Looking down, Gio was worried he wouldn’t find his brother or father before the others arrived and someone would get hurt or killed. He couldn’t allow that to happen. He had to find their intruder first and as much as he hated to admit it to himself, Gio was going to have to kill whoever it was. There was no way he could risk the residents of Drago a moment longer.
Seeing something sparkling below, Gio leaned in yelling, “Take us lower, Taco. I think I see the intruder.”
Taco did as Gio instructed hearing shouting in his mind.“Gio! Taco! Damn it, get your asses back to the house!”
“I’m sorry, Cobra. I can’t allow you or the others to get hurt. Please understand I have to take care of this.”Gio whispered in their link.
“Sweetheart, I know you want to save us from the danger, but… I can’t lose you, Gio. Please, just go home. My men and I can handle your brother.”Cobra rasped, sounding more scared than Gio had ever heard him before.
“I can’t do that, Cobra. This is my problem and I’ll take care of it.”Gio insisted.
“We all take care of it. That’s what D.O.A. is. We’re a team. We work together and take out those that are hurting humans and we know no one else can handle. Gio and I will do what we can. My dragon clan is here to help us until you guys can get into place.”Taco stated firmly.
“It might be my father. If he knows where we are he could be the one here just as much as it might be my brother.”Gio suggested.
Sighing, Cobra said,“He knows exactly where Drago is. Pit said that when he got to Clem he was alive but barely. He told Pit that your father paid him a visit. He told Pit that your father knew where you were but was looking for your brother. He left when he heard Pit’s bike.”
“Oh gods, Cobra. Teagan’s in danger when I deal with this we have to find him! He… he…”
“He’s already here, Gio. It’s why Pit and Bren took longer than they were supposed to. He’s okay, but... he… he…”
“He what? What’s wrong with Teagan? Oh gods, tell me!”Gio shouted loud enough to make Taco hiss.
“He’s in a coma, Gio. Clem told Pit that when you brought Teagan to him he was in really bad shape. He placed him in a hospital and he personally guarded Teagan. He slipped into a coma. Teagan stayed in the hospital for a long time and then had to be moved to a private nursing facility. Everything was fine until about a year ago. Clem got a call from the place Teagan was staying. They said someone was asking about any John Does. Clem pulled Teagan out of there and took him to somewhere safe and hired a nurse to care for him. Pit got your brother and brought him here.”Cobra gently explained.
Gio felt sadness, fear, and then an overwhelming sense of anger. His father had done this. His father had hurt Teagan, leaving the man in a coma.
The more Gio thought about the day his father had beaten his brother practically to death the angrier he became until he growled, “He will die.”
“Gio! Gio what are you doing?”Cobra yelled within their link.
“What I should have done years ago. I’m going to kill the son of a bitch!”Gio snapped, closing off his link as Cobra shouted his name.
Leaning over Taco once more, Gio snarled, “Take me down.”
Even though he knew Taco wanted to argue with him, Taco did as Gio ordered. Once they were on the ground, Gio raised his arms calling on the energy around him. Clouds formed and the lightning and thunder ripped through the air all around them.
Marching closer to the form lying on the ground, Gio could tell it was Kace. “Stand and prepare to die! My father has done enough damage to my old family, I’ll be damned if I’ll allow you to do anything to this one. Now stand and fight!”
Dragons flew overhead. Gio could see Smoky, Azul, Spirit, and Talpa were close. Most likely using their links with their sentiences to tell them what was happening. However, movement from the man under the tree reminded Gio he needed to focus on his current situation. “Look at me, damn it!”
Kace slowly moved his head enough to look at Gio, rasping, “He… he’s c-coming. Ne… needed to w-warn… cou… couldn’t st-stop him a… and others.”
Gio felt his anger drain from his body. He knew he shouldn’t trust anything coming out of Kace’s mouth, but for some reason his heart was arguing with his mind.
“He’s badly injured, Gio. I… I don’t know if he’s going to make it.” Taco said, his voice filled with concern.
“Father is coming. I expected that, but what others?” Gio asked to no one in particular.
Kace stammered, “Tri… tried to sto… stop. He… here.”
“He’s here? Where?” Gio asked, rushing to Kace’s side.
Kace groaned, his breath hitching each time he tried to draw in air. Blood was dripping from his mouth and Taco whispered, “He is dying, Gio. We need Jude.”
Gio looked up, shouting, “Smoky, we need Jude quickly.”
Kace snagged Gio’s wrist surprisingly hard. “G… go. Th… they’re com… coming. Dr… dropped th-them be… before bor… border. Th… they wi… will come.”
