by Aidy Award
“I’ve used up all the simple spells I can do.” She shook her head and glanced over at Kady, like his mate would have an answer to that problem. Kady scratched her head. They would all have to give her time to come to grips with her powers.
“This ward is just around the container, so it’s stronger, more solid because it doesn’t have to stretch to cover the whole garden,” Inanna continued. It should hold longer than the last one.”
“That’s good.” He'd like to get in touch with his team, but they'd all used the shadow for long distance communication and their dragon mindspeak in close quarters battle, they were too far away to get through unless he risked using the shadow to get through the Brotherhood.
He couldn't do that now, not with his mate already being targeted. When he got back, assuming any Dragons were still alive, he was getting Cage, master spy, to hook them all up with the latest in human gear. “Do you have a way to contact your friend in Rogue? I need to get through to my team.”
“Yes, I can call them.” Inanna waved a sparkling diamond bejeweled cell phone. “But not with the wards up. Nothing is going in or out.”
“That’s okay, just be prepared. We’ll try to make contact on our way.”
The gnomes nodded and clasped hands, standing together against the threat to their home and lives. Such brave little creatures these two were. “We’re ready for whatever you need us to do.”
Neo admired how ready they were to fight for a cause about which they barely knew anything. They were good additions to his temporary team. But his mate was the linchpin in the whole plan. He took her hand. “Kady, are you ready to try something new with your magic?”
She shrugged, but then stopped herself and nodded with confidence. “Yes. I think I understand where it comes from now. What’s your plan?”
“We are going on the offensive. We'll have fight with every weapon and shield we have if we're going to make it all the way to Rogue.” Even then he wasn't sure they'd make it. He had to hang onto hope.
Kady thought about what he said in that cute way where she bit her lip. “Won’t that be bringing the monsters to them?”
“We need to regroup with my team and get reinforcements. There’s other Dragon Warriors and supernaturals in Rogue, and many are mated to witches. I’m hoping they can either help by utilizing their magic, or that they can help you focus your power.”
“Okay. So, we get to Rogue, and then we can bring the fight to the bad guys. I like that.” She rubbed her hands together, warming to his idea. “What do you want me to do?”
This was the part where he needed to dragon up, trust his mate and her power, and hope the fucking universe didn't bring death and destruction down upon them all. “I need you to turn your power outward. Instead of a shield, we need—”
“Ooh. A lightsaber, you know a power sword?” Kady swiped her arm through the air and spun around making a buzzing noise. “Bwzyoo, zyoo.”
“Bigger, babe. An explosion.”
Kady looked surprised and her eyes flitted back and forth, processing what he needed her to do. “I think I can do that. I don’t totally get how to control it, but maybe that’s a good thing right now. It feels a bit explosive when it let it out anyway.” She grinned up at him, almost shyly. “The magic is stronger when we’re together. So you’ll have to help me.”
“That is the only part of this plan I like.” He couldn’t help letting his eyes fall to her lips.
For the first time since he'd been saved from the life of being a Hell-spawn demon, Neo wished for another life. One where he didn’t have to serve and protect but could live simply and grow old with Kady.
He’d get it in as much loving her as he could, while he could. They hadn’t completed the mating yet, their souls had danced, touched, played, but they hadn’t become one. He'd held the tiniest bit of himself back, saved it.
Even if the fated mating drive pushed the two of them together as hard as they possibly could, he wanted to allow her to choose. Choose him.
If he had to sacrifice himself to save her, she would survive. Because there was no way he would let Kady die. He would have to ask his brethren in the brotherhood to care for her, be there through her loneliest dark hours.
Kady was strong. A life without a mate would hard, but she had such a fire in her that she would be okay. He had to make himself believe. Not that he was going anywhere if he could help it.
Neo kissed Kady, long and hard. She melted into his arms, giving everything he wanted to take, taking everything he wanted to give. Their souls mingled and Kady’s magic teased, making his skin tingle. Without having to open his eyes, he knew they were lighting up the room and beyond.
