Page 16 of Unexpected Mate

“I may die today, but so will you.” He began choking, his blood soaking into the ground.

Lightning crackled and time seemed to slow as the bolt shot toward me. When I was fully powered, nearly everything seemed slow to my dragon, but weakened as I was in that moment, the lightning had already grazed my skin by the time I reached out and grabbed it. The last remaining dregs of my power wrapped themselves around my organs, protecting me as much as possible as the electricity sizzled through my body. It singed a path through me and then bounced around like a pinball in a machine, damaging everything that wasn’t encased in my waning energy.

When the smoke cleared (actually, it didn’t clear since I was literally still smoking) Draven was staring at me in absolute shock. I was still standing, and I was holding a lightning bolt. The latter happened more by accident, rather than being a conscious decision..

“Such power is a waste on you,” Draven mumbled. “I could have done great things with such a gift.”

I snorted. “You would have released more evil upon the world, and destroyed the humans and the supernaturals.”Leaning closer to him, I whispered: “My heart is not my weakness, it is my strength. You will not kill me today.”

I felt myself growing weaker, my body struggling to repair the damage - a challenging task without my magic to assist. This had to be finished. Slowly, I shifted my grip on the lightning rod and then brought it down. Draven still managed to garble out a last few words before the rod pierced him.

“You may not die, but it is too late for your mates.”

The rod slammed into his heart and electricity jolted through him, not stopping until the ground beneath his body was charred and black. I fell to my knees, unable to stand any longer. It should have been a moment of elation; Draven was no more, the evil was defeated. Instead, I was frantically searching the clearing for my mates.

For a moment, relief welled up inside me. They were still alive, scattered around the clearing and covered in blood, but alive. Only three or four of Gregor’s men still stood, and my heart ached at the losses the wizards had been dealt.

A cruel voice echoed across the clearing to where I was slumped on the ground: “Finish this and then burn their bodies!”

A bloodcurdling scream tore from my raw throat as the soldiers lifted their weapons.

The scent of blood was thick in the smoky haze of the battleground. Casualties of both sides lay broken on the ground, their lives over far too soon—all because of Draven’s greed. This battle had been fast yet devastating. Incredibly, my team had managed to take out half of Draven’s men, even though they were drastically outnumbered.

Levi and Luke’s wolves lunged and snapped at the men who were circled around them. Patches of their beautiful furs were missing or burned. Levi’s back leg was twisted and dangled uselessly, and the skin that hung open at Luke’s throat revealed the mangled muscles beneath. Could his wolf heal that? Would he be able to speak? Would he be able to join the wolves as they howled their beautiful, melancholy song to the full moon? I furiously blinked back tearsas I turned to search out my other mates scattered through the massive clearing.

Mithraheal stood on a pile of corpses. His eyes were feral and blood red; long white fangs dripped blood as he dropped into a fight stance - clearly preparing for a final attack. His enraged hiss sent chills over my body. I knew that few whoheard that sound survived to describe it. But even this powerful vampire showed signs of struggling after the vicious battle, his speed barely more than that of a human. Dark blood oozed from lacerations that should have already healed; how had they weakened such a powerful blood driven?

Leo and Damien stood back-to-back, swords drawn and pointed at the men raising their weapons. Damien’s clothes hung in shreds, his skin oozed maroon blood. A dagger was embedded in his leg, another in his back at the base of his spine, and a third in his chest mere inches from his heart. It was clear he had protected Leo as best he could during a savage attack. Sobs tore from me at the devotion he had showed me in protecting someone I loved; someone still so new to our family. He was prepared to die fighting beside Leo.

Leo’s arm hung limp at his side. An inch wide gash traveled from his scalp to his jawbone, the skin gaping in some sections to show the bone beneath. Blood trickled in a steady stream down his leg from a knife wound in his thigh.

The few wizards from my team that still remained standing were in far worse shape than my guys. As the mercenaries closed in on them, they couldn’t even find the strength to lift their weapons or teleport themselves elsewhere.

I wanted to stand to my feet and rush to protect my men. Ibegged my exhausted power to return and give me a final burst of energy to stop this before more good men were lost. It made no difference. My body was desperately trying to heal the damage I had suffered, but the internal trauma was extensive. They had shattered my ribs with the savage punches I hadn’t dodged fast enough. A piece of rib had pierced my right lung leaving me struggling to draw in a breath. My beautiful wing lay broken across the ground beside me, rather than tight against my back like the other, the unnatural angle forcing me to look away.

In choked anguish I watched the mercenaries prepare to slaughter the last of my team, and my mates. I had failed them.

Beasty! Help me!Misery filled my words, my heart breaking.Please. You are powerful, do something. Save them.

My dragon stirred, fully awake for the first time in the past few weeks. A tiny bit of hope fluttered in my chest. Surely she could do something.

Tia, it isn’t me that has the power, that is all you. I have simply been guiding you as you while you adjusted to the changes. Ideally, your father could have helped guide you into controlling your power; as an ancient dragon he could have helped to siphon off the excess power until you were able to hold it without risking harm to yourself and to others. I have been holding it back as best I could, trickling out what your body could handle. Your power has been building in strength the past few weeks and it has taken most of my concentration to keep you in control. I don’t even know if you will be able to handle your full power when it is unleashed.Her voicetrembled, and for the first time since the day she started speaking to me, I heard real fear in her tone.

If I die trying to control it, then so be it. I have to try! Hurry!

For a moment it was quiet, and when she spoke again her voice was soft and sad.

Tia, there is one thing that might help you with control. When I open the floodgates of your power, we need to join.

Fine! Whatever! Just open it, now!My voice was shrill; we were running out of time.

Tia, the type of merge I am talking about is a complete one. Permanent. You will gain my memories of my time as a dragon and my skills in battle; this may be just enough to give you the ability to handle the magic and control the energy. But to do that we need to be one, no lags or delays while I try to guide you. This type of merge between the human and dragon natures hasn’t been done in thousands of years. It will make you stronger, but it will also mean your beast nature is always right at the surface, regardless of which form you take. There will be no separation between the forms.

Her words were rushed, our time running out. But I suddenly understood her sorrow and the full weight of what she was telling me. I was going to lose Beasty. There would be no more sarcastic quips, no more words of wisdom, no more hilarious and horny commentary. I was going to lose someone I loved no matter what decision I made today. But I would have a chance to save the men who were still alive.

Do. It.I broke into sobs.

For the first time ever I felt her begin to unfurlcompletely inside me, tension coiled in me. I pushed back my tears and braced myself for what was coming.

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