Lord of Life (The Dragon Demigods Book 4)

by Charlene Hartnady

  “Not much.” I push out a breath, sounding despondent.

  His eyes darken. “Give me what you have.”

  “Power is like candy to her. Actually,” I scratch my head, “more like crystal meth or heroin. She may need it as food, but I also think that she’s addicted. She sounded strung-out when I spoke to her.”

  “Great!” Bolt gets a murderous look. “It’s impossible to negotiate with an addict.”

  “I don’t think negotiating will work with her. It’s important that you don’t underestimate her. She’s petite and sexy for an evil-as-fuck bitch.” I can’t believe I ever thought she was attractive, but I have to warn Bolt. It’ll be his first tango with the creature. “She has a way of getting under your skin.” It’s the best way I can describe it. “I acted out of character around her.”

  “That makes sense.” Bolt rubs his chin. “I was shocked when you said you hooked up with some strange woman. I doubt she’ll be able to mess with my head. I’ve been around the block too many times. Dealt with more sharks than a surfer in open water.”

  “Be careful! It’s thinking like that that’ll get you in shit every time. Very important, don’t let her get close enough to give you that neck squeeze. Here,” I touch the place Morgan showed me. “If she squeezes you here, you’ll pass right out. I told you about it before. Do you remember?”

  “I still can’t believe that is even a thing.” He widens his eyes.

  “You’d better believe it,” I tell him. “I’ve landed on my ass twice now. It knocks you out solid. Not just for a few minutes, either. Don’t let her get close enough.”

  “Okay. What else?”

  “I want to get my power back. That means capturing her instead of killing her.”

  He snorts. “You’re optimistic. There’s a chance she’ll hurt the human if we try anything. You realize that, right?” He quirks a brow.

  “About that…I’m not risking Morgan under any circumstance.”

  “I can scent that you’ve been fucking her. This house reeks of sex. I can smell it on you too.” He makes a face and folds his arms. “What I want to know is, do you have feelings for her?”

  I nod. I don’t say anything else.

  He rolls his eyes. “I had a feeling. Don’t overreact to my next question—”

  We both look towards the stairs. A car just pulled up outside my house. The engine cuts. My phone starts to ring. It’s Morgan’s number. “Yes,” I say.

  “We’re here,” Gabby says. “Is the door unlocked?”

  “It is. We’re up the stairs in the living room.” I figured it was more open than in one of the bedrooms on the ground floor. I don’t want any mistakes to be made. The harpy has been inside my house. She knows the layout.

  “I see your friend’s car is parked outside.” I can hear she’s smiling. “So far, so good. I will have a gun to Morgan’s head. If you try anything, she dies. Are we clear?”

  “Yes.” My gut churns. I break out in a cold sweat. “We’ll be up in a minute,” she says.

  “I look forward to this being over.”

  She ends the call.

  “You heard?” I ask Bolt.

  He nods once.

  “What did you want to ask me?” I say.

  “Can you trust this human?”

  “I trust her one hundred percent,” I answer immediately. I want to tell him about Stephan’s prediction, but I don’t because they are coming through the front door. Then again, maybe it’s a good thing he doesn’t know that Morgan might shoot him and more than once. That the probability is good. I will change the premonition. I have to.

  I trust her with everything in me. I know that if she is going to shoot Bolt, that she will have a good reason for doing it. I doubt he will feel the same.

  “We’re on our way up,” Gabby says.

  I can hear that there are two of them, but Morgan doesn’t say anything.

  “Keep your hands where I can see them,” Gabby yells. “You don’t want blood staining your nice wooden floors, do you?”

  I grind my teeth as I listen to them coming up the stairs. Everything bristles. I have to suppress a growl when I see them appear. Gabby has a gun pressed into Morgan’s side. As soon as they hit the landing, Gabby grabs Morgan around her torso, putting the gun into the underside of Morgan’s jaw. If she pulled the trigger, she would blow Morgan’s brains out. I recognize the weapon as Morgan’s Glock. I put my hands up to show her that I am unarmed.

  Morgan has a gag in her mouth. Her eyes are surprisingly calm as they lock with mine. She looks down and then back up and then sharply down again. Then she does a side-to-side movement with her eyeballs.

