Chosen Destiny Read online

  He laughed and hooked an arm around her waist. She snuggled up against him. Her stomach brushed against the hard ridge of his erection. She wriggled a little as if getting comfortable, just to tease him. He groaned and his hand tightened.

  “I’ll tell you, but if you have to hear it again, I don’t want any whining.” His teeth grazed her shoulder. “Did I tell you how much I missed you?”

  She tried to hide the shiver that went through her. Even through the fabric of the gray shirt she’d put on earlier, she felt the sharp tips of his fangs. The scrape of those sharp teeth never failed to send a thrill through her. Wearing durable black pants, she was ready for battle, but looking into his eyes, she’d never felt sexier.

  “Yes, but I like hearing it.” She pulled back enough to smile up at him. She loved hearing that and the many other ways he showed he cared.

  “We found something. Well, the others did. We’re fairly sure it’s why the Dark Sorcerers want those generators,” Jaeson said. “This area is very public place. We’ll go into the details later.”

  “You are such a tease.” She shook her head. She’d really thought he’d tell her what they’d found. She could understand why he didn’t but there were ways of getting privacy without going into a building or somewhere isolated especially if it was just for a short time.

  “You need some patience. It’s not going to hurt you to wait until later.” Jaeson ruffled her hair.

  She glared at him. “I have patience. If I didn’t, I would have done something drastic to you and Samiel already. You’re not the easiest people to live with, you know. Demanding, not familiar with the word compromise. Let’s not even get into the fact that living and working with a woman is something new to you.”

  “That doesn’t sound familiar at all. We didn’t haul you off the moment we met you and believe me the temptation was there.” Jaeson brushed his lips over hers. “Do you know how much I just wanted to grab you? I was half afraid you’d disappear on us.”

  “There are bigger things in life than two arrogant men who think they have a claim on me. I really wasn’t worried about you.” She nipped his lip to show him that he’d irritated her.

  “Oh, we learned that soon after talking to you. Your focus was entirely on stopping the Dark Sorcerer. Speaking of him, it’s time to get to work. Three huge tainted bursts of energy have just popped up within the walls.” Jaeson released her and straightened.

  Meagan took a deep breath. She’d known the Dark Sorcerer and Doria would come after the village with everything they had. It wasn’t only revenge they were after. As far as they knew the last generator was still held there. It wasn’t anymore, but they wouldn’t know that the dragons and vampires had taken it away days ago.

  Doria had lost all her contacts when it became widely known that she was behind the attacks on the coven as well as the disappearance of several coven members. They would want revenge for the way they’d been tricked. It was going to get very busy very quickly. Meagan just wondered if Doria would continue to flood the area with merdanons and tandini or if she’d learned from the other battles. Merdanons would mean massive destruction which would undoubtedly be one of their aims. Jaeson squeezed her shoulder, drawing her thoughts away from the Dark Sorceress and what she might do.

  “Don’t overthink it. We’ll know soon enough and it’ll probably be worse than you’re imagining. They’re going to think this is their last chance to get one of the generators.” Jaeson kissed her. “We need to move. The fight is beginning.”

  She took a deep breath. She knew he was right. It didn’t make it easier to get her mind off what would happen. She wouldn’t stop thinking until she began working and then she’d be too busy to think about what Doria intended.

  “Where?” She frowned. There wasn’t any sign that the battled had started. She hadn’t heard a merdanon roar or seen a single flash of magic.

  “Up the street and around the corner. We can run there and I’m not sure that the area’s been cleared.” Jaeson gestured down the street leading closer to the wall.

  “There is a vampire or a dragon posted at the coven, so we’ll know if there’s an attack there?” Meagan looked over at Jaeson. That was one of the things she’d intended to ask after she’d discovered what the vampires had learned, but had gotten distracted.

  “Of course. A vampire and a wizard are guarding it. They’re not happy because they won’t be involved in most of the battle but they know that a vampire needs to be there in case it’s the focus of a large attack.” Jaeson nodded, his tone matter of fact.

