Lord of Life (The Dragon Demigods Book 4) Read online

  I’m screaming.

  I won’t lie. I’m afraid. Terrified. I’m also angry. Angry because I can’t do anything to stop this. Furious because I got us into this. I turn my head to the female centaurs. Gaia was against this part of their plan happening right away. Maybe I can reason with her. One of the males has changed into centaur form. He’s on top of Gaia. I taste bile when I realize what they are doing. One of the men is shifting. The other female is presenting her rear. This is sick. I lose my grip on my pants, and they are yanked down. His cock is hard against my ass. I’m fighting as hard as I can. It isn’t enough. Not nearly. I look for the fourth male, he has his hand on his cock. He’s stroking himself, his hand moving up and down his shaft. His lips are pulled back in a sneer. He’s going to get off on watching me being raped. If I reach for my ankle holster now, I’ll give myself away. I need to wait until this bastard is inside me. Until both men are so caught up in their sexual pleasure that they are no longer paying attention. Then I can make my move. The thought of letting this happen sickens me. If I want to kill one or two of them before I go, it is the only way. I redouble my efforts anyway. He is using his leg to pry mine open. He is so damned strong. I’m losing this battle. He’s—

  Two shots ring out. Then three more quickly follow. The centaurs scatter like dry leaves in a gust of wind. The one trying to rape me collapses to the ground. Gaia is holding her chest. Blood spurts from between her fingers. Her eyes are wide. Her mouth too.

  Andy.

  I pull my pants up and grab my ankle pistol. It’s a low caliber, not designed to take a centaur down, but at close range, it will do the job.

  The asshole who almost raped me is trying to stand. He has blood on his shoulder. I shoot him in the head. He falls back as his eyes go blank. Two down. I manage to hit the rump of another male and the neck of the remaining female. She goes down too. That’s three down and one wounded.

  More shots are fired. It must be Andy. Another centaur collapses. The female I hit in the neck has turned, and she’s charging me. Another shot is fired, and she falls down at my feet, blood spurting from her mouth. I notice that she’s been shot in the side of her chest. She’s gurgling, choking on her own blood. I walk up to her. “What did you give the harpy?” I ask.

  The centaur bitch smiles at me. Her teeth are red with blood. She coughs, and some of it trickles down her chin.

  “What did you give her in return for us?” I give her a kick and hear a rib break.

  She moans, her eyes clouding in pain. Her wounds aren’t gushing with blood anymore. Centaurs have very quick healing capabilities. If I leave her, she might well make a full recovery. I have no intention of leaving her. I shoot her in the meaty upper part of her back leg.

  She screams in pain. The bullet makes a nice little hole, which spurts blood. “This is a low caliber weapon. I can shoot you countless times before you’ll die from the blood loss. We can go at this for hours. I’m offering you a quick death in return for information. What did you give her?”

  The centaur looks unsure for a moment. I aim my gun at her shoulder.

  “No!” she yells between gasps. “No more. Food. I told her where to find food.”

  “Food?” I frown. “What do you mean?”

  “I’m not saying anything more.” Her eyes get this resolute look.

  I’ve dawdled too long. I need to help Andy. I deliver a kill shot by shooting her in the head at point-blank range. These things are tough as nails. Her body jerks and then stills.

  There is one male left. I don’t know where he is exactly. Since he’s not here, I assume he’s stalking Andy. I know he would never leave his herd, dead or alive. Not until he has revenge. I say a silent prayer for Andy’s safety. The odds are far more in our favor now. They were so damned sure that Andy had been captured. Their overconfidence was their downfall. We can be lucky that asshole was more intent on raping me than checking me for another weapon. More of that arrogance.

  By the bullet trajectory that killed Gaia, and the shots fired at the others, I am pretty sure I know where Andy is holed up. There’s a large stack of drums on the far side of the warehouse. This place is full of junk no one has used in years. There are plenty of hiding places. I have to be careful.

  I head for the drums. I need to help Andy take this asshole down. My heart is racing. I have my gun ready. I inch my way around the stack. There is a downed centaur on the floor. He has a hunting knife sticking out of his right eyeball. It seems like this particular herd was quick to underestimate us. Thank God, or we wouldn’t be alive now.

