Loving Two Dragons (Awakening Cycle Part 3) (BBW Dragon Shifter Paranormal Romance) (3 page)

Chapter six

Archer

"Many things are coming to a head right now," Athene's image says.

"Of course," Remy replies.

I watch him talking to her. She's here as a projection only. Often I've wondered how that looks to someone on her side. Perhaps as if she is talking to thin air?

"We have to find them. We've found ... indications that one of the clans may be attempting something that would be catastrophic."

"I've seen a path where a flare emanates from the moon. A release of magic so powerful it will change the cycle we are in completely. It would result in the near extinction of life as we know it. It is not the proper path."

"Of course," Remy says. "We could use assistance. Can you send the Wolf?"

Athene looks down at the ground and pauses before she answers. When she looks up there’s sadness in her eyes.

"He is not available," she says. "I'm sorry. I have no one that can help."

Remy frowns, his eyes narrow. "Of course. We appreciate it anyway."

Athene fades from view and Remy shakes his head. "Our allies there cannot help us."

"I heard, damn it!" I yell punching the wall.

My hand throbs in time with the ache in my chest. Nothing is working, I'm running out of options. I have to find them. I have to find her. Before it's too late.

"We are not out of resources yet."

"No we're not," I growl. "Send in the recon team."

Remy nods looking thoughtful. "Humans do not breach territory. They may be our best option. We know where they're being held but they are also being protected by magic. In the heart of Green territory far enough from any cities that they won't hold back."

"Nick Santros is a former Navy Seal. Victor Batan is a former Green Beret. Alex Skarban is an Army Ranger. The three of them have trained this team for just such situations. They are aware of what they might face. They're the best. Do you have any other suggestions on what we do?

The Council is not very likely to grant us permission to invade Green's territory when they are sitting right there denying their involvement. No matter what proof we present, they will say it is faked.

If I go myself it's the same as declaring open war. If you have an option, I'm all ears. I need more options."

Remy says nothing. At last he scratches the back of his head then shakes it negative. "It is our best option."

I nod. "Then send the orders."

***

Every muscle in my body is knotted and tense. I'm tired. I haven't slept in a week. I can't eat though they force food on me constantly. Every moment, every passing second, I think of her. What Marathe might be doing to her. What she's going through. Is she scared? Is she with Logan? Are they...

Round and round. Over and over my thoughts spin. I can't stop it. I rise from my bed giving up again on sleep. My chambers are deep below the Crimson-Gold skyscraper. We call it the castle, though it’s underground so I don't think that technically applies. It's a holdover from the old days. The halls are empty with low light.

Most of my kingdom resides in these halls. Once my people numbered in the thousands on thousands. Now there are a few thousand total. With the dropping birth rates our bloodlines are thinning out. Perhaps we are destined for extinction? Nature taking its course and eliminating a variant gene?

"Sire," the guard jumps to attention as I approach.

"How are you Harald?" I ask.

The smile on his face warms me. I have always taken pride in knowing all my citizens. I owe them that much. Any good leader does.

"Well enough sire, thank you."

"Has he been quiet?"

"Yes, Sire."

"Let me in please."

Harald fumbles with the ring of keys at his waist then opens the door. I step into the dungeon where my son is held. We don't use these often any more, he's the only one here. I walk down to his cell. A motion of my hand and Remy's magic activates turning the opaque stone wall clear. Mateas lies on his cot staring at the ceiling. I can see he's awake.

"Hello son," I say.

He rolls to his side propping himself up on one arm and smiles. He has my smile. One of the only things he got from me. He's small built, like his mother, lithe more than stocky as I am. Dark haired, but that one thing, that smile always reminds me of the connection between us. I sigh.

"Hello Father," he says.

I grab a chair from the far side of the hall and sit down. He watches amusement dancing in his eyes and on his face. What do I want here?

"Are you doing all right?"

He snorts. "Oh sure. I love being locked in here. Best times of my life. Definitely goes a long ways towards letting me know how my father feels about me."

I nod, I deserve that barb. Maybe I deserve all of this. Perhaps fate moves me this way because I am bad. All the loss, the pain, all just punishment for my sin.

"How long must we be this way Mateas? Can you ever forgive me?"

"Forgive you?" he rises to his feet walking towards me. "There's nothing to forgive. The problem with you Archer is that you carry this guilt and shame with you. You blame yourself for all the world's woes. You think I'm not happy with what I am? I LOVE being me. You're the one who's not happy with who and what you are."

"How can you love being so ... wrong?" I hesitate holding back my first thought,
Evil.

