Page 18

FOURTEEN

MAC

My eyes flicker open as the cloud of disorientation evaporates around me. One second, I was following a man through a glitzy bar, and the next… I don’t even know.

I sit up slowly, trying to get my bearings, discovering I’m in a cave-like room surrounded by cool, damp stones and I’m lying on a simple cot. Dim light emanates from a nearby opening, along with the sound of clinking glasses and liquid pouring.

Managing to push myself to my feet, I pause as I sway and the room swims around me for just a second. Magic. I was dazed.

After clearing my throat, I push on, following the light. I step into another room, slightly bigger than the one I was in, and there behind a wooden table piled high with books, jars, and mixing bowls is the man I followed from the bar.

“Rune, I assume?”

The man looks up, gazing at me with the blackest eyes that somehow manage to feel warm at the same time.

“Ah, sleeping beauty wakes. I didn’t know dragons would take to a stunning potion so well. I hope your rest was pleasant.”

I expected an accent of some kind, maybe French or Scottish, but he sounds like your average American with no discernible dialect.

“Why did you stun me?”

“Because you were following me, of course. I have every right to protect myself, don’t I?”

“Yeah.” I scratch the back of my head. “Where am I?”

“That’s a secret.” He sets down the small glass jar he was holding with the swirling green liquid in it. “I’ll let you go as soon as I understand why you’re hunting me.”

“You took something I need. The cursed amulet of Belinda Legarr.”

Rune tilts his head, his floppy hair following the gesture. “Why do you need it?”

“So you did take it?”

“Perhaps. What could an immortal dragon want with it though?”

“I’m not immortal. I just live a long time.”

“Looking to extend beyond the thousands of years you were already granted?”

“No. I need it for…” For what? I don’t even know what my cause or purpose is. “Because I do.”

“Well, that’s too bad, handsome dragon. You can’t have it. It’s my mission to prevent it from getting into the wrong hands, and I don’t know you or if you can be trusted. So, no.”

He says it so matter-of-factly I’m almost amused.

“Too bad I don’t always wait for consent when I want something.”

Rune chuckles. “Think you can steal from me? Not a chance. Maybe you know my name, but you obviously don’t know anything about me. I’m not afraid of you.”

“I have a team and they’ll be looking for me.” I glance at my hand, surprisingly comforted that the glamour is gone and my mate ring is on full display.

“La dee da, they’ll never find you. You’re my prisoner until further notice.”

Alenor’s warnings ping around my chest. Maybe I can soften him up by talking more. “What do you plan to do with it?”

“As I said, I’m keeping it out of the hands of people who would use it for harm.”

“But did you see what you did to Belinda? You tortured her.”

Rune lifts an eyebrow, and I notice the crease in his forehead. “ I tortured her? Oh dear. You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into with the amulet. Have you even asked yourself why it’s cursed?”

“Because Belinda cursed it?”

He clicks his teeth, walking slowly around the table. Even though I’ve got several pounds on him, his presence is weirdly intimidating. “Belinda didn’t curse it. She was the victim of its curse. She used it in a moment of need without understanding its power. Did you see her with your own eyes?”

“Yes.”

“The magic keeping her alive was cruel. She sat in that same chair you found her in for hundreds of years while everything around her crumbled, unable to leave the village, unable to properly function. Stuck. The only way to release her was to take away the amulet and lock it under protective magic. Which I’ve done.

” He preens a bit. “Something no one else has successfully done in centuries.”

“How did you?”

“Research and skill.” He adjusts the cuff of his shirt. “And many, many attempts. So if you think for one second I’m just going to hand it over to a potential evildoer, you’re wrong.”

So much for warming him up. “Did you know that the magic lingered and Belinda was stuck between realms?”

“Yes.” He has the decency to look upset about that. “I tried to give her a potion to help her move on, but she refused. She couldn’t tell me what was happening to her, but I did try to help, I promise. I knew the magic would wear away eventually and she’d be able to move on.”

I nod. I guess that makes me feel a little better.

“Did you help her?”

“My ma—partner did. He’s a demon.”

Rune studies me with inquisitive eyes, and I can almost feel his attention prodding at my thoughts. Instinctively, my dragon rises, huffing until smoke billows from my nostrils.

“Interesting.” Rune smiles. “Don’t worry, I have no interest in your demon.”

Ignoring the comment, I try another tactic. “Listen, Rune. I’m in a little bit of trouble.”

“Obviously.” He snorts, folding his arms across his chest.

“I need the amulet to get out of a mess. There’s gotta be some kind of deal we can make.”

“There isn’t, but I will show you something. Come.”

He gestures for me to follow him, so reluctantly, I do. We travel down a hallway lit with sconces and pause in front of a metal door. Rune pulls a necklace with a large key on the end of it out from inside his shirt, but it’s no ordinary key. It glows blue with a pulsing aura around it.

Rune unlocks the door and pushes it open to reveal a room lined with shelves.

Under the shelves are labels, some illuminated in white and others in red, with the names of items on them.

I see an amulet right away. Is it Belinda’s?

There’s a gleaming white tag and the amulet sits on a velvet cloth.

It has a dark, ropy chain with a decent sized red jewel on the end.

Instinctively, I reach out to touch it, but I get a little zap when I do.

Rune chuckles. “Do you know what that is?”

“Belinda’s amulet,” I venture a guess.

Rune’s expression twists into a wry smile and he shakes his head. “It’s a cursed amulet, but not Belinda’s. That one is responsible for the dancing plague of 1518. This is what I do, dragon. I protect the world from all the cursed shit no one should be messing with.”

Rubbing my stinging fingers, I glance around, considering what he’s saying. Most of the shelves are still empty. Those spots have red tags. The others are filled with items like books, more jewelry, keys, and bottles of liquid.