  They ran down the street. As soon as they turned the corner, Meagan saw a mob of tandini pressing toward the other end of the street. The witch and dragon there were trying to keep the creatures at a distance while they thinned the numbers of the small beasts. Meagan and Jaeson took a position about a quarter of the way down the street. Meagan strengthened the shield around them. She wasn’t taking any chances. The destruction in the village was all Doria was going to get a chance to do.

  Meagan summoned her blades. They settled into her hands and she lifted the sword. She channeled power and sent an arc of energy hurtling down the street. It hit one of the tandini. The mass of beasts split and part of them came down the street. It was readily apparent that these creations were just meant to harass and distract. They weren’t controlled or heavily shielded.

  “You tell me if there’s trouble in another location, because this is either simply step one of the plan, or a way to pull others away from what they want.” Meagan glanced quickly at Jaeson then back at the tandini throwing themselves at the shield.

  “Of course. Let’s get this done. I think you’re right. The Dark Sorcerer is trying to test to see what we’ll do. We know they’ll try for the coven, but there’s been no sign of any activity there yet.” Jaeson formed an arc of magic and hurled it down the street.

  “Yes, but a few of the elders are out in the streets helping with the fight. Doria or her ally might try to go after them,” Meagan said. That was something that worried her because the elders weren’t with a dragon or vampire, they were with other witches.

  “That probably won’t happen until after they make a try at the coven. When they realize they can’t get what they want.” Jaeson kept sending balls of magic at the swarm of tandini, but she could tell by his tone and the look on his face that he’d given the answer some thought.

  Meagan nodded and continued to work at thinning the number of tandini. It took a while to clear the street and then Meagan began to destroy the creatures. The routine was familiar, but now that night had fully fallen she could see the flash of magic from the other parts of the village above the rooftops. They would have to move as soon as she finished. She hurriedly moved through the downed creations, taking the energy. The magic inside her grew as power flowed into her. She’d need to give some of it if this pattern persisted but not just yet. With what she’d used, she could handle the magic from this batch.

  “We’re needed, Meagan.” Jaeson’s voice sounded strained.

  She looked up and saw his hand clench. His mouth was compressed into a thin line. She swallowed at the intensity in his eyes. Something bad had happened. She knew just from that look. She hurriedly took the magic from the last few tandini.

  She straightened. “I’m ready. What’s happened?”

  “Samiel’s been hurt. There is only a vampire and wizard with him. They’re being heavily attacked by a Dark Sorcerer.” The words were clipped and precise.

  Meagan felt as though her heart had jumped into her throat. Her pulse raced and pain seared through her. She wanted to scream, but knew she had to keep herself under control so that they could help Samiel. She stepped into Jaeson’s arms. He’d get them to where they needed to be. Her arms tightened and she relished the comfort she found just being close to him. Samiel had to be all right. She wouldn’t accept anything less.

  Jaeson’s arms closed around her. She saw the blackness that surrounded them and felt the s
lightest rush of movement before the blackness lifted. At first, she couldn’t see much beyond the destruction. She saw the flash of magic and turned. Samiel lay on the ground in dragon form. His body had crushed several buildings. One wing was cocked at an odd angle. Blood ran down his muzzle and neck from a head wound. Pain and panic lanced through her. She gulped and ran toward him. The rise and fall of his chest reassured her. He was alive. She threw up a shield in front of the wizard and the vampire, Grae, fighting the Dark Sorcerer as she reached Samiel. She put her hand on him just to reassure herself.

  “He’ll be all right,” Jaeson said as he put a hand on her shoulder. His fingers tightened for a moment focusing her attention on him. “I need you to go up there and help the wizard while we heal Samiel enough that he can change forms.”

  She wanted to stay and help Samiel, but knew that Jaeson and Grae could heal him better than she could. She hadn’t ever healed a dragon. She nodded and slowly lifted her hands away from Samiel, then walked over to help the wizard.

