by Julia Mills
Olive bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from laughing out loud at the demi god’s description of them. When she saw the others were doing the same, the little dove gave up and laughed out loud. Looking at Kellan, she chuckled, “Told you we were more than you could handle.”
The sun was setting over the mountains when Kellan announced they all needed to eat and rest before the next day’s mission. It was decided that Lennox, Brannoc, and Pearce would run to get subs and everyone would meet at Rian and Audrey’s house for dinner.
Walking under the stars, hand-in-hand with her mate, Olive listened to Kellan go over and over their battle plans. He played out every possible scenario in his head. She could see why he’d been made Commander at such a young age and why he’d relieved himself from duty when he thought he wasn’t fit to lead. Her dragon had integrity. It bled from every pore of his being. It was one of the many things that made him the amazing man he was. The one person in the entire Universe she couldn’t imagine her life without.
Looking at their clasped hands, she rested her head on Kellan’s arm and sighed, “Life just doesn’t get any better than this.”
“Oh, my dear little dove, you have no idea. We’ve only just begun...”
Chapter Seven
They had eaten and slept and were once again all assembled in the Grand Hall. Kellan felt better than ever after spending a blissful night holding his mate and dreaming of their long, happy future. Waiting for the stragglers, Lennox and Pearce to show up, the scarred dragon joined his lovely mate, who was talking with Claire and Kayne.
“So what did Daddy-o have to say?” Claire asked over the rim of her mug. Kellan knew he would never get used to hearing the Celtic God of the Sun called daddy-o.
Chuckling after swallowing a bite of his bagel, Kayne answered, “Says he’s ready to hear the pitter pat of little feet, so you two better get a move on.” The demi god motioned between Claire and Rory, causing the phoenix to scoff and her dragon mate to choke on his sausage biscuit.
Laughing out loud, Kayne added, “What? Too soon?”
“What about you, dear brother?” Claire teased.
Shaking his head, the demi god sighed. “Oh, little sister, you have no idea what that father of ours had planned... but that’s for another time. Oh, and a fifth or two of McAllen’s and several long hours.” Pointing towards the door right as it swung open and the missing Guardsmen walked in, he added, “Let’s get this asshole O’Baoill and then we’ll have a family meeting.”
“Remind me to be out of town,” Olive snorted.
“No way, little dove,” Kayne wrapped Kellan’s mate in a big bear hug, making the scarred dragon have to work very hard to keep both himself and his dragon from freaking out. It was the first time another man had touched his mate and the mating call was not being kind in the jealousy department.
Clenching his fist and trying to smile, he noted the demi god’s smile as Kayne nodded in understanding and set Olive an arm’s length away. Kellan’s little dove gave him a look of confusion and concern that the demi god quickly intercepted by saying, “Didn’t get to congratulate you as of yet. Take care of my girl,” he said to Kellan.
“Thank you and I definitely will,” he grinned through gritted teeth.
Olive grabbed his hand and smiled that beautiful smile that always made Kellan feel better when she responded, “Thanks again, Kayne. It’s all pretty new but pretty great all the same.”
Knowing Rory was gearing up to start with the jokes, Kellan turned both himself and his mate around as he announced, “All right, looks like we’re all here. Let’s run through everything one more time then we’ll be ready to head out. Max,” he nodded to the King, “can you or Juan Carlos show us the best route to take so no one sees us coming?”
And that was the way the rest of the day went. Each team reiterated their part of the plan until everyone knew it backwards and forwards, inside and out, and could recite it standing on their heads. Kellan’s strategy was beautiful in its simplicity but direct enough to yield the results they wanted if he did say so himself.
He and Maddox would lead the way into the facility and keep the guards busy with misdirects to allow everyone the time they needed to get in, get what they came for, and get out. Kellan counted on the mad dragon to do what he did best...kick ass and take no prisoners. At the sight of Tariq, the scarred dragon would break ranks. O’Baoill was his to take down. His demon to lay to rest.
