Dragon Knight Of Khoth

by Brenda Trim

  “What’s wrong?” she slurred, and was thankful he was supporting her, or she’d be face-first in the sand.

  “Shhh. Don’t fight it. I’m taking away what you don’t want,” Damien whispered in her ear.

  Alarm bells rattled in Cambree’s mind. Something awful was happening to her. She tried to turn her head toward Finn so she could shout for help, but her limbs refused to cooperate. Cambree shifted her eyes and noted Finn hadn’t moved an inch.

  Realization dawned as Cambree felt her body shutting down. The male duped her. She had no idea why or what his intentions were, but Damien was dominating her. And, somehow he was controlling her guards, as well. That explained why Finn and Caleb couldn’t recall her dates with Damien, and why Finn wasn’t defending her right now.

  A tear slipped from her eye as her knees buckled, and Cambree collapsed onto the sand. Sudden pain ripped through her joints, and Cambree rolled to her side. She cried out in pain but didn’t hear the scream as it left her throat. She shouted over and over, but no sound left her lips. Panic settled in as she realized no one could pick up any of her pleas. What did he want? Was he going to kill her?

  Damien crouched in front of her face. She wanted to claw his eyes, and demand he explain what he meant when he said he was taking what she didn’t want. Cambree felt his hands at the back of her shirt, and she tried to jerk away from him. Was he going to rape her? After all, she’d been through, was this male about to claim her virginity?

  Cambree’s internal shouts intensified, and she put all her efforts into moving. She could feel pressure on her brain, and her head felt like it would explode. And then her Tuya marking started to burn. Cambree was certain flames from Hell were licking the flesh on her shoulder. What was Damien doing to her, and why?

  Her heart galloped in her chest when another thought came to mind. There was something else Damien could take from her. Her Tuya blessing. Was that what he meant? Could he do that?

  “Now that my serum is working, I’ll tell you who I am,” Damien murmured.

  Cambree saw his dark eyes begin to glow, and menace filled the air. Horror washed over her as she stared at the evilest face she’d ever seen.

  “I am Cyril, the Unseelie King,” he began.

  Cambree knew that name. She heard it countless times from Lorne and Finn. This was the male trying to destroy Khoth. The one that kidnapped Keira and kept her under a sleep spell for a thousand years. How had she managed to get involved with the worst being in history?

  “I will take over Khoth after I eliminate Angus and his son. I’m going to hit him where it hurts, and then Keira will belong to me,” he continued.

  The male was utterly insane. How had Cambree missed the malevolence she now sensed like a dark cloud cloaking her? A loud roar filled her ears, and Damien turned his head with a snarl. Cambree tried to see what was happening, but couldn’t move a muscle.

  A crash echoed through the night as Cambree felt darkness closing in from every direction. Cyril had attacked someone. Finn, she thought immediately. Worried about her guard, Cambree tried to turn her head, but her eyes slipped closed.

  Her shoulder felt like the lava from Mount Batia was poured across it, while at the same time, frigid cold swept over her body. The two sensations battled for supremacy, and Cambree struggled to break free from the spell.

  “Don’t worry, love. You won’t suffer long,” Cyril told her, and she knew he wouldn’t spare her life, or Finn’s. The knight didn’t deserve to die, and Cambree wished she could save him.

  Tears streamed at hearing Cyril’s words. She’d prayed to have her mark removed so she could return to her normal life. Now, she realized how wrong she’d been, but it was too late. It was a gift from the Gods to be cherished, but she’d seen it as a curse. Oh, how she wished she could start over. She’d do everything differently.

  An image of Lorne filled her mind. His golden blond hair, green eyes, and full lips. She was beyond grateful that he was her first, and only, kiss. It was the most memorable moment of her life, and she wished she’d told him how special it was. Even if he didn’t feel the same, it was everything to her. If she had a do-over, telling Lorne her feelings would top the list.

  As Cambree thought about all the mistakes she made regarding Lorne, Cyril’s malicious laugh echoed in her mind. It was the last sound she heard before everything disappeared.

