An involuntary shudder ran down my back. Amika removed her hand but followed close behind as I descended the stairs. Akasha was a step behind her. The basement felt more like a dungeon. Cold stone walls. Stone floor. Sconces along the walls with LED bulbs that flickered like candles.
The man stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting, with that predatory smile on his face. He watched us descend, taking a step back to make room for all three of us. The hall stretched out before us. Heavy wooden doors with small barred windows lined the hall. I could smell the stench of death, decay, bile, and feces. The man’s smile never slipped as he watched us.
“Before we embark upon the evening’s… commerce,” the man’s grin widened with a sly amusement, “I would be remiss not to offer you a sample of my most prized courtesans. Please. Take your time perusing and select one that suits your taste. Only then shall we commence our dealings.”
I glared at this man. He smiled as he watched me, clearly enjoying my unease. He inclined his head towards the hall. I grit my teeth and stood my ground.
“Oh, refusing my hospitality?” The man sounded amused. “It is impolite to refuse an offer from your host. It’s just good manners to at least sample what I offer you.”
His grin widened. I felt a wave of unease. My heart raced despite my attempt to control it; each beat was a vehement protest against the situation. I took a slow breath to steady myself, willing the sensation to settle. A bitter scent filled the air—a scent mixed with the stale odor of fear and desperation. I averted my gaze momentarily, battling revulsion and curiosity, then walked past him down the hall to the first door and looked through the iron bars.
A young woman lay on a narrow mattress in the room, curled on her side away from the door. Her blonde hair was matted to her head. Dirt and grime covered her skin. Her clothes were ripped and shredded. A thin blouse clung to her shoulders; the tattered rags of it draped across her back. Thin leggings held tight to her slender legs. Her ass hung bare through the shreds of it. Suddenly, a soft whimper escaped her, barely audible. “Again?” She asked, as if pleading with ghosts only she could see. Her voice, though frail, carried a haunting echo of defiance amidst despair.
The man chuckled behind me, “Jacqueline. I found her on the streets of Los Angeles trying to sell her body for another hit of whatever drug she was into at the time. She was so eager to please. Took a month to break her in. She is still so eager to please. She likes it rough and hard.”
The woman twitched at the mention of her name, hunching her shoulders, curling into a tighter ball. I turned to the man. He grinned and gestured to the door behind him. I stepped over and looked through the bars. This room was similar to the first. A narrow mattress, a young woman lying on her back, staring at the ceiling. Her hair was dark and still shone with luster. Her lips were full and generous. Her chest was large and gently heaved with each shallow breath she took. Her hands lay at her sides. She was wearing only a bra. Nothing else. Her stomach was flat, and her thighs were thick and muscular. The bare patch between her legs was already damp. She made no move as we watched, but I could hear her breathing growing more rapid.
“Jessica,” The man said softly, a touch of desire and need in his voice, “My latest find. See how eager she is.” The woman’s breath hitched, and her legs twitched involuntarily. “I found her in Modesto, in a bar. She smelled so sweet and innocent. I had to have her. She isn’t quite broken in yet. But she is eager and needy. Look at how her body betrays her.”
I glanced back into the room. The young woman had spread her legs and was gently running one hand over her mound, spreading herself open for us. I shivered at the view as my body began to respond. I was disgusted and aroused. This seemed to amuse the man even more. He turned, walked down to the next door, and beckoned me to him. I swallowed, walked down to him, and investigated the next room.
“Simone,” The man said with a soft whisper. The woman in the room turned to look at us. Her black, wavy hair was spread across the mattress as she turned to meet my gaze. There was a soft, pleading look in her brown eyes. She licked her lips as she watched me, then bit down on her bottom lip. Her skin was the color of dark chocolate. She lay there completely naked. Her body was on display for us. Her large breasts jiggled as she exhaled with a soft sigh. Her shapely legs were bent, hiding the darkness between them. As I watched, she spread her legs, dragged a hand across herself, spreading herself open, showing off her soft pink insides.
“Oh, she is a fine pick, Lord Edgar,” the man said, his voice holding a hint of something. “She was a hostess at a high-end restaurant when I found her. Took months to fully break her in. She is my favorite. She loves big cocks. In every hole. However you want her, she will love every moment of it, begging for more. She would breed a strong dragon, if you so choose.”
I turned back to the man and raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“Every hole?” I asked incredulously.
“Oh yes,” Said a soft voice from inside the room. I turned back to the door, and Simone was gently rubbing her clit, her legs spread open wide. One hand under her body, a finger sliding in and out of her asshole. I blinked as I watched her, unable to tear my gaze from the way she shuddered and twitched while she rubbed her clitoris and fingered her asshole. She moaned softly, her eyes rolling back in her head as her legs twitched. She rubbed herself faster, her legs falling open wider. Her finger sliding in and out of her ass while she moaned and twitched. Then her legs snapped shut as she gasped.
He stood staring through the bars for a moment, watching Simone. Then he looked at me and laughed softly. He turned to the next door across the hall, gesturing to it with his hand. I walked over and looked in.
Another young woman lay on the narrow mattress. Curled onto her side, facing the door. She was fully clothed. Her hands clutched to her knees against her chest. Her clothes were dirty, but her hair was brushed, and her skin was clean. Her blonde hair lay across the mattress behind her as if someone had laid it out on display. Her eyes were closed, but her lips were moving in a silent prayer. Her skin was pale and beautiful in the half-light. She made no sign that she knew we were there.
“Ashley,” the man said with a scowl, “She has been here for six months and refuses to be broken. That girl is a hard one. A good fuck, though. She is so small and tight, and she screams louder than any other when she finishes. I found her at the University of California, Berkeley, studying Chemistry. She had never been with a man. The body of a porn star, but too busy trying to change the world.” The man laughed, a harsh bark. “She is a fun one, if you want to put in the effort.”
I turned back to the man. His sadistic grin made my skin crawl. He opened his arms to take in the four doors that were around us.