  She’s trying to tell me something. I don’t know what that something is. I don’t look down because I might give it away if I do.

  “You,” Gabby says. “What’s your name, handsome?” she says to Bolt, who looks at her like she’s garbage.

  “Lyre,” he says, turning to me, “the harpy is exactly as you described her.”

  “Oh?” Gabby licks her lips. She’s looking at Bolt with greed and longing. “How did he describe me?”

  “Small, sexy, and fucked in the head.” His eyes narrow on her.

  She makes a noise of agreement. “About right, and you don’t mess with someone who’s fucked in the head.” She presses the gun a little harder against Morgan’s jaw. She winces but doesn’t make a sound.

  I step forward, my hands fisting at my side.

  “Don’t you dare,” Gabby snarls. “I will kill her. You…” she looks at Bolt, “get over here. Move nice and slow. Stand here on my left, so that I can keep an eye on Lyre.”

  Bolt pushes out a breath. He looks my way.

  “Eyes on me, handsome,” she says. “I’m the one giving the orders. Your friend will hate you forever if his girlfriend ends up dead.”

  Bolt’s jaw tightens, but he does as she asks and walks to her, standing on her left. I notice he doesn’t get close enough for her to reach his neck.

  The gun is still flush against Morgan’s throat. I’m not sure how the hell we’re going to get out of this. Bolt might have to give the harpy his powers first.

  “I won’t bite,” she says to Bolt. “Come closer.”

  Bolt radiates tension as he steps forward. I can see he’s trying to stay far enough away that she can’t get to his neck.

  Gabby holds out her free hand. “Take it.”

  Bolt frowns because it’s unexpected. I’m frowning as well.

  “Don’t be such a big baby. Take my hand.”

  He sighs and does what she says. I can’t see Bolt’s face from this angle. I can see Gabby’s just fine. She grins. I hear Bolt give a strangled cry. I take a small step forward because I think she’s doing something to him. Is she taking his power? Is this how it’s done?

  She lets his hand go and then crooks her finger, telling him to come closer.

  I frown when I see him comply. Not just that, he leans towards her. Gabby’s eyes are wide. They are focused on Bolt, and for the first time, I see fear in Morgan’s eyes which are focused on Bolt.

  Gabby cups Bolt’s face in her hand and giggles. “You are a handsome one, aren’t you?”

  I hear Bolt suck in a breath. “You are so fucking beautiful,” he says, sounding pathetic. Like a love-drunk fool.

  What the fuck?

  This isn’t right.

  “Kiss me,” he says to Gabby. Morgan was right about these creatures’ ability to seduce.

  “Not just yet.” She smiles at him. “Oh…” Her eyes go wide. “Not too much.” She lets his cheek go, and he sighs again, almost slumping a little.

  What is she talking about? Maybe the process of taking power addles the brain for a time after. Maybe taking every last drop kills the person. I’m trying hard to understand exactly what’s going on. I feel powerless to stop it. I grind my teeth in frustration.

  “Let’s get rid of these two and…” Bolt starts.

  “That’s the plan, handsome,�
� she tells Bolt. “First, I need to have a quick talk with Lyre.”

  “He can’t give you what I can give—”

  “Bolt!” I growl. “What the fuck, bro?”

  “Quiet!” He points a finger at me. “Gabby and I are in the middle of something.”

  “Yeah, she’s taking your power away from you.”

  He frowns. “She would never. Gabby is kind and sweet and… I love you,” he says to the harpy, sounding completely smitten.

  “What the fuck did you do to him?”

  “Relax,” Gabby says. “It will wear off. Might take a while.” She frowns and then shrugs like she doesn’t care.

  “You have what you came for…now leave,” I say, trying to keep my temper in check.

  “Come here now!” she says to me, again digging the gun so hard into Morgan that she moans around her gag.

  I almost crack my molars. “Take it easy.”

  “Back to the part where I’m giving the orders,” Gabby spits out. Her eyes still have a hungry look about them. Maybe she hasn’t quite sated herself yet on Bolt. I’d love to know what she’s playing at.