Kayne and Rory, along with Olive, Claire, and their cousins, would be evacuating the survivors. If he had his way, all the ladies, especially his mate, would stay at the lair where he knew they were safe. His need to keep his little dove clear of all danger was a powerful force that drove both man and dragon to near distraction, but he would not deny her or any of her family the right to take down the single most powerful adversary to their world. The feathered shifters were warriors in their own right and able to handle themselves in any battle. They’d proven themselves and deserved to be treated as equals. Kellen saw this as the beginning of a long life of learning to accept the vast abilities of his amazing mate even if it killed him.
Lennox and Pearce were in charge of explosives. He had no doubt they were more than up to the challenge and their resident mad bomber was planning a grand display. Brannoc would tap into the facility’s surveillance so all the hunters would see would be a loop of empty hallways. The Guardsman also had various routes marked for their getaway so no more than two vehicles were together at one time. Although all the hunters’ vehicles would be disabled by the werepanther scouts before the dragons ever exited the facility, Kellan was leaving nothing to chance. If by some stroke of bad luck any hunters remained alive, they would not be allowed to follow the dragons back to their lair.
Declan, Rian, and Royce, the best shooters they had, would be covering the exits from a ridge about a hundred yards away armed with sniper rifles to catch any of the enemy who tried to get away. Yes, it would be like shooting fish in a barrel. Kellan knew he should feel bad about the loss of human life. Had there been any chance, no matter how small, that the hunters torturing the shifters could be rehabilitated, he would have demanded they be spared. Unfortunately, they were fanatics, trained from birth to hate anything magical or paranormal. There was no changing their minds. The zealots believed it was kill or be killed. Their doctrine was that no supernatural being deserved to live. The dragons had to act accordingly. The threat to their kin had to be eradicated. Tariq O’Baoill’s tyranny had to end.
Thankfully, Max and Juan Carlos had commandeered enough vehicles to transport the thirty to forty refugees who would be housed at the Blue Thunder Clinic until they could be returned to their kin. All that could be saved would be saved. The atrocities that shifters of all kin had endured had to end once and for all.
It felt good to be back in command, good to feel useful, good to know his demons would finally be laid to rest. He rubbed the scars on his cheek remembering the day he’d learned of Tariq’s existence. Of its own volition his hand reached to untie the leather cord holding his hair back. He froze at the feel of Olive’s hand on his arm. Looking down at his little mate, seeing the hope in her eyes, Kellen was once again reminded that he had nothing to hide from any longer.
Letting his hand drop, Kellan wrapped his arm around Olive and held her close. Her voice in his mind helped calm both man and beast. “How ya’ holding up, Commander?”
“Better with you here.” He winked before looking around the room at the different tactical groups talking amongst themselves.
Putting her arms around him, Olive chuckled, “Happy to be of service.”
Smiling at his little dove, Kellan announced, “Anyone have any questions or concerns before we break and get some food before heading out?”
“Only one,” Rory grinned. “What’s for dinner?”
“Everybody head over to my house,” Rian answered, shaking his head at his youngest brother. “Steaks, anyone? I’m grilling.”
“
Hell yeah!” was the general consensus as everyone gathered the books, maps, photos, and miscellaneous papers and headed for the door.
The next few hours were filled with good food and fun conversation. The fight they were about to face was never far from anyone’s mind but for the time being, they all put it aside and enjoyed the comradery that only comes from being united as one big, happy, mixed up family.
Grabbing another glass of iced tea, Kellan realized Maddox was absent from the table and had been uncharacteristically quiet since they’d arrived at Rian and Audrey’s. Asking a few of his brethren if they’d seen the mad dragon and hearing the same, “No clue,” from everyone, the scarred dragon wandered outside and finally found Maddox sitting on a stump at the far corner of Audrey’s flower garden.