  I inch my way around a makeshift corner. I have to hold back a laugh when I see the last centaur starting to climb the drums. These creatures are not made for climbing. Running, fighting, killing…yes. Climbing…not so much. I’m almost tempted to watch him, but Andy is sitting with his back to us. The centaur is determined. We got the upper hand over this situation because they underestimated us. I’m not about to make the same mistake.

  This centaur must have gotten away during the last shootout. Andy must have lost sight of him. I frown. Not like Andy at all. I’ll have to tease him about getting sloppy. About being off his game. I see my partner tracking the warehouse floor, sweeping from left to right with his weapon. With all the junk in here, there are plenty of hiding places. He doesn’t realize he’s about to be ambushed himself.

  It’s my turn to give back and fix some of this mess I created. The centaur is slow but making progress. I aim and fire, hitting him square in the back. Red blossoms at the entry point. The centaur, still in human shape, jerks but keeps climbing. I shoot again…twice, both bullets hitting home on his torso.

  At this point, Andy turns, his eyes widen in shock. Then he shoots the centaur in the face. I see the back of the creature’s head explode in a spray of brains and blood. He falls to the floor, eyes wide and unseeing.

  “Are you okay?” Andy asks; he’s breathing heavily.

  “Yes! You?”

  He nods once.

  “I’m going to check to make sure they’re all dead,” I say. “I need to find my Glock. One of them took it from me.”

  He nods once, holstering his gun. Andy starts to make his way down.

  I put a bullet in the skull of the one Andy stabbed. You can never be too sure. I go straight to Gaia and do the same with her. Once I’m satisfied, I holster my pistol and begin the search for my gun. I find a pile of clothing and items in the far corner. There are purses, wallets, jackets, and other miscellaneous items. The clothing is ripped up and bloody. I shudder thinking of the people these things must have belonged to. The centaurs’ victims. We won’t be able to process the scene. In fact, we need to get the hell out of here before the police show up.

  “All dead?” Andy asks. He has a sheen of sweat on his brow.

  “Yep.” I give him a tap on the side of his arm. “You saved us. I’m so damned sor—”

  “Let’s get out of here.” He smiles. “I’ll let you apologize plenty for this…trust me. I won’t let you live this one down,” he says, picking up a slow jog to the warehouse door. He pushes the door open, checking both ways before gesturing for me to follow.

  “I’m going to get her,” I vow; there’s a growl to my voice.

  “That’s another thing you have coming your way.” He glances back at me. “Plenty of ‘I told you so’s’,” he chuckles. Andy trips and falls to one knee.

  I laugh softly. “You’re getting old.” It’s a running joke between us on account that Andy turned thirty last month. He’s old. I’ll still be in my twenties for another two whole years. Young.

  He chuckles and tries to get to his feet but falls again.

  “Andy!” I can hear the shock in my voice. I’m frowning heavily. “Are you okay?” I grip him by the arm.

  “It’s just a flesh wound,” he says.

  No!

  He tries to get up a third time, he’s using me for support, but he still can’t make it to his feet. “Morgs,” he grunts my name, so
unding unsure.

  “It’s not a flesh wound.” My voice is shrill. “Show me.”

  He shakes his head. “I’m fine.”

  “Show me!” I practically yell.

  He peels back his jacket. His chest is bloody. There’s a lot of the stuff. Too much. Andy touches a hand to the blood. “Fucker jabbed me with a steel rod,” he manages to push out. “Help me to my feet.”

  Andy is breathing heavily. His face is pale. Not just pale, it’s ashen.

  “Andy,” I whisper. “Shit!” I hook an arm around his body and begin to half drag, half carry him to the car. “Hold on,” I grit out. “Do you hear me?”

  He groans something unintelligible.

  “You can do this.” I let him go as we reach the vehicle, and he falls against my car, sliding down into a heap on the ground.

  I yank the back door open and somehow manage to wrestle him up and onto the back seat. He’s breathing fast and shallow. I see large spatters of blood on the cement floor.

