The Imprisoned Dragon and the Witch (8 page)

Starr tried to stop him. “Talon, we can do this later. We need to get you out of here.”

But her brother only shook his head and continued on. Ronan had an idea what he was doing but wasn’t certain, however, he kept his hand locked with Starr’s and listened to the strange language her brother uttered haltingly.

Esther had taken Celeste off to the side, obviously trying to console the young woman and Ronan again wondered why. Surely she could heal Talon once he’d finished speaking? Creed was off to the side, standing on alert with his guards placed on the rim of the large space, trying to keep watch for any trouble.

Just as Talon’s words came to an end Ronan tensed, his ears picking up footsteps coming their way from two different directions. He was on the point of leaving Starr when his ears also picked up the sound of paws padding alongside the steps. Raising his head he looked off to first one side, then the other of the cave, spying openings and his senses telling him the other two teams had found them.

As he relaxed slightly, he could hear Starr’s fear ridden voice pleading with her brother. “Talon! Please, you need to change back, you’re not strong enough to heal like this. Please, Talon, please! I
need
you!”

Talon sighed, his eyes staying locked on Starr’s. “I’m too far gone, sister. I had to bind you before my strength left me completely. You,” Talon’s eyes moved to Ronan, “take care of my sister for me.”

Ronan nodded, “Always,” he said as Starr fell forwards onto Talon, her sobs echoing against the rock walls around them.

He turned his head, seeking out Esther and Celeste and found the older Witch cradling the younger in her arms. She shook her head once, her face a mask of pain as she turned away. What? Couldn’t Celeste heal the man before them? He guessed not, going by the way Esther was comforting Celeste.

“
Damnú air!
” he cursed in his native tongue as he watched Starr sob over her brother.

Chapter 8

As the other teams emerged into the cave Ronan heard his friend’s voice. “Hey, what’s going on?”

Esther was the one to respond. “The Dragon was Starr’s brother, but he’s too far gone for us to help him. He...”

A loud, enraged roar resounded around them. “Nooooooooo!”

Everyone’s attention zeroed in on the sound. Finding a tall man standing on a precipice high above them as several hooded figures appeared on the far left side of the cavern. Chaos ensued as the man way up high screamed at the top of his lungs, using a language they couldn’t interpret but understood all the same...dark magic!

Starr jumped up, disgust, loathing and hatred in her eyes as she moved forwards while the man at the top launched his attack. A large ball of pure energy hurtling towards them, Ronan did the only thing he could, pushing Starr roughly behind him as the spell encompassed them entirely.

Ronan withstood the blast, though not without injury, falling to his knees as pain erupted in every pore of his body. His roar filling the cave and resonating throughout the area. Starr was still on her feet behind him...thank God, he had taken the brunt of the attack and she seemed unhurt.

However, Talon was not as fortunate and his body now lay broken with smoke drifting upwards from his singed hair. It was obvious the Dragon was dead. Ronan tried to regain his feet as Starr fell down, screaming Talon’s name.

Peri and Esther were engaging the other Witches that had appeared, with the Elite guards and the Wolves picking off any whose attention was elsewhere. Ronan watched as Creed ripped the heart from one as Gabe’s great maw beheaded another. Serge and Drake’s great beasts were prowling on the outskirts of the skirmishes, making sure nobody escaped on foot.

*****

Peri watched as the energy ball approached Ronan, her heart nearly stopping as she envisioned it destroying all three in the vicinity. Her mouth dropped open as she saw the energy only having the effect of dropping Ronan to his knees. Starr was completely untouched. As Starr turned to the man on the ground, her scream almost broke Peri’s heart...before she turned to engage the Witches in front of her.

Hell, she was gonna make these bastards pay for what they had done. For the young Witch they had found and who had obviously been mistreated, for the Dragon that now lay dead on the ground, for Starr too. She hadn’t known the Dragon shifter for long but hell if she didn’t like her and seeing her so utterly distraught made Peri mad as hell.

Josef was at her side. “I’ve seen
that
look before, my little Witch, and I pity those misguided souls for the just desserts they are about to encounter.”