“That is my offer to you, Lord Edgar. Pick one for the night. But only one. My gift to you before we talk business.”
I frowned at him, my jaw clenching in disgust and the first threads of anger. The room seemed to darken as his laughter echoed off the cold stone walls. Each laugh was like a drumbeat, intensifying the tension in the air.
“Will it be Jacqueline, the whore who likes it hard and rough? Jessica, my latest collection, not quite broken in yet, but eager to please? Or perhaps you prefer my sweet Simone, so eager, a marvelous fuck and a great breeding opportunity. Or would you prefer unbroken Ashley, a challenge fit for a true Lord?” As he spoke, the flickering LED bulbs in the sconces cast erratic shadows that danced around us, mirroring the chaotic rhythm of my racing heartbeat.
I took a slow breath, trying to calm my nerves. I wanted to take all these women from this horrible man. I glared at him. He grinned as he watched me try to decide.
“Who are you?” I asked. The man arched an eyebrow at me. Then he laughed.
“Oh, NOW you start asking the good questions. Pick first. Then I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”
I clenched my teeth to keep from yelling at this man.
“Ashley, then.”
“Oh ho! Like a challenge in your woman? You like a fighter, then? She’s smart, I tell you. She would have graduated with honors had I not snatched her away. Now she lives to breed. If you can break her in, that is.”
The little man walked past me, pushed open the door and bowed, one arm pointing towards where Ashley still lay on her side, eyes closed, lips moving in silence. She started to gently rock, clutching her legs more tightly.
“Claim your prize, Lord, for tonight only.” The man said with a wicked grin. I stepped past him into the room. Ashley opened her eyes and looked up at me. The stark, naked plea in those eyes was louder and more desperate than any noise she could have made.
“Please,” she said in a hushed whisper I could barely hear. “I need you.”
There were tears in her eyes as she slowly unfolded and rolled up to her knees. Reaching out to me with trembling hands. I glanced back at the man at the door. He laughed.
“Oh, she has taken a shine to you, Lord. Perhaps you will find breaking her in easier than I thought.”
I glared at him. A soft rustling in the room dragged my attention back to Ashley. She crawled towards me, her eyes locked on that bulge in my pants. She licked her lips as she sat on her heels at my feet. She looked up at me, pleading. Ashley reached up with trembling hands and unzipped my pants. She reached in and pulled the hard length out.
“You asked who I was,” The man at the door said. I could hear the grin in his voice, but I could not stop staring as Ashley sat up on her knees and took that swollen head into her mouth. My eyes fluttered as she sucked gently on my hot flesh. Swirled her tongue around it. A moan slipped from my lips as she took more of me into her mouth. She was making soft, eager noises as she licked and sucked.
“I am the first son of Caine, Enoch. And I have come for my revenge.”
I turned back to the little man. Ashley groaned in disappointment as that hard length slipped from her mouth with a soft popping sound. I felt her hands scramble at my length.
Enoch took off his glasses. His eyes burned red. A black dagger of obsidian glinted in his hand as he glared at me. As I watched, red scales began to grow out of his shoulders and down his arms. More scales rose out of the top of his scalp as he glared at me.
“I have come to avenge what Akasha did to my father. He was the greatest dragon of the high courts before she came and gentled him. He never thought twice about breeding and watching his spawn rip their way from their wombs. Until SHE made him soft!”
Enoch pointed his dagger at Akasha, who took a step back in shock. Amika stared in horror.
“Now she will watch while I kill you. Then her precious surrogate. And while she mourns the loss of her lord, and her child, I will bleed her slow, piece by piece until there is nothing left.”
Amika took a step toward Enoch. Her own bronze scales started to rise on her arms. Enoch whirled towards her, a blur of dark red speed. Amika moved just as fast, dodging his swiping blade, stepping back, and swinging a fist at his head. He blocked and slashed at her again. Amika dodged. Akasha stepped back, giving them room as they circled each other in the hall. Ashley scurried backwards into the corner of the room as I moved forward, unsure how to help.
Enoch launched himself at Amika, who stepped sideways and lashed out at him. A flurry of punches, blocks, kicks, and swipes of the dagger followed. Almost too fast to see. Amika was at a disadvantage. She was smaller, had shorter reach, and weighed less. I watched her blocks starting to slow. The impacts of Enoch’s punches and kicks started to wear her down. I moved into the doorway as I watched.
Then Enoch got a kick through Amika’s defenses. That foot landed solidly in her gut, knocking her off her feet. She flew down the hall, crashed into the wall, and sagged to the floor.
“Amika!” I yelled.
Enoch turned to me and grinned. Then he darted forward with blinding speed. A blur in the dark as he came at me. I threw myself backwards and crashed into the wall at the far side of the room, knocking the wind out of myself. Enoch was on me in an instant, the blade at my throat.
“Take your last breath, Lord Edgar,” Enoch spat.
“NO!” Akasha screamed as loud as she could from the doorway. Enoch’s entire body shuddered at the power and volume of her voice. He turned and looked over his shoulder at her. The blade at my throat pulled back.
Everything slowed to a crawl around me. I felt my ties to Amika and Akasha. I knew Amika was okay. She was dazed, on the floor, but recovering. I could sense her starting to pick herself up off the floor. I could feel the land around me. Every living thing within a mile. Every bird, snake, and insect that fluttered through the air. Every rat and mouse that crawled through the dirt and leaves. The four women, their aches, their pains, and their needs. Beneath my feet, the very earth pulsed with rejection of the tyranny that had stained it. Like roots seeking freedom, my connection to the land surged, a primal bond echoing through the air and soil. The earth itself cried out for liberation, its ancient strength building within me, urging me to sever the ties of oppression and awaken the natural order from its forced slumber.
Akasha stood in a blazing halo of amber energy. Her rage, her sadness, her compassion painted in the air around her. I could feel how hard her heart was beating. The fear of losing me was painted on her face.
