Chapter Chapter Sixteen

The room fell into an awkward silence when everyone left and it was only Maya and Drake remaining. The silence between them was terrible that Maya was sure if a pin fell on the marbled floor, they would hear it. Drake had his eyes fixed on the liquid gold twirling in his glass.

“Drake--” She started but Drake looked up at her so abruptly that it caught her off-guard and her words clogged in her throat.

“I understand perfectly, Maya. You don’t need to explain anything to me.” He said softly, his eyes tortured.

“You don’t understand because you didn’t let me finish. You jumped into the wrong conclusion and now look at us?” Maya’s heart couldn’t bear to see how defeated Drake appeared.

It was true that she missed her home terribly and that being away from it tore a canyon through her heart. She admitted that she missed her ignorant life as a human even though she couldn’t remember a good part of it. She couldn’t deny that if she could, she would go home at the first chance she got. But she discovered that every time she thought of being away from Drake, the pain grew much worse to the point that she wanted to cry. The tears she shed in front of the queens were not because they told her it was almost impossible for her to go back to being that woman she once was back in her world but rather the tears were for realising that she truly wanted to be with Drake above everything else and that leaving him would only make her crazy with sorrow and loneliness.

Just being away from him made her heart ache and her skin heat up in irritation and every time she laid her eyes on him, the world was right again. She didn’t want to lose Drake and seeing him tormented in front of her brought a fresh wave of tears.

Drake was beside her before she could even blink, catching her tears before they rolled from her face to the floor. He was wary and anxious as he looked at her.

“What is it, Maya?” he asked his voice desperate as he tried to do the right thing. “Please tell me and I will do it. I can’t bear to see you like this. Please tell me what to do, baby.”

Warmth engulfed Maya’s heart as she traced her fingers over his jaw. “You didn’t let me say what I wanted to say to you. You just left.” she cried softly, more tears coming down her eyes.

“Then tell me now. Tell me and I will listen. I promise.” He held her hand over his cheek, desperate to feel her connection, any connection for that matter.

Maya hiccuped and rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands. “I wanted to tell you that even though the human world has been my home for twenty-four years, I can’t imagine living there without you, Drake. Because--because I love you so much and I want to be here with you. I will live anywhere as long as it is with you.”

Drake looked stunned. His violet eyes were suddenly unreadable. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking or feeling after what she told him. Now it was her turn to become anxious. “Say something, Drake.”

The pupils of his eyes flashed and turned into slits as a smile curled on one side on his mouth and Red winked at her before he submerged and Drake returned. ” But, your home--”

Maya shook her head. “My home is with you. I accept that now. I mean if I have been dead for a few months back home, wouldn’t I make world headlines if I suddenly showed up alive and well?” Drake nodded but Maya realized he was trembling as he held her hands. “Drake?”

Drake pulled Maya into his arms and held her close. “I love you so damn much and the thought of losing you just drives me crazy.”

Maya let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding. She hugged him back, loving the feel of his hard and sinew body against her soft one. She loved the sinful scent of his that unfurled the heat deep inside her. It was like clean cinder and something wicked. She inhaled deeply and raked her fingers into his hair. The cool broad locks felt silky soft in her fingers.

“I have new friends here that I know and remember.” She moved back and pushed the locks hanging on Drake’s forehead back. “I found love here with the most amazing man-dragon I know.”

Drake moved forward and nipped at her lower lip. Maya felt the action all the way to her toes. She was about to protest when suddenly Drake pulled her onto his lap. Color bloomed on Maya’s cheeks as she looped her hands around his neck.

“Anyone can walk in on us, Drake.” She giggled when she felt Drake’s scalding lips against her ear and down her neck. His teeth teased the sensitive parts only he knew of and made her toes curl.

“I don’t care.” He rasped against it.

“I’m hungry.” She pushed away from him but couldn’t help feel giddy inside.

“So am I.” Drake assured her, returning to her neck.

