Chapter 13

Vander directed his dragon to fly lower beneath the clouds. Thanks to the Orb of Erlo, Vander was able to figure out where Gamair could be hiding. The smell of death, decay, and water, could only mean one thing.

The Wetlands.

Darkness was approaching, and he knew that if Gamair were near, he would show himself soon. Vander was familiar with the evil dragon's actions. Gamair loved to hunt and attack at night.

"Any signs of him?" Jodos asked, using their telepathic link.

"No, nothing," he replied.

The swampy, bug-infested waters were the perfect place for Gamair to hide out. Vander's dragon pumped his wings harder, gaining more speed. They had to hurry so they could put an end to this. Gamair needed to die before he harmed other people.

"I found him." Feno's voice broke through. "Lock on to my location and get your asses here."

Vander's dragon located Feno's, who was only a few miles away. Vander directed his dragon to turn into the direction of his brother. This time, the three of them would work together to capture and destroy the black dragon. He pushed his dragon harder, anticipation for the coming battle mounting. He needed to keep Faye safe. That was his top priority. Once they took out Gamair, he could focus on mating with her, and living forever with the one woman who was made just for him.

He flew higher, wanting to make sure he was able to get the black dragon into his line of sight. Feno's dragon came into his vision, and Jodos' dragon suddenly appeared, flying alongside his brother as the black dragon led them on a chase.

"Vander, get your pansy ass over here," Feno commanded.

"Old man, you need to get your eyes checked. I'm right above you," Vander retorted.

Gamair let loose a dragon roar that echoed through the air. He finally detected that he was not the only dragon in the sky. Vander would have to be more careful tonight. There would not be a repeat of before, which had landed him in the Westwend Hospital. Not this time. Vander would be ready.

"He's going toward land." Feno's voice broke through.

"Good. I didn't feel like going for a swim," Vander replied. His dragon hated water. It wasn't that he wouldn't be able to swim in his dragon form, it was just that dragons were a fire species who preferred to stay in the air, raining fire down on their enemies, not frolicking in the muddy waters of the Wetlands.

They moved into a triad formation, with Feno in the lead. His brother dove down, crashing his massive body onto the dark dragon. Their bodies tumbled through the air, with Feno landing on top of the black dragon, pushing him toward the ground.

Jodos and Vander followed, tucking their wings to their sides, gaining speed and piercing the sky, jetting through the air toward the ground.

"Feno, pull up," Vander shouted.

His brother was heading for the ground at record speed, and unless he wanted to end up in the hospital like Vander had, he needed to let the dragon go before they approached barren land. Feno's wings spread out, slowing his descent through the air. The black dragon slammed into the ground. Each of their dragons made a safe landing. Staying in dragon form, they quickly made their way to the fallen dragon.

"Is he dead?" Jodos asked.

They approached the dragon's side.

"Doubt it," Feno replied.

Vander stared at the fallen creature. He wasn't sure why, but alarms went off in the back of his mind. The massive beast lay, unmoving, on the ground. Vander's dragon growled, ready to blow out his flames onto their captive, but the human in Vander knew something was wrong.

"Something's different," Vander announced.

"What the hell do you mean?" Jodos groaned. "We've chased this dragon for months, and now you say something's wrong?"

"We've been chasing Gamair, the Death Lord," Vander said. His eyes narrowed on the black dragon before them. "But this isn't Gamair."

"What?" Feno growled who moved in closer to the black one.

A bright light glowed from the dragon which began to shift. They all watched the human form appear before them.

It was not Gamair.

Vander pulled back on his dragon and shifted back to his human form. He needed to see for himself and confirm that it was not Gamair. His brother and Jodos followed suit. They cautiously approached the fallen figure, and manic laughter filled the air. Vander's eyes flew to Feno's, and they reached the figure that lay in the high grass.

No, this was definitely not Gamair.

Vander let loose a curse and stood over the deranged man.

"Who the hell are you?" Vander growled, his chest rising and falling feverishly, his anger mounting. They'd wasted time. Where the hell was Gamair?

"Tyson Nautilus." The man released a cynical chuckle. "Gamair was right. He knew you would follow me. Our dragons are very similar, and we've been mistaken for each other before."

"Oh, really?" Feno grabbed Tyson by his neck and dragged him up to a standing position. After shifting from dragon to their human forms, it left them naked. Neither of them were bothered by their nakedness, as it was part of a shifter's life. "Since your dragons look so similar, what if we just put an end to you like we plan to do with him?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," Jodos growled.

"Where is he?" Vander demanded and stood in front of Tyson. They could do with him what they liked, after he got information out of him.

"You've hunted him down, but now it is he who is the hunter." Tyson chuckled again.

Vander narrowed his eyes on the piece of shit of an excuse of a dragon shifter. The laughter was getting on Vander's last nerve. They could end him right here, and no one would know. It was tempting, but right now, they had to find Gamair. This Tyson character wasn't worth expelling the energy it would take to kill him.

"Let me end him now," Jodos growled, moving closer to him.

Vander held up a hand, the alarms at the back of his mind continuing to go off. His imagination took off as he thought. Why would Gamair want them to follow a decoy? Where the hell was the Dragon Lord?

‘He said to tell you to cease your pursuit of him, or he will take something of value from you.' Faye's words echoed in his mind.

It hit him.

Faye.

Gamair was going after his mate.

"Faye. He's going after her," Vander announced and looked to Feno and Jodos.

"You sure?" Feno asked, his sharp eyes cutting to Vander.

"I'm positive. I should have known." Vander cursed himself for falling for the ruse. He should have ensured Faye was better protected. The wards of the castle had been there for centuries, but he should have had them reinforced.

"Go!" Feno commanded.

Vander didn't have to be told twice. He turned and strode away. He had to get to Dragon's Keep, and fast!

"You're too late!" Tyson shouted from behind him.

A yelp filled the air, and Vander turned to see the shifter's body collapse to the ground at his brother's feet.

"Hurry. We'll be right behind you, as soon as we take care of this idiot," Jodos insisted.

Vander nodded and spun back, calling forth his dragon. They would have to be quick. There was no telling if Gamair had made it to Faye. As Vander's dragon took off into the air, he said a prayer, hoping they weren't too late. His dragon sensed the urgency and cut through the air swiftly. He had promised Faye he would keep her safe, and dammit, he would.