  * * *

  Chapter 15

  Lorne pounded on the wood door several times. He was worried out of his mind about Cambree and Finn. She went on her date with Damien the previous night, and Finn never returned to the barracks. His instincts screamed danger the moment he finished at the tunnels, and it was directly connected to Cambree.

  Lorne immediately messaged Cambree, and when she didn’t respond, he called Finn. When he got the same results, he asked a knight from their surveillance department to track Finn’s whereabouts. The male told him Finn was at Trinity Beach, and Lorne immediately shifted then flew to the site. When he arrived, the area was deserted.

  From the sky, Lorne could see a scuffle had taken place. Deep furrows were left in the sand, and several trees were knocked down, but there were no signs of an injury. The tide was low, so blood would still be there if someone was hurt.

  Lorne easily detected Cambree’s scent, yet it was tainted with fear. Her horror, coupled with distinct Unseelie energy had Lorne’s hackles rising. He combed the entire area for hours but found no clues to their whereabouts.

  “Cambree, are you in there?” Lorne shouted through the closed door.

  “Just a fucking minute. Stop banging already,” a male croaked a second later. Lorne’s blood froze. Had Damien gone home with her?

  Lorne debated leaving when suddenly the door opened, and he saw Finn in the entryway. “What the fuck are you doing here?’ Lorne blurted.

  “Stop yelling,” Finn snapped and placed his palm over his forehead. “Damn, I need some aspirin.”

  Lorne pushed past Finn and entered the apartment. The living room had the same blue couch and flower-covered armchair he remembered. Lorne eyed the sofa, expecting to see a blanket where Finn spent the evening, but the couch looked unused.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Lorne hissed and stepped into Finn’s space. “Did you sleep with her?”

  Finn reared back and moaned then clutched his stomach. The male lurched and teetered, almost falling over. Lorne’s sixth sense screamed again. Something was wrong.

  Finn’s uniform was wrinkled and his shirt untucked. It was also ripped along one shoulder. The knight had a bruise the size of a melon on the left side of his face. And, was that dried blood on his shirt?

  “What happened last night?” Lorne demanded.

  The creak of a door snagged their attention, and both looked down the hall to see Cambree come out of her bedroom. Relief swamped when he realized she was safe. Lorne couldn’t stop his smile as he eyed the half-asleep female, wearing a white t-shirt adorned with kippies and a pair of blue sweatpants.

  His grin slipped away when she clutched her head and winced. It was then that Lorne noticed Cambree’s hair was knotted and there was sand flying around when she rubbed her head.

  “What…” she started then paused when her voice came out raspy. She cleared her throat and glared at him and Finn. “What are you doing here? And why, for the love of the Gods, are you shouting?”

  “What is wrong with you two this morning?” Lorne asked as he threw his hands up in the air.

  Cambree paused in front of him and cocked her head. Lorne took a deep breath, waiting for her to explain. The second her scent hit his nose he jerked in response. It was different. Like old, wilted flowers rather than her usual sweet, fresh smell.

  Cambree smacked him in the chest, surprising Lorne. “Don’t barge into my house and ask what’s wrong with me. Who even invited you? And, why are you here, Finn? I don’t work today and told you I planned on staying home.”

  Finn wrinkled his eyebrows and rubbed his templ
es. “I just woke up, thanks to Lorne beating down the door. I honestly don’t know why I stayed here last night.”

  “What? That makes no sense,” Cambree said as she entered her kitchen and opened the large cooler. “You left…uh…why can’t––”

  “What happened here last night?” Lorne asked as he leaned against a wall in the kitchen. His instinct was spot on. Something was wrong, and he wasn’t leaving until he got some answers.

  Cambree paused as if thinking about his question then looked at Lorne before she turned to Finn. Her brown eyes bulged, and she blurted, “I don’t remember. How is that possible? I don’t recall coming home, or getting ready for bed. Did you change my clothes?” she asked Finn as she looked at her pajamas.

  Lorne pinned Finn against the wall in the next breath. “If I find out you took advantage of her, I will fucking kill you.”

  Cambree came up behind Lorne and placed her hand on his back. Her touch incited him as much as it calmed his agitation. “Hold on. I don’t think Finn would do anything to hurt me. I don’t remember anything, which makes no sense,” she explained.