Maya giggled and rolled her eyes. “Not that sort of hunger. I am hungry for food!”

Drake groaned in frustration and let Maya slipped off his lap. He got up and snaked his hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him. “I’ll feed you--upstairs in our quarters.”

Maya hummed. “I like the sound of that.”

“Let’s go.” Drake took Maya upstairs.

Drake pushed the sheets off his body and padded away from the sleeping female as he dialled Feror’s number. He opened the doors to the balcony and let the cool night air take away the feverish heat simmering on his skin. Whenever he made love to Maya, his body became so hot to the point he thought he was going to burn alive. This was how it felt when you shared a body with an entity such as a Dragon.

Drake turned back to the bed and Maya was seductively sprawled on the bed with the sheets riding low on her waist and her elegant back and legs out for his view. Drake’s body still throbbed for hers even though they had both exhausted each other out. He just couldn’t get enough of her!

Drake looked down at his erection and groaned softly. “Behave,” he muttered palming the heavy erection lightly.

“This call better be life or death or by the heavens I am going to find a way to fuck you up permanently.” Feror’s rasp gritted at Drake’s ear.

“It’s barely midnight, you dimwit.” Drake growled back. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Hold on.” Feror said and there was a sudden pause before a female cry rang through the phone telling Drake exactly what the male was up to. A whispering of the sheets and the clicking of doors told Drake that Feror was going somewhere where he could talk freely. “Okay, talk to me, damn you.”

Drake grinned. “You should marry that Phoenix, mate.”

“Thanks to you I didn’t even cum. What the fuck do you want?”

“Easy boy, easy...” Drake teased then turned to some serious talking. “I need a favour from you tomorrow morning. I need you to go to Noble Orisidia and get her to tell you exactly where the Iyrosium mines are.”

“Fuck you!” Feror hissed.

Drake hated to talk to Feror when he was in that state. His urge to satisfy his sexual hunger was riding his emotions hard and fast. And fine, Feror was not Orisidia’s biggest fan but this was strictly business and all emotions had to be put aside. “It’s an order, Feror.”

“I swore to myself that if I got to see Orisidia’s face again, I’d shoot myself. Sorry but I love myself too damn much.” Fervor explained.

“This is a very important matter, Feror. It is not like I am asking you and have tea with her again. Grab her by the neck and choke the information out of her if you have to. I don’t care. What I do care is that Maya was almost killed by someone using that bloody stone to harness power.”

That sobered Feror up. “The amber pendant?”

“Yes. It harnesses and enhances the wielder’s abilities to incredible heights. The sorcerer was able to possess two leprechauns and set them on Maya. If we don’t stop him, he might actually kill someone next time.”

“He already did; his own soldiers.” Feror said grimly.

Drake nodded. “Call me as soon as you get any information. And why don’t you pay Marco a visit and ask him about it. I have a feeling the shifter might know more than he is letting us believe.”

“Will do.”

“And how is Serensa doing?”

Feror sighed softly. “She still won’t eat. Shancy has resolved to force-feeding her using a spell. She needs to go back home before she goes into heat.”

“Tell Shancy to prepare taking her to the Realm of Fire at any moment. I will meet them there.” Drake leaned against the balustrade watching as the full moon cast a dreary shadow in the pool below. Even the moon knew something was not right.

“Alright.”

“Fine, I will talk to you tomorrow.” Drake said then hung up and turned to the stars. He closed his eyes to try and keep his body under control but the moment he turned around and he saw Maya, his body tightened in anticipation.

Red purred contently.

Drake smirked. She needs to rest.

She’s been resting for a good part of the evening. Red countered, prowling with anticipation in Drake’s head.

Drake walked to the bed and slipped into the sheets immediately greeted by the warmth emanating from Maya’s body. He moved close until their bodies were spooning. He swept her hair from her back and piled it up on the pillow before placing soft kisses on her nape. She shivered and cuddled closer to him.