Beneath it all, I could feel the land. The stain of Enoch’s rage and fury burned the plants and trees around us. His insanity blackened the ground. I could feel his ties to the land, how they had tainted everything around him. The land itself wanted to reject him, but needed a focus, a tool, someone to take its need and stop him.
The land’s need flowed up through my feet, filling my body like warm water filling a bath. I drank it all in, felt it coil inside me. Tightening every muscle in my body. I felt its power curl into me. I closed my eyes and imagined a giant pair of scissors cutting Enoch’s ties to the land, separating him from the ground he stood on.
Enoch started to look back at me. Surprise on his face. I did not wait for him to finish moving. I punched him in the chest. Felt his body crumble under the power of the land that flowed through me. Then everything snapped back to normal.
Enoch’s eyes widened in shock. The obsidian dagger slipped from his fingers. I caught it with my left hand. At the same time, we both looked down at where my right arm was slammed through his chest up to the elbow.
Enoch’s jaw worked, but no sound came out. His eyes lost their shine. The red glow faded until his eyes were a dull, dead red. His body sagged against mine, held up by my arm through his chest.
“Little help here?” I asked, my voice barely masking the turmoil roiling within. Amika was suddenly there. Her eyes were a little unfocused, and she swayed on her feet, but she pulled Enoch back from me, sliding him off my arm. The potent smell of his blood filled the room. A mixture of relief and horror coursed through me as I stood there, immobilized by my own internal conflict. Ashley screamed, then collapsed in the corner, her terror palpable in the silent room. Amika dropped Enoch’s body to the floor. Blood slowly oozed from the gaping hole in the center of his chest. His blood dripped down my arm, a visceral testament to the price of power and the unsettling reality of what I had done. I felt a strange brew of triumph and revulsion, wondering if this dark victory was worth its moral cost.
“How did you do that?” Amika asked as she glanced up at me, over the cooling body of Enoch. I shrugged as I met her eyes.
Akasha stepped into the room, tears slipping down her face. “Oh, Enoch, how your father loved you. How far you have fallen.” She knelt at his side and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his forehead. She looked up at me. She stood and walked over to me, wrapped her arms around my waist, and hugged me fiercely. Using all her considerable strength to pull herself against me. I coughed softly, but was able to breathe against her tight embrace, with some effort.
“It was said that no human-forged blade could pierce the skin of a dragon,” Akasha said as she turned her face and pressed her ear over my heart. “Obsidian blades were forbidden because of the danger they represented. No Dragon has raised his hand against another in centuries. Conflicts were always settled in other ways. Contests of skill, strength, or will. To kill another Dragon.” Akasha sucked in a breath. “There are so few of us left, it was the highest crime among us.”
Amika checked on Ashley, then nodded to me. “She’s fine. Enoch meant to kill you. The High Court won’t punish you for this.”
I looked down at him and felt only sadness. “I did not want to kill him.”
“Of course not,” Akasha said, leaning against me. “You had no choice.”
Blood dripped down my arm, growing colder as I watched each drop fall. The metallic scent hung in the air, mixing with the musty odor of damp earth. The soft echo of dripping sounded like a weary metronome. I held up my hand, seeing the crimson trail winding along my skin. I shook my head. “I need to get this cleaned up. We need to get these women out of here.” Akasha nodded.
“We’ll take them home and take care of them,” Akasha said with a sad smile.
“Will they ever really have their lives back?” I asked, my voice trembling with uncertainty. An overwhelming sense of inadequacy washed over me. My thoughts spiraled around whether I could truly help them heal. In their eyes, I saw hope, yet I couldn’t shake the guilt tying me to the past. Was it enough to rescue them, or would they forever bear scars from what had been done to them?
Akasha glanced at the young woman stirring in Amika’s arms. Her eyes flicked open. She looked up at Amika, raw terror yielding to broken relief. Tears slid down her cheeks, each breath hitched and trembling. Shoulders shaking, she pressed herself against Amika, seeking safety. Ashley’s barely-there voice offered thanks—its ragged edges spoke volumes of her lingering fear and the depth of her gratitude.
Akasha looked at me and said in a low voice. “The kindest thing is to let them have children, work with Sydney and Anton to try making them into rune-mothers.” Her suggestion lingered in the air, heavy with unspoken implications.
I stared at Akasha, raising eyebrows in surprise.
“These women were virgins before Enoch got his hands on them,” Akasha said sadly as she gazed at Ashley in Amika’s arms. “He described ‘breaking them in’. Phrasing used in the old Courts for when a Lord found a virgin and mated with her to prepare her womb for a Dragon’s seed. That process creates a powerful need that overpowers all rational thought with the desire to carry that child. That need will eventually drive them insane if not granted.”
“But we don’t know if covering them in runes will protect them,” I replied, a knot forming in my stomach. The uncertainty of experimenting with their fragile lives gnawed at me.
Ashley looked at us, desperate. “I don’t care. The ache is unbearable. I want to learn, return to school, but this emptiness…”
Fresh tears tracked down Ashley’s pretty face. “Please help me.”
Amika slipped her arm under Ashley for support, helping her stand. Akasha approached, placed her hands gently on Ashley’s shoulders, and turned her away from Enoch’s body on the floor. Akasha glanced back at me, raising an eyebrow to silently ask for my decision. When I sighed and nodded, Akasha smoothed back Ashley’s hair and carefully wiped away her tears before guiding her towards the hallway.
“We’ll help you. Let’s get you somewhere safe first.”
“Thank you,” Ashley sobbed, hugging Akasha. She looked at me, saw my arm, and shivered. “Is it over? Is he dead?”
“Yes,” Akasha said.
“Good,” Ashley answered.
Amika looked at me, then down at my arm. “Stay here, or you’ll make a mess. I’ll go find a towel, or something.”
Amika walked out of the room. I listened as her footsteps echoed down the hall and up the stairs. Akasha led Ashley gently into the hallway. Her legs wobbled as Akasha guided her from view.
