Xilon Read online

  He stepped away. “I've been a loner my entire life. If I wasn't fighting and making babies, we'd all be dead now.”

  “I know.” She sighed. “That's not what I'm trying to say. Just don't shut out love and your family.”

  “I'm not. I'm trying to protect you all.” He brushed past her to one of the cave openings. Damn them all. Did they not realize the danger he faced each and every day to keep the monsters from discovering their hideout? His half-brother Kohl had led a mob right to them weeks ago. And now Xilon had to do nightly scouts of their location before he could move into hunting them in the valleys and forests.

  Taurian, his older brother, wasn't much better. He'd been missing since the attack as well.

  A roar ahead shook the cave and rocks cascaded down onto Xilon’s head. Fungus warts! Father's upset about something again. Xilon raced down the labyrinth to his father's chambers. His father, King of Renjer, sat in a dirt cave instead of on one of his thrones.

  Xilon burst past the opening and skidded to a stop. Standing in front of his father were two humans. He inhaled, but only scented his father and two of his brothers: Kohl and Taurian. But that was impossible. It was only his father and these two men in the chamber.

  His scales tightened. Had these humans harmed his brothers and gotten their smell all over them?

  “What's going on?” Xilon asked. Did these men have magic? How else could they have bested two dragons? Sure, Kohl was the youngest and runt of the family since his mom had been human. But Taurian? He learned most of his fighting skills from his older brother.

  His father snorted. “Tell him, Taurian. Or better yet, why don't you both show him.”

  Both humans turned to him. They looked like every other human he'd seen. No scales or colors. Just flesh and bones and easy to snap into pieces. Xilon let out a low growl that neither human trembled at hearing.

  The man on the right turned and something in his sapphire eyes gave Xilon pause. Taurian’s scales were that color blue…almost. And he got a sense of his brother like he was there with them, but that was impossible. Renjerians couldn’t shift into humans or vice versa. No one knew how to do that save dark magicians that had been extinct long before Xilon was even born.

  With a pop, the man began to transform. His body lengthened and his flesh shifting to scales. His brother, Taurian stood before him.

  “You too, Kohlxchijr,” his father said using his youngest brother’s full name rather than his nickname.

  When the second man transformed into Kohl, Xilon’s rage boiled in his chest.

  “What sorcery is this?” Xilon asked. Whoever had done this to his brothers would pay.

  Chapter 3

  Ash felt like she’d been crushed under a ton of weight. A persistent beep she couldn't place kept going off next to her bed. Was that her alarm clock? Her mouth tasted of dried sandpaper. Yet, a hint of something metallic lay underneath the dryness. She opened her eyes and cringed at hospital lights humming above her.

  “What the hell?” Her voice was hoarse and scratchy. “Wher—” The demon. Ned! Was it too late to save him? She rose, but a wave of nausea sent her back to the bed.

  “Stop flailing. You aren't going anywhere until you've healed.” Her Grams pushed down on her shoulders.

  “How long have I been here?” Last thing she remembered was trying to exorcise the demon who had taken over her friend. Had the demon in Ned gotten away or killed more people?

  “Three days and you’re lucky to be alive.” Grams crossed her arms, then lowered her voice to a harsh whisper. “What were you thinking by taking on a demon in traffic? I had to weave a hard illusion that wiped out my supplies to keep everyone from suing your ass.”

  “Thanks.” Part of the joys of demon hunting had to fix the damage afterward. What she wouldn’t give for one of those memory eraser things like in the movies. Ash moved to sit up, but stopped when her head pounded. “Did you get the demon? Is Ned okay?” Her heartbeat raced as she waited for the answers.

  “No.” Grams shook her head. “I found out about the wreck from Mav who was lucky enough to be the first on the scene with his tow truck. But the limo driver was gone before I got to the scene. Then I was too busy cleaning up the mess you left behind.” She shook her finger at Ash. “And you've used up the last drop of our ancestor’s dragon blood. I had to use it to bring you back to life. Damn doctor nearly signed your death certificate before I slipped you the blood.”

