The mountainous region that Feno spoke of came into view, and Vander wasn’t sure he would really call it a mountain region. More like hills and valleys. It was nothing like the massive mountain that his castle sat on.

“I’m going to shift and land. He’ll hear us coming if we stay in dragon form,” Vander announced. If they were to rescue Faye, the only way he would be able to find her in the hills would be in human form. She had yet to see him in his dragon form, and he wouldn’t want to scare her off.

“Jodos, shift with him. I’ll stay in my dragon form and patrol the air,” Feno instructed.

“Will do,” Jodos replied as they circled around the land.

Vander’s dragon began its descent toward land. He shifted midair, dropping a few hundred yards to the ground. He stood and glanced down, finding himself naked. Thankfully, being a powerful dragon shifter gave him the ability to magically clothe his naked self. With a wave of his hand, he was fully clothed with jeans, a T-shirt, and hiking boots.

“Which way first?” Jodos asked, coming to stand next to Vander. He turned to his longtime friend and found him dressed similarly. He glanced around, but didn’t see much. The land was not plush and thriving as it probably should have been.

The trees were dying. Where there should have been rows of plush greenery, were rows of trees, spotted with brown leaves. They looked like naked skeletons, and were past saving. The land was sick, and it wouldn’t survive long. Vander knew the source of the destruction of the land.

Gamair.

“Let’s go up. There are a lot of hiding places in this area.” Vander closed his eyes and tried to place Faye. He could sense that she was near.

They began the hike up the hills, through the dense woods. No words were needed as they began to search for Faye. Vander tried to focus on her and the pendant. He just needed her to call on it again as she did before.

If only he would have explained the pendant to her. It was a way to link a human mate to their dragon shifter; a way to communicate between mates. The pendant would show any other dragon shifter who the human belonged to. But, more importantly, it acted as a beacon to allow him to find her.

As soon as they found her and got her to safety, he would lay it all on the line and tell her that she was his mate.

“Come on, Faye, speak to me,” he murmured as they came to a clearing.

“Over there.” Jodos pointed. Vander’s eyes turned to where his friend pointed, and he saw a small cave. He doubted that Gamair would hide in such a small area, but it was worth a shot.

His heart sped up with the thought that she would be stashed in the small cave opening, cold and alone. He jogged over to the opening and peered inside.

* * *

Faye grimaced as she tried to move her arm again. Gamair had taken her immobile body and stashed her inside a dark, drafty cave. Her clothes, hardening as they dried on her, caused her skin to itch, and just about drove her insane. Her hand rested a couple of millimeters from where her leg itched. She let loose a curse.

It still wouldn’t budge.

What type of magic was this? she groaned to herself. Didn’t it wear off?

She grunted as her head fell back against the rock wall in defeat. She swore the minute she was free, no one would stop her from taking a shower and scrubbing the muck off. She just prayed she lived long enough to get that shower. She glanced around the empty cave, and could see the sunlight fading.

Gamair had left her alone, and she hoped that Vander would kick his ass and free her. She had faith in her dragon warrior. He would come for her. Her head fell forward and rested on her chest. The pendant beneath her shirt rested beneath her chin.

“Vander,” she whispered, rubbing her chin against the hidden pendant. Warmth radiated from beneath her shirt and against her chin. Again, calmness came over her. She just knew that everything would be all right.

Vander was near.

A shadow at the opening of the cave caused her to gasp. She looked up and all hope was dashed. Gamair strode into the musty cavern toward her. Her heart sped up at his narrowed look. Was this how she would meet her end? Her entire life seemed to flash before her eyes. Flashes of her life raced in front of her as he approached her.

“Change of plans,” he snapped, grabbing her by her arm. Immediately, she felt the release of her limbs. She breathed a sigh of relief as she regained control of her body as he dragged her to her feet.

“What’s going on?” she squealed as he pulled her behind him.

“Your boyfriend and his band of warriors are too close,” he announced as they left the hideaway. She glanced behind them as he led her up, higher into the wooded hill.

She knew that he would come for her.

He didn’t let her down.

She grunted as her foot hit a stone hidden in the dirt, causing her to almost crash to the ground. Gamair growled as he snatched her arm. She yelped at the sharp tug.

“You’re going to pull my arm out of the socket,” she snapped, trying to pull her arm back.

“That’s going to be the least of your worries,” he growled, pulling harder as he continued to rush up the path.

She couldn’t let him get to the top of the hill. She was sure if he shifted and took off with her, she would never see Vander again. She glanced behind her into the woods and knew what she would have to do.

Scream.

“Vander!” She screamed as loud as her lungs would allow her to.

“Bitch!” Gamair bit out. Swinging his arm at her, he caught her on the side of her face. She tumbled back, falling on her ass. Her cheek stung from the slap. She turned and found him glaring down at her as he approached her. She grinned through the pain, knowing that Vander would have heard her.

If he was going to take her, she would have to put up a fight, long enough for Vander to reach her.

Her smile faded as the ground began to rumble beneath her. She looked around, thinking it would open up and swallow her, but everything around her trembled. She found Gamair staring up at the sky.

“See what you’ve done?” He sneered at her. “Now I must kill your mate in front of you.” He took off running up the path and disappeared into the woods. She looked through the trees, and saw a massive shadow flying overhead.

Her mate?

Is that why Vander was going above and beyond for a woman he just met? Was she his mate?

“Vander,” she whispered, her heart pounding. She’d never seen his dragon, but knew deep down that it was him. The roar of a dragon filled the air as the ground rumbled again.

She scrambled to her feet and almost fell again as the ground shook beneath her. She gained her footing and took off running in the direction that Gamair had disappeared. She could hear a second dragon roar fill the air. This one’s roar was so powerful, the wind blew the trees back and knocked her back a few steps. She knew she was close as she pushed forward, keeping her eyes on the sky.

The trees finally thinned out, and she came to a halt at the edge of the woods. At the top of the hill was a large clearing that held two dragons circling each other. Her eyes widened, taking in the black dragon, but it was the newcomer that held her attention. He looked just like his statue, but even more fierce, much larger, and more dangerous.

A deafening screech grabbed her attention as the black dragon attacked Vander. With nowhere else to go, she slid behind a wide tree as her heart jumped in her throat as the battle began.