She didn’t know how many days—Weeks? Months? Years?—had passed since she’d been boxed. At first she’d railed at Princess to let her out, at least to give her access to her own brain so she could drift off into a world of her own making. That had all been to no avail. The dragon bitch could really hold a grudge. Or maybe she’d forgotten Amanda even existed within her.
Sometimes she’d get whispers of things happening in the outside world. A word, a sound, a breeze moving through. They seemed to be traveling a lot. The dragon must be carrying her from one place to another. What had she done to her body? Had she acted on her threat? Had she hurt her in some way she wasn’t aware of? Did it even matter, since she’d spend the rest of her life in the brown box?
Tears slipped from her eyes. At first they’d been weakness, now desperation, and she didn’t care anyway.
“Next time you go for a flight, drop me,” she called out to Princess. “And find yourself another human. Or better yet, die.”
Did begging a dragon to kill you constitute being pathetic?
The worst part was that she couldn’t dream. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t bring Dean to her, even in fantasy.
How much time had passed? She bit down on her nail. Did he think about her at all? Or had it been so long she’d become nothing but a distant memory?
* * * * *
“I’m just not sure how much more of this you can take.”
Dean took a swig of his beer and stared at Robert’s drawn face. “I know I say this a lot. But man, you look like shit.”
Robert slammed his fist down on the table. “We almost lost you that time.”
“You didn’t.” Who’d have known his second in command had such a dramatic side to him?
“We are taking too many dragons. Eventually, one of them is going to gain control of you and run away with your consciousness.”
“I doubt it.” Dean stood up. He had the slightest ache between his eyes. Weeks of interrogating the beasts from the inside out had taught him the pain didn’t last more than a few hours. Then he’d need a nap and all would be well.
“You doubt it.” Robert paced around the room. “You’re not the one who has to take the head off the thing, then stand there and wait to see if you keel over. Time and again.”
The dragon alarm sounded and Dean grinned. It had been a very good day. The last lizard had been able to tell him that Princess moved around a lot, usually making her territory somewhere between ten miles away and twenty, directly to the northwest. It made sense. That area had very large mountains with caves. She’d have lots of places to slither away and hide.
Maybe this new dragon could narrow it down even more.
A cannon shot. His people were handling it. If more alarms sounded he’d go out himself. For now, he could wait.
“You’re our leader. You can’t be this obsessed over a girl.”
“I’m not obsessed with her. And you name one thing—one thing—that has gone wrong in New Strauss since I started this.” He shook his head. Robert would never understand. He loved nothing except duty, which was what made him so effective at his job. “I love her. There’s a difference.”
“What do you love about her?” Robert took a swig of his own drink. “I mean, I’d love to know what it is so I can avoid ever meeting anyone like that and putting myself into a position where I have to have my head invaded by monsters to somehow do right by her.”
“Gee. When you put it like that it almost sounds nuts.” “Damn it, Dean. This isn’t a joke,” Robert snapped.
“I never thought it was.” Far, far from it.
Dougal chose that moment to poke his head in. “Boss, you have to get out here. Your boy took out the dragon with one cannon shot. The thing is down and moaning. Or whatever. I don’t know if dragons moan or not.”
“Steven shot the dragon himself?” Dean strode toward the door. “What is that now? Three?”
Robert sighed. “The boy’s a crack shot. So was his father. Or you know, his first father.”
“I knew who you meant.” Dean shook his head. Robert had really stepped into some kind of mood. Whatever had caused it, he’d love him to get it out of his system. Not for one second did he think his sourness really had to do with Dean and the dragons. Something else had gotten under his skin.
He followed Dougal outside. The dragon in question had been covered with a net. It squirmed but didn’t escape its bindings. That had been Lily’s suggestion. The kids were proving incredibly resourceful in this gamble.
“Why not trap it like a fish?” They didn’t have that many lakes around but they could fish the few they had. She’d looked up at him and he’d realized she was correct. If it couldn’t move its wings well enough to get away, it wasn’t going anywhere.
New Strauss had always killed the creatures before, or dissected dead ones. Why keep a live dragon? Until now.
Dean walked over and looked down. Steven strutted up to him. “This one was mine.”
“I heard. One shot. Wow.” He rubbed the boy’s hair. “Hey. I know this one.” He kicked it hard. “He’s the nasty fucker that kidnapped me in the jungle.” “Language in front of the kids, Dean,” Jane corrected him.
“They’ve long ago gotten used to hearing me curse but your point is taken. Steven,
Lily, go learn something in school. Shouldn’t you be there?”
“School’s boring. I want to kill dragons.”
“Well.” He tried to keep his face serious even if he found the little guy downright hysterical. Steven and Lily needed to leave before they saw what he’d be doing next. “You did that. Now go to school.”
Lily reached out her hand to Steven. “Come on.”
He watched as they wandered away from him heading, albeit way too slowly for a normal gait, in the direction of the schoolhouse. As soon as he judged them out of hearing, he turned to Dougal. “Hook it up.”
“You want to harness the fucker that took you?” Dougal grinned. “What are you going to do, boss? Torture it for a bit before you make it spill its secrets and Rob cuts off its head?”
