Heart Of The Dragon: BBW Romance (Her Dragon's Bane Series Book 3) Page 6

  “And you are so sure she isn’t?” Connor devoured a leg of venison, the fat dripping down his chin. He wiped it on his sleeve. It was so good, and he felt his manners slipping as he picked up a drumstick and began to eat. His mouth full when he asked, “You have no women here?”

  Dòmhnall gulped his wine down, and filled his goblet again. “It is because of people like your witch that women are not welcome here.”

  “None of you have ever found their mate?”

  “One of us did,” he said, looking pointedly at Connor. “Your father never spoke of us? So he kept his word.”

  “Never. My brother and I thought we were the last of the dragons. It was only Tara, the witch, who told us there were dragons in Spellholm.”

  “I wonder how she knew. I might have to prise that information from her.” He cracked a bone in two absently, his gaze elsewhere. “It was a witch that caused all the trouble here.”

  “Trouble.”

  “She came to me, told me she was my mate. That she had no wish to lie with me and bear my child unless she could live forever.”

  “Immortality.”

  “Yes.” He wiped his hands, and picked his goblet up again. “She would meet me in the woods, when the ancient oaks were saplings. Her voice was silver, musical in its tone. How she wound me around her finger.”

  “What happened?” Connor held his breath. Was this the secret he had travelled here for, about to spill from Dòmhnall’s lips?

  “She took something from me. And then left.”

  “What did she take?”

  “It doesn’t matter. She lied. I knew then that there was no such thing as a true mate.”

  “But I have found mine. It is real.”

  “So your father tried to convince me. He begged me to tell him the secret, to allow your mother to live forever. I told him I would never give a woman that power over him.”

  “What power?” Connor asked, eager to know how to give this gift to Serena.

  “I have no thought to tell you. You are blinded by love, by this myth that she is your mate.”

  “It isn’t a myth, Dòmhnall,” Connor insisted.

  “What proof do you have?”

  “She carries my child.”

  “You are sure it is your child?”

  “Yes.”

  “So sure.” He smiled, and drank more wine. “I know how devious women can be, Connor Outcast. I would not like to stake my life on a woman.”

  “She came to me a virgin. Her blood was offered as sacrifice, and she conceived our child.”

  “There is no way the child can be someone else’s? A human child?”

  “No. Already the heat fills her, and on our arrival yesterday he knew he was coming home.”

  “Who told you that?” Dòmhnall demanded, his voice rising in anger.

  “One of your men, I am unsure which one.” Connor tried to sound vague. The last thing he wanted was to cause trouble with the other dragons.

  “Then if you are so sure, I will make you a deal.” He leaned forward; thrusting his face so close to Connor’s that the wine fumes from his mouth caressed Connor’s skin. “Trials.”

  “Trials?” Connor questioned.

  “Yes. We have not had much sport here for centuries. You and your mate will face two trials. Win and I will share with you the secret you so desire.”

  “Why not leave Serena out of this? I will compete in any way you want. But I fear for the child she carries.”

  “No. My terms are that you face the trials together. I know you are strong, but I wish to test the character of this self-proclaimed mate of yours. That is my offer.”

  They shook hands, sealing the bargain. Dòmhnall drank more wine, and Connor ate more meat. All Connor wanted to do was go back to his bed, and to make sure Serena was safe there. But he had to go along with the game Dòmhnall, Dragon Lord, wished to play.

  Chapter Fifteen - Serena

  When Connor left, so did Serena’s courage. Talking about going to find Tara while he was here sounded easy, reasonable. But left alone, the thought of what lay beyond that door played on her mind. What if she was caught and she never saw Connor again? She did not want to risk everything to see if the witch as alright.

  “But that’s not why you’re going to see her. Is it?” she said to herself. No, she was after information, and she was willing to do whatever it took to get that information from Tara.

