Page 53 of The Exiled Dragon

Creed walked with his jaw tightened. He was holding out for me, to have any sort of friendship or companionship with any race, but I could feel his control wavering. His Dragon continued to vibrate, growling at any warrior that would come up too close behind us. I knew his Dragon could snap any of them to pieces in just a millisecond.

Just off into the trees, a large hut that sat at the bottom of a tree with giant roots sat quietly. The roots engulfed the entire structure, weaving it into the landscape. As we entered, the door gave way to one giant room with the biggest mahogany table I had ever seen. It was solid, huge. I could imagine they had to build the structure around this large table because men or women lifting this bad boy wasn’t happening.

“Please sit here.” Zaos pulled out a chair for Creed, and I saw Creed look hesitantly at me before ultimately pulling me to his lap. Zaos sighed, pinching his nose in irritation as Kane sent him a glare. If worse came to worse, Creed and I could fly away. Who cares about completing a bond, which sounded just like a formality, anyway? We could live in peace and alone as long as we had each other.

“Right,” Clara sighed, who was also sitting on Kane’s lap. This must be a mate custom. “Odessa, Creed,” Clara nodded as she placed her hands on the table, “Zaos has informed me of the situation about you and Creed, and I want to say I’m truly sorry for what you have been through. Odessa’s confession of how you saved her as she ran away from the Duke’s has been enlightening.” Her nose scrunched.

“However, we are here to discuss with you, Odessa, why I am here. Please, hear me out. I want us all to talk about this calmly. I really want your side of the story, too.” Clara’s eyes held warmth but something else. The surrounding area was peaceful, and as for her mate, he sighed in relief, burying his nose into her neck. Creed continued to hold my waist with one arm and take his thumb, rubbing the top of my thigh with the other.

“Odessa, the reason I am here is as a favor of the Queen of Vermillion. Her most trusted Duke has come to her pleading to find you because he says you are his mate.” My body shook. It wasn’t a brief tremor. My body convulsed around Creed. His arms enveloped me, putting my head in the crook of his neck as I hyperventilated. I felt nothing for that Vampire. I wanted nothing to do with him. The Vampire that haunts my nightmares was saying I was his mate? Surely some goddess couldn’t be that cruel.

“Odessa, you need to tell me what’s wrong. Tell me what happened. Obviously, we don’t have the entire picture.” Clara leaned across the table, softness in her facial features showed concern, but I would not trust her. She could send me back, take word over some high-ranking Duke over a human stolen into this world.

Creed’s calming vibrations helped my body stop shaking. His lips grazed my forehead, humming into it. Creed had no shirt for me to hold on to, so I gripped his hair like a child. I didn’t care how pathetic I looked. I wasn’t about to go back, couldn’t go back.

Lura came close to me, pulling my now sweaty hair behind my ear. Creed's grip continued to tighten, afraid she would try to take me away. “Honey, it’s all right. I believe you. Clara is merciful. If you don’t want to go back, then you won’t. Can she listen to your story? Give her a better picture of what is going on. She is only going off the one story because that’s all she knows.”

My eyes opened, looking at Clara with pleading eyes. My grip didn’t let go of Creed; I sat on his lap like a cowered lamb. I explained how my mother brought me here, gave me to Master Enoch, how I slept in a cage, used as a blood bag. Flashes of memories charged into my head like a platoon of soldiers. He was sinking his fangs into me all over again, making me feel the pain as he would twist and pull at my skin, his hand roaming over my clothes, his wicked grin as he finished left scars all over my body.

I had to relive it all over again as I explained how I slit his throat and ran through the marshes, mud, and dirt, and finally hid in a tree for Fluffy and Creed to find me.

My eyes, playing tricks, saw my arms tinged red, the small drops from my arms dripping into Creed’s lap. Shaking, my hands came near my eyes as the once healed scars reopened and dripped down my arm. “It’s not real,” I whispered out loud. “It’s not real.”