Drake gritted his teeth. His boner was not going anywhere any time soon. He remembered the last time he didn’t take care of it, she took care of it on his behalf in a car. Travelling back to that experience only hardened him. Out of their own accord, Drake’s hands settled tightly on Maya’s hips while his own rolled unconsciously, grinding themselves against her.

Maya groaned. “Drake....” She whispered then flipped over, looking deep in his eyes with her sexily drooping eyes.

“I didn’t mean to wake you up.” He could barely breathe.

A slow smile appeared on her face. “Is that like a fantasy of yours; making love to a sleeping woman?”

Drake found himself speechless.

Maya shifted close to him until her tightly budded nipples were stabbing against his chest, sending a crippling pleasure down his spine. She anchored her hip over his opening herself to him and took his hand. Kissing it lightly on his knuckles, she directed it down to the hot and moist folds of her sex. Drake had to bite back a growl when he came into contact with her. A soft whimper escaped her lips as Drake began to stroke her. Her hips rolled and her back arched towards him as her fingers raked through his hair holding onto him close.

Drake attacked her lips, pulling them into a long and thorough kiss that had his body clenching with the need of his mate. Maya responded to every kiss and tongue duelling he issued. She tasted ambrosial and he felt a little lightheaded with kissing her.

Drake rubbed his thumb against the throbbing bundle of nerves while his other fingers sought out the heat of her entrance. She tightened her hold on him as he worked her to an early release. He knew he couldn’t hold on long enough. He greedily wanted all the pleasure to himself but he also loved watching Maya’s face as an orgasm raked through her. She was honest with her desire for him and as he moved back, rolling, grinding and thrusting his fingers into her, he could already see she was nearing her peak. Her eyes were glazed with pleasure and her eyebrows brought together as euphoria tightened her body before she splintered to a thousand pieces.

Drake didn’t wait until she was done. He thrust into her all the way to the hilt, swallowing her moan in a kiss. Drake wanted to take his time and savor in the sweetness that she was but the urgency in him was just too dire. His strokes were long and hard. Maya’s channel clapsed him tightly, engulfing him in a scalding heat. This was one place he wanted to lose himself. He wanted to remain forever in her arms and forget all that was happening around him. He wanted the bitterness and determination he had felt all his life to end and let his heart be at peace.

Drake’s thrusts became more feverish and almost violent. A cold and hard feeling curled itself in his heart. He once won against the rogue dragons and made sure they paid the ultimate price by losing their leader. He could do that again. It didn’t matter whether the new leader was once a father figure or a brother, he was going to destroy them.

Drake arched back as a violent orgasm passed through him, wrecking everything in him and leaving him bare without thought and without emotion. He roared in retaliation, his body shuddering over and over until he thought there was no end to it. Finally, he was able to collect himself and realise that he was in his quarters with Maya.

A cold dread flared the spikes on his back when he opened his eyes and looked down at her. She looked concerned for him.

“Are you okay?” She asked him softly touching his damp forehead.

Drake turned his lips towards Maya’s Palm and placed a kiss right on the center. “I’ll be fine.”

Maya nodded softly and settled her head back on his shoulder. “I might not know a lot about the enchanted world and what it takes to be one of many people who want to see good things happen in it but I want to help you, Drake.”

Drake couldn’t even begin to imagine how that harmless and doe eyed little thing could help him. “You can help me by staying out of harm’s way.”

Maya chuckled bitterly. “I don’t even know where the harm will come from.”

Drake sighed and pulled Maya closer to him. “Let me worry about that.”

Maya hummed and closed her eyes softly. It didn’t take long before her light and steady breathing told Drake that she had gone back to sleep. Drake couldn’t find sleep. He was too anxious and wary. He feared for what could happen to Maya if he wasn’t watching. He feared for what he would discover tomorrow when he talked to Ron. He feared for what Feror was going to discover about the Iyr. He also feared for what the Dragon elder’s answers would be to his many questions.

With those kinds of thoughts, sleep was not an option. Drake ended up travelling back in time seeing his father appreciate other people’s sons more than his own.

