Part 18 (2/2)

”I will handle all matters in your absence,” Storm said. Thunder expected the male to be happy, but his brother was frowning and looked concerned. ”I will be here when you return.” He touched Thunder on his arm, already consoling him. f.u.c.k that!

”Good, I'm glad to hear it,” Thunder said. ”I will need a day or two to help my female settle in when we return. I want to show her around the lair, around the whole of our kingdom.”

Storm pursed his lips together. It looked like he was trying to hold back a comment. ”Whatever you need from me, my lord,” he finally said.

”You can begin by organizing a family gathering. Our sisters will want to meet Tammy.”

”Are you sure you-”

”Do it!” he shouted. ”We will be back before nightfall. Have someone clean my chamber and prepare a meal. Something intimate and romantic.” He couldn't quite catch his breath.

”Brother,” Strom touched the side of his arm. He looked sad. Thunder gave a small shake of the head. He couldn't handle negativity. Not right now. Not when his own mind was running at a mile a minute, screaming things he didn't want to hear. ”I will arrange everything. I look forward to your return. The both of you,” he quickly added. ”Have a safe journey.

”We will, thank you.” Thunder turned back to the males. ”Give me fifteen minutes. I need to inform my female and fetch warm clothing for the journey. As you know, humans are soft and weak.”

Heat smiled. ”Yes, they certainly are. Soft is a good thing though,” the male grinned. He turned serious. ”I can only give you five minutes. We have delayed too long already. I must warn you, Blaze is in a bad mood. He was very clear about this meeting and stressed the urgency around seeing you both.”

f.u.c.k! A knot formed in his belly. Thunder was not looking forward to seeing Blaze. Although things were much more cordial between them, there was still a lot of water under the bridge. He was sure that he hadn't simply forgotten how Thunder had crossed him. At least, that's how the male would see it. Although things had worked out better for Blaze in the end, so maybe it would all be okay. The male might not have mated one of his sisters but he had ended up with Roxy. Blaze should thank him. Yeah right, and Father Christmas was a dragon s.h.i.+fter.

”I will meet you in the great hall in a few minutes,” Thunder looked at Heat as he spoke. The male nodded. Thunder turned and headed for the restroom. He knocked. Tammy opened within seconds. ”I'm sorry, I was hiding out. I heard all that. We should be worried, shouldn't we?” Her eyes were wide.

Thunder shook his head. ”I won't let him take you. I told you that and I mean it.”

She pulled in a deep breath. ”I'm worried. I can't believe he would enforce a silly rule.”

”We'll get through this,” he injected confidence into his words. There wasn't much he could do. If Blaze was setting this whole thing up so that Tammy could be removed from the four kingdoms, physically if need be, then there wasn't a d.a.m.n thing he would be able to do about it. His hands would be tied. He'd have none of his males at his side. He was hobbled. ”If you are forced back, know that I will come for you,” his voice hitched.

Tammy nodded, her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. She gave him a sad smile and gripped his hand. ”You need to know that I don't want to go.”

”I know.”

”We'd better get going. I've got less than three minutes to grab my coat and brush my teeth.”

Thunder kissed her nose. ”I ...” love you, ”agree, let's move.”

Chapter 20.

Tammy hung between Thunder's claws. This mode of transport was becoming situation normal for her. She'd put on a woolen beanie and gloves, as well as a fur-lined winter jacket, not to mention the rest. Thunder had grunted some commands to one of his men and the stuff was delivered half a minute later. She was lost in the oversized jacket but she was very warm. Toasty.

There were two Fire warriors up ahead and two to their rear. She could hear their wings flap almost in unison. If it weren't for the sick feeling in her stomach, she would sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery. They were headed straight for the biggest mountain range, slowly gaining alt.i.tude. There was a narrow pa.s.s between two of the smaller peaks. She'd get to see all that ice and snow up close. Her heart beat way too fast but only because she was afraid of losing Thunder. She'd meant to ask him what he was to her. They were dating ... so was 'boyfriend' appropriate? It didn't seem enough, yet how could he be anything more after only knowing him for a week and a half?

She should also have been excited at the prospect of seeing the Fire Castle again. Of seeing Roxy and maybe one or two of the other women who had left with her on the hunt.

This didn't bode well for them though. She could see it in Thunder's eyes. He was really nervous. It was the first time she'd seen him like this.

