Taming Her Beastly Mate
Chapter 66

It had now been over a week of searching day and night. But they still had not found Ryker. Darkness was on the move and it was unraveling and moving closer towards them. Aken and Levi sensed this and were both on edge. Ryker was their friend and they would keep searching. They weren’t going to give up on him.

Jasper had been tracking Ryker and managed to get to an area with connecting streams. This was where he lost the trail. There was something about the streams that removed the scent of anyone who stepped in it. It seemed to have magical abilities. There was more to these streams, and someone or something didn’t want to be found.

Micah at times found himself thinking about Brandy and wondering if she was still waiting for him to return. He had sent a messenger fairy to her so that she would know why he was delayed. In the message, he told her to continue staying there if she wanted. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt better knowing she was away from the other druids. He tried to convince himself that it was for Brandy’s benefit… but he knew that wasn’t it. He just wanted her away from other male prospects. He didn’t want to admit it out loud but he wanted her. On a level, he didn’t quite understand he felt like he was connected to her. But that didn’t make sense. Werebears didn’t have fated mates. So, what was the connection he was feeling? It was more than purely se.xual.

“Raine wasn’t looking too well…” Alexis breathed out as she stared blankly in the woods. “I can’t imagine how painful this is for her especially after being marked.” She reached up rubbing her neck as two strong arms pulled her into his chest.

“Don’t worry. We will replace him. We are close.” Aken kissed the top of her head and buried his nose in her hair, taking in hits of her scent.

Aken.

The sound of Levi’s voice entered into Aken’s mind. Levi, did you replace something?

Shiva has found both Gaia and Kali. We are going to meet with them now. This should give us the answers we need about Micah.

Alright. We will keep looking for Ryker. If you need Micah there let me know. Aken looked at Alexis, who already knew everything from their connection. They both decided to keep the news quiet for now and keep the focus on looking for Ryker.

Two large shadows swooped down from the sky. Brian and Bella both shifted into their human selves. Brian interlaced his fingers with Bella’s and walked with her up to everyone else. They were searching from the skies again, hoping to replace a new lead. They didn’t see anything but managed to spot the search party below them.

“He is close. I can feel it. If Raine was here she could lead us right to him.” Brian motioned his hands around the area. “It’s like he vanished from here. There is something about this spot.”

“I agree. Something here is messing with all of our senses.” Jasper shook his head. “And I don’t like it.”

“There are shadows coming this way. We can’t see what they are but something dark is coming.” Bella looked back over her shoulder. “It feels ominous and seems to be heading for Elysium.”

“How long do you think we have before the shadow shows itself?” Aken growled lowly looking at Brian.

“Three days? Maybe two?” Brian shook his head. “We looked but it is like there is nothing there. But we both can sense it.”

“It’s a cloaked army,” Aken said between gritted teeth.

“The Nycrops…” Micah snarled as Terra nodded her head.

“This is one of the reasons Nycrops are so dangerous.” Terra felt Jasper’s hand rest around her shoulder, and she leaned into him. They still hadn’t marked one another but they were together now. She trusted him and couldn’t help the feelings that were overflowing for him. Once everything is solved with Ryker… she would ask for his mark. He was patient with her, gentle, sweet, and caring. He was everything that she needed. And he always could make her laugh.

She had made him wait and he graciously did so. He was the one meant for her. No matter where that would lead her. She knew Jasper wanted to stay in the vampire kingdom and she respected that. Her place was with Jasper. As long as she was with him the ‘where’ didn’t matter. Everyone needed a rock… and he was hers.

Alexis pursed her lips together. Was the nycrops working for Erebus? Was this a new plan of his? Was there an army marching towards Elysium? It isn’t like they could enter the barrier anyways… right?

“Alright, let’s keep moving we need to replace Ryker, now.” Micah looked up and down the stream. “We have been following it up. Let’s go down now.”

