Cage pressed his mouth to Azynsa ear, which might have been necessary for her to hear him over the din, but it was certainly no hardship. The scent of rain over the ocean enveloped him and he would never forget it. Damn it, he needed to concentrate on getting her to safety not on how he couldn’t wait to taste her. “On his next hit, run.”
“Where?”
Jett didn't miss a beat and rolled with the next hit using the Black Dragon's momentum to yank it up and into the air. It hit the wall hard enough to not only expand the crack like Cage had thought it would, but broke right through and into a huge cavern lit by pools of lava.
“There, go, go, go.” He pushed Azynsa forward, she was off and running without his help.
Azynsa continued to hold the mirror in front of her which he couldn’t blame her for seeing as she had no other weapon anymore. Cage slashed at more demon dragons, who this time appeared in the open cavern as he struck them. Slick bastards.
Jett flew at the Black Dragon, who was still pulling himself up from the floor of the larger cavern it had fallen into. The Black Dragon twisted at the last moment and tossed Jett over and passed him. Jett used his wings to slow himself down, but it was too quick for him to expand them fully and he skidded to the edge of a pool of lava.
“I know where we are now, and I think I can get us to my hiding place.” Azynsa pointed to a tunnel not far from them. If Jett continue to battle the Black Dragon, they could probably slip away unnoticed. Cage gritted his teeth. The rogue might be a total dickhead, he didn't deserve this fate.
Damn, Cage needed his dragon now. Together the two of them might be able to injure the Black Dragon at least, and at best capture him. But, Cage didn't have his dragon.
“Ready to try that trick again?”
Before she could agree Jett yelled into their heads. “Get her the fuck out of here. I will find you for that favor later.”
There was no time for an argument. If the rogue thought he could take care of himself, Cage had to believe it. His number one priority was Azynsa. Together the two of them would figure out a way out of hell, with or without Jett. The Black Dragon hurdled himself at Jett again and this was the perfect opportunity to get away. Cage kept them both close to the wall and worked his way over to the tunnel she had indicated. He ducked inside to make sure the coast was clear and expecting her to come in right behind him. She stood frozen at the entryway.
“Azynsa, come on. The coast is clear. Only you know the way.”
She didn't move, in fact, she wasn’t even breathing. Cage tried to pull her into the tunnel, but she swatted him away.
“He'll be fine, let's go.”
“But, she won’t,” Azynsa said and pointed to the other side of the cavern.
Cage popped his head back out and saw an old woman appeared there, gripping the arm of another younger woman, hauling her along.
“You lied, child,” she croaked. “Now, face the consequences.” The old woman shoved the girl between the Black Dragon and Jett. She would be crushed between the two combatants.
“No.” Azynsa jumped forward, reaching her arms out as if she could save the woman who was at least ten meters away.
Cage grabbed for Azynsa but missed her and she ran into the fray.
The Black Dragon, who had his claws aimed directly at Jett's chest via the woman, pulled up and swerved at the last moment, catching her in the face and snapping her head back. She crashed into the floor and rolled toward the lava pool.
Azynsa dove and reached the woman before she could tumble into the liquid hot rock. Cage put on a burst of speed and caught up with them both, pulling them back away from the edge.
“Well, what do we have here? A weak warrior, a missing mate, and a traitor. The exact three things I've been looking for.” The Black Dragon landed and hulked over the three of them. “Release her.”
Cage put himself between the Black Dragon and the women. The fucker would have to go through him first. Although, it would be nice if Jett continued his berserking.
“Your new friend can't help you now.” The Black Dragon lowered his wings and stepped to the side. Jett was behind him and pinned to the ceiling with absolutely nothing holding him there.
“The Black Witch has him now,” Azynsa whispered from behind him. She had shoved the mirror into her belt like it was a sword and cradled the head of the woman, who was unconscious, in her hands.