Tammy wasn't ready to go home yet. Their relations.h.i.+p was still so new. In its infancy, but the more she got to know him the more she wanted to know. The more time she spent with him the more she wanted to spend with him. She needed to trust that he would sort this out. He had to.

They neared the pa.s.s, which looked thick with snow. It was untouched. Pristine. She could almost see the individual ice crystals twinkling and blinking. They were flying pretty low. Low to the ground, but many miles above sea-level. The air felt thinner. She was breathing heavily, even though she wasn't exerting herself. The dragons in front of them released great plumes of white with every breath.

She looked back down and to the right. What was that? It looked like a single foot print in the snow. It couldn't be though. Not all the way up here. She squinted her eyes up, trying hard to see.

Suddenly one of the dragons ahead of her fell. He landed heavily in a flurry of limbs and wings. She screamed as the dragon next to him dropped as well, falling just as hard and just as fast. Thunder veered sharply to the left but not before she saw them. Crimson drops in the snow directly below. Tammy couldn't breathe. Her stomach felt like it was left behind as they did another sharp dive. None of that mattered. Thunder had been hurt.

There was an almighty crash behind them together with the heavy crunching sound of snow. In front of them, the cliff wall grew closer and closer, Thunder set her down carefully, considering the circ.u.mstances they found themselves in. The snow was thick, quickly swallowing her feet and calves. Thunder changed back into his human form. Blood gushed from a hole in his arm.

”You're hurt.”

”I'm okay.” He ushered her towards an outcrop of rocks at the cliff wall. Her teeth chattered, she had to lift her legs high because of the snow, so the going was slow. Her ski pants were wet. Again, none of that mattered.

The fourth Fire dragon, the only dragon still standing, came to a halt behind Thunder, its great back to them, its huge tail swis.h.i.+ng from side to side, reminding her of an angry cat. It was on the lookout. Not that the beast stood much chance.

”Is it silver?” She pointed to his arm.

Thunder didn't answer her, he didn't have to. ”We need to get you safe.”

”I don't see an exit wound. We need to get it out of your arm,” she said, as he shoved her behind the rocks. She glanced around them. There was a fissure in the rock. Thunder gripped her by the arm and pushed her into the narrow s.p.a.ce. She pulled up her jacket and using her mouth, pulled off the glove on her right hand.

”You'll freeze,” Thunder frowned, looking at her hand.

Tammy unsheathed her knife. Taking it with her had been purely out of habit. She'd grown so used to pus.h.i.+ng the sheathed blade into the front of her jeans, it was second nature. ”You'll die if I don't sort this out.”

The dragon roared loudly. It was a deafening sound.

”We're out of time,” Thunder pulled back but Tammy gripped him by the arm and he held still. She sliced across the wound, which was at the top of his bicep. There was no time for being careful. The longer the silver was inside him, the more of its poison would enter his bloodstream and the weaker he would become.

The dragon screeched as she dug the knife in the hole. It was right there, just below the surface. She gripped the edge and pulled out an oval shaped piece of silver. It was sharp on one side ”It's a bolt,” Thunder growled. ”He has a crossbow.”

”I'm sure he has more than just a crossbow.”

Thunder's eyes were dark. His muscles bunched. ”He had better have more. A whole lot more.” He gripped her arms and kissed her. It lasted all of a second but still left her a little breathless and a whole lot worried. ”Stay here,” he pushed her further into the narrow s.p.a.ce. ”Do not move unless I come for you.”

”Be careful,” she called after him.

There was a crunching noise and a wail that was more animal than human. It was the last dragon. The last barrier between Cloud and Thunder had fallen.

”It's over!” Thunder yelled. ”Surrender or die!”

Tammy heard the sound of laughing. A sound so eerie it chilled her blood. ”I should say the same,” Cloud said. She had known it was him but hearing him still had her heart racing. She was tempted to run out there and to let him have a piece of her mind but doing so would put Thunder even more on the back foot, so she stayed put. Besides, it wasn't as if a crazy-a.s.s person like Cloud would be able to rationally comprehend what she had to say. The guy was too far gone.

”Last chance, Cloud. I don't want to kill you.” She could hear the anguish in Thunder's voice.

”I have a bolt aimed at your chest. At your heart to be more precise.”

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