Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Alexa studied the strange-looking creatures.
It was as if the night had taken form itself.
The dark creatures all looked different.
Gargoyle-like wings flapped steadily as some creatures hovered and others crept on their hind legs.
Drool dripped from their pointed white teeth and their golden eyes glared menacingly at them.
Some held cleavers in their hands while others had black-bladed nails.
A smokey mist emitted from their bodies, along with a foul sulfur stench.
The strange ticking noises were soon replaced with menacing growls increasing in volume.
“What the hell are they?” Brian slowly turned his head, taking in the whole army as the creatures arched in front of them. There were dozens of them.
“Whatever they are, they don’t look friendly.” Mikah glanced over at Alexa nervously.
“Doesn’t matter what they are. They’re dusted,” Alexa said with confidence as she moved her hand quickly, sending a towering wave of ice into the creatures. However, she was mortified as she watched the ice go right through them, not affecting them at all.
Brian immediately sent a surge of flame toward the shadows, but it did the same thing as the ice. It went right through their bodies. He turned to Alexa, his eyes widening.
“Lex, do you think you can shift?” Brian asked, and she shook her head.
“Get her out of here, Brian,” Mikah growled, shifting into his goliath of a bear.
Brian reached for Alexa, but she glared at him. “Don’t you dare! We are not leaving Mikah here to face these things alone.”
“Lex, there is nothing you can do here.”
“You can shift and help! You can fight as a dragon. Don’t worry about me.
I can evade them.” Alexa watched as the creature’s eyes began to all change color in unison.
No longer were there gold dots surrounding them.
The color was now an eerie, glowing red.
She watched as they suddenly charged forward and Mikah collided with the army of the dark.
He was able to make contact. Maybe they were just immune to ice and fire?
Or maybe all elements? But they could be physically attacked.
“Brian, please help him!” Alexa turned to look at Brian. He clenched his eyes shut and let out a growl.
“You get out of here, Lex!” Brian growled as his body transformed. A dark crimson dragon turned its head toward Alexa. “Go!” He swished his tail to the side.
Alexa nodded and looked back at Mikah with worry.
His body was covered by the dark creatures.
And any time one of them went to get past him, he lunged for it, leaving himself unprotected.
Mikah was the strongest guardian to have ever existed, but they knew nothing about these creatures and their abilities.
Alexa could only watch as Brian leaped forward, sinking his fangs and swiping his tail into the dark bodies. She’d never felt helpless before, but at this moment she was. She could only produce an ice sword to fight, which would do nothing against these creatures.
Brian and Mikah were outnumbered and overwhelmed. There were only two of them against dozens of the dark beings. She could feel Mikah’s pulsating aura that seemed to push the darkness back.
Out of nowhere, four of the winged creatures came out from the side. They had gotten behind Brian and Mikah and were making their way toward her.
A painful roar came from Brian as one of the creatures sliced into him with the massive cleaver it held.
He swiped his tail, knocking the creature into the ground.
Instinctively, he breathed fire on the body.
This time, the flames did do something …
they seemed to revive the creature. It rose back to its feet, uninjured, and dived back into Brian.
Alexa could feel her heart trumpeting in protest, wanting to help the two men.
The dark-winged creatures were almost upon her, but she wouldn’t alert Brian and Mikah.
They were busy enough, and she wouldn’t risk them getting hurt trying to come to her aid.
She hated the idea of running when every fiber of her being wanted to fight.
But she didn’t want to be a burden and there was nothing she could do … or was there?
Alexa, you are such an idiot, she said to herself as she pushed the light inside herself forward.
Sure, she was a dragon, werewolf, and ice elementalist. But there was one power she rarely used that made up a big part of her, and that was her fairy magic.
These creatures were immune to fire and ice. But fairy magic was different.
The glow around her engulfed her body and stopped.
She tried to project it more, but it was as if it was also stunted.
Like her wolf and dragon, she couldn’t call to it.
The shadow creatures bounced off of the light, not able to get closer.
It was working as a shield but not for attacking like she’d planned.
Damn. It had been days, and she couldn’t believe her body was still so drained.
Maybe it was because of the curse her body was trying to keep at bay?
The sound of a loud crack made her body jolt backward. Another shadow creature was now near her, and it had hit her light shield with its black sword. It raised the shiny obsidian blade again and hurled it downward at her.
The blade hit her shield and she felt a ripple inside her as it shattered. At the same moment, warm arms cocooned her. His scent embraced her, and her body instantly responded by leaning into his touch. The shadow beings combusted instantaneously. Effortlessly. Yes. This was the power of a deity.
Alexa felt him wrap his arms around her, pulling her deeper into his chest. “What are you doing out here? I was searching for you and couldn’t find you.
” Ken then lifted his gaze up at the dragon and bear.
“What is she doing out here?!” he growled.
“What are you doing? Why didn’t you shift?
Why is your magic so weak? What the hell happened? !”
Ken looked down at Alexa and smoothed his thumb over her cheek. Then his eyes landed on her neck and the fresh mark on her skin. His fingers trembled slightly, and he closed his eyes. He moved his head downward and rested his head against her forehead.
Alexa felt everything shift around her, and the air changed. She stepped back in shock and looked around at the room she was now in. It was a log cabin with wooden floors. There were glowing crystals in every corner and in the center, floor, and ceiling. She looked back at Ken in confusion.