This woman was obviously important to the Black Dragon. Maybe he could trade her for Jett. But, what if she was another mate, kidnapped by him. That was a no-win situation. If Cage had learned anything in his two hundred years, it was how to negotiate. There was always something that could be bartered. “What is it that you want Kur-Jara?”
The Black Dragon chuckled or growled, Cage couldn't be sure which, and demon dragons sprouted up from the shadows beneath his wings. They surrounded Cage and the two women, pinning them with only the lava to their backs. It shifted into his human form, a man with long dark hair that reminded Cage more of a clichéd vampire than a dragon warrior.
“So, you and your Wyverns brothers have finally learned who I am. I'm a little surprised, seeing as your fathers weren't smart enough to even learn of my existence.”
“We know all about you now and how you are the Black Witch's bitch.” This guy had the ego the size of hell itself. Any slight would keep him off guard.
“You know nothing. If she and her spells weren’t useful to me, I would have roasted her centuries ago.”
The Black Witch scoffed from behind them.
“I'll deal with you later, Ereshkigal.” The two glared at each other.
The interaction made Cage even wonder if they were working together. He'd remember that and try to use it against them when he could.
“You haven't answered my question. What do you want?” Cage recognized the stalling tactic when he saw it. There was something about the situation that was off for Kur-Jara. The longer he could draw that out, the more time it gave him to come up with a plan.
“I want a lot of things, little golden boy. My birthright, for instance. But, for now I'll be happy with your soul.”
Interesting and also nope. “It's not mine to give.”
Azynsa owned his soul. He had yet to even claim hers. The tiniest ray of an idea shined into Cage's mind.
“Ah, yes. Your mate. She's given me almost more trouble than she's worth.”
A ripple of power burst from behind Cage and Azynsa told the Black Dragon exactly how she felt about that. “Fuck you, asshole. Why don't you call off your guard dogs and come at me like a man for once?”
Yep, that was his mate calling out the Black Dragon like he was some little punk.
What a woman.
“Stop touching her,” Kur-Jara snapped.
Cage wasn't touching anyone. Azynsa was though. And there it was. Kur-Jara's problem, the reason he hadn't already tried to take what he wanted from them, what had him so worked up. The woman Azynsa had wanted so badly to save was also important to Kur-Jara. Was she his mate?
Jett’s strained voice filtered into Cage's head. “His daughter.”
What the fuck?
The Black Dragon family tree was sprouting branches all over the place.
Now that was something to negotiate with.
“Why don't we make a deal? Your girl there, for mine.”
Both Kur-Jara and Azynsa shouted “no” at the same time.
Cage didn't know what Azynsa's connection was with Kur-Jara's daughter, but he would have to override whatever it was for her safety and freedom.
“Don't you even think about it,” she whispered from behind him.
He'd lost his edge if everybody could tell what he was thinking. Fine, on to plan B.
He'd been there when Jakob and Ciara had mated. Both Jakob and Ky had reported that when they first met their mates, their soul shards had glowed, and they had come into more power. Of course, Cage’s own mating was all screwed up because he didn't have his soul shard. He had
to believe that the results of the process would produce similar effects.
First Dragon, let this work. Because if it didn't, he was only going to piss Kur-Jara off more and not be able to defend himself or Azynsa.
“Sorry, asshole. You're not getting anyone's soul today.”
Cage pivoted and pulled Azynsa to him. “Forgive me.”
He pushed her hair aside and sunk his teeth into the soft flesh at her neck. Her hands went to his shoulders and gripped him tight. She arched into him, the same way he hoped she would someday soon when he was buried deep inside of her. She moaned low and dug her fingernails into his skin. She tasted of salt and sweet golden honey.
In his mind he thought, “You belong to me and I belong to you. Forever.”
A flash of light exploded from the shard at her throat, but only the two of them felt its power.
He released Azynsa’s collarbone from his bite and saw pearlescent golden scales ripple across her skin. They traveled along her body, upper arms, and through her fingers onto his shoulders.
She jerked her hand away and scowled at him. Then, she slapped him. There was a litany of unspoken words in her eyes.
