The Witch And The Dragon Ch 18

It had been almost a full moon cycle since Lucien had freaked out and forced them to leave mama Goose's home. Apparently, they

had been found and needed to flee.

Exactly

who

had found them was still a mystery to Alluna, but she did notice that Lucien stuck closely to Eriel's side and was constantly looking over his shoulder, shying away from reflective surfaces and dark shadows.

The second day into their Northbound journey, they stopped at a roadside tavern. Alluna was hungry and refused to eat one more roasted rodent.

Zakreel shifted to accompany her inside, leaving Lucien, Eriel and the caged vampire out in the shadows.

"How long do you plan on keeping that vampire under lock and key?"

Zakreel shook his head, giving her a sad look over his shoulder. "We can't set him loose. He's out of his mind. I've been feeding him from my dragon's blood, but he needs to go to his home planet to heal. Once there, it'll only be a matter of months."

As Alluna digested that bit of information, she followed him past the swinging doors to the tavern. The scent of stale alcohol, smoke, sweat, and cheap perfume filled her nostrils. There was also the aroma of food that made her hungry. The interior of the dilapidated building was made of grayed wood. Alluna felt her boots stick to the mucky floor. She cringed when she heard one of her heels accidentally squish a bug that had inadvertently scurried into her path.

The interior was dim, but she was aware of the interested stares of the patrons.

Alluna's eyes grew wide as she took in the array of ginormous, barbaric warriors watching her. She scooted closer to Zakreel, clutching his arm. He patted her hand reassuringly, but she wasn't convinced. Some of the men had arms as big as tree trunks and they all carried swords, axes, and pronged clubs.

Zakreel approached the rickety bar, nonplussed and ordered a tankard of ale for himself and a bowl of stew for Alluna.

A few long moments later, it seemed to Alluna, her food was placed before her along with Zakreel's ale.

"Eat quickly, lass," he murmured just before taking a deep slug of his ale.

She spooned the stew, which was surprisingly good, into her mouth. It was hot and smarted her tongue, but she sensed Zak's growing tension at the silence around them.

"Hey, you're a dragon shifter, ain't ya?" a deep gruff voice said behind them.

When Alluna looked up, Zakreel shook his head at her. "Finish up, lass."

She'd lost her appetite by now but obeyed the golden weredragon.

"My battle-dragon was slain this morning. I could use a new one... as well as a pretty piece of ass to warm me at night."

The other warriors snickered.

Alluna choked on the last spoonful of stew and stared in horror at Zakreel.

"Well, hell, Brock. If ya don't want the

female

then, the rest of us will be more than happy to share her."

The laughter turned raucous.

Zakreel clenched his fist on the counter as his arm drew around Alluna's waist. "I'm going to hold you close as I shift, lassie," he told her in a low voice. "Don't be afraid. I've done this before."

"There you are, you son-of-an-Orgward," someone shouted from the left.

Everyone turned to regard the newcomer. The tall man wore a hooded cape leaving only his face and hands bare.

He stabbed a finger in Zakreel's direction. "I'm going to kill you. You've ruined me. Five thousand credits for a quick fuck and you left me and my crew crawling with Space Liechies. Look..." He opened his cape a bit and a long bloodied appendage fell to the floor. Little bugs crawled away from the rotted meat, and a few flew away. "Oh, my dick. It's finally fallen off," the male wailed.

Chairs and tables were overturned as the barbarians in the tavern stampeded out. Even the barmaids and owner scrambled away screeching in terror.

Alluna felt sick and buried her face against Zakreel's back, but he suddenly moved.

"Remuel, ya bastard. Where have ya been?" Zakreel exclaimed joyfully.

To Alluna's surprise, they hugged, laughing loudly. The other male's hood fell back, revealing a head of glossy blood-red hair. "I've been stuck in Dragotulia."

Zakreel's eyes widened. "What?"

The red-haired male nodded, eyes wide. "It really exists. The queen of the vampires has the key to the portal. But that doesn't matter, Zak. I need to find one of my sons. There's this prophecy, two royal princes, twins, are going to be involved in saving our universe from destruction. They come from my bloodline."

Alluna stepped out from behind Zak to study the man closer. He stopped talking to stare at her.

She swallowed convulsively. He seemed familiar.

"Ah, Rem. This is Alluna. I think one of my randy boys bedded her. She smells like kin."

Remuel extended his hand to her, eyes wide, drinking her in.

