Heart of the Dragon a-1 Page 21

  His shudders intensified, and he reached up and massaged his neck, covering the marks of his last encounter with a vampire. The Book of Ra-Dracus told of their insatiable thirst for blood-more so than earth legend proclaimed. He knew that firsthand.

  "In here," Teira said. She ushered him inside the nearest building. "We will hide here until we are sure we are safe."

  Loud music, more fluid than rock, less structured than classical, boomed in every direction. Voices and laughter blended with the music as people mingled and danced. He and Teira swept through the crowd, trying to remain unnoticed. There, in the back, was an empty table, and they hurriedly claimed it.

  He plopped into his seat. The adrenaline rush he'd experienced in the forest had helped mask his need for drugs, but now, as the surge receded, he became increasingly aware of his shaking hands and aching temples.

  A woman approached them and clanked two glasses onto their table. Two small brown horns protruded from her forehead. She gave them a brittle smile and said something in the same language Teira sometimes used. He was beginning to catch on to its unusual inflections and pronunciations, so he didn't need an interpreter to know the waitress had said, "Drink up and leave, or tonight will be your last," before she flittered away, suddenly lost in the crowd.

  "There are many vampires here," Teira said, gazing around. "More than usual."

  A wisp of dark cloth. A shiver of electrifying power. Then someone was there, standing behind Teira, caressing her shoulder. The laughter and music slowly tapered to quiet, and the patrons stared over at them.

  "You smell good, little dragon," a vampire male said, his voice hypnotic and dark. Seductive. "I wonder, though, how you will taste."

  It took Alex a moment to translate. When he did, he saw red. He didn't care how much stronger the vampires were, he didn't care that he might be inciting a fight, he would not allow threats to Teira's life. "Back off," he said, glaring up at the bloodsucker. "Or it will be your blood that is spilled this night."

  The vampire snickered.

  "I taste like death," Teira finally responded. Her gaze flicked from Alex to the vampire nervously. "Now leave us. We wish only to rest. We will leave soon."

  "No, you won't. Not until I've sampled both you and your human."

  Another vampire joined them, his mouth a blood-red frown. "We are not to harm the human, Aarlock. You know that."

  "I will not kill him. The dragon, however… "

  Still another vampire approached, crowding their table further. "The human doesn't wear the mark. We can kill them both if we so desire."

  All three bloodsuckers glanced at Alex's neck. The one called Aarlock smiled slowly. "No, he doesn't wear the mark of the other humans. He is fair game."

  Alex could almost see the knife and fork clanging together in their minds, and he wondered what mark Jason and his minions wore to prevent vampire attacks. I have to do something , he thought, vaulting to his feet. Not knowing what more he could do, he drew back his fist. Before he had time to blink, the vampire caught his arm and held him in a bruising grip. Those eerie eyes turned to him, gazing deeply, probing.

  A strange lethargy worked its way through him, as if he'd been shot full of those delicious drugs. Suddenly he wanted only to feel this vampire's fangs sink into his neck, wanted only to give himself to this powerful man.

  Dainty, gentle Teira, who loved tender contact, snarled a sound more animal than human, jolted up and bared amazingly sharp claws. She shoved the vampire backward, causing him to stumble as he released Alex.

  "Do not touch him," she snarled. "He is mine."

  The rest of the vampires gathered around them, some baring their fangs, others hissing. Alex shook himself out of his stupor just as Teira flashed her own set of fangs, hers longer than the vampires. Alex's eyes grew round. He'd known she was a dragon changeling, but he hadn't really expected her body to physically change.

  "We must leave," Teira mouthed, once again speaking his language, never taking her attention from the creatures in front of her. "We will need a distraction."

  Determination rushing through his veins, his palms sweating, he glanced around, searching for a spear, a torch, something. Anything. When that failed, he looked for a back door-not that they could have used it. The vampires had formed a circle around them, their bodies nearly transparent and vibrating with hungry energy.

  His protective instincts sharpened. He'd have to use his own body to divert their attention. He'd never bat-tied a vampire before-obviously-but he'd always welcomed new experiences. "I'll distract them." His muscles tightened, readied. "Run, baby, and don't look back."