He nodded, accepting her rebuke and said, “That's my girl.”
He would apologize for her lack of consent in this plan for the rest of his days. Which made him smile, because he knew now they were going to have many days together. She was his mate, and he was hers.
That changed something deep inside of him and the parts that were missing, that he'd given away for nothing more than sex, were now returned.
The scales solidified and hardened on Cage's skin. With each one he felt a pulse of power pushing into his core. Hot wind swirled throughout the cavern, whipping through Azynsa's hair. The wind and the power warmed him like sunshine from the inside out, and with a roar he shifted into a great Gold Dragon.
Chapter Six
Chp 6 – Flipping Your Fins
Cage as a dragon was terrifyingly magnificent.
He spread his wings wide and a full-blown tornado whooshed out of them, tossing the demon dragons across the cavern and splatting into walls.
“Grab the girl and go.”
Kur-Jara shifted into the Black Dragon and spat a stream of fire toward Cage. He screeched like a giant baby-ass demon dragon when his flames were wrapped up by the tornado and extinguished.
“Not without you.” There was no way she could leave him here to sacrifice himself while she got away. That would be too much déjà vu all over again. The Black Dragon was not that much different from a gang leader and Cage was definitely here to serve and protect.
Just like her father had been.
“Dammit, Azynsa, run. I'll be right behind you. There's no getting rid of me now that I have marked and claimed you. You're stuck with me, babe.”
Well, all right then. Azy wrapped her arms under Fallyn's shoulders and dragged her, using all of the power in her muscles to make it across the rock floor. She'd never had a problem with the maximus of her gluteus, a.k.a. her big old booty, and she was more than grateful for it right now. She wasn't as strong as a few weeks ago. But, once she was back with the Mami Wata and flipping her fins through the ocean again, she would be back to her old self. Physically anyway.
For the first time since she'd decided to get Fallyn out and the dragons had left her down here, she felt a real glimmer of hope that she might actually get back to the ocean in one piece.
She should have known better.
The entrance to the tunnel was only a few more feet away when Fallyn woke up. She slapped at Azy's hands and twisted her body trying to get away.
“Fallyn, stop, it's me.”
“No, it's not you.” She scrambled to her feet and backed away. “I don't know you.”
Shit, Azy did not have time for Fallyn’s riddles. “You do. Come on, we’ve got to get away.”
That she got. Fallyn took one look in Cage’s direction, turned and bolted toward her treasure room. Azy tried to follow, but a demon dragon who’d escaped Cage’s tornado dropped from above, landed on her, and pinned her to the ground with its claws. One pierced her shoulder and another her thigh, burning her from the inside out.
Azy gritted her teeth hard rather than cry out. She wouldn’t distract Cage in his shootout, or, uh battle with the Black Dragon.
“Get off me, you disgusting piece of shit.” She kicked with her other leg and tried to punch it but the thing held her fast.
The demon dragon sniffed her, drooling as it did, it’s spittle burned like boiling mucus. “Too late. No good to AllFather.”
That was a mouthful and a half for a demon dragon. This one was different, there was an intelligence in its eyes. Maybe she could negotiate with it.
“Let me go and the dragon warrior will spare your life.” Probably a lie, it would already be dead if Cage wasn’t defending them all against the Black Dragon.
It turned and looked up at Jett, pinned to the ceiling. “No. You help him.” It released her arm and grabbed her chin. Help all. Do it.”
Help the Black Dragon?
No.
He meant Jett.
The sliced flesh at her leg throbbed as it withdrew its claw. It licked her blood from it, then turned and leapt across the room, into the air, toward Cage and the tornado.
Azy couldn’t keep quiet this time. “Cage, look out. Behind you.”
She clasped her hands over her mouth. A chill, like hell freezing over, washed over her skin and inside. No, no. Not again.
Cage didn’t hear her over the din of the wind and battle. The demon dragon was close. Azy tried to get to her feet, but she was losing a lot of blood and her leg wouldn’t work. She clasped her hands over the wound. She was not dying in hell, God damn it.
