The Dragon Hunters' Temptation Read online

  “You’re going to read it,” the leader snarled again. “Or we kill him right now.”

  Jord’s heart lurched. He glowered at the leader but still remained silent. He didn’t know what this paper said, but he knew it wasn’t going to be good. To cooperate with people like this, in situations like this… It was almost as bad as treason. They wanted Dragons gone, and any small help he gave them pushed them closer to their goal.

  And he highly doubted that they were going to let him and Watn go alive anyway.

  The leader leaned over him, a snarl on his lips. “Listen here, lizard. Hazel wants proof of life from us. So we’re giving her proof of life. This is going to be a live stream. Do you know what that means?”

  “You need to see a dentist. Your breath reeks.” Jord kept his tone cool, even though his heart was slamming harder into his chest. Hazel wanted proof of life. That meant that they had contacted her? No… it meant that she was with Indulf. It meant that Vindr had gotten her to safety. He could have grinned as elation rose up in him. She was safe—he hadn’t dared strengthen the bond with Vindr to check.

  A nightstick whacked across his face again. “Wipe that smirk off your face! Read it or we kill that dragon and dear Hazel will see the whole thing. He’s one of the ones she was always canoodling with, right? If you don’t care if he lives or dies then—”

  “I’ll read it.” Jord almost didn’t recognize his own voice. But even as he spoke, his shoulders slumped with defeat. Of course he was going to read it. His captors might already plan to kill him and Watn… but he couldn’t let Hazel see that. “Start your damn live stream. I’ll read, word for word.”

  “And then beg.”

  Jord ground his teeth together. Beg? For Watn. For Hazel. “I’ll beg.”

  ***

  Several hours after the live stream, Jord was once more sitting beside Watn, his head in his hands, when Watn stirred. His heart jumped in his chest as he rolled to his knees. Watn groaned, his head flopping to one side. His eyes slowly opened and he frowned at the ceiling.

  “Hazel?”

  “Safe.” Jord pressed a hand to Watn’s chest. “She’s safe. Not here. With Vindr and Hyrr,” he hoped she was. “Safe.”

  “And… us?”

  Jord frowned. “Captives.”

  Watn’s eyes fluttered shut. Jord leaned forward, fearing that he had just lapsed back into unconsciousness. To his relief, Watn moaned and shook his head slightly. When he opened his eyes again, they were glassy and bright, indicative of an infection, but he was at least able to turn his gaze to Jord’s general direction.

  “We’re… pathetic.”

  “Pathetic?” Jord repeated. Speaking was clearly an effort for Watn, but if he could keep him talking then maybe they’d have a chance to get out of here after all. “What makes us so pathetic? Being taken captive by a bunch of humans? Nah, that doesn’t make us pathetic. It makes us unique.”

  Watn chuckled weakly, but it quickly turned to another moan of pain. “What are they gonna do with us?”

  Jord’s hands clenched despite himself. “They are insisting that Indulf break the lay lines. Destroy magic for good.”

  “That’s not… possible.”

  “I know. But that’s what they want.”

  Watn snorted again. “Idiots.”

  Jord adjusted himself to sit more comfortably beside Watn. He rested a hand on his fellow Hunter’s shoulder and reached through the bond between the two of them, probing. It wasn’t any stronger. Which meant his physical state wasn’t any better.

  “You got any fire at all?”

  Watn shook his head soundlessly. “I’m so cold…”

  Jord bent over him. “Let me give you some of mine—”

  “No.” Watn pressed a weak hand to Jord’s chest. “No. It’s not going to do any good. I’m too far gone.”

  Jord shook his head, unable to accept that. He wasn’t going to give up. “You might be a bit beaten up, but you’re tough, you—”

  “Need proper care. Magical care. Fire-sharing isn’t going to cut it. I need Audiv. Without a healer…” Watn screwed his eyes tightly shut, pain washing over his expression. “You need to save your fires. So you can shift and get the hell out of here.”

  “I can’t.” Without regularly giving Watn the little bit of fire that he could give him, Watn would very quickly die. He was in bad shape, and yes, he needed a proper healer. In the meantime, though… “Your heart has already stopped a few times. If I stop giving you fire, you will die. I’m not about to let that happen.”

