CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE #3
At some point, while he partook in his bloody fucking plummet to his death, Thorrin and Kyrith began to barrel toward him. The dragon’s strange glowing eyes locked on Vesper with precision, but he was too far away. Too far to catch him in time.
Kaida flapped her wings. Her neck strained as she drew near.
A mighty claw swooped.
Missed.
Fuck—
Another attempt. Another miss.
But on the third, they closed around him and scratched his ribs. Vesper hollered a curse as they tore at him, but thankfully didn’t break the skin. When Kaida’s grip loosened, Vesper breathed a momentary sigh of relief, a second where he relished in the fact he would not die today.
But then she tossed him in the air and ducked. Vesper thrashed, sure he would tumble from her back again, but he struck her harsh, pebbled spine with enough force to expel all the air from his lungs.
And also sufficiently crushed his balls. Vesper groaned and leaned his forehead onto his Shadowhearts back. He grit his teeth through the sharp, searing slice of pain surging from his groin into his gut like a punch of spikes.
Was he thankful he hadn’t died?
Yes.
Did it hurt like a bitch?
Absolutely.
The moment he regained rational thought and could breathe again, he hollered, “Land, Kaida. Land, now!”
Kaida banked and her claws sank into the sandy terrain of a small shore. Bloodlace stirred into the air, clouding Vesper's vision.
He slid from her back, practically waddled due to his smashed and bruised crotch as he tried to regain some semblance of dignity. Some bloody scrap of it. But none remained.
He had barely reached the water’s shore when he wrenched down his mask and heaved.
His stomach lurched and emptied. Oh, it was bad, and the vomit would not stop coming.
The bile burned his throat and his eyes were a red, watery mess but it was more his wounded pride that hurt.
Vesper swiped the back of his hand against his mouth, and only when his stomach was completely empty did he spit into the sea and tug his mask on.
Thorrin landed about twenty paces away and leapt from his mount. After he strolled to Vesper, he patted him assuredly on the back. As he did so, his dragon waited in perfect stillness. It only made Vesper really fucking bitter.
“That was … something,” Thorrin finally said.
Vesper wanted to bury his face in the sand, join the crabs, and disappear. Unlike Thorrin’s dragon, Kaida paced, while she gave Vesper’s side the occasional nudge, but he could feel her concern and how it resonated in their mark. Nestled in the center of his chest, it throbbed like a pulsing wound.
With a sigh, Vesper grasped Kaida’s snout and brought her bratty face to his. “I know you didn’t mean to, but you’re never doing that again. Ever.”
A sad disgruntled whine weaselled from Kaida.
Vesper released the dragon’s face and turned to Kyrith who, shockingly, didn’t survey him in a mocking way. She actually appeared concerned, and that revelation sent his mind into a whirl of confusion.
Thorrin stroked his stubbled beard with a single finger.
“The nature of Shadowhearts is unpredictable. While Vahla is completely at my will, obviously your mount has a mind of her own.” Thorrin gestured to his dragon resting in the grass that had laid down with a mere wave of his finger.
And Vesper knew that feeling well—to summon the undead and bend them to his will.
His Shadowheart was a whole other beast.
Frankly, he was at a fucking loss.
And so. Bloody. Humiliated.
The dragon nudged his side again, her eyes wide. Apologetic.
Vesper sighed and whispered, “If I forgive you, will you fucking behave?”
The “yes” into his mind seemed genuine this time.
“I’m not sure how to help. Seems you’re stuck with Kyrith,” Thorrin said.
Vesper hissed a curse. “Come on. Don’t leave me alone with her.”
He clapped Vesper on the back once more, muttered a quick apology which Vesper didn’t believe for a second, and strolled back to his mount.
“Looks like I have my work cut out for me,” Kyrith said.
She crossed the distance and bent to study Kaida.
The dragon peered back at her with curiosity and a flare of fiery intensity.
“We need to get you two bonded. The more time you spend with her, the easier it is. All you need is practice. And time.”
He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Unfortunately, I don’t have time.”
“Then you had better figure out how to communicate with her. And quickly. The bloodlace is spreading, and the longer you wait, the faster it’ll converge on us all.” Then she walked away and left him standing there like a moron, with his heart in his hands and emotion clogging his throat.
He knew he could do this, but failure was a bitch. Also, disappointing Kyrith felt worse, somehow. It made no sense, but maybe it was because she already despised him, and for whatever reason, he didn’t want her to.
Vesper studied Kaida as his mind raced. He had no idea how to fix this. Maybe his Shadowheart’s remorse would change something, but he couldn’t be sure. One thought stood at the forefront of his mind. One sure thing.
His, his family’s, and all his friend’s futures depended on it.