“He’ll come around when you go through your first transformation, you’ll see.” his mother always defended him at every chance she got. He never blamed her, however, they were true mates.

But Kruk never came around because Drake never made his first transformation until he was already in Lord Mage’s army. He didn’t even understand where he got the strength to fight off horned Glaeder dragons but he fought amongst the other warriors to bring peace upon the lands of Fire.

During that time, Drake had first experience of witnessing the tranfornation of Queen Malenna into the black Dragon. She had everyone stunned by the shear size of her and her magnificent presence. She took lead of her warriors clashing with Kruk’s in mid air. Wings beat like thunder and the entire sky was on fire as the dragons battled on. Ashes rained from the sky as dragons were incinerated by Lord Mage’s warriors.

“You are a coward!” Drake remembered being surrounded by rogue dragons in their human forms because they were chasing the children and females in the streets of Evron.

Drake was pinned to a wall, held up against the cold and jagged wall surface that was a biting hard and painfully against his skin. He struggled against the male’s hold, kicking his legs at him but as he was, his actions didn’t so much as get a reaction from the male who was ready to end his life.

“Your father should have killed you before you were born! You are a disgrace to the Glaeder bloodline!” The male spat on Drake’s face.

Before the male was able to render the last blow, a blade sliced through him from behind. It thrummed with power and energy as it burnt the Dragon male into ashes.

The Lord Mage stood behind the energy blade, his eyes severe with the promise of death in them. He grabbed Drake’s shoulder and carelessly pushed him down the street. “I hear you are the fucker’s brat. You are going to help me kill your father, am I clear?”

Drake remembered stunning the Lord Mage by his next words; “I know exactely where he is and the most effective way to kill him.”

Drake gave away the secret of effectively killing the Dragon. The scales around the dragon’s heart were the toughest because the heart was the most vulnerable organ in the entire anatomy of the dragon. However there was a seam on the chest that could be reach by flipping the scales instead of trying to cut through them. Lord Mage could not suppress Kruk’s change enough and the male was able to cover his body with his scales, avoiding damage to his sensitive organs. All the while he fought with the Lord Mage on that mountain, he threw words of loathing to his son.

“Now!” Drake cried to the Lord Mage when Kruk got a little distracted and Tyran went in for the kill.

Kruk was struck with astonishment, subtle admiration and disbelief with he felt the Lord Mage’s hand burnt under his chest scales, searching for his heart. Tyran was able to get hold of his pumping organ to remove it before turning it into cinder.

Drake could never forget the look of defeat and loathing on Kruk’s face. Yes, he was surprised that the son he thought was a disappointment was actually the one who strategically orchestrated his death.

“Get to your mother! Make sure she is safe.” Tyran growled to him.

Drake’s mind went blank after that. His mother was a different memory, something pushed right to the back of his mind. He still didn’t believe his mother had died that day because...there was no body to bury nor were there ashes to put in an urn. He never saw her again after that.

They searched everywhere for her but she was never found.....

Drake threw the sheets aside and jumped out of the bed. He stalked out to the balcony again and jumped onto it, crouching low and scouting the scenery before him.

“Let’s go hunting.” He snarled to Red and jumped of the balcony.

Red immediately took over, wings bursting out from his back while his body covered itself with scales. His joints popped, a fiery sensation engulfing them as they elongated and soon enough, a large red Dragon was soaringi in the skies, his wings beating heavily around him, racing towards the woodlands belonging to the Lord Mage.

“Search for it, Maya....” Grandma Frida kneeled beside her and watched as Maya struggled digging through the mud looking for whatever they were looking for.

Her surroundings were lush and beautiful but something could be heard from afar crunching through the trees and earth coming towards her. It was what made her desperate and determined to keep digging.

Grandma Frida reached forward and pushed away the soaking locks from her face. “Find it, Maya, find it and set it free.”

“I can’t find it, Grandma. I can’t see....anything. She pushed her hands deep into the mud coming up with nothing but sludge.

