree shuddered, and sweat broke out on her brow. Ever since the Unseelie breached the protections, she was frightened and more alert than usual. It was an uncomfortable buzz under her skin to think they could take over her beloved realm at any moment.

  “Why were they after Lorne? Did they want his hoard? They can’t find a dragon’s hoard, can they?” she asked.

  Finn’s eyes narrowed, and if looks could kill, Cambree was certain their enemies would be dead right now. “He saw them close to the sacred site and lured them away so they couldn’t cause destruction, and delay the next Civappu. Seems like he caught them just in time because we didn’t see any obvious damage except where they attacked his home. There’s no indication they were after his hoard.”

  “Does that often happen to you guys? Máahes are the only ones I know that live out that far. I can’t imagine the dangers you face on a daily basis,” Cambree mumbled as she said a silent prayer to the Gods, thanking them for the strong knights protecting the realm.

  “Just doing our job,” Finn declared and puffed his chest with obvious pride. She didn’t miss the feminine sighs from her co-workers as they stared his way.

  “You ever think about asking one of them out?” Cambree asked quietly as she watched the trio of females whisper to each other while watching Finn.

  “Sure,” Finn admitted making her question her opinion of him. The male had absolutely no taste it seemed. How sad that a brainless twit was sufficient for him. “Every male appreciates a beautiful face, but then they open their mouths and attraction dies a quick death. I have no interest in superficial females or their bullshit.”

  “My respect for you has returned,” she teased with a chuckle. “I really don’t think I’m ready for this farce,” she confessed as they approached the restaurant.