Chapter Sixteen
Bryant
Despite his previous injuries, Bryant outflew Shane and arrived at the location where Virdi was meant to meet with the other clan well before the other dragon. A dozen of the Guard were scattered around a huge field. A few of them were still in their dragon forms, but most were human again, laying bleeding and writhing on the ground as others beat on them. The ground crawled with the enemy, thirty or forty easily. Many of them were incapacitated as well, but there were enough still standing.
Bryant picked out Virdi quick enough. He was pinned to the ground by half a dozen dragons in human form. His torso was torn and bleeding but he still thrashed. Robert Dunn stood over him with a long black spear in his hands. He hefted it back and Bryant dove.
Dunn looked up at the challenging roar Bryant released. His flames burned up his throat and shot out in a white-hot burst. Using his weight to ram Dunn and the other dragons, Bryant ripped Virdi free of his bonds. The force of the blow made him roll twice before coming to a halt, the Emperor’s father clutched safely in his claws.
“Good man,” Virdi gasped as he stumbled free. “You take Dunn, I’ve got the rest.”
Was that arrogance or a joke? Either way, Bryant twisted his body as the dragons attacked, giving Virdi enough time to shift into his dragon’s form. He whipped out his long green tail, the spike at the end driving into the chest of one of their attackers. Bryant whipped around, charging at Dunn. The spear charged through the air at him; Bryant caught it in his teeth and snapped it in half with one bite.
Dunn snarled and leapt, transforming mid-air. A dozen more dragons charged towards them, abandoning the injured or dying Guard where they lay. Bryant slashed at Dunn’s face with his claws then withdrew closer to Virdi. They faced off against their enemies back-to-back. Virdi released a burst of flame as green as his scales and a small white dragon howled and reared back, clawing at the melted scales on its chest. Bryant’s gaze remained on Dunn but he was aware of the others coming at them. A dozen against two, one of which had torn wings and was bleeding heavily.
There was no way they could win.
A streak of blue dropped from the sky, landing on the back of a huge black dragon. Flame billowed from Shane’s mouth as his claws raked down the sides of the black one. Two of the others leaped at him and Bryant threw himself between them, releasing another ball of fire while whipping his tail. Scales sprayed into the air.
A red dragon rammed into Bryant’s side. Claws dug into his stomach and he released a roar of pain. Whipping around, he crushed his teeth through the red’s neck. Bitter, metallic blood hit his tongue and he ripped back, taking a chunk of flesh with him. He spat it out and sent a short burst of flame into the red’s neck wound. It howled and screamed with pain, tearing away from him. A bronze one with similar coloring to him came at him next while the melted white charged at him. He snapped his wings open, blowing the bronze over and then grabbed the white and threw it into the other. He followed up with spikes down the bronze’s chest.
Dunn sent a ball of fire at him, but Shane flipped over the black dragon to block it. The ex-SEAL then rolled over his shoulder, ending with kicking out his hind legs at the blue dragon that was mounted on Virdi, biting at his neck. The force knocked the blue off of Virdi, and Bryant jumped over the wheezing black to drive one of his elbow spikes into the blue’s flank.
He whipped around to face Dunn, but five more dragons were between him and his quarry. Two of the Guard had found their feet and were facing off with him. Shane and Virdi both called and Bryant took a brief second to glance around. Most of the Guard were getting back up, rallied by their victories. Bryant let out a triumphant howl and grappled with the nearest dragon; the little white again. It slipped from his grasp like a ghost and rolled under his belly, kicking out with clawed feet.
Pain slashed across his belly and Bryant drove himself down, crushing the smaller dragon under his weight. It squealed and he rolled off, then grabbed it by its shoulder. It clawed at his face. He threw it to the side, sending it sailing across the battlefield where it crumpled and did not get back up. Bryant shook the pain off as adrenaline pumped through his system. His gaze narrowed in on Dunn again.
Shane brought down the bronze dragon, and behind him, Virdi savaged a light green one. Smoke curled from Bryant’s nostrils as he charged towards his enemy. Dunn threw off one of the Guard and turned to face him.
They met with a clash of claws and flame. Blood and scales showered the air as the two fought. Bryant threw all his strength into this, tearing at Dunn’s face and throat. Rage boiled his blood and everything else disappeared. The words echoed in his mind over and over again.
Protect your mate.
Esther would never be safe as long as Dunn lived. The other dragon got a grip on his throat and Bryant reached with both clawed hands. He felt the claws puncture through scale and squeezed. It was getting harder to breathe as Dunn’s teeth clenched tighter. He squeezed. Black and white spots burst over his vision. He didn’t loosen his grip. At some point, he thought his enemy went limp but it was too late. Blackness washed over his vision.
***
When his eyes opened, he found himself in a pale grey room. Pain lanced through his body but he welcomed it. Pain meant he was still alive. Grimacing, he managed to push himself upright. He was in his ‘prison cell’ although he wasn’t alone. Virdi and Dominique, holding little Thunder, sat at the desk and Esther was on the foot of his bed.
