Releasing the Dragon Read online

  “Right,” Annie said dully. “But not plenty more Drakes.”

  “What?” Mrs. Hofstadter looked confused. “I’m sorry, dear—what did you say? My hearing aid must be acting up.”

  “Nothing.” Annie tried to give her a smile. “I’m just…really tired. I think I’ll go lie down for a little while.”

  “Yes, well, you do look like you’ve had a rough night,” Mrs. Hofstadter said tactfully. “Um…is that a cat tail you’ve got on, dear? Was that part of a different Halloween costume?”

  “Something like that,” Annie muttered tiredly. “I’m sorry, but I’ve really got to go. I’m dead on my feet.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. You go on now—shoo.” Her neighbor made a little shooing gesture with one hand. “Get some rest and come over when you feel like it. I’ll bake you a nice plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies. Just the thing for a broken heart.”

  “Thank you.” Annie managed a smile this time—a small one but it was genuine. Her neighbor really was a sweet lady. And though Annie tried hard not to “eat her feelings” anymore, she thought she would make an exception this time. Not that even a whole plateful of chocolate chip cookies could make her forget what a jerk Dru had been.

  She sighed and gave a tired wave as Mrs. Hofstadter went back into her own apartment. Then, just as she was about to go in her own door, she realized she didn’t have her keys. They were probably still up on the Mother Ship somewhere with the outfit she’d been wearing to the reunion. Along with her phone and the keys to her car—which was still sitting in the high school parking lot.

  “Crap,” she muttered under her breath. It was going to be a huge pain in the ass getting a new key cut for her door and also a new one for the car because she was not going back up to the Kindred ship where Dru was!

  Well, she would have to deal with it later. Right now she was too worn out to even think about it. Good thing she had given a spare key to Mrs. Hofstadter just in case she ever got locked out. But now she had to bother her neighbor again and possibly field more questions about her outfit.

  “Damn it!” Annie snapped and pounded her door with the flat of her hand in sheer frustration. Why couldn’t anything ever go right? Why couldn’t—

  Her thought was cut off in the middle as the door of her apartment swung silently open.

  It hadn’t been locked at all.

  “What in the world?” Annie muttered under her breath. She looked into her apartment and saw that nothing appeared to have been disturbed. Had she forgotten to lock it the other night before she left? She had been really excited and anxious to get to the reunion but it wasn’t like her to be so careless!

  Uncertainly, she stepped into the living room. Everything looked all right but there was a funny smell in the air—a smell like alcohol. Scotch fumes—that was it. Where had she smelled that smell recently?

  Suddenly the door creaked closed on its own. Annie jumped and nearly screamed as she did a quick about-face to see what had happened.

  Standing just beside the door was Christian. He looked a lot worse for the wear—as though he hadn’t changed since the reunion. In fact, Annie was certain he was wearing the same cheap button-down shirt and polyester slacks he’d had on in the gym.

  “Hello, pretty Annie,” he drawled. “I was wondering when you would ever get home.”

  “Christian…” She put a hand to her chest and backed away a step. “What…what are you doing here in my apartment?”

  “Why, just passing the time waiting for you, pretty lady.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “And looks like you were worth waiting for. Just look at that pretty little outfit you’ve got on! You must have had yourself some fun after that big boyfriend of yours interrupted us the other night.”

  His eyes crawled greedily over her mostly exposed flesh and Annie felt her stomach clench into a cold fist.

  “I’d like you to leave please,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “Before I call the police.”

  Which was a total bluff because her cell phone was with her keys up on the Mother Ship. As was her pepper spray. All she had was the wrinkled purple walnut with Nutter Butter inside and she certainly couldn’t use that as a weapon.

  “Oh, I don’t think you’re going to do that.” Christian grinned—a cold expression that didn’t quite reach his pale blue eyes. “Not when I have this, anyway.”

  To Annie’s horror, he reached into the pocket of his cheap, polyester pants and pulled out a gun.

