by Amelia Jade
“So how come I remember?”
“Because you were both shielded by me, and also knew that our kind existed, so the sight of one wouldn’t cause you to think you’d seen something else, like the flock of bats the drillers all think they saw.”
“Colony.”
He looked over at her. “What?”
“It’s not a flock. A group of bats is called a colony, or sometimes a camp.”
“Oh.” Sid grinned. “You’re just full of interesting tidbits.”
“I try.” She fell silent as the car came to a halt. “We’re here, though I don’t exactly see where here is. We seem to be rather high up from where you buried him.”
“It’s not a problem. Come on.” He got out of the car.
Hollie followed and he grabbed her hand, taking her across the road to the nearly sheer cliff face that ran up above them.
“Ready?” he asked with a grin, indicating she should turn on the flashlight he’d made her bring.
“No?”
“Good!” He put one hand in front of himself and together they plunged into the rock.
“What the hell?!” Hollie yelped as they were met with no resistance.
Sid chuckled as the rock shifted and moved around them, forming a tunnel that led down into the bowels of the small mountain. Hollie walked alongside him, but he sensed anger coming from her, instead of excitement or wonder.
“Are you really that unimpressed?” he asked, feeling disappointed. He’d expected more of a reaction to this.
“Oh no, I’m impressed,” she admitted. “Just…frustrated.”
“Why is that?”
“Because!” she exploded. “You’ve just put my entire career out of business.”
“Ah,” he said cautiously. “But you look so much better while doing it, I think I’ll leave it to you.”
Hollie threw back her head and laughed. “I think you’re just lazy!’
“Well, that too. This is rather energy intensive.”
“I can imagine,” she said, watching as the rock effectively melted and moved out of the way as they continued to walk farther underground. “Will you have enough left to keep Nyx imprisoned?”
“Oh, he’s not going anywhere.”
The solid rock finally gave way to a cavern.
“OBSIDIAN!”
Hollie turned to look at him. “You’re positive, right? ‘Cause he sounds rather irate.”
“Yeah, I’m positive. But you’re correct, he is pissed. Not that I could imagine why.”
He took several more steps forward before stopping, letting Hollie pan the light around the open area. The beam stopped when it finally encountered Onyx.
“Oh. Well, that’s not very nice of you,” she remarked upon seeing his imprisonment. “But I’d thought he would be able to break free of that?”
Sid grinned. “Nope, if he breaks either of his wrist supports, then those will come falling down.” He wrapped his fingers around her wrist and directed the light up.
“Oh.”
He grinned. It was a devious sort of imprisonment. Nyx was facedown on the ground, with his arms pulled up behind him, secured by some of Sid’s black stone. Those in turn were attached to two massive stalactites hanging from the ceiling, also made from the stone he could generate in his dragon form. Break the wrist restraints, and the razor-sharp tips would plunge down into his back, killing him.
“You’re positive about that?”
“Absolutely. You’re safe.”
“SET ME FREE, HUMAN!”
Sid rolled his eyes. “Besides being forced to listen to his ranting, you’re fine.” He looked over at his brother. “Onyx, she is mine. Bound to me. You have no control over her.”
“Cheater,” Nyx shot back, sounding defeated.
“Just be glad I woke up first, else you would be dead.”
He waited for Nyx to start blustering about his greatness again before he cut him off. “Enough. Hollie here has brought something called a tablet. She has loaded some videos on it to show you.”
“What? What are those?”
“They are like recordings of the world as it happens. Similar to your memories, but in a format that can be displayed for anyone to view. Here, let me show you,” she said, handing the flashlight off to Sid and stepping forward, unslinging her backpack at the same time.
He regarded the flashlight and shook his head. He had no need for it, but it made her more comfortable.
Nyx fell into silence as Hollie played the first video. After a bit Sid grabbed a seat, holding the flashlight so that it illuminated the immediate area around Hollie, who was making sure to stay well away from Nyx’s reach.
“So, these are the weapons you need to watch out for,” she said, and played another video.
This was the main reason that he’d asked Hollie to venture up here with him today. Sid had come several times on his own, in an attempt to convince his brother that the world was a tremendously different place than they had left it. But none of his words had seemed to have an effect. So instead of trying to talk to him, Obsidian had decided to simply show him what he’d seen.
To his complete surprise, his older brother calmed down quite quickly as the video played, showing how warfare had evolved, and what the weapons of today could do.
“This is magic trickery,” Nyx said at last, looking up at Sid.
But the defiance in his eyes was gone.
“No, it’s not,” he replied quietly. “And you know that.” He shrugged. “It’s time to change, brother. We are not the gods we once were. Powerful yes, but no longer invulnerable.”
“Leave me alone,” Nyx said, turning his head in the other direction.
“Nyx,” he started, but stopped at the shake of a head.
“Leave me, brother.”