“You’re awake!” Esther threw herself at him, and he was just able to catch her. “Don’t ever do that to me again, I thought you were dead. You weren’t moving and… and…” She hugged him tight again. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”
Bryant held her tight, closing his eyes. The pain was starting to lessen already, although that could be just because he had more important things to think about. Even though he knew she hadn’t been in the battle he wanted to check her over, run his hands over every inch of her skin to make sure that she was still in one piece. His eyes fluttered closed as he breathed in her scent.
“I’m okay,” he told her. “I’m okay.”
She pulled back and cupped his face in her hands. “I was so scared…”
From the desk, Virdi cleared his throat. “You gave us all quite the scare, Chandler. You’re a lucky son of a gun, that’s for certain. It took us an hour to pry you off of Dunn. He’s dead, by the way. The rest of his people have all been taken into custody. And I owe you my life.’
Esther leaned into Bryant’s side. “And that means he can be back on the Guard, right? He’s proven his loyalty.”
“I love you,” Bryant whispered in her ear. “But you know it’s not going to work like that.”
“And why not?”
“The rules exist for a reason,” Virdi said softly. “As much as I’d like to break them in this case, think about what it might do for the future. Thunder’s safety is the most important thing in the world. If I let Bryant back into the Guard when he has a mate and wife, then it will open the way for others to come in. And it makes them vulnerable. I know that Bryant would act honorably in all things, but if it was someone else and their mate was kidnapped?”
Esther sighed. “I get the point.”
“It’s okay,” Bryant reassured her. He squeezed his hand. “I said it before and I’ll say it again. I’ll follow you to the ends of the Earth.”
“Well, I guess that’s good.” Esther stroked his face. “Because Shane is still funding my dig and I’m probably going to be headed to Central America within a few months here. I mean, if it’s what you want.”
He grinned and kissed her. “If it’s what you want, then it’s what I want.”
They went to kiss, but Virdi clearing his throat again made them look up. Dominique smirked at the two of them, bouncing Thunder gently. When would Esther want to have children? It was something that they probably should have already talked about… what if their visions of the future didn’t line up? We’ll work through it.
“As I was saying,” Virdi said with a smirk, “there are rules against a dragon with a mate being part of the Emperor’s Guard. However, there are no such rules against being part of the guard to protect the Emperor’s Mother. And since Dominique is determined to join your mate on that dig, I was wondering if you’d like the job as the head guard.”
Was he serious? Bryant’s jaw dropped as he stared at the two of them. Both Dominique and Virdi looked smug, as though they had found the solution to all their problems. Gratitude swelled inside him and he nodded, finding himself oddly choked up. Even after all these stupid mistakes, they still trusted him with such an important role.
“I would be honored. I swear I will serve you with all my strength.”
“Good.” Dominique stood. “Thunder needs a change, but Virdi will contact you with more details as they’re sorted out.”
Bryant nodded again, thanking them softly as they left the room. Esther closed the door after them and turned back to him. She grinned at him as though he was the best thing she had ever seen and rushed back to him. Her arms wound around him, then her lips met his. He drank her in eagerly, not caring about how banged up he had been in the fight.
Eventually, though, she pulled away. “I was so worried. But I guess that’s what happens when you’re married to a brave, noble dragon who won’t stand down and won’t give up.”
Bryant brushed his fingers over her lips. “I’ll try to avoid getting into these scrapes again. But Dunn is dead. I can finally be free of him.”
And he did feel free. Weightless, almost. After such a long time, that danger, that feud, was finally over. He gazed at his mate and couldn’t help but think that Shaya would have loved her, too. The three of them would have been mates together. He kissed her again and smiled. “I can’t wait to introduce you to my family… well, Shaya’s family. I think they’ll love you.”
“And I can’t wait to introduce you to my family. They’re going to hit the fan but once they’re assured I’m not pregnant it’ll be fine.”
“Speaking of pregnant…”
Esther’s dark eyes widened. “Am I?”
“I don’t know. Why would I—”
“I thought dragons could smell it or something.”
Bryant laughed. “No. Well, some dragons can. But I was going to ask you how many kids you wanted to have. When we start having kids, that is.”
“Six.” There was no hesitation as she answered.
“Six?”
Esther chewed her lip. “I’ve always wanted six kids. Is that too much for you?”
“No.” Bryant beamed at her. It was a huge thing, and he was glad that they were on the same page. “I never thought exact numbers but I always knew I wanted a big family. Six sounds absolutely perfect.” He kissed her. “So, we have our future planned out, then. We’re going to travel together while you go on digs and I guard Dominique while she’s on your dig with you and we’ll have six kids. When do you want to start trying for a baby?”
She flashed him a wicked smile and straddled him. “Right now, if you’re up for it.”
Bryant gripped her hips as she started to grind. He didn’t need to think more about it. “I’m all in, baby.”
*****
THE END