Feeling the anger and frustration pouring off his old friend, Kellan simply knelt beside the trunk, sipped his iced tea, and looked out into the darkness. It took several minutes but Maddox finally spoke. “What the hell you doing out here? Aren’t you needed in there, Commander?”
Kellan could tell the mad dragon was purposely being an asshole in an effort to drive him away and decided to call the old man’s bluff right up front. “Nice try, asshole. Now, how about you just tell me what crawled up your ass and died this time. We really don’t have time for a long, drawn out argument.”
Jumping up from the stump and waving his fists in the air, Maddox growled, “Why I oughta...”
Slowly standing up and placing his empty glass on the seat Maddox had just vacated, Kellan sighed. “Look, old man. I know you’re not gonna hit me and you know you’re not gonna hit me. So just spill. What the hell is going on?”
Indecision crossed the mad dragon’s face. Kellan could see that Maddox had something to say but wasn’t sure how to say it. To make things easier, Kellen added, “If punching me in the face will make you feel better then get on with it.”
His plan worked. Maddox dropped his fists and shook his head then snorted, “Damn you, kid. Why do you have to be so much like your dad? He was the only one who could make me laugh when I really wanted to kill something.”
Kellan took Maddox’s words just as they were meant—a compliment. The scarred dragon knew how close his father and Maddox had been and was honored to be compared to not just a great dad, but also a superior Guardsman. “Just lucky, I guess.”
Pacing, the mad dragon mumbled to himself before asking, “You sure you’re ready for this?”
Kellan was just about to answer but Maddox went on, “I mean I’m pleased as I can be that you’re back in command of the Force. I know how hard it was to give it up and what you’ve been through for all these years, but is now the time to go up against Tariq? I mean, you have your mate, your brethren, your clan, and your sanity. Why put all that at risk to settle an old score? Let us do it. Send Rian in with me and you take the sniper position.”
Listening to his friend, hearing not only his words but the true meaning of what he was saying and the thoughts running around in the mad dragon’s chaotic mind, Kellan picked his words very carefully before answering. “Would you take a back seat and leave the punishment of the man that killed innocents of all species and kin while you chased him all over the world to someone else? Remember, this is the man that ordered the assassination of three little girls in the desert simply because he thought they might be shifters. This is the monster who set up a prison, a hell hole, to torture the same people the dragons within each of us gave up their physical bodies to protect. Are you telling me you really think I should let someone else take on the burden and responsibility of ending his life?”
Kellan paused, trying to keep his temper under control and remember that Maddox really did have his best interests at heart. When the scarred dragon spoke again, it was little more than a whispered growl. “Do you think I should let the man who ordered his soldiers to load weapons with silver in order to kill each and every one of us, the same silver that made these marks,” he pointed to his cheek. “And these,” he pulled up his shirt, revealing the mangled skin that covered one side of his ribs. “You really believe I should take the chance that he would hurt anyone else. That I should feed someone I care about to the devil himself? Is that what you’re telling me?”
Maddox opened his mouth to speak then immediately snapped his mouth shut and paced. Kellan listened to the mad dragon’s inner debate while trying to calm himself and his dragon. He even wondered if maybe Maddox was right but knew with the conviction of a well-seasoned warrior that he was to be the one to take Tariq down.
When the mad dragon finally stopped pacing and spoke, Kellan was shocked by his words. “You’re right. I just want you to promise me that if you feel it getting away from you, if the darkness and nightmares threaten your good judgment, you’ll let me know. I’m not explaining to that feisty little lass of yours why you’re not with her. Deal?’
Still surprised that even the mad dragon could show good sense once in a while, Kellan could only nod. Maddox closed the distance between them, placed his hands on the scarred dragon’s shoulders, and with a tone that sounded so much like Kellan’s father it was scary, said, “Because there will be no self-sacrifice on this mission, my boy. I know I wasn’t with you in the desert and I know it was your choice to help those people before worrying about yourself, but not this time. No more scars. You get me? Not this time.”
