Emma (Dark Fire) (31 page)

He released a burst of burning dragonfire toward the people he spoke with, destroying them in an instant.

She felt no pity for the filthy people. Their mere presence kept her mate from helping her.

Chapter - Underground Tsunami

Sarah's clear blue eyes never betrayed her inner turmoil. Over the span of nineteen years, she had perfected her ice queen charade. Even her best friend, Mac, who knew her better than anyone, had trouble guessing her moods.

Standing beside the underground lake, she glanced toward the empty space above the large body of water. She should have gone after the injured dragon when she had the chance. Now, it was too late.

A body slammed into her, knocking her backward several feet.

“Thank you. I knew you’d come,” Katie said as she hugged Sarah.

Returning her young aunt’s embrace, Sarah couldn’t stop the soft chuckle as it slipped past her lips. “I think you’d best go to Jared, before your mate has a stroke,” she said, giving Katie a gentle push in the vampire’s direction.

She couldn’t find fault with the young man’s protective attitude. As Chi’Kehra, Sarah was the monster-under-the-bed for most full blood vampires like Jared.

Katie turned to Jared, acting like a kitten with a huge bowl of cream. It was obvious he adored his new mate. Sarah could only dream that Nick, her supposedly perfect mate, would ever look at her with such unconcealed love.

She silently sighed. She knew her decision to protect the two teens had been the right thing to do, but now, the wounded dragon presented a serious problem. The dragon had witnessed Sarah creating a dome and javelins from the synth crystal in her blood. An action no other Sídhí could do. No doubt, the dragon would soon piece together who Sarah really was, if she hadn't already.

It didn’t take a detective to know the bloody dragon had to be a member of the terrorist organization known as the Khr'Vurr. What a screwed-up mess. Once the Khr'Vurr realized Sarah was the first Chi’Kehra in four-thousand years they would not stop until she was recruited or dead.

Tasting the truth of her thoughts, her eyes narrowed in thought. Assassination or recruitment into the terrorist organization was not a major concern to her. Both were minor details compared to the third possibility, and the single risk that really concerned her. The Khr'Vurr might consider selling her identity to the highest bidder. If they sold the information to the elves, the purebloods would stop at nothing to destroy her. As a fragmented race, the elves were not currently a problem, but if bickering elvish houses set aside their differences and joined forces, the united elvish nation would become a massive headache.

Until then, she dismissed the elves from the equation, because the Dhark Empire was the immediate concern. If the Khr'Vurr's connection to the lords of the Dhark Empire was strong enough, she was in deep trouble.

The Khr'Vurr and elves she could handle, but the Dhark Empire's armies were massive. If they realized she was Chi’Kehra, the dhark lords would not simply stop at killing her. The Empire would crush Trellick Valley, her family’s ancestral territory. Abandoning the second dimensional valley was not an option, not with the dangerous secrets contained within the vast area. Secrets she would die to protect.

She stifled a growl of frustration. She had hoped the peace camp would provide her a way to nullify the threat of the Dhark Empire. No such luck. Nearly a week had passed since the first day of camp and she still didn't have the critical information she needed.

If she could convince the dragons to help her, she might have a fighting chance against the Empire. As it stood, the dhark lords could attack at any moment and crush her home valley.

For quite some time, Sarah and the teens stood in the dank cave arguing with Guardian Alexander. They tried to convince him that she was not the boogieman he thought her to be.

Arguing with the recently tortured dragon was turning out to be an impossible task, but she refused to give up. In order to keep the Dhark Empire out of Trellick Valley, she needed the secret of how to close a gateway and only the dragon council knew that information.

As a guardian, Alexander was her best hope to connect with the Dragon Council, a group of elderly dragons stuck in the past. The dangerously stagnated council had refused to change with the times. The denial to change had brewed the perfect atmosphere for the Khr’Vurr to step in and stir up a rebellion.

Unfortunately, arguing with the wind would’ve been easier, because Alexander refused to cooperate. Deep in thought, her eyes narrowed. If the guardian - and the stubborn council - needed a little incentive, she was more than willing to give it to them.

Her tactics changed, turning her voice syrupy sweet. She watched Katie shiver. It was good to know that someone had enough sense to be terrified when Sarah turned too sweet for words.