“The stream disappears in the south. It doesn’t go much further.” Bella looked up at Brian. “Of course there is no pool of water. The water must be going somewhere…”

“We are going to have to really focus. This place must be magically hidden. Otherwise, we would have found it.” Jasper began to travel down the two streams.

Aken gripped Alexis firmly and she looked up at him smiling. “Aken, I’ll be fine.”

Micah growled. “I don’t like her being here either.” He was supposed to be keeping her safe. Not dragging her into an unknown danger. And with this cloaked army on the move, he felt anxious having his princess out and about.

“Well, you two can comfort each other because I am going.” Alexis didn’t even get to take a step before Aken wrapped his arms around her chuckling.

“You are glued to me my love.” Aken grinned down at her prodding her nose playfully. He looked over at Micah as they followed the streams in front of them. “This all seems strange. Who would have connections to this type of magic?”

“Maybe hybrids? Or someone with witch connections. This isn’t fairy magic… that much I can tell.” Micah listened to Aken snort.

“A blind baby can tell it isn’t fairy magic,” Aken smirked over at Micah who rolled his eyes indignantly.

“How was I to know? I thought with a deity we would have found Ryker long ago. It turns out deities aren’t all they are ‘Kracked’ up to be.” Micah snickered at his joke.

“Alright children. Let’s focus here.” Alexis clicked her tongue as Aken tickled her side playfully. She giggled and squirmed elbowing him slightly in his side.

They followed the path through thick heavy trees. The air became heavy and distorted around them.

“There is something trying to throw us off…” Jasper said as he knelt on the ground. He kept his hand in the stream as he followed it to a seemingly dead end. He pushed past the vines where he found a stone wall in front of him. He focused and could hear the trickling noise of water continuing forward. He reached his hand out to touch the rock and his hand went through it. The rock was an illusion. He stood up and looked back at everyone. “We’ve found what we are looking for.”

Jasper continued moving forward and beckoned for the others to follow him. They all stood there as they tried to take in their surroundings. There was a long tunnel in front of them that lead to more darkness. But they weren’t alone. Multiple presences were also there but deeper in the cave.

“I can smell him,” Brian said from the back.

“Me too. Ryker is just up ahead.” Jasper moved forward quickly with Terra by his side. There was an agile quickness between the two of them as they sprinted ahead through the cave. They both froze. Ahead of them Ryker was chained up against a stone wall. He was hanging down, unable to stand with a strange device around his neck. There was a group of men around him as Ryker g*****d unconsciously. As they stood there they could hear the conversations from the men in the room.

“We can’t let him go like this.”

“He took a mate. He can’t have a mate… now what?”

“Should we erase his memory? And bring him back with us?”

“What if he remembers he has a mate? This has never happened before… now what?”

The group of men were all looking at a tall muscular man who had his gaze focused on Ryker. “He needs to stop fighting us so we can get through to him properly.”

Brian took one look at the situation and felt the rage build up inside of him. Dragons. They were dragons! And they had Ryker. He couldn’t contain his anger as he pushed past everyone, stepping out into the opening.

The men all turned their gaze to Brian. Their eyes widened and small gasps were heard. Some even immediately lowered their heads in reverence, knowing instantly who he was. “I don’t know who the hell you all are but you are going to let him go! Or you’ll be feasting on my flame.”

“You shouldn’t be out here. Where are your guards? Why are you alone?” The man in charge said looking past him at the small group that emerged behind him.

Brian sprinted forward reaching Ryker. He pushed out his royal blue flame and melted the bonds off of Ryker’s wrists. He then grabbed the object around his neck and shattered it. Ryker collapsed and he caught him in his arms. “It’s alright my friend. I’m here.” He looked down at Ryker who seemed to be in and out of it. His eyes flickered open before he completely lost consciousness. It looked like he was drugged with something. The fire flickered in Brian’s eyes as he glared at the dragons in front of him.

“You better start talking… NOW!” Brian’s aura expanded and his roar echoed off the cave walls. At that moment, a woman walked out through the opposite door . . .

“I can explain everything.”