I heard Amika coming down the stairs. Akasha and Amika talk for a moment, then I heard Akasha helping Ashley up the stairs. Amika walked into the room. She walked over and reached out to wipe off my arm. I pulled back with a laugh.
“I can clean up my own messes,” I said with a grin, holding out my left hand for the towel.
“I don’t know why I did that,” Amika said, blushing as she handed me the towel. I started drying my arm, but some blood was still crusted around my nails and in the creases of my wrist. Amika snickered.
“Follow me,” She turned and walked out of the room. “I saw a bathroom you can finish washing off in.”
I followed Amika down the hall. I heard rustling behind the other three doors. Unsure what to say, I just followed Amika upstairs. She led me to the bathroom, where I washed my arm off. As we walked back into the dungeon, we passed through the living room. Akasha sat with Ashley, gently holding her. I started to walk toward her, but Akasha shooed me off.
Amika and I went back downstairs to the room we had been in. I knelt beside the body and went through his pockets. I found a cell phone, a wallet, and keys. I held up the keys. The keyless remote had a Mercedes-Benz symbol. Somewhere on the property was a car we could use.
I held up the cell phone and saw that it was passcode-enabled. I turned it to Enoch’s face, and it unlocked. I flipped through the call history and saw multiple calls placed earlier in the evening. The names attached to them were odd and made no sense. Two short conversations with a contact named “meatsack 1”. Another short call from a number named “useless mole”.
I went into the settings and changed the passcode to a number I knew. I removed the face identification and scanned his face again to confirm. Then I slipped the phone into my back pocket and put the keys in my front pocket. I flipped open the wallet. The ID read Carl Shewan, but Enoch’s picture was there, contacts hid his red eyes. There were multiple credit cards with the same name and a small pile of bills.
I stood and slipped the wallet into my other front pocket. Then we stood and went to the third door and pushed it open. Simone sat up on the mattress. When she saw me, she licked her lips and eyed me hungrily. Beneath her confident facade, uncertainty flickered in her eyes—a shadow of fear she couldn’t hide. Her fingers gripped the mattress edge, knuckles white.
“Is he finally letting me play with someone else?” she asked as she eyed me up and down. Then she tilted her head to the side and looked past me at Amika. “I don’t do girls. Where is he anyway?”
“Dead,” I said coldly. Simone’s eyes widened. She blinked once, long and slow, while she processed the information.
“Am I yours then?” she asked with a brittle coyness, standing shakily. Her seduction faltered—her legs buckled, and she crashed into me, desperation hidden in her touch. I caught her, heart aching at the way she clung to me, like a lifeline.
“No,” I said quietly. “You’re your own person again.”
Simone let out a brittle, broken laugh. “I don’t know how to belong to myself anymore. I was his toy for so long, I’ve forgotten who I am. ‘Play nice, keep quiet,’ he’d hiss, and now those words drill through my mind. He swore he’d give me a child—a reason to exist. That would end this twisting, constant agony in my gut, this void he carved inside me.”
“If he’s dead, will you take care of me? Give me the child he promised?”
I turned to Amika. “Can you find clothes to cover her so we can take her home?”
“Home?” Simone laughed as Amika left. “You’re just going to bury me in another hole, aren’t you?”
I cupped Simone’s cheek. She leaned into my hand, eyes closed.
“Simone,” I said softly. She shuddered. “I’ll take care of you. When the time is right, we’ll see about getting you what you need. But there are things to do first.”
“You’re different,” Simone whispered, meeting my eyes. Tears slipped free. “You won’t dump me in a hole, will you?”
“No, I won’t,” I promised her. I slid my arm around her shoulders and led her out of the room. Amika came down the stairs carrying a trench coat, a bathrobe, and a couple of towels. She held out the trench coat so Simone could slip into it, then zipped it up and tied the sash securely. Simone clutched the coat around herself.
“Go with Amika, Simone.”
“Don’t leave me,” Simone said. Her hand seized mine. I squeezed her hand gently.
“It’s okay. I’ll be there soon. Just go with Amika upstairs.”
I pried her fingers off mine. Amika handed me towels and bathrobes, then led Simone upstairs while I walked to the next closed door. I sighed and pushed it open. A young blonde woman lay on her side facing the wall. I laid a towel over her shaking body and wrapped it around her shoulders. She clutched it, pulling it tight, her thumb tracing circles for comfort. I slid my arms under her and lifted her from the floor. She shifted in my arms to face me and draped her arms around my neck. I froze. Her eyes were wide, full of tears. She wasn’t a supermodel, but her beauty was striking and girl-next-door. Dirt and tears smeared her make-up.
I tucked the towel around her and carried her out. She buried her face in my chest as we went upstairs. Simone sat by Akasha, head on Akasha’s shoulder, while Akasha held Ashley. I set Jacqueline in the love seat. She covered herself, looking at the room wide-eyed. As I withdrew, she squeezed my hand and nodded.
Then I went back downstairs to the last door and pushed it open. Dark-haired Jessica was still lying on her back with her legs spread. Her fingers moved slowly over herself as I walked in. I stood next to her and watched her face. Despite her pleasure-seeking motions, her eyes remained glassy and vacant, betraying a rift between her physical actions and her emotional presence. Jessica pinched her eyes shut, her lips slightly parted, a faint echo of sensation reaching her yet failing to connect with a deeper part of herself.
“Jessica?” I spoke.
Her eyes opened and met mine. She flinched back, her hand closing over that dark patch between her legs.
“Who are you?” She said softly.
“Edgar.”
“Where is he?” Jessica asked as she moved her other arm across her chest to cover herself. I held out a hand to her.
“He can’t bother you anymore.”
She took my hand. I slowly pulled her to her feet and offered her the robe. She slipped into it, wrapping it around herself. She clutched at my hand, steadying herself as we walked from the room. Jessica leaned against me, her legs slightly unsteady.
“I heard others. How many are there?” She asked, turning to look at me as we walked to the staircase.
