A shadow blurred from her peripheral vision. She had about enough time to scream out once, before a hand and cloth clamped over her mouth, and she was dragged, writhing and squirming, into a gap between houses. A strong, acidic stench hit her nostrils from the damp cloth. No! She tried screaming again, but it was muffled, and the air she sucked in empowered the substance, the toxin entering her body. It took a couple of moments of weak struggling before she fell completely still.
Chapter Ten – Kieran
The flight distance left him trembling, but he’d managed to clear a fourteen-hour journey in just eleven hours, by extensively cutting down on his rest time. Excited to tell the news to Tegan, and nervous about leaving her without his protection for too long, and the fact that his brother might take advantage of his absence, he beat it back to Whitefall Creek in record time. He flew low, landing in Tegan’s street, startling a passerby, and melted into his human form.
His body ached, but it still had some energy left. Not bad. Getting better at the flights. Though he didn’t plan to use his dragon form nearly this much again.
One wrist movement away from knocking on the door, he saw a white patch of paper stuck in it with a pin. Curious, confused, he plucked at it, reading the untidy scrawl.
I have her. Meet me by the lake where you wasted too much cash on a person who doesn’t deserve it. Signed with Broxar’s name.
Kieran crumpled up the paper, shivering in fear and rage. A quick buzz to his phone made him pick up.
“Ah, you answered. I’m sorry,” rasped Macey. She let out a soft groan. “Just woke up. I think your brother has her.”
“Just woke up?”
“I was knocked out. I’m in the hospital now, possible concussion… broken arm. Took me by damn surprise. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he said, though it wasn’t. It was far from okay. “I know you did your best.”
Macey let out a bitter laugh. “You’re back in town?”
“Yes. I’m looking for her now. Have you spoken to Locke?”
“Yes. He knows. He’s informing the police. You can go to them.”
Kieran thanked Macey, hung up the call, and decided in that moment he wouldn’t be going to the police. Not while Tegan’s life remained in severe danger.
Though his body ached, he concentrated, and transformed into his ashen gray dragon form, startling yet another passerby, who let out a yelp and fell on their ass on the sidewalk.
“D’you mind?” he squawked, but Kieran ignored him. He took a loping, running gait, and with a roar, hurtled himself towards the lake, wings clawing the air as fast as possible. He needed to get there faster. Faster than the damn speed of light. His mind flooded with fear and rage, and an almost violent urge to do his brother harm. He searched frantically, trying not to picture all the horrible things that might be happening to Tegan now. Once his brother found out she was pregnant…
He spotted a flickering campfire near the lake, worried for a second that the cabin was on fire, but saw the horse-sized form of a dragon sprawled nonchalantly on the ground, with a figure lying next to him.
Nice of you to drop in, brother, Broxar snickered, raising his wings, head turned in Kieran’s direction. Ready for the flames. Kieran fought the impulse to smash into his brother like a stone, just in case it harmed the woman next to him, and he touched down lightly nearby. You better not have harmed her. You will pay a million times over.
Oh… I wouldn’t harm someone who doesn’t deserve it. Of course not. If you return to our family, then everything will be forgotten, of course. Broxar lifted his gray snout in a rather proud way, baring his teeth in a sinister grin. I’m one claw, one breath away from ending everything.
I’ve been to see our father, Kieran replied, his body shaking with adrenaline. One false move, one statement that triggered Broxar’s deep instinct for spite, and Tegan would be no more. I went to see him to figure out how to reach a compromise. He glanced at Tegan, who seemed to be knocked out. Drugged? Injured? He didn’t see any bruises, didn’t smell any blood.
Broxar gave a hiss of disdain and disbelief. You’ve been to see our father? Then why are you back here?
To tell you that we have reached an accord. A deal has been struck. We spoke for a long time to reach something we could both agree on. Maybe it surprises you that we can make a deal?
Broxar’s nostrils flared and he snorted. You’re bluffing. Our father will never change his word. He wants only one thing for you, and you’re to obey.
If you fly back and talk to him and our mother, you’ll find that the deal was struck. He told me to fly back and persuade you off the crusade, now that circumstances have changed.
Have they? Broxar sneered. Are you going to return to the family home after all?
Kieran examined Tegan with a note of worry. No.
I would think not. Given the abomination in this animal’s womb. Father wouldn’t be happy to know that you fucked with beasts, would he? He’d be furious.
It doesn’t matter, Kieran hissed. The deal was made. I will give my seed for future children, to be cared for by the clan. I will also keep my distance, and not interfere with matters. Why, maybe they’ll even pass the children off as yours, brother. You can inherit.
Something in Broxar’s face twitched, and his eyes blazed with a crazy anger. You think I’d want your tainted brood? You think I’d allow such a thing?
The deal has already been made, Kieran said, recognizing his mistake and anxious as to how else Broxar might react. What happens afterward is down to the discussion of the clan. I want nothing to do with it. Now, if you continue blackmailing me, you are officially going against our own father, and the contract that was made. The only reason why I couldn’t tell you sooner was because our family hates technology, and you only pass your news by flying there directly.
Broxar hissed and smoke furled from his mouth, like the smoke from the campfire. His body tensed and his wings became rigid. I know our father. I know how he thinks a lot better than you. He turned his head to face the unconscious Tegan. I will take this one, back to our clan. I will let them mete out their judgment on her, once they find out she’s carrying something she shouldn’t. How do you think they’ll react then? He faced Kieran again with an ugly sneer to his snout.
The second he turned away again, Kieran launched himself at his brother. He put so much force behind it that the sound of their bodies and scales clashing rang like hammers striking anvils. His brother let out a screech, but the momentum took him away from Tegan, and Kieran kept up the rush, right until they both stumbled into the lake.
You dare…! You betray our family…!
Try not murdering people for fun then, Kieran snarled, trying to latch his teeth onto his brother’s long neck, and just falling short. He knew he couldn’t win a fight against Broxar, but maybe if he got a surprise attack in…
Broxar screamed. I’ll kill her! I’ll destroy the taint!
Your orders are NOT TO! You fool! Kieran slashed at his brother, spewed fire in his face, trying to force him to close his eyes, and it worked, long enough for Kieran to back out and make a beeline towards Tegan. His limbs thundered across the grass, and he managed to scoop up Tegan, lifting off in the same moment. Broxar howled behind him, and Kieran strained his wings as hard as he could, beating as much distance between him and Broxar as possible. He didn’t have a game plan, not really—only to take Tegan as far away as possible and ensure her survival. Broxar wanted blood. Reasoning with that was next to zero.