  I walk to her, keeping my hands in the air where she can see them. I don’t want any accidents. Bolt is in my way. He looks at me like he wants to kill me.

  “She’s mine,” he pushes out.

  The fuck?

  I’m not sure what to make of this.

  “It’s okay, handsome,” Gabby says to Bolt. “I just need a quick word. That’s all.”

  Bolt narrows his eyes on me and then grudgingly steps aside.

  “Come closer and take my hand,” she says to me.

  No fucking way!

  “I don’t have any powers left,” I say.

  “Just do it,” she insists. Morgan moans again.

  I try to tell Lyre not to do it. I’m not sure what Gabby did to Bolt. I don’t think she took his power. I can still feel her trembling. Her hand is shaking a little. I think that she is just as ravenous as when we first arrived. Whatever she did, it worked. He seems to be completely besotted with her. Like he might just do anything to please her and to stay in her favor. If she gets her hands on Lyre, it will happen to him. I know I teased him about falling for her again, but I hadn’t expected it to actually happen.

  The harpy holds out her hand. Lyre looks me in the eyes. I make a noise that I hope will be interpreted as no and don’t.

  “Do it now!” Lilith snarls. “I’m done waiting.”

  His brow is creased. His eyes are blazing. I can see that it is the very last thing he wants to do, but he takes her hand anyway. The fact that he does it for me makes me feel ill.

  His eyes widen. He sucks in a breath. His mouth even drops open a little, like maybe touching her is pleasurable. It physically hurts me to watch him react like this. Even though I know that realistically, there is something going on. She’s doing something to him. This isn’t his will. Still! I hate it. I hate her!

  I make a growling noise in the bottom of my throat I’m so fucking livid. Lilith ignores me.

  Lyre groans. It’s a noise I’ve heard before, he normally groans like that when we’re kissing or having sex…mainly when we’re having sex.

  Lilith lets him go, and Lyre smiles, his eyes on the harpy. “You’re so sexy.” His eyes track her body. “I’m so glad you came back to my place. Back to me.”

  “She’s mine!” Bolt snaps, his chest puffing out.

  “She’s so beautiful,” Lyre gushes.

  “And mine!” Bolt shouts. “I say we fight for her.”

  I want to vomit. Not a good idea with a gag.

  “Oops! Looks like I gave you a little too much, handsome,” she says to Bolt. “No fighting, my love.”

  “Too much what?” Bolt asks, looking confused.

  “Nothing, my sweet. I’m going to enjoy having you.” She winks at him, and he grins back at her. “Should we find a bedroom?” He takes off his jacket, and then his tie.

  “Soon, my love,” she purrs at Bolt.

  Then she chuckles softly and looks at Lyre. “Here I was thinking I would have to put you to sleep, but it wasn’t necessary after all. You really should try to loosen up a little, hun.” Her breath tickles my ear, and I realize she’s talking to me. “I guess the two of you aren’t in a relationship after all. Love is the only antidote.”

  I frown. I don’t really know what she means, although I have an inkling about some of it.

  “I don’t want to sleep,” Lyre says, sounding spaced out. “I can’t make you come if I’m sleeping.”

  “That is very true,” she says, and I think I taste bile. Perfectly normal when your boyfriend is propositioning another woman in front of you.

  “Handsome,” she says to Bolt.

  “Yes?” Bolt is grinning like a fool. “What can I do for you, babe?”

  Heaven help me!

  Men!

  I can’t stand to watch this. It’s sickening.

  “Lie down on the floor for me.”

  Bolt frowns. “You want me here? In front of them?” He points at Lyre.

  “It’ll be fun,” she says.

  “I would rather have you to myself,” Bolt says. “I don’t share well.”

  “Humor me, sweetheart. I just want to touch and kiss you. We can go to the bedroom in a few minutes.”

  “You’ll strip for me when we get there. As soon as we get there.” Bolt sounds far too excited. He does what she says, lying down on the floor. I notice that he has a huge bulge in his suit pants. This is terrible.

  “Lyre, hun…” He makes this dreamy noise of agreement. “Go sit over there at the table.”

  “I want to kiss you too.” He pouts. “I’m not as picky about sharing.”

  What?

  I can’t believe this.