Alluna placed her hand in his and then gasped when he bent and licked her knuckles. "Alluna. Enchanted to meet you, my dear."

She drew her hand back and tucked it behind her hip to wipe the wetness from it on her dress. "Hello," she whispered shyly.

"We're taking her to Lumar."

"What for?" the weredragon asked keeping his green-gold eyes on her.

"She's the princess."

Now Remuel looked at Zakreel. "A human princess. Do you not think the old king will be a bit miffed at his young princess being returned heavy with child?"

Zakreel puffed his chest out, clearly affronted. "She's pregnant with Golds. That's a high honor."

Remuel grinned. "After all the whoring I've seen you do, I think not, Zakreel."

The golden weredragon snorted.

"Remuel?"

Alluna turned to see Eriel poking his head through the swinging doors of the tavern.

"I don't believe it. If it isn't the randiest reaper ever created. Eriel, how the hell have ya been?"

Eriel darted inside to kiss and hug the red weredragon.

Lucien, who had followed him in, snorted in disgust and stalked a few feet away.

Remuel caught sight of him and began to growl, fire appearing on his skin.

"Rem, it's okay," Zakreel said gripping his arm. "It's little Luke."

The red weredragon's mouth fell open. "What?"

He took a step toward Lucien, but stopped abruptly when Lucien opened his wings and hissed at the red-haired weredragon.

Alluna took a step back as well.

Zakreel stepped up beside Remuel. "He's been enslaved by the demons."

"How the fuck?" Remuel gasped.

Zakreel opened his mouth, but Lucien interrupted him. "After I was abandoned on Earth, A sadistic, devil-worshiping bastard stole me away." His face twisted with hatred. "I knew nothing but abuse and torture until my eighteenth birthday. I was approached by a Dominatio and a devil. One offered me a divine sword and asked me to find it in my heart to forgive everything that was done to me." Lucien snorted in derision. "The other offered me Lucifer's sword and a chance at taking revenge on the man that raped me for years. Guess what I fucking opted for, asshole."

Remuel shook his head and turned to Zakreel. "No. Please tell me this is a lie, Zakreel. Little Luke is a demon? I held his squirming, bloody little body when he was born." The red weredragon looked at his palms as though remembering it all.

Alluna bit her lip, feeling pity well up inside her at the thought of Lucien as a sweet innocent newborn.

Zakreel put his hand on Remuel's shoulder. "He's bitter and has plenty of reason to be filled with hatred, but the demons abused him as well. He isn't evil, brother. There's hope for him yet."

Lucien laughed bitterly. "Hope? Hope for me? Let me tell you something, fuckers. Just because I want to screw the demons over by not letting them free Lucifer doesn't mean I still don't want to kill Devon."

"Blasphemy," Remuel sputtered. "Why the devil would you kill your twin?"

Lucien sneered, one tear rolling down his cheek. "Because we're cursed. Our father was cursed, and we don't belong here. I know that the angel that frees Lucifer will come from Davariel's bloodline. If we die, then the prophecy will be broken." He wiped the tear from his face in anger. "Now let's get moving. I want the girl back with her father before the demons find us again."

They traveled north during the cover of night and took refuge in caves during the day, because Lucien refused to close his eyes in the dark and the vampire, Drakken couldn't be transported in sunlight. The weredragons shifted into their beastly forms, the gold always carrying the cage with the vampire. Remuel had taken to carrying Alluna in his claws, pressed close to his chest to keep her warm. Eriel and Lucien flew side by side between the two dragons.

On the fourth day, the sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon when Alluna rose from her sleeping palate. She tiptoed to a hot water spring that bubbled up at the back of the cave they slept in to bathe before the others awakened.

Quickly divesting herself of her clothing, she stepped into the steaming water. It reached her waist so she sat on a boulder toward the middle of the pool. Her hands smoothed over her rounded belly. Milk dripped from her breasts and she proceeded to caress and squeeze them. It relieved the pressure and swelling. Again, she remembered lips suckling her... remembered kneeling to take him in her mouth and suck as well, her mouth filling with hot milky sweetness...

A soft sound had her turning in fright. Lucien stood behind her. She jumped to her feet to face him. His eyes swept down her body.

"You still love him, don't you?"

She backed away a step, glaring at him as the familiar ache twisted her insides. "I don't know who you're talking about."

Lucien gripped her wrist and proceeded to sit on the boulder she'd just vacated. "I've had many lovers in the past... women who I used and who used me. No one ever loved me." His hand palmed her belly and she jerked back, but he held her wrist firmly. His ice-blue eyes rose to hers. "Sometimes I wonder what it would feel like."

