Chapter Nine

It had been hours since Asher had stormed off, long enough that sun was peeking over the hills and Willa was all cried out. She regretted speaking to him so harshly, hated that she’d hurt his feelings and wanted to make things right, but he’d marched off like a two-year-old, making her feel things she just wasn’t ready to confront.

“I know he’s a mess. That he doesn’t recognize up from down or in from out,” she grumbled to the trees. “I hate this whole damned mess. I wish there was a pill or a spell or hell, even a curse that would poof everything better.”

“If you find it, let me know,” a man’s voice chuckled inside her mind.

“What the…? Who the frig are you?” She demanded, up on her feet and looking hither and yon for whoever or whatever was freaking her out.

“Settle, Little Romani, it’s Pearce.”

Irritated that he’d used the same moniker as Asher and waiting for the man to continue, Willa’s impatience won out as she threatened, “Explain how I know you or by all that’s holy, I will hunt you down and skin you alive.”

“Yep, you’re a perfect fit for Ash – tough as nails and feisty as hell.”

An image of a tall, wide-shouldered, dark-haired Guardsman with light blue eyes and calm demeanor popped into her mind. “Now, I remember you,” she grunted. “But that still doesn’t explain how or why you’re in my head.”

“Let’s just say it’s one of my special talents.” His jovial spirit was almost more than she could handle but just as she was about to tell him to buzz off, another idea popped into her mind.

“How about we put those special talents to work, Mr. Smarty Pants?”

His shock was evident by his momentary pause, but true to what she already knew of him, Pearce soon snickered, “Well, I was trying to reach Asher, but that was like trying to corral a herd of house cats.”

Chuckling along now that she’d figured out a way to get the information she so desperately needed, Willa waited patiently as the Guardsman went on, “And I was going to ask for your location and swoop in to get that crazy Dragon, but I can tell that’s not the best plan. So, tell me what you need. Maybe we can come up with a plan to help your mate. Somebody smarter than me once said – two heads are better than one.”

Struggling with the term mate after Asher’s harsh dismissal but not wanting Pearce to pick up on any of it, Willa quickly tucked away her sadness in the deep recesses of her mind, plastered on a metaphysical smile and as cheerfully as she could asked, “First of all, how’s Mars? Is he plotting my murder?”

“For sure and each way is infinitely more inventive,” Pearce laughed out loud. “But seriously, he’s just worried. I’ll make sure he knows you’re okay.”

“Thanks. I know he worries and there will be seven kinds of hell to pay when I see him again, but that’s cool. It’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before,” She replied with a snicker before hurrying on. “Have you ever heard of a Dragon called Taranis?”

“Yeah,” came his wary reply. “Where did you hear that name?”

“Where do you think?” She snapped, quickly adding, “Sorry, it’s just been a long almost two days. I need food, a shower and some real sleep.”

“I can imagine,” Pearce commiserated. “It was a stupid question. Of course, you heard it from Asher.”

“Well, I actually saw it in one of his memories.”

“One of his memories?”

She could feel Pearce holding something back as he probed, “A bad memory I’m guessing.”

“Pretty shitty I’d say. Asher was betrayed by this dude, Taranis, his brother, no, twin.. Caught trying to escape and taken back to the nasty assholes who were experimenting on him.”

“Did you happen to get a name of these people?” Pearce’s tone was suddenly sharp and direct.

“Red something,” Willa replied. “Red Hill? No. Red Mountain? No. Dammit, that’s not it.” Shuffling through her memories like they were cards in a rolodex, she triumphantly barked, “Red Castle! That’s the friggin’ name.”

“Son of a bitch! And you say you saw for certain that Taranis was working with those filthy bastards?”

“Yes, but what is Red Castle?”

