Her Dragon Hero (14 page)

Slade nodded. “Got it. Don’t get killed, don’t let any escape, and bring back some more ass kickers.”

Excitement throbbed through the group, making the air thick with tension and testosterone. Some of them vanished, including the twins, only to return a short time later wearing ancient-looking armour and weapons strapped over their bodies. It was way cooler than going to a renaissance fair where they played at medieval battle.

No, this was the real thing, and a tremor of fear ran through her. Her guts twisted, the realisation sinking in Brim could actually get killed.

Brim sense her fear and hugged her tighter. She wished they were alone, so she could voice her fear. She gazed up into his eyes.

“Don’t get killed, will you?”

A feral smile crossed his lips. “With you to come back to, baby, not a fucking chance.”

“Good, because if you die, then I’m going to come after you and beat you with your own tail if you do.”

Brimstone grunted, not caring if they were in a crowd surrounded by dragons, gods, and warriors. He staked his claim on her lips, kissing her with the hungry passion, she loved so much. “I’ve no doubt you would,” he whispered against her lips. “This is what I do best, baby, so try not to worry; you’ll be safe here with the others.”

“Always left behind when it comes to battles,” Darren sighed as Brim set Amber down onto her feet.

“Single missions are different. Big battles, no.” Slazzamar cocked his head to regard Brim and Amber before focusing on Darren.

“I’ve been training hard,” Darren whined. Slazzamar snagged his mate and planted a kiss on his lips. “I know, love, but you know I can’t risk you. Still human, remember.”

Darren rolled his eyes. “Fine, I’ll stay here and guard the women.”

“You need to tell me your story and catch me up on, well, everything,” Amber added, trying to help lift his spirits. She hated being left behind too, but what use was she against an army of demons?

“I’d be delighted.”

Darren brightened at her words, and then turned to his partner. “Go kick some demon arse. I know you’ll get cranky if you don’t get a good kill quota in.”

“You know me well, love,” Slazz smirked. Another brief kiss, and he slid away from Darren.

“Time, dragons and others.”

Neman raised his voice again. “Follow through my port on the mark of three.”

“Why does it always have to be three?” Jax queried. “Nothing wrong with a good three and three-quarters or four.”

“I’ll tear you into four quarters if you don’t shut the fuck up,” Brim growled at the talkative dragon.

Sky rolled her eyes again, and Dar folded his arms and glared at his brother. The way they goaded and made playful jibes at each other, one wouldn’t think they were about to face an army of eight hundred demons.

“Gee, Brim, I thought getting a mate would mellow you out.” Jax looked up at Brim.

“He’s more deadly now he has one.” Slade nodded, standing next to Jax.

“Save it for the battlefield,” growled Neman.

“Mark!”

Neman disappeared, and then so did everyone else, leaving the sighing women and Darren.

Amber jumped when Terrie put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, a dragon is worth twenty demons. They’ll be fine.”

“Sore, tired and hyped-up when they get back, so food, shower, and sex is in order,” Darren said, still staring at where they vanished from. They all turned to stare at the man. “What? You ladies haven’t been through a major battle before. All Slazz wanted to do after was—”

“We get the picture,” Terrie cut in, shaking her head with a smile.

“And I want to know all about the other things,” Amber said as they moved to sit around the couches. Darren flopped down on the larger sofa, and patted it for Amber to join him with a wide grin.

He leaned in, his hazel eyes gleaming with mischief, as if about to share a major conspiracy.

“Then, let me tell you about Moon Shadow Agency.”

Chapter 11

Brim couldn’t stop thinking about how much he wanted to spend the next few years simply exploring Amber’s lush body, and having his dick buried in her as much as possible. However, he needed to clear his head and focus on the battle about to start.

They had already agreed, it would be best to split into groups, and attack from different angles to confuse the demon forces, and stop them from becoming organized enough to fight back en masse.

“You think she’ll want to live in this realm, or our realm?” Brim asked Slade.

“Buddy, you’ll have to ask her that, not me.”

“I want to keep her safe in my cave and never let her fucking leave, but I think she won’t like that.”

“Your head’s not in the game, is it?”

Brim grunted, not wanting to reply. Damn Slade for being so fucking observant.

“Think of it this way, every single demon down there is a threat to Amber. If they don’t die, she will. They will touch her, no doubt rape her, and make her suffer before killing her.”

“Demons do love to fuck. The more pain they inflict on their victims, the better they like it.” Slazzamar added to the conversation, throwing highly flammable fuel on the already dangerous fire of Brim’s protective rage.

His body shook and he barely held back a roar, not wanting to alert the east side of the encampment, they were currently sneaking up on. Fury thrummed through his veins and neither he, nor his dragon would be satisfied until the sand ran red, blue, and offish-green with demon blood. Nothing threatened what was his, and lived.

Smoke billowed from his nostril and his fingers clenched, his body tense and ready to attack.

“Thatta boy! Do it for Amber. Be her dragon hero.”

When they heard the signal, Brimstone shifted into his dragon, roaring as he charged down the hill, leading the attack.

With the adrenaline pounding in his ears, his vision filled with nothing but enemy, he killed anything crossing his path and went chasing after any, who tried to flee. Bones crunched and flesh tore, no one escaping Brimstone's brand of justice. Covered in blood, they managed to fight their way to the portal. Slade vanished through it while Brim and Slazzamar threw themselves back into the fray to help the others.

* * * *

“Holy fucking shit!”

Darren was the first to react when the door of the dining hall blew apart, startling all of them. Amber saw the sleek gleam of a hand gun from Darren, who whipped it out from under his loose, black t-shirt.

“Get into the kitchen and out now!” Darren yelled, his weapon aimed, firing off several rounds at the large, bulky, wrestler-built men. Amber saw their red-rimmed eyes and knew whatever was behind those eyes was not human.

