Into the Ashes [The Arcadians 2] (37 page)

was Raven Akira, Queen of the

Palace of the Iron City and Dragon

Warrior. She was the true form of

what this race was meant to be.

She was a true Arcadian.

When the light faded, Raven was

looking down at people in the cavern

with ancient eyes that saw…

everything.

Razor-sharp

talons

snapped sharply against the ground of

the cavern as her massive claws

pawed the ground.

She narrowed her eyes at the

cowering males, puffing out trails of

smoke as she snorted out a satisfied

breath. The males screamed in terror,

pounding at the invisible barrier

blocking them from leaving the large

cavern that was so much smaller now

that Raven had turned into a massive

dragon.

“Kill it!” Selina screamed at her

brothers as she stared at Raven in

dragon form. “Save us all!”

“You can’t kill me!” Raven’s voice

boomed out, projecting so it echoed

through the cavern as she took an

aggressive step toward Selina and

the males cowering against the rock

wall. “What’s the matter, not so easy

to fuck with me now, is it?”

“We did not know,” Brynt cried out

in terror.

Raven snarled at him. “You didn’t

know I was a dragon when you

kidnapped me, planning to rape me

and while you plotted to kill my

mates? Sorry, you don’t get a pass.

None of you do! For years the rogues

have been a plague across this land.

You prey upon the weak, taking what

you want without any thought to the

consequences, but this is the end!”

“Let us go,” one of the males

pleaded. “We will change!”

“Lie!” Raven snarled, hearing the

deception clear in his voice.

“We surrender!” Vadar yelled.

“Take us in and we will give you

information

about

more

rogue

camps.”

“Another lie,” Raven sneered. “I

can hear the lie in your voice, you

stupid fuckhead. You are stalling to

find a way to escape. Well, there is

none. You’re a stain on society, the

very core of what is wrong with this

world and I won’t let you go. You

need to pay for what you’ve done!”

Out of options, Vadar pointed at

her and growled. “Kill the dragon!

Kill the other female as well!”

Mila screamed as two of the males

reached for her, only to slam into the

invisible barrier that protected her

from everyone. The males snarled

and crawled at the air, but it was no

use. Mila stared at Raven with wide

eyes sparkling with tears then she

grinned as she realized she was safe.

Five of the males rushed at Raven

with claws extended, but she simply

swatted them away with one massive

claw. Raven didn’t even glance at

them as they flew across the room

and landed in a heap after they

slammed into the wall.

“Finish it…” Silas whispered in

her head.

She would. “No second chances,”

Raven swore. “You have sealed your

fate. No one threatens my mates and

lives!”

Trusting in Silas, who was

watching with pride beaming from

his glowing eyes, Raven became

what she was meant to be. She was

the right hand of justice. She was the

defender of Arcadia and she would

rid the world of anyone who betrayed

their race.

Her large wings fluttered, but there

wasn’t enough room to spread them

completely. She wanted this done.

Breathing deep, the dragon released a

plume of fire that filled the cavern

with pure white flames, until nothing

was left.

* * * *

Savitar pushed the hover-cycle he

was flying to its limit.

Savage rage heated his blood as he

sped toward the mountain range a

few miles outside of the Citadel.

Shortly after Raven had left with

Tirk, Savitar and his brothers had felt

their bond with Raven go blank.

Since they had bonded at the mating

pool, she was always there in their

minds. Even if she wasn’t completely

open to them, they could feel her.

Alarmed, Kadan had bolted from

his chair with Savitar and Tristan

close behind him. They had found

Tirk’s bloody body lying on the floor

and the panic had turned to dark fury.

Someone had taken their mate and

they wouldn’t rest until she was

found.

Kadan had cursed himself for not

going with her, but she should have

been safe within the palace walls.

They had locked down the palace,

not letting anyone leave as they

searched for some clue as to what

had happened. The guards on Selina,

Koreth and Vadar had reported that

they had returned to their home

before Raven had gone missing, but

the ones searching for Brynt hadn’t

found him.

Savitar knew in his heart that she

was still alive. He could feel her in

his soul still. The Gods couldn’t be

this cruel to bring her into their lives

only to take her from them so soon.

The kings had taken a group of

warriors with them as they converged

at Koreth, Vadar, Brynt and Selina’s

home to find them gone and the elite

guards barely alive. Tracking them

through their blood bond, Damos told

Kadan, Tristan and Savitar that he

couldn’t get a read on Vadar, Brynt

or Selina, but that Koreth was

located right outside of the Citadel.

When they caught up with him they

discovered that Koreth had been

lying in wait with a mass of rogues,

waiting for the opportunity to storm

the palace. Fueled by pure rage, the

kings and their elite warriors had

made quick work of the rogues, but

left Koreth alive for questioning.

