Chapter 15.

Wake up.

An emptiness as vast as space surrounded Maya. No light, no sound. Even her body seemed to have vanished. When she tried to pinch herself, no hand answered her mind’s plea.

Wake up!

Yet, the void held her tight. Hard as she fought, she couldn’t break free. Not to a dream world, not to the real world. Panic welled within her. Emptiness stifled her, crushed her. As if she’d been buried alive.

All she could feel was Jamie’s need, radiating from Here/Not Here. He was in danger. She stood beside him and infinitely far away in the spiraling insanity of this place.

Terror threatened to overwhelm her. Yet, in the midst of her panic, one useless bit of information was her life preserver, keeping her sanity afloat.

Jamie was in danger. He needed her.

If she surrendered to the fear that pressed close, he would be lost. Forever.

She might wake up from this nightmare.

He never would. Not as a Dragon.

And even if he didn’t care for her, Maya could no longer deny her own feelings.

She loved Jamie Wolfe. Loved the fact that, together, they had brought a child into this world. Love drove her fear back, brought a moment of blessed calm for her to gather her thoughts.

Assumption is the bane of research. When you’re stuck, go back to the facts.

Fact One. Nothing existed here – except her mind.

No, that wasn’t true. The bond that linked her to Jamie still existed. She could feel the warning pulsing through it.

Fact Two. She couldn’t force herself to wake up. Though, now that she was calmer, she didn’t care. Waking meant abandoning her Mate.

She wouldn’t do that. Couldn’t live with herself if she surrendered him to this darkness.

With that, her facts came to a dejecting end. Time for experimentation.

Could the bond be used as a path? Maya visualized a rope, binding her to her lover. Pictured herself grabbing it, pulling herself along it.

Success! The sense of Jamie grew stronger, closer…

Until a force slammed into her chest, forcing her back.

Something didn’t want her to reach him. Whatever malign entity had stared at them through the waitress’ black eyes.

At the corner of her sight, something flickered. A faint glimmer, the tiniest hint of light in this abyss.

A cord. The ‘rope’ she tried to climb had materialized, running from Jamie, lost in the emptiness, to her.

Not to her. Through her. The pale string passed through her heart and disappeared into the void.

Maya tugged on it and felt Jamie recede. Nothing stopped her. The Infernal Waitress (or whatever that Thing was) blocked her approach – but not her retreat. Slowly, fearing she might wake and lose all, she drew herself down that new path.

Ahead, the nebulous darkness thickened. Faint glitters grew closer, larger. And suddenly, a form appeared in the gloom. At first, Maya thought it was a small hill. But the cord brightened as she neared it, and that dim light revealed an enormous figure.

A Dragon, curled up like a great cat. Silver light glinted off its black scales. Enormous wings folded close to its side. Despite the dimness, Maya could make out deep, bloody gouges torn through the Dragon’s scales at its shoulders, where the wings joined its body. The thread she followed ran straight to its heart.

Slowly, she approached. For the first time, she could see it fully. Twice the size of a bus, covered in sleek, impenetrable scales. Great canines peeked out of a maw big enough to swallow her in one gulp. Claws as sharp and terrible as swords sprouted from its feet. Faced with its size, its power, Maya trembled. This thing could kill her with one swipe…

This ‘thing’ is my love’s soul. His power.

In the cord’s dim light, her own body returned. Hand trembling, Maya forced herself to reach out and touch one of those talons. It could tear a person apart in the blink of an eye…

…or catch them, without leaving a scratch, when they were thrown from a skyscraper.

Fear retreated as she held tight to that fact. She had been in this creature’s grasp. And though she hadn’t trusted it, the Dragon had been as gentle as a mother to her. Whatever lethal strength it possessed was for others.

For evil, not the innocent.

Maya licked her lips. An odd gesture, since she was sure her body wasn’t really here. Then she cleared her throat. “Hello?”

A lid two feet across rolled open. Revealing a great eye, its pupil slitted like a snake’s. Red flames swirling within, setting its yellow iris alight with a dancing fire.

Mate.

No words pierced the void’s stillness. The ‘word’ echoed in her mind, making her body shiver with its force.

“I need your help.”

Slowly, its great fanged head rose, as if the weight of the world pressed down upon it.

I will wake you and you will be saved.

Nostrils flaring, it dipped its head.

“No! Stop! I can’t go without Jamie!”

That one. You are better off without him.

The fire in its eyes roiled.

“‘That one’ is you.”

Without warning, its head whipped away from her. Jaws the size of a car snapped at the wounds in its shoulder.

You are better off without us.

“Hey! Look at me!” She smacked the creature’s chest, startling it out of its self-mutilation. “I Claimed you. Both of you. I want both of you, and I’m going to save both of you.”

Like the sound of an earthquake, a deep, rumbling growl bubbled up from its throat.

We are the Protector. It is you who should be saved.

Before it could fall back into despair, Maya seized that thread. “Sounds good to me! In fact, Jamie wants to save me – but he needs your help.”

Two burning eyes studied her, wary.

Trick.

“Maybe. But it’s also the truth. He can’t save me without your power.”

I can save you. You will wake and…

This again. Time to pull out the big guns. “You know that I’m pregnant, yes?”

A wordless keen of sorrow and longing was her only answer.

“My child needs a father. My child needs you.”

Each word struck it like a hammer’s blow. Great shivers passed through its enormous, scaled body.

“I don’t want to raise a Shifter child alone. I can’t. I need you and Jamie too. Please, I’m begging you!”

Back and forth its tail lashed. It hissed, twisting its head from side to side. Despair fighting against its nature, its urge to protect.