  No!

  I pull off my jacket and put it in his hand, scrunching it up over the wound. “Try to apply pressure. You need to stop the bleeding. You fight!” I swallow thickly as I close the door. Then I jump in behind the wheel and gun it. I’m wishing I could turn back the clock. Andy is strong. He’s a fighter. He can beat this. He will beat this!

  2

  A week later…

  Lyre

  What the fuck did I do?

  I can’t believe I would be so stupid.

  I can’t!

  Forge and Night aren’t here yet. I pace towards the window, my eyes on the horizon. This view normally calms me. Even when I’m having the worst of days. It isn’t working right now.

  I hear a car pull up outside and doors open and close. I hear them walking towards the house and then climbing the stairs. I feel physically ill. I made promises I won’t be able to keep.

  They walk into the room. Forge first and then Night. Forge frowns as soon as he sees me. He cocks his head, scrutinizing me. “That bad?” he grunts.

  I push a breath out through my nose and nod. They’re not going to be happy.

  “Fuck!” Night growls. “Is everyone here?” he asks, looking around the room. His jaw is tense, as are his shoulders. He looks at me, locking gazes with me. I can see that he is tempted to ask me what’s going on. I called them both earlier, specifically asking that they attend this meeting since this will affect them so acutely.

  I can’t believe I fucked up so badly.

  I run a hand through my hair. Samuel yawns loudly, he is bleary-eyed. Jarrod and Stephan are sipping espressos. Bolt is dressed in a three-piece suit. He looks at his watch. I can see that he is agitated. “Can we get started?” he asks. “I have somewhere I need to be right now.”

  Rage saunters in, that perpetual scowl on his face. He grabs a muffin – I don’t know why he bothers since I doubt he will eat the thing. He sits at the far side of my long dining-room table.

  “We’re still waiting on Trident,” I say. “Why don’t you grab a couple of coffees?” I want to get this over with, but I’m dreading it.

  Forge grunts. He looks at the coffee machine but makes no move to fetch himself anything. He opens and closes his fists a couple of times and then rolls his neck. He looks like he’s ready to kill someone.

  I hear Night grind his teeth. When I look over at him, his eyes are blazing. He’s buzzing with nervous energy. We all just sit or stand around like that until I finally turn back to the view. I don’t take any of it in. My mind is in turmoil. It takes a full ten minutes before Trident strolls in. I wish I could be as carefree.

  “Morning, morning!” he calls in a sing-song voice. He’s grinning until he catches our expressions. The room scents of testosterone. Then he frowns. “I’m not late, am I? Great…pastries!” He grabs a plate, which he piles high. Then he pours himself a glass of orange juice. “Did I miss something?” His eyes narrow.

  “Take a seat.” I point at a chair.

  Trident puts a whole pastry into his mouth and begins chewing. “Are you okay, bro?” he asks, talking around his food.

  “No.” I shake my head. How do I even begin? “I’m not okay at all.” I run a hand through my hair and pace away, trying to think of a way to break this news to them. There is only one way, and that’s to just tell them. No sugar-coating. No beating around any bushes. I need to pull off the Band-Aid. I turn, my eyes on Forge and Night more than anyone else. “I lost my power.”

  Forge blinks a few times, and Night’s mouth drops open. “What do you mean you lost your power?” Forge’s voice is calm, which unnerves me.

  “I mean, it’s gone.” I’m such a stupid fucking asshole!

  “Your power can’t just be gone,” Bolt says, making a face.

  “It is. I’ve checked it several times over the last few days. I nearly lost a patient a few days ago during a routine surgery that went amiss…” I sigh. I’m still not sure how I brought him back. Although I rely on my power, I’m still a damn good surgeon. “All I know is when I try to summon it…I get nothing. I’ve tried twice – just to test myself – and…nothing.” I shake my head. “My power’s gone. There’s absolutely nothing there.” I don’t feel it anymore. I’m empty.

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” Forge growls.

  I need to tell them everything. I need to come completely clean.

