Part 11 (1/2)
No! f.u.c.k no! It wasn't possible. How had Cloud found them? Thunder pulled Tammy behind him. The female had a bewildered look, not sure why he was manhandling her in such a manner.
There was a cracking noise.
”No!” Tammy whispered, as she realized what was happening.
”How touching,” Cloud said as he walked towards the foot of the bed. For a moment, Thunder was tempted to leap to his feet. To fight. To flee. To do something but what could he do against the male?
Remnants of the silver still ran through him. He was still weak. They didn't stand a chance.
”I can see by the look of shock on both of your faces that you thought you had killed me. Sorry to disappoint. Your aim was off. Not by much, you almost ended me.”
”How did you find us?” Thunder asked.
Cloud smiled. ”It took me a while to heal and then I followed the trail. Thanks for that by the way. You bled most of the way here.”
Thunder felt like an idiot for not realizing that he had bled, that he had left a trail.
Cloud looked about the cave. ”Then again, I guess I have myself to thank for making you bleed in the first place. Although, I should have made you bleed a bit more since it took me a day or two to scout the area.” His eyes focused behind his shoulder. On the female. His female.
”Don't do this.” Thunder had to try.
Cloud locked eyes with Thunder. He had that look about him. Tammy had described it as haunted. It was the best description he'd heard. The male laughed. ”If only you had told me that. Don't do it. No. If only, my king.” He gave a sweeping bow, a mocking bow. ”You didn't say any of those things. You gave your blessing.” His face twisted in anguish. That female ...” he pointed to Tammy and Thunder growled. Cloud ignored him. ”Is mine. I will get her with child as soon as possible and take back what was ripped from me. The time for being patient is over.”
”I'm so sorry Wind died.”
Cloud visibly blanched.
”I should have dissuaded you. I wish I had but, in the end, it wasn't my decision to make. It was yours. Both of yours. You knew of the risks and chose to follow that path.”
”Chose,” Cloud spat. ”It was never a choice. I went to you so that you could tell me that I was being stupid. I had to talk her into it,” his voice choked up. ”Did you know that? She didn't want to take the drug, but I ... she wanted it too in the end.” His eyes filled with tears and he squeezed them shut for a beat. When he opened them, they were hard and fixed on him. ”Childless couples are made to feel inferior. We are made to feel like losers. I am a warrior.” He beat his chest. ”I didn't feel like one,” his voice came out softer. ”You,” he pointed at Thunder, ”made me feel like less ... like nothing.”
”I'm sorry that you felt that way. It was never my intention to make you or any other male couple for that matter to feel that way.” Thunder wasn't perfect but he had always treated all of his subjects as equals. Yes, they encouraged mated couples to have young but it was a given that not all would manage it. Females were rare, a fertile pair was almost unheard of. He felt sorry for them. He would never ridicule them. Tammy was right, this was the way that Cloud saw things. It wasn't necessarily the truth though. ”I should've dissuaded you that day. It is something that I must live with but that was my only form of wrongdoing. At the end of the day, it was ultimately your decision, both you and Wind's decision to go ahead. To take the chance. I'm so sorry that it didn't work out. That the cost was so great. I will do anything to help you through your suffering.”
”You can't help me!” Cloud spat, his face red with anger. ”You can't bring her back. What you can do is take responsibility for my mate's death and hand over that female,” he pointed at Tammy who whimpered, pressing herself against his back, trying to hide away from Cloud.
”She isn't mine to give.”
”It's only a matter of time before you win her. The mighty king Thunder. She is mine now.” He sniffed the air. ”You haven't claimed her fully yet.” He smiled. ”I'm glad ... not that it would have made any difference.”
”Don't do this, Cloud. I might be weak now, but it won't last for forever. If you take her now, I will end you.” He could see that he was not getting through to the male. Cloud was too far gone. Too angry, too sad, too crazy to see things any way but his own way. He was going to hurt his female. Force her into mating him. He would justify his actions to himself.
It wouldn't do much good but he would fight. He had to try to stop Cloud. The male had a bag slung around his shoulder. The strap was loose and the bag rode low on his body. It would pull tight when he changed into his dragon form. He saw a blade sheathed there. A silver edge, he was sure. If only he could get his hands on it, he might just stand a half a chance. He knew the bag would be filled with more weapons as well. Thunder needed to proceed carefully.
Cloud smiled. It was the smile of a crazy man. His eyes turned wild. They even glowed. ”Hand her over and I'll let you live.”
”I can't do that.”
”Suit yourself.” He lunged at Thunder, moving almost too quickly for his eyes to register. So d.a.m.ned sluggish. The backs of his fingers touched the handle for a split second. He was too slow.
Cloud backhanded him. It took a moment to register that he was flying through the air. Thunder crashed against the far wall. Pain exploded through his shoulder. The room winked in and out of focus.
Thunder shook his head to try and clear it. He staggered to his feet, trying hard to summon his power. Too d.a.m.ned weak. As Cloud came at him, he realized his mistake. Maybe it wasn't too late to change tactics. The other male punched him square in the nose. Blood gushed from the broken appendage. It ran down his throat, feeling hot and thick. He staggered backwards, his back hitting the wall. Screams flooded the cave. Pain flared.
Chapter 13.
Tammy screamed as Thunder's nose crunched under Cloud's fist. Blood. Oh Lord but there was so much blood. It ran down his face. Splattered on his chest. His eyes looked dazed. He staggered backwards, hitting the wall hard with his back but somehow managing to stay on his feet.
”She is mine!” Cloud roared. He clenched his left hand and pummeled Thunder on the side of his head, using his arm like a club.
”Nooooo!” Tammy screamed as Thunder went flying. His body actually lifted off the ground for a second or two. She was sure she heard something else crunch. His jaw maybe. His body crumpled in a heap somewhere in the shadows, she could barely make out his motionless form.
She had to do something. Cloud was going to kill him. ”Noooo!” she screamed again, as the s.h.i.+fter pulled a long, sharp looking blade from a sheath in a bag on his back. It glinted in the firelight.
Silver.
Poison.
Deadly.
Thunder wouldn't survive another run-in with silver. She just knew it. He was in no position to defend himself either. She had to help him.
Cloud smiled. The guy was even crazier than she had first thought.
”Let's go,” she said. ”I'm here and ready to become your mate.” She added the last when he didn't look her way.
Cloud's eyes flicked to her for a second before moving back to Thunder.
”Leave him,” she shook her head. ”We're wasting time.”
”I need to make sure he doesn't disturb us again,” Cloud growled.
”No!” she cried. ”You're wasting time. Come to me.” She opened her arms.
Cloud took a step towards her, then another and another. Just when she began to relax, he turned back towards Thunder. A look of pure hatred on his face.
It was then that she realized he would not be able to leave Thunder alive. His feud ran too deep. His madness was taking over. Tammy jumped to her feet, still on the bed. She launched herself on the s.h.i.+fter, landing on his back, her arms around his neck, her legs around his body. ”Run, Thunder, run!”
It was hard to tell. The cave was just so dark back there but she was sure she saw movement.
Please get away. Please. ”Run!” she shouted as she tightened her arms. ”Leave him alone, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d.”
”Get off.” He tried to peel her off of him but she held on tight. ”Let go,” he growled.