“Red Castle is a consortium of Hunters, religious zealots, doctors, scientists, basically a group of super-intelligent lunatics who believe they can force cross-breeding between a multitude of Supernaturals to create what they are touting as Super Beings. Reportedly, these ‘creations’,” the sarcasm and anger was so thick in Pearce’s voice Willa could’ve cut it with a knife. “Will be nearly indestructible with the ability to transform into a variety of forms instantaneously with the fighting skills of them all in every form, even when they are human.”

“You have got to be kidding.”

“Nope, wish I was and the fact that they had Asher for nearly three centuries tells me that they have more than enough of his special DNA to add Berserker Dragon to their list.”

“Dragon Berserker? What in the world is a Dragon Berserker?”

“That my dear Willa is one of the four forms which your mate and his Dragon King can take.”

“Leave it to me to get the crazy guy with special talents,” she groaned.

The sound of Pearce’s laughter was anything but reassuring as he continued, “Yeah, I’m sure they thought they’d hit the motherload with Ash. Four for the price of one.”

“Wait!” She interrupted the Guardsman. “Did you say three hundred years?”

“I did.”

“So, how old is Asher…exactly?”

“Somewhere close to four-hundred-and-twenty from what our Healer, Niall says.”

“And Berserker Dragons just happen? I mean, a Dragoness was mated to a Berserker? How the hell did that happen without one ripping the other to shreds? God intervened? Something went wild when he was in the womb?”

“You were close, then went completely off the rails,” Pearce’s tone was lightening up as he started to explain. “During the Irish Rebellion of 1798 over thirty-thousand men, women and children lost their lives. The Dragon Guard was called in to fight the most savage of the English soldiers. Those brave men saw atrocities that it took years for them to retell for our historians.”

“The worst of it came when Lieutenant-General Gerard Lake was dispatched to the province of Ulster. He, his disarmament of the United Irishmen, and their Defender allies used the Insurrection Act to put the country under martial law. Then, as if things weren’t bad enough, his soldiers used the pitch cap, half-hanging and floggings to enforce their own twisted brand of justice.”

“While I appreciate the history lesson, I really just need to know about Asher and how to help him,” Willa unapologetically groused.

“You really are a pain in the ass. It’s no wonder the Universe made you for Ash,” Pearce snickered. “You have to know the history to understand who your mate is. Only then can you help him.”

“Anybody ever told you that you sound like a fortune cookie.”

“All the time,” Pearce barked with laughter. “Now, hush and listen. I’ll make it quick.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that before.”

Smiling as he ignored her comeback, Willa listened as the Guardsman continued, “Since the dark Druids were helping Lake and his men, not even the Guardsmen could stay ahead of the filthy bastards. That is when Banning, Asher, Raynor and Zared – the four heads of what at that time was known as the Slayer Force, performed the ritual of the Calling, seeking help from the Celtic goddess of war, Morrigan.”

“They started exactly at sundown, lighting all the candles, burning the special herbs and praying to the Goddess. Hours passed and their pleas went unanswered. Banning, Raynor and Zared had all but given up. They had really only been going through the motions anyway. It was Asher, the strongest, most-faithful amongst them who continued, refusing to stop and berating the others until they rejoined the Circle.”

“Then as the night reached its darkest hour and the moon slid behind the trees, Morrigan appeared before them. Her long, blood-red hair flowing down her back, her clear, haunting eyes looking into each man’s soul as she proudly held her shield and staff at the ready. Ravens, her own special army, covered the tree branches, perched on rocks, and flew overhead protecting the Shadow Queen.”

“Looking at the Guardsman, she announced, ‘You have proven worthy to receive my gift. Your cause is just and your hearts pure. From this moment forward, you and your brethren shall possess not only the Dragon forms given to you by the Universe but you and only you, shall have the ability to call forth a Warrior Dragon. Berserker in nature with the power of War running through his veins.”

When the silence became too much, Willa asked, “So? That’s all? What happened?”

“They helped the Irish win and tales of fierce creatures crazed with fury and the scales of Dragons popped up all over the world. Of course, the Berserkers stayed hidden, but the stories of their abilities are still told around campfires and to our young..”