  “What happened?” Forge asks, his voice softer. “Something must have happened to cause this.”

  “I don’t know.” I shake my head. It’s true, I don’t. Not really. My memory is foggy.

  “Come on,” Night snaps. “There has to be something. What did you do? What happened?” He pushes his chair back but doesn’t stand. His eyes are still blazing.

  Bolt stands up. “You called us to an emergency meeting for this?” he spits out.

  “It’s a big fucking deal!” I growl, feeling myself bristle. I don’t know what’s crawled up Bolt’s ass, but he needs to watch himself.

  “It’s bad, but I wouldn’t say it’s an emergency,” Bolt says, shrugging like it’s nothing. “Surely, it could have waited until the weekend. You could have texted us in the meanwhile.”

  “It’s a fuck-up,” Night says. “Firstly, Bolt, you could be next. How would you like to lose your power?”

  My thoughts exactly.

  Bolt shrugs. “I’ve used it a handful of times. I don’t see how my ability to shoot lightning from my hands will help anyone, least of all myself. If anything, it’s a hazard. I might lose out on a fifty-million-dollar deal because this couldn’t wait.” He’s scrolling on his phone, which he puts down on the table to glare at Night.

  “Not everything is about you,” Night barks. “Lyre is supposed to help Ava and Shannon with their pregnancies. He’s supposed to be their safety net if something goes wrong…which it might.” Night runs a hand through his hair, looking scared shitless. I don’t blame him. There are so many things that could go wrong with these pregnancies. I don’t say anything. I need to make this right.

  “Then he should have called this little meeting with the two of you,” Bolt bites back, deadpan. He’s acting like a jerk. “The rest of us didn’t need to be here. I’m sorry about your powers, Lyre, but I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation.” He doesn’t look sorry at all.

  “Don’t be such a fucking prick!” Night snarls.

  “Hold up.” Forge stands. “Lyre is clearly upset about this. Night’s right, it is troubling. Some of us rely on our powers.” I don’t like the way Forge is fisting his hands. It looks like he’s itching for a fight. A punch-out won’t solve anything.

  “You?” Bolt snorts. “You didn’t even know you had a power until recently and, correct me if I’m wrong, you haven’t been able to use it again since saving your girlfriend.”

  “My mate! We’re married, asshole!” Forge snarls, taking a step towards Bolt. “I’m not talking about myself here. It’s not always about number one.”

  Samuel yawns
loudly as he stands. “This bickering is irritating.” He waves his hand in Bolt’s direction.

  Bolt’s eyes widen. “Don’t you dare! Don’t you—” Before he can finish, he falls to the floor in a heap. He’s fast asleep, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.

  “Thank you.” Rage rubs his temples. His right eye twitches.

  “What the hell is up with him?” Jarrod points at Bolt. He doesn’t wait for an explanation.

  “I happen to like my power,” Rage rasps. “I, for one, wouldn’t want to lose it. We would be weaker as a brotherhood. More susceptible. There must be an explanation, Lyre. Tell us your theory. I’m sure you have one.” Surprisingly, he picks up his muffin and takes a small bite.

  Everyone turns to look at me.

  I push out a breath. “There is only one thing that I can think of that might have affected my powers.”

  Might have.

  Not hardly.

  There is only one thing.

  “What would that be?” Trident asks, putting another pastry in his mouth and raising his brows.

  “Tell us,” Jarrod urges. “We can’t help if we don’t know.”

  Bolt gives a soft snore as he readjusts his position on the floor. He’s curled up in a fetal position. Serves him right. I’m just glad they didn’t fight. I don’t have time to redecorate.

  “Please, someone remind me to get a video of him before we leave,” Tri chuckles, pointing at Bolt. Then he clears his throat. “You were saying, Lyre?” He turns his attention back to me.

  Best I get this over with. “I brought a woman home last Saturday. We spent the night together. She was gone in the morning. I didn’t catch her last name. I have no idea who she is. All I know is that my power is gone. It must have something to do with her.” I wrack my brain, running through the events of that night. “I can’t think of anything else.” There is no other explanation. I know it was her.