Chapter Eighteen
Elouan shoved his phone back into his pocket. Someone killed Jules's guardians? Had he called the cops? Elouan would sort everything out once he got there.
"What’s wrong?” Curtis asked, placing a bowl of popcorn on the coffee table.
“A…friend is in trouble. I need to go.”
“But it’s movie night.” Had Curtis always sounded so possessive? Besides, he’d clearly told Curtis of his plans tonight. Hadn’t Curtis had plans of his own?
“I’m sorry. But he’s had a death in the family and needs me there.”
“Aww…I’m sorry.” Curtis sounded anything but sorry. “Anything I can do?”
“No, but thanks.” Curtis had always been such a great friend. Elouan shouldn’t think badly of him. “I might not be home tonight. I need to see what’s what.”
“Okay.” Curtis reached into his pocket, pulled out his cellphone, and clicked a button.
“What are you doing?” Elouan asked.
“Just texting Dad.”
“Oh, okay. I’m taking my bike. See you later.
” Elouan ran upstairs to grab his leathers.
Where were his chaps? His boots? What else might he need?
Ah…there they were. His fingers trembled as he zipped his chaps.
He shoved his feet into his boots, paused long enough to tie them, then grabbed his motorcycle keys off the dresser. Jules needed him.
He came back down to find Curtis waiting.
Holding a gun in a two-handed grip. “I…I can’t let you go,” Curtis said, voice wavering.
“Curtis! What the fuck, man?” Elouan stopped, one foot still on the first step. Dude must’ve lost his mind! “What the hell are you talking about? Why not?” He eyed the gun, then the indecision on Curtis’s face. If he moved fast enough….
“I know the guy you’ve been seeing, Jules, is an omega dragon.”
“What? No! He’s human!” Elouan swallowed hard. How could Curtis know when Elouan had only just worked out the truth?
“Then why were two beta dragons guarding him?” Accusation dripped from Curtis’s words.
Were. Not are. “Two beta what?” Elouan’s heart pounded in his ears.
He hadn’t lived through his uncle trying to kill him to be taken out by a friend.
“Curtis, you’re talking nonsense. Jules is human.
So are his aunt and uncle.” The words tasted like a lie in Elouan’s mouth, but his need to protect Jules overrode his need to tell the truth.
“No, he’s not. He’s an omega, and he’s not for you.” Beads of sweat trickled over Curtis’s brow. His hands shook harder.
What the hell was going on? Elouan lifted both hands, dropping his jacket onto the floor. “Look, Curtis, I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but you gotta let me go. Jules is waiting.”
“I heard you tell him to meet you at the coffee shop. Don’t worry. Dad will be there, along with a few friends.” A tear slipped from his eye down Curtis’s face.
Elouan’s heart stuttered. “Leon? What’s he going there for?” No! No! No! This couldn’t be happening!
"Father’s court ordered him long ago to find and stop the last Sandy Shoals omega from coming back to Adrakus if he ever wanted to return.
Oh, I don’t know how you did in three years what we’ve been trying for one hell of a lot longer, but we…
we have him now. With the omega kept under guard here, there will be no alliance without him to mate with the Mountain Meadows king. Their land will belong to Dad’s court.”
Alliance? Mountain Meadows? Teron? “What the hell are you talking about? You’re not even a dragon.”
Curtis visibly winced, then resolve wiped away any vulnerable expression. “A powerful mage has opened a portal. If we obey him, he will welcome Dad and me. He even said he can make it so I can shift.”
Oh, fuck. “Are you out of your mind? No mage alive can keep that promise. What’s his name?”
“Gwythyr.”
Rage thrummed through Elouan, hotter even than that night three years ago. “Curtis. Listen to me. Gwythyr is the reason I had to leave Adrakus. The reason my father is dead! He pretends to serve my uncle, but he serves only himself. Once you’ve done what he asks, you’re disposable.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Because I’m your friend. I have been since the moment we met.” Elouan confessed, “I love you, man. You know that. We’re bros.”
The gun wobbled in Curtis’s grip. “Gwythyr said you’d try to influence me, but that you’ll do whatever he says to keep your brothers safe.”
Could Curtis have a hold over Daire and Anrai? No. One good sniff said he lied. Well, Elouan could lie too, and hope the lie didn’t prove prophetic. “Don’t you know that the Mountain Meadows king died years ago?”
“He what?”
“You heard me. Their leader died in a skirmish long before I came here. There is no Mountain Meadows.” It was possible that no one in the human world knew of Teron’s father meeting a violent end, since the portals were closed.
Teron would’ve taken his place as leader of the court if there’d been a court left to lead.
“That’s not true. We would have known.”
“Curtis, put the gun down. I have to go.” Especially if Leon was now on his way to intercept Jules.
Instances came to mind: Curtis’s friend ducking when he caught sight of Elouan.
The cryptic message on Curtis’s computer.
I think we found them. Had they been actively hunting Jules and his guardians?
How had they found them when a spell had shielded them?
When Moira let the spell drop. Now she was dead, and she’d taken any protection with her. “His guardians were murdered." More innocent victims to avenge. "What makes you think they won’t kill Jules too?” Oh, Goddess, no!