  Watn groped blindly until he caught Jord’s collar. “Gonna… gonna die if you don’t get out of here.”

  Jord wasn’t sure who Watn was referring to… himself or his leader.

  “You have to.” Watn’s eyes snapped open again, fighting hard to focus on Jord’s face. “Get out of here. Go to Hazel. Protect her. Protect our king. It’s duty. Don’t make Hazel lose both of us…”

  “I won’t,” Jord promised. “I’m going to make sure she doesn’t lose either of us. You understand that? You’re going to live and I’ll get us both out of here. And for that, I need to give you my fires. So buck up, sunshine. My kisses aren’t that bad.”

  Watn glared at him for half a second before his hand dropped. “Idiot,” he sighed affectionately, and his head lolled to one side.

  He didn’t regain consciousness after Jord gave him what little fires had built up again. They were coming back a little faster each time. Proof that Jord was healing a little. But as he gazed down at his friend, he knew one thing… it wasn’t going to be enough. But he wasn’t going to leave Watn to die here alone. No way in hell was he going to do that.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Hyrr

  Hazel kept rubbing her arms as though she was cold. Both Hyrr and Vindr had their arms around her, but Hyrr understood that there was little he could do to warm her. Not when it wasn’t the temperature that was chilling her. His own stomach was in knots, with his fires flaring hot and then burning low as they again watched the video showing Jord reading the kidnapper’s demands.

  Hyrr kept his gaze on Jord, not looking at the image of Watn in the corner, unconscious and pale as death. His gaze had been glued on Watn the first time they watched it, looking for any sign of life in his pale, still body. His chest had risen and fallen, showing breath, and the bond between them told him he was still alive… but if he looked again, he’d be so consumed with doubts as to whether Watn actually was alive that he’d miss if Jord was trying to send them a message.

  But there was nothing that he could see. Only his head could be seen and he spoke without intonation. It was clear that he was being forced to read—even at the end, when he said, “Please, for the sake of Watn and us all, break the lay lines.” It was unconvincing.

  It made Hyrr shudder to think of the bursts of pain that he’d sensed from Jord after the transmission was done. Being punished for not giving the kidnappers exactly what they wanted.

  “Turn it off,” Vindr said.

  Hazel clicked the computer screen and leaned back in her chair. She pressed her hands to her face, her whole body trembling. Hyrr pulled her closer to him. It was only after her arms wrapped around his waist that he realized he was shaking just as badly as she was.

  “At least we know they’re alive,” she whispered. “Whatever comes next… they’re alive. We can find a way to get through this. Get them back.”

  “We can’t give the kidnappers what they want, though.” Vindr paced across the room his eyes wild as he tore into his hair with clawed hands. “Break the lay lines? It’s impossible. We’d have to blow up a small country to do that. What, do you expect us to let loose several dozen nukes in order for magic to no longer flow through the Earth’s veins? They didn’t even give a timeline… they’re not intending on letting Watn and Jord go alive.”

  Hazel flinched but nodded. “I know. Did you see, when that one man moved in front of the camera?”

  “We only saw t
he back of his head,” Hyrr argued.

  “But Jord saw his face. They’re not hiding their identities… which means they’re not afraid of being identified. And Watn…?”

  Hyrr knew what she was asking. He buried his face in her hair and reluctantly said what they were all thinking. “He is not going to last much longer like that. Even if Jord is able to share his fires with him… It’s not going to be enough. He needs magic, and soon…”

  “Agreed.” Vindr stopped pacing.

  His scorching eyes turned to Hyrr. The bond between them pulsed, and Hyrr knew exactly what he was thinking. And he agreed—if they didn’t act, and quickly, then their group was going to be divided in half.

  “What are you planning?” Hazel saw the look and now glanced between them, her eyes bright.

  Hyrr hesitated. “Jord is pulling back from the bond, but if we push enough, we might be able to find him. Go in for the rescue. Since he is pulling back, it means there is a reason. So, we can assume that wherever he is, it’s going to be dangerous to get to.”

