Hunted (Book 2) (24 page)

Tressa squinted, attempting to see more clearly through the
dragon mask on her face. The long snout of the dragon blocked a full view of
what lie in front of her. All she needed to do was scope out the people at the
celebration. Look for a face she recognized hidden under the masks. Or a voice
she knew from her childhood. A familiar gait. Anything that would help her find
her people.

Jarrett had warned her that if the villagers had been taken
by force, they wouldn't find any of them at the festival. They were likely
hidden in dungeons far beneath the ground.

"There's always the chance they went
voluntarily," Tressa had insisted as they dressed for the festival. They
had stolen three costumes. A sparkly black dragon with gossamer wings for
Tressa. Two simple green dragons for Jarrett and Avital. Tressa had objected at
first. She didn't want to stand out any more than Jarrett or Avital. Everyone
had assured her she would stand out even more without the costume.

"I can pass for a man," Tressa insisted.

"You've done that long enough already," Jarrett
said. "You are a woman and it's acceptable to embrace that. You no longer need
to hide."

Tressa grudgingly agreed. She was a woman, after all. She'd
never wanted to hide as a man and she'd only done it to get closer to Stacia in
her efforts to kill that evil woman. But maybe if she hadn't pretended to be
Jarrett's betrothed, she would still be pregnant. Being herself didn't keep her
from harm in the Sands.

Still, she had pulled the dress over her body. It clung in
all the right places. Jarrett helped place the wings on the back of the dress,
held on by a series of ties. He caressed her shoulders, his hands slipping over
them, only a fingertip away from her breasts. She'd taken a deep breath,
steadying herself. It wasn't time. Not yet. Work before pleasure.

Tressa, Jarrett, and Avital said goodbye to the other men
and ventured through the city gates. Guards flanked the iron rods topped with
spikes. In their red jackets, dipping down to their knees, lined with black
satin, and black leather pants, they looked every inch the assassin. Even their
grim expressions, frozen in a permanent frown, gave them an air of unrelenting
displeasure.

Tressa shuddered, but neither of them glanced at her. Their
eyes were trained on an invisible threat in the distance, not a mere young
woman in festival attire. Jarrett and Avital ambled along behind her, laughing
and clanking their tankards in a toast to anything and everything coming to
mind. Ale flew in drops with each clink, wetting not just them but the people
around them.

No one seemed to care. They were all lost in their own
merrymaking. It was the Night of the Dragon. The night before their most holy
day of the year. Tonight they celebrated, knowing the morning would only bring
fasting and repentance.

In Hutton's Bridge, Tressa didn't adhere to any religion.
Granna had told her of the Old Ones, but it all seemed like a bigger fantasy
than the dragons she also hadn't believed in. Tressa hoped the old stories were
myth, faded into religion. Granna told her fear controlled many of their
beliefs. Fear of the afterworld. Fear of displeasing the gods. Fear held the
people of the Hills of Flame in check.

Tressa glanced at the revelers around her, who were delighting
in each other's bodies. Drinking with abandon. This night was reserved for
excess and indulgence, and the people of the Hills of Flame appeared to be
taking full advantage of the night.

Women raced around half-dressed. Men chased them, only to
catch another woman's lips. No one seemed to mind the drunken orgies in the
street, nor did the various sexual acts being performed lend themselves to any
sort of modesty.

"Are you okay here?" Jarrett asked, whispering in
her ear while nibbling on the lobe.

"Yes, but are you doing that because you want to or
because you want to fit in with the rest of them?" Tressa asked.

"Both," Jarrett said, waggling his eyebrows.

Tressa couldn't hold in a laugh.

"Good, now you're fitting in like everyone else."
Jarrett nudged her arm and pointed to Avital who'd found a woman to fondle.
They both seemed to be enjoying the moment.

"I'd suggest splitting up, but I'm not sure I want to
leave you alone here." Jarrett eyed the people around them.

"I can take care of myself," Tressa insisted.
"We could cover more ground if we separate."

