Fireborne, p.9
Fireborne, page 9
part #1 of Raven Cursed Series
The woman was my only option. I turned quickly and shot her in the chest. The force sent her several feet backward into the wall. Her hand went up. I took the shot, hitting it. She wailed in pain. Magic shattered around us, everyone in the room moved, and simultaneously their eyes went to the dragon. A ball of flame formed in Kieran’s hand. He flung it at the dragon. The creature moved away from the flames that landed at his feet, his tail striking the bar and destroying it. I made a note to stay the hell away from that tail. The massive wolf formally known as Alex didn’t. He leapt at the dragon, sinking his teeth into him. He was huge but no match for a dragon. The dragon began to move, ignoring us, his tail whipping anything and anyone out of his way, his eyes fixed on the witch across the room, who was cradling her left hand. One claw grabbed a bag of stolen goods while he grabbed the witch by her shirt with his teeth. She looked like a rag doll in his mouth as he soared, using his body like a wrecking ball to slam through the ceiling, to get away.
“You don’t see that every day,” I said, watching him fly and trying to ignore the foolish urge to jump on his tail and follow him to his destination. I could do many things, but flying wasn’t one of them, and I’d need that skill if he managed to knock me off.
“A dragon and a witch,” Landon said, his voice a mix of incredulous amusement and disgust.
It wasn’t just Mephisto’s heightened anger that caught my attention, although he did look fit to burst with rage, but also the lure of his unique magic wafting from him. Even in his fury, he looked at me, and a devilish glint skated over his eyes as the edges of his mouth curled into an inviting smile.
Eventually he pulled his attention from me and shifted it to his guests, who were trying to piece the events together.
“When it comes to your parties, I can always find something interesting,” Victoria said. She didn’t seem angry; in fact, there was amusement in her voice. Probably because her items, which were in the bag the thieves left behind, had been returned to her.
Mephisto tried to ease his guests’ frustrations by getting a list of the stolen items and assuring them that they would be retrieved and returned. Then he quickly and politely escorted them to Benton, who led them out. Only Landon stayed behind, and the two stood in the center of the room, looking at the dragon-sized hole in the ceiling.
“Well, if the folklore is right, your things are probably safe and not being sold on the black market,” I said brightly, hoping to lighten the mood. It didn’t help. Landon’s dark eyes went to me and then to Mephisto, who brushed the dust from his suit and tugged on the arms and the hem of the jacket, straightening it. Even in the aftermath of a dragon attack, he couldn’t bear to be anything other than meticulously dressed.
When Landon spoke, his tone was deep and edged with anger.
“I take it this will be handled rather quickly since we now know who the culprits are. I’m sure you will be providing me with more than just the items that were stolen—I’d also like a way to get in touch with these people.”
Typical vampire. They wouldn’t get their hands dirty or spend time finding the perpetrators, but they’d find ample opportunities to seek retribution.
“Your items will be returned to you,” I said. I wasn’t sure I was going to give him the information about the thieves. They deserved to be punished, but they probably didn’t need Landon’s brand of justice.
CHAPTER 10
“I need help finding a dragon.”
Cory stopped me at the door to his apartment and pointed at my shoes. It was a wonder we managed to remain friends. His home was a tribute to his type A personality. Everything had a place, including my shoes, which I dutifully placed next to his where they were lined along the wall.
Each picture was perfectly aligned on the walls. The decorative pillows were placed neatly on the sofa. The coffee table was exactly positioned—I didn’t doubt that he’d used a ruler to make sure it was an equal distance from each end of said sofa. The color scheme throughout the house was tan, in contrast to mine, which featured vibrant colors. I thought the military would have made him crave color, but instead he wanted more uniformity and structure. The muted walls sometimes reminded me of being in the Stygian—institutionalized and lacking control. For a brief moment, I thought of Mephisto.
“A dragon?” Cory asked, his brows arched in disbelief. He plopped down next to me on the sofa.
