Dragon's Mercy
5

Ryker pulls her toward the window as Nestor's dragon flies through the air.

"He seemed shocked that I had caught him."

"Just because he wasn't expecting you to catch him cheating doesn't mean he didn't help you disappear that day. Did you know him well?"

"No, I had only met him once. Our marriage was an arrangement by my father."

"I'm sure he helped your stepmother kill your father."

"Oh, I'm positive Nestor helped Elena kill my father. Nestor is known for his fighting abilities. It's one of the reasons my father chose him to be my future husband."

"Nestor's not that great of a fighter." Suddenly, another dragon from Nestor's flight shoots fire at the inn. "Maria, get down!" Ryker wraps his massive arms around her, protecting her body as he pulls her to the floor. "Maria! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. My biggest pain is your knee digging into my thigh."

He stands and pulls her up with him. Hot fire swirls around them as dragons destroy the hunters' village. "Damn! I hate that I can't shift!" He grasps the chain that binds their wrists, trying again to break them, but can't.

"We need to replace a way out of here."

A chill runs down her spine when Nestor's dragon's booming voice rumbles throughout the town. "Where is my fiance? Who has Maria?"

"You're right. Nestor is here to kill me." Rage like she's never known courses through her. "If Nestor wants a fight, I'll give him one. He cheated on me, helped kidnap me, killed my father and is trying to take over my dragon flight." She stomps to the door, dragging Ryker behind her.

He grips her waist and lifts her back against him. His grip is just painful enough to snap her out of her anger. "Maria, calm down and think! We're not strong enough to take his dragon on. The smartest plan is to stay out of sight since we can't shift into our dragons." He opens the door to the hall, but it's filled with smoke. "There's smoke everywhere! We need to jump out the window."

Dragons fly by their balcony as Ryker pulls her to the window at the front of their room. She looks down at the two-story drop. "Umm, how will we hide from the dragons?"

Ryker carefully looks out the window. "I don't see any dragons out front. If we go now, we'll be safe." She turns as the fire swirls around their room. "Jumping out the window is our best option. I promise I'll cushion your fall."

"I don't think we should jump. It's not worth risking the injury."

"Good point. How about you get on my back and I climb down? The chain's long enough for me to use my hands as you hold on."

"That's a great idea."

Ryker opens the window and they both climb outside onto the roof. The fire burns hotter, spreading further with each second. Ryker gets on his knees. She quickly climbs onto his muscular, wide back, wrapping her legs around his hips. "Hold on tight." She leans closer and grips his waist tighter. His abs clench when her fingers press into him. "I've got you, Maria." He grips the wood column by the front porch and slowly shimmies down it. When they get to the ground, he pulls her behind the bushes in front of the inn.

"Should I be concerned that you keep insisting I jump from very high places without my wings available?"

"You're still alive, aren't you?" His cute smirk makes her temporarily forget the danger around them. Their eyes hold. Then he leans in, kissing her so quickly that she wonders if she imagined it.

After a few moments, she pulls back. "Have you changed your mind about killing me for kissing you? Because I've got enough people who want me dead."

"Oh, I still want you dead. But kissing me isn't your worst offense."

A group of humans runs in front of the bushes toward the dragons. "Kill the beasts!"

Maria and Ryker duck deeper behind a bush as Nestor's dragon flies toward the front of the inn. The hunters shoot guns and arrows at him, but nothing penetrates his scales. Nestor shoots fire at the humans, killing them instantly. "This all stops as soon as someone tells me where my fiance is."

The woman Maria fought with earlier, shouts from inside a burning shack. "We did see a foreign woman, but she was with her husband." Maria's stomach drops when the girl describes her perfectly. "They were staying at the inn."

"Ryker, he's not going to give up until he replaces me."

"He's not going to touch you, Maria." Ryker grasps her hand, offering the woman his support. She holds it tightly, grateful he's on her side in this fight. "We need to get to the jail. The guards may have left their keys that could open our chains."

Nestor's dragon flies over the inn as they sneak into the jail. When they get inside, there are dozens of prisoners trapped in their cells. Ryker grabs the keys from the wall and tries to open the chains. "Fuck. None of them fit."

The prisoners shout at her and Ryker, begging them for release.

"Ryker, we need to let the prisoners out. They deserve a chance." He nods and begins to open the cells, releasing them.

"Maria, is that you?" Her father's most trusted advisor steps out of a cell. She rushes toward him and hugs him close. Two other dragon fighters from her flight follow.

"Crispin, what are you guys doing here?"