"The men out here won't hesitate to take a piece of
you, or drag you into a dark corner." Jarrett's eyes darkened. "If
you don't give yourself willingly, they will rape you."

Tressa's eyebrows rose. "But everyone here seems so
willing. Wouldn't they just find another woman who would be happy to please
them?"

"Tressa," Jarrett said, snaking an arm around her
waist, "everyone who is here is willing to please anyone else. It's an
unspoken agreement. Any woman who fights is only adding to the drama of the
night. It's all an act. They won't understand if you don't submit."

She took another glance at the people on the street. Some
of them did appear to be resisting advances from other revelers. One man kept
pushing a woman backward, but she'd only come back at him again, knocking him
down with a leather boot that crept up past her knee. Her dress fell to the
side, revealing her lack of undergarments. The man's eyes widened. He
hesitated, just long enough for her to fall on top of him. His hands explored
every bit of her body. Tressa tore her eyes away, suddenly embarrassed. She'd
never watched anyone else in the act of sex. It wasn't something she wanted to
start doing.

"I see what you mean. Perhaps we should stay together.
I don't want my intentions to be...misinterpreted." Tressa snuggled in
closer to Jarrett, nipping his neck and leaving a red stain from the makeup his
men had stolen for her. "Now let's search for my people in case they’re
here. They'll be the shy ones. They'll stand out."

"Sometimes when people are given a new path, they
don't hesitate to change everything about themselves. All they once knew can
fly out the window in one kiss." Jarrett let his hand fall to her bottom.

Tressa didn't respond. After finding her own way in the
world and meeting Jarrett, she had changed from the woman she thought she was.
She couldn't pinpoint one moment exactly. Yet now she wasn't Tressa Webb from
Hutton's Bridge. She was Tressa, a woman who wanted to explore the world. Who
didn't want to be tied down to a dream that was no longer something she craved.

No, she needed something different. Maybe she could find it
with Jarrett.

They walked through the town, touching and fondling each
other. When Jarrett caressed her breast with his thumb, she had to fight the
urge to pull him into a dark alley and have her way with him. She had to have
him soon or she’d explode. A dull ache between her legs reminded her of the
loss she'd suffered. Maybe it was too soon physically, but it didn't tamp down
her emotions.

Tressa grabbed his hand, lacing it in hers. She squeezed.
"We have to tone it down a bit. It's becoming too difficult."

"I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling that way."
Jarrett growled deep in his throat. He grabbed Tressa's shoulders, pushing her
up against a nearby wall. He ripped the dragon mask off her face and his lips
crushed against hers, telling Tressa in no uncertain terms that he couldn't
hold himself back any longer. Her fingernails scratched up and down his back as
she pressed her breasts into his chest. She wanted him, too. Now.

Until a nearby sound caught her attention.
"Stop," she muttered into his lips. Tressa pushed on his shoulders.

Jarrett stepped backward. "I'm sorry. It was too much,
too fast. This is the wrong place."

"No." Tressa placed a finger over his swollen
lips. "I heard a voice I recognize. They're here."

Tressa pushed Jarrett off. He took a step back and adjusted
the front of his pants.

"Who did you hear?" he asked, a little
breathless.

Tressa straightened out her dress and pulled her dragon
mask back over her face. Peering out the tiny eyeholes, she searched the crowd
for Adam's unmistakable red hair. All she saw were other dragons like herself.
People in various states of celebration and undress.

"He won't be one of the people cavorting. Not Adam."
She directed Jarrett to the right while she prepared to go left. "He's of
medium height, flaming red hair like Bastian. Adam is Bastian's uncle. If you
find him first, that's information you can use to prove you know who he is.
Tell him I'm here too."

"We're not splitting up," Jarrett said, grabbing
her hand.

She yanked it back. "We have to. This may be our only
chance to find the people of Hutton's Bridge." She pushed him a little
more, her eyes wild. "Go. Now!" Tressa pleaded with Jarrett.
"We'll meet here again when the moon is at its zenith. Hopefully one of us
will have Adam."