  She focused her attention down the street. A Dark Sorcerer stood in the shadows. She could just see his outline near the hulking shape of a merdanon. She shook her head. Anger burned inside her but she kept her emotions under tight control as she moved up beside the local wizard, Farriss. She couldn’t let rage rule her. From the chunks of debris on the ground in front of them, she suspected she knew exactly how Samiel had been hurt. It wasn’t uncommon for merdanons to throw chunks of a building. Usually they threw them at the witches and wizards to test a shield’s strength. She’d never seen one lobbed up at a dragon. She tossed up a ball of light. It wasn’t only because she wanted to know who she was fighting. Dark Sorcerers liked anonymity. She wanted to take that away from him.

  The light bobbed as it floated down the street to hover over the Dark Sorcerer. She didn’t recognize him, but did notice that another of the big creations had been hidden in the shadows behind him. He didn’t look evil. In fact, in a way, he was an attractive man. She wouldn’t have even guessed that he was a Dark Sorcerer if she’d just met him on the street. He had long, blond hair and golden-tan skin. His eyes looked almost icy in the bright light, but she thought they were probably green. He was tall and thin, but in no way did he seem feminine. A smirk curved his lips. The man looked too damned smug for her taste. Time to make him start worrying. He sure wasn’t getting away with doing that to Samiel.

  She formed an energy arc and hurled it toward the merdanon at his right. It hit a shield in front the beast flared and dissipated. She’d expected shielded beasts. This wasn’t going to be easy. So far the shield appeared to be strong. The only thing that seemed strange was that there were only two of them. It was just a little unusual compared to what they’d faced before. She watched as the second beast lumbered up beside the Dark Sorcerer.

  “So I finally get to see the Tiria who’s ruined some of our plans. Did I have the good fortune to actually hit your dragon?” he asked. His voice was smooth and he looked as if he was close to laughing.

  “I’m sure he’ll be back in fighting shape by the time I take care of you.” She wasn’t going to let him make her angry with those taunts. It was too common a tactic.

  She slammed two bolts of magic down the street. The first hit the shield in front of the merdanon, the second sent a wave of magic flaring as it collided with the Dark Sorcerer’s shield. She wasn’t going to let him just strengthen the merdanons’ shield. She would push him to making a choice between maintaining his shield or strengthening the shield protecting his creations. He wasn’t just going to stand there smirking at her. At her side, Farriss began doing the same. Silently, she approved of that move. It shouldn’t take long. She’d force that Sorcerer to do something.

  She saw the moment he decided to go on the attack. The smile faded and his entire body tensed. Both merdanons roared and plodded forward. She slipped a ball of magic between the lumbering beasts, hitting his shield again. She needed to keep him worried. He flinched and threw a bolt of magic back at her. She kept hammering at the merdanons’ shield as well as his. Finally the shield in front of the first merdanon fell.

  She looked over her shoulder and saw Jaeson and Grae still working over Samiel. The damage had to be really bad to take this long to fix. She drew in a deep breath and pushed her worry back. He had to be okay. She couldn’t think of any other option. She couldn’t let her panic take over her mind. The battle with the man at the opposite end of the street had to take first priority.

  Facing the Dark Sorcerer, she advanced and pressed the other creation back. Dropping to a knee, she took the power of the fallen beast. She shot a smile at the Dark Sorcerer and stepped back. Fury hardened his face. He threw a bolt down the street. It exploded as it slammed into the barrier in front of her. Meagan flinched at the blinding light. As soon as her vision cleared, she slung two bolts down the street. The first hit the Sorcerer’s shield and the second struck the shield of the second merdanon. The beast lumbered forward. She knew that she and Farriss needed to keep the pressure on the Dark Sorcerer. In the end, he’d have to make a choice to run or stay. She couldn’t tell which he’d choose. So far he’d been arrogant and supremely confident. The only emotion she could see on his face was anger.

  “You’ll never win.” The Dark Sorcerer threw two bolts. They hit her shield, flared and cascaded to the ground.

  Meagan slung two blasts at him. She wasn’t going to respond to his taunt. It was a distraction technique that she’d experienced before. Both balls of energy hit the Dark Sorcerer’s shield. She didn’t wait to lob one at the merdanon’s shield. The creature’s fist smashed into the wall of a house on its right. Light flashed as one of the Dark Sorcerer’s orbs burst in front of her.