“No.” He stared down at the dragon. “Since I know you can understand me, green boy, I want you to listen very closely. You are going to take me to Princess or I am going to invade your mind. You’ll never live through it because I’ll take off your goddamned head. Get it? But take me, then fly away off into the yonder and I’ll let your head stay where it is.”
The dragon lifted its head and put it head back down in what could only be interpreted as a nod.
“That’s good.”
Robert grabbed his arm. “We can’t let you go alone. I’m not losing you again.”
“Hell, Rob. You think I’m going to risk anyone else on this? This is my danger to take. And what is the matter with you? You’re like a mother hen with a chicken up her ass.”
“I watched and could do nothing as that dragon took you away. We assumed for days that you were dead. Eaten. I had to take over your job.” He grabbed Dean’s shirt. “And I hated it. When it’s time to vote again, you’re going to put someone else up on the ballot with you. Get it? You aren’t dying and making all of this my problem.”
“Shit.” He would have laughed or yelled if Robert hadn’t looked so completely serious. Dean’s second in command really didn’t want to end up in charge of New Strauss again. “Fine. Put a tracker on me. Go as fast as you can. Catch up. Whatever you need to do.”
“Fine.” Robert stomped off.
Dean looked at Dougal. “Has he always been this temperamental?” “Yes.”
* * * * *
Dean held the sword against the dragon’s neck as the wind ripped through his hair. At first he’d had some trouble holding the weapon and keeping himself on the beast, but he’d eventually figured out how to squeeze his legs tighter on the saddle to accomplish the job.
The dragon needed to understand that he’d die before he’d do anything with him other than be taken to Princess. He’d cut the beast’s throat and plummet to his own death first.
It took a turn tightly against one of the mountain ranges and slowed in its flight. Right. They must be getting close. A few seconds later the dragon dove toward the ground, coming eventually to a skidding stop.
It roared, its meaning clear. Dean had been delivered and he needed to get off.
His legs were wobbly but he managed to get off the creature without falling on his face.
“Forty-one is too old for this crap.” The dragon roared again and took off, still wearing its saddle as it vanished into the distance. “I’d love to know how he’s going to explain his new get-up to his friends.”
Dean turned around. A big cave opening stood in front of him. “Well, either the lizard has tricked me into walking into a trap or she’s in there.”
He looked left and right. The dragon could have somehow signaled Princess. However, his years of fighting battles told him that all the creature had wanted was to get rid of him and quickly disappear.
With one more glance to make a mental map of his surroundings, he moved toward the cave. Stepping inside, he blinked rapidly. He’d expected darkness, a feeling of claustrophobia—hell, even the sound of dripping water. Instead what he found was a fully functional habitat converted into, surprise, a lit-up den. Damn the dragons and their abundant use of precious electricity.
Although perhaps he shouldn’t complain. He already knew dragons could be easily defeated when you startled them by putting out the lights.
Seated like a queen, leaning against a pile of pillows, was Princess herself.
She jolted upward when she saw him and pointed with her finger as if she’d just seen a mouse she wanted to squash. “You.”
“You’re always so articulate.” He stormed forward. Now that he’d gotten here and found her alone instead of surrounded by an army of dragons, he had to readjust his battle techniques.
Slash and burn seemed less than ideal.
“How did you find me?”
“Seems as if we may have made a dent in the population of dragons who feel like staying loyal to you.” He stopped directly in front of her, where he could look down directly into her eyes. Nothing of Amanda peered back at him. Princess still wore her face but the woman he’d fallen for was nowhere to be seen.
“I hear you’ve been cutting off their heads. You barbarian.”
“That’s right.” He smiled. “Ready for yours to fly?”
In the dragon’s lair she’d hidden her green body but now it lay resting in the corner, waiting for Princess to transfer her consciousness back to it. As far as Dean was concerned, the fact that she hadn’t bothered to dart away when she saw him or conceal her vulnerable self spoke volumes as to her level of pomposity.
The higher they flew...the harder they’d fall.
“I told you, human. If you take my head, you kill her.”
“Nonsense. You and I both know there’s only a fifty-fifty shot of that happening. About half of your captured people live to exist without their torturers. Not the best odds but better than the dire prediction you keep making.”
She flinched. Had she not thought them capable of figuring that out? Or had she really believed her bluff would save her over and over again?
“Amanda will never survive it. I’ve boxed her. It’s been hell for her for over three months. Should she come back she won’t even have her faculties. You’ll be saving a vegetable that you’ll have to care for every second of the day until she dies. Better to leave her with me.”
His jaw clenched and his blood surged through his veins. Princess had not harmed Amanda’s body but she’d dared to screw with her mind? He wished he could cause the dragon pain, endless amounts, and never give her any relief for the rest of her life.
Instead, he forced himself to breathe. Just because Princess said something did not make it true.
“If that is the case, you’ve just made my decision so much easier.”
“Dean.” Princess grabbed his arm. “You’d never harm her. You love her and she loves you. Thinking of you is what gets her through the day. You’re lying and not even telling a good story. There is no way on this Earth you’d ever let her die.”
