Thea Harrison - Dragon Bound

She ran into an unexpected snag as she started to leave. The nurse checking her out asked, “Still the same insurance and co-pay?”

Same insurance. From Elfie’s. And her with thirty-three dollars in her pocket and no checkbook. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Offering a mental apology to all concerned with a promise to pay the bill for real, she lied, “Yes, thanks.”

She forked over the twenty-five-dollar co-pay, waved away the offer of a receipt and tried to not look shifty about any of it while she continued her internal dialogue with the peanut. What if he hates the idea of the pregnancy? What if he doesn’t want you? He has to want you, that’s all there is to it. Anyway, I want you. I just don’t know what I’m going to do with you. Just one more thing I’ll have to figure out, along with how to live with the rest of the crazy-ass changes going on in my life.

Business concluded, she made her way through the lobby toward the clinic door where she paused. She didn’t think she had the Power to reach Dragos telepathically, but she decided to give it a try anyway. Dragos?

His response was immediate and, thank God, calm. Yes.

I’m done. I’m headed home, she told him. I’ve got some news and I owe you a big apology.

We can talk about whatever it is later, he said. Where are you? I’ll come get you.

You don’t know? She thought for sure Bayne or Aryal would have told him by now. She pushed through the glass door, squinting in the bright sunlight. Where was the harpy? She shaded her eyes as she looked around. See, I went to my doctor’s—

She stepped on something and shifted her foot as she looked down. She had stepped on—was that a dart?

Sudden pain pricked her neck. She brushed at the pain and saw another dart fall to the sidewalk. Numbness spread through her body at unbelievable speed. The world went sideways and the sidewalk slammed into her.

Bayne. Aryal. She tried to call for them, but her mouth wasn’t working.

Somebody was shouting in another part of her head, but she couldn’t connect with it or understand what they were saying.

Three people walked into view and stared down at her. Two were Dark Fae males with long tilted eyes, high cheekbones, pointed ears and dark hair.

One was a Hispanic woman, with a queenlike beauty and eyes that connected to hers with a snap of Power. The witch Adela, from the Cauldron.

“Oh, it’s you. Again.” Adela’s mouth pursed and she sighed. “I was afraid of that.”

You stupid bitch, she tried to say. I’m so going to kick your ass.

If Dragos doesn’t get to you first . . .

Everything floated away.

AMephistophelian voice thundered in her head. It called her Name.

Use your Power, damn it. I can feel you’re there. Try hard , the imperious voice demanded. WAKE THE FUCK UP.

Everything whirled around her. It stank like oil and exhaust. She lay on something hard that vibrated, her cheek pressed against a rough carpet. She felt dizzy, sick. She breathed in shallow pants.

Someone was making a thin whining sound. Oh, it was her. Shut up, stupid.

She fought to do as the voice demanded and reached deep inside. Her training instructor would have said she reached for her chi, her energy flow, the seat of her breath.

For a terrible moment she was disoriented and rudderless in the dark. Then she connected. Power flowed up from the base of her spine and flooded her body. It didn’t dissipate all the effects of the drug, but it helped to clear her head some.

She was bound with her arms behind her, gagged and in the trunk of a car traveling at high speed. She drooped. Apparently it really did never rain but poured.

Answer me now, Dragos commanded.

Having a hell of a week , she managed to articulate. Her mental voice was thready and lacked control, but he heard her.

There’s my girl . The thunder was gone, replaced by desperate relief. Talk to me. Are you hurt?

No, some kind of drug. She struggled to find words that made sense. Tied up. In the trunk of a car. We’re traveling fast .

All right. Stay calm , said Dragos.

Bayne and Aryal. She tried to figure out how to articulate their names into a question.

We found them outside the clinic. They were drugged too. They’re okay; they’re shaking it off. Dragos sounded composed again. We finally got ahold of someone who can cast a tracking spell. I’ll be able to follow you in just a moment. How are you tied? Can you get loose?

Nausea lurked. She clenched down on it hard. She couldn’t afford to vomit with the gag in her mouth. She bent back in a bow so she could feel along her lower legs with hands that were prickling and starting to go numb.

They’re those plastic restraints. No locks. I can’t get them off.

All right , he said again. Don’t worry about it.

She had important things to tell him. What were they again? For how long would he be able to talk to her? Graydon had said something about his telepathic range being over a hundred miles. She had no idea how long she had been unconscious or how far away they were from each other.

She said. I have to tell you things in case we lose contact .

We’re not going to lose contact , he snapped. That’s it. I’ve got a tracking spell on your braid. I’m on my way.

She kept her breathing deep and regular. It seemed to help keep her stomach settled, although the exhaust fumes made her want to gag. She tried to think. Was that land magic she felt in the distance?

Will the tracking spell still work if we cross over to an Other land?

He said, I’m not going to let you get that far away.

He didn’t tell her the spell would work. She had a feeling that meant it wouldn’t.

She said, It’s two Dark Fae. They’re working with a witch from the Magic District.

His voice turned ominous. Describe her.

She’s dark-haired, a human, first name is Adela. She owns the shop Divinus. I can’t remember her last name . She struggled to think.

Don’t worry about it. It doesn’t matter, he said. Can you describe the Dark Fae to me?

She tried her best, but she had gotten just that brief look at them before falling unconscious. I’m sorry.

He turned gentle. None of that matters right now. Let’s just focus on getting you back.

Her sense of land magic grew stronger. Uh-oh. But I have to tell you. I’m pregnant.

His roar filled her head. WHAT!

She talked faster. I never had control over that so I had an IUD implant. When I realized what was going on this morning, I was so scared I was going to miscarry, all I could think was I had to get to the doctor fast and get the IUD removed. And I was so damn mad at you. I thought you’d done it on purpose.

Pia. My God.

I dreamed about him this morning. I think it was real. He was a white dragon, the most beautiful little boy you’ve ever seen . They went into a wide turn, picked up speed for a brief while, then slowed into another turn. She told him with enforced calm, We’re leaving a highway and slowing down. I can feel land magic close by.

Quickly , he said. He sounded more shaken than he ever had before. The car trunk has a lock. Try to push it up, and tell me what you see.

If her hands were free or bound in front of her she could just spring the catch of the trunk lock from the inside. She struggled to get her knees underneath her and push up on the trunk with her shoulder. The catch gave just as they rolled to a stop.