  “The village will fall and we’ll take that generator from the ruins of the coven.” The Dark Sorcerer threw two orbs down the street. One hit the shield in front of her, the other slammed into the shield in front of Farriss.

  Meagan frowned. Something in what he said struck her. It was normal bragging, but it caught her attention. She didn’t have time to work out which bit was something more or why. Swinging her sword back and forth, she gathered power at the tip of the blade. She slammed the magic down the street. It flared as it hit the shield in front of the merdanon. Farriss threw an orb and it took out the invisible wall protecting the creature. Meagan followed with a blast that finished the beast. She stepped forward and took the power from it.

  What surprised her was that the Dark Sorcerer didn’t at least try to reclaim the magic before she could pull it into her. He didn’t seem a bit concerned that she’d recouped some of the energy she’d used. She threw a bolt of magic against his shield, testing his determination. The Dark Sorcerer stood his ground and threw bolts back at her. She really didn’t expect a straight magic against magic battle, but he didn’t try to use any merdanons or tandini, even to make her use some power.

  He began to form a mass of magic above him. Her shield was strong, but no way was she letting him hurl that much energy at it. She lifted her dagger and threw it. She planned to take his shield so that she could force him to make a decision to run or stay and fight. A bolt of magic hit the protective barrier just before her blade reached it. She saw the shield fail and her blade slam into the Dark Sorcerer’s shoulder. The magic above him disappeared and she saw the Dark Sorcerer jerk spasmodically.

  She had no idea what the weapon was doing to him. His eyes locked with hers as he fell to his knees. She saw stark horror cross his face. His hands rose and grabbed the hilt of the knife. As soon as he touched it, his hands flew away from it. That she fully understood. Those not meant to touch the blades would experience a jolt of magic.

  He dropped to the ground. His arms flopped and bounced as he hit. He looked almost boneless as he fell, ending sprawled in the middle of the street. She took a cautious step forward. The Dark Sorcerer didn’t move. Keeping her shield in front of her, she approached the still form. She felt someone move beside her, but kept her full at
tention on her fallen opponent. He could be faking trying to lure her close enough and make her complacent so that she’d feel safe. She nudged his foot with the shield. Nothing. Someone stepped in front of her. She saw a boot just before it pressed down on the Dark Sorcerer’s wrist. She looked up and saw Jaeson. Just the sight of him reassured her. She knew he’d finished helping Samiel. He wouldn’t have left the dragon for any reason if he was still hurt.

  “Well, get your dagger. We still have other Dark Sorcerers to take care of in the town.” Samiel’s voice came from just to the side of her.

  Her head snapped around and she smiled. Lunging for him, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Her head nestled against his chest and she drew in a deep breath. Holding him felt wonderful and just smelling his rich scent reassured her as nothing else could.

  “I know you like me, but you need to get your dagger so we can secure him before he regains consciousness.” Samiel gently pulled back.

  She took a deep breath. He was right. Thoughts about the Dark Sorcerer at her feet had completely flown from her mind. Surprise had been part of it, but relief and release from the worry filling her mind were responsible for most of it. She pulled back, kneeled and dropped her shield. Approaching a downed Dark Sorcerer was always dangerous, but with those two she felt safe. She reached over and pulled her dagger free of the Dark Sorcerer’s shoulder.

  A wall of magic slammed into her from the blade. She nearly fell back as the power rushed into her. When her dagger hit him, he must have been actively channeling power. The dagger had drawn on it much as it would if she’d driven the blade into one of his creations. From what she’d learned of the abilities of a Tiria, she’d known it was possible. She’d just never thought it would happen. That was the reason she hadn’t connected it at first.

  Abilities like this were why some considered Tirias dangerous. Magic flowed through a person as well as around them, especially when spellcasting. They feared that the Tiria would use the ability to take someone’s power without regard to if that person was good or evil. She rose and moved back. Jaeson gripped the man’s hands bringing them together. Magic encircled the man’s wrists. Meagan knew that the spell would bind the Dark Sorcerer’s powers as well as his hands.