Page 27 of Hot for the Dragon (Saltwater Grove #3)

27

ARCHER

A rcher stood at the edge of town. The morning air carried a crisp bite that did nothing to cool the fire in his blood. His gaze swept across the horizon where Carmen's forces would soon appear.

Daphne's presence beside him sparked something deep within him. The need to protect her warred with his pride in her strength. Her dark hair danced in the wind, and those green eyes held their usual determination despite the coming battle.

"I need to tell you something," he said, turning to face her fully. The words he'd held back now demanded release. "I love you, Daphne."

A smile bloomed across her face, bright as the sunrise. "I love you too, Archer."

He pulled her close as their lips met. The kiss held everything he couldn't say - his fears, his hopes, his fierce devotion. Her fingers gripped his shirt as she pressed closer.

When they broke apart, Archer rested his forehead against hers. "Stay safe today."

The warning bells rang out across town - Carmen's forces had been spotted. Already people were moving according to their evacuation plans, heading to designated safe zones while those who would fight took their positions.

"There they come," Archer growled, spotting the dark shapes approaching through the clouds. His enhanced vision picked out Carmen's distinctive blue scales among the others.

Daphne squeezed his hand. "Remember, some of them are on our side."

"I remember." He kissed her once more, quick and fierce. "Time to show Carmen why I was the best fighter in my wing."

The evacuation continued smoothly below as dragons filled the sky above.

The dragons that had agreed to help them burst from the clouds, catching Carmen's forces off guard. Archer's chest swelled with pride - Daphne's words had moved them to action after all. His enhanced vision tracked the aerial battle as former wing-mates turned on each other, scales flashing in the morning light.

Terry led the charge, his bronze scales gleaming as he slammed into one of Carmen's most loyal fighters. The impact sent both dragons spinning through the air. More of their allies engaged Carmen's forces, creating a barrier of wings and claws between her army and the town.

"It's working," Daphne breathed beside him.

Archer tensed as he spotted Carmen's dark blue form weaving through the chaos. She seemed to be bigger than he remembered, her movements precise despite the mayhem around her. Three of their allied dragons tried to block her path, but she tore through their formation with brutal efficiency.

"She's breaking through," he growled, muscles coiling in preparation to shift. A handful of her most devoted followers managed to slip past the defensive line behind her.

Carmen's roar echoed across the battlefield as she led her small group toward the town's outskirts. They hadn't reached the main area yet, but they were too close for comfort. Every instinct screamed at Archer to pursue her, to end this now, but he held his ground. Timing would be crucial.

He glanced at Daphne, noting how her hands were already weaving patterns in the air, preparing her plant magic. The sight of her ready to fight alongside him stirred something primal in his chest.

"Stay behind me when I shift," he ordered, his voice rough with protective instinct.

"I can handle myself," she countered, though she stepped closer to him anyway.

Above them, Terry and the other allied dragons continued to hold back the bulk of Carmen's forces, but the sky had become a maze of flame and shifting alliances. Archer tracked Carmen's position as she circled just beyond the town's edge, clearly plotting her next move.

The moment to strike wasn't quite right - but it would come soon enough. Archer's blood sang with anticipation of the coming fight, even as his heart clenched at the thought of Daphne in danger. He'd spent years avoiding attachments, and now his greatest strength and weakness stood beside him in the form of a stubborn green witch.

This was the moment. He shifted into his dragon form, his massive red scales gleaming in the morning light. The transformation sent a rush of power through his body, awakening ancient instincts that made him want to roar his dominance to the sky.

Daphne's hands moved in intricate patterns beside him, and thick vines erupted from the ground to ensnare one of Carmen's followers. The dragon thrashed against the vegetation, but Daphne's magic held firm. Pride swelled in Archer's chest - his mate was fierce.

Three more hostile dragons dove toward the town center. Archer launched himself into the air, his powerful wings carrying him to intercept their path. He slammed into the nearest one, sending them both tumbling through the air before he gained the upper hand and threw his opponent into a nearby building.

Below, the townspeople had mobilized. Nina Youngblood's protection spells deflected dragon fire while other magic users launched their own attacks. Hugo's defensive magic created barriers that forced the dragons to alter their flight paths, making them vulnerable to counterattacks.

