Chapter Ten

 

 

 

She breathed easier when he vanished from sight. Dracen called forth her weapons and waited, mentally preparing herself for what she was about to do. There had always been the possibility it would come to this, and she hadn’t minded—Guardians made sacrifices. She held weapons in both hands and she prayed he would get far enough away before the earth opened and Hell poured free.

Her blood burned as it pumped through her veins, and she knew what was inbound. It had done the same thing when she’d fought beside Tiarnán as they’d rescued Roz. This was more than just demons, this was a portal down to Hell and the beings that worked for Them.

The pungent odor of sulfur burned her nostrils as black steam shot up in the sky. They came in waves.

Forcing all thoughts of Luc from her mind, she ran to meet the first intruders head-on. Tall, ugly, muscular.

She sliced and diced through the first wave, leaving behind body parts. Demons flew up, screeching before swooping in to attack. She moved in a blur, doing her best to avoid being hit. It wasn’t foolproof, but she could handle smaller hits from them—her sign could assist with healing.

Once the smaller ones had erupted up from the depths, the larger beings slithered, crawled and flew up from the hole that now was engulfed in flames. Swords were exchanged for shuriken and she tossed them until she had no more to release. Then went her knives and she used up all of those but one. When she had nothing but her swords left, she jumped back in for close-quarters fighting and battled.

One of the larger creatures streamed toward her with his serpentine body. The hole in the earth wasn’t huge, so they were slowed a bit in leaving. And that gave her more of a chance to stop them.

The snow had turned red with blood. She watched the forked-tongued being slither closer, its heavy weight moving easily through the dead bodies. All the humans had been killed by the beings leaving their warm underground home.

Tanto in her right hand and katana in her left, she sized the creature up in seconds then struck. Utilizing its surprise of her forward offensive to her advantage, she blocked his fanged attack with her knife while she drove her katana deep—up through its jaw and into its brain. She leaped back, yanking the sword out, avoiding the large body crashing down.

Another and another took its place. She lost her final throwing knife in the eye of some behemoth and was down to swords only. Engaging two four-armed beings, she whimpered when the first cut struck from the back.

She stumbled then countered, thrusting behind her. They were faster than she gave them credit for. Dracen sank to her knees as a cut to her lower leg took it out from under her. One demonic creature swung a mace-like weapon into her chest. Her counter too slow to totally deflect it, she gasped at all the spikes embedding into her.

Poison on tips surged to life in her. Valiantly, her sign did its best to combat it and heal her. Even for her power, though, this was too much. It had grown weary as well. Her muscles refused to cooperate and she fell forward.

The lone creature before her took it as a sign of surrender. His mistake. Curving her hand around the spiked chain, ignoring the pain as the jagged metal pushed past her skin, she yanked it from her chest and sent the mace to his face using the fading reserves of her energy.

Then she fell to her side, completely drained. Blood streamed from her chest and spots flicked before her eyes. Dracen struggled with the simple act of breathing. Really? This is how I die? I thought it would be in a more spectacular fashion.

Through the wall of flames before her, she spied five more creatures moving in for the kill. They meant to finish her off and she was unable to do anything to stop them. She’d given all she had to fight the behemoths pouring from the hole, to give Luc and the artifact more time to get away.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

The demon in the middle crumpled while the others hissed, increasing their speed.

“Don’t you fucking give up now, Dray.”

Luc’s raspy voice accompanied the touch on her shoulder. What’s he doing here? I sent him away. To be safe. She attempted to move. She was a Guardian, it was her job to protect. Protect him. Her limbs refused.

“Get out of here.” She forced the words past her lips.

“Not a chance. I should have known what you were going to do.” Raw fury lined his words.

“They’ll kill you.” Anger churned in her gut at the thought of Luc’s life ending because she wasn’t strong enough to save him.

“Not dead yet, babe. I need weapons. Come on, babe, give me something. Swords, knives, anything. No way we’re rolling over to take it up the ass from these fuckers.”

She groaned, flitting between light and dark. His lips caressed her ear.

“No giving up yet. I still have plans for you. Things for us to do together. Things for me to do to you. So buck up, Guardian, and get me a goddamnmotherfucking weapon.”

His grip was sure as he removed the katanas from her hands. He stepped over her, positioning himself between her and those approaching. Her last line of defense. His stance—protective yet ready. She understood now, if they were dying, they would go together.

He’d survived thus far because she’d taken the brunt of it by telling him to leave and had gone out alone. A new warmth surrounded her. It came with a pressure on her side. Funny, it feels like talons sinking into me.

Her sign could do no more for her. It was keeping her barely alive now. They were both depleted of everything.

Call for your brethren!