  “Now don’t scream,” he cautioned her when she opened her mouth to do just that. “I know that nosey old bitch of a neighbor is right next door but I promise you, pretty Annie, if you scream and get her over here I’ll shoot her first. She isn’t my type, if you know what I mean.” He laughed humorlessly. “And you, I’m beginning to think, very much are. You really have changed since high school.”

  “Leave me alone,” Annie whispered. She was beginning to feel more and more frightened. “What are you going to do to me?”

  “Nothing…here. As I said before, I like to hear a girl scream and I’m afraid that would attract too much attention in an apartment building. Besides, I don’t want your boyfriend butting in again.”

  “You’ll never get away with this,” Annie whispered. “Dru…Dru will kill you.” Another bluff since she knew she’d never see the big Kindred again.

  “All the more reason to take this party somewhere else, pretty Annie.” Christian crossed the room and got his arm around her throat before she could move. The cold muzzle of the gun pressed hard against her ribs. “You seem to have a nice little tangle of trees behind your building. Why don’t we go there? I’m sure we can get as much privacy as we want.”

  “No,” Annie whispered. She wanted to fight him but he dug the gun into her back and she found herself moving forward.

  Run—try to break free! Scream—shout! yelled a little voice in her head. Remember all his knives, Annie! What he does to you with those will be a hundred times worse than being killed by gunshot. Try to get away!

  But somehow her voice was frozen in her throat and she couldn’t seem to do anything but go forward as Christian directed.

  Dru, she thought desperately. Oh Dru, where are you? Last time I was in this position you came riding in to save the day.

  But there would be no help from that direction—of that she was certain.

  “Don’t bother me again.” Those had been her last words to the big Kindred. And besides, he was going to have his hands full searching the Kindred Mother Ship for the Xi-46 that might or might not be on board.

  By the time he got around to coming back to Earth—if he ever did—it would be too late.

  Twenty-One

  “Warrior—turn your ship around. NOW.”

  The strong female voice seemed to come from all around him at once. It filled the cabin of the shuttle so suddenly and completely that Dru nearly jumped out of the pilot’s chair.

  “What…where?” was all he could get out as he looked frantically for the source of the voice.

  “You have been foolish in the extreme, Warrior—you have rejected the one I have chosen for you,” the voice continued.

  “Who—?” Dru began and then a presence filled the shuttle—strong and authoritative and most definitely female.

  At last he understood—he was in the presence of the Goddess.

  “Mother of All Life,” he gasped, speaking with numb lips. He had heard of the Goddess talking to others before but he had never expected to experience it himself—it was hard to know what to say.

  “Turn the ship around and go back to Earth,” the Goddess commanded again and this time she sounded more than stern or displeased—she sounded angry. Maybe even furious.

  Dru didn’t dare to disobey her but he couldn’t help protesting even as he changed course.

  “Annie will not wish to see me again. She was very angry and hurt when I left her.”

  “Because you rejected her,” the Goddess said, her voice pounding
in his head. Within him, he could hear his Drake whimper in fear. “But that is not the reason you must go back. The female I chose for you is in great danger.”

  “What?” Suddenly Dru’s senses were all on high alert. “Danger? What kind of danger?”

  “Even now as we speak she is being dragged to her death. If you had taken her back to the Mother Ship and Claimed her as you were supposed to do, this would not have happened.”

  “Forgive me!” Dru’s heart was pounding now. “I didn’t know. I…I thought only to protect her.”

  “Do not lie to me or to yourself, Warrior—you thought to protect your own heart.” The Goddess’s voice was like rolling thunder. “You came so close to losing her in the Shadow Palace that you feared to risk the pain of loss again. And in trying to avoid that pain, you have put your rightful female at risk.”

  Dru stepped on the fuel pedal and accelerated as fast as he could, diving back towards the Earth.

  “Please, Goddess,” he begged hoarsely. “Please tell me where to find her! Please tell me she will be all right!”

