I was the only exception to the group of three rule. This was because I was the only one other than the Brethren Lord who could use the Voice to start a telepathic conversation. Admittedly, it was only Corrigan himself I could talk to, but I was just glad that no-one had questioned the reasons as to why that might be the case. According to the Fae book on my heritage, Draco Wyr could initiate Voice conversations with their soul-mate alone. As far as I was aware, only Solus and Alex knew that teeny little inconsequential fact. What Corrigan would think of it if he found out, I had no idea. It didn’t really matter because he never would. Bearing in mind the wichtlein prophecy, it was unlikely that I’d make it to the end of this day alive… and I’d decided I was okay with that. It hurt like hell to imagine him with someone else – like that blonde he’d been with in London – but there was frankly not a damn thing I could do about it. As long as Endor was dead and Corrigan was safe, along with everyone else, then I could ask for nothing more.
Fortunately, the vamps had stayed out of my way for the time being. I’d convinced Aubrey to hole up in a nearby B&B and avoid coming to the loch itself. I’d also wrenched a promise out of him that in the unsurprising event of my death, he would never ever return to London again. Instead he was to find a small little country town somewhere to settle down happily for the rest of his days. It was the best I could do.
I stretched out my legs and yawned. The majority of my bruises were already considerably subsiding, and my body was in full healing mode. I had a funny feeling that the transformation exercises I’d been doing with Tom had helped. I was still a long way off being sure that I could fully shift into my Draco Wyr form and retain my own consciousness, but there was definite progress being made. If I had to become a dragon to defeat Endor, then I would. I wouldn’t be happy about it, but I was more confident that I’d manage it without killing everyone else in the process. I’d not healed completely as the heavy ball of flame in my stomach was still making its presence known, but I actually felt rather glad about it. It meant that my bloodfire was simmering away, ready to spring into action as soon as it was required.
The sound of approaching voices caused me to suddenly tense. I pulled out the palladium tipped dagger, and heat rippled through me in a burgeoning flame. Twisting around, I remained crouched and camouflaged by the tree, craning my neck to see who it was. From around the curving path, a family appeared, each one wearing matching hiking boots with brightly coloured knee length socks. They were talking and laughing. I watched as the small boy with them stumbled and tripped, landing on his hands and knees. He looked surprised for a second, then his face screwed up ready to begin bawling. The father was already there, however, scooping him up and planting him on his shoulders, distracting him from the impending tears. I turned away.
There were just too many fucking tourists around. It was inevitable: it was the height of summer after all, but I was nervous that they’d end up getting in the way. Between the luxury cruises chugging up and down the loch with regular intervals, the cyclists and the walkers, it was going to be difficult for the mages to mask the signs of the upcoming battle. I chewed on my lip. I just had to trust that they’d manage it.
The glittering water in front of me rippled slightly, and a sleek dark head appeared. Kelpie. Its liquid brown eyes regarded me seriously, its almost impossibly long lashes blinking away the droplets of water. I scowled at it. Fucking thing. All of them gave me the creeps. They finally seemed to have come around to the idea that their entire existence was under threat, and agreed to do what we said, but it had been a struggle. And they were supposed to be keeping to Corrigan’s end of the sodding loch.
I opened my mind, ready to tell the Lord Alpha to make sure that the bloody water creatures stayed in one place, but he was already there, the familiar growl of his Voice echoing in my head.
Something’s happening.
My body froze. What? Is he there?
Corrigan’s Voice sounded strained. No, it’s the kelpies. They’re all coming up to the surface. They’re…
He broke off. I stared back at the water but the kelpie that had been there had vanished. Shit. It was starting. I sprang into action, grabbing the bike I’d hidden in a clump of bushes in case I needed to travel a long way, and tearing the leaves away from it with as much haste as I could manage. I pulled it away and jerked it up the small hill and onto the path, leaping on top of it and pedalling as fast as I could. As my legs pumped, I was aware of others emerging from their hiding places around me and doing the same. I cursed. No, that wasn’t right.
Corrigan! I yelled with my Voice. You have to get the faeries to stay where they are. If you don’t have eyeballs on Endor, then they need to be there in case he shows up somewhere else.
I threw my hands out as I whizzed past three of them. “The Fae!” I shouted. “She has to stay there!”
I didn’t look back to see whether they’d heard me or not, instead I threw even more energy into getting the bike to move faster. Screw this bloody loch for being so big. I’d practised getting from different spots around it as quickly as I could over the last two days, but somehow this time Corrigan’s position seemed much farther than had before. Air whipped past my cheeks and my palms felt sweaty and slippery on the handle bars. Fuck it, come on!
