Dragons Don't Love (16 page)

My dragon can’t love me
for a reason.

My pulse quickens when a
dragon’s shadow covers me while I’m in the tower stretching before
I run the stairs. It’s afternoon and I ate only a light lunch so I
could get my exercise in and hopefully sleep better tonight. I’m
hoping it’s Laryn while fearing it’s Sarn.

Neither.

The dragon is red and I
realize it’s Acasia as she flies down to the bottom
perch.

As soon as she shifts, I
know by the wild look in her eyes that this isn’t a pleasure visit.
“Have you seen Ashrac?” she asks quickly.

He said he would visit
today or tomorrow. I’d forgotten and hadn’t thought about him
coming over. “He was here yesterday, but I haven’t seen him
today.”

“I’m worried. He crossed
into Tahr’s realm. We have not permitted him to visit Tahr without
us. Tahr felt him enter his realm and then notified me when Ashrac
didn’t show up at his castle. Now, I can’t find him
anywhere.”

I can see the worry in her
eyes. We are both thinking the same thing. I say it aloud,
“Sarn.”

“He wouldn’t.” Then she
shakes her head. “If he does, I’ll kill him.”

Of that I have no doubt.
An angry Acasia is a sight to behold. A thin trail of smoke leaves
her nostrils. Her eyes are pure fire. Acasia leaves with a promise
to let me know if Ashrac is found.

I can help with the search
for the child. Not by air, but I’m more than capable of walking
throughout Laryn’s realm to check if the child is here. I fill my
arm sheaths with the blades I’ve accumulated from Laryn’s armory.
Of course, I strap on the halberd—she and I have become quite
well-acquainted.

My problem is that I’ve
never left the castle by any means other than Laryn’s back. After a
short deliberation, I decide to scale the outer tower wall from the
lowest perch. It’s still high, but with running the stairs and
training each day, I have the strength. Rope is readily available.
My only problem is a tie-off point. After thinking about the
problem for a few minutes, I go to Laryn’s wardrobe room and slide
the large hardwood rod from his clothing. The garments fall to the
floor and I roll my eyes at the thought of my dragon’s ire. His
earth realm clothing hangers allow him more outfits than any man
needs.

The rod is at least ten
feet long and will suit my purpose. I carry it back to the tower
and up the stairs. I place it on the inside of the large open space
leading to the ledge. There are about six inches of rod on both
sides to hold it in place. I tie off the rope and line myself up
with the middle of the rod. I don’t want it to slide and send me to
my death—Laryn would not be happy with me. Halfway through the
downward climb I decide I will discover the front castle entrance
when I need to reenter.

I finally leap the last
eight feet and land in a squat and with my palms flat against the
pebbly earth. After standing, I right my armguards and halberd
straps. I’m ready. We had a young boy go missing in the village one
winter. He froze to death. And even though I know a dragon child
has no problem with the elements there is a tingling down the back
of my neck that worries me. Ashrac is young, impulsive, and afraid
of nothing. The tingling doesn’t recede and I know I must
hurry.

I spend half the day
looking for signs of the small dragon or possibly boy depending on
the form he uses. By the position of the sun, it’s approaching the
dinner hour when I find myself nearing the cliffs. I walk up the
last hill and see Ashrac and a naked man standing at the
edge.

Sarn is speaking. “Come
with me and you will have no need to follow your mother’s rules. I
will take you to a place where a fierce dragon such as you can
learn the ways of your ancestors.”

“I want to go home, Uncle
Sarn.”

Sarn pushes Ashrac back a
step. Both of them are quite close to the edge. I know they can
shift and fly, but my terror is more that Sarn actually pushed him.
Now Sarn grabs Ashrac behind the neck and jerks him roughly to him.
I pull the halberd. “Step away, Sarn,” I yell so my voice carries
above the wind.

Both turn my
way.

“Bride of Laryn, you will
take me home right now,” Ashrac demands. I fight a smile at his
bossiness. However, the tremble in his voice makes me furious at
Sarn. He has no right to handle a child so.

“Come here, Ashrac.” I put
my own demand into it. I must get him away from Sarn.

