Dragon Fever: A Dark Kings Novella (15 page)

And only pissed him off even more.

In two strides, he wrenched out the spinal columns of two Dark. As they fell dead at his feet, magic slammed into his right calf. He ignored it and moved toward the remaining five. They were clustered together, alternating throwing the bubbles of magic at him.

He gritted his teeth and ran toward them. The pain of the magic dimmed as he imagined what Ulrik was doing to Rachel. His gaze locked on a Dark and he effortlessly killed him. His gaze shifted to the left and he ended that Fae’s life as well.

With each Dark that fell, he kept count. Until he had the last one pinned against the wall with his hand inside the Fae’s chest, wrapped around his heart.

“If you doona want me ripping this out of your chest right this second, you’ll return me to Paris and the warehouse where Ulrik is.”

The Dark nodded woodenly. “Ta…take your hand off my heart.”

Asher gave the muscle a hard squeeze, causing the Dark to wince. “That isna an option. On the count of three, you either take me or I pull me hand out. I’ll still be holding your heart, though.”

“If you kill me no one will take you back to Paris,” the Dark said with a smile.

“If you doona, you’ll be dead.”

The cocky smile slipped from the Fae’s face. “Taraeth will kill me.”

“I doona give a shite what your king will do. I’m the one with the hand on your heart. One.”

The Dark looked around frantically. “Wait. Please.”

“Do you wait when a mortal asks you? Two.”

“I…I,” he stuttered with his hands flat against the wall and sweat rolling down his face. “I don’t want to die.”

“You know what to do. Thr-”

In the next instant, Asher was back at the warehouse. He heard the distinctive growl of a dragon and jerked his head to the side to see Ulrik looking down at Rachel.

Asher released the Dark, who immediately teleported away. Then he faced Ulrik. “You touch her, and I’ll kill you.”

Ulrik’s head snapped up, a sound of outrage reverberating in his chest. Rachel shouted his name and hurried toward him. She tripped but managed to remain upright.

He didn’t take his gaze from Ulrik. Quickly, Asher opened up the mental link and shouted, “
Ulrik can shift
!” to all the dragons.

Asher expected a response, but there was nothing. Until he heard laughter in his mind. Laughter he recognized.

“
You should’ve stayed away,
” Ulrik said through the link.

“Asher,” Rachel whispered.

He glanced at her. “Run. Hard and fast. Go straight to the airport and get to Dreagan. They’re expecting you.”

“I’m not leaving you.”

He wanted to kiss her one last time, but if he didn’t get her out now, she might not make it out at all. “You must.”

“
Afraid, Ash?”
Ulrik goaded.

He was more afraid than he’d ever been. He wasn’t scared of fighting Ulrik or even of dying. What terrified him was that Rachel wouldn’t get away, that her life would end because of her connection to him.

Ulrik’s eyes moved between him and Rachel. When Ulrik took a step toward them, Asher turned and placed a hard, quick kiss on her lips.

“Run,” he whispered and gave her a push.

She took a few stumbling steps back before she turned and bolted. He then faced the dragon. If Ulrik wanted a fight, he was going to get one.

With merely a thought, Asher shifted. It went against everything Con demanded of the Kings, but he would deal with Con later. Right now he was more concerned with keeping Rachel alive long enough to get within the safety of Dreagan.

“
Feels good, does it no’?
” Ulrik asked.

Asher glared at him. “
You might’ve stopped my message getting to the Kings, but Rachel will tell them.
”

“
Maybe. If she makes it. It’s such a verra long way to Dreagan. And no one will be waiting for her at the airport in Scotland.
”

With Ulrik somehow preventing Asher from talking to the other Kings, there was no way to alert anyone to what was going on. If Ulrik managed to kill him, there would be no one stopping him from ending Rachel’s life as well.

And then none of the Kings would know that Ulrik was at full strength.

How long had all his magic been returned? Asher suspected from the very beginning. Ulrik had played them.

Again.