"When you disappeared two days ago, your father didn't believe you had run off. He searched high and low for you. I stayed back at the flight house, but your stepmother accused me of assisting you with your escape. She had Nestor's guards chain my team and I. The next thing I knew, I woke up here."

"Crispin, I'm going to kill Elena and take back our flight."

"You have our full support." Crispin's eyes widen as he takes a step closer to her. "With your father dead, you're now the dragon leader of our flight."

"Crispin, look at me. I'm chained to our enemy. I'm in no position to lead anything right now."

Crispin looks up at Ryder with disdain. The guards from her flight tense, ready to fight.

"I just saved your life by releasing you. Right now, the fight is outside, not with me."

"The fight is wherever we decide it is."

"Crispin, Ryker's been a prisoner this whole time too. We've tried to break the chains, but nothing works."

He grabs an axe and tries to break the chain, but it doesn't even chip. "We could always cut off his hand. Then you'd be free. It won't take but a second."

Ryker pushes Crispin and grabs the axe out of his hands. "Threaten me again and I'll cut your head off."

"Crispin, enough. Ryker's been helping me. He's not to be touched."

Crispin wants to argue, but he backs down instead. Ryker gives her a small nod of thanks before he turns back to the advisor figure. "I'm not coming after you and I swear I won't harm, Maria."

Suddenly, a dragon flies by, shooting fire at the jail. The cell erupts with flames.

"We need to get to the forest. The trees will hide us." Maria exclaims.

"Wait! I refuse to accept anyone but you as the leader of the Black Sun flight." To her surprise, Crispin gets on his knees and puts his hands over his heart. His guards follow suit. "Maria, I pledge my life and loyalty to you. Long live, Maria. Our dragon leader." Crispin and his guards' show of loyalty humbles her. She swallows back tears as the fire burns around her. They stand and face her.

"It's your birthright, Maria." Ryker notes.

"Thank you, Crispin. I'm honored to be your dragon leader. I accept your loyalty."

"And you offer yours in return?" They all stare at her, waiting to see what she'll decide.

"Dragons of the Black Sun flight, I humbly offer my loyalty to you. I promise to put the flight's needs before my own and to protect you with my life."

Crispin proudly nods at her. "You may only have three followers, but we're strong."

"We'll get our flight back from Elena, I swear it."

"I knew from the day you were born you'd make a great dragon leader."

"I haven't done anything great yet."

"You will." Everyone looks at Ryker, shocked by his compliment. "She's too stubborn to die."

"I have to be stubborn to put up with you. Now let's get to the forest."

They run outside and hide against the side of the jail. Crispin and his guards are right on their tail. Dragons fly overhead, hunting for her.

"Crispin, can you shift?"

Crispin and the other dragons all shake their heads with anger. "No. The fucking humans made us drink this..... elixir-potion thing. Now none of us can shift into our dragons. I hope it's not permanent."

"You're still a dragon, no matter what." She tells them.

"I don't recognize any of the other dragons besides Nestor's." Ryker cocks a brow.

"Which means they may not recognize us."

Ryker's jaw tense as he peeks his head around the jail toward the forest. "The dragons have moved west. We have a clearing."

As her and Ryker sneak out from behind the jail, a group of hunters also run out from a neighboring building running toward the forest. The woman from earlier spots Maria and sees her chain. "You dragon bitch! You're the cause of all of this!"

"Shut up, they're going to hear you!" Ryker shouts at her.

"Good! I want them to hear me. They said they'd leave us once they had her."

"Oh, you're really stupid if you believe that." Maria chimes in.

"I believe you deserve to die!" Suddenly a dragon turns back and starts flying toward them. "Hey!"

"Damn. She's going to get us all killed." Wanting to keep the noise minimal, Maria pulls out a knife and throws it at the woman. It hits her in the chest and falls to the ground, dead. "Nice hit, Maria." But it's too late. The dragon flies straight toward them. "Faster!" Ryker takes her hand, leading her toward the forest. The dragon shoots fire at them and he pulls her to the left as the fire just barely misses her head. She pulls out her bow and arrows, shooting at the dragon. "Aim for behind his ear!" He pulls out his gun and shoots, but the dragon turns before the bullets or arrows can graze him.

"Hey, over here!" Crispin runs past them, trying to draw the dragon's attention. The dragon follows him, shooting his fire at Crispin and the other freed prisoners from her flight.

Ryker pulls her toward the woods, but she hesitates when she sees Crispin struggling with the dragon. "He looks like he could use some help. What do you want to do, Maria?"

"We need to stay and kill that bastard." She narrows her eyes. "I just pledged them my loyalty. I can't go back on my word now."

"Then we'll help them, but we need to do it quickly before other dragons come."