“Three other women.”
“I heard them scream, sometimes.” She shook her head, as if she could clear the thoughts as we ascended the stairs. “Never in pain, though. He never forced us to do anything. He said I’d get a chance to bear a child if I were good. If I did as I was asked.”
As we turned into the living room, Jessica stopped and turned to face me. One hand on her lower belly. Her eyes blazed with fierce determination.
“I’m so empty. Here,” Jessica’s fingers clutched at her lower belly, digging into the cloth. “Empty. He promised he’d fill me. Fill that emptiness.”
“We will help you,” Akasha said from the couch. Jessica turned, startled at the soft voice. Simone leaned against one side of Akasha, while Ashley leaned against the other. Jessica looked back at me. Her hand squeezed tighter around mine. I patted her hand with my other hand.
“We will help you, Jessica. Please. Go. Sit.”
I walked her over to the couch. Akasha reached for her hand. Akasha smiled at me as she drew Jessica to her. Jessica sank to her knees in front of Akasha, resting her head on Akasha’s leg.
Amika came in the front door. She beckoned me. Akasha waved me off. I walked over and followed Amika out onto the porch. In the yard, the men were starting to pick themselves up. Most looked dazed, rubbing their arms and legs.
“Collect your friends, and leave,” I commanded, my voice echoing through the yard. For a moment, a tense silence hung in the air as everyone froze, their gazes fixed upon Amika and me, trying to gauge the seriousness of my words. A flicker of doubt stirred within me—could my command hold sway over them? The weight of my role pressed heavily on my shoulders, but I pushed it aside, focusing on the need to protect those I cared for. “Leave. Forget you were here.”
They did as I asked. Those who were still unconscious were carried by others to the barn. I heard engines turn over. One by one, the men drove away. Amika and I walked over to the barn. Instead of animals, the styes had been converted into parking spaces. We watched as they drove away. After they had all left, there were two vehicles still in the barn. A Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 SUV and a nondescript beige panel van. I pulled out the keys and clicked the button. The lights flashed on the Benz. Amika raised an eyebrow at me.
“Found the keys on Enoch.”
Amika shrugged. “I figured as much. Do you know how to drive it, my Lord?”
I gave a sheepish grin, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. “I never took the time to get a driver’s license. I was too busy studying Dragon history to fit in something as mundane as driving lessons. There was always something more urgent in the world of Dragons, or at least I told myself that was the case. It seemed like a small, insignificant thing in the grand scheme of things, but now it just feels like an oversight.”
I handed the key to Amika. “I assume you know how to drive.”
Amika nodded. “Yes, my Lord.”
I walked over, opened the door to the car, and looked inside. I counted the seats. Amika leaned against my back and looked around me inside the car.
“Only five seats? There are seven of us.” Amika said. She turned and looked at me. “Did you find the keys to the van?”
I shook my head. Amika gave me a sly half-smile. “I could hot-wire it. Do you know if Akasha knows how to drive, my Lord?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
We closed the door to the Benz and headed back towards the house. Amika walked by my side. I glanced at her as we crossed the yard. Amika scanned the yard, as if mapping every place someone could be hiding. The faint creak of the nearby barn door heightened my alertness. I could see her calculating how quickly she could get to someone who threatened us, or me. She glanced at me and blushed as she saw me watching her.
I opened the door and held it for Amika. She started to reach for the door to hold it for me. Then she stopped and blushed as I stepped back out of her way.
“This isn’t proper,” Amika stammered under her breath, “I’m just a knight, you are the Lord. I hold the door for you. Not the other way around.”
I smiled and held the door, and Amika finally went through it, flustered and blushing. We walked into the living room, where Akasha was still gently holding and comforting the three women while Jacqueline slept in the love seat.
“We found two cars, one with enough seats to carry all four of the women comfortably back to our place,” I said as Akasha looked up at me. She smiled, her hand still moving in slow circles on the backs of the two women at her sides. “What do you wish to do with this house?”
“Burn it,” Akasha said, her eyes blazing with amber anger. “Burn it to the ground.”
I turned to Amika, “Can you find something to help start a fire?”
She nodded and walked from the room to find an accelerant.
“Did you want to bring both vehicles back with us? Or fly back?” I asked Akasha.
Her eyes softened, and she leaned back into the couch a little. “It’s been a long day, and I think I’ve had my fill of flying for today. But that means I’ll be driving, doesn’t it?”
I nodded. Akasha sighed again. “You need your license, my young Dragon Lord.”
I shrugged and smiled at Akasha. “A problem for another day, I think. Shall we start moving people to the car?”
Akasha nodded. I walked over to Jacqueline and gently shook her. She rolled over and looked at me.
“Time to go?” Jacqueline asked with wide eyes. I nodded and took her hand, helping her to her feet. She stood shakily, swaying. I held her hand, helping her get steady. She smiled tentatively at me. I walked over to Simone and offered her my other hand. She smiled at me and took it, standing smoothly. The two women leaned against me as I led them towards the door. Akasha followed, with Ashley and Jessica.
The women blinked at the harsh yard lights as we crossed to the barn. I helped Jaqueline and Simone into the backseat of the Mercedes-Benz. Akasha helped Jessica into the back seat, then guided Ashley to the front passenger seat. Akasha and I left the women in the car as we walked back to the house. I found the switch for the porch lights and turned them off.
Amika came out of the basement with a large red can in her hand. The basement already smelled strongly of gasoline.
“I’ve doused the body and the basement already.”
I nodded to her, and the three of us went out the front door. Amika splashed gasoline across the porch as she followed us. Akasha and I backed up into the yard as Amika tossed a match into the house and jogged over to where we stood. The three of us watched the house burn. The heat was blistering, but felt cleansing at the same time. Akasha leaned into me and slid her arm around my waist. I put my arm around her shoulders and hugged her.
