The Dragon's Vamp (10 page)

Her breathing was raspy as she dragged breath into her cooling body. Mari knew the life force was leaving her as Olipisies slammed her head to the ground, laughing about taking out Rhys next. “N-nooo…” her words garbled as blood gurgled from her mouth.

Chapter 6

Mari vaguely heard her mother’s voice as her upper body was lifted and the ground trembled.

“You may not realize it now, but everyone you’ve touched within your life has been for a reason—even Saul. You were with Saul to show you your humanity, to teach you that humans are worth living and fighting for no matter what. Do not let his death be in vain. Do not let your love for Rhys be wasted. You must fight for what you want to keep. Everything you have had to bear until this time has been to strengthen you and make you the person you are, Mari. You can beat the darkness. You can do what’s needed to save this land, to save yourself and your father,” Darina said as she hugged her daughter. “You need to feed, Mari, please feed from me, please don’t die yet, it’s not your time. Mariwen!”

Mari parted her cold lips as flesh pressed against them. The warm coppery taste of blood dripped onto her tongue as Kalana’s healing energies worked on her wound. Groaning, she suckled softly, weakened by her condition, and twitched as the blood, her mother’s blood, flowed through her, healing and bringing her life back.

* * * *

Mari roared as she jumped up from her mother’s arms. Glancing down she noticed her wound had disappeared.

“Mari?”

“I’m fine, thanks, mom.”

“He’s heading toward the sea, he’s going after Rhys.”

“Then that will be his last mistake.” She turned her head when Darina grabbed her arm.

“Do not lose focus.”

“No fears there. I’m through playing.” Stepping to the open field, Mari tossed her arms out letting the change take hold. She roared with anger as she flapped her mighty wings and soared toward her mate.

* * * *

Rhys doubled over, groaning as he landed on his knees. “Mari,” he whispered, glancing toward the area where Roven Manor would be. The gut wrenching pain told him she was in trouble, bad trouble.

“My lord?”

“Mari, I have to get to her.” Rhys made a motion to leave, but a hand held him down. He glanced up and met Hoag’s gaze.

“No, Ancient Darina ordered me not to let you go near the fight.”

“She’s in trouble, Hoag, she’s hurt.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you.”

Rhys rose, staring his security chief down. He glanced over to see Galen and Roven Manor’s security force behind Hoag. “I can’t let her die!”

“Mari can take care of herself,” Galen said.

“You don’t understand! She’s dying!” Rhys yelled, his anger initiating his change to full vampire shift. He growled, ready to strike down his fellow fighters, when he felt his body thump as if a large heartbeat sped through him. He turned, staring at the horizon. “Something’s coming.” Stepping forward, his eyes widened as he turned his head. “Full battlement, now! The darkness is coming!”

“You need to come with me now,” Hoag said as he grabbed Rhys’ arm.

Rhys yanked his arm from Hoag’s grip. “I will not run.”

“If what you say is true and Lady Mari is down, then how do you expect to fight the evil one? You need to get out of his path and take cover!”

“He will find me wherever I go if I’m the one he’s after. I will not run!” Rhys growled. Unsheathing his weapons he strode to the front line beside Galen. “Ready arms!” When the black cloud appeared on the field heading toward them, Rhys breathed deeply. “I love you, Mari,” he whispered. Rhys turned his attention back to his fellow fighters. “Keep the line, do not back down. We can all give him a good fight. I have faith in all of you!” Roaring with anger, Rhys stepped forward in an all-out run, listening as the security legion behind followed him into battle.

Rhys was the first one to connect swords with the creature of a man the darkness had turned into.

“So this face does nothing for you?” Olipisies asked. “Too bad for poor Mariwen, she took one glance and let her guard down.”

Rhys slashed his sword. It didn’t matter what combination he used, the creature blocked him effortlessly. “Where is she?” he yelled.

Olipisies laughed. “Dead. Right where you’re going to be.”

His heartbeat stopped, dread ran through his veins like ice water. His face contorted as he snarled, anger leading him into an attack.