“No. They said they wouldn’t.” Curtis didn’t sound so confident now. His gaze strayed to Elouan’s neck. The gun fell from his limp hand. Tears streamed down his face. “You’re telling the truth, aren’t you?” He sobbed, “I’m sorry! I didn’t think they were going to kill anybody!”
Elouan launched himself, knocking Curtis to the floor with a full-body tackle, going against every instinct to protect anyone weaker.
Curtis fought. “No! You don’t understand! They’ll probably kill me if I fail!”
Elouan grabbed the gun off the floor, rearing back on his haunches. “Who’ll kill you?”
“The dragons. Some here are organized. The mage is going to take us back to reclaim our home world. Change the archaic laws.”
“What archaic laws? You’ve never been there. The dragon world has its own traditions and culture. Those who don’t like it were always free to leave, but the Terran dragons can’t expect to just go back there and take over. You know only what others have told you, and they lied to you.”
Leon? Whom Elouan considered a friend? Had he been wrong about everyone he knew?
“Everything is planned. We’ll replace all current kings with more worthy candidates.”
Curtis didn’t understand how Adrakus worked. “More worthy? The Goddess of Fire wouldn’t make them kings if they weren't worthy, although some later proved themselves otherwise.” And Urien hadn’t been Goddess-blessed.
“Goddess of Fire?” Curtis spat. “Superstitious nonsense. They…we’re going to start a new order.”
“You said someone would kill you.” If Curtis’s life was in danger, Elouan might summon a bit of sympathy.
“This is my part. To keep you from interfering with the omega.”
Every one of Elouan’s alpha instincts screamed, Protect! Curtis was an omega, after all. Elouan gritted his teeth.
Curtis once more looked at Elouan’s neck. “That bite. It’s a mating bite. You and Jules?”
“Yes. Me and Jules.”
All the fight went out of Curtis. Horror filled his eyes. “If he dies, you might die too.”
“More than likely.” The words barely came out from between Elouan’s gritted teeth.
Curtis sobbed. “Go! I don’t care if they kill me. You can’t die. You…you’re the only dragon who ever treated me like I was somebody.”
An idea jolted Elouan. “You said a portal opened.”
“Yes.”
“Then the ban has been lifted and there might be more.” Dare Elouan hope? “Curtis, listen to me. Do you remember the night we met?”
“How could I forget?”
“Go. The mage who brought me should be there. Tell him I sent you. No one will hurt you as long as there’s breath in my body.”
Hope shone in Curtis’s eyes. “I swear.”
Elouan scrambled to his feet and pulled Curtis up.
Curis nodded. “Then go. Save Jules. I could help. I never wanted him dead. You have to believe me!”
“No. I won’t pit you against your father.”
Color drained from Curtis’s face. “Please don’t hurt my dad.”
“I won’t unless I have to. Now go! Seek out Sakaris.” Elouan charged out the door, donning his jacket and helmet. His instincts screamed at him to stay and protect Curtis—but the need to protect Jules won the battle. If he could, he’d shift and fly. Please let him not be too late. Please….
Elouan couldn’t get there fast enough. He hopped on his Harley and roared off into the night.
Jules left the hoard hidden in the basement. He’d come back later if he could. Right now, he must get away. Would Elouan bring the truck or bike? Either way, Jules would be ready. He didn’t take time to change out of his bloody clothes, throwing on a jacket and hat.
He paused at the front door and kneeled. “Goddess of Fire, take Radomir and Moira of the Sandy Shoals court to yourself. Guide them safely to join the loved ones they lost.”
Jules backtracked, placing a kiss on Radomir’s brow, anointing the old dragon’s face with his tears. He returned to the kitchen, kissing Moira as well. “Goodbye, Mother and Father.”
Should he take a knife? No, his claws worked better than any blade, especially when combined with the element of surprise. If their enemies knew him to be an omega dragon, they’d never believe him capable of a partial shift. Or of the fighting skills Radomir instilled in him.
A scent caught his attention. He crouched by Moira once more, catching a whiff of something familiar and comforting.
Beta dragons. Moira and Radomir. Over those were layered other scents.
Other betas, if he had to guess. The murderers.
Two of them, with undertones that twisted his guts.
Was this what she’d meant by sensing other courts?
He committed the odor to memory, so he’d know who killed his mentors if he found them.
Jules charged out the back door. Memories of the night Elouan walked him home came to mind.
Memories he couldn’t dwell on now. He ran, keeping to the shadows.
Anger slammed into him a few blocks from the coffee shop.
What? The internal sense Moira often spoke of crept through his insides. Anger. Confusion. Sadness. Elouan?
Bracing a hand against a convenient wall kept Jules on his feet. The emotions faded, replaced by urgency. Urgency. Yes. Time to meet Elouan.
He made his way cautiously along, his dragons alerting him to the presence of other dragons. The two betas from the house, plus another. Two more dragons approached that brought himself to mind. Omegas?
They knew he would come here. Had Elouan told them? No, he wouldn’t. Elouan had honor. Jules watched and waited, hoping to hear a truck or motorcycle. What he’d do then, he didn’t know, but at least he wouldn’t be alone.