Dragonmark

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  Illarion shook his head at the group. "What are you doing, Acheron?"

  "We can't allow you to surrender your father's army to Apollo."

  Artemis nodded in agreement. "You've no idea how psychotic my brother is. Once the dog escapes the sack, there's no way back."

  Illarion scowled at her nonsensical words while Acheron groaned out loud.

  "Let the cat ... out of the bag, Artie." He passed an irritated grimace at her.

  Styxx scratched his chin. "I don't know, brother. Her metaphor actually worked this time."

  "Please, don't encourage her."

  "Anyway," Max said, stepping closer. "Edilyn told me what you have planned. We can't let you do this."

  "You can't stop me. None of you can."

  Falcyn scowled at him. "When did you get your voice back?"

  Illarion sighed and attempted to move past them. "Completely irrelevant."

  "And so are all of you." Apollo appeared behind Illarion.

  Along with an army of demons.

  Illarion's group tensed for battle, but he held his hand out to stay them from the fight. "We don't need for this to escalate to violence."

  "Of course we do!" Artemis sneered.

  Apollo glared at his sister. "You were always a traitorous whore."

  "Taught it from you."

  Acheron sighed. "Learned, Artie ... learned."

  "Whatever," she growled. "Can someone kill that bastard already and absorb his powers? Aren't you both Chthonians?" she sneered at Acheron and Styxx.

  Falcyn snorted as he raked a disgusted sneer over Apollo's body. "Who needs or wants that indigestion?"

  Ignoring them, Illarion pulled out a small red cloth that held the Spartoi.

  Apollo's eyes widened with greed. "So you are a dragon of your word."

  "Told you I was."

  "Illarion!" Max started forward only to learn that Illarion had placed a force field around them to keep them from interfering.

  Acheron blasted the shield, but not even he could break through it.

  All his efforts did were strengthen the shield and Illarion's powers.

  Apollo held his hand out. "Give me the Spartoi and you can go."

  "No problem." Illarion closed the distance between them and held the cloth out to Apollo.

  When the god reached for it, Illarion let go instantly, and the seeds fell to the ground.

  Grimacing in disgust, Apollo bent to retrieve them. But before he could, two huge warriors sprang up in full armor, ready to battle.

  They turned to face Illarion, who continued to eye Apollo. "I told you that you were to never threaten what I love. For I am drakomai. No one ever hurts what comes under my protection or takes from me with impunity. And you damn sure don't collar me without feeling my wrath." He dragged his gaze from Apollo to the Spartoi--who could only be commanded by the one who planted them and by a son of Ares. "Have fun, boys. Clean house."

  And with that, Illarion turned his back on them and headed for his real friends and family.

  As he drew near, Illarion smirked at the group. "You can stay and watch the show if you want, but I'd rather spend time with my dragonswan. Later."

  And with those parting words, he vanished to return to Hybrasil.

  Acheron stood in total stupefaction as Apollo screamed like a schoolgirl at a concert and ran from the Spartoi who set out after every demon on Olympus. "Well..." He glanced over to his brother.

  Styxx laughed. "Have to say, I like it." He glanced over to the dragons.

  Falcyn grinned proudly. "We raised our baby right ... eh, Mom?"

  Laughing, Max nodded. "So it seems ... so it seems."

  Blaise frowned. "You don't think he left a friend for Morgen to play with, too, do you?"

  Falcyn let out an evil cackle. "Pretty sure that's a given." He clapped Max on the back. "Come on, brother, we have a bar to finish closing down."

  *

  Edilyn was waiting for Illarion as he returned to the cavern. She tsked at him. "You could have told me about your plan for Apollo, my lord dragon."

  Unabashed, he shrugged. "What would have been the fun in that?"

  Laughing, she drew him against her. "Did you really visit Morgen, too?"

  "I owed the bitch a bill that was long overdue." He glanced around the cavern. "Where's your brother?"

  "He returned home ... empty-handed. I frisked him to make sure of it." Edilyn caught the shadow behind his eyes that dampened his happiness. "What's wrong?"

  "You risked your life for me. I'm angry at you for it."

  "Angry?" she asked as her own ire mounted.

  He nodded. "Had Apollo caught you sneaking me out and my powers not returned, he would have killed you."

  "It was worth the risk."

  "Addie--"

  She placed her fingers over his lips to silence his protest. "You were in danger, my dragon. And I protect what I love. So the only solution here is that you never do anything else dangerous again. For as you risk your life, you risk mine." She held up her palm to remind him of their bond.

  The most amazing smile spread across his face as he took her palm in his hand and kissed it, then held it to his heart. "You're right. I will do as you say."

  She laughed out loud at his ludicrous declaration. "I somehow doubt that."

  But a deep, searing fire burned in his eyes. "Never doubt your dragon, my lady rose. For you alone have tamed the beast. And for you alone, I will heel and show caution."

  Tears choked her. "And I love you enough, my dearest dragon, that I will never ask you to be anything but yourself. Wild and beastly. For I have seen you at your best and I've seen you at your worst, and I love all sides of you, whatever they are. And even when you're at your absolute worst, I would much rather suffer an eternity of those than spend one minute without you at all."

  Illarion stared at her in complete and utter amazement. How strange life was. She'd never wanted to be bound to a dragon. Had fought against it with everything she had.

  Now she gave him her entire life and heart.

  And he who'd despised humanity, who'd never wanted to bear the skin of a man for even a microsecond, now would lay down his life to protect her without a single thought. More than that, he was more than content to stay in this body if it meant snuggling it against hers.

  Forever.

  Maybe that was the point of life. Not to get the things you wanted that you thought would make you happy. But to find the things you truly needed, those most wonderful people that you just couldn't live without.

  EPILOGUE

  Apollo growled as he surveyed the remains of his army. That little bastard dragon had taken a chunk of his demons.

  And that pissed him off.

  But it wasn't the end of him by a long shot. All the dragon had done was fuel his desire and determination to see this through.

  Never underestimate me.

  "Come in."

  Apollo pushed open the door to the small council room where he'd set up a meeting with a petite and gorgeous blonde.

  One who had as much of a reason to want the dragons put down as he did.

  "Morgen."

  She inclined her head to him. "Apollo. Last person I expected to see here."

  "Indeed. But what is it they say?"

  An insidious smile curved her lips. "My enemy's enemy is my best friend."

  And while the two of them had failed alone ...

  Together, they'd be invincible.

  And together, they would put down the dragons once and for all.

  Also by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  THE DARK-HUNTERS

  Fantasy Lover

  Night Pleasures

  Night Embrace

  Dance with the Devil

  Kiss of the Night

  Night Play

  Seize the Night

  Sins of the Night

  Unleash the Night

  Dark Side of the Moon

  The Dream-Hunter

  Devil May Cry