Chapter 19
“Wake up Alex. It's time.”
The voice echoed on the air. Alex pushed tangled red tresses out of her eyes, prepared to forgive Collum.
“It's time. We are waiting. Are you ready?”
The echo was different. There wasn’t laughter in it. There wasn’t annoyance either. She sat up, startled out of her sleeping state.
“Neeren? You can't be here.”
“I can be anywhere. You'll find out soon. Are you ready? All you need to do, is take my hand. There is no place for you here. You belong with me.”
The hand reaching out to hers was sculpted with short, clean finger nails. The air around him shimmered with intensity and . . . something else. Was it ease? He was standing in a dragon’s home like it was his right. In a moment of clarity, Alex understood that this was a man who was never told no. Not because people feared him, but because no one would think to say it.
“You need to leave. Collum could come out here at any moment. Or Domhall. Look, you might not know who they are, but it would be safer for you if you left now. Besides, I'm not ready.”
Neeren offered a languid, lazy smile. “You can be assured that I know everything I need. Now, we are all waiting. It's time to come with me. Take my hand.”
The desire to reach out to him almost overrode her good sense. She shook her head to clear her mind but the need to go to him remained. It wasn’t sexual. More like spirituality? Was that it? Her fire didn’t reach for him the way it did Collum. It was deeper—a force in her gut—something trying to push through her skin, through her bones.
“Look, I want to know more about myself and believe you have the answers. I probably will come with you, but this is not the best time. There are things I need to figure out. Can't you wait a little while?”
“No, this is the time. There is nothing more important than coming with me. I hold your answers, not some witch.”
“How do you know about the witch?”
“I told you already. I know everything I need to.”
“But . . .”
“Alex?”
Alex turned to see Domhall stride in to the garden.
“I was coming out to see if you wanted some juice,” he said.
She jumped in front of Neeren to block him from Domhall. She couldn't bear for him to be hurt, even if she didn't know why. “You have to go now.”
The same quiet smile remained on his face as Neeren said, “It’s okay, Alex, he won't hurt me.”
“Are you nuts? I may not know everything about this world, but I do know that he is one immortal you don't want to mess with.”
“Agreed. I don't and I won't. Will I, Domhall?”
Before her grandfather could respond Collum ran in to the garden. In his palm lay a ball of fire. He stopped beside Domhall. Alex cringed as he said, “Step the fuck away from her.”
Neeren smirked. “Oh for Creator’s sake. This is getting ridiculous. I won't take her against her will, but I will take her. You are, The Guardian, I presume?”
Collum nodded. “And you would be?”
“Neeren. I am here for Alex. She belongs with me.”
“Well, Neeren, you can't hope to take her from me here. This is your last warning.”
Beside him, Domhall stood quietly.
Alex stretched her arms out in front of Neeren. “Stop it. Please, Collum, I’m okay. I believe he won't hurt me. Neeren, can't you give me more time?”
“This is our time, Alex. Say goodbye to the dragon.”
Before Alex could react, Domhall flashed to her and pulled her away from Neeren. Chaos erupted around her.
Collum hurled a blue flame at Neeren. The man dodged left. Collum lobbied fire balls across the garden. Neeren evaded each one. Launched himself at Collum, releasing a stream of ice into the flame as he did so. The ice knocked Collum backward. Neeren grabbed his wrists. Collum flipped his hands out, twisted Neeren's head down and smashed the man’s skull into his knee. Neeren dropped, then rolled away shooting another stream of ice at Collum.
Alex clutched Domhall’s hand. She stood frozen. It was too much like the morning she’d been attacked. She tried to scream at them to stop but the words lodged in her throat. Choked her.
“You might be bigger, Dragon. You will tire faster.”
Collum snarled, said, “You wanna tell me how you’re controlling that water, boy? Not that it matters. No creature will take her from me while I live.”
Neeren grinned. “Then I guess I better kill you.”
Alex stood paralyzed as the two men advanced on each other. The garden was awash in flame and ice and she wondered if either would come out alive. An array of heathers, ferns and tulips lay at her feet—their beauty destroyed by chaos. A tremor began in her stomach, rolled up through her chest. She found her voice then, begged for them to stop, but neither man listened. Maybe it was in her mind.
Domhall laid a hand on her shoulder. “Settle, Alex. Collum is letting off steam. He hasn't even let his dragon loose. That’s how little concern he has that Neeren can take him. Super cocky of him, but dragons are known for being cocky. Anyway, Neeren’s having fun. He hasn't had a good fight in years. Let them go at it for a minute.”
