Dragonfae & The Soul Catcher (26 page)

Goddess, help me.

“I had no intention of killing her.” Rutta rolled to his feet. “She had conjured a fireball—I only subdued her.”

“Bunt is correct, you could easily have killed her, and we would have lost a valuable slave.”

“Fuck you, Yulac.” Rutta dragged Thalia to her feet. “I didn’t see you or Rom planning to do anything. You were too busy playing with your cocks.”

“Get her onto your horse.” Bunt tipped his head towards the village. “I’ll have the blacksmith bind her with silver to prevent her magyck.”

“Then do we get to fuck her?” Rutta wrapped the net securely around Thalia and threw her over his horse. “She looks young and untouched. I want first blood.”

“No. Have you no sense at all?” Bunt mounted his horse. “Look at her, she is very young. Perhaps she has not yet seen her first moonflow. A virgin witch will bring a bidding war amongst the dark Magi clans. I will send messengers and hold a special auction at the end of the week.” He grinned. “You will have enough to buy ten virgins.”

The net pressed hard against Thalia’s cheeks and cut into her nose. She could not move a muscle, wrapped so tightly within this shroud. Fear shivered down her spine, and her teeth chattered. Blood rushed to her head and, with every sway of the horse, the acrid taste of bile filled her mouth. The Boar pulled her across his thighs. Gods, she could smell the heavy musky odour of the man. His large hand kneaded her bottom. Revulsion shuddered through her.

“You will die for touching me.”

“You smell so sweet, so fresh.” Rutta squeezed Thalia’s buttock. “I’ll have you, witch, and you’ll still be a virgin.” He laughed. “There’ll be no retaliation, you have no master. My guess is you’re alone in this world. If you were mine, I’d not let you travel alone—nor would any man who owned you.”

Thalia turned her head and pinned him with her gaze. The Boars considered females as property. She would use this information against this pig.

“Aye, I have a master and he’ll tear you apart. If you touch me, he’ll kill you slowly, and I’ll watch and laugh as you die.”

“Then why is he not with you?”

“My master left me here to wait for his return. He has business in Longbrook.” Thalia forced air into her lungs. “He’ll be most angry I’m not where he left me.”

“You do not carry his mark.” Rutta slapped Thalia’s backside. “If you did have a master’s mark on your leg, little witch, we would not have taken you.” He snorted. “The Boars do not steal other men’s slaves.”

Mark? Did these men brand their slaves like cattle? May the goddess, help me.
The horse stopped and Rutta dismounted, sliding heavily to the ground. The Boar’s large hands scooped Thalia from the horse’s back. The moment her feet touched the ground, her legs buckled, and the blacksmith’s shop moved in and out of focus. Lifted under one of Rutta’s thick arms like a roll of carpet, Thalia relaxed. Struggling, she had learnt from experience, only made things worse. A blast of heat hit her face from the blacksmith’s furnace. Beside her, Bunt barked out orders. He took the heavy silver chain from around his neck and thrust it at the blacksmith with the order to melt it down and make shackles.

“I will not place hot metal around that child’s wrists.” The blacksmith raised himself to his full impressive height. “Do you want her to keep her hands? For as sure as I’m a smithy, the metal will burn them clean off her arms!”

“You must fit them so they cannot be removed.”

“Then I’ll make them to carry a lock. When they’re secured they will not slip off her wrists, you have my word.” The blacksmith met Bunt’s gaze. “Or find another butcher to do your work.”

“Very well.” Bunt took a leather purse from his pocket and handed the blacksmith a gold coin. “I need a place to keep her contained. Do you have a secure cellar?”

“Aye, the door is over there.” He pointed to a stout wooden door at the back of the shop. “I’ll allow you to use my cellar, but not if you plan to rape this child.” The smithy’s lip curled. “I know your kind and I’ll not have depraved behaviour under my roof.” He lifted his hammer. “I’ll have this finished by noon.”

“Good, we will wait in the tavern. One more thing—I need a silver rope to secure her hands. She is a witch and will burn down your house if left un-silvered.”

“Use my belt.” Yulac slid the chain belt from around his waist and handed it to Bunt.

If they remove the net, I’ll only require a few seconds to contact the Nightdragon.
Thalia turned to Bunt—perhaps she could reason with him.

“Please, sir, I beg you do not bind me with silver.” She met the Boar’s steady gaze. “I am weak. I haven’t eaten in three days. I’ll not use magyck—you have my word. In truth, I only know the fire spell and I would not burn down this cellar, for it would burn me as well.”