“Yep, a dragon and a witch.”
“Cool. I’m looking for a unicorn.”
I laughed before recounting everything that had taken place at Mephisto’s.
His eyes widened. “Well, finding a dragon should be easy.”
“Really? I’ve lived here all my life, and not one time have I ever seen a dragon. He’s a shifter. They love their animal form. I should have seen him at least once.”
I ran my hands through my hair, then pushed my bangs from my face.
“If he’s like other shifters, he’ll have to change during the full moon. I guess we can try to track him then,” Cory suggested.
I wasn’t sure if shifter rules applied to large flying reptiles. And he would have to live someplace large enough to allow his dragon form to roam unseen. I tried to think of secluded housing in the area. But when you flew over the Midwest, you could see that it was full of places that could be easily hidden. Homes overshadowed by thick trees or acres of farmland.
“Do dragon shifters have to change during the full moon?” I asked Cory.
His lips twisted to the side in thought before he shrugged. “I don’t know. But if he went through a wall, it’s doubtful he did it without injury. He probably left blood behind. Blood, like a name, can be used for a tracking spell.”
“How important is the name?” I knew names could be used for spells, but I hadn’t seen Cory do one or learned it in magical school during my brief stint there. Cory had said it so many times I hadn’t really considered it of any consequence until now. Mephisto guarded his name for a reason.
“It’s important. But not to the extent that it can have total power over you. Depending on how strong the spell caster is, they can call the person. However, specification is your friend in this situation. If you want to do a spell to target all Corys, you’re going to be in a world of trouble. But if you call Cory Keats, how many are there? Maybe three or four. With a combination of a real name and blood, you can do damage. But it’s limited to others of the magical world. Our names hold power.”
“Maybe that’s what Mephisto is afraid of.”
“Nah, he’s just going for that whole hot and mysterious brand. After all, if he told you his name was Henry Joe Smith, you wouldn’t be here thinking about him, now would you?” A brow arched as he studied me and a flicker of amusement curled his lips. “The thing about a name and blood—you have to wield some serious power for them to be of any use to you.”
“Power like yours,” I noted.
“Oh shucks, you flatter me.” He grinned, exposing his bright and perfectly aligned teeth.
I winked at him. “You need to be flattered. Who else is willing to be a donor to a misfit like me?”
“Oh stop gushing. I can only take so much. If not me, there would have been someone else. Not nearly as handsome as me though, probably a trollish-looking guy that you’d have to suck face with for all of eternity.”
“You know I don’t have to actually touch my lips to the person. I did in the beginning because it’s easier.”
He laughed. “Yeah, I wasn’t happy about that part at all.”
I rolled my eyes. Cory hadn’t come out yet, although I wished he would. Once he was ready, he would. Even if I was wrong about it and he wasn’t gay, our friendship was platonic. But Mephisto . . . what had happened between us was different, and I didn’t like it. I preferred it when I had an aversion to him.
“I don’t possess the level of magic necessary to be a threat to Mephisto, so I don’t understand why he won’t tell me his name.”
“For this very reason. You’re supposed to be looking for two thieves but instead you’re here, fixated on Mr. McBroody because he refuses to give you his real name. Even without the name issue, he’d be on your mind.”
“And why is that?”
Cory fixed me with a look, his lips lifted into a half smirk. “Because you have a type and he’s it.” Before I could offer a rebuttal, he said, “Speaking of dark, sexy, and mysterious, we need to pay him a visit. If he has some dragon blood, we can track that critter and get us some money.” Cory got to his feet.
“Us?”
“Of course. You can’t do this without my talents, and I don’t work for free.” His hands swept over his jeans and the t-shirt that molded around his muscular chest. “This costs money to upkeep. Grocers refuse to take a smile as currency, despite how spectacular it is.” As illustration, he flashed me a dazzler and started toward the door.
“Your modesty is the most endearing thing about you.”
“I know. I’m lovable.”