  I squirm a little in her arms and make this moaning noise that comes out sounding pissed off, which is good because I am.

  Lilith chuckles. “You should have opened up more to your boyfriend,” she says. “Should have dropped those walls and let him in. He wouldn’t have been susceptible.” She pulls in a breath. “This is fun. It seems the more power they have, the easier it is to manipulate them. How interesting.” She pulls in a breath. “Lyre, hun, be a treasure and go sit over there. I’ll be with you in a few minutes” She nods in the direction of the dining-room table.

  “All the way there?” He looks stricken.

  Lilith winks at him. “I’ll be there soon,” she purrs.

  “Okay.” He gives her a goofy smile. “I’ll miss you.” He said the same to me only a few hours ago.

  I want to vomit. I feel my stomach churn.

  “Get your sexy ass over here,” Bolt says from where he’s still lying on the floor.

  “On my way.” I can hear that Lilith is smiling.

  Next thing she’s pushing me away. I stagger a couple of steps and then right myself. It isn’t easy, considering that my hands are tied behind my back. “You stand where I can see you,” she snarls at me. She has drool running down her chin and neck.

  “Ready, handsome?” she asks Bolt, even though her eyes are on me.

  “Oh yeah!” Bolt grips her hips as she straddles him. “You okay, babe?” he asks.

  “Never better.” She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and leans in. Her eyes are still on me.

  I was trying to tell Lyre earlier that Lilith took both my ankle holsters. My spare gun and knife are locked in her car. Lilith keeps my Glock trained on me, her gaze doesn’t waver. She has her other hand on Bolt’s chest.

  Her lips lock with his. I see tongues. It turns my stomach. Then her eyes haze over, and she starts to moan like she’s orgasming or something. I know better, she’s taking Bolt’s power. His back bows off the ground, and he makes a strangled sound.

  Then something unexpected happens. Lyre is up off the chair. His whole facial expression has changed. The goofy look is gone. It’s replaced by determination. I duck just as he hits Lilith upside the head. The gun goes off, b
ut nowhere near my direction. The weapon is knocked from her hand, towards me, as she flies off of Bolt.

  Bolt screams. He sounds enraged. He leaps up and pummels into Lyre, using his head as a battering ram.

  I twist my arms around until my shoulders feel they are going to pop from their sockets. I just manage to snag the gag and rip it from my mouth. It’s a touch awkward, but I get down on my knees and pick up my gun before Lilith can get to it. The harpy is still dazed. I have to twist my body around to both look at her and aim at her.

  I see how her hazy eyes slowly focus on me. Then they narrow. “So, he does love you.” She shakes her head. “Stupid of me,” she mutters.

  I can hear the meaty thudding noises as the two men batter each other.

  “Don’t move, or I will kill you!” I warn Lilith.

  “If you do, Lyre’s power will be gone forever.” She smirks. “Looks like your boyfriend is losing the fight.”

  I hate to say it, but the harpy is right. Bolt looks crazy. As in bat shit. He is screaming at the top of his lungs. He is going berserk, launching himself at Lyre with no care for his own wellbeing. His eyes are crazed. His fists swinging so fast I can barely see his arms at all. He looks bigger than before. I see scales gleaming on one of his cheeks, and his nails are long like claws. I think that he has partially shifted into his dragon form. Lyre is taking a beating. He staggers back.

  “Stop it, Bolt!” I shout.

  It’s like he doesn’t hear me.

  “Stop!” I try again. “I’ll shoot Gabby,” I shout. “I’m going to kill her. Stop or I will kill the harpy.”

  He instantly stills.

  “It’s me,” Lyre says. “Your brother.”

  Aside from both men’s heavy breathing, it’s eerily silent all of a sudden. Then Bolt comes at me. It happens from out of nowhere. I turn and aim, going for his thigh. It happens so fast.

  He staggers back. His pants are ripped where the bullet tore through. The fabric sticks to his leg. Otherwise, you would never say I shot him. “Freeze!” I try, but Bolt ignores me, coming at me again.

  I shoot him in the other thigh. This time he staggers back further, almost falling. Shit! This is bad.

  Lyre tries to grab him around the torso, but Bolt bucks out of his grip.