“This is where I stay. It keeps me hidden and can keep you hidden too.” Ken sighed and stepped forward, back into her.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I’m sorry I stayed away.
I’m sorry about everything. We have a lot to talk about.
I know you had to do what was necessary.
” He cupped her cheeks and gazed into her eyes.
“I’ll wait. I’ll do whatever you want. I don’t care if I have to wait because it’s you. Always you.”
Alexa felt his hand slide down from her cheek and trace over the mark on her neck.
“It’s only you for me.” She reached her hand up, brushing her fingers over his cheek.
Her body was tingling with little surges of electric sparks.
His touch felt amazing. Touching him was incredible.
“I only did what I had to do to keep my family safe. And I will continue to pretend to be Brian’s mate until Erebus is taken care of. But after that, I’m all yours.”
She raised her hand and rested it over Ken’s. “Ken, this mark isn’t real. It’s not a mating mark but a freezer burn.” She smiled and bit her bottom lip. “It was the best we could come up with at the last minute. But it was the grossest moment of my life. I don’t want anyone else’s touch but yours.”
“You … this isn’t his mark.” Ken moved his hand to study the mark. “Very clever. I wouldn’t have known.” A sly grin spread across his face. “You are incredible.”
His green eyes grew darker as he stared into her blue pooling eyes.
His eyes traveled down to her lips. He leaned down, slowly drawing closer to her face.
But it was Alexa who wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face into hers with force.
Their lips crashed together, and she shocked him by slipping her tongue into his mouth.
This was her first kiss. She didn’t know what she was doing, but he soon took over.
Their tongues massaged against the other, sending fiery sparks through their bodies.
His arms wandered over her sides and gripped her bottom, pulling her closer.
Her fingers were now entangled in his hair as she tried to hold him captive, his fingers digging into her.
She finally pulled back from the euphoric taste of his lips and stared up at him beneath her lashes. “I shouldn’t have had to wait so long for that,” she said, playfully scolding him.
He chuckled and nodded his head. “I’ll spend eternity making it up to you. I promise. And later …” He lightly brushed over her neck with his finger. “Later, I’ll purge this area completely.”
Scarlett seized her cheeks, and she moved her hand to touch her necklace. “This was a nice start.” She watched as a slight shade of pink crept over his cheeks. It was adorable watching her powerful Kraken blushing. “And I appreciate the shirt but would really prefer you.”
He groaned and leaned his head down onto hers.
“If you only knew … if you could only feel this feeling inside me. Just being near you gives me a happiness I feel like I shouldn’t have.
And …” He shook his head. “We can talk about all this later. Lex, what were you doing out there? The wrathens are a vicious creature. An undead demon.” He shook his head.
“My love, what are you doing outside the kingdom and away from your father?”
Hearing him call her my love made her stomach flip in excitement. There was so much she wanted to share with him. But there were always pressing issues to deal with.
“Yeah, about that. I’m looking for a crystal dragon to help remove a curse. I guess while you gave me a necklace to show your love, Erebus gave me a curse to show his.” Alexa felt his fingers trembling on her shoulders.
“He cursed you?!”
She watched his jaw clench as his chest rose and fell in rapid motions. She thought he was about to explode in anger. Instead, he pulled her closer and tucked his head into her neck.
“I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I knew he would go after you. It’s my fault for getting you involved in all of this.”
“Ken! That’s the type of attitude that got us in this situation. We’re supposed to be a team. You should never have stayed away from me. We shouldn’t have had to be apart all this time. But this isn’t your fault. This is Erebus’ fault.”
A faint smile spread across his lips as he leaned closer. His nose brushed against hers as he breathed in her breath. “Lex …” He smiled against her lips and pressed into them gently. “It’s been torture being apart from you.” He kissed the corner of her mouth and inhaled her scent.
“Where is the crystal dragon located?” he whispered against her cheek.
“I don’t know. She came to me in a dream and said I would be able to find her. And I can feel something pulling to lead me to her. But when she came to my dream, it exhausted my wolf and dragon. I guess it did the same to my fairy magic.”
“Dream jumping is dangerous. It drains a lot of energy, especially when using magic in that state. That explains why you didn’t shift back there. Well, that’s settled.” Ken straightened up and walked over to a desk in the room.
“What’s settled?” Alexa watched him grab a bag and stuff items in it.
He chuckled. “I’m coming with you. I just need to get a couple of things.
” He turned and smiled at her. His eyes traveled over her body, and he glanced over at the bed, letting out a sigh.
Now wasn’t the time. It all had to be perfect.
He wanted to talk to her first. He wanted her to know exactly what he was.
Just like the aqua lizard, he also took another form, one more monstrous and terrifying.
It was a part of himself that he couldn’t escape.
The other deities feared this grotesque form of his, and he was afraid that after seeing it, she would fear him as well.
“What does that do?” Alexa looked at an amber gem as he tucked under his shirt.
“It’s just some extra insurance. It will only work for a couple of days, but it will allow me to put on a disguise. I can make myself appear differently for those I don’t want to see me. It has limited uses, so I’ve been saving it.” He walked up to Alexa. “I’m going to protect you.”
“I don’t want you to protect me. I just want you with me.”
A warm smile spread over his face. He placed his hands on her waist, enjoying the tingling eruptions at his fingertips. “How about both?”