Building the Horde

MADDIE

The next few moments seemed like a blur. I followed Adara up the steps but could no longer think of anything else except the Dragonstone.

If these children really were dragons, I’d just given a monster the means to end their lives.

Adara asked if I wanted to join the children for lunch, but I couldn’t answer. There was no way I could be around any of those kids in my current state.

I stumbled around the perimeter of the mansion until I could see the circle drive.

My hands fumbled for my phone. I was finally able to pull up a ride-share app and searched for a nearby car to take me back to the city.

“Leaving so soon?” Loch’s voice called out. “Don’t you want to stay for dinner? Hael and I have a special dessert we’d love to share with you.”

Loch and Hael were standing at the top of the steps leading to the mansion. I walked farther out into the circle drive, feeling the gravel crunch beneath my feet.

“I don’t want to talk to either of you,” I said.

“What a moody little mouse,” Hael replied. “But you’re more than comfortable speaking with our sister.”

I turned and faced them. They both had self-satisfied smiles on their lips.

This was precisely what they'd hoped—to draw my attention away from what I really wanted to do. ~Leave.~

But damned if their little distraction wasn’t working.

“Adara had some interesting things to tell me,” I responded. “Don’t you find it odd that your sister tells me more about you than either of you do?”

Loch and Hael descended the steps.

“Do you have something you’d like to tell us?” Loch asked.

“You’ve been just as secretive as we have lately,” Hael added. “Do we need to take you to the treasure room and pry it out of you?”

I could feel my brand burn with desire. Yes, ~of course~ I wanted them to pry it out of me. But I was still mad enough to see through their sexiness.

“Forget it,” I said. “I’m not staying here any longer.”

“What’s wrong, mouse? Don’t you want to see how the orphanage is doing?” Loch asked. “You love it here.”

“Oh, I think I’ve seen enough for today,” I replied.

“When you’re wearing that mint bracelet, we can’t read your mind,” Hael pointed out. “Why don’t you just tell us what’s bothering you? If you want to communicate so badly, don’t forget it’s give and take, little rat. Give something to us in return.”

I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of telling them everything. But if I kept my thoughts inside, they would eat away at me until they made me sick.

“Fine! I’ll tell you exactly what’s bothering me,” I said.

The twins looked at one another with the slightest of smiles.

“For one, I’m pissed that it never seems like I get a choice in my own life,” I began, annoyed. “Find a nice man with mutual interests? Nope! I have a lifelong bond connecting me to two Dragon Lords.”

Hael opened his mouth to counter. I gave him a look from hell, and his mouth promptly closed.

“For another, I can’t believe you would actually stoop so low as to use the guise of helping kids to find fucking ~dragons!~”

They shared another look before moving closer.

“You misunderstand our intentions,” Loch began. “We’re not doing anything to harm these children.”

“On the contrary,” added Hael, “we only want what’s best for them.”

I laughed at the deranged idea that these two manipulators could possibly know what was best for any child, let alone a whole orphanage full of them.

“We’re trying to find and educate the orphans that might be dragons,” Loch continued. “But it’s for a greater cause. Something is happening in Requiem. We need to form a horde.”

“Of course you do!” I retorted. “It’s all about what the two of you need. Who cares about a bunch of kids with no parents?”

“Please, Maddie,” Hael said.

~What the hell?!~

They NEVER called me by my actual name. And Hael thought it would be a good decision now? Of all times?

“Why couldn’t you just tell me the truth?” I said. “I love both of you. Yes, I get fucking pissed off. And yes, you make me want to rip my hair out! But you don’t have to lie to me or keep your lives a secret.”

“That goes both ways!” Loch snarled. “You willingly wore the collar, rat. You know what this relationship entails.”

“You’ve been pulling away from us more every day.” Hael replied. “What’s wrong, little mouse? Is there something you want to tell us?”

I gulped. Okay, sure. I’d stolen the Dragonstone. I didn’t like sneaking around behind my mates’ backs, but we didn’t exactly have a ~normal~ and ~healthy~ relationship.

Being the third wheel to two Twin Leading Breeds wasn’t easy. But maybe I could open up more if they weren’t so damn arrogant all the time.

“Come back to the penthouse with us,” Loch said. “We’ll make it all up to you.”

“That’s a promise,” Hael replied. “We’ll even let you pretend to be in control for a while.”

“A hard spanking might get you back on track, too,” Loch added. “Then we’ll decide how many orgasms to give you.”

They both chuckled.

My brand burned more intensely than before. Going back to their penthouse wasn’t the ~worst~ idea. And I hadn’t been alone with them in so long…

I shook my head.

It was just another trick to win me over, and this time it wouldn't fucking work.

“No! This is it!” I yelled. “You won’t talk me out of this. I don’t agree with what you’re doing here. You can’t just fuck me over to your side every time. I’m leaving, and I’m not coming back!”