Amika stood there for a moment, watching the flames. I reached out and took her hand. She blinked at me in surprise, then moved closer to us. I put my other arm around her shoulder, and she leaned into me. Akasha grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. Amika let out a small, surprised squeak as Akasha pulled her snug against my side.
Amika was stiff against me for a moment, before she slowly relaxed, leaning into me. We stood there for several minutes, watching the flames spread through the house. Then we turned together and walked to the barn.
“Amika,” I said as we walked together, “Do you mind driving the women back?”
“Not at all, my Lord.” She answered. We walked over to where the old van sat. Amika opened the driver’s side door and lay down on the floor mat, reaching up into the steering column. Within moments, the van roared to life. She scooted out and smiled.
“Talk to you when we get back home.”
Amika jogged over to the Mercedes, jumped in, and started the engine. She watched us for a moment. I waved, and she pulled out.
Akasha slid into the driver’s seat. She laughed, her feet dangling inches from the pedals. Then she adjusted the seat as I sat in the passenger seat and put on my seat belt. Akasha adjusted the mirrors, then pulled out to follow Amika. While we drove down the dirt drive back to the main roads, I told Akasha about the phone and the strange contacts. She frowned.
“That is disturbing,” Akasha said softly. “Another riddle to solve.”
I nodded, watching her for a moment. Then I turned back to watching the road as we followed Amika.
“So,” Akasha said with a wicked grin, “are you ready to make more dragon babies?”
I choked and turned to face Akasha. She was grinning, her eyes glowing softly in the dark.
“Surely you don’t mean tonight?” I asked.
“No,” Akasha laughed, “Of course not. Sydney and Anton need to mark them with the proper runes first. Which will take a couple of days. But those women may not have much patience. Simone has been waiting for months. She has a strong will, but her sanity may not last much longer.”
“Is that a thing?” I asked. I furrowed my brow, looking at her. She shot me a glance and a smile, followed by a nod.
“Virgin women who have been prepared properly will have a driving need to get pregnant. Think of an addict who has been deprived of the drug to which they are badly addicted. They know what they want is right there in front of them. But they have been tempted and denied. Repeatedly.”
“Cruel,” I said softly.
“In the extreme,” Akasha answered. “Do not worry, my love, we will take care of them. You and I will take two of them, and Amika and Anton the other two. We will have a house full of Dragon babies, if we are lucky.”
I raised an eyebrow, contemplating what that might be like. I was positive that I was not ready for that prospect. Akasha saw the look on my face and laughed.
“It won’t be so bad, my love.” Akasha cooed softly. I had a hard time imagining the amount of work it would take to take care of just one child, but five boggled my mind. My face must have reflected that thought as Akasha started laughing again. “Between the nine of us, if all the women survive, I am sure we can figure it out together.”
“I don’t even want to think about losing them. We just rescued them.” I dragged a hand over my face, closed my eyes, and shook my head.
“Nothing is guaranteed, love,” Akasha said softly. “It is a huge risk. We just don’t know if the runes are going to work. But we don’t have the luxury of waiting for Sydney’s baby to come to term. The other women will go mad with need long before then.”
“I know. I know.” I sighed. “I wish there were another way.”
Akasha settled her hand over mine on my thigh. She squeezed it gently. “I know, lover. We can explain the risks, but remember how Sydney reacted? They will not care. Their need will override their sense of reason.”
“It’s not fair that this was done to them against their will.”
“Against their will? No, lover, it was not.”
“What?” I asked in surprise.
“I spoke with Simone at length while you were running around taking care of things. Enoch seduced them, convinced them with pretty lies about what he was doing, but he did not force himself on them. True, he did not tell them the truth or the danger he put them in. But they came to his bed willingly. Don’t underestimate the seductive powers of a full-grown Dragon.”
“But he kept them locked up in his basement!”
“Were the doors locked?”
I scratched my head. I remembered opening each door. There were no locks on any of the doors. I shook my head.
“No. They weren’t.”
“All he had to do was threaten to never touch them again, and they would do whatever he wanted. They were trapped by their own desires.”
I shuddered. “They may not have been forced, but they did not understand what was happening to them.”
“No,” Akasha agreed, “They did not. Do you think understanding is going to help them now?”
“No,” I sighed. “I suppose not.”
“Nobody is as knowledgeable about rune magic as Anton and Sydney. They will figure out the safest course.” Akasha said with a smile.
“Edgar,” Akasha said, her voice quiet. “When you were fighting with Enoch. How did you stop him? I thought he was going to kill you. Then you… You killed him. With a single punch. I felt you tap into the land, but that wasn’t our land. That wasn’t part of our domain. It was his.”
I lifted my right hand and looked at it. I could still feel Enoch’s blood between my fingers, even though I could not see it there. I resisted the urge to try scrubbing my hands together. I looked at Akasha. She was watching me in half glances.
“In that moment you yelled, I felt the land calling out to me. Asking to be saved from him.” I looked down at my hand again, curling and uncurling my fingers. “I felt the strength of the land flow through me, and I used it against him.”
“I felt it,” Akasha said, her voice quiet, almost a whisper. “I’ve never felt anything like that before.”
I didn’t know what to say. The whole thing felt surreal. The sound of cracking bone echoed in my ears and the metallic scent of blood clung to my memory, weaving a sense of unease through my thoughts. I did not feel bad about killing Enoch. Was I supposed to? Had he deserved something better? Had there been another solution I had missed? I didn’t know. I had killed him, and I was okay with that. Did that make me a monster? The question lingered, but I pushed it aside, uncertain of the answer.
The rest of the drive back home was comfortably quiet. Then we crossed into Yosemite, and I felt my awareness expanding. The crisp scent of pine filled the air, sharp and fresh, mingling with the distant earthy aroma of damp leaves. I could almost taste the cool mountain air that whispered through the vents. It was as if my senses had been heightened. Amika was in the car ahead of us. I could feel all four of the women with her. They had not eaten for hours. In the distance, I could sense Anton and Sydney sitting on the couch, talking in our living room. Jacob was with them. He was sweating, nervously fidgeting with his clothes. He glanced up as if he could see me. Sydney smiled up at me. Anton finally relaxed, his sigh breaking the tension that had been singing through his body.