Crashes shook the container, the shadows reacting to the draw her magic had on them. Still he kissed her. This wasn’t for the magic, their defense. This kiss was for him. Something to take into the upcoming battle.
Kady wrapped her hands into his hair, holding him tight, like she too knew this might be their only chance to be together. The air around them pulsed with the energy from her magic and their souls.
He pressed his hips forward, showing Kady the effect she had on his body. He was hard as rock and ready to take her now, on the floor.
She moaned into his mouth and reached for his pants. He couldn’t let her. He wanted her to be the one aroused. In the short time they had, he’d have to test all the best versions of foreplay he'd read about in Rogue's romance section of the library.
Neo lifted Kady, helping her wrap her legs around his waist. Thank fuck this living space was so damn small, and the wall was only a few steps away. He pushed her back against it, letting her slide down far enough that his hard cock pressed right at the apex of her sex.
Even through their clothes he felt her heat, her need. It matched his own. He didn’t have time to strip her and dry humping against the wall could only take them so far.
If only he could complete the mating. Bite her neck, claim her and her soul. He had nothing to give in return, not without his soul shard.
He couldn’t resist trying anyway. He shouldn't mark her, but his dragon didn't agree and there was no denying the need now. Neo grabbed Kady’s chin and turned her head to the side, baring her neck and shoulder to him. He kissed the soft skin above her collar bone apologizing in advance for marring it last night. He hadn't left his mark, but she was sporting a bruise.
“Whoo, boy. That feels amazing. More, do it more.” Even Kady’s body knew the power this bite, his mark, would have on their souls. A powerful beam of light emanated from her, throwing a million sparks into the air.
He scraped his teeth across her skin and licked to soothe the marks he made.
“Oh, god, yes, Neo, yes.” She bucked beneath him, pulling them both close to coming.
Neo tore himself away from her skin, from the siren call to make her his forever, only far enough to whisper against her ear. “Hold that energy, don’t let it go, yet.”
She licked her lips and dragged her teeth across the bottom one. She nodded and held her breath, concentrating. The effort to bank her magic was tough on her. Scarlet light swirled through her eyes, along with passion.
“Good girl. Draw on that lust, hold onto it for now, and I promise to bring it back to you tenfold when we are safe.” He was going to owe her about a billion orgasms by the time they were through.
Kady drew in two deep breaths and nodded ever so slightly. She was barely containing her magic. Neo needed to act fast to put the first phase of this plan into action.
“When I say go, take all you have, sweet fire, and throw it out in every direction. Hit them hard, for me. That will hopefully give us enough time to escape before they can regroup.” He gave her luscious ass a final squeeze making it the same promise of returning for pleasure, set her feet on the floor, and bolted across the room.
“Kur, we have to make a mad dash to get the transport and the trailer attached as soon as Kady blasts them. The faster we can get on the road, the better. Ready?�
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Kur grinned like a loon and nodded. He gave his wife’s hand one last squeeze.
“Inanna, when I say go, release your wards. Kady will blast them and Kur and I will run for the transport so we can all get the hell out of here.” Neo glanced over at Kady who had beads of sweat forming on her upper lip.
Inanna didn’t look convinced she should do as he asked. “You’re sure about this plan, kiddo?”
The building shook again, and the trailer it sat on tilted. It was now or never. “No, but I believe in Kady.”
Neo took one final, cleansing breath, focused his mind, and shouted the order to go, adding a final plea to the First Dragon to help them all survive.
Kady shimmered and disappeared before their eyes and Neo took that as his signal to grab up Kur and run.
Two steps out the door, and they saw the mass of shadow warriors lined up around the container. They didn’t notice him or Kur, their focus wholly on the area where Kady stood inside. She hadn’t yet released the wave of power.
“Let's get a wiggle on, son. The rig is a lot farther away than is safe.” Kur pointed to the large tractor hidden by a few branches about fifty yards away.