She ignored her mind’s cry, unwilling to risk them, plus they would be too late. Her walls had been so shored for so long, to keep them up was second nature, even dying and despite her pain.

Instead she focused on the odd experience of sharp talons moving along her flesh. Part of her wanted to turn and lay eyes on whatever it was, yet, Dracen couldn’t tear her gaze from Luc, who battled the remaining demons and other creatures that had streamed from the hole. Not only for her life but his own.

He battles well, this man of yours.

Of course, she retorted to the voice in her mind. He is a warrior.

He’s determined.

He’s stubborn. Refused to leave and save himself.

Would you prefer to die alone?

If I must. No reason for him to die. I wanted to protect him. That’s my job. That wasn’t it, though, she loved him. Dracen had fallen in love. Before her, Luc beheaded a demon with both blades in an x-scissor motion.

From behind him, another demon rose from the frozen landscape. Dracen did her best to get to her feet. Her blood loss was too great. She couldn’t even draw enough breath to scream a warning. As she watched the demon prepare to attack, it disintegrated into a pile of ash.

Odd.

Her eyes rolled back. No hollow voice spoke to her in her head, but she did get to see the waxing moon once more. Looks like it’s made of fire. I can’t trust anything, though, for I swear there’s a dragon over me.

 

* * * *

 

The hushed voices woke her. Lifting her eyelids was akin to prying open a paint can with nothing more than a toothpick. The room’s dim light made it slightly less painful inside her skull once she accomplished her task.

“I’m not sure if I should kiss you or spank you, Dray.”

Luc’s voice, low and close, brushed along her ear.

“Spanking could be fun.” Her body wasn’t cooperating with her direction to move. “Who’s here?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

Was there a subject? “Okay, what’s the subject?”

“The fact you left to face this alone. What the fuck were you thinking? Hell, were you even thinking?”

His voice grew hard yet his touch remained gentle upon her injured and healing body.

“I love you, Dray. Do not ever do anything like that again. We’re in this together. All the way. Two parts of the singular whole.”

Why am I healed so much? This is as if Cale were here. “My swords?” The noise out in the other room worried her.

“Tell me you love me.”

He angled her head so they were staring into each other’s eyes. His dark forest green ones now had definite gray streaks running through them. Most definitely like a tiger’s camouflage stripes.

“I love you,” she said easily. “Are you okay?”

He narrowed his eyes. “No, you almost died. Hell, you did die. Even Cale isn’t sure how he managed to bring you back.”

“Cale? Cale’s here?”

“We’re all here.” Cale spoke from the doorway.

She sliced her gaze to the figures piling into the room. Roz and Aminta ran to her, tears in their eyes.

They both talked at once, each kissing her cheek. Luc never moved, his warm body lay pressed against her, giving her his strength and support.

“Give her some room,” he ordered, splaying his hand over her belly. The move asserted his claim over her.

She was his now. That was obvious, and he was making sure the others understood it.

Her shields were still up, keeping her brethren out of her thoughts. She met each gaze with unflinching steadfastness. They might be pissed at her, but she would do it all again.

To her left, Tiarnán stood, his hazel eyes focused on her. She couldn’t read the emotions in them aside from the anger glinting there. That wasn’t a surprise. At his side was a woman she’d never met but figured she was his mate. A slight glow came from the flame pinpricks dancing along the woman’s strands of dark hair.

Luc brought her attention back to him with a graze of fingertips along her chin.

“I was going to leave you to face them alone, but I don’t want to.”

Her gratitude for his behavior could be expressed later. She captured his hand, allowing him to lace their fingers. She glanced over the group once more, finishing with Tiarnán and said, “This is Luc.”

 

Luc tightened his grip on her fingers briefly, showing without words his support. “Nice to meet you,” he said.

“We need to talk to her,” the tall man with hazel eyes said.

“So talk,” Luc replied. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“What the fuck, Dracen?” he bit off. “What were you thinking? And why the hell did I get word from Altair about you?” The anger in the man was so apparent he pretty much vibrated with it.

Dracen rubbed her chest lightly, wincing slightly. “I asked him to keep my leaving a secret, so don’t you dare try to take it out on him. I’m not twelve anymore and don’t need your permission to leave the vineyard, Tiarnán. I had to go.”

“Perhaps we could do introductions before we start fighting,” one of the women said as she twirled one of her curls around a finger. “I’ll start. I’m Roz. This is Aminta. That there is Cale, his mate Taylor. Then is Calida and Tiarnán. Billy is there with Mal at his side. Dex is behind Aminta, and this one beside me is Altair. It’s nice to meet you, Luc. So glad to meet the final Guardian’s mate.” She approached and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for saving her.”