“Okay, let me see if I’ve got this right. Asher has not only been separated from his sanity and his Dragon, but he also has this Berserker thing in there, too?”

“Yep.”

Pearce’s answer was delivered in such a calm manner that Willa knew the other shoe was about to drop making it the one time she hated her enhanced abilities of observation as the Guardsman continued, “And a Water Dragon and Air Dragon along with the Fire Dragon you already know.”

“Good Goddess, four Dragons and one man, how did I get so effin’ lucky.” Letting her question hang in the air as she went back over what Pearce had just said, Willa blurted out, “Did you know that Taranis had changed sides? That he was a fucking traitor?”

“No, but I had my suspicions.”

“Alright Confucius, drop the last bomb. I know it’s hanging out there for a reason. How do I help Asher get through this?”

“First of all, you need to find him.”

“How did you know he wasn’t here?” Willa countered.

  “Because Berserkers are over-the-top, don’t-look, don’t-touch, don’t-even-think-about-talking-to-my mate, jealous with a capital J, especially before the mating is complete.”

“And you know ours isn’t complete?”

“Yeah, just another special talent.”

“Anybody ever tell you that you suck?”

“All the time,” Pearce chuckled. “Wanna know how to complete the mating ritual with Asher?”

“Sure, why not? He’s pissed and told me to go away. Mating sounds like just the thing to bring up if I ever see him again.”

“I like your chutzpah, Willa Petrescu. You’re gonna make one helluva mate for that crazy Dragon.”

“Yeah, as long as he doesn’t get pissed, go Berserker on my ass and rip me into tiny little pieces.”

“Won’t happen. You are the light of his soul, the other half of his heart and he knows it. Once you two complete the mating, I have faith that man and Dragon will be rejoined, and you and Ash will be a force to be reckoned with for thousands of years to come.”

“Thanks for the confidence. Now, get on with it. You’re making me nervous with all this hem-hawin’ around.”

“Alright, Miss Sass,” he chuckled. “All the Berserkers are different because they have so many natures…forms, if you will. In Asher’s case, while you’re making love, he must say the words that will bind you together then bite your flesh and partake of your blood. At least, that’s what I’ve been told.”

“Is he a frikkin’ vampire, too?” It wasn’t that making love to Asher again didn’t sound like a great idea, or that having him bite her didn’t make her a little hot and bothered, it was the whole blood thing that kinda creeped Willa out.

“It’s just a drop or two, ya’ big baby.”

She could tell Pearce wanted to laugh but was holding it back, something she truly appreciated considering their topic of discussion. Thankfully, he was quick to move on, “If you didn’t like that part then this one will definitely not be up your alley, but it is necessary, according to the Universe, the Goddess of All, the Ancients and the Gods.”

“Just tell me. It can’t be any worse than what I’m imagining.”

“When Asher is done, you must do the same to him. When that is complete, you will both wear one another’s marks forever.”

“And that’s all? How will I know these ‘special words’?” Willa tried to sound relieved as her mind shouted, ‘Run, Dumbass, run!”

“The Universe will write them on your heart when the time is right.” He paused, making Willa hold her breath until he added, “There is also a ceremony. One you can complete by yourselves or here with the Elders of our Clan and the other Guardsmen in attendance.”

Thinking that getting mated to a Dragon sounded like a whole lot of work, Willa then thought about what a Romani wedding was like and decided the Dragons’ way was infinitely better.

“Okay, I’m gonna find Asher, convince him that he doesn’t hate me and then ask him to… well, you get the picture.” Blowing out an exasperated breath, knowing she was blushing and glad Pearce couldn’t see, she added, “Any other truth grenades you’d like to drop before I get to work?”

“No, that’s all for now.”

She could tell Pearce was smiling and had to smile too as she teased, “If all the Dragons are like you, I think I’m gonna like hanging out with y’all.”

“Right back atcha, kiddo.”