  He shared another look with Vindr. It was going to be tricky at best… Jord pulling back on the bond meant that they were going to push pretty hard to strengthen it enough to find where he was. It would be easier, maybe, to focus on the bond with Watn. In his current state, though, it might end up being too much strain on him. They didn’t know if he was also pulling back on the bond. Either way, there was a physical component to this, and they didn’t want to end up accidentally overtaxing him. Best to focus on Jord. Maybe he would relent, for Watn’s sake…

  “Can you do it, though?” Hazel asked, as though she had been privy to the thoughts floating between the two Hunters.

  Hyrr turned his attention back to her. He forced a smile that was more confident than he felt. “Yeah. We can do it.”

  Hazel frowned at him, apparently unconvinced. “Are you certain?”

  Vindr came up behind them, wrapped his arms around her and kissed the back of her neck. “I know exactly how to get Jord to loosen up. All we have to do is do a little bit of kissing here… he’ll sense it and he’ll reach out to us, wanting in on the action.

  “I don’t know.” Hazel frowned. “Is that really going to be enough? It’s like I can feel his desperation to keep you two safe… I don’t think he’ll fall for a little bit of kissing.”

  “Are you saying you want more?” Vindr asked.

  But even as he spoke, an idea came to Hyrr’s mind. “That’s it!”

  Both Vindr and Hazel jumped. They stared at him uncertainly. He didn’t pay attention to them, both his hands moving up into the air to shape the space between them vaguely as he plotted out just how this might work. The bond between the four dragons was magical, but each of them had a special bond with Hazel as well… Kissing might not be enough to draw Jord forward, but there might be another way…

  “What is it?” Hazel pressed. “What idea have you had?”

  Hyrr’s hands dropped. He grinned at her. “Well… do you want to be a dragon?”

  Hazel stared at him blankly. “What?”

  “There’s this thing we can do—”

  “It’s never been tested with a human,” Vindr argued. His brow furrowed, but there was hope in his eyes. “We need to do more research.”

  Hyrr shook his head. “There’s no time. We need to get on this now. That is… if Hazel is willing…”

  She pulled away from both of them but still held their hands. Lifting her chin, she glared in determination. Her cheeks were a little red, but she tossed back her fiery hair and nodded. “We do this. Now. Tell me exactly what ‘this’ is.”

  ***

  The three of them lay in bed, their bodies pressed together so tightly that if they moved too much they might fuse together. Though all three of them were nude, there was no kissing or sexual touching going on. They merely clung to each other, with Hazel between the two men. Sweat slicked her skin already, and Hyrr ran a hand down her arm. If this didn’t work, it could hurt her… But even after learning the particulars of what he had planned, Hazel had been utterly determined. No doubts in her at all.

  The same couldn’t be said of Vindr, though.

  “If he knew what we were going to do, Jord would kill us. He would refuse to let this happen,” he muttered, his face buried in Hazel’s hair.

  “You’re right, he would.” Hazel moved her naked body a little, somehow wiggling closer to both of them at the same time.

  Hyrr’s fires lit hotter inside of him as he sprang to life from the friction her body caused. He’d have loved to try this while making love with her and her perfect body, but it was going to take all of his and Vindr’s concentration to ensure that neither of them lost control and hurt her. He didn’t have any brain power to spare to lovemaking—not that it took much brainpower. The opposite, in fact, and that was the problem, really.

  “But he can’t kill us until after we’ve rescued him,” Hazel continued. Her eyes burned with determination. “And I need them back. I need them back as much as both of you do. We have been over the risks and I’m willing to take them.”

  Hyrr met Vindr’s gaze. Now that they were here, about to begin a dangerous procedure that may or may not work… he was uncertain whether this was a risk he was willing to take. He was confident that if it didn’t work, they’d be able to stop in time so that they didn’t harm Hazel. But what if they did? What if it went too far too quickly and they lost control?

  What if they ended up killing her?

  “I can see your doubts,” Hazel snapped, bringing his attention back to her. “And I don’t appreciate it. I know that the two of you will be able to do this. I know that it will work. I also know it’s the only way to get Watn and Jord back.” Her voice trembled and she took a deep breath, her breasts pushing into Hyrr’s chest. “I need them back,” she repeated. “I love them. And I love you. There is already a bond between us. All we have to do is build on that bond.”