“You don’t think stumbling onto an entrance was worth her calling us in?” Tiarnán snapped.

“We’ve all done things which, with hindsight, could have been handled better,” Roz ground out, glaring at him.

“Excuse me,” Calida said, her voice soft. “I am going to get something to drink.” She slipped out and Luc noticed the way Tiarnán tracked her with his gaze.

“You almost died, Dracen,” the Asian said, nearing the bed. “Tiarnán is just as concerned as the rest of us.”

“How’s Lian?” she asked, her fingers tightening around his.

Mal shook her head and stepped forward. “He’s fading. You need to get back and see him. I don’t know what else to do for him.”

“We have the artifact so it needs to be taken to be united with the others.” Dracen’s tone was still weak.

“You do? Where is it?” Cale asked this question.

“Luc?” Dracen glanced at him.

He gestured to the black bag in the chair. “Back zipper.”

Aminta went to it and withdrew the red jade masher. He recalled the amount of heat that had slammed him the first time they’d both touched it. Dracen brushed her thumb along his skin, telling him she was thinking about it as well.

“Where’d you find it?”

He focused on the woman in bed with him, grateful she lived. He wanted to put all of them out of the room and spend some one-on-one time alone with her. He realized it wasn’t going to happen because they were going to be leaving. She finished up the story and Aminta left with Dex to go fuel the chopper.

“Luc.”

He snapped his eyes over to the woman with the Scottish accent. “Yes?”

“I need to look over your injuries once more. If we can move to the living room while I do that?”

“I’ll be right back,” he whispered before kissing Dracen. Then he followed the doctor out into the main room of the cabin.

Calida stood by the sink and stared out of the window. He noted the red hinting along her hair and gave her a small smile when she looked at him.

“Everything okay?” he asked her.

“Fine. How did the two of you meet?”

“I was deposited in a spot where she would find me.”

She arched an eyebrow at his wording. Luc shrugged it off—it’s what had happened. He took off his shirt at Mal’s insistence and sat on the chair while she looked over his healing injuries.

“Deposited?” Calida approached.

“Yes. Just kind of ended up there, out of it, and confused when Dracen found me.”

“And how long ago did you find your artifact?”

“About three hours before I called Altair.”

“So you didn’t know you were mates before then? I thought you’d been together for a few weeks now.”

“I knew, she was a bit more skeptical.”

Mal chuckled. “Of course you did. You strike me as the type who knows exactly what he wants. Arms up, please.”

He complied. “We grew close as we headed up to this place.”

“How did you survive out in the cold with her?” Calida sipped some more of her drink.

“I was in the Special Forces, been a lot of different places and learned how to adapt. We had a tent and food. We were fine.”

Mal grunted. “You’re healing well. I saw you had taken to carrying weapons around as well, not just guns.”

“Yes.”

“We’re done. I want to check the stitches once more in a few days but otherwise, you’re fine. Healing remarkably well.” She sliced her gaze to Calida. “Like someone else had before.” She snapped off her gloves while he put on his shirt. “So, what is your thing?”

He lifted his eyebrows. “My thing?”

Calida snickered and Mal glanced between them. “I mucked that up, didn’t I? You know what I mean, Calida. You have the pinpricks of flame, I have the ribbons of light. His thing.”

“She means what is displayed when both of you touch the artifact.”

He nodded. “I see. I was concerned we’d just met and you were asking me about my thing.”

She smacked his arm and hid her face.

“Silver mist.”

“Cool.” The women shared a look. “Can you imagine what they will all look when together.”

Mal’s statement got a nod from Calida.

“What’s everyone else’s thing?”

Mal muttered and said something he assumed to be less than polite in a language he couldn’t understand.

“Like she said, mine is the pinpricks of flame and hers is ribbons of light, like the northern lights. Cale’s is rainbow sparks, Roz and Altair have bolts of lightning, and Roz has diamond dust. But if all the parts are supposed to join and create the key for unlocking the hope of the world, I wonder what it’s going to look like.”

“What’s what going to look like?”

Luc turned to see the others, aside from Roz, come into the room.

Calida smirked. “Oh, we’re just talking about his thing.”

All the men gazed at him, eyebrows up. Meeting Calida’s stare, he saw the humor lingering there and shrugged his shoulders before standing. “What can I say, women want to know. My thing is just that impressive.”

“Keep it to yourself,” Tiarnán growled, positioning himself by Calida.

Luc didn’t answer, just opted to walk back into the room where he paused. Mist surrounded both women and he wasn’t sure exactly what was going on, so he waited.

Moments later, it faded and Roz looked at him, tears in her eyes. “I’ll give you two a moment alone.”