Darren got off several shots, knocking three down before the other two overwhelmed him, knocking the gun from his hand. Amber gasped, watching as they hit him hard enough to send him flying backwards and slam down hard on the pool table, making Amber wince.

She didn’t hesitate, running over to her fallen and seemingly unconscious friend. His t-shirt rode up in the fight, and she saw the grip of another hand gun in the front of his pants. Her hands trembled and her heart pounded so fast, she feared it would burst out of her chest. She grabbed the gun, yanking it from the waist band and swivelled around to protect him against these things. Scared as she may be, she wouldn’t leave Darren undefended.

Startled shrieks made her glance to where the others had tried to escape. They were backing up into the main dining hall. Terrie gripped a kitchen knife in her trembling hands as they were surrounded from all sides.

Never having held a gun before, she waved it at the approaching creatures. “Back the fuck off!” she yelled, trying to imitate Brimstones growly, threating tone.

She heard Darren’s groan, indicating he was still alive. “Broken ribs, fucking hurt. Slazz’s gonna kill them, and then make me want to die with a lecture.”

“I don’t know how to use a gun,” Amber whispered at Darren.

“Hold your breath, aim for the head, and pull the fucking trigger.” Darren’s voice was weak as he instructed her.

She did exactly what he said, shocked by the power of the weapon, but it didn’t stop her from firing again and again. A scream tore from her lungs when they surged forward, tackling her and ripping the gun from her hands. She kicked and fought, but they were too fucking strong, pinning her easily.

“Tut, tut, you shouldn’t play with dangerous things, little girl.”

She paused her struggles and looked up. A tall, wiry man, dressed in a grey suit, but his white shirt open at the collar, stood in the middle of the room. He looked like he was in his early fifties.

“Marcus Grekko,” Terri hissed, her eyes narrowing on the man. “I heard rumours you were dead.”

Marcus’ thin lips twisted into a bitter smile. “Those rumours would be true, my dear, but death has made me stronger and immensely more powerful.”

Terri shook her head. She was confused by his presence. “Serpent Mountain is gone. If you’re here for revenge—”

Terrie and Leah told Amber all about Serpent Mountain, how greedy mining tycoon Marcus Grekko came after the well of immortality on the property, threating the life of both her and Kaden, but after Terrie, Kaden, Slazzamar and Darren put a kink in the tycoon’s plans, Slazzamar blew the hidden chamber to kingdom come, so no one could go back. Marcus escaped and no one knew what became of him, until now.

“Come now, Miss Holbrook. Revenge is so petty. You have to look at the bigger picture, something I didn’t see until I was reborn.”

“Not many have the power to bring someone back from the dead.” Darren’s voice was breathless as he pushed himself up from the table. “My guess is you’re a walking corpse puppet for something or someone else.”

Anger flashed in Marcus eyes. Darren must have hit the nail on the head with his statement. “I am no one’s puppet. Every paved path to success has some stones you need to get around before you reach your destination.”

Darren groaned. “I don’t know what’s worse—my broken ribs, or his fucking fortune cookie dribble.”

“Kill the elf’s mate.” Grekko’s eyes narrowed on Darren.

Amber tensed. She needed to do something, she couldn’t let them murder Darren. “My dragon’s going to tear you to shreds! He’s worse and meaner than any other. They call him Brimstone the Crusher, killer of demons.” The advancing creatures hesitated only for a second.

Shit, shit, shit! You’re a writer, Amber, make something up
. “We have a strong, telepathic link, and he already knows you’re here and he is coming. You’re all going to die!” God, she willed it to be true, sending out mental screams for help in any direction she could.

Grekko snorted. “Nice bluff, but I fear they are a little too busy to come to your rescue, so we’re taking you to them. You lot take the women to the camp. It’s time to win the battle. And you...” He pointed to one demon. “Finish the faggot, and make sure he screams.”

The creature in human form grinned. “A pleasure.”

Amber screamed, kicked and struggled, but they were teleported out.

* * * *

Breylla smiled in pure glee when several of her
Mutti
demons with human skins appeared on the side of the raging battle with four helpless, human women. Mates.

Marcus’ head bowed briefly. “One strikes at the heart when attacking an enemy.”

“Make them scream. That should grab their attention.”

A couple
Muttis
grabbed two of the women viciously, claws digging painfully into their tender flesh. One of the brunettes screamed; the other only whimpered, pain filling her defiant, blue gaze.

“Scream, human, or I’ll do worse,” the
Mutti
who held her hissed into her ear, but she clamped her mouth shut tighter.

Breylla stood in front of her. “Scream, my dear, or I’ll hurt this one.” She manifested a staff and placed it on the pregnant woman’s stomach.

The woman screamed long and loud, filling Breylla with immense satisfaction. The battle came to a halt when roars of outrage greeted her. The mated dragons rushed forward.

“Stop right there, or they die,” she said, not raising her voice but filling it with enough menace to make them skid to a stop, the promise of her painful death gleaming in their gazes. “All dragons will shift to human form, now.”

When they didn’t, she started to count while raising her staff. “Three, two…”

Each dragon returned to their human form, naked and more vulnerable, exactly as she wanted them.

“You dare take our mates?” one of them growled, taking a step forward.

“You leave them undefended, then why not?” She raised a challenging eyebrow.

“Grekko.” Kaden spotted her pet standing off to one side.

“Breylla, does your father know you’re out playing games with his army?” The once moon god was no threat to her, nor his twin. The two gods came up beside the dragons. “Easy, my friends.”

Now completely surrounded by her remaining demons, there was no way they could fight and win. Even if they did manage to rescue their mates, they were completely outnumbered.