  Gratitude welled in him. Hyrr held her tighter and caught her mouth with his, kissing her deeply. Vindr rested a hand on his shoulder. At that signal, Hyrr called his fire forward. It burned up his throat and flickered in his mouth as he pressed Hazel’s open deeper. His hands moved to her hair, pulling her even closer while Vindr pinched her nose shut to keep the flames from spilling out over their faces.

  Hyrr started to breathe his fires into her. He held them back and sent a single flame into her. Hazel shuddered, a whimper coming from her throat. Instinctively, Hyrr started to pull back. She didn’t let him. Her hands clamped around his head, and she pressed her mouth tighter to his.

  There was no space for hesitation. If he hesitated, he’d have a greater chance of burning her. So he resumed, breathing his fire into her until he could taste it on her tongue. Only when her body was as hot as his did he stop.

  Hazel’s eyes had turned an amber-gold. Smoke curled from her nostrils when Vindr released her nose. When she opened her mouth, a single tongue of flame escaped. Hyrr felt a bead of light traveling from his soul to hers. The connection was there, all right, and stronger for her holding his fires. It wasn’t going to be permanent… but it would last just long enough.

  With a grin, Hazel flipped over, facing Vindr, and pressed her mouth to his. As he breathed his fires into her, Hyrr could feel the bond strengthening even more. He could feel the dragon awakening in Hazel… and he felt Jord and Watn more keenly, as though they were right there with them.

  He grinned. It was working!

  Chapter Fourteen

  Watn

  Being a prisoner wouldn’t be so bad, if it wasn’t for the knowledge that Jord was keeping himself weak for his sake. If he’d just do what Watn wanted, then his fires would have replenished enough for him to shift and get out of here. Keep himself safe and prevent Hazel, Hyrr, and Vindr from having to mourn both of them.

  But Jord, being Jord, wasn’t going to do as Watn wanted. The idiot always did what he wanted, regardless of whether the others agreed with him. And whe
n Watn regained consciousness, he told Jord exactly what he thought about that.

  Jord, however, wasn’t interested in getting chastised for sticking around and keeping Watn alive for a longer time. “Do you feel that?”

  Watn stared at him, uncertain. And then he realized that he was feeling warmer. His cold fires smoldered. Not in the way that indicated that Jord had just given him fire. No this was coming from… Hyrr? Vindr? The pain was still full-force in his body, but he felt the healing sear of fire. But it was impossible to send another dragon fire through a bond… it needed physical contact… didn’t it?

  There was something else, too. A fourth bond, a jet of light moving straight from his chest to another being. Warm, soft, someone he longed to hold in his eyes.

  Watn hissed as he realized what was happening. “Hazel.”

  His eyes met Jord’s. His hand shot out and grabbed Jord’s wrist. Jord let out a strangled shout, but Watn didn’t care if he had accidentally hurt him—what did Hyrr and Vindr think they were doing? Didn’t they know what this could do to Hazel?

  “You have to leave,” Watn hissed.

  Jord shook his head. “If I stop giving you my fire—”

  “I’m stronger.” It was both the truth and a lie. There was no telling how long this new, strengthened bond would last. As soon as it vanished, so too would Watn’s new flames. The thought made his blood grow icy, but he didn’t care. “They’re too desperate. You can feel it. Your fires are getting stronger.”

  Jord clenched his jaw but nodded. “If I can just give you a little more—”

  “No!” Watn hissed in pain and fell back. He remained clinging to Jord’s wrist, though. “What toll will this be taking on her? You have to go to them. Stop them before they hurt her or themselves. Please.”

  “You’ll die.”

  “I know.” Watn opened his eyes again. “And I’d rather die than any of them get hurt. They could kill themselves with this. Please. Please, Jord. Stop them.”

  Their bond quavered. Watn could feel the torn loyalties in his leader, but he already knew what Jord would choose. Before, it was only a matter of putting himself in danger for Watn’s sake. Now? It was far more dangerous.