Page 117 of The Exiled Dragon

I was weak. I was nothing more than the human I was when I arrived here. Hunting for the strength I had but hours ago to throw a Vampire over my shoulder was gone. Why was I so weak in this Vampire’s presence? The Witch continued to chant, a decorative silver dagger with an unfamiliar language written on the metal.

“Don’t!” I roared again. My voice deepened, my Dragon trying to break through the wall surrounding her. “I’ll kill you!” I exploded again. The Witch only smiled, taking the dagger, and laying the flat edge of the blade on my mark again.

“I’m sorry,”I chanted in my head. “I’m so sorry. I love you,”I cried out in pain. I wanted Creed to hear me. I tried my best, but my best wasn’t good enough. Surrounded by a world of supernaturals stronger than me, I was as weak as when I arrived here. Our bond was unraveling, hunks of our bond was being shattered, as the moments pressed on. My body jerked, feeling the tiny connection left I had with my mate.

It was there, a tiny spindle of thread that hadn’t unraveled. I kept holding tight, pulling on it with all my might to find him somewhere.

“Fight it.”His gentle whisper clouded my vision. Blackness threatened to fall upon my eyes, but I heard it again. “Fight it,”it whispered through my ears again.

“I AM!” I cried out, seeing the confusion on Mortus’ face. He wasn’t a Duke; a Duke was to represent the people; this man was a monster. A psychotic monster.

“Odessa, I’m coming to save you. Keep fighting.”Creed’s words brought the fighting power back. He was coming, just a little longer. My Dragon was banging on my chest. Screaming was the only way I could let out the pain in the beginning, blood dripping from my mark and landing like little droplets of tears on my dress.

My voice ran out of sound, completely hoarse from screaming. The dagger was only pressed harder into my shoulder.

“Why isn’t she screaming? Is she all right?” Morgana’s harsh gaze landed on Mortus.

“She’s fighting it. She’s stronger than I thought with her weak appearance.”

“Why do you think I have chosen her? I saw the fighter in her.” He stood up straight, folding his arms across his chest. “Once she is mine, she will help lead us to Earth, find us the perfect feeding spots with the densest population. She will be a hero, my beloved.”

Morgana only shook her long black hair, having it cover her face. My head looked up, now angry along with my Dragon of the persecution we were facing. If this power, this wall, was released, I would rip off her head. It was a promise to me. My lip curled upward, my fangs now lengthening again. With this unbinding power she was pushing into me, my Dragon was now turning this magic, using a theoretical loom of sorts, by weaving its dark magic into something else. Magic with light, turning into something I could possibly use later. I prayed she could not sense it as my Dragon continued to absorb it.

Time had passed, and my screams were long gone. I didn’t know if it had been five minutes or an hour, but the thread I continued to pull from Creed made my bond to him that much stronger. He was close, almost like he was on top of me, hovering over my body.

My voice hoarse, I felt the dagger lift from my mark. “Creed,” I croaked, my hair a mess, sweat dripping down my face. Mortus would not win today, not with what my Dragon wanted to do. The Witch failed to put her to sleep, but she hid. She hides deep within me, purring and barely there and going unnoticed.

“Her Dragon is asleep or gone,” Morgana announced, cleaning the blade with a nearby rag.

“What do you mean, asleep or gone? Do you not know?” Morgana shook her head.

“Listen, if you want to bond with her, do it now. I can’t promise how long her Dragon and bond will be suppressed enough for you to complete it. If you do it now, you’ve got a shot.” Mortus growled, ripping the ropes from my chair.

“You better hope this works, or I’ll have your head.” Morgan rolled her eyes, picking up her supplies. “You stay here. Make sure it works.” She only cackled, rearing her head back.

“Oh, a show? Don’t mind if I do! Let me get a chair.” My body was weaker than I thought it would be with my Dragon pulling the magic. I was a complete ragdoll when he carried me to bed. This guy was going to rape me, and I could barely lift my hand.

“Please don’t,” I whined, my head rolling. “Please, I beg of you!” Mortus only petted my head, shushing me.

“It will be all right. I will be gentle,” he cooed. “You did such a good job taking all that pain. I am so proud of you. Once you change, you can show me how much pain I brought upon you for revenge. I’ll take it gladly.” The scratch near my eye was filled with salty tears, making it sting.

“No.” My lip quivered. Where was my Dragon? Why wasn’t she awakening?

Mortus took off his tunic, his glowing white skin littered with scars, but mostly tattoos of crosses and busty women. “I’ll get them covered, just for you. I’ll rip the skin from my body if that will make it better.” My arms were trying to crawl away from him, only to be pulled back to the center of the bed.

“It’s all right. Such a good girl.” His touch was meant to be gentle, but it made me whimper. He continued pulling on the top of my dress. Pulling it down, it showed the clean side of my shoulder. My chest was exposed to the air. Large gulps of spit were swallowed as I continued to move away. “Very good girl, all this for me.”

“Wake up,”I yelled inside me. My Dragon’s eyes were open. I could sense it, but she continued to lie, waiting. What was she waiting for!? “Get up! We aren’t giving up, not when Creed was so close.”I almost felt the footsteps of his Dragon on top of me. The pull was stronger than it ever was before.

“I’m coming. I feel you.”My heart filled with incredible heat, my limbs bursting with adrenaline as Mortus straddled my hips. His lips connected to my shoulder, placing passionless kisses on my neck.

“Get off,” I growled, my Dragon now vibrating continually. Mortus stilled, his widened legs he used to sit on top of me shifting, his body sitting up straight. Mortus looked behind at the Witch, who had stood up from the chair, grabbing her bag.

“I think I should leave.” Her hand went to the door until my chest grew a bright light, brightening the room to unbearable temperatures. Screams from both beings that caused me pain had their skin sizzling in the light. My chest rose from the bed, nothing short of an exorcism, as my Dragon roared from my mouth.

“GET OFF!” my Dragon spoke, pushing the Duke off with unbearable force. The Witch stood in the corner, now shaking as the light faded from the center of my chest. The light was now a beacon to whom I would destroy. My Dragon wanted blood, and I was going to cook this bitch to a crisp.

“Easy now, I’m just a servant to the rogue crown!” Shaking my head, I lifted my body from the bed. The newfound strength had given me the confidence I needed. I wasn’t helpless. I could do anything, especially when I had someone love me as much as Creed. Someone to fight for.

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