“Having seventeen hidden gateways that open into Dragon Valley, and other dragon dominated valleys, might be the turning point toward change. Don’t you think?” Sarah asked, bluntly laying facts on the table. Her voice was pure sugar, holding the barest hint of sharp steel as she threated the dragon council, referring to the deadly secret that Trellick Valley possessed.

Alexander hissed his fury, staring at Sarah in disbelief. Specifically, at her hand that lay submerged in liquid synth crystal, not only was synth the root of immortal life on Sídhí, but a powerful lie detector. Had she lied, the semi-clear liquid would have turned black.

“Impossible,” Alexander snarled, glaring at the translucent liquid, pure energy no matter the form.

Sarah smiled, and watched Katie cringe. She supposed the girl was correct: the lifting of Sarah’s lips - that exposed her fangs - was not a nice smile. “I am aware of seventeen gateways leading into dragon dominated valleys. Gateways the dragons are completely unaware of. If the Dhark Armies found those entrances, Dragon Valley would be destroyed at worst. At the very least, the dragons would be in a war more horrific than the last Great War on Sídhí,” Sarah said, watching Alex’s face for the slightest change as she mentioned the Dhark Empire, a sprawling network of second dimensional valleys ruled with blood and terror.

By the time she finished, the dragon had turned from red, to white, and back to a mottled red. His growl made her want to grin with satisfaction. She withheld the telling emotion, keeping an ice-perfect appearance.

He opened his mouth to speak, and abruptly snapped it shut. Smart man.

When Alex finally found the right words, his voice sounded nearly defeated. “I’ll say it again. The Dragon Council will never trust you. I wish I was wrong, but even if you show them one of the gateways, they’ll scoff and call it pure happenstance. I believe you, but they... they’re old.” He stopped again. His skin took on a greenish sheen, looking like he was about to be sick.

Katie surprised Sarah by asking the dragon, “What if Sarah proved she is trustworthy? Would that help?”

Sarah stifled her growl. The girl needed to learn to keep her mouth shut.

Seeming to sense her distaste for Katie’s suggestion, Alex glanced at Sarah. “In order for them to believe, you would need to save Dragon Valley single-handedly and even then, they might take years to agree with your demand.” He sighed, raising his hand as if he were helpless. “I personally know a high councilor and I swear to you, on my word of honor, I will do everything in my power to sway her opinion, but only if you swear not to reveal the location of those gateways to the Dhark Lords.” He hesitated. “But I would like to know how you found the gateways and how you are keeping them secret from your father.”

“My dad showed them to me,” Sarah said with a soft snarl. Pausing, she considered his offer. It seemed to be her only choice, because as much as she wanted the information she knew she’d never give the Dark Lords access to Trellick Valley’s gateways, not that the dragon needed to know that. “Let’s compromise. In exchange for your oath of assistance, I won’t betray the location of the gateways to the Dhark Lords, but I want an introduction to your council contact.”

Alex growled. If he clenched his teeth any harder, he might shatter his jawbone. “She’ll never trust you.”

“What if Sarah helped you catch the traitors?” Jared asked.

Sarah groaned. Why had she helped them again? Right, Katie was family. She was beginning to think the two teens had it in for her. Stopping the traitorous Khr’Vurr would not be easy, nor was it her job.

Alex slowly nodded his head. “That might work. She’s furious over this whole screwed-up mess.”

Well, great, just fabulous, she grumbled to herself, quickly suggesting yet another alternative, “All right...”

The cavern rumbled with an aftershock. A shower of grit drifted down, covering her with a second layer of grime. The baby tremor stopped her words.

The vast cavern shook again with a bit more strength. She waited for the movement to stop. Aftershocks were inevitable after the earlier explosion that destroyed half the mountain.

Her eyes landed on Guardian Alexander. An idea crept through her mind. It would be simpler to make him disappear. She shook her head, refusing her plan before it took root. She couldn’t make the dragon guardian disappear, not when the man posed a problem and a possible solution, at the same time.

She needed Alexander’s help, but heaven help her, she didn't know how to reach an agreement with the stubborn dragon when the mountain’s foundation kept shaking. It was the third strong tremor in as many hours.