  “I can promise nothing.” The Goddess’s voice was cold. “Go back from whence you came, Warrior. She is not far from where you left her—your Drake will sense her even if you cannot. He has more sense than you.”

  And with that, the overwhelming presence was abruptly gone, leaving Dru with a pounding heart and a dry mouth.

  Oh Annie, he thought desperately as he broke the Earth’s atmosphere and rushed downward so fast his shuttle was like a stone falling out of the sky. Oh teeska, I am sorry! Please be all right! Please Goddess, let me get to her in time!

  There was no answer—only the cold sweat of fear trickling down his spine and his Drake roaring restlessly within him as he dove downwards, praying he was not too late.

  Twenty-Two

  “This seems like a nice place to stop.” Christian dragged her to a halt in a small clearing in the middle of the woods.

  The thing about Tampa, Annie had often thought, was that no matter where you were in the city, you were never far from some little piece of undeveloped, overgrown land. Because of the subtropical climate, vines and weeds and plants of all kinds ran wild here, forming a nearly impenetrable tangle of dense, verdant green any place they could get a foothold. Out in back of Annie’s apartment building was one such area—it was like a miniature rain forest, she had often thought—a little ecosystem all to itself.

  And now she was right in the middle of it.

  “I think this tree will do nicely.” Christian patted the thick trunk of an old oak tree. Its branches were thick with Spanish Moss, which hung down like straggly locks of witch-hair. The sunlight filtered through the moss, making ominous patterns of shadows on the weedy, overgrown ground.

  “Do for…for what?” Annie’s voice was shaking.

  “For what I want you for, of course, pretty Annie.” Christian’s voice was light and teasing, as though they were out on a picnic together. “Now just stand with your back against the trunk—”

  “No.” Annie’s voice trembled but she forced herself to speak. “No, I’m not going to just…just get into position so you can hurt me!”

  “You don’t think so?” Christian shoved the gun into her back. digging it hard into her ribs.

  Annie gasped and stumbled. He caught her and spun her around to face him. Then he shoved her back against the rough trunk of the oak tree and slapped her hard with the hand not holding the gun.

  “Oh!” Sudden tears sprang to her eyes and Annie put a trembling hand up to feel her cheek which was swollen and hot. She looked uncertainly at Christian, who still had that pleasant, friendly smile on his face—the smile that didn’t reach his flat, blue eyes.

  “You’ll do what I tell you, pretty Annie,” he said conversationally. “Now hold still.”

  And he pulled out a silver roll of duct tape.

  “Where is she? Where?” The words came out in an anguished shout as Dru looked around him, desperate for any clues as to Annie’s whereabouts. He had gone up to her domicile in her apartment building and had found the door open and no one in sight. There was nothing left but her sweet, lingering scent hanging in the air, like a ghost of the woman he loved.

  And she will be a ghost if you do not find her quickly, Goddess damnit! Hurry, where could she go? Find her!

  Dru sniffed again, raising his head high to do so. There was another scent in the air as well—a sour, alcoholic stench like sweat and hard liquor. Dru thought he recognized it and then his Drake spoke up.

  That is the stench of the male who tried to hurt her—to hurt our female.

  Yes…yes it was. The male who had brought all the knives. What if he was already cutting her? Oh Goddess…

  No—he couldn’t let himself lose control. He had to concentrate. Had to find Annie. Closing his eyes, Dru remembered the words of the Goddess…

  “She is not far from where you left her—your Drake will sense her even if you cannot.”

  His Drake—yes! That was the answer to finding Annie. Taking a deep breath, he opened himself, allowing the part of him he had suppressed for so long to come closer to the surface.

  The Drake was hesitant at first—uncertain. For years he had been riding inside Dru’s soul—an unwelcome passenger, a shameful guest. Now Dru was inviting him out at last.

  “Not all the way out,” Dru cautioned him. “Just enough to help me find Annie. We need to follow the male’s scent—I’m sure he has her.”

  “Mine!” his Drake roared and shadow wings beat the air. “We must find him and save her!”