Sarn pushes Ashrac closer
to the edge but retains his hold on the child’s neck. Ashrac gives
a small cry and I know Sarn’s hold is painful. I grind my teeth in
fury. At this moment, I have not an ounce of sympathy for this
man.

I take a deliberate step
closer. “I am taking him home to be with his mother and
father.”

Sarn’s dark eyes shine
brighter with purple sparks lighting their depth. He smiles with
evil intent. “I will trade for the child and he may return home if
you come with me. That is my offer, bride, and the best one you
will receive.”

For a split second I
consider it. I have a better chance of defeating Sarn if the child
is not here. Worry shows on Ashrac’s face and I know he suspects
the danger we are both in. “How about you send Ashrac over here and
I won’t cleave your head from your shoulders,” I say in my lowest
voice.

Sarn’s nostrils flare. I
want him mad at me. So mad he releases Ashrac. I know he expects me
to quake in my boots and give up easily. He has no idea that Laryn
trained me to fight and kill.

He gives a short laugh.
“You’ll be begging me to fuck you once I have you away from your
dragon. Laryn is weak and will float in a sea of tears for months
before he develops the balls to take me on.”

Sarn is insane. I don’t
know if he’s just mad with grief or he’s always been this crazy. I
have trouble believing he and Laryn were ever friends.

Ashrac begins to struggle
and kicks Sarn in the shin. “You don’t say those nasty things to
her. Uncle Laryn will eat you for dinner, you meanie.”

Sarn throws his head back
and laughs. “Oh, little Ash, you will make a fine dragon, but you
have a lot to learn about your Uncle Laryn.”

The change in Ashrac
happens so fast it surprises me. Regardless of Sarn’s hold, the boy
fights like a demon and lands one kick after another. “Don’t call
me little. I remain the mightiest dragon to ever live.” He somehow
manages to get close enough to sink his teeth into the top of
Sarn’s leg.

“Ohhh, you brat,” Sarn
yells out. He releases Ashrac’s neck and lifts his hand to strike
him. Ashrac throws himself backward over the cliff.

I don’t breathe as terror
squeezes my heart. I finally inhale when I see the child rise in
his dragon form. He flies away from Sarn as fast as he can. I
breathe easier when Sarn doesn’t give chase. He shrugs and turns
back to me.

Sarn crosses his arms and
stands facing me. He raises his chin and his evil smile remains in
place. “You’ll be in my lair and my bed before the little brat
finds help. I would think Laryn of all dragons would guard his
bride more closely.”

I shake my head. “My
dragon knows I can take care of myself. He has no reason to fear a
dragon as puny as you,” I say with a casual glance at Sarn’s
member. Truthfully, Sarn isn’t puny in the least. I need him angry
and stupid, not one or the other.

His lips part and his evil
leer grows substantially. A faint trail of smoke seeps from his
nostrils. “I will take the defiance out of you in the first
bedding. Come over here now and I may go easier on you.”

I don’t wait. This is it.
I quickly charge separating the space between us. I bring the
halberd down as hard as I can. He’s tall and it slices through his
upper arm. I hit bone, but it upsets me that I didn’t remove the
appendage. I spin while lifting the halberd again. Sarn catches the
upper pole where it meets the blade and stops my swing. I’ve
already slipped a blade from my arm sheath and I jam it as hard as
I can into his stomach.

He cries out and throws
himself over the cliff. I know little damage is done, but I’m
thankful I still have my halberd. I back up and widen my stance
preparing myself for a dragon’s attack. What I don’t expect is
Sarn’s roar. I feel the flames before I see them. Fire sweeps up
and over the ledge. I have no time to do more than throw my arm up
futilely covering my face. The pain is agonizing. My skin burns as
if I’ve touched the sun. My flesh boils. I drop to my knees. I’m
barely coherent and all I can do is whisper to Laryn. “My dragon, I
am so sorry. My greatest regret is not telling you that I love
you.” I fall forward and curl into a ball. It hurts and I realize
the screams in my head are actually coming from my
throat.

“What have I done?” A voice
sounds from far off. Nothing really matters at this point I just
want to see my dragon one last time.