  Taking several deep breaths, Lorne backed off but kept his eyes fixed on Finn, who looked like he’d been in a brawl. “What’s the last thing each of you remembers?”

  Finn ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes for several seconds before he opened them and met Lorne’s gaze. “The last thing that comes to mind is walking into the restaurant last night. And then it’s a blank until I woke up a few minutes ago.”

  Lorne raised an eyebrow at him then looked to Cambree who was biting her lower lip, deep in thought. “You were pretty tired last night, Finn. In fact, you fell asleep at your table. I never should’ve agreed to go on that walk with Damien,” she confessed.

  “Fuck. I don’t remember any of that. I don’t even know what this Damien looks like,” Finn explained then blurted, “Wait! I do remember something. Roasted torc, and sand beneath my feet. I was hit by something, and I think I tried to shift. But none of it’s clear. It’s all fuzzy.”

  “How the fuck can you not have any memories of getting those bruises? You look worse than Slate after the market battle, and that’s saying something. He was in the infirmary for a week,” Lorne divulged with a shake of his head. What the fuck happened to them last night?

  Finn lifted the edge of his sleeve and glared at his torn shirt. With a growl, Finn unbuttoned the top of his uniform and shrugged it off his shoulders.

  Cambree gasped, and her hands flew to her mouth. “What happened to you?”

  “I wish I fucking knew,” Finn snarled. “This is bullshit.”

  “Looks like you needed stitches on some of those, bro. I think a few trees were introduced to your body. I spotted several along the beach that were snapped in half,” Lorne informed the male.

  “Were there any carcasses left behind? I know I killed the fucker that did this to me. No way would I let this shit go,” Finn insisted as he inspected his wounds.

  Lorne shook his head, recalling the lack of blood at the scene. Given Finn’s appearance, he couldn’t imagine there wasn’t bloodshed. “I didn’t find one drop of blood. Not even yours,” Lorne offered.

  “How is that possible? That shirt looks like it was soaked in red,” Cambree stated.

  “Someone tried to cover their tracks but must’ve been interrupted before they were able to finish the job. Where are your clothes, Cambree? I won’t ask you to undress, but you need to make sure you don’t have any injuries,” Lorne said.

  “I don’t know where my clothes are, but I’ll go look,” Cambree murmured and hurried to her bedroom. She came back a few seconds later holding a skirt and a pale pink top. When she lifted the garments sand filtered to the floor.

  “That’s a lot of sand,” she observed. “I must’ve been sitting down.”

  Lorne didn’t want to think about other ways her clothes might become filled with sand. If he did, he would lose his mind. “How does your body feel? Any injuries?”

  Cambree shook her head and pursed her lips. “I hurt all over, but it feels like a case of the flu. Although, my shoulder hurts more than anything else. I wasn’t injured like Finn.”

  “It sounds like you’re hung over. Tell me everything that happened after dinner. You mentioned a walk and sand. When surveillance tracked you, he said you were at Trinity Beach. When I arrived, I found what looked like the aftermath of a fight, and Finn was obviously in one helluva scuffle,” Lorne surmised.

  “Fuck. That explains why I feel like I went up against a hundred Buggane. Everything hurts, but I don’t remember fighting anyone,” Finn admitted.

  Cambree shook her head in disbelief. “The last thing I remember was having a great meal with Damien, and then he asked me back to his place to watch a movie.”

  “You went to his place?” Lorne growled as jealousy struck, and he almost punched the wall.

  Cambree rolled her eyes and heaved a sigh then headed back to her cooler. “Would you stop it? I said he asked me, but I wasn’t comfortable going to his house. So, he suggested a walk to the beach instead. I almost didn’t go because Finn was so tired, but Damien insisted he could keep me safe.”

  Lorne closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead with his thumb and forefinger. This female was going to drive him mad. His heart never stopped racing when she was near, and he couldn’t concentrate on anything.

  “Please tell me you didn’t go anywhere alone with this male. You don’t know if you can trust him. It doesn’t matter that he isn’t a dragon. He could still hurt you,” Lorne huffed in exasperation.