Archer caught glimpses of Daphne between battles, her plant magic growing more creative with each passing moment. She'd created a network of thorny vines that acted like a net, catching dragons that flew too low and holding them until other defenders could subdue them.

A blast of fire nearly singed his wing. Archer barrel-rolled away from the attack, coming face to face with Ned. The smaller dragon's yellow scales reflected the morning sun as they clashed in mid-air. Archer's superior size gave him the advantage, and he drove Ned back with precise strikes of his claws.

From the corner of his eye, he spotted Carmen circling above, watching the battle unfold. His instincts screamed to challenge her, to end this now, but he knew better than to leave Daphne and the town undefended.

A massive explosion rocked the air as one of Hugo's spells collided with dragon fire. Through the smoke, Archer saw Terry leading another charge of allied dragons, forcing Carmen's loyalists to split their attention between multiple threats.

"That's showing them!" Daphne called up to him as her vines wrapped around another hostile dragon.

Archer allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. The town's defenders were holding their own, and Carmen's forces were being pushed back. He was filled with pride in this moment - not just at their success, but at how seamlessly Daphne had fought beside him. She might not be a dragon, but she was every bit as fierce as one.

Suddenly, Carmen's dark blue form crashed into Archer in his brief moment of distraction. Her scales gleamed like polished sapphires in the morning light. Her telepathic voice filled his mind, dripping with contempt. You've grown weak, Hawke.

Archer's muscles burned as he grappled with her mid-air, his larger size barely giving him an advantage against her vicious precision. And you've grown predictable, he projected back, twisting to rake his claws across her wing.

She retaliated with a blast of flame that singed his scales. The heat seared through him as he barrel-rolled to avoid the worst of it. Below, he caught glimpses of Daphne directing her vines to protect fleeing townspeople.

Carmen slammed into him again, driving them both toward the ground. You chose these humans over your own kind. Her teeth snapped inches from his throat.

Archer's wings strained as he fought to stay airborne. His earlier fights had taken their toll, and Carmen was fresh, having held back while her forces wore him down. She was smart - he had to give her that.

A series of rapid strikes forced him on the defensive. Each blow jarred through his body, and his responses grew slower. Carmen's savage satisfaction radiated through their mental connection as she pressed her advantage.

I'll kill your little witch first, Carmen taunted. Make you watch.

The threat ignited something primal in Archer's chest. He surged forward with renewed strength, but Carmen anticipated the move. Her tail whipped around, catching him across the face. The impact sent him spiraling toward the ground.

"Archer!" Daphne's voice cut through his daze.

He tried to right himself, but Carmen's weight crashed onto his back. Her claws dug into his shoulders, drawing blood. This was it he thought - he'd failed.

Suddenly, thick vines wrapped around Carmen's wings, yanking her off balance. Daphne stood below, her hands weaving complex patterns as more plants responded to her call. The momentary distraction was all Archer needed.

He twisted free and struck, his jaws closing around Carmen's throat. This time, there was no clever counter, no escape. With one savage motion, he ended her reign of terror for good.

As Carmen's body fell, her remaining loyalists scattered. Terry and the allied dragons pursued them, but Archer's focus remained on Daphne. He landed beside her, shifting back to human form despite his exhaustion.

"Nice timing," he said, pulling her close.

"I couldn't let her hurt my dragon," Daphne replied with a fierce grin.

Archer watched the town come together in the aftermath of battle, his chest swelling with an unfamiliar warmth. Terry and the other allied dragons helped clear debris while townspeople offered them water and thanks. The acceptance in their eyes struck something within him.

"Look at that," Daphne said beside him, pointing to where Nina had set up an impromptu first aid station outside the Cauldron & Cup. "Dragons and humans working together."

Hugo approached them, looking tired but satisfied. "The Council wants to establish regular meetings with the dragon representatives. Would you consider being our liaison, Archer?"

Three and a half weeks ago, Archer would have refused outright. Now, with Daphne's hand slipping into his, he found himself nodding. "Someone has to keep you all in line."

"There's the arrogant dragon I fell in love with," Daphne laughed, stretching up to kiss his cheek.

As they continued helping with cleanup, Archer realized the whispers following him had changed. No longer were they filled with fear and suspicion. Instead, he heard respect, gratitude, even friendly greetings. The town had become more than just a place he lived - it had become home again.

And standing beside him was the woman who'd made it all possible.