“Laryn?” I manage to
whisper. More pain surrounds me as I float. If I’m dead, the pain
should go away.

“No, my lady, it’s Sarn. I
am so very, very sorry.”

I pray for
death.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Laryn

I see Ashrac flying to me
as fast as his small wings will pump. What is he doing
here?

“Uncle Laryn, Uncle Laryn.
Uncle Sarn has your bride,” he screams as he draws
closer.

I’m so stunned I drop the
chalice and painting and don’t think of them again. “Where is my
bride?”

“At the cliffs. Uncle Sarn
wanted me to go with him to his castle. Your bride got angry and
then Uncle Sarn got angry.”

My heart is beating double
time. “Go find your parents and send them here. Do you
understand?”

“Yes, Uncle Laryn. Please
rescue her. She is very brave for a human.”

She is, but I don’t have
time to answer. Have I not been punished enough for what I did to
Bastian and Acasia? If Sarn has harmed one hair on her head, he’s a
dead dragon.

Thirty minutes later, I
see the purple dragon speeding toward me. I charge.

“No, I have her,” he
screams into my head seconds before impact.

I turn my body and barely
stop my strike. “Give her to me, you son of a bitch.”

“I cannot transfer her
while we fly, she’s hurt.”

“I will kill you for this,”
I say with a guttural roar.

“As you should.”

Sarn flies past me heading
for my castle. I mentally try to connect with my bride. Nothing.
She must be unconscious. My rage sizzles. I want her away from
Sarn. I know something is horribly wrong or he would not bring her
back. My bride is the greatest treasure of all the realms and a
prize for any dragon.

We reach my highest tower
perch. Sarn drops his behemoth head as soon as we land. “I’m sorry,
Laryn, so very sorry.”

“I will deal with you
later. Give me my bride.”

What rolls onto the perch
is almost impossible to decipher. “Ahhrahhaa,” blasts from my
throat. What is left of her arm is melted to the bone. Her entire
upper right side is nothing but charred bone. Most of her hair is
singed away along with the lower part of her face. I shift and fall
to my knees. Her heart beats, but it’s so faint I know she must be
moments from death. I’m afraid to touch her because of the pain it
will cause.

I look up at Sarn, my
grief, fury, and desolation flowing with my tears. He’s not looking
at me. “Go. Go now. I do not have time to kill you. Just go.” I’m
not even yelling. She groans quietly. I use my dragon’s magic to
mentally place her in a temporary sleep so she doesn’t feel the
pain as death takes her. I don’t hear Sarn fly away and I don’t
care that he’s gone and I cannot kill him immediately. The only
thing I care about is dying in front of me. A hand on my back
startles me, but I don’t move.

“Laryn,” Acasia’s gentle
voice whispers. “She still lives. I don’t know if that’s what you
want.”

I lie down beside my bride
only able to touch the side of her face that still has flesh.
Acasia doesn’t understand. I could love my bride like this no
matter her injury. No arms, no legs, her smile would carry me
forever.

I know the truth of it,
though. She is a warrior. She would not choose to live such as this
and I know there is little chance of it happening anyway. She is
also a fighter and her death will not come as quickly as it
should.

“I will kill him, Laryn. I
will bring you his head.” Bastian’s voice is soft but
deadly.

“No. Please go into my
rooms and gather the silk sheet from my bed.” I know what I must
do. I just don’t want to leave her for the time it takes to
prepare. Her breathing is shallow, and even in her current state of
sleep she gasps in pain every few breaths.

A short while later, the
sheet is laid beside us. I can’t look at Acasia and Bastian. I
gather the sheet around my bride and tie it above her. “Acasia,
please hold the knot up so it doesn’t touch her and cause more
pain.”

I back up a few yards and
shift. I take the top of the knot in my teeth and fly off without
saying another word to my friends. I fly to our spot. This is where
I fell in love with my bride. We stood above the ocean for the
first time and she cuddled into the warmth of my dragon legs while
the wind whipped at her face. I love her and I’m the most foolish
man alive to think for one second that I don’t.