"Okay, okay. I can't say no to you." Jarrett
kissed her hand; he couldn't reach her lips with the dragon mask in the way.
"We'll meet back at the monument before the moon begins to lower." He
pointed to the center of the town square where an effigy of a red dragon rose
into the night sky, its eyes lit up by burning flames.

"Soon." Tressa's chest rose with her deep
inhalation. She looked to the right, her eyes following the mop of red hair
through the crowd. Adam wasn't as tall as Bastian, but amongst the people in
costume he stood out.

She lifted her skirt to keep it from tripping her up and
followed Adam as fast she could without drawing attention to herself. She was
relieved Jarrett was headed in another direction. She didn't want Jarrett here
for her reunion with Adam. They'd meet each other soon enough, but she needed some
time alone with the man who'd been her substitute father.

As she drew closer, her heart thudded. It had been so long.
Much had changed. She no longer loved his nephew. Not the way she had back home
in Hutton's Bridge. But her love for Adam, as a dear friend and father figure,
would never change. She reached out, laying fingertips on his arm.
"Adam."

He spun around, facing her. "Who are you? How do you
know my name?" He squinted, examining her from head to toe.

Of course he didn't recognize her with the mask. Tressa
pulled the dragon face off and smiled. "It's me. Tressa."

Adam drew in a sharp gasp. He pulled her into a desperate
embrace. "You're alive! I had hoped — " He let go. "But
where's Bastian?"

Tressa laid a soft hand on Adam's cheek. "He’s not
with me, but I know where he is. We'll all be reunited soon."

Adam's eyes clouded over. "What are you doing here
alone? It's not safe. You must leave. Now. Before they get you."

She clasped his arms. "No. That's why I'm here. To
help. I had feared you'd been brought here against your will. Are there others
from Hutton's Bridge here too?"

Adam's eyes closed. He nodded. "Yes. We are all here.
They tricked us. Said they'd help us and brought us here. But Tressa, it was
all a lie. A terrible, awful lie.” He took a stuttering breath. “There are
things happening here, things you wouldn't believe."

"You'd be surprised how much I'd believe these days.
I've seen things — things I never thought could be real." Images
flashed in her mind. Humans changing into dragons. Kilrothgi. Jarrett's body in
the moonlight.

Adam grabbed her hand. "Come with me."

He tugged, but Tressa didn't move. "Where? To the rest
of our people?"

Adam nodded. "They're hiding not far from here."
He took a few steps and then paused. "There is danger ahead. Are you sure
you want to come with me?"

She patted her hip, feeling the hidden steel against her
leg. "Yes, take me. I want to help you escape."

Adam chuckled. "You always were a scrappy girl. I'm
not sure we'll all be able to sneak out of here without being noticed, but at
least we'll be together."

Tressa followed him through the winding crowd. She glanced
up at the moon. It wasn't long until she was supposed to meet with Jarrett by
the monument. Hopefully it wasn't too much farther. She’d assess the situation
and report back to Jarrett. They'd sneak her people out of Malum before anyone
noticed they were gone.

"We're hiding in an old building not far from here,"
Adam said.

"Hiding?" Tressa asked, confused. "Were you
brought here against your will? Will they let you leave? If you're hiding, then
you must have at least escaped some of their guards." It didn't make sense
to her. She quickly ran through all the possible scenarios, but none of them
seemed right. Tressa looked to Adam for an explanation.

"I know, it seems strange. We were brought here under
the guise of good intentions. They promised to help us. And then..." His
voice trailed off.

"And then what?" Tressa didn't appreciate the tone
of his words. He was a physic, a man of answers. Perhaps something traumatic
had happened to him on the way. Still, he needed to snap out of whatever it
was.

"And then we were given a choice," he said.
"We were brought to the queen and she offered two options."

Tressa's impatience grew with every breath. "Those
choices were...?"

"Here it is," Adam said. He tugged her hand,
pulling her toward the door of a dilapidated building.