  “Do it, then,” Dru urged. “Take control—at least enough to lead me to her.”

  He felt his Drake surge forward and suddenly all his senses were heightened. The faint scents in the room became almost overpowering and they led in a very distinct direction. Following the urging of his other half, Dru took off at a run.

  “Now where shall I cut first?” Christian mused, eyeing Annie’s mostly exposed body. She was duct-taped to the oak tree with the rough bark digging unmercifully into her back. But it wasn’t the discomfort of being taped to the tree that was absorbing all of her attention now—it was the shiny silver knife in Christian’s hand.

  He had pulled it out of his roll, which he had apparently stashed here earlier along with the roll of duct tape, some rope, and several large plastic bags. It was like a rape kit—or more likely a murder kit.

  He’s been planning this, Annie thought, feeling sick. He came and staked out my apartment and stashed his stuff in a place where he knew no one would find it. We’re far enough out in the woods that there’s no chance of somebody walking their dog finding us—I doubt anyone will even hear me if I scream.

  Don’t you mean when you scream? whispered a dark little voice in her head. Because I think that’s what he wants, Annie—he wants to hear you scream.

  She wanted to scream now—to shout and yell and cry out for help just in case anyone might be anywhere near enough to hear her. But her voice felt as though someone had put a lock on her throat. She was frozen inside—tensed with fear so huge it seemed to overwhelm her. She felt like she had in those awful moments when she’d been running through Slo’vv’s chilly torso in order to get back to Dru—like a hand made of ice and iron was gripping her heart.

  I’m going to die out here, she thought, feeling sick and scared and frozen. She clenched the purple walnut with Nutter Butter inside in her fist, hoping the little dog would be okay after she was gone. And to think I was so excited to get to that damn reunion and see Christian again. Just my luck that my high school crush turns out to be a serial killer!

  A broken little laugh escaped her frozen throat and Christian frowned at her.

  “What’s so funny, pretty Annie? I can promise you won’t be laughing in a minute.”

  “I was just…” Annie had to clear her throat to get the words out. Her voice sounded husky and strange in her own ears. “Just thinking how excited I was to go to that stupid reun
ion. All because I wanted to see you again. And now look.”

  “Yes, indeed—look at us now.” Christian grinned mirthlessly and drew the tip of the long, thin knife he had selected from his roll down her bare arm.

  Annie gasped as a crimson line opened on her bare flesh, the blood tracing a path through her freckles. The strange thing was, she’d barely felt the knife at all. The blade was so incredibly sharp it seemed to glide through her skin like butter.

  “You…you were always so nice in high school,” she gasped, hoping against hope to appeal to his better half—though she doubted he had one. “You never teased me or called me names or…or hurt me, then.”

  “That’s because you weren’t pretty enough to be hurt back then.” Christian gave her that smile again and made another bloody, almost-painless cut—this one on her other arm. “You ought to be honored, my dear—you’ve been upgraded. I only kill the pretty ones.”

  “And I only kill bastards who hurt my female.”

  The deep, familiar voice made Annie jerk her head up. Across from her, on the edge of the clearing, was Dru. But Dru as she had never seen him before.

  The big Kindred’s pupils were fully dilated without even a thin ring of black to hold back the fiery glow that poured from his eyes into the shadowed space. He seemed bigger somehow too—closer to ten feet tall than seven, Annie thought—and enormously muscular. He was stripped to the waist and his broad chest looked absolutely massive.

  Dru stepped into the clearing, seeming to fill it with his presence and that hot, dry wind began to blow, like a breeze from the door of Hell.

  “Get away from my mate!” The double echo was in his voice again—the mental roar that made Annie’s head ache.

  His Drake, she thought wildly. It’s close—really close!

  The last time he had been confronted with the big Kindred, Christian had run. But this time, though he winced at the sound of the Drake’s mental roar, he didn’t scream or run away. Instead, the gun was suddenly in his hand again, clenched at his side.