Peri’s spells were already forming, her power so vast it was as if her entire being was just a conduit for the magic. Inclining her head slightly towards her Vampire, she turned, placing all her focus on the men in front of her.

“Tell Gabe to keep out of the way, I don’t want to hurt him.” Peri gasped the words out, so full of magic it was difficult to even talk.

Josef’s voice shouted, stern and authoritative. “Gabe, stay the hell out of Peri’s way!”

As her Wolf moved further to the side, Peri let her first spell loose, targeting one of the Witches on the end, who was sneaking towards Ronan and Starr. “Oh
no
you don’t!” she spat out, sending a spiral of dark smoke in his direction.

The black swirls wound their way quickly, snaking along the ground, towards her target. A mere second before the first tendrils grasped hold of a foot, stopping the man mid-step. His eyes darted down, seeing the darkness taking hold as pain obviously lanced through him, working its way up, up, and up until all he saw, felt, endured was pain like none other. His screams were cut off as the smoke wormed its way into his open mouth, entering him and attacking inside as well as out.

His eyes bulged, his body shook until finally the smoke tore him apart, blood and gore exploding all around.

“One down, how many to go?” Peri whispered as she turned her attention on the others.

She saw Esther take out another, as Celeste stood wide eyed with fear and the other Witches’ attention wavered. Looks of disbelief on their faces as Peri picked another target. She spotted a Witch building a spell in his hands, his eyes on the vulnerable Wolves that roamed around the outskirts.

“Hell no!” Peri almost screamed as she attacked with all she could. No smoke this time, shooting a bolt of lightning straight at the man’s chest...a quick and sure method of stopping him attacking the Wolves. His scream was short-lived as the lightning struck and almost cut his body in two as it fell in a bloody heap.

Bedlam now ensued as the Witches realized the intruders were not easy pickings. The Wolves and Elite guards, particularly Creed, having a clear run and taking full advantage. Blood, gore and screams filled the air and Peri turned her attention to the ringleader...Quintas Crane!

He stood high above them, watching with fury on his face. His eyes returning again and again to Starr.
“Fuck! He must know she’s a Dragon!”
Peri thought as the man kept watch on Starr, who was still prone over the body of her brother.

Ronan looked as if he was regaining his strength and slowly making his way towards his mate.
“How the hell did he survive that attack?”
Peri thought, as her eyes moved between Quintas and Ronan.  Shit, it looked like he was going to attack again and Peri ran forward, standing in front of Ronan and Starr. The smell of the charred flesh of the man lying dead almost making her retch.

Even at this distance, with him high above her, she could see his eyes. Eyes that were black as coal and full of one thing...hatred. She centered herself, pulling more power inside as they faced off. His hands moving, as were hers, in one final spell.

Starr’s sobs of anguish ringing in her ears, strengthening her resolve as she let her power go, a moment before Quintas. The two orbs of power careening towards each other at colossal speed. They met almost half way between them, a tremendous clash of power resulting in an explosion of sound and light that burned her retinas as she closed her eyes quickly.

The force of the blast causing a mini cave-in, rocks tumbling from the rock-face above them and falling all around. Peri’s eyes popped open as she was lifted and cradled in arms against a hard, lean body. Josef. Her Vampire using his incredible speed to take her underneath a large outcropping, out of the way of the falling rubble. Her eyes finding Gabe’s Wolf right beside them, his large tongue lolling out the side of its mouth, his head on the side staring up at her.

“Maybe not a great idea to have a power struggle inside a cave, little Witch.” Josef’s reproach had her face burning red and she opened her mouth to argue but his lips closed over hers, halting any words before they were spoken.

As was usual at his touch, her body responded without her consent. She moved further into his embrace, allowing his tongue entrance to her mouth. Peri’s heart sped up and when Josef broke contact she actually moaned at the loss. “Not the time, I don’t think.” He smiled into her glassy eyes and she guessed he was right.

Her head swiveled quickly, taking in their surroundings. “Is everyone okay?”