Defeated, he helped Hollie to her feet and the two of them departed the chamber, heading back up to the surface as the rock ground and rolled around them.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly as they stepped out onto the edge of the roadway. “I’d hoped it would go better.”
Sid looked at her. “Me too, Hollie. Me too. But thank you for trying.”
“I’ll keep at it,” she promised. “We can come up here once a week, show him some videos, help him understand what the world is like now. Perhaps he will come around.”
“Perhaps.” But he didn’t believe it.
Hollie jumped up on her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek “Hey, I have an idea.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. That didn’t take very long, so we have a bit of time before we need to get back down to the waterfront to help with the cleanup efforts. So how about we get some ice cream?”
He grinned. “You, my love, have the best ideas.”
“I know,” she said primly before giving him a wink. She put the car and gear, and, as they pulled out onto the roadway, she lowered the windows.
Sid howled with delight as air flowed through the cabin, and despite herself, Hollie found herself hooting and hollering alongside him.
Who knew being mated to a dragon could be so much fun!
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This concludes Inferno, Dragons of Drake’s Crossing Book 1.
I hope you enjoyed the adventure. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts on the book, anywhere from characters, to plot, to even the formatting of the book itself. I appreciate all feedback, whether it be reviews, on Facebook or via my website!
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Hey!
Thanks for digging in to my back matter for more books to read. I’ve written a number of series now, in two main worlds, as well as some standalone novels. Both worlds have an easy and convenient to read introductory bundle with
a number of stories in it that will drag you right into the world.
Cadia
This is the world where the story you just read is set. Not sure where to start? Try reading:
The Dragons of Cadia Bundle (Click)
This 6 book bundle is just $0.99c or FREE with Kindle Unlimited. From there, just follow the links in the back!
Genesis Valley
This is the other world I have written extensively in. There are a number of books in the series, and the order can jump around a bit. The best way to start is here:
Jade Crew: The Boxed Set (Link)
This 7 book collection is also just $0.99c and FREE with Kindle unlimited. Once you reach the end, it will link you to the next series.
Already read both box sets and want more? Flip the page for the complete rundown of all my series and the recommended reading order.
Thanks!
-Amelia Jade
The world of: Cadia
Here are the main series in the world of Cadia. Find them below!
Start with:
Dragons of Cadia: The Complete Dragon Shifter Series.
The Full 6 Book Bundle (Link)
Includes:
Frost Dragon
Fire Dragon
Electro Dragon
Gale Dragon
Fume Dragon
Aurum Dragon
Next:
Base Camp Bears
Green Bearets: Luther
Green Bearets: Aksel
Green Bearets: Jarvis
Green Bearets: Garrin
Green Bearets: Kiefer
Green Bearets: Gabriel
Then:
The Koche Brothers
Blackjack Bears: Pierce
Blackjack Bears: Kean
Blackjack Bears: Gavin
Blackjack Bears: Kassian
Blackjack Bears: Maximus
Then:
Standalones (In Chronological Order)
Big Bad Wolf Dad
Bad Bad Bear Dad
Big Bad Bear Daddy
Bigger Badder Bear Dad
Wing Her Over
The World of: Genesis Valley
This world follows the events in Genesis Valley, where misfit shifters of the world are sent. It is a brutal, vicious place where everyone’s chances have already been used up. This is it. Screw up, and they end you. But amongst the harsh life these bear shifters have eked out for themselves, everything burns brighter. Especially love.
The books in the first two series jump around some if you wish to follow the exact chronological timeline. See the numbers in bold to follow the order.
Start With:
Jade Crew
The Complete Boxed Set (Link)
Includes:
Jade Crew: Alpha Bear [1]
Jade Crew: Haunted Bear [2]
Jade Crew: Forgotten Bear [3]
Jade Crew: Captive Bear [5]
Jade Crew: Outcast Bear [6]
Jade Crew: Hunted Bear[8]
Jade Crew: Fallen Bear [9]
Next:
Stone Bears
Stone Bear: Sentinel [4]
Stone Bear: Phoenix [7]
Stone Bear: Guardian [10]
Then:
Genesis Valley
Blueblood Dragon
Blackmarket Bear
Finally:
The Agency
Get the 4 Book Boxed Set (Click Here)
Sentinel: Bravo Bear
Blackblood Bear
Silver Bullet Bear
Kingpin Bear
Standalone Novels
Furnace
Furred Lines
About the Author
Amelia Jade
Amelia Jade loves to write the stories of tall, growly shifter men and the women who come to love them. Living out in the backcountry near the mountains, she keeps her own alpha male close by to keep the bears away and keep her warm. In her downtime (which is rare), she loves to read science-fiction with a dash of fantasy. You can often find her curled up in front of the real wood-burning fireplace, her nose firmly buried in a book or her favorite e-reader. The cold can’t bother her there!
For more information about Amelia Jade and her work, visit her website or find her on Facebook.
Amelia Jade’s Website
Author Page
Contents
Copyright
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
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About the Author
