Chapter 17 #2
“Okay,” she murmured in thought as we walked towards the cliffside on the right side of the pool.
Atlas hit a button to open the safety railing, revealing the perfect place to jump off.
While we could see the entire coastline, our house was somewhat hidden in the shadows, so shifting into a massive dragon wouldn’t be an issue.
This particular spot had been created for just this—to have the ability to shift whenever we needed.
There was an excited edge to my flight tonight, everyone fired up that we were finally getting the chance to get rid of Malcolm. I didn’t think it would be difficult to do so, but it was fucking frustrating to go for months without killing the bastard that had caused your mate so much goddamn pain.
Eager to get over there, I jogged towards the ledge and threw myself off, airborne and falling towards the water for a singular moment before heat flashed across my skin and I shifted. I heard Maya offer a pleased noise that emanated from her phoenix as I swung back around and came up to the edge.
Much to the concern of her other mates, there was no hesitancy as she bounded forward and threw herself onto me.
My dragon let out a sound of amusement at the way she tightened her grip on us and sat up confidently, no longer intimidated by the massive heights we would soar to or the way we seemed to almost float effortlessly through the air.
Flight was becoming second nature to her, and I couldn’t wait for the lazy afternoons where we could fly the Mediterranean coastline for the simple pleasure of it. We were so damn close to having that.
I flew away from the cliffside and soared towards our destination, the rest of my flight shifting and following behind.
As Maya gripped me harder, burying her head against my neck and melting against me, my thoughts trailed to everything I wanted to change about our life now that we were so close to having peace.
I wasn’t positive what I’d expected when we first met Maya or realized she was our mate, but it was clear now more than ever that I needed to step away from work even more.
Of course I would retain holding interests in the company, but the idea of collecting human assets didn’t appeal to me as much as staying at home with Maya and helping her with our soon to be growing family.
Not only our own children, but those that I could see Maya taking under her wing.
I knew that despite creating an academy for them, Maya would never let the little ones from Ry’s compound feel alone.
In fact, I expected them to be at our house most nights for dinner, and I was completely okay with that.
Hell, I would be happy with them staying at our house full-time if that’s what she wanted.
Like I’d told Maya, my relationship with my parents and experience with family was absolutely lacking, so if she wanted to bring more into our family, then that was what we would do—I loved the idea of having a house full of people at the holidays, filled with laughter and happiness.
It was what our flight had been missing.
Maya was what our flight had been missing.
As we neared the series of caveside cliffs, I looped back around, keeping out of sight but scoping out the dark gaping hole that showed no light or signs of life…
at first. The longer I stared, though, the more I began to see the faint trace of light further inside the cave, almost as if it were bouncing around a bend.
No wonder we had so little info, even from Atlas’s sources, who were objectively the best—Malcolm had made sure they were truly fucking hidden.
Upon communicating my observations through the bond, the flight began to land at the entrance of the cave.
I shifted with Maya in my arms, Az and Croy coming to stand next to us.
I nodded at both of them, and as we walked silently into the large cave, a chill of apprehension came over me.
I had figured we would face problems with Malcolm, but the silence was more disconcerting than a straightforward attack would’ve been.
“Careful,” I said in a barely audible whisper, but I knew they all heard it.
When we finally turned the corner, we came to a dead stop.
We’d reached a dead end, but there was a fire in the center of the room.
It highlighted two young, small frames laying on the ground, unconscious and bleeding, locked together with their hands behind their backs.
Fuck. I looked around and up towards the ceiling, searching for threats but seeing nothing.
Maya suppressed a pained gasp and walked forward to the boys, Croy and Az following her, keeping her within arm’s reach.
“Something is wrong,” Atlas muttered. I nodded, not feeling Malcom’s presence here.
“It’s possible he left.” Henry hesitated, looking confused. “Especially if he got word?—”
“No, he’s here,” I hissed, snapping around towards the entrance as a massive surge of power suddenly filled the space, black electric fire that smelled like both witch and shifter magic bouncing off the walls.
I shifted without hesitation, keeping my flight behind me. Maya’s magic counteracted his, throwing up a gold barrier around the space as the man in question, the problem from the fucking beginning, appeared in front of us.