“Of course, and no one ever has to tell you because you already know.”
“It’s still nice to hear it every once in a while.” He came to an abrupt stop and I slammed into his back. He didn’t budge when I gave him a little nudge. “I’m waiting,” he informed me.
I did an eye roll he couldn’t see. “You’re wonderful, lovable, and I’m a better person for knowing you. The birds only sing and the sun only rises because you wake in the morning.”
“How sweet. I wasn’t expecting such flattery.”
I scoffed and gave him a playful shove. “Move, we can’t stand here all day and bask in your glory.”
It was entertaining watching Cory take in his surroundings as Benton escorted us to Mephisto. If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume he hadn’t moved since I left. The room looked no different than it had a couple of hours earlier. Splinters of wood from the destroyed bar peppered the floor, which was still wet from the broken bottles of alcohol. I picked my way around the shattered glass.
Face twisted in disgust, Mephisto’s eyes skated over the destruction before looking at me, ignoring Cory, who stayed at my side.
“This is a mess. I hope you have something for me,” he said.
“Maybe,” I offered, “if he left any blood behind.”
He nodded slowly, but it took him a moment to drag his eyes from mine, and when he finally did, he walked over to a pile of debris, pulled out a broken shingle, and handed it to me. There was just a small speck of blood on it. How had he found it so quickly? The magic drifting from him was thick and intoxicating. It was getting harder to be around it and even harder to ignore my desire to feel it, touch it, enjoy it. A wicked grin crossed his face. Apparently I hadn’t successfully hidden my yearning.
“Erin.” Cory’s voice was insistent, and I refocused. He took the shingle from me. Mephisto eyes narrowed and bounced between the two of us.
Even Mephisto looked at him in quiet awe as Cory performed a locating spell. Cory’s magic was more than simply calling forward his powers to perform a task. It was an elegant show of power, control, and beauty. Vibrant colors skipped around him before enclosing him in thick vines of teal, peach, white, and crimson, obscuring our ability to see what he was doing. That wasn’t a big deal because we were fixated on the color show unfolding before us. The melodious sounds of his incantation filled the room.
Watching him was a reminder of how much better I was. I shuddered, remembering those dark years where my restraint was so tenuous that it was difficult to be around anyone who possessed magic. My eyes slipped in Mephisto’s direction: He was watching me. I gave him a weak smile, my wanton need to try his magic finally doused. I was thankful for that.
Mephisto moved closer to me, and as his hand pressed against my back, warmth wrapped around me. He leaned down, slightly angled so he could continue to watch Cory’s impressive display of magic. “Erin”—he spoke my name as he would to a lover, deep and breathy—“are you okay?”
Discreetly, I inched away. “Yes, just a little distracted. I need to finish this job”—I gave him a wry smile—“or you might never hire me again.”
I got the impression he was ready to close the distance I’d put between us when Cory said, “I got it.” Once the colorful cocoon around him had dropped, he pulled out his phone and started tapping. Seconds later, my phone buzzed with an address.
“May I have it as well?”
I hesitated but went ahead and sent it to Mephisto. “For your information only,” I said. His nod was a tacit agreement that he wouldn’t disclose it to anyone else. I was sure he wanted it for more than sending repair bills; my request for compliance came with an ulterior motive. Trust. I would trust him with this information and eventually he’d trust me with his name.
CHAPTER 11
Cory parked the car. I looked around at the miles of fallow land, surprised not only by the desolate area but also by the presence of Kieran and Alex. The more the merrier, as long as they didn’t think their assistance would result in a reduction in my fee. They’d agreed to allowing Cory to cast a mind sweep, so I wouldn’t have to worry about them telling Landon the location. I didn’t mind Kieran; a fire-throwing mage might be exactly what we needed. But shapeshifters weren’t known for playing nicely with others, and one of Alex’s status would be even harder to rein in.
Before opening the car door, I turned to Cory.
