Chapter 24
Arena landed on a small clearing on the top of a mountain and shifted to her human form. The area overlooked the valley below and the view was beautiful and serene. Birds were chirping and the breeze was cool and brisk. This had been a favorite spot whenever she came to visit the ranch but since Reichardt had mated, she hadn’t visited as often as she used to. This would be the perfect spot for her to sit down and think clearly.
She thought about the female who had approached her, claiming she was carrying Blaze’s dragonlet. She knew Blaze. He would have told her if he was planning to mate another. Why had she allowed that female to get her so upset? She should head back and ask Blaze directly about it, to clear the air. The hardest part for her was trusting him, and her own instincts in knowing who he really was after all of these years. If the female’s words were true, then he wasn’t the male she thought he was and he didn’t deserve another chance.
She would go back and get the truth from Blaze himself. Just as she was about to shift back to her dragon form, she noticed a dragon flying in her direction. She didn’t recognize the dragon but could tell it was a male. A sense of danger filled her. She quickly shifted into dragon form and took to the air. Flapping her wings, she leaped off the ledge and took to flight.
The male dragon followed her and easily caught up to her. Maybe Reichardt had sent one of his warriors to look for her. However, the male moved to block her path, forcing her to alter her direction.What the fuck is going on?Furious, she took a deep breath to release fire on the ass, but he swooped down and swiped her side with his claws. The attack was so unexpected, she lost balance and began to fall. She had to work to get her wings spread out to catch a draft of air to ease her landing on the ground below.
Bleeding, she shifted into her human form and rolled onto her side, breathing heavily. The male dragon landed and shifted. “What in the hell are you doing?” she demanded, holding her wound with one hand. She tried to sit up.
“I’m making sure that I get what’s owed to me and make Blaze pay for keeping me from my destiny.”
“He’ll kill you for attacking me. In fact, all the kings will have your death ordered.”
He gave her a vicious smile. “That’s if they find you.”
He swung a fist at her face and she felt the contact. It knocked her back, and darkness soon took her. Blaze’s loving face was the last thing she remembered.
*****
“Marj, have you seen Cor?” Blaze asked the eldest female in his clan. She still looked young, like she was in her forties, but he knew she was several hundred years old. Her mate had died in the evacuation from Drakonia and she had been left to raise her grandson and granddaughter.
Marj shook her head. “I haven’t seen him since about early this afternoon. He was with Shanna and they had some kind of fight.”
Blaze looked around the line of cabins. Most of his clan were outside gathered around to find out what all the fuss was about. In fact, everyone was here except for Cor and Shanna. A sound coming from Reichardt’s pants had everyone turning to look curiously at the king.
Reichardt reached inside his pants and pulled out something that he placed by his ear. Then he spoke into it. “Reichardt speaking. She’s not there? Any sign of a struggle? No, leave it there. We’re on our way.” Then Reichardt put the communication device in his pants pocket.
“What’s going on?” Blaze asked.
“Arena’s guard found Arena’s clothes on the southwest field.”
“Where is that?”
“We’ll shift and fly out,” Reichardt motioned for him to follow him. Other warriors came as well, including several males from Blaze’s clan.
They all shifted and flew in the direction that Reichardt was heading. Within minutes they landed, shifting back into their two-legged forms. A warrior with dark hair stood with a familiar blue dress in his hands. Arena had been wearing it when they parted earlier that day.
Blaze moved past the others. He stormed toward the male and yanked her clothing out of his hands. He brought the clothing to his nose and inhaled deeply. He could smell Arena’s sweet natural scent — and a hint of hurt.
He knelt on a knee and leaned close to the ground. Another scent that was familiar to him came from a few feet away. “Shanna was here with Arena.” He followed the path of feet against dirt then dragon feet. “Arena shifted and flew away.”
His dragon was chafing, wanting to be released so that they could find their mate. He looked at Reichart. “Send someone to hunt down Shanna and Cor. I’m going after Arena.”
“Did someone chase her?” Malachi asked. He hadn’t realized the other king was there.
“She left alone. I think I can follow her scent.”
“Then let’s go. I’ll send warriors to look for your clan members.”
Nodding his head, he turned, shifted and lifted his wings to catch the breeze. The other two kings and another warrior shifted to follow him.
He would find Arena and then he would discover why Shanna had approached his mate.
