Falling Dragons (#3 Moon Shadows) (12 page)

“What are we looking for?”

He’d re-shouldered the back pack and turned in a circle. “Humm, before we burned our dead, they were buried in burial mounds. I suspect the castle was built on top of the mound. The outer keep was over there.” He pointed to one point of the landing. Opie glanced down and realised they stood in the rubble of what once would have been a structure of some sort.

“You know this place?”

“A long time ago, though no doubt people over the ages would have pilfered the stone for their own structures. This was the castle of Anhalt-Dessau and its long gone kings. Down along there, houses of a few of the nobles stood, and over to the east here, down along the banks, the peasants grew crops.”

The distant look hit him as once again he saw the past in his mind’s eye. He shook his head and turned back to the ground under them. Walking along, kicking stones out of the way, she followed as he searched for...

“Here is where the steps to the dungeon lay. I can only guess if it’s not caved in we’ll find access to the tomb.”

“You had first-hand knowledge of this dungeon?”

His smile was lopsided as he shrugged his large shoulders. “Clearly not enough knowledge to know what is really hidden beneath.” Simon scowled, studying the stone, vines and roots covering the area. “We’re going to need shovels and picks.” Again dumping the back pack to the side, he started moving stones out of the way.

Now this was something she could handle. “Stand back, muscle man, and let a dragon handle this.”

He straightened, curiosity gleaming in his blue eyes, and a half crooked smile that made her want to do other wicked things to him. He obeyed, taking a step back. “As my lady wishes.”

Rolling her eyes, she let her magic remove her clothes. Simon hungrily watched. “I’m all for doing things naked, but...”

“Shut up, lover boy, and keep an eye out for any humans, or demons for that matter.” She let the change ripple through her body, her dragon happy to be free of its confines.

“You always amaze me.”

‘I do?’
She turned her head, peering down at him.

“How beautiful you are as a dragon.” He spoke aloud rather than into her mind, which he could do if he wanted. She purred at his compliment, then louder when he stroked his hand along her neck.

“Like me touching you, my pretty dragon?” He stroked her neck some more.

If not for her firm control, the damn reptile would be belly up, letting him rub it.

‘Mine,’
her dragon purred into his mind, before Opie could stop her, when he rubbed her snout. He didn’t respond, only grinned. “So can you make shorter work of the rubble pile than I can?”

‘Does a bear crap in the woods?’
Challenged, she poured all her strength into ripping away the large blocks with ease, tossing them down the side of the hill. When the roots got in her way she used her fire to burn them loose before using her tail to sweep them aside.

“Brilliant work, sweetheart. I see it—the entrance—but it’s been sealed with a large stone slab.” Now dark outside, his torch shone on the crack in the stone. She stepped back as he pulled a crowbar out of his backpack and wedged it into the crack, his muscles flexing as he pried it open just far enough. She moved in and gripped it with her talons, pulling it away to reveal a deep black pit.

The dungeon.

“Change now. You won’t fit down there as a dragon.”

Opie complied, her bones cracking and her body sliding as her mass changed back into a normal human girl. Simon didn’t even pretend not to look as she stood naked, her skin slightly chilled by the night air.

Back in jeans and a t-shirt, she added a leather jacket similar to what Simon wore. “Think I liked the Croft outfit.” Unexpectedly, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, and she moaned, opening her lips to allow a deeper exploration. She could feel the pounding of his heart as he gripped her arse, pulling her against the bulge in his pants.

“What was that for?” She wasn’t unhappy about the kiss, only it made her horny as hell and curious about his sudden outburst of affection.

“Because you are so fucking sexy, sweetheart, in human or dragon form. I may not be a dragon expert, but I want to help you overcome your fears and learn to fly.” He breathed against her lips when he pulled back.

Even in the darkness, her dragon sight allowed her to stare into his eyes. Conflicting emotions of fear and elation spun in her mind and she knew she couldn’t keep it a secret anymore.

“Simon, I need to tell you something. I’ve just been afraid if you knew you’d be mad and, well, run.”

“I don’t know what it is about you, other than being a dragon, but tethered or not, I don’t want to let you go, so get used to being stuck with me, sweetheart.”