I swerved round a small boulder lying in the middle of the path, only just managing to keep the bike upright and myself on it. Flying over the handle bars at this speed would probably send me into a coma. I had to be careful. My heart was pounding in my ears, and adrenaline and bloodfire were zipping through every part of my body. Finally, I curved around and spotted Corrigan and several mages, faeries and shifters all at the water’s edge. More were arriving every second. Even from this distance the water seemed to be churning. The daylight was already draining from the sky, making the blue bolts of magic the mages were zipping out into the water appear bright and unmistakable. I hoped again that they were still holding the concealing glamour in place. I screeched up, slamming on the brakes, and jumping off the bike, then sprinted to join them.
“What’s happening?”
“The kelpies!” a young mage next to me gasped. “It’s as if they’re drowning.”
I watched, panicked. It did indeed seem as if that was the case. There were at least twenty of them, all thrashing about at the water’s surface. I went to run in, but Corrigan grabbed my arm and stopped me.
“Don’t,” he growled. “Any time we try that, it just seems to make them worse. It’s as if there’s some kind of barrier around them.” He stared at my face, and somehow I knew without asking that my eyes were glowing.
Barrier shmarrier. I yanked out the dagger again and drew it against the palm of my hand. Beads of blood sprang up. I ran into the water, palm outstretched. I’d broken through one of Endor’s wards before. I knew my blood could do it again.
As soon as the water was around my ankles, however, the kelpies began shrieking. One seemed to be being dragged under as if by some kind of mysterious force. I couldn’t feel anything though. Usually when I connected with a ward, it was obvious. This time, it was as if there was nothing. I flicked out my hand, sending a spray of blood out in front of me. Nothing. That didn’t make sense.
I looked up towards the darkening horizon, as if searching for something. Some inspiration from the gods or some kind of help. A tourist cruise ship off in the distance suddenly lit up, brightly coloured lights illuminating it from bow to stern. I glanced at the kelpies then at the boat. The creatures continued to pitch and turn, sending water in all directions, forcing every eye onto their plight. Oh shit. I knew where Endor was and it wasn’t here.
“It’s a diversion,” I shouted back to Corrigan.
“What?”
“It’s a fucking diversion! He’s on the boat. He’s not after the kelpies – they’re probably working with him. He’s going after the tourists!”
Blood drained from his face. “We need to get there.”
I nodded, staring at the distance between us and the boat, which was getting further away by the second. I knew what I had to do. I closed my eyes, and inhaled deeply, feeling the fire rip through me, coursing through my system with the rage of a thousand furnaces. I concentrated on my little match, standing it up straight in my mind’s eye. I could do this. I had to.
Then pain scorched my skin, and I heard my bones creak and snap, and the fabric of my clothes tear and split. I pitched forward slightly at the unfamiliar weight of my tail, then managed to re-balance myself. I opened my eyes, my vision scored entirely through with a dull red haze. Clouds of boiling hot anger seethed through. Kill.
I whipped around and gazed at the group assembled on the shore. Kill. Many of them began to back away, eyes wide and fearful. A splashing side to the side of me caught my attention. My neck stretched out so I could see better. Kelpies. Kill. I opened up my mouth and a bellowing roar came out. Then I inhaled and breathed. In a sudden epileptic fit of movement, the water creatures ducked underneath the surface. No matter. I focused back on the others. Kill.
One figure was standing in front of all the others, dark and muscular. His lips were moving but all I could hear was the bloodfire pounding through me at the same rate as my heart. I opened my mouth again. He lifted his head and stared right at me, emerald green eyes searing into mine. I blinked as a small flame flickered in my mind. The figure took a step towards me. I flexed my foot and began to raise it, ready to lash out. Then an odd smell reached my nostrils, something like…sulphur. I blinked again. Mack. I was Mack.
I lowered my foot. Corrigan took another step forward and I nodded, lightly flicking the tip of my tail. He relaxed. I bent my neck down and he leapt towards me, arms curving around and gripping. The weight was strange but not uncomfortable. I turned back to the loch, took a deep breath and jumped up into the air.
Then I smashed back down again, water spraying everywhere. Damn it. I was supposed to be able to fucking fly. I tried again, tucking my feet under me and throwing myself up and out. I bellyflopped back down yet again, Corrigan’s body slapping against mine with a painful jolt. Okay.