Tressa dug her heels into the ground, suddenly
apprehensive. Her instincts screamed at her to run. She peered into Adam's
eyes. No. It was him. Her old friend. The man who'd had a hand in raising her.
She had to trust him. Put away her fears and follow him into the building where
her people probably hid, cowering in fear of being discovered. Now wasn't the
time for second-guessing herself.

"Afraid?" Adam asked. "I promise you, no
harm will come to you here."

Tressa relaxed. "No, of course I'm not afraid."
She followed him through the doorway, the dank air assaulting her senses.
Within only a few steps, she'd gone blind. The night had joined with the building,
plunging them into complete darkness. Mold spores danced in the air. Tressa
sneezed into her sleeve. "It's so unpleasant in here."

"It is," Adam agreed. "It is the only place
that we could find to hide until we can sneak out of the city."

Another twenty steps and Adam came to an abrupt halt.
Tressa bumped into his back. She left her hands on his shoulders. "Are we
there? Is everyone here? Udor? Hazel? The children?"

No one answered. A collective wind of breaths swirled
around her.

"Hello? It's me. It's Tressa. I've come to help
you."

Again. No answer.

Adam's hand let go of hers. Tressa reached out, fumbling in
the dark. "Adam?" Her heart pounded. It all rushed back. Being in the
fog. Alone. Unable to see.

Tressa's hands flailed in the air. Narek. Where was Narek?
Her little owl had abandoned her.

Her legs trembled, unable to support her weight. Tressa
sank to her knees. Her sword clattered on the wooden plank floor. She shook her
head.

She wasn't in the forest. She was in Malum. With her steel.
A trained warrior. She didn't need to be afraid of a little darkness. She had
her people to save.

Tressa steeled her fists and stood. "Where is everyone.
Adam?"

A cacophony of scrabbling and scratching filled the empty
void. Cries. Wails. Screams. They swirled around her head in a fury.

She'd been tricked.

"Whoever you are, I will kill you. I won't hesitate.
And I have friends nearby. They'll be here soon."

A cackle echoed in the empty room. With a snap of fingers,
braziers burst into life. Tressa threw an arm over her face, letting her eyes
adjust to the sudden light.

"You won't kill me."

Tressa whipped around, facing the man who'd spoken.

Her father, his eyes slitted and glowing red.

She opened her mouth, prepared to offer a retort. But she
couldn't. It was her father. Changed. But the same man she'd seen not long ago
in the forest.

As her vision became clearer, she could see the people of
Hutton's Bridge behind him, crouched on the ground, their eyes feral. Udor.
Carrac. Mariah. Dirt smeared across their faces. Their teeth bared.

"What is this?" She refused to let confusion take
over her senses. She needed answers. Now.

"We did not find what we were looking for. But perhaps
you can help us." He turned and looked over his shoulder. "Bring
her!"

Two men stepped forward, their hands grasping Hazel's arms.
She struggled against them. "I won't help you. I swear it. I'd rather die,"
Connor's wife begged, gazing into Tressa's eyes. "Kill me. Please kill
me." Tears of blood streamed down her cheeks.

"Where is her husband? Connor? The beekeeper?"
Fenn asked.

"He's dead!" Hazel screamed, her voice shredded
and sore. “I told you that a million times.”

"What?" Tressa shook her head. "You want
Connor? Is this about the honey?"

The smirk dropped from her father's face. "What do you
know about the honey? You? A mere mortal? What do you know?" His hands gripped
into fists and then relaxed. Over and over again. As if he were squeezing an
invisible person's throat.

"Hazel, I won't tell. I swear to you. No one will find
your love." Tressa looked at the others around her. Their eyes vacant.
Their limbs hanging without purpose, swaying with the light breeze whispering
in the cave. Tongues out to the side.

Their arms and legs shifted, changing into dragons right
before her eyes. Their human bodies taken from them as the dragons they'd
become took over.

"You'll never escape my new army, Tressa. Either you
tell us where Connor is or you die."

"Not today." She turned on one heel, saying a
silent prayer under her breath for Hazel, and fled from the building.