Maya waited, letting that silent battle play out.

Finally, its agitation stilled. Burning eyes turned to her once more.

We will go to him and you will see the truth of my words.

“Okay.” Not the resolution she wanted, but it was still a step forward.

The Dragon crouched and extended a leg for her to climb onto its back. Yet, the sight of those bloody wounds held her back.

“I can’t. I’ll hurt you.”

We deserve that.

“No! I won’t hurt my Mate!”

With a sigh, it rose. One paw rose above her head. Long, clawed toes spread wide and for a second, some cowardly corner of her mind feared that it would squash her flat. Instead, those deadly weapons closed gently around her, wrapping her in their unbreakable grip.

I will carry you, then.

Wings spread wide and it leapt into the void. No wind whipped past her, no ground swept beneath them. Yet, a sense of movement, of flying, filled her. Jamie grew nearer… near…

Something hit them, a force like an invisible wall of damp cotton.

With a roar, the Dragon breathed. A wall of flame leapt out, lighting the unending darkness. Maya caught a glimpse of thin, wiry forms writhing away from that light.

And once more, they sailed forward. Closer and closer to her Mate…

…until the Dragon settled down beside a still form and uncurled its claws.

“Jamie?” Maya darted to his side.

“Maya? What…” Stiffly, he sat up, his eyes dark and troubled. When he saw the Dragon, licking its bloody shoulders, he winced.

“We need to get the two of you back together properly.”

We do not.

Fiery eyes peered, not at her – but at the man.

Say the word and I will wake her and save her.

“Okay. That sounds…”

“Jamie, no! If you send me away, you’re lost. I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but I think I’m the only one who can get you two talking to each other again.”

Dragon and man exchanged tired glares. “Hate to say this, lady, but I think I’m lost anyway. Might as well send you back.”

“To a cage? Captured by the Fangs of Apophis? Oh yeah, that’s a great option.”

Jamie sighed. His Dragon huffed a small flame.

Our Mate is with child, the Dragon announced sadly.

“Oh hell, Maya, I’m sorry.” Jamie buried his face in his hands.

“Well, I’m not,” she snapped. A little pleased to see both of them wince. “I want this child. And I want you – and your Dragon – to help me raise them. So… unite! Transform! Do… whatever Shifters do!”

“Don’t you see?” He pointed at the little cord that ran between the three of them. “We’re not tied anymore, my Dragon and me. You’re the only thing holding us together. Without you…” He shrugged, face pale. “Nature would take its course. I’d become a Worm.”

Flattering to know she meant so much, but… “What does that even mean? How can I do that? What am I?”

You’re our Mate.

“I know.” She hated to rain on the Dragon’s parade, since it seemed cheered by the fact that it could answer one small question. “But what does that mean?”

You’re our Mate!

Her grimace brought a weak smile to Jamie’s face. “Welcome to my world. Arguments with this guy are such fun.”

Back to the facts. “What is a Mate?” The Dragon perked up. “I know that a Mate is a woman Claimed by a Dragon.” Beaten to the answer, its head drooped. “But why does the Rite of Claiming change things?”

Jamie shook his head. “Supposedly, it doesn’t. It just clarifies things. Let’s me know that I’ve found the other half of my soul.”

That sounded significant. But for the life of her, Maya couldn’t figure out how having a third ‘half’ of a soul standing around would unite two other warring ‘halves.’ And what the hell was a ‘soul’ anyway, if it could be split up like that? Stupid, imprecise, unscientific terminology. Even ‘soul math’ didn’t add up! She needed something clearer.

Something simpler? What had Jamie told her, back in that dream club?

Dragons are protectors. That’s us, in one word. Our heart, our soul, our reason for being. We protect our loved ones. Take that away from us and we Fall. We become Worms.

“Wait. I think I understand.” Shivering with excitement, she scooped up Jamie’s hands. “What do you love?”

“Um…” As he hesitated, his Dragon gave a threatening growl.

“So, you don’t think you’re a Dragon?”

“What? No, that’s not what I said.”

“Yes, it is. Earlier, you told me that Dragons are all about protecting their loved ones. That if you take that away from them, they Fall. Before that, you said you didn’t have time for love. So, if Dragons need to protect loved ones and you don’t love…”

“I’ve cut myself off from my Dragon. My soul.” His face clouded as the truth of that accusation settled upon him.

“I’m your Mate. That’s why I tie you two together. I’m the last thing you pretended to care about.”

“Maya.” The pain in his face made her heart ache. But she had a plan.

And it was going to hurt.

“I mean, I care for you. I do.”

“I know. This string wouldn’t be here if you didn’t.”

“I just…”

Heart hammering, she moved on to the next stage of her plan. “You’re just confused. It’s been a long time since you’ve been in love. Heck, maybe you never have loved. You’re worried, you’re nervous. You need time to think this over.”

“Yeah,” he confessed. Not seeing the trap she laid for him.

“Okay, then. I’ll give you time to think things over. I hope you hurry, though, because a lot of lives depend on it.”

Turning to the black Dragon that towered over them, Maya bowed. “Thank you. You are beautiful, and wonderful, and I am honored to be your Mate.”

We should Protect you, the mournful creature sighed.

“I hope you will, soon. But, for now, please wake me.”

“What? Maya, no!” Jamie leapt to his feet, grabbing her elbow. “I need…”

“You need time to think.” As the Dragon reared, raising a claw above her head, she kissed him on the lips. One short, sweet touch to remind him of the joys they had shared. “You know what has to be done. Now you just need to decide if you’re willing to do it.”

Claws swept down, rending the dream world apart.

Tearing her love away from her, perhaps for the last time.