  Ash rolled her eyes. Her grams had an old bottle of castor oil that was almost gone and liked to call it dragon blood. Growing up, every time Ash was sick, her Grams made her swallow a teaspoon of the nasty stuff. It didn’t heal anything, just made Ash never want to complain about being sick. “And just how did the blood stay potent after a thousand plus years?”

  “Don't sass me, girl.” Grams frowned and plopped down in the visitor’s chair beside the bed. “If it wasn't for your dragon ancestry, making you stronger and heal faster than the average person, you'd be dead from your injuries. It was only the dragon blood that brought you back to life, cause I reached you in time.”

  True, she had a strong immune system. Her wounds did seem to heal quickly, but not overly so. And she was strong because she trained six days a week for hours. “Let’s ask the doctor what happened.”

  “You know down in your gut that I'm right,” Grams said.

  “No, I know you believe this fantasy.” Ash met her Gram's stare. “But as amazing as it would be, dragons don't exist.” She loved her grandma, but the woman was eccentric and always carrying on about dragons and other worlds. When she was little, Ash believed too. Thought that she’d be safe from monsters because nothing trumps a dragon, right? Then she got a look at the devils who killed her parents. That was when she knew what was real and what was make-believe.

  Grams patted her hand. “Tell that to Taurian when he takes you to Renjer.”

  She let out a laugh. “Grams, I hope you never lose your imagination.” No way was Ash ever going to go anywhere with Taurian or any other stranger.

  If dragons did exist, why had they not returned to Earth? Grams said that their fire-breath killed demons. Why hadn't her so-called ancestor left some of that behind? And Ned. God, by now he'd be demon fodder and it was all her fault because she hadn't been able to exorcise him.

  “I'm going to grab something from the cafeteria downstairs,” Grams stood, “you want anything? It's gotta be slightly better than what the hospital will bring you.”

  Food was the last thing on her mind. “No thanks.”

  “Well, you have to promise to come over for dinner tonight then, deal?”

  “Deal.”

  As soon as Grams left, a doctor peeked in. “Ashley Thibodeaux?”

  “Just Ash.” She held out her arm with the IV stuck in it. “Take this out, I'm ready to leave.”

  He scratched his cheek. “Sorry, but we'd like to keep you a few days for observation and tests. You had a really bad accident and are lucky to even be alive.” He sat on the edge of her bed, his brown eyes full of concern and wonder. “I'm surprised you're not comatose or paralyzed.”

  Was her Grams right about the dragon blood? No, it just had to be one of those freak things. Right? “Lucky, I guess. My Grams said I was dead?”

  “Well,” he clicked his pen before putting it in his white coat, “we did think you were gone there for a moment. No heartbeat and CPR and the paddles didn’t work. Then your grandmother asked to pray for you, we gave her space to say her goodbyes.” He smiled, shaking his head. “Next thing I know, she’s hollering at the staff to come and help you.”

  Was it a miracle, then? Or was Grams telling the truth? No, dragons don’t exist. Just some crazy circumstantial thing that brought her back to life. Or a higher power, that’s all. Other people had returned from death’s door and didn’t have the miracle of her grandma’s dragon blood that looked and tasted like castor oil. Ash shivered.

  “I've ordered more blood tests and—”
br />   “No, I don't need any of that. As long as I don't have a concussion, I want to leave. Did you do a cat scan?”

  He adjusted his stethoscope. “Yes. But I still recommend that you stay at least one more day.”

  She couldn't waste any more time here. Her friend, Ned, was probably dead by now. She had to find the spawned demons and eradicate them before they grew too big.

  “Thanks Doc, but I've important things to take care of that I've neglected since being in here.”

  He sighed. “All right. I'll sign your discharge papers, but you call if you get dizzy or headaches or anything.”

  “Will do.” Her head pounded now, but no way was she going to admit it and stay in the hospital longer.

  Ash bit her lip at the hospital bill. Her bike was totaled and she'd combed the city all day with no luck finding the demon or its offspring.

  She set her keys on Grams’ table. The house was dark. Was Grams at the grocery store? That woman could feed an army every time she cooked. Ash flipped on the kitchen light.

