Chapter 20
Something shook her. She swatted at a smooth yet firm wall and then her eyes shot open. Max was shaking her awake.
“We have to go, hurry,” he said in a rush.
Blood covered his face. There were tiny cuts on him, no not cuts, claw marks. He was pale and his lip was swollen.
“No, I can’t leave, Tali—”
“Is gone.”
Dallas sat up and ignored how a wave of dizziness rushed through her whole body. “Gone, what do you mean gone?”
He didn’t respond at first, and that’s when she noticed the blood on his shirt and pants. Something bad happened, and he wasn’t going to tell her. There was a determined set to his jaw that reminded him of Tali when she was being stubborn. Dread filled her gut and she stood from the ground, stiff from sleeping on the concrete.
“Where’s my sister, Max?”
“Dallas,” he started then stopped and lifted a battered hand to his face.
“Tell me,” she ordered feeling the tears. Deep inside she knew. Something bad had happened. She remembered hearing her scream and it felt like she was punched in the gut. Pain like she’d never felt ripped through her, and only part of it was hers. The rest was Max’s pain. “She’s gone isn’t she, like gone, gone?”
Max gave her a nod. “I tried; I did, I swear, but Jaz is too strong for me. I mean come on look at me.”
“You’re not weak, you fought for her, didn’t you?”
Another nod. “By the time I got there she was already hurt. He’d stabbed her with the blade. She lost a lot of blood.” He paused and swallowed. “That’s when I tried to fight him. He shifted partially and I can’t do that. I don’t know how, but I gave him everything I had, and that’s why we have to hurry. He’s going to kill us both.”
“I need to see.”
“No—no you really don’t. It will only drive you crazy.”
“But—”
“Please just trust me on this. We need the tribe. We will get him.”
“Do you promise, you and I—we’ll get him?”
“I swear. But first we need to let the others know we’re okay. I’ve already contacted Ilias. They should be here any second.” Max pulled her into a hug. “I’m so sorry.”
She felt his tears on her drip on her head. “It’s not your fault.”
But she was devastated. Her sister came to town and just like Aris said, she would be an easy target. It was all her fault. She should have just called her and told her over the phone. Should have just went to see her. Now she had to bury her.
“To gain a life, one must lose a life.”
That was the truest statement, and now she understood what it meant. Because she cheated death her sister paid the price. Dallas wasn’t sure if she would ever be okay. They were all they had. Their mom passed away years before, and their dad walked out on them when Tali was only barely a year old. Growing up they were not only sisters, but best friends too.
She pulled away from Max and wiped at her own tears. She would never forgive herself. If only she had stayed at the diner.
Max took her hand and kissed it. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Okay, but we’re coming back, and he is going to suffer the way he made her suffer. I will kill him.”
“Oh, will you now?” Jaz asked. “How touching you two comforting each other. Almost makes me want to cry.”
She hated his voice, it grated on her nerves. She hated how he looked, smelled and sounded. She spun towards him pulling her hand from Max’s before she felt her claws and eyes change.
“Pick on someone your own size,” she said and stalked towards him. He was already injured, all she had to do is find his weakness. If evil had one.
No, everyone had a weakness, she just had to find it.
“Oh good, now I get the older sister. This should be fun.” He didn’t come towards her. Instead he watched her trying to figure out what she’d do.
At this point she had no idea, but that didn’t stop her from nearly closing the distance between them. Rage and pain rushed through her. He killed her sister. The beast inside of her growled.
‘Murderer.’
Dallas soaked up the power of the blue dragon. Before she knew what was happening Max grabbed her clawed hands. At first, she thought he was going to try to pull her away so they could run, but then Jaz’s eyes went wide.
She didn’t know what was going on but dragon magic surrounded them, and every emotion she ever felt was shoved toward the monster who killed her sister.
She gasped when Jaz screamed.
“No—you’re Silver!”
She wasn’t sure what that meant but whatever Max did, he found a way to use her power too—or amplify it. Whatever the case, it left Jaz open and she tugged Max’s hand and closed that small distance between them. With her free hand, she raised it and ripped her claws through his forearms. He covered his face, but she didn’t care as long as she broke skin.
Blood pooled from his arms and she slashed at him again, deeper. She shoved his arms out of the way and shoved her clawed fingers into his chest. She was going to rip his black heart out but he managed to shove her hard enough her claws were ripped out of his chest.
He screamed again and fell to the ground curled up into a tight ball. With one last bit of energy she slammed her foot into his ribs before Max tugged her hand. She tried to fight and stomped on Jaz again; this time she had no idea where the blow landed, but she didn’t care as long as it hurt him. He would feel the pain he put Tali through and then some.
He shrieked and she knew she’d hit something vital.
Good.
Max squeezed her hand.
“They’re here, let’s go. We’ll come back.”
Dallas tried to stay. She didn’t want to leave without her sister’s body. She didn’t want to leave while Jaz was still alive. No matter the case Max was stronger than he gave himself credit for. He pulled her back all the while she fought. She kicked him and screamed. But he still held on. Before she knew what he was doing, she was tossed over his shoulder. She slapped him with clawed fingers and even though he flinched he didn’t make a noise. He kept walking until he found an exit.
The door was ripped from its hinges and that’s when she felt him and the tears rushed forward again.
“Blane,” she said in a whisper. But still Max didn’t put her down and Blane moved to the side while she continued to fight. She needed to see the monster dead. He killed her Tali. Now it was just her, and it was her fault she lost the only family she had left.
“What the hell is going on?” Aris said. She couldn’t see him since she was facing the other way, but his tone wasn’t happy.
“She wouldn’t leave. I had to do something.” Max replied and she felt the deep baritone of his voice against her body.
“Where’s—”
That was when Dallas knew Max hadn’t even told Ilias what happened. She wondered why.
“She’s gone.”
“Gone, like she got away—”
Dallas squirmed enough to throw him off and he dropped her. She fell to the ground and sobbed.
“Oh,” Aris responded and dropped to his knees. “Come here little one.” He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. “It will eventually hurt less. We’ll get him.”
“He stopped me,” she whispered.
“He worried he’d lose you too. Jaz is an older pure bred Black Dragon. He’s been an assassin for a long time. He knows what he’s doing. It’s going to take more than a new dragon to take him down. No matter how strong you think you are. No matter how much you want vengeance, we can’t stoop that low. It would make us no better than what we’re fighting against. But he will be punished.”
It wasn’t enough, but when she could think she would realize he was right. It didn’t mean she had to like it. Right now, all she could see was red. The need to rip the monster who killed her sister apart. But the Dallas who cared would never get over killing anyone either, no matter the crime. It was the beast in her that wanted his blood. She just wanted her sister back, and that wasn’t going to happen.
The tear continued to fall even when Blane picked her up and cradled her close. She buried her face into his neck and sighed taking in his calming scent. It didn’t work the way it normally did, but it was where she needed to be.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“For what, baby?”
“Tell Max, he thinks I hate him.”
“I will, just rest now.”
Dallas swallowed and pushed back the tears. She would mourn her sister for the rest of her life, but for now she’d listen to her mate. She was so tired. Now that she was a little calmer the energy she’d exerted was paying her back tenfold. Every inch of her body ached and even the beast slumbered deeply.