Page 33 of Born in Fire (Dragonblood Dynasty #2)

Chapter 33

D orian

Caleb is still yelling, and I’m flooded with panic as I watch Juno touch the radiant Stone. It’s not meant for humans. Its power could evaporate her as quickly as one of those pulsing flares lit up the room. But I can’t stop her. Can’t get to her to pull her away. It’s like my legs won’t receive the message from my brain to leap forward.

“Juno, no!” I scream as I watch her collapse. Her eyes drop shut, and the light from the Stone blinks out as rapidly as it started. I lurch forward so suddenly that I almost land on my goddamn face.

“What the fuck?” Caleb shouts. He’s beside me as I reach her and drop to my knees, gathering her against me. She’s soft and pliant, her eyes still shut.

“Oh God, Juno!” My voice is urgent, frantic.

Please! Please don’t let it happen again!

“What the fuck did she do to it?” he yells.

I shoot him a look of pure rage. “Do to it? ” I shake my head. “What the fuck did it do to her? ”

The Stone lies dormant, back to its original iridescent hues of red and gold.

“Oh shit! Is she okay?” Elena has joined us, hovering behind me.

“Juno,” I choke out, stroking hair from her face, caressing her cheek. “Juno, please.”

Don’t take her away. Please don’t take her away again.

Her eyes flutter open again, and I sag with relief. “Oh, thank God!” I exhale. “Thank you, God!” I lean forward and press my lips to her forehead.

“Dorian,” she breathes the word out.

“Are you hurt?” I ask urgently. “Are you in pain?” I glance down at her. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of injury.

Juno is blinking, looking around at us in confusion. Her eyes are that otherworldly silver-blue that they’d changed to when she came back… except now, they seem almost translucent. Light seems to shimmer within them.

She looks back at me and shakes her head, then licks her lips.

“It knows me,” she whispers.

“What is she talking about?” Caleb snaps. “Why the hell did you touch it, dammit?”

“I… had to.” She seems bemused. “It called me.”

“That’s bullshit! You—”

“Leave her the fuck alone!” I snarl, gathering her closer. “She could have been killed!”

“Why worry? She’d probably just come back again.” He reaches a hand to her.

“Fuck! Off!” I shield her with my body. Her fingers have curled into my shirt, but she’s not clinging to me. It’s as if she’s trying to steady me.

“I’m fine, Dorian.” Her voice is stronger. She moves to sit up, but I’m not ready to let her go just yet.

“Jesus, hon, you scared the crap out of us,” Elena says, sinking to her haunches beside us. She puts her hand on Juno’s shoulder.

“Don’t touch her,” I bark, feeling my teeth sharpening.

Juno straightens. “It’s okay. I’m okay,” she says firmly. “It didn’t hurt me.”

“That’s just great.” Caleb is bristling. “Makes it easier to get your hands on it for the Syndicate, no doubt.”

“Don’t be an ass, Caleb,” I snap at him. “Why would the Syndicate send a human to take the Stone?”

“Well, she clearly isn’t human, is she?” he retorts, scowling at her.

“But what is she, then?” asks Elena.

“Mine,” I growl, narrowing my eyes on her. “She’s mine. That’s all that matters.”

“Get a grip, Dorian. You can’t spend your entire goddamn life thinking with your dick.”

The sound that comes up from my chest is pure beast.

This time, when Juno’s hand rests on my chest, it’s definitely to steady me.

“He’s just protecting his clan, my love,” she says softly, and I feel myself settle almost magically. She turns to Caleb. “I understand why you feel this way, and it’s right. Your energy is good.”

His eyes flicker. “Don’t try to sweet-talk me with some kind of hippie shit. If you’re here for the Stone… If you’re a threat…”

“I’m not a threat.” She smiles. “But I am here for the Stone.” She turns her eyes toward it with an expression that grows infinitely tender. “It wants me here. With you.”

“Okaaaay,” Elena draws the word out, her expression dubious. “So you’re saying it spoke to you.”

Juno looks up at her. She’s sitting now and starts to rise. I have to fight the urge to help her up.

“It welcomed me,” she tells Elena. “It called me…” She trails off.

“Called you what?” Caleb’s voice is sharp.

“It doesn’t matter.” Juno shakes her head. “What matters is that I need to be here with you, which I am. And Elena has information to share with us. This is important.”

Elena and Caleb exchange glances. Reluctantly, he nods.