Josef held her tight. “I think so, some bruises and possibly a broken bone or two. Other than the one we came to rescue, it looks as if we’ll all make it back.”

“That Witch! Quintas. Where’s he?” Peri tried to look up to see if the man was still high above them but from under the outcrop she couldn’t see much.

“He’s gone. Just disappeared,” Josef told her as he placed her gently onto her feet.

“Starr!” Peri gasped and raced over towards her and Ronan.

*****

Ronan watched the skirmishes and Peri battling the man on the outcrop as his strength returned. Moving to Starr and holding her in his arms as she sobbed uncontrollably. At the explosion, he curled himself over her, protecting her from any falling rocks. However, they were very lucky, the space they were in only having smaller pieces of stone fall around them.

Not a one hit them and he marveled at that as he heard cries of pain from several Vamps and some yelps from Drake and Serge. Josef had been smart and taken Peri underneath a huge piece of rock that jutted out from the wall and Gabe was right there with them. After all, where else would he be but beside Josef and Peri?

As the chaos ended, he stood, pulling Starr up with him, holding her tight as her tears finally stopped. Peri came running towards them, a look of sympathy on her face.

The young Witch, who had saved their lives, stopped in front of them. “Starr, I’m so sorry. I wish I could’ve done more.”

Starr wiped her face with her hand, her eyes red as she acknowledged Peri. “I know, it’s not your fault, Peri. It’s that bastard’s fault, whoever he is. I’m gonna find him and I’m gonna make him pay. If it’s the last thing I do for my brother, I’ll make him pay.”

Starr’s voice was low, almost a whisper, full of pain, suffering but also steely determination.

Peri looked around as she spoke, as if trying to find someone. “His name’s Quintas Crane, we found a young woman he was also keeping hostage here and she told us. She’s with Sam, I think.”

Ronan’s eyes roamed until they landed on Sam, his friend’s arm holding a young woman close to his side. He didn’t think he’d seen a more bedraggled woman and she was stick thin, with bruising showing on just about every part of skin he could see. The way Sam held her protectively against his body had Ronan frowning, especially when he caught his friend looking down at the woman with a soft, caring look.
“What the hell?”
he thought as Sam’s eyes finally met his.

“Over here, Sam.” Ronan shouted, wanting to know more about this Quintas Crane.

Sam walked over, still with his arm around the woman. “This is Charmaine. She was held here against her will and I’m sure she’s got a lot of information that will be helpful. However, she’s been mistreated and she needs rest, so can we get moving back to the plane? I want to get her home as soon as we can so the doc can check her out.”

Charmaine gave them a small smile before her face lifted back up to Sam’s. Her eyes watching him intently as he spoke.

Esther joined them, Celeste hanging onto one of her arms. “We need to move, I don’t want to get caught here again. That Witch is powerful and he could bring this whole mountain down on us.”

Starr turned to her brother’s body. “I want to say goodbye and then we need to burn his body. Dragons don’t have burials in the earth, we usually have a pyre and burn our dead.”

Peri moved to Starr’s side. “I can do that for you, once you’ve said your goodbye.”

Ronan watched as his mate knelt down, her hand running through the small amount of hair that was left on the corpse. “I’ll get him, Talon. I swear I’ll get him. I’m so sorry for not finding you sooner but I hope you now find peace with the Goddess. Tell mum and dad ‘hi’ from me, tell them I’m happy, I’ve found my mate, tell them...”

Starr’s voice broke as fresh tears broke free from her eyes. Ronan bent down, picking her up and holding her in his arms. “Sssshhhhh, it’s okay,
a
chuisle mo chroí
, he’s at peace now.”

She pulled back, her eyes filled with pain. “No, it’s not okay. It won’t be okay until I’ve found that fucker and annihilated him. Only then can I rest, Fang, only then.”

Peri started her spell, everyone moving backwards, away from the body. Starr kept her eyes on her brother as Peri’s magic engulfed his body in bright flames. Ronan felt her stiffen before she turned her head away. “I want to go home,” his mate whispered softly.

“I’ll get you home, Puff. I’ll get you home,” he told her softly, his own throat almost closing.