With Neo’s ability to travel through the shadow they could easily make it there in under a second. But he couldn’t fucking use his power and they were going to have to run which would take longer. Without Kady’s blast they were sitting ducks ready to be fucked.
Why hadn’t she released her magic yet? If he ran now, he might draw them away, but probably not. He also wouldn’t be able to protect her.
Fuck.
“Kady, now. Now, go go go.” His shouts attracted the attention of half a dozen of the shadow warriors. Good. Less of them to focus on her.
If he ran for the vehicle, they might follow him and bring more along. That also meant running away from Kady.
He would never forgive himself if this didn’t work.
Neo shouted to Kady again to blast them and then took off at his top speed toward the vehicle. He called upon his dragon to give him all of its strength and stamina.
The dragon shimmered to the surface, let out a roar and pushed forth, coming as near to the shift without fully taking over. Dragon talons were no good for hooking up big rigs to their trailers.
They were ten yards from reaching their destination when two men in the same black suits with the emblem of the owl on the breast stepped from the trees and blocked their path. Two shadow warriors hovered inches above and behind them, bearing a striking resemblance to the men.
Neo barreled toward them, hoping to take out the men in his path. The shadows rose up, were joined by at least ten more of their kind, and screeched down on Neo and Kur.
Kur yelled out a war cry, raising his prosthetic arm up like a weapon. Neo pivoted to the right, darted around the men, and dove for the cockpit of the vehicle. He tossed Kur through the air like a quaffle, praying for a quidditch goal.
A shadow warrior turned and dove to attack Kur, mere inches from the gnome. The rest of the shadows bore down on Neo. He could do nothing to stop them but could try to take out the men of the owl along the way.
He allowed the shift to overtake him and the dragon tore free, scales and claws bursting forth, ready for the fight. His talons struck through the first man, severing his head from his body, and he sank his fangs into the jugular of the second.
Two shadow warriors, stolen from the pair, flickered, and disappeared into a puff of scattered sparks.
The scales on the back of Neo’s neck and tail stood up on end. He wanted the time to consider the implications of what had just happened before his eyes, and relay the information to his team, his brothers, but ten more shadow warriors soared toward him, and in less than a second, he would either be dead, or worse.
The only thing he could do now was send his love out into the world for Kady, and ask her forgiveness that it had taken him so long to find her, and that they didn’t have more time together. He closed his eyes, ignored the painful ache in his chest and thought of kissing his mate.
Whoosh.
A brilliant scarlet explosion lit up the land, the sky, the trees, and his soul.
Mere millimeters from his chest, the shadow warrior who’d been about to steal his soul was obliterated, its darkness scattering into embers just like the ones he’d killed.
Holy shit. His Kady had saved them all.
He and Kur glanced at each other and then at the house. Relief washed over him like hot lava. Damn, that had been close.
Neo took a deep breath, willing the dragon back down so he could find his mate and spank her ass for waiting so long to release her magic. Then he’d take her back into the bedroom and see what he could do to beat their six-orgasm record.
Mid-shift, his dragon refused to be contained. Which could only mean one thing. They were all still in danger.
Neo flew back toward the container at his top speed, searching for the threat. Nothing. The field was clear, the trees empty.
He had to get to Kady. Find her, warn her, protect her.
But then Kady’s scream tore through the air, stealing the wind from his wings and piercing the last of Neo's hope.
Sex and Magic
Blood dripped down Kady’s fingers and onto the floor. She screamed, the yell blasting through the air. She liked the sound of it. It was more of an I'm-gonna-kill-you war cry and less of an ouch-that-effing-hurt. That fucking bastard had cut her. He would have sliced into her face if she hadn’t blocked him with her best karate kid moves.
The same weasely asshole who’d blustered his way into her bath house hovered over her now, not even a little scared of her war cry. “I told you there would be consequences if you tried anything stupid. Come with me quietly and I won't have to hurt you again.”