“You see, dragons...well, it’s rare, but it has happened, and it has happened with us. You see that first morning together, once the drugs were out of my system, my dragon and I knew you were our—”

“Well isn’t this touching? And here I only thought it was her blood you were after.”

Within a heartbeat of hearing Joshua Jones’ voice, Simon pushed her behind him and had extracted his sword from its hiding place under his jacket, his stance defensive, ready to strike.

“Oh, put your toothpick away.”

A half dozen armed men surrounded them, guns trained at their heads.

Fuck, they’d been so distracted with each other they’d failed to notice Jones and his goons sneaking up on them. “Some of those are filled with a lovely cocktail you’ll be familiar with, dragon girl, and others have platinum bullets. I hear neither of you do very well against either.”

Opie peeked out from behind Simon’s bulk, scowling at Jones.
Why would Simon be after my blood?

“Oh and look, you’ve done all the hard work for us.” Jones glanced to the open hole.

“There’s no way I’m letting you get your hands on the Akkadin Amulet. There’s a reason the Gullu demon army was imprisoned by the gods, Jones, and you’re delusional if you think for a second you’ll be able to control them.”

“You really haven’t done your homework on this? The Akkadin Amulet allows only a human to control them, not a demon, not a god or a dragon for that matter. But as we’re all here, why don’t you go ahead and finish the job. Make sure she can’t teleport or change,” Jones ordered his men.

“Touch her and I’ll make sure you suffer painfully before I kill you.” Of course they ignored him, rat bastards. She thought about shifting, but it was too late.

Simon deflected the first two shots with his sword, but they fired so quickly the sixth one caught her in the leg.

“Ouch, you fucking bastard” She batted the dart, anger at Jones swirling through her veins for everything he’d done to her. Only when Simon caught her waist, shoving her back behind him, did she realise she’d launched herself at the vile human, determined to tear out his heart. With her heart pumping furiously fast, the drug worked quickly. Her dragon protested, but at the same time yawned sleepily. Her magical abilities were suppressed under her snoozing dragon, again leaving her more vulnerable.

“Remind me to turn dragon on his arse before he drugs me again so I can tear off his head!” She huffed, annoyed Simon had stopped her charge.

“Shhh, Opie, deep breaths. As much as I want to let you rip his head off, I’m here, so trust me okay?”

Opie knew her demon hunter well enough now to trust him even with his calm demeanour, as he kept her shielded with his large frame. Hadn’t this been why she’d tethered herself to him in the first place? Now she only felt disgusted at herself. Shouldn’t a dragon be able to protect her mate as much as he was trying to protect her?

“Get rid of your weapons, hunter. I know I can’t kill you, but she’s still fragile. I’ll make sure the next shot to the dragon girl won’t be a drug.” The clicking of chambers being primed on their metal weapons sounded in the air.

“Don’t do it, I’ll heal if I get shot.” She tugged on his sleeve, standing close to his side.

“You can’t heal a mortal wound, Opie.” Simon didn’t even spare her a glance as he threw down his sword before removing his array of blades hidden all over his body.

“Keep your flashlights. You’ll need them down there. Off you go now. Keep being useful and I won’t add any kind of metal to your diets.”

Simon turned. The gleam in his eyes told her he wasn’t beaten yet. “We’d better do what he wants, Opie. I won’t let them harm you.”

“Forgo the sentimental bullshit, Siegfried, and get moving. I want that amulet. Considering this was once your castle, I have a good feeling you will know better where to find it than I.”

She looked to him for direction, and he nodded. “You go first,” he urged. “Whatever’s down there, I trust it more than what’s behind us.”

“Okay.” She gripped the flashlight tightly to hide her shaking hands, and she needed it as she couldn’t rely on her dragon senses, thanks to Jones’ drug. She glanced down at the entrance to the dungeon, moving forward.

I hate the cold, I hate heights, but I hate Joshua Jones even more!
She would face anything if it meant keeping her mate alive and safe. Gingerly, she stepped down onto the first step of the old castle dungeon and descended into the dark.

* * * *

Darkness didn’t bother Simon. He followed Opie down the decaying stone steps, worn down in the middle from when it had been in constant use. The old dungeon was layered with a few centuries of dust, damp, and roots pushing past the cracks in the stone, giving it a creepier look than he last remembered.

“What I should have worn is a Daphne outfit,” Opie muttered dryly, her flashlight cutting through the darkness. She gingerly stepped over crumbling stone.