“I guess she didn’t tell you—this was her first husband and true love, Saul.”

“Do not think to play head games with me, creature!” Rhys said as he deflected several blows. He knew Mari loved him, he knew she had loved Saul. He also knew their souls were mated and her love he would never doubt. Rhys flew back from a wind-style attack, grunting as he slid across the ground.

“My lord, we need to get you out of here now,” Hoag said as he ran up.

“I’m not running!”

“He’s only after you. After disarming the others he didn’t kill them. He wants to kill you, you need to leave now!”

“No!” Rhys turned to Hoag. “He killed Mari, he will not live do you hear me? I’ll kill him!” Without another thought Rhys turned. Quick-stepping, he came in fast, his fist landing a punch on Olipisies’ chin, sending him flying. Rhys drew back to dish out another hit. Rhys gasped for breath. His eyes widened as Olipisies’ hand wrapped around his throat, lifting him three feet off the ground.

“You think you’re something don’t you? The mate of a dragon. Let me tell you something little boy, you’re nothing more than an ant for me to crush with my boot.”

Rhys gasped for breath as he struggled to get free. The darkness held him tight as he blasted the Alston forces back with one hand. Blackness was encroaching on his senses. What the hell was he waiting for, why didn’t the creature kill him straight out? Lifting his foot, Rhys kicked out, hitting his target with minimal effect. Damn he was going to die like this. His eyes fluttered. “Mari, love…”

Rhys’ eyes flew open when the roar reverberated over the land—she was alive and she was pissed. When Olipisies’ hand loosened on his throat, Rhys took the chance and came up with his own hands, knocking the creature’s arms off him. Rhys swung up and out with his clawed nails, making several two inch cuts across Olipisies’ abdomen.

Olipisies came up with a hit that sent Rhys flying across the ground.

Rhys snarled as he jumped to his feet, running for Olipisies with his sword drawn. Rhys’ security forces were behind him as they spread out, taking down any attacker that was lucky enough to break through the lines. “My woman lives and she’s coming for you!” Rhys yelled as he swung, hitting Olipisies on the right arm.

“She may be, but you’ll never see her again!”

Rhys’ attack stopped short when he was completely lifted off the ground. He cried out as his body squeezed in on itself. His hands forced down, he couldn’t lift a leg, never mind a foot, as he was being crushed. Then as he was falling, a monstrous roar filled the air. Once his knees hit the ground he glanced up and saw a blood red dragon before him with blue spikes going from her head to her tail, and to the tips of her wings. “Mari.” Rhys backed up as she swung her tail at Olipisies, knocking him toward the sea. Mari came to stand between them. Rhys’ head tilted as she stood up on both hind legs and let out the loudest roar he’d ever heard. Glancing over, he watched Galen and the others cover their ears as Olipisies flew backwards by the sheer force.

“You crazy bitch!” Olipisies screamed. “I’ll kill you!”

Rhys rushed forward out of instinct to protect his mate and found himself forced to his knees in front of Mari, his throat being squeezed again. Glancing over he met her eye.
“Do it,”
he said with his mind. Her head tilted and he shut his eyes hoping what she’d told him was true as she released her dragon’s breath on the both of them. Rhys opened his eyes at Olipisies’ screams to see the creature burning as he backed away, releasing his hold. Rhys stood within her flames, his sword drawn. He lunged forward, driving it into Olipisies’ chest and down to his hips. Yanking it out, the creature dropped before him. Rhys stepped over to him, aiming for Olipisies’ heart, and thrust down again, striking home before withdrawing his sword as Mari’s flames died down. Glancing up, he noticed Triton with twelve others—ancient  Greeks looking like Other Kin—surrounding them. His chest heaved as he stepped back. They lifted their hands and cast some kind of light barrier around the burned creature crawling on the ground.

“Step back, my love, we’re almost finished,” Mari said.

Rhys followed behind her as she withdrew the black orb her mother had given her. Once she took her place in the circle she held it up and spoke in a language he didn’t understand. His eyes widened when Olipisies screamed as he turned to his black mist and was sucked into the orb.