  Cambree grabbed a sherulla, a knife and a plate then took them to her table. “No, I didn’t go alone. Finn was there. I’m not ready to be alone with Damien, no matter how much I enjoy his company,” she admitted.

  Lorne snorted. He didn’t need to hear how much Cambree liked the male. But thank the Gods she had the sense to take Finn with her.

  “That was smart, Cam. Did you drink last night?” Lorne asked.

  Cambree focused on cutting her fruit but shook her head before she spoke. “We had some wine at dinner, but that was it. Oh, and he gave me a cupcake at the beach. I remember thinking it was such a sweet gesture. No one has ever made me anyth––” Cambree suddenly screamed and clutched her head with both hands.

  Lorne rushed to Cambree’s side and knelt beside her. Her face paled, and he could see she was in agonizing pain. “What is it? What happened?”

  Cambree couldn’t answer for several seconds as she clutched her head. Finn was on her other side, and Lorne shared a concerned look with the male. Tears were streaming down her face, and she was leaning heavily on Lorne’s shoulder. All he could do was run his hand up and down her back, hoping to alleviate some of the pain.

  After several minutes, Cambree stopped crying and turned her head toward his face then spoke into the crook of his neck. “There’s nothing. The last thought I have is that the cake was delicious. When I tried to remember more, it felt like my head was going to split wide open.”

  That wasn’t normal, and Lorne debated how much to tell Cambree. Pain of that magnitude experienced while trying to recover memories usually meant a spell was involved. Unfortunately, he didn’t know what kind of spell or where to start looking for explanations.

  “It’s okay. You don’t need to remember anything else. You’re safe, and that’s all that matters. I’m sorry for pushing so hard. I worry about you and need to make sure you’re okay,” Lorne explained.

  Cambree lifted her head and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. “See, I was right. You’re stalking me.” Lorne laughed at her teasing and gave into his urge, wrapping his arm around her waist.

  Finn snorted. “She burned you, bro.”

  Lorne ignored his friend and focused on the freckles scattered across Cambree’s cheeks. “Guilty as charged, beautiful one,” he confessed with a smile.

  A small gasp left her throat, and the next thing Lorne knew, tears filled her eyes. />
  “What’s wrong, Cam? Did I upset you?” Lorne asked. Why did he always screw everything up with Cambree? It was one fuck-up after another, and he could kick himself for upsetting her again.

  She gazed at him and shook her head. “No, it’s just…”

  “What? Please tell me,” he pleaded.

  “No one’s ever called me that before,” Cambree confessed and looked away. He could tell she was embarrassed by the admission.

  Lorne cupped Cambree’s face and forced her to meet his gaze. “Looks like I get dibs on another first with you,” he said with a wink.

  “Stop teasing me.”

  “I’m not teasing, beautiful one.” His thumb traced the flesh of her lower lip and Lorne leaned toward her. Suddenly, all that mattered was this moment. He craved to taste her lips again.

  Closing the distance, he placed his mouth over hers. The moment their lips met, electricity zapped from his head to his toes. Hungry for more, Lorne slid one hand behind Cambree’s head and held her to him. She moaned, and he took advantage, sliding his tongue inside her mouth. Her sweet flavor exploded across his taste buds as their tongues tangled together.

  “Aaand, that’s my cue to leave,” Finn interrupted.

  Lorne held up a finger, halting the male, but didn’t break the kiss. He didn’t care if he had an audience. He was done hiding his feelings for the incredible female in his arms.

  He lingered on her mouth, placing several kisses along her lips. When he pulled away, Cambree was panting. “I’d say that beat the first one,” he teased with a wry smile.

  “Um, is there something I should know?” Finn asked.

  Lorne glanced to his colleague with a smirk. “All you need to know is I’ll take bodyguard duty today,” he declared then glanced to Cambree. “You still want to watch a movie?”

  She nodded enthusiastically, and Lorne turned back to Finn. “Can you stay here for about an hour? I need to run a quick errand, and I don’t want her left alone until we know what’s going on.”