“
You can shut up. I’m sick of hearing you talk.
”

Ulrik barked in laughter. “
Tired of hearing how I’m going to destroy your world?
”

“
I’m tired of hearing how everyone should feel sorry for you. Shit happened. Get over it.
”

“
Ah, but then you can say that since it didna happen to you.
”

“
Would you feel better if I shed a tear?
”

Ulrik released a roar loud enough to shatter what was left of the windows.

* * * *

Rachel was shaking so badly her legs wouldn’t work right. She slipped and slid her way to the door. When she didn’t hear Asher talking anymore, she glanced over her shoulder. And came to a jarring halt.

She’d wanted to know what he looked like in dragon form. Had wondered at the exact color of his scales. Now that she had an up-close-and-personal view, she was awed at the giants before her.

How naïve for her to think humans had a right to know of the Kings. Seeing the sheer size of them, the Dragon Kings could’ve ruled this world from the very beginning. They chose to hide instead.

She could only imagine what people would attempt to do to the Kings if the truth was known. They would be hunted until there was no choice but another war. No wonder the Kings went to such length to keep their secret.

Enthralled, she took a step toward Asher. She gaped at the thick, elongated body, and admired the hunter green scales that shaded nearly to black on his underbelly.  Her gaze traveled down his body as she took in the thick, leathery wings folded against his body, to his long tail that curled toward him.

She took cautious, slow steps to the side to get a better look at him. With his words to “run” still echoing in her head, something warned her to stay. Even though it was dangerous to be so near two fighting dragons, setting off on her own where more Dark Fae––or humans––working for Ulrik could be waiting for her was pure folly.

Rachel bumped into a wall and put her back to it. She moved quietly along the way wishing she knew what they were saying. Just by seeing the way they tossed their heads, growled, or even smiled, there was a conversation going on.

Suddenly, Ulrik lifted his head and roared. She covered her ears against the sound. Glass shattered, raining down upon her so she had to curl in a ball, using her arms to cover her head.

When it finally stopped, she lifted her head just in time to see Ulrik jump from the shadows and slam into Asher. The two crashed to the ground, causing it to shake from the force, before they slid across the expanse of the warehouse crushing everything they came in contact with.

Not even the iron holding up the building was immune to the sheer might and power of the dragons. Several pillars dented, creaking and groaning, each time one of the dragons crashed into one. To her shock, one, then two pillars broke in half.

She looked up, wondering if the warehouse would be able to withstand the battle. For now, that was the only thing hiding Asher and Ulrik, but if it came down, everything the Dragon Kings had done to hide would be for naught.

When she glanced back at the dragons, she realized their battle had brought them closer to her. Asher stretched out one of his wings and turned, slamming it against the side of Ulrik’s head.

Ulrik let out a grunt as he fell, sliding right toward her.

She screeched, but the sound was drowned out by Ulrik’s talons scrapping against the concrete as he scrambled to his feet. Then he charged Asher.

She looked from side to side, wondering where the safest place was. And there wasn’t one. She remained huddled against the wall, raising her arm to block her head and face any time she spotted an object coming her way.

The more she watched, the more she was amazed the Dragon Kings had been able to keep their secret from getting out. How did anyone miss such a huge beast in the night sky?

She winced when Ulrik got in a few goods hits on Asher. With each one, her worry grew as she recalled that the only way a Dragon King could be killed was by another King. The thought of losing Asher after just finding him sent a wave of anguish through her so fierce she felt it go right into her soul.

He was fighting for her, to protect her. And he might die because of her. How was she ever going to live with that? There was no way she could.

She had no idea how much time passed before Asher and Ulrik broke apart, circling each other. Her legs were cramping from squatting for such a long period. She bit her lip from the pain as she stood.

Her feet were numb, the feeling rushing back to them like a thousand pinpricks. She gasped when Ulrik’s tail came within inches of hitting her as he passed. One swipe of that tail and she would be history. She looked toward the door. Whatever opening had been there was long gone. Even if she wanted to leave, she couldn’t.

Asher released a low, rumbling growl and they were once more locked in battle. Ulrik bit down on Asher’s neck sending blood running down his dark green scales.

He and Ulrik battled to get the upper hand. Asher was just about to win when Ulrik slashed his talons along the bite wound. He lost his grip, and Ulrik pushed him away.