  She sucked in a breath. "No. No!"

  "Do it!"

  The front doors burst open, saving her from another reply.

  Three of the largest men he'd ever seen tramped inside. An air of menace surrounded them, as dark as their clothing. Their faces were red, their eyes puffy from some sort of toxin. Alex concluded almost instantly that they were the giants from the forest.

  The vampires uttered a collective hiss and inched away.

  Teira peeked over his shoulder, and when she saw who had entered, she gasped. "Braun, Vorik, Coal!" Smiling with relief, she waved with one hand and laced the other on Alex's shoulder. "They will help us."

  The three men flicked them a glance, gave a barely imperceptible nod, then spread out and assumed a menacing come-and-get-me-you-bloodsuckers stance.

  Alex had yet to fight past his shock. "You know them?"

  "They are Darius's men."

  "Then why did you scream when they approached us in the forest?"

  "I not realize who they were. Come. We go to them."

  While he was grateful for the help, Alex was oddly disappointed. He'd wanted to be the one to save Teira. He'd wanted her praise to be all his own. How foolish, since he wouldn't have lived to hear such praise.

  As Alex and Teira skidded toward the front door, the vampires and dragons divided the bar, each group taking one side, facing the other. The moment Alex came within striking distance of his rescuers, he was roughly shoved behind them. Teira was gently lifted out of the way.

  "What were you doing in the forest, Teira?" one of the warriors asked. He never removed his piercing gaze from the enemy.

  "Escaping," she answered.

  A hard, dangerous glint consumed his golden eyes. "Escaping? You will tell me more of this later." He motioned toward Alex with his chin. "What of the human?"

  Teira cast a glance at Alex. And the human ? The question had plagued her over the last weeks. If only he were like the others of his kind, she could have ignored him. If only she hadn't been so completely drawn to him… He was nearly as tall as a dragon warrior, with wide shoulders and a lean, strong body. Short, curly red hair framed a strong, square face. His lips were wide and soft, his jaw angular. But it was his eyes that truly captivated her. They were big and green and filled with so many dreams. Those dreams called to her in so many ways.

  "He's my friend," she said to Vorik. "No harm is to befall him."

  Having listened to the conversation, Braun whipped around, facing her, radiating fury. "What of Javar?"

  She hated to give him the news, here and now, like this, but she would not lie or evade. "He is dead," she said sadly.

  "Dead!" all three dragons exclaimed at once.

  Remorse flitted over Braun's expression, but he quickly hardened the emotion into determination. "There were other humans at the palace. They carried strange objects that fired some type of disc."

  "Those discs stayed inside the dragon bodies, keeping their flesh open and preventing them from healing."

  "That alone would not-"

  "That alone would . The palace has been made into an ice land. When our strength was drained, the humans attacked us with their weapons." She remembered how easily her people had been destroyed. One moment, healthy, happy and whole. The next, gone. Murdered.

  Her hands clenched, making the sharpness of her claws bite into he
r flesh. She barely felt the sting. Why the humans kept her alive and imprisoned, she could only guess. A threat to Alex, perhaps? A bargaining tool? They had kept her weakened by the cold, had tried to keep her hungry, as well, but she'd stolen bits of food here and there. More than anything, however, the humans had kept her frightened. For herself, for Alex.

  She would not rest until the intruders were destroyed.

  She had loved her husband, had loved the time she spent with him, and even missed him, but he had never filled her with such great longing as Alex did, as if she couldn't breathe without him near. She sighed. What was she going to do with the handsome human? She wanted him to stay here, with her. Wanted him to hold her in his arms every night, and wake to his kisses every morning. If he wouldn't stay, she would lose him. She could not survive on the surface.

  The sound of guttural curses sliced at her reverie.

  "You are not welcome here, dragons," a vampire snarled.

  "We came for the human and the woman," Vorik said calmly. He kept his hands over the hilts of his swords-swords that could pierce a vampire's chest, sending poison through the creature's body and striking a lethal blow. "We mean you no trouble."

  "We claimed them first. They belong to us."