She returns to the coffee table, where her notes are spread out. “Okay, if we’re going to do this with you on board, you’ll probably need some quick background details.”

“Elena…” Caleb starts.

“Oh, for God’s sake, Caleb, let it go already,” I snap.

He huffs a breath and rakes a hand through his hair. “Fine. Go on,” he says to her.

“So I got into this after I was hired by a company called Blackthorn Consulting to look into Craven Industries,” she starts. “It’s how I hooked up with this big thug.” She winks at Caleb. “During my investigations, I found a connection to my mother who’d gone missing—”

“Your mother’s missing?” Juno’s eyes are wide.

Elena waves a hand almost casually, although her expression darkens. “Long time ago. Long story. Anyhow, Blackthorn was a front for Syndicate activities. They brought me in for a specific reason: to access the Heartstone, which Caleb had under lock and key.” She grins. “Or behind about twenty layers of high-tech biometric security, to be more accurate.”

“And I’m guessing you got to it?” Juno glances at the Stone.

“Yep. The doors just opened for me. Turns out my missing mom is from a long line of witches who have some sort of connection to the Stone. I’m her heir.”

“The Rossewyn line,” says Caleb. “You are precious to us.”

“Some more precious than others.” She winks at him. “Anyway, this connection also gives us control over the Stone. We can channel the energy, intensify it. I’m learning how to harness that power, though it’s taking longer than I’d hoped because somebody gets antsy whenever I talk about training with it.”

“Because it’s dangerous, Elena,” says Caleb.

“Right. And being taken out by a pack of enemy dragons isn’t?” She rolls her eyes, then turns back to Juno. “The Syndicate had planned to use me to get their hands on the Heartstone and then use it for them.”

“Except Malakai got to you first.” Caleb’s jaw tightens.

“Who’s Malakai?” asks Juno.

“He’s the leader of the Circle,” I tell her. “The other faction I told you about.”

“Right.” She nods. “The world domination guys.”

“Just how much have you told her?” Caleb scowls at me.

“Enough,” I reply. “Go on,” I say to Elena, who nods.

“So Malakai caught me as I reached the Heartstone chamber. I think he would have taken the Stone along with me, but for some reason, he couldn’t. It threw him across the room. Then he heard someone coming and dragged me out before we could do anything more with it.”

“Really?” Caleb frowns. “You never told me that. How could you not tell me that?”

“Oh, I don’t know… maybe because I’d just been abducted by a madman who turned out to be a freaking dragon , Caleb!” She looks at him. “I’m sorry, it slipped my mind.”

“Well, it’s important. Because it tells us that he couldn’t control it,” says Caleb.

“Why didn’t you know that before?” Juno asks.

“Because in all the centuries we’ve had it, it’s never been out of our care,” he says to her. “The Craven line’s main purpose has been to guard it for our clan.”

“And my brother takes his job very seriously,” I say, trying not to sound sarcastic, because I can’t deny that he’s devoted his life to that responsibility.

“Okay. So this Stone is intensely powerful and can control your species, but only if it’s handled by a Rossewyn,” says Juno.

“Looks like it,” Elena confirms. “Which brings us to what I figured out.”

“And that is…?” I press.

“The Syndicate has the Shard.” She looks convinced.

“And how did you get to that conclusion?” I ask.

“Well…” she shuffles some pages on the coffee table, “I figured that since Blackthorn was affiliated to NyxCorp, and NyxCorp was a Syndicate holding, there might be something in there that would lead me to more information.” She holds up a folder. “And I found this.”

“What is that?” asks Juno.

“It’s a list of items belonging to a subsidiary of NyxCorp that specialized in historical acquisitions. They—”

“Heritage Assets,” I interrupt. “How the hell did you dig that up?”

“I had one of my flashes.” Elena shrugs, flipping the folder open,

“Flashes?” Juno looks confused.

“Elena sees things,” says Caleb. “She’s really quite… extraordinary.”

“You mean like visions?” Juno asks. She turns to me. “Like I have.”

“You have visions, too?” Elena asks.

“Yes.” Juno nods quickly. “I saw Dorian. They had him and—”

I put my hand on her arm. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. We can’t say for certain that’s what it was.”

“But—”

“Can we get back to what Elena’s trying to tell us?” Caleb says impatiently. “Show them what you found.”