  Taking her courage back, she went to the door and put her ear to it. She listened for any sounds that may mean there was a big bad dragon outside her door. She couldn’t hear a thing, apart from her heart beating hard in her chest. Her ears filled with the sound until it reverberated around her head.

  Feeling ridiculous, she carefully opened the door and looked outside. If anyone was there, she would simply say she needed some water. Wine had been brought with her meal, but she was pregnant, she needed water. In fact, she figured that would be a good excuse to use no matter where she was caught. Although she hoped to get to Tara's room and back again with no encounters of the dragon kind.

  Along the hallway, trying not to look as though she was skulking, she followed Connor’s instructions. Passing two more corridors, she turned right, taking the third one and counting the rooms as she went. Door number five stood in front of her. This was it. Before she lifted her hand to knock, she pressed her ear to the door, listening for movement or voices.

  There was only one thing she could hear inside. Crying. Serena took a step back, not knowing what to do. Had they hurt Tara? The witch didn’t seem to be the type of person who would cry. Or the type of person who would want someone to see them crying.

  However, she needed answers. Raising her hand, she knocked very quietly. When no one answered, she put her hand on the door handle, and pushed it down. “Tara?” she said quietly.

  “Serena.”

  “Can I come in?”

  “Yes. Of course.”

  Serena slipped into Tara’s room. “I thought you would have been waiting with the door open. What happened to being able to see the future?”

  Her words were met with an eruption of tears. “I’m useless. You heard Dòmhnall, he doesn’t want me.”

  “You mean your gift?”

  Tara lifted her tear stained face. “Yes, my gift. I thought I could be some use to him.”

  “But that’s not really why you’re here is it?”

  “Of course it is. There can be no other reason.”

  “Really? I think you came here because you think you are his mate.”

  “Don’t be stupid.” Tara sniffed and wiped her eyes. “He would never look twice at me.”

  “Come on, Tara, you know that’s not how the mating thing works. If you are his mate he wouldn’t be able to resist you.”

  “Exactly. You saw he couldn’t keep his hands off me. Having my neck wrung is not an act of love I fly halfway across the country to receive you know.”

  “Listen, Tara, keep your secrets, that’s up to you. What I need to know is how much trouble we’re in. You told Connor it would only work out if I didn’t know. Well, now I know. So how much has that messed things up for us?”

  “I told Connor it would all work out.”

  “That might be what you told Connor, but now I want you to tell me. I know you have no thought for sparing my feelings, so spit it out.”

  “Sure, then we can hug each other and weep together.”

  “That bad, huh?”

  “Now that you know he is here to gain immortality for you, you over react. Question whether that is what you want. To live among these men for the rest of eternity.”

  “That’s not what I think.”

  “The trials haven’t begun yet.”

  “Trials?”

  “Tomorrow Connor will go up against one of the dragons.”

  “He’ll fight one of Dòmhnall’s dragons? Surely, he’ll win. He’s strong.”

  “So is Marcas.”

  “But he has a good chance...�
�� Serena insisted.

  “Apart from one thing. Marcas will be in dragon form, and Connor will be a man.”

  “I need to warn him.”

  “That’s not how this is going to happen. When you leave here tonight, they will take you. Serena they will tie you to a stake, and Marcas will guard you.”

  Serena shook her head. “I was so stupid to come to your room. Now I’ve ruined everything.”

  Tara came to her, all her own sadness forgotten. “It would have made no difference if you had come here or not. Dòmhnall has it all planned out. But there is a way of defeating Marcas.”

  “What? Tell me Tara please. No more games.”

  “You have to convince Connor to free you. You have to fight together.”

  “But I can’t defeat a dragon.”

  “Between you, you can. But more importantly, you must prove to Dòmhnall that you are loyal and strong. He will give you what you want if you can persuade him of that. I am sure of it.”

  “But I thought you couldn't see him.”

  “I can’t.” She turned from Serena, and sat down wearily on the bed. “I might just as well tell you what I know. I have failed in what I needed to do. I should never have come without the heart stone.”