She didn’t move as Asher fell, sliding right to her. His head was ten feet from her. For a second he didn’t move. Then he opened his eyes. She found herself staring into almond-shaped alabaster eyes.

She knew the instant it registered that she was there. He blinked and rose, putting himself between her and Ulrik. Because if he had seen her, then it was only a matter of time before Ulrik did.

Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. Each second felt like an eternity. Every hit, every bite, every wound Ulrik inflicted on Asher, she felt.

And every time he hurt Ulrik, she silently cheered.

She began to relax when it appeared that Asher was winning. Ulrik missed more than he landed any hits. While Asher had made sure to keep himself between them, he drew closer to Ulrik to win the battle.

Though Asher wasn’t near, she wasn’t worried. He would defeat Ulrik and end this awful day on a high note. But all that changed when Ulrik pinned him down in a blink. When Ulrik’s obsidian eyes locked on her, she realized it had all been a trick to get Asher away from her.

Ulrik drew in a deep breath, his chest expanding. She knew this was the end. Her vision clouded as tears filled her eyes before falling down her cheeks. She looked to Asher.

Right before Ulrik breathed fire, Asher punched him under the chin, knocking his head back and sending the fire straight up. Asher then got free and rushed to her. She squeezed her eyes closed as she waited for his large dragon body to slam into her. Instead, she felt a gust of wind. She opened her eyes in time to see him surround her body with his wings.

A half a second before fire rained down on them. Not even Asher’s scales or wings could halt the heat that scorched her, billowing her hair and causing her to break out into an instant sweat.

It became difficult to breathe.

And then she stopped trying.

Chapter Eighteen

Asher waited for Ulrik to strike again. He couldn’t move for fear Ulrik would breathe dragon fire again and it reach Rachel. Seconds ticked by with no sound. He lifted his head and looked around, his dragon eyes penetrating shadows. But there was no sign of Ulrik.

He pulled his wings around and tucked them against him as he lowered his gaze to Rachel and spotted her lying limply within his hands. His heart caught, anguish ripping through him when he spotted the heat burns.

Shifting back to human form, he held her tightly against him with one arm while he felt her pulse with the other. She breathed––barely. Her hair was plastered to her head as beads of sweat ran down her face. Her clothes were soaked as well. She couldn’t remain in those clothes for long with the frigid temperatures.

“Rae, open your eyes,” he urged as he caressed his fingers along her cheek. “Look at me,
a ghràidh
.”

He’d protected her from the fire. He knew it hadn’t reached her. But he hadn’t been able to stop the heat. Dragon fire was the hottest thing on the realm. Nothing could withstand it but a dragon.

Was it Fate that sent him to Paris and in Rachel’s path? It must be because his power was healing burns from dragon fire. He pushed his magic down his arm and through his hand into her. A shaking sigh left him when he saw her burns begin to heal.

The sound of metal moving on his left had him jerking up his head. He was prepared to shift back into a dragon to protect his woman and continue fighting Ulrik. But as the sunlight pierced the darkness, he was surprised to see Blossom Engel daintily step over debris and enter the warehouse.

She folded her hands before her and didn’t so much as bat an eye. “Sir, I believe we should leave. The sounds of the battle were heard and the authorities called. We also need to get Ms. Marek out of those clothes––and you into some.”

Without a doubt, she knew what he was. He wasn’t sure how to feel about it. At the moment, he was thankful. The rest, well, he’d deal with that later.

Still, he hesitated. Ulrik could be anywhere. Then his gaze narrowed on Ms. Engel. Con would never have told her their secret, nor would he have allowed her to see anything. That meant someone had told her. And that someone must be Ulrik.

She took another step toward Asher. “I know what you’re thinking, but I’d never betray you, Con, or anyone at Dreagan.”

“How can I believe you?”

“You have to trust me.”

He looked down at Rachel. She needed to be tended to, and he couldn’t exactly walk around Paris naked carrying her back to the hotel. Gathering Rachel in his arms, he got to his feet and made his way to Ms. Engel until he stood even with her. Then he said, “If I find out you’ve betrayed us in any way, I’ll kill you myself.”