Akasha reached over and squeezed my hand as we drove the winding road into Yosemite Valley, following Amika’s car back to the house. While Amika parked in front, next to the flipped van, Akasha drove around to the back. Once parked, we got out and walked around the house. Anton and Sydney exited through the front door and crossed the yard toward us. As soon as Sydney saw Amika, she broke into a run to hug her tightly, then quickly came over and embraced Akasha and me.
Amika was helping Ashley out of the front seat. Sydney shot me a surprised look but quickly transitioned into a burst of energy as she ran to assist, enveloping Ashley in a reassuring hug. Ashley let out a startled yelp but soon leaned into Sydney’s guidance towards the house. Observing this, Anton moved to help Jessica out of the back seat, his demeanor calm and collected, while Amika smoothly assisted Simone with a gentle hand. Meanwhile, Akasha and I took Jacqueline’s hands, sharing a silent understanding in our movements as we guided her out of the vehicle and towards the house.
“Edgar, what is going on?” Sydney said in a hush as we settled the last of the four women on the couch. Her voice carried a blend of fear and suspicion, underlined by a slight quiver that betrayed her usual confidence. Her eyes darted between each of us, searching for some reassurance amidst the chaos. Her hand reflexively tightened around mine for a moment as if anchoring herself before she released a shaky breath.
“I’ll explain, but can we get them settled first?”
“Where are they all going to sleep?” Sydney said.
I shrugged. “The basement has plenty of space.”
Simone said from the couch in a voice tinged with desperation, “Please, no more basements.” She shivered as she remembered that place, obviously struggling with her past fears clawing at the edges of her consciousness.
“The upstairs bed is a king. You four can sleep there for now,” Akasha said, smiling.
Sydney frowned at Akasha. “And where are we sleeping?”
“There is a guest room on the second floor.”
Sydney raised an eyebrow. “That bed is only a queen. I guess we are snuggling close tonight.” Sydney grinned as she stepped closer and slid her arms around my waist.
Akasha chuckled. “I suppose so.”
Ashley blinked wide eyes at us. “We can’t take your bed.”
Akasha gave her a stern look. “You can and you will. Unless you want the basement?”
Ashley’s face paled as she shook her head. “No.”
“Tomorrow, we will find better arrangements,” Akasha said as she leaned against my side, putting her arm around my waist and patting Sydney’s arm.
Jacob was standing in the corner of the living room, watching all of this transpire with a pained look on his face. I caught his eye, and he shrank farther into the corner.
“Sydney, will you, Anton, and Amika take the women upstairs. Akasha and I need to have a talk with Jacob.”
“Oh, sure,” Sydney said as she shot a look at Jacob. He saw her look and turned away. Akasha and I stepped into the room, and off to the side as Sydney, Anton, and Amika took the four ladies upstairs.
Once they were out of the room, I pulled out Enoch’s phone. I flipped through the contacts and hit the one labeled “useless mole.” The number started ringing, filling the room with its sharp tone. The sound seemed to stretch out, echoing in the silence. It went unanswered, building a tension that hung thick in the air. Then, the ringtone sounded from Jacob’s pocket. His face paled as he pulled out his phone and looked at it. He looked at me, and I ended the call. His phone stopped ringing.
“Fuck.” Jacob whispered.
“I think you have some explaining to do.” I looked him in the eye and gestured to the love seat. Jacob moved jerkily over to it and sat. Akasha and I sat on the couch watching him. Akasha took my hand in hers and squeezed it as we watched Jacob. He looked at our hands and licked his lips. He raised his eyes and met my gaze.
Jacob said softly, “I had no choice, my Lord. The Lord of the Court of the Black Heart… He commanded me to assist Enoch. I did not know his full plan, only that I was to report on your activities. I did not know he was going to send people to kidnap your surrogate.” His voice wavered as he added, “I knew that refusing his command would led to the suffering of those I care about. It felt like an iron grip around my actions, with the potential for devastation always looming over me.”
“Enoch wanted to kill us. All of us.” I stated flatly.
Jacob’s eyes widened. Then he shook his head. “I knew Enoch had forsaken his duties and been consumed by his rage. He had gone Red. But I never thought he’d go that far, my Lord.”
“He was going to kidnap our women, hold them as bait to lure us in. Kill them while we watch, then kill us.” I stated in the same flat tone. No emotion. Jacob’s eyes widened. He looked at Akasha, licked his lips, then drew a shaky breath and turned back to me.
“What of Enoch, my Lord? How did you foil his trap?”
“We killed him.”
A weight settled in my chest as I uttered the words, the echo of finality filling the room. For a brief moment, I was caught in a storm of conflicting emotions: the grim satisfaction of survival, a pang of guilt for a life snuffed out, and the relentless burden of leadership that demanded such harsh actions.
“My Lord and Lady, I beg your forgiveness for my part in his plot. To even plot the death of another Dragon is unconscionable.”
“And what of your Dragon Lord? The Lord of the Court of the Black Heart?” Akasha said softly. Her eyes did not waver from Jacob. I felt her body tense, and her hand squeezed mine a little tighter.
“My Lady?” Jacob said, his voice wavering. A fine tremor ran through his body.
“Your Dragon Lord,” Akasha continued with a soft voice. “Surely, he knew what Enoch wanted.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Anton, Amika, and Sydney walk back into the living room, hovering just inside the doorway.
Jacob swallowed nervously. “If he did, my Lady, he made no indication of it to me. His instructions were only to assist Enoch in any way that I could.”
“And just who is the Lord of the Court of the Black Heart?” I asked.
Jacob turned to look at me, and there was a flash of fear in his eyes. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He licked his lips and took a breath.
“I cannot say his name. He has forbidden it.”
I glanced over at Anton, who simply nodded and said, “Names have power, my Lord. It is not an uncommon commandment.”