  “Heart stone?”

  “Yes. A heart stone is what a dragon must give his mate for her to take on his immortality. Unfortunately, Dòmhnall was tricked into giving his away. He thought she was his true mate, his soul mate, but she was a witch who knew how to play to his weakness. He gave her the stone, and she left him. Without it, he became bitter and full of hatred. Never would he allow talk of heart stones. He forbade his men from seeking out their mates.”

  “Is that what happened to Connor’s father? He found his true mate.”

  “I can only surmise. But yes. Dòmhnall exiled him. Their father spent the rest of his life trying to uncover the secret. But he never did, not until after their mother had passed on.”

  “Connor’s father knew the secret? Why didn’t he share it with his sons?”

  “Because he only knew half the secret, as do I. I know what the heart stone does, but I have no idea how you get it from a dragon without killing him.”

  “How do you know all this?”

  “Connor’s father visited me. Even after his mate’s passing, he couldn’t let it rest. He hoped that if the heart stone was returned to Dòmhnall he would share the secret of immortality. I told him where to find her, but I couldn't see the outcome. I had no idea why.”

  “Let me get this straight in my head. You told Connor’s father where to find the witch. What happened?” Serena asked.

  “When the heart stone was taken from her, all the stolen years caught up with her. She turned to dust, but not before cursing the dragon to suffer the same fate.”

  “He died?"

  Tara nodded. "I didn’t know then how important the heart stone was. Afterwards it became apparent that I couldn’t foresee what happened to the heart stone. I became obsessed with it. Slowly I put together the pieces. I learned that only when my fate is entwined with another’s am I unable to see the future.”

  “And that’s how you ended up helping Samuel, because of the heart stone.”

  “Yes. I knew of Connor and Zoah from their father. I glimpsed your future when I went to find them. I could see no other way of everything working out without my working with Samuel. He already had the stone. Somewhere along the way I admit my obsession with the dragon heart clouded my judgement.”

  “But you’ll never be sorry you did it?”

  “No, Serena. I’m sorry I caused you pain, but it was the only way things would work out. I had to come here, and so did you and Connor. I thought the end really did justify the means. Then it all backfired when Zoah couldn’t find the stone. I believe it was lost in the fire.”

  “Why did you still come here?”

  “Stupidly I believed that Dòmhnall would see me and realise I was his true mate.”

  “But he didn’t.”

  “No, and that is the saddest part, without the heart stone, he cannot love his true mate. He is lost to me.”

  “Tara, I’m so sorry,”

  “I don’t need your pity. I should pity you, after all you have to deal with a heartless man.”

  “What if he had that stone?”

  “Then he would be complete, able to love again.”

  “If you had it, would you give it to him, or keep it for yourself?”

  “I have always wanted to be loved for who I am, Serena. You may find it hard to understand, but the only reason I have been of value my whole life is because of my gift. I wanted him to see me, the real me. To love the real me."

  "But without the stone he can't?"

  She shook her head. "In one way I was right. He doesn’t value my gift, but that makes me completely useless to him. If I tried to tell him I was his mate, the memories of the witch who betrayed him would come back. He would think I was trying to repeat what she did to him. I am cursed.”

  Serena knew the words she should say. But they stayed in her head. Something told her this was not the time to reveal her full hand. She intended to give the stone to Tara, but not tonight. This Tara was kinder, more helpful. If she had the stone, she would have too much power over what was to come. Tara might persuade him to keep the secret if she gained immortality from Dòmhnall heart stone. Would she really want to spend forever with Serena as company? Serena was not sure enough to risk it.

  “Tara, don’t lose faith. Perhaps if you spend time with Dòmhnall, you can make him see you for what you are.”

  “Nothing. That is what I am to him.”

  “You don’t believe that.”

  She smiled. “The worst thing is, that I have grown to hate being able to see the future. It is exciting not to know what is about to happen. It makes me feel alive in a way I haven’t done for years. But to be hated by Dòmhnall kills me at the same time.”

