Kellan must’ve seen the truth in Rian’s eyes. Before the Dragon Leader could take his next breath Kellan, who’d been trained his entire life to fight with deadly precision, pulled back his fist and punched Rian right in the jaw. The crack of bone and the smack of flesh hitting flesh preceded the thud of the Dragon Leader falling to his knees.
Rian’s insanity began to recede. Slowly, the man could feel the beast grudgingly pulling back, giving way to Rian’s humanity…his sensibility and control. The dragon growled low and long in Rian’s head, letting him know the time had come. It had been long enough, it was close to now or never, they needed to save Audrey. One final chuff and the heat only an angry dragon can produce momentarily filled Rian’s being. His beast was letting the Dragon Leader know clearly, should the need for the dragon to rise again, he would not be denied. He would save their mate…Fate and all others be damned.
Rian wholeheartedly agreed with his dragon. The madness had not been knocked away by Kellan’s punch. It was still very much alive, only held at bay by Rian’s incredible strength and determination. Going rogue and letting the dragon run amuck would get Audrey back, but the cost would be Rian’s humanity and the death and destruction of everyone and everything in the beast’s path. No, the humans could handle it, but the urgency of the situation remained. It weighed upon the Dragon Leader more with every beat of his heart.
Reminding himself that he would be no good to Audrey as a mindless killing machine and that he needed his wits about him to save the woman he loved, Rian looked up at Kellan and gave a single nod of recognition.
Holding out his hand, Kellan asked, “You okay?”
Before the Dragon Leader could answer, Rory whined from somewhere behind him, “Is he okay? I’m the one who hit the ground like a piece of garbage.”
“Yeah, but he’s the one I hit.” Kellan rolled his eyes as Kyra burst out laughing.
“Kyra!” Royce scolded.
Kyra didn’t even try to stop laughing, only winked at Rian.
“No, she’s right.” Rian half-chuckled, half-groaned as Kellan pulled him to his feet.
Moving his jaw back and forth, he thanked the Universe for his miraculous strength and healing. Without it, there was no doubt his jaw would still be shattered. Looking back to his old friend, Rian said, “Thanks, Kell.”
With a simple nod, the scarred dragon moved to the far corner of the room. He stood watching, always accessing, always at the ready, almost as if the retired soldier was expecting an attack. It was something he’d done ever since returning from war scarred and fundamentally different in ways Rian had yet to figure out. The day would come when Kellan would have to face his demons and the Dragon Leader would be there for his friend just as Kellan had been there for him.
Looking around the room, he was glad to see the McKennons taking his momentary trip into insanity in stride. Even Brenna, the most timid woman Rian had ever met, was smiling at him. He smiled back even though he didn’t feel it. His ability to maintain control was being tested to its limits, but he had to keep it together. Not only for Audrey, but also for the people who looked to him as a leader. Rian met the eyes of every one of the McKennon witches as an additional reassurance of his sanity.
Walking toward the kitchen where Kyra and Calysta were having a serious discussion about the Looking Glass, Rian stopped when Lennox nearly spit the iced tea he was drinking across the room at something Pearce had just said. With his hands on his hips, Rian turned to face them and asked, “What? What now?”
Barely able to speak, Lennox stuttered, “F-f-f-forget your c-c-c-clothes there, c-c-c-chief?”
Rian shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. He had indeed forgotten to put on a shirt or shoes on as he’d run out of his house as if the world was ending. It only stood to reason that the McKennons were staring at him like he had lost his last marble. They had to be wondering why in all that was holy he was ever given the highest position in their clan as he stood before them in nothing but his ragged old blue jeans.
Spinning around to apologize, the Dragon Leader said, “I’m so…” and that was a far as he got as a worn grey T-short flew through the air, hitting him right across the face.
“Thanks, Roy.” He rolled his eyes at his brother before pulling the shirt over his head, turning back to the living room, and finishing his apology. “Sorry about that, ladies. Sorry for it all.”
“No need to be sorry, Rian. The girls understand,” Sarah Beth, the matriarch of the McKennon family, answered. “We’ve all gotten a little crazy over the ones we love.”
Nodding at the older white witch while keeping a tight leash on his emotions, Rian again started toward the kitchen. He needed to know what the two most powerful witches in the world had been able to find out about the safety of his mate.
Barely in the room before Kyra started to speak without looking up from the Moldavite amulet, Rian moved closer while listening. “It shut off when Mom got about ten feet away from you. The power to use this thing definitely comes from you. I can’t even get it to spark.”
Finally looking up, the tiny platinum-haired witch smiled. “But I can tell you that what you were seeing was an old memory. Really old from the feel of it.” Kyra stopped talking, looked at her mate, and began to bite her bottom lip.
Rian could hear the buzz of the couple speaking directly into one another’s mind. He attempted to listen and found out they were using their unique connection—one he was not a part of. Not willing to waste any more time, he punched Royce in the arm and barked, “Just tell me, dammit. Whatever it is, just tell me. I gotta get going. I have to get Audrey outta there.”
“First of all, you’re going nowhere without all of us, and second, Kyra is positive the Demon Lord was manipulating the memories you saw.”
Kyra picked up right where Royce ended. “I can feel the taint of his magic.” Her lip was curled, her nose crinkled across the bridge, and she shuddered, “It was strong black magic. He was there. The jerk was baiting you. He knows you have serious white magic on your side and he wants it. I can feel the greed and envy he has for your power and your beast. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has some dragon blood in him somewhere, or at least has tasted it. He knows how strong you are. All he needs is your name and I have no doubt he would summon you to hell.”
“You can tell all that from feeling his magic?”
Nodding, eyes wide, Kyra jumped up and walked right up to Rian. “Damn straight. That SOB is made of magic. I would venture to say he’s millions of years old. You don’t get that old without serious mojo from every source you can find. Demons of his level beg, power, and steal magic of all kinds. It’s survival of the fittest and boy oh boy, is Adramelech fit. He’s old. Has been in power a very long time. But don’t mistake strength with smarts. The bastard may be superhero strong but he’s stupid, irresponsible, and greedy. No match for us.”
“Kyra,” Royce sighed and shook his head. “We talked about this.” His last words ended in a growl.
Rian watched as the little witch spun in her toes and marched over to his brother, shaking her finger the whole way. “Do not growl at me, Royce O’Reilly, I swear to…”
Kyra’s next words disappeared in a surprised ‘Oomph’ as Royce threw her over his shoulder and excused them both. The room erupted into laughter as Kyra could be heard yelling, “I swear to the Goddess, I will turn you into a…” right before the door to their room slammed shut.
