Chapter 23
Chapter
Twenty-Three
DECLAN
N ow I know I’m in some deep shit.
What reason would they have to dress me in a fucking suit, a nice one, expensive, tailored, complete with shiny black dress shoes, unless they have something horrific in mind?I don’t remember them measuring me for a suit either, how did they get it so custom? It’s not like my size allows for off the rack.
Still, seeing myself looking more like I did before, even if it’s fancier than I usually prefer, makes me wish I could show Brianna. I would give anything for her to see me as more than the prisoner in the basement. Unkempt, unclean, and uncouth. I wish I could take her on dates, hold her somewhere more comfortable, more homey, and really show her how good things could be if it wasn’t for her fucking father. I wish I could give her everything that being a dragon mate comes with. Wealth. Strength. A clan of family.
A dragon of her own.
I can hear you thinking again, dragon. I thought that girl of yours had a plan to get you out? You losing faith? Kayden’s voice in my head almost sounds like he’s found some humor, but there’s an undertone of derision, like he’s mocking my faith, as much as questioning it.
You keep doubting, but when you’re free from here, maybe you’ll find some faith for yourself again.
I block my thoughts from Kayden and focus instead on my mate. I don’t know if I’ll be back tonight, but I want you to know that I am thinking of you, and no matter what happens, I’m fighting for us. I’m coming back for you.
You better. Her thought is quick, fleeting, but I can feel heavy emotion behind it, as if she’s suffering from something.
Brianna, are you all right?
Just worried about you. I don’t like that we don’t know what’s happening tonight, and I don’t like that we haven’t gotten you out yet. But Ellie’s here, and we’re going to see what we can do.
My mate. So full of hope. So fierce. So determined.
So fucking perfect.
I just have to make it back here. Back to her.
“Get up, beast, and get moving. Boss doesn’t want any scorch marks on that suit, so don’t make me use this.” The guard holds up a shock stick.
But if I get to walk out of this cell, without being forced, without being tortured, I’ll take it.
“Don’t think about running. You won’t get far.” He nudges me toward the stairs, prodding me with the shock stick but not sending any jolts through it.
If only he knew, the first place I would want to run to is my mate’s bedroom.
I lead the way upstairs with hardly any direction from my captors, and I can’t help but wonder if this is a trick, if they’re planning on making an example of me. Worrying if my captors have any of the dragon breath women who could turn me to ash, right in front of Brianna’s window.
Instead, a man dressed in a tailored suit, with grey hair at his temples, waits for me in the foyer.
“I don’t think we need to continue with the shock stick, do we, Declan?” He tilts his head toward me, and my stomach drops as I recognize some of the features that my mate must have inherited from this man. The same eyes, but without the warmth, without the love, without soul.
“I’ll take him from here.” He gestures at the front door, and after a second I realize he wants me to leave the house.
This definitely has to be some sort of trap.
He leads me into a waiting town car, and stares at me expectantly until I buckle my seatbelt.
Only once the car starts moving, does he talk to me again. “I don’t believe we’ve officially met. I’m Grey.”
Oh, fuck. There’s only one way this man, Brianna’s father, could be Grey right now, and it must mean he’s been thralled. Or he’s been dosed with Dragon’s Fire, which would be worse. Forced to be a vessel, like Finley was, like Tristian was, like so many have suffered at the bloodsucker’s hands.
“What do you want?”
“All in due time. I’m sure you’re not being fed well, even with your little mate sneaking you treats every chance she gets. Wouldn’t you prefer to discuss this over a proper meal? I do love it when I get to live vicariously through my hosts.” He grins, and the soulless, psychotic monster comes through even more obviously now.
“I’d rather just know where you’re taking me and what you want from me. If you’re going to torture me, kill me, whatever fucked up plans you have, I’d rather just get it over with.” I’m tempted to try to fight my way out of the car, to try to run now, but not when Brianna could still be in danger. Not when she’s a bigger bargaining chip, a bigger threat to my happiness, than just going along with this monster’s plans.
“Now, why would you assume my plans involve torture and murder? Just because I have no love for dragons, or any shifters, really, doesn’t mean we couldn’t be mutually beneficial for each other.” His tone is so calm, almost jovial, that I can’t help but assume he’s got something horrific up his sleeve.
I wait for him to continue, but before he says anything else, we come to a stop at the entrance of a high-end steak house. “Dragons do enjoy a nice, rare piece of meat, do they not?”
I nod once, not wanting to give him any reason to lash out, to hurt me, or to cause my mate harm.
“Excellent. We’ll discuss my proposition over dinner.”
He pushes the door open, and I have no option but to follow him.
Even my dragon, who has only been at the edges of my consciousness for months, is itching for a fight. Itching to do damage to Grey, to his operation, to everything he threatens with my mate. But hurting Brianna’s father would do nothing but ensure my chances at being in her home will be over.
The hostess seats us immediately, in a dark booth away from any other tables. No menus are dropped off, but almost as quickly as we’re seated, a rare vintage of red wine appears, along with two glasses.
Gods, do I not want to drink with my enemy.
“It’s not poisoned, or even spelled. Nothing tonight will be, except for the cuffs that keep you in your human form. You dragons truly are a suspicious lot, if you think it necessary to be wary of every little thing.”
“Only when it comes to the monster who exposed us, who is actively trying to kill off our entire species.” I take the glass and consider smashing the thing before I decide it’s better to just play his game, to let him think I’m playing along. “So, if you’re not trying to kill me, what are you trying to do?”