  “Will you help Connor and me through the trials; will you give us all the advice we need? Perhaps once Dòmhnall sees that there is such a thing as true mates he will be more forgiving. Perhaps he will learn to care for you, to love you.”

  “I should say no, you are on your own. What is the point in helping you when there is nothing in it for me?”

  “Maybe that is the point. That you need to prove to yourself that true love, true mates, can overcome all else.”

  “I think it’s time for you to leave. They are coming for you. I would appreciate it if they did not find you in my room. I do not want to experience the wrath of the Dragon Lord.”

  Serena felt sick. She was scared of what was about to happen to her, and terribly afraid for Connor. How would he react when he found her gone?

  “Remember, he has to free you. Work together, that is the only way you will defeat Marcas.”

  “Thank you, Tara, and don't lose hope.”

  “It is you who should not lose hope. I have seen what is in store for you tomorrow. You need all the hope, and luck, you can muster.”

  “We will defeat him.”

  “A positive attitude, try and keep that with you when all seems lost.”

  “I’m so scared, Tara.”

  “And I am so tired. I need to rest, shut the door on your way out.”

  Serena had been dismissed, the meeting was over and she now had to go out and meet her fate. No sooner had she walked up the corridor when her fate came walking towards her. Two six-foot dragons, with hard expressions, and a coil of rope.

  Her excuse about fetching water died on her lips. They didn't care what she was doing there. She only hoped Connor wouldn’t kick up a fight when he returned to their room to find it empty.

  Chapter Sixteen - Connor

  He woke up, the bright sun hurting his eyes. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear Serena calling his name. He turned over, his face pressing into the dirt. Spitting dust out of his mouth, his brain tried to focus on what was wrong. It was obvious, there should not be dirt,
and he should be lying in bed next to Serena. His brain was so fogged up he could not think straight. Nothing made sense. He could not remember going to bed, yet here he was waking up.

  Sitting up, he spat the dirt out of his mouth. The sun made his head throb, and he had to squint while he tried to take in his surroundings. There were trees all around him, their branches waving in the breeze. The movement did nothing to keep him grounded. The world swayed, and his stomach lurched. The wine from last night tasted bitter in his throat. He had been drugged. Dòmhnall had tricked him, but why?

  Serena's voice called again, filled with urgency. Despite the pounding in his temples, he dragged himself to his feet. Unsteady at first, he gulped down air to clear his mind. Where was she? What had they done with his mate?

  "Connor," she called, and he turned around on the spot to try to locate where she was.

  Breathing deeply, he summoned his strength. His adrenalin began to kick in, and he took off towards her. Through a clearing, and into the cool forest, his senses honed in on her. He switched to using his other senses. Flaring his nostrils to capture her scent lingering in the air. He followed it, relieved when it grew stronger.

  As her cries increased, so did his speed. What had he done bringing her here to these strange dragons? He should have come alone, now she was in danger, and he was to blame.

  Bursting out of the trees, he came across Serena, tied to a post. Behind her a rocky gorge climbed up towards the sky, sitting on top of it was a dragon. Gathering his energy he let his mind go, if they wanted a fight, they would get it. To the death.

  "No, no, no." Dòmhnall appeared from Connor's left. Connor made his hand into a fist, ready to slam it into the side of the Dragon Lord's head.

  "What are you doing? Let her go!" he demanded.

  "Let's discuss this calmly first." Dòmhnall walked up to him, alone. No bodyguards, it would be so easy to end his life. Yet Connor could sense the others all around him, this was an ambush. One false move and he would be unconscious, or worse.

  "What do you want, Dòmhnall? A fight, because if it is, I'm ready."

  "A fight. Yes. But not how you think." He smiled, his eyes alight with humour. "Now, I remember this story that the humans tell, about their great St George and how he slayed a nasty dragon. You must know it, Connor."