Without hesitation, Savitar had sunk

his fangs into Koreth, ruthlessly

delving into the other male’s mind to

search for where they were holding

Raven. Once they had what they

wanted from him, Savitar snapped

Koreth’s neck and rushed to the

hover-cycles, desperate with the

need to find his mate.

As the dawn approached, they

rushed toward mountain range Koreth

had unwillingly shown them where

Raven was being held captive.

Savitar, Kadan and Tristan were in

the lead with their elite warriors

racing behind them, all of them ready

to battle for the safe return of their

queen. When they were a mile away,

an explosion rocked the land and a

fireball burst from inside the heart of

the mountain.

“Nay! Raven!” Tristan’s cries were

carried on the wind as they flew

toward the blast.

“She cannot be gone,” Kadan said

through their bond. “I still feel her.”

“As do I,” Savitar growled back.

“They will pay for this. All of them

will pay.”

It was a vow that he swore with his

very life.

Their eyes widened as a large, dark

mass flew out of the ash and flames,

into the sky. The mass flew straight

toward them and the kings pulled up

short as a massive dragon landed

right in front of them, its large wings

flapping lightly so the gentle breeze

caressed them.

Savitar’s jaw dropped as he stared

at the majestic beast before him. Its

body was covered in iridescent

scales that shimmered from pearly

white to a deep bronze surrounded by

a golden glowing aura. Razor-sharp

talons scraped the earth beneath its

large claws. The dragon was a myth,

a legend of the past that he never

thought he would see with his own

eyes, and yet here it was, right in

front of him.

Instead of fear, Savitar felt peace

settle in his soul. Relief poured from

the dragon in waves and his eyes

widened as he took in the bright,

glowing green eyes staring back at

him…with love.

This glorious dragon…a legend of

his race, was their mate.

Savitar, Kadan and Tristan got off

their

hover-cycles,

slowly

approaching the impressive beast.

“My kings!” Kell cried out. “Get

back!”

The brothers ignored the warnings

being shouted by their guards and

approached the dragon, in awe of the

her beauty and power. The dragon

seemed to be waiting for something,

watching for some sign. Through

their bond, Savitar could feel Raven

patiently waiting to see if they would

reject her in her beast form and his

heart melted.

“Raven?” Kadan whispered.

“Yes, it’s me,” Raven’s voice

echoed out, making the guards gasp

as they fell to their knees in homage

to the legendary creature before them.

“My love.” Savitar raised a hand

and the dragon lowered its head and

pressed its large nose against his

palm, nuzzling into him as if seeking

comfort. “You are so beautiful…”

Tristan ran his hand over her side,

stroking over the thick scales that

covered her dragon’s body. “You are

a miracle, Raven.”

Kadan waited until the dragon

turned so he could look his mate in

the eyes. “You are our mate, in

dragon form or not. Come back to us

now so we can hold you and see if

you are injured, sweetling.”

Raven took a deep breath and

willed the change. The dragon’s

large body shuddered and Raven’s

human form stood where the dragon

had been just a second ago. She was

eternally grateful that she was once

again wearing her dress, armbands

and mating torque when she came

back to herself.

Kadan jerked her to him the

moment she was back in human form,

his arms wrapping around her so tight

he would merge her into him if he

could. The fear he had felt when he

thought he lost her left him shaking

and close to breaking down now that

she was safe in his arms. Savitar and

Tristan stroked their hands over

every inch of her skin that they could

reach to ensure that she was

unharmed as Kadan buried his face

into her hair.

“I’m fine,” she said, trying to

reassure them. She pulled back to

stare at them and she tried for a

smile. “Surprise, I’m a dragon.”

Kadan let out a strangled laugh.

“That you are.” He looked down in

her bright glowing green eyes and

knew without a doubt that losing her

would have killed him.

Raven pressed her lips to his then

laid her head on his shoulder as she

let herself take a moment to just…be,

surrounded by their comfort and love.

Tristan turned her head and his mouth

crushed down on hers, sharing the

depth of his feelings for her, all of the

fear he’d felt and his love for her

surging through their bond.

After he pulled back, Savitar

plucked her right out of Kadan’s

arms. She wrapped her arms around

his neck as he kissed her with a

desperation that left her breathless.

She was safe, back in the arms of one

of her loves and there was nowhere

else she’d rather be.

Knowing she couldn’t put it off any

longer, she raised her head. Looking

over Savitar’s shoulder, she gaped at

the army they had brought with them.

They hadn’t been fucking around

when they had formed a rescue

squad. They had been ready to go to

war. All of the guards began rising to

their feet, watching them silently.

“Was that fire really you?” Tristan

asked, the awe clear in his deep

voice.

She nodded then tapped Savitar on

the shoulder to signal she wanted to

be put down. He did so reluctantly.

“We have to go back in. There are

women in there and I—”

A bright golden light flashed in the

field where they were standing. Mila

and ten females suddenly appeared

out of thin air a short distance away

from Silas. All of the females had