“Only you know where it is...” Grandma Frida said calmly then turned her head towards the crunching sound that was getting too close. “You have to find it before it is too late.”

Tears rolled down Maya’s cheeks because she felt the desperation swelling around her, choking her and threatening to end her life. Sweat rolled down her temples as she sunk her hands elbow-deep into the mud but she couldn’t feel anything.

The bright sun splotches that were littering the forest ground began to dim around her. The crunching sound was so close behind her and her grandmother’s face was pale with scared eyes and unshed tears. Maya didn’t even want to turn around and see what it was. It sounded like teeth crunching around at the forest.

“You have to find it! You just have to!” Grandma Frida shook Maya’s shoulders hard.

Maya cried out and yanked herself from her grandmother. She crawled away as the woman stood up. Her eyes turned in their sockets and black bled over them. She let out a gurgling sound as if she was choking and her bones began to pop and elongate. She began to stretch into the trees, her limbs overly long and disproportional from the rest of her body. Thick unkempt clumps of hair formed on her head as she tilted her head slightly and glared at Maya with her fathomless eyes. This was not her grandmother. Cold dread curled at the pits of her stomach when she turned her head towards the pool of mud she was digging in and saw the blood boiling from it.

She looked down and saw that her hands were covered with blood. Maya let out a blood-curdling scream as the thing that pretended to be her grandmother started moving towards her in slow languid movements. Darkness descended around them as the crunching finally got to them and eerily figures began to appear around her.

Maya’s neck burned and when she touched it, the pendant was shimmering against her skin.

“See, my dear.” the creature pretending to be her grandmother screech. “I knew you would find it.”

Maya grabbed the pendant and screamed with all her might.

“Maya...” From a distance, Maya could hear someone calling her name as she fought to surface from dreamland. ” Maya!”

She felt someone grab her shoulders and shake her lightly. She blinked several times and ran her eyes around her. She couldn’t remember where she was but when she laid her eyes on Drake, her heart sagged in relief.

“Holy fuck....” Drake held her closely placing sweet kisses on her hair. “You scared the shit out of me.”

Maya wrapped her hands around Drake’s waist and held him close as a bout of tears overtook her. She cried on Drake’s shoulder, fear still coursing through her veins. Drake sat on the bed and pulled Maya on his lap, cooing her and whispering sweet nothings to her so that she calmed down.

She didn’t know just how tightly she was holding on to him until she felt the pain on her knuckles. A shudder went through her as the tears tapered down. She sniffed softly and buried her nose in Drake’s chest. The scent of him calmed her enough to bring her heartbeat down.

“Nightmares again?” Drake inquired quietly.

Maya nodded against his chest. “It was terrible.” She whispered.

“It’s okay, I am here with you now.” Drake’s fingers combed through her hair, giving her a measure of comfort.

The knock on the door made Maya jump. Drake calmed her and placed her back on the bed before he went answer the door. Concerned voices muffled on the other side of the door. Maya was very sure they were asking if she were alright. The truth was that she was not. That....thing that was pretending to be her grandmother was terrible. She should have heeded the terrible fear that she felt when she was around it. It was not the same feeling she had when she met her grandmother at that house. Back in the house she felt warm and comforted and the love for her grandmother was real. She felt it all the way to her bones.

She looked down at her hands and they were clean, free from blood. She touched her neck but her pendant was missing. It was what that thing in her dreams wanted. It had her digging for it, searching for it. It was convinced she knew where it was. It appeared around her neck when she needed it but now, it was gone again.

Maya was not going to let anyone take it away from her. It was special to her because it linked her to her grandmother, her family and her home. She was going to find and keep it safe.

Drake closed the door behind him and stalked back to the bed. He sat opposite her, his face full on concern and asked. “Don’t you want to talk about it?”

Maya touched her neck again “Drake, we need to find the pendant. If we don’t, someone else will.”

“We will find it when we get back.” Drake touched her hand lightly.

