17. Dragon Fight #2
Her eyes widened slightly. I understand. But–
No buts. Go, Dani, he said quietly.
Her eyes shimmered with tears. But she nodded and suddenly broke into action.
The Mer weapon dropped to the ground as she released it from her power.
She helped Karn to his feet and put one of his arms over her shoulders.
She reached back for Xandria who grabbed her hand and hauled her upright as well.
“Where are you going?” Natasha stepped in front of her.
Dani regarded her evenly. “We’re leaving. This is not our fight. You should leave too.”
“What? You were the one that said we needed to capture and question that Weryn Vampire!” Natasha pointed at Ryder.
“I was wrong,” Dani said. She glanced back at Legion and her shoulder blades twitched. “Maybe I was wrong about a lot of things.”
“Are you running away?” Lawson scoffed.
“No, we’re simply leaving,” Dani answered and tried to advance.
While Natasha made a move to step aside, Lawson grabbed her arm and kept her where she was.
“It’s just a bag of bones! It’s dead! Some Kaly Vampire is making fun of us and you’re going to give them a win?” Lawson snarled.
Dani, Grayson whispered.
Dani closed her eyes and a single tear tracked down her cheek. She then opened her eyelids and faced Lawson without any fear and all determination instead.
“You can stay. You can fight. But this is a mistake. Something is wrong here,” she got out.
“What does that even mean?” Natasha asked, lifting her hands up in the air. “It hasn’t attacked us!”
“Not yet,” Dani corrected. “It’s giving us a chance to leave. Take it. I am. My people are.”
Lawson put his hands on his hips and regarded the dragon.
“I can’t believe you’d give up an opportunity for a true fight.
But fine! Go be cowards!” He stepped to the side and swept a hand through the air as if welcoming her inside of someplace, even though he was really gesturing her to leave.
“But just know that we will tell everyone about your cowardice.”
Natasha was frowning. She knew that Dani wasn’t a coward. Considering what she and the others had done to the Mers it was insane to even consider calling her that.
“I don’t care, Lawson,” she answered.
Xandria murmured, “I can’t feel my power, Dani. Is it gone?”
She was clutching the center of her chest as if she were having a heart attack. Dani let out a shuddering breath.
“I don’t know, but I think we’ll be fine if we leave now,” she said.
“I don’t feel right. I don’t…” Karn shook his head violently.
He appeared gray and weak. Grayson saw that the embers inside of their chests were but weak, flickering flames. If he didn’t release them, they would extinguish altogether.
“We’re going,” Dani said as she helped the other two past Lawson and Natasha.
“Legion, don’t you have anything to say about this?” Lawson called over to his Master as he flung an arm towards their retreating backs.
“Let them go,” Legion rumbled. “I do not need them.”
They were staring up at the dragon through matted hair that fell over their eyes. The dragon tilted its head–the bone white skull glimmering under the twin moons–so that it was glaring down specifically at Legion. The monstrous Weryn Vampire twitched around fully to face it.
“I can’t believe they’re just leaving!” Lawson’s expression was a mixture of shock and disdain. He kept looking back over at them as Dani used her gift to levitate the three of them over the water to the land and hobble towards the Spire.
Or maybe not to the Spire, Grayson realized. I think they’re heading towards a gate. Good. Now there is no one on this island other than Khos and Ryder I care about. I can let loose.
Natasha crossed her arms over her chest. Her expression was taut. Lips thinned. Eyes flickering all around. Her unease was practically palpable.
“I don’t understand why they would just leave. Dani isn’t a coward,” she said to Lawson. Her eyes drifted to the silent dragon. “Maybe they know something we don’t.”
Lawson poked his tongue against the inside of his cheek as he exposed his teeth. “They’re spooked. But this is just a Kaly joke. Something for one of those bastards to pull over on us.”
He stepped towards the dragon and she grabbed his arm to stop him. His head shot towards her and he glared, but that glare softened as if he had forgotten it was her beside him.
“And if it isn't?” Natasha asked. “If it’s not a joke? If this is… something else?”
In a way, they both were right.
“We’ll deal with it. We always do.” Lawson caressed her cheek. “Stop worrying. We’ll be fine.”
She studied him for long, silent moments, but then nodded. The two of them moved towards Legion, but they were careful to stay away from Ryder. The massive bear form bared its teeth at them and both kept a wide berth.