Smiling at Maddox’s rare show of sentimentality, Kellan readily agreed. “I get you...and Maddox?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
Maddox dropped his hands from Kellan’s shoulders and had taken a step around him when Rory called from just behind them. “Aww, boys, I’m shattered...”
Kellan turned just in time to see his smartass friend put his hand over his heart and pretend to swoon then add, “You left me out of the love fest.”
“Shut the hell up, you pain in the ass,” Maddox grumbled as he stomped past Rory towards the noise of their brethren.
Rory and Kellan burst out laughing while following the muttering mad dragon back towards the house. As they walked, Rory asked, “So the old man get you all sorted out?”
“You heard?”
“Hell, I think the ancients heard, “Rory snorted. “Maddox really needs to learn to shield his thoughts a little better.”
“Can you teach an old dragon new tricks?” Kellan snickered.
“Not sure, but if I’m right, which you know I usually am,” Rory waggled his eyebrows and barked out a laugh, “there’s a certain Grande Priestess who thinks she might be up to the challenge.”
Shaking his head and trying to imagine Maddox with a mate as they stepped on Rian’s deck and opened the sliding glass door, all Kellan could say was, “Is it bad if I hope you’re wrong?”
“Not at all, brother, not at all.”
Laughing together, they rejoined their friends and family and prepared for the battle to come.
Chapter Eight
Any other time, spending four hours with her arms wrapped around her dragon would’ve been heaven, but on this occasion, Olive could not stop thinking about what they were driving towards, what they would find, how much more blood would be shed in the name of justice. Riding on the back of Kellan’s Harley as he roared over every hill and took corners like they were on rails was so much like flying she’d had to remind her dove to stay put until she was needed. And there was no doubt the beasts that lie within all of them were going to be needed when they arrived at Tariq O’Baoill’s house of horrors.
Flashes of the images Max had shown ran through her mind, reminding her...preparing her for what was to come. This was about so much more than capturing a madman and his followers. This rescue mission was about protecting their kin and restoring order to the Universe.
Olive smiled as she thought about something her mother used to say to her when she was a little girl ...Light needs darkness in order to shine so brightly. Just like darkness needs light to be seen. One cannot exist without the other. All th
at matters is that you choose to live in the light while respecting the darkness. It is all about balance, my sweet daughter. Always look for the balance. It had never been a secret why her mother’s name was Seraphina or why she’d been the Spiritual Leader of the Clan of the Light for so very many years. The older dove had a wisdom that few had been blessed with and even fewer could truly comprehend.
Letting her mother’s teachings of tolerance and peace fill her with the resolve needed to do what was being asked of her, Olive also shared it with Kellan. Letting it flow through their mating bond to ease the anxiety and anger battling within her mate, the dove prayed her dragon would get the closure he so desperately sought.
They arrived ahead of everyone else. Kellan left her to watch for the others while he scouted the ridge surrounding the facility. Staying connected through their bond as mates, Olive was able to see everything her dragon did. To the naked eye, it appeared to be nothing more than an open pasture with a large metal circle sitting atop a two-foot by two-foot raised concrete platform in the middle. The grounds were well maintained without so much as a weed, but what was telling for both dove and dragon was the absence of any and all wildlife. No birds in the trees, no lizards or snakes in the grass, not even a cricket, grasshopper, or ant...it was absolutely deserted. That fact confirmed what they already knew—terrible things were taking place just under the picturesque surface.
“Can you feel that?” Kellan asked, making Olive pay less attention to her mate and more to what he was sensing.
It took a few precious seconds and she had no clue what it was she felt, but her dragon was right. There was something different, out of place but familiar, mixed among all the pain and suffering wafting from the torture chamber below. Nodding, then remembering he couldn’t see her, Olive answered, “Yeah, I do. What is it?”
“I’m not sure. It feels familiar in some ways but very wrong in others. I just can’t make it out.” He hesitated. Olive could feel Kellan pushing his senses farther into the underground prison, searching for the odd presence but still falling short of his objective.
