The Imprisoned Dragon and the Witch (15 page)

As his heart sped up at the thought of getting his hands on Quintas Crane, Ronan slowed his pace, the ranch now in sight. Holding his hand up in a closed fist, everyone stopped as Ronan said those three words. The language foreign to all their ears. Esther and Judith appeared next to them and Ronan motioned forwards.

“Stay safe, everyone,” he said as they rushed the front of the rambling ranch house.

As they neared the front, they could hear the noise of the team at the rear launching smoke grenades through the windows and then all hell broke loose.

Chapter 15

Smoke billowed out the broken windows at the rear, rising up to be clearly seen by all. The front door smashing open and a man rushing out, coughing and spluttering. He was closely followed by several others, all dressed in loose robes of beige. Their eyes streaming and cursing loudly.

“Safe,” Esther said quietly, and Creed and his men moved in, taking them down quickly and with precision. As they knocked the last man out, his body falling to join the others in the dust, Esther shouted, “Back!”

Since everyone had been told to listen to Esther’s instructions, they heeded her shout, using their supernatural speed. Running off to the side as a man dressed in a gold robe walked out. His hands already moving and dark magic sparking in the air around him.

Ronan stepped to the side, giving Esther and Judith a wide berth as their own hands started dancing in the air. The man’s face a mask of concentration as he let loose a ball of energy, aimed right at Esther. Judith’s spell was quicker than Esther’s, a bolt of energy flying through the air and connecting with the man as Esther’s met his spell head on. The sparks and lightening as they met brightening the entire area.

Ronan blinked his eyes to get rid of the sudden blindness caused by the spells connecting and saw the body of the man still in mid-fall as he bounced down the stairs leading to the front porch. A hole where his heart should be gaping all the way through his body.

An explosion off to the side grabbed Ronan’s attention, his eyes seeking out the source. What he saw fueled his anger even more. Several Vampires and Drake lay on the ground, blood all around. Obviously being attacked from inside the house.

“Come out and face us you piece of shit!” Ronan roared as some of his men moved to aid their fallen friends.

“If they’ve killed Drake I’ll fucking tear them apart!”
Ronan thought, as his eyes flickered once more to the side. All ideas of taking any of the Witches in for trial rushing out of his head.

The loud roar from the Dragon above telling him she had seen it too. As soon as his men had removed the bodies to a safe distance he heard the wings of the great beast move closer. He looked up, watching as she hovered lower and lower. “Get the hell away, Starr!” he shouted. At the same moment her great mouth opened and spat a wall of flame at the side of the house.

“Get back! Everyone get back from the house!” he shouted, his orders being relayed all the way around the perimeter they’d formed around the property.

As soon as everyone was safely out of the way Starr went to work. Setting the house aflame from the rear and working her way forwards. The great beast’s wings fanning the flames as Ronan turned to Esther. “You’re sure your spell is working? The one that won’t let him just disappear outta here?”

Judith replied, “I was the one that placed that particular spell and I can assure you that nobody can use magic to transport themselves elsewhere. Until I release the magic, it will stay in place until we are done here.”

Ronan cocked an eyebrow at the cold tone of the Witch as Esther smirked. “Don’t go besmirching her abilities, Ronan. She takes offense easily.”

He turned back towards the building, knowing it was only a matter of time before Quintas and anyone else inside
had
to come out. Or get burned alive. As the great Dragon let rip with another volley of flames, Ronan heard Esther’s warning shout a second before the unthinkable happened.

A bolt of power shot out of a side window, straight up towards the great beast hovering overhead. “Noooooo!” he roared as the magic hit Starr’s Dragon right in the middle of its massive chest. She fell to earth like a stone.

He took off, running like he had never ran before, getting to her just moments after her body had plowed through two apple trees to land in a tangled heap of branches and limbs on the ground. He threw himself down, shouting as he fell beside her. “Starr! Starr!
Cac
! Baby, please open your eyes and look at me. Look at me!” he screamed the last part as fear, like none he had come across, licked across his back.

Sam joined him, together with Esther. “Keep them covered, Esther!” Sam shouted as he fell to his knees beside the downed beast.

