Stone Guardian (14 page)

Timur.
She called out in her mind and waited.
Timur!

Here
. His voice echoed through her head.

The crone?

Don’t know baby, I’m a little busy.

I have to kill her.

Fuck that. Kill them all.

She looked over to where he stood. Then her gaze fell on Jax and the way he snapped his jaws and twisted his head. Ember inhaled and felt eddies of energy swirl in her palm. She tossed her head back and opened herself up to more of nature’s strength.

Timur.

I’m here. You’re beautiful
.

Snag Jax and get off the ground.

Ember formed a bubble around her, filling it with energy. She steadily moved away from the car and hoped the rubber tires and protection spell would keep Elspeth safe. The Babel witches were quickly amassing around her like moths to a flame.

Power zigzagged along her nerve endings, shooting from her body. She swallowed and closed her eyes. A buzz began and she pushed her senses farther, searching for the voids she felt, where beings existed but didn’t live. She looked for any spark of light that would tell her this coven hadn’t completely embraced the dark arts. Sadness competed with power for room in her soul when she didn’t find anyone that hadn’t completely devolved into black magic.

Tears burned the back of her lids. She knew the truth of their statements. She was a Babel witch, and for reasons she may never know her grandmother ran like hell away from this coven to protect her. It was time to burn away the darkness. She released the energy and it flowed out from her in one wave. A sonic boom filled the air and blew everything away from her. The witches were decimated, headstones crumbled and structures were leveled. The car was tipped on its side and pushed along to get lodged against the columns that had partially disintegrated. Ember struggled to stay conscious, but suddenly she was tired. She fell to her knees and felt heavy drops of mud splatter on her shirt. Strong arms wrapped around her before she could fall face first into the muck.

Stay with me.
The smell of cloves filled her senses.

So tired
. Everything went black.

Chapter Thirteen

A few days later…

Drago sat in the clan’s drawing room, paying little attention to the dispute between one of his men and a merman. At the mention of the merman’s daughter he perked up. He sat up in his chair and studied the angry sea man. He’d planned to decide in favor of one of his enforcers, but the inkling of a plan started to form in his head. Drago leaned forward in his seat.

“Harper, tell me again exactly how Ronson has wronged your daughter, River?” Drago licked his lips. If his memory served correct, River was quite the beauty.

“That fat bastard tried to rape her, you crazy fuck, and I want retribution!” Harper yelled and spittle flew from his lips.

“Now, now, no need to be crude. You could hurt my guard’s feelings with such accusations,” Drago angled his head toward Ronson, and the dragon smiled.

“Tucker was right. You don’t know your ass from a hot spring. Why I agreed to stay in this coalition after Manx disappeared, I can’t imagine. I must have had a hell of a hangover that day. No fucking more. My clan, the Loch Mers, is ceding this farce of a union.” He spun on his heel and strode to the door.

Drago shook his head and his men blocked Harper’s way. Harper gripped his trident and slammed the end against the tile floor. The tines on his spear rang and he pointed it at Drago. Drago arched a brow.

“What will you do with that, old man?” He leaned back in his seat.

“Do you really want to go to war with me, boy? My people own the seas and will make you and your tribe’s life a miserable damn existence.”

“Put the toy down Harper, your stay here will be pleasant. I need River to do a little favor for me.” Drago ran a hand along his jaw. He wouldn’t have to involve Nicolette in many more of his plans. He could continue to push her from his life.

“River will do nothing for you!” Harper spat.

“Oh, but she will if she wants to see her daddy live.” Drago waved his hand. “Take Harper to our guest quarters, Ronson, and don’t hurt him too badly.” He smiled and pointed at another two of his followers. “Send word to the Loch Mers. I want River here tomorrow or her daddy will be beheaded.”

“What are you up to, Drago?” Nicolette appeared from behind a curtain.

“Nicollette dear, did you finally bring me a present?” Try as he might he couldn’t bring himself to smile.

“That trip was a bust. I was unable to reach the Babel Crone. I can’t even get a feeling for them now. It’s funny, there’s emptiness there, as if they no longer exist. Your dragon escort never showed up, either.”

“Really, now that is interesting. So, we are back to square one, and you are here…why?”

Nicolette reared back. “I thought you wanted to see me, as you implied in our phone conversation.”

“About that, Nicolette, you are an invaluable member of my inner circle…” Drago’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He checked the caller ID and raised his finger to excuse himself. Turning his back on Nicolette he answered the call. “I thought you were dead.”

Jax laughed. “You’re not that lucky.”

“Why don’t you come home? It will only piss me off to have to look for you.”

“Ya know, everyone was right but I had to see for myself. You’re bat-shit crazy and somebody needs to put you down. You won’t have to look far because I’m coming for you, brother.” Jax hung up.

Brother
? Drago crushed the phone in a fist. He inhaled and turned to stare at Nicolette. “As I was saying darling, I’m thinking perhaps we should get away for a few days.”

* * * *

Light flooded the area around the house. Ember hobbled down the porch stairs and caught Jax rounding the corner. He grasped her arm and helped her down the few remaining steps. With his assistance she made it to one of the lawn chairs Synda had set up. Elspeth glanced up and smiled. She finally looked like a normal little girl with jeans, tennis shoes, and a cute frilly shirt. Swinging her legs, she had a stranglehold on a doll. Synda must have taken her shopping. Ember couldn’t even remember how she got there. Hell, the last few days were a blur, really.

Jax leaned over and whispered in her ear. “You wiped out the Babel Coven, as the only surviving member of the now defunct sibyls you can rebuild a better faction. Elspeth will need one since She-Va basically handed her over to you.”

She looked up at him. “How do you know so much about witches?”

“I’ve had a couple of run-ins with a few.” Dimples etched his cheeks when he smiled.