“You’re right. I do love her. And because I do, I’m setting her free. One way or the other, she’ll finally be rid of you.”
He raised the blade over his head. Princess screamed. He watched as her consciousness returned to her dragon. But it was too late. They’d gotten good at executing dragons in New Strauss.
Dean sliced through the neck of the dragon princess as if she didn’t have a bone in her body, as if her cartilage didn’t need to be manipulated, as if her muscles weren’t hard to cut. Princess’ head fell to the floor, rolling forward—her dragon eyes were open in a state of terror, forever frozen that way.
With great effort, he forced himself to turn around. His heart lodged itself in his throat. Amanda lay very still on the ground. It doesn’t mean anything. None of the victims were initially awake. If she had a heartbeat, she hadn’t died.
He couldn’t move toward her, couldn’t make his feet work. If he bent over and she had no heartbeat he might...well, he just had no idea what he’d do. None. Whatsoever.
“Amanda.” He could barely form her name. “You don’t get to be dead.” Maybe if he said it enough the universe would—for once!—listen to him.
Dean took baby steps toward her. Finally he kneeled down next to her. She lay so still. Was she breathing? He couldn’t tell by looking.
“Amanda.” He exhaled her name. With shaking hands, he touched her soft skin, searching for a pulse. His hands sought her wrist. She still felt warm but that would be true were she dead as well. It hadn’t been long enough for her body to have cooled. Hours later, the dead could still feel living.
Finally, his thumb came to rest over her pulse. A strong beat leaped against the pad of his finger. A sob he was glad no one else was around to hear exploded from his throat. Amanda lived. She’d wake up. It was just going to take some time.
He wiped his eyes as a thought dawned on him. What if she didn’t forgive him for doing so many things wrong? Dean shook his head. Somehow he’d have to make sure that eventually she did. He would grovel if need be.
“Amanda.” She still didn’t answer him, so he hauled her into her arms until he could carry her steadily.
Dean wanted out of that dragon cave immediately. He crossed the floor to get them both outside. When Amanda woke up it would be to sunshine and fresh air, not caves and the dragon’s remains.
Of course, there was the problem of getting her home. Not that it would be much of an issue—he could carry her for years if she needed him to. Dean would never let her down again. He’d die first.
The sound of motorbikes caught his attention. He jerked his head to the left. Robert had been pissing him off with all his craziness but now he’d never been so happy as he was to see the logos on the approaching New Strauss vehicles.
Jane pulled up first. She jumped off the bike and strode over to him. Her sharp eyes took in the scene. “Dead dragon, I assume.”
He motioned toward the cave with his chin. “In there.”
“Right.” Jane took off in that direction while Robert approached him.
His second in command regarded him for a second before he spoke. “Amanda?” “That’s right.”
“Dead?” Robert stared at Amanda’s unmoving figure.
“No. Just still out.” He could do more than some of Robert’s standard one-word sentences.
“Good. Come on, then.” Robert motioned for the bikes. “I’ll be glad when this is behind us.”
“I don’t have a bike. I rode a dragon here, remember?”
“How could I forget?” A muscle clenched in Robert’s jaw. Dean was really going to have to relieve him of his second-in-command duties. The man might have a nervous breakdown. “Ride behind me. You can hold her.”
“I can’t hold on to you and her at the same time.”
“Hell, Dean. You rode on a dragon without holding on, balancing a sword at the same time. You can’t manage this?”
“No.” Dean shook his head. “In that case it was my sword or my neck I was risking. I won’t have Amanda endure any more pain. I won’t risk dropping her.” “Then what do you suggest?” Robert asked.
“You’re not going to like this.”
His friend rubbed his forehead. “I don’t like any of this.”
“I’m going to drive. She’s going to be attached to me. You’re on the back.”
If Robert could have shot daggers from his eyeballs, Dean would have been dead.
* * * * *
He stared down at her still-sleeping figure. She took sips of water if they roused her but then immediately fell back to sleep. Amanda had never once in three days regained consciousness enough to indicate that she knew she’d been separated from the dragon.
“Why won’t she wake?” Lily looked down at her sister. “Is she going to die?”
Dean smoothed the hair off Amanda’s brow. “She’s recovering. Sometimes these things can take time.” To have come so far just to lose her... That would be unbearable.
“This much time?” Steven hadn’t moved from the chair across the room in hours. He wouldn’t go near Amanda anymore.
“You know, the problem is that we have no idea. All of this is really new. Before just a few months ago, we didn’t know dragons could join with people, let alone how to free the person they’d taken. So we’re figuring it out and in the meantime your sister is safe with us again.”
“And you love her.” Steven didn’t ask it as a question.
Dean opened and closed his mouth. Well, hell. He hadn’t really thought about how he’d explain that part of his relationship with Amanda to them.
A dragon alarm sounded. He squeezed Amanda’s hand. His people would handle it. A few seconds later the second one went off. That was his cue.
“Sorry, guys. I have to go and see what’s up.” He kissed Lily on the head, nodding to Steven. “Stay here. I mean it. Don’t move. Amanda needs you to guard her.”
He turned on his heel. Each day that passed made him wonder if Princess hadn’t been lying. A vegetable that would never recover...