With a nod, she pulls out a set of photographs and fans them out on the table. I find myself looking at a series of images showing a cylindrical item. It’s iridescent. Red and gold. Exactly the same colors as the Heartstone on its pedestal right beside us.

“Fuck!” I say. “How did we miss that?”

“My guess is that nobody was looking for it.” Elena shrugs. “It was filed with literally hundreds of other items purchased as part of an estate. An old monastery.”

“Near the Carpathian Mountains,” I finish, reaching for a photo and examining it. I look over at the Heartstone and then back at the image. “Shit.” There’s no doubt in my mind that they’re connected. “They’re the same,” I say to confirm it.

“Certainly looks that way.” Caleb nods.

“So what does all of this mean?” Juno looks around at us.

“It means that our most powerful enemy has a tool to manipulate us,” Caleb says grimly. “And if they get their hands on the Heartstone too, it would make them unstoppable.”

“But only if they have me,” says Elena.

“Which puts an even bigger target on your back, my love.” Caleb’s expression grows darker. “I don’t like the fact that you’re so deeply involved in all of this, Elena.”

“Too late to turn back now, handsome.” She grins.

“It’s not funny, Elena,” he mutters darkly.

My head’s still spinning from Elena’s discovery when my phone buzzes. Daniel’s name flashes on the screen.

“Yeah?” I answer, moving away from the group.

“Dorian.” Daniel’s voice is tight with urgency. “We’ve got a sighting. Malakai. He’s in Pioneer Square.”

My blood runs hot. “You’re sure?”

“Positive. One of our scouts tracked him to an old building that connects to the underground network. You know, the buried city beneath downtown?”

“I know it.” My fingers tighten around the phone. “Text me the exact location. We’re on our way.”

I end the call and turn back to the others. “Daniel’s spotted Malakai. Pioneer Square, in one of the buildings connected to the underground city.”

Caleb’s on his feet instantly. “We need to move. Now.”

“I’ll grab my gear.” Elena starts gathering her notes.

Caleb freezes. “You’re not coming.”

“Like hell I’m not.” She straightens, eyes flashing.

“Elena.” My brother’s voice drops to that dangerous register he uses when he’s about to dig his heels in. “Malakai targeted you specifically last time. He knows what you are, what you can do.”

“Which is exactly why you need me.”

“Which is exactly why you need to stay somewhere safe,” Caleb counters. “If he gets his hands on you and the Shard…”

I watch the silent battle of wills between them. Elena’s jaw is set, but I can see the calculation in her eyes. She knows he’s right, even if she hates it.

“Fine,” she finally says. “But I’m not sitting in your penthouse alone.”

“Lydia’s,” I suggest, meeting Caleb’s gaze. “Her place is a fortress.”

Caleb nods. “I’ll call her now.”

While he steps away to make the call, Elena mutters, “This particular lead probably won’t amount to much, anyway. Pioneer Square is too obvious for Malakai.”

“Maybe,” I say, “but we can’t risk being wrong.”

Juno’s been quiet through all this, but I feel her hand slip into mine. When I look down, her eyes are troubled.

“What is it?” I ask softly.

“I don’t like this,” she whispers. “Something feels wrong.”

Before I can respond, Lydia arrives with surprising speed, elegant as always, despite the urgency.

“Elena will be perfectly safe with me and Serena,” she assures Caleb, who’s hovering protectively. “We’ve activated all the security protocols.”

“Thank you,” Caleb says, reluctantly stepping back.

As we prepare to leave, I catch Juno’s expression. Her eyes have that distant look again, like she’s seeing something the rest of us can’t.

“Juno?” I touch her arm.

She startles. “What? I… Sorry. I was a million miles away.”

“Is everything okay?”

Her brow furrows. “I’m just getting a funny feeling, that’s all.”

“Probably has something to do with the fact that you’re about to go on your first dragon hunt, stargazer.” I keep my tone light, although I hate the idea that we may be walking into danger.

“Stargazer.” She smiles. “You used to call me that. Because of my name.”

I feel warmth build as I realize she’s just picked up another memory. “Yes,” I tell her. “Juno of the stars.”

“You two gonnna stand around here whispering sweet nothings all day?” Caleb is already at the door.

“Of course not,” I reply. “We’re right behind you.”

“Lucky you,” Elena grumbles.

“Be patient, my love.” Caleb softens his tone. “You’ll be safe with Lydia.”

We turn and leave the building.