by Leela Ash
She thought about going to her old friend’s house, but she was afraid of dragging trouble there. The woman had enough issues to worry about, having kids of her own, without needing to deal with any of the psychotic and strange incidences that had a tendency to plague Amy and her family. They were already looked down upon enough, she didn’t need to bring anybody else into it. She was afraid if she spoke about it, everybody would just think she was insane.
Part of her wondered if maybe they weren’t right about that. Maybe all of this was just something meant of her imagination, and Rich was doing his best to try and validate her so she wouldn’t feel bad about herself. After all, crazy people didn’t know they were crazy, did they?
Amy growled in frustration when the phone went back to voicemail and she heard Rich telling her, once again, to leave a message. She didn’t want to leave a message. She didn’t know how to explain to him that she had been attacked again and that she was in danger. She didn’t want to worry him when he was so far away and there was nothing at all that he could possibly do to help her.
If anything happened, then it was simply meant to happen. There was nothing she would be able to do to stop it or change the situation, so why fight it? Why bring Rich into it when all that would do was complicate matters and make him feel guilty and responsible if something did happen? He had always done his best to look out for her and take care of her.
What kind of burden was it leave upon him emotionally if something were to happen and he got a plethora of voicemails begging him to do something for her that he couldn’t possibly do? She would have to stop calling him. She would have to deal with this on her own. Illness or not, she could manage it. She knew she could.
For now, though, she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. She was grateful that she had made it until daylight, and her eyes wandered back over to the bridge where she and Carter had been intimate the last time they had seen each other. Another swirl of anxiety plagued her, and she swallowed hard. Why had she come here of all places? Was she secretly hoping to run into Carter?
She still couldn’t shake the fact that if she were to run into him again, he would be the one who could help her with this. But that was probably only because she associated him with the last time she had been in trouble. He had helped her then. At least, she thought he had. Maybe all he had done was run them off and tell them to leave her alone. Or worse, what if they had never been there at all, and Carter had simply been trying to protect her from herself and then found an opportunity to take advantage of a crazy woman.
Now she knew she was going too far. This paranoia wasn’t going to serve her at all. All it was doing was upsetting her and making her feel inferior. There was no reason at all for her to be acting this way. Carter cared about her. Or at least, he had. Until she had surrendered to her own desires. Then something had changed in him. And she couldn’t help but wish that she knew what it was. Maybe she would be able to help them if he would just open up to her about it.
She couldn’t let herself be weak like this. Especially not now. She had much bigger things to worry about than Carter’s feelings and his weird angst that had driven him to leave her high and dry at the beach. That had been one of the single most shitty things a man had ever done to her. And she was used to men acting like jerks. She wasn’t going to stand for it any longer. She wasn’t going to let herself feel the pull of Carter preventing her from moving forward.
But, for now, she was going to take a nap. Why was it that she felt safer in her car than she did in her home? For whatever reason, Amy allowed herself to relax into her seat and quickly fell into a light slumber.
Her sleep was interrupted quite abruptly by a sharp cry. Amy was startled and moved forward, honking the horn on her car’s steering wheel and waking herself up in earnest. She laughed when she realized that all it was was a child playing on the beach with his siblings. She settled back into her seat, but now, found it impossible to relax back into the same state she had been napping in.
She glanced around, noting the presence of the sun in the sky and the fluffy white clouds hat were surrounding it. It was a beautiful afternoon, and Amy decided to stretch her legs. She was tired of living in fear and being cramped up in her car. She had spent long enough already in it and was not going to let herself be bullied into living in fear any longer. If anybody wanted to mess with her, let them do it in front of all these witnesses. Out in the open, under the protection of the warm sun. She had a feeling that whatever those wolves might be, they wouldn’t dare to show their faces right in broad daylight.
Her stomach rumbled, and Amy’s blue eyes scanned the area until he settled upon a hot dog stand. She grabbed her purse and stepped outside of her car, heading toward the vendor and rummaging through for the money to pay for her breakfast. Her illness [LR2]was definitely beginning to take hold, which centered on another spiral of paranoia. What if the illness was getting progressively worse and none of these things were actually happening? What if she was just being insane and thought she was in danger when she wasn’t? The doctor said he thought most of the cause behind her illness was psychological rather than physiological. They had no explanation for the way she felt. They seemed to believe it was only a matter of time before she was committed, just like everybody else in this place seems to.
But here at the waterfront, she was far enough away from the little suburb where she was raised to take a deep breath and try to put those thoughts behind her. She wouldn’t let herself be defined by the interpretations of other people. Not anymore. She was better than that now. Even if she was exhausted from being pursued by [LR3]villains who called her strange names that she didn’t understand.
“Long morning, miss?” the hot dog vendor asked, looking at her from behind the grill.
“Yeah, you could say that,” Amy replied, offering the man a halfhearted smile.
“Well, here’s hoping that it gets better for you,” the vendor said, handing Amy her order. “On the house this morning, in hopes of making your day a little brighter.”