She shook her head. Her voice rang out. “What are you talking about? They’re killing each other.”
“They’re not killing each other. If it eases your mind, I can tell you that Neeren is incapable of hurting you and he knows you care for Collum. Yet, in the end the choice is yours to stop it.”
She whipped her head back and forth between the two men and Domhall. “What are you talking about? Why aren't you stopping it? Why aren't you helping Collum?”
“Really? That dragon doesn't need my help. He’s Collum Thronus.”
He said it like she was supposed to know what the hell he meant.
“Besides, I don’t want to help him. There’s something bigger at work here, granddaughter. Don't you want to find out more about who you are? All you have to do is tell me.”
She studied the two men locked in battle. The idea of either one of them being hurt ripped her gut in half.
Both men felt like home.
Collum made her laugh. He annoyed the hell out of her. He also made her toes curl and she wanted to wake up next to him again. She knew without a shadow of a doubt he would protect her with his life.
But something inside woke up the moment she met Neeren. A light that felt like a thread pulled her to him. Or to what she suspected he meant to her understanding of who she was. She refused to try and figure out Domhall’s angle. No one could figure out Domhall. All she knew was that she couldn’t risk one of them dying.
She glared at her grandfather. “Stop them. I'm asking you to stop them.”
Domhall waved his hand. The flames and ice dissipated. His voice rose above the ferocity around them. Took on a hollow sound, like the earth rumbled inside him. “You will end this now. It is over.”
Both men fell to their knees.
“Dom, you fucking idiot,” Collum bellowed.
“Sorry, old man. Alex is leaving with Neeren. It’s time. You will let it happen.”
Collum fought against invisible bonds. “I knew you couldn’t handle this. I never should have trusted you.”
Domhall waved his hand again. The bonds holding Neeren fell way. He stretched out to his full height.
“It is better to only trust family,” Neeren said before walking to where Domhall and Alex stood. “Isn't that right, Grandfather?”
Alex spun between the three men. “What are you talking about? What is going on?”
Behind her, Collum continued to punch at the energy field holding him in place.
Her grandfather spoke. “Collum, stop before you hurt yourself.”
“You piece of shit. Your own wife wanted her hidden. How can you do this?”
“My wife wanted her hidden from the other elders, not from her own family. Do not judge me. It took me years to find Neeren. I will not leave the care of my family to those corrupted by power.”
“You’re the corrupt one, Dom. You’ve lost the fucking plot man. I found the witch. She can help us.”
“We don’t need the witch, Collum. I have my family. I need no outsider to help Alex learn her powers. Her family will do that.”
With a final strike, Collum smashed through the energy field holding him. He advanced on Domhall and Neeren. Alex noticed the incredulous look in their eyes. The death looming in Collum’s.
“You will not take her from me,” he growled. “We are claimed.”
Even the air in the room froze as all eyes turned to Alex. She pushed the hair back from her face and said, “Oh sure, now you decide to tell them?”
The men all began talking at once—The fight forgotten.
“Are you kidding me?” Domhall asked.
“It matters not. She is still coming with me. Take my hand, Alex,” Neeren demanded.
“I'm sorry, lover. I can’t let them take you,” Collum whispered while walking toward her.
“All of you. Shut up now,” Alex shrieked. “Collum, stop moving. First you call me yours, then you push me away because you don't want complications, and now you decide to tell my grandfather we had sex! Considering I don't even know what claimed means, I'm declaring I don't give a shit about it. None of you get to decide what to do with me. I do. I'm taking some of my power back.”
Neeren chuckled. “You made the right decision.”
“Shut up, Neeren,” she yelled.
Collum advanced. “Alex, you cannot trust these men. I won’t let you go with them.”
Domhall interrupted, saying, “If you don’t allow it, I will rain fire down on your home. There is no choice left here.”
“Try it asshole. This house was built with fire.”
Alex stared at Collum while admonishing her grandfather. “No one is raining down fire on anyone. I won’t accept Collum being harmed.” She turned to Domhall. “Are you listening, Grandfather?”
When he nodded she turned back to Collum. Prayed he would understand. “Collum, I'm sorry but I'm going. I need to do this. I believe that he is worth trusting.”
She turned to Neeren and grabbed his hand. “Take me home.”
Before any man could make a move, Neeren grinned, and they disappeared.