“How’s that for a crazy bitch, you psycho?”

When the lights went down and Mari stepped back, Rhys grabbed her arm and turned her to him, lowering his mouth hungrily. “Don’t you ever almost die on me again, Mariwen Gawain Beven,” he breathed heavily.

“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on it.”

Rhys chuckled as he lowered his mouth to hers quickly before glancing up at Triton with narrowed eyes. “Where in the hell were you, fish breath?”

“By the Gods I still get no respect.” Triton grinned as he stepped forward, hugging them both. “Talk to the ’rents, aunts and uncles. It wasn’t easy convincing them.”

When one of the others stated he wanted the orb, Rhys tried to grab Mari as she broke free. She stood there facing down what he assumed were twelve of the Greek gods.

“Oh you think so, huh ass hole!” Mari snarled. “This is going where my parents say. What are you going to do, Zeus, when you need my help the next time? I’ll tell you what I’m going to do, I’m going to sit there and laugh my ass off at the lot of you!”

“You couldn’t have contained him without us,” Zeus replied.

Rhys stepped back as Mari laughed. “Not liking the sound of that,” he whispered out the side of his mouth at Triton.

“You stupid imbecile, I’m half ancient. I didn’t need your help or didn’t you notice that white light that came out and encompassed all of yours, pushing you out? Yeah that was me! I can’t believe none of you came to help me when I needed it! I’ve been there for you every single time, every time! I’m done! I’m holding a grudge and I don’t know for how long!”

Rhys smiled as she turned her back to them and stormed over to Triton and himself, the others leaving quickly. “Well I guess you told them,” he chuckled.

“I sure as hell did,” she said smiling.

“Well, at least we took care of all the water attackers on our way in,” Triton said.

“Yes you did,” Rhys chuckled. “Is that Pele of Hawaii?”

“Yeah, we’ll be taking a short vacation here. You know she’s always wanted to see Alston.” Triton grinned.

* * * *

Rhys snuggled, bringing Mari’s back closer to his front. “So it’s over for good?”

“Yes, unless he finds a way to break free of the orb, but that’s pretty much impossible. And then there’s the safeguards put into place where the orb is secured.”

“I thought you were dead. I had a horrible gut wrenching feeling tear through me.”

“I almost was. I’ve never been that close to death before. All I could think about was you and losing you.”

Rhys met her gaze as she rolled over. Lowering his mouth softly to hers, he breathed in her sweet essence, his lips gently caressing her soft skin. “I don’t ever want to go through that again, Mari. I thought I was going to die when I thought I’d lost you. I didn’t care who I was fighting, I was going to make him pay for what he’d done; for taking you away from me.”

“I don’t even want to think about what Evan Roven’s going through.”

“I’ve talked with Drake. They don’t blame you. They know you arrived as fast as you could and they were all fighting the darkness trying to keep him away from Livi.”

“But Sofia was pregnant with his child and now they’ve both been taken from him forever.”

Rhys wrapped his arm around Mari as she leaned into his side. “I know, baby.”

“Livi’s going to blame me and herself. I’ve felt her anger toward me, and she won’t answer any of my calls.”

Rhys sighed softly, kissing the top of her head. “Drake and Kalana are aware of Olivia’s state of mind and are taking care of everything. She’ll come around when she realizes no one could have stopped Sofia’s death.”

“Kalana told me Evan’s thinking of stepping down as Alpha and giving the position to Drake, that’s how heartbroken he is over the loss of his mate.”

Rhys held her to him, pressing kisses along her temple as she cried softly. “We cannot change what has happened, love. We can only live through it the best we can and strive for a better future.”

“I know.”

“I love you, Mari.”

“I love you, Rhys.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erotic Romance Author, C. A. Salo, loves to write Science Fiction and Paranormal.

When not writing, C. A. enjoys home schooling her son, traveling, movie night with the family, and digging with her hands in the soil to grow flowers, organic vegetables, and herbs for her family. She also enjoys watching the antics of the ‘Princess’ of the house—AKA The Cat, and snuggling with her longhaired red dachshund

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