Amy smiled gratefully, a small surge of warmth coursing through her body. She was glad to be reminded there could still be some positivity in the universe, despite the hellish night she had been having.
“Thank you,” she said, as she put her toppings on her hot dog and began to turn away. “I will pay this forward one day.”
“Oh, I’m sure you will,” the man said.
Something about the way he said it made Amy’s skin prickle, but she tried to shake it off and continued on her walk down the beach. The air was warm, and the breeze lifted her hair behind her as she walked and ate, her mind circling the events over and over again. She missed Carter. She wished she had somebody to talk to about what was going on. Nobody would ever believe her. Maybe Carter would, because he had seen the attackers for himself the first time. She felt like he was the only person she could trust, and yet, she didn’t trust him at all. Not after what had happened right on this very beach. It had been humiliating, and she was angry. No matter how handsome he was, it didn’t excuse him treating her that way. And if she ever saw him again, she was going to give him a piece of her mind, that much was certain.
“Oh, I’m going to make good with the boss at long last,” the hot dog vendor’s voice said from far too close behind Amy.
Amy furrowed her brow in confusion and turned around to look over her shoulder. Sure enough, there was the hot dog vendor, his lips peeled apart to reveal a sickly smile just like the ones that her other attackers had been wearing. She was slowly beginning to realize that they were all the same in a way, but that didn’t make any sense. As she tried to wrap her head around what was happening, she froze suddenly when she felt the barrel of a gun pressed against her back.
“Now you aren’t going to make a sound, and if you do, I’m going to shoot you right here. You’re going to come with me, and you’re going to let the boss know I did my job right. Don’t talk, don’t scream, and don’t fight, because anythin
g you do that I don’t like, you’re going to end up regretting. Do I make myself clear?”
Amy nodded frantically and the vendor laughed right into her ear, sending a shiver of disgust down her spine.
“Good,” he said, pressing the barrel harder against her. “Now walk. We have got a lot to do.”
15.
“Where is she?” Carter exclaimed to himself, his voice higher than usual and frantic as he rummaged through Amy’s empty apartment. He could tell something was wrong. He didn’t know how, but the energy about the place was off. As if she hadn’t been there in far too long. “Where did she go? Shit!”
Carter slammed some books off the desk and hurt his hand as he tried to calm himself down and figure out what the next step to take should be. She wasn’t at the grocery store. She wasn’t at the bank. She wasn’t at home. Where else would she be?
He was trying to use his dragon senses to follow her around, but it was hard for him to focus. Everything in this apartment smelled like her. There was no indication of where she might’ve gone. Was she with the enemy? Had she found a new man to try to spend her life with? Humans had no concept of what it meant to have a fated mate. But she wasn’t a human, was she?
She was a descendent. And not just a potential. She was one, for sure. Gavin had confirmed it. Everything had confirmed it. Carter knew better than to deny the evidence any further. Amy was his fated mate. And he had spurned her. Left her in danger. Not only from the enemy, but from herself. And now she was missing. How could he make this right?
Carter wanted to shape shift badly. He wanted to be able to grasp onto her scent and track it down like a bloodhound. But that wasn’t something he could do. Not in her apartment. And certainly not in an area where he would be spotted. That would defeat the purpose of maintaining a quiet watch over the area like the Elders had instructed them to. If they weren’t able to abide by the rules, he could ruin any potential chance of returning back to their home world that the dragon shifters had. He had to be careful about this and use his head. There had to be a way. Fate would be their guide, right?
Carter growled and took off out of the apartment, running full speed through the hallways until he was back in the open air. He willed himself to think of any other place where Amy might be, and suddenly, he remembered the waterfront.
The memory was like a punch in the stomach. He felt like a total jerk for treating her the way he had. But how was he supposed to have known that she was his fated mate? Everything had been so confusing and overwhelming. He couldn’t blame himself for this, could he?
And yet, he was. He had to make sure she was all right. He would do anything to keep her safe.
Carter took off running for the waterfront, doing his best to stay out of sight. Anybody who saw a man running that fast would say it was abnormal, and he would probably be looked at as a scientific specimen rather than a human. That was something that was to be avoided at all costs. And yet, this was still more subtle than flying through the air in his dragon form even though that would be the best possible way to find Amy in a hurry.
When Carter made it to the beach, he was breathless and wild eyed, looking around for any sign of Amy. He was shocked when she saw that her car was in the parking lot, and ran to it, his chest heaving as he searched the vehicle for any sign of life. Amy was nowhere to be found however, and as he scanned the beach, he realized that she wasn’t there either. So, where was she? Where had she gone? What had happened to her? Was she in the hands of the enemy?
Carter released his grip on the vehicle and headed to the sandy beach, running his eyes over it, and tapping into [LR4]his dragon senses to try to pick up Amy’s scent. It seemed nearly impossible, but he found himself pleasantly surprised when he was able to get a faint whiff of the woman. It brought a surge of adrenaline to his chest, and his excitement was quickly curbed by horror when he caught scent of someone else with her. Somebody menacing. And then, he smelled her fear.