“A fine tale indeed.” Bunt regarded her with interest.

Not wasting a second, Thalia called to the Nightdragon. “
Help me, Nightdragon. The Boars have captured me in Hartly. I’m in the blacksmith’s cellar. They are making silver shackles for me.”

“Lumos is injured, but will recover. We will come before the sun is high.”
The Nightdragon’s voice echoed in her head.

Hot tears of relief spilled down Thalia’s cheeks. Lumos was injured but alive and soon he would find her. She lifted her chin, turning her attention back to Bunt. “You would be wise to treat me well.”

“I am treating you well.” Bunt tipped his head towards Rutta. “I could have easily given you to Rutta but I believe you will fetch a far bigger price untouched.” He gave a snort. “The dark Magi enjoy the fear in a maiden’s eyes, the rigidness of body, the screams of pain.” He touched Thalia’s cheek. “You would have enjoyed the life of a Boar’s slave. We prefer our females complacent and wet for ease of fucking.” He dragged Thalia’s arms behind her back, securing them tightly with the silver belt.

Thalia’s arms throbbed with pain. Bunt spun her around with brutal force. As her back hit the damp, brick wall, air rushed from her lungs. She glared at Bunt. His lust-filled gaze had fallen to her breasts. In this position, her thin tunic stretched across her chest, defining her nipples. Thalia’s lips pulled back over clenched teeth and she snarled.

“I give you fair warning, release me now or suffer the consequences for touching me. I am no man’s slave but my mate is on his way and he’ll slaughter you all.”

“You have spirit.” Bunt reached for the doorknob. “But I’m not foolish enough to believe such a story.” He turned and grinned at the others. “She would have us believe she is mate of a Fae or Shifter.” He turned back to Thalia. “You’re too young. The rules of these people are set in steel. A child of your age would never be permitted to leave their realm, let alone travel without an elder.” He rubbed his chin. “Mayhap you are a Nomag with the gift of a little magyck.”

Thalia concentrated on the love she had for Lumos. Her handsome Fae male had said her eyes held the flames of a Dragonfae mate.

“Look into my eyes, Bunt. I am the mate of a Dragonfae. I’ve called to him and he will come and bring down the anger of the Nightdragon—let me go and save your sorry hides.”

“Good gods, now she threatens us with a myth.” Rutta swaggered towards Thalia. “I hope you fuck as good as you lie, witch.” He grasped Thalia’s breasts.

Thalia shuddered, turning her face away from the Rutta’s putrid breath. His touch was a painful reminder of Erik’s brutality. She twisted away.

“I hope you die a long, slow death, pig.”

“I’ll not make these shackles if you touch that child.” The blacksmith threw down his hammer.

“We’ll not touch her.” Bunt opened the cellar door and pushed Thalia inside. “Move down the steps, witch.” He followed her down into the gloom. “There, the place has a small window so you can watch the spiders catch cockroaches.”

“Damn you.”

“Ah yes, a fine way to make sure I feed you.” Bunt chuckled. “Well, I won’t feed you. Not until you show me respect.” He turned and marched back up the stairs.

Thalia slumped against the damp wall. Relief flooded through her the moment the door had shut behind Bunt. The silver belt cut deep into her flesh. Ignoring the pain, she moved her fingers, seeking a way to remove the binding. Sweat trickled down between her breasts and the metallic scent of blood rose up from her heated body. On the floor, crimson drops fell from each throb of her damaged fingers. She tipped back her head and screamed, “Lumos, help me!”

* * * *

Weak, so weak
. Lumos sat on the damp grass absorbing the sunlight. His aching back rested against a boulder. He had no memory of how Pyro had moved him to this spot. He overlooked a field of poppies, their petals as crimson as the pool of blood surrounding him. After the battle, and his magyck spent, he had clung to Argos’ neck, unable to morph into the Nightdragon. Now the sunlight and beauty before him had restored some of his powers but not enough to free the dragon. Pyro, his face a mask of concern, knelt beside him. With gentle hands, Pyro retied the strip of cloak covering the gash in Lumos’ thigh.

“Thank you. I would be through the veil now if you’d not fought at my side.”

“You must try to call the dragon. Lean on his strength, Lumos, or you will surely die.” Pyro met Lumos’ gaze. “With our magyck so depleted, we are both in danger. In these circumstances the dragon will boost your powers at least enough to heal you. Come now, Lumos—call the Nightdragon.”