She stood still, waiting for the mountain to cease its bucking, but the gentle trembling turned into a violent shudder. She glared upward at the swaying stalactites.

Gunshot-like cracks filled the dank air as several dangling rock formations snapped. With little warning, the entire ceiling collapsed, crashing toward them with the destructive force of an upside-down tsunami.

Sarah rolled her eyes in resignation.

Honestly, the entire day had been a disaster. What else could go wrong? Her cool demeanor didn't flicker. She mentally ordered a thin cord of synth crystal around the ankles of the three people in front of her. A split-second later, she ported Jared, Katie, and Guardian Alexander to the teenager's cabin, which was located inside the summer camp's main campground area.

She didn't wait to see if they faired okay. She instantly ported to where she had left her obstinate mate, the mate who refused to bond with her, who essentially hated everything about her.

Every Sídhí had a single chance to find his or her mate, the one person who was their perfect soul mate. Nick was hers. Too bad, he didn't want her.

Less than a heartbeat later, she appeared below a steep cliff, next to a cave. The rocky tunnel appeared empty. Pebbles and dirt rained down the side of the mountain, bouncing and tumbling across the clearing.

Sarah sucked in a deep breath through her nose, smelling hundreds of scents in the mountain air. She searched for a single scent, Nick’s spicy, mouth-watering scent. She got a nose full of dust for her troubles.

She sneezed. Hastily backing away from the small cave as a thumb-sized pebble hit her in the thigh. Fear trembled in her belly, making her hand shake. After she left to help Katie and Jared, Nick might have gone back into the dark opening. Snarling, she mentally reached for the synth crystal, planning to build a protective covering over her head and search the tunnel for her missing mate.

A deep voice, coming from the tree line, stopped her in her tracks. “Dang it, Sarah, get away from there.”

His voice, harsh with anger, sent a tremor of longing through her. From the bottom of her soul, she strengthened her resolve. She refused to spill her guts to him. She prayed her resolve held. She couldn't reveal her secrets until he bonded with her. Too many lives depended on her steel control.

At that moment, she hated what she was. She hated being the long awaited Chi’Kehra. All powerful, except where her mate was concerned.

For several months, long before summer camp started, Nick had unwillingly invaded her dreams. The Sídhí scientists called it Mate Dreaming, shared dreams between two un-bonded mates, dreams that pulled destined mates together.

Sarah’s nightly mate dreams with Nick didn’t have the same outcome as most Sídhí couples, not when each dream had ended with Nick’s claws ripping her throat out.

Freezing her face into a mask, she calmly turned toward him.

He shoved his hand through midnight hair in a familiar gesture of frustration. The rough movement created an oddly spiked style. The harsh scowl on his face registered in her gut like bits of glass cutting her to pieces.

Her heart twisted. She clenched her teeth, obstinately refusing to let him see how much she loved him. She would’ve spread the world at his feet if he’d let her. The very thought frightened her, sending a shiver of dread racing down her spine, because if anyone was capable of conquering the world, it was her. The power she controlled was terrifying, even to her, especially to her.

His face, clenched in anger, filled her vision. He grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the falling debris. The sun beat down on them as he hustled her away from the tumbling mountainside. After several minutes of silence, they neared a smooth flowing stream.

“That's far enough, don't you think,” she said softly.

He jerked her to a stop.

Raising her hand, she automatically shielded her face, which was burning under the scorching rays of sunshine. As a blood-drinking vampire, an Exile, the sunlight not only turned her vivid blue eyes ruby red, the yellow ball of flame also burned her pale skin at an incredible rate.

“Tell me you weren't stupid enough to even think about heading back in there,” he demanded, waving his free hand toward the mountain. “I'd say a little sunburn is better than getting crushed. What the bloody hell were you thinking?”

Her face flushed with anger. Unconsciously, she angled her hand to better shield herself against the sun, not too sure that she agreed with his assessment. The brilliant ball of fire gave her the mother of all migraines. Leave it to Nick to belittle every move she made. She was so sick of his attitude. When he wasn’t snapping at her, he was taking a swing at her or calling her vile names.