Timur strolled by and gripped Jax by the neck, yanking him upright. “Why are you whispering to my mate, dragon?”

“Timur,” Ember called out, softly.

He turned his green gaze on her. “And why are you out of bed, Ember?”

She sputtered.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Timur released Jax, bent down and kissed her, tracing her lips with his tongue. He pulled away, his face hovering inches from hers. “After I kick Kirill’s ass in this little bout, I have something I want to show you.”

“This should be interesting,” she said, trailing her fingers along his jaw.

He straightened and Synda came into view.

Synda plopped down in the seat next to Ember, ignoring Timur. She tilted her head and stared at her friend. “I’m glad to see you up. You gotta stop scaring me like that.”

The shimmer of tears hovered on her friend’s lashes. Ember reached out and gripped her hand. “Girl, it will take a lot more than a few dragons and a couple of witches to keep me down. When we were partnered together I told you, friends for life.”

“You could have warned me that you mated Timur.” Synda offered a watery smile.

“How do you know? I’ve been out,” Ember hung her head. “Please don’t tell me Timur is a gossip?”

Synda burst out laughing. “No, not at all. Kirill said his scent is all over you and that could only mean one thing.” She leaned over. “Hate to inform you, but they are all bigmouths.”

“Oh.”

“So give me deets,” Synda waggled her brows. “If you tell, I’ll share.”

“Not on your life, and ewww,” Ember shuddered.

“What’s wrong now?” Kirill appeared behind Synda and moved to the seat occupied by Elspeth. He picked her up and sat down, settling the child on his lap.

“Nothing. So you ready for the big fight?” Ember angled her head and pointed her chin toward Timur who was talking with Jax.

“Fight, please. It will be one-sided. I hit him and he hits the ground. Ms. ‘I’ll work up a tornado to carry your ass away,’ I’m glad to see you back among the living,” Kirill’s accent thickened. He called over to Timur. “Let’s make this interesting. The loser has to build the addition on the house, alone.”

Timur nodded before answering. “Better get your tools out, then.”

Kirill looked at Elspeth. “Can you tell me, sweetheart, who’s going to win?”

She giggled and shook her head. “Nope.”

Timur walked over and lifted her from his friend’s lap, holding her high in the air. “So, tell Uncle Kirill what color you want your room.”

Kirill snorted. “You wish. You’ll be the one building and painting that room, my friend.”

“Keep dreaming and stop stalling.” He put Elspeth on Ember’s lap and pulled his T-shirt over his head. “Man or beast?”

“Man. I’ll keep the fight fair since my beast would murder you simply by sitting down.” Kirill stood and unbuttoned his shirt to shrug it off. “I’m still wondering, though. What would your progeny actually be…garden gnomes?”

Jax took the seat Kirill had occupied. “Ouch.”

Ember watched as Timur slapped his friend’s back, then with his other hand slammed a fist into the black dragon’s jaw.

Synda jumped from her seat. “Hey, that’s cheating.”

Elspeth clapped and Jax snorted.

Ember shook her head. “That’s my Gargoyle.”

* * * *

His jaw was sore and if he didn’t have skin with the properties of stone he’d have a hell of a shiner. Who knew that damn dragon could throw a good right hook? Timur set Ember on her feet at the mouth of the cave. He watched as she took in their surroundings, the raw rock walls carved out by the steady drip of water over thousands of years. The snow had finally started to melt and puddles of water had collected in the floor’s deeper indentations. He strode into the mouth of the cave and pulled a lantern from a hook in the wall. Lighting it, he walked back to where she stood.

Her face was raised, and above them the aurora borealis was putting on a light show. Brilliant colors brightened the night, and when she smiled he felt his heart stutter. He stood behind her and watched as she shivered and hugged her body with her arms. Timur backtracked, moving deeper into the cavern, lighting his way as he moved. He grabbed a blanket off the bed he’d built in the small grotto. Taking one last look around, he lit the few candles he’d brought with him and hurried back to Ember.

He stalked up behind her and wrapped her in the heavy wool material. She glanced over her shoulder and snuggled deeper into his arms. Some of her braids brushed his jaw, and he inhaled. The sweet smell of vanilla enveloped him and he hugged her closer.

“I have something for you.” His lips brushed the shell of her ear.

“Hmm, what’s that?”

He pulled an arm away and dug into his pocket, pulling out a small box. “I know we don’t have any specific mate’s mark like Kirill and Synda, but I want the world to know you belong to me.”

“That’s not true, Synda said Kirill could smell your scent all over me.” She lifted his arm and kissed his wrist.

“Well, I think there should be something visible on this body somewhere that will be seen so people know you are loved, desired, and very much taken.”

“Uh-huh.”

He held up a stone pendant on a thick gold chain. The granite jewelry was shaped like a tear drop, with the darkest part of the stone at the bottom of the tear. It had been polished to a sparkling shine and the top had a hole drilled into it to accommodate the necklace.

“It’s beautiful.” She touched it with her fingers.

“I wanted you to have a visible part of me since you already own my soul.”

She spun around in his arms sending the pendant swinging. He caught it in his palm.

“What did you do?” Her touch was feather light against his temple.

“I had Kirill chisel off a part of my mane while I was stone. He took the piece to Tucker, who in turn knew a guy that turned it into this.” He opened his hand.

“What about your hair?”

“I have lots. What’s a lock or two?” he shrugged and grabbed the other side of the clasp. “Turn around.”

She turned and lifted the hair from her neck. He hooked the two ends of the chain together and bent to kiss the spot he’d bitten. When he straightened she dropped her hair and twisted around. Sliding her hands up his arms, she interlocked them around his neck. He gripped her waist and hauled her up against him, dropping minute kisses along her jaw as he moved down her throat. He bent and slid an arm behind her knees to pick her up.