Page 24 of Dragon Falling (Dragon Intelligence Agency 1)

Chapter Eleven

Ellie felt like she’d been run over by a truck. That it backed up over her, and then, for good measure, ran over her one more time. The muscles in her shoulders were on fire. The dull ache in her back got worse with even the tiniest movement. But it was the throbbing pain in the back of her head that told the young Witch nothing good would come out of opening her eyes.

But still, she had to know where she was. From the scents and smells she was picking up and the hot, dry air making her blouse stick to her skin, she had a good idea she was close to home.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that she'd been kidnapped. After all, she'd barely gotten her feet out of her shoes before some dumb asshole put a burlap bag over her head and thought he could throw her around like a ragdoll.

But she’d fought like a hellcat. Kicking, trying to scream through the sack, scratching his arms, and even biting down on his hand through the burlap when he tried to muzzle her. The scent of blood had been thick, and it hadn’t all been hers.

If only he hadn't tried to toss her onto the bed. And if she hadn't tried to spin in midair to keep from being facedown and getting a mouth full of the comforter. If none of that had happened, maybe her head wouldn't have collided with the big mirror over the even bigger chest of drawers.

The coppery aroma of her own blood was just as strong as it had been before she passed out. No doubt, she was still bleeding. It was a foregone conclusion that she needed stitches, or the blasted Healing Spell she could never remember.

“Wouldn’t matter anyway,” Ellie mumbled under her breath. “I can feel the Dampening Wards and the stench of one helluva a Stifling Ritual floating in the air. Nasty ass black magic is making my skin crawl.”

Thinking someone should be speaking, or at the very least breathing, she listened closer. Absolutely positive the Sorcerer who'd placed the Wards and worked the Spells would've heard her talking to herself if they were close or not being a dick, Ellie finally cracked one eye open. Irritated when all she saw was darkness through the thick holes of the cheaply woven burlap, she growled, "Oh, for cripes' sake... Get it over with. Make your big entrance. Tell me what you want. Threaten my life. Kill me. Drink my blood. Just dosomething. Patience is not a virtue I possess or inspire to have.”

Waiting to the count of ten, she knew that whoever had gone to all the trouble of kidnapping her from Crimson Moon hadn't done it for the shits and giggles of it. They were skilled and getting her out of the room across from her Mate hadn't been easy.

Then they had to get past Jianna, and her Mate, an ancient Wizard, named Merlin of all things. Next, there was the staff to consider. Some of the most powerful Paranormal people Ellie had ever been near. Add that to the fact that Angelica Fairway was in attendance, and her kidnapper was either Houdini or hopped up on really bad mojo because there damned sure was no trace of anything good when that blasted bag was shoved over her head.

He wouldn't have gone to all that trouble just to leave her sitting in the dark. So, Ellie took a deep breath and screamed at the top of her lungs, "Come out. Come out. Wherever you are.”

And just like that, the bag was ripped off her head. Unfortunately, it was accompanied by the high beam of a flashlight damned near blinding her. Blinking back the tears, trying to look around the light, she snarled, "Well, you've gone this far. I'm sure you plan to kill me. So, just drop the Super Spy act and turn that fucking light off."

Feeling more confident, more powerful, moreeverythingsince being reunited with Ranger, Ellie surprised even herself by being overly condescending. “Besides, if we’re where I think we are, my Mate, his family, my family, and pretty much every Witch and Shifter in the whole freakin’ Chihuahuan Desert is gonna be here sooner rather than later.”

No more than ten seconds after she'd spoken the last word, the flashlight clicked off. In the renewed darkness, Ellie could make out the outline of a tall, thin figure as it knelt down on the other side of a circle of rocks. Narrowing her eyes, shocked that she could see so clearly, something her mom had said when she was a little girl whispered through her mind. “No sooner will the woman who is the Heart of the MacLeish meet her Mate than will her Awakening begin. Be it the day of her birth or not, the Summoning of her True Power will be brought on by the communion of her Soul with that of the Soul of her Mate, the other half of her very being, the man the Goddess of All made just for her."

“Well, shit,” she breathed. “At least if I go crazy and start killin’ people, this asshole will be the first.”

Recognizing the click that echoed off the dense rock walls as a Zippo lighter, a small orange and blue flame appeared in the darkness awakening yet another memory. "You!" She spat, working hard to sound ferocious instead of shocked. "I should've known."

Eyes flying to the tattoo of the Three Heads on his hand, more specifically on thethehar webspaceas her Human Anatomy Professor called it, or the spot between the thumb and forefinger like she thought of it, Ellie raged, "You killed my parents. I know you did. I remember now. I remember it all. I saw you. You were skulking around the barn the night before they disappeared, smoking a cigarette. That fucking click and the scent of lighter fluid. How did I not remember until now?" More furious than she knew possible, she seethed, "It was you, wasn't it? You murdered my mom and dad then left their bodies for the coyotes without a single drop of remorse. Just say it. Admit you… You… You piece of worthless shit. Say it. You're gonna kill me, too. Leave my body in the desert. The least you can do is admit what you…”

Slap! Slap! Slap!

The echoes of a slow, sarcastic clap reverberating off the walls of the cave she knew so well stopped her words. It was the place she and Celia used to call their clubhouse. One of the safest spots on earth for two young Witches growing up in the middle of nowhere, or so she thought. Now it was forever tainted.

Straining her eyes to see who dared to taunt her with mocking applause, Ellie leaned as far forward as the tightly tied ropes around her chest would allow. Who was insulting her anger and rage? Who dared to further defile the memory of her parents?

Then there was silence. Only the crackling of the fire the fucking Chimera had set could be heard. She knew what direction the obnoxious clapping had come from, but all she could see was the opening to a long tunnel that led farther into the cavern and opened into a grotto where the spring ran down the walls and formed a pool of water.

“Show yourself,” she demanded. “Come out and face me. Goddess knows your lackey has me trussed up like a calf ready for branding. What the fuck can I do?”

One… Two… Three…

Counting to ten. Trying to hold back. Sure, she was showing her hand, doing everything no one is ever supposed to do when being held hostage, Ellie just couldn’t stay silent. She was pissed.

Angry that these assholes had murdered her parents.

Furious that the bastard had taken her from Ranger.

Enraged that they'd wounded her Mate.

Mad that whoever was calling the shots was playing games.

She was just pissed and refused to be a helpless, whining victim.

---