Her and Ryker run over as the dragon lands on the ground and shoots fire at Crispin. He dodges it as the dragon keeps advancing.

"Ryker, he's going to kill him!"

"I'll draw his focus while you take him out." Ryker takes out his machete and slices the dragon's tail. The dragon turns on him with rage. "You don't scare me, dragon!" Ryker pulls her to the right as the dragon follows. She pulls out her bow and arrow and takes aim. "Now, Maria!" With a calm exhale, she lets go of the arrow.

It hits the dragon directly behind the ear. "Ahhhh!" The dragon falls to the ground, dead.

"Perfect hit."

"You saved us, Maria." A few more dragons fly toward them. "We're going to lead them west. You get out of here."

Once they're in the forest, Ryker pulls her from tree to tree, trying to stay hidden. Nestor's dragon lands in front of them with a loud thud. "Maria, I've been looking everywhere for you."

"You're a traitor and a killer, Nestor."

Nestor shifts back into his human form. Her stomach churns at the overexaggerated frown on his face. She leans closer to Ryker, who takes a protective step in front of her. Nestor glares at him. "Ryker, the head dragon of the Demon flight. I've been waiting a long time to kill you."

"I'm sure you had a hand in my kidnapping as well."

"No, but I wish I did."

"So it was just your fiancee that you kidnapped and turned over to be tortured and killed." Ryker nods.

"Shut up, Ryker!" The Demon flight dragon lord's hand tenses on his gun as Nestor laughs. "How sad that you have to resort to human weapons because you're too weak to shift."

"How sad that you're such a coward that you need me chained to kill me."

Nestor takes out a set of keys and Ryker takes an instinctive step toward him. "Maria, I'm not here to kill you. I have the key to your chains. I can set you free. I want you back. Marry me and let's merge our packs."

Her jaw drops with shock as Ryker tenses up next to her. "Oh, you're insane."

"This is all a misunderstanding." Nestor steps toward her, but Ryker pulls her back, protecting her with his body.

"You cheated on me with my stepmother!"

"It was a moment of weakness and I promise never to do it again."

"I heard you were marrying her!"

"We did announce it, but she's such a mean bitch. I knew I had to replace you and marry you instead."

"But you also assisted in my kidnapping."

"I had no choice! Elena said you'd tell your father everything and he'd kill us."

"So you had Maria's father killed instead?" Ryker growls.

"It's not my fault! Elena arranged it all." Nestor dangles the keys before her. "Agree to marry me and I'll set you free. Otherwise, I'll have to kill you and Ryker."

"I hate you, Nestor. I'll never marry you."

"So you'd rather stay chained to your enemy than come and marry me?"

"Yes. I'll replace a way out of these chains, but I'll never escape the shame of marrying a worthless dragon like you."

Nestor sneers and spits in her direction. "Fuck off. I'll be sitting pretty owning your dragon flight while you both die."

"You never were smart enough to lead on your own, that's why your flight wanted to merge with mine. My role was supposed to be the brains, while you were going to be the brawn."

"You whore! Your father had to beg me to marry you!"

Ryker punches Nestor before he can utter another word. Nestor falls to the ground as the keys go flying. "You're both dead!" He shifts into his dragon.

"Maria, watch out!" Ryker slashes Nestor with his machete as the dragon shoots fire at him. Suddenly, a group of dragon hunters run at Nestor's dragon, shooting arrows at him. "Come on, Maria. I see the keys!" He picks up the keys as Nestor fights off the hunters, then he pulls her deeper into the forest.

After running and making sure they're safely away from Nestor, Ryker inserts the key and the chains finally come off. "Oh, my God. I never thought I'd feel my wrists again." She looks at Ryker and holds his gaze as she ignores the feeling of dread she has of leaving him. "Well, looks like this is goodbye."

Suddenly, Ryker grabs her wrist and pulls her hard against him. Her nostrils flare and her insides quiver as his musky scent engulfs her. "No, this isn't goodbye. We're just getting started, Maria."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're coming home with me."

"No, I'm not. I'm going to my land to take back my dragon flight."

"Alone, against your stepmother and Nestor? Elena will kill you as soon as you step foot on your land."

"And your land is safer? You admitted you were planning to either kill me or lock me in your dungeon."

"You know who's behind your kidnapping, but I don't know who's behind mine. Right now, you're the only person I can absolutely rule out. I need your help, Maria." She stares up into Ryker's dangerously handsome face as anxiety runs through her veins. "I'll guarantee your safety, Maria."

"That's impossible. We're enemies, Ryker! Your guards will kill me on sight."

"Not if you join my flight as my wife and become our head dragoness."