A heavy sob wracked through my body as Creed growled in resentment, holding me back into his brawny arms. “Enough,” Creed’s Dragon growled out. The table shook before us, causing Kane and Clara to hold each other.

“This is terrible,” Clara gasped. “Taliya is being lied to and manipulated!” She slapped her hand on the table, causing me to wince. “Mind-link Jasper, have Taliya search the Duke’s basement,” she ordered, standing from Kane’s lap. Kane kissed Clara’s cheek, his eyes glazing over.

Clara began pacing, rubbing her forehead repeatedly until her eyes glazed over too. “They are mind-linking,” Annabelle spoke from across the table. “Werewolves can talk to each other through their minds. They are talking to other Wolves.”

“I need proof,” Clara suddenly spoke. “My parents need proof of probable cause before we demand answers, or we will start a war.” Kane shook his head, now rubbing his scruffy chin.

“Taliya’s soldiers were in the area. They went to check the basement of the Duke’s home. There were no humans.” I gasped.

“He moved them then! He had to!” I cried. Clara continued to pace, rubbing her arms. Kane pulled her from her worry and sat her back down on his lap.

“I believe you,” Clara spoke confidently. “Even if he is your mate, I’d never let you go back. Abuse is not to be tolerated, mate bond or not. It’s unacceptable. Your emotional scars are clear in how you are trembling.”

“Even if Clara believes you, we need proof. We can’t start a war over a mate.” Kane leaned back in his chair. “This is a delicate situation. The Duke is the tipping point of the rogues going against the crown. The Duke deciding to side with them would be disastrous.”

“So, you leave one poor soul, a human, to prolong the inevitable?” Clara growled at her mate. A whimper left the giant’s lips, his eyes softening. “I’m just stating facts, love. I don’t like it either. It is just wise that we have concrete evidence. I can’t imagine why the Duke would be her mate and torture her like that, but some people, like Vampires, are evil enough to do it.” Kane rubbed Clara’s arm, defeated.

“Not all Vampires are bad, like Sebastian… We can’t group them all like that.” Kane rolled his eyes.

“You need physical proof?” I muttered.

“This will cause a war if I pry too deep without evidence. We would need the alliance with the Golden Light Kingdom to help us and, per our agreement, I need evidence of wrongdoing. Vermillion has been sitting on the edge of a new age for a while. Even with a new Queen on the throne, it is unsteady. The entire parliament is corrupt, and I’m afraid Taliya just isn’t prepared to handle it either. Even she, herself, cannot see that many of them are out to get her.” Clara slumped back in her chair. “It will take two kingdoms not to just destroy the rogues but also rebuild it. I need his help to succeed.”

I pulled away from Creed, setting my arm on the table, palm facing up. The entire room gasped, staring at the many holes in my arms. “Fucking shit,” Kane spat out. “The bastard didn’t even use his venom to heal her. Did he even numb it beforehand?” A tear fell down my cheek, landing on one scar. Clara’s hand cradled my hand.

“This… this will be enough.”

A sob left my lips, turning to grip Creed like a lifeline. His calming scent, and the gentle vibrations he created only had the stress melt from my body. I would not go back. I would not be sent back to a terrible mate who abused someone who he should have loved. Not once did I feel a connection with this Duke, and I was glad.

“Your Highness, if I may?” Glinda knocked on the door. She was now wearing ceremonial robes of black and gold swirls with her hood covering her head. Kane nodded for her to come forth. She glanced between Creed and me and smiled. “I believe things here are going to be more complicated.” Her whisper was barely audible. Many in the room listened more closely. Annabelle gripped Zaos as Glinda grew closer to the end of the table.

“I believe Creed may have black magic embedded in his body. If that is alright with you, I want to test a theory.”

Clara and Kane had a silent conversation until Clara replied, “Yes, but please make it discreet. I feel it isn’t just the rogue citizens of Vermillion we have to worry about. These rumors about Creed are disturbing, especially when his own brother doesn’t come to cease these talks. If it is all right with you, Creed, could Glinda find out if there are any black magic spells on you?”

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