“I knew you would fucking come.” Malcolm sneered as I let out a threatening growl at his mere presence, one that shook the entire cave. Stones and dust rained from the ceiling, causing Malcolm to pale.
My dragon braced us defensively, ready for a battle.
I almost felt bad for my animal side, not wanting to disappoint the bastard…
but this would hardly be a fucking battle.
In fact, I could kill this motherfucker with a swipe of my claw.
I could scent the sickness and weakness that surrounded him like a toxic cloud.
Honestly, the man looked like shit. His skin was a pale, chalky color, and his magic was jumping over his skin in uncontrollable electrical currents that seemed to cause him pain. He was a perfect fucking example of someone who had too much magic for their own damn good.
Suddenly, Maya was standing next to me looking furious, not a single ounce of fear showing on her face. She didn’t even offer him a response, instead matching his question with her own. “What did you do to them? They won’t wake up.”
Motherfucker. I nearly turned around, but I could hear the other men trying to wake the boys, and I didn’t want to turn my back to him.
I couldn’t kill this bastard yet—not until he told us how to fix this.
I wouldn’t let the guilt of these boys being hurt fall on my mate, and I knew she would blame herself. I fucking knew it.
Malcolm offered her a sadistic smile. “I poisoned them.”
Maya went stock still as a furious noise came from her throat, a tremble of rage shaking her body. Before she could say anything, Az appeared out of thin air behind him and gripped his neck, silver energy wrapping around him as Malcolm wheezed in surprise.
“Tell her how to fix it.” His voice was completely empty, and I was glad he was doing this because I wanted the kids to live, and the minute I had a clear shot I was incinerating this piece of shit.
Maya had been given a massive responsibility in having to kill Ry, and now I planned on handling this for her.
I wanted her to go to bed with the knowledge that she never had to look over her shoulder in concern, never again worry about him showing up and trying to take her.
“You can’t—” Malcolm screamed as Az twisted his shoulder back, a loud pop resounding off the cave walls.
“Now,” he growled, looking momentarily in pain as the electric currents seemed to singe his feathers—fuck, that had to hurt. “Or I’ll peel your skin inch by inch from your body until I extract every bit of information from you.”
I wouldn’t lie, I was starting to like Az.
Maya muttered under her breath in surprise, but she didn’t seem upset—sort of the opposite, actually.
Malcolm shook and nearly went limp, his body wrecked with tremors from the overload of magic paired with how Az was containing him with his own magic.
He was going to fucking overdose on power; I could see it happening right in front of us.
I let out a dangerous warning roar as he jolted, any bravado fading as he began stumbling over his words, spitting them out furiously. “Your blood. Use your fucking blood, you dumb?—”
Az popped out of existence, disappearing from his side, and I immediately let out a stream of black fire that engulfed Malcolm.
A blood-curdling scream filled the air, followed by a gurgle as I surged forward, using my talon to slice his head off in one sweep.
Relief filled me as a victorious sound left my dragon.
Malcolm was finally fucking dead.
The power that had been within him sizzled out, and the cave around us shook as the magic sank into the rock, not attempting to find a home in any of us—a surefire sign that Malcolm had found a way to forcibly take it instead of it being transferred to him naturally.
I would question how, but I didn’t particularly care at the moment.
I was more worried about my flight and my mate—my family.
I joined Maya in kneeling by the young boys, her open palm dripping blood onto their open wounds, the liquid instantly turning gold on their skin.
I hated that she had to bleed for this, but she didn’t even seem fazed.
I watched in near disbelief as the boys’ injuries began to seal up, their breathing relaxing.
After another minute or so of careful attention, Maya sagged against me, offering me a look that was filled with relieved tears.
“We need to get them back,” Maya whispered, not realizing that most of us were staring at her in awe. “The poison is gone, I can tell—but they’re in bad shape.”
Of course, she was absolutely right.
Immediately I was issuing orders on how to get them back, Maya fussing over the two boys as we stood and made our way to the entrance of the cave. The one Az was holding couldn’t be more than five. Fuck that was so screwed up.
“They will live,” Az assured her, and I nodded in agreement. “They will be okay.”
My gaze moved to his seared wings, my jaw clenching in concern.
I had no doubt they would be okay…but would he?