Maya nodded and wrapped her hands around herself, warding off the cold that was still crawling on her skin. “Oh, it was terrible, Drake. There was this hideous thing pretending to be my grandmother and wanting me to find the pendant for it.”

“Do you know anything special about this pendant?” Drake asked.

Maya shrugged her shoulders languishingly. “My Grandma never told me anything special about it--at least I can’t remember of anything other than her telling me it chooses who it wants to keep it and that although it disappears, it is never lost.”

“Can you remember how it looked like, maybe someone might have found it in the forest.” Drake asked.

“It was a red stone the size of a quarter. It was a pear cut, held by a gold chain.” Maya explained.

“I’ll call Tyfera and the rest and see anyone has seen it.”

Maya pursed her lips and nodded. “Thank you.”

“I’ll join you for breakfast but for the rest of the day I will be working.” He got up. “Get a shower and I’ll see down--”

“No!” She exclaimed in panic jumping up to him. “Don’t leave me alone in here.”

“Okay, come with me.” Drake led the way to the bathroom but he didn’t see the color that had painted on her cheeks as she followed him, holding on to his hand tightly.

Drake followed the Lord Mage, Zach and Constantine down into the dungeons. It was awfully quiet but the dread that filled Drake’s heart told him he was entering hostile grounds. Evil swelled around them, waiting for the opportunity to taint whatever purity their souls had. The entity was a part of the prisoners now. Drake wondered if they really got what they wanted at the end. No matter how much power the Dark Energy had promised the individuals behind the enchanted prison bars, it was never going to spare their souls when it came to the Lord Mage.

Drake knew fully well, he was the last one that was going to see those males alive. The moment he took a step out of the dungeons, Lord Mage would set a date for their execution.

“The dragon finally comes.” One male hissed, tilting his head at Drake with his eyes showing nothing but the reflection of the evil coursing in his veins. They were black and dreary. The way he kept twitching told Drake that the male was too far gone to even have any help. It was a shame that the male was once a proper dragon with a family. Whatever happened to make him turn on his people and become a monster....Drake didn’t want to know.

Constantine took Drake, Zach and Tyran around a corner to a secluded area where the thick balmy taste of evil was more prominent. Ron was kept away from everyone else because he was cunning and dangerous. A thick grey iron door came into view and they stopped in front of it.

“Ron is in here and he had specifically asked that he saw you privately.” Tyran turned to Drake, so much concern and regret written in his eyes. “Don’t let him get to you because I have a feeling he would want to toy with you first. I don’t think he has anything new to say to you.”

“I can handle Ron.” Drake assured the Lord Mage but he wasn’t sure whether he was saying it for the King’s benefit or for his own.

Tyran gave him a curt nod and turned to Constantine. “Open the door.”

Before Drake could turn his entire attention towards the cell, Zach caught his arm. He turned and the male’s face was as hard as Tyran’s. “If it gets hard for you, come and get me and I’ll teach that asshole a lesson.”

Drake gave Zach and weak smile and nodded. “Sure thing.”

Constantine’s fingers moved effortlessly as he removed the spell cast on the door. The quiet murmuring that he did didn’t make sense to Drake because at that moment, he shut away everything that could make him vulnerable to Ron. He shut away the fond memories of his father and his mother when he was younger, he shut away the thoughts of Maya and how much she meant to him and when he entered that room, he was an empty shell of a male with nothing that could be used against him.

Ron was standing in a dark corner as if shying away from the fluorescent light in the middle of the room. There was nothing more in the room that could have given the male an advantage. There was a small bed in one corner and right in the middle were two steel chairs and table bolted down to the floor. A small window brought in fresh air but it didn’t carry away the stench of death and evil that threatened to warp the small space.

“Drake, son of Kruk....finally I have your acqaintance.” He purred, the sound of his voice raspy and raw that Drake thought his ears were going to bleed.