“You’re the dickhead who is going to be facing consequences.” She didn’t know what those were yet. She’d tried to magic him to death, and all it had done was put a few icicles in his hair.
She needed Neo to come help recharge her magic. Then she’d freeze, or, ooh, even better - burn the bully’s balls off.
The asshole held his horrible knife out at Kady, using it more as a pointer than a weapon. “As soon as my worshippers get here, we are taking you in. You’ll never see the light of day again for destroying centuries of planning and work.”
Worshippers? What kind of religion had the kind of funding for an army and helicopters? The kind of cult who also had access to black, glowing daggers that made wounds that felt cold as a dark, icy lake. Whatever he'd cut her with, she had a feeling it was the same thing that had hurt Neo and created his cuts that wouldn't heal.
“Sorry. I'm all full up on crazy cults. Take your worshippers and shove them up your—”
The front door of the container house crashed in and the biggest, most beautiful black dragon snarled in asshole’s direction.
“Ha. Here are those consequences I warned you about.” Kady kicked like a frickin’ Jedi, catching the cultist man in the knee.
He screamed as his leg went crunch and lost his balance. His knife-like weapon went clattering to the floor, burning a hole into it as if it were a dagger made from of dry ice. Neo took the opportunity to lunge, but his great size in the small space put him at a disadvantage. The dude rolled, narrowly evading Neo’s claws, which cut right through the floorboards.
Kady snatched up the knife-weapon that wasn’t a knife at all before it could tumble to the ground below. It vibrated in her hand and was so freaking cold to the touch she wasn't sure how long she could keep hold of it. It might not be a knife, but it had cut her, so she could use it to attack her enemy and save her dragon...uh lover. Uh, boyfriend?
Before she could throw the weapon, or stab at the bad guy, Neo put his big ol’ dragon butt between her and the bully. That left the doorway clear and he bolted like a cockroach who'd seen the light, escaping from the container and Neo’s wrath.
Neo charged after him, and Kady had to dodge the thrashing dragon tail
to follow him outside. By the time they got there, asshole's followers had showed up. Straight out of a spy movie, a helicopter swooped down and dropped a rope ladder. Their nasty enemy climbed onto the third rung and signaled to the crew to pull him up.
The helicopter rose up and hovered over the trees. The painting of the stylized owl peered back at them from the belly. The asshole pointed toward them ominously while being lifted into the chopper and Kady dove for the ground, tossing the dagger into the grass, as the crew sprayed them with machine gun fire.
Neo stepped between the helicopter and Kady, his sides and chest expanded and huffed, the bullets bouncing off of his scales. He was breathing hard and a snarl rumbled low in his throat.
Jiminy Christmas, he was big. The last time he’d shifted they’d been getting shot at and fleeing for their lives and she hadn’t really gotten to see him in all his dragony glory. They were still getting shot at, but this time the mysterious owl cult guys were the ones that were fleeing, so Kady felt safe to look to her heart’s content.
He continued to huff and puff, rocking back and forth on his front legs and spreading his wings like he had too much angry energy and was going to fly after the helicopter. She'd kind of like to see him blow them out of the sky with a blast of dragon fire. Not as much as she wanted to be done with the fighting and check him over for more injuries. Then kiss him until she forgot all about good and evil duking it out because of her magic.
She touched the scales on his shoulder, and he turned on her, snapping at her hand. He was still deep in protective dragon mode, but she wasn’t even a bit afraid. Kady smiled, loving this big, bad side of him. She shouldn’t feel this way. The alpha male rumbling represented all that had always scared her. He was cranky, and big, and cranky, and male, and cranky, and could hurt her like most every other big, bad man in her life had done.
Because she’d let them. She hadn’t known what was inside of her, and she didn’t mean her magic. Sure, that helped, but pushed to the brink, tested and tried by an alien ship crash-cum-dragon landing in her backyard, a covert government agency who was actual some kind of crazy cult, and some weird ass shadow warrior monsters, she’d withstood. In fact, she’d thrived.