“Do mages have hoard rooms?”

Rune chuckles. “This isn’t a hoard. I just told you it’s my attempt at making the world a balanced place.

There’s too much darkness out there that, in the wrong hands, can do real damage.

Belinda’s amulet was one of those items.” Suddenly he’s beside me, his breath warming my face. “What do you want with it, dragon?”

I’m pretty sure that if I tell him my powerful demon boss wants it, I won’t get very far.

“I’m a dragon. It’s pretty.”

He huffs, eyeing me as he circles me once then steps back. “Nice try, but you already admitted you were in a mess over it.”

“Nah. I was just trying to play on your sympathies. If you have any.”

“I have plenty, but not for those who dig their own holes.”

“I have a feeling there’s nothing I could tell you that would get you to change your mind.”

“Ah, you’re not just a pretty face then.”

We’re at a standoff, facing each other. I have nothing but the hope that somehow the guys can figure out where I am beyond this magic. Drax always has a way, so maybe.

“Okay then, let me go.”

A devious smile spreads across the mage’s face. “Maybe. Once I’ve decided which side of the good and evil line you stand on. What if I have to keep you here for safety too?”

I decide to play a little hardball. “What if that’s a huge mistake on your part? I could shift and shatter this entire place in seconds.”

He doesn’t even flinch. “You sure about that, dragon? I may be young and devastatingly handsome, but it’s not my first go around with your kind. I bet you can’t even produce a scale. Go on. Try.”

Irritated now, I call forth my dragon, but all I get are smoky huffs and a pissed off beast. “How did you?—”

He snaps his fingers in the air. “Magic. You’ll be here as long as I say. If you can convince me that your intentions aren’t negative, I may release you.” He touches my forehead lightly and suddenly I’m back in the room with the cot. “Rest. I’ll find some food for you.”

He closes the door, leaving me in the dark room again. Well, this is fucking great. I lie on the cot, focusing all my thoughts on Drax while rubbing the mating ring. I have to hope this works. Right now, it’s all I’ve got.

DRAX

We’ve spent hours searching the city’s bars and alleys for Mac or any sign of the mage, but we keep coming up empty until I’m hit with a wave of warmth through our bond.

“Guys.”

Atlas, Cassius, and Roman pause, turning to me. I rub my sternum.

“It’s Mac. I can feel him.”

“Finally,” Cassius grumps. “I was hoping that mate thing would kick in.”

“Me too,” I murmur, trying to parse out something helpful from the vibrations inside me.

There’s a tugging feeling to my left, as well as an alarming sense of danger.

“This way.” I gesture for the guys to follow me.

We walk away from the city center into what looks like an abandoned area of rotting buildings and forgotten, weed-infested parking lots. The feeling in my chest is stronger here, but no clearer.

“Hold on.”

I close my eyes, sending my thoughts along the bond.

I’m here, Mac. Where are you? Can you tell me?

I wait for several minutes, and just as my hope is about to fade, I’m hit with a strong ping of joy. No words come with it though. No. It’s more of a feeling.

Are you okay?

More warmth floods the bond, giving me a comforting feeling.

Focus on where you are. Maybe we can find you that way.

“Are you getting something?” Roman asks. “I can smell the mage’s magic in the air. We must be close.”

“Trying. Hold on.”

I close my eyes again, visualizing my sweet dragon. The more I focus, the more I feel him. My chest nearly vibrates as my feet carry me towards one of the decrepit buildings.

I’m coming, mate. Hold on.

The guys are right beside me when we get to a door that has the bond tightening. “I think he’s close.”

Atlas tugs on the massive door, stuck by time and decay, but that’s no match for his strength as he tears it from its hinges.

We creep into the building, looking for any sign of Mac or the mage.

The scent of decaying plants, dead animals, and damp stone mixes with the remnants of magic in the air, tickling my nose in an unpleasant way.

I do my best to concentrate on the bond. It’s my only hope of finding my mate.

“Here.” Roman points down a hallway. “The mage’s scent is stronger here.”

We all go that way, and sure enough, the bond vibrates steadily. “We’re getting closer.”

We hurry now, led by Atlas, who pushes falling stones out of our way, but when we get to the end of the hall, we’re faced with a pile of intentionally stacked rocks.

“This has to be the way,” Cassius says, easily pulling a rock out of place. It’s going to take forever to get through this though, even with our enhanced abilities and strength.”

“Then we need to start,” Atlas says, kicking several rocks down.

Roman sniffs around, scratching the back of his neck. “Something’s not right. This could be a trap.”

“No. Mac is here. I can feel it in the bond.”

“Are you absolutely certain?” Cassius asks, gently rubbing my shoulder. “We can’t help him if we get caught too.”

Nodding, I close my eyes to focus on the bond. Can you feel me, Mac? Are we close?

A new intense wave of warmth greets me along with the tangible smoky sweet scent of my mate.

“Yes, he’s here. Let me see if I can find out anything else.”

Are we safe to enter?

An uptick of panic reaches me, which is concerning. We’ll figure out how to get to you.

“I don’t think it’s a trap, but it’s not safe either. The mage is tricky.”

“Of course he is,” Roman murmurs. “I guess all we can do is bust through this wall and see what’s on the other side.”

“We’ll deal with it,” Cassius says. “We have to. We don’t leave our own behind.”

“Our own?” I repeat.

Atlas pats my back. “He’s your mate, which means he’s our family. We’ll find him.”

I smile, nodding and whispering my thanks. Mac may not have wanted this family or me as a mate, but he got us anyway, and he’s about to find out we’ll do anything to keep our own safe.

Sit tight, Mac. We’re on our way.