I turned back to Jacob, “What is your job here, emissary?”
Jacob swallowed again. There was a flinching around his eyes as he said, “To assist you as you need, my Lord.”
“And if I commanded you to give me his name?”
Jacob swallowed again. “I could not give it, my Lord. I may serve you while I am here, but I still serve the Lord of the Court of the Black Heart, and his commands will supersede yours.”
I sighed. Jacob sat nervously watching. His hand smoothed down his shirt and pulled at its edges. I watched him for a minute. His wide eyes darted around the room like a trapped cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
I turned to Anton. He walked into the room to stand before me. He nodded to Akasha and me.
“What is your take on the young women we brought here tonight?” I asked him.
“My Lord?” Anton asked, raising an eyebrow in question. “I am not sure what you are asking of me?”
“Enoch seduced them as virgins. Kept them as toys for his amusement. He claimed he was ‘breaking them in.’ He promised each of them a chance to carry his children, but he had no female Dragon to assist him in that.”
Anton’s eyes widened slightly. “Their need must be driving them insane, my Lord.”
“I suspect so,” I said, “Which is where you and Sydney come in. Do you think you understand her runes well enough to replicate them on our new guests? It seems only fair to give them what they need after being denied it.”
Anton’s brows furrowed. His eyes glazed over for a moment while he reviewed something internally. His fingers twitched in patterns of runes he traced in the air before him.
“I think so, my Lord.” Anton’s eyes opened, and he nodded to me. “But we cannot guarantee their safety without a full test. This is all theoretical until Sydney gives birth. Even if we get the rune markings the same, we will not know. It is a risk, my Lord.”
I nodded in agreement. “As Akasha said earlier, their sanity won’t last?”
Anton’s eyes tightened. He shook his head. “No. I am afraid not.”
“Then what do you propose, Anton?” I asked.
Anton took a deep breath. “That we study those runes and duplicate them as soon as possible, my Lord.”
“Make it happen, Anton.” I nodded in agreement.
“Of course, my Lord,” Anton said grimly. Amika came over to stand next to him and put her head on his shoulder. Anton looked at her, then turned back to me. “My Lord?”
“Yes, Anton. Akasha and I have already discussed this. I would like you to work with Jessica and Jacqueline. Akasha and I will take Simone and Ashley.”
“You are too kind, my Lord.”
I stood with the weight of their lives pressing heavily on my conscience. A profound silence enveloped my thoughts, amplifying the seriousness of what lay ahead.
“Anton?” I said softly, breaking the silence. “Get the runes right. As best you can. Please. I want them all to survive.”
For a moment longer, I let the silence linger, hoping it conveyed the depth of my vulnerability and desperation more than my words ever could. The unspoken echoes of fear and hope hung in the air.
“Of course, my Lord,” Anton said with a smile.
I laughed. “Go. Amika. Anton. Go get some rest. It has been a long night. We can focus on this tomorrow. Thank you.”
Amika and Anton bowed and quietly left for the basement. Jacob, now alone with us, stepped forward hesitantly, signaling a transition from group activity to a more private exchange.
Jacob asked hesitantly, “Do you really think your surrogate can survive the birth of a new Dragon?”
I hesitated for a moment, the weight of his question pressing into a tender part of my soul that I often guarded. “I hope so, Jacob. I really hope so,” I replied with a tight smile. The silence that followed was an abyss into which all my worries threatened to fall. As I thought of Sydney, a sudden clarity washed over me, revealing the depths of what truly stood at risk. It wasn’t just her life intertwined with mine, but the dream we both held dear. A gnawing fear whispered through the recesses of my mind, yet alongside it, a resolve began to grow, strong and unyielding like the mountains that surrounded us.
“Would you share this process with me, my Lord?” Jacob asked with a reverent tone. Hope and sadness filled his voice in equal measure.
“Of course, Jacob.”
“Even after what I’ve done?”
“Dragons need hope, Jacob,” I shrugged. “Just because you’ve made mistakes does not mean you don’t deserve a chance for children without death to their surrogate.”
I stood and walked towards Jacob. I held out my hand to him. Jacob looked down at my hand with suspicion. I raised an eyebrow at him. He took my hand and shook it. I gripped his hand hard in mine and leaned closer.
“I hope you decide not to cross me, Jacob. I’m trusting you in my home.”
Jacob nodded. “Yes, my Lord.”
I smiled and released his hand. Jacob rubbed his hand where my fingers had gripped him. I nodded towards the hall where Anton and Amika had gone.
“Come,” I said to Jacob, “Let me show you to your quarters.”
Jacob nodded and fell into step behind me. “Thank you, my Lord.”
I led Jacob down to the living quarters and to the first door on the left. I pushed it open. As Jacob walked past me, his eyes widened in disbelief. It was enormous, a testament to the growth and strength of our Court. The bed of leaves and grass was lush, teeming with vibrant greenery that seemed to pulse with life, mirroring the newfound vitality and unity we had cultivated. The closet was filled with an array of garments in rich colors. The bathroom was no longer just practical; the stream running behind it had expanded, creating a small, tranquil waterfall whose rhythmic flow suggested both serenity and the unending journey of our collective commitment. The space reflected how far we had come, capturing the essence of generosity and leadership that I strived to embody.
“I hope this is to your liking,” I said as I followed him through the room.
“This is more generous than where I came from. Thank you, my Lord.”
I shook my head with a laugh. “Don’t bother thanking me. These quarters keep growing every time someone new joins us.”
Jacob blinked at me and shook his head. “Then you are a better Dragon Lord than any I have ever met, my Lord. Your connection to your land is,” he paused, searching for the right word, “awe-inspiring.”
“How good are you with Runes?”
“Runes, my lord?” Jacob said questioningly. He shook his head. “Not, but I’ll learn.”
“Good enough.” I walked to the door and turned back to Jacob. “Welcome to the Court of the Amber Stars.”