Mateas smiles then he laughs. "You see the world as black and white. Good and evil. I see it as it is. Shades of gray with a little chaos thrown in to make sure things stay interesting. I like change. I love it. If you would only embrace a bit of change then you'd be able to let go. Take that stick out of your ass and have some fun!"

I shake my head as I stand up putting the chair back in place.

"Men are guided by honor. Doing what's right, not for reward or for fun, but because it's the right thing to do. Somehow you didn't learn that lesson."

"Honor is a concept Father. One you made for yourself. Right is more than a feeling it's what gets you the best seat at the table."

He laughs that maniacal laugh again so I motion my hand returning the wall to its opaque state. It doesn't stop his laughter echoing out, chasing me as I leave.

***

The situation room is dominated by a long conference table. One wall has a bank of monitors that we sit watching. Overhead speakers tap us into the radio communications of the recovery team. Soon they'll go silent. They're almost to the fortress but we'll still be able to watch them on the satellite view and the cameras they have on their vests.

Remy and Lou sit with me watching. This has to be kept secret so I don't bring the entire war council in with us.

Alpha do we have a go?

The radio transmission crackles. Lou looks at me with a phone in his hand. They are just outside where we spotted the fortress. This is it. I nod and Lou gives the go through the phone.

The satellite view shows them advancing on the fortress without incident. Their transmissions are coming through clear. Once they close with the fortress they take out a guard patrol quickly and silently. Through the vest camera I see one of them grab a passkey off the guard and then they're moving to the entrance.

"They're in," Lou says in a whisper.

It doesn't matter how loud we speak here but having done this before it feels right to whisper when the men are moving silently. A hand flashes across the view and the pass card is inserted. There's a soft beep and a whish sound as the door slides open.

The men enter with guns at the ready. So far the mission has gone well. Too well. There should be more resistance. I grit my jaw as tension mounts. The men fan out down either side of the hallway working their way deeper into the fortress. They all freeze and drop to a crouch. Around the corner ahead a patrol walks into view.

The silence is broken by a hail of bullets as the men let loose. The first man in the patrol drops to the ground but the other roars and lifts an automatic rifle, returning fire. He starts to increase in size, fangs extending in his mouth as fur sprouts around him.

"Shifter!" Team Leader Santros calls out.

The men immediately shift tactics dropping lower as they switch out their weapons. In an instant the firing resumes but I know now they are using silver coated bullets. The last remaining patrol man drops to the ground growling.

They’re standing at a cross path. We have no intel beyond this point so they're on their own as to which direction to choose. Santros looks both ways then signals with his hands. He sends half the team right while he heads left. Tension mounts in my shoulders and my sinuses have a building pressure that gives me a headache. I should be there leading these men.

As the team splits the monitors follow the two of them separately. Now it's a matter of trying to watch three monitors at once. The straight satellite feed then the individual feeds from the teams. Lou's breath increases sitting next to me while Remy sits as calm and quiet as ever.

Santros' team moves quickly without incident. They've cleared several rooms now. Batan is leading the other team but they're moving slower. They've run into two patrols one of which they took out quietly but the second pinned them down in a firefight. There's no way the fortress doesn't know they're inside.

Santros' team turns a corner and fire engulfs the camera view. Men are screaming as they're burned alive.

"NO!" I yell pounding the table in front of me.

The camera view tumbles back out of the flame. Two of the men at least are alive though probably hurt. It's impossible to tell from the feed. I look over at another monitor and see that four out of the five men on that team are still reading alive. That monitor I had forgotten about but it shows their heartbeats and other vital signs.

Santros looks back around the corner. The way is clear but two of his men lay there with severe burns, one must be the dead man. He motions and two men rush out pulling them back. Nothing happens as they retrieve their wounded.

On the other screen Batan's team enters what appears to be a dungeon. The layout is similar to where my son sits right now. They're checking cells one at a time with little to no resistance. They've taken out a single guard so far.

The man ahead in view gives a thumbs up turning back towards Batan. Batan rushes forward putting his weapon to one side and peers in through the gate. He steps back and raises the camera mounted to his vest so it gets a view into the cell.

Jennifer and Logan!

A stabbing pain of jealousy strikes at my heart seeing Logan with his arm around her then my blood pressure zooms through the roof at the sight of her and Logan's wounds. My fists clench tight enough that blood trickles from where my nails dig into my skin. The camera lowers back down and then moves as Batan steps back from the door. Two men step forward examining it.