“I’ll keep them safe, don’t worry about that!” Esther snapped out, her anger so vast that Ronan thought he could smell it in the air around them.

“Fuck!” Sam cursed as he watched Ronan try to coax a reaction from Starr.

“Starr,
grá mo chroí
, listen to my voice. You have to open your eyes, come on, baby, come back to me! You
have
to come back to me!” Ronan knew his voice was full of fear, not something he ever let any of his men witness, but he couldn’t help it. His mate lay deathly quiet on the ground, struck by dark magic...the most deadly magic in existence.

He didn’t even lift his head when he heard Judith shout, “I need you, Esther!”

Sam shouting orders as Esther moved to help her sister. With what, Ronan didn’t know, or care. Creed’s voice lanced his skull as it roared loudly. “Every man, every fucking man, guard that Dragon! Do it now or I’ll rip your still beating heart out of your bloody chest! Get a cordon around it. Keep it safe! It’s the goddamn last Dragon on this earth and it will
not
die under my watch! Move your fucking asses
now
!”

Ronan felt the bodies joining them, but still didn’t lift his head, feeling a ring of men surrounding his mate. His Vampire ears hearing Esther’s voice as it rose in that unrecognizable language to summon dark magic. He quickly turned his head, catching a glimpse of the sight before the house.

Esther and Judith were squaring off against two men. One in a gold robe, one in a scarlet robe...Quintas Crane. His anger took over, a red mist descending over him as he saw the cause of his mate’s injuries. He jumped up and pushed a guard aside to move as quickly as he could, using every ounce of power he held within his six foot six frame as he launched himself forwards.

Judith launched some kind of energy towards the man in gold as Esther readied a spell for Quintas. Everything seemed to slow down as Ronan ran, seeing Judith’s spell obliterate the man in gold as Esther seemed ready to launch her own attack.

“Nooooooooooo!” he roared as he reached Quintas’ back, body slamming the much smaller man onto the ground with such force Ronan heard bones break inside the Witch’s body. Luckily Esther realized what he was doing and had stopped her spell, else they both would probably have been blown to smithereens.

Quintas tried to roll over, but Ronan slammed his head into the ground, holding it there as he punched him in the back. The Witch screamed in pain, Ronan flipping him over, gripping him tightly by the throat and grabbing one of his arms. “You need your hands to do all that dark magic, don’t you?” Ronan snarled down into the shocked face of the being he most hated in the entire universe.

“Well, you’re not getting the chance, not again.” Ronan moved one of his knees, placing the arm over his thigh at the elbow and pulled downwards. The unearthly screams as he applied more pressure loud in his ears. He continued until he heard that sweet noise of bones breaking and the particularly loud scream from the Witch told him his job was done...on that arm anyway.

Quintas continued to scream, a high pitched noise better off coming from a woman than a man, as Ronan grabbed his other arm. He moved his hand down to grasp around the wrist, exerting pressure slowly. He would break the wrist, no, he would shatter the wrist, but not quickly. Ronan kept on, increasing his strength as Quintas Crane stared up at him, his eyes almost bugging out of their sockets as the pain continued. When he heard the first bone break Ronan smiled, a dark, unearthly smile as he continued. Another, then another and still he kept up the pressure, not stopping until the wrist was nothing more than a powder of bones inside the skin.

Quintas was still conscious as Ronan let the wrist fall to the side. Tears and snot dribbling down his face as Ronan smashed his fist into it. The sound of the nose breaking yet another sound like music to his ears.

“You are a fucking animal! You’ll never see the light of day again, not ever. I’ll keep you in a cell underground, on your own, no contact apart from the Vampire that will bring you food. Or, better still, the Vampire may have orders to use you as food! Depends on what mood I’m in and that’s only
if
I let you live, which, trust me, is not a foregone conclusion!”

Ronan slammed his fist into Crane’s face again before strong arms circled around him, pulling him upwards. As he turned his head he came face to face with Creed. “I’ll take over, you go and help your mate.”