  Outside, crickets and bullfrogs chirped in the distance.

  She strolled to the fridge to grab some milk when a stack of mail on the table caught her eye. The top one had her name on it. Ripping open the envelope, she quickly scanned the letter. Her motorcycle insurance was overdue. Shit! If she caught-up on payments, would they cover her recent wreck? Her stomach churned with worry. This was her fourth insurance provider. All the others had dropped her due to late payments and her many wrecks. None of which were her fault, by the way. Didn’t help that eight months ago, she had to use her bike as a battering ram into a demon’s nest.

  Folding the paper, she placed it on the stack, but a pink slip stuck out. She eased it out. A medical bill? From her hospital stay already? No way.

  She scanned the paper. Chemo treatments past due bills. The amount was so much money. Ash covered her mouth. Grams? Her grandma had been thin lately.

  A few months ago, Ash had noticed a change in her grandma. She was tired more and lost weight. When Ash asked, her Grams said it was just the flu. Then later said that it was the new medicine her body was adjusting to. Why hadn’t she told Ash the truth?

  Outside, thunder rumbled, making the wooden house shake.

  How much more was Grams hiding? Was she dying? Heartache gripped her chest and she couldn’t breathe. Besides her brother, Grams was the only family she had left. She couldn’t lose her too.

  Ash flipped through the pile of mail again for any more clues. Hopeful that this was all a mistake and Grams was fine. That she didn’t have cancer. Mostly bills and a third mortgage on the house. Foreclosure notices. Now Ash was adding to her grandma’s debt and stress. Demon slaying didn't pay much if anything. Last month she'd gotten a rooster from Ms. Johnson for getting rid of one of the creatures.

  Boom! A clash of lightning flashed behind the thunder. Was her Grams out in this storm? She set the bills down and headed to the front window. Rain pelted against the glass. As soon as Grams returned, Ash was going to have a talk with her. Tell her that they’d take out a fourth mortgage, anything to pay the hospital bills. Get her the best doctors and treatment.

  Staring out the window, there was no sign of Grams or her car. Where was she? Was she okay? Her heart hammered in her chest and her gut clenched.

  Ash checked her phone. Only the text was from her brother who was across the country playing football. At this rate, he'd be on the state team next year.

  Glancing back at the window, Ash spotted a dark figure moving oddly. Like someone was hurt and limping down the middle of the road.

  What the hell? An icy chill snaked down her spine. She snagged a sword from her Grandma's study and raced out into the rain.

  Just in case it wasn't a demon, Ash kept the sword behind her back. “Hello? Are you okay?”

  Running steps echoed around her. She spun. No one.

  Another flash of lightning crackled close enough to make the air smell like something was frying. Or was that burning sulfur?

  She whisked the sword out. “This isn't funny. Show yourself.”

  No sound except the pounding rain. But something was here. Was it the demon in Ned? Maybe she still had a chance to save him after all.

  “Ned, are you there? I can help you.” She tightened her hand on her sword hilt. Rain soaked her clothes to her body. Her hair plastered to her face as lightning lit up the sky around her.

  A punch hit her back, and she stumbled forward on the rain-slick street, whipping the sword around. But the blade only cut the air.

  She turned again, jerking the blade in a circle around her.

  Thunder boomed, and she jumped.

  “Where are you, bastard? I'll send you bac—” A tugging hit her middle, and she doubled over. Fuck, what is happening? Her head pounded with every heartbeat. She stumbled, but caught herself as dizziness washed through her.

  Crap, am I having a relapse from the accident? She closed her eyes and swallowed, fighting back the nausea that pressed against her throat.

  A crack of lightning broke her reprieve and her eyes flew open. A bolt of bright red light surged through her. Searing pain shot through her skull and down through her feet.

  She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. No breath.

  Seconds later, she was flung to the ground. Pain smacked her entire body. She coughed, stirring up dust before she pushed up on her hands and knees. Wait? What happened to the road?