  "Perhaps you'd like to fight us for them." Coal offered his opponents an anticipatory smile.

  "That is an invitation we cannot refuse." The vampire offered his own anticipatory smile.

  Dragons were stronger, but vampires were faster. Years ago, the two had warred and the dragons had emerged the victors. But both races had suffered horribly. If they fought now, Teira was not sure a single man would be left standing.

  "Let them go," a vampire said to his brethren, surprising her. "These dragons will bow to us soon enough."

  "We will never bow to you," Braun spat.

  The words, "We shall see," were delivered with supreme confidence. "Yes, we shall see."

  Vorik arched a brow. "We shall see now ."

  Without emitting a single sound, the dragons flew at the vampires, teeth bared and gleaming a hungry white, a vision of silent death as they transformed from man to beast. They dropped their swords, relying instead on their natural reflexes. Vampires moved quickly, gliding to the ceiling, then launching themselves at the dragons before gliding upward once again. It was a dangerous dance.

  There were snarls and grunts of pain, the sound of ripping cloth. The flash of claws, and the scent of blood and sulfur.

  "The stench of dragon can be smelled miles away," one of the vampires snarled, lashing out with his sharp nails as he slipped past.

  "Since you can smell me, Aarlock, you might as well feel my flames." Vorik spat red-orange sparks out of his mouth, catching the vampire in the side.

  A tormented scream erupted, blending with the sound of sizzling skin. Eyes glowing with hatred, the vampire retaliated, attacking straight on, fangs bared. Before Vorik had time to move, their bodies slammed together and Aarlock sank his teeth in Vorik's neck.

  Vorik gripped him by the neck, ripped him away, and tossed him to the ground.

  "I see you still bite like a girl, Aarlock," he seethed.

  "I see you still breathe like a hatchling."

  They were on each other again.

  "Hand me a dagger," Alex said to Teira over his shoulder. When the fight first began, he'd shoved her behind him. He didn't know if he'd be any help, but he couldn't let these dragon men fight alone. He had to do something .

  She tried to maneuver around him for what seemed the hundredth time. The woman wanted to guard him instead of the other way around. "No," she said. "We must not interfere. We would only distract them."

  Alex continued to search for a weapon, catching glimpses of the brawl at the corner of his gaze. Each of the species fought hard and cruel, biting and slashing. The dragons drew blood with teeth, claws and tails, while the vampires relied on speed, moving from one end of the bar to the other. Their rusty-brown blood dripped onto the dragons, acting like acid.

  In the end, speed and poison blood weren't enough.

  The more fire the dragons produced, the stronger they became. Even Teira seemed to soak up the heat like a flower turning to the sun. All color had returned to her cheeks. Alex wiped at the sweat dripping from his face.

  When the battle finally ended, burning embers and vampire ashes littered the ground. Braun, Vorik, and Coal were still standing. They were covered in blood and wounds, but by God, they were standing.

  One of the dragons, Braun, pushed Alex outside. The others, Teira included, followed. She quickly made the introductions. Alex had never been more aware of his human frailty. The men he knew did not behave like these warriors, ready and eager for bloodshed.

  "What do the humans at the palace want, Teira?" Vorik asked.

  "The riches. They are taking them back to the surface."

  "Damn this," Coal snarled. He threw a withering glance toward Alex.

  Alex backed away, palms up. "I'm not with them. I'll help you in any way I can."

  "He was a prisoner, like me." Teira met each man's stare. "Are there other warriors with you? Can we retake the palace tonight?"

  Braun shook his head. "We cannot act until Darius returns. Our orders are to stay outside of the palace, detaining any who try to enter or leave."

  Vorik frowned down at her. "The time for war will come, and then we will act. Until then, we do nothing." His gaze became piercing. "Understand?"

  "When will Darius return?" she demanded. "I am eager for vengeance."

  Ignoring her question, Coal exchanged a concerned glance with Braun. "As are we. As are we."

  Jason Graves studied the vampire stronghold with assessing eyes. While this fortress lacked the same magnitude of wealth as the dragon palace, it held enough to capture his attention. Silver walls. Gold inlaid floors. A violet ram's fleece rug.