He winced and moved to one of the chairs then settled down and crossed his arms. “I didn’t come here to exchange pleasantries. Why were you so desperate to see me?”

“Straight to the point.” Ron didn’t sound too happy but Drake couldn’t tell because he couldn’t see his face. “I want to exchange pleasantries with you first if you don’t mind--can I ask you a question?”

Drake didn’t have any chance to deny the question. If he was going to get anything from the male, he might as well play along with his game. “What about?”

“Tell me, do you ever celebrate or mourn the day your father died?” Ron finally pushed himself from the wall and slowly approached Drake.

Drake frowned. As funny as if was, Drake could never forget the day his father was killed and each year, he found himself wondering about what could have been on that specific day. He remembered it for two things, for the defeat of Kruk and also for the disappearance of his mother. “Why does it matter to you?”

Ron shrugged his shoulders. “He was your father after all. He was a hero to some...” he clucked his tongue and added. “A killer to others--”

“Kruk was no hero.” Drake gritted his teeth. “He slaughtered thousands of innocent people and children and all for what?”

“So that the Dragon race became the superior pureblood beast race in the enchanted world, powerful enough to hold this world in their hands and crush it into dust if they wanted to.” Ron answered. “Now that’s ultimate power.”

“That’s madness.” Drake assured the male.

Ron chuckled quietly as finally some of that fluorescent captured the sharp and chiseled edges of his pale face and revealed the monster that he had become. His once dark eyes had a red glow blooming inside of them, a sure sign that he was changing into a ghoul. His teeth were sharp and gleaming in the light with the promise of murder. The palor of his skin was sickening. He placed his hands on the table and Drake noticed the long and sharp claws that were already stretching out from his fingers. “Madness only for those who don’t know the meaning of power.”

“Tell me, was that sweet promise of power everything you thought it would be?” Drake leaned forward and studied the male.

Ron grinned, his scaly lips stretching across his face and distorting his features a little. “And more.” He licked his lips.

“Even though you were lied to about the Light Sword? Not to mention you were abandoned by Rowan and now the rogue Dragon’s have abandoned you too. You face death, Ron. There is no sparing you even though you are the brother to the Fae King. Even he has turned his back on you after everything you’ve done. Isn’t there even a part of you that regrets everything you’ve done?” Drake asked.

For a moment, the distorted grin on Ron’s face faltered as his eyes became somber. Just for a second, Drake thought the male was actually listening and considering what he was being told. He turned to a spot just above Drake’s right shoulder and it seemed like he was reflecting on what he did but then his stiffened and his eyes turned coldly towards Drake. “No, I don’t regret anything and my dear brother can rot in hell for all I care. He thought he could trick me about the Light Sword but i have always been I step ahead of him and everyone. I knew of this day to come and I have been prepared for it.

“Rowan has not abandoned me. He will be back even with me gone from this world. The dragons....ah, the dragons.” He laughed with a maniacle glee twinkling in his eyes. “The dragons are managing quite well without me. I am surprised you have no clue until this moment.” He clucked his tongue at Drake. “You didn’t know about Olena back then you will certainly not know about him either.”

“You know who the new leader of the Rogues is, don’t you?” Drake narrowed his eyes at the Fae, his heart thundering in his ears like a fast-beating drum. He was so close yet so far. If only he were able to read minds then he would have cracked Ron’s mind and scrape every piece of thought he had, leaving him nothing but a shell.

Ron’s dark eyes levelled with Drake’s. “Yes, I know him--you know him too.”

“Give me a name, Ron.” Drake gritted his teeth.

Ron smirked. “Won’t that cut a lot of work out for you? I am not giving you shit. Besides, there is nothing worth that information that you can give me in exchange.”

“What do you want?” Drake asked.

Ron shrugged. “I have had everything. You just have to figure it out for yourself...before time runs out.”

Drake’s eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”

Ron moved forward highlighting most of his face. He was just a ghoul with a voice, a screeching voice showing that it was only a matter of time until he lost it all. “If I were you, I’d make sure the Dragon Queen was still breathing.”