Alluna stared at him. "Feel like? What are you talking about?"

Lucien's eyes lowered to her belly and continued to caress it. "Devon remembered what it was like for us—with Luciel and Davariel. But, it's like living someone else's dreams. I don't remember a thing. I don't know what it's like. They said they loved me, but... I've never been someone's special someone. I've always wondered what it would feel like," he mused in a small voice as if he were merely talking to himself.

She knelt before him, feeling her heart twist with pity and touched his cheek. He closed his eyes and clasped her palm, rubbing against it like a cat. He turned his face and kissed the center and then she felt his tongue dart out and lick.

She gasped in surprise and tried to draw her hand away. His eyes opened and she saw the desperate desire in them.

"Wait. Please. It's been so long since I've been touched without expecting some horrendous torture."

Her eyes widened at his words and she cringed when he drew her hand lower, over his chest and abs.

"Please," he whispered again, bringing her hand to his cock.

"No," she exclaimed trying to pull her hand away.

He wrapped her fingers around his erection, imprisoning them within his larger, stronger hand, and began to stroke his length.

Alluna whimpered, feeling the heat of his cock pump through her fist. She felt appalled by his actions and panicked when he gripped the back of her neck and drew her closer to his straining staff.

"I know no one will ever love me..." he panted, "But just say it. Make believe you do. I don't care if it's a lie. Let me pretend for a few moments. Tell me you love me."

"Lucien, please stop. I can't"

"Just close your eyes. Say it."

Alluna closed her eyes, but in horror, knowing he was ready to cum, and it would be all over her face.

The vision of her golden angel filled her mind... the shimmering blond waves of his hair, sapphire eyes, dimpled smile, and heavily muscled body. With a gasp, she opened her eyes to see him standing over her. Zak. Master.

"Tell me you love me, Alluna."

"M-master?" A sob tore from her throat and she closed her eyes in confusion. It was a trick. Lucien was playing his mind tricks on her.

"Tell me you love me," he demanded.

"No, please..." she begged. "I only want my master. I love—"

His broken cry of completion as well as hot spurts falling against her cheeks and mouth had her halting her blathering.

Her eyes snapped open to stare in dismay at Lucien, his muscles straining as the last drops of his cum bathed her face and breasts.

With a cry of frustrated fury, she pushed him away.

He fell with a splash and she remained cupping handfuls of water onto her face and into her mouth to remove the traces of his spent lust in disgust.

When done, she glared at the spot where he'd disappeared and frowned. The water bubbled and roiled. Why hadn't he come back up? It wasn't that deep.

Rising, she peered into the dark water trying to see him, but it was completely black and only her worried expression stared back at her.

She saw movement and he suddenly popped his head out.

"Help me," he screamed, but something pulled him back under.

Alluna shrieked and Eriel, Remuel, and Zakreel appeared at the edge of the pool.

"Something has him," she shouted frantically. "It's dragged him under."

Eriel dove in. Zakreel ran out and seconds later a bright glow blinded Alluna. Zakreel had shifted into dragon form.

The dragon's tail slithered into the water, looking like liquid gold. He backed up until his rump was almost in the water. For a moment, Alluna feared she would be crushed under the dragon's hide, but he began to move forward when her back hit the far wall in the pool. His flank was mere inches from her nose.

The dragon pulled his tail up—the end wrapped around Eriel and Lucien. Remuel splashed into the pool and yanked her out as well.

Alluna stared horrified and shivering at Lucien. Bleeding cuts, as well as bites and claw marks littered his flesh. Remuel threw a blanket over her while Zakreel and Eriel did the same for Lucien.

"They've found us again," he coughed blood. "We can't keep running. The girl must be taken to her father. She'll be safer there... away from us."

***

Zak stretched his wings out, finally accustomed to their overwhelming weight. Anniel had kept in touch with him and Seth, telling them that a few people had seen a group of travelers heading north under the cover of night; two dragon shifters, a reaper, a devil and a girl with dark skin and golden eyes.

Zak wondered who accompanied her, but whoever it was, they seemed to be protecting her and were obviously headed to Lumar's kingdom. They were three days ahead of them.

Remi and Rowie had traveled to the southern regions before going the eastern islands. Now that they knew Alluna was headed north, they headed back to find Zak and Seth. Anniel went up North ahead of them with a pack of wolves that were helping her locate Alluna.