Ronan was about to push Creed away and continue pounding on the Witch but his heart almost stopped at mention of Starr. He looked down at Quintas and kicked him hard in the ribs, again hearing something break, before turning away. He ran to Starr, Esther already there with Judith, both Witches whispering a spell as he fell to his knees.

“Starr, baby, please wake up. You need to wake up for me, my little
straip
. Please.” He knelt beside the magnificent Dragon, running his hands over its hard scales as Esther and Judith continued.
“Fuck! I can’t go on without her!”
he thought as fear gnawed at his guts.

A soft glow emanated from Esther and Judith, slowly encompassing the massive beast. Ronan’s senses monitoring everything from the Dragon’s breathing, to its very slow heartbeat. As he knelt beside Starr he could hear Sam and Creed taking charge. Transporting the prisoners to their vehicles as well as tending to their own injured.

Ronan heard Drake’s Wolf whine and he rejoiced that he was alive. If he stayed Wolf then he should be fine...hopefully. There were two casualties that didn’t make it though, the Vampires who’d been caught in the same blast as Drake. Creed’s anger showing in his voice as he ordered their bodies be moved and taken back to base. Ronan was aware that Creed would organize their funeral pyre for as soon as possible. At least that was something he didn’t have to worry about.

A gasp and snort from the magical creature he was still murmuring to, brought his full attention back to his mate. “Is she going to be okay?” he asked Esther.

The old Witch frowned. “I’m not certain, but I think so. She’ll need plenty of rest to recover. That was some blast she sustained and anyone else would’ve died. She’s strong, Ronan. With some TLC she should be fine.”

“I’ll make sure she gets it. Josef has offered us the use of his ranch and I intend to take him up on it. I’m taking her away tomorrow and I’ll look after her. Thank you.” Ronan looked between Esther and Judith who only inclined their heads before turning away.

“Can I get back to my home now? I miss my Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes,” Judith said as she walked away.

Esther chuckled. “Yes, sister. I think I can take it from here. I’ll let you know if I need your help.”

“Please do. This was rather...exhilarating. Yes, that’s the word, exhilarating. My life
is
rather boring at home so if you require my assistance, don’t hesitate to ask. It’s been nice working with you again, sister.”

Esther padded on, her small feet barely making a sound, but Ronan could hear perfectly as she drew further away. “Not every mission is so fraught with danger but we do have our moments. I’ll be sure to keep you on speed dial, Judith. Now, let’s go and see if we can help that Wolf I heard whining earlier. Sounds as if he is in need of some healing.”

Ronan’s attention fell back on Starr, her breathing less labored, her heart beat a little stronger. “
A chuisle mo chroí
, wake up now. Starr, baby, you have to wake up now! Listen to my voice, come back to me, Starr. Don’t make me have to tan that ass of yours for not listening to me!”

He kept his voice low, trying hard not to let the entire squad hear him, as he continued. It was a few agonizing minutes later that he sensed her, the Dragon’s eyes fluttering open and closed several times before managing to stay open. “That’s it, baby, open your eyes and look at me. Come on, you can do it or do you want all these bloodsuckers here to think you’re weak? Hmm? Come on, show ‘em just how strong you are, my Dragon.”

Starr’s violet Dragon eyes stayed open, focusing on his face as she blew down her great nostrils, causing his hair to blow around. “Hey, beautiful. Welcome back,” he whispered before placing a gently kiss on the beast’s nose.

Slowly the majestic Dragon got to its feet, a little wobbly at first, but then standing proud. Her head reared back and a loud roar erupted from her, almost deafening him in the process. As he shook his head he saw the shimmer and a second later Starr stood in front of him. Her face pale and her legs shaking. Standing up, he reached forward, grabbing her to him and holding her tight.

“You okay? Fuck, Starr! Don’t ever do that to me again. I thought I’d lost you!”

Starr’s fingers gripped onto his chest, her breathing a little faster than normal. “Shit! That was kinda weird. I could hear you but I couldn’t respond and I kept lapsing in and out.”

Ronan moved her away a little, looking at her closely. “How do you feel?”

She smiled sheepishly. “Tired, just tired. Oh, and just when were you gonna tell me we’re going away? To Josef’s ranch, I believe?”