“I need a dragon in my employ. There are benefits to having a fire-breather, even if it means a truce between enemies.” He takes a sip from his own wine glass, letting his eyes close as the corners of his mouth curve up, as if he’s getting to taste something he hasn’t had in centuries. “After Tristian was taken away from me, it’s been more difficult for me to accomplish my end game.”
“You think I’d let you put me under your thrall, to use me like you used Tristian?” I shake my head. “I may be in a hopeless situation, but I’m not stupid.”
“Who said anything about thrall? I believe it would be so much more effective for you to do it willingly.”
“Willingly? On what planet would I willingly let you use me?”
“The one where you would no longer have to fight. The one where you could be with your mate, as much as you want. The one where you’d have a life again, one of your own making.”
“At the expense of my clan, my people, the entire world?”
“You and your mate could be the only dragons spared. The ones to carry on your lineage. I’d even let your offspring mate with other humans. Would that really be such a horrible price to pay for freedom?”
A vision fills my mind, of Brianna’s belly round with my child, another one playing at her feet, and an overwhelming feeling of love and hope threatens to overtake me.
It might have, if it weren’t for the fact that Grey made sure every single person in that vision is wearing these damned cuffs.
“You’d imprison them too. Just as you have me.” I hold up my arms, knowing the suit jacket covers the cuffs too well for them to actually be seen, but the sentiment is clear enough all the same. “You’d keep us trapped in human form. How would that be freedom? How would that be any better than where I’m at now?”
“I can have the spells changed. You wouldn’t be completely bound to this form. But you would still be bound to me. Available when I need you. Available for my purposes.”
“To take down my brothers? To destroy other shifters, other fae, who would oppose your iron grip on the world?”
“To make sure that my transition into the rightful power I deserve is a smooth one. You needn’t make it sound quite so violent and pointless.” He smirks as he takes another sip of wine, and a waiter appears with plates of food.
It smells incredible, the first decent meal I’ve been offered in ages, but I don’t want to eat it. I don’t want to seem eager for his plans or his blatant bribes.
“Others are being offered similar deals. You may be my first choice, worthy of making this offer myself. With the weight of the Wystan clan behind you, I could even ensure the counsel believes your mate has been a dragon all along. You could be the rightful king of your clan, and you could bring them in line. We could make sure that more than just your clan survives. All you have to do is say yes.”
“You haven’t even told me what I’m saying yes to. Vague plans and empty promises don’t mean anything.” I glance down at my food trying to decide if it’s truly safe. “You had my parents killed. Why should I trust you? Why should I believe anything you say, anything you offer?”
Grey smiles and cuts into steak delicately as if he’s savoring it all, even just the simple act of using silverware. “There’s no need for you to decide right now. Talk it over with your mate. I know you likely can talk to her from a distance. I’ll wait. You can enjoy your steak while you think it over.” He holds up a perfect bite and eyes it. “I’m certainly going to enjoy my meal.” He sucks it off the fork enjoying the rare meat and savory flavors.
I stare at him for a few moments, trying to decide how much of what he says I can believe. On the one hand, just the chance to be free, the chance to be with Brianna in a space of our own, sounds amazing, and the idea of being able to keep her safe from the vampires and the inevitable war between supernaturals and humans, even if we can stop Grey, would almost be worth it.
But I can’t let the rest of my clan suffer.
I can’t let my brothers wear these chains.
I can’t let my mate miss out on the chance to shift.
I can’t let any children we may have never have the unbridled freedom of shifting, of flying, of connecting with their dragons.
With a frown, I dig into the steak and potato in front of me, choosing to focus on the food and the drink rather than the impossible choice I’ve been handed.
After a couple of bites and tortured pondering of my choices, I know I have to reach out to her.
Brianna, can you hear me?
I don’t trust Grey enough to believe that he wouldn’t have put spells on the building, or additional spells into the cuffs that only let me talk to her when I’m in my cell. He seems to know too much, have too much connection to what dragons can do, to what I can do with my mate, to make me believe he wouldn’t do something to fuck with that.
Declan? Is everything okay? Where are you? Her concern immediately flows through our connection, and I want to let out a sigh of relief.
I’m safe. At least for now. I need to ask you something though, and I want you to really think about it.
I hate that I’m burdening her with this, but it must be both our decisions. She might not know yet just how incredible it is to have a dragon of her own, but if I agree to Grey’s plan, that freedom will be dampened.
And if I don’t… she might never get the chance at all, if he decides to just kill me here and now, in my more vulnerable state.
Of course. Anything.
I’m at dinner with your father. I waffle for a second on whether I should tell her that he’s been taken over by Grey, but I don’t want to give her even more reason to be worried. He’s making me an offer on behalf of the vampire, Grey.
The vampire who is trying to destroy all the dragons.
Yes.
Okay… I can hear the confusion and concern in her tone, and it makes me want to stop this whole thing right now.
But I can’t.
Grey wants me to work for him. In exchange, we could be free. Or at least as free as he’ll allow. I could claim you, we could have a home of our own. I know I’m leaving out some major points, but I want to do this slowly, give her all the pieces, bit by bit, so she has plenty of time for the plan to sink in.
No. Tell him to fuck off. Her tone in my head is so adamant, so sure, I could kiss her if she were here.
I don’t know why but having her agree with my gut just makes my own resolve that much stronger.
Ellie and I are working on the spell. Kayden’s the only one down here, but his runes look like yours. We can get you out. We can have everything. Without the strings Grey wants to tie you up in, without the cuffs of my father’s prison, without anyone’s wishes but our own.