  Perhaps he needed to rethink his alliance with the vampires.

  They had supplied the tools necessary to strip the dragon walls of their jewels, as well as the location of coins and other treasures. And in return, Jason was to slaughter the dragons. A good bargain, in his estimation. Or so he'd thought. He was beginning to suspect that the moment the dragons were exterminated, the vampires would feed off of him and his men, the alliance forgotten. He swallowed, allowing the idea of striking first to take root in his mind. That way, he would not only save his own life, but also gain vampire riches. He had heard they knew where to find the greatest treasure of all. The Jewel of Atlantis. A powerful stone, granting the owner unimaginable victories.

  Right now, his unlikely allies knew that any human wearing a medallion was to be left alone. Jason had made it clear in the beginning that if one of his men were harmed, just one, he would join forces with the dragons instead.

  That threat would no longer work when the dragons were gone.

  "You have defeated Javar," Layel, the vampire king, said. He stroked deathly pale fingers over the seam of his lips and leaned back in his throne. A throne comprised of human bones. "It is time for you to defeat Darius, as well."

  "We haven't emptied out the first palace yet," Jason hedged. He stood in the center of the room and shifted nervously. He hated coming here and never stayed longer than necessary. Knowing his men waited outside the throne room doors, weapons cocked and ready, did not soothe his unease. Layel could have his neck ripped open before he managed a single scream for help.

  "No matter. I want them killed immediately." The king slammed a fist onto his armrest-a femur, Jason thought. "The dragons have kept my people oppressed for hundreds of years. They must die."

  "And they will. We just need a little more time. I cannot divide my forces, and I will not leave the first palace until it is completely emptied."

  Heavy silence encompassed them.

  "You dare tell me no?" Layel said quietly.

  "Not no, exactly. I'm merely asking you to have more patience."

  Layel slowly ran his tongue over his razor-sharp teeth. "I kne
w you were greedy, human. I didn't know you were also stupid."

  Jason scowled. "You are more than welcome to fight the dragons on your own." He didn't need the vampires anymore-he already possessed the tools. But they both knew Layel still needed him. Jason might be intimidated by this creature, but damn if he didn't enjoy what small power he held over him.

  Intense fury blazed in Layel's eerie blue eyes. "How much longer?" he ground out.

  "A week. Two at most."

  "That is too long! The only reason you were able to defeat Javar was because you surprised him. Without that surprise, you will not defeat Darius." In a hiss of rage, Layel hurdled his jeweled goblet at Jason's head.

  Jason ducked and the cup sailed past him. Barely.

  "He is stronger than his tutor ever was," Layel said.

  Jason glared up at him, a heated retort pressed at the gate of his lips. The doors burst open before a single word escaped.

  One of his men ran inside. "Alex and the female escaped."

  "What!" Jason shouted, spinning.

  "Word arrived only seconds ago. They escaped through the forest."

  "How?" Scowling, he strode toward his man and met him halfway.

  "We aren't sure."

  "Damn it! Search the forest. I want him found within the hour and brought back to me."

  "Alive?"

  "If possible. If not… "

  The man hastened to do as he was bid.

  Jason stood there, grinding his teeth. A part of him didn't care that Alex had escaped. The bastard would probably be found and killed by any number of vicious creatures. But the other part of Jason, the part that acknowledged wars could be lost by a simple mistake such as this, recognized the damage that could be done. Alex could stumble upon Darius, could warn him.

  "Jason," Layel said.

  The hairs prickled at the base of his neck, and without looking, he knew the vampire king was directly behind him. Jason slowly turned, hoping his features remained emotionless. "Yes?"

  "Two days. I want Darius and his army destroyed in two days."

  CHAPTER 18

  Hours ticked by as Grace thinned the carpet in her tiny living room, pacing back and forth, from one wall to the other. The hallway had fallen silent half an hour ago. Every time she blinked, she pictured Darius sitting just beyond her front door, his eyes closed, expression pensive, his mind thinking of ways to leave her behind. She scowled. Darius might travel home in the morning, but not without her. Whether he approved or not, she was going.