Seth sensed Alluna close, but he wasn't powerful enough to pinpoint her exact whereabouts. He was also afraid of pushing his power out too strongly and alerting the Arborian Master Guardians

King Lumar is recruiting more warriors—

Anniel informed Zak and Seth.

"Rem and Row should be here any moment," Zak stated packing his weapons and clothing onto his Ballan. The enormous gryphon like beasts snorted and pawed at the ground impatiently, mirroring Zak's mood.

Seth sighed. "I guess we're going to have to join the king's army. On this planet, the princesses are always given to the fiercest warriors to keep them safe. You're definitely going to have to be in the king's good graces to be able to get near her." Seth grinned. "You're going to have to ask her daddy for her hand."

"Shut up, Seth. She's probably showing by now. I know I'd want to kill the fucker who screwed my girl and left her pregnant."

"But you didn't leave her."

"We know that, but God knows what they filled her head with after erasing her memory of me." Zak ran a hand through his hair in frustration before rolling his shoulders. The weight of his black wings still overwhelmed him. They were hot too and he constantly kept them pressed together off his back to let the air circulate. Seth often claimed it looked as if his wings were praying. He caught the weretigri staring often and wondered of Seth was still pining away for Amaranth.

He was just about to ask when a "we're back," pierced the silence around them.

Remi slid a sleek

Silver Whisper

next to them. The two-person transport hovered silently over the ground. It looked almost like an Edenian motorcycle, sans the wheels.

Seth scowled. "Where the hell did you get that?"

"I traded it for a diamond," Remi answered looking insulted.

Seth glared at him. "And where the hell did you steal a diamond from?"

Rowie rolled her eyes and Remi huffed in indignation. "I didn't steal any diamond. I did this..."

He strode over to the side of the road and grabbed a big black rock. His hands ignited and he pressed his palms together over the rock. When the fire finally faded, he opened his palms with a proud grin. He held a sparkling diamond in his hands.

He tossed it to Rowie. "Here, babe. Another one for the collection."

Zak snorted. "Geez. And here we were roughing it."

Remi chuckled. "We've already had two houses. I was going to get a cruiser, but it's not allowed past the eastern border." He strode back to his Silver Whisper and retrieved a dark green cube. "I've got this though."

"And what the hell is that?" Seth asked.

Remi grinned mischievously. "You'll see tonight when we camp out. I figure it's about four more days of traveling until we reach Lumar's kingdom."

Zak strode over to Rowie and kissed her cheek. "How're you holding up?" he asked smoothing his hand over her pregnant belly. It wiggled and rolled beneath his palm, mesmerizing him.

"I still haven't gotten used to all the action in there. I'm really anxious to get this whole pregnancy thing done and over with," she sighed, looking tired.

Every protective, dominant instinct in Zak rose as he scowled at her. "If you were mine, you'd be back at Alpha, on your back, in bed."

Rowie scowled back at him. "Well that's why Remi is my man and not you."

His face flushed, and he stepped back. "Sorry. I didn't mean... it's just..."

Rowie touched his arm. "I'm sorry, Goliath. I didn't mean to get snippy with you."

Remi stepped behind Rowie and wrapped his arm around her belly. "Easy there, baby-girl. Blondie needs to get used to snippy pregnant women. Now let's cut all this shit and go get Luna."

Zak nodded and strode back to his Ballan. When Seth mounted his own Ballan, they headed north, toward the ridge of mountains in the distance.

***

Alluna held on to the saddle horn before her. Around her waist was a thickly muscled arm.

Once again, she found herself confused with a large void of memories missing from her thoughts.

She turned to look into the general's face. His ice-blue eyes stared ahead from behind his metal mask. Big horns rose from the mask making him look foreboding. The breeze blew his black cape and blond locks back, and the heat of his thighs cradled her ass.

He frowned. "Don't look at me that way."

"In what way?"

His eyes lowered to hers briefly before fixing on the road ahead of them. "Like I'm the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. It makes me want to fuck you."

Alluna flushed and turned away hastily. Her hand rose to her belly and for the thousandth time, she wondered if he had been the one to plant a baby there. She couldn't remember anything and bit her lip.

"Did... did he love me?"

"Who?" General Luke snapped.

Alluna rubbed her belly, her vision growing blurry.

The general snorted. "Love is for the weak," he hissed in her ear, his voice full of contempt. "What has love done for you, Alluna? Filled your heart with sorrow and your belly with a bastard child."