Lumos tipped back his head. “Soon—gods, I’m too weak to breathe.” He closed his eyes. The urgent roar of the Nightdragon speared into his mind.

“
You would allow our mate to be raped by Boars? Thalia is in danger, held captive, bound by silver. I will not allow this to happen again. Set—me—free.”

Lumos pushed back at the dragon. His muscles ached. Hot searing pain shot through his leg. Grasping the boulder for purchase, he staggered to his feet.

“I will save our mate.”

“No, you are too weak. Use my magyck to force the change.”
The Nightdragon roared in anger. “
There is no time to waste.”

His flesh rippled, muscles strained. He turned to gaze at Pyro. Through the emerging dragon’s sight the Fae before him shimmered with a glowing red halo.

“My dragon will soon take control. Thalia is in danger.”

“I am the Nightdragon. I will be free.”

The world of pain vanished. Lumos fell into a cocoon of weightlessness, melting into the Nightdragon. He turned his massive head to the deafening roar of the Firedragon, tearing great furrows into the ground beside him. Lumos the Fae would heal inside the dragon. He had no choice but to let the beast take control. In two steps, the Nightdragon took to the air, the wind filling his wings like the sails of a battleship. Beside him, the Firedragon hovered in an updraft, the great beast’s eyes glowing red with anger, his maw open, lips pulled back over lethally sharp fangs.

The Nightdragon roared and speared forwards. After a few minutes, he slowed to make a banked turn towards the west. Lumos could see the small village of Hartly in the distance.

“Tell Thalia we are on our way.”

“I have lost mindspeak with her.”
The dragon soared higher. “
Silver blocks our communication. There was only a moment before you fell unconscious when she called to me. I fear for her safety. Some hours have passed.”

The dragon would kill everyone in the village. Lumos had little choice but to try to convince the dragon to conceal his true self.

“You must let me handle this problem. You must not be seen here, dragon.”

“Your life teeters on the edge of the veil, Lumos. Take what you need from me to recover. Until you are sound, I will be free.”

Lumos gave a mental shrug. The Dragonfae had shielded the people of Trill from the existence of dragons. He cared less. The Nightdragon’s rage, the desire to kill those men who would dare to touch Thalia matched his own. He would relish witnessing the dragon tear the pigs to pieces. Fear for his little butterfly consumed him. Nothing he could do would stop the dragon’s rage if she had suffered at the hands of the Boars. Oh yes, this day would go down in Trill history.

“If they have bound her in silver, we will track her by scent. Take us to the last place the Boars held her.”

“The blacksmith’s cellar will be reduced to kindling and I’ll use his bones as toothpicks if he has harmed my mate.”
The Nightdragon spewed fire, singeing the tops of the trees. “
The Boars are already dead—I will show no mercy.”

Far below, Lumos gazed at the huge shadow cast by his dragon. As they flew over the countryside, he recognised for the first time the terror radiating from the herds of cattle scattering in all directions from the threat of death. The Nightdragon hunted, killed to survive—this he understood, but had never witnessed. In these times, the dragon blocked out all senses, lulling Lumos into a deep sleep. How strange to experience this sensation, to be there within his dragon, conscious, alive and yet not in control. To understand the dragon’s fear, anger and remorse for leaving Thalia alone, blending so completely with his own. As the dragon speared downwards to the village, Lumos drew magyck from his beast. The Nightdragon had absorbed an abundance of power from the sun and the glory of nature. Inside his cocoon, Lumos hummed with magyck.

“I am well and ready to face the Boars.”

“Not yet. I am going to place the fear of the gods into these people. Never more will they touch a Dragonfae’s mate.”
The Nightdragon landed with the force of an earthquake on the outskirts of the village and folded his wings. With each earth-shattering step, he made his way down the main street. His massive head swung from left to right to peer at the trembling windowpanes then witness the glass shattering. He snarled in anger at the heels of the villagers’ hasty exodus.
“I do believe we have their attention.”

The ground trembled and the roar of dragons rumbled across the earth. Thalia had watched the great beasts circle the village. Thank the goddess, the Nightdragon would find her. The Boars had travelled north for about an hour. Surely, it would only be a matter of minutes before the dragons spotted the Boars on the road. Rutta’s horse screamed and danced sideways. Thalia gripped the beast’s mane and held on until her fingers ached.