“Daphne?”

“Oh you know, Scooby Doo—monsters, mysteries and bad guys.” She inclined her head to the humans with guns stumbling down the steps behind them.

“We’re going to have a talk about your television watching habits when we get out of here.” He nudged her gently to help keep the mood light, despite the dark situation— in more ways than one.

His mind ticked over with possibilities and scenarios. Had he been alone, Jones and his demon and human minions would be nothing but corpses on the cold stone floor. Now every move he made, he did with Opie in mind, her protection was foremost. She may have faster healing abilities, but the thought of one cell on her body being harmed made his blood bubble like he’d erupt, and no force in the world, or any other, would stop him.

Letting Jones get his hands on the amulet was not an option either.

“So where is it?”

“Where’s what?” Simon turned, keeping Opie at his back.

“The king’s tomb?” Jones waved his hand down the dark corridor.

“You expect me to know? You had the scroll and stone longer than I.”

“This was your castle, your dungeon. Show us where the tomb is.”

“Don’t you think if I had known it was here back in my day, I’d have pilfered it long before now? I ventured down here but thrice during my short reign as king.”

“Just how long were you king for, anyway?”

Jones scoffed at Opie’s question. “He really hasn’t told you the whole truth has he, little dragon?”

“One more word and I’ll tear out your tongue.” All be damned, he’d be killing Jones quicker than anticipated. His palms itched, sliding down his sides searching for weapons he’d tossed away.

“I don’t care what happened seventeen hundred years ago, it’s in the past and will stay that way.” The warmth of Opie’s hand touched his arm, letting much of the rage flow from his tense shoulders. Gods, he could kiss her right now. He knew seventeen hundred years was nothing to the soul searing pain he’d endure if he lost her.

“He’s immortalized in German folklore. Fascinating reading. Odin, father of the Norse Gods, told some giants to build a big bridge to unite Valhalla with Earth. The giants demanded some Goddess of beauty in return.

When the bridge was done they handed over the Goddess, but then Odin changed his mind and wanted her back. So instead, the giants wanted a huge pile of glittering gold, which they stole from the Nibelung dwarves, who had a huge hoard of Rhine gold.

Giants being giants, they stuck it in a cave and persuaded a dragon to guard it. Knowing a dragon’s panache for all things glittering and shiny, I’m sure it was no scale off his back to guard it. The dragon’s name was Fafnir.”

“Enough, Jones,” Simon growled low in warning, the thread of his control wearing even thinner with each word Jones spoke.

“Fafnir? Never heard of the dragon, clearly he was exiled to this world way before my time.” Opie shrugged.

“Are you here to tell stories or find the amulet? If it’s stories, we’ll take our leave.” He gripped Opie’s arm and turned to leave.

“Not so hasty, Siegfried.” Jones’ men barred their way.

Simon gritted his teeth. “I am not who I was then. My name is Simon.”

“No one can change who they really are inside, Siegfried.” Jones continued to torment. “But I concede for now, the amulet is more important.” Jones sighed. “A pity you let this place go, I’m sure it was magnificent in its day. I—”

“Gee, you can waffle on!” Simon hid his grin at the pure annoyance in Opie’s tone. She waved her flashlight at Jones. “Just remember to waffle on some more if you tie us over a pit of sharks with lasers strapped to their heads, so we can make one of those spectacular escapes.”

Simon was sure she was referring to another one of her beloved television or movie shows, but he didn’t know which. Now he wished he’d paid more attention to it since its invention back in nineteen twenty-five.

Jones ignored Opie’s outburst. He raised his gun and fired. Opie whimpered in pain, falling forward. Simon was quick to catch her, and he smelled the blood before he saw it seep through and down her green top. The fucking bastard had shot her in the shoulder.

“Think fast, Siegfried, or I’ll make this place her permanent tomb. You have three minutes to find it.”

“Don’t do it,” she whispered against his shoulder, clinging to his jacket. Gently he set her down, covering her body to shield his actions. He slipped his mobile phone from his pocket, placing it into her trembling hands. He ripped a section of his shirt and pressed it hard against the wound. She winced, but didn’t cry out. She was a tough little thing, and it killed him knowing she was used to pain, used to suffering at the hands of others.