Grayson felt for his bond to Ryder. Like with Dani, they could speak telepathically. Well, if Ryder was recovered enough. His reach was met with a grasp. Grayson felt a wave of strength of love flow into him over their Master-Childe bond.
Grayson, I take it that the dragon is your doing? Ryder sounded utterly amused.
Well, since I am part Kaly, I guess I can make a Kaly joke, can’t I? Grayson chuckled, but he felt a little of the strain now.
Indeed and it is most amusing, Ryder said. And amazing, but I do not think you can keep this up for too long, my love.
No, but long enough to get you and Khos out of there, Grayson told him. Ryder, when I say, I need you to grab Khos and get away from them. I’m going to keep them busy with a very angry dragon.
Yes, I will await your word, Ryder said. His voice sounded strong and there was only a trickle of the pain he was still in coming through the bond. So it looks like Lawson really did fight a dragon!
Dry laughter followed. Grayson grinned. Mentally. Birds didn’t smile. Beaks couldn’t do that. It eased the strain of this.
Legion growled at the dragon. The dragon’s jaws cracked open.
Water poured out, but there looked to be a blue-white light deep in its maw.
That was connected with the power that Grayson sensed within the dragon’s very bones and gristle.
If he was a trained Kaly, he had a feeling he could make the dragon breathe fire.
Without warning, Legion leaped up and grabbed the lowest of the dragon’s ribs with two clawed hands. They then began to climb up the beast’s body towards its head. The shock and rage at being touched by something that crawled on land had the dragon’s head rearing back.
And more than that.
The blue glow burned hotter. Blue flames licked out around the teeth.
Ryder, start moving, Grayson advised. Now!
“Legion, what about them?” Lawson called out as Ryder turned his huge bear body and swept up Khos in one large paw.
“We will find them again! No prey can escape me!” Legion laughed.
Grayson’s eyes narrowed. Oh, we’ll see about that, Legion.
“Then let’s take this thing down!” Lawson roared and his eyes glittered with evil delight. “C’mon, Natasha! Let’s climb!”
Lawson made a move to jump up onto the dragon’s chest much like Legion had, but Grayson was having none of that.
Or maybe the dragon wasn’t. There was a personality, separate from his, at work here.
One of its majestic forelimbs, tipped with claws, swiped across its body and hit Lawson full on.
The Weryn Vampire was sent flying, head over ass, across the island, to land on ground.
Dirt built up around his head and shoulders as he skidded along.
“Lawson!” Natasha cried.
“Leave him! Help me!” Legion commanded.
The dragon hadn’t ignored Legion while it had taken out Lawson.
Instead, its other clawed forelimb had wrapped around Legion’s mid-section and was attempting to yank the Weryn Vampire off of its chest. But Legion was holding on for dear life.
Natasha looked between them. Lawson was just now starting to sit up.
His neck had been broken and maybe more. He was shaking himself slowly.
“Lawson…” She stepped towards him.
“Go to him and you’re done!” Legion roared.
Natasha’s head snapped to Legion and she gave him a look of such hot hate that Grayson hopped back a few steps in his bird form, though that look was not aimed at him.
“I’m all right!” Lawson called, his voice sounding slightly slurred. “Go help!”
Natasha gritted her teeth, but turned back to Legion and the dragon.
She made to run and jump up onto the dragon, but a swipe of the massive tail had her backflipping away as it nearly took her head off.
She landed in a crouch and almost immediately had to jump aside again as that tail slammed down into the ground where she’d just been, leaving a four-foot deep furrow.
Natasha’s eyes went wide as she clearly imagined what would have happened if she’d been there.
But she didn’t give up. Because, like Dani, she was no coward.
She raced towards the dragon again, avoiding strikes of that tail, keeping low and zig-zagging. Her powerful leg muscles flexed as she launched herself into the air. But Grayson merely moved the target. The dragon did not have to stay where it was. Oh no, he could make it fly.
He felt the creature–the remnant of it–yearn for the sky.
It stretched its wings out to the sides and flapped, even though that was unnecessary.
Natasha’s hands clawed at the empty air where the dragon had been.
Her mouth opened in an “O” of shock as she fell to earth once more.
She landed with a massive splash in the water.