A green cloud floods the view. The men cough, then scream dropping to the ground. A Green's breath weapon. Someone begins firing. It's Batan, he's retreating. I catch glimpses of two men with him as he backs down. He spins around to return fire and looks straight down the gullet of a fully transformed Green dragon letting loose another poisonous cloud.

He fires into the creature's gullet but bullets will barely harm it. The screams of the men echo around the situation room as they are torn to pieces by the dragon or succumb to the acidic poison of its breath.

The camera drops staring up at the ceiling. Suddenly it moves, jerkily, then it's rising. Marathe's face comes into view.

"Oh Archer," she says. "You're such a fool."

The camera smashes to the ground. The situation room fills with the sounds of flat lining vitals. 

Chapter seven

Jennifer

"You conceived during those days. Oh how we celebrated! I was convinced, since it'd never happened before, that we'd broken the cycle. That this was a sure sign of success.

Archer was ... disappointed it wasn't his but still elated."

I love the way she feels inside me. They both say it's a boy but a mother knows. This is my beautiful girl.

"Oh my God," I exclaim.

It's impossible to breath. I sit up straight gasping for air that won't come in. My heart pounds in my chest. It can't be. Logan sits up taking me by my shoulders.

"What is it? Are you okay?"

I shake my head side to side. It can't be. No, not her! Where is she? I gasp again the pressure easing on my chest.

"It's Elise," I say trying to steady my breathing.

He nods slowly. "Yes."

The first contractions are easy. Logan and Archer have been staying close to home as the big day approaches. When I tell them it's time they're ecstatic. The midwives come and shoo them out.

"Archer and I paced outside that birthing room door for hours," he laughs. "I'd gotten these cigars. Even though I was convinced it was a boy, you were so sure it was a girl I got a box of both. They had these little rings around them saying 'It's a Boy' or 'It's a Girl'. The girl ones were pink.

Archer had a small crown crafted that was adjustable so the baby could be crowned as soon as it joined us. All of your citizens waited with bated breath for the news. The kingdom would have the biggest celebration ever to welcome their new prince, or princess."

The labor is hard. Harder than it should be. The mid-wives are worried. No matter that they try to hide it from me the tension in the room is undeniable. The contractions keep coming but the baby is not progressing.

"Get Remy," Alyssa the head mid-wife orders.

All of the women stop and look at her. One of them steps over leaning in and whispering but I hear her clearly.

"We can't allow a man in here," she says.

The head mid-wife looks at her harshly. "You will do what I say. Now."

"Get him!" I order through gritted teeth.

The girl at my side wipes the sweat away from my eyes but it's running faster than she can keep up with. Alyssa kneels down between my legs tsking.

"You're doing great," she says to me. "Now just don't push okay? I know your body is telling you to, but you have to hold off. When that urge comes, you fight it."

"What's wrong? What's wrong with my baby?"

Alyssa looks at me, debating the truth and how much to tell me.

"She's turned wrong and I believe the cord may be around her neck. Remy may be able to help with his magic."

My body clenches, the urge to push is overwhelming. I fight against it, holding her in, protecting my baby. Reaching down I grab Alyssa by her shoulders pulling her up close to my face with a strength I didn't know I had.

"No matter what," I gasp between contractions. "You save my baby. You hear me? No matter what! As your Queen, I order it! Ugh."

Another contraction hits and I barely fight it off.

"When Remy flew through the room without a word, we knew something was wrong. Archer tried to go in but was rebuffed. Then I tried and Remy did something to the door. I had one glimpse of you covered in sweat then the door slammed shut." Logan rubs the bridge of his nose. "Broke my nose.

At last we heard the baby's cries. I've never felt so ... alive. I've lived a long life but the way my spirits lifted at the sound of those cries, I've never heard anything more beautiful."

I reach over and grab his hand squeezing it tightly. Tears sit unshed, his eyes are unfocused, looking at the memory.

"They brought her out to us. She was so little, wrapped in a blanket. She was pink," he chuckles. "So pink."

Remy's magic is working. She moves, untwisting in me. Then she slips out easily, as it should be but something inside is wrong. I tear as she passes through but I don't care. Alyssa hands me my daughter and I take her in my arms then lower her to my breast helping her to latch.

"This may be the only time I feed you," I whisper to her. "But never you forget, your mother loves you. With all my heart, I love you."

They're moving around the room fast but it's all fading away. All I'm aware of is my child suckling at my breast ... Elise.

"You named her," Logan says. "Remy says you whispered her name to her."

Tears fall down his face. They stain my own too.