Carter let out a low growl and quickly found himself hot on the trail. He wasn’t going to let anybody hurt Amy. He would find them and hunt them down and kill them if he had to. That was all there was to it. Nobody was going to lay a hand on her. She deserved to be safe.
It infuriated him to have to follow the rules that were set by the Elders, even though the Elders had completely abandoned them. Why should he put Amy’s life more at risk just to accommodate some grumpy old man who didn’t even care about him? Who cared if the people in this place knew he was a dragon shifter? It was their own preconceptions that caused the issue to arise, so what good was it for him to hide who he was? None of it made sense, and all of it served only to piss Carter off. He wanted to be himself openly, 100%. He didn’t want to hide himself any longer.
And yet, when he made a move to shape shift into his dragon form, Carter couldn’t allow himself to do it. He was disappointed by his own convictions and his loyalty to the Elders. He wanted to say fuck it all, but inwardly, he simply couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead, he moved forward on Amy’s trail, keeping himself closely fixated on his forward momentum.
He was doing a good job of keeping up, but suddenly, a new concern began to plague him. What was he going to do when he found her again? He wanted nothing more than to make sure she was safe, and he would stop at nothing to do so. But if he was successful in his mission, that meant he would have to face her again and find a way to try and make up for the way he had treated her under the bridge. Was she even going to want to speak to him again? He had acted like a total asshole. He was going to have to win her trust and somehow convince her that they were fated mates. Max had played hell in trying to convince his mate that they were fated to be together. Carter had just made the situation 1,000 times worse for himself. What was going to happen? What if she refused him?
No, Carter shook his head. He wasn’t going to let that be an option. He was going to make sure they knew exactly how he felt about her and why he had reacted the way he had. Maybe he wouldn’t be able to talk her into believing that he was a dragon shifter the way Max had, but then again, maybe he wouldn’t have to. Why was it so important that she know about the dragon shifters anyway?
The question gave Carter a pause. No, he knew he had to be completely true to himself. He had to be open and honest about his identity. That meant he would have to do the work that was required of him in order to take Amy as his fated mate and live with her for the rest of his life. And nothing sounded better to him than being able to do that. So that’s what he was going to do.
No matter how difficult and complicated it was, he was going to have to tell her the truth. Maybe she wouldn’t be able to accept it, and maybe she would. But either way, the truth remained. And it was one that was worth fighting for. He was going to tell Amy exactly who he was. And he was going to make sure she understood the depth and sincerity of his feelings. She hadn’t been able to deny them since the moment he had laid eyes on her. And so, he was going to be honest. Just the way he appreciated honesty.
He just had to find her first. Carter’s purple-hued eyes narrowed, and he inhaled sharply. He could do this. All he had to do was stay focused. He was a dragon within, so he can utilize his abilities without shape shifting. Maybe it was a little bit harder, but he could do it. As urgent as it was, he had to abide by the rules until there was no other option.
16.
“Here she is, boss, the Golden one. I told you that I would find her, didn’t I? Now, where is my reward?”
The hot dog vendor was breathing heavily as he shoved Amy forward. She collapsed onto the ground painfully and looked up at the huge man who was standing before her.
Or was he a man at all? She squinted in confusion. He didn’t look human. Sure, he was humanoid, but there was definitely something strange about him. What was going on?
Amy struggled to get to her feet and looked around for a means of escape. “I want to go home,” she said, her voice trembling.
The man’s eyes narrowed upon her. “Sile
nce!”
Amy yelped and clamped her mouth shut. How had she managed to get herself into this position? Where was she? She almost recognized the area, but the hot dog vendor had blindfolded her after he had led her to his van and taken off toward this unspecified location. Her mind reeled as she attempted to pinpoint her surroundings, but it was futile. She had no idea where she was, and it was unlikely that she would be able to figure it out before they killed her.
“About my reward, boss?” the hot dog vendor persisted again, eyeing the humanoid figure with a mixture of contempt and reverence. “I did what you asked. I did what those stupid hounds of yours couldn’t even do. So, I expect my reward. And maybe a promotion. You should put me in charge of all those mongrels. I would get some shit done around here. You watch.”
Amy stared at them in horror as the scene unfolded before her. So, these guys were in connection with the men and the wolves. She had suspected as much, but it still sent a chill coursing through her to hear it said out loud. The confirmation was more startling than it was relieving. Still, she was grateful to at least have some grasp of who had taken her. But it still didn’t explain why? What the hell was a golden one? And why were they calling her one? She wanted to ask, but she was terrified.
“I will give you your reward when I see fit to give you your reward. And the more persistent you are about receiving it, the less value it is going to have. I make myself clear?”
The man’s serious black eyes turned to the hot dog vendor with malice. Amy could sense the man behind her prickling with indignation and fear, and she silently willed him not to continue speaking. If only for his own good. Not only that, but she was terrified of what might happen if the huge creature before her began to lose his temper. She didn’t want to be anywhere near that.