“Cage. Cage.” The words were a silent prayer, making no sound, save that of a low keen that escaped from the deepest darkest part of her heart.
She would not lose him like she’d lost her father. She might not be able to walk, but she could army crawl, or do the 80’s worm dance across the floor if she had to. It wasn’t that much different than how she used her tail to swim.
Like she even knew how to swim any more, she hadn’t been in water or even seen her tail in so long now.
If it was the last thing she did, that demon dragon would not kill Cage. She reached out for him, knowing it was useless, but willing him to look at her. Then she grabbed the soul shard she still wore around his neck. It belonged to him, it gave them a connection.
She closed her eyes tight, squeezing them, concentrating on sending him a mental image of the demon dragon headed for his destruction. Cage didn’t react, didn’t turn, or acknowledge her, but a gust of wind brushed against her cheek.
Had she imagined that? No. The wind whipped around her, through her hair and then poof, blew the demon dragon off its course.
Instead of landing on Cage’s back, it was caught in the swirling wind.
Yes.
It tumbled, not flailing about like she thought it would, but spreading its small wings and riding the storm.
Shit.
Cage was easily in its sights, but it flew right past, tucking its body into an aerodynamic arrow and shot straight for the Black Witch.
What?
She hadn’t moved during the battle, except to press herself to the wall. She kept her tight magical hold on Jett, not letting him fall even an inch from the ceiling.
Had it released her only to assist the Black Witch?
The demon dragon circled the room, riding the wind. On its next pass, it dropped from the swirl of dirt and dust, crashing toward Ereshkigal.
She shrieked, throwing her arms up to block the attack, but she wasn’t fast enough to hold back the demon dragon cannonballing toward her. It crashed into her, rolling across the rock in a tangle of limbs and claws.
Jett, no longer trapped by her spell, dropped from the ceiling, spreading his own wings and lashed out at the Black Dragon. Cage didn’t miss a beat. He blew a new
burst of wind that carried Jett past the Black Dragon and right in Azy’s direction. Those coal black of Jett’s were pissed as hell when he landed beside her.
“I’ll get him for that demon dragon’s death.”
This was war and if Jett wasn’t with them, who was he with? She couldn’t figure out if he was a good guy or a baddie. “Whose side are you on here?”
“Mine,” he growled. He lifted Azy in one of his claws, underneath her legs and made for the tunnel.
She pushed against him with her uninjured arm, but she was already feeling the effects of her wounds. “We can’t leave Cage.”
“Fuck me. Don’t any of you have any sense of self-preservation.”
Jett rolled his eyes, dropped her just inside the tunnel entrance and turned back to the battle. The Black Dragon had taken to the air and was showering fire down as the pools of lava shot up in spurts. Oh, shit on a shingle. Cage would be caught in the middle.
Jett flew for the ceiling and ran smack dab into a giant stalactite. It and half the rocks in the caldera rained down like hellfire on top of the Black Dragon.
“Get the fuck out of here, gold. That won’t keep him long.” Jett flew right over Cage’s head and into the tunnel, not bothering to stop for Azy this time.
Cage was at her side before she even blinked. He grabbed her up and followed Jett into the darkness.
“Up ahead and to the left is Fallyn’s armory. Maybe we can make a stand there.”
Cage and Jett followed her directions and in another few flaps of their wings she saw the light coming from the cave where Fallyn had hoarded swords and Christmas ornaments.
Neither were going to do them much good if the Black Dragon came calling. She imagined throwing broken glass bulbs at his face and that made her feel a little better.
Jett went through the cave entrance and a power like electricity snapped and sparkled across his skin. “Ouch.”
He landed in a skid and a thud inside the cave. Where he had crossed now sparkled like some kind of force field across the entry to the cave.
Cage pulled up short, landing directly in front of the entryway. He still cradled Azy in his great claw, holding her away from the power. “She has it shielded somehow.”