Hael started to say something, but I wasn't listening. My ride pulled into the driveway, and the gravel that crunched under the tires drowned out Loch and Hael’s complaints.

I got into the car and slammed the door shut.

I needed to get away from my mates.

I needed to find Dane and Aneurin.

ZAYDA

“I’ll have a mimosa,” Thea said. “And make it strong.”

“Make that two mimosas,” Darshan replied.

The waitress nodded her head and looked to me.

I smiled, hoping that I wasn’t about to make things too awkward.

I’d agreed to meet Thea and Darshan for a Saturday brunch hangout. What I didn’t anticipate was for them to be tipsy before I’d even arrived.

I wanted to see two of my best friends, but for me, alcohol was ~not~ on the agenda.

“I’ll just have some sparkling water,” I said.

As the waitress walked away, I saw the looks on Darshan’s and Thea’s faces.

“Boo!” Thea said, already tipsy. “Don’t be a buzzkill.”

“I’m not!” I replied, already annoyed.

Thea’s face dropped as she realized her mistake.

~That’s right, dummy. I'm pregnant. You were there, remember?~

“Alright,” Darshan added. “Then don’t be a brunch kill.”

I shook my head and tried to think of something to throw Darshan off the trail. He was a good friend, but I didn’t want ~everyone~ knowing about my pregnancy.

At least, not yet…

“I had some bad fish last night, and my stomach is still recovering," I lied.

~Ugh. And what a terrible lie it was.~

From Darshan’s groans, my fib seemed to be working.

“Well, just avoid the Baja tacos, and you should be good," Darshan said.

“Ohmygod—but their Baja tacos are sooo good!” Thea replied.

The waitress came back to the table with our drinks, breaking up the awkwardness of the moment.

I took a sip of my water and reveled in the tiny bubbles of carbonation exploding in my mouth. This topic needed to change—and fast!

“I can’t believe the date of your wedding is arriving so quickly!” I said.

“I know!” Thea squealed. “It’s all happening so fast.”

“But that’s a good thing, right?” Darshan asked.

“Of course it’s good,” I replied. “It’s wonderful. I just can’t help but think of how much our lives have changed in just one year.”

“There have been a lot of changes,” Darshan agreed. “But it’s not all bad. Look at us! Still making time to hang out. That’s everything you could ask for!”

I smiled at Darshan’s positive attitude. Maybe he was right. Things have been changing, but that didn’t mean it was negative. Nothing stayed the same forever.

I took another sip of my water, and this time, the feeling wasn't so pleasant. My stomach did a somersault followed by a cartwheel.

“Excuse me,” I said quickly.

Before they could react, I was out of my chair and headed toward the ladies' room.

I barely closed the stall door before a torrent of fluid erupted from my mouth.

~Fuck! Not again!~

Morning sickness. And it was the second time in as many hours.

I flushed my vomit down the toilet and washed out my mouth in the sink.

My face looked several shades lighter, but there was nothing else I could do. I splashed cold water on my cheeks and forehead before heading back out to meet my friends.

“Was it the Baja tacos again?” Thea asked, winking.

Good thing Darshan was blind, because she was terrible at keeping a secret.

“Yeah, you look like hell,” Darshan added. “I’m assuming…”

I wanted to smile at his stupid joke, but I was too weak to try.

“Girl,” Thea added, “Tell me you’re doing okay.”

I looked into her eyes and was amazed at how focused she was, even after finishing another strong mimosa.

Thea was one of my best friends. No matter how tipsy she got, it never seemed to weaken her friendship radar.

“I’m fine,” I lied.

She nodded her head, but I could tell from the look on her face that she ~knew~ something was up.

I wanted to tell her everything: about my plan to resurrect Xythor, my big fight with Maddie, and the visions that constantly haunted me.

But the drunken brunch celebrating their engagement just wasn’t the time.

I shook my head and took a few gulps of water.

“I’m fine,” I lied again. “Really, believe me.”

XANDER

I listened to the whirr and grind that filled the small laboratory room.

Upon receiving the Dragonstone, I'd ordered a gemstone cutting machine. It had arrived earlier in the day.

For the last hour, I’d watched in delight as the blade sliced the small white stone into tiny shards.

It was beautiful beyond words.

Finally, I had something of the dragons that I could use against them. And it would forever tip the scales in my favor.

My fingers grasped one of the shards, no bigger than a piece of candy. I felt its edges prick my skin and grinned with delight.

I walked to a sanding machine and flipped the switch. After a few more minutes of work, the stone was as smooth as a piece of silk.

Under the harsh halogen lights, the polished gemstone glowed brighter than ever before.

Of course, leave it to me to improve on something from a fucking dragon. How ironic that a gemstone delivered by Loch and Hael’s mate would be the eventual downfall of their kind.

Things were beginning to change. Finally, after so many years, the tides were shifting in my direction.

And I would do everything in my power to make sure things stayed that way.

~My plans are finally about to come to fruition…~