“Are you sure this is the place?”
He nodded. I surveyed the area again before getting out of the car. I ushered a smile on my face and greeted Kieran and Alex.
“I’m glad to have the assistance,” I said in a spritely voice, “but I’m the lead and we move on my command.” Alex’s eyes narrowed as he gave me a lingering once-over and then responded with a grunt. He might as well have said, “We’ll see.” Kieran’s defiance was subtler; he gave me a crooked smile and a dismissive shrug. Maybe the more isn’t merrier.
Alex inhaled. “Yeah, there’s magic here. Recently spilled blood, too.” It was definitely a good idea, or at least not a bad idea, to have a shapeshifter with us, even if he was insolent.
Cory stepped a few feet to the right, running his hand over something I didn’t see.
“This should be fun,” he said.
Fun meant hard as hell. When he pulled out a knife and ran it over his hand, we were past fun and into strong magic territory. Blood magic was the strongest.
“It’s a ward. I can bring it down, but once I do, I won’t be able to use magic for a while.”
Now I was more than happy to have the ill-tempered shapeshifter and fire mage to draw from. If needed, I’d even borrow magic from the witch if she was there.
A stream of blood came from Cory’s hand, and he let it fall. Words spilled from his lips, and the ward pulsed and undulated. The more power he poured into it, the deeper the dips became, thinning the barrier until eventually it ripped, allowing us entrance.
Cory didn’t look like he could stand upright for much longer. Alex supported him as we walked into the miles and miles of open space, dotted with large trees that stretched to a clear blue sky. This was a world where dragons had space to roam freely.
I heard the powerful whipping sound before I saw two dragons soaring through the air. I looked around for more. One was substantially smaller than the other and a brownish color, the other black—the thief from earlier. He could crash through a house, lose blood, and still be able to play in the sky.
“I’ll stay with Cory until he can be of some use,” Alex said.
I nodded, and Kieran and I headed for the only house around, several feet away. I continued to listen for the dragons, making sure they were still in the air. For thieves, their locks weren’t impressive. I broke through them in less than five minutes—but they lived in a land no one knew existed. Why did they need locks at all?
As we walked through the door, the witch looked up from the sofa where she was sitting, cradling her injured arm. She jumped to her feet, but before she could do anything, a ring of fire encircled her. It danced around her, increasing in height and intensity every time she attempted to breach it. She performed a spell, and the fire breezed closer. A spark jumped to her, flicked on her skin. She screamed.
“Don’t move. You have something of mine. I want it back. Either you can tell me where it is, or this fire might get a little out of control. Don’t make me burn a witch. It’s such a cliché.” Kieran gave her one of his dashing smiles, and if he wasn’t in a position to burn her to death, I was sure she’d be swooning over it.
Her lips tightened into a defiant scowl.
He shrugged, and with a gentle gesture of his hand, the fire performed for him. It dipped in, burned her uninjured arm, and she howled in pain. I looked away. I wasn’t ready to see someone burn to death, and based on her insolent expression, that was exactly what was about to happen.
I left, searching the house, going through the bedrooms. There were two that looked lived in. Beyond the bedrooms was another small room. I opened the door and was met with a narrow pathway between several feet of items, presumably stolen. Statues, paintings, expensive-looking swords, gold, jewelry, and rows and rows of priceless artifacts. Apparently, dragon shifters weren’t any different than the average dragon in their desire to hoard. In the far corner was a collection of expensive liquor, handbags, and electronics. I started to walk farther into the room, resigned to the fact that I had my work cut out for me, but stopped mid-stride. They most likely wanted their newest acquisitions closest to them. To my right, on top of a large wooden chest, was another smaller chest. I opened it, and there was the dagger, gleaming; next to it was the stone. When I moved them, tucked in the corner was the ring. I placed them all in the little over-the-chest pack I’d brought with me. Their haul from the poker game the night before hadn’t been unloaded yet. I grabbed it, too.