“You sick son of a bitch!” Drake pushed back at the chair, the force of it breaking the two bolts in front and leaving it askew. The sound had Zach, Constantine and Tyran rush inside. Drake had the arrogant Fae dangling by his neck by the time they entered.

“Drake, let him go!” Tyran growled at him.

“If anything happens to Queen Malenna I will personally see to it that you lose your head after every other limb on your body! Tell me what rogues are planning!” Drake roared ignoring Lord Mage’s warning.

“They are planning to take the throne from her, that’s what!” Ron rasped not even fighting for his life. The male had nothing to lose. “But this time, they are going to suceed while you and your horde of motherfuckers play around with each other’s dicks!”

Drake pulled his hand back and punched Ron’s face. Black blood splurted from his broken nose but the male only snapped his red eyes to him and chuckled. “Give me a name Ron!”

“Fuck you!” Ron answered.

Before anyone could stop him, Drake punched Ron sending him sailing across the small room to the opposite wall. Drake would have gone back to punching him but Constantine and Zach held him back.

“He is not worth your fury, Drake.” Tyran assured him.

“Oh, you are the one to talk. Have you ever told your toy soldiers what you had to do to seal the Dark Energy in the earth? Do your cock-suckers know who’s blood is on your hands; Rhol’s hands, Malenna’s hands, Alston’s not to mention the rotting Seranis’?”

Tyran snapped his eyes towards the Fae. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Ron rubbed the black blood from his face. “Ah, let me jog your memory Lord Mage...” The title came out in a long hiss that had everyone’s hairs stand up in alert. “Shalima, Nessy, Mariel--should I go on?”

Drake didn’t know what the male was talking about but when he turned to his king, the pallor on his face told him that Tyran understood clearly what was being said. He tried to break free from Constantine and Zach but it needed twice the energy to shrugged them off and he was just too tired to fight off his friends.

“How do you know about that?” Tyran snarled at him.

“The voices tell me everything. I know exactly what happened and it is soon going to come out. You won’t be the heros anymore. You are going to be murderers!” Ron chuckled hysterically.

“What the fuck is he talking about?” Zach asked.

“Tik-tok, Lord Mage. Time is running out and let me give you a little secret...” Ron moved forward towards the Lord Mage and whispered something that only the two of them heard.

The walls of the room warped outwards with the burst of energy from the Lord Mage and the temperature went below zero degrees in a split second as Lord Mage’s anger bombarded everyone’s nerves. Hot white energy veins began slithering around Tyran’s skin as the intensity of it carried him from the floor.

“Lord Mage!” Drake cried out to his friend. “Don’t give in to him! Stop!”

But Drake knew better. In that state, Tyran couldn’t be reasoned with. It was only one time that the Mage Queen was able to deter him from it but it had never happened again and Drake knew what was to follow.

A pulse burst from him, reverberating everyone’s eardrums so hard that Drake felt blood trickle from his nose.

Lord Mage’s hands shot forward and he grabbed Ron’s head. The male’s eyes bulged in surprise but it was too late. Tyran twisted the head and yanked it from his shoulders. It slurped out from the rest of his body with part of his spine still attached.

“Fucking hell!” Constantine exclaimed. Nothing ever got an expression from him because of his dark personality but this actually caught his attention.

Tyran threw the head to the side and arched back then roared rattling the room in its foundation. “No one threatens my queen, my female, my mate--ever!”

Drake turned to the lolling head still having the expression of shock and wondered what he had told the Lord Mage to make him react the way he did. The glowing eyes dimmed and faded into the gray color. Black blood began to pool from Ron’s headless body and Tyran turned to him, Zach and Constantine, calming down a bit.

“Someone clean this mess up!” He growled, his eyes still alternating between white and silver. He stalked out leaving Drake caught in between rage, helplessness, confusion and dread.

Thanks to Tyran, he could never find out who the new leader was. Fan-fucking-tastic!