  Her heart froze as she stood, her sword smoking a few feet away. The rain was gone along with Gram's house… Shit, her whole neighborhood had vanished. And overhead, two suns burned in a bright purple sky.

  Chapter 4

  Xilon held his dragonfire inside his lungs, ready to exhale and whatever sorcerer had turned his brothers into humans, he’d burn to cinders. Why would a Renjerian want to become a puny human anyway? No, it had to be a bad spell.

  “Kohl has always been able to shift,” Taurian said, his sapphire tail brushing across the dirt floor. “But he and father hid it from us.”

  “That explains him, maybe.” Xilon lifted a talon and tapped it against Taurian’s chest. “But you and the rest of us have never been able to transform. So how is it possible that you were a human?”

  “It's a long story—”

  “Try me.” He'd find this magic user and crush them. Who knew what harm would befall his brother shifting into a human.

  “I accidently ingested some of Kohl’s blood when he had Tryn poison as I tried to resuscitate him. Then a lightning storm struck while I fought one of the big Tryns. Next thing I know, I landed on Earth as a human.”

  Xilon shuddered. “And now? You are able to change back and forth?”

  “Yes. At first though, I was stuck in human form until my body went through a metamorphosis. Dena says—”

  “Who?” Xilon snapped. That wasn't a Renjerian name. If he had his guess, he'd say it was human. Was she the sorceress who afflicted his brother? He'd charcoal her flesh and crush her bones.

  Taurian smiled and looked off into the distance. “She's my mate. An animal doctor who's been trying to help us.”

  “How does she think she can...help us?” Xilon snorted.

  “We can't continue like this here.” Kohl waved an arm out. “The Tryns are multiplying too rapidly and our own numbers are dwindling. Every season, there are less and less born. Even now, our females of mating age aren't reproducing frequent enough.”

  “Desmonda—” Xilon argued.

  “Is the exception.” Taurian sighed. “At this point, we should have nearly all of our mated females pregnant yet only one percent are. And many of those younglings don't survive the year.”

  Xilon paced. What his brothers said was true. He hadn't taken a mate because fighting and battling were his mistresses. But truth was, there were four to five times more males than females. The next generation would be even worse if things continued like this.

  “Then we send the females and their mates to ano
ther planet while we stay and finish the Tryns.” Xilon nodded to his father. “As king, you can say who will stay. Everyone will follow your orders.” Especially the warriors like him and his brothers who were tired of hiding. Only venturing out whenever it was night to mask their presence. Waging war at certain times when they spotted a small group of Tryn they could easily overcome.

  Ever since the regent king-to-be, his eldest brother was killed by the Tryns, his father had been overprotective of the rest of them.

  “No, we need to discuss this with everyone.” His father paced. “Take volunteers outside of the royal family.”

  “What? Why?” Xilon swung his head toward him. “The time to act is now. Our females are scarce and younglings even more so.”

  “But Kohl's human, Isabelle is pregnant.” Taurian grinned. “And me and Dena are trying as well.”

  No wonder Taurian wasn't freaked out about being able to shift into a human. Hmm…that might work to Xilon's advantage. If he could transform into a human, he could lure out Tryns. They would think Xilon an easy target and when they came, he'd blast them all with his fire.

  “Do you think what happened to you, brother, could be repeated?”

  Taurian cocked his scaled head, a look of disbelief in his eyes.

  “I mean about becoming human, not mating with them.” Xilon stiffened. Human women weren't attractive. They were weak and had a tendency to scream and faint whenever they saw a Renjerian.

  “Not sure.” Taurian shifted his tail. “We can try it, but circumstances have to be right.”

  “And a lightning bolt to travel inside.” His father nodded. “You'll try Taurian's blood first. That will let us know if he and Kohl can donate their blood to others who wish to transform. Or if Kohl is the only one to pass along this ability.”

  “What about you, Father?” Kohl asked. “Would you want to be human in part too?”

  “No, never.” Their father patted his shoulder with a talon. “But in honor of Kohl’s mother, and my one-true love, I will not stand in any Renjerian’s way who wishes to be able to shift into both Renjerian and human.”